Coral Reefs - Magic of the Indo-Pacific | Free Documentary Nature

Surrounded by some of the most beautiful islands of the world, the Coral Triangle is located in the Pacific Ocean. Between the Philippines, New Guinea and Indonesia, a wondrously and fantastic undersea world does exist. In the bright water, the many different colors of the fish and corals illuminate with their collective power. Along the shore and in the flat water, a huge landscape spreads out, built up by tiny creatures piece by piece over millions of years. Awe-inspiring. These ancient formations extend to the seabed. Every cubic meter of these coral reefs is home to countless species, animals and plants. Here, evolution found a unique place in which big, small, dangerous and bizarre creatures could exist. Today, they are prevalent not only in the Coral Triangle, but also in many other parts of the world. In almost no other part of the world, you can discover what you marvel at here. All species live in perfect accordance with the others. What used to be paltry, sandy ground, today is a symbol for variety and natural plenty. So, come with us and let's visit the universe of the corals. The magic world of the corals is put together by hundreds and thousands of creatures. Such diversified games of nature are only found in a few parts of the world. The Great Barrier Reef off the Australian coast is probably the most famous coral reef, but in the waters between Indonesia, the Philippines and New Guinea, a coral triangle spreads which has the biggest marine diversity. 5.7 million square kilometers are covered by this marine dripping point. This region is the home of three quarters of all coral species. In contrast, the Caribbean is the home of not even 10% of all corals. This nameless variety makes the Coral Triangle a fantastic and amazing landscape underwater. The waters offshore are not only edged by the whopping coral formations, they are also occupied by thousands of marine creatures. The warm water bodies of the Indo-Pacific are the perfect environment for small, big, predacious and peaceful fish. Even more marine creatures found a home between the coral canyons, in countless caves and the cantilevered seaweed meadows. Although most of those species are not known by people, the reef's variety would be much poorer. More than 2,000 types of different coral fish can be found in the colorful reefs of the triangle. Hawaii, also known as a natural paradise and praised for its variety in species, does not even have 500 types. The unique conditions of the Pacific Sea did not only attract countless common fish, they also launched complete new species. These have a scientific name of an endemic species and glamorize the reef and make it one of a kind. It was a long and windy road until the reef turned out to be what it is today. The beginnings of this picturesque undersea world are hidden deeply in the history of geology. The Coral Triangle borders on the world's most active volcanic region, the Pacific Ring of Fire. This huge chain of volcanoes, with its chimneys and volcano funnels, spreads out from South America to Alaska and from Alaska to Japan and New Zealand. But only a few of these volcanoes are located on terra firma. Most of them are on the seabed. It is here where tectonic plates are pushed one below the other and finally are fused at the mantle of the earth. The constant eruptions and ejection of minerals and other materials over millions of years led to the thousands of islands along the Ring of Fire. Close to the Coral Triangle, countless islands were formed after eruptions and the following slow stacking of volcanic rock. Those islands, surrounded by shallow water, made it possible for corals, with their amazing beauty and variety of fish, to take up residence in that area. The beauty of the Coral Triangle is beyond controversy. But it is also, due to the perfect conditions of living for marine animals of all types, the basis of food for about 120 million people who make their living from fishing and other reef resources on the bordering islands. One of the best-known residents of the coral reef is the anemone fish. The anemone fish are a specious species, but only two of the 29 species are called clownfish. In spite of everything, the exponents of the anemone fish are known as clownfish to almost everybody, not least caused by the advent of the anemone fish. The anemone fish are the creatures of a small animated clownfish father searching for his son. He spends his life almost solely in and around an anemone. The tentacles of the sea anemone provide this little fellow a welcome protection from predacious animals and hunters. As a recompense, this brave fish banishes other dodgers, such as butterflyfish or filefish, who like the taste of the sea anemone. You might think sea anemones are plants, but they are animals. They are even able to change their place of location. However, this act is very stressful for the animal, which is normally deep-seated in the ground, to fish food out of the water with its tentacles. Most of the time, the colonies of the anemone fish are located right in the middle of the picturesque variety of the coral reefs. In terms of strong undersea drifts, the countless jutties, drains and reformations offer a natural protection from the forces of nature. As he is a bad swimmer, this safeness is highly appreciated by the anemone fish. The next resident wiggling through the hillsides and gardens of the corals is not as peculiar as the shy anemone fish. To linger almost his entire life in an anemone would never cross the mind of an antheus. The antheus forms some of the biggest shoals in the coral reefs worldwide. Hundreds up to thousands of these animals build groups to hunt oceanic plankton, which is the nourishment of most small fish. These gigantic shoals add immediately an orange-red color to the reef and include lots of smaller unions. Although the few males lead the unions and shoals, the majority are the females. This is caused by the fact that all antheus are born female. There are a lot of differences in size and marking in between the genders. Scientists call that a gender dimorphism. But as our eyes only can see the orange-red color of the young females in such a big shoal, these dimorphisms are not really recognized. The females stay in their harems until the male dies. Then the strongest female turns into a male within only a few days and assumes the leadership of the harem. This sex change is not unusual for coral regions and helped a lot of species to survive years of evolution. Nearly indefatigable, the shoals cleave through the different features of the reef. The monumental formations seem to watch over the sea through the ages. Like a part of the ocean bed, the reef appears as a component of the earth since its formation. But as every animal, the coral started once very small. The cornerstone of the huge coral reefs is one single polyp, a small cnidaria. Together with all so small alga, they form a symbiotic collective. While the polyps guarantee the alga, called symbiodenum, a safe place, the alga supply the polyps with energy using the aid of photosynthesis. When the alga starts the photosynthesis, a bond of carbon dioxide to sugar takes place. The result is usable energy, which is the basis for the reefs. But especially at night, the corals transfer to other food supplies. The microscopial plankton is being caught from the coral's short tentacles and is also used by the polyps as an energy provider. But of course, the ability of the corals to get lime out of the marine water is much more important for the build-up of such a gigantic reef than catching plankton. This aragonite is dropped out at the bottom of the corals and expands the skeleton of the corals little by little. The stonefish highly appreciates the now emerging possibilities to couch. Stonefish are quite a small subspecies of the ray-finned fish. Their head is dominated by a wide and big planed mouth. Their skin is irregular and interspersed by various colors. At the hillsides of the reef, those hunters brace themselves and scan the environment for potential food. When it comes to swimming, they are in an inferior position to their prey animal and so they use their surroundings and assimilate to their environment. As you may suggest by their name, stonefish look a lot like rocks and boulders and they love to masquerade like rocks. Due to the raw ground-leveled structures of the reef, stonefish find quite a few possibilities to hide. These fish can become dangerous for people as well. Their spines are filled with a very painful poison. But as those hunters are very poor in swimming, accidents don't happen very often. Other than his clumsy relatives, this firefish is moving gracefully through the coral world. His light fan-shaped pectoral fins make him look elegant and threatening at the same time. The many stripes and rays of the firefish are not only just for beauty, they also blur his contours and give him some kind of camouflage battle dress. He is one of the most dangerous hunters in the reef. Like the stonefish, the firefish is known for its poison. The fins evenly spread all over the firefish's body and they contain the poison. It is extremely painful, but at least for people not deadly. However, the firefish does not use his poison for hunting. He saves his poison, just in case other predators such as the moray might attack him. If the firefish has to defend himself, he points out his poisoned fins to his enemy. In most cases, he is able to drive back his rival. His delicate fins are not just nice to look at, they are essential for his survival. Not all exponents of the firefish possess the same fine fins or the same elegant dorsal fin. The wide fins of the Pacific lionfish look like waving flags while he is moving through the reefs and landscapes. He is inactive most of the day and keeps away from the other inhabitants of the coral sea. His body is not designed to keep the speed high. He uses the shelter of the darkness to come closer to his prey animals. But there are more exotic animals living in the darkness and winding chasms of the coral reef. The frogfish is not really one of the most elegant or beautiful coevals. In front of the green, muddy setting, he seems to disappear. Just like an overweight version of a land-based chameleon. But there are other creatures preferring lighter colors. Frogfish don't visit the reef very often. Usually, they prefer the seabed in a depth of a few hundred meters. But if they are in the reef, they act in a similar fashion to dragonheads and firefish. They couch and they camouflage. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Of course, dark specimens have an advantage when it comes to a camouflage. But what is making them feel more confident could also be their highly effective poison. If you don't have to fear predators, you don't need that much protection while hunting. And now, what is this whizzing onto the screen? A mantis shrimp. For all intents and purposes, the mantis shrimp is one of the most amazing creatures of the sea. Being not even half a meter long, their capabilities make some of the biggest bandits go green with envy. Their constantly moving big telescope eyes might be the most eye-catching feature of the mantis shrimp. Their almost complete panoramic view is enhanced by one of the biggest color perceptions in the animal world. Unlike people who can only distinguish three primary colors and their minds then make up the colors from those three, the mantis shrimp is able to see 16 primary colors. Hunting is his daily work. And with this color sensitivity, the shrimp has an extra advantage. In hunting down his prey, he is one of the most creative exponents of the predators. His pincers make killing weapons. Once his prey has been spotted, he strains his pincers to the back and lets them clap against each other within a split second. The result is a blast wave that shocks every prey and makes them unconscious immediately. But the real danger hits the victim afterwards. The concentrated energy of the pincers forms little cavities in the surrounding water which implode shortly and put the prey over the edge. The mantis shrimp is a good example of an animal that looks quite harmless at first sight, but is actually one of the most deadly creatures of the sea depths. Facing those hunters, it is good advice for sweepers to hide in this old wreck. There are a lot of ships and aircraft here from years of war in the Coral Sea. Just a few meters away, things are more brighter. Fish and corals with flamboyant colors silhouette against the remaining blue of the wide ocean. Like a bunch of flowers, these corals stick out of their fundament. But those reefs don't just look amazing. They are the base of offshore life. Built over centuries, those iron structures are the guarantee for the reef residents' survival. By countless corals, chasms, alcoves and walls, the biotope is protected from storms, tides and other elements. At some spots, the reef looks like a big underwater city. Different fish, bigger and smaller ones, are busy with their activities. It's as if they have their own road system. The different kinds and species swim in their own lanes. Some seek a place to rest in the caves. Others speed straight through the landscape while searching for food. Smaller fish try to find some food in the protection of the chasms. Bigger fellows prefer the outer reef cliffs for their search for food. Looking at this stony coral, it is no wonder at all that most of the time corals are considered as stone or plants rather than as animals. Indeed, it's difficult to appreciate that the coral is alive. Only when you look at hundreds of polyps open and close themselves rhythmically, the real character of these flower animals is revealed. For a long time, this pulsation of the polyps mystified scientists. Today, we know it supports the reallocation of the water and the photosynthesis. For sea stars, the reef is a perfect spot to settle down. Unlike other residents of the reef, the sea stars don't have to hunt that much as the food of many sea stars is the reef itself. And over the last few years, that becomes more and more fatal for the coral reefs. The eating activities of the sea stars threaten many regions in the coral sea. Within a short term, millions of them attack a reef and demolish huge areas of those sea gardens. Short, fast and striped, that is the eel tail catfish. Here's one of the few catfish living in the open sea. In shoals of a few hundred fish, the puppies can band together. They are easily recognized by the big contrast of their light and dark stripes. As all catfish, they have eight baleen at their mouth, looking quite similar to insect feelers. For the eel catfish, they are very useful as organs of smell and touch. As their preferred prey, animals like to hide in the sand, especially the sense of smell leads the shoal on the right track. Looking for food, the shoal literally overruns the seabed. The animals at the bottom scour the sand for small crustaceans or fish. Their groping baleen help them to discover their prey. Simultaneously, their conspecific overtake them at the top. Like an inexorable roll, the shoal blazes its trail through the hunting grounds of the reef. Being part of a shoal does help the eel catfish aside their daily rambles for food. The massive animals, the flowing movements and the contrasts of the stripes fool potential predators. They think the shoal is one single huge fish. Besides this delusion, catfish rely only on poison on their back. The poison is located in sharp quills and causes strong pain even for people. But at a time when the catfish uses his poison, it's already way too late for him. This is the reason why the protection of the shoal is so important for him. It makes a lot of sense to coordinate to form a shoal. The mirror neurons are the key. The flashy colors of the feather star are very impressive. But there are also less flamboyant species such as the soldier and squirrelfish, not really known for their beauty, but they have a share in the uniqueness of this place. Right in the middle of a kind of living art is the home of the soldier and squirrelfish. No matter which coral, form or color was here first, today a nearly overwhelming variety with most different colors grows over the seabed. Organic and round or with geometric precision, the mass of the coral spread a carpet of beauty over the reef. Just like flowers in a new made bed, countless young corals tiller out of the stones of the side of the reef to catch enough sunlight for their growth, especially the sprouts at the bottom will turn upside in the near future. However, it is really hard to protect coral reefs. The hazards have never been as big as today, although a lot of organizations fight for the reefs. In the future, the biggest danger for the reefs will be the global warming of the sea. No other factor contributes to the demolition of the corals as much as global warming. If temperatures exceed 30 degrees Celsius constantly, the coral polyps don't follow their symbiodynium anymore. Then the photosynthesis stops and with it the reef building. This dreaded process known as coral bleaching does appear more and more in areas of the coral sea. It is believed that almost half of the Great Barrier Reef died because of storms, creatures eating corals and the higher temperatures within the last 30 years. When it comes to climate change, a rethinking will not be easy and it has to begin, especially in the minds of local people. Otherwise, a healthy coral base will be a rare sight in the future. It appears that this snake making an excursion on the beach got lost. That is what it seems to be at first sight. In fact, also reptiles like this sea snake loop through the reefs. As her ancestors were living on land, a lot of their characteristics can be found by sea snakes. For example, they still have lungs and must therefore come to the upper water frequently to breathe. Similarly to snakes on land, the sea snakes have a dangerous poison. Sea snake poison is one of the most effective snake poisons ever. As usual for those kinds of poisons, it paralyzes the arms and legs and finally the lungs. The bite of a sea snake does hurt comparatively less and as they have very small teeth, it is often not even felt, but they are really malicious. But don't panic, there are almost no critical injuries as the snake uses her poison only in emergencies. Most of the time, sea snakes hunt more smaller sea animals and therefore the dose of their poison is quite low and does not cause the same effects on people as on her typical prey animal. Divers don't have to be afraid of them as the reptiles tend to escape before it comes to a confrontation. The snappers are a specious species in the coral's cosmos. More than 100 species cavort in the earth's reefs and of course, all kinds of colors and shapes are found in this family. In the Indo-Pacific, a strong yellow prevails and enriches the environment's world of colors. Usually, the snapper swim close to the water's surface and resort to the deeper areas very rarely. To defy other fish, they affiliate to little shoals during the day. Only at the end of the day, they disband their formations to hunt themselves. What is not seen at first sight are the big fangs and many smaller teeth inside the sharp mouth of these colored sea animals. The grunts use the yellow section of the chart of color as well, but not as much as the snappers. Typical for all grunts are the many spots covering the whole body except the underside. In some way, he looks like the maritime leopard, but of course, he is more peaceful. Small invertebrates are the only animals you have to beware from the presence of grunts. Apart from that, he acts like snappers and forms groups swimming through the reefs. The most dignified creature of the sea is floating above this coral base. Their aplomb and calmness is fascinating, but ocean turtles are still determined. Today, these saurians are one of the oldest reptiles on earth. Over a hundred million years ago, they split from their relatives on land and ever since then, they have been living in the world's seas. Over this immense period of time, they saw the rise and fall of the dinosaurs, witnessed the continents moving to their positions today and survived some of the biggest catastrophes hitting the planet. Animals and plants on land and in the sea changed over these years, but the turtle's DNA was hardly transformed or defined. Every year, ocean turtles move thousands of kilometers through the oceans. For years, they swim the seas, they visit countless islands, reefs and sandbanks and yet still return to their place of birth for their egg deposition. Until today, science does not know why the ocean saurians are so attracted by their place of birth. However, there are guesses that the turtles use the salt content of the water and the magnetic fields to orient themselves on their long journey back to their homeland. Once there, they swim through a well-known scenery and prepare themselves to give birth to a new generation of gentle giants. But at the happy event of the time of birth, that involves the highest risk for the turtles to leave earth before their time has come. Once the little and weak turtle babies are hatched on the beaches, they have to reach the water by their own power. Usually, they find their way by orientating the moon and the sun. But streets and settlements close to the breeding beaches lead them often to the wrong direction and so they die on the beaches. But even when they survive the first meters and the first years, these maritime saurians are surrounded by other dangers day by day. Pollution destroys their nesting sites and fishermen capture turtles for their leather, tortoise shell, or they are caught by accident. Until today, the ocean turtles are extremely decimated and have become a threatened species. Protective actions for turtles have to increase and if they don't, turtles face a difficult future. But let's turn to some more enjoyable sea stories. There are lots of inhabitants in the reef who turn their home into an extraordinary place using nature's gifts. For example, the Bannerfish, here battening on the corals. He was named after his high fin at the back. It's absolutely impossible to miss the oceanic bird of paradise. The Bannerfish does need his wide banner mostly during the pairing season. He hardens the long antenna to be able to have a hard fight with his rivals. After a fight, the winner stands tall and will try to win the female's favor. Once two Bannerfish found each other, they stick together faithfully and give the world year after year new blood. For the graceful fish, the reef is paradise on earth. The copious fissures and cracks in between the corals are a perfect place to hide for the Bannerfish. But they are not the only ones to use these hideouts. There are many world and agile fish appreciating those hideouts like the Bannerfish in the reef. For example, these two Blue-cheeked Butterflyfish looking for food at the tongue of the reef. The colorful fellows are doing this in a quite unhurried fashion. There is no wonder for this as there are no predators around. If there was, they would not choose these tiny fish for lunch anyway since the reef offers more than enough possibilities. The Blue-cheeked Butterflyfish even despise the stony corals today. Especially the young polyps of the stony and soft corals is very delicate food for the colorful fish. Apart from that, they subsist alga, plankton and krill. The Bannerfish and the Blue-cheeked Butterflyfish have one rare thing in common. They are faithful their entire life. That's why we see these gorgeous fish almost every time as a couple. A little bit further underneath this whispering sweet nothing Blue-cheeked Butterflyfish couple, two Bannerfish linger through the coral scenery. As Bannerfish have quite small vertical fins, they are not really able to move any faster. But in case of danger, they can be in full cry and shake off the opponents. A few meters away, a giant clam roosts between a few corals. Wrongly, they are quite often called killer clams. This misbelief is caused in the idea that the clams grab divers' hands and keep them underwater until they die. In fact, those shutting movements of clams are simply there to surprise any diver. Unless he is looking for the clam's treasure, of course. In this case, one or the other pearl diver might have not mentioned the clam shutting its mouth. Indeed, the Blowfish does look a bit funny. As he doesn't look like the images from movies or pictures remotely, he is not recognized for what he actually is. This is because the typical expanding is quite rare. He sucks a lot of water into his stomach and therefore can reach a multiple of his size. However, the Blowfish's day-to-day routine is controlled by other things. For example, this black spotted puffer is being cleaned duly from a cleaner fish who came around. Especially the cleaning of the gills and the vertical fins is vital as at these parts infections and illnesses can have the most impact. Compared to others, Blowfish have only small fins. The fins at the back do only provide a stabilization of the swimming lane and not an extra push. This is why Blowfish are slower reef inhabitants in general. But on the other hand, they are one of the most agile. They can move in the narrow reef's tractive veins without hindrance and other than most of the fish are able to swim backward. While on foraging, their beaked mouth is a big help. Instead of single teeth, there are whole plates of teeth which are perfect to take parts of corals or small animals of prey apart to pieces. In fact, the jaw and plates of bigger species can become strong enough to break even human bones. Besides, the Blowfish does not have to fear to scuff his teeth. They grow again continuously. But better known and more dangerous is the Blowfish's poison. It is one of the most toxic substances a fish can own. The poison does not directly kill the victim but paralyzes it completely. The triggerfish does in fact not really look more gracious but at least more colorful than his poisonous relative. Opposite to the Blowfish, he is much easier to hunt for his enemies. To escape the maws of the hungry predators, he uses his dorsal fins to stick into the tightest corners of the reef. Also, while searching for food, the triggerfish can compensate the lack of poison. He uses his strong mouth to turn around stones and salvages the delicate food underneath. Of course, he does not succeed every time. But once finding delicate food does remunerate his efforts. In the complex tract of veins, the most different and diverse terms of life collide and people can only wonder at the unhidden acts and creatures within the reef. What kind of new wonders are still hiding behind the grand gate of the Coral Sea when it's still in the dark? It looks like the next resident of the Coral Reef fell into a giant paint pot a long time ago. But although looking happy and harmless, he is a feared co-evil. The Grouper. It may not look obvious but he is one of the most successful predators in the Coral Reef. Some species can even become more than 2 meters long. Their danger is the element of surprise. In particular, the mouth of groupers which is much bigger than the mouth of other fish. And that's very important. Like the stonefish which we met earlier, they rip their mouth very fast and suck in their prey within seconds. As the Coral Reef is a nursery ground for nameless species, there are always possibilities for the grouper to appease his hunger. Groupers rely a lot on their hunting grounds. As time goes on, the males dominate more and more and make their demands on larger areas. The groupers consist of many different species. They may look very different but all species use their territories to maintain real harems of females. The offspring of groupers is always female. And just like anthias who also have female young blood, the females do not remain subordinates of one single male. In opposite to these schooling fish, the male does not have to die to provoke the sex change. Instead of that, the females turn into males 7 to 10 years after their first egg deposition and after they have found their own territory. This guarantees the preservation of the species. What seems to be a sea snake at first sight is in truth a moray. The ribbon moray eel, as we see it now, is the most eye-catching species of morays. During their lifetime, they abandon the black and white colouring and change finally to females. Morays start their extensive foraging out of caves where they spend most of the day. On one side, the chasms are great spots for an ambush and on the other one, they are places to adjourn. Some species even spend their entire life in the countless caves of the coral reef and never reach the open water bodies. That is why they are dark horses for scientists. Characteristics for all subspecies is the pulsating opening and closing of the mouth. But that is not a threat. It is just their way to breathe. In opposite to that most refreshing breath as they let water flow through their gills. But therefore, their mouth must be opened all the time. It is these contrasts that make a beautiful part of Earth to a centre of biological variety. In the evening, most species go for long forays through the reef on their search of food. As their sense of seeing is quite poor, morays cannot rely on their eyes. Instead, they have an extraordinary sense of smell and are able to smell their potential prey from a distance. But this is not the only present Mother Nature gave the morays. In addition to their normal set of teeth, they own a second jaw behind the teeth to make it possible for them to swallow up the prey even faster. Rightly, those predators are feared by other fish in their hunting grounds. Have you heard of the expression as flat as a pancake? Well, that is a very good description for our next guest. A blue-spotted ribbon-tailed ray does strobe the underground at the sandy foot of the coral reef for food. This is how the ray spends most of the day on the seabed. Although eating smaller animals most of the time, he waylays a bigger morsel of food from time to time. Once leaving his spot of lookout, he floats with elegant pounding of the waves through the magical underwater scenery. It looks like a family reunion is looming. A giant shoal of mackerel is visiting the reef. Usually they live in the open sea, but they keep the coral reef with its countless possibilities to overindulge always in mind. The mackerel also use the mirror neurons to coordinate those impressive shoals. Some species do not have an air bladder and are constantly on the verge to sink down. The resultant constant swimming is relieved by the shadows of the drift they give each other. Another advantage of a shoal is that it makes it harder for predators to concentrate on single fish. In fact, it can happen that shoals attack the hunters. If a mackerel shoal is impressive, wait till you see a shoal of barracudas. Barracudas are the silver arrows of the sea. Their natural form, muscular and streamlined bodies seem to be made just for powerful sprints. Once spotted, their prey, they can reach speeds up to 50 kilometers per hour. But their most dangerous weapon is hidden in their long mouth. Inside, there are sharp teeth just waiting for potential prey. Especially in a big shoal like this one, barracudas are one of the most threatening predators of the sea. However, barracudas only stay in such big groups in their adolescent phase. Once grown up, they separate and hunt on their own. You simply have to admire that silver reflecting mass of fish in perfect coordination. Although they are basically nothing else than an allegory for a merciless hunter. Just like the barracudas, there are two sides of every story. Day by day, hunters and hunted are living only a few meters apart in the reef. Surrounded by nothing but the endless blue of the sea, current regeneration is the center point of this colorful world. But what is hidden behind the first sight is more than the regeneration of the reef. It is the constant creation of new animals fascinating the earth with their beauty, dangerousness, and uniqueness.