Life at the Limits

Episode 2

Hot and Cold

Orangutans forage early in the day inside the rainforests of Sumatra - before the heat becomes unbearable. When the sun reaches its zenith all activity stops and the primates retreat to their shady nests below the canopy to wait out the heat. Winter in northern Yukon Territory - a frozen white landscape stretches into the distance. But high up on the Arctic Circle, one unique river still flows - because it's fed by an underground spring. Chum salmon exploit this anomaly. They travel thousands of kilometres to spawn here - later than anywhere else. And grizzlies ...

Episode 3

High and Low

The highest and the lowest places of our planet also offer niches where life thrives. High up in the Alps, animals have developed particular strategies to survive. Short, hot summers follow long, hard winters - seasonal extremes that test the endurance of Alpine inhabitants. Sri Lanka's cloud forests are home to an army of specialists. At 1,500 metres above sea level the forests are high enough to bring winter frosts. While life in higher altitudes often is accompanied by coldness and a lack of oxygen, animals and plants that prefer the sweet life at sea level must ...