A century ago, the golden eagle was a rare sight in the Alps and was on the verge of extinction. Nowadays, this bird of prey is better understood and protected and there are some one hundred and fifty birds just in the Karwendal and Northern Tyrol. Our young eagle makes his first kill, and soon his life will change as he must seek out his own hunting territory, alone in this mountain paradise.

Eagle expert Andreas Mayrhofer climbs down to the empty eagle nest, where he will collect evidence of the eagles’ diet and habits. Autumn has arrived, spreading its mellow colors across the Alps. But this is no time to relax, and the eagles’ prey must be ever watchful. An escaped rabbit catches the eye of a hungry eagle.

Biker’s chick is strong enough, but lacks the courage to fly the nest. She must use food to tempt it into flight. The nest will then be empty, and other species can make use of its strength and secure position to raise their broods.

Things are calmer now in the Alps than two and a half million years ago, when the collision of two great continental plates forced them skywards. But even the splendid summer flowers, which bloom briefly in the high pastures, must be able to withstand a sudden outbreak of winter, cold mountain winds and a flurry of snow.

In late summer, the ibex are feeding in the high pastures, preparing for the winter ahead. The young males jostle and clash horns, testing their strength in a series of energetic show fights. As night falls, we catch glimpses of the powerful red deer, and Biker the eagle takes flight in an effort to coax her chick into the air.

In a nearby nest, another pair of eagles have managed to raise two young. But with survival at stake, the younger chick must fend off a vicious assault from its older sibling. Eagle-owls are also nesting on the mountainside. Ducks, hares, rats, hedgehogs, and even ravens make up the diet of these fierce nighttime hunters.

Can planet Earth survive? Can we survive as a species? Changes in population growth could be a key factor to allowing us to prosper and live in harmony with nature once again.

The eagle chick is growing fast and the need for food is constant. The eagles' perfect prey is the marmot, or “groundhog,” whose large fat reserves make it a tasty and nourishing meal. But these cute little mammals are watchful and wary, and have no intention of being on the eagles’ menu today!

Today, planet Earth is in a new era, the Anthroprocene. Humankind has harnessed and exploited Earth’s resources, changing its surface, devastating populations of wild animals, cutting down trillions of trees and leaving very little of what was “wild.” The enormous loss of biodiversity is not sustainable. How can we create a future in which both people and nature can thrive?

Before the global pandemic, activist Alison Teal set off to London to inspire students with her new book Alison's Adventures: Your Passport to the World. While she was there, she worked with local charities to clean up the Thames River!

Many of the world’s glaciers are melting away at an alarming rate due to the effects of global warming. There is little left to show of the once great alpine glacier, The Pasterze, that used to stretch for five kilometres on the slopes of the Grossglockner, Austria’s highest peak. But life goes in the Alps: An eagle chick is hatching from its egg. Small and vulnerable, it will depend entirely on its parents as it begins to grow and investigate its new environment.

As the last of the winter snow melts, fresh mountain meadows are once again revealed, and the animals take their chance to feed. Glacial meltwater flows into torrents, forming streams and rivers. Brightened by rich sediment, they transport vast quantities of gravel downstream, carving new landscapes in their wake.

As spring arrives in the mountains, the first flowers appear with the sun, and the chamois descend the slopes in search of the first few blades of fresh grass. The ravens are feeding a brood of noisy youngsters, and, high up on an unapproachable crag, Biker the eagle sits on her nest.

Under the ice, the water of the Alpine lakes never freezes, and fish can survive the harshness of winter. In February, eels and other fish species are spawning, depositing the eggs that will give life to their next generations. Along fast-flowing mountain streams, ice doesn’t form, and the dipper dives in search of invertebrates, crustaceans, and other tiny prey.

In winter, Europe’s greatest mountain range, the Alps, lies blanketed by snow and ice. For the majestic golden eagles, who make these remote and impressive peaks their home, these are hard times, and food is scarce. But one eagle is lucky: An avalanche results in an unexpected meal.