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Planet Earth DVD Episode Guide - Episode 2 - Mountains


The second episode of the Planet Earth DVD set focuses on the Earth’s many mountains. Extensive aerial photography was used by the show’s creators to explore all the main ranges. Ethiopia’s Erta Ale, the longest erupting volcano (for over 100 years) in the world is among the mountains shown. Nearby in the highlands, geladas, the only primate whose diet consists almost entirely of grass, are shown inhabiting the slopes nearly 3 miles up. The most numerous of their kind, the Geladas troop numbers 800 members. Contrasted with the numbers of Geladas is the critically endangered Walia Ibex, which lives alongside them. Both the Geladas and the Ibex must be on a constant lookout for the predatory Ethiopian wolves which share the area.

Far away in the Andes, which have the most volatile weather on earth, Guanacos are shown enduring a flash blizzard, a plight shared by a group of puma. Filming the normally solitary Puma in a group was one of the large accomplishments of the Planet Earth series. Once again changing locations, the Alpine summit of the Matterhorn is shown, to sheer in many places to allow snow to cover its flanks.

Also seen in episode 2 of the Planet Earth series is footage of grizzly cubs emerging from their den for the first time in the Rocky Mountains. Meanwhile in the Himalayan range, footage is shown of rutting Markhor, a rare snow leopard and golden eagles hunting migrating Demoiselle Cranes.
East of the Himilayan range, the first ever footage of a newborn giant panda is shown as it is cradled by its mother. A creature of minuscule proportions when compared to the 43 mile long expanse of the Baltoro glacier in Pakistan.

Post adapted from Wikipedia. Content is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
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