40x07 - Animals with Cameras: Australia

[bunniefuu]

The world's oceans
are full of wonder...

an alien world
waiting to be explored...

...a place of
extraordinary life-forms...

with intriguing social lives...

...and incredible intelligence.

To reveal their secrets,
a hidden team goes undercover.

To reveal their secrets,
a hidden team goes undercover.

Spy Creatures.

The most innovative
undersea robots in the world.

They not only look like
the animals they film.

They interact with them
as no human can.

Equipped with hidden cameras...

...they reveal
their astonishing lives.

As our spies join
their undersea world...

they shed light on some of
the mysteries of the deep.

As our spies search the ocean
for intelligent life,

they find ways of thinking

that must be seen
to be believed.

A family of sperm whales,

the most intelligent creatures
in the ocean...

...and owners of the largest
brains on the planet.

These intellectual giants
show a social intelligence

that appears similar to our own.

To gain insights
into their minds,

a spy is sent among them...

...an autonomous submersible
programmed to follow the whales.

At over 3 metres long,

it's the same size
as a newborn whale,

large enough to hide
an array of cameras...

...but small enough to arouse

the maternal interest
of a female.

Her curiosity hints
at what she may be thinking...

...a desire to reach out
and make friends.

Seen through the camera eye
of our spy...

...a meeting
with a sentient mind.

A first contact

with an inquisitive
and questioning being.

Our spy's hydrophones

now capture
something extraordinary...

She attempts to communicate.

Another sign
of her social intelligence.

She uses the same clicks
when greeting other whales.

Her open jaw means

she's introducing herself
to our spy.

Waiting in the wings is a calf.

In a touching sign of approval,

she invites the youngster
to meet our spy creature.

An encounter far closer
than ever imagined.

The camera even reveals
his hitchhiking companions.

Harmless remora fish...
enjoying a free ride.

Our spy is gaining an insight

into how relationships form
among whales.

Being allowed so close
is a sign of acceptance.

The mother is so trusting,

she leaves her calf
and heads to the ocean depths.

She'll dive
nearly 2 miles below...

...leaving a friend
to look after her calf.

Spy Whale seems
to be welcome, too.

Together,
they'll stay with the calf

until the mother returns.

Our spy is now perfectly placed
to discover more

about the social intelligence
of the whales.

In the coral reefs of Indonesia,

there are more intelligent
life-forms to be found.

The smartest of all
is the coconut octopus.

As well as a main brain
in its body,

each of its eight arms
has a brain of its own.

All nine brains
can think for themselves,

or even think as one
when required.

To help fathom it out,
another spy is needed...

...one programmed to walk
in a similar way.

Its aim is to communicate
with the octopus...

...to find out
how clever it really is.

What must he be thinking?

Then, a clue.

He's working out
whether it's friend or a foe.

It seems our spy is a friend.

Just as well.

He certainly
has plenty of enemies.

His soft body means
everyone's out to get him.

And not just him.

Such dangers are small-fry

compared with
the oceans' top predators.

Blacktip sharks hunt octopus.

Fortunately, our spy
doesn't smell like one.

Not so, the real thing.

He may hide,
but they could still find him.

Time for some quick thinking.

A hollow bamboo shows promise.

But its open entrance
is far from ideal.

Our spy may have the answer.

It's just what
the octopus needs.

But will he dare
take it from him?

Like a seasoned thief,

he tries to avoid
raising suspicion.

Being aware of what others
could be thinking

is a sign of deep intelligence.

A perfect fit!

And just in time!

With nothing worth eating,
the sharks move on.

The coconut octopus
need hide no more.

As a sign of acceptance,
he shows his true feelings.

As their relationship grows,

there'll be plenty more
to discover.

Of all seagoers,

few are cleverer
than these Thailand macaques.

Spy Macaque is discovering

how they survive
on this remote island.

It, too, has a camera
in its eye.

It can not only film
above the surface,

but underwater, too.

As well as being able to swim,

it has a fully waterproof
camera eye,

perfect for filming
these free divers

searching for shellfish.

They can hold their breath
for a minute or more.

When they come up for air,
there's more seafood to find.

Our spy has acquired Spy Oyster.

Together, they capture
a filming first.

These monkeys have gone fishing,

grabbing whatever
is trapped in the pools.

It takes
quick-witted reactions...

...and a firm grip.

Fish course over,

there's more seafood
on the menu...

...oysters embedded
in the rocks.

They can't be removed
by brute force alone.

It's a task only the best minds
can crack...

...those that can wield a tool.

A treat worth the effort.

Finding the right rock
is a knack.

It must be
the correct weight and size.

Like this one,
designed for the job in hand.

Even so, he must be careful.

One slip could be nasty.

It's the perfect tool...

...or was.

Oh, well.

Knowledge comes with experience.

It starts
with a sense of curiosity.

But others are curious, too.

Climbing with a spy cam
isn't easy.

Whoops!

No bother.

If you're smart,
you know how to have fun.

A chance to make friends
and let off steam.

As our spies found,

macaques, cast away
on a remote island,

have found clever ways to adapt.

Creative thinking can also
be used to find a mate.

In the Sea of Japan,

there's even a sea creature
who creates works of art.

Spy Pufferfish
is on a mission to find it.

The artist in residence
won't be found among the coral.

It needs a blank canvas
to work with...

something only the sand provides.

And here it is,

An exquisite sand sculpture
found nowhere else on earth.

The artist at work is
a male Japanese pufferfish.

He's designed his masterpiece
to lure in a mate.

An artistic creation
to delight a female's eye.

He uses a fin
to plough a furrow...

...while other fins
sweep the sand into ridges.

The gullies channel the finest
particles towards the centre.

The result is a fully functional
work of art.

It's now Spy Puffer's turn.

Artworks are best viewed
at a distance.

Oh, dear.

Nothing compares
to the true artist.

The female will decide.

Spy Puffer's creation
is hardly worth a second look.

She's after a masterpiece.

But for this discerning
art critic,

there's still room
for improvement...

...especially when some debris
spoils the design...

...a blemish easily dealt with
by the male.

But it still needs
some finishing touches,

such as shells
to decorate the ridges.

They're more than
an artistic flourish.

They stabilise the ridges,

slowing the water
that might stir the centre...

...for this is where the female
will lay her eggs.

But the male
has run out of shells,

and the female
is losing interest.

Spy Puffer becomes
the artist's assistant.

The finishing touch he needs.

All this striving
for artistic perfection

is a test of his fitness.

Satisfied with
the aesthetic details,

the female enters the nest.

They join together,
cheek-to-cheek.

Then, quick as a flash,

the eggs are laid
and fertilised.

With a little help
from Spy Puffer,

the next generation of artists
is secure.

While pufferfish
think creatively,

fish shoals all think together.

They show swarm intelligence,
moving as one

as they mirror the moves
of their nearest neighbours.

Their group thinking is about
to be tested by smarter minds.

Marlin...

one of the ocean's
fastest predators.

They use teamwork to drive
mackerel up from the depths,

forcing them to the surface
in ever-tighter ba*ls.

They are not alone.

Sea lions soon join
the gathering.

Among them
is a new spy creature--

Spy Sea Lion.

Like the real thing,

its flexible body lets it
manoeuvre among the shoals.

Its eye cams
gain a sea lion's view

as the marlin spear their prey.

Like master swordsmen,

they use their metre-long bills
as deadly weapons.

As the hunt continues,
our spy films an insider's view.

It won't be working alone.

As frigate birds gather,
another spy joins...

...one that captures the
marlins' skills from the air.

They corral the shoal,
concentrating the ball,

letting them pick off
the fish on the outside.

But they don't have it all
their own way.

The marlin
will soon be competing

with those with
far greater intelligence.

Spy Sea Lion
now has plenty of company.

They are here in their hundreds.

Working together,

they steal the bait ball
from the marlin.

Seen through the camera eye
of our spy,

our spy reveals what happens
once the sea lions take over.

It joins them as they unite
to split the ball...

...capturing a sea lion's view
from inside the shoal.

It shows how the fish
move as one.

Its swarm intelligence

pitched against
that of the sea lions'.

This is where true intelligence
shows its worth.

They work together
to force the shoal apart.

They can now pick off
the weak and injured.

Sea lions can eat


But such a colossal bait ball
is too much, even for them.

They start to play with
their food rather than eat it.

Then, something unexpected.

They gift the leftovers
to the hungry marlin.

There's even a fish
for Spy Sea Lion.

Not much use to our spy.

It is to the marlin.

The sea lions may have
outsmarted swarm intelligence,

but even they can be beaten
by a bigger power.

A Bryde's whale will make
short work of what they've left.

Back on the reef,
there are more insights

to be gained
from the coconut octopus.

Spy Octopus is still nurturing
its newfound relationship.

Their bond
has only grown stronger.

To feed,
he must leave his hideaway.

As a precaution, he takes
the coconut shell with him.

What was once
the door to his refuge

is now a mobile home.

But there are more surprises
in store.

The octopus is still looking
to improve his security.

Some armour plating
wouldn't go amiss.

A shell would be perfect.

His only problem
is carrying it all.

This is taking defence seriously.

All bases covered,

he's perfectly placed
to stage an ambush.

And what better than a crab?

The chase is on!

But the crab
has a trick of its own.

it heads to the surface.

So does the octopus.

He makes a grab!

It's firmly in his grasp,
but he must eat quickly.

He's being watched.

A rival coconut octopus.

His colour change
shows he means business.

To up the ante,
he makes himself bigger.

But the octopus
stands his ground...

before firing a salvo of shells.

He retreats
to his fortified home...

...and grabs a discarded
paint lid to act as a shield.

He's now ready for anything...

including taking
the paint lid with him.

One last challenge...

...but soon seen off.

That's how he treats
his enemies.

This is how he treats
his friends.

Few are as clever,

but for organisational skills,

he has serious competition.

In the tropical paradise
of Belize,

the hermit crabs have a problem.

They've outgrown their homes...

...or their shells
have become worse for wear.

They need to upsize
their accommodation.

And a new home
has just come on the market.

Those interested
start measuring up.

This one
certainly has potential.

But others, too,
are showing interest...

...even squabbling
over who should move in.

For some, it's too big.

For others, it's too small.

To resolve the issue,

they must stop squabbling
and cooperate.

To find out how,
another spy goes undercover...

...one with a camera
in its shell.

It's arrived
at the perfect moment.

The crabs line up
in order of size.

They don't all need
grand accommodation.

They just need the next size up.

First, they must find their
correct place in the queue.

They wait until everyone
is assembled.

Then the house swap begins.

The largest leaves his old home

and moves into the vacant shell
next door.

Then the next size down takes
over the shell he left behind.

And so it goes on,
in order of size.

Most are content
with their new home...

...although one
seems to have house envy.

He's eyeing up our spy.

He just needs to check the shell
for size.

It meets his requirements,
so he doesn't waste time.

But this home
comes with responsibilities...

...ones that involve
filming, too.

But our new spy seems to be
having second thoughts.

His old shell
was a better fit after all.

He'll keep it
for a little longer.

Our spy is now the only crab
left homeless.

The Caribbean is home
to yet more clever minds.

This tiny island in the Bahamas
has been colonised by wild pigs.

They spend much of their day
just above the tide line.

To discover how they survive
on this remote island,

Spy Piglet joins the team.

Pigs are highly intelligent
and sociable animals.

So a new pig
soon piques their interest.

Nudging snouts
is a friendly gesture.

A promising start.

Introductions over,
they head to the sea.

The pigs' daily ritual begins.

To find out why they enjoy
swimming so much,

Spy Pig is soon
hot on their curly tails.

What better way to find out
what's going on?

It's clear
that they are expert swimmers.

And even here
they're sociable, too.

Our spy gets another greeting.

Pigs were brought
to the island in the '50s,

surviving on crabs and berries

or whatever else
they could find.

As numbers grew, they looked
to the ocean for a meal.

Tourism brought
new opportunities.

Each day, boats bringing food
would visit them.

Until the sound of outboards
became their dinner bell.

As word got around,
more boats arrived,

until the pigs' daily excursions
became a way of life.

A banquet for all.

They may be social creatures,

but manners are forgotten
when mealtime arrives.

Now it's every pig for itself.

And not just pigs.

Gulls know when
it's feeding time, too.

The pigs' intelligence
created this tourist attraction.

But it doesn't take a genius

to know
when all the food is gone.

The search for intelligent life

is taking our spy creatures
to many ocean realms.

But it's the reefs
that provide shelter

for a quarter
of all marine life.

Amongst all this abundance
is Spy Crab.

Beyond the reef is
our spy's subject of interest.

Fish that have found a way
to keep safe,

away from the protection
of the reef.

Our undercover crustacean
will find out how they do it.

The fish in question
are saddleback clownfish.

They use carpet anemones
as their fortress and home.

Its tentacles are laced
with a deadly toxin.

But the clownfish
have acquired immunity.

No predators dare come near.

In return,
the clownfish all muck in

to keep the anemone
spick-and-span.

To raise a family,

they need somewhere safe
to lay their eggs.

A bed of poison
is hardly a nursery.

So a search party sets off to
find something more suitable...

...with Spy Crab
following on behind.

Plastics are the scourge
of the ocean,

but clownfish
are keen on recycling.

A flip-flop would make
an ideal egg nursery,

if only they could
bring it back home.

Even the enterprising clownfish

have no use
for a plastic bottle.

They dispatch it
as quickly as they can.

They need something
more sustainable.

Another job for Spy Octopus.

It has an environmentally
friendly solution.

Just what they were looking for!

In an astonishing display
of teamwork,

they take the coconut shell
to the anemone.

Among fish,
such close cooperation

has rarely been filmed.

But they have more work to do.

A little wash and brush-up
is needed.

Let egg-laying begin.

A nursery, at last.

The male will tend the eggs,

keeping them clean
and well-aerated.

A week later, their young
are ready to emerge,

the reward for the clownfishes'
close cooperation,

one where Spy Octopus
played a part.

As our spies discovered,

sea creatures have
many unique ways of thinking.

But none match the intelligence
of the biggest brains of all.

Spy Sperm Whale was left
on babysitting duties.

It's now keeping watch on
an increasingly restless calf.

Another of its cameras
reveals why he's excited.

Below, his mother is returning.

She's been away for many hours,
and her calf is hungry.

He's heard
his mother's unique call.

Spy Whale follows
close behind...

...even into the depths.

Here, our spy
captures the moment

the mother positions herself
vertically to feed her calf.

Finally, he finds the spot.

Only now does his mother
release her milk.

Instead of suckling,

the calf drinks the milk
as it flows into the water.

It's so rich, even diluted,

he only needs
a little to be satisfied.

Then his mother
does something surprising.

She positions herself
the other way up

and claps the water
with her tail.

Each slap is a signal that
carries for many kilometres...

...one heard by families
from far and wide.

For the mother and calf,
it's a special moment.

A family reunion
that has rarely been filmed.

One that includes
our very own spy.

From deep in the heart
of the family,

it now bears witness
to something extraordinary.

Siblings, cousins,
aunts, and grandmothers

join together
in a rare social event.

A meeting of intelligent minds.

But are their thoughts
ones we might recognise?

For they share the brain cells
that help make us human--

specialised neurons

that give us language,
empathy, and culture.

They have more of these
human-like cells

than any animal on Earth.

It seems they are
deep in conversation.

Within this
incredible gathering,

information is exchanged

and bonds of friendship
are strengthened.

This rare event
lasts only a few minutes

before each group
goes its separate ways.

For now, our spy
is still deep in their midst.

Next time, our spies
reveal the deep feelings

found among the creatures
of the ocean...

to discover the origins
of our own emotions.