0:00:11 > 0:00:16It was here, earlier this year that a female polar bear emerged from her den.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20When she came out, she had a tiny cub with her.
0:00:20 > 0:00:25Mother and cub set off in that direction, and have barely stopped since.
0:00:25 > 0:00:29It's four months since she started her incredible journey
0:00:29 > 0:00:32and now it's time for me to catch up with her.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43Following in the footsteps of our polar bears will take us
0:00:43 > 0:00:48deep into one of the most demanding and hostile environments on the planet.
0:00:51 > 0:00:56This journey is going to bring us to within a few hundred miles of the North Pole.
0:00:56 > 0:01:00The Arctic throws so many obstacles and dangers in the way
0:01:00 > 0:01:04of anyone brave or maybe foolish enough to travel up here.
0:01:07 > 0:01:13We will have to endure the extreme hardships of this unforgiving landscape, but as we go deeper
0:01:13 > 0:01:18into the bears' extraordinary world, I wonder just how the mother polar bear I'm going to be following
0:01:18 > 0:01:22will be able to keep her vulnerable little cub alive,
0:01:22 > 0:01:25because the odds are heavily stacked against them.
0:01:28 > 0:01:34I'll literally go to the ends of the Earth to follow their Incredible Journey.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55Our polar bear, Aurora, like all polar bear mothers,
0:01:55 > 0:01:59will have given birth deep in the shelter of her underground den,
0:01:59 > 0:02:02where she holed up for almost six months of last year.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05Right in the depth of winter,
0:02:05 > 0:02:07around Christmas Day,
0:02:07 > 0:02:10Aurora's tiny little cub would have been born.
0:02:10 > 0:02:15The cub would then have spent the rest of the winter suckling from its sleepy mum,
0:02:15 > 0:02:20putting on vital weight and storing up strength for the trials that lie ahead.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26By the time they emerged in the spring,
0:02:26 > 0:02:32Aurora and her baby were ready for an extraordinary challenge.
0:02:32 > 0:02:38Amazingly, when it was born, this cub weighed about five hundred grams,
0:02:38 > 0:02:40less than half a bag of sugar.
0:02:40 > 0:02:41Tiny.
0:02:44 > 0:02:50After a short stay at the den, this little family will start to walk...
0:02:50 > 0:02:52and walk...
0:02:52 > 0:02:54and walk.
0:02:54 > 0:03:00It's the start of an epic journey, so tough only half the cubs will survive.
0:03:01 > 0:03:06By following in Aurora's footsteps I hope we can discover
0:03:06 > 0:03:09exactly what she's been up to as she tries to keep her cub alive.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19No-one has ever tried to do this before,
0:03:19 > 0:03:21and right now I've no way of knowing
0:03:21 > 0:03:23how this journey's going to turn out
0:03:23 > 0:03:29for me, and more importantly, for Aurora and her cub.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33To follow Aurora, we're going to need my friend Jason...
0:03:33 > 0:03:35Hey, Steve, welcome to Polarhav.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38..Polar bear expert and Arctic survival guide...
0:03:38 > 0:03:40It's huge. Absolutely massive.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42- This is great.- We've got one...
0:03:42 > 0:03:44The factory deck down one.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46It's like a maze, this place.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50We need a special boat like this one, which is ice strengthened.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52Come in and meet the crew. There's the mess hall.
0:03:52 > 0:03:59And finally, a crew of Norwegian fishermen, used to working in these extreme waters.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02This will be home for the next three weeks.
0:04:02 > 0:04:03Our chart table.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07- Cool.- where we have to make a few decisions.
0:04:07 > 0:04:12- At the moment we're in Longyearbyen. - 'So, where are we?'
0:04:12 > 0:04:17We're way up north, only a few hundred miles from the North pole itself.
0:04:17 > 0:04:22I'm in Svalbard, part of Norway, and it's polar bear heaven.
0:04:22 > 0:04:27In the winter the whole place is locked in ice, the sea freezes over.
0:04:27 > 0:04:32But in summer, the ice melts away, retreating back towards the North Pole.
0:04:32 > 0:04:37This is a world of constant change.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39To help us understand Aurora's journey better,
0:04:39 > 0:04:42we've been working closely with scientists up here,
0:04:42 > 0:04:45who've been studying the movements of polar bears.
0:04:45 > 0:04:50Now, realistically we couldn't stick with them during the winter up here in the Arctic.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52The terrain is far too harsh.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54But we have been able to follow their movements
0:04:54 > 0:04:58using satellite collars that scientists put on these bears four months ago.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02And what those collars have told us is truly amazing.
0:05:04 > 0:05:08The bears are covering enormous distances,
0:05:08 > 0:05:10literally thousands of miles.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14All of these tracks are mothers, with little cubs in tow.
0:05:19 > 0:05:23Why on Earth are the polar bears making these incredible journeys?
0:05:25 > 0:05:29I'm hoping that by following the trail of just one bear, Aurora,
0:05:29 > 0:05:31we'll find some answers.
0:05:31 > 0:05:36But first, I've got to get to grips with some of the very latest scientific technology.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38Shall we, erm...
0:05:38 > 0:05:41- plug that into the GPS and... - Plug this in the GPS.
0:05:41 > 0:05:46Aurora's wearing a radio collar, which regularly sends her position up to satellites.
0:05:48 > 0:05:53We can download the data from the satellites to our on-board computer every day.
0:05:53 > 0:05:58It's amazing for me to be in such close contact with Aurora all the time.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00I can follow her every move.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03- Lovely job. That's what we like to hear.- Relatively...
0:06:03 > 0:06:05It's going to be cold, I suppose.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07- Is it?- Mmm.- The sun's out.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11- The sun's out. - 'And now, we're off to find her.'
0:06:14 > 0:06:19A few months ago this journey would have been completely impossible.
0:06:19 > 0:06:24We're so far north that in winter, the sea freezes solid.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27The sea ice can be up to two metres thick.
0:06:35 > 0:06:42Despite the hardships I know lie in store, I can't help but feel elated.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46What an amazing, amazing place.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52I've already found out quite a bit about Aurora.
0:06:52 > 0:06:57She's about 18 years old, which makes her an old lady.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01In the wild, polar bears don't live much beyond 20.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04She will already have had six, maybe seven cubs,
0:07:04 > 0:07:08and the one she has now will probably be her last.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10So that makes it particularly precious.
0:07:14 > 0:07:18I know they're out there now, struggling with every mile.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21A stark contrast with my journey so far.
0:07:26 > 0:07:32We've been, erm, motoring now in the boat, steadily north
0:07:32 > 0:07:34for over 48 hours, actually.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36Erm... The last two days.
0:07:36 > 0:07:41Erm... Things have changed quite dramatically outside.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45It's got a lot colder, and so we're now starting to see ice in the water.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47Although I haven't seen much because I'm in bed!
0:07:47 > 0:07:50Get a bit of rest in before we really start working.
0:07:50 > 0:07:55I'm preparing for what's going to be a very difficult journey ahead,
0:07:55 > 0:07:58much like the bears do.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01That's my excuse! So make the most of it, because I think
0:08:01 > 0:08:04things are going to start getting a little bit more energetic.
0:08:07 > 0:08:12Almost from the off, mother and cub start to pile on the miles.
0:08:12 > 0:08:16Young polar bear mothers generally have two cubs.
0:08:18 > 0:08:23Fortunately nature is a little kinder to older mothers like Aurora,
0:08:23 > 0:08:24and they usually just have one.
0:08:26 > 0:08:31For an older bear the strain of having two cubs to look after
0:08:31 > 0:08:33might be just too much to cope with.
0:08:37 > 0:08:41By studying the data, we can tell the first part of Aurora's journey
0:08:41 > 0:08:46took her and her cub directly from the den down to the sea ice.
0:08:54 > 0:08:58Now it's summer, the actual sea ice has melted away.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00But there are still plenty of icebergs around,
0:09:00 > 0:09:04and we're going to find out where all this ice is coming from.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06They're quite small, all of these bergs.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08There's nothing to worry about.
0:09:08 > 0:09:10Any of the larger bergs we should worry about.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12We have to be careful.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15Icebergs and boats don't mix.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30We just hit an iceberg.
0:09:30 > 0:09:35Admittedly it was only that big, but I think it counts!
0:09:41 > 0:09:46There are estimated to be about 25,000 polar bears in the world,
0:09:46 > 0:09:49and around 3,000 of them up here in Svalbard.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51< Ice bjorn.
0:09:54 > 0:09:55He's shouting "ice bjorn".
0:09:55 > 0:09:58I thought he was saying iceberg, but "ice bjorn" is "ice bear"
0:09:58 > 0:10:02in Norwegian, which is what they call a polar bear.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04It's just on the rocks.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08It's a long way away, but fair do's,
0:10:08 > 0:10:10first spot.
0:10:10 > 0:10:11They're definitely here.
0:10:15 > 0:10:20So, what has the first part of Aurora's journey shown us?
0:10:20 > 0:10:23Well, if you add on the movement of the sea ice,
0:10:23 > 0:10:27it's clear she's following it as it melts away in spring.
0:10:29 > 0:10:33In fact, she's almost constantly near the ice edge.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36So understanding the ice
0:10:36 > 0:10:40is going to be key in unravelling the mysteries of her journey.
0:10:40 > 0:10:46And when it comes to ice, Arctic survival guide Jason is an expert.
0:10:46 > 0:10:47It's moving the ice forwards...
0:10:47 > 0:10:51So the real clear blue stuff is where it's recently...?
0:10:51 > 0:10:53And letting new ice out the whole time.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55You see a few torquoise places
0:10:55 > 0:10:59- where it's incredibly blue, like in the middle here.- Torqu?
0:10:59 > 0:11:01Torquise.
0:11:01 > 0:11:03The colour torquise.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06- Turquoise. - Turquoise. OK, well get that...
0:11:06 > 0:11:08- Turquoise.- Cut. Take two!
0:11:08 > 0:11:10- Turquoise.- Turquoise.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12- That's the bad lad.- Yeah.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15- The blue ice has got torquoise colour.- Turquoise.
0:11:15 > 0:11:16Turquoise.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21- The dark blue ice we've got... You see the dark blue ice?- Yeah?
0:11:21 > 0:11:26That's where we've had fresh water melt during the summer in the crevices and in the ponds.
0:11:26 > 0:11:31It's re-frozen as water, not as compressed snow, and now it's coming out as ice,
0:11:31 > 0:11:33so it's a very deep blue colour.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35That'll be really solid ice.
0:11:35 > 0:11:36Very solid ice.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46That's great!
0:11:49 > 0:11:52'So this is where all this ice is coming from.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55'It's constantly breaking off the front of the glaciers.'
0:12:02 > 0:12:05If that's the noise from a tiny little drop like that,
0:12:05 > 0:12:08when a huge berg comes off it must sound incredible.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10It sounds death-defying.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13You'll hear it from ten kilometres out in the fjord.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16You can be lying in a tent camp and hear it calving.
0:12:16 > 0:12:20How do these vast rivers of ice actually form?
0:12:20 > 0:12:23It was formed as snowfall thousands of years ago
0:12:23 > 0:12:26at the top of the inland ice, and has moved down here over time.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29And the rock you see is the mountainside being picked up
0:12:29 > 0:12:33and transported as a bulldozer pushing out all the rock surface,
0:12:33 > 0:12:36eating away at the mountains slowly.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40So if you come back in about 40,000 years, the mountains will be half the size.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42That's insane.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45You see, geography can be interesting, kids!
0:12:47 > 0:12:53If we've got any chance of finding polar bears, we've got to get right in amongst the ice,
0:12:53 > 0:12:59and if I'm going to go out on a small boat, an immersion suit is an essential piece of kit.
0:12:59 > 0:13:04If I fell into the icy water, I'd be unconscious in a matter of minutes.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07This suit would keep me alive long enough to be rescued.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09Warm as toast!
0:13:22 > 0:13:26Now, Steve, that we're in brush ice created from the glacier calving,
0:13:26 > 0:13:28it's a great place to search for polar bears.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32- They'll hunt in here? - They'll hunt in here. They can't hunt on the ice.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35The ice is too small. But they need the ice as a hunting platform.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37- They'll swim up on seals? - They'll swim up on seals.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40As long as the seal's a bit dozy on the ice, they'll come up
0:13:40 > 0:13:42with explosive power on to the ice and grab the seal.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44- So real ambush tactics, then?- Yeah.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46So what am I looking out for?
0:13:46 > 0:13:48I'm looking out for polar bears swimming between?
0:13:48 > 0:13:51And also leaving. If they're swimming on the surface
0:13:51 > 0:13:53they'll be leaving like a boat wake behind them.
0:13:53 > 0:13:54They swim at about four knots.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56- Oh, wow. - That's their cruising speed.
0:13:56 > 0:14:01And they don't use the back hind legs for swimming.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05- It's all doggy paddle. - It's all doggy paddle, and the back legs are just the rudders.
0:14:13 > 0:14:19Jason's got a trained eye for bears, and he's sure he's spotted one.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21- Oh, there it is. There it is. - There it is. There it is.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24Oh, look at that.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27You can see the colour. They're not exactly white.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30They're more of a cream. So they really stand out.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33Yeah, you can see him nicely now. What about this bear here?
0:14:33 > 0:14:37Is it likely to be a female, then, and could it have cubs out here?
0:14:37 > 0:14:40Unlikely to have cubs in this place
0:14:40 > 0:14:43because there's glaciers calving the whole time.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46It looks like it's eating something.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54Is there likely only to be one bear here, as well?
0:14:54 > 0:14:58No, I think we could probably have a few along the glacier front here,
0:14:58 > 0:14:59but in this ice...
0:14:59 > 0:15:03The view is... We see nothing because the ice is bigger than the boat.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06So we have to get up high on something to get a really good look.
0:15:10 > 0:15:14It goes to show that it actually makes sense to hunt here
0:15:14 > 0:15:18because he's got himself a big bearded seal.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21There's a lot of good eating on one of them, I should think.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32- There's another. - There's another one.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38There's another bear closing in on the young male.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41He's picked up the scent and he's heading straight for the kill.
0:15:44 > 0:15:49This is a fully mature adult male, and he means business.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53If the youngster doesn't give way, this could really kick off.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10Just look at the size of him.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13Let's hope the young male sees sense and backs away.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21Luckily, the youngster seems to know his place,
0:16:21 > 0:16:24and he's retreated to the edge of the ice.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29He must be desperate, cos he's going back for more!
0:16:38 > 0:16:41That's an extraordinary sight.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44You very rarely see two unrelated males sharing food.
0:16:44 > 0:16:48It goes to show that there's a lot of food here.
0:16:48 > 0:16:52These two, big, fat and healthy, and quite comfortably eating side by side.
0:17:01 > 0:17:03Just look at the size of them!
0:17:09 > 0:17:11HE MOUTHS
0:17:16 > 0:17:18I might as well throw these away.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22I never thought I was going to get anywhere near this close.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24That is absolutely fantastic.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30Male polar bears are huge,
0:17:30 > 0:17:34and just look at their teeth and claws.
0:17:34 > 0:17:38They're twice the size of a tiger.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43They're not only the biggest bear in the world.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47They're the biggest land carnivore on Earth.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58Seals are the main food of polar bears.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02And although these bears are eating a fully-grown seal,
0:18:02 > 0:18:05Aurora would have been after baby seals.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08With a cub in tow, an easy meal is crucial.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16Seal pups have no idea of the danger they're in,
0:18:16 > 0:18:20so their mums have to keep a constant lookout for polar bears.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28Seals give birth on and around the ice.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31At the time Aurora and her cub emerged from the den,
0:18:31 > 0:18:35the ice would have been covered in naive young seals for her to hunt.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49Seal pups are pretty slow and helpless
0:18:49 > 0:18:51when they're out of the water.
0:18:53 > 0:18:59Mind you, once they're under the water, it's a very different story.
0:19:02 > 0:19:08Even a newborn seal pup like this one could effortlessly evade a bear.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21So, as well as providing Aurora with an abundance of food,
0:19:21 > 0:19:24the ice also provides excellent cover
0:19:24 > 0:19:28for the bears to hide behind when they're stalking.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30If there's no ice, there's nowhere to hide.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50Sometimes the seal pups are hidden in dens under the ice.
0:19:50 > 0:19:54But the bears use their extraordinary sense of smell
0:19:54 > 0:19:57to find them, deep below the surface.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02Bashing through snow and ice to get at seal pups
0:20:02 > 0:20:06is just one of the skills polar bear mothers like Aurora
0:20:06 > 0:20:08must teach their cubs.
0:20:27 > 0:20:31So, the reason Aurora made her way to the sea ice
0:20:31 > 0:20:34in the first part of her incredible journey
0:20:34 > 0:20:38was because it was the best possible place to find food.
0:20:42 > 0:20:49The only place to find ice at this time of the year are the glaciers.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53They're gigantic ice-making machines.
0:20:53 > 0:20:58The whole vast river of ice is on the move,
0:20:58 > 0:21:02slowly, inexorably toppling into the sea -
0:21:02 > 0:21:08sometimes in small lumps, sometimes much bigger ones.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14Given that fact, it's obviously not that great
0:21:14 > 0:21:18to be actually under the ice front with a broken engine.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20ENGINE CUTS OUT
0:21:20 > 0:21:22Sorry, guys.
0:21:22 > 0:21:27ENGINE SPLUTTERS
0:21:27 > 0:21:30What happened there,
0:21:30 > 0:21:33we got hooked on a piece of ice and lost the fulcrum
0:21:33 > 0:21:34between the underwater housing.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40- Can we get out of here?- Yeah.
0:21:40 > 0:21:44ENGINE REVS
0:21:47 > 0:21:49I don't want that in the boat.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53How high do you reckon that is?
0:21:53 > 0:21:5440, 50 metres?
0:22:01 > 0:22:03Woah!
0:22:03 > 0:22:05Feel the spray?
0:22:09 > 0:22:12That is an enormous block, right at the top.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20That whole front is going to go at some point.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32CRACKING
0:22:34 > 0:22:35Oh, my God!
0:22:49 > 0:22:51Oh, my...!
0:22:51 > 0:22:54I can taste salt water in my mouth.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58That was amazing.
0:22:58 > 0:23:04Look at the waves, look! Oh, my hat, as they say.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10I want to see that again.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13Oh, my God.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35- So, they don't calve very often, then, these glaciers? - No, it's extremely rare.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39'It may be a great place for the bears to find food,
0:23:39 > 0:23:41'but it's also a potential death trap.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47'To be honest, that was just a bit too close for comfort.'
0:23:51 > 0:23:56'It's time to check in with our polar bear, and see what she's up to.
0:23:56 > 0:24:01'We're getting much closer now, but of course Aurora is constantly on the move too.'
0:24:01 > 0:24:04- ..That's about 50.- Yeah.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07'We've just got some remarkable new information about Aurora.
0:24:07 > 0:24:11'Up until now, everyone thought she was 18,
0:24:11 > 0:24:15'but the scientists have been working on samples they took from her,
0:24:15 > 0:24:17'and it turns out she's 23.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20'She's the oldest mother they've ever had.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24'This will be, very probably, her last incredible journey.
0:24:24 > 0:24:29'But meanwhile, she's still clocking up the miles.'
0:24:32 > 0:24:35Aurora's track has thrown up a new puzzle.
0:24:35 > 0:24:40She's certainly followed the ice to hunt seals, but once the ice melted
0:24:40 > 0:24:45she stopped off in one particular place on the coast for quite a long time.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47I wonder what she was up to?
0:24:55 > 0:25:00We're going in to follow her trail and look for clues.
0:25:40 > 0:25:46Well, Aurora's moved on now, but what a place she chose to stay.
0:25:46 > 0:25:47Look at this.
0:26:08 > 0:26:13Polar bears do live in some of the most beautiful and dramatic places on Earth.
0:26:19 > 0:26:23So, this is where Aurora was for quite some time.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26What was she living off all the time she was here?
0:26:26 > 0:26:30Well, the obvious place you'd think she's finding food is at the front of this glacier,
0:26:30 > 0:26:32but I don't think she has been,
0:26:32 > 0:26:36because there's very little ice in that water for her to hunt off.
0:26:36 > 0:26:38But take a look at this ridge.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41Believe it or not, there's gold in them there hills!
0:26:41 > 0:26:46There's bags of food for the bear that knows how to find it.
0:26:47 > 0:26:51Guillemots. In springtime they come to the cliffs
0:26:51 > 0:26:53to nest in their tens of thousands.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00These guillemots have a curious bit of behaviour.
0:27:00 > 0:27:04The chicks leave the nest before they can properly fly,
0:27:04 > 0:27:07and glide down to the sea on stubby little winglets.
0:27:10 > 0:27:15And they complete their development actually floating about on the sea.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20The trouble is, if you can't fly properly
0:27:20 > 0:27:24and you've got any distance to go, not everyone is going to make it.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29It's a worrying time for the parents.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33It's a bonanza for predators,
0:27:35 > 0:27:40..like Arctic foxes or polar bears.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49It's a feast.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59Somehow Aurora knew where to go, and when to go there,
0:27:59 > 0:28:03to feed on this avalanche of guillemot chicks.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13She's managing to take advantage of any possible food sources.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16She's older, but she's clever.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22But now nesting's over.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26The guillemots have moved out to sea and the food's dried up,
0:28:26 > 0:28:28which is why Aurora moved on.
0:28:31 > 0:28:33But I keep thinking,
0:28:33 > 0:28:35was Aurora here on her own?
0:28:35 > 0:28:37Or was her little cub with her?
0:28:44 > 0:28:48So, where did Aurora go after the bird cliffs?
0:28:48 > 0:28:51Well, she took off.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54She's miles away.
0:28:54 > 0:28:56Now we're playing catch-up.
0:29:34 > 0:29:39We're so far north, up until now we've had 24-hour sunlight
0:29:39 > 0:29:41every day.
0:29:41 > 0:29:44But things are starting to change.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46Well, it's about an hour to midnight, and tonight
0:29:46 > 0:29:50is a very special night for Aurora and the rest of the polar bears
0:29:50 > 0:29:51up here in the Arctic
0:29:51 > 0:29:54because, after four months of continuous sunlight,
0:29:54 > 0:29:56the sun, for the first time,
0:29:56 > 0:29:58is going to dip below the horizon.
0:29:58 > 0:30:01Winter is officially on its way.
0:30:01 > 0:30:03The nights are drawing in.
0:30:07 > 0:30:11Young polar bears have a lot to learn from their mums.
0:30:11 > 0:30:14Cubs even have to learn how to hunt.
0:30:14 > 0:30:16It's not instinctive.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19In fact, there's so much to learn, cubs stay with their mothers
0:30:19 > 0:30:22for a total of two and a half years.
0:30:22 > 0:30:27It's a huge investment of time and energy for mothers like Aurora.
0:30:27 > 0:30:31Little polar bears need a lot of looking after.
0:30:35 > 0:30:39What makes polar bears cute?
0:30:39 > 0:30:44What is it about polar bears
0:30:44 > 0:30:46that makes you want to cuddle them,
0:30:46 > 0:30:48that makes you want to pick them up
0:30:48 > 0:30:51and just bury your face in their fur,
0:30:51 > 0:30:57given the fact that they'd bite your head off for trying?
0:30:57 > 0:31:02Is there some evolutionary advantage to being cute?
0:31:02 > 0:31:05Do you reckon that early seals,
0:31:05 > 0:31:07when they first saw white bears,
0:31:07 > 0:31:11thought, "Oh, they're gorgeous,"
0:31:11 > 0:31:15and subsequently ended up inside the polar bear's belly?
0:31:17 > 0:31:18Probably not!
0:31:34 > 0:31:39As we've travelled our way around the Arctic,
0:31:39 > 0:31:42we've had a constant companion,
0:31:42 > 0:31:44or constant companions, I should say,
0:31:44 > 0:31:48cos it's probably not the same one, but it's the Northern Fulmar.
0:31:48 > 0:31:52There's a couple behind the boat at the moment, and they're pretty much
0:31:52 > 0:31:56written down in the books as professional boat followers.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59They're an amazing bird.
0:31:59 > 0:32:01One of the most impressive things about them
0:32:01 > 0:32:05is the fact that they can live up to about 60 years old.
0:32:05 > 0:32:09So that little bird there could be older than my dad!
0:32:15 > 0:32:20There are tiny little huts dotted all around up here.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23They were originally built by hunters.
0:32:23 > 0:32:28Polar bears were hunted intensively up here for over a hundred years,
0:32:28 > 0:32:33and because the mothers look after each youngster for so long,
0:32:33 > 0:32:35they only reproduce very slowly.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38So hunting had a drastic effect on polar bear numbers.
0:32:38 > 0:32:42This was actually built by a friend of mine who lives in California.
0:32:42 > 0:32:44- 1971.- Excellent!
0:32:44 > 0:32:50'In 1973, polar bear hunting was banned, and since then their numbers have recovered.'
0:32:50 > 0:32:52That's for bears, I take it, to keep bears out.
0:32:52 > 0:32:55That's to keep bears out.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58'The old hunters' huts can still be a lifesaver
0:32:58 > 0:33:02'for anyone caught out by the extreme Arctic weather.'
0:33:02 > 0:33:04There no, um, lock, I see.
0:33:04 > 0:33:08- This is a modern converted cabin. - Right.
0:33:08 > 0:33:11- Get the door.- So, who stays in these huts now, then?
0:33:11 > 0:33:15Oh, mostly locals on weekend visits. It's cosy, isn't it?
0:33:15 > 0:33:17Yeah, I'll give you that.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20- Seen some action, this place, hasn't it?- Yeah.
0:33:20 > 0:33:22- Not just bear action... - Oh, bear action.
0:33:22 > 0:33:26You can see the glass is obviously smashed from the inside.
0:33:26 > 0:33:28- Oh, yes. - They had a bear in here recently.
0:33:28 > 0:33:30You reckon inside the actual hut?
0:33:30 > 0:33:33All the different panel boards on the wall,
0:33:33 > 0:33:36these are all the different holes where bears come in.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39I see they get repaired quite a bit, do they?
0:33:39 > 0:33:41The stove would be a lifesaver, I suppose.
0:33:41 > 0:33:46Actually, the smaller cabin it is, the better it is because it just warms up so quickly.
0:33:46 > 0:33:48It must have been extreme for a bear trapper to be in here.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51Would they spend the whole winter here?
0:33:51 > 0:33:54- Most of the time they would put out during the summer.- Oh, OK.
0:33:54 > 0:33:57An expedition would be put out late summer, early summer,
0:33:57 > 0:33:59and then be picked up hopefully the summer after.
0:33:59 > 0:34:01But quite often, of course,
0:34:01 > 0:34:04the drift ice would come in and wouldn't let the ships in.
0:34:04 > 0:34:07The vessels trying to pick 'em up would be caught in the drift ice.
0:34:07 > 0:34:09They'd be forced for a second winter, third winter.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12- It's quite common. - So people would be sort of
0:34:12 > 0:34:14isolated in these huts for for years.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16- Years.- And would you be safe?
0:34:16 > 0:34:18If we had to stay in one of these,
0:34:18 > 0:34:20- would you be safe from bears from in here?- Yeah.
0:34:20 > 0:34:23You might get 'em smashing through the window,
0:34:23 > 0:34:25but if you're really worried about bears,
0:34:25 > 0:34:28you go and put up the covers on the window on the outside.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31'Imagine that - being holed up in this hut,
0:34:31 > 0:34:33'on your own,
0:34:33 > 0:34:35'for three freezing years.'
0:34:37 > 0:34:39I think I prefer our ship.
0:34:51 > 0:34:57Life on board has suddenly become...a lot less comfy.
0:35:01 > 0:35:04The calm weather we'd been having couldn't last.
0:35:29 > 0:35:33This sort of weather's uncomfortable for us humans,
0:35:33 > 0:35:37but it would have to get much, much worse to bother the bears.
0:35:37 > 0:35:39They can handle extreme blizzards
0:35:39 > 0:35:44and temperatures down to about minus 40 with no problems.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47They'll scoop out a shallow shelter,
0:35:47 > 0:35:50hunker down and let the bad weather blow itself out.
0:35:56 > 0:36:01At last we're closing in on Aurora, but it's frustrating.
0:36:01 > 0:36:05It looks like we're not going to be able to catch up with her just yet.
0:36:05 > 0:36:07There's another, even bigger, storm brewing,
0:36:07 > 0:36:10and in these uncharted waters
0:36:10 > 0:36:13we can't be sure we can find a safe anchorage.
0:36:13 > 0:36:15..Coming round this corner...
0:36:15 > 0:36:17- The Captain's concerned.- Yes.
0:36:17 > 0:36:23The weather forecast for tomorrow says we've got a south-easterly,
0:36:23 > 0:36:24from this direction,
0:36:24 > 0:36:27gale or near gale.
0:36:27 > 0:36:29Right. We can't anchor off here, either?
0:36:29 > 0:36:32No, no. That's not possible under such conditions.
0:36:32 > 0:36:34It's uncharted waters.
0:36:34 > 0:36:36Right, OK.
0:36:36 > 0:36:38How long is that supposed to last, or don't we know?
0:36:38 > 0:36:42Ah, we don't know. But I think the whole day tomorrow.
0:36:42 > 0:36:46- Oh, right, OK.- So, maybe the day after, it could be calmer.
0:36:46 > 0:36:48What do you suggest we do?
0:36:48 > 0:36:50If we're going to get hit by this south-easterly,
0:36:50 > 0:36:54we go around the south-east corner of this island.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57- The options are that we just wait out the storm in this area.- Oh, OK.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00- Quite a good anchorage to wait it out.- OK.
0:37:00 > 0:37:04As soon as the weather clears we'll have about a ten-hour sail across.
0:37:04 > 0:37:05OK. Oh, well, that sounds great.
0:37:05 > 0:37:09At least we can do something while we're waiting.
0:37:09 > 0:37:13We're staying with the sunshine in this sheltered anchorage,
0:37:13 > 0:37:17whilst the storm blows itself out further south.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20There's no point in mooching about on the boat.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23This is a great chance to go bear spotting.
0:37:23 > 0:37:27They're straight ahead, where the ice meets the land.
0:37:27 > 0:37:32'Jason and I are taking out the kayaks to explore the nearby glacier.
0:37:32 > 0:37:35'And there's not just polar bears around here.'
0:37:41 > 0:37:43Yeah, we are surrounded.
0:37:43 > 0:37:46There's some here. They are literally everywhere.
0:37:46 > 0:37:48They're all over the place.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50'Walruses are absolutely enormous,
0:37:50 > 0:37:53'around a ton and a half.
0:37:53 > 0:37:55'They remind me of hippos,
0:37:55 > 0:37:58'and just like hippos, they're pretty unpredictable.'
0:37:58 > 0:38:01- They're following us. - Yes, they are.- Quite inquisitive.
0:38:01 > 0:38:04Popping up and having a look.
0:38:09 > 0:38:11'Very curious.
0:38:11 > 0:38:13'Perhaps just a bit too curious!'
0:38:26 > 0:38:28You see it ahead, Steve?
0:38:28 > 0:38:30On the beach? There's a bear.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33- Where.- 12 o'clock.
0:38:33 > 0:38:35There he is. He's looking at us.
0:38:35 > 0:38:36- He's there.- Oh, yeah.
0:38:38 > 0:38:40He's just sat still.
0:38:40 > 0:38:43'You know how most animals run away from us humans?
0:38:43 > 0:38:45'Well, not polar bears,
0:38:45 > 0:38:47'especially a big male like this one.'
0:38:47 > 0:38:50We can paddle a little bit closer, maybe?
0:38:50 > 0:38:53Oh, he's coming to have a look.
0:39:04 > 0:39:06This is close enough, Steve.
0:39:08 > 0:39:10This goes to show
0:39:10 > 0:39:13how inquisitive the bears are.
0:39:13 > 0:39:16He wouldn't know whether we were a potential food source or not,
0:39:16 > 0:39:19and at this time of year it's worth investigating.
0:39:19 > 0:39:22- Look at that!- We back out.
0:39:25 > 0:39:32I wouldn't like to get much closer without the outboard strapped to the back.
0:39:32 > 0:39:36'Lone male bears like this are something Aurora's got to worry out.
0:39:36 > 0:39:40'There's really only three things that can kill a polar bear cub -
0:39:40 > 0:39:46'an accident, starvation or a big male bear looking for a mate.
0:39:46 > 0:39:49'Males will sometimes kill the cubs
0:39:49 > 0:39:52'so they can mate with the females themselves.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54'All through her journey,
0:39:54 > 0:39:58'Aurora will have been trying to avoid contact with male bears.
0:39:58 > 0:40:03'If it's unavoidable, a mother polar bear has two choices -
0:40:03 > 0:40:06'make a run for it, or try and drive the male off.'
0:40:15 > 0:40:18This is a terribly dangerous situation.
0:40:18 > 0:40:22You can see the male polar bear is about twice the size of the female.
0:40:22 > 0:40:26If he chose to attack, she wouldn't stand a chance.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30You can see how torn she is.
0:40:30 > 0:40:33She literally doesn't know which way to turn.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54Despite all the mothers do
0:40:54 > 0:40:57to protect and nurture their little ones,
0:40:57 > 0:41:00the odds really are stacked up against them.
0:41:14 > 0:41:16Time to get back to the ship.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19But first we've got to run the gauntlet.
0:41:22 > 0:41:25This whole place is full of walrus.
0:41:25 > 0:41:29That bear's still nearby, but they're not bothered.
0:41:29 > 0:41:31They're far too big and well armed.
0:41:34 > 0:41:37He's hot on your tail, Jason.
0:41:37 > 0:41:39As well as being unpredictable,
0:41:39 > 0:41:42they're sometimes uncomfortably inquisitive.
0:41:42 > 0:41:44Just keep moving.
0:41:47 > 0:41:49The tusks are a sign of rank.
0:41:49 > 0:41:53The male with the biggest tusks is usually the boss of his group.
0:41:53 > 0:41:55And they also work as ice picks,
0:41:55 > 0:41:58when they drag themselves out of the water up on to the ice.
0:41:58 > 0:42:03In fact, the scientific name for walrus means "tooth walker".
0:42:07 > 0:42:11But of course they're also serious weapons for fighting,
0:42:11 > 0:42:13slashing and stabbing.
0:42:13 > 0:42:15They might look quite comic,
0:42:15 > 0:42:19but these are animals you need to treat with a lot of respect.
0:42:23 > 0:42:25I think we've been adopted.
0:42:25 > 0:42:27Keep going, mate.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38Time to get out of the water and let it clear off.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48No, they could be territorial for the ice floes, mate.
0:42:49 > 0:42:52- Oh!- BLEEP
0:42:52 > 0:42:54I think they could be.
0:42:54 > 0:42:57I think that was a walrus.
0:42:57 > 0:42:59Mate, that wasn't nice.
0:43:00 > 0:43:02Behave. Now what do you reckon?
0:43:02 > 0:43:04Now I think we stay on the ice floe
0:43:04 > 0:43:07until we get picked up by our rescue boat.
0:43:07 > 0:43:09Come, come, come.
0:43:09 > 0:43:12- That's it, they're getting the idea. - They're getting the idea.
0:43:12 > 0:43:14WALRUS SNORTS
0:43:14 > 0:43:16Yeah!
0:43:16 > 0:43:18Could you do a circle and scare him away?
0:43:21 > 0:43:24OK. We hop in the boat from here.
0:43:24 > 0:43:28That was unpleasant.
0:43:28 > 0:43:29WALRUSES BELLOW
0:43:29 > 0:43:34- Go back.- I just keep hearing sounds behind me and thinking,
0:43:34 > 0:43:36"It's a walrus!"
0:43:54 > 0:43:56I'm glad I'm in the big boat!
0:44:10 > 0:44:12Let's see him try and stick a tusk in one of these.
0:44:28 > 0:44:31'Right, we're on the last leg.
0:44:31 > 0:44:35'We've finally caught up with Aurora.
0:44:35 > 0:44:37'We're so close now.
0:44:37 > 0:44:40'It's time to get the latest reading from her collar
0:44:40 > 0:44:43'and then set out to meet our girl face to face.'
0:44:43 > 0:44:46- How old is this data, do we know yet?- Maximum of one hour.
0:44:46 > 0:44:49Is it? Fair do's.
0:44:50 > 0:44:53Something strange seems to be going on.
0:44:53 > 0:44:56The information we're getting looks a bit baffling.
0:44:56 > 0:44:59After being constantly on the move for four months,
0:44:59 > 0:45:03Aurora seems to have stopped...dead.
0:45:03 > 0:45:07It's confusing and more than a bit worrying.
0:45:07 > 0:45:08Is she still alive,
0:45:08 > 0:45:13and has her cub defied the odds and survived with her?
0:45:13 > 0:45:16Do we think she's had a cub with her all this time?
0:45:16 > 0:45:17We hope she's got a cub with her.
0:45:17 > 0:45:20- Otherwise the cub's... - It's hard to tell.
0:45:20 > 0:45:22There's only one way of finding that out,
0:45:22 > 0:45:25- and that's just going and finding her.- Finding her.
0:45:42 > 0:45:44From the very latest data,
0:45:44 > 0:45:47we know she's around ten kilometres away from us,
0:45:47 > 0:45:49which is quite a hike.
0:46:04 > 0:46:06Once you start walking, there'll be a bit of sweat.
0:46:10 > 0:46:12We're just basically scaring,
0:46:12 > 0:46:14so we've got explosion signal pistol to scare it away,
0:46:14 > 0:46:17we've got training hand grenades in here
0:46:17 > 0:46:20which I can throw to scare it away, we've got pepper spray.
0:46:20 > 0:46:22If the worst comes to the worst, we've got the old...
0:46:22 > 0:46:25- Magnum.- 44 Magnum.- OK.
0:46:25 > 0:46:30- 26 millimetre. An explosion to scare the bear.- OK.
0:46:30 > 0:46:33'I'd got so wrapped up in worrying about whether
0:46:33 > 0:46:35'Aurora and her baby had made it
0:46:35 > 0:46:39'that I'd almost forgotten she's still a very dangerous carnivore.
0:46:39 > 0:46:41'She may be an old bear,
0:46:41 > 0:46:45'but she's still one of the most powerful predators on the planet.
0:46:45 > 0:46:47'We really do have to be careful.'
0:46:49 > 0:46:51'This is the polar bear's world,
0:46:51 > 0:46:52'not ours.'
0:46:55 > 0:46:56Right, so,
0:46:56 > 0:46:59the plan is to walk for about,
0:46:59 > 0:47:02I think, about 11ks now, and it's in that direction now.
0:47:02 > 0:47:04That's as the crow flies,
0:47:04 > 0:47:06so we don't know exactly what we'll end up doing,
0:47:06 > 0:47:09but we're all a happy bunch at the moment.
0:47:09 > 0:47:10Let's hope it keeps that way!
0:47:16 > 0:47:18Are we there yet?!
0:47:19 > 0:47:23Of course, one of the things that we need to find out
0:47:23 > 0:47:28is why Aurora has stopped so far inland.
0:47:28 > 0:47:30Has she found a food source?
0:47:30 > 0:47:33Is she hiding from a big male bear?
0:47:33 > 0:47:34There are lots of possible reasons,
0:47:34 > 0:47:37but there's only one way to find out,
0:47:37 > 0:47:39and that's to try and find her.
0:47:42 > 0:47:45Aurora has done everything she could to keep her cub alive.
0:47:45 > 0:47:47She's hunted seals on the ice,
0:47:47 > 0:47:50she's found new food supplies like the bird cliffs,
0:47:50 > 0:47:54she's protected her cub from marauding males,
0:47:54 > 0:47:57but have all her efforts paid off?
0:47:57 > 0:47:59We're about to find out.
0:48:01 > 0:48:04When you see the sort of terrain we've ended up in,
0:48:04 > 0:48:05we've gone for six kilometres now,
0:48:05 > 0:48:08so we're quite a way from the sea.
0:48:08 > 0:48:12And we're in this valley that is just literally, er...
0:48:12 > 0:48:14a shale field.
0:48:14 > 0:48:17There's hardly a scrap of vegetation here,
0:48:17 > 0:48:20and so you've got to start asking the question,
0:48:20 > 0:48:22what is Aurora doing here?
0:48:22 > 0:48:26What is she getting out of this environment,
0:48:26 > 0:48:30because it's not your typical polar bear habitat, is it?
0:48:32 > 0:48:38- We want to go down over there.- Yeah.
0:48:38 > 0:48:40Just wade bare-footed.
0:48:40 > 0:48:43Yeah. OK. Ha, ha!
0:48:58 > 0:49:02'I can't tell you what this feels like.
0:49:02 > 0:49:05Glacier meltwater, ice water.
0:49:05 > 0:49:06'It's just unbelievably cold.
0:49:06 > 0:49:08'And to add to the experience,
0:49:08 > 0:49:12'the riverbed is a mass of razor-sharp stones.'
0:49:32 > 0:49:35Where is she?
0:49:48 > 0:49:51We can see for miles down this valley.
0:49:51 > 0:49:54I would have thought that a white bear
0:49:54 > 0:49:57'would have been easy to spot, but there's not a sign.
0:49:57 > 0:50:01'I'm starting to get seriously worried.
0:50:01 > 0:50:04'We've got a satellite phone for emergencies,
0:50:04 > 0:50:07'so I'm calling in to check the very latest data.'
0:50:07 > 0:50:10It's 39 and 104.
0:50:10 > 0:50:13'I'm just looking at the read-out, and nothing's changed.'
0:50:13 > 0:50:16To be honest, we should be able to see her by now
0:50:16 > 0:50:18so we're kind of a bit confused as to where she is,
0:50:18 > 0:50:21and whether she's still going, really.
0:50:21 > 0:50:23Um... Yeah, that's pretty tough.
0:50:23 > 0:50:25We're...
0:50:25 > 0:50:27We're right on top of where her last position was.
0:50:27 > 0:50:31All the positions that we've got today have been, erm...
0:50:31 > 0:50:32fairly inaccurate ones,
0:50:32 > 0:50:36because the collar gives out various quality data,
0:50:36 > 0:50:40but there was one which was very good at ten past seven this morning,
0:50:40 > 0:50:43and that again was in this area,
0:50:43 > 0:50:48so we'll just have to hope that she's alive and just sleeping,
0:50:48 > 0:50:51or burrowed into something and we stumble upon her,
0:50:51 > 0:50:53but not too close, obviously!
0:50:55 > 0:50:59It's really not looking that good for Aurora and her little cub.
0:51:03 > 0:51:05Right now I'm honestly not sure
0:51:05 > 0:51:08we're going to find either of them alive.
0:51:22 > 0:51:24Hold the bag, hold the bag!
0:51:31 > 0:51:33I don't flippin' believe it!
0:51:36 > 0:51:38Jake, get out of the shot!
0:51:38 > 0:51:43(We walked within about maybe 50 yards of them.)
0:51:45 > 0:51:48(She's got a cub. Definitely got a cub.)
0:51:52 > 0:51:54I saw her collar. I saw her ear tag.
0:52:15 > 0:52:18I can't believe it. We've travelled I don't know how far.
0:52:18 > 0:52:22Just today we've walked for the last four, five hours to get here
0:52:22 > 0:52:23and there she was.
0:52:23 > 0:52:26She was a matter of feet away from us.
0:52:26 > 0:52:29She was probably about 50, 60 feet away.
0:52:29 > 0:52:33Just popped up over the ridge, there with her cub.
0:52:33 > 0:52:38The thing is, she's travelled maybe 3,500 miles since April.
0:52:38 > 0:52:42But even better than that, her cub has been with her all that time.
0:52:42 > 0:52:44I didn't dare to believe it was going to be alive still.
0:52:44 > 0:52:47But there it is. It's doing fine.
0:52:47 > 0:52:49It's travelled all that way with her.
0:52:49 > 0:52:51That is absolutely incredible.
0:53:12 > 0:53:15Let's have a look at where she was sleeping off her time.
0:53:15 > 0:53:18I can't believe that she was here all this time.
0:53:18 > 0:53:20How long has she been here?
0:53:20 > 0:53:24About ten days. Just plus or minus a couple of days, so...
0:53:24 > 0:53:26I've got my theory what she's doing.
0:53:26 > 0:53:28Yeah. And what is that?
0:53:28 > 0:53:31- Well, she's done this incredible journey...- Yeah.
0:53:31 > 0:53:34..which was roughly about 3,500 miles up the coast of Spitsbergen,
0:53:34 > 0:53:38- around out on the ice, gone off the drift ice all the whole time.- Yeah.
0:53:38 > 0:53:40And the ice has left now, it's late summer.
0:53:40 > 0:53:44So she's come down to a valley like this, when there's no ice left,
0:53:44 > 0:53:46and found a nice bed like this to lie out in.
0:53:46 > 0:53:49- She's just chilled out. - She's been chilling out.
0:53:49 > 0:53:51God! Is it still warm?
0:53:51 > 0:53:55'Polar Bears have an amazing ability to simply shut down
0:53:55 > 0:53:57'when there's no food to conserve energy.
0:53:57 > 0:54:01'It's a bit like suspended animation.'
0:54:01 > 0:54:03She would have been laid up, suckling her cub.
0:54:03 > 0:54:06The cub was in incredibly good condition for this time of year.
0:54:06 > 0:54:09That distance there, where the other guys are,
0:54:09 > 0:54:11was where we first saw her. She popped up.
0:54:11 > 0:54:13She obviously heard us.
0:54:13 > 0:54:15She may even have smelt us.
0:54:15 > 0:54:18But she popped up, and there was the cub next to her.
0:54:18 > 0:54:20Beautiful white coat,
0:54:20 > 0:54:23cos I expected her to be dirty if we found her,
0:54:23 > 0:54:25but beautiful condition, looked fantastic.
0:54:25 > 0:54:27And then just sauntered off down there.
0:54:27 > 0:54:30She's already around the first ridge,
0:54:30 > 0:54:32which is a couple of kilometres away at least.
0:54:32 > 0:54:35- Yes, no time at all. - No time at all.- That is amazing.
0:54:35 > 0:54:38And we used five hours or six hours to get up here.
0:54:38 > 0:54:41And another five, six hours to get all the way back!
0:54:51 > 0:54:55Just reminding myself where I am. I'm nearly on the top of the world.
0:54:55 > 0:55:00I'm nearly...right up there at the North Pole,
0:55:00 > 0:55:04barely the length of the UK away from the North Pole.
0:55:07 > 0:55:09Feet are killing me.
0:55:11 > 0:55:13Don't care, though.
0:55:13 > 0:55:15Wouldn't change this for the world.
0:55:25 > 0:55:28Until they started fitting satellite tags,
0:55:28 > 0:55:31no-one had any idea these polar bears undertook
0:55:31 > 0:55:36such immense journeys in their endless pursuit of food,
0:55:36 > 0:55:40to keep themselves and their little cubs alive.
0:55:40 > 0:55:45But now we know polar bears undertake some of the longest journeys on Earth.
0:55:56 > 0:56:01What we've seen of this land has just been amazing.
0:56:01 > 0:56:07You know, it is completely unlike anywhere else, and it's...
0:56:07 > 0:56:10it's got the weirdest array of animals here, you know,
0:56:10 > 0:56:13from the big polar bears, big and beautiful polar bears,
0:56:13 > 0:56:17to the comical and downright dangerous walrus.
0:56:17 > 0:56:20Belugas, bird life -
0:56:20 > 0:56:23it's just staggering.
0:56:23 > 0:56:24It's an amazing place.
0:56:24 > 0:56:27An amazing place.
0:56:27 > 0:56:30Time to migrate south, though.
0:56:30 > 0:56:33I feel a warm, stationary bed beckons!
0:56:37 > 0:56:42Finding Aurora and her cub was more than I dared hope for.
0:56:42 > 0:56:45To realise that somehow she's kept her baby alive,
0:56:45 > 0:56:49protected it, fed it, taught it the fundamentals of survival
0:56:49 > 0:56:51in this harsh environment,
0:56:51 > 0:56:55proving herself to be a truly wonderful mother.
0:56:55 > 0:56:58And there's still so much danger ahead of them.
0:57:01 > 0:57:05When we arrived here a few weeks ago, it was 24-hour daylight.
0:57:05 > 0:57:08But now, night has arrived in the Arctic.
0:57:08 > 0:57:12In a matter of a few weeks it's going to be 24-hour darkness.
0:57:12 > 0:57:14Times are going to be hard,
0:57:14 > 0:57:15way too hard for us.
0:57:17 > 0:57:22My journey may be over, but Aurora and her cub don't have any choice.
0:57:22 > 0:57:25They're going to have to trudge on endlessly,
0:57:25 > 0:57:27searching for the next meal.
0:57:29 > 0:57:33For the next two years, if all goes well,
0:57:33 > 0:57:38they'll be inseparable, mother and cub just piling on the miles.
0:57:42 > 0:57:46Aurora has used all her experience to bring her cub this far,
0:57:46 > 0:57:48and she'll continue to protect it
0:57:48 > 0:57:52through the long and difficult road ahead.
0:57:52 > 0:57:54So far, so good.
0:57:54 > 0:57:58But as with all the animals in Incredible Journeys,
0:57:58 > 0:58:03these polar bears are still writing their own stories.
0:58:37 > 0:58:40Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd 2006
0:58:40 > 0:58:43E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk