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NARRATOR:
Of all the planets in our universe,
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we know of only one
that can support life.
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Just the right distance from the sun,
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00:01:18,536 --> 00:01:20,954
it has a perfect climate.
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Earth rests at an angle
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of exactly 23 and a half degrees
to the sun.
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Without that crucial tilt,
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everything as we know it
would be different.
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For by it, the seasons are created,
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the extremes of climate, hot and cold,
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and landscapes of spectacular beauty.
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We spend a year with our fellow creatures
as they struggle to raise their young
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in a world that is ever-changing.
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January.
It's the dead of winter in the high Arctic,
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and there has been no sun
for over a month.
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A father, alone in an icy wilderness.
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He scavenges for food
in the permanent darkness.
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But there is little to eat.
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Every living thing is waiting.
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At long last,
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the sun makes its first appearance
over the horizon.
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And something else makes
an appearance for the first time too.
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A mother polar bear has been
underground in her den the whole winter.
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It's fresh-powder conditions up here,
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and, after being cooped up
under the snow for so long,
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she can't help but enjoy the slopes.
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But she's not alone.
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They're 2 months old now,
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and this is the very first time
they've seen the light of day.
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[CUBS BLEATING]
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It's breakfast time for the little ones.
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Mom uses the promise of food
to coax them across the slopes.
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But it's not the easiest place
to take your first steps.
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Milk is the breakfast of choice here.
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In fact, it's the only choice here.
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It's all the cubs have known since birth.
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Mom hasn't eaten for five months,
and she's lost half her body weight.
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But still, she'll stay at home
on these slopes
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and nurse the cubs
until they find their footing.
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Which, as you can see,
might take a little while.
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Every year at this time,
they need food desperately.
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They'll have to get down
and join Dad on the ice
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before it starts to melt
in the warming sunlight.
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The sea ice is the only place
the bears can hunt for seals.
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If they don't make it in time,
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they'll lose their hunting platform,
and the family could starve.
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So far, the ice is strong enough
to support their dad.
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But he won't be much help
to Mom and the kids.
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Instinct leads him to hunt for himself.
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This race to reach the sea ice
is more urgent than ever.
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Our planet is warming,
and the ice is melting earlier every year.
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It's ten days later
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and time for Mom to lead
the growing cubs down to the sea ice.
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They've found their feet now,
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but they seem to be taking them
in the wrong direction.
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Unlike humans, polar-bear cubs
don't always listen to their moms.
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[MOTHER BEAR SNORTS]
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Finally, everybody is pointed
in the right direction,
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and the journey to the ice begins.
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[CRACKING]
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Just a few miles from the coast,
the ice is already breaking up.
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Mom leads her cubs to start their life
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at the edge
of this increasingly dangerous new world.
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What they don't know
is the harsh reality of life in the Arctic.
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It's unlikely that both cubs
will survive their first year.
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[CRACKING]
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A thousand miles south of the bears,
stunted conifers are still locked in ice.
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They mark the tree line of our planet
and the start of the boreal forest.
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This vast belt of trees
forms an almost unbroken circle
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around the north of the globe.
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These conifers
have needle-shaped leaves,
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virtually inedible,
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so the forest supports
very little animal life.
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In this silent world,
footprints rarely mark the snow.
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And those who do live here
are so hard to glimpse,
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they're like spirits.
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The lynx roams hundreds of miles
in search of prey.
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It may never visit
the same patch of forest twice.
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This creature
is the very essence of wilderness.
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One-third of all the trees on Earth
are here,
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as many trees as in all
the world's rain forests combined.
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As the planet tilts toward the sun,
spring creeps up from the south,
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and the boreal is unveiled
from a blanket of snow.
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The forest produces so much oxygen
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that it refreshes the atmosphere
of the entire planet.
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[BIRDS CALLING]
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April, and life starts returning
to the warming north.
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Visitors flock to this haven
from all corners of our planet.
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They've come to make the most
of the brief flush of spring food.
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And to have their babies.
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In our changing world,
every new generation is precious.
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As the snow melts
and the days grow longer,
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caribou,
more than three million of them,
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start their migration across the tundra.
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It's the longest overland migration
on Earth,
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with some herds traveling 2,000 miles
in a single year.
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And it's totally dependent
on vast open spaces.
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The herd stays on the move,
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so newborn calves have to be on their feet
and running from the day they are born.
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But these vast herds don't travel alone.
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Wolves shadow them all along the way,
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and they're hungry.
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At first, the attack seems casual
and random,
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but this running at the herd
is a tactic to generate panic.
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In the chaos,
a calf is separated from her mother.
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[CALF BLEATING]
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The calf is young,
but it's capable of outrunning the wolf
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as long as it keeps its footing.
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At this point, the odds are even.
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Either the caribou will make a mistake,
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or after a mile or so,
the wolf will give up.
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Spring in the Artic,
and already the sun never sets.
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And further south, the sunlight begins
to work her glorious magic.
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[BIRDS CHIRPING]
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These are the forests
that we know well,
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the broadleaf woodlands
of Europe and North America.
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More than any other,
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these have been crowded out
by towns and farmlands.
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Only fragments remain.
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The summers are longer here,
and deciduous trees can flourish.
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They're far more edible
than the conifers of the north,
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so these forests bustle with life.
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Spring also means flight school
for the mandarin ducks.
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Mom is in her nest high in the treetops,
and it's her job to lead the way.
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[CHIRPING]
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It's their first flight.
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Actually, I wouldn't call it flying,
as much as falling with style.
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Wait. There are two missing.
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A perfect landing, sort of.
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With one big adventure behind them,
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what other challenges are in store
for our planet's newest recruits?
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The rhythm of the seasons
is a glorious legacy that we've inherited,
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thanks to that all-important tilt
of the Earth.
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As the seasons parade past,
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the same forest
will show her spectacular fall colors
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and eventually give up her leaves
to the snows of winter.
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There are parts of the world
that have no seasons.
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Here in the tropics,
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the sun shines for 12 hours a day
every day of the year.
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[ANIMALS CALLING]
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This is what allows the jungle
to grow unchecked
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and support so much life.
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Rain forest now covers
just 3 percent of our planet's surface,
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but contains more than half
of all the plants and animals on Earth.
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The rain forests of New Guinea
are especially precious.
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They are home to 42 different kinds
of birds of paradise,
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each more exotic than the last.
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[WARBLING]
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[SQUEAKING]
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[CROAKING]
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00:26:39,681 --> 00:26:42,308
[WARBLING]
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This is a particularly rich forest,
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so the six-plumed bird of paradise
has no problem finding food.
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He can concentrate
on more important tasks,
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like cleaning up for his big date tonight.
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He's obsessed with housework.
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Everything has to be spick and span
before she comes over.
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Oh! Missed a spot.
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00:27:22,223 --> 00:27:24,975
Finally, the stage is set.
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Get down, baby.
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It's a virtuoso performance,
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but, unfortunately, she's a no-show.
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[CAWING]
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This contender,
called the superb bird-of-paradise,
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is a magician, with a special trick.
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First, he advertises his show
by calling to attract a female.
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And then, with the audience in place,
he begins to work his magic.
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00:28:29,457 --> 00:28:31,792
Now, that's impressive.
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00:28:31,960 --> 00:28:34,962
But she needs to step out
for a moment to think.
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How could a girl resist?
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Oh, boy. Well, not today.
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These tropical forests
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not only enjoy 12 hours of sunshine a day
all year long,
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they also need lots of rainfall.
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00:29:22,135 --> 00:29:23,886
But as the weather patterns change,
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there are signs that these lush forests
are starting to dry up.
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Deserts cover one-third
of the Earth's land surface.
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They're getting bigger every year.
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This is a land
where only a few can survive,
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a special few.
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Dry season in the Kalahari Desert
of southern Africa.
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Thousands of elephants have started
on their epic quest for food and water.
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The baby elephants stride alongside.
It's their first road trip with the family.
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The mothers follow the same trails
their families have followed for decades.
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And all trails lead to one place:
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the Okavango,
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a vast inland delta
in the heart of the desert.
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At the moment, it's dry,
but water should come.
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All across southern Africa,
millions of animals are on the move,
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00:32:13,890 --> 00:32:17,684
on the same life-or-death quest
for water.
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00:32:42,961 --> 00:32:46,171
This tiny calf
struggles to keep up with Mom.
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00:32:46,339 --> 00:32:51,343
It's his first trip,
and he has a desperate need for water.
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All his mom can do
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is encourage him to keep going
in the heat and impossible dryness.
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A dust storm
blows hard across the trail,
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00:33:13,199 --> 00:33:15,659
making it nearly impossible to see.
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00:33:20,206 --> 00:33:25,460
The mother and son move slowly
and become separated from the herd.
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00:33:38,558 --> 00:33:40,350
Without the protection of the herd,
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the mom and her baby
are completely exposed
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to the dangers of the wild.
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00:33:49,777 --> 00:33:53,822
It looks like refuge
just a few paces away.
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00:34:00,955 --> 00:34:03,915
But these dead trees offer no protection,
and the herd is already a mile ahead.
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00:34:03,916 --> 00:34:07,627
But these dead trees offer no protection,
and the herd is already a mile ahead.
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00:34:12,175 --> 00:34:18,597
Mom knows the herd can't afford to stop,
so they move as fast as they can.
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00:34:23,144 --> 00:34:25,854
Finally, they emerge from the dust,
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00:34:26,022 --> 00:34:28,815
but the herd is nowhere in sight.
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00:34:38,659 --> 00:34:43,872
Blinded by sand, the calf
barely has the strength to go on.
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00:35:09,982 --> 00:35:13,693
This lone youngster
got lost in the dust storm too.
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00:35:13,861 --> 00:35:18,406
Thirsty and exhausted,
he follows the tracks of his mother,
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but in the wrong direction.
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00:35:39,011 --> 00:35:44,391
Where dust and water combine,
the march of the deserts is halted.
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00:35:47,436 --> 00:35:51,565
Sand dunes give way
to prairies and savanna.
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00:35:52,066 --> 00:35:55,569
Grass is the great unsung hero
of our planet.
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00:35:55,736 --> 00:35:57,737
It keeps deserts in check
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00:35:57,905 --> 00:36:02,742
and provides the stage for many
of the greatest spectacles on Earth.
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00:36:31,230 --> 00:36:33,440
The great game herds of East Africa
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all rely
on these vast life-giving grasslands.
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00:36:38,613 --> 00:36:43,116
But where there are herds,
there's always someone watching.
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00:37:07,183 --> 00:37:10,227
Every day on wide open plains
the world over,
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00:37:10,394 --> 00:37:13,313
a timeless ritual plays itself out:
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00:37:13,481 --> 00:37:17,734
the drama of hunter and hunted.
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00:38:00,152 --> 00:38:02,112
This is the circle of life
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00:38:02,280 --> 00:38:07,242
that most of us, in our urban lives,
have lost touch with.
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00:39:54,141 --> 00:39:56,684
They've been on the trail
for two weeks now.
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00:39:57,186 --> 00:40:00,772
The baby elephant and his mom
made it back to the herd,
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00:40:00,940 --> 00:40:04,776
but they're exhausted
and desperately thirsty.
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00:40:13,577 --> 00:40:17,414
The moms lead their herd
to a temporary watering hole.
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00:40:17,581 --> 00:40:20,250
It's not exactly the paradise
they were expecting,
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00:40:20,418 --> 00:40:22,669
but they're only halfway
on their journey,
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00:40:22,837 --> 00:40:27,507
and this place looks safe,
at least for tonight.
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00:40:58,205 --> 00:40:59,539
As the sun sets,
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00:40:59,707 --> 00:41:02,375
the elephants are forced
to share the water with others.
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00:41:03,502 --> 00:41:06,713
These are fragile alliances.
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00:41:14,930 --> 00:41:17,223
[GROWLS]
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00:41:17,391 --> 00:41:19,392
[ELEPHANT TRUMPETS]
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00:41:24,857 --> 00:41:28,526
By day, the elephants
dominate the watering hole.
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00:41:32,573 --> 00:41:35,909
But by night,
the balance of power shifts.
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00:41:45,836 --> 00:41:48,922
The baby and his mother
are most at risk.
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00:41:49,089 --> 00:41:51,674
They are closer to the lions
than they know.
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00:41:59,475 --> 00:42:03,937
In total darkness, an elephant's vision
is no better than our own.
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00:42:04,313 --> 00:42:07,732
Lions can see easily.
242
00:42:24,583 --> 00:42:28,878
The cats are ravenously hungry,
and the elephants know it.
243
00:42:48,899 --> 00:42:51,317
The lions can bide their time.
244
00:42:51,986 --> 00:42:55,196
It's the calves they're after.
245
00:43:04,206 --> 00:43:05,999
[GROWLS]
246
00:43:12,172 --> 00:43:14,424
The pride rallies for an attack.
247
00:43:14,842 --> 00:43:19,178
The elephants herd their young together,
forming a protective circle.
248
00:43:25,185 --> 00:43:28,187
The cats pace nervously,
looking for an opening.
249
00:43:29,523 --> 00:43:31,691
They're waiting for the call to attack.
250
00:43:40,534 --> 00:43:42,869
[ROARING]
251
00:44:00,679 --> 00:44:02,597
The calves are too well protected.
252
00:44:02,765 --> 00:44:06,976
The lions will have to risk it all
and change tactics.
253
00:44:09,229 --> 00:44:12,815
Against this elephant,
a solitary lion wouldn't stand a chance.
254
00:44:12,983 --> 00:44:18,988
But the whole pride is here, 30 of them,
and they're expert elephant hunters.
255
00:45:03,325 --> 00:45:06,536
Those who survive the night press on.
256
00:45:06,954 --> 00:45:10,164
They're tired and frightened
and can only follow their instincts.
257
00:45:20,342 --> 00:45:24,971
The sun that scorches the desert
also brings water to the land.
258
00:45:25,139 --> 00:45:27,515
As it beats down on tropical seas,
259
00:45:27,683 --> 00:45:33,479
moisture rises from the warming oceans
and fuels the global weather systems.
260
00:46:25,240 --> 00:46:28,409
Moisture-filled clouds
from the Indian Ocean
261
00:46:28,577 --> 00:46:31,370
sweep north toward the mountains.
262
00:46:31,538 --> 00:46:37,126
As the air rises,
the water cools and falls as snow.
263
00:46:50,057 --> 00:46:55,394
This majestic sight is the backdrop
for nature's most challenging migration.
264
00:47:02,069 --> 00:47:03,110
In late summer,
265
00:47:03,278 --> 00:47:07,406
demoiselle cranes have to escape
the harsh winters in Mongolia
266
00:47:07,574 --> 00:47:11,410
by flying south
to the warmer climates of India.
267
00:47:16,375 --> 00:47:20,753
To get there, they have to cross
the highest mountain range on Earth:
268
00:47:21,421 --> 00:47:23,631
the Himalayas.
269
00:47:38,105 --> 00:47:42,859
As the sun heats these great slopes,
warm air rises from the valleys.
270
00:47:43,026 --> 00:47:47,947
By late morning,
it turns into ferocious winds.
271
00:48:02,421 --> 00:48:06,549
The cranes hit violent turbulence
that throws them off course.
272
00:48:07,843 --> 00:48:12,889
They have no choice but to turn back
for the night or risk certain death.
273
00:48:31,491 --> 00:48:37,204
As the sun sets, the slopes cool,
and the turbulence falls away.
274
00:49:02,022 --> 00:49:04,523
After a long night
in the frigid mountain air,
275
00:49:04,691 --> 00:49:07,902
the cranes are ready
for their next attempt.
276
00:49:27,422 --> 00:49:31,384
It's early morning,
and the warm air is already rising fast.
277
00:49:31,551 --> 00:49:34,053
But this time, the winds are calmer,
278
00:49:34,221 --> 00:49:38,140
and they can use the rising thermals
to gain height.
279
00:49:44,815 --> 00:49:48,818
But as the heat rises,
the winds lock in again.
280
00:49:48,986 --> 00:49:49,610
They're past the point of no return.
281
00:49:49,611 --> 00:49:52,071
They're past the point of no return.
282
00:49:59,037 --> 00:50:00,621
In the final ascent,
283
00:50:00,789 --> 00:50:04,834
every wing beat is a desperate battle
against the freezing wind.
284
00:50:23,103 --> 00:50:25,730
At last, they've made it.
285
00:50:25,897 --> 00:50:29,025
They've conquered
the highest peaks on Earth.
286
00:50:29,192 --> 00:50:34,280
On the other side,
there's a warm sanctuary for the winter.
287
00:50:51,506 --> 00:50:53,716
The sun melts the snow,
288
00:50:53,884 --> 00:50:59,055
and the waters begin the long journey
back to the oceans.
289
00:52:16,716 --> 00:52:20,719
It's the great unending cycle of sunlight
and fresh water
290
00:52:20,887 --> 00:52:24,473
that brings life
to every corner of the Earth.
291
00:52:42,909 --> 00:52:46,162
For generations,
humans and animals alike
292
00:52:46,329 --> 00:52:51,083
have come to depend on the great rivers
and their endless flow.
293
00:53:53,521 --> 00:53:54,980
After months of drought,
294
00:53:55,148 --> 00:53:58,359
the buffalo reach the end
of their long migration,
295
00:53:58,526 --> 00:54:02,655
and the rivers begin to flow again
in the Kalahari.
296
00:54:03,865 --> 00:54:06,158
As waters sweep through desert lands,
297
00:54:06,326 --> 00:54:11,497
the Okavango is transformed
into a fertile paradise.
298
00:54:27,722 --> 00:54:30,724
This is an Africa we rarely see,
299
00:54:30,892 --> 00:54:35,354
a lush water world
totally reliant on a seasonal flood,
300
00:54:35,522 --> 00:54:40,442
originating from a tropical ocean
thousands of miles away.
301
00:55:11,349 --> 00:55:14,727
Most animals feel at home
in this life-giving flood,
302
00:55:15,061 --> 00:55:19,982
but some aren't sure what to do
with their new beachfront property.
303
00:56:34,307 --> 00:56:37,810
After weeks of marching,
the elephants are exhausted
304
00:56:37,977 --> 00:56:41,688
and struggle to stay focused
on the road ahead.
305
00:56:53,993 --> 00:56:57,496
Mom is sure she can smell the water
in the distance
306
00:56:57,664 --> 00:57:02,209
and encourages everybody
to make one last try.
307
00:57:03,586 --> 00:57:06,755
They're just a few days away now.
308
00:57:38,371 --> 00:57:44,042
The seasonal cycle that drives life on land
is just as important in the oceans.
309
00:58:16,409 --> 00:58:21,038
[WHALES CALLING]
310
00:58:36,763 --> 00:58:39,848
It's summer,
and the humpback whales
311
00:58:40,016 --> 00:58:42,434
are in their breeding grounds
in the tropics.
312
00:58:45,188 --> 00:58:47,648
This calf is only a few weeks old,
313
00:58:47,815 --> 00:58:51,443
and, like any newborn,
he needs a little help.
314
00:58:53,154 --> 00:58:58,116
His mom holds him up to the surface
so he can breathe more easily.
315
00:59:10,171 --> 00:59:13,465
These shallow waters are great
for raising kids.
316
00:59:13,633 --> 00:59:17,719
They're warm and calm,
with few predators to speak of.
317
00:59:45,832 --> 00:59:50,586
The playful calf is now drinking
150 gallons of milk a day,
318
00:59:50,753 --> 00:59:52,963
but Mom is starving.
319
00:59:53,131 --> 00:59:57,217
In these crystal-clear waters,
there's nothing for her to eat.
320
01:00:14,360 --> 01:00:18,447
To find food, she must lead her calf
to richer feeding grounds
321
01:00:18,615 --> 01:00:21,700
at the southern extremes of our planet.
322
01:00:24,746 --> 01:00:29,041
It's the longest migration
of any marine mammal.
323
01:00:52,523 --> 01:00:57,736
Out in the open ocean,
the whales hit rush hour on the high seas.
324
01:01:20,009 --> 01:01:22,844
Dolphins close in on their prey.
325
01:01:31,521 --> 01:01:34,898
A hundred sailfish join in the attack.
326
01:01:46,661 --> 01:01:50,622
Reaching almost 70 miles an hour,
they are the cheetahs of the sea world.
327
01:02:20,486 --> 01:02:24,698
The seas are churning now,
and the going is slow.
328
01:02:28,745 --> 01:02:32,289
Mom and her calf have to swim south
across half the globe
329
01:02:32,457 --> 01:02:36,209
to reach their destination: Antarctica.
330
01:02:37,587 --> 01:02:40,464
The tropics are hundreds of miles
behind them
331
01:02:40,631 --> 01:02:43,675
as they head into stormy seas.
332
01:02:48,055 --> 01:02:51,308
Winds and currents
pull nutrients from the deep,
333
01:02:51,476 --> 01:02:56,229
and life blooms wherever the rays
of the sun can penetrate.
334
01:02:58,191 --> 01:03:03,361
To our whale calf on her first trip,
this is all brand-new.
335
01:03:36,145 --> 01:03:38,188
So far, their journey has been safe
336
01:03:38,356 --> 01:03:40,899
and far away
from the dangerous predators
337
01:03:41,067 --> 01:03:43,735
who roam the high seas,
338
01:03:44,237 --> 01:03:46,571
at least until now.
339
01:04:03,214 --> 01:04:09,594
The great white shark,
the largest predatory fish on the planet.
340
01:06:14,053 --> 01:06:18,598
Late summer in the Arctic,
and the ice is melting fast.
341
01:06:33,364 --> 01:06:36,908
Mom and her two cubs
have had a hard time on the shifting ice,
342
01:06:37,076 --> 01:06:41,579
and she's forced
to lead the hungry cubs back to shore.
343
01:06:50,464 --> 01:06:52,799
Their dad has it even worse.
344
01:06:52,967 --> 01:06:58,388
He's wandered miles from land,
and the ice is too thin to support him.
345
01:06:58,556 --> 01:07:01,599
He's in danger of being stranded
in the frigid water,
346
01:07:01,767 --> 01:07:06,354
and, if he doesn't act fast,
he could be lost at sea.
347
01:07:19,577 --> 01:07:21,870
The glacial runoff pours from the land
348
01:07:22,288 --> 01:07:25,373
to mix with seawater
and speed up the thaw.
349
01:07:25,541 --> 01:07:28,460
Time is running out.
350
01:07:42,224 --> 01:07:43,767
The father is starving
351
01:07:43,934 --> 01:07:47,812
and trying everything
just to stay upright on the ice.
352
01:07:55,988 --> 01:07:59,532
[ROARING]
353
01:08:09,502 --> 01:08:15,340
Each year, as our planet warms,
there is less and less ice in the Arctic.
354
01:08:15,674 --> 01:08:18,176
It's a disaster for polar bears.
355
01:08:18,344 --> 01:08:22,764
Without a hunting platform,
he'll struggle to survive.
356
01:08:32,608 --> 01:08:37,612
Mom and her calf forge ahead
through treacherous seas.
357
01:08:38,197 --> 01:08:41,157
They're nearly 3,000 miles
from the tropics now,
358
01:08:41,325 --> 01:08:43,868
and the winds are blowing hard.
359
01:08:53,420 --> 01:08:55,922
The calf and her mom
slap their fins on the water
360
01:08:56,090 --> 01:08:59,008
to stay in close contact with each other.
361
01:09:15,025 --> 01:09:18,194
The calf can hear her mom
above the roar of the ocean.
362
01:09:18,362 --> 01:09:21,406
It keeps her calm
and on course during the storm.
363
01:09:41,385 --> 01:09:45,430
The frozen beauty
of the Southern Ocean.
364
01:10:06,785 --> 01:10:09,829
It's October,
and here in the southern hemisphere
365
01:10:09,997 --> 01:10:14,250
that means summer is on its way,
and life returns.
366
01:10:16,712 --> 01:10:22,175
Adélie penguins, and they're in a hurry
to reach their nesting grounds.
367
01:10:23,219 --> 01:10:24,636
You may not know this,
368
01:10:24,803 --> 01:10:29,224
but they're one of the few animals
with a built-in toboggan.
369
01:10:37,441 --> 01:10:40,193
[BLEATING]
370
01:10:51,997 --> 01:10:53,122
December,
371
01:10:53,290 --> 01:10:56,000
and here in the southern extremes
of our planet,
372
01:10:56,168 --> 01:10:58,628
the sun does not set.
373
01:11:01,840 --> 01:11:04,133
The Antarctic summer is short,
374
01:11:04,301 --> 01:11:11,182
but, for a few brief moments,
the sun's warmth unlocks frozen bays.
375
01:11:25,906 --> 01:11:29,575
In the depths, something stirs.
376
01:11:49,221 --> 01:11:50,555
They've made it.
377
01:11:50,848 --> 01:11:54,934
At last, after a 4,000-mile journey,
378
01:11:55,102 --> 01:12:00,940
our calf and her mom have arrived,
joined by their friends.
379
01:12:12,077 --> 01:12:16,080
They celebrate
by dining on their favorite food, krill,
380
01:12:16,248 --> 01:12:20,460
shrimp that begin to swarm here
as soon as the ice retreats.
381
01:12:26,091 --> 01:12:29,927
Mom and her calf
can finally eat their fill.
382
01:12:39,730 --> 01:12:41,439
The whales use a fishing technique
383
01:12:41,607 --> 01:12:44,275
that's been handed down
through generations.
384
01:12:44,860 --> 01:12:47,028
They blow bubbles
while swimming in circles
385
01:12:47,196 --> 01:12:48,654
to create a bubble net.
386
01:12:48,822 --> 01:12:52,283
The net encircles the krill
and pulls them in.
387
01:12:52,701 --> 01:12:54,952
Then the whales swim up
through the bubble net,
388
01:12:55,120 --> 01:12:59,040
swallowing thousands of krill
in one gulp.
389
01:13:17,810 --> 01:13:23,981
In a few months, the summer will fade,
and it'll be time for the long swim home.
390
01:13:30,280 --> 01:13:32,240
Winter in Antarctica,
391
01:13:32,408 --> 01:13:36,702
and the greatest seasonal change
on our planet is under way.
392
01:14:04,398 --> 01:14:06,524
The sun begins to retreat,
393
01:14:06,692 --> 01:14:11,070
and soon the continent
will be plunged back into darkness.
394
01:14:15,075 --> 01:14:18,619
And the penguins?
Well, don't feel sorry for them.
395
01:14:18,787 --> 01:14:22,748
They have front-row seats
for the most amazing light show on Earth:
396
01:14:23,167 --> 01:14:25,877
The aurora australis.
397
01:15:08,378 --> 01:15:12,507
In the north of our planet,
back where our story began,
398
01:15:13,050 --> 01:15:16,260
the sea ice is almost gone.
399
01:15:21,433 --> 01:15:25,937
It's the cubs' dad,
and he is in desperate trouble.
400
01:15:43,747 --> 01:15:46,040
Hunger has driven him far out to sea
401
01:15:46,208 --> 01:15:50,628
to search for seals
among the remaining fragments of ice.
402
01:16:00,973 --> 01:16:05,309
He seems at home in the water,
but he's exhausted.
403
01:16:06,645 --> 01:16:10,106
If he doesn't find land soon
in this vast ocean,
404
01:16:10,274 --> 01:16:12,275
he will drown.
405
01:16:49,187 --> 01:16:52,356
[SNORTING]
406
01:17:14,546 --> 01:17:18,966
After many days at sea,
the exhausted bear pulls up on shore
407
01:17:19,134 --> 01:17:22,345
at this pungent public beach.
408
01:17:32,272 --> 01:17:36,817
He's lost half his body weight
and now is desperate for food.
409
01:17:36,985 --> 01:17:40,905
But a walrus is much larger
than his usual prey.
410
01:17:46,536 --> 01:17:48,371
It's the pups he'll have to get to,
411
01:17:48,538 --> 01:17:53,459
but the powerful adults
can inflict fatal damage with their tusks.
412
01:18:32,040 --> 01:18:36,585
The walrus sense danger
and close ranks around their young.
413
01:18:43,844 --> 01:18:47,138
He tests the barrier, but it stands firm.
414
01:18:51,685 --> 01:18:53,936
He may be
the world's biggest land carnivore,
415
01:18:54,104 --> 01:18:55,604
but he's met his match here,
416
01:18:55,772 --> 01:18:59,358
and he's clearly weakened
by his ordeal at sea.
417
01:19:07,159 --> 01:19:10,327
A pup tries to hide behind her mother.
418
01:19:12,831 --> 01:19:15,499
If he can just pry her off.
419
01:19:40,901 --> 01:19:45,654
Now the herd is fleeing to the water,
and there's no time left.
420
01:19:59,544 --> 01:20:04,048
He tries again and again,
in sheer frustration.
421
01:20:31,326 --> 01:20:36,080
Their tusks strike like knives,
and he must avoid them at all cost.
422
01:20:43,797 --> 01:20:45,464
The walrus flee on all sides,
423
01:20:45,632 --> 01:20:48,092
forcing him to a choice
he didn't want to take:
424
01:20:48,468 --> 01:20:50,886
to attack in the water.
425
01:20:59,521 --> 01:21:02,773
But it slips from his weakened grasp.
426
01:21:39,728 --> 01:21:42,813
He gambled and lost.
427
01:21:44,858 --> 01:21:47,443
He would never have attacked
such dangerous prey
428
01:21:47,611 --> 01:21:50,195
had he not been so starved
and desperate.
429
01:21:59,998 --> 01:22:02,625
The walrus are calm again.
430
01:22:02,792 --> 01:22:04,418
The bear is no longer a threat.
431
01:22:12,260 --> 01:22:17,348
But unable to feed,
the cubs' father cannot survive.
432
01:22:56,304 --> 01:23:02,059
Wind and rain and fire and ice
have come and gone.
433
01:23:03,144 --> 01:23:07,398
A year has passed, and the cubs
are old enough to be on their own.
434
01:23:07,565 --> 01:23:11,318
They've left their mother
and are thriving.
435
01:23:31,589 --> 01:23:36,760
Their father's brave spirit
will always live on in their young hearts.
436
01:23:36,928 --> 01:23:40,973
Like all of our children,
they are the hope of the future
437
01:23:41,141 --> 01:23:46,311
and proof of the resilience of life
in this place we all share.
438
01:23:46,479 --> 01:23:49,231
Yes, it's full of harsh realities,
439
01:23:49,399 --> 01:23:53,944
but sometimes it's just paradise.
440
01:24:17,635 --> 01:24:19,803
[TRUMPETS]
441
01:25:14,526 --> 01:25:15,609
[CHIRPING]
442
01:25:51,104 --> 01:25:54,314
I've never been in anything
like this before,
443
01:25:55,108 --> 01:25:57,734
and, of course, I'm slightly nervous of it.
444
01:25:57,902 --> 01:26:02,072
Partly because it's basically a deck chair
with a balloon on top,
445
01:26:02,240 --> 01:26:05,617
and partly because I can see
where my head's gonna be.
446
01:26:05,785 --> 01:26:07,619
It's gonna be incredibly close
to that burner.
447
01:26:10,373 --> 01:26:11,748
I do have a fear of heights.
448
01:26:11,916 --> 01:26:15,711
I mostly have a fear of falling through them
onto the ground.
449
01:26:16,171 --> 01:26:19,840
But I think I'm happy with this.
It's got a little seatbelt and everything.
450
01:26:24,804 --> 01:26:25,846
Set for takeoff.
451
01:26:26,014 --> 01:26:27,890
[SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
452
01:26:36,024 --> 01:26:37,983
[LAUGHING]
453
01:26:40,153 --> 01:26:42,446
Oh, finally, they're off.
454
01:26:44,073 --> 01:26:45,282
MAN 1:
Yeah?
455
01:26:45,450 --> 01:26:47,618
MAN 2: Say when.
MAN 1: Pan.
456
01:26:56,920 --> 01:26:59,129
Keep it locked.
I'll just go check the window.
457
01:26:59,297 --> 01:27:00,631
MAN 1:
Hang on. He's coming back that way.
458
01:27:00,798 --> 01:27:05,510
This is just a bit of a problem when
we get bears as close as this to the cabin.
459
01:27:06,679 --> 01:27:07,971
MAN 1:
Day one.
460
01:27:08,139 --> 01:27:09,681
MAN 2:
Day one.
461
01:27:09,849 --> 01:27:12,059
A bear outside the cabin.
462
01:27:12,435 --> 01:27:13,977
MAN 1:
Oh, hang on.
463
01:27:19,359 --> 01:27:21,985
Polar bear at 11 o'clock.
464
01:27:22,153 --> 01:27:23,654
- There he is. Keep going.
MAN 1: I got him.
465
01:27:23,821 --> 01:27:25,155
MAN 2:
They got him.
466
01:27:26,241 --> 01:27:27,950
Big old bear.
467
01:27:28,117 --> 01:27:30,661
- He's awesome.
- That's fantastic.
468
01:27:33,915 --> 01:27:35,499
Stop.
469
01:27:41,047 --> 01:27:42,756
MAN:
She's gonna go. She's coming in now.
470
01:27:43,216 --> 01:27:45,259
Nice start.
471
01:27:46,928 --> 01:27:49,763
Yes, here, here, here. That's pin sharp.
472
01:27:52,517 --> 01:27:53,684
WOMAN: Right here.
MAN: Yeah.
473
01:27:53,851 --> 01:27:56,061
WOMAN:
There's a lion right next to the door.
474
01:27:57,355 --> 01:27:58,563
Very nice lions out here.
475
01:27:58,731 --> 01:28:00,691
[LION ROARING]
476
01:28:02,860 --> 01:28:05,570
MAN 1: Now, this is a lot harder
than I thought it was on the first day.
477
01:28:05,738 --> 01:28:07,531
Michael, 9 o'clock?
478
01:28:07,865 --> 01:28:09,032
Just off to left. Pan left.
479
01:28:09,534 --> 01:28:12,327
And left. And all right, you've got it
bang in the middle of the frame.
480
01:28:12,495 --> 01:28:13,912
Good. Phew.
481
01:28:14,080 --> 01:28:15,998
- Just in time.
MAN 2: All right.
482
01:28:19,294 --> 01:28:21,878
[WHALES CALLING]
483
01:28:37,228 --> 01:28:40,063
The port side.
It's gonna come back to you at 7 o'clock.
484
01:28:41,190 --> 01:28:43,984
Whoa, unbelievable.
485
01:28:44,152 --> 01:28:45,736
- Got it?
MAN: Yes.
486
01:28:45,903 --> 01:28:48,030
That should be on.
487
01:28:58,416 --> 01:29:00,709
Ohhh.... Ohh!
488
01:29:02,462 --> 01:29:05,047
[BRANCHES CRACKING]
489
01:29:18,686 --> 01:29:20,103
MAN:
I go down. Sorry.
490
01:29:25,693 --> 01:29:28,111
Stupid. I'm stupid.
491
01:29:30,448 --> 01:29:32,407
- You okay?
- Yeah, just--
492
01:29:32,575 --> 01:29:34,284
MAN: Captain for me?
- Yeah, I think so.
493
01:29:34,452 --> 01:29:36,536
- Leg okay?
- Just minor flesh wounds.
41032
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