All language subtitles for (scene-rls.net) 02 Wildest Places Antarctica S01
Afrikaans
Albanian
Amharic
Arabic
Armenian
Azerbaijani
Basque
Belarusian
Bengali
Bosnian
Bulgarian
Catalan
Cebuano
Chichewa
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Corsican
Croatian
Czech
Danish
Dutch
English
Esperanto
Estonian
Filipino
Finnish
French
Frisian
Galician
Georgian
German
Greek
Gujarati
Haitian Creole
Hausa
Hawaiian
Hebrew
Hindi
Hmong
Hungarian
Icelandic
Igbo
Indonesian
Irish
Italian
Japanese
Javanese
Kannada
Kazakh
Khmer
Korean
Kurdish (Kurmanji)
Kyrgyz
Lao
Latin
Latvian
Lithuanian
Luxembourgish
Macedonian
Malagasy
Malay
Malayalam
Maltese
Maori
Marathi
Mongolian
Myanmar (Burmese)
Nepali
Norwegian
Pashto
Persian
Polish
Portuguese
Punjabi
Romanian
Russian
Samoan
Scots Gaelic
Serbian
Sesotho
Shona
Sindhi
Sinhala
Slovak
Slovenian
Somali
Spanish
Sundanese
Swahili
Swedish
Tajik
Tamil
Telugu
Thai
Turkish
Ukrainian
Urdu
Uzbek
Vietnamese
Welsh
Xhosa
Yiddish
Yoruba
Zulu
Odia (Oriya)
Kinyarwanda
Turkmen
Tatar
Uyghur
Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:01,810 --> 00:00:03,130
- [Narrator] Antarctica.
2
00:00:03,130 --> 00:00:05,630
A vast, icy desert.
3
00:00:05,630 --> 00:00:09,283
In terms of rainfall, it's
the driest place on earth.
4
00:00:11,580 --> 00:00:14,600
And yet, the Antarctic
holds more than two thirds
5
00:00:14,600 --> 00:00:16,183
of the planet's fresh water.
6
00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:20,513
With plunging temperatures
and powerful winds,
7
00:00:21,670 --> 00:00:24,863
our southernmost land mass
is an unrelenting habitat.
8
00:00:26,490 --> 00:00:29,953
But life persists and thrives.
9
00:00:30,830 --> 00:00:33,980
Once part of a connected
southern supercontinent,
10
00:00:33,980 --> 00:00:37,860
Antarctica is now isolated
by a current so powerful
11
00:00:37,860 --> 00:00:39,700
it creates undersea highways
12
00:00:39,700 --> 00:00:41,713
back to each and every continent.
13
00:00:42,610 --> 00:00:44,331
Where extraordinary life forms
14
00:00:44,331 --> 00:00:47,310
answer the call of the seasons.
15
00:00:47,310 --> 00:00:52,310
On icy islands and on
a land frozen by time.
16
00:00:52,482 --> 00:00:56,149
(dramatic orchestral music)
17
00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:03,823
This is the Wildest Antarctic.
18
00:01:06,145 --> 00:01:09,228
(serene piano music)
19
00:01:12,580 --> 00:01:16,683
Our southernmost continent is
the coldest place on earth.
20
00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:21,740
The south pole has just two seasons:
21
00:01:21,740 --> 00:01:24,113
summer and winter.
22
00:01:25,900 --> 00:01:28,640
The warmer months draw a
myriad of wondrous animals
23
00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:30,157
to Antarctic waters.
24
00:01:32,380 --> 00:01:33,937
Whales and dolphins stockpile
25
00:01:33,937 --> 00:01:37,673
on abundant schools of
fish, squid, and krill.
26
00:01:42,270 --> 00:01:46,673
Seabirds, penguins, and
seals arrive on land,
27
00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:51,090
returning to the same
areas each year to mate,
28
00:01:51,090 --> 00:01:53,073
raise young, and feed.
29
00:01:56,580 --> 00:01:59,820
Every winter, Antarctica transforms
30
00:01:59,820 --> 00:02:01,893
into a vastly different place.
31
00:02:03,870 --> 00:02:06,240
The extreme weather forces animals
32
00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:08,143
to flee for warmer waters.
33
00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:13,280
The entire continent swells,
34
00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:17,323
doubling in surface size
as sea water turns to ice.
35
00:02:21,870 --> 00:02:23,630
Blizzards set in.
36
00:02:23,630 --> 00:02:26,860
Nights lengthen until
darkness envelops the land
37
00:02:26,860 --> 00:02:28,712
for weeks on end.
38
00:02:28,712 --> 00:02:32,379
(dramatic orchestral music)
39
00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:38,380
The Antarctic winter exodus
reaches every other continent
40
00:02:38,380 --> 00:02:40,023
in the southern hemisphere.
41
00:02:42,750 --> 00:02:46,620
On distant shores, the renewal of life
42
00:02:46,620 --> 00:02:48,423
and the hunt continues.
43
00:02:52,053 --> 00:02:54,720
(dramatic boom)
44
00:02:58,453 --> 00:03:01,953
(serene orchestral music)
45
00:03:06,620 --> 00:03:09,370
South Georgia is a
mountainous, barren island
46
00:03:09,370 --> 00:03:11,013
in the south Atlantic ocean.
47
00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:15,563
Some 1,500 kilometers
from the Falkland Islands.
48
00:03:18,660 --> 00:03:19,840
And though it's not considered
49
00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:22,200
part of the Antarctic continent,
50
00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:25,080
the climate here is colder
than other parts of the world
51
00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:26,503
on the same latitude.
52
00:03:30,730 --> 00:03:34,190
This is because the
Antarctic circumpolar current
53
00:03:34,190 --> 00:03:36,923
is at its squeeze point
through Drake Passage.
54
00:03:38,090 --> 00:03:39,620
This is the narrowest distance
55
00:03:39,620 --> 00:03:42,483
between the southern
continent and South America.
56
00:03:44,030 --> 00:03:46,780
The current emerging on the
other side of the passage
57
00:03:46,780 --> 00:03:49,513
funnels icy water around these islands.
58
00:03:52,300 --> 00:03:54,670
It brings a rush of nutrients,
59
00:03:54,670 --> 00:03:56,810
plant and animal-based plankton,
60
00:03:56,810 --> 00:03:59,823
which creates an entire
ecosystem just off shore.
61
00:04:01,850 --> 00:04:05,210
As a result, this island
is a crowded landing pad
62
00:04:05,210 --> 00:04:06,923
for south polar species.
63
00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:12,113
Especially in breeding seasons.
64
00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:18,143
There are 30 different
kinds of birds here,
65
00:04:19,810 --> 00:04:22,050
including one of the
world's largest colonies
66
00:04:22,050 --> 00:04:24,253
of king and gentoo penguins.
67
00:04:26,820 --> 00:04:28,703
And four species of the seal family.
68
00:04:30,691 --> 00:04:33,691
(guttural growling)
69
00:04:34,690 --> 00:04:36,940
The weather is highly variable,
70
00:04:36,940 --> 00:04:38,863
but the draw card is the temperature.
71
00:04:40,130 --> 00:04:42,930
In summer, the maximum may reach
72
00:04:42,930 --> 00:04:44,853
as much as eight degrees.
73
00:04:45,950 --> 00:04:49,773
But it rarely dips below
minus 10, even in winter.
74
00:04:52,550 --> 00:04:54,910
It stays free of pack ice,
75
00:04:54,910 --> 00:04:57,125
though icebergs carved
from the island glaciers
76
00:04:57,125 --> 00:04:59,293
are a common sight in the bays.
77
00:05:01,625 --> 00:05:04,280
The more buoyant become platforms
78
00:05:04,280 --> 00:05:05,973
for the visiting seal colonies.
79
00:05:09,227 --> 00:05:12,727
(serene orchestral music)
80
00:05:14,830 --> 00:05:16,270
Southern elephant seals
81
00:05:16,270 --> 00:05:18,523
spend most of their lives under water.
82
00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:23,020
They are highly accomplished swimmers.
83
00:05:28,730 --> 00:05:31,580
They can deep dive for two hours at a time
84
00:05:31,580 --> 00:05:33,100
and slow their heart rates down
85
00:05:33,100 --> 00:05:35,173
to just one beat per minute.
86
00:05:41,610 --> 00:05:45,525
Moving about on land,
however, is another matter.
87
00:05:45,525 --> 00:05:48,525
(bouncy tuba music)
88
00:05:51,620 --> 00:05:53,663
These are the largest of seals.
89
00:05:54,790 --> 00:05:57,630
The males weigh in at nearly four tons,
90
00:05:57,630 --> 00:05:59,623
twice the size of a hippopotamus.
91
00:06:06,810 --> 00:06:08,750
The females are much smaller
92
00:06:08,750 --> 00:06:09,710
and lack the huge nose of the male
93
00:06:09,710 --> 00:06:13,188
that the elephant seals are named for.
94
00:06:13,188 --> 00:06:16,855
(dramatic orchestral music)
95
00:06:19,100 --> 00:06:22,463
The seals haul their large
bodies ashore twice a year.
96
00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:27,153
Once to molt, shedding
their outer layer of skin.
97
00:06:28,490 --> 00:06:31,053
And once a year to breed and birth.
98
00:06:32,699 --> 00:06:35,670
(seal growls)
99
00:06:35,670 --> 00:06:38,573
Pregnant females return to
the beach they were born on.
100
00:06:40,890 --> 00:06:42,990
Within days of giving birth,
101
00:06:42,990 --> 00:06:44,720
they're ready to mate,
102
00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:46,280
which they'll do at the same time
103
00:06:46,280 --> 00:06:47,580
as they raise their young.
104
00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:52,460
It's a big demand,
105
00:06:52,460 --> 00:06:55,000
but these seals have a short window ashore
106
00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:57,623
before they need to return
to the ocean to hunt.
107
00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:00,583
The large body of an elephant seal
108
00:07:00,583 --> 00:07:02,793
requires constant feeding.
109
00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:13,620
Young males just a few years old
110
00:07:13,620 --> 00:07:16,570
are already larger than the females,
111
00:07:16,570 --> 00:07:19,100
but are yet to reach the epic proportions
112
00:07:19,100 --> 00:07:20,483
of the big bulls.
113
00:07:24,900 --> 00:07:27,950
They lift up the front
half of their huge bodies
114
00:07:27,950 --> 00:07:29,490
and bear down on each other,
115
00:07:29,490 --> 00:07:31,993
taking small bites aimed at the neck.
116
00:07:34,967 --> 00:07:37,967
(guttural growling)
117
00:07:41,470 --> 00:07:44,460
This is just the dress rehearsal.
118
00:07:44,460 --> 00:07:46,280
The juveniles are sparring
119
00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:48,183
in practice for the years ahead.
120
00:07:49,850 --> 00:07:52,030
For one day, one of these young males
121
00:07:52,030 --> 00:07:55,230
will become the beach master.
122
00:07:55,230 --> 00:07:56,973
The beach's alpha male.
123
00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:00,840
(guttural growling)
124
00:08:03,110 --> 00:08:04,790
At summer's onset,
125
00:08:04,790 --> 00:08:07,060
the adult elephant seal bulls
126
00:08:07,060 --> 00:08:08,816
interrupt king penguin colonies
127
00:08:08,816 --> 00:08:11,653
and thunder their way
onto the beach first.
128
00:08:13,810 --> 00:08:15,540
They're pumped full of testosterone
129
00:08:15,540 --> 00:08:18,040
and need to stake out the best real estate
130
00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:19,313
for a mating territory.
131
00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:25,993
The bulls corral the females into a harem,
132
00:08:26,950 --> 00:08:28,103
their breeding group.
133
00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:31,713
The strongest bulls
will gather 50 or more.
134
00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:38,010
The weight difference between the sexes
135
00:08:38,010 --> 00:08:39,293
is no equal match.
136
00:08:40,430 --> 00:08:42,340
But it's constant work for the males
137
00:08:42,340 --> 00:08:44,023
herding so many wanderers.
138
00:08:45,067 --> 00:08:48,734
(dramatic orchestral music)
139
00:08:50,220 --> 00:08:52,899
Younger bulls carve out smaller harems
140
00:08:52,899 --> 00:08:56,363
and do their best to seduce
young females from others.
141
00:08:58,830 --> 00:09:01,983
But there is always one bull
that is the most dominant.
142
00:09:04,130 --> 00:09:06,900
This is the beach master.
143
00:09:06,900 --> 00:09:08,923
And he is always being tested.
144
00:09:11,614 --> 00:09:14,614
(guttural growling)
145
00:09:17,290 --> 00:09:18,803
A challenger issues a roar.
146
00:09:20,410 --> 00:09:22,810
The large proboscis, or nose,
147
00:09:22,810 --> 00:09:24,840
is designed as a kind of echo chamber
148
00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:26,323
to amplify the warning.
149
00:09:29,030 --> 00:09:31,730
He charges, and the years
of sparring practice
150
00:09:31,730 --> 00:09:33,981
become a real battle.
151
00:09:33,981 --> 00:09:37,648
(dramatic orchestral music)
152
00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:42,460
This young bull, little
more than a decade old,
153
00:09:42,460 --> 00:09:44,463
is no match for the beach master.
154
00:09:48,130 --> 00:09:51,060
He retreats back to the
safety of the water,
155
00:09:51,060 --> 00:09:52,773
effectively raising a white flag.
156
00:09:59,988 --> 00:10:03,530
(guttural growling)
157
00:10:03,530 --> 00:10:06,760
The beach is lined with
bloodied and battle-weary bulls,
158
00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:09,513
and they lose weight
every day they are here.
159
00:10:14,370 --> 00:10:17,178
The males are so obsessed
with guarding their harems,
160
00:10:17,178 --> 00:10:19,900
some won't eat for the entire three months
161
00:10:19,900 --> 00:10:21,303
of the breeding season.
162
00:10:22,685 --> 00:10:24,950
They survive on the huge fat reserves
163
00:10:24,950 --> 00:10:26,450
they've stored for the summer.
164
00:10:31,530 --> 00:10:32,410
They'll leave the beach
165
00:10:32,410 --> 00:10:35,213
nearly half the weight they
were when they arrived.
166
00:10:43,130 --> 00:10:46,650
A female with a baby will
also lose weight at this time.
167
00:10:46,650 --> 00:10:49,163
Eight kilograms each
day while she's nursing.
168
00:10:53,900 --> 00:10:56,540
Her pup puts on four kilos a day
169
00:10:56,540 --> 00:10:58,913
and quadruples in weight
in less than a month.
170
00:11:02,820 --> 00:11:05,589
The elephant seals spend
several weeks on this island
171
00:11:05,589 --> 00:11:07,290
before returning to sea
172
00:11:07,290 --> 00:11:10,163
to renew their constant
pursuit of fish and squid.
173
00:11:13,010 --> 00:11:16,560
Until then, it's a long
summer of fighting,
174
00:11:16,560 --> 00:11:20,690
mating, and finding small havens of space
175
00:11:20,690 --> 00:11:22,920
alongside the thousands of penguins
176
00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:26,200
that share this south
Georgia island beach.
177
00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:29,700
(serene orchestral music)
178
00:11:33,140 --> 00:11:35,300
As summer draws to an end,
179
00:11:35,300 --> 00:11:38,300
the resident king penguins
of south Georgia island
180
00:11:38,300 --> 00:11:39,603
head back out to sea.
181
00:11:42,320 --> 00:11:44,813
The only penguin that
spends its breeding cycle
182
00:11:44,813 --> 00:11:49,513
on the Antarctic continent
itself is the emperor.
183
00:11:53,030 --> 00:11:54,412
They're marching to the edge
184
00:11:54,412 --> 00:11:56,861
of the coldest place on earth.
185
00:11:56,861 --> 00:11:59,861
(penguins chirping)
186
00:12:06,030 --> 00:12:08,200
Stretching out into Drake Passage
187
00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:10,370
toward the tip of South America
188
00:12:10,370 --> 00:12:13,000
is the Antarctic peninsula.
189
00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:15,890
75% of the Antarctic's krill,
190
00:12:15,890 --> 00:12:19,090
the smaller larval stages
of fish and crustaceans,
191
00:12:19,090 --> 00:12:22,400
is found in the waters
around this peninsula.
192
00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:24,050
That brings an astonishing number
193
00:12:24,050 --> 00:12:26,593
of penguins and seals to its shores.
194
00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:32,270
But come winter, they
abandon the continent
195
00:12:32,270 --> 00:12:33,980
and head out to sea,
196
00:12:33,980 --> 00:12:35,833
using ice bergs for rest.
197
00:12:37,490 --> 00:12:41,300
All except for the largest of penguins.
198
00:12:41,300 --> 00:12:44,123
These emperors won't
be joining the exodus.
199
00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:48,010
They've evolved to survive
the harshest winter
200
00:12:48,010 --> 00:12:48,913
on the planet.
201
00:12:51,958 --> 00:12:53,130
(penguin trills)
202
00:12:53,130 --> 00:12:55,333
Emperors stand more than a meter tall.
203
00:12:56,330 --> 00:12:57,950
Compared to other penguins,
204
00:12:57,950 --> 00:12:59,743
they have larger fat reserves.
205
00:13:07,860 --> 00:13:09,162
As winter sets in,
206
00:13:09,162 --> 00:13:11,996
the sea ice freezes into a thick slab
207
00:13:11,996 --> 00:13:14,213
extending from the mainland,
208
00:13:14,213 --> 00:13:17,430
hundreds of kilometers long in some parts,
209
00:13:17,430 --> 00:13:19,373
and more than three meters thick.
210
00:13:25,220 --> 00:13:27,670
The emperor penguins have
timed their breeding cycle
211
00:13:27,670 --> 00:13:29,440
to allow the best chance of survival
212
00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:30,920
here for their chicks,
213
00:13:30,920 --> 00:13:32,963
which will hatch toward winter's end.
214
00:13:36,230 --> 00:13:40,273
But first, they must survive
the Antarctic's coldest days.
215
00:13:43,090 --> 00:13:45,473
These penguins mate for life.
216
00:13:47,670 --> 00:13:52,210
Each season, the female
will produce a single egg.
217
00:13:52,210 --> 00:13:54,380
Her body is depleted
from the energy it takes
218
00:13:54,380 --> 00:13:55,945
to create the new life,
219
00:13:55,945 --> 00:13:58,493
so she leaves soon after laying.
220
00:13:59,830 --> 00:14:01,730
She must travel up to 80 kilometers
221
00:14:01,730 --> 00:14:04,273
across the sea ice to the ocean to feed.
222
00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:08,928
There are no materials
to build nests here,
223
00:14:08,928 --> 00:14:12,483
so the male emperors become the nest.
224
00:14:15,310 --> 00:14:18,700
The female must transfer
the egg to the male quickly,
225
00:14:18,700 --> 00:14:20,223
before the egg freezes.
226
00:14:22,520 --> 00:14:25,984
The male carefully balances
the precious egg on his feet
227
00:14:25,984 --> 00:14:29,163
and keeps it in an adapted apron of fat.
228
00:14:30,419 --> 00:14:31,828
It hangs over the egg
229
00:14:31,828 --> 00:14:34,893
and warms it in the subzero temperatures.
230
00:14:38,260 --> 00:14:40,400
The females farewell the fathers
231
00:14:42,250 --> 00:14:44,075
and head off on the arduous trek
232
00:14:44,075 --> 00:14:45,930
to find the point where the ocean
233
00:14:45,930 --> 00:14:47,473
has ceased to freeze over.
234
00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:53,451
The roundtrip will take several weeks.
235
00:14:53,451 --> 00:14:56,034
(wind howling)
236
00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:02,249
The males must endure the coldest
depths of winter together.
237
00:15:02,249 --> 00:15:04,999
(penguin trills)
238
00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:07,870
They protect the egg in their brood pouch
239
00:15:07,870 --> 00:15:09,653
and huddle together for warmth.
240
00:15:13,857 --> 00:15:17,220
Antarctic winds are
the strongest on earth,
241
00:15:17,220 --> 00:15:21,143
between one and 200 kilometers
an hour isn't uncommon.
242
00:15:23,170 --> 00:15:26,560
This adds wind chill to
plunging temperatures,
243
00:15:26,560 --> 00:15:28,923
more than 40 degrees below zero.
244
00:15:31,840 --> 00:15:33,950
The penguins take turns bearing the brunt
245
00:15:33,950 --> 00:15:36,130
of the wind and snow on the outside
246
00:15:36,130 --> 00:15:38,143
before moving into the group center.
247
00:15:40,700 --> 00:15:43,380
Here it can reach over 30 degrees Celsius
248
00:15:43,380 --> 00:15:45,403
thanks to the combined body heat.
249
00:15:49,110 --> 00:15:50,529
At the peak of winter,
250
00:15:50,529 --> 00:15:52,500
they'll be in complete darkness
251
00:15:52,500 --> 00:15:55,533
for a fortnight when the
sun doesn't rise at all.
252
00:15:57,933 --> 00:16:01,750
(penguins chirping)
253
00:16:01,750 --> 00:16:03,910
Born into the cold and dark,
254
00:16:03,910 --> 00:16:05,330
the new chicks are often hatched
255
00:16:05,330 --> 00:16:08,723
by the time their mothers
return weeks later with food.
256
00:16:09,950 --> 00:16:11,450
She regurgitates the meal
257
00:16:11,450 --> 00:16:13,617
she's carried across the ice.
258
00:16:13,617 --> 00:16:17,784
(upbeat chiming orchestral music)
259
00:16:18,730 --> 00:16:21,303
It's still a precarious
time for the newborn.
260
00:16:22,390 --> 00:16:23,940
It spends its first days
261
00:16:23,940 --> 00:16:25,643
in the warmth of the brood pouch.
262
00:16:26,900 --> 00:16:29,703
Rolling away for too long
will mean freezing to death.
263
00:16:35,730 --> 00:16:37,751
The females take over parenting duty
264
00:16:37,751 --> 00:16:40,230
to allow the males to
embark on their own trek
265
00:16:40,230 --> 00:16:41,363
across ice for food.
266
00:16:43,002 --> 00:16:46,002
(penguins chirping)
267
00:17:01,540 --> 00:17:02,810
There aren't many predators
268
00:17:02,810 --> 00:17:04,680
that dare to venture into the mainland
269
00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:06,620
at this time of year.
270
00:17:06,620 --> 00:17:09,793
But good weather brings
in seabirds like petrels.
271
00:17:15,030 --> 00:17:17,794
It only takes a moment for
the mother to be off guard,
272
00:17:17,794 --> 00:17:20,368
but this one is unyielding.
273
00:17:20,368 --> 00:17:21,201
(penguin caws)
274
00:17:21,201 --> 00:17:24,444
She protects her own and
another from the intruder.
275
00:17:24,444 --> 00:17:28,111
(dramatic orchestral music)
276
00:17:29,572 --> 00:17:33,155
(soaring orchestral music)
277
00:17:36,205 --> 00:17:38,300
When the chicks grow large enough,
278
00:17:38,300 --> 00:17:40,873
both parents leave on hunting missions.
279
00:17:43,830 --> 00:17:46,270
The chicks stay behind in creches
280
00:17:46,270 --> 00:17:48,070
with a few adults left to keep watch
281
00:17:48,070 --> 00:17:49,393
over the small groups.
282
00:17:55,690 --> 00:17:58,090
When the adults reach the hunting grounds,
283
00:17:58,090 --> 00:18:00,883
they chase fish, squid, and krill.
284
00:18:05,690 --> 00:18:07,310
Despite their size,
285
00:18:07,310 --> 00:18:09,193
emperors are impressive swimmers.
286
00:18:15,660 --> 00:18:16,780
Their streamlined bodies
287
00:18:16,780 --> 00:18:19,330
have been designed for this
underwater environment.
288
00:18:26,870 --> 00:18:28,130
They can stay underwater
289
00:18:28,130 --> 00:18:30,470
for up to 22 minutes
290
00:18:30,470 --> 00:18:33,533
and have logged dives
more than 500 meters deep.
291
00:18:40,774 --> 00:18:42,840
Back at the creche,
292
00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:45,000
the older chicks form an orderly queue
293
00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:46,863
for today's important lesson.
294
00:18:48,694 --> 00:18:51,459
Some parts of the sea ice have melted
295
00:18:51,459 --> 00:18:54,426
just enough to form shallow pools.
296
00:18:54,426 --> 00:18:58,120
(bouncy orchestral music)
297
00:18:58,120 --> 00:19:00,030
Once brave chick must be the first
298
00:19:00,030 --> 00:19:01,403
to test the waters.
299
00:19:05,970 --> 00:19:08,050
The group soon follows.
300
00:19:08,050 --> 00:19:09,860
These chicks will spend the days ahead
301
00:19:09,860 --> 00:19:11,883
building up their pectoral wing muscles.
302
00:19:19,270 --> 00:19:21,490
The juveniles' thick downy coats
303
00:19:21,490 --> 00:19:23,640
are designed to keep in heat,
304
00:19:23,640 --> 00:19:25,636
but not to keep out water.
305
00:19:25,636 --> 00:19:29,136
(bouncy orchestral music)
306
00:19:43,300 --> 00:19:44,965
It's a strenuous outing,
307
00:19:44,965 --> 00:19:47,183
but every small puddle is practice.
308
00:19:48,682 --> 00:19:51,015
(splashing)
309
00:19:54,580 --> 00:19:56,240
Each molting sees their feathers
310
00:19:56,240 --> 00:19:57,656
become more tightly packed
311
00:19:57,656 --> 00:19:59,233
and coated with oil.
312
00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:07,380
As the ice melts,
313
00:20:07,380 --> 00:20:10,580
it brings the chance
to test deeper waters.
314
00:20:10,580 --> 00:20:12,470
Preparation for the day these emperors
315
00:20:12,470 --> 00:20:14,670
return to the big Southern Ocean
316
00:20:14,670 --> 00:20:17,071
that will soon reclaim these shores.
317
00:20:17,071 --> 00:20:19,404
(splashing)
318
00:20:24,232 --> 00:20:27,884
(bouncy orchestral music)
319
00:20:27,884 --> 00:20:30,134
(dripping)
320
00:20:33,540 --> 00:20:36,313
Melting ice heralds the onset of summer.
321
00:20:40,980 --> 00:20:43,670
It awakens spores of algae,
322
00:20:43,670 --> 00:20:45,221
leaving stains of red and green
323
00:20:45,221 --> 00:20:47,083
on the retreating floes.
324
00:20:48,720 --> 00:20:50,022
As the saltwater softens
325
00:20:50,022 --> 00:20:52,580
and once again becomes liquid,
326
00:20:52,580 --> 00:20:55,283
it allows the arrival of gentoo penguins.
327
00:20:59,880 --> 00:21:02,374
The gentoos ascend from the pebble beaches
328
00:21:02,374 --> 00:21:06,113
and begin a steady trek
upwards through the snow.
329
00:21:15,220 --> 00:21:17,280
Their pathways are known
330
00:21:17,280 --> 00:21:19,290
and already worn in by the penguins
331
00:21:19,290 --> 00:21:20,803
that arrived first.
332
00:21:28,340 --> 00:21:30,030
Timing is everything
333
00:21:30,030 --> 00:21:31,958
when it comes to securing
the best positions
334
00:21:31,958 --> 00:21:33,893
at the peaks of the hills above.
335
00:21:39,150 --> 00:21:41,110
Gentoos have distinctive red beaks
336
00:21:41,110 --> 00:21:42,623
and white eye patches.
337
00:21:45,280 --> 00:21:47,900
The males arrive at the clifftop first
338
00:21:47,900 --> 00:21:49,913
to work on wooing a female.
339
00:21:51,830 --> 00:21:54,920
After stacking rocks
into piles for a nest,
340
00:21:54,920 --> 00:21:57,083
he will then collect more pebbles.
341
00:21:58,130 --> 00:22:00,303
These ones are special.
342
00:22:03,910 --> 00:22:05,950
The male offers them as tokens
343
00:22:05,950 --> 00:22:07,483
to a prospective partner.
344
00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:11,470
She will accept a mate
345
00:22:11,470 --> 00:22:13,173
based on the size and shape.
346
00:22:14,720 --> 00:22:16,932
But the criteria for an
impressive pebble offering
347
00:22:16,932 --> 00:22:19,283
is still somewhat of a mystery.
348
00:22:21,789 --> 00:22:24,622
(penguins cawing)
349
00:22:30,580 --> 00:22:32,830
The female gentoo lays her first egg
350
00:22:32,830 --> 00:22:34,702
about five days after mating
351
00:22:34,702 --> 00:22:37,693
and a second three days after that.
352
00:22:41,720 --> 00:22:43,680
The parents share egg-sitting duties
353
00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:44,734
for about a month
354
00:22:44,734 --> 00:22:47,060
before the first signs of emerging life
355
00:22:47,060 --> 00:22:48,803
start stirring from within.
356
00:22:50,177 --> 00:22:53,427
(serene chiming music)
357
00:22:55,900 --> 00:22:59,820
Incredibly, both chicks
are born on the same day
358
00:22:59,820 --> 00:23:02,813
despite the eggs being laid days apart.
359
00:23:06,980 --> 00:23:08,454
They're covered in down
360
00:23:08,454 --> 00:23:12,163
and small, just a couple
of hundred grams in weight.
361
00:23:13,370 --> 00:23:15,620
They'll need to stay in
their makeshift pebble homes
362
00:23:15,620 --> 00:23:17,600
for about 75 days
363
00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:20,452
before they're ready to
make their way to the ocean.
364
00:23:20,452 --> 00:23:23,180
(penguin cawing)
365
00:23:23,180 --> 00:23:25,793
The parents, however, have
chosen their sites well.
366
00:23:27,920 --> 00:23:29,397
They're close to the sea
367
00:23:29,397 --> 00:23:32,263
and they descend to the
shore regularly to hunt.
368
00:23:36,830 --> 00:23:39,330
Gentoos are the fastest
underwater swimmers
369
00:23:39,330 --> 00:23:40,380
of the penguin world.
370
00:23:45,360 --> 00:23:47,080
They have to be.
371
00:23:47,080 --> 00:23:49,623
They're one of the favorite prey of these.
372
00:23:50,740 --> 00:23:52,162
Leopard seals.
373
00:23:52,162 --> 00:23:54,912
(dramatic music)
374
00:23:56,130 --> 00:23:59,150
So named for their recognizable spots,
375
00:23:59,150 --> 00:24:03,500
leopard seals have
sharp, canine-like teeth.
376
00:24:03,500 --> 00:24:05,890
They also make their way
back to the peninsula
377
00:24:05,890 --> 00:24:06,933
as the waters warm.
378
00:24:12,570 --> 00:24:14,063
Some have traveled far.
379
00:24:15,010 --> 00:24:16,480
Leopard seals are sighted
380
00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:18,550
as far north as Tasmania,
381
00:24:18,550 --> 00:24:20,223
on Australia's southern tip.
382
00:24:23,770 --> 00:24:26,960
These marine mammals
are fearsome predators
383
00:24:26,960 --> 00:24:30,173
and the only seal that
feeds on warm-blooded prey.
384
00:24:31,410 --> 00:24:33,373
They'll even eat other seals.
385
00:24:36,050 --> 00:24:38,070
Leopard seals tend to skew their diet
386
00:24:38,070 --> 00:24:39,670
toward the particular southern region
387
00:24:39,670 --> 00:24:41,173
they return to for summer.
388
00:24:42,540 --> 00:24:44,133
And here it's gentoo.
389
00:24:45,770 --> 00:24:48,520
(dramatic music)
390
00:24:55,390 --> 00:24:58,260
Leopard seals are solitary hunters.
391
00:24:58,260 --> 00:25:00,660
They can match the gentoo
for pace in the water.
392
00:25:07,093 --> 00:25:11,200
(serene orchestral music)
393
00:25:11,200 --> 00:25:13,280
When the nesting season comes to an end
394
00:25:13,280 --> 00:25:15,946
some three months after it began,
395
00:25:15,946 --> 00:25:18,803
the gentoo fledglings head to sea.
396
00:25:22,190 --> 00:25:26,208
They do so in their large family flocks.
397
00:25:26,208 --> 00:25:28,541
(splashing)
398
00:25:29,440 --> 00:25:32,348
Safety in numbers is a
key survival strategy
399
00:25:32,348 --> 00:25:35,283
for sharing the water with
such a ferocious predator.
400
00:25:44,333 --> 00:25:47,833
(serene orchestral music)
401
00:25:53,935 --> 00:25:56,685
Antarctic sea ice peaks in winter
402
00:25:58,160 --> 00:26:00,703
and retreats in the summer months.
403
00:26:06,810 --> 00:26:08,570
The entire continent undergoes
404
00:26:08,570 --> 00:26:10,130
a dramatic transformation
405
00:26:11,430 --> 00:26:15,660
as it shrinks from a 20 million
square kilometer surface
406
00:26:15,660 --> 00:26:18,393
down to three million square kilometers.
407
00:26:21,870 --> 00:26:24,040
As the days lengthen,
408
00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:27,193
freshwater ice on the mainland also warms.
409
00:26:32,068 --> 00:26:34,330
(rumbling)
410
00:26:34,330 --> 00:26:37,565
Large chunks break off from
glaciers and ice shelves
411
00:26:37,565 --> 00:26:39,963
in a process called carving.
412
00:26:48,970 --> 00:26:51,070
Icebergs are set adrift,
413
00:26:51,070 --> 00:26:53,270
traveling with ocean currents and wind,
414
00:26:53,270 --> 00:26:54,856
often floating into bays
415
00:26:54,856 --> 00:26:56,483
and breaking apart onshore.
416
00:27:06,220 --> 00:27:08,720
Some can be huge.
417
00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:10,480
The largest on record was measured
418
00:27:10,480 --> 00:27:12,853
at nearly 300 kilometers long.
419
00:27:16,440 --> 00:27:18,850
Descriptions vary according to size,
420
00:27:18,850 --> 00:27:20,313
shape, and origin.
421
00:27:22,870 --> 00:27:25,683
Tabular icebergs have a distinct flat top.
422
00:27:30,040 --> 00:27:32,823
Bergs are no larger than
five meters above water.
423
00:27:38,420 --> 00:27:40,000
And when they're even smaller again,
424
00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:42,993
under two meters, they're
known as growlers.
425
00:27:43,847 --> 00:27:47,347
(serene orchestral music)
426
00:27:49,490 --> 00:27:52,350
As the iceberg slowly
melts into the ocean,
427
00:27:52,350 --> 00:27:54,990
it generates a pool of freshwater,
428
00:27:54,990 --> 00:27:56,671
sometimes extending outward
429
00:27:56,671 --> 00:27:59,533
for a full nautical mile.
430
00:28:02,270 --> 00:28:04,520
They also shed the terrestrial material
431
00:28:04,520 --> 00:28:05,703
trapped in the ice.
432
00:28:08,010 --> 00:28:09,660
It's rich in iron
433
00:28:09,660 --> 00:28:12,163
and stimulates the
growth of phytoplankton,
434
00:28:15,140 --> 00:28:17,000
the plant-based organisms
435
00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:19,263
that are the building
blocks for marine life.
436
00:28:22,210 --> 00:28:24,563
The food chain bursts into action.
437
00:28:29,290 --> 00:28:30,827
Animal plankton and krill,
438
00:28:30,827 --> 00:28:33,550
tiny shrimp-like crustaceans
439
00:28:33,550 --> 00:28:36,581
attract floating organisms like jellyfish.
440
00:28:36,581 --> 00:28:39,998
(bouncy xylophone music)
441
00:28:42,460 --> 00:28:45,653
Small fish hide in holes
on the berg's underside.
442
00:28:53,050 --> 00:28:55,410
Fur seals, sea lions, and seals
443
00:28:55,410 --> 00:28:57,246
come to feed and take the opportunity
444
00:28:57,246 --> 00:28:59,723
to rest during the long days offshore.
445
00:29:05,010 --> 00:29:07,581
Seabirds like the Wilson's Storm-Petrel
446
00:29:07,581 --> 00:29:10,927
migrate huge distances
from north of the equator
447
00:29:10,927 --> 00:29:12,474
to their summer breeding grounds
448
00:29:12,474 --> 00:29:14,153
around the Antarctic.
449
00:29:16,950 --> 00:29:18,460
They feed around icebergs
450
00:29:18,460 --> 00:29:21,371
by running along the surface of the water,
451
00:29:21,371 --> 00:29:23,855
their foot taps attracting hungry fish
452
00:29:23,855 --> 00:29:26,343
to come within striking distance.
453
00:29:28,070 --> 00:29:29,630
Petrels are not the only ones
454
00:29:29,630 --> 00:29:30,915
returning to home shores
455
00:29:30,915 --> 00:29:33,863
to feast on the exploding
krill population.
456
00:29:39,968 --> 00:29:42,437
(deep groaning)
457
00:29:42,437 --> 00:29:46,060
(serene piano music)
458
00:29:46,060 --> 00:29:49,145
At 150 tons and 30 meters long,
459
00:29:49,145 --> 00:29:52,073
blue whales are the largest living animal.
460
00:30:02,270 --> 00:30:04,520
And the largest are found here
461
00:30:04,520 --> 00:30:06,463
in the Antarctic oceans.
462
00:30:12,840 --> 00:30:15,390
These whales sweep up
huge amounts of krill
463
00:30:15,390 --> 00:30:18,050
in a single open-mouth lunge,
464
00:30:18,050 --> 00:30:21,023
consuming as much as eight tons a day.
465
00:30:33,950 --> 00:30:36,360
Summer cues a return to
these waters for them
466
00:30:36,360 --> 00:30:38,463
and many of their relatives.
467
00:30:40,872 --> 00:30:43,539
(deep groaning)
468
00:30:45,810 --> 00:30:48,453
A southern right whale
is easily identifiable.
469
00:30:49,361 --> 00:30:51,070
It's the only large whale
470
00:30:51,070 --> 00:30:52,620
that doesn't have a dorsal fin.
471
00:31:03,240 --> 00:31:05,140
They're returning from breeding grounds
472
00:31:05,140 --> 00:31:07,320
around the southern tips of Africa,
473
00:31:07,320 --> 00:31:10,703
Australia, New Zealand, and South America.
474
00:31:12,290 --> 00:31:14,313
Many have their calves in tow.
475
00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:21,040
The mother's milk is extremely high in fat
476
00:31:21,040 --> 00:31:24,743
and these calves will put
on 60 kilograms each day.
477
00:31:27,140 --> 00:31:29,340
They'll wean over the summer
478
00:31:29,340 --> 00:31:31,673
and begin feeding on the polar krill.
479
00:31:47,630 --> 00:31:49,480
Pilot whales are one of the four
480
00:31:49,480 --> 00:31:51,723
toothed-whale species that come here.
481
00:31:56,100 --> 00:31:57,610
Their teeth allow them to catch
482
00:31:57,610 --> 00:32:00,363
and eat larger prey like squid and fish.
483
00:32:07,684 --> 00:32:10,970
Orcas are another toothed-whale species.
484
00:32:10,970 --> 00:32:13,560
More specifically, they're dolphins,
485
00:32:13,560 --> 00:32:15,203
the largest of their kind.
486
00:32:19,810 --> 00:32:22,483
Orcas don't migrate in the
way their relatives do,
487
00:32:23,330 --> 00:32:25,150
but will follow the migratory paths
488
00:32:25,150 --> 00:32:26,853
of other animals they hunt.
489
00:32:31,390 --> 00:32:33,600
These are supreme carnivores.
490
00:32:33,600 --> 00:32:36,463
They eat fish, seals, and penguins.
491
00:32:37,520 --> 00:32:39,733
Even other dolphins and whales.
492
00:32:46,420 --> 00:32:49,423
This pack is feasting on the
carcass of a minke whale.
493
00:32:50,851 --> 00:32:54,351
(serene orchestral music)
494
00:33:00,440 --> 00:33:03,262
The carcass also feeds a flock of seabirds
495
00:33:03,262 --> 00:33:05,713
making the return journey south.
496
00:33:10,260 --> 00:33:12,530
In these vast, cold oceans,
497
00:33:12,530 --> 00:33:15,850
every floating object from
ice to rotting remains
498
00:33:15,850 --> 00:33:18,283
becomes a living ecology for a short time.
499
00:33:24,809 --> 00:33:28,059
(serene chiming music)
500
00:33:29,970 --> 00:33:34,050
Some ocean currents travel
for thousands of kilometers,
501
00:33:34,050 --> 00:33:36,200
beginning in one part of the world
502
00:33:36,200 --> 00:33:39,963
and bringing warm or cold
water to another entirely.
503
00:33:43,150 --> 00:33:45,310
Just south of the Australian continent
504
00:33:45,310 --> 00:33:47,070
is where currents from the equator
505
00:33:47,070 --> 00:33:48,903
meet those from the south pole.
506
00:33:49,900 --> 00:33:52,311
Eastward, a major current from the tropics
507
00:33:52,311 --> 00:33:55,540
travels the seaboard, rounds Tasmania,
508
00:33:55,540 --> 00:33:57,733
and continues to follow the coastline.
509
00:34:00,980 --> 00:34:03,619
Ocean currents that flow
adjacent to coastlines
510
00:34:03,619 --> 00:34:05,773
are called boundary currents.
511
00:34:06,720 --> 00:34:09,590
The Leeuwin is the world's longest.
512
00:34:09,590 --> 00:34:12,733
It arrives from the
Indian Ocean in the west.
513
00:34:16,120 --> 00:34:18,803
One area's weather can impact on another.
514
00:34:20,200 --> 00:34:22,560
Monsoon winds hit ferocious speeds
515
00:34:22,560 --> 00:34:24,733
around the equator in the north in summer.
516
00:34:30,370 --> 00:34:31,560
Several weeks later,
517
00:34:31,560 --> 00:34:34,600
the winds have pushed
currents to reach peak force
518
00:34:34,600 --> 00:34:37,513
as they arrive into
southern Australian waters.
519
00:34:40,310 --> 00:34:43,583
This current flow coincides
with a temperature drop.
520
00:34:48,770 --> 00:34:52,653
In the south, Antarctica
is being seized by winter.
521
00:34:55,940 --> 00:34:58,190
Here, the water is still cold enough
522
00:34:58,190 --> 00:34:59,913
for the seasonal migrators.
523
00:35:03,610 --> 00:35:06,573
Whales pass by on their
way to birthing grounds.
524
00:35:16,677 --> 00:35:18,410
Some species followed
525
00:35:18,410 --> 00:35:22,103
cold current pathways long ago and stayed.
526
00:35:23,690 --> 00:35:27,603
Sea lions, fur seals, and little penguins.
527
00:35:30,920 --> 00:35:33,427
Coastal islands along Australia's south
528
00:35:33,427 --> 00:35:35,230
have become a permanent home
529
00:35:35,230 --> 00:35:37,263
for these cold water specialists.
530
00:35:39,720 --> 00:35:43,027
Kangaroo Island is a large rocky outcrop,
531
00:35:43,027 --> 00:35:46,463
roughly seven times the size of Singapore.
532
00:35:48,460 --> 00:35:49,950
Above the water line,
533
00:35:49,950 --> 00:35:52,818
this island has a number
of pristine habitats
534
00:35:52,818 --> 00:35:55,720
from sea caves to sand dunes,
535
00:35:55,720 --> 00:35:57,943
wetlands and dense bush land.
536
00:36:02,100 --> 00:36:04,999
The island is named for
its very own kangaroos,
537
00:36:04,999 --> 00:36:08,023
a subspecies separate to the mainland's.
538
00:36:13,040 --> 00:36:16,283
The marine ecosystems are equally diverse.
539
00:36:19,130 --> 00:36:21,283
The sea bed is covered with large gardens
540
00:36:21,283 --> 00:36:24,860
of microalgae, or seaweed.
541
00:36:24,860 --> 00:36:27,723
It's a prime hunting ground
that hides small prey
542
00:36:27,723 --> 00:36:31,073
and draws in larger hunters.
543
00:36:32,120 --> 00:36:34,493
This Australian draughtboard shark
544
00:36:34,493 --> 00:36:37,590
cruises the seaweed beds for small fish,
545
00:36:37,590 --> 00:36:39,163
squid, and shellfish.
546
00:36:40,880 --> 00:36:42,820
It's only found in a small range
547
00:36:42,820 --> 00:36:45,140
in these cold southern waters,
548
00:36:45,140 --> 00:36:47,620
and usually at far greater depths,
549
00:36:47,620 --> 00:36:49,543
more than 600 meters below.
550
00:36:52,810 --> 00:36:55,092
The cold water sweeping
in from the Antarctic
551
00:36:55,092 --> 00:36:58,430
also cultivates crops of sponges,
552
00:36:58,430 --> 00:37:00,210
a very primitive form of animal
553
00:37:00,210 --> 00:37:02,893
that tends to anchor and
grow, much like a plant.
554
00:37:05,910 --> 00:37:09,380
Though more commonly associated
with tropical waters,
555
00:37:09,380 --> 00:37:11,239
several species of frog fish
556
00:37:11,239 --> 00:37:14,043
live amid Kangaroo
Island's sponge gardens.
557
00:37:15,520 --> 00:37:17,570
These small ambush hunters
558
00:37:17,570 --> 00:37:19,453
are voracious carnivores.
559
00:37:21,080 --> 00:37:22,670
A frog fish's pectoral fins
560
00:37:22,670 --> 00:37:24,690
are fused and splayed,
561
00:37:24,690 --> 00:37:26,873
better suited to crawling than swimming.
562
00:37:30,860 --> 00:37:33,493
Frog fish are also found
on the northern fringes
563
00:37:33,493 --> 00:37:36,750
of the Indian Ocean around Indonesia,
564
00:37:36,750 --> 00:37:39,453
connected to the south
by the Leeuwin current.
565
00:37:42,080 --> 00:37:43,603
Masterful camouflagers,
566
00:37:43,603 --> 00:37:46,483
frog fish perfectly
replicate their habitat,
567
00:37:47,840 --> 00:37:50,943
be it a tropical reef
or a cool sponge bed.
568
00:37:53,800 --> 00:37:56,700
(bouncy orchestral music)
569
00:37:56,700 --> 00:37:58,880
This sponge crab goes a step further
570
00:37:58,880 --> 00:38:00,133
in his mimicry act.
571
00:38:01,090 --> 00:38:03,375
It actually takes a piece
of the sponge garden
572
00:38:03,375 --> 00:38:05,873
and places it atop its shell.
573
00:38:08,090 --> 00:38:11,500
Not only does the crab
blend into the sea floor,
574
00:38:11,500 --> 00:38:14,070
but these sponges are one of nature's
575
00:38:14,070 --> 00:38:16,740
oldest success stories.
576
00:38:16,740 --> 00:38:18,682
They are a live organism
577
00:38:18,682 --> 00:38:21,923
and many produce chemicals
that are foul-tasting.
578
00:38:23,630 --> 00:38:25,400
By wearing it like a hat,
579
00:38:25,400 --> 00:38:27,020
the sponge affords the crab
580
00:38:27,020 --> 00:38:29,103
an extra degree of protection.
581
00:38:37,100 --> 00:38:39,052
Close to the island's shore,
582
00:38:39,052 --> 00:38:43,223
an 11-armed sea star
stalks the tidal pools.
583
00:38:46,480 --> 00:38:49,256
This is south Australia's largest starfish
584
00:38:49,256 --> 00:38:52,593
and it uses its entire body to catch food.
585
00:38:55,060 --> 00:38:57,880
The arms are covered
in tiny jaw-like knobs
586
00:38:57,880 --> 00:38:59,653
called pedicellariae.
587
00:39:01,200 --> 00:39:03,970
They can latch onto small crabs or worms
588
00:39:03,970 --> 00:39:06,280
until an arm or foot can reach
589
00:39:06,280 --> 00:39:08,033
and pass it to the central gut.
590
00:39:14,370 --> 00:39:17,430
Idiomysids are tiny crustaceans,
591
00:39:17,430 --> 00:39:18,863
just millimeters long.
592
00:39:20,530 --> 00:39:23,210
They're also known as sea bees
593
00:39:23,210 --> 00:39:26,913
and it's theorized they help
sea grass fields to flourish.
594
00:39:29,490 --> 00:39:32,310
Sea grasses are a marine plant
595
00:39:32,310 --> 00:39:34,883
with roots, flowers, and leaves.
596
00:39:36,150 --> 00:39:37,860
Sea bees have been found
597
00:39:37,860 --> 00:39:40,013
with sea grass pollen in their legs.
598
00:39:47,850 --> 00:39:50,080
The sea grass around Kangaroo Island
599
00:39:50,080 --> 00:39:53,570
harbors two very distant relatives:
600
00:39:53,570 --> 00:39:57,323
the knobby seahorse and
the weedy sea dragon.
601
00:39:59,440 --> 00:40:03,300
Both have evolved to have
long, plant-like bodies
602
00:40:03,300 --> 00:40:06,450
and elongated mouths designed to suck up
603
00:40:06,450 --> 00:40:09,437
tiny shrimp like the idiomysids.
604
00:40:09,437 --> 00:40:12,437
(serene harp music)
605
00:40:15,485 --> 00:40:18,890
A Shaw's boxfish stalks the sea grass,
606
00:40:18,890 --> 00:40:21,283
blowing jets of air onto the sand.
607
00:40:22,580 --> 00:40:25,368
It's cleverly uncovering any tiny worms,
608
00:40:25,368 --> 00:40:29,353
shrimp, and crabs hiding
just below the sea bed.
609
00:40:30,830 --> 00:40:34,008
Like all boxfish, this
one grows an exoskeleton
610
00:40:34,008 --> 00:40:36,183
as well as an internal one.
611
00:40:37,950 --> 00:40:40,363
Its body is encased in a bony box
612
00:40:40,363 --> 00:40:43,593
and the skin can release
toxins if it gets stressed.
613
00:40:46,900 --> 00:40:48,760
The Shaw's boxfish is considered
614
00:40:48,760 --> 00:40:51,890
to be endemic to the eastern Indian Ocean.
615
00:40:51,890 --> 00:40:54,300
However, it's also found all along
616
00:40:54,300 --> 00:40:56,343
the southern Australian coastline.
617
00:40:59,350 --> 00:41:01,280
The Leeuwin current is thought
618
00:41:01,280 --> 00:41:04,933
to have swept the boxfish
from tropical waters to cool.
619
00:41:06,520 --> 00:41:08,818
In some areas of the southern hemisphere,
620
00:41:08,818 --> 00:41:12,113
this process has worked in reverse.
621
00:41:14,150 --> 00:41:16,504
Vast networks of underwater highways
622
00:41:16,504 --> 00:41:19,231
have carried south polar species
623
00:41:19,231 --> 00:41:22,133
to surprisingly warm places.
624
00:41:25,300 --> 00:41:26,805
Like Africa.
625
00:41:26,805 --> 00:41:30,320
(upbeat percussion music)
626
00:41:30,320 --> 00:41:32,210
On South African savannas,
627
00:41:32,210 --> 00:41:35,593
daytime temperatures soar
above 30 degrees Celsius.
628
00:41:37,479 --> 00:41:41,190
It's a country renowned
for spectacular wildlife:
629
00:41:41,190 --> 00:41:43,663
lions, elephants, and giraffes.
630
00:41:46,260 --> 00:41:47,760
It seems barely imaginable
631
00:41:47,760 --> 00:41:49,486
these animals of the dry, hot plains
632
00:41:49,486 --> 00:41:51,130
could share their home
633
00:41:51,130 --> 00:41:53,253
with the likes of seals and penguins.
634
00:41:58,490 --> 00:41:59,990
Africa's southernmost tip
635
00:41:59,990 --> 00:42:03,002
is a meeting place for roaring trade winds
636
00:42:03,002 --> 00:42:05,683
and a number of oceanic currents.
637
00:42:09,750 --> 00:42:12,725
The Cape Agulhas is a
fast-flowing surface current
638
00:42:12,725 --> 00:42:14,433
that transports large volumes
639
00:42:14,433 --> 00:42:16,400
of warm tropical water
640
00:42:16,400 --> 00:42:19,600
along the African coastline to the cape.
641
00:42:19,600 --> 00:42:22,230
It rounds the cape, picking up icy
642
00:42:22,230 --> 00:42:24,590
Antarctic waters from the south,
643
00:42:24,590 --> 00:42:27,573
becoming the Benguela
Current heading north.
644
00:42:33,060 --> 00:42:34,590
A current much like this
645
00:42:34,590 --> 00:42:37,013
was a potential pathway
for polar travelers
646
00:42:37,013 --> 00:42:41,203
some 30 million years ago: penguins.
647
00:42:43,490 --> 00:42:44,910
African penguins long ago
648
00:42:44,910 --> 00:42:47,920
evolved to cope with the heat.
649
00:42:47,920 --> 00:42:50,963
They have a pink featherless
gland above each eye.
650
00:42:52,520 --> 00:42:55,053
The hotter it gets, the pinker it becomes.
651
00:42:56,100 --> 00:42:57,815
The gland sends blood to the area
652
00:42:57,815 --> 00:43:00,493
to help cool the penguin down.
653
00:43:01,720 --> 00:43:03,140
They build nests on land
654
00:43:03,140 --> 00:43:05,803
out of their own excrement, or guano.
655
00:43:07,130 --> 00:43:09,361
Unlike Antarctic emperors
that try desperately
656
00:43:09,361 --> 00:43:12,078
to keep their eggs from freezing over,
657
00:43:12,078 --> 00:43:14,370
these penguins have to shield theirs
658
00:43:14,370 --> 00:43:16,873
from the searing African sun.
659
00:43:18,910 --> 00:43:20,747
If they can't find a bush for cover,
660
00:43:20,747 --> 00:43:23,270
they'll use their own bodies for shade
661
00:43:23,270 --> 00:43:25,603
and take the brunt of the heat themselves.
662
00:43:27,007 --> 00:43:28,497
When the chicks have hatched,
663
00:43:28,497 --> 00:43:31,520
parents divide guarding duty.
664
00:43:31,520 --> 00:43:32,673
A fishing trip in the bay
665
00:43:32,673 --> 00:43:34,923
is a well-earned cool respite.
666
00:43:38,340 --> 00:43:40,730
African penguins share the cape beaches
667
00:43:40,730 --> 00:43:44,900
with rock hyrax, a small furry mammal
668
00:43:44,900 --> 00:43:46,973
with feet adapted for rock climbing.
669
00:43:47,810 --> 00:43:51,010
The hyrax looks like a large rodent
670
00:43:51,010 --> 00:43:55,153
but is biologically more
closely related to an elephant.
671
00:43:58,400 --> 00:44:00,677
They have a similar skull structure,
672
00:44:00,677 --> 00:44:02,706
including teeth designed to grind
673
00:44:02,706 --> 00:44:04,393
the hard vegetation.
674
00:44:07,770 --> 00:44:09,870
African shores pose a unique problem
675
00:44:09,870 --> 00:44:12,910
for hyrax and penguins alike.
676
00:44:12,910 --> 00:44:15,943
They are hunted by mongoose and leopards.
677
00:44:19,810 --> 00:44:22,263
The penguins at least
can escape to the sea.
678
00:44:27,670 --> 00:44:29,755
However, the cold currents of long ago
679
00:44:29,755 --> 00:44:32,423
also brought marine predators.
680
00:44:34,739 --> 00:44:36,271
Fur seals.
681
00:44:36,271 --> 00:44:39,021
(seals grunting)
682
00:44:41,620 --> 00:44:43,330
Roughly two million fur seals
683
00:44:43,330 --> 00:44:45,163
live on the South African cape.
684
00:44:47,130 --> 00:44:49,370
One of the larger colonies is based around
685
00:44:49,370 --> 00:44:51,773
small rocky outcrops
near the southern tip.
686
00:44:52,630 --> 00:44:54,803
Dyer and Geyser Islands.
687
00:44:55,867 --> 00:45:00,200
(upbeat percussion music)
688
00:45:00,200 --> 00:45:02,690
Unlike most other fur seal groups,
689
00:45:02,690 --> 00:45:05,563
the cape fur seals live here year-round.
690
00:45:06,570 --> 00:45:09,430
They use these islands
as a base for mating,
691
00:45:09,430 --> 00:45:11,743
raising young, and resting.
692
00:45:13,670 --> 00:45:16,243
But spend most of their
time fishing at sea.
693
00:45:22,050 --> 00:45:24,910
Like the Antarctic, the island kelp beds
694
00:45:24,910 --> 00:45:27,603
offer up small fish
and squid taking cover.
695
00:45:31,790 --> 00:45:34,030
But the cape fur seals' preferred diet
696
00:45:34,030 --> 00:45:36,080
of sardines and anchovies
697
00:45:36,080 --> 00:45:38,993
swim out wider in the deeper ocean.
698
00:45:44,600 --> 00:45:46,300
To reach the open sea,
699
00:45:46,300 --> 00:45:49,026
the fur seals must first
pass through the channel
700
00:45:49,026 --> 00:45:51,163
that separates these islands.
701
00:45:52,930 --> 00:45:56,633
This channel is locally
known as Shark Alley.
702
00:46:07,630 --> 00:46:10,610
Sharks like bronze whalers
are here most of the year
703
00:46:11,930 --> 00:46:14,973
and in bigger numbers for
the annual sardine run
704
00:46:14,973 --> 00:46:17,743
that takes place along
the coastline each winter.
705
00:46:21,220 --> 00:46:22,960
The cold water also attracts
706
00:46:22,960 --> 00:46:25,900
the largest predatory fish in the ocean:
707
00:46:25,900 --> 00:46:27,583
great white sharks.
708
00:46:30,837 --> 00:46:33,843
In summer, strong southeasterly winds
709
00:46:33,843 --> 00:46:35,689
sweep the current coming from
710
00:46:35,689 --> 00:46:38,253
the south polar region into the bay.
711
00:46:39,320 --> 00:46:42,793
It's also when the cape
fur seal pups are born.
712
00:46:45,540 --> 00:46:48,020
By winter, the newly adult seals
713
00:46:48,020 --> 00:46:50,100
are large enough to make
their maiden voyages
714
00:46:50,100 --> 00:46:51,133
across the channel.
715
00:46:54,560 --> 00:46:55,750
But they have not yet learned
716
00:46:55,750 --> 00:46:57,760
to swim at their peak speed
717
00:46:57,760 --> 00:47:00,063
and lack open water experience.
718
00:47:06,400 --> 00:47:07,876
The great whites have come to know
719
00:47:07,876 --> 00:47:10,120
this is a regular time and place
720
00:47:10,120 --> 00:47:12,113
that a source of food is on offer.
721
00:47:17,700 --> 00:47:21,003
These are one of the ocean's
most skilled hunters.
722
00:47:22,140 --> 00:47:25,060
They can reach over six meters in length
723
00:47:25,060 --> 00:47:27,520
and have large, triangular teeth
724
00:47:27,520 --> 00:47:30,733
designed for securing
and ripping into flesh.
725
00:47:36,540 --> 00:47:38,228
Great white sharks prefer to hunt
726
00:47:38,228 --> 00:47:41,090
in cooler waters around the globe,
727
00:47:41,090 --> 00:47:44,403
but they adapt their hunting
technique to each area.
728
00:47:47,400 --> 00:47:51,133
At Shark Alley, their weapon is speed.
729
00:47:53,000 --> 00:47:55,140
Despite their huge girth,
730
00:47:55,140 --> 00:47:56,990
these sharks have a pointed nose
731
00:47:56,990 --> 00:47:58,623
and streamlined bodies.
732
00:48:00,650 --> 00:48:03,220
Their tactic: stay deep
733
00:48:03,220 --> 00:48:07,230
and watch overhead for a
seal-shaped shadow to pass by.
734
00:48:07,230 --> 00:48:09,576
Then sprint to the surface.
735
00:48:09,576 --> 00:48:12,508
(dramatic boom)
736
00:48:12,508 --> 00:48:16,175
(dramatic orchestral music)
737
00:48:21,240 --> 00:48:22,793
On the South African cape,
738
00:48:22,793 --> 00:48:26,030
great whites launch with such ferocity
739
00:48:26,030 --> 00:48:28,023
they breach the water's surface.
740
00:48:34,390 --> 00:48:38,140
Their entire bodies, all 3,000 kilograms,
741
00:48:38,140 --> 00:48:41,263
clear the water in
astonishing aerial leaps.
742
00:48:46,440 --> 00:48:48,310
The young fur seals are learning
743
00:48:48,310 --> 00:48:49,973
the lesson of their lives.
744
00:48:52,270 --> 00:48:53,933
A wrong turn will mean death.
745
00:48:58,370 --> 00:49:01,020
Those lucky enough to
escape the first attack
746
00:49:01,020 --> 00:49:03,420
twist and turn, trying to predict
747
00:49:03,420 --> 00:49:05,570
where the shark will strike next
748
00:49:05,570 --> 00:49:07,493
and attempt to sprint to safety.
749
00:49:08,360 --> 00:49:12,027
(dramatic orchestral music)
750
00:49:18,864 --> 00:49:22,633
For many, a misdirection is fatal.
751
00:49:36,710 --> 00:49:40,823
For others, the return swim
to shore is a fast one.
752
00:49:41,670 --> 00:49:43,566
A fur seal can learn to outmaneuver
753
00:49:43,566 --> 00:49:44,983
a great white shark.
754
00:49:53,562 --> 00:49:56,160
But the lesson is a costly one.
755
00:49:56,160 --> 00:49:58,650
Only half of the fur seals under attack
756
00:49:58,650 --> 00:50:00,533
in Shark Alley will survive.
757
00:50:09,680 --> 00:50:11,799
Right across the southern hemisphere,
758
00:50:11,799 --> 00:50:14,250
as each season turns,
759
00:50:14,250 --> 00:50:17,813
nature responds with a
call to hunt and hide.
760
00:50:19,741 --> 00:50:21,903
To bloom and to birth.
761
00:50:23,980 --> 00:50:25,870
Where the southern wildlife goes
762
00:50:25,870 --> 00:50:28,000
for each stage of their life cycles
763
00:50:28,000 --> 00:50:29,760
is determined by instinct
764
00:50:30,760 --> 00:50:33,573
and handed down through generations.
765
00:50:35,480 --> 00:50:37,940
The clock is reset each year
766
00:50:37,940 --> 00:50:39,637
and emanates from the point of the globe
767
00:50:39,637 --> 00:50:42,190
that is at that part of the year
768
00:50:42,190 --> 00:50:45,837
the farthest from the sun: the Antarctic.
769
00:50:50,174 --> 00:50:53,841
(dramatic orchestral music)
57128
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.