Episode 2: Islands | On the Turks and Caicos Islands, animals have a far greater ability to adapt to a changing world than we thought. Anthony Herrel studies how Silver Key anoles have evolved to keep up with destructive weather in the tropics. With changes in legs, feet, and aerodynamics, evolution is taking place at incredible speeds.
Filming Evolution in Action
Silver Key anoles living on the Island Nation of Turks and Caicos, have displayed a unique evolutionary adaptation in response to hurricanes. Dr. Anthony Herrel and his team discovered this phenomenon by studying the physiology of these animals and comparing notes to years prior before recent severe storms rocked the islands. These small anoles live in the trunks and branches of trees found around the islands, and feast on small insects living among the vegetation. In the mornings, these reptiles can be seen basking in the hot Caribbean sun, and by noon, they can be observed hunting, looking for love, or fiercely defending their territories.
We traveled to Turks and Caicos to film this segment of the episode and bring this incredible scientific discovery to life. This was a pretty challenging shoot and involved working in a very remote location to maximize our chances of filming natural anole behavior.
Behind the Scenes
More about the series on PBS
Traveling to the far corners of the world, we discover the extraordinary ways animals are adapting to our rapidly changing planet. We witness nature’s remarkable resilience, as our perception of evolution and its potential is forever transformed.