All language subtitles for Planet.Earth.III.S01E01.1080p.BluRay.x264-EARTHYPLANET.eng

Almost 200 years ago,

Whilst walking these very paths
in the English countryside

and observing the banks
and meadows near his home,

Charles Darwin developed
his ground-breaking ideas

about evolution,

casting a new light
on the natural world

and opening our eyes
to its true wonder.

Since then, we've explored
almost every part of the planet

and seen nature
in its astounding variety.

But there's still much
to discover.

In this new series
of Planet Earth,

we travel to the most
astonishing Wild places...

...see mysterious creatures...

...witness
spectacular wonders...

...and reveal
breathtaking animal dramas.

(SNARLS)

The natural world
continues to surprise us.

But since Darwin's time, it has
changed beyond recognition...

...transformed
by a powerful force - us.

We will see how animals are
adapting in extraordinary ways

to survive the new challenges
they face.

At this crucial time
in our history,

we must now
look at the world

through a new lens.

This is Planet Earth III.

Tasmania,

Shipstern's Bluff,

Where two worlds collide.

These waves have crossed

more than a thousand miles
of open ocean...

...building in strength.

It's here that they meet
their explosive end.

Coasts are dangerous
and dynamic frontiers.

To succeed here, life must
adapt to constant change.

South Africa's
Robberg Peninsula.

Thousands of Cape fur seals
gather here to breed.

(SEALS BARKING)

This pup was born
into a crowded world.

But now, at nearly a year old,

he can escape to the water.

He just has to get there.

(SNARLS)

(GRUNTS)

There is no question
as to Where this pup belongs.

In the water,
he's fast and agile...

...and he needs to be.

The rolling surf conceals
life-threatening dangers.

(SEAL YELPS)

A great white shark.

This young pup has had
a very lucky escape.

(SEALS BARKING)

Here on Africa's
southern coast,

seals risk their lives
every time

they set out to eat.

Powerful ocean currents
attract huge shoals of fish.

But in recent years,

this stretch has attracted
increased numbers

of great Whites, too.

The great whites
are shrewd hunters

and use Whatever cover
is available.

(SEALS BARKING)

This shark won't need to eat
for another few days.

But he's not alone.

These usually solitary hunters

are gathering
in unprecedented numbers...

...a dozen at a time.

The seals are nimble...

...but great whites
are patient...

...and have
explosive acceleration...

...hitting top speed with just
five swipes of their tails.

Cornered, the seals keep close
to the jagged cliffs.

They're trapped.

But as the great whites
move in for the kill...

...the seals do something
astonishing.

Together, they turn
on their enemy.

As more join, the mob grows...

...in both number
and confidence.

The tables are turning.

By sheer force of numbers,

these fur seals drive

the world's
most notorious predator...

...back out to sea.

Here, animals are adapting
to new challenges

in a rapidly changing world.

In the Arctic,

monumental change
is a regular event.

(BLOWS)

Summer. Visitors are arriving
en masse...

...attracted by the biggest
seasonal transformation

on any coast on Earth.

Over 300 billion tons
of ice are melting...

...releasing
nutrient-rich water.

Extraordinary newcomers
appear from the depths.

A sea angel...

...no bigger
than your little finger.

It's eaten little for months.

Its empty stomach glows orange.

And there are
other hungry arrivals.

A sea butterfly...

...a snail with Wings.

Both angel and butterfly
are blind...

...but each monitors
minute changes in the water

as they search for a meal.

This angel has a devilish side.

Its mouthparts invert...

...to form a deadly trap
of tentacles...

...from which there is
little chance of escape.

With a stomach full of prey,

this angel has lost its glow...

...but not its appetite.

It feasts While it can.

Both predator and prey

will soon return
to the depths...

...before the ice transforms
this coast once again.

(WIND GUSTS)

Namibia,

Where desert lions
roam across vast territories.

(LION GROWLS)

These desert cats are on
a never-ending search for food.

And that has brought
these young sisters...

...here...

...Africa's infamous
Skeleton Coast.

Following years of persecution,

Namibia's lions
are now protected,

and their range

is expanding again.

These are the first to be seen

on these shores for 40 years.

By day,
there is little for them here.

(GROW LS SOFTLY)

But at night,
it's a different story.

(BIRDS CALL)

Sea birds come here to roost
in their thousands.

These hungry sisters have never
seen an opportunity like this.

But no cats,
certainly no desert cats,

enjoy getting their paws wet.

These roosting cormorants
are sitting ducks

for hunters
with good night vision...

(BIRDS SQUAWK)

...in theory.

Birds are not
a big cat's usual prey,

let alone sea birds...

...and these sisters
need to get their eye in.

(CHICK CHIRPS)

Catching flying prey
in the dark is not easy...

...but these lions
have acquired the knack.

Coasts can not only
provide food...

...they can also be
a sanctuary.

(WHALE GRUNTS)

(CLICKING)

This female southern
right whale is nearing the end

of a 5,000-mile journey
across open ocean.

She's kept a steady course...

...to a special place
she has known all her life...

...Peninsula Valdés, Argentina.

In these calm, shallow waters,

her behaviour starts to change.

She rolls and shifts
her great body.

Perhaps she's trying
to get comfortable.

(GRUNTS)

(GRUNTS)

(GRUNTS)

Other females are close by.

Some have been coming here
for five decades...

...seeking the shelter
of this bay

at a key time in their lives.

(GRUNTING)

This whale is here

to give birth.

(BLOWS)

A new life begins.

The calf is totally dependent
on its mother.

She's producing as much
as 200 litres of milk a day.

The strength she loses,

the calf gains...

...and it becomes more and more
independent and playful.

In this nursery bay,

there are plenty of playmates.

But a mother never
lets her calf stray too far...

...and will always offer
a welcome embrace.

(CALLS GENTLY)

The family keeps in constant
contact with Whispered calls.

New research has revealed
that in shallow coastal waters

their calls
not only fade quickly,

but are also concealed

by the sound of waves
breaking on the shore...

(WAVES LAP)

(WHALE CALLS GENTLY)

...so they won't attract
the attention of predators.

Not so long ago, these whales
faced a graver threat.

They were hunted
to near extinction.

But 40 years ago,

commercial Whaling was banned.

Today, their population
is 12,000 strong,

and this bay now attracts
one of the largest gatherings

of these whales
anywhere on Earth.

There are over a million miles
of coastline around the world.

Together, they constitute

the most varied habitat
on the planet.

Here, on Canada's west coast,

some of the most powerful
of all ocean currents

deliver a constant supply
of nutrients

to the shores
of countless islands.

(BIRDSONG)

And those that live here

take full advantage.

This is the aptly named
wandering garter snake.

(HISSES)

(HISSES)

He may seem out of place,

but he's here to eat.

The water here is more
than ten degrees colder

than the air.

But that doesn't deter
this intrepid hunter

from taking the plunge.

Under the water, there is
an abundance of food...

...if you can catch it.

Snakes are cold-blooded,

so he can't stay in
these chilly waters for long.

Back in the sunshine,
he warms his head,

perhaps sharpening his senses.

And then, with a gulp of air...

...he continues his hunt.

It's thought that garter snakes

can use their forked tongue
underwater,

as they do in air,
smelling in stereo,

detecting prey
wherever it hides.

He's got something.

A small fish.

Now he has to land it.

Success.

For those animals
able to cross the divide

between land and sea,
there are surprising rewards.

Raja Ampat in Indonesia.

Here, there's a greater variety
of animals

than on any other coast
on Earth.

The corals are protected
by mangroves,

salt-tolerant trees

that prop themselves
on curving aerial roots.

These fish have learned
how to catch prey

from high in the trees.

Archerfish use jets of water
like arrows.

This pinpoint accuracy

requires
some complex calculations.

The hunter first estimates
the range of its target...

...then loads with
a precise amount of water.

(GULPS)

Aiming, they allow for
the refraction and distortion

created by the water's
moving surface.

And then...

...release...

...an arrow of water.

They can hit prey

up to two metres above them.

But they're not born
with this skill.

They have to learn it.

And they do that
by studying others.

This youngster is watching
a master at work.

It's time for the apprentice
to have a go.

First, he must select a target.

This seems rather ambitious.

Missed.

Others watch to learn
from his mistakes...

...OI'...

...to steal his prize.

Enough is enough.

There is one way
to beat the thieves.

The archer himself

becomes the arrow.

Mangroves are unusually
stable coastal environments,

Where an archerfish can focus
on beating the competition.

But on the exposed coast
of Mexico's Yucatan,

life is precarious.

Concentrated
by the tropical sunshine,

the brine
in these shallow lagoons

cannot be tolerated
by most animals.

And yet
these Caribbean flamingos

have flown hundreds of miles
to gather here.

(FLAMINGOS SQUAWK)

These hypersaline waters
keep many predators at bay...

...so it's here
they choose to nest.

There are more
than 10,000 pairs here.

It's the largest breeding
colony in North America.

(FLAMINGOS SQUAWKING)

Nest mounds keep chicks
clear of the brine

While they're still
at their most vulnerable.

(CHIRPS)

(CHIRPS)

(CHIRPS)

(CHIRPING)

But this generation
faces a problem.

(CHIRPS)

(THUNDER RUMBLES)

The storms that come
each season

are arriving earlier
every year...

...and the colony
lies directly in their path.

(WIND GUSTS)

Rising winds
create a storm surge

that overwhelms
the most exposed nests.

(SQUAWKING)

(THUNDER RUMBLES)

And then...it rains.

The adults do what they can,
bailing out their nests.

But they can only do so much.

The storm passes...but leaves
devastation in its wake.

Most nests are submerged.

(CHIRPS)

The chicks are soaked
and cold...

...and will soon perish

unless they can
get out of the water.

(CHIRPING)

The adults are unable to help.

A chick must save itself.

(WATER SPLASHES)

(CHIRPING)

Some years,

no chicks
survive in this colony.

Our coasts
are vulnerable places,

increasingly so
as rising global temperatures

create bigger storms.

(RUMBLING)

The biggest are hurricanes.

They form
over warm tropical water,

building in strength at sea.

But their full force
is unleashed on our coasts...

...Where 40%
of the world's human population

have made their homes.

In this changing world...

...coasts are
on the front line.

Raine Island,

one of the planet's
most important breeding sites

for one particularly
precious species.

The green turtle.

On a few special nights
each year,

as many as 20,000 females
come ashore here.

Their instinct to nest
is strong...

...and many haul themselves
far inland

in search of nesting space.

In a single night,

they may lay as many
as two million eggs.

(HUFFS)

(BIRDS SQUAWK)

Dawn.

This exhausted female
has nested,

but now she faces
a long return journey

through the dunes to the sea.

(HUFFS)

(HUFFS)

As the sun rises...

...she is at risk
of being baked alive.

Every inch she travels
is gruelling.

And the ebbing tide
has exposed a rocky reef.

It has already claimed
many lives...

...other females overcome
by heat and exhaustion.

Her temperature is rising.

She has to keep going.

(GRUNTS)

As many as 2,000 female turtles

may die here each year.

(GRUNTING)

But the coast
is always changing.

And the turning tide
may yet save her.

Half of all the green turtles
in the Pacific

come here to nest,

as they have done
for at least 1,000 years.

But for how much longer?

If sea levels rise
as predicted,

Within the next 30 years

Raine Island will disappear
beneath the waves.

Coasts are dynamic,
dangerous frontiers.

And they are changing faster
than ever before

in human history.

Life is remarkably resilient

and adapts to new challenges.

But there is a limit

on how fast it can do so.

As far as I know, I was one
of the first people to film

on Raine Island, back in 1957.

YOUNG DAVID: After a fortnight
of travelling north,

we at last sighted
Raine Island.

From the sea,
it looked no more

than a low sandbank
covered in scrub,

but as we rowed ashore,

we were deafened by the cries
of thousands of sea birds

which hung above the island
like a black cloud.

DAVID: [was 31,

and it was here that
I first met a green turtle.

YOUNG DAVID: The turtles
come up to lay at night,

and after a night spent
laying maybe over 100 eggs,

she's very weary

and very anxious
to get back to the sea.

DAVID: Nearly 70 years later,
the Planet Earth III team

are welcomed by people

whose connection to the island

goes back
very much further than mine.

Welcome to Raine!

The Wuthathi and Meriam people
have been coming here

for several thousand years.

Raine Island is a beautiful
and special place.

Like, there's nowhere else
in the planet

Where you come and see
this much turtles.

It's a wonder to see.

Since I was there,

it's been discovered
that Raine Island attracts

more nesting green turtles than
anywhere else on the planet.

So many! As soon as you're up,
you're, "Oh, there are a lot."

And the crew soon meet
some other residents, too.

This is behind
the behind-the-scenes!

Yeah!

Aww. See you, mate.

The team are here to record

the mother turtles' perilous
journeys back to the sea.

CREW MEMBER: Oh, God.

Trapped turtles can often
free themselves

with the help
of the rising tide.

Yeah, nearly. Just a bit
more to the right. There...

Yeah, there.

But in this case, Keron makes
the decision to intervene.

Ready? One. two, three.

KERON:
Yeah, any time we're here,

we'll walk the beach.

Any turtles that have no chance
of making it back to the ocean,

if we can save 'em,
we save 'em,

because every turtle
is precious.

At the time of my first visit,
little was known

to outsiders
about Raine Island.

But for the last few decades,
scientists have been working

with the Wuthathi and
Meriam people to understand

more about this special place.

WOMAN: Scientists have been
coming to Raine Island

since about the mid-'70s,

and over that time
they've been monitoring

the nesting population here.

This work
involves long hours...

98.7, yeah.

...and a certain degree
of patience.

MAN: AW!

(KATHARINE LAUGHS)

MAN: Urgh!

KATHARINE: We're going to be
wearing half of Raine Island

by the end of tonight!

Helping the year's
first hatchlings

is a little easier.

So, we'll take these ones
down to the water's edge,

so hopefully we'll see these
turtles back here laying eggs

in 30 years' time.

With the help
of this dedicated team,

Raine Island's turtles

might seem to have
a good future.

But research
is revealing a hidden threat.

The direct effects
of climate change.

Do you want to hold this

against the flat part
of the data logger?

A developing turtle's sex

is determined by
the temperature of its nest.

Higher temperatures
produce female hatchlings.

The temperature of the sand
on Raine Island is now

at a record high,

so 99% of the turtles
that hatch here are female.

More alarmingly,

we now know
this has been the case

for at least the last 20 years.

You do the math -
all females, no males.

What's gonna happen?

There's going to be
a population crash

and there'll be
no more turtles.

Work is under way
to find solutions,

but that's not
their only problem.

Not only
are temperatures rising,

sea levels are, too.

Increasingly, high tides
on Raine are flooding

many of the nests from below...

...drowning the developing
turtles before they hatch.

It's really upsetting.
You'll dig down

to check to see success,

and you get down to the nest

and you're just pulling up
dead eggs.

To try and stop this happening,

they have devised
a heavy-duty solution.

These machines have been
shipped hundreds of miles

from the Australian mainland
to reshape the beach.

They have already shifted sand

that would fill 16
Olympic-sized swimming pools

and doubled the number
of safe nesting sites.

The hope is
that this will ensure

that over five million
more eggs

will hatch in the next decade.

But from then on,
the future of Raine Island

looks very uncertain.

KATHARINE: At this stage,
we think that we have

until about 2050
until we start seeing

massive impacts
of sea level rise.

It's crazy to think that,
you know,

the work that we do here,

someone might not be doing this
in 30 years' time

cos there's no island
to do it on.

KERON: What sort of world is it
going to be for my children

and their children?

Is there going
to be anything for...

...for them,
or is it...all in vain?

We'll always be here fighting
for Raine Island, the turtles,

but we can't do it alone.

We need government
and big business to wake up

and see what
they're doing to the planet

and get real.

YOUNG DAVID: This little fellow
is newly hatched from an egg

which had been laid
a month or so earlier,

and he, too, is very anxious
to get down to the sea.

Having at last successfully
reached the water,

he's still got a great number
of hazards to face

before he grows up.

DAVID: Little did I know then

what hazards that little turtle
would have to face,

or the extraordinary lengths
to which people would go

to protect it and its island.

In the 66 years since my visit,

Raine Island has remained

the most important green turtle
nesting site on the planet.

The question is,
can it last another lifetime?