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This is the entrance
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to one of the greatest
of natural wonders.
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Hang Son Doong, in Vietnam.
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00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:13,080
It's thought to be the largest
cave on Earth.
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00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:26,520
Here, 200 metres underground,
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00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:29,600
for just a few weeks a year,
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sunbeams cast light through a hole
in the cave's roof.
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There is just enough light
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00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:57,120
to enable plants to grow.
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But travel deeper,
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00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:03,960
and darkness returns.
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00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:09,440
And you reach the limit
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00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:11,560
of where life can exist.
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00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:35,320
These most extreme places
on our planet
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are often hard for us to reach.
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Indeed, this cave was only
recently discovered.
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00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:52,520
And it contains many surprises.
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00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:01,480
Cave pearls.
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00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:03,720
Once tiny sand grains,
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00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:06,800
now spheres the size
of tennis balls.
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00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:19,480
And giant stalagmites...
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00:03:20,920 --> 00:03:22,880
..formed over centuries
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00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:26,080
by billions of individual
drops of water.
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Underground rivers have carved
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this great passage through
the limestone.
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Over five miles long
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and wide enough in places
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to accommodate a jumbo jet.
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00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:17,440
And it is here,
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00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:20,320
in the cave's furthest chamber,
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00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:22,680
that life can be found.
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00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:32,360
Translucent cave fish...
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..and shrimps.
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00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:40,160
Isolated for millennia,
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00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:44,800
feeding on little more than the
nutrients from the jungle above.
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The fish are completely blind
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00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:58,920
and find their way about
by touch alone.
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00:05:06,640 --> 00:05:10,640
These underground worlds are at
the very limit
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00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:12,600
of where life can exist.
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00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:23,640
But above ground,
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00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:26,040
our planet's most extreme conditions
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are found at the poles.
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WIND WHISTLES
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Here in the north,
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winter temperatures can drop to
-50 degrees Celsius.
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00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:45,680
For four months of the year,
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there is barely a glimmer
of sunlight.
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00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:57,160
But here, too,
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life finds a way to survive.
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A pack of Arctic wolves.
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00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:15,440
Their dense fur has protected them
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through months of bitter cold.
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But now the sun is returning.
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This is Ellesmere Island.
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00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:56,480
The short summer gives the wolves
a chance to rebuild their strength.
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00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:12,160
But here in the Arctic...
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00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:16,440
..life is never easy.
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00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:32,360
This pack is led by an
experienced female.
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00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:43,720
If she can't lead them to food,
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00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:47,000
the coming winter could be
their last.
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00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:01,360
Prey is spread over
such a vast area
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00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:04,520
that they must be constantly
on the move...
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00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:10,600
..in search of it.
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00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:28,240
But finding prey is only
the beginning.
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Musk oxen.
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00:08:40,160 --> 00:08:43,640
They are five times the size
of a wolf.
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00:08:58,760 --> 00:09:01,560
OXEN SNORT
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00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:10,880
The conflict between wolf and oxen
is an ancient one,
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00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:14,040
and has been waged since
the Ice Age.
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00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:21,480
OXEN GRUNT
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Each side knows the other's tactics.
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00:09:43,120 --> 00:09:45,960
The wolves try to isolate
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the weak or the young.
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00:09:53,680 --> 00:09:56,360
A calf stumbles...
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00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:59,960
..and the pack leader immediately
closes in.
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00:10:05,680 --> 00:10:07,040
WOLF YELPS
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00:10:11,560 --> 00:10:14,080
But the herd regroups,
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00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:16,240
horns at the ready.
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00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:22,600
OXEN GRUNT
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00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:27,280
Stalemate.
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00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:31,720
But it can only be brief.
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00:10:55,920 --> 00:10:59,760
This time, the herd race
to higher ground.
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00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:15,480
As they reach the top of the ridge,
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00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:18,360
the males turn to defend themselves.
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00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:20,160
OXEN GROWL
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Stalemate...
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..again.
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00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:56,480
Every unsuccessful hunt
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leaves the pack weakened.
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00:12:14,240 --> 00:12:17,400
This could be an easier meal.
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00:12:19,920 --> 00:12:21,480
WOLF SNIFFS
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00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:24,000
But something is not right.
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00:12:27,440 --> 00:12:31,400
This musk ox has died
from a disease.
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00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:33,200
WOLVES SNIFF
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00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:37,040
Outbreaks like this are becoming
increasingly common
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00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:40,280
as the climate warms across
the Arctic.
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00:12:46,760 --> 00:12:48,960
Despite their hunger,
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00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:51,880
the pack don't eat this carcass.
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00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:18,600
Another herd.
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00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:21,000
Another chance for the pack.
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00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:42,800
This time, the wolves manage
to split the herd.
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That may improve their chances.
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00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:07,960
The lead female makes sure
that the oxen
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00:14:07,960 --> 00:14:10,480
do not reach the ridge again.
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00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:21,760
With one less defender,
the calf is more vulnerable.
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00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:32,800
OXEN CALF CALLS
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00:14:38,760 --> 00:14:41,560
A much-needed meal.
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00:14:53,960 --> 00:14:56,880
The wolves must continue to
make the most
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00:14:56,880 --> 00:14:59,520
of the remaining weeks of summer...
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00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:06,720
..so when winter returns
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00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:09,600
..they're ready to endure
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00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:12,000
some of the harshest conditions
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00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:15,480
that exist on planet Earth.
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00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:40,680
Such inhospitable extremes
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00:15:40,680 --> 00:15:43,360
are not only found at the poles.
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00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:52,960
As altitude increases...
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00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:55,160
..temperatures fall.
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00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:06,280
Here, too, animals must make the
most of the seasonal change.
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00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:17,720
Particularly if you're ready
to mate.
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00:16:26,280 --> 00:16:28,960
A male common frog
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in the French Alps.
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00:16:38,040 --> 00:16:43,480
He has spent all winter
hibernating under the ice.
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00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:49,800
But now it's time to wake up.
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00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:56,160
Being cold-blooded, he needs
the sun to warm his body.
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00:16:58,320 --> 00:17:01,440
But once it sets
in a few hours' time,
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00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:03,960
he could freeze to death.
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00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:09,800
So finding a mate is urgent.
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00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:16,960
The weather is good.
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00:17:20,560 --> 00:17:23,360
And he starts to sledge.
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00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:30,400
But this is not a one-frog race.
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00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:35,120
Dozens are rushing to
the breeding pool.
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00:17:39,880 --> 00:17:43,080
This many frogs out on the slopes...
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00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:45,280
..doesn't go unnoticed.
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00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:51,440
You can't afford any slips.
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00:17:59,840 --> 00:18:02,320
It was all going so well.
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00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:17,880
Made it.
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00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:19,760
FROG CROAKS
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00:18:22,400 --> 00:18:25,400
But all the females have already
got partners.
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00:18:28,440 --> 00:18:31,520
There's only one thing for it.
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00:18:34,840 --> 00:18:36,440
Wrestling.
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00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:54,720
Not this time.
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00:19:02,120 --> 00:19:04,040
Another latecomer.
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00:19:05,600 --> 00:19:07,480
A female.
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00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:12,880
Could she be the one?
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00:19:23,080 --> 00:19:26,800
Sometimes being late can pay off.
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00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:55,080
After all his efforts, the male is
not going to let this chance
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00:19:55,080 --> 00:19:57,480
slip through his fingers.
148
00:20:16,840 --> 00:20:22,040
This is the cedar forest of the
Atlas Mountains, in North Africa.
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00:20:28,040 --> 00:20:32,320
These Barbary macaques enjoyed
a summer of plenty,
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00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:34,360
but now they're paying the price.
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00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:42,240
Winter here can be brutal.
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00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:51,840
In some years,
over half the group perish.
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00:20:56,880 --> 00:20:58,920
But in this macaque society,
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00:20:58,920 --> 00:21:02,160
the more social the monkey,
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00:21:02,160 --> 00:21:05,000
the more likely it is to survive.
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00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:11,960
Keeping warm by huddling
can make all the difference.
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00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:19,040
But they can't huddle all day.
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00:21:22,880 --> 00:21:26,680
They must, eventually, break apart
to feed.
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00:21:38,120 --> 00:21:41,720
They spread out, searching for food.
160
00:22:00,360 --> 00:22:06,200
But each night, the group return
to huddle in the cedar trees.
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00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:22,080
No-one wants to be left out.
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00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:27,080
Especially the infants.
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MACAQUE SQUEAKS
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This baby, somehow,
has got separated.
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00:22:57,080 --> 00:23:00,280
He must get back to the life-saving
warmth of the huddle,
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00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:02,400
and soon.
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00:23:28,760 --> 00:23:31,520
But there is an obstacle.
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00:23:36,040 --> 00:23:41,000
A grumpy male is giving the baby
a rather cold shoulder.
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00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:46,480
ADULT MACAQUE GRUNTS
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00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:50,040
INFANT MACAQUE CHITTERS
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Maybe a more subtle approach.
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00:24:03,760 --> 00:24:07,800
The male decides to leave.
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00:24:22,760 --> 00:24:25,280
At last...
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00:24:25,280 --> 00:24:28,360
..an enthusiastic reception.
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00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:40,360
The male has had less luck.
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It could be a long night.
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00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:54,040
Huddling might seem a simple
expression of affection,
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00:24:54,040 --> 00:24:57,600
but among these macaques
it's essential for survival.
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00:25:01,280 --> 00:25:03,440
And not just here.
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00:25:08,280 --> 00:25:12,520
5,000 miles away,
in the forests of Mexico,
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00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:15,480
monarch butterflies, in millions,
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also huddle for survival.
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00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:26,760
All of them have travelled across
North America
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00:25:26,760 --> 00:25:30,320
to escape the winter that
is coming there.
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00:25:33,280 --> 00:25:37,080
This forest,
at an altitude of 3,000 metres,
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00:25:37,080 --> 00:25:40,200
might seem to offer little
comfort...
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00:25:42,280 --> 00:25:46,280
..for temperatures here can drop
below freezing,
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00:25:46,280 --> 00:25:49,760
and that could kill the butterflies.
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00:25:54,720 --> 00:25:57,920
But in fact,
a thin layer of warm air
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00:25:57,920 --> 00:26:01,440
trapped by the tree canopy
protects them,
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00:26:01,440 --> 00:26:04,120
and will do so throughout
the winter...
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00:26:05,920 --> 00:26:10,280
..provided that the forest
remains undisturbed.
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00:26:16,520 --> 00:26:19,520
Unpredictable extremes
of weather, however,
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00:26:19,520 --> 00:26:23,320
can disrupt this delicate balance.
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00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:31,520
Strong winds can push deep into
the forest, chilling the air.
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00:26:32,920 --> 00:26:35,880
WIND GUSTS
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00:26:37,400 --> 00:26:39,920
Hundreds of thousands
of butterflies
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00:26:39,920 --> 00:26:42,480
may be blown from the branches.
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00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:14,560
In some years, storms kill 75%
of hibernating monarchs.
200
00:27:31,120 --> 00:27:33,480
This one has survived...
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00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:36,640
..but on the ground.
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00:27:39,920 --> 00:27:42,640
And night-time frosts are fatal.
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00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:47,880
It can't stay here and live.
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00:27:52,360 --> 00:27:55,560
It is too cold to fly,
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00:27:55,560 --> 00:27:59,000
but it must get back into
the tree branches somehow.
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00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:04,560
So it starts to climb.
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00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:18,080
It's the equivalent of a human
climbing up a skyscraper.
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00:28:49,160 --> 00:28:52,280
Safety, at last.
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00:28:57,640 --> 00:29:00,800
As spring returns,
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00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:04,480
the monarchs wake from their
long slumber.
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00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:26,360
And now starts one of the Earth's
greatest natural spectacles.
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00:29:58,360 --> 00:30:02,320
But this mass awakening
is under threat.
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00:30:04,560 --> 00:30:09,280
The changing climate is creating
more extreme weather,
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00:30:09,280 --> 00:30:12,280
and storms are becoming
more frequent.
215
00:30:14,720 --> 00:30:19,560
But, for now, this miracle
of nature continues.
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00:30:29,560 --> 00:30:31,000
Fire.
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00:30:34,920 --> 00:30:38,280
Unpredictable and destructive.
218
00:30:45,600 --> 00:30:49,720
This is South Africa's fynbos.
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00:30:49,720 --> 00:30:53,320
Botanically one of the most
diverse habitats on Earth...
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00:30:54,600 --> 00:30:57,720
..with over 8,000 different
plant species.
221
00:31:00,760 --> 00:31:03,080
Yet, every two decades,
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00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:06,240
fire reduces the vegetation
to ashes.
223
00:31:13,960 --> 00:31:16,080
This may seem catastrophic.
224
00:31:17,360 --> 00:31:21,880
But just days later,
plants burst into life...
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00:31:21,880 --> 00:31:24,480
..and transform the landscape.
226
00:31:28,400 --> 00:31:32,720
Seeds and bulbs have been waiting
for this event.
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00:31:40,320 --> 00:31:44,560
90 million years of evolution
alongside fire
228
00:31:44,560 --> 00:31:48,040
has made some plants
so closely adapted
229
00:31:48,040 --> 00:31:52,240
that they can't germinate
without the presence of smoke.
230
00:31:59,520 --> 00:32:05,000
Remarkably, around 50% of planet
Earth's terrestrial habitats
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00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:08,360
depend on fire to remain healthy.
232
00:32:15,280 --> 00:32:19,920
In Northern Australia, these
savannahs need seasonal fires
233
00:32:19,920 --> 00:32:24,160
to keep them open and prevent the
spread of the nearby forest.
234
00:32:28,200 --> 00:32:31,280
And they are a vital habitat
235
00:32:31,280 --> 00:32:33,960
for this colourful resident.
236
00:32:39,640 --> 00:32:43,320
The rare golden-shouldered parrot.
237
00:32:45,600 --> 00:32:48,920
He and his lifelong partner..
238
00:32:48,920 --> 00:32:53,760
rely on grassland for both food...
239
00:32:53,760 --> 00:32:56,080
..and a nest site.
240
00:32:57,680 --> 00:33:02,280
As usual, they've laid their eggs
in a hole in a termite mound.
241
00:33:02,280 --> 00:33:04,200
CHIRPING
242
00:33:05,880 --> 00:33:09,320
And now there are four chicks.
243
00:33:11,960 --> 00:33:16,560
The thick mud walls don't only
protect chicks from predators,
244
00:33:16,560 --> 00:33:20,760
but insulate them from the heat
of the scorching sun.
245
00:33:27,240 --> 00:33:30,440
With fledging just days away,
246
00:33:30,440 --> 00:33:33,000
the parents are working overtime.
247
00:33:35,840 --> 00:33:39,440
They collect thousands of seeds
every day.
248
00:34:01,480 --> 00:34:04,160
But they have a problem.
249
00:34:12,240 --> 00:34:16,280
The fire season is becoming
more irregular.
250
00:34:34,440 --> 00:34:37,560
If they are not ready to fly,
251
00:34:37,560 --> 00:34:40,520
chicks have no escape.
252
00:35:04,400 --> 00:35:09,080
But choosing to nest in a termite
mound has a surprise benefit.
253
00:35:10,920 --> 00:35:14,720
Their home is fireproof.
254
00:35:25,480 --> 00:35:31,480
Concrete-like walls keep chicks safe
from the flames outside.
255
00:35:31,480 --> 00:35:33,920
CHICKS CHIRP
256
00:35:40,520 --> 00:35:44,200
The seeds of fire grass are now
easier for the parrots
257
00:35:44,200 --> 00:35:47,760
to find on the blackened earth...
258
00:35:47,760 --> 00:35:50,880
..and they are the parrots'
favourite food.
259
00:35:59,160 --> 00:36:03,840
So, for both adults and
their fledgling chicks...
260
00:36:05,040 --> 00:36:08,320
..fires are essential for survival.
261
00:36:15,840 --> 00:36:18,880
But their grassland home
is shrinking,
262
00:36:18,880 --> 00:36:23,480
and only about 1,000 of these
lovely parrots still survive.
263
00:36:25,480 --> 00:36:29,880
It's through the active
management of fire by humans
264
00:36:29,880 --> 00:36:33,520
that their world now exists at all.
265
00:36:39,080 --> 00:36:43,760
Humans are affecting habitats
across planet Earth.
266
00:36:43,760 --> 00:36:46,160
For wildlife, all too often,
267
00:36:46,160 --> 00:36:49,400
the consequences have
been disastrous.
268
00:36:52,560 --> 00:36:55,840
ELEPHANT CALLS
269
00:36:58,120 --> 00:37:01,960
Elephants are among the most
tolerant of animals.
270
00:37:01,960 --> 00:37:04,960
ELEPHANT RUMBLES
271
00:37:04,960 --> 00:37:07,640
They are very long-lived,
272
00:37:07,640 --> 00:37:12,240
and knowledge passed between
generations enables them
273
00:37:12,240 --> 00:37:15,520
to find food and little-used
sources of water in times
274
00:37:15,520 --> 00:37:18,160
of great environmental stress.
275
00:37:20,280 --> 00:37:22,680
But even among elephants,
276
00:37:22,680 --> 00:37:25,840
survival strategies are now
beginning to fail.
277
00:37:33,000 --> 00:37:37,240
In Amboseli, Kenya,
years of extreme weather,
278
00:37:37,240 --> 00:37:40,840
combined with overgrazing
by domestic cattle,
279
00:37:40,840 --> 00:37:45,000
are turning these grasslands
to dust.
280
00:38:13,640 --> 00:38:16,960
This matriarch is over
40 years old...
281
00:38:16,960 --> 00:38:18,960
ELEPHANT RUMBLES
282
00:38:18,960 --> 00:38:20,880
..and she's already survived
283
00:38:20,880 --> 00:38:23,840
some of East Africa's
worst droughts.
284
00:38:27,040 --> 00:38:31,400
But this year, food is in extremely
short supply...
285
00:38:34,400 --> 00:38:37,520
..and her family are struggling
to find enough.
286
00:38:45,080 --> 00:38:49,120
Her youngest son is malnourished
and weak...
287
00:38:54,320 --> 00:38:57,680
..and is lagging behind his mother
and brother.
288
00:39:06,560 --> 00:39:11,280
She leads them to a pocket of acacia
forest that she knows well.
289
00:39:17,480 --> 00:39:20,800
But broken branches and fallen trees
290
00:39:20,800 --> 00:39:24,240
show that other elephants
have already been here.
291
00:39:29,160 --> 00:39:31,840
There is very little left
worth eating.
292
00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:43,720
Without food, his mother cannot
produce enough milk.
293
00:39:48,040 --> 00:39:49,800
She has no choice...
294
00:39:52,800 --> 00:39:55,360
..but to leave her weakening calf...
295
00:39:57,000 --> 00:40:00,080
..and try to find food elsewhere.
296
00:40:06,400 --> 00:40:12,480
So, she and her elder son
head off...
297
00:40:12,480 --> 00:40:14,760
..without him.
298
00:40:38,080 --> 00:40:41,600
He can only hope for their return.
299
00:41:06,480 --> 00:41:09,160
FLIES BUZZ
300
00:41:15,560 --> 00:41:20,160
But for him, time has run out.
301
00:41:55,320 --> 00:41:58,600
There is nothing his mother,
or anybody,
302
00:41:58,600 --> 00:42:01,360
could have done to save him.
303
00:42:01,360 --> 00:42:04,520
LOW RUMBLING
304
00:42:12,960 --> 00:42:16,120
With her elder son still alive,
305
00:42:16,120 --> 00:42:18,840
there is hope for her family.
306
00:42:20,680 --> 00:42:24,920
But only if they can adapt quickly.
307
00:42:35,280 --> 00:42:38,880
Some families are proving
to be resilient.
308
00:42:44,000 --> 00:42:47,720
They're travelling long distances,
away from Amboseli...
309
00:42:51,000 --> 00:42:55,240
..and finding new sources
of food and water.
310
00:43:12,680 --> 00:43:15,720
And despite the drought...
311
00:43:19,520 --> 00:43:22,520
..calves are being born.
312
00:43:41,320 --> 00:43:44,360
But given the pace of change
313
00:43:44,360 --> 00:43:46,720
and the challenges they face...
314
00:43:48,120 --> 00:43:52,160
..how many of Africa's elephants
will be able to adapt?
315
00:43:53,280 --> 00:43:56,640
And can they do so fast enough?
316
00:44:11,040 --> 00:44:13,280
The Gobi Desert.
317
00:44:15,840 --> 00:44:19,960
A land of sand and snow.
318
00:44:24,480 --> 00:44:28,440
For at least a million years,
this has been
319
00:44:28,440 --> 00:44:32,360
one of the most extreme habitats
on Earth.
320
00:44:36,840 --> 00:44:39,680
Yet, footprints in the sand
321
00:44:39,680 --> 00:44:43,160
reveal that there is life here.
322
00:44:49,680 --> 00:44:51,600
A snow leopard.
323
00:44:51,600 --> 00:44:54,160
Seldom seen...
324
00:44:55,560 --> 00:45:00,560
..especially in such hot,
arid conditions.
325
00:45:04,680 --> 00:45:08,960
They live up to 2,000 metres
above sea level,
326
00:45:08,960 --> 00:45:12,960
and patrol vast territories.
327
00:45:41,440 --> 00:45:44,400
They are rarely seen together.
328
00:45:52,200 --> 00:45:53,600
A mother...
329
00:45:56,840 --> 00:45:59,160
..with cubs.
330
00:46:01,360 --> 00:46:04,240
Filmed here for the first time
331
00:46:04,240 --> 00:46:07,040
in such intimate detail.
332
00:46:09,840 --> 00:46:11,920
LEOPARDS SNARL
333
00:46:15,120 --> 00:46:18,440
And they give us a glimpse
of their family life...
334
00:46:19,520 --> 00:46:21,480
..such as it is.
335
00:46:34,080 --> 00:46:36,520
WATER LAPPING
336
00:46:38,080 --> 00:46:41,440
Snow leopard cubs stay
with their mothers
337
00:46:41,440 --> 00:46:45,240
longer than those of almost
any other big cat.
338
00:46:51,080 --> 00:46:55,040
They remain together for over
two years...
339
00:46:58,040 --> 00:47:02,720
..as they learn how to master
the extremes.
340
00:47:10,200 --> 00:47:14,560
Which they do so well
that they are able to thrive
341
00:47:14,560 --> 00:47:18,520
in some of the hottest, coldest...
342
00:47:18,520 --> 00:47:21,360
..and highest places on Earth.
343
00:47:32,760 --> 00:47:36,680
Some animals,
over millions of years,
344
00:47:36,680 --> 00:47:40,760
have evolved ways of surviving
extremely hostile conditions.
345
00:47:43,800 --> 00:47:48,120
But as the extremes become
more extreme...
346
00:47:48,120 --> 00:47:52,320
..evolution is being outpaced.
347
00:48:00,280 --> 00:48:04,600
These extraordinary places
are still inhabited
348
00:48:04,600 --> 00:48:07,040
by some of Earth's most resilient
349
00:48:07,040 --> 00:48:09,200
and adaptable species.
350
00:48:12,400 --> 00:48:14,680
But in our rapidly changing world...
351
00:48:16,240 --> 00:48:21,160
..this is planet Earth as
you may never see it again.
352
00:48:27,520 --> 00:48:29,360
LEOPARD YOWLS
353
00:48:44,840 --> 00:48:47,760
DAVID ATTENBOROUGH: The most
extreme parts of our planet
354
00:48:47,760 --> 00:48:50,320
are not always found where
you might expect.
355
00:48:53,320 --> 00:48:57,320
Hidden deep in the forests
of Vietnam, a local man,
356
00:48:57,320 --> 00:49:00,600
Mr Ho Khanh, made an extraordinary
discovery.
357
00:49:20,160 --> 00:49:22,240
He didn't know it at the time,
358
00:49:22,240 --> 00:49:26,600
but he had stumbled upon arguably
the largest cave in the world.
359
00:49:38,800 --> 00:49:42,720
Inspired by Mr Ho Khanh's discovery,
360
00:49:42,720 --> 00:49:46,760
the Planet Earth team set out
to film Hang Son Doong.
361
00:49:48,800 --> 00:49:50,960
But first, they have to get there.
362
00:49:52,360 --> 00:49:54,680
We've left the river valley,
363
00:49:54,680 --> 00:49:57,080
and we're walking uphill now
to the entrance.
364
00:49:57,080 --> 00:49:59,080
It's just thick, thick forest.
365
00:50:00,880 --> 00:50:04,080
After trekking for two
gruelling days,
366
00:50:04,080 --> 00:50:06,960
the team finally arrive.
367
00:50:06,960 --> 00:50:10,320
Down here is the entrance
to Hang Son Doong,
368
00:50:10,320 --> 00:50:13,880
this tiny opening in this
massive jungle.
369
00:50:13,880 --> 00:50:16,840
It's amazing that anyone
ever found this place.
370
00:50:19,960 --> 00:50:22,640
We're about to go in for
the next 18 days,
371
00:50:22,640 --> 00:50:25,200
and it's lights on from here on out.
372
00:50:26,960 --> 00:50:30,400
Local experts guide the team
through the darkness.
373
00:50:31,600 --> 00:50:34,080
OK, I can go? Yes, yes.
374
00:50:35,440 --> 00:50:38,280
HEAVY BREATHING
375
00:50:42,200 --> 00:50:43,720
NERVOUS CHUCKLING
376
00:50:43,720 --> 00:50:45,240
I'm good. I'm OK.
377
00:50:45,240 --> 00:50:46,960
It's just really slippery.
378
00:50:48,960 --> 00:50:54,440
A complex system of ropes leads
them down a 90-metre descent.
379
00:50:56,000 --> 00:50:58,000
RADIO CHATTER
380
00:50:59,640 --> 00:51:01,200
OK.
381
00:51:01,200 --> 00:51:02,440
Thanks.
382
00:51:06,440 --> 00:51:09,160
After four hours clambering
over rocks...
383
00:51:09,160 --> 00:51:11,240
PAN SIZZLING
384
00:51:11,240 --> 00:51:14,080
...they finally reach what
will be their camp.
385
00:51:22,840 --> 00:51:26,040
The team wake to a new day -
386
00:51:26,040 --> 00:51:28,000
but in darkness.
387
00:51:28,000 --> 00:51:29,800
How did you sleep, Luke?
388
00:51:29,800 --> 00:51:31,920
Quite tired.
389
00:51:31,920 --> 00:51:34,160
These are all of the tents
behind me.
390
00:51:34,160 --> 00:51:37,720
You can see they are pretty...
391
00:51:37,720 --> 00:51:39,240
..pretty snug.
392
00:51:39,240 --> 00:51:42,400
This is where we have our breakfast
every day,
393
00:51:42,400 --> 00:51:44,640
made by some amazing cooks.
394
00:51:46,120 --> 00:51:48,360
This is our charging station.
395
00:51:48,360 --> 00:51:50,760
Batteries for camera equipment,
batteries for our lights,
396
00:51:50,760 --> 00:51:52,880
our head torches,
which are so important.
397
00:51:53,880 --> 00:51:56,840
This is our water station.
398
00:51:56,840 --> 00:51:59,960
Everything that we have got has been
brought in by someone,
399
00:51:59,960 --> 00:52:02,800
so you can't shower or wash.
400
00:52:02,800 --> 00:52:05,120
And it's not just water.
401
00:52:05,120 --> 00:52:09,720
Tonnes of equipment has had to be
carried into the cave,
402
00:52:09,720 --> 00:52:12,080
every inch of the way.
403
00:52:15,240 --> 00:52:18,600
Now deep underground,
the powerful lights
404
00:52:18,600 --> 00:52:20,960
reveal just how vast this cavern is.
405
00:52:22,360 --> 00:52:24,080
That is amazing.
406
00:52:24,080 --> 00:52:25,480
Look at that. It's...
407
00:52:25,480 --> 00:52:27,280
It's huge!
408
00:52:29,760 --> 00:52:32,080
As you turn on each of the lights,
409
00:52:32,080 --> 00:52:34,880
another part of this enormous
chamber is revealed.
410
00:52:37,560 --> 00:52:40,600
It's magic. Absolutely magic.
411
00:52:43,760 --> 00:52:46,960
To try and capture the true scale,
412
00:52:46,960 --> 00:52:50,760
the team attempt a filming technique
never tried before.
413
00:52:52,080 --> 00:52:55,400
We're trying to do a little bit
of a dance with the drones,
414
00:52:55,400 --> 00:52:59,520
whereby we have one drone sort
of slightly below the other,
415
00:52:59,520 --> 00:53:03,560
one filming the other one lighting
a feature in the cave.
416
00:53:03,560 --> 00:53:05,920
It's a really tight space.
417
00:53:05,920 --> 00:53:07,960
You can't see anything.
418
00:53:07,960 --> 00:53:09,920
What could go wrong?
419
00:53:09,920 --> 00:53:11,760
DRONE BUZZES
420
00:53:13,600 --> 00:53:15,440
OK, slow down a bit.
421
00:53:17,080 --> 00:53:19,120
It's making everyone a little
nervous.
422
00:53:20,160 --> 00:53:22,800
Yeah, don't go up any higher, Luke.
423
00:53:25,200 --> 00:53:27,480
OK, that's a nice height.
424
00:53:31,160 --> 00:53:34,400
With one drone lighting
and one drone filming...
425
00:53:36,280 --> 00:53:41,280
..they reveal the wonder of some of
the world's largest stalagmites.
426
00:53:50,200 --> 00:53:53,360
As the days pass,
the team settle into
427
00:53:53,360 --> 00:53:56,560
the everyday routine of
life underground.
428
00:53:57,800 --> 00:54:01,960
This is the epitome of
being off-grid.
429
00:54:01,960 --> 00:54:04,120
We call that one seesaw loo
430
00:54:04,120 --> 00:54:06,680
because it's kind of on a rock,
431
00:54:06,680 --> 00:54:09,320
and every time you sit on it
and lean back,
432
00:54:09,320 --> 00:54:13,200
you're scared that there's
going to be a disaster.
433
00:54:14,880 --> 00:54:18,240
The strangest thing is
having no connection
434
00:54:18,240 --> 00:54:20,400
to the outside world whatsoever.
435
00:54:20,400 --> 00:54:23,800
Time is warped.
Nothing makes sense underground.
436
00:54:28,480 --> 00:54:32,680
Without daylight to guide them,
the team work round the clock
437
00:54:32,680 --> 00:54:35,560
to capture the cave's most
unique features.
438
00:54:37,280 --> 00:54:39,600
Most special of all,
439
00:54:39,600 --> 00:54:43,200
an event which happens only
a few weeks a year.
440
00:54:45,920 --> 00:54:48,400
To get there, they must navigate
441
00:54:48,400 --> 00:54:51,040
through boulder fields
and tight squeezes.
442
00:54:52,200 --> 00:54:53,680
BLEEP
443
00:55:00,560 --> 00:55:03,160
Here, around half a million
years ago,
444
00:55:03,160 --> 00:55:05,440
the cave roof collapsed,
445
00:55:05,440 --> 00:55:08,120
opening a window to
the outside world.
446
00:55:12,560 --> 00:55:15,400
The team wait for
just the right conditions.
447
00:55:16,760 --> 00:55:19,400
We've been sat here for hours.
448
00:55:19,400 --> 00:55:21,920
And finally, just on the
right-hand side of the wall,
449
00:55:21,920 --> 00:55:24,400
we can see the first signs of light.
450
00:55:28,320 --> 00:55:30,720
After weeks of darkness
451
00:55:30,720 --> 00:55:32,600
200 metres underground...
452
00:55:33,920 --> 00:55:35,760
..they see sunlight
453
00:55:35,760 --> 00:55:38,080
illuminate the cave floor.
454
00:55:43,200 --> 00:55:48,040
The way it just lights up
this massive cave...
455
00:55:48,040 --> 00:55:51,440
..when we've been trying to do it
with about four or five lights
456
00:55:51,440 --> 00:55:54,840
and barely even lighting
the smallest section.
457
00:55:54,840 --> 00:55:56,760
When the sun comes in, it just...
458
00:55:56,760 --> 00:55:58,160
HE PUFFS
459
00:56:00,400 --> 00:56:02,440
I think everyone's got goose bumps.
460
00:56:06,840 --> 00:56:11,600
I don't think I've ever appreciated
sun so much in my life.
461
00:56:13,200 --> 00:56:15,200
It's incredible.
462
00:56:17,960 --> 00:56:21,000
Look at the backlit waterfalls.
463
00:56:21,000 --> 00:56:23,680
They're so slow coming down.
464
00:56:23,680 --> 00:56:26,400
It's literally one of the best
things I've ever seen.
465
00:56:30,000 --> 00:56:33,840
For the crew, the sunbeam
marks a profound end
466
00:56:33,840 --> 00:56:36,160
to their time in the cave.
467
00:56:39,440 --> 00:56:41,720
We're outside!
468
00:56:41,720 --> 00:56:44,840
It's so green, it's so bright.
469
00:56:44,840 --> 00:56:48,720
Being back above ground feels like
where we belong.
470
00:56:50,720 --> 00:56:54,040
It's a wonder to imagine
what other extremes
471
00:56:54,040 --> 00:56:58,360
still lie beneath the surface
of planet Earth.
472
00:57:06,840 --> 00:57:09,160
Next time...
473
00:57:09,160 --> 00:57:11,400
..the human world...
474
00:57:17,080 --> 00:57:21,920
..where animals must find
new ways to survive...
475
00:57:23,040 --> 00:57:25,040
..amongst us.
476
00:57:31,760 --> 00:57:35,480
Habitat Explorer brings animals
and their habitats to life.
477
00:57:35,480 --> 00:57:38,760
Explore this free interactive,
and make origami animals.
478
00:57:38,760 --> 00:57:42,680
Go to bbc.co.uk/planetearth3
479
00:57:42,680 --> 00:57:45,240
and follow the links to
the Open University.
480
00:57:45,240 --> 00:57:48,680
Or to order a free printed version,
visit the website
481
00:57:48,680 --> 00:57:51,160
or call the numbers on the screen.
35461
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