All language subtitles for Magical Reef The Islands of the Four Kings (2020) Büyülü Resif Dört Kralın Adaları.en

[relaxing music]

[narrator] Between the islands
of Indonesia

lies a remote underwater paradise,

which holds some of the world's most rare

and incredible species.

Evolution has created an unparalleled

underwater world of strange shapes,

vibrant colors,
and truly incredible species.

The natural ebb and flow
of the sea's tides and currents

seems to create a constant
stream of new species,

leading to the continuing discovery
of new life forms

amongst the 1500 islands
of the archipelago.

This peaceful water world

has created species which can be found

nowhere else on Earth,

creating spectacles of elegant

and truly unique beauty.

[relaxing music]

There is no other place

where unknown and already
discovered species

come together in such colorful
and striking variety.

What started 100,000 years ago

with a constant motion of the seas

has evolved over time

to create the unique world
of natural diversity

which we see today.

This world ranges
from clear water-fringing reefs

to the dark but colorful depths
of the sea.

Come along with us on our journey

through the wonderful underwater
landscapes of Raja Ampat.

[relaxing music with piano touches]

[relaxing electronic music
with piano sounds]

[drumbeat]

Translated from the Sanskrit,

Raja Ampat means "The Four Kings."

The story behind this name

lies within the ancient
mythology of the region,

which states that four kings,
hatched from eggs,

rule over the four biggest
islands of Raja Ampat.

This extraordinary sea world

covers an area roughly
the same size as the Netherlands.

Raja Ampat lies directly in the center

of what is known as The Coral Triangle,

an area of extreme marine diversity,

which reaches from the Philippines

over Indonesia and Papua New Guinea,

and up to the Solomon Islands.

[relaxing music with tambourine touches]

♪ Whoa, whoa♪

♪ Whoa, whoa♪

[relaxing music with drums]

One of the most common families
of animal found in the waters

is the wrasse family.

Here we found a whole school of wrasse.

But although the wrasse
are the most common species of fish,

they are just the beginning
of the hugely diverse range of species

to be found in the reefs
of the Indo-Pacific.

[relaxing music]

In Raja Ampat, an area
the size of a football pitch

is home to a greater number
of unique species

than can be found among
the whole of the Caribbean,

or the Great Barrier Reef.

Because of this unbelievably
varied biodiversity,

the area is sometimes referred
to as the Amazon of reefs.

[relaxing music with tambourine touches]

The four major islands of Raja Ampat

are Misool in the south,

Waigeo in the north,

and Salawati and Batanta
in the center of the archipelago.

The population of the island chain
is very small,

and those who do live there

survive predominantly by working

in the fishing or diving
tourism industries.

♪ Whoa, whoa ♪

♪ Whoa, whoa ♪

The reefs of Raja Ampat

have to cope with a multitude
of undersea currents.

The motion of these currents
can stir up the sediment in the water

and make it murky.

Sometimes, though,
the water's movements

can create an extraordinary play

of colors and light

after the stirred up water and sediment

has calmed down again.

[relaxing music]

[relaxing music with drums]

These reef inhabitants are a subspecies

of a group of fish known as grunts.

The appearance and behavior of grunts

changes throughout their life span,

with young grunts being far
more colorful and active

than grunts which have
reached full maturity.

In the daytime, these fish tend to linger

in swarms underneath corals,

emerging at night to hunt.

[relaxing music]

Grunts are not shy,

and can be very friendly
to underwater visitors.

Let's follow one of these grunts

through this section of the reef.

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The vast biodiversity of species
found in these waters

cannot be explained by one factor alone.

What is thought to be

one of the main reasons
for this abundance of life

is the numerous different biotopes

found in the area.

Here in Raja Ampat,

you can find what are known
as fringing reefs,

wide lawns of seagrass,
and sheltered bays,

which offer various types of species

the perfect conditions to settle down.

[relaxing distorted music
with occasional drums]

Cleaner wrasses make sure

that all of the fish on the reef
have healthy skin.

The fish who want to be cleaned

signify this by opening
their gills and jaws,

which the cleaner wrasse recognizes

as a signal of their passiveness.

This means that the cleaner wrasse

can go about his job

safe in the knowledge
that he won't be eaten.

The fish need to be cleaned,

as dirt builds up
in their gills over time,

which leads to inflammation,

creating breathing problems.

[relaxing music]

This sea turtle is a particularly
interesting inhabitant

of the area.

All sea turtles are born ashore,

but only the females return to lay eggs.

Here, under the protection
offered by the coral reefs,

hatchlings stand a far
greater chance of survival

than if they were to be raised
in open water.

This area also contains
the most important nesting site

for leatherback turtles,

the largest species of turtle
in the world.

[relaxing music]

[final drums end the music]

[dramatic music]

There are two main coral groups:

the soft coral, shown in this picture,

and the scleractinia,
also referred to as stony corals.

Soft corals look far more
alive and vibrant

than their relatives, the stony corals.

The combination of soft coral
and stony coral

can look unusual,

but the buildup of soft coral

can be visually spectacular.

When amassed, soft corals
are incredibly colorful,

and can look like strange,
other-worldly flowers.

The fish seem unfazed
by this natural beauty,

and pass amongst the reefs
with seeming indifference.

The deeper you go into this coral jungle
of beauty and color,

the more you are rewarded
with an ever-increasing variation

of living creatures.

The vivid and busied activities

of the sea dwelling creatures

give the area the appearance
of a thriving city.

The deep, dark sea is brought to life

by the colorful variety of species.

Large and small sea creatures
bustle around the reefs,

making it seem almost like a playground.

[relaxing music]

This underwater world seems to offer

a never-ending supply of surprises.

As we swim over the coral field,

we discover a huge school of fry,

who look for shelter in a bay.

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Each different species has invented

its own individual way to survive.

The clown fish, for example,

is able to hide in anemones.

[relaxing music]

Other reef species like the lionfish

prefer more extraordinary
disguise methods.

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And some fish just hope

that enough of their fellow species
can survive.

[relaxing music]

The question of which method of survival
is most effective

is put to the test by nature every year.

If a species is not able to adapt

and change to meet the challenges,

it will not find a place to live.

These are the harsh rules of nature,

which exist even in a paradise
like Raja Ampat.

[relaxing music]

The different sea creatures of this area

have been forced to change
and adapt over time

in order to survive the natural selection
process of evolution.

This leads to the breathtakingly
varied array of species

with which we are presented today.

To survive in nature,

every species produces offspring

which have adapted ever so slightly
from the previous generation

in order to better cope
with the ever-changing conditions

created by their habitat.

This process creates species
which look unusual,

and some creatures have developed features

which at first sight appear to be
a hindrance.

But every characteristic
created by evolution

has its own specific purpose for existing.

[relaxing music]

The sea dwellers of this region

develop a huge range
of different strategies to survive.

These surgeonfish
group together in large swarms

and nibble on the algae
which live on the coral.

Surgeonfish owe their name

to the sharp spines
on the tips of their tails,

which are being likened
to a surgeon's scalpel.

These spines are used by the fish

to defend themselves
against larger predators.

[dramatic and eerie music]

Other creatures wait patiently
in a hiding place,

until an unsuspecting victim
crosses their path,

striking at the perfect moment.

This is the preferred strategy
of the wobbegongs or the carpet sharks.

The number of sharks in the region
has been dramatically reduced

by the prevalence of shark finning
in The Coral Triangle,

meaning that sharks are now
very rare in the area.

The triggerfish, with its colorful
and quirky patterns,

is one of the highlights
of the Raja Ampat.

It's not often that such variation
in color and pattern

can be found on a single fish.

[relaxing music]

Another reason
for the unmatched richness

of natural species in this area

is the mangrove forests,

which can be found
all around the island's coasts.

The roots of the mangrove trees

offer not only perfect shelter

in which fish can raise their offspring,

they also offer protection
for the delicate coral reefs.

This is because the roots
of the mangrove trees

help to hold the shoreline together,
minimizing erosion,

which could be incredibly
damaging to the reefs.

[relaxing electronic music]

The amazing variation in the area

is not just isolated to animal species.

There is also massive variation
in terms of the landscape,

which leads to massive variation
in types of reef.

[relaxing electronic music]

While fringing reefs are often flat

and less than half a meter
beneath the water's surface,

barrier reefs appear more like columns,

which reach from the sea bed

to the water's surface in deeper areas.

Vast diversity can be found

among the tall barrier reefs.

[relaxing electronic music]

Over the passage of time,

Earth has developed
four tectonic plates here.

Each of these tectonic plates

supports different life forms,

due to different conditions.

Raja Ampat is located in the center

of where the four different
tectonic plates meet,

creating unrivaled biodiversity

and competition between different species.

This competition
means that evolutionary change

is still very much occurring
in the Raja Ampat region.

[relaxing electronic music]

[dramatic music]

The harsh process
of natural selection does not,

however, mean that some differing species

can live in relative harmony.

[relaxing music]

[upbeat quirky music]

This fish, with its distinctive
zebra stripe pattern,

stands out from the crowd
of predominantly brown colored fish.

[upbeat quirky music with bass sounds]

Some fish change color and behavior

as they move through their life cycle,

and some fish even change gender.

The wrasse family, for example,

looks vastly different
in terms of color and pattern

before and after puberty,

but the change from female to male

also occurs in all 200 species of wrasse.

The strongest wrasse
will make the change fully

from female to male.

A little bit of chauvinism

in the natural world.

[upbeat quirky music with bass sounds]

This little sea turtle, somewhat clumsily

fights his way to the brink of the reef,

but as soon as it has conquered
this brink,

it looks utterly majestic.

It's quite remarkable to think
that these majestic reptiles start life

measuring just a couple
of centimeters in length.

It's not just turtles
that start life tiny, though.

[upbeat quirky music with bass sounds]

Coral reefs are built
by tiny animals called polyps.

They gather in large colonies

and build a base for all corals.

Through a chemical reaction,

they transform the calcium ions
found in water into chalk.

Large islands can grow
from these chalk skeletons

over hundreds of years,

but the polyps need a lot of energy
to achieve this majestic feat.

The secret of coral's energy
production is the sun.

Unlike most land-based plants,

polyps cannot transfer light
directly into energy.

Instead, they form a symbiosis
with small algae

called symbiodinium.

These algae colonize the polyps

and carry out photosynthesis.

The extracted energy transforms into sugar

and helps the corals produce calcium.

Thanks to the sunlight,

polyps are able to build
the biggest buildings on Earth,

the coral reefs.

[upbeat music]

Corals can protect themselves
with stinging cells,

which fend off their enemies
with the use of poison.

This creates the amazing colors seen here,

which act as a warning
to potential predators.

Other species try to protect themselves
by camouflage.

This is the method employed

by the sinister-looking
scorpion stonefish.

The poisonous barb on his back

can be extremely dangerous for divers,

and they are often hidden
to the naked eye,

due to their incredibly
effective camouflage.

A sting from one of these fish

can be life-threatening for humans.

Some fish on the reef,
like the clown fish,

can immunize themselves
against the poison of the mollusks.

They take on the mucous of the anemones,

which stops the anemones
attacking them with their poison.

The small fish will then
clean off any dirty residues,

which build up
on the anemones in return.

This is a small price to pay,

considering the danger of these neighbors.

[dramatic music]

Most residents of the reef

will mainly eat mollusks
or even just plants.

This is what the rather strange-looking
yellow blowfish does.

The most important food source
on the reef, however, is plankton.

[upbeat electronic music]

Most female clown fish
live almost exclusively

with other females.

This female, however,
lives with many males

with which she copulates.

[upbeat electronic music]

Like wrasses, clown fish
are able to change their gender.

In this case, the males
will transform into females

if a leading female
in their group disappears.

[upbeat electronic music]

More than two thirds of all species
living in the world's reefs

live in Raja Ampat.

There are also more than 75%

of all stone corals in the region,

ten times more than in the whole
of the Caribbean.

Nowhere else on Earth

is home to such a large number
of coral and fish species

than this unique underwater realm.

[upbeat electronic music]

One kind of coral found in the region

called the leather coral

doesn't exist anywhere
outside of the Indo-Pacific.

Here, it is free to spread as it pleases,

but in other areas, fierce competition
from other species

means it has to fight
for every centimeter of ground.

[upbeat electronic music]

Only 1,000 species of anemones
in the whole world

get into a partnership with clown fish.

In Raja Ampat, we can find all
of these 1,000 species of anemones

paired up with their clown fish.

[upbeat electronic music]

Many similarities can be drawn

between the sights of the underwater world

and those of the world above.

This coral, for example,
bears a striking resemblance

to a branch tree,

and this fan coral
could easily be likened

to the veins seen on a leaf.

Let us float through
the different underwater gardens

and coral bases for a moment.

[upbeat music]

Also, above water,

the small and larger island
of the archipelago

with their thriving trees
and wide beaches

look like the perfect vision of paradise.

[relaxing music]

[more upbeat music]

Even though these natural wonders

look almost indestructible
and seemingly permanent,

they are, in fact, incredibly vulnerable.

The mining and timber industries

have already destroyed
much of the natural beauty of the islands,

and have contributed
to increased rates of erosion.

They also contribute
to the pollution of the air,

with their creation of greenhouse gases.

The destruction of the rainforests on land

can be fatal for the coral reefs.

Without tree roots
to hold the earth together,

erosion will lead
to an accumulation of mud,

which will be followed

by the sedimentation
of the coral reefs,

which will eventually
lead to their deaths.

If there were no forests and corals,

all life in the reef would just disappear.

If we do not act fast

to prevent the cultivation
of these sensitive areas,

we will no longer be able to observe

the complex and spectacular life cycles

of species like the wrasse and clown fish.

Of course, there are countless
more types of coral reef,

each with their own
unique characteristics,

but it would be impossible
to talk about every one of these

in just one documentary.

[upbeat music]

The relationship between clown fish
and anemones alone

could fill several books.

[relaxing music]

The soft coral and their different species

have many interesting aspects, too.

They, for example,
have no calcium skeleton,

like the stone corals,

but do, however, have numerous
tiny needle-shaped skeletons

which give the soft coral
their flexibility.

As there is no leftover calcium skeleton,

when a soft coral dies,

there are very few fossil remains
to be found.

Because of this fact,
it has proven extremely difficult

to fully understand
their evolutionary cycle

in the Raja Ampat region,

and in the rest of the world.

[upbeat music]

Here this swarm of big eye mackerel

is a direct result of evolution.

For years, scientists
have tried to understand

the processes which occur
in shoal fish over time.

Here they focused their research

particularly on mirror neurons.

These nerve cells help to recognize

and copy the movements
of familiar individuals.

This is an important feature

which enables the swarm
to move about freely and uniformly

through the reef.

[upbeat music]

The coral reefs are far more
than just chalk frameworks in the ocean.

While growing, they absorb a huge amount

of carbon dioxide and sea water
from the air.

This process helps to work
against the greenhouse effect.

Furthermore, corals
are a magnificent source

of nourishment for many fish,

as plants often settle on the branches.

These fish return the favor

by preventing too large
a buildup of plant life,

which would obscure the coral's surface

and prevent it from absorbing sunlight.

[upbeat music]

[relaxing music]

[music changes back to upbeat rhythm]

One of the main reasons
for the colorful mixture

of different plants and animals

is the dramatic change
in the mean sea level

over the last 100,000 years.

Because of the ice ages,

which came and went over this period,

the water between the two poles
became linked.

Consequently, the mean sea level
sank significantly.

Eventually, there was no water left
in Raja Ampat.

As a direct result of this,

completely separate species
of animal and plant life

developed in the two seashores,

divided by the land of West New Guinea.

When the ice ages passed,

and the ice thawed into water,

the mean sea level rose again,

and the previously completely separate
marine environments joined together,

and transformed Raja Ampat

into the colorful and vibrant paradise

which we see today.

[upbeat music]

[music takes on a quicker rhythm]

Up to this point, evidence
has been discovered

to suggest the existence of more
than 600 different hard coral species,

700 snail and shell species,

as well as more than 1600 fish species

in the region around Raja Ampat.

Several years ago,
almost 300 different fish species

were discovered in one dive.

In the eclectic mixture
of different habitats,

thousands of different species

have developed their own individual
and ingenious ways of surviving.

The archipelago, in the center
of The Coral Triangle,

is a crucible of evolution.

It is only here,
in the Indonesian coral jungle

that such a variety of living things

could come into existence

in a purely natural environment.

Nowhere else can so many
differing species of sea dwellers

be found coexisting in such harmony.

[upbeat music]

Who these pink colored contemporaries

with skillful movements
and perfect maneuverability

try to outswim, remains uncertain to us,

but surely they will
find their hiding place,

here in this abundant underwater world.

[relaxing music]

[upbeat music]

However, this incredibly unique
and precious area

is under constant threat
from overfishing and climate change.

The natural environment
of West New Guinea, though,

does remain relatively untouched
by human activity.

This reef has been turned
into a natural reserve

in order to prevent damage from humans,

and is protected
by the Indonesian government

as effectively as possible

in order to preserve this marine paradise

for future generations.

Thanks to this action,

species which exist nowhere else on Earth

continue to thrive around the coast
of Western New Guinea.

Despite numerous expeditions,

it has been impossible to calculate

the number of species
living in the coral gardens.

To this day, the number of species
known to exist in Raja Ampat

has increased every year.

But for how long will this continue?

Hopefully these coral gardens
will remain protected

and will thrive long into the future,

so that the number of new
species discovered here

will carry on increasing.

Sometimes very special and rare guests

of mysterious and breathtaking beauty
come to visit the area.

When the spectacular manta rays appear,

all other fish suddenly
seem far less impressive in comparison.

They are friendly creatures,

and boast an impressive 23 foot wingspan.

Due to the two lobes around their mouths,

these fish are also known as devil rays.

Manta rays are filter feeders,

meaning they survive almost exclusively
on a diet of plankton.

When they visit Raja Ampat,

these fish are welcomed by wrasses,

who clean their skin of parasites.

These places are known
as cleaning stations.

On these occasions, manta rays
move incredibly gracefully,

gliding slowly and cautiously
through the water.

[upbeat music]

This delightful spot,
with its beautiful sandy beaches

and crystal-clear water,

attracts all manner of people
from all over the world.

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When viewed from a bird's eye perspective,

the magic of the interaction
between the islands is striking.

This is far more impressive
than traversing the narrow canals by boat,

as from here,
the rainforests and coral reefs

look untouched by time,

appearing almost prehistoric,

and as if they have existed for eternity.

[upbeat music]

The wide extended woods,

which can only be seen in full
from up here,

are very typical for this equatorial
tropical rainforest area,

with its many different palm species.

Many trees are growing on cliffs
and stony steep faces.

One species of tree
is very typical for this area,

and does not need a lot of soil to grow,
the coco palm.

During the Pacific War
between America and Japan

in World War II,

the number of wrecks
around the archipelago

increased dramatically.

Here you can marvel at the plane wreck
of a P-47 Thunderbolt,

one of the most commonly
flown American aircraft

in World War II.

Even though wrecks such as this
can be quite easy to spot among the coral,

it is sometimes quite difficult to define

the exactly position of a wreck.

The most effective methods
of locating a wreck

are air recognizance and sonar technology,

a technique which is similar

to the echo method
used by bats, whales, or dolphins.

[relaxing music]

Over time, the wrecks decay,

and can be left
as just large hunks of metal.

However, nature is very good
at working around these wrecks,

and uses them as a frame

on which new life can be created,

turning the old plane
into an artificial reef.

[dramatic music]

Although this process originally
occurred accidentally,

artificial reefs have since
been built intentionally

in places like Australia
and the Caribbean.

[dramatic music]

Slowly we approach the end
of our journey,

a journey which has taken us through
an unforgettable paradise of nature,

a paradise which now lies behind us.

[upbeat electronic music]

Nowadays, Raja Ampat

is one of the most beautiful
nature sanctuaries in the world.

The reefs are still
in very good condition.

We, the visitors
of such an exotic paradise,

have a duty to take care of it

so that it stays as it is.

Every visitor, be it a diver,

a scientist, or a swimmer,
can contribute their part

in order to safeguard
this astonishing nature.

♪ Whoa, whoa ♪

♪ Whoa, whoa ♪

There is hope for these areas
of beauty in the future.

For years now, the islands
have been monitored

as effectively as possible
by conservationists.

[relaxing music]

Currently, there is talk
of designating the islands

UNESCO world heritage sites.

This would not only increase
public interest in the area,

but also ensure its protection
and wellbeing for the future.

[upbeat electronic music]

Artificial reefs
can bring life back to regions

which were seemingly irrevocably damaged,

and give the areas back
their sprawling beauty.

If it is treated with this care,

Raja Ampat will remain
in exactly this state for the future.

[upbeat electronic music]

♪ Whoa, whoa ♪

♪ Whoa, whoa ♪

We fly over the coral reef one last time,

admiring the greatest abundance of species

to be found anywhere in the world.

With all its innumerable
secrets and treasures,

this place will continue
to fascinate humans

for many more years to come.

It doesn't matter how much time goes by,

Raja Ampat will forever have
what makes it so incomparable,

the magic of the Indo-Pacific region.

[upbeat electronic music]

♪ Whoa, whoa ♪

♪ Whoa, whoa ♪

[music changes to a more relaxed beat]

[dramatic music]