1 00:00:18,460 --> 00:00:20,540 Almost 200 years ago, 2 00:00:20,540 --> 00:00:24,860 whilst walking these very paths in the English countryside 3 00:00:24,860 --> 00:00:28,140 and observing the banks and meadows near his home, 4 00:00:28,140 --> 00:00:30,060 Charles Darwin developed 5 00:00:30,060 --> 00:00:32,660 his ground-breaking ideas about evolution, 6 00:00:32,660 --> 00:00:35,540 casting a new light on the natural world 7 00:00:35,540 --> 00:00:38,420 and opening our eyes to its true wonder. 8 00:00:39,740 --> 00:00:43,500 Since then, we've explored almost every part of the planet 9 00:00:43,500 --> 00:00:47,580 and seen nature in its astounding variety. 10 00:00:47,580 --> 00:00:50,420 But there's still much to discover. 11 00:00:53,380 --> 00:00:55,860 In this new series of Planet Earth... 12 00:00:57,380 --> 00:01:01,140 ..we travel to the most astonishing wild places... 13 00:01:03,340 --> 00:01:06,020 ..see mysterious creatures... 14 00:01:10,980 --> 00:01:13,980 ..witness spectacular wonders... 15 00:01:15,980 --> 00:01:19,060 ..and reveal breathtaking animal dramas. 16 00:01:33,860 --> 00:01:37,900 The natural world continues to surprise us. 17 00:01:42,260 --> 00:01:47,580 But since Darwin's time, it has changed beyond recognition... 18 00:01:48,780 --> 00:01:51,340 ..transformed by a powerful force. 19 00:01:52,300 --> 00:01:53,620 Us. 20 00:01:56,620 --> 00:02:00,660 We will see how animals are adapting in extraordinary ways 21 00:02:00,660 --> 00:02:04,100 to survive the new challenges they face. 22 00:02:06,820 --> 00:02:09,060 At this crucial time in our history, 23 00:02:09,060 --> 00:02:12,940 we must now look at the world through a new lens. 24 00:02:14,220 --> 00:02:16,980 This is Planet Earth III. 25 00:02:59,420 --> 00:03:02,780 Tasmania, Shipstern's Bluff... 26 00:03:04,340 --> 00:03:06,860 ..where two worlds collide. 27 00:03:29,620 --> 00:03:34,260 These waves have crossed more than 1,000 miles of open ocean... 28 00:03:37,060 --> 00:03:39,100 ..building in strength. 29 00:03:53,540 --> 00:03:57,020 It's here that they meet their explosive end. 30 00:04:24,300 --> 00:04:27,740 Coasts are dangerous and dynamic frontiers. 31 00:04:29,060 --> 00:04:33,220 To succeed here, life must adapt to constant change. 32 00:04:39,860 --> 00:04:42,540 South Africa's Robberg Peninsula. 33 00:04:46,580 --> 00:04:50,420 Thousands of Cape fur seals gather here to breed. 34 00:05:03,380 --> 00:05:07,340 This pup was born into a crowded world. 35 00:05:11,620 --> 00:05:16,820 But now, at nearly a year old, he can escape to the water. 36 00:05:24,140 --> 00:05:26,340 He just has to get there. 37 00:05:57,860 --> 00:06:02,420 There is no question as to where this pup belongs. 38 00:06:10,700 --> 00:06:14,620 In the water, he's fast and agile. 39 00:06:27,380 --> 00:06:29,620 And he needs to be. 40 00:06:33,300 --> 00:06:37,860 The rolling surf conceals life-threatening dangers. 41 00:07:09,860 --> 00:07:12,060 A great white shark. 42 00:07:30,020 --> 00:07:33,620 This young pup has had a very lucky escape. 43 00:07:52,540 --> 00:07:54,940 Here on Africa's southern coast, 44 00:07:54,940 --> 00:07:59,060 seals risk their lives every time they set out to eat. 45 00:08:05,820 --> 00:08:09,860 Powerful ocean currents attract huge shoals of fish. 46 00:08:19,100 --> 00:08:21,300 But in recent years, 47 00:08:21,300 --> 00:08:25,940 this stretch has attracted increased numbers of great whites too. 48 00:08:29,820 --> 00:08:34,580 The great whites are shrewd hunters and use whatever cover is available. 49 00:09:03,900 --> 00:09:07,740 This shark won't need to eat for another few days. 50 00:09:11,700 --> 00:09:13,860 But he's not alone. 51 00:09:17,700 --> 00:09:20,300 These usually solitary hunters 52 00:09:20,300 --> 00:09:23,700 are gathering in unprecedented numbers. 53 00:09:26,020 --> 00:09:28,060 A dozen at a time. 54 00:09:40,220 --> 00:09:42,260 The seals are nimble... 55 00:09:48,180 --> 00:09:50,340 ..but great whites are patient... 56 00:09:56,900 --> 00:09:59,180 ..and have explosive acceleration... 57 00:10:02,460 --> 00:10:06,420 ..hitting top speed with just five swipes of their tails. 58 00:10:17,940 --> 00:10:19,980 Cornered... 59 00:10:19,980 --> 00:10:22,940 ..the seals keep close to the jagged cliffs. 60 00:10:29,420 --> 00:10:31,340 They are trapped. 61 00:11:15,580 --> 00:11:18,460 But as the great whites move in for the kill... 62 00:11:20,420 --> 00:11:23,300 ..the seals do something astonishing. 63 00:11:27,260 --> 00:11:28,700 Together... 64 00:11:29,980 --> 00:11:32,140 ..they turn on their enemy. 65 00:11:44,900 --> 00:11:47,980 As more join, the mob grows... 66 00:11:49,860 --> 00:11:52,700 ..in both number and confidence. 67 00:12:05,940 --> 00:12:08,260 The tables are turning. 68 00:12:33,820 --> 00:12:35,980 By sheer force of numbers... 69 00:12:36,940 --> 00:12:40,820 ..these fur seals drive the world's most notorious predator... 70 00:12:43,220 --> 00:12:45,340 ..back out to sea. 71 00:12:53,020 --> 00:12:57,260 Here, animals are adapting to new challenges 72 00:12:57,260 --> 00:12:59,500 in a rapidly changing world. 73 00:13:08,060 --> 00:13:09,500 In the Arctic... 74 00:13:10,580 --> 00:13:13,860 ..monumental change is a regular event. 75 00:13:21,980 --> 00:13:23,620 Summer. 76 00:13:23,620 --> 00:13:26,020 Visitors are arriving en masse... 77 00:13:27,300 --> 00:13:31,420 ..attracted by the biggest seasonal transformation 78 00:13:31,420 --> 00:13:33,300 on any coast on Earth. 79 00:13:44,020 --> 00:13:48,580 Over 300 billion tonnes of ice are melting... 80 00:13:53,500 --> 00:13:56,300 ..releasing nutrient-rich water. 81 00:14:00,700 --> 00:14:04,020 Extraordinary newcomers appear from the depths. 82 00:14:15,300 --> 00:14:17,220 A sea angel. 83 00:14:19,780 --> 00:14:22,140 No bigger than your little finger. 84 00:14:31,820 --> 00:14:34,660 It's eaten little for months. 85 00:14:34,660 --> 00:14:37,860 Its empty stomach glows orange. 86 00:14:48,340 --> 00:14:51,020 And there are other hungry arrivals. 87 00:14:55,940 --> 00:14:57,860 A sea butterfly. 88 00:14:59,900 --> 00:15:02,340 A snail with wings. 89 00:15:10,980 --> 00:15:14,020 Both angel and butterfly are blind. 90 00:15:16,460 --> 00:15:22,140 But each monitors minute changes in the water as they search for a meal. 91 00:15:37,300 --> 00:15:40,100 This angel has a devilish side. 92 00:15:43,180 --> 00:15:46,420 Its mouth parts invert 93 00:15:46,420 --> 00:15:49,340 to form a deadly trap of tentacles... 94 00:16:00,460 --> 00:16:03,420 ..from which there is little chance of escape. 95 00:16:42,260 --> 00:16:46,980 With a stomach full of prey, this angel has lost its glow... 96 00:16:49,100 --> 00:16:51,140 ..but not its appetite. 97 00:16:55,780 --> 00:16:58,500 It feasts while it can. 98 00:17:05,140 --> 00:17:09,380 Both predator and prey will soon return to the depths... 99 00:17:11,140 --> 00:17:14,620 ..before the ice transforms this coast once again. 100 00:17:32,900 --> 00:17:34,380 Namibia... 101 00:17:35,380 --> 00:17:39,540 ..where desert lions roam across vast territories. 102 00:17:48,580 --> 00:17:53,100 These desert cats are on a never-ending search for food. 103 00:17:59,300 --> 00:18:02,260 And that has brought these young sisters... 104 00:18:03,660 --> 00:18:05,100 ..here. 105 00:18:14,980 --> 00:18:19,020 Africa's infamous Skeleton Coast. 106 00:18:24,420 --> 00:18:29,060 Following years of persecution, Namibia's lions are now protected... 107 00:18:30,260 --> 00:18:32,980 ..and their range is expanding again. 108 00:18:34,980 --> 00:18:39,340 These are the first to be seen on these shores for 40 years. 109 00:18:44,380 --> 00:18:47,340 By day, there is little for them here. 110 00:18:51,020 --> 00:18:53,900 But at night, it's a different story. 111 00:19:03,660 --> 00:19:06,580 Sea birds come here to roost 112 00:19:06,580 --> 00:19:08,780 in their thousands. 113 00:19:19,140 --> 00:19:23,460 These hungry sisters have never seen an opportunity like this. 114 00:19:28,100 --> 00:19:31,700 But no cats, certainly no desert cats, 115 00:19:31,700 --> 00:19:33,900 enjoy getting their paws wet. 116 00:19:47,620 --> 00:19:52,380 These roosting cormorants are sitting ducks 117 00:19:52,380 --> 00:19:54,860 for hunters with good night vision. 118 00:20:05,060 --> 00:20:06,820 In theory. 119 00:20:16,780 --> 00:20:19,900 Birds are not a big cat's usual prey, 120 00:20:19,900 --> 00:20:21,820 let alone sea birds. 121 00:20:23,540 --> 00:20:26,580 And these sisters need to get their eye in. 122 00:20:59,660 --> 00:21:02,980 Catching flying prey in the dark is not easy... 123 00:21:04,980 --> 00:21:07,700 ..but these lions have acquired the knack. 124 00:21:12,060 --> 00:21:14,700 Coasts can not only provide food... 125 00:21:27,500 --> 00:21:30,020 ..they can also be a sanctuary. 126 00:21:43,340 --> 00:21:47,380 This female southern right whale is nearing the end 127 00:21:47,380 --> 00:21:51,340 of a 5,000 mile journey across open ocean. 128 00:22:04,500 --> 00:22:06,620 She's kept a steady course... 129 00:22:08,620 --> 00:22:12,140 ..to a special place she has known all her life. 130 00:22:17,060 --> 00:22:20,420 Peninsula Valdes, Argentina. 131 00:22:43,580 --> 00:22:45,740 In these calm, shallow waters... 132 00:22:47,060 --> 00:22:49,500 ..her behaviour starts to change. 133 00:22:52,260 --> 00:22:55,380 She rolls and shifts her great body. 134 00:22:59,900 --> 00:23:02,740 Perhaps she's trying to get comfortable. 135 00:23:30,900 --> 00:23:33,140 Other females are close by. 136 00:23:36,860 --> 00:23:40,060 Some have been coming here for five decades... 137 00:23:41,660 --> 00:23:46,060 ..seeking the shelter of this bay at a key time in their lives. 138 00:24:03,420 --> 00:24:05,500 This whale is here... 139 00:24:06,660 --> 00:24:08,420 ..to give birth. 140 00:24:39,140 --> 00:24:41,660 A new life begins. 141 00:24:53,460 --> 00:24:56,620 The calf is totally dependent on its mother. 142 00:24:59,380 --> 00:25:03,700 She's producing as much as 200 litres of milk a day. 143 00:25:06,180 --> 00:25:10,860 The strength she loses, the calf gains. 144 00:25:16,940 --> 00:25:22,060 And it becomes more and more independent and playful. 145 00:25:31,900 --> 00:25:36,220 In this nursery bay, there are plenty of playmates. 146 00:25:46,540 --> 00:25:49,940 But a mother never lets her calf stray too far... 147 00:25:58,380 --> 00:26:01,940 ..and will always offer a welcome embrace. 148 00:26:15,060 --> 00:26:20,340 The family keeps in constant contact with whispered calls. 149 00:26:21,860 --> 00:26:24,060 New research has revealed 150 00:26:24,060 --> 00:26:29,260 that in shallow coastal waters, their calls not only fade quickly, 151 00:26:29,260 --> 00:26:34,260 but are also concealed by the sound of waves breaking on the shore... 152 00:26:40,260 --> 00:26:44,060 ..so they won't attract the attention of predators. 153 00:26:49,260 --> 00:26:53,300 Not so long ago, these whales faced a graver threat. 154 00:26:56,620 --> 00:26:59,260 They were hunted to near extinction. 155 00:27:02,540 --> 00:27:06,940 But 40 years ago, commercial whaling was banned. 156 00:27:10,260 --> 00:27:14,220 Today, their population is 12,000 strong... 157 00:27:15,580 --> 00:27:19,180 ..and this bay now attracts one of the largest gatherings 158 00:27:19,180 --> 00:27:21,940 of these whales anywhere on Earth. 159 00:27:43,820 --> 00:27:48,060 There are over a million miles of coastline around the world. 160 00:27:49,900 --> 00:27:54,660 Together, they constitute the most varied habitat on the planet. 161 00:27:58,620 --> 00:28:01,340 Here on Canada's west coast, 162 00:28:01,340 --> 00:28:04,940 some of the most powerful of all ocean currents 163 00:28:04,940 --> 00:28:07,860 deliver a constant supply of nutrients 164 00:28:07,860 --> 00:28:10,540 to the shores of countless islands. 165 00:28:24,700 --> 00:28:28,740 And those that live here take full advantage. 166 00:28:35,260 --> 00:28:39,940 This is the aptly-named wandering garter snake. 167 00:28:58,060 --> 00:29:00,100 He may seem out of place... 168 00:29:01,060 --> 00:29:03,220 ..but he's here to eat. 169 00:29:15,060 --> 00:29:19,300 The water here is more than ten degrees colder than the air. 170 00:29:26,180 --> 00:29:31,580 But that doesn't deter this intrepid hunter from taking the plunge. 171 00:29:37,460 --> 00:29:40,900 Under the water, there is an abundance of food... 172 00:29:42,940 --> 00:29:44,980 ..if he can catch it. 173 00:30:11,860 --> 00:30:14,060 Snakes are cold-blooded, 174 00:30:14,060 --> 00:30:17,500 so he can't stay in these chilly waters for long. 175 00:30:24,900 --> 00:30:28,300 Back in the sunshine, he warms his head, 176 00:30:28,300 --> 00:30:30,980 perhaps sharpening his senses. 177 00:30:34,060 --> 00:30:36,100 And then, with a gulp of air... 178 00:30:37,700 --> 00:30:39,740 ..he continues his hunt. 179 00:30:47,260 --> 00:30:49,300 It's thought that garter snakes 180 00:30:49,300 --> 00:30:53,340 can use their forked tongue underwater as they do in air, 181 00:30:53,340 --> 00:30:56,420 smelling in stereo... 182 00:30:56,420 --> 00:30:59,860 ..detecting prey wherever it hides. 183 00:31:15,460 --> 00:31:17,060 He's got something. 184 00:31:18,220 --> 00:31:20,220 A small fish. 185 00:31:25,340 --> 00:31:27,460 Now, he has to land it. 186 00:31:31,460 --> 00:31:33,100 Success. 187 00:31:38,260 --> 00:31:42,860 For those animals able to cross the divide between land and sea, 188 00:31:42,860 --> 00:31:45,340 there are surprising rewards. 189 00:31:51,940 --> 00:31:54,740 Raja Ampat in Indonesia. 190 00:31:58,620 --> 00:32:01,700 Here, there's a greater variety of animals 191 00:32:01,700 --> 00:32:04,300 than on any other coast on Earth. 192 00:32:10,300 --> 00:32:13,140 The corals are protected by mangroves. 193 00:32:14,500 --> 00:32:20,300 Salt tolerant trees that prop themselves on curving aerial roots. 194 00:32:33,460 --> 00:32:38,300 These fish have learned how to catch prey from high in the trees. 195 00:32:44,620 --> 00:32:48,460 Archerfish use jets of water like arrows. 196 00:32:53,060 --> 00:32:54,740 This pinpoint accuracy... 197 00:32:55,940 --> 00:32:58,580 ..requires some complex calculations. 198 00:33:00,940 --> 00:33:04,420 The hunter first estimates the range of its target... 199 00:33:07,580 --> 00:33:10,940 ..then loads with a precise amount of water. 200 00:33:13,460 --> 00:33:17,460 Aiming, they allow for the refraction and distortion 201 00:33:17,460 --> 00:33:20,180 created by the water's moving surface. 202 00:33:24,300 --> 00:33:25,660 And then... 203 00:33:26,860 --> 00:33:28,380 ..release... 204 00:33:30,860 --> 00:33:32,740 ..an arrow of water. 205 00:33:35,220 --> 00:33:40,020 They can hit prey up to two metres above them. 206 00:33:49,820 --> 00:33:52,340 But they're not born with this skill. 207 00:33:54,260 --> 00:33:56,140 They have to learn it. 208 00:33:58,180 --> 00:34:01,220 And they do that by studying others. 209 00:34:06,500 --> 00:34:10,900 This youngster is watching a master at work. 210 00:34:27,180 --> 00:34:29,980 It's time for the apprentice to have a go. 211 00:34:32,500 --> 00:34:35,820 First, he must select a target. 212 00:34:38,860 --> 00:34:40,940 This seems rather ambitious. 213 00:34:50,060 --> 00:34:51,580 Missed. 214 00:34:53,100 --> 00:34:56,060 Others watch to learn from his mistakes. 215 00:35:05,700 --> 00:35:07,060 Or... 216 00:35:09,460 --> 00:35:11,620 ..to steal his prize. 217 00:35:48,660 --> 00:35:50,700 Enough is enough. 218 00:35:52,940 --> 00:35:55,620 There is one way to beat the thieves. 219 00:36:00,500 --> 00:36:02,140 The archer himself... 220 00:36:03,780 --> 00:36:05,460 ..becomes the arrow. 221 00:36:26,820 --> 00:36:31,060 Mangroves are unusually stable coastal environments, 222 00:36:31,060 --> 00:36:35,020 where an archerfish can focus on beating the competition. 223 00:36:54,980 --> 00:36:58,980 But on the exposed coast of Mexico's Yucatan, 224 00:36:58,980 --> 00:37:01,060 life is precarious. 225 00:37:03,700 --> 00:37:06,860 Concentrated by the tropical sunshine, 226 00:37:06,860 --> 00:37:11,980 the brine in these shallow lagoons cannot be tolerated by most animals. 227 00:37:16,460 --> 00:37:20,140 And yet, these Caribbean flamingos 228 00:37:20,140 --> 00:37:23,500 have flown hundreds of miles to gather here. 229 00:37:59,500 --> 00:38:03,820 These hypersaline waters keep many predators at bay... 230 00:38:07,100 --> 00:38:09,660 ..so it's here they choose to nest. 231 00:38:12,940 --> 00:38:16,060 There are more than 10,000 pairs here. 232 00:38:16,060 --> 00:38:19,460 It's the largest breeding colony in North America. 233 00:38:33,380 --> 00:38:36,700 Nest mounds keep chicks clear of the brine 234 00:38:36,700 --> 00:38:39,340 while they are still at their most vulnerable. 235 00:39:15,980 --> 00:39:18,820 But this generation faces a problem. 236 00:39:27,180 --> 00:39:32,100 The storms that come each season are arriving earlier every year. 237 00:39:36,340 --> 00:39:39,700 And the colony lies directly in their path. 238 00:39:50,020 --> 00:39:53,580 Rising winds create a storm surge 239 00:39:53,580 --> 00:39:57,340 that overwhelms the most exposed nests. 240 00:40:20,300 --> 00:40:21,820 And then... 241 00:40:22,900 --> 00:40:24,420 ..it rains. 242 00:40:32,540 --> 00:40:36,580 The adults do what they can, bailing out their nests. 243 00:40:43,860 --> 00:40:46,100 But they can only do so much. 244 00:41:02,900 --> 00:41:07,940 The storm passes, but leaves devastation in its wake. 245 00:41:12,700 --> 00:41:15,100 Most nests are submerged. 246 00:41:31,540 --> 00:41:34,300 The chicks are soaked and cold... 247 00:41:36,020 --> 00:41:37,700 ..and will soon perish... 248 00:41:38,940 --> 00:41:41,300 ..unless they can get out of the water. 249 00:41:55,420 --> 00:41:58,060 The adults are unable to help. 250 00:42:02,700 --> 00:42:05,140 A chick must save itself. 251 00:42:31,620 --> 00:42:36,220 Some years, no chicks survive in this colony. 252 00:42:39,980 --> 00:42:42,660 Our coasts are vulnerable places. 253 00:42:44,500 --> 00:42:49,980 Increasingly so, as rising global temperatures create bigger storms. 254 00:42:54,140 --> 00:42:57,340 The biggest are hurricanes. 255 00:43:01,260 --> 00:43:05,980 They form over warm tropical water, building in strength at sea. 256 00:43:09,940 --> 00:43:14,060 But their full force is unleashed on our coasts... 257 00:43:16,860 --> 00:43:21,940 ..where 40% of the world's human population have made their homes. 258 00:43:35,260 --> 00:43:37,220 In this changing world... 259 00:43:38,860 --> 00:43:41,300 ..coasts are on the front line. 260 00:43:57,860 --> 00:43:59,460 Raine Island. 261 00:44:00,700 --> 00:44:03,780 One of the planet's most important breeding sites 262 00:44:03,780 --> 00:44:07,020 for one particularly precious species. 263 00:44:20,580 --> 00:44:22,300 The green turtle. 264 00:44:26,860 --> 00:44:29,460 On a few special nights each year, 265 00:44:29,460 --> 00:44:33,700 as many as 20,000 females come ashore here. 266 00:44:36,500 --> 00:44:38,780 Their instinct to nest is strong... 267 00:44:41,220 --> 00:44:46,980 ..and many haul themselves far inland in search of nesting space. 268 00:44:49,740 --> 00:44:55,260 In a single night, they may lay as many as two million eggs. 269 00:45:08,020 --> 00:45:09,460 Dawn. 270 00:45:12,540 --> 00:45:15,620 This exhausted female has nested, 271 00:45:15,620 --> 00:45:18,900 but now she faces a long return journey 272 00:45:18,900 --> 00:45:21,220 through the dunes to the sea. 273 00:45:34,380 --> 00:45:36,220 As the sun rises... 274 00:45:38,540 --> 00:45:41,820 ..she's at risk of being baked alive. 275 00:45:49,700 --> 00:45:53,620 Every inch she travels is gruelling. 276 00:46:01,940 --> 00:46:06,060 And the ebbing tide has exposed a rocky reef. 277 00:46:10,980 --> 00:46:13,900 It has already claimed many lives. 278 00:46:18,860 --> 00:46:23,180 Other females overcome by heat and exhaustion. 279 00:46:33,140 --> 00:46:34,900 Her temperature is rising. 280 00:46:35,860 --> 00:46:37,900 She has to keep going. 281 00:47:02,900 --> 00:47:08,740 As many as 2,000 female turtles may die here each year. 282 00:47:30,620 --> 00:47:33,180 But the coast is always changing. 283 00:47:43,020 --> 00:47:45,900 And the turning tide 284 00:47:45,900 --> 00:47:47,820 may yet save her. 285 00:48:16,540 --> 00:48:21,500 Half of all the green turtles in the Pacific come here to nest, 286 00:48:21,500 --> 00:48:25,180 as they have done for at least 1,000 years. 287 00:48:34,060 --> 00:48:36,300 But for how much longer? 288 00:48:42,220 --> 00:48:47,220 If sea levels rise as predicted, within the next 30 years, 289 00:48:47,220 --> 00:48:51,580 Raine Island will disappear beneath the waves. 290 00:48:59,460 --> 00:49:03,300 Coasts are dynamic, dangerous frontiers... 291 00:49:05,500 --> 00:49:09,940 ..and they are changing faster than ever before in human history. 292 00:49:13,540 --> 00:49:16,100 Life is remarkably resilient... 293 00:49:17,500 --> 00:49:20,020 ..and adapts to new challenges. 294 00:49:22,780 --> 00:49:27,340 But there is a limit on how fast it can do so. 295 00:49:48,580 --> 00:49:50,340 As far as I know, 296 00:49:50,340 --> 00:49:55,340 I was one of the first people to film on Raine Island, back in 1957. 297 00:49:57,980 --> 00:50:00,260 YOUNGER DAVID: After a fortnight of travelling north, 298 00:50:00,260 --> 00:50:02,540 we at last sighted Raine Island. 299 00:50:03,820 --> 00:50:08,900 From the sea, it looked no more than a low sandbank covered in scrub. 300 00:50:08,900 --> 00:50:11,540 But as we rowed ashore, 301 00:50:11,540 --> 00:50:15,620 we were deafened by the cries of thousands of sea birds 302 00:50:15,620 --> 00:50:18,540 which hung above the island like a black cloud. 303 00:50:21,860 --> 00:50:26,740 I was 31 and it was here that I first met a green turtle. 304 00:50:28,300 --> 00:50:30,860 The turtles come up to lay at night, 305 00:50:30,860 --> 00:50:34,900 and after a night spent laying maybe over 100 eggs, 306 00:50:34,900 --> 00:50:39,060 she's very weary and very anxious to get back to the sea. 307 00:50:42,540 --> 00:50:44,500 Nearly 70 years later, 308 00:50:44,500 --> 00:50:47,780 the Planet Earth III team are welcomed by people 309 00:50:47,780 --> 00:50:52,020 whose connection to the island goes back very much further than mine. 310 00:50:52,020 --> 00:50:53,780 Welcome to Raine! 311 00:50:53,780 --> 00:50:55,860 The Wuthathi and Meriam people 312 00:50:55,860 --> 00:50:58,820 have been coming here for several thousand years. 313 00:51:00,540 --> 00:51:02,900 Raine Island's a beautiful and special place. 314 00:51:02,900 --> 00:51:05,420 Like, there's nowhere else on the planet 315 00:51:05,420 --> 00:51:07,900 where you come and see this much turtles. 316 00:51:07,900 --> 00:51:09,700 It's a wonder to see. 317 00:51:13,380 --> 00:51:16,660 Since I was there, it's been discovered that Raine Island 318 00:51:16,660 --> 00:51:20,820 attracts more nesting green turtles than anywhere else on the planet. 319 00:51:27,020 --> 00:51:28,660 There's so many, isn't there? 320 00:51:28,660 --> 00:51:31,540 As soon as you're up, you're like, "Oh, there are a lot." 321 00:51:31,540 --> 00:51:34,420 And the crew soon meet some other residents too. 322 00:51:35,660 --> 00:51:37,660 This is behind the behind the scenes! 323 00:51:42,580 --> 00:51:43,940 See you, mate! 324 00:51:47,460 --> 00:51:49,420 The team are here to record 325 00:51:49,420 --> 00:51:52,460 the mother turtles' perilous journeys back to the sea. 326 00:51:54,460 --> 00:51:56,300 Oh, God. 327 00:51:58,620 --> 00:52:01,220 Trapped turtles can often free themselves 328 00:52:01,220 --> 00:52:03,420 with the help of the rising tide. 329 00:52:04,660 --> 00:52:07,900 Nearly. Just a bit more to the right there. Yeah, there. 330 00:52:07,900 --> 00:52:11,980 But in this case, Keron makes the decision to intervene. 331 00:52:13,220 --> 00:52:15,980 Ready? One, two, three. 332 00:52:15,980 --> 00:52:18,580 Yeah, any time we're here we'll walk the beach. 333 00:52:18,580 --> 00:52:22,260 Any turtles that have no chance of making it back to the ocean, 334 00:52:22,260 --> 00:52:27,380 if we can save them, we save them, because every turtle is precious. 335 00:52:27,380 --> 00:52:29,500 At the time of my first visit, 336 00:52:29,500 --> 00:52:32,860 little was known to outsiders about Raine Island. 337 00:52:32,860 --> 00:52:35,020 But for the last few decades, 338 00:52:35,020 --> 00:52:39,060 scientists have been working with the Wuthathi and Meriam people 339 00:52:39,060 --> 00:52:42,060 to understand more about this special place. 340 00:52:43,020 --> 00:52:46,340 Scientists have been coming to Raine Island since about the mid '70s 341 00:52:46,340 --> 00:52:48,900 and over that time they've been monitoring 342 00:52:48,900 --> 00:52:50,820 the nesting population here. 343 00:52:52,380 --> 00:52:54,420 This work involves long hours... 344 00:52:56,420 --> 00:52:58,300 98.7. 345 00:52:58,300 --> 00:53:00,780 ..and a certain degree of patience. 346 00:53:02,860 --> 00:53:04,540 Oh! 347 00:53:04,540 --> 00:53:05,700 SHE LAUGHS 348 00:53:09,540 --> 00:53:13,100 We're going to be wearing half of Raine Island by the end of tonight! 349 00:53:15,780 --> 00:53:19,260 Helping the year's first hatchlings is a little easier. 350 00:53:20,660 --> 00:53:22,620 So we'll take these ones down to the water's edge 351 00:53:22,620 --> 00:53:24,900 and so hopefully we'll see these turtles back here, 352 00:53:24,900 --> 00:53:26,540 laying eggs in 30 years' time. 353 00:53:27,820 --> 00:53:30,420 With the help of this dedicated team, 354 00:53:30,420 --> 00:53:34,100 Raine Island's turtles might seem to have a good future. 355 00:53:38,980 --> 00:53:42,100 But research is revealing a hidden threat. 356 00:53:46,780 --> 00:53:49,540 The direct effects of climate change. 357 00:53:53,740 --> 00:53:57,340 Do you want to hold this against the flat part of the data-logger? 358 00:53:57,340 --> 00:53:59,420 A developing turtle's sex 359 00:53:59,420 --> 00:54:02,380 is determined by the temperature of its nest. 360 00:54:03,780 --> 00:54:07,340 Higher temperatures produce female hatchlings. 361 00:54:09,180 --> 00:54:13,740 The temperature of the sand on Raine Island is now at a record high. 362 00:54:15,020 --> 00:54:19,660 So 99% of the turtles that hatch here are female. 363 00:54:21,100 --> 00:54:24,460 More alarmingly, we now know this has been case 364 00:54:24,460 --> 00:54:26,940 for at least the last 20 years. 365 00:54:28,060 --> 00:54:29,700 You do the maths. 366 00:54:29,700 --> 00:54:34,060 All females, no males. What's going to happen? 367 00:54:34,060 --> 00:54:36,300 There's going to be a population crash 368 00:54:36,300 --> 00:54:37,940 and there'll be no more turtle. 369 00:54:41,380 --> 00:54:44,580 Work is under way to find solutions. 370 00:54:44,580 --> 00:54:46,660 But that's not their only problem. 371 00:54:48,260 --> 00:54:52,780 Not only are temperatures rising, sea levels are too. 372 00:54:54,420 --> 00:54:56,980 Increasingly, high tides on Raine 373 00:54:56,980 --> 00:55:00,100 are flooding many of the nests from below... 374 00:55:02,300 --> 00:55:05,940 ..drowning the developing turtles before they hatch. 375 00:55:07,700 --> 00:55:09,140 It's really upsetting. 376 00:55:09,140 --> 00:55:12,180 You'll dig down to check to see success, 377 00:55:12,180 --> 00:55:14,460 and you get down to the nests 378 00:55:14,460 --> 00:55:16,740 and you're just pulling up dead eggs. 379 00:55:18,420 --> 00:55:23,020 To try to stop this happening, they have devised a heavy-duty solution. 380 00:55:27,700 --> 00:55:30,940 These machines have been shipped hundreds of miles 381 00:55:30,940 --> 00:55:34,460 from the Australian mainland to re-shape the beach. 382 00:55:37,260 --> 00:55:39,580 They have already shifted sand 383 00:55:39,580 --> 00:55:42,980 that would fill 16 Olympic-sized swimming pools 384 00:55:42,980 --> 00:55:46,020 and doubled the number of safe nesting sites. 385 00:55:48,500 --> 00:55:52,980 The hope is that this will ensure that over five million more eggs 386 00:55:52,980 --> 00:55:54,980 will hatch in the next decade. 387 00:55:58,260 --> 00:56:03,580 But from then on, the future of Raine Island looks very uncertain. 388 00:56:04,860 --> 00:56:08,100 At this stage, we think that we have to about 2050 389 00:56:08,100 --> 00:56:11,140 until we start seeing massive impacts of sea level rise. 390 00:56:12,100 --> 00:56:16,500 It's crazy to think that, you know, the work that we do here, 391 00:56:16,500 --> 00:56:18,660 someone might not be doing this in 30 years' time 392 00:56:18,660 --> 00:56:20,260 cos there's no island to do it on. 393 00:56:23,980 --> 00:56:29,340 What sort of world is it going to be for my children and their children? 394 00:56:29,340 --> 00:56:31,180 Is there going to be anything for... 395 00:56:32,540 --> 00:56:34,220 ..for them? Or is it... 396 00:56:35,660 --> 00:56:37,100 ..all in vain? 397 00:56:42,260 --> 00:56:45,980 We'll always be here fighting for Raine Island, for the turtles. 398 00:56:45,980 --> 00:56:49,820 But we can't do it alone and we need government and big business 399 00:56:49,820 --> 00:56:53,820 to wake up and see what they're doing to the planet and get real. 400 00:57:00,060 --> 00:57:03,260 This little fellow is newly hatched from an egg 401 00:57:03,260 --> 00:57:05,540 which had been laid a month or so earlier 402 00:57:05,540 --> 00:57:08,500 and he too is very anxious to get down to the sea. 403 00:57:12,700 --> 00:57:15,380 Having at last successfully reached the water, 404 00:57:15,380 --> 00:57:19,180 he's still got a great number of hazards to face before he grows up. 405 00:57:21,580 --> 00:57:23,420 Little did I know then 406 00:57:23,420 --> 00:57:26,460 what hazards that little turtle would have to face 407 00:57:26,460 --> 00:57:30,020 or the extraordinary lengths to which people would go 408 00:57:30,020 --> 00:57:32,340 to protect it and its island. 409 00:57:33,860 --> 00:57:39,060 In the 66 years since my visit, Raine Island has remained 410 00:57:39,060 --> 00:57:42,500 the most important green turtle nesting site on the planet. 411 00:57:43,460 --> 00:57:47,300 The question is, can it last another lifetime? 412 00:57:52,260 --> 00:57:53,740 Next time... 413 00:57:55,060 --> 00:57:57,940 ..an extraordinary journey through the ocean. 414 00:58:00,140 --> 00:58:03,300 The last unexplored frontier on our planet... 415 00:58:07,340 --> 00:58:08,940 ..where life has evolved... 416 00:58:10,260 --> 00:58:12,700 ..in the most surprising ways. 417 00:58:18,020 --> 00:58:21,660 Habitat Explorer brings animals and their habitats to life. 418 00:58:21,660 --> 00:58:25,340 Explore this free interactive and make origami animals. 419 00:58:25,340 --> 00:58:29,220 Go to bbc.co.uk/planetearth3 420 00:58:29,220 --> 00:58:31,580 and follow the links to the Open University. 421 00:58:31,580 --> 00:58:33,740 Or to order a free printed version, 422 00:58:33,740 --> 00:58:37,060 visit the website or call the numbers on the screen.