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Life, as we know it,
can only thrive

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because of the Moon.

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She is Earth's constant companion.

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Regulating the rhythms of the planet,
so animals can come together

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and raise the next generation.

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The Moon influences the daily,
monthly and yearly cycles...

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including the changing seasons...

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which are most extreme
nearer the poles.

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An Arctic fox emerges
from a cruel winter.

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She has spent
the last four months alone,

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in temperatures
far below freezing.

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But now a new year begins,
spring is her cue,

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to reunite with her lifelong
companion.

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But if she is to raise
a family once more,

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she must find him.

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And, together,
they need to keep pace

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with the lunar-driven seasons.

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Our Moon shapes life on Earth
in extraordinary ways.

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Creating the swelling tides...

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dictating the length of day...

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summoning the seasons.

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She can light the way to love,

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reveal hidden pathways,

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bring times of plenty,

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or strip away chances of survival.

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4.6 billion years ago,

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young Earth is thought to have
collided with another planetary body.

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The debris fused,

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and our Moon was born.

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She has been Earth's stabilising
partner ever since.

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The Earth is sightly tilted,

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like a slowing spinning top,
but it is the Moon

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that holds the planet steady

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as they orbit around
the Sun together.

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Earth's tilt means the Northern
and Southern hemispheres

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take turns leaning into

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and away from the Sun's light,

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bringing us the turning
of the seasons,

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and the perfect moments
for romance.

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As the Moon steers
the North toward the sun,

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in Iceland, the days are getting
warmer and longer.

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For the Arctic Fox,

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now is the time to mate.

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Arctic foxes pair for life,
but they are short-lived.

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She is only four years old,

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but this could be her last chance
to raise cubs...

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if her partner
has also made it through.

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She returns to their former home...

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desperately searching.

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But there is no sign of him.

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A familiar call.

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With the change of season,
he is on his way home.

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With no time to lose,
they must reclaim their territory,

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from mountain top to the shoreline.

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This rich habitat offers both
shelter and food,

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to sustain them

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and their future family
throughout the year.

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But during the breeding season,

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the best land is
the most contested.

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A challenger.

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Her mate must act.

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This intruder may be the first,
but he won't be the last.

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To maintain this territory,

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the pair will need to fiercely
defend it

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for the next six months.

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For now,
they can focus on each other.

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If mating is successful,

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their cubs will arrive
just in time for summer.

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The Moon driven seasons

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create a distinct annual calendar
at the poles.

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While closer to the equator,

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the Moon's illuminating presence

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in the night sky creates
a more dominant rhythm.

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The lunar month.

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Over 29 days, she completes one orbit
around the Earth.

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As she journeys,
sunlight shifts across her face,

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marking time in phases.

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And it is this cycle that some

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of the Earth's oldest life forms
have evolved to follow.

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Off the Caribbean island
of Curacao,

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a new life begins.

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A baby mountainous star coral,
a mere speck in the ocean,

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is embarking on the single greatest
adventure of its life...

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to search for a place to settle,
and call home.

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Only the most bustling reef will do,

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where it can find food
and protection.

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And this little coral larva
can travel

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over 500 kilometres
of open ocean to find it.

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Life began for this larva
the way it does

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for many corals around
the world.

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On a reef.

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Built by millions of tiny polyps,

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individual animals living
together, as a colony.

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Light-sensitive cells
allow them to track

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the Moon's light throughout
their lives.

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The full moon
is the signal for them

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to get ready to spawn.

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In the nights that follow,

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each species releases their eggs

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and sperm in synchrony.

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A mass spawning that boosts
the chances of fertilisation.

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A new generation is born,

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all set to seek a new reef
of their own.

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For the newborn larva,
it begins its descent.

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The hair-like cilia on its body

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and sensory cells
detect tiny vibrations,

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and smells of nearby reefs.

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Not bad,
for something smaller

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than a grain of sand.

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It searches
for exposed limestone,

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to provide a grippy surface.

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But for every moment
spent searching,

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the tiny larva
is rapidly losing energy...

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and at risk of becoming food.

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Even so, it continues to be fussy.

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After all, the colony it forms
could be here

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for over 500 years.

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This is the place.

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Over hours,
the larva transforms,

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flattening into a tiny polyp,

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anchoring itself to the limestone.

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Within days,
tiny tentacles emerge,

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reaching out for any morsel of food
that happens to float by.

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Their photo-sensitive cells

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begin to tune in
to the cycle of moonlight.

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Over time,
the once single drifting larva

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will grow
into a towering colony,

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and form part of a reef...

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where it will become part
of an ecosystem

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that protects coastlines,

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provides oxygen and supports

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a quarter of all life
beneath the waves.

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Earth bursts with an incredible
diversity of life,

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supported by the Moon,

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a barren rock,
with almost no atmosphere.

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Every species that has ever
existed on Earth

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has evolved under her
familiar face,

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scarred, wrinkled, blemished.

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Marked by over 500,000 craters.

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With black basalt plains
and pale mountain peaks.

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Strikingly beautiful
and powerful.

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It is this exposed surface
that allows her

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to reflect 12% of the Sun's light,
into the night.

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Her glow reaching
even the darkest habitats

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of our planet.

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In the Atlantic rainforest
of Brazil,

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the Moon's bright light

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forces many to retreat
into the shadows.

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But not blacksmith treefrogs,

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they become more active
and embrace the glow.

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An essential tool
when looking for love.

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Construction work
on this brightly lit site

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is well underway.

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And this bachelor has a lot to do

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before the Moon sets
in ten hours' time.

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To be worthy of a female,

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he builds a crater-like nest
the size of a dinner plate.

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The lunar light
will reveal any flaws.

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Too deep,
and the eggs may drown.

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Too shallow,
and they'll dry out.

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It's a labour of love,

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and he must guard it
with his life.

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Competing males will kill
to steal nests.

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But his work isn't done yet.

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As the Moon casts her
spotlight on his creation.

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It's time to get
the attention of the females.

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He calls up to 120 times
a minute...

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to showcase his
newly built nest.

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And someone's taken notice.

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A rival.

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It's a standoff.

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Close to drowning, he must
fight for his life.

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Trespasser evicted.

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But the Moon waits for no one,

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and there is no time to lose.

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This time a female.

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With his nest in the spotlight,

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she inspects it for flaws.

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Not too deep.

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Not too shallow.

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She approves.

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Under the Moon's light,
together, they make it theirs.

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She lays over 2,000 eggs,

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and leaves before sunrise.

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This dedicated dad
will nurture their brood,

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with only the Moon
for company.

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When full,

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the Moon completes her
longest stretch

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across the night sky,

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rising and setting
opposite the Sun.

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Though she is nearly
400,000 kilometres away,

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her dazzling glow can illuminate
empty plains on Earth,

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making all the difference
between success and failure

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when choosing a mate.

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April, on a plateau in Utah.

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For the last two weeks, sage grouse
have been gathering at the arena

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known as a lek,
for their breeding season.

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Each morning,
when predators are scarce,

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males compete in a dance-off
before sunrise.

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But tonight,
the contest is about to peak.

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The arrival of the full moon
illuminates the plateau,

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extending dawn
by more than three hours.

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It gives the males extra time
to strut their stuff,

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and for this female,
longer to judge them.

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Over 70 males are competing
for her attention,

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but only the best
will make the cut.

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As they strut,

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they gulp into
their large air sacs.

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With each forceful exhale,
they rapidly deflate,

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creating a distinctive pop.

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This male works the moonlight
to his advantage.

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It illuminates the whites
of his chest

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and spots on his plumage.

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She's noticed.

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00:23:15,060 --> 00:23:18,380
But looking good
only gets you so far.

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She's after a male
with stamina.

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The longer he struts,

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the stronger her future chicks
may be.

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Eager young males rush in,
desperate for attention.

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But unsolicited advances
are not welcome.

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She sets the rules here.

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As the Moon begins to set,

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the weaker males
quickly run out of steam.

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Now she can separate the men
from the boys.

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After circling the dance floor,

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he's the one standing head

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and shoulders above the rest.

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Three beat pops,
ten times a minute,

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each one landing perfectly
in time with his strut.

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And he's been going
for seven hours straight.

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One last serenade,
and her choice is made.

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The other females appear to agree

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and form an orderly queue.

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Time is up.

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This contest is over.

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00:25:37,380 --> 00:25:39,450
His winning performance
was made possible

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by the light
of the full Moon.

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And she has secured herself
the strongest male here.

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While the Moon determines
the brightness of the night,

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she also influences the light
we receive in the day.

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Her gravitational pull

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slows Earth's spin
to a 24-hour cycle,

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and supports the tilt that decides
the relative length

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of day and night.

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At the Equator,

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they stay almost equal
all year.

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But nearer the poles,
when the north leans into the Sun,

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it rarely sets.

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Midsummer, in Iceland.

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The landscape is transformed.

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The Arctic foxes' lives
have changed too.

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With temperatures rising

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their winter coats are shed.

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And they are now parents
to six new cubs.

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00:27:25,820 --> 00:27:29,730
But they only have ten weeks to get
them to independence,

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before winter returns.

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For the cubs,
play is always the priority.

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Sparring and stalking build their
strength

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and hunting skills.

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And, like all youngsters,
they are always hungry.

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At just under two kilograms,

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00:28:12,340 --> 00:28:13,890
they will need to double
their weight

263
00:28:13,900 --> 00:28:16,660
to face the world ahead.

264
00:28:20,060 --> 00:28:21,780
Mum has raised them on milk,

265
00:28:23,700 --> 00:28:25,660
but now she must wean them.

266
00:28:33,060 --> 00:28:36,740
Dad must guard their prized
territory, now more than ever,

267
00:28:39,180 --> 00:28:42,820
to keep rivals out
and his young family fed.

268
00:28:47,020 --> 00:28:49,650
At the coast,
seabirds have arrived

269
00:28:49,660 --> 00:28:51,100
in their thousands.

270
00:28:55,820 --> 00:28:57,890
Here to rear their chicks,

271
00:28:57,900 --> 00:29:00,700
lured by the abundant waters
and warmer weather.

272
00:29:12,340 --> 00:29:13,970
A reliable feast for mum

273
00:29:13,980 --> 00:29:15,980
to feed her growing family.

274
00:29:44,940 --> 00:29:48,740
But one bird is only enough
to feed around two cubs.

275
00:29:52,980 --> 00:29:55,020
Every hour counts,

276
00:29:56,820 --> 00:29:58,090
so she must make the most

277
00:29:58,100 --> 00:30:01,140
of the 20 hours of daylight
summer brings her.

278
00:30:16,740 --> 00:30:18,740
But this feast won't last.

279
00:30:19,740 --> 00:30:21,490
The majority of seabirds
will leave

280
00:30:21,500 --> 00:30:23,500
as soon as their chicks fledge.

281
00:30:30,620 --> 00:30:33,370
The relentless hunts
and intense heat

282
00:30:33,380 --> 00:30:35,820
begin to take their toll on Mum.

283
00:30:37,740 --> 00:30:40,460
But the cubs' hunger never wanes.

284
00:30:44,900 --> 00:30:46,420
She must keep going.

285
00:30:53,100 --> 00:30:56,260
A missed meal
could threaten the cubs future.

286
00:30:58,020 --> 00:31:00,890
A third won't survive
their first year,

287
00:31:00,900 --> 00:31:02,540
from a lack of food.

288
00:31:07,020 --> 00:31:10,060
Soon, the days will become shorter,

289
00:31:11,460 --> 00:31:15,180
as the Moon guides Iceland
into autumn.

290
00:31:21,980 --> 00:31:25,730
The Earth is the only planet
in our solar system

291
00:31:25,740 --> 00:31:28,340
under the influence
of a single moon.

292
00:31:31,980 --> 00:31:35,580
Her gravity draws the seas
toward her,

293
00:31:38,420 --> 00:31:39,890
setting a consistent rhythm

294
00:31:39,900 --> 00:31:42,780
that travels across
the entire planet.

295
00:31:45,860 --> 00:31:47,420
The tides.

296
00:31:53,420 --> 00:31:56,290
Where land meets sea,
the repeated ebb

297
00:31:56,300 --> 00:31:59,660
and flow of tides
carves solid rock,

298
00:32:03,420 --> 00:32:07,050
to form tidal pools.

299
00:32:07,060 --> 00:32:08,930
Warmed by the sun,

300
00:32:08,940 --> 00:32:11,850
these pools have been nurturing
new life

301
00:32:11,860 --> 00:32:14,420
for over 600 million years.

302
00:32:16,580 --> 00:32:19,610
Shallow refuges cut off
from the ocean,

303
00:32:19,620 --> 00:32:21,820
yet deep enough to hold water.

304
00:32:27,020 --> 00:32:31,450
And today, still act
as natural incubators

305
00:32:31,460 --> 00:32:33,220
and safe havens.

306
00:32:45,220 --> 00:32:47,450
Off the coast of Brazil,

307
00:32:47,460 --> 00:32:50,580
nurse sharks are drawn
to these tidal pools.

308
00:32:52,620 --> 00:32:56,930
The open ocean is a ruthless place
to give birth,

309
00:32:56,940 --> 00:32:58,900
as predators lurk everywhere.

310
00:33:01,180 --> 00:33:04,740
Crossing the barrier,
they find safety together.

311
00:33:08,620 --> 00:33:11,130
Forming neonatal sisterhoods,

312
00:33:11,140 --> 00:33:15,020
while the warm water incubates
and speeds up their pregnancies.

313
00:33:19,140 --> 00:33:23,650
But the pools only open
once every 12 hours,

314
00:33:23,660 --> 00:33:26,100
when the tides rise
almost two metres...

315
00:33:30,740 --> 00:33:33,450
just enough to flood
the rocky barrier

316
00:33:33,460 --> 00:33:35,700
and open safe passage.

317
00:33:38,460 --> 00:33:42,740
But this young mum-to-be
is running late.

318
00:33:48,540 --> 00:33:49,970
The water is too shallow,

319
00:33:49,980 --> 00:33:53,770
and she cannot reach safety
with the other females.

320
00:33:53,780 --> 00:33:56,860
She has no choice
but to wait.

321
00:34:02,220 --> 00:34:06,570
Alone, she is vulnerable,

322
00:34:06,580 --> 00:34:08,420
predators roam these waters.

323
00:34:13,020 --> 00:34:15,570
Tiger sharks.

324
00:34:15,580 --> 00:34:18,610
Aggressive,
opportunistic hunters,

325
00:34:18,620 --> 00:34:20,540
and they will eat other sharks.

326
00:34:21,900 --> 00:34:23,690
Their electroreceptors detect

327
00:34:23,700 --> 00:34:26,660
even the slightest movement
of prey.

328
00:34:30,500 --> 00:34:31,940
She must lie low.

329
00:34:34,860 --> 00:34:37,300
But the oceans
are always shifting.

330
00:34:40,340 --> 00:34:44,250
Her own senses detect increases
in pressure

331
00:34:44,260 --> 00:34:46,580
as the water rises
above her.

332
00:34:50,300 --> 00:34:51,820
High tide is coming.

333
00:34:54,140 --> 00:34:55,460
This is the moment.

334
00:35:35,100 --> 00:35:38,410
It is only with the Moon's
gravitational pull,

335
00:35:38,420 --> 00:35:40,660
that the sisterhood
has this oasis.

336
00:35:43,540 --> 00:35:44,970
The tide allowing them

337
00:35:44,980 --> 00:35:48,700
to reach the otherwise
unreachable.

338
00:35:59,460 --> 00:36:03,090
The Moon's pull
keeps the Earth's tides

339
00:36:03,100 --> 00:36:04,900
in constant motion.

340
00:36:09,380 --> 00:36:14,340
But twice a month, the Moon,
Earth, and Sun align,

341
00:36:17,140 --> 00:36:21,210
their combined gravitational
force causes the ocean

342
00:36:21,220 --> 00:36:24,370
to surge higher than usual.

343
00:36:24,380 --> 00:36:27,660
These events are known
as the spring tides.

344
00:36:30,100 --> 00:36:33,370
One species entire
reproductive cycle

345
00:36:33,380 --> 00:36:35,340
is synchronised to them.

346
00:36:41,020 --> 00:36:43,970
The sloped sandy beaches
of California,

347
00:36:43,980 --> 00:36:48,180
play host to one of nature's
most lusty beach parties.

348
00:36:52,340 --> 00:36:56,810
Anticipation is building beneath
the waves,

349
00:36:56,820 --> 00:36:59,740
gate crashers line the shore.

350
00:37:11,340 --> 00:37:14,700
No one wants to be the first
to a party.

351
00:37:30,300 --> 00:37:36,050
Soon the shoreline turns silver,

352
00:37:36,060 --> 00:37:38,690
as thousands land on the beach.

353
00:37:48,820 --> 00:37:51,180
Californian grunion.

354
00:37:55,740 --> 00:37:58,050
Females lead the way,

355
00:37:58,060 --> 00:38:00,890
drilling into the sand
with their tails,

356
00:38:00,900 --> 00:38:03,580
each laying around 3,000 eggs.

357
00:38:06,220 --> 00:38:07,890
And for the males,

358
00:38:07,900 --> 00:38:11,420
it's a race to fertilise
as many as possible.

359
00:38:17,980 --> 00:38:21,260
All before the tide recedes,
in two hours.

360
00:38:23,500 --> 00:38:25,380
It's a mating frenzy,

361
00:38:30,420 --> 00:38:31,890
but fish out of water

362
00:38:31,900 --> 00:38:34,700
can only breathe
with a passing wave.

363
00:38:45,300 --> 00:38:48,100
The Moon high, the party peaks.

364
00:38:57,180 --> 00:39:01,100
But for some,
it can be a little overwhelming.

365
00:39:10,660 --> 00:39:13,970
He can't reach a female,

366
00:39:13,980 --> 00:39:16,860
and no one wants
to be left high and dry.

367
00:39:19,260 --> 00:39:21,450
It's time to get back to it.

368
00:39:37,020 --> 00:39:40,340
Finally, he reaches a female.

369
00:39:50,860 --> 00:39:53,540
The tide begins to recede.

370
00:39:55,420 --> 00:39:59,420
And the party ends,
as quickly as it started.

371
00:40:09,860 --> 00:40:14,290
The last waves wash sand
over the exposed eggs,

372
00:40:14,300 --> 00:40:16,220
leaving no trace.

373
00:40:28,980 --> 00:40:30,930
After 14 days,

374
00:40:30,940 --> 00:40:34,180
the second spring tide
of the month arrives.

375
00:40:48,060 --> 00:40:53,300
Beneath the warm, moist sand,
away from the regular waves,

376
00:40:54,780 --> 00:40:57,900
the grunion eggs
have been developing,

377
00:40:59,300 --> 00:41:02,380
to be ready
for this moment.

378
00:41:21,740 --> 00:41:25,740
The turbulence triggers
the eggs to hatch.

379
00:41:55,980 --> 00:42:00,340
And a new generation enters
the sea.

380
00:42:04,020 --> 00:42:07,450
The Moon sets the rhythm
for life along shores

381
00:42:07,460 --> 00:42:10,490
across the planet,

382
00:42:10,500 --> 00:42:12,980
but its influence
doesn't stop there.

383
00:42:16,180 --> 00:42:20,010
Even on land,
top predators rely on its tides

384
00:42:20,020 --> 00:42:22,580
to fuel their success
in courtship.

385
00:42:27,300 --> 00:42:32,620
On Costa Rica's coast,
a male jaguar is on patrol.

386
00:42:36,300 --> 00:42:39,420
He spends most of the year
alone in the forest.

387
00:42:42,620 --> 00:42:44,810
But for the past few weeks,

388
00:42:44,820 --> 00:42:47,140
he has been stalking this beach.

389
00:42:51,700 --> 00:42:56,940
He knows the full Moon's high tide
brings opportunity to feed.

390
00:43:02,500 --> 00:43:03,860
Sea turtles.

391
00:43:08,100 --> 00:43:11,290
They are returning
from across the ocean to lay eggs

392
00:43:11,300 --> 00:43:13,780
in the dry sand
where they were born.

393
00:43:18,060 --> 00:43:19,690
For just a few nights,

394
00:43:19,700 --> 00:43:23,180
they reach further up the beach
with the high tides.

395
00:43:25,020 --> 00:43:29,340
Slow and predictable,
they are easy to catch.

396
00:43:58,660 --> 00:44:02,540
One turtle will sustain him
for up to three days.

397
00:44:05,580 --> 00:44:07,330
This energy boost puts him

398
00:44:07,340 --> 00:44:11,130
in prime condition for courtship.

399
00:44:11,140 --> 00:44:15,610
If he can find a female,
they will mate as much as possible

400
00:44:15,620 --> 00:44:17,220
while she is receptive.

401
00:44:21,580 --> 00:44:23,730
He has learned
to take advantage

402
00:44:23,740 --> 00:44:26,130
of the rhythms of the Moon

403
00:44:26,140 --> 00:44:29,090
which increases his chance
of fathering

404
00:44:29,100 --> 00:44:30,780
the next generation.

405
00:44:47,900 --> 00:44:52,530
Although the Moon
is only 1% of the Earth's mass,

406
00:44:52,540 --> 00:44:55,610
her gravitational pull
is strong enough

407
00:44:55,620 --> 00:44:59,690
to hold Earth steady
on its tilt.

408
00:44:59,700 --> 00:45:03,980
Twice a year, light falls evenly
on both hemispheres,

409
00:45:07,060 --> 00:45:09,890
and day and night
are of equal length

410
00:45:09,900 --> 00:45:11,260
across the planet.

411
00:45:12,940 --> 00:45:14,340
The equinox.

412
00:45:20,100 --> 00:45:23,170
It's autumn in Iceland,

413
00:45:23,180 --> 00:45:25,340
the seasons are shifting again.

414
00:45:27,860 --> 00:45:29,650
For the Arctic foxes,

415
00:45:29,660 --> 00:45:32,500
it's the final race
to prepare for winter.

416
00:45:35,860 --> 00:45:38,940
Their time as a family
is coming to an end.

417
00:45:44,540 --> 00:45:48,050
As food becomes scarcer
by the day,

418
00:45:48,060 --> 00:45:52,170
each fox must fend
for itself.

419
00:45:52,180 --> 00:45:55,810
Five cubs have already found
independence,

420
00:45:55,820 --> 00:45:57,330
carrying enough fat reserves

421
00:45:57,340 --> 00:45:59,460
to face the bitter cold ahead.

422
00:46:06,660 --> 00:46:11,090
But one still lingers,
underweight

423
00:46:11,100 --> 00:46:13,340
and reluctant to leave home.

424
00:46:20,860 --> 00:46:24,620
At the shoreline,
his father forages.

425
00:46:27,660 --> 00:46:31,250
Even he must gain
more than half his body weight,

426
00:46:31,260 --> 00:46:33,820
if he is to make it
through the impending winter.

427
00:46:37,380 --> 00:46:40,140
He has guarded this territory
for good reason.

428
00:46:42,300 --> 00:46:44,690
Though most of the birds have gone,

429
00:46:44,700 --> 00:46:46,860
the shore offers him a lifeline.

430
00:46:49,900 --> 00:46:53,140
Protein-rich molluscs
and crustaceans.

431
00:46:56,420 --> 00:47:00,780
And now, his smallest cub
wants in on it, too.

432
00:47:13,780 --> 00:47:15,940
He needs to learn fast,

433
00:47:17,660 --> 00:47:20,460
this could be his last chance
to bulk up.

434
00:47:33,540 --> 00:47:36,300
He's leaving no rock unturned.

435
00:47:47,780 --> 00:47:49,420
A scorpion fish...

436
00:47:52,340 --> 00:47:54,340
a significant catch.

437
00:47:57,740 --> 00:48:00,650
These foraging skills
will not only give him

438
00:48:00,660 --> 00:48:03,410
the calories he needs,

439
00:48:03,420 --> 00:48:05,540
they are going to last him
a lifetime.

440
00:48:09,140 --> 00:48:12,180
As he seeks to carve out
his own territory.

441
00:48:29,660 --> 00:48:31,900
Mum is no longer foraging.

442
00:48:33,820 --> 00:48:36,730
The last six months
have drained her,

443
00:48:36,740 --> 00:48:38,900
and she is exhausted.

444
00:48:41,380 --> 00:48:45,140
But she has succeeded
in raising yet another generation,

445
00:48:48,380 --> 00:48:50,100
and just in time.

446
00:49:03,860 --> 00:49:06,490
If her cubs make it
through the winter,

447
00:49:06,500 --> 00:49:09,010
they will begin to seek mates

448
00:49:09,020 --> 00:49:11,140
and start families of their own.

449
00:49:15,300 --> 00:49:18,330
As they too,
learn to keep pace

450
00:49:18,340 --> 00:49:20,460
in this unforgiving land,

451
00:49:23,340 --> 00:49:25,780
rising to the challenges
of the seasons,

452
00:49:28,020 --> 00:49:31,500
steadied by the rhythms
of the Moon.

453
00:49:44,660 --> 00:49:47,970
To capture the coral larvae
on film,

454
00:49:47,980 --> 00:49:49,930
the Moon team
joined researchers

455
00:49:49,940 --> 00:49:52,180
from the Carmabi Institute.

456
00:49:54,900 --> 00:49:57,210
Corals have the ability
to sense the moonlight

457
00:49:57,220 --> 00:50:00,020
and how many days
after the full moon it is.

458
00:50:01,460 --> 00:50:03,330
They can sense light,
they can sense colours.

459
00:50:03,340 --> 00:50:05,450
They actually have a lot
of the same sensory systems

460
00:50:05,460 --> 00:50:08,370
that we have,
they just don't have big eyeballs

461
00:50:08,380 --> 00:50:10,660
measuring light the way we do.

462
00:50:12,580 --> 00:50:14,810
When the moon's getting full
and it's time for spawning

463
00:50:14,820 --> 00:50:17,210
we have to be ready as well.

464
00:50:17,220 --> 00:50:20,530
My name is Kristen Mahaver
and I'm a coral scientist,

465
00:50:20,540 --> 00:50:23,610
and I'm lucky enough to study
the coral reefs here in Curacao

466
00:50:23,620 --> 00:50:25,620
in the southern Caribbean.

467
00:50:26,500 --> 00:50:29,130
Our main mission
is to solve the trickiest puzzles

468
00:50:29,140 --> 00:50:32,180
in coral reproduction
and coral breeding.

469
00:50:33,740 --> 00:50:36,810
Coral reefs around the world
are facing one set back

470
00:50:36,820 --> 00:50:38,170
and one trauma after another

471
00:50:38,180 --> 00:50:40,250
and it can be really hard
to watch.

472
00:50:40,260 --> 00:50:43,130
And its gotten so bad
that for many corals

473
00:50:43,140 --> 00:50:48,970
they haven't actually successfully
made any babies in decades.

474
00:50:48,980 --> 00:50:51,050
But we know
that they can still make eggs,

475
00:50:51,060 --> 00:50:54,810
we know that they can still
get their eggs fertilised.

476
00:50:54,820 --> 00:50:57,810
So, we have to figure out
how to restore

477
00:50:57,820 --> 00:50:59,130
all of the conditions
in nature

478
00:50:59,140 --> 00:51:02,300
that let corals be parents
and let corals have babies.

479
00:51:04,060 --> 00:51:06,290
But one thing
that really keeps us motivated

480
00:51:06,300 --> 00:51:08,130
is the fact that
we're surrounded by babies,

481
00:51:08,140 --> 00:51:11,170
and it's really hard
to be sad and pessimistic

482
00:51:11,180 --> 00:51:13,060
when you're surrounded
by really cute babies.

483
00:51:16,460 --> 00:51:19,090
The Corals all know
how big the moon is,

484
00:51:19,100 --> 00:51:22,570
and they use the moon
to synchronise their spawning.

485
00:51:22,580 --> 00:51:25,370
We basically have to have
a neonatal intensive

486
00:51:25,380 --> 00:51:27,290
care unit ready for baby corals

487
00:51:27,300 --> 00:51:31,300
right after we go on an expedition,
scuba diving at night.

488
00:51:34,740 --> 00:51:37,010
We've got divers in multiple parts
of this reef,

489
00:51:37,020 --> 00:51:39,490
there are divers diving in multiple
parts of the island

490
00:51:39,500 --> 00:51:41,570
and we're going to do two dives
here tonight

491
00:51:41,580 --> 00:51:43,050
and hopefully by the end
of the night

492
00:51:43,060 --> 00:51:44,490
we will have caught
a bunch of spawn

493
00:51:44,500 --> 00:51:46,530
and we'll get back in the lab
raising coral babies

494
00:51:46,540 --> 00:51:48,500
for science and for conservation.

495
00:51:50,180 --> 00:51:52,970
We end up taking
almost a comical amount of stuff

496
00:51:52,980 --> 00:51:55,140
in the water on some dives.

497
00:51:57,900 --> 00:51:59,450
Some corals make it pretty easy
for us

498
00:51:59,460 --> 00:52:02,450
and we can just use
a big tent over the coral colony

499
00:52:02,460 --> 00:52:06,940
that just helps funnel their eggs
into a collection tube at the top.

500
00:52:08,700 --> 00:52:10,850
Some corals are a little trickier
and they just spray

501
00:52:10,860 --> 00:52:14,650
a mist of eggs into the sea water
and so we'll use maybe a bag

502
00:52:14,660 --> 00:52:17,260
or a syringe
to try to collect them.

503
00:52:18,340 --> 00:52:21,650
Once the spawning peak is done,
we're heading back to shore

504
00:52:21,660 --> 00:52:26,780
and we're heading back to the lab
while those eggs are still good.

505
00:52:27,620 --> 00:52:29,490
They're only viable,
they'll only stay alive

506
00:52:29,500 --> 00:52:31,500
for a few hours.

507
00:52:34,380 --> 00:52:36,930
We had a really good dive,
so we've got

508
00:52:36,940 --> 00:52:38,930
a few different males
and females collected

509
00:52:38,940 --> 00:52:40,850
and we're headed back to the lab
to mix them

510
00:52:40,860 --> 00:52:43,500
and hopefully
get good fertilisation.

511
00:52:47,300 --> 00:52:49,490
What we're doing in the lab
is we're trying to shepherd

512
00:52:49,500 --> 00:52:52,290
these corals through the whole
fertilisation process,

513
00:52:52,300 --> 00:52:55,170
then get them to,
to metamorphose and settle

514
00:52:55,180 --> 00:52:58,490
and grow and then get those
babies to get bigger and bigger

515
00:52:58,500 --> 00:53:01,780
and actually grow into eventually
adult corals.

516
00:53:02,780 --> 00:53:05,890
So we're essentially running
an IVF clinic

517
00:53:05,900 --> 00:53:11,140
and a day care
for baby endangered species.

518
00:53:16,900 --> 00:53:19,650
We've been able to learn
so much about the timing

519
00:53:19,660 --> 00:53:21,690
of coral spawning,
how you collect it,

520
00:53:21,700 --> 00:53:23,450
how you keep it healthy
in the laboratory

521
00:53:23,460 --> 00:53:25,890
as you get the eggs
to fertilise.

522
00:53:25,900 --> 00:53:29,010
And as we figure out
more elements of the puzzle,

523
00:53:29,020 --> 00:53:31,370
we're sharing those answers
with the global community.

524
00:53:39,140 --> 00:53:42,340
We're in year 50
of a 200-year project.

525
00:53:45,540 --> 00:53:47,010
So, I'm not going to be around
to see

526
00:53:47,020 --> 00:53:49,850
the really cool results
of the amazing restoration work

527
00:53:49,860 --> 00:53:51,810
that people do
in the future.

528
00:53:58,780 --> 00:54:01,930
We're already seeing
the impact of our work,

529
00:54:01,940 --> 00:54:04,810
and we know that
with hundreds of more years

530
00:54:04,820 --> 00:54:06,930
of innovation,
there's going to be some really cool

531
00:54:06,940 --> 00:54:08,730
coral restoration projects
happening.

532
00:54:14,100 --> 00:54:15,570
When I started my career,

533
00:54:15,580 --> 00:54:20,570
it was pretty much considered
impossible to raise baby corals.

534
00:54:20,580 --> 00:54:22,210
We took something from impossible

535
00:54:22,220 --> 00:54:25,210
to possible
and now the next generation

536
00:54:25,220 --> 00:54:27,530
has the challenge
of scaling it up

537
00:54:27,540 --> 00:54:30,250
and deciding how we're going
to rebuild coral reefs.