0:00:02 > 0:00:04My name's Steve Backshall.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09And this is Deadly Pole To Pole.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11Oh!
0:00:11 > 0:00:13From the top of the world to the bottom.
0:00:13 > 0:00:14Whoa!
0:00:15 > 0:00:17Deadly places,
0:00:17 > 0:00:18deadly adventures,
0:00:18 > 0:00:20and deadly animals.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24And you're coming with me, every step of the way!
0:00:26 > 0:00:27Argh!
0:00:30 > 0:00:32This time on Deadly Pole to Pole,
0:00:32 > 0:00:34we're doing things a little bit differently.
0:00:34 > 0:00:35We're dealing with just one species,
0:00:35 > 0:00:37one that's very dear to my own heart,
0:00:37 > 0:00:38the wolf.
0:00:40 > 0:00:41Throughout history,
0:00:41 > 0:00:44man's been fascinated by this extraordinary animal.
0:00:45 > 0:00:49But people's perception of wolves hasn't always been positive.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54GUNSHOTS
0:00:54 > 0:00:57I want to convince you that they're magnificent,
0:00:57 > 0:00:59intelligent, mesmerising creatures.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02Hello, hello!
0:01:02 > 0:01:04And explain how man's attitude to them
0:01:04 > 0:01:06can influence their very survival.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19But first, I want to look at why these potent predators
0:01:19 > 0:01:22have such a big, bad reputation.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30They've featured heavily in our myths and folklore as the bad guy.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35In most stories, wolves play the villain,
0:01:35 > 0:01:39often portrayed as fearsome, sly and cunning.
0:01:40 > 0:01:45And then, of course, there are the horror stories of werewolves.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47HOWLING
0:01:52 > 0:01:56For some people, this has fuelled a deep-rooted hatred
0:01:56 > 0:01:58and fear of wolves.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05I want to help try and change these attitudes,
0:02:05 > 0:02:09to convince people they're not the savages they're made out to be.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14To help show what magnificent creatures they really are,
0:02:14 > 0:02:18I travelled to the Wolf Conservation Trust in the south of England,
0:02:18 > 0:02:21to come nose-to-nose with these extraordinary animals.
0:02:22 > 0:02:27Inside this enclosure are three Canadian wolves, grey wolves,
0:02:27 > 0:02:30and...they don't know me,
0:02:30 > 0:02:33they've not met me before, so it'll be really interesting to see
0:02:33 > 0:02:34how they react to me.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37And their first instinct is just to come straight in
0:02:37 > 0:02:41and check everything out with their nose.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45Hello, yes. Yes, just instantly checking me out with the snout.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49This is amazing. Hello, hello.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53These are my favourite animals.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55This is the animal that has, I guess, bewitched me
0:02:55 > 0:02:58more than any other in my entire career.
0:02:58 > 0:03:00'And part of that is because they're one of the greatest
0:03:00 > 0:03:02'of all hunters.'
0:03:02 > 0:03:04Aren't they spectacular? Hello, hello.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06'Being so close to them here
0:03:06 > 0:03:08'lets me see exactly what it is
0:03:08 > 0:03:11'that makes them such effective predators.'
0:03:11 > 0:03:14Wolves are opportunists by nature
0:03:14 > 0:03:16and they've got big brains
0:03:16 > 0:03:17which means that they have to suss out
0:03:17 > 0:03:19everything that's new in their environment
0:03:19 > 0:03:21to see if it could be something good to eat.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24So now that he's got a little bit more confidence with me,
0:03:24 > 0:03:29he's checking out my boots, my jeans, my microphone
0:03:29 > 0:03:32and everything is initially assessed
0:03:32 > 0:03:34using the nose.
0:03:34 > 0:03:35I guess a wolf's muzzle
0:03:35 > 0:03:39and its sense of smell is pretty much the same as our sense of sight.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41We perceive the world around us with our eyes,
0:03:41 > 0:03:43a wolf does it with its nose.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47The reason this sense is so powerful,
0:03:47 > 0:03:49is to ensure the success of a hunt...
0:03:51 > 0:03:52..allowing them to track prey
0:03:52 > 0:03:55from the invisible clues that are left behind.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59Millions of skin and hair cells shower the ground.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05Every step leaves a scent print.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11When a wolf picks up the scent,
0:04:11 > 0:04:14they take long, deep sniffs to identify the smell,
0:04:14 > 0:04:16then start following the trail.
0:04:20 > 0:04:21As they do this,
0:04:21 > 0:04:25they're also able to process further information about their prey.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31They can detect if the animal's old, sick or injured.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37It's a seemingly supernatural sense.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44To try and demonstrate just how extraordinary their sense of smell is,
0:04:44 > 0:04:47back at the Wolf Centre, I devised a simple experiment.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52With as many as two million scent receptors
0:04:52 > 0:04:54inside that long canine muzzle,
0:04:54 > 0:04:59a wolf's sense of smell might be 10,000 times more potent than a human being's.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01And to see quite how strong it is,
0:05:01 > 0:05:04I've got this bucket of stinky meat.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10I'm going to create scent trails and hide meat within the enclosure.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13I want to see how long it takes these wolves to find it.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19I reckon these wolves will find it within seconds.
0:05:19 > 0:05:20OK, where else can we hide some?
0:05:36 > 0:05:40OK, the meat's set, let's see what happens when the wolves come out.
0:05:42 > 0:05:43And with all this food around,
0:05:43 > 0:05:45I'm getting out of the way.
0:05:49 > 0:05:54OK, so the wolves have come bounding out into the enclosure
0:05:54 > 0:05:58and they're charging around, doing exactly what we expected.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02As they're running, the nose is right down, close to the ground,
0:06:02 > 0:06:06and they're sucking in with every breath, pulling in all those scents.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08We would never be able to do this.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12Food could be hidden right under our noses and we wouldn't find it.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16Already, they've gone straight to the ridge line
0:06:16 > 0:06:20and that wolf up there has had three or four meaty meals
0:06:20 > 0:06:22in the space of about 20 seconds.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24That's even more extreme than I expected.
0:06:28 > 0:06:29I should have put out more meat.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32This is only going to last about a minute!
0:06:34 > 0:06:35For these captive wolves,
0:06:35 > 0:06:38once they find the hidden food, it's an easy snack.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40But for their wild cousins,
0:06:40 > 0:06:44even when they catch up with prey, they still have to make the kill.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52So, their hunting strategy is intelligent and organised.
0:06:55 > 0:06:59Wolves work together to take down prey up to ten times their own size.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08The lightest and fastest wolves start the chase.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13They target a weak or injured animal, separating it from the herd.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22Wolves can sprint at 35mph,
0:07:22 > 0:07:25but their phenomenal endurance is the killer.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33Chasing for miles in deep snow until their prey is exhausted.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42The pack pile in to finish the job.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52Wolves really are one of the most sensational predators.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59But it's this hunting ability that's unwittingly landed them in trouble.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08For decades, the grey wolf has been persecuted by man
0:08:08 > 0:08:13so it's no surprise wolves tend to be shy and elusive creatures
0:08:13 > 0:08:14that avoid humans.
0:08:17 > 0:08:23Wolves were once one of the most widespread large predators on the planet,
0:08:23 > 0:08:25but as settlers moved into their territories
0:08:25 > 0:08:29and chopped down forest to make way for fields and animals,
0:08:29 > 0:08:30conflict began.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36They're extremely opportunistic hunters
0:08:36 > 0:08:38and often ended up killing precious livestock...
0:08:43 > 0:08:45..leading people to dislike and fear them.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52People began killing wolves.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02In Britain, they were hunted to extinction.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07And they were wiped out in large parts of Europe.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14In North America, more than a million were shot...
0:09:15 > 0:09:16..poisoned...
0:09:20 > 0:09:22..and trapped.
0:09:22 > 0:09:23By the middle of the last century,
0:09:23 > 0:09:27they'd been exterminated from almost every part of their range,
0:09:27 > 0:09:29pushing them into the wilds of Canada.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32But today, attitudes are changing
0:09:32 > 0:09:34and the grey wolf is making a comeback.
0:09:36 > 0:09:42In the 1970s, wolves were classified as an endangered species
0:09:42 > 0:09:44and gradually, efforts have been made to conserve them.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55In Yellowstone National Park, wolves have been reintroduced
0:09:55 > 0:09:58and their numbers are steadily increasing.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08And the park is once again home to a healthy population.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20So my crew and I travelled to Yellowstone National Park,
0:10:20 > 0:10:23to give ourselves the best chance of seeing a grey wolf in the wild.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28And even though numbers here are on the up,
0:10:28 > 0:10:30they're still going to be a real challenge to find.
0:10:33 > 0:10:38With almost 3,500 square miles of unspoilt wilderness,
0:10:38 > 0:10:40there are plenty of places for them to hide.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45The crew and I spend days and cover many miles
0:10:45 > 0:10:47looking for any sign that wolves might be near.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53But it's not until we come across a gruesome clue,
0:10:53 > 0:10:55that we realise we're hot on their tails.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01We've pulled up because it appears that something quite dramatic
0:11:01 > 0:11:04has happened alongside the road here.
0:11:04 > 0:11:09Loads of fur at the verge
0:11:09 > 0:11:13and what looks like a chunk of pelt right here.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19Look at that, wow!
0:11:19 > 0:11:23That is...a fairly complete...
0:11:23 > 0:11:25chunk of skin from an elk.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29This, though, has been dragged up onto the road.
0:11:29 > 0:11:30The kill didn't happen here.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32It looks like it happened just over there.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36Wow.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39There is sign absolutely everywhere.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44So, when you're approaching something like this,
0:11:44 > 0:11:47it's a bit like approaching a crime scene.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50You've got to be very careful where you put your feet
0:11:50 > 0:11:53because all of these marks, though they look like a mess,
0:11:53 > 0:11:56they're actually signs of what's gone on here.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00That looks like it was the epicentre of the kill, yeah.
0:12:00 > 0:12:04Oh, my goodness, there is blood everywhere. Look at that.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09That's really kind of gory,
0:12:09 > 0:12:13and instantly, to me, this just says wolf kill.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17You might have five or six animals all competing for food.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19They'll get their teeth stuck into it,
0:12:19 > 0:12:22they'll wedge down with their big paws on straight legs
0:12:22 > 0:12:25and just shake using all of the muscularity in their neck
0:12:25 > 0:12:29and it ends up kind of looking like a butcher's shop floor.
0:12:30 > 0:12:32This is such an exciting sign.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34There have to be wolves nearby.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41And with one day to go, there's no way we're giving up.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45Our plan now is just to drive this road,
0:12:45 > 0:12:49keeping our eyes peeled for any sign of a wolf.
0:12:49 > 0:12:53Really it's all now down to my team keeping their eyes on the prize.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56This could be a long car ride!
0:13:03 > 0:13:05We've tried to film wolves on Deadly before
0:13:05 > 0:13:08and it's always been one of our hardest challenges.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14But like most wildlife sightings,
0:13:14 > 0:13:16they happen when you're least expecting it.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21Go, go, go. Don't worry just...
0:13:21 > 0:13:23Bring it right to the front with you, Steve-o.
0:13:25 > 0:13:26There's two wolves.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36We've just seen...
0:13:36 > 0:13:40a couple of wolves walking towards the road.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43At the moment, they're about a mile away
0:13:43 > 0:13:46but it's possible that they could come close enough
0:13:46 > 0:13:48that we can get a shot of them on the camera.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53Um, the chance of seeing one, relatively close,
0:13:53 > 0:13:56in the middle of the day, is incredibly exciting.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58Let's just get off the road.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03This is great, yeah.
0:14:03 > 0:14:04This is great.
0:14:05 > 0:14:06Oh, wow!
0:14:08 > 0:14:10They're trotting on so quick...
0:14:12 > 0:14:16Yeah, that's fantastic.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19Two wolves, out in the open, and...
0:14:22 > 0:14:24..really closer than I expected to get.
0:14:27 > 0:14:32So what we've got is a male and a female wolf.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34At least one of them is wearing a radio collar.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36That's put on by biologists so that they can track the movements
0:14:36 > 0:14:40of these animals and make sure they keep them safe.
0:14:40 > 0:14:41Hoo...
0:14:41 > 0:14:43Oh, they're so beautiful.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48This is the finest view I've ever had of a wild wolf.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56And you can't beat seeing them in their natural habitat.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02This is really, really exciting.
0:15:02 > 0:15:04My heart's going crazy. Here he comes!
0:15:04 > 0:15:07Coming almost at a trot.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11That loping gait, wolves can keep that up for a great deal of time if they have to.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13That's one of their big advantages when they're hunting,
0:15:13 > 0:15:15is their endurance.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17Heading towards the road. It looks like it might cross
0:15:17 > 0:15:18right in front of that car up there.
0:15:20 > 0:15:21Oh, look at that!
0:15:29 > 0:15:32The most incredible view of a wild wolf ever.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40Well, it was chaotic but it was very, very exciting
0:15:40 > 0:15:43and a sight that most wildlife watchers
0:15:43 > 0:15:45would give their right arm for.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48You have to say, wolves in the winter wonderland - massive success.
0:15:52 > 0:15:56The grey wolf's future appears far more positive,
0:15:56 > 0:16:00allowing this species to finally make a comeback in North America.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07However, not all wolves are out of the woods,
0:16:07 > 0:16:11and there are some species that are still teetering on the brink.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13One of the most rare and also one of the most beautiful
0:16:13 > 0:16:15is found in the mountains of Ethiopia.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25High up in the pristine wilderness of the Ethiopian Highlands,
0:16:25 > 0:16:28the Abyssinian or Ethiopian wolf exists.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34There are fewer than 500 individuals in the wild,
0:16:34 > 0:16:38so it's a species that could easily disappear within my lifetime.
0:16:41 > 0:16:42So, given that this animal is so rare,
0:16:42 > 0:16:46it's one of my greatest privileges to have had a glimpse of one
0:16:46 > 0:16:48in Ethiopia's Guassa mountains.
0:16:50 > 0:16:51That's it!
0:16:51 > 0:16:53That's it, that's it, that's it!
0:16:55 > 0:16:58(OK, come close. Get out very, very quietly.)
0:17:02 > 0:17:04This is unbelievable.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08The hillside here is covered in gelada baboons
0:17:08 > 0:17:11and heading off right through the middle of them,
0:17:11 > 0:17:14up through that valley, is an Ethiopian wolf.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21I don't know what to say about this really...I mean,
0:17:21 > 0:17:24wolves are my favourite animal in the whole world
0:17:24 > 0:17:28and this is one of the rarest species of wolf
0:17:28 > 0:17:29found on the whole planet.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34This really is one of the most privileged sights
0:17:34 > 0:17:37you can have in wildlife in the whole world.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42And when he sees something, he stops dead
0:17:42 > 0:17:47and then just goes into stealth mode, moving really, really slowly.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50There's definitely something in front of him.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52'We watch in wonder
0:17:52 > 0:17:55'as our wolf seems to ready itself to catch something.'
0:18:05 > 0:18:09- (Caught a mole rat, I think...)- No, no!
0:18:11 > 0:18:15Not only are we witnessing one of just 500 Ethiopian wolves,
0:18:15 > 0:18:17but it's hunting right in front of our eyes.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22These nimble canids use stealth
0:18:22 > 0:18:24to creep up on unsuspecting prey.
0:18:26 > 0:18:31Ultrasensitive hearing helps them hone in on the tiniest sound,
0:18:31 > 0:18:35and lightning quick reactions enable them to snatch up unwary rodents.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40It's completely different to the pack-hunting grey wolf.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45The Abyssinian wolf,
0:18:45 > 0:18:48probably the rarest animal we'll ever encounter on Deadly 60,
0:18:48 > 0:18:49and, I think, one of the most special.
0:18:52 > 0:18:56The main reason this wolf is so rare is due to habitat loss.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02Ethiopia's human population is expanding rapidly.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08All those people need more and more space to live
0:19:08 > 0:19:11and also to grow their food.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13And as people take over the land for farming,
0:19:13 > 0:19:16that means less and less space for the Ethiopian wolf
0:19:16 > 0:19:19to live and raise their own families.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24Now, all of the wolves have been squeezed
0:19:24 > 0:19:26into the highest mountain ranges of Ethiopia.
0:19:30 > 0:19:34But sadly this wolf isn't just threatened by habitat loss.
0:19:37 > 0:19:41Local Ethiopians, like many people around the world, keep dogs.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45And pet dogs in Ethiopia
0:19:45 > 0:19:48have one of the highest rates of rabies in the world...
0:19:49 > 0:19:51..a disease which is ultimately fatal.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55And wolves can easily catch rabies
0:19:55 > 0:19:57when they come into contact with these dogs.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02But people are doing something.
0:20:02 > 0:20:03Vaccinations are being given
0:20:03 > 0:20:07to reduce the spread of rabies to the Ethiopian wolf,
0:20:07 > 0:20:10and efforts are being made to protect the habitats they live in.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15With man's help, it's possible this population could be saved.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26In fact today, people have become pivotal to the survival
0:20:26 > 0:20:27of almost all wolf species.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32And recently, I got the opportunity to help conservation efforts
0:20:32 > 0:20:35with the rarest wild wolf - in the wild.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40This is the red wolf,
0:20:40 > 0:20:45a species extinct from the American wilderness only 30 years ago,
0:20:45 > 0:20:48but thanks to a reintroduction plan,
0:20:48 > 0:20:52a small population of just over 100 animals now roam free.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56So I couldn't resist trying to see them in the wild.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00North Carolina is quite a well-populated state
0:21:00 > 0:21:02but it has more than its fair share of wilderness.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05It is the worst possible terrain for tracking,
0:21:05 > 0:21:08especially a critically endangered animal
0:21:08 > 0:21:10that specialises in not being seen.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14To give ourselves the best possible chance,
0:21:14 > 0:21:16my crew and I pulled out all the stops.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21From taking to the air and working with top scientists to trace them...
0:21:23 > 0:21:25..tracking them on foot...
0:21:26 > 0:21:28..even staying out for the night
0:21:28 > 0:21:30using thermal technology to try and spot them.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35HE HOWLS
0:21:35 > 0:21:36We tried everything,
0:21:36 > 0:21:38but in the end, it just wasn't to be.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43Finding red wolves in the wild was always going to be a tall order,
0:21:43 > 0:21:45but, luckily, I do know a place where we can definitely find one.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48In the place where they're being readied for reintroduction
0:21:48 > 0:21:49back into the wild.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54At this refuge, they have three red wolf pups
0:21:54 > 0:21:58and I had the opportunity to help catch them
0:21:58 > 0:22:00and take them to a release site.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09So I'm here with Art, Mike and Becky
0:22:09 > 0:22:12from the Fish and Wildlife Service,
0:22:12 > 0:22:14and, yeah, I've got a big net.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17- Are you ready, Steve? - Absolutely, let's give it a go.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20These animals have been reared at this refuge for the sole purpose
0:22:20 > 0:22:24of being released in order to help increase the wild population.
0:22:29 > 0:22:30Got it.
0:22:34 > 0:22:35I know this looks tough.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38And there's no doubt that for a few minutes,
0:22:38 > 0:22:41this animal's certainly going to be quite scared.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44But this is so, so worthwhile.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46I mean, what's happening here
0:22:46 > 0:22:49is really going to be the most essential thing
0:22:49 > 0:22:53in making sure that these animals can still live out in the wild.
0:22:53 > 0:22:54I'll tell you what, Steve.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56You want to grab her back here and hold her tight.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58Mike's going to dose her with this, uh...
0:23:00 > 0:23:02With the wolf caught, all we need to do
0:23:02 > 0:23:05is get her into a travel box to keep her safe and calm.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15Great job, guys. Well done, well done.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19One down, two more to go.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26'They're extremely quick and agile,
0:23:26 > 0:23:28'but the team are expert at catching them.'
0:23:28 > 0:23:29Yes, good job!
0:23:35 > 0:23:37Come on, come on, close to me.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39'And the last wolf is down to me!'
0:23:41 > 0:23:43OK, you just take your hand up off him.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47Well done, good job!
0:23:47 > 0:23:48'With all three caught,
0:23:48 > 0:23:51'it's time to load them up
0:23:51 > 0:23:52'and take them to the release site.'
0:24:01 > 0:24:04We're driving with our wolves for about an hour-and-a-half
0:24:04 > 0:24:06to a special, secret release site,
0:24:06 > 0:24:10where there's lots and lots of wilderness for them to roam free in.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12Hopefully, if we came back in a couple of years' time,
0:24:12 > 0:24:16we would see a new fledgling pack formed from our young pups.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21This must be the spot.
0:24:21 > 0:24:25After months of readying these wolves for a life in the wild,
0:24:25 > 0:24:27for these dedicated conservationists,
0:24:27 > 0:24:30this is the moment that makes it all worthwhile.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36And it's what creates hope for the survival of the red wolf.
0:24:39 > 0:24:40This is really exciting.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43It feels like a momentous occasion.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45I mean three...
0:24:45 > 0:24:47Three wolves potentially out in the wild.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50There are fewer than 100 out there,
0:24:50 > 0:24:54this is a major, major part of the population right here.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57If they succeed, if they do well, if they start their own pack,
0:24:57 > 0:25:01rear their own puppies in the future, this could be the solution,
0:25:01 > 0:25:04it could be a big part of the solution anyway, for red wolves.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08OK, well, we can't put it off any longer.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20Within minutes of having run free from here...
0:25:22 > 0:25:24..it's going to be a truly wild animal again.
0:25:27 > 0:25:28Yes!
0:25:32 > 0:25:34Now we just need her sister to follow her.
0:25:34 > 0:25:35There she goes.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45Lovely, long, loping stride...
0:25:46 > 0:25:48That's great, that is great.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53I really believe that the wilderness can't be truly wild
0:25:53 > 0:25:56unless you have a top of the line predator,
0:25:56 > 0:25:58like the red wolf, running free in it.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02This kind of makes the forest complete.
0:26:04 > 0:26:05I feel so privileged
0:26:05 > 0:26:09to have been part of such pivotal conservation efforts,
0:26:09 > 0:26:12and work alongside the people that have made it possible
0:26:12 > 0:26:14for a seemingly doomed wolf to make a comeback.
0:26:17 > 0:26:18For centuries,
0:26:18 > 0:26:21wolves have been made out to be savage, indiscriminate killers.
0:26:23 > 0:26:27But anybody who thinks that wolves are genuinely dangerous to humans
0:26:27 > 0:26:29should know that in over 100 years,
0:26:29 > 0:26:31there have been only two fatal attacks
0:26:31 > 0:26:33in the whole of North America.
0:26:33 > 0:26:34In that same amount of time,
0:26:34 > 0:26:37millions of wolves have been slaughtered by people,
0:26:37 > 0:26:41largely because they're seen as vermin that create problems for man.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45But today there is hope.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48Attitudes are changing, and I've witnessed first-hand
0:26:48 > 0:26:51the work people are doing to give wolves a second chance.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58They are the embodiment of the wild.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02Highly intelligent, complex and dignified creatures,
0:27:02 > 0:27:03and before it's too late,
0:27:03 > 0:27:06we need to give these animals the respect they deserve
0:27:06 > 0:27:08and learn to live alongside them.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13HOWLING
0:27:21 > 0:27:24'Join me next time for more Deadly Pole To Pole.'
0:27:24 > 0:27:25Wolf!