1 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:05,400 We live on a crowded planet... 2 00:00:09,940 --> 00:00:12,960 ..but there are still vast areas... 3 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:16,800 ..where nature has the upper-hand. 4 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:19,160 It looks like another planet. 5 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:23,040 I'm heading to the last great wildernesses. 6 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:31,000 I'll try to cross four of these rugged landscapes... 7 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:32,600 Oh, my God! 8 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:34,360 ..on my toughest journeys yet. 9 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:35,720 I have to be honest. 10 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:38,240 Things are not going brilliantly. 11 00:00:38,240 --> 00:00:39,800 A bit of a medical situation. 12 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:41,600 Help is a long way away. 13 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:45,600 - Well done. 14 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:49,880 - I want to meet the people for whom the wilderness is home... 15 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:52,880 Testicles for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 16 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:57,880 ..to see how they live alongside nature. 17 00:00:57,880 --> 00:00:59,120 Whoa! 18 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:04,200 I can stay down there for a minute or so, 19 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:07,400 he's still down there now, walking around! 20 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:10,400 And in this critical time for our world... 21 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:13,400 Huge carcasses of great trees. 22 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:17,320 ..seek out the rare and majestic creatures that still survive... 23 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:20,640 My heart is racing. 24 00:01:20,640 --> 00:01:24,320 ..in some of the most hostile environments. 25 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:27,120 Are you OK, Jonathan? - Yeah, yeah. 26 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:28,680 - ..and the remotest regions... 27 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:30,040 Bloody hell! 28 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:31,920 ..of our wild planet. 29 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:36,160 Coo! - Coo! 30 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:41,800 - Big cats roaming free. 31 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:47,960 This surely is the absolute definition of a real wilderness. 32 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:02,760 HORN TOOTS 33 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:08,080 I'm on the coast of Indonesia, 34 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:09,520 onboard the Bernetta - 35 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:11,200 a converted fishing boat 36 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:14,160 that's going to be my home for the next three weeks. 37 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:21,040 We're taking on board fuel 38 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:23,120 and supplies for the long journey. 39 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:31,280 All right. We're off! 40 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:33,240 We're heading out to sea. 41 00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:38,240 We're travelling just a small area on this map really 42 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:41,000 and that's going to take us days and days, 43 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:42,880 and nights out on the ocean. 44 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:54,200 This is the remote south-west corner of the Pacific Ocean. 45 00:02:56,520 --> 00:02:59,920 A vast expanse of tropical sea... 46 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:04,000 ..dotted with thousands of jungle-clad islands. 47 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:08,440 It's known as the Coral Triangle. 48 00:03:12,640 --> 00:03:14,960 My guide here is Nesha Ichida. 49 00:03:14,960 --> 00:03:16,880 - Oh, oh, dolphins, dolphins! 50 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:19,840 That's a dolphin. 51 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:21,920 - Just there? - Yeah, yeah, yeah. I saw it. 52 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:25,080 - She's a marine conservationist, 53 00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:26,440 who's spent her career 54 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:29,600 studying and protecting the wonders of the Coral Triangle. 55 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:35,720 - So, the Coral Triangle is the centre of all marine biodiversity. 56 00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:37,960 It's just generally home to hundreds 57 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:39,800 and hundreds of inhabitants, 58 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:42,560 from coral reef, fishes, 59 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:44,080 large megafauna - 60 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:48,040 it's insane how many species are in one little area. 61 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:51,400 - Just here, look. 62 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:55,680 What a reminder they are of how much glorious life there is. 63 00:03:56,600 --> 00:03:58,880 I think this is a very good omen 64 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:00,920 because we're going to travel 65 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:02,880 about 1,000 miles to the East 66 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:06,320 by boat, and if something goes wrong, 67 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:08,200 help is a long way away. 68 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:13,840 The "Coral Triangle" is a name for the sea around mainly 69 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:17,080 the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. 70 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:21,040 It might just be the most important patch of sea on the planet. 71 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:24,840 I'm going to be travelling almost 1,000 miles 72 00:04:24,840 --> 00:04:28,960 through the very heart of this marine wilderness, 73 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:31,680 starting in the remote Togean Islands of Indonesia. 74 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:35,280 I'll sail east to a stunning tropical archipelago 75 00:04:35,280 --> 00:04:37,040 called Raja Ampat. 76 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:38,800 On from there, 77 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:42,360 I hope to reach a remote bay on the coast of New Guinea 78 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:45,320 to search for one of the Coral Triangle's 79 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:47,880 most spectacular creatures - whale sharks. 80 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:56,880 These are the Togean Islands. 81 00:04:56,880 --> 00:05:00,640 We're heading in sort of that way and we're going to meet a community 82 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:05,360 of people who spend most of their lives living in and on the water. 83 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:12,880 I'm visiting a people called the Bajau. 84 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:15,080 They're known as sea nomads. 85 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:18,400 For centuries, they've roamed the tropical waters of the region. 86 00:05:21,840 --> 00:05:24,320 I'm hoping the Bajau can introduce me 87 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:26,920 to the underwater wilderness of the Coral Triangle. 88 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:29,720 Here in the Togean Islands, 89 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:33,120 1,000 miles from Indonesia's capital city, 90 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:36,840 perched on a coral reef in the middle of the sea, 91 00:05:36,840 --> 00:05:39,080 they've built a village on stilts. 92 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:47,400 - So, we're arriving at the Bajau village called Cabanatuan. 93 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:50,480 - What an extraordinary place. 94 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:53,920 NESHA INSTRUCTS 95 00:05:56,840 --> 00:05:59,880 We've got coral reef just on the edge of the community. 96 00:05:59,880 --> 00:06:01,680 We've got to find our way through. 97 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:03,240 Because it's so shallow, 98 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:05,520 we might...we might hit something. 99 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:07,760 - That is a stunning reef. 100 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:11,480 - It's quite impressive that it's here, 101 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:13,760 so close to the community, isn't it? - Yeah. 102 00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:20,720 - The kids being dragged out on the boat there! 103 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:22,520 - Hello! CHILDREN SHOUT 104 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:23,920 - Little tots. 105 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:25,600 Hello! 106 00:06:25,600 --> 00:06:27,720 Oh, little tots in the water here! 107 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:31,680 What a way of life, eh? 108 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:35,080 Perched right out over the sea. 109 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:38,720 Right, let's go and say hello. 110 00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:41,480 Bari! 111 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:43,800 Bari Lahama is one of the elders of the village. 112 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:47,680 Thank you very much indeed for having us come to visit. 113 00:06:49,760 --> 00:06:51,880 What work do most people do here? 114 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:07,040 Bari and his family rely on what he can catch, 115 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:10,160 trap or spear sustainably in the sea. 116 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:15,640 He's renowned as one of the best fishermen in the village. 117 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:21,080 Oh, we're going that way. That's good. - Yeah. 118 00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:22,640 - Bari has agreed to take us out 119 00:07:22,640 --> 00:07:25,400 and show us the wonders of the undersea world. 120 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:32,880 That looks very...stable. 121 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:37,560 Right, and we're off! 122 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:41,720 Are you leaning back to try and make it a bit more stable? 123 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:42,800 - Yes. 124 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:45,880 - I think we might be in a spot of bother in terms of that. 125 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:47,040 - We're good! 126 00:08:21,240 --> 00:08:24,960 - This is the real wilderness of the Coral Triangle, 127 00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:26,440 beneath the waves. 128 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:38,040 With one huge final breath filling his lungs, 129 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:40,040 Bari begins his descent. 130 00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:58,000 His only equipment is a home-made speargun, 131 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:00,600 made with a piece of elastic on a pole. 132 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:04,720 Within a minute, he's 15 metres down 133 00:09:04,720 --> 00:09:06,320 and beginning the hunt. 134 00:09:09,520 --> 00:09:12,720 Every second he's down is a calculation. 135 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:16,080 If he pushes himself too far, 136 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:18,280 he could easily blackout and drown. 137 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:22,800 After just under two minutes, 138 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:24,600 he's down at 20 metres... 139 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:29,360 ..below the level even most scuba divers should be going. 140 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:39,120 Oh, my goodness. 141 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:42,760 I mean, he is an astonishing human being. 142 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:48,000 I can stay down there for a minute or so, not much longer. 143 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:50,080 But he's still down there now, 144 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:52,240 just walking around on the seabed, 145 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:54,520 looking for more food. 146 00:09:54,520 --> 00:09:56,720 I'll go back down and try and join him. 147 00:10:23,680 --> 00:10:26,520 Finally, Bari's having some success. 148 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:31,440 But all he's getting are smaller reef fish, 149 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:34,280 which means he keeps diving for hour after hour. 150 00:10:36,120 --> 00:10:39,560 The bodies of the Bajau have evolved over thousands of years. 151 00:10:39,560 --> 00:10:42,800 Scientists have established their blood can actually absorb 152 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:45,680 and hold more oxygen than the rest of us, 153 00:10:45,680 --> 00:10:49,160 keeping them alive under water for longer. 154 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:51,400 They're like human seals, 155 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:55,080 able to free dive down as deep as 60 metres underwater. 156 00:10:57,880 --> 00:11:01,440 It is an astonishing sight to see. 157 00:11:03,080 --> 00:11:06,080 I mean, the Bajau can stay down for not just 158 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:08,160 two, three, four minutes, 159 00:11:08,160 --> 00:11:11,120 but 11, 12 even 13 minutes, 160 00:11:11,120 --> 00:11:13,000 without coming up for a breath. 161 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:16,800 They've just adapted to their watery world. 162 00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:25,680 For generations, the Bajau have lived like this 163 00:11:25,680 --> 00:11:28,120 from the riches of the Coral Triangle. 164 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:49,120 Such a simple landscape here. 165 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:52,520 There's land, there's sky, there's sea, 166 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:56,320 but under that surface there is a whole other dimension of the planet. 167 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:38,520 Back in the Bajau village, Bari and his wife, 168 00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:43,520 Mamma Henni, offer to put us up for the night in their house on stilts. 169 00:12:43,520 --> 00:12:45,040 In here... 170 00:12:45,040 --> 00:12:47,400 So this is the wash area, 171 00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:50,600 the shower and the toilet as well. 172 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:54,520 A hole down here, and beneath it, 173 00:12:54,520 --> 00:12:56,960 well, that's the sea. 174 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:01,760 The Bajau have kept an intimate connection with the ocean 175 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:03,760 for generations, 176 00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:06,440 but now, of course, they're also linked to the wider world, 177 00:13:06,440 --> 00:13:10,280 and many teenagers here are scrolling screens like everywhere else. 178 00:13:11,760 --> 00:13:13,520 A critical job has been delegated. 179 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:21,320 - Shiraliah. - Shiraliah? 180 00:13:21,320 --> 00:13:23,560 - Yes. - That is a beautiful name. 181 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:32,600 BABY GRIZZLES 182 00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:33,920 I think it's a mission fail. 183 00:13:37,040 --> 00:13:38,880 And then this is where I am tonight. 184 00:13:40,760 --> 00:13:43,800 I'm going to sleep on the Premier League. 185 00:13:43,800 --> 00:13:45,360 Night, all! 186 00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:55,200 COCKEREL CROWS 187 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:00,680 THUNDER RUMBLES 188 00:14:01,760 --> 00:14:03,960 RAIN PATTERS 189 00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:06,600 That was just about the worst night's sleep ever. 190 00:14:08,080 --> 00:14:09,680 Total truth. 191 00:14:09,680 --> 00:14:11,880 COCKEREL CROWS 192 00:14:15,840 --> 00:14:18,280 Wish it had rained last night, to be honest. 193 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:23,720 It's noisy, but it would drown out the bloody cockerels! 194 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:29,480 The chickens provide some meat and eggs, 195 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:32,120 but most of life here revolves around fishing. 196 00:14:35,760 --> 00:14:38,640 The family eat what Bari catches 197 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:41,040 but, to buy clothes and other essentials, 198 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:44,480 he also sells fish at a nearby market to people from other islands. 199 00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:51,160 I'm trying to help with breakfast. 200 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:55,600 OK. 201 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:00,800 Are you proud of Bari for what he does? 202 00:15:00,800 --> 00:15:03,280 Do you worry about him when he goes fishing? 203 00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:22,280 It's not surprising Mamma Henni worries. 204 00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:27,480 Bari usually goes out alone in his small boat, 205 00:15:27,480 --> 00:15:29,800 sometimes miles out to sea, 206 00:15:29,800 --> 00:15:32,120 diving to crazy depths. 207 00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:37,680 That's risky enough, without even thinking about the powerful 208 00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:40,560 tiger sharks that hunt in these waters. 209 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:43,120 Bari, is what you do dangerous? 210 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:49,400 Bari, I'm really sorry to ask, 211 00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:52,200 but what happened to your brother-in-law? 212 00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:43,600 Bari can't afford to stop fishing. 213 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:46,800 A paltry catch during the day 214 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:48,920 means he's heading out again. 215 00:17:50,400 --> 00:17:53,360 He's going to face the demons, the sharks, 216 00:17:53,360 --> 00:17:56,080 and the depths, in the dark. 217 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:02,360 I do like the sea when I can actually have some vision, 218 00:18:02,360 --> 00:18:04,400 where there is a sun above. 219 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:07,680 Going into the sea at night... Um... 220 00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:09,640 A little bit apprehensive about it. 221 00:18:25,120 --> 00:18:28,040 At night, the beautiful reef I saw in daytime 222 00:18:28,040 --> 00:18:30,600 is transformed into an eerie world, 223 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:32,320 almost ghostly. 224 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:37,160 Many fish are asleep or hiding from the sharks 225 00:18:37,160 --> 00:18:38,880 that come out to hunt at night. 226 00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:48,760 In the dark ocean, alone and miles from any help, 227 00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:50,800 it does feel dangerous, 228 00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:54,160 as if anything could emerge from the inky black gloom. 229 00:18:57,080 --> 00:19:00,600 That's a danger Bari is facing more and more often. 230 00:19:07,560 --> 00:19:10,120 He doesn't take much from the sea 231 00:19:10,120 --> 00:19:13,520 but commercial fishing around the Coral Triangle 232 00:19:13,520 --> 00:19:15,760 by trawlers and foreign fishing fleets 233 00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:19,720 has decimated the population of larger, more valuable fish. 234 00:19:19,720 --> 00:19:24,560 So, Bari has to target smaller reef fish, like this goat fish. 235 00:19:27,240 --> 00:19:29,400 It means he has to take chances 236 00:19:29,400 --> 00:19:32,160 and dive more often to feed his family. 237 00:19:41,480 --> 00:19:44,960 Bari's aware of the risks, but feels he has no choice. 238 00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:22,960 Increasingly, it can be a tough life, 239 00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:25,520 surviving on the edge of a wilderness. 240 00:20:28,640 --> 00:20:31,720 I just want to say thank you so much for your hospitality. 241 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:38,360 Man hug. 242 00:20:40,640 --> 00:20:42,520 Sweaty man, that's me. 243 00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:45,080 Thank you very much indeed. Thank you so much. 244 00:20:45,080 --> 00:20:46,440 - Thank you, thank you. 245 00:20:46,440 --> 00:20:47,880 - Thank you. All right. 246 00:20:47,880 --> 00:20:51,480 We will gather our stuff, and we will head off. 247 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:00,560 Bye, guys! 248 00:21:06,680 --> 00:21:10,440 Reluctantly, I'm leaving Bari and Mamma Henni. 249 00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:14,240 I've got hundreds of miles to travel across the Coral Triangle. 250 00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:31,800 The Bernetta is the cosy home for all our kit and filming crew. 251 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:39,680 At the helm is Captain Lindra and a small crew of Indonesian sailors. 252 00:21:44,040 --> 00:21:46,720 We're travelling across the Malacca Sea, 253 00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:48,840 towards a small cluster of islands 254 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:51,280 off the Indonesian coast of New Guinea, 255 00:21:51,280 --> 00:21:53,360 an area called Raja Ampat. 256 00:21:54,720 --> 00:21:58,200 It's just about the richest and most spectacular undersea environment 257 00:21:58,200 --> 00:21:59,600 on Earth. 258 00:21:59,600 --> 00:22:02,280 The bull's-eye at the heart of the Coral Triangle. 259 00:22:16,360 --> 00:22:19,600 It's not the fastest boat on the sea, 260 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:22,320 but that does give me time to soak up the surroundings. 261 00:22:27,160 --> 00:22:30,400 There's a few birds out there fishing. 262 00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:31,880 There's some flying fish as well. 263 00:22:33,560 --> 00:22:35,680 Time passes slowly on the ocean. 264 00:22:37,520 --> 00:22:38,920 He's playing a game. 265 00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:40,200 What's it called? 266 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:43,480 Look. He's played it a lot! 267 00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:48,760 Level 3,657, I just saw. 268 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:14,760 It's not long before we spot evidence of one of the threats 269 00:23:14,760 --> 00:23:16,720 to life in the Coral Triangle. 270 00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:23,120 It's so strange to suddenly see a fishing boat emerging. 271 00:23:23,120 --> 00:23:25,960 It just appeared almost from nowhere. 272 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:28,080 The Coral Triangle has a fair claim 273 00:23:28,080 --> 00:23:31,920 to be perhaps the richest eco-system anywhere in our oceans. 274 00:23:31,920 --> 00:23:36,200 But it's still fished by international industrial trawlers 275 00:23:36,200 --> 00:23:40,640 that take out millions of tons of bigger fish, like tuna, every year, 276 00:23:40,640 --> 00:23:42,960 and bottom trawlers that rip up the seabed 277 00:23:42,960 --> 00:23:44,960 for prawns and other shellfish. 278 00:23:46,840 --> 00:23:48,720 But Nesha's taking me 279 00:23:48,720 --> 00:23:51,760 to a place where marine life is protected like nowhere else. 280 00:23:59,280 --> 00:24:01,800 It's still a long way across open ocean. 281 00:24:08,160 --> 00:24:10,920 And, even with modern communications on board the Bernetta, 282 00:24:10,920 --> 00:24:13,640 there are real risks in being this remote. 283 00:24:13,640 --> 00:24:17,000 VOICE OVER RADIO 284 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:23,560 It's our third night at sea, and one of the team is in trouble. 285 00:24:25,840 --> 00:24:27,600 So, we've got a bit of a problem. 286 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:29,560 Eric, our director, 287 00:24:29,560 --> 00:24:31,320 has come down ill. 288 00:24:31,320 --> 00:24:33,040 He's not in a great way, 289 00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:35,200 and we're just trying to work out how far we are 290 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:37,080 from proper medical help, 291 00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:38,920 and it would seem we are... 292 00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:40,840 We're quite a long way. 293 00:24:40,840 --> 00:24:43,040 Eric has a serious fever. 294 00:24:43,040 --> 00:24:45,080 He's had his vaccinations, 295 00:24:45,080 --> 00:24:47,400 but nothing is 100% effective. 296 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:51,080 Travelling in remote tropical parts of the planet, 297 00:24:51,080 --> 00:24:53,960 you can pick up anything from Malaria to Typhoid, 298 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:55,280 as I know myself. 299 00:24:55,280 --> 00:24:58,880 Are you feeling comfortable, or do you want another pillow or anything? 300 00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:00,640 - My head feels like an iron. 301 00:25:00,640 --> 00:25:02,000 - Oh, Eric. 302 00:25:07,080 --> 00:25:09,880 I'm just going to put this on your forehead, all right? - Thanks. 303 00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:16,600 - I'm so sorry, pal. Do you want a bit more ice and another towel? 304 00:25:16,600 --> 00:25:17,760 - This is fine. 305 00:25:17,760 --> 00:25:21,000 - All right, let's... We'll just go outside and confer, OK? - Yeah. 306 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:26,960 - So, his temperature is 39.5, 307 00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:28,840 which is...is not great. 308 00:25:28,840 --> 00:25:32,040 So, now I've got to keep an eye on him, of course, 309 00:25:32,040 --> 00:25:34,520 and we've also got to see where the hell are we, 310 00:25:34,520 --> 00:25:37,040 and can we get him to a hospital? 311 00:25:38,520 --> 00:25:42,000 A temperature of 40 degrees can be life-threatening. 312 00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:45,520 So, we need to come up with a plan in case it continues to rise. 313 00:25:48,040 --> 00:25:52,720 - So, we'll be right under here at 5am tomorrow. 314 00:25:52,720 --> 00:25:54,520 - Right. 315 00:25:54,520 --> 00:25:56,840 - But the nearest airport is Seranti right here. 316 00:25:56,840 --> 00:25:58,400 - Oh, - BLEEP. - So, it's far. 317 00:25:58,400 --> 00:26:00,560 - When I say it's far, it's far. 318 00:26:04,920 --> 00:26:07,920 We need to work out what we're going to do. 319 00:26:07,920 --> 00:26:11,240 We think that five o'clock tomorrow morning, we'll be... 320 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:14,160 On our current course, we'll be 321 00:26:14,160 --> 00:26:16,640 two hours from a community 322 00:26:16,640 --> 00:26:18,080 on an island, 323 00:26:18,080 --> 00:26:21,040 but whether they've got a clinic there is unclear. 324 00:26:21,040 --> 00:26:22,800 We need to dig out a satellite phone 325 00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:25,640 and start calling to try and get some... 326 00:26:25,640 --> 00:26:27,400 some more information and some help. 327 00:26:27,400 --> 00:26:30,280 What did he... What did the captain say? 328 00:26:30,280 --> 00:26:32,360 - Medivac is the next thing. 329 00:26:32,360 --> 00:26:33,920 - Helicopter? - Yeah. 330 00:26:33,920 --> 00:26:36,840 - It'll take hours of sailing to reach a place 331 00:26:36,840 --> 00:26:38,800 where a chopper can land, 332 00:26:38,800 --> 00:26:41,520 but we head in that direction. 333 00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:44,120 We treat Eric, get him comfortable, 334 00:26:44,120 --> 00:26:46,360 and hope his raging fever subsides. 335 00:27:04,680 --> 00:27:07,280 So, a quick update on Eric. 336 00:27:07,280 --> 00:27:09,280 He's doing a lot better. 337 00:27:09,280 --> 00:27:11,920 He's just had some toast, which is a very good sign, 338 00:27:11,920 --> 00:27:14,600 and we are just going to leave him to rest and recover. 339 00:27:16,880 --> 00:27:18,600 - Yeah, let's see how you go. 340 00:27:20,280 --> 00:27:21,920 Feel better, Eric. 341 00:27:21,920 --> 00:27:23,360 - Thanks. 342 00:27:24,400 --> 00:27:26,000 - It's a bloody relief, to be honest. 343 00:27:27,320 --> 00:27:28,960 I mean, if you can imagine, 344 00:27:28,960 --> 00:27:31,240 we're out here - 345 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:32,840 just have a look around. 346 00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:34,240 There's nothing out here. 347 00:27:37,560 --> 00:27:39,960 Not another boat, nor another ship. 348 00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:43,440 It looks completely empty. 349 00:27:45,200 --> 00:27:46,520 EXHALES 350 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:48,880 How far to go now? 351 00:27:48,880 --> 00:27:50,200 - 111. 352 00:27:51,480 --> 00:27:53,520 - 111 miles or kilometres? 353 00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:54,840 - No, 110. Miles. 354 00:27:56,560 --> 00:27:58,640 - With Eric well and truly on the mend, 355 00:27:58,640 --> 00:28:02,160 we'll press on for a couple more days towards our next destination. 356 00:28:13,520 --> 00:28:15,000 Land ahoy! 357 00:28:16,320 --> 00:28:17,760 I've always wanted to say that! 358 00:28:20,800 --> 00:28:23,240 We're arriving into Raja Ampat. 359 00:28:24,440 --> 00:28:27,560 This would be a welcome sight any time, wouldn't it? 360 00:28:27,560 --> 00:28:31,680 Particularly after you've been on a long journey across the sea. 361 00:28:33,320 --> 00:28:36,840 Our planet can still be so sublimely beautiful. 362 00:28:38,320 --> 00:28:40,360 Raja Ampat has been described as 363 00:28:40,360 --> 00:28:42,440 one of the last real paradises 364 00:28:42,440 --> 00:28:44,480 left on Earth. Quite a claim, 365 00:28:44,480 --> 00:28:46,320 but possibly justified. 366 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:55,120 Raja Ampat is home to more than 2,000 species of fish 367 00:28:55,120 --> 00:28:57,080 and hundreds of corals. 368 00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:07,720 It looks like a welcoming committee is heading our way. 369 00:29:19,520 --> 00:29:21,880 So, apparently, there's a patrol coming. 370 00:29:41,920 --> 00:29:44,120 Oh, bloody hell. He's got an assault rifle. 371 00:29:53,040 --> 00:29:55,240 Do you know what they're doing? 372 00:29:55,240 --> 00:29:58,240 - So, they're checking on the onboard paperwork. 373 00:29:58,240 --> 00:30:01,400 - OK. - That's part of the patrol around here in Raja Ampat, 374 00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:04,800 to make sure there's, you know, you're following the rules, 375 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:07,840 there's no fishing, for example, in a no-take zone. 376 00:30:11,320 --> 00:30:14,800 - Is it a Government patrol? Is it a police patrol, or what? 377 00:30:14,800 --> 00:30:17,360 - There is one police, water police, in there. 378 00:30:17,360 --> 00:30:19,480 They're law enforcers. 379 00:30:19,480 --> 00:30:21,880 - It's more like a conservation patrol. - Yes. 380 00:30:21,880 --> 00:30:24,640 Conservation patrol, but it is an MPA. 381 00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:26,920 So... - A Marine Protected Area? 382 00:30:26,920 --> 00:30:28,240 - Yes. 383 00:30:28,240 --> 00:30:30,000 - So, they're definitely good guys. 384 00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:31,520 - Yeah, for sure. We need this. 385 00:30:31,520 --> 00:30:33,360 It's very, very important. 386 00:30:33,360 --> 00:30:38,120 - Marine Ranger Mohid Eniba combs boats in this part of Raja Ampat, 387 00:30:38,120 --> 00:30:40,240 checking for illegal catches. 388 00:30:52,160 --> 00:30:54,560 I mean, a fishing boat, like any boat, 389 00:30:54,560 --> 00:30:58,560 has got 1,000 different little places you can hide something, 390 00:30:58,560 --> 00:31:00,520 hasn't it? 391 00:31:17,440 --> 00:31:20,000 And how did you feel when you discovered that? 392 00:31:52,920 --> 00:31:57,160 This patrol is part of a revolution that's happened here in Raja Ampat. 393 00:31:59,240 --> 00:32:02,960 A couple of decades ago, this area was chockfull of fishing boats. 394 00:32:02,960 --> 00:32:05,800 Fish life was steadily being wiped out. 395 00:32:08,080 --> 00:32:11,520 But Indonesia decided to protect Raja Ampat as a treasure, 396 00:32:11,520 --> 00:32:15,040 seizing and sinking hundreds of illegal fishing boats. 397 00:32:17,080 --> 00:32:19,160 Across thousands of square miles, 398 00:32:19,160 --> 00:32:22,720 fishing is now heavily restricted, or banned altogether. 399 00:32:22,720 --> 00:32:26,480 The results have been spectacular. 400 00:32:26,480 --> 00:32:28,400 A wilderness can be restored. 401 00:32:37,760 --> 00:32:39,840 Just look at that colour. 402 00:32:41,400 --> 00:32:44,280 Raja Ampat is Nesha's world. 403 00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:47,560 This is where she's spent most of her career 404 00:32:47,560 --> 00:32:50,360 as a scientist, monitoring and protecting. 405 00:32:59,480 --> 00:33:01,440 Immediately, it's clear. 406 00:33:01,440 --> 00:33:03,560 This is an undersea paradise. 407 00:33:05,040 --> 00:33:07,600 Three-quarters of the world's coral species 408 00:33:07,600 --> 00:33:09,280 are found in the Coral Triangle. 409 00:33:13,120 --> 00:33:17,280 Within moments, I'm surrounded by shoals of damsel fish... 410 00:33:20,360 --> 00:33:22,920 ..and great clouds of fusiliers. 411 00:33:25,760 --> 00:33:27,320 That's a trigger fish. 412 00:33:30,760 --> 00:33:34,760 Raja Ampat is at the heart of the Coral Triangle, 413 00:33:34,760 --> 00:33:36,960 which is like nowhere else on Earth. 414 00:33:36,960 --> 00:33:41,360 You can see why it's been described as the Amazon of the seas... 415 00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:45,840 ..and it's a crucial part of the global ocean system 416 00:33:45,840 --> 00:33:48,120 on which all life depends. 417 00:33:50,200 --> 00:33:52,760 After all, it's ocean eco-systems 418 00:33:52,760 --> 00:33:55,440 that produce half the oxygen we breath. 419 00:33:59,800 --> 00:34:02,920 Of all the fish here, there's one in particular 420 00:34:02,920 --> 00:34:04,840 that's vital for a healthy sea. 421 00:34:07,080 --> 00:34:08,560 The shark. 422 00:34:10,680 --> 00:34:13,440 The smallest sharks are just six inches long. 423 00:34:13,440 --> 00:34:15,600 The biggest, the size of a truck. 424 00:34:16,840 --> 00:34:18,280 They still evoke fear... 425 00:34:21,720 --> 00:34:23,480 ..but now we know nearly all sharks, 426 00:34:23,480 --> 00:34:27,120 including this beautiful white-tipped reef shark, 427 00:34:27,120 --> 00:34:29,480 are, of course, totally harmless to humans. 428 00:34:31,160 --> 00:34:32,920 However, as apex predators, 429 00:34:32,920 --> 00:34:35,040 they maintain order and balance 430 00:34:35,040 --> 00:34:37,600 in the entire underwater eco-system. 431 00:34:44,160 --> 00:34:45,400 Oh, my. 432 00:34:46,440 --> 00:34:47,880 That was... 433 00:34:49,080 --> 00:34:52,920 That was completely breathtaking. 434 00:34:52,920 --> 00:34:57,200 Honestly, I mean, maybe this is just normal for you being here, 435 00:34:57,200 --> 00:34:59,520 but that was utterly spectacular. 436 00:34:59,520 --> 00:35:02,600 But it's... It's so deceptive. 437 00:35:02,600 --> 00:35:04,760 Just look at the...the water. 438 00:35:04,760 --> 00:35:07,280 You have no comprehension 439 00:35:07,280 --> 00:35:10,080 of what is beneath the surface here. 440 00:35:10,080 --> 00:35:12,880 - I'm still very happy to see so many different fish. 441 00:35:12,880 --> 00:35:17,480 Every food chain level is there, and you got to see some sharks as well. 442 00:35:17,480 --> 00:35:20,440 - But globally, sharks are in trouble. 443 00:35:22,240 --> 00:35:24,760 Overfishing, legal and illegal, 444 00:35:24,760 --> 00:35:27,240 is killing tens of millions each year. 445 00:35:29,040 --> 00:35:30,880 They're eaten around the planet, 446 00:35:30,880 --> 00:35:32,480 and shark fins are used 447 00:35:32,480 --> 00:35:34,680 in a tasteless soup in China and elsewhere. 448 00:35:36,920 --> 00:35:40,440 Just a decade ago, many sharks here were facing extinction. 449 00:35:40,440 --> 00:35:44,600 One species was only spotted three times in 20 years. 450 00:35:49,520 --> 00:35:52,320 Today, this is a protected marine reserve, 451 00:35:52,320 --> 00:35:55,520 policed by patrols like the one that stopped us earlier. 452 00:35:58,080 --> 00:36:02,160 Overall, shark numbers are now an incredible 25 times higher 453 00:36:02,160 --> 00:36:03,960 than in unprotected areas... 454 00:36:05,640 --> 00:36:08,400 ..and right now, Nesha and her colleagues 455 00:36:08,400 --> 00:36:10,840 are taking shark conservation 456 00:36:10,840 --> 00:36:12,600 one big step further. 457 00:36:12,600 --> 00:36:14,680 - Are you ready to see the pups? 458 00:36:16,120 --> 00:36:17,800 - I'm ready, yes. I think. 459 00:36:17,800 --> 00:36:18,960 "Pups"? 460 00:36:18,960 --> 00:36:20,680 - So, we've got two here. 461 00:36:20,680 --> 00:36:24,200 This is our first-born, Mali. 462 00:36:28,120 --> 00:36:33,280 - That is a sight of epic cuteness, quite frankly. 463 00:36:33,280 --> 00:36:36,280 I know that's not a very scientific thing to think or say, but... 464 00:36:36,280 --> 00:36:37,400 Oh! She's... 465 00:36:37,400 --> 00:36:40,120 He/she is moving. - She. - She. 466 00:36:41,520 --> 00:36:42,760 Oh, my goodness. 467 00:36:42,760 --> 00:36:45,080 Hello. - Oh, she's saying hi to you! 468 00:36:45,080 --> 00:36:46,600 - Hello to you, too! 469 00:36:48,400 --> 00:36:49,600 - Hey, Mali. 470 00:36:51,800 --> 00:36:54,960 - She doesn't look really like a shark to me. 471 00:36:54,960 --> 00:36:56,960 She looks... At the front like a cuddly toy, 472 00:36:56,960 --> 00:36:58,640 and then... 473 00:37:00,480 --> 00:37:01,520 ..strange wings. 474 00:37:02,960 --> 00:37:06,440 The tail and the rest of her is a bit sharky... 475 00:37:07,720 --> 00:37:09,400 ..but she just looks so cute. 476 00:37:09,400 --> 00:37:12,560 - Mali is a zebra shark, 477 00:37:12,560 --> 00:37:15,080 or better known as Indo-Pacific zebra shark. 478 00:37:15,080 --> 00:37:16,360 - Right. 479 00:37:16,360 --> 00:37:18,280 - In the last 15 years of monitoring, 480 00:37:18,280 --> 00:37:20,880 we've only seen about less than 20 sights 481 00:37:20,880 --> 00:37:24,720 and that's very little comparing to how much the other sharks 482 00:37:24,720 --> 00:37:26,400 like blacktip, grey reef, 483 00:37:26,400 --> 00:37:30,760 whitetip, they've all rebounded and have, like, insane numbers. 484 00:37:30,760 --> 00:37:34,200 But these guys unfortunately haven't done so well. 485 00:37:34,200 --> 00:37:36,720 - So, where did she come from? 486 00:37:36,720 --> 00:37:39,160 - So, Mali comes from Sea Life Sydney. 487 00:37:39,160 --> 00:37:42,800 Over there, the second one, she actually come from Las Vegas. 488 00:37:42,800 --> 00:37:44,240 - No! - Yes. 489 00:37:44,240 --> 00:37:48,200 The zebra shark will actually lay eggs, which are known to be hardy 490 00:37:48,200 --> 00:37:50,880 and can survive trans-pacific shipment, 491 00:37:50,880 --> 00:37:54,240 and obviously it's much easier to ship eggs than pups. 492 00:37:54,240 --> 00:37:59,240 These two will be released in about two and a half months. 493 00:38:00,600 --> 00:38:05,960 She is part of this whole initiative of re-sharking the world. 494 00:38:05,960 --> 00:38:07,400 - "Re-sharking"? 495 00:38:07,400 --> 00:38:10,960 That is not a phrase I've heard before. 496 00:38:10,960 --> 00:38:15,040 - ReShark is an initiative to repopulate the oceans 497 00:38:15,040 --> 00:38:16,400 with sharks, 498 00:38:16,400 --> 00:38:19,400 and we're working with public aquariums all over the world 499 00:38:19,400 --> 00:38:23,440 who have built the experience of animal care 500 00:38:23,440 --> 00:38:25,400 and also breeding them, 501 00:38:25,400 --> 00:38:29,000 especially those species that need a little bit of help 502 00:38:29,000 --> 00:38:31,640 and haven't done very well in the wild. 503 00:38:31,640 --> 00:38:32,920 - Wow. 504 00:38:32,920 --> 00:38:37,440 I haven't heard that anywhere, ever. 505 00:38:39,760 --> 00:38:43,120 I'm here at the start of something huge. 506 00:38:43,120 --> 00:38:45,000 This is a global first. 507 00:38:45,000 --> 00:38:48,120 ReShark has massive ambitions. 508 00:38:48,120 --> 00:38:51,520 It's a worldwide collaboration between governments, 509 00:38:51,520 --> 00:38:54,840 universities, aquariums and conservation groups. 510 00:38:57,240 --> 00:39:00,360 So, we're going to go and collect some snails and clams 511 00:39:00,360 --> 00:39:02,600 for the sharks. 512 00:39:03,680 --> 00:39:05,440 - Right here, a snail. 513 00:39:05,440 --> 00:39:07,160 One of their favourite, actually. 514 00:39:07,160 --> 00:39:08,480 - Oh, they're tiny. 515 00:39:08,480 --> 00:39:10,840 - They are tiny, but they're still pups. 516 00:39:10,840 --> 00:39:14,680 - The aim is to breed and reintroduce hundreds of harmless, 517 00:39:14,680 --> 00:39:16,680 helpful sharks, like little Mali here, 518 00:39:16,680 --> 00:39:19,400 and possibly re-shark other world sites, 519 00:39:19,400 --> 00:39:21,760 perhaps even off the coast of Wales. 520 00:39:23,080 --> 00:39:24,480 There it goes. 521 00:39:29,240 --> 00:39:30,960 Tail's wagging, almost! 522 00:39:30,960 --> 00:39:32,680 - Yeah, she's amazing. 523 00:39:32,680 --> 00:39:36,360 She's the... I would say, like, the best species to work with. 524 00:39:36,360 --> 00:39:37,960 It's hard not to fall in love. 525 00:39:37,960 --> 00:39:41,080 - But to make a project like this work, 526 00:39:41,080 --> 00:39:43,840 the local community needs to be involved as well. 527 00:39:45,720 --> 00:39:49,200 The answer here is eco-tourism. 528 00:39:49,200 --> 00:39:52,080 This marine reserve is partly set up and funded 529 00:39:52,080 --> 00:39:53,320 by a diving resort, 530 00:39:53,320 --> 00:39:58,080 which also provides jobs and careers for local people, 531 00:39:58,080 --> 00:40:01,680 so they don't need to hunt for sharks to put food on their table. 532 00:40:03,040 --> 00:40:04,920 It's not the full answer, is it? 533 00:40:04,920 --> 00:40:11,120 We can't just keep decimating shark numbers around the planet, 534 00:40:11,120 --> 00:40:13,680 and think that Nesha is going to be able to put 535 00:40:13,680 --> 00:40:15,880 all of that life back into the seas. 536 00:40:15,880 --> 00:40:18,680 - We need to turn off the tap, first and foremost. 537 00:40:18,680 --> 00:40:22,680 But, of course, we can't just be blanketing the oceans 538 00:40:22,680 --> 00:40:25,120 with no-take zones, without alternative livelihoods 539 00:40:25,120 --> 00:40:27,520 for the people who actually depend on the ocean. 540 00:40:27,520 --> 00:40:31,920 So, the fact that zebra shark is a highly sought after 541 00:40:31,920 --> 00:40:34,960 species for snorkelers and divers, 542 00:40:34,960 --> 00:40:36,960 really is a main driver 543 00:40:36,960 --> 00:40:41,120 why this project is so loved and embraced by the local community 544 00:40:41,120 --> 00:40:43,880 and government, because it is part of the 545 00:40:43,880 --> 00:40:47,040 alternative livelihood, instead of fishing them out. 546 00:40:57,960 --> 00:41:00,240 - It's time to leave Raja Ampat 547 00:41:00,240 --> 00:41:04,400 and set off on the last stage of my journey across the Coral Triangle. 548 00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:09,680 It's also time to say goodbye to Nesha. 549 00:41:09,680 --> 00:41:11,400 Nesha! 550 00:41:11,400 --> 00:41:12,880 Farewell. 551 00:41:14,080 --> 00:41:16,320 - Have a great trip. - Travel safe. - Thank you. 552 00:41:16,320 --> 00:41:19,000 - Thank you so much for all you've done, 553 00:41:19,000 --> 00:41:21,240 and all you've shown us! 554 00:41:21,240 --> 00:41:22,920 - It's been a pleasure. 555 00:41:22,920 --> 00:41:24,480 - Good luck, OK? 556 00:41:24,480 --> 00:41:25,960 - Good luck to you! 557 00:41:37,160 --> 00:41:40,080 - So, we're heading out again, back to sea, 558 00:41:40,080 --> 00:41:43,840 into a slightly wilder, choppier bit of the ocean. 559 00:41:43,840 --> 00:41:47,720 These are not uncharted waters, of course not, 560 00:41:47,720 --> 00:41:49,440 but they are for this team. 561 00:41:49,440 --> 00:41:51,800 This boat has never been there, 562 00:41:51,800 --> 00:41:54,720 and we're going to look for the great giant of our oceans, 563 00:41:54,720 --> 00:41:57,520 the largest fish in the sea. 564 00:41:57,520 --> 00:42:01,600 We're on a hunt, searching for whale sharks. 565 00:42:03,400 --> 00:42:06,120 My voyage in search of these giant fish 566 00:42:06,120 --> 00:42:10,080 will take me around the Indonesian coast of the island of New Guinea. 567 00:42:11,600 --> 00:42:13,880 Three days of sailing should hopefully get me 568 00:42:13,880 --> 00:42:15,160 to my final destination - 569 00:42:15,160 --> 00:42:19,200 a remote area of New Guinea called Cenderawasih Bay. 570 00:42:26,680 --> 00:42:30,480 I am ludicrously excited at the thought 571 00:42:30,480 --> 00:42:33,400 we might...we might see whale sharks. 572 00:42:34,600 --> 00:42:38,760 Despite their size, whale sharks have always been elusive. 573 00:42:38,760 --> 00:42:42,400 The legendary Jacques Cousteau only saw two 574 00:42:42,400 --> 00:42:44,480 in decades of exploring the sea, 575 00:42:44,480 --> 00:42:46,560 and, now, they're even rarer. 576 00:42:46,560 --> 00:42:50,560 The global population of whale sharks has halved in recent 577 00:42:50,560 --> 00:42:54,920 decades mainly because, obscenely, they're fished for their fins. 578 00:42:57,960 --> 00:43:00,200 To up our chances of spotting them, 579 00:43:00,200 --> 00:43:04,200 one of the world's top whale shark experts has agreed to come aboard. 580 00:43:07,480 --> 00:43:10,320 Abam Sianipar is one of the few scientists 581 00:43:10,320 --> 00:43:13,480 who have conducted research in Cenderawasih Bay. 582 00:43:15,760 --> 00:43:17,440 We're heading towards the bay. 583 00:43:17,440 --> 00:43:20,440 We're heading towards this hot spot, really, isn't it? 584 00:43:20,440 --> 00:43:22,360 - Yep. - It's a bio-diversity hot spot... 585 00:43:22,360 --> 00:43:26,320 - Yup. - ..of planetary significance. 586 00:43:26,320 --> 00:43:31,120 - So, some fish scientists might also consider this place 587 00:43:31,120 --> 00:43:34,240 as a cauldron of evolution for marine biodiversity 588 00:43:34,240 --> 00:43:37,640 because, you know, these areas are so remote 589 00:43:37,640 --> 00:43:41,360 there's very little research happening around here. 590 00:43:41,360 --> 00:43:46,800 And this area seems to produce more and more new species of fish 591 00:43:46,800 --> 00:43:49,160 in the year that we studied them. 592 00:43:49,160 --> 00:43:53,400 So, again, yes, it is a special place for whale sharks, 593 00:43:53,400 --> 00:43:56,640 but for marine biodiversity, it's also a very exciting place. 594 00:44:01,640 --> 00:44:03,560 - But first we have to get there... 595 00:44:05,000 --> 00:44:08,160 ..and that means back into the daily rhythm of life on the boat. 596 00:44:21,120 --> 00:44:25,320 It wouldn't really be an expedition if anything went entirely to plan. 597 00:44:30,400 --> 00:44:33,760 THUNDER CRASHES AND RUMBLES 598 00:44:48,120 --> 00:44:50,080 It's going to be pretty tricky 599 00:44:50,080 --> 00:44:52,720 spotting whale sharks in this weather. 600 00:44:55,520 --> 00:45:00,000 We're making pretty slow progress now as well, there's a bit of wind. 601 00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:03,640 I'm just not sure we'll make it to the area we wanted to get to. 602 00:45:26,080 --> 00:45:28,200 But eventually, the weather picks up. 603 00:45:30,680 --> 00:45:32,880 A few days more pottering along 604 00:45:32,880 --> 00:45:36,520 and we finally make it to the edge of Cenderawasih Bay. 605 00:45:36,520 --> 00:45:39,320 Within the vastness of the Coral Triangle, 606 00:45:39,320 --> 00:45:43,320 this is another huge protected Indonesian national park. 607 00:45:43,320 --> 00:45:46,440 The bay is 200 miles across... 608 00:45:48,480 --> 00:45:52,080 ..and here is our best chance of seeing whale sharks. 609 00:45:53,680 --> 00:45:56,080 - No fins, no fins. 610 00:45:56,080 --> 00:45:57,520 - Oh. 611 00:45:57,520 --> 00:46:00,920 - When they travel, they don't always stay on the surface. 612 00:46:00,920 --> 00:46:02,280 From our last study, 613 00:46:02,280 --> 00:46:04,960 one of the whale sharks dived up to 1,000 metres 614 00:46:04,960 --> 00:46:06,640 inside of the bay, 615 00:46:06,640 --> 00:46:09,680 and from the... - A kilometre down? 616 00:46:09,680 --> 00:46:12,840 - Yeah. - In the bay? - In the bay. - Wow! 617 00:46:12,840 --> 00:46:15,960 - And then that's kind of like also one of the biggest why, 618 00:46:15,960 --> 00:46:18,560 in kind of, like, the whale shark communities, 619 00:46:18,560 --> 00:46:21,840 why this, you know, animal does this dive, 620 00:46:21,840 --> 00:46:23,800 what's down there. 621 00:46:23,800 --> 00:46:27,760 To certain depths people might argue there might be food there. 622 00:46:27,760 --> 00:46:32,440 But when you go close to 1,000, and even beyond... 623 00:46:33,760 --> 00:46:35,320 ..there's basically nothing there. 624 00:46:35,320 --> 00:46:38,280 - Is there any creature on this planet 625 00:46:38,280 --> 00:46:41,200 of such comparable size 626 00:46:41,200 --> 00:46:45,920 about which we know so little as the whale shark? 627 00:46:45,920 --> 00:46:48,960 - It's still one of the biggest mysteries. 628 00:46:48,960 --> 00:46:51,760 - Whale sharks can be 18 metres long, 629 00:46:51,760 --> 00:46:54,080 and weigh up to 30 tonnes. 630 00:46:54,080 --> 00:46:57,800 They migrate thousands of miles across the seas, 631 00:46:57,800 --> 00:47:00,040 but we don't really know why. 632 00:47:00,040 --> 00:47:04,440 Nobody really knows where they breed or where their babies are born. 633 00:47:06,040 --> 00:47:10,400 We do know they can live to 100 or 150 years old. 634 00:47:10,400 --> 00:47:13,800 That means there could be whale sharks swimming 635 00:47:13,800 --> 00:47:15,920 Earth's oceans right now 636 00:47:15,920 --> 00:47:18,680 that were born before the invention of light bulbs! 637 00:47:20,120 --> 00:47:22,760 To try and solve some of the many mysteries about them, 638 00:47:22,760 --> 00:47:26,000 Abam and his colleagues have set up a monitoring programme 639 00:47:26,000 --> 00:47:29,960 to photograph and track the whale sharks of Cenderawasih Bay. 640 00:47:31,400 --> 00:47:34,280 Thank goodness Abam knows one place 641 00:47:34,280 --> 00:47:36,920 where we have a really good chance of finding them. 642 00:47:40,280 --> 00:47:42,480 What on earth is that structure? 643 00:47:42,480 --> 00:47:44,120 - That is what we call a "bagan". 644 00:47:44,120 --> 00:47:45,960 - A bagan? 645 00:47:45,960 --> 00:47:47,680 - A bagan. 646 00:47:47,680 --> 00:47:51,240 So, a bagan is a lift-net fishing platform 647 00:47:51,240 --> 00:47:54,720 that the people in the village have developed to 648 00:47:54,720 --> 00:47:57,760 specifically fish for bait fish, and also small... 649 00:47:57,760 --> 00:48:00,680 Other small fish during the night with the help of lights. 650 00:48:00,680 --> 00:48:04,760 - So, how come they're here, inside such a protected area? 651 00:48:04,760 --> 00:48:07,320 - These fishermen have got a special permit, 652 00:48:07,320 --> 00:48:10,080 both from the national park but also from the... 653 00:48:10,080 --> 00:48:13,600 ..the local people, which is the custodian of the...of the areas. 654 00:48:13,600 --> 00:48:16,440 - They're allowed to fish here because this is a more traditional 655 00:48:16,440 --> 00:48:18,280 form of fishing - 656 00:48:18,280 --> 00:48:21,200 it's not dragging an industrial size net... 657 00:48:21,200 --> 00:48:24,200 - No. - ..through the entire bay. - Exactly. 658 00:48:24,200 --> 00:48:27,160 There's some fins just popping up to the surface there. 659 00:48:27,160 --> 00:48:29,560 - You saw something? - Just here. 660 00:48:31,040 --> 00:48:32,880 - Oh, my goodness. 661 00:48:32,880 --> 00:48:34,880 It can't possibly be! 662 00:48:34,880 --> 00:48:36,880 Are you serious? 663 00:48:36,880 --> 00:48:39,480 - I think... - There's one waiting for you here? - Yeah. 664 00:48:39,480 --> 00:48:40,760 - No way! 665 00:48:40,760 --> 00:48:43,240 There's a whale shark here already! 666 00:48:50,200 --> 00:48:51,280 Oh! 667 00:48:51,280 --> 00:48:52,600 - Hello, hello! 668 00:48:56,320 --> 00:48:58,960 - It's the size of a bus! 669 00:48:58,960 --> 00:49:00,480 - Yup. 670 00:49:00,480 --> 00:49:03,160 - This is like a time traveller, 671 00:49:03,160 --> 00:49:05,480 or something from another planet. 672 00:49:09,040 --> 00:49:14,040 I've never been so close to anything remotely of this size in the ocean. 673 00:49:16,360 --> 00:49:19,200 It's utterly... It's just breathtaking. 674 00:49:19,200 --> 00:49:20,640 - They are quite amazing. 675 00:49:21,920 --> 00:49:24,920 One thing that always captivates me is also how... 676 00:49:24,920 --> 00:49:26,600 how gently they move, 677 00:49:26,600 --> 00:49:29,200 how graceful they manoeuvre their bodies, 678 00:49:29,200 --> 00:49:31,720 like doing a ballet under water. 679 00:49:50,400 --> 00:49:52,240 - I can't quite believe this. 680 00:49:55,000 --> 00:49:57,760 I didn't think we would actually see them... 681 00:49:59,360 --> 00:50:02,240 ..let alone right underneath us. 682 00:50:03,920 --> 00:50:06,240 What a staggering creature. 683 00:50:07,680 --> 00:50:10,680 - Even the biggest one that we've seen, 684 00:50:10,680 --> 00:50:14,560 I think 7-7.5 metres in length... 685 00:50:14,560 --> 00:50:19,800 - Mm-hm. - ..and we still consider them as a non-adult individual. 686 00:50:19,800 --> 00:50:21,440 So, probably juveniles, 687 00:50:21,440 --> 00:50:25,320 and they use some areas like Cenderawasih Bay 688 00:50:25,320 --> 00:50:29,320 as a nursery for them to eat as much as they can... - Right. 689 00:50:29,320 --> 00:50:30,880 - ..to grow as fast as they can, 690 00:50:30,880 --> 00:50:34,200 and then potentially leaving the bay when they get bigger. 691 00:50:36,320 --> 00:50:38,640 - Whale sharks come to this platform 692 00:50:38,640 --> 00:50:41,600 because local fishermen here share their catch. 693 00:50:43,160 --> 00:50:46,000 Because of that, this is one of the only places on the planet 694 00:50:46,000 --> 00:50:49,760 where scientists can monitor large numbers of whale sharks. 695 00:50:51,000 --> 00:50:53,880 Abam and his colleagues have put satellite tags 696 00:50:53,880 --> 00:50:55,720 on dozens of these giants. 697 00:50:55,720 --> 00:50:59,920 They're running the largest whale shark tagging project in the world. 698 00:50:59,920 --> 00:51:03,960 They also take photos to identify and record sharks. 699 00:51:03,960 --> 00:51:06,720 They each have a unique pattern of spots. 700 00:51:06,720 --> 00:51:08,240 This is astonishing. 701 00:51:08,240 --> 00:51:10,800 I know you need to do some science, 702 00:51:10,800 --> 00:51:15,200 rather than me just getting a lump in my throat looking at them. 703 00:51:15,200 --> 00:51:17,280 What do you want to do? 704 00:51:17,280 --> 00:51:19,000 - I want to get in the water with them. 705 00:51:20,400 --> 00:51:21,600 - Oh, my God! 706 00:51:21,600 --> 00:51:23,520 HE LAUGHS 707 00:51:23,520 --> 00:51:25,200 Oh, my God! 708 00:51:25,200 --> 00:51:27,800 And by any chance, do you need somebody to, you know, 709 00:51:27,800 --> 00:51:30,880 hold your camera? - Sure, of course! 710 00:51:30,880 --> 00:51:32,240 - Well, I'm game. 711 00:51:32,240 --> 00:51:34,600 Let's get in the water. - Let's do it. 712 00:51:45,480 --> 00:51:49,240 I think we try to avoid them as much as we can. 713 00:51:49,240 --> 00:51:52,320 I try to maintain a distance, like, three metres... - OK. 714 00:51:52,320 --> 00:51:54,480 - But of course, they are swimming around. 715 00:51:54,480 --> 00:51:58,080 Sometimes they creep up on your back, we can't do anything about it. 716 00:51:58,080 --> 00:52:00,040 But we'll just try our best. 717 00:52:01,080 --> 00:52:03,400 Three, two, one... 718 00:52:42,520 --> 00:52:45,960 - Whale sharks aren't hunters like some of their shark cousins. 719 00:52:45,960 --> 00:52:47,760 They're not interested in me. 720 00:52:47,760 --> 00:52:50,200 They're more like vacuum cleaners, 721 00:52:50,200 --> 00:52:53,680 filter feeding and sieving plankton and small fish 722 00:52:53,680 --> 00:52:56,120 through their huge mouths. 723 00:52:56,120 --> 00:52:57,880 Their teeth are tiny, 724 00:52:57,880 --> 00:53:01,160 and their throats can be just the width of a 10p piece. 725 00:53:06,080 --> 00:53:09,720 The visibility around the platform isn't amazing, 726 00:53:09,720 --> 00:53:13,200 so you don't see them coming from far off - 727 00:53:13,200 --> 00:53:17,160 they just emerge almost out of the gloom, 728 00:53:17,160 --> 00:53:19,960 and then suddenly this enormous, 729 00:53:19,960 --> 00:53:22,320 ancient, prehistoric, 730 00:53:22,320 --> 00:53:25,480 present-day, other worldly alien creature 731 00:53:25,480 --> 00:53:27,440 is coming right at you... 732 00:53:29,640 --> 00:53:31,880 ..and I absolutely bloody love it. 733 00:53:42,480 --> 00:53:46,760 Abam's work is shedding new light on the life of the whale shark. 734 00:53:48,600 --> 00:53:50,480 Here in Cenderawasih Bay, 735 00:53:50,480 --> 00:53:54,400 there's thought to be a population of around 130 of them, 736 00:53:54,400 --> 00:53:56,040 mostly juveniles. 737 00:53:58,080 --> 00:54:01,480 Some live in the bay, while others come and go. 738 00:54:01,480 --> 00:54:06,400 For some unknown reason, all the sharks here are males. 739 00:54:06,400 --> 00:54:09,640 Where the females go is another mystery. 740 00:54:14,240 --> 00:54:17,680 It's early days, but the project here is one of our best chances 741 00:54:17,680 --> 00:54:20,720 of finding out more about these magnificent creatures 742 00:54:20,720 --> 00:54:22,200 and protecting them. 743 00:54:29,120 --> 00:54:30,920 And it's all made possible 744 00:54:30,920 --> 00:54:33,640 because of the local Indonesian fishermen 745 00:54:33,640 --> 00:54:35,840 who have, for years, fed the sharks. 746 00:54:37,960 --> 00:54:41,440 Nerdin has fished on this bagan since he was a boy. 747 00:54:41,440 --> 00:54:44,280 What do the whale sharks mean to you? 748 00:55:20,040 --> 00:55:23,000 You do feed them quite a lot of fish, don't you? 749 00:55:23,000 --> 00:55:24,920 Why do you give them so much? 750 00:55:48,920 --> 00:55:52,960 I've reached the end of my voyage across the Coral Triangle. 751 00:55:52,960 --> 00:55:55,480 This miraculous corner of our world. 752 00:55:56,880 --> 00:55:59,320 I've learnt how this little-known wilderness 753 00:55:59,320 --> 00:56:01,920 is vital to life in the wider ocean... 754 00:56:03,640 --> 00:56:05,360 ..and I've seen on this journey 755 00:56:05,360 --> 00:56:08,760 how its crucial local people are involved in preserving it. 756 00:56:10,320 --> 00:56:14,320 Nerdin and the fishermen here are an inspiring example 757 00:56:14,320 --> 00:56:17,240 of how people can live alongside nature, 758 00:56:17,240 --> 00:56:20,480 cherishing it without over-exploiting it. 759 00:56:23,880 --> 00:56:25,240 How do you feel? 760 00:56:25,240 --> 00:56:27,680 I saw you smiling as you were feeding them. 761 00:56:27,680 --> 00:56:31,680 As you're putting food almost into the mouths 762 00:56:31,680 --> 00:56:34,880 of these enormous creatures. 763 00:56:49,960 --> 00:56:54,200 What an amazing place to end this part of the journey, 764 00:56:54,200 --> 00:56:56,840 with Nurdin on his fishing platform 765 00:56:56,840 --> 00:57:00,400 giving away great big boxes of his fish to the whale sharks! 766 00:57:00,400 --> 00:57:02,360 I absolutely love it. 767 00:57:02,360 --> 00:57:04,080 HE LAUGHS 768 00:57:04,080 --> 00:57:05,400 Bloody brilliant. 769 00:57:05,400 --> 00:57:07,000 You really are. 770 00:57:10,840 --> 00:57:12,400 Next time... 771 00:57:12,400 --> 00:57:14,160 LOW GROWLING 772 00:57:14,160 --> 00:57:17,320 There are lions going past my tent! 773 00:57:19,840 --> 00:57:22,520 ..I'm crossing one of the world's great deserts... 774 00:57:25,240 --> 00:57:28,880 ..on an epic hunt with the legendary trackers of the Kalahari. 775 00:57:28,880 --> 00:57:30,480 Man, this is intense. 776 00:57:32,560 --> 00:57:33,640 Coo! - Coo!