1
00:00:01,220 --> 00:00:04,270
Every summer, hoards of giant sea lions

2
00:00:04,270 --> 00:00:07,353
descend upon the south Antarctic Auckland Islands.

3
00:00:08,740 --> 00:00:12,020
Hundreds of giant spider crabs will perform one of the most

4
00:00:12,020 --> 00:00:14,713
bizarre mating rituals in the animal kingdom.

5
00:00:16,273 --> 00:00:19,400
Yellow eyed penguins must navigate the labyrinth

6
00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:22,283
of hungry sea lions to keep their chicks alive.

7
00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:26,810
And a newborn sea lion will struggle to survive

8
00:00:28,220 --> 00:00:31,393
on this Savage Island of Giants.

9
00:00:39,180 --> 00:00:41,593
Isolated in the Southern Ocean,

10
00:00:42,450 --> 00:00:46,130
almost the last stop between New Zealand and Antarctica

11
00:00:47,130 --> 00:00:49,565
is an archipelago of many islands

12
00:00:49,565 --> 00:00:54,565
including Auckland, Adams, and Enderby.

13
00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:59,143
Known collectively as the Auckland Islands.

14
00:01:00,231 --> 00:01:02,814
(bright music)

15
00:01:04,670 --> 00:01:07,890
Formed from the remains of two 12 million year old

16
00:01:07,890 --> 00:01:12,890
volcanoes, howling winds and pounding waves have carved

17
00:01:13,460 --> 00:01:15,260
these islands into a beacon of light

18
00:01:17,070 --> 00:01:18,743
in the bleak Southern Ocean.

19
00:01:25,710 --> 00:01:28,490
It's the beginning of the short sub-Antarctic summer

20
00:01:29,770 --> 00:01:31,810
and blooming red rata forests

21
00:01:33,430 --> 00:01:37,696
and fields of bizarre mega herbs, symbolize the explosion

22
00:01:37,696 --> 00:01:39,503
and new life to come.

23
00:01:42,930 --> 00:01:46,191
At Sandy Bay, this somewhat deserted beach will soon

24
00:01:46,191 --> 00:01:48,340
become very crowded.

25
00:01:49,391 --> 00:01:52,020
(grunting)

26
00:01:52,020 --> 00:01:54,123
These are New Zealand sea lions.

27
00:01:57,200 --> 00:02:02,170
And this 400 kilogram giant, with a massive furry mane,

28
00:02:02,170 --> 00:02:05,120
is the dominant male on Enderby of the island.

29
00:02:05,973 --> 00:02:08,520
(grunting)

30
00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:11,580
To earn his title of beach master, he's fought off

31
00:02:11,580 --> 00:02:13,957
wave after wave of challengers.

32
00:02:13,957 --> 00:02:18,957
(dramatic music)
(grunting)

33
00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:23,113
In conflicts which can turn deadly.

34
00:02:34,210 --> 00:02:36,140
He's secured his dominance for now

35
00:02:37,700 --> 00:02:40,430
but the mature female sea lions won't arrive

36
00:02:40,430 --> 00:02:41,543
for another week.

37
00:02:43,477 --> 00:02:47,144
(plucky instrumental music)

38
00:02:50,166 --> 00:02:52,310
He'll need all he strength he can muster to win

39
00:02:52,310 --> 00:02:56,423
the bloody battles to come and hold on to his mating rights.

40
00:03:06,425 --> 00:03:07,590
(grunting)

41
00:03:07,590 --> 00:03:10,812
Further down the beach sub-adult male sea lions,

42
00:03:10,812 --> 00:03:13,603
nicknamed sammies by researchers,

43
00:03:14,930 --> 00:03:18,133
can barely contain their excitement at the change of season.

44
00:03:20,370 --> 00:03:24,780
They are sexually mature but there's no way the beach master

45
00:03:24,780 --> 00:03:27,163
will allow them any mating rights this year.

46
00:03:30,525 --> 00:03:32,775
(grunting)

47
00:03:34,170 --> 00:03:36,900
Their playful skirmishes are a hint of what is to come

48
00:03:36,900 --> 00:03:40,170
in their future when they are big enough to challenge

49
00:03:40,170 --> 00:03:41,933
for the right to mate.

50
00:03:45,490 --> 00:03:50,490
For now, some even practice their moves on one another.

51
00:04:00,770 --> 00:04:03,300
At the water's edge, a year round resident

52
00:04:03,300 --> 00:04:05,566
of Enderby island arrives.

53
00:04:05,566 --> 00:04:08,980
(plucky instrumental music)

54
00:04:08,980 --> 00:04:10,330
He's a yellow eyed penguin,

55
00:04:11,510 --> 00:04:13,723
one of the rarest penguins in the world.

56
00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:19,780
He's just returned from a hunting trip that took him

57
00:04:19,780 --> 00:04:21,950
nearly 25 kilometers offshore

58
00:04:24,490 --> 00:04:27,793
and now he scans the beach for danger.

59
00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:36,113
Hungry sea lions can devour any careless penguin.

60
00:04:37,771 --> 00:04:40,521
(dramatic music)

61
00:04:46,490 --> 00:04:48,930
But fortunately, the massive mammals

62
00:04:48,930 --> 00:04:50,593
seem preoccupied for now.

63
00:04:52,770 --> 00:04:57,770
He carries on towards home, but soon this journey

64
00:04:58,030 --> 00:05:01,443
will require careful strategy for him to stay alive.

65
00:05:06,460 --> 00:05:09,370
As the yellow eyed penguin ventures inland,

66
00:05:09,370 --> 00:05:12,668
the sammies take their play into the sea.

67
00:05:12,668 --> 00:05:14,918
(grunting)

68
00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:24,123
Underwater, their battles take on a playful note.

69
00:05:28,100 --> 00:05:33,100
As they roar bubbles and nip at each other.

70
00:05:35,863 --> 00:05:39,280
(fun instrumental music)

71
00:05:43,100 --> 00:05:45,317
Youngsters zoom endlessly through the kelp,

72
00:05:45,317 --> 00:05:47,833
which borders the Auckland Islands coast.

73
00:05:56,310 --> 00:05:58,470
These kelp forest could be mistaken for those

74
00:05:58,470 --> 00:06:01,083
on America's California coast,

75
00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:05,493
but strangely there appears to be very few fish.

76
00:06:09,970 --> 00:06:14,970
There's an occasional cod but instead,

77
00:06:17,070 --> 00:06:20,033
numerous invertebrates fill the nooks and crannies.

78
00:06:26,753 --> 00:06:30,336
(light instrumental music)

79
00:06:33,350 --> 00:06:35,300
It's a kingdom of crustaceans down here

80
00:06:41,777 --> 00:06:46,777
and the true royalty are the giant spider crabs.

81
00:06:49,500 --> 00:06:52,873
Measuring nearly a meter across to leg tip to leg tip,

82
00:06:53,770 --> 00:06:57,080
this female roves the sea floor on a constant search

83
00:06:57,080 --> 00:06:58,963
for food buried in the sand.

84
00:06:59,876 --> 00:07:03,870
(fun instrumental music)

85
00:07:03,870 --> 00:07:08,709
She and her sisters spend all year in the shallows here,

86
00:07:08,709 --> 00:07:12,690
sporting elaborate Mardi Gras style headdresses of algae,

87
00:07:12,690 --> 00:07:14,773
which grow on their shells.

88
00:07:19,156 --> 00:07:19,989
(dramatic music)

89
00:07:19,989 --> 00:07:23,720
In contrast, male giant spider crabs live most of the year

90
00:07:23,720 --> 00:07:26,743
in trenches up to 500 meters deep.

91
00:07:29,300 --> 00:07:32,393
But every summer these males begin an epic migration

92
00:07:32,393 --> 00:07:37,393
from the depths to the shallows, driven by the urge to mate.

93
00:07:42,500 --> 00:07:46,150
Male giant spider crabs grow twice as big as the females

94
00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:51,820
and this old man crab's massively long legs

95
00:07:51,820 --> 00:07:54,853
carry him slowly but surely towards his goal.

96
00:07:56,370 --> 00:07:59,686
Soon he and thousands of his kind will form a huge

97
00:07:59,686 --> 00:08:04,686
congregation as they begin one of the most bizarre

98
00:08:04,910 --> 00:08:06,943
rituals in the animal kingdom.

99
00:08:11,329 --> 00:08:14,079
(dramatic music)

100
00:08:21,830 --> 00:08:25,760
On Sandy Bay, the first female sea lion arrives

101
00:08:48,398 --> 00:08:50,981
and the gang of giants mob her.

102
00:08:52,610 --> 00:08:56,210
Driven by raging hormones the males rip into each other

103
00:08:59,070 --> 00:09:00,910
and the female is in the direct path

104
00:09:00,910 --> 00:09:02,723
of their massive canine teeth.

105
00:09:04,830 --> 00:09:08,820
If this onslaught continues the season's first female

106
00:09:08,820 --> 00:09:09,933
could be crushed.

107
00:09:17,610 --> 00:09:20,724
All the sea lions on Sandy Bay beach are distracted

108
00:09:20,724 --> 00:09:23,360
by the chaos caused by the arrival

109
00:09:23,360 --> 00:09:25,683
of the breeding season's first female.

110
00:09:29,470 --> 00:09:32,863
But now the dominant beach master charges into the fray.

111
00:09:37,930 --> 00:09:41,483
This is what he has fought off all his challengers for.

112
00:09:44,083 --> 00:09:48,609
The other bulls retreat and the beach master claims her

113
00:09:48,609 --> 00:09:51,427
as the first member of his harem.

114
00:10:00,090 --> 00:10:02,851
All over the Auckland Islands other residents prepare

115
00:10:02,851 --> 00:10:04,663
for a summer of love.

116
00:10:07,010 --> 00:10:10,190
One of the largest birds in the world soars over Enderby

117
00:10:10,190 --> 00:10:13,893
Island on its three meter wingspan.

118
00:10:16,832 --> 00:10:19,749
(birds screeching)

119
00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:24,668
Now the massive Southern Royal Albatross reunites

120
00:10:24,668 --> 00:10:26,483
with its lifelong partner.

121
00:10:32,510 --> 00:10:34,840
They spent the last 12 months apart

122
00:10:35,750 --> 00:10:37,733
circumnavigating the globe.

123
00:10:39,980 --> 00:10:43,070
But every two years they find each other here

124
00:10:43,070 --> 00:10:46,600
on this remote sub-Antarctic island to carry out

125
00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:48,533
this courtship ritual again.

126
00:10:55,130 --> 00:10:58,220
Close by, young Southern Royal Albatross don't yet

127
00:10:58,220 --> 00:10:59,573
have mates.

128
00:11:01,830 --> 00:11:04,830
But during the summer months they hone their romance skills.

129
00:11:05,747 --> 00:11:08,664
(birds chattering)

130
00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:13,674
They gather in small groups called gams and practice

131
00:11:13,674 --> 00:11:17,673
their peculiar courtship dance on each other.

132
00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:26,993
Giant petrel juveniles have their own techniques

133
00:11:26,993 --> 00:11:28,933
to attract females.

134
00:11:30,660 --> 00:11:34,370
With wings spread, young males chase each other

135
00:11:36,060 --> 00:11:38,633
and follow up with a head sway routine.

136
00:11:44,275 --> 00:11:47,640
(birds chattering)

137
00:11:47,640 --> 00:11:50,990
They'll perfect their moves over the next few years,

138
00:11:50,990 --> 00:11:53,180
until they're ready to start their own

139
00:11:53,180 --> 00:11:54,430
monogamous relationships.

140
00:12:02,260 --> 00:12:06,840
On ancient basalt cliffs, Auckland Island shags are dressed

141
00:12:06,840 --> 00:12:07,753
for courtship.

142
00:12:09,970 --> 00:12:13,480
Both males and females display the mating mohawk

143
00:12:17,150 --> 00:12:21,150
and in a dense colony, couples perform complex synchronized

144
00:12:21,150 --> 00:12:25,180
moves, which cement their commitment to each other

145
00:12:25,180 --> 00:12:26,043
for the season.

146
00:12:27,538 --> 00:12:30,955
(fun instrumental music)

147
00:12:38,260 --> 00:12:42,520
Up in the rata forest, about 500 meters from the beach,

148
00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:45,393
the yellow eyed penguins are a little ahead of the game.

149
00:12:46,305 --> 00:12:49,222
(penguin chirping)

150
00:12:54,490 --> 00:12:58,627
A male returns from fishing at sea and as he swaps places

151
00:13:01,140 --> 00:13:05,573
with his mate, their two eggs are revealed.

152
00:13:05,573 --> 00:13:08,323
(dramatic music)

153
00:13:17,530 --> 00:13:22,530
The male takes over incubation duty while his mate

154
00:13:22,820 --> 00:13:26,113
heads out to brave the increasingly crowded beach.

155
00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:36,143
Multiple harems are formed here now.

156
00:13:36,980 --> 00:13:40,820
In each one, up to 25 female sea lions are protected

157
00:13:40,820 --> 00:13:42,123
by a single bull.

158
00:13:44,270 --> 00:13:47,493
The giant beach master has the most females, of course

159
00:13:49,900 --> 00:13:53,180
and he's kept busy policing attempts by cunning sammies

160
00:13:53,180 --> 00:13:55,993
to harass females when his back is turned.

161
00:14:01,830 --> 00:14:04,758
For the yellow eyed penguins, the beach has turned into

162
00:14:04,758 --> 00:14:07,703
a mind field of giants with teeth.

163
00:14:12,776 --> 00:14:16,526
(ominous instrumental music)

164
00:14:18,560 --> 00:14:22,070
One penguin has already misjudged its beach navigation.

165
00:14:36,670 --> 00:14:40,250
This little guy is an ominous reminder of the voracious

166
00:14:40,250 --> 00:14:43,433
predators that also lurk below the waves.

167
00:14:51,490 --> 00:14:53,745
If this female doesn't watch her step,

168
00:14:53,745 --> 00:14:56,023
she could face a similar fate.

169
00:14:58,430 --> 00:15:02,583
Fortunately, she and her neighbors have a plan.

170
00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:07,793
Yellow eyed penguins are usually solitary.

171
00:15:11,930 --> 00:15:15,470
But during the sea lion breeding season on Enderby Island,

172
00:15:15,470 --> 00:15:17,833
penguins band together to beat the odds.

173
00:15:21,110 --> 00:15:24,690
They form a walking bus to navigate the dangerous

174
00:15:24,690 --> 00:15:25,943
section of the beach.

175
00:15:27,427 --> 00:15:31,094
(plucky instrumental music)

176
00:15:44,710 --> 00:15:47,766
With extra pairs of eyes, the penguins have a better chance

177
00:15:47,766 --> 00:15:49,563
of detecting danger.

178
00:15:51,041 --> 00:15:54,708
(plucky instrumental music)

179
00:16:22,650 --> 00:16:23,910
(dramatic music)

180
00:16:23,910 --> 00:16:26,390
On the east coast of Auckland Island,

181
00:16:26,390 --> 00:16:28,790
Waterfall Inlet is the final destination

182
00:16:28,790 --> 00:16:31,763
for the migrating male giant spider crabs.

183
00:16:35,499 --> 00:16:37,340
(dramatic music)

184
00:16:37,340 --> 00:16:40,193
With numerous males heading in the same direction,

185
00:16:41,690 --> 00:16:43,893
their paths now intersect.

186
00:16:47,860 --> 00:16:50,298
Massive claws can literally tear their opponents

187
00:16:50,298 --> 00:16:51,823
limb from limb.

188
00:16:54,090 --> 00:16:59,090
So smaller antagonists often retreat before big males

189
00:16:59,110 --> 00:17:01,523
can do too much damage.

190
00:17:05,240 --> 00:17:09,399
At Waterfall Inlet, beneath the swirling sand cloud,

191
00:17:09,399 --> 00:17:13,814
males join females in a scene out of nightmares.

192
00:17:13,814 --> 00:17:16,564
(dramatic music)

193
00:17:19,500 --> 00:17:22,410
This migrating male reaches the finish line

194
00:17:25,140 --> 00:17:28,603
and takes his place in the swarm of giant crabs.

195
00:17:38,160 --> 00:17:41,900
The crowded Enderby Island beach is now transformed

196
00:17:41,900 --> 00:17:43,833
into a mass birthing ward.

197
00:17:49,660 --> 00:17:51,170
All these pups were fathered

198
00:17:51,170 --> 00:17:53,573
by the bull sea lions last year.

199
00:18:00,310 --> 00:18:03,077
Now, under the beach master's watchful eye,

200
00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:08,040
this harem provides his females with protection

201
00:18:08,040 --> 00:18:09,653
from obnoxious males.

202
00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:15,188
In return, he gets to mate with all of the females

203
00:18:15,188 --> 00:18:17,023
after their pups are born.

204
00:18:21,094 --> 00:18:23,003
But there are always challengers.

205
00:18:25,580 --> 00:18:28,560
If these two males are evenly matched,

206
00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:30,343
they could fight to the death.

207
00:18:31,589 --> 00:18:34,339
(dramatic music)

208
00:18:36,180 --> 00:18:40,630
On Sandy Bay, the two sea lion brawlers

209
00:18:40,630 --> 00:18:43,370
are dangerously close to the females giving birth

210
00:18:45,580 --> 00:18:47,583
and new born pups.

211
00:18:51,650 --> 00:18:53,892
But the beach master's superior strength

212
00:18:53,892 --> 00:18:56,023
overcomes his rival.

213
00:19:04,610 --> 00:19:07,193
The females can now continue their labor in peace.

214
00:19:08,757 --> 00:19:12,340
(sweet instrumental music)

215
00:19:31,900 --> 00:19:34,343
But not all mothers have textbook births.

216
00:19:45,120 --> 00:19:49,560
This one delivers her pup but he fetal membrane is still

217
00:19:49,560 --> 00:19:51,083
wrapped around the pup's head.

218
00:19:52,930 --> 00:19:55,683
If he doesn't break free he'll suffocate.

219
00:20:01,440 --> 00:20:03,643
The new mother urgently calls to her pup.

220
00:20:08,810 --> 00:20:11,973
And finally, success.

221
00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:20,390
These first moments are crucial, as mom and pup memorize

222
00:20:20,390 --> 00:20:24,540
each other's scent and sounds, to they can find each other

223
00:20:24,540 --> 00:20:27,233
if they are ever separated on the crowded beach.

224
00:20:33,010 --> 00:20:35,153
Nearby, another pup is born.

225
00:20:39,060 --> 00:20:42,570
As the new mother begins to bond with her infant,

226
00:20:42,570 --> 00:20:45,893
one of her neighbors appears very interested.

227
00:20:48,579 --> 00:20:52,090
(dramatic music)

228
00:20:52,090 --> 00:20:54,093
She then does something extraordinary.

229
00:21:05,500 --> 00:21:07,780
The kidnapper blocks the mother from contact

230
00:21:07,780 --> 00:21:08,793
with the new born.

231
00:21:13,500 --> 00:21:17,053
Then the kidnapper's own pup is caught up in the chaos.

232
00:21:18,860 --> 00:21:21,493
Both females are now totally confused.

233
00:21:24,630 --> 00:21:27,677
The beach master arrives and gives the wrong female

234
00:21:27,677 --> 00:21:29,540
a nip on her face

235
00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:36,063
and the pups are now well and truly mixed up.

236
00:21:40,473 --> 00:21:43,330
The new mom knows this one isn't her pup.

237
00:21:54,030 --> 00:21:57,370
Finally, she recognizes the scent of her infant

238
00:22:04,780 --> 00:22:07,033
and the baby can suckle for the first time.

239
00:22:22,840 --> 00:22:25,320
A female arrives back from hunting at sea

240
00:22:27,150 --> 00:22:29,803
and as usual, mobs of males pursue her.

241
00:22:37,860 --> 00:22:39,963
But this female has a plan B.

242
00:22:41,641 --> 00:22:44,391
(dramatic music)

243
00:22:53,720 --> 00:22:58,200
The males may be big and strong, but she is faster,

244
00:22:58,200 --> 00:22:59,413
with more stamina.

245
00:23:22,670 --> 00:23:26,840
When she reaches the grass, even the last desperate sammie

246
00:23:26,840 --> 00:23:28,033
loses interest.

247
00:23:29,580 --> 00:23:34,580
Strangely, she continues inland toward the rata forest.

248
00:23:37,110 --> 00:23:40,960
Every year a small number of females choose to give birth

249
00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:42,863
away from the breeding beach.

250
00:23:45,970 --> 00:23:48,403
She reunites with her fast growing pup,

251
00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:52,280
who's been waiting for mum to return,

252
00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:54,493
away from the dangers on the beach.

253
00:23:55,467 --> 00:23:59,050
(sweet instrumental music)

254
00:24:04,520 --> 00:24:08,230
Nearby in the rata forest, the yellow eyed penguin family

255
00:24:08,230 --> 00:24:10,113
is about to double in size.

256
00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:16,850
The first chick is almost free from its shell

257
00:24:16,850 --> 00:24:20,973
and its sibling won't be far behind.

258
00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:27,400
Back from her hunt at sea, as always, the female receives

259
00:24:27,500 --> 00:24:31,480
a warm welcome from her partner and settles in

260
00:24:31,480 --> 00:24:34,274
to watch over her chicks as they begin life

261
00:24:34,274 --> 00:24:36,303
in this sub-Antarctic world.

262
00:24:44,230 --> 00:24:48,550
On the basalt cliffs, the Auckland Island shags

263
00:24:48,550 --> 00:24:49,523
are housekeeping.

264
00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:55,730
The skills to build and maintain a sturdy nest are crucial

265
00:24:55,730 --> 00:24:58,213
for breeding success.

266
00:25:06,380 --> 00:25:10,036
Dried grass is the preferred building material.

267
00:25:10,036 --> 00:25:13,453
(fun instrumental music)

268
00:25:15,960 --> 00:25:18,823
But it seems that this shag hasn't got the memo.

269
00:25:31,350 --> 00:25:33,550
His neighbors don't appreciate it when he takes

270
00:25:33,550 --> 00:25:36,230
a shortcut through their homes,

271
00:25:36,230 --> 00:25:38,203
carrying his bundle of greens.

272
00:25:41,430 --> 00:25:43,480
Perhaps he'll have better luck next year.

273
00:25:46,805 --> 00:25:48,810
(dramatic music)

274
00:25:48,810 --> 00:25:51,093
Below the surface at Waterfall Inlet,

275
00:25:53,550 --> 00:25:55,980
thousands of crabs wait in the sand cloud

276
00:25:59,083 --> 00:26:02,553
for a mysterious trigger to begin their mating ritual.

277
00:26:10,910 --> 00:26:13,480
In spite of their fearsome appearance,

278
00:26:13,480 --> 00:26:16,240
the giant spider crab's claws are capable

279
00:26:16,240 --> 00:26:17,993
of the most delicate touch.

280
00:26:22,150 --> 00:26:24,427
Such as removing a growth from an eye.

281
00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:36,442
This female is close to releasing eggs she has carried

282
00:26:36,442 --> 00:26:38,433
since the last breeding season.

283
00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:47,480
Tenderly, her lethal claws explore her eggs and she can

284
00:26:47,650 --> 00:26:50,233
pick out those that are diseased are infertile.

285
00:26:53,480 --> 00:26:56,763
As always in nature, nothing is wasted.

286
00:27:01,020 --> 00:27:04,193
Massive claws aren't just for grooming purposes.

287
00:27:07,540 --> 00:27:11,490
Females sift through the sand picking out microscopic

288
00:27:11,490 --> 00:27:14,063
morsels of decaying plants and animals,

289
00:27:18,470 --> 00:27:21,663
while males prefer to dine on fresh meat from the shell.

290
00:27:25,050 --> 00:27:28,073
The scent of a kill attracts unwanted attention.

291
00:27:32,600 --> 00:27:36,917
These are squat lobsters and they are a frequent pest

292
00:27:36,917 --> 00:27:38,853
to giant spider crabs.

293
00:27:42,400 --> 00:27:46,023
The massive crab shoes away the invaders like houseflies.

294
00:27:48,690 --> 00:27:51,554
But even his best efforts can't keep the tiny crustaceans

295
00:27:51,554 --> 00:27:53,873
from thieving part of his meal.

296
00:27:59,300 --> 00:28:02,700
Other year-round locals are inconvenienced by the arrival

297
00:28:02,700 --> 00:28:05,520
of the giant spider crab congregations.

298
00:28:05,520 --> 00:28:07,240
(plucky instrumental music)

299
00:28:07,240 --> 00:28:11,160
These tiny swiveling eyes belong to a mantis shrimp

300
00:28:11,160 --> 00:28:13,063
and they spy danger.

301
00:28:17,810 --> 00:28:20,626
Giant spider crab legs are a constant hazard to those

302
00:28:20,626 --> 00:28:22,683
who burrow in the sand.

303
00:28:23,540 --> 00:28:26,290
(dramatic music)

304
00:28:30,140 --> 00:28:32,860
This mantis shrimp is evicted from his home

305
00:28:34,750 --> 00:28:37,200
and must maneuver through the pack of crabs

306
00:28:44,250 --> 00:28:46,123
to settle in a new burrow.

307
00:28:48,300 --> 00:28:50,123
When he spots potential prey,

308
00:28:51,380 --> 00:28:53,763
his victims don't stand a chance.

309
00:29:01,570 --> 00:29:05,150
On Sandy Bay, the beach is raucous with the sounds

310
00:29:05,150 --> 00:29:06,163
of new life.

311
00:29:07,227 --> 00:29:10,810
(sweet instrumental music)

312
00:29:20,520 --> 00:29:23,653
This is the moment the beach master has been waiting for.

313
00:29:24,800 --> 00:29:28,473
With all the pups born, his females are now ready to mate.

314
00:29:32,550 --> 00:29:35,776
While the beach master is distracted, a sammie sneaks

315
00:29:35,776 --> 00:29:37,003
into the harem.

316
00:29:43,690 --> 00:29:48,690
He seizes the moment but his opportunity is short lived.

317
00:29:59,700 --> 00:30:03,730
The beach master secured his harem but during the chaos

318
00:30:03,730 --> 00:30:05,243
he tramples a newborn.

319
00:30:08,430 --> 00:30:10,563
His mom calls desperately to her pup.

320
00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:16,240
But there's nothing she can do to shift this 400 kilogram

321
00:30:16,240 --> 00:30:17,453
mountain of flesh.

322
00:30:23,100 --> 00:30:28,100
On Sandy Bay a pup suffocates as the huge beach master

323
00:30:29,026 --> 00:30:31,353
shows no sign of budging.

324
00:30:38,210 --> 00:30:41,710
Then in the nick of time, his raging hormones kick in

325
00:30:43,040 --> 00:30:44,813
and he moves off to mate.

326
00:30:47,000 --> 00:30:50,143
Miraculously, the pup appears unharmed.

327
00:30:58,530 --> 00:31:01,447
Other the newborns aren't so lucky.

328
00:31:04,330 --> 00:31:07,333
On the outskirts of the harem lurk the scavengers.

329
00:31:08,440 --> 00:31:13,010
Skewers and giant petrels,

330
00:31:13,010 --> 00:31:16,140
which resemble albatross in size,

331
00:31:16,140 --> 00:31:19,320
but unlike oceanic hunters these petrels

332
00:31:19,320 --> 00:31:20,883
are the vultures of the sea.

333
00:31:23,160 --> 00:31:25,580
These opportunistic birds have been waiting

334
00:31:25,580 --> 00:31:27,030
for this moment all year

335
00:31:29,770 --> 00:31:32,623
and their blooded faces mark their success.

336
00:31:35,200 --> 00:31:37,790
A mother sea lion nuzzles up against her pup,

337
00:31:37,790 --> 00:31:39,593
which has died during birth.

338
00:31:48,520 --> 00:31:53,010
But even though her pup is dead, this mother's protective

339
00:31:53,010 --> 00:31:54,693
instinct is still strong.

340
00:32:05,490 --> 00:32:07,543
The cleanup is a nasty business.

341
00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:14,898
But these scavengers play a critical role in this ecosystem.

342
00:32:14,898 --> 00:32:17,648
(dramatic music)

343
00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:26,993
And back at the nest, the skewers motivation is revealed.

344
00:32:28,380 --> 00:32:30,863
They have offspring to feed also.

345
00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:37,150
Skewer are exceptionally good parents, with both mom and dad

346
00:32:37,150 --> 00:32:39,797
caring for their chicks 24/7.

347
00:32:44,087 --> 00:32:46,600
Dad arrives back from Sandy Bay with plenty of food

348
00:32:46,600 --> 00:32:48,733
to share with his demanding offspring.

349
00:32:52,480 --> 00:32:55,563
Dinnertime at the skewer nest is not for the squeamish.

350
00:33:01,410 --> 00:33:02,823
Once their bellies are full,

351
00:33:03,670 --> 00:33:06,355
this chick displays the attitude these precocious

352
00:33:06,355 --> 00:33:08,313
begin their lives with.

353
00:33:16,250 --> 00:33:19,020
Huge giant petrel chicks also benefit

354
00:33:19,020 --> 00:33:21,133
from the rich pickings on Sandy Bay.

355
00:33:24,800 --> 00:33:27,530
This one has a lot of growing to do before she reaches

356
00:33:27,530 --> 00:33:29,153
her one meter wing span.

357
00:33:32,060 --> 00:33:34,270
Until then, most of the time,

358
00:33:34,270 --> 00:33:36,113
it will be her dad who feeds her.

359
00:33:37,208 --> 00:33:40,708
(slow instrumental music)

360
00:33:44,060 --> 00:33:49,060
Nearby in the rata forest a sea lion pup calls for his mom.

361
00:33:52,610 --> 00:33:56,040
He's three weeks old now and used to his mom's absence

362
00:33:56,040 --> 00:33:57,343
as she hunts at sea.

363
00:33:59,950 --> 00:34:03,650
Today, instead of waiting around,

364
00:34:03,650 --> 00:34:05,373
the pup heads out to explore.

365
00:34:12,260 --> 00:34:14,633
In the forest he finds a mud pool.

366
00:34:27,330 --> 00:34:30,713
Sea lion pups often learn to swim in ponds like this.

367
00:34:34,100 --> 00:34:37,213
Soon, his antics attract the attention of another pup.

368
00:34:40,510 --> 00:34:44,728
Before long, two sea lion pups share the first experience

369
00:34:44,728 --> 00:34:46,963
of life as a marine mammal.

370
00:34:48,347 --> 00:34:51,764
(fun instrumental music)

371
00:34:57,620 --> 00:34:59,460
At the yellow eyed penguin nest,

372
00:34:59,460 --> 00:35:01,463
the chicks grow bigger by the day.

373
00:35:04,590 --> 00:35:07,850
To keep the little ones happy, mom and dad are on

374
00:35:07,850 --> 00:35:09,823
a constant hunting rotation.

375
00:35:12,380 --> 00:35:15,080
But dad's almost out his food reserves

376
00:35:16,380 --> 00:35:20,155
and mom hasn't been back for 48 hours.

377
00:35:20,155 --> 00:35:22,822
(ominous music)

378
00:35:38,550 --> 00:35:43,543
As evening falls, a raft of penguins approach Sandy Bay.

379
00:35:48,920 --> 00:35:52,203
They're now coming ashore in groups.

380
00:35:55,110 --> 00:35:57,350
Another strategy designed to protect them

381
00:35:57,350 --> 00:35:58,653
from the sea lions.

382
00:36:05,950 --> 00:36:07,853
The leader makes a snap decision.

383
00:36:17,080 --> 00:36:21,310
They find a less crowded section of beach and carefully

384
00:36:21,310 --> 00:36:24,023
navigate the maze of sleeping giants.

385
00:36:25,252 --> 00:36:28,002
(dramatic music)

386
00:36:47,140 --> 00:36:50,190
Finally, mum is back with a belly full of food

387
00:36:50,190 --> 00:36:51,383
for her chicks.

388
00:36:52,423 --> 00:36:55,256
(chicks chirping)

389
00:36:57,538 --> 00:37:01,017
Night falls at Sandy Bay and the beach is silent.

390
00:37:03,255 --> 00:37:05,130
(dramatic music)

391
00:37:05,130 --> 00:37:08,533
But beneath the waves, the party is just beginning.

392
00:37:10,640 --> 00:37:14,394
In Waterfall Inlet, giant spider crabs pile on top

393
00:37:14,394 --> 00:37:18,170
of each other in preparation for the mating

394
00:37:18,170 --> 00:37:19,973
extravaganza to come.

395
00:37:31,360 --> 00:37:34,800
It's dawn on Sandy Bay and the harem stirs.

396
00:37:39,980 --> 00:37:42,593
The pups often group together in a creche now.

397
00:37:47,210 --> 00:37:50,163
While their mothers prepare to leave them to hunt at sea.

398
00:37:53,200 --> 00:37:56,300
Females must feed regularly to provide enough rich milk

399
00:37:56,300 --> 00:37:57,313
for their pups.

400
00:37:59,600 --> 00:38:02,538
But bull sea lions without their own harems

401
00:38:02,538 --> 00:38:05,293
blockade any attempts to go to sea.

402
00:38:08,540 --> 00:38:11,193
These females, however, have a plan.

403
00:38:14,410 --> 00:38:17,847
It's as if a secret signal is being passed around.

404
00:38:25,818 --> 00:38:28,568
(dramatic music)

405
00:38:33,840 --> 00:38:37,093
Despite the best efforts of some very cranky bulls,

406
00:38:39,200 --> 00:38:40,873
these females are off.

407
00:38:50,550 --> 00:38:53,710
On the east coast of Auckland Island in Waterfall Inlet

408
00:38:56,130 --> 00:38:59,453
the congregation of crabs begin their bizarre ritual.

409
00:39:05,600 --> 00:39:09,773
Most of them now move towards one of many towering pyramids.

410
00:39:15,010 --> 00:39:16,893
This is a molting mound.

411
00:39:21,190 --> 00:39:24,400
Every year immature crabs shed their outer shells

412
00:39:24,400 --> 00:39:25,763
in order to grow bigger.

413
00:39:29,770 --> 00:39:34,000
As they molt, their new shells are temporarily soft,

414
00:39:34,000 --> 00:39:36,043
leaving them vulnerable to predators.

415
00:39:38,620 --> 00:39:41,333
So they pile on top of one another for safety.

416
00:39:44,530 --> 00:39:46,873
A sea lion lurks in the waters above.

417
00:39:49,500 --> 00:39:52,053
These crabs are one of its favorite foods.

418
00:39:54,590 --> 00:39:56,883
It spies a crab heading for the mound.

419
00:39:59,083 --> 00:40:01,833
(dramatic music)

420
00:40:06,560 --> 00:40:10,390
As this crab hasn't molted yet, it's too hard to eat

421
00:40:12,910 --> 00:40:16,333
so it reaches the safety of the molting mound unscathed.

422
00:40:18,666 --> 00:40:19,940
(dramatic music)

423
00:40:19,940 --> 00:40:23,563
A huge old man crab also arrives at the mound.

424
00:40:26,530 --> 00:40:28,633
But he is not here to molt.

425
00:40:30,800 --> 00:40:33,737
He joins a group of other fully grown males

426
00:40:33,737 --> 00:40:36,813
to form a ring around the molting mound.

427
00:40:45,100 --> 00:40:48,573
Its not to protect he molting crabs from sea lions, however.

428
00:40:54,300 --> 00:40:57,160
Many females in the mound will be ready to breed

429
00:40:57,160 --> 00:41:01,033
for the first time, as soon as they finish their molt.

430
00:41:02,480 --> 00:41:06,133
So the males gather and wait.

431
00:41:10,500 --> 00:41:14,213
Near the molting mound a fight breaks out over a female.

432
00:41:15,700 --> 00:41:19,170
The old man crab on the left stands over a female

433
00:41:19,170 --> 00:41:20,063
he has claimed.

434
00:41:22,240 --> 00:41:25,623
But smaller males try to steal his prize from underneath.

435
00:41:27,176 --> 00:41:29,926
(dramatic music)

436
00:41:35,770 --> 00:41:39,013
The old man crab wrenches the female free.

437
00:41:48,270 --> 00:41:52,400
But then the female is gravely wounded

438
00:41:54,120 --> 00:41:56,333
and the male's motives shift.

439
00:41:59,740 --> 00:42:02,963
His potential mate becomes his next meal.

440
00:42:07,930 --> 00:42:11,060
He carries his corpse bride to a quiet place

441
00:42:13,600 --> 00:42:15,283
where he can eat her in peace.

442
00:42:33,050 --> 00:42:36,740
On Sandy Bay, female sea lions return from hunting

443
00:42:36,740 --> 00:42:38,633
to reunite with their pups.

444
00:42:39,508 --> 00:42:42,591
(sea lions groaning)

445
00:42:48,660 --> 00:42:51,123
But one pup's mom has not returned.

446
00:42:56,510 --> 00:42:59,763
He heads away from the harem, crying out for her.

447
00:43:02,835 --> 00:43:06,252
(sad instrumental music)

448
00:43:08,180 --> 00:43:13,097
Further down the beach, a female sea lion moans in pain

449
00:43:15,600 --> 00:43:19,123
while her attacker lurks in the waters below.

450
00:43:21,950 --> 00:43:24,560
One in five sea lions return from hunting

451
00:43:24,560 --> 00:43:28,763
with the unmistakable signature of great white shark jaws.

452
00:43:31,860 --> 00:43:34,640
(sea lion moaning)

453
00:43:34,640 --> 00:43:37,620
Her wound has bled out and she is dying.

454
00:43:43,290 --> 00:43:48,290
If this is the lone pup's mother, he will also not survive.

455
00:43:53,320 --> 00:43:55,473
By later afternoon on Sandy Bay,

456
00:43:57,520 --> 00:43:59,733
a baby still cries for his mom.

457
00:44:04,200 --> 00:44:07,750
He's starving so heads out to search for his mother

458
00:44:09,550 --> 00:44:12,803
but this beach is a dangerous place for a lone pup.

459
00:44:15,750 --> 00:44:20,750
A skewer follows close, calculating its chances.

460
00:44:25,800 --> 00:44:29,030
The pup seeks the safety of another mom,

461
00:44:29,030 --> 00:44:31,399
which proves to be a big mistake.

462
00:44:31,399 --> 00:44:34,149
(dramatic music)

463
00:44:53,855 --> 00:44:56,022
(moaning)

464
00:45:02,150 --> 00:45:06,610
Without his mother's milk the pup will slowly

465
00:45:06,610 --> 00:45:07,883
starve to death.

466
00:45:15,450 --> 00:45:18,883
But then, a female returns from her hunt.

467
00:45:24,600 --> 00:45:29,600
Unscathed and full of rich milk, mother and pup reunite.

468
00:45:49,580 --> 00:45:54,090
But in the rata forest, a hungry sea lion pup searches

469
00:45:54,090 --> 00:45:59,090
for his mother who will never return.

470
00:46:08,550 --> 00:46:11,300
(dramatic music)

471
00:46:15,090 --> 00:46:19,203
In Waterfall Inlet, the sea floor is now eerily deserted.

472
00:46:22,240 --> 00:46:25,453
All that remains are the empty shells of giants.

473
00:46:30,320 --> 00:46:32,860
Although of course, the squat lobsters seek out

474
00:46:32,860 --> 00:46:35,393
those carcasses with flesh still attached.

475
00:46:41,140 --> 00:46:43,320
They'll keep busy cleaning up the sea floor

476
00:46:45,000 --> 00:46:48,237
until next year's congregation of giants arrive.

477
00:46:51,214 --> 00:46:52,944
(dramatic music)

478
00:46:52,944 --> 00:46:57,100
An old man giant crab now begins his return migration

479
00:46:57,100 --> 00:46:59,623
to the dark, deep trench where he lives.

480
00:47:05,170 --> 00:47:08,680
It's late summer now and the harems dispersed

481
00:47:08,680 --> 00:47:09,763
four weeks ago.

482
00:47:12,810 --> 00:47:16,163
Soon the males will drift away back to sea to hunt.

483
00:47:20,520 --> 00:47:24,210
On the hills above the beach, a giant petrel chick

484
00:47:24,210 --> 00:47:28,420
has nearly lost all of its down and will soon

485
00:47:28,420 --> 00:47:29,573
take to the sky.

486
00:47:32,290 --> 00:47:35,204
While a Southern Royal Albatross chick will be nurtured

487
00:47:35,204 --> 00:47:38,283
for several more months by a doting parent.

488
00:47:41,050 --> 00:47:43,168
The yellow eyed penguin chicks are just weeks away

489
00:47:43,168 --> 00:47:47,610
from fledging and will soon follow

490
00:47:47,610 --> 00:47:51,023
the adults down to the beach to swim for the first time.

491
00:47:57,600 --> 00:48:02,203
One female sea lion still has an important task to complete.

492
00:48:06,610 --> 00:48:09,403
Her pup is about to face the ultimate test,

493
00:48:11,140 --> 00:48:13,083
his first ocean swim.

494
00:48:17,430 --> 00:48:21,200
His mother patiently coaxes him closer and closer to the sea

495
00:48:31,750 --> 00:48:33,983
and demonstrates what fun this can be.

496
00:48:37,840 --> 00:48:39,093
But he's still uncertain.

497
00:48:40,777 --> 00:48:43,527
(dramatic music)

498
00:48:46,660 --> 00:48:49,023
His mother leads him onto a rock platform.

499
00:48:52,210 --> 00:48:56,480
The kelp seems sturdy, so he reluctantly follows his mom

500
00:48:59,590 --> 00:49:02,563
and tastes the salty water for the first time.

501
00:49:05,805 --> 00:49:08,880
(dramatic music)

502
00:49:08,880 --> 00:49:11,948
Now it's just a matter of time before this young

503
00:49:11,948 --> 00:49:15,800
sub-Antarctic sea lion will be zooming through the kelp

504
00:49:18,400 --> 00:49:22,110
and fighting for his own harem on this

505
00:49:22,110 --> 00:49:24,503
savage island of giants.

506
00:49:30,571 --> 00:49:34,488
(dramatic instrumental music)