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During the spring, 1/3 of all newborn calves are killed by one highly specialized deer hunter. This grizzly bear has just come out of a 5-month hibernation, and she's famished. The grizzly's sense of smell is 2,000 times better than a human. But this calf has a trick to avoid being sniffed out. She has been born almost without scent herself. The bear's nose is no use. But grizzlies are smart and have other tactics. He methodically combs through the meadow. The bear ambles away unaware of the meal that was under her nose.
Her mother can now lead her back towards the mountains and the safety of the herd. In the Rockies, sometimes the bravest animals come in the smallest sizes. A scent is in the air. And it's turning the males into warriors. It's the most important moment in their year. All the males are picking up the scent, drawing it up into the roof of their mouths, The females produce this particular perfume only when they're in heat. Each female is fertile for just 2 days. Not a chance a red-blooded ram wants to miss. But to get to mate, they have to fight the other males.
It begins with pushing and shoving. Goading each other, seeing who's strongest, who's up for it. And then, the fight is on. It echoes for miles around the mountains. Clashing horns with eight times the force that would fracture a human skull. But bighorns have double thickness skulls to soak up the shock. They'll have to wait a whole year for another shot at mating. The victors get the females. They've seized their chance and won. In the foothills of Mount Machhapuchhre in Nepal, the water is so powerful it bores a hole into the mountain.
Here, the rock is mainly limestone. It creates a labyrinth of caves and tunnels under the mountain. Giant stalactites build up over tens of thousands of years. This water has created the only place in the Himalaya where nothing ever changes. Winter to summer, the temperature is a constant 5° C. Ideal for the most unexpected of Himalayan creatures. Greater horseshoe bats can only flourish in the mountains because of these caves.
Down here, it never freezes. It never snows. There is no wind. These bats are perhaps the one Himalayan animal that deals with extremes by avoiding them. A perfect sanctuary created by the water from the monsoon. And at 4,000 m on the slopes of Lasiorhac Mountain is a burrow. Inside is a tiny animal who's about to take his first ever glimpse of the outside world. He has to triple his weight in the next 12 weeks. When winter arrives, he will hibernate for 8 months. And for that, he needs to build big fat reserves.
There are 50 other marmots living here, all facing the same challenge. On this, his first day outside, he must stake his claim. Securing a patch of grass is just the first challenge. Up here, marmots are on everyone's menu. It's hard to concentrate on eating when you might get eaten yourself. Come evening, the villagers are forced to lock their livestock up in their own homes. [groaning] the creature may come into the village looking for food.
[clears throat] Dawn and villagers can breathe a sigh of relief. But the mysterious creature is never far away, keeping an eye on its prey. Thick fur to tackle the cold. Enlarged lungs for the thin air. And huge paws to spread their weight as they navigate the cliffs. They have no desire to be close to people. But in winter the weather's so bad it pushes them down to the village. It's hard to turn down an easy meal.
There's a secret to surviving in this world. Brain flies. Salt specialists. They pass the salt out of their bodies leaving them sweet and juicy. All the lizard needs to do is catch them. To get the equivalent of a teaspoon of fresh water he has to eat 400 flies. And this territory isn't big enough for the both of them. The defender puffs himself up. Perhaps looking larger than life will make the intruder back down. Owning a stake in this shoreline is the difference between life and death. For the victor, the prize is an endless supply of flies.
And yet, quite winged Diuca Finches thrive here. 5,500 m up. Also known as glacier birds, they come to Quelccaya to avoid predators. And they've discovered the perfect place to raise a family. And this is the very first time anybody's seen inside one of their nests. At night, it drops to minus 10. But insulated in their nest, it's not the cold that threatens them up here. The chicks don't have long. In less than a month, their home will melt out of the ice cliff. It's a race against time. In places, Quelccaya is receding over 10 m a year.
Finally, one chick is bold enough to follow its parent into the outside world. Leaving its sibling all alone. As a last resort, the parents cut back on feeding. Perhaps a more hungry chick can be coaxed out.
