Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
0
00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:04,000
Downloaded From www.AllSubs.org
1
00:00:00,105 --> 00:00:05,000
Shared by http://DJJ.HOME.SAPO.PT/
1
00:00:32,132 --> 00:00:36,694
Australia...
the land of sun, sea and surf...
2
00:00:40,373 --> 00:00:44,605
lts golden shores are a magnet for
beach lovers and thrill seekers.
3
00:00:55,889 --> 00:00:59,450
Millions flock to explore
the world's biggest coral reef.
4
00:00:59,826 --> 00:01:02,454
But while the Great Barrier Reef
and Sydney Harbour
5
00:01:02,629 --> 00:01:05,427
are the classic images of
the Australian way of life,
6
00:01:05,765 --> 00:01:07,392
they're just the beginning.
7
00:01:18,044 --> 00:01:21,013
Leave behind those playgrounds
of the crowded east coast,
8
00:01:21,347 --> 00:01:24,282
and there's a much wilder
party going on out there.
9
00:01:31,391 --> 00:01:32,983
This continent has a coastline
10
00:01:33,159 --> 00:01:37,459
that stretches from the hot northern
tropics to the icy south.
11
00:01:40,967 --> 00:01:45,404
And all around are seas with the
most astonishing variety of life.
12
00:01:57,250 --> 00:02:00,014
But these waters are
challenging places to live...
13
00:02:03,022 --> 00:02:04,853
...only the toughest survive...
14
00:02:07,093 --> 00:02:10,358
catching a wave is the easy bit.
15
00:02:19,239 --> 00:02:22,640
The seas around Australia are
as harsh as the land itself.
16
00:02:22,942 --> 00:02:26,935
Only in very special places has
marine-life overcome the odds.
17
00:02:27,247 --> 00:02:30,216
The Great Barrier Reef is
the one everyone knows,
18
00:02:30,416 --> 00:02:34,614
but there's another coral extravaganza
on the other side of Australia.
19
00:02:37,457 --> 00:02:40,551
Here, the land is a desert
and it hardly ever rains.
20
00:02:40,860 --> 00:02:42,953
There are no rivers
flushing mud into the sea,
21
00:02:43,129 --> 00:02:45,563
and so the water stays crystal clear.
22
00:02:48,835 --> 00:02:53,704
lt's perfect for growing corals V
and all a stone's throw from the beach.
23
00:03:00,013 --> 00:03:02,811
Sandwiched between the desert
shore and the open ocean,
24
00:03:03,216 --> 00:03:08,882
Ningaloo Reef is 260
kilometres of coral oasis.
25
00:03:10,723 --> 00:03:14,250
The outer reef wall encloses
a self-contained world.
26
00:03:14,594 --> 00:03:17,722
Life thrives in the warmth
of the sheltered lagoon.
27
00:03:24,270 --> 00:03:25,760
When conditions are this good
28
00:03:25,972 --> 00:03:29,567
baby striped catfish gobble
like mad to get a head start.
29
00:03:32,745 --> 00:03:36,181
But until they've grown up,
they roll around the reef together.
30
00:03:36,482 --> 00:03:40,111
This way they look bigger and
scarier than they would on their own.
31
00:03:54,901 --> 00:03:59,270
All the raw ingredients for life as
a catfish - or as anything else -
32
00:03:59,439 --> 00:04:01,066
are trapped within the lagoon.
33
00:04:03,543 --> 00:04:05,306
Until the Autumn storms...
34
00:04:05,812 --> 00:04:10,078
when the nutrition-packed reef-water
spills out into the open sea.
35
00:04:12,652 --> 00:04:13,949
For just a brief period
36
00:04:14,287 --> 00:04:17,916
the lifeless waters outside
become a nourishing soup...
37
00:04:18,224 --> 00:04:21,250
and dinner guests arrive out of the blue.
38
00:04:39,078 --> 00:04:40,841
lt's a whale shark.
39
00:04:43,850 --> 00:04:46,683
These giant ocean cruisers
make long treks,
40
00:04:46,886 --> 00:04:51,084
because food is so hard to find out
in the clear tropical seas.
41
00:04:51,391 --> 00:04:54,258
But they can be sure of getting
a spot of lunch round here.
42
00:04:57,096 --> 00:04:58,961
Ningaloo is the only place in the world
43
00:04:59,132 --> 00:05:01,726
where you can see them
feeding so close to shore.
44
00:05:05,171 --> 00:05:06,661
Whale sharks aren't the only ones
45
00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:09,637
who've marked this event
in their biological diary.
46
00:05:12,378 --> 00:05:17,577
Vast shoals of sardines appear out of the
lndian Ocean to join Ningaloo's feast.
47
00:05:37,236 --> 00:05:40,171
They're tailed by
predatory dog tooth tuna.
48
00:05:51,951 --> 00:05:54,715
Sharks appear. They're usually loners.
49
00:05:56,656 --> 00:05:59,454
But they'll gang up for a party like this.
50
00:06:09,268 --> 00:06:13,864
Sharks and tuna work the shoals together,
like dogs rounding up sheep...
51
00:06:14,173 --> 00:06:18,701
until they've pinned them against
the shore in one massive, tight slick.
52
00:06:24,183 --> 00:06:26,083
The sardines look like easy meat,
53
00:06:26,285 --> 00:06:28,810
but the slick is now a solid wall of fish.
54
00:06:29,055 --> 00:06:31,819
lt's hard for the predators
to know where to start.
55
00:06:38,331 --> 00:06:40,026
Every time the sharks plough in,
56
00:06:40,500 --> 00:06:43,264
the little fish do their
parting-the-waves trick.
57
00:06:44,103 --> 00:06:46,094
lt's a dazzling defence.
58
00:06:47,940 --> 00:06:51,876
Tuna are like snipers; they pick off
fish from the edge of the huddle.
59
00:06:55,515 --> 00:06:57,244
But it's hard for the sharks.
60
00:06:57,417 --> 00:07:00,443
They can't get a grip on the vast,
darting shoal.
61
00:07:22,909 --> 00:07:27,869
The bait-ball is squeezed tighter and
tighter and even the sharks can't miss.
62
00:07:37,523 --> 00:07:40,151
Then more heavyweight diners show up.
63
00:07:41,961 --> 00:07:44,452
The sardine shoal is now
virtually on the beach,
64
00:07:44,630 --> 00:07:48,066
so surely out of reach
of a huge Brydes whale.
65
00:08:12,124 --> 00:08:14,388
The sharks are finally making
a dent in the shoal,
66
00:08:14,727 --> 00:08:18,686
but it's nothing to what these monstrous
whales can cram into their mouths.
67
00:08:55,835 --> 00:08:59,635
When the food runs out,
the bounty hunters will drift away
68
00:09:00,573 --> 00:09:03,633
and the sea around here
will return to hard times.
69
00:09:07,647 --> 00:09:10,480
Australia's northwest coast
is pretty impoverished
70
00:09:10,816 --> 00:09:13,842
and little fertile pockets
like Ningaloo are rare.
71
00:09:14,353 --> 00:09:16,378
But there are other surprises.
72
00:09:16,656 --> 00:09:20,956
Further south,
there's a giant inlet called Shark Bay.
73
00:09:30,036 --> 00:09:31,765
lt's surrounded by desert,
74
00:09:32,204 --> 00:09:33,694
and under a blazing sun,
75
00:09:33,873 --> 00:09:37,639
seawater evaporates off quicker
than a boiling billycan.
76
00:09:41,681 --> 00:09:43,376
ln the inner reaches of the bay
77
00:09:43,549 --> 00:09:46,985
the concentrated water is twice
as salty as the sea.
78
00:09:47,620 --> 00:09:50,282
And it doesn't get much tougher than that.
79
00:10:03,402 --> 00:10:05,996
There's nothing in this brine
for these jellyfish to eat,
80
00:10:06,339 --> 00:10:08,603
so they've come up with
a clever way to cope.
81
00:10:18,317 --> 00:10:20,911
Their tissues contain
millions of plant cells
82
00:10:21,253 --> 00:10:24,086
that convert sunlight directly into food.
83
00:10:24,957 --> 00:10:27,255
These jellies are solar-powered.
84
00:10:30,763 --> 00:10:34,199
And since few predators can cope
with living in this salty world,
85
00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:38,063
they're unhassled and free
to just soak up the sun.
86
00:10:57,523 --> 00:11:00,390
The shape of the coast has
created a natural harbour -
87
00:11:00,926 --> 00:11:03,019
but on an Aussie scale.
88
00:11:03,195 --> 00:11:05,322
lnside is a place like no other.
89
00:11:05,798 --> 00:11:08,323
Meadows of sea-grass
ripple over the seabed -
90
00:11:11,404 --> 00:11:15,568
these are the greatest underwater
prairies on the planet.
91
00:11:23,849 --> 00:11:27,649
Grass can tough it out anywhere -
even in salty water.
92
00:11:34,193 --> 00:11:35,922
ln fact, here it's perfect.
93
00:11:36,295 --> 00:11:39,423
The bay is calm,
uniformly shallow, sunlit -
94
00:11:39,832 --> 00:11:43,268
and the sandy bottom
is ideal for grass roots.
95
00:11:43,502 --> 00:11:45,800
So it's sea grass all the way.
96
00:11:49,341 --> 00:11:53,971
This lush, sunny grassland is
the foundation of all life here.
97
00:12:06,826 --> 00:12:08,987
There's plenty of food for sea horses...
98
00:12:10,396 --> 00:12:14,457
...and hiding places for
the small and inexperienced.
99
00:12:17,503 --> 00:12:20,028
lt's the tiny animals
living around the stalks,
100
00:12:20,139 --> 00:12:21,800
as much as the grass itself
101
00:12:22,041 --> 00:12:25,807
that offer such a good living
to so many types of fish.
102
00:12:31,150 --> 00:12:32,742
Some look bizarre.
103
00:12:33,119 --> 00:12:36,646
The moth fish may seem over-designed,
in its armour plating,
104
00:12:37,056 --> 00:12:39,524
but it has to careful of enemies.
105
00:12:44,663 --> 00:12:48,360
One bite from a venomous
sea snake would be lethal.
106
00:13:03,382 --> 00:13:06,078
But these are the real
monsters of Shark Bay.
107
00:13:06,519 --> 00:13:09,317
And they've spawned
myths of giant proportions.
108
00:13:10,389 --> 00:13:13,222
Once upon a time,
people thought they were mermaids.
109
00:13:17,897 --> 00:13:21,094
But it must have taken a desperate
sailor to dream that one up.
110
00:13:23,102 --> 00:13:26,538
They're actually Dugongs,
vegetarian sea-mammals,
111
00:13:27,573 --> 00:13:30,770
and there are over 1 0,000
of them in Shark bay.
112
00:13:30,976 --> 00:13:31,840
There might be even more
113
00:13:32,011 --> 00:13:35,174
if it weren't for the tiger sharks
that give the bay its name.
114
00:13:37,783 --> 00:13:39,273
Babies stick close to Mum.
115
00:13:44,924 --> 00:13:49,361
They're sometimes called sea cows
because they graze for eight hours a day.
116
00:13:50,462 --> 00:13:53,488
And they need a huge gut
to digest all that grass.
117
00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:56,129
No wonder they look portly.
118
00:14:14,253 --> 00:14:17,279
Like all mammals they have to take
a breath from time to time.
119
00:14:21,193 --> 00:14:24,287
No worries in sea rarely
deeper than 1 0 metres.
120
00:14:27,833 --> 00:14:31,792
Thanks to the meadows of sea-grass
they lead a sheltered and stately life.
121
00:14:36,642 --> 00:14:38,405
Without the unusual shape of the coast,
122
00:14:38,577 --> 00:14:44,243
Shark Bay would be a sandy wasteland;
much like the desert that surrounds it.
123
00:14:46,185 --> 00:14:48,881
Up north there's another natural hot spot,
124
00:14:49,221 --> 00:14:52,452
but forged from a very
different set of conditions.
125
00:14:52,758 --> 00:14:57,388
Every year Australia's Top End is
battered by the tropical monsoon.
126
00:15:17,383 --> 00:15:21,046
The weather is wild and
the currents are wicked.
127
00:15:36,035 --> 00:15:38,503
The ocean is funnelled violently
through a bottleneck -
128
00:15:38,671 --> 00:15:42,607
the shallow straits between Australia
and the islands of lndonesia.
129
00:15:44,843 --> 00:15:48,643
The resulting tidal bulge is the
highest anywhere in the tropics...
130
00:15:48,948 --> 00:15:51,439
and it really stirs things up.
131
00:15:57,122 --> 00:16:00,785
At low tide,
the sea drops a massive 1 2 metres,
132
00:16:01,060 --> 00:16:06,965
leaving the Top End of Australia as one
vast steamy plain of mud and mangrove.
133
00:16:17,343 --> 00:16:20,744
The heavy monsoon rains have
another vitalising effect -
134
00:16:21,246 --> 00:16:23,612
they flush out rich silt from the rivers,
135
00:16:24,049 --> 00:16:27,143
and the coastal plains
get a thick layer of mud.
136
00:16:30,656 --> 00:16:33,090
These muddy flats ooze with life...
137
00:16:33,459 --> 00:16:37,259
and it's all desperate for cover
now the tide's gone out.
138
00:16:42,735 --> 00:16:44,396
And here's why.
139
00:16:50,776 --> 00:16:54,303
But with only six hours of feeding
time till the tide comes in again,
140
00:16:54,480 --> 00:17:00,749
mudskippers, golden ghost crabs and
wading birds have to start in top gear.
141
00:17:09,828 --> 00:17:12,228
They're all desperate to get
down to the water's edge,
142
00:17:12,398 --> 00:17:16,164
where the receding tide
has exposed a slap up feast.
143
00:17:18,470 --> 00:17:22,133
A million migrating birds
re-fuel by sifting the warm silt
144
00:17:22,307 --> 00:17:25,333
for worms, snails and shellfish.
145
00:17:33,952 --> 00:17:37,388
Some have travelled over
1 5 000 kilometres to feed here,
146
00:17:37,689 --> 00:17:41,284
because these are the richest
tidal mud flats in the world.
147
00:17:45,297 --> 00:17:48,266
But like a gold rush,
things can get lawless.
148
00:17:48,767 --> 00:17:51,099
Sanderlings aren't above
a bit of daylight robbery.
149
00:18:08,754 --> 00:18:12,155
But the villains of the beach...
are the seagulls.
150
00:18:24,670 --> 00:18:29,232
On an exposed mud flat it's impossible
to keep your treasures to yourself.
151
00:18:33,612 --> 00:18:35,671
This sand eel is quite a prize.
152
00:19:05,544 --> 00:19:07,944
There's just no justice round here.
153
00:19:08,180 --> 00:19:12,446
And with the returning tide the crab
has no time to make up for his loss.
154
00:19:29,067 --> 00:19:31,900
While crabs can dig in
under the racing tide...
155
00:19:32,237 --> 00:19:36,298
waders have to cosy-up
at the top of a shrinking beach.
156
00:19:51,456 --> 00:19:53,754
At high tide the sea is brimming again,
157
00:19:53,926 --> 00:19:56,520
and all you can see is a desert shore.
158
00:19:56,762 --> 00:19:59,287
But a few hours later
the tide will recede,
159
00:19:59,631 --> 00:20:04,295
the mudflats revealed,
and the action will start all over again.
160
00:20:10,309 --> 00:20:12,436
Northern Australia sits under the tropics.
161
00:20:12,811 --> 00:20:16,406
Like a massive generator
it drives the climate of the land
162
00:20:16,915 --> 00:20:20,908
but it also has a powerful
effect on Australia's seas.
163
00:20:24,323 --> 00:20:27,656
The Leeuwin current is a river
of warm water from the north
164
00:20:27,926 --> 00:20:32,590
that pumps down the west coast working
its way into the cooler seas of the south.
165
00:20:33,999 --> 00:20:38,265
lt brings a lick of tropical warmth,
but it doesn't bring any nutrients.
166
00:20:38,437 --> 00:20:41,600
They've already been used up
by other marine life.
167
00:20:50,649 --> 00:20:54,983
This warm, empty current snakes
into the Great Australian Bight -
168
00:20:55,287 --> 00:20:58,882
the broad bay that arcs around
Australia's southern side.
169
00:20:59,391 --> 00:21:02,326
These coastal seas
should be heaving with life -
170
00:21:03,362 --> 00:21:05,990
as full of fish as the North Atlantic.
171
00:21:06,164 --> 00:21:11,033
The cliffs should be screaming with
nesting sea birds. But they're not.
172
00:21:21,079 --> 00:21:23,570
The Leeuwin current drives
a wedge of tepid water
173
00:21:23,749 --> 00:21:27,014
between the coast and
the adjacent southern ocean.
174
00:21:30,055 --> 00:21:33,889
As a result the sea's as
infertile as the land above.
175
00:21:35,961 --> 00:21:39,419
Only extreme animals can live down here.
176
00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:45,094
To find enough food
this Australian sea lion
177
00:21:45,270 --> 00:21:49,730
has just returned from three days
of long dives along the coast.
178
00:21:50,042 --> 00:21:52,738
By any seal standards that's a marathon...
179
00:21:57,015 --> 00:22:00,746
...so on the last leg
she deserves an easy ride in.
180
00:22:23,575 --> 00:22:27,875
She tells her pup she's back.
lt's desperate for a feed.
181
00:22:33,185 --> 00:22:37,383
They can only live here because of the
unconventional way they bring up the pups.
182
00:22:38,990 --> 00:22:40,890
These babies are huge!
183
00:22:41,126 --> 00:22:43,651
Other young seals would have
been weaned long ago,
184
00:22:43,962 --> 00:22:47,898
but Australian sea-lion pups suckle
for over a year and a half,
185
00:22:48,066 --> 00:22:50,864
way longer than their relatives.
186
00:22:53,071 --> 00:22:58,771
A good, fat start is the only way to go,
for a life in impoverished seas.
187
00:23:02,314 --> 00:23:06,512
Even so Aussie sea lions
live for just 1 2 years.
188
00:23:06,885 --> 00:23:10,082
lt's the shortest lifespan of any seal.
189
00:23:17,396 --> 00:23:19,296
When the mothers go back out to sea,
190
00:23:19,564 --> 00:23:22,761
the pups make the most of
their extended childhood.
191
00:24:03,642 --> 00:24:04,666
A coastal lagoon -
192
00:24:04,843 --> 00:24:06,811
out of the reach of predatory sharks -
193
00:24:07,245 --> 00:24:09,770
is a safe place to try life in the water.
194
00:24:36,274 --> 00:24:39,903
These Aussie sea lions depend
on their mothers for years.
195
00:24:40,178 --> 00:24:44,205
But they're not being pampered V
they have to prepare for life on the edge.
196
00:24:44,683 --> 00:24:47,413
As adults they'll make
record-breaking dives
197
00:24:47,586 --> 00:24:49,144
just to get enough to eat,
198
00:24:49,354 --> 00:24:52,517
so they need this time
to develop stamina too.
199
00:24:53,592 --> 00:24:56,186
But it looks like they have
a bit of fun along the way.
200
00:25:18,216 --> 00:25:21,708
ln these barren waters it's hard
for anything to make a living.
201
00:25:22,254 --> 00:25:25,690
So what could possibly attract
an animal the size of a whale?
202
00:25:27,792 --> 00:25:29,851
She's come here to have a baby.
203
00:25:30,161 --> 00:25:31,788
The warmth of the Leeuwin current
204
00:25:31,963 --> 00:25:35,455
has created a lovely
whale-sized birthing pool.
205
00:25:42,374 --> 00:25:45,832
Southern Right whales spend most
of the year in the sub-Antarctic,
206
00:25:46,444 --> 00:25:50,312
but the water's too cold and wild
down there for a vulnerable baby.
207
00:25:51,216 --> 00:25:55,983
They come to the protected bays of the
Australian Bight to rear their calves.
208
00:26:10,468 --> 00:26:15,735
But this is one hungry baby and it needs
mother's milk to build up its strength.
209
00:26:19,945 --> 00:26:23,745
Breast-feeding is demanding -
the baby could suck its mother dry.
210
00:26:24,316 --> 00:26:26,477
So what is she doing for food?
211
00:26:27,552 --> 00:26:29,349
She sorted that out months ago...
212
00:26:29,588 --> 00:26:32,056
by fattening up
in the rich southern ocean.
213
00:26:32,524 --> 00:26:36,016
Over the summer she ate her way
through two tonnes of krill a day.
214
00:26:44,903 --> 00:26:48,566
lt gave her enough energy to swim
2000 kilometres to Australia,
215
00:26:48,873 --> 00:26:51,569
give birth, produce
thousands of litres of milk
216
00:26:53,211 --> 00:26:56,703
and then guide her calf back
to the sub-Antarctic.
217
00:26:57,215 --> 00:26:59,445
All without taking another bite.
218
00:27:11,630 --> 00:27:16,260
Most animals, such as the Giant
Cuttlefish, don't venture such distances.
219
00:27:23,241 --> 00:27:26,267
But they have to find food
in these impoverished waters.
220
00:27:26,711 --> 00:27:29,145
Their favourite prey
is thin on the ground,
221
00:27:29,414 --> 00:27:31,939
so they live and hunt alone.
222
00:27:38,490 --> 00:27:40,856
First they mesmerise their victim...
223
00:27:51,903 --> 00:27:53,461
...then they take aim.
224
00:27:53,638 --> 00:27:56,539
lt must be like looking down
the barrel of a gun.
225
00:28:06,918 --> 00:28:10,615
They're deadly accurate...
but not so hot in reverse.
226
00:28:19,030 --> 00:28:21,464
Cuttlefish only get together
in the autumn.
227
00:28:21,700 --> 00:28:23,793
The Great Australian Bight
has rocky reefs,
228
00:28:23,968 --> 00:28:26,027
which are vital in the breeding season.
229
00:28:26,204 --> 00:28:29,537
And cuttles gather in their
thousands to size each other up.
230
00:28:36,281 --> 00:28:38,681
Giant cuttlefish are
the biggest of their kind.
231
00:28:39,017 --> 00:28:41,178
Males can grow over a metre long
232
00:28:41,419 --> 00:28:44,286
and they're the ones
that command centre stage.
233
00:28:47,759 --> 00:28:49,750
There's lots of showing off.
234
00:28:49,961 --> 00:28:53,089
These flashy signals sort
the men from the boys.
235
00:29:00,772 --> 00:29:02,637
Holding ground is everything.
236
00:29:02,941 --> 00:29:06,274
This big male wants to control
a certain spot on the reef.
237
00:29:08,780 --> 00:29:12,045
lt's where the females
will come to lay their eggs.
238
00:29:16,121 --> 00:29:18,055
Other males try to muscle-in.
239
00:29:36,174 --> 00:29:38,734
These upstarts don't seem
to be getting the message,
240
00:29:38,943 --> 00:29:42,242
so the defending male throws
his weight around a bit.
241
00:29:50,655 --> 00:29:52,316
The females are much daintier
242
00:29:52,690 --> 00:29:55,090
but they always search
for the biggest male.
243
00:29:55,326 --> 00:29:58,124
He usually holds the key
to the best egg chamber.
244
00:30:05,103 --> 00:30:08,698
After all the bravado,
he shows his tender side.
245
00:30:31,329 --> 00:30:34,730
That's the romance out of the way,
now it's back to guard duty.
246
00:30:35,633 --> 00:30:36,895
Rivals never give up,
247
00:30:37,068 --> 00:30:41,630
and the big male wants to make sure
those are HlS babies under that rock!
248
00:30:51,015 --> 00:30:54,041
To the east of here,
life in the sea goes up a gear.
249
00:30:57,021 --> 00:31:00,013
The warm Leeuwin current
is running out of steam.
250
00:31:03,895 --> 00:31:07,831
And the cold Southern Ocean
is beginning to take charge.
251
00:31:08,299 --> 00:31:12,827
This force from the south has
chiselled out huge limestone stacks -
252
00:31:13,371 --> 00:31:17,967
the Twelve Apostles stand as
if in reverence to the power of the sea.
253
00:31:23,047 --> 00:31:25,538
Here, off the southeast
corner of Australia,
254
00:31:25,850 --> 00:31:30,048
these colder seas also start
to shape life beneath the waves.
255
00:31:31,789 --> 00:31:32,551
lt's chilly,
256
00:31:32,724 --> 00:31:35,921
but it's paradise compared
to the waters of the Bight.
257
00:31:40,131 --> 00:31:45,000
lt's as if the hand brake has finally
been taken off and life can really motor.
258
00:31:45,470 --> 00:31:48,633
There are over a thousand
different types of kelp alone.
259
00:31:57,749 --> 00:32:03,153
Forests of Giant Kelp grow at
top speed in these ideal conditions.
260
00:32:06,024 --> 00:32:09,289
The Southern Ocean pumps
in all the basic ingredients.
261
00:32:09,661 --> 00:32:12,459
With a good dose of sunlight,
and the plentiful nutrients
262
00:32:12,630 --> 00:32:14,029
that you get in cool waters -
263
00:32:14,499 --> 00:32:18,265
these seaweed-trees can shoot up
half a metre a day.
264
00:32:25,743 --> 00:32:28,007
Sometimes they reach 50 metres -
265
00:32:28,413 --> 00:32:31,041
taller than most of the trees on land.
266
00:32:41,025 --> 00:32:42,993
But it isn't just the luxuriant growth
267
00:32:43,161 --> 00:32:45,891
that makes this corner
of the ocean so special.
268
00:32:46,264 --> 00:32:48,357
lt's the remoteness.
269
00:32:49,534 --> 00:32:51,263
lt's been remote for so long,
270
00:32:51,569 --> 00:32:55,562
that most of the plants and animals
are found nowhere else on earth.
271
00:32:57,375 --> 00:32:59,434
Even by Australian standards
272
00:32:59,610 --> 00:33:03,376
this weedy sea dragon
looks out of this world.
273
00:33:05,616 --> 00:33:08,050
Like the kangaroos and koalas on land,
274
00:33:08,486 --> 00:33:13,890
the animals in the sea have been caught up
in their own evolutionary bubble.
275
00:33:20,131 --> 00:33:23,623
Gliding through the seaweed
on its peculiar fins it proves
276
00:33:23,801 --> 00:33:26,429
that not all dragons are myths.
277
00:33:36,280 --> 00:33:40,273
The curious little handfish
would rather walk than swim.
278
00:33:49,093 --> 00:33:52,529
lt uses its strange fins
to stroll along the sea floor,
279
00:33:52,697 --> 00:33:56,326
saving tail power for
when it's really needed.
280
00:34:04,842 --> 00:34:08,505
The leafy sea dragon has
a dress code all its own.
281
00:34:08,746 --> 00:34:11,613
lt's modelled itself
on the local seaweeds.
282
00:34:20,224 --> 00:34:22,624
These dragons are nearly
half a metre long -
283
00:34:22,994 --> 00:34:25,019
but they easily go un-noticed.
284
00:34:25,196 --> 00:34:29,428
This outrageous fashion statement
is the perfect camouflage.
285
00:34:40,611 --> 00:34:43,136
And these are not your
typical Aussie males.
286
00:34:43,448 --> 00:34:47,782
With sea dragons,
it's the fathers that carry the eggs.
287
00:34:51,856 --> 00:34:55,155
He makes quite sure that
the offspring don't drift off.
288
00:34:55,326 --> 00:34:56,088
lt's crucial -
289
00:34:56,260 --> 00:34:58,091
they must hatch out, and grow up,
290
00:34:58,262 --> 00:35:00,992
against this same matching background.
291
00:35:01,165 --> 00:35:03,531
They'd stick out like
a sore thumb anywhere else,
292
00:35:03,901 --> 00:35:07,428
so they're trapped forever
in this corner of Australia.
293
00:35:11,075 --> 00:35:13,100
Other residents are more cosmopolitan -
294
00:35:13,911 --> 00:35:16,471
they're not so tied to this strange place.
295
00:35:16,981 --> 00:35:21,213
ln fact some make every effort
to get their offspring out of here.
296
00:35:24,589 --> 00:35:26,750
And the ocean currents will help.
297
00:35:29,861 --> 00:35:34,389
After sundown a female lobster
sets out across the reef.
298
00:35:36,901 --> 00:35:40,894
Under her tail is a precious
cargo of tiny larvae.
299
00:35:45,810 --> 00:35:50,247
She's looking for the highest point
on the reef to send them on their way.
300
00:35:54,585 --> 00:35:57,076
The top spot is always the most popular.
301
00:35:57,255 --> 00:36:00,782
But once all the females
are in position they wait.
302
00:36:04,829 --> 00:36:07,821
There are fewer predators around
in the hour before dawn.
303
00:36:08,032 --> 00:36:11,524
So only then do they cast off their brood.
304
00:36:41,599 --> 00:36:44,534
The water's more turbulent up
here at the top of the reef...
305
00:36:44,769 --> 00:36:46,794
so it's hard to hold a handstand!
306
00:36:55,079 --> 00:36:57,547
With this odd and elegant
way of giving birth,
307
00:36:57,882 --> 00:37:00,316
lobsters have colonised the oceans.
308
00:37:11,729 --> 00:37:15,893
The lucky ones get sucked into
the powerful Southern Ocean Current.
309
00:37:16,100 --> 00:37:18,261
lt only clips the corner of Australia -
310
00:37:18,502 --> 00:37:21,232
so its effects largely
pass the country by.
311
00:37:21,639 --> 00:37:23,937
But it hits New Zealand square on,
312
00:37:25,243 --> 00:37:28,212
so there its impact is stronger.
313
00:37:34,285 --> 00:37:37,379
New Zealand and Australia
used to be joined together.
314
00:37:37,955 --> 00:37:40,549
But they drifted apart
millions of years ago,
315
00:37:40,891 --> 00:37:43,416
and now their seas are very different.
316
00:37:52,970 --> 00:37:54,494
The waters around New Zealand
317
00:37:54,672 --> 00:37:58,108
are topped up by nutrients
washed from this fertile land.
318
00:37:58,276 --> 00:38:01,541
So they're richer and support more life.
319
00:38:05,149 --> 00:38:07,674
Like this massive colony of gannets.
320
00:38:21,365 --> 00:38:25,165
Each summer 8,000 pairs
will raise a family here.
321
00:38:28,773 --> 00:38:31,970
And it's all based on the fabulous
fisheries of pilchards,
322
00:38:32,143 --> 00:38:35,544
anchovies and jack mackerel
in the surrounding sea.
323
00:38:46,724 --> 00:38:48,453
They have to pinpoint the catch.
324
00:38:49,026 --> 00:38:52,655
But once they get their bearings,
each hit is a bull's-eye.
325
00:39:06,043 --> 00:39:09,945
Gannets slice into the water
at 1 50 kilometres an hour -
326
00:39:10,247 --> 00:39:14,183
which means they can score fish
ten metres below the surface.
327
00:39:14,352 --> 00:39:19,085
lf the fish go deeper, the gannets just
wait for the arrival of the backup squad.
328
00:39:23,894 --> 00:39:26,488
Common dolphins harass
the sardines from below,
329
00:39:26,664 --> 00:39:28,632
pinning them up against the surface.
330
00:39:36,173 --> 00:39:38,505
And that puts them back into gannet-range.
331
00:40:02,867 --> 00:40:06,564
Although these numbers are impressive,
gannets are citizens of the world.
332
00:40:06,971 --> 00:40:11,169
After all, you can see the same
spectacle in British waters.
333
00:40:12,209 --> 00:40:15,940
But New Zealand has been sitting out
on its own for a very long time.
334
00:40:16,380 --> 00:40:20,407
And it has some wildlife wonders
that are truly unique.
335
00:40:22,987 --> 00:40:27,117
Hector's dolphins are only found
around the New Zealand coast.
336
00:40:33,964 --> 00:40:35,090
They're also tiny.
337
00:40:35,466 --> 00:40:39,596
At just over a metre long they're
the miniatures of the dolphin world.
338
00:40:41,872 --> 00:40:45,000
They spend all their lives in
the shallow water near the beach.
339
00:40:46,911 --> 00:40:51,439
Further out they'd be a mere snack
for a shark or killer whale.
340
00:40:54,351 --> 00:40:56,444
But they don't need to go anywhere.
341
00:40:56,854 --> 00:41:01,814
The bountiful southern ocean brings a
total lifestyle package right to the door.
342
00:41:50,541 --> 00:41:52,202
The huge swell is a reminder
343
00:41:52,376 --> 00:41:56,278
that New Zealand's southern tip is
in the firing line of the coldest,
344
00:41:56,480 --> 00:41:58,311
wildest ocean in the world.
345
00:42:11,428 --> 00:42:14,363
lt's one of the most
fertile seas on earth,
346
00:42:14,598 --> 00:42:19,058
but sea birds can't breed out here -
they need land.
347
00:42:26,944 --> 00:42:29,469
The Snares islands are
the last specks of rock
348
00:42:29,647 --> 00:42:32,275
connected to the Australian
continental shelf.
349
00:42:32,550 --> 00:42:36,077
Sure ground in the midst
of a full-throttle ocean.
350
00:42:46,730 --> 00:42:50,257
ln the great sweep of open sea
between Australia and Antarctica,
351
00:42:50,434 --> 00:42:53,835
Snares Crested Penguins
have no shortage of food.
352
00:42:54,138 --> 00:42:56,368
lt's dry land that's at a premium.
353
00:43:11,956 --> 00:43:12,547
Every summer
354
00:43:12,723 --> 00:43:16,386
the waters around these isolated
islands swarm with penguins.
355
00:43:16,694 --> 00:43:19,822
They're gathering to get
the next generation underway.
356
00:43:24,935 --> 00:43:27,335
The Snares lslands are
the only rocks around
357
00:43:27,504 --> 00:43:29,870
where these birds can raise their young.
358
00:43:30,207 --> 00:43:33,973
Twice a day the adults have to return
to the nests to feed their chicks,
359
00:43:34,278 --> 00:43:37,247
and they have to run
the gauntlet of pirates.
360
00:43:48,092 --> 00:43:51,892
Fifty metres out, the returning
penguins raft together on the surface,
361
00:43:52,096 --> 00:43:56,089
until sheer numbers give them the
confidence to make a dive for shore.
362
00:44:01,905 --> 00:44:04,703
ln the melee, head-ons can't be avoided.
363
00:44:08,512 --> 00:44:12,972
Under the water, penguins are
just too nippy for Hookers sea lions.
364
00:44:15,386 --> 00:44:19,254
This one's probably on the lookout
for a weak or injured bird.
365
00:44:32,803 --> 00:44:36,295
Fit penguins have no trouble covering
the last stretch of open water.
366
00:44:39,810 --> 00:44:41,437
Landing is trickier.
367
00:44:41,612 --> 00:44:44,103
But these birds are fearless.
368
00:45:16,680 --> 00:45:19,080
Snares Penguins have to be sure-footed.
369
00:45:19,349 --> 00:45:22,807
Their twice-daily commute
includes a sheer wall of granite.
370
00:45:29,026 --> 00:45:31,392
Penguins may not be
the most elegant climbers
371
00:45:31,562 --> 00:45:35,430
but with their low centre of gravity,
strong claws and sheer doggedness,
372
00:45:35,599 --> 00:45:37,567
they get there in the end.
373
00:45:46,610 --> 00:45:51,070
At the top there's the rush-hour traffic
and muddy forest trails to negotiate...
374
00:45:57,955 --> 00:46:02,153
Then they have to pinpoint the calls
of their own out of the colonial din.
375
00:46:04,061 --> 00:46:06,928
Only then can mum and dad
bring home the bacon...
376
00:46:07,164 --> 00:46:10,361
or in this case regurgitated squid.
377
00:46:21,044 --> 00:46:25,743
Two months and two tired parents later,
the chicks are ready for the sea.
378
00:46:28,118 --> 00:46:31,747
The journey begins enthusiastically,
as they all head for the water.
379
00:46:35,392 --> 00:46:38,020
But it takes a while to find your feet.
380
00:46:55,913 --> 00:46:58,905
Maybe it's better to give it
just a few more minutes...
381
00:47:02,319 --> 00:47:05,618
Snares Penguins are just one
of the many resilient animals
382
00:47:05,823 --> 00:47:09,452
that have risen above the challenges
in these southern seas.
383
00:47:13,096 --> 00:47:16,395
These tough little birds have
to overcome one more obstacle.
384
00:47:16,767 --> 00:47:20,635
Getting into the water is a triumph
of substance over style!
385
00:47:50,400 --> 00:47:54,029
Desert waters, tricky currents
and sheer isolation
386
00:47:54,404 --> 00:47:58,170
have all helped shape the diversity
of marine life down under.
387
00:48:01,745 --> 00:48:05,078
These are waters filled with
surprises and delights.
388
00:48:05,315 --> 00:48:11,151
Hardship has simply brought out
the best in the strange Southern Seas.
389
00:48:12,151 --> 00:48:22,151
Downloaded From www.AllSubs.org
35035
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.