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In the course of making Blue Planet II,
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we've explored every corner
of the underwater world.
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We've encountered extraordinary animals,
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and discovered new insights into
how life is lived beneath the waves.
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For years we thought
that the oceans were so vast
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and the inhabitants
so infinitely numerous
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that nothing we could do
could have an effect upon them.
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But now we know that was wrong.
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The oceans are under threat now
as never before in human history.
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In this final episode,
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we will meet the pioneers
who are striving to turn things around.
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People who are helping to save
the ocean's most vulnerable inhabitants
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and dedicating their lives
to protecting the seas.
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But is time running out?
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Many people believe that our oceans
have reached a crisis point.
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So just how fragile is our blue planet?
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Winter in the Arctic Circle.
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Every year, the waters of Norway
are the setting
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for one of the greatest
wildlife spectacles in the ocean.
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Over a billion herring
pour into these fields.
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The Blue Planet II team
spent three years
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documenting this astonishing event.
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Such a wealth of prey attracts predators
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in extraordinary numbers.
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Orcas
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and humpback whales.
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But this migration
hasn't always been so bountiful.
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Leif Notastad is a Norwegian
fisheries scientist.
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It's been one of
the most important fisheries
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that we had for centuries
along the whole coast of Norway.
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But in the late 1960s
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the herrings that we see around us here
was on the brink of collapse.
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50 years ago,
fishing was so intensive
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that the herring had all
but disappeared.
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Orcas were seen as rivals
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and hundreds of them were killed.
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It was only after the Norwegian
government imposed severe restrictions
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that the herring began to recover.
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Today, this is once again
an immensely productive fishery,
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closely monitored
by teams of scientists.
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Marine biologist Eve Jourdain
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is one of the resident orca experts.
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From 1982, orcas got protected in Norway
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and we have clearly one of the largest
orca population in the world out here.
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There are now over
a thousand orcas here.
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But with so many mouths to feed,
including ours,
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can the mistakes of the past be avoided?
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To answer this vital question,
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Eve and her team are using
multi sensor camera tags.
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With the tags we try to see
how the orcas interact with their prey.
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How they hunt and all about
the underwater behaviour
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that we are not able to see
from the boat.
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A tag has to be attached
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to the orca in
exactly the right position.
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Here it goes. Here it comes.
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Oh, that's a good shot.
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It is the least invasive method.
It is suction cups.
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So it is not a scratch
on the whale afterwards
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which is something we really like.
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While studying the orcas,
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Eve noticed a worrying change
in their behaviour.
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They had worked out
the easiest way to get a meal.
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We have seen that
the orcas are waiting
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for those fishing boats to drop the net.
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It acts like a dinner bell
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and then all the orcas
of the area gather.
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Quite a lot of herring slip from the net
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and this is exactly what
the orcas are looking for.
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But this new tactic
is dangerous, as Eve has witnessed.
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We were there to monitor
the behaviour of the orcas
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scavenging around the nets.
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And we realised that
one large adult male
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was actually trapped inside the net.
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When the fishermen
started to retrieve the net
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the orca was obviously starting to panic
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and trying to pull as much as he could.
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This orca was really fighting
for his life.
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Stringent rules require fishermen
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to get permission
before they open their nets.
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But that took time.
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It was such a long process.
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We thought that the whale
was going to die of exhaustion.
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Thankfully, the fishermen
finally got the clearance
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to release their net
freeing the exhausted orca.
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It was a huge relief to see that
this orca made it until the end
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and finally got back to his family.
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With marine mammals
and humans competing so directly
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accidents are inevitable.
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Two days after tagging an orca,
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it's released and Eve collects it.
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This tag is full of secrets, you know,
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because it has been on
the whale for several days
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and will just reveal exactly
what the whales have been doing.
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Pictures from the tag
reveal the hunting technique in detail.
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They dive below the ball offish
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and then back flip.
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The tail slap stuns the herring.
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Eve can even work out
how many fish the orcas are taking.
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They can kill up to 30 herring
with just one tail slap.
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And then what is pretty amazing is
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all the individuals of the group
share the dead herring.
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And it's not just
the orcas feeding here...
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Humpback whales
are also drawn to the feast.
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They too are being tagged and monitored
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giving fishery scientist Leif
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a complete picture of
how much herring is being eaten.
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00:10:09,777 --> 00:10:13,781
The whales, they take
probably less than 1 %.
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00:10:14,865 --> 00:10:18,202
The fishermen take less than 10%.
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So the balance there is that
there is enough for everybody.
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Given that we manage to stock
in sustainable
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00:10:26,084 --> 00:10:28,045
and a long term sustainable way.
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But it's estimated that
almost a third of ocean fisheries
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are being over exploited.
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The remarkable recovery
of the herring here
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demonstrates what can happen
if a fishery is carefully managed.
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Our maltreatment of the seas
has many effects.
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Some are predictable,
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but there are others
that are rather more surprising.
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Southeast Asia.
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The coral reefs here are among
the richest on the planet.
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Marine biologist Steve Simpson,
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is discovering how important sound is
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to the animals that live in these
bustling coral cities.
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00:12:05,642 --> 00:12:08,186
We're only now just realising
by listening underwater
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that the fish are making
all these sounds.
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They use sound to attract a mate.
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To try and scare away a predator.
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You hear pops and grunts
and gurgles and snaps.
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There's a whole language underwater
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that we're only just starting
to get a handle on.
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Using an advanced
multi directional hydrophone,
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Steve is trying to make sense
of this extraordinary chorus
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by working out who is making
which noise.
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One fish is especially talkative.
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It's perhaps the reef's
most famous resident.
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The clownfish.
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While filming for the series,
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we followed this particular family
of saddleback clownfish
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as they search for a suitable place
to lay their eggs.
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It's a noisy affair.
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00:13:49,746 --> 00:13:52,082
For clownfish sound
really is everything.
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They spend all day
talking to each other.
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You've got dominance and submission.
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You've got all the others
calling to each other.
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It seems that they also use sound
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00:14:05,846 --> 00:14:10,809
in protecting themselves from the many
predators that hunt around the reef
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00:14:16,982 --> 00:14:19,693
Including coral trout.
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Will this model trout
fool the clownfish?
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They react almost immediately.
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By mimicking a predator,
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Steve manages to record their alarm
calls without putting them at risk.
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You can really hear the deeper
pulsing sound of the female
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as she tries to scare
the coral trout away.
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And all the little ones are
just popping... Pop, pop, pop.
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As if to say, "I'm still okay.
I'm still alive."
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00:15:12,662 --> 00:15:15,999
So they've got this real language
of sounds that they're using
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just to try and defend the colony
against this coral trout.
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But that discovery
has led to a serious worry.
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The fish were really
popping away at the predator.
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But as soon as the boat came over
they looked completely distracted.
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With all that noise it completely
changed how the fish were behaving.
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Unable to make themselves
heard above the noise of boats,
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the family can't warn each other
of danger.
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And so they are now
vulnerable to attack.
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You think about how many boats
are driving around.
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All of the ships,
all of the offshore drilling.
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All the noise that we're making
in the ocean
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you realise just how much
we're drowning out
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this natural biological noise,
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robbing animals of their ability to be
able to talk to each other.
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00:16:12,055 --> 00:16:16,810
All this noise may have
serious consequences for many reef fish
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because their babies, as soon as they
hatch are swept out to sea.
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There they feed and grow
until strong enough to swim back.
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And to find the reef, they use sound.
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They listen in. They eavesdrop
to the noises that they can hear
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and they use that to choose which reef
they want to make their home.
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00:16:43,253 --> 00:16:45,881
But obviously because we're adding
all this noise to the ocean
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00:16:45,964 --> 00:16:48,466
it's a wonder whether they can even
hear the reef at all.
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Man-made noise is now
everywhere in the ocean.
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And it has an effect on
marine creatures of all kinds.
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From tiny fish
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to gigantic whales.
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But Steve believes there are solutions.
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Noise in the ocean
is a real problem.
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But, it's something that we can control.
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We can choose where we make the noise.
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We can choose when we make the noise.
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We can directly reduce
the amount of noise that we make
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and we can start doing that today.
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We're only now beginning to realise
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what an impact our noise is having
on the inhabitants of the ocean.
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Other forms of pollution
are only too familiar.
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Since its invention some
hundred years ago,
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plastic has become an integral part
of our daily lives.
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00:18:07,254 --> 00:18:11,049
But every year,
some eight million tons of it
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ends up in the ocean.
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And there, it could be lethal.
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00:18:21,017 --> 00:18:23,395
While filming Blue Planet II,
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the crews found plastic in every ocean.
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Even in the most remote locations.
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South Georgia.
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900 miles north of Antarctica,
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this isolated wilderness
is the breeding place
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for vast numbers of penguins
and elephant seals.
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It's also a favourite nesting site
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for the largest bird in the sky.
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A wandering albatross.
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Here we learn of
the extraordinary lengths
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ancient parents go to give their chicks
the best chance of survival.
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00:19:23,747 --> 00:19:28,626
Each devoted parent travels thousands
of miles searching for fish and squid
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00:19:28,752 --> 00:19:30,754
to feed their hungry chick.
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00:19:34,341 --> 00:19:36,343
But despite all their efforts,
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00:19:36,426 --> 00:19:39,596
the albatross colony here is in trouble.
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00:19:41,473 --> 00:19:45,935
Lucy Quinn is part of
the British Antarctic Survey team
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00:19:46,019 --> 00:19:49,647
studying the birds here
for the last 40 years.
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00:19:50,857 --> 00:19:53,068
Its only through looking at
long terms studies
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00:19:53,151 --> 00:19:55,695
that you get a sense of these creatures.
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00:19:55,779 --> 00:20:01,117
And the albatrosses here have,
over the past 10 years, been in decline.
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00:20:02,660 --> 00:20:05,830
There are a number of
possible reasons.
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00:20:05,955 --> 00:20:07,749
While foraging at sea,
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00:20:07,832 --> 00:20:11,961
albatross can get entangled
and drowned by fishing gear.
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00:20:13,797 --> 00:20:16,633
But Lucy is particularly alarmed
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00:20:16,716 --> 00:20:19,886
by what the parents are bringing back
for their chick.
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00:20:20,178 --> 00:20:22,889
Albatrosses have
the ability to cough up
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00:20:22,972 --> 00:20:25,392
bits of food that they can't digest.
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00:20:25,475 --> 00:20:28,478
And from that we can tell
what they've been eating.
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00:20:29,396 --> 00:20:33,733
A healthy albatross chick in its diet
should really have things like squid.
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00:20:33,817 --> 00:20:37,737
So we can find the squid beaks
that come out of the pellet.
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00:20:37,821 --> 00:20:41,533
And also things like fish
so we can find fish bones as well.
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00:20:43,868 --> 00:20:48,665
But these chicks are being
fed something very different.
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We have some plastic that
this poor chick has had to bring up.
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00:20:56,005 --> 00:20:57,424
Plastic bag.
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00:21:00,677 --> 00:21:03,888
Here we have some food packaging.
Looks like rice.
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00:21:04,722 --> 00:21:09,102
Luckily for this chick, he has managed
to get this out of his stomach.
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00:21:09,185 --> 00:21:12,439
So, fingers crossed he doesn't have
any more plastic left in there
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00:21:12,522 --> 00:21:13,773
before he fledges.
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00:21:17,360 --> 00:21:21,197
For other chicks, plastic can be fatal.
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00:21:23,199 --> 00:21:25,994
Unfortunately,
there is a plastic toothpick
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00:21:26,077 --> 00:21:28,288
that have actually gone through
the stomach.
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00:21:28,371 --> 00:21:32,917
Something just as small as that has
actually has managed to kill the bird.
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00:21:33,042 --> 00:21:34,711
It's really sad to see.
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00:21:37,213 --> 00:21:42,552
Lucy collects and records
what plastic she finds around the nests.
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00:21:45,722 --> 00:21:50,935
These are items that were
regurgitated just from last season.
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00:21:51,060 --> 00:21:54,105
And that's gonna be
a vast underestimation
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00:21:54,230 --> 00:21:57,150
because that's just ones
that we happen to find.
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00:21:57,233 --> 00:22:01,070
There'll be many more that
we never see being brought back.
247
00:22:04,407 --> 00:22:07,410
To find out where
all this rubbish is coming from,
248
00:22:07,494 --> 00:22:13,249
Lucy and her team have attached
GPS trackers to adult birds.
249
00:22:18,922 --> 00:22:21,716
It's showing where they're
going to find food for themselves
250
00:22:21,799 --> 00:22:24,469
and to find food to bring back
for their chicks.
251
00:22:25,470 --> 00:22:28,431
It really shows us that
they could be picking up plastic
252
00:22:28,515 --> 00:22:31,017
from thousands of miles away.
253
00:22:31,809 --> 00:22:34,729
Plastics coming from either being
dumped at sea
254
00:22:34,812 --> 00:22:37,524
or also from people's homes.
255
00:22:37,607 --> 00:22:41,486
Plastic gets into the rivers and then
the rivers flow into the sea.
256
00:22:42,111 --> 00:22:45,823
So this isn't just a problem
around these remote parts.
257
00:22:45,949 --> 00:22:47,992
This is happening worldwide.
258
00:22:48,117 --> 00:22:50,870
And it's our rubbish
that's going into the oceans.
259
00:22:50,954 --> 00:22:53,540
It's our problem that we need to solve.
260
00:22:58,461 --> 00:23:00,421
In some parts of the ocean,
261
00:23:00,505 --> 00:23:05,802
it's estimated that there are now over
one million pieces of plastic
262
00:23:05,885 --> 00:23:07,637
for every square mile.
263
00:23:09,013 --> 00:23:10,848
And we're only beginning to discover
264
00:23:10,974 --> 00:23:14,519
Just how seriously
that affects marine life.
265
00:23:22,485 --> 00:23:25,321
On the east coast of the United States,
266
00:23:25,405 --> 00:23:30,702
researchers are investigating
the mysterious deaths of young dolphins.
267
00:23:40,169 --> 00:23:43,756
The team is led by Dr Leslie Hart.
268
00:23:44,924 --> 00:23:47,260
It looks to be a young animal.
269
00:23:47,343 --> 00:23:49,178
Maybe a little bit over a year.
270
00:23:49,262 --> 00:23:52,724
So we're gonna try to find out more
information on why this dolphin died.
271
00:24:01,441 --> 00:24:03,943
Looking at young dolphins...
272
00:24:04,027 --> 00:24:06,863
The very young dolphins,
it's always heart-breaking.
273
00:24:14,912 --> 00:24:17,749
Leslie takes tissue samples.
274
00:24:18,458 --> 00:24:22,211
Their chemical analysis
could provide crucial evidence.
275
00:24:23,296 --> 00:24:27,592
We are often shocked
by the high levels of toxins
276
00:24:27,717 --> 00:24:29,552
that we detect in these animals.
277
00:24:31,137 --> 00:24:34,557
These young calves are dying
for a number of reasons.
278
00:24:34,641 --> 00:24:38,811
But we suspect man-made toxins
are playing a large role.
279
00:24:41,481 --> 00:24:44,400
And plastic could be
part of the problem.
280
00:24:54,911 --> 00:24:56,537
Once in the ocean,
281
00:24:56,621 --> 00:24:59,832
plastic breaks down into tiny fragments.
282
00:25:00,750 --> 00:25:02,669
Micro plastics.
283
00:25:06,089 --> 00:25:10,259
Along with all the industrial chemicals
that have drained into the ocean
284
00:25:10,343 --> 00:25:13,596
these form a potentially toxic soup.
285
00:25:20,103 --> 00:25:22,063
The really small organisms
286
00:25:22,146 --> 00:25:25,692
can mistake these tiny,
tiny plastics as food.
287
00:25:25,775 --> 00:25:28,569
Then the larger organisms
eat the plankton.
288
00:25:28,653 --> 00:25:31,322
Then the larger fish
eat the smaller fish,
289
00:25:31,447 --> 00:25:32,949
and so on and so forth.
290
00:25:35,034 --> 00:25:38,371
Dolphins are
at the top of this food chain
291
00:25:38,454 --> 00:25:42,166
and it's now thought that pollutants
may be building up in their tissues
292
00:25:42,291 --> 00:25:48,131
to such a degree that a mother's
contaminated milk could kill her calf
293
00:26:06,983 --> 00:26:11,529
Industrial pollution
and the discarding of plastic waste
294
00:26:11,654 --> 00:26:16,159
must be tackled for the sake of
all life in the ocean.
295
00:26:32,675 --> 00:26:36,471
Around the world,
people are now devoting their lives
296
00:26:36,554 --> 00:26:39,891
to saving some of the most
threatened sea creatures.
297
00:26:42,059 --> 00:26:44,771
As here in the Caribbean.
298
00:26:48,608 --> 00:26:51,611
Every year on just a few islands,
299
00:26:51,694 --> 00:26:54,447
a remarkable event takes place.
300
00:27:04,624 --> 00:27:07,293
As the sun sets,
301
00:27:07,376 --> 00:27:10,546
giant reptiles begin to emerge.
302
00:27:25,394 --> 00:27:29,148
This magnificent creature preparing...
303
00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:33,903
Preparing to lay her eggs
304
00:27:33,986 --> 00:27:36,989
is the largest of all turtles.
305
00:27:37,073 --> 00:27:38,491
A leatherback.
306
00:27:39,450 --> 00:27:43,412
They can grow up to
half a ton in weight.
307
00:27:43,496 --> 00:27:47,500
And they have an ancestry that
goes back a hundred million years
308
00:27:47,583 --> 00:27:49,669
to the age of the dinosaur.
309
00:27:50,962 --> 00:27:56,300
But in recent times their numbers
have fallen catastrophically.
310
00:27:57,343 --> 00:28:01,681
Here, however, in the Caribbean
there is hope.
311
00:28:06,519 --> 00:28:09,021
Leatherback turtles leave the sea
312
00:28:09,105 --> 00:28:12,441
in order to lay their eggs
in the dry sand.
313
00:28:14,944 --> 00:28:20,116
But out of water, these huge creatures
are easy targets for hunters.
314
00:28:23,953 --> 00:28:26,873
In a small fishing village in Trinidad,
315
00:28:26,956 --> 00:28:30,960
Len Peters has experienced this
first hand.
316
00:28:32,295 --> 00:28:36,883
I grew up in a household where
the presence of turtle meat was normal.
317
00:28:36,966 --> 00:28:38,843
The fridge was always full of it.
318
00:28:38,968 --> 00:28:42,138
Everybody... Everybody harvested
turtles, including my parents.
319
00:28:43,139 --> 00:28:45,683
It's only when I became
exposed to things
320
00:28:45,808 --> 00:28:47,643
that were being published
about leatherbacks
321
00:28:47,727 --> 00:28:49,228
who were on the verge of extinction.
322
00:28:49,312 --> 00:28:50,938
And nobody cares.
323
00:28:51,022 --> 00:28:52,565
That piqued my interest.
324
00:28:53,649 --> 00:28:57,862
Len took the leatherback's
future into his own hands.
325
00:28:59,822 --> 00:29:03,826
He began patrolling the beach at night
to protect the turtles.
326
00:29:04,410 --> 00:29:06,162
A brave thing to do.
327
00:29:09,999 --> 00:29:12,919
We were met with
tremendous resistance.
328
00:29:13,002 --> 00:29:14,837
People would pelt us at night.
329
00:29:14,921 --> 00:29:17,173
I have had persons insult me.
330
00:29:17,256 --> 00:29:18,883
I've had persons curse me.
331
00:29:19,008 --> 00:29:23,888
I've had persons physically
try to wrestle me with a machete.
332
00:29:24,013 --> 00:29:26,724
So it was really
a hostile time back then.
333
00:29:26,849 --> 00:29:29,644
If Len was going to
save these turtles
334
00:29:29,727 --> 00:29:32,605
he needed to win over
the whole community.
335
00:29:34,899 --> 00:29:39,320
We had to find a way to
get the villagers to benefit
336
00:29:39,403 --> 00:29:41,530
from the presence of these animals.
337
00:29:44,784 --> 00:29:48,663
He began to encourage
tourists to visit the beach
338
00:29:48,746 --> 00:29:51,791
and trained some villagers
to be their guides.
339
00:29:56,087 --> 00:29:58,756
To help secure the turtle's future,
340
00:29:58,881 --> 00:30:02,051
he took the message
to the next generation.
341
00:30:02,635 --> 00:30:06,806
Now what's... What's the largest size
a leatherback can grow to?
342
00:30:07,223 --> 00:30:09,392
Uh, Shanie.
343
00:30:09,642 --> 00:30:11,602
- 2,000 pounds.
- That's correct.
344
00:30:11,727 --> 00:30:15,606
Leatherbacks can grow to 2,000 pounds.
345
00:30:15,731 --> 00:30:17,316
Well, that's a big turtle.
346
00:30:17,984 --> 00:30:20,111
Len's hard work paid off
347
00:30:20,236 --> 00:30:22,613
And now, attitudes have changed.
348
00:30:26,575 --> 00:30:30,204
It took us a while to
reach out to the villagers.
349
00:30:30,287 --> 00:30:32,832
But gradually we got them
involved as well.
350
00:30:32,915 --> 00:30:36,002
We got some of the poachers who
would be hunting the animals to
351
00:30:36,252 --> 00:30:38,087
be part of the conservation programme.
352
00:30:40,798 --> 00:30:43,384
As well as protecting
the adult turtles,
353
00:30:43,467 --> 00:30:47,930
the team also collect any eggs
that might be flooded at high tide.
354
00:30:51,100 --> 00:30:54,061
If the eggs are laid
too close to the sea,
355
00:30:54,145 --> 00:30:56,856
we relocate the eggs and rebury them.
356
00:30:58,274 --> 00:31:00,985
Thanks to the efforts of this community,
357
00:31:01,110 --> 00:31:04,780
these turtles have had an extraordinary
change in fortune.
358
00:31:07,033 --> 00:31:09,660
This is now thought to be
one of the densest
359
00:31:09,785 --> 00:31:12,663
leatherback nesting beaches
in the world.
360
00:31:16,709 --> 00:31:20,379
When we started at the height
of the nesting season,
361
00:31:20,463 --> 00:31:24,300
the numbers will be 30-40 turtles
a night.
362
00:31:24,383 --> 00:31:26,177
Now, it's over 500.
363
00:31:26,302 --> 00:31:29,722
So, we have seen an increase
from 40 turtles
364
00:31:29,805 --> 00:31:32,892
to 500 turtles a night
in just around 20 years.
365
00:31:36,687 --> 00:31:40,649
Precious new hatchlings
are also given a helping hand.
366
00:31:44,320 --> 00:31:47,531
Any that emerge during the day
are collected
367
00:31:47,656 --> 00:31:52,536
to be released safely back to the sea,
away from hungry birds.
368
00:32:00,002 --> 00:32:04,840
This little leatherback will have to
face a thousand hazards
369
00:32:04,924 --> 00:32:09,512
before it returns as an adult
to this beach where it hatched.
370
00:32:10,387 --> 00:32:13,724
And those dangers will be
greatly increased
371
00:32:13,849 --> 00:32:17,186
because of damage that we have done
to the ocean.
372
00:32:19,188 --> 00:32:20,689
Good luck, little leatherback.
373
00:32:53,472 --> 00:32:55,933
Protecting breeding sites on beaches
374
00:32:56,058 --> 00:33:00,646
may improve the fortune
of some marine animals,
375
00:33:00,729 --> 00:33:05,067
but safeguarding them while they roam
the high seas is much more difficult.
376
00:33:10,281 --> 00:33:13,325
Out here, there is little protection.
377
00:33:22,585 --> 00:33:28,841
Every night, thousands of miles of
fishing lines laden with hooks are set.
378
00:33:31,302 --> 00:33:34,763
There's enough, it's said,
to wrap twice around the world.
379
00:33:39,935 --> 00:33:43,355
Nets large enough to engulf cathedrals
380
00:33:43,439 --> 00:33:46,817
trap hundreds of tons offish at a time.
381
00:33:49,612 --> 00:33:54,283
Long distance travellers such as sharks
are particularly at risk.
382
00:34:00,831 --> 00:34:05,294
It's estimated that tens of millions
are killed every year,
383
00:34:05,377 --> 00:34:10,382
including the biggest fish in the sea,
the whale shark.
384
00:34:22,978 --> 00:34:26,774
Shark biologist Jonathan Green
is concerned
385
00:34:26,857 --> 00:34:30,402
that time is running out
for these extraordinary creatures.
386
00:34:31,654 --> 00:34:34,490
We know that they're being fished
possibly at a massive rate.
387
00:34:34,990 --> 00:34:38,577
They may be taken by the thousands,
possibly tens of thousands a year.
388
00:34:39,328 --> 00:34:41,080
If that is indeed true,
389
00:34:41,163 --> 00:34:44,833
we don't know how long they can
withstand that kind of fishing pressure.
390
00:34:46,669 --> 00:34:49,713
To save them,
Jonathan is trying to solve
391
00:34:49,838 --> 00:34:52,549
the mystery of where they give birth.
392
00:34:58,889 --> 00:35:03,435
And, for the first time, he has a clue
as to where this might be.
393
00:35:11,026 --> 00:35:15,281
Pregnant whale sharks are thought to be
travelling from across the Pacific Ocean
394
00:35:15,364 --> 00:35:18,200
to Darwin Island in the Galapagos.
395
00:35:27,251 --> 00:35:29,545
Jonathan is going to try and attach
396
00:35:29,628 --> 00:35:33,257
a multi-sensor camera tag
to a pregnant female.
397
00:35:34,258 --> 00:35:35,718
Okay. We're good to go.
398
00:35:44,643 --> 00:35:47,938
These sharks only stay in the area
for a few days.
399
00:35:48,939 --> 00:35:50,941
This may be his only chance.
400
00:36:03,746 --> 00:36:09,335
Jonathan has to attach the tag before
the shark dives to dangerous depths.
401
00:36:29,313 --> 00:36:32,775
The tag will remain on the giant's fin
for two days
402
00:36:32,858 --> 00:36:35,027
before it's automatically released.
403
00:36:37,821 --> 00:36:41,950
Once retrieved, it reveals
some unusual behaviour.
404
00:36:44,703 --> 00:36:46,288
Oh, beautiful, beautiful.
405
00:36:48,957 --> 00:36:53,462
There's a silky rubbing at the in front.
Next to her right.
406
00:36:53,879 --> 00:36:57,758
The silky sharks are
brushing up against her rough skin,
407
00:36:57,841 --> 00:37:00,219
perhaps to scrape off parasites.
408
00:37:02,137 --> 00:37:07,101
These predatory sharks make the surface
waters very unsafe places
409
00:37:07,184 --> 00:37:09,478
for young fish of any kind.
410
00:37:12,481 --> 00:37:14,817
There is a surprise in store.
411
00:37:16,568 --> 00:37:19,696
The tag's depth sensor reveals
that she dived
412
00:37:19,822 --> 00:37:22,533
to a depth of 600 metres.
413
00:37:24,827 --> 00:37:28,372
But down there,
it's too dark for the camera.
414
00:37:34,878 --> 00:37:38,257
The only way Jonathan can prove
if they're giving birth
415
00:37:39,174 --> 00:37:41,051
is to go down and look.
416
00:38:05,576 --> 00:38:09,538
Out of the gloom, a shape materialises.
417
00:38:12,207 --> 00:38:14,376
Another massive whale shark.
418
00:38:16,378 --> 00:38:19,631
Oh, look at her. She's having a look
at us. She's looking right at us.
419
00:38:24,970 --> 00:38:27,097
She is huge.
420
00:38:27,222 --> 00:38:29,725
And look at the belly.
Absolutely massive.
421
00:38:31,059 --> 00:38:32,895
That's a large pregnant female.
422
00:38:33,896 --> 00:38:35,939
She's turning around.
She's turning around.
423
00:38:42,279 --> 00:38:45,157
Goes to show we can follow them.
We can follow them in the submarine.
424
00:38:49,244 --> 00:38:52,414
She leads them down
into the darkness.
425
00:38:55,334 --> 00:38:59,505
Rover control.
Passing 100 metres, descending.
426
00:39:02,090 --> 00:39:05,844
Heading down.
I think she's accelerated slightly.
427
00:39:09,765 --> 00:39:11,600
She's too fast.
428
00:39:12,684 --> 00:39:16,813
And with the strong current running
against them, the sub can't keep up.
429
00:39:21,777 --> 00:39:25,531
But, for the first time,
Jonathan can see for himself
430
00:39:25,614 --> 00:39:27,533
exactly where she's headed.
431
00:39:30,285 --> 00:39:32,454
What specifically Darwin
could provide
432
00:39:32,538 --> 00:39:37,501
is a safe refuge for those new-born pups
where predators can't access.
433
00:39:39,336 --> 00:39:42,089
Perfect conditions
for the formative years
434
00:39:42,172 --> 00:39:44,132
of these ocean-travelling giants.
435
00:39:52,307 --> 00:39:53,976
That was unbelievable.
436
00:39:55,686 --> 00:39:57,521
Dream of a lifetime.
437
00:40:00,357 --> 00:40:02,609
His discovery
that pregnant whale sharks
438
00:40:02,693 --> 00:40:05,779
are visiting this very deep patch
of the sea floor
439
00:40:05,862 --> 00:40:10,200
is strong evidence that this is indeed
where the giants produce their young.
440
00:40:13,078 --> 00:40:16,623
If I can actually prove
that they are giving birth in this area,
441
00:40:16,707 --> 00:40:18,875
then we'll have
the information necessary
442
00:40:19,001 --> 00:40:21,044
to go to governments and actually say,
443
00:40:21,169 --> 00:40:24,464
"You must preserve those routes
that they're migrating through."
444
00:40:24,548 --> 00:40:28,051
And then, and only then,
can we really truly afford protection
445
00:40:28,176 --> 00:40:30,345
for this beautiful ocean traveller.
446
00:40:38,520 --> 00:40:40,772
Today, less than one percent
447
00:40:40,856 --> 00:40:43,692
of our international waters
are protected.
448
00:40:46,695 --> 00:40:50,198
And the creation of marine reserves
is vital
449
00:40:50,282 --> 00:40:54,411
if we're to safeguard the future
of many ocean creatures.
450
00:41:00,542 --> 00:41:03,295
It will require
international cooperation.
451
00:41:04,796 --> 00:41:06,798
But here, too, there is hope.
452
00:41:09,217 --> 00:41:11,470
We can turn things around.
453
00:41:12,220 --> 00:41:14,264
We've done so once before.
454
00:41:15,223 --> 00:41:19,144
For centuries,
the sea-going nations of the world
455
00:41:19,227 --> 00:41:22,314
hunted the great whales
until they were close to extinction.
456
00:41:23,231 --> 00:41:27,694
And then, in 1986,
those nations got together
457
00:41:27,778 --> 00:41:31,823
and agreed to put a stop
to commercial whaling.
458
00:41:35,744 --> 00:41:39,665
Today, although a few nations
continue to hunt whales,
459
00:41:39,748 --> 00:41:42,626
some of the great whales
are making a recovery.
460
00:41:51,343 --> 00:41:54,221
In the tropical seas
surrounding Sri Lanka,
461
00:41:54,304 --> 00:41:57,933
there are stories of vast gatherings
of whales.
462
00:42:02,270 --> 00:42:05,899
When the civil war ended in 2009,
463
00:42:05,982 --> 00:42:10,028
locals here were able once again
to fish these waters.
464
00:42:12,948 --> 00:42:16,576
There were soon reports of assemblies
of sperm whales,
465
00:42:16,660 --> 00:42:19,955
the likes of which had not been seen
for centuries.
466
00:42:22,290 --> 00:42:26,378
Marine guide Daya was determined
to get to the truth
467
00:42:26,461 --> 00:42:28,880
behind these fishermen's tales.
468
00:42:29,881 --> 00:42:32,217
The fishermen told me that
there are lots of whales
469
00:42:32,300 --> 00:42:33,552
a little bit north from here.
470
00:42:34,511 --> 00:42:37,013
They didn't actually tell me a number,
471
00:42:37,139 --> 00:42:40,600
but in big numbers, not one or twos.
472
00:42:40,684 --> 00:42:42,728
Er, many.
473
00:42:47,399 --> 00:42:49,818
It took him three years,
474
00:42:49,901 --> 00:42:54,656
but eventually, he found evidence
to support these rumours.
475
00:43:43,121 --> 00:43:46,541
We saw about 15 sperm whales
go past us.
476
00:43:56,718 --> 00:43:58,887
Then, another four came past us.
477
00:44:02,390 --> 00:44:05,936
After about 40 then passed me,
I started counting.
478
00:44:11,233 --> 00:44:13,735
Still, they kept coming,
so I lost count.
479
00:44:16,238 --> 00:44:19,407
I estimated that we saw about
300 sperm whales.
480
00:44:27,249 --> 00:44:31,336
Sperm whales were once
killed in vast numbers
481
00:44:31,461 --> 00:44:34,381
and it's thought that if the slaughter
had continued,
482
00:44:34,464 --> 00:44:38,009
the species would be in danger
of extermination.
483
00:44:41,429 --> 00:44:46,351
But now, here at least,
they are being seen in huge numbers.
484
00:44:47,936 --> 00:44:51,940
I believe they come here to feed,
mate, and raise their young.
485
00:44:52,023 --> 00:44:54,651
So, this must be a holiday spot
for them, you know.
486
00:44:54,985 --> 00:44:58,446
At the moment, I don't know
of any other place in the world
487
00:44:58,530 --> 00:45:01,366
that, er, sperm whales gather like this.
488
00:45:04,953 --> 00:45:08,707
Although some whale
populations are still in decline,
489
00:45:08,790 --> 00:45:13,712
scenes like this prove that when
sea-going nations come together,
490
00:45:13,795 --> 00:45:16,965
they can achieve astonishing results.
491
00:45:25,181 --> 00:45:30,896
But today, the oceans face threats
on a truly global scale.
492
00:45:36,902 --> 00:45:38,987
The Great Barrier Reef
493
00:45:41,489 --> 00:45:45,076
The largest coral reef system
in the world.
494
00:45:47,871 --> 00:45:53,376
Here, we filmed stories which reveal
Just how smart fish can be.
495
00:45:59,341 --> 00:46:02,177
This ingenious tuskfish, for example,
496
00:46:02,260 --> 00:46:06,848
used a favourite coral anvil
to smash open shellfish.
497
00:46:09,225 --> 00:46:12,854
This astonishing behaviour
has been closely studied
498
00:46:12,938 --> 00:46:15,523
by local scientist Alex Vail.
499
00:46:17,359 --> 00:46:19,903
We're calling Percy
"Percy the Persistent"
500
00:46:21,279 --> 00:46:24,616
because he took, like, an hour
to open the first shell.
501
00:46:30,288 --> 00:46:32,791
He must have hit it well over 50 times,
502
00:46:32,874 --> 00:46:35,877
but he just kept on going
and finally got it open.
503
00:46:45,720 --> 00:46:48,890
Alex grew up
on the Great Barrier Reef
504
00:46:48,974 --> 00:46:51,893
on one of its more remote islands,
Lizard.
505
00:46:54,396 --> 00:46:56,731
He knows the reef intimately.
506
00:47:02,278 --> 00:47:06,199
But, in 2016, while he was filming
for Blue Planet II,
507
00:47:06,282 --> 00:47:08,910
Alex witnessed a catastrophe.
508
00:47:10,954 --> 00:47:13,957
When we started filming,
everything was pretty much fine.
509
00:47:14,082 --> 00:47:16,251
All of the corals
were basically healthy.
510
00:47:18,420 --> 00:47:21,840
But in the last few weeks,
everything changed.
511
00:47:22,924 --> 00:47:25,760
I have never seen anything
like this before.
512
00:47:29,097 --> 00:47:31,349
A combination of a warming ocean
513
00:47:31,433 --> 00:47:35,186
and an unpredictable weather event
called El NiƱo
514
00:47:35,270 --> 00:47:38,023
raised sea temperatures
to record levels.
515
00:47:43,278 --> 00:47:46,656
And this had a disastrous effect
on the corals.
516
00:47:48,283 --> 00:47:52,662
The heat causes reef-building corals
to lose their nourishing algae,
517
00:47:53,705 --> 00:47:56,332
exposing their white skeletons.
518
00:48:01,463 --> 00:48:05,717
When temperatures remain high,
bleached corals die off
519
00:48:08,720 --> 00:48:11,806
The bleaching this year has been
the worst in history
520
00:48:11,890 --> 00:48:13,391
for the Great Barrier Reef.
521
00:48:13,475 --> 00:48:16,019
About 90 percent of the branching corals
522
00:48:16,144 --> 00:48:18,563
on the reef out here at Lizard Island
are dead.
523
00:48:21,649 --> 00:48:24,444
It also has disastrous consequences
524
00:48:24,527 --> 00:48:26,821
for the other creatures that live here.
525
00:48:30,492 --> 00:48:33,328
Percy swimming around out there.
526
00:48:33,411 --> 00:48:36,498
The really sad thing is that his
castle's starting to bleach.
527
00:48:37,832 --> 00:48:41,211
If we lose our coral, there's a chance
we're going to lose our tuskfish.
528
00:48:43,254 --> 00:48:47,008
It's incredibly sad to see areas
that you've dived on
529
00:48:47,092 --> 00:48:50,428
since you were a little kid
just turn to rubble.
530
00:48:53,723 --> 00:48:55,934
I cried in my mask, when I saw,
531
00:48:56,017 --> 00:48:58,228
you know, some of the devastation
from this bleaching.
532
00:49:06,528 --> 00:49:08,446
In the last three years,
533
00:49:08,530 --> 00:49:11,574
over two-thirds
of the world's coral reefs
534
00:49:11,699 --> 00:49:15,537
are thought to have suffered from rises
in ocean temperatures.
535
00:49:28,883 --> 00:49:31,386
This is not the only challenge
they face.
536
00:49:34,139 --> 00:49:36,683
Research is revealing
how the fundamental
537
00:49:36,766 --> 00:49:39,144
chemistry of the ocean is changing.
538
00:49:42,814 --> 00:49:46,151
Professor Chris Langdon shows me
what this might mean
539
00:49:46,234 --> 00:49:51,322
for the future of our seas
by pouring dilute acid over shells.
540
00:49:56,578 --> 00:50:00,331
And how much more acidic is this
than the present ocean?
541
00:50:00,999 --> 00:50:04,627
This is more concentrated than
the pH of the ocean
542
00:50:05,253 --> 00:50:08,673
but it accelerates the process
so we can see something visually.
543
00:50:09,257 --> 00:50:12,635
So, what's happening is, these shells,
they're made out of calcium carbonate,
544
00:50:13,428 --> 00:50:15,013
and the acid is dissolving them.
545
00:50:15,638 --> 00:50:19,601
And coral reefs are made out of
the same material as these shells here.
546
00:50:20,518 --> 00:50:24,689
But surely this is not happening
in the ocean now. Right now?
547
00:50:24,772 --> 00:50:28,401
What we're seeing here is more dramatic
than what's happening in the ocean.
548
00:50:28,484 --> 00:50:33,364
But the shells and the reefs
are really truly dissolving.
549
00:50:33,448 --> 00:50:36,701
Coral reefs could be gone by the end
of this century.
550
00:50:40,038 --> 00:50:43,666
And the cause of this?
Carbon dioxide.
551
00:50:45,501 --> 00:50:49,130
Dissolved in the sea water,
it forms carbonic acid.
552
00:50:50,131 --> 00:50:52,717
The more carbon dioxide
in the atmosphere,
553
00:50:52,800 --> 00:50:55,220
the more acidic the ocean becomes.
554
00:50:57,513 --> 00:51:00,475
Evidence points to the burning
of fossil fuels
555
00:51:00,558 --> 00:51:05,313
as the primary cause for these
increasing levels of carbon dioxide.
556
00:51:07,232 --> 00:51:09,901
And this is man-made beyond question.
557
00:51:09,984 --> 00:51:11,236
Beyond question.
558
00:51:15,531 --> 00:51:18,743
But Chris believes all is not lost.
559
00:51:20,328 --> 00:51:24,457
All we have to do, and I say all,
is reduce our CO2 emissions.
560
00:51:24,540 --> 00:51:28,836
We can switch to renewable fuels,
wind and solar,
561
00:51:28,920 --> 00:51:30,964
instead of natural fossil fuels.
562
00:51:31,047 --> 00:51:32,840
And so, none of this has to
563
00:51:33,758 --> 00:51:36,261
- develop to the worst case.
- And that could fix it?
564
00:51:36,344 --> 00:51:41,182
Yeah, absolutely. So, this future does
not have to play out. It's up to us.
565
00:51:52,527 --> 00:51:56,281
As the climate changes,
the seas warm.
566
00:51:56,406 --> 00:51:59,409
Our oceans are being seriously affected.
567
00:52:02,078 --> 00:52:06,582
And this is nowhere more apparent
than at the poles.
568
00:52:15,925 --> 00:52:17,593
Antarctica.
569
00:52:21,723 --> 00:52:26,394
For the Blue Planet II team, this was
their most ambitious expedition.
570
00:52:29,230 --> 00:52:33,234
For the first time in history,
a manned submersible
571
00:52:33,318 --> 00:52:36,946
will try to dive to a depth
of 1,000 metres
572
00:52:37,071 --> 00:52:39,574
and reach the Antarctic seabed.
573
00:52:40,992 --> 00:52:43,911
A true journey into the unknown.
574
00:52:49,584 --> 00:52:51,919
(RADIO CHATTER
575
00:53:01,262 --> 00:53:04,640
Control rover. Passing 40 metres.
Over.
576
00:53:10,938 --> 00:53:14,025
Leading the team
on this historic dive
577
00:53:14,108 --> 00:53:16,444
is deep sea scientist John Copley.
578
00:53:24,619 --> 00:53:28,289
We get our first glimpse
of this landscape.
579
00:53:31,125 --> 00:53:34,962
And the carpet of life around us
is astounding.
580
00:53:35,713 --> 00:53:37,048
It's beautiful.
581
00:53:46,391 --> 00:53:51,312
Diving in a submersible
gives John an entirely new understanding
582
00:53:51,396 --> 00:53:54,190
of how this rich ecosystem works.
583
00:53:55,983 --> 00:53:59,195
But it also offers him
a unique opportunity
584
00:53:59,320 --> 00:54:02,323
to investigate how the ocean here
is changing.
585
00:54:03,658 --> 00:54:05,701
While we're observing the marine life
down there,
586
00:54:05,827 --> 00:54:08,204
the subs are also recording
what the environment is like,
587
00:54:08,329 --> 00:54:10,748
so we're getting measurements
of temperature, of salinity.
588
00:54:10,832 --> 00:54:13,209
It's hopefully gonna enable us
to understand the changes
589
00:54:13,334 --> 00:54:15,545
that are happening in this vital part
of our planet.
590
00:54:18,714 --> 00:54:21,426
To get a fuller picture,
John also lowers
591
00:54:21,509 --> 00:54:23,845
a deep sea temperature probe.
592
00:54:29,392 --> 00:54:33,229
His data is contributing
to an international attempt
593
00:54:33,354 --> 00:54:37,108
to chart the rise in both sea
and air temperatures.
594
00:54:40,403 --> 00:54:42,697
What shocks me about
what all the data show
595
00:54:42,780 --> 00:54:45,408
is how fast things are changing here.
596
00:54:48,202 --> 00:54:51,080
We're headed into uncharted territory.
597
00:54:58,588 --> 00:55:00,715
To truly comprehend
598
00:55:00,798 --> 00:55:03,092
the effect of the temperature
increases here,
599
00:55:03,217 --> 00:55:05,386
John takes to the skies.
600
00:55:06,596 --> 00:55:10,057
From here, he can record
the number and size
601
00:55:10,141 --> 00:55:14,812
of the icebergs being produced
as the ice shelfs melt and break apart.
602
00:55:17,482 --> 00:55:21,068
The bergs we're seeing all around us
give you some idea
603
00:55:21,152 --> 00:55:25,740
of how huge this process is
that's taking place on the Antarctic.
604
00:55:27,074 --> 00:55:30,953
As the floating shelves
break up, they allow water,
605
00:55:31,078 --> 00:55:34,665
which has been locked up on land as ice
for thousands of years,
606
00:55:34,749 --> 00:55:36,626
to empty into the sea.
607
00:55:38,586 --> 00:55:41,923
And this is predicted to push up
sea levels.
608
00:55:46,594 --> 00:55:49,931
If the ice shelves break up,
then that opens the flood gates.
609
00:55:50,806 --> 00:55:53,017
Ice on land flows faster into the sea
610
00:55:53,100 --> 00:55:54,810
and that's what pushes up
the sea levels.
611
00:55:56,812 --> 00:56:00,775
So, what's happening here right now
affects all of us.
612
00:56:15,790 --> 00:56:19,961
Already, cities like Miami here
are under threat.
613
00:56:20,836 --> 00:56:24,131
Scientists predict that by the end
of the century,
614
00:56:24,215 --> 00:56:28,177
the sea levels could have risen
by a metre or even two.
615
00:56:28,844 --> 00:56:33,641
Were that to happen, parts of this city
would certainly be submerged.
616
00:56:38,521 --> 00:56:43,276
Around the world, hundreds of millions
of people live near the coast,
617
00:56:43,359 --> 00:56:48,072
and as sea levels rise,
their lives will be seriously affected.
618
00:57:01,877 --> 00:57:06,090
It's now clear that our actions
are having a significant impact
619
00:57:06,173 --> 00:57:08,009
on the world's oceans.
620
00:57:12,888 --> 00:57:16,475
During the four years it took
to make this series,
621
00:57:16,559 --> 00:57:19,770
we've witnessed many of these changes
first-hand.
622
00:57:29,030 --> 00:57:32,241
But we've also worked alongside
men and women
623
00:57:32,366 --> 00:57:36,245
dedicating their lives to safeguarding
the ocean's future.
624
00:57:44,045 --> 00:57:47,423
The oceans provide us with oxygen,
625
00:57:47,548 --> 00:57:49,550
they regulate temperature,
626
00:57:49,634 --> 00:57:52,803
they provide us with food
and energy supplies.
627
00:57:53,471 --> 00:57:58,559
And it's unthinkable to have a world
without a healthy ocean.
628
00:58:02,563 --> 00:58:05,441
I still think we have
the capability
629
00:58:05,566 --> 00:58:08,736
to change the manner in which
we're wasting resources,
630
00:58:08,819 --> 00:58:10,905
in which we're poisoning our oceans,
631
00:58:10,988 --> 00:58:14,742
and we can look to a future
with healthy oceans.
632
00:58:17,328 --> 00:58:21,999
When I look forward, I believe
that if what we are doing
633
00:58:22,083 --> 00:58:24,627
can be duplicated just a little bit.
634
00:58:24,752 --> 00:58:27,755
These animals will have a chance
of surviving.
635
00:58:29,340 --> 00:58:33,928
It comes down, I think, to us each
taking responsibility
636
00:58:34,095 --> 00:58:36,764
for the personal choices that we make
in our everyday lives.
637
00:58:36,847 --> 00:58:39,809
That's all any of us can be expected
to do.
638
00:58:39,934 --> 00:58:42,603
And it is those everyday choices
that add up.
639
00:58:58,661 --> 00:59:01,706
We are at a unique stage in our history.
640
00:59:02,665 --> 00:59:06,752
Never before have we had
such an awareness
641
00:59:06,836 --> 00:59:08,879
of what we are doing to the planet.
642
00:59:09,964 --> 00:59:15,219
And never before have we had the power
to do something about that.
643
00:59:17,388 --> 00:59:21,392
Surely, we have a responsibility
to care for our blue planet.
644
00:59:22,560 --> 00:59:25,479
The future of humanity,
645
00:59:25,563 --> 00:59:28,941
and indeed all life on Earth,
646
00:59:29,024 --> 00:59:31,402
now depends on us.
54854
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