"The Wild Ones" Whales

1 00:00:07,508 --> 00:00:11,511 [Aldo, VO] Our planet is under threat like never before. 2 00:00:11,512 --> 00:00:13,554 This shouldn't happen. It breaks my heart. 3 00:00:13,555 --> 00:00:19,268 [Aldo, VO] We lose up to 150 different species every single day. 4 00:00:19,269 --> 00:00:20,561 Oh, my word! 5 00:00:20,562 --> 00:00:22,063 <i>That's actually crazy.</i> 6 00:00:22,064 --> 00:00:25,817 [Aldo, VO] And a million more are threatened with extinction. 7 00:00:28,445 --> 00:00:31,656 But we are on a mission to try and change that. 8 00:00:31,657 --> 00:00:33,324 That is a big drop-off. 9 00:00:33,325 --> 00:00:35,826 [Declan] Keep your eyes forward, mate. You know what I mean? 10 00:00:35,827 --> 00:00:37,871 <i>This is gonna be some ride.</i> 11 00:00:38,330 --> 00:00:40,249 We're entering the unknown. 12 00:00:40,832 --> 00:00:43,209 [Aldo, VO] Our job: to find and film 13 00:00:43,210 --> 00:00:46,296 some of the rarest animals on the planet. 14 00:00:47,005 --> 00:00:48,214 [Vianet, laughing] <i>We got it.</i> 15 00:00:48,215 --> 00:00:49,883 - [Declan] I can't believe it! - [Aldo] Show me! 16 00:00:50,259 --> 00:00:52,593 [Aldo, VO] And help scientists to save them. 17 00:00:52,594 --> 00:00:54,595 - That's the last one. Yeah. - Last one. Yeah. 18 00:00:54,596 --> 00:00:55,848 This is beautiful. 19 00:00:56,473 --> 00:00:59,309 [Aldo, VO] Before it's too late. 20 00:00:59,643 --> 00:01:02,938 That is destroying the entire ecosystem. Look at that. 21 00:01:03,856 --> 00:01:07,483 {\an8}I'm Dec and I specialize in getting cameras into places 22 00:01:07,484 --> 00:01:08,651 where no one else can. 23 00:01:08,652 --> 00:01:10,362 Ooh, that's pretty tight in here. 24 00:01:10,863 --> 00:01:13,282 If a bear comes now, I'm a goner. [chuckles] 25 00:01:14,867 --> 00:01:19,204 {\an8}I'm Vianet. I connect to these animals through my camera lens. 26 00:01:19,580 --> 00:01:23,208 This is extraordinary. It's looking straight at me. 27 00:01:23,584 --> 00:01:24,709 {\an8}And I'm Aldo. 28 00:01:24,710 --> 00:01:28,045 {\an8}Former Royal Marines commando and team leader. 29 00:01:28,046 --> 00:01:29,840 - [Aldo] All right, big man? - [Declan] I'm all good! 30 00:01:30,465 --> 00:01:33,968 [Aldo, VO] It's my job to keep Vianet and Dec safe. 31 00:01:33,969 --> 00:01:35,595 Do you think this will take my weight? 32 00:01:35,596 --> 00:01:36,512 No! 33 00:01:36,513 --> 00:01:37,723 [Vianet laughing] 34 00:01:39,391 --> 00:01:40,809 [Aldo, VO] This might... 35 00:01:41,643 --> 00:01:43,896 be my toughest challenge yet. 36 00:01:51,904 --> 00:01:53,112 [Aldo] Do you get seasick? 37 00:01:53,113 --> 00:01:55,157 [Declan snorts] We're gonna find out. 38 00:01:55,574 --> 00:01:57,700 [Aldo, VO] We're in Canada. 39 00:01:57,701 --> 00:02:01,287 [Aldo] I'm looking forward to seeing you and Vianet like fish out of water. 40 00:02:01,288 --> 00:02:03,873 [Aldo, VO] And we're looking for whales. 41 00:02:03,874 --> 00:02:05,500 North Atlantic right whales. 42 00:02:05,501 --> 00:02:07,293 - And here he is. - [Vianet] Hey. 43 00:02:07,294 --> 00:02:08,418 [Declan] You're looking nervous, mate. 44 00:02:08,419 --> 00:02:09,880 - [Vianet, chuckling] Me? - Yeah. 45 00:02:10,297 --> 00:02:12,423 [Aldo, VO] With less than 400 left, 46 00:02:12,424 --> 00:02:15,843 they are one of the rarest whales on the planet. 47 00:02:15,844 --> 00:02:19,680 Actually, this a completely different type of environment for me. 48 00:02:19,681 --> 00:02:21,767 But, you know what? We adapt. 49 00:02:29,650 --> 00:02:35,112 [Aldo, VO] Thing is, up to now, all our expeditions have been on dry land. 50 00:02:35,113 --> 00:02:37,031 Have you boys been at sea before? 51 00:02:37,032 --> 00:02:38,199 Nah. This is... 52 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:41,494 I've done the Irish crossing a few times, but other than that... 53 00:02:41,495 --> 00:02:43,496 Like, this is-- This is all new to me. 54 00:02:43,497 --> 00:02:47,250 I must admit, I do get motion sickness. 55 00:02:47,251 --> 00:02:50,169 I spent a year on ship, but it was quite a while ago. 56 00:02:50,170 --> 00:02:53,256 It's been a while since I've driven a boat. 57 00:02:53,257 --> 00:02:54,507 How am I doing? All right? 58 00:02:54,508 --> 00:02:56,676 - Yeah. You're doing well. - Yeah. Sweet, man. Sweet. 59 00:02:56,677 --> 00:02:58,053 - [Declan] Whoa! - [Vianet] Here we go! 60 00:02:58,971 --> 00:03:00,180 [Declan] Woo-hoo! 61 00:03:03,976 --> 00:03:08,230 [Aldo, VO] With so few whales left, they are super protected. 62 00:03:08,689 --> 00:03:10,523 To get anywhere near them, 63 00:03:10,524 --> 00:03:14,152 we need to join forces with a team of scientists. 64 00:03:14,736 --> 00:03:17,322 There she is, boys, home for the next three weeks. 65 00:03:19,491 --> 00:03:22,786 {\an8}[Aldo, VO] Together, we're heading 500 miles north 66 00:03:23,745 --> 00:03:26,290 {\an8}to the whales' summer feeding grounds. 67 00:03:27,624 --> 00:03:30,502 {\an8}Our best chance to find this whale. 68 00:03:32,045 --> 00:03:32,963 [Declan] Ahoy! 69 00:03:33,839 --> 00:03:37,676 [Aldo, VO] Lead scientist on our ship, is Dr. Mo Brown. 70 00:03:38,302 --> 00:03:40,721 [Brown] All right. Come on up. We'll get you guys settled. 71 00:03:41,054 --> 00:03:42,388 [all] Hello. 72 00:03:42,389 --> 00:03:43,890 - [Aldo] Good to meet you, Mo. - All right. 73 00:03:43,891 --> 00:03:47,728 [Aldo, VO] Mo has spent her life studying North Atlantic rights. 74 00:03:48,187 --> 00:03:53,191 Mo, why do you care so much about the right whale? 75 00:03:53,192 --> 00:03:56,111 I've been asked that question for almost 40 years. 76 00:03:56,778 --> 00:03:59,155 And, uh, these whales are part of the ecosystem. 77 00:03:59,156 --> 00:04:03,326 So, you have an animal that's feeding down on the bottom of the ocean. 78 00:04:03,327 --> 00:04:06,621 They're bringing that food, in their bellies, 79 00:04:06,622 --> 00:04:07,705 up to the surface. 80 00:04:07,706 --> 00:04:10,124 - And there's nitrogen in whale poop. - Okay. 81 00:04:10,125 --> 00:04:13,169 And that helps the whole nitrogen cycle. 82 00:04:13,170 --> 00:04:15,422 - That's a biological answer. - Yeah. 83 00:04:15,797 --> 00:04:19,800 Philosophically, if we had a whale pop up beside us right now, 84 00:04:19,801 --> 00:04:21,844 - we'd all be looking at it. - [Aldo] Yeah. 85 00:04:21,845 --> 00:04:25,265 It's part of... You know, it's part of the wildlife in the world. 86 00:04:25,682 --> 00:04:27,643 I don't think we want to live in a desert. 87 00:04:32,564 --> 00:04:35,691 We've got everything, yeah? Let's go find our bunks. 88 00:04:35,692 --> 00:04:36,901 [Aldo] I think we're in here, Vi. 89 00:04:36,902 --> 00:04:39,111 [Declan, VO] While Aldo and Vi get a comfy twin... 90 00:04:39,112 --> 00:04:41,072 - [Vianet] Wow. - [Aldo] Look at this, we got a window. 91 00:04:41,073 --> 00:04:42,407 This is luxury. 92 00:04:42,824 --> 00:04:44,825 [Declan, VO] ...all 6 foot 2 of me 93 00:04:44,826 --> 00:04:46,995 is squeezed into the belly of the boat. 94 00:04:47,579 --> 00:04:50,706 [Declan] We got some sort of window here, so at least I'll get a bit of daylight. 95 00:04:50,707 --> 00:04:52,166 This is me. 96 00:04:52,167 --> 00:04:53,544 It's a bit cramped. 97 00:04:55,337 --> 00:04:59,591 Where I'm sat on the toilet is about 2 feet away from Vianet's head. 98 00:05:00,133 --> 00:05:01,468 {\an8}[Aldo chuckles] 99 00:05:02,803 --> 00:05:04,179 [Aldo, VO] Cabins sorted. 100 00:05:04,763 --> 00:05:07,307 Time to finalize plans. 101 00:05:09,393 --> 00:05:11,811 So, at the minute, we are steaming up here. 102 00:05:11,812 --> 00:05:15,899 And this is the migratory path of the North Atlantic right whale. 103 00:05:17,568 --> 00:05:19,610 [Aldo, VO] Every year, these whales migrate 104 00:05:19,611 --> 00:05:24,116 from their calving grounds in Florida to their feeding grounds in Canada. 105 00:05:24,992 --> 00:05:26,242 Problem is, 106 00:05:26,243 --> 00:05:29,620 that's through more than a thousand miles of ocean 107 00:05:29,621 --> 00:05:33,125 crowded with ships and rammed with fishing gear. 108 00:05:34,084 --> 00:05:36,460 So, the two biggest threats to these whales 109 00:05:36,461 --> 00:05:40,966 are ship strikes and being entangled in fishing gear. 110 00:05:41,550 --> 00:05:43,468 That's what's killing these whales. 111 00:05:45,429 --> 00:05:47,889 {\an8}[Aldo, VO] With so few right whales left, 112 00:05:47,890 --> 00:05:50,433 {\an8}scientists urgently need to find out 113 00:05:50,434 --> 00:05:53,812 {\an8}how many have survived this year's journey. 114 00:05:54,521 --> 00:05:58,233 And that's where our high-tech cameras can help. 115 00:06:00,777 --> 00:06:04,197 We've got this incredible six-axis gimbal 116 00:06:04,198 --> 00:06:06,782 that will just get the perfect shot. 117 00:06:06,783 --> 00:06:11,121 I'll be finding, spotting, as much whales as possible. 118 00:06:12,664 --> 00:06:14,207 [Declan, VO] But that's not all. 119 00:06:14,208 --> 00:06:18,252 {\an8}We've brought an experimental whale detection system with us, 120 00:06:18,253 --> 00:06:21,548 {\an8}that could make ship strikes a thing of the past. 121 00:06:23,967 --> 00:06:26,636 If this system really works on this ship, 122 00:06:26,637 --> 00:06:30,140 they could start sending them out on all these other ships, you know? 123 00:06:30,807 --> 00:06:33,852 [Declan] I'm really looking forward to getting involved with this tech. 124 00:06:35,979 --> 00:06:38,774 [Aldo, VO] So that's the plan for the next three weeks. 125 00:06:41,735 --> 00:06:42,945 If we can hack it. 126 00:06:45,906 --> 00:06:47,908 It's really, um... 127 00:06:49,201 --> 00:06:51,828 <i>very choppy. Choppy out there.</i> 128 00:06:54,331 --> 00:06:55,541 Um... 129 00:06:56,917 --> 00:06:57,918 Yeah. 130 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:05,074 131 00:07:06,009 --> 00:07:08,678 Already, there's a little bit of a roll on. 132 00:07:08,679 --> 00:07:10,805 <i>The boat's rocking around.</i> 133 00:07:10,806 --> 00:07:15,184 <i>I love it. I love being out at sea with nothing around.</i> 134 00:07:15,185 --> 00:07:19,231 The boys are starting to feel a little bit queasy. 135 00:07:23,026 --> 00:07:25,445 Um, I get really bad... 136 00:07:26,613 --> 00:07:27,781 sea sickness. 137 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:34,871 So, this is a motion sickness glass. 138 00:07:34,872 --> 00:07:37,206 [laughing] It looks a bit funny. 139 00:07:37,207 --> 00:07:40,502 But, tell you what, it does the job. 140 00:07:43,630 --> 00:07:48,760 [Aldo, VO] Even in summer, these waters are unpredictable and wild. 141 00:07:52,014 --> 00:07:56,018 It's just gone crazy. The sea... Like, they're like, massive waves. 142 00:07:58,187 --> 00:08:00,314 [Aldo, VO] Which only makes finding our whale 143 00:08:01,231 --> 00:08:03,567 even more of a challenge. 144 00:08:07,613 --> 00:08:08,864 Whoo! 145 00:08:09,489 --> 00:08:11,450 [Declan shrieks, laughs] 146 00:08:13,785 --> 00:08:15,996 Just shows how mental this sea is. 147 00:08:16,413 --> 00:08:20,249 It's actually pretty scary. I feel like, if you went in there, it's... 148 00:08:20,250 --> 00:08:22,085 I see how people get lost at sea. 149 00:08:22,503 --> 00:08:25,506 So, yeah, respect it as much as you can. 150 00:08:27,758 --> 00:08:29,717 I think I'll be fine. 151 00:08:29,718 --> 00:08:30,802 Uh... 152 00:08:32,054 --> 00:08:33,639 I'll be fine. Uh... 153 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:40,811 [Vianet] Good night, buddy. 154 00:08:40,812 --> 00:08:43,273 - [Aldo] See you in the morning. - Yeah. Sleep well. 155 00:08:51,865 --> 00:08:54,201 [Vianet] <i>Bonne nuit!</i> [chuckles] 156 00:08:54,660 --> 00:08:55,661 [switch clicks] 157 00:09:10,634 --> 00:09:13,302 [Vianet] <i>I had a really bad night.</i> 158 00:09:13,303 --> 00:09:16,097 Still feel a bit rough. 159 00:09:16,098 --> 00:09:17,682 Yeah, I slept really well. 160 00:09:17,683 --> 00:09:20,727 I think the rocking helped me fall asleep quite quickly. 161 00:09:21,353 --> 00:09:24,314 And then now it's a lot stiller as I've woken up, which is great. 162 00:09:27,192 --> 00:09:29,485 [Aldo, VO] The storm might have cleared. 163 00:09:29,486 --> 00:09:30,904 You see it, Vi? 164 00:09:31,572 --> 00:09:33,740 [Aldo, VO] But it's left us a problem. 165 00:09:34,825 --> 00:09:35,826 [crew] On the left! 166 00:09:36,702 --> 00:09:38,203 [Aldo] Ah, okay. That's deep. 167 00:09:39,788 --> 00:09:43,041 [Aldo, VO] Bad weather can rip up fishing gear. 168 00:09:45,043 --> 00:09:47,713 And our boat has got itself snagged. 169 00:09:48,672 --> 00:09:49,882 [Aldo] Got it! Got it! 170 00:09:51,091 --> 00:09:54,218 This is what the right whales are getting wrapped around them 171 00:09:54,219 --> 00:09:55,429 and then dragging. 172 00:09:56,680 --> 00:09:59,849 [Aldo, VO] It's estimated there are millions of traps like this 173 00:09:59,850 --> 00:10:02,519 all along the whales' migration route. 174 00:10:03,270 --> 00:10:06,315 [Aldo] Imagine trying to tow that heavy bit of kit. 175 00:10:07,149 --> 00:10:10,193 [Aldo, VO] And this is just your average-sized trap. 176 00:10:10,194 --> 00:10:11,694 [crew] There's a crab in there. 177 00:10:11,695 --> 00:10:13,487 [Aldo] And, uh, some lobster. 178 00:10:13,488 --> 00:10:16,116 [Aldo, VO] Some are twice as big. 179 00:10:16,575 --> 00:10:18,784 [Aldo] That sawing motion on my skin 180 00:10:18,785 --> 00:10:21,454 would cut through in a very short space of time. 181 00:10:21,455 --> 00:10:22,581 Just like that. 182 00:10:25,501 --> 00:10:29,588 [Declan, VO] But fishing gear is only one of the threats the whales are facing. 183 00:10:32,007 --> 00:10:32,840 [Declan] Bloody heck. 184 00:10:32,841 --> 00:10:34,717 [Declan, VO] See this big tanker? 185 00:10:34,718 --> 00:10:38,764 Around half of right whales are killed by ship strike. 186 00:10:41,892 --> 00:10:44,435 If that hit a whale, it would be like hitting a bug on your windscreen. 187 00:10:44,436 --> 00:10:47,063 You just wouldn't notice it, you know? And you'd keep going. 188 00:10:47,064 --> 00:10:48,690 And, yeah, it's pretty... 189 00:10:49,775 --> 00:10:53,570 Pretty harsh image to take in, something like that, you know? 190 00:10:55,656 --> 00:10:59,243 [Declan, VO] And that's why we've brought a special bit of kit on board. 191 00:11:01,495 --> 00:11:02,662 [Declan] <i>It's an AI camera.</i> 192 00:11:02,663 --> 00:11:07,292 This bit of tech should, in theory, stop vessel strikes from happening. 193 00:11:10,087 --> 00:11:11,295 Hey, Declan. 194 00:11:11,296 --> 00:11:14,800 [Declan, VO] I'm working with robotics engineer, Lauren Stanley. 195 00:11:15,968 --> 00:11:18,052 We've got the two thermal cameras, right? 196 00:11:18,053 --> 00:11:21,932 - Yep. - A lot of wires. A lot of plugs. 197 00:11:23,183 --> 00:11:26,727 [Declan, VO] By using machine learning and thermal cameras 198 00:11:26,728 --> 00:11:31,275 this bit of kit should be able to spot whales up to two miles away. 199 00:11:32,067 --> 00:11:34,068 Not just by looking for its body, 200 00:11:34,069 --> 00:11:37,281 but its more visible blow or water spout. 201 00:11:38,365 --> 00:11:42,870 Sending an alert to the captain to take evasive action. 202 00:11:44,621 --> 00:11:46,789 [Stanley] <i>We can see the whale's blows very easily.</i> 203 00:11:46,790 --> 00:11:48,583 Because the water has been inside the whale, 204 00:11:48,584 --> 00:11:50,586 it's a little bit warmer than the surrounding water. 205 00:11:51,795 --> 00:11:54,213 [Declan, VO] But the system hasn't seen enough right whales 206 00:11:54,214 --> 00:11:57,718 to know if it can reliably spot them at distance. 207 00:12:02,931 --> 00:12:05,391 [Stanley] <i>We're hoping for detection at different distances,</i> 208 00:12:05,392 --> 00:12:07,602 so that's really critical for us. 209 00:12:07,603 --> 00:12:11,565 The more detection data we have, the more reliable our system becomes. 210 00:12:12,232 --> 00:12:14,651 [Declan] So this is all up and running. 211 00:12:19,698 --> 00:12:23,117 <i>We're on this mission to basically sight as many whales as we can.</i> 212 00:12:23,118 --> 00:12:25,245 <i>And that is crucial.</i> 213 00:12:25,829 --> 00:12:30,417 Because if we can get all that data, then this camera is just ready to rock. 214 00:12:33,670 --> 00:12:39,176 [Aldo, VO] But these whales are so rare, we might not find any at all. 215 00:12:49,686 --> 00:12:52,523 [Aldo, VO] We've arrived at the feeding grounds. 216 00:12:54,316 --> 00:12:55,441 All right, let's get this up. 217 00:12:55,442 --> 00:12:57,443 - [Vianet] Yeah. - [Declan] This looks heavy. 218 00:12:57,444 --> 00:12:59,279 Okay, it's not too bad. 219 00:13:00,030 --> 00:13:01,864 [Vianet, VO] Over the next 15 days, 220 00:13:01,865 --> 00:13:06,203 it's my job to get as many whales on camera as possible. 221 00:13:07,204 --> 00:13:08,454 [Vianet] Just one thing, Mo. 222 00:13:08,455 --> 00:13:10,915 Most importantly, what shot do you need from me? 223 00:13:10,916 --> 00:13:16,420 So, we really need from the tip of the snout to just behind the blowhole. 224 00:13:16,421 --> 00:13:19,215 - Yeah. - Then, if we see any scars, 225 00:13:19,216 --> 00:13:21,759 then that helps with the identification as well. 226 00:13:21,760 --> 00:13:23,679 [Vianet] All right, cool, okay. I'm gonna crack on. 227 00:13:25,973 --> 00:13:29,308 {\an8}[Vianet, VO] I've got the perfect camera for the job. 228 00:13:29,309 --> 00:13:33,187 {\an8}This is a six-axis stabilizer. 229 00:13:33,188 --> 00:13:36,274 Even if we were going up and down, 230 00:13:36,275 --> 00:13:38,192 you know, round and round, 231 00:13:38,193 --> 00:13:41,279 the images will be dead steady. 232 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:44,825 That is the magic of this technology. 233 00:13:47,744 --> 00:13:52,081 [Aldo, VO] This footage will be crucial in helping the scientists identify 234 00:13:52,082 --> 00:13:55,085 how many whales have survived the migration. 235 00:13:57,171 --> 00:13:59,173 [indistinct radio chatter] 236 00:14:00,174 --> 00:14:03,010 [Aldo, VO] But first, we need to find them. 237 00:14:05,262 --> 00:14:08,347 [Aldo] <i>So basically I'm looking for movement.</i> 238 00:14:08,348 --> 00:14:11,685 You're kinda looking for shapes in the sea. 239 00:14:13,061 --> 00:14:17,232 [Aldo, VO] And these feeding grounds span hundreds of square miles. 240 00:14:23,238 --> 00:14:26,742 I mean, it very much is a needle in a haystack. 241 00:14:28,118 --> 00:14:31,996 [Aldo, VO] But thankfully, we're not just relying on my binoculars. 242 00:14:31,997 --> 00:14:35,417 Vi's camera has a thousand-millimeter zoom lens. 243 00:14:36,126 --> 00:14:38,420 Ideal for scanning the horizon. 244 00:14:40,964 --> 00:14:43,967 Just gonna be always on the lookout. 245 00:14:46,762 --> 00:14:50,182 But we also have the AI camera up there. 246 00:14:52,017 --> 00:14:54,936 What should happen is that the camera on top 247 00:14:54,937 --> 00:14:59,316 should find a whale, and then it should ping up on here. 248 00:15:02,361 --> 00:15:07,323 [Aldo, VO] With a range of two miles, it's Dec's job to monitor the AI system 249 00:15:07,324 --> 00:15:11,036 and direct us towards whales when they surface. 250 00:15:15,415 --> 00:15:18,919 Still no sign of any whales up here, but we've got our eyes peeled. 251 00:15:22,548 --> 00:15:24,091 [Aldo] <i>Waiting game, isn't it?</i> 252 00:15:25,926 --> 00:15:27,135 Patience. 253 00:15:32,307 --> 00:15:33,976 Here we go, we got one. 254 00:15:34,518 --> 00:15:35,519 Amazing. 255 00:15:36,436 --> 00:15:38,355 [Declan, VO] The system's picked something up. 256 00:15:39,481 --> 00:15:40,774 But is it our whale? 257 00:15:46,530 --> 00:15:49,156 Uh, out there. There you go. Look. 258 00:15:49,157 --> 00:15:50,199 The whale's just there. 259 00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:55,121 [over radio] <i>Okay, Captain, we've got a whale up in a perfect position at 12:30.</i> 260 00:15:55,122 --> 00:15:56,956 [captain] <i>Okay. We've got a visual on him.</i> 261 00:15:56,957 --> 00:15:59,376 [Aldo, VO] It's our first confirmed sighting... 262 00:16:01,044 --> 00:16:02,170 [Aldo] <i>Wow, look at that.</i> 263 00:16:02,171 --> 00:16:04,256 [Aldo, VO] ...of a North Atlantic right. 264 00:16:05,632 --> 00:16:08,969 Ha ha! That's so beautiful. 265 00:16:11,054 --> 00:16:12,055 There's one right there. 266 00:16:13,182 --> 00:16:14,850 <i>Wahey!</i> 267 00:16:15,767 --> 00:16:18,395 [Aldo, VO] Followed closely by a second. 268 00:16:20,522 --> 00:16:24,193 [Declan] Getting more pings in. Loads coming in. Loads and loads. 269 00:16:25,527 --> 00:16:30,073 [Declan, VO] And every confirmed sighting improves our system's detection range. 270 00:16:32,117 --> 00:16:33,868 [Aldo] Vi, cam right, right, right. 271 00:16:33,869 --> 00:16:35,329 - [Vianet] Right? - Yeah. 272 00:16:36,914 --> 00:16:40,459 [Vianet] <i>Okay, that's good. That's good. I mean, we got a really good shot there.</i> 273 00:16:41,835 --> 00:16:43,837 There we go. There's another one. [mimics water spout] 274 00:16:45,964 --> 00:16:47,590 We're in the thick of it here, aren't we? 275 00:16:47,591 --> 00:16:49,342 [Brown] I think we are. 276 00:16:49,343 --> 00:16:52,553 We pretty much have blows 180 degrees in front of us. 277 00:16:52,554 --> 00:16:54,097 - Yeah. - [Brown laughs] 278 00:16:57,518 --> 00:17:00,895 Every ping we're getting, every single little blow, 279 00:17:00,896 --> 00:17:03,940 it's all adding to that important database. 280 00:17:03,941 --> 00:17:05,943 I'm loving it. I'm loving watching it at work. 281 00:17:15,577 --> 00:17:17,787 [Brown] You're so steady with your camera. This is really good. 282 00:17:17,788 --> 00:17:20,790 - Look at that. That's perfect. - Yeah? 283 00:17:21,875 --> 00:17:25,920 [Vianet, VO] Every shot is so important in helping Mo work out 284 00:17:25,921 --> 00:17:29,049 how many whales have survived the migration. 285 00:17:30,342 --> 00:17:32,218 You are getting the nice profile shot of the head, 286 00:17:32,219 --> 00:17:34,053 - but you're also getting the back. - Mm. 287 00:17:34,054 --> 00:17:36,556 And then you're getting the flukes as she dives, 288 00:17:36,557 --> 00:17:40,059 <i>and so there's a lot of information in all those parts of the body.</i> 289 00:17:40,060 --> 00:17:41,352 <i>- Little scars... - Yeah.</i> 290 00:17:41,353 --> 00:17:43,729 ...um, that they've acquired over their lifetime. 291 00:17:43,730 --> 00:17:44,647 - So... - Yeah. 292 00:17:44,648 --> 00:17:46,816 - Really important images... - Yeah. 293 00:17:46,817 --> 00:17:48,693 ...that we need to identify these whales. 294 00:17:48,694 --> 00:17:50,320 [Vianet] Yeah. Great. 295 00:17:51,321 --> 00:17:53,531 [Aldo, VO] But the more whales we film... 296 00:17:53,532 --> 00:17:55,117 [Declan] I've just seen a blow. 297 00:17:55,826 --> 00:17:59,413 One o'clock, Vi. One o'clock. 200 meters away. 298 00:17:59,997 --> 00:18:03,917 [Aldo, VO] ...the more we see how much this journey costs them. 299 00:18:06,086 --> 00:18:08,922 - [crew] ...how they've been scarred now. - [Aldo] Quite a bit of damage. 300 00:18:11,884 --> 00:18:17,305 [Aldo, VO] In fact, almost every whale is covered in gray lines. 301 00:18:17,306 --> 00:18:19,308 Scars from fishing equipment. 302 00:18:27,524 --> 00:18:30,485 For others, the damage is even worse. 303 00:18:40,662 --> 00:18:43,289 - Did you see that last one? - [Declan] Yeah, with the rip in its tail? 304 00:18:43,290 --> 00:18:44,332 - Yeah. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. 305 00:18:44,333 --> 00:18:46,792 [Aldo] <i>She said it was potentially a propeller...</i> 306 00:18:46,793 --> 00:18:48,962 - Wow. - ...that's damaged it. 307 00:18:51,006 --> 00:18:54,759 [Aldo, VO] Thing is, other whales and dolphins swim in these waters, 308 00:18:54,760 --> 00:18:57,512 and they don't seem to get hit or entangled 309 00:18:57,513 --> 00:19:00,474 anywhere near as much as our right whale. 310 00:19:03,393 --> 00:19:07,564 [Declan, VO] And I've got a kind of camera trap which could tell us why. 311 00:19:09,316 --> 00:19:11,777 But this one doesn't stick on trees. 312 00:19:13,028 --> 00:19:14,571 Check this thing, here, look. 313 00:19:15,447 --> 00:19:17,615 Sticks on your head. Like that. 314 00:19:17,616 --> 00:19:19,367 Not for too long though. 315 00:19:19,368 --> 00:19:22,620 What this is, is a whale tracker, but it does a lot more than just track. 316 00:19:22,621 --> 00:19:25,373 It can measure the depth the whale goes. 317 00:19:25,374 --> 00:19:27,708 How it's rolling around under the bottom of the ocean. 318 00:19:27,709 --> 00:19:29,877 How much time it spends on top. 319 00:19:29,878 --> 00:19:33,799 No, but also, it's got a cheeky little camera on the front there. 320 00:19:34,550 --> 00:19:37,094 We can get a little glimpse in the day in the life of a whale. 321 00:19:39,304 --> 00:19:44,058 [Declan, VO] But getting tags safely on a 50-ton whale is tricky. 322 00:19:44,059 --> 00:19:48,521 So I'm teaming up with marine scientist, Dr. Sarah Fortune. 323 00:19:48,522 --> 00:19:50,107 [Declan] I think they should be charged. 324 00:19:50,524 --> 00:19:53,776 Um, but yeah, settings would definitely be good to check. 325 00:19:53,777 --> 00:19:57,363 [Declan, VO] Sarah's been tagging whales for over ten years, 326 00:19:57,364 --> 00:20:00,242 and it's not always been straightforward. 327 00:20:00,993 --> 00:20:04,287 Before, we would use a boat like this. You'd have someone on the bow of the boat. 328 00:20:04,288 --> 00:20:06,163 But what happens is, like, a lot of the time 329 00:20:06,164 --> 00:20:07,832 - you don't get many opportunities. - Yeah. 330 00:20:07,833 --> 00:20:10,377 And so you can have not great tag placement. 331 00:20:11,628 --> 00:20:16,340 [Declan, VO] So we're gonna try a totally new way of tagging these whales. 332 00:20:16,341 --> 00:20:19,178 [Fortune] Sweet, so spot's on. VHF is on. 333 00:20:20,512 --> 00:20:23,390 [Declan, VO] Using one of my very favorite gizmos. 334 00:20:25,017 --> 00:20:25,851 Drones. 335 00:20:28,854 --> 00:20:30,105 I just saw a blow there. 336 00:20:31,023 --> 00:20:32,982 [Declan, VO] These animals are so endangered, 337 00:20:32,983 --> 00:20:36,862 only a few people are allowed to fly anywhere near them. 338 00:20:37,654 --> 00:20:40,657 So my job is to help find whales to tag. 339 00:20:42,492 --> 00:20:44,577 [Fortune] Okay, so that should be an adult pair. 340 00:20:44,578 --> 00:20:46,038 She's just popped up. 341 00:20:47,539 --> 00:20:51,626 [Declan, VO] The idea is to fly the drone over an unsuspecting whale... 342 00:20:51,627 --> 00:20:53,378 [Declan] Two blows in fact. 343 00:20:53,921 --> 00:20:55,422 [Declan, VO] ...release the tag 344 00:20:56,006 --> 00:20:58,258 and let gravity do the rest. 345 00:20:58,717 --> 00:20:59,801 [Declan] Ooh, there we go. 346 00:21:01,261 --> 00:21:02,178 <i>It's on, is it?</i> 347 00:21:02,179 --> 00:21:04,555 - No. - [Fortune] Oh, you hit the wash. 348 00:21:04,556 --> 00:21:06,433 [Declan, VO] Well, that's the idea. 349 00:21:07,809 --> 00:21:09,102 [Fortune] There's another blow. 350 00:21:11,688 --> 00:21:12,773 [Declan] <i>Here we go.</i> 351 00:21:14,608 --> 00:21:16,108 <i>- It's on.</i> - [Fortune] <i>Nice!</i> 352 00:21:16,109 --> 00:21:17,444 [Declan] <i>Oh, wow.</i> 353 00:21:18,695 --> 00:21:19,988 <i>That is so cool.</i> 354 00:21:22,616 --> 00:21:25,826 [Declan, VO] In the past, these tags have only stayed on 355 00:21:25,827 --> 00:21:27,663 for up to 11 hours. 356 00:21:28,330 --> 00:21:30,248 [Declan] <i>Nice. Another whale's been tagged.</i> 357 00:21:30,249 --> 00:21:32,375 - [Fortune] <i>Another whale's been tagged. - That's so cool.</i> 358 00:21:32,376 --> 00:21:33,376 <i>Nice job, Chris.</i> 359 00:21:33,377 --> 00:21:36,630 [Declan, VO] We're hoping these will stay on for much longer. 360 00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:41,968 Giving us the data we need 361 00:21:41,969 --> 00:21:46,139 to work out why these whales are dying in such numbers. 362 00:21:57,901 --> 00:22:01,613 {\an8}[Vianet, VO] It's another perfect day for filming whales. 363 00:22:03,282 --> 00:22:04,741 [voice on radio] <i>Leeway Odyssey, do you copy?</i> 364 00:22:05,993 --> 00:22:07,661 Leeway Odyssey, we copy. 365 00:22:08,078 --> 00:22:11,623 [Aldo, VO] But then we get a call that changes everything. 366 00:22:12,291 --> 00:22:14,208 [voice over radio] <i>We located the whale.</i> 367 00:22:14,209 --> 00:22:16,919 <i>There is gear attached following the whale.</i> 368 00:22:16,920 --> 00:22:20,381 [Aldo, VO] Another boat has spotted a whale in distress. 369 00:22:20,382 --> 00:22:22,092 [Brown] Got an entangled whale. 370 00:22:23,594 --> 00:22:27,096 So this is big. This is massive. Just about to have lunch, all of a sudden, 371 00:22:27,097 --> 00:22:30,142 "We've got a whale! We've got a whale! We've got an entangled whale." 372 00:22:31,560 --> 00:22:34,021 [Aldo, VO] We motor to its last known location. 373 00:22:35,647 --> 00:22:37,065 [Declan] Drone is going up. 374 00:22:39,151 --> 00:22:42,153 [Aldo, VO] We need to find this whale fast. 375 00:22:42,154 --> 00:22:45,114 - That's the whale. There's the whale. - [drone pilot] There's the whale. 376 00:22:45,115 --> 00:22:46,199 Okay. Wicked. 377 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:47,659 [Aldo] I've got eyes on the whale. 378 00:22:49,328 --> 00:22:51,579 There she is. That's our entangled whale. 379 00:22:51,580 --> 00:22:53,080 Yeah, we've got eyes, we've got eyes. 380 00:22:53,081 --> 00:22:54,958 [Aldo, VO] The stakes have just risen. 381 00:22:55,417 --> 00:22:56,793 She's a female. 382 00:22:57,211 --> 00:23:00,421 And there are only 70 breeding females left. 383 00:23:00,422 --> 00:23:02,299 She's coming up. She's coming up. 384 00:23:03,258 --> 00:23:06,511 [Aldo, VO] She could have up to six calves in her lifetime. 385 00:23:06,512 --> 00:23:08,472 It's vital she's freed. 386 00:23:10,182 --> 00:23:12,683 [Declan] <i>All that gear must be just wearing her out.</i> 387 00:23:12,684 --> 00:23:14,561 <i>That must weigh an absolute ton.</i> 388 00:23:15,854 --> 00:23:17,438 [Aldo, VO] It doesn't look good. 389 00:23:17,439 --> 00:23:20,358 She has one fishing line cutting into her back, 390 00:23:20,359 --> 00:23:24,196 and more lines wrapped around her mouth, stopping her from eating. 391 00:23:26,448 --> 00:23:28,116 [Brown] I'm pretty concerned about her. 392 00:23:31,453 --> 00:23:33,038 <i>This is a lethal entanglement.</i> 393 00:23:36,208 --> 00:23:38,126 [Aldo, VO] Mo calls in reinforcements. 394 00:23:39,503 --> 00:23:41,838 - [Aldo] Is that the rescue boat? - [Brown] Yeah. 395 00:23:41,839 --> 00:23:43,965 {\an8}[Aldo, VO] Highly-trained fishermen. 396 00:23:43,966 --> 00:23:45,466 They know these seas. 397 00:23:45,467 --> 00:23:48,678 And with 30 successful disentanglements, 398 00:23:48,679 --> 00:23:50,012 they know these whales. 399 00:23:50,013 --> 00:23:51,098 [Aldo] Good luck, guys. 400 00:23:52,766 --> 00:23:56,519 [Aldo, VO] The rescue team is equipped with razor sharp knives on poles, 401 00:23:56,520 --> 00:23:59,606 and grappling hooks that can slice through rope. 402 00:24:02,067 --> 00:24:03,986 [Brown] All right, you guys. Be safe. 403 00:24:04,695 --> 00:24:07,364 Hopefully, we can get to this whale as quick as we can. 404 00:24:08,657 --> 00:24:10,409 There's no tag... Yes, it is. That's her. 405 00:24:11,034 --> 00:24:12,201 - She's up. - [Brown] Yeah, there she is. 406 00:24:12,202 --> 00:24:13,120 [Aldo] Phew! 407 00:24:13,579 --> 00:24:15,288 [Aldo, VO] From high up on our boat, 408 00:24:15,289 --> 00:24:18,792 it's our job to guide them in when the whale surfaces. 409 00:24:19,960 --> 00:24:22,713 [Brown over radio] <i>Mac, Mac, she's at your nine o' clock.</i> 410 00:24:26,008 --> 00:24:30,137 [Declan, VO] But to save her, we need to attach even more gear. 411 00:24:32,598 --> 00:24:34,474 - [Aldo] And the buoys are in. - [Brown] Two buoys. 412 00:24:35,100 --> 00:24:37,102 [Brown over radio] <i>Good work, Mac. Good work. They're on.</i> 413 00:24:38,187 --> 00:24:41,023 [Declan] These big floats, it's all about slowing her down. 414 00:24:41,690 --> 00:24:43,524 'Cause the more tired she gets, 415 00:24:43,525 --> 00:24:47,237 the easier it becomes for the rescue team to cut her free. 416 00:24:51,909 --> 00:24:53,784 [whale groans] 417 00:24:53,785 --> 00:24:56,455 - [Aldo] <i>That sounded labored, didn't it?</i> - [Brown] <i>Yeah.</i> 418 00:24:57,456 --> 00:24:58,998 To slow something like this down, 419 00:24:58,999 --> 00:25:02,711 is like trying to slow a train, you know? 420 00:25:09,384 --> 00:25:12,762 [Aldo, VO] But even a weakened, underfed whale 421 00:25:12,763 --> 00:25:15,265 needs to be approached with caution. 422 00:25:17,476 --> 00:25:19,810 [Declan] <i>This is a very, very dangerous thing.</i> 423 00:25:19,811 --> 00:25:23,606 One flick of that tail and that boat could flip and people could go under. 424 00:25:23,607 --> 00:25:27,486 And Mo has actually lost one member of her team. 425 00:25:28,153 --> 00:25:32,782 He was very tragically in the wrong spot at the wrong time. 426 00:25:32,783 --> 00:25:35,160 After he cut the whale free, 427 00:25:35,661 --> 00:25:39,790 the whale's tail came across the boat and he was killed instantly. 428 00:25:41,458 --> 00:25:45,379 [Vianet] <i>Uh, just praying for them, nothing bad happens to the team.</i> 429 00:25:46,338 --> 00:25:48,507 [Aldo] They're going in for a cut, it looks like. 430 00:25:52,177 --> 00:25:54,388 [rescuer] Give her some space she's coming right at us. 431 00:25:54,805 --> 00:25:56,098 <i>Right at us, right at us.</i> 432 00:25:58,225 --> 00:26:00,142 <i>And back up. Port, just a bit.</i> 433 00:26:00,143 --> 00:26:01,645 Port, just a bit. 434 00:26:02,938 --> 00:26:04,064 Tail's up. 435 00:26:04,648 --> 00:26:06,650 [indistinct shouts] 436 00:26:07,067 --> 00:26:09,819 Oh, my God. He nearly toppled the boat. 437 00:26:09,820 --> 00:26:12,281 Awful. [tense moan] 438 00:26:19,121 --> 00:26:20,747 Ah, she's gone. 439 00:26:23,750 --> 00:26:25,585 [Aldo] She's up. She's up. She's behind us. 440 00:26:25,586 --> 00:26:26,837 [Brown over radio] <i>Behind us.</i> 441 00:26:30,757 --> 00:26:32,718 Yeah, five o'clock. Five o'clock. 442 00:26:33,343 --> 00:26:35,137 [Brown] <i>Off your stern, Mac. Off your stern.</i> 443 00:26:39,224 --> 00:26:40,642 [Brown] Come on, guys. Get lucky. 444 00:26:48,734 --> 00:26:50,819 [rescuer] Under us, under us. Other side, other side. 445 00:26:52,654 --> 00:26:54,239 Oh, right there! 446 00:26:54,615 --> 00:26:55,824 [rescuer 2 grunts] 447 00:26:56,992 --> 00:26:59,203 About five hours they've been at it. 448 00:27:02,915 --> 00:27:04,082 [rescuer 2] Go! 449 00:27:04,750 --> 00:27:05,666 Whoa. 450 00:27:05,667 --> 00:27:08,086 [Aldo] Yeah. Sounds like they got something cut. 451 00:27:10,214 --> 00:27:12,633 [Aldo, VO] The line around her back is gone. 452 00:27:13,550 --> 00:27:16,720 [Brown] <i>You can see the indentation in her back, where the other rope was.</i> 453 00:27:17,846 --> 00:27:21,683 [Aldo, VO] But the lines around her head and mouth are still there. 454 00:27:23,727 --> 00:27:25,853 That's the thing. It's not one cut will save all. 455 00:27:25,854 --> 00:27:27,563 You've got to just keep going. 456 00:27:27,564 --> 00:27:32,110 [Aldo, VO] An entangled whale can take six months to starve to death. 457 00:27:32,611 --> 00:27:33,945 We've got to cut her free. 458 00:27:33,946 --> 00:27:35,864 [Brown over radio] <i>She's ahead of you. There you go.</i> 459 00:27:46,124 --> 00:27:47,376 [Aldo] <i>Come on, boys.</i> 460 00:27:52,130 --> 00:27:54,591 - [Vianet] <i>They've got it, they've got it.</i> - The rope's gone. 461 00:27:55,217 --> 00:27:56,217 Oh, my God. 462 00:27:56,218 --> 00:27:57,678 [Declan] <i>Yeah. Yeah, yeah.</i> 463 00:27:59,096 --> 00:28:02,265 [rescuer over radio] <i>Yes. They're all cut. All cut on this side.</i> 464 00:28:02,266 --> 00:28:03,266 [indistinct voice on radio] 465 00:28:03,267 --> 00:28:04,685 [Declan] <i>Wow!</i> 466 00:28:06,270 --> 00:28:08,272 They've cut everything off her head. 467 00:28:08,814 --> 00:28:10,606 - So she can open her mouth now. - Ahh! 468 00:28:10,607 --> 00:28:13,860 - [laughing] Yeah. - This is unbelievable. [laughs] 469 00:28:13,861 --> 00:28:16,238 - See, there. She's completely free of it. - Yeah. 470 00:28:20,659 --> 00:28:21,702 [Vianet] <i>Oh!</i> 471 00:28:22,536 --> 00:28:23,953 - Ha. - Yes. Look at her. 472 00:28:23,954 --> 00:28:25,914 Massive fluke. Whoa! 473 00:28:33,463 --> 00:28:37,884 [Aldo, VO] The whale has been freed from the most life-threatening fishing gear. 474 00:28:37,885 --> 00:28:38,802 {\an8}Good to see. 475 00:28:40,512 --> 00:28:43,389 {\an8}[Aldo, VO] And tomorrow, we might find out why these whales 476 00:28:43,390 --> 00:28:46,476 are getting entangled so much in the first place. 477 00:29:07,080 --> 00:29:08,081 [device beeps] 478 00:29:09,124 --> 00:29:12,127 Getting a very far away beep over there, I think. 479 00:29:12,920 --> 00:29:17,173 [Declan, VO] After a record-breaking 38 hours on the back of a whale, 480 00:29:17,174 --> 00:29:19,384 the tags have finally fallen off. 481 00:29:20,844 --> 00:29:22,970 There it is. You seen it? 482 00:29:22,971 --> 00:29:24,640 - It's just up there. - [Fortune] Oh, yes. 483 00:29:27,768 --> 00:29:29,269 [Declan] Yay! Oh. 484 00:29:29,645 --> 00:29:30,478 [Fortune] Wahoo! 485 00:29:30,479 --> 00:29:33,273 - Here we go. The precious data. - Nice. 486 00:29:33,857 --> 00:29:35,192 Smells like whale. 487 00:29:35,692 --> 00:29:36,568 [Fortune chuckles] 488 00:29:37,402 --> 00:29:39,363 [Declan, VO] As well as some beautiful whale footage... 489 00:29:39,988 --> 00:29:41,907 - [Declan] Ooh, sunset. - [Fortune] Ooh, yeah. 490 00:29:42,741 --> 00:29:45,034 [Declan, VO] ...we're hoping they hold the secret... 491 00:29:45,035 --> 00:29:46,410 [Declan] <i>This is mad.</i> 492 00:29:46,411 --> 00:29:50,123 [Declan, VO] ...as to why these whales are dying in such numbers. 493 00:29:50,624 --> 00:29:52,834 [Fortune] Looking at the dive data. 494 00:29:52,835 --> 00:29:55,253 This is... Yeah, I think this is just really exciting. 495 00:29:55,254 --> 00:29:56,337 - So... - [Declan] Oh, my word. 496 00:29:56,338 --> 00:29:57,588 [Fortune] Okay. 497 00:29:57,589 --> 00:30:01,759 Really consistent dive durations during daylight hours. 498 00:30:01,760 --> 00:30:03,511 And then, after dusk, 499 00:30:03,512 --> 00:30:07,014 you start to see that the whales are diving to shallower depths. 500 00:30:07,015 --> 00:30:11,936 And then eventually they're diving only a few meters below the surface. 501 00:30:11,937 --> 00:30:14,397 So it's a really pronounced day and night pattern 502 00:30:14,398 --> 00:30:15,816 - that we're seeing. - Yeah. 503 00:30:17,150 --> 00:30:19,443 [Declan, VO] These tag results are stunning. 504 00:30:19,444 --> 00:30:23,907 They prove, for the first time, that these whales behave like this. 505 00:30:24,575 --> 00:30:27,368 You would never have figured this out without these tags, right? 506 00:30:27,369 --> 00:30:29,621 - Without these tags, no. - Yeah. That's great. 507 00:30:32,291 --> 00:30:36,919 [Declan, VO] These right whales spend most time at the surface at night 508 00:30:36,920 --> 00:30:39,756 when ships have the least chance of seeing them. 509 00:30:43,427 --> 00:30:45,261 It's proper dark now. You know what I mean? 510 00:30:45,262 --> 00:30:47,973 Proper dark. Stars up ahead. 511 00:30:48,599 --> 00:30:52,143 <i>The way I'm searching for the whales is I'm just using my ears, you know?</i> 512 00:30:52,144 --> 00:30:53,394 And every time I hear a... 513 00:30:53,395 --> 00:30:54,729 [mimics water spout] 514 00:30:54,730 --> 00:30:57,816 ...I'm like, "Right. There's a whale." Then I've just got to find it. 515 00:30:58,734 --> 00:31:01,652 [Declan, VO] But I've got something no ship captain has: 516 00:31:01,653 --> 00:31:03,405 a night vision camera. 517 00:31:05,949 --> 00:31:06,950 [Declan] <i>Hey.</i> 518 00:31:08,577 --> 00:31:09,578 <i>There's one.</i> 519 00:31:11,413 --> 00:31:12,998 Ooh, there's another blow. 520 00:31:17,669 --> 00:31:19,629 [Declan, VO] With so many at the surface, 521 00:31:19,630 --> 00:31:24,134 it's easy to forget there's less than 400 of these whales left. 522 00:31:25,594 --> 00:31:27,261 [Declan] There she blows. 523 00:31:27,262 --> 00:31:30,223 [Declan, VO] The secret night life of the right whale 524 00:31:30,224 --> 00:31:32,643 has never been captured like this before. 525 00:31:33,143 --> 00:31:35,394 [Declan] <i>I feel so bad for them.</i> 526 00:31:35,395 --> 00:31:38,440 <i>'Cause they're just always in the wrong spots at the wrong time.</i> 527 00:31:39,233 --> 00:31:42,485 Where in the day time, they spend so much time at the bottom, 528 00:31:42,486 --> 00:31:43,903 where there's all the netting 529 00:31:43,904 --> 00:31:46,948 <i>and then at night they spend loads of time on the surface</i> 530 00:31:46,949 --> 00:31:50,035 <i>and that's where they're gonna get struck by vessels.</i> 531 00:31:50,827 --> 00:31:53,412 A captain could be going along in a boat and they're... 532 00:31:53,413 --> 00:31:55,999 They're never gonna see the whale and they're gonna hit it. 533 00:31:57,417 --> 00:31:59,837 <i>So, yeah, it's pretty mad to realize that.</i> 534 00:32:22,985 --> 00:32:26,362 It's my washing day, 535 00:32:26,363 --> 00:32:29,907 so I'm gonna go and wash my clothes. 536 00:32:29,908 --> 00:32:30,993 Here we go. 537 00:32:31,827 --> 00:32:33,995 [Declan, VO] After nearly three weeks at sea, 538 00:32:33,996 --> 00:32:36,999 it's not just time to catch up on our household chores. 539 00:32:39,251 --> 00:32:42,588 Our whale detection system has been working away nicely. 540 00:32:44,214 --> 00:32:47,384 But has it gathered enough data to work reliably? 541 00:32:47,885 --> 00:32:48,926 Yeah. 542 00:32:48,927 --> 00:32:50,970 Right, Lauren, so we've been on this boat for some time. 543 00:32:50,971 --> 00:32:54,056 That camera's been up there the whole trip, working away. 544 00:32:54,057 --> 00:32:57,393 I mean, we've gotten almost 700 individual whale blows. 545 00:32:57,394 --> 00:32:59,687 - Oh, wow. - Which is absolutely nuts, right? 546 00:32:59,688 --> 00:33:03,316 That's so many individual North Atlantic right whale detections. 547 00:33:03,317 --> 00:33:05,943 Some of these are up to almost three kilometers away. 548 00:33:05,944 --> 00:33:08,529 And then some are a little closer, closer to one kilometer. 549 00:33:08,530 --> 00:33:10,281 And this is really what we're looking for. 550 00:33:10,282 --> 00:33:12,825 So do you think that is enough? Like, seven hundred and-- 551 00:33:12,826 --> 00:33:16,037 Definitely, yeah, seven hundred, I mean that's a huge amount of data. 552 00:33:16,038 --> 00:33:17,872 - Okay. - We've been able to confirm 553 00:33:17,873 --> 00:33:19,832 that we're detecting these whales really reliably. 554 00:33:19,833 --> 00:33:22,126 And we've got a reliable detection range. 555 00:33:22,127 --> 00:33:23,211 So hopefully we can use that 556 00:33:23,212 --> 00:33:25,755 and get this on as many vessels as possible. 557 00:33:25,756 --> 00:33:27,256 [Declan, VO] This could be massive! 558 00:33:27,257 --> 00:33:29,675 We've helped prove that the whale detection system 559 00:33:29,676 --> 00:33:32,179 can spot these whales up to two miles away. 560 00:33:33,722 --> 00:33:37,142 Alerting ships like ours whenever they're too close. 561 00:33:39,686 --> 00:33:41,521 {\an8}[Declan] l suppose it's just one of those things for the captain. 562 00:33:41,522 --> 00:33:44,065 It's just that ping. "Ping!" 563 00:33:44,066 --> 00:33:45,858 "Right, I need to do something here." 564 00:33:45,859 --> 00:33:47,318 - Yeah. - And stopping the boat, 565 00:33:47,319 --> 00:33:49,612 slowing it down, letting the whale pass. 566 00:33:49,613 --> 00:33:52,907 Exactly. Captains are the ones who are best suited to make that call. 567 00:33:52,908 --> 00:33:55,451 But just giving them as much information as possible to act 568 00:33:55,452 --> 00:33:56,536 is what we're trying to do. 569 00:33:56,537 --> 00:33:58,162 - In the name of science. - Yeah. 570 00:33:58,163 --> 00:34:00,374 - We're gonna save the whale. - We're gonna try. 571 00:34:03,418 --> 00:34:05,587 [Aldo] Just let me know when you want it swung. 572 00:34:06,338 --> 00:34:08,340 [Vianet, VO] It's time to head for home. 573 00:34:08,715 --> 00:34:11,133 - [Aldo] Do it now? - [Vianet] Hang on. Hang on. 574 00:34:11,134 --> 00:34:12,885 [Vianet, VO] But before we leave... 575 00:34:12,886 --> 00:34:15,638 Okay. Blow. Two whales up. Two whales up, Vi. 576 00:34:15,639 --> 00:34:18,058 [Vianet] Yeah. Yes! I got him. 577 00:34:18,809 --> 00:34:22,771 [Vianet, VO] ...this remarkable whale has one last surprise for us. 578 00:34:25,315 --> 00:34:27,984 - [Brown] <i>Oh. Here we go. Mum-calf there.</i> - [Vianet] <i>Oh!</i> 579 00:34:27,985 --> 00:34:30,778 [Brown] <i>There's the calf. Tucked in behind on Mum's side.</i> 580 00:34:30,779 --> 00:34:32,489 [Vianet] <i>Oh, wow!</i> 581 00:34:33,322 --> 00:34:36,159 [Vianet, VO] It's a mother and calf. 582 00:34:37,327 --> 00:34:39,496 They're, like, right next to each other. It's amazing. 583 00:34:44,751 --> 00:34:46,544 It's always good to see a mother-calf pair, you know? 584 00:34:46,545 --> 00:34:47,628 - It's the future. - [Vianet] Yeah. 585 00:34:47,629 --> 00:34:49,338 - Future of this population. - That's right. 586 00:34:49,339 --> 00:34:50,799 Future of the species. 587 00:34:52,967 --> 00:34:54,510 <i>Oh, tail slap!</i> 588 00:34:54,511 --> 00:34:56,096 [both laughing] 589 00:34:57,431 --> 00:34:58,891 <i>Oh là là.</i> 590 00:34:59,600 --> 00:35:01,560 Oh, this just makes me so happy. 591 00:35:05,063 --> 00:35:07,149 [Brown] <i>The footage that you have made</i> 592 00:35:08,150 --> 00:35:11,402 while we've been on this trip, has really been critical. 593 00:35:11,403 --> 00:35:15,156 Your images are gonna contribute to the big story for these animals. 594 00:35:15,157 --> 00:35:16,073 To their life history. 595 00:35:16,074 --> 00:35:18,201 This is-- This is satisfying. It's... 596 00:35:18,202 --> 00:35:22,206 You know, it's invigorating just to know that I'm doing the right thing. 597 00:35:26,502 --> 00:35:30,880 [Aldo, VO] Over three weeks, Vi filmed 43 whales. 598 00:35:30,881 --> 00:35:33,925 It'll be crucial footage to help scientists 599 00:35:33,926 --> 00:35:38,138 work out just how many have survived the migration. 600 00:35:39,640 --> 00:35:43,060 [Brown] It's a great legacy and I've never had such great footage. 601 00:35:43,519 --> 00:35:46,271 - That's a win. - It's a win. Absolutely, it's a win. 602 00:35:48,482 --> 00:35:50,859 - [Aldo] <i>Just waving at you, Vi. - Yeah.</i> 603 00:36:03,080 --> 00:36:04,872 I think I'll miss this boat. 604 00:36:04,873 --> 00:36:06,123 Will I? 605 00:36:06,124 --> 00:36:07,834 I won't miss this boat. 606 00:36:07,835 --> 00:36:10,211 I'm looking forward to getting back on dry land. 607 00:36:10,212 --> 00:36:12,088 But check that sunset out. 608 00:36:12,089 --> 00:36:14,299 Woo-hoo! 609 00:36:50,502 --> 00:36:53,172 [theme music playing] 609 00:36:54,305 --> 00:37:54,386 Do you want subtitles for any video? -=[ ai.OpenSubtitles.com ]=-