1
00:00:34,560 --> 00:00:37,120
This little mammal is a scavenger

2
00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:40,830
Called Didelphodon,
she is a marsupial

3
00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:45,039
and specialises in raiding
abandoned dinosaur nests

4
00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:49,397
This evening, she could be in luck

5
00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:59,789
Unfortunately, the smell of the nest
blinds her senses to danger

6
00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:09,197
(Squeaking)

7
00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:15,877
(Huge roar)

8
00:01:24,440 --> 00:01:26,397
(Bellows)

9
00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:44,431
The end of the Cretaceous

10
00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:47,672
The continents
are taking their modern forms

11
00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:51,117
But this movement
of the Earth's crust

12
00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:54,272
has produced a surge
in volcanic activity

13
00:01:59,634 --> 00:02:03,594
Massive eruptions
that have lasted for centuries

14
00:02:03,674 --> 00:02:05,984
have laid waste to landscapes,

15
00:02:06,074 --> 00:02:09,272
filling the atmosphere
with gases and debris

16
00:02:09,354 --> 00:02:13,314
This desolate world
is still ruled by dinosaurs,

17
00:02:13,394 --> 00:02:16,910
as it has been
for 160 million years,

18
00:02:16,994 --> 00:02:20,192
but they are nearing the end
of their reign

19
00:02:20,274 --> 00:02:23,233
Life on earth is choking to death

20
00:02:32,203 --> 00:02:35,163
Yet in the last two million years,

21
00:02:35,243 --> 00:02:38,680
the dinosaurs'
most infamous predator has appeared

22
00:02:38,763 --> 00:02:42,473
Tyrannosaurus, a five-tonne,
13-metre long carnivore,

23
00:02:42,563 --> 00:02:47,080
specifically evolved
to kill other giant dinosaurs

24
00:02:48,843 --> 00:02:50,994
This is a male

25
00:02:51,083 --> 00:02:56,477
He's been drawn to this volcano
by the smell of food

26
00:02:57,563 --> 00:03:01,318
The area is full
of geothermal springs

27
00:03:01,403 --> 00:03:04,237
and the air thick
with sulphurous fumes

28
00:03:04,323 --> 00:03:07,043
But there is another smell here

29
00:03:07,123 --> 00:03:11,675
In one smallvalley,
there is the stench of death

30
00:03:19,083 --> 00:03:23,714
Unwittingly, the Tyrannosaurus
has been drawn into a natural trap

31
00:03:23,803 --> 00:03:27,240
Volcanic vents are producing
poisonous carbon monoxide,

32
00:03:27,323 --> 00:03:29,883
and because it is heavier than air,

33
00:03:29,963 --> 00:03:33,115
it has formed a suffocating layer
close to the ground

34
00:03:37,723 --> 00:03:41,080
The giant predator
stands above the layer,

35
00:03:41,163 --> 00:03:45,203
but as he puts
his head down to feed

36
00:03:45,283 --> 00:03:47,878
he begins to feel the effects

37
00:03:56,963 --> 00:04:01,913
If he topples over now,
he will never get up

38
00:04:10,723 --> 00:04:14,194
Eventually,
his sheer size is his salvation

39
00:04:14,283 --> 00:04:19,233
As he stands up with his prize,
his head just clears the gas layer

40
00:04:30,883 --> 00:04:35,321
There are still islands of greenery
between the lava flows

41
00:04:35,403 --> 00:04:39,522
In the warm, moist climate
of the late Cretaceous,

42
00:04:39,603 --> 00:04:41,640
the vegetation has transformed

43
00:04:42,523 --> 00:04:44,480
Instead of conifers,

44
00:04:44,563 --> 00:04:48,716
broad-leaved trees
fill the forest canopy

45
00:04:50,483 --> 00:04:55,080
Driving this quiet revolution
among the plants

46
00:04:55,163 --> 00:04:57,997
is the remarkable
evolution of flowers

47
00:04:58,083 --> 00:05:01,963
Their secret lies in their
intimate relationship with insects,

48
00:05:02,043 --> 00:05:06,595
so close that some flowers
can only be pollinated by insects

49
00:05:06,683 --> 00:05:11,075
and some insects, like butterflies,
can only feed on flowers

50
00:05:16,563 --> 00:05:20,113
Among these new plants,
the birds are flourishing,

51
00:05:20,203 --> 00:05:22,240
and their calls form
an ever-present chorus

52
00:05:29,947 --> 00:05:32,337
Millions of years of evolution

53
00:05:32,427 --> 00:05:36,307
have also created
intimate relationships

54
00:05:36,387 --> 00:05:39,346
among different types of dinosaurs

55
00:05:39,427 --> 00:05:44,024
Especially the delicate balance
between predator and prey

56
00:06:07,067 --> 00:06:09,024
(Terrifying squawk)

57
00:06:14,547 --> 00:06:16,539
(Hissing roar)

58
00:06:20,267 --> 00:06:23,385
One dinosaur
that specialises in defence

59
00:06:23,467 --> 00:06:26,426
is the extraordinary Ankylosaurus

60
00:06:26,507 --> 00:06:31,218
They are evolved to withstand attack
even from giant predators

61
00:06:31,307 --> 00:06:33,867
like Tyrannosaurus

62
00:06:33,947 --> 00:06:37,941
At seven tonnes, Ankylosaurus
are so heavily armoured

63
00:06:38,027 --> 00:06:40,986
that even their eyelids
are hardened

64
00:06:43,187 --> 00:06:47,943
And if that wasn't enough,
they have a formidable club

65
00:06:48,027 --> 00:06:50,986
on the end of their tails

66
00:06:53,747 --> 00:06:58,299
Sadly, not even these magnificent
creatures have any defence

67
00:06:58,387 --> 00:07:02,939
against the natural forces
that are suffocating their world

68
00:07:12,387 --> 00:07:14,777
Nearby lies the Tyrannosaurus nest

69
00:07:14,867 --> 00:07:18,747
These are usually
closely guarded by the mother,

70
00:07:18,827 --> 00:07:21,183
but this nest has been abandoned,

71
00:07:21,267 --> 00:07:24,305
and a Didelphodon
has burrowed into the side

72
00:07:28,587 --> 00:07:33,503
Dinosaurs are vulnerable because
they lay their eggs on the ground

73
00:07:35,247 --> 00:07:37,127
But size helps,

74
00:07:37,207 --> 00:07:40,166
and the egg is a challenge
for this marsupial

75
00:07:40,247 --> 00:07:43,365
Soon the age of the mammals
will dawn,

76
00:07:43,447 --> 00:07:45,803
and they will grow massive,

77
00:07:45,887 --> 00:07:48,686
but this is as big
as Cretaceous mammals get

78
00:07:52,618 --> 00:07:58,091
The Tyrannosaurus embryo inside
the abandoned egg is already dead

79
00:08:00,738 --> 00:08:04,288
The scent is a lure
to another Didelphodon

80
00:08:07,538 --> 00:08:10,292
(Snarls and growls)

81
00:08:11,418 --> 00:08:13,455
(Growling)

82
00:08:21,687 --> 00:08:24,247
(Loud shrieks)

83
00:08:29,375 --> 00:08:32,973
Many dinosaur embryos cannot
survive in this volcanic environment

84
00:08:33,055 --> 00:08:35,012
because acidic pollution

85
00:08:35,095 --> 00:08:39,009
prevents their eggshells
from forming properly

86
00:08:41,215 --> 00:08:43,650
(Bellowing)

87
00:08:48,495 --> 00:08:52,694
The mother is calling
for a new mate

88
00:08:52,775 --> 00:08:57,213
Tyrannosaurus have huge territories
of hundreds of square kilometres

89
00:08:57,295 --> 00:09:00,732
Her challenge is to attract
a wandering male

90
00:09:00,815 --> 00:09:04,775
She may have to call
like this for weeks

91
00:09:20,015 --> 00:09:24,328
One of the Tyrannosaurus's
principal sources of prey

92
00:09:24,415 --> 00:09:27,135
are these bulky Torosaurus

93
00:09:27,215 --> 00:09:31,926
In the late Cretaceous, herds of
horned herbivores are very common

94
00:09:32,015 --> 00:09:34,575
and attract many predators

95
00:09:38,135 --> 00:09:42,891
It is rutting season To display,
males flush blood into their crests,

96
00:09:42,975 --> 00:09:45,410
creating vivid patterns

97
00:09:49,975 --> 00:09:53,571
These displays help
to avoid physical contact

98
00:09:53,655 --> 00:09:55,886
With one-metre-long horns,

99
00:09:55,975 --> 00:09:59,412
fighting can easily result
in bad injuries

100
00:09:59,495 --> 00:10:01,851
The best and the brightest crest

101
00:10:01,935 --> 00:10:05,451
is all that is needed
to settle arguments

102
00:10:14,295 --> 00:10:17,606
Occasionally,
showing off is not enough

103
00:10:17,695 --> 00:10:19,607
and males resort to brute force

104
00:10:46,868 --> 00:10:51,385
For this old Torosaurus,
this was one fight too many

105
00:10:52,868 --> 00:10:56,066
He will never again
challenge for the right to mate

106
00:10:56,148 --> 00:10:58,105
(Gruff mooing)

107
00:11:05,199 --> 00:11:08,431
The mating call
of the Tyrannosaurus

108
00:11:08,519 --> 00:11:11,990
continues to echo
across the volcanic slopes

109
00:11:12,079 --> 00:11:13,957
And it has been heard

110
00:11:14,039 --> 00:11:15,314
A male has killed
a young Triceratops

111
00:11:15,479 --> 00:11:16,469
It's not just to satisfy his hunger
It is a gift

112
00:11:21,610 --> 00:11:25,240
Female Tyrannosaurus
are larger and more aggressive,

113
00:11:25,330 --> 00:11:27,606
and he courts her with food

114
00:11:27,690 --> 00:11:31,286
to stop her attacking him on sight

115
00:11:31,370 --> 00:11:34,647
(Hisses)

116
00:11:43,570 --> 00:11:45,880
(Growls)

117
00:11:46,930 --> 00:11:49,126
(Growls)

118
00:11:49,210 --> 00:11:52,169
The female arrives

119
00:11:55,330 --> 00:11:58,562
(Short roars)

120
00:11:58,650 --> 00:12:01,119
She is wary

121
00:12:05,011 --> 00:12:09,884
The primary weapon
of a Tyrannosaurus is its mouth

122
00:12:09,971 --> 00:12:13,521
Its arms are tiny
so it can carry a massive jaw

123
00:12:13,611 --> 00:12:15,887
and remain balanced

124
00:12:18,851 --> 00:12:23,801
This jaw can crush bone
and tear off up to 70 kg of meat

125
00:12:23,891 --> 00:12:25,848
with one bite

126
00:12:25,931 --> 00:12:28,491
The male keeps his distance

127
00:12:43,251 --> 00:12:45,925
Later that evening, they mate

128
00:12:46,011 --> 00:12:48,685
This is the first of many couplings

129
00:12:48,771 --> 00:12:53,527
as the male stays by the female
while she is receptive -

130
00:12:53,611 --> 00:12:56,524
ready to see off any other males

131
00:13:12,051 --> 00:13:16,045
On the lava flows,
a group of Anatotitan

132
00:13:16,131 --> 00:13:19,203
wanders between islands of greenery

133
00:13:23,331 --> 00:13:27,962
These animals are members
of the hadrosaur family,

134
00:13:28,051 --> 00:13:32,330
the most common group of dinosaurs
in the Late Cretaceous

135
00:13:32,411 --> 00:13:34,971
But their kind has evolved

136
00:13:35,051 --> 00:13:39,762
to thrive in lush lowland swamps,
not in an ash wilderness

137
00:13:51,091 --> 00:13:53,401
Three days have passed

138
00:13:53,491 --> 00:13:57,644
The Triceratops carcass
has been stripped

139
00:13:57,731 --> 00:14:02,283
and the female Tyrannosaurus
is beginning to tire of her mate

140
00:14:03,371 --> 00:14:05,328
(Roars)

141
00:14:10,090 --> 00:14:12,047
(Hisses)

142
00:14:25,468 --> 00:14:28,779
The male knows better than to stay

143
00:14:43,799 --> 00:14:46,359
Gliding in from the coast,

144
00:14:46,439 --> 00:14:51,389
a magnificent pterosaur,
Quetzalcoatlus, is hunting for food

145
00:14:51,479 --> 00:14:54,039
This is now a rare sight

146
00:15:06,239 --> 00:15:10,995
For 20 million years, these flying
reptiles have been in decline

147
00:15:11,079 --> 00:15:15,153
These 13-metre giants
are the only ones left

148
00:15:15,239 --> 00:15:17,356
And this is a dangerous place to be

149
00:15:20,032 --> 00:15:23,708
One-tonne crocodiles
live in the lake,

150
00:15:23,792 --> 00:15:26,830
and could easily drag
the delicate glider to his death

151
00:15:44,538 --> 00:15:47,098
Driven on to extinction

152
00:15:47,178 --> 00:15:51,138
The skies of the future
belong to the birds

153
00:15:51,218 --> 00:15:53,778
that already flourish around him

154
00:15:57,338 --> 00:16:01,218
Months have passed,
and the female Tyrannosaurus

155
00:16:01,298 --> 00:16:03,688
has built a new nest,
camouflaged in the forest

156
00:16:07,092 --> 00:16:09,049
Mother keeps watch

157
00:16:09,132 --> 00:16:13,012
For the full two months
of the eggs' incubation,

158
00:16:13,092 --> 00:16:15,482
she will not leave or even eat

159
00:16:15,572 --> 00:16:19,282
She knows her nest
is a magnet to scavengers

160
00:16:20,572 --> 00:16:23,132
Like this Dromaeosaur

161
00:16:30,670 --> 00:16:35,108
His cautious approach
is watched by the Tyrannosaurus

162
00:16:36,590 --> 00:16:41,142
She judges exactly
when he has got too close

163
00:16:42,310 --> 00:16:44,267
(Roars)

164
00:16:44,350 --> 00:16:46,501
(Squeals)

165
00:16:52,390 --> 00:16:57,340
As the sun sets, another threat
comes out to haunt the mother

166
00:16:57,430 --> 00:16:59,422
(Chirps and yowls)

167
00:17:01,390 --> 00:17:03,347
(Growls)

168
00:17:12,550 --> 00:17:15,702
(Bellowing roar)

169
00:17:15,790 --> 00:17:20,342
With food becoming scarce,
the mammals are getting bolder

170
00:17:22,070 --> 00:17:26,542
She checks to make sure
more have not burrowed in,

171
00:17:26,630 --> 00:17:29,020
then returns to her vigil

172
00:17:35,270 --> 00:17:39,822
The weeks pass, and above
the brilliant volcanic sunsets,

173
00:17:39,910 --> 00:17:44,462
there are signs of an even more
destructive natural disaster

174
00:17:47,761 --> 00:17:52,392
Showers of shooting stars
herald the approach of a giant comet

175
00:17:52,481 --> 00:17:55,440
on a collision course
with the Earth

176
00:18:00,161 --> 00:18:02,278
Far below,
the dinosaurs are oblivious

177
00:18:03,675 --> 00:18:07,227
The Torosaurus herd
continues to feed

178
00:18:07,315 --> 00:18:09,272
Nervous of moonlight predators,

179
00:18:09,355 --> 00:18:13,474
younger animals seek protection
among the larger adults

180
00:18:13,555 --> 00:18:15,672
(Restless mooing)

181
00:18:15,755 --> 00:18:20,432
Using the darkness, a pair
of Dromaeosaurs unsettle the herd

182
00:18:20,515 --> 00:18:23,428
and isolate one of the youngsters

183
00:18:23,515 --> 00:18:26,474
(Hoarse shrieks)

184
00:18:26,555 --> 00:18:29,070
(Lowing noises)

185
00:18:39,555 --> 00:18:41,512
(Shrieking)

186
00:18:59,675 --> 00:19:04,591
Safe But the predators have tasted
blood and will not give up easily

187
00:19:21,955 --> 00:19:26,154
Morning reveals
the results of last night's tussle

188
00:19:26,235 --> 00:19:30,468
The little Torosaurus lost his fight
with the predators

189
00:19:30,555 --> 00:19:35,425
For the herd, it is a blow
Too few young are being born

190
00:19:35,515 --> 00:19:37,950
in this polluted environment

191
00:19:43,515 --> 00:19:47,714
A Didelphodon
is already at the carcass

192
00:19:47,795 --> 00:19:52,745
These little opportunists are about
the only animals that are thriving

193
00:19:56,515 --> 00:20:00,873
During their reign, dinosaurs
have adapted to huge changes

194
00:20:00,955 --> 00:20:04,790
but now they face
a combination of events

195
00:20:04,875 --> 00:20:07,390
that will spell their doom

196
00:20:10,356 --> 00:20:12,916
After trekking
across the ash fields,

197
00:20:12,996 --> 00:20:17,275
Anatotitans gather round
a stagnant pool to drink and feed

198
00:20:18,356 --> 00:20:20,746
Huge batteries of chewing teeth

199
00:20:20,836 --> 00:20:24,591
make short work of the vegetation

200
00:20:30,636 --> 00:20:35,392
Once again, the predators make
the water's edge a dangerous place

201
00:20:39,996 --> 00:20:43,467
The group senses danger
and starts to break up

202
00:21:11,006 --> 00:21:14,397
The mother Tyrannosaurus
has broken her fast

203
00:21:14,486 --> 00:21:16,523
and is back with a vengeance

204
00:21:22,286 --> 00:21:26,963
Nearby is the reason for her hunger
Three Tyrannosaurus chicks

205
00:21:27,046 --> 00:21:30,881
The only survivors
from a clutch of twelve

206
00:21:30,966 --> 00:21:33,959
The moment they hear the kill,

207
00:21:34,046 --> 00:21:36,242
they start calling for food

208
00:21:36,326 --> 00:21:38,477
(Mewling and yelping)

209
00:21:41,446 --> 00:21:46,646
The mother delivers
a slab of Anatotitan meat

210
00:21:51,486 --> 00:21:53,955
Only four weeks old
and less than a metre high,

211
00:21:54,046 --> 00:21:56,515
competition is intense between them

212
00:21:56,606 --> 00:21:59,963
One is already picked on
by the others

213
00:22:02,086 --> 00:22:03,918
(Faint mews)

214
00:22:17,206 --> 00:22:22,565
They'll remain under their mother's
protection for another two months

215
00:22:22,646 --> 00:22:25,844
Soon after that,
she will abandon them,

216
00:22:25,926 --> 00:22:28,600
or worse, view them as food

217
00:22:31,846 --> 00:22:35,726
It is unlikely
the outcast will last that long

218
00:22:49,686 --> 00:22:53,043
A few days later
and the mother rests

219
00:22:53,126 --> 00:22:55,925
in the warm afternoon sun

220
00:22:56,006 --> 00:22:59,477
There is no sign
of the smaller runt

221
00:22:59,566 --> 00:23:03,082
He may have been killed
by his siblings

222
00:23:07,886 --> 00:23:12,642
Increasingly, the bickering pair are
happy to wander from their mother

223
00:23:12,726 --> 00:23:15,560
to explore their surroundings

224
00:23:15,646 --> 00:23:18,525
(Squawks)

225
00:23:24,166 --> 00:23:26,635
From the undergrowth,
a snake watches

226
00:23:26,726 --> 00:23:29,878
These reptiles
have only recently evolved

227
00:23:29,966 --> 00:23:32,481
from the same family as lizards,

228
00:23:32,566 --> 00:23:37,322
but they specialise in hunting
warm-blooded creatures like mammals

229
00:23:37,406 --> 00:23:40,444
They use sensory pits
on their snouts

230
00:23:40,526 --> 00:23:45,282
as a way of detecting the heat
signatures of other animals

231
00:23:46,526 --> 00:23:48,995
It doesn't like what it sees

232
00:23:54,846 --> 00:23:56,803
(Hissing)

233
00:24:02,126 --> 00:24:06,996
While the chicks play, they are
oblivious to approaching danger

234
00:24:07,086 --> 00:24:09,442
(Hoarse grunting)

235
00:24:17,926 --> 00:24:22,205
The mother is caught
completely by surprise

236
00:24:22,286 --> 00:24:27,077
The Ankylosaurus has very little
brain inside its reinforced skull,

237
00:24:27,166 --> 00:24:32,685
so when faced with danger, it reacts
automatically and aggressively

238
00:24:40,606 --> 00:24:43,485
Normally,
Tyrannosaurus would retreat,

239
00:24:43,566 --> 00:24:45,956
but she will not abandon her young

240
00:24:52,446 --> 00:24:54,881
(Low grunting)

241
00:24:54,966 --> 00:24:56,923
(Roar)

242
00:25:06,446 --> 00:25:09,962
The blow has cracked
the mother's femur

243
00:25:10,046 --> 00:25:12,197
and ruptured internal organs

244
00:25:12,286 --> 00:25:14,642
She limps away in agony

245
00:25:14,726 --> 00:25:16,683
(Chicks squawk)

246
00:25:22,097 --> 00:25:24,692
That night, the usual evening chorus

247
00:25:24,777 --> 00:25:28,817
is joined by the whimper
of a dying giant

248
00:25:33,737 --> 00:25:38,766
By morning, she lies lifeless
on the baking ash fields

249
00:25:38,857 --> 00:25:43,807
The chicks stand expectantly by
the colossal corpse of their mother

250
00:25:49,377 --> 00:25:52,131
Hours pass, and still they wait

251
00:25:54,777 --> 00:25:58,327
But their fate will now be settled,

252
00:25:58,417 --> 00:26:03,333
along with all the other
giant dinosaurs of the Cretaceous

253
00:26:11,217 --> 00:26:15,973
3,000 km to the south, the massive
comet crashes into Earth

254
00:26:17,057 --> 00:26:19,413
(Dinosaurs squawking)

255
00:26:27,697 --> 00:26:32,135
The light from the impact
fades in silence

256
00:26:33,217 --> 00:26:35,971
Then the shock waves arrive

257
00:26:36,577 --> 00:26:40,093
(Rumbling)

258
00:26:41,337 --> 00:26:43,294
Next comes the blast front

259
00:26:52,915 --> 00:26:55,191
(Winds howl)

260
00:26:57,075 --> 00:26:58,987
(Tearing and crashing)

261
00:27:12,396 --> 00:27:17,712
Finally a rain of molten rock starts
to fall out of the darkening sky -

262
00:27:17,796 --> 00:27:22,632
this is the end
of the age of the dinosaurs

263
00:27:30,276 --> 00:27:32,871
The comet struck the Gulf of Mexico

264
00:27:32,956 --> 00:27:36,506
with the force of 10 billion
Hiroshima bombs

265
00:27:36,596 --> 00:27:39,794
In the catastrophic climate changes
that followed,

266
00:27:39,876 --> 00:27:43,108
65% of life died out

267
00:27:43,196 --> 00:27:46,951
It took millions of years
for Earth to recover,

268
00:27:47,036 --> 00:27:51,155
and when it did,
the giant dinosaurs were gone,

269
00:27:51,236 --> 00:27:53,353
never to return

270
00:27:58,276 --> 00:28:03,431
In their place have emerged other
powerful and beautiful creatures

271
00:28:06,836 --> 00:28:09,795
We now know one small group
of dinosaurs

272
00:28:09,876 --> 00:28:12,266
did survive the extinction -

273
00:28:12,356 --> 00:28:15,554
and they are all around us today -

274
00:28:15,636 --> 00:28:17,468
the birds