0:00:02 > 0:00:04Welcome to my Nightmares Of Nature.
0:00:06 > 0:00:08I'm Naomi Wilkinson...
0:00:08 > 0:00:10SHE SCREAMS Oh, my goodness!
0:00:10 > 0:00:13..and I'm coming face-to-face with the nightmares
0:00:13 > 0:00:14of the animal world...
0:00:14 > 0:00:16Oh!
0:00:16 > 0:00:19..the ones that make your spine tingle...
0:00:19 > 0:00:20SHE SQUEAKS
0:00:20 > 0:00:23..your heart beat faster...
0:00:23 > 0:00:25There it is, there it is!
0:00:25 > 0:00:26..and your blood run cold.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30Aren't they truly terrifying?
0:00:30 > 0:00:32LIONS ROAR
0:00:32 > 0:00:34Or is there a twist in the tale?
0:00:36 > 0:00:40Come with me as I shine a light on wildlife's deepest, darkest secrets,
0:00:40 > 0:00:44and see if you can guess which will be my worst nightmare.
0:00:49 > 0:00:50Hey, there!
0:00:50 > 0:00:53This time, Nightmares Of Nature has come to the great outdoors
0:00:53 > 0:00:55of British Columbia in Canada.
0:00:56 > 0:01:00With the city of Vancouver as my base, I'll be venturing out
0:01:00 > 0:01:03to see what trouble I can find.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06And with miles and miles of intricate coastline,
0:01:06 > 0:01:10British Columbia has plenty of places where all manner
0:01:10 > 0:01:11of nightmares may be lurking.
0:01:13 > 0:01:14'From a toothy terror...'
0:01:14 > 0:01:17This is the office.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19'..to a slippery customer.'
0:01:19 > 0:01:21They're mad!
0:01:21 > 0:01:24'But first, I'm on the hunt for one of the most fearsome
0:01:24 > 0:01:26'predators on Earth.'
0:01:26 > 0:01:27There it is, there it is!
0:01:31 > 0:01:34When you think of dolphins, you normally picture creatures
0:01:34 > 0:01:37that are friendly and playful, even cute,
0:01:37 > 0:01:41but there is one type of dolphin that lives in these waters
0:01:41 > 0:01:44that strikes fear into many of the ocean's inhabitants,
0:01:44 > 0:01:47and I'm on the hunt to track this killer down.
0:01:50 > 0:01:56Orca - highly intelligent, extremely powerful predators,
0:01:56 > 0:02:01who hunt in packs, making them the ultimate ocean nightmare.
0:02:01 > 0:02:05Mercilessly devouring everything from seals to sharks.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10Some people call them killer whales, but that's not because
0:02:10 > 0:02:13they are whales, it's because they EAT them.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19But do these wolves of the sea have a softer side?
0:02:19 > 0:02:21It's time to find out.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25The waters of British Columbia are a vast network
0:02:25 > 0:02:29of inlets, waterways and islands, which makes finding the
0:02:29 > 0:02:31black-and-white assassins a tricky task.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36So I've recruited orca expert Jim and his supercharged boat
0:02:36 > 0:02:37to help me.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43Knowing how ruthless orca can be, if I'm honest,
0:02:43 > 0:02:46I'm slightly nervous about seeing them.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49But Jim has assured me that he's going to change my mind.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54Spotting anything in the water, even a large pod of orca,
0:02:54 > 0:02:57is a lot harder than you may think.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59So it's all hands on deck.
0:03:00 > 0:03:01But then...
0:03:06 > 0:03:08- Over there!- There!- There!
0:03:08 > 0:03:09NAOMI GASPS
0:03:09 > 0:03:10There it is, there it is!
0:03:10 > 0:03:12Two, two!
0:03:12 > 0:03:15'With the orca nearby, we must cut our engines
0:03:15 > 0:03:17'and be respectful of their space.'
0:03:19 > 0:03:23Oh, my goodness! Oh, my goodness! Oh, my goodness!
0:03:23 > 0:03:27Probably got about 15 animals up off our port side in that nice...
0:03:27 > 0:03:30- 15 animals here, are you saying? - Yeah, in this nice smooth area.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32If you watch, they're doing a big circle.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35- We're surrounded.- Yeah, pretty much.
0:03:35 > 0:03:36They've never eaten a person, have they?
0:03:36 > 0:03:38Not in the wild...yet.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41'I'm sure if they wanted to,
0:03:41 > 0:03:43'the orca could easily tip this boat.'
0:03:46 > 0:03:48Luckily for me, I'm not on their menu.
0:03:48 > 0:03:53In this area, orca eat fish, and fish like to hide under boats
0:03:53 > 0:03:55and the orca know that.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57So any fish hiding under us better watch out!
0:03:58 > 0:04:01I'm going to drop the hydrophone down here
0:04:01 > 0:04:03and see if we have any vocalising or hunting sounds.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06Jim's got this very hi-tech piece of equipment,
0:04:06 > 0:04:09a listening device, so whilst we can't always see the orca,
0:04:09 > 0:04:11we can listen in on their calls, hopefully.
0:04:13 > 0:04:14Eavesdrop on their conversations.
0:04:14 > 0:04:15ORCAS WAIL
0:04:15 > 0:04:18Basically, when they hunt, they can use their eyesight,
0:04:18 > 0:04:22or they can echo locate. They'll make a click, like a...
0:04:22 > 0:04:24HE MAKES CLICKING SOUND
0:04:24 > 0:04:26Or, if they're chit-chatting, it's...
0:04:26 > 0:04:28HE WHOOPS
0:04:28 > 0:04:30..whistles, clicks, squawks.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34So, right now, I'd be listening for clicks.
0:04:34 > 0:04:35Oh!
0:04:35 > 0:04:37- Sneaking right up on us. - NAOMI GASPS
0:04:37 > 0:04:40- This guy's coming right alongside. - He's right next to us.
0:04:40 > 0:04:41Oh-ho-ho!
0:04:41 > 0:04:43See if we can hear him.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45ORCA WHISTLES AND CLICKS
0:04:45 > 0:04:47What do you think they're saying to each other?
0:04:47 > 0:04:48Are you able to translate this for me?
0:04:48 > 0:04:50Do you speak whale?
0:04:52 > 0:04:54Nama... Nammy...
0:04:54 > 0:04:56- Naomi?- Naomi!
0:04:56 > 0:04:57- Oh! They know my name!- Yeah.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02They like when you wave.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05- Hey!- Come on, buddy. - He's come right down the middle.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07- Is this just one? - Yeah, this is a young one.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09I think his mum was very close by.
0:05:09 > 0:05:10Right here, right here.
0:05:10 > 0:05:11NAOMI GASPS
0:05:11 > 0:05:12Hey, little buddy!
0:05:12 > 0:05:14Hi!
0:05:14 > 0:05:15You're beautiful!
0:05:20 > 0:05:22All on their own accord.
0:05:22 > 0:05:26They tested us, tested us, tested us, we sat tight,
0:05:26 > 0:05:29let them do what they want, and then they double back
0:05:29 > 0:05:30and say, "Let's go see them."
0:05:30 > 0:05:32Oh, they are so beautiful.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34OK... Oh, right here!
0:05:34 > 0:05:36Looked right at us!
0:05:37 > 0:05:40- Totally checking us out! - Shall we go down there a little bit?
0:05:40 > 0:05:42- Go for it, yeah. - Let's go down a little bit.
0:05:42 > 0:05:46'It's hard not to be totally mesmerised by these ocean giants.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49'But the really extraordinary thing is -
0:05:49 > 0:05:52'this is all one family.'
0:05:52 > 0:05:55- Each pod is based around a female, a matriarch.- Yeah.
0:05:55 > 0:06:00And then she has her daughters and her daughters has her siblings
0:06:00 > 0:06:01and youngsters.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03And the males will stay together too?
0:06:03 > 0:06:05- Yeah, they're mummy's boys.- Aww!
0:06:05 > 0:06:06Yeah, they always come back to Mum.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10I don't just see whales, I see aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13Like they say, a floating village.
0:06:13 > 0:06:15- This is a floating village.- Oh, that's a lovely way of putting it.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17Yeah. Long after their reproductive age,
0:06:17 > 0:06:21the females stay with the pod and they teach the younger females
0:06:21 > 0:06:25how to raise a calf, or to hunt, you know,
0:06:25 > 0:06:28- baby-sit.- So they'll stay together for years and years?
0:06:28 > 0:06:30- They stay together for their entire lives.- Their whole lives?
0:06:30 > 0:06:32Yeah, yeah.
0:06:32 > 0:06:33- Oh, how lovely.- Yeah.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36'It was almost time to leave.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38'But the orca had other ideas.'
0:06:40 > 0:06:41NAOMI GASPS
0:06:41 > 0:06:44JIM GIGGLES
0:06:44 > 0:06:49Well, I would say that is mission well and truly accomplished.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52On the face of it, orca are ruthless killing machines,
0:06:52 > 0:06:56marauding the oceans, a dead cert to take that
0:06:56 > 0:06:57top spot of my worst nightmare list.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01But today, look, we have had a simply magical experience.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04I've witnessed families of orca who have spent
0:07:04 > 0:07:07their entire lives together.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11Just looking out for one another for years and years and years.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14So my worst nightmare? At the moment, the jury is still
0:07:14 > 0:07:15completely out.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23'Safely back on dry land, it's time to head along the coast
0:07:23 > 0:07:27'for a rendezvous with yet another nightmare contender.'
0:07:28 > 0:07:31Here in Vancouver, everything is BIG -
0:07:31 > 0:07:33the forests, the wildlife, the mountains...
0:07:33 > 0:07:35ROARING
0:07:35 > 0:07:38..and my next nightmare is no exception.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41When something has lion in its name, you know it's not
0:07:41 > 0:07:42going to be a pussycat.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50Steller sea lions are the biggest sea lions in the world.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54A male can be 22 times as heavy as me
0:07:54 > 0:07:57and almost three times as long.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59These fish-chomping, heavyweight predators
0:07:59 > 0:08:03aren't afraid to throw their huge bulk around either.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06So could they be Canada's carnivorous nightmare?
0:08:07 > 0:08:10One man who knows all there is to know about Steller sea lions
0:08:10 > 0:08:14is biologist Dave from British Columbia University.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19I've been told that he's doing some pretty nifty research
0:08:19 > 0:08:21about Steller sea lions.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23Well, Dave, obviously, their name is sea lion, so they have
0:08:23 > 0:08:26a pretty impressive set of jaws on them.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28Yeah, they've got some really big, sharp teeth
0:08:28 > 0:08:31- that are just there basically to grab fish...- Yeah.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34- ..and swallow it whole. - So you really wouldn't want to get
0:08:34 > 0:08:37too close to those on a live sea lion, would you?
0:08:37 > 0:08:39Well, actually, we thought maybe you'd want to get close
0:08:39 > 0:08:42to one of our sea lions here.
0:08:42 > 0:08:43This is Hazy.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46- She's in the office? - She's in the office and we thought
0:08:46 > 0:08:48maybe we'd go and check out her teeth and all the things
0:08:48 > 0:08:49she does for us here...
0:08:49 > 0:08:51- Yeah...- ..and some of her friends as well.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54- OK, yeah, let's... - Come on, let's go outside and...
0:08:54 > 0:08:56- It'll be OK.- ..go check out her teeth. Yeah.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01'I'm not sure I'm ready for this.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04'With jaws larger than a lion's, they could really do some damage,
0:09:04 > 0:09:06'but it's too late to back out now.'
0:09:06 > 0:09:09This is Bonnie and Sitka.
0:09:09 > 0:09:10And this is Nigel.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12Hello, Nigel.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14- Nigel's one of our professional trainers.- Right.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17And he does all the hands-on work with the sea lions,
0:09:17 > 0:09:20- so he's going to take you through the sea lion's paces...- Yes.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22..and you're going to help him with some of the stuff,
0:09:22 > 0:09:25- and I'm going to stand over here, where it's safe.- Yeah.
0:09:25 > 0:09:29No, you're going to be perfectly safe with Nigel.
0:09:29 > 0:09:30SEA LION GRUNTS
0:09:30 > 0:09:32- Sitka!- 'And just like that, I'm doing a health check
0:09:32 > 0:09:35'on a supersized sea lion!'
0:09:37 > 0:09:38Huge, isn't she?
0:09:38 > 0:09:40So when she's doing that little head bobbing,
0:09:40 > 0:09:41she's just checking you out?
0:09:41 > 0:09:45She's just excited. She's ready to get going with her day.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49So, today, she weighs 231 kilos.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52231 kilos!
0:09:52 > 0:09:54'That's almost the same weight as a grizzly bear.'
0:09:54 > 0:09:56You're heavy.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59All right, now we're going to get her to lie down.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01So from nose to tail...
0:10:02 > 0:10:04- ..224 centimetres.- Yep.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07So how often do you have to do these checks?
0:10:07 > 0:10:10We'll check them from, essentially, nose to tail every day.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13- Mm-hm.- So we'll look in their eyes, make sure there's nothing
0:10:13 > 0:10:15unusual in those, we look in their ears,
0:10:15 > 0:10:16make sure we don't see anything weird,
0:10:16 > 0:10:18- we take a look at the teeth. - NAOMI GASPS
0:10:18 > 0:10:21You can see it's a pretty good size jaw.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23- There you go, Sitka. - She's got, like, toenails on her...
0:10:23 > 0:10:26SEA LION ROARS
0:10:26 > 0:10:30- She has nails on her hind flippers. - Yeah!
0:10:30 > 0:10:32You can come down here, if you like.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35They retain the three on the hind flipper, here.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37And they're for exactly what you think they're for - scratching.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41- Can you imagine having an itch and not being able to scratch it?- Yeah!
0:10:42 > 0:10:45So, Dave, why are they here in the first place?
0:10:45 > 0:10:48Well, they're here so we can study them,
0:10:48 > 0:10:51so we understand what's happening to the sea lions in the wild.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53Eight out of ten sea lions have disappeared
0:10:53 > 0:10:56- in the last few decades. - Eight out of ten?
0:10:56 > 0:10:59Absolutely. It's unprecedented, and what we want to do
0:10:59 > 0:11:03is use these guys to figure out why animals in the wild
0:11:03 > 0:11:04have been disappearing.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08So we do things, like studying how they swim and how they dive
0:11:08 > 0:11:11and how they forage in our laboratory, which is the
0:11:11 > 0:11:12great outdoors, right here.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14But they're free to just go as they choose to?
0:11:14 > 0:11:17Yeah, if they wanted to, they could just say, "Bye-bye,"
0:11:17 > 0:11:18but they don't.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20We've been here almost 12 years, everyone's always
0:11:20 > 0:11:22come back home.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24Everyone's happy here, that's good.
0:11:25 > 0:11:26Oh, I love Sitka!
0:11:28 > 0:11:29SEA LION ROARS
0:11:30 > 0:11:33'With the check-up done, it was now time to head outside
0:11:33 > 0:11:36'with the sea lions and find out what they get up to.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39'To understand more about how sea lions dive
0:11:39 > 0:11:41'and how much energy they use when they swim,
0:11:41 > 0:11:45'Dave has made a special floating raft out in the harbour,
0:11:45 > 0:11:48'loaded with science tech the sea lions can use,
0:11:48 > 0:11:50'and he's about to show me it in action.'
0:11:51 > 0:11:55Sea lions come up into this dome and we collect
0:11:55 > 0:11:58- all the gases and it tells us how much oxygen they've used...- Mm-hm.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00- ..when they're diving. - And how do you encourage them
0:12:00 > 0:12:02to come back into this dome rather than anywhere else?
0:12:02 > 0:12:05Well, partly it's training and, of course, the one thing
0:12:05 > 0:12:07- we've learned is training equals food.- Right!
0:12:07 > 0:12:09So even though they're getting food at depth,
0:12:09 > 0:12:11they also get reinforcement at the dome.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14- Right, we'd better get our sea lion in, then.- Right.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16- Come on then, Bonnie. - There you go, Bon.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19'The sea lions wear special harnesses with hi-tech gadgets
0:12:19 > 0:12:23'attached to them to record data, such as how fast they swim
0:12:23 > 0:12:25'and how deep they dive.'
0:12:28 > 0:12:31- There she is! Hello! - Well done, girl!
0:12:31 > 0:12:33See the little whiskers.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36How deep can they dive?
0:12:36 > 0:12:41- Well, in the wild, they can dive 250 or 300 metres...- Whoa!
0:12:41 > 0:12:43Why would they ever need to go that deep?
0:12:43 > 0:12:46Well, that's an excellent question.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48It could be to get certain types of fish,
0:12:48 > 0:12:53- it could be some sort of predator avoidance.- Uh-huh.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55We don't really know.
0:12:55 > 0:12:56Where is she? Where is she?
0:12:56 > 0:13:00- Is she coming up? There she is! - There she is.- Yay, Bonnie!
0:13:00 > 0:13:02OK, so if we sent her down for another dive,
0:13:02 > 0:13:05I'm going to hold my breath and see if I can compete with her
0:13:05 > 0:13:06and maybe you can tell me how she's doing it
0:13:06 > 0:13:09- while she's underwater?- OK. - OK, are you ready?
0:13:09 > 0:13:10Set...
0:13:10 > 0:13:12start!
0:13:12 > 0:13:14OK, what I should have probably told you,
0:13:14 > 0:13:17this isn't very fair cos these guys can easily
0:13:17 > 0:13:20dive for three to five minutes without even trying.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23And they do that two ways - one, they have a lot of oxygen
0:13:23 > 0:13:25in their bodies, way more than we have in our lungs,
0:13:25 > 0:13:27in their blood and in their muscle.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31Also, when they're diving, they actually decrease the amount
0:13:31 > 0:13:35of energy they use while swimming. They slow their whole body down.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37Between not using very much oxygen, having lots of oxygen,
0:13:37 > 0:13:39they've got you beat no problem.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44Yeah, she is way better than me.
0:13:45 > 0:13:46Oh, no!
0:13:49 > 0:13:53Steller sea lions - big jaws, amazing swimmers
0:13:53 > 0:13:58that can dive to extreme depths and hold their breath for ages.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01If you're on their menu, that's going to be frightening.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07So despite Steller sea lions being pretty intimidating predators
0:14:07 > 0:14:11in the wild, can I really put these gorgeous creatures
0:14:11 > 0:14:15that I've met today on my list of worst nightmares?
0:14:15 > 0:14:17SEA LION GRUNTS
0:14:17 > 0:14:19OK, yeah, maybe I can.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24It's time to quit the coast but stay with water,
0:14:24 > 0:14:27as my next nightmare is found in the many rivers that run through
0:14:27 > 0:14:29this part of the world.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33Every year, something amazing happens here in British Columbia.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37It's one of nature's most spectacular migrations,
0:14:37 > 0:14:41the great salmon run, where hundreds if not millions of salmon swim to
0:14:41 > 0:14:46the Pacific Ocean and return to the rivers they were born to spawn.
0:14:46 > 0:14:47It's a nightmare journey for them.
0:14:47 > 0:14:51They've got bears, eagles, waterfalls to overcome.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55But for the fish on this river, there's an even greater problem.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57Something very fishy is going on.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02It turns out that the salmon migrating up the Seymour River
0:15:02 > 0:15:05are having a total nightmare
0:15:05 > 0:15:08as a giant rock fall has blocked the river,
0:15:08 > 0:15:10preventing the fish from swimming upstream.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13This is a catastrophe for the salmon.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16If they don't get past the rock fall,
0:15:16 > 0:15:19they can't reach their spawning grounds to breed
0:15:19 > 0:15:22and the salmon will disappear from the river forever.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27To find out more, I'm meeting up with local fish lover Brian.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30- Hey, Brian.- Hey, Naomi.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33- Right, we've got lots of people here. What's going on?- We sure do.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36- We're going to try and sane the river for salmon today.- Right, OK.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39You're going to need a set of these if you want to stay dry.
0:15:39 > 0:15:40I definitely do. Lovely.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42- They look just my colour.- Great.
0:15:44 > 0:15:45Ready!
0:15:46 > 0:15:48'To help the trapped salmon,
0:15:48 > 0:15:51'fish loving volunteers are trying to catch the fish
0:15:51 > 0:15:53'and move them to another location.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56'And now they have one more volunteer.'
0:15:56 > 0:15:58I'm coming in!
0:16:00 > 0:16:01'And it's tough work.'
0:16:03 > 0:16:05- Is this about as deep as it's going to get?- Yes.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07Good.
0:16:07 > 0:16:08You hope.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11- It's so slippery underfoot.- Yeah!
0:16:11 > 0:16:12SHE GROANS
0:16:12 > 0:16:15'But there's something missing.'
0:16:15 > 0:16:17Anyone seen any fish?
0:16:18 > 0:16:20Nothing. Not one.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26The only thing we could see in the net was our crew.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31It looks like we're out of luck.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34But our fishy fun isn't over.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39Brian is taking me to his salmon sanctuary upriver.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46- So these are the salmon that we didn't find earlier?- That's right.
0:16:46 > 0:16:47- There we go.- They're massive!
0:16:49 > 0:16:52Nobody gets to just stand around. I'm going to give you a net.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54You know how to catch them? Sherry's going to try and help you.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57- Any one in particular? - Any one you can get.
0:16:57 > 0:16:59- They're super fast, yeah?- They are.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01OK, so, Naomi, the reason we're doing this,
0:17:01 > 0:17:04we have males and females both in this tub.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07And what we have to do is we have to sort through them
0:17:07 > 0:17:10and sort out the females from males,
0:17:10 > 0:17:13and check the females to see if they're ready to give up their eggs.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16- And you have one!- I've got a really big one.- You do.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18So I'll hold the net and I'm going to get you to pull it out.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20What?!
0:17:20 > 0:17:22- How do you do that? What do I do? - Grab the tail.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24Grab the tail.
0:17:24 > 0:17:25They do have teeth.
0:17:25 > 0:17:27Oh, I'm nervous! Right.
0:17:27 > 0:17:28- Grab the tail. - Hold nice and tight.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30Put your other hand under the belly.
0:17:30 > 0:17:31SHE SHUDDERS
0:17:31 > 0:17:33It's well slippy.
0:17:33 > 0:17:34Right, sorry, mate.
0:17:36 > 0:17:37It's hard, isn't it?
0:17:39 > 0:17:40Come on.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42You tell me if it's male or female.
0:17:42 > 0:17:43Get it right, we'll hire you.
0:17:47 > 0:17:48Sorry.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50- What was it?- I think it was a male.
0:17:50 > 0:17:51How do you tell?
0:17:51 > 0:17:55The males have a pointier nose and they don't have a big belly on them
0:17:55 > 0:17:58- because they don't have any eggs in them.- I can't pick that one up.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00- Are you joking?- This one is...
0:18:00 > 0:18:03Oh, look how easy you make it look!
0:18:03 > 0:18:04- You see the belly on her? - She's full of eggs.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07That's a female, she's full of eggs.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10You may find bigger ones are easy to handle than the little ones.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12Yeah? OK.
0:18:12 > 0:18:13Sorry, lovely.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16Female salmon are transferred to a special tank
0:18:16 > 0:18:19so their eggs can be collected.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22The eggs then hatch into baby fish called fry,
0:18:22 > 0:18:25which are released into the river below the rock fall.
0:18:25 > 0:18:29This clever plan means that while people figure out what to do
0:18:29 > 0:18:31with the giant block in the river,
0:18:31 > 0:18:33these salmon can continue to breed.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36Very good.
0:18:36 > 0:18:37SHE CHEERS
0:18:38 > 0:18:42That's a few more vital fish that will provide salmon fry
0:18:42 > 0:18:45for the future of the Seymour River.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47Job done.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50I may not be a massive fan of handling slippery, slimy fish,
0:18:50 > 0:18:54but when you think you might be helping out an entire generation,
0:18:54 > 0:18:55well, that feels pretty good.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58It shows any-fin is possible.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01SHE LAUGHS Any-fin!
0:19:01 > 0:19:02SHE SIGHS Here they go,
0:19:02 > 0:19:05spoiling my pun fun. "Salmon may make it look easy,
0:19:05 > 0:19:09"but how hard is it to battle against a raging torrent?
0:19:09 > 0:19:12"Your challenge is to swim like a salmon."
0:19:12 > 0:19:15Better salmon up some energy for that, then!
0:19:15 > 0:19:17Get it? Salmon, summon...
0:19:19 > 0:19:20I'll get my goggles.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26Right, I'm here at this flow pool which will apparently
0:19:26 > 0:19:30simulate the river flow the salmon have to swim against.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33So my mission is to get in here, complete my journey upstream,
0:19:33 > 0:19:36and it's going to get harder and harder as I go.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38Wish me luck.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42It's hard just to stand up. Uh-oh!
0:19:52 > 0:19:55Incredibly, salmon stop feeding when they get into the river
0:19:55 > 0:19:58and they make their whole journey on an empty stomach,
0:19:58 > 0:20:00whereas, I'm slightly regretting the soup,
0:20:00 > 0:20:03sandwich and big bag of crisps I had for lunch.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11This is getting harder and harder.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20I need to take a little break.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23Salmon actually have great energy-saving tactics
0:20:23 > 0:20:24to take a break.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28They'll hide just behind a rock or in slow-moving pools,
0:20:28 > 0:20:30give themselves a rest before they head back
0:20:30 > 0:20:32into the fast-moving rapids.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39Having to work so hard now!
0:20:39 > 0:20:43Whoa! And bearing in mind, I'm on the flat.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46Salmon do not just have to fight the current -
0:20:46 > 0:20:48they're also going uphill!
0:20:50 > 0:20:53It's such a long, hard slog
0:20:53 > 0:20:58that in some cases, only one in ten fish make it from start to finish.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06I really don't think I can make it.
0:21:08 > 0:21:10Oh, no.
0:21:10 > 0:21:11Come on!
0:21:16 > 0:21:19It is of-fish-ial -
0:21:19 > 0:21:23the salmon's migration upstream is an almost never-ending
0:21:23 > 0:21:29obstacle course that requires super strength, stamina and guts.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33Is that enough to make this fishy swimathon my worst nightmare?
0:21:43 > 0:21:46I'm heading away from the coast and up into the mountains.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50It's a beautiful autumn day, but winter is just around the corner
0:21:50 > 0:21:54and I've got a date with two animals that are making serious preparations
0:21:54 > 0:21:56for the cold months ahead.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00Up here, it's hard to see what could possibly be nightmarish.
0:22:00 > 0:22:04The animals I've come to help are Cooler and Grinder,
0:22:04 > 0:22:08two grizzly bears living in Grouse Mountain Wildlife Refuge.
0:22:08 > 0:22:12Wildlife ranger Devin is on hand to show me the ropes.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15So, Devin, you've got some pretty awesome bears right here.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18- Mm-hm, this is Grinder and Cooler. - Good names.- Yes.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20And they've been here a long time, have they?
0:22:20 > 0:22:23Yeah, they've been here since 2001. They were both orphaned in the wild.
0:22:23 > 0:22:24What have we got to help them with today?
0:22:24 > 0:22:26Well, they're just getting ready for their big sleep,
0:22:26 > 0:22:28for the hibernation period,
0:22:28 > 0:22:29so we need to cut some branches off some trees.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31We'll show you the right type that they prefer.
0:22:31 > 0:22:32We're going to build a bed
0:22:32 > 0:22:35- so that they can sleep through the winter.- Great.
0:22:35 > 0:22:36Well, sleeping through the winter,
0:22:36 > 0:22:38that doesn't sound like a nightmare to me.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46OK, I think there's some up here.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48We can just probably hike up there and have a look.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53- So what do they eat during hibernation, the bears?- The bears?
0:22:53 > 0:22:56They don't eat anything during the actual hibernation.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58- Nothing at all? - They don't eat or even drink.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00- Not even drinking?- No.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02Do your bears cuddle up together?
0:23:02 > 0:23:05Yeah! Quite often you see them on camera.
0:23:05 > 0:23:06- They're wrapped around each other.- Aw!
0:23:06 > 0:23:10They've got legs in each other's faces.
0:23:10 > 0:23:11Hibernation is important for bears
0:23:11 > 0:23:14that live in places with cold winters,
0:23:14 > 0:23:17such as grizzly bears, black bears and polar bears.
0:23:17 > 0:23:21It allows them to sleep through periods when it's simply too chilly
0:23:21 > 0:23:24to go outside and there's no food.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27To get through this super sleep on an empty stomach,
0:23:27 > 0:23:30they make sure they fatten up before bedding down.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35- Do you think that's enough? - Yeah, I think that should be good.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38We'll give them all to the bears and then we can see what they think.
0:23:38 > 0:23:39Good shout.
0:23:42 > 0:23:46- So do you think it will be warm enough in there for them?- Oh, yeah.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48This is not a very big space, as you can see.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50So with both Grinder and Cooler in here, it says quite warm.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52And also, these branches help as well.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55They'll continually let off moisture and keep it nice and warm,
0:23:55 > 0:23:57and actually humid inside as well.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00- How long will they stay like this? - It can vary,
0:24:00 > 0:24:02but our shortest was two months
0:24:02 > 0:24:05and the longest was five months that they were in hibernation.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07And how do they know when it's time to wake up again?
0:24:07 > 0:24:10Well, in the front of their den here they can actually wander out
0:24:10 > 0:24:13and go into this next section and have a look outside,
0:24:13 > 0:24:17and see what the daylight's like and what the snow levels are like.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19Basically if there's any food around.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22Once they find those three things, then they just decide it's the end
0:24:22 > 0:24:24and start to become more active every day.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27- Do you think they'll be happy with that?- Yeah, let's give them that
0:24:27 > 0:24:28and see what they'll do with that.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31- If they need more, we can give them more.- Good. Job is done.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33They are going to be as snug as a bug in a rug.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36Well, actually, more like bears who share...tree branches.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40Honestly, I think life as a bear would be quite lovely.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42Spend all your time stuffing your face with food
0:24:42 > 0:24:44and then you get to snuggle down
0:24:44 > 0:24:46in a nice cosy den for the whole of winter.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48Bring it on, I say...
0:24:50 > 0:24:53"You think sleeping through the winter is easy?
0:24:53 > 0:24:57"Think again as you must prepare, like a bear, for winter."
0:24:57 > 0:24:59Uh-oh.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02Grizzly bears eat a massive amount of food.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08So they can live off body fat during the winter.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18Female grizzlies need to increase their body weight by 70%
0:25:18 > 0:25:24and much of their diet consists of nuts, berries, fruit and leaves.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26To pile on the pounds,
0:25:26 > 0:25:31they gorge themselves on 40kg of food every day.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35That's the same weight as 800 chocolate bars,
0:25:35 > 0:25:37or 100 pizzas.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42Please can we stop? I feel sick!
0:25:48 > 0:25:52Despite their impressive size, grizzlies are fast movers
0:25:52 > 0:25:55and have been clocked at 30mph.
0:25:55 > 0:25:57Even carrying all that weight,
0:25:57 > 0:26:00they're still able to move swiftly when they need to.
0:26:09 > 0:26:10Guys?
0:26:10 > 0:26:11'Unlike me.'
0:26:11 > 0:26:13Can you come and help me?
0:26:21 > 0:26:25The deep sleep allows the grizzlies to save energy.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29The heart rate slows down from 40 beats per minute to eight.
0:26:30 > 0:26:34'Female grizzlies may hibernate for up to seven months
0:26:34 > 0:26:37'with no food at all during this time of slumber.
0:26:37 > 0:26:41'Rather than go to the toilet, they recycle their waste inside them.'
0:26:41 > 0:26:44Urgh! I'm not doing that.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47Hang about, no food until spring?
0:26:47 > 0:26:49What about Christmas dinner?
0:26:49 > 0:26:51Oh, Mitch, you shou...
0:26:53 > 0:26:55No!
0:27:00 > 0:27:02It turns out hibernating isn't the big doss
0:27:02 > 0:27:04I thought it was going to be.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06It's actually really hard work.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09In fact, eating yourself silly and then starving yourself
0:27:09 > 0:27:13for the whole winter is a complete nutritional nightmare.
0:27:15 > 0:27:19Well, what a trip. What a place. What nightmares!
0:27:19 > 0:27:22British Columbia has certainly come up trumps.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24From the breathtaking...
0:27:24 > 0:27:26Oh, they are so beautiful.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29..to the unexpected.
0:27:29 > 0:27:30She's in the office?
0:27:30 > 0:27:32But my worst nightmare?
0:27:32 > 0:27:34Being forced to pile on the pounds,
0:27:34 > 0:27:36missing half the year through sleep
0:27:36 > 0:27:38and ending up with no Christmas.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40What could be worse than that?
0:27:40 > 0:27:43Hibernation, my ultimate nightmare.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48Sorry, sweet.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56Are they truly terrifying?
0:27:56 > 0:27:57Or is there a twist...
0:27:57 > 0:27:59twist...
0:27:59 > 0:28:01..twist in the tale?