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The wolf. A highly intelligent predator.
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With a bad reputation.
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To many, they are cunning and ruthless killers.
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But I want to find out if there's another side
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to this feared carnivore.
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I've always had a fascination with wolves ever since I was a kid.
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They symbolise the wild like no other animal.
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My name is Gordon Buchanan.
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I'm a wildlife cameraman.
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I'm travelling to the Arctic to get closer to wild wolves
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than anyone has ever been before.
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I want to actually understand the true nature of the wolf,
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separate fact from fiction.
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I'll be dropped deep into wolf territory.
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These are animals that have killed people
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and I've got two of them just five metres away.
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I'm putting my life on the line...
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Is this too close? Is this too close?
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Jesus wept...! Oh, my God.
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..to get an unprecedented view of wolf family life.
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Come on, pups, out you come.
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I'll meet the characters in a pack.
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Scruffy!
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You little swine!
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And discover if the big, bad wolf is as dangerous as we imagine.
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Don't even think about it.
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To get inside a wolf pack I'm travelling to a wilderness
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so remote that the wolves here have never seen people.
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It's taken me four days to reach Ellesmere Island
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in the Canadian Arctic.
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Near the North Pole,
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it's home to the most isolated wolves in the world.
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I'm here to try to follow a family of wolves
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during the most important three months of their lives.
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From spring, when they have pups...
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..until the return of the brutal Arctic winter.
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Two years ago a biologist flew over and spotted a pack in this area.
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I've come to see if they're still here.
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Oh, look! Look, look!
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Wow! One, two, three, four, five, six.
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Wow! Look at that!
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How incredible!
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Great. Just staring up at me.
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Yes!
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Brilliant.
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This is the first of two trips I'll be making to the Arctic.
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I've brought supplies to keep me going for three weeks.
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Well, now that I've found the wolves,
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I'm...I'm going to stay here
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and I'm going to set up camp right over here.
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The Arctic wolves here have never seen people.
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I have no idea how they'll react.
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They might think I'm their next meal.
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Oh, my goodness me, that is sensational.
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I do not believe it.
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He's stopping.
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This is the closest I've ever been to a wild wolf.
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I feel incredibly vulnerable.
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Wolves take down animals five times my size.
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It is an unbelievable start to this.
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My heart is still racing when the wolf leaves.
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It's amazing to see wolves that close,
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but mixed with that is a little bit of apprehension.
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But the truth is, I'm not alone here.
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I have a director and a soundman.
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If I was alone, I think it would be a very different experience.
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Wolves are at their most dangerous when they lose their fear of people
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and it seems that these wolves don't have any fear to begin with.
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The wolves here are the top predator.
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They live in one of the most extreme places on earth.
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In winter, temperatures plummet to minus 50 degrees.
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The sun sets in October and doesn't rise again for four months.
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The climate is so harsh
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that no people live on this part of the island.
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These wolves have never been hunted.
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That makes them bold but it could also make them very dangerous.
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The fact is wolves have attacked, killed
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and injured people in the past.
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In 2000, here in Canada, there was someone camping in the wild
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and they were pulled from their tent in their sleeping bag
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and set upon by wolves.
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He was only really saved by the fact that he was with people.
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Had he been alone,
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he would have almost certainly been killed by those wolves.
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That's why I'm putting up an electric fence.
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I'm camping alone
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to increase my chances of getting close to the pack.
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The camera crew is based half a mile away,
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so won't be much help if I run into trouble.
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So, in theory, it's working now.
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I hate to do it, but I think I'm going to test it just...
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just to make sure.
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Am I? Oh, God, I don't want to do that.
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It must be working.
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Oh, bugger it.
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Ay-yayaya! It's working!
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That's... Oh!
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Yeah, that's working as well.
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The pack are watching me from the other side of the valley.
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But I don't know how long they'll be here.
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Wolves stay in one place when they have a den with pups.
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I'm hoping that's what this pack is doing.
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My tent's in a perfect position for a stakeout.
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Hey...
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This is, er...
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..my house, my home.
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This is where I'll be sleeping.
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Erm...and I have the most unbelievable view.
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Literally, the first thing I'll see when I open my tent in the morning
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is erm...the hillside where the wolves are.
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But what a place.
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What a... What a campsite.
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It really is brilliant.
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While they're here, I can observe them 24 hours a day.
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At this time of year, the sun never sets.
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It's spring.
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A time when this barren land is bursting with new life.
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Young arctic hare and baby foxes are everywhere.
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But there's also a creature from the ice age
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that I hope doesn't come too close.
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Muskox are one of the Arctic's most powerful animals.
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They look like something from Star Wars.
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And they're notoriously bad-tempered.
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It's unsettling camping here
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and the constant daylight makes it difficult to rest.
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It's hard to sleep when the sun is shining.
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Everything's telling you that you shouldn't be in bed
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but it's 2.15 in the morning.
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So the best thing to do is try and make things as dark as possible.
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These help.
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Today, I want to find out if the pack have a den.
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My plan is to track their movements for as long as I can stay awake.
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But the wolves have other ideas.
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Oh, my word...
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The wolf that approached me yesterday is back.
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And this time, it's not alone.
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Both of the wolves are about 40 metres away from me.
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My heart is racing.
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Wolves might approach for two reasons,
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to see if I'm a threat
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or to find out if I'm worth eating.
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Oh, jeez! They are right in front of me.
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My God...!
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Oh, my God.
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Hey, wolf....
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I'm just going to turn this round.
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I tell you what, this is quite unnerving.
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I'm being circled by wolves
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and I'm not sure if I like it.
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Being this close to a wolf,
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I'm just reminded that...
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..these are animals that have injured people.
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These are animals that have killed people
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and I've got two of them...
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..five metres away.
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She's coming right up to my little fence.
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Oh, my word...!
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Look at those eyes!
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All the better to see you with.
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She is just stunning.
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I definitely feel safer when they back off a bit.
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My goodness.
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I don't think I've seen such a beautiful animal in my life.
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I never imagined that wolves would get this close.
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It's a perfect chance to try and work out who's who.
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It really is amazing.
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There's so few places in the world
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that you can get this close to an animal of this size.
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And the closer these wolves come, you start to see differences.
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It looks like these are two females.
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They're both full-size.
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This wolf is much more mature-looking.
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You can see it in her face.
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She's older, definitely.
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Marginally bigger.
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A lot more hair around her face,
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like a lion's mane almost.
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But look at this. This is...
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This could be major news.
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On her belly, towards the back end,
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it's bare.
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You can almost see the nipples.
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And what that means and what that tells me
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is that this is a breeding female
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and the great hope is that, before too long,
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I'm going to get a look at these pups.
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This is a huge relief.
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Pups mean that this pack will stay in one place.
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Now I need to find their den.
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This new mum is pale, like the moon,
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so I've named her Luna.
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This is the only time of year wolves can raise young.
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But they don't have long.
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Here in the High Arctic, spring and summer only last three months.
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It's a brief respite from freezing temperatures.
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But conditions remain tough
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and some years wolves don't breed at all.
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I'm hoping this pack has a den with pups on the opposite hillside.
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I spend hours trying to find it.
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Eventually, my perseverance pays off.
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Look...
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That has to be a den!
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This den is an amazing find
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because it is the only way to keep track of these wolves,
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to get them at a time of year that they can't move around freely,
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and that's when they're denning, that's when they've got pups.
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And I can't help but imagine what's going on underground.
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You know, there has to be pups in there.
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The question is, how many?
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If I'm going to work my way inside a wolf family,
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then gaining the trust of Luna will be key.
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Camping next to a wild wolf pack is incredible.
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HOWLING
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But I do wish they weren't such noisy neighbours.
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HOWLING CONTINUES
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GORDON YAWNS
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Goodness me!
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Lord...
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It makes it very difficult to sleep sometimes.
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GORDON YAWNS, THE WOLVES HOWL
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Oh, it's very wearing.
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But I can't complain because...
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..I get to wake up to...
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..wolves howling.
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This is the best way to wake up.
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Ever.
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HOWLING CONTINUES
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Wolves communicate by howling.
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Every pack member has a distinct voice.
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HOWLING
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HOWLS
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This morning, the biggest wolf I've seen so far
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is rallying the pack to go hunting.
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HOWLS
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This big male must be the head of the family.
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I'm going to call him Romulus.
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HOWLS
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Wolf packs are like human families.
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Romulus and Luna are mum and dad.
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All the other wolves are probably their offspring
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from different years.
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Hang on, let me just count them...
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We've got one, two at the front.
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Three, four,
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five, six.
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All six of them galloping and trotting along the skyline there.
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And my guess is
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the two at the back
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are possibly last year's pups, they're yearlings.
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A little bit smaller.
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And they're a lot more playful.
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Arctic wolves hunt for food in a territory
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which can cover over 1,000 square miles.
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In spring, there are lots of young animals.
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But here, there's no such thing as an easy meal,
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even if you are a big, bad wolf.
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And if the wolves go anywhere near a skua's nest,
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they're dive-bombed until they move on.
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The pack can spend days hunting,
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but Luna usually returns within an hour to watch over the den.
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This is a great opportunity to see if I can start to win her trust,
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so I move in closer.
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GORDON WHINES
264
00:18:59,760 --> 00:19:01,440
WHINING
265
00:19:04,160 --> 00:19:05,640
WHINING
266
00:19:05,640 --> 00:19:09,640
By making whining noises and avoiding eye contact,
267
00:19:09,640 --> 00:19:12,480
I act submissively, to try and put her at ease.
268
00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:14,480
WHINES
269
00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:20,560
WHINES
270
00:19:22,360 --> 00:19:23,400
WHINES
271
00:19:24,640 --> 00:19:25,880
WHINES
272
00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:29,280
She seems nervous.
273
00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:32,000
So I make myself smaller and less threatening.
274
00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:35,720
WHINES
275
00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:38,760
WHINES
276
00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:41,280
WHINES
277
00:20:07,240 --> 00:20:09,880
I try something a little different to draw her in.
278
00:20:22,760 --> 00:20:24,920
It's clear that me getting close to the wolves
279
00:20:24,920 --> 00:20:27,280
is completely on their terms.
280
00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:29,000
I just tried to get closer to Luna there
281
00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:30,600
and she moved away,
282
00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:33,200
kept a distance of about 60 metres.
283
00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:35,000
Didn't let me close that distance.
284
00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:36,640
So, it's not that she's fearful,
285
00:20:36,640 --> 00:20:39,760
it's just that she's the boss.
286
00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:42,760
She dictates what happens and when.
287
00:20:45,080 --> 00:20:49,040
I think the best thing I can do now is leave Luna alone for a few days.
288
00:20:50,040 --> 00:20:52,720
That way, she can get used to me being around.
289
00:20:59,360 --> 00:21:00,760
It's been a week
290
00:21:00,760 --> 00:21:03,560
and I'm starting to get a sense of the pack's routine.
291
00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:09,640
Romulus leads the family out on hunts twice a day.
292
00:21:10,600 --> 00:21:13,080
Sometimes, they don't have to go that far.
293
00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:17,160
Arctic hares are approaching the den.
294
00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:21,600
Their young live in groups of up to 200,
295
00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:24,720
making them irresistible to hungry wolves.
296
00:21:40,440 --> 00:21:43,720
The youngest wolves of the pack are faster and more agile
297
00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:45,040
than the older wolves.
298
00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:54,160
But arctic hares are built for speed.
299
00:21:57,520 --> 00:22:00,400
Accelerating up to 40 miles per hour.
300
00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:07,760
The hares often outpace the wolves.
301
00:22:15,320 --> 00:22:18,800
The two yearlings are the pack's troublesome teens
302
00:22:18,800 --> 00:22:21,680
and now they're taking an interest in me.
303
00:22:21,680 --> 00:22:24,720
I do wonder what they think when they see me standing here.
304
00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:26,960
Because they certainly don't see me as a threat.
305
00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:33,160
And I wonder, I really do...
306
00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:36,960
..if they don't see me as a threat...
307
00:22:38,280 --> 00:22:41,240
..whether they see me as a potential source of food.
308
00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:47,040
I shouldn't be surprised
309
00:22:47,040 --> 00:22:49,640
that one of the most intelligent animals on the planet...
310
00:22:52,200 --> 00:22:55,320
..has found a way of dismantling my fence,
311
00:22:55,320 --> 00:22:57,000
without getting shocked.
312
00:22:58,960 --> 00:23:02,160
If they get into my food supplies, I'll be in big trouble.
313
00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:14,960
Apart from the yearlings, no other wolf will come near.
314
00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:19,880
To get to know the shyer members of the pack, I put out remote cameras.
315
00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:24,200
But the youngest wolves strike again.
316
00:23:25,280 --> 00:23:26,720
OK, here comes a wolf.
317
00:23:26,720 --> 00:23:28,240
It's one of the yearlings.
318
00:23:29,320 --> 00:23:31,360
Straight up to the camera trap.
319
00:23:34,920 --> 00:23:38,440
Everything that wolves find, they test with their teeth.
320
00:23:38,440 --> 00:23:40,720
They don't use their paws to feel things out.
321
00:23:40,720 --> 00:23:42,480
The most sensitive part of their body
322
00:23:42,480 --> 00:23:45,080
are their lips, their mouths, their nose.
323
00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:51,200
Every camera I put out becomes a new chew toy
324
00:23:51,200 --> 00:23:53,080
for the pack's two teenagers.
325
00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:58,640
Yearlings appear a little bit darker than every other wolf.
326
00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:04,280
These wolves don't start off white, they're born brown or grey.
327
00:24:04,280 --> 00:24:07,240
And as they grow older, they become whiter and whiter.
328
00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:11,720
At least I can now identify one yearling from the other.
329
00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:13,840
This one I'm calling Scruffy.
330
00:24:13,840 --> 00:24:15,520
He's bigger and darker.
331
00:24:16,800 --> 00:24:19,320
You can see how big he is.
332
00:24:19,320 --> 00:24:21,360
You'd never think that he was just a year old.
333
00:24:28,720 --> 00:24:31,640
Scruffy seems to be enjoying the use of my cameras.
334
00:24:48,760 --> 00:24:50,040
The next morning,
335
00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:53,280
it's looks like Scruffy has developed a taste for my kit.
336
00:24:54,640 --> 00:24:57,200
Keep away from my stuff, Scruffy.
337
00:24:59,360 --> 00:25:00,400
Scruffy...!
338
00:25:04,680 --> 00:25:07,320
He decides he likes my camping stool.
339
00:25:10,760 --> 00:25:12,200
You little swine!
340
00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:14,200
Scruffy...
341
00:25:15,160 --> 00:25:16,960
Scruffy...
342
00:25:16,960 --> 00:25:20,680
Absolutely no respect whatsoever for people's private property.
343
00:25:22,640 --> 00:25:24,480
This is bad news.
344
00:25:24,480 --> 00:25:26,880
If Scruffy thinks my stuff is up for grabs,
345
00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:28,800
he could destroy my camp.
346
00:25:28,800 --> 00:25:31,680
GORDON CHUFFS
347
00:25:33,040 --> 00:25:34,360
CHUFFS
348
00:25:34,360 --> 00:25:37,320
I try my best howl to get him to drop it.
349
00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:41,640
HOWLS
350
00:25:44,480 --> 00:25:49,040
HOWLS
351
00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:53,280
I sit down in the hope I can draw him away from the stool.
352
00:25:53,280 --> 00:25:57,000
HOWLS
353
00:25:59,440 --> 00:26:04,120
HOWLS
354
00:26:07,160 --> 00:26:13,080
HOWLS
355
00:26:16,520 --> 00:26:18,400
HOWLS
356
00:26:23,280 --> 00:26:24,960
He's coming straight towards me.
357
00:26:27,120 --> 00:26:31,160
Yeah, being fixed in that stare is not the most comfortable of things.
358
00:26:31,160 --> 00:26:32,280
Heavens above...!
359
00:26:33,480 --> 00:26:34,760
Is this too close?
360
00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:36,200
Is this too close?
361
00:26:37,360 --> 00:26:39,320
Jesus wept... Oh, my God!
362
00:26:40,640 --> 00:26:42,000
That is unnerving.
363
00:26:43,040 --> 00:26:44,080
Hey, Scruff.
364
00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:47,200
You go from...
365
00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:53,040
..being comfortable to being decidedly uncomfortable.
366
00:26:54,120 --> 00:26:56,960
You are enormous. You might only be one year old...
367
00:26:58,280 --> 00:26:59,920
..but you're a big old wolf.
368
00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:03,560
Hey, fella, did you like my howling?
369
00:27:05,320 --> 00:27:06,960
Gee whiz, you are beautiful.
370
00:27:08,640 --> 00:27:11,360
GORDON HOWLS
371
00:27:12,320 --> 00:27:13,760
You like that, don't you?
372
00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:16,200
You can tell he's nervous.
373
00:27:17,120 --> 00:27:20,560
But I don't know if he's as nervous as I am.
374
00:27:22,440 --> 00:27:25,880
I suppose that's what I came here for, to get close to these animals,
375
00:27:25,880 --> 00:27:27,320
but being this close...
376
00:27:29,040 --> 00:27:30,080
..worries me.
377
00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:37,200
Because, as much as I think I understand these animals...
378
00:27:38,760 --> 00:27:41,160
..you can't always read them.
379
00:27:41,160 --> 00:27:43,240
I don't always know what's on their mind.
380
00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:48,440
Eventually, Scruffy gets bored of me
381
00:27:48,440 --> 00:27:49,480
and the stool.
382
00:27:50,440 --> 00:27:51,480
Not bad.
383
00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:54,600
Not too bad at all.
384
00:27:56,720 --> 00:27:57,760
Oh...
385
00:27:58,760 --> 00:27:59,800
Still works.
386
00:28:01,040 --> 00:28:02,080
Thanks, Scruffy.
387
00:28:04,680 --> 00:28:07,720
I'm gradually overcoming my fear of these wolves.
388
00:28:10,840 --> 00:28:13,400
Now I've survived this encounter with Scruffy,
389
00:28:13,400 --> 00:28:16,000
I want to see if I can get closer to Luna.
390
00:28:28,640 --> 00:28:32,320
It's been a couple of days since I last tried to get near Luna
391
00:28:32,320 --> 00:28:34,760
and I think it's time to give it another go.
392
00:28:37,520 --> 00:28:39,880
I came here to see another side to wolves.
393
00:28:39,880 --> 00:28:42,160
That means seeing them raise pups
394
00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:45,000
and it all rests on Luna trusting me.
395
00:28:51,160 --> 00:28:53,480
Luna is at the den.
396
00:28:54,800 --> 00:28:56,320
Just glancing round at me.
397
00:28:58,400 --> 00:29:01,120
You know, I'm not worried about those looks.
398
00:29:02,720 --> 00:29:05,480
She's just checking that I'm still here.
399
00:29:06,640 --> 00:29:07,960
Glances around again.
400
00:29:07,960 --> 00:29:09,720
She's obviously aware of me.
401
00:29:16,880 --> 00:29:17,920
Oh, look!
402
00:29:17,920 --> 00:29:19,560
I can see a pup! I can see a pup!
403
00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:26,600
It is!
404
00:29:26,600 --> 00:29:28,320
A tiny little head popping up.
405
00:29:36,080 --> 00:29:37,560
Wow...!
406
00:29:38,560 --> 00:29:39,840
I...
407
00:29:39,840 --> 00:29:42,160
I don't know, I was expecting them to be white,
408
00:29:42,160 --> 00:29:43,760
but there's a little brown head.
409
00:29:46,280 --> 00:29:49,480
The briefest glimpse of a wolf pup.
410
00:29:53,280 --> 00:29:54,320
Oh, magic!
411
00:29:56,400 --> 00:29:58,120
That's amazing. It really is.
412
00:29:59,440 --> 00:30:01,560
I am so delighted.
413
00:30:04,320 --> 00:30:06,840
Wolves can have up to ten pups in a litter.
414
00:30:07,960 --> 00:30:10,080
I'm desperate to find out if there are more
415
00:30:10,080 --> 00:30:11,720
hidden in the den.
416
00:30:11,720 --> 00:30:15,360
But before I can move closer, the whole pack returns from a hunt.
417
00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:22,120
It's way too soon for me to approach with all of them around.
418
00:30:22,120 --> 00:30:25,160
So, I'm going to try the next best thing.
419
00:30:28,040 --> 00:30:29,280
BEEPING
420
00:30:29,280 --> 00:30:30,720
We have power.
421
00:30:30,720 --> 00:30:33,800
This has never been used before with wolves.
422
00:30:34,920 --> 00:30:37,560
In fact this has never been used before with any animal.
423
00:30:37,560 --> 00:30:39,080
It's very much a prototype.
424
00:30:39,080 --> 00:30:43,440
But it's a rock crawler that can handle this rugged terrain
425
00:30:43,440 --> 00:30:46,400
and it's fitted with two little HD cameras
426
00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:48,520
that I'm hoping to drive up the slope
427
00:30:48,520 --> 00:30:50,040
and get a good look at the den.
428
00:30:50,040 --> 00:30:51,720
Two potential problems,
429
00:30:51,720 --> 00:30:53,440
the terrain is really difficult
430
00:30:53,440 --> 00:30:55,120
but the real danger is that
431
00:30:55,120 --> 00:30:59,840
the wolves don't take too kindly to this and rip it to pieces.
432
00:31:00,960 --> 00:31:04,360
It's designed to handle the terrain but not a pack of six wolves.
433
00:31:05,320 --> 00:31:06,360
We'll see...
434
00:31:16,800 --> 00:31:18,840
OK, I see a wolf.
435
00:31:22,600 --> 00:31:25,120
I'm a bit concerned
436
00:31:25,120 --> 00:31:27,360
about the interest the wolves are showing.
437
00:31:45,000 --> 00:31:47,400
OK, there's a bit of difficult manoeuvring.
438
00:31:47,400 --> 00:31:49,760
Let me see if I can nudge it forward...
439
00:31:51,920 --> 00:31:52,960
Oh, dear...
440
00:31:58,280 --> 00:32:00,400
It's all part of a learning process.
441
00:32:00,400 --> 00:32:03,520
And I've learnt that there's part of the den up there on the right.
442
00:32:04,760 --> 00:32:07,200
It's the bit with the buggy sticking out of it.
443
00:32:10,800 --> 00:32:13,720
I might still get a view inside the den.
444
00:32:15,000 --> 00:32:16,080
I've found a hole.
445
00:32:17,640 --> 00:32:22,000
After a lot of manoeuvring, I get the picture I was hoping for.
446
00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:27,320
Oh, I can see a pup! I can see a pup!
447
00:32:29,200 --> 00:32:32,600
Amazingly, looking straight into the camera.
448
00:32:33,760 --> 00:32:35,720
Theses wolves are incredible.
449
00:32:36,680 --> 00:32:38,640
They have never seen this kind of thing before
450
00:32:38,640 --> 00:32:40,360
and they don't scurry back into the den.
451
00:32:44,080 --> 00:32:45,920
Oh, my word...!
452
00:32:45,920 --> 00:32:48,320
That is just glorious!
453
00:32:50,800 --> 00:32:52,680
Oh, you beauty! Two pups!
454
00:32:52,680 --> 00:32:54,040
Oh, wow!
455
00:32:54,040 --> 00:32:55,480
They are just adorable!
456
00:32:58,160 --> 00:33:01,680
These pups were born deaf and blind.
457
00:33:01,680 --> 00:33:04,000
But now their senses are developing
458
00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:06,600
and they're starting to explore the world around them.
459
00:33:10,360 --> 00:33:12,760
I might get the pups to come and investigate it.
460
00:33:12,760 --> 00:33:14,000
They're looking at it.
461
00:33:16,920 --> 00:33:19,120
They're about four weeks old
462
00:33:19,120 --> 00:33:21,520
and their first teeth are coming through.
463
00:33:32,120 --> 00:33:34,320
These wolves are unbelievable. They really are.
464
00:33:38,720 --> 00:33:39,800
Three pups!
465
00:33:40,760 --> 00:33:42,240
Gee whiz!
466
00:33:42,240 --> 00:33:44,520
I do not believe it!
467
00:33:50,280 --> 00:33:51,320
Wow!
468
00:33:51,320 --> 00:33:53,040
I feel as if I'm right in there.
469
00:33:54,480 --> 00:33:57,000
That I am actually a member of the pack.
470
00:33:59,080 --> 00:34:01,240
It's great! I'm loving this.
471
00:34:10,160 --> 00:34:13,360
If I can follow these pups as they grow up,
472
00:34:13,360 --> 00:34:17,440
I'll get a unique insight into wolf family life.
473
00:34:35,040 --> 00:34:38,280
I think all the wolves are beginning to trust me more.
474
00:34:54,360 --> 00:34:57,680
The pups are spending more and more time above ground.
475
00:35:01,840 --> 00:35:03,800
And they're feeding regularly.
476
00:35:06,960 --> 00:35:10,520
By my count, Luna is suckling them over five times a day.
477
00:35:13,120 --> 00:35:18,120
No-one has ever been this close to a wild wolf pack before
478
00:35:18,120 --> 00:35:19,680
and there are signs
479
00:35:19,680 --> 00:35:23,480
that they're starting to see me as one of the family.
480
00:35:23,480 --> 00:35:26,240
I think a wolf has peed on my binoculars!
481
00:35:29,440 --> 00:35:31,320
I left them here
482
00:35:31,320 --> 00:35:32,760
and I saw a wolf come down,
483
00:35:32,760 --> 00:35:34,240
but I was up that way and...
484
00:35:35,280 --> 00:35:36,960
- SNIFFS
- Yep.
485
00:35:36,960 --> 00:35:39,240
That's... That's wolf urine.
486
00:35:39,240 --> 00:35:40,480
SNIFFS
487
00:35:40,480 --> 00:35:42,280
It's very pungent.
488
00:35:42,280 --> 00:35:44,040
SNIFFS
489
00:35:44,040 --> 00:35:45,560
They wouldn't get up that high.
490
00:35:48,360 --> 00:35:51,080
It's all smelling a little bit wolfy round about here!
491
00:35:52,160 --> 00:35:53,800
That's a good thing.
492
00:35:53,800 --> 00:35:57,080
Scent marking, that's erm...that's a territorial thing.
493
00:35:57,080 --> 00:35:59,160
So, maybe they're not marking their territory,
494
00:35:59,160 --> 00:36:01,760
but they're accepting me as part of their group,
495
00:36:01,760 --> 00:36:03,840
that I now belong to them.
496
00:36:11,760 --> 00:36:15,200
I've tried to film wolves many times before
497
00:36:15,200 --> 00:36:17,680
but I've never got this close.
498
00:36:20,240 --> 00:36:22,640
In other parts of the world, it wouldn't be possible.
499
00:36:24,200 --> 00:36:28,400
Wolves often live in dense forests where you just can't see them.
500
00:36:31,160 --> 00:36:34,560
But here, I'm in an unprecedented position
501
00:36:34,560 --> 00:36:36,880
to watch everything they do.
502
00:36:38,320 --> 00:36:41,240
And I'm already surprised by what I'm learning.
503
00:36:45,360 --> 00:36:48,880
This pack works hard for one reason,
504
00:36:48,880 --> 00:36:50,280
to support Luna
505
00:36:50,280 --> 00:36:51,600
and the pups.
506
00:36:53,880 --> 00:36:55,880
She can't leave the den for long,
507
00:36:55,880 --> 00:36:57,400
so they bring food to her.
508
00:37:00,680 --> 00:37:02,720
EXCITED WHINING
509
00:37:03,920 --> 00:37:05,680
Only Luna can feed the pups,
510
00:37:05,680 --> 00:37:08,520
so it's crucial she is kept well-fed.
511
00:37:10,560 --> 00:37:12,960
Poor Luna's looking a little bit
512
00:37:12,960 --> 00:37:15,240
threadbare at the moment.
513
00:37:18,480 --> 00:37:21,560
Having pups takes its toll.
514
00:37:23,760 --> 00:37:28,400
You can't look your best when you've got little ones to be looked after.
515
00:37:31,080 --> 00:37:32,640
Even though Luna's hungry,
516
00:37:32,640 --> 00:37:34,440
the pups come first.
517
00:37:35,520 --> 00:37:37,600
She's now weaning them onto solid food.
518
00:37:40,040 --> 00:37:43,760
Amazingly, I see her make them work for their dinner.
519
00:37:45,120 --> 00:37:49,120
This is the first important step in teaching them how to hunt.
520
00:37:52,280 --> 00:37:55,280
But it's not just Luna that raises the pups.
521
00:38:02,960 --> 00:38:05,480
The whole pack is working together
522
00:38:05,480 --> 00:38:08,360
to make sure that these pups survive.
523
00:38:11,800 --> 00:38:16,440
There is some kind of sense of moral responsibility within these animals.
524
00:38:17,400 --> 00:38:18,440
There has to be.
525
00:38:21,600 --> 00:38:24,520
You can't give up food that you have caught
526
00:38:24,520 --> 00:38:26,160
and give it to another wolf
527
00:38:26,160 --> 00:38:29,320
without there being a moral justification.
528
00:38:31,000 --> 00:38:32,800
It won't be morality like us, but...
529
00:38:34,040 --> 00:38:36,240
..it'll be a kind of wolfish morality.
530
00:38:40,640 --> 00:38:42,720
Work for the good of the pack.
531
00:38:42,720 --> 00:38:44,120
Strength is in the pack.
532
00:38:45,640 --> 00:38:47,440
If you look after the pack,
533
00:38:47,440 --> 00:38:49,200
the pack will look after you.
534
00:38:51,280 --> 00:38:53,000
Those are the wolf rules.
535
00:38:55,440 --> 00:38:57,960
I thought there'd be more fighting in a wolf pack.
536
00:38:58,920 --> 00:39:01,240
But they feel more like a loving family.
537
00:39:02,520 --> 00:39:05,200
As if to prove their devotion to each other,
538
00:39:05,200 --> 00:39:07,440
they howl together several times a day.
539
00:39:08,400 --> 00:39:10,880
And the pups are learning to join in.
540
00:39:10,880 --> 00:39:13,760
LOUD HOWLING
541
00:39:35,560 --> 00:39:38,080
A DISTANT HOWL
542
00:39:38,080 --> 00:39:39,960
In this open landscape,
543
00:39:39,960 --> 00:39:42,480
howls can be heard over ten miles away.
544
00:39:43,840 --> 00:39:45,880
It's how the family keep in touch.
545
00:39:48,480 --> 00:39:51,360
In another month, the pups will leave the den
546
00:39:51,360 --> 00:39:52,920
and travel with the adults.
547
00:39:52,920 --> 00:39:54,800
HOWLING
548
00:39:54,800 --> 00:39:57,000
If they get split up,
549
00:39:57,000 --> 00:39:58,440
howling is one of the only ways
550
00:39:58,440 --> 00:40:00,560
they'll be able to get back together.
551
00:40:03,480 --> 00:40:06,440
HOWLING
552
00:40:11,360 --> 00:40:14,320
It's the end of my second week here
553
00:40:14,320 --> 00:40:16,400
and the pack's routine is changing.
554
00:40:20,400 --> 00:40:24,040
They need to prepare the pups for the impending Arctic winter
555
00:40:24,040 --> 00:40:25,920
and that means one thing...
556
00:40:26,920 --> 00:40:27,960
Food.
557
00:40:29,280 --> 00:40:33,000
Romulus is leading the other four adults on hunts more frequently.
558
00:40:37,040 --> 00:40:40,680
There's a real pressure on the wolves to keep these pups eating.
559
00:40:43,520 --> 00:40:45,360
For them to survive the winter,
560
00:40:45,360 --> 00:40:48,160
they need to put on as much weight as possible.
561
00:40:58,000 --> 00:41:01,200
I'm spending a lot of time near the den
562
00:41:01,200 --> 00:41:03,600
and I'm starting to figure out
563
00:41:03,600 --> 00:41:06,160
how to make them more comfortable around me.
564
00:41:21,880 --> 00:41:23,320
Ignoring her is the best bet.
565
00:41:24,320 --> 00:41:28,600
It just seems to be that when you act naturally,
566
00:41:28,600 --> 00:41:31,600
like drinking water out of a stream like a wolf,
567
00:41:31,600 --> 00:41:33,040
they come much closer.
568
00:41:34,200 --> 00:41:39,000
Part of the learning process is that staring at them,
569
00:41:39,000 --> 00:41:40,800
constantly looking at them,
570
00:41:40,800 --> 00:41:42,640
doesn't seem to work.
571
00:41:44,880 --> 00:41:46,200
Ignoring them does.
572
00:41:49,440 --> 00:41:53,200
Today, the rest of the pack has been out hunting for six hours
573
00:41:53,200 --> 00:41:55,560
and there's no sign of their return.
574
00:41:58,800 --> 00:42:01,240
The pups are getting really hungry.
575
00:42:02,280 --> 00:42:05,400
So, she has to resort to emergency supplies.
576
00:42:07,080 --> 00:42:10,000
What wolves will do is, once they've made a kill,
577
00:42:10,000 --> 00:42:14,600
if it's something that's big and they can't eat it all in one go,
578
00:42:14,600 --> 00:42:18,920
they'll leave these little food parcels all round their territory.
579
00:42:20,400 --> 00:42:24,240
And that's something they can return to and they can feed on
580
00:42:24,240 --> 00:42:27,200
when they haven't had any luck catching something.
581
00:42:28,360 --> 00:42:30,360
But I can imagine,
582
00:42:30,360 --> 00:42:33,080
if you're leaving hundreds and hundreds of little food parcels
583
00:42:33,080 --> 00:42:34,480
all around your territory,
584
00:42:34,480 --> 00:42:36,560
an area that is vast,
585
00:42:36,560 --> 00:42:40,120
you can't possibly remember where every single one of them is.
586
00:42:41,320 --> 00:42:44,240
So it's a bit like, erm...hunting through your house
587
00:42:44,240 --> 00:42:45,520
looking for your car keys.
588
00:42:45,520 --> 00:42:47,040
You know they're there somewhere
589
00:42:47,040 --> 00:42:49,160
but it might take a little while to locate them.
590
00:42:51,960 --> 00:42:54,800
The food caches around the den have been eaten.
591
00:42:55,920 --> 00:42:58,640
But there will be food buried further afield.
592
00:43:01,400 --> 00:43:03,280
It's a chance for me to approach the pups.
593
00:43:04,360 --> 00:43:08,160
An opportunity to see wolf development like never before.
594
00:43:30,800 --> 00:43:35,840
I cannot believe that I am this close to wolf pups at a den.
595
00:43:37,600 --> 00:43:40,480
It is beyond my wildest dreams.
596
00:43:44,160 --> 00:43:46,160
At this distance,
597
00:43:46,160 --> 00:43:49,800
you can really get a good view of these pups.
598
00:44:00,640 --> 00:44:04,280
It seems that the smallest pup is the most dominant one.
599
00:44:06,360 --> 00:44:08,480
There's not much in it sizewise,
600
00:44:08,480 --> 00:44:10,240
but just being this close,
601
00:44:10,240 --> 00:44:13,760
you can tell that one is marginally smaller,
602
00:44:13,760 --> 00:44:16,160
but considerably more dominant.
603
00:44:19,280 --> 00:44:23,280
It's the dominant pup that seems to be the most adventurous one.
604
00:44:25,480 --> 00:44:27,400
They're kind of ranked in order.
605
00:44:27,400 --> 00:44:29,760
There's super-adventurous.
606
00:44:30,720 --> 00:44:32,080
Adventurous.
607
00:44:32,080 --> 00:44:33,320
And stay-at-home.
608
00:44:34,480 --> 00:44:38,200
It always seems to be the same third one that stays back.
609
00:44:39,360 --> 00:44:43,240
And it's kind of encouraged by the others to head further out.
610
00:44:49,560 --> 00:44:52,120
The pups all look healthy now
611
00:44:52,120 --> 00:44:54,120
but when food gets scarce
612
00:44:54,120 --> 00:44:57,320
it's the dominant pup that is most likely to survive.
613
00:45:03,040 --> 00:45:06,280
Soon, the pups will leave the warmth and safety of the den.
614
00:45:07,280 --> 00:45:09,600
Life is going to get a lot harder.
615
00:45:10,840 --> 00:45:13,960
At least, while I'm here, I'll help keep an eye on them.
616
00:45:17,480 --> 00:45:20,440
This is the best baby-sitting job I've ever had.
617
00:45:22,400 --> 00:45:27,760
It is amazing, really, to be trusted and accepted by a wild animal.
618
00:45:28,960 --> 00:45:31,880
Wolves are super-cool.
619
00:45:33,800 --> 00:45:36,320
I've been really amazed by them.
620
00:45:37,880 --> 00:45:40,840
Amazed by how they live
621
00:45:40,840 --> 00:45:44,920
and also amazed by how they've let me get so close to them.
622
00:45:47,520 --> 00:45:51,520
It's amazing, really, to be able to form some kind of
623
00:45:51,520 --> 00:45:54,560
cross-species relationship with wolves,
624
00:45:54,560 --> 00:45:57,720
to the point that they'll let you
625
00:45:57,720 --> 00:45:59,600
look after their young
626
00:45:59,600 --> 00:46:01,120
while they go off hunting.
627
00:46:03,160 --> 00:46:05,560
If that's not being welcomed into the pack,
628
00:46:05,560 --> 00:46:07,080
I don't know what is.
629
00:46:15,440 --> 00:46:18,520
After an hour, Luna returns with food.
630
00:46:21,280 --> 00:46:24,160
She's only been able to find an old muskox leg.
631
00:46:28,400 --> 00:46:31,240
And there's barely enough meat on the bone for each pup.
632
00:46:34,600 --> 00:46:35,920
It's a worrying sign.
633
00:46:39,440 --> 00:46:41,440
My wolf family have a problem.
634
00:46:48,640 --> 00:46:50,800
The Arctic summer doesn't last long.
635
00:46:52,080 --> 00:46:56,160
It's a time when all animals race to feed their offspring,
636
00:46:56,160 --> 00:46:58,600
preparing them for the approaching winter.
637
00:47:06,720 --> 00:47:10,400
This should be the easiest time of year to find food.
638
00:47:11,640 --> 00:47:13,160
But my wolves are struggling
639
00:47:13,160 --> 00:47:15,800
to bring back anything substantial for the pups.
640
00:47:18,000 --> 00:47:21,560
In six weeks, they will face freezing temperatures.
641
00:47:23,880 --> 00:47:27,480
On their current diet, the pups have little chance of surviving.
642
00:47:30,760 --> 00:47:33,360
What they desperately need is a big meal.
643
00:47:39,160 --> 00:47:41,320
I've only got four days left.
644
00:47:42,560 --> 00:47:46,240
I want to leave knowing that the pups are getting enough to eat.
645
00:47:47,560 --> 00:47:51,720
To do that, the pack will need to bring down a muskox.
646
00:47:57,520 --> 00:48:01,640
Herds of muskox move through wolf territories in search of grazing.
647
00:48:02,800 --> 00:48:06,360
They are the most dangerous creature a wolf can hunt.
648
00:48:07,320 --> 00:48:08,360
Look at this...
649
00:48:09,360 --> 00:48:10,920
It's the remains of a muskox.
650
00:48:12,520 --> 00:48:14,480
And a pretty big one.
651
00:48:14,480 --> 00:48:15,520
Look at this...
652
00:48:16,480 --> 00:48:18,200
My goodness!
653
00:48:18,200 --> 00:48:22,480
It's like something from the distant past.
654
00:48:22,480 --> 00:48:24,200
And I suppose it is.
655
00:48:24,200 --> 00:48:28,400
Muskox are one of the few animals to have survived the last ice age
656
00:48:28,400 --> 00:48:31,440
and, really, this animal evolved alongside wolves,
657
00:48:31,440 --> 00:48:33,520
but they evolved alongside animals
658
00:48:33,520 --> 00:48:35,760
that are long-extinct - sabre-toothed cats.
659
00:48:35,760 --> 00:48:38,120
So, they are equipped to deal with predators
660
00:48:38,120 --> 00:48:40,080
that are much bigger than the wolf.
661
00:48:40,080 --> 00:48:41,840
Looking at this in detail,
662
00:48:41,840 --> 00:48:44,640
you realise what these wolves are up against.
663
00:48:45,800 --> 00:48:49,840
If muskox are under attack, they can ram into a wolf.
664
00:48:50,800 --> 00:48:53,040
They're powerful enough to break the spine of a wolf,
665
00:48:53,040 --> 00:48:54,600
if they get a direct hit.
666
00:48:54,600 --> 00:48:56,360
But, also, what they'll do is gore,
667
00:48:56,360 --> 00:48:59,960
like any animal with horns is designed to do,
668
00:48:59,960 --> 00:49:03,560
and that would go right through a wolf.
669
00:49:04,520 --> 00:49:06,760
For wolves to get a significant meal,
670
00:49:06,760 --> 00:49:10,000
they have to take on one of these huge animals.
671
00:49:10,000 --> 00:49:12,920
Can you imagine facing off an animal like this,
672
00:49:12,920 --> 00:49:15,480
that weighs over 400 kilos?
673
00:49:15,480 --> 00:49:17,840
It stands nearly five foot at the shoulder.
674
00:49:18,800 --> 00:49:23,000
And these, in comparison, tiny wolves square up to them.
675
00:49:25,960 --> 00:49:27,200
Rather them than me.
676
00:49:32,360 --> 00:49:35,400
Two days later, I can't believe the pack's luck.
677
00:49:36,560 --> 00:49:39,240
A muskox herd has moved into our valley.
678
00:49:40,320 --> 00:49:43,440
This could be the opportunity the family needs.
679
00:49:44,800 --> 00:49:46,800
They are huge.
680
00:49:49,000 --> 00:49:51,280
Now that is one animal I'm scared of.
681
00:49:51,280 --> 00:49:52,680
And they've got a bad attitude
682
00:49:52,680 --> 00:49:55,720
towards anything that looks like a predator.
683
00:49:59,880 --> 00:50:01,560
Right, I'm not too happy about this
684
00:50:01,560 --> 00:50:04,520
because the muskox are coming straight towards me.
685
00:50:08,360 --> 00:50:11,040
I'm in a very dangerous position,
686
00:50:11,040 --> 00:50:13,680
trapped between the wolves and their prey.
687
00:50:24,200 --> 00:50:26,720
Now, this could get interesting.
688
00:50:28,320 --> 00:50:29,920
How's this going to play out?
689
00:50:38,520 --> 00:50:41,840
It looks like they're going to cross right over towards the wolves.
690
00:50:42,920 --> 00:50:44,120
It's crazy.
691
00:50:48,000 --> 00:50:50,240
Muskox are aggressive
692
00:50:50,240 --> 00:50:52,200
and pose a danger to the pups.
693
00:50:54,960 --> 00:50:56,880
The wolves are up on their feet.
694
00:50:58,200 --> 00:51:00,560
They're heading right up towards the wolves.
695
00:51:00,560 --> 00:51:01,680
Holy mackerel...
696
00:51:02,640 --> 00:51:05,040
Now these wolves are going to have to spring into action.
697
00:51:06,000 --> 00:51:07,200
My God...
698
00:51:12,520 --> 00:51:15,720
They're really relaxed. God, these wolves are super-cool!
699
00:51:18,480 --> 00:51:21,920
My wolves are hungry, but this is a big herd.
700
00:51:23,000 --> 00:51:25,160
The pack are outnumbered two to one.
701
00:51:26,120 --> 00:51:29,080
It's not often that a meal comes straight towards a wolf
702
00:51:29,080 --> 00:51:31,840
but that's what seems to have happened here.
703
00:51:31,840 --> 00:51:35,600
Now the wolves have to really think carefully
704
00:51:35,600 --> 00:51:37,960
whether this is worth it,
705
00:51:37,960 --> 00:51:40,120
whether they stand a chance.
706
00:51:43,040 --> 00:51:45,960
Scruffy shows his inexperience
707
00:51:45,960 --> 00:51:47,800
and is pushed back by a bull.
708
00:51:58,760 --> 00:52:00,440
Oh, she's making a go for it!
709
00:52:03,360 --> 00:52:04,680
They're going for it.
710
00:52:04,680 --> 00:52:06,200
They're going for the muskox.
711
00:52:06,200 --> 00:52:07,840
They're going for the muskox.
712
00:52:07,840 --> 00:52:10,040
Jesus, they've set panic in amongst the herd.
713
00:52:17,240 --> 00:52:19,600
Luna and Romulus are leading the charge.
714
00:52:21,040 --> 00:52:22,760
They don't want them to get up on the hill
715
00:52:22,760 --> 00:52:24,760
because they'll lose them on the flat.
716
00:52:43,040 --> 00:52:45,320
Oh, my God, this is unbelievable!
717
00:52:48,200 --> 00:52:50,360
The muskox have regained the advantage.
718
00:52:52,080 --> 00:52:54,160
Two massive bulls,
719
00:52:54,160 --> 00:52:55,560
about ten females.
720
00:52:57,080 --> 00:52:59,120
Maybe they don't stand a chance? Crikey...
721
00:53:00,160 --> 00:53:01,960
Scruffy strays too close.
722
00:53:02,920 --> 00:53:04,800
A bull seizes the opportunity.
723
00:53:07,040 --> 00:53:09,760
In the confusion, the rest of the herd make a break...
724
00:53:10,720 --> 00:53:12,080
Oh, my word!
725
00:53:12,080 --> 00:53:14,920
..with Luna and Romulus in pursuit.
726
00:53:20,280 --> 00:53:22,720
That was exciting.
727
00:53:24,240 --> 00:53:25,560
Phew...!
728
00:53:36,080 --> 00:53:38,680
It's gone midnight and I am shattered.
729
00:53:38,680 --> 00:53:39,840
HOWLING
730
00:53:39,840 --> 00:53:41,440
But also delighted.
731
00:53:43,920 --> 00:53:46,400
I'm hoping I'll wake up to Luna feeding the pups
732
00:53:46,400 --> 00:53:48,640
the muskox meal they badly need.
733
00:54:04,920 --> 00:54:07,920
The next morning, there's still no sign of Luna.
734
00:54:08,880 --> 00:54:11,480
It's my last day and I'm starting to worry.
735
00:54:12,600 --> 00:54:15,200
The pups haven't fed for eight hours.
736
00:54:17,400 --> 00:54:20,680
Luna has never left them for this long before.
737
00:54:21,760 --> 00:54:25,400
The pups aren't weaned and no other wolf can keep them alive.
738
00:54:28,840 --> 00:54:30,160
There's no sign of the pack.
739
00:54:31,800 --> 00:54:33,440
So I head out to look for them.
740
00:54:44,920 --> 00:54:46,640
I find muskox,
741
00:54:46,640 --> 00:54:48,920
but the wolves are nowhere to be seen.
742
00:54:50,800 --> 00:54:52,720
You can see from this viewpoint
743
00:54:52,720 --> 00:54:55,120
how hard the wolves have to work to survive.
744
00:54:55,120 --> 00:54:57,480
It is wild. It's the wildest place on earth.
745
00:54:57,480 --> 00:55:01,200
We are so far north that, beyond this, it's the North Pole.
746
00:55:02,160 --> 00:55:03,600
There is nothing.
747
00:55:05,000 --> 00:55:06,720
And we don't know how far they go.
748
00:55:06,720 --> 00:55:10,120
There's lots of questions about exactly where they're going to hunt.
749
00:55:11,840 --> 00:55:16,200
It may well be that they even go into those mountains and beyond.
750
00:55:19,200 --> 00:55:20,400
Even on this short walk,
751
00:55:20,400 --> 00:55:22,680
I've realised that it's going to be impossible
752
00:55:22,680 --> 00:55:24,120
to follow the wolves on foot.
753
00:55:29,160 --> 00:55:31,400
When I get back to the den,
754
00:55:31,400 --> 00:55:32,800
I can't see the pups.
755
00:55:35,760 --> 00:55:38,240
I've only got a few hours until I have to leave.
756
00:55:39,480 --> 00:55:41,080
And I'm worried about them.
757
00:55:52,320 --> 00:55:54,320
I wonder if I can call the pups out?
758
00:55:55,800 --> 00:55:58,280
They've heard my voice
759
00:55:58,280 --> 00:56:01,560
and they haven't acted too adversely to it so...
760
00:56:03,840 --> 00:56:04,880
Pup, pup, come on.
761
00:56:06,120 --> 00:56:08,000
Come on, pups. Out you come.
762
00:56:19,400 --> 00:56:20,840
It is unbelievable.
763
00:56:22,080 --> 00:56:25,280
I never imagined, when I first arrived here,
764
00:56:25,280 --> 00:56:27,920
when I was looking at this den from across the valley,
765
00:56:27,920 --> 00:56:32,040
that I would one day be sitting right on top
766
00:56:32,040 --> 00:56:33,760
listening to the pups inside.
767
00:56:35,360 --> 00:56:36,640
Pretty special.
768
00:56:44,600 --> 00:56:48,080
Their mum, Luna, has been away for 12 hours.
769
00:56:49,280 --> 00:56:51,080
Longer than ever before.
770
00:56:53,280 --> 00:56:55,360
The pups are starving.
771
00:57:02,000 --> 00:57:05,520
I never expected to get this close to wild wolves.
772
00:57:06,840 --> 00:57:09,040
Or to get so attached to them.
773
00:57:10,640 --> 00:57:15,880
To come here and actually get to know these wolves
774
00:57:15,880 --> 00:57:19,920
has been a complete revelation to me.
775
00:57:19,920 --> 00:57:23,000
You know, wolves are far more incredible
776
00:57:23,000 --> 00:57:24,880
than I could ever have imagined.
777
00:57:24,880 --> 00:57:26,920
I've really fallen for them in a big way.
778
00:57:28,200 --> 00:57:30,640
I desperately want to help the pups,
779
00:57:30,640 --> 00:57:32,520
but...I can't.
780
00:57:35,400 --> 00:57:39,760
All I can do is hope that Luna feeds them soon
781
00:57:39,760 --> 00:57:43,400
and they're all still alive when I come back in six weeks.
782
00:57:48,640 --> 00:57:51,320
When I return, everything has changed.
783
00:57:51,320 --> 00:57:54,200
My wolf family are on the move...
784
00:57:55,560 --> 00:57:57,520
..and I struggle to keep up with them.
785
00:57:59,560 --> 00:58:00,600
Oh, wow!
786
00:58:01,560 --> 00:58:05,320
It's a crucial time as they try to feed up for the Arctic winter.
787
00:58:06,920 --> 00:58:09,280
That is a sign of desperation.
788
00:58:09,280 --> 00:58:11,760
That's a sign that the wolves are finding things tough.
789
00:58:11,760 --> 00:58:15,240
Tensions rise as they clash with a rival pack.
790
00:58:15,240 --> 00:58:17,480
These guys have pushed my pack out.
791
00:58:17,480 --> 00:58:19,200
I hope nothing bad's happened.
792
00:58:20,160 --> 00:58:22,920
And I see a new side to my wolf family.
793
00:58:24,000 --> 00:58:27,200
If ever I was going to be attacked by a wolf,
794
00:58:27,200 --> 00:58:29,040
now would seem like a good time.
59793
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