0:00:03 > 0:00:06This bear is coming... right up to me.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09'My name is Gordon Buchanan.'
0:00:09 > 0:00:10She is enormous.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15'I'm a wildlife cameraman.'
0:00:15 > 0:00:18Gosh! Look at the size of those paws!
0:00:18 > 0:00:23'I've spent my career getting close to big predators.'
0:00:23 > 0:00:27She is one of the most powerful animals on the planet.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30One of the most intimidating animals on the planet.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33'But I've never been this close.'
0:00:34 > 0:00:37Ooh, not sure if I like that.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41'I want to do something that no-one has done before.
0:00:41 > 0:00:46'Reveal the family life of the world's largest carnivore.'
0:00:46 > 0:00:48Look, look, look, look, look!
0:00:48 > 0:00:51'From the first day they emerge in spring...'
0:00:51 > 0:00:55The face of a baby polar bear!
0:00:55 > 0:00:57'..I'll follow their every move.'
0:00:57 > 0:00:58Oh, look.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03Pass over.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07- Hey, little bear.- Fast asleep.
0:01:07 > 0:01:08Aaah.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11'I want to really get to know these bears.'
0:01:11 > 0:01:13How does that sound?
0:01:13 > 0:01:15How does it sound if I follow you around
0:01:15 > 0:01:18and we become good friends, until you get big enough to eat me?
0:01:37 > 0:01:39'I've come to the Arctic
0:01:39 > 0:01:42'to get closer to polar bears than anyone before.'
0:01:46 > 0:01:50'It's one of the most beautiful places I've ever been.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53'And the most extreme.'
0:01:55 > 0:01:58There's an incredible amount of ice on the front of the boat.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02Every single wave that this boat has hit on the journey here has kind of
0:02:02 > 0:02:06come up into the air and instantly frozen as soon as it hits the boat.
0:02:06 > 0:02:10'To reach the bears, we've got a difficult voyage ahead of us.'
0:02:10 > 0:02:13Now that the boat is here we have to prepare
0:02:13 > 0:02:16for the next part of the journey, which is to get rid of all this ice.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23This is probably - no, definitely - the coldest place I've ever been
0:02:23 > 0:02:26but we've got to go, we've got to get a hustle on.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30We've got a days' worth of travelling to go before we get into
0:02:30 > 0:02:33the area where the polar bears are denning and they're getting ready
0:02:33 > 0:02:37to get up and get out, and we've got to get there as fast as possible.
0:02:39 > 0:02:44'Our destination is Edge Island in eastern Svalbard.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48'It's home to the world's densest concentration of polar bears.'
0:02:53 > 0:02:55'By following a family this year,
0:02:55 > 0:02:58'I hope to help scientists learn more about them.'
0:03:14 > 0:03:17'We've come at a critical moment in the Arctic's history.
0:03:17 > 0:03:22'Since records began, there's never been so little sea ice.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26'It's April. We should be making this journey
0:03:26 > 0:03:31'across a completely frozen ocean by snowmobile, and not by boat.'
0:03:42 > 0:03:46We shouldn't even be able to take a ship through here at this time of year.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48In 20 years of sailing these waters,
0:03:48 > 0:03:51the ship's crew have never, ever seen conditions like this.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53So, whether it's global warming
0:03:53 > 0:03:56or whether it's just freak weather conditions, we don't know.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59One thing we do know, it makes for a very dangerous,
0:03:59 > 0:04:03and very difficult and incredibly slow journey.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07'Captain, Bjorne Marvel,
0:04:07 > 0:04:11'has never attempted to get to Edge Island this early in the year.'
0:04:11 > 0:04:13This is a new situation for me.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16You shouldn't be here in April at all.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19In this area there are heavy currents
0:04:19 > 0:04:22and the...the ice is drifting over the rocks.
0:04:22 > 0:04:27If we get stopped in the ice and drift into a rock, that's it.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34'It's dangerous for us, but it's disastrous for the bears.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39'The sea ice is the polar bears' hunting ground.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41'It's where they catch most of their prey - seals.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48'But with less ice, there are fewer seals
0:04:48 > 0:04:50'and the bears are going hungry.'
0:04:54 > 0:04:58'By following a family, I'll be able to see first-hand,
0:04:58 > 0:05:01'the effects of climate change on these bears.
0:05:01 > 0:05:02'If we can get there.'
0:05:05 > 0:05:09'For four days, we try to pick a path through the ice.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15'It's a reminder of just how tough this year is going to be.'
0:05:22 > 0:05:24The captain's been trying to find a channel through
0:05:24 > 0:05:28and he's got us this far, but we've...
0:05:28 > 0:05:32got to a point where we're going to find it very difficult to go on.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39'The captain has wedged the boat in the ice.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43'This is as close to Edge Island as we're going to get.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45'We prepare to go ashore.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51'Our plan is to find a polar bear den as soon as possible.'
0:05:54 > 0:05:57Yesterday, things were looking pretty bleak.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59Actually I thought we were going to have to turn around
0:05:59 > 0:06:02and head for home, but here we are.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05We've managed to get in, lodged ourselves in close to shore so it's looking good.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08We just have to get out there and start looking for bears.
0:06:11 > 0:06:15'Helping me find a den is polar bear expert Jason Roberts.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18'And it's a good thing he's here.'
0:06:18 > 0:06:20Look, look, look, look, look!
0:06:22 > 0:06:24'It's my very first polar bear.'
0:06:25 > 0:06:29As is always the way, the animal that you're looking for
0:06:29 > 0:06:31more often finds you than you finding it.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34What a beautiful bear.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37'It's also a potentially deadly bear.'
0:06:37 > 0:06:39No. No guns, no guns.
0:06:41 > 0:06:45'Fortunately, there is no-one who's had more experience
0:06:45 > 0:06:47'in dealing with polar bears than Jason.'
0:06:47 > 0:06:51It's a three-to-five-year-old, probably male from the way it's acting
0:06:51 > 0:06:56but its hard to tell at that age. Most likely males.
0:06:56 > 0:07:00It's more inquisitive than anything and we're giving off so much smell.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02But it's most likely easily scared,
0:07:02 > 0:07:06just a bit of a bluff charge and it'll scare it.
0:07:06 > 0:07:10So do you find these young males are potentially the problematic ones?
0:07:10 > 0:07:13They are actually the ones that do the most damage to people.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17Completely unfazed by us.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20Instead of running and trying to get away,
0:07:20 > 0:07:22they're coming straight towards us.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28'Young bears can sometimes be scared off by facing up to them.'
0:07:31 > 0:07:32Hup!
0:07:35 > 0:07:37Stay that distance.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40I suppose he's a relatively small polar bear,
0:07:40 > 0:07:44- but compared to us it's a big, big animal.- It's a big polar bear.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46He'd still rip you to pieces in seconds.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49'This one's persistent. He must be hungry.'
0:07:49 > 0:07:51He's liking the smell.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55HAND CLAPS
0:07:55 > 0:07:58Thing is we can't let this bear get too close.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04'I've spent 20 years filming dangerous predators.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06'Normally I go looking for THEM.
0:08:06 > 0:08:11'This is the first time they've come looking for me.'
0:08:11 > 0:08:13ENGINE STARTS
0:08:16 > 0:08:20'The young bear moves on and I can now concentrate on the next step -
0:08:20 > 0:08:22'finding a den.'
0:08:40 > 0:08:44'Edge Island's slopes collect deep snow drifts.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47'Perfect for mother bears to dig dens.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52'But finding one is next to impossible.'
0:08:52 > 0:08:54It is so tricky.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57We're looking for not for the bears themselves,
0:08:57 > 0:08:59that'd be the easy part, but these bears are in their dens
0:08:59 > 0:09:04underground, so what we're looking for is an indentation in the snow.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08'It's caused by the body-warmth of a bear underground,
0:09:08 > 0:09:10'melting the snow above.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14'But everything looks like it could be a polar bear den to me.'
0:09:14 > 0:09:16The good thing is Jason's been here many times before
0:09:16 > 0:09:19looking for polar bear dens, so he's kind of...
0:09:19 > 0:09:22he's the expert and I'm the humble assistant.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26But I think it's just a case of keep searching.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35'It can take weeks to find a polar bear den.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40'Time we just don't have.'
0:09:51 > 0:09:54'After two days' searching, we head inland.
0:09:57 > 0:10:01'Finally, Jason spots a sign.'
0:10:03 > 0:10:06We've just come up the valley, over the top here
0:10:06 > 0:10:10and Jason has stopped in front of me and he's found a den.
0:10:14 > 0:10:15Stay low.
0:10:17 > 0:10:18You can see there's a hole
0:10:18 > 0:10:21and just kind of a lot of disturbance in the snow.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25I don't know if the bear is still there.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30'I'll let Jason go in front this time.'
0:10:31 > 0:10:35- Right, I'll be right behind you. - You'll be right...- Right behind you.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38And if she pops her head out, the first thing we do
0:10:38 > 0:10:41is just get down low and not disturb her.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43And we've both got signal pistols so we can't hurt her,
0:10:43 > 0:10:47but we can scare her with an explosion pistol. So...
0:10:47 > 0:10:49So what do you think her reaction would be
0:10:49 > 0:10:52if she popped her nose out and saw us?
0:10:52 > 0:10:53Most likely her reaction
0:10:53 > 0:10:58if she popped her nose out would be to pull back in if she sees us.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00The den is a safety zone for her,
0:11:00 > 0:11:03but I've had it once where she just looked and went "Oh, dinner"
0:11:03 > 0:11:07and shot out the den straight after me and I was on skis then
0:11:07 > 0:11:10so I just skied down to get away from her but she come at full speed.
0:11:18 > 0:11:22I reckon if there's a bear in there it's going to have
0:11:22 > 0:11:26maybe heard us, almost definitely smelt us long before I got there.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31It does seem a little bit crazy, heading straight towards
0:11:31 > 0:11:34a hole in the ground that might contain a polar bear.
0:11:48 > 0:11:49So it's an open den,
0:11:49 > 0:11:53but I can't see if this is a track coming down here or not.
0:11:53 > 0:11:58'We're close enough. Now the waiting begins.'
0:11:58 > 0:12:02OK, we've got a hole, and not a single track round about it,
0:12:02 > 0:12:04but, erm, it's definitely been made by a bear.
0:12:07 > 0:12:08You see.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13All that snow looks quite fresh or recently excavated.
0:12:14 > 0:12:18Now I just have to keep training my binoculars on the hole
0:12:18 > 0:12:21and hope that a face pokes out.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25Or even better, hope that several faces poke out.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31Jason spotted this hole from probably about a mile away
0:12:31 > 0:12:34on the opposite side of the mountain
0:12:34 > 0:12:36and we've got as close as we really dare.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39Look, look, look, look, look!
0:12:41 > 0:12:44The face of a baby polar bear!
0:12:49 > 0:12:54'I really can't believe we've found a den with at least one cub.'
0:13:00 > 0:13:04OK, just one. Look at that!
0:13:04 > 0:13:06Oh, fantastic.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09Great.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12No sign of mum,
0:13:12 > 0:13:14but she'll be down in the den.
0:13:19 > 0:13:23But this is just perfect.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25Exactly what we're looking for.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34'I'm curious if there's another cub.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38'When times are hard, often only one will survive.'
0:13:39 > 0:13:44This is the best thing ever, really.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47After everything that we've been through,
0:13:47 > 0:13:50even at this early stage of the project,
0:13:50 > 0:13:57to be here sitting watching a cub in its den is just brilliant.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02'Eventually this cub will leave the den with its mother.
0:14:02 > 0:14:04'And when they go, I'll follow.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10'It could be two days or two weeks.'
0:14:29 > 0:14:33Absolutely nothing. We've been here for about eight hours now.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36'There's a mother bear in that den.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38'I'd love see what condition she's in.'
0:14:40 > 0:14:44- What's going on? They're in no great rush, Jason.- No.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47It's a bit of a waiting game, but the unfortunate thing
0:14:47 > 0:14:50is that they're better than us at waiting in the cold.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53I suppose she's been in there for months now so she's not going to
0:14:53 > 0:14:56exactly run out and do the fandango down the slope just cos we're here.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58No.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02'Jason's sure the cub will stay put for the moment.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05'So we head back to the boat to thaw out.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09'But on the way back,
0:15:09 > 0:15:12'our snowmobiles attract interest from a large male.'
0:15:14 > 0:15:16OK.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19Yeah, Jason he's coming, he's coming, he's coming, he's coming.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23'This is a big, confident bear.'
0:15:24 > 0:15:30This bear, like every polar bear, is intrinsically curious.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32He's walked almost a whole kilometre,
0:15:32 > 0:15:36straight towards us, just to check us out.
0:15:37 > 0:15:42'All other species of bear mostly eat plants and insects.
0:15:42 > 0:15:47'Polar bears eat meat and this one has his eye on me!'
0:15:48 > 0:15:51- We have to be primed and ready to go, don't we?- Yeah, we...
0:15:51 > 0:15:54This is getting to a point where it's a little bit dodgy.
0:15:54 > 0:15:58This male is paying attention to us, and to us only.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01And he's not stopping. He's getting closer and closer.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03Look how close he is. Right there, so we're going to have to
0:16:03 > 0:16:07get ready to start the Skidoos and get out of here.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10OK he's getting to about, what is he? Ten metres, not good.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14OK, drive, drive, drive, drive, drive! Go, go, go, go!
0:16:20 > 0:16:22Slight disaster here.
0:16:22 > 0:16:24This bear was paying us too much attention
0:16:24 > 0:16:27and we had to get out of it. Hang on.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32Not good. But that just shows you
0:16:32 > 0:16:36they're animals that we can't entirely trust.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41Look at that. Unbelievable.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44He got way too close there.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46And even starting up the scooter,
0:16:46 > 0:16:48something that would normally put a bear off,
0:16:48 > 0:16:51hasn't bothered him at all.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54Jason's just going to see if he can scare him off.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56There you go.
0:16:57 > 0:16:59There's a bear that was thinking about food
0:16:59 > 0:17:02and he saw us, and we were on the menu.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09In April, this male should be hunting on the sea ice.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13But behind him there's mostly open water.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16It's no surprise that he meant business.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18And he's still there, still watching.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22Hum, woooh!
0:17:23 > 0:17:27That was about as close to a polar bear as I want to get.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33'But to really get to know my family,
0:17:33 > 0:17:35'I'm going to have to get closer.'
0:17:39 > 0:17:44'To do that safely, I've brought a secret weapon...
0:17:44 > 0:17:46'the Ice Cube.'
0:18:00 > 0:18:04'Built of aluminium, toughened plastic,
0:18:04 > 0:18:06'a lot of nuts and bolts,
0:18:06 > 0:18:10'it's been engineered to resist polar bear attacks...
0:18:10 > 0:18:11'hopefully!'
0:18:15 > 0:18:20The whole idea with this is the cameraman sits inside...
0:18:21 > 0:18:24..doesn't forget to close the door,
0:18:24 > 0:18:29and we wait for an obliging bear.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43This, um, really doesn't feel too safe.
0:18:43 > 0:18:48I'm not worried about the bear so much as the ice.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52Big dark pools, you can see right down into the depths
0:18:52 > 0:18:55and if it tilts on the side with the doors on,
0:18:55 > 0:18:57there's absolutely no way of getting out,
0:18:57 > 0:19:01and I'm going to be stuck in here just sinking into the ice.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06'My biggest worry is the plastic.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09'It gets brittle when it's this cold.'
0:19:15 > 0:19:17'Oskar is the strongest crew member.'
0:19:17 > 0:19:19It won't break.
0:19:19 > 0:19:21I thought it won't break.
0:19:21 > 0:19:22It won't break.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25Any worries?
0:19:25 > 0:19:27No, not at all.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29I'm not going in it.
0:19:29 > 0:19:30Why should I be worried?
0:19:30 > 0:19:32That's reassuring(!)
0:19:35 > 0:19:39'But before I risk life and limb in the Ice Cube,
0:19:39 > 0:19:42'I want to see what's happening back at the den.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45'Jason and I are keen to find out if there's more than one cub.'
0:19:51 > 0:19:54You can see... look at his little face!
0:19:54 > 0:19:59I reckon that's the same cub each time that's poking its head out.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04'Jason finds it easier to remember bears if they have a name.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06'This one, he's called Miki.'
0:20:08 > 0:20:10Look at that! Oh!
0:20:11 > 0:20:14Oh, very, very cute.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24Wow, look, there's another cub!
0:20:30 > 0:20:33Aw, this is going to be fantastic.
0:20:33 > 0:20:35It is going to be so great.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44'Jason's named this second cub Luca.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46'Luca is slightly smaller than Miki.'
0:20:51 > 0:20:54You can already get an idea of this cub's character.
0:20:54 > 0:20:59It is much more interested in the outside world than its sibling
0:20:59 > 0:21:02and the other...the other cub
0:21:02 > 0:21:05is probably just taking its lead from its mother.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08The mother hasn't got the slightest bit of interest in looking out.
0:21:08 > 0:21:09Not yet.
0:21:11 > 0:21:15'And then...she appears!'
0:21:15 > 0:21:17Oh, look! There's the mother.
0:21:19 > 0:21:21'The mother must be hungry.
0:21:21 > 0:21:26'She dug this den six months ago, and hasn't eaten since.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29'AND she's had Miki and Luca to suckle.'
0:21:29 > 0:21:30Whoa!
0:21:30 > 0:21:32She's enormous.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36She's huge.
0:21:36 > 0:21:40The cubs are about the size of her head, actually smaller than that.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47'Jason's called her Lyra.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51'For a hungry polar bear, she's amazingly relaxed with us.
0:21:53 > 0:21:58'She's adapted to survive long periods without food. Unlike me!'
0:22:00 > 0:22:07So we have, erm, this type of wild casserole of reindeer meat,
0:22:07 > 0:22:08and chicken and curry.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11You've got the choice today.
0:22:11 > 0:22:13Chicken would be good.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16So, are we all ready for a calorie boost?
0:22:16 > 0:22:20I'm having to eat more calories out here just to stay warm.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23You think about the majority of mammals - they coincide the birth
0:22:23 > 0:22:28of their young with an abundance of food, but not so with polar bears.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31This female piled on pounds way back last year
0:22:31 > 0:22:35because she doesn't eat for six months.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38Literally, half of the year she doesn't eat a single thing.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40I think that is absolutely astounding.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45Mmm! That's pretty good actually.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49Sorry, bear!
0:22:49 > 0:22:52Sitting tucking into 500 calories and you haven't eaten in months!
0:22:55 > 0:22:57'As soon as Miki and Luca are strong enough,
0:22:57 > 0:23:01'Lyra must leave the den in search of food.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04'And that's when I could lose them forever.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07'To help me follow them,
0:23:07 > 0:23:11'I'm joining forces with polar bear biologist, Dr Jon Aars.'
0:23:14 > 0:23:16Jon, hi!
0:23:16 > 0:23:20Gordon, very good to meet you. How are you?
0:23:20 > 0:23:24- How's it been going?- OK-ish. - Yeah?- Yeah.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26This is a beautiful female.
0:23:26 > 0:23:27Is she still around or...?
0:23:27 > 0:23:31She's still around, up there just on the side of that slope.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35It's good because I think the cubs seem to be ready and able,
0:23:35 > 0:23:38and, erm, but she's... she looks great.
0:23:40 > 0:23:44'Jon uses the latest satellite technology to track bears.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47'We'll team up to follow Lyra.'
0:23:47 > 0:23:52What useful work can I do and data that I can feed back to you?
0:23:52 > 0:23:57We are very eager to get more information about the cubs. If they, er...
0:23:57 > 0:24:00If they survive or if they die, what time of year they die for example.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03I suppose it's amazing that you can follow these bears with satellite
0:24:03 > 0:24:08collars and get so much data, but then I suppose there's nothing
0:24:08 > 0:24:11quite like being able to actually see them and see what's happened.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14Yes, so it's a lot of information you get by following the movement
0:24:14 > 0:24:17but it's also a lot you miss when you don't see the bear actually.
0:24:21 > 0:24:25'Once Lyra has left the den, Jon will fit a special satellite collar.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29'While he tracks the bears from his computer,
0:24:29 > 0:24:34'I will be able to tell him exactly what they're doing on the ground,
0:24:34 > 0:24:37'which at the moment isn't very much!
0:24:40 > 0:24:44'While they sleep snugly, we wait for them to reappear.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50'But there might be a reason
0:24:50 > 0:24:53'why Lyra and her cubs are staying out of sight.
0:24:53 > 0:24:59'Below them, is a large male. And male bears sometimes eat cubs.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04'Spring should be the easiest time for polar bears.
0:25:04 > 0:25:08'That's when baby seals are born on the ice and are simple to catch.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14'But this year, there's little ice, so fewer seals.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18'So, while Jason watches the den,
0:25:18 > 0:25:20'I try to see if this male is having any luck.'
0:25:22 > 0:25:24Oh, sniffing down there.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27Looks as if this bear's hanging his head in shame.
0:25:27 > 0:25:32But what he's doing is standing over quite possibly an air hole,
0:25:32 > 0:25:35a breathing hole for a seal.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38And he's just peering down at that hole,
0:25:38 > 0:25:42thinking about how delicious that seal might taste.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46And this is polar bear hunting strategy.
0:25:46 > 0:25:51You think of predators, sort of ambush, chase.
0:25:51 > 0:25:52Not a polar bear.
0:25:52 > 0:25:57They will just sit patiently by a seal's breathing hole
0:25:57 > 0:26:00and wait for that seal to come up and take a breath.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04And if it does... they're straight onto it.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09'Only about one in 20 seal hunts are successful.
0:26:09 > 0:26:13'Waiting patiently is the best way to conserve energy.'
0:26:13 > 0:26:14Oh, he's seen something.
0:26:16 > 0:26:17Oh, there he goes!
0:26:18 > 0:26:20He missed.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22Nothing that time.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25I wonder.
0:26:25 > 0:26:26I wonder if that was a seal coming up.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29There was definitely something there.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36'I'd love to film our bear family close up.
0:26:36 > 0:26:38'But they're tucked up in the den.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44'So, instead, I'd like to test the Ice Cube on another bear.'
0:26:53 > 0:26:55'I drop it off by a seal's breathing hole.
0:26:57 > 0:27:02'It doesn't take long before we spot a polar bear.'
0:27:02 > 0:27:05OK, we've got a huge bear coming round behind the boat.
0:27:05 > 0:27:06Yes, there it is.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09I'm just going to try and get into the Ice Cube before it gets here.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13'This could be the first time anyone has had the chance to film
0:27:13 > 0:27:16'a polar bear hunting at close range.'
0:27:23 > 0:27:27This bear is coming right up to me.
0:27:27 > 0:27:32'Unfortunately, it ignores the seal's breathing hole
0:27:32 > 0:27:34'and heads straight for me.'
0:27:35 > 0:27:38She's coming closer and closer. Oh, my God!
0:27:39 > 0:27:41She is enormous.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43Jeez.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45Gee-whizz.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49Really it's why I've come here.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51To see these animals.
0:27:51 > 0:27:53To get to understand them.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55See them up close.
0:27:55 > 0:27:56Hey, bear.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59Oh, my God.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01She's right here. Hey, bear.
0:28:04 > 0:28:08'The bear's nose is thousands of times more powerful than mine.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11'It's gathering information before it approaches,
0:28:11 > 0:28:14'like it would when stalking a seal.
0:28:14 > 0:28:19'My scent is strongest at the weakest point. The door.'
0:28:21 > 0:28:24OK, just checking the lock.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32'It's systematically trying from all angles.'
0:28:32 > 0:28:34Being this close,
0:28:34 > 0:28:37you get an appreciation for what this animal is.
0:28:37 > 0:28:41It is one of the most powerful animals on the planet.
0:28:41 > 0:28:44One of the most intimidating animals on the planet
0:28:44 > 0:28:47and one of the few animals that actually see us as food.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53'The bear's nose has led it to a gap.'
0:28:55 > 0:28:59You can sniff me. Gosh, I could have actually touched its nose.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07It's giving a little.
0:29:07 > 0:29:08She's feeling the pressure,
0:29:08 > 0:29:12and she can actually feel that Perspex is flexing.
0:29:12 > 0:29:14She's trying to see if she can crawl through it.
0:29:14 > 0:29:16She's trying to see if she can bite through it.
0:29:16 > 0:29:19It's getting a little bit hairy in here.
0:29:19 > 0:29:22I can feel that he's just pushing all his weight
0:29:22 > 0:29:26against this side of the cube.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37Oh, not sure if I like that.
0:29:38 > 0:29:40Not sure if that's good.
0:29:51 > 0:29:55Her best bet would be to get her full weight on top of it,
0:29:55 > 0:29:59just like she does when she's breaking into seal lairs, and push.
0:30:00 > 0:30:04OK, don't go on top. On top's dangerous.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07Look, it's just towering above me.
0:30:07 > 0:30:11If I was to be standing side-by-side with this animal,
0:30:11 > 0:30:14it would be about seven feet tall.
0:30:14 > 0:30:17Oh, you're gonna do it, you're gonna do it.
0:30:19 > 0:30:22Ooh-hoo-hoo! Hey, bear.
0:30:22 > 0:30:24Every time she pushes,
0:30:24 > 0:30:28every time she exerts a little bit of force, she's using up calories.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31Is there anything worth eating here?
0:30:31 > 0:30:34Is there anything worth using up her energy for?
0:30:35 > 0:30:37Inside there is, definitely.
0:30:39 > 0:30:41Little old me.
0:30:43 > 0:30:46'Once it realises it's too difficult to get in,
0:30:46 > 0:30:48'the polar bear moves off.'
0:30:51 > 0:30:57Definitely at this point, my fear far outweighs my fascination.
0:30:57 > 0:31:02This is closer to a polar bear than I ever, ever imagined I'd ever get.
0:31:07 > 0:31:11That's not something that I'm going to want to do again in a hurry.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13Definitely not.
0:31:15 > 0:31:20If I can summon the courage again, I'd like to see Lyra that close.
0:31:23 > 0:31:26I was crapping myself throughout.
0:31:28 > 0:31:31We were actually laughing a few times, but at the same time...
0:31:31 > 0:31:33It looked hilarious!
0:31:34 > 0:31:36Well done!
0:31:36 > 0:31:39Oh, we're so envious! So envious!
0:31:41 > 0:31:42Pretty intense!
0:31:56 > 0:31:58'I return to Lyra's den.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02'I want to see how the cubs are developing.
0:32:06 > 0:32:10'My family seem incredibly relaxed with me.'
0:32:10 > 0:32:11Oh, look!
0:32:14 > 0:32:18It is funny to think that I'm as common a sight to this cub
0:32:18 > 0:32:20as a mountain or a rock.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23It is all that cub's known for three and a half months
0:32:23 > 0:32:24is the inside of this den.
0:32:25 > 0:32:30And it is quite nice to think that this cub thinks I belong here,
0:32:30 > 0:32:33when I really don't.
0:32:33 > 0:32:35The mother, on the other hand,
0:32:35 > 0:32:37she may never even have seen a human being.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41She's constantly looking down at me
0:32:41 > 0:32:44but she doesn't seem to be overly concerned.
0:32:44 > 0:32:45Polar bears are like people -
0:32:45 > 0:32:47every one of them has got a different personality.
0:32:47 > 0:32:49She's not bothered by us.
0:33:01 > 0:33:05'Miki's doing really well, he's looking strong.
0:33:08 > 0:33:11'Lyra tries leading her cubs further from the den.
0:33:13 > 0:33:17'She calls to Miki and Luca, encouraging them to follow her.
0:33:21 > 0:33:23'Miki leads the charge.
0:33:26 > 0:33:31'Luca is less adventurous and reluctant to go too far.
0:33:34 > 0:33:38'Lyra is assessing when they'll be strong enough to leave.'
0:33:44 > 0:33:45Oh, wow!
0:33:45 > 0:33:47HE LAUGHS
0:33:47 > 0:33:50Just tobogganing down the slope there!
0:33:52 > 0:33:54This is just cubs playing,
0:33:54 > 0:33:56but with every young animal,
0:33:56 > 0:33:59every little bit of play is an important lesson.
0:34:01 > 0:34:05Over the next year, these cubs are going to have to walk
0:34:05 > 0:34:08hundreds of miles over snow and ice.
0:34:09 > 0:34:11And this is the first time, really,
0:34:11 > 0:34:16they've had the opportunity to move around.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32'It's great to see the cubs so active.
0:34:33 > 0:34:35'But we need to make a move too.
0:34:38 > 0:34:41'The weather changes quickly on Edge Island,
0:34:41 > 0:34:45'so we have to leave our polar bear family for the night.
0:34:45 > 0:34:47'The captain is concerned that the shifting ice
0:34:47 > 0:34:51'could crush the ship, and so he's leaving us here.
0:34:54 > 0:34:59'We've got to take all the supplies we need for the next few days.'
0:34:59 > 0:35:02ENGINES ROAR
0:35:10 > 0:35:13'As our boat steams to the safety of open water,
0:35:13 > 0:35:18'Jason's arranged for us to move to new, "luxury" accommodation.'
0:35:21 > 0:35:24How long has this been here for?
0:35:24 > 0:35:27It was built in 1917, the original cabin,
0:35:27 > 0:35:30but of course it's been added on and changed.
0:35:30 > 0:35:34So it was built as a cabin for trapping, for polar bear hunting.
0:35:38 > 0:35:42The most important thing I suppose working in the Arctic
0:35:42 > 0:35:44is just having somewhere dry to go.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47These polar bears can survive out there
0:35:47 > 0:35:49with nothing other than their coats on their backs.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52But for us, we need a little bit more comfort.
0:35:53 > 0:35:55Comfort is a relative thing around here.
0:35:55 > 0:35:57We can open the latch into there.
0:35:57 > 0:35:58Lovely.
0:35:58 > 0:36:00Really clean and snug.
0:36:00 > 0:36:03There's not going to be a bear in there, is there?
0:36:03 > 0:36:04Nice.
0:36:07 > 0:36:09Home sweet home, hey?
0:36:11 > 0:36:15It feels fairly substantial but there's kind of weak points.
0:36:15 > 0:36:16The windows are the weak point
0:36:16 > 0:36:19but also we'll store all our food in the entry hall,
0:36:19 > 0:36:21which is quite good because it's like a freezer box
0:36:21 > 0:36:23but it gives off a lot of smell
0:36:23 > 0:36:26so that's also a danger zone that a bear just comes through the door
0:36:26 > 0:36:29and the doors are quite flimsy and ends up in the entry hall.
0:36:29 > 0:36:30So have you had any scary encounters
0:36:30 > 0:36:33when you've actually been in the cabin, and had polar bears trying to get in?
0:36:33 > 0:36:36Yeah, I've had it when I've been inside the cabin.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39It's strange. When you're alone it's even more scary, but I've had it
0:36:39 > 0:36:42when I've been alone and a bear's knocked down the door and
0:36:42 > 0:36:44all of a sudden standing in the cabin, and you're inside the cabin.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47Most of the time the bear is as frightened of you
0:36:47 > 0:36:50as you are of the bear, so it pulls out and goes the other way.
0:36:50 > 0:36:52So, a general rule to stick by
0:36:52 > 0:36:55is that there could be a polar bear anywhere at any time?
0:36:56 > 0:36:59And it's not the bear that you see that gets you.
0:37:04 > 0:37:07'What a charming bedtime story(!)
0:37:07 > 0:37:10'I'm not sure I'll get much sleep tonight.'
0:37:25 > 0:37:28'The next morning, we are back at the den.
0:37:28 > 0:37:30'The temperature has dropped,
0:37:30 > 0:37:33'so we've built a snow wall to protect us from the wind.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40'We need to be here
0:37:40 > 0:37:44'when Lyra leaves or there will be no way of finding her again.'
0:37:45 > 0:37:49This place is spectacularly beautiful, but it's tough.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54I don't feel at home here.
0:37:54 > 0:37:56I can enjoy the beauty of it,
0:37:56 > 0:38:00but there's no getting away from the fact that this is a harsh place.
0:38:02 > 0:38:07And I think experiencing this place, and realising how harsh it is,
0:38:07 > 0:38:10I have this growing respect for these animals.
0:38:12 > 0:38:14'Miki and Luca are amazing.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17'They're so well adapted to the cold.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20'But to survive, they need to stay with their mother
0:38:20 > 0:38:22'for two and a half years.'
0:38:22 > 0:38:25I think it's incredible to think that within the next week
0:38:25 > 0:38:29those cubs will be following their mother.
0:38:29 > 0:38:32They'll cover tens, hundreds of miles.
0:38:33 > 0:38:35'Lyra is starving.
0:38:35 > 0:38:38'She's lost half her body weight in the den.
0:38:38 > 0:38:42'She must eat soon or else her milk will run dry.'
0:38:45 > 0:38:47You can see what she's doing.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50She's taking the cubs on their first real walk.
0:38:50 > 0:38:54So far these cubs have just been playing about the den entrance.
0:38:54 > 0:38:59And now they're 50, 70 metres away.
0:39:03 > 0:39:07'At any moment, I expect them to turn round and head back.
0:39:08 > 0:39:12'But Lyra just keeps on going.'
0:39:12 > 0:39:16I think this is it. She's definitely going.
0:39:28 > 0:39:32In some ways, for a cub, this is when life begins.
0:39:35 > 0:39:36She's definitely going.
0:39:39 > 0:39:41She's miles away from the den now.
0:39:44 > 0:39:46She keeps looking back though.
0:39:46 > 0:39:47She's thinking,
0:39:47 > 0:39:51"Are these cubs ready for this journey?"
0:39:51 > 0:39:54She knows of all the dangers that lie ahead.
0:39:56 > 0:40:02Despite all of her hard work so far,
0:40:02 > 0:40:06the most difficult part of these cubs' lives is now.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09They've left the safety and security of the den.
0:40:17 > 0:40:22Miki is keeping up. But Luca is lagging behind.
0:40:30 > 0:40:34The cubs' world has suddenly expanded. It's not just the den.
0:40:34 > 0:40:38It's not just this mountain.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41Almost the whole of the Arctic is their playground now.
0:40:43 > 0:40:47And that is a place of... great danger,
0:40:47 > 0:40:50great hardship.
0:40:58 > 0:41:02Lyra will have experienced hard times before,
0:41:02 > 0:41:05but this was the warmest winter on record.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13The retreating sea ice means it's going to be the toughest year ever
0:41:13 > 0:41:15for polar bear cubs.
0:41:20 > 0:41:24Once the family leave Edge Island, it will be impossible for me
0:41:24 > 0:41:26to follow Lyra by snowmobile.
0:41:30 > 0:41:32Even at this early age,
0:41:32 > 0:41:36Miki and Luca can travel 20 miles in a single day.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44Her track's coming round the mountainside,
0:41:44 > 0:41:48taking her way across the ridge there.
0:41:48 > 0:41:50Trying to follow those tracks,
0:41:50 > 0:41:55ideally I'd follow the tracks very close to them.
0:41:55 > 0:41:59But it's way too steep up there, so I've come a lot further away.
0:41:59 > 0:42:03And just hope I can pick them up from here. And I can see them...
0:42:04 > 0:42:06Hang on, hang on, hang on.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08Oh, yeah, look, there we go. Look.
0:42:16 > 0:42:18Hey, Papa Whiskey there, it's Jason calling.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21HE SPEAKS NORWEGIAN
0:42:21 > 0:42:24'Jason lets the scientists know that Lyra has left the den.'
0:42:24 > 0:42:25OK.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28HE SPEAKS NORWEGIAN
0:42:28 > 0:42:29'Biologist Jon Aars
0:42:29 > 0:42:34'hopes to put one of his satellite-tracking collars on Lyra.'
0:42:35 > 0:42:37This is tremendously exciting,
0:42:37 > 0:42:41because, all going well, over the next hour, this is the moment
0:42:41 > 0:42:45that we should be able to follow our female for the rest of the year.
0:42:54 > 0:42:57Jason, Jason, Jason.
0:42:57 > 0:43:00- Can I get...- Do you want me to drive over?- Yeah, please.
0:43:00 > 0:43:03'Jon is hoping to shoot a tranquilising dart
0:43:03 > 0:43:04'from the helicopter.'
0:43:06 > 0:43:07Plonk her anywhere.
0:43:10 > 0:43:12That's cool.
0:43:23 > 0:43:27She's wondering what on earth is going on to get a helicopter
0:43:27 > 0:43:28hovering overhead.
0:43:30 > 0:43:36'Lyra has sniffed out an empty den. The cubs are already inside.'
0:43:36 > 0:43:38And for Jon to get a clear shot of her
0:43:38 > 0:43:41she's got to be out of that hole.
0:43:41 > 0:43:45He's just hovering up there and seeing what she does.
0:43:54 > 0:43:59'Unfortunately, Lyra picks this moment to disappear.
0:43:59 > 0:44:01'There is nothing Jon Aars can do.'
0:44:01 > 0:44:04RADIO CHATTER
0:44:04 > 0:44:09HE SPEAKS NORWEGIAN
0:44:10 > 0:44:13- They're giving up.- It's not good.
0:44:13 > 0:44:15She didn't come out of the hole,
0:44:15 > 0:44:19she's got to be out onto the snow for them to get a clear
0:44:19 > 0:44:23view of her, and they've just turned round and come down.
0:44:23 > 0:44:25And I think they'll be giving up.
0:44:28 > 0:44:30'If they don't manage to collar Lyra here,
0:44:30 > 0:44:33'we'll probably lose her for good.
0:44:33 > 0:44:35'Once she reaches the remaining sea ice,
0:44:35 > 0:44:38'it'll be impossible to land a helicopter.'
0:44:38 > 0:44:40I thought it was a good thing
0:44:40 > 0:44:43that she'd gone into that hole and stayed in this area,
0:44:43 > 0:44:46but it would have been much better maybe if she had kept on walking
0:44:46 > 0:44:50and Jon could have picked her up from the helicopter, and it's much
0:44:50 > 0:44:53faster and easier to track from a helicopter than it is by skidoo.
0:44:55 > 0:44:57'This is a huge setback.
0:44:57 > 0:45:02'While Jon waits for another chance, I can check out Lyra's old den.
0:45:03 > 0:45:07'The entrance has been covered up with snow, so Jason checks
0:45:07 > 0:45:10'that another bear hasn't taken up residence in the meantime.'
0:45:10 > 0:45:12You're going to have a listen?
0:45:13 > 0:45:16Jason's just going to shove his ear close to the hole to see
0:45:16 > 0:45:19if he can hear anyone down there.
0:45:20 > 0:45:23'I think I'll just let Jason make sure that the den IS empty.'
0:45:24 > 0:45:26- Looks fine.- Yeah?- Looks good.
0:45:29 > 0:45:33I can get a good look in there. Heavens!
0:45:33 > 0:45:34It's very small.
0:45:36 > 0:45:38Much smaller than I'd imagined.
0:45:39 > 0:45:42- Incredible. - HE CHUCKLES
0:45:42 > 0:45:44'No matter how cold outside,
0:45:44 > 0:45:48'the den will always be at least three degrees above freezing.'
0:45:50 > 0:45:54Wow, look at this. Cosy, cosy.
0:45:55 > 0:45:58It's really quite strange sitting in here.
0:45:58 > 0:46:02But you can imagine when the cubs were born in here.
0:46:02 > 0:46:06There could be storms raging outside, yet inside this den
0:46:06 > 0:46:11there's a mother bear with two tiny cubs.
0:46:11 > 0:46:12Completely safe inside.
0:46:14 > 0:46:18You can see the whole inside of the den has been sculpted
0:46:18 > 0:46:21by her big claws, and it's rock solid.
0:46:21 > 0:46:23I can't even hardly make a scratch in it.
0:46:24 > 0:46:30These little...lovely little Christmas-decoration-like jewels.
0:46:30 > 0:46:34Each one of those is an individual polar bear hair that's got
0:46:34 > 0:46:37stuck to the ceiling and become frosted.
0:46:42 > 0:46:46'Jason gets a call from Jon that Lyra is on the move.
0:46:46 > 0:46:49'Bums on shovels is the fastest way down.
0:47:00 > 0:47:03'Jon is going to have one more attempt to collar Lyra,
0:47:03 > 0:47:05'while she's in the open.'
0:47:12 > 0:47:17OK, we've got her, just up there on that little escarpment.
0:47:18 > 0:47:21This bear is giving us the run-around.
0:47:23 > 0:47:26It is a real rollercoaster ride, this.
0:47:26 > 0:47:28Every time I lose her,
0:47:28 > 0:47:31I think that's the last time I'm ever gonna see her.
0:47:34 > 0:47:36'This will be our last chance.'
0:47:43 > 0:47:47The helicopter's coming down and getting closer to the bear.
0:47:47 > 0:47:50She's... OK, she's moving down the bank.
0:47:52 > 0:47:55'The pilot coaxes Lyra to a safer place to dart her.'
0:47:57 > 0:47:59This really is our last chance now,
0:47:59 > 0:48:02if we don't get her now we've had it.
0:48:02 > 0:48:04She's not making it easy for us.
0:48:11 > 0:48:14The helicopter's just waiting for an opportunity for her to be
0:48:14 > 0:48:16in the right place, somewhere they can land.
0:48:16 > 0:48:19Somewhere they can get a clear shot of her.
0:48:20 > 0:48:25'It looks alarming, but Jon has done this hundreds of times
0:48:25 > 0:48:27'without causing any harm.'
0:48:27 > 0:48:30She's got the dart in her, she's got the dart in her.
0:48:32 > 0:48:36We're just moving in to where our bear is
0:48:36 > 0:48:39and they've already started the process.
0:48:39 > 0:48:42She's only out for a relatively short time
0:48:42 > 0:48:45and it just allows the scientists to do their work.
0:48:45 > 0:48:48And then they'll be up and off.
0:48:48 > 0:48:52'Lyra is one of 20 mother polar bears being collared this year.
0:48:53 > 0:48:57'Tracking them will give Jon information about how far
0:48:57 > 0:49:00'they roam and whether cubs like Miki and Luca survive.'
0:49:03 > 0:49:06I think she's pretty much asleep now.
0:49:06 > 0:49:11But it's good to be as much as possible on the...back side.
0:49:11 > 0:49:15I think she's going to sleep quite well now, quite a while.
0:49:15 > 0:49:18So how long will this process take?
0:49:18 > 0:49:22I guess it would be...
0:49:31 > 0:49:34It's quite strange being so close to her.
0:49:35 > 0:49:39- Can I come in closer, Jon?- Yeah.
0:49:39 > 0:49:41JON SPEAKS NORWEGIAN
0:49:41 > 0:49:43Hey, cubs.
0:49:45 > 0:49:49Hello. Do you recognise me or just recognise my smell?
0:49:51 > 0:49:54'Miki and Luca are on a leash
0:49:54 > 0:49:57'so they don't get separated from their mum.'
0:49:57 > 0:49:59CUBS GRUNT
0:50:01 > 0:50:03GORDON CHUCKLES
0:50:03 > 0:50:06They are looking quite relaxed now.
0:50:06 > 0:50:09Actually, you look a little bit different to you.
0:50:09 > 0:50:12Are you a boy and you a girl?
0:50:16 > 0:50:19Just going to measure your mother and see how big she is.
0:50:23 > 0:50:27Look at the job that she's done, these cubs are in perfect health.
0:50:28 > 0:50:30Incredibly healthy.
0:50:36 > 0:50:38So how old is she?
0:50:38 > 0:50:42Well, we guess that she might be, you know, 14, 15, 16 years old.
0:50:42 > 0:50:43Really?
0:50:44 > 0:50:47'She's an experienced mother.
0:50:47 > 0:50:50'So they will hopefully have a better chance of surviving.'
0:50:56 > 0:51:00'Jon is taking blood samples to check Lyra's health.
0:51:00 > 0:51:04'It's a fantastic opportunity for me to examine a polar bear.'
0:51:04 > 0:51:09Just being so close like this, you can see how she's able to live in this environment.
0:51:09 > 0:51:14Her coat is...incredibly dense.
0:51:14 > 0:51:16You've got all these guard hairs
0:51:16 > 0:51:20and, underneath, this thick, thick thatch of wool.
0:51:22 > 0:51:25Her coat is actually very, very cold on the outside and that's
0:51:25 > 0:51:28because she's losing very little heat from her body.
0:51:28 > 0:51:34You can actually see how she's able to grip even on very slippery ice.
0:51:34 > 0:51:39Huge feet, and the pads of her feet are incredibly textured.
0:51:39 > 0:51:43Not rough, but velvety, with very, very strong claws on the end.
0:51:43 > 0:51:46Not just necessarily for catching prey but for gripping
0:51:46 > 0:51:49when she's climbing these slopes, digging dens.
0:51:53 > 0:51:57'Now it's Miki and Luca's turn for a check-up.
0:51:57 > 0:52:00'They're given a light sedative and they'll snore through it all.'
0:52:02 > 0:52:05Just lay her down beside the other one?
0:52:07 > 0:52:08Relax a bit.
0:52:08 > 0:52:10CUB SNORES
0:52:12 > 0:52:16And this will just keep her out for as long as the mum's out?
0:52:16 > 0:52:21Yeah, and also for us to... take a couple of samples.
0:52:21 > 0:52:23They are completely out.
0:52:26 > 0:52:30'And while they're out we can check whether they're girls or boys.'
0:52:30 > 0:52:32This is a boy.
0:52:34 > 0:52:37This is a boy as well.
0:52:38 > 0:52:40OK, we've got two boys.
0:52:43 > 0:52:46They've been both sedated at the moment,
0:52:46 > 0:52:50just like the mother, and there's a little bit of work to do on them.
0:52:50 > 0:52:53Take the weight, size, measurements, and ear tag them.
0:52:55 > 0:52:58'While these two snooze, we measure them.
0:52:58 > 0:53:01'In some regions of the Arctic, cubs have been getting smaller.'
0:53:01 > 0:53:04JON SPEAKS NORWEGIAN
0:53:04 > 0:53:07'Keeping track of their size is a good way to judge
0:53:07 > 0:53:10'the health of the population.'
0:53:10 > 0:53:13SNORING
0:53:16 > 0:53:18'As they sleep off their sedative,
0:53:18 > 0:53:22'there's time for Jon to fit Lyra's satellite collar.'
0:53:22 > 0:53:25So is the collar already fired and sending up to the satellite?
0:53:25 > 0:53:28Yes, actually it's been sending for quite a few days, so it's started.
0:53:28 > 0:53:31It should send one e-mail every four hour and tell where the bear is.
0:53:33 > 0:53:35'The collar is surprisingly light.'
0:53:36 > 0:53:41It's only females that you collar? You can't collar the males?
0:53:41 > 0:53:43You can't. Because the neck is wider than the head.
0:53:43 > 0:53:46So they would just take the collar off.
0:53:46 > 0:53:49'A satellite collar with this range and accuracy
0:53:49 > 0:53:52'has never been available before.
0:53:52 > 0:53:56'For the first time we'll be able to follow a polar bear family.'
0:53:58 > 0:54:03And it is a little bit of relief that I'll be able to find out
0:54:03 > 0:54:05what happens to these cubs.
0:54:07 > 0:54:10What I'm hoping to do is follow these three
0:54:10 > 0:54:13throughout the rest of this year.
0:54:14 > 0:54:17The most difficult year of these cubs' lives.
0:54:17 > 0:54:22And that's something that no-one has ever done before.
0:54:22 > 0:54:24How does that sound?
0:54:24 > 0:54:27How does it sound if I follow you around?
0:54:27 > 0:54:30That would be nice, wouldn't it? That would be very nice.
0:54:30 > 0:54:33We could become good friends, until you get big enough to eat me.
0:54:35 > 0:54:39'It's been amazing to get this close to my bear family.'
0:54:45 > 0:54:48- Well, thanks.- Thank you. Thank you very much.
0:54:48 > 0:54:49Well done.
0:54:50 > 0:54:52'Jon's field season is over.
0:54:59 > 0:55:03'Once Lyra wakes up, she and her cubs will join other bears
0:55:03 > 0:55:05'out on the remains of the sea ice.
0:55:07 > 0:55:10'For the next six weeks it will be impossible for me
0:55:10 > 0:55:12'to follow them there.
0:55:12 > 0:55:15'The ice is too dangerous to travel over.
0:55:17 > 0:55:20'But as soon as there's enough open water
0:55:20 > 0:55:23'I'll be able to return with the boat
0:55:23 > 0:55:25'and find them with Jon's collar.
0:55:26 > 0:55:33'For now, all I can do is enjoy my last glimpse as they head off.'
0:55:34 > 0:55:37Oh, there she is, there she is!
0:55:45 > 0:55:52It is epic to see these tiny animals just setting out on this journey.
0:55:52 > 0:55:55HE CHUCKLES
0:55:55 > 0:55:58Look at them go.
0:55:59 > 0:56:03They are...an amazing little duo.
0:56:17 > 0:56:21'The first phase of my project has been a success.'
0:56:27 > 0:56:29Look at that, ohhh.
0:56:30 > 0:56:33Oh, very, very cute.
0:56:33 > 0:56:37'I've found a polar bear family and I've been with Miki and Luca
0:56:37 > 0:56:40'from the moment they first emerged from the den.
0:56:41 > 0:56:44'I'm part of these cubs' lives.
0:56:44 > 0:56:46'And they are part of mine.
0:56:50 > 0:56:53'But it's going to be the most challenging year ever
0:56:53 > 0:56:56'for polar bears.
0:56:56 > 0:56:59'This is where the drama really begins.'
0:57:05 > 0:57:09'In the next programme, we brave the hazards of the sea ice,
0:57:09 > 0:57:12'as the cubs get their first taste of arctic waters.'
0:57:12 > 0:57:16Wow, here he goes, here he goes. Big leap, splash.
0:57:17 > 0:57:19That is great.
0:57:19 > 0:57:21'As do I.
0:57:23 > 0:57:26'Bears descend to the hunting grounds en masse.'
0:57:26 > 0:57:29That's amazing, we've got how many? Three, six, seven bears.
0:57:32 > 0:57:34'And I get to know Lyra...'
0:57:34 > 0:57:39She is completely tolerant, really happy for me to be 100 metres away.
0:57:39 > 0:57:41'..a little too well.'
0:57:43 > 0:57:46- OK, there she is, you see. - She's still coming towards us.
0:57:46 > 0:57:48Never let a polar bear get between you and your boat.
0:57:48 > 0:57:51'And in the hardest season for polar bears...'
0:57:51 > 0:57:55About half of all polar bear cubs don't even make it
0:57:55 > 0:57:57past their first year.
0:57:57 > 0:58:01'..I'll find out if Miki and Luca can beat the odds.'
0:58:20 > 0:58:25Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd