0:00:03 > 0:00:07On Deadly 60, I've had loads of incredible animal encounters.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11Here's just one of my many favourites.
0:00:12 > 0:00:16This is Deadly 60...Bites!
0:00:19 > 0:00:21We're on another Deadly 60 mission.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25A good portion of this kit is woolly gloves and down jackets.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28Cos we're heading to the frozen north.
0:00:36 > 0:00:40Four cars, three planes and 36 hours later...
0:00:43 > 0:00:47Whoo!
0:00:47 > 0:00:51That is like stepping into a deep-freeze!
0:00:51 > 0:00:55Off there in the distance are the mountains of Northern Alaska.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59That way are frozen seas that head all the way to the North Pole.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12The following morning, we're up early
0:01:12 > 0:01:14to start our hunt for deadly animals.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27It's a wolverine.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31It's an animal that would definitely make it onto the Deadly 60,
0:01:31 > 0:01:34but we never thought we'd find one here.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37People can be here for years and never see one of these animals.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41That said, this is one of THE most ferocious creatures,
0:01:41 > 0:01:43for its size, in the whole world.
0:01:43 > 0:01:47It's a mustelid, a member of the weasel family.
0:01:47 > 0:01:49It's kind of bigger than a badger,
0:01:49 > 0:01:52but with incredibly powerful jaws and teeth
0:01:52 > 0:01:55and they'll happily take on animals many times their own size.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59But at the moment he's just got his nose down
0:01:59 > 0:02:02and he's just beetling towards us across the ice.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05He's just got up on his hind legs!
0:02:05 > 0:02:09He's just...he's just stood up like a bear, look at that!
0:02:16 > 0:02:19This is one of the most extraordinary
0:02:19 > 0:02:21wildlife spectacles I've ever seen.
0:02:22 > 0:02:26That fox is getting awful close to him, look at this!
0:02:26 > 0:02:29He's coming right up behind him.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31Ooh, don't do that, fella.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37It almost looked like the wolverine was chased off.
0:02:37 > 0:02:39'That was a truly unexpected encounter.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43'But I know a place where we can get even closer,
0:02:43 > 0:02:46'so it's back on the road to continue our mission.'
0:02:51 > 0:02:54We've travelled 1,000 miles south
0:02:54 > 0:02:58for a personal meeting with our unfinished business.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04There's an animal that we got a tantalising glimpse of
0:03:04 > 0:03:05up in the frozen north
0:03:05 > 0:03:08which also occurs down here in the south of Alaska,
0:03:08 > 0:03:12and we've got a perfect opportunity to get up close to one.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15- Hi, Steve.- Good morning!- How you doing?- Fine. Nice to see you!
0:03:15 > 0:03:20- You too.- We have Jasper here, and Jasper is a very curious wolverine.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24I'll give you a piece of moose meat, see if you can make friends with him.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26Just make a little grunting sound.
0:03:26 > 0:03:30STEVE BACKSHALL GRUNTS That's it.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33Oh, you're a little curious.
0:03:33 > 0:03:35OK, I tell you what, let's go play!
0:03:35 > 0:03:37- THEY LAUGH - Come on, then!
0:03:37 > 0:03:40'Jasper was born in captivity.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44'His mother was saved from hunters and he now lives with Steve.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46'The other Steve.'
0:03:47 > 0:03:51'He's the only wolverine in the world that I could do this with.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54'I'm hoping that hanging out with him will prove
0:03:54 > 0:03:58'why the wolverine truly deserves its place on the Deadly 60.'
0:03:58 > 0:03:59Just keep walking.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03I know this seems like just going for a walk with a big friendly dog
0:04:03 > 0:04:06but this is an animal with one of the worst reputations
0:04:06 > 0:04:10of any creature in the world for being utterly ferocious,
0:04:10 > 0:04:14utterly fearless, taking on animals many times its own size.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17I have to say, I'm a little bit nervous, because, you know,
0:04:17 > 0:04:21this isn't a completely tame animal and, if it does turn,
0:04:21 > 0:04:24then it could take me apart.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28But he's so beautiful I just want to give him a big hug!
0:04:28 > 0:04:32- Ooh, dear.- Should I let him go? - I think we should.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36OK. He is now...free. HE GRUNTS
0:04:36 > 0:04:38Go on, bud! HE LAUGHS
0:04:38 > 0:04:42- OK. Steve, let's go. - OK. Come on, fella. Let's go!
0:04:42 > 0:04:44Come on, bud!
0:04:44 > 0:04:45Oww!
0:04:49 > 0:04:53He'll grab ahold of your leg, but he won't puncture the skin, I think.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55Yeah, yeah, he's... He likes you.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03I know he's only playing, but this is a nightmare!
0:05:03 > 0:05:05Get him over here.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07Hah!
0:05:11 > 0:05:13That's more than a lovebite! Ow!
0:05:16 > 0:05:21While I've got him here...just going to look at those remarkable jaws.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23Now...the wolverine can bite
0:05:23 > 0:05:27with a strength of over a ton per square inch,
0:05:27 > 0:05:32which probably doesn't mean a tremendous amount to you, or me,
0:05:32 > 0:05:36but if I was to say that a small saltwater crocodile
0:05:36 > 0:05:40has about the same...then...
0:05:40 > 0:05:41Oh!
0:05:41 > 0:05:43..it'd probably make more sense.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47If you look at them up close, look at those canine teeth!
0:05:47 > 0:05:51Just built for ripping through meat.
0:05:51 > 0:05:56But, most of all, he's just got unbelievable guts...
0:05:56 > 0:05:59and perseverance.
0:05:59 > 0:06:05An animal this size that can eat prey many times bigger than me...
0:06:05 > 0:06:11there's no doubt the wolverine's got to go on the Deadly 60!
0:06:11 > 0:06:12Oh!
0:06:12 > 0:06:14Ow!
0:06:16 > 0:06:21Stamina, guts and perseverance like no other animal I've met.
0:06:21 > 0:06:25Capable of taking down prey many times its own size.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28Wolverines are on the Deadly 60.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd