3 highlights to look forward to in the new BBC wildlife series - Patagonia: Earth's Secret Paradise
Starts tonight in the UK on BBC Two - Friday 25 September at 21:00 BST.
(Fans of Strictly Come Dancing - which is on at the same time - you can always catch up with Patagonia on BBC Iplayer!)
(Fans of Strictly Come Dancing - which is on at the same time - you can always catch up with Patagonia on BBC Iplayer!)
This stunning series delves into a rarely seen South American wilderness, home to surprising creatures who survive from the mighty Andes Mountains to Cape Horn - here's just three of them...
1. Pumas - adorable cats that would eat you if they could
(Image: BBC / Rodrigo M)
Pumas are Patagonia’s top predators. But life is tough even for these sleek beasts: these sisters, pictured in Torres del Paine national park, must eventually break their sibling bond to go it alone in the wilderness, hunting prey such as guanacos, lesser rheas and small deer known as pudus to survive. (Descriptions from BBC Earth)
2. Rockhoppers - Funny looking Penguins with the wacky eye brows
(Image: BBC / Evie Wright)
Off the southernmost end of South America, Isla de Los Estados provides a sanctuary of sorts for almost 350,000 breeding rockhopper penguins (Eudyptes chrysocome) each year. Fathers stand guard over their chicks, braving batterings by storms, while mothers leave to find food for their babies. (Descriptions from BBC Earth)
3. Guanacos - Goofy high altitude Llamas
(Image: BBC / Tuppence Stone)
Guanacos, thought to be ancestors of domestic llamas, roam the mountains’ foothills. These hardy but graceful animals are found in arid and semi-arid land habitats, and can thrive at high altitudes of up to 4,000m above sea level (about 13,000ft) as their blood is highly efficient at absorbing oxygen. (Descriptions from BBC Earth)