Original subtitles

An island world in the vast Pacific.

Born from fire.

Shaped by nature's mightiest forces.

A land of astonishing beauty

and astounding creatures.

Creatures which are sometimes blessed by

the island's abundance

and at other times cursed by a lack of resources.

Only those who can adapt can make it here.

The marine iguana.

A fierce-looking resident of the Galapagos Islands

When its ancestors arrived here, they were met with

an equally frightening sight.

The first glimpse of the islands is anything but inviting.

Many of the Galapagos dwellers didn't come here by choice.

Most are castaways,

tossed here by the storms and strong currents,

saved by this rocky tip of an underwater volcano

in the middle of the Pacific.

The Galapagos Islands lie around 600 miles

off the South American coast, almost on the equator.

It's an archipelago made up of 13 main islands

and hundreds of small rocks and isles.

It lies at the point where two mighty

ocean currents converge.

The Humboldt Current comes up from the Antarctic.

For half the year its ice-cold stream dominates the islands.

During the other six months, the Panama Current moves in

from Central America, tropical and warm.

This current brought the ancestors of the

marine iguana to these islands from the mainland

millions of years ago.

Despite the odds, the mini-dragons became

an unlikely model for success.

The prehistoric-looking creatures live only here.

On Fernandina Island they form the biggest colonies.

But their road to becoming super lizards has been rocky.

Their ancestors first had to learn where to find food.

These barren volcanic islands had no plants.

The lizards had to think outside the rocks.

Only under water could they find something to eat.

Algae.

The marine iguana learned how to hold its breath

for up to 30 minutes and dive for it.

No other lizard can do this.

But now the Panama Current is stirring up trouble.

The iguanas eat only green algae and they've overgrazed.

The warm current blocks the denser cold water from

bringing crucial minerals and nutrients up

from the ocean depths.

It turns the garden into an underwater desert.

The iguanas aren't the only ones in

this Panama predicament.

Almost all the inhabitants suffer through

this lean season.

Those who can, migrate.

Those who stay have learned to cope.

They don't depend on algae, but other microorganisms.

For the next months a rainbow of tropical fish

adds local color to the reef.

The Panama Current's reach doesn't stop at the shoreline.

(thunder rumbles)

It plants a wet kiss on the face of the islands.

The barren rocks begin to bloom

to the delight of the Galapagos carpenter bees.

Even the black lava-clad slopes turn green

and at the Highlands, the forests soak up the moisture

as if to never let it go.

The Galapagos giant tortoise knows that

once the Humboldt Current comes this abundance will end.

Until that day, there's only one thing to do,

eat like crazy.

While the animals on the island enjoy this bounty,

the sea dwellers fight for their lives.

The marine iguana, scrambling over the rocks

to find his meager meal,

must battle against the rising current.

He uses all his strength just to stay in place

as the water surges around him.

He must eat, but he's almost spending more energy

fighting the tide than he gets from his food.

The search for algae is crucial

but so is staying alive.

His strength is failing

and he needs to come up for air.

Not as easy as it sounds.

Fighting the surf takes every last ounce of effort.

He's one of the lucky ones.

In life's relentless contest,

many marine iguanas lose to the Panama Current.

This survivor needs to rest.

But the hot, humid current has another torment in store.

(fly buzzes)

Flies.

(flies buzz)

They zero in on the iguana's moist scales.

(flies buzz)

They are relentless.

But the marine iguanas have an ally,

the Galapagos lava lizard,

another castaway that made good here.

Flies are its favorite dish, and worth the work.

(fly buzzes)

The Panama Current turns the island's fly season into

a tropical paradise for the lava lizards.

But paradise doesn't last.

The Panama Current has started to weaken,

making room for the colder Humboldt Current to build

and along with it comes a tropical tourist,

the green turtle,

an algae eater as well.

She has traveled over 600 miles to dine here

but she's arrived a bit too early.

The only algae here is on her shell.

It's no more than fuzz,

but it makes the turtle very popular with

the razor surgeonfish.

The turtles benefit, too.

Too much algae causes drag.

Once the surgeonfish have mowed the lawn,

another specialist steps in.

King angelfish come to gobble up parasites

and small crustaceans that can't hide any more

among the stripped-down algae.

The turtle's stop at the beauty salon makes

a gracious welcome to the Galapagos Islands.

It would have been even better if the water weren't so cold.

Despite the Panama Current's warm water,

competing currents and winds keep the ocean

around the Galapagos cooler than

anywhere else on the equator.

The tropical turtle faces a dilemma.

Turtles love warm water but their food grows

where it is cold.

Until dinner is served, the turtle wants to warm up.

She ends her long annual journey at a curious place

near the shore of Fernandina Island.

The mangrove is one of the few plants

to thrive in salt water.

Its roots draw nutrients from the water

and filter up to 90% of the salt.

But that's not what appeals to the chilly turtle

taking a break from the high seas.

The shallow pools between the mangroves are

warmer than the open ocean

and sea turtles find that hard to resist.

Once they get there, they aren't picky.

In their hypothermic state many just

sink to the bottom and rest.

Those who still have energy look for

a grotto under the roots,

or just lean against them.

The main thing is to get warm.

They camp out, waiting for the Galapagos algae

to grow so they can get first crack at it.

The mangrove forest provides sanctuary from the

sharp and hostile volcanic rocks.

And where it reaches the ocean,

a sharp-eyed predator is on the hunt.

The Galapagos lava heron.

The shorebird usually sticks to the mangroves,

though sometimes he likes to step out

for a little variety.

Water does not seem to be his element.

He avoids getting wet and looks for other prey.

The crabs look good today.

The red adults have nothing to fear,

but it's a different story for the tender young ones.

Against the rocks, they're hard to spot

as long as they don't move.

Game on.

They're delicious,

shells and all.

Over the steep cliffs of Espanola Island,

a seasonal visitor casts a long shadow.

The waved albatross, the island's largest bird

with a wing span of more than eight feet.

Once a year these graceful gliders converge

off the coast of the secluded island

about the size of Manhattan.

In the coming weeks, the oldest of the Galapagos Islands

will become the meeting place for 20,000 albatrosses.

Like his brethren, this male has come to raise his young.

He's spent six months gliding without touching solid ground.

His leg muscles aren't what they used to be

so landing is the tricky part.

Walking takes some getting used to.

Normally the males come to Espanola

well before the females.

He's late, most of the couples have already

found one another.

Albatrosses mate for life, up to 30 years,

and he knows his partner is waiting.

But where is she?

The latecomer's not getting much sympathy

(albatross honks)

but he persists.

He combs the entire colony.

Has something happened to her?

A big change is coming to the Galapagos Islands.

(waves roar)

As the Humboldt Current gathers more strength,

its chilly fingers reach in to the mangrove forest

and tap the sea turtle into action.

She's spent the last few weeks munching mangrove roots.

Now the ocean calls.

The first of the delicate algae starts to

grow among the coral.

It thrives here like almost nowhere else

in the tropical Pacific,

thanks to the cool Humboldt Current.

The luscious cold buffet motivates the turtle

to make an exhausting journey.

It's worth braving the shivering temperatures.

The springtime arrival of the Humboldt Current

arouses another kind of appetite.

This young blue-footed booby has come to Espanola

looking for a mate.

It's his first time.

He's got just what it takes to impress the ladies.

Blue feet, the bluer they are, the fitter he is.

(bird honks)

But he's come to the wrong place.

Only bachelors here,

no females,

with one exception.

She's right in front of him,

eyeing him with her large pupils.

Her mate's also got his eye on him,

and for good reason.

Unlike albatrosses, boobies aren't loyal.

The bachelor starts his seduction.

It's working, she can't stop looking at

his sexy blue feet.

Her partner is only seeing red.

They argue (birds honk)

and the bachelor makes his bold move

(birds honk)

but gets rebuffed.

Well, maybe next time.

The male albatross is still looking for his mate

and at last he finds her.

(albatross honks)

(albatross honks)

So late in the season, will they have enough time

to raise a chick?

Some of their fellow albatrosses already have hatchlings.

From egg to chick takes about two months.

They'll take turns caring for the chick and hunting.

Unlike other sea birds, albatrosses fish

far out on the ocean and are often away for weeks.

As time passes, the partner left behind gets

restless and concerned.

They sit on their egg without anyone to

take over the shift.

As days turn to weeks, they tire of

wondering if their spouse will ever return.

Some lose all hope.

That is precisely what this fellow has been waiting for.

Galapagos mockingbirds have learned that

the Humboldt Current brings the albatrosses,

and albatrosses bring fresh eggs.

The situation is perilous for the straggling pair.

Not only are they behind schedule,

but the the mockingbirds are getting bolder.

While the albatrosses try to defend their spot

on the island, off the coast the Humboldt Current

brings in another wave of visitors,

the scalloped hammerhead.

The largest congregation of these sharks in the world.

They've come to mate.

By the hundreds, females gather in the middle of the group

while the males stay on the edges.

No one knows why they segregate like this

but after they mate and before they disperse

there's one more thing to do.

They head to nearby reefs to clean up.

The females have small wounds around their gills.

Love bites made by the males getting a grip

during their encounter.

The wounds need cleansing.

Once again, the tropical fish take the job.

The sharks tilt their bodies to show they're ready

but there are simply too many sharks to handle.

The barber fish don't know where to start.

To attract attention, a hammerhead needs a gimmick.

Maybe a shark shimmy will do the trick.

Despite the fancy fin work,

only a few lucky sharks get selected.

The barber fish run a very exclusive spa

and the hammerheads need to wait their turn.

The young booby also needs to be patient.

Still no females in sight.

(bird whistles and honks)

He's been scanning the sky for days

and practicing his best moves.

(bird whistles)

At last, here's his chance.

He'd better not blow it.

First the wings.

And don't forget the feet.

(bird whistles)

She's underwhelmed.

Maybe a gift will warm her heart.

She's holding out for something better.

(bird honks)

She's accepted.

The young booby almost can't believe it.

(bird honks)

Mission accomplished, you'll become a father.

The late-starting albatross pair has made it, too.

After weeks of waiting, he urgently needs to fish.

No time for romantic goodbyes.

She hides the precious egg under her plumage

and will keep a careful watch on it

because the mockingbirds certainly are.

That was close.

As she waits for her partner,

out in the ocean a drastic change.

The Humboldt Current is back in full force.

(waves roar)

The water is murkier now, food instantly everywhere

courtesy of cold water

bringing with it schools of fish.

All of a sudden the ocean off the Galapagos

shimmers with life.

The chilly, nutrient-rich water feeds the multitudes.

The marine iguana is back in business.

No more death-defying dives into the surf

just to get a bite of lunch.

(waves roar)

But just because their bellies are full

doesn't mean their troubles are over.

For the males, feeding leads to fighting.

Like sumo wrestlers, they test their strength in the ring.

The winner gains a little turf and the right to mate.

At the end of round one, it's a tie.

They take a break between rounds.

Marine iguanas can't breathe while fighting.

The action heats up as another contender enters the ring.

This is his big break,

but he needs to separate the wranglers

in order to join the fight.

The bantamweight brawler doesn't have what it takes.

The others are just too strong.

He throws in the towel.

Prosperity has presented new challenges for

the blue-footed boobies, too.

Their population has nearly doubled.

The young are thriving.

Some have only just hatched,

while others test their wings for the first flight.

At last, their parents arrive with their lunch.

These hungry chicks can hardly wait,

but here comes trouble,

magnificent frigate birds.

Pirates of the air.

Awkward on land and sea, these aggressive, agile flyers

rarely fish for themselves.

They prefer to steal,

and there's nothing the blue-footed boobies can do about it

except catch more fish in the generous Humboldt Current.

The albatrosses also suffer.

With all the food thieves on the island,

it's a wonder the chicks get anything to eat at all.

In a few weeks they'll be able to fly,

but only if they eat heartily now.

On Espanola, the albatross parents have

pesky mockingbirds to contend with.

These avian annoyers are like ants at a picnic,

only hungrier and more aggressive.

They rely almost completely on the albatrosses

for their food.

But in a few weeks, the mockingbirds will have to

fend for themselves.

The albatrosses will take to the air and spend

the next six months out in the ocean,

with one exception.

The chronically-late male albatross is finally back.

He was out hunting for days and hasn't seen his partner,

(bird honks)

leaving her to protect their egg from

the onslaught of mockingbirds.

All their efforts have paid off.

They're among the lucky ones,

the inhabitants that have learned to survive here.

On the Galapagos Islands, life ebbs and flows

in the crossroads of relentless ocean currents.

Everything here is subject to their whim,

energized by their power,

tuned to their vibrations.

This land of castaways and seasonal visitors

favors the resourceful.

It rewards those who thrive by surrendering to,

and sometimes challenging, the moody tide.

That's life on the Galapagos,

an enchanted world under the spell of

the ocean currents.