Dolphin Reef (2020) - full transcript

Tiny Polynesian islands
in the middle of a vast ocean.

These lonely, remote outcroppings

provide the backdrop for an amazing story,

with characters
as fantastical as any fairy tale,

but as real as you and me.

To find them,

we must leave behind
the world of land and sky,

of sun-drenched beaches
and tropical flora.

This world operates
under a different set of rules.

Some dolphins
just aren't that into surfing.

This is Echo,



a three-year-old bottlenose dolphin.

Unlike the other members of his pod,

he tends to shy away
from group activities.

He is very handy with a shell though.

Unfortunately,
these are not the kinds of skills

he's going to need to grow up
and survive on his own.

Until recently, he's relied solely
on his mother, Kumu,

to feed him and protect him...

but now, he's being weaned off
mother's milk,

and Kumu is trying to teach him
how to catch his own food.

It's not easy when the kid is so...

preoccupied all the time.

When it's time to head home,
Kumu has to coax Echo to come with her,

but he is not leaving without that shell.



Kumu and Echo join up with the rest
of the pod on their way home.

Echo loves his large extended family.

If he could hug them, he would,

but he can't, so he does this instead.

Dolphins crave physical contact
with one another.

They're actually very similar to humans
in many ways.

They talk to each other
in a complex language

of squeaks and clicks.

They even have best friends
they prefer to hang out with.

Teamwork and collaboration
are key to their survival.

Kumu has been trying to teach Echo
some of this group cooperation,

but it takes time and effort,

and Echo is not a model student.

If you really want to understand
someone's upbringing though,

you need to start with their home.

This is Echo's home.

A coral reef that encircles
an entire island.

Echo's favorite pastime
is just cruising the boulevards.

He shares this underwater metropolis
with millions of fellow citizens,

and every single one of them
has its own role to play

in maintaining the health of the reef.

The reef provides a safe haven
for its residents.

But for Echo,
it's also a welcome distraction

from all the pressures
his mom is now placing on him.

To him, this place is like
one big carnival.

Whoa! Here we go. Echo knows this guy.

It's his completely
normal-looking neighbor,

the peacock mantis shrimp.

It's amazing.

These creatures live entirely underwater,
yet seem to be constantly taking showers.

Echo is fascinated
by his eccentric neighbor,

who just so happens to own

one of the best pieces
of real estate on the reef.

And he is obsessive
about keeping it clean.

These rockmover wrasse
do not make his life any easier.

They're very hard workers,

but not the kind of neighbors
you want to invite to a party.

They operate as a team.

One lifts up a chunk of debris,
while the other pounces

on whatever prey is hiding underneath.

They do a great job
of stirring up the sediment,

but for Mr. Mantis...

they are the ultimate nightmare neighbors.

It's hard to wrap your head
around the countless interactions

and relationships
that make up this community.

So, here is how the whole reef thing works
in a nutshell.

It all starts with the corals.

They're the foundation
on which this entire living,

breathing city of color is built.

On top of the coral,

millions of extraordinary plants
and creatures grow.

But if left to grow unchecked,

they would literally smother the corals,
and kill the reef.

So, enter the gardeners,

who eat up all this lush growth,
and prevent it from smothering the corals.

The thing with gardeners is,

they'll eat virtually everything
that grows on the corals.

In fact, if left to their own devices,
they would strip the entire reef

and knock the whole system
out of balance.

So, enter the predators,
who eat the gardener fish,

and prevent them
from stripping the corals.

You may be familiar
with this dramatic character.

He plays the villain in lots of movies
and TV shows,

but here in reality,

the reef sharks are just doing their part
to maintain the balance of the reef.

Oops! Sorry.

Now, this may be hard to believe,

but dolphins actually play
the exact same role

as sharks in the food chain.

All the same, Echo doesn't like
to be associated with sharks.

They're way too serious.

Echo sees himself
as more of a happy predator.

And who keeps the dolphins
and reef sharks in check?

Meet the tiger shark,
the shark that eats sharks.

And Echo, if he's not careful.

Any reef that loses its sharks is doomed.

Damage the community
and you damage the reef.

Here on the outer fringes,
the residents have vanished,

and the reef is dying.

But if all the species of the reef
are left alone to live their lives,

they can keep their home healthy
and in balance.

It's midday, and the reef is still.

The perfect time for a siesta.

One of the amazing things about dolphins

is even when they're asleep,
they have to remember

to keep going to the surface for air.

So, they sleep with only one-half
of their brain at a time,

and they sleep with one eye open
to keep a lookout for danger.

It's synchronized sleeping.

This highly specialized
group sleeping behavior

is essential for dolphins' health
and safety.

But young Echo doesn't always feel
like napping.

He'd rather be exploring.

Good thing he's on his mom's
sleeping eye side.

There's a strange sound
coming from out at sea.

Hmm.

He should probably get back in formation
with the napping grownups,

but he's not going to.

He is going to follow
this mysterious sound

into the deep ocean,

where he's never been before.

Meet Mo'orea.

A 40-foot female humpback whale.

And her newborn calf, Fluke.

Mo'orea has migrated thousands of miles
from the polar regions to give birth

to her daughter
in these warm tropical waters.

Mo'orea has come here every year
since she was born,

but this year, she needs to find
a male partner.

A protector who will help her
keep her calf safe

until it is strong enough
to make the return journey

back to the polar waters.

Just like Echo's pod,
humpbacks find security in numbers.

Echo can't believe his eyes.

At his young age,
he's never been this far out to sea.

So, he's never seen a whale.

Fluke doesn't seem too sure
about this nosy newcomer.

Echo, on the other hand,
is having a blast.

He's just figured out
how to ride the big front wave

Mo'orea creates as she pushes
through the water.

But while Echo is out horsing around,
his mother has come looking for him.

She knows it's not safe for him
to be out in the open ocean by himself.

Kumu calls out for him.

Uh-oh! Echo knows that tone.

If he doesn't learn to stick with the pod
and do what his mother says,

he's putting his life at risk.

Dolphin or whale,

the relationship between a mother
and her calf

is one of the strongest bonds in nature.

Now Mo'orea hears whale sounds.

This is the thing she most wants
to hear right now.

It means protection for her calf.

The source of this reassuring call
is several islands away.

A male humpback,
singing a beautiful whale song.

Like Mo'orea, he's migrated
an enormous distance

from his own faraway polar retreat.

He is going to do everything in his power

to win the right to be Fluke's
and Mo'orea's protector.

His music has drawn in
a fellow male traveler,

a potential rival.

Soon, more males arrive.

Each of them hoping to become
Mo'orea's champion.

Despite their rivalry,
these migratory mammoths

will often come together
after their long journey and dance.

Every year, they travel to these islands.

Every year, their gathering is magical.

And every year, a champion will emerge.

Not far from Echo's home,
behind a neighboring reef,

there's a quiet sandy area
where the dolphins go to hunt.

Kumu always brings Echo along,
so he can practice and hone his skills.

She needs him to learn how to find
his own food, and soon!

Or he won't make it to adulthood.

Dolphins use a highly sophisticated
kind of sonar, called echolocation,

that allows them to locate things
buried under the sand.

This kind of pinpoint detection
takes years to master.

And Echo still hasn't figured it out.

Everyone else is having success.

As they all head to the surface for air,

the hidden tasty treats
finally reveal themselves:

Razorfish!

Sneaky little devils.

When no one's around,
it's like a party down there.

But when Echo dives down
to try to catch one,

poof!

He's got the echolocation part down,

it's his follow-through
he's got to work on.

Oh! Oh! I got one!

Or not.

Ah, so close.

Here. Watch your mom.

You got to feel the Razorfish,

and boom, see?

Try again.

Yes. No. Oh, Echo!

And that's about the limit
of his attention span.

Back at the reef,
more trouble for Mr. Mantis.

His whole neighborhood is in a shambles.

There's only so much tidying and arranging
a mantis shrimp can do.

Clearly, the gardeners in this area
have not been doing their jobs.

The reef is falling out of balance,
and the corals are dying.

At a time like this,
the community needs a hero.

But who will emerge as a savior?

Who will step forward
and put duty before self?

The bumphead parrotfish,
that's who.

Parrotfish, believe it or not,
are the single most important creatures

when it comes to protecting
the health of the reef.

They chomp up dead
and algae-covered coral,

allowing fresh coral to grow in its place
and rebuild the reef.

Without parrotfish,
the entire reef would die very quickly.

So, every creature who depends
on the reef for survival,

including Mr. Mantis,
owes its life to the parrotfish.

Now, if you chomp coral all day,

you swallow a lot of rock,

and the rock turns into sand poop.

A single parrotfish can produce
five tons of sand per year.

Five tons.

Given enough time,

parrotfish can poop
entire tropical beaches.

It may be great
for replenishing the sediment,

but raining sand poop from above

is generally a bad thing for neat freaks.

To make matters worse,

all the sand has attracted a squatter
on the front lawn.

You probably think old Mr. Mantis here
is just a harmless homebody,

but you would be mistaken.

See these two clubs?

You do not wanna mess with these.

You want some more, pal?

Yeah?

Mantis shrimp have the fastest,
most powerful predatory strike

of any creature in the ocean.

If humans could hit this hard,
they could punch through steel.

Stay off my lawn!

Oh, no.

The commotion has attracted
some very unwanted attention.

It's the reef's most insidious resident.

The strange and mysterious
broadclub cuttlefish.

The creatures of the reef know very little
about this monster.

Probably because most of the encounters
creatures have with it

are the last encounters they ever have.

It has miraculous, mesmerizing powers.

Its skin flashes like a strobe,

hypnotizing its prey.

You don't mess with a cuttlefish.

Off the edge of the reef,

a new menacing sound rings out
in the distance.

Orcas.

They're approaching the islands,
looking for prey.

They are the ocean's greatest hunters.

They specialize in hunting dolphins.

And whale calves.

Mo'orea hears the orcas' cries as well.

They are a direct threat to Fluke.

It's time for her to make contact
with the male humpbacks.

The sound travels from miles
across the ocean.

A male hears her call and responds.

Another male joins in,

then another.

All of them are letting Mo'orea know
they're here for her.

Mo'orea's goal is to draw the males in,
and find the strongest of them.

He will help her defend her calf
against the orcas.

Her call triggers a massive response
from the male humpbacks.

They all begin racing toward her.

As they build up speed,
they trumpet their fervor

with huge streams of bubbles.

The great contest
to be Mo'orea's champion has begun.

It's cleaning day on the reef...

and not just for Mr. Mantis.

Kumu is bringing Echo
to a very special cleaning spot

to take part
in an ancient dolphin ritual.

This unique coral is called a gorgonian,

and it only grows in this one spot
on the reef.

It feels fantastic on the skin.

But that's not why it's so special.

Some corals have medicinal properties.

Dolphins get cuts and bites
that can become infected,

but gorgonians like these have chemicals
that help heal skin infections.

Echo needs a lot more
than just mom's herbal remedies

to survive though.

A clean body
doesn't do you much good,

if you still haven't learned
to feed yourself.

The practice of personal hygiene
is a whole different ordeal

for the bumphead parrotfish.

Being the savior of marine kind
carries a cost.

Their teeth become filthy.

So, every day, they travel
to what's called a cleaning station,

where a tiny cleaner wrasse
remove parasites and debris

from all over their bodies.

It's a bit invasive,

but it's essential for their health.

The customers have to wait in line here
at the cleaning station.

Entire shoals of fish
are lining up for service.

The wrasse cater
to a wide variety of clients

from all across the reef.

And there's an unwritten rule here,

no eating the help.

This little guy is off
to his own cleaning station.

Welcome to turtle rock.

He's trying to find a good spot,

but space is very limited here
on cleaning day.

And unlike the wrasse cleaning station,
turtles hate waiting in line.

Oh, boy, turtle fight.

Ugh, now, he'll never get a spot.

The crotchety, old guys
finally swim off in a huff,

clearing the way for our little friend.

Mmm.

Mo'orea, on the other hand,
cannot afford to relax right now.

She and Fluke are still alone
and vulnerable on the open ocean.

Luckily, there's company on the way.

Lots of company.

Mo'orea's calls have sparked the fire
of competition,

and the males are stampeding
toward her.

As they catch up
with the mother and calf,

the great contest
that this has all been building toward

finally begins.

Now, it's time to prove to Mo'orea
who is the strongest.

These 40-ton giants crash into each other,
and try to push each other down.

Smashing and splashing,

each of them vying
to be Mo'orea's trusty protector.

When the long grueling contest is over,

the last challenger sinks,
exhausted beneath the waves.

And a single victor remains.

Mo'orea now has her champion,

the strongest of the male humpbacks,

to help her protect Fluke from the orcas.

It's been a long, tiring day for Echo...

But Kumu is on edge.

She hears dolphins chattering.

These are unfamiliar voices to Echo.

Outsiders have arrived on the reef.

Sometimes, groups of males will gang up
on other isolated dolphins.

This is not a good time for Echo
and his mom to be caught alone.

The intruders spot them and attack.

Echo sticks close to his mother's side
as she turns to face her attackers.

Echo is bitten and rammed repeatedly.

Kumu cries out to him to run away...

But Kumu is surrounded.

Then, from out of the blue,
Echo's pod has come to the rescue.

They repel the attackers.

But where is Echo?

His mom whistles to him.

There's no reply.

Kumu and the rest of the pod spend hours
searching for Echo in the storm.

But as darkness takes hold, Echo is lost.

He's never been alone
at nighttime before.

This is not good.

Night is when the hunters come out.

Lionfish.

Their ghostly fins and venomous spines
hide their shape from their prey.

The sharks are gathering
for their night patrol,

to clear the reef of residents
who are weak or sick.

But even the healthy residents hide...

just in case.

The sharks work as a team.

Waiting until they have sufficient numbers
before springing their attack.

This seems way more than sufficient.

The nervous fish panic
and abandon their hiding spots.

Terrible idea.

Echo wants no part of this.

Echo is forced to flee into a dark canyon.

He's completely lost...

and completely alone.

Without his mother or his pod
to guide him to safety,

Echo follows this turtle.

They descend into a deep,
hidden labyrinth.

Echo is enveloped by the neon lights
of an alien underworld.

Now they sink even deeper,

farther and farther away from the surface.

Turtles who get trapped down here
suffocate and drown.

They're both running out of air.

There! There's moonlight.

Dawn at last.

Echo's mom has been searching
and calling out for him all night.

Finally, she finds him.

Being lost in an ocean at night
gives you a whole new appreciation

for your mother.

It's also been a huge wakeup call
for Echo.

Time has run out,

he simply cannot rely on Kumu
to take care of him anymore.

He's going to have to learn from her
how to take care of himself...

once and for all.

Kumu is going to take Echo
on the ultimate fishing trip,

to the pod's favorite
group hunting ground,

the legendary muddy shallows.

They're not waiting around for the rest
of the group today, though.

They need to get to work.

There's some critical skills
Echo needs to learn

before the others get there.

The first stop on their journey
is Banzai Beach.

Here, Kumu is going to teach Echo
her special trick for corralling fish.

She's developed
a unique sprinting technique

that is key to the whole thing.

With this high-speed hydroplaning,
she shows Echo

how you can actually outmaneuver
the fish,

and force them to go
where you want them to.

The trick is to not get yourself beached.

This shallow, high-speed corralling tactic
is no easy feat,

but Echo will need to master it
if he's going to have any success

at the muddy shallows.

Next, Kumu needs to take Echo across
the small channel.

But this is not a good time to be out
on the open water.

The orcas are combing the islands.

And they're shifting into stealth mode.

They hunt without making a sound,
so their prey won't hear them coming.

While they're silently stalking,

they're also listening
for every little squeak and splash.

They make it across the channel,

but now, they have to pass through
a mysterious murky area.

Paranoia rules here.

But what on earth are they so afraid of?

Oh, right. Giant stingrays.

Kumu knows that these guys
can actually be helpful though.

Stingrays hunt using electrical sensors
that dolphins don't have.

So, if you follow one, it can lead you
to food that's buried in the sand.

But Echo needs to be very wary
of these creatures.

If they strike you
with that razor-sharp venomous tail,

it's all over.

Echo needs to learn how to catch food,
but this is no place for beginners.

At last, Echo and his mom
arrive at their destination,

the legendary muddy shallows,

for Echo's greatest test.

Here, he will need to really focus
and learn his mother's craft.

There was a time when this bird
would have completely distracted Echo,

but since his recent
scary nighttime ordeal,

and his renewed commitment
to following his mother's...

Oh, never mind.

Can we get back to the lesson, please?

Now, Kumu is going to teach Echo
her most advanced hunting technique,

if he can pay attention long enough.

It's an extremely rare maneuver,

that combines all the skills
she's been teaching him.

She starts out slow,

then turns on the power thrusters,
just like she did at the beach.

She kicks up the mud in a perfect circle.

She does one more, so,
Echo can really observe the technique.

Okay. Now, it's Echo's turn.

Good, keep turning.

Other way. Ah!

One more time.

Yup.

No.

Looks like Echo just isn't getting it.

Wait a minute, this one looks good.

A perfect mud ring.

It's a big achievement,
but the job's not done yet.

They need the rest of the pod now.

The next part requires serious teamwork.

Echo is safe in the shallows now.

But Mo'orea and her calf are still exposed
on the open water.

The orcas have found Mo'orea and Fluke.

Mo'orea realizes they've been ambushed,
and braces for a fight.

She strikes out at the attackers
with her tail.

Fluke rides up onto her mother's back
for protection.

But where is Mo'orea's champion?

Fluke is barely hanging on.

The orcas are relentless.

They rush past creating waves
to knock Fluke off.

At last, the male champion arrives
to defend his new family.

With two adults, Fluke is protected
on both sides.

The orcas regroup and attack head on,
to split the humpbacks' defenses.

Working as a pack, they overwhelm
the mother and calf.

The humpbacks are losing the fight.

Then, Mo'orea's champion begins slamming
his tail against the water.

It's a call to arms.

He's reaching out to his defeated rivals.

In times of crisis,

humpbacks rise above their differences,
and band together.

The males charge to the rescue.

But will they make it in time?

Fluke won't last much longer.

Fluke is struggling to stay on top
of her mother.

It's the only safe place left for her.

Finally, the rescue pod arrives.

Now, Mo'orea and Fluke are protected
on all sides.

Not even orcas stand a chance
against a herd of humpbacks

when they're working together.

The attackers are forced to flee...

empty handed.

For Mo'orea, this victory is a vindication

of the long journey she makes every year
to these islands.

This annual tradition of migration,
competition and collaboration

is precisely what kept her calf safe.

Fluke owes her life
to her fellow humpbacks

who've journeyed here.

Echo's pod have now come to join him
and his mom

at the muddy shallows for the big hunt.

This is Echo's chance
to show off everything he's learned.

They all fan out across the lagoon.

Kumu takes Echo and breaks away
from the group,

hunting for the elusive treasure.

Then, Echo spots it.

A big shoal of fish.

This is where Kumu's corralling tactic
comes into play.

He charges in
and paints a perfect mud ring,

just like his mother taught him.

Then suddenly, the fish trapped inside
the ring try to escape by leaping out,

straight into the jaws of Echo
and his mom.

This was the whole purpose
of the mud ringing.

The rest of the pod races over to join
the hunt.

Echo fires up another mud ring.

The other dolphins help coral the fish,
straight into Echo's trap.

And this time, they all share the bounty.

Mr. Mantis is adding the final touches
to his broken coral masterpiece.

Hmm. Let's see.

Ah! He knows what he needs.

He needs more broken coral,

to throw on top of his other broken coral.

Oh, no.

The master of disguise sneaks up
on the mantis,

and activates his coral camouflage.

Just put this coral here next
to this other coral.

The mantis can sense
something's not right...

but it's too late.

The mantis is transfixed
by the pulsating blob of death.

But wait, Echo is back from the shallows.

Cuttlefish don't have many predators,

but dolphins are one of them.

Echo has finally come of age,

and no longer has to rely solely
on his mother to provide for him.

He's become a valued member
of his community.

When everyone plays their part,

the community thrives.

All around the world,

there are countless stories
just like these.

The tale of this reef, is just a microcosm
of the epic saga

that encompasses all of earth's oceans.

The intricate natural balance,

that holds Echo's tiny isolated reef
together,

is the same balance
that keeps all marine communities

alive and healthy.

Both Fluke and Echo

rely on their remarkable extended families
for comfort, safety, and survival.

And now, they need to rely on us as well.

Their world is our world.

Woo-hoo!