A Man Among Orcas - Wildlife Documentary

[Music] orcas often known as killer whales they stalk the oceans of the world living up to their infamous name they hunt in groups they use language to communicate with their high intelligence they leave a trail of terror now prey or threatened wildlife cameraman David nature is determined to get intimately close to this mighty predator in its natural part to understand firsthand the relationship between the orca and its prey [Music] you [Music] [Music] in the southern Indian Ocean midway between the coast of South Africa and the Antarctic my the Crozet Islands this French are chabela go sits smack in the middle of the Roaring Forties westerly winds that pack a real punch here it rains 310 days a year winds in excess of 60 miles an hour for much of the year make human life unbearable the wind brings rain snow and hail on the Crozet Islands you can experience all four seasons in less than a day September marks the beginning of spring in the southern hemisphere but there's never a good time to venture into this region some people do this longline fishing boat is after a catch that can only be found in these waters Patagonian toothfish they were only discovered the turn of the last century today they fetch high prices on dinner tables in Asia and America where they're more commonly known as Chilean seabass [Music] other hunters prize the fish like the giant of the dolphin family he or David Richard is passionate about orders and intrigued by their behavior like all the fish around here the toothed fish swim too deep for whales and dolphins but the amazing thing is the orcas are such opportunists that they've adapted to the presence of longline boats in the area they've discovered an easy way to feed they only have to wait for the lines to be pulled up unfortunately a lot of pirate long liners are out there they're illegal and try to force the orcas to keep their distance by throwing dynamite so the orcas have become rather cautious towards human beings even though they haven't given up on the easy pickings scientists have produced alarming figures 50% of New Yorkers in the region have disappeared in the last decade to wanton and secret slaughter by men without scruples David boarded one of the few legal wrong liners to get to the islands and study the behavior of this threatened mammal in its natural environment as a specialist in filming marine mammals David stops at nothing to get close to his subjects but what he's about to do has never been attempted before filming underwater close to boats that present a threat to garments how nervous will they be of his presence if private fishermen have struck in the past [Music] [Applause] a young female approaches naturally inquisitive her mother instantly recalls her in Orca society the young don't need to be told twice [Music] the organs are certainly avoiding David you'll have to wait until he gets to the Crozet Islands for another encounter that's where the orcas are heading because their traditional prey in the area are not tooth fairy but elephant seals [Music] every spring elephants ears must be turned to dryland to mate and give birth after hunting at sea in the Antarctic over thousands of years walkers have perfected peculiar techniques to catch seals I wonder how far the presence of the longline boats has altered the Orcas culture from generation to generation has it changed their feeding habits what impact has the slaughter really had as the elephant seal population grown as the number of orcas declined to find out David will spend four hard months alongside these animals and conditions where life is a daily struggle for survival here animals are safe from man they shouldn't be afraid of people it's the perfect place to study their world and understand the close links that unite predator and prey I've arrived just in time the elephant seals have begun to return this 15-foot male seal has spent ten months at sea gorging on fish and squid in the Antarctic he's won thousands of miles to get here and now Hong four tons of blubber onto dry land only one thing is on his mind sex and true female but she's not here to mate rather to give birth to a pug she conceived on the island last year for the male she's an irresistible image of Aphrodite to reproduce males must establish a harem and becomes a dominant male the only way to do that throw your weight around and impose yourself on other males the male is six or seven times heavier than the female and to show he means business he bites her viciously how affectionate the dominant male must keep his trophies away from prying rivals this potential rival is already calculating the odds [Music] the role of dominant male is highly coveted and on this Beach there's only room for one conflict is inevitable [Music] another female arrives distracted by the advances of two males she doesn't see the danger until too late her long journey is over she'll never give birth to her pup hunting this way shows how the Yorkers have adapted to life around these islands fish are rare and inaccessible so they must hunt marine mammals the rest of the family has been alerted to the catch allowing the others to join the kill with a form of initiation especially for the young to survive you must learn and the transmission of knowledge is an essential part or the culture this might seem cruel but it shows the extent to which orcas are social animals and how far they go to protect each other the fatal blow is delivered by a young female skewers and other scavenging Birds pluck raw protein straight from the sea home away from home the wooden crate contains everything David needs for his own survival until the long liner returns in four months skewers confirm David's suspicions Adams anaphase AI is have never been threatened mmm they've no reason to be aggressive but every reason to be curious this is the price David must pay to secure a front-row seat to study how orcas and their prey interact within a few days the dominant male elephant seal succeeds in pressing large numbers of female into his harem the problem now is to keep the peace [Music] it's time for a nap others never seem to rest there's always a chance of fat seal being close to the edge [Music] a large male Orca with it's difficult six-foot triangular dorsal fin is followed by two females with their smaller curved [Music] [Music] walkers live in a matriarchal society the dominant female it's a group comprised of her sisters daughters and other youngsters but never couples reproduction only takes place between separate groups [Music] the matriarch is very imposing over 20 feet long I know orcas have never been known to attack humans but what if she really is I need for her next meal the group moves off peacefully to the south of the island David's close encounter with the Orca on land reminds him of something that happened on this beach in 1988 amateur footage of the drama seen around the world showed an inexperienced Orca becoming beached while hunting but scientists were on hand to help it back into the water the females release was a joy to be whole for both the scientists and the Orcas a very lucky escape I wonder if the female I encountered along the shore could be the same one the scientist saved I felt threatened but she may only have wanted to make contact what do I really represent to these super predators it's a question that dogs me this male seal knows only too well what he represents for the orcas he recently barely escaped becoming a meal ironically seals are more vulnerable on land than they are at sea they dive to depths of over 4,000 feet far deeper than anymore in shallows their thick layer of blubber offer a tempting feast of protein no wonder orcas risk beaching and hunting this way but even close to shore the elephant seal is no pushover a young August race from the group and finds itself face to face with the powerful opponent the Orca hazards a closer inspection this scene holds its ground no point in being too brave it was a good lesson for the youngster next time it'll stay with the group with his strength in numbers this male is staking out his territory even though it hasn't found a single mate hey watch it whoa hey hey calm down loneliness is obviously getting to it it's time for me to explore the island I've decided to cross the little volcano to the other side where I've noticed the orcas disappear to a number of times [Music] [Music] what is it that attracts them down there [Music] this is the perfect spot for me the rocky bottom leaves the water clear and for once the sea is calm what a treat in this turbulent part of the world it's now obvious to David what the Orcas are after on this side of the island a sloping beach shelters a colony of king penguins in their tens of thousands for the orcas the beach represents a well-stocked larder all year round adult penguins surround chicks born last year they'll keep their warm woolly coat for about nine months when they grow real feathers and strong muscles they'll take to the sea to feed themselves [Music] they wait patiently for their parents to return with food [Music] [Applause] [Music] there are plenty of distractions to kill time [Music] you they seem to have adopted me probably because they're hungry raising the young takes almost a year and requires great devotion from the parents mothers and fathers are away for ten days they swim hundreds of miles to their hunting grounds and dive 1500 feet to find fish and shellfish once they filled their crop they returned to their young picking them out from the crowd by listening for their call [Music] king penguins take to the sea together for protection you you this is an opportunity for orcas to refine their coordinated hunting techniques first they observe complete silence hunters don't want to so panic among Eggman's then moments before the attack they emit discreet clicks to signal their position to each other when the trap is set the matriarch sounds the signal [Music] catching a penguin demands a lot of energy for little in return but they haven't much choice there's nothing else to hunt in summer when the seals are abundant hunting Angwin is good practice for the leaner winter months for the Penguins who managed to rake through enemy lines to fish for their chicks the return journey proved equally perilous [Music] [Music] finally starving chicks are rewarded for their patience [Music] September draws to a close the dominant male now has more than a hundred females in his harem this record number probably has something to do with the fact that there are fewer orcas around but orcas keep piling on the pressure and for good reason female seals are about to give birth to tender pups [Music] schools and Jarl Cottrell's feast on the placenta and anxious mothers make sure the placenta is all they get the first exchange of tries between mother and baby are fighting along with her order this allows them to identify each other in the colony with its eyes barely open baby seals feed off the richest milk of any mammal in the world it contains 10 times more fat and calories than cow's milk pups put on four times their weight in only three weeks after that mother's job is done the dominant male tires of hurting ever more females into his harem not only mustn't walk over them but he must fertilize them to this earthly paradise comes with a price starvation the dominant male stops heating for the entire reproductive season he sheds 30 pounds every day for two and a half months surviving on his winter reserves at ten months spent feeding and single males lion wait for the slightest opportunity the presence of solo female stimulates their own desire to perpetuate their genomes the dominant male cries foul this Baldy snores amplifies the protests the larger the nose the greater the show of virility it's a reed instrument of dissuasion for the legions of young pretenders seeing one intruder off only lets another into the harem what another lamb being able to stay on top and DNA studies show the dominant male is far from being the father of all the pups [Music] the hormonal urged mate leads to outright war [Music] Oh Widow takes all in a clash between Titans when you get this close to these giants you can feel how much energy goes into their drive to pass on their genes it's a symbol of resistance to the extreme conditions of the place real fight for life I'm determined to experience the same kind of intense contact with the Orcas I'm going back to the clear waters on the other side [Music] I recognized the matriarch by her imposing size and I see in the fullness of her attention towards me great experience and certainly a knowledge of man is she again the one who was saved by the scientists I like to imagine she is I wish this moment would last forever I must find out more about her and her pod once again the Orcas treat david with caution the orc has developed a complex culture because they live so long males live for about 50 years females can survive into their 80s which explains why their society's matriarchal females have more experience [Music] these mammals are such efficient killers they only need to spend ten percent of their time hunting otherwise they rest play and educate the young a process that can last 20 years touching caressing and talking maintains harmony scientists now know that orcas from the same region share a common language and even more amazing every individual plan has its own dialect [Music] [Music] frustrated online David decides it's time for a dip he hopes to meet orcas in their own territory behind his bed of giant kelp [Music] or cos never venture into these underwater forests solid stocks rise a hundred and twenty feet from the bottom and could become a legal trap for the orcas [Music] beyond the forest the matriarch sneaks up on David her clicks signaled her position to the others waiting in the shadows the matriarch is simply checking the visitor out once again the encounter is fleeting caution and mistrust seem to rein in the Orcas the appearance of penguins means the orcas must have retreated to a safe distance [Music] [Applause] for David their Grace and agility are well worth staying underwater for [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] well well looks like I've got a visitor the single male has been well and truly defeated by the dominant male perhaps next year he'll have more luck even the strongest seals don't become dominant until they're at least eight years old and even then for no more than two years running the battle to dominate exhaust them too much he may not look aggressive but he's still potentially dangerous there's no way I can get into my tent tonight [Applause] hmm what a beautiful day for a change it does wonders for my mood [Music] baby elephant seals past their first days close to the warm bellies of their mothers what momentary bliss the atmosphere on the beach is positively festive [Music] orcas also take advantage of the peace and quiet to sleep but the way they sleep is most unusual so they don't drown evolution has blessed them with an extraordinary trait only half their brain sleeps at one time they literally nap with one eye open [Music] no sooner has the Sun come out then spring is on the back burner again the Roaring Forties returned with a vengeance wisely the Orcas move away from shore [Music] [Music] I wonder how the newborn elephant seals are coping with the weather the pumps Groupon suckling as though nothing is wrong it is really picking up I'd better seek some shelter [Music] filming in these conditions leaves me paralyzed with cold without the tent I'd be finished suddenly I feel very alone very different from the animals I'm fragile and vulnerable the storm turns the beach into another world or the end of the world there seems no limit to the power of the elements on the Crozet Islands [Music] I've spent the night terrified by the thought my tent would blow away by mid-october the first female elephant stewards to have arrived in the antara are now ready to return after nursing their pups for three weeks they're pregnant again and will give birth here in a year's time this one is ready to leave but her pup isn't abandonment before weaning seems cruel but there's a good reason mother no longer has the reserves to continue producing milk though she might return after putting on weight but time is not on her side she's exhausted and vulnerable [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] or cos share the spoils of hunting solidarity within the group is a cardinal virtue [Music] the pop 2 is a victim how will it survive without its mother unlike penguin chicks that can count on both parents for food baby seals depend solely on their mothers [Music] we can skinny the orphan barely has a chance even against a bird [Music] it must find another mother the door is closed the male seals cannot afford to feed to pops at once and other pups also insist on exclusive rights to their mothers [Music] [Applause] I'm heartbroken to see firsthand the tragedy of this pups life but there's nothing I can do to help [Music] it's been attacked and rejected by its own species a victim of the cruel laws of natural selection it will never know the taste of fish they never become a dominant male to father offspring on this island at the end of the world [Music] mid-november and the harem dissolves like snow in the Sun the dominant male rouses himself one last time to perform his duty [Laughter] [Music] babies are now fully weaned and independent the young stick together and discover the joys of infancy they've begun to move black at birth their fur has turned light gray but the new coats itch terribly [Music] David can't resist lending a hand after all they've been neighbors for nearly four months [Music] I know it's not very scientific of me but I just can't resist these furry little bodies [Music] my excuse is that they and not I made the first move into my camp I'm really excited by their willingness to let me into their lives [Music] Oh ah [Music] ah [Music] the seals really have accepted me what an honor the confidence they showin me and the games they share are the simplest and most important forms of communication moments like this take me back to my own childhood [Music] by December hunger forces the young seals into troubled waters their first tentative steps are harmless enough but unlike young workers they can't rely on adult protection and education to survive for some the baptism will be ruthlessly short [Applause] [Music] forcas must fatten up for the winter ahead when weasely penguins will be all that's left on the menu unless they've laid the dynamite to steal tooth fish from the long liners david must catch the young seals in the water for the first time before they to migrate to the Antarctic I was looking for him but in the end he found me [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] is he admiring me or mocking me for needing this ridiculous suit to enter his world but who's to say we can't be friends if only he would stay why is he leaving will he be back the answer is in black and white is she hoping to catch my seal friend a male approaches me for the first time he's nearly 30 feet long and weighs more than 8 tons a living juggernaut then the matriarch returns this time I'm sure it's to make real contact [Music] [Music] I feel naked and completely defenseless the Orcas know it too and I'm counting on their wisdom now we are communicating I don't know how exactly but it's pretty intense in this open smiling face I realize we have both exercised or mutual fears [Music] call it intuition but I'm now positive this female is the one saved from the beach long ago she's become head of the clan and wants to know more about me before exposing the others to potential danger today she knows I come in peace [Music] no words can express the emotion I feel in such a sublime moment of contact the Orcas we sometimes call killer whales maybe in their own way trying to thank us for saving one of their own [Music] I'm reassured to see how the Orcas of the Crozet Islands are preserving their ancient ways for now at least in spite of the long liners [Music] even their experience at the hands of the Pirates their initial reaction to me was to be cautious how can you blame when faced with such a destructive species as human even when their future is threatened by us they show just how discriminating they are they opened the door of their kingdom to me on an island where life hangs in the balance every moment wild animals accept my presence they give up some of their secrets and embrace me with full confidence this extraordinary encounter has changed me forever [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music]

Channel: Best Documentary

Views: 1,727,867

Rating: 4.7880192 out of 5

Keywords: elephant seal documentary, Elephant seals, orcas documentary, orcas, elephant seal, film, documentary, animal, island, full, complete, wildlife, killer whales, orcas documentary bbc, marine biology, aquatic animals

Id: uW9mcG0rdLY

Length: 52min 33sec (3153 seconds)

Published: Sat Jun 03 2017

Reddit Comments

[u/Dyir]

It rains 310 days a year, winds in excess of 60mph.... He might as well have moved to North Wales

[u/shoezilla]

That was fucking awesome

[u/dofrogsbite]

I had a kayaking friend we called "spotty " a harbor seal. He/she would hangout with us show off, I miss spotty

[u/anxiousalpaca]

wow

this guy goes to a solitary islands and leaves being friends with all types of animals

[u/reyzak]

Nice documentary! Got me through the remainder of my night shift. Wish he would have gotten more footage of the orcas swimming with him during it though that was easily the best part

[u/LearnedHowToDougie]

TIL elephant seals can regularly dive 4,000' for food and 1 has been observed diving over 7,000'.... that's insane

[u/mermaidpowerz]

Thank god I woke 45 minuets before my alarm so I can watch this amazing documentary before work. Today will be a good day .

[u/Moyou]

I love orcas! Thanks for such a cool documentary :)

[u/SpiffySleet]

Awesome! The abandoned dying baby seals were kind of a bummer, but pretty awesome insight in that eco-system