1 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:40,360 Autumn in Atka Bay, Antarctica. 2 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:51,320 Just a few weeks ago, this was open sea. 3 00:00:56,000 --> 00:01:01,000 Now, a new frozen landscape is forming. 4 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:22,320 This new world appears devoid of life. 5 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:30,440 Well, almost. 6 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:50,600 An emperor penguin. 7 00:02:17,920 --> 00:02:20,640 And he is not alone. 8 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:42,840 Thousands of emperors are coming to this frozen bay. 9 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:05,000 They are here because the new ice provides the safest place 10 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:06,440 for them to breed. 11 00:03:18,640 --> 00:03:20,680 The ice will last nine months, 12 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:23,040 before melting away next summer. 13 00:03:26,920 --> 00:03:30,200 And they will need every day of those nine months 14 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:34,480 to raise the next generation of this great emperor dynasty. 15 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:10,200 But to do so, they will have to survive the coming winter. 16 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:18,560 The coldest and the cruellest on earth. 17 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:34,160 Emperors pair up anew every year... 18 00:04:35,840 --> 00:04:38,640 ..and although winter is fast approaching, 19 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:43,680 the process of finding the perfect partner cannot be hurried. 20 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:54,320 PENGUINS SQUAWK 21 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:59,960 New couples perform a graceful ritual 22 00:04:59,960 --> 00:05:02,880 that will cement their commitment to each other. 23 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:37,880 Moving together in synchrony 24 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:41,240 is the key to creating a powerful bond. 25 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:58,880 And this bond needs to be one of the strongest in nature... 26 00:06:00,840 --> 00:06:04,480 ..because the survival of every family here, 27 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:07,800 and therefore the survival of this dynasty, 28 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:09,320 depends upon it. 29 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:19,680 A penguin is beautifully designed for many things... 30 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:29,720 ..but mating is not one of them. 31 00:06:40,600 --> 00:06:41,640 PENGUIN SQUEAKS 32 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:54,520 Unfortunately, not all the penguins have been able 33 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:56,560 to find the perfect partner. 34 00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:02,560 And, with time fast running out, 35 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:05,640 this female forgoes the formalities. 36 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:10,520 PENGUINS SQUAWK 37 00:07:36,840 --> 00:07:39,920 But this couple has already bonded too tightly 38 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:42,520 to be split apart by an interloper. 39 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:49,560 Penguins unlucky in love 40 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:53,520 head back to spend the winter feeding at sea, 41 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:56,120 because there's no food out here on the ice. 42 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:06,440 The couples now face weeks of waiting while their eggs develop. 43 00:08:11,440 --> 00:08:15,360 But one pair appears to have got ahead of schedule. 44 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:29,480 A bulge on a penguin's belly is normally the sign of a parent 45 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:32,440 keeping an egg warm on its feet. 46 00:08:50,520 --> 00:08:57,120 But she seems to be trying to keep a snowball warm. 47 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:13,200 They appear to be getting in some practice for the real thing. 48 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:35,640 The days are becoming shorter and colder... 49 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:46,800 ..until finally, the sun sets for the last time for two months. 50 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:51,880 It won't rise again until the spring. 51 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:11,480 Now, they live in a twilight world, 52 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:14,040 under the bright Antarctic moon. 53 00:10:22,320 --> 00:10:26,600 For this couple, the long wait for their egg is almost over. 54 00:10:36,680 --> 00:10:39,400 The female senses it. 55 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:51,120 Her contractions have begun. 56 00:11:10,680 --> 00:11:12,360 PENGUINS SQUAWK 57 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:18,600 The next generation of emperors is on its way. 58 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:31,480 Producing an egg takes a huge amount of energy, 59 00:11:31,480 --> 00:11:35,640 such that the females lose a quarter of their body weight. 60 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:40,520 She hasn't eaten for over a month 61 00:11:40,520 --> 00:11:43,360 and needs to return to the ocean to feed. 62 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:50,240 She can't take her precious egg with her, 63 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:53,680 so she must pass it to her partner to care for. 64 00:11:55,680 --> 00:11:59,320 He has a special brood pouch to keep it warm, 65 00:11:59,320 --> 00:12:00,720 close to his skin. 66 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:15,960 If he doesn't get the egg off the ice quickly, 67 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:17,720 it will freeze. 68 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:31,800 Now, she is free to go. 69 00:12:42,640 --> 00:12:46,000 But she does seem rather reluctant to leave. 70 00:13:07,560 --> 00:13:11,880 He will now have sole responsibility for their egg 71 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:14,440 all through the long, harsh winter. 72 00:13:19,680 --> 00:13:22,600 He won't see his partner again 73 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:24,920 until the egg has hatched. 74 00:13:56,360 --> 00:14:00,080 Over the next few days, every female in the colony 75 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:05,480 hurries away on the same 15-mile march to the sea. 76 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:24,760 A freezing wind blowing in from the heart of the continent 77 00:14:24,760 --> 00:14:27,000 drives the temperature down. 78 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:48,720 To keep themselves and their eggs warm, 79 00:14:48,720 --> 00:14:52,840 the males now perform one of the most spectacular 80 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:56,120 demonstrations of cooperation in nature. 81 00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:13,560 One by one, they lock themselves into a huddle... 82 00:15:18,240 --> 00:15:24,800 ..creating a giant incubator made up of over 4,000 male penguins. 83 00:15:46,440 --> 00:15:51,280 Each individual constantly tries to push into the best possible 84 00:15:51,280 --> 00:15:55,200 position to keep himself and his egg warm. 85 00:15:57,560 --> 00:15:58,880 As a result, 86 00:15:58,880 --> 00:16:02,080 the entire huddle is forever on the move. 87 00:16:38,160 --> 00:16:45,520 Storm force winds now drive the temperature down to -60 Celsius. 88 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:14,800 For the emperors on the outside, 89 00:17:14,800 --> 00:17:16,280 facing the wind, 90 00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:18,920 the conditions become unbearable. 91 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:31,800 They have no choice but to break off 92 00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:35,200 and try to get round to the sheltered side. 93 00:18:25,560 --> 00:18:27,760 He must get back on his feet, 94 00:18:27,760 --> 00:18:30,480 but without letting go of his egg. 95 00:18:32,280 --> 00:18:34,680 If he fails, the embryo inside 96 00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:37,040 will rapidly freeze and die. 97 00:19:04,920 --> 00:19:08,120 Once they arrive on the sheltered side of the huddle, 98 00:19:08,120 --> 00:19:10,640 they get some relief from the wind. 99 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:20,000 When a blizzard sets in here, 100 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:22,880 it rages for days on end. 101 00:20:09,240 --> 00:20:12,600 Now, the casualties are revealed. 102 00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:49,320 Battered, starving and exhausted, 103 00:20:49,320 --> 00:20:52,720 there is still no relief for the survivors. 104 00:20:56,040 --> 00:20:59,360 The storm has driven them nearly a mile 105 00:20:59,360 --> 00:21:01,960 from the safest path of the ice. 106 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:15,520 It's a weary march back to where they started from. 107 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:36,720 Now, they re-form their huddle, 108 00:21:36,720 --> 00:21:39,200 to be ready for the next storm... 109 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:46,760 ..which will come, inevitably. 110 00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:14,960 Only after two months of brutal weather 111 00:22:14,960 --> 00:22:18,480 does the polar night finally come to an end. 112 00:22:22,760 --> 00:22:26,760 And with it comes a hint of warmth. 113 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:51,720 The return of the sun coincides 114 00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:55,480 with the appearance of the newest members of the colony. 115 00:22:59,880 --> 00:23:01,760 CHICK SQUEAKS 116 00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:54,640 In a matter of days, there are thousands 117 00:23:54,640 --> 00:23:57,760 of hungry mouths, all demanding food. 118 00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:04,640 Their fathers haven't eaten anything for nearly four months. 119 00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:09,560 Yet they have kept back a vital reserve, 120 00:24:09,560 --> 00:24:12,000 a kind of thick penguin milk, 121 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:13,840 just for this moment. 122 00:24:16,040 --> 00:24:20,200 But it's only enough to keep the chick alive for a few days. 123 00:24:21,720 --> 00:24:25,360 The females must return soon with food. 124 00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:31,240 For some, it's already too late. 125 00:25:22,840 --> 00:25:26,160 The first of the females are returning. 126 00:25:34,080 --> 00:25:37,560 Fat and well fed, more arrive, 127 00:25:37,560 --> 00:25:39,600 all with food for the chicks. 128 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:51,200 And not a moment too soon for the waiting fathers. 129 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:09,640 A mother's first sight of her young chick. 130 00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:11,440 CHICK SQUEAKS 131 00:26:15,360 --> 00:26:17,680 With their bond reaffirmed, 132 00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:19,560 the whole family celebrates. 133 00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:48,760 Now at last, he can hand over his precious chick to its mother. 134 00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:06,120 But there are less fortunate females here, 135 00:27:06,120 --> 00:27:07,960 whose chicks have died. 136 00:27:18,640 --> 00:27:22,120 Yet their parenting instinct is still strong. 137 00:27:26,200 --> 00:27:28,520 The sight of a youngster being handed over 138 00:27:28,520 --> 00:27:30,400 is irresistible. 139 00:27:41,680 --> 00:27:44,840 More chickless females join in the melee. 140 00:28:15,080 --> 00:28:17,800 The chick appears to be safe... 141 00:28:20,160 --> 00:28:24,440 ..but it is no longer with its true parents. 142 00:28:46,920 --> 00:28:51,440 The prospects for a kidnapped chick are never good. 143 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:09,720 Despite their immense efforts over the last three months, 144 00:29:09,720 --> 00:29:13,200 this couple have nothing to show for it. 145 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:32,560 For those couples that have been successful, 146 00:29:32,560 --> 00:29:35,320 it's the father's turn to head back to sea 147 00:29:35,320 --> 00:29:38,320 to get a much-needed meal for himself... 148 00:29:43,000 --> 00:29:46,680 ..and to take his turn collecting food for the chick. 149 00:29:55,080 --> 00:29:57,560 The mother is now able to bond 150 00:29:57,560 --> 00:29:59,160 with her new baby... 151 00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:04,200 ..and, urgently, to feed it. 152 00:30:07,720 --> 00:30:10,360 Its first taste of sea food. 153 00:30:18,600 --> 00:30:21,880 But the times of hardship are not over. 154 00:30:35,160 --> 00:30:36,720 Another storm, 155 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:39,000 and another white-out. 156 00:30:53,600 --> 00:30:56,360 For some, this is a catastrophe. 157 00:30:57,520 --> 00:31:00,680 They have tumbled into a ravine in the ice... 158 00:31:04,320 --> 00:31:07,240 ..with steep, slippery walls. 159 00:31:12,840 --> 00:31:15,480 Chicks are now a deadly burden. 160 00:31:17,160 --> 00:31:20,880 Mothers carrying young cannot grip the ice. 161 00:31:22,680 --> 00:31:24,520 If she doesn't get out, 162 00:31:24,520 --> 00:31:26,080 they will both die. 163 00:31:43,840 --> 00:31:47,240 This mother has had to make a terrible choice. 164 00:32:00,200 --> 00:32:01,640 To save herself, 165 00:32:01,640 --> 00:32:04,160 she has abandoned her chick. 166 00:33:20,880 --> 00:33:25,680 One mother, at least, is not prepared to give up on her chick. 167 00:35:21,200 --> 00:35:24,400 Mother and chick are safe. 168 00:35:58,320 --> 00:36:04,160 There is, occasionally, a respite from the brutality of Antarctica. 169 00:36:12,080 --> 00:36:15,800 Clear skies, gentle winds... 170 00:36:16,920 --> 00:36:21,800 ..and a particularly spectacular display of the Southern Lights. 171 00:36:23,240 --> 00:36:25,560 The Aurora Australis. 172 00:37:37,120 --> 00:37:40,800 As the sun climbs higher every day, 173 00:37:40,800 --> 00:37:42,640 it warms the ice. 174 00:37:47,360 --> 00:37:50,360 Soon, the emperors' frozen world 175 00:37:50,360 --> 00:37:52,520 will start to melt away. 176 00:38:02,400 --> 00:38:04,360 For the last few weeks, 177 00:38:04,360 --> 00:38:08,880 the mother and father have taken it in turn to feed their offspring. 178 00:38:11,680 --> 00:38:15,920 But its growing appetite will soon force both parents to go away 179 00:38:15,920 --> 00:38:18,120 fishing at the same time. 180 00:38:32,960 --> 00:38:37,680 Now it's time to encourage the month-old chicks 181 00:38:37,680 --> 00:38:40,080 to stand on their own two feet. 182 00:38:58,120 --> 00:39:00,080 CHICK SQUEAKS 183 00:39:12,840 --> 00:39:16,440 Sometimes, it takes a well-timed kick. 184 00:39:21,160 --> 00:39:25,360 Now, both parents can head off to sea to go fishing. 185 00:39:35,240 --> 00:39:36,440 For the first time, 186 00:39:36,440 --> 00:39:39,360 the chicks will have to face the elements 187 00:39:39,360 --> 00:39:42,040 without a parent to protect them. 188 00:39:49,560 --> 00:39:52,920 Other adults certainly won't look after them. 189 00:39:58,600 --> 00:40:02,440 So, lone chicks gather together for comfort. 190 00:40:27,320 --> 00:40:30,960 As the temperature drops to -25, 191 00:40:30,960 --> 00:40:36,480 the chicks instinctively create their own mini-huddle, 192 00:40:36,480 --> 00:40:38,280 just as their fathers do. 193 00:40:59,760 --> 00:41:01,920 This is no time 194 00:41:01,920 --> 00:41:04,240 for a youngster to be alone. 195 00:41:11,800 --> 00:41:13,040 If they're lucky, 196 00:41:13,040 --> 00:41:16,400 some chicks may still have the protection of a parent 197 00:41:16,400 --> 00:41:18,080 taking a break from fishing. 198 00:41:27,520 --> 00:41:31,520 But for the majority, the huddle is their only shelter. 199 00:41:55,160 --> 00:41:59,720 Even in this weather, adults must still head back and forth 200 00:41:59,720 --> 00:42:02,520 to the sea to bring back food. 201 00:42:13,840 --> 00:42:17,640 The instinct to follow adults is still strong. 202 00:42:19,280 --> 00:42:20,760 But in a blizzard, 203 00:42:20,760 --> 00:42:22,280 that is a bad idea. 204 00:42:35,520 --> 00:42:37,880 The adults' disappearance 205 00:42:37,880 --> 00:42:40,720 leaves the chicks in confusion. 206 00:44:11,160 --> 00:44:14,640 Lost and alone, his only hope 207 00:44:14,640 --> 00:44:19,720 is that this adult is heading back to the colony, and not away from it, 208 00:44:19,720 --> 00:44:22,000 across the frozen wastes. 209 00:46:05,160 --> 00:46:08,280 With the last of the big storms over, 210 00:46:08,280 --> 00:46:10,560 summer has arrived. 211 00:46:15,040 --> 00:46:19,200 The ice that has been the penguins' home is melting. 212 00:46:29,240 --> 00:46:34,320 These chicks are almost fully grown, and approaching independence. 213 00:47:01,760 --> 00:47:06,760 Before they leave for the sea, all emperors - adults and their chicks, 214 00:47:06,760 --> 00:47:08,800 must moult. 215 00:47:16,160 --> 00:47:20,520 For the youngsters, this marks the arrival of adulthood. 216 00:47:24,800 --> 00:47:29,240 Against all the odds, two thirds have survived. 217 00:47:41,520 --> 00:47:46,640 But the annual disappearance of their ice world is a reminder 218 00:47:46,640 --> 00:47:49,120 that they face an uncertain future. 219 00:47:51,240 --> 00:47:55,680 Ocean temperatures are expected to rise year-on-year. 220 00:47:57,640 --> 00:48:02,760 This Antarctic sea ice on which all emperor penguins rely 221 00:48:02,760 --> 00:48:05,880 may not freeze for long enough each year for them 222 00:48:05,880 --> 00:48:08,960 to complete their extraordinary life cycle. 223 00:48:15,240 --> 00:48:19,120 But, as the whole colony prepares to leave Atka Bay... 224 00:48:20,400 --> 00:48:27,200 ..these parents have successfully raised the next generation 225 00:48:27,200 --> 00:48:30,040 in this emperors' dynasty. 226 00:48:49,320 --> 00:48:53,120 To capture the extraordinary story of the emperor penguins, 227 00:48:53,120 --> 00:48:56,920 the Dynasties team had to travel to the end of the Earth. 228 00:48:58,520 --> 00:49:02,240 Neumayer research station will be home to the film crew 229 00:49:02,240 --> 00:49:04,120 for nearly a year. 230 00:49:05,120 --> 00:49:08,560 There's about 70 tonnes worth of food. 231 00:49:10,520 --> 00:49:12,760 We've got about 15 boxes of white cabbage. 232 00:49:14,160 --> 00:49:17,280 Neumayer has everything they need. 233 00:49:17,280 --> 00:49:19,480 But it's a different world outside. 234 00:49:20,600 --> 00:49:23,560 It's really easy to feel quite comfortable inside, and... 235 00:49:25,880 --> 00:49:27,040 HE SIGHS 236 00:49:27,040 --> 00:49:29,120 This place, it's... 237 00:49:29,120 --> 00:49:31,480 wild, really wild. 238 00:49:31,480 --> 00:49:34,280 It's worth reminding ourselves of that every now and again. 239 00:49:34,280 --> 00:49:35,920 Oh, I've got to go inside! 240 00:49:37,160 --> 00:49:40,760 The crew need five layers of clothing before they can even 241 00:49:40,760 --> 00:49:42,640 think of leaving the base. 242 00:49:44,720 --> 00:49:49,080 As the final plane departs, they know that it'll be the last 243 00:49:49,080 --> 00:49:52,120 till winter is over in eight months' time. 244 00:49:53,720 --> 00:49:57,000 Now the plane's just left and that's us on our own, now. 245 00:49:57,000 --> 00:50:01,360 Nobody will be coming in case something happened. 246 00:50:01,360 --> 00:50:03,400 We are now all by ourselves. 247 00:50:05,040 --> 00:50:07,840 When the team head out to explore, they discover 248 00:50:07,840 --> 00:50:12,680 just how careful they'll have to be working in this hostile world. 249 00:50:12,680 --> 00:50:14,920 We've come across an enormous crack, 250 00:50:14,920 --> 00:50:17,360 so we're probably on an unsafe piece of ice at the moment. 251 00:50:17,360 --> 00:50:18,680 ICE CREAKS 252 00:50:18,680 --> 00:50:19,720 Oh, my God! 253 00:50:19,720 --> 00:50:21,280 Did you just hear that? 254 00:50:23,400 --> 00:50:26,280 A deep crack in the edge of the ice shelf like this 255 00:50:26,280 --> 00:50:28,440 can be extremely dangerous. 256 00:50:28,440 --> 00:50:31,240 Oh, my word, it just goes straight down. 257 00:50:31,240 --> 00:50:33,440 This area's definitely not safe. 258 00:50:33,440 --> 00:50:35,760 An incredible reminder of how... 259 00:50:37,200 --> 00:50:39,040 ..how unpredictable this place is. 260 00:50:39,040 --> 00:50:40,760 It's just mind-blowing. 261 00:50:42,600 --> 00:50:47,240 Six miles from the station, the permanent ice meets the ocean. 262 00:50:49,480 --> 00:50:53,160 This is where the penguins will soon be heading. 263 00:50:53,160 --> 00:50:56,480 Once the sea is frozen, the team will have to cross 264 00:50:56,480 --> 00:51:00,520 the treacherous, newly-formed ice to reach them. 265 00:51:00,520 --> 00:51:03,400 I've found a decent spot for the, uh, for the guys to lower me down 266 00:51:03,400 --> 00:51:06,120 onto the sea ice for the first time. 267 00:51:06,120 --> 00:51:08,600 So Will's going to act as a bit of a safety man for me, 268 00:51:08,600 --> 00:51:10,240 in case anything goes wrong. 269 00:51:17,080 --> 00:51:19,720 These are our first few steps onto the sea ice. 270 00:51:19,720 --> 00:51:22,480 It definitely feels a bit nerve-racking, 271 00:51:22,480 --> 00:51:24,760 knowing that there's a couple of hundred meters 272 00:51:24,760 --> 00:51:26,440 of water underneath us. 273 00:51:27,880 --> 00:51:31,600 To find a safe route, the crew must check the depth of the ice 274 00:51:31,600 --> 00:51:33,320 all the way. 275 00:51:33,320 --> 00:51:37,400 Ice around 30 centimetres and above is stable. 276 00:51:45,520 --> 00:51:46,960 This is a great moment for us. 277 00:51:46,960 --> 00:51:48,720 We finally made it to the colony. 278 00:51:48,720 --> 00:51:50,280 Yeah, it's really special. 279 00:51:50,280 --> 00:51:52,880 When it's this still and there's this many birds in front of you, 280 00:51:52,880 --> 00:51:54,320 And... 281 00:51:54,320 --> 00:51:56,680 It makes the place look absolutely beautiful. 282 00:51:58,400 --> 00:52:02,560 A few weeks later, the sun sets for the last time, 283 00:52:02,560 --> 00:52:06,160 and Antarctica reveals its harsher side. 284 00:52:07,200 --> 00:52:09,880 We think it's probably minus 50. 285 00:52:09,880 --> 00:52:13,000 The sun is somewhere below the horizon. 286 00:52:13,000 --> 00:52:15,480 It still won't be visible for another... 287 00:52:17,120 --> 00:52:19,440 ..six weeks, probably. 288 00:52:19,440 --> 00:52:22,640 Erm, so this is something that we're going to have to get used to. 289 00:52:24,280 --> 00:52:25,920 It's easier said than done. 290 00:52:27,360 --> 00:52:28,720 Oh, God! 291 00:52:28,720 --> 00:52:30,640 And then, the storms come. 292 00:52:33,560 --> 00:52:35,280 We've got proper, proper weather now, 293 00:52:35,280 --> 00:52:37,280 and really, really strong winds. 294 00:52:38,840 --> 00:52:40,400 The colony's just in front of us. 295 00:52:40,400 --> 00:52:42,600 Sometimes, it disappears behind the snow. 296 00:52:56,200 --> 00:53:00,920 It's been hovering around 100kph now, since this picked up. 297 00:53:00,920 --> 00:53:04,200 What these penguins are having to put up with out there, 298 00:53:04,200 --> 00:53:06,160 it's just mind-blowing. 299 00:53:11,360 --> 00:53:14,000 We're finally coming to the end of this storm. 300 00:53:14,000 --> 00:53:18,280 There's all sorts of weird rattling sounds and... 301 00:53:18,280 --> 00:53:20,800 To be quite honest, I don't know how this station 302 00:53:20,800 --> 00:53:22,720 manages to stay standing. 303 00:53:30,520 --> 00:53:33,000 Finally, the sun returns, 304 00:53:33,000 --> 00:53:35,040 but the storms continue. 305 00:53:36,240 --> 00:53:41,000 A break in the weather reveals something the team had not expected. 306 00:53:41,000 --> 00:53:44,160 But I can hear a heck of a lot of noise coming 307 00:53:44,160 --> 00:53:45,960 from just over the brow. 308 00:53:47,640 --> 00:53:48,880 Oh, man! 309 00:53:52,320 --> 00:53:53,960 Oh, my word. 310 00:53:53,960 --> 00:53:56,080 There are... There are birds down there with chicks. 311 00:53:57,440 --> 00:54:01,040 Film crews have to capture events as they unfold, 312 00:54:01,040 --> 00:54:02,760 whatever their feelings. 313 00:54:08,680 --> 00:54:10,840 I know it's natural, but it's, um... 314 00:54:10,840 --> 00:54:12,480 HE SNIFFS 315 00:54:12,480 --> 00:54:14,120 It's bloody hard to watch. 316 00:54:18,400 --> 00:54:19,960 Oh, my word. 317 00:54:23,920 --> 00:54:26,880 I think we're just going to have to observe them for a bit 318 00:54:26,880 --> 00:54:28,640 and see exactly what's happening. 319 00:54:36,440 --> 00:54:39,160 We've come back up onto the top because the weather is coming in 320 00:54:39,160 --> 00:54:41,280 again and we were just about to pack up, 321 00:54:41,280 --> 00:54:44,280 and an adult with a chick on its feet managed to 322 00:54:44,280 --> 00:54:45,680 make its way up. 323 00:54:47,000 --> 00:54:50,160 It's amazing, it's using its beak, and then when it got to this last 324 00:54:50,160 --> 00:54:52,440 little lip, erm, its wings. 325 00:54:53,920 --> 00:54:59,000 Oh, man, if only the other 50 in there could do the same. 326 00:54:59,000 --> 00:55:02,280 Hopefully the weather will clear again tomorrow and we can get back 327 00:55:02,280 --> 00:55:06,280 down here, and fingers crossed, there'll be a few less birds 328 00:55:06,280 --> 00:55:07,400 in this hole. 329 00:55:08,920 --> 00:55:12,600 Two days later, the weather allows the team to return to the colony. 330 00:55:12,600 --> 00:55:15,680 Already, the gully has claimed more casualties. 331 00:55:17,000 --> 00:55:18,960 The team decide to act. 332 00:55:20,080 --> 00:55:21,720 We've given it a lot of thought. 333 00:55:21,720 --> 00:55:25,160 We've decided that we are definitely going to dig a shallow ramp 334 00:55:25,160 --> 00:55:26,680 that they will hopefully use. 335 00:55:28,840 --> 00:55:31,760 It's very rare for the film crew to intervene. 336 00:55:31,760 --> 00:55:35,200 But they realise that they may be able to save at least some 337 00:55:35,200 --> 00:55:39,440 of these birds simply by digging a few steps in the ice. 338 00:55:41,360 --> 00:55:43,440 Oh, man! Will, look. 339 00:55:43,440 --> 00:55:45,000 Oh, my goodness. 340 00:55:46,000 --> 00:55:48,400 We were literally just about to leave but 341 00:55:48,400 --> 00:55:50,840 the first birds are definitely making their way out, 342 00:55:50,840 --> 00:55:52,160 which is brilliant. 343 00:55:52,160 --> 00:55:54,840 So, hopefully, they'll just make their way back to the colony 344 00:55:54,840 --> 00:55:57,120 and them and their chicks will have a much better chance 345 00:55:57,120 --> 00:56:00,440 of survival, because there's no chance that they were going 346 00:56:00,440 --> 00:56:02,000 to survive down there at all. 347 00:56:04,800 --> 00:56:08,640 The crew follow the chicks as they grow up. 348 00:56:08,640 --> 00:56:11,520 And after months with the emperors, 349 00:56:11,520 --> 00:56:15,280 their time in Antarctica is finally coming to a close. 350 00:56:16,360 --> 00:56:19,240 We're coming to the end of the trip now, and, um... 351 00:56:21,080 --> 00:56:22,640 Yeah, we've had a... 352 00:56:23,640 --> 00:56:26,080 We've had an amazing year, and... 353 00:56:27,680 --> 00:56:29,280 HE SIGHS 354 00:56:29,280 --> 00:56:31,960 I'm obviously desperate to get home. 355 00:56:31,960 --> 00:56:33,360 But there's, um... 356 00:56:35,840 --> 00:56:38,320 There's an odd part of me that doesn't want to leave. 357 00:56:44,480 --> 00:56:46,200 What a privilege, eh? 358 00:56:53,760 --> 00:56:55,160 Next time: 359 00:56:55,160 --> 00:56:58,080 A lioness battles against the odds... 360 00:57:02,400 --> 00:57:04,200 ..to protect her family. 361 00:57:10,520 --> 00:57:14,160 Can she lead them back from the brink of disaster?