♪ Playful Music ♪ ♪ ♪ <Desiree> The state of South Carolina is home to some of the most fascinating and diverse wildlife on the planet.

It's varying geographic regions hosts a variety of ecosystems, each providing the necessary ingredients for life to flourish and grow.

Just as remarkable are the people whose mission is to protect and ensure that these fragile habitats continue to thrive.

♪ Now, it's time to learn and discover What's Wild .

♪ Hello, from beautiful Riverbanks Zoo, and Garden, I'm Desiree Cheeks.

For this episode of What's Wild , we'll be learning about some of South Carolina's native species, and seeing how dedicated some people are to their conservation.

First, let's take a closer look into one of the smaller overlooked animals on our list and discover what ways and benefits the environment.

♪ Found in nearly every habitat on earth, there are more than one and a half million insects that have been discovered.

And it's estimated that may only be a small fraction of how many there truly are.

Small species like this one here not only have never been filmed, but haven't even received a name yet.

Others are so similar in appearance it takes extensive research and scientific equipment to distinguish them.

For the squeamish, these insurmountable figures may be discouraging, but believe it or not, the world would be a drastically different place without these creepy crawlers.

One species in South Carolina plays the wildest role in making sure these ecosystems continue to flourish.

The insect world is a tough place to live, and it's filled with some of the dirtiest jobs in the animal kingdom.

Nowhere is this better demonstrated than in the layer of plant debris on the forest floor known as leaf litter.

Here are rich biodiversity of animals and fungi recycle the nitrogen and dead plant matter and enrich the soil aiding new growth.

To do this small pieces of leaves are broken down consumed and then excreted by countless species of insects and other arthropods.

The leaf litter and Exchange provides the perfect habitat offering shelter and protection for these organisms.

They may seem small and insignificant, but the health of the environment relies greatly on these decomposers and without them plants would lose the natural source of nutrients they provide.

♪ For bigger decomposition jobs, no bug does it better than the American Carrion Beetle.

Also called burying beetles.

These insects feed and lay their eggs on the bodies of dead or decaying animals.

Though this may be unpleasant, it's a necessary process of keeping the balance of nature in check.

When an animal dies, it emits a foul odor that's picked up by flies and other scavengers like the carrion beetle and lets them know, it's time to go to work.

Once the beetles arrive, they quickly begin digging underneath the decaying carcass to bury it in the earth, preventing the food from drying out and keeping competitors away from the action.

Most of the eating is done by the juvenile bugs.

While adults have been observed to have a bite here and there.

Their primary focus is to mate lay their eggs and thin out the competition.

One of the main competitors of the carrion beetle is the fly.

Though it's impossible to completely eradicate them.

This beetle has a couple of tricks up its sleeve.

A closer look at the beetle reveals these tiny mites mounted on their backs.

When a beetle arrives at a carcass the mites hop off and quickly get down to business eating fly eggs and smaller larva.

♪In this form of mutualism, the carrion beetles offspring have fewer competitors, and the mites get a free ride from meal to meal.

♪ ♪ At Clemson University bugs scientist or entomologists, have been researching insects like the Carrion Beetle since 1889.

Their work typically consists of identifying and analyzing local species, as well as keeping track of changes throughout the environment over time.

To get specimens, this group of students and faculty head out to areas like Clemson's Experimental Forest and capture species by sifting through leaf litter and setting up traps.

Once collected, they're brought back to the lab and filtered once more to obtain clean samples for study.

For a closer look into specimens, modern DNA sequencing is used to differentiate cryptic species that look identical, but are genetically distinct.

One of the final stops for those collected is Clemson's arthropod collection Museum, where over a million and a half species are stored and catalogued for future study.

Putting a pin down on how essential these bugs can be.

It's amazing to see what ways an animal can change in order to be better equipped in their habitat.

For some, the transformation can be so dramatic, they take on an entirely new way of life.

Next, let's take a look at one of our rarest species, found only in a few scattered areas in the state.

Hundreds of millions of years ago, evidence suggests that at one point South Carolina was predominantly underwater.

Past the young Appalachian Mountains, endless swamp lands dominated the southeast and an explosion of biodiversity was underway.

This was the age of the amphibian.

Early amphibians were some of the first vertebrates to take the leap from water onto land.

Today, their descendants come in a variety of species and live in some of the most remote and pristine environments on the planet.

One of South Carolina's rarest amphibians the Webster salamander has an isolated distribution, and is one of the rarest animals around.

Amphibians have one of the most unique life cycles in the animal kingdom.

Unlike reptiles and birds, amphibians lay soft jelly like eggs typically in or around a water source.

Once hatched, young amphibians like frogs and salamanders go through stages called metamorphosis losing their tails and growing legs and lungs and the process.

Amphibians also have a thin permeable skin, allowing them to absorb liquids and gases and keep their skin moist and functional.

This ability comes with a cost however, because they absorb what's around them, pollution and habitat loss can be devastating.

Therefore, many amphibians are known as indicator species because they indicate a healthy, clean ecosystem.

Webster Salamander can be found in several small separated locations across the southeast.

In South Carolina, the species is restricted to only a few areas along the Savannah River and the lower Piedmont.

These salamanders prefer to live in mixed hardwood forest with dense canopies that help the forest floor remain moist and cool.

As with many terrestrial salamanders, much remains unknown about their behavior.

But it's believed that most of their time in the fall and early spring is spent foraging through leaf litter disappearing underground during the hot summer months.

Initially, Webster's salamander was so similar to another species that it wasn't until 1979 That it was discovered as a new species using molecular data, one of the first creatures to ever be distinguished this way.

♪ As major predators of the forest floor lobster salamander plays a vital role in the ecosystem by affecting the rate of litter decomposition and nutrient cycling because of habitat loss or alteration, Webster salamander is an endangered species in South Carolina.

♪ Unfortunately, it is not alone.

It's estimated that 32% of all amphibians are considered threatened have become extinct, with almost half of the species in the world being in decline.

To help ensure the survival of these imperiled animals, groups like the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources have established heritage preserves and surveys to help research and protect the species.

With these essential resources, the hope is that in time the Webster Salamander population can grow and stay wild.

At a zoo, you'd expect to see animals from across the world.

But as it turns out, there's actually a few local residents here at riverbanks.

Next up, let's have a special interview with some of the zoo staff to see how they're getting one animal ready for a life in the wild.

♪ <Sean> I've been working at riverbanks probably a little over 30 years now.

I mean, obviously, when I was a kid, I was always into reptiles and amphibians always collected them and stuff for myself.

But I went to school for entomology, which is the study of insects, and then kind of thought that's what my career path was going to be.

But before I graduated, I decided I wanted to try to work in a zoo with reptiles.

And it just so happened there was a position open here, riverbank Zoo, and I applied for it.

Got it.

Right as I was graduating, and I've been here ever since.

Well, we do all kinds of things here at Riverbanks we take care of the animals, obviously, that's our main focus, but we do a lot of breeding projects with our reptiles with our amphibians, we do local reptiles and amphibians like gopher frogs.

We'll also focus on Pine snakes.

We're all over the map with what we do here at riverbanks.

So this is one of our adult pine snakes.

He's been at the zoo for about 20 years.

Pine snakes are really interesting.

It's a species that you find in kind of the Sandhills areas, there's a good population in Aiken County, and one of the reasons they're found there is this is one of the few species of snakes that can actually dig its own burrows.

Most snakes cannot dig.

But these guys are really good digger.

So they're a pretty secretive snakes.

And most people don't actually see pine snakes.

So we don't really know how their populations are doing in South Carolina, because they're underground most of the time.

And another interesting thing with pine snakes is they can vocalize, so they can make a really loud hissing noise.

And they do that as a defensive tactic.

So if they're cornered, they will kind of act like a venomous snake where they kind of coil up, they make this loud hissing, they'll also rattle a tail.

So it makes them sound and look really dangerous.

So a lot of cool things about pine snakes.

We do have these guys on exhibit, we've had them on exhibit for basically the whole time our buildings been open.

And we breed them pretty much every year.

And we have been releasing all of our offspring in certain areas that are controlled by SCDNR and we hope to, at some point, be able to come up with more structured program where maybe we'll do some tracking of these snakes, and kind of see what's going on with the populations because we really have no idea.

You know, how prevalent the snakes are in South Carolina.

I think a lot of us get into this field, because we love the animals.

So just being able to work with them get hands on them is really rewarding and enriching.

But also, we're in it because of the environment.

Conservation is an incredibly important aspect of everything we do here.

The habitats that these animals are in, a lot of them are disappearing.

People can have their own impacts on conservation just by what they do when they're out in the wild and encourage the protection of our heritage preserves go to these heritage preserves, see what the natural fauna and flora is because there's lots and lots of cool stuff out there and trying to conserve our environments and our species.

And Riverbanks encourages that.

And so we're all get to be involved in a lot of projects that help do that to conserve the animals to conserve habitats and things like that.

So that's really one of the best parts of my job.

<Desiree> There's more to Riverbanks and just exotic animals and stunning scenery.

Just across the Saluda River lies one of the nation's most breathtaking Botanical Gardens.

Next, let's sit down with one of the gardens horticulturist to see what's growing on the other side of the zoo.

[waterfall sound] ♪ <Andy> Horticulture is the art and science of growing plants.

Oftentimes I hear people ask the question, how do you become a horticulturist and what does a horticulturist do?

You know, I went one route to become a horticulturist.

I studied horticulture at Clemson.

I've got a Bachelor of Science degree in horticulture, but you know, the real training came here at Riverbanks, and you know, there is no substitute like on the job training.

You know, a lot of what I do is help manage the staff and our projects that we have planned out, because you know, we do really two kinds of horticulture here.

We do horticulture in the zoo, which is collectively referred to as zoo horticulture, and then up in the Botanical Garden, we do a lot more intensive gardening, it's kind of the difference is, on the zoo, we're trying to create a set, the backdrop for the animals, the animals are our talent we bring in.

On the garden side, the plants are the talent and should be in the forefront.

So, it's really two different kinds of styles, and we really have to shift our brains kind of when you go from the zoo to the garden and how we're going to do horticulture.

♪ We grow a number of different native species in both the zoo and the garden, but you know, we do a couple of interesting projects with native plants here.

There's an endangered sunflower that only grows in a couple of counties in North and South Carolina, the Schweinitz's sunflower.

We've worked on collecting seed of that.

So we've actually we've housed some plants on site of the sunflower and replanted them from seeds and cuttings.

We've also propagated a number of plants ourselves for future reintroduction, and we also do a really cool project with the Rocky Shoals spider lily that grows in the Broad and Congaree rivers right here in Columbia.

Those populations have been declining.

So we work on collecting seed, growing seed in our facilities and then reintroducing to the wild.

When people think about conservation at Riverbanks Zoo, oftentimes, they just think about the animal end of things.

We actually encourage a lot of plant conservation, and we think that's really important, because plants and animals, they have to interact within the environment, the ecosystem, it's not just one or the other, they all play together.

So, that's why we really think that focusing on plant conservation is important too and shouldn't be overlooked.

♪ Conservation is really important kind of starting from the ground up.

One thing we try to do with both programs for kids and adults alike, and the just the things we do at Riverbanks are encouraging people of all ages to get involved in conservation, there's no better way than getting them started while they're young, and you're also never too old to be conservation minded.

We like to give people a kind of a big picture of conservation too, and then we also like to give them things that they can do at home, and that's one thing we've really focused on in the botanical garden.

You know, we have a program called Planting with a Purpose that encourages people when they're incorporating new landscapes and existing landscapes, to put pollinator friendly plants in there, so you can attract the bees and butterflies.

Working at Riverbanks is a great job.

I've been here for 22 years, and what keeps me coming back every day, not only the people I work with, but just the environment I work in, it's very stimulating to see all of these different plants and animals, but what keeps me coming back to horticulture, it's just I learned something new every day.

There's so many cool plants out there.

So many that I'm not even familiar with.

So, it's great to be able to learn about plants and share that information with the public and that's what I get a big kick out of is talking to people about plants.

♪ <Desiree> When speaking about native species in South Carolina, you'd be remiss not to mention one of the most vital of them.

Plants from the foundation of all life on our planet, providing us with the air we breathe, and on the basis of all food we eat.

For our last adventure, let's learn about some highly specialized flora that have developed a way to bite back at the bottom of the food chain.

♪ ♪ There are over 3000 recorded plant species within South Carolina.

♪ The state's variety of natural habitats and geographic size make it one of the most diverse areas for flora in the nation.

In this botanical utopia, there's a wide range of colors, sizes, and shapes.

♪ Their adaptations vary from mechanical defenses such as thorns and spines, to brightly hued flowers more easily detected by insects for pollination.

Others have come up with some fascinating wild ways of taking adaptation to an entirely new level.

♪ Carnivorous plants also known as insectivorous plants, are distinguished from other plants by their ability to capture and digest insects or other small animals.

♪ Often mistaken, carnivorous plants do not eat their prey for energy.

Rather, they digest animals to get the needed nutrients absent in the soil of their environment.

While this adaptation may seem like an upgrade, there are some disadvantages.

♪ Their modified leaves used to trap their prey are not as efficient at capturing the sunlight necessary for photosynthesis, because of this, carnivorous plants require a bright sunny environment and don't compete well against other plants.

♪ ♪ The most easily recognized carnivorous plant, the Venus flytrap is native to nowhere else, but the Carolinas.

♪ It has the rarest active mechanism in carnivorous plants, known as the snap trap.

♪ The trap is comprised of two specialized leaves with slender trigger hairs that are activated when bent.

♪ Once the trap is activated, the leaves seal shut, releasing digestive juices to break down its food.

Like the Venus flytrap, the Pitcher plant secretes sweet smelling nectar to attract insects near its peristome or rim.

♪ The slippery surface near the Pitcher plant's mouth causes the prey to fall inside its funnel like body.

This passive approach known as a pitfall trap, prevents animals from escaping with downward pointing hairs lined along the inner wall of the plant.

♪ Inevitably, the prey will drown in the fluid filled cavity and be digested.

♪ One of the most unique carnivorous plants in South Carolina is the Sundew, ♪ also known as Drosera, the Sundew plant has tiny tentacle like hairs covering its leaves that are tipped with what looks like a drop of dew.

♪ These glistening dew drops are actually a sticky mucilage substance secreted by the plant that act as an adhesive.

When the glandular tentacles are touched, adjacent tentacles bend gradually towards the struggling prey.

♪ Special enzymes are then secreted in order to break down the catch and absorb its nutrients.

♪ There are approximately 31 species of carnivorous plants in South Carolina.

Some of them are exceedingly rare, and like many plants are in decline and have become a protected species.

Major threats to carnivorous plants include habitat alterations, poaching, and invasive or competitive species.

♪ Since 1976, groups like the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources have been able to protect these plants by establishing nature preserves.

♪ Today, there are 76 preserves covering nearly 100,000 acres statewide.

♪ Conservation efforts include prescribed burnings to eliminate unhealthy competition, tracking rare plants and a database for wildlife management, planning, and reintroducing species into their natural habitat.

These critical efforts will help these ferocious yet delicate plants continue to flourish and allow everyone to enjoy their beauty for generations to come.

♪ Can't get enough of What's Wild?

Go to scetv.org for more exciting episodes of South Carolina wildlife.

Also be sure to visit our Facebook and Instagram page at South Carolina ETV to let us know what other plants and animals you'd like to see next.

From everyone at South Carolina ETV, I'm Desiree Cheeks.

Thanks for watching and remember to stay WILD.

♪ closing music ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ This is literally the most outdoorsy I have ever been in my life.

♪ [gun fire] [shrieks and laughs] ♪ [shrieks] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> This is our town.

>> This is our town.

♪ ♪ >> Salutations, and welcome everyone.

♪ ♪ >> Food is Southern culture.

♪ >> When I think of Southern cuisine, I think it's just filled with flavor filled with love.

♪ >> If South Carolina was a dish, it would be a tomato sandwich.

We have really hung our hats on that too.

♪ [laughter] ♪