All language subtitles for Wild Winter 03

(gentle music)

- [Narrator] From the northern icescapes

of the Arctic Circle

to the southern most
extremes of Antarctica,

winter prowls the Earth
from top to bottom,

conjuring up scenes of wondrous
beauty and stark severity.

Breathtaking in spectacle,

but often harsh environments to call home.

Those that do live here thrive here

through amazing adaptations
and animal cunning.

It's survival of the fittest,
the fastest and the fearless.

A cycle of life where being
strong, smart, and shrewd,

can mean the difference
between life and death.

Because in this extraordinary
world of ice and snow,

only the most resilient and resourceful

will endure the wild winter.

(gentle music)

For the wild animals of Earth,

winter in the coldest
regions of our planet

is a season like no other.

It is a multifaceted test of survival,

pushing the limits of an animal's

physical and cognitive abilities.

To succeed, they rely on

remarkable behaviours and adaptations

evolved in response to
winter's challenges.

Whether they're built for the conditions,

or make the best of them,

mother nature's preppers and hoarders,

her ducks that know just where to land,

the ice age bovine that
look out for each other,

and those that prefer to go it alone,

they use their size, their
strength, and their sensitivity.

To pass this test

every creature must have
a strategy for survival.

(tense music)

Antarctica, the coldest
continent on the planet.

The polar night lasts six months

and days plunge to minus
60 degrees Celsius.

A frozen desert where winds can gust up to

300 kilometres an hour.

(penguins braying)

A colony of noisy emperor penguins

is bracing for this time of brutal beauty.

Winter is a critical time
for them on the sea ice.

(wind howling)

No food and no shelter,
they are totally exposed.

They must stay warm.

Their survival depends on it.

A male hunches his shoulders as he walks,

a posture that protects against the cold.

The way he moves is calculated
and surprisingly clever.

The waddle may look unwieldy,
but it's energy efficient.

Avoiding heat loss is always the priority.

(penguins braying)

While these penguins rock
back and forth on their heels,

they're reducing contact
with the icy ground.

A father penguin lends
his feet to his chick,

warming the baby up on his insteps.

But it's as a community
that this species excels.

In the ultimate act of
cooperation, they form huddles,

choreographed groups that
shuffle against the wind.

Those on the outside
shield those on the inside,

and to share the shelter,
the huddle constantly shifts,

allowing everyone a
turn in the warm centre.

This admirable collective
behaviour reduces heat loss

by up to 50%.

This is the emperor
penguins' incredible solution

to surviving the bitter winter.

To ensure their collective survival,

they've turned the power of cooperation

into a successful strategy,

and it's made them one of
the most resilient species

in what is arguably the
harshest environment on Earth.

Beyond the extremes of
the Antarctic Circle,

winter in the southern
hemisphere is more forgiving

for the animal inhabitants,

though survival still
requires a solid strategy.

To much of the world,
Australia is not a place

associated with freezing temperatures.

Yet parts of this wide brown
land can and do turn white.

(gentle music)

From June to October,

Australia's alpine region
is a snowy wonderland.

(gentle music continues)

Mount Kosciuszko is the
country's highest peak,

and has shifted from
the fiery heat of summer

to regularly hitting temperatures

of five degrees below zero.

It's a landscape of incredible extremes

that challenge all that live here.

This common wombat is one of the only

large marsupial species
that can handle life

above the snow line.

But as a concession to the cold,

the normally nocturnal animal
has ventured out in daylight.

Even with no natural predators,

the wombat must be on
alert for the red fox,

an introduced killer now
considered a pest in these parts.

The Australian native
needs to be ready to run.

(upbeat music)

The focus of today's
trek is a hunt for food.

To save exerting himself,
he halves his effort.

His back feet fit perfectly
into the deep impressions made

by his front paws.

Saving energy is strategic,

for he needs all the
strength he can muster

to survive the winter.

(upbeat music continues)

Wombats are herbivores

and primarily feed on
grasses, roots and shrubs.

He'll graze for up to 10 hours a day.

His physical and behavioural adaptations

means he's well equipped
to endure the conditions.

His sharp incisors sever
the tough grasses he eats,

and when the ground becomes
completely covered with snow,

powerful claws will cut
through to unearth his meals.

(upbeat music continues)

And even though he sometimes
looks a little out of step

with his surroundings, this
wombat is at home in winter.

Its compact, barrel-shaped
body does not sweat,

which makes wombats far
more tolerant of the cold

than many other Australian marsupials.

His survival relies on
spending long periods

in his warmly insulated
underground burrow,

conserving energy until his next meal.

(gentle music)

The volcanic fields of
Japan's Hell Valley region,

surrounded by rugged mountains,
spectacular hot streams,

and the sound of serenity.

At first glance, Hell Valley
may appear more heavenly,

especially to the resident snow monkeys.

These macaques don't have to
contend with the polar nights

of further north,

having an ample 10 hours of
winter daylight to find food.

But to get them through the
months of sub-zero temperatures,

they've latched on to a
unique way to warm up.

This mother and baby

know it's nicer in a warm bath than out.

(upbeat music)

The local thermal springs
generally sit at a soothing

40 degrees Celsius.

(upbeat music continues)

Heated by volcanic activity,

and the ideal temperature
for a snow monkey spa,

they'll lull about in the warming waters

for up to 10 hours a
day, grooming, playing,

and as scientists have
discovered, relieving stress.

(upbeat music continues)

The macaque have only
been submerging themselves

since the 1960s,

when one curious monkey
discovered the delights

of a steaming hot bath.

Now it's a regular occurrence

and a remarkable example of how

animals' winter survival
strategies are always adapting

to suit their environment.

About 8,000 kilometres
to the east of Hokkaido,

the thermal springs of
Yellowstone National Park

also offer unique
advantages to the animals

who winter in this region.

While most natural water
sources are frozen over

at this time of year,

geothermal springs help to
create areas of open water,

making it easier for birds
like these mallard ducks

to filter food from the water

and feed on aquatic vegetation.

But the birds are not the
only animals in Yellowstone

who need to eat to maintain
strength and energy.

A bobcat leaves the
relative warmth of its lair

in search of a meal.

Hunting in deep snow
cover and cold weather

can be physically demanding,

but the bobcat has adapted to survive.

In winter, their coats
become denser and longer,

providing extra insulation.

But despite its effectiveness
for warmth, like most cats,

bobcats prefer not to get their coats wet.

And avoiding cold water

helps maintain their body temperature.

An important part of surviving the winter.

Relying on its acute hearing

to detect the faint sounds
of mice beneath the snow,

it's believed the bobcat's
tufted ears help to pinpoint

the direction and source.

Their strong hind legs
allow them to pounce on prey

up to 3 1/2 metres away,
with remarkable accuracy.

But success is never
guaranteed in the wild.

(ducks quacking)

For Yellowstone's mallard ducks,

the thermally heated
open waters have become

a pleasantly warm microclimate

where they gather in flocks
to feed and socialise.

But in winter, hungry eyes are never far.

Bobcats are patient hunters.

(tense music)

Keeping low and moving
silently through the snow,

the bobcat uses the natural
terrain to cloak its approach.

Success hangs on the cat's
ability to time its attack.

(tense music continues)

Not so lucky this time,

but these skills are
being constantly refined.

As a cub, the bobcat
learned how to stalk, hunt,

and kill prey, by observing its mother.

As well as other key predatory behaviours

such as the feline art of
persistence and patience.

With the ducks oblivious,

the cat's judgement needs to be decisive.

(tense music continues)

Striking with precision,
the bobcat targets the neck

to immobilise its prey quickly.

A successful kill,

immediately improving the
bobcat's chances of survival,

at least for this winter.

Predators like bobcats
expend a lot of energy

stalking and ambushing their prey.

Their methods of survival involve risk.

But other animals approach
winter's challenges

in a more economical way, by scavenging.

Those animals that don't make it

through the cold dark winter

provide an easy food source for others,

like wolverines and ravens.

During extreme winters,

ravens' diet consists mainly of carrion.

Ravens rely on their keen eyesight

to spot a dead carcass from a distance,

which requires less energy and
exertion than ambush hunting.

Often foraging in groups,

ravens share information
about food sources

and cooperate during scavenging.

In the sub-zero temperatures,

the raven's meal stays
fresh for much longer.

But this also means more
time for competition

from other scavengers,
especially from birds of prey.

Golden eagles are formidable
predators of smaller animals

like hares and squirrels,

but in the lean winter
months, they will scavenge.

And finding dead prey
is a much easier option.

But winter is a competitive time,

even amongst your own species.

Another golden eagle
has spied the carrion.

It's now a battle to determine dominance.

Older and more experienced
eagles are typically territorial,

with the younger birds
forced to wait at a distance

until the more powerful
eagle has had its fill.

But ravens are intelligent
and persistent birds

and do not relinquish their
ready-made meal easily.

(tense music)

Social hierarchies in arctic
animals can play a crucial role

in their survival during winter,

with younger, less experienced animals

learning valuable knowledge
and survival skills.

(gentle music)

Most male polar bears lead solitary lives

hunting and sleeping.

But these two young boars have buddied up,

even if their interactions
don't appear that friendly.

This is a play fight with a purpose,

as wrestling helps build up
their strength and stamina.

Because even though
they're apex predators,

they may need to defend themselves

against other polar bears,

usually during mating season,

or in year-round battles over food.

This hand-to-hand combat
prepares them for the day

when they will fight for their lives.

With their sparring done,

it's important to regulate
their body temperature again.

And resting properly is a
survival skill young bears learn

in their formative years.

Like humans, they sleep
up to eight hours a day.

A young male digs a
shallow pit in the snow

and curls up inside.

Facing his body away from the bitter wind

is a deliberate move.

Even with the snow piling up
around him, he's not cold.

The growing blanket of snow insulates.

The thicker it gets, the warmer he is.

And with a padded paw for a pillow,

the world's biggest bear is
settled in for the night.

(wind howling)

(upbeat music)

Emerging from a den
nearby is a mother bear

and her growing cubs.

She needs to find food for her offspring

who are almost two-years-old.

Soon they'll be able to leave the family

to stake their own territory.

But until then, she plays a crucial role

in teaching them how
to navigate, find food,

and eventually become
self-reliant individuals

able to survive the Arctic winter.

Setting a leisurely pace shows
them how to conserve energy.

She's helping them get
fit for future battles.

And disciplines them when
they get out of hand.

Young cubs who will one
day rein confidently

as rulers of the Arctic.

(uplifting music)

While much of the landmass
of the polar north

is frozen during winter,

the temperature at the
coast is mild in comparison,

thanks to the warm ocean
currents of the Gulf Stream.

(uplifting music continues)

The sea water average
is five degrees Celsius

at this time of year,

so it won't freeze, regardless
of the ambient temperature.

And these waters are a
critical wintering ground

for various bird species
that migrate to this region

in order to survive.

Herons fly in from the European interior

and gather in the
sheltered bays of Norway,

attracted by the abundant
availability of food.

Purple sandpipers also arrive en masse,

spending their winter further north

than any other shorebird,

and they hastily consume as
much as they possibly can

during the few hours of light each day.

For common eider ducks,

survival in the high Arctic during winter

is not something they have adapted to.

So between September and November,

they fly more than 1000 kilometres,

heading south from the
glacial islands of Svalbard

to the warmer Norwegian coastlines.

Feeling at home in this archipelago,

eider ducks are a protected species.

The numbers throughout Europe

have been declining for decades,

with hunting, shipping
disturbances and pollution

all playing a part.

Yet for these travellers,

their future is intrinsically
linked to human settlements

at their overwintering destination.

The seas around their northern
homelands are covered in ice,

cutting off their sources of food.

So their very survival
depends on how well they feast

here in the Arctic Ocean.

The ducks are well adapted
divers, foraging for starfish,

molluscs and sea urchins.

These dives can be up to 20 metres deep,

but they are not without danger,

as predators such as seals and
sea lions will prey on them

as they descend.

Once near the sea floor,

they use their bills to
prod and probe for food,

which is plentiful here,

bringing the eider ducks
back year after year.

(gentle music)

Winter has blanketed the
forests of Northern Europe.

The previously lush green landscape

transformed by snow and ice,

with many animals seeking shelter

under icy cold snow-laden tree canopies.

But this clan of European badgers

is not affected by the chill.

Their burrow, or set,

is the warm haven they
call home each year.

This badger pokes out its nose

to test the outside temperature.

During winter, badgers do not hibernate,

instead entering a state
of torpor, or dormancy,

a state they can drift in and out of.

The first priority of the day,

a visit to the clan's communal toilet.

Badgers are meticulous about hygiene.

Keeping the set mess-free is
a courtesy to fellow badgers,

ensuring comfort during
their winter seclusion.

Braving the wild weather

for anything longer than a toilet break

is something they do only when necessary,

like when they're hungry.

Having a highly adaptable
diet is a huge advantage

when it comes to survival through winter.

Badgers will eat anything.

They are expert scavengers,

tearing into carrion with
their powerful jaws and teeth,

allowing them to crush bones,

to access marrow and other nutrients.

(gentle music)

In the same forest, another
animal has a different strategy

for surviving the winter.

(gentle music continues)

The red squirrel, when compared
to the highly social badger,

is a loner.

They will readily leave
the security of their nest

when food stocks run low.

(gentle music continues)

Throughout autumn, this squirrel
has buried nuts, mushrooms,

and other goodies in the ground.

It can smell the food
through the dense snow,

so has located the supplies quickly.

(gentle music continues)

Storage isn't a problem.

In their cheeks are pouches
they use like shopping bags.

(gentle music continues)

The red squirrel, always on the go,

and always well prepared.

(gentle music continues)

When it comes to surviving

the long snowbound winters
of Northern Europe,

forest animals of all kinds

have developed their own
strategies, adaptations,

and instincts to see
them through to summer.

But there is one other
advantage they all share

that is critical.

The forests themselves.

The dense evergreen canopies
of pine, spruce and fur

act as a natural barrier
against cold winds.

They provide camouflage for animals

trying to avoid predators.

And they provide food.

One animal that is
relentless in seeking out

what the forest has to
offer is the wild boar,

scavenging wherever it can.

(boar grunting)

(uplifting music)

This herd is cutting a swathe

through the frozen forests of Belarus.

Wild boar have been treading the Earth

since before the Stone Age,

and once preferred conditions less extreme

than these biting sub-zero temperatures.

But the boar's instinct
to endure is stronger

than winter's power to freeze them out.

They're supreme survivors,

having infiltrated every
continent bar the Antarctic,

Slavic, Nordic and
Canadian boar populations

have been adapting and advancing
further north each decade,

trampling the snow and using
their snouts to dig for food.

But this rooting behaviour upends saplings

and releases precious soil nutrients,

degrading the natural ecosystem

and threatening not only habitats,

but the existence of small
animals, like the squirrel.

Ravenous boars gobble up acorns,

the mainstay of a squirrel's diet,

and also plough through the tree dweller's

winter food stores.

(boars snorting)

The wild boars make themselves
at home and comfortable,

wherever they choose.

These two beasts are burrowing
a cradle for themselves.

In a trench of mud and
snow, they huddle together,

away from the wind and the
worst of the season's weather.

When the elements ease,

they'll be ready to pillage another day.

Because in a contest for resources,

the wild boar always comes up a winner.

(gentle music)

In Yellowstone National Park,

the combination of moist
air from the Pacific Ocean

and minus 25 degree mountain temperatures

have created blizzard conditions.

(tense music)

The park's thermal springs

coat the trees in steam, which freezes.

To survive here during winter,
herbivores like elk and bison

have developed similar strategies.

They gather near the natural
hot springs to warm themselves

and to drink and forage in
areas that remain unfrozen.

But there is more than one
survival strategy at play here.

Large hoofed mammals are
wolves' preferred prey.

(wolf howling)

And with so many of them concentrated

around the warm springs,

a pack of hungry canines
has taken a keen interest.

Steam rising from hydrothermal areas

has its own distinctive smell,

which helps mask the wolves' scent,

allowing them to get close
to the unsuspecting bovine.

For a full grown healthy bison,

a lone wolf is of little threat.

Their true menace begins
when they hunt together.

(wolves howling)

The valleys of Yellowstone
attract elk herds during winter.

Searching for food, they migrate
from high mountain terrain

to lower elevations.

(tense music)

And watching the elks from a distance,

the wolves scout the size
and behaviour of the herd.

They will prey on the weak and vulnerable.

(wolf growls)

For elk, the risk of
being attacked lessens

when they are part of a large group.

They depend on each other

for their increased odds of survival.

This bull's vigilance
means he's able to draw

the wolves' attention away from the herd,

allowing them to escape.

Deep snow works in the bull's favour.

Confronting the wolves with his
size and impressive antlers,

he aims to intimidate.

Finding refuge in a thermal stream

where the wolf's footing is less sure

has guaranteed this bull's survival,

and diverted attention away from his herd.

However, for the younger and
weaker members of the herd,

the wolf pack is too fast and agile.

Using their instinctive hunting tactics,

they overcome the young elk.

To survive the winter,

wolves must hunt and
elk must stick together.

(gentle music)

In Finland, the most
forested country in Europe,

the woodlands glisten

as the Arctic Circle savours last light.

But the beauty of these
pristine landscapes

belies their danger.

(gentle music continues)

For these deer, it's the
riskiest time of the year.

(gentle music continues)

The grasses and mushrooms they enjoy

during the warmer months have disappeared

under layers of snow.

They congregate on mountain
slopes and conifer stands.

The only places vegetation
grows without sunlight.

As vegetarians, they
have an amazing ability

to eat and digest foods other
animals find unpalatable,

such as bark, lichen, and moss.

Though they are low-quality meals,

it's enough to sustain them
during the lean season.

But predators are never far away.

The deer exposed in the higher altitudes

need to be on constant alert.

(tense music)

Hungry eyes are everywhere.

(tense music continues)

The deer's survival comes down
to a callous game of chance.

Forming a gang for protection,

and relying on their
sense of smell and sight,

deer are on the constant
lookout for predators.

The herd must also work together

to combat the brutal weather.

Their mass of bodies form a wind break

as they buffer themselves
against the blistering winds.

A sheltered location is crucial.

They settle beneath a line of trees,

where the canopy shields them
from the constant snowfall.

(tense music continues)

And as darkness descends, they
move as little as possible,

conserving energy to stay warm
and slowing their metabolism,

which decreases their desire to eat.

These innate behaviours are strategic,

ploys that will help
them survive the winter.

(wind howling)

(uplifting music)

In contrast to the great
forests of Finland,

in the treeless expanse
of Alaska's Arctic tundra,

a bonded pair of arctic
foxes prepare a snow den.

This temporary accommodation
is where they will hunker down

for up to two weeks at
a time during winter.

When they're warm,

they are able to slow down
their heart rate and metabolism,

saving energy so they don't
have to eat as much or as often.

But they will eventually
need to find food.

So leaving the safety of the snow den

is a gamble this one must take.

Their species survival
relies on this combination

of nomadic and communal behaviours.

The fox is so familiar with the territory,

it knows exactly where it
has food squirrelled away,

enjoying a quick bite to
eat from his stockpile

and hiding it again for later.

In the meantime, his partner
has ventured further afield.

She smelt an abandoned reindeer carcass

and risked the journey
for a chance to eat.

Eating another animal's
leftovers is an intelligent move

when temperatures are so low.

The effortless feed

conserves the fox's body heat and energy.

(uplifting music)

Having avoided any predators of their own,

the Arctic fox partners
head back to their snow den.

(uplifting music continues)

The dog and his vixen curl into balls

to reduce their exposure
to the freezing air,

minimising their heat loss.

Wrapped in the thermal
protection of their thick tails,

they'll sleep to further conserve energy

until they need to hunt again.

From these two little foxes,

the lone predators that must hunt to live,

the animals that endure
the polar environments

have adapted their behaviours to overcome

the worst weather imaginable
and survive the wild winter.

(uplifting music)

(uplifting music continues)