All language subtitles for Wales Land of the Wild 2of4 BBC 1080p_ENG_Subtitles01

Late spring.

The sun has finally started
to warm the land.

This is the loveliest
time of year in Wales.

The whole country
bursts with new growth

and new life.

For wildlife, this should be
the start of the good times.

But in the coming weeks, the growing
young will keep demanding more...

..and predators will
intensify the hunt.

For many animals, this will be
the most critical time of the year.

Wales...

..a land of mountains
and rugged shoreline...

..where lush meadows
border ancient forests...

..and where you're never
too far from wildlife.

Home to 50,000 species -

the spectacular and the surprising.

Each season brings
its own challenges -

finding a mate,

raising a family...

..or simply surviving.

Filmed over a year of extremes...

..through storms...

..and drought...

..and wonder...

..welcome to the Land of the Wild.

Just off the western tip
of Pembrokeshire are the sea bird

havens of Skomer and Skokholm.

Here on Skokholm,
spring has transformed

the land into a blaze of pink
thrift and white sea campion.

And deep in the burrows that riddle
the island, new life is stirring.

These proud puffins
have just become parents.

Sheltered underground, their single
precious egg has finally hatched.

Mum and dad will need to work hard

to bring enough food
for their growing chick.

Astonishingly,
the chick needs to eat its own

weight in fish every day.

It's time for this parent
to get to work.

At this time of year,

the waters around Skokholm
are swarming with small fish.

Most of these,
including the puffin's favourite,

sand eels,
are many feet below the surface.

Puffins are good divers.

They can hold their breath
for nearly two minutes...

..and reach depths
of more than 160 feet.

While foraging, they spend more than
a third of their time underwater.

And dad has done well.

With a bill full of sand eels, it's
time to return to his hungry chick.

High on the cliff,
someone else is yearning for fish.

A herring gull.

Compared to a puffin,
it's a poor fisherman,

so this one has
resorted to thievery.

As puffins return to their nests,
they must run the gauntlet.

They'll even rob
puffins at their own front door.

Our parents' burrow
is stalked by a mugger.

Puffins are always vigilant
when returning with sand eels.

Dad's spotted the danger
and turns back.

His neighbour is
unaware of the threat.

He's about to get into big trouble.

A herring gull is more than
twice the size of a puffin.

And any puffin that tries
to hang on to its fish

is given a brutal lesson.

These attacks can be fatal.

Our dad has been
waiting for his chance.

He has a clear run
back to his burrow.

These puffins will have to run
this gauntlet at least six times

every day for the next seven weeks,

until their chick fledges.

But as long as there are fish
in these rich waters,

they have
every chance of succeeding.

On land,
the pace of life is frenetic.

Underwater,
things are much more sedate.

A female grey seal.

She's pregnant,
but not due until the autumn.

Right now, her developing baby
is around three months old.

It's about a foot long
and weighs less than a bag of sugar.

Food is plentiful.

She can take life easy.

Grey seals will even
take naps underwater,

staying down for up to 13 minutes.

But when the weather is fine,
they seek the warmth of the sun.

And where better to sunbathe than
here, on the coast of Pembrokeshire?

Around 5,000 grey seals live here,

the highest concentration
anywhere in southern Britain.

In mid-May, as the waters
around Wales start to warm up,

swarms of jellyfish appear.

These are barrel jellyfish.

They can grow as wide
as a dustbin lid

and weigh more than five stone,
or over 35 kilos.

They come in from the open sea
to feast on the great

flush of plankton now appearing
all around the Welsh coast.

They catch their tiny prey
with thousands of stinging cells

that line their tentacles.

They are, fortunately,
harmless to humans.

The same plankton blooms
also benefit fish.

And these, in turn,
draw in bigger predators.

Common dolphins.

They live in the rich waters
of the Celtic Sea, which lies

between the Irish Sea to the north
and the Bay of Biscay to the south.

But in spring,
they come close to shore, to hunt.

Wales is surrounded by sea
on three sides.

So, all life here is
affected by the ocean.

Vast quantities of moisture-laden
air blow in from the Atlantic.

This moisture crosses Wales's
1,700 miles of coastline,

as cloud and mist.

Westerly winds push this air inland
towards the mountains,

where it rises and cools,

and then, it falls.

Downpours can be intense.

In the most mountainous areas,

there can be almost
10 feet of rain a year,

more than in
many tropical rainforests.

Only the hardiest animals,
like these Welsh mountain goats,

can survive here.

And in a few of the wettest
and remotest corners of Wales,

you can still find magical places.

The Celtic rainforest.

This fragment lies on
the western slopes of Snowdonia.

Even in May, the driest
time of the year in Wales,

it remains damp and humid.

Parts of this wood have remained
untouched for 10,000 years.

This extraordinary time capsule

shelters an incredible
variety of outlandish plants.

67 species of rare mosses
and lichens live here.

Some are relics of the last Ice Age
and are found nowhere else.

All the rain
falling in the mountains

eventually makes its way downhill.

On its journey,

it carves out some of the most
beautiful scenery in Britain.

Wales's mountain streams feed some
of the largest rivers in Britain.

The next three months will be
amongst the driest on record

and these waterways will
become lifelines.

Of the 48 major rivers
born in Wales,

the Wye is among the most beautiful.

Its clear waters run 134 miles...

..from its source
high in the Cambrian Mountains

to the Severn Estuary.

Many small tributaries
run down the Wye's steep banks.

In these cold, fast-flowing waters
lives a very special animal.

And behind this waterfall,
it makes its home.

A dipper.

Wales is a stronghold for
these extraordinary birds,

which are found on almost
all of the country's rivers.

These dippers are parents.

Their chicks hatched
three weeks ago.

They've been working hard
to feed their hungry brood.

And they do this by diving.

But this is the behaviour
that gives dippers their name.

They're the only songbirds that can
dive and swim underwater.

They have excellent
underwater vision

and easily locate
insect larvae and small fish.

At peak demand, these parents make
ten or more deliveries

to their brood every hour.

It's a big day
for this dipper family.

A chick inspects the dangerous
outside world for the first time.

And takes its first flight.

Its sibling is
a little more cautious.

Mum's unaware they've left the nest.

Newly fledged chicks don't know
how to catch their own food

and still rely on their parents.

In just a few weeks, they'll have
to learn to forage for themselves.

So they'll have to get used
to cold water.

For now, at least,
they still have mum and dad.

It's late May

and creatures of the ocean depths
have moved up into the Wye.

These four-foot-long monsters
may look like eels,

but they come from a far older
lineage of jawless fish,

dating back over 500 million years.

Sea lampreys.

In the ocean, they're
blood-sucking parasites of fish,

but they stopped feeding
as soon as they entered the Wye.

They've come here, near
the village of Bochrwd, to spawn.

They have a big job ahead of them.

They need to lay their eggs
in a bed of fine gravel.

And that means some heavy lifting.

They've cleared
their first patch of gravel.

The male embraces the female.

She releases
thousands of microscopic eggs

and he covers them with his sperm.

But they're not done yet.

The female has more eggs.
They need to clear more stones.

The couple spawn again.

They continue to work.

They must prepare the ground
for the female's remaining eggs.

They are relentless.

The stress of their long migration

and hard work
begins to take its toll.

Both male and female
are showing signs of injury.

A final embrace.

She releases the last of her eggs.

And now, she is literally spent.

This is the last thing they ever do.

They die together.

By returning to
their spawning grounds,

they've ensured the best possible
start for their offspring.

Just a few miles from the lampreys
lives an animal

that has not been seen wild
in Wales for more than 500 years.

It has been busy felling trees...

..and piling up branches.

A European beaver.

This one is captive
and part of a programme

that might eventually introduce them
back into the Welsh countryside.

For thousands of years,

these huge rodents were
Wales' natural engineers.

By building dams,
they create nutrient-rich pools

that would have been common
in Wales' ancient landscape.

Neither this beaver nor its mate

will ever be released
from this enclosure.

But their young might.

And thanks to them, Wales
may become a little wilder yet.

Far from the beavers' pools,

the River Wye eventually flows
into the sea.

Here on the coast, life is governed
by the cycle of the sun and moon.

Twice a day,
the tide ebbs and flows.

South Wales has one of the highest
tidal ranges in the world,

nearly 50 feet at its peak.

Rhossili beach.

This particular morning in late May

is one of the lowest tides
of the month.

The retreating sea has left
thousands of rock pools.

Each pool becomes
an isolated little world...

..rich in marine life.

All the bigger predatory fish
have gone with the tide.

It's time to come out of your shell.

A common hermit crab.

Its body is soft, so it uses
an old snail shell for protection.

The shell looks heavy.

In fact, it's a bit of a drag.

This crab, on the other hand,

has the latest lightweight model.

Shells are essential for a crab's
survival, and worth fighting for.

Usually, hermit crabs will fight
to win a larger shell

when they outgrow their current one.

They size each other up.

Our crab has taken a fancy
to this lighter but smaller shell.

Its owner doesn't want
to give it up.

Gotcha!

But he's not budging.

A few knocks might help.

If all else fails,
there's always the old pincer move.

A perfect fit.

But his opponent is left naked.

This is awkward!

He seems reluctant
to move into the big shell.

But he's vulnerable
and has little choice.

All he can do is watch
as his prized shell is taken away.

For this hermit crab,
defeat really is a heavy burden.

It's the end of May.

Far to the north of Rhossili,

along the coast of Cardigan Bay,

is a very special place.

The Dyfi Estuary.

This mosaic of salt marshes,
mudflats and water meadows

is one of the most
productive habitats in Wales.

And a great place to raise a family.

A lapwing.

This couple's chicks
hatched a few days ago.

Mum and dad have brought them
to the best feeding spots,

where the ground is soft and wet.

And there is an abundance
of insects and other invertebrates.

At this age, the chicks can't fly

and are very vulnerable.

A carrion crow.

An egg thief and chick predator.

A whole murder of crows.

LAPWING CRIES

A warning call from mum

and the chicks take cover.

But crows are sharp-eyed,
clever and persistent.

Unless the parents do something,
their chicks are doomed.

Adult lapwings are
half the size of the crow,

but this pair
doesn't hesitate for a moment.

Our parents' manoeuvrability
gives them the edge in the air.

They are relentless.

While the parents are distracted,

one crow launches
a covert ground attack.

It moves into
the chicks' feeding ground.

The chicks are now in real danger.

The parents have spotted the threat.

LAPWING CRIES

By calling,
and dive-bombing the crow,

they drive it away from the chicks.

It's had enough.

Worryingly, the chicks
are nowhere to be seen.

IT CALLS

CHICK CALLS

This little family
is safe for another day.

Much of Wales
is sparsely populated

and it's easy to see
how wildlife thrives here.

But some parts of the country
are very crowded.

In the valleys of South Wales,

more than 1,000 people
are packed into each square mile.

But among the towns
and industrial estates,

there are surprising
oases of wildlife.

A wild flower meadow
just half a mile away

from the old mining town
of Aberbargoed.

It's now early June.

The weather is getting hot
and the orchids are in full bloom.

They're rich in nectar
and attract a distinctive visitor.

A marsh fritillary, one of
Wales' rarest butterflies.

This adult will only live
for two weeks.

It's morning, and
this male is drinking nectar

and warming his body in the sun.

He's preparing for
the most important task

of his short life - finding a mate.

He's in luck.

The female will only mate
once in her life.

Copulation can last for hours.

When they finally finish,

the male seals her up
with a special secretion,

making it impossible
for her to mate again.

The female now embarks
on her own critical mission

to find a place to lay her eggs.

Finding the right location is key
for her offspring's survival.

Many plants will be poisonous
for her caterpillars.

Here, under a leaf of the strangely
named devil's-bit scabious,

she has found the perfect spot.

She carefully lays up to 350 eggs.

Though she will not live
to see these eggs hatch,

she has done her best
to ensure their survival.

Her mission is complete.

All this happens a short walk
from what used to be

the largest colliery waste tip
in Europe.

Proof that in Wales, you are
never too far from wildlife.

This June is so dry,
it's turning into a drought.

The ground is baked and hard.

And for some animals,
this is a problem.

Fortunately, the wildlife
here in this suburban garden

is getting a helping hand.

A banquet of dog treats
with a side order of bread.

But the guests for this dinner party
won't turn up until nightfall.

A badger.

Earthworms are the mainstay
of a badger's diet.

But the ground is so dry, they
are now much harder to dig up.

Such hand-outs are hotly contested.

This fox would love to get a share,

but he wouldn't dare
challenge a badger.

You would think that
family would be welcome.

THEY SNARL

But these big bullies don't want
to share their dog biscuits.

The little one gives it another go.

SNARLING

Badgers don't usually
fight over food,

but when you're hungry,

the usual rules no longer apply.

The small one is muscled out.

But all is not lost.

He's found the side order of bread.

Across Wales,
the sunny, dry weather continues.

This June is turning
into the hottest on record.

The early heat wave drives people
to the coast to cool off.

But it's not just humans
seeking relief from the sun.

This pond in a wild suburban
garden on the south coast

has become a refuge...

..for frogs.

With the surrounding land so dry,
ponds like this are a sanctuary.

Close by, a very different animal

is soaking up
the late afternoon rays.

A female grass snake.

It's been a while since she's
been able to take on any fluids.

She's thirsty.

She heads for water.

The pond might even be a relief

after spending so long
in the hot sun.

She drinks, pumping in water
using muscular contractions

in her mouth and throat.

But now she needs something more.

Food.

Time to hunt.

A favourite prey is frog.

This pond is alive with them,

so catching one should be easy.

But with so many eyes watching,

creeping up unnoticed
is almost impossible.

She's out of luck.

She's cold-blooded

and as she loses heat,
she becomes less active.

She's using up her store of energy

and with the sun getting low,

she's running out of time.

She needs to hunt quickly.

But the frogs are incredibly wary.

That was her last chance.

But in the coming days
it will get hotter

and the pond will get smaller.

The odds will soon
be in her favour.

In the last few weeks,

Wales' animals have made it
through a challenging time.

They've provided food
for their young...

..defended their families...

..and given the next generation
a fighting chance.

But now, summer is here.

And this is when
things really start to heat up.

To capture Wales' animals
in all their glory,

the team had to travel
the length and breadth of the land.

From the highest peaks...

..to the rugged coast.

And the most remote locations of all

were the neighbouring islands
of Skomer and Skokholm

off the western tip
of Pembrokeshire.

Thousands of birds come here
to breed every year.

To capture the frenetic activity
of late spring,

the crew took to the sea.

Skokholm is a two-mile journey
from the mainland

and there is only one boat

that sails just twice a week.

Luckily for the crew
and a dozen tourists,

the sea conditions were perfect.

The crew had to bring
enough provisions for seven days

and they also brought
half a tonne of equipment.

Cameraman Pete McCowen lost no time

in getting set up
in the puffin colony.

The puffins didn't seem
at all scared of him.

Nesting in remote places
free of land predators,

they've never evolved
a fear of mammals.

So Pete was able to get very close.

Soon, the puffins set off
to sea to fish.

To tell the full story, the crew
needed shots of puffins at sea.

So they enlisted the help

of underwater cameramen
Jack Perks and Dave Miller.

Finding rafting puffins was easy,
but they're more wary at sea

and the real challenge
was how to get close to them.

Look at them!
They're saying, "Come on in".

Luckily, Jack and Dave had a plan.

The hope is with this
to sort of hide the profile,

the profile of my face.

Involving home-made camouflage.

I've sort of made a ghillie suit,

hoping it's going to
work really well.

And their secret weapon?

Two pairs of cunning decoys.

We've got one that's just
going to float near the camera

and another one...

that goes on your head.

That's going to make
all the difference!

I'm up for serenading
a puffin today. Yes!

THEY IMITATE PUFFIN CALLS

Local skipper Len Bateman
wasn't sure what to make of it all.

It was a bit strange.

I don't see people going in
the water dressed up in camouflage.

Normally, divers have got
tanks on their back.

Finally, Jack and Dave
were in position.

The decoy was deployed.

It wasn't long before
some puffins arrived,

but they kept their distance.

The decoy remained sadly ignored.

Just when the team were thinking
of giving up,

the decoy received
its first curious visitor.

More and more came to investigate...

..until the crew was
surrounded by puffins,

giving Jack and Dave
a front row seat.

As well as 30,000 puffins,
the rich waters around the islands

attract many other
breeding sea birds.

Nesting lowest on the cliffs
are the razorbills.

Higher up, crammed into every
crevice, are the guillemots.

More than 4,000 of them.

Close to the top are
the sleepy-looking fulmars.

And above them all are the gulls.

But by far
the most abundant bird on Skokholm

nests up on the grassy top.

There are tens of thousands of them
all across this landscape,

yet not a single one is visible.

They're arguably
Wales' most important bird,

but most people have
never even heard of them.

They're so important
that Skokholm's wardens

have been monitoring them
since the 1950s.

They are Manx shearwaters.

Half of the world's population
nests right here on Skokholm

and the nearby islands
of Skomer and Middleholm.

Like puffins,
Manx shearwaters nest underground

and lay just a single egg.

But their eggs won't hatch
for another month.

Lots of eggs, which
is always a good start.

Last year, 80% of pairs that laid
an egg went on to fledge a chick,

which is really good.

At peak season, there are
up to 150,000 Manx shearwaters

on this island alone.

They normally pair with
the same partner each year

in exactly the same burrow
as they used last year.

Remarkably, Manx shearwaters
travel to Skokholm

from their winter feeding grounds
up to 6,000 miles away

in the southern Atlantic Ocean.

There's no introduced
land predators on Skokholm,

which means these birds that would
be very vulnerable to rats, to cats,

have somewhere safe to nest,

so their only predators are
the great black-backed gulls.

Great black-backed gulls
are the largest gulls in the world

with a wingspan
of more than five feet.

They're formidable predators

and have a huge impact on
the Manx shearwaters' behaviour.

It's because of them that the
shearwaters only come out at night.

To avoid disturbing the shearwaters,

the crew switch
to an infrared camera.

And producer Adrian Seymour
was right there amongst them.

BIRDS CALL

The sound of the Manx shearwaters
on this island

is absolutely incredible.

There are calls coming from

every part of the island.

I can't actually see many birds,
but I can hear them everywhere.

Their legs are placed
far back on their bodies,

which makes them great swimmers.

But on land, they can barely walk.

It's easy to see how vulnerable they
would be to the black-backed gulls.

After long fishing trips out at sea,

Manx shearwaters use
the cover of darkness

to relieve their hungry partners
from incubation duty.

Even the faint light of the moon
would be enough

to guide the great black-backed
gulls to their prey.

The moon rose about five minutes ago

and the whole island
has gone silent.

To avoid an onslaught,

the Manx shearwaters
have simply disappeared.

By dawn, they're all underground

or far out to sea.

You would never know
that they were still here

and that these islands are home
to Wales' best kept wild secret.

Next time, it's mid-summer.

It's scorching

and time for some of Wales'
more unusual creatures to shine.