All language subtitles for Snow Babies 1080p.Eng

To us, winter can appear magical.

The way the snow transforms
the landscape

is little short of miraculous.

But for the animals
who have to live through it,

winter is a time
of incredible challenges.

This is the story of a small group
of baby animals

facing some of the harshest
conditions on the planet.

Polar bear cubs following their mums

to the ends of the Earth.

Reindeer calves trying
to keep up with the herd.

Young otters and Arctic foxes
learning to fend for themselves.

Penguin chicks racing
to independence.

And baby snow monkeys

who must find their place
in the troop to survive.

With the help of their mums...

dads...

and families,

they might just make it
through their first year.

These are the snow babies.

Antarctica is the coldest place
on Earth.

In winter, there's little daylight

and the temperature may fall
to minus 80 degrees centigrade.

But for one remarkable animal,
this is home.

The emperor penguin.

Winter fades.

Spring isn't the only new arrival.

He may be tiny, but he has a huge
adventure ahead of him.

If he's to survive his first winter,

he must learn to stand on his own
two feet by then.

For the moment, though,

he relies completely on his parents.

Or, more precisely, his dad.

This little chap
has never met his mum.

Two months before he hatched,
in the darkest days of winter,

she set off to get fish for her
and her unborn chick.

But right now it's 80 kilometres
to the water's edge

and she has a long journey home.

Dad has fed his son what he can,
and has little left to offer.

He needs a proper meal...

and soon.

So does Dad.

He hasn't eaten for over 100 days,

and weighs half what he used to.

But he can't leave
until Mum comes back.

All they can do is wait...

and hope that nothing
has happened to her.

At last, a sight for sore eyes.

It's the mums,
returning with fish and squid

for chicks they've never
even set eyes on.

HONKING

It's a warm welcome home.

But with 20,000 penguins
all calling out at once,

how will the mums ever
find their own families?

Incredibly, even in the uproar,

penguins can recognise the calls
of their partners.

She's found them.

Reunited at last.

After two months apart,

the adults spend
a tender moment together.

The chick has never seen
his mum before, and is a little shy.

For Mum, it's love at first sight.

After months of it being
just the two of them,

it's hard for Dad to let go.

It takes a lot of
gentle persuasion...

but he's finally ready.

The chick has only a thin down
to keep him warm.

Just two minutes on the ice
would be enough to kill him.

They have to move fast.

Mission accomplished.

The young chick gets
his first full meal,

Mum gets time with her baby,

and Dad can finally go fishing.

Just 80 kilometres to go.

At the other end of the world,

in the high Arctic,

winter is equally harsh.

It engulfs the world like a ghost.

It whips the land without mercy.

But, again,
it doesn't last for ever.

Spring reveals new life.

This polar bear cub
was born two months ago

and has only just come out
of her den beneath the snow.

Mum has been feeding
her on rich, fatty milk,

but hasn't had anything to eat
herself for almost eight months.

She needs to get them moving,

just as soon as she's sure
Baby can keep up.

If she's to make it
through her first year,

the cub will have to be
continually on the move.

It's the only way to survive in a
place where food is hard to come by.

Mum makes it look easy.

Baby's not so sure...

..and needs some gentle reassurance.

GENTLE RYTHMIC CALLING

But if they're to catch any seals

they'll need to get onto the sea ice
before it starts to melt.

And the sooner, the better.

They've got a lot
of travelling to do.

Further south, the snow
is still thick on the ground.

The nights are still long,

and the temperature
well below freezing.

This shivering little reindeer
has only just been born...

..yet she has only a few hours
to find her feet

and join the rest of the herd.

The reindeer, or caribou,

are on the longest overland
migration of any mammal,

searching for tender new grass
revealed by the melting snow.

But new-born calves are
an easy target for hungry wolves.

Shadowed as they go,

these reindeer may walk more
than 4,000 kilometres in a year

and the calves will have to
keep up to survive.

But even animals born to run
must take a break some time.

When reindeer calves play,
they aren't just having fun -

they're getting fit and agile

practising the defensive moves
they'll need to survive.

And not a moment too soon.

A white-tailed eagle
has got them in its sights.

These enormous birds
can easily kill a young calf.

A small group of mums and calves
have strayed away from the herd.

A miss.

But the eagle isn't giving up.

A strike.

The eagle succeeds.

It's a harsh lesson
for the surviving calves,

but they must stay with the herd.

With one calf less,
the herd continues north,

chasing the melting snow.

The thaw is also a busy time
for adult Arctic foxes.

Spring brings new mouths to feed.

By the time winter comes around,

these cubs must be all grown up
and completely independent

so they have a lot
of learning to do.

And, as we all know, youngsters
learn faster when it's fun.

The cubs are still too young
to hunt for themselves,

but they've seen their parents
catching rodents under the snow

and are already honing their skills.

It's Mum.

But she's come back
without any food.

It's still early in the year
and there's little for her to catch.

Mum isn't about to give up, though.

She heads back out to try again.

Until they can hunt
and scavenge for themselves,

all the cubs can do
is wait and hope.

In the polar regions,
winters are long and harsh

and spring is slow to arrive.

The same is true here,
in the mountains of Japan,

where winter is a brutal affair.

There is little greenery
and few plants to eat.

But when spring finally comes,

life returns quickly.

A troop of macaques
makes the most of the sunshine.

It's the perfect time to welcome
a new addition to the family.

It's a baby boy.

This tiny monkey will need
all the warmth, protection and milk

his devoted mum can offer.

Surrounded by greenery,

it's hard to believe
that Japanese macaques

are also known as snow monkeys.

Yet, in only six months' time,

this baby monkey
will be in a world of white.

If he's to make it
through his first winter,

he too has a lot of learning to do.

Not just about feeding himself,

but also about fitting in.

Snow monkey troops
have a very strict pecking order.

A queen-like female rules the roost.

Below her, a whole cast
of class-conscious males

decides who gets into the gang...

..and who doesn't.

Probably best just
to stick with Mum.

Polar bear cubs must also
stay close to their mums.

It's the only way a cub is ever
going to learn how to hunt.

Ringed seals make their dens
in the sea ice.

But polar bears have the best
sense of smell of any mammal.

Unfortunately for her,

ringed seals flee at
the first hint of danger.

Only 2% of polar bear hunts
are successful,

so Mum will just
have to keep trying.

At least, Baby has seen
how it's done,

though she might need
a little more practice.

Mum's not giving up.

Seals make their dens in the ice,

so the rising temperatures mean
that they will soon be gone.

Despite her growing hunger,

Mum still makes time
to play with her baby.

But the clock is ticking.

As the sea ice gradually melts,
the seals will head out to sea.

They have to keep moving,
searching for their prey.

The cub keeps up as best she can,

but polar bears might walk
as much 55 kilometres in a day

and that's tough on
a cub's tender little paws.

The cub takes a rest to soothe them.

But there's no time to waste.

It's time to get moving again.

In the Antarctic,
spring is slower to take hold.

But the penguin chicks
are growing fast.

And no wonder -
in four months' time,

this chick will be heading off
to the open ocean.

In the meantime,
there's some local exploring to do.

As far as Mum's concerned, a little
independence is no bad thing.

Still, better follow him,
just in case.

At the first sign of mischief,

he's dragged back
by the scruff of the neck.

But this little chap
has a will of his own.

In the beginning, it's brilliant.

It's his first slice of freedom,
and it tastes great.

The trouble is that he's in a colony
of 80,000 penguins.

Everyone looks pretty much the same.

The result is inevitable.

He's completely lost.

It's the moment
every toddler dreads.

All he wants is to find his mum.

But this mum
belongs to someone else.

Oh, dear.

Some of the other females
have lost their babies,

and their maternal instincts
are so overwhelming

they'll steal
any stray baby they see.

Suddenly, he's running for his life.

It's chaos and very frightening.

He's on his last legs...

..when Mum comes to the rescue.

The chick has learned his lesson
about leaving his mother's side.

Though he might have preferred
a slightly more dignified exit.

In the mountains of Japan,
baby snow monkeys are still busy

trying to find their place
in the pecking order.

Being the youngest
in the troop can be tough

when all the older kids have already
worked out who their mates are.

But if this monkey
doesn't make friends,

he could be in real trouble
when winter comes round.

An older baby comes over
to investigate...

..and a friendship begins.

Soon, everyone wants to say hi.

It's official -
he's part of the gang.

Yellowstone in the
Rocky Mountains of North America.

In winter, this volcanic area
is thick with snow,

and temperatures can easily
reach 40 degrees below zero.

As winter ends,
the white melts away...

..and the green takes over.

It's late spring,

and a family of otters emerge from
their holt for the very first time.

Being born later in the year

means that the pups avoid
the worst of the cold weather.

It's a great strategy for keeping
the new-borns from freezing

but it means they have less time
to pile on the fat

before their first winter
comes around.

They've timed it perfectly.

Around here, otters survive
mainly on a diet of fish,

and the local trout have just
arrived to lay their eggs.

The pups must learn how to hunt,
of course.

But on the first day of school,
maybe just a demonstration will do.

Their mum is an excellent teacher.

The fish are full of tiny eggs -

perfect for little mouths.

As long as the food keeps coming,

they should be
in good shape for winter.

Back in the realm
of the polar bears,

the Arctic sea ice now shimmers
with late spring heat haze.

This mother and her cub
have had a good couple of months

hunting seals on the frozen sea.

The problem is the surface of
the ice is beginning to melt.

Polar bear cubs have tiny
bristles on their paws

that help to stop them slipping,

but it's no match
for the melting ice.

Beneath the ice,
the seal pups are growing up

and heading out to the open ocean,

and catching them
is proving increasingly difficult.

The bears follow the seals out to
sea, on thinner and thinner ice,

knowing that this might be their
last chance of a meal

for many months to come.

In Antarctica,
it stays colder for longer.

Unlike the polar bear cub,

this penguin chick doesn't have
to travel to get his food.

Mum and Dad do all the work.

He's now old enough to be left alone
while his parents go fishing.

Plus, he's made a lot of friends.

And he and his mates
look out for each other...

..most of the time.

There's the odd
disagreement, of course.

Though it's usually
quickly forgotten.

Mum and Dad are now
both working full-time

just to keep their baby fed.

Even with the ice melting
and the sea getting closer,

it's still a two-week round trip
to catch food.

The adults have no choice.

Their chicks have some
serious growing to do

if they're to leave
home before next winter.

But, even in summer,
the weather can turn in an instant.

In an Antarctic blizzard,

temperatures can quickly fall
to minus 55 degrees Centigrade.

The chicks' only chance of survival
is to huddle together for warmth.

The cold, though,
is only part of the problem.

They've lost the rest of the colony.

They have two choices.

They can stay together
and hope that they are found,

or they can break the huddle,
search for the remaining adults,

and risk freezing to death.

Young and afraid,
they decide to risk it.

But they could be heading
in completely the wrong direction.

In the end, luck is on their side.

Even at the height of the blizzard,

there's still a column of adults
bringing fish back from the sea.

The chicks are led home like
a party of lost schoolchildren.

Back with the colony,
they form a creche once more.

But nothing beats
snuggling up to Mum.

Hanging out with your mates
is all very well

but mums are definitely better.

In the Arctic,
there's little snow left,

as over 75,000 reindeer soldier on,

covering up to 50 kilometres a day.

This is boom time for the reindeer.

The little calves are feeding
for themselves now.

Though they'll still drink mum's
milk when they get a chance.

With coats designed for the cold,

overheating can be a problem
for the reindeer.

True arctic animals,

they seek out the last patches
of snow to keep cool.

And then they're off once more,
always in search of new pastures.

But danger is never far away.

The wolves have decided to strike.

HOWLING

Their strategy is fear.

Panic the reindeer,

and the calves will fall behind
or get separated from the herd.

In the chaos, anxious mums
call desperately for their babies.

RYTHMIC BAYING

Most of the calves are lucky.

This one was separated but survived.

Now she just needs to find Mum.

But while there may be safety
in numbers,

it's also easier to get lost.

THEY CALL TO EACH OTHER

Found at last, and desperate
for Mum's reassurance.

Others may not have been
so fortunate.

But at least this little one
is safe and back with the herd.

At the peak of the Arctic summer,
the sun never sets.

This constant warmth and energy

triggers an incredible
burst of life.

Millions of seabirds flock to the
cold, rich seas now freed from ice.

Humpback whales arrive
for a spectacular feast

of shrimp-like krill.

The fox cubs get their share of
the feast - an adult seabird.

They're already displaying signs
of independence, fighting over food.

As adults,
they will live largely alone,

and it's quickly becoming
every pup for himself.

High above them, guillemots race
to feed their hungry chicks

while summer lasts.

Only three weeks old,
it's time for the young birds

to take their first flight
into the unknown.

And they only get one shot
to reach the safety of the sea,

with mum following anxiously behind.

For many, it's a perfect
- if bumpy - landing.

But not all of them succeed.

A botched first flight delivers
easy pickings for a mother fox.

Wily Mum stores her catch
for harder times ahead.

In the Arctic,
it pays to be prepared.

The summer thaw in the Antarctic
has melted much of the ice...

..and this penguin colony is now
on the verge of being washed away.

It's make or break
time for the chicks.

They've started growing
their waterproof adult feathers

and their parents have stopped
feeding them.

It's time to take to the water,
whether they like it or not.

Eventually, after much hesitation,

they summon their courage
and take the plunge.

Swimming is a wonderful discovery.

At last, they're almost
the same size as the adults...

..and a perfect meal
for a leopard seal.

Having barely wet their beaks,
they shoot back on to the ice.

It's been a harsh introduction
to the reality of life at sea.

But they can't stay here for ever -
they have to start fishing.

It's time for another deep breath.

This time, they swim straight out
to the open ocean

and off to independence.

High summer in the Arctic
and there's little ice left.

It's the hardest time of year
for hungry polar bears.

There are still a few seals,
but not enough ice to hunt them on.

There's only one thing for it.

Polar bears are superb swimmers

and can easily swim
55 kilometres a day.

Mum is perfectly at home
under water.

but seals can swim
faster and deeper.

It's time to admit defeat
and head for dry land.

Eventually the days close in.

Summer slowly fades.

A chill comes to the mountains
of Japan.

Mothers and babies must
cuddle together for warmth.

Autumn is finally here.

THUNDER

As they make the most
of the dwindling grass,

the reindeer calves
also grow thicker coats.

The fox cubs' coats are
not just getting thicker,

they're also getting paler
to match the coming snow.

They'll be leaving home soon to face
their first winter alone.

As a result, their play is
much more like real hunting now.

And playing with their food
is positively encouraged.

When you're having fun,

it's easy to think that
the good times will last for ever.

But there's no mistaking
the change in the air.

Further north, these polar bears
have swum back to shore.

Until the sea freezes over again,
there's little for them to eat.

What is Mum up to?

Actually, desperation is setting in.

She must forage for what she can.

A bit of seaweed hardly helps
with the hunger.

It's more like a vitamin supplement
than a meal,

but it's better than nothing.

While Mum hunts in the water,

baby grabs the chance
to hunt on land.

Just a little bit more practice.

Her baby is still getting milk

but it's been months since Mum
last ate a proper meal.

And these bones from a beached
whale were picked clean years ago.

All they can do

is wait for the sea to freeze over.

When winter comes,
it makes a dramatic entrance...

..arriving with a force

that the snow babies
have never experienced before.

The youngsters have learned
all they can.

For most of them,

it's time to face the greatest
challenge of their lives.

With the change in season,
the reindeer turn south.

1,500 freezing kilometres
now separate the calves

from the lush southern pastures.

At last, the first shock is over.

The world is transformed.

In Japan, this year's babies
are seeing snow for the first time.

At first, they're just curious.

Then they get creative.

Snow monkeys are quick learners,

and this young monkey has found

a wonderful way
of entertaining himself.

Making snowballs.

The only problem is
it keeps rolling away.

Or maybe that's the point.

After all, why else would he take it
to the top of the hill again?

For this particular
troop of macaques,

making snowballs has become
part of their unique culture.

By copying the others,

this little monkey is doing his best
to stay part of the gang.

When you're young, snow is
fun and extremely exciting.

But the sense of fun
doesn't always last.

Snow monkeys are the most
northerly monkeys on earth

and face winter temperatures
that are well below freezing.

There's nowhere to shelter...

..and food is hard to come by.

But snow monkeys are nothing
if not resourceful.

They'll eat berries, leaves,
fruit, nuts and insects.

And, when there's no food
on the ground,

they'll try the water.

And that includes the babies.

Small crustaceans are hiding
under the rocks,

and this baby snow monkey has been
taught by his mum how to find them.

It's fiddly work
and the water is freezing...

..but beggars can't be choosers.

With their thick coats,

adult snow monkeys are well equipped
to deal with the wind and the snow.

The babies aren't so lucky.

Without some respite,
this baby could be in real trouble.

Back in the Rockies, the otter
family have no such problems.

Thanks to hot volcanic springs,
there are gaps in the ice

which make excellent fishing holes.

But they're not alone.

A hungry coyote is on the prowl.

Coyotes will happily kill and eat
an otter pup if given half a chance.

But this one seems to have
other things on his mind.

With his incredible sense of smell,

the coyote sniffs out
the otters' larder.

Unlucky.

Watched by the increasingly
frustrated otters,

he tries again.

This time he's in luck.

It's a huge Yellowstone
cutthroat trout,

fresh out of the otters' freezer.

Still, better that he
takes a fish than a pup.

As winter deepens,
even the sea freezes.

The surface turns to icy slush.

Gradually, the ice merges
into flat plates.

Eventually, after much
toing and froing,

the plates lock together...

..and the sea becomes land again.

At last, the Arctic is
just how polar bears like it.

They are back on solid ice,

and seals are back
at the top of the menu.

Hunting day and night,

this mum has been making up
for lost time.

Ringed seals are abundant

and the ice is no longer
melting underfoot.

Mum is having a field day,

and so too is her little cub.

With their bellies full,
they take a well-earned rest.

It's four degrees below...

..and just how they like it.

And what about the fox cubs?

They're all grown up
and living on their own now.

Their winter coat gives them
the best insulation of any mammal

and excellent camouflage
in the snow.

This cub is now a master at hunting
rodents scurrying beneath the snow.

But some of the best food
is served frozen.

Whether killed by illness,
or by the cold,

this adult reindeer will
keep for a long, long time.

The cub's mum and dad
would be proud of him.

The reindeer calves are also
independent of their mums.

Heading south, they are keeping one
step ahead of the weather...

..ensuring the snow is still
shallow enough to move through

and find food in.

Arctic wolves may still
be shadowing them

but the calves are bigger
and faster now

and no longer easy prey.

The young reindeer still have
an epic journey ahead of them,

but the future is definitely
looking brighter.

But the reindeer aren't the only
ones on an epic journey.

Having left the ice
at the height of the summer,

they've journeyed well beyond
the Antarctic Circle.

At over a metre long,

the young penguins are now
the same size as their parents,

and they can dive to depths of
over 500 metres on a single breath.

They are, at last,
the essence of freedom.

High in the Rocky Mountains,
the otter family are staying put.

They have a plentiful supply of fish

and will stay together all winter,
looking after each other.

Having mastered the art of survival,

they can now afford to play.

Why run when you can toboggan?

But life doesn't look quite so easy
for the Japanese macaques.

In their volcanic mountains,

the snow monkeys are living up
to their name.

The weather has taken a turn
for the worse.

But they have a secret.

Heated by the volcano,
it's an enormous hot tub.

For a little monkey,
it doesn't get better than this.

Surrounded by family and friends,

all his efforts to get in
with the rest of the troop

have finally paid off.

He hasn't been left out in the cold.

But there's someone who
deserves some special attention.

She's seen him through
the toughest times.

She's nursed him, protected him,
and taught him everything he knows.

Because of her,
his future is looking good.

Thanks, Mum.

Thanks to everything
they've learned along the way,

all our snow babies
have made it through

the most difficult time
of their young lives...

..with a little help from family
and friends.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd