Amid the mountains NEW
What is life like for animals in high altitudes?
The southern Andes mountains in South America are shrouded in darkness for almost 15 hours a day in winter.
Prey is scarce and for the puma living there, the only option is to hunt for 1.5m guanaco in pitch black. In this episode of Frozen Planet II, thermal cameras allow us to follow a one-yearold puma on her third failed hunt of the night. ‘Her inexperience is leaving her close to starvation,’ explains Sir David Attenborough, who narrates the series. ‘If she doesn’t eat in the next few days, she’s unlikely to survive.’
But then the youngster does something quite extraordinary and, despite their reputation as solitary creatures, she persuades another puma to share its kill with her.
Smart solutions
This episode shows how animals across the globe have adapted to the harsh conditions of mountain life.
We see golden eagles that have learnt to throw chamois goats off cliffs and a Japanese macaque whose only chance of survival is to cuddle a fellow outcast.
We also witness how climate change is threatening several species, including giant pandas, who may soon face arduous climbs in order to find cooler climates.
‘It may be that in the next few decades the mountains of the world will warm.
Should that happen, many species will inevitably disappear,’ says Sir David. ‘But we should never forget the versatility and endurance of the animals that have succeeded in colonising these icy idylls of the sky.’