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00:00:33,740 --> 00:00:35,980
The polar winter.
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00:00:41,260 --> 00:00:45,140
This is the planet
at its most hostile.
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00:00:59,180 --> 00:01:01,859
Those that stay here at this time
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00:01:01,860 --> 00:01:05,500
must face the harshest conditions
on Earth.
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The High Arctic in late autumn.
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Empty and abandoned to ice and snow.
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00:01:37,860 --> 00:01:41,140
Most animals migrated
south weeks ago.
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00:01:42,340 --> 00:01:45,499
The few that stay
will face violent winds,
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00:01:45,500 --> 00:01:49,420
plunging temperatures
and months of darkness.
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00:01:53,140 --> 00:01:56,180
A female polar bear
searches for shelter.
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00:02:01,020 --> 00:02:04,019
Other bears are out on
the frozen ocean looking for food,
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00:02:04,020 --> 00:02:07,380
but she won't feed again
until next spring.
14
00:02:11,660 --> 00:02:14,659
Using as little energy as possible,
15
00:02:14,660 --> 00:02:17,420
she starts to dig a shallow nest.
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00:02:24,500 --> 00:02:26,939
The snow here is easy to work.
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It's soft and light.
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A sure sign that soon, plenty more
will accumulate on this slope
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as winter advances.
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00:02:36,620 --> 00:02:38,500
And that is what she needs.
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If she has chosen well,
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the Arctic wind will do
much of her work for her.
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Once the snow here is deep enough,
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she will dig down to make a den.
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She'll then lie, waiting for her
cubs to be born as winter sets in.
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00:03:34,340 --> 00:03:38,859
The sea ice already covers
twice the area it did in summer.
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00:03:38,860 --> 00:03:41,259
Those animals that, a few weeks ago,
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came down here to feed in the sea,
are now locked out.
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But there are windows
in this white desert.
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Gateways to the rich ocean below.
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Most birds have migrated south.
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But in the frozen Bering Sea,
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ducks of one particular species
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are gathering together
in a single, immense flock.
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Spectacled eiders.
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00:04:17,740 --> 00:04:19,980
Hundreds of thousands of them.
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With the seas that fed them
throughout the summer
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all but frozen,
this is the eider's last refuge.
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Such patches of open water,
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kept free of ice by strong currents,
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are given a Russian name, polynyas.
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00:05:19,820 --> 00:05:22,499
If this polynya stays open
all winter,
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the ducks will have avoided
an exhausting migration.
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It's a gamble and a tremendous risk,
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00:05:29,300 --> 00:05:31,579
especially for the spectacled eider,
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for this polynya
holds the world's entire population.
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Surrounded by ice,
these spectacled eiders' survival
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00:05:59,100 --> 00:06:02,180
depends on this single,
vulnerable oasis.
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00:06:03,220 --> 00:06:06,660
And conditions here
can change very fast.
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00:06:19,660 --> 00:06:20,940
A smaller pool.
51
00:06:22,420 --> 00:06:27,059
Here, common eider ducks
are learning a bitter lesson.
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00:06:27,060 --> 00:06:29,499
An early winter storm
has caught them out
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00:06:29,500 --> 00:06:32,180
and the ice is closing in.
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The pool is shrinking,
and the ducks are freezing to death.
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00:06:53,260 --> 00:06:55,860
These gamblers have lost.
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00:07:09,940 --> 00:07:14,339
As the sun's influence continues
to dwindle here in the north,
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00:07:14,340 --> 00:07:17,860
the cold pushes south
into Arctic lands.
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00:07:35,820 --> 00:07:40,539
Winter brings
a devastatingly-destructive force.
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00:07:40,540 --> 00:07:42,220
Frost.
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00:07:47,020 --> 00:07:51,300
Ice crystals form
as moisture in the air freezes.
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00:07:53,020 --> 00:07:55,699
Inside plants,
the same thing is happening
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to the water in their cells
and their sap.
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00:08:02,180 --> 00:08:06,179
With these first frosts,
most plants die.
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00:08:06,180 --> 00:08:09,860
Their insides ripped apart
by ice crystals.
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00:08:16,260 --> 00:08:19,459
Coniferous trees, however,
like fir and pine,
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can withstand very low temperatures.
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00:08:25,100 --> 00:08:29,180
It's these trees that create
the greatest forest on our planet.
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This is the Taiga.
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It encircles the globe and contains
one third of all the trees on earth.
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00:08:57,660 --> 00:09:00,699
As winter deepens,
frigid air from the Arctic
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00:09:00,700 --> 00:09:03,619
meets warm, moist air
from the south,
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producing particularly heavy snows.
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00:09:12,340 --> 00:09:14,939
For the big animals of the forest,
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00:09:14,940 --> 00:09:17,980
there's no way of hiding
from the winter.
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00:09:22,220 --> 00:09:25,499
But size, for the Bison
of Northern Canada,
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is, in fact, their salvation.
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Big bodies lose less heat
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and can carry more insulation.
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That may be why these bison
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are the largest land animals
in North America.
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And only a large predator
can tackle them.
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Wolves hunt better in packs,
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but there are only two of them here
and the prey they pursue are giants.
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00:10:16,860 --> 00:10:19,900
A vast Arctic wilderness
stretches all around.
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00:10:21,100 --> 00:10:23,620
In it somewhere, there are bison.
86
00:10:30,340 --> 00:10:34,019
These deep tracks in the snow
are easy to follow,
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but which way were the bison going?
88
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They have detected a scent.
The hunt is on.
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Running in the bison's tracks
is easy.
90
00:11:03,540 --> 00:11:05,660
The snow here is compressed
and firm.
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00:11:07,420 --> 00:11:11,180
At this rate,
the wolves will soon catch up.
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00:11:15,100 --> 00:11:18,219
They attempt a shortcut.
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00:11:18,220 --> 00:11:22,939
The giant bison can plough on
through virgin snow,
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00:11:22,940 --> 00:11:25,499
but for the wolves,
deep snow is a hindrance,
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and now they're losing ground.
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The hunters rejoin the bison's
tracks and the contest is on again.
97
00:12:07,980 --> 00:12:10,979
The bison are the only prey here
in winter.
98
00:12:10,980 --> 00:12:14,020
The wolves have no option,
they must tackle them.
99
00:12:16,860 --> 00:12:19,260
But bison are ten times their size.
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00:12:37,420 --> 00:12:41,339
In winter, the line between
life and death is so narrow
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that for a wolf, even a small injury
could be fatal.
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It's crucial they select
the right target.
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This one is very big.
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Good decision.
105
00:13:14,900 --> 00:13:16,980
This is smaller, a yearling.
106
00:13:18,660 --> 00:13:22,419
Even though it's young,
it's none the less heavier
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than both wolves combined
and it is extremely powerful.
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00:13:53,380 --> 00:13:55,259
The male wolf backs off.
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Perhaps he's frightened of injury.
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But the female is more determined,
or more desperate.
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Having given so much already,
she must make the kill.
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This is a battle of life and death
for them both.
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The bison has no strength left.
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The battle is over.
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Winter deepens.
The snow continues to accumulate,
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smothering the forest.
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Some trees are loaded with
three tonnes of snow.
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00:15:43,420 --> 00:15:46,659
It shuts out what little light
there is at these latitudes,
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and that shortens the growing season
still further
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00:15:49,940 --> 00:15:53,540
and limits how far north
trees are able to grow.
121
00:16:02,780 --> 00:16:07,259
So, snow influences
both the shapes of the trees
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00:16:07,260 --> 00:16:09,620
and the extent of this forest.
123
00:16:15,460 --> 00:16:17,739
And it affects the animals, too.
124
00:16:20,260 --> 00:16:22,539
It helps to have friends
125
00:16:22,540 --> 00:16:25,700
if you want to find food
at this time of the year.
126
00:16:27,300 --> 00:16:30,540
Wolverines and ravens,
a match made in the Taiga.
127
00:16:33,780 --> 00:16:36,859
It's the hardest time of the year
to find food.
128
00:16:36,860 --> 00:16:39,499
But the wolverine knows
that a raven's call
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is as good as a dinner bell.
130
00:16:45,900 --> 00:16:49,900
And the raven has just recruited
the best can opener in the forest.
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00:16:53,700 --> 00:16:55,779
The moose carcass is frozen solid,
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00:16:55,780 --> 00:16:59,019
but the wolverine
has immensely powerful jaws,
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well able to deal with frozen food.
134
00:17:02,300 --> 00:17:06,260
The raven's bill
is more suited to leftovers.
135
00:17:18,180 --> 00:17:20,260
The raven has to be patient.
136
00:17:27,860 --> 00:17:30,819
A wolverine's appetite is legendary.
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00:17:30,820 --> 00:17:34,379
According to folklore,
it can eat more at one sitting
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00:17:34,380 --> 00:17:36,699
than any other creature
in the forest,
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00:17:36,700 --> 00:17:39,940
hence its other name, the glutton.
140
00:17:50,860 --> 00:17:53,579
What the wolverine can't eat now,
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it stores in the deep freeze.
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00:17:56,140 --> 00:17:59,859
It will bury these food parcels
across the forest,
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planning ahead for leaner times.
144
00:18:12,660 --> 00:18:16,220
For a few, the snow is an ally.
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00:18:32,420 --> 00:18:36,379
Voles stay active throughout
the winter beneath the snow,
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despite the freezing temperatures
above.
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00:18:45,140 --> 00:18:47,259
Travelling along tiny corridors,
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they move from pocket to pocket
of perfectly refrigerated food.
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Snow is a great insulator,
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00:18:58,140 --> 00:19:01,259
so down here,
the temperature never falls
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more than a degree or so below zero.
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00:19:03,820 --> 00:19:06,819
And that's warm enough
for a vole to thrive,
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00:19:06,820 --> 00:19:09,540
even if it lacks
the stature of a bison.
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00:19:16,900 --> 00:19:19,699
In some years, vole numbers boom,
155
00:19:19,700 --> 00:19:24,580
and then they are forced to break
cover to search for more food.
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00:19:52,780 --> 00:19:56,579
The great grey owl is a silent
and very skilful hunter,
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00:19:56,580 --> 00:20:00,220
but deep snow
can be beyond its reach.
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00:20:05,340 --> 00:20:08,900
But such snow is no barrier
to one predator.
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00:20:12,220 --> 00:20:14,019
The least weasel.
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00:20:14,020 --> 00:20:18,220
A tiny hunter,
and the vole's nemesis.
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00:20:21,380 --> 00:20:25,899
Its body is exactly the same width
as a vole's,
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so there's nowhere a vole can go
that the weasel can't follow.
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00:21:13,860 --> 00:21:16,339
The weasel's long, slender shape
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is perfect for hunting in tunnels,
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00:21:18,500 --> 00:21:21,619
but the worst possible shape
for staying warm.
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00:21:21,620 --> 00:21:24,340
So they need a special way
of doing that.
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She plucks the fur from its body
tuft by tuft.
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00:21:47,460 --> 00:21:51,619
And now she puts it all together
to make a cosy blanket
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under which to sleep
in her den below the snow.
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00:22:09,260 --> 00:22:12,699
Midwinter in the northern forests.
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00:22:12,700 --> 00:22:16,940
The sun is so low
that it's twilight at midday.
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00:22:23,460 --> 00:22:25,339
Further north in the high Arctic,
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the sun has been below the horizon
for months
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00:22:28,140 --> 00:22:31,340
and it'll be several more
before it appears again.
175
00:23:21,380 --> 00:23:25,140
The male polar bear spends winter
out on the frozen ocean.
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00:23:28,220 --> 00:23:30,820
Few creatures can endure
these conditions.
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00:23:37,580 --> 00:23:39,939
If he's lucky,
he will find a carcass
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00:23:39,940 --> 00:23:42,179
that could provide a little food,
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00:23:42,180 --> 00:23:45,260
possibly that of a fox
or another polar bear.
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00:23:48,060 --> 00:23:51,820
But otherwise,
he must live on his reserves.
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00:23:54,500 --> 00:23:57,980
This is the time to scrape by,
to wait.
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00:24:08,460 --> 00:24:12,779
But on lee-side slopes,
beneath the snow,
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new lives are beginning.
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00:24:34,220 --> 00:24:38,379
The cubs are born blind and tiny.
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00:24:38,380 --> 00:24:42,180
An early birth is easier
on the mother, who is barely awake.
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00:24:56,580 --> 00:24:58,659
Despite her sleepiness,
187
00:24:58,660 --> 00:25:01,860
her instinct to nurse
is overwhelming.
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00:25:16,460 --> 00:25:19,179
The cub's clucking calls
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00:25:19,180 --> 00:25:21,539
stimulate her to produce milk.
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00:25:21,540 --> 00:25:23,139
And what milk!
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It's nine times richer than our own
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00:25:25,900 --> 00:25:29,460
and enables her to double
their weight every few weeks.
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00:25:47,340 --> 00:25:49,379
It's over two months
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since the autumn snows
first arrived.
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00:25:52,340 --> 00:25:55,499
In two more months,
polar bear families
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00:25:55,500 --> 00:25:57,659
will emerge onto the snowy slopes
197
00:25:57,660 --> 00:25:59,780
all around the Arctic.
198
00:26:00,940 --> 00:26:03,179
But for now, they lie protected
199
00:26:03,180 --> 00:26:05,420
within their icy cocoons.
200
00:26:28,900 --> 00:26:31,379
A hundred miles above the earth,
201
00:26:31,380 --> 00:26:34,020
the Aurora lights up the sky.
202
00:26:44,540 --> 00:26:47,499
After travelling millions of miles
across space,
203
00:26:47,500 --> 00:26:51,499
solar winds, attracted by
the magnetic pull of the poles,
204
00:26:51,500 --> 00:26:53,780
collide with the earth's atmosphere.
205
00:26:55,980 --> 00:26:58,579
Trillions of charged particles
206
00:26:58,580 --> 00:27:00,660
dance across the sky.
207
00:27:08,380 --> 00:27:12,339
Above the Arctic,
the Aurora Borealis...
208
00:27:12,340 --> 00:27:14,539
the Northern Lights.
209
00:27:14,540 --> 00:27:18,259
In the south,
it's the Aurora Australis...
210
00:27:18,260 --> 00:27:19,779
the Southern lights,
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00:27:19,780 --> 00:27:22,940
that bring light
to Antarctica's long winter.
212
00:27:31,420 --> 00:27:35,459
These spectacular lightshows
are only a tease.
213
00:27:35,460 --> 00:27:37,419
Solar energy maybe,
214
00:27:37,420 --> 00:27:40,540
but no warmth
that will help the emperor penguins.
215
00:27:53,460 --> 00:27:56,379
The Arctic winter is brutally cold,
216
00:27:56,380 --> 00:27:58,059
but in Antarctica,
217
00:27:58,060 --> 00:28:00,820
the darkest months
are even more savage.
218
00:28:17,060 --> 00:28:20,419
The male penguins
have not eaten for months,
219
00:28:20,420 --> 00:28:23,860
and have only each other
for protection from the gales.
220
00:28:34,020 --> 00:28:36,859
Each has been entrusted
with a single precious egg
221
00:28:36,860 --> 00:28:39,619
balanced on the top of its feet.
222
00:28:39,620 --> 00:28:43,139
If the egg were to drop onto
the ice, even for a moment,
223
00:28:43,140 --> 00:28:44,739
the chick inside would die
224
00:28:44,740 --> 00:28:47,180
and all this
would count for nothing.
225
00:28:56,105 --> 00:28:59,105
The emperors are not entirely alone.
226
00:29:04,420 --> 00:29:06,179
The Weddell seal.
227
00:29:06,180 --> 00:29:09,420
The only mammal to remain here
throughout the winter.
228
00:29:15,940 --> 00:29:17,779
They must have breathing holes,
229
00:29:17,780 --> 00:29:20,539
and so have to constantly
scrape away the ice
230
00:29:20,540 --> 00:29:22,259
that threatens to close them,
231
00:29:22,260 --> 00:29:24,419
rasping away fresh build-ups
232
00:29:24,420 --> 00:29:26,980
with special wide-gaped jaws.
233
00:29:32,060 --> 00:29:36,700
Beneath the ice, they are beyond the
reach of the bitter winter winds.
234
00:29:40,620 --> 00:29:43,659
The sea is -2 degrees centigrade.
235
00:29:43,660 --> 00:29:47,300
A warm bath, compared to
the conditions overhead.
236
00:29:59,340 --> 00:30:04,540
The roof of ice insulates this world
from the wild fluctuations above.
237
00:30:06,300 --> 00:30:09,059
The temperature down here
has barely changed
238
00:30:09,060 --> 00:30:11,820
for 25 million years.
239
00:30:20,180 --> 00:30:23,859
Of course,
animals must still be hardy.
240
00:30:23,860 --> 00:30:28,099
These borchgrevinki fish
have antifreeze in their blood,
241
00:30:28,100 --> 00:30:31,700
so they are untroubled
swimming among the ice crystals.
242
00:30:37,180 --> 00:30:40,099
Many animals here
are remarkably long-lived,
243
00:30:40,100 --> 00:30:42,980
perhaps because the conditions
are so stable.
244
00:30:44,020 --> 00:30:47,059
Some sponges could be
a thousand years old
245
00:30:47,060 --> 00:30:49,220
and large enough
for a human to hide in.
246
00:30:51,700 --> 00:30:53,859
There could hardly be
a greater contrast
247
00:30:53,860 --> 00:30:57,620
to the bleak, windswept world
just above.
248
00:31:30,500 --> 00:31:33,900
But there is a constant danger here.
249
00:31:39,100 --> 00:31:43,540
Swirling patterns in the water
reveal its presence.
250
00:31:45,140 --> 00:31:47,419
They are made by brine.
251
00:31:47,420 --> 00:31:49,899
Super-concentrated salt water.
252
00:31:49,900 --> 00:31:51,900
It's a warning.
253
00:31:55,900 --> 00:31:58,459
New sea ice forming above
254
00:31:58,460 --> 00:32:01,779
leaves behind brine
that is so extremely salty,
255
00:32:01,780 --> 00:32:03,620
it sinks rapidly.
256
00:32:09,180 --> 00:32:13,379
As it descends, the sea water
around it freezes instantly
257
00:32:13,380 --> 00:32:16,539
and forms a sheath of ice,
a brinicle,
258
00:32:16,540 --> 00:32:19,500
that grows downwards
towards the seafloor.
259
00:32:28,980 --> 00:32:33,980
Winter is reaching down
from the cold world above.
260
00:32:47,260 --> 00:32:48,819
As it touches the seafloor,
261
00:32:48,820 --> 00:32:51,659
it kills whatever living thing
it contacts
262
00:32:51,660 --> 00:32:55,020
by encasing it in a tomb of ice.
263
00:33:21,500 --> 00:33:24,299
Even in the relative warmth
of the water,
264
00:33:24,300 --> 00:33:26,139
the lethal cold of winter
265
00:33:26,140 --> 00:33:28,380
threatens life on the seafloor.
266
00:33:38,380 --> 00:33:43,659
Another more constant attack
rises from below.
267
00:33:43,660 --> 00:33:46,299
Pressure in the depths
keeps water liquid,
268
00:33:46,300 --> 00:33:49,460
even though its temperature
is far from freezing.
269
00:33:52,460 --> 00:33:56,499
Currents bring up this colder water,
but it turns to ice,
270
00:33:56,500 --> 00:33:59,660
covering everything
that can't move away from it.
271
00:34:21,900 --> 00:34:25,259
And then, the ice,
being lighter than water,
272
00:34:25,260 --> 00:34:29,540
begins to float,
lifting away anything attached.
273
00:34:50,340 --> 00:34:54,020
Even some of the faster-moving
animals are caught.
274
00:35:09,460 --> 00:35:12,379
So the ice cleanses the seafloor
275
00:35:12,380 --> 00:35:14,659
and strews the ceiling above
276
00:35:14,660 --> 00:35:17,300
with remnants of life from below.
277
00:35:28,420 --> 00:35:31,660
A sign that winter is nearly over.
278
00:35:34,100 --> 00:35:36,979
The songs of male Weddell seals
279
00:35:36,980 --> 00:35:39,420
challenging their rivals to battle.
280
00:35:45,900 --> 00:35:49,780
The male seal's calls
can be heard over 15 miles away.
281
00:36:01,700 --> 00:36:04,659
He aims to control
the best breathing holes
282
00:36:04,660 --> 00:36:07,940
for they will determine
his mating rights in spring.
283
00:36:15,540 --> 00:36:18,900
His calls create powerful
shockwaves in the water.
284
00:36:20,140 --> 00:36:21,620
They are threats.
285
00:36:32,060 --> 00:36:35,019
This hole has already been claimed,
286
00:36:35,020 --> 00:36:37,660
and the owner will not surrender it
willingly.
287
00:36:48,020 --> 00:36:50,139
No change this time.
288
00:36:50,140 --> 00:36:54,220
The challenger will need to find
a hole with a weaker owner.
289
00:37:02,420 --> 00:37:05,859
The battles continue
until the females arrive,
290
00:37:05,860 --> 00:37:08,580
and that time is now close.
291
00:37:34,880 --> 00:37:37,880
The sun returns to Antarctica.
292
00:37:40,680 --> 00:37:42,959
The longest night on earth has ended
293
00:37:42,960 --> 00:37:45,760
and winter begins
to give way to spring.
294
00:38:16,400 --> 00:38:18,799
Female emperor penguins.
295
00:38:18,800 --> 00:38:20,719
After four months feeding at sea,
296
00:38:20,720 --> 00:38:23,640
they are returning sleek and fat.
297
00:38:54,560 --> 00:38:57,760
Penguins, it seems,
can fly after all.
298
00:39:00,680 --> 00:39:04,000
But a winter at sea has left them
a little out of practice.
299
00:39:56,760 --> 00:39:58,679
There is no time to waste.
300
00:39:58,680 --> 00:40:01,720
Far away, the males are waiting.
301
00:40:12,200 --> 00:40:15,479
While the females were gone,
the sea ice grew,
302
00:40:15,480 --> 00:40:19,280
and it's now twice the distance
from its edge back to their colony.
303
00:40:26,840 --> 00:40:31,360
70 miles away, the males
are in desperate need of help.
304
00:40:34,320 --> 00:40:37,199
Despite doing all they can
to conserve their energy,
305
00:40:37,200 --> 00:40:40,600
many are close to dying
from starvation.
306
00:41:32,000 --> 00:41:35,960
Reunited after three months apart.
307
00:41:46,240 --> 00:41:48,279
The reward for her return?
308
00:41:48,280 --> 00:41:50,760
A first glimpse of her chick.
309
00:41:56,440 --> 00:42:00,320
The reunion made,
it's time for the handover.
310
00:42:05,400 --> 00:42:08,320
The father finds it hard to let go.
311
00:42:10,840 --> 00:42:14,480
Some gentle persuasion is needed.
312
00:42:16,800 --> 00:42:19,959
He has endured the most appalling
conditions on earth
313
00:42:19,960 --> 00:42:22,519
to ensure the survival of his chick,
314
00:42:22,520 --> 00:42:25,080
and the bond is strong.
315
00:42:26,920 --> 00:42:28,839
The exchange must be quick,
316
00:42:28,840 --> 00:42:33,240
as the tiny chick, unprotected,
could freeze to death in seconds.
317
00:42:44,520 --> 00:42:47,719
A task that began in autumn
has been completed.
318
00:42:47,720 --> 00:42:50,679
Despite the huge odds against it,
319
00:42:50,680 --> 00:42:53,279
the precious chick
has survived the winter
320
00:42:53,280 --> 00:42:57,120
and is now with its mother.
And she has food.
321
00:43:07,200 --> 00:43:09,760
The chick's first fresh meal.
322
00:43:11,880 --> 00:43:14,080
Her mission is complete.
323
00:43:17,760 --> 00:43:19,319
But for other mothers,
324
00:43:19,320 --> 00:43:22,520
the journey ends in disappointment.
325
00:43:25,320 --> 00:43:28,720
Their chicks have not survived.
326
00:43:32,000 --> 00:43:35,399
The females' need to nurture
remains strong.
327
00:43:35,400 --> 00:43:37,719
Any chick that strays from
its parent
328
00:43:37,720 --> 00:43:40,240
is at grave risk of being kidnapped.
329
00:44:17,040 --> 00:44:21,879
The chaos may be a consequence
of frustrated parental urge,
330
00:44:21,880 --> 00:44:23,960
but the outcome can be tragic.
331
00:44:40,960 --> 00:44:44,039
For those emperor penguins
that survive,
332
00:44:44,040 --> 00:44:46,560
the worst is over for this year.
333
00:44:51,800 --> 00:44:55,200
There will soon be
abundant food for everyone.
334
00:45:04,600 --> 00:45:09,199
The emperors have taken on
the polar winter and won.
335
00:45:09,200 --> 00:45:11,240
The gamble has paid off.
336
00:45:12,320 --> 00:45:14,799
All other animals escaped,
337
00:45:14,800 --> 00:45:17,759
only they remained
to raise their young.
338
00:45:17,760 --> 00:45:20,919
And now, it is they
who will now benefit most
339
00:45:20,920 --> 00:45:23,600
from the rich southern spring.
340
00:45:31,880 --> 00:45:37,279
Another arrival is the certain
confirmation that spring is here.
341
00:45:37,280 --> 00:45:40,999
The Adelies, having spent winter
at sea, have come back,
342
00:45:41,000 --> 00:45:45,600
but they have not even mated yet,
let alone laid their eggs.
343
00:45:53,600 --> 00:45:56,999
Now, at last,
the male emperors can return
344
00:45:57,000 --> 00:45:59,400
to where they are most at home.
345
00:46:14,960 --> 00:46:18,280
One season ends and another begins.
346
00:46:19,520 --> 00:46:22,479
The penguins will soon
be joined by migrants
347
00:46:22,480 --> 00:46:27,600
and the far south will bustle
with life for a few frantic months.
348
00:46:37,480 --> 00:46:41,879
But there are only a special few,
north and south,
349
00:46:41,880 --> 00:46:43,919
who can survive winter
350
00:46:43,920 --> 00:46:47,280
at the farthest ends of our planet.
351
00:47:29,600 --> 00:47:31,887
More than any other season in the poles,
352
00:47:31,960 --> 00:47:35,726
winter was to pose the greatest
challenge to the Frozen Planet crew.
353
00:47:37,080 --> 00:47:39,924
The team endured winds of
over 700 miles an hour
354
00:47:40,000 --> 00:47:43,447
and temperatures as
low as -50 degrees centigrade.
355
00:47:44,560 --> 00:47:47,211
Their boats were trapped in
sea-ice for days,
356
00:47:47,280 --> 00:47:50,045
while bears trapped others indoors.
357
00:47:55,000 --> 00:47:57,128
Some of the coldest
conditions experienced
358
00:47:57,200 --> 00:47:59,931
were near the Arctic circle
in Northern Canada.
359
00:48:01,200 --> 00:48:05,091
In winter, temperatures dropped to
- 40 degrees and stayed there.
360
00:48:07,320 --> 00:48:09,846
On the edge of the vast Taiga forest;
361
00:48:09,920 --> 00:48:12,241
The team hoped to film one
the most remarkable
362
00:48:12,320 --> 00:48:14,687
predator-prey relationships
on the planet.
363
00:48:16,480 --> 00:48:20,201
What they experienced was the
struggle against the elements,
364
00:48:20,320 --> 00:48:24,803
what they witnessed was a more profound
struggle for life and death.
365
00:48:35,640 --> 00:48:40,009
Wood Buffalo National Park
covers 28, 000 square miles,
366
00:48:40,080 --> 00:48:41,491
the size of Denmark.
367
00:48:42,400 --> 00:48:47,042
One of the few cameramen to have filmed
wolves and bison here is Jeff Turner.
368
00:48:47,640 --> 00:48:49,768
I first tried to film
bison and wolves
369
00:48:49,840 --> 00:48:54,801
in this national park 75 years ago
and getting around an the ground
370
00:48:54,880 --> 00:48:58,885
is incredibly difficult at any time of
the year, but in the winter it's tough.
371
00:48:58,960 --> 00:49:02,089
We quickly realised that the only way
we were going to get anything here
372
00:49:02,200 --> 00:49:04,202
was we had to get up in the air.
373
00:49:04,280 --> 00:49:05,645
The Frozen Planet team
374
00:49:05,720 --> 00:49:08,849
had never attempted aerial filming
in such law temperatures.
375
00:49:11,480 --> 00:49:13,926
The first challenge
for director Chadden Hunter
376
00:49:14,000 --> 00:49:16,367
was protecting the sensitive
aerial camera,
377
00:49:16,440 --> 00:49:20,968
at -40, electrical cables
short-circuit like fireworks.
378
00:49:22,440 --> 00:49:23,771
Ooh.
379
00:49:24,360 --> 00:49:27,967
- How cold can you fly this chopper?
- Minus-40.
380
00:49:28,160 --> 00:49:32,051
Aerial cameraman Michael
Kelem comes from sunny California
381
00:49:32,120 --> 00:49:34,646
and has never experienced
temperatures so law.
382
00:49:34,720 --> 00:49:37,530
What kind of temperatures
can you operate down to?
383
00:49:37,600 --> 00:49:41,241
Me, usually about 70 degrees
Fahrenheit. LA kind of weather
384
00:49:41,320 --> 00:49:43,482
- Yeah.
- I'm only rated for Santa Monica.
385
00:49:44,920 --> 00:49:47,969
Operating delicate
controls while wearing gloves
386
00:49:48,040 --> 00:49:51,408
is not easy.
A computer and joystick are needed
387
00:49:51,480 --> 00:49:55,087
to control the aerial camera attached
to the outside of the helicopter.
388
00:49:55,160 --> 00:49:56,969
It's actually warmed up to -30.
389
00:49:57,040 --> 00:50:01,204
Michael would have to
choose between dexterity or warmth.
390
00:50:03,680 --> 00:50:05,409
With their camera mounted on the nose,
391
00:50:05,480 --> 00:50:09,485
the aerial team could now fly hundreds
of miles in search of the animals.
392
00:50:11,200 --> 00:50:13,009
Jeff, meanwhile, is still on foot
393
00:50:13,080 --> 00:50:15,560
scouting the other side
of the national park.
394
00:50:16,160 --> 00:50:17,969
I wonder what Jeff's getting
an the ground?
395
00:50:18,040 --> 00:50:19,883
Man, it's cold.
396
00:50:20,320 --> 00:50:23,290
With the wind today it's about -37
397
00:50:23,360 --> 00:50:25,567
so you got to keep
these heaters in here,
398
00:50:25,640 --> 00:50:27,722
to keep the camera running
at these temperatures.
399
00:50:28,760 --> 00:50:30,330
From 3,000 feet up,
400
00:50:30,400 --> 00:50:33,404
Chadden catches a glimpse
of the elusive wolf pack.
401
00:50:34,520 --> 00:50:37,364
I can see wolves,
I can see wolves near buffalo.
402
00:50:37,440 --> 00:50:39,920
- 70, 75, there's a big pack.
- Wow.
403
00:50:40,040 --> 00:50:42,281
We've got a big pack of wolves here.
404
00:50:42,400 --> 00:50:47,122
The wolf pack turns out to
number an extraordinary 25 individuals,
405
00:50:47,200 --> 00:50:48,929
one of the largest ever filmed.
406
00:50:49,000 --> 00:50:51,162
There's two more walking in
from the left.
407
00:50:51,240 --> 00:50:54,084
And it looks like
they're already on the hunt.
408
00:50:54,160 --> 00:50:58,245
The helicopter allows the team to shadow
the wolf pack without disturbing them.
409
00:50:58,320 --> 00:51:02,644
So, let's go back into
nice, slow circle around them.
410
00:51:03,840 --> 00:51:05,649
They look pretty determined.
411
00:51:05,720 --> 00:51:07,688
The pack are moving in
an their prey
412
00:51:07,760 --> 00:51:10,331
and the aerial team
are perfectly placed.
413
00:51:13,880 --> 00:51:15,530
They're making their...
definitely making their move.
414
00:51:15,600 --> 00:51:18,604
Wow, there's buffalo on the move.
415
00:51:19,600 --> 00:51:22,683
- The chase is on.
- Extreme concentration is now needed
416
00:51:22,760 --> 00:51:25,889
both from pilot and the cameraman
to keep the shots smooth.
417
00:51:28,640 --> 00:51:30,210
Yeah, there's more coming in now.
418
00:51:30,280 --> 00:51:32,487
There's a nice, tight little pack
challenging them.
419
00:51:32,560 --> 00:51:34,244
We've got a nice shot of the pack,
420
00:51:34,320 --> 00:51:36,971
the wolves coming up at the back.
You got them still?
421
00:51:37,040 --> 00:51:38,929
Yeah, I got them here, I'm just
going to pick it up a little bit.
422
00:51:39,040 --> 00:51:42,249
Okay, okay, tighten up, just a hair.
423
00:51:42,320 --> 00:51:44,971
Just want to get a shot
of the wolves at the back of the pack.
424
00:51:45,080 --> 00:51:47,890
The wolf pack
have picked out a young bison.
425
00:51:49,560 --> 00:51:50,891
Holy.
426
00:51:51,240 --> 00:51:53,607
As Michael struggles
to hold the shot steady,
427
00:51:53,680 --> 00:51:55,887
no one is prepared for what came next.
428
00:51:56,320 --> 00:52:00,245
Hey, look,
they just knocked him down, pretty much.
429
00:52:01,560 --> 00:52:03,244
A one-tonne bull charges through,
430
00:52:03,320 --> 00:52:06,483
taking out both the wolves
and the young bison.
431
00:52:08,440 --> 00:52:12,525
I've never seen anything like that
in the wild. that is unbelievable.
432
00:52:13,600 --> 00:52:16,570
The team have filmed
extraordinary new behaviour from the air
433
00:52:16,640 --> 00:52:18,881
but Jeff was nowhere nearby.
434
00:52:20,080 --> 00:52:22,845
To complete the sequence,
they will need to work together,
435
00:52:22,920 --> 00:52:25,605
only by using the helicopter
to position Jeff
436
00:52:25,680 --> 00:52:29,241
will they able to get both air
and ground coverage.
437
00:52:38,480 --> 00:52:42,804
This pack will now feast for days,
so the crew must move an.
438
00:52:44,800 --> 00:52:47,121
Jeff takes the team deeper
into the wilderness
439
00:52:47,200 --> 00:52:49,771
in search of a new wolf pack.
440
00:52:49,840 --> 00:52:53,447
With everyone on board,
there are more eyes for spotting.
441
00:52:54,560 --> 00:52:57,962
Bison on the run can only mean
one thing, wolves.
442
00:52:58,360 --> 00:53:01,648
But this time, only a pair.
443
00:53:02,720 --> 00:53:05,485
Jeff must anticipate the animals'
every move
444
00:53:05,560 --> 00:53:09,121
and direct the helicopter to
where he needs to be dropped off.
445
00:53:09,200 --> 00:53:10,690
They're going this way.
446
00:53:12,600 --> 00:53:14,170
I had to figure out exactly
447
00:53:14,240 --> 00:53:16,925
where the buffalo were going to run,
try to get there ahead of them.
448
00:53:18,000 --> 00:53:21,129
If I got dropped off
in the wrong position, we would blow it.
449
00:53:22,440 --> 00:53:24,408
There wasn't going to be
a second chance.
450
00:53:33,920 --> 00:53:36,287
That moment when you get
out of the helicopter
451
00:53:36,360 --> 00:53:40,684
and it leaves you behind, you feel
an incredible sense of isolation.
452
00:53:43,400 --> 00:53:44,890
On the lake, I'll guide you in,
453
00:53:44,960 --> 00:53:48,442
down to the right, down, zoom in.
454
00:53:49,480 --> 00:53:52,643
- Are you on the back guy?
- We're on the back guy. On the back.
455
00:53:53,320 --> 00:53:55,721
- Which one is he going for?
- I don't know.
456
00:53:56,080 --> 00:53:57,923
But there's one broken off.
457
00:53:58,520 --> 00:54:01,524
My God.
-They're coming in now.
458
00:54:02,760 --> 00:54:04,330
When I saw the herd
coming around the corner,
459
00:54:04,400 --> 00:54:07,768
I knew we'd picked the right spot,
I was right in front of them.
460
00:54:09,120 --> 00:54:10,884
And the buffalo
running right to wards you,
461
00:54:10,960 --> 00:54:12,928
it definitely does get your
heart pounding.
462
00:54:15,320 --> 00:54:16,890
The bison have
poor eyesight
463
00:54:16,960 --> 00:54:20,362
and can't see Jeff
It's now test of nerves.
464
00:54:21,320 --> 00:54:24,051
Weighing one tonne
and running at 40 miles an hour,
465
00:54:24,120 --> 00:54:26,885
one wrong step
and the bison could kill Jeff.
466
00:54:27,240 --> 00:54:28,526
At the last second,
467
00:54:28,600 --> 00:54:31,285
they spot him and three peel
away to the other side.
468
00:54:34,680 --> 00:54:37,729
At the back of the herd
the wolves have closed in.
469
00:54:39,400 --> 00:54:42,563
They're still at him. They're trying to
separate that little one.
470
00:54:45,920 --> 00:54:49,003
They got him!
-Both wolves are on him.
471
00:54:49,080 --> 00:54:51,048
- Both clamping down on him.
- Yeah, he got stamped.
472
00:54:51,120 --> 00:54:52,281
He got stomped on there.
473
00:54:52,400 --> 00:54:56,007
What followed was one of
the most emotional and powerful scenes
474
00:54:56,080 --> 00:54:58,526
the Frozen Planet team
were ever to film.
475
00:55:00,320 --> 00:55:03,164
Jeff has picked his position perfectly,
476
00:55:03,240 --> 00:55:05,720
he is now only 50 meters
from the animals
477
00:55:05,800 --> 00:55:08,451
and able film a truly epic battle.
478
00:55:10,080 --> 00:55:12,970
I had never been so close
to a wolf and bison battle,
479
00:55:13,840 --> 00:55:16,002
I could hear them breathing.
480
00:55:16,960 --> 00:55:18,928
And the power of the buffalo,
481
00:55:19,000 --> 00:55:22,368
the way he just threw this wolf around
like it was a rag doll.
482
00:55:23,360 --> 00:55:25,840
I couldn't believe the beating
this wolf was taking.
483
00:55:29,920 --> 00:55:33,686
The struggles that we'd had with
the winter and the cold and the snow
484
00:55:33,760 --> 00:55:37,810
just felt so insignificant
compared to these two animals
485
00:55:37,880 --> 00:55:40,121
that were struggling
for their very lives.
486
00:55:43,280 --> 00:55:46,284
For over an hour,
I watched this wolf and bison
487
00:55:46,360 --> 00:55:48,567
battle each other to a standstill.
488
00:55:50,120 --> 00:55:52,487
They were both unbelievably exhausted.
489
00:56:00,400 --> 00:56:04,291
Watching these two animals engaged
in this massive life and death struggle
490
00:56:04,360 --> 00:56:08,046
was one of the most powerful things
I'd ever witnessed in the wild.
491
00:56:10,560 --> 00:56:14,326
As a filmmaker, you're definitely tom
watching something like this.
492
00:56:14,400 --> 00:56:18,086
You know you need to keep filming
and you know this a natural event;
493
00:56:18,600 --> 00:56:20,807
But it's also incredibly sad
to know that
494
00:56:20,880 --> 00:56:24,202
one of these two magnificent
animals isn't going to make it.
495
00:56:28,560 --> 00:56:33,043
The bison is fatally
wounded, the battle is over.
496
00:56:36,000 --> 00:56:39,209
The team have managed
to capture a remarkable hunt
497
00:56:39,280 --> 00:56:41,886
from both ground and air.
498
00:56:42,520 --> 00:56:44,124
All of them have been humbled
499
00:56:44,200 --> 00:56:48,046
by witnessing an extraordinary
winter struggle for survival.
40846
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