Original subtitles

NARRATOR: Off the southern coast of Australia,

kangaroos find sanctuary on the Island of the Dead.

Just up the shore,

an unlikely neighbor

populates a picturesque beach.

And on the other side of the world,

a future predator seeks shelter

in an underwater labyrinth.

At their most delicate times,

the seeds of an empire grow.

The safety a sanctuary provides,

is essential to survive.

NARRATOR: Inside the different realms of the wild kingdom,

members of a single species assemble in droves.

And one flock,

herd,

or troop

reigns supreme.

These are the world's great

NARRATOR: Off the southern coast of Australia

sits the country's third largest island.

While the rugged shoreline and vast ocean sprawl

make for beautiful vistas,

two thousand years ago, rising sea levels

cut this Island off from mainland Australia.

The isolation inspired an Aboriginal name for the island,

they called it Karta,

the Island of the Dead.

The first stop on the journey to the afterlife,

Karta was a place more suited for dying than living.

With limited access to freshwater

and a lack of large game animals

few European explorers

attempted to make settlements.

One group of settlers though,

did make it here in abundance.

The western grey kangaroo.

Their empire was so successful

that they gave this place its English name.

Kangaroo Island.

The same rough waters

that kept settlers off Kangaroo Island

also kept large predators away.

They created a safe haven

for Australia's iconic marsupial

with the perfect conditions to build an empire.

According to Aboriginal myth,

called a Dreamtime story

the ancestral hero, Ngurunderi

flooded the ancient Murray River bed

to smite his two wives

who had run away from him.

When they drowned,

he crossed the water to Kangaroo Island.

Overwhelmed by guilt he left the earth

to live in the Milky Way,

and became the Sky Father.

It is believed that, upon death,

a person's soul follows his path

through Karta to the sky.

The name Karta refers more

to the island's proximity to the heavens

than to a lack of lush resources.

Here at the gateway to the Milky Way,

western grey kangaroos have adapted quite nicely

to the woody scrub of the island.

The western kangaroo can be found

in the South and Western ranges of Australia.

With an estimated two and a half million in the wild,

they are Australia's second most numerous kangaroo species.

Surrounded by the sea,

this joey basks in the embrace

of the island's protection.

Joeys like this one are live-born.

The first year of his life

is an important and fragile time.

He'll spend most of it in his mother's pouch.

Like Kangaroo Island itself,

the pouch provides more than just warmth and shelter.

It is essential to the development

and survival of this new life.

Female kangaroos can be perpetually pregnant.

They have three separate vaginal canals

and two uteruses,

enabling them to rear up to three joeys at a time

in overlapping states of gestation and nursing.

Once conceived,

a joey will only spend 31 to 36 days in the uterus.

After that, the joey,

still an embryo, is born.

At birth he is only the size of a jelly bean,

with just his front legs and no eyes or ears,

he must make the 6 inch trek

through his mother's fur to her pouch.

This important journey

usually takes about three hours.

Once safely inside the pouch,

the joey finds a teat and latches on,

not letting go for up to 34 weeks.

It's here that most of his development takes place.

Once the newborn joey has made his way to the pouch,

his older sibling,

who may still be nursing,

is no longer allowed inside.

It can be a bumpy transition.

During these times, when the mother kangaroo

has both an embryo in her pouch

and a nursing joey at her feet,

she produces two different types of milk

to meet the needs of both developing offspring.

Born into this world a fragile bean-sized baby,

the delicate development of this joey

relies on protection.

The protection of his mother's pouch.

And the protection that depends

on the safety of his mother

and the rest of their island empire.

and the rest of their island empire.

Southeast of Kangaroo Island,

along the Australian coast

is one of the southernmost points

of civilization on earth.

Philip Island.

One of the last stops on the way to Antarctica.

The cold ocean breezes keep the climate cooler

than the rest of Australia.

It's here that an unlikely empire

of cold-loving creatures

has developed a time-honored tradition.

Dusk brings the Fairy Penguins

parading onto the shores of Summerland Beach.

They use the cover of the darkening sky

to return to their burrows after a day at sea.

These blue-feathered flightless birds

are the smallest species of penguin,

earning them the nicknames "Little" or "Blue" penguins.

While some fairy penguins have been spotted

on the Southern coastlines

of Chile and South Africa,

most are found in Australia and New Zealand,

where up to 600,000

find refuge along the shores.

On land, penguins have a distinctively comical

and clumsy appearance.

But though their small wings and heavy marrow-filled bones

may not allow them to be flyers,

they help make them expert swimmers.

Fairy penguins can travel up to 47miles

in the 15 hours they spend in the water each day.

Their feet are positioned further back on their body

allowing for enhanced steering and stopping

under the water.

It's the combination of these feet and flippers

so particular to the penguin

that has created their signature walk.

This hop and waddle endeared them to the public

and ultimately helped save

the fairy penguins of Phillip Island.

In 2000, an oil spill threatened

the penguin population here.

The Phillip Island Penguin Foundation

came up with an ingenious and adorable solution.

Sweaters.

Donated sweaters not only provided warmth

they absorbed the oil on the penguins' feathers.

Using them, they were able to save more than 96%

of the penguins affected by the spill.

While oil spills, plastic pollution and fishing nets

claim a considerable number of penguins,

the open waters are also home to predators.

Penguins make a great meal for sea lions,

sharks, bigger birds and fur seals.

Thirty thousand fur seals,

one quarter of the Australian seal population,

live less than 6 miles down the coast.

For protection from these predators,

the penguins make their burrows

at the top of grassy hills.

An inland safe haven to grow their empire.

It's a long nightly waddle from the shore.

Many have partially digested food in their stomachs

destined for their babies' mouths.

The chicks wait near their burrows impatiently.

There's no guarantee this chick's parents

will make it home.

For the world's smallest penguin,

this daily commute

is a matter of life and death.

On the other side of the world

In the warm waters of the Bahamas

the Bimini islands sit in a world of their own,

closer to Miami than Nassau.

Along the shores of Bimini

grows one of the most important forest types

in the world.

Mangroves.

Mangrove forests have their roots in two worlds,

they live on land, but also in the sea.

They filter the salt from the ocean water,

allowing them to grow on the coast.

Rooted in the brackish water of the ocean,

they're at the whim of the tides.

They protect fragile strips of land

from hurricanes and tsunamis,

filter sediment for nearby coral reefs,

and provide an important sanctuary

for breeding tropical fish.

But they also provide sanctuary

for their predators.

Before they are big enough to rule

the deep waters off the coast,

an empire of juveniles also seeks out

the protective labyrinth of the mangrove roots.

Lemon sharks.

This nursery will remain an important place

throughout their life.

Lemon sharks prefer the warm enclaves

provided by the coral reefs, mangroves

and bays of the tropical Western Atlantic Ocean.

They can also be found off the coast of West Africa.

Lemon sharks breed in the spring and summer months.

After a long gestation period of 10 to 12 months

the expecting mother returns to the same nursery

she grew up in.

Lemon sharks are viviparous

they give birth to live young.

Each mother will have between 4 and 17 live,

free-swimming pups.

Though they will become

some of the largest sharks in the sea

growing up to 8 feet,

Lemon sharks are much slower to gain maturity

than most fish or even other sharks.

A safe place to grow is essential.

Though television and movies

may have given sharks a bad reputation,

many cultures of the past regarded these creatures

as protectors of the sea.

In Hawaii, Kamohoalii, the Shark God,

was known for leading lost fishing boats home in storms.

In Fiji, fishermen pay respects to Dakuwaqa

to ensure a safe and prosperous trip.

Off the fragile shores of the Bimini Islands,

lemon sharks may be their own worst enemy.

Outside the mangroves, in the deeper waters,

mature sharks of all types patrol the areas.

They will gladly feast on their own young.

In these open spaces,

juvenile lemon sharks are no match

for the speed and ferocity

of mature sharks in a feeding frenzy.

But in the tight confines of the roots

of the mangrove forest,

where shallow water and a tight labyrinth of roots

make access impossible for larger predators.

Juvenile lemon sharks can rule the roost.

They have surprisingly complex lives.

Lemon sharks love to socialize.

For the first year of their lives,

they don't discriminate

they will follow any shark they happen to come across.

Eventually, they begin to socialize

with other lemon sharks.

These groupings are called shivers.

Lemon sharks have larger brains

relative to other sharks.

They use their smarts to learn from their interactions

within the shiver.

The younger, smaller ones pick up survival techniques

from the larger, more dominant sharks.

At a year old, they begin to form smaller shivers

with sharks that are of similar size and speed.

The uniformity of these shivers

helps the survival of each shark.

Drastic size variation, or the "oddity effect",

can attract the unwanted attention of predators.

And as these sharks learn

their complex group foraging methods,

this size parity means there tends not to be

a single dominant feeder.

So, they all get their fair share of food.

The empire of the sharks is a deeply intelligent one.

It depends on complicated communication

among a tight shiver of like-minded sharks.

It can take these young more than half a decade

to mature enough to travel to deeper waters.

In the meantime, it's crucial that these juvenile sharks

have a safe place to prepare

for the coming years,

when they will be larger and inherit their empire

as kings of the sea.

as kings of the sea.

To most living outside the country,

there's nothing more Australian

than the kangaroo.

Even to many Australians,

the continent's largest mammal

embodies the spirit of their country.

Whether it's the fact that kangaroos

can only move forward,

or its human-like boxing techniques,

This magnificent marsupial

is the source of patriotic pride and amusement.

Though the kangaroo may have many adoring fans,

humans threaten the animals the most.

Outside the protected boundaries of Kangaroo Island,

human development is by far the largest threat

to the entire kangaroo species.

As more of the Australian countryside

is cleared for agriculture,

more and more kangaroos are found

foraging on commercial crops and range lands.

Many farmers consider kangaroos

to be a destructive menace.

The western grey has less contact

with farmers than other kangaroo species.

They prefer the scrub or mallee

to grasslands or cleared areas.

Even after they have fully foraged a wooded area,

they will often avoid farmers' crops.

Kangaroos can live off of very small amounts of water.

Red kangaroos can actually survive without direct access

to fresh water,

getting their hydration exclusively from green plants.

Grey kangaroos do need to drink, though.

Here on Kangaroo Island,

the abundance of green branch leaves

has led these western grey kangaroos

to evolve into a different subspecies.

They also get all of their water needs

from the plants they eat.

With longer arms

they can reach the top of bushes.

Western greys are also much more selective when they browse.

They avoid plant species high in tannins and salt,

helping to maximize nutritional intake

and avoid dehydration.

Since there's still no development

on Kangaroo Island,

humans are no threat to the western greys.

But even in this marsupial motherland,

this joey faces great challenges

if he wants to contribute to his empire.

Soon he will reach maturity

and compete for his shot

at continuing his parents' legacy.

For in order to continue the empire

on Kangaroo Island,

he must mate and create the next generation.

he must mate and create the next generation.

As the sun sets along the jagged coastline,

Phillip's Island Nature Park

once again lights up with activity.

The patterns of the penguin empire

are so ingrained in their behavior,

the majority of the 6,000-strong colony

arrives within 50 minutes of sunset.

Instinct tells them that there is strength in numbers.

By huddling together before crossing the open beach,

they protect themselves from predatory sea birds.

After stopping for a moment to preen themselves,

they cautiously waddle across the beach,

keeping close to each other.

keeping close to each other.

They move quickly,

hopping the rocks at the edge of the sand.

hopping the rocks at the edge of the sand.

As they get into the safety of the bush and tall grass,

they follow familiar paths to their burrows.

As they walk, they identify familiar landmarks,

And stop to listen for a partner or offspring

calling them home.

calling them home.

The young call frantically.

The infant penguins approach every adult

that passes their way.

But the mother has eyes for her chick only.

Soon the family is reunited.

And the chick enjoys her supper.

And the chick enjoys her supper.

Fairy penguin empires tend to thrive

on offshore islands,

where they're safe from feral predators

like foxes, dogs and cats.

These introduced animals

have been known to single-handedly

wipe out penguin colonies.

The fairy penguins are so small

that on the mainland,

in places like St. Kilda,

even large rats pose a serious threat.

Here on Philip Island,

the Nature Park has taken proactive measures

to prevent predation.

Foxes are trapped and removed.

And dogs and cats are strictly prohibited.

On Phillip Island,

the fairy penguins excavate their burrows

in the shrubs close to shore.

Beach development once threatened these dens.

But for the past 70 years,

residential properties have been converted

back into wildlands,

and a new type of penguin home

has been constructed.

These simple man-made burrows

have helped kickstart the reclamation of nature

on Philip Island.

on Philip Island.

Some of the most important moments in a penguin's life

occur in these little shelters.

In spring or fall, the female penguins

lay their usual clutch of two eggs.

For the next 33 to 37 days,

both parents will take alternating shifts

of one to two days incubating the eggs,

while the other ventures into the sea.

At only five weeks old,

these chicks can now venture outside the burrow

to await their supper.

In less than three weeks,

they will be joining the rest of the penguin empire

in the water.

The burrow is for more than mating and raising chicks.

It also provides shelter during molting season.

Since feathers cannot heal, damaged or old feathers

are dropped during the molt,

and brand new feathers come in to replace them.

Having finally grown its outside feathers,

this chick is ready to molt for the first time.

The penguins' outside feathers are hard and smooth

for streamlined swimming and protection from the wind.

Underneath, they have a layer of short, fluffy down feathers

that provide insulation in the cold waters

of the Indian Ocean.

Since small holes in their under-layer

can cause hypothermia,

this chick will return every autumn to molt again,

ensuring a full, healthy set of feathers.

Safe from the threat of predators,

it's here in their burrows

that the empire of the fairy penguin can thrive.

In the shallow waters of the Bahamas

lie endless tracts of warm and shallow pools,

and it's in these warm waters

that the lemon sharks feed.

Lemon sharks take longer to digest their food

than most sharks.

They must eat large quantities,

but they're picky eaters.

This is where the complicated socialization

of the lemon sharks becomes vital.

As the juvenile sharks define their group

by size and speed,

they also share a taste in prey.

Hunting takes up a lot of time and energy,

so they hunt only prey that provides more energy

than it takes to catch.

The sharks often target slower swimming fish

that are easier to catch.

Like parrotfish and mojarras,

which rely on camouflage instead of escape as defense.

While on the hunt,

lemon sharks stalk their prey in packs.

They will direct schools of fish along the shoreline.

When they are ready to attack,

they swim at their prey aggressively.

Biting them and moving from side to side,

tearing off chunks of flesh.

This is when the infamous feeding frenzy begins.

Shark legend says that blood in the water

heightens the frenzy,

but studies done on lemon sharks in Bimini

suggest that these sharks react more

to the aggressive movements of the first feeding shark

than the blood itself.

Even a lone lemon shark can be a devastating hunter.

Like many sharks,

they have a series of jelly-filled pores

throughout their head and around their gills.

These electroreceptors,

called ampullae of Lorenzini,

can measure electrical currents

as weak as 5 billionths of a volt.

Since all living creatures produce an electrical field

when their muscles contract,

the lemon shark can sense their prey,

even if they can't see it.

It will be many years until these juvenile lemon sharks

have grown enough to make it in the open ocean.

Until then they depend on these sheltered shallow waters,

Where they learn to hunt cooperatively.

So deeply ingrained is their bond with their home,

that they will remain here even if it is threatened.

For these sharks, the health of their sanctuary

is the health of their empire.

is the health of their empire.

Back on Kangaroo Island,

the joey is beginning to venture further

from his mother's protective eye,

exploring places and other kangaroos.

He's part of an extended family of kangaroos,

called a mob.

Western grey mobs can get as large as 40,

though they average around 10.

No mob would be complete without a boss.

The largest, strongest male is the boomer.

He won't let any of the other males

mate with his females.

He sniffs around for an opportunity to mate,

hoping to find a female in heat.

When he finds one,

he follows her movements tenaciously.

he follows her movements tenaciously.

he follows her movements tenaciously.

After some pursuit, she stops,

and shows interest.

Unfortunately, even with a consenting female,

other interruptions can occur.

other interruptions can occur.

Next fall, this joey will break off from the larger group

and join the mob of males.

Out of the shadow of the boomer,

he will play-fight other bucks,

preparing to one day take his chance

at battling for the top position.

For now, this joey sticks close to his mother's side.

It may take up to six years

for him to reach sexual maturity.

Until then he will remain in the boomer's shadow.

Watching and learning,

but also trying to avoid the bigger males in the mob.

For the sake of self-preservation,

the joey must learn to bow his head

and quiver in order to avoid a fight.

and quiver in order to avoid a fight.

But life's lessons are often taught the hard way.

He's no worse for wear.

Though fatalities from fighting are rare,

the back claws of the kangaroo can be deadly.

In extreme cases, a kick from the back feet

can disembowel their opponent.

Still, human activity, hunting or habitat destruction,

is still the largest cause of kangaroo deaths

in Australia.

Sparring with the other males

helps this joey learn the hierarchy of the group.

If he's lucky,

one day he'll be the leader of this mob.

Protected from the destructive force

of the bulldozer and rifle,

by the rugged sea and jagged shores

surrounding his home,

safe in his sanctuary.

Every year between July and December,

the fairy penguin chicks that are sexually mature,

two years old for females,

three years old for males,

look to find a partner to mate with.

Although fairy penguins can mate twice a year,

once is generally enough.

But before he can mate,

the male penguin needs to

stand out from the crowd.

He will hold his chest up, flippers back

and often emit a braying sound.

This show has an appropriate name,

the ecstatic display.

If she's interested, the female will give

a similarly enthusiastic response.

Mutual ecstatic displays often lead to preening.

This contact reinforces the bond between the pair,

a bond that will be crucial

if they are to successfully raise chicks

in the future.

Once the pair has bonded

they head for the privacy of the nest.

A few nibbles on the back of the neck

should seal the deal.

If all goes well, she lies down,

and he climbs on her back.

For a penguin on land,

things are seldom graceful.

And the excited males sometimes

can have trouble finding the right position.

Copulation takes mere seconds.

It has to.

These males can usually only keep the delicate balance

for a short time.

The penguin couple will remain monogamous

until the chick has successfully

entered the water with the rest of the adults

at around 7 or 8 weeks old.

Then, the parents often go their separate ways,

until next breeding season.

Though they may find a new partner

next breeding season,

the majority of fairy penguins

will return here year after year.

And as long as the Philip Island Nature Park remains,

the fairy penguins strong enough to survive

the dangers of the Indian Ocean,

will have a safe haven waiting,

where they will create

and nurture the next generation

of their empire.

Back along the shores of the Bimini Islands,

the dense mangrove forest

contains so much decomposing organic matter

that the water often looks like tea.

It's a warm, oxygen-rich habitat,

perfect for the slow developing lemon shark.

Their eyes have special evolutionary features

that allow them to navigate and hunt

in the murky waters.

They're equipped with a layer

of mirrored crystals

located behind the retina,

called tapetum lucidum.

This layer allows the shark to see light a second time

as it passes and reflects back through the retina.

Although the images are less focused,

light sensitivity is greatly increased.

In dark, murky water,

a shark can see up to ten times greater

than a human can in clear water.

Lemon sharks are fiercely loyal

to their natal habitat,

and will remain there

even if the habitat itself is threatened.

In the case of much of the Bimini Islands,

where silt from neighboring construction sites

chokes the shrinking stretch of mangrove forests,

these lemon sharks will fall victim

to disease or starvation

instead of finding a new home.

These lemon sharks cling to

their ingrained way of life.

For better or worse,

their sanctuary is an essential component

of the lemon shark empire.

Against many odds,

these young have become mature,

though their own future is often unknown.

One thing is certain,

threatened by predators,

shrinking habitat,

or even their own kind,

the fates of their empires rely

on the warm embrace of the cool sea,

the shallow maze of the mangrove trees,

or the protected beach on a summer's night.

All sanctuaries

required to grow

their

their Animal Empires.

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