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To us, winter can appear magical. | 0:00:02 | 0:00:05 | |
The way the snow transforms the landscape | 0:00:05 | 0:00:07 | |
is little short of miraculous. | 0:00:07 | 0:00:09 | |
But for the animals who have to live through it, | 0:00:11 | 0:00:13 | |
winter is a time of incredible challenges. | 0:00:13 | 0:00:17 | |
This is the story of a small group of baby animals | 0:00:17 | 0:00:20 | |
facing some of the harshest conditions on the planet. | 0:00:20 | 0:00:25 | |
Polar bear cubs following their mums | 0:00:25 | 0:00:28 | |
to the ends of the Earth. | 0:00:28 | 0:00:30 | |
Reindeer calves trying to keep up with the herd. | 0:00:30 | 0:00:33 | |
Young otters and Arctic foxes learning to fend for themselves. | 0:00:36 | 0:00:40 | |
Penguin chicks racing to independence. | 0:00:42 | 0:00:44 | |
And baby snow monkeys | 0:00:46 | 0:00:48 | |
who must find their place in the troop to survive. | 0:00:48 | 0:00:51 | |
With the help of their mums... | 0:00:53 | 0:00:56 | |
dads... | 0:00:56 | 0:00:58 | |
and families, | 0:00:58 | 0:00:59 | |
they might just make it through their first year. | 0:00:59 | 0:01:02 | |
These are the snow babies. | 0:01:07 | 0:01:10 | |
Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth. | 0:01:19 | 0:01:22 | |
In winter, there's little daylight | 0:01:23 | 0:01:25 | |
and the temperature may fall to minus 80 degrees centigrade. | 0:01:25 | 0:01:30 | |
But for one remarkable animal, this is home. | 0:01:32 | 0:01:35 | |
The emperor penguin. | 0:01:37 | 0:01:39 | |
Winter fades. | 0:01:51 | 0:01:53 | |
Spring isn't the only new arrival. | 0:02:13 | 0:02:16 | |
He may be tiny, but he has a huge adventure ahead of him. | 0:02:19 | 0:02:23 | |
If he's to survive his first winter, | 0:02:24 | 0:02:27 | |
he must learn to stand on his own two feet by then. | 0:02:27 | 0:02:30 | |
For the moment, though, | 0:02:32 | 0:02:34 | |
he relies completely on his parents. | 0:02:34 | 0:02:36 | |
Or, more precisely, his dad. | 0:02:37 | 0:02:40 | |
This little chap has never met his mum. | 0:02:41 | 0:02:44 | |
Two months before he hatched, in the darkest days of winter, | 0:02:44 | 0:02:48 | |
she set off to get fish for her and her unborn chick. | 0:02:48 | 0:02:53 | |
But right now it's 80 kilometres to the water's edge | 0:02:54 | 0:02:58 | |
and she has a long journey home. | 0:02:58 | 0:03:00 | |
Dad has fed his son what he can, and has little left to offer. | 0:03:04 | 0:03:08 | |
He needs a proper meal... | 0:03:11 | 0:03:13 | |
and soon. | 0:03:13 | 0:03:15 | |
So does Dad. | 0:03:21 | 0:03:23 | |
He hasn't eaten for over 100 days, | 0:03:23 | 0:03:26 | |
and weighs half what he used to. | 0:03:26 | 0:03:28 | |
But he can't leave until Mum comes back. | 0:03:34 | 0:03:37 | |
All they can do is wait... | 0:03:37 | 0:03:40 | |
and hope that nothing has happened to her. | 0:03:40 | 0:03:43 | |
At last, a sight for sore eyes. | 0:03:53 | 0:03:56 | |
It's the mums, returning with fish and squid | 0:04:00 | 0:04:03 | |
for chicks they've never even set eyes on. | 0:04:03 | 0:04:06 | |
HONKING | 0:04:08 | 0:04:11 | |
It's a warm welcome home. | 0:04:11 | 0:04:13 | |
But with 20,000 penguins all calling out at once, | 0:04:20 | 0:04:24 | |
how will the mums ever find their own families? | 0:04:24 | 0:04:27 | |
Incredibly, even in the uproar, | 0:04:29 | 0:04:32 | |
penguins can recognise the calls of their partners. | 0:04:32 | 0:04:35 | |
She's found them. | 0:04:39 | 0:04:41 | |
Reunited at last. | 0:04:41 | 0:04:43 | |
After two months apart, | 0:04:47 | 0:04:50 | |
the adults spend a tender moment together. | 0:04:50 | 0:04:53 | |
The chick has never seen his mum before, and is a little shy. | 0:05:03 | 0:05:08 | |
For Mum, it's love at first sight. | 0:05:09 | 0:05:13 | |
After months of it being just the two of them, | 0:05:23 | 0:05:26 | |
it's hard for Dad to let go. | 0:05:26 | 0:05:29 | |
It takes a lot of gentle persuasion... | 0:05:40 | 0:05:44 | |
but he's finally ready. | 0:05:44 | 0:05:46 | |
The chick has only a thin down to keep him warm. | 0:05:50 | 0:05:53 | |
Just two minutes on the ice would be enough to kill him. | 0:05:53 | 0:05:58 | |
They have to move fast. | 0:05:58 | 0:06:00 | |
Mission accomplished. | 0:06:03 | 0:06:04 | |
The young chick gets his first full meal, | 0:06:09 | 0:06:12 | |
Mum gets time with her baby, | 0:06:12 | 0:06:14 | |
and Dad can finally go fishing. | 0:06:14 | 0:06:17 | |
Just 80 kilometres to go. | 0:06:18 | 0:06:21 | |
At the other end of the world, | 0:06:34 | 0:06:36 | |
in the high Arctic, | 0:06:36 | 0:06:38 | |
winter is equally harsh. | 0:06:38 | 0:06:41 | |
It engulfs the world like a ghost. | 0:06:43 | 0:06:45 | |
It whips the land without mercy. | 0:06:48 | 0:06:50 | |
But, again, it doesn't last for ever. | 0:06:54 | 0:06:57 | |
Spring reveals new life. | 0:07:02 | 0:07:04 | |
This polar bear cub was born two months ago | 0:07:12 | 0:07:15 | |
and has only just come out of her den beneath the snow. | 0:07:15 | 0:07:18 | |
Mum has been feeding her on rich, fatty milk, | 0:07:22 | 0:07:24 | |
but hasn't had anything to eat herself for almost eight months. | 0:07:24 | 0:07:28 | |
She needs to get them moving, | 0:07:36 | 0:07:39 | |
just as soon as she's sure Baby can keep up. | 0:07:39 | 0:07:42 | |
If she's to make it through her first year, | 0:07:53 | 0:07:56 | |
the cub will have to be continually on the move. | 0:07:56 | 0:07:59 | |
It's the only way to survive in a place where food is hard to come by. | 0:07:59 | 0:08:04 | |
Mum makes it look easy. | 0:08:06 | 0:08:08 | |
Baby's not so sure... | 0:08:12 | 0:08:14 | |
..and needs some gentle reassurance. | 0:08:31 | 0:08:33 | |
GENTLE RYTHMIC CALLING | 0:08:34 | 0:08:36 | |
But if they're to catch any seals | 0:08:39 | 0:08:42 | |
they'll need to get onto the sea ice before it starts to melt. | 0:08:42 | 0:08:45 | |
And the sooner, the better. | 0:08:47 | 0:08:49 | |
They've got a lot of travelling to do. | 0:08:50 | 0:08:53 | |
Further south, the snow is still thick on the ground. | 0:09:01 | 0:09:05 | |
The nights are still long, | 0:09:09 | 0:09:11 | |
and the temperature well below freezing. | 0:09:11 | 0:09:14 | |
This shivering little reindeer has only just been born... | 0:09:24 | 0:09:27 | |
..yet she has only a few hours to find her feet | 0:09:29 | 0:09:32 | |
and join the rest of the herd. | 0:09:32 | 0:09:33 | |
The reindeer, or caribou, | 0:09:46 | 0:09:49 | |
are on the longest overland migration of any mammal, | 0:09:49 | 0:09:52 | |
searching for tender new grass revealed by the melting snow. | 0:09:52 | 0:09:56 | |
But new-born calves are an easy target for hungry wolves. | 0:09:58 | 0:10:02 | |
Shadowed as they go, | 0:10:07 | 0:10:09 | |
these reindeer may walk more than 4,000 kilometres in a year | 0:10:09 | 0:10:12 | |
and the calves will have to keep up to survive. | 0:10:12 | 0:10:16 | |
But even animals born to run must take a break some time. | 0:10:24 | 0:10:28 | |
When reindeer calves play, they aren't just having fun - | 0:10:38 | 0:10:42 | |
they're getting fit and agile | 0:10:42 | 0:10:44 | |
practising the defensive moves they'll need to survive. | 0:10:44 | 0:10:47 | |
And not a moment too soon. | 0:10:47 | 0:10:50 | |
A white-tailed eagle has got them in its sights. | 0:10:53 | 0:10:56 | |
These enormous birds can easily kill a young calf. | 0:10:57 | 0:11:00 | |
A small group of mums and calves have strayed away from the herd. | 0:11:06 | 0:11:10 | |
A miss. | 0:11:12 | 0:11:13 | |
But the eagle isn't giving up. | 0:11:20 | 0:11:21 | |
A strike. | 0:11:25 | 0:11:26 | |
The eagle succeeds. | 0:11:26 | 0:11:28 | |
It's a harsh lesson for the surviving calves, | 0:11:34 | 0:11:37 | |
but they must stay with the herd. | 0:11:37 | 0:11:39 | |
With one calf less, the herd continues north, | 0:11:41 | 0:11:45 | |
chasing the melting snow. | 0:11:45 | 0:11:47 | |
The thaw is also a busy time for adult Arctic foxes. | 0:12:01 | 0:12:04 | |
Spring brings new mouths to feed. | 0:12:06 | 0:12:10 | |
By the time winter comes around, | 0:12:19 | 0:12:21 | |
these cubs must be all grown up and completely independent | 0:12:21 | 0:12:25 | |
so they have a lot of learning to do. | 0:12:25 | 0:12:28 | |
And, as we all know, youngsters learn faster when it's fun. | 0:12:28 | 0:12:32 | |
The cubs are still too young to hunt for themselves, | 0:12:41 | 0:12:45 | |
but they've seen their parents catching rodents under the snow | 0:12:45 | 0:12:48 | |
and are already honing their skills. | 0:12:48 | 0:12:50 | |
It's Mum. | 0:13:03 | 0:13:05 | |
But she's come back without any food. | 0:13:09 | 0:13:11 | |
It's still early in the year and there's little for her to catch. | 0:13:14 | 0:13:18 | |
Mum isn't about to give up, though. | 0:13:21 | 0:13:23 | |
She heads back out to try again. | 0:13:23 | 0:13:26 | |
Until they can hunt and scavenge for themselves, | 0:13:26 | 0:13:29 | |
all the cubs can do is wait and hope. | 0:13:29 | 0:13:32 | |
In the polar regions, winters are long and harsh | 0:13:42 | 0:13:46 | |
and spring is slow to arrive. | 0:13:46 | 0:13:49 | |
The same is true here, in the mountains of Japan, | 0:13:59 | 0:14:02 | |
where winter is a brutal affair. | 0:14:02 | 0:14:05 | |
There is little greenery and few plants to eat. | 0:14:08 | 0:14:11 | |
But when spring finally comes, | 0:14:14 | 0:14:17 | |
life returns quickly. | 0:14:17 | 0:14:19 | |
A troop of macaques makes the most of the sunshine. | 0:14:23 | 0:14:26 | |
It's the perfect time to welcome a new addition to the family. | 0:14:33 | 0:14:36 | |
It's a baby boy. | 0:14:44 | 0:14:45 | |
This tiny monkey will need all the warmth, protection and milk | 0:14:47 | 0:14:51 | |
his devoted mum can offer. | 0:14:51 | 0:14:53 | |
Surrounded by greenery, | 0:15:10 | 0:15:12 | |
it's hard to believe that Japanese macaques | 0:15:12 | 0:15:15 | |
are also known as snow monkeys. | 0:15:15 | 0:15:17 | |
Yet, in only six months' time, | 0:15:17 | 0:15:19 | |
this baby monkey will be in a world of white. | 0:15:19 | 0:15:22 | |
If he's to make it through his first winter, | 0:15:24 | 0:15:26 | |
he too has a lot of learning to do. | 0:15:26 | 0:15:29 | |
Not just about feeding himself, | 0:15:30 | 0:15:33 | |
but also about fitting in. | 0:15:33 | 0:15:35 | |
Snow monkey troops have a very strict pecking order. | 0:15:36 | 0:15:40 | |
A queen-like female rules the roost. | 0:15:41 | 0:15:43 | |
Below her, a whole cast of class-conscious males | 0:15:46 | 0:15:49 | |
decides who gets into the gang... | 0:15:49 | 0:15:52 | |
..and who doesn't. | 0:15:56 | 0:15:58 | |
Probably best just to stick with Mum. | 0:16:08 | 0:16:11 | |
Polar bear cubs must also stay close to their mums. | 0:16:16 | 0:16:20 | |
It's the only way a cub is ever going to learn how to hunt. | 0:16:24 | 0:16:27 | |
Ringed seals make their dens in the sea ice. | 0:16:31 | 0:16:35 | |
But polar bears have the best sense of smell of any mammal. | 0:16:35 | 0:16:40 | |
Unfortunately for her, | 0:16:43 | 0:16:45 | |
ringed seals flee at the first hint of danger. | 0:16:45 | 0:16:49 | |
Only 2% of polar bear hunts are successful, | 0:16:54 | 0:16:59 | |
so Mum will just have to keep trying. | 0:16:59 | 0:17:02 | |
At least, Baby has seen how it's done, | 0:17:02 | 0:17:06 | |
though she might need a little more practice. | 0:17:06 | 0:17:09 | |
Mum's not giving up. | 0:17:23 | 0:17:25 | |
Seals make their dens in the ice, | 0:17:25 | 0:17:27 | |
so the rising temperatures mean that they will soon be gone. | 0:17:27 | 0:17:30 | |
Despite her growing hunger, | 0:17:35 | 0:17:38 | |
Mum still makes time to play with her baby. | 0:17:38 | 0:17:41 | |
But the clock is ticking. | 0:17:42 | 0:17:44 | |
As the sea ice gradually melts, the seals will head out to sea. | 0:17:46 | 0:17:50 | |
They have to keep moving, searching for their prey. | 0:17:51 | 0:17:54 | |
The cub keeps up as best she can, | 0:18:00 | 0:18:02 | |
but polar bears might walk as much 55 kilometres in a day | 0:18:02 | 0:18:07 | |
and that's tough on a cub's tender little paws. | 0:18:07 | 0:18:11 | |
The cub takes a rest to soothe them. | 0:18:20 | 0:18:23 | |
But there's no time to waste. | 0:18:29 | 0:18:31 | |
It's time to get moving again. | 0:18:36 | 0:18:38 | |
In the Antarctic, spring is slower to take hold. | 0:18:44 | 0:18:48 | |
But the penguin chicks are growing fast. | 0:18:52 | 0:18:55 | |
And no wonder - in four months' time, | 0:18:57 | 0:19:00 | |
this chick will be heading off to the open ocean. | 0:19:00 | 0:19:03 | |
In the meantime, there's some local exploring to do. | 0:19:04 | 0:19:07 | |
As far as Mum's concerned, a little independence is no bad thing. | 0:19:16 | 0:19:20 | |
Still, better follow him, just in case. | 0:19:23 | 0:19:26 | |
At the first sign of mischief, | 0:19:34 | 0:19:36 | |
he's dragged back by the scruff of the neck. | 0:19:36 | 0:19:38 | |
But this little chap has a will of his own. | 0:19:42 | 0:19:45 | |
In the beginning, it's brilliant. | 0:19:59 | 0:20:01 | |
It's his first slice of freedom, and it tastes great. | 0:20:02 | 0:20:07 | |
The trouble is that he's in a colony of 80,000 penguins. | 0:20:14 | 0:20:19 | |
Everyone looks pretty much the same. | 0:20:21 | 0:20:23 | |
The result is inevitable. | 0:20:28 | 0:20:31 | |
He's completely lost. | 0:20:34 | 0:20:36 | |
It's the moment every toddler dreads. | 0:20:42 | 0:20:44 | |
All he wants is to find his mum. | 0:20:59 | 0:21:02 | |
But this mum belongs to someone else. | 0:21:06 | 0:21:09 | |
Oh, dear. | 0:21:26 | 0:21:28 | |
Some of the other females have lost their babies, | 0:21:28 | 0:21:32 | |
and their maternal instincts are so overwhelming | 0:21:32 | 0:21:35 | |
they'll steal any stray baby they see. | 0:21:35 | 0:21:38 | |
Suddenly, he's running for his life. | 0:21:39 | 0:21:42 | |
It's chaos and very frightening. | 0:21:44 | 0:21:47 | |
He's on his last legs... | 0:22:06 | 0:22:08 | |
..when Mum comes to the rescue. | 0:22:11 | 0:22:13 | |
The chick has learned his lesson about leaving his mother's side. | 0:22:19 | 0:22:22 | |
Though he might have preferred a slightly more dignified exit. | 0:22:29 | 0:22:33 | |
In the mountains of Japan, baby snow monkeys are still busy | 0:22:54 | 0:22:58 | |
trying to find their place in the pecking order. | 0:22:58 | 0:23:00 | |
Being the youngest in the troop can be tough | 0:23:04 | 0:23:07 | |
when all the older kids have already worked out who their mates are. | 0:23:07 | 0:23:10 | |
But if this monkey doesn't make friends, | 0:23:16 | 0:23:19 | |
he could be in real trouble when winter comes round. | 0:23:19 | 0:23:22 | |
An older baby comes over to investigate... | 0:23:23 | 0:23:25 | |
..and a friendship begins. | 0:23:32 | 0:23:34 | |
Soon, everyone wants to say hi. | 0:23:47 | 0:23:50 | |
It's official - he's part of the gang. | 0:23:50 | 0:23:53 | |
Yellowstone in the Rocky Mountains of North America. | 0:24:06 | 0:24:09 | |
In winter, this volcanic area is thick with snow, | 0:24:12 | 0:24:16 | |
and temperatures can easily reach 40 degrees below zero. | 0:24:16 | 0:24:20 | |
As winter ends, the white melts away... | 0:24:21 | 0:24:24 | |
..and the green takes over. | 0:24:27 | 0:24:29 | |
It's late spring, | 0:24:31 | 0:24:32 | |
and a family of otters emerge from their holt for the very first time. | 0:24:32 | 0:24:36 | |
Being born later in the year | 0:24:38 | 0:24:41 | |
means that the pups avoid the worst of the cold weather. | 0:24:41 | 0:24:44 | |
It's a great strategy for keeping the new-borns from freezing | 0:24:45 | 0:24:49 | |
but it means they have less time to pile on the fat | 0:24:49 | 0:24:52 | |
before their first winter comes around. | 0:24:52 | 0:24:54 | |
They've timed it perfectly. | 0:24:55 | 0:24:57 | |
Around here, otters survive mainly on a diet of fish, | 0:24:59 | 0:25:02 | |
and the local trout have just arrived to lay their eggs. | 0:25:02 | 0:25:06 | |
The pups must learn how to hunt, of course. | 0:25:08 | 0:25:10 | |
But on the first day of school, maybe just a demonstration will do. | 0:25:10 | 0:25:14 | |
Their mum is an excellent teacher. | 0:25:27 | 0:25:30 | |
The fish are full of tiny eggs - | 0:25:36 | 0:25:39 | |
perfect for little mouths. | 0:25:39 | 0:25:41 | |
As long as the food keeps coming, | 0:25:42 | 0:25:44 | |
they should be in good shape for winter. | 0:25:44 | 0:25:47 | |
Back in the realm of the polar bears, | 0:25:54 | 0:25:57 | |
the Arctic sea ice now shimmers with late spring heat haze. | 0:25:57 | 0:26:01 | |
This mother and her cub have had a good couple of months | 0:26:03 | 0:26:07 | |
hunting seals on the frozen sea. | 0:26:07 | 0:26:09 | |
The problem is the surface of the ice is beginning to melt. | 0:26:09 | 0:26:14 | |
Polar bear cubs have tiny bristles on their paws | 0:26:25 | 0:26:29 | |
that help to stop them slipping, | 0:26:29 | 0:26:31 | |
but it's no match for the melting ice. | 0:26:31 | 0:26:34 | |
Beneath the ice, the seal pups are growing up | 0:26:37 | 0:26:40 | |
and heading out to the open ocean, | 0:26:40 | 0:26:42 | |
and catching them is proving increasingly difficult. | 0:26:42 | 0:26:46 | |
The bears follow the seals out to sea, on thinner and thinner ice, | 0:26:49 | 0:26:53 | |
knowing that this might be their last chance of a meal | 0:26:53 | 0:26:58 | |
for many months to come. | 0:26:58 | 0:26:59 | |
In Antarctica, it stays colder for longer. | 0:27:06 | 0:27:09 | |
Unlike the polar bear cub, | 0:27:17 | 0:27:19 | |
this penguin chick doesn't have to travel to get his food. | 0:27:19 | 0:27:23 | |
Mum and Dad do all the work. | 0:27:23 | 0:27:25 | |
He's now old enough to be left alone while his parents go fishing. | 0:27:26 | 0:27:30 | |
Plus, he's made a lot of friends. | 0:27:32 | 0:27:34 | |
And he and his mates look out for each other... | 0:27:36 | 0:27:39 | |
..most of the time. | 0:27:41 | 0:27:43 | |
There's the odd disagreement, of course. | 0:27:45 | 0:27:47 | |
Though it's usually quickly forgotten. | 0:27:49 | 0:27:51 | |
Mum and Dad are now both working full-time | 0:27:59 | 0:28:02 | |
just to keep their baby fed. | 0:28:02 | 0:28:04 | |
Even with the ice melting and the sea getting closer, | 0:28:06 | 0:28:09 | |
it's still a two-week round trip to catch food. | 0:28:09 | 0:28:13 | |
The adults have no choice. | 0:28:16 | 0:28:18 | |
Their chicks have some serious growing to do | 0:28:18 | 0:28:21 | |
if they're to leave home before next winter. | 0:28:21 | 0:28:24 | |
But, even in summer, the weather can turn in an instant. | 0:28:31 | 0:28:35 | |
In an Antarctic blizzard, | 0:28:36 | 0:28:39 | |
temperatures can quickly fall to minus 55 degrees Centigrade. | 0:28:39 | 0:28:43 | |
The chicks' only chance of survival is to huddle together for warmth. | 0:28:45 | 0:28:49 | |
The cold, though, is only part of the problem. | 0:28:51 | 0:28:54 | |
They've lost the rest of the colony. | 0:28:55 | 0:28:58 | |
They have two choices. | 0:29:03 | 0:29:04 | |
They can stay together and hope that they are found, | 0:29:05 | 0:29:09 | |
or they can break the huddle, search for the remaining adults, | 0:29:09 | 0:29:13 | |
and risk freezing to death. | 0:29:13 | 0:29:15 | |
Young and afraid, they decide to risk it. | 0:29:17 | 0:29:21 | |
But they could be heading in completely the wrong direction. | 0:29:25 | 0:29:28 | |
In the end, luck is on their side. | 0:29:54 | 0:29:57 | |
Even at the height of the blizzard, | 0:29:58 | 0:30:00 | |
there's still a column of adults bringing fish back from the sea. | 0:30:00 | 0:30:04 | |
The chicks are led home like a party of lost schoolchildren. | 0:30:05 | 0:30:08 | |
Back with the colony, they form a creche once more. | 0:30:37 | 0:30:40 | |
But nothing beats snuggling up to Mum. | 0:30:44 | 0:30:46 | |
Hanging out with your mates is all very well | 0:30:52 | 0:30:55 | |
but mums are definitely better. | 0:30:55 | 0:30:57 | |
In the Arctic, there's little snow left, | 0:31:14 | 0:31:17 | |
as over 75,000 reindeer soldier on, | 0:31:17 | 0:31:20 | |
covering up to 50 kilometres a day. | 0:31:20 | 0:31:23 | |
This is boom time for the reindeer. | 0:32:13 | 0:32:16 | |
The little calves are feeding for themselves now. | 0:32:17 | 0:32:21 | |
Though they'll still drink mum's milk when they get a chance. | 0:32:21 | 0:32:24 | |
With coats designed for the cold, | 0:32:29 | 0:32:31 | |
overheating can be a problem for the reindeer. | 0:32:31 | 0:32:33 | |
True arctic animals, | 0:32:34 | 0:32:36 | |
they seek out the last patches of snow to keep cool. | 0:32:36 | 0:32:39 | |
And then they're off once more, always in search of new pastures. | 0:32:40 | 0:32:45 | |
But danger is never far away. | 0:32:47 | 0:32:49 | |
The wolves have decided to strike. | 0:32:51 | 0:32:53 | |
HOWLING | 0:32:55 | 0:32:58 | |
Their strategy is fear. | 0:33:00 | 0:33:01 | |
Panic the reindeer, | 0:33:03 | 0:33:04 | |
and the calves will fall behind or get separated from the herd. | 0:33:04 | 0:33:08 | |
In the chaos, anxious mums call desperately for their babies. | 0:33:10 | 0:33:13 | |
RYTHMIC BAYING | 0:33:13 | 0:33:15 | |
Most of the calves are lucky. | 0:33:23 | 0:33:25 | |
This one was separated but survived. | 0:33:25 | 0:33:28 | |
Now she just needs to find Mum. | 0:33:29 | 0:33:31 | |
But while there may be safety in numbers, | 0:33:34 | 0:33:36 | |
it's also easier to get lost. | 0:33:36 | 0:33:38 | |
THEY CALL TO EACH OTHER | 0:33:43 | 0:33:46 | |
Found at last, and desperate for Mum's reassurance. | 0:33:51 | 0:33:55 | |
Others may not have been so fortunate. | 0:33:56 | 0:33:59 | |
But at least this little one is safe and back with the herd. | 0:34:00 | 0:34:04 | |
At the peak of the Arctic summer, the sun never sets. | 0:34:10 | 0:34:14 | |
This constant warmth and energy | 0:34:24 | 0:34:26 | |
triggers an incredible burst of life. | 0:34:26 | 0:34:29 | |
Millions of seabirds flock to the cold, rich seas now freed from ice. | 0:34:30 | 0:34:35 | |
Humpback whales arrive for a spectacular feast | 0:34:39 | 0:34:42 | |
of shrimp-like krill. | 0:34:42 | 0:34:43 | |
The fox cubs get their share of the feast - an adult seabird. | 0:35:03 | 0:35:07 | |
They're already displaying signs of independence, fighting over food. | 0:35:11 | 0:35:14 | |
As adults, they will live largely alone, | 0:35:16 | 0:35:19 | |
and it's quickly becoming every pup for himself. | 0:35:19 | 0:35:22 | |
High above them, guillemots race to feed their hungry chicks | 0:35:27 | 0:35:30 | |
while summer lasts. | 0:35:30 | 0:35:32 | |
Only three weeks old, it's time for the young birds | 0:35:33 | 0:35:36 | |
to take their first flight into the unknown. | 0:35:36 | 0:35:38 | |
And they only get one shot to reach the safety of the sea, | 0:35:41 | 0:35:45 | |
with mum following anxiously behind. | 0:35:45 | 0:35:47 | |
For many, it's a perfect - if bumpy - landing. | 0:36:05 | 0:36:08 | |
But not all of them succeed. | 0:36:11 | 0:36:13 | |
A botched first flight delivers easy pickings for a mother fox. | 0:36:26 | 0:36:30 | |
Wily Mum stores her catch for harder times ahead. | 0:36:32 | 0:36:36 | |
In the Arctic, it pays to be prepared. | 0:36:37 | 0:36:40 | |
The summer thaw in the Antarctic has melted much of the ice... | 0:36:57 | 0:37:01 | |
..and this penguin colony is now on the verge of being washed away. | 0:37:04 | 0:37:08 | |
It's make or break time for the chicks. | 0:37:14 | 0:37:16 | |
They've started growing their waterproof adult feathers | 0:37:17 | 0:37:21 | |
and their parents have stopped feeding them. | 0:37:21 | 0:37:23 | |
It's time to take to the water, whether they like it or not. | 0:37:24 | 0:37:29 | |
Eventually, after much hesitation, | 0:37:38 | 0:37:41 | |
they summon their courage and take the plunge. | 0:37:41 | 0:37:44 | |
Swimming is a wonderful discovery. | 0:37:51 | 0:37:53 | |
At last, they're almost the same size as the adults... | 0:38:07 | 0:38:10 | |
..and a perfect meal for a leopard seal. | 0:38:12 | 0:38:15 | |
Having barely wet their beaks, they shoot back on to the ice. | 0:38:16 | 0:38:20 | |
It's been a harsh introduction to the reality of life at sea. | 0:38:47 | 0:38:51 | |
But they can't stay here for ever - they have to start fishing. | 0:38:58 | 0:39:02 | |
It's time for another deep breath. | 0:39:02 | 0:39:04 | |
This time, they swim straight out to the open ocean | 0:39:12 | 0:39:17 | |
and off to independence. | 0:39:17 | 0:39:19 | |
High summer in the Arctic and there's little ice left. | 0:39:24 | 0:39:28 | |
It's the hardest time of year for hungry polar bears. | 0:39:32 | 0:39:36 | |
There are still a few seals, but not enough ice to hunt them on. | 0:39:36 | 0:39:40 | |
There's only one thing for it. | 0:39:41 | 0:39:43 | |
Polar bears are superb swimmers | 0:39:53 | 0:39:56 | |
and can easily swim 55 kilometres a day. | 0:39:56 | 0:40:00 | |
Mum is perfectly at home under water. | 0:40:05 | 0:40:09 | |
but seals can swim faster and deeper. | 0:40:09 | 0:40:12 | |
It's time to admit defeat and head for dry land. | 0:40:21 | 0:40:25 | |
Eventually the days close in. | 0:40:34 | 0:40:37 | |
Summer slowly fades. | 0:40:37 | 0:40:39 | |
A chill comes to the mountains of Japan. | 0:40:43 | 0:40:46 | |
Mothers and babies must cuddle together for warmth. | 0:40:55 | 0:40:59 | |
Autumn is finally here. | 0:41:04 | 0:41:06 | |
THUNDER | 0:41:08 | 0:41:10 | |
As they make the most of the dwindling grass, | 0:41:19 | 0:41:22 | |
the reindeer calves also grow thicker coats. | 0:41:22 | 0:41:25 | |
The fox cubs' coats are not just getting thicker, | 0:41:27 | 0:41:30 | |
they're also getting paler to match the coming snow. | 0:41:30 | 0:41:34 | |
They'll be leaving home soon to face their first winter alone. | 0:41:35 | 0:41:40 | |
As a result, their play is much more like real hunting now. | 0:41:41 | 0:41:46 | |
And playing with their food is positively encouraged. | 0:41:47 | 0:41:51 | |
When you're having fun, | 0:41:58 | 0:42:00 | |
it's easy to think that the good times will last for ever. | 0:42:00 | 0:42:04 | |
But there's no mistaking the change in the air. | 0:42:11 | 0:42:14 | |
Further north, these polar bears have swum back to shore. | 0:42:20 | 0:42:25 | |
Until the sea freezes over again, there's little for them to eat. | 0:42:27 | 0:42:31 | |
What is Mum up to? | 0:42:33 | 0:42:35 | |
Actually, desperation is setting in. | 0:42:36 | 0:42:39 | |
She must forage for what she can. | 0:42:41 | 0:42:42 | |
A bit of seaweed hardly helps with the hunger. | 0:42:46 | 0:42:49 | |
It's more like a vitamin supplement than a meal, | 0:42:49 | 0:42:52 | |
but it's better than nothing. | 0:42:52 | 0:42:54 | |
While Mum hunts in the water, | 0:43:04 | 0:43:07 | |
baby grabs the chance to hunt on land. | 0:43:07 | 0:43:10 | |
Just a little bit more practice. | 0:43:21 | 0:43:23 | |
Her baby is still getting milk | 0:43:30 | 0:43:33 | |
but it's been months since Mum last ate a proper meal. | 0:43:33 | 0:43:37 | |
And these bones from a beached whale were picked clean years ago. | 0:43:38 | 0:43:42 | |
All they can do | 0:43:44 | 0:43:45 | |
is wait for the sea to freeze over. | 0:43:45 | 0:43:49 | |
When winter comes, it makes a dramatic entrance... | 0:43:57 | 0:44:00 | |
..arriving with a force | 0:44:03 | 0:44:04 | |
that the snow babies have never experienced before. | 0:44:04 | 0:44:07 | |
The youngsters have learned all they can. | 0:44:26 | 0:44:30 | |
For most of them, | 0:44:30 | 0:44:32 | |
it's time to face the greatest challenge of their lives. | 0:44:32 | 0:44:35 | |
With the change in season, the reindeer turn south. | 0:44:37 | 0:44:40 | |
1,500 freezing kilometres now separate the calves | 0:44:44 | 0:44:49 | |
from the lush southern pastures. | 0:44:49 | 0:44:51 | |
At last, the first shock is over. | 0:45:04 | 0:45:07 | |
The world is transformed. | 0:45:10 | 0:45:13 | |
In Japan, this year's babies are seeing snow for the first time. | 0:45:34 | 0:45:39 | |
At first, they're just curious. | 0:45:41 | 0:45:43 | |
Then they get creative. | 0:45:44 | 0:45:46 | |
Snow monkeys are quick learners, | 0:45:51 | 0:45:53 | |
and this young monkey has found | 0:45:53 | 0:45:55 | |
a wonderful way of entertaining himself. | 0:45:55 | 0:45:57 | |
Making snowballs. | 0:46:01 | 0:46:03 | |
The only problem is it keeps rolling away. | 0:46:12 | 0:46:17 | |
Or maybe that's the point. | 0:46:26 | 0:46:28 | |
After all, why else would he take it to the top of the hill again? | 0:46:28 | 0:46:32 | |
For this particular troop of macaques, | 0:46:41 | 0:46:44 | |
making snowballs has become part of their unique culture. | 0:46:44 | 0:46:48 | |
By copying the others, | 0:46:48 | 0:46:50 | |
this little monkey is doing his best to stay part of the gang. | 0:46:50 | 0:46:54 | |
When you're young, snow is fun and extremely exciting. | 0:47:14 | 0:47:18 | |
But the sense of fun doesn't always last. | 0:47:21 | 0:47:24 | |
Snow monkeys are the most northerly monkeys on earth | 0:47:28 | 0:47:32 | |
and face winter temperatures that are well below freezing. | 0:47:32 | 0:47:35 | |
There's nowhere to shelter... | 0:47:38 | 0:47:40 | |
..and food is hard to come by. | 0:47:41 | 0:47:44 | |
But snow monkeys are nothing if not resourceful. | 0:47:55 | 0:47:59 | |
They'll eat berries, leaves, fruit, nuts and insects. | 0:48:02 | 0:48:07 | |
And, when there's no food on the ground, | 0:48:10 | 0:48:12 | |
they'll try the water. | 0:48:12 | 0:48:14 | |
And that includes the babies. | 0:48:16 | 0:48:19 | |
Small crustaceans are hiding under the rocks, | 0:48:23 | 0:48:26 | |
and this baby snow monkey has been taught by his mum how to find them. | 0:48:26 | 0:48:32 | |
It's fiddly work and the water is freezing... | 0:48:33 | 0:48:37 | |
..but beggars can't be choosers. | 0:48:39 | 0:48:41 | |
With their thick coats, | 0:48:47 | 0:48:49 | |
adult snow monkeys are well equipped to deal with the wind and the snow. | 0:48:49 | 0:48:52 | |
The babies aren't so lucky. | 0:48:55 | 0:48:57 | |
Without some respite, this baby could be in real trouble. | 0:48:59 | 0:49:04 | |
Back in the Rockies, the otter family have no such problems. | 0:49:17 | 0:49:20 | |
Thanks to hot volcanic springs, there are gaps in the ice | 0:49:33 | 0:49:37 | |
which make excellent fishing holes. | 0:49:37 | 0:49:39 | |
But they're not alone. | 0:49:47 | 0:49:48 | |
A hungry coyote is on the prowl. | 0:49:49 | 0:49:52 | |
Coyotes will happily kill and eat an otter pup if given half a chance. | 0:49:56 | 0:50:00 | |
But this one seems to have other things on his mind. | 0:50:02 | 0:50:05 | |
With his incredible sense of smell, | 0:50:08 | 0:50:10 | |
the coyote sniffs out the otters' larder. | 0:50:10 | 0:50:13 | |
Unlucky. | 0:50:17 | 0:50:19 | |
Watched by the increasingly frustrated otters, | 0:50:20 | 0:50:23 | |
he tries again. | 0:50:23 | 0:50:24 | |
This time he's in luck. | 0:50:37 | 0:50:39 | |
It's a huge Yellowstone cutthroat trout, | 0:50:40 | 0:50:43 | |
fresh out of the otters' freezer. | 0:50:43 | 0:50:45 | |
Still, better that he takes a fish than a pup. | 0:50:47 | 0:50:51 | |
As winter deepens, even the sea freezes. | 0:51:04 | 0:51:08 | |
The surface turns to icy slush. | 0:51:15 | 0:51:18 | |
Gradually, the ice merges into flat plates. | 0:51:27 | 0:51:31 | |
Eventually, after much toing and froing, | 0:51:36 | 0:51:39 | |
the plates lock together... | 0:51:39 | 0:51:41 | |
..and the sea becomes land again. | 0:51:45 | 0:51:48 | |
At last, the Arctic is just how polar bears like it. | 0:51:53 | 0:51:59 | |
They are back on solid ice, | 0:52:03 | 0:52:06 | |
and seals are back at the top of the menu. | 0:52:06 | 0:52:09 | |
Hunting day and night, | 0:52:13 | 0:52:15 | |
this mum has been making up for lost time. | 0:52:15 | 0:52:18 | |
Ringed seals are abundant | 0:52:19 | 0:52:21 | |
and the ice is no longer melting underfoot. | 0:52:21 | 0:52:24 | |
Mum is having a field day, | 0:52:30 | 0:52:33 | |
and so too is her little cub. | 0:52:33 | 0:52:35 | |
With their bellies full, they take a well-earned rest. | 0:52:40 | 0:52:43 | |
It's four degrees below... | 0:52:43 | 0:52:46 | |
..and just how they like it. | 0:52:47 | 0:52:49 | |
And what about the fox cubs? | 0:52:54 | 0:52:57 | |
They're all grown up and living on their own now. | 0:52:57 | 0:52:59 | |
Their winter coat gives them the best insulation of any mammal | 0:53:01 | 0:53:06 | |
and excellent camouflage in the snow. | 0:53:06 | 0:53:08 | |
This cub is now a master at hunting rodents scurrying beneath the snow. | 0:53:10 | 0:53:16 | |
But some of the best food is served frozen. | 0:53:17 | 0:53:20 | |
Whether killed by illness, or by the cold, | 0:53:21 | 0:53:24 | |
this adult reindeer will keep for a long, long time. | 0:53:24 | 0:53:28 | |
The cub's mum and dad would be proud of him. | 0:53:29 | 0:53:32 | |
The reindeer calves are also independent of their mums. | 0:53:37 | 0:53:41 | |
Heading south, they are keeping one step ahead of the weather... | 0:53:41 | 0:53:45 | |
..ensuring the snow is still shallow enough to move through | 0:53:46 | 0:53:49 | |
and find food in. | 0:53:49 | 0:53:51 | |
Arctic wolves may still be shadowing them | 0:54:01 | 0:54:04 | |
but the calves are bigger and faster now | 0:54:04 | 0:54:07 | |
and no longer easy prey. | 0:54:07 | 0:54:09 | |
The young reindeer still have an epic journey ahead of them, | 0:54:17 | 0:54:21 | |
but the future is definitely looking brighter. | 0:54:21 | 0:54:24 | |
But the reindeer aren't the only ones on an epic journey. | 0:54:27 | 0:54:31 | |
Having left the ice at the height of the summer, | 0:54:35 | 0:54:38 | |
they've journeyed well beyond the Antarctic Circle. | 0:54:38 | 0:54:41 | |
At over a metre long, | 0:54:43 | 0:54:45 | |
the young penguins are now the same size as their parents, | 0:54:45 | 0:54:49 | |
and they can dive to depths of over 500 metres on a single breath. | 0:54:49 | 0:54:53 | |
They are, at last, the essence of freedom. | 0:54:58 | 0:55:02 | |
High in the Rocky Mountains, the otter family are staying put. | 0:55:09 | 0:55:13 | |
They have a plentiful supply of fish | 0:55:15 | 0:55:17 | |
and will stay together all winter, looking after each other. | 0:55:17 | 0:55:22 | |
Having mastered the art of survival, | 0:55:23 | 0:55:26 | |
they can now afford to play. | 0:55:26 | 0:55:29 | |
Why run when you can toboggan? | 0:55:48 | 0:55:52 | |
But life doesn't look quite so easy for the Japanese macaques. | 0:56:00 | 0:56:04 | |
In their volcanic mountains, | 0:56:06 | 0:56:08 | |
the snow monkeys are living up to their name. | 0:56:08 | 0:56:11 | |
The weather has taken a turn for the worse. | 0:56:14 | 0:56:18 | |
But they have a secret. | 0:56:19 | 0:56:22 | |
Heated by the volcano, it's an enormous hot tub. | 0:56:29 | 0:56:34 | |
For a little monkey, it doesn't get better than this. | 0:56:37 | 0:56:41 | |
Surrounded by family and friends, | 0:56:42 | 0:56:45 | |
all his efforts to get in with the rest of the troop | 0:56:45 | 0:56:47 | |
have finally paid off. | 0:56:47 | 0:56:50 | |
He hasn't been left out in the cold. | 0:56:50 | 0:56:52 | |
But there's someone who deserves some special attention. | 0:57:04 | 0:57:08 | |
She's seen him through the toughest times. | 0:57:09 | 0:57:13 | |
She's nursed him, protected him, and taught him everything he knows. | 0:57:13 | 0:57:18 | |
Because of her, his future is looking good. | 0:57:20 | 0:57:23 | |
Thanks, Mum. | 0:57:27 | 0:57:28 | |
Thanks to everything they've learned along the way, | 0:57:47 | 0:57:50 | |
all our snow babies have made it through | 0:57:50 | 0:57:53 | |
the most difficult time of their young lives... | 0:57:53 | 0:57:55 | |
..with a little help from family and friends. | 0:57:57 | 0:58:01 | |
Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd | 0:58:32 | 0:58:36 |