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DAVID ATTENBOROUGH:
This is the entrance
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to one of the greatest
of natural wonders.
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00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:02,640
Hang Son Doong, in Vietnam.
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00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:12,960
It's thought to be the largest
cave on Earth.
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00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:26,440
Here, 200 metres underground,
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00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:29,440
for just a few weeks a year,
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sunbeams cast light through a hole
in the cave's roof.
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00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:54,320
There is just enough light
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00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:57,040
to enable plants to grow.
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00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:01,640
But travel deeper,
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00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:03,840
and darkness returns.
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00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:09,320
And you reach the limit
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00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:11,480
of where life can exist.
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00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:35,200
These most extreme places
on our planet
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are often hard for us to reach.
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Indeed, this cave was only
recently discovered.
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00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:52,440
And it contains many surprises.
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00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:01,400
Cave pearls.
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00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:03,560
Once tiny sand grains,
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00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:06,720
now spheres the size
of tennis balls.
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00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:19,360
And giant stalagmites...
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00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:22,680
..formed over centuries
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00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:26,000
by billions of individual
drops of water.
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Underground rivers have carved
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this great passage through
the limestone.
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Over five miles long
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and wide enough in places
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to accommodate a jumbo jet.
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00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:17,320
And it is here,
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00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:20,200
in the cave's furthest chamber,
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that life can be found.
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00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:32,280
Translucent cave fish...
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..and shrimps.
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00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:40,000
Isolated for millennia,
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00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:44,680
feeding on little more than the
nutrients from the jungle above.
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The fish are completely blind
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00:04:54,840 --> 00:04:58,800
and find their way about
by touch alone.
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00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:10,520
These underground worlds are at
the very limit
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00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:12,480
of where life can exist.
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00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:23,520
But above ground,
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00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:25,920
our planet's most extreme conditions
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are found at the poles.
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WIND WHISTLES
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Here in the north,
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winter temperatures can drop to
-50 degrees Celsius.
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For four months of the year,
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there is barely a glimmer
of sunlight.
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But here, too,
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life finds a way to survive.
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A pack of Arctic wolves.
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Their dense fur has protected them
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through months of bitter cold.
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But now the sun is returning.
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This is Ellesmere Island.
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00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:56,440
The short summer gives the wolves
a chance to rebuild their strength.
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00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:12,080
But here in the Arctic...
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00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:16,360
..life is never easy.
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00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:32,280
This pack is led by an
experienced female.
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If she can't lead them to food,
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00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:46,960
the coming winter could be
their last.
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00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:01,200
Prey is spread over
such a vast area
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00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:04,400
that they must be constantly
on the move...
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..in search of it.
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00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:28,160
But finding prey is only
the beginning.
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Musk oxen.
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00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:43,520
They are five times the size
of a wolf.
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00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:01,480
OXEN SNORT
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00:09:05,560 --> 00:09:10,720
The conflict between wolf and oxen
is an ancient one,
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00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:13,960
and has been waged since
the Ice Age.
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00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:21,360
OXEN GRUNT
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Each side knows the other's tactics.
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00:09:43,040 --> 00:09:45,840
The wolves try to isolate
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the weak or the young.
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00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:56,200
A calf stumbles...
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00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:59,880
..and the pack leader immediately
closes in.
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00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:06,960
WOLF YELPS
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00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:14,000
But the herd regroups,
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00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:16,160
horns at the ready.
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00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:22,520
OXEN GRUNT
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00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:27,160
Stalemate.
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00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:31,600
But it can only be brief.
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00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:59,680
This time, the herd race
to higher ground.
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00:11:12,520 --> 00:11:15,400
As they reach the top of the ridge,
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00:11:15,400 --> 00:11:18,320
the males turn to defend themselves.
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00:11:18,320 --> 00:11:20,040
OXEN GROWL
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00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:23,960
Stalemate...
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..again.
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00:11:53,520 --> 00:11:56,360
Every unsuccessful hunt
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leaves the pack weakened.
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00:12:14,240 --> 00:12:17,320
This could be an easier meal.
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00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:21,360
WOLF SNIFFS
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00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:23,920
But something is not right.
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00:12:27,280 --> 00:12:31,280
This musk ox has died
from a disease.
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00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:33,000
WOLVES SNIFF
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00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:36,920
Outbreaks like this are becoming
increasingly common
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00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:40,160
as the climate warms across
the Arctic.
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00:12:46,640 --> 00:12:48,880
Despite their hunger,
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00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:51,760
the pack don't eat this carcass.
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00:13:15,680 --> 00:13:18,480
Another herd.
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00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:20,920
Another chance for the pack.
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00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:42,680
This time, the wolves manage
to split the herd.
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That may improve their chances.
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00:14:04,840 --> 00:14:07,840
The lead female makes sure
that the oxen
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00:14:07,840 --> 00:14:10,360
do not reach the ridge again.
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00:14:17,000 --> 00:14:21,680
With one less defender,
the calf is more vulnerable.
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00:14:30,280 --> 00:14:32,680
OXEN CALF CALLS
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00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:41,480
A much-needed meal.
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00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:56,760
The wolves must continue to
make the most
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00:14:56,760 --> 00:14:59,440
of the remaining weeks of summer...
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00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:06,600
..so when winter returns
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00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:09,520
..they're ready to endure
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00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:11,920
some of the harshest conditions
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00:15:11,920 --> 00:15:15,400
that exist on planet Earth.
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00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:40,600
Such inhospitable extremes
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00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:43,240
are not only found at the poles.
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00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:52,880
As altitude increases...
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00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:55,080
..temperatures fall.
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00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:06,160
Here, too, animals must make the
most of the seasonal change.
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00:16:13,880 --> 00:16:17,640
Particularly if you're ready
to mate.
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00:16:26,160 --> 00:16:28,840
A male common frog
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in the French Alps.
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00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:43,360
He has spent all winter
hibernating under the ice.
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00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:49,720
But now it's time to wake up.
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00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:56,040
Being cold-blooded, he needs
the sun to warm his body.
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00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:01,320
But once it sets
in a few hours' time,
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00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:03,840
he could freeze to death.
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00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:09,720
So finding a mate is urgent.
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00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:16,840
The weather is good.
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00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:23,280
And he starts to sledge.
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00:17:26,120 --> 00:17:30,320
But this is not a one-frog race.
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00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:35,040
Dozens are rushing to
the breeding pool.
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00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:42,960
This many frogs out on the slopes...
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00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:45,160
..doesn't go unnoticed.
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00:17:49,040 --> 00:17:51,360
You can't afford any slips.
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00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:02,240
It was all going so well.
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00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:17,800
Made it.
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00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:19,640
FROG CROAKS
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00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:25,320
But all the females have already
got partners.
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00:18:28,360 --> 00:18:31,440
There's only one thing for it.
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00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:36,320
Wrestling.
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00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:54,600
Not this time.
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00:19:02,040 --> 00:19:03,960
Another latecomer.
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00:19:05,480 --> 00:19:07,360
A female.
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00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:12,800
Could she be the one?
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00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:26,720
Sometimes being late can pay off.
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00:19:50,400 --> 00:19:55,000
After all his efforts, the male is
not going to let this chance
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00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:57,360
slip through his fingers.
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00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:21,960
This is the cedar forest of the
Atlas Mountains, in North Africa.
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00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:32,240
These Barbary macaques enjoyed
a summer of plenty,
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00:20:32,240 --> 00:20:34,240
but now they're paying the price.
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00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:42,120
Winter here can be brutal.
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00:20:48,280 --> 00:20:51,720
In some years,
over half the group perish.
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00:20:56,760 --> 00:20:58,800
But in this macaque society,
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00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:02,040
the more social the monkey,
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00:21:02,040 --> 00:21:04,880
the more likely it is to survive.
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00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:11,880
Keeping warm by huddling
can make all the difference.
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00:21:16,120 --> 00:21:18,960
But they can't huddle all day.
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00:21:22,680 --> 00:21:26,560
They must, eventually, break apart
to feed.
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00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:41,600
They spread out, searching for food.
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00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:06,120
But each night, the group return
to huddle in the cedar trees.
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00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:22,000
No-one wants to be left out.
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Especially the infants.
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MACAQUE SQUEAKS
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This baby, somehow,
has got separated.
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00:22:56,880 --> 00:23:00,200
He must get back to the life-saving
warmth of the huddle,
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00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:02,320
and soon.
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00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:31,400
But there is an obstacle.
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00:23:35,880 --> 00:23:40,880
A grumpy male is giving the baby
a rather cold shoulder.
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00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:46,360
ADULT MACAQUE GRUNTS
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INFANT MACAQUE CHITTERS
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Maybe a more subtle approach.
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00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:07,680
The male decides to leave.
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00:24:22,640 --> 00:24:25,160
At last...
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..an enthusiastic reception.
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00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:40,200
The male has had less luck.
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00:24:41,440 --> 00:24:44,320
It could be a long night.
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00:24:49,440 --> 00:24:53,880
Huddling might seem a simple
expression of affection,
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00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:57,480
but among these macaques
it's essential for survival.
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00:25:01,160 --> 00:25:03,360
And not just here.
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00:25:08,120 --> 00:25:12,440
5,000 miles away,
in the forests of Mexico,
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00:25:12,440 --> 00:25:15,360
monarch butterflies, in millions,
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also huddle for survival.
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00:25:23,320 --> 00:25:26,600
All of them have travelled across
North America
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00:25:26,600 --> 00:25:30,200
to escape the winter that
is coming there.
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00:25:33,120 --> 00:25:36,920
This forest,
at an altitude of 3,000 metres,
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00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:40,080
might seem to offer little
comfort...
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..for temperatures here can drop
below freezing,
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00:25:46,160 --> 00:25:49,680
and that could kill the butterflies.
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00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:57,760
But in fact,
a thin layer of warm air
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00:25:57,760 --> 00:26:01,280
trapped by the tree canopy
protects them,
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00:26:01,280 --> 00:26:04,000
and will do so throughout
the winter...
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00:26:05,760 --> 00:26:10,160
..provided that the forest
remains undisturbed.
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00:26:16,360 --> 00:26:19,440
Unpredictable extremes
of weather, however,
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00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:23,200
can disrupt this delicate balance.
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00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:31,440
Strong winds can push deep into
the forest, chilling the air.
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00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:35,760
WIND GUSTS
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00:26:37,240 --> 00:26:39,800
Hundreds of thousands
of butterflies
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00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:42,360
may be blown from the branches.
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00:27:07,720 --> 00:27:14,480
In some years, storms kill 75%
of hibernating monarchs.
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00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:33,400
This one has survived...
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00:27:33,400 --> 00:27:36,520
..but on the ground.
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00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:42,520
And night-time frosts are fatal.
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00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:47,760
It can't stay here and live.
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00:27:52,280 --> 00:27:55,400
It is too cold to fly,
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00:27:55,400 --> 00:27:58,880
but it must get back into
the tree branches somehow.
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00:28:01,920 --> 00:28:04,440
So it starts to climb.
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00:28:13,040 --> 00:28:18,000
It's the equivalent of a human
climbing up a skyscraper.
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00:28:49,040 --> 00:28:52,200
Safety, at last.
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00:28:57,560 --> 00:29:00,640
As spring returns,
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00:29:00,640 --> 00:29:04,400
the monarchs wake from their
long slumber.
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00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:26,240
And now starts one of the Earth's
greatest natural spectacles.
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00:29:58,240 --> 00:30:02,240
But this mass awakening
is under threat.
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00:30:04,400 --> 00:30:09,120
The changing climate is creating
more extreme weather,
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00:30:09,120 --> 00:30:12,200
and storms are becoming
more frequent.
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00:30:14,560 --> 00:30:19,440
But, for now, this miracle
of nature continues.
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00:30:29,480 --> 00:30:30,920
Fire.
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00:30:34,800 --> 00:30:38,160
Unpredictable and destructive.
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00:30:45,520 --> 00:30:49,520
This is South Africa's fynbos.
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00:30:49,520 --> 00:30:53,200
Botanically one of the most
diverse habitats on Earth...
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00:30:54,440 --> 00:30:57,640
..with over 8,000 different
plant species.
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00:31:00,640 --> 00:31:02,920
Yet, every two decades,
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00:31:02,920 --> 00:31:06,160
fire reduces the vegetation
to ashes.
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00:31:13,880 --> 00:31:16,000
This may seem catastrophic.
224
00:31:17,200 --> 00:31:21,760
But just days later,
plants burst into life...
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00:31:21,760 --> 00:31:24,400
..and transform the landscape.
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00:31:28,200 --> 00:31:32,600
Seeds and bulbs have been waiting
for this event.
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00:31:40,200 --> 00:31:44,400
90 million years of evolution
alongside fire
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00:31:44,400 --> 00:31:47,880
has made some plants
so closely adapted
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00:31:47,880 --> 00:31:52,120
that they can't germinate
without the presence of smoke.
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00:31:59,360 --> 00:32:04,920
Remarkably, around 50% of planet
Earth's terrestrial habitats
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00:32:04,920 --> 00:32:08,240
depend on fire to remain healthy.
232
00:32:15,080 --> 00:32:19,760
In Northern Australia, these
savannahs need seasonal fires
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00:32:19,760 --> 00:32:24,040
to keep them open and prevent the
spread of the nearby forest.
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00:32:28,120 --> 00:32:31,200
And they are a vital habitat
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00:32:31,200 --> 00:32:33,880
for this colourful resident.
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00:32:39,520 --> 00:32:43,200
The rare golden-shouldered parrot.
237
00:32:45,520 --> 00:32:48,840
He and his lifelong partner..
238
00:32:48,840 --> 00:32:53,640
rely on grassland for both food...
239
00:32:53,640 --> 00:32:56,000
..and a nest site.
240
00:32:57,520 --> 00:33:02,200
As usual, they've laid their eggs
in a hole in a termite mound.
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00:33:02,200 --> 00:33:04,120
CHIRPING
242
00:33:05,800 --> 00:33:09,200
And now there are four chicks.
243
00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:16,400
The thick mud walls don't only
protect chicks from predators,
244
00:33:16,400 --> 00:33:20,640
but insulate them from the heat
of the scorching sun.
245
00:33:27,160 --> 00:33:30,320
With fledging just days away,
246
00:33:30,320 --> 00:33:32,880
the parents are working overtime.
247
00:33:35,680 --> 00:33:39,320
They collect thousands of seeds
every day.
248
00:34:01,360 --> 00:34:04,080
But they have a problem.
249
00:34:12,040 --> 00:34:16,200
The fire season is becoming
more irregular.
250
00:34:34,320 --> 00:34:37,480
If they are not ready to fly,
251
00:34:37,480 --> 00:34:40,400
chicks have no escape.
252
00:35:04,240 --> 00:35:08,960
But choosing to nest in a termite
mound has a surprise benefit.
253
00:35:10,840 --> 00:35:14,600
Their home is fireproof.
254
00:35:25,320 --> 00:35:31,360
Concrete-like walls keep chicks safe
from the flames outside.
255
00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:33,840
CHICKS CHIRP
256
00:35:40,360 --> 00:35:44,120
The seeds of fire grass are now
easier for the parrots
257
00:35:44,120 --> 00:35:47,560
to find on the blackened earth...
258
00:35:47,560 --> 00:35:50,720
..and they are the parrots'
favourite food.
259
00:35:59,000 --> 00:36:03,760
So, for both adults and
their fledgling chicks...
260
00:36:04,960 --> 00:36:08,240
..fires are essential for survival.
261
00:36:15,680 --> 00:36:18,680
But their grassland home
is shrinking,
262
00:36:18,680 --> 00:36:23,360
and only about 1,000 of these
lovely parrots still survive.
263
00:36:25,280 --> 00:36:29,760
It's through the active
management of fire by humans
264
00:36:29,760 --> 00:36:33,400
that their world now exists at all.
265
00:36:38,920 --> 00:36:43,640
Humans are affecting habitats
across planet Earth.
266
00:36:43,640 --> 00:36:46,040
For wildlife, all too often,
267
00:36:46,040 --> 00:36:49,280
the consequences have
been disastrous.
268
00:36:52,480 --> 00:36:55,760
ELEPHANT CALLS
269
00:36:57,960 --> 00:37:01,880
Elephants are among the most
tolerant of animals.
270
00:37:01,880 --> 00:37:04,840
ELEPHANT RUMBLES
271
00:37:04,840 --> 00:37:07,480
They are very long-lived,
272
00:37:07,480 --> 00:37:12,080
and knowledge passed between
generations enables them
273
00:37:12,080 --> 00:37:15,400
to find food and little-used
sources of water in times
274
00:37:15,400 --> 00:37:18,040
of great environmental stress.
275
00:37:20,200 --> 00:37:22,520
But even among elephants,
276
00:37:22,520 --> 00:37:25,720
survival strategies are now
beginning to fail.
277
00:37:32,800 --> 00:37:37,040
In Amboseli, Kenya,
years of extreme weather,
278
00:37:37,040 --> 00:37:40,640
combined with overgrazing
by domestic cattle,
279
00:37:40,640 --> 00:37:44,920
are turning these grasslands
to dust.
280
00:38:13,480 --> 00:38:16,880
This matriarch is over
40 years old...
281
00:38:16,880 --> 00:38:18,840
ELEPHANT RUMBLES
282
00:38:18,840 --> 00:38:20,720
..and she's already survived
283
00:38:20,720 --> 00:38:23,720
some of East Africa's
worst droughts.
284
00:38:26,880 --> 00:38:31,280
But this year, food is in extremely
short supply...
285
00:38:34,200 --> 00:38:37,440
..and her family are struggling
to find enough.
286
00:38:44,920 --> 00:38:49,040
Her youngest son is malnourished
and weak...
287
00:38:54,160 --> 00:38:57,560
..and is lagging behind his mother
and brother.
288
00:39:06,400 --> 00:39:11,160
She leads them to a pocket of acacia
forest that she knows well.
289
00:39:17,360 --> 00:39:20,640
But broken branches and fallen trees
290
00:39:20,640 --> 00:39:24,160
show that other elephants
have already been here.
291
00:39:29,000 --> 00:39:31,760
There is very little left
worth eating.
292
00:39:38,840 --> 00:39:43,640
Without food, his mother cannot
produce enough milk.
293
00:39:47,920 --> 00:39:49,680
She has no choice...
294
00:39:52,720 --> 00:39:55,280
..but to leave her weakening calf...
295
00:39:56,920 --> 00:39:59,960
..and try to find food elsewhere.
296
00:40:06,240 --> 00:40:12,400
So, she and her elder son
head off...
297
00:40:12,400 --> 00:40:14,680
..without him.
298
00:40:38,000 --> 00:40:41,480
He can only hope for their return.
299
00:41:06,360 --> 00:41:09,080
FLIES BUZZ
300
00:41:15,480 --> 00:41:20,080
But for him, time has run out.
301
00:41:55,160 --> 00:41:58,480
There is nothing his mother,
or anybody,
302
00:41:58,480 --> 00:42:01,280
could have done to save him.
303
00:42:01,280 --> 00:42:04,440
LOW RUMBLING
304
00:42:12,880 --> 00:42:16,040
With her elder son still alive,
305
00:42:16,040 --> 00:42:18,720
there is hope for her family.
306
00:42:20,560 --> 00:42:24,800
But only if they can adapt quickly.
307
00:42:35,160 --> 00:42:38,800
Some families are proving
to be resilient.
308
00:42:43,840 --> 00:42:47,640
They're travelling long distances,
away from Amboseli...
309
00:42:50,840 --> 00:42:55,160
..and finding new sources
of food and water.
310
00:43:12,600 --> 00:43:15,600
And despite the drought...
311
00:43:19,440 --> 00:43:22,440
..calves are being born.
312
00:43:41,240 --> 00:43:44,240
But given the pace of change
313
00:43:44,240 --> 00:43:46,600
and the challenges they face...
314
00:43:47,960 --> 00:43:52,080
..how many of Africa's elephants
will be able to adapt?
315
00:43:53,120 --> 00:43:56,560
And can they do so fast enough?
316
00:44:10,960 --> 00:44:13,200
The Gobi Desert.
317
00:44:15,760 --> 00:44:19,840
A land of sand and snow.
318
00:44:24,360 --> 00:44:28,280
For at least a million years,
this has been
319
00:44:28,280 --> 00:44:32,240
one of the most extreme habitats
on Earth.
320
00:44:36,720 --> 00:44:39,560
Yet, footprints in the sand
321
00:44:39,560 --> 00:44:43,040
reveal that there is life here.
322
00:44:49,560 --> 00:44:51,480
A snow leopard.
323
00:44:51,480 --> 00:44:54,040
Seldom seen...
324
00:44:55,360 --> 00:45:00,480
..especially in such hot,
arid conditions.
325
00:45:04,560 --> 00:45:08,840
They live up to 2,000 metres
above sea level,
326
00:45:08,840 --> 00:45:12,880
and patrol vast territories.
327
00:45:41,320 --> 00:45:44,280
They are rarely seen together.
328
00:45:52,120 --> 00:45:53,520
A mother...
329
00:45:56,720 --> 00:45:59,080
..with cubs.
330
00:46:01,280 --> 00:46:04,120
Filmed here for the first time
331
00:46:04,120 --> 00:46:06,920
in such intimate detail.
332
00:46:09,720 --> 00:46:11,840
LEOPARDS SNARL
333
00:46:14,960 --> 00:46:18,360
And they give us a glimpse
of their family life...
334
00:46:19,400 --> 00:46:21,360
..such as it is.
335
00:46:34,000 --> 00:46:36,400
WATER LAPPING
336
00:46:37,920 --> 00:46:41,280
Snow leopard cubs stay
with their mothers
337
00:46:41,280 --> 00:46:45,160
longer than those of almost
any other big cat.
338
00:46:50,960 --> 00:46:54,960
They remain together for over
two years...
339
00:46:57,840 --> 00:47:02,640
..as they learn how to master
the extremes.
340
00:47:10,040 --> 00:47:14,440
Which they do so well
that they are able to thrive
341
00:47:14,440 --> 00:47:18,400
in some of the hottest, coldest...
342
00:47:18,400 --> 00:47:21,280
..and highest places on Earth.
343
00:47:32,600 --> 00:47:36,480
Some animals,
over millions of years,
344
00:47:36,480 --> 00:47:40,640
have evolved ways of surviving
extremely hostile conditions.
345
00:47:43,680 --> 00:47:48,000
But as the extremes become
more extreme...
346
00:47:48,000 --> 00:47:52,200
..evolution is being outpaced.
347
00:48:00,120 --> 00:48:04,480
These extraordinary places
are still inhabited
348
00:48:04,480 --> 00:48:06,920
by some of Earth's most resilient
349
00:48:06,920 --> 00:48:09,080
and adaptable species.
350
00:48:12,280 --> 00:48:14,600
But in our rapidly changing world...
351
00:48:16,080 --> 00:48:21,040
..this is planet Earth as
you may never see it again.
352
00:48:27,440 --> 00:48:29,280
LEOPARD YOWLS
353
00:48:44,640 --> 00:48:47,560
DAVID ATTENBOROUGH: The most
extreme parts of our planet
354
00:48:47,560 --> 00:48:50,200
are not always found where
you might expect.
355
00:48:53,160 --> 00:48:57,160
Hidden deep in the forests
of Vietnam, a local man,
356
00:48:57,160 --> 00:49:00,480
Mr Ho Khanh, made an extraordinary
discovery.
357
00:49:20,080 --> 00:49:22,080
He didn't know it at the time,
358
00:49:22,080 --> 00:49:26,480
but he had stumbled upon arguably
the largest cave in the world.
359
00:49:38,720 --> 00:49:42,520
Inspired by Mr Ho Khanh's discovery,
360
00:49:42,520 --> 00:49:46,640
the Planet Earth team set out
to film Hang Son Doong.
361
00:49:48,720 --> 00:49:50,840
But first, they have to get there.
362
00:49:52,240 --> 00:49:54,520
We've left the river valley,
363
00:49:54,520 --> 00:49:56,960
and we're walking uphill now
to the entrance.
364
00:49:56,960 --> 00:49:59,000
It's just thick, thick forest.
365
00:50:00,720 --> 00:50:03,960
After trekking for two
gruelling days,
366
00:50:03,960 --> 00:50:06,800
the team finally arrive.
367
00:50:06,800 --> 00:50:10,160
Down here is the entrance
to Hang Son Doong,
368
00:50:10,160 --> 00:50:13,720
this tiny opening in this
massive jungle.
369
00:50:13,720 --> 00:50:16,680
It's amazing that anyone
ever found this place.
370
00:50:19,760 --> 00:50:22,520
We're about to go in for
the next 18 days,
371
00:50:22,520 --> 00:50:25,120
and it's lights on from here on out.
372
00:50:26,800 --> 00:50:30,280
Local experts guide the team
through the darkness.
373
00:50:31,520 --> 00:50:33,960
OK, I can go? Yes, yes.
374
00:50:35,360 --> 00:50:38,200
HEAVY BREATHING
375
00:50:42,120 --> 00:50:43,600
NERVOUS CHUCKLING
376
00:50:43,600 --> 00:50:45,160
I'm good. I'm OK.
377
00:50:45,160 --> 00:50:46,840
It's just really slippery.
378
00:50:48,800 --> 00:50:54,320
A complex system of ropes leads
them down a 90-metre descent.
379
00:50:55,920 --> 00:50:57,880
RADIO CHATTER
380
00:50:59,520 --> 00:51:01,080
OK.
381
00:51:01,080 --> 00:51:02,360
Thanks.
382
00:51:06,280 --> 00:51:09,080
After four hours clambering
over rocks...
383
00:51:09,080 --> 00:51:11,080
PAN SIZZLING
384
00:51:11,080 --> 00:51:14,000
...they finally reach what
will be their camp.
385
00:51:22,760 --> 00:51:25,960
The team wake to a new day -
386
00:51:25,960 --> 00:51:27,920
but in darkness.
387
00:51:27,920 --> 00:51:29,680
How did you sleep, Luke?
388
00:51:29,680 --> 00:51:31,760
Quite tired.
389
00:51:31,760 --> 00:51:34,080
These are all of the tents
behind me.
390
00:51:34,080 --> 00:51:37,640
You can see they are pretty...
391
00:51:37,640 --> 00:51:39,080
..pretty snug.
392
00:51:39,080 --> 00:51:42,320
This is where we have our breakfast
every day,
393
00:51:42,320 --> 00:51:44,600
made by some amazing cooks.
394
00:51:46,040 --> 00:51:48,200
This is our charging station.
395
00:51:48,200 --> 00:51:50,600
Batteries for camera equipment,
batteries for our lights,
396
00:51:50,600 --> 00:51:52,760
our head torches,
which are so important.
397
00:51:53,800 --> 00:51:56,640
This is our water station.
398
00:51:56,640 --> 00:51:59,880
Everything that we have got has been
brought in by someone,
399
00:51:59,880 --> 00:52:02,680
so you can't shower or wash.
400
00:52:02,680 --> 00:52:04,960
And it's not just water.
401
00:52:04,960 --> 00:52:09,640
Tonnes of equipment has had to be
carried into the cave,
402
00:52:09,640 --> 00:52:11,960
every inch of the way.
403
00:52:15,120 --> 00:52:18,520
Now deep underground,
the powerful lights
404
00:52:18,520 --> 00:52:20,840
reveal just how vast this cavern is.
405
00:52:22,280 --> 00:52:23,960
That is amazing.
406
00:52:23,960 --> 00:52:25,400
Look at that. It's...
407
00:52:25,400 --> 00:52:27,200
It's huge!
408
00:52:29,640 --> 00:52:31,920
As you turn on each of the lights,
409
00:52:31,920 --> 00:52:34,760
another part of this enormous
chamber is revealed.
410
00:52:37,480 --> 00:52:40,480
It's magic. Absolutely magic.
411
00:52:43,680 --> 00:52:46,800
To try and capture the true scale,
412
00:52:46,800 --> 00:52:50,680
the team attempt a filming technique
never tried before.
413
00:52:51,920 --> 00:52:55,240
We're trying to do a little bit
of a dance with the drones,
414
00:52:55,240 --> 00:52:59,360
whereby we have one drone sort
of slightly below the other,
415
00:52:59,360 --> 00:53:03,480
one filming the other one lighting
a feature in the cave.
416
00:53:03,480 --> 00:53:05,800
It's a really tight space.
417
00:53:05,800 --> 00:53:07,880
You can't see anything.
418
00:53:07,880 --> 00:53:09,800
What could go wrong?
419
00:53:09,800 --> 00:53:11,640
DRONE BUZZES
420
00:53:13,520 --> 00:53:15,320
OK, slow down a bit.
421
00:53:16,920 --> 00:53:19,000
It's making everyone a little
nervous.
422
00:53:20,120 --> 00:53:22,720
Yeah, don't go up any higher, Luke.
423
00:53:25,080 --> 00:53:27,400
OK, that's a nice height.
424
00:53:31,000 --> 00:53:34,280
With one drone lighting
and one drone filming...
425
00:53:36,080 --> 00:53:41,160
..they reveal the wonder of some of
the world's largest stalagmites.
426
00:53:50,080 --> 00:53:53,200
As the days pass,
the team settle into
427
00:53:53,200 --> 00:53:56,440
the everyday routine of
life underground.
428
00:53:57,640 --> 00:54:01,880
This is the epitome of
being off-grid.
429
00:54:01,880 --> 00:54:04,000
We call that one seesaw loo
430
00:54:04,000 --> 00:54:06,520
because it's kind of on a rock,
431
00:54:06,520 --> 00:54:09,160
and every time you sit on it
and lean back,
432
00:54:09,160 --> 00:54:13,080
you're scared that there's
going to be a disaster.
433
00:54:14,720 --> 00:54:18,160
The strangest thing is
having no connection
434
00:54:18,160 --> 00:54:20,240
to the outside world whatsoever.
435
00:54:20,240 --> 00:54:23,720
Time is warped.
Nothing makes sense underground.
436
00:54:28,320 --> 00:54:32,480
Without daylight to guide them,
the team work round the clock
437
00:54:32,480 --> 00:54:35,480
to capture the cave's most
unique features.
438
00:54:37,160 --> 00:54:39,440
Most special of all,
439
00:54:39,440 --> 00:54:43,080
an event which happens only
a few weeks a year.
440
00:54:45,800 --> 00:54:48,240
To get there, they must navigate
441
00:54:48,240 --> 00:54:50,920
through boulder fields
and tight squeezes.
442
00:54:52,120 --> 00:54:53,560
BLEEP
443
00:55:00,400 --> 00:55:03,040
Here, around half a million
years ago,
444
00:55:03,040 --> 00:55:05,280
the cave roof collapsed,
445
00:55:05,280 --> 00:55:08,000
opening a window to
the outside world.
446
00:55:12,400 --> 00:55:15,280
The team wait for
just the right conditions.
447
00:55:16,640 --> 00:55:19,240
We've been sat here for hours.
448
00:55:19,240 --> 00:55:21,800
And finally, just on the
right-hand side of the wall,
449
00:55:21,800 --> 00:55:24,320
we can see the first signs of light.
450
00:55:28,240 --> 00:55:30,600
After weeks of darkness
451
00:55:30,600 --> 00:55:32,480
200 metres underground...
452
00:55:33,800 --> 00:55:35,640
..they see sunlight
453
00:55:35,640 --> 00:55:38,000
illuminate the cave floor.
454
00:55:43,040 --> 00:55:47,880
The way it just lights up
this massive cave...
455
00:55:47,880 --> 00:55:51,280
..when we've been trying to do it
with about four or five lights
456
00:55:51,280 --> 00:55:54,720
and barely even lighting
the smallest section.
457
00:55:54,720 --> 00:55:56,640
When the sun comes in, it just...
458
00:55:56,640 --> 00:55:58,040
HE PUFFS
459
00:56:00,320 --> 00:56:02,360
I think everyone's got goose bumps.
460
00:56:06,680 --> 00:56:11,480
I don't think I've ever appreciated
sun so much in my life.
461
00:56:13,080 --> 00:56:15,120
It's incredible.
462
00:56:17,840 --> 00:56:20,880
Look at the backlit waterfalls.
463
00:56:20,880 --> 00:56:23,520
They're so slow coming down.
464
00:56:23,520 --> 00:56:26,320
It's literally one of the best
things I've ever seen.
465
00:56:29,840 --> 00:56:33,760
For the crew, the sunbeam
marks a profound end
466
00:56:33,760 --> 00:56:36,080
to their time in the cave.
467
00:56:39,360 --> 00:56:41,640
We're outside!
468
00:56:41,640 --> 00:56:44,640
It's so green, it's so bright.
469
00:56:44,640 --> 00:56:48,600
Being back above ground feels like
where we belong.
470
00:56:50,560 --> 00:56:53,880
It's a wonder to imagine
what other extremes
471
00:56:53,880 --> 00:56:58,280
still lie beneath the surface
of planet Earth.
472
00:57:06,720 --> 00:57:09,040
Next time...
473
00:57:09,040 --> 00:57:11,280
..the human world...
474
00:57:16,920 --> 00:57:21,840
..where animals must find
new ways to survive...
475
00:57:22,960 --> 00:57:24,920
..amongst us.
476
00:57:31,600 --> 00:57:35,320
Habitat Explorer brings animals
and their habitats to life.
477
00:57:35,320 --> 00:57:38,640
Explore this free interactive,
and make origami animals.
478
00:57:38,640 --> 00:57:42,520
Go to bbc.co.uk/planetearth3
479
00:57:42,520 --> 00:57:45,080
and follow the links to
the Open University.
480
00:57:45,080 --> 00:57:48,560
Or to order a free printed version,
visit the website
481
00:57:48,560 --> 00:57:51,040
or call the numbers on the screen.
53052
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