A Year on Planet Earth (2022-…): Season 1, Episode 1 - Winter - full transcript
The Arctic sun sets and won't return until Spring. Winter has begun and with less solar energy the northern hemisphere freezes, life is at its hardest.
'It's hard to describe
how still it is
'on a glacier surrounded
by a fresh blanket of snow.'
Which makes the fact that I'm moving
at 490,000mph
all the more extraordinary.
But I, like everyone, like you,
am hurtling through space on
our annual journey around the sun.
'For the first time,
'this series explores
how all life on our planet...
'..is shaped by this orbit.
'How where you are on Earth...
'..makes a world of difference.
'And no matter how far apart...
'..how everything is connected.
'Epic weather systems...
'..trigger seasonal spectacles...
'..driving animals to move...
'..to fight...
'..and even to love.
'Filmed across
more than 60 locations...
'..we'll see
this unique annual journey
'through the eyes
of incredible animal families...
'..as they take on everything
the seasons can throw at them.
'It's high
in the Northern Hemisphere
'where winter hits earliest.
'By late-October,
'most animals
have already fled south
'to escape the brutal cold.
'Only the toughest remain.
'For now, this mother
and her two-year-old cub
'still have time to play.
'It will be the last winter
they spend together.
'Polar bears are solitary animals...
'..and she only has until spring
to prepare her cub...
'..for a life alone.
'Since birth,
he's followed in her footsteps...
'..and she's had to hunt
for both of them.
'The ice in Svalbard's fjords
acts as their main hunting platform.
'But right now,
it's only just forming...
'..and opportunities
are thin on the ground.
'A ringed seal.
'A lifeline.
'The cub knows to stay back.
'Every week without food...
'mother and cub
lose a tenth of their weight.
'Tough times lie ahead.
'The seasonal challenges
animals face
'are all created
by a quirk unique to our planet.'
Our journey
around that nuclear reactor
affects almost all life on Earth.
And as we circle it,
we do so on a titled axis.
'It's this that creates the seasons.
'During summer,
the Northern Hemisphere
'leans towards the sun.
'But six months later,
the north tilts away from the sun...
'..and days become shorter
and darker.'
Despite being clad head to foot
in specialist winter gear,
I wouldn't survive a night
on this hillside.
'Thankfully, I won't have to.
'But this mother and cub
must be prepared to face
'some of the toughest conditions
on the planet.
'It's the last time
they'll see the sun this year.
'Polar winter is here.
'This one night
will last for more than a 100 days.
'Somehow, this mother
will have to find enough food
'to see them through
the dark times ahead.
'When it's winter
in the Northern Hemisphere,
'at the other end of the Earth,
it's summer.
'The Southern Hemisphere
is tilted towards the sun...
'..bathed in its warmth and light,
and teeming with life.
'After a two-week fishing trip,
'these king penguins
are heading home
'to a tiny speck of land,
'1,000 miles south
of the African continent.
'Some have swum up to 4,000 miles
'in search of food.
'They're home.
'But the moment
they set foot on land,
'all that grace disappears.
'Still, he needs to keep moving.
'After so long at sea,
'he's desperate to reunite
with his mate.
'But a million other penguins
have had the same idea.
'Oh, my!
'This might take some time.
'It's December,
'and in the Southern Hemisphere,
that means summer.
'A tenth of all the king penguins
on Earth
'have come to Marion Island
to breed.
'And this male
needs to find his mate in the crowd.
It may seem an impossible task,
'but king penguins
have an extraordinary ability
'to locate one another.
'He can filter the cacophony
of half a million birds
'to isolate her call.
It's known as
the cocktail party effect.
'Rather apt
for a bird in a dinner suit.
'Hearing her is one thing.
'Getting to her another.
'Every corner of the colony
is contested.
'And penguins
were enforcing social distancing
'long before we'd heard of it.
'Finally, reunited.
'She's waited more than two weeks,
'going without food or water,
to guard their newly-laid egg.
'Now it's his turn to care for it.
'This egg is the pair's only chance
to raise a chick this year.
'Just getting it to hatch
will take incredible devotion.
'Taking turns to sit on the egg
'while the other feeds
in the summer seas.
'This far south,
'the sun's rays hit Marion Island
at an angle.
'But further north,
'the Earth's tilt
means that in Southern Africa,
'along the Tropic of Capricorn,
the sun is directly overhead.
'Here, its energy
is at its most concentrated,
'super-heating the land,
'driving cloud formation
'and bringing the rains
to Botswana.'
'There couldn't be
a more perfect time to be born.
'Much of an elephant's existence
'revolves around
the search for water.
'During the rainy season
in the Southern Hemisphere,
'there's so much of it that life
is about as easy as it gets.
'But it doesn't stay like this
for long.
This one-month-old baby elephant's
first year
'will be the most challenging
of his whole life.
'The savannahs are at their lushest,
'the rivers at their fullest,
'and there's a baby boom
in Botswana.
'There's a world of new life
to discover.
'With refreshment at every turn.
'Just as well.
'An adult elephant
needs over 200 litres a day.
'But the baby gets all he needs
from milk.
'So a trip to the river
means it's time to play.
'Life may seem idyllic now,
'but danger is never far away.
'There are lion prides
'that specialise
in taking down elephants.
'And it's the smallest
that are the most vulnerable.
'But during the wet season,
'there's plenty of easier prey
for the lions to chase.
'Botswana has distinct periods
of summer rain and winter sun.
'But along the equator,
'the seasons, as we know them,
all but disappear.
'Consistent sunlight all year round
'creates the ideal conditions
'for tropical rainforests to thrive.
'Animals living here
don't waste precious energy
'surviving seasonal extremes,
or migrating to escape them.
'Instead,
they can put it into something
'a little bit more... fabulous.
'From the weird...
to the wonderfully colourful.
'In the jungles of Papua New Guinea
and Northern Australia,
'there are a few
who focus on more artistic pursuits.
'He may seem a little drab
'compared
to other birds of paradise...
'..but he's called
a magnificent riflebird
'for a reason.
'He's dedicated his entire life
to the art of seduction.
'But to really shine,
he needs a partner.'
'Ah! The first audience of the day.
'And this branch, his personal stage
'for a routine
he's been perfecting for years.
'It's rarely been seen,
let alone filmed.
'With special wing feathers,
'he puts on
a shape-shifting display.
'But not every riflebird
is what they seem.
'And that's no she.
'Juvenile males
look and act like females
'to cheat a front-row seat
'and learn from the best.
'It can take five years of study
to master this dance.
'But once he sees through
the charade...
'..he has no moves left to teach
'but the cold shoulder.
'No matter how much
his fan looks up to him.
'Here, the tropical sun shines
more or less 12 hours a day...
'..all year round.
'But far to the north,
in the Arctic...
'..there is nothing but darkness.
'It's the winter solstice.
'The shortest day of the year.
'When the Northern Hemisphere
'is tilted as far away from the sun
as it can be.
'From this point onwards...
'..days begin to get longer.
'But this polar bear
won't see the sun rise
'for another 56 days.
'If it even survives that long.
'The relentless search for food
continues
'for the polar bear mother and cub.
'A reindeer
fallen victim to the winter storms
'offers some relief.
'But together, they need
more than 170,000 calories a week.
'An adult reindeer
provides less than half that.
'If they're ever
going to see the sun again,
'she'll need to enforce
some portion control.
'While the sun may be long gone
from the Arctic,
'its presence isn't forgotten.
'Solar winds engulf our planet.
'And these latitudes bear witness
to a display on a planetary scale.
'The northern lights.
'When charged particles
collide with Earth's magnetic field
'at millions of miles an hour,
'they release
enormous amounts of energy.
'These lights
are the only way we ever see
'this invisible magnetic force.
'Yet we are still discovering
'how fundamental it is
to life on Earth.
'Recent studies suggest
it may even help one animal
'catch its next meal.
'Winter storms
have covered this red fox's home
'in a blanket of snow
three feet deep...
'..and hidden the rodents
it usually hunts.
'For some animals,
'this might be a barrier
too great to overcome.
'But a fox is cunning
and has excellent hearing.
'It's trial... and error.
'But there is one thing he can do
to improve his chances.
'Scientists believe red foxes
have a sixth sense
'for the same magnetic force
that causes the northern lights.
'And they can use it to triangulate
their prey's position.
'Pointing to the north-east,
he waits for the sound of his prey
'to cross the angle
of the magnetic field.
'The sweet spot.
'Using this technique,
his hit rate increases fourfold.
'In January's bitter cold,
'it can make the difference
between life and death.
'After weeks
with little energy from the sun
'the Northern Hemisphere
continues to cool.
'Many animals that migrated south
to avoid the cold
'are just arriving
at their destinations.
'Where better for a spot of winter
sun than the coast of Florida?
'Home to luxury apartments,
'golden sands...
'..and warm tropical waters.
'A favourite not just for
America's holiday-makers,
'but blacktip sharks, too.
'12,000 of them.
'Just like everyone else,
'they're making the most
of the warm water.
'But there's trouble in paradise.
'Great hammerhead sharks,
'up to six metres long,
'have been waiting all year
for this seasonal feast.
'For the blacktips,
'travelling in numbers is far safer
'than being caught out alone.
'Together, they have more chance
of spotting danger.
'But with eyes
on the sides of its head,
'a hammerhead sees
in almost every direction.
'They scan for weakness...
'..constantly testing the school.
'One wrong move...
'..is all it takes.
'Despite the risks,
'the promise of food and warmth
'makes the journey south worthwhile.
'Constant sunlight provides a refuge
for animals throughout the tropics.
'But for those
that live here year-round,
'there are
more pressing matters at hand.
'The magnificent riflebird
'is still looking for love.'
'A female... surely.
'He needs to entice her
onto the stage.
'A good start.
'But she holds all the cards.
'She'll only mate
with the most impressive male.
'Beauty is in the eye
of the beholder.
'Well, behold this!'
'A flutter of the wings
'shows she approves.
'It's time for his signature move.'
'It seems to do the trick.
'And after all that,
'he may never dance for her again.
'Her loss!'
'There are plenty more birds
in paradise.
'As our planet continues
its journey around the sun,
'the seasons start to turn.
'Over 1,000 miles
south of the equator,
'the rainy season will soon end.
'Fewer clouds in the sky
'means less protection
from the searing sun.
'So the herd seeks shade
in the bush.
'The baby elephant's
grown more confident and curious.
'He's still not got the hang
of that trunk, though.
'It's one of the most complex organs
on Earth.
'Delicate enough
to pluck a blade of grass,
'strong enough to lift 250 kilos.
'No wonder it'll take
the rest of the year to master.
'At least he has plenty of family
to practise with.
'Though his older cousin
'can get a little rough.
'It's good preparation
for the future.
'So far,
all he's known is an easy life.
'But from this point on,
'his home becomes drier.
'The herd will weaken,
'and the lions are waiting.
'For the rest of the year,
'the matriarch
must keep the herd from danger
'and guide them
on a relentless search for water,
'as rain becomes a distant memory.
'Summer across
the Southern Hemisphere
'is coming to an end.
'After cradling their egg
for 55 days...
'..the moment
the devoted king penguin parents
'have waited for
'has finally arrived.
'It's time to welcome their chick
into the world.
'The egg our king penguin parents
have been protecting since December
'has finally hatched.
'It will take the rest of the year
to raise her.
'The longest parenthood of any bird.
'Exhausted and unsteady...
'..she's ready for her first meal.
'She needs to build her strength
as quickly as she can...
'..if she's to survive
the voracious predators...
'..and worsening weather.
'As the Southern Hemisphere
tilts away from the sun,
'days will get shorter and tougher.
'But in the north,
'the first signs of spring
are fast approaching.
'Warmth floods back
into Scandinavia's forests.
'A very welcome change
for the resident red squirrels.
'They don't hibernate
through winter.
'But on a cold morning,
'he's certainly not opposed
to a lie-in...'
'..when he can get it.'
'They just won't shut up.'
'Fine!
'Might as well make the most of
the longer days, now they're here.
'If he's not sleeping,
'he's thinking about his next meal.
'This early in the year,
'there's not much
but lichen and bark.
'And too many fellow foragers
'to contend with.
'Including other reds.
'Thankfully, he's, well,
squirreled away
'his own secret stash.
'In autumn, when the trees
were bursting with nuts,
'he hid almost 3,000
across the forest.
'He thought about his nuts so much,
'his brain had to grow to cope.
'A squirrel's hippocampus
expands by 15%
'just to remember
where it cached them.
'Yes!
'Many of the other squirrels'
stockpiles
'are empty this late in winter,
'so they're on the lookout
for an easy meal.
'Packed with protein
and rich in fats...
'..these cheats
will do whatever they can
'to get their hands
'on his nuts.
'He'll have to keep defending
'his hard-earned stash
a little longer.
'As winter comes to an end...
'..more light falls across
the Northern Hemisphere.
'Each day, like a tide,
'the sun's life-giving rays
'creep further and further
into the Arctic.
'Until, finally...
'..after a 112 days...
'..the sun rises in Svalbard
once more.
'The polar bear mother
has made it through the long winter.
'And despite all its challenges...
'..so has her cub.
'They say raising a child
'is one of the hardest things
you can do in life.
'Letting them go...
'..is even harder.
'She must push him away
'for his own good.
'She's done all she can.
'In his whole life,
'he's never spent a day on his own.
'Now, like all male polar bears,
'apart from the briefest of moments,
'he could roam
this frozen wilderness alone
'for another 20 years.
'If he remembers
what his mother taught him,
'he might just survive.
'Soon, the sun will hang in the sky
24 hours a day,
'slowly melting away
this frozen world
'with its unfathomable power.
'In just one second,
'our sun releases more energy
than all mankind has used
'since the beginning of time.'
Just let that sink in.
From now on, it's going to
beat down on our northern pole
for just a few extra minutes
each day.
Unsurprisingly,
the effects are immense.
Even now, its warming touch
is changing these icy valleys.
And as the Northern Hemisphere
leans once more towards the sun,
great change will sweep the globe.
Spring is on the way,
bringing with it new beginnings
and great hardship
for those who call this planet home.
how still it is
'on a glacier surrounded
by a fresh blanket of snow.'
Which makes the fact that I'm moving
at 490,000mph
all the more extraordinary.
But I, like everyone, like you,
am hurtling through space on
our annual journey around the sun.
'For the first time,
'this series explores
how all life on our planet...
'..is shaped by this orbit.
'How where you are on Earth...
'..makes a world of difference.
'And no matter how far apart...
'..how everything is connected.
'Epic weather systems...
'..trigger seasonal spectacles...
'..driving animals to move...
'..to fight...
'..and even to love.
'Filmed across
more than 60 locations...
'..we'll see
this unique annual journey
'through the eyes
of incredible animal families...
'..as they take on everything
the seasons can throw at them.
'It's high
in the Northern Hemisphere
'where winter hits earliest.
'By late-October,
'most animals
have already fled south
'to escape the brutal cold.
'Only the toughest remain.
'For now, this mother
and her two-year-old cub
'still have time to play.
'It will be the last winter
they spend together.
'Polar bears are solitary animals...
'..and she only has until spring
to prepare her cub...
'..for a life alone.
'Since birth,
he's followed in her footsteps...
'..and she's had to hunt
for both of them.
'The ice in Svalbard's fjords
acts as their main hunting platform.
'But right now,
it's only just forming...
'..and opportunities
are thin on the ground.
'A ringed seal.
'A lifeline.
'The cub knows to stay back.
'Every week without food...
'mother and cub
lose a tenth of their weight.
'Tough times lie ahead.
'The seasonal challenges
animals face
'are all created
by a quirk unique to our planet.'
Our journey
around that nuclear reactor
affects almost all life on Earth.
And as we circle it,
we do so on a titled axis.
'It's this that creates the seasons.
'During summer,
the Northern Hemisphere
'leans towards the sun.
'But six months later,
the north tilts away from the sun...
'..and days become shorter
and darker.'
Despite being clad head to foot
in specialist winter gear,
I wouldn't survive a night
on this hillside.
'Thankfully, I won't have to.
'But this mother and cub
must be prepared to face
'some of the toughest conditions
on the planet.
'It's the last time
they'll see the sun this year.
'Polar winter is here.
'This one night
will last for more than a 100 days.
'Somehow, this mother
will have to find enough food
'to see them through
the dark times ahead.
'When it's winter
in the Northern Hemisphere,
'at the other end of the Earth,
it's summer.
'The Southern Hemisphere
is tilted towards the sun...
'..bathed in its warmth and light,
and teeming with life.
'After a two-week fishing trip,
'these king penguins
are heading home
'to a tiny speck of land,
'1,000 miles south
of the African continent.
'Some have swum up to 4,000 miles
'in search of food.
'They're home.
'But the moment
they set foot on land,
'all that grace disappears.
'Still, he needs to keep moving.
'After so long at sea,
'he's desperate to reunite
with his mate.
'But a million other penguins
have had the same idea.
'Oh, my!
'This might take some time.
'It's December,
'and in the Southern Hemisphere,
that means summer.
'A tenth of all the king penguins
on Earth
'have come to Marion Island
to breed.
'And this male
needs to find his mate in the crowd.
It may seem an impossible task,
'but king penguins
have an extraordinary ability
'to locate one another.
'He can filter the cacophony
of half a million birds
'to isolate her call.
It's known as
the cocktail party effect.
'Rather apt
for a bird in a dinner suit.
'Hearing her is one thing.
'Getting to her another.
'Every corner of the colony
is contested.
'And penguins
were enforcing social distancing
'long before we'd heard of it.
'Finally, reunited.
'She's waited more than two weeks,
'going without food or water,
to guard their newly-laid egg.
'Now it's his turn to care for it.
'This egg is the pair's only chance
to raise a chick this year.
'Just getting it to hatch
will take incredible devotion.
'Taking turns to sit on the egg
'while the other feeds
in the summer seas.
'This far south,
'the sun's rays hit Marion Island
at an angle.
'But further north,
'the Earth's tilt
means that in Southern Africa,
'along the Tropic of Capricorn,
the sun is directly overhead.
'Here, its energy
is at its most concentrated,
'super-heating the land,
'driving cloud formation
'and bringing the rains
to Botswana.'
'There couldn't be
a more perfect time to be born.
'Much of an elephant's existence
'revolves around
the search for water.
'During the rainy season
in the Southern Hemisphere,
'there's so much of it that life
is about as easy as it gets.
'But it doesn't stay like this
for long.
This one-month-old baby elephant's
first year
'will be the most challenging
of his whole life.
'The savannahs are at their lushest,
'the rivers at their fullest,
'and there's a baby boom
in Botswana.
'There's a world of new life
to discover.
'With refreshment at every turn.
'Just as well.
'An adult elephant
needs over 200 litres a day.
'But the baby gets all he needs
from milk.
'So a trip to the river
means it's time to play.
'Life may seem idyllic now,
'but danger is never far away.
'There are lion prides
'that specialise
in taking down elephants.
'And it's the smallest
that are the most vulnerable.
'But during the wet season,
'there's plenty of easier prey
for the lions to chase.
'Botswana has distinct periods
of summer rain and winter sun.
'But along the equator,
'the seasons, as we know them,
all but disappear.
'Consistent sunlight all year round
'creates the ideal conditions
'for tropical rainforests to thrive.
'Animals living here
don't waste precious energy
'surviving seasonal extremes,
or migrating to escape them.
'Instead,
they can put it into something
'a little bit more... fabulous.
'From the weird...
to the wonderfully colourful.
'In the jungles of Papua New Guinea
and Northern Australia,
'there are a few
who focus on more artistic pursuits.
'He may seem a little drab
'compared
to other birds of paradise...
'..but he's called
a magnificent riflebird
'for a reason.
'He's dedicated his entire life
to the art of seduction.
'But to really shine,
he needs a partner.'
'Ah! The first audience of the day.
'And this branch, his personal stage
'for a routine
he's been perfecting for years.
'It's rarely been seen,
let alone filmed.
'With special wing feathers,
'he puts on
a shape-shifting display.
'But not every riflebird
is what they seem.
'And that's no she.
'Juvenile males
look and act like females
'to cheat a front-row seat
'and learn from the best.
'It can take five years of study
to master this dance.
'But once he sees through
the charade...
'..he has no moves left to teach
'but the cold shoulder.
'No matter how much
his fan looks up to him.
'Here, the tropical sun shines
more or less 12 hours a day...
'..all year round.
'But far to the north,
in the Arctic...
'..there is nothing but darkness.
'It's the winter solstice.
'The shortest day of the year.
'When the Northern Hemisphere
'is tilted as far away from the sun
as it can be.
'From this point onwards...
'..days begin to get longer.
'But this polar bear
won't see the sun rise
'for another 56 days.
'If it even survives that long.
'The relentless search for food
continues
'for the polar bear mother and cub.
'A reindeer
fallen victim to the winter storms
'offers some relief.
'But together, they need
more than 170,000 calories a week.
'An adult reindeer
provides less than half that.
'If they're ever
going to see the sun again,
'she'll need to enforce
some portion control.
'While the sun may be long gone
from the Arctic,
'its presence isn't forgotten.
'Solar winds engulf our planet.
'And these latitudes bear witness
to a display on a planetary scale.
'The northern lights.
'When charged particles
collide with Earth's magnetic field
'at millions of miles an hour,
'they release
enormous amounts of energy.
'These lights
are the only way we ever see
'this invisible magnetic force.
'Yet we are still discovering
'how fundamental it is
to life on Earth.
'Recent studies suggest
it may even help one animal
'catch its next meal.
'Winter storms
have covered this red fox's home
'in a blanket of snow
three feet deep...
'..and hidden the rodents
it usually hunts.
'For some animals,
'this might be a barrier
too great to overcome.
'But a fox is cunning
and has excellent hearing.
'It's trial... and error.
'But there is one thing he can do
to improve his chances.
'Scientists believe red foxes
have a sixth sense
'for the same magnetic force
that causes the northern lights.
'And they can use it to triangulate
their prey's position.
'Pointing to the north-east,
he waits for the sound of his prey
'to cross the angle
of the magnetic field.
'The sweet spot.
'Using this technique,
his hit rate increases fourfold.
'In January's bitter cold,
'it can make the difference
between life and death.
'After weeks
with little energy from the sun
'the Northern Hemisphere
continues to cool.
'Many animals that migrated south
to avoid the cold
'are just arriving
at their destinations.
'Where better for a spot of winter
sun than the coast of Florida?
'Home to luxury apartments,
'golden sands...
'..and warm tropical waters.
'A favourite not just for
America's holiday-makers,
'but blacktip sharks, too.
'12,000 of them.
'Just like everyone else,
'they're making the most
of the warm water.
'But there's trouble in paradise.
'Great hammerhead sharks,
'up to six metres long,
'have been waiting all year
for this seasonal feast.
'For the blacktips,
'travelling in numbers is far safer
'than being caught out alone.
'Together, they have more chance
of spotting danger.
'But with eyes
on the sides of its head,
'a hammerhead sees
in almost every direction.
'They scan for weakness...
'..constantly testing the school.
'One wrong move...
'..is all it takes.
'Despite the risks,
'the promise of food and warmth
'makes the journey south worthwhile.
'Constant sunlight provides a refuge
for animals throughout the tropics.
'But for those
that live here year-round,
'there are
more pressing matters at hand.
'The magnificent riflebird
'is still looking for love.'
'A female... surely.
'He needs to entice her
onto the stage.
'A good start.
'But she holds all the cards.
'She'll only mate
with the most impressive male.
'Beauty is in the eye
of the beholder.
'Well, behold this!'
'A flutter of the wings
'shows she approves.
'It's time for his signature move.'
'It seems to do the trick.
'And after all that,
'he may never dance for her again.
'Her loss!'
'There are plenty more birds
in paradise.
'As our planet continues
its journey around the sun,
'the seasons start to turn.
'Over 1,000 miles
south of the equator,
'the rainy season will soon end.
'Fewer clouds in the sky
'means less protection
from the searing sun.
'So the herd seeks shade
in the bush.
'The baby elephant's
grown more confident and curious.
'He's still not got the hang
of that trunk, though.
'It's one of the most complex organs
on Earth.
'Delicate enough
to pluck a blade of grass,
'strong enough to lift 250 kilos.
'No wonder it'll take
the rest of the year to master.
'At least he has plenty of family
to practise with.
'Though his older cousin
'can get a little rough.
'It's good preparation
for the future.
'So far,
all he's known is an easy life.
'But from this point on,
'his home becomes drier.
'The herd will weaken,
'and the lions are waiting.
'For the rest of the year,
'the matriarch
must keep the herd from danger
'and guide them
on a relentless search for water,
'as rain becomes a distant memory.
'Summer across
the Southern Hemisphere
'is coming to an end.
'After cradling their egg
for 55 days...
'..the moment
the devoted king penguin parents
'have waited for
'has finally arrived.
'It's time to welcome their chick
into the world.
'The egg our king penguin parents
have been protecting since December
'has finally hatched.
'It will take the rest of the year
to raise her.
'The longest parenthood of any bird.
'Exhausted and unsteady...
'..she's ready for her first meal.
'She needs to build her strength
as quickly as she can...
'..if she's to survive
the voracious predators...
'..and worsening weather.
'As the Southern Hemisphere
tilts away from the sun,
'days will get shorter and tougher.
'But in the north,
'the first signs of spring
are fast approaching.
'Warmth floods back
into Scandinavia's forests.
'A very welcome change
for the resident red squirrels.
'They don't hibernate
through winter.
'But on a cold morning,
'he's certainly not opposed
to a lie-in...'
'..when he can get it.'
'They just won't shut up.'
'Fine!
'Might as well make the most of
the longer days, now they're here.
'If he's not sleeping,
'he's thinking about his next meal.
'This early in the year,
'there's not much
but lichen and bark.
'And too many fellow foragers
'to contend with.
'Including other reds.
'Thankfully, he's, well,
squirreled away
'his own secret stash.
'In autumn, when the trees
were bursting with nuts,
'he hid almost 3,000
across the forest.
'He thought about his nuts so much,
'his brain had to grow to cope.
'A squirrel's hippocampus
expands by 15%
'just to remember
where it cached them.
'Yes!
'Many of the other squirrels'
stockpiles
'are empty this late in winter,
'so they're on the lookout
for an easy meal.
'Packed with protein
and rich in fats...
'..these cheats
will do whatever they can
'to get their hands
'on his nuts.
'He'll have to keep defending
'his hard-earned stash
a little longer.
'As winter comes to an end...
'..more light falls across
the Northern Hemisphere.
'Each day, like a tide,
'the sun's life-giving rays
'creep further and further
into the Arctic.
'Until, finally...
'..after a 112 days...
'..the sun rises in Svalbard
once more.
'The polar bear mother
has made it through the long winter.
'And despite all its challenges...
'..so has her cub.
'They say raising a child
'is one of the hardest things
you can do in life.
'Letting them go...
'..is even harder.
'She must push him away
'for his own good.
'She's done all she can.
'In his whole life,
'he's never spent a day on his own.
'Now, like all male polar bears,
'apart from the briefest of moments,
'he could roam
this frozen wilderness alone
'for another 20 years.
'If he remembers
what his mother taught him,
'he might just survive.
'Soon, the sun will hang in the sky
24 hours a day,
'slowly melting away
this frozen world
'with its unfathomable power.
'In just one second,
'our sun releases more energy
than all mankind has used
'since the beginning of time.'
Just let that sink in.
From now on, it's going to
beat down on our northern pole
for just a few extra minutes
each day.
Unsurprisingly,
the effects are immense.
Even now, its warming touch
is changing these icy valleys.
And as the Northern Hemisphere
leans once more towards the sun,
great change will sweep the globe.
Spring is on the way,
bringing with it new beginnings
and great hardship
for those who call this planet home.