The Amazing Waterfall Toad
In The Amazing Waterfall Toad, narrator Sir David Attenborough introduces the amazing waterfall toad, a tiny creature that lives in the jungles where Brazil and Venezuela meet. About the size of a postage stamp, this toad has super gripping hands that help it cling to trees and wet leaves in the treetops. While other frogs might hop away from danger, the waterfall toad has a unique strategy that protects it from hungry snakes below. This video is excerpted from BBC's Life, a show that explores the remarkable strategies animals and plants use to ensure their survival.
Lesson Express
Q: Why do you think the waterfall toad’s size, being only around 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) long, is beneficial for its survival?
A: The small size of the waterfall toad allows it to easily hide in the dense jungle and cling to tree branches and leaves, making it harder for predators to spot. Its size also helps it move quickly and remain agile, which is crucial for escaping danger.
Q: How does the environment of the South American jungle, where the waterfall toad lives, influence the toad’s survival strategies?
A: The jungle’s wet and dense environment provides perfect conditions for the waterfall toad’s unique survival strategies, like its gripping hands and free-falling ability. The wet surfaces help the toad stick to trees, and the dense jungle allows it to hide from predators.
Q: How does the waterfall toad’s strategy of free-falling compare with other animals’ ways of escaping danger?
A: Unlike many animals that escape danger by running or jumping, the waterfall toad uses free-falling as a unique strategy. While other animals may try to escape by leaping away, the toad deliberately falls and then pulls itself back up to safety, showing a creative adaptation to its environment.
More Like This
In Seabirds and Green Turtles Breed on Land, narrator Sir David Attenborough explores how seabirds and green turtles breed on land even though they live their lives in and on the water. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Blue Planet, a definitive documentary series diving into the mysterious depths of the sea to discover the natural history of the world’s oceans and the rarely seen marine life that reside there.
In Iguazu Falls and Human Interference, learn how piraputanga leap out of the clear waters to feed on berries growing on the branches above. However, the future of animals in this area may be at risk from humans using nearby waters for hydroelectric power. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.
In The Crystal Clear Waters of Bonito, explore the many types of fish that swim in the crystal clear waters of Bonito, a region in Brazil. The fish can see the monkeys above, feeding on berries, and wait for them to accidentally drop them into the water. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.
In Sally Lightfoot Crabs Run the Gauntlet, narrator Sir David Attenborough introduces these colorful crabs who jump from rock to rock as the tide goes out to make it to their feeding ground. The crabs are very determined, but so are some fierce predators along the way. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Blue Planet II, a natural history series that explores the world's oceans, the animals that live in them, and the threats they face, using modern filming techniques and equipment to capture previously unseen areas of the ocean.
In Seabirds and Green Turtles Breed on Land, narrator Sir David Attenborough explores how seabirds and green turtles breed on land even though they live their lives in and on the water. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Blue Planet, a definitive documentary series diving into the mysterious depths of the sea to discover the natural history of the world’s oceans and the rarely seen marine life that reside there.
In Iguazu Falls and Human Interference, learn how piraputanga leap out of the clear waters to feed on berries growing on the branches above. However, the future of animals in this area may be at risk from humans using nearby waters for hydroelectric power. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.
In The Crystal Clear Waters of Bonito, explore the many types of fish that swim in the crystal clear waters of Bonito, a region in Brazil. The fish can see the monkeys above, feeding on berries, and wait for them to accidentally drop them into the water. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.
In Sally Lightfoot Crabs Run the Gauntlet, narrator Sir David Attenborough introduces these colorful crabs who jump from rock to rock as the tide goes out to make it to their feeding ground. The crabs are very determined, but so are some fierce predators along the way. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Blue Planet II, a natural history series that explores the world's oceans, the animals that live in them, and the threats they face, using modern filming techniques and equipment to capture previously unseen areas of the ocean.