Mountain Babies Animal Babies

The first months of any animal's life are the most crucial.

Every day brings new challenges.

And new drama.

In this series, we will reveal how animal babies survive,

and even thrive,

in three of the most beautiful, yet demanding, landscapes on the planet.

On the vast savannas of Africa...

..youngsters face the world's top predators

and intense competition.

Water babies must deal with treacherous coasts

and dangerous currents.

And in the rocky world of the mountains,

food is scarce and the weather extreme.

These brave little animals do have some great tactics

to overcome the odds, but they face a steep learning curve,

in what can be a cruel world.

If they pay attention to those around them

and fight against adversity, they might just make it.

This is the story of some amazing animal babies.

Mountains cover almost a quarter

of the earth's land surface.

And they're some of the most

challenging places on the planet to survive.

It's hard enough living on sheer cliffs and rocky precipices,

even if you are an experienced adult.

But for a baby animal...

..growing up here is incredibly difficult.

Food is hard to come by.

The weather is extreme...

..and can change in an instant.

Thick snow...

..and ice can make the slopes truly treacherous.

A daunting test for small legs.

So, the first challenge mountain babies face...

..is simply getting around this hazardous environment.

A baby guanaco.

Wild ancestor of the llama.

Just minutes old.

Yet, on the exposed slopes of Patagonia, there is no time to rest.

Already, it faces a test...

..getting to its feet.

And with legs almost a metre long...

..this is far from straightforward.

There is a good reason to do this as quickly as possible.

Up here, there are formidable predators.

And there are few good places to be born.

So, the mums congregate in the same areas

during the short, warmer months.

And the pumas know it.

Only one in three guanacos

make it to their first birthday.

A calf's best chance of escape is to run with the herd.

But if it can't keep up...

..it won't survive long.

It may seem a wobbly start...

..but it's still a start.

All around, the newborns are taking their first steps.

In just a few days, they are making incredible progress.

A game of chase helps develop coordination and speed.

Already, these babies are learning how to tear about

their mountainous environment.

An amazing transformation.

And a great start to life on these demanding mountainsides.

In these hostile conditions...

..it is vital mountain babies learn to master their environment quickly.

Even when thrown in at the deep end.

A wild mountain goat kid in the Rocky Mountains of North America.

Reaching as high as 3,000 metres,

with high winds and freezing temperatures,

it is a tough place for a baby to be born.

But it is safe here.

Few predators will risk these formidable, precipitous rock faces.

But they can't stay up here forever.

After a winter with little food,

the females are lacking in nutrients.

They need mineral-laden rocks, to stock up on vital salts.

The kids will have to follow their mums...

..descending from their safe haven, on a gruelling trek.

It's the first major challenge of their lives.

The cliffs are terrifyingly steep.

No-one wants to go first.

One plucky young goat takes the plunge.

With hooves divided in two and rough pads on the bottom, for grip,

the kids scramble to safety.

Their first test - successfully passed.

Although it might be too early to celebrate.

They are unaware of what's round the corner.

Soon, they're going to have to jump across a freezing,

fast-flowing river.

As difficult as it seems, mountain goat kids are at least

adapted for this mountainous terrain.

But what if you need to scale the heights

and you aren't capable of climbing on your own?

In Brazil, a troop of tufted capuchins

cling to rocky cliff faces.

It's a big day in the life of one of their youngest members,

although he doesn't know it yet.

Up until now, the baby's barely had to lift a finger.

And getting around hasn't been a problem...

..because Mum carries him everywhere.

But that's about to change...

..with an unexpected lesson in independence.

The troop has found a bees' nest, right at the top of the canyon.

Honey is a sweet treat the capuchins can't resist.

It's full of precious calories.

It's impossible to get up there with a baby on board.

And he still isn't old enough to be left on his own.

There's only one thing for it.

A baby-sitter.

Mum's off after the honey.

But the inexperienced baby-sitter also has a sweet tooth.

She can't resist and sets off, with the little monkey

precariously clinging to her back.

He'd better hold on tight.

Mum's made it.

But the young capuchin is in real danger.

The baby-sitter simply can't go any further...

..and unceremoniously abandons him.

Now he's stuck...and vulnerable.

BUZZING

But there's one thing all babies can do.

He calls for Mum.

WHISTLING

HE WHISTLES

WHISTLING

She's heard him and she comes to the rescue.

HE WHISTLES

WHISTLING

Reunited and out of danger.

But soon, he will have to learn to become far more independent.

His journey is just beginning.

In the mountains, it's not just the terrain that can cause

perilous problems for the babies.

FOr every 200 metres an animal climbs...

..the temperature drops by one degree Celsius.

At these altitudes, the weather can change, out of nowhere,

catching the inexperienced unawares and putting them in grave danger.

In North America,

Yellowstone National Park is nearly 2,500 metres above sea level.

One minute, it's warm and sunny.

THUNDER RUMBLES

The next, it's snowing and everything becomes hidden

in a hazardous white-out.

For these two grizzly bear cubs, the sudden snowstorm spells trouble.

With near zero visibility,

it's easy to get separated from Mum.

And that could be a big problem.

Grizzly bear cubs depend on their mother for food and protection

until they are three years old and almost fully grown.

And other animals up here will certainly harm them.

An enormous male grizzly.

They will kill unrelated cubs, if they find them unprotected.

Mum keeps look-out, whilst the cubs run for it.

But they can't go far...

..or they might get lost.

Once the threat has passed, they settle down, to ride out the storm.

It's a valuable early lesson

in the dangers of these unpredictable mountains.

For the mountain goat kids in the Rockies,

the journey to the mineral and salt rocks is well underway.

They've negotiated the slopes...

..but now, a far greater trial lies ahead.

All the major rivers of the world originate in the mountains.

The streams here are fast, powerful and freezing cold.

The crucial salts are on the far bank.

It's a frightening prospect for a baby goat.

Not an ideal place for a first swimming lesson.

Mum's done this before, so she knows the best points to cross.

The kid panics and picks a different route.

KID BLEATS

Those hooves, so good for climbing, aren't much use here.

KID BLEATS

Mum can only watch.

Finally, the end of the road.

They'll stay here for a few days

whilst the mum licks the mineral rocks,

stocking up on essential nutrients.

It's been a tough test for the kids.

Time to recover before heading back to the safety of the peaks.

Whilst the mountain babies might have got over their first hurdles...

..there are new challenges ahead.

Although these peaks and sheer cliffs seem bleak and empty,

there are predators all around.

In a world where food is difficult to find...

..the young are often targeted.

So, mountain babies need to use all their skills and ingenuity

if they are to avoid being eaten.

WIND HOWLS LOUDLY

In the high Arctic, musk ox roam the slopes in search of food.

These calves have been on the move ever since they were born.

But even with all that practise,

it's not going to be enough for them now.

The local wolves are on the prowl.

Even an adult musk ox can't outrun them.

Whilst the adults have size and impressive horns on their side..

..this youngster is small...

..and defenceless.

In this barren landscape...

..a young musk ox would make a decent meal.

Wolves push the herd to move.

On the run, they can pick out the old, the weak,

and the young.

Working together, they separate the small musk ox from the herd.

But this one is a fighter.

It stays on its feet...

..buying enough time...

..for the herd to come charging back.

They might not be as fast as the wolves,

but at around 300 kilos each,

a herd of musk ox is not to be messed with.

The plucky little calf knows where he's safest.

The adults form an impenetrable wall of horn and muscle around it.

Never giving up has certainly paid off for this young musk ox.

In a place as tough as the mountains,

youngsters need all the support they

can get when it comes to facing their enemies.

But even though they're young,

they have an important role to play in their group.

In Brazil, the little capuchin is becoming more independent.

And now he's facing a major challenge.

A stealthy snake has slithered into their territory.

But the young monkey has spotted it and he knows just what to do.

HE WHISTLES

Call in the big boys.

The troop makes as much noise as possible,

banging whatever they can find.

And he isn't one to be left out.

It's a clever tactic

and it shows just how important even

the youngest member of the group can be.

But when it comes to the planet's top predators,

some mountain babies rely on more than simply safety in numbers.

The Karakoram mountains of Pakistan.

Here, there are more peaks over 8km than anywhere else on earth.

A markhor, a rare type of wild goat kid, wanders the desolate slopes,

searching for food for up to 14 hours a day.

It's a particularly demanding place to grow up.

The slopes are near vertical

and even the adults can get into trouble.

But danger comes from elsewhere too.

Eagles and wolves hunt here.

EAGLE SQUAWKS

So, for protection, markhor live in herds.

With extremely good eyesight and a strong sense of smell,

it means there are more of them to spot any predators.

Essential, especially when they're

up against the most dangerous of them all.

The ghost of the mountains.

The elusive snow leopard.

Brilliantly well camouflaged against the rocky outcrops,

it's hard for the markhor to see.

With huge, well padded feet, it's hard for them to hear, too.

So, sometimes, even the alert,

ever watchful markhor don't notice the threat.

To survive, markhor kids have to be excellent mountaineers...

..and rely on their instincts.

BLEATING

BLEATING

Having a watery exit strategy undoubtedly played a part.

But it's their skill in escaping on vertical rock faces that helps them

stay alive in the most menacing of mountain ranges.

It's crucial to master the mountainous environment early on.

It means young animals have

a fighting chance against stronger and more experienced opponents.

But for some, far from being an obstacle to overcome,

it's the mountains themselves that are the key to survival.

CHATTERING

In Ethiopia, a group of geladas

graze on their favourite food -

grass.

The little ones have a long way to go...

..before they look like the impressive adults.

Whilst these meadows might seem like they're on the savanna...

..looks can be deceiving.

They're over two miles up...

..and 2.5 times the height of Britain's tallest mountain.

Whilst these monkeys spend most of their time on the plateau,

it's the rock faces that can get them out of trouble.

They aren't for the faint-hearted.

But that doesn't stop these cheeky

little geladas from using them as a playground.

SQUEAKING

SQUEALING

It makes for some nail-biting moments,

but there's good reason behind this daredevil behaviour.

The more they play, the better they get

at running and climbing on these cliffs.

They never know when these skills will be put to the test.

Geladas are hunted by several predators...

..including leopards.

An adult gelada seems to have spotted something.

On the plateau, there's nowhere to hide.

HOOTING AND SCREECHING

To stay safe, there's only one place to go.

ALARMED HOOTING

All that perilous play has paid off.

The youngsters keep up with the adults

and make it to the safety of the cliffs.

With the threat gone, it's back to business as usual.

Hundreds of miles further south, across Africa...

..another mountain baby is spending quality time with his family.

This little one spends much of his day close to Mum...

..watching his older siblings.

He is a mountain gorilla...

..one of only about 900 left in the world.

His forest home is well over 1,000 metres up.

Like many primates, it will be many years before he is an adult.

So, his family are a key support during his long childhood.

Gorillas are highly social animals.

This group is led by his father, the dominant male silverback...

..his own personal bodyguard.

With such good protection,

he doesn't need to worry about predators.

Just stick close to Dad.

Or at least, try to!

But there's still a danger here.

A threat that's very close to home.

A rival silverback is threatening his family.

GORILLA GROWLS

HOOTING

Silverbacks can try to take over entire groups.

If successful, the baby's chances of surviving are pretty slim.

New silverbacks will kill all infants,

so they can mate with the mother and have young of their own.

It's up to Dad to protect the family...

..while this little one keeps out of harm's way.

With the rival seen off...

..the small mountain gorilla is safe.

Being part of such a supportive family group is a huge advantage.

It teaches him all the skills he needs to grasp...

..so that one day he might follow in his dad's footsteps.

But he has plenty more lessons to learn.

Mountain babies can be ingenious when it comes to making their way

in a challenging environment.

And avoiding those...

..who want to harm them.

But there's still a long way to go to make it to adulthood.

WOLF CUBS HOWL

Mountains are difficult places to live

and there are fundamental skills to master...

..if they are to become independent.

These grizzly bear cubs in British Columbia

have travelled miles around the mountains in search of food.

Mum has led them to a river where thousands of salmon are heading

for their spawning ground.

She hasn't eaten much for months, so all she can think about

is catching fish.

The cubs have had Mum's rich milk to drink

and all they want to do is play.

They will need her milk for two or three years.

But catching fish is a real skill...

..and it's never too early to start learning.

They need to start paying a bit more attention.

The adults show them how to do it.

And our cubs decide to give it a go.

How hard can it be? There's fish everywhere.

But catching this slippery prey is harder than it seems.

Not bad for a beginner.

Maybe this isn't so difficult after all.

And maybe it is.

The cubs need to get a lot better at catching AND keeping their food.

For now, they've still got Mum to help them out, but one day,

they will have to do it without her.

Being able to find food is a sure sign that independence

isn't too far away.

But it's rare that the mountains

are quite so generous in offering things up to eat.

So, the youngsters here have to be creative

and resourceful.

In Brazil, the little capuchin is growing up fast.

He's finally given up his free ride...

..and it's high time he stopped expecting free hand-outs as well.

But on these cliffs, finding food is hard work.

Every mouthful has to be earned.

Fortunately, capuchins are some of the cleverest monkeys on the planet.

The adults are foraging for palm nuts.

They use a strong stone like a hammer to get to the food inside.

But it's complicated stuff...

..needing extraordinary coordination and intelligence.

Not any old tool will do.

It's got to be just the right type of stone...

..so the youngest capuchins certainly have their work cut out.

It will be a while before they can use rocks in this way.

But sticks could be a little easier.

Capuchins use them to dig out delicious delicacies from the trees.

The little monkey is paying close attention.

But it's a little confusing.

What kind of stick to use?

And remember to keep hold of the long bit.

He is getting the hang of it and soon he will refine the technique.

Once he can feed himself, he will be well on the way to independence.

Making mistakes is all part of getting older.

And for mountain babies, it can be a painful lesson.

Even the simplest of tasks are tricky for a newbie.

GORILLA RETCHES

Growing up is a difficult business at the best of times.

RETCHING CONTINUES

And in the mountains, getting it wrong can have serious consequences.

In Central Africa,

this three-year-old mountain gorilla

has still got a long way to go if she's to become a successful adult.

At these altitudes,

the temperature can fall below freezing at night-time.

So, to keep safe and warm while they sleep...

..mountain gorillas build nests in the trees above the cold ground.

Most young mountain gorillas are taught this essential skill

by their mums.

But this one's mum left to join another group...

..leaving Dad in charge.

He simply can't help her with nest-building.

He is too heavy to sleep in the trees

and just beds down on the ground.

Without Mum to show her the ropes,

she's in serious danger as the night draws in.

Whilst the other little ones snuggle up to their mums

in cosy, warm beds...

..she's struggling to make a nest on her own.

It's going to be a long and very cold night.

WIND HOWLS, THUNDER RUMBLES

The next morning, all the other mums, with their babies,

are waking up.

But the three-year-old is nowhere to be seen.

The silverback stirs.

And snug, right next to him, is the little gorilla.

She has made a good decision.

With Dad to look after her, she is in safe hands...

..and her path to independence...

..is looking good.

Learning to make your own bed without any help is a tough ask.

But having to grasp vital skills by yourself

is part and parcel of growing up in the mountains.

And certain talents can't be taught.

So, some youngsters have to take a leap of faith

if they are going to reach adulthood.

On a rocky ledge in the high Arctic...

..three gyrfalcon chicks are safe in the nest.

Gyrs are the largest falcons in the world...

..so these young birds, a female and her two brothers,

need a lot of food.

So far, they have had it pretty easy.

Covered in heavy down to protect against the cold...

..they just wait in the nest for their hard-working parents

to bring them nice things to eat.

And Mum and Dad have done well.

CHICKS SCREECH

Just a few weeks later, all three are almost as big as the adults.

Now they look like grown-ups,

it's high time to start acting like them...

..beginning with a crucial life skill - learning to fly.

GYRFALCON SQUAWKS

The female's the largest and the most adventurous.

Flapping her wings to strengthen them,

she approaches the edge.

But even she is thinking twice.

It's a steep drop to the ground below.

A crash landing.

THAT wasn't in the flight plan.

She could have broken her wing or flight feathers.

Not quite the encouragement

her two less confident brothers were looking for.

But she has more immediate concerns.

Wolves are on the prowl.

Lacking the strength to take off vertically...

..she climbs back up the rocks to gain height for another attempt.

And she's ready to try again.

Success!

Spurred on by their sister's achievement,

the others seem a little braver.

Now they have successfully fledged...

..it won't be long until all three leave their parents for good.

Fully grown adults in their own right.

The mountain babies have overcome the many difficulties

a life up high has thrown at them.

After spending another winter in the Rockies,

the mountain goat kids will head back down to the mineral rocks.

Only this time, they will do it without Mum to show them the way.

The grizzly bear cubs have another two years or so with Mum,

and then they will head off on their own,

strong, skilled and powerful enough to make it here alone.

The little capuchin is finally beginning to look after himself.

With new friends to play with...

..he is finding his place in the pecking order.

And he needs to.

He is not the baby any more.

These youngsters have made it through

the toughest time of their lives...

..and some day, they will have babies of their own

who'll grow up in the challenging, yet magical world

of the mountains.