Home at the End of the Earth (Full Episode) | Incredible Animal Journeys | Nat Geo Animals

The seas that surround Antarctica are the roughest on our planet. But there are those here who will go to the ends of the earth to make it home. This female rockhopper penguin is on a thousand-mile endurance swim, back to the place where she was born. Traveling in a raft of other females, all on a quest to breed. It's her first time finding a mate. And ahead of her, on the Falkland Islands, the males are already staking out the best nesting sites. [chirping] With such a small dating pool... [squawk] ...she has no time to waste. There's just one problem. Getting to shore safely. The first wave of females make their final approach. Timing is everything. She can't hang back forever. It's time to start her run. But you can't fight the current. Even a penguin can drown. In 20-foot waves, success is half luck and half perseverance. [honking] Battered and bruised, but alive. But her journey is just beginning. And she's not the only one. [honk] Others are also racing to the ends of the earth to make the most of the short summer. [screeching] All on incredible journeys of their own... [squeaking] ...to make their way home. In the vast Southern Ocean, there is one traveler who's mastered these extreme waters. A male wandering albatross. At over 10 feet, he has the largest wingspan of any bird. Riding air currents from the waves that lift him up skywards. And gravity to slingshot him back down. He can soar effortlessly with barely a flap of his wings. This year alone, he's flown over 70,000 miles, circumnavigating Antarctica twice. But he's finally heading home, to the island of South Georgia. With the long winter over, the time has come for him to return to land... ...for love. On the Falkland Islands, the female rockhopper has already swapped her life at sea for a life on land. [warbling] But now she faces an uphill struggle, to reach the colony to find a mate. Following paths carved by generations of tiny footsteps, she begins the 300-foot vertical ascent. It's a big ask for a flightless bird less than two feet tall. Some are still struggling to find their feet. [thud] She's got to nail every landing. Many will fall. Almost there. After spending six long months at sea, there's just one thing left to do: take a trip to the penguin spa. A chance to freshen up before trying to win a mate. But there's a strict pecking order. She hasn't come this far to back down now. [squawking] Standing up for yourself is thirsty work. Shower done and looking her best, the female rockhopper is now ready to find Mr. Right. Hmm. It looks like most males are already spoken for. Perhaps she shouldn't have taken so long in the shower. Well, he could have potential. A perfect match. Now the race really begins. They only have a few months of summer left to raise a family. On the other side of the island, the rockhoppers' neighbors are on their daily commute. And it's rush hour. Gentoo penguins. They may be the fastest penguins in the sea, but they're homebodies. Embracing the surf life. Their journey may be short, but staying close to home comes at a cost. [coo] [heartbeat] It makes them predictable. There are those who have learned to take advantage of this island commute. [gulping] Southern sea lions patrol these waters. And a group of late arrivals are heading straight for them. Working as a team, the sea lions set their ambush in the shallows... ...blocking the path to shore. Sea lions hunting penguins like this has never been filmed before. They single out a penguin from the crowd. With ruthless efficiency, they can catch over 10 penguins a day. One last straggler. Made it. By choosing to stay here year-round, these gentoos will have to run this deadly commute over and over, every day of their lives. South of the Falkland Islands, others are still battling their way home. The male wandering albatross has covered over 3,000 miles in just two weeks. Exactly how he navigates is still a mystery. But he is able to pinpoint a remote island... ...in nearly 8 million square miles of ocean. After almost a year at sea alone... Finally... South Georgia. He's made it... home... to reunite with his soulmate once more. But something's not right. They always meet at the same place, at the same time. She should have made it back by now. [screech] They've been together for over a decade... ...raising a chick every two years in this very nest. But with every passing year... ...fewer females are making it back. Industrial fishing is luring albatross to get snagged on hooks and lines, claiming more and more lives. It is now the greatest single cause of death of wandering albatross. And by fishing closer to the mainland than the males, females have been hit the hardest. All he can do is wait and hope she makes it back. This far south, the stakes are always high. It's been six weeks since the female rockhopper fought her way ashore. But the race to raise her family is far from over. The moment's finally arrived for these proud parents to meet their firstborn. [cooing] [chirp] Blind and defenseless, he's utterly dependent on mom and dad. [peeping] Southern skuas. The perfect aerial assassin. On constant patrol. Looking for unguarded chicks. [clucking] Almost a third of newborns won't survive. Mom has to stand her ground. They have strength in numbers. This mom won't be beaten. For now, her chick is safe. But mom's life is about to get a whole lot busier. To keep him supplied with enough food, she now begins her own daily commute. Here, even a trip to the store is no walk in the park. For the male wandering albatross, time is running out. It's been almost two weeks, and his mate still hasn't arrived. Partnered for life, he won't give up on her. His hope hasn't been in vain. Finally, after thousands of miles, she's home. With wings this large, you can't land just anywhere. The last leg of her journey will have to be on foot. Just a few more steps. And after almost a year apart, they're together again. [squealing] Dancing as he did when they first met, he reaffirms their bond. [chattering] [beaks clacking] A bond so strong, it can only be called one thing: love. Together they can now begin the greatest journey of them all: raising a family. [penguins chirping] While the albatross have decades to form their bond, rockhoppers live their lives on fast-forward. At almost four weeks old, her chick already weighs 10 times as much as when he hatched. Mom now faces a relentless race to satisfy his growing appetite. It's takeout on a whole other level. But there comes a time where the only way to keep up is for both parents to go fishing, leaving him home alone. And ravenous. Maybe the neighbors have snacks. When you're this hungry, you'll eat anything. Well, almost anything. Where there's chicks, there's food. But in this part of town... ...there are no free handouts. He'll just have to learn to be patient. Sometimes it's all a bit too much, and you just want your mom. But she's still out there, somewhere in 1,000 square miles of open ocean. Stretching all the way south, to the ends of the earth, the seas that are among the richest on our planet. And the coldest. Brave few choose to make their home here. Orca. Patrolling these subzero waters year-round has left this family pod with a problem. It's so cold here, they can't shed their skin to stay healthy. Through the summer, yellowy-green algae has coated the surface of their skin. So, they've come up with a remarkable solution. A 6,000-mile round trip to the warmer waters of the tropics... to molt. It's the world's longest migration solely for skincare. But for a calf feeling the itch, that's too long a wait. These resourceful mammals need to look for something closer to home. Using the surface of an iceberg as a scratching post, these clever whales have learned to exfoliate the outer layers of their skin. This behavior is so rarely witnessed, it's never been filmed before. Mom guides her calf in to show her how it's done. It might be satisfying, but it's just a short-term fix. They need to push on north to warmer waters... ...and leave this world of ice behind. By fall, the time has come for families across the far south to leave their summer homes. But some are far from ready to say goodbye. After almost a year apart, time together is precious. [beak clacking] Like us, it can take years for albatross to find their soulmate. And long-distance romances take work. But it's all been worth it. At 75 days, wandering albatross have one of the longest incubations of any bird. Until their egg hatches, they'll have to feed in shifts. But our oceans are more dangerous than ever before. Every goodbye could be his last. And he's gone. Each year, he's having to fly further and further to find enough food... ...testing their relationship to the limit. Failure to provide is now ending more and more of these epic love stories. Back in the rockhopper colony, Mom's work is almost done. While some chicks are in that awkward teenage phase... ...hers is looking sleek, which means only one thing. The time has finally come for a life at sea. Mom leads the way. It's a lot harder than it looks. Not ideal conditions for a first swim. Best to stay close to Mom. Maybe let somebody else go first. All Mom's hard work has been building to this moment. Sometimes tough love is the only way. She'll never see him again. Leaving home always takes a leap of faith. Not a perfect 10, but it'll do. Ahead lies the long journey to the fishing grounds. One day he'll return here to start a family of his own. But this will always be home.