Yellowstone Deadly Pole to Pole

My name's Steve Backshall.

And this...is Deadly Pole To Pole.

Ohhh!

From the top of the world to the bottom.

Whoa!

Deadly places.

Deadly adventures.

And deadly animals.

And you're coming with me, every step of the way!

Arghhhh!

This time the team and I have come to Yellowstone, it's the oldest

national park in the world, routinely the coldest place

in North America, and also a sensational place

to go looking for winter predators.

We're on the trail of an American giant...

Be careful, Steve.

..specialist hunters...

..and the voice of the wilderness.

HE HOWLS

White Fang himself, the wolf.

Go, go, go!

We've just seen a couple of wolves.

Oh, wow!

Yellowstone spans three North American states -

Montana, Idaho and Wyoming.

It's a protected pristine wilderness the size

of a small country.

My main mission here is to go looking for the top dog

in North America, and my favourite animal in the world, the grey wolf.

They're intelligent, complicated

cooperative hunters, and one of the most ruthless

and relentless of all predators.

In this wintry wilderness the wolf rules,

but they're so canny that finding and filming them

will be almost impossible.

Their territories can span hundreds of square miles.

They're incredibly perceptive and will doubtless

sense us before we see them.

We're going to need to be adaptable to stay on their trail.

This vehicle is absolutely brilliant.

Essentially someone's just taken an old van,

pulled the wheels off and welded a tank to the bottom of it.

To have any chance of seeing wolves, I'm going to need some luck,

all of my tracking skills and an eagle-eyed crew.

Well, I suppose you can't have everything.

Method number one is to get eyes on the wolf's favoured prey.

We've just spotted from the road some brown shapes

moving slowly on the other side of this tree line here,

so we'll approach really quietly and see if we can get a look.

Down at the river's edge there are several elk,

it's a large species of deer, and here in Yellowstone

this is the main prey species that the wolves are after.

At this time of year they're at a considerable disadvantage

because they have to break down through the snow

to get at the grass, and also to munch on these conifers,

none of which have an awful lot of nutrients in them.

So as the winter goes on they start getting weaker and weaker,

and more and more ripe pickings for the wolf.

The wolves know the elk are here,

and may well be within striking distance.

We've pulled up because it appears that something quite dramatic

has happened alongside the road here.

Loads of fur at the verge...

and what looks like a chunk of pelt right here.

Look at that. Wow.

That is a fairly complete chunk of skin from an elk.

This, though, has been dragged up onto the road,

the kill didn't happen here,

it looks like it happened just over there.

Wow, there is sign absolutely everywhere.

So when you're approaching something like this,

it's a bit like approaching a crime scene, you've got to be

very careful where you put your feet, because all of these marks

- though they look like a mess -

they're actually signs of what's gone on here,

and that looks like it was the epicentre...of the kill.

Yeah, oh, my goodness, there is blood everywhere, look at that!

That's really kind of gory,

and instantly to me this just says "wolf kill".

You might have five or six animals all competing for food, they'll get

their teeth stuck into it, they'll wedge down with their big paws

on straight legs and just shake,

using all of the muscularity in their neck,

and it ends up kind of looking like a butcher's shop floor.

I know some people might think I'm insane,

but that to me is a really wonderful sight. It's poo.

It's poo, but it's twisted with a tapered end

and full of deer hair. And it's wolf,

that is definitely wolf poo.

It's difficult to tell how fresh it is

because it's obviously been really cold here,

so it's frozen solid, but they were here within the last couple of days.

WOLVES HOWL

The wolf pack is more than just a family unit, it's an organised team

that opens up endless opportunities.

Working together, they can bring down prey far larger

than any single wolf could handle.

When prey is spotted, the lightest

and fastest wolves take the lead...

..while others circle around the quarry,

or save their energy - waiting to take over when the others tire.

They target a weak, old, young or injured animal,

separating it from the herd.

Once they have their target alone and vulnerable,

the whole pack charge in. It's a gruesome end

for this elk, but ultimately ensures

the elk herd stays strong, their weaker members

falling to one of the world's top predators.

'Unfortunately, here the trail's gone cold.

'It's time to get back on the road.'

The snow wagon rumbles on.

But then, just the lead we were hoping for.

A pack has been spotted 70 miles to the north.

It's a big journey, but probably our best chance.

It's all very different here, we're lower in altitude

and there's less snow.

Our plan now is just to drive this road, keeping our eyes peeled

for any sign of a wolf.

Really it's all now down to my team keeping their eyes on the prize.

'This could be a very long car ride.'

We've tried to film wolves on Deadly before,

and it's always one of our toughest challenges.

But after a day and a half of endless driving,

staring desperately off into the snow,

finally a sighting.

Go, go, go!

Don't worry, just bring it round to the front with you, Stevo.

There's two wolves!

We've just seen a couple of wolves walking towards the road.

At the moment they're about a mile away,

but it's possible they could come close enough that we can get

a shot of them on the camera.

The wolf's been my favourite animal for many years,

but in the wild I've only caught fleeting glimpses of them.

They're so, so hard to film.

I mean, it's not an endangered animal, there are still thousands

of them here in North America, but no-one ever sees them.

They are very, very shy, very elusive animals,

and the chance of seeing one relatively close

in the middle of the day is incredibly exciting.

Let's just get off the road.

This is great, yeah, this is great.

Oh, wow!

They're trotting on so quick cos...

-BREATHLESS:

-Yeah, that's fantastic, two wolves out in the open.

And really closer than I expected to get.

So what we've got is a male and a female wolf,

at least one of them is wearing a radio collar,

that's put on by biologists so that they can track

the movements of these animals and make sure they keep them safe.

Phew. Oh, they're so beautiful.

'I can't tell you how rare this is.

'Some people live their whole lives in this region

'without seeing a wolf.

'Seeing them run free here in broad daylight is even more special,

'because 30 years ago they'd been wiped out

'from most of the United States.

'Now, this top predator is making a comeback.'

This is really, really exciting. My heart's going crazy.

Here he comes, coming almost at a trot,

that loping gait, wolves can keep that up

for a great deal of time if they have to.

That's one of their big advantages when they're hunting,

is their endurance. Heading towards the road,

it looks like it might cross right in front of that car up there.

Oh, look at that!

The most incredible view of a wild wolf ever.

Well, it was chaotic, but it was very, very exciting

and a sight that most wildlife watchers

would give their right arm for.

You have to say, wolves in the winter wonderland

- massive success and definitely Deadly.

Phenomenal endurance hunters.

With jaws that can crush bone.

An unparalleled intelligent pack predator.

There's no doubt that

wolves are Deadly.

VOICE WHISPERS: Deadly!

So the wolf may be the top of the line predator

here in the Yellowstone snow,

but it is nothing like the biggest or most powerful animal here.

That creature...has a skull...

..that looks like this.

This belongs to the largest land mammal found on the whole continent

- the bison.

Weighing as much as a tonne, these raging bulls

are a formidable force to be reckoned with.

Bison injure more people in Yellowstone

than wolves and grizzly bears put together.

And as we're tracking them on foot,

we need to keep sharp.

They're through the trees here,

the snow's going to be very, very deep,

possibly waist, even chest-deep, so we've got snowshoes on

to try and keep us up above it as much as possible.

'But even with snow shoes, we're struggling.'

HE LAUGHS

-Having trouble there, Aaron?

-Uh?

-Are you having trouble there?

-No, it's fine.

We're heading for a meadow where we hope the bison will be feeding,

and all the kit needs to be dragged in my sled.

It feels like I'm towing a truck behind me.

Now this is what I've been really hoping to find.

It's a bison track, AND...look at that!

It's... Oh, it's very fresh, it's fresher than I expected!

That is bison poo!

-Oh.

-HE SNIFFS

Really, really fresh, laid within the last hour or so,

in fact, it's still warm inside,

you could put your hands into it and use it as a glove.

'Yeah, I don't think that'll catch on.

'Still, it means we're close.

'And then, through the trees, we get our first glimpse.'

So, ahead of us is exactly what we'd hoped for.

The bison are still a decent distance away,

but once we start getting closer

we're going to have to be really quite careful.

BISON GROWL AND SNORT

Bison are bovids,

or bovine animals, which means they're in the cow family.

If your idea of a cow is a big friendly Friesian

chewing the cud, then you couldn't be more wrong.

I mean, this is a group of animals that contains things

like the water buffalo, the Cape buffalo and the bison themselves.

These are creatures that are deceptively fast,

very strong and powerful,

and can be very grumpy and unpredictable.

During their summertime rut, male bison show off

their full lethal potential when they joust for females.

These beefy battering rams slam into each other

with enough force to crumple steel.

The strongest male with the thickest skull gets the girl,

and all these brutal, bulky battles

produce bulls that can really take care of themselves.

They are incredibly powerful animals, and a lot of that

you can see in the muscularity behind the head.

There's a huge hump which is just muscle, used to hold up that

huge bony skull. These animals will use those in battles

with each other, but also in fighting off their mortal enemy

- the wolf.

The battles between bison and wolves

are a showdown of brains versus brawn.

Like a wolf pack, bison have strength in numbers.

And their most effective defence is stampeding.

Bulldozing through deep snow,

the herd is like an unstoppable freight train.

The largest animals form an outer wall of muscle,

hooves and horns - protecting the smaller, weaker ones.

Often the wolves will realise they're outnumbered and outgunned,

and will just leave hungry.

But when they do go into combat,

it's a brutal spectacle.

The wolves have bite, guile, grit and determination.

The bison have horns that could pierce through a car door,

and kicks that can shatter bone.

WOLF WHINES AND BISON GRUNTS

As a deadly defender, they demand respect,

even from the fiercest of predators.

Oh, he's coming.

'And back at the car, we got a first-hand reminder

'when a large male caught us by surprise.'

-Everyone, come, come this way.

-Be careful, Steve.

We need to get right back to the car, guys.

You need to back up a bit. Guys, back,

Johnny, back. Maybe behind the car. Johnny.

Nothing is going to get in the way of this bison juggernaut.

Fantastic.

Weighing a tonne.

With lethal dagger like-horns.

Capable of stampeding at 30mph.

Bison are bovine bad boys, and decidedly...

VOICE WHISPERS: Deadly!

We're now travelling deep into the remotest part of Yellowstone.

Here I'm hoping to find some very specialist predators

that have learned how to survive this frozen heartland.

There's a bald eagle sat on a tree.

(Wow!)

What a sight!

Our base camp is right in the middle of Yellowstone,

surrounded by endless wilderness.

We're going to be staying in these kind of garden shed things,

they're called lavvu, this one's mine right here.

It looks kind of cosy. All right, what else have we got?

We've got stacks of skis for getting around,

really important in the snow,

but out there is the snowy wilderness

that we've come here to explore.

'And the nearby frozen river offers up our first surprise specialist.'

Ah, yes, well spotted.

'If only this water weasel would stay still long enough

'for us to get a shot.'

Yes, otter! Got it.

He's just dived into the ice.

Really quick, isn't he?

'Otters can travel a quarter of a mile underwater on a

'single breath, there's no way of guessing where he'll pop up next.'

He is leading us a merry dance!

I've totally lost him, I've got no idea where he is.

HE LAUGHS

This otter is definitely foraging or looking for food,

so as he's moving up the river he's doing repeated dives,

heading down probably towards the bed.

There he is, Johnny, Johnny! Really clear.

Oh, wow!

'Out of the water we get a glimpse of the streamlined body and

'long muscular tail that make otters such agile underwater hunters.'

They are constantly in and out of the water searching for food,

and that could be a decent-sized fish,

it could be things like crayfish, or it could be water birds, frogs.

They are extraordinary predators.

Underwater, otters come into their own. They're superbly agile,

with a bendy spine and short limbs they can twist

and turn towards prey, which they target with

long tactile whiskers.

The whiskers are so sensitive that the otter can

perceive prey in murky or pitch-black night-time waters.

They can even track a fish's movements by

the invisible wake it leaves behind.

They can hunt as family groups

and take fish almost as big as themselves.

Needle-sharp teeth and claws hold on to their slippery suppers.

They have the ability to gorge themselves,

eating 20% of their body weight a day,

even here in Yellowstone's icy rivers.

These ultra tough, aquatic acrobats are a real find.

(Oh, Johnny, Johnny, Johnny!)

(It's just down below us.)

(Looking straight at us.)

(Beautiful.)

Ah, this is brilliant. He's just rolling on his back

on the ice, like he's having a really good scratch.

That is brilliant.

It's hard to believe when you see them

like this, just looking like a big teddy bear,

that this animal could be one of the

most voracious predators you will ever see.

'So, the otter's a genuine contender.'

But there are plenty more snow-time specialists here.

And they've left a story behind in the snow.

There's a really interesting trail of tracks

running over this flat slope in front of us,

and you can see where a fox has come along.

And it's been walking in a track and it's,

it's going round in big circles.

Oh, very, very fresh, he's certainly still in the area.

Could well be watching us right now.

'And sure enough...'

Wow!

'..the fox is just 50 metres away.'

(Look at that, isn't he pretty?)

He is definitely on the hunt, nose down

close to the snow, listening, smelling,

all his senses on high alert.

'Red foxes are in the dog family like wolves,

'but have very different lives.

'They're a great opportunist and can find a meal almost anywhere.

'They have adapted to live in forests,

'deserts and even cities, but I've never seen them looking

'more majestic than here.'

That's so beautiful. Wow.

The small rodents the red foxes like to snack on

very, very rarely come out into the open, even at night

at this time of year. Instead they're scuttling around in tunnels

underneath the snow, and the red fox can hear them moving,

even as much as my height in depth beneath the snow,

it'll still hear their movements, the ears are that sensitive.

Pinpointing their prey is just the start.

Next, they have to catch it.

Its hunting strategy is, well, as cunning as a fox!

Punching down into the snow, it's hit the jackpot.

An unsuspecting vole becomes lunch.

This is truly one of the ultimate ambush specialists.

Well, they might be the smallest member of the dog family here,

but they're still undeniably lethal.

They can track prey under two metres of snow.

Adaptable enough to survive almost anywhere.

A silent assassin.

The red fox wins my award for

best specialist hunter.

VOICE WHISPERS: Deadly!

This leg of my Pole to Pole journey has provided

some spectacular lethal encounters.

Everyone, come this way.

But we're not leaving just yet.

Because Yellowstone has a secret

more deadly than anything we've seen.

On the surface this may look like a magical frozen wonderland,

but something sinister is stirring beneath.

At various places in Yellowstone you find features

like these, they're called geysers.

It's where superheated steam and water rushes to the surface

and squirts up, it could be as tall as an office block,

and these are all a clue that there's something

pretty special and very, very dangerous happening beneath my feet.

The geysers are being heated by a force of nature

so earth-shatteringly massive it's hard to get your head around.

Yellowstone sits in the 50 mile-wide crater of a super volcano.

If it erupts, it could be the largest natural disaster

in the history of humankind.

It will have a force thousands of times

greater than a normal volcano.

MUSIC: "Earthquake" by Labrinth

Enough power to blast away entire mountains,

throwing hundreds of miles of rock and debris into the atmosphere.

Most of the United States could be covered

in a blanket of ash and rock.

Dust clouds would obscure the sun for months all over the world,

causing global temperature to plummet.

It could trigger a new ice age.

Even the tropics could end up looking like

Yellowstone does right now.

It tends to erupt about every 600,000 years.

The last time it erupted was about 640,000 years ago,

so we're well overdue.

A super volcano that could completely change

the course of life as we know it.

That is definitely Deadly!

A slumbering giant.

And possibly the most powerful force of nature on the planet.

Yellowstone's super volcano

is as deadly as it gets.

VOICE WHISPERS: Deadly!

Join me next time as I continue my journey

on Deadly Pole To Pole.

HE HOWLS

WOLF HOWLS

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd