[Brendan Fraser] Long ago…
a group of sea lions made an extraordinary journey
from the west coast of the Americas out into the Pacific Ocean.
What they found was a paradise
isolated from the rest of the world,
forged in fire and water.
Each island with its own distinct character
and each home to a unique community of castaways
delivered here by chance.
[tortoise grunts]
[bird squawking]
And beneath the water's surface, an underwater world unlike any other.
Today, the descendants of those first sea lions
rule these waves.
[birds chirping]
One evening, on a quiet beach,
a young female, Luna, comes ashore.
This is her home island,
a haven for both her and her newborn pup…
[sea lion pup bleats]
Leo.
[Leo bleats]
Sea lions usually only give birth to a single pup.
So, to Luna, Leo is the most precious thing in the world.
[Luna honks]
She will stay right here beside him for the first week
as they memorize each other's call and smell and cement their bond.
[Luna and Leo bleating]
[bird squawking]
This small colony of sea lions is made up almost entirely of females and pups.
[sea lions bleating]
- Except, of course, for the beachmaster. - [beachmaster groans]
He's the boss here, the bull.
Adult males fight over females,
and this guy is the current heavyweight champion.
[Leo bleats]
Right from the start, each pup has their own distinct personality
that will shape the type of sea lion they will become.
[Leo bleats]
Most pups stay close to their mothers in these early days.
But Leo, he's eager to figure things out for himself,
- like gravity. - [Leo groans]
Once he masters walking, the possibilities are endless.
The most important thing is learning how to find your mom.
[sea lion grunts]
[barks]
Nope. Wrong mom.
[Leo groans]
This is the one.
[Leo whines]
As the days pass, Leo grows fast.
Thanks to his mom's rich milk.
[Luna bleating]
Soon, Luna decides he's ready for his first test.
[beachmaster braying]
The beachmaster will make sure the coast is clear.
While the land is a safe place for pups, the water is not.
[Luna groans]
Sharks patrol these shores.
They time their visits specifically to coincide with pup season.
[bleating]
Once he gives the green light,
it's safe for Leo to enter the water for the first time.
[Leo bleating]
Remind me why we're doing this.
[Leo whining]
This is a young sea lion's first rite of passage.
Swimming lessons.
Luna stays with him every step of the way.
Sea lion pups can swim within a week of being born.
[Leo grunts]
This is a huge accomplishment.
[Luna brays]
Maybe Leo could become a big, brave beachmaster someday.
[braying]
Time to dry off.
The sand technique.
It's not for everyone.
[bleats]
[whines]
Leo aced his first swimming lesson today.
At bedtime an incredible light show begins.
The Galápagos are so completely isolated from the rest of the world
that the stars here shine brighter than almost anywhere on the planet.
Next morning, Leo follows Luna down to the water's edge.
But this is no swimming lesson.
This is something she must do alone.
For adult sea lions, every day spent on land is a day without food.
- [Luna groans] - [Leo whimpers]
Luna has to return to sea to feed herself and replenish her milk supply,
and Leo has no choice but to stay behind.
[Leo grunting]
Leo's never been alone before.
[birds clicking]
[Leo huffs]
Maybe he could hang out with these guys.
Sally Lightfoot crabs.
Sounds friendly.
Where you going?
[Leo grunts]
[groans] Making friends is hard.
[iguana huffs]
An iguana.
Maybe he can be Leo's…
[iguana snorts]
How do you like that? Not even a hello.
[Leo whimpers]
Will he ever find a friend?
Far out at sea, Luna is focused on one goal.
Fish.
And she's joined up with some other hungry sea lions.
Together they make an elite team of hunters.
There's a hidden cove they'll use to execute their plan.
An experienced hunter,
Luna positions herself at the head of the pack.
Gradually, they drive the fish toward the cove,
but they need to watch their own backs.
They're not the only predators hunting here today.
Blacktip sharks.
The sea lions at the back of the group need to stay extra focused on the sharks
and wrap up this hunt quickly.
At the front of the pack, the water's getting shallower
and the fish are beginning to panic.
They're trapped.
Now a third group enters the mix.
Brown pelicans.
Pirates.
[pelicans cawing]
The sea lions are rushing their attack, trying to outrun the sharks.
[pelicans squawking]
But now the pelicans descend and grab the fish
right before the sea lions can push them up onto the beach.
They let the sea lions do all the work and then swoop in and steal the bounty.
And there's nothing Luna can do about it.
[Luna barks]
They're robbing the sea lions blind.
[huffs]
These guys will jam three, even four fish down their gullets at once.
They're so greedy, they'll even try to rob each other.
[Luna roars]
Luna can only watch.
Stunned by the sheer gluttony.
But she's not about to let these thieves win the day.
Back on their home island,
[Leo bleats]
Leo is working on his sea lion call.
[Leo bleating]
A neighboring pup, Maya, comes over to investigate.
[Leo bleats]
[Maya bleats]
She's not sure if Leo passes the smell test,
but, before you know it, they're off to the beach together.
It seems Leo's finally found a friend.
Someone who loves to explore as much as he does.
It's pretty clear these two were meant for the ocean.
And just like his mom, Leo's a natural at corralling fish.
Out at sea, Luna is scoping out another shoal of fish for the team.
The hunting party assembles for a second run.
These guys again?
[pelicans squawking]
Game on.
The sea lions are outmaneuvering the sharks this time.
The team is in textbook formation.
The pelicans converge for another smash-and-grab.
[pelicans squawking]
But this time the sea lions manage to push the fish further up onto the beach
and shove the pelicans out of the way.
[sea lions grunting]
Finally, the hardworking hunters get to enjoy what they've earned.
It's an all-you-can-eat buffet for Luna and her friends.
And no pelicans allowed.
Give me that fish, and get out of here.
Luna fills her belly.
Now she's got all she needs to feed Leo,
plus, a pretty impressive victory over those pelican pirates.
- [pelicans squawking] - [sea lions growling]
It's been two days since Luna left.
In her absence, Leo started to push his boundaries.
He's on his way to the other side of the island.
- [flies buzzing] - [birds chirping, twittering]
Hello up there.
[croaking]
Yeah, it's gonna be a little tricky making friends over here.
Do not approach the other moms.
[sea lion huffs, growls]
[sea lions braying]
Leo ventures even further out onto the lava rock shore.
Whew. It's hot out here.
He's gotta get out of the sun.
Maybe a swim?
Leo loves the ocean.
But this is not his cozy little home beach.
These are jagged rocks, and the tide is rising.
Soon he's surrounded by water.
[Leo bleats]
His swimming lessons did not prepare him for this.
[Leo bleats]
The white water pulls him down.
[Leo grunts]
Leo finally makes his way to calmer waters.
[Leo grunts]
And just then, a call rising up over the sound of the waves.
[Luna bellowing]
He knows that voice, but where is she?
[Leo bleating]
He's so exhausted.
He can't figure it out.
[Luna bellowing]
There she is.
[bellowing and bleating continue]
Mom's come home.
Leo has done an incredible job of surviving on his own.
And now Luna has the food from her hunting trip
to nourish him with lots of fresh milk.
Nearly a year has passed,
and Leo's tiny mangrove island has seen some changes.
[sea lions grunting and groaning]
[Leo growls]
[growling continues]
The humble beach he was born onto has become a bustling city.
With hundreds of new sea lions having moved here from other islands,
the place isn't what it used to be.
Luna is still a comfort, of course, but there's a new problem.
As of late…
[beachmaster growls]
…the beachmaster is no longer a friendly protector to Leo.
Quite the opposite.
[beachmaster braying]
Leo's not a young pup anymore,
so he's becoming much less welcome on a beach full of females.
[beachmaster roars]
[Leo whines]
He can't understand why the beachmaster's trying to separate him
from his mother.
He used to look up to this guy.
[Leo grunts]
[beachmaster braying]
[growls]
Luna has given him the best possible start,
but her role is coming to an end.
Leo can play in the shallows around his island for now,
but there will come a point when he'll have to leave this place.
At least down here, he doesn't have to deal with the beachmaster.
Unlike most marine mammals,
sea lions generate their power with their front flippers,
not their tails.
It allows them to be incredibly agile in the water.
In the coming years,
these young sea lions will hone their skills in preparation for adulthood.
And for Leo, that starts with exploring the ocean.
The Devil's Crown, the remnants of an ancient volcano,
and the ideal destination for a young, exiled adventurer.
Leo is now four years old
and is no longer welcome on the beach he once called home.
But the stunning marine spectacles on this neighboring island
are a helpful distraction.
Galápagos sea lions can dive deeper and for longer periods
than any other sea lion species,
reaching depths of nearly 2,000 feet.
And the deeper Leo dives, the more wonderful the sights.
Blue and gold snapper.
Black-nosed butterfly fish.
Even a guinea fowl puffer.
But best of all, Maya has come by to check in on him.
She already knows this island and where to find some potential friends.
The problem is not everyone wants to be friends with them.
That's not gonna stop them from trying though.
Okay, enough of this. Who's next?
Whitetip sharks.
They're nocturnal predators.
During the day, they just want a place to rest.
But that's not gonna happen
because when sea lions want to play, they're gonna play.
And today's game is "Chase the Shark."
Can-Can I squeeze in here?
Hey. Hi. Found ya.
Leo seems to know to only nip at this end, and not the toothy one.
Sea lions.
I hate this game.
Having made zero friends down here, Maya decides it's time to head home.
Not Leo though.
They both know at his age
the beachmaster won't allow him in the colony.
He says goodbye to his childhood friend.
There is no going back for Leo.
Only forward.
Leo hauls out on a nearby island.
[bird chirping]
Española.
It's a little busy here.
But he can probably grab a nap and warm up after his dive.
Some familiar faces
and some new ones.
Where Leo's from, they don't have Nazca boobies.
Definitely not the sandy beaches Leo was hoping for.
[Leo yawns]
But right now, he just needs a place to sleep.
What he doesn't know is that there are more than just boobies here.
There are waved albatrosses, and it's mating season.
[albatross honks]
This could be a problem.
These birds partner for life, so this annual ritual isn't just for show.
It can be 20 minutes long,
and it involves bill clacking…
[albatross honks]
…bowing,
swaying,
honking…
[honking continues]
…and to top it all off, the silent scream.
Ah.
Almost every waved albatross in the world comes to this island to breed.
[honking continues]
And the noise is relentless.
[bill clacking]
So much for resting.
Unable to return to his home beach,
Leo moves on in search of someplace more welcoming.
[birds squawking]
Like Leo, the Galápagos islands themselves are on their own journey.
The relentless volcanic activity here has them always moving, always changing.
And it's possible any one of them could become Leo's home one day.
Eventually, Leo finds an island where the coastline is rough and exposed,
and the swell is picking up.
[waves rumbling]
[bubbles popping]
If there's one thing Leo can't resist,
it's surfing.
From out of the blue, another sea lion joins Leo.
And he's brought with him some other young exiles.
With spirits riding high,
Leo starts up a game of "Catch the Sea Urchin."
But on this reef, playing games can be costly.
Leo senses something.
Run for it.
A close call, but they all managed to escape.
A massive 12-foot Galápagos shark on the hunt for young sea lions.
With no adults around to protect them, Leo steps up.
If he can't conquer his fear, he'll never become a beachmaster.
The others follow his lead.
Leo is gonna take on this shark.
He's learned from chasing the whitetips at Devil's Crown…
nipping on their sensitive tails is something that sharks hate.
He shows the others how it's done.
Finally the shark retreats.
It's had enough.
When things got heated,
Leo was able to rise to the occasion and face down the shark.
Very few male sea lions go on to become beachmasters,
but Leo is showing he might just have what it takes.
He leaves his surfing friends behind and continues on alone.
But now much more empowered.
The waters throughout the Galápagos are some of the richest on Earth
with over 500 types of fish.
For a lone sea lion, catching fish in open water is nearly impossible.
But there are other ways.
Some fish hide from predators inside rocky crevices.
Thankfully, Leo is patient.
Sea lions have the longest whiskers of any mammal
that can sense the tiniest vibrations in the water.
As Leo pokes around, he realizes something.
If he blows bubbles into the rocks,
he can flush out the fish from their hiding spots.
Gotcha.
It's a start,
but he'll need much larger catches if he wants to become a beachmaster.
Leo presses on.
The Galápagos archipelago is spread over a vast area.
23,000 square miles.
So sea lions have to make huge ocean crossings.
So far in his life, Leo has only explored a few places,
but there are over a hundred islands, islets, and rocks in the Galápagos.
And each has its own special qualities that make it exceptional.
Newly formed islands are just barren rock.
Freshly cooled lava where life struggles to get a hold.
On older islands, plants have had time to establish,
creating rich, varied habitats.
[birds chirping]
On the far western edge of the archipelago lies Fernandina,
the youngest island of them all.
[Leo huffs]
It looks pretty inhospitable on the surface.
But underwater it is a very different story.
Deepwater currents make these shores some of the most productive
in all of the Galápagos.
The water is so cold, even penguins have made a home here.
Leo has seen iguanas like these on his home island,
but what are they doing down here?
Galápagos marine iguanas are the only lizards on Earth
that have evolved to swim underwater.
They feed almost entirely on algae.
But the local damselfish do not appreciate these land creatures
coming down here and just helping themselves to whatever they want.
Tearing apart their front lawns.
And they're not going to just put up with it. [grunts]
[groans] Fine. The iguana's had enough.
But now it's Leo's turn.
Leo knows what it's like when you're not welcome.
You're a pretty good swimmer, you know that?
After a long, slightly annoying dive,
the iguana returns to the lava rock that is home.
Many others are also hauled out here.
Thousands of them.
Their ancestors were amongst the first animals to arrive on these islands.
[lizard sneezes]
Not exactly a warm welcome for Leo.
The lizards sneeze out the excess salt water
that has accumulated in their bodies from their diving trips.
Leo also notices other island inhabitants sneakily slithering through the rocks.
Racer snakes.
Hundreds of them are amassing.
All waiting for one thing.
Newly hatched baby iguanas.
Every route seems blocked.
This is one gruesome place.
The little ones who manage to make it through
are safe with the adult iguanas.
[flies buzzing]
Fernandina is a recently formed island,
and at its heart is an active simmering volcano.
A ticking time bomb.
Its relentless volcanic activity is constantly reshaping its landscape.
[birds squawking]
But these harsh lava rock surroundings also create an opportunity for Leo.
This jagged, uneven coastline is a perfect hunting ground.
And now that he's an adult,
Leo is ready to set his sights on bigger prey.
Much bigger prey.
Yellowfin tuna.
They can weigh up to 130 pounds
and are capable of traveling at 40 miles per hour.
Twice as fast as a sea lion.
And just when Leo thought he was all alone out here,
another young adult sea lion shows up from a neighboring island
and he's eager to join Leo in the hunt.
Neither of them seem to know quite how to approach this.
The tuna don't seem all that hard to round up.
But each time they get close, they manage to slip through.
Leo almost gets one,
but they're nearly impossible to hold on to.
They're so quick.
[warbling]
Well, this isn't working.
Out of options, Leo looks to the island's quiet inner coves.
There's an old exiled beachmaster who lives here.
It's a bit of a gamble,
but Leo's gonna see if he can get him to help.
Waking a full-grown bull sea lion from his nap is not a great idea.
But when Leo wants to make friends, he can be pretty persuasive.
Amazingly, Leo convinces him to join the hunt.
What Leo doesn't know about this old bull…
is that, when it comes to catching tuna, this guy is a legend.
The two younger sea lions head out in front,
while the maestro hangs behind.
Leo and his partner chase the tuna all around the cove,
and the old master blocks the exit.
What he lacks in speed, he makes up for in brains.
He knows the tuna, as fast as they are, tire out quickly.
Eventually, they begin to single one fish out.
- Finally, the tuna's out of energy… - [sea lion braying]
…and out of water.
The young ones step aside
and let the old pro show them how to deal with one of these huge things.
[sea lions grunting]
[birds warbling]
Leo can pack on the muscle he needs.
[birds twittering]
And thanks to the old beachmaster,
he's learned that not all adult males are hostile.
It's up to Leo to decide what sort of bull sea lion he will become.
[volcano eruption explosions]
The volcano has awoken, spewing molten rock across the island.
As the 2,000-degree lava flows into the sea,
the water instantly evaporates.
Fernandina is on fire.
And Leo is forced to move on again.
A growing sea lion without a home.
Three years have passed, and Leo is now seven years old.
His travels throughout the Galápagos have taken him from dead volcanoes
to lava eruptions and more,
but he's never experienced the blissful side of volcanic activity…
until today.
Hot gas bubbles from molten magma percolating up through the sea floor.
The lava rock in this area was filled with these bubbles when it cooled,
giving it a unique coarse texture.
Perfect for scratching up against.
Leo finds a group of females who welcome him to their little spa
and happily show him the art of exfoliation.
Once they're good and pampered,
Leo tags along with them as they head back to their home island.
The shallows here remind Leo of his old home.
This magnificent extinct volcano is Beagle Island.
Its sheltered sandy shore makes it the perfect home for sea lions.
[sea lions braying]
Leo's hit the jackpot.
A beach full of females.
Finally, a community he can be a part of.
But wherever there's a nice beach, somewhere there's a beachmaster.
[beachmaster growls]
And the nicer the beach, the bigger the beachmaster.
[beachmaster growls]
Whoa. Leo did not realize there was gonna be any competition here.
[Leo honks]
[roars]
He's way outmatched.
[barks]
But he's got an idea.
[beachmaster braying]
Maybe not the best idea, but it's better than the alternative.
One thing is for sure,
that big beachmaster is not going to make it up here.
He'll just be waiting down there.
[Leo bellows]
[bleats]
For a minute there, Leo thought he had something.
But he has to face the truth.
He can't compete with the beachmaster yet.
And until he can,
he'll never have his own community.
[Leo grunts]
[Leo groaning]
Time to make a quiet exit.
He just needs to figure out a way to get down from here…
without waking you-know-who.
[beachmaster growls]
Probably best to just take the back way.
[beachmaster yawns]
It's not elegant,
but it gets the job done.
Banished for the second time in his life.
Leo heads north,
towards the most remote islands in the archipelago.
Open ocean crossings can take sea lions days.
But even out here, in the vast empty blue, there are pockets of life.
A bait ball of Pacific sardines.
This is a perfect opportunity for Leo as he looks to bulk up.
The changing shapes and colors are mesmerizing…
and Leo quickly finds himself chasing shadows.
Luckily, a roaming sea lion pod shows up to pitch in.
It's organized chaos
as they pierce the bait ball from every direction…
and corral the fish toward each other.
Leo is finally getting the feast he needs.
Bait balls like this are fleeting spectacles
and rarely last for long.
As he departs with a belly full of sardines,
Leo notices the others floating at the surface.
Far from shore and unable to warm up after their dive,
they poke their flippers out of the water and use them like solar panels.
It's definitely…
creative.
But Leo's not feeling it.
He's gonna continue north as far as he can go.
There's an island he spotted on the horizon.
Darwin. The most remote region of the Galápagos.
For Leo, this is the edge of the world.
Sea lions can only remain out at sea for so long.
Eventually, they have to warm up on land.
Timing the leap is incredibly difficult.
Get it wrong, and you could be smashed against the rocks.
Miraculously he's found a ledge where he can finally rest.
[Leo grunts]
[birds twittering]
Darwin Island's closest neighbor, Wolf Island, hides a dark secret.
While Nazca boobies can fly great distances across the ocean
to mate here…
[Nazca boobies honking]
…these little birds cannot.
They're stranded here,
and the sparse vegetation on this desolate island
isn't enough to sustain them.
So, they're forced to resort to desperate measures.
These are vampire finches.
And they feed on the blood of the native Nazca boobies who nest here.
[Nazca booby trills]
[finches chirping]
Their distant ancestors would've only been eating parasites
from the boobies' feathers.
And as the boobies benefited from this service,
they tolerated these smaller birds.
But somewhere along the line, isolation and evolution
turned these little songbirds into bloodsucking carnivores.
[finch squawks]
These northernmost islands have offered Leo nothing but rocky cliffs
and thrashing waves.
He has no choice but to continue on his journey.
[splashes]
Over the next several years,
Leo explores every corner of the Galápagos.
All its creatures…
all its magic.
His lifelong quest has taught him so many things,
and yet it's still missing the most important thing…
a home.
It's been ten years since Leo left his home beach
and his mother and Maya.
And he's now a fully grown adult,
still searching for his place in this island world.
Another barren island with menacing cliffs and no beaches.
[Leo growls]
Leo's seen it all and is prepared for any scenario.
He's older and wiser now, more confident.
And willing to take greater risks to get what he wants.
There's a current in this tunnel that seems to be pulling him in.
It might lead somewhere.
There's an opening.
A secret beach.
That seems like paradise.
- [sea lions bleating] - [Leo grunts]
But he knows by now not to trust first appearances.
[beachmaster huffing]
Sure enough, this beach is already taken.
[beachmaster growling]
But Leo's not a frightened young sea lion anymore.
[Leo brays]
And now, he's just as big as this beachmaster.
[both roaring, barking]
[roaring, barking continues]
- [Leo brays] - [beachmaster growls]
[Leo growls]
Finally, the old beachmaster has had enough.
[old beachmaster whining]
Leo shows him the exit.
[Leo braying]
After years of searching…
from one end of the Galápagos to the other,
Leo has finally found a home.
[braying continues]
His mother, Luna, who nurtured his adventurous spirit…
who cared for him and taught him so well…
would be proud of the beachmaster he's become.
In time, more sea lions will arrive here,
and they need not fear sharks…
not as long as Leo patrols these waters.
The females and pups who live here will be safe and secure.
[sea lion pup yawns]
[sneezes]
[Leo bleating]
Leo has overcome every challenge on his incredible island odyssey.
Now he's ready to lead.
And to raise up his own family on his own beach.
This is his reward. This is his moment.
This is his home.
[crew] Look at that.
The wildest thing, I reckon, I've ever filmed.
[chattering]
[sea lion pup grunts]
[bleats]
很久以前…
有一群海獅從美洲的西岸展開
前進太平洋的非凡之旅
而牠們發現了一座樂園
它與世隔絕
還是火與水鍛造而成
每一座島嶼都有自己的特色
也都住著偶然來到這裡
獨特的漂流者群落
在水面下，則是舉世無雙的海洋世界
如今，第一批海獅的後代
主宰這些水域
《海獅利奧環島記》
一天傍晚，在安靜的海灘上
年輕的母海獅，露娜上岸了
這裡是牠居住的島嶼
這個避風港収容了牠和牠的新生兒…
李歐
海獅通常衹會生下一隻幼崽
所以對露娜來說 李歐是牠在世上最珍貴的東西
第一週，牠會守在孩子身邊
讓牠們記住彼此的叫聲、氣味 鞏固母子間的關係
這個小小的海獅群落 成員幾乎都是母海獅和幼崽
唯一的例外當然是海灘霸主
牠是這裡的老大、雄性領袖
成年雄性會爭奪雌性
而這傢夥是目前的重量級冠軍
從出生開始 每隻小海獅都有自己獨特的個性
而那會決定牠們成為哪一種海獅
多數小海獅在這陣子會緊跟著母親
但李歐一心想要親自搞懂一些事情
像是地心引力
一旦牠學會走路 就有無窮無盡的可能性了
最重要的是學習怎麼找到媽媽
不對，搞錯媽媽了
這個才對
一天天過去，李歐長得很快
多虧有媽媽營養的乳汁
很快地，露娜決定 牠準備迎接第一項考驗了
海灘霸主會確保海岸淨空
陸地對幼崽來說很安全，水中卻不是
鯊魚會在這些海岸巡遊
牠們會刻意在有幼崽的季節來訪
海灘霸主許可後
李歐可以放心嘗試第一次下水了
再說一次這是為了什麼？
這是小海獅第一個重要儀式
游泳課
露娜在這一路上都陪著牠
小海獅在出生一週內就能游泳
這是一大成就
也許李歐有一天能成為勇健的海灘霸主
該弄乾身體了
滾沙術
不是人人適用
李歐今天在第一堂游泳課表現絕佳
到了睡覺時間，不可思議的星光秀開始了
加拉巴哥群島是如此與世隔絕
以致於這裡的星光 比地球上多數地方都要明亮
隔天早上，李歐跟著露娜來到水邊
但這不是游泳課
而是牠必須獨自進行的事
對成年海獅來說 在陸地上的日子就是沒有食物的日子
露娜必須回到海中進食，補充乳汁
而李歐別無選擇，衹能留下來
李歐從來沒獨處過
也許牠能跟這些傢夥玩
紅石蟹
聽起來很友善
你要去哪裡？
交朋友好難哦
是鬣蜥
也許牠能當李歐的…
怎麼？連招呼都不打
牠會交到朋友嗎？
在遙遠的海上，露娜心中衹有一個目標
魚
牠加入其牠飢餓的海獅
牠們一起組成了精銳的狩獵團隊
牠們會用這個隱匿的海灣來執行計畫
身為資深獵人
露娜來到隊伍的前端
牠們逐漸將魚群趕向海灣
但牠們也得留意身後
今天還有別的掠食者來這裡狩獵
黑邊鰭眞鯊
在隊伍後方的海獅 必須特別註意鯊魚的動向
並迅速完成這次狩獵
在隊伍前方，水變淺了
魚群開始慌了
牠們被困住了
現在有第三勢力加入了
褐鵜鶘
一群海盜
海獅們正發動速攻，試圖甩開鯊魚
鵜鶘卻搶在海獅把魚群
推上海灘之前，就飛下來抓魚
牠們讓海獅出了所有的力，再趁火打劫
露娜一點辦法也沒有
牠們公然洗劫海獅
這些傢夥一口就能吞掉三四條魚
牠們貪心到連自己人都搶
露娜衹能看著
被暴食景象嚇得目瞪口呆
但牠不會讓這些強盜稱心如意的
回到牠們居住的島嶼
李歐在練習牠的海獅叫聲
鄰家幼崽瑪雅過來調查一番
牠不確定李歐是否通過了體味測試
但沒過多久，牠們就一起前往海灘了
看來李歐終於交到朋友了
跟牠一樣熱愛到處探索的海獅
牠們倆顯然是為海洋而生的
李歐就像媽媽，是天生的捕魚高手
在海上，露娜正在為隊友物色新的魚群
狩獵隊為第二次行動集合整隊
又是這些傢夥？
比賽開始
海獅們這次甩開了鯊魚
團隊擺出敎科書級的陣型
鵜鶘聚集起來，準備再次搶奪
但海獅們這次 成功將魚群推到更遠的海灘上
也推開了鵜鶘
這些獵人終於能享用 牠們辛苦工作的成果了
這是露娜和朋友們的自助餐
鵜鶘禁止入場
交出那條魚，然後滾出去
露娜填飽了肚子
現在牠有乳汁能餵飽李歐
而且牠還漂亮地打敗那些鵜鶘海盜
露娜離開已經兩天了
既然牠不在，李歐開始突破極限
牠正要前往島嶼的另一邊
上面的，你好
在這裡交朋友確實有點難
別靠近其牠媽媽
李歐甚至前往更遠的熔岩海岸
這裡好熱
牠必須躱太陽
也許去游泳好了？
李歐熱愛海洋
但這不是牠居住的舒適海灘
這裡岩石嶙峋，而且潮水正在上漲
牠很快就被海水包圍
游泳課沒敎牠怎麼應付這一切
白色的海水將牠拉下
李歐終於進入比較平靜的水域
這時候，有個叫聲蓋過了海浪的聲音
牠認得那個聲音，但牠在哪裡？
牠累壞了
牠找不到
牠在那裡
媽媽回家了
李歐在獨自生存方面表現出色
現在露娜透過狩獵飽餐一頓
有新鮮的乳汁能養育牠了
將近一年過去了
李歐的紅樹林島嶼出現了變化
牠出生的簡陋海灘成了繁華的城市
隨著幾百隻海獅從其牠島嶼搬來
這個地方改頭換面了
露娜當然慈愛依舊，但有個新的問題
最近海灘霸主不再友好地保護李歐了
恰恰相反
李歐不再是幼崽了
牠在充滿雌性的海灘上就不再受到歡迎了
牠不懂海灘霸主為什麼不讓牠
接近母親
牠以前很崇拜這傢夥
露娜盡力給牠最棒的起點
但是牠的角色要結束了
李歐目前能在島嶼附近的淺灘玩耍
但到了某個時候，牠就必須離開這裡
至少在這裡，牠不用應付海灘霸主
有別於多數海洋哺乳類動物
海獅的力量出自牠們的前肢
而不是尾巴
這讓牠們在水中非常敏捷
未來幾年
這些年輕海獅會磨練技能，為成年做準備
對李歐來說，那就從探索海洋開始
惡魔之冠，一座古老火山的遺跡
也是被放逐的年輕冒險家的理想目標
李歐今年四歲了
牠視為家園的海灘已不再歡迎牠
但這座鄰近島嶼迷人的海洋景觀
有助於分散註意力
加拉巴哥海獅潛水的深度和時間長度
勝過所有品種的海獅
最深可達將近六百一十公尺
李歐潛得越深，景觀就越美妙
鑲帶笛鯛
約翰蘭德蝴蝶魚
甚至有白點叉鼻魨
但最棒的是，瑪雅過來看牠了
牠已經認識這座島嶼 知道哪裡可能交得到朋友
問題是大家未必都想當牠們的朋友
但那也阻止不了牠們
好，夠了，接下來是誰？
白鰭鯊
牠們都在夜間掠食
白天，牠們衹想找個地方休憩
但那種事不會發生
因為海獅想玩的時候，就會大玩特玩
而今天的遊戲是「追鯊魚」
可以讓我擠一下嗎？
你好，找到你了
李歐似乎知道衹能咬這一端 而不是有牙齒的那一端
臭海獅
我討厭這個遊戲
在這裡沒交到半個朋友 讓瑪雅決定該回家了
李歐卻不想
牠們都知道以牠的年紀
海灘霸主不會讓牠進入群落
牠向童年玩伴道別
李歐已經回不去了
衹能前進
李歐來到附近的島嶼上
伊斯帕尼奥拉島
這裡有點熱鬧
但牠應該能在潛水後補個眠、暖暖身體
一些熟悉的面孔
還有新面孔
李歐的家鄉沒有橙嘴藍臉鰹鳥
這絕對不是李歐期望中的沙灘
但牠現在衹需要一個睡覺的地方
牠不知道的是，這裡不衹有鰹鳥
還有波紋信天翁，而且現在正値交配季節
這可能會是個問題
這些鳥兒會相伴終生 所以這個一年一度的儀式不衹是表演
這可能會持續廿分鐘
內容包括敲擊鳥喙…
鞠躬
搖擺身體
發出叫聲
最糟糕的是，無聲的尖叫
世上的波紋信天翁 幾乎都會來這座島嶼繁殖
這些噪音會沒完沒了
休什麼息
無法回到原生海灘
李歐繼續前進，尋找更好客的地方
就像李歐，加拉巴哥群島也有自己的旅程
這裡持續不斷的火山活動 讓牠們一再移動、一再變化
任何一座島 某天都有可能會成為李歐的家
最後，李歐找到一座 海岸線崎嶇又裸露的島嶼
湧浪也在增強
李歐最無法抗拒的事
就是衝浪
另一隻海獅突然加入李歐的行列
還帶來一群年輕的流放者
興高采烈下
李歐玩起「抓海膽」的遊戲
但在這片礁石上 玩遊戲的代價可能非常高昂
李歐感覺到動靜
快跑
就差一點，但牠們都逃脫了
一隻長達三點六公尺的加拉巴哥鯊魚 正在獵捕年輕的海獅
這裡沒有成年海獅能保護牠們 李歐決定挺身而出
如果牠無法克服恐懼 就永遠當不了海灘霸主
其牠海獅跟著牠
李歐要對付這隻鯊魚
在惡魔之冠追白鰭鯊讓牠學到…
敏感的尾巴被咬是鯊魚痛恨的事
牠示範給大家看
鯊魚終於撤退了
牠受夠了
在情況危急時
李歐能夠挺身而出，面對鯊魚
衹有少數公海獅會成為海灘霸主
但根據李歐的表現，牠可能有那個本事
牠丟下衝浪的朋友，繼續獨自前進
但牠現在更有自信了
加拉巴哥群島 有地球上數一數二富饒的水域
魚類超過五百種
獨行的海獅 幾乎不可能在開放水域抓到魚
但還有其牠辦法
有些魚會待在石縫中，躱避掠食者
幸好李歐很有耐心
海獅有哺乳類動物中最長的觸鬚
可以感應水中最微小的振動
當李歐四處打探，牠發現一件事
衹要牠朝礁石吹泡泡
就能把魚從藏身處沖出來
抓到你了
這是個開始
但想成為海灘霸主，牠就需要更大的漁獲
李歐繼續前進
加拉巴哥群島的面積非常廣闊
六萬平方公里
因此海獅必須橫越遼闊的海洋
出生至今，李歐衹探索過幾個地方
但加拉巴哥群島 有一百多座島嶼、小島和岩礁
每一處都有讓牠與眾不同的特質
新形成的島嶼衹是荒岩
剛冷卻的熔岩有努力存活的生命
在較古老的島嶼上，植物有時間生長
創造出豐富、多樣的棲息地
費爾南迪納島位於群島最西端的邊緣
是最年輕的島嶼
它表面上看來非常荒涼
在海中的情況則截然不同
深水洋流使這些海岸成為加拉巴哥群島
最豐饒的地區之一
這裡的水冷到，連企鵝都在這裡成家
李歐在原生島嶼上看過這種鬣蜥
但牠們在這裡做什麼？
加拉巴哥海鬣蜥是地球上
唯一進化到能在水中游泳的蜥蜴
牠們幾乎衹吃海藻
但本地的雀鯛可不喜歡看到
這些陸上生物下來這裡 想吃什麼就吃什麼
破壞牠們前院的草坪
牠們可不會忍氣吞聲
好啦，鬣蜥受夠了
但現在輪到李歐了
李歐知道不受歡迎的感覺
你蠻會游泳的耶
經過漫長、有些惱人的潛水
這隻鬣蜥回到熔岩中的家
許多鬣蜥也在這裡休憩
幾千隻鬣蜥
牠們的祖先 是最早登上這些島嶼的動物之一
牠們對李歐不怎麼熱情
這些蜥蜴會利用噴嚏排出
潛水時在體內累積的多餘海水
李歐也註意到島上其牠居民 會偸偸摸摸地穿過岩石
遊蛇
幾百條聚集在一起
全都在等一件事
剛孵化的鬣蜥寶寶
每條路似乎都行不通
這是個可怕的地方
成功通過的小鬣蜥
會有成年鬣蜥的保護
費爾南迪納島是新形成的島嶼
牠的核心是一觸即發的活火山
一顆定時炸彈
持續的火山活動不斷重塑牠的地貌
但這些嚴峻的熔岩環境 也為李歐創造了機會
這條崎嶇不平的海岸線是完美的狩獵場
既然李歐已經成年
牠準備要鎖定更大的獵物了
大很多的獵物
黃鰭鮪魚
牠們最重將近六十公斤
而且能以六十四公里的時速移動
速度是海獅的兩倍
正當李歐以為這裡衹有牠在
另一隻剛成年的海獅從鄰島過來
而且很想跟李歐一起狩獵
牠們倆似乎都不知道該從何下手
要包圍鮪魚似乎不難
但每當牠們靠近，鮪魚就會溜走
李歐差點抓到一條
但要抓住牠們幾乎不可能
牠們好快
好吧，這樣行不通
別無選擇下，李歐看向島上幽靜的內灣
有個被放逐的老海灘霸主住在這裡
這樣有點冒險
但李歐想試著請牠幫忙
吵醒一隻成年的公海獅可不是個好主意
但李歐想交朋友時，可以變得很有說服力
神奇的是，李歐說服牠一起狩獵了
李歐不知道這位老大哥…
在抓鮪魚方面，這傢夥簡直是個傳奇
兩隻年輕的海獅打頭陣
大師則待在後頭
李歐和牠的夥伴在海灣裡追趕鮪魚
讓大師擋住出口
牠在速度上的不足，就用腦袋來彌補
牠知道鮪魚速度快，但累得也快
最後，牠們開始鎖定一條魚
這條鮪魚終於耗盡力氣、離開水中了
年輕的海獅退到一旁
讓老師傅示範怎麼處理這些大魚
李歐可以順利長肌肉了
多虧這位老海灘霸主
牠發現不是所有成年公海獅都有敵意
李歐可以決定牠要成為哪一種公海獅
火山甦醒了，噴出的岩漿遍佈整座島嶼
當兩千度的熔岩流入海中
海水立刻蒸發
費爾南迪納島著火了
李歐不得不再次啟程
成長中卻無家可歸的海獅
經過三年，李歐現在七歲了
在加拉巴哥群島的旅程，讓牠見識到
從死火山到熔岩噴發等景象
但牠沒經歷過火山活動美好的一面…
直到今天
來自熔融岩漿的熱氣泡，從海底向上滲出
這一帶的熔岩在冷卻時充滿這些氣泡
因而具有獨特的粗糙質感
磨蹭起來非常舒服
一群母海獅歡迎李歐來到牠們的水療中心
並且開心地為牠介紹祛角質的藝術
牠們享受完以後
李歐跟著牠們回到牠們居住的島嶼
這裡的淺灘讓李歐想起舊家
這座壯麗的死火山是比格爾島
受到保護的沙灘 讓這裡成為海獅的理想家園
李歐中大獎了
充滿母海獅的海灘
終於遇到牠能加入的群落了
但衹要有美麗的海灘 附近一定有海灘霸主在
而且海灘越美麗，海灘霸主就越健壯
天啊，李歐沒料到這裡會有任何的競爭
牠完全不是對手
但牠有辦法
也許不是最棒的辦法 但總比另一個選擇好
有件事是肯定的
那個魁梧的海灘霸主沒辦法爬上來
牠衹會在下面等著
有那麼一刻，李歐以為自己有所斬獲
但牠必須面對現實
牠還比不過這個海灘霸主
在牠比得過之前
牠都不會有自己的群落
該安靜退場了
牠衹要想辦法從這裡下去…
別吵醒那個誰就好
最好還是從後面離開吧
這並不優雅
卻能達成目的
生平第二次遭到放逐
李歐往北移動
朝群島中最偏遠的島嶼前進
海獅橫跨大洋，可能需要好幾天
但即使在這裡，在遼闊空曠的藍海中 也有生命的聚集地
太平洋沙丁魚的餌球
對想要變壯的李歐來說，這是絕佳的機會
不斷變化的形狀和顏色令人神迷…
李歐很快就發現自己在做白工
幸好有一群漫遊的海獅伸出援手
這是有組織的混亂
牠們從四面八方穿越餌球…
將魚群趕向彼此
李歐終於得到牠需要的盛宴
這種餌球往往轉瞬即逝
通常也不持久
當李歐帶著滿腹的沙丁魚離開
牠註意到其牠浮在水面上的海獅
遠離海岸，無法在潛水後暖和身體
牠們就把鰭足伸出水面 像太陽能板一樣使用
那絕對…
很有創意
但李歐沒那個興致
牠要盡可能繼續往北走
牠在地平線上發現一座島嶼
達爾文島，加拉巴哥群島最偏遠的區域
對李歐來說，這是世界的盡頭
海獅衹能在海中待這麼久
牠們終究得到陸地上取暖
跳躍的時機非常難抓
抓錯了，可能會被打到岩石上
牠奇蹟似地找到一塊岩架 牠終於能在上面休憩了
達爾文島最鄰近的沃爾 夫島有個黑闇的祕密
雖然橙嘴藍臉鰹鳥能飛越重洋
來這裡交配…
這些小鳥卻沒辦法
牠們被困在這裡
這座荒島上稀疏的植物
又不足以餵養牠們
因此，牠們不得不鋌而走險
這是吸血地雀
牠們會吸食在這裡築巢的 原生橙嘴藍臉鰹鳥的血液
原本牠們的遠祖衹吃鰹鳥羽毛中的寄生蟲
這項服務對鰹鳥有益
所以牠們容忍這些小鳥
但在某個階段，隔絕與進化
讓這些小鳴鳥變成吸血的食肉鳥
位於最北端的這些島嶼衹有岩石峭壁
以及洶湧的海浪
牠別無選擇，衹能繼續牠的旅程
在接下來的幾年
李歐探索了加拉巴哥群島的每個角落
牠所有的生物…
所有的魔法
畢生的追求讓牠學到很多東西
卻獨漏最重要的東西…
一個家
李歐離開牠的原生海灘、母親和瑪雅
已經過了十年
牠現在是成熟的海獅了
依然在這個島嶼世界尋找安身之地
又是一座衹有懸崖峭壁、沒有海灘的荒島
李歐見多識廣，可以應付任何情況了
牠現在更年長、聰明，更有自信
願意冒更大的險來達成目標
這條隧道裡有一股水流，似乎在拉牠進去
也許會通往某個地方
看到開口了
一座祕密海灘
看起來就像天堂
但牠已經知道，第一印像信不得了
果然，這片海灘已經有主人了
但李歐不再是膽怯的年輕海獅了
現在，牠就跟這個海灘霸主一樣高大
終於，原本的海灘霸主受夠了
李歐把牠趕出門
經過多年的尋覓…
穿越整座加拉巴哥群島
李歐終於找到家了
當年是母親露娜讓牠養成冒險精神…
對牠關心備至、敎導有方…
牠會為牠這個海灘霸主感到驕傲的
假以時日，會有更多的海獅來到這裡
而牠們不用害怕鯊魚…
有李歐在這片水域巡邏，就不用害怕
在這裡生活的母海獅和幼崽將會安全無虞
李歐在不可思議的島嶼探險中 克服了每一項挑戰
現在牠準備成為領袖
準備在自己的海灘上成家了
這是牠的獎賞，這是牠的時刻
這就是牠的家
你們看
我生平拍過最瘋狂的東西