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The equator.
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00:00:46,811 --> 00:00:51,051
It runs across these scorched plains
of East Africa.
3
00:00:54,371 --> 00:00:58,451
This is as far from the poles
as you can get.
4
00:01:04,411 --> 00:01:08,251
But ice and snow are here too...
5
00:01:08,251 --> 00:01:10,131
...up in the mountains.
6
00:01:23,490 --> 00:01:28,210
Every continent on Earth
has such high snowfields.
7
00:01:41,770 --> 00:01:46,530
And each has its own community
of animals that have adapted
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00:01:46,530 --> 00:01:52,330
in their own way to the crushing
conditions that come with the cold.
9
00:02:19,489 --> 00:02:21,969
Dawn in East Africa,
10
00:02:21,969 --> 00:02:25,529
on the high slopes of Mount Kenya...
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00:02:25,529 --> 00:02:27,489
...4,000 metres up.
12
00:02:31,049 --> 00:02:35,849
The temperature is just beginning
to creep above freezing.
13
00:02:38,289 --> 00:02:41,249
It's hardly the place where
you would expect to find
14
00:02:41,249 --> 00:02:43,369
a cold-blooded reptile.
15
00:02:46,089 --> 00:02:49,089
But there is one that
lives up here -
16
00:02:49,089 --> 00:02:52,609
the high-casqued chameleon.
17
00:02:52,609 --> 00:02:56,569
This female has survived the
night's freezing temperatures
18
00:02:56,569 --> 00:02:59,289
by allowing both her metabolism
19
00:02:59,289 --> 00:03:03,089
and her heart rate
to drop significantly.
20
00:03:05,449 --> 00:03:09,729
Now, in the morning,
she needs to eat.
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00:03:14,968 --> 00:03:19,168
But it's so cold,
she can't move her legs.
22
00:03:25,648 --> 00:03:29,808
Her spring-loaded tongue,
however, still works.
23
00:03:47,208 --> 00:03:53,448
As the sun rises higher in the sky,
frozen land begins to thaw...
24
00:03:55,608 --> 00:03:58,568
...and the giant lobelias
spread their leaves
25
00:03:58,567 --> 00:04:00,927
to soak up the sunshine.
26
00:04:10,287 --> 00:04:14,727
With her body temperature still
only five degrees Celsius,
27
00:04:14,727 --> 00:04:18,447
the chameleon becomes more mobile...
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00:04:18,447 --> 00:04:22,087
...and climbs up to bask in the sun.
29
00:04:29,167 --> 00:04:31,487
Her skin darkens...
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00:04:32,847 --> 00:04:36,487
...enabling her to absorb
the sun's heat more quickly.
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00:04:38,327 --> 00:04:40,847
She is pregnant,
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00:04:40,847 --> 00:04:44,887
and soon her temperature
reaches 20 degrees Celsius,
33
00:04:44,887 --> 00:04:50,047
which gives her the energy
she needs to give birth.
34
00:04:59,006 --> 00:05:02,686
Most chameleon species lay eggs,
35
00:05:02,686 --> 00:05:06,806
but here it's too cold for an egg
to develop in the open...
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00:05:09,046 --> 00:05:12,366
...so she produces live young.
37
00:05:24,166 --> 00:05:27,646
It takes just an hour for her
to give birth
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00:05:27,646 --> 00:05:31,206
to six baby chameleons.
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00:05:35,286 --> 00:05:38,806
One of the advantages of life
on the frozen peaks
40
00:05:38,806 --> 00:05:41,366
is that there are fewer
predators here...
41
00:05:43,285 --> 00:05:46,805
...and less competition for food.
42
00:05:48,925 --> 00:05:52,565
But there's a reason why
comparatively few reptiles
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00:05:52,565 --> 00:05:54,725
live in the high mountains.
44
00:05:56,685 --> 00:06:01,005
As the sun sets, the temperature
falls to below zero
45
00:06:01,005 --> 00:06:03,405
in a matter of minutes.
46
00:06:08,405 --> 00:06:12,125
The babies must act fast.
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00:06:26,805 --> 00:06:29,405
To escape the nightly freeze,
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00:06:29,405 --> 00:06:32,795
they need the cover of
thick vegetation.
49
00:06:40,244 --> 00:06:43,444
A young chameleon caught out
in the cold
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00:06:43,444 --> 00:06:46,964
will quickly lose
its ability to move
51
00:06:46,964 --> 00:06:49,804
and may well die.
52
00:07:02,924 --> 00:07:06,284
Most, however, react instinctively
53
00:07:06,284 --> 00:07:09,524
and find shelter as quickly
as they can.
54
00:07:32,923 --> 00:07:36,203
Peaks on the equator,
such as Mount Kenya,
55
00:07:36,203 --> 00:07:40,283
are frost bound for only
a few hours each night.
56
00:07:43,763 --> 00:07:46,003
But north of the equator,
57
00:07:46,003 --> 00:07:49,363
in the 750-mile long
European Alps,
58
00:07:49,363 --> 00:07:52,243
the cold endures for months.
59
00:08:05,883 --> 00:08:10,883
The high mountains are continuously
frozen for half the year.
60
00:08:18,722 --> 00:08:23,762
A testing time for the Alps'
greatest aerial predator.
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00:08:29,922 --> 00:08:32,442
The golden eagle.
62
00:08:41,482 --> 00:08:45,962
In winter, there is just enough
prey up here, dead or alive,
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00:08:45,962 --> 00:08:47,802
to sustain them.
64
00:08:51,122 --> 00:08:55,802
But when spring arrives,
the mountains are transformed.
65
00:09:12,401 --> 00:09:17,561
For a male and
his lifelong partner...
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00:09:17,561 --> 00:09:20,601
...the need to find food is urgent.
67
00:09:24,481 --> 00:09:27,281
They have a three-week-old chick.
68
00:09:31,281 --> 00:09:35,401
It needs to be fed
several times a day.
69
00:09:39,521 --> 00:09:43,361
To do that,
both parents have to hunt.
70
00:09:49,681 --> 00:09:51,961
Yet, even in spring,
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00:09:51,961 --> 00:09:55,801
few animals live up here
in the high mountains,
72
00:09:55,801 --> 00:09:59,521
and finding prey is not easy.
73
00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:07,920
But chamois,
a kind of mountain goat,
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00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:10,960
are here, and they are giving birth.
75
00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:17,400
One of their kids can weigh
as much as an eagle.
76
00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:22,360
When eagles hunt as a pair,
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they co-ordinate their approach.
78
00:10:32,520 --> 00:10:34,760
One stoops...
79
00:10:36,360 --> 00:10:40,040
...reaching a speed of over 150mph.
80
00:10:52,479 --> 00:10:55,399
Its attack scatters the herd...
81
00:10:58,039 --> 00:11:02,439
...and that makes it easier for
the other to select a target.
82
00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:31,119
A successful catch.
83
00:11:35,919 --> 00:11:37,999
It could still be alive...
84
00:11:42,478 --> 00:11:46,678
...so the eagle carries it away,
high over the gorge...
85
00:11:50,158 --> 00:11:51,878
...and then...
86
00:11:53,398 --> 00:11:55,838
...deliberately drops it.
87
00:12:08,318 --> 00:12:11,718
The impact will kill it instantly.
88
00:12:48,877 --> 00:12:53,877
A chick can eat up to a third of
its own body weight in a day.
89
00:12:59,637 --> 00:13:02,517
Parents can't afford to rest
for long.
90
00:13:04,437 --> 00:13:08,077
Taking advantage of the
long summer days,
91
00:13:08,077 --> 00:13:11,397
eagles hunt ceaselessly.
92
00:13:25,156 --> 00:13:27,076
Day in...
93
00:13:28,236 --> 00:13:29,756
...day out.
94
00:13:34,236 --> 00:13:38,596
After eight weeks,
a chick is almost fully grown.
95
00:13:50,156 --> 00:13:53,476
And then,
as summer comes to an end,
96
00:13:53,476 --> 00:13:58,236
the pressure on parents to feed
their chicks disappears.
97
00:14:02,396 --> 00:14:05,516
Their young have flown the nest.
98
00:14:13,236 --> 00:14:15,476
And just in time.
99
00:14:16,835 --> 00:14:20,835
The worsening weather signals
that the leaner times of winter
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00:14:20,835 --> 00:14:22,755
are on their way.
101
00:14:25,275 --> 00:14:29,475
Finding prey has now
got much harder.
102
00:14:35,155 --> 00:14:38,875
The young chamois have
also grown up.
103
00:14:45,515 --> 00:14:51,115
A juvenile now weighs almost
five times as much as an eagle.
104
00:14:57,115 --> 00:15:02,155
Animals of this size are no longer
easy prey for the birds.
105
00:15:05,715 --> 00:15:08,705
They barely flinch under attack.
106
00:15:26,314 --> 00:15:31,314
But it's dangerous for a chamois
to stray close to a cliff edge.
107
00:15:33,194 --> 00:15:35,954
The eagles seize their chance.
108
00:15:53,354 --> 00:15:55,074
Got it.
109
00:15:57,434 --> 00:16:00,994
The eagle drags the chamois
towards the edge.
110
00:16:06,233 --> 00:16:09,473
It's an extremely risky move.
111
00:16:09,473 --> 00:16:13,073
If the eagle breaks a wing,
it will be fatal.
112
00:17:00,872 --> 00:17:05,752
A kill this size will feed
a pair for days.
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00:17:08,072 --> 00:17:11,312
This is when they must build up
the fat reserves
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00:17:11,312 --> 00:17:14,672
that they will need
to sustain themselves
115
00:17:14,672 --> 00:17:17,912
through the lean months
that lie ahead.
116
00:17:25,632 --> 00:17:29,552
Winters in the Alps are daunting.
117
00:17:29,552 --> 00:17:33,912
But in other mountain ranges,
the challenges are even harder.
118
00:17:39,832 --> 00:17:45,992
In the Far East, warm, wet winds
blow in across the Sea of Japan.
119
00:17:49,911 --> 00:17:53,391
As they meet the 3,000-metre
high Japanese Alps,
120
00:17:53,391 --> 00:17:55,871
they're forced upwards.
121
00:18:02,471 --> 00:18:06,391
As the moist air rises,
it freezes...
122
00:18:13,551 --> 00:18:17,831
...and the water droplets they carry
turn into snow.
123
00:18:24,271 --> 00:18:28,511
No two snow crystals are
exactly the same.
124
00:18:35,070 --> 00:18:38,270
In the mountains of Japan,
13 metres of snow
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00:18:38,270 --> 00:18:40,870
can fall in just a few months.
126
00:18:42,110 --> 00:18:45,470
It's the snowiest place on Earth.
127
00:18:51,110 --> 00:18:56,150
To survive here, an animal needs
all the help it can get.
128
00:19:03,710 --> 00:19:06,630
In winter, Japanese macaques
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00:19:06,630 --> 00:19:11,750
can live at altitudes of
up to 1,500 metres...
130
00:19:11,750 --> 00:19:15,350
...higher than almost
any other primate.
131
00:19:17,190 --> 00:19:20,510
But here, the warm volcanic pools
132
00:19:20,510 --> 00:19:22,750
are always ready and waiting.
133
00:19:25,389 --> 00:19:29,549
A nice hot bath lowers
stress hormones for them,
134
00:19:29,549 --> 00:19:31,789
just as it does for us.
135
00:19:41,469 --> 00:19:45,509
Admission to this spa, however,
is tightly controlled.
136
00:19:52,909 --> 00:19:56,789
The high-ranking females dictate
who is allowed in...
137
00:20:02,029 --> 00:20:04,709
...and who will be left out
in the cold.
138
00:20:17,308 --> 00:20:20,388
This three-year-old male
has recently been
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00:20:20,388 --> 00:20:22,588
expelled from his troop.
140
00:20:30,228 --> 00:20:32,428
He's hungry.
141
00:20:32,428 --> 00:20:35,428
Macaques are largely vegetarian.
142
00:20:36,828 --> 00:20:39,908
In the winter, when food
of any kind is scarce,
143
00:20:39,908 --> 00:20:43,268
they will tackle anything
remotely edible.
144
00:20:44,508 --> 00:20:48,668
However, a lone young male is
unlikely to survive much longer
145
00:20:48,668 --> 00:20:52,028
unless he can find a way
of keeping warm.
146
00:21:08,867 --> 00:21:12,507
And to do so,
he may have to travel through
147
00:21:12,507 --> 00:21:15,187
up to 50 miles of empty forest.
148
00:21:19,827 --> 00:21:24,867
Bare hands and feet
can become painfully cold.
149
00:21:29,027 --> 00:21:32,787
Rubbing them helps restore
the circulation.
150
00:21:35,707 --> 00:21:38,187
Frostbite could be fatal.
151
00:21:56,867 --> 00:22:00,747
Young male macaques
are most likely to die
152
00:22:00,746 --> 00:22:04,706
in their first winter
than at any other time.
153
00:22:13,106 --> 00:22:18,266
But just like him, here is another
young male outcast.
154
00:22:43,866 --> 00:22:47,786
Offering to groom is
a standard way of establishing
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00:22:47,786 --> 00:22:51,346
a friendly relationship
among macaques.
156
00:22:55,905 --> 00:23:00,305
And the stranger's warm embrace
is very welcome.
157
00:23:04,465 --> 00:23:09,265
By huddling together, they shield
each other from the snow,
158
00:23:09,265 --> 00:23:12,585
and both their temperatures rise...
159
00:23:12,585 --> 00:23:13,985
...just a little.
160
00:23:17,025 --> 00:23:22,545
This could be enough to save
the lives of both of them.
161
00:23:35,225 --> 00:23:40,105
Snow on lower mountain slopes
can be a major challenge
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00:23:40,105 --> 00:23:43,015
for any of the animals
that live there.
163
00:23:46,784 --> 00:23:52,744
On the high peaks, however, really
heavy snowfalls can be lethal.
164
00:23:56,384 --> 00:23:59,104
The Rockies in North America.
165
00:24:05,424 --> 00:24:10,504
They rise to heights of
over 4,400 metres.
166
00:24:13,344 --> 00:24:17,464
In the winter, the winds blowing
across the high summits
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can create snowy overhangs -
cornices - up to ten metres thick
168
00:24:22,144 --> 00:24:24,464
and weighing many tonnes.
169
00:24:26,424 --> 00:24:29,184
In the spring,
as the temperatures rise,
170
00:24:29,184 --> 00:24:32,744
the cornices may become unstable...
171
00:24:36,663 --> 00:24:39,183
...and that can be catastrophic.
172
00:24:49,623 --> 00:24:51,543
Avalanche.
173
00:24:57,943 --> 00:25:00,303
As it tumbles downwards,
174
00:25:00,303 --> 00:25:04,543
it accelerates to speeds
of 100mph or more.
175
00:25:13,623 --> 00:25:17,463
Only a racer drone camera
can follow its course.
176
00:25:41,902 --> 00:25:46,782
In just two minutes,
up to a million tonnes of snow
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00:25:46,782 --> 00:25:49,422
hurtle down the mountainside.
178
00:26:06,182 --> 00:26:09,422
Avalanches can be
hugely destructive,
179
00:26:09,422 --> 00:26:13,422
and climate change is making them
more and more unpredictable.
180
00:26:33,661 --> 00:26:37,381
In the South Pacific,
on the islands of New Zealand,
181
00:26:37,381 --> 00:26:41,621
one highly intelligent creature
has learned how to take advantage
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00:26:41,621 --> 00:26:45,101
of the volatile nature of mountains.
183
00:27:00,381 --> 00:27:02,181
The kea.
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00:27:04,781 --> 00:27:07,501
A species of parrot.
185
00:27:12,740 --> 00:27:18,100
It's the only one of its family
that can live above the snowline,
186
00:27:18,100 --> 00:27:23,860
and the only one that
actively looks for meat.
187
00:27:26,620 --> 00:27:29,740
The carcass of a mountain goat.
188
00:27:32,620 --> 00:27:36,980
This adult male kea
has a razor-sharp beak...
189
00:27:39,740 --> 00:27:42,700
...which is well suited for butchery.
190
00:27:46,420 --> 00:27:51,980
Flesh rich in calories will
help him through the winter.
191
00:27:55,460 --> 00:27:59,580
But he doesn't have it
for himself for long.
192
00:28:04,499 --> 00:28:07,579
A gang of juvenile keas.
193
00:28:24,499 --> 00:28:30,259
These younger keas shadow the older,
more experienced adults...
194
00:28:32,299 --> 00:28:35,739
...to learn the tricks
of mountain survival...
195
00:28:39,779 --> 00:28:42,419
...and where to find food.
196
00:28:43,699 --> 00:28:47,619
But while waiting their turn...
197
00:28:47,619 --> 00:28:50,739
...there's time to play.
198
00:29:13,738 --> 00:29:18,298
There's a benefit to this
apparently carefree behaviour.
199
00:29:18,298 --> 00:29:21,098
It helps establish
long-lasting relationships
200
00:29:21,098 --> 00:29:23,498
between the youngsters...
201
00:29:25,378 --> 00:29:28,498
...and even defuses tension...
202
00:29:34,778 --> 00:29:40,338
...so that when one kea finds
a rare but substantial meal...
203
00:29:40,338 --> 00:29:43,098
...it often willingly shares it.
204
00:29:50,417 --> 00:29:55,337
And that is very important
behaviour, particularly in winter,
205
00:29:55,337 --> 00:29:57,697
when food is so scarce.
206
00:30:08,257 --> 00:30:11,977
In larger mountain chains,
the quest for food
207
00:30:11,977 --> 00:30:14,857
can become even more demanding.
208
00:30:16,217 --> 00:30:19,577
The Andes in South America.
209
00:30:19,577 --> 00:30:22,177
The longest range on Earth.
210
00:30:23,177 --> 00:30:29,337
It stretches for over 4,500 miles
down towards the Antarctic.
211
00:30:36,896 --> 00:30:41,856
At its southernmost end,
the sun remains so low in the sky
212
00:30:41,856 --> 00:30:44,176
that it brings little warmth
213
00:30:44,176 --> 00:30:47,936
and temperatures regularly
drop below freezing.
214
00:31:01,976 --> 00:31:05,416
In winter, the land
is shrouded in darkness
215
00:31:05,416 --> 00:31:07,656
for almost 15 hours a day.
216
00:31:13,016 --> 00:31:17,656
Here, a predator has to hunt
when it's so dark
217
00:31:17,656 --> 00:31:23,416
that only a thermal camera can make
its activities visible to our eyes.
218
00:31:25,815 --> 00:31:27,615
The puma.
219
00:31:36,535 --> 00:31:41,295
This one-year-old female
faces a daunting prospect.
220
00:31:44,015 --> 00:31:47,415
She has just left her mother
and become independent
221
00:31:47,415 --> 00:31:50,375
at the most demanding time
of the year...
222
00:31:52,175 --> 00:31:55,215
...when prey is at its most scarce.
223
00:32:00,535 --> 00:32:04,695
The only substantial targets
are a kind of llama.
224
00:32:06,015 --> 00:32:07,775
Guanaco.
225
00:32:13,015 --> 00:32:18,525
An adult stands 1.5 metres tall
and is twice the puma's weight.
226
00:32:23,054 --> 00:32:27,614
This female, however,
has one advantage -
227
00:32:27,614 --> 00:32:30,334
excellent night-vision.
228
00:32:33,654 --> 00:32:38,174
If the youngster can get within
five metres of a guanaco,
229
00:32:38,174 --> 00:32:41,134
she has a chance of success.
230
00:32:50,534 --> 00:32:55,294
But the guanaco do have
a very acute sense of smell...
231
00:33:02,974 --> 00:33:05,294
...and excellent hearing.
232
00:33:12,253 --> 00:33:16,013
After six hours of patient
stalking from downwind...
233
00:33:19,133 --> 00:33:23,453
...the puma is finally
within striking distance.
234
00:33:54,053 --> 00:33:56,573
A wasted opportunity.
235
00:34:17,732 --> 00:34:21,332
Three failed attempts in one night
236
00:34:21,332 --> 00:34:23,892
have drained her reserves.
237
00:34:31,892 --> 00:34:36,972
Her inexperience is leaving
her close to starvation.
238
00:34:40,652 --> 00:34:44,252
Another faint scent.
239
00:34:48,652 --> 00:34:54,252
But it's leading this youngster
into the territory of another puma.
240
00:34:57,931 --> 00:35:02,651
Her neighbour, a female, is older
and more experienced than she is...
241
00:35:03,931 --> 00:35:06,971
...and has already made
a successful kill.
242
00:35:09,371 --> 00:35:12,731
The younger female must approach
with caution.
243
00:35:15,051 --> 00:35:17,731
Adult pumas are solitary
by nature...
244
00:35:20,971 --> 00:35:23,891
...and don't normally welcome rivals.
245
00:35:34,851 --> 00:35:39,451
She falls back in a gesture
of submission.
246
00:35:50,410 --> 00:35:53,850
But if she doesn't eat
within the next few days,
247
00:35:53,850 --> 00:35:56,330
she's unlikely to survive.
248
00:36:01,730 --> 00:36:05,770
The larger female is now
no longer actively feeding...
249
00:36:07,330 --> 00:36:10,170
...so she makes another approach.
250
00:36:45,209 --> 00:36:49,329
At last, the owner ignores her.
251
00:36:56,009 --> 00:36:59,289
Pumas are the only solitary big cat
252
00:36:59,289 --> 00:37:02,289
known to share a meal
with a neighbour.
253
00:37:10,289 --> 00:37:13,289
Maybe the young puma,
with the help of its neighbour,
254
00:37:13,289 --> 00:37:16,609
will, after all,
survive her first winter.
255
00:37:18,409 --> 00:37:21,649
And maybe the older cat one day
256
00:37:21,649 --> 00:37:25,329
will be in need
of a favour returned.
257
00:37:36,168 --> 00:37:39,688
The lower slopes of the Andes
are harsh.
258
00:37:42,848 --> 00:37:47,848
But climb higher, and the mountains
become otherworldly.
259
00:37:53,408 --> 00:37:58,168
Their altitude prevents rain clouds
from blowing in from the east...
260
00:38:00,248 --> 00:38:03,888
...whilst another lower range,
nearer the west coast,
261
00:38:03,888 --> 00:38:07,288
prevents rain coming in from
the Pacific Ocean.
262
00:38:08,448 --> 00:38:11,728
This creates, between them,
one of the driest
263
00:38:11,728 --> 00:38:15,088
high-altitude deserts on Earth...
264
00:38:15,088 --> 00:38:17,328
...the Atacama.
265
00:38:19,767 --> 00:38:23,327
There is, nonetheless,
a lake here -
266
00:38:23,327 --> 00:38:26,687
a volcanic one that is filled
with extremely salty water
267
00:38:26,687 --> 00:38:28,447
from underground.
268
00:38:31,287 --> 00:38:34,127
And this attracts flamingos.
269
00:38:41,367 --> 00:38:44,007
They come here each summer.
270
00:38:45,927 --> 00:38:48,807
And here they nest
and raise their young,
271
00:38:48,807 --> 00:38:52,207
taking advantage of the lake's
plentiful algae.
272
00:38:56,767 --> 00:38:59,727
But with the arrival of winter,
273
00:38:59,727 --> 00:39:03,167
temperatures at night drop
to below freezing...
274
00:39:06,607 --> 00:39:12,567
...conditions that even these
hardy birds cannot endure for long.
275
00:39:15,286 --> 00:39:18,806
The adults start to leave and
head for warmer temperatures
276
00:39:18,806 --> 00:39:21,246
lower down the mountain.
277
00:39:45,206 --> 00:39:49,046
But they leave behind
their four-month-old chicks,
278
00:39:49,046 --> 00:39:51,406
which are old enough
to feed themselves
279
00:39:51,406 --> 00:39:54,086
but not yet strong enough to fly.
280
00:39:59,285 --> 00:40:03,885
With each passing night,
temperatures continue to fall.
281
00:40:12,005 --> 00:40:18,245
And then, one morning,
after a particularly cold night,
282
00:40:18,245 --> 00:40:22,685
the chicks find themselves
surrounded by ice.
283
00:40:28,085 --> 00:40:33,525
Huddling together allows some
to preserve precious body heat.
284
00:40:36,125 --> 00:40:39,285
But those on the outside
285
00:40:39,285 --> 00:40:41,805
are left even more exposed.
286
00:40:45,765 --> 00:40:50,205
And some have already succumbed
to the freezing conditions.
287
00:40:53,764 --> 00:40:56,444
The salty ice is now so cold
288
00:40:56,444 --> 00:40:59,124
that it congeals on
the chicks' feathers.
289
00:41:01,644 --> 00:41:06,604
Weighed down, their chances
of flying are even more remote.
290
00:41:13,204 --> 00:41:17,484
Now 40mph winds whip
across the lake,
291
00:41:17,484 --> 00:41:20,444
driving down temperatures
even further.
292
00:41:41,124 --> 00:41:44,284
Yet this very wind
that could kill them
293
00:41:44,283 --> 00:41:46,763
might just be their saviour.
294
00:41:50,603 --> 00:41:53,763
The youngsters turn to face it.
295
00:41:59,003 --> 00:42:02,323
If they can catch it just right,
it could give them
296
00:42:02,323 --> 00:42:05,803
the lift they need to take
their very first flight.
297
00:42:33,003 --> 00:42:37,403
For those encumbered with
heavy loads of ice...
298
00:42:37,402 --> 00:42:40,202
...the struggle is almost too much.
299
00:42:55,802 --> 00:42:58,482
Freedom at last.
300
00:43:11,962 --> 00:43:15,602
Many animals that live
amongst the frozen peaks
301
00:43:15,602 --> 00:43:19,402
have over thousands of years
become adapted
302
00:43:19,402 --> 00:43:23,882
to meet the challenges of
a high-altitude existence.
303
00:43:28,321 --> 00:43:32,001
But now their world is changing
304
00:43:32,001 --> 00:43:34,761
because of global warming.
305
00:43:43,241 --> 00:43:47,241
Ice that has remained frozen deep
within mountain glaciers
306
00:43:47,241 --> 00:43:49,801
is starting to melt...
307
00:43:57,801 --> 00:44:00,641
...accelerating their movement.
308
00:44:27,520 --> 00:44:31,080
Over the three years that
it took to film this series,
309
00:44:31,080 --> 00:44:36,680
the Quelccaya Ice Cap,
5,500m up in the Peruvian Andes,
310
00:44:36,680 --> 00:44:40,640
has receded by a staggering
60 metres.
311
00:44:45,160 --> 00:44:49,040
In Europe, some alpine glaciers
are now shrinking
312
00:44:49,040 --> 00:44:51,880
by 100 metres a year.
313
00:45:02,080 --> 00:45:06,280
One of them - the Sankt Annafirn
Glacier, in Switzerland -
314
00:45:06,280 --> 00:45:08,680
has almost completely disappeared.
315
00:45:11,479 --> 00:45:14,639
Most of the others are expected
to have followed it
316
00:45:14,639 --> 00:45:16,999
by the turn of the century.
317
00:45:30,599 --> 00:45:35,039
The warming of the frozen slopes
could threaten the life of perhaps
318
00:45:35,039 --> 00:45:38,079
the most famous
mountain resident of all.
319
00:45:44,399 --> 00:45:48,319
Hidden within the bamboo forests
of western China...
320
00:45:50,079 --> 00:45:55,439
...is a hot and bothered
male giant panda.
321
00:46:04,718 --> 00:46:09,318
He has spent the winter
sheltering lower down the valley.
322
00:46:11,438 --> 00:46:13,838
Now it's early summer,
323
00:46:13,838 --> 00:46:17,358
and his thick coat that protected
him throughout the winter
324
00:46:17,358 --> 00:46:20,478
has become very uncomfortable.
325
00:46:23,598 --> 00:46:28,278
He needs to reach the cold
of the higher slopes.
326
00:46:30,518 --> 00:46:33,038
But before he can start the ascent,
327
00:46:33,038 --> 00:46:36,798
he needs a good meal to give him
the necessary energy.
328
00:46:51,437 --> 00:46:56,637
Giant pandas eat almost nothing
except bamboo.
329
00:47:00,277 --> 00:47:03,717
But bamboo is so low in calories
330
00:47:03,717 --> 00:47:07,557
that he needs to spend ten hours
a day eating.
331
00:47:12,237 --> 00:47:14,197
With breakfast over...
332
00:47:16,477 --> 00:47:19,397
...he begins his climb
to higher ground.
333
00:47:32,877 --> 00:47:36,357
But in no time at all...
334
00:47:37,917 --> 00:47:40,197
...he's hungry again.
335
00:47:49,396 --> 00:47:53,036
This is going to be a long journey.
336
00:48:00,676 --> 00:48:05,636
And it may be an even longer one
in the near future.
337
00:48:08,476 --> 00:48:13,196
As climate change raises the
temperature in these mountains,
338
00:48:13,196 --> 00:48:17,276
giant pandas may well need to
climb higher and higher
339
00:48:17,276 --> 00:48:20,236
to find cooler conditions.
340
00:48:27,756 --> 00:48:31,436
But the cold-loving bamboo
they most favour
341
00:48:31,436 --> 00:48:34,436
cannot move so easily...
342
00:48:35,995 --> 00:48:41,115
...and may disappear from the
warmer lower slopes altogether.
343
00:48:49,315 --> 00:48:54,235
So far, these snow-covered peaks
continue to provide
344
00:48:54,235 --> 00:48:58,235
this male with enough space
to feed and find a mate.
345
00:49:00,875 --> 00:49:06,715
So, he scent-marks his territory
panda-style -
346
00:49:06,715 --> 00:49:09,275
with a handstand.
347
00:49:13,435 --> 00:49:16,275
It may well be that in
the next few decades
348
00:49:16,275 --> 00:49:19,155
the mountains of the world
will warm.
349
00:49:23,155 --> 00:49:27,465
Should that happen, many species
will inevitably disappear.
350
00:49:33,474 --> 00:49:37,834
But we should never forget
the versatility and endurance
351
00:49:37,834 --> 00:49:41,634
of the animals that have succeeded
in colonising...
352
00:49:43,434 --> 00:49:47,234
...these icy islands in the sky.
353
00:50:06,074 --> 00:50:10,114
In the frozen peaks,
the team's greatest challenge
354
00:50:10,114 --> 00:50:15,154
was to film a successful puma hunt
at night for the first time.
355
00:50:19,953 --> 00:50:24,193
The crew travelled to Patagonia
in the depths of winter
356
00:50:24,193 --> 00:50:28,873
to Torres del Paine,
home to over 200 pumas,
357
00:50:28,873 --> 00:50:31,713
the highest density on Earth.
358
00:50:35,873 --> 00:50:38,793
Still, to find them in this
remote wilderness
359
00:50:38,793 --> 00:50:41,113
greater than the size of London,
360
00:50:41,113 --> 00:50:44,913
they joined the local puma expert,
Diego Araya,
361
00:50:44,913 --> 00:50:49,553
who has over 20 years' experience
of tracking these big cats.
362
00:50:49,553 --> 00:50:52,393
This is something
completely new for us,
363
00:50:52,393 --> 00:50:56,073
because we've never been actually
in pitch-black following cats.
364
00:50:56,073 --> 00:50:59,553
And being able to keep up
with it on foot
365
00:50:59,553 --> 00:51:03,073
I think is going to be
an incredible task.
366
00:51:04,233 --> 00:51:07,113
This far south,
at the tip of South America,
367
00:51:07,113 --> 00:51:10,033
winter only gives them
nine hours of daylight
368
00:51:10,032 --> 00:51:13,192
to find the pumas
before night descends.
369
00:51:17,352 --> 00:51:22,112
But it's not long until they are
treated to a surprise encounter.
370
00:51:23,792 --> 00:51:26,632
Definitely, we are not part
of the menu, huh?
371
00:51:27,832 --> 00:51:31,232
Getting this close to a wild puma
is a rare privilege
372
00:51:31,232 --> 00:51:33,752
for camerawoman Helen Hobin.
373
00:51:35,272 --> 00:51:39,352
It's very surreal, actually,
being in real life and seeing one.
374
00:51:41,432 --> 00:51:45,752
By day, these well-studied
pumas are approachable.
375
00:51:49,432 --> 00:51:53,272
But as dusk descends,
they pick up the pace
376
00:51:53,272 --> 00:51:55,872
as they switch to hunting mode.
377
00:51:58,312 --> 00:52:01,272
We're just going into
the pitch-black pretty soon,
378
00:52:01,271 --> 00:52:04,791
and we have to rely on thermal
the rest of the night.
379
00:52:04,791 --> 00:52:08,391
Armed with a state-of-the-art
thermal-imaging camera
380
00:52:08,391 --> 00:52:11,751
and spotting scopes,
they attempt to follow
381
00:52:11,751 --> 00:52:14,351
the puma in the pitch-black.
382
00:52:14,351 --> 00:52:17,031
The cats are moving so fast
at the moment,
383
00:52:17,031 --> 00:52:19,471
and they can cover miles.
384
00:52:19,471 --> 00:52:22,631
It's quite hard to keep up,
with all of our equipment,
385
00:52:22,631 --> 00:52:25,311
and not really being able to
see where you're going.
386
00:52:30,631 --> 00:52:35,711
A few hours later, and the pumas
have given them the runaround.
387
00:52:35,711 --> 00:52:38,031
You see a heat signal on the hill?
388
00:52:39,471 --> 00:52:41,191
Do you see her?
389
00:52:41,191 --> 00:52:43,511
Yeah, I think we've got
eyes on them.
390
00:52:43,511 --> 00:52:46,271
Where is she? Among the guanaco.
391
00:52:49,831 --> 00:52:54,031
I feel like we had a puma that
we all lost, somehow.
392
00:52:55,470 --> 00:52:57,630
But I'm pretty sure
we've been standing here
393
00:52:57,630 --> 00:53:00,150
staring at a bush with a hare in it.
394
00:53:04,830 --> 00:53:09,470
As weeks pass, the crew
experience the full force
395
00:53:09,470 --> 00:53:11,310
of the Patagonian winter -
396
00:53:11,310 --> 00:53:16,070
100mph gusts of wind
and blizzard conditions.
397
00:53:16,070 --> 00:53:18,910
It's just one thing after another
at the moment.
398
00:53:23,830 --> 00:53:26,350
Finally, with a break
in the weather,
399
00:53:26,350 --> 00:53:28,790
their persistence pays off.
400
00:53:28,790 --> 00:53:31,110
The situation is that
we found a puma
401
00:53:31,110 --> 00:53:33,350
and there's a group of guanacos.
402
00:53:33,350 --> 00:53:36,630
This could be the break
the team need and offer them
403
00:53:36,630 --> 00:53:39,830
the opportunity to film
a night hunt.
404
00:53:41,110 --> 00:53:46,630
To optimise their chances,
Helen launches her secret weapon.
405
00:53:49,469 --> 00:53:53,949
A thermal camera drone that will
act as their eyes in the sky...
406
00:53:55,549 --> 00:53:59,029
...guiding the ground crew
to within 20 metres
407
00:53:59,029 --> 00:54:00,949
of the hunting big cat.
408
00:54:02,789 --> 00:54:05,349
It's pitch black, there's a puma.
409
00:54:07,189 --> 00:54:09,789
It's a little bit unnerving.
410
00:54:16,629 --> 00:54:18,949
She's off, she's moving.
411
00:54:23,109 --> 00:54:25,589
She was so close to that one
just there.
412
00:54:25,589 --> 00:54:28,749
She just didn't quite reach it.
It was like that close.
413
00:54:30,229 --> 00:54:31,989
Super frustrating,
414
00:54:31,989 --> 00:54:35,229
because now we get to walk
many more miles.
415
00:54:36,748 --> 00:54:40,748
Over the coming nights, the team
continues to follow the young puma
416
00:54:40,748 --> 00:54:43,588
as she attempts hunt after hunt.
417
00:54:44,748 --> 00:54:46,708
It's just a roller-coaster
all the time.
418
00:54:46,708 --> 00:54:49,348
Something looks like it's going
to happen, your adrenaline gets
419
00:54:49,348 --> 00:54:51,908
pumping, trying to get the shot,
and then just...
420
00:54:55,068 --> 00:54:57,868
Lost count of how many
failed attempts.
421
00:54:59,388 --> 00:55:01,068
Too many.
422
00:55:06,268 --> 00:55:09,988
With only a week left to film
a successful night hunt,
423
00:55:09,988 --> 00:55:13,108
the pressure is mounting
on the crew.
424
00:55:13,108 --> 00:55:17,668
We're still struggling to get the
key behaviour we're looking for.
425
00:55:21,108 --> 00:55:25,108
But then the young female does
something truly remarkable.
426
00:55:27,347 --> 00:55:30,027
She didn't manage to
make a kill, but she came across
427
00:55:30,027 --> 00:55:32,907
another cat that has, and she's been
slowly over the course of the last -
428
00:55:32,907 --> 00:55:35,347
I don't know how long,
I think it's been hours -
429
00:55:35,347 --> 00:55:37,427
creeping towards her,
really submissively,
430
00:55:37,427 --> 00:55:39,907
trying to ask for a bit of food.
431
00:55:43,667 --> 00:55:46,707
It's quite the experience
when you're standing
432
00:55:46,707 --> 00:55:48,867
in their proximity
and you can't see them
433
00:55:48,867 --> 00:55:51,667
but you can just hear
the crunching of the bones.
434
00:55:54,267 --> 00:55:56,347
It's just so amazing to see.
435
00:55:56,347 --> 00:55:59,507
You can hear it echoing all around
as well when they growl.
436
00:55:59,507 --> 00:56:01,867
Ooh!
437
00:56:05,907 --> 00:56:10,867
Until recently, pumas were
considered solitary animals,
438
00:56:10,867 --> 00:56:13,987
but the crew's success
with the thermal camera
439
00:56:13,987 --> 00:56:18,667
reveals two unrelated cats
sharing the same kill at night.
440
00:56:22,306 --> 00:56:27,466
You realise how far they are
from solitary individuals.
441
00:56:27,466 --> 00:56:30,226
This is like a fellowship
of creatures
442
00:56:30,226 --> 00:56:32,786
living in the same territory.
443
00:56:35,146 --> 00:56:39,186
New technology has shed light
on the surprising survival
444
00:56:39,186 --> 00:56:41,986
strategy of the Andean puma.
445
00:56:46,226 --> 00:56:49,066
Just one of the many
mysterious animals
446
00:56:49,066 --> 00:56:53,186
that inhabit our planet's
remote frozen peaks.
447
00:57:00,786 --> 00:57:05,146
Next time, Antarctica...
448
00:57:05,146 --> 00:57:08,186
...the most hostile frozen
world of all.
449
00:57:10,545 --> 00:57:14,465
Its life finds a way not just
to survive...
450
00:57:17,425 --> 00:57:19,025
...but thrive...
451
00:57:20,865 --> 00:57:24,945
...in some of the greatest
concentrations of life on Earth.
452
00:57:27,745 --> 00:57:31,345
The Open University has produced
a poster exploring how animals
453
00:57:31,345 --> 00:57:34,145
adapt to life in the world's
coldest environments.
454
00:57:34,145 --> 00:57:40,385
To order your free copy,
please call 0300 303 0553,
455
00:57:40,385 --> 00:57:45,305
or go to bbc.co.uk/frozenplanet2
456
00:57:45,305 --> 00:57:47,545
and follow the links to
the Open University.
35215
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