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Australia...
the land of sun, sea and surf...
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00:00:41,173 --> 00:00:45,405
lts golden shores are a magnet for
beach lovers and thrill seekers.
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00:00:56,689 --> 00:01:00,250
Millions flock to explore
the world's biggest coral reef.
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00:01:00,626 --> 00:01:03,254
But while the Great Barrier Reef
and Sydney Harbour
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00:01:03,429 --> 00:01:06,227
are the classic images of
the Australian way of life,
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00:01:06,565 --> 00:01:08,192
they're just the beginning.
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00:01:18,844 --> 00:01:21,813
Leave behind those playgrounds
of the crowded east coast,
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00:01:22,147 --> 00:01:25,082
and there's a much wilder
party going on out there.
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00:01:32,191 --> 00:01:33,783
This continent has a coastline
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00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:38,259
that stretches from the hot northern
tropics to the icy south.
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00:01:41,767 --> 00:01:46,204
And all around are seas with the
most astonishing variety of life.
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00:01:58,050 --> 00:02:00,814
But these waters are
challenging places to live...
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00:02:03,822 --> 00:02:05,653
...only the toughest survive...
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00:02:07,893 --> 00:02:11,158
catching a wave is the easy bit.
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00:02:20,039 --> 00:02:23,440
The seas around Australia are
as harsh as the land itself.
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00:02:23,742 --> 00:02:27,735
Only in very special places has
marine-life overcome the odds.
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00:02:28,047 --> 00:02:31,016
The Great Barrier Reef is
the one everyone knows,
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00:02:31,216 --> 00:02:35,414
but there's another coral extravaganza
on the other side of Australia.
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00:02:38,257 --> 00:02:41,351
Here, the land is a desert
and it hardly ever rains.
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00:02:41,660 --> 00:02:43,753
There are no rivers
flushing mud into the sea,
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00:02:43,929 --> 00:02:46,363
and so the water stays crystal clear.
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00:02:49,635 --> 00:02:54,504
lt's perfect for growing corals
and all a stone's throw from the beach.
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00:03:00,813 --> 00:03:03,611
Sandwiched between the desert
shore and the open ocean,
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00:03:04,016 --> 00:03:09,682
Ningaloo Reef is 260
kilometres of coral oasis.
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00:03:11,523 --> 00:03:15,050
The outer reef wall encloses
a self-contained world.
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00:03:15,394 --> 00:03:18,522
Life thrives in the warmth
of the sheltered lagoon.
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00:03:25,070 --> 00:03:26,560
When conditions are this good
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00:03:26,772 --> 00:03:30,367
baby striped catfish gobble
like mad to get a head start.
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00:03:33,545 --> 00:03:36,981
But until they've grown up,
they roll around the reef together.
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00:03:37,282 --> 00:03:40,911
This way they look bigger and
scarier than they would on their own.
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00:03:55,701 --> 00:04:00,070
All the raw ingredients for life as
a catfish - or as anything else -
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00:04:00,239 --> 00:04:01,866
are trapped within the lagoon.
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00:04:04,343 --> 00:04:06,106
Until the Autumn storms...
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00:04:06,612 --> 00:04:10,878
when the nutrition-packed reef-water
spills out into the open sea.
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00:04:13,452 --> 00:04:14,749
For just a brief period
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00:04:15,087 --> 00:04:18,716
the lifeless waters outside
become a nourishing soup...
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00:04:19,024 --> 00:04:22,050
and dinner guests arrive out of the blue.
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00:04:39,878 --> 00:04:41,641
lt's a whale shark.
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00:04:44,650 --> 00:04:47,483
These giant ocean cruisers
make long treks,
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00:04:47,686 --> 00:04:51,884
because food is so hard to find out
in the clear tropical seas.
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00:04:52,191 --> 00:04:55,058
But they can be sure of getting
a spot of lunch round here.
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00:04:57,896 --> 00:04:59,761
Ningaloo is the only place in the world
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00:04:59,932 --> 00:05:02,526
where you can see them
feeding so close to shore.
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00:05:05,971 --> 00:05:07,461
Whale sharks aren't the only ones
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00:05:07,639 --> 00:05:10,437
who've marked this event
in their biological diary.
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00:05:13,178 --> 00:05:18,377
Vast shoals of sardines appear out of the
lndian Ocean to join Ningaloo's feast.
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00:05:38,036 --> 00:05:40,971
They're tailed by
predatory dog tooth tuna.
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00:05:52,751 --> 00:05:55,515
Sharks appear. They're usually loners.
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00:05:57,456 --> 00:06:00,254
But they'll gang up for a party like this.
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00:06:10,068 --> 00:06:14,664
Sharks and tuna work the shoals together,
like dogs rounding up sheep...
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00:06:14,973 --> 00:06:19,501
until they've pinned them against
the shore in one massive, tight slick.
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00:06:24,983 --> 00:06:26,883
The sardines look like easy meat,
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00:06:27,085 --> 00:06:29,610
but the slick is now a solid wall of fish.
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00:06:29,855 --> 00:06:32,619
lt's hard for the predators
to know where to start.
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00:06:39,131 --> 00:06:40,826
Every time the sharks plough in,
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00:06:41,300 --> 00:06:44,064
the little fish do their
parting-the-waves trick.
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00:06:44,903 --> 00:06:46,894
lt's a dazzling defence.
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00:06:48,740 --> 00:06:52,676
Tuna are like snipers; they pick off
fish from the edge of the huddle.
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00:06:56,315 --> 00:06:58,044
But it's hard for the sharks.
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00:06:58,217 --> 00:07:01,243
They can't get a grip on the vast,
darting shoal.
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00:07:23,709 --> 00:07:28,669
The bait-ball is squeezed tighter and
tighter and even the sharks can't miss.
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00:07:38,323 --> 00:07:40,951
Then more heavyweight diners show up.
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00:07:42,761 --> 00:07:45,252
The sardine shoal is now
virtually on the beach,
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00:07:45,430 --> 00:07:48,866
so surely out of reach
of a huge Brydes whale.
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00:08:12,924 --> 00:08:15,188
The sharks are finally making
a dent in the shoal,
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00:08:15,527 --> 00:08:19,486
but it's nothing to what these monstrous
whales can cram into their mouths.
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00:08:56,635 --> 00:09:00,435
When the food runs out,
the bounty hunters will drift away
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00:09:01,373 --> 00:09:04,433
and the sea around here
will return to hard times.
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00:09:08,447 --> 00:09:11,280
Australia's northwest coast
is pretty impoverished
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00:09:11,616 --> 00:09:14,642
and little fertile pockets
like Ningaloo are rare.
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00:09:15,153 --> 00:09:17,178
But there are other surprises.
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00:09:17,456 --> 00:09:21,756
Further south,
there's a giant inlet called Shark Bay.
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00:09:30,836 --> 00:09:32,565
lt's surrounded by desert,
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00:09:33,004 --> 00:09:34,494
and under a blazing sun,
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00:09:34,673 --> 00:09:38,439
seawater evaporates off quicker
than a boiling billycan.
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00:09:42,481 --> 00:09:44,176
ln the inner reaches of the bay
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00:09:44,349 --> 00:09:47,785
the concentrated water is twice
as salty as the sea.
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00:09:48,420 --> 00:09:51,082
And it doesn't get much tougher than that.
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00:10:04,202 --> 00:10:06,796
There's nothing in this brine
for these jellyfish to eat,
80
00:10:07,139 --> 00:10:09,403
so they've come up with
a clever way to cope.
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00:10:19,117 --> 00:10:21,711
Their tissues contain
millions of plant cells
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00:10:22,053 --> 00:10:24,886
that convert sunlight directly into food.
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00:10:25,757 --> 00:10:28,055
These jellies are solar-powered.
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00:10:31,563 --> 00:10:34,999
And since few predators can cope
with living in this salty world,
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00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:38,863
they're unhassled and free
to just soak up the sun.
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00:10:58,323 --> 00:11:01,190
The shape of the coast has
created a natural harbour -
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00:11:01,726 --> 00:11:03,819
but on an Aussie scale.
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00:11:03,995 --> 00:11:06,122
lnside is a place like no other.
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00:11:06,598 --> 00:11:09,123
Meadows of sea-grass
ripple over the seabed -
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00:11:12,204 --> 00:11:16,368
these are the greatest underwater
prairies on the planet.
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00:11:24,649 --> 00:11:28,449
Grass can tough it out anywhere -
even in salty water.
92
00:11:34,993 --> 00:11:36,722
ln fact, here it's perfect.
93
00:11:37,095 --> 00:11:40,223
The bay is calm,
uniformly shallow, sunlit -
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00:11:40,632 --> 00:11:44,068
and the sandy bottom
is ideal for grass roots.
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00:11:44,302 --> 00:11:46,600
So it's sea grass all the way.
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00:11:50,141 --> 00:11:54,771
This lush, sunny grassland is
the foundation of all life here.
97
00:12:07,626 --> 00:12:09,787
There's plenty of food for sea horses...
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00:12:11,196 --> 00:12:15,257
...and hiding places for
the small and inexperienced.
99
00:12:18,303 --> 00:12:20,828
lt's the tiny animals
living around the stalks,
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00:12:20,939 --> 00:12:22,600
as much as the grass itself
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00:12:22,841 --> 00:12:26,607
that offer such a good living
to so many types of fish.
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00:12:31,950 --> 00:12:33,542
Some look bizarre.
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00:12:33,919 --> 00:12:37,446
The moth fish may seem over-designed,
in its armour plating,
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00:12:37,856 --> 00:12:40,324
but it has to careful of enemies.
105
00:12:45,463 --> 00:12:49,160
One bite from a venomous
sea snake would be lethal.
106
00:13:04,182 --> 00:13:06,878
But these are the real
monsters of Shark Bay.
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00:13:07,319 --> 00:13:10,117
And they've spawned
myths of giant proportions.
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00:13:11,189 --> 00:13:14,022
Once upon a time,
people thought they were mermaids.
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00:13:18,697 --> 00:13:21,894
But it must have taken a desperate
sailor to dream that one up.
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00:13:23,902 --> 00:13:27,338
They're actually Dugongs,
vegetarian sea-mammals,
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00:13:28,373 --> 00:13:31,570
and there are over 1 0,000
of them in Shark bay.
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00:13:31,776 --> 00:13:32,640
There might be even more
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00:13:32,811 --> 00:13:35,974
if it weren't for the tiger sharks
that give the bay its name.
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00:13:38,583 --> 00:13:40,073
Babies stick close to Mum.
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00:13:45,724 --> 00:13:50,161
They're sometimes called sea cows
because they graze for eight hours a day.
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00:13:51,262 --> 00:13:54,288
And they need a huge gut
to digest all that grass.
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00:13:55,200 --> 00:13:56,929
No wonder they look portly.
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00:14:15,053 --> 00:14:18,079
Like all mammals they have to take
a breath from time to time.
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00:14:21,993 --> 00:14:25,087
No worries in sea rarely
deeper than 1 0 metres.
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00:14:28,633 --> 00:14:32,592
Thanks to the meadows of sea-grass
they lead a sheltered and stately life.
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00:14:37,442 --> 00:14:39,205
Without the unusual shape of the coast,
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00:14:39,377 --> 00:14:45,043
Shark Bay would be a sandy wasteland;
much like the desert that surrounds it.
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00:14:46,985 --> 00:14:49,681
Up north there's another natural hot spot,
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00:14:50,021 --> 00:14:53,252
but forged from a very
different set of conditions.
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00:14:53,558 --> 00:14:58,188
Every year Australia's Top End is
battered by the tropical monsoon.
126
00:15:18,183 --> 00:15:21,846
The weather is wild and
the currents are wicked.
127
00:15:36,835 --> 00:15:39,303
The ocean is funnelled violently
through a bottleneck -
128
00:15:39,471 --> 00:15:43,407
the shallow straits between Australia
and the islands of lndonesia.
129
00:15:45,643 --> 00:15:49,443
The resulting tidal bulge is the
highest anywhere in the tropics...
130
00:15:49,748 --> 00:15:52,239
and it really stirs things up.
131
00:15:57,922 --> 00:16:01,585
At low tide,
the sea drops a massive 1 2 metres,
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00:16:01,860 --> 00:16:07,765
leaving the Top End of Australia as one
vast steamy plain of mud and mangrove.
133
00:16:18,143 --> 00:16:21,544
The heavy monsoon rains have
another vitalising effect -
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00:16:22,046 --> 00:16:24,412
they flush out rich silt from the rivers,
135
00:16:24,849 --> 00:16:27,943
and the coastal plains
get a thick layer of mud.
136
00:16:31,456 --> 00:16:33,890
These muddy flats ooze with life...
137
00:16:34,259 --> 00:16:38,059
and it's all desperate for cover
now the tide's gone out.
138
00:16:43,535 --> 00:16:45,196
And here's why.
139
00:16:51,576 --> 00:16:55,103
But with only six hours of feeding
time till the tide comes in again,
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00:16:55,280 --> 00:17:01,549
mudskippers, golden ghost crabs and
wading birds have to start in top gear.
141
00:17:10,628 --> 00:17:13,028
They're all desperate to get
down to the water's edge,
142
00:17:13,198 --> 00:17:16,964
where the receding tide
has exposed a slap up feast.
143
00:17:19,270 --> 00:17:22,933
A million migrating birds
re-fuel by sifting the warm silt
144
00:17:23,107 --> 00:17:26,133
for worms, snails and shellfish.
145
00:17:34,752 --> 00:17:38,188
Some have travelled over
1 5 000 kilometres to feed here,
146
00:17:38,489 --> 00:17:42,084
because these are the richest
tidal mud flats in the world.
147
00:17:46,097 --> 00:17:49,066
But like a gold rush,
things can get lawless.
148
00:17:49,567 --> 00:17:51,899
Sanderlings aren't above
a bit of daylight robbery.
149
00:18:09,554 --> 00:18:12,955
But the villains of the beach...
are the seagulls.
150
00:18:25,470 --> 00:18:30,032
On an exposed mud flat it's impossible
to keep your treasures to yourself.
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00:18:34,412 --> 00:18:36,471
This sand eel is quite a prize.
152
00:19:06,344 --> 00:19:08,744
There's just no justice round here.
153
00:19:08,980 --> 00:19:13,246
And with the returning tide the crab
has no time to make up for his loss.
154
00:19:29,867 --> 00:19:32,700
While crabs can dig in
under the racing tide...
155
00:19:33,037 --> 00:19:37,098
waders have to cosy-up
at the top of a shrinking beach.
156
00:19:52,256 --> 00:19:54,554
At high tide the sea is brimming again,
157
00:19:54,726 --> 00:19:57,320
and all you can see is a desert shore.
158
00:19:57,562 --> 00:20:00,087
But a few hours later
the tide will recede,
159
00:20:00,431 --> 00:20:05,095
the mudflats revealed,
and the action will start all over again.
160
00:20:11,109 --> 00:20:13,236
Northern Australia sits under the tropics.
161
00:20:13,611 --> 00:20:17,206
Like a massive generator
it drives the climate of the land
162
00:20:17,715 --> 00:20:21,708
but it also has a powerful
effect on Australia's seas.
163
00:20:25,123 --> 00:20:28,456
The Leeuwin current is a river
of warm water from the north
164
00:20:28,726 --> 00:20:33,390
that pumps down the west coast working
its way into the cooler seas of the south.
165
00:20:34,799 --> 00:20:39,065
lt brings a lick of tropical warmth,
but it doesn't bring any nutrients.
166
00:20:39,237 --> 00:20:42,400
They've already been used up
by other marine life.
167
00:20:51,449 --> 00:20:55,783
This warm, empty current snakes
into the Great Australian Bight -
168
00:20:56,087 --> 00:20:59,682
the broad bay that arcs around
Australia's southern side.
169
00:21:00,191 --> 00:21:03,126
These coastal seas
should be heaving with life -
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00:21:04,162 --> 00:21:06,790
as full of fish as the North Atlantic.
171
00:21:06,964 --> 00:21:11,833
The cliffs should be screaming with
nesting sea birds. But they're not.
172
00:21:21,879 --> 00:21:24,370
The Leeuwin current drives
a wedge of tepid water
173
00:21:24,549 --> 00:21:27,814
between the coast and
the adjacent southern ocean.
174
00:21:30,855 --> 00:21:34,689
As a result the sea's as
infertile as the land above.
175
00:21:36,761 --> 00:21:40,219
Only extreme animals can live down here.
176
00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:45,894
To find enough food
this Australian sea lion
177
00:21:46,070 --> 00:21:50,530
has just returned from three days
of long dives along the coast.
178
00:21:50,842 --> 00:21:53,538
By any seal standards that's a marathon...
179
00:21:57,815 --> 00:22:01,546
...so on the last leg
she deserves an easy ride in.
180
00:22:24,375 --> 00:22:28,675
She tells her pup she's back.
lt's desperate for a feed.
181
00:22:33,985 --> 00:22:38,183
They can only live here because of the
unconventional way they bring up the pups.
182
00:22:39,790 --> 00:22:41,690
These babies are huge!
183
00:22:41,926 --> 00:22:44,451
Other young seals would have
been weaned long ago,
184
00:22:44,762 --> 00:22:48,698
but Australian sea-lion pups suckle
for over a year and a half,
185
00:22:48,866 --> 00:22:51,664
way longer than their relatives.
186
00:22:53,871 --> 00:22:59,571
A good, fat start is the only way to go,
for a life in impoverished seas.
187
00:23:03,114 --> 00:23:07,312
Even so Aussie sea lions
live for just 1 2 years.
188
00:23:07,685 --> 00:23:10,882
lt's the shortest lifespan of any seal.
189
00:23:18,196 --> 00:23:20,096
When the mothers go back out to sea,
190
00:23:20,364 --> 00:23:23,561
the pups make the most of
their extended childhood.
191
00:24:04,442 --> 00:24:05,466
A coastal lagoon -
192
00:24:05,643 --> 00:24:07,611
out of the reach of predatory sharks -
193
00:24:08,045 --> 00:24:10,570
is a safe place to try life in the water.
194
00:24:37,074 --> 00:24:40,703
These Aussie sea lions depend
on their mothers for years.
195
00:24:40,978 --> 00:24:45,005
But they're not being pampered
they have to prepare for life on the edge.
196
00:24:45,483 --> 00:24:48,213
As adults they'll make
record-breaking dives
197
00:24:48,386 --> 00:24:49,944
just to get enough to eat,
198
00:24:50,154 --> 00:24:53,317
so they need this time
to develop stamina too.
199
00:24:54,392 --> 00:24:56,986
But it looks like they have
a bit of fun along the way.
200
00:25:19,016 --> 00:25:22,508
ln these barren waters it's hard
for anything to make a living.
201
00:25:23,054 --> 00:25:26,490
So what could possibly attract
an animal the size of a whale?
202
00:25:28,592 --> 00:25:30,651
She's come here to have a baby.
203
00:25:30,961 --> 00:25:32,588
The warmth of the Leeuwin current
204
00:25:32,763 --> 00:25:36,255
has created a lovely
whale-sized birthing pool.
205
00:25:43,174 --> 00:25:46,632
Southern Right whales spend most
of the year in the sub-Antarctic,
206
00:25:47,244 --> 00:25:51,112
but the water's too cold and wild
down there for a vulnerable baby.
207
00:25:52,016 --> 00:25:56,783
They come to the protected bays of the
Australian Bight to rear their calves.
208
00:26:11,268 --> 00:26:16,535
But this is one hungry baby and it needs
mother's milk to build up its strength.
209
00:26:20,745 --> 00:26:24,545
Breast-feeding is demanding -
the baby could suck its mother dry.
210
00:26:25,116 --> 00:26:27,277
So what is she doing for food?
211
00:26:28,352 --> 00:26:30,149
She sorted that out months ago...
212
00:26:30,388 --> 00:26:32,856
by fattening up
in the rich southern ocean.
213
00:26:33,324 --> 00:26:36,816
Over the summer she ate her way
through two tonnes of krill a day.
214
00:26:45,703 --> 00:26:49,366
lt gave her enough energy to swim
2000 kilometres to Australia,
215
00:26:49,673 --> 00:26:52,369
give birth, produce
thousands of litres of milk
216
00:26:54,011 --> 00:26:57,503
and then guide her calf back
to the sub-Antarctic.
217
00:26:58,015 --> 00:27:00,245
All without taking another bite.
218
00:27:12,430 --> 00:27:17,060
Most animals, such as the Giant
Cuttlefish, don't venture such distances.
219
00:27:24,041 --> 00:27:27,067
But they have to find food
in these impoverished waters.
220
00:27:27,511 --> 00:27:29,945
Their favourite prey
is thin on the ground,
221
00:27:30,214 --> 00:27:32,739
so they live and hunt alone.
222
00:27:39,290 --> 00:27:41,656
First they mesmerise their victim...
223
00:27:52,703 --> 00:27:54,261
...then they take aim.
224
00:27:54,438 --> 00:27:57,339
lt must be like looking down
the barrel of a gun.
225
00:28:07,718 --> 00:28:11,415
They're deadly accurate...
but not so hot in reverse.
226
00:28:19,830 --> 00:28:22,264
Cuttlefish only get together
in the autumn.
227
00:28:22,500 --> 00:28:24,593
The Great Australian Bight
has rocky reefs,
228
00:28:24,768 --> 00:28:26,827
which are vital in the breeding season.
229
00:28:27,004 --> 00:28:30,337
And cuttles gather in their
thousands to size each other up.
230
00:28:37,081 --> 00:28:39,481
Giant cuttlefish are
the biggest of their kind.
231
00:28:39,817 --> 00:28:41,978
Males can grow over a metre long
232
00:28:42,219 --> 00:28:45,086
and they're the ones
that command centre stage.
233
00:28:48,559 --> 00:28:50,550
There's lots of showing off.
234
00:28:50,761 --> 00:28:53,889
These flashy signals sort
the men from the boys.
235
00:29:01,572 --> 00:29:03,437
Holding ground is everything.
236
00:29:03,741 --> 00:29:07,074
This big male wants to control
a certain spot on the reef.
237
00:29:09,580 --> 00:29:12,845
lt's where the females
will come to lay their eggs.
238
00:29:16,921 --> 00:29:18,855
Other males try to muscle-in.
239
00:29:36,974 --> 00:29:39,534
These upstarts don't seem
to be getting the message,
240
00:29:39,743 --> 00:29:43,042
so the defending male throws
his weight around a bit.
241
00:29:51,455 --> 00:29:53,116
The females are much daintier
242
00:29:53,490 --> 00:29:55,890
but they always search
for the biggest male.
243
00:29:56,126 --> 00:29:58,924
He usually holds the key
to the best egg chamber.
244
00:30:05,903 --> 00:30:09,498
After all the bravado,
he shows his tender side.
245
00:30:32,129 --> 00:30:35,530
That's the romance out of the way,
now it's back to guard duty.
246
00:30:36,433 --> 00:30:37,695
Rivals never give up,
247
00:30:37,868 --> 00:30:42,430
and the big male wants to make sure
those are HlS babies under that rock!
248
00:30:51,815 --> 00:30:54,841
To the east of here,
life in the sea goes up a gear.
249
00:30:57,821 --> 00:31:00,813
The warm Leeuwin current
is running out of steam.
250
00:31:04,695 --> 00:31:08,631
And the cold Southern Ocean
is beginning to take charge.
251
00:31:09,099 --> 00:31:13,627
This force from the south has
chiselled out huge limestone stacks -
252
00:31:14,171 --> 00:31:18,767
the Twelve Apostles stand as
if in reverence to the power of the sea.
253
00:31:23,847 --> 00:31:26,338
Here, off the southeast
corner of Australia,
254
00:31:26,650 --> 00:31:30,848
these colder seas also start
to shape life beneath the waves.
255
00:31:32,589 --> 00:31:33,351
lt's chilly,
256
00:31:33,524 --> 00:31:36,721
but it's paradise compared
to the waters of the Bight.
257
00:31:40,931 --> 00:31:45,800
lt's as if the hand brake has finally
been taken off and life can really motor.
258
00:31:46,270 --> 00:31:49,433
There are over a thousand
different types of kelp alone.
259
00:31:58,549 --> 00:32:03,953
Forests of Giant Kelp grow at
top speed in these ideal conditions.
260
00:32:06,824 --> 00:32:10,089
The Southern Ocean pumps
in all the basic ingredients.
261
00:32:10,461 --> 00:32:13,259
With a good dose of sunlight,
and the plentiful nutrients
262
00:32:13,430 --> 00:32:14,829
that you get in cool waters -
263
00:32:15,299 --> 00:32:19,065
these seaweed-trees can shoot up
half a metre a day.
264
00:32:26,543 --> 00:32:28,807
Sometimes they reach 50 metres -
265
00:32:29,213 --> 00:32:31,841
taller than most of the trees on land.
266
00:32:41,825 --> 00:32:43,793
But it isn't just the luxuriant growth
267
00:32:43,961 --> 00:32:46,691
that makes this corner
of the ocean so special.
268
00:32:47,064 --> 00:32:49,157
lt's the remoteness.
269
00:32:50,334 --> 00:32:52,063
lt's been remote for so long,
270
00:32:52,369 --> 00:32:56,362
that most of the plants and animals
are found nowhere else on earth.
271
00:32:58,175 --> 00:33:00,234
Even by Australian standards
272
00:33:00,410 --> 00:33:04,176
this weedy sea dragon
looks out of this world.
273
00:33:06,416 --> 00:33:08,850
Like the kangaroos and koalas on land,
274
00:33:09,286 --> 00:33:14,690
the animals in the sea have been caught up
in their own evolutionary bubble.
275
00:33:20,931 --> 00:33:24,423
Gliding through the seaweed
on its peculiar fins it proves
276
00:33:24,601 --> 00:33:27,229
that not all dragons are myths.
277
00:33:37,080 --> 00:33:41,073
The curious little handfish
would rather walk than swim.
278
00:33:49,893 --> 00:33:53,329
lt uses its strange fins
to stroll along the sea floor,
279
00:33:53,497 --> 00:33:57,126
saving tail power for
when it's really needed.
280
00:34:05,642 --> 00:34:09,305
The leafy sea dragon has
a dress code all its own.
281
00:34:09,546 --> 00:34:12,413
lt's modelled itself
on the local seaweeds.
282
00:34:21,024 --> 00:34:23,424
These dragons are nearly
half a metre long -
283
00:34:23,794 --> 00:34:25,819
but they easily go un-noticed.
284
00:34:25,996 --> 00:34:30,228
This outrageous fashion statement
is the perfect camouflage.
285
00:34:41,411 --> 00:34:43,936
And these are not your
typical Aussie males.
286
00:34:44,248 --> 00:34:48,582
With sea dragons,
it's the fathers that carry the eggs.
287
00:34:52,656 --> 00:34:55,955
He makes quite sure that
the offspring don't drift off.
288
00:34:56,126 --> 00:34:56,888
lt's crucial -
289
00:34:57,060 --> 00:34:58,891
they must hatch out, and grow up,
290
00:34:59,062 --> 00:35:01,792
against this same matching background.
291
00:35:01,965 --> 00:35:04,331
They'd stick out like
a sore thumb anywhere else,
292
00:35:04,701 --> 00:35:08,228
so they're trapped forever
in this corner of Australia.
293
00:35:11,875 --> 00:35:13,900
Other residents are more cosmopolitan -
294
00:35:14,711 --> 00:35:17,271
they're not so tied to this strange place.
295
00:35:17,781 --> 00:35:22,013
ln fact some make every effort
to get their offspring out of here.
296
00:35:25,389 --> 00:35:27,550
And the ocean currents will help.
297
00:35:30,661 --> 00:35:35,189
After sundown a female lobster
sets out across the reef.
298
00:35:37,701 --> 00:35:41,694
Under her tail is a precious
cargo of tiny larvae.
299
00:35:46,610 --> 00:35:51,047
She's looking for the highest point
on the reef to send them on their way.
300
00:35:55,385 --> 00:35:57,876
The top spot is always the most popular.
301
00:35:58,055 --> 00:36:01,582
But once all the females
are in position they wait.
302
00:36:05,629 --> 00:36:08,621
There are fewer predators around
in the hour before dawn.
303
00:36:08,832 --> 00:36:12,324
So only then do they cast off their brood.
304
00:36:42,399 --> 00:36:45,334
The water's more turbulent up
here at the top of the reef...
305
00:36:45,569 --> 00:36:47,594
so it's hard to hold a handstand!
306
00:36:55,879 --> 00:36:58,347
With this odd and elegant
way of giving birth,
307
00:36:58,682 --> 00:37:01,116
lobsters have colonised the oceans.
308
00:37:12,529 --> 00:37:16,693
The lucky ones get sucked into
the powerful Southern Ocean Current.
309
00:37:16,900 --> 00:37:19,061
lt only clips the corner of Australia -
310
00:37:19,302 --> 00:37:22,032
so its effects largely
pass the country by.
311
00:37:22,439 --> 00:37:24,737
But it hits New Zealand square on,
312
00:37:26,043 --> 00:37:29,012
so there its impact is stronger.
313
00:37:35,085 --> 00:37:38,179
New Zealand and Australia
used to be joined together.
314
00:37:38,755 --> 00:37:41,349
But they drifted apart
millions of years ago,
315
00:37:41,691 --> 00:37:44,216
and now their seas are very different.
316
00:37:53,770 --> 00:37:55,294
The waters around New Zealand
317
00:37:55,472 --> 00:37:58,908
are topped up by nutrients
washed from this fertile land.
318
00:37:59,076 --> 00:38:02,341
So they're richer and support more life.
319
00:38:05,949 --> 00:38:08,474
Like this massive colony of gannets.
320
00:38:22,165 --> 00:38:25,965
Each summer 8,000 pairs
will raise a family here.
321
00:38:29,573 --> 00:38:32,770
And it's all based on the fabulous
fisheries of pilchards,
322
00:38:32,943 --> 00:38:36,344
anchovies and jack mackerel
in the surrounding sea.
323
00:38:47,524 --> 00:38:49,253
They have to pinpoint the catch.
324
00:38:49,826 --> 00:38:53,455
But once they get their bearings,
each hit is a bull's-eye.
325
00:39:06,843 --> 00:39:10,745
Gannets slice into the water
at 1 50 kilometres an hour -
326
00:39:11,047 --> 00:39:14,983
which means they can score fish
ten metres below the surface.
327
00:39:15,152 --> 00:39:19,885
lf the fish go deeper, the gannets just
wait for the arrival of the backup squad.
328
00:39:24,694 --> 00:39:27,288
Common dolphins harass
the sardines from below,
329
00:39:27,464 --> 00:39:29,432
pinning them up against the surface.
330
00:39:36,973 --> 00:39:39,305
And that puts them back into gannet-range.
331
00:40:03,667 --> 00:40:07,364
Although these numbers are impressive,
gannets are citizens of the world.
332
00:40:07,771 --> 00:40:11,969
After all, you can see the same
spectacle in British waters.
333
00:40:13,009 --> 00:40:16,740
But New Zealand has been sitting out
on its own for a very long time.
334
00:40:17,180 --> 00:40:21,207
And it has some wildlife wonders
that are truly unique.
335
00:40:23,787 --> 00:40:27,917
Hector's dolphins are only found
around the New Zealand coast.
336
00:40:34,764 --> 00:40:35,890
They're also tiny.
337
00:40:36,266 --> 00:40:40,396
At just over a metre long they're
the miniatures of the dolphin world.
338
00:40:42,672 --> 00:40:45,800
They spend all their lives in
the shallow water near the beach.
339
00:40:47,711 --> 00:40:52,239
Further out they'd be a mere snack
for a shark or killer whale.
340
00:40:55,151 --> 00:40:57,244
But they don't need to go anywhere.
341
00:40:57,654 --> 00:41:02,614
The bountiful southern ocean brings a
total lifestyle package right to the door.
342
00:41:51,341 --> 00:41:53,002
The huge swell is a reminder
343
00:41:53,176 --> 00:41:57,078
that New Zealand's southern tip is
in the firing line of the coldest,
344
00:41:57,280 --> 00:41:59,111
wildest ocean in the world.
345
00:42:12,228 --> 00:42:15,163
lt's one of the most
fertile seas on earth,
346
00:42:15,398 --> 00:42:19,858
but sea birds can't breed out here -
they need land.
347
00:42:27,744 --> 00:42:30,269
The Snares islands are
the last specks of rock
348
00:42:30,447 --> 00:42:33,075
connected to the Australian
continental shelf.
349
00:42:33,350 --> 00:42:36,877
Sure ground in the midst
of a full-throttle ocean.
350
00:42:47,530 --> 00:42:51,057
ln the great sweep of open sea
between Australia and Antarctica,
351
00:42:51,234 --> 00:42:54,635
Snares Crested Penguins
have no shortage of food.
352
00:42:54,938 --> 00:42:57,168
lt's dry land that's at a premium.
353
00:43:12,756 --> 00:43:13,347
Every summer
354
00:43:13,523 --> 00:43:17,186
the waters around these isolated
islands swarm with penguins.
355
00:43:17,494 --> 00:43:20,622
They're gathering to get
the next generation underway.
356
00:43:25,735 --> 00:43:28,135
The Snares lslands are
the only rocks around
357
00:43:28,304 --> 00:43:30,670
where these birds can raise their young.
358
00:43:31,007 --> 00:43:34,773
Twice a day the adults have to return
to the nests to feed their chicks,
359
00:43:35,078 --> 00:43:38,047
and they have to run
the gauntlet of pirates.
360
00:43:48,892 --> 00:43:52,692
Fifty metres out, the returning
penguins raft together on the surface,
361
00:43:52,896 --> 00:43:56,889
until sheer numbers give them the
confidence to make a dive for shore.
362
00:44:02,705 --> 00:44:05,503
ln the melee, head-ons can't be avoided.
363
00:44:09,312 --> 00:44:13,772
Under the water, penguins are
just too nippy for Hookers sea lions.
364
00:44:16,186 --> 00:44:20,054
This one's probably on the lookout
for a weak or injured bird.
365
00:44:33,603 --> 00:44:37,095
Fit penguins have no trouble covering
the last stretch of open water.
366
00:44:40,610 --> 00:44:42,237
Landing is trickier.
367
00:44:42,412 --> 00:44:44,903
But these birds are fearless.
368
00:45:17,480 --> 00:45:19,880
Snares Penguins have to be sure-footed.
369
00:45:20,149 --> 00:45:23,607
Their twice-daily commute
includes a sheer wall of granite.
370
00:45:29,826 --> 00:45:32,192
Penguins may not be
the most elegant climbers
371
00:45:32,362 --> 00:45:36,230
but with their low centre of gravity,
strong claws and sheer doggedness,
372
00:45:36,399 --> 00:45:38,367
they get there in the end.
373
00:45:47,410 --> 00:45:51,870
At the top there's the rush-hour traffic
and muddy forest trails to negotiate...
374
00:45:58,755 --> 00:46:02,953
Then they have to pinpoint the calls
of their own out of the colonial din.
375
00:46:04,861 --> 00:46:07,728
Only then can mum and dad
bring home the bacon...
376
00:46:07,964 --> 00:46:11,161
or in this case regurgitated squid.
377
00:46:21,844 --> 00:46:26,543
Two months and two tired parents later,
the chicks are ready for the sea.
378
00:46:28,918 --> 00:46:32,547
The journey begins enthusiastically,
as they all head for the water.
379
00:46:36,192 --> 00:46:38,820
But it takes a while to find your feet.
380
00:46:56,713 --> 00:46:59,705
Maybe it's better to give it
just a few more minutes...
381
00:47:03,119 --> 00:47:06,418
Snares Penguins are just one
of the many resilient animals
382
00:47:06,623 --> 00:47:10,252
that have risen above the challenges
in these southern seas.
383
00:47:13,896 --> 00:47:17,195
These tough little birds have
to overcome one more obstacle.
384
00:47:17,567 --> 00:47:21,435
Getting into the water is a triumph
of substance over style!
385
00:47:51,200 --> 00:47:54,829
Desert waters, tricky currents
and sheer isolation
386
00:47:55,204 --> 00:47:58,970
have all helped shape the diversity
of marine life down under.
387
00:48:02,545 --> 00:48:05,878
These are waters filled with
surprises and delights.
388
00:48:06,115 --> 00:48:11,951
Hardship has simply brought out
the best in the strange Southern Seas.
34817
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