1 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:25,579 There are few places harder to get to in this world. 2 00:02:25,750 --> 00:02:28,844 But there aren't any where it's harder to live. 3 00:02:29,553 --> 00:02:32,215 The average temperature here at the bottom of the Earth... 4 00:02:32,423 --> 00:02:34,721 ...is a balmy 58 degrees below. 5 00:02:34,892 --> 00:02:37,190 That's when the sun is out. 6 00:02:37,595 --> 00:02:39,062 It wasn't always like this. 7 00:02:39,964 --> 00:02:42,489 Antarctica used to be a tropical place... 8 00:02:42,700 --> 00:02:45,726 ...densely forested and teeming with life. 9 00:02:45,903 --> 00:02:48,895 But then the continent started to drift south. 10 00:02:49,073 --> 00:02:51,041 And by the time it was done drifting... 11 00:02:51,208 --> 00:02:54,939 ...the dense forests had all been replaced with a new ground cover: 12 00:02:55,112 --> 00:02:56,739 Ice. 13 00:02:59,650 --> 00:03:04,144 As for the former inhabitants, they had all died or moved on long ago. 14 00:03:04,355 --> 00:03:07,882 Well, almost all of them. 15 00:03:10,561 --> 00:03:13,997 Legend has it that one tribe stayed behind. 16 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:25,673 Perhaps they thought the change in weather was only temporary. 17 00:03:25,843 --> 00:03:29,108 or maybe they were just stubborn. 18 00:03:29,447 --> 00:03:34,908 But whatever their reasons, these stalwart souls refused to leave. 19 00:03:35,853 --> 00:03:38,219 For millions of years they have made their home... 20 00:03:38,422 --> 00:03:42,950 ...on the darkest, driest, windiest and coldest continent on Earth. 21 00:03:44,428 --> 00:03:47,556 And they've done so pretty much alone. 22 00:03:47,732 --> 00:03:50,895 So in some ways this is a story of survival. 23 00:03:51,068 --> 00:03:53,298 A tale of life over death. 24 00:03:53,471 --> 00:03:55,735 But it's more than that, really. 25 00:03:55,906 --> 00:03:58,101 This is a story about love. 26 00:04:06,450 --> 00:04:10,716 Like most love stories, it begins with an act of utter foolishness. 27 00:04:17,395 --> 00:04:20,193 The emperor penguin is technically a bird. 28 00:04:20,398 --> 00:04:23,629 Although one that makes his home in the sea. 29 00:04:24,301 --> 00:04:27,099 So if you're wondering what he's doing up here on the ice... 30 00:04:27,271 --> 00:04:30,331 ...well, that's part of our story. 31 00:04:30,508 --> 00:04:32,533 Each year at around the same time... 32 00:04:32,710 --> 00:04:34,940 ...he will leave the comfort of his ocean home... 33 00:04:35,112 --> 00:04:37,410 ...and embark on a remarkable journey. 34 00:04:37,581 --> 00:04:40,049 He will travel a great distance... 35 00:04:40,217 --> 00:04:42,742 ...and though he is a bird, he won't fly. 36 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:46,151 Though he lives in the sea, he won't swim. 37 00:04:46,357 --> 00:04:48,882 Mostly, he will walk. 38 00:04:49,093 --> 00:04:50,583 But he won't walk alone. 39 00:05:03,908 --> 00:05:06,706 It is March. Summer is over. 40 00:05:06,877 --> 00:05:10,677 And another long polar winter is about to begin. 41 00:05:11,348 --> 00:05:15,512 The birds have been feeding in the ocean waters for three months. 42 00:05:15,686 --> 00:05:18,086 Now, their bellies full... 43 00:05:18,289 --> 00:05:21,315 ...it is time to find a mate. 44 00:05:26,330 --> 00:05:29,822 Their breeding ground can be up to 70 miles away. 45 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:34,494 To get there they will walk day and night continuously. 46 00:05:34,672 --> 00:05:37,368 Sometimes for a week. 47 00:05:37,942 --> 00:05:42,902 It is a long, dangerous and seemingly impossible journey. 48 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:45,878 And some of them will not survive it. 49 00:05:49,487 --> 00:05:53,924 Nonetheless, when the last of the clan has finally clamored onto the ice... 50 00:05:54,091 --> 00:05:56,218 ...their long march will begin... 51 00:05:56,427 --> 00:05:59,863 ...just as it has for thousands of years. 52 00:07:29,019 --> 00:07:31,783 The destination is always the same. 53 00:07:31,989 --> 00:07:33,957 Their path, however, is not. 54 00:07:35,659 --> 00:07:39,595 The ice on which the birds travel never stops shifting and changing. 55 00:07:39,797 --> 00:07:43,790 New roadblocks will appear to baffle them every year. 56 00:07:45,703 --> 00:07:49,400 We're not exactly sure how they find their way. 57 00:07:49,573 --> 00:07:52,098 Perhaps they were assisted by the sun. 58 00:07:52,276 --> 00:07:53,800 or the stars. 59 00:07:53,978 --> 00:07:57,505 or maybe having taken this march for thousands of generations... 60 00:07:57,681 --> 00:08:00,479 ...they are guided by some invisible compass within them. 61 00:08:02,186 --> 00:08:03,949 They never stay stumped for long. 62 00:08:04,154 --> 00:08:06,588 Eventually, one of them will pick up the trail. 63 00:08:06,757 --> 00:08:09,225 And the journey continues. 64 00:08:33,917 --> 00:08:37,717 When they get tired of walking, they'll give their feet a rest. 65 00:08:37,888 --> 00:08:40,721 They'll use their bellies instead. 66 00:09:35,879 --> 00:09:39,508 Theirs is usually a graceful parade. 67 00:09:40,284 --> 00:09:42,275 But not always. 68 00:09:57,601 --> 00:10:01,230 Each day the temperature drops a little further. 69 00:10:02,106 --> 00:10:04,904 And the sun will set earlier. 70 00:10:06,810 --> 00:10:11,440 The weather becomes noticeably harsher almost by the hour. 71 00:10:16,253 --> 00:10:20,815 By now similar caravans are approaching from every direction. 72 00:10:21,024 --> 00:10:25,427 And finally, often on the same day... 73 00:10:25,596 --> 00:10:27,757 ...even around the same time... 74 00:10:27,931 --> 00:10:33,369 ...they will arrive at the place where each and every one of them was born. 75 00:11:38,735 --> 00:11:41,727 Here they will mate in relative safety. 76 00:11:41,905 --> 00:11:45,272 They are now far from the water's edge where most predators lurk. 77 00:11:45,442 --> 00:11:49,936 And the large ice walls will offer some protection from the harshest winds. 78 00:11:50,113 --> 00:11:52,479 But the real reason they have chosen this place... 79 00:11:52,649 --> 00:11:54,173 ...lies beneath their feet. 80 00:11:54,351 --> 00:11:56,012 The ice is thicker here. 81 00:11:56,186 --> 00:11:58,211 It will stay solid until summer... 82 00:11:58,422 --> 00:12:01,255 ...keeping their young from accidentally falling through... 83 00:12:01,425 --> 00:12:03,893 ...into the freezing ocean. 84 00:12:06,663 --> 00:12:09,359 And so, having arrived... 85 00:12:09,533 --> 00:12:12,229 ...they begin to pursue their journey's purpose: 86 00:12:12,402 --> 00:12:14,802 Finding a mate. 87 00:12:14,972 --> 00:12:17,668 We don't really know what they're looking for in a partner. 88 00:12:17,841 --> 00:12:21,572 We only know that they are, in fact, looking. 89 00:12:22,179 --> 00:12:26,582 We also know when they've found what they're looking for. 90 00:12:35,492 --> 00:12:38,984 Emperor penguins are monogamous. Sort of. 91 00:12:39,196 --> 00:12:41,926 They mate with only one partner per year. 92 00:12:42,099 --> 00:12:46,627 Which means every new season, all bets are off. 93 00:12:49,339 --> 00:12:52,240 Because there are fewer males than females here... 94 00:12:52,409 --> 00:12:55,742 ...hostilities among the ladies are inevitable. 95 00:12:55,913 --> 00:12:59,314 A taken male instantly becomes an unavailable male. 96 00:12:59,483 --> 00:13:04,648 So occasionally, a female will attempt to interrupt a courtship. 97 00:13:11,828 --> 00:13:14,023 The men don't seem to mind. 98 00:13:14,197 --> 00:13:19,134 They just wait for the fight to end and take the opportunity to preen. 99 00:13:22,773 --> 00:13:25,708 They're not that different from us, really. 100 00:13:27,778 --> 00:13:29,541 They pout. 101 00:13:29,713 --> 00:13:31,408 They bellow. 102 00:13:31,648 --> 00:13:33,343 They strut. 103 00:13:34,718 --> 00:13:39,678 And occasionally, they will engage in some contact sports. 104 00:14:35,746 --> 00:14:38,806 Within a few weeks, one way or the other... 105 00:14:38,982 --> 00:14:42,850 ...most of the animals have found the one they are looking for. 106 00:17:35,458 --> 00:17:36,789 For the next eight months... 107 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:41,226 ...these two will participate in an ancient and complicated affair. 108 00:17:41,398 --> 00:17:43,389 There will be tenderness. 109 00:17:43,567 --> 00:17:45,398 There will be separation. 110 00:17:45,569 --> 00:17:47,127 There will be reunion. 111 00:17:47,304 --> 00:17:51,900 And if their partnership is successful, there will be new life. 112 00:17:52,142 --> 00:17:54,940 For now, they wait... 113 00:17:55,111 --> 00:17:57,477 ...for the egg and for the brutal winter... 114 00:17:57,647 --> 00:18:01,276 ...which will do everything in its power to destroy that egg. 115 00:18:30,947 --> 00:18:34,906 By May the light will nearly have disappeared from the sky... 116 00:18:35,085 --> 00:18:37,952 ...and the temperature continues to drop. 117 00:18:40,290 --> 00:18:43,521 And for those who began their march too late... 118 00:18:43,693 --> 00:18:47,561 ...or have fallen behind because of weakness or hunger... 119 00:18:47,731 --> 00:18:51,360 ...hope of survival is now remote. 120 00:18:59,175 --> 00:19:02,633 The lone penguin has no chance against the winter's cold. 121 00:19:02,812 --> 00:19:04,473 He will simply fade away... 122 00:19:04,648 --> 00:19:08,584 ...absorbed by the great whiteness all around him. 123 00:19:38,048 --> 00:19:39,743 As winter descends... 124 00:19:39,916 --> 00:19:42,976 ...the tribe's only defense against the freezing cold... 125 00:19:43,153 --> 00:19:44,984 ...is the group itself. 126 00:19:45,188 --> 00:19:49,386 It is almost as if they create another organism altogether. 127 00:19:50,593 --> 00:19:53,960 The huddled animals form a single moving mass... 128 00:19:54,130 --> 00:19:58,464 ...one designed for the sole purpose of sustaining warmth. 129 00:20:00,537 --> 00:20:04,564 Winter's first storm is upon them. 130 00:20:21,658 --> 00:20:27,096 Within a few weeks, days begin to pass with virtually no light at all. 131 00:20:29,165 --> 00:20:33,761 Moons come and go in the soon-to-be-endless night. 132 00:20:36,272 --> 00:20:39,105 And finally, one day in early June... 133 00:20:39,275 --> 00:20:42,335 ...we remember why they came here. 134 00:20:58,995 --> 00:21:03,295 As soon as the egg appears, it is instantly hidden from the cold. 135 00:21:03,466 --> 00:21:06,401 The tiny beating heart within the shell cannot survive... 136 00:21:06,569 --> 00:21:10,266 ...much more than a moment's exposure to the freezing air. 137 00:21:41,171 --> 00:21:44,663 From now on, the couple has but a single goal: 138 00:21:44,841 --> 00:21:47,435 Keeping their egg alive. 139 00:21:47,610 --> 00:21:51,137 The hungry mother must return at once to the sea to eat. 140 00:21:51,314 --> 00:21:55,375 But before she leaves, she must entrust the egg to its father. 141 00:22:08,364 --> 00:22:14,030 Some, young couples, perhaps, are too impulsive or rushed. 142 00:22:18,141 --> 00:22:22,271 And within moments, their affair comes to an end. 143 00:22:31,254 --> 00:22:33,188 They can only watch... 144 00:22:33,356 --> 00:22:36,325 ...as the ice claims their egg... 145 00:22:36,493 --> 00:22:38,723 ...and the life within it. 146 00:22:58,481 --> 00:23:01,678 This couple's partnership is now over. 147 00:23:02,051 --> 00:23:05,020 The long march in vain. 148 00:23:05,321 --> 00:23:07,516 With no reason to stay... 149 00:23:07,724 --> 00:23:10,352 ...they will wander back to the sea. 150 00:23:12,996 --> 00:23:17,023 other couples have lost their egg as well. 151 00:23:19,335 --> 00:23:21,394 As for the others... 152 00:23:21,571 --> 00:23:24,369 ...their partnership is about to change. 153 00:23:24,807 --> 00:23:26,672 With unending patience... 154 00:23:26,843 --> 00:23:30,279 ...the pair rehearses the steps they will need to transfer the egg... 155 00:23:30,446 --> 00:23:33,540 ...from the mother to the father. 156 00:23:40,023 --> 00:23:44,551 They practice this clumsy ballet dozens of times if need be. 157 00:23:46,796 --> 00:23:49,993 And then, with great care... 158 00:23:50,166 --> 00:23:52,225 ...they will dance it. 159 00:24:19,262 --> 00:24:22,356 And now begins one of nature's most incredible... 160 00:24:22,532 --> 00:24:25,865 ...and endearing role reversals. 161 00:24:27,070 --> 00:24:31,370 It is the penguin male who will tend the couple's single egg. 162 00:24:31,808 --> 00:24:36,142 While the mother feeds and gathers food to bring back for the newborn... 163 00:24:36,312 --> 00:24:41,375 ...it is the father who will shield the egg from the violent winds and cold. 164 00:24:41,584 --> 00:24:44,849 He will make a nest for the egg atop his own claws... 165 00:24:45,021 --> 00:24:49,754 ...keeping it safe and warm beneath a flap of skin on his belly. 166 00:24:53,062 --> 00:24:57,260 And he will do this for more than two months. 167 00:25:26,996 --> 00:25:28,588 Having passed the egg... 168 00:25:28,765 --> 00:25:31,632 ...the exhausted female must depart quickly. 169 00:25:34,237 --> 00:25:37,297 She must eat soon or she will die. 170 00:25:43,479 --> 00:25:45,640 As the winter progresses... 171 00:25:45,815 --> 00:25:48,545 ...the father will be severely tested. 172 00:25:52,321 --> 00:25:54,915 The mother will be tested as well. 173 00:25:55,124 --> 00:25:58,355 Her return trip to the sea is considerably more difficult... 174 00:25:58,528 --> 00:26:01,429 ...than the original march to the nesting ground. 175 00:26:01,597 --> 00:26:03,189 It is colder now. 176 00:26:03,366 --> 00:26:07,803 And she will have lost almost a third of her body weight producing the egg. 177 00:26:07,970 --> 00:26:11,235 She is literally starving. 178 00:26:12,542 --> 00:26:14,942 of course, the fathers are nearly starving too. 179 00:26:15,111 --> 00:26:19,343 But for them, a meal is far off in the distance. 180 00:26:19,916 --> 00:26:22,612 By the time their vigil atop the egg is over... 181 00:26:22,785 --> 00:26:26,016 ...the penguin fathers will have gone without food of any kind... 182 00:26:26,222 --> 00:26:28,588 ...for over 125 days. 183 00:26:28,758 --> 00:26:31,556 And they will have endured one of the most violent... 184 00:26:31,728 --> 00:26:33,992 ...and deadly winters on Earth. 185 00:26:34,163 --> 00:26:37,098 All for the chick. 186 00:28:46,195 --> 00:28:49,722 As the fathers settle into their long wait at the breeding ground... 187 00:28:49,899 --> 00:28:52,493 ...the winter's second storm arrives. 188 00:28:52,668 --> 00:28:56,229 The temperature is now 80 degrees below zero. 189 00:28:56,405 --> 00:28:58,965 That's without taking into account the wind... 190 00:28:59,108 --> 00:29:02,839 ...which can blow 100 miles an hour. 191 00:29:09,318 --> 00:29:12,583 Though they can be aggressive during the rest of the year... 192 00:29:12,788 --> 00:29:15,518 ...at this time the males are totally docile. 193 00:29:15,725 --> 00:29:18,387 A united and cooperative team... 194 00:29:18,594 --> 00:29:23,554 ...they brace against the storm by merging their thousand bodies into a single mass. 195 00:29:23,733 --> 00:29:25,257 They will take turns... 196 00:29:25,434 --> 00:29:28,995 ...each of them getting to spend some time near the center of their huddle... 197 00:29:29,171 --> 00:29:31,503 ...where it's warmer. 198 00:29:56,365 --> 00:29:57,730 As they move about... 199 00:29:57,900 --> 00:30:01,859 ...the fathers will balance their eggs like tightrope walkers. 200 00:31:48,611 --> 00:31:52,877 The exhausted mothers have marched 70 miles. 201 00:31:53,482 --> 00:31:56,815 They are now back where they started three months ago. 202 00:31:57,319 --> 00:32:00,152 But they aren't anywhere near the water's edge. 203 00:32:00,356 --> 00:32:02,984 New ice is formed along the shore... 204 00:32:03,192 --> 00:32:07,891 ...forcing them to walk several more miles before they reach the sea. 205 00:32:14,470 --> 00:32:17,405 Food is actually only a few inches below them. 206 00:32:18,441 --> 00:32:21,137 But they have no way of getting to it here. 207 00:32:30,886 --> 00:32:34,686 To survive they must reach the new ice edge... 208 00:32:34,924 --> 00:32:37,620 ...or find some other opening. 209 00:32:39,061 --> 00:32:43,521 Sometimes this search will last for days. 210 00:33:50,966 --> 00:33:55,596 Naturally, after their long walk, they are eager to get back in the water. 211 00:33:55,771 --> 00:33:59,138 Sometimes a little too eager. 212 00:35:11,647 --> 00:35:15,083 They can hold their breath for over 15 minutes... 213 00:35:15,985 --> 00:35:20,012 ...and dive to a depth of 1700 feet... 214 00:35:20,956 --> 00:35:26,690 ...approaching the sea floor itself to feed on fish, krill and squid. 215 00:35:36,739 --> 00:35:41,005 They will also skim along the ice just below the ocean's surface... 216 00:35:41,176 --> 00:35:44,577 ...searching for any fish that may have lodged there. 217 00:35:49,018 --> 00:35:52,283 While the mothers finally fill their empty bellies... 218 00:35:52,454 --> 00:35:55,150 ...the fathers cling to life on the surface... 219 00:35:55,357 --> 00:35:58,690 ...trying to keep the eggs safe and warm. 220 00:36:15,744 --> 00:36:20,647 The wind will occasionally bring snow to quench the males' thirst. 221 00:36:22,651 --> 00:36:26,280 They have been without food now for over three months. 222 00:36:27,389 --> 00:36:31,792 Each day brings them closer to exhaustion and starvation. 223 00:36:36,565 --> 00:36:40,558 Eventually some, usually the older ones... 224 00:36:40,736 --> 00:36:42,499 ...will simply fall asleep... 225 00:36:42,671 --> 00:36:44,764 ...and disappear. 226 00:37:35,791 --> 00:37:38,316 Now it is dark almost all the time. 227 00:37:40,729 --> 00:37:44,324 And the mother of all blizzards is about to arrive. 228 00:37:48,904 --> 00:37:50,735 The fathers now make an extra effort... 229 00:37:50,906 --> 00:37:54,398 ...to weld their bodies together and resist the winter's rage. 230 00:37:59,381 --> 00:38:03,181 Above them, the southern lights dance virtually around the clock. 231 00:38:03,352 --> 00:38:07,083 For now there is almost only night. 232 00:38:33,782 --> 00:38:38,719 The hungry mothers aren't the only ones overjoyed by their return to the sea. 233 00:38:38,887 --> 00:38:43,950 Their predators, unfortunately, are happy to have them back as well. 234 00:39:46,188 --> 00:39:47,951 With a snap of its jaws... 235 00:39:48,156 --> 00:39:51,489 ...the leopard seal actually takes two lives. 236 00:39:51,727 --> 00:39:53,388 That of the trapped mother... 237 00:39:53,562 --> 00:39:57,225 ...and that of her unborn chick who will never be fed. 238 00:40:06,375 --> 00:40:11,540 By July the females know it is time to return to their nest. 239 00:40:11,914 --> 00:40:16,442 And so, for the third time this year, the mothers take the long walk. 240 00:40:18,587 --> 00:40:20,179 only this time... 241 00:40:20,389 --> 00:40:22,516 ...they walk in the dark. 242 00:40:51,086 --> 00:40:54,613 The ravenous and freezing night lingers... 243 00:40:54,823 --> 00:40:57,155 ...seemingly without end. 244 00:40:57,492 --> 00:40:59,255 Until finally... 245 00:40:59,428 --> 00:41:02,864 ...the darkness begins its slow retreat. 246 00:42:10,999 --> 00:42:15,527 After many months, light returns in earnest to the South Pole. 247 00:42:15,704 --> 00:42:17,763 But only momentarily. 248 00:42:19,141 --> 00:42:20,733 And yet... 249 00:42:20,909 --> 00:42:22,706 ...it is enough. 250 00:42:35,424 --> 00:42:39,360 Their victory over winter has begun. 251 00:42:40,195 --> 00:42:44,154 Their efforts have not been in vain. 252 00:43:17,733 --> 00:43:20,167 Though the light is returning... 253 00:43:20,335 --> 00:43:23,304 ...the winter is far from over. 254 00:43:27,709 --> 00:43:32,112 The worst is, actually, yet to come. 255 00:44:14,723 --> 00:44:18,159 No matter how cold it is, or how hungry they are... 256 00:44:18,326 --> 00:44:20,294 ...the fathers must keep moving. 257 00:44:21,062 --> 00:44:24,225 If they don't, they will die. 258 00:44:24,966 --> 00:44:26,695 But then... 259 00:45:17,819 --> 00:45:20,947 Each day more eggs will hatch. 260 00:45:21,156 --> 00:45:23,420 But this chick is hungry. 261 00:45:23,625 --> 00:45:26,822 He needs the food in his mother's belly. 262 00:45:27,162 --> 00:45:29,130 But his father is hungry too. 263 00:45:29,297 --> 00:45:32,789 He hasn't eaten in nearly four months now. 264 00:45:36,438 --> 00:45:40,534 If his mate doesn't arrive soon, he will be forced to abandon his child... 265 00:45:40,709 --> 00:45:43,837 ...and return to the sea to feed himself. 266 00:45:45,981 --> 00:45:48,176 He will have no choice. 267 00:46:01,997 --> 00:46:06,900 But there is one secret weapon against his newborn's hunger. 268 00:46:07,302 --> 00:46:10,703 The father coughs up a milky substance. 269 00:46:11,273 --> 00:46:14,674 Despite his own hunger, this tiny meal has been relegated... 270 00:46:14,843 --> 00:46:17,073 ...to a small crease in his throat... 271 00:46:17,245 --> 00:46:19,509 ...just for this moment. 272 00:46:24,819 --> 00:46:29,688 This little banquet will keep the chick alive for a day, perhaps two. 273 00:46:31,326 --> 00:46:34,818 Hopefully, long enough for the mother to arrive. 274 00:46:35,897 --> 00:46:39,697 For some it is already too late. 275 00:47:07,729 --> 00:47:10,061 The mothers step up their rhythm... 276 00:47:10,231 --> 00:47:12,165 ...as if sensing the urgency. 277 00:47:57,679 --> 00:48:00,443 They shuffle along as quickly as possible... 278 00:48:00,615 --> 00:48:04,676 ...hauling their overstuffed bellies one last mile. 279 00:48:04,853 --> 00:48:08,084 And then, at last, they are back. 280 00:48:53,301 --> 00:48:55,633 To find each other in the enormous crowd... 281 00:48:55,804 --> 00:48:59,069 ...the penguins must rely on sound, not sight. 282 00:48:59,174 --> 00:49:02,803 As they circle, the returning mothers trumpet loudly... 283 00:49:02,977 --> 00:49:05,741 ...and wait for their mates to call back. 284 00:49:33,641 --> 00:49:36,667 The sound is deafening. 285 00:49:36,845 --> 00:49:40,975 And yet, somehow, each of them will hear their mate's song. 286 00:50:20,788 --> 00:50:23,416 The couple has found one another. 287 00:50:24,125 --> 00:50:27,458 The mother sees her chick for the first time. 288 00:50:28,029 --> 00:50:29,792 And at last... 289 00:50:29,964 --> 00:50:32,125 ...the family is together. 290 00:51:06,301 --> 00:51:08,531 And just as they did with the egg... 291 00:51:08,703 --> 00:51:13,140 ...the parents now quickly pass off the newborn from one to the other. 292 00:51:39,901 --> 00:51:44,929 Now it is the mother's turn to protect her chick from the fierce cold. 293 00:51:55,550 --> 00:51:57,848 The father and his chick sing to one another... 294 00:51:58,019 --> 00:52:01,420 ...making sure each knows the other's voice. 295 00:52:03,358 --> 00:52:07,852 It is the only way the two will find each other when the father returns. 296 00:52:18,373 --> 00:52:22,469 As the chick enjoys his first real meal... 297 00:52:23,211 --> 00:52:27,011 ...the father prepares to sever the bond between them. 298 00:52:31,319 --> 00:52:33,685 It's not easy to do. 299 00:52:39,894 --> 00:52:42,988 The fathers have gone without food for over four months. 300 00:52:44,132 --> 00:52:47,067 They will have lost as much as half their weight. 301 00:52:47,235 --> 00:52:49,294 But still they must walk... 302 00:52:49,470 --> 00:52:52,405 ...for over 70 miles. 303 00:52:53,708 --> 00:52:57,804 This leg of the journey may be why they are fewer males than females. 304 00:52:58,079 --> 00:53:03,312 Each year some of these new fathers will not make it back to the sea. 305 00:54:04,412 --> 00:54:08,906 Like the sun, the chicks grow stronger every day. 306 00:54:10,785 --> 00:54:14,312 But they are not yet ready to leave their mothers. 307 00:55:26,160 --> 00:55:31,223 In time, after being perched atop their mother's feet for a thousand paces... 308 00:55:31,432 --> 00:55:35,027 ...like a child learning to dance on her mother's shoes... 309 00:55:35,369 --> 00:55:38,827 ...the chick takes his first steps alone. 310 00:57:19,707 --> 00:57:21,834 With the wind's return... 311 00:57:22,009 --> 00:57:24,409 ...the temperature drops. 312 00:57:24,845 --> 00:57:28,872 This year, winter's going out with a bang. 313 00:58:28,175 --> 00:58:30,973 This is the first storm for the new chicks... 314 00:58:31,145 --> 00:58:33,636 ...and many of them will not survive it. 315 01:00:03,671 --> 01:00:05,639 When the winds stop... 316 01:00:05,840 --> 01:00:08,866 ...the search for lost chicks begins. 317 01:00:10,644 --> 01:00:13,841 Some have kept warm by huddling together. 318 01:00:14,448 --> 01:00:18,077 others have not been so lucky. 319 01:00:31,065 --> 01:00:34,592 The loss is unbearable. 320 01:01:24,585 --> 01:01:28,453 Every year some bereft mother will respond to her agony... 321 01:01:28,622 --> 01:01:31,284 ...in an unimaginable way. 322 01:01:33,394 --> 01:01:35,385 Having lost her own chick... 323 01:01:35,563 --> 01:01:38,191 ...she will attempt to steal another's. 324 01:01:47,074 --> 01:01:50,168 But the group will not allow it. 325 01:02:24,778 --> 01:02:29,738 Back in its mother's care, the chick is not eager to leave again. 326 01:02:30,918 --> 01:02:33,682 Despite having known each other only a few days... 327 01:02:33,854 --> 01:02:38,348 ...the bond between mother and child is surprisingly strong. 328 01:02:38,959 --> 01:02:40,790 In the next few weeks... 329 01:02:40,961 --> 01:02:43,429 ...it will only grow stronger. 330 01:03:23,570 --> 01:03:25,800 Winter's grip slowly weakens... 331 01:03:25,973 --> 01:03:29,170 ...and the chicks begin to run free. 332 01:03:51,465 --> 01:03:54,263 Some need a little encouragement. 333 01:03:55,703 --> 01:03:57,671 But eventually... 334 01:03:57,838 --> 01:04:00,136 ...they all find their way. 335 01:05:41,542 --> 01:05:44,067 Winter may have ended... 336 01:05:45,779 --> 01:05:48,475 ...but the dangers have not. 337 01:07:53,507 --> 01:07:55,702 It is late August now. 338 01:07:55,876 --> 01:08:00,074 And time for the mothers to return and feed once more. 339 01:08:06,954 --> 01:08:08,353 For some... 340 01:08:08,522 --> 01:08:11,286 ...this development is unacceptable. 341 01:08:14,228 --> 01:08:17,823 But it is also non-negotiable. 342 01:08:42,422 --> 01:08:45,482 Because they are old enough now... 343 01:08:46,326 --> 01:08:49,124 ...the chicks are left alone for the first time. 344 01:09:20,861 --> 01:09:22,192 As spring arrives... 345 01:09:22,396 --> 01:09:25,797 ...the ice packs near the ocean's edge begin to melt... 346 01:09:25,966 --> 01:09:29,527 ...shortening the distance between the sea and the breeding ground. 347 01:09:32,072 --> 01:09:35,269 It isn't long before the fathers return... 348 01:09:35,442 --> 01:09:37,876 ...their bellies heavy with food. 349 01:09:49,690 --> 01:09:51,851 The chicks will gather at once to meet them... 350 01:09:53,627 --> 01:09:55,618 ...and sound their calls. 351 01:10:03,136 --> 01:10:07,368 The returning fathers will circle the excited newborns and listen... 352 01:10:10,010 --> 01:10:12,877 ...until he hears his chick's call. 353 01:10:25,559 --> 01:10:27,993 Some will never find their chick. 354 01:10:28,195 --> 01:10:30,823 The newborn will have died... 355 01:10:31,031 --> 01:10:34,057 ...from cold or hunger... 356 01:10:34,267 --> 01:10:36,258 ...or at the hands of some predator. 357 01:10:38,038 --> 01:10:40,438 But for those that do find their young... 358 01:10:40,607 --> 01:10:44,134 ...the reunion is a joyful one. 359 01:10:47,714 --> 01:10:52,549 And, very quickly, the young chick's belly will be full again. 360 01:11:03,897 --> 01:11:07,833 For the next several months, the parents will take turns... 361 01:11:08,001 --> 01:11:11,960 ...shuttling back and forth to the sea for food. 362 01:11:30,657 --> 01:11:32,625 And occasionally... 363 01:11:32,959 --> 01:11:37,157 ...the new family can actually spend some time together. 364 01:12:32,853 --> 01:12:37,790 By September the ice has begun to thin and crack. 365 01:12:38,758 --> 01:12:44,526 The sea gets closer, allowing the parents to go back and forth more frequently. 366 01:12:49,769 --> 01:12:53,000 The chicks' new coat of feathers is now thick and full... 367 01:12:53,173 --> 01:12:55,698 ...enough to protect them on their own. 368 01:13:01,548 --> 01:13:05,348 And by November the ocean is within a few hundred yards... 369 01:13:05,519 --> 01:13:06,918 ...of the breeding ground. 370 01:13:15,629 --> 01:13:17,290 As the ice melts... 371 01:13:17,898 --> 01:13:22,267 ...the brand-new family prepares to go their separate ways. 372 01:13:33,246 --> 01:13:37,580 The couples, locked for the past nine months... 373 01:13:37,751 --> 01:13:40,743 ...in their ancient ritual of coming and going... 374 01:13:40,921 --> 01:13:44,516 ...will now part for the last time. 375 01:13:50,130 --> 01:13:53,099 And as their newest members look on... 376 01:13:53,300 --> 01:13:57,737 ...the tribe returns to their home, at last. 377 01:14:13,787 --> 01:14:15,618 For the next three months... 378 01:14:15,789 --> 01:14:19,520 ...they will lavish in the rich and warmish waters of their short summer. 379 01:14:19,693 --> 01:14:21,354 They will feed... 380 01:14:21,528 --> 01:14:23,018 ...and they will play. 381 01:14:23,229 --> 01:14:25,254 And in all likelihood... 382 01:14:25,465 --> 01:14:28,298 ...their chicks will never see them again. 383 01:14:31,371 --> 01:14:36,399 They will remain here alone and unsupervised for a few more weeks... 384 01:14:36,643 --> 01:14:38,167 ...growing stronger. 385 01:14:45,785 --> 01:14:47,980 The ice continues to melt... 386 01:14:48,154 --> 01:14:51,521 ...returning the borrowed water to the sea. 387 01:14:56,930 --> 01:14:58,659 And beckoning the young penguins... 388 01:14:58,865 --> 01:15:01,595 ...into the ocean as well. 389 01:15:29,596 --> 01:15:31,393 It is now December... 390 01:15:31,598 --> 01:15:35,034 ...and they are ready to leave the place where they were born. 391 01:15:36,469 --> 01:15:39,063 And although they have never known the ocean... 392 01:15:39,272 --> 01:15:40,830 ...nor touched it... 393 01:15:41,007 --> 01:15:43,737 ...they, like their parents... 394 01:15:43,910 --> 01:15:46,105 ...are of the sea. 395 01:15:52,986 --> 01:15:55,955 And so one day... 396 01:15:56,423 --> 01:15:59,051 ...they'll take the plunge... 397 01:16:00,126 --> 01:16:03,584 ...and go home for the first time. 398 01:16:35,095 --> 01:16:38,861 For four years, the chicks will live at sea. 399 01:16:39,099 --> 01:16:43,058 But as the sunlight begins to disappear at the end of their fifth year... 400 01:16:43,269 --> 01:16:45,760 ...and the warm days begin to cool... 401 01:16:45,972 --> 01:16:48,907 ...they, too, will climb out of the water. 402 01:16:49,075 --> 01:16:51,134 And they will march... 403 01:16:51,311 --> 01:16:53,711 ...just as they have done for centuries... 404 01:16:53,880 --> 01:16:57,372 ...ever since the emperor penguin decided to stay... 405 01:16:57,550 --> 01:17:00,212 ...to live and love... 406 01:17:00,386 --> 01:17:03,651 ...in the harshest place on Earth.