Olga Merediz

Cuba's unspoiled tropical terrain, closed for decades by a U.S. trade embargo, escaped the commercialization of its Caribbean island neighbors. A title wave of hotels, asphalt, and pollution may be just ahead, if tourism experts are right. Look inside the long-closed paradise to see what the future holds for Cuba's unusual species of amphibians, reptiles, and fresh water fish.

Among the biggest land mammals on the planet, bears need a lot of resources to survive and must use all of their skills, brawn, and brains to get what they need, whether they're foraging for honeycombs or tasty plants, standing up to their rivals, or raising cubs. Follow the adventures of bears across the globe as they draw on their remarkable adaptations to survive in an ever-changing world. Find out what it really takes to be a bear.

Cuba is an island teeming with exotic biodiversity: from the world's tiniest hummingbird to thousands of migrating crabs, to the jumping crocodiles of the Zapata swamp. Decades of a socialist, conservation-minded government, American embargoes, and minimal development have left the island virtually unchanged for 50 years. As international relations ease, what will become of this wildlife paradise?