1 00:00:25,763 --> 00:00:28,003 When I was a kid, this was my playground. 2 00:00:28,603 --> 00:00:32,043 The Pacific Ocean, the world's largest and deepest. 3 00:00:34,083 --> 00:00:37,003 It inspires awe, wonder, 4 00:00:37,683 --> 00:00:39,283 and sometimes even fear. 5 00:00:40,723 --> 00:00:44,283 Our oceans are as critical to our survival as the air we breathe. 6 00:00:46,363 --> 00:00:50,483 Around the world, we have protected close to 8% of these waters. 7 00:00:53,323 --> 00:00:56,523 Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is an example of that. 8 00:00:59,523 --> 00:01:02,523 Stretching along a quarter of California's coastline, 9 00:01:03,363 --> 00:01:05,163 from San Francisco in the north, 10 00:01:06,883 --> 00:01:08,683 to Big Sur in the south… 11 00:01:12,563 --> 00:01:18,083 this unique reserve protects more than 6,000 square miles of the Pacific Ocean. 12 00:01:23,363 --> 00:01:24,963 It's a hot spot for visitors… 13 00:01:27,403 --> 00:01:28,763 from migrating wildlife, 14 00:01:30,443 --> 00:01:32,323 to the tourists who come to see them. 15 00:01:35,003 --> 00:01:38,083 Monterey's rich waters are a huge draw, 16 00:01:39,923 --> 00:01:43,243 even for the biggest animal of all time. 17 00:01:47,643 --> 00:01:49,763 The magnificent blue whale. 18 00:02:01,563 --> 00:02:06,443 All this natural wonder right on California's doorstep. 19 00:02:12,323 --> 00:02:17,483 But can protected places and millions of people coexist? 20 00:02:23,883 --> 00:02:26,403 Could there be a future for wild spaces 21 00:02:28,363 --> 00:02:32,603 where, alongside all of us, nature still thrives? 22 00:03:02,003 --> 00:03:06,363 Each season in Monterey Bay creates its own dramatic story. 23 00:03:10,483 --> 00:03:12,643 {\an8}The toughest time of all is winter. 24 00:03:18,603 --> 00:03:21,683 It's December at Point Año Nuevo 25 00:03:22,843 --> 00:03:24,963 towards the northern end of the sanctuary. 26 00:03:35,283 --> 00:03:39,723 These remote sand dunes are reserved for California's most charismatic visitor. 27 00:03:47,603 --> 00:03:49,443 Northern elephant seals… 28 00:03:54,363 --> 00:03:59,163 named for their long snouts, which males flaunt to attract a mate. 29 00:04:09,803 --> 00:04:11,083 But at this time of year, 30 00:04:12,163 --> 00:04:14,403 the females have other things on their minds. 31 00:04:21,563 --> 00:04:24,883 Each mom usually gives birth to a single pup. 32 00:04:35,163 --> 00:04:37,403 This one is just four weeks old 33 00:04:38,163 --> 00:04:40,643 and already weighs 300 pounds. 34 00:04:44,403 --> 00:04:46,963 All thanks to his mother's milk. 35 00:04:49,483 --> 00:04:54,083 At 55% fat, it's some of the richest in the animal kingdom. 36 00:05:06,243 --> 00:05:09,563 But producing such nutritious milk comes at a cost. 37 00:05:13,643 --> 00:05:18,923 After a month on the beach, his mom has given all she can. 38 00:05:25,443 --> 00:05:28,683 She must return to the sea to feed herself… 39 00:05:32,723 --> 00:05:34,763 never to return to him. 40 00:05:43,523 --> 00:05:47,363 For the first time in his life, this pup is on his own. 41 00:05:50,323 --> 00:05:53,683 He's big enough to be weaned, but he's still hungry. 42 00:06:01,243 --> 00:06:04,763 Being abandoned is a trial that every pup must face. 43 00:06:08,443 --> 00:06:10,883 Most of these weaners now fast 44 00:06:10,963 --> 00:06:13,403 until they're old enough to hunt for themselves. 45 00:06:15,403 --> 00:06:18,323 But once in a while, a pup comes along 46 00:06:18,403 --> 00:06:20,963 that is not prepared to accept his fate… 47 00:06:26,683 --> 00:06:28,003 …and attempts to pull off 48 00:06:29,163 --> 00:06:30,443 a milk heist. 49 00:06:35,523 --> 00:06:37,923 It will call for cunning and deception. 50 00:06:49,923 --> 00:06:53,043 And the ability to go in under the radar. 51 00:07:02,323 --> 00:07:03,603 Easier said than done. 52 00:07:13,403 --> 00:07:16,403 All he has to do is bump this pup out of the way. 53 00:07:27,083 --> 00:07:27,963 Busted. 54 00:07:43,043 --> 00:07:45,323 Maybe he could use a distraction. 55 00:07:51,723 --> 00:07:52,643 Luckily for him… 56 00:07:55,723 --> 00:07:59,203 fights regularly break out between the two-ton males. 57 00:08:14,523 --> 00:08:15,403 Almost there. 58 00:08:23,963 --> 00:08:26,283 He can't afford to get caught in the crossfire. 59 00:08:57,243 --> 00:08:58,363 It's a lucky escape. 60 00:09:02,163 --> 00:09:06,523 Around one in 40 youngsters die from being crushed every year. 61 00:09:14,443 --> 00:09:15,883 As peace returns 62 00:09:17,203 --> 00:09:20,003 and the colony settle down for a snooze… 63 00:09:23,083 --> 00:09:24,123 …he spots 64 00:09:25,963 --> 00:09:26,923 a soft target. 65 00:09:31,483 --> 00:09:33,763 If he doesn't wake up Mom. 66 00:09:47,643 --> 00:09:48,683 Easy does it. 67 00:10:04,003 --> 00:10:04,923 Success! 68 00:10:07,443 --> 00:10:12,003 Mom hasn't seen the switch and drives her own youngster away. 69 00:10:15,963 --> 00:10:18,043 This young criminal mastermind 70 00:10:19,363 --> 00:10:21,643 gets away with another round of feeding. 71 00:10:27,443 --> 00:10:30,883 And a head start when he first goes to sea in spring. 72 00:10:39,363 --> 00:10:43,843 Only about one in a thousand pups masters this sneaky strategy. 73 00:10:46,923 --> 00:10:49,923 Those that pull it off become so enormous 74 00:10:50,003 --> 00:10:52,843 that scientists call them super weaners. 75 00:11:03,203 --> 00:11:07,963 But for most, winter in Monterey means there is less food to go around. 76 00:11:14,123 --> 00:11:16,963 And in the vast, open expanse of the sanctuary, 77 00:11:17,763 --> 00:11:20,243 finding the next meal is never easy. 78 00:11:36,083 --> 00:11:36,923 Orca. 79 00:11:42,803 --> 00:11:47,963 These supremely intelligent killer whales are the ocean's top predators. 80 00:11:57,883 --> 00:12:00,163 They live in close family groups. 81 00:12:05,403 --> 00:12:09,363 This pod relies on the wisdom of their experienced matriarch… 82 00:12:14,123 --> 00:12:17,003 …named Star by the researchers who study her. 83 00:12:21,723 --> 00:12:24,003 One of Star's daughters is pregnant. 84 00:12:26,603 --> 00:12:28,963 Orca have calves about every five years. 85 00:12:31,003 --> 00:12:36,603 So it's more important than ever that they find food, and soon. 86 00:13:01,243 --> 00:13:03,603 A lone California sea lion. 87 00:13:45,563 --> 00:13:48,963 A much-needed meal for Star and her pregnant daughter. 88 00:13:54,603 --> 00:13:57,643 Their celebration helps strengthen the family bonds. 89 00:14:10,523 --> 00:14:12,963 But this kill won't keep them going for long. 90 00:14:15,043 --> 00:14:18,483 Star must lead her family in the search for more. 91 00:14:29,403 --> 00:14:33,003 It's not just the lack of food that makes winter such a tough time here. 92 00:14:41,083 --> 00:14:42,403 As the swell rolls in… 93 00:14:44,683 --> 00:14:47,283 it meets the sanctuary's shallow coastal waters. 94 00:14:53,723 --> 00:14:57,523 It becomes one of the biggest and best-known waves in the world. 95 00:15:05,043 --> 00:15:05,923 Mavericks. 96 00:15:27,123 --> 00:15:28,483 Epic for surfers. 97 00:15:46,123 --> 00:15:51,483 But the waves' relentless power can make the coast an exhausting place to live. 98 00:15:57,083 --> 00:15:59,403 Although there are places to find shelter… 99 00:16:01,443 --> 00:16:03,083 if you know where to look. 100 00:16:06,123 --> 00:16:09,723 Monterey's man-made harbors were once home to commercial fleets 101 00:16:09,803 --> 00:16:12,203 that stripped the ocean of its wildlife 102 00:16:14,083 --> 00:16:15,683 on an industrial scale. 103 00:16:19,443 --> 00:16:22,923 Many species, from sardines to the great whales, 104 00:16:23,003 --> 00:16:24,523 came close to extinction. 105 00:16:29,243 --> 00:16:32,643 In 1992, Monterey Bay was declared 106 00:16:32,723 --> 00:16:34,643 a national marine sanctuary. 107 00:16:36,683 --> 00:16:40,123 Now these same harbors offer some respite. 108 00:16:46,443 --> 00:16:47,603 A place to relax. 109 00:16:53,403 --> 00:16:54,643 And recover. 110 00:17:03,643 --> 00:17:05,083 The southern sea otter. 111 00:17:09,123 --> 00:17:13,283 Once hunted for their pelts, their numbers fell as low as 50. 112 00:17:17,363 --> 00:17:22,803 Now protected, the sanctuary supports over 2,000 of these critters. 113 00:17:31,923 --> 00:17:35,523 The old whaling port of Moss Landing at the center of Monterey Bay 114 00:17:36,323 --> 00:17:38,723 welcomes its newest arrival. 115 00:17:48,283 --> 00:17:49,923 A baby sea otter pup, 116 00:17:50,803 --> 00:17:52,923 just a few hours old. 117 00:17:58,283 --> 00:17:59,643 He's utterly helpless, 118 00:18:01,603 --> 00:18:03,603 so relies totally on his mom. 119 00:18:10,203 --> 00:18:12,283 She needs to keep him warm and dry. 120 00:18:18,523 --> 00:18:19,883 It's a never-ending job. 121 00:18:37,763 --> 00:18:41,723 Fortunately, we have created some handy haul-out sites. 122 00:18:47,963 --> 00:18:51,123 If she can find any space amongst the crowds. 123 00:19:05,683 --> 00:19:06,963 And even when she does… 124 00:19:13,843 --> 00:19:15,203 …it's just too high. 125 00:19:48,323 --> 00:19:49,883 Time for a feed 126 00:19:50,483 --> 00:19:52,883 and a rest in the warmth of the sun. 127 00:20:02,203 --> 00:20:05,203 As a new mother, she can't just stay with her pup. 128 00:20:06,643 --> 00:20:10,723 To produce quality milk, she must be well-fed herself. 129 00:20:11,803 --> 00:20:14,483 And that means leaving him alone. 130 00:20:17,443 --> 00:20:19,723 But the harbor's walkways are too busy. 131 00:20:31,883 --> 00:20:37,483 So the search is on for a quiet, dry place to stash him away safely. 132 00:20:58,683 --> 00:20:59,523 Perfect. 133 00:21:06,283 --> 00:21:07,323 Now that he's safe, 134 00:21:08,963 --> 00:21:11,203 the rarest of opportunities for a new mom. 135 00:21:17,283 --> 00:21:18,363 Some "me time." 136 00:21:23,843 --> 00:21:27,403 She forages for shellfish and burrowing worms. 137 00:21:29,523 --> 00:21:32,243 Nursing moms need to double the calories they eat. 138 00:21:37,083 --> 00:21:39,243 Until he's weaned in six months' time, 139 00:21:40,963 --> 00:21:43,963 he will depend on her finding enough food for both of them. 140 00:21:56,443 --> 00:21:58,403 And the newest resident of Monterey Bay 141 00:21:59,203 --> 00:22:02,283 is back where he most wants to be. 142 00:22:20,043 --> 00:22:23,523 The sanctuary also nurtures life beyond its waters. 143 00:22:33,003 --> 00:22:38,003 Warm currents flowing up from the south release their heat into the air… 144 00:22:43,243 --> 00:22:46,923 taking the bite out of winter and creating the perfect conditions 145 00:22:47,803 --> 00:22:49,203 for a precious visitor. 146 00:22:59,323 --> 00:23:04,723 Arriving in these protected coastal woodlands within the city of Santa Cruz… 147 00:23:08,323 --> 00:23:10,643 a western monarch butterfly. 148 00:23:22,243 --> 00:23:25,123 It's flown up to 1,000 miles to get here, 149 00:23:26,483 --> 00:23:27,843 all the way from Canada. 150 00:23:32,563 --> 00:23:34,403 And it's not alone. 151 00:23:39,963 --> 00:23:42,843 An entire colony will spend the next few months here, 152 00:23:44,203 --> 00:23:46,843 protected from the harsh winters further north. 153 00:24:03,763 --> 00:24:07,163 Once, millions sheltered in these woods. 154 00:24:09,643 --> 00:24:12,243 Now, less than 1% remain, 155 00:24:13,323 --> 00:24:16,603 the others lost to climate change 156 00:24:16,683 --> 00:24:18,123 and habitat destruction. 157 00:24:21,483 --> 00:24:25,243 These trees are one of their few protected havens. 158 00:24:29,163 --> 00:24:32,763 Now, the monarchs must hold out for spring to arrive. 159 00:24:39,523 --> 00:24:44,363 Finally, after the long wait, a warmer sun rises. 160 00:25:02,403 --> 00:25:05,243 They spread their wings to absorb the heat. 161 00:25:11,523 --> 00:25:14,723 And flap to stir cold flight muscles. 162 00:25:19,523 --> 00:25:21,603 Then, when the moment's right… 163 00:25:36,523 --> 00:25:38,763 they head inland to lay their eggs. 164 00:25:42,843 --> 00:25:46,283 With successive generations working their way back towards Canada… 165 00:25:49,443 --> 00:25:52,163 carrying a new hope for the future of their species… 166 00:25:55,363 --> 00:25:58,283 thanks to the gift of the ocean's winter warmth. 167 00:26:01,603 --> 00:26:04,043 Reminding us that the health of our climate 168 00:26:04,763 --> 00:26:07,683 and our ocean are intimately connected. 169 00:26:17,243 --> 00:26:20,803 The arrival of spring is marked by a change in the prevailing winds. 170 00:26:25,243 --> 00:26:28,723 Northwesterlies drive an upwelling of cold water from the deep. 171 00:26:29,643 --> 00:26:32,243 It also brings nutrients to the shallows. 172 00:26:40,963 --> 00:26:42,123 And within weeks, 173 00:26:43,123 --> 00:26:47,363 mesmerizing patterns start to appear all along the coast. 174 00:26:56,483 --> 00:26:57,843 Forests of kelp. 175 00:27:03,923 --> 00:27:07,283 These giant algae support a vibrant community. 176 00:27:12,043 --> 00:27:15,843 The perfect place for Monterey's sea otters to search for food. 177 00:27:26,203 --> 00:27:29,523 And the kelp helps in the fight against climate change 178 00:27:29,603 --> 00:27:34,763 by capturing up to 20 times more carbon per acre than forests on land. 179 00:27:41,843 --> 00:27:45,123 This hungry otter won't find what he's looking for up here. 180 00:27:55,563 --> 00:27:59,563 At the base of the kelp is a spring pantry of fresh food. 181 00:28:05,603 --> 00:28:07,683 But it's not all to his taste. 182 00:28:13,083 --> 00:28:14,723 Sea otters are fussy eaters. 183 00:28:17,483 --> 00:28:21,083 When young, they get a taste for their mom's favorite food. 184 00:28:23,363 --> 00:28:25,403 Some eat spiky urchins. 185 00:28:27,483 --> 00:28:28,403 But not this one. 186 00:28:34,563 --> 00:28:36,523 He loves mussels. 187 00:28:46,043 --> 00:28:46,923 Lots of them. 188 00:28:53,443 --> 00:28:56,403 And when the otters need to kick back and digest their meal… 189 00:28:59,963 --> 00:29:02,083 they roll themselves up in the fronds… 190 00:29:10,803 --> 00:29:13,563 …and enjoy a nap without drifting out to sea. 191 00:29:22,083 --> 00:29:25,283 The spring kelp acts as a safe haven for many. 192 00:29:29,803 --> 00:29:34,003 But beyond lie deeper waters with nowhere to hide. 193 00:29:40,683 --> 00:29:43,723 Monterey Bay conceals an underwater abyss 194 00:29:45,323 --> 00:29:48,323 every bit as magnificent as the Grand Canyon. 195 00:29:51,443 --> 00:29:55,603 Just over 10,000 feet deep, it splits the bay in two. 196 00:30:00,843 --> 00:30:04,083 Any animal swimming along the coast will cross the canyon. 197 00:30:08,323 --> 00:30:11,323 Star and her hungry family know it. 198 00:30:18,483 --> 00:30:22,643 Now a grandma, Star has a two-month-old calf to look after. 199 00:30:36,043 --> 00:30:37,843 She's timed their arrival here 200 00:30:37,923 --> 00:30:40,803 to set an ambush for their most important prey. 201 00:30:45,803 --> 00:30:50,363 Every April, gray whales and their calves migrate north through the sanctuary. 202 00:30:57,083 --> 00:31:02,003 Sticking close to the safety of the shore, they are camouflaged by the kelp forests. 203 00:31:13,163 --> 00:31:15,283 But when they reach the middle of the bay… 204 00:31:17,763 --> 00:31:20,083 they have no option but to break cover. 205 00:31:30,683 --> 00:31:34,883 Adult grays are about eight times the weight of an orca. 206 00:31:36,163 --> 00:31:37,363 Too big to take on. 207 00:31:41,563 --> 00:31:43,883 So the smaller calf will be the target. 208 00:31:48,363 --> 00:31:51,043 Enough to feed the whole family for many days. 209 00:32:08,963 --> 00:32:11,283 When hunting, they fall silent. 210 00:32:34,443 --> 00:32:36,883 The largest adults lead the attack. 211 00:32:44,763 --> 00:32:46,763 First, they ram the calf… 212 00:32:51,843 --> 00:32:56,123 hitting it with so much force, they lift the 2,000-pound young gray 213 00:32:56,683 --> 00:32:58,163 almost out of the water. 214 00:33:02,763 --> 00:33:04,563 But its protective mother fights back. 215 00:33:08,003 --> 00:33:09,803 One swipe of her huge tail… 216 00:33:12,323 --> 00:33:14,003 could be deadly to an orca. 217 00:33:20,323 --> 00:33:22,363 They push the calf away from its mother. 218 00:33:38,243 --> 00:33:40,883 One by one, they launch onto its back… 219 00:33:45,003 --> 00:33:46,243 trying to drown it. 220 00:33:53,203 --> 00:33:56,523 In the thick of the action, the youngest orca calf, 221 00:33:57,083 --> 00:33:59,003 already learning from its elders. 222 00:34:07,363 --> 00:34:09,723 The gray whale's mother hasn't given up yet. 223 00:34:12,283 --> 00:34:14,843 She tries to keep her calf's head above the surface. 224 00:34:17,683 --> 00:34:20,203 But she's no match for the family working together. 225 00:34:37,043 --> 00:34:39,563 It's a mercifully swift end to events. 226 00:34:57,563 --> 00:35:00,083 This one whale will sustain many. 227 00:35:12,203 --> 00:35:16,843 And Star has passed on the skills her family will need to survive. 228 00:35:32,643 --> 00:35:37,003 Spring turns to summer, and there's a dramatic change in the weather. 229 00:35:40,203 --> 00:35:44,283 After warming the land all winter, the sea now cools it. 230 00:35:49,283 --> 00:35:53,203 The cold water welling up from the deep meets the warm summer air… 231 00:35:56,163 --> 00:35:58,243 and sea fog starts to form. 232 00:36:01,123 --> 00:36:05,283 Known locally as the June Gloom, it blankets the shore. 233 00:36:11,323 --> 00:36:13,323 At the sanctuary's northern edge, 234 00:36:13,403 --> 00:36:17,843 it envelops San Francisco's iconic Golden Gate Bridge. 235 00:36:32,523 --> 00:36:35,963 For the next few months, it will bring badly needed moisture 236 00:36:36,043 --> 00:36:40,043 along the coast to one of the most drought-ridden states in America. 237 00:36:43,243 --> 00:36:45,003 Supporting towering forests. 238 00:36:53,363 --> 00:36:57,483 And maintaining a lush, green landscape through the hottest months. 239 00:37:07,083 --> 00:37:09,043 But gradually through the summer, 240 00:37:09,683 --> 00:37:14,123 the sunshine burns off the fog and begins to warm the sea surface. 241 00:37:17,043 --> 00:37:18,923 New creatures start to appear. 242 00:37:22,323 --> 00:37:25,563 Some having traveled thousands of miles. 243 00:37:32,723 --> 00:37:35,003 Majestic blue whales. 244 00:37:37,963 --> 00:37:42,163 They pair up here en route to mating grounds further south. 245 00:37:45,083 --> 00:37:48,483 Giant sunfish, ten feet across, 246 00:37:48,563 --> 00:37:51,603 lie on their sides to soak up the sun's rays. 247 00:38:04,963 --> 00:38:07,163 Risso's dolphins play in the swell. 248 00:38:12,603 --> 00:38:14,763 And a mysterious new arrival. 249 00:38:26,403 --> 00:38:28,003 A great white shark. 250 00:38:35,123 --> 00:38:36,763 She's around six years old. 251 00:38:39,603 --> 00:38:42,363 Not yet big enough to maintain her own body temperature. 252 00:38:44,803 --> 00:38:48,443 So she's heading for a warm, shallow cove by Santa Cruz… 253 00:38:52,523 --> 00:38:55,403 already busy with other summer visitors. 254 00:39:12,443 --> 00:39:14,163 But she's just six feet long… 255 00:39:17,043 --> 00:39:19,763 …and only interested in eating fish. 256 00:39:32,483 --> 00:39:35,843 For the last few years, dozens of young great whites 257 00:39:35,923 --> 00:39:37,803 have been hanging out here in summer. 258 00:39:47,003 --> 00:39:48,763 Nicknamed Shark Park, 259 00:39:49,363 --> 00:39:51,963 this is the northernmost place in the Pacific 260 00:39:52,043 --> 00:39:53,923 these youngsters are known to gather. 261 00:39:59,523 --> 00:40:03,083 An inspiring opportunity for the sanctuary's human visitors 262 00:40:03,163 --> 00:40:05,883 to appreciate these icons of the ocean. 263 00:40:18,883 --> 00:40:23,123 But Monterey's greatest spectacle is still to come. 264 00:40:30,723 --> 00:40:34,763 Where sunlight meets the nutrient-rich water rising up from the deep… 265 00:40:36,963 --> 00:40:38,723 the ocean turns green. 266 00:40:41,523 --> 00:40:45,883 Billions of microscopic algae called phytoplankton multiply. 267 00:40:50,243 --> 00:40:53,563 They might be tiny, but these plant-like cells 268 00:40:53,643 --> 00:40:55,683 are critical for all life. 269 00:40:58,763 --> 00:41:01,243 Globally, they generate more oxygen 270 00:41:01,323 --> 00:41:04,363 than all the world's rain forests combined. 271 00:41:13,963 --> 00:41:18,523 Within days, a green flame forms on the surface of the ocean 272 00:41:19,403 --> 00:41:21,363 that's visible from space. 273 00:41:24,923 --> 00:41:28,803 These blooms are the first rung of a complex food chain. 274 00:41:31,283 --> 00:41:34,883 And as summer turns to fall, they trigger the start 275 00:41:34,963 --> 00:41:37,683 of one of the most incredible events in the ocean. 276 00:41:48,123 --> 00:41:50,563 Beginning with sea nettle jellies. 277 00:41:58,003 --> 00:41:59,643 One and a half feet across… 278 00:42:02,243 --> 00:42:04,483 and up to 15 feet in length… 279 00:42:08,123 --> 00:42:12,443 these otherworldly creatures drift until they find the plankton blooms. 280 00:42:17,763 --> 00:42:22,603 Then, pulsating, they fight the current to gorge themselves. 281 00:42:31,923 --> 00:42:33,683 Forming huge swarms. 282 00:42:49,923 --> 00:42:52,203 The great gathering has begun. 283 00:42:56,763 --> 00:42:59,643 Anchovies arrive in their millions, 284 00:43:01,043 --> 00:43:03,243 also here to feast on the plankton. 285 00:43:09,043 --> 00:43:13,523 These dark, dense shoals of fish can stretch over a mile wide. 286 00:43:16,883 --> 00:43:18,683 But they, too, are on the menu. 287 00:43:32,763 --> 00:43:34,163 California sea lions. 288 00:43:35,843 --> 00:43:37,003 Anchovy hunters. 289 00:43:48,123 --> 00:43:49,163 Hundreds strong. 290 00:43:57,643 --> 00:44:01,803 But finding the shoals over such a vast area is far from easy. 291 00:44:16,283 --> 00:44:18,323 Humpback whales join the hunt. 292 00:44:28,643 --> 00:44:32,083 They can pinpoint the anchovies from huge distances away. 293 00:44:35,203 --> 00:44:37,163 How they do this is a mystery. 294 00:44:40,363 --> 00:44:43,203 But the sea lions seem to know what the whales are up to… 295 00:44:45,963 --> 00:44:47,523 and follow in their wake. 296 00:44:56,843 --> 00:44:58,683 Once they have zoned in on the fish… 297 00:45:02,043 --> 00:45:04,243 the sea lions charge in… 298 00:45:10,243 --> 00:45:11,483 rounding them up. 299 00:45:18,803 --> 00:45:22,403 As the anchovies panic, they form an ever-tighter ball. 300 00:45:34,843 --> 00:45:37,083 A 5,000-gallon mouthful. 301 00:45:52,123 --> 00:45:54,123 It pays to work as a team. 302 00:46:09,643 --> 00:46:11,923 A pod of a thousand dolphins 303 00:46:13,763 --> 00:46:15,563 rush to join the bonanza. 304 00:47:10,323 --> 00:47:14,083 Everyone will feast until the shoal is no more. 305 00:47:28,563 --> 00:47:32,563 This extraordinary banquet is one of the great wonders 306 00:47:33,643 --> 00:47:34,723 of the natural world… 307 00:47:41,203 --> 00:47:45,723 playing out within sight of the densely populated California coast. 308 00:47:57,723 --> 00:48:01,883 Monterey Bay's marine life has seen a remarkable recovery. 309 00:48:04,723 --> 00:48:08,203 But it's a very small piece of a much bigger jigsaw. 310 00:48:12,003 --> 00:48:15,843 And around the world, ocean health is in steep decline. 311 00:48:18,683 --> 00:48:22,723 Sea temperatures are rising, damaging entire ecosystems. 312 00:48:25,523 --> 00:48:29,763 Fish stocks are plummeting, causing havoc up and down the food chain. 313 00:48:34,643 --> 00:48:36,603 And pollution is escalating, 314 00:48:38,403 --> 00:48:39,963 poisoning our seas. 315 00:48:43,043 --> 00:48:44,363 To tackle these threats, 316 00:48:45,363 --> 00:48:48,403 we need to expand and connect our marine sanctuaries. 317 00:48:50,923 --> 00:48:53,043 And by protecting the ocean's hot spots, 318 00:48:53,123 --> 00:48:56,723 we can generate impact far beyond the sanctuary's borders… 319 00:48:58,763 --> 00:49:01,763 enriching the ocean beyond, and our own lives too. 320 00:49:03,883 --> 00:49:07,123 The fate of the world's oceans affects every single one of us. 321 00:49:07,763 --> 00:49:09,723 They are our life-support system. 322 00:49:10,803 --> 00:49:14,003 Our health and theirs are bound together. 323 00:49:17,323 --> 00:49:20,643 Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary gives us hope 324 00:49:21,203 --> 00:49:24,483 that although human activity has harmed the ocean, 325 00:49:25,883 --> 00:49:28,483 as long as we make the right choices from now on, 326 00:49:29,283 --> 00:49:30,923 we can heal it too.