MAJESTIC MUSIC In the far reaches of the Pacific Ocean lies a land cut off from the rest of the world since the time of the dinosaurs. MAJESTIC MUSIC CONTINUES After 80 million years of isolation, nature has gone its own way. In this lost world, life plays by different rules. Penguins in the forests, parrots in the snow and predators from pre-history. ROARING Their lives are dominated by the most powerful forces on Earth. MUSIC SWELLS When humans finally arrived, they discovered no where is more strange and mysterious than NZ. BIRDS CHIRP ETHEREAL MUSIC Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2017 At the extreme southern tip of NZ the influence of the South Pole is surprisingly clear. CHORAL MUSIC The Aurora Australis ` the Southern Lights. At 47 degrees south, the next stop is Antarctica. At these latitudes, in summer, the nights don't last long. So there is only a brief window of opportunity for the creatures who hunt by night ` WAVES CRASH GENTLE PIANO MUSIC like this mysterious beachcomber. He's only found in NZ and very rarely seen. He has stubby wings, but he's too heavy to fly. A wild southern brown Kiwi. SERENE MUSIC Just after sunset, the Kiwi hits the beach in search of sandhoppers. He relies on his sense of smell and sniffs out the bugs through nostrils at the end of his bill. SERENE MUSIC CONTINUES Kiwis come out at night to avoid daytime predators, so it's rare to get such a good look at them. GENTLE PIANO MUSIC Cold nights and meagre pickings mean that as the first rays of the sun appear, this Kiwi doesn't run and hide. WAVES ROAR He keeps hunting into dawn. The conditions here force the southern brown kiwi to stay out in daylight. SEAGULLS SQUAWK To live this far south, it's had to completely alter its normal routine. WAVES CRASH Every creature who lives in this wild and remote part of the world must come up with radical solutions to the challenges of living here. NZ's closeness to the Pole makes it vulnerable to storms, particularly in the south, where they say you can feel the icy breath of Antarctica. WAVES ROAR WAVES CRASH NZ's southern beaches are a refuge for one incredible subantarctic pioneer. OMINOUS MUSIC (SNORTS) A NZ sea lion. Possibly the rarest sea lion in the world. Almost hunted to extinction 150 years ago. SEAGULLS SQUAWK But then, in 1993, one female returned and gave birth. Over 20 years on, her descendants are still here. An adult male can weigh about as much as four grown men. It can take eight years to reach maturity. (GROWLS, ROARS) (WAILS) Adult male sea lions are the rugby front row of the South Island. SEA LIONS GROWL During the breeding season, the beaches become their battle ground. Only the biggest and toughest will win the right to breed. A female returning from a three-day fishing trip doesn't want to attract the male's attention. SEA LIONS GROWL She has something else on her mind. She might be able to dive deeper than any other sea lion on Earth, but hauling 160kg up over a sand dune is more of a struggle. (WAILS) (WAILS) There is a reason for all this effort. She's searching for something precious. (WAILS) BIRDS TWITTER (CRIES) The centre of her world ` her pup. Only a couple of weeks old. BIRDS CHIRP By hiding her baby in the woods, she avoids the bully boys on the beach. In the safety of the forest, he can suckle in peace. You might only drive short distances to work each day. You might park securely at work. You may not drive your car to work at all. At Youi, we tailor your insurance premium to how you use or don't use your car. It could save you lots. Call: BIRDS CHIRP All along the southern coast, sea creatures come ashore to find shelter. SERENE MUSIC BIRDS CHIRP But living on land when you're meant to be at sea can bring problems of its own. WHIMSICAL GUITAR MUSIC On the Snares Islands, penguins build their nests amongst the trees because it's a safe place to breed. But protection in these forests comes at a price. WHIMSICAL MUSIC CONTINUES PENGUINS SQUAWK Thousands of tiny feet turn the nesting ground into a quagmire. They get covered in sticky mud ` not just their feet but their precious feathers too. The mud not only ruins their looks; it could threaten their lives. Their densely packed plumage is their survival suit. If their feathers are dirty, they won't insulate as effectively and the penguins will lose vital energy. These are coastlines where risks cannot be taken. So before he dives head first into the sea, this penguin checks in to the penguin spa. The rock pool gives him a chance to wash and scrub up in safety. WHIMSICAL MUSIC He combs through his feathers then waterproofs them with a wax from an oil gland at the base of his tail. Not only does this wax help him stay warm, it will also help him glide through the water more efficiently. Insulated and waterproof once more, he's now dressed for dinner,... WAVES CRASH ...ready to tackle the wild ocean beyond. DRAMATIC MUSIC MUSIC CONTINUES The waters surrounding the South Island are some of the most brutal on Earth. These are the roaring forties. Gale-force winds rage year-round, churning up seas that batter the shores. Fierce weather systems can arrive without warning. DRAMATIC MUSIC Open-ocean swells and storms charge up from Antarctica and create massive waves up to 8m high. It's always a challenge ` a challenge of being able to work there ` and you just have to be prepared all the time. Tackling the tempest is a regular occurrence for Peter Young ` it's his commute to work. But the view from his workplace makes up for it. One of the most spectacular sights in NZ ` Fiordland. SERENE MUSIC This labyrinth of steep-sided fjords and inlets offers shelter to a whole host of marine life. For bottle-nosed dolphins, it's a place to rest and feed; and a nursery where baby fur seals can build up their strength. SERENE MUSIC CONTINUES Peter is a ranger for the Department of Conservation he monitors and protects the wildlife here. The diversity of Fiordland is something I love. It's something that not a lot of people in the world will ever get to do. You, sorta, get a 40-ton whale, just comes cruising up right beside the boat, rolling over, exposing their bellies to you, ya know, as if they want a bit of a scratch. Fiordland is the jewel of the South Island. At almost 5000 square miles, it's NZ's biggest national park. MAJESTIC MUSIC This dramatic landscape was gouged out by glaciers during the last ice age, creating incredibly deep saltwater inlets. MAJESTIC MUSIC CONTINUES Here, two distinct worlds meet. Fresh water from the land mixes with salt water from the ocean to create a unique ecosystem. Fresh water arrives here from the forests, rich in tannins from rotting vegetation, turning it into a dark tea. BIRDS CHIRP WATER RUSHES It pours off these cliffs to mix with the salt water below. WATERFALL ROARS Less dense than salt water, the stained fresh water floats above and blocks out the light,... WATER RUMBLES creating a dark and cold underwater world. Here, creatures that normally live in the inky depths of the ocean make their home much nearer to the surface. SERENE MUSIC Black corals normally grow below 100m, but here underwater forests of them thrive in the shallows. MUSIC CONTINUES It may be known as black coral, but it appears white, as it's covered in millions of tiny coral polyps all feeding in the current. Black corals are the slowest-growing corals in the world, but here they grow a remarkable 2cm a year. To create a forest of them can take hundreds of years. Prehistoric shellfish ` brachiopods ` are relics from the time of the dinosaurs. They, too, have crept up the cliff walls and into the shallows. A unique mix of marine life has adapted to live here, thanks to the extraordinary way fresh and salt water meet. SERENE MUSIC CONTINUES d RAIN PATTERS NOISILY The south of NZ is one of the wettest places on Earth. THUNDER RUMBLES EXPECTANT MUSIC Freezing winds from Antarctica collide with warm, wet weather from the north. Huge volumes of moist air are forced to rise over the South Island's mountains, where they cool and form vast banks of cloud. The South Island's West Coast and forests are drenched with rain for more than 200 days a year. The water sustains vast swathes of temperate rainforest ` BIRDS CHIRP forests brought to life by NZ's bizarre and beautiful birds ` where tuis' complex calls echo through the canopy. TUIS CALL Bellbirds trade nectar for a dusting of blue pollen, and flightless weka skulk in the under grass. BIRDS CHIRP It is the perfect environment for moisture-loving mosses and ferns. TUI SING BIRDS CHIRP Underneath them, a humid forest floor of mucus and slime with a deadly secret. BIRDS TWEET, CRICKETS CHIRP It comes to life at twilight when the hunters come out. CHIME TINKLES Their lairs are in dark and damp forest overhangs, where the extreme moisture is put to good use. These silken threads are the work of a tiny larvae of a gnat. Beautiful though they may appear, the threads have a sinister purpose ` the larvae use them to trap their pray. EERIE, TINKLING MUSIC Droplets of sticky mucus work like spiderwebs, waiting to catch hold of flying insects. Mayflies are a particular favourite. As darkness settles, the genius of their deadly traps is revealed in all its beautiful glory. Gnat larvae are also known as glow-worms. The bioluminescence is generated by a chemical reaction within their tail, creating an irresistible lure. The hungrier they are, the brighter they glow ` drawing in victims like moths to a flame. And this glow-worm isn't alone. CAPTIVATING CHORAL MUSIC Hundreds live side by side. SERENE ORCHESTRAL MUSIC It's almost as if, together, they create their own starscape, confusing navigating insects and luring them to their doom. CAPTIVATING CHORAL MUSIC BIRDS TWEET, CRICKETS CHIRP CHORAL SINGING CONTINUES BIRDS TWEET, CRICKETS CHIRP When the air itself becomes saturated, and the temperature is just right, rare giants emerge. SOFT SQUELCHING DRAMATIC MUSIC A Powelliphanta snail. It can grow to the size of a man's fist. SOFT CREAKING So rare, they can only be filmed in captivity where their extraordinary behaviour is revealed. It's still a mystery as to exactly how they track down their food. But one thing is for sure ` this snail has unusual tastes and revolting table manners. DRAMATIC MUSIC CRICKETS CHIRP SOFT SQUELCHING WHOOSHING Its mouth envelopes and suffocates the earthworm. It's sucked down like spaghetti. DRAMATIC MUSIC For anything bigger, it's got 6000 teeth ready to shred the next meal. In this supersaturated environment, this specialised snail is the ultimate predator. BIRDS CHIRP LOUDLY Water dominates the land. WATER RUSHES It thunders off the mountains creating raging white-water rapids. Some of the South Island's mountain rivers flow at over 250,000 litres a second. This is no place to bring up a family, but these parents have no choice. WHIMSICAL MUSIC Fortunately, blue duck chicks are born ready. WHIMSICAL MUSIC CONTINUES They have to navigate the churning currents to reach the best feeding ground,... WHIMSICAL MUSIC CONTINUES ...and like their parents, they must dabble to feed. The tastiest food is on the rocks. Blue-duck bills are specially shaped to scrape insect larvae from the riverbed. Ducklings have a protective membrane to stop their bills being rubbed raw. WHIMSICAL MUSIC It almost looks like fun. But sudden storms or snow melt can cause flash floods, which can dislodge boulders ` let alone a tiny ball of feathers. < WATER SPLASHES But these blue duck chicks can motor through this powerful flow. Their giant webbed feet are far too big on land, but they are perfect in the tide,... TRIUMPHANT MUSIC ...allowing this violent river to become their playground. VOICEOVER: You brush your teeth twice a day, right? Mm-hm. But 80% of bacteria aren't even on teeth. (RECORD SCRATCHES) 80%?! Colgate Total fights bacteria on teeth, tongue, cheeks and gums, protecting 100% of your mouth's surfaces. Colgate Total - for whole mouth health. d WATER RUSHES There is more than one way to conquer these extremes. SOFT RUSTLING Parrots are very intelligent birds, but the kea is perhaps the smartest of them all. When it comes to setting up home, they choose a warm, dry burrow to keep their family safe from the elements. CHICKS CRY The chicks huddle together for warmth and comfort while their parents are away. But nine weeks after they've hatched, they hanker for something more. Kea are famous for their insatiable curiosity. KEAS SQUEAL With a little parental encouragement, there's no holding these youngsters back. On broad wings, they are let out from the forest into a whole new realm. UPBEAT MUSIC TYRES SQUEAL Kea have unusually agile minds. (SQUAWKS) Car parks and ski slopes are a smorgasbord of opportunity. (CHITTERS SWEETLY) CURIOUS MUSIC (SQUAWKS) It's not just their minds that are flexible; their hooked beaks are a multitool ` SQUAWKING perfect for digging, twisting and getting into all kinds of mischief. KEAS TRILL, SQUEAL It's this combination of beak and brain that enables kea to tackle even the most hostile face of the mountains. KEAS SQUEAL Its bill even serves as an ice axe. The kea is the only parrot in the world to thrive above the snow line. TRIBAL MUSIC RISING CHORAL MUSIC TRIBAL MUSIC CONTINUES Of all the wild places in NZ, the Southern Alps present the most extreme challenges of all. BROODING MUSIC They dictate the weather that rules all life here. They tower almost 4000m above sea level, and they're still rising. These are some of the fastest-growing mountains in the world. MAJESTIC MUSIC They might stand 20,000m high if they weren't battered down and eroded by the elements. It's a fractured, high-altitude, frozen kingdom ` the most inhospitable of all NZ. Up here the grip of ice is impossible to escape. Heavy snow falls on heavy snow. It squeezes out the air, compacting into giant blocks of ice to create immense glaciers. Millions of tonnes of fresh water stored, frozen solid. ETHEREAL MUSIC MUSIC SWELLS These powerful giants carve out valleys and deep glacial lakes. They dominate the entire landscape and hold all life here in balance. But the strength of the South Island's glaciers is slipping, and one man has devoted his life's work to find out why. MACHINERY BURRS WHEEL WHIRRS SQUEAKILY Brian Anderson is a glacial scientist who builds machines that help him look into the future. I like to get out on the mountains. I like to measure glaciers and try and understand how they work, what's happening at the moment, and then try and build a picture of what glaciers might do in the future. HELICOPTER BLADES WHIRR Brian's workplace has to be one of the most remote in the country. DRAMATIC MUSIC His mission forces him into parts of the wilderness so cut off, he must take everything he needs with him. SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC Brian has to drive a stake 8m down into the icy heart of the glacier to reveal its deepest secrets, and he does it with his portable steam drill. With the steam drilling, we use this backpack-mounted boiler. We have to drill quite deep. It might melt 6m or 8m over the summer, and so we need our stakes to be long enough that they'll actually stay in. By measuring the depth of snow through the year, Brian can record how the glacier changes size, building a picture of its long-term behaviour. Glaciers move incredibly slowly, so the only way to watch them is to speed up time itself, and his hand-built time-lapse units will let Brian do exactly that. DRAMATIC MUSIC Or they will, providing he can get them into the best positions. It all started with one` one camera, and now I think I've got, uh, seven cameras looking at glaciers around the Southern Alps. So, the beauty of using the cameras is that it's taking a photo every hour. It gives us the kind of data that you can't get from measuring on the ground and you can't really get from measuring from space, either, because, like, these glacier environments are often really cloudy. Time-lapse cameras can condense a year into a few seconds, but only if they survive the months of freezing conditions. UNSETTLING MUSIC The results are worth it. LOW RUMBLING When you actually look at the photos, like, every hour over weeks or months or years, you can actually see every little change in the glacier. I always find things that I wouldn't have expected. Glaciers are rivers of ice, and it's only in time-lapse that we really see them flow. LOW RUMBLING Some of the South Island's glaciers shift as much as 7m a day. WATER TRICKLES The meltwater helps them move. UNSETTLING CREAKING It carves its way through to the base of the glacier,... CREAKING ...where it lubricates the mass of ice allowing it to flow. The huge weight carried by the water grinds its way down the valleys in colossal cascades. INTENSE STRING MUSIC Brian is discovering that parts of NZ's frozen kingdom are melting away. Even the South Island's mightiest, the Tasman Glacier ` 16 miles long and 600m deep ` is retreating. INTENSE MUSIC CONTINUES And the more they melt, the faster they flow. Scientists estimate that the Southern Alps have lost a third of their permanent snow and ice over the last 40 years. d As the ice retreats, it reveals a broken landscape, a challenging place to get a foothold. But NZ has some remarkable mountaineers ` its alpine buttercup ` ROCK THUMPS, RATTLES at permanent risk of being destroyed by falling rocks. The secret to its survival lies beneath the scree ` a snake-like stem which grows horizontally. This is its underground larder. If a stem is snapped, a whole new plant can still grow,... TRANQUIL MUSIC ...creating a shower of sunshine across the grey mountainside. WIND WHISTLES, RAIN PATTERS And they aren't the only hardy plants up here. Edelweiss has its own fleecy blanket as insulation against the cold. WIND WHISTLES And there is one plant which packs its leaves so tightly together, they become a dense, living carpet. Ruellia grows as low to the ground as possible, just off the rocks, where it can be a few degrees warmer, tucked away from the harsh mountain weather. Antarctic storms bring a sudden drop in temperature. Freezing conditions and gale-force winds bring death in their wake. WIND HOWLS GRASS RUSTLES To survive here you have to be prepared to die here. WIND WHOOSHES But the sun can return as quickly as the storm arrived, and a rise of just a few degrees is enough to spark a thaw, even underground. ICE CRACKLES SOFTLY TRANQUIL MUSIC Frozen solid ` a mountain stone weta. It has the most extraordinary survival technique of all ` TRANQUIL MUSIC the ability to come back from the dead. Only in a specialised filming chamber can we capture its extraordinary talent. The weta has developed special proteins which prevent ice crystals from forming inside its cells. A remarkable trick for a creature whose ancestors once lived in prehistoric warm wet forests. But when NZ's mountains grew up beneath them around five million years ago, they were forced to come up with this incredible ability to survive near-lethal temperatures. Defrosting uses up a lot of energy. So mountain snowberries are a welcome sight. The weta needs to stock up while it can. The next Antarctic storm could be the return of winter. SOFT RUSTLING WIND HOWLS It can tolerate over 80% of its body freezing solid, and can do so day in and day out for weeks at a time. CREAKING, SQUEAKING No where else in NZ does life go to such extremes to survive. GRAND MUSIC Every living thing here must rise to the challenges of this land's extremes. GRAND MUSIC RISES WAVES ROAR In the face of adversity, life has found unexpected and ingenious solutions. But perhaps most striking of all is their resilience. This is the true spirit of NZ's remarkable pioneers. SOARING MUSIC MUSIC QUIETENS