Frozen Planet II (2022) s01e04 Episode Script

1
DAVID ATTENBOROUGH:
At the far south of our planet
lies the most hostile
of the Earth's frozen lands.
(WIND GUSTS)
Antarctica.
Here, temperatures can fall
to below minus 80 degrees
Celsius
and winds blow
up to 200 miles an hour.
Its icy centre
is almost devoid of life.
But on the edge of Antarctica,
some creatures find a way
not just to survive,
but to flourish.
Here are some of the greatest
concentrations of life
to be found anywhere on Earth.
The continent of Antarctica
lies at the southern end
of the globe.
Twice the size of Australia,
it's the largest, coldest
expanse of land on the planet.
To the north of it, however,
across 1,000 miles of ocean,
lie the subantarctic islands,
where conditions are
somewhat less hostile to life.
The largest of them
is South Georgia.
(PENGUINS CALL)
Here, a million king penguins
live and breed the year round.
(PENGUINS CALL)
A mother has returned
after a month at sea
collecting food
for her hungry chick.
At ten months old, chicks are
the size of a human toddler,
and covered in no more than
a downy fleece.
Until they get their
waterproof feathers,
they themselves
cannot go to sea
(CHICK WHISTLES)
so they have to rely totally
on their parents
to bring them food.
Their time together is brief -
just long enough to disgorge
her crop of fish and squid.
All too soon,
parents have to return to sea
to collect more.
But getting back there
can take several hours.
Hundreds of parents
make the commute together.
A beak can be used
as an ice-pick
to negotiate the steeper parts
of their trek.
This mile-long
snow-covered trudge
is unique to this colony,
and has never been seen before.
At last, the sea.
After several days on land,
their feathers need washing
to be ready
for the long days of swimming
that lie ahead.
But this is a dangerous place
to loiter.
Leopard seals.
Three metres long,
more than three times the size
of a king penguin,
these fearsome hunters
are usually solitary.
But at this time of the year,
in this bay, there are
as many as 30 of them.
If these penguins think
that they're safe on land
they are mistaken.
(PENGUIN SQUAWKS)
Any one of these huge seals
can take as many as
ten penguins a day.
(PENGUINS CALL)
Their best chance
is to stay with the crowd.
There's safety in numbers.
Made it.
Only to return
in a month's time
and once again
face death head-on.
This is surely
one of the greatest challenges
faced by any parent.
1,500 miles off the continent's
east coast
lies another
of the tiny outposts
that are vital for the survival
of Antarctic wildlife.
The Sub-Antarctic Islands
of the Antipodes.
In spring, the longer days
turn each tiny speck of land
into a potential
breeding ground
for the Antipodean
wandering albatross.
Its wings
are three metres across,
amongst the biggest
of any bird.
This 14-year-old male
is now mature enough
to start selecting a partner.
For the smaller, darker female,
choosing a suitable mate
is of equal importance.
After all,
they may stay together
for the next 50 years.
To make this crucial decision,
they use one of the most
elaborate courtship rituals
of any sea bird.
He begins by sky-pointing.
(CALLS)
It seems to be working.
(CALLS)
Next, he attempts a move
known as
the double head-bob.
(BOTH CALLING)
(CLICKING)
The finale is the real decider.
She seems impressed.
But another male appears
and shows off
(SCREECHES)
his wings.
The greater the span,
the more attractive
he could be.
But the first male
won't tolerate
a rival cutting in.
Yet another hopeful
joins in the competition.
And another.
This was not supposed to be
a dance-off.
She prefers one tango
at a time.
It seems that this is not
going to be his year after all.
But he's caught the eye
of another albatross.
Once again, he begins
his courtship display.
(BOTH CALLING)
But this is, in fact,
another male.
(CLICKING)
Regardless, he continues
to demonstrate his eligibility.
This could still be the one
with whom he will share
the rest of his life.
On the Antipodes islands, it's
becoming increasingly common.
Today, there are three times
as many males as females.
Females feed further north
than the males,
in waters used
by industrial fishing fleets
that catch and drown
great numbers of sea birds.
As a result,
the female albatross here
is now declining fast.
A same-sex partnership
like this
may bring
no survival advantage
but is apparently preferable
to a life alone.
The wealth of life found around
Antarctica's lonely islands
is evidence of the richness of
the waters that surround them.
The Southern Ocean.
(WAVES CRASH)
It may appear treacherous.
Its gale-force winds certainly
create powerful currents.
But all this stirring
has an important effect.
It brings up nutrients
from the depths,
helping to create some of
the richest seas on Earth.
And this provides food
for the largest animal
to have ever lived.
The Antarctic blue whale.
It's more than
30 metres long
but it's rarely been filmed
before.
Only the Southern Ocean
can provide
the four tonnes of food
that the biggest of all
blue whales needs every day.
This ocean giant was
almost hunted to extinction,
but thanks
to an international ban
on commercial whaling,
its numbers are now increasing.
The closer the seas are
to mainland Antarctica
the colder they become.
Until, a few hundred miles
offshore,
the ocean's surface
freezes solid.
It forms a cover of sea ice
that is twice the size
of Europe
and encircles
the entire continent.
This is a stronghold
for one of Antarctica's
most remarkable inhabitants.
It uses its teeth
to prevent its breathing holes
from freezing over.
The Weddell seal.
The most southerly breeding
mammal on the planet.
(YAWNS)
This ten-day-old pup
is still entirely dependent
on his mother.
Out on the ice,
it may be safe
from marine predators
but within
its first two weeks,
it will have to venture
into the underwater world
upon which its future depends.
This is the coldest water
on Earth.
So it's not surprising
that a pup needs
some encouragement.
It's time to leave the safety
of the breathing hole.
To catch fish
and then safely return,
this pup must learn
how to find his way
through the maze
of underwater ice caverns.
But after just eight minutes
his mother signals
that it's time to head back.
She can hold her breath
for an hour and a half.
But he is already
starting to tire
and is running out of air.
On their way back
to their breathing hole,
they hear a sound
as loud as a fighter jet.
(STEADY THUMPING)
It is the call of a half-tonne
male Weddell seal
announcing that
he's on the lookout for a mate.
She, however, is still
producing milk for her pup,
and so isn't
sexually receptive.
But he doesn't stop trying.
(SEAL CALLS)
To repel his advances,
she leaves her pup's side.
But the pup isn't strong enough
to haul himself out
without his mother's help.
(PUP CALLS)
She tries to fight off
the adult male.
She's wounded him so seriously
that he is unlikely to be back
any time soon.
(SQUEAKS FEEBLY)
A gentle nudge from Mother
is all an exhausted pup needs
to make it to the safety
of the sea ice.
Mothers stay with their pups
for six weeks,
by which time they're strong
enough to fend for themselves.
(PUP CALLS)
As spring arrives,
the sea ice retreats,
and in a few places,
Antarctica's coast
is exposed to the open sea.
(WAVES CRASH)
And that attracts
all kinds of animals.
Having spent the winter at sea,
chinstrap penguins
can now come ashore to breed.
Soon, the coast becomes
extremely crowded.
But there are ways
to maintain social distance.
(SPLATTING)
Oh, dear.
The chicks,
until they're eight weeks old,
depend on their parents
for food
and, critically, warmth.
Meltwater is
a particular problem.
The chicks' feathers
are not yet waterproof.
Getting wet could be fatal.
A father's duty is to keep
his chicks high and dry
using the only building
material available.
Stones.
And suitable ones are precious.
So it's vital to hold on
to every one.
But while backs are turned
collections are readily
plundered by neighbours.
With thieves like these
around
that stone has just become
even more valuable.
(SQUAWKS)
(SQUAWKS)
(SQUAWKS)
What's lacking in skill
is made up for
with persistence.
But a parent's labours
could be in vain.
Summer temperatures
have now been recorded
as high as 18 degrees Celsius.
As a result, the penguins'
carefully constructed platforms
are now being flooded.
There is more meltwater
than ever before
and the ground is becoming
a quagmire.
Downy feathers,
which are excellent insulation
from the cold when dry,
are no defence when wet.
Hypothermia sets in.
Over the last 50 years,
the number of chinstraps here
has dropped by half.
Antarctica is losing
the very element
that defines it.
Ice.
That is now diminishing
six times faster
than it once did.
Neumayer Glacier
on South Georgia
has lost nearly six miles
of ice in just 20 years.
Parts of Antarctica are warming
faster than anywhere else
in the southern hemisphere.
And that is having
a serious effect
on the animals
that live on its coast,
such as the Weddell seal.
With less sea ice available,
many are now hauling out
on land.
That's not just a problem
for them
but also for the predators
that specialise
in hunting them.
One particular group of
Antarctic killer whales,
100 or so animals strong.
Killer whales are among
the most intelligent
of all nonhuman predators.
And they're now working out
how to tackle prey
that isn't a Weddell seal.
An Adélie penguin,
resting on the ice.
A mere snack
for an adult killer whale
but it gives this group
of six-year-olds
a chance to practise one of
their particularly ingenious
hunting techniques.
Wave washing.
A skill that takes
at least 15 years to perfect.
First, the killer whales assess
the size and position
of a possible victim.
They must then calculate
the speed needed
for an attack.
(SQUAWKS)
But they're too late.
Even though a co-ordinated
flick of their tails
creates a reasonable wave
it's nothing
without precision timing.
(CLICKS)
With fewer of their favourite
prey of Weddell seals
resting on ice floes,
killer whales
now have no choice
but to target new prey.
Crabeater seals.
Numbering 15 million,
they're the most abundant
marine mammal on Earth.
(GROWLING)
But they are a far more
dangerous target
than a Weddell seal.
Stronger
and more inclined
to fight back.
But each member of this pod
needs to eat a seal a day.
So the pressure is on to feed.
They're led by a matriarch
who knows exactly what to do.
Living 100 years or more,
she has plenty of hunting
experience to draw upon.
(GROWLS)
With the ice floe
having broken in two,
the seals have become
more vulnerable.
The matriarch now pushes
the ice floe into open water
to give their next wave
maximum impact.
This requires teamwork
and precision.
She makes
her final calculations.
This seal has only one way
of escaping death.
Unlike the less muscular
Weddell seal,
the crabeater has the strength
to hurl itself
out of the water
just in time.
For the killer whales,
it has been a significant waste
of energy.
Their need to eat
is now greater than ever.
A leopard seal.
By far the most ferocious
of all Antarctica's seals.
Dare this pod tackle him?
He's a three-metre adult,
an aggressive hunter
in his own right.
Unused to being targeted
by killer whales
the leopard seal
makes the mistake
of leaving the safety
of the ice floe.
The killer whales approach
the seal with utmost caution.
Keeping away
from its powerful teeth,
they seize it by its tail
and try to drown it.
The hungry youngsters
get to feed first.
But tackling less-familiar prey
is risky,
and starvation is a real danger
for these killer whales.
Only time will tell
whether these skilful hunters
can adjust quickly enough
to survive
in this changing world.
Beyond Antarctica's
rich coastal fringes
lies a vast frozen interior.
This is certainly one of
the most inhospitable places
for life on Earth.
Its icecap,
three miles thick in places,
holds almost two-thirds
of the Earth's fresh water.
The accumulation of snowfalls
over millions of years
has bedded vast mountain ranges
longer than the Himalayas.
All that can be seen of them
is the tips of their peaks.
Smoking vents
standing 20 metres tall
hint at the volcanicity that
lies beneath the ice sheet.
The recent discovery
of more than 20
previously unknown volcanoes
reveals that Antarctica is
one of the most volcanic places
on Earth.
Almost 4,000 metres high,
Mount Erebus is one of just
seven volcanoes on Earth
with a permanent lava lake.
Less than 1%
of this frozen interior
is free of ice.
But isolated outcrops of rock
offer sanctuaries
for one of the few animals
willing to brave temperatures
of minus 30 degrees Celsius.
The snow petrel.
They fly 100 miles inland
in order to breed
away from predators.
This male gets to work
clearing a shallow scrape,
which he will then line
with feathers
to give his chick
a little protection
from the bitter cold.
But crevices are
- in short supply
- (SQUAWKING)
and rivals are ever ready
to fight for them.
(CALLS)
(BOTH CALLING)
When aerial combat fails,
snow petrels deploy
another weapon.
Vomit.
It could be lethal.
If the putrid stomach oil
freezes,
his flight feathers
could stick together.
Fortunately, he knows
how to clean them
with a snow bath.
Now to get on with
the task of breeding.
(CHIRPING)
From here to the South Pole,
1,000 miles further inland
(WIND HOWLS)
conditions become
even more hostile for life.
Winds driving over
the East Antarctic Ice Sheet
can reach speeds
of up to 200 miles an hour.
As these gale-force winds
descend from the ice sheet,
they pick up both speed
and warmth.
They create the most arid
conditions on Earth.
These aren't snowdrifts.
They're sand dunes.
Some of these so-called
dryvalleys
have not felt rain
in over a million years.
Carved by the wind,
strange monuments
up to four metres tall
stand on the desolate
valley floor.
The only life form
a mummified crabeater seal
that mysteriously strayed here,
possibly
thousands of years ago.
But if you look hard enough
life can be found
in Antarctica's interior.
Hidden in the mountains
of eastern Antarctica,
Lake Untersee.
A little over ten years ago,
scientists dived
beneath its frozen surface
and made a discovery that
would change our perception
of the possibility
of alien life.
Lying on its lakebed
are living structures
found nowhere else on Earth.
Giant stromatolites.
Standing half a metre tall
their existence down here
provides
an extraordinary insight
into how life on our planet
might have evolved.
These living structures
have been built
over thousands of years
by arguably the most important
microorganism on Earth.
Cyanobacteria.
The very first living organisms
to have produced oxygen.
Without them, Earth would have
remained uninhabitable
for higher life forms.
If the building blocks for life
can be found here,
in the most hostile place
on Earth
surely life could exist
in the ice-covered lakes
of distant planets.
DAVID ATTENBOROUGH:
Whilst filming in the extremes
of Antarctica, capturing
the remarkable behaviour
of wave-washing killer whales
was to prove
the crew's
greatest challenge yet.
The team set off
from the Falkland Islands
on board the Golden Fleece,
which will be their home
for the next month and a half.
It's under the command
of Antarctic explorer
Dion Poncet.
MAN: What's the weather like
for the crossing?
The first day is good.
And then
nothing bad
that we can see yet
To reach Antarctica, they must
first cross the Drake Passage -
650 miles
of the world's roughest ocean.
Confined to his bunk, executive
producer Mark Brownlow
has yet to find his sea legs.
Destroyed.
Fourth day at sea.
Sick.
On arrival at the peninsula,
their search begins,
guided by Leigh Hickmott,
a whale scientist
who is part of a 14-year study
on the only killer whales
in the world
known to wave wash.
We now have
a greater understanding,
perhaps, of how small
the population is,
actually,
of these killer whales.
The parent population
is about 50 animals.
So really not very many at all.
With so few of these highly
specialised killer whales
patrolling an area more than
half the size of Wales,
they head to where
they were last sighted.
After three days of
round-the-clock surveillance,
the team finally
catch a glimpse.
Found our first killer whales.
MAN: There's the one we want!
Woo!
Good start.
To get shots low to the water,
they launch a gyro-stabilised
camera system in a small boat
that's only half the length
of the killer whales.
MAN: Stay still.
That's so cool!
Definitely feel like
we've just been checked out.
It's quite intimidating.
In a filming first,
camera operator Bertie Gregory
launches the drone
to capture a new perspective
on this hunting technique.
We've got four, five
killer whales, spy hopping.
Some are moving away! They
might get ready for a wave.
There's the first wave!
That's the breaking wave
that's broken the pack in half.
GREGORY:
The seal's in the water!
Seal's in the water!
He could be in trouble here.
BROWNLOW: They could just kill
the seal cleanly,
but they are using the seal to
teach their young how to hunt.
It's really hard to watch.
The team's
ground-breaking footage
is also providing
valuable scientific data,
contributing to
the long-term study
of these highly specialised
killer whales.
Animal B-17, she was first
photographed back in 2009.
So here she is.
This is a photograph taken
during Frozen Planet I.
If we look on the right,
here's a picture that
we took during our cruise.
She's certainly the matriarch
of her particular group.
We're seeing how
she's teaching her offspring
to become
this very efficient killer.
But after such
a promising start,
conditions take a turn
for the worse.
PONCET:
The thing that's changed
enormously here is the weather.
In the past,
the peninsula was famous for
perfect calm, still,
bright sunshine, clear skies.
And
doesn't happen so much.
And warmer weather here
means less sea ice, which could
have consequences
for the killer whales'
preferred prey
of Weddell seals.
HICKMOTT: There's a cruel
irony, really, that we've
today found the largest group
of Weddell seals,
but they're on the beach.
They're not on pack ice.
And that's potentially
because the Antarctic
Peninsula is one of
the most rapidly warming
places on the planet.
The team film the killer whales
switching to hunt
crabeater seals
but then,
something remarkable happens.
They approach
one of Antarctica's
most formidable predators,
the leopard seal.
HICKMOTT:
This is absolutely incredible,
because that's really not
considered a key prey for them.
Ooh, he's chosen a bad piece.
The ice has split into four
and he's chosen
the smallest quarter.
It's phenomenal.
It's the first time
a killer whale
hunting a leopard seal
has been captured on camera.
As extraordinary as that is,
it's a sobering indication
of the challenges ahead
for these killer whales.
HICKMOTT: I don't think
it's too much to say
that we are facing
a climate emergency.
There's a real chance that,
as we lose this
pack-ice environment,
that this predator, that has
one of the most complex
foraging strategies
on the planet,
is going to be
potentially lost.
And that's a tragedy that I,
in my lifetime,
don't want to see.
And for our children,
most certainly,
we can't allow to happen.