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In winter,
at the top of the planet
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00:00:44,388 --> 00:00:47,068
lies an icy wilderness...
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00:00:48,146 --> 00:00:51,666
...not of land
but of frozen water.
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00:00:53,188 --> 00:00:54,908
The Arctic Ocean.
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00:00:57,467 --> 00:01:01,347
Its surface forms
an almost solid platform
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00:01:01,347 --> 00:01:04,747
that is bigger than
the whole of the United States.
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00:01:09,828 --> 00:01:12,068
Its presence and condition
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00:01:12,068 --> 00:01:16,748
dominates the lives of
all the many and varied animals
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00:01:16,747 --> 00:01:18,627
that live both on it...
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00:01:19,667 --> 00:01:21,507
...and beneath it.
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00:01:28,028 --> 00:01:30,988
In the coming months,
the sun's warmth
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00:01:30,987 --> 00:01:35,947
will melt much of it and expose
the rich waters beneath.
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00:01:38,066 --> 00:01:42,306
To survive here, life
must adapt to this world
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00:01:42,309 --> 00:01:45,949
that alternates
between ice and water.
15
00:02:05,546 --> 00:02:08,386
After three months
of winter darkness,
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00:02:08,386 --> 00:02:12,746
the sun rises
across Arctic Norway.
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00:02:21,347 --> 00:02:25,107
A newly emerged
polar bear mother
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00:02:25,107 --> 00:02:29,267
encourages her cubs to take
their first tentative steps
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00:02:29,265 --> 00:02:30,945
on the sea ice.
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00:02:39,146 --> 00:02:42,786
Cubs will stay with
their mothers for two years,
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00:02:42,785 --> 00:02:46,065
learning the skills needed
to survive out here.
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00:02:49,347 --> 00:02:52,787
But thereafter,
they will be on their own.
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00:02:56,826 --> 00:02:59,226
Further out on the sea ice...
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00:03:00,906 --> 00:03:04,626
...this young female bear,
less than six years old,
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00:03:04,625 --> 00:03:07,265
is already fully independent.
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00:03:11,866 --> 00:03:14,146
She's superbly adapted to life
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00:03:14,145 --> 00:03:16,385
on the frozen ocean,
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00:03:16,385 --> 00:03:20,385
protected from the cold
by thick, insulating fat
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00:03:20,385 --> 00:03:22,665
and a double layer of fur.
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00:03:29,745 --> 00:03:34,105
This time of year is
the best time for feeding.
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00:03:37,785 --> 00:03:40,825
The ringed seals
on which she depends
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00:03:40,826 --> 00:03:42,546
feed on fish
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00:03:42,546 --> 00:03:45,386
and are swimming
40 metres beneath her.
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00:03:47,585 --> 00:03:49,985
But after ten minutes
down there,
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00:03:49,985 --> 00:03:53,025
they must return
to the few gaps in the ice
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00:03:53,024 --> 00:03:55,424
to take a breath and rest.
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00:03:59,705 --> 00:04:01,825
She has acute hearing
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00:04:01,825 --> 00:04:05,105
and one of the most sensitive
noses in nature.
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00:04:10,184 --> 00:04:13,024
She can detect a seal's lair
beneath two metres
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00:04:13,024 --> 00:04:14,744
of snow and ice.
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00:04:17,626 --> 00:04:19,746
Timing is everything.
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00:04:41,064 --> 00:04:44,344
Only one in ten attempts
is successful.
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00:04:45,423 --> 00:04:49,943
So for a young bear,
each meal is very important.
44
00:04:51,625 --> 00:04:54,825
But a male has picked up
the scent of the kill.
45
00:05:09,264 --> 00:05:12,464
Large males
pose a real threat...
46
00:05:16,624 --> 00:05:20,224
...and could inflict
fatal injuries in a fight.
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00:05:26,225 --> 00:05:28,225
But she stands her ground.
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00:05:41,344 --> 00:05:44,944
Remarkably, rather than fight...
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00:05:47,623 --> 00:05:49,743
...they start to play.
50
00:06:01,824 --> 00:06:02,984
And then,
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00:06:02,984 --> 00:06:06,424
they set off
to explore together.
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00:06:14,624 --> 00:06:17,624
Well fed and still young,
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00:06:17,623 --> 00:06:21,103
these two seem to be
forming a friendship.
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00:06:30,823 --> 00:06:33,263
She shows off
the swimming skills
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00:06:33,263 --> 00:06:37,863
that enable her to move with
ease between water and ice.
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00:07:01,421 --> 00:07:02,821
She's behind you!
57
00:07:27,902 --> 00:07:30,182
Dancing on ice...
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00:07:32,062 --> 00:07:35,222
...apparently,
just for the joy of it.
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00:07:55,783 --> 00:07:59,863
After three hours together,
they part company...
60
00:08:03,582 --> 00:08:08,502
...and return once again
to their solitary lives.
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00:08:21,501 --> 00:08:24,701
Polar bears thrive
at this time of year
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00:08:24,700 --> 00:08:29,660
thanks to the huge platform of
sea ice on which they can hunt.
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00:08:34,822 --> 00:08:36,702
The Arctic Ocean lies
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00:08:36,702 --> 00:08:38,822
across the top
of the northern hemisphere
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00:08:38,821 --> 00:08:40,541
and over
the North Pole itself...
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00:08:42,380 --> 00:08:45,100
...and is surrounded
by three continents -
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00:08:45,100 --> 00:08:48,900
Europe, North America and Asia.
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00:08:51,701 --> 00:08:54,421
In winter, the sea ice extends
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00:08:54,420 --> 00:08:58,100
across an area of
over five million square miles.
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00:09:04,622 --> 00:09:07,422
But off the coast
of Arctic Russia,
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00:09:07,420 --> 00:09:10,540
a tiny pocket of water
has been kept open...
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00:09:19,540 --> 00:09:25,020
...by the continuous stirring
of 30 trapped beluga whales.
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00:09:36,659 --> 00:09:41,779
These four-metre-long Arctic
whales are superbly adapted
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00:09:41,780 --> 00:09:45,660
for hunting far beneath
the surface of the sea ice.
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00:09:51,379 --> 00:09:53,699
Nonetheless, being mammals,
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00:09:53,699 --> 00:09:56,179
they must return to the surface
to breathe
77
00:09:56,181 --> 00:09:58,581
every 15 minutes or so.
78
00:10:04,059 --> 00:10:07,739
But this cold spell
is exceptionally severe.
79
00:10:09,219 --> 00:10:12,859
And there's not another
breathing hole within 20 miles.
80
00:10:18,699 --> 00:10:22,139
Nearby fish and squid
disappeared long ago.
81
00:10:23,740 --> 00:10:27,980
These emaciated whales
have been imprisoned by the ice
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00:10:27,979 --> 00:10:31,659
for five months,
and they're now starving.
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00:10:37,979 --> 00:10:40,579
Their only chance of escape
will come
84
00:10:40,579 --> 00:10:42,579
when there is a change
in the season.
85
00:10:50,899 --> 00:10:54,259
As spring finally reaches
the north of the planet,
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00:10:54,259 --> 00:10:57,979
air temperatures
creep above freezing.
87
00:11:13,379 --> 00:11:17,499
The impenetrable ice ceiling
begins to fracture.
88
00:11:20,458 --> 00:11:24,458
Small, life-saving channels
open up...
89
00:11:29,618 --> 00:11:32,138
...bringing freedom.
90
00:11:36,097 --> 00:11:39,977
But spring is a dangerous time
for beluga.
91
00:11:41,020 --> 00:11:44,380
As tides and currents
pull ice apart,
92
00:11:44,378 --> 00:11:46,898
the beluga find themselves
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00:11:46,898 --> 00:11:49,338
in a labyrinth
of shifting ice floes
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00:11:49,338 --> 00:11:51,778
that could close
their breathing holes
95
00:11:51,778 --> 00:11:54,418
at any point and so drown them.
96
00:12:06,537 --> 00:12:09,217
Using their sophisticated sonar,
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00:12:09,217 --> 00:12:12,017
they try to find a way
through the icy maze...
98
00:12:25,577 --> 00:12:29,737
...and eventually reach
a patch of open water.
99
00:12:36,418 --> 00:12:38,898
They're not the only
whales here.
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00:12:45,736 --> 00:12:46,856
Narwhal,
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00:12:46,858 --> 00:12:51,058
the unicorns of the sea,
are closely related to beluga.
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00:12:57,617 --> 00:12:59,977
In a rarely seen encounter,
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00:12:59,977 --> 00:13:03,497
these two kinds of whales
appear to socialise.
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00:13:05,698 --> 00:13:08,458
Who knows what's going on
between them?
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00:13:18,176 --> 00:13:20,776
But soon, they set off together
106
00:13:20,778 --> 00:13:23,738
through the shifting
fields of ice...
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00:13:32,457 --> 00:13:35,497
...a journey of
up to 1,000 miles...
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00:13:39,777 --> 00:13:42,657
...before they reach
ice-free waters,
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00:13:42,657 --> 00:13:45,377
where they can rear their young.
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00:14:00,416 --> 00:14:03,296
As the spring sunshine
strengthens,
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00:14:03,296 --> 00:14:06,736
the broken pack ice
off the coast of Greenland
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becomes a nursery.
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00:14:15,377 --> 00:14:17,137
A harp seal pup.
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00:14:19,096 --> 00:14:21,536
Born just a week ago.
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00:14:23,495 --> 00:14:25,695
He has little fat.
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00:14:27,335 --> 00:14:28,535
His thick fur
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00:14:28,535 --> 00:14:31,775
is his only protection
from the Arctic chill.
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00:14:34,895 --> 00:14:39,015
In between dozes, he waits
for his mother to return.
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00:14:47,936 --> 00:14:50,856
She has only one pup a year...
120
00:14:56,855 --> 00:15:00,375
...and will produce milk
for only 12 days,
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00:15:00,375 --> 00:15:04,055
one of the shortest
nursing periods in nature.
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00:15:07,895 --> 00:15:09,615
That is just long enough
123
00:15:09,615 --> 00:15:12,775
for him to develop
a thick layer of blubber...
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00:15:14,135 --> 00:15:18,575
...thanks to his mother's milk,
which is 50% fat.
125
00:15:23,776 --> 00:15:26,456
And his mother stays alongside
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00:15:26,456 --> 00:15:28,056
while he learns
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00:15:28,056 --> 00:15:30,136
an important survival skill
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00:15:30,135 --> 00:15:31,575
for any seal...
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00:15:45,214 --> 00:15:46,974
...how to swim.
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00:15:49,174 --> 00:15:52,694
He may not be keen
to take the plunge.
131
00:15:52,694 --> 00:15:57,374
The saltwater is minus two
degrees Celsius, after all.
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00:16:07,894 --> 00:16:10,894
Pups start with a doggy paddle.
133
00:16:14,855 --> 00:16:17,655
Mum stays reassuringly close.
134
00:16:30,254 --> 00:16:32,694
Still developing
his insulating blubber,
135
00:16:32,694 --> 00:16:36,054
a pup is at risk of hypothermia
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00:16:36,054 --> 00:16:37,984
so needs to rest
137
00:16:37,975 --> 00:16:39,695
and warm up.
138
00:16:45,213 --> 00:16:46,333
Each day,
139
00:16:46,335 --> 00:16:49,215
he puts on another two kilos...
140
00:16:55,174 --> 00:16:56,654
...and practises swimming
141
00:16:56,653 --> 00:16:58,853
for just a little longer.
142
00:17:13,452 --> 00:17:17,332
Since birth, this pup
has tripled in weight,
143
00:17:17,333 --> 00:17:21,573
and he's now at ease
in this curious other world.
144
00:17:34,213 --> 00:17:36,693
12 days gone by.
145
00:17:38,014 --> 00:17:41,374
A mother's work is done.
146
00:17:50,412 --> 00:17:54,932
In producing milk, she's lost
a third of her body weight.
147
00:17:58,853 --> 00:18:02,693
Now she must return
to her feeding grounds.
148
00:18:29,013 --> 00:18:32,133
She will never see
her pup again.
149
00:18:48,453 --> 00:18:52,773
The next four weeks
he spends alone,
150
00:18:52,772 --> 00:18:55,332
sticking close
to the ice platform...
151
00:18:58,051 --> 00:19:01,531
...surviving on
his fat reserves
152
00:19:01,531 --> 00:19:05,651
as his downy fleece is replaced
by a sleek coat
153
00:19:05,652 --> 00:19:08,092
more suited to swimming.
154
00:19:14,412 --> 00:19:16,452
But temperatures
in the Arctic are now
155
00:19:16,452 --> 00:19:18,332
rising faster
than ever before...
156
00:19:21,332 --> 00:19:24,932
...creating storms
that break up the ice floes
157
00:19:24,932 --> 00:19:27,252
earlier each spring.
158
00:19:37,012 --> 00:19:40,972
Harp seal pups are being
tipped into freezing waters
159
00:19:40,971 --> 00:19:45,091
before they're ready to endure
long periods at sea.
160
00:19:54,892 --> 00:20:00,372
In some pupping areas,
almost none survive.
161
00:20:25,330 --> 00:20:27,650
As spring turns to summer,
162
00:20:27,652 --> 00:20:32,212
life on the sea ice
suddenly begins to proliferate.
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00:20:34,931 --> 00:20:37,331
The daylight increases,
164
00:20:37,330 --> 00:20:39,570
and algae that had
remained dormant
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00:20:39,570 --> 00:20:42,170
within the ice all winter
166
00:20:42,170 --> 00:20:44,050
begin to bloom.
167
00:20:50,370 --> 00:20:53,290
This upside-down meadow
is now cropped
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00:20:53,290 --> 00:20:55,050
by plankton.
169
00:21:11,450 --> 00:21:14,410
For a little skeleton shrimp
170
00:21:14,409 --> 00:21:18,169
living at the bottom
of a towering forest of kelp,
171
00:21:18,169 --> 00:21:20,689
the best way to get
a share of the food...
172
00:21:21,850 --> 00:21:23,650
...is to climb.
173
00:21:27,929 --> 00:21:29,969
If you're only
two centimetres long...
174
00:21:31,289 --> 00:21:33,929
...this is like
scaling a skyscraper.
175
00:21:36,730 --> 00:21:40,170
And yet it's not alone.
176
00:21:42,170 --> 00:21:44,490
Hundreds of fellow shrimps
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00:21:44,489 --> 00:21:47,289
are attempting the same ascent.
178
00:21:52,851 --> 00:21:54,211
A new mother
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00:21:54,211 --> 00:21:56,611
has parked her brood halfway up.
180
00:21:57,809 --> 00:22:01,489
And she's not about to give way.
181
00:22:14,809 --> 00:22:19,209
This one is
a determined commuter.
182
00:22:19,209 --> 00:22:22,129
But the mother's drive
to protect her young
183
00:22:22,129 --> 00:22:25,449
is now causing a traffic jam.
184
00:22:33,089 --> 00:22:34,689
At last...
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00:22:34,689 --> 00:22:37,809
many have made it
to the topmost branches
186
00:22:37,808 --> 00:22:40,008
of this underwater forest.
187
00:22:42,407 --> 00:22:45,247
And it's been
well worth the effort.
188
00:22:47,289 --> 00:22:49,089
The prize...
189
00:22:49,089 --> 00:22:50,649
is a plankton feast...
190
00:22:55,288 --> 00:22:58,088
...raining down from above.
191
00:23:03,290 --> 00:23:07,330
By midsummer,
Arctic waters are filled
192
00:23:07,328 --> 00:23:08,368
with food...
193
00:23:19,689 --> 00:23:24,169
...making them into one
of the richest of all oceans...
194
00:23:28,447 --> 00:23:32,407
...feeding billions of
microscopic mouths
195
00:23:32,408 --> 00:23:33,648
as well as...
196
00:23:34,727 --> 00:23:36,967
...the biggest mouth
on the planet.
197
00:23:43,568 --> 00:23:45,448
The bow head whale.
198
00:23:48,807 --> 00:23:51,767
Its four-metre-long
baleen plates
199
00:23:51,766 --> 00:23:54,086
enable it to sieve out
200
00:23:54,088 --> 00:23:56,928
up to six tonnes
of plankton a day.
201
00:23:59,168 --> 00:24:05,288
And it grows swiftly into
an 18-metre, 100-tonne giant.
202
00:24:11,968 --> 00:24:15,408
In summer, the bowheads
are so well fed
203
00:24:15,408 --> 00:24:18,128
they head for
an annual get-together.
204
00:24:29,888 --> 00:24:32,528
After a year of wear and tear,
205
00:24:32,527 --> 00:24:35,847
their skin needs reconditioning.
206
00:24:42,206 --> 00:24:45,246
This is a whale health spa.
207
00:24:54,647 --> 00:25:00,127
Rocks and sand in the shallows
are used like pumice stones
208
00:25:00,125 --> 00:25:03,685
with which to rub off
dead skin and parasites.
209
00:25:08,567 --> 00:25:11,967
Such places can become
very popular.
210
00:25:19,087 --> 00:25:21,567
This bay,
off the coast of Russia,
211
00:25:21,566 --> 00:25:26,086
attracts an immense gathering
of over 50 bowheads.
212
00:25:32,045 --> 00:25:35,285
They are the longest-lived
of all mammals.
213
00:25:43,165 --> 00:25:46,525
Some are 200 years old
214
00:25:46,525 --> 00:25:49,565
and have been coming here
for many decades.
215
00:25:52,967 --> 00:25:55,167
Suddenly...
216
00:25:55,166 --> 00:25:58,246
their peace is shattered.
217
00:26:01,006 --> 00:26:05,526
Killer whales have arrived
from the south...
218
00:26:07,405 --> 00:26:09,005
...nine metres long,
219
00:26:09,005 --> 00:26:11,085
weighing nine tonnes...
220
00:26:12,526 --> 00:26:15,566
...and renowned for their
exceptional intelligence.
221
00:26:17,165 --> 00:26:21,045
This particular pack
specialises in hunting
222
00:26:21,045 --> 00:26:22,965
bow head whales.
223
00:26:34,445 --> 00:26:37,325
The bow heads retreat
into the shallows...
224
00:26:38,806 --> 00:26:41,046
...where it will be harder
225
00:26:41,044 --> 00:26:44,044
for killer whales
to launch an attack.
226
00:26:48,766 --> 00:26:50,766
But the killers can swim
227
00:26:50,765 --> 00:26:52,605
much faster than the bowheads.
228
00:27:00,004 --> 00:27:03,004
The group tries to close ranks.
229
00:27:07,924 --> 00:27:10,724
But the killers attempt
to separate them.
230
00:27:20,246 --> 00:27:22,806
They look for individual signs
231
00:27:22,805 --> 00:27:25,045
of weakness.
232
00:27:35,926 --> 00:27:38,726
In the shallows,
the bow heads lash out...
233
00:27:40,884 --> 00:27:43,804
...with their
seven-metre-wide tails.
234
00:27:58,525 --> 00:27:59,925
But in the confusion,
235
00:27:59,924 --> 00:28:02,004
some run aground.
236
00:28:16,044 --> 00:28:19,724
Others try to reach
deeper water.
237
00:28:21,602 --> 00:28:24,962
This youngster,
half the size of an adult,
238
00:28:24,962 --> 00:28:26,842
is extremely vulnerable.
239
00:28:36,723 --> 00:28:38,403
The killer whales
240
00:28:38,403 --> 00:28:42,363
take turns to ram
into its sides...
241
00:28:42,363 --> 00:28:47,083
...cracking its ribs so that
it struggles to breathe.
242
00:29:12,443 --> 00:29:17,843
Then they push the youngster
down until, finally...
243
00:29:18,883 --> 00:29:20,803
...it drowns.
244
00:29:27,843 --> 00:29:29,763
The battle is over.
245
00:29:31,561 --> 00:29:33,961
It lasted an hour.
246
00:29:35,603 --> 00:29:39,923
Yet now the killer whales eat
only one part of their prey...
247
00:29:41,602 --> 00:29:44,362
...the young bowhead's
soft, fatty tongue.
248
00:29:58,922 --> 00:30:01,722
Today, more and more bowheads
249
00:30:01,722 --> 00:30:04,962
are falling prey
to killer whales
250
00:30:04,961 --> 00:30:06,321
as the warming climate
251
00:30:06,321 --> 00:30:08,961
causes the protective barrier
of sea ice
252
00:30:08,963 --> 00:30:11,363
to melt earlier each year.
253
00:30:29,882 --> 00:30:34,562
By midsummer, millions
of migratory sea birds,
254
00:30:34,562 --> 00:30:37,602
having flown thousands
of miles to get here,
255
00:30:37,601 --> 00:30:40,841
are feeding
in the Arctic's rich waters.
256
00:30:45,402 --> 00:30:46,922
Over a million
257
00:30:46,922 --> 00:30:49,762
crested auklets,
no bigger than puffins,
258
00:30:49,761 --> 00:30:53,121
now descend on Alaska's
Saint Lawrence Island
259
00:30:53,121 --> 00:30:55,921
and are preparing to breed.
260
00:31:00,522 --> 00:31:03,282
To win a mate, a male must try
261
00:31:03,282 --> 00:31:05,162
to stand out from the crowd.
262
00:31:07,442 --> 00:31:10,842
And auditions are already
under way.
263
00:31:12,080 --> 00:31:16,320
Males and females, unusually,
look very similar,
264
00:31:16,320 --> 00:31:20,280
each adorned with
an Elvis-like crest.
265
00:31:20,282 --> 00:31:24,042
But it's the size of the crest
that matters.
266
00:31:28,120 --> 00:31:30,760
And this male's headgear
seems to be
267
00:31:30,760 --> 00:31:32,520
no more than adequate.
268
00:31:37,642 --> 00:31:40,682
A position on the ground
is also important.
269
00:31:45,760 --> 00:31:51,360
One large male
wants this particular perch.
270
00:32:00,840 --> 00:32:04,400
And having got it,
he breaks into song.
271
00:32:14,481 --> 00:32:18,641
He now releases
a potent tangerine scent
272
00:32:18,641 --> 00:32:20,041
from the back of his neck.
273
00:32:21,160 --> 00:32:23,920
And a mob of fans go wild.
274
00:32:29,801 --> 00:32:31,401
This male, however,
275
00:32:31,400 --> 00:32:33,440
seems to have nothing to offer.
276
00:32:38,039 --> 00:32:39,479
But a gaggle of groupies
277
00:32:39,479 --> 00:32:42,999
can be a dangerous distraction.
278
00:32:46,440 --> 00:32:48,320
An Arctic fox.
279
00:33:15,079 --> 00:33:16,799
It's found an egg.
280
00:33:20,279 --> 00:33:22,399
With the stage cleared,
281
00:33:22,399 --> 00:33:24,439
the highest perch
282
00:33:24,439 --> 00:33:26,199
has become vacant.
283
00:33:46,838 --> 00:33:50,318
This is a moment to shine.
284
00:34:01,637 --> 00:34:05,557
His display
doesn't go unnoticed.
285
00:34:11,040 --> 00:34:14,920
And his tangerine perfume
attracts an admirer.
286
00:34:23,598 --> 00:34:25,958
And not just one.
287
00:34:30,238 --> 00:34:33,358
Now it's down to the females
to impress him.
288
00:34:37,397 --> 00:34:40,437
In auklet society, both sexes
289
00:34:40,437 --> 00:34:43,277
have a say when it comes to
choosing a mate.
290
00:34:54,638 --> 00:34:59,278
At the height of summer, with
24 hours of sunlight a day,
291
00:34:59,278 --> 00:35:02,718
over half the sea ice
melts away.
292
00:35:09,757 --> 00:35:12,117
The beaches of Svalbard
293
00:35:12,116 --> 00:35:16,476
provide safe places to haul out
for one of
294
00:35:16,478 --> 00:35:18,558
the Arctic's special residents.
295
00:35:22,958 --> 00:35:24,758
Walruses.
296
00:35:27,557 --> 00:35:32,757
They forage for shellfish for
up to 17 hours at a stretch.
297
00:35:37,318 --> 00:35:38,518
Now...
298
00:35:40,238 --> 00:35:42,318
...it's time for a rest.
299
00:35:46,596 --> 00:35:51,076
Each adult male
weighs more than a tonne.
300
00:35:56,436 --> 00:35:58,076
And heaving oneself
over the sand...
301
00:36:00,277 --> 00:36:01,917
...without the support of water
302
00:36:01,917 --> 00:36:03,837
is very hard work.
303
00:36:10,317 --> 00:36:12,317
This male has a particular
304
00:36:12,317 --> 00:36:14,437
sunbathing spot in mind...
305
00:36:18,196 --> 00:36:19,916
...right in the middle
306
00:36:19,916 --> 00:36:22,276
of the 50-strong huddle.
307
00:36:31,876 --> 00:36:33,636
A prod helps
in parting the crowd.
308
00:36:47,477 --> 00:36:49,397
Almost in.
309
00:36:59,717 --> 00:37:02,157
At last, he can settle down
for a snooze...
310
00:37:03,196 --> 00:37:04,476
...swaddled on all sides
311
00:37:04,476 --> 00:37:06,876
by the bodies of his neighbours.
312
00:37:10,275 --> 00:37:14,035
But it's not a peaceful spot.
313
00:37:23,556 --> 00:37:27,956
Sleep isn't easy
when a fidgety bedfellow
314
00:37:27,955 --> 00:37:29,995
decides that he has an itch
315
00:37:29,995 --> 00:37:32,155
that needs scratching.
316
00:37:33,397 --> 00:37:35,837
This is the time to moult,
317
00:37:35,836 --> 00:37:39,396
to get rid of one's old fur
with all its parasites
318
00:37:39,395 --> 00:37:43,995
and expose the healthy
new coat beneath.
319
00:37:56,236 --> 00:37:58,836
These days,
Svalbard's summer temperatures
320
00:37:58,836 --> 00:38:02,236
can soar to 22 degrees Celsius.
321
00:38:09,876 --> 00:38:13,116
Flushing red by bringing blood
close to the skin
322
00:38:13,115 --> 00:38:15,795
helps them to keep cool.
323
00:38:21,474 --> 00:38:24,874
But some overheating
is unavoidable...
324
00:38:27,035 --> 00:38:29,995
...especially for a big male.
325
00:38:39,834 --> 00:38:41,834
Enough is enough.
326
00:38:49,074 --> 00:38:51,234
Getting up here...
327
00:38:51,234 --> 00:38:52,474
was a slog.
328
00:38:53,554 --> 00:38:57,554
But this male has found
a better way of getting down.
329
00:38:58,595 --> 00:39:01,315
Let gravity do the work.
330
00:39:32,874 --> 00:39:36,354
Now, that is cool!
331
00:39:38,354 --> 00:39:40,274
Ahhh!
332
00:39:45,353 --> 00:39:50,513
Everyone is doing it.
It saves both time and energy.
333
00:39:55,194 --> 00:39:58,834
But walruses will need
all the tricks they can find.
334
00:40:02,073 --> 00:40:05,113
The Arctic is warming,
335
00:40:05,112 --> 00:40:08,832
and these cold-loving animals
are facing
336
00:40:08,834 --> 00:40:10,474
a precarious future.
337
00:40:21,233 --> 00:40:25,913
For millennia, the Arctic Ocean
has frozen over in the winter
338
00:40:25,914 --> 00:40:27,914
and then gradually melted
339
00:40:27,913 --> 00:40:30,633
throughout the spring
and summer.
340
00:40:32,073 --> 00:40:34,313
But in the last 40 years,
341
00:40:34,313 --> 00:40:39,353
the extent of the summer
sea ice has declined by 50%.
342
00:40:42,113 --> 00:40:47,913
Some predict that it will be
ice-free as early as 2035.
343
00:40:52,072 --> 00:40:53,952
This profound change...
344
00:40:55,071 --> 00:40:57,031
...is already having an impact
345
00:40:57,031 --> 00:41:00,711
on the Arctic Ocean's
highly specialised wildlife.
346
00:41:06,673 --> 00:41:10,353
With less summer sea ice
from which to hunt seals,
347
00:41:10,352 --> 00:41:15,432
some polar bears are now
travelling up to 400 miles...
348
00:41:15,433 --> 00:41:18,753
swimming continuously
for up to ten days
349
00:41:18,753 --> 00:41:20,473
in search of land.
350
00:41:27,871 --> 00:41:30,991
Wrangel Island,
off Arctic Russia...
351
00:41:32,033 --> 00:41:36,273
...the only land
for almost 100 miles.
352
00:41:39,632 --> 00:41:43,872
Each summer, more and more
polar bears come ashore here.
353
00:41:51,872 --> 00:41:54,232
This newly arrived mother
354
00:41:54,232 --> 00:41:56,952
needs to find food
for her family...
355
00:42:02,711 --> 00:42:06,831
...but knows not to approach
other adult bears.
356
00:42:10,151 --> 00:42:12,071
A full-grown male
357
00:42:12,071 --> 00:42:14,351
can kill and eat a cub
358
00:42:14,352 --> 00:42:18,352
and will do so if other food
is in short supply.
359
00:42:20,431 --> 00:42:24,751
There are over 1,000 bears
on this one island.
360
00:42:28,272 --> 00:42:31,072
It's the greatest concentration
of polar bears
361
00:42:31,072 --> 00:42:32,992
on the planet.
362
00:42:39,470 --> 00:42:43,270
But there is food to be had
on these remote shores.
363
00:42:47,591 --> 00:42:49,031
A walrus colony...
364
00:42:51,271 --> 00:42:53,071
...2,000 strong.
365
00:43:03,031 --> 00:43:05,671
The walruses panic.
366
00:43:18,670 --> 00:43:21,270
And there are casualties.
367
00:43:42,670 --> 00:43:45,750
Fights break out.
368
00:43:52,430 --> 00:43:56,270
This is no place
for a young family.
369
00:44:03,388 --> 00:44:06,468
The mother calls her cubs away.
370
00:44:22,871 --> 00:44:25,271
They must search elsewhere.
371
00:44:44,110 --> 00:44:48,510
Grass is a poor meal for a growing
cub.
372
00:44:49,909 --> 00:44:53,389
And starvation in summer
is a real threat.
373
00:45:04,589 --> 00:45:07,349
But this opportunity to feed...
374
00:45:08,429 --> 00:45:10,629
...is one she cannot
afford to ignore.
375
00:45:16,309 --> 00:45:18,349
It's time to gamble.
376
00:45:24,149 --> 00:45:25,789
Her cubs follow her.
377
00:45:27,908 --> 00:45:29,948
She urges them to stay back.
378
00:45:45,347 --> 00:45:47,747
The males are twice her size.
379
00:45:49,109 --> 00:45:51,749
But, preoccupied with feeding,
380
00:45:51,749 --> 00:45:53,949
they tolerate her presence.
381
00:45:59,508 --> 00:46:02,228
The distress calls
of her cubs, however...
382
00:46:03,428 --> 00:46:04,988
...attract unwelcome attention.
383
00:46:22,388 --> 00:46:25,748
Their mother rushes
to shield them with her body.
384
00:46:33,987 --> 00:46:37,987
But she seems torn between
guarding her family
385
00:46:37,987 --> 00:46:39,907
and feeding herself.
386
00:46:55,426 --> 00:46:57,946
Cubs left by themselves
387
00:46:57,948 --> 00:47:01,548
are easy prey
for a hungry male bear.
388
00:47:11,426 --> 00:47:16,066
But now her maternal instincts
take over.
389
00:47:38,586 --> 00:47:41,626
Faced with a mother's fury...
390
00:47:41,626 --> 00:47:43,986
the dominant male backs down.
391
00:48:07,307 --> 00:48:09,107
Having fought her way in...
392
00:48:11,027 --> 00:48:15,427
...her cubs can now feed
for the first time in weeks.
393
00:48:24,746 --> 00:48:26,586
Polar bears were once
394
00:48:26,586 --> 00:48:30,346
the supreme hunters
on the sea ice.
395
00:48:30,346 --> 00:48:33,706
Now, each summer,
more and more of them
396
00:48:33,706 --> 00:48:37,346
have to come to land
in search of food.
397
00:48:42,187 --> 00:48:45,907
Whether the ice bear
survives into the next century
398
00:48:45,906 --> 00:48:50,346
depends on what happens to
the sea ice on which they rely.
399
00:48:53,745 --> 00:48:58,625
As with all of the Arctic
Ocean's remarkable wildlife,
400
00:48:58,625 --> 00:49:02,145
it's how the climate changes
over the coming years
401
00:49:02,145 --> 00:49:04,865
that will determine
their future.
402
00:49:21,025 --> 00:49:25,105
In today's unpredictable
and changing Arctic,
403
00:49:25,105 --> 00:49:28,985
filming its wildlife is
an ever-increasing challenge...
404
00:49:31,066 --> 00:49:33,546
...none more so than trying
to capture the brief time
405
00:49:33,545 --> 00:49:36,025
that a mother harp seal spends
406
00:49:36,025 --> 00:49:38,185
preparing her pup
for life at sea.
407
00:49:42,624 --> 00:49:45,394
To find the seal's
pupping grounds,
408
00:49:45,384 --> 00:49:48,424
the crew have sailed
to a remote area of the Arctic
409
00:49:48,426 --> 00:49:50,786
off the east coast of Greenland.
410
00:49:51,946 --> 00:49:54,146
But here, they quickly discover
411
00:49:54,145 --> 00:49:57,145
that its usually solid
platform of sea ice
412
00:49:57,144 --> 00:50:00,104
has broken up into
thousands of floes.
413
00:50:01,144 --> 00:50:03,904
It's a surprising sight
even for veteran captain
414
00:50:03,904 --> 00:50:05,744
Bjorne Kvernmo.
415
00:50:18,143 --> 00:50:20,943
And with the sea ice
so fractured,
416
00:50:20,944 --> 00:50:22,624
there's no sign of any wildlife.
417
00:50:23,945 --> 00:50:27,705
We've been at sea
for well over a week now.
418
00:50:27,705 --> 00:50:30,705
We still haven't filmed a thing.
419
00:50:31,944 --> 00:50:35,904
With mother and pup together
for just 12 days, it's a race
420
00:50:35,904 --> 00:50:38,104
to find the dense pack ice
421
00:50:38,103 --> 00:50:41,023
on which the breeding seals
give birth.
422
00:50:43,464 --> 00:50:47,224
The team head a further 100
miles up the Greenland coast,
423
00:50:47,224 --> 00:50:49,744
to an area no film crew
424
00:50:49,744 --> 00:50:51,464
has ventured into before.
425
00:50:53,662 --> 00:50:56,422
Their gamble pays off.
426
00:50:59,945 --> 00:51:03,065
Our first harp seal, baby!
427
00:51:03,064 --> 00:51:06,504
From the smaller,
more manoeuvrable tender,
428
00:51:06,503 --> 00:51:08,823
cameraman Jamie McPherson
429
00:51:08,823 --> 00:51:10,663
hopes to record
the precious time
430
00:51:10,663 --> 00:51:12,343
mother and pup spend together
431
00:51:12,343 --> 00:51:13,743
on the ice.
432
00:51:13,744 --> 00:51:14,864
I've been filming
433
00:51:14,864 --> 00:51:17,184
probably one of the cutest
animals in the world.
434
00:51:17,184 --> 00:51:18,504
And there was suckling,
435
00:51:18,504 --> 00:51:20,544
which is really cool,
because it's really funny,
436
00:51:20,543 --> 00:51:22,583
because the baby goes from
one nipple to the other nipple
437
00:51:22,583 --> 00:51:24,663
and just goes
backwards and forwards.
438
00:51:29,504 --> 00:51:32,744
That's one of the
sweetest things I've ever seen!
439
00:51:32,744 --> 00:51:34,864
Utterly adorable!
440
00:51:36,343 --> 00:51:38,983
With mum now calling it
into the water,
441
00:51:38,983 --> 00:51:42,703
this pup may be ready
for its very first swim.
442
00:51:44,223 --> 00:51:46,943
It's the cue
for underwater cameraman
443
00:51:46,945 --> 00:51:48,305
Hugh Miller.
444
00:51:49,583 --> 00:51:51,143
We're going to try
something different
445
00:51:51,143 --> 00:51:53,063
and actually get into the water
with the seals.
446
00:51:53,063 --> 00:51:56,223
We're definitely
in new territory here.
447
00:51:58,383 --> 00:52:00,783
To film this rare moment
underwater,
448
00:52:00,782 --> 00:52:02,862
Hugh will need to get
a lot closer,
449
00:52:02,862 --> 00:52:04,502
without disturbing them.
450
00:52:06,703 --> 00:52:09,943
But with Arctic waters
at minus two degrees Celsius,
451
00:52:09,943 --> 00:52:14,063
even with a protective
thermal dry suit,
452
00:52:14,063 --> 00:52:18,663
Hugh only has an hour before he
risks developing hypothermia.
453
00:52:21,304 --> 00:52:25,784
It's now a matter of waiting
for the pup to take the plunge.
454
00:52:26,823 --> 00:52:29,223
The guys have now
been in for about...
455
00:52:32,342 --> 00:52:33,462
...20 minutes.
456
00:52:34,981 --> 00:52:38,781
I can guarantee you
they'll be freezing cold.
457
00:52:40,103 --> 00:52:44,023
Hugh's body temperature
is getting dangerously low.
458
00:52:50,182 --> 00:52:52,302
Conditions have been...
459
00:52:52,302 --> 00:52:54,222
really hard.
460
00:52:54,222 --> 00:52:55,702
The cold just...
461
00:52:57,623 --> 00:52:59,263
It's been very, very difficult!
462
00:53:00,302 --> 00:53:02,062
With less than a week to go
463
00:53:02,062 --> 00:53:05,702
before this mother is likely
to leave her pup forever,
464
00:53:05,702 --> 00:53:08,462
Jamie continues to capture
their intimate interactions...
465
00:53:13,983 --> 00:53:16,303
...while Hugh is yet to film
a single shot.
466
00:53:18,182 --> 00:53:19,742
To make matters worse,
467
00:53:19,741 --> 00:53:22,381
temperatures fall to
468
00:53:22,381 --> 00:53:24,541
minus 30 degrees centigrade.
469
00:53:25,701 --> 00:53:27,781
And as the wind direction
changes,
470
00:53:27,782 --> 00:53:31,462
the floes are forced
closer together.
471
00:53:31,462 --> 00:53:34,062
Pack ice has just come in
from all around us.
472
00:53:34,062 --> 00:53:35,662
It could flip the boat,
473
00:53:35,662 --> 00:53:38,622
and that would be
the end of the shoot.
474
00:53:38,622 --> 00:53:41,342
Hemmed in by blocks
475
00:53:41,341 --> 00:53:43,701
weighing several tonnes,
the small skiffs
476
00:53:43,700 --> 00:53:46,740
are at risk of getting crushed.
477
00:53:46,742 --> 00:53:49,022
They radio for help.
478
00:53:49,022 --> 00:53:51,702
But as the mother ship
approaches, she shunts
479
00:53:51,702 --> 00:53:53,822
even more ice their way.
480
00:53:58,220 --> 00:54:00,900
So, we've got these big
chunks of ice either side of us
481
00:54:00,900 --> 00:54:03,180
and they've got to go
somewhere, so...
482
00:54:05,022 --> 00:54:08,062
With help three days away,
the crew
483
00:54:08,062 --> 00:54:10,822
can't afford any mistakes.
484
00:54:16,220 --> 00:54:19,380
In the nick of time, a lifeline.
485
00:54:23,822 --> 00:54:25,382
Safely aboard!
486
00:54:26,380 --> 00:54:28,260
That was a bit full-on!
487
00:54:31,980 --> 00:54:35,180
By the next day,
the pack ice has drifted apart.
488
00:54:36,220 --> 00:54:38,900
And not a moment too soon.
489
00:54:48,341 --> 00:54:50,301
Awww!
490
00:54:54,299 --> 00:54:56,979
We just
saw it go for its first swim.
491
00:54:57,981 --> 00:54:59,141
It was amazing.
492
00:54:59,141 --> 00:55:02,341
It just sort of flops about on
the surface. It was very cool.
493
00:55:05,300 --> 00:55:09,540
With the pup finally in the
water, Hugh seizes his chance.
494
00:55:10,979 --> 00:55:14,579
But what will the pup make
of this curious sea creature?
495
00:55:19,420 --> 00:55:24,020
This pup is playing with,
playing with the camera.
496
00:55:24,019 --> 00:55:26,539
I can see Hugh's smile
from here.
497
00:55:28,299 --> 00:55:30,979
Oh, lovely. Wow!
498
00:55:32,581 --> 00:55:34,381
That was great!
499
00:55:34,380 --> 00:55:36,700
Yeah, we saw.
That was great!
500
00:55:36,700 --> 00:55:38,420
So nice.
501
00:55:41,139 --> 00:55:43,699
Just as Hugh gets his reward,
502
00:55:43,699 --> 00:55:46,939
the Arctic conditions
take a turn for the worse.
503
00:55:48,340 --> 00:55:49,980
We've been getting
some amazing stuff,
504
00:55:49,980 --> 00:55:53,420
but now the wind's picked up,
so we're trying to get out.
505
00:55:55,619 --> 00:55:57,219
With a storm brewing,
506
00:55:57,218 --> 00:56:00,818
not even the mother ship
is safe among the ice floes.
507
00:56:00,819 --> 00:56:05,779
The crew have no choice
but to leave the seals behind.
508
00:56:13,219 --> 00:56:15,579
It would roll in on a storm?
509
00:56:17,619 --> 00:56:19,059
And they drown?
510
00:56:26,779 --> 00:56:31,059
Today, the combination
of reduced Arctic sea ice
511
00:56:31,058 --> 00:56:32,858
and heavy storms
512
00:56:32,858 --> 00:56:36,138
is leading to more and more
tragedies like this.
513
00:56:38,900 --> 00:56:40,500
Unless this trend is reversed,
514
00:56:40,500 --> 00:56:44,220
the future for much of
the Arctic's unique wildlife
515
00:56:44,219 --> 00:56:46,299
hangs in the balance.
516
00:56:52,538 --> 00:56:53,858
Next time...
517
00:56:55,379 --> 00:56:58,419
...we explore the unpredictable world
518
00:56:58,419 --> 00:57:00,579
of frozen peaks...
519
00:57:01,899 --> 00:57:03,739
...to discover the surprising animals
520
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...that live life...
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00:57:10,697 --> 00:57:11,697
...on the edge.
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The Open University has produced a
poster exploring how animals adapt
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to life in the world's coldest
environments.
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To order your free copy,
please call 0300 303 0553,
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or go to bbc.co.uk/frozenplanet2
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00:57:36,802 --> 00:57:38,422
...and follow
the links to The Open University.
36994
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