This is the Virginia opossum, a tree dweller found throughout many of the southern states. It's the only North American marsupial. The young are born premature and matured in the mother's pouch. And its only close relatives today are found in Central...
The cold climate conifer forests of the north displaced broadleaved woodlands. Plants and animals were gradually pushed south to find a warmer climate. Florida became a refuge from the cold. Down here is where the Ice Age north met the subtropical so...
But how did one man and a spear produce the huge force behind this blow? The answer lies with small bits of ivory like this. They were once part of an atlatl, or spear thrower. An atlatl acts as a sort of catapult, magnifying the strength of a hunter...
But most significant of all, the jaguar has a tell-tale trademark. Instead of going for the neck or snout like most cats do, it kills with a crushing bite through the skull into the brain. This makes the jaguar prime suspect in this case. Even the gl...
These holes are the unmistakable hallmark of a violent death. Their shape suggest they were made by the teeth of a big cat, but which one? Today theres only one large cat in the region, the Florida panther. Though similar to the cougar at the western...
But the glyptodont wasn't a reptile. So what was it? There is a relative of the glyptodont thats still alive today. It's the armadillo and it's a mammal, the only mammal with this kind of armor in the whole of North America. It may give us some idea...
At first sight, manatees might look like seals or dolphins. But in fact, some of their closest relatives live on land. These toenails are the giveaway, remarkably similar to those of elephants. 13,000 years ago, two other members of the elephant fami...
This creates steam in oasis and a profusion of life. Today, these warm springs are a refuge for one of Florida's most tropical inhabitants. The West Indian Manatee wasn't present during the last ice age, but returned here as the waters warmed up. Eve...
By piecing together the evidence these creatures left behind, we can build a picture of this sub-tropical corner of the continent as it was 13,000 years ago. While most of North America was still in the grip of the Big Freeze, Florida was an ice age...
This is Florida, a taste of the tropical, one of the world's most popular holiday destinations. Here mankind's unquenchable desire to explore and colonise reaches astronomical proportions. Eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. Ignition. Lif...