0:00:36 > 0:00:41There are only a dozen peaks in the world that rise five miles high.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53All of them are here, in the Himalayas.
0:01:02 > 0:01:07Lethally cold, scoured by gales and blizzards,
0:01:07 > 0:01:12these mountains are among the most hostile places on Earth.
0:01:21 > 0:01:26Yet, a few special animals manage to live here.
0:01:33 > 0:01:34Snow leopards.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39Like all creatures of the high mountains,
0:01:39 > 0:01:42they have had to adapt both their body and their behaviour
0:01:42 > 0:01:44in order to survive.
0:01:52 > 0:01:54Life at extreme altitude
0:01:54 > 0:01:59has shaped some of the toughest animals on the planet.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06LEOPARD ROARS
0:02:21 > 0:02:24The sunbaked mountains of the Arabian Peninsula.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32They may only be a fraction of the height of the Himalayas,
0:02:32 > 0:02:36but they are still so dizzyingly steep
0:02:36 > 0:02:41that in many places it's almost impossible to get a foothold.
0:02:49 > 0:02:53Yet Nubian ibex have made this their home.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59BIRD CALLS
0:03:05 > 0:03:09The ibex choose the steepest cliffs to raise their young,
0:03:09 > 0:03:13in safety, beyond the reach of predators.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27But living in this sanctuary comes with a cost.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34These nursery slopes are so steep,
0:03:34 > 0:03:37there is almost no standing water up here.
0:03:45 > 0:03:50So to drink, an ibex family must descend into the valley...
0:03:52 > 0:03:54..1,000 feet below.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00The mothers pick out the safest way down.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06With soft cloven hooves that grip better than any climbing shoe,
0:04:06 > 0:04:09they are the most accomplished mountaineers.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24But the newborn kids are still having to find their feet.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33This is their first descent.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39One mistake could make it their last.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01Following the adults, the kids finally reach the valley.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09But once on level ground, they're vulnerable.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20Red foxes lie in wait.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36At the first sign of danger,
0:05:36 > 0:05:40the young ibex instinctively run back to steeper ground.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43KID BLEATS
0:05:53 > 0:05:57But heading for this particular rocky outcrop could be a mistake.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01It's a 30-foot drop.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06The fox has them trapped -
0:06:06 > 0:06:07or so it seems.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29This is what ibex were born to do.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49Scattering makes it hard for the fox to pick a target.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07And it certainly can't follow them up here.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11All it can do is wait for one to slip and fall.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34But these youngsters are fast learners,
0:07:34 > 0:07:38and they're now almost as sure-footed as their parents.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16The fox will have to find its meal elsewhere.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24It's just not been a good day.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36Now, at last, the young ibex can drink.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43But they'll soon need to return to the safety of the sheer cliffs.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53Mastering precipitous terrain is always challenging,
0:08:53 > 0:08:57but there are more fundamental problems for life in the mountains.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18The Alps. Europe's highest peaks.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23It's winter, and food is desperately short.
0:09:35 > 0:09:38A golden eagle has to spend every daylight hour
0:09:38 > 0:09:43scanning the slopes for something, somewhere, to eat.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57Her seven-foot wingspan allows her to glide effortlessly
0:09:57 > 0:10:00for 100 miles in a single day.
0:10:09 > 0:10:14Her extraordinary eyes enable her to spot prey from two miles away.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26But she is not the only one who's looking for food.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31When she spots a chance, she must move fast.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39She can dive at 200 miles an hour.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41Only a peregrine is faster.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19During winter, even eagles rely almost entirely on carrion.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25It's a dead fox, and it could sustain her for days.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30Other scavengers must defer.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36The hungry crows soon regain their courage.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41They'll try any trick to steal a morsel.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52And they are annoyingly persistent.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17But this mob are the least of her worries.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27A bigger eagle takes control.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35But this kill is too important to give up.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39So she must fight.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57For the moment, she's won the carcass back.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02But a kill like this will attract every eagle for miles around.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34As ever, the strongest wins the lion's share.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40Unable to defend the carcass any longer,
0:13:40 > 0:13:42the first eagle must now continue its search.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47It may be many days before she feeds again.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54Only the most competitive
0:13:54 > 0:13:57will survive the perils of the mountain winter.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05RUMBLING
0:14:26 > 0:14:28An avalanche.
0:14:28 > 0:14:29100,000 tonnes of snow
0:14:29 > 0:14:32travelling at 80 miles an hour,
0:14:32 > 0:14:35capable of smashing everything in its path.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16The mountains of North America
0:15:16 > 0:15:20are hit by thousands of avalanches every year.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36Yet one animal spends the whole winter
0:15:36 > 0:15:40slumbering within the snow on these avalanche-prone slopes.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54And when spring comes, they emerge.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09All across these mountains,
0:16:09 > 0:16:12grizzly bears make their winter dens
0:16:12 > 0:16:1610,000 feet up in the deep snow of leeward slopes.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21And while they were half-asleep in the depths of winter,
0:16:21 > 0:16:23their young were born.
0:16:27 > 0:16:31Now these cubs are taking their first steps into the outside world.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58This mother is leading her three youngsters
0:16:58 > 0:17:01to a place where they can find food.
0:17:04 > 0:17:06RUMBLING
0:17:06 > 0:17:10They need to descend as quickly as possible.
0:17:12 > 0:17:14The debris from an avalanche
0:17:14 > 0:17:18is clear evidence that this slope is still dangerously unstable.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33This is not a place to dawdle.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41And they have another reason to keep moving.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47After five months in the den, these bears are very hungry.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56Bears that have hibernated throughout these peaks
0:17:56 > 0:18:00now all descend to the valleys, where spring comes earliest.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12In the Rockies, seasonal change is swift and dramatic.
0:18:23 > 0:18:29In just a few days, the slopes turn from white to green.
0:18:50 > 0:18:55Meadows that only a few weeks ago were buried beneath the snow
0:18:55 > 0:18:57are now full of life.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19But in these mountains, the good times will not last long.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23So the bears must feed as fast as they can.
0:19:28 > 0:19:29During the summer months,
0:19:29 > 0:19:34an adult can put on 180 kilos gorging on plants
0:19:34 > 0:19:36and, if they can catch them...
0:19:36 > 0:19:39MARMOT CALLS ..a marmot or two.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47But just now, the bears have something else on their minds.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53It's becoming warmer,
0:19:53 > 0:19:56and the bears are keen to shed their thick winter coats.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02Mothers show the cubs what to do about this.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15They'll soon catch on.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21Some trees, it seems, are particularly suitable for rubbing.
0:20:22 > 0:20:27Bears have their favourites and will travel long distances to visit them.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33Some itches just have to be scratched.
0:20:54 > 0:20:58There are now around 30 bears in this one valley.
0:21:04 > 0:21:09As they rub, each leaves an individual and recognisable scent.
0:21:13 > 0:21:18So the tree soon carries a list of who's around,
0:21:18 > 0:21:20which might help individuals to avoid a fight.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25To best spread their scent,
0:21:25 > 0:21:27they really have to put their back into it.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43BEAR GRUNTS
0:22:09 > 0:22:11But summer is short.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14Itches satisfactorily scratched,
0:22:14 > 0:22:16it's time to eat.
0:22:20 > 0:22:21In a couple of months,
0:22:21 > 0:22:24they will have to return to their dens to hibernate,
0:22:24 > 0:22:27so now they must put on as much weight as they can.
0:22:34 > 0:22:39Winter in the mountains returns fast and hits hard.
0:22:42 > 0:22:44WIND HOWLS
0:22:53 > 0:22:58Temperatures in the Rockies will drop to -54 degrees,
0:22:58 > 0:23:01so cold that moisture in the air
0:23:01 > 0:23:06freezes into tiny crystals called diamond dust.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33This bobcat is one of the few hunters to remain active in winter.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40Most of his prey is now hidden beneath the snow
0:23:40 > 0:23:43that covers his entire territory.
0:23:48 > 0:23:53He hunts by listening for the faintest sound of movement.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57And to prevent crunching footsteps from revealing his presence,
0:23:57 > 0:24:00he uses boulders as stepping stones.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21A mouse.
0:24:23 > 0:24:24But one is not enough.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45The deeper the snow, the harder it is to detect prey,
0:24:45 > 0:24:48and the rewards for the effort can be disappointing.
0:24:51 > 0:24:52To say the least.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00By midwinter, the snow is so deep
0:25:00 > 0:25:03that bobcats are forced to leave their territories
0:25:03 > 0:25:06to try and find easier hunting.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32And this bobcat may be in luck.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37For this particular valley is blessed.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44A river here never freezes.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50It's fed by a volcanic hot spring
0:25:50 > 0:25:52that heats these waters
0:25:52 > 0:25:55to 50 degrees warmer than the surrounding air.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04Hungry animals of all kinds come here to feed.
0:26:29 > 0:26:30Throughout the winter,
0:26:30 > 0:26:32the river is full of food
0:26:32 > 0:26:34for those who know how to catch it.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49Here, even the coyotes have become fishermen.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57But hunting is hard for a cat that's not used to getting its feet wet.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09So he must choose his target with care.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23Goldeneye ducks.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27But can he get close enough to pounce?
0:27:51 > 0:27:53QUACKING
0:27:58 > 0:28:01Perhaps he'll have more luck on the other side.
0:28:18 > 0:28:22Here, steam from the river warms the surrounding trees,
0:28:22 > 0:28:26so up in the branches, there could be prey.
0:28:28 > 0:28:30CHIRPING
0:28:32 > 0:28:34If only he could get to it.
0:28:36 > 0:28:38It's 20 feet up.
0:28:54 > 0:28:56At last - a squirrel.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01Not much, but enough to keep him going.
0:29:04 > 0:29:09To survive a winter in these mountains takes tenacity,
0:29:09 > 0:29:13and bobcats have that in abundance.
0:29:29 > 0:29:32Snow on the equator.
0:29:34 > 0:29:36Unlike the Rockies, in these mountains
0:29:36 > 0:29:38there are no marked seasons.
0:29:51 > 0:29:53This is Africa's Mount Kenya.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57It's 17,000 feet high,
0:29:57 > 0:30:00which makes its summit some 30 degrees colder
0:30:00 > 0:30:02than the surrounding savanna.
0:30:06 > 0:30:13Giant heathers, lobelias and groundsel grow on its upper slopes.
0:30:13 > 0:30:15They all thrive in the tropical sun.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19After all, every day is summer.
0:30:21 > 0:30:28But once the sun sets, every night becomes as bitterly cold as winter.
0:30:36 > 0:30:40The temperature drops to five degrees below freezing,
0:30:40 > 0:30:44turning the mountainside into a garden of ice.
0:30:44 > 0:30:46CRACKLING
0:31:04 > 0:31:06Everything freezes,
0:31:06 > 0:31:11but the cabbage groundsels have a way of protecting themselves.
0:31:17 > 0:31:22They close up their leathery leaves to form an insulating blanket
0:31:22 > 0:31:25that shields their vulnerable central bud.
0:31:36 > 0:31:38Night comes to an end...
0:31:42 > 0:31:44..and the sunshine returns.
0:31:49 > 0:31:52The groundsels spread their leaves wide
0:31:52 > 0:31:54to bask in the sunshine once again.
0:32:13 > 0:32:15Dawn in the High Andes.
0:32:24 > 0:32:28Here too, the rising sun brings rapid relief
0:32:28 > 0:32:31to animals living amongst these volcanic peaks.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38Mountain viscacha are up early
0:32:38 > 0:32:42to claim the best places to catch the sun's first rays.
0:33:03 > 0:33:07For others up here, the sunrise is even more welcome.
0:33:11 > 0:33:13At over 14,000 feet,
0:33:13 > 0:33:16this is the highest flamingo colony in the world.
0:33:18 > 0:33:23At night, it gets so cold that even this salty water freezes over.
0:33:25 > 0:33:28And now the flamingos are trapped in the ice.
0:33:28 > 0:33:31FLAMINGOS CALL
0:33:34 > 0:33:38Eventually, the sun thins the ice,
0:33:38 > 0:33:42but it's still a struggle for the flamingos to break free.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05Walking on thin ice is always risky.
0:34:16 > 0:34:19And it's hard to retain one's dignity...
0:34:20 > 0:34:22..especially when you're wearing stilts.
0:34:36 > 0:34:38At these altitudes,
0:34:38 > 0:34:43the sun's power can quickly turn from salvation to threat.
0:34:49 > 0:34:51The atmosphere is so thin,
0:34:51 > 0:34:55there is very little protection from ultraviolet radiation.
0:34:56 > 0:35:00By mid-morning, it's risky to linger out in the open.
0:35:03 > 0:35:07The viscacha are forced to head for the shade.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15Out on the lake, there is nowhere to hide.
0:35:21 > 0:35:23The white crust of the soda lake
0:35:23 > 0:35:26reflects the sun's glare
0:35:26 > 0:35:29and increases the impact of its ultraviolet rays.
0:35:34 > 0:35:38By midday, uncovered human skin will burn in four minutes.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47But this doesn't seem to bother the flamingos.
0:35:48 > 0:35:50In fact, they are on parade.
0:36:20 > 0:36:22During the breeding season,
0:36:22 > 0:36:26the flamingos perform these peculiar courtship dances
0:36:26 > 0:36:28even through the hottest time of the day.
0:36:35 > 0:36:38They are so eager, they don't even pause to feed.
0:36:57 > 0:36:59The rules are something of a mystery
0:36:59 > 0:37:01but, after a month of dancing,
0:37:01 > 0:37:03all the birds will have paired off
0:37:03 > 0:37:06and will be getting ready to mate.
0:37:12 > 0:37:16Up here, there are few other creatures to bother the flamingos,
0:37:16 > 0:37:18but then, few other creatures
0:37:18 > 0:37:21could even tolerate these conditions.
0:37:24 > 0:37:28So for animals that have the endurance,
0:37:28 > 0:37:30mountains can be sanctuaries.
0:37:43 > 0:37:46But rocky peaks which to us, perhaps,
0:37:46 > 0:37:48seem a symbol of permanence,
0:37:48 > 0:37:50are more fragile than they appear.
0:37:55 > 0:37:57Today in the Alps,
0:37:57 > 0:38:01human encroachment is changing even the highest summits.
0:38:15 > 0:38:16In the Rockies,
0:38:16 > 0:38:19rising temperatures are shortening winter hibernation
0:38:19 > 0:38:22and stifling the growth of valuable food plants.
0:38:28 > 0:38:32And in the Andes, some glaciers
0:38:32 > 0:38:36have shrunk by 50% in just 30 years.
0:38:45 > 0:38:48Even the Himalayas are now vulnerable.
0:38:52 > 0:38:54With most of the world's tallest peaks
0:38:54 > 0:38:57and covering a third of a million square miles,
0:38:57 > 0:39:00this is the greatest mountain range of all.
0:39:07 > 0:39:09And here, temperatures are now rising
0:39:09 > 0:39:11faster than the global average.
0:39:13 > 0:39:17As the snow line retreats further and further up these peaks,
0:39:17 > 0:39:21there is less and less space for wildlife,
0:39:21 > 0:39:23and that is a challenge
0:39:23 > 0:39:27for one of the most majestic of all mountain creatures.
0:39:45 > 0:39:47The snow leopard.
0:39:51 > 0:39:56Seldom seen, the detail of their lives has long been a mystery,
0:39:56 > 0:40:02but now, at last, helped by the latest remote-camera technology,
0:40:02 > 0:40:04we are getting closer to them than ever before.
0:40:10 > 0:40:14They are very rare - only about four of them in 40 square miles.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19There is simply not enough prey to sustain more.
0:40:25 > 0:40:27They live solitary lives.
0:40:27 > 0:40:31Nonetheless, they are well aware of the presence and the movements of
0:40:31 > 0:40:36their neighbours, because they leave messages in a few special places.
0:40:39 > 0:40:43They rub particular rocks with their cheeks...
0:40:46 > 0:40:48..and then spray them with urine.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54The two perfumes create a unique signature.
0:40:55 > 0:40:57SQUIRTING
0:40:59 > 0:41:04Any other leopard can know which of its neighbours passed this way,
0:41:04 > 0:41:06without ever making direct contact.
0:41:10 > 0:41:14But there are times when snow leopards must come together,
0:41:14 > 0:41:16and the event is often violent.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32An adult female and her daughter.
0:41:42 > 0:41:46She has devoted the last two years to raising her cub
0:41:46 > 0:41:48and very soon, it will be weaned.
0:41:51 > 0:41:55For now, the cub is still entirely dependent on its mother.
0:42:01 > 0:42:05But staying together as long as this could cause problems.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11The female is now in heat again,
0:42:11 > 0:42:15and any male that smells her signature will know that.
0:42:17 > 0:42:18SQUIRTING
0:42:25 > 0:42:29From this moment on, her cub's life is at risk.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35Males kill cubs that are not their own.
0:42:40 > 0:42:44But the mother is now driven by an urge that she cannot control.
0:42:48 > 0:42:52She lets the males know exactly where she is.
0:42:52 > 0:42:55LEOPARD CALLS
0:43:05 > 0:43:08From up here, she can be heard for miles around.
0:43:08 > 0:43:10LEOPARD CALLS
0:43:27 > 0:43:31A young male emerges from the wilderness, eager to find her.
0:43:35 > 0:43:38Snow leopards meet so infrequently
0:43:38 > 0:43:40that there is uncertainty and tension.
0:43:49 > 0:43:51And it's about to get worse.
0:43:59 > 0:44:02Another, bigger male has arrived.
0:44:11 > 0:44:15The mother and cub are trapped between the rivals.
0:44:15 > 0:44:16GROWLING
0:44:20 > 0:44:22The cub is now in danger.
0:44:22 > 0:44:23Mother must act fast.
0:44:25 > 0:44:28To divert the males' attention from her cub,
0:44:28 > 0:44:30she rolls over submissively.
0:44:43 > 0:44:47With the males fixed on the female, the cub has a chance to escape.
0:44:53 > 0:44:54GROWLING
0:44:54 > 0:44:57The males close in on the mother from both sides,
0:44:57 > 0:44:59keen to claim her for their own.
0:45:03 > 0:45:05A fight is inevitable.
0:45:27 > 0:45:30The female moves to escape and protect her cub.
0:45:31 > 0:45:33But the big male follows her.
0:45:44 > 0:45:48He will not let her leave until he has mated with her.
0:46:05 > 0:46:10With the males gone, the female is at last reunited with her cub.
0:46:14 > 0:46:16But she has been injured.
0:46:26 > 0:46:30The cub, however, is alive, thanks to its mother.
0:46:40 > 0:46:43Until her injury heals, she won't be able to hunt.
0:46:47 > 0:46:50Mountain animals survive on the very edge of existence.
0:46:54 > 0:46:57Mother and cub were not seen again.
0:47:05 > 0:47:09Until over a month later, high on a ridge,
0:47:09 > 0:47:11a remote camera was triggered.
0:47:15 > 0:47:17The female cat.
0:47:17 > 0:47:20She's no longer limping, but she's now alone.
0:47:26 > 0:47:29Then, an hour after the female has left,
0:47:29 > 0:47:31the camera is triggered again.
0:47:38 > 0:47:40It's her cub,
0:47:40 > 0:47:44taking her first steps towards adulthood and independence.
0:47:46 > 0:47:49She is unlikely to see her mother again.
0:47:49 > 0:47:53But every now and then, they will be reunited
0:47:53 > 0:47:57through the messages they leave on the marking rocks.
0:48:00 > 0:48:04Her mother has succeeded in raising her,
0:48:04 > 0:48:07but life ahead will be challenging,
0:48:07 > 0:48:10and she will spend nearly all of it alone.
0:48:13 > 0:48:16Only the toughest can survive
0:48:16 > 0:48:20among the savage beauty of the world's highest mountains.
0:48:35 > 0:48:37Revealing a new perspective
0:48:37 > 0:48:39on the lives of golden eagles in the mountains
0:48:39 > 0:48:42would take two very different approaches.
0:48:49 > 0:48:52A traditional wildlife crew set out to film wild eagles
0:48:52 > 0:48:55closer than ever before.
0:48:59 > 0:49:02Whilst an aerial team aimed to capture the hunting flights
0:49:02 > 0:49:05of eagles high in the mountains.
0:49:12 > 0:49:15The helicopter crew soon have success in filming
0:49:15 > 0:49:17wild eagles high over the Alps,
0:49:17 > 0:49:21but there was one part of the story even they couldn't follow.
0:49:25 > 0:49:28Golden eagles can stoop at 200 miles an hour.
0:49:31 > 0:49:35To capture an eagle's-eye view of such a dramatic flight
0:49:35 > 0:49:38would take a more extreme approach.
0:49:45 > 0:49:49I'm Aaron Durogati and I'm a professional paraglider pilot.
0:49:49 > 0:49:54Aaron believes that to fly like a bird, he must think like one, too.
0:49:54 > 0:49:57It's a very special feeling to fly with eagles
0:49:57 > 0:50:00because I'm really looking how they are thermalling
0:50:00 > 0:50:02and where they go to soar.
0:50:02 > 0:50:04This helps me to become a better pilot,
0:50:04 > 0:50:07and I try to take inspiration from the nature.
0:50:07 > 0:50:10Wearing a specially designed helmet camera,
0:50:10 > 0:50:14Aaron's aim is to film the perspective of a diving eagle.
0:50:18 > 0:50:21But before he can jump off a mountain,
0:50:21 > 0:50:22first he needs to climb it.
0:50:25 > 0:50:30It's a tough 3,000m ascent for Aaron and his wingman, Armin,
0:50:30 > 0:50:34as director Emma Brennand waits for news in the valley below.
0:50:38 > 0:50:41The ascent is slowed by a series of dangerous crevasses.
0:50:46 > 0:50:49After a tricky climb, they finally reach their launch site.
0:50:53 > 0:50:56But the weather up here is unpredictable
0:50:56 > 0:50:59and a change in wind direction makes it impossible to take off.
0:51:03 > 0:51:08Aaron and Armin are forced to overnight in the summit shelter,
0:51:08 > 0:51:12and with the cold knocking out their comms, Emma is worrying.
0:51:12 > 0:51:15They're well-trained mountain guides,
0:51:15 > 0:51:18but it doesn't make it any easier to know that.
0:51:18 > 0:51:22I think it's going to be a fairly restless night for me as well.
0:51:22 > 0:51:25Whilst the paragliders prepare for a night on the mountain...
0:51:27 > 0:51:29..cameraman Barrie Britton is setting out early
0:51:29 > 0:51:34on a more cautious quest to film wild golden eagles from a hide.
0:51:40 > 0:51:42I've got to get everything set while it's still dark
0:51:42 > 0:51:46and the eagles can't see what we're up to.
0:51:46 > 0:51:49Or if they saw any movement around the hide, then they'd fly away
0:51:49 > 0:51:52and probably wouldn't come back for a few days.
0:51:52 > 0:51:55They're notoriously difficult birds to film.
0:51:56 > 0:51:59Even hide work is not entirely without risks.
0:52:01 > 0:52:05It's -20 outside. So this is a crucial part of the operation,
0:52:05 > 0:52:08making sure the fire works so we don't freeze to death.
0:52:08 > 0:52:11Aah! Well, that's all the hairs gone on my hand!
0:52:11 > 0:52:13Oh, well!
0:52:13 > 0:52:16And we just have to be really quiet now
0:52:16 > 0:52:20and hope the eagles come in when first light comes up.
0:52:20 > 0:52:22Eight sedentary hours later,
0:52:22 > 0:52:26Barry's only reward is a dead leg.
0:52:28 > 0:52:30We haven't done a single shot today.
0:52:32 > 0:52:33Nothing has come.
0:52:35 > 0:52:36Anyway, that's the way it goes.
0:52:38 > 0:52:40After a long night on top of the mountain,
0:52:40 > 0:52:43the weather is only getting worse.
0:52:43 > 0:52:46The team need to get down, but visibility's so poor
0:52:46 > 0:52:50that descending on foot past the crevasses is too risky.
0:52:50 > 0:52:55Aaron decides it's safer to fly, but it'll be a bumpy ride.
0:52:56 > 0:52:58TRANSLATION:
0:53:12 > 0:53:15Thick cloud makes it hard to avoid the mountains, let alone film them.
0:53:18 > 0:53:23Thankfully, they make it down in one piece, much to Emma's relief.
0:53:23 > 0:53:26We are very, very glad to see you both.
0:53:26 > 0:53:27Yeah, it's a bit hard up there.
0:53:28 > 0:53:32The team spend the next two weeks chasing weather windows...
0:53:34 > 0:53:37..until at last, a clear flight.
0:53:52 > 0:53:54Trying to mimic a diving eagle,
0:53:54 > 0:53:56the flying looks spectacular,
0:53:56 > 0:53:58but the helmet-cam shots are less so.
0:54:01 > 0:54:03To stay safe at these speeds,
0:54:03 > 0:54:06Aaron must turn his head regularly to check his glider,
0:54:06 > 0:54:09and that is making the shots unusable.
0:54:13 > 0:54:16The team must quickly come up with a new plan.
0:54:21 > 0:54:24Back in the hide, all has been quiet
0:54:24 > 0:54:27until Barrie spots an eagle scavenging on a fox carcass.
0:54:35 > 0:54:38Barrie repositions his hide to keep watch.
0:54:46 > 0:54:47Good stuff!
0:54:48 > 0:54:50After 100 hours in the hide,
0:54:50 > 0:54:53finally, his luck changes.
0:54:55 > 0:54:58That's one terrifying bird there.
0:54:58 > 0:55:02For me, it's fantastic just to see them so close.
0:55:03 > 0:55:04It's just beautiful.
0:55:07 > 0:55:11With Barrie's success, it's now down to the paragliding team.
0:55:11 > 0:55:15They've come to the Mont Blanc range with a new plan.
0:55:17 > 0:55:21Aaron's decided that the best way to keep safe and get stable shots
0:55:21 > 0:55:24is to fly tandem with a cameraman.
0:55:26 > 0:55:29We've got to try and mimic how an eagle flies,
0:55:29 > 0:55:32which is pretty hard because they're basically like the top bird of prey.
0:55:32 > 0:55:34John is nervous.
0:55:34 > 0:55:36It's his first-ever flight.
0:55:38 > 0:55:41Three, two, one, go.
0:55:42 > 0:55:44Eee...ahh!
0:55:45 > 0:55:48Yes! Woohoo!
0:55:51 > 0:55:55- How is it? - Ah, man, that was a shock.
0:55:55 > 0:55:58Overcoming his initial fears, John begins filming.
0:56:00 > 0:56:02If you can go right of this, that'd be cool.
0:56:04 > 0:56:07The tandem wing allows John to get the shots
0:56:07 > 0:56:09that Aaron was unable to get flying solo.
0:56:11 > 0:56:13Awesome, Aaron, very good.
0:56:13 > 0:56:15But it's not all plain sailing.
0:56:20 > 0:56:23The feeling of discomfort only gets worse
0:56:23 > 0:56:26as Aaron begins the eagle dive.
0:56:32 > 0:56:34JOHN LAUGHS
0:56:34 > 0:56:36I feel sick!
0:56:37 > 0:56:39Oh, man!
0:56:39 > 0:56:42Flying low and fast like an eagle
0:56:42 > 0:56:43leaves little room for error.
0:56:54 > 0:56:59- LAUGHING:- A little bit too much, do you think?- Yeah!
0:56:59 > 0:57:02- Sorry, what did you call it, an unplanned landing?- Yeah!
0:57:04 > 0:57:07They might not be as majestic as a golden eagle,
0:57:07 > 0:57:11but they do capture a unique perspective
0:57:11 > 0:57:14that conveys an eagle's life as never before.
0:57:19 > 0:57:21Next time...
0:57:21 > 0:57:23we explore the world's jungles.
0:57:25 > 0:57:29Places of surprise and invention unrivalled on Earth...
0:57:31 > 0:57:35..where the battle for survival is at its most intense.