0:00:02 > 0:00:04The world is full of amazing animal families.
0:00:04 > 0:00:07Tales of life and death happen every day.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10For the youngest members, growing up is tough, really tough.
0:00:12 > 0:00:16These stories recreate their roller-coaster lives,
0:00:16 > 0:00:18here on Wild Tales.
0:00:21 > 0:00:26We're following three fantastic animal characters.
0:00:26 > 0:00:31Cara is a caribou calf facing life or death
0:00:31 > 0:00:35in an attack from above.
0:00:35 > 0:00:42Hugh gets to sit back and watch mum's crash course in finding seals.
0:00:42 > 0:00:48And Newky is a wild dog pup with dangerous enemies.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53So, where do we start?
0:00:55 > 0:00:59First, it's over to the Canadian tundra,
0:00:59 > 0:01:01where last time on Wild Tales,
0:01:01 > 0:01:08Cara sat calmly as an eagle headed straight for the calves.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10Going in for the kill.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13She seemed oblivious to the danger.
0:01:13 > 0:01:19And as the eagle singled out its prey, would Cara end up as bird food?
0:01:30 > 0:01:33The eagle has landed.
0:01:35 > 0:01:36And it's not Cara.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40Phew. That was close.
0:01:42 > 0:01:44Cara had better get back to eating soon.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48She needs to put on weight.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51Eagles can only carry small calves.
0:01:53 > 0:01:54But mum's on the move,
0:01:56 > 0:01:59looking for better grazing.
0:01:59 > 0:02:04And Cara needs to keep up, which isn't always easy.
0:02:05 > 0:02:09The tundra is dotted with shallow lakes and rivers.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14And adult caribou will plunge into water without a thought.
0:02:17 > 0:02:21As mum reaches the river, it looks as though she's gonna cross
0:02:21 > 0:02:24whether Cara likes it or not.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27Talk about being thrown in head first.
0:02:28 > 0:02:33The adults have it easy, bounding across with their long legs.
0:02:33 > 0:02:38But Cara's legs are still short...
0:02:38 > 0:02:41and that current is strong.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46She must be terrified.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00Next, it's over to the Arctic, where Hugh and his sister
0:03:00 > 0:03:05have left the den and are following mum onto the sea ice.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09She's desperate for food and the cubs do their best
0:03:09 > 0:03:11to keep up the pace.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15As they travel further
0:03:15 > 0:03:19and further onto the ice, Hugh's starting to learn
0:03:19 > 0:03:21it's one big old world out there,
0:03:21 > 0:03:25particularly when you've only got short legs.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27Mum's need for food is matched by
0:03:27 > 0:03:30the ever-present threat of coming across a male.
0:03:32 > 0:03:37But she's about to bump into something completely unexpected.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41It's another mother with cubs.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48And Hugh's mum is just a little curious.
0:03:53 > 0:03:58These girls aren't really a danger to each other,
0:03:58 > 0:04:02so our mum can afford to go in a little closer.
0:04:04 > 0:04:09For Hugh, it's like looking into a mirror.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14These are the first other polar bears he's ever seen,
0:04:14 > 0:04:17apart from mum and his sis, of course.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24Not that Hugh gets a chance to stay and play.
0:04:27 > 0:04:32After checking each other out, the other mum takes her cubs one way
0:04:32 > 0:04:37and Hugh and his sis head off in the other.
0:04:37 > 0:04:38The last thing our mum needs
0:04:38 > 0:04:42is another adult muscling in on her patch.
0:04:42 > 0:04:47If she finds food, she'll need to keep it in the family.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50But food is by no means easy to come by.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55It should be the perfect time,
0:04:55 > 0:04:59with seals out on the ice feeding their pups.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02But this is a big place.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06And while Hugh and his sis are drinking milk without a care,
0:05:06 > 0:05:12mum has somehow got to find a seal in this featureless landscape.
0:05:17 > 0:05:24Next up is the Okavango Delta in Botswana, Africa,
0:05:24 > 0:05:28where Newky is still clowning around.
0:05:28 > 0:05:34And Tess, the babysitter, seems to have completely given up.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37The pups have driven her barking mad.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43But just when she thinks she can't take any more,
0:05:43 > 0:05:47the adults stroll back from the hunt...
0:05:47 > 0:05:51mum and dad leading the way.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53Newky is first up to greet them,
0:05:53 > 0:05:57closely followed, of course, by a rather worn-out Tess.
0:06:00 > 0:06:04All that nuzzling and wagging of tails isn't just excitement, though.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06Tess and the pups are begging for food,
0:06:06 > 0:06:09and they'll take whatever they can get.
0:06:11 > 0:06:15Unfortunately, wild dogs don't have carrier bags.
0:06:15 > 0:06:20But they have brought food back in their stomachs.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26The pups come first.
0:06:26 > 0:06:30And yep, you've guessed it, that's sick they're eating.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35Wild dogs are able to regurgitate food.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39And because they've bolted the food down without chewing,
0:06:39 > 0:06:42they're chucking up chunks, literally.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47Newky's more than happy to wolf it down.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50Barfed-up food is better than no food at all.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02Tess has to wait for her chance to feed.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04But she's more than happy to tuck in.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11After the feeding, it's bath time.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14Wild dogs may eat sick, but that doesn't stop them
0:07:14 > 0:07:17caring about their appearance.
0:07:19 > 0:07:23For Newky, it's an all-over affair.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26And he's not at all keen.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30"Ugh, get off!
0:07:31 > 0:07:34"Ah-ha. Free at last."
0:07:35 > 0:07:38Nope. Look's like he'll have to put up with it.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54Cara's still caught up in the current.
0:07:56 > 0:07:57And with no weight behind her,
0:07:57 > 0:08:01one misplaced hoof could whip her off her feet.
0:08:01 > 0:08:02Whoa, whoa!
0:08:05 > 0:08:08She struggles on, desperate to stay close to mum.
0:08:10 > 0:08:15Finally, she makes it to solid ground...
0:08:15 > 0:08:20wet and shaken, but not stirred.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24Caribou hair acts like a waterproof shield,
0:08:24 > 0:08:27keeping water away from the skin.
0:08:29 > 0:08:31She'll soon dry out...
0:08:32 > 0:08:35and pretty soon, everything calms down a little.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40Time moves on.
0:08:40 > 0:08:46And by keeping her head down, Cara's gone from strength to strength.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50She's getting bigger by the day and looking good.
0:08:50 > 0:08:55Whereas some of the adults are looking a right mess.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58They're all moulting now,
0:09:00 > 0:09:02losing their thick winter coats
0:09:02 > 0:09:05and getting ready for the new ones to grow later in the year.
0:09:08 > 0:09:13New antlers are growing, covered in a furry skin called velvet.
0:09:15 > 0:09:20For Cara, it should all be smooth sailing.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23But something is stirring
0:09:23 > 0:09:26in the countless pools that cover the tundra.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32Millions of mosquito larvae are starting to change...
0:09:38 > 0:09:41into adult mosquito.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50For Cara,
0:09:50 > 0:09:52it's all about to kick off...
0:09:52 > 0:09:54in a big way.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07In Botswana, it's bath time for Newky
0:10:07 > 0:10:10as he gets an all-over body wash.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15But eventually it comes to an end
0:10:15 > 0:10:18and the pack settle down for an after-dinner snooze.
0:10:24 > 0:10:25It's a dog's life.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29Just taking it easy.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40Even Newky and the other pups take time out.
0:10:40 > 0:10:47Running rings around Tess has left them burnt out.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50And now they're fading away.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54But they're not alone.
0:10:55 > 0:11:00Vultures are an almost constant companion.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04They eat up scraps around the den, and even poo.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06Yep, poo.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08Gross, isn't it?
0:11:08 > 0:11:12You thought dogs eating vomit was disgusting.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16They're like a personal cleaning service for the den.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18Not that the wild dogs see it that way.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24Any thoughts of sleep soon come to an end as they go out of their way
0:11:24 > 0:11:28to chase the vultures off.
0:11:28 > 0:11:32Wild dogs hate vultures with a passion.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39Even Newky and the gang get in on the act.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47But all this persecution is a little unfair.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51There are far worse things out there...
0:11:54 > 0:11:58and not all of them are so easy to chase away.
0:12:00 > 0:12:04A lone lion approaches.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08Lions will kill wild dogs.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17It's the biggest problem Newky's ever come up against
0:12:17 > 0:12:18in his short life.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20And the question is,
0:12:20 > 0:12:22how will it all end?
0:12:34 > 0:12:38So far, Hugh and his sister have managed to avoid
0:12:38 > 0:12:42their biggest problem - adult males.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45Mum's still trying to find food
0:12:45 > 0:12:51and, thankfully, she comes equipped with a seriously superior nose.
0:12:51 > 0:12:55She can smell a potential meal from 20 miles away.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00Hugh's nose isn't quite up to that just yet,
0:13:00 > 0:13:05so he just stays close to mum.
0:13:05 > 0:13:10Finding a seal is one thing, but catching them is quite another.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21Seals have got excellent hearing under water,
0:13:21 > 0:13:26and mum's steps echo loud and clear through the ice.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34So if she can't walk, she waits.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38Seals need to breathe air and they can't stay down for ever.
0:13:38 > 0:13:44So once mum finds a breathing hole, she just stays put.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48It can take a long time.
0:13:53 > 0:13:57And there's always the chance she's picked the wrong hole.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05Mum can't afford to keep waiting.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09She decides to go for a seal pup.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12And Hugh follows behind.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15Ringed seal pups are her favourite.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19But these guys aren't just left out on the ice for anyone to find.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21They're hidden away...
0:14:22 > 0:14:24down here,
0:14:24 > 0:14:28with a built-in bolt hole to the sea.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31It's a pretty good hiding place.
0:14:31 > 0:14:36But mum's super schnoz can smell through ice up to a metre thick.
0:14:36 > 0:14:41So she's found one. But Hugh can't celebrate just yet.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44Mum's still got to find a way to get to it.
0:14:53 > 0:14:58In the tundra, Cara's munching away with mum.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02It all looks peaceful enough.
0:15:02 > 0:15:07But in the nearby pools, a swarm is starting to emerge.
0:15:10 > 0:15:15Adult mosquitoes are pushing up through the water's surface...
0:15:15 > 0:15:17each one armed with a needle-sharp syringe
0:15:17 > 0:15:21and a hunger for caribou blood.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26They take to the air.
0:15:26 > 0:15:31Cara has no idea what's heading her way.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37Millions of mosquitoes like mini-missiles
0:15:37 > 0:15:41heading straight for the caribou.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44It's an invasion.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46And as the flying insects descend,
0:15:46 > 0:15:50Cara's life is about to be turned upside down.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58They plunge their needle-sharp syringes
0:15:58 > 0:16:01through the skin of the caribou, feasting on blood.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07It drives the caribou mad.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15Mum can't protect Cara from this aerial horde.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22They're like mini-vampires, millions of mini-vampires.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30And they suck up a lot of blood.
0:16:30 > 0:16:34Just one caribou can lose two pints in a single day.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39For mum, that's really annoying.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42But for Cara, it could be deadly.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47The herd bunches together for protection.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50Cara's being eaten alive.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53How much more of this can she take?
0:17:06 > 0:17:11Hugh and his sister are with mum as she sniffs out a seal pup...
0:17:11 > 0:17:15down there under the ice.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20Hugh hasn't quite got the hang of smelling out seals.
0:17:20 > 0:17:24But mum has a more delicate nose.
0:17:25 > 0:17:30Although there's nothing delicate about getting the thing out.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34That just takes brute force.
0:17:36 > 0:17:40She pounds on the roof of the den
0:17:40 > 0:17:44while Hugh just sits back and watches.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52After a few attempts, the ice starts to give...
0:17:54 > 0:17:55and she's in.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59But the seal pup has already escaped into the sea.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05"Where's it gone, Mum?"
0:18:09 > 0:18:12There's no food for now, although for Hugh and his sister,
0:18:12 > 0:18:14it's a good opportunity to learn
0:18:14 > 0:18:17that they won't always get what they want.
0:18:21 > 0:18:26And for mum, well, there's no other way to succeed
0:18:26 > 0:18:31than to try, try and try again.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35This is not exactly fast food.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38Eventually, success.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41It's a small reward for all that hard work.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44And by the look of things, this pup was already dead.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46But at least it's food.
0:18:46 > 0:18:52Hugh and his sister soon decide to tuck in themselves.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54They may still drink mum's milk,
0:18:54 > 0:18:58but they're by no means on a liquid-only diet.
0:19:00 > 0:19:06This is the first meat Hugh's ever eaten and he seems to like it.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22In Botswana, Newky is in grave danger.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24A lone lion is stalking the den
0:19:24 > 0:19:29and it's not about to leave without a fight.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34Lions hate wild dogs,
0:19:34 > 0:19:41and they'll kill them if they get the chance, especially the pups.
0:19:41 > 0:19:45It's the first lion Newky and the pups have ever seen
0:19:45 > 0:19:49and the adults are keen that they don't get a close-up view.
0:19:49 > 0:19:54The pack splits, with some looking after the pups
0:19:54 > 0:19:59and the others trying to draw the lion away.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03It's a risky strategy that could prove fatal for the adults.
0:20:07 > 0:20:12But right now, Newky and the pups are their top priority.
0:20:12 > 0:20:14These guys are caught up in the chaos
0:20:14 > 0:20:18and the adults are willing to risk their lives to keep them safe.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23Newky doesn't really know what's going on.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26He's never experienced anything like this.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30But although he doesn't realise it right now,
0:20:30 > 0:20:35this is a perfect demonstration of how the pack works under pressure.
0:20:43 > 0:20:47And it's a strategy that seems to be working.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49Despite the danger,
0:20:49 > 0:20:52the wild dogs are just about holding the lion at bay.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00But it's about to get a lot worse.
0:21:00 > 0:21:04This lion has reinforcements.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07The rest of the family is en route,
0:21:07 > 0:21:10and they'll kill anything that stands in their way.
0:21:10 > 0:21:16Wild dogs are no match for a whole pride of lions.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19How's it all gonna end for Newky?
0:21:32 > 0:21:37It's all a different story over in the Arctic.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42Hugh's life is looking pretty rosy right now.
0:21:44 > 0:21:49He's tucking in to his first proper meal with mum and his sis
0:21:49 > 0:21:51and he's loving it.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54But this isn't just a polar bear picnic.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00There are arctic foxes waiting patiently in the wings.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02It's no good interrupting a feeding polar bear.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05After all, there are always leftovers.
0:22:05 > 0:22:11Once mum's had her fill, she leads Hugh and his sister away
0:22:11 > 0:22:13and the arctic foxes move in...
0:22:15 > 0:22:19followed by a couple of hungry gulls.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25After the food, even mum gets to chill out for now.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28A seal pup is nothing more than a snack.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35And she'll find a lot more seals as spring progresses -
0:22:35 > 0:22:37at least one adult a week.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41For now, things are pretty good.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46But it won't stay like this for ever.
0:22:46 > 0:22:50Eventually, it's gonna get a lot warmer round here.
0:22:50 > 0:22:55Hugh and his sister are just playing around without a care in the world.
0:22:55 > 0:22:56But as summer arrives,
0:22:56 > 0:23:00their whole world will literally melt into the sea.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04How will they survive?
0:23:18 > 0:23:22In the tundra, Cara's got problems right now.
0:23:22 > 0:23:28The whole herd is being eaten alive by hordes of blood-thirsty mozzies.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32All they can do is run.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37Smaller herds band together...
0:23:40 > 0:23:42forming super-herds.
0:23:42 > 0:23:47Cara's never seen anything like it.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50There are males in this super-herd.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56And Cara's never seen antlers that big.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02Her dad could be out there somewhere.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05But there's no time for a tearful get-together.
0:24:07 > 0:24:11Cara's sprinting flat out, racing for her life, trying to keep up with mum.
0:24:13 > 0:24:18The caribou can cover up to 40 miles a day in their desperate bid
0:24:18 > 0:24:19to outpace the mosquitoes.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27Cara is getting the full tour,
0:24:27 > 0:24:32as the caribou range across their entire summer grounds.
0:24:34 > 0:24:36Not that she has much time to take it in.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44But they can't run for ever.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47They need to slow down to eat.
0:24:47 > 0:24:53Once Cara and her mum start munching on grass, they don't want to stop.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01Such super-herds don't go unnoticed.
0:25:03 > 0:25:08And sure enough, a brown bear moves in,
0:25:08 > 0:25:13stalking the side lines, looking for opportunities.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17A calf like Cara is an obvious choice.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23It's an attack on all fronts.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26Mozzies and bears.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29Could it all be too much for Cara?
0:25:46 > 0:25:50Things are much worse for Newky's family.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54Right now, they're under attack from a whole pride of lions.
0:25:54 > 0:25:59The dogs just about held their own against one of these big cats,
0:25:59 > 0:26:01but now the tables are turned.
0:26:03 > 0:26:08The lions are far bigger and stronger than the wild dogs,
0:26:08 > 0:26:11and they'll kill the whole pack, given half a chance.
0:26:13 > 0:26:17Out here, it's the cats that have the upper hand
0:26:17 > 0:26:20and the dogs have no choice but to run
0:26:20 > 0:26:22for their lives.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27Mum and dad leading the way.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30The adults do their best to shield the pups from the threat.
0:26:33 > 0:26:38And Newky tries to stay as close to the others as possible.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46But in the confusion, it's difficult to keep track of where everyone is.
0:26:48 > 0:26:54A lion attack of this size could well lead to casualties.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59And pups are nearly always first in line.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07But where's Newky?
0:27:07 > 0:27:10It's a free-for-all out there.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13Let's just hope Newky makes it.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20Next time on Wild Tales:
0:27:20 > 0:27:24How will the lion attack end for Newky?
0:27:26 > 0:27:33How will Hugh cope when his world of ice melts before his eyes?
0:27:33 > 0:27:39And with a grizzly bearing down, how will Cara survive?
0:27:39 > 0:27:43Find out next time on Wild Tales.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:27:48 > 0:27:51E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk