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♪♪
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-In the heart
of the Pacific Ocean,
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sits the most remote
island chain on Earth.
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♪♪
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Hawaii.
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♪♪
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Born of fire...
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this is a land of extremes.
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♪♪
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From volcanic flows of lava...
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and soaring peaks...
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to tiny strips of sand.
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♪♪
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Reaching these isolated shores
is extraordinarily difficult.
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♪♪
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And only the toughest
have made it.
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♪♪
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But for the intrepid travelers
that manage to arrive here,
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against all the odds,
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the rewards are plenty.
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♪♪
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With an abundance of opportunity
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found nowhere else
for thousands of miles.
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♪♪
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Across the globe,
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islands, isolated by vast seas,
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are home to remarkable
animal castaways...
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♪♪
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...and extraordinary
human cultures.
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These islands of wonder
cradle precious life
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found nowhere else
on planet Earth.
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♪♪
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♪♪
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-In Hawaii's
warm, tropical shallows
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rests a baby humpback whale...
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just two weeks old.
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♪♪
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Her mother swam 2,500 miles
all the way from Alaska
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to give birth here...
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Because Hawaii is the best place
in the world to raise her baby.
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♪♪
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[ Whale sings ]
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Its extreme isolationkeeps her hidden from predators.
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And surrounded by
the deepest ocean in the world,
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these shallows offer
the only warm water around.
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[ Whale sings ]
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The newborn calf has yet to
carry much insulating blubber
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and feels the cold.
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[ Whale sings ]
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The Hawaiian islands also offer
a protective barrier,
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sheltering her
from the winds and currents
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of the open ocean...
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♪♪
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...allowing her to rest...
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and put every ounce of milkand all her energy into growing.
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♪♪
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♪♪
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And like these humpbacks,
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for those that can reach
these remote tropical shores,
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Hawaii provides a sanctuary
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and extraordinary opportunities
for new life.
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♪♪
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The 50th state in the U.S.
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can be found in the middle
of the Pacific Ocean.
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♪♪
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Hawaii is made up of a chain
of over 100 islands,
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stretching across 1,000 miles.
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♪♪
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Starting at the bottom of the
chain is the largest island.
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And traveling northwest,
they get progressively smaller
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until they're little more
than a strip of sand.
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♪♪
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The huge variety of habitats
on the different islands
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offers a wide range
of opportunities for life.
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But to take advantage,
pioneering animals
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must cross thousands of miles
of open ocean to get here.
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♪♪
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How these islands came to be
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and just how life
has managed to take advantage
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of all that Hawaii has to offer
is a remarkable story...
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...which begins
beneath the waves...
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...at the very bottom
of the Pacific Ocean.
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[ Rumbling ]
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Hawaii sits above
a volcanic hotspot, like this,
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on the sea floor.
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Liquid rock heated
to 2,000 degrees
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spews from the Earth's core.
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As the rock cools,
it solidifies,
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creating new land.
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Over hundreds
of thousands of years,
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an underwater mountain
gradually grows in size.
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Eventually, its peak
breaks the sea surface...
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...and an island is born.
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♪♪
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As long as an island's volcanoes
remain active,
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spewing more lava,
it continues to grow in size...
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♪♪
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...expanding by as much
as 900 acres a year...
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♪♪
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...and creating
precious new land.
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♪♪
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♪♪
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But the islands
don't keep growing forever.
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Because all of Hawaii's islands
are actually moving...
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slowly inching away
from the volcanic hotspot
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that created them.
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Hawaii sits on
a massive tectonic plate
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which is carrying
all the islands northwest.
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As they form, each island
moves off the hotspot,
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00:08:02,700 --> 00:08:07,933
and another is made behind it --
like a conveyor belt.
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00:08:07,966 --> 00:08:10,500
This process
has built a chain of islands,
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each one newer than the last.
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[ Animals calling ]
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Over time,
islands change radically.
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The different ages
of Hawaii's islands
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explain their different shapes,
sizes, and habitats...
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...and how they can offer
so many opportunities for life.
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The newest of all
is known as Hawaii Island,
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or The Big Island.
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It began forming
a million years ago,
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and for now it's still
on the volcanic hotspot.
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The Big Island has the tallest
peaks in all of Hawaii.
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♪♪
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The highest is Mauna Kea,
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which is sacred
to native Hawaiians.
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Measured from the seabed,
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it stands 1,000 feet taller
than Mount Everest.
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♪♪
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Up here, totally isolated
from the rest of the world,
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it's as far away as possiblefrom man-made light pollution...
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♪♪
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...and one of the best places onEarth for studying the universe.
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♪♪
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[ Clicking ]
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♪♪
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♪♪
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♪♪
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00:10:14,400 --> 00:10:18,400
These laser-guided telescopes
are the largest in the world...
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00:10:18,433 --> 00:10:21,400
♪♪
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00:10:21,433 --> 00:10:25,466
...and have already discovered
over 100 new planets.
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00:10:25,500 --> 00:10:35,333
♪♪
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00:10:37,366 --> 00:10:41,966
But scientists have gone
one step further,
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bringing space
back down to Earth.
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♪♪
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The freezing heights
and barren rock here
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make it the closest thing
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to the extreme conditions
found on Mars.
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♪♪
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It couldn't be further from
the island paradise down below,
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00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:07,533
but it's the ideal
training ground
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00:11:07,566 --> 00:11:10,566
for astronauts preparing
to live in space.
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♪♪
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00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:19,566
For missions lasting
between four months and a year,
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00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:22,566
participants must live
in total isolation...
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♪♪
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00:11:26,566 --> 00:11:29,366
...while carrying out
research operations.
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♪♪
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00:11:36,300 --> 00:11:38,700
Making a life
on these desolate lava fields
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00:11:38,733 --> 00:11:42,433
may seem as improbable
as colonizing another planet.
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♪♪
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But this new land
offers a huge opportunity.
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Any creatures that can survive
amongst the rubble
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will have the place
to themselves.
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00:12:02,233 --> 00:12:07,900
And one hardy pioneer
has found a way to capitalize.
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00:12:07,933 --> 00:12:10,800
The wekiu bug...
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00:12:10,833 --> 00:12:13,033
meaning "summit" in Hawaiian.
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00:12:13,066 --> 00:12:16,400
♪♪
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To find enough food to survive,
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00:12:19,266 --> 00:12:21,633
it's resorted
to loff the dead.
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♪♪
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00:12:28,933 --> 00:12:33,100
Up here at 13,000 feet
above sea level,
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temperatures can plummet
well below freezing.
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[ Wind rushing ]
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Other insects blown in
on the wind quickly die.
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But the wekiu's blood
acts like antifreeze,
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protecting it from the cold.
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♪♪
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Using piercing mouth parts,
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it punctures
its victim's exoskeleton
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and sucks out its juices.
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♪♪
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00:13:15,766 --> 00:13:20,000
The wekiu may have originally
come from South America.
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00:13:20,033 --> 00:13:26,300
So how did it cross thousands ofmiles of open ocean to get
here?
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00:13:26,333 --> 00:13:30,433
The same way
as its food arrives --
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00:13:30,466 --> 00:13:32,466
blown in on the wind.
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[ Winds rushing ]
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Strong winds carry spores...
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00:13:41,633 --> 00:13:44,000
seeds...
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00:13:44,033 --> 00:13:47,900
and lightweight creatures
high into the jet stream.
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♪♪
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♪♪
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00:14:00,366 --> 00:14:02,833
The odds of being carried
across the Pacific
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and then dropped precisely
onto the only dots of land
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00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:08,433
are miniscule.
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00:14:08,466 --> 00:14:17,566
♪♪
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00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:23,133
Yet, over millions of years,
seed by seed,
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00:14:23,166 --> 00:14:25,466
slowly but surely...
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00:14:25,500 --> 00:14:28,000
life arrived.
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♪♪
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30 miles away is the next island
along the chain.
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♪♪
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00:14:42,366 --> 00:14:45,000
Maui.
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00:14:45,033 --> 00:14:48,300
Made almost a million years
before The Big Island...
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00:14:48,333 --> 00:14:51,066
♪♪
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00:14:51,100 --> 00:14:53,900
...Maui, too, was once
barren lava fields...
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00:14:53,933 --> 00:14:57,400
♪♪
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00:14:57,433 --> 00:14:59,700
...but is now brimming
with life.
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00:14:59,733 --> 00:15:01,633
[ Animals calling ]
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00:15:01,666 --> 00:15:05,766
♪♪
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00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:08,900
The journey to get here
is so difficult
211
00:15:08,933 --> 00:15:11,133
that only the smaller creatures
were light enough
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00:15:11,166 --> 00:15:13,266
to be carried all this way.
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00:15:13,300 --> 00:15:18,366
♪♪
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00:15:24,900 --> 00:15:28,933
And while the wind transports
life to the
land
of Hawaii,
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00:15:28,966 --> 00:15:32,000
it also brings life
to its surrounding waters.
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00:15:38,466 --> 00:15:41,000
Huge waves batter the coastline.
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00:15:48,866 --> 00:15:51,900
Created by strong winds
out at sea
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00:15:51,933 --> 00:15:56,833
and unimpeded by land
for thousands of miles,
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00:15:56,866 --> 00:15:59,000
waves continually grow.
220
00:16:08,333 --> 00:16:10,500
Once they reach the shallows
of the island,
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00:16:10,533 --> 00:16:14,400
the waves rise up into giants
and break.
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00:16:23,733 --> 00:16:27,700
Maui is home to some of
the biggest surf on Earth.
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00:16:29,766 --> 00:16:31,766
Up to 70 feet high.
224
00:16:34,333 --> 00:16:38,733
And these monsters allow life
to flourish beneath the waves.
225
00:16:42,466 --> 00:16:45,133
By mixing the layers of water,
226
00:16:45,166 --> 00:16:49,133
the pounding waves
help stir up nutrients,
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00:16:49,166 --> 00:16:52,233
feeding microscopic creatures
called plankton.
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00:16:57,566 --> 00:17:01,400
Compared to the sterile waters
of the surrounding open ocean,
229
00:17:01,433 --> 00:17:05,233
Hawaii's shallows are around
80% richer in plankton.
230
00:17:09,833 --> 00:17:12,866
And bigger creatures
are able to take advantage.
231
00:17:15,433 --> 00:17:17,433
Like manta rays.
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00:17:17,466 --> 00:17:25,000
♪♪
233
00:17:25,033 --> 00:17:28,333
With wingspans stretching
over 15 feet,
234
00:17:28,366 --> 00:17:32,433
these rays can migrate
vast distances,
235
00:17:32,466 --> 00:17:34,900
which is how
they first discovered Hawaii.
236
00:17:34,933 --> 00:17:41,966
♪♪
237
00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:46,566
Totally toothless, they use rows
of tiny plates in their mouths
238
00:17:46,600 --> 00:17:48,966
to sift plankton
out of the water.
239
00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:58,066
♪♪
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00:17:58,100 --> 00:18:01,466
When they hit
a rich patch of food,
241
00:18:01,500 --> 00:18:04,666
they somersault in loops
to maximize their catch.
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00:18:04,700 --> 00:18:13,233
♪♪
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00:18:13,266 --> 00:18:21,833
♪♪
244
00:18:21,866 --> 00:18:24,433
They may even chain-feed...
245
00:18:24,466 --> 00:18:28,033
♪♪
246
00:18:28,066 --> 00:18:29,800
...following each other
in a train
247
00:18:29,833 --> 00:18:34,866
so any food missed by the first
is scooped up by the followers.
248
00:18:34,900 --> 00:18:40,766
♪♪
249
00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:45,166
These waters are so bountiful,
they support one of the largest
250
00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:48,866
resident populations
of manta rays on the planet.
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00:18:48,900 --> 00:18:55,300
♪♪
252
00:18:55,333 --> 00:19:01,800
♪♪
253
00:19:01,833 --> 00:19:07,133
And with 9 million vacationers
flocking to Hawaii every year,
254
00:19:07,166 --> 00:19:10,266
life for the manta rays
has gotten even better.
255
00:19:10,300 --> 00:19:15,200
♪♪
256
00:19:15,233 --> 00:19:18,066
Divers take to the water
in their hundreds
257
00:19:18,100 --> 00:19:20,766
to see these graceful giants.
258
00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:25,433
♪♪
259
00:19:25,466 --> 00:19:29,133
The divers' lights
attract plankton,
260
00:19:29,166 --> 00:19:32,366
concentrating the mantas' food
for them.
261
00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:36,666
♪♪
262
00:19:36,700 --> 00:19:40,466
They've even come to
associate divers with dinner.
263
00:19:51,733 --> 00:19:55,566
Isolated in open ocean,
life must come a long way
264
00:19:55,600 --> 00:19:59,100
to capitalizeon all that Hawaii has to offer.
265
00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:06,333
But once here,
with no competition,
266
00:20:06,366 --> 00:20:08,300
new species began to evolve
267
00:20:08,333 --> 00:20:11,633
to take advantage
of every opportunity.
268
00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:18,266
A single flock carried
on a violent storm
269
00:20:18,300 --> 00:20:21,633
became 50 new species
of honeycreeper.
270
00:20:27,766 --> 00:20:31,166
And from just one pregnant
fruit fly
271
00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:33,900
came over 1,000 new species.
272
00:20:36,133 --> 00:20:40,200
Because all of these flies
evolved here on Hawaii,
273
00:20:40,233 --> 00:20:42,366
they're found
nowhere else on earth.
274
00:20:47,066 --> 00:20:50,466
And each one has its very own
courtship ritual.
275
00:20:50,500 --> 00:20:56,600
♪♪
276
00:20:56,633 --> 00:20:58,233
Like this male silvestris
277
00:20:58,266 --> 00:21:02,166
which wiggles its rear to create
vibrations through the ground.
278
00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:11,166
♪♪
279
00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:14,666
But the female's not impressed
and sends him packing.
280
00:21:14,700 --> 00:21:24,166
♪♪
281
00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:26,266
Another, the clavisetae fly,
282
00:21:26,300 --> 00:21:30,866
fans pheromones
from his raised abdomen...
283
00:21:30,900 --> 00:21:34,200
sticking out his tongue
for added appeal.
284
00:21:34,233 --> 00:21:41,200
♪♪
285
00:21:45,500 --> 00:21:48,833
And one species, cyrtoloma,
286
00:21:48,866 --> 00:21:52,266
has grown 30 times bigger
than the average fruit fly.
287
00:21:52,300 --> 00:21:56,000
♪♪
288
00:21:56,033 --> 00:22:00,733
For these giants, it's a battle
of strength to get the girl.
289
00:22:00,766 --> 00:22:08,700
♪♪
290
00:22:08,733 --> 00:22:16,633
♪♪
291
00:22:16,666 --> 00:22:21,300
As new creatures evolved,
some became monsters.
292
00:22:21,333 --> 00:22:26,733
♪♪
293
00:22:26,766 --> 00:22:29,233
The caterpillar of
the Eupithecia moth.
294
00:22:29,266 --> 00:22:33,900
♪♪
295
00:22:33,933 --> 00:22:38,133
Like most caterpillars,
its ancestor ate plants.
296
00:22:38,166 --> 00:22:46,366
♪♪
297
00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:49,933
But with so many insects
and so few predators here,
298
00:22:49,966 --> 00:22:52,033
this caterpillar
seized the opportunity
299
00:22:52,066 --> 00:22:54,566
to feast on a meatier diet.
300
00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:58,933
♪♪
301
00:22:58,966 --> 00:23:02,100
It developed
especially sharp claws.
302
00:23:02,133 --> 00:23:04,066
♪♪
303
00:23:04,100 --> 00:23:06,866
So few escape a grisly death.
304
00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:30,933
The island of Maui may be
a lush, tropical paradise,
305
00:23:30,966 --> 00:23:33,566
but it's shrinking.
306
00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:38,700
Its now dormant volcanoes
no longer build new land.
307
00:23:38,733 --> 00:23:43,733
Instead, extreme weather
wears away its peaks.
308
00:23:43,766 --> 00:23:47,266
Maui contains some of
the wettest places on Earth.
309
00:23:47,300 --> 00:23:50,166
♪♪
310
00:23:50,200 --> 00:23:53,666
Eight feet of rain
can fall in a single month.
311
00:23:53,700 --> 00:24:00,233
♪♪
312
00:24:00,266 --> 00:24:04,566
Rainfall and waterfalls
erode the soft volcanic rock.
313
00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:12,366
♪♪
314
00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:15,066
But across all the islands,
315
00:24:15,100 --> 00:24:18,333
this process has also
created new rivers...
316
00:24:18,366 --> 00:24:23,433
♪♪
317
00:24:23,466 --> 00:24:27,266
...providing yet more
opportunities for life here.
318
00:24:27,300 --> 00:24:34,400
♪♪
319
00:24:34,433 --> 00:24:37,200
Young Hawaiian gobies
leave the sea behind
320
00:24:37,233 --> 00:24:41,366
to take advantage
of these upland rivers.
321
00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:44,533
But to get to
the pristine rivers above,
322
00:24:44,566 --> 00:24:48,000
these tiny fish
face enormous hurdles.
323
00:25:02,633 --> 00:25:07,533
Above, there are fewer predatorsand little competition for food.
324
00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:12,166
So this plucky little fish
325
00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:15,266
begins her seemingly
impossible ascent.
326
00:25:15,300 --> 00:25:19,100
♪♪
327
00:25:19,133 --> 00:25:23,033
Just days ago,
her body transformed.
328
00:25:23,066 --> 00:25:26,200
Her mouth moved
90 degrees downwards
329
00:25:26,233 --> 00:25:29,200
so she could use it
like a suction cup.
330
00:25:29,233 --> 00:25:31,100
♪♪
331
00:25:31,133 --> 00:25:33,233
She alternates between her mouth
332
00:25:33,266 --> 00:25:37,966
and another sucker made
from her fins on her underside,
333
00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:41,100
slowly pulling
her inch-long body upwards.
334
00:25:41,133 --> 00:25:47,166
♪♪
335
00:25:47,200 --> 00:25:53,200
♪♪
336
00:25:53,233 --> 00:25:55,200
And she's not alone.
337
00:25:55,233 --> 00:26:03,733
♪♪
338
00:26:03,766 --> 00:26:12,166
♪♪
339
00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:15,166
The odds are stacked
against them.
340
00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:23,900
♪♪
341
00:26:23,933 --> 00:26:28,233
Around 99% perish
long before the top.
342
00:26:28,266 --> 00:26:37,133
♪♪
343
00:26:37,166 --> 00:26:46,000
♪♪
344
00:26:46,033 --> 00:26:48,666
It can take days
of hard climbing
345
00:26:48,700 --> 00:26:50,933
before finally reaching the top.
346
00:26:59,100 --> 00:27:04,333
There, the lucky few can grow up
free from predators
347
00:27:04,366 --> 00:27:06,600
and with food aplenty.
348
00:27:14,533 --> 00:27:16,166
The main islands of Hawaii
349
00:27:16,200 --> 00:27:19,833
are surrounded
by extensive sheltered waters.
350
00:27:21,933 --> 00:27:23,333
Nestled between Maui
351
00:27:23,366 --> 00:27:26,333
and its neighboring islands
of Molokai and Lanai
352
00:27:26,366 --> 00:27:30,800
is a shallow channel,
the most protected in Hawaii.
353
00:27:35,366 --> 00:27:37,600
It's the perfect winter getaway
354
00:27:37,633 --> 00:27:40,866
for the biggest gathering
of ocean giants on Earth.
355
00:27:40,900 --> 00:27:46,800
♪♪
356
00:27:46,833 --> 00:27:52,733
♪♪
357
00:27:52,766 --> 00:27:55,900
After a summer
feeding in Alaska,
358
00:27:55,933 --> 00:28:01,666
10,000 humpback whalesleave the freezing waters behind
359
00:28:01,700 --> 00:28:06,500
and migrate 2,500 miles south
to get here.
360
00:28:06,533 --> 00:28:09,933
♪♪
361
00:28:09,966 --> 00:28:15,566
It's one of the longest
migrations of any mammal.
362
00:28:15,600 --> 00:28:22,066
And they do it not just to give
birth, but also to find a mate.
363
00:28:22,100 --> 00:28:24,000
[ Whales singing ]
364
00:28:24,033 --> 00:28:27,466
The males fill the water
with their love songs.
365
00:28:27,500 --> 00:28:30,833
[ Whales singing ]
366
00:28:51,066 --> 00:28:53,133
In a show of strength,
367
00:28:53,166 --> 00:28:56,000
they breach 50 feet
out of the sea.
368
00:28:59,933 --> 00:29:04,766
[ Singing continues ]
369
00:29:04,800 --> 00:29:08,166
All in an attempt
to win over a female.
370
00:29:14,066 --> 00:29:16,866
But to help her
choose her partner,
371
00:29:16,900 --> 00:29:19,133
she calls for a competition.
372
00:29:26,566 --> 00:29:30,566
Slapping her fin, she invites
the males to chase her.
373
00:29:34,633 --> 00:29:37,700
And they quickly rise
to the challenge.
374
00:29:37,733 --> 00:29:39,966
[ Whales singing ]
375
00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:45,500
♪♪
376
00:29:45,533 --> 00:29:48,266
The winner will be the one
that manages to stay
377
00:29:48,300 --> 00:29:50,200
at the head of the pack,
378
00:29:50,233 --> 00:29:52,966
closest to the female
at the front.
379
00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:54,900
[ Singing continues ]
380
00:29:54,933 --> 00:29:58,233
This is known as a heat run,
381
00:29:58,266 --> 00:30:01,433
and it's the biggest
courtship race in the world.
382
00:30:01,466 --> 00:30:10,466
♪♪
383
00:30:10,500 --> 00:30:19,500
♪♪
384
00:30:19,533 --> 00:30:19,533
The males know
all
385
00:30:19,533 --> 00:30:22,666
One blows a screen of bubbles,
386
00:30:26,000 --> 00:30:28,600
trying to disorient
his competitors.
387
00:30:28,633 --> 00:30:31,433
♪♪
388
00:30:31,466 --> 00:30:39,366
Others head-butt, ram,
and slash with their tails.
389
00:30:39,400 --> 00:30:43,733
♪♪
390
00:30:43,766 --> 00:30:48,833
♪♪
391
00:30:48,866 --> 00:30:53,933
These 40-ton giants
can seriously injure each other
392
00:30:53,966 --> 00:30:57,233
in their fight to get to
the female at the front.
393
00:30:57,266 --> 00:31:00,166
♪♪
394
00:31:00,200 --> 00:31:09,033
♪♪
395
00:31:09,066 --> 00:31:17,900
After two hours of chasing,
396
00:31:17,933 --> 00:31:22,033
the lead male
has proven his worth.
397
00:31:22,066 --> 00:31:25,500
Pairing off, she leads him away
to finally mate.
398
00:31:32,966 --> 00:31:37,233
[ Whales singing ]
399
00:31:37,266 --> 00:31:39,566
Although no one's sure how these
humpbacks ever found Hawaii,
400
00:31:47,500 --> 00:31:51,833
for those that make it here,
these remote tropical islands
401
00:31:51,866 --> 00:31:56,200
offer extraordinary
opportunities for new life.
402
00:31:56,233 --> 00:32:01,366
And around 1,000 years ago,
403
00:32:09,866 --> 00:32:12,233
another pioneer
discovered these islands --
404
00:32:12,266 --> 00:32:16,200
a key moment in history
which changed Hawaii forever.
405
00:32:16,233 --> 00:32:21,233
♪♪
406
00:32:25,200 --> 00:32:30,333
♪♪
407
00:32:30,366 --> 00:32:35,533
The ancestors of the Polynesianswere an ancient seafaring nation
408
00:32:35,566 --> 00:32:40,533
that island-hopped their way
from South East Asia
409
00:32:40,566 --> 00:32:45,133
across the Pacific to get here.
410
00:32:45,166 --> 00:32:47,566
♪♪
411
00:32:47,600 --> 00:32:54,333
Reaching these uncharted
remote shores
412
00:32:54,366 --> 00:32:56,800
was such a remarkable feat
413
00:32:56,833 --> 00:32:59,066
that it's still celebrated
today.
414
00:32:59,100 --> 00:33:01,900
♪♪
415
00:33:04,433 --> 00:33:08,200
Each year, in honor
of their pioneering ancestors,
416
00:33:08,233 --> 00:33:12,033
Hawaii hosts one of the world's
biggest canoe races.
417
00:33:12,066 --> 00:33:15,766
♪♪
418
00:33:15,800 --> 00:33:20,833
It's known as
the The Na Wahine O Ke Kai --
419
00:33:20,866 --> 00:33:25,066
Women of the Sea.
420
00:33:25,100 --> 00:33:26,966
♪♪
421
00:33:27,000 --> 00:33:36,033
Before the race begins,
422
00:33:36,066 --> 00:33:37,800
the teams gather
for an opening prayer.
423
00:33:37,833 --> 00:33:40,766
-[ Speaking native language ]
424
00:33:40,800 --> 00:33:44,733
-Many of those taking part
descdescend from those
425
00:33:44,766 --> 00:33:47,333
heroic Polynesian voyagers.
426
00:33:47,366 --> 00:33:50,566
Like Mahealani Botelho.
427
00:33:50,600 --> 00:33:52,900
-Paddling affords me
to connect to my ancestors,
428
00:33:52,933 --> 00:33:56,000
to my kupuna, to my family.
429
00:33:56,033 --> 00:33:58,533
Initially our ancestors used it
as a way of traveling,
430
00:33:58,566 --> 00:34:01,266
to seek home and shelter.
431
00:34:01,300 --> 00:34:02,900
And, you know, now in these days
we use it for racing.
432
00:34:02,933 --> 00:34:06,833
[ Horn blares ]
433
00:34:06,866 --> 00:34:11,333
♪♪
434
00:34:11,366 --> 00:34:20,533
♪♪
435
00:34:20,566 --> 00:34:29,800
-The teams must paddle
across 42 miles
436
00:34:29,833 --> 00:34:32,533
of grueling open ocean...
437
00:34:32,566 --> 00:34:37,400
between the island of Molokai
438
00:34:37,433 --> 00:34:40,166
and the next island
along the chain, Oahu.
439
00:34:40,200 --> 00:34:43,800
♪♪
440
00:34:43,833 --> 00:34:47,933
To make their voyages
of thousands of miles,
441
00:34:47,966 --> 00:34:52,200
the Polynesian ancestors
used dugout canoes
442
00:34:52,233 --> 00:34:56,166
joined by a platform,
powered by paddle and sail...
443
00:34:56,200 --> 00:35:00,566
♪♪
444
00:35:00,600 --> 00:35:02,633
...in journeys lasting months.
445
00:35:02,666 --> 00:35:05,166
♪♪
446
00:35:05,200 --> 00:35:10,133
Today's race may be shorter,
but it's so intense
447
00:35:10,166 --> 00:35:13,600
that exhausted paddlers
must switch over.
448
00:35:13,633 --> 00:35:16,500
♪♪
449
00:35:16,533 --> 00:35:19,833
Like any relay,
timing is crucial,
450
00:35:19,866 --> 00:35:24,700
and for Mahealani, it's
a spiritual part of the race.
451
00:35:24,733 --> 00:35:28,733
-You go through
the whole gamut of emotion,
452
00:35:28,766 --> 00:35:32,133
and there's something magical
that happens there
453
00:35:32,166 --> 00:35:34,700
because I think you just have tosurrender yourself to the ocean.
454
00:35:34,733 --> 00:35:37,900
♪♪
455
00:35:37,933 --> 00:35:45,900
♪♪
456
00:35:45,933 --> 00:35:53,900
Navigating
without visual landmarks
457
00:35:53,933 --> 00:35:56,133
takes remarkable skill.
458
00:35:56,166 --> 00:35:58,100
The ancestral Polynesians
could detect distant islands
459
00:36:00,200 --> 00:36:03,200
from wave reflections
in the swell...
460
00:36:03,233 --> 00:36:06,133
♪♪
461
00:36:06,166 --> 00:36:09,466
...just one of the cues
that may have helped them
462
00:36:09,500 --> 00:36:11,833
discover Hawaii
in the first place.
463
00:36:11,866 --> 00:36:14,766
♪♪
464
00:36:14,800 --> 00:36:20,333
♪♪
465
00:36:20,366 --> 00:36:25,966
With land in sight,
466
00:36:26,000 --> 00:36:27,433
the rival red team is
drawing in on Mahealani's team.
467
00:36:27,466 --> 00:36:31,766
♪♪
468
00:36:31,800 --> 00:36:41,400
The finish line is on the shores
469
00:36:41,433 --> 00:36:43,233
of Hawaii's capital city,
Honolulu.
470
00:36:43,266 --> 00:36:47,200
♪♪
471
00:36:47,233 --> 00:36:54,066
♪♪
472
00:36:54,100 --> 00:37:01,100
And after almost six hours
of paddling,
473
00:37:01,133 --> 00:37:04,033
it's Mahealani's team
that claims victory.
474
00:37:04,066 --> 00:37:07,233
♪♪
475
00:37:07,266 --> 00:37:09,033
[ Cheering and
indistinct shouting ]
476
00:37:09,066 --> 00:37:10,966
♪♪
477
00:37:11,000 --> 00:37:15,233
-Whoo-hoo!
478
00:37:15,266 --> 00:37:18,533
♪♪
479
00:37:18,566 --> 00:37:28,366
[ Cheering ]
480
00:37:28,400 --> 00:37:30,900
♪♪
481
00:37:30,933 --> 00:37:35,300
-It's a magical
bonding experience
482
00:37:35,333 --> 00:37:37,733
of women from young to old,
483
00:37:37,766 --> 00:37:41,333
and, you know, you're honoring
the people that came before us,
484
00:37:41,366 --> 00:37:44,533
and you're honoring the people
that will come after us,
485
00:37:44,566 --> 00:37:46,833
and ultimately
honoring ourselves.
486
00:37:46,866 --> 00:37:49,200
♪♪
487
00:37:49,233 --> 00:37:54,833
♪♪
488
00:37:54,866 --> 00:38:00,566
-We don't know where
the original settlers landed...
489
00:38:00,600 --> 00:38:05,800
but they quickly colonized
all the large main islands,
490
00:38:05,833 --> 00:38:10,133
taking advantage
of the abundant rainfall
491
00:38:10,166 --> 00:38:13,300
and rich volcanic soil
that has developed over time.
492
00:38:13,333 --> 00:38:17,100
As successive waves of people
arrived,
493
00:38:22,333 --> 00:38:25,500
they slowly transformed
parts of Hawaii
494
00:38:25,533 --> 00:38:29,433
into the buzzing modern
metropolises they are today.
495
00:38:29,466 --> 00:38:33,566
But the greatest change
humans brought
496
00:38:37,400 --> 00:38:40,066
were all the new plantsand animals that came with them.
497
00:38:40,100 --> 00:38:43,500
A trend that has continued
to modern times.
498
00:38:48,300 --> 00:38:51,700
In 1972, a pet shop
imported several dozen
499
00:38:54,833 --> 00:38:59,100
Jackson's chameleons
from East Africa.
500
00:38:59,133 --> 00:39:02,133
But they escaped.
501
00:39:04,766 --> 00:39:07,200
[ Engine starts ]
502
00:39:07,233 --> 00:39:09,033
♪♪
503
00:39:09,066 --> 00:39:15,300
♪♪
504
00:39:15,333 --> 00:39:21,533
♪♪
505
00:39:21,566 --> 00:39:27,800
Slowly but surely...
[ Dog whimpers ]
506
00:39:27,833 --> 00:39:30,500
...they found their way
out of the suburbs
507
00:39:30,533 --> 00:39:33,000
and up into Oahu's forests.
508
00:39:33,033 --> 00:39:36,500
And that's when
the trouble began.
509
00:39:36,533 --> 00:39:39,266
Horned males
joined the escapee females.
510
00:39:47,700 --> 00:39:51,233
Free from predators
and with an abundance of food,
511
00:39:55,966 --> 00:40:00,566
their numbers exploded.
512
00:40:00,600 --> 00:40:04,100
They began eating their way
through the unique collection
513
00:40:04,133 --> 00:40:07,333
of species
that evolved on Hawaii...
514
00:40:07,366 --> 00:40:11,000
who had never seen a predator
like this before.
515
00:40:11,033 --> 00:40:14,233
Invasive species
like these chameleons
516
00:40:24,866 --> 00:40:28,400
have contributed
to the extinction
517
00:40:28,433 --> 00:40:30,600
of over 500 native species.
518
00:40:30,633 --> 00:40:34,066
Attempts are now being made
to recapture the chameleons --
519
00:40:41,066 --> 00:40:46,233
part of a larger effort tosave Hawaii's native wildlife...
520
00:40:46,266 --> 00:40:50,100
[ Truck horn blares ]
521
00:40:52,900 --> 00:40:54,533
...even in the most
unlikely places.
522
00:40:54,566 --> 00:40:57,666
[ Horn blares ]
523
00:40:57,700 --> 00:40:59,666
In Hawaii's busiest city,
Honolulu,
524
00:40:59,700 --> 00:41:03,733
a fluffy white tern
just a few days old.
525
00:41:03,766 --> 00:41:06,666
With no nest to protect him,
526
00:41:15,833 --> 00:41:19,366
he must cling carefully
to his street perch...
527
00:41:19,400 --> 00:41:24,300
while he waits for his parents
528
00:41:24,333 --> 00:41:25,700
to deliver regular supplies
of squid and small fish.
529
00:41:25,733 --> 00:41:29,466
[ Chirping ]
530
00:41:31,633 --> 00:41:33,833
♪♪
531
00:41:37,566 --> 00:41:40,866
These birds were revered
by the ancient Polynesians.
532
00:41:40,900 --> 00:41:44,766
♪♪
533
00:41:44,800 --> 00:41:49,933
They knew that if they saw
534
00:41:49,966 --> 00:41:51,433
a white tern
with a bill full of fish,
535
00:41:51,466 --> 00:41:55,500
it was a sure sign
that land was nearby.
536
00:41:55,533 --> 00:41:58,633
♪♪
537
00:41:58,666 --> 00:42:03,466
And yet it's likely
the arrival of humans
538
00:42:03,500 --> 00:42:06,500
wiped them out
from the main islands.
539
00:42:06,533 --> 00:42:09,066
♪♪
540
00:42:09,100 --> 00:42:12,533
But now the terns
are making a comeback.
541
00:42:12,566 --> 00:42:16,733
♪♪
542
00:42:16,766 --> 00:42:18,866
In the last 60 years,
their numbers have risen
543
00:42:18,900 --> 00:42:23,166
from a single pair
to over 2,000 birds.
544
00:42:23,200 --> 00:42:28,100
♪♪
545
00:42:28,133 --> 00:42:30,133
Busy roads may help
keep predators away.
546
00:42:30,166 --> 00:42:33,166
♪♪
547
00:42:33,200 --> 00:42:35,266
And trees planted
within the city
548
00:42:35,300 --> 00:42:37,133
provide safety
and prime nesting habitat.
549
00:42:37,166 --> 00:42:40,366
♪♪
550
00:42:40,400 --> 00:42:44,166
[ Horns honking ]
551
00:42:44,200 --> 00:42:46,233
♪♪
552
00:42:46,266 --> 00:42:51,100
In six weeks' time, this chick
will take to the air...
553
00:42:51,133 --> 00:42:55,433
♪♪
554
00:42:55,466 --> 00:43:00,466
...joining the island's now
thriving white tern population.
555
00:43:00,500 --> 00:43:04,833
♪♪
556
00:43:10,933 --> 00:43:12,700
[ Thunder rumbling ]
557
00:43:12,733 --> 00:43:15,566
For one species, the changes
people have made to Hawaii
558
00:43:15,600 --> 00:43:20,300
have brought
new opportunities...
559
00:43:20,333 --> 00:43:22,800
and plenty of food.
560
00:43:22,833 --> 00:43:24,833
♪♪
561
00:43:24,866 --> 00:43:28,933
The Pacific golden plover.
562
00:43:28,966 --> 00:43:31,366
♪♪
563
00:43:31,400 --> 00:43:34,700
They migrate an epic 3,00 miles
564
00:43:34,733 --> 00:43:38,266
to get here from Alaska
every winter.
565
00:43:38,300 --> 00:43:41,333
♪♪
566
00:43:41,366 --> 00:43:43,133
Because this is the perfect
place for them to fatten up
567
00:43:43,166 --> 00:43:47,033
and double their body weight.
568
00:43:47,066 --> 00:43:49,033
♪♪
569
00:43:49,066 --> 00:43:52,166
Short grass is full
of their favorite insects
570
00:43:52,200 --> 00:43:55,700
like cockroaches,
caterpillars, and earwigs,
571
00:43:55,733 --> 00:43:59,833
which they locate by sight.
572
00:43:59,866 --> 00:44:02,400
[ Engine rumbling softly ]
573
00:44:02,433 --> 00:44:04,500
And here the grass is carefully
maintained year-round...
574
00:44:04,533 --> 00:44:08,866
...because this is
a military cemetery.
575
00:44:12,400 --> 00:44:15,500
The National Memorial Cemetery
of the Pacific.
576
00:44:21,100 --> 00:44:24,733
The final resting place
577
00:44:24,766 --> 00:44:26,100
for thousands
of U.S. service personnel.
578
00:44:26,133 --> 00:44:29,166
It sits inside
an extinct volcano
579
00:44:32,000 --> 00:44:35,700
known as the Punchbowl Crater.
580
00:44:35,733 --> 00:44:38,433
A visual reminder of how
these islands were made...
581
00:44:41,666 --> 00:44:46,966
and just how much they've
changed since people arrived.
582
00:44:47,000 --> 00:44:50,200
♪♪
583
00:44:50,233 --> 00:44:56,300
♪♪
584
00:44:56,333 --> 00:45:02,500
But on a far greater time scale,
585
00:45:02,533 --> 00:45:05,266
Hawaii has always been changing.
586
00:45:05,300 --> 00:45:09,300
From their birth and through
their gradual decline,
587
00:45:09,333 --> 00:45:14,666
there comes a time
when these islands finally die.
588
00:45:14,700 --> 00:45:17,966
Journeying northwest,
589
00:45:24,833 --> 00:45:26,933
Hawaii's islands becomeprogressively older and smaller.
590
00:45:26,966 --> 00:45:30,966
Over tens of millions of years,
591
00:45:38,500 --> 00:45:42,300
island that were once
lush, towering peaks
592
00:45:42,333 --> 00:45:47,533
have been eroded to little more
than a patch of sand.
593
00:45:47,566 --> 00:45:51,133
Even now, while the land
is lost above water,
594
00:46:09,433 --> 00:46:13,733
new opportunities open up
for those beneath the waves.
595
00:46:13,766 --> 00:46:17,366
[ Dolphins chirping softly ]
596
00:46:28,066 --> 00:46:30,033
These sinking islands,
bathed in warm tropical seas,
597
00:46:33,933 --> 00:46:39,200
provide the perfect platform
for coral reefs to thrive.
598
00:46:39,233 --> 00:46:43,266
♪♪
599
00:46:43,300 --> 00:46:49,033
They've become a magnet
for ocean drifters
600
00:46:49,066 --> 00:46:51,500
like these green turtles...
601
00:46:51,533 --> 00:46:55,133
who travel here for a service
602
00:46:55,166 --> 00:46:56,766
that's not available
in the open ocean...
603
00:46:56,800 --> 00:46:59,400
♪♪
604
00:46:59,433 --> 00:47:01,566
...a thorough clean
by reef fish
605
00:47:01,600 --> 00:47:04,200
to remove algae
from their shells.
606
00:47:04,233 --> 00:47:06,966
♪♪
607
00:47:07,000 --> 00:47:09,233
The fish get a good meal...
608
00:47:09,266 --> 00:47:13,600
and the turtle
can swim more easily.
609
00:47:13,633 --> 00:47:17,566
♪♪
610
00:47:17,600 --> 00:47:22,166
Like on land,
many new species have evolved.
611
00:47:24,033 --> 00:47:27,733
On some of these reefs,
612
00:47:30,533 --> 00:47:32,666
every single fish
is unique to Hawaii.
613
00:47:32,700 --> 00:47:35,600
The Hawaiian monk seal
614
00:47:40,566 --> 00:47:42,066
is another species
found nowhere else.
615
00:47:42,100 --> 00:47:44,933
After being hunted
to the edge of extinction,
616
00:47:52,866 --> 00:47:56,033
it's now one of the rarest seals
on Earth, with just 1,500 left.
617
00:47:56,066 --> 00:48:02,033
Today their numbers
are stable...
618
00:48:07,166 --> 00:48:11,166
thanks mainly to the creation
of one of the largest
619
00:48:11,200 --> 00:48:13,666
marine conservation areas
in the world...
620
00:48:13,700 --> 00:48:17,266
♪♪
621
00:48:17,300 --> 00:48:22,800
...which stretches from
the last of the main islands
622
00:48:22,833 --> 00:48:25,500
all the way to the end
of the Hawaiian chain.
623
00:48:25,533 --> 00:48:28,700
♪♪
624
00:48:28,733 --> 00:48:34,766
There lies Midway Atoll.
625
00:48:34,800 --> 00:48:38,000
At 30 million years old,
626
00:48:38,033 --> 00:48:40,400
it's one of the oldest
of all the islands.
627
00:48:40,433 --> 00:48:42,900
♪♪
628
00:48:42,933 --> 00:48:45,566
Today all that's left of
its once towering volcanic peak
629
00:48:45,600 --> 00:48:50,233
are 2 square miles of sand.
630
00:48:50,266 --> 00:48:53,166
♪♪
631
00:48:53,200 --> 00:48:55,400
But it's still highly prized
real estate.
632
00:48:55,433 --> 00:48:58,800
♪♪
633
00:48:58,833 --> 00:49:08,733
[ Birds crying ]
634
00:49:08,766 --> 00:49:11,366
♪♪
635
00:49:11,400 --> 00:49:17,033
Once fiercely fought over
636
00:49:17,066 --> 00:49:18,666
in World War II's
Battle of Midway...
637
00:49:18,700 --> 00:49:21,533
♪♪
638
00:49:21,566 --> 00:49:24,166
...today it hosts three million
nesting seabirds...
639
00:49:24,200 --> 00:49:29,266
[ Bird honks ]
640
00:49:29,300 --> 00:49:31,600
...including the biggest colony
641
00:49:31,633 --> 00:49:33,533
of Laysan albatross
in the world.
642
00:49:33,566 --> 00:49:36,900
[ Rapid knocking ]
643
00:49:36,933 --> 00:49:39,033
♪♪
644
00:49:39,066 --> 00:49:46,300
Among the thousands,
645
00:49:48,966 --> 00:49:51,000
one 4-month-old chick
is getting desperate.
646
00:49:51,033 --> 00:49:56,866
Like the other chicks
around him,
647
00:49:56,900 --> 00:49:59,066
he's still flightless
and entirely dependent
648
00:49:59,100 --> 00:50:01,400
on his parents for food.
649
00:50:01,433 --> 00:50:03,500
But his mother is the oldestknown living bird in the wild --
650
00:50:06,033 --> 00:50:11,233
an astonishing 67 years old.
651
00:50:11,266 --> 00:50:15,400
He hasn't seen her
for over a week.
652
00:50:15,433 --> 00:50:19,733
She may be thousands of miles
away searching for food.
653
00:50:19,766 --> 00:50:25,033
In the searing tropical sun,
654
00:50:25,066 --> 00:50:27,566
he desperately pants
to cool down...
655
00:50:27,600 --> 00:50:30,366
...and can only watch
656
00:50:34,500 --> 00:50:36,666
while other parents return
to feed their chicks.
657
00:50:36,700 --> 00:50:40,133
♪♪
658
00:50:47,400 --> 00:50:53,200
♪♪
659
00:50:53,233 --> 00:50:59,066
But after two long weeks
of waiting...
660
00:50:59,100 --> 00:51:02,433
♪♪
661
00:51:02,466 --> 00:51:04,466
...the world's oldest known bird
finally appears.
662
00:51:04,500 --> 00:51:09,466
♪♪
663
00:51:09,500 --> 00:51:14,800
♪♪
664
00:51:14,833 --> 00:51:20,133
Identified as "Z333"
on her leg band...
665
00:51:20,166 --> 00:51:25,866
she's more affectionately known
as "Wisdom."
666
00:51:25,900 --> 00:51:29,300
♪♪
667
00:51:29,333 --> 00:51:36,300
And to her chick, she's
instantly recognizable as Mom.
668
00:51:36,333 --> 00:51:41,333
♪♪
669
00:51:41,366 --> 00:51:49,500
♪♪
670
00:51:49,533 --> 00:51:57,700
♪♪
671
00:51:57,733 --> 00:52:05,933
In her extraordinary lifetime,
672
00:52:05,966 --> 00:52:08,766
Wisdom has flown
around 3 million miles
673
00:52:08,800 --> 00:52:13,066
to successfully raise
37 chicks.
674
00:52:13,100 --> 00:52:17,166
[ Knocking ]
675
00:52:17,200 --> 00:52:19,833
Now she's surrounded
by three generations
676
00:52:19,866 --> 00:52:22,533
of her extended family,
677
00:52:22,566 --> 00:52:25,233
but this exceptional
great-grandmother
678
00:52:25,266 --> 00:52:27,700
has no time to rest...
679
00:52:27,733 --> 00:52:30,300
♪♪
680
00:52:30,333 --> 00:52:34,766
...only staying for ten minutes
681
00:52:34,800 --> 00:52:36,566
before leaving
to search for more food.
682
00:52:36,600 --> 00:52:39,733
♪♪
683
00:52:39,766 --> 00:52:48,233
The chick may have one of
the most experienced mothers
684
00:52:48,266 --> 00:52:50,733
in the world,
but his future is uncertain.
685
00:52:50,766 --> 00:52:54,466
♪♪
686
00:52:54,500 --> 00:53:01,266
The natural process
that sees Hawaii's islands
687
00:53:01,300 --> 00:53:03,900
slowly sink back into the ocean
688
00:53:03,933 --> 00:53:06,933
is accelerating
with rising sea levels.
689
00:53:06,966 --> 00:53:10,166
♪♪
690
00:53:10,200 --> 00:53:17,100
By the end of this century,
due to climate change,
691
00:53:17,133 --> 00:53:21,800
many low-lying islands
like Midway Atoll
692
00:53:21,833 --> 00:53:25,166
are predicted to disappear...
693
00:53:25,200 --> 00:53:28,000
and with them
their unique wildlife.
694
00:53:28,033 --> 00:53:30,766
[ Knocking ]
695
00:53:30,800 --> 00:53:32,866
♪♪
696
00:53:32,900 --> 00:53:39,033
But as some of Hawaii's islands
are reclaimed by the sea,
697
00:53:39,066 --> 00:53:43,266
others are rising up
under the depths,
698
00:53:43,300 --> 00:53:46,866
ready to form new land...
699
00:53:46,900 --> 00:53:48,833
♪♪
700
00:53:48,866 --> 00:53:54,833
...and create
even more opportunity
701
00:53:54,866 --> 00:53:57,200
for any brave creatures
702
00:53:57,233 --> 00:53:59,366
that can reach
these distant shores
703
00:53:59,400 --> 00:54:02,633
and make Hawaii their home.
704
00:54:02,666 --> 00:54:05,733
♪♪
705
00:54:05,766 --> 00:54:08,333
-Next time, Madagascar.
706
00:54:09,666 --> 00:54:14,200
The oldest island on Earth.
707
00:54:14,233 --> 00:54:17,700
Isolated since the time
of the dinosaurs.
708
00:54:17,733 --> 00:54:22,533
Where life has evolved
in the most remarkable way...
709
00:54:22,566 --> 00:54:26,733
♪♪
710
00:54:26,766 --> 00:54:30,166
...creating a world of wildlife
711
00:54:30,200 --> 00:54:32,633
unlike anywhere else
on the planet.
712
00:54:32,666 --> 00:54:36,633
[ Cries ]
713
00:54:36,666 --> 00:54:38,333
♪♪
714
00:54:39,666 --> 00:54:45,900
-To order "Islands of Wonder"
on DVD,
715
00:54:45,933 --> 00:54:48,100
visit ShopPBS
or call 1-800-PLAY-PBS.
716
00:54:48,133 --> 00:54:51,733
This program is also available
on Amazon Prime Video.
717
00:54:51,766 --> 00:54:55,833
♪♪
718
00:54:55,866 --> 00:55:02,466
♪♪
719
00:55:02,500 --> 00:55:08,500
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