MAJESTIC MUSIC Captions by Catherine de Chalain. Edited by Jessica Boell. www.able.co.nz Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2016 Off the east coast of NZ's South Island, the remnants of two ancient volcanoes form the colossal Banks Peninsula,... MAJESTIC MUSIC ...which extends like a clenched fist into the Pacific Ocean. When the volcanoes ceased activity, their cones eventually eroded into valleys, and around 6000 years ago, they were flooded by the sea. To the west of this great peninsula, rivers cascade down from the Southern Alps across the Canterbury Plains, delivering tons of sediment and nutrients which surround the headland like a halo. Numerous bays, coves and lagoons slice into the peninsula, each home to animals which have learned to benefit from the unique challenges of this place. It's here that a pod of the smallest and rarest dolphins on the planet find safety in the shallow bays. While some wetland birds battle for territory,... PUKEKO SCREECH ...others demand their hatchlings' trust in the most dramatic way. And a 60-year-old eel will embark on an epic journey that will transform her forever. PEACEFUL MUSIC It's late winter, and south of the peninsula, the residents of a large, shallow wetland shake off the cold months as they begin their spring rituals. BIRDS CALL Lake Ellesmere is separated from the ocean by Kaitorete Spit,... a 28km-long barrier built up from gravel carried by the river and pushed into place by the Pacific Ocean. For thousands of years this lake has been a wildlife haven. Today it's impacted by human habitation, but continues to attract hundreds of different bird species. GRACEFUL MUSIC Black swans have produced offspring first this year. The obedient little cygnets follow their parents' every move... (CHIRPS) ...as they learn quickly where the best aquatic plants grow. There's always one in the family who requires a little extra care. CYGNETS CHIRP CYGNETS CHIRP (CHIRPS) Other birds in the neighbourhood are on the cusp of this year's mating season. (CHIRPS) Paradise shelducks breed only in NZ. (CHIRPS) The white-headed female and her mate share their patch with what is considered another NZ native,... HIGH-PITCHED BIRD CALL ...even though its ancestors arrived from Australia about 1000 years ago. Pukeko thrive in these wetlands. They can fly but prefer to walk... on huge long-toed feet. They live peacefully alongside the other residents here, and their family groups are communal, with up to 15 birds sharing territory. But if a neighbour strays into a rival's domain,... another purpose for the pukeko big foot is revealed. (SCREECHES) OMINOUS MUSIC (SCREECHES) OMINOUS MUSIC RISES PUKEKO SCREECH These feet ` with a sharp claw at the end of each toe ` can do real damage. PUKEKO SCREECH While the territory guards battle it out,... (SCREECHES) ...the dominant female in the pukeko commune signals she's ready to mate. PEACEFUL MUSIC Soon she will build a nest in the grass where all the females in the tribe will lay their eggs, while the males will take care of the incubation. DRAMATIC MUSIC North of the wetland, other neighbourhoods nestled into Banks Peninsula galvanise with end-of-winter activity. Just outside one of the coves, a pod of the most famous residents in these waters celebrate the changing seasons. The rounded fins are a dead giveaway that these are Hector's dolphins, among the smallest in the dolphin family. Found only along NZ's South Island coast, Hector's dolphin adults grow up to a metre and a half and weigh just 50kg. This calf would be half that weight. UPBEAT MUSIC The water around Banks Peninsula can be murky due to the sediments transported here by the rivers, but these little dolphins prefer the shallows. DOLPHINS CLICK Their small bodies have little lungs, so they don't hunt deep like their bigger cousins. This family pod usually has around eight dolphins ` mostly females and calves ` and when they're not hunting, they're playing. Often it's the bubble game. PEACEFUL MUSIC Inside each of the Banks Peninsula coves, the steep cliffs provide homes for many coastal residents. Flea Bay's White-flippered Penguins are found nowhere else in the world other than the Canterbury Coast. They're close cousins to little blue penguins and distinguishable only by the white stripe that runs along the edge of their flippers. 50 metres above the Flea Bay shore in each of more than 2000 neat little burrows, one parent is on duty incubating eggs that were recently laid, waiting patiently for their mates to return so they can swap over. All of these penguins know they must return to their nests quick smart. Why these seabirds ` which are so awkward on land ` choose such difficult-to-reach homes is a mystery of the natural world. PENGUINS TRILL SEABIRDS CALL A nest with an ocean view makes more sense for the residents of next-door Magnet Bay. Like everyone else in the vicinity, spotted shags ` named for the tiny black spots on their backs ` are in breeding mode. This male's face is turning iridescent green, complimenting his pale blue eye rings ` all designed to attract a mate. SAUCY MUSIC This couple display the mating season's crested Mohawk, and their courting dance is well-underway, while these two get down to business, ignored by a 1-year-old, who's likely their chick from last year. GENTLE MUSIC As multiple pairs of parents prepare to transform this cliff face into a giant egg incubator, an ocean current originating thousands of kilometres north in the tropics delivers millions of larvae to this coastline. They've drifted in this current for months, and as they're swept into freshwater estuaries and river mouths, they transform into tiny transparent creatures. This is the beginning of the incredible journey of NZ's unique longfin eel. You might only drive short distances to work each day. You might park securely at work. You may not drive your car to work at all. At Youi, we tailor your insurance premium to how you use or don't use your car. It could save you lots. Call: GENTLE GUITAR MUSIC It's mid-spring now, and meltwater flows from the Southern Alps down through the rivers across the Canterbury Plains, delivering a new cycle of sediments and nutrients which invigorate plankton production where the fresh water meets the ocean. DRAMATIC MUSIC One species of ocean traveller is a regular visitor to the waters surrounding Banks Peninsula. The dorsal fin suggests a predator,... but this giant is a basking shark ` about as gentle as a shark could be. SERENE MUSIC Basking sharks are so named because they tend to cruise near the surface. The iconic mouth opens wide enough to swallow a person whole, but it's plankton this 10m-long 5-ton shark thrives on. It filters plankton in through the bristle-like gill rakers and expels the water out through the gill slits. Basking sharks are quite social and often travel in groups. MAJESTIC MUSIC Between each headland of the Banks Peninsula bays and coves stretch vast swathes of sandy sea floor, where sediments from the rivers sink and settle over what seems like a barren moonscape. But this place is full of life. Scallops use the sediment to their advantage and cover to stay safe. CURIOUS MUSIC Just their tentacles are visible as they search for any sign of the scallop's mortal enemy. 11-armed starfish are voracious predators and they dominate the sea floor. One star heads towards the sandy flats, using its sensitive tube feet to search for a meal. SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC But before it can get a grip... the slippery scallop escapes. SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC CONTINUES Again the 11-armed predator sneaks up... and again it's thwarted. PEACEFUL MUSIC With spring in full swing, the wetland birds are busy. Under the watchful eye of both parents, the cygnets grow,... their necks starting to elongate into the graceful arch they will display as adults. The communal pukeko nest now has nine eggs, and the males are on incubation duty, swapping over at regular intervals so they all get to forage as well. SEABIRDS CALL In contrast, the contrary paradise shelducks leave their wetland home and fly north, away from Lake Ellesmere in a search for the perfect nest location. Paradoxically, their journey takes them to the fringes of human habitation. DUCKS SQUAWK It's possible they've been here before, and it seems they've spied something they like. The willow tree is tall enough to deter predators close to the river, and there's an ideal hole in the trunk with just one entrance, which is critical for a safe nest. Within a day the female has moved into her nest and laid the pair's eggs. In 30 days, the hatchlings will experience one of the most demanding challenges any newborn could ever face. BRIGHT MUSIC At Flea Bay, White-flippered Penguin parents on chick care wait for their mates to return from sea. The penguins prefer to come ashore in groups. But if the swell is up, it's every penguin for itself. With bellies full of food, the cliff climb is extra-gruelling. SOMBRE MUSIC One penguin appears to have an injured leg, but he's driven by the need to deliver food to his hungry chick above. SOMBRE MUSIC RISES As it gets darker, other penguins surround him, as if to keep a vigil. PENGUINS TRILL It's possible one nest will fail this year. MOREPORK CALLS In one of the streams which feed into the Banks Peninsula wetland, what was a tiny transparent eel has grown pigmented skin as it migrates away from the sea. Now a waterfall blocks the way. But this elver can climb. DRAMATIC MUSIC This is a huge effort for a tiny eel. But this will not be the only barrier a longfin eel will face in its lifetime. Hi, Carol. You're here for your hearing test. Yes, I am. Lovely. Come on through, please. (BEEP!) BOY: Hi, Mum. It's Eddy here. Huh! You are the best mum in the whole wide world. But sometimes you don't hear so well. Sometimes it makes me sad. I love you so much. (HEARTFELT MUSIC) I don't wanna be sad about your hearing anymore. CHILD: Something as little as a free hearing check can make a big difference. Your reward points can be a passport to travel, but when you try to use them, you may find they don't all go the distance. For example, the same number of membership rewards points from American Express that will get you to a ball game in LA... ..may only gets you part way with other cards. Just part of the altogether more rewarding service we deliver daily. American Express. 1 PEACEFUL MUSIC On the banks of the Avon River in a secure nest halfway up a willow tree, paradise shelducklings have hatched. They've been out of their shells for just a few hours, but already their mother knows what she has to do. She joins her mate,... who's been waiting patiently for the past month for this moment. Now the parents call to their offspring. (CALLS) The brand-new hatchlings have no idea they can't fly,... SHELDUCKS CALL ...but they trust their mother absolutely. SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC Somehow all the fluff balls survive, and now they search for their mother. Finally they reunite with her and claim their spots beneath her familiar feathers. The male duck introduces himself to his offspring with a few disciplinary pecks. SERENE MUSIC As the new family bond, one of the disadvantages of nesting at this location is revealed ` unfriendly neighbours. Paradise ducks are highly territorial. DRAMATIC MUSIC As the duck parents regroup, the neighbours head for the bank. When one duckling mistakes the female for its mother, she attempts to drown it. Some of the siblings race to the rescue just as the parents return. And the aggressive neighbours retreat. It's been an eventful day one in the life of these young ducks. But the challenges they've survived will help prepare them for what is to come. MYSTERIOUS MUSIC 50km from the coast in a shallow river flowing across the Canterbury Plains,... MYSTERIOUS MUSIC CONTINUES ...the waterfall-climbing longfin elver slithers upstream, hugging the bank for safety. Unwittingly, it passes some of its own kind coming from the opposite direction. These are longfin adult females, each as thick as a human arm,... weighing over 20kg. They've spent an average of 60 years living in rivers or lakes, growing into one of the biggest eels on the planet. And now they migrate towards the ocean they once came from. TENSE MUSIC A dead duck on the riverbank is a beacon for a hungry longfin eel. And others join the action. This is likely the last supper ever for these ancient females,... as during the final phase of their migration, their desire to eat will switch off. PEACEFUL MUSIC All around the Banks Peninsula coastal cliffs, parents nurture their offspring. Spotted shags usually have multiple chicks,... which means very little room in the nest. Some chicks even hug each other tight to ensure neither falls to their death. PEACEFUL MUSIC In Flea Bay, White-flippered Penguins return with food for their chicks... as a fur seal moves in. Penguins have good reason to be scared of fur seals. And these three are a little flustered. (TRILLS) GENTLE GUITAR MUSIC These fur seals are probably adolescents and still play like they did as pups, practising social skills they will use as adults. Below on the Flea Bay sea floor, blue cod strike at anything that moves,... DRAMATIC MUSIC ...while a carpet shark uses smell and electroreceptors to sneak up on prey. It may look like the blue cod won, but the little shark seeks revenge. CRUNCH! SLOW MUSIC This camouflaged crab has disguised itself exceptionally well with marine plants. It even sways like the algae on its shell in an effort to blend in. In contrast, this camo crab is somewhat underdressed. And this is the consequence. TENSE MUSIC Fortunately he's a bit too big for blue cod mouths. RELAXED MUSIC A common octopus is also on the prowl for food. Each of its arms is lined with highly sensitive suckers,... which can taste the sea floor and locate crabs and cockles that lie hidden beneath. TENSE MUSIC But the octopus has been spotted by a sharp-eyed predator. The octopus shoots out clouds of ink to distract its pursuer... and seeks shelter. But there's no hiding from the hungry fur seal. SOMBRE MUSIC SOMBRE MUSIC CONTINUES PEACEFUL MUSIC Inland from Banks Peninsula on the Avon River,... growing paradise shelducklings follow their parents' lead to stuff their bellies with food. They hoover up plenty of aquatic vegetation in a day's feeding, but also forage for grasses, insects and seeds. These ducklings are growing more independent, not always travelling as a posse any more. But both parents are always close by. DOG BARKS Suddenly Mum's on high alert. DOG BARKS DUCKLINGS CHIRP This is the danger of nesting near human habitation. DOGS SNARL SOMBRE MUSIC As the female gathers her brood, one duckling is missing. < Oi! Get over here. By some miracle the duckling escapes. TENSE MUSIC The duckling appears unharmed and finds comfort with its siblings. The parents' response is to gather the family and move on to find a safer home. GENTLE MUSIC It's a midsummer morning in the heart of Banks Peninsula, and a small Hector's dolphin pod socialises in Akaroa Harbour. Hector's dolphins are unique in the dolphin family in that they communicate via clicks only, with no whistles. DOLPHINS CLICK Today this pod is joined by males from another pod. It seems the dolphins are ready to mate. Courtship includes chasing each other,... displaying the belly and touching while swimming. If this mating is successful, a calf will be born in up to 12 months. Female Hector's dolphins have a relatively slow rate of reproduction, which is one reason these dolphins are so endangered. Close by, a pod of much larger acrobatic cousins show off. Sometimes dusky dolphins leave their home base of Kaikoura to swim south. Like their little cousins, when they're not hunting, they're socialising, and these duskies are experts at the famous dolphin seaweed game. PLAYFUL MUSIC The first move is a pectoral fin pickup with a fancy tail flick. And it's game on. All this play reinforces the pod's social bonds, especially when they copy each other's moves. One show-off displays a new technique, where seaweed starts on the pectoral fin and ` via a body wrap ` is transferred to the tail. With the game over, the athletic dusky dolphins celebrate the best way they know how. HAUNTING MUSIC As dusk falls, in a narrow stream leading into the Lake Ellesmere wetland, a female longfin eel approaches the end of her migration. She has swum hundreds of kilometres downstream, and the silt in the estuary and the taste of saltwater signals she's close to the coast. She passes beneath birds she once might have stalked as prey, but she hasn't eaten for weeks now. Her instinct guides her to the same narrow channel in Kaitorete Spit through which she entered the lake from the sea as a tiny glass eel. But when she arrives, the gap is closed by sediments and stones dumped by fickle ocean currents. The lake has become a trap. Waiting is not an option. MAJESTIC MUSIC So this longfin eel resorts to a trick she learned over 60 years ago when she climbed a waterfall as an elver. She will have to leave the water and cross the barrier over land. MAJESTIC MUSIC RISES 1 WISTFUL MUSIC It's dawn at Kaitorete Spit, the barrier between Lake Ellesmere and the Pacific Ocean, and the morning light reveals an exhausted longfin eel. She has slithered 50m overnight from the lake, but still has another 50 to go to reach her destination on this epic migration. She's breathing through her skin now she's on land, and her body is producing slime to keep her moist in this alien environment. Her energy reserves are depleted. But if she can't make it to the ocean, she will die here on this beach. In Flea Bay, the morning sun sets the scene for a significant event in the White-flippered Penguin colony. This year's chicks are now officially juveniles. This one has made it down the cliff to socialise with the adults. But the penguin parents have only disciplinary pecks for the explorer. (TRILLS) (TRILLS) This juvenile has chosen the boulder beach at low tide to experience the ocean for the first time. It's hard to tell if this young penguin is panicking or playing. But soon it will head out to sea on its first hunt. Spotted shags return to their nests,... where they're greeted by offspring still demanding food. CHICKS SQUAWK This parents ignores its fledglings, possibly as a hint it's time to leave the nest. This youngster tries out her wings for the first time. But she's not yet brave enough to leave the rock. Then a mini test flight,... which boosts her confidence. And she's off. WINGS BEAT At the Lake Ellesmere wetland, other young birds are also on the cusp of independence. PEACEFUL MUSIC A juvenile spoonbill objects to being weaned off demand feeding. But like the spotted shag, this parent believes in tough love. There's one species here which has been keeping its chicks undercover. But indeed, the pukeko commune does have chicks ` (CHEEPS) ...brand new hatchlings... (CHIRPS) ...and six-week-old youngsters... (CHIRPS) ...all flaunting the trademark huge feet and tiny shrunken wings. Multiple parents care for all the chicks,... demonstrating how to forage and feeding on demand. This tiny chick has already learned that once it's been fed by an adult, it can also try its luck with an older sibling. HAUNTING MUSIC Over on the Kaitorete Spit beach, the exhausted female longfin eel must summon a final burst of energy to reach her destination. She can smell the sea through her tubular nostrils. MUSIC RISES And with an almighty effort, she's on her way again. This courageous longfin eel tastes saltwater for the first time in 60 years or more. Now she must swim around 5000km through the Pacific Ocean to deep, dark waters near Tonga, where she will mate with a longfin male who began its migration several months ago. Afterwards she will die. But in around 18 months, her offspring will arrive back here to this big blue backyard and begin this extraordinary life cycle all over again.