Summary
It is not every time that an adventure starts with a leap into the unknown; however, this is what the BBC Erath narrator decided to open his story with. Watching a jumper slowly disappear in the depth of the Cave of Swallows (BBC Earth, 2010, March 21, 01:49), the audience learns how deep caves can go. As the narrator goes on, the audience learns that the insides of the Earth’s surface differ very little from Swiss cheese in that it is just as hole ridden.
After the narrator enters realm of stalactites and stalagmites, a short introduction to the residents of caves is provided. According to the author, despite a tangible lack of light, caves serve as dwellings for a number of species, including glow worms with their “ghostly blue light” (BBC Earth, 2010, March 21,01:55), bats, and other creatures.
As the author explains, the cave residents have learned to use the lack of light to their advantage. Later on, the narrator switches to the so-called “cave swiftlers” (BBC Earth, 2010, March 21, 07:19) and then proceeds with the description of other peculiar residents of the mysterious “underworld.”
As the story goes on, the audience finds out more about the animals that use caves only as a temporary shelter and prefer to leave them in the daytime for hunting, mating and playing. Lizards as the most frequent cold-blooded visitors of caves are mentioned; later on, the narrator mentions that in Africa, caves are often the residence of lions, which prefer to spend nights with a “roof” under their heads, since spending most of their daytime in the heat of the African sun is “truly exhausting” (BBC Earth, 2010, March 21, 34:47).
Surprisingly enough, at the end of the series, the audience finds out that the narrator has taken them out of the cave to the surface of one of the most famous deserts on the Earth, the Arctic desert. The “northern extreme of our planet” (BBC Earth, 2010, March 21, 43:11), though, seems just as hostile and mysterious as the depth of a cave. After taking a closer look at a family of polar bears, the narrator winds up his story, leaving the audience marvel at the many wonders of nature.
Reference List
BBC Planet Earth (2010, March 21). Caves. Web.