Penguins - behind their feisty charm lies an amazing character.
These cheeky birds have to bring up their chicks
against the most extraordinary odds.
Spycams discover just how special they really are.
THEY SQUAWK
From the freezing Antarctic...
..to the scorching tropics.
This is the story of nature's most devoted parents,
filmed as never before.
Throughout the long, dark days of the Antarctic winter,
Emperor penguins have endured the harshest weather on the planet.
But not all the penguins here are quite as they seem.
Emperorcam.
It is one of 50 spycameras
being used to film
three different types of penguin.
It has a camera in its body, as well as its eye.
It is about to witness a momentous event.
PENGUINS CHIRRUP
His egg has started to hatch.
The father cared for this
bundle of life for two whole months
while his partner was out at sea.
He hasn't fed. His only concern
has been the egg's survival.
The chick sees her father for the first time.
A moment that will create a bond between them.
Her dad proudly shows off his new baby to another father
whose egg is still to hatch.
CHICK CHIRPS
THEY CHIRRUP
CHICK CHIRPS
The chick's calls
encourage her unhatched neighbour
to emerge as well.
CHICK CHIRPS
In this way, the colony's young all arrive together.
The new chick joins over 2,000 others
that are starting to appear throughout the colony.
The new fathers have no time to celebrate. Their babies are hungry.
His supplies won't last long.
The chick's survival depends on her mother's return.
In the Falklands,
Rockhopper penguins are also under surveillance.
SPYCAM WHIRRS
Rockhoppercam not only has a camera in its eye,
it can walk to find the best locations.
It picks a prime spot to film the new chicks
that are arriving all over the colony.
Eggcams capture an even closer view.
Here, too, Dad's looking after the new baby.
But he has it easy - his shift only lasts two weeks.
He's on duty 24/7 and he must be prepared for anything...
..even an invasion.
Rockhoppercam spots the first arrival.
THEY SQUAWK
They are King cormorants and they're moving in.
THEY HONK AND SQUAWK
They make unruly neighbours
and they're a hazard to the chicks.
CHICK CHIRPS
They steal any nesting material they can find.
The Rockhoppers protect their chicks,
as their own nests vanish before their eyes.
THEY SQUAWK
The cormorants also squabble among themselves.
CHICKS CHIRP
In the brawl, his chick becomes separated.
And a cormorant runs right over him.
DISTRESSED CHIRP
His father hasn't noticed. He's still attacking the nest robbers.
Then, as the chaos subsides, he realises his chick has disappeared.
He looks in desperation.
CHICK CHIRPS
Then he hears his chick's call.
He's badly shaken, but alive.
CHICK CHIRPS FRANTICALLY
It's nothing some fatherly comfort can't heal.
The penguins' new rowdy neighbours make themselves at home.
It's just one of the many trials
the new chicks now face.
In Peru, our third penguin, the Humboldt,
returns to its desert nest.
They are the only mainland penguin to survive in the tropics.
They have their own dedicated spycamera - Humboldtcam.
SPYCAM WHIRRS
They rear their two chicks in burrows
to protect them from the baking sun and predators.
The parents share chick-rearing duties between them.
The male took the night shift,
hunting fish and squid just offshore.
As they rarely have to travel far,
compared with the two other penguins,
these lifelong couples spend a lot more time together.
But at home, it's hard to get any peace.
TERNS SQUAWK
Inca terns like these burrows too, especially those with a sea view.
Like Rockhoppers, the Humboldts dislike having neighbours too near.
But the terns aren't easily discouraged.
Being a penguin parent is a full-time job.
Humboldtcam will stay on watch.
The penguins will soon face far greater threats than a few terns.
In Antarctica,
more specialist spycams keep a close view on the Emperor penguins.
Eggcams are everywhere.
Robot Emperorcams, positioned in the colony,
give yet another view of their subjects.
To coincide with the chicks' arrival,
there's a new kid on the block.
Chickcam!
Its role is to capture a chick's viewpoint,
as the young develop and grow.
For now, the dads are still in charge.
Their chicks are hungry,
but the fathers
are running low on food stores.
He gives the little he has left, but these were his emergency rations.
His chick calls for more.
But there is nothing left.
The mothers are running late.
At this time of year, the sea they must cross can freeze for 50 miles.
The chick's future depends on
his mother arriving back in time.
At the Rockhopper colony,
the chicks face a more imminent danger -
Turkey vultures.
These scavengers
are quite prepared to attack live chicks,
if they can. CHICKS CHIRP
The penguins use their body as a shield,
protecting their chicks.
The vulture can't penetrate the centre of the colony,
so he tries his luck along the borders.
SQUAWKING
But Rockhoppers are pugnacious birds.
He even leaves his nest, to drive the threat away.
It's a brave, but risky move.
Another vulture sneaks in and grabs his chick.
The colony can't protect itself
without risking more lives.
But reinforcements arrive.
The females, back from fishing.
Their massed ranks are an intimidating sight.
SQUAWKING
The vulture tries to eat what he can,
but the penguin army has other ideas.
THEY SQUAWK
While the vultures fight among themselves, the penguins hold back.
When the squabbling's over, they press home their attack.
THEY SCREECH FEROCIOUSLY
The vultures retreat
and the victors return
to their partners.
A well-earned celebration.
THEY CLUCK
The mother hasn't seen her chick before,
but she takes over responsibilities immediately.
Her first job is to give the chick
a fresh fish meal.
At the Emperor colony,
the dads are still waiting.
With no food left,
eating snow eases hunger and thirst.
But if their partners don't arrive soon,
the males will have to abandon their precious chicks
and return to the sea.
CHICK CHIRRUPS
Then, the sight they have waited for.
The females trekked across a frozen ocean
to arrive back in the nick of time.
The chick has never seen her mother.
She could be any one of
the new arrivals.
The mother is equally keen to see her new chick,
but she must first find her mate,
among more than 3,000 males.
She rushes into the crowd,
nothing stands in her way.
But there's a problem.
THEY CHITTER AND CLUCK
She's now stuck in the middle and no closer to finding her mate.
But the males have a solution.
They peel away and form an orderly line.
Their chicks are safely tucked in
the brood pouch between their legs.
To help their partners,
they have formed an identity parade.
The female inspects them, one by one.
THEY CHITTER
She finally catches sight of her mate...
..and calls to check it's really him.
Her partner takes himself out of the line.
A couple once more, she views her chick for the first time.
CHICK CHIRRUPS
It should be her turn to look after the baby,
but her partner's not so sure.
He may not have eaten for three months, but the bond
with his chick is stronger than hunger.
He finally accepts the inevitable,
but transferring the chick
needs perfect coordination.
Things could hardly have gone better.
It's time for the father to leave for the ocean,
but he's in no hurry.
He makes his decision...
CHICK CHIRRUPS
..then has second thoughts.
He endured the Antarctic winter all for the sake of this chick.
Saying goodbye isn't easy.
This time, there's no turning back.
The mother rewards her chick
with her first solid meal.
Lumps of fish so fresh, they appear as if they were caught yesterday.
Food is preserved for up to three months
by unique antibiotics in the penguin's stomach.
The male joins a leaving party.
They won't return from the sea for around four weeks.
THEY CHITTER
In Peru, when Humboldt penguins go fishing,
they are almost unrecognisable.
They are plastered with muck from their burrows.
THEY HONK
The desert sun will soon cake the dirt into their plumage
and they must take a bath to survive.
Unfortunately, it means leaving their chicks alone.
Predators have waited for this moment.
THEY SQUAWK
Belcher gulls - common killers of young chicks.
GULLS CAW
The chicks may seem defenceless, but they have a few surprises in store.
Their final deterrent is truly repulsive.
Gull's can't risk clogging their feathers.
It seeks a more wholesome meal.
At the Rockhopper colony,
it's time for a change of shifts.
The Rockhopper fathers have been relieved of parenting duties.
It's now their turn to go fishing.
THEY SQUAWK
They have a 100-metre cliff to get down.
They must take the knocks on the chin.
THEY SQUAWK
At the bottom, Rockcam prepares to film their departure.
Rockcam is here to observe, but some rules
are made to be broken.
They haven't been to sea for two weeks.
They will soon be back in their element.
WIND WHISTLES
The male Emperors have yet to reach the sea.
But sometimes, luck can go their way.
A seal hole in the ice.
It's a shortcut,
a portal to the ocean below.
After three months on land,
they will spend the next four weeks in the open ocean,
chasing fish along the edge of the ice sheet.
They're back in their natural home.
Before the Humboldts can take their bath,
they must cross a dangerous barrier.
Sea lions block their route to the sea.
SEA LIONS SNARL
Descending the cliff is the easy bit.
On the shore, they must walk on tiptoe
to avoid disturbing the sleeping giants.
Sea lions are deadly predators in the sea,
but they're lazy and sleepy on land.
It should be just a matter of
not waking them up.
The first finds a safe route.
The rest sneak up behind.
They squeeze between the mass of slumbering blubber and the rocks.
SEA LION BARKS
They're spotted...
SEA LIONS GROWL
..but they escape just in time.
The penguins make a last dash to the sea.
They need their bath.
Their plumage must be
in perfect condition for fishing.
A new Humboldtcam arrives.
It's a robotic submersible,
with a camera in its eye.
The shy penguins are relaxed in its presence
and they can be filmed underwater
for the first time.
The sea around is overflowing with fish.
The shoals thrive on the nutrients brought here
by the Humboldt current.
This cold upwelling
allows these penguins to survive
so close to the Equator.
But the fish shoals attract more than just penguins.
A fur seal surfaces near Humboldtcam.
Unlike sea lions, they rarely kill penguins,
but they do love
chasing them for fun.
If the penguins are to fish in peace,
they must brave the open ocean.
Back with the Emperors, the females are now firmly in charge.
Their first big challenge arrives - an Antarctic blizzard.
The penguins protect their chicks
by turning their backs to the wind.
THEY CHITTER
But soon, it's not enough.
The chicks are still exposed to the swirling winds.
To survive the worsening weather,
they must huddle closer together.
They start to gather in even greater numbers.
PENGUINS CHITTER
A huge mass of penguins
can share warmth and shelter.
But the crush means it's a risky place
for a young chick to be.
At first, penguins with chicks circulate on the outside,
avoiding the pressure within.
As the weather worsens,
they'll all have to look for a place to tuck in.
Eventually, a huge huddle forms.
THEY CHITTER
While those in the centre are warm and protected,
those on the outside are still struggling.
To share the heat around,
the penguins take tiny steps
to change position.
Waves of movement ripple through the huddle,
giving everyone a chance to have a go in the centre.
The huddle is so efficient, penguins in the inner core can even overheat.
As these penguins try to cool down,
the colony starts to break up.
The collapse acts as a release valve, shedding excess heat.
But it's dangerous for the chick.
As everyone moves position,
some mothers topple in the crush.
She tries to stop her full weight
falling on her chick.
Getting back up
is especially difficult,
with a chick nestled in her pouch.
Her care finally pays off.
She and her chick rejoin the huddle as it starts to reform.
Not all have been so lucky.
This penguin has been searching for
her lost chick.
SHE CALLS
SHE CONTINUES CALLING
She hopes it might still be alive.
Her pouch is the only lifesaver she knows.
A female companion
shows her concern.
SHE CALLS
The mother invested everything into her chick.
To lose it is a tragedy.
She will have to wait another year.
In Peru, the young chicks face other risks - they are hungry.
On the shore below, their mother returns from her fishing trip.
She has plenty of food, but getting back to her chicks won't be easy.
The sea lions have woken up.
Alone, she's an easy target.
A booby bird has already paid the price.
SEA LIONS GROWL
After a good sleep, the sea lions are ready for a meal.
They even clamber the rocks
that sometimes offer escape.
SEA LIONS SNARL
Using the enemy as stepping stones
is never going to work.
She freezes, trapped by several tons of immovable blubber.
THEY GROWL
She finds a gap, but doesn't get far.
PENGUIN HONKS
She keeps them at bay by pecking their noses.
But she can't reach her chicks while the sea lions are so active.
She must play a waiting game, but her chicks are hungry and alone.
In the Antarctic,
the chicks can no longer
squeeze into their mother's pouch.
Walking on Mum's feet
exercises the chick's legs,
before she takes steps of her own.
Some have yet to get the hang of it.
Even the experts can end up in trouble.
The chick's fluffy down and her mother's pouch
help cushion the blows.
She's become familiar with every kind of snow,
but she has yet to step foot on any of it herself.
This is about to change.
Her first baby step.
MOTHER PENGUIN CHITTERS
She stands on her own two feet
for the first time.
Like any toddler,
she's a bit unsteady.
But Mum offers tough love.
The ice is covered by tiny chicks,
all trying out their new legs.
for the mums, it can all get a bit confusing.
As the chicks gain confidence,
they start to hesitantly follow their mothers.
CHICKS CHIRRUP
But once she tastes freedom, there's no stopping her.
She tumbles out of sight of her mother.
CHICK CHIRRUPS
She struggles to regain her composure.
At this size, every lump of snow is like a boulder.
CHIRRUPING
Separated from her mother, the colony is a reassuring sight.
Back on the flat, her confidence returns.
She heads for the security of the huddle.
But now she's lost in the crowds...
..and out of sight of her mother.
Her mother calls.
LOUD CHIRPING
But her chick is lost in a penguin maze.
She starts to realise the danger she's in.
PENGUINS CHIRP
She won't survive alone for long.
In Peru, the cameras are operating using low-light technology.
The Humboldt chicks are long overdue a feed.
Their mother is still trapped on the beach with the sea lions.
But she has gained an advantage.
She often hunts at night,
so her night vision is better than the sea lions'.
This gives her confidence.
SEA LIONS GRUNT
She holds her ground, but sea lions
aren't the only danger here.
Vampire bats have woken up.
She tries to sneak away,
but the sea lions block her path.
The vampires skip among them, looking for a meal.
Sea lions make a larger target
and are easier to sneak up on.
But he feels the bat's razor incision.
It must find a less suspecting victim.
The bat's saliva encourages the blood to flow.
She's soon lapping it up.
With the sea lions distracted by the vampires,
the penguin creeps back to her nest.
Her hungry chicks finally get the meal they were waiting for.
In the Antarctic,
the weather is on the turn again...
..and the chick is still lost.
If her mother doesn't find her soon,
she'll perish. She calls.
But the deepening snow deadens the sound.
She's protected by down,
but it's not enough.
She's beginning to struggle against the cold.
Then, just in time, a mother's warmth.
In the Falklands, Rockhoppercam waits for the males
to return from their fishing trip.
In the two weeks they've been away, they may have travelled
over a thousand miles in their quest for food.
They arrive in small landing parties, but numbers build,
as they come ashore.
Rockhoppercam watches, as they start the long ascent
to their partners and chicks.
Popular routes form bottlenecks.
It's so easy to be in the wrong place.
But Rockhoppercam always picks itself back up again.
Their partners may be waiting,
but once over the first hurdle,
the males have other ideas.
They go to the spa.
This natural shower washes off the sea salt
that penetrates their feathers.
It also quenches their thirst.
The shower is in high demand.
Disputes break out over whose turn it is to have a go.
No-one can bathe in peace for more than a few moments.
But one smart penguin has an idea.
He deploys a mountaineering technique
known as a chimney climb.
And at the top,
all any penguin requires -
his own private power shower.
He's enjoying himself so much,
he's in no rush to get back to his partner.
While he was away,
the female hasn't left her chicks' side for a single moment.
Gulls watch for any lapse of concentration.
CHICK CHIRRUPS
They snatch a chick
the moment a back is turned.
Skuas add to the mounting toll...
..and soon, some pairs are left
without any chicks at all.
The bereaved couples are desperate.
They look for another chick
to care for,
and they don't mind
if it's someone else's.
They plan a kidnap.
The mother's defence is to sit tight
and stop her chick being stolen.
But the kidnappers
won't be put off easily.
Just in time, her partner returns,
spruced up from the shower.
He takes on the would-be kidnappers.
The fight gets even more heated,
but there are few tougher than a Rockhopper.
They can take the punishment, as well as dish it out.
The baby-snatchers have had enough
and the male returns to his mate.
He might need another shower,
but at least his chick is safe.
Kidnapping is also rife
in the Emperor colony.
The newly-walking chicks are irresistible to females
that have lost their own chicks
or failed to breed.
The mother tries to repel the kidnappers
with a few well-aimed pecks.
But they won't give up.
And others had the same idea.
The chick heads for the main colony,
hoping to find protection among the crowds.
She disappears in a mass of bodies...
..and reappears alone.
But it's only for a moment.
A large crowd has gathered,
all trying to adopt the chick.
She's soon overwhelmed by doting admirers.
One child snatcher tries to force
the chick into her pouch,
but she's way too big.
She makes a break for it,
then gives them the run-around through the colony.
Finally, they have her surrounded.
They're all desperate to mother her.
She's in danger
of being smothered with love.
But the fluffball is accidently flipped away...
..and caught by her mother.
She'll stay closer to her next time.
At the Rockhopper colony,
yet more predators are gathering.
A striated caracara,
another chick hunter.
As ever, the Rockhoppers
leap to the colony's defence.
The caracara finds what he thinks
is an easy meal.
With all the real eggs hatched,
eggcam is an irresistible temptation.
It not only looks like a real egg...
..it rolls like one too.
With eggcam finally in his claws,
he does what comes naturally -
takes it into the air.
A quick readjustment,
and eggcam captures the first aerial
of a penguin colony, shot by a flying bird.
But then eggcam slips from his grasp.
But immediately, it catches the eye of a turkey vulture.
The game continues with different players.
Finally, eggcam is back in the Rockhopper colony.
This childless couple can hardly believe their luck.
Eggcam is a gift from the skies.
She tenderly takes it into her nest.
For a few moments,
she even tries to incubate it.
But she won't be fooled for long.
Back in Peru, the rest of the fishing party have finally arrived.
While they've been away, the nesting colony has undergone an invasion
far greater than anything the Rockhoppers have faced.
Their numbers
have to be seen to be believed.
There are half a million birds in all.
Guanay cormorants.
Global weather has pushed the birds southwards
and they've gathered in far greater numbers than normal.
For the returning males, it's utterly bewildering.
For the females and their young,
it's a disaster.
The cormorants nest outside the colony,
but the penguins and their chicks
are just where these invaders
prefer to take off.
Their chicks could easily be trampled
if the cormorants overshoot the runway.
The young take cover
as the invaders move ever closer,
pushed forward by the others,
eager to take off.
And that was just the start.
Thousands upon thousands are stacked up behind.
The Humboldts just have to hold their ground
and protect their chicks the best they can.
She shields her offspring.
She has never experienced anything like it.
She even tries to snatch the cormorants from the air.
As the cormorants stream out to sea,
the pressure is released.
It takes a whole hour for them to leave.
With most of the cormorants gone,
the males can finally return to their young.
The family is reunited,
and Dad has brought back dinner.
At the Emperor colony,
the freezing winter
has kept other predators at bay.
But spring brings new dangers.
A giant petrel suddenly arrives,
looking for a meal.
He weighs up his options.
Chicks protected by their mother are difficult to catch.
Mum's pouch is now of little use,
it just hides the danger from view.
But it's the mother that keeps the petrel at bay.
While some rely on their mother for protection,
others huddle together.
He tests the group's reaction,
to see if any will run.
By breaking up the huddle,
he can isolate a victim.
He gets one.
But he only has it by her feathers.
She breaks free
and runs to her mother.
PENGUIN SQUAWKS
Petrels are huge birds,
but they still won't mess with
an adult Emperor.
Protected by her mother,
the chick survived another day.
But soon, the parents will leave
and these chicks have to stand on their own two feet.
Next time, from the frozen Antarctic
to the scorching desert,
we discover the challenges
faced by all our chicks,
as they learn to become adult penguins.
Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd