1 00:00:36,596 --> 00:00:47,924 Autumn in Atka Bay, Antarctica. 2 00:00:47,924 --> 00:00:56,436 Just a few weeks ago, this was open sea. 3 00:00:56,436 --> 00:01:18,388 Now, a new frozen landscape is forming. 4 00:01:18,388 --> 00:01:28,577 This new world appears devoid of life. 5 00:01:28,577 --> 00:01:49,044 Well, almost. 6 00:01:49,044 --> 00:02:18,292 An emperor penguin. 7 00:02:18,292 --> 00:02:38,417 And he is not alone. 8 00:02:38,417 --> 00:03:00,532 Thousands of emperors are coming to this frozen bay. 9 00:03:00,532 --> 00:03:05,332 They are here because the new ice provides the safest place 10 00:03:05,332 --> 00:03:19,028 for them to breed. 11 00:03:19,028 --> 00:03:21,076 The ice will last nine months, 12 00:03:21,076 --> 00:03:27,377 before melting away next summer. 13 00:03:27,377 --> 00:03:30,617 And they will need every day of those nine months 14 00:03:30,617 --> 00:04:05,684 to raise the next generation of this great emperor dynasty. 15 00:04:05,684 --> 00:04:13,697 But to do so, they will have to survive the coming winter. 16 00:04:13,697 --> 00:04:30,977 The coldest and the cruellest on earth. 17 00:04:30,977 --> 00:04:36,276 Emperors pair up anew every year... 18 00:04:36,276 --> 00:04:39,092 ..and although winter is fast approaching, 19 00:04:39,092 --> 00:04:52,532 the process of finding the perfect partner cannot be hurried. 20 00:04:52,532 --> 00:04:55,937 PENGUINS SQUAWK 21 00:04:55,937 --> 00:05:00,404 New couples perform a graceful ritual 22 00:05:00,404 --> 00:05:35,796 that will cement their commitment to each other. 23 00:05:35,796 --> 00:05:38,356 Moving together in synchrony 24 00:05:38,356 --> 00:05:54,484 is the key to creating a powerful bond. 25 00:05:54,484 --> 00:06:01,204 And this bond needs to be one of the strongest in nature... 26 00:06:01,204 --> 00:06:04,817 ..because the survival of every family here, 27 00:06:04,817 --> 00:06:08,244 and therefore the survival of this dynasty, 28 00:06:08,244 --> 00:06:15,988 depends upon it. 29 00:06:15,988 --> 00:06:26,164 A penguin is beautifully designed for many things... 30 00:06:26,164 --> 00:06:40,948 ..but mating is not one of them. 31 00:06:40,948 --> 00:06:51,137 PENGUIN SQUEAKS 32 00:06:51,137 --> 00:06:54,900 Unfortunately, not all the penguins have been able 33 00:06:54,900 --> 00:06:59,060 to find the perfect partner. 34 00:06:59,060 --> 00:07:02,900 And, with time fast running out, 35 00:07:02,900 --> 00:07:09,236 this female forgoes the formalities. 36 00:07:09,236 --> 00:07:37,268 PENGUINS SQUAWK 37 00:07:37,268 --> 00:07:40,276 But this couple has already bonded too tightly 38 00:07:40,276 --> 00:07:47,636 to be split apart by an interloper. 39 00:07:47,636 --> 00:07:49,940 Penguins unlucky in love 40 00:07:49,940 --> 00:07:53,908 head back to spend the winter feeding at sea, 41 00:07:53,908 --> 00:08:02,057 because there's no food out here on the ice. 42 00:08:02,057 --> 00:08:11,828 The couples now face weeks of waiting while their eggs develop. 43 00:08:11,828 --> 00:08:25,097 But one pair appears to have got ahead of schedule. 44 00:08:25,097 --> 00:08:29,876 A bulge on a penguin's belly is normally the sign of a parent 45 00:08:29,876 --> 00:08:50,932 keeping an egg warm on its feet. 46 00:08:50,932 --> 00:09:09,428 But she seems to be trying to keep a snowball warm. 47 00:09:09,428 --> 00:09:32,212 They appear to be getting in some practice for the real thing. 48 00:09:32,212 --> 00:09:41,108 The days are becoming shorter and colder... 49 00:09:41,108 --> 00:09:49,428 ..until finally, the sun sets for the last time for two months. 50 00:09:49,428 --> 00:10:08,777 It won't rise again until the spring. 51 00:10:08,777 --> 00:10:11,828 Now, they live in a twilight world, 52 00:10:11,828 --> 00:10:22,772 under the bright Antarctic moon. 53 00:10:22,772 --> 00:10:37,044 For this couple, the long wait for their egg is almost over. 54 00:10:37,044 --> 00:10:49,204 The female senses it. 55 00:10:49,204 --> 00:11:11,028 Her contractions have begun. 56 00:11:11,028 --> 00:11:14,804 PENGUINS SQUAWK 57 00:11:14,804 --> 00:11:27,988 The next generation of emperors is on its way. 58 00:11:27,988 --> 00:11:31,828 Producing an egg takes a huge amount of energy, 59 00:11:31,828 --> 00:11:38,228 such that the females lose a quarter of their body weight. 60 00:11:38,228 --> 00:11:40,916 She hasn't eaten for over a month 61 00:11:40,916 --> 00:11:47,508 and needs to return to the ocean to feed. 62 00:11:47,508 --> 00:11:50,657 She can't take her precious egg with her, 63 00:11:50,657 --> 00:11:56,084 so she must pass it to her partner to care for. 64 00:11:56,084 --> 00:11:59,668 He has a special brood pouch to keep it warm, 65 00:11:59,668 --> 00:12:13,940 close to his skin. 66 00:12:13,940 --> 00:12:16,337 If he doesn't get the egg off the ice quickly, 67 00:12:16,337 --> 00:12:29,556 it will freeze. 68 00:12:29,556 --> 00:12:43,124 Now, she is free to go. 69 00:12:43,124 --> 00:13:07,956 But she does seem rather reluctant to leave. 70 00:13:07,956 --> 00:13:12,244 He will now have sole responsibility for their egg 71 00:13:12,244 --> 00:13:20,116 all through the long, harsh winter. 72 00:13:20,116 --> 00:13:22,996 He won't see his partner again 73 00:13:22,996 --> 00:13:56,724 until the egg has hatched. 74 00:13:56,724 --> 00:14:00,564 Over the next few days, every female in the colony 75 00:14:00,564 --> 00:14:25,097 hurries away on the same 15-mile march to the sea. 76 00:14:25,097 --> 00:14:46,068 drives the temperature down. 77 00:14:46,068 --> 00:14:49,140 To keep themselves and their eggs warm, 78 00:14:49,140 --> 00:14:53,177 the males now perform one of the most spectacular 79 00:14:53,177 --> 00:15:08,596 demonstrations of cooperation in nature. 80 00:15:08,596 --> 00:15:18,644 One by one, they lock themselves into a huddle... 81 00:15:18,644 --> 00:15:46,868 ..creating a giant incubator made up of over 4,000 male penguins. 82 00:15:46,868 --> 00:15:51,668 Each individual constantly tries to push into the best possible 83 00:15:51,668 --> 00:15:57,940 position to keep himself and his egg warm. 84 00:15:57,940 --> 00:15:59,348 As a result, 85 00:15:59,348 --> 00:16:38,580 the entire huddle is forever on the move. 86 00:16:38,580 --> 00:17:12,377 Storm force winds now drive the temperature down to -60 Celsius. 87 00:17:12,377 --> 00:17:15,137 For the emperors on the outside, 88 00:17:15,137 --> 00:17:16,596 facing the wind, 89 00:17:16,596 --> 00:17:29,332 the conditions become unbearable. 90 00:17:29,332 --> 00:17:32,177 They have no choice but to break off 91 00:17:32,177 --> 00:18:25,844 and try to get round to the sheltered side. 92 00:18:25,844 --> 00:18:28,148 He must get back on his feet, 93 00:18:28,148 --> 00:18:32,657 but without letting go of his egg. 94 00:18:32,657 --> 00:18:35,124 If he fails, the embryo inside 95 00:18:35,124 --> 00:19:05,268 will rapidly freeze and die. 96 00:19:05,268 --> 00:19:08,468 Once they arrive on the sheltered side of the huddle, 97 00:19:08,468 --> 00:19:17,044 they get some relief from the wind. 98 00:19:17,044 --> 00:19:20,372 When a blizzard sets in here, 99 00:19:20,372 --> 00:20:09,617 it rages for days on end. 100 00:20:09,617 --> 00:20:46,580 Now, the casualties are revealed. 101 00:20:46,580 --> 00:20:49,780 Battered, starving and exhausted, 102 00:20:49,780 --> 00:20:56,436 there is still no relief for the survivors. 103 00:20:56,436 --> 00:20:59,657 The storm has driven them nearly a mile 104 00:20:59,657 --> 00:21:12,308 from the safest path of the ice. 105 00:21:12,308 --> 00:21:33,876 It's a weary march back to where they started from. 106 00:21:33,876 --> 00:21:37,076 Now, they re-form their huddle, 107 00:21:37,076 --> 00:21:44,500 to be ready for the next storm... 108 00:21:44,500 --> 00:22:11,700 ..which will come, inevitably. 109 00:22:11,700 --> 00:22:15,348 Only after two months of brutal weather 110 00:22:15,348 --> 00:22:23,156 does the polar night finally come to an end. 111 00:22:23,156 --> 00:22:49,076 And with it comes a hint of warmth. 112 00:22:49,076 --> 00:22:52,148 The return of the sun coincides 113 00:22:52,148 --> 00:23:00,276 with the appearance of the newest members of the colony. 114 00:23:00,276 --> 00:23:52,244 CHICK SQUEAKS 115 00:23:52,244 --> 00:23:55,060 In a matter of days, there are thousands 116 00:23:55,060 --> 00:24:00,756 of hungry mouths, all demanding food. 117 00:24:00,756 --> 00:24:06,644 Their fathers haven't eaten anything for nearly four months. 118 00:24:06,644 --> 00:24:09,908 Yet they have kept back a vital reserve, 119 00:24:09,908 --> 00:24:12,404 a kind of thick penguin milk, 120 00:24:12,404 --> 00:24:16,436 just for this moment. 121 00:24:16,436 --> 00:24:22,097 But it's only enough to keep the chick alive for a few days. 122 00:24:22,097 --> 00:24:29,044 The females must return soon with food. 123 00:24:29,044 --> 00:25:23,252 For some, it's already too late. 124 00:25:23,252 --> 00:25:34,388 The first of the females are returning. 125 00:25:34,388 --> 00:25:37,844 Fat and well fed, more arrive, 126 00:25:37,844 --> 00:25:48,020 all with food for the chicks. 127 00:25:48,020 --> 00:26:06,772 And not a moment too soon for the waiting fathers. 128 00:26:06,772 --> 00:26:09,977 A mother's first sight of her young chick. 129 00:26:09,977 --> 00:26:15,668 CHICK SQUEAKS 130 00:26:15,668 --> 00:26:18,036 With their bond reaffirmed, 131 00:26:18,036 --> 00:26:43,892 the whole family celebrates. 132 00:26:43,892 --> 00:27:03,412 Now at last, he can hand over his precious chick to its mother. 133 00:27:03,412 --> 00:27:06,484 But there are less fortunate females here, 134 00:27:06,484 --> 00:27:19,028 whose chicks have died. 135 00:27:19,028 --> 00:27:26,644 Yet their parenting instinct is still strong. 136 00:27:26,644 --> 00:27:28,948 The sight of a youngster being handed over 137 00:27:28,948 --> 00:27:42,017 is irresistible. 138 00:27:42,017 --> 00:28:15,497 More chickless females join in the melee. 139 00:28:15,497 --> 00:28:20,596 The chick appears to be safe... 140 00:28:20,596 --> 00:28:47,348 ..but it is no longer with its true parents. 141 00:28:47,348 --> 00:29:06,036 The prospects for a kidnapped chick are never good. 142 00:29:06,036 --> 00:29:10,132 Despite their immense efforts over the last three months, 143 00:29:10,132 --> 00:29:29,908 this couple have nothing to show for it. 144 00:29:29,908 --> 00:29:32,980 For those couples that have been successful, 145 00:29:32,980 --> 00:29:35,732 it's the father's turn to head back to sea 146 00:29:35,732 --> 00:29:43,412 to get a much-needed meal for himself... 147 00:29:43,412 --> 00:29:55,457 ..and to take his turn collecting food for the chick. 148 00:29:55,457 --> 00:29:57,876 The mother is now able to bond 149 00:29:57,876 --> 00:30:01,716 with her new baby... 150 00:30:01,716 --> 00:30:08,057 ..and, urgently, to feed it. 151 00:30:08,057 --> 00:30:18,996 Its first taste of sea food. 152 00:30:18,996 --> 00:30:35,444 But the times of hardship are not over. 153 00:30:35,444 --> 00:30:37,108 Another storm, 154 00:30:37,108 --> 00:30:53,940 and another white-out. 155 00:30:53,940 --> 00:30:57,977 For some, this is a catastrophe. 156 00:30:57,977 --> 00:31:04,697 They have tumbled into a ravine in the ice... 157 00:31:04,697 --> 00:31:13,204 ..with steep, slippery walls. 158 00:31:13,204 --> 00:31:17,556 Chicks are now a deadly burden. 159 00:31:17,556 --> 00:31:22,996 Mothers carrying young cannot grip the ice. 160 00:31:22,996 --> 00:31:24,916 If she doesn't get out, 161 00:31:24,916 --> 00:31:44,244 they will both die. 162 00:31:44,244 --> 00:32:00,564 This mother has had to make a terrible choice. 163 00:32:00,564 --> 00:32:01,972 To save herself, 164 00:32:01,972 --> 00:33:21,268 she has abandoned her chick. 165 00:33:21,268 --> 00:35:21,524 One mother, at least, is not prepared to give up on her chick. 166 00:35:21,524 --> 00:35:58,772 Mother and chick are safe. 167 00:35:58,772 --> 00:36:12,468 There is, occasionally, a respite from the brutality of Antarctica. 168 00:36:12,468 --> 00:36:17,332 Clear skies, gentle winds... 169 00:36:17,332 --> 00:36:23,604 ..and a particularly spectacular display of the Southern Lights. 170 00:36:23,604 --> 00:37:37,524 The Aurora Australis. 171 00:37:37,524 --> 00:37:41,177 As the sun climbs higher every day, 172 00:37:41,177 --> 00:37:47,700 it warms the ice. 173 00:37:47,700 --> 00:37:50,777 Soon, the emperors' frozen world 174 00:37:50,777 --> 00:38:02,740 will start to melt away. 175 00:38:02,740 --> 00:38:04,788 For the last few weeks, 176 00:38:04,788 --> 00:38:12,084 the mother and father have taken it in turn to feed their offspring. 177 00:38:12,084 --> 00:38:16,337 But its growing appetite will soon force both parents to go away 178 00:38:16,337 --> 00:38:33,396 fishing at the same time. 179 00:38:33,396 --> 00:38:38,068 Now it's time to encourage the month-old chicks 180 00:38:38,068 --> 00:38:58,484 to stand on their own two feet. 181 00:38:58,484 --> 00:39:13,217 CHICK SQUEAKS 182 00:39:13,217 --> 00:39:21,588 Sometimes, it takes a well-timed kick. 183 00:39:21,588 --> 00:39:35,604 Now, both parents can head off to sea to go fishing. 184 00:39:35,604 --> 00:39:36,756 For the first time, 185 00:39:36,756 --> 00:39:39,764 the chicks will have to face the elements 186 00:39:39,764 --> 00:39:50,004 without a parent to protect them. 187 00:39:50,004 --> 00:39:59,028 Other adults certainly won't look after them. 188 00:39:59,028 --> 00:40:27,764 So, lone chicks gather together for comfort. 189 00:40:27,764 --> 00:40:31,348 As the temperature drops to -25, 190 00:40:31,348 --> 00:40:36,916 the chicks instinctively create their own mini-huddle, 191 00:40:36,916 --> 00:41:00,084 just as their fathers do. 192 00:41:00,084 --> 00:41:02,324 This is no time 193 00:41:02,324 --> 00:41:12,180 for a youngster to be alone. 194 00:41:12,180 --> 00:41:13,460 If they're lucky, 195 00:41:13,460 --> 00:41:16,788 some chicks may still have the protection of a parent 196 00:41:16,788 --> 00:41:27,924 taking a break from fishing. 197 00:41:27,924 --> 00:41:55,508 But for the majority, the huddle is their only shelter. 198 00:41:55,508 --> 00:42:00,137 Even in this weather, adults must still head back and forth 199 00:42:00,137 --> 00:42:14,196 to the sea to bring back food. 200 00:42:14,196 --> 00:42:19,636 The instinct to follow adults is still strong. 201 00:42:19,636 --> 00:42:21,137 But in a blizzard, 202 00:42:21,137 --> 00:42:35,828 that is a bad idea. 203 00:42:35,828 --> 00:42:38,260 The adults' disappearance 204 00:42:38,260 --> 00:44:11,537 leaves the chicks in confusion. 205 00:44:11,537 --> 00:44:15,028 Lost and alone, his only hope 206 00:44:15,028 --> 00:44:20,148 is that this adult is heading back to the colony, and not away from it, 207 00:44:20,148 --> 00:46:05,556 across the frozen wastes. 208 00:46:05,556 --> 00:46:08,628 With the last of the big storms over, 209 00:46:08,628 --> 00:46:15,412 summer has arrived. 210 00:46:15,412 --> 00:46:29,620 The ice that has been the penguins' home is melting. 211 00:46:29,620 --> 00:47:02,132 These chicks are almost fully grown, and approaching independence. 212 00:47:02,132 --> 00:47:07,124 Before they leave for the sea, all emperors - adults and their chicks, 213 00:47:07,124 --> 00:47:16,660 must moult. 214 00:47:16,660 --> 00:47:25,236 For the youngsters, this marks the arrival of adulthood. 215 00:47:25,236 --> 00:47:41,897 Against all the odds, two thirds have survived. 216 00:47:41,897 --> 00:47:51,617 But the annual disappearance of their ice world is a reminder 217 00:47:51,617 --> 00:47:58,004 Ocean temperatures are expected to rise year-on-year. 218 00:47:58,004 --> 00:48:06,196 This Antarctic sea ice on which all emperor penguins rely 219 00:48:06,196 --> 00:48:15,604 to complete their extraordinary life cycle. 220 00:48:15,604 --> 00:48:20,788 But, as the whole colony prepares to leave Atka Bay... 221 00:48:20,788 --> 00:48:27,572 ..these parents have successfully raised the next generation 222 00:48:27,572 --> 00:48:49,716 in this emperors' dynasty. 223 00:48:49,716 --> 00:48:53,556 To capture the extraordinary story of the emperor penguins, 224 00:48:53,556 --> 00:48:58,996 the Dynasties team had to travel to the end of the Earth. 225 00:48:58,996 --> 00:49:02,537 Neumayer research station will be home to the film crew 226 00:49:02,537 --> 00:49:05,537 for nearly a year. 227 00:49:05,537 --> 00:49:10,836 There's about 70 tonnes worth of food. 228 00:49:10,836 --> 00:49:14,548 We've got about 15 boxes of white cabbage. 229 00:49:14,548 --> 00:49:17,620 Neumayer has everything they need. 230 00:49:17,620 --> 00:49:21,017 But it's a different world outside. 231 00:49:21,017 --> 00:49:26,260 It's really easy to feel quite comfortable inside, and... 232 00:49:26,260 --> 00:49:27,497 HE SIGHS 233 00:49:27,497 --> 00:49:29,537 This place, it's... 234 00:49:29,537 --> 00:49:31,828 wild, really wild. 235 00:49:31,828 --> 00:49:34,644 It's worth reminding ourselves of that every now and again. 236 00:49:34,644 --> 00:49:37,524 Oh, I've got to go inside! 237 00:49:37,524 --> 00:49:41,108 The crew need five layers of clothing before they can even 238 00:49:41,108 --> 00:49:45,204 think of leaving the base. 239 00:49:45,204 --> 00:49:49,428 As the final plane departs, they know that it'll be the last 240 00:49:49,428 --> 00:49:54,100 till winter is over in eight months' time. 241 00:49:54,100 --> 00:49:57,364 Now the plane's just left and that's us on our own, now. 242 00:49:57,364 --> 00:50:01,716 Nobody will be coming in case something happened. 243 00:50:01,716 --> 00:50:05,428 We are now all by ourselves. 244 00:50:05,428 --> 00:50:08,308 When the team head out to explore, they discover 245 00:50:08,308 --> 00:50:12,980 just how careful they'll have to be working in this hostile world. 246 00:50:12,980 --> 00:50:15,284 We've come across an enormous crack, 247 00:50:15,284 --> 00:50:17,716 so we're probably on an unsafe piece of ice at the moment. 248 00:50:17,716 --> 00:50:18,996 ICE CREAKS 249 00:50:18,996 --> 00:50:20,084 Oh, my God! 250 00:50:20,084 --> 00:50:23,796 Did you just hear that? 251 00:50:23,796 --> 00:50:26,612 A deep crack in the edge of the ice shelf like this 252 00:50:26,612 --> 00:50:28,852 can be extremely dangerous. 253 00:50:28,852 --> 00:50:31,604 Oh, my word, it just goes straight down. 254 00:50:31,604 --> 00:50:33,844 This area's definitely not safe. 255 00:50:33,844 --> 00:50:37,577 An incredible reminder of how... 256 00:50:37,577 --> 00:50:39,377 ..how unpredictable this place is. 257 00:50:39,377 --> 00:50:42,996 It's just mind-blowing. 258 00:50:42,996 --> 00:50:49,937 Six miles from the station, the permanent ice meets the ocean. 259 00:50:49,937 --> 00:50:53,620 This is where the penguins will soon be heading. 260 00:50:53,620 --> 00:50:56,884 Once the sea is frozen, the team will have to cross 261 00:50:56,884 --> 00:51:00,916 the treacherous, newly-formed ice to reach them. 262 00:51:00,916 --> 00:51:03,796 I've found a decent spot for the, uh, for the guys to lower me down 263 00:51:03,796 --> 00:51:06,548 onto the sea ice for the first time. 264 00:51:06,548 --> 00:51:08,916 So Will's going to act as a bit of a safety man for me, 265 00:51:08,916 --> 00:51:17,428 in case anything goes wrong. 266 00:51:17,428 --> 00:51:20,116 These are our first few steps onto the sea ice. 267 00:51:20,116 --> 00:51:22,868 It definitely feels a bit nerve-racking, 268 00:51:22,868 --> 00:51:25,108 knowing that there's a couple of hundred meters 269 00:51:25,108 --> 00:51:28,337 of water underneath us. 270 00:51:28,337 --> 00:51:32,020 To find a safe route, the crew must check the depth of the ice 271 00:51:32,020 --> 00:51:33,684 all the way. 272 00:51:33,684 --> 00:51:45,857 Ice around 30 centimetres and above is stable. 273 00:51:45,857 --> 00:51:47,316 This is a great moment for us. 274 00:51:47,316 --> 00:51:49,044 We finally made it to the colony. 275 00:51:49,044 --> 00:51:50,708 Yeah, it's really special. 276 00:51:50,708 --> 00:51:53,204 When it's this still and there's this many birds in front of you, 277 00:51:53,204 --> 00:51:54,740 And... 278 00:51:54,740 --> 00:51:58,836 It makes the place look absolutely beautiful. 279 00:51:58,836 --> 00:52:02,897 A few weeks later, the sun sets for the last time, 280 00:52:02,897 --> 00:52:07,540 and Antarctica reveals its harsher side. 281 00:52:07,540 --> 00:52:10,292 We think it's probably minus 50. 282 00:52:10,292 --> 00:52:13,457 The sun is somewhere below the horizon. 283 00:52:13,457 --> 00:52:17,524 It still won't be visible for another... 284 00:52:17,524 --> 00:52:19,828 ..six weeks, probably. 285 00:52:19,828 --> 00:52:24,628 Erm, so this is something that we're going to have to get used to. 286 00:52:24,628 --> 00:52:27,700 It's easier said than done. 287 00:52:27,700 --> 00:52:29,108 Oh, God! 288 00:52:29,108 --> 00:52:33,977 And then, the storms come. 289 00:52:33,977 --> 00:52:35,572 We've got proper, proper weather now, 290 00:52:35,572 --> 00:52:39,156 and really, really strong winds. 291 00:52:39,156 --> 00:52:40,884 The colony's just in front of us. 292 00:52:40,884 --> 00:52:56,564 Sometimes, it disappears behind the snow. 293 00:52:56,564 --> 00:53:01,364 It's been hovering around 100kph now, since this picked up. 294 00:53:01,364 --> 00:53:04,628 What these penguins are having to put up with out there, 295 00:53:04,628 --> 00:53:11,732 it's just mind-blowing. 296 00:53:11,732 --> 00:53:14,356 We're finally coming to the end of this storm. 297 00:53:14,356 --> 00:53:18,644 There's all sorts of weird rattling sounds and... 298 00:53:18,644 --> 00:53:21,140 To be quite honest, I don't know how this station 299 00:53:21,140 --> 00:53:30,868 manages to stay standing. 300 00:53:30,868 --> 00:53:33,364 Finally, the sun returns, 301 00:53:33,364 --> 00:53:36,628 but the storms continue. 302 00:53:36,628 --> 00:53:41,364 A break in the weather reveals something the team had not expected. 303 00:53:41,364 --> 00:53:44,500 But I can hear a heck of a lot of noise coming 304 00:53:44,500 --> 00:53:47,956 from just over the brow. 305 00:53:47,956 --> 00:53:52,697 Oh, man! 306 00:53:52,697 --> 00:53:54,420 Oh, my word. 307 00:53:54,420 --> 00:53:57,876 There are... There are birds down there with chicks. 308 00:53:57,876 --> 00:54:01,460 Film crews have to capture events as they unfold, 309 00:54:01,460 --> 00:54:09,017 whatever their feelings. 310 00:54:09,017 --> 00:54:11,252 I know it's natural, but it's, um... 311 00:54:11,252 --> 00:54:12,857 HE SNIFFS 312 00:54:12,857 --> 00:54:18,804 It's bloody hard to watch. 313 00:54:18,804 --> 00:54:24,257 Oh, my word. 314 00:54:24,257 --> 00:54:27,316 I think we're just going to have to observe them for a bit 315 00:54:27,316 --> 00:54:36,857 and see exactly what's happening. 316 00:54:36,857 --> 00:54:39,497 We've come back up onto the top because the weather is coming in 317 00:54:39,497 --> 00:54:41,716 again and we were just about to pack up, 318 00:54:41,716 --> 00:54:44,596 and an adult with a chick on its feet managed to 319 00:54:44,596 --> 00:54:47,417 make its way up. 320 00:54:47,417 --> 00:54:50,484 It's amazing, it's using its beak, and then when it got to this last 321 00:54:50,484 --> 00:54:54,324 little lip, erm, its wings. 322 00:54:54,324 --> 00:54:59,444 Oh, man, if only the other 50 in there could do the same. 323 00:54:59,444 --> 00:55:02,657 Hopefully the weather will clear again tomorrow and we can get back 324 00:55:02,657 --> 00:55:06,676 down here, and fingers crossed, there'll be a few less birds 325 00:55:06,676 --> 00:55:09,364 in this hole. 326 00:55:09,364 --> 00:55:13,012 Two days later, the weather allows the team to return to the colony. 327 00:55:13,012 --> 00:55:17,236 Already, the gully has claimed more casualties. 328 00:55:17,236 --> 00:55:20,500 The team decide to act. 329 00:55:20,500 --> 00:55:22,164 We've given it a lot of thought. 330 00:55:22,164 --> 00:55:25,577 We've decided that we are definitely going to dig a shallow ramp 331 00:55:25,577 --> 00:55:29,268 that they will hopefully use. 332 00:55:29,268 --> 00:55:32,212 It's very rare for the film crew to intervene. 333 00:55:32,212 --> 00:55:35,604 But they realise that they may be able to save at least some 334 00:55:35,604 --> 00:55:41,748 of these birds simply by digging a few steps in the ice. 335 00:55:41,748 --> 00:55:43,817 Oh, man! Will, look. 336 00:55:43,817 --> 00:55:46,484 Oh, my goodness. 337 00:55:46,484 --> 00:55:48,737 We were literally just about to leave but 338 00:55:48,737 --> 00:55:51,156 the first birds are definitely making their way out, 339 00:55:51,156 --> 00:55:52,577 which is brilliant. 340 00:55:52,577 --> 00:55:55,252 So, hopefully, they'll just make their way back to the colony 341 00:55:55,252 --> 00:55:57,497 and them and their chicks will have a much better chance 342 00:55:57,497 --> 00:56:00,756 of survival, because there's no chance that they were going 343 00:56:00,756 --> 00:56:05,236 to survive down there at all. 344 00:56:05,236 --> 00:56:09,017 The crew follow the chicks as they grow up. 345 00:56:09,017 --> 00:56:11,897 And after months with the emperors, 346 00:56:11,897 --> 00:56:16,756 their time in Antarctica is finally coming to a close. 347 00:56:16,756 --> 00:56:21,428 We're coming to the end of the trip now, and, um... 348 00:56:21,428 --> 00:56:23,988 Yeah, we've had a... 349 00:56:23,988 --> 00:56:28,097 We've had an amazing year, and... 350 00:56:28,097 --> 00:56:29,556 HE SIGHS 351 00:56:29,556 --> 00:56:32,308 I'm obviously desperate to get home. 352 00:56:32,308 --> 00:56:36,276 But there's, um... 353 00:56:36,276 --> 00:56:44,788 There's an odd part of me that doesn't want to leave. 354 00:56:44,788 --> 00:56:54,196 What a privilege, eh? 355 00:56:54,196 --> 00:56:55,604 Next time: 356 00:56:55,604 --> 00:57:02,777 A lioness battles against the odds... 357 00:57:02,777 --> 00:57:10,964 ..to protect her family.