Spy in the Ocean

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The BBC South West region started on 20th April 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South West.

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Factual: Science & Nature: Nature & Environment

Go deep beneath the waves – on a spy mission to the depths of the ocean. 

Go deep beneath the waves – on a spy mission to the depths of the ocean. Amazing hidden cameras give incredible perspectives on the ingenious creatures that call it home.

Series 1

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The BBC West region started on 1st September 1957 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One West.

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Formerly part of a wider BBC One South East region that included London and part of the South region. Separated from BBC One London 2001-09-03 following reorganisation of the South East region.

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The BBC South region started on 5th January 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South.

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Formerly part of a wider BBC One South East region. Separated as BBC One London 2001-09-03 following reorganisation of the South East region.

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Spy in the Ocean: Series 1: Deep Relationships

Deep Relationships

BBC One - Spy in the Ocean, Series 1, Deep Relationships

Spy creatures reveal the extraordinary relationships between the creatures of the ocean.

Spy creatures uncover surprising undersea relationships as sharks befriend fish, whales play with dolphins, and lobsters do the conga in seas where even spider crabs have friends.

Our spies reveal the extraordinary relationships that exist among the creatures of the ocean. Spider crabs rise up from the abyss in their thousands to shed their protective shells, but as our Spy Crab soon discovers, this makes them an easy target for hunting stingrays. There is protection in numbers, however, and those still with armoured shells form a crustacean fortress that protects the vulnerable crabs inside. Spy Crab finds itself alone, unprotected, and an easy target for the rays.

Sharks have a reputation for being solitary killers, but when Spy Hammerhead joins a huge gathering of hammerhead sharks, it discovers they can be surprisingly social. This mechanical marvel, propelled by its undulating tail, discovers why they meet together at a remote island off the coast of Colombia. It’s a place where the laws of the food chain don’t seem to apply. Here, they take a break from the rigours of the ocean and are groomed by king angel fish. When Galapagos sharks arrive, they are welcomed by pilot fish who swim close to their jaws, using the shark as their personal bodyguard. Rainbow chub have another type of relationship - they use the sharks’ serrated scales as an exfoliator to remove parasites. The fish may be dicing with death, but in this place of apparent harmony, none are ever eaten. Spy Moray Eel joins the gathering to explore the incredible hunting partnership between leather bass groupers and moray eels. The groupers find where the fish are hiding, while the eels flush them from their coral hideaways. 

Elsewhere, we discover that dolphins are more sociable than ever imagined, gathering more proof of their fun-loving nature. Spy Dolphin and Spy Pelican discover they don’t just play among themselves; they also encourage whales to join their games. In incredible scenes, they leap playfully together, but in the end a whale is no match for a dolphin.

In the Caribbean, Spy Manatee films the uneasy relationship manatees have with remora fish. These hangers-on hitch a ride on the manatees’ backs, feeding on parasites as well as their poo. The manatees also visit a spa staffed by sergeant major fish. The attention they receive sends them into a state of bliss, until rays and sharks appear. These predators can’t resist taking an exploratory nibble from our spy.

Of all the relationships found in the world’s oceans, few can beat the spinner dolphins. Off the coast of Costa Rica, a team of spy creatures find out how essential communication is when hunting. Their astonishing leaps are a signal to other dolphins, and they use their clicks and whistles to communicate at close range. In one of the most incredible sights ever seen, groups of spinner dolphins come together to form a megapod numbering thousands. As they set off to hunt, Spy Dolphin and Spy Frigate discover a surprising partnership between tuna and dolphins, one that takes them to a school of flying fish. The dolphins drive the flying fish from below, while the tuna pursue them in the air.

On the pacific coast of North America, Spy Tuna Crab arrives just in time to witness another rarely seen spectacle. Tuna crabs, a type of squat lobster, rise to the surface in their millions to feed on the plankton that gather in these nutrient-rich waters. As storms build in the Caribbean, spiny lobsters prepare to migrate to calmer and warmer waters, using an ingenious way of traveling – a lobster conga! Spy Lobster joins a procession of over 50 lobsters as they march in single file to deeper waters. There is safety in numbers, and before long, they go their own way as some find shelter in a shipwreck.

Finally, our spies travel to the Galapagos to discover the rich community of sea creatures that live there. Marine iguanas huddle together on the volcanic rocks basking in the morning sun, ready to take on the day. Spy Iguana joins them as they leap into the ocean to search for food beneath the waves. Here our spy also encounters the wondrous mola mola, who arrive to be cleaned by angelfish and hogfish before they vanish back into the deep.

Our spy has one last inhabitant to find - a colony of damselfish. They are meticulous gardeners who work together to maintain their lawns of algae, which they use to catch the eye of a mate. To succeed, they must dispatch any trespassers. The worst of all are sea urchins who can graze their lawns to the ground. To remove them requires skill and cooperation. It makes a fitting end to our spies’ ocean voyage. One that shows how sea life is interconnected in ways we could hardly imagine, an undersea world built on extraordinary relationships.

Spy in the Ocean: Series 1

BBC One

Go deep beneath the waves – on a spy mission to the depths of the ocean.

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