Family Ties Barney's Barrier Reef

Australia. Home of the possum, cool surfer dudes, strange lingo,

lots of sunshine and the bonzer barrier reef.

It's the biggest, most spectacular coral reef in the world,

and what's more, every creature is linked to another.

Just imagine one huge family tree dating back 18 million years.

From the miniscule to the mammoth to the miraculous,

they're all connected.

Oh, wow! I've got a parcel!

Hang on, how did they know I'm here? I'm on a deserted island

in the middle of nowhere. Ah...!

"Deserted Island, Middle of Nowhere." Hey, Gem, look!

-I've got a parcel from my dad.

-Ooh!

-I'm so excited.

Families - What would you do without them?

I'd have a cheaper phone bill, but I couldn't live without them either(!)

Cool. Back scratchers. I'll use one of those later. Ah, a grass skirt.

I'll do the hula for you in a bit.

Oh, a teddy bear. That can go by the bed.

A picture of Dad, so I don't forget him.

Ah, a shirt. Good.

Yes, I probably won't be wearing that.

Well, maybe for a fancy dress party.

Who apart from my dad would send me a parcel on a desert island?

Well, families are made up of lots of different people.

Mums, dads, brothers, sisters, step-siblings.

Yes, and families are just as important here.

There are different families, but are not always nice to each other.

I know! There's all kinds of kerfuffles!

Parents desert their babies,

fierce sibling rivalry, you've got spoilt only children...

But at the end of the day, they're all family.

-FRRRRT!

-Ah, love it. My dad rocks.

-Ah, it's Nemo!

-Or clownfish, as they're officially known.

Hey, why don't sharks eat clownfish?

-I don't know.

-Because they taste funny!

-A-ha-ha(!)

-Clownfish.

-They're not really very funny, are they?

-Not really.

They're called clownfish as they bob around

in a clownish fashion when they swim.

It's like they're playing hide and seek!

It may look like they're clowning around,

but they're hanging out with their buddies, the anemones.

Clownfish coat themselves in the anemones' mucus.

Ew! I wouldn't coat myself in anyone's mucus.

But it's for a good reason. It allows them to hide out

in the anemone's tentacles without getting stung.

Clownfish are careful parents and when it's time for them

to have a family, they lay eggs near the anemone,

so they have a safe nursery to hatch in.

-Cor, these two look busy!

-Yep, that's Mum and Dad.

-They're cleaning up to lay eggs.

-Clean, house-proud. I'm impressed.

Aw, Mum and Dad are playing in some, um, balloon-type things.

Those are the eggs, Gem.

Ah, yeah! Bright orange ones. I can see the family resemblance.

They're not playing. They're looking after them to help them hatch.

Ah, you're right. They are good parents, aren't they?

You haven't seen anything yet.

Now they fan the eggs, to help remove the waste.

And that goes on for a long, long, long time...

BARNEY SNORES

Oh, sorry. Their dad is very protective.

-He checks that all the hundreds of eggs are OK.

-Hundreds of eggs?

-Whoa! They must be tired.

-Oh, yes.

But all that hard work has paid off and now they have ickle babies.

-Look at those faces!

-Aw, they're so cute!

They're called clownfish but there's no joking around

when it comes to being good parents.

clownfish are great examples of ocean family dedication.

Both mum and dad are great caring parents.

So who's the next happy family?

Five pairs of legs, a super-long antenna,

a super-hard exoskeleton and - ooh - super-staring eyes.

It can only be the crayfish.

Or Mummy crayfish, to be precise.

Or, as she's also known, the rock lobster.

Well, she's rock-hard. That's for certain.

This is a real example of girl power, all right.

The female carries her eggs around on her own for three weeks.

Well, it's not that long, is it?

Well, it is when you can have up to 250,000 eggs.

250,000?! Where does she put them all?

Under her skirt, of course, where she looks after them

by fanning them and keeping them from predators.

Wow. Now, that is a lot of eggs. I wonder if she has a favourite?

Maybe number 2,052? One thing's for sure.

You wouldn't want to mess with a rock lobster in a hurry.

They can look a little scary.

-Aw, are these the babies?

-Yeah.

This is their first stage of growing up. A tiny spider-like larva.

-Completely transparent.

-They look like ghost babies.

Or happy little aliens. Eventually, they lose their transparency

and look like mini-lobsters. But I think they're cuter

-when they're see-through.

-What a caring Mummy crayfish.

She doesn't look the motherly type but you can't fault her dedication.

They clownfish are dedicated parents. They fan and fan and fan,

and Mummy crayfish does the same.

The clownfish and crayfish are linked together

because they both obsessively protect their eggs.

Ah, little baby fish!

They're actually spiny chromis babies.

-They're a species of damselfish.

-I think they're cute!

How come they don't get lost or blown away?

Mummy and Daddy keep an eye on them.

Stay together. Stop messing about.

So parents nag their kids in the ocean, too.

This species are unusual because the babies,

officially known as the fry...

Ah, fry! That's where "small fry" comes from.

Well, there you go. Cool, eh? As I was saying, this family are unusual

because the parents stay by their babies, or fry, the whole time.

Usually, fish abandon their babies once they've hatched.

did I say they feed off their parents' mucus?

HORSE NEIGHS Oh, not mucus again?

Yes, damselfish produce mucus on their scales

-and the babies feed off it.

-Oh, completely gross!

Although I have seen baby-food that looks similar.

Crayfish Mummy looks after her thousands of eggs

and damselfish go one step further and look after their small fry.

So the crayfish and damselfish are linked by total parental love.

-Ciao, bella! Kissy-kissy!

-Ti amo, you are magnificente!

Hold the phone. Nudibranchs kissing? Whatever next?

Oh, nudibranchs, contain yourselves, will you?

Or go and find a little corner to snog in, please!

-Apparently, they stay like this for days.

-Oh, wow, look at these two.

They've got a sign between them.

Those are their eggs. They're stuck together in that shape by mucus.

-What?!

-Yep. It may look like they're just advertising their love for each

other but actually they're releasing their eggs, which are...

well, snotted together.

Yeah, doesn't seem as romantic now.

-Especially when you hear this. They lay their eggs...

-Not in snot?

Well, yes, in snot, and then leave them alone.

I always said they weren't to be trusted.

They're left to fend for themselves in a snot-ring.

Too much snogging and not enough caring.

And way too much snot!

Our spiny chromis, or baby damselfish

as they're more fondly known, feed on their parents' mucus,

and the nudibranchs wrap their babies in a ring of mucus.

So, the damselfish and nudibranchs are linked with mucus.

Look! They're play-fighting.

-Either that or playing Twister.

-These are two epaulette sharks.

They're also called the long-tailed carpet sharks.

Is that because they have long tails and are flat like a carpet?

-I'm not sure if they're play- fighting now.

-They're mating.

But he's biting her fin. That's not romantic.

I know, but in the epaulette world, it's quite acceptable.

Oh. Oh, and here's the egg.

And a baby epaulette... ah! Hang on a minute, sharks lay eggs?

Well, not all sharks. But the epaulette sharks do.

They lay them on the ocean floor and disguise them

-by covering them with algae.

-I love it. Egg-laying shark.

-What happens next?

-They leave them.

-What? They lay and go?

-What about the babies?

-The pup is on its own, and I mean on its own.

They have a one in three chance of surviving.

-It's every pup for themselves.

-Cute baby, though.

But is it meant to have that white ball? Someone should tell it.

The baby shark, or pup, as it's called,

is still inside the egg case but survives

by eating the yolk of the egg until he hatches,

-while he readies himself for the outside world.

-Here he comes.

I think he's ready for the outside world. Go on, mate, push.

And he's off.

No thanks to Mum and Dad who had a play-fight and abandoned him.

Yes. Those nudibranchs didn't put much love

into looking after their babies.

Nudibranchs and epaulette sharks are connected by parental indifference.

In other words, their mums and dads are rubbish.

Barrier reef. Not just about underwater.

There's lots of animals on land as well.

BIRD CALLS, FOLLOWED BY SQUELCH

Yeah, like seabirds.

-Meet the boobies.

-Are you serious?

-Yes. Silly name, silly face.

They're known for, well, looking a bit stupid.

-Wow, that is a big baby.

-And so it should be.

This baby has fought hard to be here.

Although Mum lays more than one egg, the strongest will usually

push the others out of the nest to ensure he gets the food.

Not much brotherly love going on, then?

I know! It seems harsh but maybe it's nature's way

of making sure at least one chick always survives.

And once they've done that, boy are they demanding!

Feed me! I want some more! I'm still hungry!

They're greedy all right. And by getting rid of their siblings,

they've made sure they get all the attention.

Not to be recommended in the real world.

You need siblings, to play football with and argue over the remote.

I agree. Once the chick has hatched, Mum stays by the nest and the male

goes off hunting. As the chick gets stronger, Mum helps out, too.

But one parent always baby-sits.

-Have they forgotten to dress?

-I think so.

They're so greedy! They're as large as their parents

before they grow feathers, so they may look grown-up but they're not.

It takes a long time before boobies are allowed out on their own,

because they need to learn how to fly and plunge-dive.

And as you can see, it might take a while.

Ah, they actually fly quite gracefully.

Not bad for a bird called "stupid".

So boobies are linked to epaulette sharks as they're both only children.

You've got to love family.

Let's catch up on our reef family connections.

So, how did we get from the caring clownfish

all the way to the boisterous boobies?

Our first family tie was our loving parents, the clownfish.

They juggle jobs between them to look after their babies.

Just like the spiky crayfish.

She may not look the motherly type but she's very dedicated.

What about the mucus-chomping spiny chromis damselfish?

Mucus connects them to the nudibranch,

-with their heart-shaped eggs.

-They're kissy-kissy

when they meet but they abandon their eggs without a thought.

Like epaulette sharks. They hide the eggs,

but they leave their babies to hatch alone.

Unlike our baby booby, an only child who gets lots of loving, tender care.

Enter our distinguished officer, the mandarin fish.

What are you talking about?

The mandarin fish is named so because of its bizarre colouring

and head-dress. It looks like a Chinese Imperial officer.

Ooh, he's quite majestic.

Digging his colours! And what a fine head-dress.

-Good morning, sir.

-Hello.

Wow, that is some cool fin-action.

-Thank you.

-Another distinguishing feature of our regal mandarin,

-he can move his fins like a sideways helicopter.

-He's quite a dude.

-Thank you.

-They're a bit like reef celebrities.

They like to preen, strut and have very fussy eating habits.

Only the best will do. Five-star, or they turn their nose up.

Fussy-eating fish, outrageous outfits

and they obviously like being the centre of attention.

They really are like celebrities.

-But they're not as lovely as they look.

-OK, tell me more.

Well, these guys have no parental skills at all.

The minute the eggs are released, their parents disappear in a flash.

What?! They don't look after their kids?

-They don't even hire a nanny?

-No, not even a backward glance.

They're like the glamorous showbiz couple of the reef

-who just want to party and show off their fancy outfits.

-Well, I never!

Boobies and mandarin fish both lay eggs,

but boobies care for theirs

while mandarin fish leave without a backwards glance.

Spooky things happen around the full moon, and this is one of them.

Wow! What are those little balls? It's like an ocean snowstorm.

This is one of the most amazing sights in the ocean.

It's called coral spawning. It happens only once a year.

No-one actually knows why, but it's mainly dependent on the full moon.

-It's very pretty. What is it?

-The coral is laying eggs into the water,

for the eggs to be fertilised by other corals.

It's quite spooky, really.

Loads of the corals in the reef all spawn together.

On that particular day, most corals decide to all lay eggs

within a few hours of each other, and some even at exactly the same time.

Ah, so that's why the reef keeps on living?

Because the moon, sun, tides and corals somehow let each other know

-it's spawning-time?

-Yep. Coral have an incredible ability to conquer,

settle and outgrow, and spawning is a large part of that process.

Once the eggs are released, that's it.

They're on their own to grow roots and start their own family.

Now that is one big family.

Talk about teamwork. Shame they leave their babies alone, though.

So the mandarin fish and corals are linked together

as they leave their babies to fend for themselves.

So freedom at birth connects the mandarin fish and coral.

The box jellyfish.

Deadly, highly venomous killers.

Aw, but surely the babies aren't deadly?

-They look like mini-jellies.

-Don't be fooled.

They may be babies, but they're still pretty tough.

And where they come from is as mysterious as their reputation.

The adults appear out of nowhere just after a full moon,

nearly invisible with their venom-loaded tentacles.

A few days later, they mysteriously disappear.

But they have left something behind... deadly microscopic spawn.

Deadly microscopic spawn? As if!

Well, they are once they start feeding off the plankton.

They have to survive completely on their own.

Well, if you're going to grow up to be a deadly killer,

you have to be tough right from the outset.

Our baby box jellies are connected to corals

because their children are left to fend for themselves.

OK, let's not get sidetracked. Who else is linked to the crafty corals?

Hey! It's the big yellow-mouth spotty leopard-skin fish.

No, it's not. It's the triggerfish.

That's a dull name for a fish with style.

Well, they're not dull parents, that's for sure.

They're always on the go.

They're picking up rubble, blowing away dust...

All in preparation for making a nest.

When they've made a nest, they really take care of it.

-They're a bit like the cleaners of the sea world.

-Yes.

And once the eggs are laid, the male fertilises them and the female

fans and defends them. She's like a proper mummy.

-And the male fish?

-Well, they have it made.

There's usually one male for several females.

OK for some. Does he have time for parenting?

Well, considering he has to share himself between them all,

he also works pretty hard.

He guards the nest, protecting the mum and the babies

until they hatch, then the female takes over.

It's an equal workload, I'd say.

They're very busy being parents, Mr and Mrs Triggerfish,

who work together to look after their kids,

just like the co-operative corals.

Reef cuttlefish. They may look comical but are super-intelligent.

If Y equals 2 x 4 + 3, we can easily conclude

that by carrying the 1, Y = the second-last letter of the alphabet.

Er, really? Appearances can be deceptive, I suppose.

Well, listen to this for a fascinating fact.

95% of all the animals in the world don't have a spine.

They're called invertebrates, and cuttlefish are considered

the most intelligent of them all.

Fascinating, my dear Barney, but the question is,

-are cuttlefish good parents?

-Why, they are the best, dear Gemma.

And why are we talking like we're in a costume drama?

Not sure. Maybe it's the cuttlefish's fetching skirt.

These two are flirting! See how the skirt

is twirling and the colour changing?

That is the cuttlefish's way of saying, "I fancy you".

But they look identical.

Why are they copying each other? Is that part of flirting?

Well, kind of. Get this.

Some male cuttlefish compete for the affections of the girls by...

-pretending to BE girls.

-What?!

Yes. This allows them to get past the watchful eyes of the big,

protective males. Sneaky or what?

Yeah, very sneaky. But you said it still makes them good parents?

Well, they're the best parents. Cue sad story.

When ready, the female lays her eggs very carefully

in the coral, picking the perfect place.

She lays up to 200 eggs, but not all the eggs survive.

-So far, not that sad.

-Brace yourself.

Shortly after the egg-laying, the male cuttlefish dies.

-No!

-So Mum is left on her own to cope for a while, but then...

-the mum dies too.

-Oh, that's so sad!

-Why?

-They've used up all their energy and so...so they die.

-Oh...!

I know, but it's just the way of the ocean world. There, there.

The babies don't know, and have no problem looking after themselves.

They learn to be independent and instinctively know

what to eat and how to disguise themselves.

Good. I couldn't cope with more sadness.

Triggerfish and cuttlefish are great parents

and will do what it takes to bring their babies into the world.

So they are linked because they both have lots of parental care.

We've seen loads of underwater families.

Let's run through them again.

We started back at the colourful mandarin fish.

They're proud, well-dressed, arrogant, and rubbish parents.

They abandon their eggs without a backward glance.

Like corals. Millions of eggs are released all on their own.

like box jellyfish babies, although I don't feel as sorry for them.

They are highly venomous.

But triggerfish are busy and nagging parents,

but look after their babies with care.

Just like the cuttlefish, who die for their children.

Oh, so sad!

So, who's our next family tie?

Oh, wow! Look, a turtle piggyback. How cool would that be?

Um, actually, they're mating.

Ah. Really? That male turtle's got his work cut out, hasn't he?

Well, no. The one doing the carrying is the female.

-No way!

-Yes. A female turtle's job is a hard one all right,

when it comes to families. They do all the work,

while the male does basically nothing.

Yes, the women make all the effort

and carrying around m'Lordship male here is only the beginning.

They travel up to 3,000km to breed.

They then drag themselves up the beach on only their front flippers.

-Well, when you put it like that...

-No wonder they're tired.

But does she get to rest? No way. She then has to dig a hole.

This sand-flinging? Does she know what she's doing?

Looks to me like she's just chucking it everywhere.

When she's working on her own, what do you expect?

I was only asking.

It might look like she's randomly flinging sand everywhere,

-but she'll get it done.

-Dare I ask, where's Dad?

Er, well, once he got his free lift he was nowhere to be seen.

-Goodbye!

-Well, I see your point, but she's nearly done now, isn't she?

No! Now she lays the eggs into this chamber she's made

at the bottom of the sandpit. All 120 of them.

Whoa, that's a lot, I agree.

I must admit, I have a new respect for the female turtle.

So you should! There are loads of turtles nesting on this beach.

Around 20,000, to be precise.

That's 20,000 turtles on an island

-the size of about 32 football pitches.

-Yes and that's 625 turtles.

per football pitch, all trying to find space for their babies.

-It's hard work.

-Please tell me she gets to rest now.

Yes. She has to drag herself down to the sea,

and only then does she rest. If she doesn't meet a hungry tiger shark.

-I'm gonna get you!

-EVIL LAUGH

She does all the hard work and the bloke turtle does nothing.

HE SNORES

Get me a drink, will you, Gem?

Typical!

See what I mean?

Like the mummy cuttlefish, the turtle mums

are also left to look after their babies on their own.

So being a single mum is what links the cuttlefish and turtles.

-Cool. What's next?

-Ouch!

-Ouch! I'm trying to get out of the way!

-Move out!

-I've been here for ten weeks.

-Who's that?

-That's Michelle.

-That's MY shell!

You thought the turtle beach was crowded? It's baby turtle time.

Whoa, it looks like the school bus rush!

It may look chaotic but the baby turtles hatch together for a reason.

-I hope it's a good one. Looks painful.

-It's safety in numbers.

They're vulnerable to predators so they stick together.

They head straight for the water, despite the fact

-they've never swam before, and just follow the currents.

-Swim!

Look at them go. Not all of them make it,

but they learn pretty fast, and once they've hit the water,

they're not seen again for 30 or 40 years, until they nest.

Bye, baby turtles. See you again in 2038, or thereabouts.

Although the competition is fierce, it's safety in numbers

for the baby turtles, just like their mothers.

Baby and mother turtles stick together,

-so our link is safety in numbers.

-So, who's next, then?

Wait until you hear this. This is extreme.

Oh, why do I have the feeling I'm going to hear something gross?

The grey nurse shark, with their shaggy teeth,

look ferocious, but they're actually pretty friendly...

G'day! How you going?

..unlike their babies.

Brace yourself. So, nurse shark eggs hatch inside the mother shark.

So? I'm not shocked yet.

When they're born, they're only small, but certainly not shy.

These tiny baby sharks then do the unimaginable.

-They start to eat each other.

-Whoa, hang on!

So they eat their own brothers and sisters? They must be hungry!

No, it's not about their hunger.

This is an example of sibling rivalry to the extreme.

It's all about them competing for space in their mum's belly,

as they're a metre long when they're born.

A metre?! That's a ma-hoosive bambino! How big are the sharks?

Well, that's the thing. Their mum is just over two metres herself,

so it's like giving birth to something half her size.

They fight to the death to secure their place in their mummy's tummy.

It's survival of the fittest, and out of about 80 eggs,

-only two actually make it.

-Respect to the sharks.

Those are some big babies.

So both the baby turtle and grey nurse

always start life with siblings,

even if the baby nurse sharks turn on their brothers and sisters.

So, siblings link our baby turtles and grey nurse pups.

But who else is connected to our cute baby turtles?

From single mummy to single daddy.

-Eh? Run that past me again.

-Meet the magnificent seahorse.

Legend of the sea, a mystical creature

that myths are made of. They've been around

for 40 million years and, well, their daddy is a mummy.

-Huh?!

-Now, this, I don't understand.

Seahorses are the only animal in the world

where the male gets pregnant and has babies.

Ah, now this is a lot more like it!

It's about time the men around here did some work!

And, might I say, they do it quite uncomplainingly.

-As if!

-Papa seahorse has a brood pouch on the front.

The female puts their eggs in the pouch and then the male is pregnant

-for three weeks.

-That's not long!

Well, it is for something size of a small hand.

But then they go into labour.

Wait for it... 72 hours!

-That's three days.

-Three days?

OK, I admit that's quite a while, and it does look like hard work.

They give birth to as many as 1,000 babies at a time.

See, sometimes the men in the reef have to work really hard, too.

OK, OK. I admit they do.

So the male seahorse works hard but what happens afterwards?

I bet they rest forever, or leave the female to do everything else.

Oh, such little faith! Seahorses are completely and utterly romantic.

During mating, they utter musical sounds. They are completely faithful

to each other and once they meet, are inseparable.

Ah, they sound like they'd make the perfect boyfriend.

Yeah, but there's not much parenting after the daddy gives birth.

Ah, see! The dad might work hard during the birth

-but then he deserts the babies.

-Well, I'm not so sure I blame him.

1,000 babies is a lot of childcare.

Imagine making packed lunches for all those every day.

Turtles and seahorses are both single parents.

And daddy day-care links us right back to our clownfish,

as the clownfish daddy is also in charge of looking after the eggs.

You can't choose your family.

And in the reef you can sink or swim,

depending on your family background.

There's bad parents, obsessive parents,

and really, really strange parents. Let's refresh with a reef-cap.

What a cool collection of connections. Let's see those again.

The clownfish don't joke when it comes to family,

-protecting their eggs at all cost.

-Like the caring crayfish.

Holding 250,000 eggs under her skirt can't be easy,

but she'll do anything for her kids.

What about the baby spiny chromis? They eat their parents' mucus. Yuck!

Which links them to the nudibranchs, who lay their eggs in mucus rings.

Egg abandonment links the nudies to the epaulette shark.

-The kids learn independence the hard way.

-Unlike baby boobies

who, in my opinion, get completely spoilt.

The mandarins leave their eggs behind them without a glance,

like the corals, who spawn millions of eggs all through the night.

Box jellies are left mysteriously by their parents.

They're not as lucky as trigger fish, very concerned parents,

like the caring cuttlefish.

Mum's the word for the turtles. She does everything, including

carrying around her lazy husband.

Luckily, the baby turtles stick together. It's a bit of a scramble

but it helps them survive, unlike the grey nurse shark pups,

who eat each other to ensure survival.

Or the seahorse? Who's the daddy? Well, he is.

Now, that is family dedication for you.

Seahorses are linked right back to clownfish by daddy day-care.

Right, a bit more towards me.

Are you sure I look OK?

Oh, yeah, you look great.

Remember, it's for family.

Your dad's going to love it!

Smile!

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