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Penguins - behind their feisty charm

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lies an amazing character.

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These cheeky birds
have to bring up their chicks

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against the most extraordinary odds.

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Spycams discover

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just how special they really are.

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From the freezing Antarctic...

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..to the scorching tropics...

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..this is the story of
Nature's most devoted parents,

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filmed as never before.

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It's late spring in the Antarctic.

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Like all our chicks,
the emperors are growing up,

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having been born and raised
in some of

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the most extreme conditions
on Earth.

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Since they were born
two months ago,

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they have depended on their
devoted parents for everything.

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But soon, they will have to start
fending more for themselves.

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In just three months, they will take
the biggest steps in their lives

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and make the long journey
to the sea.

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Only then will they truly learn

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how to become adult penguins.

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Chickcam provides
a chick's-eye view,

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as they start to become
more independent.

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Already, they are spending more time
away from their parents

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and huddling together
for both comfort and company.

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But when you're the smallest,

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it's always difficult
to join the big kids' club.

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This chick must find a space.

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The huddle is now
his only source of warmth.

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It helps if someone
gives you a little room.

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Although they spend
most of their time together,

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they still rely on

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their parents for regular meals.

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With the frozen sea shrinking,

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each parent returns
around once a week.

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They face the same problem -

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their chicks all look the same.

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They're growing fast,
and always hungry,

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so they beg a fish meal from anyone.

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The father checks the call -

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this one's an imposter.

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He's immediately hassled
by more chicks,

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all trying to cadge a meal.

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With over 2,000 chicks to inspect,

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checking them all
could take a very long time.

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So he approaches each group in turn

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and tests who reacts to his call.

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HE CALLS

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A chick responds.

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But she's stuck in the huddle,

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with no way out.

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There's just one thing for it -

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she bodysurfs across the crowd.

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Made it, but she still must
prove her identity.

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If the father feeds the wrong chick,

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the week he spent fishing
would be wasted.

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He takes her clear of the huddle and
completes further character checks.

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It's her tiny call

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that provides conclusive proof.

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SHE CALLS

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She's gets her just reward.

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In the Falklands,

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the rockhopper chicks
are equally demanding.

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Now the human equivalent
of teenagers,

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they have appetites to match.

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Rockhoppers are feisty birds,

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but these hassled parents

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struggle to satisfy
their chicks' ravenous appetites.

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To feed the ever-hungry mouths,

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both parents must start fishing
non-stop.

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A stream of overworked penguins
depart for the sea.

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For the first time,

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the chicks are left all alone,
without a parent to care for them.

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The few grown-ups that remain
peck at any stragglers.

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They force the chicks
closer together.

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These aren't official babysitters,

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they're just adults
that haven't bred this year.

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But as a result of
their constant harrying,

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the chicks are gathered
into a creche.

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Although not much nurturing goes on,

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the chicks are safer
if they're huddled together.

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In the tropical deserts of Peru,

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the Humboldt penguins are also
spending more time fishing

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and less time
looking after their chicks.

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Like the rockhoppers,
they can never get enough food.

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THEY SQUAWK

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Their incessant begging drives their
parents to endlessly go fishing.

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Each journey involves yet another
trek across the hot desert.

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Humboldtcam watches the daily
challenges these penguins face.

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But with birds arriving
and departing non-stop,

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the spycam is working overtime.

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The penguins may be making
the journey more often,

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but it doesn't get any easier.

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The cliff path was carved by
the feet of countless generations.

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It's still treacherous.

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But this is
the Humboldts' lucky day.

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At the bottom is a bed of feathers,

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blown here from thousands
of sea birds moulting

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in the colonies above.

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It provides a soft landing

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for any that lose their footing.

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It's the easiest descent
they've ever made.

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They jump in feet first...

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and enjoy the ride

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The feathers may have
cushioned the fall,

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but for Humboldts,
nothing's ever that easy.

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The beach, once occupied by seals,

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has been invaded by hundreds of
Guanay Cormorants.

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The Humboldts merge into the crowd,

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as they pick their way through.

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Luckily, cormorants are one of
the few creatures here

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that don't attack penguins.

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But by chasing off the seals,

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they have simply
shifted the problem.

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Fortunately, cormorants hate seals

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as much as penguins do.

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They mob them relentlessly,

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making their lives a misery.

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The seals only find peace

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at the edge of the beach.

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For once, things have gone in
the Humboldts' favour.

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The cormorants may have
cleared the area,

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but the penguins now have to
compete with them for fish.

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It's lucky that
in these rich waters,

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there's plenty to go round.

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In the Antarctic,
the chick spycamera

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is proving a real hit with penguins

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who haven't managed to breed
this year.

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One even tries to take the spycam
under her wing.

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PENGUIN CALLS

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But it's a real chick
that reacts to her contact call.

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PENGUIN TWEETS

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Even so,
the adult seems to prefer Chickcam.

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As usual, this penguincam

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is accepted as just another bird
in the colony.

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PENGUIN CALLS

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But Chickcam has work to do.

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The real chicks are growing up fast.

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They now spend
most of their day in the huddle,

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while the adults
watch from the sidelines.

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They only meet at feeding time.

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When a parent
tries to join her chick

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without calling it from the huddle,
confusion reigns.

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The disturbed chicks immediately

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latch on to any adult that passes.

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Getting anywhere
becomes almost impossible.

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As the parents' patience runs out,

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the chicks are forced to toughen up.

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Chicks, used to being doted on,

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find it hard being left alone.

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But like a mother
leaving her child at school,

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it's best not to make a fuss.

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As Mum leaves for the sea,
the chick tries to follow.

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But his mother doesn't look back.

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More parents leave, but the chicks
won't cross an invisible boundary.

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From now on,
they'll only see their parents

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when they return with food.

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The few parents left behind are the
nearest they have to childminders.

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But they won't receive the same
tender care they've been used to.

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The chicks are all
learning to grow up.

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Like the emperors,
the rockhopper adolescents

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spend most of their time
waiting for their parents to return.

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It's easy for them to get bored.

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And that's when predators
take them by surprise.

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Fortunately, they're now quite
a challenge for gulls and skuas.

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And there are always
a few adults standing guard.

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With time to kill,
a chick starts exploring.

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For a social bird,
being alone is never a good idea.

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A giant petrel -

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a predator still to be feared.

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And an adventurous chick
is just what he's after.

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He's grabbed by his feathers!

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The petrel loses its grip

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and the guardians pile in.

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Together, they overpower the most
feared predator of penguin colonies.

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The petrel must accept defeat.

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The chick may have escaped,

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but he can't expect sympathy.

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With a few pecks,

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he's unceremoniously dispatched
back to the creche.

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Even though emperors
live over 4,000 miles away,

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they face the same penguin predator.

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The petrel's arrival

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causes a wave of anxiety
through the colony.

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But dividing the group
was exactly what he was after.

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Their best defence is to re-form
their huddle -

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there's always safety in numbers.

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They create a wall of bodies,

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difficult for the attacker
to penetrate.

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The petrel tries to grab any

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that aren't safely tucked in.

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But the chicks have learnt
to fight back.

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Everywhere the petrel goes,

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he meets a wall of resistance.

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Here, his best chance
is to break up the huddle

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then single out a solitary chick.

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But even the placid emperor
will fight back,

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and he wields a sharp weapon.

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For now, the penguins
have isolated the threat.

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As night falls in Peru,

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low-light spycams pick up new
dangers facing the Humboldt chicks.

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An old enemy is back.

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Vampire bats. They normally attack

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the sea lions along the shore,

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but young penguins
provide a tasty alternative.

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The adults may be aware of
the dangers,

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but the chicks suspect nothing.

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And few creatures
are as sneaky as a vampire.

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With so many chicks to choose from,

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the bats are ultimately
guaranteed a meal.

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The unlikely scene
of a vampire bat

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feeding on a penguin

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has never been
filmed before.

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The greatest danger
is loss of blood,

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which, over time
weakens the chicks,

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and the bats also
carry diseases,

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such as rabies.

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The adults must be on constant alert

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to repel the bats from the colony.

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They are far from defenceless.

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Kicking dirt in the bat's face

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is a favourite tactic.

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This is their ultimate deterrent.

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But hitting the right target

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can be dangerously hit-or-miss.

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Soon, the chicks have another reason

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to leave for the sea -

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they all need a bath!

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At the emperor colony,

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an ice rink has suddenly appeared!

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A slight thaw, and then a freeze,

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creates a chance
to try out new skills.

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00:20:38,040 --> 00:20:40,080
But penguin feet

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don't make the greatest ice skates.

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00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:53,160
For everyone, it takes a while

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to master the technique.

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As every skater knows,

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the splits are a bad move.

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Soon, everyone has a go.

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In a world of ice and snow,

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it's a skill that will always

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come in useful.

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And there's nothing like
individual tuition

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to speed up learning.

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00:21:48,920 --> 00:21:50,640
But for every success,

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there are always setbacks.

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And even the experts make mistakes.

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After all that practice,

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a well-earned rest.

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The rockhopper chicks
prefer to save their energy

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until their parents
return with food.

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Below, fishing parties arrive

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with fresh supplies all the time.

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00:22:56,600 --> 00:22:59,640
They all take the same perilous
route back up the cliffs

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to their nests, but today,
the sea is especially rough.

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00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:16,520
Faced by the trickiest jump of all,

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they decide better of it.

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It was a wise decision,

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the Atlantic swell is massive today.

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There is another route,
but it's rarely used.

261
00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:38,640
And for good reason.

262
00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:43,520
There's just enough room
for one at a time.

263
00:23:43,520 --> 00:23:44,960
With a full stomach,

264
00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:46,440
it's quite a squeeze.

265
00:23:51,280 --> 00:23:53,080
Rockhoppercam watches those

266
00:23:53,080 --> 00:23:54,440
that make it through.

267
00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:04,840
But back at the entrance,

268
00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:06,440
a queue starts to form.

269
00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:10,600
More are backing up behind,

270
00:24:10,600 --> 00:24:12,560
it's getting crowded.

271
00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:17,680
And this penguin doesn't like
queue-jumpers at all.

272
00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:25,120
PENGUIN SQUAWKS

273
00:24:27,400 --> 00:24:29,880
While he tries to control
the crowds,

274
00:24:29,880 --> 00:24:32,040
some sneak past and take his place.

275
00:24:37,160 --> 00:24:40,560
But he seems more concerned with
managing the gatecrashers

276
00:24:40,560 --> 00:24:42,560
than missing his turn.

277
00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:54,160
It's like trying to
keep back the tide.

278
00:24:57,280 --> 00:25:00,400
He finally gives up
and goes through himself.

279
00:25:08,840 --> 00:25:11,080
With the penguins
reduced to single file,

280
00:25:11,080 --> 00:25:14,280
it will be hours before they all
arrive back at the colony.

281
00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:22,160
Most chicks will have
a long wait for their supper.

282
00:25:25,640 --> 00:25:28,760
The first parents to arrive
are immediately besieged by chicks

283
00:25:28,760 --> 00:25:30,760
trying to blag a meal.

284
00:25:40,120 --> 00:25:41,640
Like emperors,

285
00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:45,000
the adults must identify
their own chicks among the crowds.

286
00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:52,400
Imposters are soon sent packing.

287
00:25:56,880 --> 00:26:00,800
Each parent uses a distinct call
that the chick can recognise.

288
00:26:00,800 --> 00:26:05,400
In turn, the adult knows
the unique chirrup of its offspring.

289
00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:07,400
PENGUIN CALLS

290
00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:10,360
CHICK CHIRRUPS

291
00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:21,840
Identity checked and confirmed.

292
00:26:26,320 --> 00:26:29,120
The parents lead their chick
away from the begging masses,

293
00:26:29,120 --> 00:26:31,280
to feed him undisturbed.

294
00:26:37,480 --> 00:26:39,640
Soon, he'll be big enough

295
00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:41,640
to leave for the sea.

296
00:26:47,960 --> 00:26:49,400
At the emperor colony,

297
00:26:49,400 --> 00:26:53,760
the chicks are also getting close
to becoming independent.

298
00:26:53,760 --> 00:26:55,560
In any class, there is always one

299
00:26:55,560 --> 00:26:57,720
more advanced than any other.

300
00:26:57,720 --> 00:26:59,960
This one's
nearly as big as his mother.

301
00:26:59,960 --> 00:27:03,600
He's now putting away five kilos
of fish in a single session

302
00:27:03,600 --> 00:27:05,200
and it's almost impossible

303
00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:06,640
to keep up with his demands.

304
00:27:06,640 --> 00:27:08,240
CHICK SQUAWKS

305
00:27:13,560 --> 00:27:14,920
With all this food,

306
00:27:14,920 --> 00:27:18,400
he's putting on huge reserves
of protein, stored in his muscle.

307
00:27:28,040 --> 00:27:30,920
It's just as well
he's big for his age.

308
00:27:30,920 --> 00:27:32,840
Little does he know, this will be

309
00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:34,640
the last meal she'll give him.

310
00:27:41,520 --> 00:27:43,400
Without fuss or ceremony,

311
00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:45,040
she leaves for the sea.

312
00:27:58,040 --> 00:27:59,480
He doesn't know it yet,

313
00:27:59,480 --> 00:28:01,680
but she and most of
the other parents

314
00:28:01,680 --> 00:28:05,760
are quietly leaving their chicks
and the colony for good.

315
00:28:09,640 --> 00:28:12,480
The chicks, unaware of
the great change in their lives,

316
00:28:12,480 --> 00:28:15,720
are left with just a few adults
for company.

317
00:28:18,560 --> 00:28:21,960
They won't see their
once-devoted parents ever again.

318
00:28:27,520 --> 00:28:30,400
The rockhopper chicks
have also reached a turning point.

319
00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:35,560
Before they can enter the ocean,

320
00:28:35,560 --> 00:28:37,640
they must preen off their baby down.

321
00:28:42,280 --> 00:28:43,920
Gradually, they reveal

322
00:28:43,920 --> 00:28:46,320
the sleek adult feathers beneath.

323
00:28:52,480 --> 00:28:55,200
Eggcam captures
some of the punk styles

324
00:28:55,200 --> 00:28:57,480
that have started to appear.

325
00:29:07,720 --> 00:29:09,960
But before they become
proper rockhoppers,

326
00:29:09,960 --> 00:29:13,200
they have one more skill to master -

327
00:29:13,200 --> 00:29:14,800
hopping.

328
00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:31,480
Jumping is infectious,

329
00:29:31,480 --> 00:29:33,160
and everyone joins in.

330
00:29:33,160 --> 00:29:34,640
It's all about

331
00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:36,360
strengthening the leg muscles.

332
00:29:51,960 --> 00:29:53,600
Even Eggcam

333
00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:55,600
gets caught up in the excitement.

334
00:30:13,920 --> 00:30:15,560
In the Antarctic,

335
00:30:15,560 --> 00:30:19,200
the melting ice-edge
moves closer to the colony each day.

336
00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:26,000
The few remaining adults
prepare to return to the place

337
00:30:26,000 --> 00:30:27,520
they love the best.

338
00:30:46,280 --> 00:30:48,640
Emperorcam was with them
when they arrived,

339
00:30:48,640 --> 00:30:51,520
and it's with them as they leave.

340
00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:57,400
As it discovered,
no other bird endures so much

341
00:30:57,400 --> 00:31:02,280
for the sake of their chicks
and none is more devoted.

342
00:31:02,280 --> 00:31:06,440
In just four months, they will
return here to breed once more,

343
00:31:06,440 --> 00:31:10,080
but for a brief time,
their job is done.

344
00:31:17,360 --> 00:31:20,280
But Emperorcam isn't alone for long.

345
00:31:24,840 --> 00:31:26,640
Adelies - the only other penguins

346
00:31:26,640 --> 00:31:29,320
to breed in the true Antarctic.

347
00:31:31,760 --> 00:31:33,360
They have a timeshare arrangement

348
00:31:33,360 --> 00:31:35,280
with the emperors,

349
00:31:35,280 --> 00:31:37,400
taking over the rocks
around their breeding area

350
00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:39,440
once the chicks have left.

351
00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:44,920
On the shore, another penguincam

352
00:31:44,920 --> 00:31:46,640
captures a different view of

353
00:31:46,640 --> 00:31:48,280
the new penguin invasion.

354
00:31:55,280 --> 00:31:56,960
Over 100,000 will arrive

355
00:31:56,960 --> 00:31:59,120
over the next three weeks.

356
00:32:08,640 --> 00:32:10,720
Emperorcam moves in
for a closer look.

357
00:32:12,760 --> 00:32:15,600
Adelies are belligerent
little penguins

358
00:32:15,600 --> 00:32:18,040
that won't let anything
stand in their way.

359
00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:24,640
Fortunately, they seem to have
a soft spot for Emperorcam.

360
00:32:30,000 --> 00:32:31,520
Back in the colony,

361
00:32:31,520 --> 00:32:33,240
the emperor chicks are discovering

362
00:32:33,240 --> 00:32:34,880
what life is like on their own.

363
00:32:40,440 --> 00:32:42,400
Many haven't fed for over a week.

364
00:32:48,120 --> 00:32:50,760
With hunger
comes a change in behaviour.

365
00:32:53,080 --> 00:32:55,880
They become restless
and start to react

366
00:32:55,880 --> 00:32:57,560
to the distant call of the sea.

367
00:33:02,840 --> 00:33:06,120
They leave their icy birthplace
and start their journey.

368
00:33:14,480 --> 00:33:17,160
They discover a very different world

369
00:33:17,160 --> 00:33:19,360
than the smooth ice
they've left behind.

370
00:33:37,920 --> 00:33:39,680
Every task they face hones skills

371
00:33:39,680 --> 00:33:40,880
that will be essential

372
00:33:40,880 --> 00:33:42,520
later in life.

373
00:33:52,520 --> 00:33:53,920
All the time,

374
00:33:53,920 --> 00:33:56,320
they still keep moving
towards the sea.

375
00:34:03,640 --> 00:34:05,320
Although sometimes,

376
00:34:05,320 --> 00:34:07,320
it's one step forward and two back.

377
00:34:13,640 --> 00:34:15,920
In Peru, the Humboldt chicks

378
00:34:15,920 --> 00:34:17,680
are just 12 weeks old,

379
00:34:17,680 --> 00:34:20,120
but they're also ready
to leave the colony.

380
00:34:25,360 --> 00:34:27,800
As adult fishing parties
head for the sea,

381
00:34:27,800 --> 00:34:29,920
the more adventurous of these chicks

382
00:34:29,920 --> 00:34:31,480
decide to join them.

383
00:34:34,680 --> 00:34:36,160
The youngsters are nervous.

384
00:34:36,160 --> 00:34:37,800
They've never left the colony before

385
00:34:37,800 --> 00:34:40,600
and now they're having
to cross the desert.

386
00:34:52,840 --> 00:34:55,360
The cormorants
are a bewildering sight.

387
00:34:59,960 --> 00:35:03,160
Once, thousands overran
the Humboldt colony.

388
00:35:03,160 --> 00:35:05,800
He now has to face them again.

389
00:35:05,800 --> 00:35:09,080
For his adult guides,
it's all in a day's work.

390
00:35:09,080 --> 00:35:12,160
For the chick,
it's a different matter.

391
00:35:19,440 --> 00:35:21,240
To add to his confusion,

392
00:35:21,240 --> 00:35:23,080
more cormorants just keep coming.

393
00:35:23,080 --> 00:35:24,880
There's nowhere for him to hide.

394
00:35:28,160 --> 00:35:29,800
He's totally surrounded,

395
00:35:29,800 --> 00:35:32,200
and his penguin guides
have vanished.

396
00:35:34,240 --> 00:35:35,480
Half a million birds

397
00:35:35,480 --> 00:35:36,920
are a lot to cope with

398
00:35:36,920 --> 00:35:38,600
when you're just three months old.

399
00:35:47,680 --> 00:35:50,280
Alone, he doesn't even know
the way to the beach.

400
00:35:53,360 --> 00:35:56,560
Then a sight that might help him -

401
00:35:56,560 --> 00:35:58,200
another fishing party,

402
00:35:58,200 --> 00:36:00,040
travelling to the sea.

403
00:36:02,240 --> 00:36:04,440
He races to catch them.

404
00:36:06,120 --> 00:36:09,120
Together, they reach the cliff path.

405
00:36:09,120 --> 00:36:11,720
He immediately has second thoughts.

406
00:36:11,720 --> 00:36:13,760
It's a long way to the bottom.

407
00:36:20,040 --> 00:36:23,800
PENGUIN HONKS

408
00:36:23,800 --> 00:36:25,840
Some reassuring encouragement.

409
00:36:31,000 --> 00:36:33,160
It's just what he needs.

410
00:36:33,160 --> 00:36:34,760
He had reason to be nervous,

411
00:36:34,760 --> 00:36:36,240
the cliff path is steep

412
00:36:36,240 --> 00:36:38,680
and the soft bed of feathers
has blown away.

413
00:36:43,320 --> 00:36:44,600
And once he starts,

414
00:36:44,600 --> 00:36:46,440
there's no going back.

415
00:36:59,640 --> 00:37:01,960
Finally, he can fall no more.

416
00:37:08,080 --> 00:37:09,960
But as he's already discovering,

417
00:37:09,960 --> 00:37:13,120
for Humboldts,
the challenges never end.

418
00:37:19,120 --> 00:37:21,520
Hundreds of sea lions and seals

419
00:37:21,520 --> 00:37:23,800
are blocking the way to the sea.

420
00:37:27,000 --> 00:37:30,320
The adults have faced this ordeal
many times,

421
00:37:30,320 --> 00:37:33,480
but for the chick, it's a new
and frightening experience.

422
00:37:36,920 --> 00:37:39,200
The chick's too scared to move,

423
00:37:39,200 --> 00:37:42,160
but the adults know there is only
one way to tackle them -

424
00:37:42,160 --> 00:37:43,840
and that's head-on.

425
00:37:46,680 --> 00:37:48,680
It might not seem a good idea,

426
00:37:48,680 --> 00:37:50,160
but it works.

427
00:38:05,160 --> 00:38:06,840
The chick misses his moment.

428
00:38:06,840 --> 00:38:08,800
The adults have left him behind.

429
00:38:18,760 --> 00:38:21,400
As he retreats along the cliff wall,

430
00:38:21,400 --> 00:38:23,520
he chances on the entrance
to a sea cave.

431
00:38:26,880 --> 00:38:29,840
This secret passageway was used by
some of the penguins

432
00:38:29,840 --> 00:38:33,600
when they first arrived.
He now uses the tunnel in reverse.

433
00:38:35,120 --> 00:38:38,200
Vampire bats lurk in the darkness,

434
00:38:38,200 --> 00:38:41,320
but by sprinting through the cave,
he emerges unscathed.

435
00:38:50,840 --> 00:38:52,280
And more good fortune -

436
00:38:52,280 --> 00:38:53,960
the fishing party he was with

437
00:38:53,960 --> 00:38:55,880
has only just made it over
the sea lions

438
00:38:55,880 --> 00:38:58,080
and are also approaching the sea.

439
00:39:01,600 --> 00:39:03,680
Other chicks have made it too.

440
00:39:03,680 --> 00:39:05,640
He won't have to
enter the sea alone.

441
00:39:09,600 --> 00:39:12,400
This is the first time
he's ever seen water.

442
00:39:15,880 --> 00:39:17,600
It's not a gentle introduction.

443
00:39:22,120 --> 00:39:23,800
He keeps a foothold.

444
00:39:23,800 --> 00:39:26,200
He wants to go in
when he's fully prepared.

445
00:39:32,920 --> 00:39:34,840
He finally plucks up courage.

446
00:39:40,920 --> 00:39:43,080
This cold sea will be his home

447
00:39:43,080 --> 00:39:44,680
for the next two years,

448
00:39:44,680 --> 00:39:46,760
until he returns back here to breed.

449
00:39:53,640 --> 00:39:56,320
Finally, he is embraced by
the waves.

450
00:40:11,320 --> 00:40:15,760
The emperor chick's introduction
to water is a more gradual affair.

451
00:40:17,360 --> 00:40:20,080
In places, the ice has melted

452
00:40:20,080 --> 00:40:22,040
into pools of slush.

453
00:40:27,600 --> 00:40:30,400
He's never met a surface
he can't walk on.

454
00:40:34,480 --> 00:40:37,080
None of the chicks
have ever swum before

455
00:40:37,080 --> 00:40:38,520
and it takes them all

456
00:40:38,520 --> 00:40:39,920
by surprise.

457
00:40:46,400 --> 00:40:48,840
This natural paddling pool

458
00:40:48,840 --> 00:40:50,440
is the perfect chance to test out

459
00:40:50,440 --> 00:40:51,920
their flippers for real.

460
00:40:51,920 --> 00:40:54,280
Swimming soon comes naturally.

461
00:41:03,320 --> 00:41:06,760
Although getting out
is never as easy as getting in.

462
00:41:17,200 --> 00:41:19,360
But they now face
a far bigger challenge.

463
00:41:20,880 --> 00:41:22,240
The petrel is back.

464
00:41:28,600 --> 00:41:30,400
They try to flee, but running

465
00:41:30,400 --> 00:41:32,560
isn't an emperor's strong point.

466
00:41:36,240 --> 00:41:38,840
A slip, it's all the petrel needs.

467
00:41:46,000 --> 00:41:48,360
It has the chick
by its neck feathers.

468
00:41:49,400 --> 00:41:50,880
But the down comes away

469
00:41:50,880 --> 00:41:53,240
and the chick disappears
in the crowd.

470
00:41:55,560 --> 00:41:57,960
Just as in the huddle,
the chicks form a defensive circle

471
00:41:57,960 --> 00:41:59,920
and prepare to stand their ground.

472
00:42:09,920 --> 00:42:12,400
They might seem small and cuddly,

473
00:42:12,400 --> 00:42:14,440
but they're now
nearly a metre tall -

474
00:42:14,440 --> 00:42:16,680
quite a fight, even for a petrel.

475
00:42:21,720 --> 00:42:24,480
The nearest chick
towers to his full height,

476
00:42:24,480 --> 00:42:25,960
making himself bigger

477
00:42:25,960 --> 00:42:28,240
and protecting those behind.

478
00:42:35,640 --> 00:42:37,680
His defiance buys time.

479
00:42:37,680 --> 00:42:39,360
It's a stand-off.

480
00:42:48,160 --> 00:42:51,760
Then, from out of the blue,
a surprising ally.

481
00:42:53,200 --> 00:42:55,000
An adelie.

482
00:42:57,720 --> 00:43:02,120
The petrel has met these
super-aggressive penguins before.

483
00:43:02,120 --> 00:43:04,160
The adelie confidently puts itself

484
00:43:04,160 --> 00:43:05,760
between the emperor chicks

485
00:43:05,760 --> 00:43:07,280
and danger.

486
00:43:12,920 --> 00:43:14,720
The petrel gives up,

487
00:43:14,720 --> 00:43:16,320
he knows when he's defeated.

488
00:43:22,320 --> 00:43:24,480
There are always other meals
to be had.

489
00:43:26,920 --> 00:43:28,960
Accompanied by their rescuer,

490
00:43:28,960 --> 00:43:31,560
the emperors continue
their journey to the sea.

491
00:43:37,680 --> 00:43:39,520
At the rockhopper colony,

492
00:43:39,520 --> 00:43:41,720
the chicks' big day has arrived.

493
00:43:43,400 --> 00:43:47,520
They all react to the same desire to
explore the world beyond the colony.

494
00:43:51,680 --> 00:43:53,160
Like the Humboldts,

495
00:43:53,160 --> 00:43:55,480
the chicks join adults
making a trip to the sea.

496
00:44:03,680 --> 00:44:05,120
They don't know it yet,

497
00:44:05,120 --> 00:44:07,560
but they're making
a one-way journey.

498
00:44:16,280 --> 00:44:19,000
The rockhopper chicks
have none of the Humboldt's fear,

499
00:44:19,000 --> 00:44:21,440
they're built to leap down cliffs.

500
00:44:21,440 --> 00:44:24,400
But at this age,
they can't jump back up again.

501
00:44:27,800 --> 00:44:29,480
Like their parents,

502
00:44:29,480 --> 00:44:31,120
they're as tough as they come.

503
00:44:41,880 --> 00:44:43,520
They take scrambling down rocks

504
00:44:43,520 --> 00:44:45,040
in their stride,

505
00:44:45,040 --> 00:44:46,320
but a strange sight

506
00:44:46,320 --> 00:44:48,320
stops them in their tracks.

507
00:44:49,680 --> 00:44:54,040
Rockhoppers, looking like nothing
they have ever seen before.

508
00:44:58,280 --> 00:45:00,280
They are young, non-breeding birds

509
00:45:00,280 --> 00:45:03,400
who came ashore especially
to moult their old feathers.

510
00:45:12,280 --> 00:45:14,920
The chicks' parents
will soon be doing the same.

511
00:45:16,800 --> 00:45:18,760
While in this unsightly state,

512
00:45:18,760 --> 00:45:20,800
they are marooned on land.

513
00:45:27,560 --> 00:45:29,680
They also become bad-tempered

514
00:45:29,680 --> 00:45:31,160
and hate being disturbed.

515
00:45:35,240 --> 00:45:37,720
The chicks are soon forced on.

516
00:45:40,600 --> 00:45:42,400
The frontrunners are
nearly at the sea.

517
00:45:42,400 --> 00:45:43,640
They may be brave,

518
00:45:43,640 --> 00:45:46,240
but they haven't the skills
of their parents.

519
00:46:29,320 --> 00:46:32,960
Not everyone is quite so gung-ho.

520
00:46:37,120 --> 00:46:40,080
This youngster
thinks he's found a safer route.

521
00:46:51,640 --> 00:46:53,280
But while he's dithering,

522
00:46:53,280 --> 00:46:55,080
the others make it to the sea.

523
00:46:59,560 --> 00:47:01,000
They leap into the waves

524
00:47:01,000 --> 00:47:02,840
with typical rockhopper gusto.

525
00:47:28,640 --> 00:47:30,240
It might pay to be cautious,

526
00:47:32,280 --> 00:47:33,920
have left without him.

527
00:47:33,920 --> 00:47:35,840
He's well and truly stuck.

528
00:47:45,720 --> 00:47:48,200
The emperor chicks are still
being shadowed by the adelie,

529
00:47:48,200 --> 00:47:50,760
as they make their way to the sea.

530
00:47:52,800 --> 00:47:55,360
They stop for a rest and a preen.

531
00:47:57,920 --> 00:48:01,320
This is not what the adelie
was expecting,

532
00:48:01,320 --> 00:48:03,520
and it doesn't go down well.

533
00:48:07,400 --> 00:48:09,800
He's determined to move them on.

534
00:48:14,600 --> 00:48:16,120
They may be twice his size,

535
00:48:16,120 --> 00:48:17,960
but that's not going to stop him.

536
00:48:20,400 --> 00:48:22,760
He might have helped them earlier,

537
00:48:22,760 --> 00:48:25,280
but he's now got a different agenda.

538
00:48:41,080 --> 00:48:43,440
He wants the emperors gone.

539
00:48:43,440 --> 00:48:46,040
He expects to have the place
to himself.

540
00:48:54,800 --> 00:48:57,200
As the adelie
drives the emperors away,

541
00:48:57,200 --> 00:48:58,680
they soon approach the sea.

542
00:49:02,680 --> 00:49:04,520
They may be close to the edge,

543
00:49:04,520 --> 00:49:07,000
but they show little interest
in going in.

544
00:49:18,760 --> 00:49:21,080
Many still have their baby fluff.

545
00:49:21,080 --> 00:49:23,520
They must lose it
before entering the water.

546
00:49:26,320 --> 00:49:28,040
The adelie doesn't care,

547
00:49:28,040 --> 00:49:30,120
he just wants them gone for good.

548
00:49:33,360 --> 00:49:35,000
Gradually, he forces them closer

549
00:49:35,000 --> 00:49:36,840
to the edge of the ice.

550
00:49:38,240 --> 00:49:40,480
Finally, one gets
its first taste of the sea.

551
00:49:50,600 --> 00:49:52,120
Other adelies arrive,

552
00:49:52,120 --> 00:49:53,880
adding to the pressure.

553
00:50:00,960 --> 00:50:03,200
Another chick enters.

554
00:50:05,800 --> 00:50:07,200
Others get ready to join.

555
00:50:12,760 --> 00:50:15,600
But they're still covered in down,

556
00:50:15,600 --> 00:50:17,360
not the sleek penguins

557
00:50:17,360 --> 00:50:19,560
that are supposed to leave
for the ocean.

558
00:50:20,520 --> 00:50:23,720
For a moment,
the adelies have had their way,

559
00:50:23,720 --> 00:50:25,280
but the chicks aren't so sure.

560
00:50:26,400 --> 00:50:28,960
With all their fluff,
they can't dive

561
00:50:28,960 --> 00:50:32,080
and could easily be captured
by predators.

562
00:50:32,080 --> 00:50:34,080
They know they're in serious danger.

563
00:50:45,440 --> 00:50:46,800
They try to join the few

564
00:50:46,800 --> 00:50:48,680
who've already made it ashore.

565
00:50:55,240 --> 00:50:57,040
But if getting in was hard,

566
00:50:57,040 --> 00:50:58,960
getting out is even trickier.

567
00:51:11,040 --> 00:51:14,400
They use their bills as ice picks,

568
00:51:14,400 --> 00:51:16,080
just like their parents do.

569
00:51:28,520 --> 00:51:30,320
Next time, they'll enter

570
00:51:30,320 --> 00:51:32,400
only when they're good and ready,

571
00:51:32,400 --> 00:51:35,440
and then, they won't be coming back.

572
00:51:42,560 --> 00:51:44,960
The rockhopper chick is still stuck.

573
00:51:50,360 --> 00:51:52,480
Despite his caution,
he ends up taking

574
00:51:52,480 --> 00:51:54,000
the biggest tumble of all.

575
00:52:04,440 --> 00:52:06,320
But his troubles aren't over yet.

576
00:52:07,720 --> 00:52:10,920
A caracara - a dangerous predator.

577
00:52:15,240 --> 00:52:16,680
Another joins.

578
00:52:18,480 --> 00:52:20,120
At the worst possible moment,

579
00:52:20,120 --> 00:52:21,520
he's completely outnumbered.

580
00:52:28,000 --> 00:52:29,640
But then...

581
00:52:29,640 --> 00:52:31,040
backup arrives!

582
00:52:32,920 --> 00:52:35,080
Steamer ducks -

583
00:52:35,080 --> 00:52:36,960
the most aggressive in the world.

584
00:52:40,040 --> 00:52:42,280
They hate caracaras
and won't give up

585
00:52:42,280 --> 00:52:43,680
until every one is gone.

586
00:52:52,040 --> 00:52:54,400
The chick's
not about to hang around.

587
00:52:58,680 --> 00:53:00,400
This time, he has some company

588
00:53:00,400 --> 00:53:02,520
for his final farewell.

589
00:53:18,400 --> 00:53:21,040
He takes the plunge,
sliding down the rocks

590
00:53:21,040 --> 00:53:22,480
like it's a water shoot.

591
00:53:31,840 --> 00:53:35,160
But it's not over yet,
the giant petrel is back -

592
00:53:35,160 --> 00:53:37,000
predatory to the last.

593
00:53:42,760 --> 00:53:44,040
The chick dives...

594
00:53:46,080 --> 00:53:48,280
..but immediately
pops right up again.

595
00:53:48,280 --> 00:53:50,920
He's never been underwater before.

596
00:53:50,920 --> 00:53:53,560
This time, the petrel has him!

597
00:53:53,560 --> 00:53:55,640
Others close in for the kill.

598
00:53:58,840 --> 00:54:00,600
But the petrel loses his grip.

599
00:54:00,600 --> 00:54:02,280
This time, the penguin

600
00:54:02,280 --> 00:54:05,480
stays safely under for good,

601
00:54:05,480 --> 00:54:07,360
and joins the others in the sea.

602
00:54:16,920 --> 00:54:18,560
He will never look back.

603
00:54:19,480 --> 00:54:22,200
This is where he is meant to be.

604
00:54:27,080 --> 00:54:28,880
He'll spend the next three years

605
00:54:28,880 --> 00:54:31,160
learning the secrets of the sea,

606
00:54:31,160 --> 00:54:33,560
before he returns here to breed.

607
00:54:38,880 --> 00:54:41,080
He's now in his element...

608
00:54:41,080 --> 00:54:43,080
and gone in a flash.

609
00:54:48,600 --> 00:54:50,800
In Antarctica, a week has passed

610
00:54:50,800 --> 00:54:52,160
and the chicks

611
00:54:52,160 --> 00:54:54,920
are finally preparing to leave.

612
00:54:54,920 --> 00:54:56,120
Chickcam is there

613
00:54:56,120 --> 00:54:57,520
to watch them as they go.

614
00:55:03,080 --> 00:55:06,040
It was with them
when they were born five months ago

615
00:55:06,040 --> 00:55:08,080
and has shared their challenges
as they grew.

616
00:55:10,880 --> 00:55:12,600
But today is what the chicks

617
00:55:12,600 --> 00:55:14,320
have been preparing for.

618
00:55:14,320 --> 00:55:16,800
They will finally leave
their ice world behind,

619
00:55:16,800 --> 00:55:19,880
to spend the coming years at sea.

620
00:55:22,520 --> 00:55:25,080
Gripped by a collective urge,

621
00:55:25,080 --> 00:55:27,080
they start to move as one.

622
00:55:31,000 --> 00:55:32,800
They seem to have a place in mind.

623
00:55:37,760 --> 00:55:39,560
They travel along the ice edge

624
00:55:39,560 --> 00:55:41,000
with a sense of purpose...

625
00:55:43,160 --> 00:55:45,880
..and stop at
the very highest point.

626
00:55:47,040 --> 00:55:48,960
They have made their choice.

627
00:55:48,960 --> 00:55:50,960
This is where they will leave

628
00:55:50,960 --> 00:55:52,360
for the sea.

629
00:55:54,240 --> 00:55:57,320
The drop below
is at least four metres.

630
00:55:57,320 --> 00:56:00,520
It's the biggest step
they'll ever take.

631
00:56:02,920 --> 00:56:04,640
In the end,

632
00:56:04,640 --> 00:56:06,800
it's one chick who decides.

633
00:56:24,680 --> 00:56:26,880
He might be the first,

634
00:56:26,880 --> 00:56:27,920
he's far from the last.

635
00:56:46,000 --> 00:56:47,640
A cascade of penguins enter the sea.

636
00:56:50,320 --> 00:56:53,120
They have spent their early months
of life on ice...

637
00:56:56,760 --> 00:56:59,240
..but this is where
they were born to be.

638
00:57:05,960 --> 00:57:09,560
Like all the penguins whose stories
we've followed, their success

639
00:57:09,560 --> 00:57:11,800
is due to the extraordinary devotion

640
00:57:11,800 --> 00:57:13,240
of their parents.

641
00:57:16,160 --> 00:57:18,520
In four years' time,

642
00:57:18,520 --> 00:57:20,560
these chicks
will make the journey back

643
00:57:20,560 --> 00:57:23,600
and face the same
extreme challenges,

644
00:57:23,600 --> 00:57:26,040
all to have young of their own.

645
00:57:26,040 --> 00:57:29,880
For now,
they have a vast ocean to explore.

646
00:57:37,440 --> 00:57:41,440
Throughout all the filming,
penguincams became

647
00:57:41,440 --> 00:57:43,280
part of the penguins' lives.

648
00:57:43,280 --> 00:57:45,720
They have witnessed countless events

649
00:57:45,720 --> 00:57:48,760
that have never been seen before,

650
00:57:48,760 --> 00:57:50,800
and even became part of the huddle.

651
00:57:52,040 --> 00:57:55,080
But being accepted
also provoked jealousies.

652
00:57:56,680 --> 00:58:00,160
Then, as in all our Spy films,

653
00:58:00,160 --> 00:58:01,920
things didn't always go to plan.

654
00:58:52,520 --> 00:58:56,640
Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd