Dolphins Up Close with Bertie Gregory (Full Episode) | SPECIAL | Nat Geo Animals

-Go, go, go, go. There's a massive concentration of shearwaters ahead of us, and all the rest are ripping in that direction. Whoa they're crazy! It's still moving pretty fast. The predators haven't stabilized the ball of crayfish yet. So we've got shearwaters, dolphins, just seen a whale. That is crazy! -Okay, let's go. Go, go, go, go. Okay, go, go, go, dive, dive, dive. [♪ upbeat music playing] [Bertie] The Azores. A remote chain of islands over 900 miles west of Portugal. Over the last 10 years, I've become completely obsessed with searching the ocean for epic gatherings of predators. In wildlife film, we call these a bait ball, and they attract a group of predators that you'd never otherwise see together. All hunting the same prey at the same time. At the end of every summer, a sudden explosion of food draws in ocean predators from near and far. Resident dolphins are joined by migrating dolphins, whales, and sharks. This could be the most diverse gathering of predators I've ever filmed. Yeah, we've not got long to capture this ocean spectacle because many of the characters involved are on big, cross-ocean migrations, and this is the narrow window when all of them converge on the Azores. We've got just five weeks before the seasons change, and many of the dolphins and other predators start to move on. You know, finding this predator gathering out here is gonna be really, really tricky because we have got a massive area to search. With over 100,000 square miles of protected waters to explore, we need local knowledge. So I've teamed up with a boat crew that know these waters better than anyone. Captain Paulo Gaspar was born and raised in the Azores, sailing and diving here his entire life. Second in command is Marianna Antunes, an experienced skipper and marine biologist. So we're obviously searching a massive area of ocean. How are we gonna find the action? -You must look for shearwaters, more shearwaters, more activity. You only need to follow the direction of them and then you will see a bait ball. [Bertie] Cory's shearwaters are experts at hunting schools of fish from above. How many shearwaters are we talking together? -Two or 3,000 at the same time and a lot of noise. -If it's insane, the bait ball it's waa, waa, waa, waa. -Waa, waa, waa, yeah. [Bertie] Right now, nearly half a million shearwaters are here for the breeding season. We don't have to wait long before they provide our first lead. We've got a lot of shearwaters all moving that way, and that is a great sign there's action. I think we need to get out in the fast boat. Let's do this. -Okay, got it. Yep, yep, let's go. -Got this big raft and I reckon, but I thought they were just sat on the surface resting, but actually, you can hear that squabbling noise they're feeding. Let me get my snorkeling gear on and just gently drift over, see what's going on underneath the water. Ali, can you chuck me the camera once I'm in? Thanks. [squawking] Underwater, I can see what's on the menu. Hundreds of jack mackerel huddled together in a small, dense, swirling sphere. It's a bait ball. Formed when fish are under attack. Skipjack tuna strike from below. And shearwaters attack from above. It's impressive, but I know these events happen on a much bigger scale. Those shearwaters, they're so graceful underwater, they look like angels diving down into the deep. And what we saw there, that's a miniature version of what we're looking for. To find a giant bait ball, we need to maximize our time on the water. So for the next five weeks, this boat will be our home and filming platform. With me is friend and specialist cinematographer, Jeff Hester. Well, we're out nice and early. Sun's just popped up over the horizon behind that beautiful volcano. And we're scanning the horizon 'cause first thing in the morning and last thing in the afternoon, early evening, those are our prime times for bait balls. Yeah, Paulo there's, there's a big pod of dolphins straight off the bow, they're coming this way now. -How many meters in front? [Bertie] 200. [Paulo] Okay. [Bertie] Whoa. Like the shearwaters, dolphins are always on the lookout for fish and could lead us to a bait ball. Whoa! Got a huge group of spotted dolphins. This is a really good sign. Yeah, any day you see, a dolphin is a good day. Each year, thousands of dolphins migrate to the Azores, drawn here by the seasonal boom in fish numbers. So right now, these dolphins are cruising along, and they'll be pinging out echolocation. That's their, their sonar to detect prey. So we're gonna stick with the dolphins. Hope they lead us to some action. That is really interesting, every single dolphin has disappeared. They've all gone... [makes sound] ...down into the deep. Which makes me think they must have detected prey down there and they're trying to round it up and bring it up to the surface. So we could be in for some action here. [crew] Okay, Jeff. [Paulo] You ready? [Bertie] We're ready. [Paulo] Let's go. [Bertie] As we jump on the fast boat, the dolphins resurface. Look at them all. Racing at speeds of nearly 40 miles per hour. Wha, ho, ho, ho. It's clear they're in pursuit. We've just got shearwaters zooming around everywhere. This is looking really good. What we're waiting for is the shearwaters to all start diving down into the water, that means the food is at the surface. So it's a really good concentration over here, and all the others seem to be heading over to join them. These feeding frenzies can vanish as quickly as they form. We could be on here. We need to get into position, and fast. Birds look good there, Paulo. [Paulo] I see. [♪ suspenseful music playing] Okay, let's go, go, go, go, go, go. [Bertie] The dolphins work as a team, vocalizing to coordinate their attack. Their aim is to trap the school at the surface, then force it into a tight formation. Thousands of jack mackerel swim for their lives. It seems like the dolphins are tiring. They're struggling to contain the fish. The jack mackerel win this round. [Paulo] This side, this side, this side. [Bertie] It's carnage everywhere. It didn't quite come together. We had a big pass from all the fish, but it didn't feel like there was enough predators, enough dolphins on it, so, uh. Yeah, we've lost the light now, and it seems like the action's died down. So, try again another day. It's promising to see the shearwaters and dolphins hunting together, but even in a wildlife haven like the Azores, nature is still unpredictable. To find the predator gathering we're looking for, I need more eyes out searching. So I'm heading inland, where history provides a surprising perspective. [Bertie] The nutrient-rich waters of the Azores draw in a third of the world's whale and dolphin species, an abundance that in the past had tragic consequences. For centuries, these islands were an international hub for whale hunting. Animals were killed to make oil for lamps, candles, and cosmetics. The meat was also a local food supply. It's pretty crazy to learn that whale hunting happened in the Azores until the late 1980s, and that ban is so recent that it's actually possible for me to go and meet one of the ex-whalers, and his job is still to spot whales, but for a very different reason. Daniel. Known locally as a "vigia," a person that keeps watch, Daniel Martiniano, used to spot whales for hunting. He now spots them for the islands' booming whale watching industry. [speaking in Portuguese] [in Portuguese] Thank you. Waa, crazy view. -Can I have a go? [Bertie] If there's anyone that can find us a whale heading to a bait ball, it's Daniel. How far do you think you could see a whale from here? -Since the ban on whaling, what was that like for you and the community, if, if it was an important source of income? -Wow, so you basically realized that the whales were worth more alive than dead? -Yeah. [Bertie] Daniel's passion for whales is obvious, but it's conflicting, knowing his talent is rooted in his days as a hunter. -Is that you? A lifetime on, on the ocean looking for whales? They are incredibly big, powerful animals. What is it like to hunt them? -Wow. [Bertie] Okay. It's clear the cultural connections to whale hunting run deep. [Bertie] It's heartbreaking to think every year, hundreds of whales lost their lives to weapons just like this one. -Very sharp. -Glad it's now just a memory. -Some things have to end. Daniel's journey reflects this region's shift. Thank you very much. From hunting whales to celebrating them. It's inspiring to see how communities can adapt to big shifts in how we treat the natural world. Daniel and his fellow 'vigias' have agreed to help by sharing any sightings that might -That's the vigia on the phone, and I heard him say "baleia, baleia." My Portuguese is rubbish, but I'm pretty sure that's "whale." Hey, Bertie. -What have we got? -Some sperm whales. -Sperm whales? -Aha! -Let's go. [Bertie] They've been seen in a favorite feeding spot not far from us. [in Portuguese] Whale! About 200, 300 meter, I would say. -Oh, yeah, really close, really close. -Yeah, there, there, there. -I can see it's a very small one. [Bertie] Sperm whales don't feed on the bait balls we're looking for, but I want a closer look. I've never seen a sperm whale underwater before, so I'm very excited. Sperm whales hunt in the deep on prey like giant squid. Ready? They depend on sound to hunt, navigate, and communicate, so they're highly sensitive to noise. To avoid any disturbance, we've opted to approach on a very small kayak, something we have a special permit to do. Okay, we're gonna hop in nice and slowly. From its size, I'd say this whale is just a baby. Question is, where's mom? [Bertie] Right on cue, mom joins the calf from the deep. Sperm whales are incredible free divers. The adults can hold their breath for 90 minutes and dive to depths of over 6,000 feet, but a young calf like this takes time to learn these skills. So every time mum goes down to the deep, he stays at the surface, alone and vulnerable. Thankfully, with whale hunting banned, these waters are the perfect nursery. [heavy breathing] You know, that's actually got me a bit emotional because, you know, less than 40 years ago, easily within the lifetime of a sperm whale, this place was a, a slaughtering ground, whereas now it's just this protected haven for mothers and calves. It's gonna take a long time for the population to recover. For now, that's a pretty amazing sight. Protected areas like the Azores provide a much-needed refuge for traveling sperm whales, but they can also attract the odd, unexpected visitor. [laughs] Hey! We appear to have picked up a hitchhiker. This bird is a brown booby. Brown boobies are typically found searching for bait balls in places like the Caribbean. Are you gonna help us find the, the fish, or are you just gonna stand there? Oop, oh, oh. You're such a bad boat guest, you come here, you sit on our chairs, and then you poo all over the deck. Ugh, it's an absolute mess back there. Goodbye booby have a great day. It's late afternoon, prime time for hunting. -Whoa! Mariana's spotted a predator I've always wanted to meet. Whoa. So we've got a pod of false killer whales, which are a really, really exciting species to see. Just like killer whales, false killer whales are, in fact, dolphins. They're social, intelligent predators built for hunting fast-moving prey, and this pod is joined by another species. It's so cool the bottlenose dolphins are interacting with the false killers. [Marianna] Woo hoo! [Bertie] It's a promising sign that could lead us to a bait ball and sooner than I thought. Oh, well, the behavior of the false killers has changed entirely. They've spread out in this big, long battle line, so we think they're on the hunt. The false killers leave the dolphins behind, and with no shearwaters in sight, I don't think they're looking for a bait ball. They've set their sights on something bigger. There's a couple here. That one's got a tuna, Jeff. [Paulo] I saw I saw the tuna. Yeah. [Bertie] Tuna are seriously speedy fish. Some species are capable of reaching more than 40 miles per hour. [Paulo] Okay, let's go. Under the boat, under the boat. [Bertie] The false killers have landed their prize, a single bigeye tuna. That must have been some chase. Weighing up to 400 pounds, a bigeye tuna is a meal for sharing. It's a rare sight which reveals the deep social bonds among the pod. That was pretty incredible. They were prey sharing underwater, tearing little pieces off, sharing it amongst the family. It was hard work to keep up with them. An epic scene to witness, but it's thrown our bait ball quest off track. We need to rethink our strategy. We're finding big groups of Cory's Shearwaters is so important for the success of our mission. So far, we've only been finding groups of hundreds. I know that somewhere out there, there are groups of thousands, and that's what we need to find. With just two weeks remaining, we need some help. [Bertie] Cape Linhos is home to several thousand shearwaters. The birds, I hope, will lead me to a predator gathering. What a view. What a place to have your nest. By spending time with a shearwater scientist. -Hi! -I'm hoping we can fine-tune our strategy. -How's it going? Hi, welcome. -This place is amazing. -Welcome to Capelinhos colony. [Bertie] Elizabeth Atchoi has spent the last eight years studying the health and feeding behavior of these birds. So, you see, Elizabeth is just working her way around this hillside, and every time she finds a burrow, the only way to find out if there's a chick inside, if it's a deep burrow, is to put her arm right into the back of it. Elizabeth, you've got a weird job. -Actually, while I'm checking this one, there's one in front of you, if you're brave enough. -This one? There's something very unnerving about putting your arm down a dark hole, that you don't know what's at the end of it. Elizabeth? -What am I feeling for? -A beak biting you? -Oh, good. Nothing there. There are over 1,000 burrows to check, and only some of them are occupied. I can see the chick. [speaking in foreign language] [Elizabeth] This is a very shallow nest, so it's easy, but carefully. You just get them. [Bertie] Whoa, wow. [Elizabeth] And, yes. -What is it about them that makes them so good at diving underwater, trying to catch fish? -One thing is the positioning of the legs. So you can see it's at the back of the body, right? -More hydrodynamic. -Yeah, yeah, yeah. Another one is the oil, which is a gland that they have at the base of their tail, which is here. Once they fledge, they start producing oil, and then they take the oil with beak and pass one by one on each feather until they are waterproof. -And that's the waterproofing that allows them to dive and catch fish from the bait balls. -Yes, and the other one? -Wow, yeah, the nic, nictitating membrane. -Yeah, you see? Yeah, yeah. So when they dive, they close it. -They've got inbuilt swimming goggles. -Yes. -That is so cool. -They are very cool. [Bertie] Shearwaters are perfectly adapted to hunting at sea, but to find a bait ball, I need to know where they're doing it. So, when the adults really need to fatten up, where are they hunting? -Seamounts are very productive areas, and they can spend like a week or ten days just feeding on that very rich area. They have uh the currents that come up and brings a lot of nutrients, and then that feeds the whole cascade of microclimate and little fish, bigger fish, whales, dolphins, etcetera. -And shearwaters. -And the shearwaters, yes. -So really, if we want to find these big balls of fish, we've got to go to the seamounts. -Yeah, it's time to put him back. -Okay, hey, buddy. Sorry for all the fuss. Let's put you back in there. -That's good. [♪ peaceful music playing] [Bertie] With Elizabeth's fresh new Intel, we set a course for Azores Bank, a colossal underwater mountain over 20 miles offshore. With only ten days remaining, going beyond the range of Daniel and his fellow spotters is a gamble. Conditions are looking good, so we're going to use the power of the wind and get out there. -There's more, more wind now, so we'll be there in no time. -I'm just looking at the bathymetry charts, that's the map of the seabed. We've got Princess Alice Bank, we've got Azores Bank, Condor Bank. These are all underwater mountains that don't break the surface, but they come very close to it. When ocean currents slam into seamounts, deep, nutrient-rich water is driven upwards, fueling the food chain. The ideal conditions for a bait ball. I can see Elizabeth was right, this is the place to be. Well, this is what we've been looking for. shearwater action all over the place, thousands of them. This is a really good sign, things are hotting up. Before long, even more birds flock to the sea mountain, all charging in the same direction. Got a huge concentration of shearwaters ahead of us. Well, on cue, the dolphins have arrived, huge pod of spotted dolphins. There's hundreds of them. This hunt is looking better than anything we've seen so far. This is gonna be hot. [Paulo] Let's go, let's go, ready? [Bertie] Ready? [Paulo] Okay, let's go, let's go! Quick, quick, quick! Careful with the camera. [Bertie] A pod of bottlenose dolphins have joined the smaller spotted dolphins. The two dolphin species join forces, rounding up a school of jack mackerel. With all three predators working together, they're doing a much better job of containing the fish. But suddenly their behavior changes, and a big shadow approaches. [Bertie] A minke whale. The dolphins are still working to drive the fish together, but the minke is closing in. In one giant gulp, the show is over. Minkes can gulp down 700 gallons of water filled with prey in a single mouthful. The dolphins didn't stand a chance. I thought that was it then, I thought it was gonna happen. But suddenly the minke whale just came out of nowhere and said, thank you very much for condensing all that food and just went boom. The dolphins and shearwaters have moved on. So it's back to the big boat to reset. Wow, blue shark. [Paulo] Yeah. [Bertie] Big dorsal. [crew] That is a big dorsal. -Paulo, blue shark on the surface. [Paulo] Yeah? [Bertie] Yeah. They gather on the seamounts around the Azores at this time of year. The reason they come here is because the, the waters around the Azores are just so, so rich. Blue sharks are another predator I've been hoping to find on a bait ball. Whoa, look at that. They are seriously beautiful animals. Definitely one of the most beautiful to visit the Azores. I think it's definitely time to get in the water. Let's do it. These sharks aren't normally aggressive, but the team have my back to avoid any surprises. [Mariana] Behind you, behind you. [Bertie] Wow, hey, buddy. Oh, they are so beautiful. Oh, hello. Ah, that made me jump, they come out of nowhere. So sneaky. Although they are really chill and docile with me, they are incredibly capable predators, and I'm hoping if we see a, a big predator gathering, the blue sharks will be a key player. They use a type of camouflage known as countershading to sneak up on their prey. You know, on top they're that brilliant blue so they blend in with the deep and then bright white underside, and it means when looking up at them, they just disappear into the surface. They're just so curious. I bet if we, if we do manage to get one on a, a predator gathering with other species, they're gonna be going for their food like there's no tomorrow. Blue sharks, dolphins, whales, and shearwaters, they're all here at the seamount. Now, all we need is for them to unite in an epic feast. But a storm is closing in. Well, that does not look good. That is a big storm on its way towards us. Paulo and the rest of the crew are busily running around, battening down the hatches. We're about to get very wet. This storm could signal a shift in the seasons when migrating animals move on. The wind gains strength. We've no choice but to abandon the seamount and head back to port. But with only a week left, the pressure is on. This storm is just slamming the marina. To think what it must be like outside the protection of the island, where we need to be to film. We're definitely going nowhere for now. Days pass, and my hopes of filming an epic bait ball are fading. [waves crashing] But Paulo has some news. -There will be a small gap between the two storms, and I think we should leave from the marina around 6:30 in the morning. We will arrive at Azores Bank around 8 o'clock and we'll have around two maximum three hours. This gap between two big storms is just enough time to visit the seamount for one last shot. [Paulo] Let's go tomorrow morning. -Yeah, it looks like a really tight window. We're gonna have to get lucky. -We don't have uh options. It's 5:30 a.m. and we're loading our equipment. Taking the fast boat is our only way to get to the seamount and back before the next big storm arrives. Well, we're just leaving the marina, and we're traveling out under moonlight at the moment, we've got about 20, 25 miles ahead of us, uh, which we're hoping to cover, uh, just in time for sunrise. But out there on a small boat, we're a long way from help should anything go wrong. [Bertie] It's a bumpy two-hour journey to the remote seamount. Our timing is critical. Paulo, how much further to the bank? -Half mile. -Well, we're coming up to 20 miles offshore. The sun's just popping up above the horizon, and we're just coming over the, the seamount, the bank, and already can see a lot more signs of life. A lot more birds flying around, a lot of shearwaters. This is more like it. Thousands of shearwaters joining the charge. Everything's taking advantage of the break in the weather. It's crazy, so many shearwaters all together. They're all just coming out of the woodwork. We haven't seen this many together before. We're doing more than 30 miles an hour, and they're overtaking us, not even flapping. They're in a high-speed chase with something beneath the waves. It's a united army of both spotted and common dolphins. shearwaters, dolphins. A lot of predators joining this party. Everything's heading in one direction, and there's a huge frenzy brewing ahead. It's going to need to be a quick drop this one. [Paulo] Quick, quick, quick. Right, keep going. circle a mega school But there are so many fish to contain. And the school is trying to escape. I can't keep up, I need to get back to the boat. Okay, okay. Paulo, it's running fast, so let's just try and drop ahead. -Yeah, more and more forward, yeah. -See how fast that action's running, it's not yet stabilized. It's not enough predators underwater to keep it in one spot. But the dolphins have called in reinforcements. Hundreds more join the hunt. Ah, so many dolphins. It's a properly epic scene. -All right, whale right here. -Whale there, yeah. Quick, quick, quick, quick, quick. dive, dive, dive! Just in front of you. Dive! [Bertie] The spotted and common dolphins try to herd the fish. A third species arrives. Bottlenose dolphins. Circling the school, the predators tighten their grip. But something has spooked the dolphins. Blue sharks. This time they're not quite so friendly. They're here to hunt. [♪ ominous music playing] They return to the depths, leaving the school in tatters. But the feast isn't over; the dolphins are back for one final showdown. Completely surrounded, the fish are trapped. They form a bait ball. Now the dolphins can feed. The bait ball is forced upwards. Down come the shearwaters. Diving to more than 50 feet. And it's not over yet. The commotion draws the attention of a minke whale. She wastes no time plowing through the middle of the bait ball. And just when I thought it couldn't get any wilder. A huge humpback. Unfortunately, he's too late. I can't believe what we just witnessed. Seven different species. Thousands of predators. That is total, total chaos down there. I mean, there's just predators everywhere. So many different types. I mean, dolphins, shearwaters, sharks, even a whale, grand finale at the end. I mean, that has got to be one of the greatest shows in the ocean. Yeah, buddy. -Finally, finally, man. -Yeah, man. Good job, man. Cheers man. Cheers dude, thank you, and just in time for the weather. [Bertie] After five long weeks at sea, storms and near misses, our perseverance has finally paid off. I got to witness a true spectacle of survival and teamwork while learning more about the delicate balance of life in the Azores. And I got to film the most diverse predator gathering of my career. What a day, what an expedition. The Azores have taken some incredible first steps in protection, but if we want the ocean to truly thrive, we need more marine protected areas across all the predators' vast migration routes, so that the natural wonder we saw today is not just the exception, but the norm.