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The frozen seas
are worlds unto themselves.
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00:00:50,508 --> 00:00:53,178
Beneath their ceiling of ice,
4
00:00:53,344 --> 00:00:56,473
they have an eerie,
almost magical stillness,
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00:00:56,639 --> 00:00:59,684
cut off from the storms
that rage above.
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00:01:03,938 --> 00:01:08,318
In the winter, the feeble slanting
rays of the sun bring little warmth
7
00:01:08,485 --> 00:01:13,156
and the temperature seldom rises
above minus 50 degrees Centigrade.
8
00:01:13,323 --> 00:01:15,408
(HOWLING, WHISTLING WIND)
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00:01:27,170 --> 00:01:31,132
For much of the year,
it is dark and cripplingly cold.
10
00:01:31,299 --> 00:01:34,719
Yet, there IS life here
at BOTH ends of the earth -
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00:01:34,886 --> 00:01:38,348
the Arctic and the Antarctic.
12
00:01:48,399 --> 00:01:52,028
For most animals, whether
they live in or out of water,
13
00:01:52,195 --> 00:01:55,156
the winters,
when much of the sea is frozen,
14
00:01:55,323 --> 00:01:57,283
bring the greatest challenge.
15
00:02:01,246 --> 00:02:03,331
The northern hemisphere.
16
00:02:03,498 --> 00:02:05,041
It's February,
17
00:02:05,208 --> 00:02:07,543
and as the earth tilts on its axis,
18
00:02:07,710 --> 00:02:10,338
the sun's rays
creep slowly northwards
19
00:02:10,505 --> 00:02:13,549
and the Arctic emerges
from its harsh winter.
20
00:02:17,262 --> 00:02:21,099
The Arctic is a frozen ocean
surrounded by continents,
21
00:02:21,266 --> 00:02:24,686
and when the surface of the sea
between the continents
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00:02:24,852 --> 00:02:26,688
freezes from shore to shore,
23
00:02:26,854 --> 00:02:29,357
land predators walk out onto it
24
00:02:29,524 --> 00:02:31,025
to hunt.
25
00:02:36,614 --> 00:02:38,700
It's early March,
26
00:02:38,866 --> 00:02:41,494
and the sea is still covered
with ice...
27
00:02:42,161 --> 00:02:45,289
But there are patches
of open water - polynyas -
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00:02:45,456 --> 00:02:47,166
that never freeze over.
29
00:02:47,333 --> 00:02:51,754
Here, where tidal currents
are squeezed between islands,
30
00:02:51,921 --> 00:02:55,758
the water movement is so strong
that ice cannot form.
31
00:03:01,222 --> 00:03:04,350
Walruses spend the winter
in polynyas.
32
00:03:05,435 --> 00:03:08,312
Here they have permanent access
to the air,
33
00:03:08,479 --> 00:03:12,567
but they can also retreat
to the sea to shelter, to hunt.
34
00:03:26,330 --> 00:03:30,460
Other sea mammals overwinter
in polynyas as well - in this one,
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00:03:30,626 --> 00:03:32,712
a young bowhead whale.
36
00:03:42,722 --> 00:03:44,891
Here, the current is really fast
37
00:03:45,057 --> 00:03:47,143
and the shifting ice is dangerous.
38
00:03:52,815 --> 00:03:54,901
This whale became trapped
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00:03:55,067 --> 00:03:57,779
when ice encircled it last autumn.
40
00:04:04,994 --> 00:04:07,079
There is no food here,
41
00:04:07,246 --> 00:04:09,582
but a whale must breathe,
42
00:04:09,749 --> 00:04:14,837
and the only place it can do so
for miles around is in this tiny hole.
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00:04:18,132 --> 00:04:21,093
It's living entirely
on its reserves of fat,
44
00:04:21,260 --> 00:04:23,763
but now, they're dangerously low.
45
00:04:23,930 --> 00:04:27,058
It will be some months yet
before it can escape.
46
00:04:41,280 --> 00:04:44,575
Elsewhere, other whales
have also been trapped.
47
00:04:44,742 --> 00:04:46,536
These are belugas.
48
00:04:46,702 --> 00:04:48,788
Their tiny hole in the ice
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00:04:48,955 --> 00:04:51,290
has been kept open not by currents,
50
00:04:51,457 --> 00:04:54,293
but by the belugas'
continuous movements
51
00:04:54,460 --> 00:04:56,254
as they rise to breathe.
52
00:05:02,051 --> 00:05:05,221
Open water is now
some 20 miles away.
53
00:05:05,763 --> 00:05:09,016
It will be two months yet
before the ice melts.
54
00:05:21,487 --> 00:05:23,823
The belugas are extremely thin
55
00:05:23,990 --> 00:05:26,701
and most of them
are horribly scarred.
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00:05:36,043 --> 00:05:39,380
But their wounds
were not inflicted by the ice.
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00:05:48,931 --> 00:05:52,685
A whale would be a huge prize
for any meat-eating hunter,
58
00:05:52,852 --> 00:05:55,521
and these belugas,
trapped by the ice,
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00:05:55,688 --> 00:05:57,815
are within reach of polar bears.
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00:06:11,454 --> 00:06:13,497
Well aware of the danger,
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00:06:13,664 --> 00:06:17,126
the belugas stay submerged
as long as they can,
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00:06:17,293 --> 00:06:21,047
but they can only hold their breath
for about 20 minutes.
63
00:06:40,691 --> 00:06:44,528
Catching a four-metre-long whale
that weighs one tonne
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00:06:44,695 --> 00:06:46,280
is no easy task,
65
00:06:46,447 --> 00:06:50,284
even if that whale
is weakened by starvation.
66
00:07:02,004 --> 00:07:05,549
But a beluga
is well worth waiting for.
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00:07:29,573 --> 00:07:31,867
Day by day,
as the hole gets bigger,
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00:07:32,034 --> 00:07:36,288
it becomes increasingly difficult
for the bear to land a whale.
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00:07:40,125 --> 00:07:43,587
Keeping its fur in good condition
and free from salt
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00:07:43,754 --> 00:07:45,631
is important for warmth,
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00:07:45,798 --> 00:07:48,884
and the bear uses snow
like blotting paper.
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00:08:00,771 --> 00:08:03,774
These belugas have been attacked
by many bears
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00:08:03,941 --> 00:08:05,609
over the last six months,
74
00:08:05,776 --> 00:08:07,861
and some have been caught.
75
00:08:11,156 --> 00:08:14,451
It may have taken a long time
and a lot of patience,
76
00:08:14,618 --> 00:08:18,414
but a catch when it's made
brings abundant rewards
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00:08:18,581 --> 00:08:20,374
of energy-rich blubber.
78
00:08:31,427 --> 00:08:35,097
Gulls rely on bear kills
at this time of the year,
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00:08:35,264 --> 00:08:37,891
and the colour of blood
staining the ice
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00:08:38,058 --> 00:08:40,394
attracts them from a long way away.
81
00:08:44,481 --> 00:08:47,443
The remaining belugas
still have a long wait
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00:08:47,609 --> 00:08:50,487
before they're released
from their prison
83
00:08:50,654 --> 00:08:52,614
and the threat of slaughter.
84
00:09:21,268 --> 00:09:24,104
Arctic foxes
also rely on the polar bears
85
00:09:24,271 --> 00:09:26,273
to hunt on their behalf.
86
00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:28,817
They're the jackals of the north,
87
00:09:28,984 --> 00:09:32,488
and scavenge from bear kills
whenever they can.
88
00:09:40,996 --> 00:09:43,082
In winter and early spring,
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00:09:43,248 --> 00:09:45,959
they're wholly dependent on bears.
90
00:09:46,126 --> 00:09:48,921
Only in the summer,
when the sea ice melts,
91
00:09:49,088 --> 00:09:52,299
will they regularly catch prey
for themselves.
92
00:09:59,598 --> 00:10:02,851
They're not strong enough
to tackle adult seals,
93
00:10:03,018 --> 00:10:06,688
but can certainly take
new-born pups or birds.
94
00:10:20,702 --> 00:10:22,412
This canny individual
95
00:10:22,579 --> 00:10:24,665
is going to bury its prize.
96
00:10:24,832 --> 00:10:28,043
It may need it
during the uncertain times ahead.
97
00:10:31,797 --> 00:10:33,549
The presence of bears
98
00:10:33,715 --> 00:10:38,303
affects the behaviour of almost all
the animals here, big and small.
99
00:10:38,470 --> 00:10:41,932
The bears tend to avoid
the fringe of fragmented ice
100
00:10:42,099 --> 00:10:43,892
bordering open water
101
00:10:44,059 --> 00:10:46,770
where travelling
can be very laborious,
102
00:10:46,937 --> 00:10:50,148
but that very fact
makes this area - the pack ice -
103
00:10:50,315 --> 00:10:52,276
a particularly good place
104
00:10:52,442 --> 00:10:54,361
for seals to pup.
105
00:11:03,078 --> 00:11:04,788
Harp seals breed here.
106
00:11:04,955 --> 00:11:07,374
Their pups are born with white coats
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00:11:07,541 --> 00:11:11,461
which camouflage them
very effectively against the snow.
108
00:11:13,630 --> 00:11:16,592
Harp seals have
a very short nursing period -
109
00:11:16,758 --> 00:11:19,511
a necessity
on this unstable pack ice -
110
00:11:19,678 --> 00:11:22,556
but suckling is intensive.
111
00:11:22,723 --> 00:11:25,559
The pup feeds for just 12 days
112
00:11:25,726 --> 00:11:27,978
on milk that is 45 per cent fat.
113
00:11:28,145 --> 00:11:30,772
Then it's abandoned
114
00:11:30,939 --> 00:11:33,025
and has to fend for itself.
115
00:11:36,445 --> 00:11:37,988
A male hooded seal.
116
00:11:42,868 --> 00:11:44,953
This impressive nasal display
117
00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:48,206
is used to warn away other males...
118
00:11:54,880 --> 00:11:56,340
and to win a mate.
119
00:11:57,382 --> 00:11:59,801
Hooded seals also breed
on pack ice.
120
00:12:00,052 --> 00:12:02,554
Their pups suckle
for only four days,
121
00:12:02,721 --> 00:12:06,099
the shortest nursing period
known for any mammal,
122
00:12:06,266 --> 00:12:09,770
and all because
the threat of polar bears
123
00:12:09,936 --> 00:12:12,981
caused them to breed
on the unstable ice.
124
00:12:28,955 --> 00:12:33,418
Another Arctic seal opts
for the solid ice further north.
125
00:12:34,336 --> 00:12:37,047
Because it's easy for bears
to hunt here,
126
00:12:37,214 --> 00:12:40,592
these ringed seals
must be particularly vigilant
127
00:12:40,759 --> 00:12:42,844
and have to hide their pups.
128
00:12:46,848 --> 00:12:49,476
Ringed seals
are comparatively small,
129
00:12:49,643 --> 00:12:51,978
so they can give birth
to their pups
130
00:12:52,145 --> 00:12:54,773
in little caves or lairs
under the snow.
131
00:12:55,690 --> 00:12:57,526
Here, a pup is out of sight
132
00:12:57,692 --> 00:12:59,861
and protected from bad weather.
133
00:13:04,449 --> 00:13:06,535
In late March and into April,
134
00:13:06,701 --> 00:13:10,747
female bears emerge from
winter dens with their new cubs.
135
00:13:12,999 --> 00:13:16,211
The mother has not eaten
for at least five months
136
00:13:16,378 --> 00:13:18,588
and she's hungry - very hungry.
137
00:13:26,721 --> 00:13:30,684
If she doesn't succeed in catching
a regular supply of seals,
138
00:13:30,851 --> 00:13:32,310
her milk will fail
139
00:13:32,477 --> 00:13:34,271
and her cub will die.
140
00:13:40,694 --> 00:13:44,447
Bears have an extraordinarily
sensitive sense of smell
141
00:13:44,614 --> 00:13:47,534
and can detect seal pups
hidden in the snow
142
00:13:47,701 --> 00:13:49,661
from two kilometres away.
143
00:14:02,048 --> 00:14:05,427
But a female ringed seal
uses several lairs
144
00:14:05,594 --> 00:14:08,305
and a bear will have
to break into a number
145
00:14:08,471 --> 00:14:11,641
before it finds one
that is occupied.
146
00:14:21,234 --> 00:14:23,486
This is a crucial time for the cub.
147
00:14:23,653 --> 00:14:25,739
By watching its mother hunt
148
00:14:25,906 --> 00:14:30,493
and by copying her actions, it's
beginning to acquire the rudiments
149
00:14:30,660 --> 00:14:32,746
of its own hunting skills.
150
00:14:37,083 --> 00:14:40,211
Play is also important
for developing muscles
151
00:14:40,378 --> 00:14:42,380
and improving co-ordination.
152
00:15:02,734 --> 00:15:04,277
As the days go by,
153
00:15:04,444 --> 00:15:08,531
the sun rises higher and remains
above the horizon even at night.
154
00:15:17,874 --> 00:15:20,669
The female bear continues to hunt
155
00:15:20,835 --> 00:15:23,922
until her cub is too tired
and can't keep up.
156
00:15:29,803 --> 00:15:31,680
She's smelt something.
157
00:15:55,453 --> 00:15:58,581
The pup escapes
through a hole in its lair
158
00:15:58,748 --> 00:16:00,834
that leads to the sea below.
159
00:16:24,941 --> 00:16:27,902
Only one in 20 hunts is successful,
160
00:16:28,194 --> 00:16:30,822
but this mother
must find a seal pup soon
161
00:16:30,989 --> 00:16:33,616
if her cub is not
to starve to death.
162
00:16:51,217 --> 00:16:56,222
As spring turns into summer, the sun's
heat begins to melt the sea ice.
163
00:17:00,602 --> 00:17:02,562
Now, the ocean is accessible
164
00:17:02,729 --> 00:17:05,815
and the Arctic's summer visitors
return.
165
00:17:05,982 --> 00:17:07,483
Migrating birds
166
00:17:07,650 --> 00:17:09,235
arrive from the south
167
00:17:09,402 --> 00:17:13,114
to nest and feed on the seafood
now within their reach.
168
00:17:13,281 --> 00:17:14,908
Brunnich's guillemots
169
00:17:15,074 --> 00:17:17,869
are the northern equivalent
of penguins,
170
00:17:18,036 --> 00:17:20,830
but they have retained
the power of flight
171
00:17:20,997 --> 00:17:23,666
for they need to reach cliff ledges
172
00:17:23,833 --> 00:17:28,004
where their nests will be safe
from predatory bears and foxes.
173
00:17:45,104 --> 00:17:49,192
Nonetheless, they are as at home
in the water as in the air.
174
00:17:50,985 --> 00:17:53,905
They dive down
to a depth of 50 metres or more
175
00:17:54,072 --> 00:17:55,573
to catch fish.
176
00:18:05,124 --> 00:18:07,752
In June, the ice begins to fracture.
177
00:18:07,919 --> 00:18:10,004
The cracks - or leads -
178
00:18:10,171 --> 00:18:12,590
form useful corridors of open water
179
00:18:12,757 --> 00:18:14,842
for air-breathing animals.
180
00:18:19,055 --> 00:18:22,183
Belugas, migrating
to their feeding grounds,
181
00:18:22,350 --> 00:18:26,521
use these leads to penetrate
the ice-covered seas and reach areas
182
00:18:26,688 --> 00:18:30,858
where their preferred food,
Arctic cod, has spent the winter.
183
00:18:37,865 --> 00:18:42,787
The males regularly dive
to about 500 metres to find fish.
184
00:18:43,079 --> 00:18:46,666
The females and young,
which have smaller lungs,
185
00:18:46,833 --> 00:18:49,460
only go to about 350.
186
00:19:01,848 --> 00:19:05,601
In late June and July,
narwhals arrive.
187
00:19:07,270 --> 00:19:10,189
The females,
who usually lack tusks,
188
00:19:10,356 --> 00:19:12,608
come first with their new calves.
189
00:19:12,775 --> 00:19:14,902
The males follow a little later.
190
00:19:28,875 --> 00:19:31,169
They also move up the leads
191
00:19:31,335 --> 00:19:33,754
in search of fresh feeding grounds.
192
00:19:45,850 --> 00:19:48,269
Bowheads. Up to 18 metres long
193
00:19:48,436 --> 00:19:50,480
and weighing 100 tonnes.
194
00:19:51,397 --> 00:19:53,483
These are the only large whales
195
00:19:53,649 --> 00:19:56,194
that stay in the Arctic
all year round.
196
00:20:12,752 --> 00:20:14,545
They are not after fish.
197
00:20:14,712 --> 00:20:17,131
They're seeking smaller prey.
198
00:20:18,382 --> 00:20:22,220
Despite having the largest mouths
in the animal kingdom -
199
00:20:22,386 --> 00:20:24,472
the size of a small garage -
200
00:20:24,639 --> 00:20:27,183
they eat tiny crustaceans -
copepods -
201
00:20:27,725 --> 00:20:29,810
straining them from the water
202
00:20:29,977 --> 00:20:32,772
with the four-metre-long strips
of baleen
203
00:20:32,939 --> 00:20:35,107
that hang from their upper jaws.
204
00:20:43,699 --> 00:20:46,327
In the summer,
they store enough energy
205
00:20:46,494 --> 00:20:49,288
to last them
through the following winter
206
00:20:49,455 --> 00:20:51,624
when food will be less abundant.
207
00:20:54,126 --> 00:20:55,920
As the ice melts away,
208
00:20:56,087 --> 00:20:58,965
the polar bears are forced
to head for land.
209
00:21:01,509 --> 00:21:03,594
They are excellent swimmers,
210
00:21:03,761 --> 00:21:08,099
and can cover 100 miles
of continuous open water if need be.
211
00:21:45,428 --> 00:21:47,513
Off east Greenland,
212
00:21:47,680 --> 00:21:51,392
there is little ice left by August,
so walruses haul out
213
00:21:51,559 --> 00:21:53,352
to rest on land.
214
00:21:53,519 --> 00:21:56,021
At this time of year,
they are moulting,
215
00:21:56,188 --> 00:22:00,276
getting rid of their old,
scarred, parasite-ridden skin.
216
00:22:11,162 --> 00:22:15,291
A bathe in cold water brings
some relief from the itching...
217
00:22:34,268 --> 00:22:36,353
but even there,
218
00:22:36,520 --> 00:22:39,190
the odd scratch is irresistible.
219
00:22:58,751 --> 00:23:02,338
They make daily excursions
out to deeper water.
220
00:23:12,890 --> 00:23:14,475
Down at 20 metres,
221
00:23:14,642 --> 00:23:16,894
they root around in the sediment,
222
00:23:17,061 --> 00:23:19,230
using their sensitive bristles
223
00:23:19,396 --> 00:23:21,732
to search out soft-shelled clams.
224
00:23:41,502 --> 00:23:43,379
Once they find a clam,
225
00:23:43,545 --> 00:23:45,798
they suck its flesh from the shell
226
00:23:45,965 --> 00:23:48,592
with their powerful,
muscular mouths.
227
00:23:51,971 --> 00:23:55,474
Walruses can feed for
about five minutes at this depth
228
00:23:55,641 --> 00:23:59,186
before they have to return
to the surface to breathe.
229
00:24:06,819 --> 00:24:11,323
Elsewhere in the Arctic, belugas are
gathering in their thousands.
230
00:24:11,490 --> 00:24:15,202
They congregate
in just a few large estuaries.
231
00:24:17,997 --> 00:24:21,125
Belugas of all ages and sizes
come here.
232
00:24:21,625 --> 00:24:23,794
There are even young calves.
233
00:24:36,098 --> 00:24:37,683
Some are so young -
234
00:24:37,850 --> 00:24:39,935
born only a week or so ago -
235
00:24:40,102 --> 00:24:41,770
that they need help.
236
00:24:41,937 --> 00:24:44,189
They swim on their mothers' backs
237
00:24:44,356 --> 00:24:46,859
so that they can breathe
more easily.
238
00:24:57,995 --> 00:25:00,330
As the tide moves up the estuary,
239
00:25:00,497 --> 00:25:02,082
the belugas follow,
240
00:25:02,249 --> 00:25:05,210
swimming into surprisingly
shallow water.
241
00:25:12,676 --> 00:25:14,219
Like walruses,
242
00:25:14,386 --> 00:25:16,346
they also need to moult.
243
00:25:24,730 --> 00:25:27,065
A combination of warm fresh water
244
00:25:27,232 --> 00:25:31,195
and vigorous rubbing
against the gravel does the trick.
245
00:25:42,831 --> 00:25:44,708
They remain here for days
246
00:25:44,875 --> 00:25:46,418
or even weeks,
247
00:25:46,585 --> 00:25:49,087
so it's likely that socialising
248
00:25:49,254 --> 00:25:51,381
is also important to them.
249
00:25:57,471 --> 00:26:01,350
After moulting,
they head back out to sea to feed.
250
00:26:07,481 --> 00:26:09,066
It's now autumn,
251
00:26:09,233 --> 00:26:12,402
and the sea begins
to freeze over once again.
252
00:26:18,325 --> 00:26:20,911
Thin sheets of ice form
at the surface
253
00:26:21,078 --> 00:26:23,038
and pile up, layer upon layer,
254
00:26:23,205 --> 00:26:26,333
gradually creating
an impenetrable barrier.
255
00:26:35,008 --> 00:26:40,889
By late November, the Arctic ocean
is sealed once again by ice.
256
00:26:55,654 --> 00:26:57,781
The lights of the aurora
257
00:26:57,948 --> 00:26:59,992
play in the winter sky.
258
00:27:11,044 --> 00:27:14,506
And at the other end
of the planet - in the Antarctic -
259
00:27:14,673 --> 00:27:16,758
there is the southern aurora.
260
00:27:32,858 --> 00:27:35,569
Antarctica is now
emerging from winter.
261
00:27:36,486 --> 00:27:39,781
This is the coldest,
windiest place in the world.
262
00:27:39,948 --> 00:27:43,952
Temperatures are still hovering
at a numbing minus 50,
263
00:27:44,119 --> 00:27:47,247
and the returning sun
has virtually no warmth.
264
00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:52,294
Very few animals can survive
such extreme conditions...
265
00:27:53,837 --> 00:27:56,923
but Emperor penguins can.
266
00:27:57,090 --> 00:27:59,176
(HOWLING, ROARING WIND)
267
00:28:02,929 --> 00:28:05,015
Standing on the frozen sea,
268
00:28:05,182 --> 00:28:08,643
they endure the full force
of the Antarctic storms.
269
00:28:18,028 --> 00:28:20,155
Only by huddling together
270
00:28:20,322 --> 00:28:23,742
can they survive
the appalling winter months.
271
00:28:29,790 --> 00:28:34,044
They take it in turns
to bear the brunt of the gales.
272
00:28:36,046 --> 00:28:38,131
They can only live here at all
273
00:28:38,298 --> 00:28:42,469
because Antarctica is surrounded
by the great Southern Ocean
274
00:28:42,636 --> 00:28:45,680
and no land predators
have been able to reach it,
275
00:28:45,847 --> 00:28:47,933
so, unlike Arctic animals,
276
00:28:48,099 --> 00:28:50,811
they're not threatened
by polar bears.
277
00:28:54,314 --> 00:28:56,107
The sea is still frozen,
278
00:28:56,274 --> 00:28:59,653
but one seal, nonetheless,
manages to stay here,
279
00:28:59,861 --> 00:29:03,198
even throughout the winter -
280
00:29:06,409 --> 00:29:08,036
the Weddell seal.
281
00:29:23,093 --> 00:29:26,972
Underwater, it's protected
from the storms above,
282
00:29:27,138 --> 00:29:29,850
but it must have access
to the air all year
283
00:29:30,016 --> 00:29:31,977
in order to breathe.
284
00:29:43,321 --> 00:29:46,449
And they keep
their breathing holes open
285
00:29:46,616 --> 00:29:48,285
with their teeth.
286
00:29:58,962 --> 00:30:01,923
Only by continually
scraping away at the ice
287
00:30:02,090 --> 00:30:04,551
can they maintain access
to the air,
288
00:30:04,718 --> 00:30:08,179
but that means that their teeth
get badly worn down.
289
00:30:08,513 --> 00:30:12,058
Then, they can no longer hunt
and eat effectively.
290
00:30:12,225 --> 00:30:14,894
Weddell seals die young.
291
00:30:23,945 --> 00:30:26,323
The continent of Antarctica
292
00:30:26,489 --> 00:30:28,575
is so isolated and so high -
293
00:30:28,742 --> 00:30:31,328
almost 5,000 metres in places -
294
00:30:31,494 --> 00:30:34,706
that it's considerably colder
than the Arctic.
295
00:30:37,542 --> 00:30:41,004
Ice slides slowly down
from its centre
296
00:30:41,171 --> 00:30:43,673
towards its rim
in immense glaciers.
297
00:30:46,301 --> 00:30:50,388
During winter, the continent
effectively doubles in size
298
00:30:50,555 --> 00:30:52,223
as the sea freezes over.
299
00:30:52,390 --> 00:30:55,101
Ice forms around its shores
300
00:30:55,268 --> 00:30:58,146
and extends outwards
for hundreds of miles
301
00:30:58,313 --> 00:31:00,398
around the entire land mass.
302
00:31:06,279 --> 00:31:10,367
Under the sea ice live small
shrimp-like creatures - krill.
303
00:31:10,533 --> 00:31:13,620
They have been here all winter.
304
00:31:15,914 --> 00:31:18,208
During these dark months,
305
00:31:18,374 --> 00:31:21,419
they feed by scraping algae
from the ice.
306
00:31:24,255 --> 00:31:26,758
Remarkably, they also shrink in size
307
00:31:26,925 --> 00:31:30,220
and revert to their juvenile form
to save energy.
308
00:31:37,727 --> 00:31:40,396
As the temperature rises in spring,
309
00:31:40,563 --> 00:31:42,398
the ice begins to melt,
310
00:31:42,565 --> 00:31:46,111
and little air bubbles
trapped within it are released.
311
00:31:46,277 --> 00:31:49,197
Microscopic algae grow
around these bubbles
312
00:31:49,364 --> 00:31:51,449
and the krill now graze on them,
313
00:31:51,616 --> 00:31:54,577
gathering them up
with their beating legs.
314
00:32:11,636 --> 00:32:13,721
As the sun's rays grow stronger
315
00:32:13,888 --> 00:32:16,558
and penetrate deeper
into the water,
316
00:32:16,724 --> 00:32:19,143
floating algae begin to flourish,
317
00:32:20,228 --> 00:32:22,480
and krill leave the dwindling ice
318
00:32:22,897 --> 00:32:24,774
and gather in swarms
319
00:32:24,941 --> 00:32:27,026
as they harvest this new crop.
320
00:32:37,203 --> 00:32:38,746
Far to the north,
321
00:32:38,913 --> 00:32:40,999
beyond the blanket of sea ice,
322
00:32:41,165 --> 00:32:42,750
chinstrap penguins
323
00:32:42,917 --> 00:32:45,879
have been overwintering
in the open ocean.
324
00:32:53,344 --> 00:32:55,430
The occasional iceberg
325
00:32:55,597 --> 00:32:57,765
gives them the chance of a rest -
326
00:32:57,932 --> 00:33:00,018
if they can get onto it.
327
00:33:29,756 --> 00:33:33,134
But at this time of year,
where they really want to be
328
00:33:33,301 --> 00:33:34,761
is on land.
329
00:33:34,927 --> 00:33:38,514
It's just getting there
that's tricky.
330
00:33:56,908 --> 00:34:00,912
It's spring, and the penguins
are returning to breed.
331
00:34:07,877 --> 00:34:11,672
Their need to get ashore
is now urgent and imperative.
332
00:34:25,311 --> 00:34:27,980
Doing so is all a matter of timing,
333
00:34:28,147 --> 00:34:30,233
and picking the right wave.
334
00:35:19,240 --> 00:35:21,784
But their journey
has only just begun.
335
00:35:22,368 --> 00:35:24,996
Most of them will have to walk
many miles
336
00:35:25,163 --> 00:35:27,498
before they can find a nest site.
337
00:35:36,924 --> 00:35:39,427
(TREMENDOUS DIN)
338
00:35:43,139 --> 00:35:45,349
This is Zavodovski Island,
339
00:35:45,516 --> 00:35:48,895
which has the largest
penguin colony in the world.
340
00:35:50,229 --> 00:35:53,024
About two million chinstraps
breed here,
341
00:35:53,190 --> 00:35:56,444
and they come to THIS island
for a good reason.
342
00:36:02,241 --> 00:36:04,327
It's an active volcano.
343
00:36:04,493 --> 00:36:07,788
The heat from the crater
and the fumeroles
344
00:36:07,955 --> 00:36:10,833
keeps the slopes
free from the ice and snow,
345
00:36:11,000 --> 00:36:14,754
allowing these chinstraps
to start breeding earlier
346
00:36:14,921 --> 00:36:16,797
than those further south.
347
00:36:19,508 --> 00:36:21,052
But then again,
348
00:36:21,218 --> 00:36:25,097
living on an active volcano
is not without its risks.
349
00:36:26,974 --> 00:36:28,559
Unlike the Emperors,
350
00:36:28,726 --> 00:36:32,521
these penguins are able to lay
their eggs on the bare ground.
351
00:36:32,688 --> 00:36:36,651
Little wonder so many choose
to brave the mountainous waves
352
00:36:36,817 --> 00:36:38,361
in order to get here.
353
00:36:45,201 --> 00:36:47,620
Further south, near the continent,
354
00:36:47,787 --> 00:36:50,915
the blanket of sea ice
is beginning to break up.
355
00:36:55,836 --> 00:36:58,464
Icebergs are gigantic fragments
of ice
356
00:36:58,631 --> 00:37:02,718
that have broken away into the sea
from the front of glaciers.
357
00:37:02,885 --> 00:37:06,430
During the winter,
they were frozen into the sea ice,
358
00:37:06,597 --> 00:37:08,974
but now they're set adrift
once more.
359
00:37:48,556 --> 00:37:50,307
As the bergs break up,
360
00:37:50,474 --> 00:37:52,476
they form brash ice.
361
00:37:53,477 --> 00:37:57,189
It litters the backwaters
of the Antarctic peninsula.
362
00:38:17,293 --> 00:38:21,881
Minke whales make their way
into these placid waters in summer.
363
00:38:22,047 --> 00:38:25,801
This is the most abundant whale
in the Southern Ocean.
364
00:38:37,479 --> 00:38:41,525
Minkes are one of the smallest
of all the baleen whales,
365
00:38:41,692 --> 00:38:44,737
and like all others,
they come here to feed.
366
00:38:58,167 --> 00:39:00,252
The majestic humpback whales
367
00:39:00,419 --> 00:39:02,296
are also summer visitors.
368
00:39:11,347 --> 00:39:13,891
They have travelled
thousands of miles
369
00:39:14,058 --> 00:39:17,436
from their winter breeding grounds
in the tropics
370
00:39:17,603 --> 00:39:21,440
to gather the food that becomes
available here in summer.
371
00:39:37,247 --> 00:39:38,916
In just four months,
372
00:39:39,083 --> 00:39:41,168
they accumulate enough fat
373
00:39:41,335 --> 00:39:45,464
to provide them with energy for
the whole of the rest of the year.
374
00:40:03,732 --> 00:40:07,444
All these animals have come here
in search of one thing -
375
00:40:07,611 --> 00:40:09,154
the krill.
376
00:40:10,364 --> 00:40:12,449
Krill is the mainstay
377
00:40:12,616 --> 00:40:14,702
of the Antarctic food web.
378
00:40:22,960 --> 00:40:25,254
It occurs in phenomenal quantity -
379
00:40:25,421 --> 00:40:28,382
billions of individuals
in a single swarm,
380
00:40:28,924 --> 00:40:31,260
and swarms can stretch for miles.
381
00:40:36,557 --> 00:40:40,978
Fur seals also collect
this rich, super-abundant food.
382
00:40:42,020 --> 00:40:44,106
Krill swarms are very patchy,
383
00:40:44,273 --> 00:40:45,816
but once found,
384
00:40:45,983 --> 00:40:47,526
feeding is easy.
385
00:41:14,928 --> 00:41:19,016
Humpbacks engulf
hundreds of thousands of them
386
00:41:19,183 --> 00:41:21,768
in a single gargantuan mouthful.
387
00:41:33,739 --> 00:41:35,282
When the going is good,
388
00:41:35,449 --> 00:41:37,409
the whales feed continuously,
389
00:41:37,576 --> 00:41:40,078
each eating
up to two tonnes of krill
390
00:41:40,245 --> 00:41:41,872
in 24 hours.
391
00:41:46,210 --> 00:41:49,880
Further south, near the continent,
the sea ice is still sound.
392
00:41:50,047 --> 00:41:53,425
Here, where the ice remains
for most of the summer,
393
00:41:53,592 --> 00:41:55,928
Emperor penguins make their home.
394
00:41:57,095 --> 00:41:59,681
These have been feeding out at sea,
395
00:41:59,848 --> 00:42:03,310
and are now ready to make
their way back to the colony
396
00:42:03,477 --> 00:42:05,187
to feed their chicks.
397
00:42:07,439 --> 00:42:11,109
Instead of heading
straight for the ice edge,
398
00:42:11,276 --> 00:42:14,321
the penguins hesitate
some distance from it.
399
00:42:15,197 --> 00:42:16,740
They're nervous.
400
00:42:29,294 --> 00:42:30,879
They dive down
401
00:42:31,046 --> 00:42:33,674
and investigate the ice edge...
402
00:42:48,814 --> 00:42:50,565
And for good reason.
403
00:42:50,732 --> 00:42:53,735
Leopard seals patrol this border.
404
00:43:02,160 --> 00:43:06,790
Leopard seals are the Antarctic's
equivalent of polar bears.
405
00:43:06,957 --> 00:43:08,834
They're the top predators,
406
00:43:09,001 --> 00:43:12,045
but they hunt most successfully
in the water,
407
00:43:12,212 --> 00:43:13,797
so by and large,
408
00:43:13,964 --> 00:43:17,175
the animals they prey on
are safer out on the ice.
409
00:43:24,266 --> 00:43:28,979
They have a lazy grace
that belies their ferocious nature.
410
00:43:43,744 --> 00:43:46,079
Confident that the coast is clear,
411
00:43:46,246 --> 00:43:48,957
the Emperor penguins
head for the ice...
412
00:43:51,042 --> 00:43:53,295
but they certainly don't linger.
413
00:44:35,253 --> 00:44:39,466
Now they have a long walk back
to the colony.
414
00:44:44,554 --> 00:44:48,642
Emperor penguin colonies are
some way back from the ice edge.
415
00:44:49,518 --> 00:44:53,146
In winter, they may be
as much as 100 miles from it,
416
00:44:53,313 --> 00:44:56,441
but as the summer progresses
and the ice melts,
417
00:44:56,608 --> 00:44:59,319
the edge comes ever closer
to the colony.
418
00:44:59,486 --> 00:45:02,072
So by the time the chicks
are fledged
419
00:45:02,239 --> 00:45:04,574
and ready to take their first swim,
420
00:45:04,741 --> 00:45:06,284
the water is close by.
421
00:45:14,626 --> 00:45:17,712
This colony is in the lee
of a headland,
422
00:45:17,879 --> 00:45:20,924
and that prevents the ice
from being broken up
423
00:45:21,091 --> 00:45:22,717
by ocean currents.
424
00:45:23,218 --> 00:45:25,887
The returning adults
are so full of food
425
00:45:26,054 --> 00:45:27,847
that they can barely walk,
426
00:45:28,014 --> 00:45:30,850
but with no predator
to threaten them now,
427
00:45:31,017 --> 00:45:33,103
they can take their time.
428
00:45:42,404 --> 00:45:46,449
Somehow, in this mêlée
of 60,000 or so penguins,
429
00:45:46,616 --> 00:45:48,910
a parent has to find its chick.
430
00:45:59,337 --> 00:46:02,757
It returns to the place
where it last left its chick
431
00:46:02,924 --> 00:46:05,927
in the hope
that it might still be close by...
432
00:46:08,471 --> 00:46:11,099
but chicks tend to wander,
433
00:46:11,266 --> 00:46:13,810
so the adult has to call to it.
434
00:46:16,396 --> 00:46:19,024
(ADULT MAKES LOW TRILLING CALL)
435
00:46:22,318 --> 00:46:24,571
(CHICK MAKES HIGH-PITCHED PEEP)
436
00:46:28,700 --> 00:46:30,285
The chick responds,
437
00:46:30,452 --> 00:46:32,871
and they slowly
home in on one another.
438
00:46:33,038 --> 00:46:35,540
The plaintive entreaties
of the chick
439
00:46:35,707 --> 00:46:39,544
stimulates the adult
to regurgitate a mouthful of fish.
440
00:46:50,555 --> 00:46:52,640
With the return of one parent,
441
00:46:52,807 --> 00:46:55,852
the other is free to go to sea
to feed for itself.
442
00:47:11,701 --> 00:47:14,204
Aware of the leopard seal's
presence,
443
00:47:14,370 --> 00:47:17,582
the penguins press together
at the ice edge
444
00:47:17,749 --> 00:47:21,002
unwilling to be the first
to risk diving in.
445
00:47:37,310 --> 00:47:40,480
Occasionally,
the seal comes out onto the ice
446
00:47:40,647 --> 00:47:42,732
and attempts to grab one...
447
00:47:58,164 --> 00:48:01,376
But its most successful strategy
by far
448
00:48:01,543 --> 00:48:03,086
is to lie in wait.
449
00:48:10,885 --> 00:48:13,429
It hides behind a corner of ice.
450
00:48:16,516 --> 00:48:18,601
The Emperors gain confidence
451
00:48:18,768 --> 00:48:20,353
and make a dash for it.
452
00:48:32,657 --> 00:48:35,368
The first wave of penguins escape.
453
00:48:38,204 --> 00:48:40,707
Once in open water,
they will be safe.
454
00:48:45,878 --> 00:48:48,214
But the seal is alerted
by the noise,
455
00:48:48,381 --> 00:48:51,759
and through the mass of bubbles,
it makes its attack.
456
00:49:02,812 --> 00:49:05,773
Almost invariably, it makes a kill.
457
00:49:13,406 --> 00:49:15,950
Encouraged by the absence
of the seal,
458
00:49:16,117 --> 00:49:19,746
the remaining penguins
make a break for the open sea.
459
00:49:39,974 --> 00:49:42,351
In time, their chicks will fledge,
460
00:49:42,518 --> 00:49:45,563
and when the Antarctic autumn
is near its end,
461
00:49:45,730 --> 00:49:49,108
these adults will walk
across the newly-formed ice
462
00:49:49,275 --> 00:49:51,360
to endure yet another winter
463
00:49:51,527 --> 00:49:53,863
on the frozen sea.
464
00:49:55,698 --> 00:49:59,869
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