1
00:00:00,690 --> 00:00:01,415
[lighthearted music]

2
00:00:01,415 --> 00:00:03,831
[wind howling]

3
00:00:10,941 --> 00:00:13,806
- [Narrator] The ethereal
blue above the Alps,

4
00:00:13,806 --> 00:00:18,501
a last, vast no man's land
in the heart of Europe.

5
00:00:19,709 --> 00:00:21,573
This is a lofty realm,

6
00:00:21,573 --> 00:00:23,644
seemingly endless,

7
00:00:23,644 --> 00:00:24,576
timeless,

8
00:00:25,542 --> 00:00:26,440
cold.

9
00:00:28,131 --> 00:00:31,479
And yet these skies
are someone's home.

10
00:00:33,688 --> 00:00:35,759
The sovereign of this realm,

11
00:00:35,759 --> 00:00:38,693
a symbol of elegance
and dominance.

12
00:00:42,042 --> 00:00:44,803
[majestic music]

13
00:00:46,770 --> 00:00:49,980
A master glider,
a silent hunter.

14
00:00:55,710 --> 00:00:58,299
Looking down even on
the climbing champions

15
00:00:58,299 --> 00:00:59,611
of the animal world.

16
00:01:12,002 --> 00:01:15,696
It's tough and lonely at
the top, the saying goes.

17
00:01:15,696 --> 00:01:18,319
In the dazzling light
above the clouds,

18
00:01:18,319 --> 00:01:20,183
choices seem infinite.

19
00:01:21,495 --> 00:01:24,705
But for a young eagle, claiming
a place among the peaks

20
00:01:24,705 --> 00:01:26,362
is a daunting challenge.

21
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[wings flapping]

22
00:01:34,128 --> 00:01:36,268
To find a home takes years.

23
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Defending it takes
luck and pluck.

24
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[eagle chirping]

25
00:01:46,968 --> 00:01:50,040
Because the skies are not
as lonely as they seem.

26
00:01:53,078 --> 00:01:55,356
An eagle's life
begins as an odyssey.

27
00:01:56,633 --> 00:02:00,465
On this journey, many
set out, but few arrive.

28
00:02:00,465 --> 00:02:03,123
[eagle chirping]

29
00:02:04,883 --> 00:02:07,679
[wings flapping]

30
00:02:17,275 --> 00:02:20,001
[deer grunting]

31
00:02:20,933 --> 00:02:23,177
September brings frosty nights.

32
00:02:23,177 --> 00:02:24,972
And the frostier they are,

33
00:02:24,972 --> 00:02:27,181
the hotter the action
on the high pastures.

34
00:02:28,700 --> 00:02:31,047
Powerful, dominant
stags and their harems

35
00:02:31,047 --> 00:02:32,635
may offer an
impressive spectacle

36
00:02:32,635 --> 00:02:34,430
to an observer from up high.

37
00:02:35,293 --> 00:02:38,088
[eagle chirping]

38
00:02:48,651 --> 00:02:51,447
But spectacles don't
fill the stomach.

39
00:02:51,447 --> 00:02:54,174
These huge animals will
never be prey for an eagle.

40
00:02:54,174 --> 00:02:56,831
[deer grunting]

41
00:02:58,557 --> 00:03:03,528
[antlers clacking]
[deer grunting]

42
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[water splashing]

43
00:03:11,156 --> 00:03:14,090
[antlers clacking]

44
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[deer grunting]

45
00:03:26,723 --> 00:03:27,586
[wings flapping]

46
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[eagle chirping]

47
00:03:29,278 --> 00:03:33,523
The first autumn in an eagle's
life is full of surprises,

48
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but none of them can
satisfy a hungry orphan.

49
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Since the mother
killed the chamois,

50
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the only food the
young eagle has found

51
00:03:42,843 --> 00:03:44,224
were scraps of carrion.

52
00:03:45,570 --> 00:03:47,710
There seems to be no chance
to make a fresh kill.

53
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No marmot remains to be seen.

54
00:03:52,128 --> 00:03:55,407
There are only huge and
strange, leisurely creatures,

55
00:04:03,277 --> 00:04:06,625
The ibex are feeding
on herbs and grass.

56
00:04:14,426 --> 00:04:16,635
If you're starving,
you'll try anything.

57
00:04:26,956 --> 00:04:30,787
The big animals are peaceful,
if not overly friendly.

58
00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:34,722
What about joining them?

59
00:04:40,107 --> 00:04:42,937
[wings flapping]

60
00:04:46,424 --> 00:04:49,219
[eagle chirping]

61
00:04:52,637 --> 00:04:55,398
Begging for food is worth a try,

62
00:04:55,398 --> 00:04:59,299
but all he gets from these
creatures is indifferent stares.

63
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[majestic music]

64
00:05:14,003 --> 00:05:18,179
Hunger draws the young bird
onward, destination unknown,

65
00:05:19,353 --> 00:05:21,666
over clouds where
landing is impossible,

66
00:05:22,805 --> 00:05:24,531
along rocky ledges,

67
00:05:24,531 --> 00:05:27,154
where the snow has not
melted for quite some time.

68
00:06:45,543 --> 00:06:48,649
The night frost has
turned the meadows brown

69
00:06:48,649 --> 00:06:50,168
and the larches golden.

70
00:07:00,109 --> 00:07:02,767
[wind howling]

71
00:07:08,393 --> 00:07:11,051
[wings flapping]

72
00:07:11,051 --> 00:07:12,846
The first landing on snow.

73
00:07:23,512 --> 00:07:26,653
Edible, yes, but it
won't fill you up.

74
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Chamois, familiar figures.

75
00:07:32,659 --> 00:07:34,315
This is what mother hunted,

76
00:07:35,696 --> 00:07:37,077
but now the kids are big.

77
00:07:43,186 --> 00:07:47,156
At last, small animals,
just right for prey,

78
00:07:48,157 --> 00:07:50,435
out and about, not hibernating.

79
00:07:51,574 --> 00:07:54,059
They've not yet shed
their summer fur,

80
00:07:54,059 --> 00:07:56,199
but soon they'll
need their snowshoes.

81
00:07:58,719 --> 00:08:00,445
[apprehensive music]

82
00:08:00,445 --> 00:08:01,619
A mountain hare.

83
00:08:02,620 --> 00:08:05,139
Even a young eagle
can handle that.

84
00:08:05,139 --> 00:08:07,556
[eagle chirping]

85
00:08:07,556 --> 00:08:09,799
A hunter must be silent.

86
00:08:16,357 --> 00:08:19,188
[eagle chirping]

87
00:08:21,466 --> 00:08:23,295
The hares are alert now,

88
00:08:23,295 --> 00:08:25,194
although they have
not seen the eagle.

89
00:08:25,194 --> 00:08:28,266
[suspenseful music]

90
00:08:29,888 --> 00:08:31,856
A low, stealthy approach.

91
00:08:32,857 --> 00:08:34,341
Nice try.

92
00:08:34,341 --> 00:08:37,413
[suspenseful music]

93
00:08:39,001 --> 00:08:41,037
[eagle chirping]

94
00:08:41,037 --> 00:08:43,453
But the novice repeats
his first mistake.

95
00:08:43,453 --> 00:08:48,493
[suspenseful music]
[eagle chirping]

96
00:08:52,532 --> 00:08:55,362
[wings flapping]

97
00:08:56,501 --> 00:08:59,228
Hares know how to
frustrate a raptor.

98
00:08:59,228 --> 00:09:00,712
The bigger the better.

99
00:09:00,712 --> 00:09:03,543
[eagle chirping]

100
00:09:13,794 --> 00:09:16,832
The larches have
lost all color now.

101
00:09:16,832 --> 00:09:20,042
The sky is still mirrored
in the mountain lakes,

102
00:09:20,042 --> 00:09:21,215
but not for much longer.

103
00:09:21,215 --> 00:09:24,011
[majestic music]

104
00:09:31,122 --> 00:09:33,952
[wings flapping]

105
00:09:47,172 --> 00:09:48,415
Just as the young eagle

106
00:09:48,415 --> 00:09:50,866
has gotten used to
this mountain world,

107
00:09:50,866 --> 00:09:52,833
it's about to change completely.

108
00:09:53,903 --> 00:09:55,111
[raven cawing]

109
00:09:55,111 --> 00:09:57,597
[raven trilling]

110
00:09:57,597 --> 00:09:58,839
Familiar figures.

111
00:09:59,771 --> 00:10:01,808
[raven]

112
00:10:03,637 --> 00:10:07,054
Ravens, neighbors
from the first day,

113
00:10:07,054 --> 00:10:12,094
always too close, always
too noisy, always annoying.

114
00:10:13,405 --> 00:10:18,272
This time, however, they
show what they're good for.

115
00:10:18,859 --> 00:10:20,343
[raven cawing]

116
00:10:20,343 --> 00:10:22,967
[raven trilling]

117
00:10:22,967 --> 00:10:25,521
[raven squawking]

118
00:10:25,521 --> 00:10:29,111
Their raucous voices have
made the eagle curious.

119
00:10:29,111 --> 00:10:32,390
Plus, there's this appetizing
smell in the breeze.

120
00:10:32,390 --> 00:10:34,634
not unlike an eagle's nest.

121
00:10:34,634 --> 00:10:37,533
[ravens squawking]

122
00:10:39,293 --> 00:10:42,193
[ravens squawking]

123
00:10:50,822 --> 00:10:53,653
The ravens try to distract
the uninvited guest,

124
00:10:54,619 --> 00:10:57,380
but the smell is irresistible.

125
00:10:57,380 --> 00:11:00,280
[ravens squawking]

126
00:11:01,626 --> 00:11:04,525
[raven squawking]

127
00:11:07,563 --> 00:11:10,531
[ravens squawking]

128
00:11:16,089 --> 00:11:20,024
[ravens squawking]
[wings flapping]

129
00:11:20,024 --> 00:11:23,993
Now all that's needed is the
guts to take on the gang.

130
00:11:23,993 --> 00:11:25,201
[eagle chirping]

131
00:11:25,201 --> 00:11:26,824
[ravens squawking]

132
00:11:26,824 --> 00:11:29,619
[eagle chirping]

133
00:11:30,379 --> 00:11:33,382
[ravens squawking]

134
00:11:34,797 --> 00:11:37,593
[eagle chirping]

135
00:11:41,666 --> 00:11:44,082
[ravens squawking]

136
00:11:44,082 --> 00:11:45,670
That was easier than expected.

137
00:11:55,749 --> 00:12:00,167
After one month of fasting,
finally a hefty meal,

138
00:12:00,167 --> 00:12:01,168
all you can eat.

139
00:12:02,238 --> 00:12:04,344
To survive, one
doesn't have to hunt.

140
00:12:06,518 --> 00:12:08,762
[raven squawking]

141
00:12:08,762 --> 00:12:12,145
Just watch the ravens
and know your strength.

142
00:12:14,112 --> 00:12:16,736
[dreary music]

143
00:12:26,746 --> 00:12:29,403
[wind howling]

144
00:12:31,612 --> 00:12:36,065
Suddenly, overnight,
nothing is as it was.

145
00:12:37,515 --> 00:12:41,277
A young eagle's first day of
real winter must be a shock.

146
00:12:47,456 --> 00:12:49,389
But not only does life go on,

147
00:12:49,389 --> 00:12:53,186
for some, it's getting
into full swing just now.

148
00:12:53,186 --> 00:12:56,223
For chamois, winter
means rutting season.

149
00:12:57,777 --> 00:13:00,434
[dreary music]

150
00:13:01,608 --> 00:13:05,129
Dominant bucks won't
tolerate rivals.

151
00:13:05,129 --> 00:13:08,235
[apprehensive music]

152
00:13:33,191 --> 00:13:36,712
[chamois trilling]

153
00:13:36,712 --> 00:13:40,509
Any impudent young male
should know it's do or die.

154
00:13:48,344 --> 00:13:49,587
[wind howling]

155
00:13:49,587 --> 00:13:51,658
The sunny side of
the Alps turns grim

156
00:13:51,658 --> 00:13:53,798
when massive snow
clouds keep rolling in

157
00:13:53,798 --> 00:13:55,075
from the Mediterranean.

158
00:13:56,836 --> 00:14:00,115
But there's no such thing
as bad weather for chamois.

159
00:14:00,115 --> 00:14:01,530
They've spent millions of years

160
00:14:01,530 --> 00:14:03,325
adjusting to an extreme climate.

161
00:14:07,605 --> 00:14:10,263
[wind howling]

162
00:14:15,406 --> 00:14:20,342
The red deer are now seeking
refuge in the mountain forest.

163
00:14:23,310 --> 00:14:27,487
Once upon a time, red deer were
just summer guests up here.

164
00:14:27,487 --> 00:14:29,109
In autumn they
would migrate down

165
00:14:29,109 --> 00:14:31,111
into the valleys
of lowland rivers.

166
00:14:32,112 --> 00:14:34,287
Today that's where
the people are,

167
00:14:35,771 --> 00:14:38,187
so they have no choice but to
sit out the mountain winter.

168
00:14:45,263 --> 00:14:49,060
A mountain hare in the snow
is like a fish in the water.

169
00:14:50,337 --> 00:14:53,582
These are creatures of the
ice ages and the Arctic.

170
00:15:00,830 --> 00:15:03,661
[wings flapping]

171
00:15:05,490 --> 00:15:08,010
[eagle whooshing]

172
00:15:08,010 --> 00:15:10,806
[wings flapping]

173
00:15:13,878 --> 00:15:16,881
[eagle screeching]

174
00:15:22,231 --> 00:15:25,303
[snow rustling]

175
00:15:25,303 --> 00:15:27,996
[snow rustling]

176
00:15:37,522 --> 00:15:39,939
Their winter fur should
make them disappear,

177
00:15:39,939 --> 00:15:41,664
but an eagle's eye
can distinguish

178
00:15:41,664 --> 00:15:43,943
the most subtle tones of white.

179
00:15:43,943 --> 00:15:46,738
[eagle chirping]

180
00:15:53,538 --> 00:15:57,197
That is as long as the
eagle sees anything at all.

181
00:15:57,197 --> 00:15:59,510
A whiteout like this
will blind anyone.

182
00:16:11,004 --> 00:16:14,180
An emergency landing in
soft snow may seem lucky.

183
00:16:15,043 --> 00:16:17,321
For an eagle, it's anything but.

184
00:16:24,328 --> 00:16:27,124
[bird squawking]

185
00:16:29,022 --> 00:16:33,406
To save energy, the deer moves
slowly now, or not at all.

186
00:16:35,718 --> 00:16:38,342
[dreary music]

187
00:16:39,274 --> 00:16:42,311
[suspenseful music]

188
00:16:45,556 --> 00:16:47,937
An inexperienced
young eagle, however,

189
00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:50,733
may soon be totally exhausted.

190
00:16:52,218 --> 00:16:55,255
Deep, fresh snow can ground
an eagle permanently.

191
00:16:55,255 --> 00:16:58,293
[suspenseful music]

192
00:17:01,675 --> 00:17:04,954
[eagle chirping]

193
00:17:04,954 --> 00:17:07,785
[eagle chirping]

194
00:17:09,959 --> 00:17:12,686
[dreary music]

195
00:17:17,036 --> 00:17:19,831
[eagle chirping]

196
00:17:24,836 --> 00:17:28,461
The snow is wet and begins
to cling to the plumage.

197
00:17:28,461 --> 00:17:31,257
[eagle chirping]

198
00:17:33,431 --> 00:17:36,193
[eagle chirping]

199
00:17:37,849 --> 00:17:42,095
The bird instinctively feels
only a big tree can save it.

200
00:17:49,896 --> 00:17:53,072
Ice on the plumage makes
it impossible to fly.

201
00:17:54,107 --> 00:17:55,557
And sitting in
the snow overnight

202
00:17:55,557 --> 00:17:57,593
would freeze the
feathers to the ground.

203
00:17:58,629 --> 00:18:01,494
[wings flapping]

204
00:18:16,785 --> 00:18:19,408
[wind howling]

205
00:18:21,479 --> 00:18:23,895
Another nocturnal snowstorm

206
00:18:23,895 --> 00:18:26,484
and the eagle's journey
of life may be over.

207
00:18:28,659 --> 00:18:31,317
[wind howling]

208
00:18:35,735 --> 00:18:39,739
Six feet under is the perfect
place to truly rest in peace.

209
00:18:41,327 --> 00:18:44,261
Marmots cozy up as
families to keep warm.

210
00:18:45,469 --> 00:18:47,850
While the eagle has
to sit out icy storms,

211
00:18:47,850 --> 00:18:50,543
the marmot sleep through
the winter weather's whims.

212
00:18:50,543 --> 00:18:53,166
[hay rustling]

213
00:18:56,411 --> 00:18:59,690
They survive on their body's
storage of fat and water

214
00:19:01,657 --> 00:19:05,799
and benefit from thick fur and
a burrow padded with dry hay.

215
00:19:08,043 --> 00:19:10,701
[wind howling]

216
00:19:12,151 --> 00:19:15,706
While the weather outside
pushes everyone to the limits,

217
00:19:15,706 --> 00:19:18,329
it's safe and cozy inside

218
00:19:18,329 --> 00:19:21,643
to doze deeply and
for a long time.

219
00:19:25,957 --> 00:19:28,546
There's not the
slightest draft down here

220
00:19:28,546 --> 00:19:32,171
no matter how hard the
storm may blow outside.

221
00:19:32,171 --> 00:19:34,794
[wind howling]

222
00:19:46,495 --> 00:19:48,290
Mountain hares and ptarmigan

223
00:19:48,290 --> 00:19:51,224
use the deep snow
to their advantage.

224
00:19:51,224 --> 00:19:53,675
Well protected
against strong winds,

225
00:19:53,675 --> 00:19:57,368
they calmly weather any
storm for days on end.

226
00:20:11,934 --> 00:20:13,246
The grounded eagle

227
00:20:13,246 --> 00:20:15,214
has nothing but its
plumage for protection.

228
00:20:22,531 --> 00:20:24,602
Thanks to their
fluffy underwear,

229
00:20:24,602 --> 00:20:26,328
eagles can withstand
temperatures

230
00:20:26,328 --> 00:20:28,572
as low as minus 30 centigrade.

231
00:20:30,021 --> 00:20:32,852
But stiff, heavy ice
on the outer plumage

232
00:20:32,852 --> 00:20:34,509
can be a serious hazard.

233
00:20:34,509 --> 00:20:37,166
[dreary music]

234
00:21:00,776 --> 00:21:03,400
Even in the deep of
the alpine winter,

235
00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:06,057
there will be warm, sunny days.

236
00:21:06,057 --> 00:21:08,508
Southern slopes can
almost feel like summer.

237
00:21:10,476 --> 00:21:13,272
[wings flapping]

238
00:21:15,170 --> 00:21:18,311
These specialists have
been safe from windchill,

239
00:21:18,311 --> 00:21:21,141
but they've been sitting
motionless for quite some time.

240
00:21:28,321 --> 00:21:32,291
Now the eagle could hunt if it
wasn't for the icy feathers.

241
00:21:44,337 --> 00:21:47,236
In the cold, red deer
lower their heart rate

242
00:21:47,236 --> 00:21:48,928
and hardly move.

243
00:21:48,928 --> 00:21:51,171
Now they reboot
their circulation.

244
00:21:58,524 --> 00:22:01,699
Many young foxes do not
survive their first winter.

245
00:22:03,287 --> 00:22:06,428
[lighthearted music]

246
00:22:16,127 --> 00:22:19,752
Harsh weather eliminates the
old and weak of any species.

247
00:22:26,241 --> 00:22:29,244
Their death gives young,
inexperienced hunters

248
00:22:29,244 --> 00:22:31,211
a chance to make it
through the winter.

249
00:22:37,217 --> 00:22:40,048
[wings flapping]

250
00:22:40,048 --> 00:22:44,259
The eagle can finally
move again, but the
ordeal isn't over.

251
00:22:48,712 --> 00:22:51,508
[eagle chirping]

252
00:22:53,095 --> 00:22:55,891
[eagle chirping]

253
00:22:58,411 --> 00:23:02,415
In deep snow, eagle and
fox are struggling alike.

254
00:23:05,176 --> 00:23:07,972
[eagle chirping]

255
00:23:16,084 --> 00:23:18,983
[eagle chirping]

256
00:23:20,053 --> 00:23:21,986
Both are hungry.

257
00:23:21,986 --> 00:23:25,024
And both are threatened by the
ice clinging to their bodies.

258
00:23:40,764 --> 00:23:43,905
chamois tried to avoid
deep snow and wind

259
00:23:43,905 --> 00:23:46,148
by staying close to
overhanging rocks.

260
00:23:47,080 --> 00:23:49,807
[snow rustling]

261
00:23:59,092 --> 00:24:01,819
But high above them,
along the ridges,

262
00:24:01,819 --> 00:24:04,857
the wind has piled
up tons of snow.

263
00:24:04,857 --> 00:24:07,963
[avalanche rumbling]

264
00:24:13,452 --> 00:24:16,558
[apprehensive music]

265
00:24:23,634 --> 00:24:26,741
[avalanche rumbling]

266
00:24:29,709 --> 00:24:32,850
[avalanche rumbling]

267
00:24:36,785 --> 00:24:39,892
[avalanche rumbling]

268
00:24:42,964 --> 00:24:46,105
[avalanche rumbling]

269
00:24:55,010 --> 00:24:58,117
[apprehensive music]

270
00:25:03,916 --> 00:25:07,402
Even miles away, the sudden
pressure wave of an avalanche

271
00:25:07,402 --> 00:25:09,611
can flatten an entire forest.

272
00:25:10,923 --> 00:25:14,409
But underneath rock
overhangs, chamois stay put

273
00:25:14,409 --> 00:25:16,825
while tons of snow
thunder overhead.

274
00:25:22,244 --> 00:25:24,868
[wind howling]

275
00:25:29,320 --> 00:25:32,323
[ravens squawking]

276
00:25:33,152 --> 00:25:35,637
The ravens too stay calm.

277
00:25:35,637 --> 00:25:37,708
They actually
welcome an avalanche.

278
00:25:37,708 --> 00:25:39,399
[ravens squawking]

279
00:25:39,399 --> 00:25:42,402
[ravens squawking]

280
00:25:45,785 --> 00:25:47,891
[ravens squawking]

281
00:25:47,891 --> 00:25:50,859
[ravens squawking]

282
00:25:52,309 --> 00:25:55,864
Even chamois can be in the
wrong place at the wrong time.

283
00:25:57,176 --> 00:25:59,661
Again, it's the ravens
that show the young eagle

284
00:25:59,661 --> 00:26:01,456
how to get through the winter.

285
00:26:11,328 --> 00:26:14,020
The homeless youngster already
knows that resident adults

286
00:26:14,020 --> 00:26:19,025
are not exactly welcoming, but
hunger is stronger than fear.

287
00:26:20,026 --> 00:26:22,891
[wings flapping]
[eagle screeching]

288
00:26:22,891 --> 00:26:25,756
[raven squawking]

289
00:26:30,485 --> 00:26:33,384
[raven squawking]

290
00:26:35,801 --> 00:26:38,597
[eagle chirping]

291
00:26:39,390 --> 00:26:42,324
[eagle chirping]

292
00:26:42,324 --> 00:26:43,187
[wings flapping]

293
00:26:43,187 --> 00:26:45,396
[raven squawking]

294
00:26:45,396 --> 00:26:49,331
This time the eagle doesn't
hesitate to push the ravens off.

295
00:26:49,331 --> 00:26:52,231
[raven squawking]

296
00:26:59,203 --> 00:27:02,241
No avalanche victim
rests in peace for long.

297
00:27:02,241 --> 00:27:07,315
Eagles, ravens, bearded
vultures, foxes, and martins

298
00:27:08,454 --> 00:27:09,731
will soon arrive for
the funeral feast.

299
00:27:11,181 --> 00:27:14,494
Without avalanches, many of
them would never see the spring.

300
00:27:19,430 --> 00:27:22,330
[raven squawking]

301
00:27:24,263 --> 00:27:27,162
[raven squawking]

302
00:27:34,583 --> 00:27:37,552
[ravens squawking]

303
00:27:39,381 --> 00:27:43,351
After the feast, pure
joy of being alive.

304
00:27:43,351 --> 00:27:46,526
[lighthearted music]

305
00:27:47,631 --> 00:27:50,634
[ravens squawking]

306
00:28:13,139 --> 00:28:16,280
[lighthearted music]

307
00:28:24,530 --> 00:28:26,221
But the good times won't last.

308
00:28:26,221 --> 00:28:28,845
[dreary music]

309
00:28:42,306 --> 00:28:44,688
This flight path
is a clear signal.

310
00:28:45,516 --> 00:28:47,380
The attacker means business.

311
00:28:47,380 --> 00:28:50,556
[apprehensive music]

312
00:28:51,730 --> 00:28:53,041
The message is familiar.

313
00:28:53,041 --> 00:28:54,422
Get out of here.

314
00:29:11,335 --> 00:29:14,614
You simply don't mess
with a resident pair.

315
00:29:14,614 --> 00:29:16,893
And so the odyssey continues.

316
00:29:24,659 --> 00:29:27,179
Next valley, next shock.

317
00:29:27,179 --> 00:29:30,872
[apprehensive music]

318
00:29:30,872 --> 00:29:33,668
[eagle trilling]

319
00:29:34,669 --> 00:29:37,051
Bearded vultures
are real giants,

320
00:29:37,051 --> 00:29:39,294
the biggest raptors in the Alps.

321
00:29:46,543 --> 00:29:47,889
Trying to fight back.

322
00:29:55,517 --> 00:29:58,589
That's truly valiant
but hopeless.

323
00:30:00,281 --> 00:30:02,973
[dreary music]

324
00:30:08,807 --> 00:30:10,498
[majestic music]

325
00:30:10,498 --> 00:30:12,914
A young eagle, whether
male or female,

326
00:30:12,914 --> 00:30:15,296
lives as a nomad
for several years.

327
00:30:16,504 --> 00:30:18,817
Claiming a territory,
if possible at all,

328
00:30:18,817 --> 00:30:21,129
can only be accomplished
with a life partner.

329
00:30:35,557 --> 00:30:38,457
The southerlies of spring have
carried the young bird back

330
00:30:38,457 --> 00:30:40,528
to where the
landscape is familiar.

331
00:30:49,295 --> 00:30:53,921
These high peaks, these
glaciers, these wide valleys,

332
00:30:54,956 --> 00:30:56,958
this is where life began.

333
00:30:56,958 --> 00:30:59,685
[eagle chirping]

334
00:31:01,549 --> 00:31:04,759
And here, the rock face
with the tiny ledge.

335
00:31:09,557 --> 00:31:12,353
And in the sky, a
familiar silhouette.

336
00:31:12,353 --> 00:31:15,701
The mother descending on
the nest like she used to.

337
00:31:24,296 --> 00:31:25,849
[eagle squawking]

338
00:31:25,849 --> 00:31:27,126
But she is not alone.

339
00:31:32,925 --> 00:31:35,376
[eagle squawking]

340
00:31:35,376 --> 00:31:38,241
[eagle chirping]

341
00:31:41,071 --> 00:31:44,178
The homecomer flies by
to have a closer look.

342
00:31:44,178 --> 00:31:45,110
A mistake.

343
00:31:50,909 --> 00:31:54,395
For the breeding pair, the
young bird is an intruder now.

344
00:31:54,395 --> 00:31:56,466
The mother immediately attacks.

345
00:31:56,466 --> 00:32:00,366
[apprehensive music]

346
00:32:00,366 --> 00:32:03,231
[eagle screeching]

347
00:32:08,996 --> 00:32:11,791
[eagle screeching]

348
00:32:11,791 --> 00:32:13,414
[eagle trilling]

349
00:32:13,414 --> 00:32:14,933
Now the pair acts in unison.

350
00:32:16,175 --> 00:32:18,937
[eagle trilling]

351
00:32:25,736 --> 00:32:28,601
Frightened, the
youngster takes cover

352
00:32:28,601 --> 00:32:32,019
and realizes you
can't go home again.

353
00:32:41,338 --> 00:32:44,307
[snow rustling]

354
00:32:44,307 --> 00:32:46,999
[snow rustling]

355
00:32:51,866 --> 00:32:54,524
harbingers of spring
appear out of the ground.

356
00:33:05,811 --> 00:33:08,538
[snow rustling]

357
00:33:12,645 --> 00:33:15,786
Warm, dry winds
lick away the snow,

358
00:33:15,786 --> 00:33:18,444
exposing more grassy
patches every day.

359
00:33:20,412 --> 00:33:23,242
[lighthearted music]

360
00:33:23,242 --> 00:33:26,935
Not only the marmots are
lured out by the spring sun.

361
00:33:34,391 --> 00:33:36,669
Brown frogs have
spent the winter

362
00:33:36,669 --> 00:33:38,844
in underground bodies of water.

363
00:33:41,950 --> 00:33:43,297
On the very day the ice

364
00:33:43,297 --> 00:33:46,403
on high alpine lakes
begins to break,

365
00:33:46,403 --> 00:33:49,234
brown frogs appear
as if summoned

366
00:33:49,234 --> 00:33:50,856
by a magic [speaking
in foreign language].

367
00:33:56,068 --> 00:33:57,414
[water splashing]

368
00:33:57,414 --> 00:34:00,866
marmots are impatient to
feed, but not the frogs.

369
00:34:04,559 --> 00:34:07,666
In their hundreds, they
race towards the water.

370
00:34:08,908 --> 00:34:11,428
None of them wants to
miss the annual orgy.

371
00:34:18,884 --> 00:34:21,162
In order not to freeze to death,

372
00:34:21,162 --> 00:34:23,095
the frogs must move
in the daylight.

373
00:34:28,445 --> 00:34:31,966
Just above freezing in
here, quite agreeable.

374
00:34:36,695 --> 00:34:40,837
But in the shallows, over dark
peat, the water is lukewarm,

375
00:34:41,872 --> 00:34:43,702
the perfect spot to spawn.

376
00:34:43,702 --> 00:34:46,498
[frogs trilling]

377
00:34:53,229 --> 00:34:56,163
The males ride piggyback
on the larger females,

378
00:34:56,163 --> 00:34:57,854
eager to fertilize the spawn

379
00:34:57,854 --> 00:34:59,959
as it's released into the water.

380
00:35:15,043 --> 00:35:18,012
The orgy lasts
three or four days.

381
00:35:18,012 --> 00:35:19,945
Some males have
embraced their partners

382
00:35:19,945 --> 00:35:22,223
since their first
jumps over the snow.

383
00:35:23,259 --> 00:35:26,124
Up here, where the
summer is short,

384
00:35:26,124 --> 00:35:28,540
the frogs have to be
fast with spawning

385
00:35:28,540 --> 00:35:32,268
to ensure the new generation
gets a good start in life.

386
00:35:44,038 --> 00:35:47,800
A warm, dry wind licks the
last snow from the slopes.

387
00:35:52,840 --> 00:35:55,532
But getting to the grass
can still be risky.

388
00:35:57,120 --> 00:35:59,260
Now there's no lack
of right-sized prey.

389
00:35:59,260 --> 00:36:02,436
[apprehensive music]

390
00:36:07,682 --> 00:36:09,546
Time to make a kill.

391
00:36:09,546 --> 00:36:11,617
Now or never.

392
00:36:11,617 --> 00:36:14,379
[majestic music]

393
00:36:28,324 --> 00:36:32,051
For nearly a year, the
youngster has survived.

394
00:36:33,363 --> 00:36:36,366
The second year starts
with a great leap forward.

395
00:36:38,713 --> 00:36:40,853
The scavenger is now a hunter.

396
00:36:43,166 --> 00:36:46,652
[eagle chirping]

397
00:36:46,652 --> 00:36:48,033
A moment of shock.

398
00:36:48,965 --> 00:36:51,933
It's just a peer, not dangerous.

399
00:36:53,141 --> 00:36:55,213
Danger comes from elsewhere.

400
00:36:59,631 --> 00:37:02,806
[avalanche rumbling]

401
00:37:05,257 --> 00:37:07,708
[avalanche rumbling]

402
00:37:07,708 --> 00:37:11,056
Each day, avalanches come
roaring down ravines.

403
00:37:11,056 --> 00:37:14,197
[avalanche rumbling]

404
00:37:24,207 --> 00:37:27,037
[falls rumbling]

405
00:37:31,559 --> 00:37:34,424
Soon, torrents of
wet snow are followed

406
00:37:34,424 --> 00:37:36,184
by torrents of meltwater.

407
00:37:42,398 --> 00:37:45,193
[falls rumbling]

408
00:37:54,030 --> 00:37:56,860
[falls rumbling]

409
00:38:11,806 --> 00:38:15,223
The long silence of the
mountain winter is over.

410
00:38:15,223 --> 00:38:18,226
Now it's the sun that's
driving a rapid change.

411
00:38:24,992 --> 00:38:26,856
Springs are gushing.

412
00:38:26,856 --> 00:38:28,513
Streams are in spate.

413
00:38:29,652 --> 00:38:31,861
From the bubbling of
a thousand brooks,

414
00:38:31,861 --> 00:38:34,070
a strange percussion
takes its cue.

415
00:38:34,070 --> 00:38:37,625
[capercaillie vocalizing]

416
00:38:40,214 --> 00:38:44,045
To capercaillie hens,
this sound is music.

417
00:38:44,045 --> 00:38:47,704
[capercaillies vocalizing]

418
00:38:53,123 --> 00:38:56,437
The artist is eager to
impress the female audience.

419
00:38:56,437 --> 00:38:59,992
[capercaillie vocalizing]

420
00:39:03,237 --> 00:39:06,240
Flashy iridescence, high jumps,

421
00:39:06,240 --> 00:39:10,313
and wildly flapping wings
on a carefully chosen stage

422
00:39:10,313 --> 00:39:12,384
are sending a message.

423
00:39:12,384 --> 00:39:13,281
Look at me.

424
00:39:14,248 --> 00:39:17,078
[wings flapping]

425
00:39:18,079 --> 00:39:22,187
[capercaillie vocalizing]

426
00:39:22,187 --> 00:39:26,398
Enchanted, a female fan has
dived down from the gallery

427
00:39:26,398 --> 00:39:28,296
right onto the stage floor.

428
00:39:29,263 --> 00:39:31,334
She too has something to offer.

429
00:39:31,334 --> 00:39:34,095
[capercaillie vocalizing]

430
00:39:34,095 --> 00:39:37,651
[capercaillie vocalizing]

431
00:39:43,104 --> 00:39:45,106
[capercaillie vocalizing]

432
00:39:45,106 --> 00:39:46,970
He's got what he wanted,

433
00:39:46,970 --> 00:39:48,972
but it's not the
end of the show,

434
00:39:48,972 --> 00:39:50,871
which has turned
to the neighbors.

435
00:39:50,871 --> 00:39:54,461
[capercaillies vocalizing]

436
00:40:00,881 --> 00:40:03,677
[wings flapping]

437
00:40:06,300 --> 00:40:09,579
To be enamored,
embattled, and embroiled

438
00:40:09,579 --> 00:40:12,479
means to be blind to
one's surroundings.

439
00:40:12,479 --> 00:40:15,620
[apprehensive music]

440
00:40:27,148 --> 00:40:30,358
This hunter, however,
is anything but blind.

441
00:40:39,195 --> 00:40:41,818
Careful calculation is critical.

442
00:40:43,958 --> 00:40:47,168
[apprehensive music]

443
00:40:47,168 --> 00:40:49,067
With an eagle's wingspan,

444
00:40:49,067 --> 00:40:51,759
a rapid attack between
the trees is risky.

445
00:40:55,211 --> 00:40:58,870
[capercaillie vocalizing]

446
00:40:58,870 --> 00:41:01,562
[wings flapping]

447
00:41:04,841 --> 00:41:06,325
[wings flapping]

448
00:41:06,325 --> 00:41:09,121
For the male capercaillie,
it's one less competitor.

449
00:41:10,571 --> 00:41:14,057
For the young eagle,
it's another lesson,

450
00:41:14,057 --> 00:41:17,233
how a master hunter takes
possession of its prey.

451
00:41:19,994 --> 00:41:23,101
The youngster won't get
anything here today.

452
00:41:23,101 --> 00:41:27,415
Richer in experience but
still hungry, he moves on.

453
00:41:31,523 --> 00:41:35,182
On remaining snow fields,
chamois mothers and their kids

454
00:41:35,182 --> 00:41:38,150
are literally chilling
during the hot, midday hours.

455
00:41:40,670 --> 00:41:43,811
[lighthearted music]

456
00:41:47,194 --> 00:41:49,921
A chamois kindergarten,

457
00:41:49,921 --> 00:41:52,510
a place for rollicking
and frolicking.

458
00:42:08,249 --> 00:42:10,010
But not all the
kids are healthy.

459
00:42:15,705 --> 00:42:19,295
Seen from above, the landscape
has completely changed,

460
00:42:19,295 --> 00:42:23,023
from monotonous white
to lush green grassland,

461
00:42:23,023 --> 00:42:25,335
dotted with bodies of water,

462
00:42:25,335 --> 00:42:27,303
reflecting the sky once more.

463
00:42:32,273 --> 00:42:35,967
Looking up, the same young eagle
keeps appearing in the sky.

464
00:42:52,121 --> 00:42:55,227
This is exactly how the mother
hunted back in the autumn.

465
00:42:55,227 --> 00:42:57,954
[eagle chirping]

466
00:43:09,621 --> 00:43:13,245
Now there's also a new
curiosity in peers.

467
00:43:13,245 --> 00:43:15,662
And apparently it's mutual.

468
00:43:21,840 --> 00:43:24,602
[wings flapping]

469
00:43:32,575 --> 00:43:34,784
The weakened chamois
kid seeks warmth

470
00:43:34,784 --> 00:43:37,166
while the others are
still playing in the snow.

471
00:43:40,307 --> 00:43:43,621
As the herd moves
on, he's left behind.

472
00:43:43,621 --> 00:43:47,107
[apprehensive music]

473
00:43:47,107 --> 00:43:48,591
The eagle has noticed.

474
00:43:52,284 --> 00:43:55,080
[eagle chirping]

475
00:44:00,258 --> 00:44:01,224
Where is the mother?

476
00:44:02,191 --> 00:44:04,538
[chamois bleating]

477
00:44:04,538 --> 00:44:07,645
[apprehensive music]

478
00:44:09,163 --> 00:44:11,476
All alone, its chances are slim.

479
00:44:20,865 --> 00:44:22,314
The herd is long gone.

480
00:44:24,075 --> 00:44:27,181
The eagle need no longer
worry about the mothers.

481
00:44:35,465 --> 00:44:38,952
The young hunter
remembers one lesson.

482
00:44:38,952 --> 00:44:42,093
[suspenseful music]

483
00:44:45,234 --> 00:44:46,994
Be silent when you hunt.

484
00:45:03,183 --> 00:45:06,980
Until the last moment, the
target should remain oblivious.

485
00:45:11,260 --> 00:45:15,126
[apprehensive music]

486
00:45:15,126 --> 00:45:18,163
[suspenseful music]

487
00:45:26,862 --> 00:45:29,140
[lighthearted music]

488
00:45:29,140 --> 00:45:31,314
The first glide
with a heavy load.

489
00:45:49,505 --> 00:45:51,369
Making a kill is one thing.

490
00:45:54,544 --> 00:45:57,444
[eagle chirping]

491
00:46:00,654 --> 00:46:03,174
Taking possession
is quite another.

492
00:46:10,353 --> 00:46:13,667
This pose clearly
signals, it's mine.

493
00:46:15,289 --> 00:46:18,672
[eagle chirping]

494
00:46:18,672 --> 00:46:21,813
But there's nothing to be
feared from this visitor.

495
00:46:21,813 --> 00:46:24,678
It's a bird of the
same age, a male.

496
00:46:25,817 --> 00:46:27,198
And this?

497
00:46:27,198 --> 00:46:31,064
A female, and therefore
bigger and more powerful.

498
00:46:34,274 --> 00:46:37,449
As a male eagle, you
don't mess with a female.

499
00:46:37,449 --> 00:46:38,899
[eagle chirping]
[majestic music]

500
00:46:38,899 --> 00:46:40,694
But another encounter is likely.

501
00:46:47,218 --> 00:46:50,738
The sky above the Alps may
seem like an infinite void,

502
00:46:51,774 --> 00:46:54,397
but eagles can cross
enormous spaces.

503
00:46:55,951 --> 00:46:58,367
Encounters are inevitable,

504
00:46:58,367 --> 00:46:59,920
especially in this season

505
00:46:59,920 --> 00:47:02,889
when hundreds of young eagles
are exploring their world.

506
00:47:05,339 --> 00:47:08,239
[eagle chirping]

507
00:47:12,243 --> 00:47:14,555
Young eagles tend to team up.

508
00:47:14,555 --> 00:47:17,282
They learn from each
other and hunt together.

509
00:47:24,772 --> 00:47:26,844
An intimate, parallel flight.

510
00:47:27,672 --> 00:47:29,260
This could become a friendship.

511
00:47:33,091 --> 00:47:34,541
Maybe more.

512
00:47:34,541 --> 00:47:36,336
But there's no hurry.

513
00:47:36,336 --> 00:47:38,407
These two still have
a long way to go

514
00:47:38,407 --> 00:47:40,616
before sharing
airspace of their own.

515
00:47:44,171 --> 00:47:46,415
Golden eagles used to
find breeding space

516
00:47:46,415 --> 00:47:47,761
across all of Europe.

517
00:47:48,935 --> 00:47:51,869
Now the Alps are their
last large refuge.

518
00:47:57,012 --> 00:48:00,222
In four to five years, they
will be sexually mature.

519
00:48:00,222 --> 00:48:01,430
[lighthearted music]

520
00:48:01,430 --> 00:48:03,294
Those years of
roaming will be tough.

521
00:48:08,057 --> 00:48:10,922
[eagle chirping]

522
00:48:13,752 --> 00:48:16,169
Just one out of three nestlings

523
00:48:16,169 --> 00:48:19,137
ever glides over the
peaks at the age of one.

524
00:48:20,552 --> 00:48:24,039
And becoming a master glider
and hunter will take time.

525
00:48:36,534 --> 00:48:39,433
Only one in five succeeds
in mating and breeding.

526
00:48:39,433 --> 00:48:41,021
[majestic music]

527
00:48:41,021 --> 00:48:44,749
Natural selection is rigorous,
and much depends on luck.

528
00:48:51,998 --> 00:48:55,242
[wings flapping]

529
00:48:55,242 --> 00:48:59,108
Finding a place in this
steep world and claiming it

530
00:49:01,593 --> 00:49:03,941
can only be achieved as a pair.

531
00:49:07,979 --> 00:49:10,257
[eagle chirping]

532
00:49:10,257 --> 00:49:14,296
Against all the odds, this
young eagle has come a long way.

533
00:49:15,124 --> 00:49:17,851
With a partner, chances improve.

534
00:49:19,128 --> 00:49:22,373
The future fate of this
remarkable young female

535
00:49:22,373 --> 00:49:24,651
is still in the stars.

536
00:49:24,651 --> 00:49:26,964
But it's individuals like her

537
00:49:26,964 --> 00:49:31,278
who ensure that the eagle's
cry, the call of the wild,

538
00:49:31,278 --> 00:49:35,075
continues to echo among
the peaks of the Alps.

539
00:49:35,903 --> 00:49:38,734
[majestic music]