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NARRATOR: Off the southern
coast of Australia,

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kangaroos find sanctuary
on the Island of the Dead.

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Just up
the shore,

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00:00:11,133 --> 00:00:13,033
an unlikely neighbor

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populates
a picturesque beach.

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And on the other side
of the world,

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a future predator
seeks shelter

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in an underwater
labyrinth.

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At their most
delicate times,

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the seeds of
an empire grow.

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The safety
a sanctuary provides,

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is essential
to survive.

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NARRATOR: Inside the different
realms of the wild kingdom,

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members of a single species
assemble in droves.

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And one flock,

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herd,

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or troop

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reigns supreme.

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These are
the world's great

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NARRATOR: Off the southern
coast of Australia

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sits the country's
third largest island.

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While the rugged shoreline
and vast ocean sprawl

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make for
beautiful vistas,

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two thousand years ago,
rising sea levels

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cut this Island off
from mainland Australia.

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The isolation inspired an
Aboriginal name for the island,

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they called it
Karta,

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the Island of the Dead.

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The first stop on
the journey to the afterlife,

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Karta was a place more suited
for dying than living.

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With limited access
to freshwater

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and a lack of
large game animals

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few European
explorers

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attempted to make
settlements.

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One group
of settlers though,

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did make it here
in abundance.

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The western
grey kangaroo.

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Their empire
was so successful

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that they gave this place
its English name.

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Kangaroo Island.

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The same rough waters

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that kept settlers off
Kangaroo Island

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also kept
large predators away.

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They created
a safe haven

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for Australia's
iconic marsupial

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with the perfect conditions
to build an empire.

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According to
Aboriginal myth,

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called
a Dreamtime story

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the ancestral hero,
Ngurunderi

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flooded the ancient
Murray River bed

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to smite
his two wives

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who had run away
from him.

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When they drowned,

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he crossed the water
to Kangaroo Island.

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Overwhelmed by guilt
he left the earth

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to live
in the Milky Way,

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and became
the Sky Father.

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It is believed that,
upon death,

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a person's soul
follows his path

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through Karta
to the sky.

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The name Karta
refers more

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to the island's proximity
to the heavens

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than to a lack of
lush resources.

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Here at the gateway
to the Milky Way,

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western grey kangaroos
have adapted quite nicely

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to the woody scrub
of the island.

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The western kangaroo
can be found

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in the South and Western
ranges of Australia.

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

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they are Australia's second most
numerous kangaroo species.

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Surrounded by the sea,

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this joey
basks in the embrace

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of the island's
protection.

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Joeys like this one
are live-born.

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The first year
of his life

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is an important
and fragile time.

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

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Like Kangaroo Island
itself,

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the pouch provides more
than just warmth and shelter.

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It is essential to
the development

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and survival
of this new life.

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Female kangaroos can be
perpetually pregnant.

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They have three separate
vaginal canals

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and two uteruses,

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enabling them to rear
up to three joeys at a time

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in overlapping states
of gestation and nursing.

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Once conceived,

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

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After that,
the joey,

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still an embryo,
is born.

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

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with just his front legs
and no eyes or ears,

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he must make
the 6 inch trek

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through his mother's fur
to her pouch.

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This important
journey

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usually takes
about three hours.

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Once safely
inside the pouch,

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the joey finds a teat
and latches on,

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not letting go
for up to 34 weeks.

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

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

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his older sibling,

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who may still
be nursing,

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is no longer
allowed inside.

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It can be
a bumpy transition.

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During these times,
when the mother kangaroo

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has both
an embryo in her pouch

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and a nursing joey
at her feet,

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she produces two different
types of milk

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to meet the needs of
both developing offspring.

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Born into this world
a fragile bean-sized baby,

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the delicate development
of this joey

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relies
on protection.

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The protection of
his mother's pouch.

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And the protection
that depends

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on the safety of
his mother

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and the rest of
their island empire.

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and the rest of
their island empire.

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Southeast of
Kangaroo Island,

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along the Australian coast

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is one of
the southernmost points

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of civilization
on earth.

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Philip Island.

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One of the last stops
on the way to Antarctica.

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The cold ocean breezes
keep the climate cooler

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than the rest of
Australia.

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It's here that
an unlikely empire

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of cold-loving
creatures

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has developed
a time-honored tradition.

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Dusk brings
the Fairy Penguins

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parading onto the shores
of Summerland Beach.

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They use the cover of
the darkening sky

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to return to their burrows
after a day at sea.

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These blue-feathered
flightless birds

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are the smallest
species of penguin,

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

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While some fairy penguins
have been spotted

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on the Southern
coastlines

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of Chile
and South Africa,

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most are found in Australia
and New Zealand,

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where up to
600,000

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find refuge
along the shores.

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On land, penguins have
a distinctively comical

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and clumsy appearance.

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But though their small wings
and heavy marrow-filled bones

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may not allow them
to be flyers,

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they help make them
expert swimmers.

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Fairy penguins can travel
up to 47miles

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

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Their feet are positioned
further back on their body

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allowing for enhanced
steering and stopping

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under the water.

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It's the combination
of these feet and flippers

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so particular
to the penguin

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that has created
their signature walk.

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This hop and waddle
endeared them to the public

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and ultimately
helped save

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the fairy penguins
of Phillip Island.

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In 2000,
an oil spill threatened

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the penguin
population here.

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The Phillip Island
Penguin Foundation

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came up with an ingenious
and adorable solution.

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Sweaters.

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Donated sweaters
not only provided warmth

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they absorbed the oil
on the penguins' feathers.

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

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of the penguins
affected by the spill.

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While oil spills, plastic
pollution and fishing nets

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claim a considerable
number of penguins,

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the open waters are
also home to predators.

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Penguins make a great
meal for sea lions,

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sharks, bigger birds
and fur seals.

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Thirty thousand
fur seals,

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one quarter of the
Australian seal population,

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live less than 6 miles
down the coast.

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For protection
from these predators,

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the penguins
make their burrows

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at the top
of grassy hills.

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An inland safe haven
to grow their empire.

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It's a long nightly waddle
from the shore.

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Many have partially digested
food in their stomachs

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destined for
their babies' mouths.

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The chicks wait near
their burrows impatiently.

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There's no guarantee
this chick's parents

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will make it home.

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For the world's
smallest penguin,

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this daily commute

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is a matter
of life and death.

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On the other side
of the world

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In the warm waters
of the Bahamas

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the Bimini islands
sit in a world of their own,

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closer to Miami
than Nassau.

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Along the shores
of Bimini

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grows one of the most
important forest types

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in the world.

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Mangroves.

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Mangrove forests have
their roots in two worlds,

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they live on land,
but also in the sea.

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They filter the salt
from the ocean water,

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allowing them
to grow on the coast.

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Rooted in the brackish
water of the ocean,

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they're at the whim
of the tides.

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They protect fragile
strips of land

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from hurricanes
and tsunamis,

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filter sediment
for nearby coral reefs,

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and provide
an important sanctuary

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00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:02,667
for breeding
tropical fish.

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00:14:02,700 --> 00:14:04,233
But they also
provide sanctuary

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00:14:04,267 --> 00:14:08,067
for their predators.

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00:14:08,100 --> 00:14:09,300
Before they are
big enough to rule

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00:14:09,333 --> 00:14:12,100
the deep waters
off the coast,

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00:14:12,133 --> 00:14:15,067
an empire of juveniles
also seeks out

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00:14:15,100 --> 00:14:21,133
the protective labyrinth
of the mangrove roots.

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Lemon sharks.

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00:14:24,733 --> 00:14:27,033
This nursery will remain
an important place

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00:14:27,067 --> 00:14:30,567
throughout their life.

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00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:32,767
Lemon sharks prefer
the warm enclaves

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provided by the coral
reefs, mangroves

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00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:44,267
and bays of the tropical
Western Atlantic Ocean.

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

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Lemon sharks breed in
the spring and summer months.

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00:14:58,167 --> 00:15:01,233
After a long gestation
period of 10 to 12 months

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00:15:01,267 --> 00:15:03,667
the expecting mother
returns to the same nursery

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00:15:03,700 --> 00:15:06,700
she grew up in.

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00:15:06,733 --> 00:15:09,133
Lemon sharks
are viviparous

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00:15:09,167 --> 00:15:12,633
they give birth to
live young.

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00:15:12,667 --> 00:15:16,367
Each mother will have
between 4 and 17 live,

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00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:19,467
free-swimming pups.

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00:15:19,500 --> 00:15:20,367
Though
they will become

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00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:23,300
some of the largest
sharks in the sea

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00:15:23,333 --> 00:15:29,067
growing up to 8 feet,

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00:15:29,100 --> 00:15:31,700
Lemon sharks are
much slower to gain maturity

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00:15:31,733 --> 00:15:39,167
than most fish or
even other sharks.

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00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:45,667
A safe place to grow
is essential.

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00:15:45,700 --> 00:15:46,600
Though television
and movies

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00:15:46,633 --> 00:15:50,200
may have given sharks
a bad reputation,

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00:15:50,233 --> 00:15:53,300
many cultures of the past
regarded these creatures

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00:15:53,333 --> 00:15:57,367
as protectors
of the sea.

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00:15:57,400 --> 00:16:00,700
In Hawaii, Kamohoalii,
the Shark God,

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00:16:00,733 --> 00:16:06,500
was known for leading lost
fishing boats home in storms.

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00:16:06,533 --> 00:16:10,400
In Fiji, fishermen pay
respects to Dakuwaqa

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00:16:10,433 --> 00:16:16,333
to ensure a safe and
prosperous trip.

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00:16:16,367 --> 00:16:19,100
Off the fragile shores of
the Bimini Islands,

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00:16:19,133 --> 00:16:24,300
lemon sharks may be
their own worst enemy.

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00:16:24,333 --> 00:16:27,433
Outside the mangroves,
in the deeper waters,

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00:16:27,467 --> 00:16:33,100
mature sharks of all types
patrol the areas.

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00:16:33,133 --> 00:16:39,167
They will gladly feast
on their own young.

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00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:40,700
In these open spaces,

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00:16:40,733 --> 00:16:42,733
juvenile lemon sharks
are no match

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00:16:42,767 --> 00:16:45,033
for the speed
and ferocity

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00:16:45,067 --> 00:16:53,767
of mature sharks
in a feeding frenzy.

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00:16:53,800 --> 00:16:55,733
But in the tight
confines of the roots

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00:16:55,767 --> 00:16:59,167
of the mangrove forest,

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00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:02,167
where shallow water and
a tight labyrinth of roots

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00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:06,733
make access impossible
for larger predators.

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00:17:06,767 --> 00:17:16,267
Juvenile lemon sharks
can rule the roost.

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00:17:16,300 --> 00:17:19,533
They have surprisingly
complex lives.

258
00:17:19,567 --> 00:17:28,133
Lemon sharks
love to socialize.

259
00:17:28,167 --> 00:17:29,533
For the first year
of their lives,

260
00:17:29,567 --> 00:17:30,700
they don't
discriminate

261
00:17:30,733 --> 00:17:38,767
they will follow any shark
they happen to come across.

262
00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:40,367
Eventually, they begin
to socialize

263
00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:43,433
with other
lemon sharks.

264
00:17:43,467 --> 00:17:48,433
These groupings
are called shivers.

265
00:17:48,467 --> 00:17:50,600
Lemon sharks
have larger brains

266
00:17:50,633 --> 00:17:53,600
relative to
other sharks.

267
00:17:53,633 --> 00:17:56,100
They use their smarts to learn
from their interactions

268
00:17:56,133 --> 00:17:59,100
within the shiver.

269
00:17:59,133 --> 00:18:01,667
The younger, smaller ones
pick up survival techniques

270
00:18:01,700 --> 00:18:06,667
from the larger,
more dominant sharks.

271
00:18:06,700 --> 00:18:10,133
At a year old, they begin
to form smaller shivers

272
00:18:10,167 --> 00:18:16,267
with sharks that are
of similar size and speed.

273
00:18:16,300 --> 00:18:17,700
The uniformity
of these shivers

274
00:18:17,733 --> 00:18:22,167
helps the survival
of each shark.

275
00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:25,633
Drastic size variation,
or the "oddity effect",

276
00:18:25,667 --> 00:18:31,133
can attract the unwanted
attention of predators.

277
00:18:31,167 --> 00:18:33,033
And as
these sharks learn

278
00:18:33,067 --> 00:18:35,633
their complex group
foraging methods,

279
00:18:35,667 --> 00:18:38,667
this size parity means
there tends not to be

280
00:18:38,700 --> 00:18:41,167
a single
dominant feeder.

281
00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:45,633
So, they all get
their fair share of food.

282
00:18:45,667 --> 00:18:50,767
The empire of the sharks
is a deeply intelligent one.

283
00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:53,400
It depends on complicated
communication

284
00:18:53,433 --> 00:18:58,467
among a tight shiver of
like-minded sharks.

285
00:18:58,500 --> 00:19:00,667
It can take these young
more than half a decade

286
00:19:00,700 --> 00:19:05,667
to mature enough to
travel to deeper waters.

287
00:19:05,700 --> 00:19:09,667
In the meantime, it's crucial
that these juvenile sharks

288
00:19:09,700 --> 00:19:11,633
have a safe place
to prepare

289
00:19:11,667 --> 00:19:13,633
for the coming years,

290
00:19:13,667 --> 00:19:17,700
when they will be larger
and inherit their empire

291
00:19:17,733 --> 00:19:27,733
as kings
of the sea.

292
00:19:27,767 --> 00:19:36,600
as kings
of the sea.

293
00:19:36,633 --> 00:19:39,033
To most living
outside the country,

294
00:19:39,067 --> 00:19:41,267
there's nothing
more Australian

295
00:19:41,300 --> 00:19:47,200
than the kangaroo.

296
00:19:47,233 --> 00:19:49,100
Even to
many Australians,

297
00:19:49,133 --> 00:19:51,400
the continent's
largest mammal

298
00:19:51,433 --> 00:19:56,567
embodies the spirit
of their country.

299
00:19:56,600 --> 00:19:58,400
Whether it's the fact
that kangaroos

300
00:19:58,433 --> 00:20:03,267
can only move
forward,

301
00:20:03,300 --> 00:20:08,233
or its human-like
boxing techniques,

302
00:20:08,267 --> 00:20:10,367
This magnificent
marsupial

303
00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:14,767
is the source of patriotic
pride and amusement.

304
00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:18,267
Though the kangaroo may
have many adoring fans,

305
00:20:18,300 --> 00:20:27,267
humans threaten
the animals the most.

306
00:20:27,300 --> 00:20:30,533
Outside the protected
boundaries of Kangaroo Island,

307
00:20:30,567 --> 00:20:34,033
human development is by far
the largest threat

308
00:20:34,067 --> 00:20:41,333
to the entire
kangaroo species.

309
00:20:41,367 --> 00:20:43,400
As more of
the Australian countryside

310
00:20:43,433 --> 00:20:45,700
is cleared
for agriculture,

311
00:20:45,733 --> 00:20:48,600
more and more
kangaroos are found

312
00:20:48,633 --> 00:20:54,467
foraging on commercial crops
and range lands.

313
00:20:54,500 --> 00:20:56,333
Many farmers
consider kangaroos

314
00:20:56,367 --> 00:21:01,533
to be a destructive
menace.

315
00:21:01,567 --> 00:21:03,700
The western grey
has less contact

316
00:21:03,733 --> 00:21:11,533
with farmers than other
kangaroo species.

317
00:21:11,567 --> 00:21:13,700
They prefer
the scrub or mallee

318
00:21:13,733 --> 00:21:20,500
to grasslands
or cleared areas.

319
00:21:20,533 --> 00:21:24,800
Even after they have
fully foraged a wooded area,

320
00:21:24,833 --> 00:21:33,233
they will often avoid
farmers' crops.

321
00:21:33,267 --> 00:21:38,500
Kangaroos can live off of
very small amounts of water.

322
00:21:38,533 --> 00:21:42,667
Red kangaroos can actually
survive without direct access

323
00:21:42,700 --> 00:21:44,233
to fresh water,

324
00:21:44,267 --> 00:21:47,667
getting their hydration
exclusively from green plants.

325
00:21:47,700 --> 00:21:53,500
Grey kangaroos
do need to drink, though.

326
00:21:53,533 --> 00:21:54,767
Here on
Kangaroo Island,

327
00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:58,200
the abundance of
green branch leaves

328
00:21:58,233 --> 00:22:00,133
has led these western
grey kangaroos

329
00:22:00,167 --> 00:22:03,467
to evolve into
a different subspecies.

330
00:22:03,500 --> 00:22:06,233
They also get
all of their water needs

331
00:22:06,267 --> 00:22:12,033
from the plants
they eat.

332
00:22:12,067 --> 00:22:13,333
With longer arms

333
00:22:13,367 --> 00:22:17,767
they can reach
the top of bushes.

334
00:22:17,800 --> 00:22:23,333
Western greys are also much more
selective when they browse.

335
00:22:23,367 --> 00:22:28,233
They avoid plant species
high in tannins and salt,

336
00:22:28,267 --> 00:22:30,600
helping to maximize
nutritional intake

337
00:22:30,633 --> 00:22:34,667
and avoid
dehydration.

338
00:22:34,700 --> 00:22:36,367
Since there's still
no development

339
00:22:36,400 --> 00:22:38,200
on Kangaroo Island,

340
00:22:38,233 --> 00:22:43,267
humans are no threat
to the western greys.

341
00:22:43,300 --> 00:22:47,567
But even in this
marsupial motherland,

342
00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:49,667
this joey faces
great challenges

343
00:22:49,700 --> 00:22:56,200
if he wants to contribute
to his empire.

344
00:22:56,233 --> 00:22:57,633
Soon he will
reach maturity

345
00:22:57,667 --> 00:22:59,467
and compete for
his shot

346
00:22:59,500 --> 00:23:04,133
at continuing
his parents' legacy.

347
00:23:04,167 --> 00:23:05,700
For in order
to continue the empire

348
00:23:05,733 --> 00:23:09,267
on Kangaroo Island,

349
00:23:09,300 --> 00:23:19,300
he must mate and create
the next generation.

350
00:23:19,333 --> 00:23:24,767
he must mate and create
the next generation.

351
00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:29,433
As the sun sets
along the jagged coastline,

352
00:23:29,467 --> 00:23:31,067
Phillip's Island
Nature Park

353
00:23:31,100 --> 00:23:39,300
once again
lights up with activity.

354
00:23:39,333 --> 00:23:41,433
The patterns of
the penguin empire

355
00:23:41,467 --> 00:23:44,133
are so ingrained in
their behavior,

356
00:23:44,167 --> 00:23:47,300
the majority of
the 6,000-strong colony

357
00:23:47,333 --> 00:23:51,300
arrives within
50 minutes of sunset.

358
00:23:51,333 --> 00:24:02,433
Instinct tells them that
there is strength in numbers.

359
00:24:02,467 --> 00:24:05,733
By huddling together before
crossing the open beach,

360
00:24:05,767 --> 00:24:12,533
they protect themselves
from predatory sea birds.

361
00:24:12,567 --> 00:24:20,133
After stopping for a moment
to preen themselves,

362
00:24:20,167 --> 00:24:23,033
they cautiously waddle
across the beach,

363
00:24:23,067 --> 00:24:33,067
keeping close to
each other.

364
00:24:33,100 --> 00:24:42,367
keeping close to
each other.

365
00:24:42,400 --> 00:24:44,300
They move quickly,

366
00:24:44,333 --> 00:24:54,333
hopping the rocks
at the edge of the sand.

367
00:24:54,367 --> 00:25:00,633
hopping the rocks
at the edge of the sand.

368
00:25:00,667 --> 00:25:05,033
As they get into the safety
of the bush and tall grass,

369
00:25:05,067 --> 00:25:17,633
they follow familiar
paths to their burrows.

370
00:25:17,667 --> 00:25:28,033
As they walk, they identify
familiar landmarks,

371
00:25:28,067 --> 00:25:31,433
And stop to listen
for a partner or offspring

372
00:25:31,467 --> 00:25:41,467
calling them home.

373
00:25:41,500 --> 00:25:52,167
calling them home.

374
00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:58,133
The young
call frantically.

375
00:25:58,167 --> 00:26:00,267
The infant penguins
approach every adult

376
00:26:00,300 --> 00:26:12,400
that passes their way.

377
00:26:12,433 --> 00:26:27,267
But the mother has eyes
for her chick only.

378
00:26:27,300 --> 00:26:38,800
Soon the family
is reunited.

379
00:26:38,833 --> 00:26:49,033
And the chick
enjoys her supper.

380
00:26:49,067 --> 00:26:55,567
And the chick
enjoys her supper.

381
00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:58,167
Fairy penguin empires
tend to thrive

382
00:26:58,200 --> 00:27:03,100
on offshore islands,

383
00:27:03,133 --> 00:27:05,533
where they're safe
from feral predators

384
00:27:05,567 --> 00:27:13,567
like foxes,
dogs and cats.

385
00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:15,367
These introduced
animals

386
00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:17,100
have been known
to single-handedly

387
00:27:17,133 --> 00:27:21,100
wipe out
penguin colonies.

388
00:27:21,133 --> 00:27:22,733
The fairy penguins
are so small

389
00:27:22,767 --> 00:27:24,567
that on the mainland,

390
00:27:24,600 --> 00:27:27,567
in places like
St. Kilda,

391
00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:32,233
even large rats
pose a serious threat.

392
00:27:32,267 --> 00:27:33,700
Here on Philip Island,

393
00:27:33,733 --> 00:27:37,067
the Nature Park has taken
proactive measures

394
00:27:37,100 --> 00:27:39,800
to prevent predation.

395
00:27:39,833 --> 00:27:45,067
Foxes are trapped
and removed.

396
00:27:45,100 --> 00:27:51,533
And dogs and cats
are strictly prohibited.

397
00:27:51,567 --> 00:27:52,767
On Phillip Island,

398
00:27:52,800 --> 00:27:55,733
the fairy penguins
excavate their burrows

399
00:27:55,767 --> 00:28:02,300
in the shrubs
close to shore.

400
00:28:02,333 --> 00:28:07,333
Beach development
once threatened these dens.

401
00:28:07,367 --> 00:28:09,467
But for the past
70 years,

402
00:28:09,500 --> 00:28:11,367
residential properties
have been converted

403
00:28:11,400 --> 00:28:17,200
back into wildlands,

404
00:28:17,233 --> 00:28:19,033
and a new type of
penguin home

405
00:28:19,067 --> 00:28:25,300
has been
constructed.

406
00:28:25,333 --> 00:28:27,433
These simple
man-made burrows

407
00:28:27,467 --> 00:28:30,167
have helped kickstart
the reclamation of nature

408
00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:40,200
on Philip Island.

409
00:28:40,233 --> 00:28:49,033
on Philip Island.

410
00:28:49,067 --> 00:28:52,200
Some of the most important
moments in a penguin's life

411
00:28:52,233 --> 00:28:56,367
occur in these
little shelters.

412
00:28:56,400 --> 00:28:59,167
In spring or fall,
the female penguins

413
00:28:59,200 --> 00:29:03,167
lay their usual
clutch of two eggs.

414
00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:06,233
For the next
33 to 37 days,

415
00:29:06,267 --> 00:29:09,200
both parents will take
alternating shifts

416
00:29:09,233 --> 00:29:12,267
of one to two days
incubating the eggs,

417
00:29:12,300 --> 00:29:18,633
while the other
ventures into the sea.

418
00:29:18,667 --> 00:29:20,567
At only
five weeks old,

419
00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:23,767
these chicks can now venture
outside the burrow

420
00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:30,133
to await
their supper.

421
00:29:30,167 --> 00:29:31,600
In less than
three weeks,

422
00:29:31,633 --> 00:29:34,067
they will be joining the rest
of the penguin empire

423
00:29:34,100 --> 00:29:37,667
in the water.

424
00:29:37,700 --> 00:29:43,367
The burrow is for more than
mating and raising chicks.

425
00:29:43,400 --> 00:29:47,700
It also provides shelter
during molting season.

426
00:29:47,733 --> 00:29:51,500
Since feathers cannot heal,
damaged or old feathers

427
00:29:51,533 --> 00:29:53,633
are dropped
during the molt,

428
00:29:53,667 --> 00:29:56,767
and brand new feathers
come in to replace them.

429
00:29:56,800 --> 00:30:00,300
Having finally grown
its outside feathers,

430
00:30:00,333 --> 00:30:04,400
this chick is ready
to molt for the first time.

431
00:30:04,433 --> 00:30:07,367
The penguins' outside
feathers are hard and smooth

432
00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:13,200
for streamlined swimming
and protection from the wind.

433
00:30:13,233 --> 00:30:16,467
Underneath, they have a layer
of short, fluffy down feathers

434
00:30:16,500 --> 00:30:19,067
that provide insulation
in the cold waters

435
00:30:19,100 --> 00:30:24,167
of the Indian Ocean.

436
00:30:24,200 --> 00:30:25,667
Since small holes
in their under-layer

437
00:30:25,700 --> 00:30:27,600
can cause hypothermia,

438
00:30:27,633 --> 00:30:31,267
this chick will return
every autumn to molt again,

439
00:30:31,300 --> 00:30:36,600
ensuring a full, healthy
set of feathers.

440
00:30:36,633 --> 00:30:45,067
Safe from the threat
of predators,

441
00:30:45,100 --> 00:30:49,700
it's here
in their burrows

442
00:30:49,733 --> 00:31:04,400
that the empire of
the fairy penguin can thrive.

443
00:31:04,433 --> 00:31:09,433
In the shallow waters
of the Bahamas

444
00:31:09,467 --> 00:31:14,367
lie endless tracts of
warm and shallow pools,

445
00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:16,033
and it's in
these warm waters

446
00:31:16,067 --> 00:31:22,500
that the lemon
sharks feed.

447
00:31:22,533 --> 00:31:25,067
Lemon sharks take longer
to digest their food

448
00:31:25,100 --> 00:31:34,600
than most sharks.

449
00:31:34,633 --> 00:31:36,500
They must eat
large quantities,

450
00:31:36,533 --> 00:31:40,733
but they're
picky eaters.

451
00:31:40,767 --> 00:31:43,167
This is where the complicated
socialization

452
00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:47,067
of the lemon sharks
becomes vital.

453
00:31:47,100 --> 00:31:49,500
As the juvenile sharks
define their group

454
00:31:49,533 --> 00:31:54,200
by size and speed,

455
00:31:54,233 --> 00:31:58,667
they also share
a taste in prey.

456
00:31:58,700 --> 00:32:04,633
Hunting takes up
a lot of time and energy,

457
00:32:04,667 --> 00:32:07,500
so they hunt only prey
that provides more energy

458
00:32:07,533 --> 00:32:12,433
than it takes
to catch.

459
00:32:12,467 --> 00:32:15,067
The sharks often target
slower swimming fish

460
00:32:15,100 --> 00:32:19,200
that are easier
to catch.

461
00:32:19,233 --> 00:32:21,733
Like parrotfish
and mojarras,

462
00:32:21,767 --> 00:32:34,400
which rely on camouflage
instead of escape as defense.

463
00:32:34,433 --> 00:32:36,267
While on the hunt,

464
00:32:36,300 --> 00:32:40,800
lemon sharks stalk
their prey in packs.

465
00:32:40,833 --> 00:32:47,767
They will direct schools of
fish along the shoreline.

466
00:32:47,800 --> 00:32:49,367
When they are
ready to attack,

467
00:32:49,400 --> 00:32:54,467
they swim at their prey
aggressively.

468
00:32:54,500 --> 00:32:56,267
Biting them and moving
from side to side,

469
00:32:56,300 --> 00:33:09,300
tearing off
chunks of flesh.

470
00:33:09,333 --> 00:33:16,300
This is when the infamous
feeding frenzy begins.

471
00:33:16,333 --> 00:33:18,600
Shark legend says
that blood in the water

472
00:33:18,633 --> 00:33:23,767
heightens the frenzy,

473
00:33:23,800 --> 00:33:25,767
but studies done on
lemon sharks in Bimini

474
00:33:25,800 --> 00:33:28,533
suggest that
these sharks react more

475
00:33:28,567 --> 00:33:31,633
to the aggressive movements
of the first feeding shark

476
00:33:31,667 --> 00:33:44,267
than the blood
itself.

477
00:33:44,300 --> 00:33:51,667
Even a lone lemon shark
can be a devastating hunter.

478
00:33:51,700 --> 00:33:52,600
Like many sharks,

479
00:33:52,633 --> 00:33:55,433
they have a series of
jelly-filled pores

480
00:33:55,467 --> 00:34:00,667
throughout their head
and around their gills.

481
00:34:00,700 --> 00:34:02,267
These electroreceptors,

482
00:34:02,300 --> 00:34:05,533
called ampullae
of Lorenzini,

483
00:34:05,567 --> 00:34:07,400
can measure
electrical currents

484
00:34:07,433 --> 00:34:12,133
as weak as
5 billionths of a volt.

485
00:34:12,167 --> 00:34:14,633
Since all living creatures
produce an electrical field

486
00:34:14,667 --> 00:34:18,733
when their muscles
contract,

487
00:34:18,767 --> 00:34:21,600
the lemon shark
can sense their prey,

488
00:34:21,633 --> 00:34:33,233
even if
they can't see it.

489
00:34:33,267 --> 00:34:36,300
It will be many years until
these juvenile lemon sharks

490
00:34:36,333 --> 00:34:42,667
have grown enough
to make it in the open ocean.

491
00:34:42,700 --> 00:34:49,533
Until then they depend on
these sheltered shallow waters,

492
00:34:49,567 --> 00:34:55,667
Where they learn to hunt
cooperatively.

493
00:34:55,700 --> 00:34:59,267
So deeply ingrained is
their bond with their home,

494
00:34:59,300 --> 00:35:08,033
that they will remain here
even if it is threatened.

495
00:35:08,067 --> 00:35:10,800
For these sharks, the health
of their sanctuary

496
00:35:10,833 --> 00:35:21,033
is the health
of their empire.

497
00:35:21,067 --> 00:35:30,500
is the health
of their empire.

498
00:35:30,533 --> 00:35:32,600
Back on
Kangaroo Island,

499
00:35:32,633 --> 00:35:36,033
the joey is beginning
to venture further

500
00:35:36,067 --> 00:35:41,300
from his mother's
protective eye,

501
00:35:41,333 --> 00:35:47,067
exploring places and
other kangaroos.

502
00:35:47,100 --> 00:35:49,500
He's part of an extended
family of kangaroos,

503
00:35:49,533 --> 00:35:55,233
called a mob.

504
00:35:55,267 --> 00:35:58,100
Western grey mobs
can get as large as 40,

505
00:35:58,133 --> 00:36:05,733
though they average
around 10.

506
00:36:05,767 --> 00:36:13,633
No mob would be complete
without a boss.

507
00:36:13,667 --> 00:36:23,467
The largest, strongest
male is the boomer.

508
00:36:23,500 --> 00:36:25,400
He won't let
any of the other males

509
00:36:25,433 --> 00:36:33,233
mate with
his females.

510
00:36:33,267 --> 00:36:39,167
He sniffs around for
an opportunity to mate,

511
00:36:39,200 --> 00:36:45,567
hoping to find
a female in heat.

512
00:36:45,600 --> 00:36:47,333
When he finds one,

513
00:36:47,367 --> 00:36:57,367
he follows her movements
tenaciously.

514
00:36:57,400 --> 00:37:07,500
he follows her movements
tenaciously.

515
00:37:07,500 --> 00:37:15,433
he follows her movements
tenaciously.

516
00:37:15,467 --> 00:37:18,267
After some pursuit,
she stops,

517
00:37:18,300 --> 00:37:23,200
and shows interest.

518
00:37:23,233 --> 00:37:26,667
Unfortunately, even with
a consenting female,

519
00:37:26,700 --> 00:37:36,700
other interruptions
can occur.

520
00:37:36,733 --> 00:37:46,700
other interruptions
can occur.

521
00:37:46,733 --> 00:37:50,300
Next fall, this joey will break
off from the larger group

522
00:37:50,333 --> 00:37:53,533
and join
the mob of males.

523
00:37:53,567 --> 00:37:55,633
Out of the shadow
of the boomer,

524
00:37:55,667 --> 00:37:58,267
he will play-fight
other bucks,

525
00:37:58,300 --> 00:38:00,300
preparing to one day
take his chance

526
00:38:00,333 --> 00:38:06,200
at battling for
the top position.

527
00:38:06,233 --> 00:38:11,367
For now, this joey sticks
close to his mother's side.

528
00:38:11,400 --> 00:38:13,533
It may take
up to six years

529
00:38:13,567 --> 00:38:19,333
for him to reach
sexual maturity.

530
00:38:19,367 --> 00:38:25,367
Until then he will remain
in the boomer's shadow.

531
00:38:25,400 --> 00:38:36,367
Watching
and learning,

532
00:38:36,400 --> 00:38:47,733
but also trying to avoid
the bigger males in the mob.

533
00:38:47,767 --> 00:38:50,633
For the sake of
self-preservation,

534
00:38:50,667 --> 00:38:53,267
the joey must learn
to bow his head

535
00:38:53,300 --> 00:39:03,300
and quiver in order
to avoid a fight.

536
00:39:03,333 --> 00:39:10,700
and quiver in order
to avoid a fight.

537
00:39:10,733 --> 00:39:22,333
But life's lessons are
often taught the hard way.

538
00:39:22,367 --> 00:39:26,100
He's no worse
for wear.

539
00:39:26,133 --> 00:39:32,300
Though fatalities
from fighting are rare,

540
00:39:32,333 --> 00:39:37,433
the back claws of the kangaroo
can be deadly.

541
00:39:37,467 --> 00:39:40,467
In extreme cases,
a kick from the back feet

542
00:39:40,500 --> 00:39:49,633
can disembowel
their opponent.

543
00:39:49,667 --> 00:39:54,167
Still, human activity, hunting
or habitat destruction,

544
00:39:54,200 --> 00:39:57,333
is still the largest
cause of kangaroo deaths

545
00:39:57,367 --> 00:40:00,733
in Australia.

546
00:40:00,767 --> 00:40:02,600
Sparring with
the other males

547
00:40:02,633 --> 00:40:07,433
helps this joey learn
the hierarchy of the group.

548
00:40:07,467 --> 00:40:08,767
If he's lucky,

549
00:40:08,800 --> 00:40:15,667
one day he'll be the leader
of this mob.

550
00:40:15,700 --> 00:40:18,200
Protected from
the destructive force

551
00:40:18,233 --> 00:40:22,300
of the bulldozer
and rifle,

552
00:40:22,333 --> 00:40:25,067
by the rugged sea and
jagged shores

553
00:40:25,100 --> 00:40:28,700
surrounding
his home,

554
00:40:28,733 --> 00:40:41,200
safe
in his sanctuary.

555
00:40:41,233 --> 00:40:43,767
Every year between
July and December,

556
00:40:43,800 --> 00:40:48,300
the fairy penguin chicks
that are sexually mature,

557
00:40:48,333 --> 00:40:49,700
two years old
for females,

558
00:40:49,733 --> 00:40:52,333
three years old
for males,

559
00:40:52,367 --> 00:40:59,367
look to find a partner
to mate with.

560
00:40:59,400 --> 00:41:02,700
Although fairy penguins
can mate twice a year,

561
00:41:02,733 --> 00:41:05,300
once is
generally enough.

562
00:41:05,333 --> 00:41:07,700
But before
he can mate,

563
00:41:07,733 --> 00:41:09,367
the male penguin
needs to

564
00:41:09,400 --> 00:41:13,233
stand out
from the crowd.

565
00:41:13,267 --> 00:41:15,567
He will hold his chest up,
flippers back

566
00:41:15,600 --> 00:41:21,667
and often emit
a braying sound.

567
00:41:21,700 --> 00:41:25,267
This show has
an appropriate name,

568
00:41:25,300 --> 00:41:29,700
the ecstatic
display.

569
00:41:29,733 --> 00:41:32,300
If she's interested,
the female will give

570
00:41:32,333 --> 00:41:41,667
a similarly
enthusiastic response.

571
00:41:41,700 --> 00:41:52,333
Mutual ecstatic displays
often lead to preening.

572
00:41:52,367 --> 00:42:00,200
This contact reinforces
the bond between the pair,

573
00:42:00,233 --> 00:42:01,700
a bond
that will be crucial

574
00:42:01,733 --> 00:42:03,667
if they are to
successfully raise chicks

575
00:42:03,700 --> 00:42:07,333
in the future.

576
00:42:07,367 --> 00:42:09,533
Once the pair
has bonded

577
00:42:09,567 --> 00:42:21,467
they head for the privacy
of the nest.

578
00:42:21,500 --> 00:42:23,667
A few nibbles on
the back of the neck

579
00:42:23,700 --> 00:42:29,533
should seal
the deal.

580
00:42:29,567 --> 00:42:36,033
If all goes well,
she lies down,

581
00:42:36,067 --> 00:42:41,300
and he climbs
on her back.

582
00:42:41,333 --> 00:42:43,300
For a penguin
on land,

583
00:42:43,333 --> 00:42:48,300
things are
seldom graceful.

584
00:42:48,333 --> 00:42:50,433
And the excited males
sometimes

585
00:42:50,467 --> 00:42:58,267
can have trouble finding
the right position.

586
00:42:58,300 --> 00:43:01,200
Copulation takes
mere seconds.

587
00:43:01,233 --> 00:43:08,267
It has to.

588
00:43:08,300 --> 00:43:11,567
These males can usually only
keep the delicate balance

589
00:43:11,600 --> 00:43:17,267
for a short time.

590
00:43:17,300 --> 00:43:19,267
The penguin couple
will remain monogamous

591
00:43:19,300 --> 00:43:21,100
until the chick has
successfully

592
00:43:21,133 --> 00:43:22,767
entered the water
with the rest of the adults

593
00:43:22,800 --> 00:43:26,533
at around
7 or 8 weeks old.

594
00:43:26,567 --> 00:43:29,500
Then, the parents often
go their separate ways,

595
00:43:29,533 --> 00:43:32,600
until next
breeding season.

596
00:43:32,633 --> 00:43:34,267
Though they may
find a new partner

597
00:43:34,300 --> 00:43:39,467
next breeding season,

598
00:43:39,500 --> 00:43:41,267
the majority
of fairy penguins

599
00:43:41,300 --> 00:43:45,300
will return here
year after year.

600
00:43:45,333 --> 00:43:49,400
And as long as the Philip
Island Nature Park remains,

601
00:43:49,433 --> 00:43:52,200
the fairy penguins
strong enough to survive

602
00:43:52,233 --> 00:43:54,233
the dangers of
the Indian Ocean,

603
00:43:54,267 --> 00:43:58,233
will have
a safe haven waiting,

604
00:43:58,267 --> 00:43:59,633
where
they will create

605
00:43:59,667 --> 00:44:02,600
and nurture
the next generation

606
00:44:02,633 --> 00:44:11,600
of their empire.

607
00:44:11,633 --> 00:44:16,533
Back along the shores
of the Bimini Islands,

608
00:44:16,567 --> 00:44:18,133
the dense
mangrove forest

609
00:44:18,167 --> 00:44:20,600
contains so much
decomposing organic matter

610
00:44:20,633 --> 00:44:26,600
that the water often
looks like tea.

611
00:44:26,633 --> 00:44:31,700
It's a warm,
oxygen-rich habitat,

612
00:44:31,733 --> 00:44:40,200
perfect for the slow
developing lemon shark.

613
00:44:40,233 --> 00:44:42,700
Their eyes have special
evolutionary features

614
00:44:42,733 --> 00:44:45,400
that allow them
to navigate and hunt

615
00:44:45,433 --> 00:44:55,700
in the murky waters.

616
00:44:55,733 --> 00:44:57,067
They're equipped
with a layer

617
00:44:57,100 --> 00:44:58,467
of mirrored crystals

618
00:44:58,500 --> 00:45:00,267
located behind
the retina,

619
00:45:00,300 --> 00:45:09,367
called
tapetum lucidum.

620
00:45:09,400 --> 00:45:12,167
This layer allows the shark
to see light a second time

621
00:45:12,200 --> 00:45:23,400
as it passes and reflects
back through the retina.

622
00:45:23,433 --> 00:45:26,167
Although the images
are less focused,

623
00:45:26,200 --> 00:45:31,533
light sensitivity
is greatly increased.

624
00:45:31,567 --> 00:45:33,167
In dark,
murky water,

625
00:45:33,200 --> 00:45:35,200
a shark can see up to
ten times greater

626
00:45:35,233 --> 00:45:41,667
than a human can
in clear water.

627
00:45:41,700 --> 00:45:43,433
Lemon sharks
are fiercely loyal

628
00:45:43,467 --> 00:45:47,500
to their natal
habitat,

629
00:45:47,533 --> 00:45:48,800
and will
remain there

630
00:45:48,833 --> 00:45:53,333
even if the habitat itself
is threatened.

631
00:45:53,367 --> 00:45:56,333
In the case of much of
the Bimini Islands,

632
00:45:56,367 --> 00:46:00,100
where silt from neighboring
construction sites

633
00:46:00,133 --> 00:46:03,700
chokes the shrinking
stretch of mangrove forests,

634
00:46:03,733 --> 00:46:06,467
these lemon sharks
will fall victim

635
00:46:06,500 --> 00:46:08,633
to disease
or starvation

636
00:46:08,667 --> 00:46:11,233
instead of
finding a new home.

637
00:46:11,267 --> 00:46:14,067
These lemon sharks
cling to

638
00:46:14,100 --> 00:46:18,667
their ingrained
way of life.

639
00:46:18,700 --> 00:46:20,267
For better or worse,

640
00:46:20,300 --> 00:46:24,233
their sanctuary is
an essential component

641
00:46:24,267 --> 00:46:35,200
of the lemon shark
empire.

642
00:46:35,233 --> 00:46:39,033
Against many odds,

643
00:46:39,067 --> 00:46:45,700
these young
have become mature,

644
00:46:45,733 --> 00:46:51,767
though their own future
is often unknown.

645
00:46:51,800 --> 00:46:54,767
One thing
is certain,

646
00:46:54,800 --> 00:46:58,100
threatened
by predators,

647
00:46:58,133 --> 00:47:00,767
shrinking habitat,

648
00:47:00,800 --> 00:47:04,767
or even
their own kind,

649
00:47:04,800 --> 00:47:07,133
the fates
of their empires rely

650
00:47:07,167 --> 00:47:10,333
on the warm embrace
of the cool sea,

651
00:47:10,367 --> 00:47:13,600
the shallow maze
of the mangrove trees,

652
00:47:13,633 --> 00:47:17,433
or the protected beach
on a summer's night.

653
00:47:17,467 --> 00:47:19,100
All sanctuaries

654
00:47:19,133 --> 00:47:22,100
required to grow

655
00:47:22,133 --> 00:47:23,367
their

656
00:47:23,400 --> 00:47:26,667
their
Animal Empires.

657
00:47:26,700 --> 00:47:30,067
* MUSIC

658
00:47:30,100 --> 00:47:40,100
* THEME MUSIC

659
00:47:40,133 --> 00:47:54,100
* THEME MUSIC