0:00:02 > 0:00:05This is one of the remotest places on the planet,
0:00:05 > 0:00:06the huge Alaskan wilderness,
0:00:06 > 0:00:11land of snowy mountains and rivers and forests.
0:00:11 > 0:00:12And grizzly bears.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20There are more grizzlies here than anywhere else on earth.
0:00:21 > 0:00:23Into this isolated world of bears,
0:00:23 > 0:00:26we sent a team of the best wildlife film-makers
0:00:26 > 0:00:31and expert guides to live alongside the bears for the next five months.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36They've brought their own specially designed camera gear
0:00:36 > 0:00:38to film bears in a totally new way.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41We're trying to get good up-close shots
0:00:41 > 0:00:44of stuff that bears do when we're not around.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47The only way to do that is to set up these remote camera systems.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49By living in grizzly country, they'll get closer
0:00:49 > 0:00:52to the bears' lives than anyone thought possible,
0:00:52 > 0:00:54but they'll need to watch their backs.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57We're going to have to be very careful around these two.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59They are hyper, hyper-aggressive.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03- Van, we're not challenging you. - We're not challenging you, Van.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06OK. You and I are down on our knees.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11Over the next few months, their mission is to get closer
0:01:11 > 0:01:14to the lives of grizzly bears than ever before.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18During this one extraordinary season,
0:01:18 > 0:01:22they'll discover that every grizzly has a story to tell.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25You know, people say, "Oh, bears are just like humans."
0:01:25 > 0:01:27Well, no, humans are just like bears.
0:01:27 > 0:01:28HE CHUCKLES
0:01:28 > 0:01:31You'll never think of bears in the same way again.
0:01:48 > 0:01:53It's May, and the stakeout team are arriving in southern Alaska.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58First bear - look at that, right on the beach.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01What a welcome!
0:02:02 > 0:02:05They'll be here for the whole season.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10We're on our own now, boys.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12There are bears everywhere.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15They've not long woken up from hibernation,
0:02:15 > 0:02:18and haven't eaten for seven months.
0:02:18 > 0:02:22Now they're out and about, and they're very hungry.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29Bear expert Chris Morgan will be leading the team.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32His job is to keep everyone safe,
0:02:32 > 0:02:35and help the crew follow these bears' lives closely.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40We're going to be part of this community for the whole season
0:02:40 > 0:02:43and it's going to give us an opportunity to see these bears
0:02:43 > 0:02:46not as one group of bears, but as a series of individuals,
0:02:46 > 0:02:49each with their own strategies for getting through life,
0:02:49 > 0:02:51and that's really exciting to me.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54The team will be camping right in the middle of bear country,
0:02:54 > 0:02:58with only an electric fence for protection.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02Bear guide Buck Wilde has been working here for 25 years,
0:03:02 > 0:03:04and he's taking no chances.
0:03:04 > 0:03:075,000 volts.
0:03:07 > 0:03:12I went for the first five years of camping in places like this
0:03:12 > 0:03:16without an electric fence, and I've had bears rub their noses
0:03:16 > 0:03:21up along my tent, up along my bivvy sack...
0:03:21 > 0:03:24It scares you beyond imagination.
0:03:28 > 0:03:29Brad Josephs is the third guide,
0:03:29 > 0:03:33in charge of getting the remote cameras in the best places.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36There's a male - I've never seen him before. Never, never, never.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38God, imagine if we had some cameras set up in the middle.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41- Yeah, that would be... - We could really get a good look.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46This wide bay on the edge of the Pacific Ocean is going to be home
0:03:46 > 0:03:48for the next five months.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53The bears have slept through the winter in their dens
0:03:53 > 0:03:56up in the mountains, but they'll spend the spring
0:03:56 > 0:03:58and summer in the meadows and the beaches.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05It's day one, and the team head out to find them.
0:04:08 > 0:04:10Make sure... Oh, there, right there.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19So, it's a female with cubs
0:04:19 > 0:04:23and, ordinarily, that's a really dangerous thing to get into.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26So we'll watch her carefully, guys, and keep an eye on her.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28Hi, Momma, it's all right.
0:04:34 > 0:04:36Slowly, grab my backpack and pull it in.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39I don't want it to be that far away from us.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44The only protection the team have is a can of bear pepper spray.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48Get ready with the defences.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55That's all right, OK. It's OK, don't come any closer.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57- That's OK, bear. That's enough. - Yeah, that's enough.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00Making eye contact is a sign of aggression for a bear...
0:05:02 > 0:05:03It's all right, bear, it's OK.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06..so the crew need to be really careful.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09OK, guys, so just super, super slow movements.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12You know, when they're this close, just a few yards away,
0:05:12 > 0:05:15really just look nonchalant,
0:05:15 > 0:05:18and don't be looking her in the eye, just kind of look around.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20Stay really calm, move slowly,
0:05:20 > 0:05:23don't be grabbing for batteries or anything like that, of course.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28Being this close to a grizzly takes real understanding.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31It's OK, that's close enough.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33That's close enough now.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36OK, good girl. Yeah, it's OK. It's OK.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41No movements, guys.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51Quite an intense introduction to them!
0:05:51 > 0:05:54The whole time, she's teaching her cub that we are harmless,
0:05:54 > 0:05:57and teaching us a lesson - she's in control.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00She feels like, "I can come this close, you're on my meadow,
0:06:00 > 0:06:02"I'm grazing right up to you."
0:06:02 > 0:06:04No ill intentions at all.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08Never should we ever approach a bear, especially a female with cubs,
0:06:08 > 0:06:10but when it's their choice, you just have to sit tight and let them
0:06:10 > 0:06:14do what they need to do. But every single body movement, did you see?
0:06:14 > 0:06:18Every so often she'd look up and the cub would stop and look.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21You've got to be so slow and so diplomatic.
0:06:21 > 0:06:26But...pretty incredible experience, isn't it?
0:06:26 > 0:06:28Pretty intense, Chris, I must say!
0:06:30 > 0:06:32That was a little bit close. It was very, very close.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34CHRIS CHUCKLES
0:06:34 > 0:06:36As close as I'd like to be, thank you very much.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40And I'm just dying to hit my head with these mosquitoes,
0:06:40 > 0:06:42and I can't because it would set her off!
0:06:43 > 0:06:45The bears here have never been hunted,
0:06:45 > 0:06:48so they don't see people as a threat.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52Nowhere else can you get this close to grizzlies
0:06:52 > 0:06:54and live to tell the tale.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59It means the team will be able to follow these bears
0:06:59 > 0:07:01more closely than ever before.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05And there is one bear here whose story will turn out
0:07:05 > 0:07:07to be truly unique.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10- WALKIE-TALKIE:- 'It's Barry, can you hear me, over?'
0:07:10 > 0:07:11Go ahead, Barry.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17'Oh, hi, guys. We've just seen a mother and two small cubs
0:07:17 > 0:07:20'coming down the beach from the north.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23'We think they're going round the point in your direction.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25'I don't know if you can see them yet,
0:07:25 > 0:07:28'or whether you can come down and cover them when they go round?'
0:07:29 > 0:07:32OK, great, copy that.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35Wow, they are tiny!
0:07:35 > 0:07:40This is Parsnip, a first-time mum, and her cubs, Pushki and Ren.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45Really amazing to see, cute little cubs.
0:07:49 > 0:07:50Her cubs are five months old,
0:07:50 > 0:07:53and haven't left her side since they were born.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57What a nice surprise this early. They're all legs, aren't they?
0:08:03 > 0:08:07It's not unusual to see twins, and these two are lively,
0:08:07 > 0:08:09but they look thin.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13Parsnip must be desperate to have brought them down to the bay
0:08:13 > 0:08:14this early in the season.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19She's looking for clams.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22She won't have eaten anything for seven months, and she needs
0:08:22 > 0:08:25to feed up if she's going to provide milk for Pushki and Ren.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28She looks like she's struggling.
0:08:28 > 0:08:32I mean, it's a bit of a sign of desperation for her, actually,
0:08:32 > 0:08:35you know, to be here this early. It's a risky place to be.
0:08:38 > 0:08:39Even experienced mothers struggle
0:08:39 > 0:08:42to raise two cubs through their first year.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48Life is not going to be easy for her.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54Just up the beach, other bears are starting to gather.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00Hungry adult bears will kill young cubs.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05This is Van.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10Even the crew kneel when he approaches.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17Van is a massive bear.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23He stands three metres tall, and weighs nearly half a tonne.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26No-one dares to challenge him.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32In 12 years of hanging round brown bears on the Alaskan peninsula,
0:09:32 > 0:09:35I have never seen a bear that even comes close to as big as he is.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37He's in a league of his own.
0:09:38 > 0:09:40This is Van's world.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43And, right now, his sole purpose in life should be to mate
0:09:43 > 0:09:46with as many females as possible.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50But he seems obsessed with one in particular. Alice.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57Alice is young, fit and in her prime.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00And Van seems infatuated.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03He never lets her out of his sight.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07But she's not going to mate with anyone till she's ready,
0:10:07 > 0:10:11and right now she hasn't quite decided
0:10:11 > 0:10:13whether Van is the one for her.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26But, just in case, she's going to make sure that no other
0:10:26 > 0:10:28females get their hooks into him.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34Even expert Chris is surprised by her bullying behaviour.
0:10:35 > 0:10:39Well, I've never seen a female as aggressive as Alice.
0:10:39 > 0:10:40Chasing off other females -
0:10:40 > 0:10:43it's really quite bizarre.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46Alice certainly has a temper.
0:10:53 > 0:10:57But while she makes up her mind whether she wants him or not,
0:10:57 > 0:11:00Van is just going to have to wait...
0:11:00 > 0:11:01and wait...
0:11:02 > 0:11:04..and wait.
0:11:09 > 0:11:14Out in the bay, young mum Parsnip is still looking for something to eat.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17She's starving hungry, but it's late in the day
0:11:17 > 0:11:21to be out on the beach with the cubs,
0:11:21 > 0:11:23especially with the other big bears around.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31And now the tide is coming in.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34There'll be no more clams today.
0:11:37 > 0:11:42But instead of leaving the beach, Parsnip takes a massive risk.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44She's so desperate for a meal,
0:11:44 > 0:11:46she wades out to look for fish.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51At just five months old,
0:11:51 > 0:11:55Pushki and Ren will follow their mother wherever she goes.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59At this time of the year, the sea is bitterly cold,
0:11:59 > 0:12:02and the cubs are just too young to cope.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11Both cubs are out of their depth,
0:12:11 > 0:12:14and Ren is getting swept away by the currents.
0:12:14 > 0:12:18With two cubs in trouble, Parsnip can't save them both.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26There's nothing more she can do.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47Parsnip is forced to abandon Ren...
0:12:49 > 0:12:51..and takes Pushki back to the shore.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00Parsnip's season has begun in the worst way possible.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14When the team finds her the next day, she looks totally worn out,
0:13:14 > 0:13:17but she still has Pushki to look after.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21He's got a lot of growing up to do this summer.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29Only half of all cubs make it through their first year.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32If he survives, he'll be by his mother's side
0:13:32 > 0:13:36day and night for another two years.
0:13:36 > 0:13:37Maybe three.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47But first, she's got to get him through the next few months,
0:13:47 > 0:13:50the most challenging of his life.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54She'll have to keep him out of the way of predatory males...
0:13:56 > 0:13:59..and she needs to find enough food to feed them both.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06She can't afford to make any more mistakes.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20The season is already rushing on.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29By June, daylight lasts more than 20 hours, but summer will only
0:14:29 > 0:14:33last a few weeks, and then winter will be on its way back.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37Bears have to live their lives in less than half the year,
0:14:37 > 0:14:39so there's a lot to pack in.
0:14:41 > 0:14:42More and more bears are emerging
0:14:42 > 0:14:45from seven months' slumber in the mountains.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48They've lost half their body weight,
0:14:48 > 0:14:50and they come to the meadows to feed up on the vegetation.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57As they meet on the meadows,
0:14:57 > 0:15:01the younger males size each other up, play-fighting.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04But within a couple of weeks, the breeding season will kick in,
0:15:04 > 0:15:07and that's when the serious fights will start.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13And all round the area, there are signs that the biggest bears
0:15:13 > 0:15:15are busy re-establishing themselves.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22The big males scratch and rub the trees, spreading their scent
0:15:22 > 0:15:24and making their presence felt.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31Bear guide Buck is looking for signs that big bears
0:15:31 > 0:15:32are in the neighbourhood.
0:15:32 > 0:15:37This is a large male that would have been biting the tree
0:15:37 > 0:15:39as he stood up, and clawing on the tree
0:15:39 > 0:15:43as high as eight or nine, ten feet in the air.
0:15:45 > 0:15:46- It's a big male.- Could be Van.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49Could be Van. And this is what they do.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52They stand as high as they can and visibly mark the tree
0:15:52 > 0:15:56so the other bears can see how tall they are.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59It's like saying, "I'm this big, if you want to take me on,
0:15:59 > 0:16:02"this is what you're dealing with!"
0:16:05 > 0:16:09As the season moves on, the team are starting to get to know
0:16:09 > 0:16:13the individual bears, and understand their personalities.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17But following them every day in this big bay is not easy.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21And you can never relax your guard, not for a moment -
0:16:21 > 0:16:25especially when the biggest, baddest bears are out and about.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29Down on the beach, the team find Van,
0:16:29 > 0:16:32still faithfully pursuing Alice.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34He doesn't seem to be getting very far.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36She's still ignoring him.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39This is not the time you want to get in his way.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41Stay tight, guys, really tight.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46But there's another big male in town.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50And he has his eye on Alice, too.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55He's walking into a very dangerous situation.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00It's another big male,
0:17:00 > 0:17:03so it will be interesting to see what unfolds between them.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05Van spots the new male.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09He's not going to take kindly to another bear eyeing up Alice.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18He's moving with purpose,
0:17:18 > 0:17:21and I don't think Van is going to like it.
0:17:26 > 0:17:31This bear must be either tough or stupid to think he can muscle in.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38But he's big. This is going to be interesting.
0:17:41 > 0:17:46OK, so Van and the new guy are at equal distance from Alice right now.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52Let's see who wins this standoff.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57My money's on Van, although this is a big guy coming in.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01OK, now he's kind of paused.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08- Look at this! Look at this!- Oh, OK!
0:18:10 > 0:18:12In high gear, right across the beach!
0:18:14 > 0:18:16Amazing how tuned in they are.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18Van knows that this is a male that's coming in
0:18:18 > 0:18:20that he has to be concerned about.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22So in no uncertain terms, he just chases him off.
0:18:24 > 0:18:29This is Van's bay, and he's still got Alice to himself.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31But with all these other males around,
0:18:31 > 0:18:34he's going to have to keep his beady eye on her.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36With all this show of aggression,
0:18:36 > 0:18:39you don't want to get caught in the crossfire.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43Parsnip and Pushki are looking anxious,
0:18:43 > 0:18:47and the crew spot them high-tailing it up the beach.
0:18:51 > 0:18:52Faced with this new threat,
0:18:52 > 0:18:55she decides to take her cub out of this bay.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57But where can they go?
0:19:05 > 0:19:08The crew must keep a constant watch over the cameras,
0:19:08 > 0:19:10repositioning them with each tide change.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16But one bear is getting so familiar that the remote gear
0:19:16 > 0:19:17is hardly needed.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26It's Lucy, the bear the crew had a close encounter with
0:19:26 > 0:19:30on the very first day, with her boisterous cub, Solo.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37In the next few weeks, everything will change for Solo.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40He's two and a half - old enough to be independent,
0:19:40 > 0:19:43but young enough to still need his mum.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01It's OK, don't come any closer, though, Mum!
0:20:01 > 0:20:04Hey there, bear. Hey there, bear. It's OK.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08Lucy needs Solo to pay attention
0:20:08 > 0:20:12and learn the life skills he'll soon need to survive on his own.
0:20:12 > 0:20:13While the tide is out,
0:20:13 > 0:20:17she has time to show him the art of catching clams.
0:20:18 > 0:20:22So these clams are moving down through the sand.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25They're digging deep as they sense something's coming after them.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28So they're going down at this sort of rate of knots,
0:20:28 > 0:20:30so the bear has to dig to keep up with that.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33You know, it's not easy. The second it hears a bear
0:20:33 > 0:20:36or feels something on the surface, it starts to go down.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39But she's been able to smell the clam
0:20:39 > 0:20:43through that tiny little siphon hole before it's too late,
0:20:43 > 0:20:47and hopefully can do that 100 or 200 times in a low tide.
0:20:47 > 0:20:52At that point, it's big time worthwhile, especially for a mum.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55For Lucy, the clams are valuable food.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57She's pretty good at finding them,
0:20:57 > 0:21:02and surprisingly dextrous at getting them open with her claw.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06It's something only these bears of southern Alaska do.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09They're also good protein for Solo.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11He's going to have to learn how to get his own dinner.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16And he's not having much success digging them up.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24Shellfish move a lot faster than you think.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35It's mid-June.
0:21:35 > 0:21:39Summer is slipping by. The meadows are rich and green.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43It's the flow of tidal water that keeps the meadows green,
0:21:43 > 0:21:45and this part of Alaska
0:21:45 > 0:21:47has some of the biggest changes of tide in the world.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56When the tide comes driving in, the bears are forced to
0:21:56 > 0:22:01move from the beach, and make their way back into the meadows beyond.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07As the water rises, the bears, of course, can swim.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09But Chris and Matt have been caught out,
0:22:09 > 0:22:13and they're in danger of being cut off by the rising tide.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18(Yeah, she's on a full swim, there.)
0:22:20 > 0:22:23It's come up very slowly and gradually like tides do,
0:22:23 > 0:22:26and now actually I don't think we can get out.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28And we feel quite stupid, don't we, Matt?
0:22:30 > 0:22:32- You do! - Oh, yeah. Cos I'm the guide?- Yeah.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38The water has hidden the deep channels that cross the bay.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41Navigating them is harder than it looks.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43Is the pack wet?
0:22:43 > 0:22:46Even the best team get it wrong sometimes.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54Several days have passed,
0:22:54 > 0:22:56and there's been no sign of Parsnip and Pushki.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58Buck's team head up the coast,
0:22:58 > 0:23:02and finally spot the pair perched right up on the edge of a cliff.
0:23:10 > 0:23:14Parsnip thinks she has found a safe place, away from Van.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17But she's made another serious error of judgment.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24She and Pushki are sitting right in the middle of Van's stamping ground.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35And there he is.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39Van is coming this way like he's on a mission. I don't like it.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46Now what's she going to do?
0:23:46 > 0:23:49All she can hope is that he doesn't decide to come up this way.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07Bears have a superb sense of smell,
0:24:07 > 0:24:11and it will only be a matter of time before he tracks her down.
0:24:11 > 0:24:16Van is headed on this trail we are so familiar with from putting
0:24:16 > 0:24:18the unattended cameras up there.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21Right towards our mother.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31This is his turf, and he's scratching the trees
0:24:31 > 0:24:35and making sure everybody knows he's in charge around here.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51Parsnip and Pushki are in big trouble.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53They have nowhere to run.
0:24:54 > 0:24:58All she could do would be to fight him off with all her strength.
0:24:58 > 0:25:02He knows they're there, he's seen her, and he's moving in.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06There he is, there's Van, and he spots her.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09He's looking right at her, she's looking at him.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16He's coming right at her.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26He's coming in.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33She can't outrun him.
0:25:34 > 0:25:35Oh, my God.
0:25:40 > 0:25:41But Van pauses.
0:25:43 > 0:25:47He knows that any mother with a young cub will fight like fury.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51On level ground, he could easily take her out.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54But on the side of a cliff? Is it worth the risk?
0:26:07 > 0:26:11At that moment, he spots Alice.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16Alice requires his full attention.
0:26:16 > 0:26:18Parsnip is off the hook.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25She was... In the game of chess, she was in check.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28It wasn't quite checkmate.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31And it looks like she gets a bye this time.
0:26:33 > 0:26:34And she's very lucky.
0:26:37 > 0:26:41She's escaped Van. But now she's disturbed a bald eagle's nest.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46Parsnip is going to be dive-bombed until she leaves the cliff.
0:26:51 > 0:26:56- Once again, she's forced to move on. - It's frightened her off.
0:27:11 > 0:27:12As the light fades,
0:27:12 > 0:27:16she and Pushki come back down the beach to look for something to eat.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19It's a constant struggle.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22Pushki must increase his weight a hundredfold
0:27:22 > 0:27:23during the first year of his life,
0:27:23 > 0:27:27and they will have a long winter ahead.
0:27:27 > 0:27:28Nice bear.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33Good girl. Yeah.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48Ah, she's just... She's searching for a meal.
0:27:48 > 0:27:53She's got to re-supply her energy to make more milk,
0:27:53 > 0:27:57and keep both she and this delicate little cub alive.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04While the tide is out, she criss-crosses the beach,
0:28:04 > 0:28:05sniffing for clams.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08They're full of nutrients for a nursing mother,
0:28:08 > 0:28:10but it's a lot of effort for her.
0:28:13 > 0:28:15And she has a dilemma.
0:28:15 > 0:28:17She needs to eat,
0:28:17 > 0:28:20but she also needs to keep Pushki safe from the big bears.
0:28:23 > 0:28:27And further along the beach is Alice,
0:28:27 > 0:28:30which means that Van will also be on the prowl.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37What's Parsnip going to do now?
0:28:51 > 0:28:54Once again, she leads Pushki out into the chilly sea,
0:28:54 > 0:28:58right at the spot where her other cub drowned.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01Surely she's not going to make the same mistake again.
0:29:06 > 0:29:09Buck and Barrie cannot believe what she's doing.
0:29:11 > 0:29:13- Wow! - HE LAUGHS
0:29:16 > 0:29:20She's attempting to swim the stretch of water to an island in the bay.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23But there's a mile of cold sea to cross.
0:29:24 > 0:29:29Oh! That poor little cub is just going to be freezing.
0:29:33 > 0:29:34Hang in there, Pushki.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38Hang in there, kid!
0:29:39 > 0:29:42- Looks like the cub's hanging on. - It does, it does.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45That's great. That's the survival thing to do.
0:29:48 > 0:29:51After just a few minutes, Pushki seems to be struggling.
0:29:51 > 0:29:54He's losing his grip on his mum's fur.
0:29:58 > 0:29:59He's got separated.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04He's not hanging on. He's got to hang on.
0:30:06 > 0:30:07I think they're going to make it.
0:30:07 > 0:30:11They've got a chance. They've made it this far.
0:30:11 > 0:30:13But there's an awful lot of exposure there.
0:30:14 > 0:30:21It's cold, cold water, and it's not an issue for Parsnip,
0:30:21 > 0:30:25but Pushki is so tiny and so weak...
0:30:27 > 0:30:33This is just...intense, intense survival.
0:30:33 > 0:30:39Imagine what it would be like to be that skinny little cub Pushki
0:30:39 > 0:30:43out there in that cold water. I just can't imagine it making it.
0:30:46 > 0:30:49The bears are now nearly a mile away.
0:30:51 > 0:30:55I can't really see what's happening now. It's too far away.
0:30:58 > 0:31:01We might not know the answer to this drama for several days,
0:31:01 > 0:31:05but it looks like we are going to the island tomorrow.
0:31:18 > 0:31:21As Buck and the team set off the next day for the island,
0:31:21 > 0:31:22their hopes aren't high.
0:31:24 > 0:31:26The island is only a mile long,
0:31:26 > 0:31:30so it shouldn't be too hard to find the two bears.
0:31:30 > 0:31:33But when you're carrying 40 kilos of kit on your back,
0:31:33 > 0:31:35it's tough going.
0:31:46 > 0:31:50- Nothing.- Nothing?- Nothing there.
0:31:50 > 0:31:54After hours of searching, hopes are starting to fade.
0:31:54 > 0:31:57Parsnip and Pushki are nowhere to be found.
0:32:03 > 0:32:07Meanwhile, back on the mainland, things are starting to hot up.
0:32:07 > 0:32:11It's now the height of the short Alaskan summer.
0:32:17 > 0:32:20The remote cameras begin to pick up the action.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23The males are making their mark on everything they find.
0:32:29 > 0:32:32Bear guide Brad, who's in charge of the remote camera set-ups,
0:32:32 > 0:32:34is getting a bit worried.
0:32:34 > 0:32:38Oh, man. I think she just grabbed the camera.
0:32:38 > 0:32:40She's chewing on it.
0:32:40 > 0:32:42How tough are those things?
0:32:43 > 0:32:45We don't have them in a housing.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51I mean, hey. At least we've hopefully got a good shot before.
0:32:59 > 0:33:01You got bear insurance on those things?
0:33:01 > 0:33:03- HE CHUCKLES - Couldn't afford it.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14The big males are all getting frisky,
0:33:14 > 0:33:18and there are other male bears coming into the meadow from miles around.
0:33:18 > 0:33:21The atmosphere is changing.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24It's amazing. Suddenly, the big males have just really
0:33:24 > 0:33:26come out of the woodwork.
0:33:26 > 0:33:29It's changed the whole dynamic around here. This...
0:33:29 > 0:33:31There's another one there.
0:33:31 > 0:33:34The meadows are where the best-looking females hang out.
0:33:34 > 0:33:39Beautiful blonde bears, all in their prime and looking for romance.
0:33:39 > 0:33:41The mating season has started.
0:33:41 > 0:33:46The bears have just a few weeks to see off rivals and find a partner.
0:33:46 > 0:33:50This is fast becoming a bear pick-up joint.
0:33:50 > 0:33:54This is like the singles bar of bear country, and so
0:33:54 > 0:33:56they just... They pop in from all over the place,
0:33:56 > 0:33:58from hundreds of miles away.
0:34:05 > 0:34:07This is where the most beautiful females are,
0:34:07 > 0:34:09and they're worth walking 100 miles across the mountains
0:34:09 > 0:34:12and glaciers to get to, and they're all hanging out here.
0:34:14 > 0:34:17These are the Doris Days and the Marilyn Monroes of the bear world.
0:34:25 > 0:34:27If that was all the way down the coast, 100 miles,
0:34:27 > 0:34:28I'd be here in June.
0:34:28 > 0:34:32The meadow is filling up with bears with one thing on their minds.
0:34:34 > 0:34:36In the middle of it all, the team spots Lucy.
0:34:36 > 0:34:39What's she doing bringing Solo here?
0:34:41 > 0:34:44Maybe she's thinking of mating again.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47At two years old, Solo is almost grown up,
0:34:47 > 0:34:49but he's still at risk from bigger bears.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52There's a couple of them behind now, and almost subconsciously,
0:34:52 > 0:34:54you see this cub is aware of that.
0:34:54 > 0:34:56He knows that these other bears are out on the meadow,
0:34:56 > 0:34:59so he's got to be very careful, and the mum's really vigilant.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02They're grazing quite a lot, stopping to look up.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09New males coming in, and he's got to be very careful.
0:35:09 > 0:35:10So, suddenly, bump!
0:35:10 > 0:35:12Like a magnet, straight towards his mum.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15Oh, now. Now look how close the cub is.
0:35:15 > 0:35:19Solo is right at his mum's side.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21He knows what's good for him.
0:35:28 > 0:35:30Cub's standing up to get a better look.
0:35:33 > 0:35:35And Solo's retreating, right by his mum.
0:35:35 > 0:35:37Look at him! He's right behind her.
0:35:39 > 0:35:43While Solo is hanging around, he's cramping her style.
0:35:43 > 0:35:46For now, she takes him out of harm's way.
0:35:46 > 0:35:50But she's not likely to let him stick around much longer.
0:35:50 > 0:35:53The mating season will last only a few weeks.
0:35:53 > 0:35:55There's no time to waste here.
0:35:56 > 0:36:01The big males carry on showing off and sizing each other up.
0:36:01 > 0:36:03If you're going to get the girl, you have to walk the walk.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06OK, so see the new guy here?
0:36:06 > 0:36:09He's got these really stiff, straight back legs now,
0:36:09 > 0:36:12and he's walking very awkwardly, and what he's doing is,
0:36:12 > 0:36:16he's peeing all over his feet and he's shuffling his paws
0:36:16 > 0:36:20deep into the ground, and as he does so, he does it with very stiff legs,
0:36:20 > 0:36:23and he gets into this real machoistic male swagger,
0:36:23 > 0:36:26cos the idea is that the more they spread their scent,
0:36:26 > 0:36:29the more the other bears will be aware of them
0:36:29 > 0:36:32and it really makes their mark known.
0:36:57 > 0:37:01It's kind of like being down the pub on a Saturday night, you know?
0:37:01 > 0:37:03They're all putting on a big macho front, you know,
0:37:03 > 0:37:06trying to impress the ladies and their mates, kind of thing.
0:37:06 > 0:37:07You know? It's exactly the same.
0:37:30 > 0:37:34But then, in comes Van.
0:37:40 > 0:37:41I mean...he is...
0:37:41 > 0:37:45He's a third bigger than the largest bear I've ever seen.
0:37:45 > 0:37:49I've never seen a bear so much as cowboy walk in his direction.
0:37:49 > 0:37:51They don't even attempt to act like
0:37:51 > 0:37:54they're trying to intimidate or challenge him. They just leave.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57They don't even... Most of them don't even cowboy walk away.
0:37:57 > 0:37:59They just turn tail and start running.
0:38:00 > 0:38:04As Van moves through, it's clear he rules the meadows.
0:38:04 > 0:38:06There is a strict pecking order round here,
0:38:06 > 0:38:09and the youngest males need to keep their heads down
0:38:09 > 0:38:11if they want to avoid being beaten up.
0:38:23 > 0:38:25You see him here?
0:38:26 > 0:38:27Look. Look how vulnerable he looks.
0:38:27 > 0:38:31Suddenly, the crew spot a young bear belting across the meadow.
0:38:39 > 0:38:40It's young Solo.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45His mum Lucy has abandoned him.
0:38:45 > 0:38:49Lucy has kicked Solo out so she can come into oestrus,
0:38:49 > 0:38:51so she's come into oestrus and she's kicked him out now.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57Almost in the blink of an eye, Lucy has pushed him out of her life
0:38:57 > 0:39:00and she's already busy mating up in the meadow.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05Now he's all on his own.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15That's the end of their relationship. Solo's on his own now.
0:39:15 > 0:39:17That's it. All done. Just as quick as that.
0:39:21 > 0:39:25They've been together every moment since the day he was born,
0:39:25 > 0:39:28and tonight, it's all changed for him.
0:39:28 > 0:39:30He's going to have to be careful around here.
0:39:30 > 0:39:34There's so many bears right now, and he's very vulnerable.
0:39:34 > 0:39:36He's a two-year-old cub, and without his mum,
0:39:36 > 0:39:38he's just going to be a lost soul,
0:39:38 > 0:39:41and he's facing a really, really hard year ahead.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44Many two-year-old cubs would stay with their mothers
0:39:44 > 0:39:48for at least another year. Solo is fairly young to be on his own,
0:39:48 > 0:39:50and he seems a bit bewildered.
0:39:50 > 0:39:52Wow, that was interesting.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55He just approached that blonde bear thinking it was his mum,
0:39:55 > 0:39:57then the second he realised it wasn't, he just bolted.
0:40:00 > 0:40:03And I'm sure he remembers our smell
0:40:03 > 0:40:05from when he was very close by with his mum,
0:40:05 > 0:40:07when they grazed right up to us.
0:40:11 > 0:40:14He's probably just a little bit reassured that we're here,
0:40:14 > 0:40:15I would think.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20He looks so tiny, doesn't he?
0:40:20 > 0:40:22He just looks so vulnerable out here.
0:40:25 > 0:40:30This world must look so incredibly bewildering to him.
0:40:30 > 0:40:32And threatening in every way.
0:40:41 > 0:40:43He's looking very lost right now.
0:40:43 > 0:40:45Totally dejected.
0:40:46 > 0:40:51Totally on his own for the first time in life. Can you imagine?
0:40:51 > 0:40:53Since he was big enough to fit in the palm of my hand,
0:40:53 > 0:40:55he's been by his mum's side.
0:40:55 > 0:40:58For two and a half full years, and now he's on his own.
0:41:00 > 0:41:03And that is the last the crew are likely to see of young Solo.
0:41:03 > 0:41:05Like every young male,
0:41:05 > 0:41:08he'll have to move away and find his own neighbourhood.
0:41:15 > 0:41:16Back on the island,
0:41:16 > 0:41:20Buck and the team continue to search for Parsnip and Pushki.
0:41:25 > 0:41:27Hallelujah!!
0:41:27 > 0:41:31Yeah, those are fresh, that's her.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34Yeah, she's still there, so that's good.
0:41:35 > 0:41:39Hey, Pushki. That's OK. That's OK, boy.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44Yeah. It's just us.
0:41:48 > 0:41:50You remember us, don't you?
0:41:50 > 0:41:53Hi! Yeah, you're coming over to say hello, aren't you?
0:41:53 > 0:41:55Everyone pull in nice and tight.
0:41:56 > 0:42:01Yeah. Hello! Yes. Isn't it great to see us?
0:42:01 > 0:42:04That's OK! Yeah.
0:42:06 > 0:42:11They look really good. They seem to be chilled out.
0:42:11 > 0:42:15Pushki's kind of curious. I'm not sure that Pushki has us figured out,
0:42:15 > 0:42:18but Mom does, and that's the important thing.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21She knows what we smell like, and that we're OK guys.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26With all these clams, this is still a good place for her to be,
0:42:26 > 0:42:29because it's a sanctuary away from the other bears.
0:42:29 > 0:42:35So my estimation is she would prefer to stick it out here on the island.
0:42:38 > 0:42:41It looks as if they have found somewhere safe to settle.
0:42:41 > 0:42:45There's plenty to eat, and there are no other bears at all.
0:42:45 > 0:42:47Pushki can thrive unthreatened.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50And Parsnip can take the time to teach him a few life lessons.
0:42:52 > 0:42:55The cub is on a long leash exploring the island here,
0:42:55 > 0:42:57going out 30 and 50 feet.
0:42:57 > 0:43:00Doesn't have to be very far away from Parsnip to get lost
0:43:00 > 0:43:03in this grass. It's way over his head.
0:43:03 > 0:43:07She gives a little vocalisation, like she just did right here,
0:43:07 > 0:43:10and Pushki's doing the right thing and coming right back to Mom.
0:43:10 > 0:43:11That's very important.
0:43:11 > 0:43:15It's one of the most important aspects of cub survival,
0:43:15 > 0:43:19is listening to the mother's vocalisations to come,
0:43:19 > 0:43:22or to sit and stay, just like we train a dog to sit.
0:43:35 > 0:43:38She's trying to teach it. That's really cool!
0:43:42 > 0:43:45The downside of island life is that Pushki has no other bears
0:43:45 > 0:43:47of his own age to play with.
0:43:47 > 0:43:51So it's all down to Parsnip to teach him how to be a bear.
0:43:56 > 0:43:59The relationship between a grizzly mother and her cub
0:43:59 > 0:44:03is long and close. Bear society is complicated,
0:44:03 > 0:44:06and it takes a long time to learn how to fit in.
0:44:07 > 0:44:09In a couple of years, just like Solo,
0:44:09 > 0:44:14Pushki will be pushed out to fend for himself.
0:44:14 > 0:44:17But for now, he has her undivided attention.
0:44:33 > 0:44:37It's all a world away from life back on the mainland.
0:44:39 > 0:44:41There's no tranquillity here.
0:44:48 > 0:44:52This is hormone central, and the big males are starting to square up.
0:44:54 > 0:44:56The competition is all about the fittest females,
0:44:56 > 0:44:58and who gets to mate with them.
0:44:59 > 0:45:02Most of these bears know each other,
0:45:02 > 0:45:04and these are energetic wrestling matches.
0:45:04 > 0:45:09It's a way of sizing each other up without actually hurting each other.
0:45:41 > 0:45:44But when the match is even, the fights can be deadly.
0:46:03 > 0:46:06There are some big males here, some contenders.
0:46:06 > 0:46:10Van is going to have to watch his back.
0:46:10 > 0:46:12- Behind us, guys.- OK. Here's the big fellow.
0:46:12 > 0:46:16Let's just crouch down here and let him go by.
0:46:17 > 0:46:19Van strides back into the meadow.
0:46:19 > 0:46:23As far as he's concerned, he's still the main man.
0:46:23 > 0:46:25Every bear's nightmare.
0:46:27 > 0:46:30He's coming right over to where this male was before.
0:46:30 > 0:46:33Look at him salivating.
0:46:37 > 0:46:39Van's behaviour is surprising.
0:46:39 > 0:46:42Most big males would be playing the field,
0:46:42 > 0:46:44mating with all the females available.
0:46:44 > 0:46:47His attachment to Alice is unusual.
0:46:48 > 0:46:50Is he finally winning her over?
0:46:53 > 0:46:56Is she finally ready for him?
0:47:03 > 0:47:06To make himself even more interesting to Alice,
0:47:06 > 0:47:10Van tries sprucing himself up with some manly scent -
0:47:10 > 0:47:14an intense roll in a patch of seaweed.
0:47:14 > 0:47:17Surely no female could resist!
0:47:22 > 0:47:25But Alice isn't interested in waiting for him.
0:47:25 > 0:47:28She's ready to mate now.
0:47:29 > 0:47:32While Van's busy rolling in seaweed,
0:47:32 > 0:47:34a young buck sneaks in,
0:47:34 > 0:47:36and he takes his chance.
0:47:37 > 0:47:41He has to be quick - he doesn't want to start a fight with Van.
0:47:41 > 0:47:43I mean, who would?
0:47:45 > 0:47:47Wow! Look at that!
0:47:47 > 0:47:50That's the first bear that's approached Alice other than Van,
0:47:50 > 0:47:54and within two seconds he is mating her.
0:47:54 > 0:47:56Unbelievable.
0:48:05 > 0:48:07And they call it the sneaky male syndrome,
0:48:07 > 0:48:10cos he kind of looks around and waits for an opportunity,
0:48:10 > 0:48:13and when Van's gone, he's off after Alice, and it worked for him,
0:48:13 > 0:48:14you know? Perfect!
0:48:14 > 0:48:19Van finally realises a little late that something's going on.
0:48:19 > 0:48:25Van is up here, and I cannot wait to see how he reacts.
0:48:25 > 0:48:30If this young male has any sense, he needs to make a sharp exit.
0:48:31 > 0:48:34And Alice needs to do some quick thinking.
0:48:34 > 0:48:37And he's starting to move quick, that's quick for Van.
0:48:37 > 0:48:39HE CHUCKLES
0:48:39 > 0:48:44Look at the speed of him, he's going into a really quick shuffle now!
0:48:49 > 0:48:54That has to be intimidating, seeing Van in hot pursuit mode, there.
0:48:55 > 0:48:58It's all pretty amusing to watch,
0:48:58 > 0:49:00you know? It's like one big, funny soap opera.
0:49:00 > 0:49:03Like Van's just come home from work, he's gone into the bedroom
0:49:03 > 0:49:06and there's Alice, like, "Oh, hi, honey, you're home early."
0:49:06 > 0:49:10And there's a fella in the cupboard! And that's him on the edge.
0:49:17 > 0:49:19I bet Van gives chase.
0:49:19 > 0:49:23Oh, look at Alice! She is a nightmare!
0:49:23 > 0:49:25Now she's pretending to chase the male away!
0:49:25 > 0:49:27That is unbelievable!
0:49:27 > 0:49:31So Van comes in, says, "Alice, what you doing?"
0:49:31 > 0:49:34and she's like, "Oh, this guy? Yeah, get off me!"
0:49:34 > 0:49:37and starts running and chasing him away, as if to say,
0:49:37 > 0:49:41"I didn't want him to be doing that at all, I'm glad you got here, Van!
0:49:41 > 0:49:42"Just in the nick of time."
0:49:42 > 0:49:47Unbelievable. She is so deceitful and nasty.
0:49:47 > 0:49:50Alice would be such a great character in a soap, wouldn't she?
0:49:50 > 0:49:54She's the perfect candidate. She's just two-faced, isn't she?
0:49:54 > 0:49:57I don't want to call her Alice! It's way too sweet a name for her.
0:50:03 > 0:50:07It's every male's mission in life to father as many cubs as he can.
0:50:07 > 0:50:10And it's every female's mission to mate with the strongest
0:50:10 > 0:50:12and fittest of the males.
0:50:12 > 0:50:16For these few hectic weeks, as the bears work each other out,
0:50:16 > 0:50:18life is intense enough.
0:50:18 > 0:50:21But Van and Alice seem to be playing by their own rules.
0:50:21 > 0:50:23This does not bode well.
0:50:34 > 0:50:38Out on the island, Parsnip seems to have upped her game.
0:50:38 > 0:50:41She's doing her best to raise her cub to stand up for himself...
0:50:43 > 0:50:46..and there are daily bouts of tussling and chase.
0:50:51 > 0:50:53These days of boot camp training
0:50:53 > 0:50:55are vital to get him ready for the challenges ahead.
0:50:57 > 0:50:59There is no time to waste.
0:50:59 > 0:51:02In just a few weeks, food supplies will run out on the island,
0:51:02 > 0:51:06and she and Pushki will have to return to the mainland.
0:51:22 > 0:51:26Pushki has been very much protected over the last few weeks.
0:51:29 > 0:51:32Has Parsnip done enough to get him ready?
0:51:48 > 0:51:52Over in the bay, Van is keeping a very watchful eye over Alice
0:51:52 > 0:51:56as the pair of them prowl in the meadow.
0:51:56 > 0:51:59It's creating a tense atmosphere.
0:52:05 > 0:52:08Yeah, these two have got a reputation among the other bears.
0:52:08 > 0:52:12Perhaps as individuals, but certainly when they're together.
0:52:12 > 0:52:14They've wandered up and down the meadows enough
0:52:14 > 0:52:17for just about every bear in this area that's here so far
0:52:17 > 0:52:20to know them, and know they are a force to be reckoned with.
0:52:20 > 0:52:24So all the other bears are being very, very cautious.
0:52:25 > 0:52:28Across the meadow, one of the pretty, blonde females
0:52:28 > 0:52:30catches Van's eye.
0:52:30 > 0:52:33She doesn't seem to be aware of Alice's reputation.
0:52:34 > 0:52:37Alice doesn't like the idea of her being around.
0:52:39 > 0:52:41I am actually surprised she's sticking around like this -
0:52:41 > 0:52:44you would think she would clear right out of this meadow.
0:52:48 > 0:52:51We're going to have to be very careful around these two.
0:52:51 > 0:52:53They are hyper, hyper-aggressive.
0:52:55 > 0:52:58Oh, look! Chase, chase, chase!
0:52:58 > 0:53:01The meadow is becoming a very dangerous place.
0:53:01 > 0:53:03This is not going to end well.
0:53:05 > 0:53:08In fact, what happens next is shocking in the extreme.
0:53:13 > 0:53:17As tempers flare, Van and Alice seem to be in a particularly
0:53:17 > 0:53:19heightened state of aggression.
0:53:19 > 0:53:23This is an extraordinary situation.
0:53:23 > 0:53:25The crew decide it's time to move.
0:53:25 > 0:53:28Let's at least get up to the wood.
0:53:28 > 0:53:29This is mad!
0:53:39 > 0:53:42Alice has got the young female on the ground.
0:53:42 > 0:53:44Van catches up with Alice and pushes her off.
0:53:44 > 0:53:46Look, Van's got her now!
0:53:48 > 0:53:51Holy smokes, I think he's going to kill that bear.
0:53:54 > 0:53:55And, within seconds,
0:53:55 > 0:53:59Van shows exactly why other bears stay out of his way.
0:54:00 > 0:54:02Oh, I cannot believe it!
0:54:05 > 0:54:08I've never in my life seen anything like that.
0:54:11 > 0:54:15I can't see it breathing, but it is a couple of hundred yards away.
0:54:17 > 0:54:19That is just mind-blowing, you guys.
0:54:19 > 0:54:22It's so fascinating. It's so sad to see.
0:54:22 > 0:54:26Just a few minutes ago we were watching that female here,
0:54:26 > 0:54:28really cautiously just doing her thing,
0:54:28 > 0:54:31grazing quietly on what she thought was this really peaceful
0:54:31 > 0:54:34meadow back here with no other bears around,
0:54:34 > 0:54:36and suddenly before you know it, ten minutes later she's dead,
0:54:36 > 0:54:38lying in the middle of the sedge meadow, there.
0:54:38 > 0:54:41God! That's what this place is about.
0:54:41 > 0:54:43Suddenly it's not just bears grazing on these sedges -
0:54:43 > 0:54:46suddenly it's the death zone for some of these animals,
0:54:46 > 0:54:49and anything can happen in the blink of an eye.
0:54:49 > 0:54:52Life changes for them so quickly here.
0:55:03 > 0:55:06Quite suddenly, Van and Alice leave the scene of the crime.
0:55:06 > 0:55:09As soon as they do, other bears start moving in,
0:55:09 > 0:55:11attracted by the smell.
0:55:11 > 0:55:13It's a frightening scenario.
0:55:15 > 0:55:18The kill seems to have triggered a primal response
0:55:18 > 0:55:19in the neighbourhood,
0:55:19 > 0:55:24and everyone, bears and crew alike, are on high alert.
0:55:24 > 0:55:26This can become a dangerous situation.
0:55:26 > 0:55:27If he's now got a carcass
0:55:27 > 0:55:31that he's going to get defensive over, he's going to get wound up.
0:55:33 > 0:55:37But the event has stirred something different in the killers.
0:55:39 > 0:55:40After all Van's weeks of waiting,
0:55:40 > 0:55:44it seems as if Alice has finally decided to accept his advances.
0:55:47 > 0:55:49The strange thing is, though,
0:55:49 > 0:55:51that we're seeing them copulate now for the first time,
0:55:51 > 0:55:55and it's right after all this crazy action just happened on the meadow,
0:55:55 > 0:55:58right after that, they are straight into the mating now.
0:55:58 > 0:56:01And it just seems like too much of a coincidence,
0:56:01 > 0:56:04and I really don't know if one is associated with the other.
0:56:04 > 0:56:07But what a strange thing to happen.
0:56:07 > 0:56:10The first time we actually saw her not walking away from him,
0:56:10 > 0:56:13but actually reversing right into him, between his forepaws,
0:56:13 > 0:56:17being very open about it, and inviting him to mount her.
0:56:17 > 0:56:20God, you just... I don't like to call them psychotic,
0:56:20 > 0:56:23but these guys are a little twisted.
0:56:23 > 0:56:26We should be calling them Bonnie and Clyde, not Van and Alice.
0:56:29 > 0:56:33Suddenly, the bay has changed into a very different place.
0:56:35 > 0:56:38Having mated with Alice at long last,
0:56:38 > 0:56:41his attention will now turn to maintaining his dominance -
0:56:41 > 0:56:45and, after today, who would challenge him?
0:56:49 > 0:56:53Over on the island, time has run out for Parsnip and Pushki.
0:56:53 > 0:56:55It was the right decision to come here,
0:56:55 > 0:56:59but now there is no more to eat they must leave or starve.
0:57:04 > 0:57:07In just a couple of weeks, the bay will fill with food.
0:57:07 > 0:57:12Every autumn, salmon run in their millions, heading upriver to spawn.
0:57:13 > 0:57:16It's the greatest feast of the year.
0:57:20 > 0:57:22Trouble is, every bear in the area
0:57:22 > 0:57:25will be fighting for a piece of the action.
0:57:25 > 0:57:26The competition will be fierce.
0:57:29 > 0:57:32If the last few weeks have been intense,
0:57:32 > 0:57:34it's about to get a whole lot worse.
0:57:34 > 0:57:38And Van and Alice are still stalking the bay.
0:57:44 > 0:57:48Are Parsnip and Pushki ready for autumn back on the mainland?
0:57:48 > 0:57:51There's no turning back now.
0:57:51 > 0:57:53It's do or die.