Dolphin Reef (2020)

[bunniefuu]

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 k*ll 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 thr*at 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 g*ng 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 att*ck.

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 att*ck.

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 att*ck 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!