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In the vastness of the Pacific, | 0:00:02 | 0:00:04 | |
a once-in-a-lifetime expedition is underway. | 0:00:04 | 0:00:08 | |
We're on a voyage of discovery, | 0:00:08 | 0:00:10 | |
covering over 1,000 kilometres through the Galapagos Islands. | 0:00:10 | 0:00:15 | |
Galapagos, one of the greatest treasures of the natural world. | 0:00:15 | 0:00:20 | |
This place is just incredible. | 0:00:20 | 0:00:24 | |
Over 1,000 species here can be found nowhere else on Earth, | 0:00:24 | 0:00:28 | |
and they've evolved in extraordinary ways. | 0:00:28 | 0:00:31 | |
We're on the final leg of one of the most ambitious scientific | 0:00:34 | 0:00:38 | |
expeditions ever attempted in Galapagos. | 0:00:38 | 0:00:41 | |
We want to find out what the future holds for the wildlife here, | 0:00:43 | 0:00:47 | |
now that our human footprint is being felt like never before. | 0:00:47 | 0:00:51 | |
I'm Liz Bonnin. I'm a wild animal biologist, helping to carry out | 0:00:52 | 0:00:57 | |
ground-breaking research in the field. | 0:00:57 | 0:01:00 | |
I'm joined by a team of world-renowned scientists. | 0:01:01 | 0:01:05 | |
Using cutting-edge technology, we'll illuminate invisible worlds | 0:01:07 | 0:01:12 | |
beneath the earth, | 0:01:12 | 0:01:15 | |
above the forests... | 0:01:15 | 0:01:17 | |
and below the waves... | 0:01:19 | 0:01:21 | |
They're so beautiful, they really are. | 0:01:21 | 0:01:24 | |
..to reveal how the wildlife here is battling to survive. | 0:01:24 | 0:01:28 | |
We don't want to lose it. If we lose it, it's for good. | 0:01:28 | 0:01:32 | |
'We'll study the animals most at risk, | 0:01:32 | 0:01:35 | |
'to understand how we can protect them.' | 0:01:35 | 0:01:38 | |
That's a good, healthy individual. | 0:01:38 | 0:01:41 | |
'And we'll witness the wonders of a new Galapagos island being born.' | 0:01:41 | 0:01:48 | |
It's so beautiful down there! It's so beautiful! | 0:01:48 | 0:01:52 | |
This is Mission: Galapagos. | 0:01:52 | 0:01:54 | |
Last time, we followed a mysterious ocean giant, the sunfish, | 0:02:11 | 0:02:17 | |
to discover what it got up to in the deep. | 0:02:17 | 0:02:20 | |
-Whoa! -It's getting cleaned! It's getting cleaned! | 0:02:20 | 0:02:24 | |
It's getting cleaned. | 0:02:24 | 0:02:26 | |
And we observed how huge numbers of hammerheads | 0:02:26 | 0:02:30 | |
gather here to find a mate. | 0:02:30 | 0:02:32 | |
Oh, my God, look at this! | 0:02:37 | 0:02:40 | |
Our explorations of the ocean here have made such an impression on me. | 0:02:40 | 0:02:45 | |
The sheer diversity and magnificence of life forms | 0:02:45 | 0:02:49 | |
on a scale I never imagined. | 0:02:49 | 0:02:52 | |
The research going on here is vital. | 0:02:53 | 0:02:56 | |
Not only is it revealing new information about our oceans | 0:02:56 | 0:03:00 | |
but it's also raising important questions about the future. | 0:03:00 | 0:03:04 | |
97% of Galapagos is uninhabited, | 0:03:07 | 0:03:11 | |
making it one of the most incredible nature reserves on Earth. | 0:03:11 | 0:03:14 | |
But now its wildlife shares a few islands with 30,000 people. | 0:03:16 | 0:03:21 | |
And it's a number growing | 0:03:24 | 0:03:26 | |
by thousands of new arrivals every year. | 0:03:26 | 0:03:28 | |
So this is where we are. | 0:03:32 | 0:03:34 | |
The nearest mainland, South America, is 1,000km that way, | 0:03:34 | 0:03:38 | |
and that's the reason why the Galapagos have remained one of the | 0:03:38 | 0:03:41 | |
most pristine places on the planet - their sheer isolation. | 0:03:41 | 0:03:46 | |
But now we're heading to these islands, | 0:03:46 | 0:03:48 | |
to the centre and east of the archipelago, | 0:03:48 | 0:03:51 | |
where the impact of man is more evident. | 0:03:51 | 0:03:53 | |
We want to find out how the marine life in Galapagos is faring now that | 0:03:56 | 0:04:01 | |
our human footprint is growing. | 0:04:01 | 0:04:03 | |
Our first destination is San Cristobal. | 0:04:11 | 0:04:14 | |
6,000 people live here. | 0:04:19 | 0:04:21 | |
There's a thriving fishing industry and it's a popular tourist stop-off. | 0:04:22 | 0:04:27 | |
5km along the coast from the capital city of Galapagos is a | 0:04:30 | 0:04:34 | |
beach that's vital to green sea turtles. | 0:04:34 | 0:04:38 | |
The turtles rely on this long expanse of soft sand | 0:04:43 | 0:04:47 | |
and plentiful supply of food - algae. | 0:04:47 | 0:04:50 | |
Our team, led by marine biologist Juan Pablo Munoz, | 0:04:53 | 0:04:57 | |
have set up on the beach. | 0:04:57 | 0:04:59 | |
This is pretty much an oasis for sea turtles here. | 0:05:00 | 0:05:03 | |
The Galapagos is kind of one of the few places in the world | 0:05:03 | 0:05:09 | |
that is still safe for them. | 0:05:09 | 0:05:11 | |
Turtles are extremely vulnerable to changes in the ocean, | 0:05:12 | 0:05:16 | |
and Juan Pablo's worried the waters here may be becoming polluted. | 0:05:16 | 0:05:20 | |
Recent evidence suggests he has cause for concern. | 0:05:22 | 0:05:25 | |
The other day we found a dead sea turtle. | 0:05:27 | 0:05:30 | |
We opened the stomach of the sea turtle. | 0:05:30 | 0:05:32 | |
We thought that we were going to find maybe a little bit of plastic, | 0:05:32 | 0:05:35 | |
and it was like all the stomach was full of plastic. | 0:05:35 | 0:05:38 | |
Those kind of things that are floating, they look like | 0:05:38 | 0:05:41 | |
algae floating as well, so they tend to eat that. | 0:05:41 | 0:05:44 | |
I'm helping to examine the turtles to find out how healthy they are and | 0:05:47 | 0:05:51 | |
look for any evidence of plastic. | 0:05:51 | 0:05:53 | |
But to do that, you have to catch them. | 0:05:56 | 0:05:58 | |
Which is easier said than done. | 0:06:01 | 0:06:03 | |
Sea turtles can hold their breath for up to four hours. | 0:06:08 | 0:06:11 | |
And those powerful flippers allow them to reach speeds of over 30kph. | 0:06:14 | 0:06:19 | |
I think they're giving them the runaround. | 0:06:34 | 0:06:36 | |
Three turtles have just popped up, right in front of the divers. | 0:06:43 | 0:06:46 | |
DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS | 0:06:46 | 0:06:50 | |
The team need to work together, | 0:06:52 | 0:06:54 | |
closing in cautiously on the turtles. | 0:06:54 | 0:06:57 | |
They wait for just the right moment and dive. | 0:07:09 | 0:07:13 | |
As soon as they've captured a turtle, they swim it to the surface | 0:07:26 | 0:07:29 | |
for a breath of air. | 0:07:29 | 0:07:31 | |
They've got it, they've got one. They've got a turtle. | 0:07:33 | 0:07:36 | |
So we time from the moment it's captured out in the water. | 0:07:36 | 0:07:41 | |
When they get back there, we do all the health checks, | 0:07:41 | 0:07:43 | |
it's back in the water in 20 minutes. | 0:07:43 | 0:07:45 | |
Fingers crossed. Well done, chaps. | 0:07:45 | 0:07:48 | |
It's magnificent. | 0:07:49 | 0:07:51 | |
So now everyone has a job to do. | 0:07:53 | 0:07:55 | |
They've got to work really, really fast, | 0:07:55 | 0:07:57 | |
get that green turtle back in the water as soon as possible, | 0:07:57 | 0:08:00 | |
but every bit of information that we can gain will ultimately help to | 0:08:00 | 0:08:04 | |
protect this population. | 0:08:04 | 0:08:07 | |
'The wellbeing of each turtle is our priority. | 0:08:07 | 0:08:11 | |
'Wildlife vet, Professor Greg Lewbart, is on hand.' | 0:08:11 | 0:08:14 | |
One way to see if the turtle is eating well | 0:08:18 | 0:08:21 | |
is to look inside its mouth. | 0:08:21 | 0:08:23 | |
A-ha! | 0:08:23 | 0:08:24 | |
Somebody's been eating. | 0:08:24 | 0:08:26 | |
-So... -Do you want me to shine this for you and you can open it up? | 0:08:27 | 0:08:31 | |
Yeah, that'd be great. | 0:08:31 | 0:08:33 | |
-OK, ready? -Look in the mouth. Yeah. Ready? -Yeah. | 0:08:33 | 0:08:37 | |
Just shine back into the back of the mouth. | 0:08:37 | 0:08:40 | |
There. Can you look into the...? Someone just had lunch. | 0:08:40 | 0:08:42 | |
-Do you see the algae in there? -Well, yes. Had a good meal. | 0:08:42 | 0:08:45 | |
So I think we can look by this animal's condition and know it's | 0:08:45 | 0:08:49 | |
eating, but we can actually see some | 0:08:49 | 0:08:51 | |
remnants of the salad lunch she had. | 0:08:51 | 0:08:53 | |
-That all looks really good. -Can I cover her eyes now? | 0:08:55 | 0:08:58 | |
-Yeah, yeah, you can. -This works wonders for just calming the turtle. | 0:08:58 | 0:09:01 | |
The sooner you can put this on, it's nice and cool and wet, | 0:09:01 | 0:09:04 | |
the better for it. | 0:09:04 | 0:09:06 | |
'Very little is known about the lives of sea turtles, | 0:09:06 | 0:09:10 | |
'so this is the perfect opportunity | 0:09:10 | 0:09:12 | |
'to gather as much information as possible.' | 0:09:12 | 0:09:15 | |
73. | 0:09:15 | 0:09:17 | |
'We also take a blood sample.' | 0:09:17 | 0:09:19 | |
And that can give them all sorts of information, | 0:09:19 | 0:09:21 | |
from when a turtle is caught, | 0:09:21 | 0:09:22 | |
it'll have a certain amount of stress hormone. | 0:09:22 | 0:09:24 | |
All animals have that, it's a survival mechanism, | 0:09:24 | 0:09:26 | |
but if an individual is in a more polluted area, | 0:09:26 | 0:09:29 | |
its immunity's compromised, its stress levels will be higher. | 0:09:29 | 0:09:33 | |
So even that, comparing a healthy individual's stress levels, | 0:09:33 | 0:09:36 | |
to that of a non-healthy individual, can be really valuable. | 0:09:36 | 0:09:39 | |
'The last task is to measure its heart rate.' | 0:09:42 | 0:09:46 | |
Try about right here. | 0:09:46 | 0:09:48 | |
Perfect. | 0:09:51 | 0:09:53 | |
-36. -36, that's about what we expected. | 0:09:53 | 0:09:55 | |
-Heart rate's 36. -Yeah, perfect. | 0:09:55 | 0:09:57 | |
That's a good, healthy individual. Its heart rate isn't too high. | 0:09:57 | 0:10:00 | |
That's good news. | 0:10:00 | 0:10:02 | |
Are we ready to let her go? Let's let her go. Go! | 0:10:02 | 0:10:06 | |
Go, go, go! Off you go, beauty. | 0:10:06 | 0:10:08 | |
Nearly there. There you go. | 0:10:11 | 0:10:13 | |
Fabulous. Back in the ocean. | 0:10:16 | 0:10:18 | |
All done in 18 minutes, which is really good. | 0:10:18 | 0:10:20 | |
Minimal handling time, minimum stress. | 0:10:20 | 0:10:23 | |
No rest for the wicked. | 0:10:23 | 0:10:25 | |
The more they can get today, the better for their data. | 0:10:25 | 0:10:28 | |
As the team continues to health check more turtles here, | 0:10:30 | 0:10:33 | |
there are no obvious signs that they've ingested plastic. | 0:10:33 | 0:10:36 | |
The turtles we encounter all appear to be in good health. | 0:10:40 | 0:10:44 | |
This is just the start of a long-term study | 0:10:46 | 0:10:49 | |
to see how the turtles here are coping. | 0:10:49 | 0:10:53 | |
The data we've gathered will act as a useful baseline when Juan Pablo | 0:10:53 | 0:10:56 | |
returns to carry out more health checks in future. | 0:10:56 | 0:10:59 | |
He's also leading an initiative | 0:11:05 | 0:11:07 | |
to clean up the beaches most at risk from pollution. | 0:11:07 | 0:11:11 | |
All sea turtles are almost disappearing, all around the world. | 0:11:11 | 0:11:15 | |
They have been here in this planet since dinosaur times, | 0:11:15 | 0:11:19 | |
so 200 million years ago, | 0:11:19 | 0:11:21 | |
and only in the last 200 years they're being endangered. | 0:11:21 | 0:11:26 | |
Juan Pablo is determined that Galapagos remains a haven | 0:11:30 | 0:11:33 | |
for green sea turtles. | 0:11:33 | 0:11:35 | |
-Woo! Good job! -Esta bien! | 0:11:39 | 0:11:42 | |
Given a chance, in clean waters, | 0:11:45 | 0:11:48 | |
these magnificent creatures can live to 100. | 0:11:48 | 0:11:51 | |
A few more kilometres along the coast | 0:11:57 | 0:12:00 | |
is an important habitat for sharks in Galapagos - mangroves. | 0:12:00 | 0:12:04 | |
I'm joining a team of scientists who are investigating how to protect the | 0:12:06 | 0:12:10 | |
sharks from fishermen's nets. | 0:12:10 | 0:12:12 | |
Sharks are apex predators. | 0:12:20 | 0:12:22 | |
Sitting at the top of the food chain, | 0:12:26 | 0:12:29 | |
their health is a vital indicator for the entire marine ecosystem. | 0:12:29 | 0:12:33 | |
But they're one of the most vulnerable animals in the ocean. | 0:12:36 | 0:12:40 | |
100 million sharks are caught by fishermen every year. | 0:12:40 | 0:12:44 | |
Although Galapagos is protected from industrial-scale fishing, | 0:12:47 | 0:12:51 | |
sharks are still very much at risk. | 0:12:51 | 0:12:53 | |
Some species of shark migrate to mangroves, | 0:12:55 | 0:12:58 | |
like these at San Cristobal, to have their young. | 0:12:58 | 0:13:02 | |
The long roots here provide shelter and protection for these vulnerable | 0:13:06 | 0:13:10 | |
young sharks from predators. | 0:13:10 | 0:13:12 | |
Shark pups should be safe within the protection of the mangroves, | 0:13:16 | 0:13:20 | |
but our scientists have found | 0:13:20 | 0:13:22 | |
that they're still being caught accidentally by local fishermen. | 0:13:22 | 0:13:26 | |
We want to find out why this is happening. | 0:13:26 | 0:13:28 | |
This is a beautiful little volcanic lagoon, | 0:13:32 | 0:13:36 | |
where hopefully there will be sharks. | 0:13:36 | 0:13:38 | |
During the day they seek shelter, safety, | 0:13:38 | 0:13:42 | |
in shallow lagoons like this one. | 0:13:42 | 0:13:44 | |
Using special nets, we're capturing and tagging the young sharks, | 0:13:45 | 0:13:49 | |
to find out where they're going. | 0:13:49 | 0:13:51 | |
So we're just deploying the net from one end of the lagoon to the other, | 0:13:56 | 0:14:01 | |
just to stop any of the juveniles from exiting the lagoon again. | 0:14:01 | 0:14:06 | |
And it looks like we've just got several very close to the mangrove. | 0:14:06 | 0:14:10 | |
Just as with the turtles, | 0:14:14 | 0:14:16 | |
for each shark caught, we'll need to work fast. | 0:14:16 | 0:14:19 | |
We just need two minutes to get the sharks here in the boat. | 0:14:21 | 0:14:26 | |
Everything needs to be really fast. | 0:14:26 | 0:14:28 | |
-Two minutes? -Yeah, maximum two minutes. | 0:14:28 | 0:14:31 | |
The time the shark is out of the water is really, really important, | 0:14:31 | 0:14:34 | |
and I'm the only one who's going to be keeping tabs on that, | 0:14:34 | 0:14:36 | |
so if I forget to do that then we lose track of how long it's been out | 0:14:36 | 0:14:39 | |
of the water and that is not a good idea. | 0:14:39 | 0:14:42 | |
It's not long before the sharks make an appearance. | 0:14:42 | 0:14:45 | |
OK, we've literally just deployed the net | 0:14:49 | 0:14:52 | |
and there are two sharks in it already. | 0:14:52 | 0:14:55 | |
OK, just tell me when he's completely out of the water. | 0:15:03 | 0:15:05 | |
-OK, we have one. -Good. 11:49.10. -OK, ready, guys. | 0:15:05 | 0:15:08 | |
Each juvenile shark has an ID tag fitted | 0:15:10 | 0:15:13 | |
so its movements can be tracked. | 0:15:13 | 0:15:16 | |
-Come on. -Floy tag number? | 0:15:16 | 0:15:19 | |
Floy tag is 2235. | 0:15:19 | 0:15:22 | |
Total length is 74.1. | 0:15:22 | 0:15:24 | |
Yeah. Male or female? | 0:15:24 | 0:15:27 | |
-It's a male. -It's a male? | 0:15:27 | 0:15:29 | |
You've just done one minute, guys, you're at one minute down. | 0:15:29 | 0:15:32 | |
-It is... -You got it? | 0:15:32 | 0:15:35 | |
-Wait. -7.05. | 0:15:35 | 0:15:38 | |
Look at you. | 0:15:38 | 0:15:40 | |
Back in the water. | 0:15:40 | 0:15:43 | |
You did it in less than two minutes, guys, well done. | 0:15:45 | 0:15:50 | |
They're so on it, they really are. | 0:15:50 | 0:15:52 | |
1:10, 1:20, that's fab. | 0:15:52 | 0:15:55 | |
And once they're out, it's like lightning speed. | 0:15:55 | 0:15:58 | |
This research is still in its early stages, | 0:16:04 | 0:16:07 | |
but it's confirming that these young sharks need more protection. | 0:16:07 | 0:16:11 | |
THEY CELEBRATE | 0:16:17 | 0:16:20 | |
The tracking data is revealing that | 0:16:22 | 0:16:24 | |
juvenile sharks don't stay within the safety of their own mangroves. | 0:16:24 | 0:16:28 | |
As they get bigger, the sharks leave the protection of the nursery to | 0:16:33 | 0:16:37 | |
visit other mangroves along the coast, braving open waters and | 0:16:37 | 0:16:41 | |
straying into fishing zones. | 0:16:41 | 0:16:43 | |
A juvenile shark won't just stay around its nursery. | 0:16:45 | 0:16:50 | |
It will go to other nurseries as well. | 0:16:50 | 0:16:52 | |
Why would they do that? Do we know why? | 0:16:52 | 0:16:54 | |
Because of competition. | 0:16:54 | 0:16:58 | |
There are a lot of babies and they all want food, | 0:16:58 | 0:17:00 | |
so they start exploring other places. | 0:17:00 | 0:17:03 | |
So we need to protect the routes the juveniles are using, | 0:17:03 | 0:17:06 | |
-not just the mangroves? -Yeah. | 0:17:06 | 0:17:08 | |
Using this data to create no-fishing zones between the mangroves will | 0:17:11 | 0:17:16 | |
help prevent these young sharks from getting caught | 0:17:16 | 0:17:18 | |
in the fishermen's nets. | 0:17:18 | 0:17:20 | |
One of the things I love the most about wildlife research | 0:17:22 | 0:17:25 | |
is the constant surprises. | 0:17:25 | 0:17:27 | |
Each new study reveals more information that forces us to | 0:17:27 | 0:17:31 | |
re-evaluate our understanding of species and their habitats, | 0:17:31 | 0:17:34 | |
and how to protect them. | 0:17:34 | 0:17:36 | |
Back on Alucia, our next mission | 0:17:40 | 0:17:43 | |
is to study one of the most fragile marine animals in Galapagos - | 0:17:43 | 0:17:48 | |
corals. | 0:17:48 | 0:17:50 | |
So far on our expedition we've seen no evidence of coral reefs. | 0:17:54 | 0:17:59 | |
Severe weather events, called El Ninos, have struck Galapagos in | 0:18:06 | 0:18:10 | |
recent decades, raising sea temperatures here | 0:18:10 | 0:18:14 | |
by up to 4 degrees. CRASH OF LIGHTNING | 0:18:14 | 0:18:18 | |
This has caused many corals to become so stressed | 0:18:19 | 0:18:22 | |
they've eventually died. | 0:18:22 | 0:18:24 | |
12 of the 13 coral reefs here have been wiped out. | 0:18:30 | 0:18:34 | |
The only one that survives is located in the north of the islands. | 0:18:34 | 0:18:38 | |
But this last reef is under threat, | 0:18:44 | 0:18:46 | |
as many scientists think climate change is making El Ninos worse. | 0:18:46 | 0:18:51 | |
We want to see how the coral is faring. | 0:18:53 | 0:18:56 | |
It gets dark quickly on the equator, | 0:18:58 | 0:19:01 | |
it's just gone six and the sun's beginning to set, | 0:19:01 | 0:19:03 | |
but that gives us an opportunity to do something really special. | 0:19:03 | 0:19:08 | |
Heading into the hidden world of the Galapagos oceans at night. | 0:19:08 | 0:19:12 | |
This is a good time to assess the health of the coral here, | 0:19:14 | 0:19:19 | |
because our team are using a ground-breaking technique to observe | 0:19:19 | 0:19:23 | |
its biofluorescence - a mysterious ability certain corals have to | 0:19:23 | 0:19:29 | |
absorb the blue light of the ocean | 0:19:29 | 0:19:31 | |
and emit it as incredible neon colours. | 0:19:31 | 0:19:34 | |
These colours indicate the coral's health, | 0:19:35 | 0:19:38 | |
but are invisible to the naked eye. | 0:19:38 | 0:19:41 | |
To see them, our team need to shine a blue light on the reef, | 0:19:41 | 0:19:45 | |
which works best at night. | 0:19:45 | 0:19:47 | |
We see the world in a multitude of colours, | 0:19:51 | 0:19:54 | |
but down there the water absorbs all the wavelengths except for blue. | 0:19:54 | 0:20:00 | |
And it looks like a pretty one-dimensional world to us, | 0:20:00 | 0:20:03 | |
but life is actually making use of that blue | 0:20:03 | 0:20:05 | |
in the most beautiful and extraordinary way. | 0:20:05 | 0:20:08 | |
Only the most experienced divers are entering the water tonight. | 0:20:11 | 0:20:15 | |
They're absolutely fearless. | 0:20:21 | 0:20:23 | |
It's a night dive in the Galapagos | 0:20:23 | 0:20:25 | |
and there are a lot of sharks around. | 0:20:25 | 0:20:29 | |
Kudos to them, really and truly. | 0:20:29 | 0:20:31 | |
Everybody happy? | 0:20:40 | 0:20:43 | |
OK, let's go down. | 0:20:43 | 0:20:45 | |
Reefs are huge limestone structures | 0:20:53 | 0:20:56 | |
created by the millions of tiny corals that live on them. | 0:20:56 | 0:21:01 | |
They're hotspots of biodiversity. | 0:21:01 | 0:21:03 | |
Come forward. | 0:21:04 | 0:21:06 | |
If this last remaining reef in Galapagos can't be saved, | 0:21:12 | 0:21:16 | |
a vital part of the marine ecosystem will be lost forever. | 0:21:16 | 0:21:20 | |
As soon as the team switches on their blue lights... | 0:21:23 | 0:21:27 | |
Yeah, that's good, that's good. | 0:21:27 | 0:21:29 | |
..a magical world opens up before their eyes. | 0:21:30 | 0:21:34 | |
Now look at that! | 0:21:36 | 0:21:38 | |
Understanding how and why corals biofluoresce like this | 0:21:56 | 0:22:01 | |
is a new frontier for science. | 0:22:01 | 0:22:03 | |
Unlocking their secrets will help us to understand how reefs are | 0:22:05 | 0:22:09 | |
threatened and how to protect them. | 0:22:09 | 0:22:12 | |
They're so beautiful, they really are. | 0:22:16 | 0:22:20 | |
Bright green fluorescence like this indicates the coral is healthy. | 0:22:20 | 0:22:24 | |
Scientists think they glow this colour to protect themselves from | 0:22:26 | 0:22:30 | |
the sun's UV rays, like a kind of sunscreen. | 0:22:30 | 0:22:33 | |
Looks great. | 0:22:34 | 0:22:35 | |
The level of green fluorescence suggests the reef is doing well. | 0:22:37 | 0:22:41 | |
But our team is also detecting other colours. | 0:22:45 | 0:22:48 | |
Blue patches can indicate coral bleaching, | 0:22:50 | 0:22:53 | |
damage from rising water temperatures. | 0:22:53 | 0:22:55 | |
And red can mean the coral is dead, covered with bacteria. | 0:22:58 | 0:23:03 | |
Corals are the most sensitive indicators of ocean health. | 0:23:13 | 0:23:18 | |
For now, the last reef in Galapagos seems to be in good shape. | 0:23:18 | 0:23:23 | |
OK, team, that's it, we're going up. | 0:23:23 | 0:23:25 | |
But with some signs of damage, | 0:23:26 | 0:23:28 | |
and with sea temperatures predicted to rise in the future, | 0:23:29 | 0:23:33 | |
our scientists will be monitoring this precious site very closely. | 0:23:33 | 0:23:38 | |
Our understanding of biofluorescence is still at an early stage | 0:23:45 | 0:23:48 | |
but this is a perfect example of how awe-inspiring nature can be, | 0:23:48 | 0:23:53 | |
and how little we still know about it. | 0:23:53 | 0:23:55 | |
I mean, I can only imagine what's left to be discovered down there. | 0:23:55 | 0:23:59 | |
And it also drives home just how important it is to protect | 0:23:59 | 0:24:02 | |
environments like these. | 0:24:02 | 0:24:04 | |
CHATTERING OF RADIO | 0:24:08 | 0:24:11 | |
Our mission is focusing next on how our human footprint | 0:24:13 | 0:24:17 | |
is impacting the land here. | 0:24:17 | 0:24:19 | |
We want to observe a species on the edge of extinction... | 0:24:21 | 0:24:24 | |
..and that's found nowhere else on Earth. | 0:24:26 | 0:24:30 | |
We've been travelling around these islands for a good few weeks now and | 0:24:33 | 0:24:37 | |
it's been this breathtaking journey | 0:24:37 | 0:24:40 | |
through a dramatic volcanic landscape. | 0:24:40 | 0:24:43 | |
But on this, the next stage of our mission, | 0:24:43 | 0:24:46 | |
we're heading to a lush green world, unlike any other, where an endemic | 0:24:46 | 0:24:51 | |
plant is fighting for survival. | 0:24:51 | 0:24:53 | |
It's located on the fertile island of Santa Cruz. | 0:24:56 | 0:24:59 | |
Lying 500 metres above sea level, we need to take to the air to reach it. | 0:25:02 | 0:25:07 | |
Echo Mike Delta, we're ready to fly. | 0:25:15 | 0:25:18 | |
This critically endangered plant | 0:25:42 | 0:25:44 | |
provides a home for countless species. | 0:25:44 | 0:25:47 | |
It's a vital part of the ecosystem, | 0:25:52 | 0:25:56 | |
helping to trap moisture from the air and irrigating the undergrowth. | 0:25:56 | 0:26:00 | |
This forest is filled with a plant | 0:26:26 | 0:26:29 | |
that's endemic to the Galapagos. | 0:26:29 | 0:26:32 | |
It's related to marigolds and daisies. | 0:26:32 | 0:26:36 | |
In fact, these are all essentially giant daisy trees, called scalesia. | 0:26:36 | 0:26:40 | |
This place is so completely different | 0:26:43 | 0:26:45 | |
to anywhere else I've been on these islands. | 0:26:45 | 0:26:47 | |
Just over 100 years ago, one species of scalesia | 0:26:51 | 0:26:55 | |
covered nearly 100 square kilometres of this island. | 0:26:55 | 0:26:59 | |
Today, just one square kilometre remains. | 0:26:59 | 0:27:03 | |
These beautiful, delicate trees once dominated | 0:27:05 | 0:27:09 | |
the Highlands throughout the archipelago, | 0:27:09 | 0:27:11 | |
each different from the next, | 0:27:11 | 0:27:13 | |
depending on which island they were on, but all descended from a single | 0:27:13 | 0:27:17 | |
daisy-like ancestor, whose seed managed to hitch a ride in the | 0:27:17 | 0:27:21 | |
feathers or perhaps even the belly of a bird | 0:27:21 | 0:27:25 | |
winging its way to the Galapagos. | 0:27:25 | 0:27:27 | |
Scientists want to save the tiny amount of scalesia that's left. | 0:27:29 | 0:27:34 | |
To do that, they need to gain | 0:27:34 | 0:27:36 | |
insights into how the forest has been impacted and by what. | 0:27:36 | 0:27:40 | |
Professor Gonzalo Rivas is using the latest drone technology to take | 0:27:43 | 0:27:48 | |
aerial photos of the forest canopy. | 0:27:48 | 0:27:50 | |
He's particularly interested in another plant in the area, | 0:27:52 | 0:27:57 | |
an invasive species of tree | 0:27:57 | 0:27:59 | |
he believes is responsible for scalesia's downfall. | 0:27:59 | 0:28:03 | |
What exactly is an invasive species, then? | 0:28:05 | 0:28:08 | |
So, an invasive species is the one that we humans brought in. | 0:28:08 | 0:28:11 | |
So there we have a cedar tree, the tall one. | 0:28:11 | 0:28:14 | |
That is a highly invasive species that have been brought in the last | 0:28:14 | 0:28:19 | |
century by humans. | 0:28:19 | 0:28:22 | |
Fast-growing cedar was brought in to provide wood for early settlers. | 0:28:22 | 0:28:27 | |
And once it took root, it quickly spread. | 0:28:27 | 0:28:31 | |
But it's not the only invasive species here. | 0:28:31 | 0:28:35 | |
Introduced guava is a big problem, too, | 0:28:35 | 0:28:37 | |
and blackberry is also a really noxious weed, | 0:28:37 | 0:28:39 | |
they can grow really fast. | 0:28:39 | 0:28:41 | |
So how exactly does this technology work, then, Gonzalo? | 0:29:06 | 0:29:09 | |
While the drone is flying, it's taking infrared pictures that, | 0:29:09 | 0:29:14 | |
as you can see in the monitor, it's giving us this colour... | 0:29:14 | 0:29:17 | |
-Yeah. -..that afterwards I will use to code the species. | 0:29:17 | 0:29:22 | |
Gonzalo's camera reveals secret signatures... | 0:29:24 | 0:29:27 | |
the levels of infrared light reflected by the leaves | 0:29:29 | 0:29:33 | |
of each plant below. | 0:29:33 | 0:29:35 | |
The intensity of colour indicates how healthy each plant is, | 0:29:35 | 0:29:40 | |
giving us an instant snapshot of which ones are doing best. | 0:29:40 | 0:29:44 | |
In this computer-enhanced image, | 0:29:47 | 0:29:49 | |
there's barely any evidence of scalesia. | 0:29:49 | 0:29:52 | |
The blue and purple areas are | 0:29:53 | 0:29:56 | |
empty space where it once would have thrived. | 0:29:56 | 0:29:59 | |
The darker red patches indicate the invasive plants that are winning the | 0:29:59 | 0:30:03 | |
fight for space and light. | 0:30:03 | 0:30:05 | |
They are the biggest threats to scalesia. | 0:30:05 | 0:30:08 | |
Gonzalo, how important is the data you're amassing? | 0:30:11 | 0:30:14 | |
This kind of data is extremely important because it will inform | 0:30:14 | 0:30:18 | |
directly the National Park and also other scientists to know where the | 0:30:18 | 0:30:22 | |
main invasive species, plant species, are in the island. | 0:30:22 | 0:30:26 | |
The results of studies like these are worrying. | 0:30:30 | 0:30:33 | |
99% of the scalesia forest here has been crowded out. | 0:30:34 | 0:30:39 | |
I mean, I suppose with only 1% left of the scalesia forest in the | 0:30:42 | 0:30:45 | |
Highlands, some people might argue, "Look, just let it all die out, | 0:30:45 | 0:30:48 | |
"let cedar take over." | 0:30:48 | 0:30:50 | |
But why is that just not the answer? | 0:30:50 | 0:30:52 | |
This is a unique species and we don't want to lose it. | 0:30:52 | 0:30:56 | |
It's amazingly important, and if we lose it, it's for good. | 0:30:56 | 0:31:01 | |
The extinction of scalesia would be catastrophic for the wildlife that | 0:31:04 | 0:31:08 | |
depends on it. | 0:31:08 | 0:31:09 | |
Gonzalo and his team are using the drone images | 0:31:18 | 0:31:21 | |
to target the species that pose the biggest threat. | 0:31:21 | 0:31:24 | |
They'll focus on removing them, one by one, | 0:31:30 | 0:31:34 | |
to make space for scalesia once more. | 0:31:34 | 0:31:36 | |
Galapagos National Park aims to double scalesia's numbers | 0:31:44 | 0:31:48 | |
and restore this unique and enchanting forest | 0:31:48 | 0:31:52 | |
to its former glory. | 0:31:52 | 0:31:53 | |
I'm camping in it tonight. | 0:32:02 | 0:32:05 | |
It's a rare chance to appreciate its beauty. | 0:32:05 | 0:32:08 | |
Gonzalo, I was pretty surprised to hear the stats about scalesia, | 0:32:12 | 0:32:16 | |
you know, that only 1% of these forests remain here. | 0:32:16 | 0:32:19 | |
The scalesia numbers are striking. | 0:32:19 | 0:32:22 | |
And we need to use those as... | 0:32:22 | 0:32:26 | |
as a thermometer, to keep a good eye on these indicator species. | 0:32:26 | 0:32:31 | |
There's...there's a wake-up call that we need now. | 0:32:31 | 0:32:37 | |
We do not need to wait until scalesia has gone, | 0:32:37 | 0:32:41 | |
until other species are gone. | 0:32:41 | 0:32:43 | |
Seeing for myself what's left of the scalesia forest does make me worry | 0:32:54 | 0:32:58 | |
about the future of the Galapagos. | 0:32:58 | 0:33:00 | |
But on this journey, I've also met a whole host of organisations and | 0:33:00 | 0:33:04 | |
scientists who are committed to making sure that's what's happening | 0:33:04 | 0:33:07 | |
in the rest of the world doesn't end up happening here, | 0:33:07 | 0:33:10 | |
that the Galapagos can be the model for how to succeed in protecting the | 0:33:10 | 0:33:14 | |
natural world. | 0:33:14 | 0:33:16 | |
Travelling down from the scalesia forest, you can see great trails | 0:33:38 | 0:33:42 | |
forged through the vegetation. | 0:33:42 | 0:33:44 | |
They're made by a true creature of habit, which has been using the same | 0:33:52 | 0:33:57 | |
migration routes to travel across islands for thousands of years. | 0:33:57 | 0:34:02 | |
The giant tortoise. | 0:34:06 | 0:34:08 | |
Arguably the most recognisable animal on Galapagos. | 0:34:10 | 0:34:15 | |
It even gave the islands their name. | 0:34:25 | 0:34:28 | |
Galapago means tortoise in Old Spanish. | 0:34:28 | 0:34:31 | |
I'm meeting biologist Steve Blake, | 0:34:48 | 0:34:50 | |
who's been studying the epic journeys these giant tortoises make. | 0:34:50 | 0:34:54 | |
Basically, tortoises follow where the good food is, | 0:34:56 | 0:34:59 | |
and the greenness of the vegetation | 0:34:59 | 0:35:01 | |
depends on the elevation. | 0:35:01 | 0:35:02 | |
So, as seasonal swings in rainfall kick in through the Galapagos year, | 0:35:02 | 0:35:07 | |
the tortoises follow that sort of | 0:35:07 | 0:35:10 | |
pendulum of greenness as it moves up and down the island. | 0:35:10 | 0:35:13 | |
But these seasonal migrations have been affected | 0:35:13 | 0:35:16 | |
by the arrival of humans here. | 0:35:16 | 0:35:19 | |
Puerto Ayora, the largest town in Galapagos, | 0:35:22 | 0:35:26 | |
was settled in 1925 as a small fishing village. | 0:35:26 | 0:35:29 | |
Since then, in the space of just one tortoise generation, | 0:35:32 | 0:35:36 | |
the population has exploded to over 12,000 people. | 0:35:36 | 0:35:39 | |
Steve wants to discover what impact | 0:35:45 | 0:35:47 | |
this is having on the ancient tortoise routes. | 0:35:47 | 0:35:50 | |
He's been fitting them with | 0:35:50 | 0:35:52 | |
satellite tags to follow their movements. | 0:35:52 | 0:35:54 | |
We have about 30-odd tortoises wearing GPS tags on Santa Cruz. | 0:35:57 | 0:36:02 | |
And those tags, each one records a GPS fix of the tortoise every hour. | 0:36:02 | 0:36:08 | |
Steve's tagging reveals the huge distances tortoises travel | 0:36:10 | 0:36:14 | |
to find food. | 0:36:14 | 0:36:16 | |
Some migrate from sea level to the peaks of volcanoes. | 0:36:18 | 0:36:22 | |
But Steve's also discovering that the ever-increasing human population | 0:36:28 | 0:36:32 | |
is having a major impact on these well-worn paths. | 0:36:32 | 0:36:35 | |
What do we know about how much these migration routes may have changed | 0:36:40 | 0:36:43 | |
with the growing population here in the Galapagos? | 0:36:43 | 0:36:46 | |
100 years ago, this giant tortoise behind us was already migrating up | 0:36:46 | 0:36:52 | |
and down Galapagos, but in completely natural vegetation. | 0:36:52 | 0:36:56 | |
Today that same tortoise encounters very different conditions up here. | 0:36:56 | 0:37:01 | |
Fences, roads and other barriers | 0:37:03 | 0:37:06 | |
that potentially block that migration. | 0:37:06 | 0:37:09 | |
It's not just the future of giant tortoises at stake. | 0:37:12 | 0:37:15 | |
These reptiles play a vital role in the whole ecosystem here. | 0:37:17 | 0:37:21 | |
They've been called the gardeners of the Galapagos. | 0:37:23 | 0:37:26 | |
As they plough through the vegetation, they spread seeds and | 0:37:27 | 0:37:31 | |
clear plants, creating light and space for new ones. | 0:37:31 | 0:37:36 | |
They even stir up insects for birds to eat. | 0:37:38 | 0:37:42 | |
Without these migration routes allowing giant tortoises to find the | 0:37:42 | 0:37:46 | |
food they need, these islands would look very different. | 0:37:46 | 0:37:49 | |
Identifying and mapping these important routes | 0:37:51 | 0:37:54 | |
will help to inform future expansion plans. | 0:37:54 | 0:37:56 | |
The trick will be how to sustain the migration and give tortoises what | 0:37:59 | 0:38:02 | |
they need against the backdrop of development of Galapagos. | 0:38:02 | 0:38:07 | |
TRACKER BEEPS QUIETLY | 0:38:07 | 0:38:11 | |
Steve sometimes struggles to get a clear tracking signal from the | 0:38:11 | 0:38:14 | |
tortoises in the dense forest. | 0:38:14 | 0:38:16 | |
But all that is about to change, | 0:38:28 | 0:38:30 | |
thanks to support from an unlikely place. | 0:38:32 | 0:38:34 | |
Next year we'll be putting some tags on them that will communicate | 0:38:36 | 0:38:40 | |
directly with the International Space Station | 0:38:40 | 0:38:43 | |
and send down our GPS data to us, so it'll be much easier to track and | 0:38:43 | 0:38:50 | |
then follow them over the longer haul with much less effort. | 0:38:50 | 0:38:54 | |
New miniature tags are also furthering Steve's research, | 0:38:55 | 0:39:00 | |
allowing him to study the next generation of giant tortoises. | 0:39:00 | 0:39:04 | |
These youngsters, beaming signals to the International Space Station, | 0:39:06 | 0:39:10 | |
represent the future of tortoise research. | 0:39:10 | 0:39:13 | |
And they're helping to ensure the | 0:39:16 | 0:39:18 | |
preservation of these ancient migration routes for years to come. | 0:39:18 | 0:39:22 | |
Galapagos is a dynamic place, | 0:39:32 | 0:39:35 | |
vulnerable to the powerful forces that lie just below the surface. | 0:39:35 | 0:39:39 | |
For its wildlife, | 0:39:43 | 0:39:45 | |
threats don't only come from the increasing influence of mankind. | 0:39:45 | 0:39:49 | |
They also come from deep within the Earth. | 0:39:50 | 0:39:53 | |
These volcanic islands can change at a moment's notice. | 0:39:55 | 0:39:58 | |
Alucia has brought us back to the west of the archipelago... | 0:40:08 | 0:40:11 | |
Mike Delta clear. | 0:40:13 | 0:40:15 | |
..where our mission began. | 0:40:15 | 0:40:17 | |
In the far south of the island of Isabela | 0:40:21 | 0:40:25 | |
is Sierra Negra, | 0:40:25 | 0:40:27 | |
the largest volcano in Galapagos. | 0:40:27 | 0:40:30 | |
Scientists warn it could erupt within a few decades, | 0:40:34 | 0:40:38 | |
creating lava flows that would | 0:40:38 | 0:40:40 | |
devastate all living things in its path, | 0:40:40 | 0:40:44 | |
including some of the most unique species in Galapagos. | 0:40:44 | 0:40:50 | |
Our mission is to predict how the volcano might next erupt. | 0:40:53 | 0:40:57 | |
To do that, we're going inside it, | 0:40:59 | 0:41:01 | |
within one of its vast magma chambers. | 0:41:03 | 0:41:06 | |
That down there is the deepest known cave in the Galapagos. | 0:41:11 | 0:41:15 | |
But it's not just any old cave, | 0:41:15 | 0:41:17 | |
it's a vent that branches off from the Sierra Negra volcano here on | 0:41:17 | 0:41:20 | |
Isabela. It would fill up with lava that would splatter out of the top, | 0:41:20 | 0:41:25 | |
but eventually all that lava drained out, | 0:41:25 | 0:41:27 | |
leaving a 100-metre deep chamber that we're going to explore. | 0:41:27 | 0:41:31 | |
Leading our team are vulcanologists Brent Garry and Scott Hughes. | 0:41:35 | 0:41:40 | |
They plan to scan the interior of this cave to create a 3D map. | 0:41:41 | 0:41:47 | |
Knowing the exact size and structure of the chamber will reveal the scale | 0:41:50 | 0:41:54 | |
and character of the last eruption that occurred here, | 0:41:54 | 0:41:58 | |
indicating how Sierra Negra is likely to erupt again in the future. | 0:41:58 | 0:42:03 | |
There are a lot of volcanoes on the surface of the Earth, and they're | 0:42:05 | 0:42:08 | |
all worth exploring. However, there are only a few that actually still | 0:42:08 | 0:42:13 | |
have the magma chamber available to explore. | 0:42:13 | 0:42:17 | |
It makes it a fantastic place to study the inside of a volcano. | 0:42:18 | 0:42:22 | |
But getting down there won't be easy. | 0:42:23 | 0:42:26 | |
Brent is going in first. | 0:42:36 | 0:42:38 | |
-Careful where you put your feet, because it's slightly undercut. -OK. | 0:42:44 | 0:42:47 | |
Oh, good grief. | 0:42:49 | 0:42:51 | |
And then it's my turn. | 0:42:54 | 0:42:55 | |
If you duck down just a bit. | 0:42:57 | 0:42:59 | |
Just don't look down, don't look down. | 0:43:02 | 0:43:04 | |
God, I just looked down. | 0:43:07 | 0:43:10 | |
Keep doing what you're doing, just feeding it through slow and steady. | 0:43:16 | 0:43:19 | |
-Just trust the equipment. -OK. | 0:43:19 | 0:43:21 | |
I don't think I've ever felt | 0:43:39 | 0:43:41 | |
quite so small and insignificant as right now. | 0:43:41 | 0:43:46 | |
Just incredible. | 0:43:52 | 0:43:54 | |
I'm 100 metres, 30 storeys, below ground. | 0:44:14 | 0:44:18 | |
And in lava caves like this, you're never alone. | 0:44:21 | 0:44:24 | |
Brent goes straight to work. | 0:44:48 | 0:44:50 | |
So tell me about this Lidar, then? | 0:44:52 | 0:44:54 | |
It's a near-infrared laser, | 0:44:54 | 0:44:56 | |
and it will spin 360 and it will get millimetre precision and accuracy of | 0:44:56 | 0:45:02 | |
all the layers of rock that we see here | 0:45:02 | 0:45:04 | |
from the floor to the ceiling. | 0:45:04 | 0:45:06 | |
The Lidar scanner fires laser beams in all directions. | 0:45:11 | 0:45:15 | |
It's the first time this technology has been used in Galapagos. | 0:45:16 | 0:45:20 | |
What are you hoping your Lidar is going to reveal about this chamber? | 0:45:23 | 0:45:28 | |
So it's very rare that we actually get to go below the volcano. | 0:45:28 | 0:45:31 | |
We'll have places that are constantly erupting but we won't | 0:45:31 | 0:45:35 | |
have a good idea of what the magma chambers are like below it and | 0:45:35 | 0:45:38 | |
where are those conduits | 0:45:38 | 0:45:40 | |
that are constantly feeding different eruptions. | 0:45:40 | 0:45:42 | |
So being able to come in, that'll give us a new understanding of | 0:45:42 | 0:45:45 | |
what's going on here in the Galapagos. | 0:45:45 | 0:45:47 | |
There are many different types of volcanic eruptions. | 0:45:55 | 0:45:58 | |
But this 3D map reveals exactly what happened here. | 0:45:59 | 0:46:03 | |
The rough texture of the walls | 0:46:06 | 0:46:08 | |
indicates that explosive blasts of magma were thrown upwards. | 0:46:08 | 0:46:11 | |
These mounds at the surface were created by a fire fountain, | 0:46:15 | 0:46:19 | |
hurling molten rock high into the air | 0:46:21 | 0:46:24 | |
before falling to the ground. | 0:46:24 | 0:46:26 | |
Instead of a gentle eruption with slowly flowing lava, | 0:46:28 | 0:46:32 | |
this is evidence that a more violent eruption occurred. | 0:46:32 | 0:46:35 | |
We can also calculate the volume of magma that filled the chamber. | 0:46:37 | 0:46:42 | |
This tells us the eruption most likely happened in just a few | 0:46:42 | 0:46:45 | |
explosive hours. | 0:46:45 | 0:46:48 | |
I have to say it feels pretty special to sit here, imagining | 0:46:48 | 0:46:51 | |
that once lava used to rush through here, | 0:46:51 | 0:46:53 | |
at what sort of temperatures? | 0:46:53 | 0:46:55 | |
Those temperatures are between 1,100 and 1,200 degrees C. | 0:46:55 | 0:46:58 | |
-Right, so this is quite unique? -It is, it is very unique. | 0:46:58 | 0:47:01 | |
You've got a big smile on your face. This is exactly your cup of tea. | 0:47:01 | 0:47:04 | |
Yeah, this is...yeah, this is my Disney World, yeah. | 0:47:04 | 0:47:08 | |
This new 3D map confirms what once happened inside this chamber, | 0:47:09 | 0:47:16 | |
providing a blueprint for eruptions here and revealing clues about how | 0:47:16 | 0:47:21 | |
Sierra Negra is likely to explode again, | 0:47:21 | 0:47:24 | |
and how its wildlife might be threatened. | 0:47:24 | 0:47:27 | |
Our scientific expedition around Galapagos is almost at an end. | 0:47:43 | 0:47:47 | |
But we have one final mission to carry out... | 0:47:50 | 0:47:53 | |
..to look for volcanic activity below the waves. | 0:47:55 | 0:47:58 | |
Evidence that a brand-new Galapagos Island is being born. | 0:47:59 | 0:48:03 | |
Our destination is a small rocky outcrop, | 0:48:08 | 0:48:12 | |
Roca Redonda. | 0:48:12 | 0:48:14 | |
Mission geologist Karen Harpp | 0:48:25 | 0:48:28 | |
is fascinated about what lies beneath it. | 0:48:28 | 0:48:30 | |
She's interested in features called fumaroles, | 0:48:34 | 0:48:38 | |
telltale signs that this volcano is still active. | 0:48:38 | 0:48:43 | |
So you can basically think of a fumarole as a vent | 0:48:43 | 0:48:46 | |
for hot gases and fluids, | 0:48:46 | 0:48:49 | |
and they're a really good sign that the volcano is still | 0:48:49 | 0:48:53 | |
potentially active at any time. | 0:48:53 | 0:48:56 | |
Finding evidence of these sea vents will prove that Roca Redonda could | 0:48:56 | 0:49:01 | |
one day erupt, | 0:49:01 | 0:49:03 | |
and over millions of years become a true Galapagos Island of its own. | 0:49:03 | 0:49:07 | |
In Alucia's mission control, we've been scanning | 0:49:13 | 0:49:17 | |
the seabed to create 3D maps. | 0:49:17 | 0:49:19 | |
Scans like these allow us to observe every detail of where we're heading. | 0:49:20 | 0:49:25 | |
So there it is, Roca Redonda. | 0:49:28 | 0:49:31 | |
So, really, the exposed bit we can see is a tiny fraction of the top. | 0:49:31 | 0:49:35 | |
There's just this little bit there on the top | 0:49:35 | 0:49:38 | |
that sticks out and clears the water. | 0:49:38 | 0:49:41 | |
The tiny island above the surface is just the tip of the iceberg. | 0:49:41 | 0:49:45 | |
The scans reveal that, underwater, it's a huge volcano, | 0:49:45 | 0:49:50 | |
3km tall and almost 20km wide. | 0:49:50 | 0:49:53 | |
But is it still active? | 0:49:53 | 0:49:56 | |
Steve, what's the plan? How deep will we go? | 0:49:56 | 0:50:00 | |
Our maximum depth we're going to be diving is going to be | 0:50:00 | 0:50:03 | |
-between about 18 and 25 metres. -OK. | 0:50:03 | 0:50:05 | |
We should get a nice long dive and be able to explore everything. | 0:50:05 | 0:50:09 | |
I'm keen to see if this is the beginning of a new island. | 0:50:10 | 0:50:14 | |
But it's going to be one of the most challenging dives of the expedition. | 0:50:16 | 0:50:19 | |
So, Liz, deep ocean currents sweeping up the | 0:50:23 | 0:50:27 | |
Galapagos archipelago, and they're crashing into the underwater | 0:50:27 | 0:50:31 | |
topography under this rock. The current is strong. | 0:50:31 | 0:50:34 | |
OK, I'm just excited to watch what scientists call still an active | 0:50:34 | 0:50:39 | |
volcano, what that looks like underwater. | 0:50:39 | 0:50:41 | |
The dive team has carried out over 10,000 dives between them. | 0:50:45 | 0:50:50 | |
But they never take the power of the ocean for granted. | 0:50:50 | 0:50:56 | |
Bubbi is going to be beside me every step of the way. | 0:50:56 | 0:50:59 | |
We're going to jump in at the same time, | 0:50:59 | 0:51:01 | |
I'll catch you right in the water. | 0:51:01 | 0:51:05 | |
As soon as we're in the water, it's straight to the bottom. | 0:51:05 | 0:51:07 | |
It's going to be good. | 0:51:07 | 0:51:10 | |
-Whoa! -Yep, you can go ahead and spin it. -Look at that! | 0:51:11 | 0:51:13 | |
OK, I'm going in. | 0:51:23 | 0:51:26 | |
Ready? | 0:51:26 | 0:51:27 | |
We quickly descend to the seabed to avoid the strongest | 0:51:40 | 0:51:44 | |
of the currents that could sweep us out into the Pacific. | 0:51:44 | 0:51:47 | |
And I'm greeted by the most extraordinary sight. | 0:51:51 | 0:51:54 | |
This volcano is well and truly active. | 0:52:09 | 0:52:12 | |
The bubbles are proof that gases are being released | 0:52:15 | 0:52:18 | |
from deep beneath this young volcano. | 0:52:18 | 0:52:20 | |
Full of carbon dioxide, | 0:52:29 | 0:52:31 | |
these vents make the water next to them warmer | 0:52:31 | 0:52:34 | |
and ten times more acidic. | 0:52:34 | 0:52:36 | |
But despite these hostile conditions, life is thriving. | 0:52:40 | 0:52:44 | |
These bacteria, algae and sponges | 0:52:47 | 0:52:50 | |
have evolved to survive on the vents, | 0:52:50 | 0:52:53 | |
and many of them might well be new, as yet unnamed species. | 0:52:53 | 0:52:57 | |
As the strong cold currents bring with them vital nutrients, | 0:53:02 | 0:53:05 | |
marine life abounds here. | 0:53:05 | 0:53:07 | |
One day, Roca Redonda may erupt once more... | 0:53:16 | 0:53:20 | |
..growing into another spectacular Galapagos island. | 0:53:25 | 0:53:29 | |
Its underwater wonderland could transform into a haven | 0:53:34 | 0:53:39 | |
for an incredible diversity of other species. | 0:53:39 | 0:53:42 | |
It's so beautiful down there! It's so beautiful! | 0:53:52 | 0:53:54 | |
It's just... | 0:53:56 | 0:53:58 | |
There's nothing like it in the universe. | 0:53:58 | 0:54:01 | |
Oh, God, it was epic. | 0:54:01 | 0:54:03 | |
Oh, that was an amazing dive. | 0:54:03 | 0:54:05 | |
Those bubbles, bubbles everywhere. | 0:54:05 | 0:54:09 | |
Coming up from all the rocks, all over the place. | 0:54:09 | 0:54:11 | |
You know, I've always wanted to come here all my life, | 0:54:16 | 0:54:19 | |
to see not only the wildlife but the volcanoes that make the Galapagos | 0:54:19 | 0:54:24 | |
what they are, but I never thought for a minute that I'd get to see the | 0:54:24 | 0:54:28 | |
process of island formation from beneath the waves. | 0:54:28 | 0:54:31 | |
That was quite something. | 0:54:31 | 0:54:33 | |
Our mission in Galapagos set out to help transform our understanding of | 0:54:38 | 0:54:43 | |
this unique and extraordinary island chain... | 0:54:43 | 0:54:46 | |
..200 years after Charles Darwin first came here. | 0:54:50 | 0:54:54 | |
And it's been an incredible journey. | 0:54:55 | 0:54:57 | |
Bringing 20 world-leading scientists into this living laboratory. | 0:55:00 | 0:55:06 | |
-How does that feel? -It feels great. | 0:55:06 | 0:55:08 | |
We've been wanting to do this for a couple of years, | 0:55:08 | 0:55:10 | |
and we've been dreaming about it. | 0:55:10 | 0:55:14 | |
And using ground-breaking technology to carry out research never | 0:55:14 | 0:55:19 | |
attempted on this scale before, our team have made new discoveries here. | 0:55:19 | 0:55:25 | |
It's hoped they will help to protect | 0:55:25 | 0:55:27 | |
this wildlife paradise for the future. | 0:55:27 | 0:55:30 | |
Mark this waypoint, transducer deployment site. Over. | 0:55:30 | 0:55:36 | |
Being able to deploy listening stations, | 0:55:36 | 0:55:38 | |
it allows us to keep our finger on the pulse. | 0:55:38 | 0:55:40 | |
'Finding new species in its ocean... | 0:55:42 | 0:55:45 | |
Can we get Tommy to grab that one? | 0:55:45 | 0:55:47 | |
This just changes everything. Everything. | 0:55:47 | 0:55:51 | |
'..and animals on the edge of extinction.' | 0:55:51 | 0:55:54 | |
To set eyes on a pink iguana is an honour, actually. | 0:55:54 | 0:55:59 | |
There will be chances for this species to survive. | 0:55:59 | 0:56:01 | |
But there's still so much more to learn. | 0:56:05 | 0:56:10 | |
They're so beautiful, they really are. | 0:56:10 | 0:56:13 | |
Our scientists have laid the groundwork for research projects | 0:56:13 | 0:56:18 | |
that will continue for decades to come. | 0:56:18 | 0:56:20 | |
These Galapagos Islands are exceptional, in so many ways. | 0:56:28 | 0:56:33 | |
I've truly felt part of nature here, not separate from it, | 0:56:33 | 0:56:37 | |
not a spectator. | 0:56:37 | 0:56:39 | |
And it's been an awe-inspiring and humbling experience. | 0:56:39 | 0:56:44 | |
This place offers up a glimpse of what the natural world can look like | 0:56:55 | 0:56:59 | |
when it's at its best. And it still has so much to teach us, | 0:56:59 | 0:57:03 | |
not only with respect to the natural wonders that lie waiting to be | 0:57:03 | 0:57:06 | |
discovered and understood, | 0:57:06 | 0:57:08 | |
but it can also teach us how to get things right, | 0:57:08 | 0:57:11 | |
how to protect wildlife for generations to come, | 0:57:11 | 0:57:15 | |
not only here but the world over. | 0:57:15 | 0:57:17 |