Episode 5
Winter
During winter most animals abandon the polar regions, but a few extreme survivors remain. This is the story of their strategies and battles to survive the planet’s harshest weather.
Miniseries
All Episodes
Episode 1
To the Ends of the Earth
October 26, 2011
A survey of the Arctic and Antarctic, discovering magical new ice worlds inhabited by the most extraordinary animal survivors on Earth.
Episode 2
Spring
November 2, 2011
The sun returns after months of darkness, dynamically transforming the landscape. Millions of migrants join the hardy residents as they find mates and begin to breed.
Episode 3
Summer
November 9, 2011
Summer creates a window of opportunity that attracts hordes of visitors who cram a lifetime of drama into a few short months as they feed, fight, and rear their young.
Episode 4
Autumn
November 16, 2011
Polar landscapes are transformed as the big freeze returns. Most animals leave on epic journeys, some now battle to breed, and, for the hardy few, it’s a time of opportunity.
Episode 5
Winter
November 23, 2011
During winter most animals abandon the polar regions, but a few extreme survivors remain. This is the story of their strategies and battles to survive the planet’s harshest weather.
Episode 6
The Last Frontier
November 30, 2011
Humans have no natural protection against the cold of the polar regions. Why, therefore, have we been visiting these remote places for thousands of years; and what keeps us going back today?
Episode 7
On Thin Ice
December 7, 2011
A look at how scientists measure changes in the polar regions and what those changes mean for the animals and people who live there, as well as the rest of the planet.