All language subtitles for Atlantic A Year In The Wild 02

- [Narrator] The Atlantic,

immense, hostile, and brutal.

(gentle music)
(waves crashing)

The world's second largest ocean.

So vast it generates weather.

An irresistible power that shapes lands

with its unstoppable force.

To survive in the world's wildest ocean

takes tenacity and strength.

This is the story of birth and death,

struggle and survival.

Where the Atlantic meets Europe.

Where the land meets the sea.

This is "A Year in the Wild".

(bright music)

(waves crashing)

(birds squawking)

(gentle music)

The Atlantic Ocean stretches

from the Antarctic to the Arctic,

from the Americas to Africa and Europe.

(waves crashing)

Where its ferocity is matched

by its richness and diversity.

As winter draws to a close,
the Northern Atlantic coast

springs back to life.

(bright music)
(birds chirping)

But the creatures that
live along its shoreline

remain at its mercy.

Returning migrants and those
that faced winter head-on

must replenish energy

(bird squawking)

before finding a mate
and starting a family.

They only have a few short weeks,

so the drive is strong.

On the Shetland Islands,

200 miles north of the Scottish mainland

(water splashes)

an otter mom must first
get rid of the kids

before she can start a new family.

(gentle music)

Last winter her two otter
cubs emerged from their hold

for the very first time.

They were totally dependent on
her for food and protection.

(otter cubs squealing)

(gentle music)

Six months later and she's
still caring for them,

but not for much longer.

Her food deliveries are
starting to dry off.

A sign that family time is almost over,

and it's time for the cubs to move on.

As the Atlantic warms,
fish return from the deep,

giving the two youngsters the chance

to hone their hunting skills.

The young male is already
spending more and more time alone,

attempting to catch prey for himself.

This is a dangerous time.

A lack of food can result in
him losing strength and dying.

(gentle music)

The risk is heightened by the arrival

of a big male dog otter.

Dog otters are not normally tolerated

by females with cubs.

But this is otter breeding season,

and adults are on the lookout for a mate.

He has spotted the young male
cub has caught a big fish.

Stealing a meal is
easier than catching one,

so he muscles in.

The young cub tries to stand its ground,

but is no match for the
bigger, stronger adult,

and he's forced to surrender his catch.

A valuable life lesson.

Survival is not just about catching food,

it's also about being
wily enough to keep it.

(gentle music)
(gannets squawking)

Spring sees the return of
millions of migratory birds

to the North Atlantic.

Here to feed, find a
mate, and raise a family.

(gannets squawking)

The island of Noss, just
east of mainland Shetland,

attracts 150,000 sea birds.

These 600-foot sandstone cliffs

are weathered by wind and sea,

(gentle music)

making it the ideal nesting
spot for 20,000 gannets.

Following their exhausting
2,000-mile flight

from Northern Africa, it's time to feed.

(wings fluttering)

Diving at up to 60 miles an hour,

they hit the water at breakneck speed.

(water gurgling)

But they're specifically
designed to hunt like this.

They fold back their wings
to streamline their bodies.

Powerful neck muscles
and a layer of sponge

behind the bill cushions the blow.

(water splashing)

Their eyes immediately adjust
so they can see underwater.

(dramatic music)

Get it right and they're
rewarded with a fish.

Get it wrong and it can be fatal.

The risk of injury doesn't end here.

Collisions underwater are not uncommon.

(water splashing)

(gannets squawking)

Back on the cliffs,

(gentle music)

the race to find a partner
and mate has begun.

(gannets squawking)

They gather nesting
material from the clifftops

to line the exact same
nest site as last year.

As more and more gannets arrive,

good nest space becomes a
premium, and fights break out.

(gannets squawking)

(dramatic music)

It's a battle of strength and will.

Serrations inside the bill make
escape virtually impossible.

It's partner joins in,
gouging the intruders eye.

Gannets cannot hunt without
stereoscopic vision,

so it's vital it frees itself.

Imposter taken care of,
they reinforce their bond,

then get back to the
business of raising a family.

(gentle music)
(gannets squawking)

As spring progresses, battles intensify,

both above and below the surface.

(water gurgling)

In the shallow coastal
water of Southwest England,

a male cuttlefish guards
his partner from rivals.

She is approaching two years old.

This is her first breeding season.

It'll also be her last

as once she's laid her eggs, she will die.

(gentle music)

A second male attempts a takeover.

Tension rises, and their
normally dull, brown coloration

turns black and white.

Their faces darken, and they fight.

Powerful jaws at the center of their limbs

could deliver a deadly bite.

With neither wanting to
risk injury, they split.

But he's lost his partner, so
pumped up he heads back in.

(dramatic music)

Zebra stripes pulsing,
eyes yellow with rage.

He quickly recaptures his
mate and normality returns.

(gentle music)

Cuttlefish breed head to head.

But fertilization doesn't
happen until egg laying,

which is still hours away.

So he shadows her to prevent

an adversary moving in again.

She carefully secures her
eggs to the vegetation,

camouflaging them with ink.

Her final act, as exhausted,
spent, she'll now die,

confident that her next
generation are safely hidden away.

(waves crashing)

(gentle music)
(birds chirping)

After a particularly tough winter,

warm air now sweeps across
Scotland's Atlantic coast.

On the island of Rum, the red deer

that fed on seaweed in the
winter have given birth.

(gentle music)

At only a day old, this one
is still wobbly on its legs.

Its mother must find good grazing

if she's to produce the milk
needed to satisfy her newborn.

So she hides it in the long
grass and heads off to graze.

(slow dramatic music)

The youngster must stay still

as white-tailed and golden
eagles patrol these skies.

(eagle squawking)

Both will kill young calves.

Instinct kicks in and it seeks
shelter amongst the rocks.

(birds chirping)

Warm temperatures and light winds

lead to an explosion of biting midges,

which drive the deer to distraction.

(biting midges buzzing)

Again, they find salvation along the coast

where cool sea breezes keep
the biting midges at bay.

But they must feed their calves,

so return the midge-infested peat bogs.

(water splashing)

Spring is when stags rebuild the muscle

lost over the long winter.

But this is also the season
to start growing new antlers.

They're covered in a blood-rich
layer of skin called velvet,

which supplies oxygen and
nutrients to the bone,

helping them grow an inch a day,

faster than any other mammal bone.

But all this blood also
attracts biting midges,

forcing the stags to flee
up into the mountains

where it's too cold and
windy for the midges.

But up here the grazing is poor,

just when the stags are
desperate for nutrition.

(gentle music)

Not everyone is struggling to find food.

A pair of white-tailed fish eagles

found themselves the
perfect place to hunt.

They're both 13 years old,

and have set up home close
to a prime fishing ground.

(eagles squawking)

Kylerhea Narrows is the
shallow stretch of water

that separates the Isle of Skye
from the Scottish mainland.

(gentle music)

(birds squawking)

Twice a day, as the tide ebbs and flaunts,

water is forced through
the narrow sea strait,

(slow dramatic music)

creating one of the UK's
fastest tidal flows.

Forcing fish to the surface,

making easy fishing for seals, gulls,

and fish eagles.

Their eight-foot wingspan
is one of the largest

of any eagle, but they're still

incredibly agile, proficient hunters.

(slow dramatic music)

(birds squawking)

Once they have a fish,
they return to their nest

to feed their two chicks.

(chicks squealing)

They've been together for nine years,

and in that time raised 11 chicks.

But only once have they managed to raise

more than one chick at a time.

For both to survive, they need
a constant supply of food.

Dad fishes tirelessly,

leaving mom to guard the nest.

(eagle squawking)

Now five weeks old, their
appetites are growing,

prompting mom to help with the hunting,

(eagle chick squawking)

leaving the youngsters
home, alone and vulnerable.

(slow dramatic music)

With both parents away,

a young sea eagle invades their nest,

and starts stealing vital food.

The larger chick sounds the alarm.

(eagle chick squawking)

If a fight were to
start, one of the chicks

could easily fall from
the nest to its death.

Perhaps sensing a parent
returning, it flees,

leaving the chicks in peace again.

(gentle music)

Food deliveries keep coming.

The older chick dominates mealtime,

starving the younger
chick of valuable protein.

Its chances of survival are not good.

(gentle music)

Spring is a difficult
time for many newborn.

But it's especially tough when you live

on the remote volcanic island of Iceland,

(birds squawking)

which is wild, awe-inspiring, and hostile.

The Hornstrandir Peninsula

sits just below the Arctic Circle.

(gentle music)

Barron tundra and
steep-sided glacial valleys

plummet 1,500 feet into the Atlantic.

But even here there is
food if you have the nerve

and the ability to find it.

Arctic foxes are Iceland's
only native land mammal,

and they're tough.

Last winter, they eked out an existence

along the shoreline, feeding on scraps

washed up by the tide.

Spring sees the return
of nesting sea birds,

fresh food for this Arctic fox mom.

Especially now that she has
five hungry mouths to feed.

(fox pups whimpering)

At six weeks old, they
have insatiable appetites,

driving their mom to carry
out regular nest raids.

(gentle music)

She's chosen her den site well,

giving her easy access to
a regular supply of food.

But these are some of the North Atlantic's

highest sea bird cliffs.

(birds squawking)

One wrong step and
she'll fall to her death.

At this age her pups are
totally dependent upon her.

If she doesn't return, they will perish.

(slow dramatic music)

Unaware of the danger, they
spend their time play fighting,

stalking flowers, and asserting dominance.

Skills to help them
when they leave the den

in a month's time.

Their mother returns with another kill.

(gentle music)

The dominant pup quickly takes control.

At eight years, she's an
old but experienced mother,

returning with kill after kill.

But she'll have to work hard

if she's to keep all five pups alive.

(gentle music)

(birds squawking)

(gentle music)

Just 100 miles south of the
foxes on Iceland's west coast

four eider ducklings have just hatched.

(ducklings chirping)

They're about to start a short

but perilous journey to the coast.

Their mother hasn't eaten

since she started
incubating three weeks ago,

so she's hungry.

Her chicks hatched fully feathered
and with their eyes open.

Just hours old, they must get
to the safety of the water.

This is the moment predatory
gulls have been waiting for.

(birds squawking)

They slope off through the long grass.

(bright music)

Mom calls quietly to keep them close.

(ducklings chirping)

They're joined by other families.

(ducklings chirping)

And together they break
cover and race to the water,

but one has been left behind.

Lost, it starts walking the wrong way.

It calls for its mother,
but she's moving offshore.

Those that made it take the plunge.

Eiders are oceanic ducks
that spend their lives

diving for mussels on the sea bottom,

(water splashing)

and quickly adapt to their
new underwater environment.

(duckling chirping)
(dramatic music)

The lost one keeps calling.

Its whistles may also
attract predatory gulls.

Along the shore another
chick has been snatched.

(duckling chirping)

It's now or never as the
creche is moving away.

It makes a run for it,

onto the shoreline, out into the open.

(gull squawking)

It hits the water and takes the plunge,

and is reunited with its mother.

Together they head off
to the safety of the bay.

(birds squawking)

Long, sunny days warm the Atlantic's

shallow, coastal waters,

turning them green with microscopic life,

(gentle music)

drawing jellyfish up from the sea bed

to feed and then breed.

(water gurgling)

Moon jellies drift in swarms.

Barrel jellyfish, the UK's largest,

grow to three feet in diameter

on a diet of microscopic
plants and animals.

Jellyfish are simple creatures,

made up of 95% water and nerves,

but somehow they know
where to go to find food.

All are potential prey

to the world's longest
jellyfish, the lion's mane,

which hunts in the UK's
cool, fertile waters.

(dramatic music)

They capture their prey
with their tentacles,

which can exceed 100 feet long.

Then inject them with venom.

Paralyzed, they are then slowly ingested.

Jellyfish have been around
for 500 million years,

making them one of the most
ancient animals on the planet.

(gentle music)

The explosion of algae
also feeds filter feeders,

like fan worms, that emerge from tubes

they've built from sand and shells.

But it's flame shells that are
the ocean's real engineers.

Using their foot, they bind
debris together with thread,

bit by bit, building themselves a home.

But their toil also creates
places for predators to hunt.

A king scallop makes a quick getaway.

(water gurgling)

Not so this flame shell
which is stuck fast.

(dramatic music)

A hermit crab makes light work
of its soft, fleshy insides.

Predators patrol these reefs
on the lookout for a meal.

A cuddlefish hunts
using stealth and speed.

(sand clattering)

During the day he hides under the sand.

As it draws to a close, he emerges.

He hatched over winter,
still only five inches long,

he focuses his attention on a shrimp.

(dramatic music)

He may be young, but he's
still a formidable predator.

He has 10 limbs, each one
armed with powerful suckers.

Known as a chameleon of the sea,

he can alter his color and
texture by contracting muscles.

His eyes can look both
forwards and backwards.

He waves two arms to help with disguise,

then moves in for the kill.

Once within striking distance,

he fires two feeding tentacles,

then draws the shrimp back
into his powerful jaws.

(water gurgling)

(waves crashing)

(birds squawking)

(gentle music)

Late spring, and the
Atlantic continues providing

an abundance of food.

Back on sky, the sea eagles

are still catching plenty of prey,

(eagle chicks squawking)

and both chicks are doing well.

The older one still
takes the lion's share,

only letting its sibling
feed once it's had its fill.

Both have grown their flight feathers,

and in just a month will
take their very first flight.

But they'll still rely
on their parents for food

whilst they get to grips
with the art of fishing.

Not all of this year's newborn
have such attentive parents.

Some must start preparing for life alone

as soon as they're born.

Their inexperience means
they are vulnerable

to attack from predators.

(gentle music)

Along the Atlantic and North Sea coast,

from Holland to Norway,

and right around the British Isles,

it's common seal pupping season.

The Shetland's 1,700 miles of coastline

has more than 50 pupping grounds,

each one hidden away on remote islands

and rocky outcrops.

Late spring is when newborn
pups enter the Atlantic

for the very first time.

Common seals can swim
when only a few hours old,

slowly at first, under mom's watchful eye.

(waves crashing)

But they quickly grow in confidence,

edging deeper and further from the shore.

(dramatic music)

Developing skills that'll help them

once they're on their own,

which isn't that far away,

as in just four weeks their
mother will abandon them

so she can breed again.

The youngsters must remain vigilant.

(gentle music)

Every June, pods of killer
whales arrive from Iceland

to hunt the young pups.

Shetland's steep-sided shoreline

let's them get very close in.

A family group hunts together,

hugging the coastline,

shielding themselves behind
islets and spits of land.

(dramatic music)

They spot a pup, deep
enough to merit an attack.

Communicating with clicks and whistles,

they charge in at 30 miles per hour.

The pup stands no chance.

(birds squawking)

The orca family share the spoils

before moving off to hunt again.

(gentle music)

(waves crashing)

Next time, summer sees
the return of giants

to the UK's rich, coastal waters.

Having traveled through the
other side of the Atlantic,

they are here to gorge.

Summer is also the season

when many of this year's youngsters

prepare to start life alone,

but they must be ready to avoid predators

on the lookout for an easy meal.

(upbeat music)