All language subtitles for BBC Penguins Spy in the Huddle 1080p HDTV x265 AAC MVGroup org

Penguins - behind their feisty charm
lies an amazing character.

These cheeky birds have to bring
up their chicks

against the most extraordinary odds.

SpyCams discover just how special
they really are.

From the freezing Antarctic...

to the scorching tropics...

this is the story of nature's most
devoted parents -

filmed as never before.

A chick's-eye view
of an emperor penguin's mum and dad.

His parents have
trekked across a frozen sea

and battled blizzards to raise him.

The Humboldt is just as dedicated.

Shielding their chicks

from the desert sun is just
one of the many tasks they face.

Rockhoppers rear their young
in the storm-lashed South Atlantic.

No other penguin is so daring
and spirited.

These parents will face huge
challenges as they bring up

chicks in the toughest
places on Earth.

Their struggles only end when their
young leave for the ocean.

But their incredible story begins

long before their chicks are even
born.

The Antarctic is home to just 2
of the world's 17 types of penguin.

But a new variety has just
appeared -

PenguinCam.

As well as a camera in its body,
there's another in its eye.

It just has to wait for its
legendary subjects to arrive.

They are emperors -
the world's tallest

and most regal penguin,
standing a metre high.

Their curiosity is encouraging.

They must accept EmperorCam

if it is to film their lives
up close for nearly a year.

Emperors are a very special penguin -

the only animal on Earth to
breed through the Antarctic winter.

As the long journey
to their breeding grounds begins,

the penguins accept
EmperorCam as one of their own.

Ahead, more penguins
are on the march.

They can't delay - their destination
lies many miles across a frozen sea.

The Falkland Islands in the South
Atlantic,

the breeding grounds
of the rockhopper.

Our second
remarkable penguin - RockhopperCam -

will record the rockhoppers' arrival,
using a camera concealed in its eye.

It's joined by an aquatic version

that can film both above
and below the water.

Its camera-eye captures
the penguins' homecoming.

After five months at sea,
these rockhoppers are returning

to build new nests where
they themselves were born.

They appear at the same time each
year, having travelled 400 miles

from their fishing grounds off
Argentina to be here.

The real challenge begins
when they reach the shallows -

they must somehow make it ashore.

It won't be easy.

These are some of the roughest
waters in the world.

The first to appear are all males.

7,000 will arrive in small landing
parties over the next five days.

Rockhoppers are spirited characters.

Tough, irrepressible, with a
reputation of never giving up.

It's just as well.

As soon as they're ashore, the waves
reclaim them.

The heavy swells toss them like
flotsam, but they won't be deterred.

Success at last!

But victory is brief.

Despite their
ordeal, they must try again -

a new generation of rockhoppers
depends on it.

When they do, RockhopperCam will be
ready.

The Atacama desert in Peru,
the most arid in the world.

The surprising home of our third and
least known penguin...

..the Humboldt.

Sophisticated robotics allow
HumboldtCam

to patrol the shoreline where
the penguins are due to arrive.

But they're late -
the beach sadly deserted.

Then, after days of waiting,
they finally arrive.

These Humboldts will face their own
extraordinary challenges

as they struggle to reach their
nesting grounds

and raise a new generation.

They're so shy that they've
rarely been filmed,

but already HumboldtCam is capturing
the closest shots ever recorded.

It even moves among them
without ruffling a feather.

Humboldts are the only mainland
penguin to live in the tropics.

Their survival depends
on the Humboldt current that brings

both food
and cold water to these shores.

Like the other penguins, they accept
the SpyCam as one of their own,

even testing its reaction.

But it's only a brief encounter.

Fur seals!

PENGUINS SQUAWK

Chasing penguins is
one of their favourite pastimes.

To the seals, it's just a game.

They normally prey on fish and squid.

But the Humboldts aren't taking any
chances.

Higher up the beach
is a colony of sea lions.

Although they look
just like fur seals,

they're three times bigger
and they will kill penguins.

SEA LIONS GRUNT

There's also rather a lot of them.

20,000 in all,

blocking the way to the penguins'
nest site.

Crossing the blockade won't be easy.

HumboldtCam is already in the thick
of it

as the first penguin tries his luck.

Near the shore,
sea lions are thin on the ground.

It seems surprisingly
straightforward.

But nothing is ever that simple.

It's so easy to put a foot wrong.

But there's no turning back now.

Their best chance is to run for their
lives.

SEA LIONS SNARL

Fortunately for them,
sea lions are slow

and clumsy on land.

The penguins
outmanoeuvre them every time.

A close call...then a bite!

But he escapes with his life.

The advanced party makes it.

But only just!

They desperately clamber to safety.

Their followers aren't so lucky.

Just in time, they find a place to
hide - a sea cave.

It might offer shelter or hold hidden
dangers.

No-one's keen find out.

Back in Antarctica,

the emperor penguins' trek to their
breeding grounds is well under way.

It's a long slog and the frozen sea
ice presents all kinds of challenges.

But the occasional slip-up is the
least of their worries.

A small crack has appeared.

It's enough to stop the whole
march in its tracks.

Cracks form as the sea
beneath the ice rises and falls.

He's nervous, but the march must go
on.

The rest try their luck
with varying degrees of success.

They have reason to be frightened -

leopard seals patrol
these tide-cracks,

looking for struggling penguins.

As more pile in,
they pulverise the ice,

making it even harder to escape.

But they possess a useful tool -

an ice pick that gets them
out of trouble.

On the Falklands, RockhopperCam
returns to duty

as the penguins begin
their second assault on the shore.

The weather still isn't helping.

But they remember an old tactic -

face danger head on!

This streamlines the impact and keeps
their feet firmly on the ground.

They've passed the first hurdle, but
their challenges are far from over.

Rockhoppers build their nests as far
from the waves as possible,

at the top of a cliff that's
a hundred metres high!

It's a tough climb - but they aren't
called rockhoppers for nothing.

They haven't hopped for five months
and they're out of practice.

Made it! But that was just
the first few metres.

There's nearly a hundred to go!

RockCam prepares to record
the next of their many trials.

It's designed to film on the move.

A cliff path seems deceptively easy,
but RockCam soon has to give up.

There are sheer drops below
and the waves are steadily building.

Just one left...

..and then there were none.

They will just have to try yet again.

Back at the cave, the Humboldts are
still too nervous to enter.

But it just takes one brave soul
and the rest soon follow.

It was wise to be cautious.

The cave holds a nasty surprise.

Vampire bats.

They feed on any warm-blooded
creature and birds are no exception.

There's no reprieve, the sea lions
have cut off their escape.

SEA LIONS SNARL

Their only choice is to face their
fears.

BATS SQUEAK

While their eyes adjust to the dark,
they can't see the danger.

Vampires can last just two days
without feeding on blood -

they never turn down a meal.

They home in by sensing body heat.

As fortune has it,

the cave offers an escape route.

It's a tunnel that bypasses the
sea lions and reaches the other side.

As they scramble up the cliff,

another PenguinCam records their
achievement.

But the penguins face a new
challenge - the baking hot desert.

Year after year,

they return to this parched and
inhospitable place to lay their eggs.

They have no choice -

the desert borders
the coast for hundreds of miles.

They must reach their nest
sites before it gets too hot -

an unusual concern for a penguin!

In Antarctica,
emperors face an opposite problem.

A glacier entering the frozen sea

creates an ice maze riddled with
crevasses -

one mistake could prove fatal.

Even here, the penguins' incredible
sense of direction guides them

towards their breeding grounds.

By keeping together

and sharing knowledge,
they are less likely to get lost.

It's a matter of follow-the-leader,

but all it takes is
one false move...

..and it can all go horribly wrong.

PENGUIN SQUAWKS

Alone, the ice maze seems
strangely disorientating.

He calls,
but his voice is lost on the wind.

His companions continue without him.

He escapes the maze,

but it's too late.

He must attempt the journey alone.

Hardened by battle, the rockhoppers
stage one more assault.

In the race to the top,
one penguin cadges a ride.

With the tide receding,
the cliff path seems safer.

But appearances can be deceptive.

He's caught in a trap and
the sea isn't finished yet.

He makes it!

This time the sea is more forgiving.

Rockhoppers are notoriously
tenacious.

It's just as well -

an even steeper cliff lies ahead.

There are no easy routes, but he's
chosen one of the most difficult.

Mountaineering techniques are
required.

He uses his flippers as arms,

his claws as crampons

and his bill as a climbing axe.

He triumphs,

but a loss of concentration then
throws it all away.

Fortunately, body fat
makes a great shock-absorber.

This time he selects a less
challenging route.

At the summit,

the penguins show that their hopping
skills have returned.

It's a sack-race to
reclaim old nest-sites.

But other males have beaten them
here.

And it's difficult to remember
exactly where you nested last year.

Those that have already staked
a claim won't budge.

And they don't take kindly to
newcomers.

Among the crowds, a familiar face -

RockhopperCam.

Like other PenguinCams,
it can manoeuvre

to find the best viewpoint without
disturbing the colony.

It doesn't get better than this.

When the females arrive,

7,000 pairs will be jostling
here as they bring up their chicks.

Even so, RockhopperCam needs
back-up...

..EggCam!

Ten of these EggCams are deployed
throughout the colony.

They record continuously and film
closer than any other spy camera.

The male's job is to build the nest.

It may be just a few twigs,
but every piece is treasured.

Stealing from a neighbour is
a crime that pays.

With nest sites claimed and tidied,

a moment to celebrate.

Now, they have to wait a week or
more for the females to arrive.

The lone emperor continues his
journey,

determined to reach
the breeding grounds.

His companions are several
miles ahead

and the weather has started to turn.

He's built to endure
Antarctic storms,

but it's a bad time for any penguin
to be alone.

Ahead, the others are feeling the
full force of the blizzard.

PenguinCam joins them,

as driving snow makes the route
almost impassable.

They're now wasting
precious energy.

As winds reach 90 miles an hour,

they start to huddle
together for warmth.

It's their best chance of survival.

The lone penguin struggles on.

He's weakening from exertion
and the cold.

Then, through the whiteout,

distant shapes appear.

Forming the huddle allowed him
to catch up.

It may have saved his life.

The Humboldts are almost
at their nesting grounds,

but they have one last hurdle to
face -

a colony of Peruvian booby birds lies

between the penguins and their
nest-site.

Out at sea, the two
species are close competitors.

But here,
the boobies have the best weaponry.

PENGUIN CALLS

The penguins face an army of spears.

A jab to the eye would spell
disaster

and there are thousands of
birds to get through.

The Humboldts' only defence
is their quick reactions.

With escape in sight,
one penguin dares to retaliate.

But he doesn't hang around for long.

Their trials finally over,

the nest site is within reach.

It's a Humboldt nursery,
dug into the desert.

Here, they're safe from sea lions,
nesting birds and storms -

well worth the journey to get here.

Humboldts are faithful birds
and usually pair for life.

The males dig burrows to protect
their young from the desert sun.

It's dirty work.

The colony has been here
so long, it's built on guano -

centuries of accumulated penguin poo.

Job done, his mate moves in.

In a few days,
she'll lay the first egg.

The blizzard over, the emperors wake
to a very different day.

PENGUINS SQUAWK

They can't delay.

They still have miles to go.

EmperorCam takes an early lead.

Fresh snow creates perfect
sledging conditions.

Finally, the end of the emperors'
journey is in sight.

A frozen bay, located where the
sea-ice meets the Antarctic mainland.

Emperors have visited this hallowed
spot for thousands of years.

Here, the ice stays firm throughout
the breeding season,

giving sanctuary to 3,000 pairs.

SpyCams are already here.

And there are new varieties, too.

The penguin's waddle walk
is part of a display

that shows that this new EmperorCam
is regarded as just another penguin.

EmperorCam is a fully-fledged
member of the colony.

She's also the first to lay an egg!

A clutch of EggCams are soon
in the thick of it.

Back in the Falklands,
7,000 rockhopper males have waited

nearly two weeks
for their partners to arrive.

Their only pastime has been
a spot of housekeeping.

Then, the sight they've been
waiting for -

the girls are back.

Their surfing technique helps them
locate their favourite landing spot.

The tide is out, allowing a more
elegant arrival.

After five months away, they're keen
to see their partners again.

FEMALES SQUAWK

Hopping is faster than waddling,

so they bounce their way
to the colony.

Single males try
to catch their eye.

But rockhoppers mate for life and
most females are already spoken for.

She stops to listen.

Her partner has a distinctive
call that helps her

pinpoint his whereabouts.

She hasn't
seen him for nearly half a year.

Fittingly, their greeting is called
an "ecstatic display".

Preening helps
rekindle their relationship.

But not all are so lucky in love.

This male is still
waiting for his mate to return.

Emperor penguins are spared
these concerns,

as most choose a new mate each year.

Penguins looking
for a partner set themselves apart

and start to display.

This male doesn't have to
wait for long.

He's unlucky this time.

But he's spoilt for choice.

There are 3,000 possible partners.

Her waddle walk shows she's keen.

They mirror each other's actions to
confirm that they're now a couple.

But their blossoming
romance soon sparks jealousies.

A second female tries to muscle in.

She pecks at her rival,

but the male's having none of it.

The girls fight it out.

It's flippers at dawn.

She shoves her challenger
to the ground,

but it's not over yet.

Her mate cheers her on.

SQUAWKS

This time she's clinched it.

She's slapped her way to victory.

Their synchronised waddle advertises
they're an item.

It's time to get down to business.

It's their first breeding season
and their inexperience is clear.

And just as they get the hang of
things,

the female's love rival is back.

She has many ways of spoiling
the moment.

Time to find a quieter spot.

Back with the rockhoppers,

the lonesome male is still
waiting for his mate.

But his eye soon begins to wander.

RockhopperCam has found an admirer.

The penguin displays to show he's
keen.

She might be a robot,
but it's still love at first sight.

Preening is a sign that the male's
getting serious.

It seems the perfect match.

But some romances
aren't meant to be.

The rockhopper's real mate is coming
home...

..and she's in quite a hurry.

She's a jealous bird.

PenguinCam suffers the consequences.

The couple reunite.

They now only have eyes for each
other.

RockhopperCam may have been jilted,

but she picks herself right back up
again...

..while the pair have some
catching up to do.

At the emperor colony,

after mating, the new couples keep
themselves to themselves.

Two weeks later, it's time for their
single egg to be laid.

Both share in this precious moment.

On ice, laying is a challenge.

A dropped egg will quickly freeze,

and their long march would have been
for nothing.

She flicks her tail forward
to catch the egg,

while her feet cushion the fall.

Success!

She shows off her treasure -

her partner must understand that he
shares the responsibility.

It will soon be his turn to
care for it.

For the female,

producing the egg has taken its toll

and she must soon leave for the sea
to feed and recuperate.

The future of their developing chick

now depends on the strength
and endurance of its father.

Back in the Falklands,

rockhopper eggs are being laid
throughout the colony.

Rockhoppers have two eggs,
the first is smaller than the second.

The lesser egg is for insurance -
it's often taken by predators.

Skuas seize more than any other.

Their strategy is simple -

attack from out of the blue.

The colony soon switches to high
alert...

..and prepares its defences.

They create a fortress of sharp
beaks, impossible to penetrate.

The skua has lost the advantage
of surprise and retreats.

By joining forces,
the colony prevails.

And this penguin still has
both her eggs.

In Peru, the Humboldts also lay
two eggs,

but they conceal them
inside a burrow.

There are egg thieves here, too.

Turkey vultures time their arrival
for the nesting period.

But they are nervous of entering
the burrow.

A Humboldt will fight
fiercely to protect her eggs

and she easily repels the vulture.

Protected underground,
both eggs usually survive.

At the rockhopper colony,
it's time for a change of shifts.

After two weeks,

the female rockhoppers usually leave
for the sea.

Like the emperor females, they hand
over parenting duties to the males.

Some mums aren't convinced that this
is such a good idea.

She needs some gentle persuasion.

He tries a firmer approach...

..and she still refuses to budge.

But when push comes to shove,
the call of the sea prevails.

The females haven't
eaten for two weeks.

It's now a mad dash for the ocean
and food.

A lot rests on their success -

when they return, there will be
new mouths to feed.

For emperors, swapping parental
duties is a much riskier task.

The male offers encouragement
by showing off his brood pouch

which will protect the egg.

But she, too, is reluctant to trust
her mate

with such immense responsibility.

He tenderly strokes the egg -
a sign he will take good care.

But transferring the egg is
a delicate operation -

too long on the ice
and the embryo will freeze.

Success - the egg is now
cosily in his brood pouch.

It's time for his mate to leave
her treasure behind.

She and the other females must
retrace their steps back to the sea.

It will be a long journey.

Winter is closing in

and the falling temperatures have
frozen even more of the ocean.

The male must cherish this egg
throughout the long dark days ahead.

The female's duty is to return with
food in the spring.

For the male, the toughest
challenge is yet to come.

As the weather closes in, he must
protect their prized investment

through the harshest winter on Earth.

Back on the Falklands,

there is already movement.

An egg has started to hatch.

It's a magical moment...

..but this bundle of fluff will bring

a whole new set of challenges
for its parents.

Next time, our spy cameras will
discover how all these growing chicks

survive in some of the toughest
environments on Earth.

Penguins - behind their feisty charm
lies an amazing character.

These cheeky birds
have to bring up their chicks

against the most
extraordinary odds.

Spycams discover just how special
they really are.

THEY SQUAWK

From the freezing Antarctic...

..to the scorching tropics.

This is the story of nature's most
devoted parents,

filmed as never before.

Throughout the long, dark days
of the Antarctic winter,

Emperor penguins have endured
the harshest weather on the planet.

But not all the penguins here
are quite as they seem.

Emperorcam.

It is one of 50 spycameras

being used to film

three different types of penguin.

It has a camera in its body,
as well as its eye.

It is about to witness
a momentous event.

PENGUINS CHIRRUP

His egg has started to hatch.

The father cared for this

bundle of life for two whole months

while his partner was out at sea.

He hasn't fed. His only concern

has been the egg's survival.

The chick sees her father
for the first time.

A moment that will create
a bond between them.

Her dad proudly shows off
his new baby to another father

whose egg is still to hatch.

CHICK CHIRPS

THEY CHIRRUP

CHICK CHIRPS

The chick's calls

encourage her unhatched neighbour

to emerge as well.

CHICK CHIRPS

In this way, the colony's young
all arrive together.

The new chick joins over
2,000 others

that are starting to appear
throughout the colony.

The new fathers have no time to
celebrate. Their babies are hungry.

His supplies won't last long.

The chick's survival
depends on her mother's return.

In the Falklands,

Rockhopper penguins
are also under surveillance.

SPYCAM WHIRRS

Rockhoppercam not only has
a camera in its eye,

it can walk
to find the best locations.

It picks a prime spot
to film the new chicks

that are arriving
all over the colony.

Eggcams capture an even closer view.

Here, too,
Dad's looking after the new baby.

But he has it easy -
his shift only lasts two weeks.

He's on duty 24/7 and
he must be prepared for anything...

..even an invasion.

Rockhoppercam spots
the first arrival.

THEY SQUAWK

They are King cormorants
and they're moving in.

THEY HONK AND SQUAWK

They make unruly neighbours

and they're a hazard to the chicks.

CHICK CHIRPS

They steal any nesting material
they can find.

The Rockhoppers
protect their chicks,

as their own nests
vanish before their eyes.

THEY SQUAWK

The cormorants also
squabble among themselves.

CHICKS CHIRP

In the brawl,
his chick becomes separated.

And a cormorant runs right over him.

DISTRESSED CHIRP

His father hasn't noticed. He's
still attacking the nest robbers.

Then, as the chaos subsides, he
realises his chick has disappeared.

He looks in desperation.

CHICK CHIRPS

Then he hears his chick's call.

He's badly shaken, but alive.

CHICK CHIRPS FRANTICALLY

It's nothing some fatherly comfort
can't heal.

The penguins' new rowdy neighbours
make themselves at home.

It's just one of the many trials

the new chicks now face.

In Peru, our third penguin,
the Humboldt,

returns to its desert nest.

They are the only mainland penguin
to survive in the tropics.

They have their own dedicated
spycamera - Humboldtcam.

SPYCAM WHIRRS

They rear their two chicks
in burrows

to protect them
from the baking sun and predators.

The parents share
chick-rearing duties between them.

The male took the night shift,

hunting fish
and squid just offshore.

As they rarely have to travel far,

compared with
the two other penguins,

these lifelong couples
spend a lot more time together.

But at home,
it's hard to get any peace.

TERNS SQUAWK

Inca terns like these burrows too,
especially those with a sea view.

Like Rockhoppers, the Humboldts
dislike having neighbours too near.

But the terns
aren't easily discouraged.

Being a penguin parent
is a full-time job.

Humboldtcam will stay on watch.

The penguins will soon face far
greater threats than a few terns.

In Antarctica,

more specialist spycams keep a close
view on the Emperor penguins.

Eggcams are everywhere.

Robot Emperorcams,
positioned in the colony,

give yet another view
of their subjects.

To coincide with
the chicks' arrival,

there's a new kid on the block.

Chickcam!

Its role is to capture
a chick's viewpoint,

as the young develop and grow.

For now,
the dads are still in charge.

Their chicks are hungry,

but the fathers

are running low on food stores.

He gives the little he has left, but
these were his emergency rations.

His chick calls for more.

But there is nothing left.

The mothers are running late.

At this time of year, the sea they
must cross can freeze for 50 miles.

The chick's future depends on

his mother arriving back in time.

At the Rockhopper colony,

the chicks face
a more imminent danger -

Turkey vultures.

These scavengers

are quite prepared
to attack live chicks,

if they can.
CHICKS CHIRP

The penguins use their body
as a shield,

protecting their chicks.

The vulture can't penetrate
the centre of the colony,

so he tries his luck
along the borders.

SQUAWKING

But Rockhoppers
are pugnacious birds.

He even leaves his nest,
to drive the threat away.

It's a brave, but risky move.

Another vulture sneaks in
and grabs his chick.

The colony can't protect itself

without risking more lives.

But reinforcements arrive.

The females, back from fishing.

Their massed ranks
are an intimidating sight.

SQUAWKING

The vulture tries to eat
what he can,

but the penguin army
has other ideas.

THEY SQUAWK

While the vultures fight among
themselves, the penguins hold back.

When the squabbling's over,
they press home their attack.

THEY SCREECH FEROCIOUSLY

The vultures retreat

and the victors return

to their partners.

A well-earned celebration.

THEY CLUCK

The mother hasn't seen
her chick before,

but she takes over
responsibilities immediately.

Her first job is to give the chick

a fresh fish meal.

At the Emperor colony,

the dads are still waiting.

With no food left,

eating snow eases hunger and thirst.

But if their partners
don't arrive soon,

the males will have to abandon
their precious chicks

and return to the sea.

CHICK CHIRRUPS

Then, the sight
they have waited for.

The females trekked across
a frozen ocean

to arrive back in the nick of time.

The chick has never seen her mother.

She could be any one of

the new arrivals.

The mother is equally keen
to see her new chick,

but she must first find her mate,

among more than 3,000 males.

She rushes into the crowd,

nothing stands in her way.

But there's a problem.

THEY CHITTER AND CLUCK

She's now stuck in the middle
and no closer to finding her mate.

But the males have a solution.

They peel away
and form an orderly line.

Their chicks are safely tucked in

the brood pouch between their legs.

To help their partners,

they have formed an identity parade.

The female inspects them,
one by one.

THEY CHITTER

She finally
catches sight of her mate...

..and calls
to check it's really him.

Her partner takes himself
out of the line.

A couple once more, she views
her chick for the first time.

CHICK CHIRRUPS

It should be her turn
to look after the baby,

but her partner's not so sure.

He may not have eaten
for three months, but the bond

with his chick
is stronger than hunger.

He finally accepts the inevitable,

but transferring the chick

needs perfect coordination.

Things could hardly
have gone better.

It's time for the father
to leave for the ocean,

but he's in no hurry.

He makes his decision...

CHICK CHIRRUPS

..then has second thoughts.

He endured the Antarctic winter
all for the sake of this chick.

Saying goodbye isn't easy.

This time, there's no turning back.

The mother rewards her chick

with her first solid meal.

Lumps of fish so fresh, they appear
as if they were caught yesterday.

Food is preserved
for up to three months

by unique antibiotics
in the penguin's stomach.

The male joins a leaving party.

They won't return from the sea
for around four weeks.

THEY CHITTER

In Peru,
when Humboldt penguins go fishing,

they are almost unrecognisable.

They are plastered with muck
from their burrows.

THEY HONK

The desert sun will soon
cake the dirt into their plumage

and they must take a bath
to survive.

Unfortunately, it means
leaving their chicks alone.

Predators have waited
for this moment.

THEY SQUAWK

Belcher gulls -
common killers of young chicks.

GULLS CAW

The chicks may seem defenceless, but
they have a few surprises in store.

Their final deterrent
is truly repulsive.

Gull's can't risk
clogging their feathers.

It seeks a more wholesome meal.

At the Rockhopper colony,

it's time for a change of shifts.

The Rockhopper fathers have been
relieved of parenting duties.

It's now their turn to go fishing.

THEY SQUAWK

They have a 100-metre cliff
to get down.

They must take
the knocks on the chin.

THEY SQUAWK

At the bottom, Rockcam
prepares to film their departure.

Rockcam is here to observe,
but some rules

are made to be broken.

They haven't been to sea
for two weeks.

They will soon be back
in their element.

WIND WHISTLES

The male Emperors
have yet to reach the sea.

But sometimes,
luck can go their way.

A seal hole in the ice.

It's a shortcut,

a portal to the ocean below.

After three months on land,

they will spend the next four weeks
in the open ocean,

chasing fish along the edge of
the ice sheet.

They're back in their natural home.

Before the Humboldts
can take their bath,

they must cross a dangerous barrier.

Sea lions block their route
to the sea.

SEA LIONS SNARL

Descending the cliff
is the easy bit.

On the shore,
they must walk on tiptoe

to avoid disturbing
the sleeping giants.

Sea lions are deadly predators
in the sea,

but they're lazy and sleepy on land.

It should be just a matter of

not waking them up.

The first finds a safe route.

The rest sneak up behind.

They squeeze between the mass of
slumbering blubber and the rocks.

SEA LION BARKS

They're spotted...

SEA LIONS GROWL

..but they escape just in time.

The penguins make a last dash
to the sea.

They need their bath.

Their plumage must be

in perfect condition for fishing.

A new Humboldtcam arrives.

It's a robotic submersible,

with a camera in its eye.

The shy penguins
are relaxed in its presence

and they can be filmed underwater

for the first time.

The sea around
is overflowing with fish.

The shoals thrive
on the nutrients brought here

by the Humboldt current.

This cold upwelling

allows these penguins to survive

so close to the Equator.

But the fish shoals attract more
than just penguins.

A fur seal surfaces
near Humboldtcam.

Unlike sea lions,
they rarely kill penguins,

but they do love

chasing them for fun.

If the penguins
are to fish in peace,

they must brave the open ocean.

Back with the Emperors, the females
are now firmly in charge.

Their first big challenge arrives -
an Antarctic blizzard.

The penguins protect their chicks

by turning their backs to the wind.

THEY CHITTER

But soon, it's not enough.

The chicks are still exposed to
the swirling winds.

To survive the worsening weather,

they must huddle closer together.

They start to gather
in even greater numbers.

PENGUINS CHITTER

A huge mass of penguins

can share warmth and shelter.

But the crush means
it's a risky place

for a young chick to be.

At first, penguins with chicks
circulate on the outside,

avoiding the pressure within.

As the weather worsens,

they'll all have to look for
a place to tuck in.

Eventually, a huge huddle forms.

THEY CHITTER

While those in the centre
are warm and protected,

those on the outside
are still struggling.

To share the heat around,

the penguins take tiny steps

to change position.

Waves of movement
ripple through the huddle,

giving everyone a chance
to have a go in the centre.

The huddle is so efficient, penguins
in the inner core can even overheat.

As these penguins try to cool down,

the colony starts to break up.

The collapse acts as a release
valve, shedding excess heat.

But it's dangerous for the chick.

As everyone moves position,

some mothers topple in the crush.

She tries to stop her full weight

falling on her chick.

Getting back up

is especially difficult,

with a chick nestled in her pouch.

Her care finally pays off.

She and her chick rejoin the huddle
as it starts to reform.

Not all have been so lucky.

This penguin has been searching for

her lost chick.

SHE CALLS

SHE CONTINUES CALLING

She hopes it might still be alive.

Her pouch is the only lifesaver
she knows.

A female companion

shows her concern.

SHE CALLS

The mother invested
everything into her chick.

To lose it is a tragedy.

She will have to wait another year.

In Peru, the young chicks face
other risks - they are hungry.

On the shore below, their mother
returns from her fishing trip.

She has plenty of food, but getting
back to her chicks won't be easy.

The sea lions have woken up.

Alone, she's an easy target.

A booby bird
has already paid the price.

SEA LIONS GROWL

After a good sleep,
the sea lions are ready for a meal.

They even clamber the rocks

that sometimes offer escape.

SEA LIONS SNARL

Using the enemy as stepping stones

is never going to work.

She freezes, trapped by
several tons of immovable blubber.

THEY GROWL

She finds a gap,
but doesn't get far.

PENGUIN HONKS

She keeps them at bay
by pecking their noses.

But she can't reach her chicks
while the sea lions are so active.

She must play a waiting game,
but her chicks are hungry and alone.

In the Antarctic,

the chicks can no longer

squeeze into their mother's pouch.

Walking on Mum's feet

exercises the chick's legs,

before she takes steps of her own.

Some have yet to get the hang of it.

Even the experts
can end up in trouble.

The chick's fluffy down
and her mother's pouch

help cushion the blows.

She's become familiar
with every kind of snow,

but she has yet
to step foot on any of it herself.

This is about to change.

Her first baby step.

MOTHER PENGUIN CHITTERS

She stands on her own two feet

for the first time.

Like any toddler,

she's a bit unsteady.

But Mum offers tough love.

The ice is covered by tiny chicks,

all trying out their new legs.

for the mums, it can all get
a bit confusing.

As the chicks gain confidence,

they start to hesitantly
follow their mothers.

CHICKS CHIRRUP

But once she tastes freedom,
there's no stopping her.

She tumbles out of sight of
her mother.

CHICK CHIRRUPS

She struggles to regain
her composure.

At this size, every lump of snow
is like a boulder.

CHIRRUPING

Separated from her mother,
the colony is a reassuring sight.

Back on the flat,
her confidence returns.

She heads for the security of
the huddle.

But now she's lost in the crowds...

..and out of sight of her mother.

Her mother calls.

LOUD CHIRPING

But her chick is lost
in a penguin maze.

She starts to realise
the danger she's in.

PENGUINS CHIRP

She won't survive alone for long.

In Peru, the cameras are operating
using low-light technology.

The Humboldt chicks
are long overdue a feed.

Their mother is still trapped
on the beach with the sea lions.

But she has gained an advantage.

She often hunts at night,

so her night vision
is better than the sea lions'.

This gives her confidence.

SEA LIONS GRUNT

She holds her ground, but sea lions

aren't the only danger here.

Vampire bats have woken up.

She tries to sneak away,

but the sea lions block her path.

The vampires skip among them,
looking for a meal.

Sea lions make a larger target

and are easier to sneak up on.

But he feels
the bat's razor incision.

It must find
a less suspecting victim.

The bat's saliva
encourages the blood to flow.

She's soon lapping it up.

With the sea lions
distracted by the vampires,

the penguin creeps back to her nest.

Her hungry chicks finally get
the meal they were waiting for.

In the Antarctic,

the weather is on the turn again...

..and the chick is still lost.

she'll perish. She calls.

But the deepening snow
deadens the sound.

She's protected by down,

but it's not enough.

She's beginning to struggle
against the cold.

Then, just in time,
a mother's warmth.

In the Falklands,
Rockhoppercam waits for the males

to return from their fishing trip.

In the two weeks they've been away,
they may have travelled

over a thousand miles
in their quest for food.

They arrive in small
landing parties, but numbers build,

as they come ashore.

Rockhoppercam watches,
as they start the long ascent

to their partners and chicks.

Popular routes form bottlenecks.

It's so easy
to be in the wrong place.

But Rockhoppercam
always picks itself back up again.

Their partners may be waiting,

but once over the first hurdle,

the males have other ideas.

They go to the spa.

This natural shower
washes off the sea salt

that penetrates their feathers.

It also quenches their thirst.

The shower is in high demand.

Disputes break out
over whose turn it is to have a go.

No-one can bathe in peace
for more than a few moments.

But one smart penguin has an idea.

He deploys
a mountaineering technique

known as a chimney climb.

And at the top,

all any penguin requires -

his own private power shower.

He's enjoying himself so much,

he's in no rush
to get back to his partner.

While he was away,

the female hasn't left her
chicks' side for a single moment.

Gulls watch
for any lapse of concentration.

CHICK CHIRRUPS

They snatch a chick

the moment a back is turned.

Skuas add to the mounting toll...

..and soon, some pairs are left

without any chicks at all.

The bereaved couples are desperate.

They look for another chick

to care for,

and they don't mind

if it's someone else's.

They plan a kidnap.

The mother's defence is to sit tight

and stop her chick being stolen.

But the kidnappers

won't be put off easily.

Just in time, her partner returns,

spruced up from the shower.

He takes on the would-be kidnappers.

The fight gets even more heated,

but there are few tougher
than a Rockhopper.

They can take the punishment,
as well as dish it out.

The baby-snatchers have had enough

and the male returns to his mate.

He might need another shower,

but at least his chick is safe.

Kidnapping is also rife

in the Emperor colony.

The newly-walking chicks
are irresistible to females

that have lost their own chicks

or failed to breed.

The mother tries to repel
the kidnappers

with a few well-aimed pecks.

But they won't give up.

And others had the same idea.

The chick heads for the main colony,

hoping to find protection
among the crowds.

She disappears
in a mass of bodies...

..and reappears alone.

But it's only for a moment.

A large crowd has gathered,

all trying to adopt the chick.

She's soon overwhelmed by
doting admirers.

One child snatcher tries to force

the chick into her pouch,

but she's way too big.

She makes a break for it,

then gives them the run-around
through the colony.

Finally, they have her surrounded.

They're all desperate to mother her.

She's in danger

of being smothered with love.

But the fluffball
is accidently flipped away...

..and caught by her mother.

She'll stay closer to her next time.

At the Rockhopper colony,

yet more predators are gathering.

A striated caracara,

another chick hunter.

As ever, the Rockhoppers

leap to the colony's defence.

The caracara finds what he thinks

is an easy meal.

With all the real eggs hatched,

eggcam is an irresistible
temptation.

It not only looks like a real egg...

..it rolls like one too.

With eggcam finally in his claws,

he does what comes naturally -

takes it into the air.

A quick readjustment,

and eggcam captures the first aerial

of a penguin colony,
shot by a flying bird.

But then eggcam
slips from his grasp.

But immediately, it catches the eye
of a turkey vulture.

The game continues
with different players.

Finally, eggcam is back
in the Rockhopper colony.

This childless couple
can hardly believe their luck.

Eggcam is a gift from the skies.

She tenderly takes it into her nest.

For a few moments,

she even tries to incubate it.

But she won't be fooled for long.

Back in Peru, the rest of the
fishing party have finally arrived.

While they've been away, the nesting
colony has undergone an invasion

far greater than anything
the Rockhoppers have faced.

Their numbers

have to be seen to be believed.

There are half a million birds
in all.

Guanay cormorants.

Global weather
has pushed the birds southwards

and they've gathered in far
greater numbers than normal.

For the returning males,
it's utterly bewildering.

For the females and their young,

it's a disaster.

The cormorants
nest outside the colony,

but the penguins and their chicks

are just where these invaders

prefer to take off.

Their chicks
could easily be trampled

if the cormorants
overshoot the runway.

The young take cover

as the invaders move ever closer,

pushed forward by the others,

eager to take off.

And that was just the start.

Thousands upon thousands
are stacked up behind.

The Humboldts
just have to hold their ground

and protect their chicks
the best they can.

She shields her offspring.

She has never experienced
anything like it.

She even tries to snatch
the cormorants from the air.

As the cormorants stream out to sea,

the pressure is released.

It takes a whole hour
for them to leave.

With most of the cormorants gone,

the males can finally return
to their young.

The family is reunited,

and Dad has brought back dinner.

At the Emperor colony,

the freezing winter

has kept other predators at bay.

But spring brings new dangers.

A giant petrel suddenly arrives,

looking for a meal.

He weighs up his options.

Chicks protected by their mother
are difficult to catch.

Mum's pouch is now of little use,

it just hides the danger from view.

But it's the mother
that keeps the petrel at bay.

While some rely on their mother
for protection,

others huddle together.

He tests the group's reaction,

to see if any will run.

By breaking up the huddle,

he can isolate a victim.

He gets one.

But he only has it by her feathers.

She breaks free

and runs to her mother.

PENGUIN SQUAWKS

Petrels are huge birds,

but they still won't mess with

an adult Emperor.

Protected by her mother,

the chick survived another day.

But soon, the parents will leave

and these chicks have to stand on
their own two feet.

Next time, from the frozen Antarctic

to the scorching desert,

we discover the challenges

faced by all our chicks,

as they learn to become adult
penguins.

Penguins - behind their feisty charm

lies an amazing character.

These cheeky birds
have to bring up their chicks

against the most extraordinary odds.

Spycams discover

just how special they really are.

From the freezing Antarctic...

..to the scorching tropics...

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

filmed as never before.

It's late spring in the Antarctic.

Like all our chicks,
the emperors are growing up,

having been born and raised
in some of

the most extreme conditions
on Earth.

Since they were born
two months ago,

they have depended on their
devoted parents for everything.

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

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

and make the long journey
to the sea.

Only then will they truly learn

how to become adult penguins.

Chickcam provides
a chick's-eye view,

as they start to become
more independent.

Already, they are spending more time
away from their parents

and huddling together
for both comfort and company.

But when you're the smallest,

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

This chick must find a space.

The huddle is now
his only source of warmth.

It helps if someone
gives you a little room.

Although they spend
most of their time together,

they still rely on

their parents for regular meals.

With the frozen sea shrinking,

each parent returns
around once a week.

They face the same problem -

their chicks all look the same.

They're growing fast,
and always hungry,

so they beg a fish meal from anyone.

The father checks the call -

this one's an imposter.

He's immediately hassled
by more chicks,

all trying to cadge a meal.

With over 2,000 chicks to inspect,

checking them all
could take a very long time.

So he approaches each group in turn

and tests who reacts to his call.

HE CALLS

A chick responds.

But she's stuck in the huddle,

with no way out.

There's just one thing for it -

she bodysurfs across the crowd.

Made it, but she still must
prove her identity.

If the father feeds the wrong chick,

the week he spent fishing
would be wasted.

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

It's her tiny call

that provides conclusive proof.

SHE CALLS

She's gets her just reward.

In the Falklands,

the rockhopper chicks
are equally demanding.

Now the human equivalent
of teenagers,

they have appetites to match.

Rockhoppers are feisty birds,

but these hassled parents

struggle to satisfy
their chicks' ravenous appetites.

To feed the ever-hungry mouths,

both parents must start fishing
non-stop.

A stream of overworked penguins
depart for the sea.

For the first time,

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

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

They force the chicks
closer together.

These aren't official babysitters,

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

But as a result of
their constant harrying,

the chicks are gathered
into a creche.

Although not much nurturing goes on,

the chicks are safer
if they're huddled together.

In the tropical deserts of Peru,

the Humboldt penguins are also
spending more time fishing

and less time
looking after their chicks.

Like the rockhoppers,
they can never get enough food.

THEY SQUAWK

Their incessant begging drives their
parents to endlessly go fishing.

Each journey involves yet another
trek across the hot desert.

Humboldtcam watches the daily
challenges these penguins face.

But with birds arriving
and departing non-stop,

the spycam is working overtime.

The penguins may be making
the journey more often,

but it doesn't get any easier.

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

It's still treacherous.

But this is
the Humboldts' lucky day.

At the bottom is a bed of feathers,

blown here from thousands
of sea birds moulting

in the colonies above.

It provides a soft landing

for any that lose their footing.

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

They jump in feet first...

and enjoy the ride

The feathers may have
cushioned the fall,

but for Humboldts,
nothing's ever that easy.

The beach, once occupied by seals,

has been invaded by hundreds of
Guanay Cormorants.

The Humboldts merge into the crowd,

as they pick their way through.

Luckily, cormorants are one of
the few creatures here

that don't attack penguins.

But by chasing off the seals,

they have simply
shifted the problem.

Fortunately, cormorants hate seals

as much as penguins do.

They mob them relentlessly,

making their lives a misery.

The seals only find peace

at the edge of the beach.

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

The cormorants may have
cleared the area,

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

It's lucky that
in these rich waters,

there's plenty to go round.

In the Antarctic,
the chick spycamera

is proving a real hit with penguins

who haven't managed to breed
this year.

One even tries to take the spycam
under her wing.

PENGUIN CALLS

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

PENGUIN TWEETS

Even so,
the adult seems to prefer Chickcam.

As usual, this penguincam

is accepted as just another bird
in the colony.

PENGUIN CALLS

But Chickcam has work to do.

The real chicks are growing up fast.

They now spend
most of their day in the huddle,

while the adults
watch from the sidelines.

They only meet at feeding time.

When a parent
tries to join her chick

without calling it from the huddle,
confusion reigns.

The disturbed chicks immediately

latch on to any adult that passes.

Getting anywhere
becomes almost impossible.

As the parents' patience runs out,

the chicks are forced to toughen up.

Chicks, used to being doted on,

find it hard being left alone.

But like a mother
leaving her child at school,

it's best not to make a fuss.

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

But his mother doesn't look back.

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

From now on,
they'll only see their parents

when they return with food.

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

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

The chicks are all
learning to grow up.

Like the emperors,
the rockhopper adolescents

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

It's easy for them to get bored.

And that's when predators
take them by surprise.

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

And there are always
a few adults standing guard.

With time to kill,
a chick starts exploring.

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

A giant petrel -

a predator still to be feared.

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

He's grabbed by his feathers!

The petrel loses its grip

and the guardians pile in.

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

The petrel must accept defeat.

The chick may have escaped,

but he can't expect sympathy.

With a few pecks,

he's unceremoniously dispatched
back to the creche.

Even though emperors
live over 4,000 miles away,

they face the same penguin predator.

The petrel's arrival

causes a wave of anxiety
through the colony.

But dividing the group
was exactly what he was after.

Their best defence is to re-form
their huddle -

there's always safety in numbers.

They create a wall of bodies,

difficult for the attacker
to penetrate.

The petrel tries to grab any

that aren't safely tucked in.

But the chicks have learnt
to fight back.

Everywhere the petrel goes,

he meets a wall of resistance.

Here, his best chance
is to break up the huddle

then single out a solitary chick.

But even the placid emperor
will fight back,

and he wields a sharp weapon.

For now, the penguins
have isolated the threat.

As night falls in Peru,

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

An old enemy is back.

Vampire bats. They normally attack

the sea lions along the shore,

but young penguins
provide a tasty alternative.

The adults may be aware of
the dangers,

but the chicks suspect nothing.

And few creatures
are as sneaky as a vampire.

With so many chicks to choose from,

the bats are ultimately
guaranteed a meal.

The unlikely scene
of a vampire bat

feeding on a penguin

has never been
filmed before.

The greatest danger
is loss of blood,

which, over time
weakens the chicks,

and the bats also
carry diseases,

such as rabies.

The adults must be on constant alert

to repel the bats from the colony.

They are far from defenceless.

Kicking dirt in the bat's face

is a favourite tactic.

This is their ultimate deterrent.

But hitting the right target

can be dangerously hit-or-miss.

Soon, the chicks have another reason

to leave for the sea -

they all need a bath!

At the emperor colony,

an ice rink has suddenly appeared!

A slight thaw, and then a freeze,

creates a chance
to try out new skills.

But penguin feet

don't make the greatest ice skates.

For everyone, it takes a while

to master the technique.

As every skater knows,

the splits are a bad move.

Soon, everyone has a go.

In a world of ice and snow,

it's a skill that will always

come in useful.

And there's nothing like
individual tuition

to speed up learning.

But for every success,

there are always setbacks.

And even the experts make mistakes.

After all that practice,

a well-earned rest.

The rockhopper chicks
prefer to save their energy

until their parents
return with food.

Below, fishing parties arrive

with fresh supplies all the time.

They all take the same perilous
route back up the cliffs

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

Faced by the trickiest jump of all,

they decide better of it.

It was a wise decision,

the Atlantic swell is massive today.

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

And for good reason.

There's just enough room
for one at a time.

With a full stomach,

it's quite a squeeze.

Rockhoppercam watches those

that make it through.

But back at the entrance,

a queue starts to form.

More are backing up behind,

it's getting crowded.

And this penguin doesn't like
queue-jumpers at all.

PENGUIN SQUAWKS

While he tries to control
the crowds,

some sneak past and take his place.

But he seems more concerned with
managing the gatecrashers

than missing his turn.

It's like trying to
keep back the tide.

He finally gives up
and goes through himself.

With the penguins
reduced to single file,

it will be hours before they all
arrive back at the colony.

Most chicks will have
a long wait for their supper.

The first parents to arrive
are immediately besieged by chicks

trying to blag a meal.

Like emperors,

the adults must identify
their own chicks among the crowds.

Imposters are soon sent packing.

Each parent uses a distinct call
that the chick can recognise.

In turn, the adult knows
the unique chirrup of its offspring.

PENGUIN CALLS

CHICK CHIRRUPS

Identity checked and confirmed.

The parents lead their chick
away from the begging masses,

to feed him undisturbed.

Soon, he'll be big enough

to leave for the sea.

At the emperor colony,

the chicks are also getting close
to becoming independent.

In any class, there is always one

more advanced than any other.

This one's
nearly as big as his mother.

He's now putting away five kilos
of fish in a single session

and it's almost impossible

to keep up with his demands.

CHICK SQUAWKS

With all this food,

he's putting on huge reserves
of protein, stored in his muscle.

It's just as well
he's big for his age.

Little does he know, this will be

the last meal she'll give him.

Without fuss or ceremony,

she leaves for the sea.

He doesn't know it yet,

but she and most of
the other parents

are quietly leaving their chicks
and the colony for good.

The chicks, unaware of
the great change in their lives,

are left with just a few adults
for company.

They won't see their
once-devoted parents ever again.

The rockhopper chicks
have also reached a turning point.

Before they can enter the ocean,

they must preen off their baby down.

Gradually, they reveal

the sleek adult feathers beneath.

Eggcam captures
some of the punk styles

that have started to appear.

But before they become
proper rockhoppers,

they have one more skill to master -

hopping.

Jumping is infectious,

and everyone joins in.

It's all about

strengthening the leg muscles.

Even Eggcam

gets caught up in the excitement.

In the Antarctic,

the melting ice-edge
moves closer to the colony each day.

The few remaining adults
prepare to return to the place

they love the best.

Emperorcam was with them
when they arrived,

and it's with them as they leave.

As it discovered,
no other bird endures so much

for the sake of their chicks
and none is more devoted.

In just four months, they will
return here to breed once more,

but for a brief time,
their job is done.

But Emperorcam isn't alone for long.

Adelies - the only other penguins

to breed in the true Antarctic.

They have a timeshare arrangement

with the emperors,

taking over the rocks
around their breeding area

once the chicks have left.

On the shore, another penguincam

captures a different view of

the new penguin invasion.

Over 100,000 will arrive

over the next three weeks.

Emperorcam moves in
for a closer look.

Adelies are belligerent
little penguins

that won't let anything
stand in their way.

Fortunately, they seem to have
a soft spot for Emperorcam.

Back in the colony,

the emperor chicks are discovering

what life is like on their own.

Many haven't fed for over a week.

With hunger
comes a change in behaviour.

They become restless
and start to react

to the distant call of the sea.

They leave their icy birthplace
and start their journey.

They discover a very different world

than the smooth ice
they've left behind.

Every task they face hones skills

that will be essential

later in life.

All the time,

they still keep moving
towards the sea.

Although sometimes,

it's one step forward and two back.

In Peru, the Humboldt chicks

are just 12 weeks old,

but they're also ready
to leave the colony.

As adult fishing parties
head for the sea,

the more adventurous of these chicks

decide to join them.

The youngsters are nervous.

They've never left the colony before

and now they're having
to cross the desert.

The cormorants
are a bewildering sight.

Once, thousands overran
the Humboldt colony.

He now has to face them again.

For his adult guides,
it's all in a day's work.

For the chick,
it's a different matter.

To add to his confusion,

more cormorants just keep coming.

There's nowhere for him to hide.

He's totally surrounded,

and his penguin guides
have vanished.

Half a million birds

are a lot to cope with

when you're just three months old.

Alone, he doesn't even know
the way to the beach.

Then a sight that might help him -

another fishing party,

travelling to the sea.

He races to catch them.

Together, they reach the cliff path.

He immediately has second thoughts.

It's a long way to the bottom.

PENGUIN HONKS

Some reassuring encouragement.

It's just what he needs.

He had reason to be nervous,

the cliff path is steep

and the soft bed of feathers
has blown away.

And once he starts,

there's no going back.

Finally, he can fall no more.

But as he's already discovering,

for Humboldts,
the challenges never end.

Hundreds of sea lions and seals

are blocking the way to the sea.

The adults have faced this ordeal
many times,

but for the chick, it's a new
and frightening experience.

The chick's too scared to move,

but the adults know there is only
one way to tackle them -

and that's head-on.

It might not seem a good idea,

but it works.

The chick misses his moment.

The adults have left him behind.

As he retreats along the cliff wall,

he chances on the entrance
to a sea cave.

This secret passageway was used by
some of the penguins

when they first arrived.
He now uses the tunnel in reverse.

Vampire bats lurk in the darkness,

but by sprinting through the cave,
he emerges unscathed.

And more good fortune -

the fishing party he was with

has only just made it over
the sea lions

and are also approaching the sea.

Other chicks have made it too.

He won't have to
enter the sea alone.

This is the first time
he's ever seen water.

It's not a gentle introduction.

He keeps a foothold.

He wants to go in
when he's fully prepared.

He finally plucks up courage.

This cold sea will be his home

for the next two years,

until he returns back here to breed.

Finally, he is embraced by
the waves.

The emperor chick's introduction
to water is a more gradual affair.

In places, the ice has melted

into pools of slush.

He's never met a surface
he can't walk on.

None of the chicks
have ever swum before

and it takes them all

by surprise.

This natural paddling pool

is the perfect chance to test out

their flippers for real.

Swimming soon comes naturally.

Although getting out
is never as easy as getting in.

But they now face
a far bigger challenge.

The petrel is back.

They try to flee, but running

isn't an emperor's strong point.

A slip, it's all the petrel needs.

It has the chick
by its neck feathers.

But the down comes away

and the chick disappears
in the crowd.

Just as in the huddle,
the chicks form a defensive circle

and prepare to stand their ground.

They might seem small and cuddly,

but they're now
nearly a metre tall -

quite a fight, even for a petrel.

The nearest chick
towers to his full height,

making himself bigger

and protecting those behind.

His defiance buys time.

It's a stand-off.

Then, from out of the blue,
a surprising ally.

An adelie.

The petrel has met these
super-aggressive penguins before.

The adelie confidently puts itself

between the emperor chicks

and danger.

The petrel gives up,

he knows when he's defeated.

There are always other meals
to be had.

Accompanied by their rescuer,

the emperors continue
their journey to the sea.

At the rockhopper colony,

the chicks' big day has arrived.

They all react to the same desire to
explore the world beyond the colony.

Like the Humboldts,

the chicks join adults
making a trip to the sea.

They don't know it yet,

but they're making
a one-way journey.

The rockhopper chicks
have none of the Humboldt's fear,

they're built to leap down cliffs.

But at this age,
they can't jump back up again.

Like their parents,

they're as tough as they come.

They take scrambling down rocks

in their stride,

but a strange sight

stops them in their tracks.

Rockhoppers, looking like nothing
they have ever seen before.

They are young, non-breeding birds

who came ashore especially
to moult their old feathers.

The chicks' parents
will soon be doing the same.

While in this unsightly state,

they are marooned on land.

They also become bad-tempered

and hate being disturbed.

The chicks are soon forced on.

The frontrunners are
nearly at the sea.

They may be brave,

but they haven't the skills
of their parents.

Not everyone is quite so gung-ho.

This youngster
thinks he's found a safer route.

But while he's dithering,

the others make it to the sea.

They leap into the waves

with typical rockhopper gusto.

It might pay to be cautious,

but the chick's companions

have left without him.

He's well and truly stuck.

The emperor chicks are still
being shadowed by the adelie,

as they make their way to the sea.

They stop for a rest and a preen.

This is not what the adelie
was expecting,

and it doesn't go down well.

He's determined to move them on.

They may be twice his size,

but that's not going to stop him.

He might have helped them earlier,

but he's now got a different agenda.

He wants the emperors gone.

He expects to have the place
to himself.

As the adelie
drives the emperors away,

they soon approach the sea.

They may be close to the edge,

but they show little interest
in going in.

Many still have their baby fluff.

They must lose it
before entering the water.

The adelie doesn't care,

he just wants them gone for good.

Gradually, he forces them closer

to the edge of the ice.

Finally, one gets
its first taste of the sea.

adding to the pressure.

Another chick enters.

Others get ready to join.

But they're still covered in down,

not the sleek penguins

that are supposed to leave
for the ocean.

For a moment,
the adelies have had their way,

but the chicks aren't so sure.

With all their fluff,
they can't dive

and could easily be captured
by predators.

They know they're in serious danger.

They try to join the few

who've already made it ashore.

But if getting in was hard,

getting out is even trickier.

They use their bills as ice picks,

just like their parents do.

Next time, they'll enter

only when they're good and ready,

and then, they won't be coming back.

The rockhopper chick is still stuck.

Despite his caution,
he ends up taking

the biggest tumble of all.

But his troubles aren't over yet.

A caracara - a dangerous predator.

Another joins.

At the worst possible moment,

he's completely outnumbered.

But then...

backup arrives!

Steamer ducks -

the most aggressive in the world.

They hate caracaras
and won't give up

until every one is gone.

The chick's
not about to hang around.

This time, he has some company

for his final farewell.

He takes the plunge,
sliding down the rocks

like it's a water shoot.

But it's not over yet,
the giant petrel is back -

predatory to the last.

The chick dives...

..but immediately
pops right up again.

He's never been underwater before.

This time, the petrel has him!

Others close in for the kill.

But the petrel loses his grip.

This time, the penguin

stays safely under for good,

and joins the others in the sea.

He will never look back.

This is where he is meant to be.

He'll spend the next three years

learning the secrets of the sea,

before he returns here to breed.

He's now in his element...

and gone in a flash.

In Antarctica, a week has passed

and the chicks

are finally preparing to leave.

Chickcam is there

to watch them as they go.

It was with them
when they were born five months ago

and has shared their challenges
as they grew.

But today is what the chicks

have been preparing for.

They will finally leave
their ice world behind,

to spend the coming years at sea.

Gripped by a collective urge,

they start to move as one.

They seem to have a place in mind.

They travel along the ice edge

with a sense of purpose...

..and stop at
the very highest point.

They have made their choice.

This is where they will leave

for the sea.

The drop below
is at least four metres.

It's the biggest step
they'll ever take.

In the end,

it's one chick who decides.

He might be the first,

he's far from the last.

A cascade of penguins enter the sea.

They have spent their early months
of life on ice...

..but this is where
they were born to be.

Like all the penguins whose stories
we've followed, their success

is due to the extraordinary devotion

of their parents.

In four years' time,

these chicks
will make the journey back

and face the same
extreme challenges,

all to have young of their own.

For now,
they have a vast ocean to explore.

Throughout all the filming,
penguincams became

part of the penguins' lives.

They have witnessed countless events

that have never been seen before,

and even became part of the huddle.

But being accepted
also provoked jealousies.

Then, as in all our Spy films,

things didn't always go to plan.