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Sync and corrections by explosiveskull
www.addic7ed.com

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There are only a dozen peaks in
the world that rise five miles high.

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All of them are here, in the Himalayas.

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Lethally cold, scoured
by gales and blizzards,

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these mountains are among the
most hostile places on Earth.

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Yet, a few special animals
manage to live here.

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Snow leopards.

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Like all creatures of the high mountains,

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they have had to adapt both
their body and their behaviour

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in order to survive.

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Life at extreme altitude

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has shaped some of the
toughest animals on the planet.

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The sunbaked mountains
of the Arabian Peninsula.

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They may only be a fraction
of the height of the Himalayas,

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but they are still so dizzyingly steep

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that in many places it's almost
impossible to get a foothold.

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Yet Nubian ibex have made this their home.

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The ibex choose the steepest
cliffs to raise their young,

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in safety, beyond the reach of predators.

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00:03:24,570 --> 00:03:28,970
But living in this
sanctuary comes with a cost.

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These nursery slopes are so steep,

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there is almost no standing water up here.

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So to drink, an ibex family
must descend into the valley...

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...1,000 feet below.

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The mothers pick out the safest way down.

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With soft cloven hooves that grip
better than any climbing shoe,

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they are the most
accomplished mountaineers.

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But the newborn kids are still
having to find their feet.

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This is their first descent.

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One mistake could make it their last.

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Following the adults, the
kids finally reach the valley.

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00:05:06,930 --> 00:05:10,890
But once on level ground,
they're vulnerable.

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Red foxes lie in wait.

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At the first sign of danger,

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the young ibex instinctively
run back to steeper ground.

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00:05:54,970 --> 00:05:58,810
But heading for this particular
rocky outcrop could be a mistake.

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It's a 30-foot drop.

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The fox has them trapped...

40
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or so it seems.

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This is what ibex were born to do.

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Scattering makes it hard
for the fox to pick a target.

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And it certainly can't follow them up here.

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All it can do is wait
for one to slip and fall.

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But these youngsters are fast learners,

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and they're now almost as
sure-footed as their parents.

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The fox will have to
find its meal elsewhere.

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It's just not been a good day.

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Now, at last, the young ibex can drink.

50
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But they'll soon need to return
to the safety of the sheer cliffs.

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Mastering precipitous
terrain is always challenging,

52
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but there are more fundamental
problems for life in the mountains.

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The Alps. Europe's highest peaks.

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It's winter, and food is desperately short.

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A golden eagle has to
spend every daylight hour

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scanning the slopes for
something, somewhere, to eat.

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Her seven-foot wingspan allows
her to glide effortlessly

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for 100 miles in a single day.

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00:10:10,610 --> 00:10:15,290
Her extraordinary eyes enable her
to spot prey from two miles away.

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But she is not the only
one who's looking for food.

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When she spots a chance,
she must move fast.

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She can dive at 200 miles an hour.

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Only a peregrine is faster.

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During winter, even eagles
rely almost entirely on carrion.

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It's a dead fox, and it
could sustain her for days.

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Other scavengers must defer.

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The hungry crows soon regain their courage.

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They'll try any trick to steal a morsel.

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And they are annoyingly persistent.

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But this mob are the least of her worries.

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A bigger eagle takes control.

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But this kill is too important to give up.

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So she must fight.

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For the moment, she's won the carcass back.

75
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But a kill like this will attract
every eagle for miles around.

76
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As ever, the strongest
wins the lion's share.

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Unable to defend the carcass any longer,

78
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the first eagle must
now continue its search.

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It may be many days before she feeds again.

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Only the most competitive

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will survive the perils
of the mountain winter.

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An avalanche.

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100,000 tonnes of snow

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travelling at 80 miles an hour,

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capable of smashing everything in its path.

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The mountains of North America

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are hit by thousands of
avalanches every year.

88
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Yet one animal spends the whole winter

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slumbering within the snow on
these avalanche-prone slopes.

90
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And when spring comes, they emerge.

91
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All across these mountains,

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grizzly bears make their winter dens

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10,000 feet up in the deep
snow of leeward slopes.

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And while they were half-asleep
in the depths of winter,

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their young were born.

96
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Now these cubs are taking their
first steps into the outside world.

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This mother is leading her three youngsters

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to a place where they can find food.

99
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They need to descend
as quickly as possible.

100
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The debris from an avalanche

101
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is clear evidence that this slope
is still dangerously unstable.

102
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This is not a place to dawdle.

103
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And they have another
reason to keep moving.

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After five months in the den,
these bears are very hungry.

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Bears that have hibernated
throughout these peaks

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now all descend to the valleys,
where spring comes earliest.

107
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In the Rockies, seasonal
change is swift and dramatic.

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In just a few days, the slopes
turn from white to green.

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Meadows that only a few weeks
ago were buried beneath the snow

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are now full of life.

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But in these mountains, the
good times will not last long.

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So the bears must feed as fast as they can.

113
00:19:29,250 --> 00:19:31,009
During the summer months,

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an adult can put on 180
kilos gorging on plants

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and, if they can catch them...

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...a marmot or two.

117
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But just now, the bears have
something else on their minds.

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It's becoming warmer,

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and the bears are keen to
shed their thick winter coats.

120
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Mothers show the cubs
what to do about this.

121
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They'll soon catch on.

122
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Some trees, it seems, are
particularly suitable for rubbing.

123
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Bears have their favourites and will
travel long distances to visit them.

124
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Some itches just have to be scratched.

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There are now around 30
bears in this one valley.

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As they rub, each leaves an
individual and recognisable scent.

127
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So the tree soon carries
a list of who's around,

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which might help
individuals to avoid a fight.

129
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To best spread their scent,

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they really have to put their back into it.

131
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But summer is short.

132
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Itches satisfactorily scratched,

133
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it's time to eat.

134
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In a couple of months,

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they will have to return
to their dens to hibernate,

136
00:22:26,050 --> 00:22:28,850
so now they must put on
as much weight as they can.

137
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Winter in the mountains
returns fast and hits hard.

138
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Temperatures in the Rockies
will drop to -54 degrees,

139
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so cold that moisture in the air

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freezes into tiny crystals
called diamond dust.

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This bobcat is one of the few
hunters to remain active in winter.

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Most of his prey is now
hidden beneath the snow

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that covers his entire territory.

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He hunts by listening for the
faintest sound of movement.

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And to prevent crunching footsteps
from revealing his presence,

146
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he uses boulders as stepping stones.

147
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A mouse.

148
00:24:24,370 --> 00:24:26,210
But one is not enough.

149
00:24:42,290 --> 00:24:46,609
The deeper the snow, the
harder it is to detect prey,

150
00:24:46,610 --> 00:24:49,570
and the rewards for the
effort can be disappointing.

151
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To say the least.

152
00:24:59,730 --> 00:25:01,689
By midwinter, the snow is so deep

153
00:25:01,690 --> 00:25:04,849
that bobcats are forced
to leave their territories

154
00:25:04,850 --> 00:25:07,250
to try and find easier hunting.

155
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And this bobcat may be in luck.

156
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For this particular valley is blessed.

157
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A river here never freezes.

158
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It's fed by a volcanic hot spring

159
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that heats these waters

160
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to 50 degrees warmer
than the surrounding air.

161
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Hungry animals of all
kinds come here to feed.

162
00:26:30,290 --> 00:26:31,849
Throughout the winter,

163
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the river is full of food

164
00:26:33,330 --> 00:26:36,050
for those who know how to catch it.

165
00:26:47,490 --> 00:26:50,490
Here, even the coyotes
have become fishermen.

166
00:26:54,650 --> 00:26:58,770
But hunting is hard for a cat that's
not used to getting its feet wet.

167
00:27:08,130 --> 00:27:10,650
So he must choose his target with care.

168
00:27:23,210 --> 00:27:24,690
Goldeneye ducks.

169
00:27:26,010 --> 00:27:28,650
But can he get close enough to pounce?

170
00:28:00,170 --> 00:28:03,170
Perhaps he'll have more
luck on the other side.

171
00:28:19,650 --> 00:28:24,089
Here, steam from the river
warms the surrounding trees,

172
00:28:24,090 --> 00:28:27,810
so up in the branches, there could be prey.

173
00:28:33,450 --> 00:28:35,410
If only he could get to it.

174
00:28:37,410 --> 00:28:39,730
It's 20 feet up.

175
00:28:56,010 --> 00:28:57,610
At last... a squirrel.

176
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Not much, but enough to keep him going.

177
00:29:06,130 --> 00:29:11,209
To survive a winter in these
mountains takes tenacity,

178
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and bobcats have that in abundance.

179
00:29:31,130 --> 00:29:33,770
Snow on the equator.

180
00:29:35,450 --> 00:29:38,049
Unlike the Rockies, in these mountains

181
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there are no marked seasons.

182
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This is Africa's Mount Kenya.

183
00:29:55,770 --> 00:29:58,609
It's 17,000 feet high,

184
00:29:58,610 --> 00:30:01,409
which makes its summit
some 30 degrees colder

185
00:30:01,410 --> 00:30:03,850
than the surrounding savanna.

186
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Giant heathers, lobelias and
groundsel grow on its upper slopes.

187
00:30:14,410 --> 00:30:16,810
They all thrive in the tropical sun.

188
00:30:18,090 --> 00:30:20,610
After all, every day is summer.

189
00:30:23,130 --> 00:30:29,410
But once the sun sets, every night
becomes as bitterly cold as winter.

190
00:30:37,650 --> 00:30:41,569
The temperature drops to
five degrees below freezing,

191
00:30:41,570 --> 00:30:45,489
turning the mountainside
into a garden of ice.

192
00:31:05,970 --> 00:31:08,009
Everything freezes,

193
00:31:08,010 --> 00:31:12,930
but the cabbage groundsels have
a way of protecting themselves.

194
00:31:18,930 --> 00:31:23,529
They close up their leathery
leaves to form an insulating blanket

195
00:31:23,530 --> 00:31:26,450
that shields their vulnerable central bud.

196
00:31:37,810 --> 00:31:39,930
Night comes to an end...

197
00:31:43,970 --> 00:31:45,850
...and the sunshine returns.

198
00:31:50,690 --> 00:31:53,529
The groundsels spread their leaves wide

199
00:31:53,530 --> 00:31:55,690
to bask in the sunshine once again.

200
00:32:14,490 --> 00:32:17,050
Dawn in the High Andes.

201
00:32:26,010 --> 00:32:29,689
Here too, the rising
sun brings rapid relief

202
00:32:29,690 --> 00:32:33,010
to animals living amongst
these volcanic peaks.

203
00:32:36,730 --> 00:32:39,729
Mountain viscacha are up early

204
00:32:39,730 --> 00:32:43,730
to claim the best places to
catch the sun's first rays.

205
00:33:04,730 --> 00:33:09,130
For others up here, the
sunrise is even more welcome.

206
00:33:12,250 --> 00:33:14,249
At over 14,000 feet,

207
00:33:14,250 --> 00:33:17,610
this is the highest
flamingo colony in the world.

208
00:33:20,210 --> 00:33:24,890
At night, it gets so cold that
even this salty water freezes over.

209
00:33:27,170 --> 00:33:30,209
And now the flamingos
are trapped in the ice.

210
00:33:35,770 --> 00:33:39,649
Eventually, the sun thins the ice,

211
00:33:39,650 --> 00:33:43,450
but it's still a struggle for
the flamingos to break free.

212
00:34:03,730 --> 00:34:06,450
Walking on thin ice is always risky.

213
00:34:17,810 --> 00:34:20,250
And it's hard to retain one's dignity...

214
00:34:21,850 --> 00:34:23,930
...especially when you're wearing stilts.

215
00:34:37,450 --> 00:34:39,329
At these altitudes,

216
00:34:39,330 --> 00:34:44,530
the sun's power can quickly
turn from salvation to threat.

217
00:34:50,850 --> 00:34:53,049
The atmosphere is so thin,

218
00:34:53,050 --> 00:34:56,570
there is very little protection
from ultraviolet radiation.

219
00:34:58,210 --> 00:35:02,010
By mid-morning, it's risky
to linger out in the open.

220
00:35:05,170 --> 00:35:08,450
The viscacha are forced
to head for the shade.

221
00:35:13,410 --> 00:35:16,690
Out on the lake, there is nowhere to hide.

222
00:35:22,970 --> 00:35:25,209
The white crust of the soda lake

223
00:35:25,210 --> 00:35:27,249
reflects the sun's glare

224
00:35:27,250 --> 00:35:30,410
and increases the impact
of its ultraviolet rays.

225
00:35:35,650 --> 00:35:39,850
By midday, uncovered human
skin will burn in four minutes.

226
00:35:45,890 --> 00:35:48,530
But this doesn't seem
to bother the flamingos.

227
00:35:49,730 --> 00:35:51,850
In fact, they are on parade.

228
00:36:22,130 --> 00:36:23,689
During the breeding season,

229
00:36:23,690 --> 00:36:27,249
the flamingos perform these
peculiar courtship dances

230
00:36:27,250 --> 00:36:29,930
even through the hottest time of the day.

231
00:36:36,490 --> 00:36:39,770
They are so eager, they
don't even pause to feed.

232
00:36:58,410 --> 00:37:00,849
The rules are something of a mystery

233
00:37:00,850 --> 00:37:02,889
but, after a month of dancing,

234
00:37:02,890 --> 00:37:05,209
all the birds will have paired off

235
00:37:05,210 --> 00:37:07,410
and will be getting ready to mate.

236
00:37:13,850 --> 00:37:18,129
Up here, there are few other
creatures to bother the flamingos,

237
00:37:18,130 --> 00:37:20,089
but then, few other creatures

238
00:37:20,090 --> 00:37:22,690
could even tolerate these conditions.

239
00:37:25,930 --> 00:37:29,289
So for animals that have the endurance,

240
00:37:29,290 --> 00:37:31,970
mountains can be sanctuaries.

241
00:37:44,290 --> 00:37:47,489
But rocky peaks which to us, perhaps,

242
00:37:47,490 --> 00:37:49,929
seem a symbol of permanence,

243
00:37:49,930 --> 00:37:52,170
are more fragile than they appear.

244
00:37:56,530 --> 00:37:58,569
Today in the Alps,

245
00:37:58,570 --> 00:38:02,970
human encroachment is changing
even the highest summits.

246
00:38:16,330 --> 00:38:17,849
In the Rockies,

247
00:38:17,850 --> 00:38:20,969
rising temperatures are
shortening winter hibernation

248
00:38:20,970 --> 00:38:23,930
and stifling the growth
of valuable food plants.

249
00:38:30,130 --> 00:38:33,489
And in the Andes, some glaciers

250
00:38:33,490 --> 00:38:37,330
have shrunk by 50% in just 30 years.

251
00:38:46,930 --> 00:38:49,730
Even the Himalayas are now vulnerable.

252
00:38:53,530 --> 00:38:55,569
With most of the world's tallest peaks

253
00:38:55,570 --> 00:38:59,089
and covering a third of
a million square miles,

254
00:38:59,090 --> 00:39:01,570
this is the greatest mountain range of all.

255
00:39:08,410 --> 00:39:10,769
And here, temperatures are now rising

256
00:39:10,770 --> 00:39:12,810
faster than the global average.

257
00:39:14,290 --> 00:39:18,929
As the snow line retreats further
and further up these peaks,

258
00:39:18,930 --> 00:39:22,529
there is less and less space for wildlife,

259
00:39:22,530 --> 00:39:24,289
and that is a challenge

260
00:39:24,290 --> 00:39:28,730
for one of the most majestic
of all mountain creatures.

261
00:39:46,890 --> 00:39:48,930
The snow leopard.

262
00:39:52,330 --> 00:39:58,129
Seldom seen, the detail of their
lives has long been a mystery,

263
00:39:58,130 --> 00:40:03,249
but now, at last, helped by the
latest remote-camera technology,

264
00:40:03,250 --> 00:40:06,210
we are getting closer
to them than ever before.

265
00:40:11,530 --> 00:40:15,690
They are very rare... only about
four of them in 40 square miles.

266
00:40:17,650 --> 00:40:20,770
There is simply not enough
prey to sustain more.

267
00:40:26,530 --> 00:40:29,169
They live solitary lives.

268
00:40:29,170 --> 00:40:32,649
Nonetheless, they are well aware
of the presence and the movements of

269
00:40:32,650 --> 00:40:37,730
their neighbours, because they leave
messages in a few special places.

270
00:40:40,770 --> 00:40:44,610
They rub particular
rocks with their cheeks...

271
00:40:47,330 --> 00:40:49,810
...and then spray them with urine.

272
00:40:52,370 --> 00:40:55,930
The two perfumes create a unique signature.

273
00:41:00,290 --> 00:41:05,329
Any other leopard can know which
of its neighbours passed this way,

274
00:41:05,330 --> 00:41:07,810
without ever making direct contact.

275
00:41:11,330 --> 00:41:15,409
But there are times when snow
leopards must come together,

276
00:41:15,410 --> 00:41:17,810
and the event is often violent.

277
00:41:30,650 --> 00:41:34,010
An adult female and her daughter.

278
00:41:43,450 --> 00:41:47,729
She has devoted the last
two years to raising her cub

279
00:41:47,730 --> 00:41:49,930
and very soon, it will be weaned.

280
00:41:53,050 --> 00:41:57,050
For now, the cub is still
entirely dependent on its mother.

281
00:42:02,770 --> 00:42:06,770
But staying together as long
as this could cause problems.

282
00:42:11,090 --> 00:42:13,009
The female is now in heat again,

283
00:42:13,010 --> 00:42:16,770
and any male that smells
her signature will know that.

284
00:42:27,170 --> 00:42:30,770
From this moment on, her
cub's life is at risk.

285
00:42:33,690 --> 00:42:36,410
Males kill cubs that are not their own.

286
00:42:41,890 --> 00:42:45,930
But the mother is now driven by
an urge that she cannot control.

287
00:42:49,930 --> 00:42:53,609
She lets the males know
exactly where she is.

288
00:43:06,610 --> 00:43:10,009
From up here, she can be
heard for miles around.

289
00:43:29,130 --> 00:43:32,850
A young male emerges from the
wilderness, eager to find her.

290
00:43:36,770 --> 00:43:39,329
Snow leopards meet so infrequently

291
00:43:39,330 --> 00:43:42,210
that there is uncertainty and tension.

292
00:43:50,250 --> 00:43:52,370
And it's about to get worse.

293
00:44:01,210 --> 00:44:03,730
Another, bigger male has arrived.

294
00:44:12,810 --> 00:44:16,369
The mother and cub are
trapped between the rivals.

295
00:44:21,730 --> 00:44:23,569
The cub is now in danger.

296
00:44:23,570 --> 00:44:25,210
Mother must act fast.

297
00:44:26,730 --> 00:44:29,649
To divert the males'
attention from her cub,

298
00:44:29,650 --> 00:44:31,610
she rolls over submissively.

299
00:44:44,610 --> 00:44:48,530
With the males fixed on the female,
the cub has a chance to escape.

300
00:44:55,770 --> 00:44:58,609
The males close in on the
mother from both sides,

301
00:44:58,610 --> 00:45:00,490
keen to claim her for their own.

302
00:45:05,130 --> 00:45:06,970
A fight is inevitable.

303
00:45:28,370 --> 00:45:31,330
The female moves to
escape and protect her cub.

304
00:45:32,530 --> 00:45:34,690
But the big male follows her.

305
00:45:46,130 --> 00:45:49,650
He will not let her leave
until he has mated with her.

306
00:46:07,090 --> 00:46:12,170
With the males gone, the female
is at last reunited with her cub.

307
00:46:15,650 --> 00:46:17,650
But she has been injured.

308
00:46:27,810 --> 00:46:31,770
The cub, however, is
alive, thanks to its mother.

309
00:46:41,450 --> 00:46:45,170
Until her injury heals,
she won't be able to hunt.

310
00:46:48,290 --> 00:46:51,610
Mountain animals survive on
the very edge of existence.

311
00:46:55,330 --> 00:46:58,250
Mother and cub were not seen again.

312
00:47:06,850 --> 00:47:10,529
Until over a month later, high on a ridge,

313
00:47:10,530 --> 00:47:12,410
a remote camera was triggered.

314
00:47:16,890 --> 00:47:18,649
The female cat.

315
00:47:18,650 --> 00:47:21,970
She's no longer limping,
but she's now alone.

316
00:47:27,810 --> 00:47:30,609
Then, an hour after the female has left,

317
00:47:30,610 --> 00:47:32,890
the camera is triggered again.

318
00:47:39,530 --> 00:47:41,289
It's her cub,

319
00:47:41,290 --> 00:47:45,730
taking her first steps towards
adulthood and independence.

320
00:47:47,730 --> 00:47:51,089
She is unlikely to see her mother again.

321
00:47:51,090 --> 00:47:54,289
But every now and then,
they will be reunited

322
00:47:54,290 --> 00:47:58,490
through the messages they
leave on the marking rocks.

323
00:48:01,730 --> 00:48:05,329
Her mother has succeeded in raising her,

324
00:48:05,330 --> 00:48:08,449
but life ahead will be challenging,

325
00:48:08,450 --> 00:48:11,290
and she will spend nearly all of it alone.

326
00:48:14,410 --> 00:48:17,489
Only the toughest can survive

327
00:48:17,490 --> 00:48:21,490
among the savage beauty of
the world's highest mountains.

328
00:48:36,730 --> 00:48:38,369
Revealing a new perspective

329
00:48:38,370 --> 00:48:41,009
on the lives of golden
eagles in the mountains

330
00:48:41,010 --> 00:48:43,250
would take two very different approaches.

331
00:48:50,770 --> 00:48:54,089
A traditional wildlife crew
set out to film wild eagles

332
00:48:54,090 --> 00:48:57,010
closer than ever before.

333
00:49:00,650 --> 00:49:04,169
Whilst an aerial team aimed
to capture the hunting flights

334
00:49:04,170 --> 00:49:06,370
of eagles high in the mountains.

335
00:49:13,730 --> 00:49:16,849
The helicopter crew soon
have success in filming

336
00:49:16,850 --> 00:49:18,689
wild eagles high over the Alps,

337
00:49:18,690 --> 00:49:22,530
but there was one part of the
story even they couldn't follow.

338
00:49:26,770 --> 00:49:30,210
Golden eagles can stoop
at 200 miles an hour.

339
00:49:32,730 --> 00:49:36,529
To capture an eagle's-eye
view of such a dramatic flight

340
00:49:36,530 --> 00:49:39,370
would take a more extreme approach.

341
00:49:46,250 --> 00:49:50,369
I'm Aaron Durogati and I'm a
professional paraglider pilot.

342
00:49:50,370 --> 00:49:55,489
Aaron believes that to fly like a
bird, he must think like one, too.

343
00:49:55,490 --> 00:49:58,769
It's a very special
feeling to fly with eagles

344
00:49:58,770 --> 00:50:01,569
because I'm really looking
how they are thermalling

345
00:50:01,570 --> 00:50:03,249
and where they go to soar.

346
00:50:03,250 --> 00:50:05,769
This helps me to become a better pilot,

347
00:50:05,770 --> 00:50:08,449
and I try to take
inspiration from the nature.

348
00:50:08,450 --> 00:50:11,689
Wearing a specially designed helmet camera,

349
00:50:11,690 --> 00:50:15,490
Aaron's aim is to film the
perspective of a diving eagle.

350
00:50:19,770 --> 00:50:22,289
But before he can jump off a mountain,

351
00:50:22,290 --> 00:50:24,090
first he needs to climb it.

352
00:50:26,610 --> 00:50:31,729
It's a tough 3,000m ascent for
Aaron and his wingman, Armin,

353
00:50:31,730 --> 00:50:35,410
as director Emma Brennand waits
for news in the valley below.

354
00:50:39,690 --> 00:50:43,050
The ascent is slowed by a
series of dangerous crevasses.

355
00:50:47,490 --> 00:50:51,090
After a tricky climb, they
finally reach their launch site.

356
00:50:54,970 --> 00:50:57,289
But the weather up here is unpredictable

357
00:50:57,290 --> 00:51:00,450
and a change in wind direction
makes it impossible to take off.

358
00:51:05,050 --> 00:51:09,249
Aaron and Armin are forced to
overnight in the summit shelter,

359
00:51:09,250 --> 00:51:14,169
and with the cold knocking out
their comms, Emma is worrying.

360
00:51:14,170 --> 00:51:16,729
They're well-trained mountain guides,

361
00:51:16,730 --> 00:51:19,529
but it doesn't make it
any easier to know that.

362
00:51:19,530 --> 00:51:23,449
I think it's going to be a fairly
restless night for me as well.

363
00:51:23,450 --> 00:51:26,570
Whilst the paragliders prepare
for a night on the mountain...

364
00:51:28,450 --> 00:51:31,209
...cameraman Barrie
Britton is setting out early

365
00:51:31,210 --> 00:51:35,330
on a more cautious quest to film
wild golden eagles from a hide.

366
00:51:41,250 --> 00:51:43,889
I've got to get everything
set while it's still dark

367
00:51:43,890 --> 00:51:47,369
and the eagles can't see what we're up to.

368
00:51:47,370 --> 00:51:51,009
Or if they saw any movement around
the hide, then they'd fly away

369
00:51:51,010 --> 00:51:53,289
and probably wouldn't
come back for a few days.

370
00:51:53,290 --> 00:51:56,410
They're notoriously
difficult birds to film.

371
00:51:57,770 --> 00:52:01,130
Even hide work is not
entirely without risks.

372
00:52:02,490 --> 00:52:07,049
It's -20 outside. So this is a
crucial part of the operation,

373
00:52:07,050 --> 00:52:10,209
making sure the fire works
so we don't freeze to death.

374
00:52:10,210 --> 00:52:12,769
Aah! Well, that's all
the hairs gone on my hand!

375
00:52:12,770 --> 00:52:14,649
Oh, well!

376
00:52:14,650 --> 00:52:17,689
And we just have to be really quiet now

377
00:52:17,690 --> 00:52:21,289
and hope the eagles come in
when first light comes up.

378
00:52:21,290 --> 00:52:24,089
Eight sedentary hours later,

379
00:52:24,090 --> 00:52:27,530
Barry's only reward is a dead leg.

380
00:52:29,610 --> 00:52:31,690
We haven't done a single shot today.

381
00:52:33,330 --> 00:52:34,770
Nothing has come.

382
00:52:36,330 --> 00:52:38,050
Anyway, that's the way it goes.

383
00:52:39,330 --> 00:52:41,849
After a long night on top of the mountain,

384
00:52:41,850 --> 00:52:44,289
the weather is only getting worse.

385
00:52:44,290 --> 00:52:47,609
The team need to get down,
but visibility's so poor

386
00:52:47,610 --> 00:52:51,529
that descending on foot past
the crevasses is too risky.

387
00:52:51,530 --> 00:52:56,290
Aaron decides it's safer to
fly, but it'll be a bumpy ride.

388
00:53:13,410 --> 00:53:17,210
Thick cloud makes it hard to avoid
the mountains, let alone film them.

389
00:53:19,770 --> 00:53:24,889
Thankfully, they make it down in
one piece, much to Emma's relief.

390
00:53:24,890 --> 00:53:27,329
We are very, very glad to see you both.

391
00:53:27,330 --> 00:53:28,810
Yeah, it's a bit hard up there.

392
00:53:29,970 --> 00:53:34,090
The team spend the next two
weeks chasing weather windows...

393
00:53:35,890 --> 00:53:38,250
...until at last, a clear flight.

394
00:53:53,290 --> 00:53:55,569
Trying to mimic a diving eagle,

395
00:53:55,570 --> 00:53:57,649
the flying looks spectacular,

396
00:53:57,650 --> 00:54:00,130
but the helmet-cam shots are less so.

397
00:54:03,010 --> 00:54:04,769
To stay safe at these speeds,

398
00:54:04,770 --> 00:54:08,049
Aaron must turn his head
regularly to check his glider,

399
00:54:08,050 --> 00:54:10,450
and that is making the shots unusable.

400
00:54:14,330 --> 00:54:17,610
The team must quickly
come up with a new plan.

401
00:54:22,850 --> 00:54:25,369
Back in the hide, all has been quiet

402
00:54:25,370 --> 00:54:28,850
until Barrie spots an eagle
scavenging on a fox carcass.

403
00:54:36,810 --> 00:54:39,650
Barrie repositions his hide to keep watch.

404
00:54:47,290 --> 00:54:48,690
Good stuff!

405
00:54:49,730 --> 00:54:52,169
After 100 hours in the hide,

406
00:54:52,170 --> 00:54:54,730
finally, his luck changes.

407
00:54:57,210 --> 00:55:00,009
That's one terrifying bird there.

408
00:55:00,010 --> 00:55:03,530
For me, it's fantastic
just to see them so close.

409
00:55:04,650 --> 00:55:06,130
It's just beautiful.

410
00:55:08,930 --> 00:55:13,089
With Barrie's success, it's now
down to the paragliding team.

411
00:55:13,090 --> 00:55:16,610
They've come to the Mont
Blanc range with a new plan.

412
00:55:18,530 --> 00:55:22,849
Aaron's decided that the best way
to keep safe and get stable shots

413
00:55:22,850 --> 00:55:25,250
is to fly tandem with a cameraman.

414
00:55:27,650 --> 00:55:30,489
We've got to try and
mimic how an eagle flies,

415
00:55:30,490 --> 00:55:34,209
which is pretty hard because they're
basically like the top bird of prey.

416
00:55:34,210 --> 00:55:36,129
John is nervous.

417
00:55:36,130 --> 00:55:38,050
It's his first-ever flight.

418
00:55:39,970 --> 00:55:42,370
Three, two, one, go.

419
00:55:43,730 --> 00:55:45,810
Eee... ahh!

420
00:55:46,890 --> 00:55:50,130
Yes! Woohoo!

421
00:55:52,970 --> 00:55:56,449
- How is it?
- Ah, man, that was a shock.

422
00:55:56,450 --> 00:55:59,730
Overcoming his initial
fears, John begins filming.

423
00:56:01,410 --> 00:56:04,130
If you can go right of
this, that'd be cool.

424
00:56:05,490 --> 00:56:08,449
The tandem wing allows
John to get the shots

425
00:56:08,450 --> 00:56:10,770
that Aaron was unable to get flying solo.

426
00:56:12,330 --> 00:56:14,889
Awesome, Aaron, very good.

427
00:56:14,890 --> 00:56:16,970
But it's not all plain sailing.

428
00:56:21,450 --> 00:56:24,369
The feeling of discomfort only gets worse

429
00:56:24,370 --> 00:56:27,330
as Aaron begins the eagle dive.

430
00:56:35,450 --> 00:56:37,330
I feel sick!

431
00:56:38,850 --> 00:56:41,089
Oh, man!

432
00:56:41,090 --> 00:56:43,369
Flying low and fast like an eagle

433
00:56:43,370 --> 00:56:45,210
leaves little room for error.

434
00:56:55,610 --> 00:57:00,289
- A little bit too much, do you think?
- Yeah!

435
00:57:00,290 --> 00:57:03,690
- Sorry, what did you call it, an unplanned landing?
- Yeah!

436
00:57:05,770 --> 00:57:09,089
They might not be as
majestic as a golden eagle,

437
00:57:09,090 --> 00:57:12,249
but they do capture a unique perspective

438
00:57:12,250 --> 00:57:15,770
that conveys an eagle's
life as never before.

439
00:57:20,730 --> 00:57:22,449
Next time...

440
00:57:22,450 --> 00:57:24,570
we explore the world's jungles.

441
00:57:26,890 --> 00:57:31,050
Places of surprise and
invention unrivalled on Earth...

442
00:57:32,930 --> 00:57:36,370
...where the battle for
survival is at its most intense.

443
00:57:39,761 --> 00:57:44,761
Sync and corrections by explosiveskull
www.addic7ed.com

444
00:57:45,305 --> 00:58:45,333
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