Every summer, hoards of giant sea lions
descend upon the south Antarctic Auckland Islands.
Hundreds of giant spider crabs will perform one of the most
bizarre mating rituals in the animal kingdom.
Yellow eyed penguins must navigate the labyrinth
of hungry sea lions to keep their chicks alive.
And a newborn sea lion will struggle to survive
on this Savage Island of Giants.
Isolated in the Southern Ocean,
almost the last stop between New Zealand and Antarctica
is an archipelago of many islands
including Auckland, Adams, and Enderby.
Known collectively as the Auckland Islands.
(bright music)
Formed from the remains of two 12 million year old
volcanoes, howling winds and pounding waves have carved
these islands into a beacon of light
in the bleak Southern Ocean.
It's the beginning of the short sub-Antarctic summer
and blooming red rata forests
and fields of bizarre mega herbs, symbolize the explosion
and new life to come.
At Sandy Bay, this somewhat deserted beach will soon
become very crowded.
(grunting)
These are New Zealand sea lions.
And this 400 kilogram giant, with a massive furry mane,
is the dominant male on Enderby of the island.
(grunting)
To earn his title of beach master, he's fought off
wave after wave of challengers.
(dramatic music) (grunting)
In conflicts which can turn deadly.
He's secured his dominance for now
but the mature female sea lions won't arrive
for another week.
(plucky instrumental music)
He'll need all he strength he can muster to win
the bloody battles to come and hold on to his mating rights.
(grunting)
Further down the beach sub-adult male sea lions,
nicknamed sammies by researchers,
can barely contain their excitement at the change of season.
They are sexually mature but there's no way the beach master
will allow them any mating rights this year.
(grunting)
Their playful skirmishes are a hint of what is to come
in their future when they are big enough to challenge
for the right to mate.
For now, some even practice their moves on one another.
At the water's edge, a year round resident
of Enderby island arrives.
(plucky instrumental music)
He's a yellow eyed penguin,
one of the rarest penguins in the world.
He's just returned from a hunting trip that took him
nearly 25 kilometers offshore
and now he scans the beach for danger.
Hungry sea lions can devour any careless penguin.
(dramatic music)
But fortunately, the massive mammals
seem preoccupied for now.
He carries on towards home, but soon this journey
will require careful strategy for him to stay alive.
As the yellow eyed penguin ventures inland,
the sammies take their play into the sea.
(grunting)
Underwater, their battles take on a playful note.
As they roar bubbles and nip at each other.
(fun instrumental music)
Youngsters zoom endlessly through the kelp,
which borders the Auckland Islands coast.
These kelp forest could be mistaken for those
on America's California coast,
but strangely there appears to be very few fish.
There's an occasional cod but instead,
numerous invertebrates fill the nooks and crannies.
(light instrumental music)
It's a kingdom of crustaceans down here
and the true royalty are the giant spider crabs.
Measuring nearly a meter across to leg tip to leg tip,
this female roves the sea floor on a constant search
for food buried in the sand.
(fun instrumental music)
She and her sisters spend all year in the shallows here,
sporting elaborate Mardi Gras style headdresses of algae,
which grow on their shells.
(dramatic music)
In contrast, male giant spider crabs live most of the year
in trenches up to 500 meters deep.
But every summer these males begin an epic migration
from the depths to the shallows, driven by the urge to mate.
Male giant spider crabs grow twice as big as the females
and this old man crab's massively long legs
carry him slowly but surely towards his goal.
Soon he and thousands of his kind will form a huge
congregation as they begin one of the most bizarre
rituals in the animal kingdom.
(dramatic music)
On Sandy Bay, the first female sea lion arrives
and the gang of giants mob her.
Driven by raging hormones the males rip into each other
and the female is in the direct path
of their massive canine teeth.
If this onslaught continues the season's first female
could be crushed.
All the sea lions on Sandy Bay beach are distracted
by the chaos caused by the arrival
of the breeding season's first female.
But now the dominant beach master charges into the fray.
This is what he has fought off all his challengers for.
The other bulls retreat and the beach master claims her
as the first member of his harem.
All over the Auckland Islands other residents prepare
for a summer of love.
One of the largest birds in the world soars over Enderby
Island on its three meter wingspan.
(birds screeching)
Now the massive Southern Royal Albatross reunites
with its lifelong partner.
They spent the last 12 months apart
circumnavigating the globe.
But every two years they find each other here
on this remote sub-Antarctic island to carry out
this courtship ritual again.
Close by, young Southern Royal Albatross don't yet
have mates.
But during the summer months they hone their romance skills.
(birds chattering)
They gather in small groups called gams and practice
their peculiar courtship dance on each other.
Giant petrel juveniles have their own techniques
to attract females.
With wings spread, young males chase each other
and follow up with a head sway routine.
(birds chattering)
They'll perfect their moves over the next few years,
until they're ready to start their own
monogamous relationships.
On ancient basalt cliffs, Auckland Island shags are dressed
for courtship.
Both males and females display the mating mohawk
and in a dense colony, couples perform complex synchronized
moves, which cement their commitment to each other
for the season.
(fun instrumental music)
Up in the rata forest, about 500 meters from the beach,
the yellow eyed penguins are a little ahead of the game.
(penguin chirping)
A male returns from fishing at sea and as he swaps places
with his mate, their two eggs are revealed.
(dramatic music)
The male takes over incubation duty while his mate
heads out to brave the increasingly crowded beach.
Multiple harems are formed here now.
In each one, up to 25 female sea lions are protected
by a single bull.
The giant beach master has the most females, of course
and he's kept busy policing attempts by cunning sammies
to harass females when his back is turned.
For the yellow eyed penguins, the beach has turned into
a mind field of giants with teeth.
(ominous instrumental music)
One penguin has already misjudged its beach navigation.
This little guy is an ominous reminder of the voracious
predators that also lurk below the waves.
If this female doesn't watch her step,
she could face a similar fate.
Fortunately, she and her neighbors have a plan.
Yellow eyed penguins are usually solitary.
But during the sea lion breeding season on Enderby Island,
penguins band together to beat the odds.
They form a walking bus to navigate the dangerous
section of the beach.
(plucky instrumental music)
With extra pairs of eyes, the penguins have a better chance
of detecting danger.
(plucky instrumental music)
(dramatic music)
On the east coast of Auckland Island,
Waterfall Inlet is the final destination
for the migrating male giant spider crabs.
(dramatic music)
With numerous males heading in the same direction,
their paths now intersect.
Massive claws can literally tear their opponents
limb from limb.
So smaller antagonists often retreat before big males
can do too much damage.
At Waterfall Inlet, beneath the swirling sand cloud,
males join females in a scene out of nightmares.
(dramatic music)
This migrating male reaches the finish line
and takes his place in the swarm of giant crabs.
The crowded Enderby Island beach is now transformed
into a mass birthing ward.
All these pups were fathered
by the bull sea lions last year.
Now, under the beach master's watchful eye,
this harem provides his females with protection
from obnoxious males.
In return, he gets to mate with all of the females
after their pups are born.
But there are always challengers.
If these two males are evenly matched,
they could fight to the death.
(dramatic music)
On Sandy Bay, the two sea lion brawlers
are dangerously close to the females giving birth
and new born pups.
But the beach master's superior strength
overcomes his rival.
The females can now continue their labor in peace.
(sweet instrumental music)
But not all mothers have textbook births.
This one delivers her pup but he fetal membrane is still
wrapped around the pup's head.
If he doesn't break free he'll suffocate.
The new mother urgently calls to her pup.
And finally, success.
These first moments are crucial, as mom and pup memorize
each other's scent and sounds, to they can find each other
if they are ever separated on the crowded beach.
Nearby, another pup is born.
As the new mother begins to bond with her infant,
one of her neighbors appears very interested.
(dramatic music)
She then does something extraordinary.
The kidnapper blocks the mother from contact
with the new born.
Then the kidnapper's own pup is caught up in the chaos.
Both females are now totally confused.
The beach master arrives and gives the wrong female
a nip on her face
and the pups are now well and truly mixed up.
The new mom knows this one isn't her pup.
Finally, she recognizes the scent of her infant
and the baby can suckle for the first time.
A female arrives back from hunting at sea
and as usual, mobs of males pursue her.
But this female has a plan B.
(dramatic music)
The males may be big and strong, but she is faster,
with more stamina.
When she reaches the grass, even the last desperate sammie
loses interest.
Strangely, she continues inland toward the rata forest.
Every year a small number of females choose to give birth
away from the breeding beach.
She reunites with her fast growing pup,
who's been waiting for mum to return,
away from the dangers on the beach.
(sweet instrumental music)
Nearby in the rata forest, the yellow eyed penguin family
is about to double in size.
The first chick is almost free from its shell
and its sibling won't be far behind.
Back from her hunt at sea, as always, the female receives
a warm welcome from her partner and settles in
to watch over her chicks as they begin life
in this sub-Antarctic world.
On the basalt cliffs, the Auckland Island shags
are housekeeping.
The skills to build and maintain a sturdy nest are crucial
for breeding success.
Dried grass is the preferred building material.
(fun instrumental music)
But it seems that this shag hasn't got the memo.
His neighbors don't appreciate it when he takes
a shortcut through their homes,
carrying his bundle of greens.
Perhaps he'll have better luck next year.
(dramatic music)
Below the surface at Waterfall Inlet,
thousands of crabs wait in the sand cloud
for a mysterious trigger to begin their mating ritual.
In spite of their fearsome appearance,
the giant spider crab's claws are capable
of the most delicate touch.
Such as removing a growth from an eye.
This female is close to releasing eggs she has carried
since the last breeding season.
Tenderly, her lethal claws explore her eggs and she can
pick out those that are diseased are infertile.
As always in nature, nothing is wasted.
Massive claws aren't just for grooming purposes.
Females sift through the sand picking out microscopic
morsels of decaying plants and animals,
while males prefer to dine on fresh meat from the shell.
The scent of a kill attracts unwanted attention.
These are squat lobsters and they are a frequent pest
to giant spider crabs.
The massive crab shoes away the invaders like houseflies.
But even his best efforts can't keep the tiny crustaceans
from thieving part of his meal.
Other year-round locals are inconvenienced by the arrival
of the giant spider crab congregations.
(plucky instrumental music)
These tiny swiveling eyes belong to a mantis shrimp
and they spy danger.
Giant spider crab legs are a constant hazard to those
who burrow in the sand.
(dramatic music)
This mantis shrimp is evicted from his home
and must maneuver through the pack of crabs
to settle in a new burrow.
When he spots potential prey,
his victims don't stand a chance.
On Sandy Bay, the beach is raucous with the sounds
of new life.
(sweet instrumental music)
This is the moment the beach master has been waiting for.
With all the pups born, his females are now ready to mate.
While the beach master is distracted, a sammie sneaks
into the harem.
He seizes the moment but his opportunity is short lived.
The beach master secured his harem but during the chaos
he tramples a newborn.
His mom calls desperately to her pup.
But there's nothing she can do to shift this 400 kilogram
mountain of flesh.
On Sandy Bay a pup suffocates as the huge beach master
shows no sign of budging.
Then in the nick of time, his raging hormones kick in
and he moves off to mate.
Miraculously, the pup appears unharmed.
Other the newborns aren't so lucky.
On the outskirts of the harem lurk the scavengers.
Skewers and giant petrels,
which resemble albatross in size,
but unlike oceanic hunters these petrels
are the vultures of the sea.
These opportunistic birds have been waiting
for this moment all year
and their blooded faces mark their success.
A mother sea lion nuzzles up against her pup,
which has died during birth.
But even though her pup is dead, this mother's protective
instinct is still strong.
The cleanup is a nasty business.
But these scavengers play a critical role in this ecosystem.
(dramatic music)
And back at the nest, the skewers motivation is revealed.
They have offspring to feed also.
Skewer are exceptionally good parents, with both mom and dad
caring for their chicks 24/7.
Dad arrives back from Sandy Bay with plenty of food
to share with his demanding offspring.
Dinnertime at the skewer nest is not for the squeamish.
Once their bellies are full,
this chick displays the attitude these precocious
begin their lives with.
Huge giant petrel chicks also benefit
from the rich pickings on Sandy Bay.
This one has a lot of growing to do before she reaches
her one meter wing span.
Until then, most of the time,
it will be her dad who feeds her.
(slow instrumental music)
Nearby in the rata forest a sea lion pup calls for his mom.
He's three weeks old now and used to his mom's absence
as she hunts at sea.
Today, instead of waiting around,
the pup heads out to explore.
In the forest he finds a mud pool.
Sea lion pups often learn to swim in ponds like this.
Soon, his antics attract the attention of another pup.
Before long, two sea lion pups share the first experience
of life as a marine mammal.
(fun instrumental music)
At the yellow eyed penguin nest,
the chicks grow bigger by the day.
To keep the little ones happy, mom and dad are on
a constant hunting rotation.
But dad's almost out his food reserves
and mom hasn't been back for 48 hours.
(ominous music)
As evening falls, a raft of penguins approach Sandy Bay.
They're now coming ashore in groups.
Another strategy designed to protect them
from the sea lions.
The leader makes a snap decision.
They find a less crowded section of beach and carefully
navigate the maze of sleeping giants.
(dramatic music)
Finally, mum is back with a belly full of food
for her chicks.
(chicks chirping)
Night falls at Sandy Bay and the beach is silent.
(dramatic music)
But beneath the waves, the party is just beginning.
In Waterfall Inlet, giant spider crabs pile on top
of each other in preparation for the mating
extravaganza to come.
It's dawn on Sandy Bay and the harem stirs.
The pups often group together in a creche now.
While their mothers prepare to leave them to hunt at sea.
Females must feed regularly to provide enough rich milk
for their pups.
But bull sea lions without their own harems
blockade any attempts to go to sea.
These females, however, have a plan.
It's as if a secret signal is being passed around.
(dramatic music)
Despite the best efforts of some very cranky bulls,
these females are off.
On the east coast of Auckland Island in Waterfall Inlet
the congregation of crabs begin their bizarre ritual.
Most of them now move towards one of many towering pyramids.
This is a molting mound.
Every year immature crabs shed their outer shells
in order to grow bigger.
As they molt, their new shells are temporarily soft,
leaving them vulnerable to predators.
So they pile on top of one another for safety.
A sea lion lurks in the waters above.
These crabs are one of its favorite foods.
It spies a crab heading for the mound.
(dramatic music)
As this crab hasn't molted yet, it's too hard to eat
so it reaches the safety of the molting mound unscathed.
(dramatic music)
A huge old man crab also arrives at the mound.
But he is not here to molt.
He joins a group of other fully grown males
to form a ring around the molting mound.
Its not to protect he molting crabs from sea lions, however.
Many females in the mound will be ready to breed
for the first time, as soon as they finish their molt.
So the males gather and wait.
Near the molting mound a fight breaks out over a female.
The old man crab on the left stands over a female
he has claimed.
But smaller males try to steal his prize from underneath.
(dramatic music)
The old man crab wrenches the female free.
But then the female is gravely wounded
and the male's motives shift.
His potential mate becomes his next meal.
He carries his corpse bride to a quiet place
where he can eat her in peace.
On Sandy Bay, female sea lions return from hunting
to reunite with their pups.
(sea lions groaning)
But one pup's mom has not returned.
He heads away from the harem, crying out for her.
(sad instrumental music)
Further down the beach, a female sea lion moans in pain
while her attacker lurks in the waters below.
One in five sea lions return from hunting
with the unmistakable signature of great white shark jaws.
(sea lion moaning)
Her wound has bled out and she is dying.
If this is the lone pup's mother, he will also not survive.
By later afternoon on Sandy Bay,
a baby still cries for his mom.
He's starving so heads out to search for his mother
but this beach is a dangerous place for a lone pup.
A skewer follows close, calculating its chances.
The pup seeks the safety of another mom,
which proves to be a big mistake.
(dramatic music)
(moaning)
Without his mother's milk the pup will slowly
starve to death.
But then, a female returns from her hunt.
Unscathed and full of rich milk, mother and pup reunite.
But in the rata forest, a hungry sea lion pup searches
for his mother who will never return.
(dramatic music)
In Waterfall Inlet, the sea floor is now eerily deserted.
All that remains are the empty shells of giants.
Although of course, the squat lobsters seek out
those carcasses with flesh still attached.
They'll keep busy cleaning up the sea floor
until next year's congregation of giants arrive.
(dramatic music)
An old man giant crab now begins his return migration
to the dark, deep trench where he lives.
It's late summer now and the harems dispersed
four weeks ago.
Soon the males will drift away back to sea to hunt.
On the hills above the beach, a giant petrel chick
has nearly lost all of its down and will soon
take to the sky.
While a Southern Royal Albatross chick will be nurtured
for several more months by a doting parent.
The yellow eyed penguin chicks are just weeks away
from fledging and will soon follow
the adults down to the beach to swim for the first time.
One female sea lion still has an important task to complete.
Her pup is about to face the ultimate test,
his first ocean swim.
His mother patiently coaxes him closer and closer to the sea
and demonstrates what fun this can be.
But he's still uncertain.
(dramatic music)
His mother leads him onto a rock platform.
The kelp seems sturdy, so he reluctantly follows his mom
and tastes the salty water for the first time.
(dramatic music)
Now it's just a matter of time before this young
sub-Antarctic sea lion will be zooming through the kelp
and fighting for his own harem on this
savage island of giants.
(dramatic instrumental music)