All language subtitles for Paradise.Islands2

The islands that lie
between Asia and Australia

were forged by fire.

Their great wealth
of plants and animals

the result of a violent birth.

But there is a parallel world
where the moon holds sway.

A world where fish
live inside trees

and run away from water.

Insects light up
the darkest of nights,

and crabs dance.

The power of the moon is
strongest along the coast

and in the shallow seas.

Here the moon reigns
over her shadowy subjects.

Every day the moon pulls on
the oceans, creating the tides.

Over millions of years,

the plants and animals
of the coast

have evolved ways to survive
the dramatic change

from salt water to dry land.

The tide floods vast areas
of the coastal mangrove forest.

This is a world that moves
to the rhythm of the moon.

In places, salt water
infiltrates miles inland

to the traditional sleeping
trees of proboscis monkeys.

These 'monkeys of the moon'
must wait for the tide to fall

before they can reach
their favorite food.

So they're in no hurry.

The moon recedes

and slowly draws the water
from the mangroves.

Fish are forced to leave.

For within hours,
water will be replaced by air.

With the morning stretching
and scratching over,

the monkeys set off through
the tops of the flooded forest.

In places the forest
stretches for miles.

The monkeys face a long journey.

Their goal is
the distant shoreline.

Each mangrove species has
had to find ways to survive

in this extreme environment
that would kill other trees.

The Rhizophora's trunk
doesn't reach the ground.

Instead, a web of giant roots
projects outward

to support the tree
in the soft, gooey mud.

The Avicennia grows
strange pencil roots

that stick up from the mud.

The pores breathe in air

to stop the buried roots
from suffocating.

Only by extraordinary
adaptations like these

can the trees survive in this
strange amphibious world.

The fish leave with the tide,

except for these gobies.

Just two centimeters long,

they've found a surprising way
of staying in the mangroves.

Some tree trunks and logs
are riddled with tunnels,

dug by sea snails.

As the water level falls,
the fish swim into these holes.

The tide drops further,
exposing the fallen tree trunk.

But the gobies are safe
in the water-filled passageways.

Most fish may have fled, but the
forest is not deserted for long.

A new cohort of
air-breathing creatures

is waiting for the tide
to retreat.

At the feet of the mangroves
live tiny fiddler crabs

measuring less than
three centimeters.

They are dwarfed by the leaves

and pencil roots
of the mangrove trees.

But like the trees, they have
evolved over millions of years.

There may be as many as
10 species on one mudflat.

Each with its own particular way
to survive between the tides.

This red fiddler crab claims
the top of the tide.

He has a leisurely lunch,

since the water won't
return here for 10 hours.

But to breathe,
he must keep his gills wet.

So he regularly returns
to his burrow

and his subterranean
pool of water.

But a tiny crab must always
be alert for danger.

Predators hang out
in this ambiguous place

that is both sea and land.

The skink hunts crabs.

The crabs are quick and
stay close to their burrows.

But if the skink
sneaks close enough,

it can outrun the crabs.

High above the mud,

the monkeys of the moon keep
pace with the falling tide.

They're after something
tasty to eat.

But it will be hours before
they reach their goal.

So for now the monkeys
chew on dry mangrove leaves.

The most striking thing
about an adult male

is his spectacular schnoz.

Nothing to do with nutrition,

but a lot to do
with attracting a mate.

Females prefer
nasally well-endowed males.

We have no idea why.

His nose isn't his only
enlarged feature.

He also has a huge belly.

Proboscis monkeys have
a chambered stomach

to help them break down
the unpalatable, fibrous leaves.

Some of these mangrove leaves
are not very tasty.

They are full of salt water
that would kill other plants.

But mangroves have evolved ways
of surviving the salt attack.

The Aegiceras has leaves that
excrete the noxious salt.

Another kind of mangrove
stores the salt

in its old yellow leaves.

It then discards the leaves,

ridding itself
of the toxic salt.

Extreme ways to survive
between the moon-driven tides.

As the water leaves the
mangroves, the monkeys follow.

The tide has left
the fallen tree trunk behind,

but for now water remains
in its tunnels.

And the gobies push further
into the labyrinth.

They are not completely safe,
even here, deep inside the log.

A miniature octopus, its body
less than three centimeters,

waits patiently for its dinner.

At last, the tide departs
the shadowy forest

and reaches the coast.

As the mudflats are exposed,

more creatures of the moon
emerge.

Blue-spotted mudskippers
spend half their lives

in mud burrows underwater.

These bizarre fish spend
the other half of their lives

out of water, grazing algae
on the muddy plains.

They defend their patch
of mud and microbes

with a display
of banner-like fins

and rounds of jousting.

The retreating tide
has uncovered

the mudskippers' beach.

The monkeys can walk the final
stretch to their goal...

a tree that grows
along the beach.

This is what they have traveled
all this way for,

the flowers of the sea hibiscus.

After the dry, salty leaves
of the mangroves,

the monkeys relish
the sweet-tasting flowers.

While the adults eat their fill,

the youngsters take
the opportunity to play.

The moon is far away,
close to the horizon.

As the tide recedes, it uncovers
more and more fiddler crabs.

They feed by sifting
the fine sediment

for tiny plants and animals.

The female has
a major advantage.

She has two feeding claws.

The male, in contrast,
has only one.

The other is
monstrously enlarged.

So males can only feed
at half the speed of females.

They are handicapped by a claw

that weighs half
their bodyweight.

But the claw has a purpose.

One function is to protect
their small patch of beach

from intruders.

Their lives depend on the food
surrounding their burrows.

Each species of crab has a
different display of ownership,

different gestures,
claw size and color.

The displays are aimed
at any intruder

no matter the species or size.

In most cases, a display is
enough to resolve a conflict,

but sometimes
the dispute escalates.

Weapons are prepared.

Warnings sent out.

En garde!

And fight!

While these
combative crabs fight,

the tide slides further
down the beach,

uncovering more strange
subjects of the moon.

On the islands between
Australia and Asia,

the tide recedes to reveal
this species of fiddler crab

that lives in sticky clay

and specializes in sifting
the fine particles.

Even closer to
the low water mark

lives a fiddler crab with
the most extreme tidal life.

They have as little as two hours
before the tide returns.

So they feed twice as fast
as the red crabs

that live back
among the mangroves.

All of these crabs have evolved
over millions of years,

under the tropical moon.

The exposed fiddler crabs
attract a hungry bearded pig.

The tiny crabs are no more
than a snack to the pig,

so they must be tasty.

The pig's not alone.

Long-tailed macaques search
among the pencil roots.

Unlike the pig,
they have delicate fingers,

so they have to watch out
for the crabs' claws.

It's not just the attentions
of pigs and monkeys

the crabs must survive.

The fierce sun can make
the midday hours unbearable.

The tiny gobies stay cool
inside the fallen tree trunk.

But the water is draining out.

Soon the tunnels will be dry

and it will be hours before the
sea returns to the fallen trunk.

All the creatures of the moon

are waiting
for the tide to turn.

As the Earth rotates,
the moon pulls up the seas,

and this bulge of water moves
across the face of the Earth.

At last the tide
changes direction.

Fiddler crabs evolved
to breathe air,

but now they must prepare
to spend time underwater.

The crabs closest
to the low tide

are the first to disappear.

As the water forces its way
back up the beach,

the crabs disappear,

one after the other.

There is just enough time for
one last display of ownership,

before the blue-spotted
mudskippers

flee down their burrows.

Another type of mudskipper
is more of a nomad.

They were feeding
on the low tide.

But now these fish make the long
march back up the beach,

racing the tides,
trying to keep out of the water!

As the tide slithers back
toward the mangroves,

the race is on for these
mudskippers to reach safety.

The monkeys of the moon

are forced to leave
their sweet-tasting flowers.

Once they are safely
back in the trees,

the youngsters start
goofing off again.

The tide pushes some
of the nomadic mudskippers

into the mangrove forest.

To avoid the advancing water,
the fish climb into the trees!

Here they will perch,
safe from predatory fish,

until the water starts to drop,

and they once again become
nomads of the moon-driven tides.

The water pushes
into the mangroves

and flows back into the tunnels
of the fallen tree trunk.

The tiny gobies stir.

Amazingly,
these tough little fish

have survived six hours
out of the water.

The mangroves are once again
a flooded forest.

The strength of the tropical sun
begins to fade.

But the power of the moon
remains...

undiminished, day or night.

12 hours and 25 minutes
after it left,

the salt water returns
to its highest point.

A cycle of tides is complete.

Strange fish swim in
on the high tide.

Weaver ants patrol the mangrove
branches, looking for prey.

But the hunters will
soon be the hunted.

The high water brings
the ants within range.

The archerfish estimates
the distance, and shoots.

Archerfish can shoot
a bullet of water

powerful enough to dislodge
even the most tenacious grip.

The salt water retreats
from the dark forest,

leaving small isolated pools.

Any fish trapped in the puddles
are in great danger.

A fishing owl's sharp vision
pierces the gloom of the forest.

Its talons are huge, the skin
on its feet hard and ridged.

The influence of the moon is
felt wherever there is water.

The tides have as much
impact on the seas

as they do on the mangroves
and the beaches.

Every day, tidal currents carry
nutrient-rich waters

full of plankton.

These tiny creatures are
at the mercy of the tides

and are preyed on by the largest
fish in the world.

Whale sharks are
plankton-eating giants.

They can grow to 40 feet long
and weigh 20 tons.

They feed by forcing
plankton-rich water

into their huge mouths.

In places, there is so much food

the whale sharks don't
have to travel far.

They just swim from one cloud
of plankton to another.

The plankton support
a wealth of life

in the waters between
Asia and Australia.

They're surrounded
by warm, shallow water,

ideal for coral growth.

These are the richest reefs
in the world.

There are over 1,400
species of fish,

and many feed directly
on the plankton.

It's not just small fish
that join in on the feast.

Manta rays filter the plankton

as they fly through the water
on their huge wings.

The giants visit the reef
for a very specific reason.

As the ray hovers, moon wrasse
race up from the reef

to pick off parasites and
nibble at old or damaged skin.

The reef is a kind
of maintenance station

where the mysterious giants can
stop to be cleaned and serviced

before they resume their flights
through the plankton-rich seas.

The plankton support fish,
big and small,

and in places, in vast numbers.

Anchovies,
which eat the plankton,

the swift and sleek mobula rays.

These rays hunt in packs,

herding the small fish and
pressing them against the reef.

Once the anchovies are confined,
the rays attack.

The rays plunge through the
shoals, seizing the anchovies.

After the frenzy of attacks,
the anchovies regroup.

And the sinister shepherding
starts all over again.

The tides that create
the ocean currents,

moving fish and plankton,
are not constant.

As the moon goes through
its monthly phases,

so the tides wax and wane.

They are strongest
at the full and new moon.

The phase of the moon
affects all its subjects,

both on the reefs and
in the coastal forests.

The profound dark
of the new moon

enhances the display of
fireflies in the mangrove trees.

All this flashing has something
to do with courtship and mating.

But exactly why they create this
luminous effect is a mystery.

The ensuing show is mesmerizing.

The fireflies are miniscule,
less than a centimeter,

yet they are so bright

they can be seen from
hundreds of feet away.

Two weeks later,
the moon is full

and the tide is once again
at its highest.

The bright moonlight has
a dramatic effect on many fish.

All over the reef,
bohar snappers congregate.

They swim toward a spot

where the tidal current
is especially strong.

The fish form tight shoals and
move up toward the surface.

There they spawn
in a mass event.

Eggs and sperm are expelled
and mix in the water

as they are swept away
by the current.

Black snappers race in
to eat the eggs.

But the sheer number
of bohar snappers

means most eggs will drift
safely away from the reef

and its many hungry mouths.

They will join the plankton,
and after a few months,

some will return to the reef
as baby fish.

The impact of the full moon
is felt all along the coast.

It seems to make
fiddler crabs frisky.

A female sets out
to select her mate.

Her options seem endless.

The males display in synchrony.

It may be that females go for
the male that displays first.

She makes her pick

and follows him
down a burrow to mate.

The moon has a mysterious power.

It rules the animals of the
mangrove forests and the reefs.

It stirs the oceans and creates
plankton-laden currents.

And for many creatures,

it is the key to the
continuation of their species.