Original subtitles

Britain’s natural beauty is often overlooked.

So let’s take a walk on the wild side.

Over the green and pleasant land.

Along the rugged coastline.

And around the six thousand islands that make up the British Isles.

We will follow the extraordinary

wildlife on Britain’s doorstep.

From the familiar to the surprising.

Britain shares this truly special part of the planet

with millions of animals.

This place so many are lucky enough to call home

is a natural wonder.

Wild Great Britain

These mountains and rugged uplands

form the most dramatic wilderness in Britain.

Inaccessible, beautiful and brutal.

Only the hardiest animals are tough enough

to call these high places home.

They are players in an enduring drama

that’s been underway since the end of the Ice Age around 10,000 years ago.

When these mountains were unveiled.

It’s November, and an

early dusting of snow

already decorates these mountains.

The air temperature is barely above freezing.

But that doesn’t stop Britain’s

most iconic mountain predator.

A majestic hunter that cruises at more than 30mph.

And accelerates to 180 in a dive.

The Golden Eagle is one of the

fastest animals on the planet.

Its incredible eyesight –

around six times more powerful than our own –

enables it to spot prey in the most extensive range

of high mountains in Britain;

the Cairngorms, in the Scottish Highlands.

The terrain is perfect for the Golden Eagle –

Britain’s most impressive bird of prey.

Its powerful 7 centimetre talons

and razor- sharp beak point

to its hunting prowess.

And this female is looking for a kill.

She’ll take rabbits, grouse, even young deer.

But now she’s targeting one of the few animals

able to survive up here year-round.

The Mountain Hare – an Ice Age survivor.

In winter, temperatures here

often plummet below freezing,

so short ears and a triple layer

of fur keep this big male warm.

Staying stock still, he manages to go unnoticed.

But sensing he’s spotted,

This one bolts…blowing his cover

Triggered by shortening days and falling temperatures,

his brown summer coat is turning to white.

It matches the patchy snow

but any camouflage is lost when he runs.

Hares can hit 45mph.

Their speed and agility make them hard to catch.

But the Eagle is an expert assassin.

Her ratchet-like grip crushes her prey.

The hare is dead before she begins to feast.

This meal will sustain her for several days.

If there’d been more snow on the ground,

the odds might have been in the hare’s favour…

But for now, the advantage is with their hunter.

Britain has a number of stunning mountain ranges

where the land seems to meet the sky.

Created by the collision of continental plates

and huge volcanic activity,

Britain now has seven major mountain ranges

in northern England, Wales and, largest of all, in Scotland.

The Cairngorms were formed from

granite some 400 million years ago.

But in parts of Scotland, the

mountains are older still.

The Isle of Mull is made up of a unique mix of rocks,

some 2,000 million years old that’s

found nowhere else in the world.

The mountains here are home to a number of ‘tribes’ of Feral Goats.

With shaggy coats and striking horns,

they look right at home in this rugged landscape.

But in fact, they’re relative newcomers.

Rumours persist that they swam ashore

from the wreckage of the Spanish Armada.

But it’s now thought they arrived

from Europe with Stone Age farmers,

some 5,000 years ago.

They’re a belligerent bunch,

mostly communicating with their heads.

Especially during the breeding season in October

when males compete for dominance

and the no-nonsense females

rebuff unwanted advances.

Repeated head-banging, again and again,

would cause brain damage in most animals.

But these thick-skulled thugs

have evolved to take the impact.

And their brains even have shock absorbers.

Like Red Deer, Feral Goats also keep

close tabs on each other’s status.

The Billy goats know just when the nannies are ready to mate,

by testing their wee.

They check for tell-tale chemicals

by taking a deep breath and curling their lips

to draw the smell over a scent organ in the roof of their mouths.

Once detected, these pheromones

have a magnetic effect.

And eager Billies will follow the females around like a bad smell.

But the nannies have their own

ideas; they’re no pushover.

If they’re not in the mood,

they’ll quickly tell unwanted stalkers to butt out.

They only accept the best Bill on the hill.

And these colourful characters aren’t the only ones at home

in Britain’s inhospitable wilds…

Together with the Mountains,

Britain’s Uplands make up almost a third of the land surface.

These high, open spaces, between 250

and 850 metres above sea level,

are scattered across the country.

They too have specialist wildlife of their own.

They include the Yorkshire Dales.

It’s early spring, and

dawn brings tranquility,

a stillness that sees moorland creatures

quietly going about their business.

But the peace is disturbed by a series of warbling bird calls.

The foothills of Mount Snowdon in Wales

are home to species like the

Bog Asphodel or bone breaker,

and glorious expanses of flowering heathers.

But their poor soils are also home to a plant

whose pretty name…hides an ugly secret

The “Sundew” is a flesh eating flower that’s the stuff of nightmares…

A living piece of fly paper.

The upper surface of each leaf is covered in highly adhesive,

red hairs, each holding

a blob of goo.

If something lands, it sticks.

This greenfly has no hope of getting away

but for larger prey,

the Sundew has another trick in store.

Sensing the fly’s resistance,

its hairs curl and trap the struggling victim.

The torment can last up to 5 hours.

Then The Sundew’s acidic digestive

juices slowly dissolve its prey.

It’s a drawn-out, hideous ordeal

that continues for about 2 weeks,

as the plant consumes the fly.

Of course, in the cycle of life,

the carnivorous Sundew is also at risk of becoming a meal.

Although grazing animals like sheep can be destructive,

others play an important part

in managing the uplands.

As these Dartmoor Ponies munch their way across the moors

they help control aggressive plants

that might otherwise take over.

The ponies are so integral to the perception of this landscape,

they’re now the symbol for Dartmoor National Park.

In the Middle Ages, they were used as

beasts of burden in Dartmoor’s quarries and mines.

But over the years they’ve been used for many purposes –

and selective breeding has led to the different types of pony

seen on the moor today.

Short and sturdy, with thick coats and strong legs;

their forward pointing teeth enable

them to graze close to the ground.

And their tough stomachs can digest

woody plants, such as gorse.

They may not look it,

but ponies are actually selective grazers–

and the pockets of vegetation

they leave untouched benefit many small mammals and insects.

Such as the busy caterpillars of the

rare Marsh Fritillary butterfly,

which spin striking, tent-like webs.

After eight months in their juvenile form,

the adults eventually emerge in May,

with distinctive orange and brown checked wings.

Fifteen hundred ponies roam Dartmoor today,

and like fuzzy park rangers,

they help conserve this special place

Grazing animals aren’t the only agents

of change in Britain’s uplands.

There’s more than meets the eye.

This heathery landscape in the

Yorkshire Dales might appear natural.

But in reality, man has a sweeping hand

in keeping it that way.

For a hundred years or more,

gamekeepers have carefully managed these peaceful dales

using seemingly violent means.

Between October and April each year,

around 10% of this upland estate goes up in flames.

The keepers torch small areas at a time

to remove the vegetation.

It might seem destructive.

But the aim is to allow

certain wildlife to flourish.

These controlled fires create

space for fresh shoots,

while the keepers leave other

areas for birds to nest and hide.

This open country is engineered to

cater for a uniquely British bird,

one that’s only found in this particular habitat.

The Red Grouse, a game bird that lives in, and eats heather.

A native species, but raised for shooting,

it roams the moors throughout the year.

There are around four hundred thousand Red Grouse in Britain today.

The females lay up to 12 eggs at a time.

Once hatched, the chicks are fed by both mum and dad for six weeks.

Incredibly, these little fluff-balls

will be able to fly within a fortnight.

A positive side-effect of creating

habitat for the Red Grouse,

is that it also suits a wealth of rare and remarkable birds.

Lapwings.

Curlews.

Redshank.

And Oyster Catchers.

These species more usually associated

with Britain’s estuaries and coasts

but all need this open moorland to breed.

Human intervention has shaped Britain’s high places

far more than we may realise.

4000 years ago, the uplands were covered with trees.

Take a walk in Britain’s forests,

and you’ll find yourself amongst majestic trees,

some of them thousands of years old.

But you rarely get to see the

amazing animals hidden here.

These wild, tangled places keep their secrets close.

Peer behind the curtain of leaves,

and a magical world is revealed –

home to a huge variety of elusive creatures.

Be in the right place at the right time,

and you never know what you might find.

Wild Boar.

Hunted out of Britain over 300 years ago, they’re back –

and they’re kicking up a stink.

They live on the border between England and Wales,

in the Forest of Dean - one of

Britain’s oldest woodlands…

They’ve made their new home in an ancient royal hunting ground.

These native pigs are huge, the size of two men.

Over 20 years ago their ancestors

escaped from local farms.

Now, these pigs are breeding like rabbits.

They have no natural predators…

Which may not be a great thing for one

of Britain’s most iconic flowers.

Nothing says “British woodland”

quite like a carpet of bluebells.

Astonishingly, half of all the bluebells in the world

are found in the British Isles.

In April and May, a wave of blue

spreads from the tip of Cornwall

to the far north of Scotland,

transforming the ancient woodlands.

Their delicate scent fills the air.

This is the sight – and smell – of spring.

But they’re under attack.

This stripy piglet – known as a humbug –

is part of a wild boar baby boom.

More than a thousand boar now live in the Forest of Dean…

And true to the saying, they eat like pigs

with 400 species of animal and plant on their menu.

But right now, bluebell bulbs are flavour of the month.

The boar may be big, but they’re wary of people…

and only emerge as darkness falls.

An incredible new camera allows us to see

what the boar and their woodland neighbors do after dark.

Sensing body heat, it picks out the creatures of the night.

The wild boar are out in force.

While the males wander alone,

the females move in herds known as sounders,

led by a matriarch.

She takes them to a midnight feast.

Wild boar have terrible eyesight even in daylight,

so they use smell to find their way and their food in the pitch black.

Remarkably the thermal imaging camera also reveals

a previously unseen relationship

between wild boar and the other creatures of the forest.

Bats circle overhead,

feasting on insects attracted to the boar,

or disturbed by their rooting around.

And a tawny owl takes advantage of

a wild boar wallow to have a bath.

To hunt effectively, tawnies need

their feathers in perfect condition.

The Forest of Dean’s boar are thriving …

happily for them and their fellow forest dwellers.

Thirteen per cent of Britain is cloaked in trees

and the good news is that the forests are slowly spreading.

It’s particularly welcome for Britain’s woodlands’ most stealthy slayer –

but not if you’re on its hit list.

Hidden away in the forests is one of

Britain’s most impressive predators.

The Goshawk. A silent killer.

Looking for its prey.

Few people have ever laid eyes on one.

Just as well – they’ve

been known to

attack humans encroaching on their turf.

The goshawk is the largest bird of prey

living in Britain’s woodlands,

with a wingspan nearly a metre across.

Their broad wings and rudder-like tails

make them superbly agile and fast.

They can slip through the trees at nearly forty miles per hour.

This is what makes the goshawk the ultimate forest hunter.

They’ll catch anything that moves.

Birds make up three quarters of their diet

and those living just outside the trees

are particularly at risk.

With a nest of hungry chicks to feed,

this mother goshawk isn’t fussy about what’s for lunch.

She just needs to make a kill.

Goshawks hide their families deep in the forest.

Inside this huge, typically untidy nest,

we get a rare peek into their private lives.

These three chicks hatched five weeks ago.

Now they’re on the verge of leaving home.

They’re big enough to dismantle their meals on their own.

Or so they think.

Within days they’ll have to catch their own food.

Day by day, mum is bringing back less for them.

The two brothers are the first to spread their wings.

They’ll hang around for a week or so,

until they’re strong enough to set out on their own.

Their younger sister is a bit more cautious.

Eventually she summons the courage to branch out, too.

Soon all three young goshawks will be

terrorising the creatures of the forest.

Having lost weight looking after her brood,

mum could use a meal of her own.

Using the trees for cover, she pinpoints her prey.

A grey partridge, on the forest edge.

It’s using long grass for cover.

But that’s no defence

against an aerial attack.

The partridge can hit 30 miles per hour.

But the goshawk can do 40.

There’s no escape.

In the 19th century,

gamekeepers and egg collectors

exterminated goshawks across the country

because of the hawks rapacious taste for game bird.

But now, barely noticed, they’re

spreading through Britain’s forests,

and around a thousand adults now

live deep amongst the trees.

This goshawk is the queen of her canopy.

But in the last 140 years,

a newcomer has invaded her forest realm.

Grey squirrels were imported from America

to prettify gardens and estates,

but have rapidly conquered the countryside.

Over 2 million live in Britain today.

And they’ve driven the native red squirrels

out of most of Britain’s forests.

But some hang on in Scotland.

In an ancient, fragmented woodland,

known as the Caledonian Forest…where

only the toughest survive

Woodlands like this once covered most of Britain…

but now they’re confined to scattered

plots dominated by Scots Pines.

Soaring over 20 metres tall, they grow slowly,

eking out what they can from the poor soil.

They’re well defended by thick bark

and their waxy needles are hard to digest,

meaning there’s little for animals to eat around here.

But the red squirrels have found clever ways

of holding on in this unforgiving land.

Energetic and opportunistic,

they range the forest canopy,

always on the lookout for a meal.

This hyperactive young male, known as a buck,

spends two thirds of his time looking for food.

In late summer, when there are limited supplies,

he’s in a life or death race against his rivals.

His bushy tail gives him balance,

while his flexible ankles and needle-like claws

mean he’s perfectly at home in the treetops.

His favourite food, the cones of

the Scots Pine, are yet to ripen.

Fortunately this clever little

rodent has a backup plan.

A crevice in this pine’s thick bark

still contains a few nuts hidden last autumn.

The buck has several larders dotted around the forest.

The trick is remembering where they all are.

He uses landmarks to find the rough location of his stash.

Then sniffs it out.

Tough enamel on his chisel-like teeth

makes short work of the hard nut.

At this time of year the squirrel must eat around

a tenth of his body weight every day.

But a female, known as a doe, is watching.

Red squirrels may share their homes

but they don’t like sharing their food.

It’s a face off.

They’re the same size, and evenly matched.

But the doe is hungry.

She needs to chase the buck away

so she can steal his stash.

She gave him a run for his money

Round one to the doe.

And the buck is off, seeking better luck elsewhere.

In a place that’s cold and wet much of the year,

building a warm, dry home would seem impossible.

You need to install central heating and believe it or not,

there’s an animal that can do just that.

The Scottish Wood Ant, the size of a grain of rice,

one of the largest of the 60

or so ants found in Britain.

And perhaps the most ingenious of the lot.

To incubate its eggs, it must heat its nest to 30 degrees,

a tricky task when the air

outside rarely reaches 15.

To do it, the ants work together in

a construction team 100,000 strong.

The builders need feeding, so head out for breakfast.

Each one brings home one

and a half times its bodyweight every day.

Together they consume 10 million insects every year.

Once fed, the all-female work force sets

about gathering building materials.

A pine needle may be unwieldy

but its waxy, waterproof coat means

it makes perfect roofing.

After decades of construction,

the nest is over a metre high.

Tall enough to catch the warming rays of the low northern sun.

And the rotting vegetation

inside acts as a boiler.

If this central heating needs topping up,

the workers sunbathe,

then head inside to warm the nest chambers with their bodies.

And if it gets too hot, they open up the vents.

All in all, it’s a fully waterproof,

perfectly heated, high-rise home.

For the animals of the British woodlands,

each season brings the good with the bad.

As autumn sets in,

seeds and nuts ripen and are now ready to eat.

Falling acorns fuel a dramatic

change in many animals’ behaviour.

Back in the Forest of Dean, the young wild boar,

the humbugs, are now fully

grown…and they’re hungry.

And so, under cover of darkness

they head out in search of food and territory.

Wild boar are spreading across the land.

About four thousand now live in thirty woodlands across Britain.

That number continues to grow and at this time of year

they’re active night and day.

The boar’s impact on the land

is more obvious than ever,

so their spread is causing concern.

Biologist Jim Swanson has been

studying them for the last 9 years -

investigating how these natural bulldozers

affect Britain’s woodlands and their wildlife.

He’s found that Autumn is a key period,

when the boar bulk up for the breeding season.

They’re seeking out energy-rich seeds and fruit.

They need to be in tip-top condition,

not just to get a mate, but

for the winter months ahead.

Their health will influence the number of piglets

they’re likely to have the following spring.

As they forage, the boar leave their

tell-tale sign all over the forest,

including distinctive footprints

as they totter around on their front toes.

And the boar aren’t just looking for food.

Jim’s found that they work the ground with purpose

like landscape engineers.

Their deep rooting creates wallows.

Wild boar don’t sweat,

so they use these shallow pools to cool off.

Not surprisingly, all of this activity

makes wild boar pretty unpopular

with landowners and farmers.

But Jim has found that in the forest itself,

the boar are a force for

good by turning the soil and

removing species such as bracken,

they actually increase the diversity of plants and animals.

And for many people,

seeing the wild boar back in Britain’s forests

makes them a more special place.

Whether appreciated or not,

their ramblings nocturnal seem set to continue.

These hungry hogs are staying put.

Britain’s forests are magical places,

rich, natural realms enjoyed by people and animals alike

After years of protection,

these national treasuers are thriving and spreading…

So the secretive creatures who live here are benefiting,

and slowly repopulating the land.

As technology illuminates their shadowy world,

we learn more about their secret lives

and what it takes for them to survive.

Mysteries remain –

but that’s part of what makes Britain’s forests

such a mysterious, majestic place to explore.