The great ice-scape
BBC camera crew dig exit ramp for penguins trapped in frozen ravine
decision to dig the birds a snowy escape ramp in temperatures plunging to minus 60C was “unanimous”.
He explained: “We opted to intervene passively. Once we’d dug that little ramp, which took very little time, we left it to the birds. We were elated when they decided to use it.
“There’s no rule book in those situations. You can only respond to the facts that are right there in front of you.
“As you can imagine, we only show a fraction of the real trauma and difficulty that the animals go through – it was a very hard thing to see.”
Lawson said that normally it would be very unusual for humans to help one creature over another.
He added: “What was unique with this was that the only other animal there was us – nothing else would directly benefit from this. I’m sure some people will have an opinion in the other direction but in my heart of hearts I think we made the right decision.”
In Sunday’s episode viewers will see hundreds of endangered emperors grappling with blizzards while going without food for months to protect their eggs.
Lawson said: “Having experienced first hand an element of what they have to endure, I’ve got the most respect for emperor penguins over any other animal I’ve ever filmed or encountered.”
The trio spent 11 months on a German research station where for two months the sun does not rise above the horizon. Lawson said: “When it finally comes back, to see that red orb is really exciting.” ■ Dynasties, Sunday, BBC1, 8pm.