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At the far south of our planet
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00:00:43,403 --> 00:00:46,923
lies the most hostile
of the Earth's frozen lands.
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00:00:51,042 --> 00:00:52,562
Antarctica.
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00:00:56,082 --> 00:00:57,922
Here, temperatures can fall
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00:00:57,922 --> 00:01:00,842
to below minus 80 degrees Celsius...
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...and winds blow up to 200mph.
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00:01:11,641 --> 00:01:17,001
Its icy centre
is almost devoid of life.
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00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:25,920
But on the edge of Antarctica,
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some creatures find a way
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00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:30,960
not just to survive,
but to flourish.
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00:01:35,879 --> 00:01:39,319
Here are some of the greatest
concentrations of life
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00:01:39,319 --> 00:01:41,599
to be found anywhere on Earth.
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00:01:56,638 --> 00:01:58,918
The continent of Antarctica
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00:01:58,918 --> 00:02:01,558
lies at the southern end
of the globe.
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00:02:03,397 --> 00:02:05,477
Twice the size of Australia,
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00:02:05,477 --> 00:02:09,557
it's the largest, coldest
expanse of land on the planet.
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00:02:11,557 --> 00:02:13,437
To the north of it, however,
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00:02:13,437 --> 00:02:15,717
across 1,000 miles of ocean,
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00:02:15,717 --> 00:02:19,117
lie the subantarctic islands,
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00:02:19,116 --> 00:02:23,356
where conditions are
somewhat less hostile to life.
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00:02:25,156 --> 00:02:28,396
The largest of them
is South Georgia.
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00:02:37,755 --> 00:02:43,195
Here, a million king penguins
live and breed the year round.
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00:02:53,354 --> 00:02:57,394
A mother has returned
after a month at sea...
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00:03:02,794 --> 00:03:06,074
...collecting food
for her hungry chick.
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00:03:14,233 --> 00:03:18,553
At ten months old, chicks are
the size of a human toddler,
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00:03:18,553 --> 00:03:22,073
and covered in no more
than a downy fleece.
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00:03:26,072 --> 00:03:28,392
Until they get
their waterproof feathers,
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00:03:28,392 --> 00:03:32,752
they themselves cannot go to sea...
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00:03:34,232 --> 00:03:37,552
...so they have to rely totally
on their parents
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00:03:37,551 --> 00:03:39,831
to bring them food.
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00:03:41,391 --> 00:03:44,591
Their time together is brief -
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just long enough to disgorge
her crop of fish and squid.
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All too soon,
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00:03:57,110 --> 00:04:01,310
parents have to return to sea
to collect more.
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00:04:09,509 --> 00:04:11,149
But getting back there
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00:04:11,149 --> 00:04:12,909
can take several hours.
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00:04:16,149 --> 00:04:20,069
Hundreds of parents
make the commute together.
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00:04:22,868 --> 00:04:27,428
A beak can be used as an ice-pick
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00:04:27,428 --> 00:04:30,948
to negotiate the steeper parts
of their trek.
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00:04:36,028 --> 00:04:39,788
This mile-long snow-covered trudge
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00:04:39,787 --> 00:04:42,267
is unique to this colony,
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00:04:42,267 --> 00:04:44,947
and has never been seen before.
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00:04:56,986 --> 00:04:59,786
At last, the sea.
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00:05:06,186 --> 00:05:08,426
After several days on land,
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00:05:08,426 --> 00:05:10,826
their feathers need washing
to be ready
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00:05:10,825 --> 00:05:13,865
for the long days of swimming
that lie ahead.
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00:05:23,705 --> 00:05:28,375
But this is a dangerous place
to loiter.
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00:05:58,542 --> 00:05:59,902
Leopard seals.
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00:06:01,502 --> 00:06:03,182
Three metres long,
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00:06:03,182 --> 00:06:06,462
more than three times
the size of a king penguin,
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00:06:06,462 --> 00:06:10,462
these fearsome hunters
are usually solitary.
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00:06:16,941 --> 00:06:19,381
But at this time of the year,
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00:06:19,381 --> 00:06:24,581
in this bay, there are
as many as 30 of them.
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00:06:30,620 --> 00:06:34,220
If these penguins think
that they're safe on land...
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00:06:35,820 --> 00:06:38,660
...they are mistaken.
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00:07:01,858 --> 00:07:04,738
Any one of these huge seals
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00:07:04,738 --> 00:07:08,818
can take as many
as ten penguins a day.
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00:07:22,417 --> 00:07:24,377
Their best chance...
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00:07:25,657 --> 00:07:28,017
...is to stay with the crowd.
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00:07:33,896 --> 00:07:35,936
There's safety in numbers.
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00:08:01,974 --> 00:08:03,934
Made it.
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00:08:10,014 --> 00:08:13,414
Only to return in a month's time...
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00:08:13,414 --> 00:08:17,574
...and once again face death head-on.
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00:08:21,133 --> 00:08:24,213
This is surely
one of the greatest challenges
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00:08:24,213 --> 00:08:26,093
faced by any parent.
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00:08:35,492 --> 00:08:38,652
1,500 miles off the continent's
east coast
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lies another of the tiny outposts
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00:08:41,812 --> 00:08:45,572
that are vital for the survival
of Antarctic wildlife.
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00:08:48,811 --> 00:08:52,931
The Sub-Antarctic Islands
of the Antipodes.
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00:08:56,811 --> 00:09:01,131
In spring, the longer days
turn each tiny speck of land
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00:09:01,131 --> 00:09:03,371
into a potential breeding ground...
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00:09:05,410 --> 00:09:08,930
...for the Antipodean
wandering albatross.
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00:09:17,170 --> 00:09:20,170
Its wings are three metres across,
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amongst the biggest of any bird.
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00:09:27,049 --> 00:09:29,889
This 14-year-old male
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00:09:29,889 --> 00:09:33,609
is now mature enough
to start selecting a partner.
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00:09:36,688 --> 00:09:39,248
For the smaller, darker female,
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00:09:39,248 --> 00:09:43,008
choosing a suitable mate
is of equal importance.
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00:09:48,088 --> 00:09:50,008
After all,
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00:09:50,007 --> 00:09:53,567
they may stay together
for the next 50 years.
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00:09:57,487 --> 00:09:59,687
To make this crucial decision,
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00:09:59,687 --> 00:10:02,847
they use one of the most
elaborate courtship rituals
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00:10:02,847 --> 00:10:04,447
of any sea bird.
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00:10:04,446 --> 00:10:08,526
He begins by sky-pointing.
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00:10:20,805 --> 00:10:22,885
It seems to be working.
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00:10:37,324 --> 00:10:40,844
Next, he attempts a move...
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00:10:40,844 --> 00:10:43,764
...known as the double head-bob.
88
00:11:00,803 --> 00:11:03,923
The finale is the real decider.
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00:11:05,203 --> 00:11:07,963
Synchronised wing-spreading.
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00:11:14,562 --> 00:11:15,962
She seems impressed.
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00:11:22,721 --> 00:11:25,041
But another male appears...
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00:11:31,201 --> 00:11:32,561
...and shows off...
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00:11:34,401 --> 00:11:36,521
...his wings.
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00:11:36,521 --> 00:11:38,521
The greater the span,
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00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:40,840
the more attractive he could be.
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00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:43,760
But the first male won't tolerate
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a rival cutting in.
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00:11:55,759 --> 00:11:59,559
Yet another hopeful
joins in the competition.
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00:12:00,599 --> 00:12:02,079
And another.
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00:12:08,838 --> 00:12:11,838
This was not supposed to be
a dance-off.
101
00:12:14,838 --> 00:12:18,358
She prefers one tango at a time.
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00:12:26,517 --> 00:12:32,637
It seems that this is not
going to be his year after all.
103
00:12:41,316 --> 00:12:45,036
But he's caught the eye
of another albatross.
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00:12:53,876 --> 00:12:57,956
Once again, he begins
his courtship display.
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00:13:06,355 --> 00:13:10,195
But this is, in fact,
another male.
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00:13:18,234 --> 00:13:23,154
Regardless, he continues
to demonstrate his eligibility.
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00:13:36,393 --> 00:13:38,553
This could still be the one
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00:13:38,553 --> 00:13:42,153
with whom he will share
the rest of his life.
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00:13:54,192 --> 00:13:59,072
On the Antipodes Islands, it's
becoming increasingly common.
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00:13:59,071 --> 00:14:05,071
Today, there are three times
as many males as females.
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00:14:11,551 --> 00:14:14,551
Females feed further north
than the males,
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00:14:14,550 --> 00:14:17,910
in waters used
by industrial fishing fleets
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00:14:17,910 --> 00:14:21,390
that catch and drown
great numbers of sea birds.
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00:14:24,910 --> 00:14:28,430
As a result,
the female albatross here
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00:14:28,430 --> 00:14:30,430
is now declining fast.
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00:14:38,349 --> 00:14:41,949
A same-sex partnership like this
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00:14:41,949 --> 00:14:45,029
may bring no survival advantage...
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00:14:46,668 --> 00:14:52,228
...but is apparently preferable
to a life alone.
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00:15:02,267 --> 00:15:06,747
The wealth of life found around
Antarctica's lonely islands
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00:15:06,747 --> 00:15:10,747
is evidence of the richness of
the waters that surround them.
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00:15:13,107 --> 00:15:15,227
The Southern Ocean.
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00:15:25,426 --> 00:15:27,866
It may appear treacherous.
123
00:15:27,866 --> 00:15:32,346
Its gale-force winds certainly
create powerful currents.
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00:15:38,025 --> 00:15:41,825
But all this stirring
has an important effect.
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00:15:48,144 --> 00:15:50,824
It brings up nutrients
from the depths,
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00:15:50,824 --> 00:15:54,464
helping to create some
of the richest seas on Earth.
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00:16:02,063 --> 00:16:05,823
And this provides food
for the largest animal
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00:16:05,823 --> 00:16:07,543
to have ever lived.
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00:16:16,063 --> 00:16:18,583
The Antarctic blue whale.
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00:16:33,901 --> 00:16:36,101
It's more than 30 metres long...
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00:16:39,061 --> 00:16:41,581
...but it's rarely
been filmed before.
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00:17:02,940 --> 00:17:04,660
Only the Southern Ocean
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can provide the four tonnes of food
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00:17:07,659 --> 00:17:11,539
that the biggest of all
blue whales needs every day.
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00:17:19,778 --> 00:17:23,618
This ocean giant was
almost hunted to extinction,
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00:17:23,618 --> 00:17:26,178
but thanks to an international ban
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00:17:26,178 --> 00:17:28,018
on commercial whaling,
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00:17:28,018 --> 00:17:30,658
its numbers are now increasing.
139
00:18:01,496 --> 00:18:05,856
The closer the seas are
to mainland Antarctica...
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00:18:08,215 --> 00:18:09,935
...the colder they become...
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00:18:17,735 --> 00:18:20,975
...until, a few hundred miles
offshore,
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00:18:20,975 --> 00:18:24,805
the ocean's surface freezes solid.
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00:18:32,254 --> 00:18:34,934
It forms a cover of sea ice
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00:18:34,934 --> 00:18:37,734
that is twice the size of Europe
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00:18:37,733 --> 00:18:40,773
and encircles the entire continent.
146
00:18:45,293 --> 00:18:47,413
This is a stronghold
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00:18:47,413 --> 00:18:51,213
for one of Antarctica's
most remarkable inhabitants.
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00:18:58,892 --> 00:19:01,052
It uses its teeth
149
00:19:01,052 --> 00:19:04,612
to prevent its breathing holes
from freezing over.
150
00:19:12,331 --> 00:19:14,251
The Weddell seal.
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00:19:17,211 --> 00:19:20,611
The most southerly breeding
mammal on the planet.
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00:19:28,770 --> 00:19:30,410
This ten-day-old pup
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00:19:30,410 --> 00:19:33,850
is still entirely dependent
on his mother.
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00:19:37,610 --> 00:19:39,730
Out on the ice,
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00:19:39,729 --> 00:19:42,969
it may be safe
from marine predators...
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00:19:42,969 --> 00:19:46,169
...but within its first two weeks,
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00:19:46,169 --> 00:19:49,409
it will have to venture
into the underwater world
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00:19:49,409 --> 00:19:52,529
upon which its future depends.
159
00:19:58,768 --> 00:20:02,488
This is the coldest water on Earth.
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00:20:13,007 --> 00:20:15,367
So it's not surprising
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00:20:15,367 --> 00:20:18,487
that a pup needs some encouragement.
162
00:20:24,487 --> 00:20:28,047
It's time to leave the safety
of the breathing hole.
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00:20:35,366 --> 00:20:38,766
To catch fish
and then safely return,
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00:20:38,766 --> 00:20:41,326
this pup must learn
how to find his way
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00:20:41,325 --> 00:20:44,805
through the maze
of underwater ice caverns.
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00:21:00,964 --> 00:21:03,844
But after just eight minutes...
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00:21:05,124 --> 00:21:09,444
...his mother signals
that it's time to head back.
168
00:21:13,523 --> 00:21:16,843
She can hold her breath
for an hour and a half.
169
00:21:18,323 --> 00:21:20,683
But he is already starting to tire
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00:21:20,683 --> 00:21:22,563
and is running out of air.
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00:21:25,683 --> 00:21:28,123
On their way back
to their breathing hole,
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00:21:28,122 --> 00:21:32,842
they hear a sound
as loud as a fighter jet.
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00:21:39,082 --> 00:21:44,922
It is the call of a half-tonne
male Weddell seal
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announcing that
he's on the lookout for a mate.
175
00:22:03,120 --> 00:22:07,000
She, however, is still
producing milk for her pup,
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00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:10,040
and so isn't sexually receptive.
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But he doesn't stop trying.
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00:22:16,759 --> 00:22:20,159
To repel his advances,
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00:22:20,159 --> 00:22:22,319
she leaves her pup's side.
180
00:22:35,518 --> 00:22:37,478
But the pup isn't strong enough
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00:22:37,478 --> 00:22:41,118
to haul himself out
without his mother's help.
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00:22:50,757 --> 00:22:53,397
She tries to fight off
the adult male.
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00:23:24,395 --> 00:23:26,595
She's wounded him so seriously
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00:23:26,595 --> 00:23:30,955
that he is unlikely
to be back any time soon.
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00:23:41,714 --> 00:23:44,834
A gentle nudge from Mother
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00:23:44,834 --> 00:23:47,914
is all an exhausted pup needs
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00:23:47,913 --> 00:23:51,233
to make it to the safety
of the sea ice.
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00:23:58,793 --> 00:24:02,593
Mothers stay with their pups
for six weeks,
189
00:24:02,593 --> 00:24:06,513
by which time they're strong
enough to fend for themselves.
190
00:24:19,831 --> 00:24:23,791
As spring arrives,
the sea ice retreats,
191
00:24:23,791 --> 00:24:27,191
and in a few places,
Antarctica's coast
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00:24:27,191 --> 00:24:29,671
is exposed to the open sea.
193
00:24:33,391 --> 00:24:37,151
And that attracts
all kinds of animals.
194
00:24:49,230 --> 00:24:51,190
Having spent the winter at sea,
195
00:24:51,189 --> 00:24:54,829
chinstrap penguins can now
come ashore to breed.
196
00:24:56,029 --> 00:25:00,309
Soon, the coast becomes
extremely crowded.
197
00:25:03,669 --> 00:25:07,389
But there are ways
to maintain social distance.
198
00:25:28,587 --> 00:25:30,187
Oh, dear.
199
00:25:33,347 --> 00:25:36,067
The chicks,
until they're eight weeks old,
200
00:25:36,067 --> 00:25:38,507
depend on their parents for food
201
00:25:38,506 --> 00:25:41,266
and, critically, warmth.
202
00:25:44,146 --> 00:25:48,346
Meltwater is a particular problem.
203
00:25:50,866 --> 00:25:53,546
The chicks' feathers
are not yet waterproof.
204
00:25:56,065 --> 00:25:58,625
Getting wet could be fatal.
205
00:25:59,865 --> 00:26:04,385
A father's duty is to keep
his chicks high and dry...
206
00:26:04,385 --> 00:26:08,095
...using the only
building material available.
207
00:26:09,264 --> 00:26:10,384
Stones.
208
00:26:23,583 --> 00:26:26,663
And suitable ones are precious.
209
00:26:30,783 --> 00:26:35,143
So it's vital to hold on
to every one.
210
00:26:39,862 --> 00:26:42,102
But while backs are turned...
211
00:26:42,102 --> 00:26:45,862
...collections are readily
plundered by neighbours.
212
00:26:56,061 --> 00:26:58,621
With thieves like these around...
213
00:27:01,021 --> 00:27:04,901
...that stone has just become
even more valuable.
214
00:27:33,099 --> 00:27:35,979
What's lacking in skill...
215
00:27:37,139 --> 00:27:40,819
...is made up for with persistence.
216
00:27:51,138 --> 00:27:55,138
But a parent's labours
could be in vain.
217
00:28:00,377 --> 00:28:03,257
Summer temperatures
have now been recorded
218
00:28:03,257 --> 00:28:05,857
as high as 18 degrees Celsius.
219
00:28:15,376 --> 00:28:19,896
As a result, the penguins'
carefully constructed platforms
220
00:28:19,896 --> 00:28:21,736
are now being flooded.
221
00:28:23,376 --> 00:28:27,056
There is more meltwater
than ever before...
222
00:28:32,295 --> 00:28:35,975
...and the ground
is becoming a quagmire.
223
00:28:40,655 --> 00:28:41,855
Downy feathers,
224
00:28:41,855 --> 00:28:45,765
which are excellent insulation
from the cold when dry,
225
00:28:45,774 --> 00:28:49,214
are no defence when wet.
226
00:28:56,414 --> 00:28:58,454
Hypothermia sets in.
227
00:29:12,453 --> 00:29:14,733
Over the last 50 years,
228
00:29:14,732 --> 00:29:18,772
the number of chinstraps here
has dropped by half.
229
00:29:27,132 --> 00:29:28,932
Antarctica is losing
230
00:29:28,932 --> 00:29:31,772
the very element that defines it.
231
00:29:34,891 --> 00:29:36,331
Ice.
232
00:29:40,811 --> 00:29:42,691
That is now diminishing
233
00:29:42,691 --> 00:29:45,491
six times faster than it once did.
234
00:29:49,690 --> 00:29:52,490
Neumayer Glacier on South Georgia
235
00:29:52,490 --> 00:29:56,690
has lost nearly six miles
of ice in just 20 years.
236
00:30:07,449 --> 00:30:10,889
Parts of Antarctica are warming
faster than anywhere else
237
00:30:10,889 --> 00:30:12,649
in the southern hemisphere.
238
00:30:16,168 --> 00:30:18,848
And that is having
a serious effect
239
00:30:18,848 --> 00:30:21,728
on the animals
that live on its coast,
240
00:30:21,728 --> 00:30:24,208
such as the Weddell seal.
241
00:30:26,408 --> 00:30:28,728
With less sea ice available,
242
00:30:28,728 --> 00:30:31,688
many are now hauling out on land.
243
00:30:40,447 --> 00:30:43,647
That's not just a problem
for them...
244
00:30:45,807 --> 00:30:47,607
...but also for the predators
245
00:30:47,606 --> 00:30:49,646
that specialise in hunting them...
246
00:30:52,126 --> 00:30:56,166
...one particular group
of Antarctic killer whales,
247
00:30:56,166 --> 00:30:59,446
100 or so animals strong.
248
00:31:10,205 --> 00:31:13,125
Killer whales are among
the most intelligent
249
00:31:13,125 --> 00:31:14,925
of all nonhuman predators.
250
00:31:16,525 --> 00:31:18,915
And they're now working out
how to tackle prey
251
00:31:18,924 --> 00:31:21,124
that isn't a Weddell seal.
252
00:31:26,884 --> 00:31:30,284
An Adelie penguin,
resting on the ice.
253
00:31:41,003 --> 00:31:44,203
A mere snack
for an adult killer whale...
254
00:31:46,483 --> 00:31:49,123
...but it gives this group
of six-year-olds
255
00:31:49,123 --> 00:31:52,443
a chance to practise one
of their particularly ingenious
256
00:31:52,442 --> 00:31:53,722
hunting techniques.
257
00:32:04,282 --> 00:32:05,922
Wave-washing.
258
00:32:07,321 --> 00:32:11,681
A skill that takes
at least 15 years to perfect.
259
00:32:14,681 --> 00:32:18,081
First, the killer whales assess
the size and position
260
00:32:18,081 --> 00:32:20,361
of a possible victim.
261
00:32:20,360 --> 00:32:24,120
They must then calculate
the speed needed...
262
00:32:24,120 --> 00:32:26,160
...for an attack.
263
00:32:35,480 --> 00:32:36,720
But they're too late.
264
00:32:38,919 --> 00:32:42,719
Even though a co-ordinated
flick of their tails
265
00:32:42,719 --> 00:32:44,279
creates a reasonable wave...
266
00:32:45,599 --> 00:32:49,239
...it's nothing
without precision timing.
267
00:33:03,478 --> 00:33:06,118
With fewer of their favourite
prey of Weddell seals
268
00:33:06,118 --> 00:33:08,038
resting on ice floes,
269
00:33:08,037 --> 00:33:11,157
killer whales now have no choice
270
00:33:11,157 --> 00:33:13,237
but to target new prey.
271
00:33:14,997 --> 00:33:17,077
Crabeater seals.
272
00:33:20,197 --> 00:33:22,677
Numbering 15 million,
273
00:33:22,676 --> 00:33:26,316
they're the most abundant
marine mammal on Earth.
274
00:33:37,636 --> 00:33:40,996
But they are a far more
dangerous target...
275
00:33:42,195 --> 00:33:43,755
...than a Weddell seal.
276
00:33:46,075 --> 00:33:47,315
Stronger...
277
00:33:49,395 --> 00:33:51,475
...and more inclined to fight back.
278
00:33:55,714 --> 00:33:58,634
But each member of this pod
279
00:33:58,634 --> 00:34:01,434
needs to eat a seal a day.
280
00:34:03,594 --> 00:34:05,794
So the pressure is on to feed.
281
00:34:16,033 --> 00:34:18,193
They're led by a matriarch
282
00:34:18,193 --> 00:34:20,553
who knows exactly what to do.
283
00:34:25,832 --> 00:34:27,992
Living 100 years or more,
284
00:34:27,992 --> 00:34:31,472
she has plenty of hunting
experience to draw upon.
285
00:35:03,390 --> 00:35:06,390
With the ice floe
having broken in two,
286
00:35:06,390 --> 00:35:08,670
the seals have become
more vulnerable.
287
00:35:09,830 --> 00:35:14,390
The matriarch now pushes
the ice floe into open water
288
00:35:14,389 --> 00:35:18,589
to give their next wave
maximum impact.
289
00:35:23,149 --> 00:35:26,069
This requires teamwork
and precision.
290
00:35:45,947 --> 00:35:48,627
She makes her final calculations.
291
00:36:23,825 --> 00:36:25,785
This seal has only one way
292
00:36:25,785 --> 00:36:27,665
of escaping death.
293
00:36:37,824 --> 00:36:40,584
Unlike the less muscular
Weddell seal,
294
00:36:40,584 --> 00:36:42,304
the crabeater has the strength
295
00:36:42,304 --> 00:36:44,304
to hurl itself out of the water...
296
00:36:45,303 --> 00:36:46,743
...just in time.
297
00:36:52,223 --> 00:36:53,983
For the killer whales,
298
00:36:53,983 --> 00:36:57,223
it has been
a significant waste of energy.
299
00:37:02,982 --> 00:37:05,942
Their need to eat
is now greater than ever.
300
00:37:10,622 --> 00:37:12,142
A leopard seal.
301
00:37:16,501 --> 00:37:20,741
By far the most ferocious
of all Antarctica's seals.
302
00:37:24,621 --> 00:37:26,861
Dare this pod tackle him?
303
00:37:36,620 --> 00:37:38,420
He's a three-metre adult,
304
00:37:38,420 --> 00:37:40,780
an aggressive hunter
in his own right.
305
00:38:05,218 --> 00:38:07,898
Unused to being targeted
by killer whales...
306
00:38:09,378 --> 00:38:11,858
...the leopard seal
makes the mistake
307
00:38:11,858 --> 00:38:14,378
of leaving the safety
of the ice floe.
308
00:38:23,737 --> 00:38:27,577
The killer whales approach
the seal with utmost caution.
309
00:38:35,736 --> 00:38:38,296
Keeping away
from its powerful teeth,
310
00:38:38,296 --> 00:38:40,336
they seize it by its tail...
311
00:38:42,656 --> 00:38:45,096
...and try to drown it.
312
00:39:04,135 --> 00:39:07,645
The hungry youngsters
get to feed first.
313
00:39:11,694 --> 00:39:14,614
But tackling less-familiar prey
is risky,
314
00:39:14,614 --> 00:39:18,894
and starvation is a real
danger for these killer whales.
315
00:39:28,853 --> 00:39:31,213
Only time will tell
316
00:39:31,213 --> 00:39:34,813
whether these skilful hunters
can adjust quickly enough
317
00:39:34,813 --> 00:39:37,133
to survive in this changing world.
318
00:39:50,052 --> 00:39:53,572
Beyond Antarctica's
rich coastal fringes
319
00:39:53,571 --> 00:39:56,651
lies a vast frozen interior.
320
00:40:01,251 --> 00:40:05,451
This is certainly one
of the most inhospitable places
321
00:40:05,451 --> 00:40:06,891
for life on Earth.
322
00:40:11,410 --> 00:40:14,850
Its icecap,
three miles thick in places,
323
00:40:14,850 --> 00:40:19,250
holds almost two-thirds
of the Earth's fresh water.
324
00:40:22,049 --> 00:40:26,209
The accumulation of snowfalls
over millions of years
325
00:40:26,209 --> 00:40:30,569
has bedded vast mountain ranges
longer than the Himalayas.
326
00:40:36,809 --> 00:40:42,049
All that can be seen of them
is the tips of their peaks.
327
00:40:56,047 --> 00:40:59,807
Smoking vents standing
20 metres tall
328
00:40:59,807 --> 00:41:04,127
hint at the volcanicity that
lies beneath the ice sheet.
329
00:41:06,967 --> 00:41:08,727
The recent discovery
330
00:41:08,726 --> 00:41:12,526
of more than 20 previously
unknown volcanoes
331
00:41:12,526 --> 00:41:14,326
reveals that Antarctica is
332
00:41:14,326 --> 00:41:18,286
one of the most volcanic
places on Earth.
333
00:41:28,445 --> 00:41:30,525
Almost 4,000 metres high,
334
00:41:30,525 --> 00:41:34,605
Mount Erebus is one of just
seven volcanoes on Earth
335
00:41:34,605 --> 00:41:37,485
with a permanent lava lake.
336
00:41:44,844 --> 00:41:47,964
Less than 1%
of this frozen interior
337
00:41:47,964 --> 00:41:49,244
is free of ice.
338
00:41:55,923 --> 00:41:58,763
But isolated outcrops of rock
339
00:41:58,763 --> 00:42:01,323
offer sanctuaries
for one of the few animals
340
00:42:01,323 --> 00:42:05,523
willing to brave temperatures
of minus 30 degrees Celsius.
341
00:42:14,442 --> 00:42:16,002
The snow petrel.
342
00:42:21,922 --> 00:42:23,802
They fly 100 miles inland
343
00:42:23,802 --> 00:42:27,122
in order to breed
away from predators.
344
00:42:35,001 --> 00:42:39,881
This male gets to work
clearing a shallow scrape,
345
00:42:39,881 --> 00:42:42,641
which he will then line
with feathers
346
00:42:42,640 --> 00:42:44,600
to give his chick
a little protection
347
00:42:44,600 --> 00:42:46,280
from the bitter cold.
348
00:42:52,560 --> 00:42:55,720
But crevices are in short supply...
349
00:42:59,119 --> 00:43:02,479
...and rivals are ever ready
to fight for them.
350
00:43:26,318 --> 00:43:28,718
When aerial combat fails,
351
00:43:28,717 --> 00:43:31,277
snow petrels deploy
another weapon.
352
00:43:33,477 --> 00:43:34,837
Vomit.
353
00:43:49,436 --> 00:43:51,716
It could be lethal.
354
00:43:53,276 --> 00:43:56,276
If the putrid stomach oil freezes,
355
00:43:56,276 --> 00:43:58,676
his flight feathers
could stick together.
356
00:44:01,795 --> 00:44:04,915
Fortunately, he knows
how to clean them...
357
00:44:12,435 --> 00:44:14,755
...with a snow bath.
358
00:44:30,513 --> 00:44:34,113
Now to get on with
the task of breeding.
359
00:44:53,312 --> 00:44:58,232
From here to the South Pole,
1,000 miles further inland...
360
00:45:00,152 --> 00:45:04,472
...conditions become
even more hostile for life.
361
00:45:05,831 --> 00:45:09,431
Winds driving over
the East Antarctic Ice Sheet
362
00:45:09,431 --> 00:45:13,151
can reach speeds of up to 200mph.
363
00:45:18,430 --> 00:45:21,870
As these gale-force winds
descend from the ice sheet,
364
00:45:21,870 --> 00:45:25,950
they pick up both speed and warmth.
365
00:45:39,309 --> 00:45:43,869
They create the most arid
conditions on Earth.
366
00:45:55,508 --> 00:45:58,508
These aren't snowdrifts.
367
00:46:00,108 --> 00:46:02,268
They're sand dunes.
368
00:46:09,267 --> 00:46:12,107
Some of these so-called dry valleys
369
00:46:12,107 --> 00:46:15,947
have not felt rain
in over a million years.
370
00:46:27,986 --> 00:46:29,866
Carved by the wind,
371
00:46:29,866 --> 00:46:33,506
strange monuments
up to four metres tall
372
00:46:33,506 --> 00:46:36,546
stand on the desolate valley floor.
373
00:46:54,344 --> 00:46:57,144
The only life form...
374
00:46:59,104 --> 00:47:02,024
...a mummified crab eater seal
375
00:47:02,024 --> 00:47:05,584
that mysteriously strayed here,
376
00:47:05,584 --> 00:47:07,944
possibly thousands of years ago.
377
00:47:21,382 --> 00:47:22,982
But if you look hard enough...
378
00:47:25,302 --> 00:47:29,662
...life can be found
in Antarctica's interior.
379
00:47:34,022 --> 00:47:38,022
Hidden in the mountains
of eastern Antarctica,
380
00:47:38,021 --> 00:47:40,421
Lake Untersee.
381
00:47:46,541 --> 00:47:48,461
A little over ten years ago,
382
00:47:48,461 --> 00:47:52,021
scientists dived
beneath its frozen surface...
383
00:47:54,140 --> 00:47:57,860
...and made a discovery that
would change our perception
384
00:47:57,860 --> 00:48:00,500
of the possibility of alien life.
385
00:48:08,179 --> 00:48:10,339
Lying on its lakebed
386
00:48:10,339 --> 00:48:13,299
are living structures
found nowhere else on Earth.
387
00:48:21,459 --> 00:48:23,539
Giant stromatolites.
388
00:48:25,218 --> 00:48:27,218
Standing half a metre tall...
389
00:48:28,738 --> 00:48:30,858
...their existence down here
390
00:48:30,858 --> 00:48:33,458
provides an extraordinary insight
391
00:48:33,458 --> 00:48:36,418
into how life on our planet
might have evolved.
392
00:48:40,537 --> 00:48:43,337
These living structures
have been built
393
00:48:43,337 --> 00:48:45,057
over thousands of years
394
00:48:45,057 --> 00:48:49,937
by arguably the most important
microorganism on Earth.
395
00:48:51,817 --> 00:48:54,417
Cyanobacteria.
396
00:48:56,136 --> 00:49:01,416
The very first living organisms
to have produced oxygen.
397
00:49:04,296 --> 00:49:08,256
Without them, Earth would
have remained uninhabitable
398
00:49:08,256 --> 00:49:09,936
for higher life forms.
399
00:49:14,895 --> 00:49:18,055
If the building blocks for life
can be found here,
400
00:49:18,055 --> 00:49:20,855
in the most hostile
place on Earth...
401
00:49:24,975 --> 00:49:27,085
...surely life could exist
402
00:49:27,094 --> 00:49:30,974
in the ice-covered lakes
of distant planets.
403
00:49:51,373 --> 00:49:53,733
Whilst filming in the extremes
404
00:49:53,733 --> 00:49:57,933
of Antarctica, capturing
the remarkable behaviour
405
00:49:57,932 --> 00:50:00,212
of wave-washing killer
whales was to prove
406
00:50:00,212 --> 00:50:02,212
the crew's greatest challenge yet.
407
00:50:03,732 --> 00:50:06,812
The team set off
from the Falkland Islands
408
00:50:06,812 --> 00:50:09,052
on board the Golden Fleece,
409
00:50:09,052 --> 00:50:13,452
which will be their home
for the next month and a half.
410
00:50:13,451 --> 00:50:15,291
It's under the command
411
00:50:15,291 --> 00:50:18,371
of Antarctic explorer Dion Poncet.
412
00:50:19,851 --> 00:50:22,451
What's the weather like
for the crossing?
413
00:50:22,451 --> 00:50:23,691
The first day is good.
414
00:50:23,691 --> 00:50:24,851
And then...
415
00:50:24,851 --> 00:50:28,211
...nothing bad...
that we can see...yet...
416
00:50:30,170 --> 00:50:35,290
To reach Antarctica, they must
first cross the Drake Passage -
417
00:50:35,290 --> 00:50:39,650
650 miles of
the world's roughest ocean.
418
00:50:41,210 --> 00:50:45,050
Confined to his bunk, executive
producer Mark Brownlow
419
00:50:45,049 --> 00:50:46,569
has yet to find his sea legs.
420
00:50:46,569 --> 00:50:47,809
Destroyed.
421
00:50:48,969 --> 00:50:50,889
Fourth day at sea.
422
00:50:50,889 --> 00:50:52,009
Sick.
423
00:50:54,609 --> 00:50:56,689
On arrival at the peninsula,
424
00:50:56,689 --> 00:51:01,529
their search begins,
guided by Leigh Hickmott,
425
00:51:01,528 --> 00:51:05,328
a whale scientist who
is part of a 14-year study
426
00:51:05,328 --> 00:51:08,448
on the only killer whales
in the world
427
00:51:08,448 --> 00:51:09,888
known to wave-wash.
428
00:51:11,448 --> 00:51:13,208
We now have
a greater understanding,
429
00:51:13,208 --> 00:51:17,208
perhaps, of how small
the population is, actually,
430
00:51:17,207 --> 00:51:18,487
of these killer whales.
431
00:51:18,487 --> 00:51:21,287
The parent population
is about 50 animals,
432
00:51:21,287 --> 00:51:22,807
so really not very many at all.
433
00:51:24,167 --> 00:51:27,247
With so few of these highly
specialised killer whales
434
00:51:27,247 --> 00:51:30,167
patrolling an area more than
half the size of Wales,
435
00:51:30,166 --> 00:51:32,566
they head to where
they were last sighted.
436
00:51:37,406 --> 00:51:40,526
After three days of
round-the-clock surveillance,
437
00:51:40,526 --> 00:51:42,606
the team finally catch a glimpse.
438
00:51:43,686 --> 00:51:46,006
Found our first killer whales.
439
00:51:51,525 --> 00:51:54,325
There's the one we want! Whoo!
440
00:51:54,325 --> 00:51:56,285
Good start.
441
00:52:04,364 --> 00:52:06,644
To get shots low to the water,
442
00:52:06,644 --> 00:52:10,364
they launch a gyro-stabilised
camera system in a small boat
443
00:52:10,364 --> 00:52:13,524
that's only half the length
of the killer whales.
444
00:52:13,524 --> 00:52:14,884
Stay still.
445
00:52:18,043 --> 00:52:19,443
That's so cool!
446
00:52:22,123 --> 00:52:25,043
Definitely feel like
we've just been checked out.
447
00:52:27,083 --> 00:52:28,363
It's quite intimidating.
448
00:52:34,602 --> 00:52:36,202
In a filming first,
449
00:52:36,202 --> 00:52:38,882
camera operator Bertie Gregory
450
00:52:38,882 --> 00:52:42,802
launches the drone
to capture a new perspective
451
00:52:42,802 --> 00:52:45,122
on this hunting technique.
452
00:52:45,122 --> 00:52:48,722
We've got four, five
killer whales, spy-hopping.
453
00:52:50,801 --> 00:52:53,161
Some are moving away!
They might get ready for a wave.
454
00:52:57,881 --> 00:52:59,161
There's the first wave!
455
00:52:59,161 --> 00:53:02,721
That's the breaking wave
that's broken the pack in half.
456
00:53:07,040 --> 00:53:08,600
The seal's in the water!
457
00:53:08,600 --> 00:53:11,800
Seal's in the water!
He could be in trouble here.
458
00:53:13,920 --> 00:53:16,200
They could just
kill the seal cleanly,
459
00:53:16,200 --> 00:53:20,520
but they are using the seal
to teach their young how to hunt.
460
00:53:22,599 --> 00:53:24,239
It's really hard to watch.
461
00:53:25,999 --> 00:53:28,999
The team's ground-breaking footage
462
00:53:28,999 --> 00:53:31,639
is also providing
valuable scientific data,
463
00:53:31,639 --> 00:53:34,599
contributing to the long-term study
464
00:53:34,598 --> 00:53:37,918
of these highly specialised
killer whales.
465
00:53:39,678 --> 00:53:44,078
Animal B-17 - she was first
photographed back in 2009.
466
00:53:44,078 --> 00:53:45,278
So here she is.
467
00:53:45,278 --> 00:53:47,998
This is a photograph taken
during Frozen Planet I.
468
00:53:47,998 --> 00:53:49,318
If we look on the right,
469
00:53:49,318 --> 00:53:51,838
here's a picture that
we took during our cruise.
470
00:53:51,837 --> 00:53:55,277
She's certainly the matriarch
of her particular group.
471
00:53:55,277 --> 00:53:57,597
We're seeing how
she's teaching her offspring
472
00:53:57,597 --> 00:54:00,677
to become this
very efficient killer.
473
00:54:01,917 --> 00:54:03,877
But after such a promising start,
474
00:54:03,877 --> 00:54:06,797
conditions take a turn
for the worse.
475
00:54:08,636 --> 00:54:10,396
The thing that's changed
476
00:54:10,396 --> 00:54:12,396
enormously here is the weather.
477
00:54:12,396 --> 00:54:16,836
In the past,
the peninsula was famous for
478
00:54:16,836 --> 00:54:19,436
perfect calm, still,
479
00:54:19,436 --> 00:54:21,436
bright sunshine, clear skies.
480
00:54:21,435 --> 00:54:23,115
And...
481
00:54:23,115 --> 00:54:24,395
...doesn't happen so much.
482
00:54:24,395 --> 00:54:29,075
And warmer weather here means
less sea ice, which could
483
00:54:29,075 --> 00:54:31,435
have consequences
for the killer whales'
484
00:54:31,435 --> 00:54:33,715
preferred prey of Weddell seals.
485
00:54:33,715 --> 00:54:36,115
There's a cruel irony, really,
486
00:54:36,115 --> 00:54:39,105
that we've today found the largest
group of Weddell seals,
487
00:54:39,114 --> 00:54:42,114
but they're on the beach.
They're not on pack ice.
488
00:54:42,114 --> 00:54:45,034
And that's potentially because
the Antarctic Peninsula
489
00:54:45,034 --> 00:54:47,874
is one of the most rapidly
warming places on the planet.
490
00:54:57,833 --> 00:54:59,433
The team film the killer whales
491
00:54:59,433 --> 00:55:01,433
switching to hunt crab eater seals...
492
00:55:04,673 --> 00:55:07,513
...but then, something
remarkable happens.
493
00:55:11,032 --> 00:55:12,952
They approach one of Antarctica's
494
00:55:12,952 --> 00:55:15,952
most formidable predators,
the leopard seal.
495
00:55:26,191 --> 00:55:28,231
This is absolutely incredible,
496
00:55:28,231 --> 00:55:31,351
because that's really not considered
a key prey for them.
497
00:55:33,791 --> 00:55:35,751
Ooh, he's chosen a bad piece.
498
00:55:35,751 --> 00:55:37,551
The ice has split into four...
499
00:55:37,551 --> 00:55:40,311
...and he's chosen
the smallest quarter.
500
00:55:51,830 --> 00:55:53,630
It's phenomenal.
501
00:55:55,989 --> 00:55:57,869
It's the first time a killer whale
502
00:55:57,869 --> 00:56:00,869
hunting a leopard seal
has been captured on camera.
503
00:56:04,669 --> 00:56:06,669
As extraordinary as that is,
504
00:56:06,669 --> 00:56:10,309
it's a sobering indication
of the challenges ahead
505
00:56:10,308 --> 00:56:12,148
for these killer whales.
506
00:56:13,228 --> 00:56:15,268
I don't think
it's too much to say
507
00:56:15,268 --> 00:56:17,788
that we are facing
a climate emergency.
508
00:56:17,788 --> 00:56:19,868
There's a real chance that,
509
00:56:19,868 --> 00:56:21,828
as we lose this pack-ice
environment,
510
00:56:21,828 --> 00:56:24,548
that this predator, that has
one of the most complex
511
00:56:24,548 --> 00:56:26,908
foraging strategies on the planet,
512
00:56:26,907 --> 00:56:28,347
is going to be potentially lost.
513
00:56:31,107 --> 00:56:32,987
And that's a tragedy that I,
514
00:56:32,987 --> 00:56:35,267
in my lifetime,
don't want to see,
515
00:56:35,267 --> 00:56:37,507
and for our children,
most certainly,
516
00:56:37,507 --> 00:56:39,027
we can't allow to happen.
517
00:56:51,786 --> 00:56:57,066
Next time, we journey to
the frozen lands of the north.
518
00:56:57,065 --> 00:57:02,025
A world of snowbound forests
and vast open tundra.
519
00:57:06,825 --> 00:57:09,625
Where seasonal extremes
520
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push animals to their limit.
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The Open University
has produced a poster
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exploring how animals adapt 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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...and follow the links
to the Open University.
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