Animal Parents of the Arctic Full Episode Incredible Animal Journeys Nat Geo

♪ ♪ The Arctic is tough place to be parent; even tougher when you have to lead your family on an epic journey just to survive. ♪ ♪ 40 degrees below. All too tempting to stay in. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Mom can't afford to get too cozy, though. After nursing for three months and losing two pounds of fat every day, she's starving. ♪ ♪ But breakfast is over 100 miles away, out on the Hudson Bay sea ice. Leave too soon, and her puppy-size cubs will struggle to keep up. But if she doesn't get to eat, none of them stand chance. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ With the arrival of the spring sun, she makes her move. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ She leads them into world of new sights... sounds... and scares. ♪ ♪ One day they'll grow up to be the world's most powerful land predator. But not today. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ As single mom, her job is to keep them safe on the most dangerous journey of their lives. ♪ ♪ Approaching the coast, she's on high alert. ♪ ♪ This is wolf territory. ♪ ♪ Packs patrol the shores of Canada's Hudson Bay and could target polar bear cubs. ♪ ♪ Mom's incredible sense of smell helps her pick up their scent from over five miles away... ♪ ♪ ...giving her cubs crucial head start. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Her years of experience have helped them sneak through enemy lines. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ She's made it to the frozen ocean. Ahead, four-month journey out onto the sea ice. She sets course northeast, cubs safely in tow... ...to find her first meal in eight months. ♪ ♪ Nothing is easy here in the Arctic. ♪ ♪ Polar parents must make incredible journeys, teaching their young how to make it through, all racing to make the most of the short Arctic summer in world that's changing faster than ever before. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ While some parents are just setting out, others are ending long winter on the move. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ This male arctic fox has spent the last six months... alone. He really goes the distance when food is in short supply. One even clocked more than 1,000 miles in just over two months. ♪ ♪ This little guy has been surviving off his street smarts. You can't be too careful when you're only 12 inches tall. In the Arctic, even leftovers are reason to celebrate. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ With spring in the air, he's heading home to reunite with his lifelong mate. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ They've spent the long winter apart, searching for food. ♪ ♪ He must find her if there's any hope of starting family. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Maybe she hasn't survived the winter. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ there she is. ♪ ♪ Together again. Time to get on with the business of becoming mom and dad and to raise their litter of pups before the end of summer. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ The top of the world at the end of winter. ♪ ♪ In Alaska's extreme north, three-year-old caribou is starting her own journey to become parent. Five months pregnant, she's scraping by on diet of frozen lichen. ♪ ♪ Life as caribou is never lonely. ♪ ♪ She's one of 100,000-strong herd, sticking close together for good reason. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ She has her own wolves to contend with. The pack has had long, tough winter as well, and they're hungry. ♪ ♪ To avoid becoming their next meal, she must stay vigilant. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ She sounds the alarm. ♪ ♪ Heavily pregnant, she can't risk getting left behind. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ The wolves' strategy is to run them into the ground. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Those that stumble won't last long. ♪ ♪ One caribou can keep the pack fed for days. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Safely tucked within the herd, she sets off on 300-mile trek... ♪ ♪ ...scaling the mighty Brooks Range. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ At 9,000 feet, the Arctic's highest mountains. ♪ ♪ She needs to make it to the rich grasslands of the north... ♪ ♪ ...where she can raise her unborn calf. The polar bear mom already has two hungry mouths to feed. ♪ ♪ The next four months are make or break. ♪ ♪ If she doesn't find enough to eat, her cubs might not see their first birthday. ♪ ♪ But this ice bear is in her element. Over the spring and summer, she'll lead her cubs nearly 2,000 miles across the frozen Hudson Bay to find the food that they need to survive. ♪ ♪ Sea ice forms the perfect hunting ground. She can smell seal from 20 miles away. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Success relies on patience... ♪ ♪ ...and explosive speed. ♪ ♪ Hunting season is short. ♪ ♪ If she's to get her cubs through the summer, mom must catch every seal she can. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Long days and gentle warmth melt the ice and snow... ♪ ♪ ...transforming the remote Arctic islands of Svalbard. ♪ ♪ The fox couple swap their warm winter whites... ...for cool summer coats. ♪ ♪ And they have five hungry new mouths to feed. Male arctic foxes make the most devoted dads, working tirelessly to put food on the table. The millions of little auks that have crossed the Arctic Ocean to be here could feed his family for months, if he can catch them nesting among the boulders. He's always one step behind. They're giving him the runaround. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ He just can't get his paws on them. To feed his pups, he needs to work smarter, not harder. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ good start. Still not enough for growing family who needs to fatten up over the short summer months. Seasons change fast in the Arctic. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ The caribou mom-to-be is running with her herd... ...following ancient pathways as they have for over 50,000 years. ♪ ♪ Along with half million other females across North America, she's nearing her ancestral calving grounds 300 miles to the north. ♪ ♪ Reaching grasslands packed with superfoods... ...just when she needs them most. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ She's eating for two. Her newborn calf, just days old. She's totally dependent on her mom. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Soon, she'll need to lead this little one across thousands of miles of tundra. But first... ♪ ♪ ...her calf has to find her snow legs. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ And just in time. ♪ ♪ Trouble's brewing beneath their feet. ♪ ♪ Mosquitoes that spend the winter in state of suspended animation under the snow are emerging. As the planet warms, an earlier spring supercharges the swarm. Caribou can lose half pint of blood in day. ♪ ♪ One in four calves die during this first month. But mom's been here before and knows way out. ♪ ♪ They join mass exodus... ♪ ♪ ...to the mountains, where cool winds keep biting insects at bay. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ But up here, food is scarce. They can't stay for long. For every Arctic parent, the quest for food can mean life or death. ♪ ♪ Only one of the polar bear's cubs has made it. ♪ ♪ The other, most likely lost to starvation. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Even the most dedicated parent sometimes struggles to provide. ♪ ♪ Mom can't afford to lose them both. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ But her world is melting around her. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ As last resort, she tries to hunt from the water. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Just one in 10 hunts is successful. ♪ ♪ And it's only getting harder. ♪ ♪ With the Arctic warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet, Hudson Bay is melting earlier year on year, shortening her hunting season by up to month. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ It's time to cut their losses and head back to land. ♪ ♪ They walked here, but 100-mile swim for her cub is out of the question. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ So, mom hitches ride on her very own life raft. ♪ ♪ By sensing the movement of the ice, she knows she's heading back to shore. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ chance to lie back and let the current do the work. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ For some Arctic parents, the summer melt is the start of leaner times. But for others, it brings all the food they can eat. The arctic fox dad has his pups to look out for. ♪ ♪ It's why he made his journey to raise them in exactly the right place at exactly the right time. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ High above on the dizzying sea cliffs... ...murre chicks are ready to fledge and about to start their own migration. But at just three weeks old, they still can't fly. Over 1,000 feet up, there's only one way down to the ocean below, nearly half mile away. Their parents believe in tough love. Time for little gentle encouragement. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Out of reach. But over few short days, thousands of first-time skydivers make the leap. Some... ...fall short. This is dad's big chance. ♪ ♪ But with so many to choose from, he doesn't know which way to turn. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ They're faster than they look. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ His pups are relying on him; the pressure is on. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Got one. ♪ ♪ He'll need to catch bird after bird while he can to feed his hungry pups. ♪ ♪ Finally, he's on roll. High above, one of the last to go. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ But dad's right behind him. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Even helping out bit. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Wings found, now he's got to stay on course. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ He's starting 2,000-mile Arctic voyage of his own. There's always one that gets away. ♪ ♪ Every Arctic parent has to do whatever it takes to raise the next generation. The fox dad making sure his pups have enough food to prepare them for their life ahead. ♪ ♪ At the height of summer, the caribou mom is finally within reach of the rich pastures she needs to secure her calf's future. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ But in her way, in the valleys below, rivers swelling with meltwater. It's danger they've not yet had to face together. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Mom knows it's best to stick with the herd, seeking shelter from the current. ♪ ♪ But it's her calf's first time in deep water. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ And this river is powerful. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ It's parent's worst nightmare to lose sight of their child. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Dry land. ♪ ♪ But they're still only halfway across. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ This time, mom sticks close to try and shield her exhausted calf from the current. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Mom is powerless to help. But they've come this far together. She won't give up on her calf now. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Time to pick up the pace and rejoin the safety of the herd. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ There's enough food here to sustain them until the beginning of winter. ♪ ♪ This caribou mom has done her job, teaching her calf how to make journey that will now become her way of life. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ The polar bear mom is also nearing the end of her journey. She's so close, she can smell the land. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Just one more short swim... ...through dangerous waters. ♪ ♪ Heavyweight males have already been forced off the melting ice. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ They're on the lookout for an easy meal, like bear cub. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Luckily, there's something more substantial on the menu. Beluga whales. Every year thousands come to this bay to give birth, feed, and socialize. ♪ ♪ These ingenious bears have learned new hunting technique to make the most of this opportunity. Waiting on giant rocks... ♪ ♪ ...to launch their ambush. It keeps them distracted... ♪ ♪ ...allowing mom and cub to make it to shore. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Her first instinct is to head for the safety of home, back to where it all began. ♪ ♪ But the smell of fresh kill is too much to resist. It forces her to make tough call... ♪ ♪ ...and head into danger. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ She stands her ground... ♪ ♪ ...and steals what could be their last meal in months. ♪ ♪ Now starts the final leg of their journey inland. ♪ ♪ After 2,000-mile trek and teaching her cub how to navigate one of the world's most treacherous landscapes... ♪ ♪ ...she's home. ♪ ♪ Raising family is never easy. ♪ ♪ They'll spend the next two years traveling, facing every challenge together. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ This mom doing everything she can for her cub in one of the toughest places to be parent. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪