Original subtitles

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.