Wolverine Deadly 60 Bites

On Deadly 60, I've had loads of incredible animal encounters.

Here's just one of my many favourites.

This is Deadly 60...Bites!

We're on another Deadly 60 mission.

A good portion of this kit is woolly gloves and down jackets.

Cos we're heading to the frozen north.

Four cars, three planes and 36 hours later...

Whoo!

That is like stepping into a deep-freeze!

Off there in the distance are the mountains of Northern Alaska.

That way are frozen seas that head all the way to the North Pole.

The following morning, we're up early

to start our hunt for deadly animals.

It's a wolverine.

It's an animal that would definitely make it onto the Deadly 60,

but we never thought we'd find one here.

People can be here for years and never see one of these animals.

That said, this is one of THE most ferocious creatures,

for its size, in the whole world.

It's a mustelid, a member of the weasel family.

It's kind of bigger than a badger,

but with incredibly powerful jaws and teeth

and they'll happily take on animals many times their own size.

But at the moment he's just got his nose down

and he's just beetling towards us across the ice.

He's just got up on his hind legs!

He's just...he's just stood up like a bear, look at that!

This is one of the most extraordinary

wildlife spectacles I've ever seen.

That fox is getting awful close to him, look at this!

He's coming right up behind him.

Ooh, don't do that, fella.

It almost looked like the wolverine was chased off.

'That was a truly unexpected encounter.

'But I know a place where we can get even closer,

'so it's back on the road to continue our mission.'

We've travelled 1,000 miles south

for a personal meeting with our unfinished business.

There's an animal that we got a tantalising glimpse of

up in the frozen north

which also occurs down here in the south of Alaska,

and we've got a perfect opportunity to get up close to one.

-Hi, Steve.

-Good morning!

-How you doing?

-Fine. Nice to see you!

-You too.

-We have Jasper here, and Jasper is a very curious wolverine.

I'll give you a piece of moose meat, see if you can make friends with him.

Just make a little grunting sound.

STEVE BACKSHALL GRUNTS That's it.

Oh, you're a little curious.

OK, I tell you what, let's go play!

-THEY LAUGH

-Come on, then!

'Jasper was born in captivity.

'His mother was saved from hunters and he now lives with Steve.

'The other Steve.'

'He's the only wolverine in the world that I could do this with.

'I'm hoping that hanging out with him will prove

'why the wolverine truly deserves its place on the Deadly 60.'

Just keep walking.

I know this seems like just going for a walk with a big friendly dog

but this is an animal with one of the worst reputations

of any creature in the world for being utterly ferocious,

utterly fearless, taking on animals many times its own size.

I have to say, I'm a little bit nervous, because, you know,

this isn't a completely tame animal and, if it does turn,

then it could take me apart.

But he's so beautiful I just want to give him a big hug!

-Ooh, dear.

-Should I let him go?

-I think we should.

OK. He is now...free. HE GRUNTS

Go on, bud! HE LAUGHS

-OK. Steve, let's go.

-OK. Come on, fella. Let's go!

Come on, bud!

Oww!

He'll grab ahold of your leg, but he won't puncture the skin, I think.

Yeah, yeah, he's... He likes you.

I know he's only playing, but this is a nightmare!

Get him over here.

Hah!

That's more than a lovebite! Ow!

While I've got him here...just going to look at those remarkable jaws.

Now...the wolverine can bite

with a strength of over a ton per square inch,

which probably doesn't mean a tremendous amount to you, or me,

but if I was to say that a small saltwater crocodile

has about the same...then...

Oh!

..it'd probably make more sense.

If you look at them up close, look at those canine teeth!

Just built for ripping through meat.

But, most of all, he's just got unbelievable guts...

and perseverance.

An animal this size that can eat prey many times bigger than me...

there's no doubt the wolverine's got to go on the Deadly 60!

Oh!

Ow!

Stamina, guts and perseverance like no other animal I've met.

Capable of taking down prey many times its own size.

Wolverines are on the Deadly 60.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd