1 00:00:20,883 --> 00:00:24,083 {\an8}A few years ago, Michelle and I visited Patagonia 2 00:00:24,163 --> 00:00:25,123 {\an8}with our daughters. 3 00:00:26,603 --> 00:00:29,683 Amongst the snow-capped mountains and crystal-clear lakes, 4 00:00:29,763 --> 00:00:32,243 we marveled at an increasingly rare thing. 5 00:00:33,043 --> 00:00:34,403 Untouched wilderness. 6 00:00:35,443 --> 00:00:38,403 Human influence has spread far and wide across our planet. 7 00:00:39,083 --> 00:00:42,083 National parks can protect what we still have. 8 00:00:42,603 --> 00:00:47,163 But if we are to make a real change, we must return more of our land to nature. 9 00:00:51,163 --> 00:00:55,163 In Chilean Patagonia, vast areas are being re-wilded, 10 00:00:55,243 --> 00:00:57,803 returned to their natural balance 11 00:00:57,883 --> 00:00:59,203 before we came along. 12 00:01:01,083 --> 00:01:05,603 This region is rapidly becoming one of the most protected places on Earth. 13 00:01:09,563 --> 00:01:14,523 Chilean Patagonia is home to 24 unique national parks… 14 00:01:17,283 --> 00:01:20,243 across an incredible variety of landscapes. 15 00:01:22,563 --> 00:01:24,763 The longest mountain range in the world, 16 00:01:25,363 --> 00:01:29,243 the Andes, runs like a spine along its length. 17 00:01:31,923 --> 00:01:34,403 At its heart, lush forests 18 00:01:36,203 --> 00:01:38,283 and the open Patagonian steppe. 19 00:01:39,923 --> 00:01:41,043 And along the coast, 20 00:01:42,323 --> 00:01:44,923 the raw power of the Pacific Ocean. 21 00:01:50,923 --> 00:01:53,763 Patagonia is redefining our idea 22 00:01:53,843 --> 00:01:55,963 of what national parks could be. 23 00:02:16,363 --> 00:02:19,603 On the western seaboard of South America lies Chile, 24 00:02:20,363 --> 00:02:22,043 the longest country in the world, 25 00:02:22,763 --> 00:02:27,803 stretching over 2,500 miles from north to south. 26 00:02:29,923 --> 00:02:34,043 In the southern part is the remote area of Chilean Patagonia, 27 00:02:35,523 --> 00:02:40,403 where huge swaths of land are given over to its 24 national parks. 28 00:02:41,603 --> 00:02:45,283 The most famous of these is Torres del Paine. 29 00:02:59,243 --> 00:03:03,123 Its three iconic towers dominate the landscape. 30 00:03:18,603 --> 00:03:23,803 The park is home to a thriving population of Chile's largest land predator, 31 00:03:25,123 --> 00:03:26,083 the puma. 32 00:03:38,043 --> 00:03:40,923 This mom has four little mouths to feed. 33 00:03:47,883 --> 00:03:48,843 She needs to hunt. 34 00:03:49,683 --> 00:03:51,403 For the best chance of success, 35 00:03:52,043 --> 00:03:54,243 she must leave the cubs behind. 36 00:04:05,763 --> 00:04:09,843 Their survival depends on her stealth and cunning. 37 00:04:18,843 --> 00:04:22,963 Guanaco, an ancient ancestor of the domestic llama, 38 00:04:24,683 --> 00:04:26,323 and her main prey. 39 00:04:38,603 --> 00:04:43,043 Blending into the landscape is her best chance of an ambush. 40 00:05:12,763 --> 00:05:16,323 Four out of five puma hunts end in failure. 41 00:05:51,483 --> 00:05:54,483 Compelled to find another opportunity to feed her cubs… 42 00:05:56,843 --> 00:05:58,483 she will keep the family moving. 43 00:06:08,563 --> 00:06:10,723 They're not the only pumas looking for food. 44 00:06:15,803 --> 00:06:18,563 Close by, a younger, lone female 45 00:06:19,283 --> 00:06:20,283 is also on the hunt. 46 00:06:33,843 --> 00:06:35,283 From her high vantage point… 47 00:06:37,843 --> 00:06:39,243 she spots a herd. 48 00:06:51,003 --> 00:06:55,163 With their backs to a lake, their escape options are limited. 49 00:07:25,763 --> 00:07:29,323 To bring down an animal that is up to three times heavier than her, 50 00:07:29,923 --> 00:07:32,323 she'll need everything to go her way. 51 00:09:13,163 --> 00:09:16,923 Battered and bruised, it's another missed opportunity. 52 00:09:38,403 --> 00:09:40,963 The mom and her cubs have found the remains 53 00:09:41,043 --> 00:09:43,603 of a guanaco carcass at the edge of a pond. 54 00:09:52,843 --> 00:09:55,363 The hungry family grabs what they can. 55 00:10:04,443 --> 00:10:07,483 The fact that it's been killed and partly buried 56 00:10:07,563 --> 00:10:08,963 can only mean one thing. 57 00:10:10,243 --> 00:10:13,243 This food belongs to someone else. 58 00:10:22,323 --> 00:10:23,363 The lone female. 59 00:10:31,483 --> 00:10:33,483 The cubs seem nervous of the stranger. 60 00:10:38,323 --> 00:10:39,763 But their mother is calm. 61 00:10:45,283 --> 00:10:47,923 This is her daughter from last year's litter. 62 00:10:57,763 --> 00:11:00,483 The lone female reclaims her carcass. 63 00:11:04,923 --> 00:11:09,803 She may be the cubs' older sister, but that doesn't mean she's keen to share. 64 00:11:26,483 --> 00:11:29,723 Her soggy little brother will have to wait his turn. 65 00:11:34,643 --> 00:11:35,643 Others arrive… 66 00:11:39,963 --> 00:11:41,723 and are accepted at the feast. 67 00:11:48,523 --> 00:11:52,603 Until recently, puma were believed to be solitary creatures. 68 00:11:53,403 --> 00:11:56,883 Lions and cheetahs were thought to be the only social big cats. 69 00:11:58,363 --> 00:12:01,483 The discovery of such strong social bonds 70 00:12:01,563 --> 00:12:04,563 is redefining how scientists think about pumas. 71 00:12:08,643 --> 00:12:13,003 The creation of this refuge has protected these cats from ranchers 72 00:12:13,083 --> 00:12:15,043 who might fear for their livestock. 73 00:12:16,803 --> 00:12:21,043 And it has also led to an increase in space and prey, 74 00:12:21,123 --> 00:12:24,283 so there's less need for conflict between rivals. 75 00:12:28,883 --> 00:12:30,643 This park is now home 76 00:12:30,723 --> 00:12:33,883 to one of the highest densities of puma in the world. 77 00:12:38,443 --> 00:12:42,243 And numbers of these majestic animals are slowly recovering 78 00:12:42,323 --> 00:12:43,763 across southern Chile. 79 00:13:00,443 --> 00:13:03,043 Three hundred miles north, along the Andean range, 80 00:13:04,163 --> 00:13:05,963 lies Patagonia National Park. 81 00:13:12,523 --> 00:13:15,803 One of the region's newest parks, it may look like a wilderness, 82 00:13:15,883 --> 00:13:18,843 but until recently, it was used to graze sheep. 83 00:13:24,323 --> 00:13:27,883 Puma and their prey, the guanaco, were persecuted here. 84 00:13:30,203 --> 00:13:34,003 Now the livestock have been removed, the wildlife protected, 85 00:13:34,683 --> 00:13:38,323 and the land is starting to return to its natural balance. 86 00:13:49,243 --> 00:13:50,763 With puma numbers still low, 87 00:13:51,403 --> 00:13:54,883 guanaco are quickly repopulating the park. 88 00:14:01,323 --> 00:14:04,443 And this male is hoping to play his part. 89 00:14:13,403 --> 00:14:16,763 He has traveled here in search of a good grazing territory, 90 00:14:17,523 --> 00:14:19,923 impressive enough to attract females. 91 00:14:30,643 --> 00:14:31,923 An all-female herd… 92 00:14:36,603 --> 00:14:38,963 in an area of prime grazing. 93 00:14:43,563 --> 00:14:47,923 But it has already been claimed by a huge dominant male. 94 00:14:54,003 --> 00:14:56,043 And this herd isn't big enough… 95 00:14:57,123 --> 00:14:58,243 …for the both of them. 96 00:15:12,483 --> 00:15:15,443 The dominant male charges to show who's boss. 97 00:15:35,643 --> 00:15:38,843 And he's not too big to dish out a low blow. 98 00:15:48,803 --> 00:15:50,923 The bachelor is driven far from the herd… 99 00:15:57,443 --> 00:15:59,563 …until finally, he takes the hint. 100 00:16:16,123 --> 00:16:18,323 The victor returns to his females… 101 00:16:20,563 --> 00:16:21,643 only to find 102 00:16:22,643 --> 00:16:24,803 another intruder in their midst. 103 00:16:39,723 --> 00:16:42,323 With the dominant male busy seeing off his new rival, 104 00:16:43,923 --> 00:16:46,563 the bachelor sneaks back in… 105 00:17:01,883 --> 00:17:03,883 …and seizes the opportunity… 106 00:17:07,803 --> 00:17:09,443 …finally meeting his mate. 107 00:17:17,523 --> 00:17:19,883 With the creation of these national parks, 108 00:17:19,963 --> 00:17:22,243 agricultural fences were taken down, 109 00:17:23,083 --> 00:17:25,563 allowing guanaco to travel more freely, 110 00:17:26,203 --> 00:17:28,803 mixing and strengthening gene pools. 111 00:17:40,603 --> 00:17:42,923 After almost a year of pregnancy, 112 00:17:43,523 --> 00:17:45,003 a mother is in labor. 113 00:18:24,243 --> 00:18:27,963 The baby guanaco needs to be up on her feet as fast as possible. 114 00:19:04,483 --> 00:19:06,323 In a matter of just two weeks, 115 00:19:06,403 --> 00:19:10,163 thousands of baby guanaco will take their first steps here. 116 00:19:26,083 --> 00:19:29,123 The females all give birth within the same period 117 00:19:29,203 --> 00:19:31,763 to make the most of the safety of a crowd. 118 00:19:35,683 --> 00:19:39,163 Out here, you never know who's watching. 119 00:19:44,923 --> 00:19:46,843 As these guanaco herds expand, 120 00:19:47,483 --> 00:19:51,883 so too will the opportunities for the puma population to bounce back 121 00:19:53,523 --> 00:19:55,763 and for nature to recover. 122 00:20:06,403 --> 00:20:09,163 Around the world, many national parks exist 123 00:20:09,243 --> 00:20:11,763 as isolated pockets of protected wilderness. 124 00:20:13,723 --> 00:20:14,683 To really flourish, 125 00:20:15,403 --> 00:20:17,403 animals need not only safeguarding, 126 00:20:17,483 --> 00:20:18,763 but safe passage. 127 00:20:19,723 --> 00:20:21,203 The ability to move freely 128 00:20:21,283 --> 00:20:24,803 in search of food, a territory, or a mate. 129 00:20:30,923 --> 00:20:33,803 Since 2017, Chile has been working 130 00:20:33,883 --> 00:20:36,683 to connect a patchwork of wild spaces, 131 00:20:38,203 --> 00:20:42,723 joining national parks with other protected reserves and marine parks 132 00:20:44,163 --> 00:20:48,083 to create a network, a wildlife conservation corridor, 133 00:20:48,763 --> 00:20:52,883 connecting over 30 million acres of Chilean Patagonia. 134 00:20:58,643 --> 00:21:03,403 At the center of this network lies Cerro Castillo National Park, 135 00:21:05,203 --> 00:21:10,283 home to a once-endangered creature now making a spectacular comeback. 136 00:21:20,083 --> 00:21:21,683 The Andean condor. 137 00:21:27,963 --> 00:21:29,643 Condors are scavengers. 138 00:21:30,283 --> 00:21:31,643 They consume dead animals. 139 00:21:32,243 --> 00:21:36,363 A role that is vital in removing waste and preventing disease. 140 00:21:42,043 --> 00:21:44,523 In the past, they've been hunted and poisoned 141 00:21:44,603 --> 00:21:47,683 by landowners seeking to protect their livestock. 142 00:21:48,563 --> 00:21:52,163 But now the population of these magnificent birds 143 00:21:52,243 --> 00:21:53,603 is bouncing back. 144 00:22:01,803 --> 00:22:05,243 They nest in these inaccessible, forested cliffs. 145 00:22:06,523 --> 00:22:09,123 And every day, they travel hundreds of miles 146 00:22:09,203 --> 00:22:10,123 in search of food… 147 00:22:20,323 --> 00:22:21,323 …leaving behind… 148 00:22:26,723 --> 00:22:28,283 their vulnerable youngsters. 149 00:22:39,443 --> 00:22:42,283 He might almost be the size of an adult, 150 00:22:42,363 --> 00:22:46,003 but this massive chick is only nine months old. 151 00:22:48,803 --> 00:22:52,003 Condors are the world's largest soaring birds. 152 00:22:53,723 --> 00:22:57,323 And he could eventually have a wingspan of over ten feet. 153 00:23:01,083 --> 00:23:02,083 For now though, 154 00:23:03,323 --> 00:23:05,083 he's just learning how to use them. 155 00:23:22,723 --> 00:23:23,963 He's getting braver. 156 00:23:36,443 --> 00:23:41,523 But attempting a first flight from here would be extremely risky. 157 00:23:58,283 --> 00:23:59,803 Best to head back to safety. 158 00:24:06,043 --> 00:24:07,083 If he can. 159 00:24:22,083 --> 00:24:23,443 His parents return. 160 00:24:35,723 --> 00:24:37,803 And it's finally breakfast time. 161 00:24:41,843 --> 00:24:43,723 To give him the best chance in life, 162 00:24:44,403 --> 00:24:46,563 they will only raise one chick at a time. 163 00:24:53,843 --> 00:24:55,683 But if all of their efforts are to pay off, 164 00:24:56,163 --> 00:24:58,883 he must take to the skies himself. 165 00:25:07,923 --> 00:25:10,763 Perhaps he needs to be shown how it's done. 166 00:25:29,643 --> 00:25:30,563 It's time… 167 00:25:34,723 --> 00:25:36,803 for his first-ever flight. 168 00:25:50,643 --> 00:25:52,243 Well, it's a start. 169 00:26:19,083 --> 00:26:19,923 Better. 170 00:26:27,243 --> 00:26:30,283 These birds are too heavy to fly by flapping alone. 171 00:26:32,243 --> 00:26:34,883 To stay aloft and travel long distances, 172 00:26:35,443 --> 00:26:37,723 he must learn to ride the wind. 173 00:26:55,203 --> 00:26:59,163 His parents lead him into the air currents and rising hot air thermals. 174 00:27:15,043 --> 00:27:17,883 Their chick will stay with them for up to two years. 175 00:27:22,163 --> 00:27:25,443 Until then, he'll be stretching his wings daily, 176 00:27:25,523 --> 00:27:30,923 growing stronger, until he too can soar over the Andes. 177 00:27:54,723 --> 00:27:56,643 Six hundred miles further north, 178 00:27:56,723 --> 00:27:59,203 the landscape begins to change. 179 00:28:06,043 --> 00:28:09,083 Here, it's dominated by volcanoes. 180 00:28:11,123 --> 00:28:13,203 They scar the land with lava flows… 181 00:28:18,043 --> 00:28:21,083 …between which grow primeval forests. 182 00:28:25,243 --> 00:28:28,643 At the very northern edge, lies Conguillío National Park, 183 00:28:30,003 --> 00:28:33,923 one of the last strongholds for the endangered Araucaria, 184 00:28:34,483 --> 00:28:35,763 the monkey puzzle tree. 185 00:28:41,043 --> 00:28:43,883 Growing to over 150 feet, 186 00:28:43,963 --> 00:28:48,083 these giants were once a common sight across northern Patagonia. 187 00:28:49,123 --> 00:28:51,843 But they were cut down to make way for farmland 188 00:28:53,603 --> 00:28:57,603 and now only exist in small pockets of ancient woodland. 189 00:29:05,643 --> 00:29:10,123 In the shadows of the monkey puzzle trees are the delicate beech forests… 190 00:29:15,723 --> 00:29:18,843 home to animals found nowhere else on Earth. 191 00:29:23,443 --> 00:29:24,283 The pudu… 192 00:29:26,683 --> 00:29:28,843 the world's smallest deer. 193 00:29:31,043 --> 00:29:34,483 This spotted baby could fit into the palm of your hand. 194 00:29:38,763 --> 00:29:41,643 And the smallest wildcat of the Americas. 195 00:29:42,443 --> 00:29:46,363 The kodkod isn't even as big as a pet cat. 196 00:29:49,723 --> 00:29:51,683 Along with these miniature mammals, 197 00:29:52,963 --> 00:29:54,803 the Valdivian forest 198 00:29:54,883 --> 00:29:59,083 is also home to one of the most spectacular insects in the world. 199 00:30:06,243 --> 00:30:08,403 The Chilean stag beetle… 200 00:30:11,163 --> 00:30:15,043 named for the incredible antler-like jaws found on the males. 201 00:30:18,723 --> 00:30:21,603 This one has picked up the scent of a female. 202 00:30:25,603 --> 00:30:27,363 But she is 100 feet up 203 00:30:27,963 --> 00:30:29,763 in the canopy of a beech tree. 204 00:30:39,923 --> 00:30:44,163 For him, that's the equivalent of a person climbing the Eiffel Tower. 205 00:30:44,803 --> 00:30:45,643 Twice. 206 00:30:49,643 --> 00:30:53,763 Her seductive fragrance can be detected by males far and wide. 207 00:30:57,083 --> 00:30:58,643 And the race is on. 208 00:31:16,563 --> 00:31:20,763 Finally, he reaches the canopy ahead of his rivals… 209 00:31:24,843 --> 00:31:26,963 …with the female in his sights. 210 00:31:37,483 --> 00:31:39,683 But he has a challenger. 211 00:31:46,803 --> 00:31:48,243 They size each other up. 212 00:31:54,603 --> 00:31:58,203 Now, those huge weapons come into their own. 213 00:32:01,643 --> 00:32:06,883 One of the largest weapons to body size of any animal that has ever lived. 214 00:32:09,683 --> 00:32:11,323 They have evolved to grasp 215 00:32:12,723 --> 00:32:13,683 and lift. 216 00:32:16,643 --> 00:32:18,203 His opponent strikes first. 217 00:32:33,523 --> 00:32:34,843 But he turns the tables 218 00:32:36,403 --> 00:32:38,123 and gets the upper hand. 219 00:32:55,123 --> 00:32:59,723 Finally, there's nothing between him and his mate. 220 00:33:23,523 --> 00:33:25,403 As dusk falls over the park, 221 00:33:26,683 --> 00:33:30,523 we are reminded of our place in the universe. 222 00:33:35,123 --> 00:33:37,203 By carefully managing light pollution, 223 00:33:37,843 --> 00:33:40,483 the celestial views above the reserves 224 00:33:40,563 --> 00:33:43,603 have remained some of the darkest on Earth. 225 00:33:49,083 --> 00:33:51,363 On a clear night, you can see the planets 226 00:33:51,443 --> 00:33:52,603 of the solar system… 227 00:33:55,843 --> 00:33:57,683 the stars of the Milky Way, 228 00:33:59,283 --> 00:34:03,203 and the distant glow of our closest neighboring galaxies. 229 00:34:08,323 --> 00:34:10,243 Even with the naked eye. 230 00:34:18,723 --> 00:34:20,523 And under the cover of darkness, 231 00:34:21,443 --> 00:34:26,283 one nocturnal forest resident is helping his home to regenerate. 232 00:34:31,483 --> 00:34:33,163 Using new camera technology, 233 00:34:33,243 --> 00:34:36,163 we can reveal his nighttime antics. 234 00:34:39,163 --> 00:34:40,643 The monito del monte. 235 00:34:45,443 --> 00:34:47,283 The "little monkey of the mountain." 236 00:34:52,563 --> 00:34:56,243 But the monito isn't a monkey. He's a marsupial. 237 00:35:03,363 --> 00:35:04,843 And although he is tiny… 238 00:35:06,723 --> 00:35:10,763 these giant trees depend on him. 239 00:35:17,483 --> 00:35:21,483 He will eat his entire body weight in food every night. 240 00:35:29,363 --> 00:35:34,083 During his lifetime, he will help spread at least 20 different species of plant 241 00:35:34,963 --> 00:35:36,163 by eating the fruits… 242 00:35:38,763 --> 00:35:41,963 and dropping the seeds in new places. 243 00:36:03,003 --> 00:36:04,483 As dawn begins to break, 244 00:36:06,123 --> 00:36:09,043 he returns to his hidden nest to sleep. 245 00:36:13,123 --> 00:36:14,723 And he is not alone. 246 00:36:19,123 --> 00:36:24,283 These communal nests can contain up to ten unrelated monitos 247 00:36:24,363 --> 00:36:25,523 huddling together. 248 00:36:45,523 --> 00:36:48,283 With the help of these "little monkeys of the mountain," 249 00:36:48,363 --> 00:36:51,163 it is possible that a huge Valdivian forest 250 00:36:52,003 --> 00:36:55,203 will once again stretch from the Andean mountains 251 00:36:56,763 --> 00:36:58,003 to the Pacific Ocean. 252 00:37:08,683 --> 00:37:13,683 Chile has more than 4,000 miles of winding Pacific coastline. 253 00:37:21,283 --> 00:37:22,923 During the last ice age, 254 00:37:23,003 --> 00:37:26,643 glaciers descended from the mountaintops to the sea. 255 00:37:41,723 --> 00:37:42,883 As they moved, 256 00:37:44,123 --> 00:37:48,203 they carved Patagonia's maze of deep coastal fjords. 257 00:37:53,403 --> 00:37:55,843 Relatively few of these icy giants remain. 258 00:37:58,083 --> 00:38:01,123 This is the San Rafael glacier. 259 00:38:20,043 --> 00:38:24,843 Every spring, an ethereal song echoes around these fjords. 260 00:39:12,443 --> 00:39:16,163 It's the haunting call of a male leopard seal. 261 00:39:24,203 --> 00:39:27,203 He's here to take advantage of the icebergs to breed… 262 00:39:29,923 --> 00:39:34,043 …and will sing day and night to attract a mate… 263 00:39:36,763 --> 00:39:40,643 …skillfully crafting his love songs to incorporate a range of notes 264 00:39:40,723 --> 00:39:42,243 and a variety of pitch. 265 00:39:48,283 --> 00:39:53,123 Elements of his tuneful repertoire can be heard far and wide. 266 00:39:59,443 --> 00:40:00,323 A female… 267 00:40:03,763 --> 00:40:05,323 …tunes into the male's song. 268 00:40:08,003 --> 00:40:09,683 During the short breeding season, 269 00:40:10,403 --> 00:40:13,843 leopard seals sing underwater all through the night. 270 00:40:18,203 --> 00:40:21,923 Worn out from her nighttime courtship, she rests on the ice. 271 00:40:30,563 --> 00:40:32,723 The serenade is enticing. 272 00:40:48,523 --> 00:40:49,563 She approaches. 273 00:41:00,323 --> 00:41:01,323 Only to find 274 00:41:02,643 --> 00:41:03,803 her would-be suitor… 275 00:41:05,403 --> 00:41:07,163 …isn't actually awake. 276 00:41:13,763 --> 00:41:16,563 Scientists believe that during the breeding season, 277 00:41:16,643 --> 00:41:20,403 leopard seals have such high levels of surging hormones… 278 00:41:21,923 --> 00:41:23,883 …they even call while sleeping. 279 00:41:34,683 --> 00:41:36,403 As the sun starts to sink… 280 00:41:46,243 --> 00:41:48,123 …he finally wakes up. 281 00:42:14,003 --> 00:42:19,283 And they retreat beneath the ice to begin their courtship duet. 282 00:42:30,523 --> 00:42:34,003 Whilst almost half of Chilean Patagonia's land is protected, 283 00:42:34,843 --> 00:42:37,523 less than a fifth of its coastal waters are. 284 00:42:44,163 --> 00:42:47,163 Seventy miles off the southern tip of mainland Chile 285 00:42:48,883 --> 00:42:52,923 lie the sub-Antarctic Islands of Diego Ramírez, 286 00:42:54,483 --> 00:42:57,723 one of Patagonia's few marine protected areas. 287 00:42:59,723 --> 00:43:02,643 Off its shores, three oceans collide. 288 00:43:04,803 --> 00:43:06,523 The Pacific to the west… 289 00:43:10,323 --> 00:43:12,483 Atlantic to the east, 290 00:43:14,163 --> 00:43:17,883 and to the south, the brutal Southern Ocean. 291 00:43:22,763 --> 00:43:26,963 Despite being surrounded by some of the most treacherous seas in the world, 292 00:43:27,643 --> 00:43:30,563 this place is brimming with life. 293 00:43:34,683 --> 00:43:39,283 The islands offer a safe haven for over two million nesting seabirds. 294 00:43:42,963 --> 00:43:47,243 Colonies of albatross carve rivers through the thick tussock grass. 295 00:43:55,843 --> 00:43:59,723 It's one of the world's few albatross colonies not in decline, 296 00:43:59,803 --> 00:44:02,163 due to the lack of predators on the island 297 00:44:02,243 --> 00:44:04,963 and the ban on fishing within the marine park. 298 00:44:09,843 --> 00:44:14,243 Not all animals that live here have the luxury of arriving by air. 299 00:44:23,443 --> 00:44:26,443 Southern rockhopper penguins nest here too. 300 00:44:31,443 --> 00:44:36,043 Penguin parents must take turns traveling hundreds of miles 301 00:44:36,123 --> 00:44:38,403 in search of food for their hungry chicks. 302 00:44:49,043 --> 00:44:52,803 They can be away for up to three days at a time. 303 00:45:01,963 --> 00:45:04,123 But the most dangerous part of their journey 304 00:45:04,883 --> 00:45:05,883 is the return. 305 00:45:13,363 --> 00:45:15,283 Thrown by the swell to the shore. 306 00:45:20,683 --> 00:45:24,203 Though the ocean is the least of their worries. 307 00:45:29,443 --> 00:45:32,363 South American sea lions patrol these waters. 308 00:45:46,843 --> 00:45:48,763 For every fishing party that returns… 309 00:45:52,563 --> 00:45:54,563 …some won't make it. 310 00:46:06,003 --> 00:46:08,163 A mother penguin runs the gauntlet 311 00:46:08,843 --> 00:46:10,283 to return to her family. 312 00:46:15,043 --> 00:46:17,763 But these sea lions swim three times faster. 313 00:46:22,363 --> 00:46:23,803 Her best chance of survival… 314 00:46:27,043 --> 00:46:28,483 …is to get out of the water. 315 00:46:49,363 --> 00:46:50,803 Safe at last. 316 00:46:58,203 --> 00:46:59,083 Maybe not. 317 00:47:42,843 --> 00:47:44,243 A narrow escape. 318 00:47:58,363 --> 00:48:02,283 And now, the arduous climb back to the nest. 319 00:48:48,123 --> 00:48:49,923 Just to feed their little one, 320 00:48:50,603 --> 00:48:54,443 every penguin parent must put their life on the line… 321 00:48:57,523 --> 00:49:01,483 taking turns making this trip for another six months, 322 00:49:02,243 --> 00:49:06,323 until their chick is able to run the sea lion gauntlet. 323 00:49:25,523 --> 00:49:31,083 This marine park now protects over 55,000 square miles of ocean… 324 00:49:33,683 --> 00:49:38,203 and extends the wildlife conservation corridor of Chilean Patagonia 325 00:49:39,643 --> 00:49:43,003 out toward the protected waters of Antarctica. 326 00:49:57,683 --> 00:50:03,363 This network of parks now protects over 200 species of birds and mammals 327 00:50:04,723 --> 00:50:07,843 across an astonishing variety of landscapes. 328 00:50:10,763 --> 00:50:15,083 It's helping bring animals back from the brink of extinction. 329 00:50:16,723 --> 00:50:20,123 But it's not just wildlife that is benefiting. 330 00:50:21,923 --> 00:50:26,043 Ecotourism is predicted to bring hundreds of millions of dollars 331 00:50:26,123 --> 00:50:28,403 to the local economy over the next ten years. 332 00:50:29,123 --> 00:50:31,243 And it will have a far greater benefit 333 00:50:31,963 --> 00:50:34,723 to every being on our planet. 334 00:50:36,363 --> 00:50:38,363 In the fight against climate change, 335 00:50:38,443 --> 00:50:42,123 this land and vegetation act like a sponge, 336 00:50:42,203 --> 00:50:44,363 absorbing carbon dioxide, 337 00:50:45,283 --> 00:50:49,483 making the region one of the largest carbon sinks in South America. 338 00:50:52,563 --> 00:50:55,603 Give nature a chance and it will return. 339 00:50:56,363 --> 00:50:59,163 Wilderness and wildlife can recover, 340 00:50:59,843 --> 00:51:02,083 and balance can be restored. 341 00:51:03,363 --> 00:51:06,683 Chilean Patagonia is an inspiring example 342 00:51:07,243 --> 00:51:11,043 of what can be achieved when we work together with nature 343 00:51:11,563 --> 00:51:16,403 and believe in the true value of our national parks.