In a shallow sea, hundreds of fish swam around a coral reef.
Immense shoals of fish throng our shallow seas.
Above the reef, was a large school of fish possibly in the thousands.
These are Anchovies.
The school was so thick, it blocked the sun as through the Anchovy school, a group of Trevally swam by.
Small fish, in turn, sustain bigger ones.
The Anchovies swam around as the Trevally begin to gather.
Hunters, such as Giant Trevally...
The Trevally begin to swim around to hunt the Anchovies, and close by 3 shapes were seen through the large school as rays.
...and Mobula Rays.
A large group of Mobula Rays begin to gather.
As hunters such as these work together, they become extremely efficient.
Then, some of the Mobula Rays charged towards the Anchovies catching any in their way. And the Trevally begin to chase down the Anchovies as well, and the rays and Trevally snatch as many fish in their paths as the school darted in different directions to avoid them.
The rich coastal seas are the fishing grounds of our planet and can provide an abundance of food for wildlife and humanity.
COASTAL SEAS
Many fish of different species and colors and types swam around the coral reef.
The seas fringing land make up less than a tenth of the world's oceans, yet, astonishingly, 90% of all marine creatures live in these coastal waters. This superabundance is due to the fact that the seafloor here is within reach of sunlight.
The sun shines over the shallow waters of the mangrove swamp in southern Florida. And the seabed was green by seagrass.
Everglades National Park in southern Florida.
Fields of seagrass carpet the shallow tropical waters.
Underwater, the field of seagrass covers the entire seabed.
Like savannas on land, these lush marine meadows support a great variety of animal life.
Gliding over the seagrass, a Southern Stingray swam over the field as Chris and Martin followed it in Stingray Power.
And soon, more stingrays appeared.
Stingrays search for prey hiding in the seagrass.
Hidden in the seagrass, a blue crab fiddles it's mandibles trying to stay out of sight. As stingrays prey on crabs, they don't have teeth, but they have horny plates in their mouths that work just as well.
But like their close relatives, sharks, stingrays have sensors that allows them to sense prey moving even if their well hidden in the seagrass.
The stingrays swam just above the seagrass detecting any movement as one stingray passes by a hidden crab.
Soon, Chris and Martin left the stingrays as they wandered elsewhere in the shallow water.
"I wonder what else is here." Martin said.
"Let's keep looking." Chris said.
The Everglades are also the hunting grounds of the coasts' most ingenious fishermen.
The 2 brothers continues swimming as they then saw movement ahead of them, and heard chattering clicking as well. And soon saw a pod of dolphins.
Bottlenose Dolphins.
The dolphins swam around each other as some spouted catching a breath of air, and Chris and Martin managed to reactivate into Dolphin Power. And they followed them as they were hunting.
The search for food using echolocation, a type of sonar.
The dolphins clicked as they swam through the shallows as Chris and Martin followed them, and nearby, Aviva, Koki and Jimmy in their beach outfits were following them as well on the Bass Boat.
"These dolphins are really clicking." Jimmy said.
"They're using echolocation to find any fish ahead of them." Chris said through a holographic screen from Aviva's CreaturePod. "There might be a school of some around here somewhere."
The dolphins continued swimming as they kept sending sonar clicks to detect fish.
Then one dolphin surfaced and took a breath of air.
Ahead of them, a shoal of mullet.
Eventually, a shoal of mullet was spotted ahead of them.
"Yeah, guys!" Aviva said. "I think I see some fish up ahead."
"A shoal of mullet fish." Chris said.
Soon, the dolphins begin to gather around.
These particular dolphins have developed their own special way of catching their prey.
The Wild Kratts watched as the dolphins start to herd the mullet into an area.
They carefully herd the fish into just the right place.
The Wild Kratts watched as the pod herds the mullet, and one dolphin was ahead of them.
Then one dolphin stirs up a ring of mud that encircles the shoal.
Then they watched as the dolphin up front starts stirring a ring a mud with it's tail as it swam, and the pod herds the fish towards it. The lead dolphin then tightens the ring of mud, and the rest of the pod got into position on their sides as the mullet start to leap over the mud ring in different directions and some towards the waiting open mouths of the dolphins.
The fish panic and take to the air.
The Wild Kratts watched in amazement as the mullet leaped in the air as the dolphins try to catch some.
Most escape. Catching flying fish isn't easy.
Soon, the dolphins head off to a new area, and start again.
But the dolphins move on and take another helping.
As soon as the ring closes, the mullet start leaping into the air, and the dolphins started snatching any fish within reach.
"Wow, this is amazing!" Aviva said.
"Yeah, I didn't think dolphins could fish like this." Jimmy said.
"Yeah, dolphins are among some of the smartest creatures on Earth." Martin said.
People aren't allowed to fish commercially within the national park, so there's plenty for the dolphins.
The Wild Kratts continued watching the pod catching fish for most of the day. And eventually, they flew off in the Tortuga, and saw dozens of ring shapes in the mud left by the dolphins.
Only from the air can we really appreciate the industry of these master fishermen.
The pod of Bottlenose Dolphins swam through the shallows.
The shallow seas are vitally important in the fight against climate change. Seagrass absorbs 35 times as much Carbon Dioxide as the same area of rainforest, and that reduces the damage caused by the recent warming of our seas.
Soon, the Wild Kratts got to an area of mangrove forest.
Mangroves often border the seagrass meadows. These remarkable trees are the only ones that can cope with the varying saltiness of coastal waters. They not only protect our coasts from the destructive forces of hurricanes but also, like seagrass, capture Carbon Dioxide.
"These mangrove trees are amazing." Chris said.
"Yeah, and that they cope with the saltwater." Koki said.
Aviva then scans the mangroves with her CreaturePod. "Wow. They also capture Carbon Dioxide just like how seagrass does."
"Yeah, and seagrass can absorb 35 times as much as the same area of a rainforest." Martin said. "They also prevent too much destructive force from hurricanes from reaching the shore."
"Wow, green can be an amazing color." Jimmy said.
"Yeah, and mangrove trees also give cover for lots of fish around here." Chris added. "Great nurseries for them as well till their big enough to head out to open water."
Underwater, a number swam between the roots of the mangroves.
Their tangled roots create safe nurseries for young fish, which will eventually leave the mangroves and make their homes in the tropical seas' most magical wonderlands, coral reefs.
A number of different fish swam around through a coral reef.
Including a Green Sea Turtle gliding through the water.
These reefs cover less than 1% of the seafloor, yet they are home to a quarter of all marine species.
None of these creatures would be here were it not for the coral. Corals create the structures that provide food and shelter, on which the entire community depends.
Among the coral, a clownfish rests in the protective tentacles of a sea anemone.
Every resident has a role to play in maintaining the health of the reef.
Among the reef, a Moray Eel lays in it's spot.
Unfortunately, few reefs are as pristine as they once were, and most are now missing 1 extremely important member of the community.
Elsewhere, a Gray Reef Shark patrols it's hunting ground.
Sharks.
The shark was also with a dozen more as they were by the edge of a reef.
Relentless overfishing had reduced shark populations around the world by over 90%. Today they only thrive in anything like their former numbers on the remotest reefs.
The Tortuga soon flies over an area of sea within the South Pacific.
French Polynesia, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Here, at least, sharks are fully protected.
In the waters at the edge of a reef, Gray Reef Sharks swam around the reef's bordering edges.
By day, Gray Reef Sharks hang in the current.
Around them, cleaner wrasse swam around.
They let cleaner wrasse pick their teeth clean in readiness for the night's hunt ahead.
A lone fish swam near a shark, but the shark strangely didn't look interested for a meal.
These sharks prefer to hunt in darkness, when their acute senses give them an advantage over their prey.
Hours later, light from the moon shines from the surface.
Nightfall.
Shadows of sharks loomed over the seabed as they start to gather. And hidden in the cracks and crevices of the reef, many fish hid.
Time for small fish to take refuge within the nooks and crannies of the reef, beyond the reach of the Gray Reef Sharks.
The sharks start to gather as Chris and Martin soon appeared in Hammerhead Shark Power, and Aviva in her wetsuit tags along with them.
"Whoa, that's a lot of sharks." Aviva said.
"Yeah, Gray Reef Sharks often gather like this at night." Martin said. "Ready to use their full sensory power."
The sharks can detect the slightest movement.
They watched as a few small fish scatter here and there, trying to stay out of reach from the sharks as they swim by. And right now, the sharks are playing a patient game with the hiding fish, waiting for one careless fish to come out of hiding.
Then, one brave butterfly fish starts to move into the open.
Breaking cover is dangerous.
The fish swims off, and was almost hit by the tail of a passing shark as it darts off.
Chris, Martin and Aviva watched as the butterfly fish carefully tries to stay clear of the sharks as some turns towards it. Another fish soon becomes confident and starts heading out, by a passing shark spots it and tries to snatch it as it swims off. The fish swims between some coral as another shark tries to snatch it.
Soon, the fish lays motionless by some coral.
Staying motionless and the sharks may not detect you.
Soon, a maverick fish gains confidence to swim into the open. And one shark nears it, as the fish swims off as the shark follows it. And Chris, Martin and Aviva watched as a chase began, and they near another shark as it accidentally bit the first shark's snout. Giving the maverick a window to escape, but was now followed by 3 other sharks.
"That maverick is such a confident fish." Martin said amazed.
The maverick swam and quickly darts off as it nears another shark, and it follows the small fish. And the 3 watched as the maverick swims through the reef trying to avoid the many jaws and teeth from the sharks.
A little fish may out maneuver a single shark, but with so many hunters there is little chance of escape.
Chris, Martin and Aviva watched as the maverick avoids the sharks, one shark manages to snatch it with a sharp twist and turning move.
The sharks continue patrolling the reef for any other fish.
Sheltering within the coral branches is usually the safest option, but the arrival of a second hunter changes everything.
"Hey, what shark is that one?" Aviva asked.
Chris and Martin looked and saw that a second shark species has arrived.
"Hey, that's a Whitetip." Chris said.
Whitetip Reef Sharks.
"Whitetip?" Aviva wondered.
"Yeah, see the white tips on the shark's fins?" Martin said gesturing to a passing Whitetip. "That's how it got it's name."
"Oh, yeah." Aviva said.
They watched as the Whitetips search through the gaps of the coral, including one sliding through a gap so easily.
"And the Whitetips have a better advantage over the Gray Reef Sharks." Martin said.
Slender and more agile, the Whitetips can get into hiding places other hunters can't reach.
One Whitetip swims through a gap in the coral big enough for it and nears a pair of fish. But they quickly swam out through another way.
Those that are not caught by the Whitetips are flushed out to the waiting Gray Reef Sharks.
The fish swam through the crowd of sharks, and soon 2 of them spotted them and close in on them. And soon started chasing them.
With both kinds of sharks hunting in partnership, there is little respite, even within the reef.
Chris, Martin and Aviva watched as the sharks continue their hunt, and some Whitetips gathered by a section of reef as try to get at some fish. And soon, a yellow species of butterfly fish was seen as it was soon chased by a Gray Reef Shark, and was soon snatched by the shark's jaws.
And Aviva could hardly believe of how many sharks there is now, as there was probably dozens of them. And soon, more of them arrive.
More and more sharks arrive, attracted by the commotion.
Chris, Martin and Aviva watched as the hunting party of sharks continued as some drove fish out of their hiding places, and others start to snatch the fleeing fish. And some fought each other to get another's catch.
"Wow, I've never seen so many sharks at once before." Aviva said.
"Yeah, sharks are amazing predators." Chris said. "But the sad thing is that 95% of the world's sharks have been killed."
"For shark fin soup and sport-hunting?" Aviva sadly guessed.
"Yeah." Martin said. "Even sharks are in danger of facing extinction. Including the Great White. I mean, these are ancient predators. They been here long before the dinosaurs, remained almost unchanged. I mean, they're not mindless killing machines, they're just animals living."
Such numbers of sharks were once common of reefs around the world. And while so many predators may seem damaging, sharks, in fact, assist in maintaining the health of the reef.
At day, the sharks swam through a shallow few feet of water over a reef.
They help to keep a balance in the fish community by hunting the predators that feed on small grazing fish. The grazers, in their turn, keep the corals free of seaweeds and parasites that would otherwise overgrow the reef.
A parrotfish peaks at some coral for algae.
A balance community, with sharks as top predators, gives a coral reef much greater resilience in the face of damage and disaster.
But today, even healthy coral reefs are facing a greater threat.
With climate change, our seas are warming.
In the Tortuga, it flies over the sea just several miles from the northeastern coast of Australia.
"Okay, I'm convince that sharks are important to a healthy reef, as well as top predators in the food chain." Jimmy said. "But, what does climate change have to do with them?"
"We're about to find out soon." Chris said.
Soon, the Tortuga lands in the water and put into Sea Turtle Mode. And they soon headed out on the Bass Boat.
Underwater on a reef, a time-lapse shows a coral branch.
Microscopic plants that live within the tissues of the corals give them both their color and most of their nourishment.
Soon, the time-lapse shows the coral branches turning white.
But if sea temperatures rise by just a degree or 2, the corals expel their plant partners. So they lose their main source of food... and turn white.
Soon, the Wild Kratts were over the world's largest coral reef. The Great Barrier Reef, 1,429 miles long over an area approximately 133,000 square miles. So big, it can even be seen from space. And is home to many animals.
Here, on Australia's Great Barrier Reef, unusually warm seas have caused many of the reefs to bleach in this way.
"Why is this section of the reef white like that?" Jimmy asked.
"Hmm. Seems like these coral here have bleached their color away." Martin said.
"Bleached?" Koki frowned.
"Yeah, microscopic plants live within the coral tissue giving them both color and nourishment." Chris said. "But, if the sea has a temperature rise just by a degree or 2, they'll bleach away and turn white."
"Is it bad?" Aviva asked.
"Not much." Chris said. "But in the long-term, it can be."
It may look hauntingly beautiful, but if temperatures remain high for a few weeks, the corals will starve and eventually die. The Carbon Dioxide that causes global warming is also making the seas more acidic.
No reef can survive both changes.
A trio of clownfish rest within the tentacles of an anemone.
And without living corals, many of the reef's residents will also perish.
During 2016 and 2017, over a thousand kilometers of the Great Barrier Reef bleached.
Eventually, the Wild Kratts got to an area of the Great Barrier Reef where the bleaching was much worse. Where only a few fish swam around.
"Whoa, the bleaching is that bad?" Jimmy asked completely shocked.
"Yeah." Chris said.
6 months later, and many of the corals are dead.
The community destroyed.
Worldwide, half of all shallow coral reefs have already died.
The rest could be gone over the next few decades.
In space, the daylight shines over North America.
Away from the tropics, in higher latitudes, the seas are much cooler.
Below, large waves crashed at the shore of a desert region.
Storm-lashed waters bring essential nutrients to the surface. The enriched waters, combined with long summer days, make these the most productive seas on the planet.
Waves continue rolling as fur seals swam around and rode the waves.
Fur seals thrive and even have time to ride the waves.
The waves continued rolling as a pair of them leaped out of the water. And some even surfs just behind the waves as they crash.
Further north along the coast, kelp floats at the surface near a town by the shore.
Spring off the coast off California and fronds of golden kelp floating on the surface hint at the riches hidden beneath.
Underwater, the kelp stood like trees on land as the sun shines.
A magnificent submarine forest.
These stands of giant kelp are as important to the oceans as trees are to the land.
Many fish swam the leaves of the kelp.
Like a rainforest, the dense canopy provides food and shelter for an abundant community.
Many fish swam around through the kelp just as how land animals are at home at a forest.
In the cool, rich seas, giant kelp can grow 164 feet, 50 meters high. Air-filled floats lift the fronds towards the sunlit surface.
At the surface and top of the kelp forest, a small marine mammal rests at the surface.
Nestling in this canopy, a Sea Otter.
The Sea Otter rolls in the water as Chris and Martin in Sea Otter Power watch close by.
His thick fur keeps him warm in the chilly water.
The Sea Otter continues rolling as he was grooming his fur and also trapping air bubbles in to to keep him warmer. Just like how a wetsuit keeps away the cold water of a diver.
Blowing air into it gives him extra insulation.
Nearby, other Sea Otters were lounging at the surface as one was grooming itself.
Sea Otters have the densest fur of any animal, and such a luxuriant coat requires a great deal of attention.
Soon, Aviva, Koki and Jimmy met up with the brothers as they watched the otters.
"Wow, these otters sure spend a lot of time grooming." Aviva said.
"Yeah, Sea Otter spend much of time at the surface grooming." Martin said. "A fur coat as thick as theirs' needs lots of attention."
"Sea Otters actually has the thickest coat of any animal." Chris said.
"How thick exactly?" Jimmy asked.
"Believe or not, just a square inch area of fur, can have just a million hairs alone." Martin said. "And they have 2 layers of fur making their coat 1.5 inches thick."
"Whoa!" Aviva, Koki and Jimmy said amazed unison.
The Wild Kratts continue watching the Sea Otters groom themselves, and soon one of them dives down.
And Chris and Martin dove down following him.
They need to eat a lot to keep warm and consume up to a quarter of their body weight every day.
Chris and Martin followed then Sea Otter as they swam across the seabed in search of food.
Sea urchins are a favorite food.
"Whoa, urchin alert." Martin said.
"Yeah, a Sea Otter's favorite despite those sharp spines." Chris said.
They watched as the Sea Otter grabs an urchin.
There's one.
The otter soon grabs another.
And a second.
Soon, the Sea Otter begins to head up to the surface, and the 2 brothers followed him.
And then the otter is out of breath and must return to the surface.
At the surface, the otter lounges on his back and they watch as he starts feeding on one of the urchins.
An urchin looks like a rather prickly meal, but if you can break the shell, there's a feast inside.
"Wow, he's eating that urchin like a s'more." Jimmy said.
"Yeah, urchins are prickly, but a good meal pass the shell." Chris said.
They watched as the Sea Otter swims off.
Sea Otters are crucial to the health of the kelp forest because they keep down the number of sea urchins.
On the seabed, a number of sea urchins sat on a rock.
Soon, Chris and Martin saw them as they swam by.
"Whoa, that's a lot of urchins." Chris said.
"I know, could be a problem." Martin said.
Then Aviva appeared on a holographic screen from Martin's CreaturePod. "Why would it be a problem?"
"Sea urchins, despite their size and harmless appearance are very destructive." Chris said. "In great numbers, they can wipeout an entire kelp forest."
"Remember when that kelp strand drifted off with Cork?" Martin asked about during their Sea Otter Swim adventure. "They chew away kelp roots, that's why Sea Otters keep them under control. Like bison, Sea Otters are also a keystone species."
"So, if not for the otters, no kelp forest?" Jimmy asked leaning into the screen.
"Exactly." Chris and Martin said in unison.
A time-lapse shows urchins on the move as they near some kelp roots.
The urchins graze on kelp, munching through their tough stems.
One urchin chews away at one of the stems.
Elsewhere, Chris and Martin came across an army of urchins.
Left unchecked, they spread across the seafloor like a plague.
Fortunately, the otters have a helper in the fight against these spiny grazers.
Chris and Martin swam through the kelp forest as they seem to looking for something.
"Hold up, guys." Koki said calling from Chris' CreaturePod. "How can the Sea Otter keep the urchins in check if they're busy at the surface for most of the time?"
"Well, actually, the otters having a helping hand with the urchin control." Chris said.
"Or in this case, helping fin." Martin said. "Hey, there it is."
Close by, was a species of fish that is the Sea Otter's partner in help with the urchin control.
Sheephead Wrasse.
"What kind of fish is that?" Aviva asked.
"That's a Sheephead Wrasse." Chris said.
"Sheephead?" Aviva, Koki and Jimmy frowned.
"Yeah, and they help the otters with the urchins as well." Martin said.
They have powerful teeth and can make short work of the smaller purple urchins.
They watched as a Sheephead snatches an urchin in it's teeth and chomps through it as the spines didn't bother it.
"Wow, those spines don't even bother him." Chris said.
"No wonder these are serious urchin predators." Martin said. "And a great ally for the Sea Otter."
They watched as more Sheepheads snatch up urchins as even Aviva, Koki and Jimmy watch from the big screen in the HQ room.
The larger black urchins are more of a challenge, especially for smaller wrasse.
Chris and Martin watched as a small wrasse pokes around with a bigger black urchin.
But soon, a large Sheephead appeared.
Only the very largest Sheephead can tackle them.
The 2 brothers watched as the large Sheephead snatches the urchin away from the kelp stems but drops it. And they watched as the Sheephead nears the urchin.
But it still has to get past those long spines.
The Sheephead grabs the urchin tossed it bit as it lands on the seabed.
"What's he doing?" Aviva asked.
"I think he's trying to flip the urchin over to get at it's underside." Martin said.
The urchin has to be flipped over to expose its vulnerable underside.
They watched as the Sheephead continues tossing the urchin trying to flip it over.
Not easy when you have no hands.
They watched as the Sheephead kept tossing the urchin, until eventually, it finally manages to flip it over as it's underside was exposed.
Success at last.
Soon, the Sheephead starts feeding as other wrasse join in.
And everybody benefits.
Soon, more and more fish arrive to get a bite of the urchin.
And soon, the urchin eaten clean to the shell.
These fish and otters, living within marine protected areas, keep the kelp grazers under control.
Elsewhere in the kelp forest, an army of urchins nears the kelp forest edge.
But just outside these sanctuaries, the urchins graze unchecked...
A number swam around through a section of kelp forest.
...and fell the kelp forest. All those that depend on the kelp have disappeared.
Soon, the kelp forest disappeared as urchins rest on the seafloor where a section of kelp forest once stood.
The Wild Kratts watched a group of Sea Otters resting at the surface by the kelp.
In California, kelp forests grow abundantly in protected areas where the whole community can live without pressure from people.
They watched as among them, a mother helps groom her pup.
Here, at least, Sea Otters can chill out Californian style.
"You know, Sea Otters sure know how to chill out Californian style." Jimmy said.
"I think maybe that's where people got the idea from." Martin joked.
They all then laughed.
The Sea Otters continue lounging Californian style at the surface.
Further up north, a layer of mist settles by the waters as a bird caw fills the air.
3,000 kilometers further north, in Alaska, spring arrives much later in the year.
Soon, the Tortuga flies over the Alaskan waters. And soon, begins to make a landing approach and lands in the water and put into Sea Turtle Mode.
And soon, the garage door opens as Chris looks at the landscape.
"Ah, the fresh air of Alaska." Chris said.
After a cold, hard winter, the first rays of the sun trigger a great annual event.
Further away underwater, a large school of fish start to gather.
Immense shoals of Herring rise up from the depths and move into shallower waters.
They're gathering to breed.
Soon, the Herring shoals swims under the Tortuga.
"Wow, that's a fish!" Jimmy said as they looked from the windows.
"Looks like Herring." Martin said. "And what happens when you get a shoal at this size?"
"A feast begins." Chris said.
But predators are waiting for them.
Further away from the Tortuga, a group Steller's Sea Lions resting on rocks start diving into the water.
Steller's Sea Lions.
The sea lions gather by the dozens as they swam by the surface.
So intent on their mission, the Herring make easy prey.
Soon, the sea lions found the Herring shoal and they start snatch any within reach. And close by, the Wild Kratts watched the sea lions catching the Herring.
"Wow, Steller's Sea Lions." Chris said.
They watched in amazement as the sea lions feed.
Sea lions drive the fish to the surface, within range of aerial hunters.
Soon, Bald Eagles started to gather as soon one of them snatches a Herring in it's talons.
Chris and Martin soon got their Power Suits on, and activated into Bald Eagle Power with a feather of them they found a while back. And soon fly off.
Bald Eagles, normally solitary birds, have assembled in numbers for the feast.
Chris and Martin flew in closer and watched as the eagles snatch the Herring.
"Wow, this is amazing." Chris said.
"Yeah, Bald Eagles don't normally gather in numbers like this." Martin said. "But every so often they do."
"Wow, this is incredible." Aviva said.
"Yeah, I could watch this day." Koki said.
By the shore, other Bald Eagles have gathered for an unexpected event.
In places, the Herrings reach shore, and there the eagles don't even take to the air.
One eagle watches the Herring, and then snatches one out of the water with it's beak.
The Wild Kratts were truly amazed by this event as wildlife moments like these are rare to film. And they watched as more eagles snatched Herring either on the wing, or by the shore.
But what sea lions and eagles can catch multiples times...
A giant traps in a single mouthful.
Soon, a jet of mist spouts from the surface like a geyser, announcing the arrival of a giant.
On the shore, a Bald Eagle watches as the great ocean titan was not alone.
And the Wild Kratts soon saw them as 3 more spouts were seen. And they all begin to arch their backs showing the familiar hump-shaped back on their dorsal fins.
And one of them, swims right next to the Tortuga passing by the garage platform as Aviva, Koki and Jimmy watched as a trail of bubbles flowed from it's blowhole. And surfaced as it spouts a jet of mist and takes a new breath of air.
Humpback Whales.
The Humpback then lows as it closes it's blowhole, and dives under.
"Whoa, we got Humpback Whales now." Martin said.
They have come all the way from the tropics, hoping to get their first meal in months.
The Herring swam through the water as a Humpback fluke lifts up at the surface, and soon went under as another spouts a jet of mist through it's blowhole. And soon, other Humpbacks begin to dive down.
Underwater, a Humpback twirls around.
These whales have a remarkable way of collecting this seasonal bounty.
Soon, the Wild Kratts saw a number of Herring into the air, and then suddenly an army of large open mouths lunged upwards as the whales took great mouthfuls of water and Herring.
They work as a team.
Soon, the whales begin to dive again for another round.
The lead whale dives first...
Underwater, a large amount of bubbles started rising in front of the Herring shoal.
...and blows a curtain of bubbles to concentrate the fish.
Above the surface, Chris and Martin flew just above where the bubbles are being blown. And Aviva, Koki and Jimmy watched from the balcony's platform.
Underwater, one of the Humpbacks calls out as the Herring were now trapped in a bubble net.
A call synchronizes the attack.
The whale song then increases in volume.
Soon, the whales lunge upwards taking great mouthfuls of water and Herring as the Wild Kratts watched in pure amazement. And some seagulls flew towards the whales hoping to snatch a few escaping fish.
"Whoa, they're using the same trick like what we saw in the Antarctic." Jimmy said.
"Wow, I truly watch this all day." Aviva said amazed.
"Same here." Koki said.
By cooperating in this way, each whale can eat a ton of fish a day.
Yet the Herring are so abundant that, in spite of the whales, most managed to reach the shallows.
Soon, Chris and Martin flew and followed the remaining Herring to the shallows.
And here they spawn.
Soon, thousands of Herring eggs were laid on the seagrass.
The females lay their eggs on the seagrass.
Soon, more Herring swam by.
The males follow, fertilizing the eggs with clouds of sperm.
In the Tortuga, the Wild Kratts flew just above the spawn patch as part of the shore was white.
"Whoa, so this is all from the spawning Herring?" Aviva asked.
"Yeah, if you Herring spawning in huge numbers, they can turn the shoreline white." Martin said.
"Weird." Koki said.
"Sorta in a cool way." Jimmy said.
Once, Herring thrived in an abundance we can barely imagine today.
Soon, the Tortuga flies over a larger area of spawning area.
They used to turn shorelines white with spawn, right across the North Pacific from Japan to California.
"And here what the Herring Spawn used to look like." Chris said showing a holographic screen of the North Pacific all white with spawn.
"Whoa, the ocean is all white from Japan to California." Koki said.
"Whoa, that's crazy." Jimmy said.
"But today, the spawn we see is only a shadow of what it used to be." Chris said.
"Why?" Aviva asked.
"Over there." Martin said gesturing to something.
Not far away, near the spawn patch with a fishing boat.
With industrialized fishing techniques it's all too easy to overexploit these breeding stocks.
A mile or 2 from the shore, other fishing boats gathered as they collect fish.
In the water around them, a few Steller's Sea Lions watch the boats as they take some of their main food supply.
This is one of the few places where a fishery still survives.
A group of Steller's Sea Lions swam by a fishing boat making their way through. And elsewhere among the fishery boats, a Humpback Whale dives down.
Pacific Herring populations are greatly reduced. A mere fraction of what they once were.
The fishing boats continued on as they pull their nets as fishermen on them went about with their jobs. Near the shoreline, a number of Steller's Sea Lions watched.
This sorry tale of unsustainable fishing has been repeated time and again around the world.
The fishermen continued on their jobs as the net was being pulled up as a nearly Humpback dives down. And at a different area of the fishery, another Humpback surfaces taking a breath of air.
Many of the world's fish stocks are now in serious decline. A third of them have collapsed.
The Humpback then dives down as it's large fluke was lifted up and soon went under.
"Sure is sad that most fish populations had disappeared in most parts of the ocean." Chris said.
"Yeah, it'll be a miracle for those who care to find a more sustainable way for fishing." Martin said.
"Well, that's why there's people like us to help with that." Aviva said.
"I hope it's not too late for that." Koki said. "We just have to keep trying, and we'll find a way."
"So, what will happen with most fish are gone?" Jimmy asked.
"Well, in some areas where fish used to be mostly common, jellyfish are now replacing them." Chris said.
"Jellyfish?" Aviva, Koki and Jimmy frowned in unison.
"Yeah, some like Compass Jellyfish can sometimes gather in huge numbers." Martin said.
In a sea, Compass Jellyfish start to gather.
In coastal seas, jellyfish are taking over waters that were once dominated by fish.
Soon, the Tortuga hovers over the surface above the jellyfish.
Compass Jellyfish have an ethereal beauty, but they provide very little sustenance for other wildlife or us.
The Compass Jellyfish continue to gently glide blindly through the water.
These immense swarms are becoming increasingly common. A worrying sign of a serious imbalance in our shallow seas.
The Compass Jellyfish continue gliding through the water as they start to increase in numbers.
Unless we start to fish sustainably, our seas, once so bountiful, will be filled with little more than vast swarms... of jellyfish.
But the future does not have to be like this.
Sometime later, the Tortuga flies over the Pacific coast of South America.
On the Pacific coast of South America, we can see how the oceans can recover.
The Atacama, the world's driest desert.
Inland it's barely able to sustain life of any kind, and yet the coast could not be more different.
The Wild Kratts soon landed as they watched a large colony of sea birds who came here to raise chicks.
For centuries, seabirds have gathered in millions on these desert shores.
High above, an aerial view shows the birds turning part of the desert black and white.
But 50 years ago the great colonies disappeared because we overfished the local waters. Controls were introduced, and now the fish stocks are recovering. So today, 3 million Guanay Cormorants assemble each year to raise their young.
The Wild Kratts watched as cawing was heard in the large crowd of birds.
"Wow, this is a lot of birds." Jimmy said.
"Yeah, 3 million of them. "Chris said. "Guanay Cormorants come here to raise their young."
"Strange that they're doing it in the middle of the driest desert on Earth." Koki said.
"Maybe, but these birds are safe from land predators." Martin said. "And to think, that these birds nearly disappeared 50 years ago."
"Really, what happened?" Aviva asked.
"Overfishing here caused the cormorants to disappeared. "Chris said. "But controls was soon introduced, and the fish stocks have recovered enough for the cormorants to return here to this nursery."
And each day, a special wildlife moment occurs.
Each morning the birds head out to sea.
Soon, the Wild Kratts watched as the cormorants starts to fly off one by one.
Grabbing their Power Suits, Chris and Martin activated Pelican and Osprey Power to join in.
The colonies are so vast they take over an hour to empty.
Aviva, Koki and Jimmy watched as the cormorants fly off and the 2 brothers followed the birds.
"Where are they all going?" Aviva asked.
"Looks like they're heading out to sea." Chris called from her CreaturePod.
Joining the procession, Inca Terns.
Soon, the brothers saw they were accompanied by Inca Terns.
"Cool, Inca Terns are joining in on the fishing trip." Chris said.
Soon, they saw a third kind of seabird group joining them as well.
Peruvian Boobies.
"Whoa, Peruvian Boobies as well!" Martin said.
A great caravan of hunters, all searching for the same thing.
Somewhere ahead of them, was a large school of fish.
Anchovies.
The Anchovy school swam through the water in great numbers.
These little fish are so abundant that they support the greatest fishery on our planet. Astonishingly, they can account for a tenth of all the fish we harvest from our oceans every year.
Part of the Anchovy school breaks off as a group of sea lions have arrived.
Sea lions are first to find the shoals.
The sea lions to corral some of the Anchovies into a ball to make catching easier. And most are being driven towards the surface.
As fish are driven to the surface, they come within range of pelicans.
At the surface, a pelican dives in the water and snatches a mouthful of fish.
And soon, more pelicans dove down to catch a mouthful.
The sea lions continue herding the Anchovies, and one of them soon snatches a fish.
Before long, the great caravan of Guanay Cormorants, Inca Terns and Peruvian Boobies soon arrive for their share.
Cormorants dive to grab their share.
The cormorants soon dive down to snatch the Anchovies.
In the air, the boobies start to divebomb to the water.
Boobies strike from height of 65 feet, 20 meters.
Many birds continue flying as the other boobies continue divebombing.
They hit the water at 60 miles, a hundred kilometers an hour.
The boobies continue divebombing as the Wild Kratts watched in pure amazement.
And they continue watching the amazing wildlife moment for more than a few hours.
Today, more than 5 million cormorants and boobies depend on the great shoals.
Yet, if we allow the Anchovies to fully recover, they could sustain the 25 million seabirds they once did.
Towards sunset, the number of seabirds start to return.
It is a vivid remainder of the astonishing riches our coastal seas can support.
Sometime later, the Tortuga arrives in an area of Southeast Asia.
And, when given the chance they can recover surprisingly quickly.
The Islands of Raja Ampat in Southeast Asia. These seas were largely stripped of sharks and other large fish by years of unregulated fishing.
Soon, the Tortuga lands on the beach of a shallow lagoon as the Wild Kratts came out in their beach outfits.
This lagoon was once occupied by a shark fishing camp.
"Wow, the Islands of Raja Ampat." Chris said.
"This is beautiful here." Aviva said.
"Yeah, and years ago, this used to be a shark fishing camp." Martin said.
"Are you serious?" Koki asked.
"For real." Martin said. "But not anymore. It's now a sanctuary for sharks."
Now it's a nursery for baby sharks.
They soon grabbed their masks and swam into the shallow waters as they soon came upon a few young Blacktip Reef Sharks.
The seas around Misool were fully protected in 2007, and the recovery has been miraculous.
The Wild Kratts watched as they swam by the sharks as they showed little fear from them, and even Jimmy seems to be relaxed by their presence.
Today there are 25 times more sharks than a decade ago.
They watch the sharks swam by as some had Remoras on them, and they even came upon a Green Sea Turtle grazing on the seagrass. And is possibly one of the many survivors when this place was a hunting ground.
Turtles that used to be hunted now peacefully graze on the seagrass.
The Wild Kratts soon near the sea turtle as it continues feeding with no concern of them.
Sharks are returning to local reefs, helping to restore the balanced community, giving them a greater resilience against the effects of coral bleaching.
"You know, these sharks are actually cool." Jimmy said.
"I thought you were nervous around predators." Koki said. "Especially sharks."
"I am, but that doesn't mean I don't like them when their small like that." Jimmy said.
"Yeah, and with sharks, in reefs, it's a greater resilience against coral bleaching." Martin said.
They continued swimming through the reef as they saw many kinds of fish.
"Ah, now this is what a healthy reef should be like." Chris sighed happily.
Soon, they came across one of the biggest reef creatures, as a Manta Ray arrives like an ocean glider.
Ocean-going Manta Rays.
"Wow, the largest ray." Martin said. "A Manta Ray. Completely harmless filter-feeders."
They watched as the Manta Ray soars pass them, and came really close to them as they saw a few wrasse cleaning it.
22 feet, 7 meters from wing tip to wing tip.
"Wow, look at the way he flaps those giant wings." Martin said.
"Yeah, up to a 22 foot wingspan." Chris said. "It's like he's flying underwater."
"They really are beautiful." Aviva said.
"Yeah, and these are some of the biggest creatures you can find in reefs." Martin said. "Whale Sharks sometimes visit them, even Humpback and Minke Whales visit them often."
"Wow." Koki said.
These endangered giants spend most of their lives roaming the high seas. But now they are returning to this sanctuary to seek the attention of cleaner wrasse.
The Wild Kratts soon watched as cleaner wrasse start picking at the Manta's skin.
"They're picking any skin parasites on the Manta's skin." Chris said. "For them it's food."
"The coastal seas really are beautiful." Aviva said.
They gently followed alongside the giant Manta.
Misool is one of the few places on Earth where biodiversity is actually increasing. Since protection, there are 3 times more fish than just 10 years ago.
The Wild Kratts swam around the reef as they watched many different fish swam around.
Fishermen working nearby waters profit from the overspill. They now catch more fish for less effort.
The many number of fish swam through the reef as 2 Manta rays soared by.
We have far too few marine sanctuaries, and in many commercial fishing is still allowed.
We need to turn a third of all our coastal seas into properly areas.
If we do that, our planet's fishing grounds would recover and help sustain both humanity and the rest of the natural world.
Please visit ourplanet .com to discover what we need to do now to restore our coastal seas.
Author's Note:
Misool is 1 example of how the coastal seas should look in other parts of the world. If we find ways to fully protect them, in time they can recover.
And who is familiar with a Short-nosed Sea Snake? A species thought extinct for 23 years, and has recently just been rediscovered.
And let Earth Day be important today.
Next chapter is one of my favorites.