‘Frozen Planet II’ Recap: ‘Frozen Peaks’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Three of ‘Frozen Planet II’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.

​It is definitely safe to say that the BBC America series, Frozen Planet II, has done a phenomenal job of changing our perceptions regarding how we view life in the coldest regions of our planet, such as the poles. For now, we know, these places aren’t desolate and devastated. They’re teeming with life, and they are full of biomes and eco-systems that function in these cold, cold lands. Which has been fascinating to learn to say the least, and it has undoubtedly left us wondering as to whether or not there are more icy places on Planet Earth, that feature more creatures that have figured out how to survive in an environment that humanity simply cannot. And the next episode in this saga, took the time to inform us… that there most certainly are.
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For around the globe are the tallest of mountains, the kind where the air is thin and where the coldest of temperatures of exist. And these mountain ranges do indeed harbor great life believe it or not, the kind that has also figured out how to survive in these chilly temperatures and inhospitable environments. And ‘Frozen Peaks’ took us through the various big mountain ranges of the world to show us what lives far above our heads, and how the wildlife in these places, combat… some rough conditions. Which for many of these creatures, involves just embracing their instincts, their environment, and their abilities. Take for instance the chameleon that lives in the rocky slopes of Mount Kenya. Since the freezing temps there, force this little lizard to lower its temperature and metabolism to see another day, and its offspring must learn to do the same, on the fly, in order to thrive in this icy world. 

But for a lot of the animals in these places, their ability to survive goes beyond response and adaptation. It’s about how brutal they must be in order to eat and find shelter, and well… that led to some powerful storytelling about how far some of the animals in these places will go to see another sunrise. For instance, in the European Alps, where the cold lasts for half the year… the golden eagle can ill afford mercy or tactfulness in its fight for survival. Which is why these birds of prey, seek out the young of the chamois. For they are lightweight enough that they can be brought down by an adult eagle, and if by chance… they fight back… then the eagle will simply drop them off of a cliff. To ensure the kill and ensure food for themselves and their young, and the brutal nature of life in these icy mountains, doesn’t end there.

For in the icy mountains of Japan, where massive amounts of snow fall on a regular basis, male Japanese macaques can sometimes find themselves in a harrowing position. For now, and again, they will be outcast from their groups and away from the warmth and heat of their group… and the wondrous hot springs they tend to reside within when the snow is at its thickest, and if they cannot find shelter and/or the warmth of others… they will perish in the desolate cold. Not to mention something as simple as ice can threaten. Since the flamingos in the Andes, sometimes struggle with ice accumulating on their feathers in the very waters where they nurse their young. Giving rise to more loss and more threatening conditions since that ice doesn’t just melt off when a flamingo takes flight. All of which made it clear… that while life does indeed thrive in these places… it can only do so in the most savage ways imaginable.

All of which serves to remind us, that our world is vastly different from the natural world. For we aren’t out there… mercilessly crafting our next meal or fighting for warmth and well… that reality definitely provides one with respect and gratitude. Because life out there can be quite brutal in nature, and now we know what it takes to survive in the icy wilderness of the mountains that surround us, and that revelation also tends to leave us in awe. Of nature’s resilience and its ability to thrive in even the harshest of conditions. And now that we’ve come to learn what life looks like in the frozen peaks of our world, it will be fascinating to see how life continues along in the other icy corners of the planet that serve as home for the heartiest and bravest creatures of the world. Until next time.  

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