1 00:00:06,381 --> 00:00:07,971 (THEME MUSIC BEGINS) 2 00:00:08,258 --> 00:00:12,888 BENEDICT: Enter a world just beyond your perception. 3 00:00:18,768 --> 00:00:22,108 A world of extraordinary animals, 4 00:00:23,064 --> 00:00:24,484 with hidden powers, 5 00:00:25,150 --> 00:00:26,530 and super senses. 6 00:00:27,610 --> 00:00:29,740 If you think you know nature... 7 00:00:32,490 --> 00:00:33,740 think again. 8 00:00:38,580 --> 00:00:39,620 (THEME MUSIC ENDS) 9 00:00:40,623 --> 00:00:41,673 (BIRD CAWS) 10 00:00:42,208 --> 00:00:43,668 BENEDICT: To survive in extremes, 11 00:00:45,837 --> 00:00:47,707 you have to push the limits. 12 00:00:52,469 --> 00:00:54,139 In the Italian Alps, 13 00:00:56,806 --> 00:00:58,556 a towering dam 14 00:01:02,062 --> 00:01:04,772 as high as the Golden Gate Bridge. 15 00:01:08,568 --> 00:01:10,608 It holds a hidden treasure... 16 00:01:14,074 --> 00:01:15,164 salt. 17 00:01:16,242 --> 00:01:17,832 Pouring from its wall. 18 00:01:20,121 --> 00:01:21,541 It's so rare up here, 19 00:01:22,332 --> 00:01:24,792 ibex risk everything to reach it. 20 00:01:25,126 --> 00:01:27,496 (TENSE MUSIC PLAYING) 21 00:01:33,093 --> 00:01:37,473 Scaling these near-vertical walls calls on incredible climbing skills. 22 00:01:44,604 --> 00:01:49,034 These natural-born mountaineers make it look like a walk in the park. 23 00:01:52,237 --> 00:01:54,407 But imagine what it's like for a kid. 24 00:01:54,739 --> 00:01:56,199 (BLEATS) 25 00:01:57,242 --> 00:01:58,622 BENEDICT: Going up there 26 00:02:00,787 --> 00:02:02,957 for the very first time. 27 00:02:04,332 --> 00:02:08,092 (MUSIC CONTINUES) 28 00:02:11,965 --> 00:02:14,675 BENEDICT: He has no choice but to follow his mother. 29 00:02:17,428 --> 00:02:19,678 A fall would mean certain death. 30 00:02:20,014 --> 00:02:22,564 (ROCKS CLATTER) 31 00:02:26,813 --> 00:02:28,773 But step by step, 32 00:02:29,399 --> 00:02:31,779 he discovers he has an amazing grip. 33 00:02:33,570 --> 00:02:35,030 The higher he goes, 34 00:02:35,405 --> 00:02:37,235 the more vertical the face. 35 00:02:43,371 --> 00:02:47,291 Now, his survival depends on his innate superpower. 36 00:02:52,172 --> 00:02:55,842 Soft, rubbery soles mold around even the tiniest ridges. 37 00:02:59,012 --> 00:03:01,602 Locking them inside the hard edge of the hoof. 38 00:03:08,897 --> 00:03:10,107 He balances. 39 00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:14,530 Every step on a knife edge. 40 00:03:14,986 --> 00:03:17,816 (MUSIC CONTINUES) 41 00:03:19,574 --> 00:03:22,244 BENEDICT: It's exhausting work for one so young. 42 00:03:22,535 --> 00:03:26,245 (MUSIC CONTINUES) 43 00:03:29,834 --> 00:03:31,464 (BLEATS) 44 00:03:40,011 --> 00:03:42,681 BENEDICT: Just in time, his mother notices. 45 00:03:45,099 --> 00:03:46,389 (BLEATS) 46 00:03:47,602 --> 00:03:49,772 BENEDICT: She gives him a chance to recharge. 47 00:03:53,566 --> 00:03:55,316 A 5-minute power nap. 48 00:03:56,361 --> 00:03:57,611 (CAWS) 49 00:03:58,738 --> 00:04:02,528 (MUSIC CONTINUES) 50 00:04:11,376 --> 00:04:13,536 BENEDCIT: 150 feet up, 51 00:04:16,089 --> 00:04:19,469 finally, he reaches his goal. 52 00:04:19,884 --> 00:04:22,514 (TRIUMPHANT MUSIC PLAYING) 53 00:04:23,346 --> 00:04:28,136 BENEDICT: Twenty percent of concrete contains salt and water 54 00:04:28,393 --> 00:04:31,523 seeping through the dam brings it to the surface. 55 00:04:34,023 --> 00:04:38,863 It may not look like much, but this mineral lick is crucial 56 00:04:38,945 --> 00:04:40,945 for the kid to grow up strong. 57 00:04:45,702 --> 00:04:48,082 Muscles and nerves replenished, 58 00:04:49,497 --> 00:04:51,667 his epic ascent is complete. 59 00:04:56,212 --> 00:05:00,552 Death-defying missions like this are a vital part of many animals' lives, 60 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:08,600 and we're only just discovering the wondrous ways in which they succeed. 61 00:05:09,809 --> 00:05:13,269 (MUSIC CONTINUES) 62 00:05:28,244 --> 00:05:30,754 BENEDICT: The dunes of northeast Brazil. 63 00:05:32,665 --> 00:05:35,285 An area larger than Los Angeles. 64 00:05:37,962 --> 00:05:40,762 Scorched by the fierce equatorial sun. 65 00:05:49,807 --> 00:05:51,727 Many who try to cross 66 00:05:52,852 --> 00:05:53,852 -never make it. -(WIND HOWLS) 67 00:05:57,982 --> 00:05:59,482 BENEDICT: But there are opportunities... 68 00:06:00,234 --> 00:06:02,114 you just need to find them. 69 00:06:07,700 --> 00:06:10,330 After five months in suspended animation, 70 00:06:11,162 --> 00:06:12,542 without food or water, 71 00:06:15,500 --> 00:06:17,210 a Brazilian slider, 72 00:06:18,294 --> 00:06:21,464 a normally aquatic turtle, emerges. 73 00:06:25,468 --> 00:06:27,468 Something has awakened her. 74 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:34,560 Her acute sense of smell has detected a change in the humidity, 75 00:06:35,978 --> 00:06:37,858 her only hope of survival 76 00:06:38,648 --> 00:06:39,728 is water. 77 00:06:43,277 --> 00:06:44,487 But to reach it, 78 00:06:45,571 --> 00:06:47,991 she must attempt the impossible. 79 00:06:51,744 --> 00:06:53,164 Traveling for days 80 00:06:53,955 --> 00:06:56,615 across sunbaked sands. 81 00:07:02,964 --> 00:07:04,474 Every moment exposed 82 00:07:04,924 --> 00:07:06,764 means hydration lost. 83 00:07:11,013 --> 00:07:12,683 And as the wind picks up, 84 00:07:13,975 --> 00:07:15,765 she loses the scent of water.... 85 00:07:22,191 --> 00:07:24,901 So, which way now? 86 00:07:30,616 --> 00:07:32,156 In this hostile landscape, 87 00:07:33,077 --> 00:07:34,447 she'll soon dry up. 88 00:07:37,623 --> 00:07:39,793 But the sun that threatens to cook her 89 00:07:40,501 --> 00:07:42,501 is also her guiding light. 90 00:07:46,466 --> 00:07:48,466 Using its position as a compass, 91 00:07:49,886 --> 00:07:51,796 she keeps on her course. 92 00:08:04,942 --> 00:08:06,742 She's almost there... 93 00:08:08,070 --> 00:08:09,530 Just in time. 94 00:08:13,868 --> 00:08:15,448 When the rains arrive, 95 00:08:16,662 --> 00:08:19,082 a magical transformation begins. 96 00:08:24,170 --> 00:08:27,880 In most dunes, water quickly drains through the sand.... 97 00:08:34,347 --> 00:08:38,177 But here, a layer of solid rock beneath 98 00:08:39,143 --> 00:08:40,853 blocks the water's path, 99 00:08:42,146 --> 00:08:44,976 allowing thousands of pools to form. 100 00:08:45,274 --> 00:08:48,694 (SERENE MUSIC PLAYING) 101 00:08:49,278 --> 00:08:51,278 BENEDICT: Just one last obstacle. 102 00:09:11,342 --> 00:09:14,472 Now, it's downhill all the way. 103 00:09:18,766 --> 00:09:21,306 Time to do what a slider does best. 104 00:09:21,936 --> 00:09:25,356 (MUSIC CONTINUES) 105 00:09:43,207 --> 00:09:45,587 BENEDICT: A crystal-clear oasis. 106 00:09:53,009 --> 00:09:55,049 These ephemeral pools bring food. 107 00:10:00,516 --> 00:10:02,476 And the chance to meet a mate... 108 00:10:07,148 --> 00:10:11,738 before the water vanishes and the scorched desert returns. 109 00:10:13,404 --> 00:10:15,954 (MUSIC CONTINUES) 110 00:10:21,537 --> 00:10:24,207 BENEDICT: Incredible journeys are happening across the planet. 111 00:10:26,417 --> 00:10:27,997 But they're often overlooked. 112 00:10:32,798 --> 00:10:35,378 -The city of London. -(CITY SOUNDS) 113 00:10:35,718 --> 00:10:38,348 BENEDICT: A confusing man-made maze. 114 00:10:41,891 --> 00:10:44,061 But hidden away behind its walls, 115 00:10:47,188 --> 00:10:48,358 there are animals 116 00:10:48,606 --> 00:10:51,566 who've learned to navigate this urban jungle. 117 00:10:54,695 --> 00:10:59,075 This buff-tailed bumblebee is about to embark on a royal mission... 118 00:11:01,535 --> 00:11:03,745 to find food for the queen's larvae 119 00:11:04,705 --> 00:11:07,205 and secure the future of the colony. 120 00:11:14,632 --> 00:11:16,342 Easier said than done. 121 00:11:16,926 --> 00:11:18,256 (BUZZES) 122 00:11:18,969 --> 00:11:22,849 BENEDICT: Confusing concrete corridors could be hard to navigate. 123 00:11:26,060 --> 00:11:27,310 But not for her. 124 00:11:29,814 --> 00:11:31,574 Like a London cab driver, 125 00:11:32,066 --> 00:11:33,566 she's got the knowledge. 126 00:11:33,818 --> 00:11:35,438 (MUFFLED CHATTER) 127 00:11:35,569 --> 00:11:38,819 BENEDICT: She knows the landmarks to build a mental map of the streets. 128 00:11:39,990 --> 00:11:42,660 Though some things in this city never stay put. 129 00:11:50,501 --> 00:11:54,421 But it takes more than a little traffic to stop this busy bee. 130 00:11:56,632 --> 00:12:00,472 She travels up to seven miles on her daily commute in search of nectar. 131 00:12:01,137 --> 00:12:02,717 -(BUZZES) -(BIRDS CHIRPING) 132 00:12:02,930 --> 00:12:04,560 BENEDICT: And this is where she finds it: 133 00:12:06,559 --> 00:12:10,399 one of three million gardens that make up a quarter of the city. 134 00:12:12,857 --> 00:12:14,977 And it's in full bloom. 135 00:12:16,277 --> 00:12:18,487 (BUZZES) 136 00:12:18,904 --> 00:12:23,124 BENEDICT: Thousands of lenses in her eyes detect the shape and color 137 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:24,540 of nectar-rich flowers. 138 00:12:26,996 --> 00:12:28,536 And ultraviolet vision, 139 00:12:29,373 --> 00:12:31,793 reveals secret patterns in the petals. 140 00:12:37,089 --> 00:12:39,009 But another bee's already been here. 141 00:12:40,926 --> 00:12:43,046 So, to target untapped plants, 142 00:12:44,555 --> 00:12:46,925 she tunes into an invisible force. 143 00:12:50,770 --> 00:12:54,480 As bees fly, they gain a positive charge from the atmosphere, 144 00:12:58,360 --> 00:12:59,400 but flowers 145 00:13:00,446 --> 00:13:01,696 are negatively charged. 146 00:13:03,991 --> 00:13:06,661 So, when a positive bee visits a negative flower, 147 00:13:06,827 --> 00:13:09,117 it briefly alters the electric field. 148 00:13:10,831 --> 00:13:12,251 (ELECTRICITY ZAPPING) 149 00:13:12,374 --> 00:13:15,294 BENEDICT: Hairs on her legs detect these changes. 150 00:13:19,298 --> 00:13:22,588 Ensuring she strikes gold every time. 151 00:13:26,764 --> 00:13:29,604 But her journey has just begun. 152 00:13:30,267 --> 00:13:32,307 (BUZZES) 153 00:13:37,733 --> 00:13:40,153 BENEDICT: She's called a worker bee for a reason. 154 00:13:43,405 --> 00:13:46,735 She'll visit up to 5,000 flowers a day. 155 00:13:51,372 --> 00:13:53,922 Then, remembering every twist and turn, 156 00:13:55,334 --> 00:13:57,594 she carries her own body weight in pollen 157 00:13:57,837 --> 00:14:00,127 and nectar, all the way back to the nest. 158 00:14:03,592 --> 00:14:07,262 A royal delivery for queen and colony. 159 00:14:13,102 --> 00:14:16,692 While many animals undertake a testing daily commute, 160 00:14:20,234 --> 00:14:23,454 others embark on epic migrations 161 00:14:24,864 --> 00:14:27,414 that take months to complete. 162 00:14:30,828 --> 00:14:32,498 Winter is coming. 163 00:14:34,665 --> 00:14:36,415 Days are getting shorter. 164 00:14:38,836 --> 00:14:40,666 Food is running out. 165 00:14:50,014 --> 00:14:52,984 Bad news for a young humpback whale. 166 00:15:04,445 --> 00:15:07,485 He arrived in Antarctica with his mother, 167 00:15:09,199 --> 00:15:13,499 but now he's left all alone in this vast ocean. 168 00:15:16,874 --> 00:15:19,344 And soon he must embark 169 00:15:19,835 --> 00:15:23,585 on one of the longest migrations of any mammal. 170 00:15:26,050 --> 00:15:31,430 Swimming 80 miles a day to reach warm waters further north. 171 00:15:35,100 --> 00:15:39,100 But how to navigate 3,000 miles through a featureless ocean, 172 00:15:39,647 --> 00:15:42,687 with strong currents that could push him off-course? 173 00:15:47,029 --> 00:15:48,489 To stay on-track, 174 00:15:48,989 --> 00:15:52,909 he tunes into a mysterious planetary phenomenon. 175 00:16:05,130 --> 00:16:09,340 As charged particles from the sun hit the Earth's atmosphere, 176 00:16:10,636 --> 00:16:13,386 they illuminate the southern skies... 177 00:16:17,977 --> 00:16:21,267 but there's more to this heavenly display than meets the eye. 178 00:16:23,107 --> 00:16:27,987 The Aurora Australis reveals Earth's magnetic field, 179 00:16:29,071 --> 00:16:32,741 an invisible force scientists believe whales can sense 180 00:16:33,242 --> 00:16:36,122 using magnetic particles in their brains. 181 00:16:37,871 --> 00:16:40,331 (BELLOWS) 182 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:45,500 BENEDICT: This internal compass keeps the humpback on course, 183 00:16:45,963 --> 00:16:48,093 accurate to one degree. 184 00:16:52,594 --> 00:16:57,564 But it leads him out into the open ocean where the fish and crustaceans he eats 185 00:16:57,683 --> 00:16:59,353 are hard to find. 186 00:17:03,105 --> 00:17:05,975 It's been weeks since he last ate. 187 00:17:11,864 --> 00:17:13,074 But then... 188 00:17:13,198 --> 00:17:15,028 (DISTANT WHALE CALL) 189 00:17:15,409 --> 00:17:16,989 ...he hears something. 190 00:17:20,873 --> 00:17:22,503 (DISTANT WHALE CALL) 191 00:17:22,583 --> 00:17:25,093 BENEDICT: Using his body like a giant microphone, 192 00:17:26,336 --> 00:17:29,166 sound vibrations rush through his skeleton, 193 00:17:30,340 --> 00:17:31,760 straight to his head. 194 00:17:34,344 --> 00:17:38,564 The welcome calls of other whales, hundreds of miles away. 195 00:17:44,813 --> 00:17:47,613 He homes in on a growing barrage of sound. 196 00:17:51,820 --> 00:17:55,370 Finally, five weeks after leaving Antarctica, 197 00:17:56,241 --> 00:17:59,871 he joins hundreds with other whales for a monster feast. 198 00:18:06,085 --> 00:18:09,165 One of the largest humpback gatherings on the planets, 199 00:18:10,547 --> 00:18:12,217 there are hundreds of them. 200 00:18:19,181 --> 00:18:24,021 This annual assembly has only recently been discovered. 201 00:18:25,354 --> 00:18:29,944 (WHALES CALLING) 202 00:18:31,485 --> 00:18:33,985 BENEDICT: Three miles off the coast of Africa, 203 00:18:34,071 --> 00:18:36,121 strong currents create an upwelling 204 00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:40,120 of nutrients and an explosion of life. 205 00:18:44,540 --> 00:18:46,130 In a single mouthful, 206 00:18:46,750 --> 00:18:49,380 he swallows thousands of fish and shrimp, 207 00:18:51,922 --> 00:18:54,302 150,000 calories, 208 00:18:55,551 --> 00:18:59,221 that's the equivalent of 600 chocolate bars. 209 00:19:02,850 --> 00:19:04,180 Once fully fed, 210 00:19:05,144 --> 00:19:06,694 he must leave his friends 211 00:19:07,563 --> 00:19:09,653 and head off alone 212 00:19:10,691 --> 00:19:14,191 to complete his epic journey north. 213 00:19:18,073 --> 00:19:20,203 (BELLOWS) 214 00:19:20,617 --> 00:19:24,407 BENEDICT: There are animals with the power to travel right across the globe, 215 00:19:25,455 --> 00:19:30,285 but the most intrepid of all is a creature you'd never expect. 216 00:19:36,425 --> 00:19:38,135 The British countryside... 217 00:19:38,302 --> 00:19:40,802 (BIRDS CHIRPING) 218 00:19:43,098 --> 00:19:46,228 ...home to a baby cupboard spider, 219 00:19:52,566 --> 00:19:55,356 no bigger than a pinhead. 220 00:20:00,324 --> 00:20:03,994 She's got about 200 brothers and sisters. 221 00:20:11,251 --> 00:20:16,381 And her siblings have some truly appalling table manners. 222 00:20:18,967 --> 00:20:20,507 These spiderlings 223 00:20:21,678 --> 00:20:22,888 are cannibals. 224 00:20:27,517 --> 00:20:31,897 (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING) 225 00:20:39,529 --> 00:20:43,739 BENEDICT: This is one family meal you don't want to hang around for. 226 00:20:49,498 --> 00:20:52,208 Better get away as fast 227 00:20:52,918 --> 00:20:54,378 and as far as she can. 228 00:21:03,178 --> 00:21:04,388 The trouble is 229 00:21:05,055 --> 00:21:07,845 her siblings have the same plan. 230 00:21:08,725 --> 00:21:12,595 (MUSIC CONTINUES) 231 00:21:15,023 --> 00:21:17,993 BENEDICT: And she just ran out of road. 232 00:21:21,738 --> 00:21:23,988 But when it comes to great escapes, 233 00:21:24,658 --> 00:21:27,788 this spider has an extraordinary skill. 234 00:21:30,747 --> 00:21:32,667 (ELECTRICITY ZAPS) 235 00:21:32,874 --> 00:21:36,344 BENEDICT: She fires out negatively charged silk thread 236 00:21:37,796 --> 00:21:40,216 into the positively charged atmosphere. 237 00:21:44,803 --> 00:21:46,813 Opposites forces attract, 238 00:21:49,891 --> 00:21:51,231 pulling her up, 239 00:21:53,520 --> 00:21:54,690 up 240 00:21:56,356 --> 00:21:57,436 and away. 241 00:22:01,862 --> 00:22:03,202 Heading high, 242 00:22:04,948 --> 00:22:06,698 riding the wind, 243 00:22:08,201 --> 00:22:10,411 even cruising the jet stream, 244 00:22:12,372 --> 00:22:14,922 she can travel for thousands of miles. 245 00:22:22,424 --> 00:22:23,884 By ballooning, 246 00:22:24,384 --> 00:22:27,434 they've colonized every corner of the Earth. 247 00:22:32,768 --> 00:22:34,518 At the mercy of the wind, 248 00:22:35,437 --> 00:22:38,857 she has no control over where she touches down. 249 00:22:45,572 --> 00:22:48,032 But weighing less than a grain of sand, 250 00:22:49,326 --> 00:22:50,986 she doesn't even break the surface. 251 00:23:01,838 --> 00:23:05,048 She just deploys her magical silk once more, 252 00:23:08,387 --> 00:23:10,807 and kitesurfs to safety. 253 00:23:17,521 --> 00:23:20,821 A new place she can call home. 254 00:23:31,993 --> 00:23:35,463 One animal's journey is all about timing. 255 00:23:36,790 --> 00:23:39,210 Waiting for the planets to align 256 00:23:40,252 --> 00:23:42,752 so it can transcend from one world 257 00:23:44,339 --> 00:23:45,759 to another. 258 00:23:51,263 --> 00:23:53,643 A three-foot-long epaulette shark 259 00:23:55,725 --> 00:23:58,345 may not seem the most adventurous traveler.... 260 00:24:03,108 --> 00:24:06,488 He rarely even strays far from his patch of reef. 261 00:24:16,163 --> 00:24:18,373 But on some special nights, 262 00:24:21,001 --> 00:24:25,591 heavenly bodies turn his world upside down. 263 00:24:28,508 --> 00:24:30,048 At full moon, 264 00:24:30,802 --> 00:24:35,182 a spring tide pulls billions of gallons of water off the reef, 265 00:24:43,482 --> 00:24:45,112 stranding creatures 266 00:24:45,275 --> 00:24:48,105 in a maze of tidal pools. 267 00:24:51,781 --> 00:24:53,071 Or worse. 268 00:24:58,747 --> 00:25:00,117 Left high and dry, 269 00:25:00,749 --> 00:25:03,079 a fish out of water soon suffocates. 270 00:25:12,469 --> 00:25:13,509 Unless... 271 00:25:14,513 --> 00:25:15,683 it's a super fish. 272 00:25:19,184 --> 00:25:20,944 A walking shark. 273 00:25:25,440 --> 00:25:27,900 And he's not just saving his skin, 274 00:25:30,487 --> 00:25:31,947 he's on the prowl. 275 00:25:34,783 --> 00:25:37,373 Heading towards rich hunting pools 276 00:25:40,789 --> 00:25:43,539 full of prey trapped by the tide. 277 00:25:47,170 --> 00:25:50,510 Forcing a jet of water through his muscular gills, 278 00:25:51,049 --> 00:25:53,889 he hoovers up his cornered victims. 279 00:26:15,073 --> 00:26:17,413 But he's caught in a race against time. 280 00:26:31,506 --> 00:26:34,966 Oxygen levels in the pool are falling fast. 281 00:26:39,055 --> 00:26:41,385 Pretty soon, he'll run out of energy. 282 00:26:44,269 --> 00:26:46,349 With an hour till the tide returns, 283 00:26:47,272 --> 00:26:48,732 he's close to death. 284 00:26:57,282 --> 00:27:03,622 But these extreme conditions trigger an extraordinary physiological response. 285 00:27:06,249 --> 00:27:07,749 Slowing his breathing, 286 00:27:09,461 --> 00:27:11,211 reducing his heart rate, 287 00:27:13,131 --> 00:27:15,761 even shutting down part of his brain. 288 00:27:18,136 --> 00:27:19,216 He enters 289 00:27:19,929 --> 00:27:21,809 a self-induced coma.... 290 00:27:27,520 --> 00:27:29,230 One last breath, 291 00:27:29,981 --> 00:27:32,781 and he can survive for an hour. 292 00:27:39,324 --> 00:27:40,584 But after that, 293 00:27:41,493 --> 00:27:42,743 his time is up. 294 00:27:47,248 --> 00:27:50,168 Finally, the tide turns, 295 00:27:52,629 --> 00:27:55,469 immersing him in oxygen-rich waters. 296 00:28:02,013 --> 00:28:04,063 A miraculous resurrection. 297 00:28:12,649 --> 00:28:15,319 Perhaps the most impossible journeys of all 298 00:28:15,860 --> 00:28:18,700 are made by those who can't even move. 299 00:28:24,327 --> 00:28:26,617 The secret to how plants spread 300 00:28:28,540 --> 00:28:30,040 is seeds. 301 00:28:34,421 --> 00:28:36,801 All the ingredients for new life, 302 00:28:37,882 --> 00:28:39,432 packed and ready to go. 303 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:44,180 Some have evolved explosive mechanisms... 304 00:28:44,848 --> 00:28:46,138 (EXPLODES) 305 00:28:46,391 --> 00:28:48,691 ...others harness the wind. 306 00:28:53,773 --> 00:28:55,363 But one cunning plant 307 00:28:56,484 --> 00:28:58,904 simply makes someone else do all the legwork. 308 00:29:04,117 --> 00:29:07,907 A female dung beetle on the African plains. 309 00:29:11,624 --> 00:29:15,174 There's only one thing that will make her go to extraordinary lengths: 310 00:29:15,920 --> 00:29:17,170 (STOMACH GRUMBLES) 311 00:29:21,801 --> 00:29:25,601 the sweet scent of antelope droppings. 312 00:29:27,599 --> 00:29:29,519 Perfect food for her young. 313 00:29:32,687 --> 00:29:34,227 Using her antennae, 314 00:29:36,608 --> 00:29:39,238 she selects the juiciest morsel. 315 00:29:42,113 --> 00:29:43,493 It smells like it, 316 00:29:48,203 --> 00:29:49,453 it looks like it, 317 00:29:55,376 --> 00:29:57,246 it even rolls like it. 318 00:30:00,924 --> 00:30:03,514 But this poop is an imposter. 319 00:30:06,638 --> 00:30:09,098 It's so convincingly like the real thing; 320 00:30:09,682 --> 00:30:11,642 she's prepared to fight for it. 321 00:30:31,579 --> 00:30:35,669 Victorious, she heads off to stash her prize away 322 00:30:35,750 --> 00:30:36,960 from the competition. 323 00:30:41,089 --> 00:30:43,469 But she's been duped. 324 00:30:45,802 --> 00:30:48,012 She thinks she's hiding it, 325 00:30:49,889 --> 00:30:52,519 but really she's planting it. 326 00:30:56,563 --> 00:30:58,613 She's nothing more than a vehicle 327 00:30:59,649 --> 00:31:01,319 in the incredible adventure 328 00:31:02,277 --> 00:31:04,277 of the cunning elephant reed. 329 00:31:15,164 --> 00:31:18,714 One animal traveler takes the journey of a lifetime, 330 00:31:19,836 --> 00:31:22,916 just to get back to where it started. 331 00:31:29,137 --> 00:31:30,347 This nymph 332 00:31:31,055 --> 00:31:33,885 has been hanging out in a Hungarian riverbed. 333 00:31:36,936 --> 00:31:38,856 For the last three years, 334 00:31:39,772 --> 00:31:41,232 she's been building strength 335 00:31:42,066 --> 00:31:44,236 for an incredible journey. 336 00:31:47,155 --> 00:31:49,565 When the water temperature is just right, 337 00:31:56,039 --> 00:31:58,119 she departs one world 338 00:31:59,626 --> 00:32:02,496 to enter another. 339 00:32:06,841 --> 00:32:09,761 It's a magical transformation. 340 00:32:14,140 --> 00:32:16,140 A mayfly is born. 341 00:32:17,602 --> 00:32:20,862 -And not just one... -(CHIRPING) 342 00:32:21,564 --> 00:32:23,944 ...thousands emerge every minute. 343 00:32:24,609 --> 00:32:28,989 (CHIRPING) 344 00:32:40,291 --> 00:32:42,381 BENEDICT: Though many are eaten by predators, 345 00:32:45,213 --> 00:32:47,223 there is safety in numbers. 346 00:32:51,719 --> 00:32:55,139 But numbers soon become her greatest challenge. 347 00:32:57,225 --> 00:32:59,845 She's mobbed by an army of male suitors. 348 00:33:06,526 --> 00:33:10,146 Weighed down with 8,000 fertilized eggs, 349 00:33:10,989 --> 00:33:12,659 she needs to lay soon. 350 00:33:16,202 --> 00:33:19,162 This is the best place for her young to grow 351 00:33:20,915 --> 00:33:22,285 but if she laid here, 352 00:33:22,792 --> 00:33:24,792 the current would carry her eggs away. 353 00:33:28,631 --> 00:33:31,091 She has to make it further upstream. 354 00:33:42,311 --> 00:33:45,691 Her polarized vision picks up light reflecting off the river. 355 00:33:47,108 --> 00:33:50,948 A shimmering path leading to her final destination. 356 00:33:54,240 --> 00:33:57,290 In just a few hours, she travels six miles. 357 00:33:58,953 --> 00:34:01,043 (WINGS FLUTTERING) 358 00:34:01,289 --> 00:34:05,129 BENEDICT: Close to death, she reaches the same stretch of river 359 00:34:05,418 --> 00:34:07,088 where her life began. 360 00:34:09,922 --> 00:34:12,132 The perfect place to lay 361 00:34:13,259 --> 00:34:15,259 so her eggs can drift downstream 362 00:34:15,970 --> 00:34:18,510 and hatch in exactly the same spot 363 00:34:19,057 --> 00:34:20,267 where she grew up. 364 00:34:24,687 --> 00:34:26,307 As her life ends, 365 00:34:27,190 --> 00:34:28,520 others begin. 366 00:34:32,653 --> 00:34:35,363 Now, her offspring start their own voyage 367 00:34:37,158 --> 00:34:40,498 all the way back to where it began. 368 00:34:52,381 --> 00:34:54,301 When starting a new journey, 369 00:34:55,760 --> 00:34:57,850 sometimes it's the first step 370 00:34:59,597 --> 00:35:02,307 that's the most terrifying of all. 371 00:35:06,646 --> 00:35:09,226 After 20 hours trying to break free... 372 00:35:09,774 --> 00:35:11,534 (CRACKS) 373 00:35:19,408 --> 00:35:24,158 ...a guillemot chick's first view of the world is this... 374 00:35:24,580 --> 00:35:27,880 (BIRDS SQUAWKING) 375 00:35:33,714 --> 00:35:36,764 BENEDICT: 1,000 feet up. 376 00:35:39,345 --> 00:35:42,385 It's like peering off the top of the Empire State Building. 377 00:35:46,727 --> 00:35:49,727 But why be born in such a dangerous place? 378 00:35:53,192 --> 00:35:57,282 This Icelandic cliff is inaccessible to most predators. 379 00:35:58,364 --> 00:36:00,124 A safe haven to grow up in. 380 00:36:01,284 --> 00:36:03,044 But in just three weeks, 381 00:36:03,244 --> 00:36:05,204 it will be time to leave the nest. 382 00:36:06,372 --> 00:36:09,632 And this chick will face a life-or-death decision. 383 00:36:14,505 --> 00:36:17,255 Her bond with her parents is already strong. 384 00:36:19,510 --> 00:36:22,220 It started long before she even hatched. 385 00:36:24,098 --> 00:36:27,018 Responding to her first gentle calls, 386 00:36:28,519 --> 00:36:30,729 -her parents talked to her... -(BIRD SQUAWKS) 387 00:36:30,897 --> 00:36:32,567 ...inside the egg. 388 00:36:33,149 --> 00:36:35,939 (BIRDS SQUAWKING) 389 00:36:38,029 --> 00:36:40,739 -(MUFFLED SQUAWK) -These early conversations 390 00:36:42,074 --> 00:36:46,624 ensured the newborn already recognizes and trusts Mom and Dad. 391 00:36:48,664 --> 00:36:52,424 (SQUAWKING) 392 00:36:55,588 --> 00:36:58,378 BENEDICT: Her parents work tirelessly to feed her up 393 00:36:58,841 --> 00:37:01,051 in preparation for the journey ahead. 394 00:37:06,057 --> 00:37:07,477 But as the weeks pass, 395 00:37:08,017 --> 00:37:11,017 it gets harder to satisfy her growing appetite. 396 00:37:18,986 --> 00:37:20,236 (SQUAWKS) 397 00:37:23,115 --> 00:37:26,115 BENEDICT: And now this clifftop home that protected her 398 00:37:26,953 --> 00:37:28,503 has been discovered... 399 00:37:30,957 --> 00:37:32,377 by ravens. 400 00:37:32,750 --> 00:37:35,210 (SQUAWKING) 401 00:37:35,544 --> 00:37:38,304 BENEDICT: Predators kill up to 70 percent of chicks 402 00:37:39,966 --> 00:37:43,216 and parents are almost defenseless against the threat. 403 00:37:46,138 --> 00:37:48,888 This time, the chick gets lucky. 404 00:37:52,144 --> 00:37:55,234 But she needs to leave before the ravens return. 405 00:38:01,195 --> 00:38:02,355 The problem is, 406 00:38:03,281 --> 00:38:04,991 without adult feathers, 407 00:38:05,700 --> 00:38:06,830 she can't fly. 408 00:38:15,710 --> 00:38:19,670 Her father encourages her to jump. 409 00:38:20,256 --> 00:38:22,586 (SQUAWKING) 410 00:38:23,384 --> 00:38:26,934 It's a vertical drop of more than one-hundred stories.... 411 00:38:37,648 --> 00:38:40,108 Trusting him completely, 412 00:38:40,693 --> 00:38:43,653 the chick takes a leap of faith.... 413 00:38:44,447 --> 00:38:46,527 (SQUAWKS) 414 00:38:54,540 --> 00:38:58,090 (TENSE MUSIC PLAYING) 415 00:39:06,510 --> 00:39:08,720 The chicks flapping seems futile. 416 00:39:15,603 --> 00:39:18,863 But it's just enough to slow her down 417 00:39:20,316 --> 00:39:23,106 and steer her away from the jagged rocks. 418 00:39:23,652 --> 00:39:26,242 (MUSIC CONTINUES) 419 00:39:49,345 --> 00:39:52,255 Her downy feathers soften the landing. 420 00:39:55,226 --> 00:39:59,226 This seemingly impossible journey is vital to her survival. 421 00:39:59,605 --> 00:40:01,145 (CHIRPING) 422 00:40:01,273 --> 00:40:05,403 BENEDICT: Now out at sea, Dad can lead her to food. 423 00:40:11,409 --> 00:40:13,409 She will face many more obstacles, 424 00:40:14,995 --> 00:40:16,995 but with extraordinary bravery, 425 00:40:17,998 --> 00:40:19,128 she can make it through. 426 00:40:21,252 --> 00:40:24,762 (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) 427 00:40:36,142 --> 00:40:38,852 BENEDICT: When animals can tap into remarkable senses 428 00:40:41,021 --> 00:40:42,771 and supernatural skills... 429 00:40:47,027 --> 00:40:48,357 crossing the globe, 430 00:40:50,739 --> 00:40:52,699 even moving between worlds 431 00:40:54,368 --> 00:40:55,368 to find a mate, 432 00:40:57,288 --> 00:40:58,328 safety 433 00:40:59,081 --> 00:41:00,251 and food, 434 00:41:01,333 --> 00:41:04,173 they become truly unstoppable. 435 00:41:05,713 --> 00:41:07,723 If you think you know nature, 436 00:41:09,717 --> 00:41:11,007 think again. 437 00:41:12,470 --> 00:41:17,390 (THEME MUSIC PLAYING) 438 00:41:35,534 --> 00:41:37,544 (THEME MUSIC ENDS)