1 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:25,300 There are few places harder to get to in this world. 2 00:02:25,472 --> 00:02:28,566 But there aren't any where it's harder to live. 3 00:02:29,274 --> 00:02:31,937 The average temperature here at the bottom of the Earth... 4 00:02:32,112 --> 00:02:34,410 ...is a balmy 58 degrees below. 5 00:02:34,582 --> 00:02:36,881 That's when the sun is out. 6 00:02:37,284 --> 00:02:38,774 It wasn't always like this. 7 00:02:39,655 --> 00:02:42,181 Antarctica used to be a tropical place... 8 00:02:42,392 --> 00:02:45,418 ...densely forested and teeming with life. 9 00:02:45,595 --> 00:02:48,588 But then the continent started to drift south. 10 00:02:48,766 --> 00:02:50,734 And by the time it was done drifting... 11 00:02:50,900 --> 00:02:54,632 ...the dense forests had all been replaced with a new ground cover: 12 00:02:54,806 --> 00:02:56,433 Ice. 13 00:02:59,412 --> 00:03:03,907 As for the former inhabitants. they had all died or moved on long ago. 14 00:03:04,083 --> 00:03:07,644 Well, almost all of them. 15 00:03:10,290 --> 00:03:13,749 Legend has it that one tribe stayed behind. 16 00:03:22,572 --> 00:03:25,406 Perhaps they thought the change in weather was only temporary. 17 00:03:25,576 --> 00:03:28,841 Or maybe they were just stubborn. 18 00:03:29,180 --> 00:03:34,642 But whatever their reasons. these stalwart souls refused to leave. 19 00:03:35,588 --> 00:03:37,954 For millions of years they have made their home... 20 00:03:38,123 --> 00:03:42,686 ...on the darkest, driest, windiest and coldest continent on Earth. 21 00:03:44,130 --> 00:03:47,259 And they've done so pretty much alone. 22 00:03:47,435 --> 00:03:50,598 So in some ways this is a story of survival. 23 00:03:50,773 --> 00:03:53,003 A tale of life over death. 24 00:03:53,174 --> 00:03:55,438 But it's more than that, really. 25 00:03:55,611 --> 00:03:57,807 This is a story about love. 26 00:04:06,223 --> 00:04:10,490 Like most love stories, it begins with an act of utter foolishness. 27 00:04:17,136 --> 00:04:19,935 The emperor penguin is technically a bird. 28 00:04:20,140 --> 00:04:23,372 Although one that makes his home in the sea. 29 00:04:24,044 --> 00:04:26,842 So if you're wondering what he's doing up here on the ice... 30 00:04:27,014 --> 00:04:30,075 ...well, that's part of our story. 31 00:04:30,252 --> 00:04:32,277 Each year at around the same time... 32 00:04:32,455 --> 00:04:34,686 ...he will leave the comfort of his ocean home... 33 00:04:34,857 --> 00:04:37,155 ...and embark on a remarkable journey. 34 00:04:37,326 --> 00:04:39,795 He will travel a great distance... 35 00:04:39,963 --> 00:04:42,488 ...and though he is a bird. he won't fly. 36 00:04:42,667 --> 00:04:45,899 Though he lives in the sea. he won't swim. 37 00:04:46,070 --> 00:04:48,630 Mostly, he will walk. 38 00:04:48,808 --> 00:04:50,333 But he won't walk alone. 39 00:05:03,692 --> 00:05:06,491 It is March. Summer is over. 40 00:05:06,663 --> 00:05:10,463 And another long polar winter is about to begin. 41 00:05:11,133 --> 00:05:15,298 The birds have been feeding in the ocean waters for three months. 42 00:05:15,472 --> 00:05:17,873 Now, their bellies full... 43 00:05:18,042 --> 00:05:21,102 ...it is time to find a mate. 44 00:05:26,084 --> 00:05:29,577 Their breeding ground can be up to 70 miles away. 45 00:05:29,756 --> 00:05:34,251 To get there they will walk day and night continuously. 46 00:05:34,429 --> 00:05:37,125 Sometimes for a week. 47 00:05:37,699 --> 00:05:42,660 It is a long, dangerous and seemingly impossible journey. 48 00:05:42,838 --> 00:05:45,637 And some of them will not survive it. 49 00:05:49,246 --> 00:05:53,649 Nonetheless, when the last of the clan has finally clamored onto the ice... 50 00:05:53,818 --> 00:05:55,980 ...their long march will begin... 51 00:05:56,153 --> 00:05:59,681 ...just as it has for thousands of years. 52 00:07:28,831 --> 00:07:31,596 The destination is always the same. 53 00:07:31,768 --> 00:07:33,759 Their path, however, is not. 54 00:07:35,438 --> 00:07:39,398 The ice on which the birds travel never stops shifting and changing. 55 00:07:39,577 --> 00:07:43,571 New roadblocks will appear to baffle them every year. 56 00:07:45,484 --> 00:07:49,182 We're not exactly sure how they find their way. 57 00:07:49,354 --> 00:07:51,879 Perhaps they were assisted by the sun. 58 00:07:52,057 --> 00:07:53,582 Or the stars. 59 00:07:53,761 --> 00:07:57,288 Or maybe having taken this march for thousands of generations... 60 00:07:57,464 --> 00:08:00,332 ...they are guided by some invisible compass within them. 61 00:08:02,036 --> 00:08:03,800 They never stay stumped for long. 62 00:08:03,972 --> 00:08:06,406 Eventually, one of them will pick up the trail. 63 00:08:06,575 --> 00:08:09,067 And the journey continues. 64 00:08:33,741 --> 00:08:37,542 When they get tired of walking. they'll give their feet a rest. 65 00:08:37,712 --> 00:08:40,545 They'll use their bellies instead. 66 00:09:35,715 --> 00:09:39,344 Theirs is usually a graceful parade. 67 00:09:40,119 --> 00:09:42,110 But not always. 68 00:09:57,406 --> 00:10:01,035 Each day the temperature drops a little further. 69 00:10:01,912 --> 00:10:04,710 And the sun will set earlier. 70 00:10:06,618 --> 00:10:11,248 The weather becomes noticeably harsher almost by the hour. 71 00:10:16,061 --> 00:10:20,624 By now similar caravans are approaching from every direction. 72 00:10:20,801 --> 00:10:25,205 And finally, often on the same day... 73 00:10:25,372 --> 00:10:27,533 ...even around the same time... 74 00:10:27,709 --> 00:10:33,148 ...they will arrive at the place where each and every one of them was born. 75 00:11:38,527 --> 00:11:41,519 Here they will mate in relative safety. 76 00:11:41,697 --> 00:11:45,065 They are now far from the water's edge where most predators lurk. 77 00:11:45,234 --> 00:11:49,729 And the large ice walls will offer some protection from the harshest winds. 78 00:11:49,907 --> 00:11:52,273 But the real reason they have chosen this place... 79 00:11:52,442 --> 00:11:53,967 ...lies beneath their feet. 80 00:11:54,145 --> 00:11:55,806 The ice is thicker here. 81 00:11:55,980 --> 00:11:58,005 It will stay solid until summer... 82 00:11:58,182 --> 00:12:01,084 ...keeping their young from accidentally falling through... 83 00:12:01,253 --> 00:12:03,744 ...into the freezing ocean. 84 00:12:06,493 --> 00:12:09,189 And so, having arrived... 85 00:12:09,362 --> 00:12:12,059 ...they begin to pursue their journey's purpose: 86 00:12:12,232 --> 00:12:14,632 Finding a mate. 87 00:12:14,803 --> 00:12:17,500 We don't really know what they're looking for in a partner. 88 00:12:17,673 --> 00:12:21,405 We only know that they are. in fact, looking. 89 00:12:22,011 --> 00:12:26,415 We also know when they've found what they're looking for. 90 00:12:35,293 --> 00:12:38,821 Emperor penguins are monogamous. Sort of. 91 00:12:38,997 --> 00:12:41,727 They mate with only one partner per year. 92 00:12:41,901 --> 00:12:46,430 Which means every new season. all bets are off. 93 00:12:49,143 --> 00:12:52,044 Because there are fewer males than females here... 94 00:12:52,213 --> 00:12:55,547 ...hostilities among the ladies are inevitable. 95 00:12:55,718 --> 00:12:59,177 A taken male instantly becomes an unavailable male. 96 00:12:59,355 --> 00:13:04,521 So occasionally, a female will attempt to interrupt a courtship. 97 00:13:11,670 --> 00:13:13,865 The men don't seem to mind. 98 00:13:14,038 --> 00:13:18,976 They just wait for the fight to end and take the opportunity to preen. 99 00:13:22,617 --> 00:13:25,553 They're not that different from us, really. 100 00:13:27,623 --> 00:13:29,386 They pout. 101 00:13:29,558 --> 00:13:31,254 They bellow. 102 00:13:31,494 --> 00:13:33,189 They strut. 103 00:13:34,564 --> 00:13:39,525 And occasionally, they will engage in some contact sports. 104 00:14:35,604 --> 00:14:38,664 Within a few weeks. one way or the other... 105 00:14:38,840 --> 00:14:42,709 ...most of the animals have found the one they are looking for. 106 00:17:35,348 --> 00:17:36,679 For the next eight months... 107 00:17:36,851 --> 00:17:41,118 ...these two will participate in an ancient and complicated affair. 108 00:17:41,289 --> 00:17:43,281 There will be tenderness. 109 00:17:43,459 --> 00:17:45,290 There will be separation. 110 00:17:45,461 --> 00:17:47,019 There will be reunion. 111 00:17:47,196 --> 00:17:51,793 And if their partnership is successful. there will be new life. 112 00:17:52,035 --> 00:17:54,834 For now, they wait... 113 00:17:55,005 --> 00:17:57,371 ...for the egg and for the brutal winter... 114 00:17:57,541 --> 00:18:01,239 ...which will do everything in its power to destroy that egg. 115 00:18:30,882 --> 00:18:34,842 By May the light will nearly have disappeared from the sky... 116 00:18:35,019 --> 00:18:37,887 ...and the temperature continues to drop. 117 00:18:40,192 --> 00:18:43,424 And for those who began their march too late... 118 00:18:43,597 --> 00:18:47,465 ...or have fallen behind because of weakness or hunger... 119 00:18:47,636 --> 00:18:51,265 ...hope of survival is now remote. 120 00:18:59,148 --> 00:19:02,606 The lone penguin has no chance against the winter's cold. 121 00:19:02,786 --> 00:19:04,448 He will simply fade away... 122 00:19:04,622 --> 00:19:08,558 ...absorbed by the great whiteness all around him. 123 00:19:37,995 --> 00:19:39,690 As winter descends... 124 00:19:39,864 --> 00:19:42,925 ...the tribe's only defense against the freezing cold... 125 00:19:43,100 --> 00:19:44,931 ...is the group itself. 126 00:19:45,102 --> 00:19:49,335 It is almost as if they create another organism altogether. 127 00:19:50,508 --> 00:19:53,876 The huddled animals form a single moving mass... 128 00:19:54,046 --> 00:19:58,381 ...one designed for the sole purpose of sustaining warmth. 129 00:20:00,454 --> 00:20:04,482 Winter's first storm is upon them. 130 00:20:21,545 --> 00:20:26,984 Within a few weeks, days begin to pass with virtually no light at all. 131 00:20:29,054 --> 00:20:33,651 Moons come and go in the soon-to-be-endless night. 132 00:20:36,163 --> 00:20:38,996 And finally, one day in early June... 133 00:20:39,166 --> 00:20:42,227 ...we remember why they came here. 134 00:20:58,857 --> 00:21:03,227 As soon as the egg appears. it is instantly hidden from the cold. 135 00:21:03,395 --> 00:21:06,330 The tiny beating heart within the shell cannot survive... 136 00:21:06,498 --> 00:21:10,196 ...much more than a moment's exposure to the freezing air. 137 00:21:41,073 --> 00:21:44,565 From now on, the couple has but a single goal: 138 00:21:44,746 --> 00:21:47,340 Keeping their egg alive. 139 00:21:47,514 --> 00:21:51,042 The hungry mother must return at once to the sea to eat. 140 00:21:51,219 --> 00:21:55,280 But before she leaves. she must entrust the egg to its father. 141 00:22:08,305 --> 00:22:13,972 Some, young couples, perhaps. are too impulsive or rushed. 142 00:22:18,084 --> 00:22:22,214 And within moments. their affair comes to an end. 143 00:22:31,166 --> 00:22:33,101 They can only watch... 144 00:22:33,269 --> 00:22:36,238 ...as the ice claims their egg... 145 00:22:36,405 --> 00:22:38,636 ...and the life within it. 146 00:22:58,398 --> 00:23:01,664 This couple's partnership is now over. 147 00:23:02,037 --> 00:23:05,006 The long march in vain. 148 00:23:05,273 --> 00:23:07,503 With no reason to stay... 149 00:23:07,677 --> 00:23:10,339 ...they will wander back to the sea. 150 00:23:12,950 --> 00:23:16,978 Other couples have lost their egg as well. 151 00:23:19,289 --> 00:23:21,348 As for the others... 152 00:23:21,526 --> 00:23:24,324 ...their partnership is about to change. 153 00:23:24,763 --> 00:23:26,628 With unending patience... 154 00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:30,236 ...the pair rehearses the steps they will need to transfer the egg... 155 00:23:30,402 --> 00:23:33,497 ...from the mother to the father. 156 00:23:39,948 --> 00:23:44,511 They practice this clumsy ballet dozens of times if need be. 157 00:23:46,723 --> 00:23:49,921 And then, with great care... 158 00:23:50,093 --> 00:23:52,152 ...they will dance it. 159 00:24:19,227 --> 00:24:22,322 And now begins one of nature's most incredible... 160 00:24:22,498 --> 00:24:25,832 ...and endearing role reversals. 161 00:24:27,038 --> 00:24:31,339 It is the penguin male who will tend the couple's single egg. 162 00:24:31,777 --> 00:24:36,111 While the mother feeds and gathers food to bring back for the newborn... 163 00:24:36,280 --> 00:24:41,344 ...it is the father who will shield the egg from the violent winds and cold. 164 00:24:41,553 --> 00:24:44,819 He will make a nest for the egg atop his own claws... 165 00:24:44,992 --> 00:24:49,726 ...keeping it safe and warm beneath a flap of skin on his belly. 166 00:24:53,002 --> 00:24:57,200 And he will do this for more than two months. 167 00:25:26,975 --> 00:25:28,567 Having passed the egg... 168 00:25:28,744 --> 00:25:31,612 ...the exhausted female must depart quickly. 169 00:25:34,216 --> 00:25:37,277 She must eat soon or she will die. 170 00:25:43,460 --> 00:25:45,621 As the winter progresses... 171 00:25:45,797 --> 00:25:48,528 ...the father will be severely tested. 172 00:25:52,271 --> 00:25:54,899 The mother will be tested as well. 173 00:25:55,074 --> 00:25:58,306 Her return trip to the sea is considerably more difficult... 174 00:25:58,478 --> 00:26:01,447 ...than the original march to the nesting ground. 175 00:26:01,615 --> 00:26:03,208 It is colder now. 176 00:26:03,384 --> 00:26:07,821 And she will have lost almost a third of her body weight producing the egg. 177 00:26:07,991 --> 00:26:11,256 She is literally starving. 178 00:26:12,561 --> 00:26:14,962 Of course, the fathers are nearly starving too. 179 00:26:15,131 --> 00:26:19,364 But for them, a meal is far off in the distance. 180 00:26:19,938 --> 00:26:22,634 By the time their vigil atop the egg is over... 181 00:26:22,808 --> 00:26:26,040 ...the penguin fathers will have gone without food of any kind... 182 00:26:26,211 --> 00:26:28,577 ...for over 1 25 days. 183 00:26:28,748 --> 00:26:31,547 And they will have endured one of the most violent... 184 00:26:31,719 --> 00:26:33,983 ...and deadly winters on Earth. 185 00:26:34,153 --> 00:26:37,089 All for the chick. 186 00:28:46,210 --> 00:28:49,738 As the fathers settle into their long wait at the breeding ground... 187 00:28:49,916 --> 00:28:52,510 ...the winter's second storm arrives. 188 00:28:52,684 --> 00:28:56,246 The temperature is now 80 degrees below zero. 189 00:28:56,422 --> 00:28:58,982 That's without taking into account the wind... 190 00:28:59,158 --> 00:29:02,925 ...which can blow 100 miles an hour. 191 00:29:09,404 --> 00:29:12,670 Though they can be aggressive during the rest of the year... 192 00:29:12,843 --> 00:29:15,607 ...at this time the males are totally docile. 193 00:29:15,779 --> 00:29:18,476 A united and cooperative team... 194 00:29:18,649 --> 00:29:23,610 ...they brace against the storm by merging their thousand bodies into a single mass. 195 00:29:23,789 --> 00:29:25,313 They will take turns... 196 00:29:25,490 --> 00:29:29,052 ...each of them getting to spend some time near the center of their huddle... 197 00:29:29,228 --> 00:29:31,560 ...where it's warmer. 198 00:29:56,393 --> 00:29:57,758 As they move about... 199 00:29:57,929 --> 00:30:01,889 ...the fathers will balance their eggs like tightrope walkers. 200 00:31:48,626 --> 00:31:52,893 The exhausted mothers have marched 70 miles. 201 00:31:53,499 --> 00:31:56,832 They are now back where they started three months ago. 202 00:31:57,337 --> 00:32:00,238 But they aren't anywhere near the water's edge. 203 00:32:00,407 --> 00:32:03,070 New ice is formed along the shore... 204 00:32:03,244 --> 00:32:07,944 ...forcing them to walk several more miles before they reach the sea. 205 00:32:14,524 --> 00:32:17,459 Food is actually only a few inches below them. 206 00:32:18,496 --> 00:32:21,192 But they have no way of getting to it here. 207 00:32:30,944 --> 00:32:34,745 To survive they must reach the new ice edge... 208 00:32:34,949 --> 00:32:37,679 ...or find some other opening. 209 00:32:39,087 --> 00:32:43,548 Sometimes this search will last for days. 210 00:33:51,006 --> 00:33:55,637 Naturally, after their long walk. they are eager to get back in the water. 211 00:33:55,812 --> 00:33:59,248 Sometimes a little too eager. 212 00:35:11,767 --> 00:35:15,203 They can hold their breath for over 1 5 minutes... 213 00:35:16,107 --> 00:35:20,134 ...and dive to a depth of 1 700 feet... 214 00:35:21,046 --> 00:35:26,781 ...approaching the sea floor itself to feed on fish, krill and squid. 215 00:35:36,831 --> 00:35:41,098 They will also skim along the ice just below the ocean's surface... 216 00:35:41,268 --> 00:35:44,670 ...searching for any fish that may have lodged there. 217 00:35:49,113 --> 00:35:52,378 While the mothers finally fill their empty bellies... 218 00:35:52,548 --> 00:35:55,245 ...the fathers cling to life on the surface... 219 00:35:55,419 --> 00:35:58,753 ...trying to keep the eggs safe and warm. 220 00:36:15,878 --> 00:36:20,782 The wind will occasionally bring snow to quench the males' thirst. 221 00:36:22,786 --> 00:36:26,416 They have been without food now for over three months. 222 00:36:27,490 --> 00:36:31,894 Each day brings them closer to exhaustion and starvation. 223 00:36:36,668 --> 00:36:40,661 Eventually some. usually the older ones... 224 00:36:40,839 --> 00:36:42,603 ...will simply fall asleep... 225 00:36:42,776 --> 00:36:44,869 ...and disappear. 226 00:37:35,906 --> 00:37:38,466 Now it is dark almost all the time. 227 00:37:40,844 --> 00:37:44,439 And the mother of all blizzards is about to arrive. 228 00:37:49,021 --> 00:37:50,852 The fathers now make an extra effort... 229 00:37:51,023 --> 00:37:54,516 ...to weld their bodies together and resist the winter's rage. 230 00:37:59,566 --> 00:38:03,367 Above them, the southern lights dance virtually around the clock. 231 00:38:03,538 --> 00:38:07,269 For now there is almost only night. 232 00:38:33,941 --> 00:38:38,879 The hungry mothers aren't the only ones overjoyed by their return to the sea. 233 00:38:39,047 --> 00:38:44,111 Their predators, unfortunately. are happy to have them back as well. 234 00:39:46,326 --> 00:39:48,123 With a snap of its jaws... 235 00:39:48,295 --> 00:39:51,629 ...the leopard seal actually takes two lives. 236 00:39:51,867 --> 00:39:53,528 That of the trapped mother... 237 00:39:53,701 --> 00:39:57,365 ...and that of her unborn chick who will never be fed. 238 00:40:06,517 --> 00:40:11,683 By July the females know it is time to return to their nest. 239 00:40:12,058 --> 00:40:16,587 And so, for the third time this year. the mothers take the long walk. 240 00:40:18,731 --> 00:40:20,323 Only this time... 241 00:40:20,499 --> 00:40:22,661 ...they walk in the dark. 242 00:40:51,204 --> 00:40:54,732 The ravenous and freezing night lingers... 243 00:40:54,908 --> 00:40:57,240 ...seemingly without end. 244 00:40:57,577 --> 00:40:59,409 Until finally... 245 00:40:59,580 --> 00:41:03,038 ...the darkness begins its slow retreat. 246 00:42:11,165 --> 00:42:15,694 After many months, light returns in earnest to the South Pole. 247 00:42:15,870 --> 00:42:17,929 But only momentarily. 248 00:42:19,307 --> 00:42:20,900 And yet... 249 00:42:21,077 --> 00:42:22,874 ...it is enough. 250 00:42:35,559 --> 00:42:39,496 Their victory over winter has begun. 251 00:42:40,332 --> 00:42:44,292 Their efforts have not been in vain. 252 00:43:17,910 --> 00:43:20,345 Though the light is returning... 253 00:43:20,513 --> 00:43:23,482 ...the winter is far from over. 254 00:43:27,889 --> 00:43:32,293 The worst is, actually, yet to come. 255 00:44:14,912 --> 00:44:18,349 No matter how cold it is. or how hungry they are... 256 00:44:18,515 --> 00:44:20,506 ...the fathers must keep moving. 257 00:44:21,252 --> 00:44:24,416 If they don't, they will die. 258 00:44:25,157 --> 00:44:26,886 But then.... 259 00:45:18,054 --> 00:45:21,182 Each day more eggs will hatch. 260 00:45:21,356 --> 00:45:23,655 But this chick is hungry. 261 00:45:23,826 --> 00:45:27,023 He needs the food in his mother's belly. 262 00:45:27,363 --> 00:45:29,332 But his father is hungry too. 263 00:45:29,499 --> 00:45:32,991 He hasn't eaten in nearly four months now. 264 00:45:36,641 --> 00:45:40,738 If his mate doesn't arrive soon. he will be forced to abandon his child... 265 00:45:40,914 --> 00:45:44,043 ...and return to the sea to feed himself. 266 00:45:46,187 --> 00:45:48,382 He will have no choice. 267 00:46:02,239 --> 00:46:07,143 But there is one secret weapon against his newborn's hunger. 268 00:46:07,544 --> 00:46:10,946 The father coughs up a milky substance. 269 00:46:11,516 --> 00:46:14,917 Despite his own hunger. this tiny meal has been relegated... 270 00:46:15,087 --> 00:46:17,318 ...to a small crease in his throat... 271 00:46:17,490 --> 00:46:19,754 ...just for this moment. 272 00:46:25,066 --> 00:46:29,902 This little banquet will keep the chick alive for a day, perhaps two. 273 00:46:31,539 --> 00:46:35,067 Hopefully, long enough for the mother to arrive. 274 00:46:36,112 --> 00:46:39,913 For some it is already too late. 275 00:47:07,983 --> 00:47:10,316 The mothers step up their rhythm... 276 00:47:10,486 --> 00:47:12,420 ...as if sensing the urgency. 277 00:47:57,908 --> 00:48:00,742 They shuffle along as quickly as possible... 278 00:48:00,912 --> 00:48:04,974 ...hauling their overstuffed bellies one last mile. 279 00:48:05,151 --> 00:48:08,382 And then, at last, they are back. 280 00:48:53,541 --> 00:48:55,873 To find each other in the enormous crowd... 281 00:48:56,045 --> 00:48:59,311 ...the penguins must rely on sound, not sight. 282 00:48:59,481 --> 00:49:03,111 As they circle. the returning mothers trumpet loudly... 283 00:49:03,287 --> 00:49:06,051 ...and wait for their mates to call back. 284 00:49:33,922 --> 00:49:36,949 The sound is deafening. 285 00:49:37,127 --> 00:49:41,258 And yet, somehow, each of them will hear their mate's song. 286 00:50:21,011 --> 00:50:23,674 The couple has found one another. 287 00:50:24,349 --> 00:50:27,682 The mother sees her chick for the first time. 288 00:50:28,254 --> 00:50:30,018 And at last... 289 00:50:30,190 --> 00:50:32,351 ...the family is together. 290 00:51:06,566 --> 00:51:08,796 And just as they did with the egg... 291 00:51:08,969 --> 00:51:13,407 ...the parents now quickly pass off the newborn from one to the other. 292 00:51:40,140 --> 00:51:45,169 Now it is the mother's turn to protect her chick from the fierce cold. 293 00:51:55,790 --> 00:51:58,088 The father and his chick sing to one another... 294 00:51:58,261 --> 00:52:01,720 ...making sure each knows the other's voice. 295 00:52:03,633 --> 00:52:08,162 It is the only way the two will find each other when the father returns. 296 00:52:18,651 --> 00:52:22,748 As the chick enjoys his first real meal... 297 00:52:23,490 --> 00:52:27,291 ...the father prepares to sever the bond between them. 298 00:52:31,599 --> 00:52:33,966 It's not easy to do. 299 00:52:40,144 --> 00:52:43,239 The fathers have gone without food for over four months. 300 00:52:44,381 --> 00:52:47,316 They will have lost as much as half their weight. 301 00:52:47,484 --> 00:52:49,544 But still they must walk... 302 00:52:49,721 --> 00:52:52,656 ...for over 70 miles. 303 00:52:53,960 --> 00:52:58,056 This leg of the journey may be why they are fewer males than females. 304 00:52:58,332 --> 00:53:03,635 Each year some of these new fathers will not make it back to the sea. 305 00:54:04,736 --> 00:54:09,231 Like the sun, the chicks grow stronger every day. 306 00:54:11,111 --> 00:54:14,639 But they are not yet ready to leave their mothers. 307 00:55:26,499 --> 00:55:31,563 In time, after being perched atop their mother's feet for a thousand paces... 308 00:55:31,739 --> 00:55:35,369 ...like a child learning to dance on her mother's shoes... 309 00:55:35,677 --> 00:55:39,169 ...the chick takes his first steps alone. 310 00:57:20,067 --> 00:57:22,195 With the wind's return... 311 00:57:22,371 --> 00:57:24,771 ...the temperature drops. 312 00:57:25,207 --> 00:57:29,235 This year, winter's going out with a bang. 313 00:58:28,548 --> 00:58:31,346 This is the first storm for the new chicks... 314 00:58:31,518 --> 00:58:34,010 ...and many of them will not survive it. 315 01:00:04,028 --> 01:00:06,019 When the winds stop... 316 01:00:06,198 --> 01:00:09,225 ...the search for lost chicks begins. 317 01:00:11,003 --> 01:00:14,201 Some have kept warm by huddling together. 318 01:00:14,808 --> 01:00:18,437 Others have not been so lucky. 319 01:00:31,395 --> 01:00:34,956 The loss is unbearable. 320 01:01:24,957 --> 01:01:28,825 Every year some bereft mother will respond to her agony... 321 01:01:28,995 --> 01:01:31,658 ...in an unimaginable way. 322 01:01:33,767 --> 01:01:35,736 Having lost her own chick... 323 01:01:35,904 --> 01:01:38,566 ...she will attempt to steal another's. 324 01:01:47,418 --> 01:01:50,512 But the group will not allow it. 325 01:02:25,163 --> 01:02:30,124 Back in its mother's care. the chick is not eager to leave again. 326 01:02:31,303 --> 01:02:34,068 Despite having known each other only a few days... 327 01:02:34,240 --> 01:02:38,734 ...the bond between mother and child is surprisingly strong. 328 01:02:39,347 --> 01:02:41,178 In the next few weeks... 329 01:02:41,349 --> 01:02:43,783 ...it will only grow stronger. 330 01:03:23,965 --> 01:03:26,195 Winter's grip slowly weakens... 331 01:03:26,368 --> 01:03:29,566 ...and the chicks begin to run free. 332 01:03:51,831 --> 01:03:54,630 Some need a little encouragement. 333 01:03:56,070 --> 01:03:58,038 But eventually... 334 01:03:58,206 --> 01:04:00,573 ...they all find their way. 335 01:05:41,962 --> 01:05:44,487 Winter may have ended... 336 01:05:46,200 --> 01:05:48,897 ...but the dangers have not. 337 01:07:53,951 --> 01:07:56,147 It is late August now. 338 01:07:56,322 --> 01:08:00,588 And time for the mothers to return and feed once more. 339 01:08:07,469 --> 01:08:08,868 For some... 340 01:08:09,036 --> 01:08:11,800 ...this development is unacceptable. 341 01:08:14,743 --> 01:08:18,339 But it is also non-negotiable. 342 01:08:42,909 --> 01:08:45,970 Because they are old enough now... 343 01:08:46,814 --> 01:08:49,613 ...the chicks are left alone for the first time. 344 01:09:21,389 --> 01:09:22,721 As spring arrives... 345 01:09:22,890 --> 01:09:26,291 ...the ice packs near the ocean's edge begin to melt... 346 01:09:26,462 --> 01:09:30,058 ...shortening the distance between the sea and the breeding ground. 347 01:09:32,569 --> 01:09:35,766 It isn't long before the fathers return... 348 01:09:35,939 --> 01:09:38,374 ...their bellies heavy with food. 349 01:09:50,189 --> 01:09:52,350 The chicks will gather at once to meet them... 350 01:09:54,129 --> 01:09:56,097 ...and sound their calls. 351 01:10:03,605 --> 01:10:07,838 The returning fathers will circle the excited newborns and listen... 352 01:10:10,481 --> 01:10:13,348 ...until he hears his chick's call. 353 01:10:26,031 --> 01:10:28,466 Some will never find their chick. 354 01:10:28,635 --> 01:10:31,297 The newborn will have died... 355 01:10:31,472 --> 01:10:34,533 ...from cold or hunger... 356 01:10:34,709 --> 01:10:36,734 ...or at the hands of some predator. 357 01:10:38,481 --> 01:10:40,881 But for those that do find their young... 358 01:10:41,049 --> 01:10:44,577 ...the reunion is a joyful one. 359 01:10:48,158 --> 01:10:52,993 And, very quickly, the young chick's belly will be full again. 360 01:11:04,379 --> 01:11:08,315 For the next several months. the parents will take turns... 361 01:11:08,483 --> 01:11:12,477 ...shuttling back and forth to the sea for food. 362 01:11:31,143 --> 01:11:33,111 And occasionally... 363 01:11:33,446 --> 01:11:37,645 ...the new family can actually spend some time together. 364 01:12:33,350 --> 01:12:38,288 By September the ice has begun to thin and crack. 365 01:12:39,256 --> 01:12:45,025 The sea gets closer, allowing the parents to go back and forth more frequently. 366 01:12:50,237 --> 01:12:53,469 The chicks' new coat of feathers is now thick and full... 367 01:12:53,640 --> 01:12:56,165 ...enough to protect them on their own. 368 01:13:02,084 --> 01:13:05,884 And by November the ocean is within a few hundred yards... 369 01:13:06,054 --> 01:13:07,454 ...of the breeding ground. 370 01:13:16,167 --> 01:13:17,828 As the ice melts... 371 01:13:18,404 --> 01:13:22,773 ...the brand-new family prepares to go their separate ways. 372 01:13:33,754 --> 01:13:38,089 The couples, locked for the past nine months... 373 01:13:38,259 --> 01:13:41,252 ...in their ancient ritual of coming and going... 374 01:13:41,431 --> 01:13:45,027 ...will now part for the last time. 375 01:13:50,608 --> 01:13:53,600 And as their newest members look on... 376 01:13:53,778 --> 01:13:58,239 ...the tribe returns to their home, at last. 377 01:14:14,336 --> 01:14:16,167 For the next three months... 378 01:14:16,339 --> 01:14:20,071 ...they will lavish in the rich and warmish waters of their short summer. 379 01:14:20,243 --> 01:14:21,904 They will feed... 380 01:14:22,078 --> 01:14:23,569 ...and they will play. 381 01:14:23,747 --> 01:14:25,806 And in all likelihood... 382 01:14:25,983 --> 01:14:28,817 ...their chicks will never see them again. 383 01:14:31,889 --> 01:14:36,918 They will remain here alone and unsupervised for a few more weeks... 384 01:14:37,162 --> 01:14:38,687 ...growing stronger. 385 01:14:46,308 --> 01:14:48,503 The ice continues to melt... 386 01:14:48,676 --> 01:14:52,044 ...returning the borrowed water to the sea. 387 01:14:57,421 --> 01:14:59,184 And beckoning the young penguins... 388 01:14:59,355 --> 01:15:02,154 ...into the ocean as well. 389 01:15:30,125 --> 01:15:31,956 It is now December... 390 01:15:32,127 --> 01:15:35,564 ...and they are ready to leave the place where they were born. 391 01:15:37,000 --> 01:15:39,595 And although they have never known the ocean... 392 01:15:39,804 --> 01:15:41,362 ...nor touched it... 393 01:15:41,540 --> 01:15:44,271 ...they, like their parents... 394 01:15:44,444 --> 01:15:46,639 ...are of the sea. 395 01:15:53,520 --> 01:15:56,490 And so one day... 396 01:15:56,957 --> 01:15:59,586 ...they'll take the plunge... 397 01:16:00,729 --> 01:16:04,165 ...and go home for the first time. 398 01:16:35,637 --> 01:16:39,438 For four years. the chicks will live at sea. 399 01:16:39,641 --> 01:16:43,635 But as the sunlight begins to disappear at the end of their fifth year... 400 01:16:43,813 --> 01:16:46,338 ...and the warm days begin to cool... 401 01:16:46,517 --> 01:16:49,453 ...they, too, will climb out of the water. 402 01:16:49,621 --> 01:16:51,680 And they will march... 403 01:16:51,855 --> 01:16:54,256 ...just as they have done for centuries... 404 01:16:54,425 --> 01:16:57,917 ...ever since the emperor penguin decided to stay... 405 01:16:58,096 --> 01:17:00,827 ...to live and love... 406 01:17:01,000 --> 01:17:04,266 ...in the harshest place on Earth.