Nature - The Dark: Natures Nighttime World: Patagonian Mountains

The expedition moves to the southern tip of South America for the final programme. They base themselves in Torres del Paine National Park in Chilean Patagonia, home to the highest density of pumas in the world. Voirin and Evans track the big cats on foot and by car, and film them hunting guanaco, feeding and playing at night. McGavin leaves Patagonia to investigate the mystery of a colony of vampire bats on an island off the coast of northern Chile. He locates the bat colony in a cave and attaches a radio transmitter to one of the animals. The signal leads the team to a sea lion colony where Darlington films the bats biting and feeding on the sea lions. Buchanan films humpback whales in the Magellan Straits, revealing how they come so close to shore at night. He suggests that the whales are escaping the strong currents by wrapping themselves in kelp fronds, allowing them to sleep. The episode was produced and directed by Susanna Handslip.