01x06 - Balaenoptera musculus

[bunniefuu]

["One Step Closer" playing]

[Jane] "Balaenoptera musculus."

[submarine whirring]

- [David] Anything?
- No sign of him yet.

[David] How about now?

I'll tell you when.

[chattering]

- Greybeard, I said I'd...
- [whale sings]

Hold on. Did you hear that?

[David] Hear what?
What's happening?

- Are you seeing this?
- [Greybeard whines]

They're millions and
millions of krill!

- Are the krill lighting up?
- [grunts]

[Jane] They're bioluminescent.
That means they light up.

Like beautiful
underwater fireflies.

But why are they
"bioluminescing" now?

Scientists don't know for sure.
It could be to find a partner

or become the leader or scare
off a predator... [gasping]

[whale moans]

We found him.

Whale, hello there!

[chattering]

The hugest.

Bigger than any other
animal that's ever existed.

Bigger than the dinosaurs?

- Bigger than the biggest dinosaur.
- [Greybeard yelps]

Activate the recording device.

- [button beeps]
- Recording.

Now we wait for him to sing.

- [sings, grunting]
- [David] Not quite, Greybeard.

It's more like a...

- [hums]
- [whale sings]

Blue whales aren't just the
biggest, they're also the loudest.

But scientists still
aren't sure why they sing.

Until today.

Exactly. We're
going to find out.

Wait, there's
something in his mouth.

Yeah. The all-you-can-eat
krill buffet.

No, something else.

Be careful, Jane.

It's a fishing net.

- [whale moans]
- [Jane] It's okay!

We're going to help you.

[whale sings]

- [yelps]
- [alarm beeping]

- Jane?
- I'm caught in the net!

[grunting]

- [grunts, yelling]
- [whale moans]

[screams]

Jane! Stop it!

Everyone's watching.

Sorry, everyone! I was just
trying to save a blue whale.

Actually, we were trying to
figure out why blue whales sing.

But then our scientific mission
became a rescue mission.

- Hi, David.
- [David] Hi, Jane's mom.

Now your rescue
mission has become

- a laundry mission.
- [Jane sighs]

Can you take this upstairs and bring
the basket back down for the next load?

I would, but we're kind of busy
with the Balaenoptera musculus.

Musculus?

It's the scientific
name for a blue whale.

It means "whale fin" because they
have a big fin on their back.

- Right here! [laughs]
- Okay! That tickles!

I'm sure the
Balaenoptera musculus

will be there once you've
delivered this "Laundera foldecus."

That's the scientific
name for this laundry.

I'm headed up to the surface.

Copy. I'll meet
you on your floor.

Come on, Greybeard.

[chattering]

Show-off.

[neighbor] ♪ Oh! ♪

♪ I can sense your needs
Like rain onto the seeds ♪

♪ I can make a rhyme of
confusion In your mind ♪

♪ And when it comes down to
Some good old-fashioned love ♪

♪ I've got it, I've got it
I've got it, got it, baby ♪

♪ I'm every woman
It's all in me ♪

♪ Anything you
want done, ba... ♪

I like your singing!

[neighbor] I forgot to push
the button for my floor.

Do you know why
blue whales sing?

- ["I'm Every Woman" playing]
- I'm sorry?

Do you know why
blue whales sing?

I don't.

Don't feel bad.
What's your name?

- Toni.
- Hi, Toni, I'm Jane.

You're not the only one who
doesn't know why blue whales sing.

Scientists aren't sure either.

They think it's maybe to
talk, mark their territory

or to impress other whales.

Do you sing to
impress other people?

No, no. I just...

I just, um...

You know, just to get my
mind off things. [sighs]

- You dropped something.
- Oh.

Don't worry, I'm sure
the cleaners will get it.

But what if they don't?

I know it doesn't
seem like much to you,

but that little plastic will
eventually end up somewhere!

Which is how a little piece
of trash like a plastic bag

can end up in the ocean
and choke a whale!

What?

We're trying to save a blue whale
that has an old net in its mouth

so we can figure
out why they sing.

Okay. Well, good luck with that.

- Can you put this in the garbage chute?
- Yeah.

See, not that hard!

[chattering]

I did not sound like that.

Did I?

[whale moaning]

- Do you hear that?
- [chatters]

[whale sings]

He's over the roof! Come on.

[sighing]

Jane! [sighs]

[grunts] Jane?

[sighs, breathes deeply]

[sighs] Great.

[Jane] We've gotta hurry.
Or else we'll miss him!

[footsteps fading]

[whale singing]

Incredible.

Whoa.

[chattering]

[whale clicking]

Those are clicks, not songs.

- [chatters]
- I wonder what he's clicking about.

[imitating clicking pattern]
Get this net out of my mouth

so I can sing for you.

- [imitating clicking pattern] We will try!
- [whale sings]

He's coming back!
Now's our chance.

Greybeard, grab
the net! [grunts]

[Greybeard chattering]

[Jane grunts]

[Greybeard shrieks]

[Jane] Nice try, Greybeard.

He's getting away!

[Jane's mom yells]

Jane! [sighs]

- This is coming out of your allowance.
- Sorry, Mom.

- But a blue whale's life is in danger.
- He has a net stuck in his mouth.

And if we don't get it out,
he won't be able to eat.

And if he can't eat, he'll die.

Blue whales are endangered,
Mom. There aren't many left.

There aren't many
quarters left, either.

- ["Pump Up The Jam" playing]
- [sighs]

♪ And the jam is jumpin' Look
ahead, the crowd is jumpin' ♪

♪ Pump it up a little more Get your
party movin' on the dance floor ♪

♪ See, 'cause that's where the party's
at And you'll find out, if you do that ♪

♪ I don't want a place to stay Get
your booty on the floor tonight ♪

Oh! [gasps]

[clears throat] Sorry! Um... [chuckles]
that's one of my favorite songs and...

- ["Pump Up The Jam" stops]
- I was just checking to see

if you could break a dollar?

Yes. Yeah, sure. Uh...

- [Toni sighs]
- [chuckles, inhales deeply]

- Here you go.
- Thank you.

I'll let you get back to
"pumping up your jam." [chuckles]

Great. [inhales deeply]

- Okay. [chuckles, clears throat]
- [Toni] Great.

I didn't know you
could pump jam.

Now, you two wait until this load is done,
then you come right upstairs. Promise?

Right upstairs, promise.

Right upstairs to our
apartment, not the roof.

But Mom...

Promise.

You can refold these
while you wait. [scoffs]

[Greybeard chatters]

What? I find folding relaxing.

So, what's the plan?

I don't have one.

[sighs]

[Greybeard chattering]

[David] What would
Jane Goodall do?

Come on.

[chattering]

"Change happens by listening
then starting a dialogue

with the people who are doing
something you don't believe is right."

Yeah, I don't see how
that's gonna help our whale.

[Greybeard groans]

Why aren't you yelling?

I shouldn't have yelled before.

I just sometimes get upset when
I think about the environment

and what's happening to it.

Sometimes?

I'm not a great
listener. [sighs]

It's okay, I get
it. Neither am I.

I just don't like
being told what to do.

- Me too.
- Her too!

[Toni chuckles]

But it doesn't mean I
shouldn't try to listen more.

Right. We're all
in this together.

And everything we do, even if it's small,
like picking up a piece of garbage,

can make a big difference
if everyone does it.

Just in case the
cleaner doesn't get it.

Good luck singing
with your blue whale.

- Singing with... That's it!
- What?

[chattering]

One of the reasons blue whales
might sing is to talk to each other!

So, maybe we can sing
to him to come back.

Exactly!

But we don't sing.

[chattering]

[humming]

But we don't sing.

We don't.

- ["I'm Every Woman" playing]
- ♪ Oh! ♪

♪ I can cast a spell Of
secrets you can't tell ♪

♪ Mix a special brew ♪

[chattering]

[Toni] ♪ Fire inside of you ♪

- ♪ Anytime you feel danger or fear ♪
- [chuckles]

- [Toni] ♪ And then instantly ♪
- [Jane sighs]

- Climb on up, Greybeard.
- [Toni] ♪ I will appear ♪

- ♪ Oh! ♪
- [knocking]

[knocking continues]

We need your help!

[David] I don't think
she's coming out.

She's coming.

No, she's not.

[sighs] Told you.

[inhales deeply] We
need you to sing.

Please.

We need you to sing, please.

I don't understand.

If we can get the blue whale to
stop and sing-talk with you...

It might give us enough time to
get the net out of his mouth.

Yeah, listen, I only
sing for myself.

- Alone. Sorry.
- [David] Wait.

Change happens when we use our voice,
even if it's sometimes hard to do.

[singsongy] It's all in you...

[chuckles]

You ready?

- I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do...
- Just sing! Anything.

Hopefully, our blue whale will
hear you and then head this way.

I'm not really
comfortable singing...

Imagine how uncomfortable it is having
a giant fishing net in your mouth.

[sighs] If you get too
nervous, we'll come back down.

[Jane] Right!

You're not alone.

- We're all in this together.
- Together.

[David] Come on, Greybeard.

[Toni in distance] ♪ I want to leave
My footprints on the sands of time ♪

♪ Know there was something that
Something that I left behind ♪

♪ When I leave this world
I'll leave no regrets ♪

♪ Leave something to remember
So they won't forget ♪

♪ I was here ♪

[sighs] No whale.

Not yet.

[Toni] ♪ I lived, I loved ♪

♪ I was here ♪

♪ I did, I've done
Everything that I wanted ♪

♪ And it was more Than
I thought it would be ♪

It's not working! Maybe
it's more into jazz,

- or hip-hop, or country.
- [whale song]

- [Jane] He's here!
- [Toni] ♪ I was here ♪

♪ I did, I've done
Everything that I wanted ♪

What's he doing?

[Toni] ♪ And it
was more than... ♪

I think you're right,
Greybeard. He's listening.

[Toni] ♪ I will leave
my mark So everyone... ♪

Now's our chance!

♪ I was here ♪

Got it! It's working!
Keep pulling!

[both straining, grunting]

- [Jane] Greybeard, climb up!
- [Greybeard chatters]

Greybeard, try to pull
it out of his mouth!

- [Jane, David straining, grunting]
- [Greybeard chatters]

♪ I was here ♪

- [straining, grunting]
- [David] She stopped singing!

[Greybeard shrieking]

[both] Greybeard!

- [Jane] His foot's caught in the net!
- [shrieking]

♪ I wanna say I lived
each day Until I die ♪

♪ And know that I meant
something in Somebody's life ♪

♪ The hearts I have touched
Will be the proof that I leave ♪

[Greybeard shrieking]

He's going over the edge!

[straining, grunting]

It's gonna be okay, Greybeard!

- I'm not gonna let you go!
- [shrieking]

♪ ...made a difference
And this world will see ♪

♪ We were here ♪

♪ We lived, we loved ♪

♪ We were here ♪

♪ We did, we've done
Everything that we wanted ♪

♪ And it was more than
We thought it would be ♪

♪ We will leave our
mark So everyone... ♪

The whale's listening again.

- [Toni, Jane's mom] ♪ We were here ♪
- Pull, David!

[straining, grunts]

[whale sings]

[chatters]

- We did it! Yes!
- Yeah!

- Wait...
- [Toni, Jane's mom] ♪ It would be ♪

- ♪ We will leave our mark ♪
- Who else is singing?

♪ So everyone will
know we were here ♪

[applause]

- [laughing]
- [Toni chuckles]

["Pump Up The Jam" playing]

♪ Yo, pump up the jam, pump it
up While your feet are stompin' ♪

♪ And the jam is pumpin' Look-a
here, the crowd is jumpin' ♪

We have to get one of
these! [exhales sharply]

[Toni, Jane's mom] ♪ Going
on the dance floor... ♪

- Back to the sub?
- Yes, please.

[Jane's mom exclaims]

♪ I don't want a place to stay Get
your booty on the floor tonight ♪

♪ Make my day ♪

[whale singing]

[David] He sounds so beautiful,

but what is he saying?

Whatever it is, it got
that whale's attention.

[whales singing]

They're sing-talking!

No, they're sing-hunting!

[Greybeard chatters]

They're using their song
to light up the krill.

So they can find
them and eat them.

Exactly! They're singing
for their dinner.

- [chattering, humming]
- [chuckling]

[imitates whale noises]

[Greybeard chatters]

- [David] Thanks, Greybeard.
- [Greybeard chatters]

They're so incredible.

- [David] And such beautiful singers.
- [Jane] Exactly.

And as long as we can protect
them so they can keep singing,

and we can keep listening,

one day, we might figure out
what they're actually saying.

- [vocalizing]
- [chuckles] Nice singing.

[Jane, David chuckling]

- [Jane] Help save the blue whales!
- [Greybeard chatters]

[Jane's mom] ♪ The jam, pump it
up While your feet are stompin' ♪

- [Jane] Mom! Mom! Mom!
- ♪ And the jam is pumping, and your... ♪

Yeah, what's up?

Do you remember what you say to
me when you're on a work call?

"No screaming,
roaring or howling."

I think we should add
"singing" to that list.

[chuckles, singsongy]
I disagree.

Wait, you have a work call?

Yep, with Asha de Vos.
She studies blue whales.

'Kay, I'll make you a deal.

I'll be quieter if you promise
to sing me what you find out.

- Really?
- [singsongy] Really.

- [singsongy] Deal.
- [singsongy] Have fun.

Pump it up a little more.

- Hi, Asha!
- Hi, Jane.

[Jane's mom] ♪ Get your
booty On the floor tonight ♪

That's my mom.

Ever since she and our neighbor sang
to a blue whale, she can't stop.

Why were they singing
to a blue whale?

- He got a fishing net stuck in his mouth.
- That's not good.

Have you ever found
old fishing nets?

Yeah, actually, I have. Um,
let me show you a photograph.

This first picture is of
me with a giant fishing net

that I found floating
in the ocean.

We also see plastic
floating around,

but sometimes we do find
amazing things. Like this!

- [Jane] What is that?
- [de Vos] That's blue whale poop!

Whale poop is a window into
the lives of these giants

when they're underwater in
places that we can't see.

Why is it so red?

Because of what they feed on.

Here in Sri Lanka, our
blue whales feed on shrimp,

but elsewhere they
feed on krill,

and this coloration comes from the
food that they're digesting, basically.

When was the first time
you saw a blue whale?

Let me just show you
a map of Sri Lanka.

Right down here at the bottom,
there's a place called Yala,

and that's actually where I had my
first encounter with six blue whales.

As you can see, these whales
are pretty amazing and gigantic.

What a privilege for
us to live side by side

with the largest animal
that's ever roamed our planet.

That's incredible!

So, when did you know you
wanted to study blue whales?

Ah, well. Here. At
about the age of six,

my parents would go out and bring back
secondhand National Geographic magazines,

and I fell in love with the ocean, and
I wanted to know what was in there.

[Jane] Asha, what does "Oceanswell"
mean? On the back of your shirt.

It's an organization
that I founded out here.

Because, you know, when
I was 17 or 18 years old,

we didn't have marine
biologists in this country.

And by creating Oceanswell,
it's given me the opportunity

to nurture that next generation
of diverse ocean heroes.

And that's what I'm
trying to grow out here.

Because if we truly
want to save our oceans,

every coastline
needs a local hero.

Just like you, Asha!

When you're out on the ocean,

do you see things that
can hurt the blue whale?

Let me show you a diagram.

The ocean is like a giant
obstacle course for these animals.

If they're in a shipping lane, they
can get hit by a ship and get k*lled.

If they swim through nets,

they can get entangled and
drown or starve to death.

And also, the ocean
is getting noisier,

and that disrupts how they find their
food or how they find their friends.

What can we do to help them?

One of the key things I
like to ask people to do,

is share the stories
of our oceans.

The more we can tell people the
cool facts that we learned...

Like, I hope today you'll go off
and tell someone, maybe your mum,

about what color
blue whale poop is.

And then we can share
these amazing things

and create more ambassadors for our
ocean, 'cause that's what I think we need.

[Jane's mom] ♪ Make my
day Make my, make my... ♪

Oh, your mom really does
like to sing, doesn't she?

I better go before the neighbors
complain. Thank you so much, Asha.

I'm definitely going to tell
everyone about what we talked about.

Have a great day, and don't
forget to share the stories!

- Bye, Asha!
- Bye, Jane!

Time to go sing Mom
what I discovered.

Mom!

["One Step Closer" playing]