1 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:37,560 DAVID ATTENBOROUGH: At the far south of our planet 2 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:41,040 lies the most hostile of the Earth's frozen lands. 3 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:45,160 WIND GUSTS 4 00:00:45,160 --> 00:00:46,760 Antarctica. 5 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:52,080 Here, temperatures can fall 6 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:54,960 to below minus 80 degrees Celsius... 7 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:02,440 ..and winds blow up to 200mph. 8 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:11,160 Its icy centre is almost devoid of life. 9 00:01:17,240 --> 00:01:20,040 But on the edge of Antarctica, 10 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:22,000 some creatures find a way 11 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:25,040 not just to survive, but to flourish. 12 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:33,520 Here are some of the greatest concentrations of life 13 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:35,720 to be found anywhere on Earth. 14 00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:53,080 The continent of Antarctica 15 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:55,680 lies at the southern end of the globe. 16 00:01:57,480 --> 00:01:59,760 Twice the size of Australia, 17 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:03,680 it's the largest, coldest expanse of land on the planet. 18 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:07,600 To the north of it, however, 19 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:09,880 across 1,000 miles of ocean, 20 00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:13,400 lie the subantarctic islands, 21 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:17,440 where conditions are somewhat less hostile to life. 22 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:22,440 The largest of them is South Georgia. 23 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:26,120 PENGUINS SQUAWK 24 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:37,320 Here, a million king penguins live and breed the year round. 25 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:39,360 PENGUINS SQUAWK 26 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:51,520 A mother has returned after a month at sea... 27 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:00,280 ..collecting food for her hungry chick. 28 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:12,760 At ten months old, chicks are the size of a human toddler, 29 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:16,240 and covered in no more than a downy fleece. 30 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:22,600 Until they get their waterproof feathers, 31 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:26,840 they themselves cannot go to sea... 32 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:28,400 CHICK WHISTLES 33 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:31,720 ..so they have to rely totally on their parents 34 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:34,000 to bring them food. 35 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:38,840 Their time together is brief - 36 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:43,240 just long enough to disgorge her crop of fish and squid. 37 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:51,320 All too soon, 38 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:55,440 parents have to return to sea to collect more. 39 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:05,280 But getting back there 40 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:07,080 can take several hours. 41 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:14,200 Hundreds of parents make the commute together. 42 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:21,680 A beak can be used as an ice-pick 43 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:25,120 to negotiate the steeper parts of their trek. 44 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:33,920 This mile-long snow-covered trudge 45 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:36,400 is unique to this colony, 46 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:39,040 and has never been seen before. 47 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:53,960 At last, the sea. 48 00:05:00,280 --> 00:05:02,640 After several days on land, 49 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:05,000 their feathers need washing to be ready 50 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:08,040 for the long days of swimming that lie ahead. 51 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:22,520 But this is a dangerous place to loiter. 52 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:57,400 Three metres long, 53 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:00,680 more than three times the size of a king penguin, 54 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:04,560 these fearsome hunters are usually solitary. 55 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:13,600 But at this time of the year, 56 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:18,720 in this bay, there are as many as 30 of them. 57 00:06:24,840 --> 00:06:28,320 If these penguins think that they're safe on land... 58 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:32,840 ..they are mistaken. 59 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:51,240 PENGUIN SQUAWKS 60 00:06:56,080 --> 00:06:58,960 Any one of these huge seals 61 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:03,040 can take as many as ten penguins a day. 62 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:07,280 PENGUINS SQUAWK 63 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:18,520 Their best chance... 64 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:22,120 ..is to stay with the crowd. 65 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:30,120 There's safety in numbers. 66 00:07:56,240 --> 00:07:58,080 Made it. 67 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:07,600 Only to return in a month's time... 68 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:11,720 ..and once again face death head-on. 69 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:18,400 This is surely one of the greatest challenges 70 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:20,200 faced by any parent. 71 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:32,800 1,500 miles off the continent's east coast 72 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:36,040 lies another of the tiny outposts 73 00:08:36,040 --> 00:08:39,680 that are vital for the survival of Antarctic wildlife. 74 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:47,080 The Sub-Antarctic Islands of the Antipodes. 75 00:08:51,080 --> 00:08:55,320 In spring, the longer days turn each tiny speck of land 76 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:57,600 into a potential breeding ground... 77 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:03,040 ..for the Antipodean wandering albatross. 78 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:14,280 Its wings are three metres across, 79 00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:16,840 amongst the biggest of any bird. 80 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:24,200 This 14-year-old male 81 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:27,760 is now mature enough to start selecting a partner. 82 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:33,440 For the smaller, darker female, 83 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:37,160 choosing a suitable mate is of equal importance. 84 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:44,320 After all, 85 00:09:44,320 --> 00:09:47,760 they may stay together for the next 50 years. 86 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:53,840 To make this crucial decision, 87 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:57,000 they use one of the most elaborate courtship rituals 88 00:09:57,000 --> 00:09:58,640 of any sea bird. 89 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:02,720 He begins by sky-pointing. 90 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:11,240 CALLS 91 00:10:14,960 --> 00:10:17,000 It seems to be working. 92 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:23,760 CALLS 93 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:35,000 Next, he attempts a move... 94 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:37,880 ..known as the double head-bob. 95 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:40,520 SQUAWKING 96 00:10:49,480 --> 00:10:51,080 CLICKING 97 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:58,120 The finale is the real decider. 98 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:02,080 Synchronised wing-spreading. 99 00:11:08,680 --> 00:11:10,160 She seems impressed. 100 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:19,160 But another male appears... 101 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:26,680 ..and shows off... 102 00:11:26,680 --> 00:11:28,560 SCREECHES 103 00:11:28,560 --> 00:11:30,720 ..his wings. 104 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:32,760 The greater the span, 105 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:35,000 the more attractive he could be. 106 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:38,000 But the first male won't tolerate 107 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:40,080 a rival cutting in. 108 00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:53,760 Yet another hopeful joins in the competition. 109 00:11:54,720 --> 00:11:56,240 And another. 110 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:06,000 This was not supposed to be a dance-off. 111 00:12:09,040 --> 00:12:12,600 She prefers one tango at a time. 112 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:26,800 It seems that this is not going to be his year after all. 113 00:12:35,560 --> 00:12:39,200 But he's caught the eye of another albatross. 114 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:52,160 Once again, he begins his courtship display. 115 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:54,320 SQUAWKING 116 00:13:00,560 --> 00:13:04,360 But this is, in fact, another male. 117 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:05,720 CLICKING 118 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:17,360 Regardless, he continues to demonstrate his eligibility. 119 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:32,840 This could still be the one 120 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:36,240 with whom he will share the rest of his life. 121 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:53,360 On the Antipodes Islands, it's becoming increasingly common. 122 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:59,280 Today, there are three times as many males as females. 123 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:08,800 Females feed further north than the males, 124 00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:12,240 in waters used by industrial fishing fleets 125 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:15,600 that catch and drown great numbers of sea birds. 126 00:14:19,120 --> 00:14:22,560 As a result, the female albatross here 127 00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:24,560 is now declining fast. 128 00:14:32,520 --> 00:14:36,160 A same-sex partnership like this 129 00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:39,240 may bring no survival advantage... 130 00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:46,320 ..but is apparently preferable to a life alone. 131 00:14:56,520 --> 00:15:01,000 The wealth of life found around Antarctica's lonely islands 132 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:04,880 is evidence of the richness of the waters that surround them. 133 00:15:07,280 --> 00:15:09,520 The Southern Ocean. 134 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:11,080 WAVES CRASH 135 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:22,120 It may appear treacherous. 136 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:26,520 Its gale-force winds certainly create powerful currents. 137 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:36,000 But all this stirring has an important effect. 138 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:45,080 It brings up nutrients from the depths, 139 00:15:45,080 --> 00:15:48,680 helping to create some of the richest seas on Earth. 140 00:15:56,240 --> 00:16:00,000 And this provides food for the largest animal 141 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:01,720 to have ever lived. 142 00:16:10,200 --> 00:16:12,800 The Antarctic blue whale. 143 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:30,280 It's more than 30 metres long... 144 00:16:33,320 --> 00:16:35,840 ..but it's rarely been filmed before. 145 00:16:57,160 --> 00:16:58,880 Only the Southern Ocean 146 00:16:58,880 --> 00:17:01,880 can provide the four tonnes of food 147 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:05,720 that the biggest of all blue whales needs every day. 148 00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:17,880 This ocean giant was almost hunted to extinction, 149 00:17:17,880 --> 00:17:20,360 but thanks to an international ban 150 00:17:20,360 --> 00:17:22,160 on commercial whaling, 151 00:17:22,160 --> 00:17:24,840 its numbers are now increasing. 152 00:17:55,720 --> 00:18:00,080 The closer the seas are to mainland Antarctica... 153 00:18:02,360 --> 00:18:04,200 ..the colder they become... 154 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:15,120 ..until, a few hundred miles offshore, 155 00:18:15,120 --> 00:18:19,000 the ocean's surface freezes solid. 156 00:18:26,440 --> 00:18:29,120 It forms a cover of sea ice 157 00:18:29,120 --> 00:18:32,000 that is twice the size of Europe 158 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:35,040 and encircles the entire continent. 159 00:18:39,560 --> 00:18:41,560 This is a stronghold 160 00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:45,440 for one of Antarctica's most remarkable inhabitants. 161 00:18:53,080 --> 00:18:55,360 It uses its teeth 162 00:18:55,360 --> 00:18:58,800 to prevent its breathing holes from freezing over. 163 00:19:06,560 --> 00:19:08,400 The Weddell seal. 164 00:19:11,440 --> 00:19:14,760 The most southerly breeding mammal on the planet. 165 00:19:19,160 --> 00:19:21,040 GRUNTS 166 00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:24,640 This ten-day-old pup 167 00:19:24,640 --> 00:19:28,080 is still entirely dependent on his mother. 168 00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:34,000 Out on the ice, 169 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:37,160 it may be safe from marine predators... 170 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:40,480 ..but within its first two weeks, 171 00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:43,600 it will have to venture into the underwater world 172 00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:46,760 upon which its future depends. 173 00:19:53,080 --> 00:19:56,680 This is the coldest water on Earth. 174 00:20:07,240 --> 00:20:09,480 So it's not surprising 175 00:20:09,480 --> 00:20:12,760 that a pup needs some encouragement. 176 00:20:18,680 --> 00:20:22,240 It's time to leave the safety of the breathing hole. 177 00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:33,000 To catch fish and then safely return, 178 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:35,520 this pup must learn how to find his way 179 00:20:35,520 --> 00:20:39,040 through the maze of underwater ice caverns. 180 00:20:55,200 --> 00:20:58,080 But after just eight minutes... 181 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:03,680 ..his mother signals that it's time to head back. 182 00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:11,080 She can hold her breath for an hour and a half. 183 00:21:12,480 --> 00:21:14,920 But he is already starting to tire 184 00:21:14,920 --> 00:21:16,760 and is running out of air. 185 00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:22,440 On their way back to their breathing hole, 186 00:21:22,440 --> 00:21:27,080 they hear a sound as loud as a fighter jet. 187 00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:29,200 STEADY THUMPING 188 00:21:33,360 --> 00:21:39,120 It is the call of a half-tonne male Weddell seal 189 00:21:39,120 --> 00:21:42,880 announcing that he's on the lookout for a mate. 190 00:21:57,400 --> 00:22:01,200 She, however, is still producing milk for her pup, 191 00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:04,280 and so isn't sexually receptive. 192 00:22:06,120 --> 00:22:08,360 But he doesn't stop trying. 193 00:22:08,360 --> 00:22:11,000 THUMPING 194 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:14,400 To repel his advances, 195 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:16,480 she leaves her pup's side. 196 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:31,760 But the pup isn't strong enough 197 00:22:31,760 --> 00:22:35,360 to haul himself out without his mother's help. 198 00:22:35,360 --> 00:22:37,400 PUP WAILS 199 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:47,600 She tries to fight off the adult male. 200 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:20,880 She's wounded him so seriously 201 00:23:20,880 --> 00:23:25,200 that he is unlikely to be back any time soon. 202 00:23:29,440 --> 00:23:30,840 SQUEAKS 203 00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:39,120 A gentle nudge from Mother 204 00:23:39,120 --> 00:23:42,240 is all an exhausted pup needs 205 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:45,440 to make it to the safety of the sea ice. 206 00:23:53,120 --> 00:23:56,840 Mothers stay with their pups for six weeks, 207 00:23:56,840 --> 00:24:00,680 by which time they're strong enough to fend for themselves. 208 00:24:04,720 --> 00:24:07,440 PUP WHINES 209 00:24:14,080 --> 00:24:18,120 As spring arrives, the sea ice retreats, 210 00:24:18,120 --> 00:24:21,400 and in a few places, Antarctica's coast 211 00:24:21,400 --> 00:24:23,880 is exposed to the open sea. 212 00:24:27,680 --> 00:24:31,320 And that attracts all kinds of animals. 213 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:45,480 Having spent the winter at sea, 214 00:24:45,480 --> 00:24:49,040 chinstrap penguins can now come ashore to breed. 215 00:24:50,240 --> 00:24:54,520 Soon, the coast becomes extremely crowded. 216 00:24:57,960 --> 00:25:01,640 But there are ways to maintain social distance. 217 00:25:04,840 --> 00:25:08,320 SPLATTING 218 00:25:22,840 --> 00:25:24,440 Oh, dear. 219 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:30,240 The chicks, until they're eight weeks old, 220 00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:32,720 depend on their parents for food 221 00:25:32,720 --> 00:25:35,520 and, critically, warmth. 222 00:25:38,360 --> 00:25:42,640 Meltwater is a particular problem. 223 00:25:45,120 --> 00:25:47,760 The chicks' feathers are not yet waterproof. 224 00:25:50,280 --> 00:25:52,800 Getting wet could be fatal. 225 00:25:54,160 --> 00:25:58,720 A father's duty is to keep his chicks high and dry... 226 00:25:58,720 --> 00:26:02,360 ..using the only building material available. 227 00:26:03,520 --> 00:26:04,560 Stones. 228 00:26:17,800 --> 00:26:20,880 And suitable ones are precious. 229 00:26:25,120 --> 00:26:29,360 So it's vital to hold on to every one. 230 00:26:34,160 --> 00:26:36,400 But while backs are turned... 231 00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:40,080 ..collections are readily plundered by neighbours. 232 00:26:50,280 --> 00:26:52,920 With thieves like these around... 233 00:26:55,360 --> 00:26:59,200 ..that stone has just become even more valuable. 234 00:27:00,440 --> 00:27:01,720 SQUAWKS 235 00:27:09,160 --> 00:27:10,920 SQUAWKS 236 00:27:16,920 --> 00:27:18,280 SQUAWKS 237 00:27:27,360 --> 00:27:30,280 What's lacking in skill... 238 00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:35,040 ..is made up for with persistence. 239 00:27:45,440 --> 00:27:49,400 But a parent's labours could be in vain. 240 00:27:49,400 --> 00:27:50,800 CHICK CHEEPS 241 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:57,520 Summer temperatures have now been recorded 242 00:27:57,520 --> 00:28:00,120 as high as 18 degrees Celsius. 243 00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:14,120 As a result, the penguins' carefully constructed platforms 244 00:28:14,120 --> 00:28:15,960 are now being flooded. 245 00:28:17,680 --> 00:28:21,280 There is more meltwater than ever before... 246 00:28:26,600 --> 00:28:30,200 ..and the ground is becoming a quagmire. 247 00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:36,120 Downy feathers, 248 00:28:36,120 --> 00:28:39,960 which are excellent insulation from the cold when dry, 249 00:28:39,960 --> 00:28:43,480 are no defence when wet. 250 00:28:50,680 --> 00:28:52,680 Hypothermia sets in. 251 00:29:06,640 --> 00:29:09,040 Over the last 50 years, 252 00:29:09,040 --> 00:29:13,040 the number of chinstraps here has dropped by half. 253 00:29:21,400 --> 00:29:23,160 Antarctica is losing 254 00:29:23,160 --> 00:29:26,080 the very element that defines it. 255 00:29:29,120 --> 00:29:30,520 Ice. 256 00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:36,920 That is now diminishing 257 00:29:36,920 --> 00:29:39,720 six times faster than it once did. 258 00:29:43,960 --> 00:29:46,760 Neumayer Glacier on South Georgia 259 00:29:46,760 --> 00:29:50,880 has lost nearly six miles of ice in just 20 years. 260 00:30:01,760 --> 00:30:05,080 Parts of Antarctica are warming faster than anywhere else 261 00:30:05,080 --> 00:30:06,920 in the southern hemisphere. 262 00:30:10,440 --> 00:30:13,200 And that is having a serious effect 263 00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:16,000 on the animals that live on its coast, 264 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:18,520 such as the Weddell seal. 265 00:30:20,720 --> 00:30:22,960 With less sea ice available, 266 00:30:22,960 --> 00:30:26,000 many are now hauling out on land. 267 00:30:34,760 --> 00:30:37,920 That's not just a problem for them... 268 00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:41,840 ..but also for the predators 269 00:30:41,840 --> 00:30:43,880 that specialise in hunting them... 270 00:30:46,480 --> 00:30:50,360 ..one particular group of Antarctic killer whales, 271 00:30:50,360 --> 00:30:53,720 100 or so animals strong. 272 00:31:04,560 --> 00:31:07,360 Killer whales are among the most intelligent 273 00:31:07,360 --> 00:31:09,120 of all nonhuman predators. 274 00:31:10,920 --> 00:31:13,160 And they're now working out how to tackle prey 275 00:31:13,160 --> 00:31:15,360 that isn't a Weddell seal. 276 00:31:21,160 --> 00:31:24,520 An Adelie penguin, resting on the ice. 277 00:31:24,520 --> 00:31:25,520 SQUAWKS 278 00:31:35,320 --> 00:31:38,480 A mere snack for an adult killer whale... 279 00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:43,440 ..but it gives this group of six-year-olds 280 00:31:43,440 --> 00:31:46,680 a chance to practise one of their particularly ingenious 281 00:31:46,680 --> 00:31:48,000 hunting techniques. 282 00:31:58,520 --> 00:32:00,160 Wave-washing. 283 00:32:00,160 --> 00:32:01,600 PENGUIN SQUAWKS 284 00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:05,960 A skill that takes at least 15 years to perfect. 285 00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:12,320 First, the killer whales assess the size and position 286 00:32:12,320 --> 00:32:14,720 of a possible victim. 287 00:32:14,720 --> 00:32:18,360 They must then calculate the speed needed... 288 00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:20,400 ..for an attack. 289 00:32:23,480 --> 00:32:24,840 SQUAWKS 290 00:32:29,720 --> 00:32:30,960 But they're too late. 291 00:32:33,200 --> 00:32:37,000 Even though a co-ordinated flick of their tails 292 00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:38,520 creates a reasonable wave... 293 00:32:39,880 --> 00:32:43,480 ..it's nothing without precision timing. 294 00:32:46,160 --> 00:32:47,440 GRUNTS 295 00:32:57,760 --> 00:33:00,400 With fewer of their favourite prey of Weddell seals 296 00:33:00,400 --> 00:33:02,280 resting on ice floes, 297 00:33:02,280 --> 00:33:05,440 killer whales now have no choice 298 00:33:05,440 --> 00:33:07,520 but to target new prey. 299 00:33:09,240 --> 00:33:11,320 Crabeater seals. 300 00:33:14,360 --> 00:33:17,040 Numbering 15 million, 301 00:33:17,040 --> 00:33:20,560 they're the most abundant marine mammal on Earth. 302 00:33:30,200 --> 00:33:32,000 SEAL GROWLS 303 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:35,320 But they are a far more dangerous target... 304 00:33:36,400 --> 00:33:37,960 ..than a Weddell seal. 305 00:33:40,400 --> 00:33:41,560 Stronger... 306 00:33:43,640 --> 00:33:45,720 ..and more inclined to fight back. 307 00:33:49,920 --> 00:33:52,840 But each member of this pod 308 00:33:52,840 --> 00:33:55,680 needs to eat a seal a day. 309 00:33:57,880 --> 00:34:00,120 So the pressure is on to feed. 310 00:34:10,240 --> 00:34:12,480 They're led by a matriarch 311 00:34:12,480 --> 00:34:14,880 who knows exactly what to do. 312 00:34:20,080 --> 00:34:22,280 Living 100 years or more, 313 00:34:22,280 --> 00:34:25,680 she has plenty of hunting experience to draw upon. 314 00:34:27,600 --> 00:34:29,320 GROWLS 315 00:34:57,680 --> 00:35:00,680 With the ice floe having broken in two, 316 00:35:00,680 --> 00:35:02,880 the seals have become more vulnerable. 317 00:35:04,120 --> 00:35:08,760 The matriarch now pushes the ice floe into open water 318 00:35:08,760 --> 00:35:12,800 to give their next wave maximum impact. 319 00:35:17,520 --> 00:35:20,320 This requires teamwork and precision. 320 00:35:40,200 --> 00:35:42,880 She makes her final calculations. 321 00:36:18,040 --> 00:36:20,080 This seal has only one way 322 00:36:20,080 --> 00:36:21,920 of escaping death. 323 00:36:32,120 --> 00:36:34,880 Unlike the less muscular Weddell seal, 324 00:36:34,880 --> 00:36:36,480 the crabeater has the strength 325 00:36:36,480 --> 00:36:38,560 to hurl itself out of the water... 326 00:36:39,520 --> 00:36:40,960 ..just in time. 327 00:36:46,440 --> 00:36:48,320 For the killer whales, 328 00:36:48,320 --> 00:36:51,520 it has been a significant waste of energy. 329 00:36:57,280 --> 00:37:00,240 Their need to eat is now greater than ever. 330 00:37:04,960 --> 00:37:06,400 A leopard seal. 331 00:37:10,880 --> 00:37:15,000 By far the most ferocious of all Antarctica's seals. 332 00:37:18,880 --> 00:37:21,160 Dare this pod tackle him? 333 00:37:30,920 --> 00:37:32,800 He's a three-metre adult, 334 00:37:32,800 --> 00:37:35,040 an aggressive hunter in his own right. 335 00:37:59,560 --> 00:38:02,240 Unused to being targeted by killer whales... 336 00:38:03,680 --> 00:38:06,200 ..the leopard seal makes the mistake 337 00:38:06,200 --> 00:38:08,720 of leaving the safety of the ice floe. 338 00:38:18,080 --> 00:38:21,880 The killer whales approach the seal with utmost caution. 339 00:38:30,080 --> 00:38:32,520 Keeping away from its powerful teeth, 340 00:38:32,520 --> 00:38:34,680 they seize it by its tail... 341 00:38:36,920 --> 00:38:39,400 ..and try to drown it. 342 00:38:58,480 --> 00:39:01,960 The hungry youngsters get to feed first. 343 00:39:06,040 --> 00:39:08,960 But tackling less-familiar prey is risky, 344 00:39:08,960 --> 00:39:13,120 and starvation is a real danger for these killer whales. 345 00:39:23,040 --> 00:39:25,520 Only time will tell 346 00:39:25,520 --> 00:39:29,120 whether these skilful hunters can adjust quickly enough 347 00:39:29,120 --> 00:39:31,400 to survive in this changing world. 348 00:39:44,440 --> 00:39:47,880 Beyond Antarctica's rich coastal fringes 349 00:39:47,880 --> 00:39:50,920 lies a vast frozen interior. 350 00:39:55,600 --> 00:39:59,760 This is certainly one of the most inhospitable places 351 00:39:59,760 --> 00:40:01,200 for life on Earth. 352 00:40:05,760 --> 00:40:09,160 Its icecap, three miles thick in places, 353 00:40:09,160 --> 00:40:13,600 holds almost two-thirds of the Earth's fresh water. 354 00:40:16,440 --> 00:40:20,560 The accumulation of snowfalls over millions of years 355 00:40:20,560 --> 00:40:24,840 has bedded vast mountain ranges longer than the Himalayas. 356 00:40:31,160 --> 00:40:36,360 All that can be seen of them is the tips of their peaks. 357 00:40:50,400 --> 00:40:54,120 Smoking vents standing 20 metres tall 358 00:40:54,120 --> 00:40:58,360 hint at the volcanicity that lies beneath the ice sheet. 359 00:41:01,160 --> 00:41:03,080 The recent discovery 360 00:41:03,080 --> 00:41:06,760 of more than 20 previously unknown volcanoes 361 00:41:06,760 --> 00:41:08,720 reveals that Antarctica is 362 00:41:08,720 --> 00:41:12,560 one of the most volcanic places on Earth. 363 00:41:22,720 --> 00:41:24,800 Almost 4,000 metres high, 364 00:41:24,800 --> 00:41:28,920 Mount Erebus is one of just seven volcanoes on Earth 365 00:41:28,920 --> 00:41:31,720 with a permanent lava lake. 366 00:41:39,200 --> 00:41:42,200 Less than 1% of this frozen interior 367 00:41:42,200 --> 00:41:43,440 is free of ice. 368 00:41:50,160 --> 00:41:53,080 But isolated outcrops of rock 369 00:41:53,080 --> 00:41:55,640 offer sanctuaries for one of the few animals 370 00:41:55,640 --> 00:41:59,760 willing to brave temperatures of minus 30 degrees Celsius. 371 00:42:08,680 --> 00:42:10,240 The snow petrel. 372 00:42:16,200 --> 00:42:18,200 They fly 100 miles inland 373 00:42:18,200 --> 00:42:21,440 in order to breed away from predators. 374 00:42:29,400 --> 00:42:34,240 This male gets to work clearing a shallow scrape, 375 00:42:34,240 --> 00:42:36,960 which he will then line with feathers 376 00:42:36,960 --> 00:42:38,880 to give his chick a little protection 377 00:42:38,880 --> 00:42:40,520 from the bitter cold. 378 00:42:46,880 --> 00:42:50,040 But crevices are in short supply... SQUAWKING 379 00:42:53,480 --> 00:42:56,760 ..and rivals are ever ready to fight for them. 380 00:43:06,200 --> 00:43:08,160 SQUAWKS 381 00:43:08,160 --> 00:43:10,560 SQUAWKING 382 00:43:20,640 --> 00:43:23,080 When aerial combat fails, 383 00:43:23,080 --> 00:43:25,640 snow petrels deploy another weapon. 384 00:43:27,840 --> 00:43:29,080 Vomit. 385 00:43:43,760 --> 00:43:46,040 It could be lethal. 386 00:43:47,560 --> 00:43:50,640 If the putrid stomach oil freezes, 387 00:43:50,640 --> 00:43:52,960 his flight feathers could stick together. 388 00:43:56,120 --> 00:43:59,160 Fortunately, he knows how to clean them... 389 00:44:06,720 --> 00:44:09,040 ..with a snow bath. 390 00:44:24,920 --> 00:44:28,400 Now to get on with the task of breeding. 391 00:44:29,520 --> 00:44:31,800 CHIRPING 392 00:44:47,680 --> 00:44:52,520 From here to the South Pole, 1,000 miles further inland... 393 00:44:52,520 --> 00:44:54,480 WIND HOWLS 394 00:44:54,480 --> 00:44:58,760 ..conditions become even more hostile for life. 395 00:45:00,200 --> 00:45:03,720 Winds driving over the East Antarctic Ice Sheet 396 00:45:03,720 --> 00:45:07,400 can reach speeds of up to 200mph. 397 00:45:12,800 --> 00:45:16,120 As these gale-force winds descend from the ice sheet, 398 00:45:16,120 --> 00:45:20,200 they pick up both speed and warmth. 399 00:45:33,720 --> 00:45:38,240 They create the most arid conditions on Earth. 400 00:45:49,800 --> 00:45:52,880 These aren't snowdrifts. 401 00:45:54,400 --> 00:45:56,600 They're sand dunes. 402 00:46:03,600 --> 00:46:06,480 Some of these so-called dry valleys 403 00:46:06,480 --> 00:46:10,240 have not felt rain in over a million years. 404 00:46:22,320 --> 00:46:24,240 Carved by the wind, 405 00:46:24,240 --> 00:46:27,800 strange monuments up to four metres tall 406 00:46:27,800 --> 00:46:30,880 stand on the desolate valley floor. 407 00:46:48,640 --> 00:46:51,440 The only life form... 408 00:46:53,400 --> 00:46:56,280 ..a mummified crabeater seal 409 00:46:56,280 --> 00:46:59,880 that mysteriously strayed here, 410 00:46:59,880 --> 00:47:02,200 possibly thousands of years ago. 411 00:47:15,680 --> 00:47:17,320 But if you look hard enough... 412 00:47:19,640 --> 00:47:23,960 ..life can be found in Antarctica's interior. 413 00:47:28,400 --> 00:47:32,320 Hidden in the mountains of eastern Antarctica, 414 00:47:32,320 --> 00:47:34,720 Lake Untersee. 415 00:47:40,880 --> 00:47:42,800 A little over ten years ago, 416 00:47:42,800 --> 00:47:46,320 scientists dived beneath its frozen surface... 417 00:47:48,480 --> 00:47:52,080 ..and made a discovery that would change our perception 418 00:47:52,080 --> 00:47:54,760 of the possibility of alien life. 419 00:48:02,440 --> 00:48:04,720 Lying on its lakebed 420 00:48:04,720 --> 00:48:07,560 are living structures found nowhere else on Earth. 421 00:48:15,840 --> 00:48:17,880 Giant stromatolites. 422 00:48:19,520 --> 00:48:21,600 Standing half a metre tall... 423 00:48:22,960 --> 00:48:25,200 ..their existence down here 424 00:48:25,200 --> 00:48:27,880 provides an extraordinary insight 425 00:48:27,880 --> 00:48:30,680 into how life on our planet might have evolved. 426 00:48:35,000 --> 00:48:37,640 These living structures have been built 427 00:48:37,640 --> 00:48:39,480 over thousands of years 428 00:48:39,480 --> 00:48:44,280 by arguably the most important microorganism on Earth. 429 00:48:46,160 --> 00:48:48,720 Cyanobacteria. 430 00:48:50,560 --> 00:48:55,760 The very first living organisms to have produced oxygen. 431 00:48:58,760 --> 00:49:02,600 Without them, Earth would have remained uninhabitable 432 00:49:02,600 --> 00:49:04,200 for higher life forms. 433 00:49:09,280 --> 00:49:12,480 If the building blocks for life can be found here, 434 00:49:12,480 --> 00:49:15,200 in the most hostile place on Earth... 435 00:49:19,240 --> 00:49:21,520 ..surely life could exist 436 00:49:21,520 --> 00:49:25,320 in the ice-covered lakes of distant planets. 437 00:49:45,720 --> 00:49:48,120 Whilst filming in the extremes 438 00:49:48,120 --> 00:49:52,320 of Antarctica, capturing the remarkable behaviour 439 00:49:52,320 --> 00:49:54,600 of wave-washing killer whales was to prove 440 00:49:54,600 --> 00:49:56,560 the crew's greatest challenge yet. 441 00:49:58,080 --> 00:50:01,080 The team set off from the Falkland Islands 442 00:50:01,080 --> 00:50:03,360 on board the Golden Fleece, 443 00:50:03,360 --> 00:50:07,800 which will be their home for the next month and a half. 444 00:50:07,800 --> 00:50:09,600 It's under the command 445 00:50:09,600 --> 00:50:12,640 of Antarctic explorer Dion Poncet. 446 00:50:14,200 --> 00:50:16,720 What's the weather like for the crossing? 447 00:50:16,720 --> 00:50:18,000 The first day is good. 448 00:50:18,000 --> 00:50:19,200 And then... 449 00:50:19,200 --> 00:50:22,520 ..nothing bad... that we can see...yet... 450 00:50:24,520 --> 00:50:29,640 To reach Antarctica, they must first cross the Drake Passage - 451 00:50:29,640 --> 00:50:34,040 650 miles of the world's roughest ocean. 452 00:50:35,560 --> 00:50:39,400 Confined to his bunk, executive producer Mark Brownlow 453 00:50:39,400 --> 00:50:40,920 has yet to find his sea legs. 454 00:50:40,920 --> 00:50:42,120 Destroyed. 455 00:50:43,320 --> 00:50:45,160 Fourth day at sea. 456 00:50:45,160 --> 00:50:46,360 Sick. 457 00:50:48,960 --> 00:50:51,080 On arrival at the peninsula, 458 00:50:51,080 --> 00:50:55,920 their search begins, guided by Leigh Hickmott, 459 00:50:55,920 --> 00:50:59,640 a whale scientist who is part of a 14-year study 460 00:50:59,640 --> 00:51:02,800 on the only killer whales in the world 461 00:51:02,800 --> 00:51:04,240 known to wave-wash. 462 00:51:05,920 --> 00:51:07,560 We now have a greater understanding, 463 00:51:07,560 --> 00:51:11,600 perhaps, of how small the population is, actually, 464 00:51:11,600 --> 00:51:12,840 of these killer whales. 465 00:51:12,840 --> 00:51:15,640 The parent population is about 50 animals, 466 00:51:15,640 --> 00:51:17,160 so really not very many at all. 467 00:51:18,520 --> 00:51:21,560 With so few of these highly specialised killer whales 468 00:51:21,560 --> 00:51:24,560 patrolling an area more than half the size of Wales, 469 00:51:24,560 --> 00:51:26,920 they head to where they were last sighted. 470 00:51:31,720 --> 00:51:34,920 After three days of round-the-clock surveillance, 471 00:51:34,920 --> 00:51:36,960 the team finally catch a glimpse. 472 00:51:38,000 --> 00:51:40,280 Found our first killer whales. 473 00:51:45,840 --> 00:51:48,600 There's the one we want! Whoo! 474 00:51:48,600 --> 00:51:50,600 Good start. 475 00:51:58,720 --> 00:52:00,960 To get shots low to the water, 476 00:52:00,960 --> 00:52:04,760 they launch a gyro-stabilised camera system in a small boat 477 00:52:04,760 --> 00:52:07,840 that's only half the length of the killer whales. 478 00:52:07,840 --> 00:52:09,200 Stay still. 479 00:52:12,400 --> 00:52:13,760 That's so cool! 480 00:52:16,560 --> 00:52:19,360 Definitely feel like we've just been checked out. 481 00:52:21,480 --> 00:52:22,680 It's quite intimidating. 482 00:52:29,000 --> 00:52:30,520 In a filming first, 483 00:52:30,520 --> 00:52:33,280 camera operator Bertie Gregory 484 00:52:33,280 --> 00:52:37,120 launches the drone to capture a new perspective 485 00:52:37,120 --> 00:52:39,560 on this hunting technique. 486 00:52:39,560 --> 00:52:43,000 We've got four, five killer whales, spy-hopping. 487 00:52:45,240 --> 00:52:47,480 Some are moving away! They might get ready for a wave. 488 00:52:52,280 --> 00:52:53,560 There's the first wave! 489 00:52:53,560 --> 00:52:57,040 That's the breaking wave that's broken the pack in half. 490 00:53:01,320 --> 00:53:02,960 The seal's in the water! 491 00:53:02,960 --> 00:53:06,120 Seal's in the water! He could be in trouble here. 492 00:53:08,400 --> 00:53:10,640 They could just kill the seal cleanly, 493 00:53:10,640 --> 00:53:14,880 but they are using the seal to teach their young how to hunt. 494 00:53:16,880 --> 00:53:18,520 It's really hard to watch. 495 00:53:20,360 --> 00:53:23,440 The team's ground-breaking footage 496 00:53:23,440 --> 00:53:25,920 is also providing valuable scientific data, 497 00:53:25,920 --> 00:53:28,920 contributing to the long-term study 498 00:53:28,920 --> 00:53:32,320 of these highly specialised killer whales. 499 00:53:34,120 --> 00:53:38,400 Animal B-17 - she was first photographed back in 2009. 500 00:53:38,400 --> 00:53:39,680 So here she is. 501 00:53:39,680 --> 00:53:42,320 This is a photograph taken during Frozen Planet I. 502 00:53:42,320 --> 00:53:43,720 If we look on the right, 503 00:53:43,720 --> 00:53:46,200 here's a picture that we took during our cruise. 504 00:53:46,200 --> 00:53:49,640 She's certainly the matriarch of her particular group. 505 00:53:49,640 --> 00:53:52,040 We're seeing how she's teaching her offspring 506 00:53:52,040 --> 00:53:55,000 to become this very efficient killer. 507 00:53:56,280 --> 00:53:58,320 But after such a promising start, 508 00:53:58,320 --> 00:54:01,120 conditions take a turn for the worse. 509 00:54:03,000 --> 00:54:04,680 The thing that's changed 510 00:54:04,680 --> 00:54:06,880 enormously here is the weather. 511 00:54:06,880 --> 00:54:11,160 In the past, the peninsula was famous for 512 00:54:11,160 --> 00:54:13,800 perfect calm, still, 513 00:54:13,800 --> 00:54:15,760 bright sunshine, clear skies. 514 00:54:15,760 --> 00:54:17,440 And... 515 00:54:17,440 --> 00:54:18,760 ..doesn't happen so much. 516 00:54:18,760 --> 00:54:23,520 And warmer weather here means less sea ice, which could 517 00:54:23,520 --> 00:54:25,760 have consequences for the killer whales' 518 00:54:25,760 --> 00:54:28,080 preferred prey of Weddell seals. 519 00:54:28,080 --> 00:54:30,480 There's a cruel irony, really, 520 00:54:30,480 --> 00:54:33,520 that we've today found the largest group of Weddell seals, 521 00:54:33,520 --> 00:54:36,520 but they're on the beach. They're not on pack ice. 522 00:54:36,520 --> 00:54:39,400 And that's potentially because the Antarctic Peninsula 523 00:54:39,400 --> 00:54:42,200 is one of the most rapidly warming places on the planet. 524 00:54:52,200 --> 00:54:53,800 The team film the killer whales 525 00:54:53,800 --> 00:54:55,800 switching to hunt crabeater seals... 526 00:54:59,120 --> 00:55:01,920 ...but then, something remarkable happens. 527 00:55:05,360 --> 00:55:07,400 They approach one of Antarctica's 528 00:55:07,400 --> 00:55:10,240 most formidable predators, the leopard seal. 529 00:55:20,480 --> 00:55:22,680 This is absolutely incredible, 530 00:55:22,680 --> 00:55:25,680 because that's really not considered a key prey for them. 531 00:55:28,160 --> 00:55:30,040 Ooh, he's chosen a bad piece. 532 00:55:30,040 --> 00:55:31,960 The ice has split into four... 533 00:55:31,960 --> 00:55:34,600 ..and he's chosen the smallest quarter. 534 00:55:46,200 --> 00:55:48,000 It's phenomenal. 535 00:55:50,320 --> 00:55:52,280 It's the first time a killer whale 536 00:55:52,280 --> 00:55:55,240 hunting a leopard seal has been captured on camera. 537 00:55:59,000 --> 00:56:01,080 As extraordinary as that is, 538 00:56:01,080 --> 00:56:04,680 it's a sobering indication of the challenges ahead 539 00:56:04,680 --> 00:56:06,560 for these killer whales. 540 00:56:07,600 --> 00:56:09,640 I don't think it's too much to say 541 00:56:09,640 --> 00:56:12,120 that we are facing a climate emergency. 542 00:56:12,120 --> 00:56:14,280 There's a real chance that, 543 00:56:14,280 --> 00:56:16,240 as we lose this pack-ice environment, 544 00:56:16,240 --> 00:56:18,920 that this predator, that has one of the most complex 545 00:56:18,920 --> 00:56:21,320 foraging strategies on the planet, 546 00:56:21,320 --> 00:56:22,800 is going to be potentially lost. 547 00:56:25,400 --> 00:56:27,400 And that's a tragedy that I, 548 00:56:27,400 --> 00:56:29,680 in my lifetime, don't want to see, 549 00:56:29,680 --> 00:56:31,840 and for our children, most certainly, 550 00:56:31,840 --> 00:56:33,400 we can't allow to happen. 551 00:56:46,160 --> 00:56:51,440 Next time, we journey to the frozen lands of the north. 552 00:56:51,440 --> 00:56:56,360 A world of snowbound forests and vast open tundra. 553 00:57:01,160 --> 00:57:04,000 Where seasonal extremes 554 00:57:04,000 --> 00:57:06,240 push animals to their limit. 555 00:57:15,080 --> 00:57:17,440 The Open University has produced a poster 556 00:57:17,440 --> 00:57:21,920 exploring how animals adapt to life in the world's coldest environments. 557 00:57:21,920 --> 00:57:23,960 To order your free copy, please call... 558 00:57:27,560 --> 00:57:29,000 ..or go to... 559 00:57:32,880 --> 00:57:34,800 ..and follow the links to the Open University.