1 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:13,080 Far away, cut off by vast oceans... 2 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:19,760 ..lie Earth's tropical islands. 3 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:28,600 Home to remarkable animal castaways... 4 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:32,720 ..that have evolved in isolation... 5 00:00:37,160 --> 00:00:39,080 ..and human cultures that have 6 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:40,960 adapted in extraordinary ways. 7 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:46,840 From the jungles of Borneo, with 8 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:50,280 their staggering wild diversity... 9 00:00:57,440 --> 00:01:01,280 ..to Hawaii, the most remote island chain, 10 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:04,680 colonised by only the hardiest pioneers... 11 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:10,400 ..and Madagascar, 12 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:12,240 the oldest island of all, 13 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:15,360 where time has given rise 14 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:17,720 to thousands of unique species. 15 00:01:19,320 --> 00:01:21,760 ANIMALS CALL 16 00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:29,080 These tropical islands 17 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:31,600 have developed into astonishing 18 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:33,960 and unique worlds... 19 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:38,600 ..cradling precious life 20 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:41,880 found nowhere else on Earth. 21 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:12,000 In the heart of the Pacific Ocean 22 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:16,720 lies the most remote group of islands on Earth, 23 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:18,200 Hawaii. 24 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:25,960 And in its warm, tropical shallows, 25 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:28,600 a humpback whale gave birth 26 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:30,400 just two weeks ago. 27 00:02:33,240 --> 00:02:35,760 This mother swam 28 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:38,960 2,500 miles from Alaska... 29 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:42,400 ..because the conditions here 30 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:45,080 are perfect for her baby. 31 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:57,840 Hawaii's extreme isolation 32 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:00,480 keeps the calf beyond the reach of 33 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:01,840 most predators... 34 00:03:03,920 --> 00:03:07,760 LOUD SPLASHING 35 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:14,720 ..while the islands' shallow seas 36 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:17,600 offer the only warm water 37 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:20,200 for 1,000 miles. 38 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:26,920 A balmy 27 degrees, 39 00:03:26,920 --> 00:03:29,240 crucial for a new-born calf 40 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:33,000 yet to develop a thick coat of insulating blubber. 41 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:44,760 The Hawaiian islands can also offer shelter from the winds 42 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:47,000 and currents of the open ocean... 43 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:55,960 ..allowing her to rest... 44 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:03,200 ..and put all the energy from 45 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:06,240 her mother's milk into growing. 46 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:26,400 For those that can reach these remote tropical shores, 47 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:28,840 Hawaii provides a sanctuary, 48 00:04:28,840 --> 00:04:32,480 with extraordinary opportunities for new life. 49 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:42,280 Hawaii lies 2,000 miles west of North America, 50 00:04:42,280 --> 00:04:44,160 in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. 51 00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:47,520 It's made up of a chain of 52 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:49,560 over 100 islands, 53 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:52,440 stretching across 1,500 miles. 54 00:04:56,960 --> 00:04:58,960 Furthest south in the chain is 55 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:00,720 the youngest and largest island. 56 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:05,640 Travelling north-west, 57 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:07,160 the islands become progressively 58 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:08,640 older and smaller. 59 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:14,360 This range of ages means 60 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:16,680 the islands offer a remarkable 61 00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:19,040 variety of habitats. 62 00:05:26,320 --> 00:05:28,760 From barren rock on the youngest... 63 00:05:31,240 --> 00:05:34,040 ..to lush tropical jungles... 64 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:39,800 ..and shallow sand bars, 65 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:43,960 the remnants of islands 30 million years old. 66 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:48,680 All home to an incredible 67 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:50,520 wealth of wildlife... 68 00:05:52,280 --> 00:05:53,600 ..thriving 69 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:56,400 in this most remote of outposts... 70 00:05:59,960 --> 00:06:01,880 ..against the odds. 71 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:16,240 The Hawaiian islands all began life the same way. 72 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:25,040 At the very bottom of the Pacific Ocean. 73 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:53,120 Hawaii sits above 74 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:55,920 a volcanic hotspot, like this. 75 00:07:00,840 --> 00:07:02,160 Liquid rock, 76 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:04,120 heated to 1,200 degrees Celsius, 77 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:06,720 spews out from the Earth's core... 78 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:10,720 ..forming the beginnings of 79 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:12,360 an underwater mountain. 80 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:17,920 Over hundreds of thousands of years, it grows... 81 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:27,440 ..until its peak breaks the surface... 82 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:32,160 ..and an island is born. 83 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:41,600 The newest of the islands 84 00:07:41,600 --> 00:07:44,640 is known as The Big Island. 85 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:50,560 It began forming a million years ago, 86 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:52,720 and its volcanoes are still active today... 87 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:57,120 ..turning lava 88 00:07:57,120 --> 00:07:59,480 into precious new land. 89 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:07,440 The Big Island can grow by 90 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:09,720 as much as 900 acres a year... 91 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:13,120 ..and has peaks so high, 92 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:15,520 they're capped with snow. 93 00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:33,040 But soon, its growth will stop 94 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:37,080 because this vast island is actually moving, 95 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:40,560 inching away from the volcanic hotspot that created it. 96 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:47,800 Hawaii sits on a massive 97 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:50,680 tectonic plate that is carrying 98 00:08:50,680 --> 00:08:52,760 all of the islands north-west. 99 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:56,000 As they form, each island 100 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:58,200 moves off the hotspot, 101 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:00,240 and another is made behind it. 102 00:09:03,080 --> 00:09:05,360 The result is a chain of islands, 103 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:07,720 each younger than the last. 104 00:09:16,680 --> 00:09:18,840 Furthest south, the Big Island 105 00:09:18,840 --> 00:09:21,200 is still on the volcanic hotspot... 106 00:09:28,680 --> 00:09:31,760 ..and its freshly formed lava fields 107 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:35,360 are the most inhospitable habitat in Hawaii. 108 00:09:41,680 --> 00:09:45,720 Yet, amongst the rubble, 109 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:47,560 there is life. 110 00:09:53,960 --> 00:09:56,880 The wekiu bug, 111 00:09:56,880 --> 00:09:59,360 meaning "summit" in Hawaiian. 112 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:04,920 To find enough food to survive up here, 113 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:08,280 it's adapted to living off the dead. 114 00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:18,440 In temperatures that plummet to minus 11, 115 00:10:18,440 --> 00:10:21,720 other insects blown in on the wind 116 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:23,440 quickly die. 117 00:10:27,600 --> 00:10:31,000 But the wekiu's blood acts like antifreeze, 118 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:33,440 protecting it from the cold. 119 00:10:41,080 --> 00:10:44,280 Using piercing mouthparts, 120 00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:47,880 it punctures its victim's exoskeleton 121 00:10:47,880 --> 00:10:50,080 and sucks out its juices. 122 00:11:01,720 --> 00:11:03,720 The wekiu may have originally 123 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:06,120 come from South America, but how 124 00:11:06,120 --> 00:11:08,800 did a tiny insect cross thousands 125 00:11:08,800 --> 00:11:11,440 of miles of open ocean to get here? 126 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:16,720 The same way its food arrives - 127 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:18,760 blown by the wind. 128 00:11:24,640 --> 00:11:27,080 Strong winds can carry spores, 129 00:11:27,080 --> 00:11:28,920 seeds... 130 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:32,560 ..and lightweight creatures 131 00:11:32,560 --> 00:11:34,200 high into the jet stream. 132 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:49,760 The odds of being carried across the Pacific, 133 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:52,680 and then dropped on the only dots of land, 134 00:11:52,680 --> 00:11:54,520 are minuscule. 135 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:04,520 Yet, over millions of years, 136 00:12:04,520 --> 00:12:08,120 these airborne travellers did arrive... 137 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:15,320 ..and life took hold. 138 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:24,160 The next island along Hawaii's chain is Maui. 139 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:32,720 Formed almost a million years before The Big Island... 140 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:40,280 ..Maui too was once barren lava fields... 141 00:12:44,640 --> 00:12:47,960 ..but is now brimming with life. 142 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:54,400 Free of competition, the new arrivals 143 00:12:54,400 --> 00:12:57,320 took advantage of every opportunity, 144 00:12:57,320 --> 00:13:02,160 and evolved into countless new species. 145 00:13:10,280 --> 00:13:11,880 A single flock, 146 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:14,000 carried in on a violent storm, 147 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:15,760 became 50 148 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:17,680 new species of honeycreeper. 149 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:24,280 20 types of spider 150 00:13:24,280 --> 00:13:27,160 became over 100. 151 00:13:30,560 --> 00:13:34,440 And from just one pregnant fruit fly 152 00:13:34,440 --> 00:13:38,960 came over 1,000 unique new species. 153 00:13:51,080 --> 00:13:53,120 And each one has 154 00:13:53,120 --> 00:13:55,960 its very own courtship ritual. 155 00:13:59,840 --> 00:14:03,280 Like this male silvestris, 156 00:14:03,280 --> 00:14:06,040 which wiggles his rear end, 157 00:14:06,040 --> 00:14:08,160 to send vibrations through the branch. 158 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:11,680 LOUD VIBRATIONS 159 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:20,680 But this female is unimpressed. 160 00:14:29,320 --> 00:14:32,360 Another, the clavisetae fly, 161 00:14:32,360 --> 00:14:34,200 fans pheromones from 162 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:36,800 his raised abdomen. 163 00:14:36,800 --> 00:14:38,640 Sticking out his tongue 164 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:40,280 for added sex appeal. 165 00:14:46,440 --> 00:14:49,040 But he hasn't impressed either. 166 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:52,760 One species, 167 00:14:52,760 --> 00:14:54,960 the cyrtoloma, has grown 168 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:57,800 30 times bigger than its original 169 00:14:57,800 --> 00:14:59,880 castaway ancestor. 170 00:15:01,880 --> 00:15:03,280 For these giants, 171 00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:05,800 size is everything. 172 00:15:21,920 --> 00:15:24,160 But as new life forms evolved, 173 00:15:24,160 --> 00:15:27,600 some turned into monsters. 174 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:35,320 The caterpillar of the Eupithecia moth. 175 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:41,600 Like most caterpillars, 176 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:44,040 its ancestors ate plants... 177 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:54,200 ..but with so much prey, 178 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:55,840 and so few predators 179 00:15:55,840 --> 00:15:58,680 to compete with, this caterpillar 180 00:15:58,680 --> 00:16:01,320 switched to a meatier diet. 181 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:05,800 With especially sharp claws, 182 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:08,840 few escape its deadly grip. 183 00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:29,240 The island of Maui may be full of wildlife, but it's shrinking. 184 00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:38,280 Its now-dormant volcanoes no longer build new land. 185 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:47,920 Instead, extreme weather 186 00:16:47,920 --> 00:16:49,760 wears down its peaks. 187 00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:56,400 Maui's home to some of the wettest places on Earth. 188 00:16:56,400 --> 00:17:01,040 2.5 metres of rain can fall in a single month. 189 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:05,280 And over time, the rainwater 190 00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:08,320 eats away at the soft volcanic rock. 191 00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:19,720 But across all the islands, 192 00:17:19,720 --> 00:17:22,560 this process has also created 193 00:17:22,560 --> 00:17:24,520 new rivers... 194 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:31,920 ..and more opportunities for life. 195 00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:41,800 Young Hawaiian gobies leave the sea 196 00:17:41,800 --> 00:17:45,200 to take advantage of these pristine rivers. 197 00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:49,560 But first, these two-centimetre-long fish 198 00:17:49,560 --> 00:17:52,160 face enormous hurdles. 199 00:17:57,080 --> 00:18:01,000 Like this 135-metre-tall waterfall. 200 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:07,200 At the top, there are few predators 201 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:09,160 and little competition for food. 202 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:14,360 It seems like an impossible climb, 203 00:18:14,360 --> 00:18:16,280 and yet... 204 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:27,440 Just days ago, this female's body transformed. 205 00:18:29,520 --> 00:18:32,040 Her mouth rotated 90 degrees, 206 00:18:32,040 --> 00:18:33,720 enabling her to use it 207 00:18:33,720 --> 00:18:35,760 like a suction cup. 208 00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:41,800 As revealed under specialist filming conditions, 209 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:43,880 she uses her mouth in tandem with 210 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:46,240 another sucker on her underside... 211 00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:50,320 ..to slowly scale the vertical wall. 212 00:18:54,160 --> 00:18:56,000 And she's not alone. 213 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:20,000 The odds are stacked against them. 214 00:19:28,600 --> 00:19:33,200 Around 99% perish along the way. 215 00:19:43,480 --> 00:19:47,600 It can take days of hard climbing 216 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:51,000 before finally reaching the top... 217 00:20:04,120 --> 00:20:06,760 ..where the lucky few can grow up 218 00:20:06,760 --> 00:20:08,520 free from predators 219 00:20:08,520 --> 00:20:10,920 and with a plentiful food supply. 220 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:25,480 While the islands are slowly being 221 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:27,040 eroded by waterfalls, 222 00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:30,440 they're also being worn away by the sea. 223 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:39,880 Huge waves batter the coastline... 224 00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:44,480 ..wearing away the volcanic rock. 225 00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:56,240 With no land for 1,000 miles, 226 00:20:56,240 --> 00:20:59,320 waves that start out at sea 227 00:20:59,320 --> 00:21:01,640 have plenty of time to grow. 228 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:07,000 Once they reach the shallows of Hawaii, 229 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:10,040 the waves rise up into giants 230 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:11,600 and break. 231 00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:27,280 Maui is home to some of the biggest waves on the planet. 232 00:21:28,960 --> 00:21:30,800 Up to 20 metres high. 233 00:21:34,880 --> 00:21:38,920 But these monsters aren't just a force of destruction. 234 00:21:42,280 --> 00:21:44,680 By mixing up the layers of water, 235 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:46,440 the pounding waves help 236 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:48,640 stir up nutrients... 237 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:53,320 ..feeding microscopic creatures 238 00:21:53,320 --> 00:21:55,400 called plankton. 239 00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:00,120 Hawaii's shallows are around 240 00:22:00,120 --> 00:22:02,080 80% richer in plankton 241 00:22:02,080 --> 00:22:04,080 than the surrounding open ocean. 242 00:22:07,360 --> 00:22:09,560 And at night, the plankton 243 00:22:09,560 --> 00:22:11,400 rises to the surface... 244 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:17,000 ..providing food 245 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:19,200 for manta rays. 246 00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:25,120 With wingspans stretching over 247 00:22:25,120 --> 00:22:28,200 4.5 metres, these rays can migrate 248 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:31,280 vast distances, which is how 249 00:22:31,280 --> 00:22:32,960 they discovered Hawaii. 250 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:40,120 They use rows of tiny plates 251 00:22:40,120 --> 00:22:41,800 in their mouths 252 00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:43,640 to sieve plankton from the water. 253 00:22:57,120 --> 00:23:00,160 When they hit a rich patch of food, 254 00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:01,800 they somersault in loops, 255 00:23:01,800 --> 00:23:04,600 to maximise their catch. 256 00:23:39,040 --> 00:23:42,000 These waters are so bountiful, 257 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:44,040 they support one of the largest 258 00:23:44,040 --> 00:23:46,400 resident populations of manta rays 259 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:47,920 on the planet. 260 00:24:01,040 --> 00:24:03,840 The most extensive shallows surround 261 00:24:03,840 --> 00:24:06,200 Hawaii's largest islands... 262 00:24:09,640 --> 00:24:10,880 ..and between Maui and 263 00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:12,880 its neighbouring three islands 264 00:24:12,880 --> 00:24:14,720 lie the most protected waters 265 00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:16,280 of the archipelago. 266 00:24:26,120 --> 00:24:28,440 It's the perfect location 267 00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:31,920 for one of the largest gatherings of ocean giants. 268 00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:45,000 After a summer feeding, 269 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:49,640 10,000 humpback whales leave the freezing waters of Alaska behind... 270 00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:55,960 ..and travel 2,500 miles south to get here. 271 00:24:58,840 --> 00:25:02,200 It's one of the longest migrations of any mammal... 272 00:25:04,600 --> 00:25:07,640 ..and they do it not just to give birth, 273 00:25:07,640 --> 00:25:09,640 but also to find a mate. 274 00:25:10,760 --> 00:25:13,920 WHALES SING 275 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:17,960 The males fill the water with their love songs. 276 00:25:40,200 --> 00:25:42,680 To show their strength, 277 00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:47,040 they can breach 15 metres out of the sea. 278 00:25:48,360 --> 00:25:50,800 WHALES SING 279 00:25:53,760 --> 00:25:55,840 All in an attempt 280 00:25:55,840 --> 00:25:58,040 to win over a female. 281 00:26:02,600 --> 00:26:05,400 But to help her choose her partner, 282 00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:07,680 she initiates a contest. 283 00:26:15,880 --> 00:26:18,640 Slapping her flipper, she invites 284 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:20,560 the males to chase her... 285 00:26:22,120 --> 00:26:24,600 ..and they quickly rise to the challenge. 286 00:26:34,440 --> 00:26:36,080 The winner will be the one 287 00:26:36,080 --> 00:26:38,000 that manages to stay at the head of 288 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:40,720 the pack, closest to the female. 289 00:26:43,840 --> 00:26:46,240 This is known as the heat run, 290 00:26:46,240 --> 00:26:47,880 and it's the biggest 291 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:50,480 courtship battle in the world. 292 00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:09,880 There are lots of tactics 293 00:27:09,880 --> 00:27:11,760 to try to get ahead. 294 00:27:14,680 --> 00:27:16,280 Blowing a screen of bubbles 295 00:27:16,280 --> 00:27:18,320 disorientates the competition. 296 00:27:27,680 --> 00:27:29,520 Head-butting, 297 00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:31,440 ramming 298 00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:33,120 and tail-slashing... 299 00:27:34,120 --> 00:27:36,120 ..can lead to serious injury... 300 00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:45,800 ..as these 40-ton rivals battle 301 00:27:45,800 --> 00:27:47,760 to get to the female at the front. 302 00:28:06,800 --> 00:28:09,320 After two hours of chasing, 303 00:28:09,320 --> 00:28:11,880 there's finally a clear winner. 304 00:28:18,560 --> 00:28:21,960 WHALES SING 305 00:28:21,960 --> 00:28:25,200 Pairing off, she leads him away, to mate. 306 00:28:30,920 --> 00:28:32,160 In a year's time, 307 00:28:32,160 --> 00:28:33,680 the pregnant female 308 00:28:33,680 --> 00:28:36,000 will return to give birth here, 309 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:39,600 in the very same waters where SHE was born. 310 00:28:57,880 --> 00:29:00,320 Around 1,000 years ago, 311 00:29:00,320 --> 00:29:03,240 another pioneer discovered Hawaii... 312 00:29:05,800 --> 00:29:09,160 ..and changed these islands forever. 313 00:29:24,080 --> 00:29:26,360 The ancestors of the Polynesians 314 00:29:26,360 --> 00:29:28,560 were a sea-faring people 315 00:29:28,560 --> 00:29:30,360 that island-hopped their way across 316 00:29:30,360 --> 00:29:33,240 the Pacific from south-east Asia. 317 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:38,720 Reaching these uncharted shores 318 00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:41,560 was such a remarkable feat 319 00:29:41,560 --> 00:29:44,080 that it's still celebrated today. 320 00:29:56,600 --> 00:30:00,680 Each year, in honour of their pioneering ancestors... 321 00:30:02,720 --> 00:30:07,120 ..Hawaii hosts one of the world's largest canoe races. 322 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:12,360 It's known as the Na Wahine O Ke Kai. 323 00:30:12,360 --> 00:30:15,040 Women of the Sea. 324 00:30:24,440 --> 00:30:29,840 Before the race begins, the teams gather for an opening prayer. 325 00:30:29,840 --> 00:30:33,040 WOMAN READS PRAYER 326 00:30:33,040 --> 00:30:34,960 Many of those taking part 327 00:30:34,960 --> 00:30:38,440 descend from those heroic Polynesian voyagers, 328 00:30:38,440 --> 00:30:40,640 like Mahealani. 329 00:30:41,680 --> 00:30:43,920 Paddling affords me to connect to 330 00:30:43,920 --> 00:30:45,600 my ancestors, to my kupuna, 331 00:30:45,600 --> 00:30:47,400 to my family. 332 00:30:47,400 --> 00:30:50,240 Initially, our ancestors used it as a way of travelling, 333 00:30:50,240 --> 00:30:51,840 to seek home and shelter. 334 00:30:51,840 --> 00:30:53,440 And, er, you know, now, in these days, 335 00:30:53,440 --> 00:30:55,280 we use it for racing. 336 00:30:55,280 --> 00:30:58,120 KLAXON BLARES 337 00:31:19,160 --> 00:31:20,800 The teams must paddle across 338 00:31:20,800 --> 00:31:23,640 42 miles of gruelling open ocean... 339 00:31:26,480 --> 00:31:29,200 ..between the islands of Molokai 340 00:31:29,200 --> 00:31:32,000 and the next island along the chain, 341 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:33,280 Oahu. 342 00:31:36,760 --> 00:31:39,400 To make their voyages of thousands of miles... 343 00:31:41,080 --> 00:31:45,480 ..the ancestors of the Polynesians travelled in dugout canoes, 344 00:31:45,480 --> 00:31:49,720 joined by a platform, and powered by paddle and sail... 345 00:31:51,360 --> 00:31:54,600 ..in journeys lasting months. 346 00:31:58,400 --> 00:32:00,560 Today's race may be shorter, 347 00:32:00,560 --> 00:32:05,280 but it's so intense that exhausted paddlers must switch over. 348 00:32:08,240 --> 00:32:11,440 As with any relay, timing is crucial. 349 00:32:13,480 --> 00:32:15,640 For Mahealani, the handover 350 00:32:15,640 --> 00:32:18,080 has greater significance. 351 00:32:18,080 --> 00:32:20,960 You go through the whole gamut of emotion, 352 00:32:20,960 --> 00:32:24,320 and there's something magical that happens there, because I think 353 00:32:24,320 --> 00:32:26,640 you just have to surrender yourself to the ocean. 354 00:32:41,880 --> 00:32:44,480 Navigating without landmarks 355 00:32:44,480 --> 00:32:47,440 requires remarkable skill. 356 00:32:49,760 --> 00:32:52,120 But the ancient Polynesians 357 00:32:52,120 --> 00:32:54,120 could detect distant islands 358 00:32:54,120 --> 00:32:56,160 from wave reflections in the swell. 359 00:32:57,960 --> 00:32:59,600 Just one of the cues that may have 360 00:32:59,600 --> 00:33:01,760 helped them discover Hawaii. 361 00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:17,880 With land in sight, the Red Team 362 00:33:17,880 --> 00:33:19,960 are closing in on Mahealani 363 00:33:19,960 --> 00:33:21,600 and her crew. 364 00:33:30,520 --> 00:33:36,720 The finish line is in the shallows of Oahu's capital city, Honolulu. 365 00:33:49,800 --> 00:33:53,240 After almost six hours of paddling, 366 00:33:53,240 --> 00:33:56,880 Mahealani's team claims victory. 367 00:33:56,880 --> 00:34:01,160 APPLAUSE AND CHEERING 368 00:34:01,160 --> 00:34:03,760 Yeah! 369 00:34:03,760 --> 00:34:06,680 Woohoo! 370 00:34:10,320 --> 00:34:13,320 DRUMMING 371 00:34:13,320 --> 00:34:17,400 CHEERING 372 00:34:24,280 --> 00:34:26,880 It's a magical bonding experience of women, 373 00:34:26,880 --> 00:34:30,640 from young to old. And, you know, 374 00:34:30,640 --> 00:34:33,280 you're honouring the people that came before us, 375 00:34:33,280 --> 00:34:35,680 and you're honouring the people that will come after us, 376 00:34:35,680 --> 00:34:37,520 and ultimately honouring ourselves. 377 00:34:49,120 --> 00:34:50,520 We don't know where 378 00:34:50,520 --> 00:34:52,800 the original settlers landed, 379 00:34:52,800 --> 00:34:57,200 but they quickly colonised all the large main islands... 380 00:34:58,720 --> 00:35:01,920 ..taking advantage of the abundant rainfall 381 00:35:01,920 --> 00:35:05,560 and rich volcanic soil that's developed over time... 382 00:35:11,120 --> 00:35:14,080 ..and slowly transforming parts of Hawaii 383 00:35:14,080 --> 00:35:17,920 into the buzzing metropolises they are today. 384 00:35:25,440 --> 00:35:27,920 But some of the greatest changes 385 00:35:27,920 --> 00:35:31,680 came with the new plants and animals they brought with them. 386 00:35:37,000 --> 00:35:40,720 A trend that's continued into modern times. 387 00:35:44,160 --> 00:35:48,640 In 1972, a pet shop imported several dozen 388 00:35:48,640 --> 00:35:51,320 Jackson's chameleons from East Africa... 389 00:35:53,160 --> 00:35:55,920 ..but they escaped. 390 00:35:56,920 --> 00:35:59,840 LAWN MOWER HUMS 391 00:36:10,880 --> 00:36:13,360 DOG PANTS 392 00:36:13,360 --> 00:36:16,240 Slowly but surely, 393 00:36:16,240 --> 00:36:17,680 they found their way 394 00:36:17,680 --> 00:36:19,080 out of the suburbs... DOG YELPS 395 00:36:21,920 --> 00:36:24,960 ..and up into Oahu's forests. 396 00:36:26,000 --> 00:36:28,000 And that's where the trouble began. 397 00:36:36,160 --> 00:36:40,080 Horned males joined the escaped females. 398 00:36:45,800 --> 00:36:47,920 Free from predators, 399 00:36:47,920 --> 00:36:51,040 and with an abundance of food, 400 00:36:51,040 --> 00:36:52,920 they began eating their way through 401 00:36:52,920 --> 00:36:54,960 Hawaii's unique wildlife. 402 00:37:13,120 --> 00:37:16,360 Invasive species like these chameleons 403 00:37:16,360 --> 00:37:18,200 have contributed to the extinction 404 00:37:18,200 --> 00:37:21,120 of over 500 native species. 405 00:37:28,080 --> 00:37:32,120 Attempts are now being made to re-capture the chameleons - 406 00:37:32,120 --> 00:37:36,040 part of a much larger effort to save Hawaii's native wildlife. 407 00:37:37,160 --> 00:37:40,160 Even in the most unlikely places. 408 00:37:40,160 --> 00:37:44,480 NOISY BUZZ OF TRAFFIC 409 00:37:49,240 --> 00:37:51,920 In Hawaii's busiest city, Honolulu, 410 00:37:51,920 --> 00:37:55,200 a white tern chick is just a few days old. 411 00:38:05,520 --> 00:38:07,880 With no nest to protect him, 412 00:38:07,880 --> 00:38:09,760 he must cling to his street perch... 413 00:38:11,440 --> 00:38:14,440 ..while he waits for his parents to deliver 414 00:38:14,440 --> 00:38:16,680 regular supplies of squid 415 00:38:16,680 --> 00:38:18,520 and small fish. 416 00:38:30,280 --> 00:38:34,080 These birds were revered by the ancient Polynesians. 417 00:38:38,560 --> 00:38:42,640 They knew that if they saw a white tern with a bill full of fish, 418 00:38:42,640 --> 00:38:44,280 it was a sure sign 419 00:38:44,280 --> 00:38:46,520 that land was nearby. 420 00:38:50,840 --> 00:38:54,480 And yet, it's likely the arrival of humans 421 00:38:54,480 --> 00:38:57,400 wiped them out from the main islands. 422 00:39:00,600 --> 00:39:03,440 But now, the terns are making a comeback. 423 00:39:06,920 --> 00:39:09,520 In the last 60 years, 424 00:39:09,520 --> 00:39:15,040 their numbers have risen from a single pair to over 2,000 birds. 425 00:39:20,320 --> 00:39:23,160 Busy roads may help keep predators away. 426 00:39:24,520 --> 00:39:27,160 And trees planted within the city 427 00:39:27,160 --> 00:39:29,080 provide safety 428 00:39:29,080 --> 00:39:32,440 and prime nesting habitat. 429 00:39:44,200 --> 00:39:46,880 In six weeks' time, this chick 430 00:39:46,880 --> 00:39:48,720 will take to the air... 431 00:39:54,040 --> 00:39:56,600 ..joining the island's now-thriving 432 00:39:56,600 --> 00:39:58,280 white tern population. 433 00:40:07,760 --> 00:40:09,840 Once humans arrived, 434 00:40:09,840 --> 00:40:15,520 the large main islands began to change in completely new ways. 435 00:40:19,920 --> 00:40:22,160 But on a far greater timescale, 436 00:40:22,160 --> 00:40:25,440 Hawaii has always been changing. 437 00:40:28,160 --> 00:40:30,960 From their birth, through gradual decline, 438 00:40:30,960 --> 00:40:35,640 there comes a time when these islands finally die. 439 00:40:41,040 --> 00:40:43,200 Journeying north-west, 440 00:40:43,200 --> 00:40:45,080 Hawaii's islands become 441 00:40:45,080 --> 00:40:47,640 progressively older and smaller. 442 00:40:53,680 --> 00:40:57,160 Over tens of millions of years, 443 00:40:57,160 --> 00:40:59,600 islands that were once lush, 444 00:40:59,600 --> 00:41:03,440 towering peaks have been eroded 445 00:41:03,440 --> 00:41:06,760 to little more than a patch of sand. 446 00:41:09,960 --> 00:41:14,520 BIRDS SQUAWK 447 00:41:25,680 --> 00:41:27,240 But while the land vanishes 448 00:41:27,240 --> 00:41:30,160 above the water line, 449 00:41:30,160 --> 00:41:34,040 new opportunities are created below. 450 00:41:49,360 --> 00:41:53,080 These sinking islands, bathed in 451 00:41:53,080 --> 00:41:55,440 warm tropical seas, 452 00:41:55,440 --> 00:41:57,720 provide the perfect platform 453 00:41:57,720 --> 00:41:59,520 for coral reefs to thrive. 454 00:42:05,240 --> 00:42:07,000 They've become a magnet for 455 00:42:07,000 --> 00:42:09,880 ocean drifters, green turtles, 456 00:42:09,880 --> 00:42:12,600 who travel here for a service that's 457 00:42:12,600 --> 00:42:15,560 not available in the open ocean. 458 00:42:18,520 --> 00:42:21,040 A thorough clean by reef fish, 459 00:42:21,040 --> 00:42:23,080 to remove algae from their shell. 460 00:42:27,880 --> 00:42:30,000 The fish get a good meal, 461 00:42:30,000 --> 00:42:33,840 and the turtle can swim more easily. 462 00:42:41,960 --> 00:42:44,280 Many new species have evolved. 463 00:42:46,840 --> 00:42:49,160 On some of these reefs, 464 00:42:49,160 --> 00:42:51,120 every single fish 465 00:42:51,120 --> 00:42:52,920 is unique to Hawaii. 466 00:42:58,560 --> 00:43:03,480 The Hawaiian monk seal is another species found nowhere else. 467 00:43:09,640 --> 00:43:12,960 After being hunted to the edge of extinction, 468 00:43:12,960 --> 00:43:17,240 it's now one of the rarest seals on Earth, 469 00:43:17,240 --> 00:43:19,880 with just 1,500 left. 470 00:43:23,440 --> 00:43:26,040 Today, their numbers are stable, 471 00:43:26,040 --> 00:43:28,280 thanks mainly to the creation of 472 00:43:28,280 --> 00:43:32,320 one of the largest marine conservation areas in the world... 473 00:43:35,840 --> 00:43:39,440 ..which stretches from the last of the main islands 474 00:43:39,440 --> 00:43:42,920 all the way to the top of the Hawaiian chain. 475 00:43:50,640 --> 00:43:54,760 There lies Midway Atoll. 476 00:43:54,760 --> 00:43:57,280 At 30 million years old, 477 00:43:57,280 --> 00:44:01,360 it's one of the oldest of all the Hawaiian islands. 478 00:44:04,520 --> 00:44:08,720 Today, all that's left of its once-towering volcanic peaks 479 00:44:08,720 --> 00:44:10,400 are two square miles of sand. 480 00:44:12,000 --> 00:44:14,160 But it's still highly-prized real estate. 481 00:44:23,800 --> 00:44:27,400 BIRDS SQUAWK 482 00:44:36,160 --> 00:44:39,360 Fiercely fought over in World War II, 483 00:44:39,360 --> 00:44:41,840 it's now home to three million 484 00:44:41,840 --> 00:44:43,440 nesting sea birds... 485 00:44:47,960 --> 00:44:50,080 ..including the biggest colony of 486 00:44:50,080 --> 00:44:53,200 Laysan albatross in the world. 487 00:44:53,200 --> 00:44:54,840 CLICKING 488 00:45:05,600 --> 00:45:08,040 One four-month-old chick 489 00:45:08,040 --> 00:45:10,080 is especially hungry. 490 00:45:12,880 --> 00:45:16,240 Like the thousands of other albatross chicks, 491 00:45:16,240 --> 00:45:20,000 he's still flightless, and dependent on his parents for food. 492 00:45:21,520 --> 00:45:24,680 But his mother is the oldest known 493 00:45:24,680 --> 00:45:27,120 living bird in the wild, 494 00:45:27,120 --> 00:45:30,960 an astonishing 67 years old. 495 00:45:33,040 --> 00:45:35,520 He hasn't seen her for over a week. 496 00:45:35,520 --> 00:45:37,320 HE PANTS 497 00:45:37,320 --> 00:45:41,120 In the searing tropical sun, 498 00:45:41,120 --> 00:45:43,200 he pants, to cool down... 499 00:45:50,880 --> 00:45:53,600 ..and can only watch 500 00:45:53,600 --> 00:45:55,720 while other parents return 501 00:45:55,720 --> 00:45:57,320 to feed their chicks. 502 00:46:15,440 --> 00:46:20,520 Finally, after two long weeks of waiting, 503 00:46:20,520 --> 00:46:24,400 the world's oldest known bird 504 00:46:24,400 --> 00:46:26,400 appears. 505 00:46:36,920 --> 00:46:41,080 Identified as Z333 on her leg band, 506 00:46:41,080 --> 00:46:44,920 she's more affectionately known as Wisdom. 507 00:46:53,600 --> 00:46:55,400 To her chick, though, 508 00:46:55,400 --> 00:46:59,120 she's instantly recognisable as Mum. 509 00:47:22,880 --> 00:47:26,360 In her extraordinary lifetime, 510 00:47:26,360 --> 00:47:28,520 Wisdom has flown around 511 00:47:28,520 --> 00:47:30,440 three million miles 512 00:47:30,440 --> 00:47:35,080 and successfully raised 37 chicks. 513 00:47:35,080 --> 00:47:37,920 Today, she's surrounded by 514 00:47:37,920 --> 00:47:40,040 three generations 515 00:47:40,040 --> 00:47:42,200 of her extended family. 516 00:47:44,480 --> 00:47:46,280 But this exceptional 517 00:47:46,280 --> 00:47:48,080 great-grandmother 518 00:47:48,080 --> 00:47:50,720 has no time to rest, 519 00:47:50,720 --> 00:47:53,160 only staying for ten minutes, 520 00:47:53,160 --> 00:47:54,520 before leaving 521 00:47:54,520 --> 00:47:56,480 to search for more food. 522 00:48:04,120 --> 00:48:06,800 The chick may have one of the most 523 00:48:06,800 --> 00:48:09,200 experienced mums in the world, 524 00:48:09,200 --> 00:48:13,680 but his future is uncertain. 525 00:48:16,000 --> 00:48:20,600 The natural process that sees Hawaii's islands slowly sink back 526 00:48:20,600 --> 00:48:23,840 into the ocean is accelerating, 527 00:48:23,840 --> 00:48:25,840 with rising sea levels. 528 00:48:34,600 --> 00:48:37,040 By the end of this century, 529 00:48:37,040 --> 00:48:38,920 due to climate change, 530 00:48:38,920 --> 00:48:43,320 many of the low-lying islands like Midway Atoll 531 00:48:43,320 --> 00:48:44,960 are predicted to disappear... 532 00:48:46,560 --> 00:48:48,200 ..and, with them, 533 00:48:48,200 --> 00:48:50,800 their unique wildlife. 534 00:48:56,120 --> 00:48:58,560 And yet, as some of Hawaii's islands 535 00:48:58,560 --> 00:49:01,040 are reclaimed by the sea, 536 00:49:01,040 --> 00:49:04,040 others are rising up from the depths, 537 00:49:04,040 --> 00:49:06,480 ready to form new land. 538 00:49:12,600 --> 00:49:17,080 It's a cycle that's made Hawaii what it is today - 539 00:49:17,080 --> 00:49:21,520 a remote haven for remarkable species, 540 00:49:21,520 --> 00:49:24,960 found nowhere else on Earth. 541 00:49:40,840 --> 00:49:43,920 The islands crew spent over a year documenting 542 00:49:43,920 --> 00:49:46,560 Hawaii's unique and spectacular wildlife. 543 00:49:49,560 --> 00:49:51,200 While the humpback whale heat run, 544 00:49:51,200 --> 00:49:53,600 with its charging 40-ton whales, 545 00:49:53,600 --> 00:49:55,080 pushed the team's physical 546 00:49:55,080 --> 00:49:56,720 abilities to the limits... 547 00:50:01,760 --> 00:50:03,720 ..it was their attempt to capture 548 00:50:03,720 --> 00:50:05,840 the astonishing story of Wisdom, 549 00:50:05,840 --> 00:50:09,280 the world's oldest albatross, that proved 550 00:50:09,280 --> 00:50:11,480 by far the trickier challenge. 551 00:50:14,760 --> 00:50:17,000 To find this remarkable bird, 552 00:50:17,000 --> 00:50:18,800 producer Evie Wright 553 00:50:18,800 --> 00:50:22,480 and cameraman Paul Stewart flew halfway around the world - 554 00:50:22,480 --> 00:50:26,720 6,500 miles, and across ten time zones. 555 00:50:28,160 --> 00:50:29,960 Welcome to Midway Atoll, BBC. 556 00:50:32,040 --> 00:50:35,760 A tiny dot of land, in a sea of blue, Midway provides 557 00:50:35,760 --> 00:50:39,760 a vital nesting ground for over three million sea birds. 558 00:50:39,760 --> 00:50:43,200 BIRDS SQUAWK 559 00:50:43,200 --> 00:50:47,280 But the crew are here for one very special individual. 560 00:50:47,280 --> 00:50:50,280 What we're looking for, in particular, is the oldest known 561 00:50:50,280 --> 00:50:52,640 breeding bird in the world, er, 562 00:50:52,640 --> 00:50:54,960 an albatross called Wisdom, 563 00:50:54,960 --> 00:50:56,560 who's bred successfully 564 00:50:56,560 --> 00:50:58,960 something like 37 times. 565 00:50:58,960 --> 00:51:01,240 Scientists have been monitoring 566 00:51:01,240 --> 00:51:06,160 this 67-year-old mother since 1956 567 00:51:06,160 --> 00:51:08,280 and have given Paul the vital clues 568 00:51:08,280 --> 00:51:10,000 needed to find her 569 00:51:10,000 --> 00:51:11,640 among this sea of birds. 570 00:51:13,040 --> 00:51:14,960 There's a little tussock of grass 571 00:51:14,960 --> 00:51:17,440 and just beyond it is a little sort of, fur, 572 00:51:17,440 --> 00:51:21,520 mound of fur, and that is Wisdom's chick. 573 00:51:21,520 --> 00:51:25,080 The four-month-old chick can only sit tight, 574 00:51:25,080 --> 00:51:27,560 waiting patiently for his mother to return. 575 00:51:29,640 --> 00:51:32,360 The way to find Wisdom is to wait by that chick 576 00:51:32,360 --> 00:51:34,920 and, sooner or later, she'll be in to feed it. 577 00:51:36,280 --> 00:51:41,040 We hope. She will, probably. 578 00:51:43,120 --> 00:51:46,400 Wisdom could be over 1,000 miles out to sea, 579 00:51:46,400 --> 00:51:48,600 collecting fish and squid for her chick. 580 00:51:48,600 --> 00:51:52,640 When she returns, she will only stay for a few minutes, 581 00:51:52,640 --> 00:51:54,160 before heading off again. 582 00:51:57,360 --> 00:51:58,680 As a result, 583 00:51:58,680 --> 00:52:02,640 Paul must spend every waking hour by her chick, 584 00:52:02,640 --> 00:52:04,280 to ensure he doesn't miss the opportunity 585 00:52:04,280 --> 00:52:06,280 to film one of her rare visits. 586 00:52:07,720 --> 00:52:11,320 Giving Paul plenty of time to meet the rest of the colony. 587 00:52:11,320 --> 00:52:12,680 Morning. 588 00:52:12,680 --> 00:52:14,600 Looked slightly offended by that. 589 00:52:14,600 --> 00:52:15,800 The chicks appear 590 00:52:15,800 --> 00:52:18,760 interested in Paul - or, at least, 591 00:52:18,760 --> 00:52:20,880 in the shade he provides from 592 00:52:20,880 --> 00:52:22,320 the intense tropical sun. 593 00:52:22,320 --> 00:52:23,560 He just moved in 594 00:52:23,560 --> 00:52:25,640 and took over that entire section, 595 00:52:25,640 --> 00:52:27,560 and now I'm not allowed anywhere near it. 596 00:52:27,560 --> 00:52:29,200 OK, fella. Now, I need 597 00:52:29,200 --> 00:52:30,640 my suntan cream. 598 00:52:30,640 --> 00:52:33,280 You're on my suntan lotion. 599 00:52:33,280 --> 00:52:35,120 That's my sun... That's MY suntan lotion. 600 00:52:35,120 --> 00:52:37,320 OK, you keep it. 601 00:52:37,320 --> 00:52:39,800 WOMAN LAUGHS So, er, 602 00:52:39,800 --> 00:52:41,600 they're basically like kids. 603 00:52:41,600 --> 00:52:43,240 They're very sweet, I like them, 604 00:52:43,240 --> 00:52:44,640 but they're also pretty annoying. 605 00:52:44,640 --> 00:52:46,320 And whenever I try and shift, 606 00:52:46,320 --> 00:52:48,320 I normally get quite healthy pecks, 607 00:52:48,320 --> 00:52:50,040 because they seem to want my shade, 608 00:52:50,040 --> 00:52:52,080 but they don't want me to be in it with them. 609 00:52:52,080 --> 00:52:54,000 Leave it out! 610 00:52:54,000 --> 00:52:55,280 I can't... 611 00:52:55,280 --> 00:52:58,000 I can't work like this! LAUGHTER 612 00:52:58,000 --> 00:52:59,880 Time is passing, 613 00:52:59,880 --> 00:53:02,520 but there's still no sign of Wisdom. 614 00:53:02,520 --> 00:53:05,200 We've been waiting six days now 615 00:53:05,200 --> 00:53:08,200 and, as far as I can tell, the only chick 616 00:53:08,200 --> 00:53:11,840 that hasn't been fed is the one chick we're looking for, 617 00:53:11,840 --> 00:53:14,040 which is Wisdom's chick. So, feeling possibly 618 00:53:14,040 --> 00:53:16,720 a bit unlucky. But, erm, what do they say? 619 00:53:16,720 --> 00:53:18,400 Wisdom's worth waiting for! 620 00:53:20,920 --> 00:53:24,640 Paul calls on US fish and wildlife biologist Kelly Goodale 621 00:53:24,640 --> 00:53:25,920 for her advice. 622 00:53:25,920 --> 00:53:28,760 So, Kelly, we haven't seen Wisdom, have we missed it? 623 00:53:28,760 --> 00:53:31,360 Has she been and fed? I would say it's extremely rare 624 00:53:31,360 --> 00:53:34,000 that we miss the adults coming in. 625 00:53:34,000 --> 00:53:36,480 Their eyesight is not very good, 626 00:53:36,480 --> 00:53:38,520 so they typically will fly in during the day. 627 00:53:38,520 --> 00:53:41,960 And Wisdom is 67 years old, 628 00:53:41,960 --> 00:53:44,200 and she probably needs to spend a little bit more time 629 00:53:44,200 --> 00:53:47,000 not feeding than the average bird. Oh, OK. Yeah, yeah. 630 00:53:48,840 --> 00:53:50,760 As days go by without a sighting, 631 00:53:50,760 --> 00:53:53,120 Paul's impatience turns to 632 00:53:53,120 --> 00:53:55,040 genuine concern for Wisdom's safety. 633 00:53:56,520 --> 00:53:57,680 We're actually getting a bit 634 00:53:57,680 --> 00:54:00,320 worried about whether Wisdom, 635 00:54:00,320 --> 00:54:03,400 the world's oldest wild bird, is... 636 00:54:03,400 --> 00:54:04,720 is still alive. 637 00:54:04,720 --> 00:54:09,000 Erm, it would feel unlucky if she wasn't, it would be very sad, 638 00:54:09,000 --> 00:54:12,000 but she hasn't been back, so you have to start 639 00:54:12,000 --> 00:54:15,080 to think about that. So, yeah, we'll keep waiting. 640 00:54:18,080 --> 00:54:20,040 Wisdom is almost 30 years past 641 00:54:20,040 --> 00:54:22,760 the expected lifespan of a Laysan albatross. 642 00:54:25,040 --> 00:54:27,600 There's every chance she could succumb to exhaustion 643 00:54:27,600 --> 00:54:30,760 on one of her 3,000-mile round feeding trips. 644 00:54:32,960 --> 00:54:36,200 And today, like all sea birds, she now 645 00:54:36,200 --> 00:54:38,720 has to contend with man-made threats. 646 00:54:41,200 --> 00:54:45,160 Dumped plastic is found in every corner of our seas, 647 00:54:45,160 --> 00:54:47,400 including the fishing spots of the Laysan albatross. 648 00:54:50,840 --> 00:54:55,240 Kelly has been gathering evidence of this unfolding tragedy. 649 00:54:56,920 --> 00:55:01,000 These are boluses, indigestible food parcels, regurgitated 650 00:55:01,000 --> 00:55:05,400 by the chicks, after months of being fed by their parents. 651 00:55:05,400 --> 00:55:08,800 What's really fascinating about them is they can give us some indication 652 00:55:08,800 --> 00:55:10,920 on our oceans' health, of what these albatross 653 00:55:10,920 --> 00:55:13,000 are picking up and bringing back to their young. 654 00:55:13,000 --> 00:55:15,360 There's a lot squid beaks 655 00:55:15,360 --> 00:55:17,280 and things like that, but... 656 00:55:17,280 --> 00:55:18,800 the other thing that we see are 657 00:55:18,800 --> 00:55:21,680 pieces of plastic fragments, things 658 00:55:21,680 --> 00:55:23,840 like bottle caps and toothbrushes, 659 00:55:23,840 --> 00:55:25,200 lighters and things like that. 660 00:55:25,200 --> 00:55:26,720 And then there's things like 661 00:55:26,720 --> 00:55:28,720 line and foam, and so you can see 662 00:55:28,720 --> 00:55:30,440 in this one in particular, there's 663 00:55:30,440 --> 00:55:32,520 quite a bit of line in here, and 664 00:55:32,520 --> 00:55:35,280 very large pieces of sharp plastic 665 00:55:35,280 --> 00:55:37,120 that could cause harm to the chicks. 666 00:55:38,240 --> 00:55:41,160 By mistaking bits of floating ocean plastic for food, 667 00:55:41,160 --> 00:55:42,840 the adult birds unwittingly go on 668 00:55:42,840 --> 00:55:45,440 to feed them to their chicks 669 00:55:45,440 --> 00:55:47,080 and scientists have discovered 670 00:55:47,080 --> 00:55:49,880 it's a widespread problem. 671 00:55:49,880 --> 00:55:52,360 100% of the boluses collected have plastic in them. 672 00:55:55,240 --> 00:55:58,840 And we estimate approximately five tons of plastic is being brought 673 00:55:58,840 --> 00:56:02,480 to Midway Atoll every year from parents feeding it to their chicks. 674 00:56:04,120 --> 00:56:06,440 The results can be fatal. 675 00:56:06,440 --> 00:56:11,080 Over 25% of chicks fail to fledge every year, 676 00:56:11,080 --> 00:56:13,040 and ingested plastic 677 00:56:13,040 --> 00:56:15,280 may be partly to blame. 678 00:56:17,920 --> 00:56:19,480 For the crew, at least, 679 00:56:19,480 --> 00:56:23,160 there appears to be better news on the horizon. 680 00:56:23,160 --> 00:56:25,120 Has this bird that's just arrived got a band on? 681 00:56:27,840 --> 00:56:29,720 You don't think that's Wisdom, do you? 682 00:56:29,720 --> 00:56:34,000 Yeah, she's got a band. 3-3-3. 683 00:56:36,280 --> 00:56:42,080 Oh, wait, hang on, it's N-3-3-3. 684 00:56:42,080 --> 00:56:44,040 Yeah, I don't think that's our bird. 685 00:56:45,960 --> 00:56:48,160 There was some major excitement, because 686 00:56:48,160 --> 00:56:53,280 Wisdom is Z333, and we saw a ring that appeared to have 333 on it, 687 00:56:53,280 --> 00:56:56,960 and we found out it was N333, 688 00:56:56,960 --> 00:57:00,600 who's actually one of her chicks from 2011, a male. 689 00:57:00,600 --> 00:57:02,760 It's also come back to the exact 690 00:57:02,760 --> 00:57:05,480 point where we're expecting Wisdom. 691 00:57:05,480 --> 00:57:08,800 It just makes it all the more disappointing, if I'm honest. 692 00:57:08,800 --> 00:57:10,240 Oh! 693 00:57:11,760 --> 00:57:14,720 Meanwhile, Wisdom's chick 694 00:57:14,720 --> 00:57:16,160 is starving. 695 00:57:17,840 --> 00:57:21,400 Time is fast running out. 696 00:57:28,280 --> 00:57:30,160 Evie? 697 00:57:30,160 --> 00:57:32,080 Evie, Evie, what's that? 698 00:57:33,760 --> 00:57:35,280 Have a very quick... 699 00:57:38,320 --> 00:57:41,440 But this extraordinary mum 700 00:57:41,440 --> 00:57:44,560 returns in time for her hungry chick, 701 00:57:44,560 --> 00:57:47,680 and for Paul's very last hour of filming. 702 00:57:48,760 --> 00:57:49,960 Evie! Our albatross! 703 00:57:49,960 --> 00:57:52,840 Can you believe it? No. Last day. 704 00:57:52,840 --> 00:57:55,560 She's here, I'm so happy, that's like... 705 00:57:56,880 --> 00:57:59,520 I don't know, like, we had a lovely sequence on albatross, 706 00:57:59,520 --> 00:58:01,480 they're beautiful and everything, 707 00:58:01,480 --> 00:58:04,240 but this female right here is the heart of the sequence, 708 00:58:04,240 --> 00:58:07,040 the oldest known wild bird. 709 00:58:07,040 --> 00:58:09,480 She's right here, and, yeah, it's so cool. 710 00:58:09,480 --> 00:58:12,120 So cool she's here, really thrilled. Really, really happy! 711 00:58:13,560 --> 00:58:15,520 Her famished chick finally 712 00:58:15,520 --> 00:58:18,880 gets to feed and, six weeks later, 713 00:58:18,880 --> 00:58:22,240 the crew - long since departed - 714 00:58:22,240 --> 00:58:24,640 receive the good news. 715 00:58:24,640 --> 00:58:29,000 Wisdom's 37th chick successfully fledged the nest. 716 00:58:29,000 --> 00:58:30,840 Her legacy as 717 00:58:30,840 --> 00:58:36,360 the oldest albatross mother in the world continues.