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I'm here, surrounded by one of nature's greatest wonders.
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A living structure so enormous, it can be seen from space.
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The Great Barrier Reef.
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Home to one of the most extraordinary communities of animals on the planet.
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'I've been fascinated by it for almost 60 years.'
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Here, unknown species are still being found.
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And scientists are making astonishing discoveries
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about the creatures that we thought we knew.
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'In this series, our research vessel, the Alucia,
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'will allow us to explore the reef as never before.'
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Using the latest technology, I'll visit its mysterious depths.
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Nobody has ever dived as deep as this before on the Great Barrier Reef.
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I'll learn of its surprising origins.
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And discover how this wonderfully diverse community
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has been created by some of the very smallest creatures on the reef.
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But visited by some of the most impressive animals on the planet.
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It's an ecosystem like no other.
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Vital to our oceans.
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And surprisingly, we are still uncovering its many secrets.
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The Great Barrier Reef lies on Australia's north-east coast.
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It's 1,400 miles long...
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..and at its widest, 150 miles across.
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It consists of almost 3,000 individual coral reefs...
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..and 900 islands.
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And for me, it's truly
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one of the most extraordinary places on the planet.
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People say to me,
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"What was the most magical thing you ever saw in your life?
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"What was the most magical moment in your career as a naturalist?"
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And I always say, the first time I put on a mask
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and went below the surface
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and moved in three dimensions just with a flick of my fin
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and suddenly saw all these amazingly multicoloured things
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living in communities right there.
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Just astounding things.
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Unforgettable beauty.
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I first came to the Barrier Reef nearly 60 years ago.
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And I remember very clearly how amazed I was
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to see such a complexity of life.
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But today, we have ways of looking at the reef,
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technical ways, which we never had before
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and give us a completely new vision of this wonderful place,
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which is surely one of the greatest treasures of the natural world.
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'Now I've returned.
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'And taking me on this journey is the Alucia,
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'a 56-metre state-of-the-art research and exploration vessel.
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'For this expedition, we've been granted unprecedented access
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'to some of the most remote corners of the Great Barrier Reef.'
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Onboard is a team of experts.
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And at our disposal, all the latest technology.
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Our mission is to reveal a hidden world
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and to complete a series of dives
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that have never before been attempted on the Great Barrier Reef.
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But to do that, we have had to bring in a very special piece of equipment.
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This is a Triton submarine.
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The very latest in submersible technology.
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And the first of its kind to be brought to these waters.
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The submersible's captain, Buck Taylor, will lead the dive team.
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With 2,000 dives under his belt, his expertise is unparalleled.
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While our film crew rigs the submersible
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with no fewer than eight cameras,
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Buck gathers the rest of the team together
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to brief us on the dives ahead.
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- COMPUTER:
- "Welcome to the MV Alucia submersible team..."
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'The submersible offers spectacular filming opportunities,
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'but it's not without its dangers.'
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Coming from the rescue background,
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I've been in a submersible up to my waist in water,
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I've had a fire in a submersible.
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- COMPUTER:
- "No smoking, smoking materials..."
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'As well as these hazards, Buck is also obliged to raise
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'one of the more intimate limitations of submersible life.'
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We do have facilities of a toilet onboard.
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Obviously, because it's quite confined, it's not very discrete,
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so we do have some towels out that we can hold up around you.
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It's quite interesting trying to explain about going to the toilet
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in a three-man submersible in a sort of sphere
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that's less than two metres diameter. It's quite intimate.
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He was six foot three... LAUGHTER
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We've got cameras pointing from every direction.
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- Good.
- Thank you.
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Thanks very much. I'm looking forward to it a lot.
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The Alucia's first mission
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is to take us to the Barrier's stunning ribbon reefs
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in the north of its extensive range.
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It's an area of outstanding natural beauty
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and the perfect place to begin our explorations.
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The story of the Great Barrier Reef
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starts with its most important inhabitant, the coral itself.
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Hidden inside these branching structures
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are the thousands of tiny creatures that build these reefs.
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And they have an enormous claim to fame.
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Together, they've built the largest living structure on earth.
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But these fascinating coral creatures are only active at night.
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So to capture their behaviour,
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we'll need to do something I've never done before.
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Tonight, a team of specialist divers, scientists
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and programme-makers, like myself,
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have gathered together to have a closer look and a longer look
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at the reef at night than perhaps has ever been possible.
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When I came here 60 years ago,
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the idea of a night dive was almost inconceivable.
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It seemed to me, a beginner, to be far too dangerous.
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But now, technology is going to help me.
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'Once I'm in, it's over to Buck and the support team,
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'who remain onboard the Alucia,
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'to make sure everything goes smoothly.'
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INDISTINCT RADIO
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'They've spent months preparing for this moment.'
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SIREN WAILS
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'Our submersible, known to the crew as the Nadir,
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'has, of course, made dives like this all over the world.
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'She's descended to the deepest part of the oceans,
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'but she's never visited the Barrier Reef.
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'It's a first for all of us.
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'But before we can go anywhere, we'll need to position the Nadir
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'at a safe distance from the Alucia.
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'It's a substantial operation,
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'but finally, we're ready to get underway.'
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S.O. Nadir, just approaching the buoy. Am I clear to vent?
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- RADIO:
- "Roger, Nadir. You are clear to vent, clear to vent.
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"Have a good dive, guys."
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'Sinking beneath the waves is a very surreal experience.
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'Your first instinct is to hold your breath.
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'At night, the reef is a ghostly world.
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'Tiny shrimp-like creatures dance in the lights.'
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Look at that! Wow!
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'With little light, there is a lot less colour,
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'but this is still a very magical place.'
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Ah! There's something! My first fish!
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'Our submersible will eventually take us to depths of 300 metres.
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'Now, we're only 30 metres down,
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'but that's exciting enough for a start.'
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In these dark waters, Buck needs to be careful
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as we move around the front of the reef.
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Coral reefs are sometimes described as marine cities.
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And the comparison is indeed a good one.
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We're here to take a closer look at the reef's architecture.
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Its coral buildings.
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There are more than 450 different species of hard coral.
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The plant-like structures we can see are actually made of limestone.
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And living inside are thousands of highly industrious little animals
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called coral polyps.
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At night, the water around the reef
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becomes filled with clouds of tiny microorganisms
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called the zooplankton.
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And that's what the corals eat.
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The coral polyps themselves emerge from their stony skeleton
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and start groping in the water with their tentacles.
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To see just what they're doing, we need specialised cameras.
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The coral polyps never leave the safety of their limestone homes,
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even at night.
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If something edible comes within reach,
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the polyps fire the microscopic harpoons that line their tentacles.
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The prey is stunned or killed and then pulled into the polyp's mouth.
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When you can't leave your home, it pays to be accurate.
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The coral's stinging armoury isn't used only for collecting food.
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They also use it to fight.
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Because, as has been discovered only comparatively recently,
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corals, like many animals that live on land,
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are extremely territorial.
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But in order to see the battles,
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you have to speed up time.
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The polyps of each colony collaborate to defend their patch.
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As in any big city, space is precious.
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If a rival grows too close, there will be trouble.
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These fights can last for hours.
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The competition is fierce
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as the coral colonies jostle with one another
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for the best feeding sites.
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When they're not locked in battle, the corals have work to do.
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'They must extract calcium carbonate from the surrounding seawater
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'and with it, build their homes.'
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Each coral species has its own particular way of building.
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And together, they eventually create the huge reefs
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that provide homes for all kinds of other, much larger creatures.
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At night, the reef seems like an extraterrestrial world.
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But down here, we are the aliens.
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And here comes a turtle!
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Attracted by our lights.
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Come on!
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Coming straight to us.
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Isn't that great!
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'Coming face-to-face with a green turtle
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'in this setting is a rare privilege,
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'but its presence here, along with all the other reef residents,
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'is only made possible thanks to the great coral builders.'
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He doesn't look very upset, does he?
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It happens all the time on this reef.
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It's the perfect end to my first dive.
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The time has come for us to make our way back up to the Alucia.
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Welcome back, gentlemen.
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Diving on a reef at night is a thrilling experience.
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What I want to see next is how exactly these tiny coral creatures
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have created such a vast and extensive habitat.
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To answer that, we'll need to look at the reef
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from another angle entirely.
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At this height, you can begin to appreciate
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the immense size of the Barrier Reef.
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It's 2,300 kilometres long, 1,400 miles.
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It's the largest living structure on the planet.
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Reefs much like these develop in the shallow tropical waters
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that surround many an island and continental coast.
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But few can match the Great Barrier
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in either size or complexity.
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So, what is so special about the north-eastern coast of Australia?
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A clue to the answer lies in the shape of the sea floor.
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If we strip away the ocean,
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we can reveal the reason why such extraordinary growth is possible.
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The reef has grown on a very shallow continental shelf.
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Beyond which, there is a sudden and very steep 2,000-metre drop-off.
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It stands in waters with an average depth of just 35 metres.
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That's just about as far as sunlight can penetrate with any strength.
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Light is crucially important to reef-building corals
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because they have developed a special partnership
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with microscopic algae -
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plants that actually grow within tissues.
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The algae get a safe home
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and, like all plants, when they photosynthesise,
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they produce energy.
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The coral polyps use this energy to construct their limestone home.
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Together, they've built an underwater city
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on a scale that is almost impossible to comprehend.
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But amazingly, just 10,000 years ago,
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there was no coral here at all.
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The Great Barrier Reef as we know it today simply didn't exist.
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How and when these coral communities began
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is something scientists have only recently started to investigate.
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Marine geologist, Dr Robin Beaman,
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has been leading an ambitious project to scan the entire reef.
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And his data has allowed us to map the sea floor.
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David, this is a three-dimensional model of the Great Barrier Reef.
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In deeper waters, we tend to use sonar,
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in shallow waters, we tend to use underwater laser beams
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to image the sea floor.
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'By combining computer modelling and radiocarbon dating,
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'his team have been able to reconstruct
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'the key stages in the development of the Great Barrier.
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'Their research has helped identify an event
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'between 10,000 and 20,000 years ago
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'which may explain how the Great Barrier Reef was formed.
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'But surprisingly, scientists are not the only ones to tell this story.'
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Australia's Aboriginal peoples arrived on this continent
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around 50,000 years ago.
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They have been telling the story of how the reef was formed
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long before the world's scientists even knew it existed.
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To hear that story, the Alucia is taking us to Northern Queensland
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to meet a community with a very special connection
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to this underwater world.
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They are the Gimuy Walubara Yidinji people.
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And they live just outside the city of Cairns.
252
00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:15,680
This community has dwelt alongside the reef for thousands of years.
253
00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:19,400
THEY SPEAK YIDINY
254
00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:25,800
And many of their traditions hark back to those ancient times.
255
00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:28,240
THEY SING IN YIDINY
256
00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:34,520
And one of them tells how the reef came into existence.
257
00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:38,680
It's a legend that has been passed down from generation to generation
258
00:22:38,680 --> 00:22:40,680
in the form of a dance.
259
00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:47,440
Tell me the story that's connected to this dance, sir.
260
00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:52,760
It's part of our law story that's told to me by my dad, my father,
261
00:22:52,760 --> 00:22:56,320
and was told to him by his father and his grandfather, as well.
262
00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:01,240
The part of the dance that really interests me
263
00:23:01,240 --> 00:23:04,440
is the story of Gunyah and the sacred fish.
264
00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:10,400
The story starts with Gunyah going out to sea.
265
00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:14,360
And he saw a glitter in the water, which he thought was a fish.
266
00:23:14,360 --> 00:23:17,720
And when he speared it,
267
00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:22,720
he actually speared our sacred fish, the stingray.
268
00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:25,880
So the fish got angry and it started to rise up.
269
00:23:25,880 --> 00:23:30,360
And with its wings, it made the sea rough
270
00:23:30,360 --> 00:23:32,800
and it caused the sea to rise.
271
00:23:34,880 --> 00:23:39,240
Take us back to the time when the first human beings arrived here.
272
00:23:39,240 --> 00:23:40,920
What was it like then?
273
00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:42,960
The coastline would have been very different.
274
00:23:42,960 --> 00:23:45,360
So the coastline would have been right out here,
275
00:23:45,360 --> 00:23:47,240
on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef.
276
00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:49,320
The sea level was much lower
277
00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:52,160
and they would have fished and hunted the coastline.
278
00:23:52,160 --> 00:23:53,680
These were limestone hills
279
00:23:53,680 --> 00:23:55,840
that would have been eucalypts, marshlands.
280
00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:58,080
There would have been mangrove swamps.
281
00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:04,840
But roughly 14,000 years ago,
282
00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:08,480
the climate started to dramatically change.
283
00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:10,360
It was the end of the Ice Age.
284
00:24:10,360 --> 00:24:13,840
And all that water started to inundate the continental shelf
285
00:24:13,840 --> 00:24:18,040
and start to flood this vast, flat landscape.
286
00:24:18,040 --> 00:24:20,520
- And in one man's lifetime?
- Absolutely.
287
00:24:20,520 --> 00:24:24,840
So, people living here are going to have to retreat?
288
00:24:24,840 --> 00:24:27,360
Absolutely. It would have been a dramatic time for them.
289
00:24:27,360 --> 00:24:29,360
They would have been following the coastline
290
00:24:29,360 --> 00:24:31,440
as it prograded further and further back
291
00:24:31,440 --> 00:24:33,320
as the water was flooding the shelf.
292
00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:37,480
The rate of change was so great that in these very flat areas here,
293
00:24:37,480 --> 00:24:41,440
the coastline would have moved back by hundreds of metres every year.
294
00:24:41,440 --> 00:24:43,240
- Every year?
- Every year.
295
00:24:44,720 --> 00:24:47,720
Gosh! That's formidable.
296
00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:05,800
So our story is about the sea rising.
297
00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:09,040
And there used to be a cliff further out.
298
00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:12,000
And past the cliff is where the ocean used to be.
299
00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:13,880
Now, that's really remarkable.
300
00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:18,440
Because Western science is just beginning to make discoveries
301
00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:21,400
that seem to suggest that the sea,
302
00:25:21,400 --> 00:25:25,520
10,000, 20,000 years ago, was way, way out there,
303
00:25:25,520 --> 00:25:27,640
which is exactly what your story says.
304
00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:29,520
- Extraordinary.
- Yes.
305
00:25:29,520 --> 00:25:33,280
A folk memory of an event that happened all that time ago.
306
00:25:33,280 --> 00:25:37,160
Yeah. And the only way we can keep it alive
307
00:25:37,160 --> 00:25:40,320
- is through our song and our dance.
- Yes.
308
00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:43,520
Just to keep that going through our culture.
309
00:25:44,680 --> 00:25:46,120
So the tradition lives.
310
00:25:46,120 --> 00:25:48,160
- Yes.
- It's wonderful.
311
00:25:52,560 --> 00:25:56,400
'It is truly astounding to think that this story has survived
312
00:25:56,400 --> 00:25:59,560
'for so many years and across so many generations.
313
00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:07,280
'And that it coincides with what scientists are now discovering
314
00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:09,640
'about the age of the Great Barrier.'
315
00:26:13,120 --> 00:26:16,880
The polyps that built the reef arrived as spawn,
316
00:26:16,880 --> 00:26:19,000
swept here by the ocean currents.
317
00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:23,680
Corals are not new to the planet.
318
00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:27,000
They've been around for at least 500 million years.
319
00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:38,800
The new reefs provided homes for thousands of animals,
320
00:26:38,800 --> 00:26:42,880
and very quickly, a whole new community began to establish itself.
321
00:26:46,280 --> 00:26:48,040
Today, the Great Barrier Reef
322
00:26:48,040 --> 00:26:51,800
has one of the most diverse communities of animals on the planet.
323
00:26:56,120 --> 00:27:00,000
And it's the story of these remarkable reef residents
324
00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:02,400
that I want to investigate next.
325
00:27:04,680 --> 00:27:09,440
To do that, the Alucia is taking me north to a very special place.
326
00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:13,360
Lizard Island.
327
00:27:21,040 --> 00:27:23,400
It's one of the 600 continental islands
328
00:27:23,400 --> 00:27:25,760
scattered across the Great Barrier Reef.
329
00:27:30,320 --> 00:27:35,000
And its shallow lagoon is known for its exceptional biodiversity.
330
00:27:39,440 --> 00:27:42,160
'With the Alucia anchored in deeper water,
331
00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:46,040
'a more modest mode of transport will be needed to reach the shore.
332
00:27:49,640 --> 00:27:52,520
'I first visited Lizard Island in 1957.
333
00:27:54,520 --> 00:27:57,000
'Then, it was completely uninhabited.
334
00:28:00,320 --> 00:28:03,880
'Little did I know how important this remote outpost would become
335
00:28:03,880 --> 00:28:06,680
'in helping us to understand the coral reefs.
336
00:28:09,920 --> 00:28:12,600
'But today, that's exactly what this remarkable place
337
00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:14,600
'is world-renowned for.'
338
00:28:18,600 --> 00:28:21,760
Here, for the past few decades, there has been a research station
339
00:28:21,760 --> 00:28:26,360
where scientists can study continuously and in detail
340
00:28:26,360 --> 00:28:30,840
the full complexity of the community of animals that makes up the reef.
341
00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:39,600
Every year, Lizard Island hosts 100 different research projects.
342
00:28:42,080 --> 00:28:44,360
Here, scientists are shedding new light
343
00:28:44,360 --> 00:28:46,400
on the lives of the reefs' residents
344
00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:49,520
and the way in which this complex community works.
345
00:28:52,680 --> 00:28:57,280
Thanks to their research, we now know that coral reefs rival rainforests
346
00:28:57,280 --> 00:29:00,240
in the vast numbers of species they support.
347
00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:06,920
The first question is, where does all that diversity come from?
348
00:29:11,720 --> 00:29:13,960
Lizard Island reefs owe their richness
349
00:29:13,960 --> 00:29:17,320
to the special plants that, in places, fringe the shores.
350
00:29:19,720 --> 00:29:21,720
They link land and sea
351
00:29:21,720 --> 00:29:24,360
and they're vital to the coral reef community.
352
00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:27,320
They're mangroves.
353
00:29:29,880 --> 00:29:32,560
Taking shelter amongst the roots
354
00:29:32,560 --> 00:29:37,000
are thousands of juvenile fish of all shapes and sizes.
355
00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:40,720
Many of these little fish look harmless enough,
356
00:29:40,720 --> 00:29:43,360
but when they grow up, they will become
357
00:29:43,360 --> 00:29:46,720
some of the most ferocious predators on the reef.
358
00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:49,560
Indeed, the existence of these mangrove nurseries
359
00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:53,080
is one of the reasons why the fish populations of the reef
360
00:29:53,080 --> 00:29:56,720
are among the most varied and richest in the world.
361
00:30:00,880 --> 00:30:04,560
The mangroves are not only nurseries, they're playgrounds.
362
00:30:07,640 --> 00:30:11,720
The aim of the game here is to survive the most vulnerable stage
363
00:30:11,720 --> 00:30:14,960
of any animal's life, being a juvenile.
364
00:30:19,320 --> 00:30:21,240
Baby turtles...
365
00:30:22,600 --> 00:30:25,440
..rays and even sharks take refuge here.
366
00:30:30,160 --> 00:30:34,320
These juvenile blacktips are just a few weeks old.
367
00:30:34,320 --> 00:30:36,600
And only one sixth of the size they will be
368
00:30:36,600 --> 00:30:40,200
when they make it out on to the reef as adults.
369
00:30:42,040 --> 00:30:43,720
For the first year of their lives,
370
00:30:43,720 --> 00:30:46,960
the mangroves play a vital role in keeping them safe.
371
00:30:49,320 --> 00:30:53,160
As infants, they're vulnerable to predation from larger sharks.
372
00:30:55,560 --> 00:30:59,480
But the tangle of mangrove roots keeps the big predators out
373
00:30:59,480 --> 00:31:02,240
and stops them making meals of the youngsters.
374
00:31:07,360 --> 00:31:08,680
When the young are ready,
375
00:31:08,680 --> 00:31:11,640
they will eventually leave this sheltered world behind
376
00:31:11,640 --> 00:31:15,200
and make their way to the reef beyond the mangrove roots.
377
00:31:21,920 --> 00:31:24,760
The next challenge will be to find their place
378
00:31:24,760 --> 00:31:27,320
in one of the most crowded ecosystems on the planet.
379
00:31:35,480 --> 00:31:39,080
Getting on the property ladder here is no easy feat.
380
00:31:41,640 --> 00:31:45,160
Which is why one of the reefs' most celebrated characters
381
00:31:45,160 --> 00:31:47,840
has developed a very special relationship.
382
00:31:51,760 --> 00:31:55,440
Clownfish deal with the problem of overcrowding
383
00:31:55,440 --> 00:31:59,960
by sharing space with another creature, gigantic anemones.
384
00:32:05,320 --> 00:32:08,680
They've formed a relationship in which both parties benefit.
385
00:32:11,480 --> 00:32:15,360
Anemones have tentacles that are packed with stinging cells.
386
00:32:15,360 --> 00:32:19,520
Most fish touching one get a very nasty sting,
387
00:32:19,520 --> 00:32:21,880
but not the clownfish,
388
00:32:21,880 --> 00:32:25,920
thanks to the protective layer of mucus that covers its body.
389
00:32:29,040 --> 00:32:31,880
The clownfish keeps the anemone in good health
390
00:32:31,880 --> 00:32:33,960
by removing unwanted parasites.
391
00:32:35,280 --> 00:32:39,120
And in return, the anemone offers security.
392
00:32:39,120 --> 00:32:42,560
Its stinging cells ward off the sort of creatures
393
00:32:42,560 --> 00:32:44,920
which would otherwise threaten the clownfish.
394
00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:54,760
When the time comes for a pair to breed, that protection will be vital.
395
00:32:59,320 --> 00:33:02,520
A female may lay up to 1,000 eggs
396
00:33:02,520 --> 00:33:05,160
on the rock beneath her anemone home.
397
00:33:09,400 --> 00:33:11,200
As she delicately attaches them,
398
00:33:11,200 --> 00:33:15,880
the male follows closely behind, fertilising the eggs as he goes.
399
00:33:20,080 --> 00:33:23,680
A week will pass before the young are ready to emerge.
400
00:33:27,520 --> 00:33:30,040
Hatching only happens at night,
401
00:33:30,040 --> 00:33:33,040
so to record it, we have to use infrared cameras
402
00:33:33,040 --> 00:33:35,920
in a specialised filming environment.
403
00:33:38,000 --> 00:33:42,080
This is the very first time that this behaviour has been filmed.
404
00:33:44,680 --> 00:33:47,400
With gentle encouragement from their father,
405
00:33:47,400 --> 00:33:49,640
the young are helped on their way.
406
00:33:57,960 --> 00:34:01,640
Once the little larvae are set free, they're on their own.
407
00:34:03,160 --> 00:34:05,760
They'll spend the first few weeks of their life
408
00:34:05,760 --> 00:34:07,760
developing in the open ocean.
409
00:34:10,720 --> 00:34:12,320
But how will the young clownfish
410
00:34:12,320 --> 00:34:14,880
find their way back to the coral reefs
411
00:34:14,880 --> 00:34:17,560
after drifting many miles out to sea?
412
00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:28,600
To understand that, we will have to tune into a sense
413
00:34:28,600 --> 00:34:32,480
we don't normally associate with this colourful underwater world.
414
00:34:35,400 --> 00:34:36,960
Sound.
415
00:34:42,240 --> 00:34:46,360
Coral reefs are surprisingly noisy places.
416
00:34:46,360 --> 00:34:50,400
Fish and invertebrates produce a whole range of clicks
417
00:34:50,400 --> 00:34:52,720
and grunts and snaps.
418
00:34:52,720 --> 00:34:57,400
The healthier the reef, the more varied and numerous its inhabitants
419
00:34:57,400 --> 00:34:59,800
and the louder this chorus is.
420
00:35:02,280 --> 00:35:05,120
We now know that fish, just like birds,
421
00:35:05,120 --> 00:35:08,600
vocalise most at dawn and dusk.
422
00:35:11,280 --> 00:35:14,680
Damselfish call to defend their territory.
423
00:35:14,680 --> 00:35:17,360
GRUNTING
424
00:35:18,840 --> 00:35:21,520
Seahorses click to attract a mate.
425
00:35:21,520 --> 00:35:23,920
CLICKING
426
00:35:26,600 --> 00:35:29,240
Others create a very different soundscape
427
00:35:29,240 --> 00:35:31,720
simply by carrying out their daily duties.
428
00:35:31,720 --> 00:35:33,800
SQUAWKING
429
00:35:36,880 --> 00:35:39,800
Parrotfish crunching through the hard coral
430
00:35:39,800 --> 00:35:41,920
are a constant on the reef.
431
00:35:44,440 --> 00:35:47,160
Fish perceive sound in two different ways.
432
00:35:47,160 --> 00:35:50,160
Many have internal ears, but underwater,
433
00:35:50,160 --> 00:35:53,000
they can also feel sound as a vibration.
434
00:35:56,760 --> 00:36:02,200
The noise is a key indication that the community is in good shape.
435
00:36:02,200 --> 00:36:04,960
In fact, the louder the noise on a reef,
436
00:36:04,960 --> 00:36:07,960
the more inviting it is to newcomers.
437
00:36:07,960 --> 00:36:11,080
Newcomers like the young clownfish.
438
00:36:16,520 --> 00:36:19,080
This little male is no bigger than a button,
439
00:36:19,080 --> 00:36:23,200
but the time has come for him to find his place in the big city.
440
00:36:29,920 --> 00:36:34,040
At this stage, his swimming abilities leave something to be desired.
441
00:36:39,360 --> 00:36:42,920
But his hearing is so sensitive, he can tell over hundreds of metres
442
00:36:42,920 --> 00:36:44,520
if a reef is suitable.
443
00:36:47,480 --> 00:36:49,440
His journey can last days.
444
00:36:51,040 --> 00:36:54,400
The final approach is usually made at night to avoid predators.
445
00:36:56,400 --> 00:37:00,040
How fish hear and respond to sound of a healthy coral reef
446
00:37:00,040 --> 00:37:03,120
is a major area of study here on Lizard Island.
447
00:37:03,120 --> 00:37:07,240
And the scientists have a simple way of collecting these fish for study.
448
00:37:08,560 --> 00:37:11,280
A light trap, like this one at Lizard Island,
449
00:37:11,280 --> 00:37:15,760
is one way of assessing the way that the reef is working.
450
00:37:17,960 --> 00:37:22,560
Like moths to a flame, the young are attracted by the light.
451
00:37:24,200 --> 00:37:26,920
'By sampling the newest members of the community,
452
00:37:26,920 --> 00:37:29,640
'scientists can figure out how far these juvenile fish
453
00:37:29,640 --> 00:37:32,440
'are willing to travel for a good home.'
454
00:37:36,760 --> 00:37:40,720
In the case of the clownfish, juveniles have been known to travel
455
00:37:40,720 --> 00:37:44,080
250 miles before they find a reef.
456
00:37:51,120 --> 00:37:55,200
Fortunately, for the majority, it's usually a much shorter journey.
457
00:37:59,760 --> 00:38:02,160
While they rarely return to the particular anemone
458
00:38:02,160 --> 00:38:03,880
beside which they hatched,
459
00:38:03,880 --> 00:38:07,640
60% find a new home on the same reef.
460
00:38:13,840 --> 00:38:17,360
For the clownfish and the anemone, cooperation is the key
461
00:38:17,360 --> 00:38:20,920
to success in this extremely crowded environment.
462
00:38:27,680 --> 00:38:31,120
Other residents, however, take a very different approach.
463
00:38:33,680 --> 00:38:38,120
Rather than share their home, they fiercely defend their territories.
464
00:38:41,840 --> 00:38:43,960
This is a mantis shrimp.
465
00:38:46,800 --> 00:38:49,760
Spotting the competition is half the battle.
466
00:38:51,680 --> 00:38:54,280
There are many different species of mantis shrimp
467
00:38:54,280 --> 00:38:56,840
but they all have one thing in common,
468
00:38:56,840 --> 00:38:58,680
superb vision.
469
00:38:58,680 --> 00:39:02,920
The 400 million-year-old visual system of the mantis shrimp
470
00:39:02,920 --> 00:39:07,800
is the most complex in the entire animal kingdom.
471
00:39:07,800 --> 00:39:12,280
Its eyes are mounted on two stalks, giving it independent vision,
472
00:39:12,280 --> 00:39:15,320
but whereas our eyes produce binocular vision,
473
00:39:15,320 --> 00:39:19,120
each one of theirs produces three different images.
474
00:39:20,160 --> 00:39:25,080
Not only that, whereas we have three photoreceptors in our eyes,
475
00:39:25,080 --> 00:39:30,160
the mantis shrimp has up to 16, giving it access to
476
00:39:30,160 --> 00:39:34,880
parts of the spectrum that we can't even see, let alone imagine.
477
00:39:37,880 --> 00:39:42,280
And they can use their amazing vision to devastating effect.
478
00:39:47,080 --> 00:39:50,520
While some are armed with spears, others carry clubs.
479
00:39:57,080 --> 00:39:59,600
Many are champion boxers.
480
00:39:59,600 --> 00:40:01,120
They can deliver a punch
481
00:40:01,120 --> 00:40:04,480
that accelerates faster than a .22 calibre bullet.
482
00:40:10,240 --> 00:40:12,840
These powerful blows are used to stun their prey
483
00:40:12,840 --> 00:40:14,560
and defend their burrows.
484
00:40:19,680 --> 00:40:24,040
Mantis shrimps are one of the more house-proud residents on the reef.
485
00:40:25,800 --> 00:40:27,920
In fact, they're compulsive cleaners.
486
00:40:35,880 --> 00:40:38,520
They keep their burrows meticulously neat.
487
00:40:41,520 --> 00:40:44,280
With all that effort, it's hardly surprising that they're
488
00:40:44,280 --> 00:40:45,680
fiercely territorial.
489
00:40:48,320 --> 00:40:50,760
In fact, mantis shrimps have earned themselves
490
00:40:50,760 --> 00:40:53,440
a reputation for being somewhat ill-tempered.
491
00:40:55,000 --> 00:40:58,280
But scientists have discovered that there's another side
492
00:40:58,280 --> 00:40:59,840
to these macho males.
493
00:41:01,360 --> 00:41:05,120
This young hopeful is trying to catch the eye of a potential mate.
494
00:41:06,400 --> 00:41:09,280
He starts by showing off his paddle-like antennae.
495
00:41:13,440 --> 00:41:16,200
His technique may not be very impressive to us
496
00:41:16,200 --> 00:41:19,680
but he is, in fact, sending the female secret signals.
497
00:41:22,800 --> 00:41:26,000
And that is possible because mantis shrimps can see
498
00:41:26,000 --> 00:41:29,280
and reflect a kind of light that absolutely no other
499
00:41:29,280 --> 00:41:31,840
creature in the world that we know of can see...
500
00:41:33,480 --> 00:41:34,520
..including us.
501
00:41:36,880 --> 00:41:41,320
The male's display is a private invitation for this female to dance.
502
00:41:50,000 --> 00:41:51,880
So far, so good.
503
00:41:51,880 --> 00:41:54,040
She makes her way to the dance floor.
504
00:42:01,960 --> 00:42:05,160
If the male can impress the female with his performance,
505
00:42:05,160 --> 00:42:07,720
she will choose him to father her offspring.
506
00:42:17,640 --> 00:42:20,480
It seems that this male has all the right moves.
507
00:42:25,360 --> 00:42:28,480
The final phase of courtship, however, usually takes place
508
00:42:28,480 --> 00:42:32,120
out of sight, within their burrows.
509
00:42:38,200 --> 00:42:41,640
The mantis shrimp is arguably one of the reefs most colourful
510
00:42:41,640 --> 00:42:44,520
characters and typifies the key to survival here.
511
00:42:49,040 --> 00:42:54,680
Each resident species has had to carve out its own particular niche
512
00:42:54,680 --> 00:42:58,560
and that is what has created this extraordinary diversity.
513
00:43:00,520 --> 00:43:05,480
Here, life can evolve 50% faster than in other marine environments.
514
00:43:07,960 --> 00:43:11,200
The tiny creatures that have built this remarkable ecosystem
515
00:43:11,200 --> 00:43:17,000
have created a habitat so complex that it supports all kinds of life.
516
00:43:21,200 --> 00:43:23,840
But none of the reef's residents would be here
517
00:43:23,840 --> 00:43:26,560
without one truly extraordinary event.
518
00:43:28,320 --> 00:43:30,320
It occurs just once a year
519
00:43:30,320 --> 00:43:33,440
and is one of the greatest of all natural spectacles.
520
00:43:37,280 --> 00:43:41,400
It wasn't until the 1980s that scientists discovered it,
521
00:43:41,400 --> 00:43:43,120
here on the Great Barrier.
522
00:43:45,480 --> 00:43:47,000
On a few nights of the year
523
00:43:47,000 --> 00:43:48,760
when the conditions are just right,
524
00:43:48,760 --> 00:43:50,920
all along the length of the reef,
525
00:43:50,920 --> 00:43:55,040
corals of many different species suddenly erupt.
526
00:43:55,040 --> 00:43:58,080
It's the great spawning event
527
00:43:58,080 --> 00:44:00,840
and it's one of the wonders of the natural world.
528
00:44:02,840 --> 00:44:04,360
It's the one time in the year
529
00:44:04,360 --> 00:44:07,920
when the corals themselves don't just grow by branching,
530
00:44:07,920 --> 00:44:13,120
but reproduce sexually, and it's vital for the survival of the reef.
531
00:44:13,120 --> 00:44:15,440
In recent years, we've learned a great deal
532
00:44:15,440 --> 00:44:19,080
about the many factors that influenced the moment of spawning.
533
00:44:22,120 --> 00:44:25,480
But even though we know it occurs within days of the full moon in
534
00:44:25,480 --> 00:44:29,800
October or November, the trigger that starts it all is still a mystery.
535
00:44:34,840 --> 00:44:38,200
The light of the moon is, perhaps, the most influential,
536
00:44:38,200 --> 00:44:40,000
but there are many other factors,
537
00:44:40,000 --> 00:44:44,880
including the temperature of the water and the state of the tides.
538
00:44:44,880 --> 00:44:47,320
And as the moment approaches,
539
00:44:47,320 --> 00:44:49,680
all along the length of the reef,
540
00:44:49,680 --> 00:44:51,800
there's a mounting sense of excitement.
541
00:44:55,920 --> 00:44:58,880
Fish and other predators gather.
542
00:44:58,880 --> 00:45:01,480
This will be an opportunity for a feast.
543
00:45:09,800 --> 00:45:11,400
The timing has to be exact.
544
00:45:13,000 --> 00:45:16,960
Each species of coral has its own particular triggers,
545
00:45:16,960 --> 00:45:20,800
but they must synchronise their behaviour to ensure their success.
546
00:45:22,480 --> 00:45:25,160
Just half an hour before the big event,
547
00:45:25,160 --> 00:45:27,880
there is the first sign of the spawning to come.
548
00:45:31,480 --> 00:45:35,040
Small bundles of sperm and eggs bulge from the polyps.
549
00:45:41,120 --> 00:45:44,320
When the moment is right, there is a mass release.
550
00:46:11,960 --> 00:46:15,880
For hundreds of miles all along the coast, the corals erupt.
551
00:46:38,920 --> 00:46:43,120
Only with daybreak can you see the true scale of the event.
552
00:46:48,040 --> 00:46:52,720
Great ribbons of coral spawn drift over the surface of the sea.
553
00:47:00,240 --> 00:47:02,160
After the coral has spawned,
554
00:47:02,160 --> 00:47:05,880
the billions of developing larvae are swept far and wide
555
00:47:05,880 --> 00:47:07,600
by the tides and the currents.
556
00:47:08,800 --> 00:47:13,320
The vast majority will be eaten by fish and other creatures,
557
00:47:13,320 --> 00:47:17,600
but the few survivors must then find a place to settle,
558
00:47:17,600 --> 00:47:21,440
either on a newly-vacated site on an existing reef
559
00:47:21,440 --> 00:47:23,600
or perhaps to found a new one.
560
00:47:31,480 --> 00:47:33,720
The newest coral recruits will continue
561
00:47:33,720 --> 00:47:36,960
the work their ancestors began almost 10,000 years ago.
562
00:47:48,720 --> 00:47:53,440
They are the essential organisms on which the whole reef depends.
563
00:48:00,000 --> 00:48:02,400
The Great Barrier is what it is
564
00:48:02,400 --> 00:48:05,520
because the tiny coral polyps never stop building.
565
00:48:08,280 --> 00:48:12,720
And what they have created is one of the wonders of the natural world.
566
00:48:21,680 --> 00:48:24,760
Next time, we'll cross the Great Barrier Reef
567
00:48:24,760 --> 00:48:26,880
to meet its extraordinary visitors.
568
00:48:34,520 --> 00:48:35,880
I will meet turtles
569
00:48:35,880 --> 00:48:39,160
that may have travelled thousands of miles to get here
570
00:48:39,160 --> 00:48:40,720
and the remarkable people
571
00:48:40,720 --> 00:48:43,080
who are trying to save them from disaster.
572
00:48:48,960 --> 00:48:53,120
I will come face-to-face with the great predators of the reef.
573
00:48:53,120 --> 00:48:55,360
Wow. There's a huge shark.
574
00:48:55,360 --> 00:48:57,400
They are so beautiful in the water.
575
00:49:02,040 --> 00:49:05,920
And we'll meet a whale that seeks out human contact,
576
00:49:05,920 --> 00:49:08,720
a behaviour that happens nowhere else on Earth.
577
00:49:10,440 --> 00:49:12,560
Some come from the open ocean,
578
00:49:12,560 --> 00:49:15,920
others from the land immediately inshore
579
00:49:15,920 --> 00:49:18,880
and still others from the sky,
580
00:49:18,880 --> 00:49:22,760
to complicate still further the intricate community
581
00:49:22,760 --> 00:49:26,000
that is known as the Great Barrier Reef.
582
00:49:45,000 --> 00:49:46,120
For this series,
583
00:49:46,120 --> 00:49:50,080
the production team set themselves an ambitious challenge.
584
00:49:50,080 --> 00:49:54,120
They wanted me to experience the Great Barrier Reef as never before.
585
00:49:58,320 --> 00:50:02,040
To achieve that, we teamed up with a very special research vessel...
586
00:50:04,200 --> 00:50:06,240
..the Alucia.
587
00:50:06,240 --> 00:50:08,360
There aren't many boats like this in the world and
588
00:50:08,360 --> 00:50:10,760
it's a kind of magic carpet for us.
589
00:50:10,760 --> 00:50:13,200
It allows us to float around the reef
590
00:50:13,200 --> 00:50:15,800
and for David to tell different parts of the story.
591
00:50:18,120 --> 00:50:21,160
On board, all the latest technology,
592
00:50:21,160 --> 00:50:23,520
helicopters, a laboratory
593
00:50:23,520 --> 00:50:25,320
and advanced mapping systems.
594
00:50:30,320 --> 00:50:31,960
At the helm of Alucia,
595
00:50:31,960 --> 00:50:33,520
Captain Frank Alika.
596
00:50:35,040 --> 00:50:37,720
The task of getting the ship into position
597
00:50:37,720 --> 00:50:41,160
for the first big submarine launch rests on his shoulders.
598
00:50:43,120 --> 00:50:45,680
Some parts are charted less well than others,
599
00:50:45,680 --> 00:50:48,000
but this particular bit, there's quite a lot of bombies
600
00:50:48,000 --> 00:50:50,440
and things out there that are likely to jump up and bite you
601
00:50:50,440 --> 00:50:53,240
on the bottom, and that's really not what you want.
602
00:50:56,440 --> 00:50:58,920
Fortunately, he's a lot more hands on
603
00:50:58,920 --> 00:51:01,920
than the skipper was on my first visit in 1957.
604
00:51:06,640 --> 00:51:08,040
But it was very primitive.
605
00:51:08,040 --> 00:51:10,600
The camera was wound up by clockwork
606
00:51:10,600 --> 00:51:13,320
and it was just me and the chap with a 16mm camera
607
00:51:13,320 --> 00:51:14,600
and I did the recording.
608
00:51:16,000 --> 00:51:20,080
It may have been a modest shoot but it was, in its way, ground-breaking.
609
00:51:22,200 --> 00:51:24,040
We worked on locations on the reef
610
00:51:24,040 --> 00:51:26,400
where film crews had never been before.
611
00:51:29,200 --> 00:51:33,640
60 years later, I'm told we are poised to make history once again.
612
00:51:36,520 --> 00:51:38,400
This time, to reach new areas of reef,
613
00:51:38,400 --> 00:51:42,720
I'll have to rely on the Triton submersible.
614
00:51:42,720 --> 00:51:46,880
And she's very flexible in terms of how shallow we can come, as well.
615
00:51:46,880 --> 00:51:48,760
She'll work in 1,000 metres happily,
616
00:51:48,760 --> 00:51:51,360
but we can also work in the splash zone,
617
00:51:51,360 --> 00:51:54,560
so her actual trim system is very good.
618
00:51:54,560 --> 00:51:57,280
Amazing visibility, as you'll see when you get in.
619
00:51:57,280 --> 00:51:59,000
Yes, she's a little bit flash.
620
00:52:02,720 --> 00:52:05,720
With just a few short hours before the first big dive,
621
00:52:05,720 --> 00:52:08,520
the excitement and pressure is building on deck.
622
00:52:12,160 --> 00:52:14,680
This will be the last opportunity for the crew
623
00:52:14,680 --> 00:52:16,360
to check the camera gear
624
00:52:16,360 --> 00:52:18,760
and make sure everything is perfectly in place.
625
00:52:21,160 --> 00:52:22,800
It's been a busy morning already.
626
00:52:22,800 --> 00:52:24,760
We've had soundmen, cameramen
627
00:52:24,760 --> 00:52:26,960
trying to fit all their gear into the sub.
628
00:52:26,960 --> 00:52:29,560
We're sort of running out of space for bodies.
629
00:52:31,840 --> 00:52:34,840
There are lots of worries when you put your 88-year-old presenter
630
00:52:34,840 --> 00:52:36,080
in something like this.
631
00:52:36,080 --> 00:52:39,280
I mean, it's got a very small area at the top to get into.
632
00:52:39,280 --> 00:52:41,280
There are all sorts of things that can go wrong.
633
00:52:41,280 --> 00:52:42,640
We're always very cautious.
634
00:52:46,120 --> 00:52:47,920
And even the most limber of sub operators
635
00:52:47,920 --> 00:52:49,480
will struggle getting in the sub.
636
00:52:49,480 --> 00:52:51,440
David's incredibly active and fit,
637
00:52:51,440 --> 00:52:53,320
but he's 88 and so we were slightly worried
638
00:52:53,320 --> 00:52:55,440
about how he might get into the sub.
639
00:52:57,400 --> 00:52:59,880
Yeah, that's it, that's the one.
640
00:52:59,880 --> 00:53:01,520
OK, so we're just going to...
641
00:53:01,520 --> 00:53:04,680
See that landing, he'll guide you right in.
642
00:53:04,680 --> 00:53:07,040
And then you can put your foot there, David.
643
00:53:07,040 --> 00:53:09,360
Keep coming. Nearly there. That's it. OK.
644
00:53:11,080 --> 00:53:12,840
You can rest against me if you want.
645
00:53:12,840 --> 00:53:14,400
Nearly sat on the pilot!
646
00:53:14,400 --> 00:53:17,840
- That's all right, I'm used to it.
- That's what he's there for.
647
00:53:19,040 --> 00:53:21,400
David, as usual, defied all our thoughts
648
00:53:21,400 --> 00:53:23,640
and just went straight in without any trouble
649
00:53:23,640 --> 00:53:25,560
as though he was a 25-year-old.
650
00:53:25,560 --> 00:53:28,680
- Rest it on your lap. Is that OK?
- Yep.
651
00:53:33,720 --> 00:53:37,920
So, that's hatch secure and we are ready.
652
00:53:40,160 --> 00:53:42,680
The sub weighs almost eight tonnes
653
00:53:42,680 --> 00:53:45,560
and getting it into the water is a major operation.
654
00:53:48,440 --> 00:53:50,960
There's something quite extraordinary about the Triton
655
00:53:50,960 --> 00:53:52,880
being launched, standing here on deck.
656
00:53:52,880 --> 00:53:56,280
Suddenly, the whole back deck area of the ship comes alive.
657
00:53:56,280 --> 00:53:57,800
You've got people running around.
658
00:53:57,800 --> 00:54:00,760
Everything's incredibly detailed and carefully planned,
659
00:54:00,760 --> 00:54:03,400
but you're sort of caught in a whirlwind as ropes fly
660
00:54:03,400 --> 00:54:05,680
and the submarine starts to move forwards.
661
00:54:05,680 --> 00:54:07,640
You know, this is a very exciting moment.
662
00:54:07,640 --> 00:54:11,480
You know, this is a big day, even in the world of David Attenborough.
663
00:54:17,640 --> 00:54:19,640
As we disappear beneath the waves,
664
00:54:19,640 --> 00:54:21,360
out on a support vessel,
665
00:54:21,360 --> 00:54:25,040
underwater cameraman Steve Hudson prepares to film the sub
666
00:54:25,040 --> 00:54:26,440
as it explores the reef.
667
00:54:29,800 --> 00:54:32,280
So, Nick and I are going to jump in the water,
668
00:54:32,280 --> 00:54:35,120
descend to a maximum depth of about 30 metres
669
00:54:35,120 --> 00:54:37,640
and shoot exterior shots of the submarine
670
00:54:37,640 --> 00:54:39,240
as it cruises over the reef.
671
00:54:41,160 --> 00:54:42,920
It can be pretty tiring.
672
00:54:42,920 --> 00:54:45,400
You have to swim in front of it, swim behind it,
673
00:54:45,400 --> 00:54:47,040
swim beneath it, swim above it,
674
00:54:47,040 --> 00:54:49,040
trying to get a multiple of shots.
675
00:54:51,080 --> 00:54:54,960
But today, because of the strong currents, visibility is poor.
676
00:54:59,320 --> 00:55:03,960
At first, Steve struggles to locate the sub through the cloudy water.
677
00:55:21,000 --> 00:55:23,080
Finally, he makes visual contact.
678
00:55:30,040 --> 00:55:32,880
Before we descend deeper and beyond his reach,
679
00:55:32,880 --> 00:55:35,440
Steve must get his exterior shots of the sub.
680
00:55:37,520 --> 00:55:39,240
Lead cameraman Paul Williams
681
00:55:39,240 --> 00:55:41,800
captures the action from inside the vessel.
682
00:55:43,520 --> 00:55:45,000
To get the best footage,
683
00:55:45,000 --> 00:55:47,720
the divers need to coordinate with the sub team.
684
00:55:49,440 --> 00:55:52,440
It's a task easier said than done.
685
00:55:52,440 --> 00:55:53,920
We're literally in a bubble.
686
00:55:53,920 --> 00:55:56,200
We can't talk to the divers outside.
687
00:55:56,200 --> 00:55:58,480
We had this rather crude hand signal.
688
00:55:58,480 --> 00:55:59,920
You know, it's like,
689
00:55:59,920 --> 00:56:02,320
"Get out of shot," or, you know,
690
00:56:02,320 --> 00:56:04,440
"Well, just move over that way a bit."
691
00:56:20,760 --> 00:56:22,920
Can you see his hand signals, yeah?
692
00:56:34,520 --> 00:56:36,360
He's saying, "Thank you."
693
00:56:36,360 --> 00:56:37,680
Thank you and...
694
00:56:37,680 --> 00:56:39,920
We're just going to do the descent now.
695
00:56:48,080 --> 00:56:49,760
'As the vessel dives deeper,
696
00:56:49,760 --> 00:56:53,160
'we're treated to some spectacular sights...
697
00:56:53,160 --> 00:56:54,240
Oh, how beautiful.
698
00:56:56,440 --> 00:56:59,160
'..which show why the reef is one of the most dazzling
699
00:56:59,160 --> 00:57:00,800
'habitats on the planet.'
700
00:57:06,760 --> 00:57:08,640
Oh, look at this lot.
701
00:57:08,640 --> 00:57:10,920
It's jolly nice that someone of my age
702
00:57:10,920 --> 00:57:13,720
can be taken down in fantastic comfort.
703
00:57:13,720 --> 00:57:15,320
Grey reef shark there.
704
00:57:15,320 --> 00:57:18,720
No problem about breathing. No problem about talking.
705
00:57:18,720 --> 00:57:21,720
No problem about your movements.
706
00:57:21,720 --> 00:57:22,760
There's another.
707
00:57:24,880 --> 00:57:26,160
You're just sitting there
708
00:57:26,160 --> 00:57:29,720
and looking at one of the most extraordinary places on Earth.
709
00:57:29,720 --> 00:57:31,440
A privilege given to very few.
59884
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