0:00:04 > 0:00:08Only one creature has carved a life for itself
0:00:08 > 0:00:10in every habitat on Earth.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15That creature is us.
0:00:16 > 0:00:21All over the world, we still use our ingenuity to survive
0:00:21 > 0:00:23in the wild places,
0:00:23 > 0:00:29far from the city lights, face to face with raw nature.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33This is the Human Planet.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37DOGS BARK
0:00:47 > 0:00:49At the top of our planet lies
0:00:49 > 0:00:52one of the most remote places on Earth.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55The Arctic.
0:01:02 > 0:01:07In winter, the region is frozen and dark for months on end.
0:01:13 > 0:01:18There are no trees and there are no plants to eat.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26We humans weren't built to withstand a landscape as hostile as this.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32And yet, four million people live here.
0:01:35 > 0:01:39Their survival relies upon an intimate knowledge of this,
0:01:39 > 0:01:43the most hostile habitat on Earth.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02HE SHOUTS
0:02:03 > 0:02:05HOWLS
0:02:17 > 0:02:20The beginning of a new Arctic year.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26After months of winter darkness,
0:02:26 > 0:02:29the sun finally returns to this frozen land.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32BELL CHIMES
0:02:36 > 0:02:39For the Inuit of Saattut, Greenland,
0:02:39 > 0:02:43the sun's return marks the beginning of their hunting calendar.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55Now that the residents have enough daylight,
0:02:55 > 0:02:57a world of opportunity opens up.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06They can embark on expeditions far from town,
0:03:11 > 0:03:14travelling across the thousands of kilometres of sea ice
0:03:14 > 0:03:16that lead to their hunting grounds.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26HOWLS
0:03:33 > 0:03:37Today, Amos Jensen and his son Karl-Frederik
0:03:37 > 0:03:38have to feed their dogs.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40DOGS HOWL
0:03:42 > 0:03:43Their dogs are essential.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46At this time of year, the dogsled
0:03:46 > 0:03:49is their only means of transportation.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03Because their hunting trip could take some time,
0:04:03 > 0:04:06father and son will need a few comforts of home,
0:04:06 > 0:04:10or even home itself.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24To find the most nutritious dog food,
0:04:24 > 0:04:29Amos and Karl-Frederik need to travel many kilometres across the sea ice.
0:04:33 > 0:04:38What they're after is a real-life Arctic sea monster,
0:04:38 > 0:04:40a Greenland shark.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00To support their weight, the ice
0:05:00 > 0:05:03only needs to be five centimetres thick,
0:05:03 > 0:05:04about two inches.
0:05:08 > 0:05:14This ice is nearly a metre thick, and it could support a jumbo jet.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16THEY PANT
0:05:16 > 0:05:19DOGS BARK
0:05:24 > 0:05:29Amos knows that Greenland sharks are partial to whale meat.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35And he also knows they live in the deepest waters.
0:05:42 > 0:05:48Now, both men and dogs have to wait for something to take the bait.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52(DOGS WHINE)
0:06:12 > 0:06:17As temperatures plummet to -35 degrees Celsius,
0:06:17 > 0:06:19the dogs' thick fur keeps them warm.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21HOWLS
0:06:25 > 0:06:27But without their hut,
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Amos and Karl-Frederik would freeze to death.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39DOGS BARK
0:06:45 > 0:06:48It's time to check if the dogs will eat today.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59From the vibrations he feels on the fishing line,
0:06:59 > 0:07:01he knows they've hooked something.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08But he won't know if it's a shark until they pull it up.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18It's down so deep
0:07:18 > 0:07:20they have to stretch their fishing line
0:07:20 > 0:07:23along the ice in hundred-metre lengths.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33They pull their catch up a staggering 800 metres,
0:07:33 > 0:07:36nearly twice the height of the Empire State Building.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17They've caught the Greenland shark they were hoping for.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37The Greenland shark is the only native Arctic shark.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42It's one of the largest predators in these seas.
0:08:46 > 0:08:51Researchers have found caribou and even polar bears in its stomach.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58THEY CHUCKLE
0:08:58 > 0:09:02The shark has accidentally wrapped the fishing line round its tail.
0:09:05 > 0:09:09It's not the normal way to land a shark,
0:09:09 > 0:09:11but a catch is a catch.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47Amos and Karl can't lift the shark by themselves
0:09:47 > 0:09:49so they enlist the help of the dogs.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53DOGS BARK
0:09:54 > 0:09:56HE SHOUTS
0:10:06 > 0:10:09This shark is four metres long, weighs over half a ton
0:10:09 > 0:10:12and is the largest they've ever caught.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19But it will only feed their 20 dogs for two weeks.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31DOGS BARK
0:10:31 > 0:10:34For Greenlanders, it is essential to have well-fed dogs
0:10:34 > 0:10:37if they're to continue hunting and fishing.
0:11:01 > 0:11:06Here in the Arctic, the bond between man and dog is so important.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08It's unlikely we would have colonised
0:11:08 > 0:11:11this habitat without our best friends.
0:11:14 > 0:11:18As the year moves on, so does the quest for survival.
0:11:22 > 0:11:26It's March, but the Arctic Ocean is still dominated by sea ice.
0:11:29 > 0:11:34An area four times the size of the United States is frozen over.
0:11:37 > 0:11:43The ice connects Europe to Russia, and Russia to North America.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49And here in the Canadian Arctic,
0:11:49 > 0:11:53people have a unique insight into what lies beneath the ice.
0:11:55 > 0:11:57In Kangiqsujjuaq, northeast Canada,
0:11:57 > 0:12:01Lukasi Nappaaluk is watching the tides.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05Tomorrow, the spring equinox
0:12:05 > 0:12:08will create the most extreme tides of the year,
0:12:08 > 0:12:12and a spectacular opportunity for a meal.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31The neap tide literally opens a door
0:12:31 > 0:12:35for a garden of seafood just below the ice.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40You just need to know where to find it.
0:12:44 > 0:12:49Lukasi and his friends prefer snowmobiles to dogsleds.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55And they don't bother to bring along a shelter either.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04Everything they need to protect themselves from the elements
0:13:04 > 0:13:06is right beneath their feet.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30Even if it's -45 degrees Celsius outside,
0:13:30 > 0:13:37body warmth can heat an igloo to a balmy +16,
0:13:37 > 0:13:39a full 60 degrees warmer.
0:13:53 > 0:13:59Cosy inside their igloo, Lukasi and his friends must now wait.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05Before they can hunt, something extraordinary has to happen.
0:14:14 > 0:14:18Underneath the sea ice, the tide is going out
0:14:20 > 0:14:22and out.
0:14:26 > 0:14:31The floating ice drops a staggering 12 metres, nearly 40 feet,
0:14:31 > 0:14:36exposing the seabed, and, hopefully, the bounty they're after.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42Lukasi and his friends try to get
0:14:42 > 0:14:45under the ice as quickly as possible.
0:14:47 > 0:14:51They have just half an hour before the tide comes back in.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01The world beneath their feet is unstable.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06The giant blocks of ice are no longer supported by water
0:15:06 > 0:15:09and could collapse at any moment.
0:15:29 > 0:15:34This is the only place on Earth where the tides are extreme enough
0:15:34 > 0:15:38to allow people to dare venture under the sea ice.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44And in a chamber that moments ago was underwater,
0:15:44 > 0:15:47they find what they're looking for.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51Mussels.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55All they could hope for.
0:15:58 > 0:16:03Now they have just minutes to gather all they can carry.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09The returning tide is an unstoppable force.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31As the sea steadily flows back,
0:16:31 > 0:16:35it lifts the huge blocks of ice over their heads.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44Even as they escape, the ice shifts around them.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54The ocean reclaims its secret garden.
0:17:04 > 0:17:09Lukasi can only harvest mussels for the few days of extreme tides.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26Mussels are a delicious way to break up a diet
0:17:26 > 0:17:29that during winter has been mainly seal meat and fish.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32THEY LAUGH AND CHAT
0:17:32 > 0:17:37But summer is on the way, and everything is about to change.
0:17:44 > 0:17:49By June, the sun finally pushes temperatures above zero.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54The sea ice begins to melt.
0:17:54 > 0:17:56BIRDSONG
0:17:56 > 0:18:02And as it breaks apart, it triggers an annual summer migration.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05WHALE SONG
0:18:05 > 0:18:08GROWLS AND GRUNTS
0:18:08 > 0:18:11Animals that have spent the winter far offshore
0:18:11 > 0:18:14follow the melting ice into the bays and fjords.
0:18:17 > 0:18:22For Arctic hunters, this creates a unique opportunity.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32HUNTERS SHOUT
0:18:35 > 0:18:39Mamarut Kristiansen, and his brothers Mikele and Gedion,
0:18:39 > 0:18:41are Thule Inuit from northern Greenland.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46They're rushing to keep the most important appointment
0:18:46 > 0:18:48in their hunting calendar.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51They must be punctual.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53In just a few weeks, the sea ice
0:18:53 > 0:18:56they're travelling on will melt away.
0:18:57 > 0:19:01Their goal is the most precious food in the Arctic.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08Narwhal.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19These legendary whales are looking for a way into the bay.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24This is a mythic creature...
0:19:28 > 0:19:29HE SHOUTS
0:19:29 > 0:19:34...but it is also a source of the rarest vitamin in the Arctic.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38Vitamin C.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49In a landscape with so few edible fruits or plants,
0:19:49 > 0:19:53the Inuit don't have alternatives.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58BIRDSONG
0:20:11 > 0:20:14Spotting narwhal is hard enough.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18Even scientists who study them rarely see them.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21But if Mikele is going to catch one,
0:20:21 > 0:20:25the narwhal will have to swim a great deal closer than this.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43It could be weeks before the three brothers see narwhal again.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50But they have to stay alert, and there's plenty to prepare.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54In this region, the law states
0:20:54 > 0:20:57that hunters can only use traditional methods.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00This means travelling in kayaks,
0:21:00 > 0:21:04a craft the Inuit invented thousands of years ago,
0:21:04 > 0:21:09and using the avatak, a buoy made from the skin of a ring seal.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32Even though it's midnight, the sun still shines.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34In June, the sun simply
0:21:34 > 0:21:38circles the sky, never dipping below the horizon.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56It's vital that one of them stands guard at all times.
0:21:57 > 0:22:01But Gedion isn't just looking for narwhal.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06He's watching the ice.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09DOGS BARK
0:22:11 > 0:22:15Already it's thinning and breaking apart.
0:22:19 > 0:22:20If they're not careful,
0:22:20 > 0:22:25the brothers could find themselves adrift on a melting piece of ice.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40Mamarut and Gedion know not to panic.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44Narwhal are extremely skittish,
0:23:44 > 0:23:48so the hunters enter the water with care.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05The three brothers work as a team.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10They're after just one whale.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16It's an ambush.
0:24:22 > 0:24:26The narwhal pass within 50 feet of Mikele
0:24:28 > 0:24:32but still all three hunters wait.
0:24:35 > 0:24:39If he strikes too soon, the whole pod will dive.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53His eye is on the stragglers bringing up the rear.
0:25:07 > 0:25:11Especially in the final approach, Mikele must be silent
0:25:13 > 0:25:16and directly behind his prey.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11SHOUTING
0:26:26 > 0:26:31Their success will benefit the whole community.
0:26:31 > 0:26:36The single narwhal will feed their families for weeks, if not months.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50The most prized part of the narwhal is the skin.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52They call it muktuk.
0:26:52 > 0:26:56It's their primary source of vitamin C.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59Ounce for ounce, narwhal skin contains
0:26:59 > 0:27:02almost as much vitamin C as oranges.
0:27:10 > 0:27:11Without narwhal,
0:27:11 > 0:27:15it's doubtful the Inuit would have survived in this part of the Arctic.
0:27:20 > 0:27:25It's now July, and the sun finally wins its battle.
0:27:26 > 0:27:30The sea ice melts into open ocean.
0:27:33 > 0:27:38To find food, man turns his attention to the land.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47Siorapaluk, Greenland,
0:27:47 > 0:27:51is the northernmost native settlement on Earth.
0:27:52 > 0:27:56Every year, Maassannguaq Oshima is treated to a spectacle.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01Millions of little auks on migration.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06They come here to breed on the cliffs.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11And for predators,
0:28:11 > 0:28:14there's a mouth-watering supply of protein whizzing overhead.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19If you can reach it.
0:29:04 > 0:29:06Thousands of years ago, Maassannguaq's ancestors
0:29:06 > 0:29:11worked out how to make nets out of sinew and driftwood.
0:29:12 > 0:29:16And they created the same hiding spots he uses today.
0:29:28 > 0:29:32On a good day, Maassannguaq can gather up to 500 birds.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38But he won't eat them now.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45He'll take his cue from a fellow hunter.
0:29:46 > 0:29:50Arctic foxes often stuff a few birds underground,
0:29:50 > 0:29:54so that when times are lean, they'll have food to fall back on.
0:30:09 > 0:30:11The birds can be used to make kiviak,
0:30:11 > 0:30:15a dish that you save for a rainy day.
0:30:16 > 0:30:21The recipe is thousands of years old, and it goes like this.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25Take one seal skin.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31Stuff as many little auks inside it as you can.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37At least 500.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41Sew it up.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44Make sure you press all the air out.
0:30:48 > 0:30:53Seal fat repels flies, so be generous when coating the seams.
0:30:54 > 0:31:00And finally, use a big rock to make sure no more air gets in.
0:31:07 > 0:31:10Maassannguaq's kiviak won't be ready for three months,
0:31:10 > 0:31:13but the frozen ground is a natural refrigerator.
0:31:16 > 0:31:21Come winter, he and his family will have a vital supply of food.
0:31:30 > 0:31:32It's now September.
0:31:34 > 0:31:38Days are getting shorter and temperatures are plummeting.
0:31:38 > 0:31:43The few plants that have managed to grow over the short Arctic summer
0:31:43 > 0:31:45are dying back.
0:31:47 > 0:31:52This is exactly what is happening on Arnoy island, northern Norway.
0:31:59 > 0:32:033,000 reindeer have been grazing here all summer.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07But now they have to move,
0:32:07 > 0:32:09because their winter food source,
0:32:09 > 0:32:14lichen, can only be found 450 kilometres away.
0:32:15 > 0:32:20And to get to it, they'll have to cross this, the Arnoy strait.
0:32:24 > 0:32:26Elle-Helene Siri is in charge
0:32:26 > 0:32:29of leading these reindeer across the water.
0:32:32 > 0:32:36She belongs to a family of Sami reindeer herders.
0:32:44 > 0:32:46Before the migration begins,
0:32:46 > 0:32:50Elle helps split the deer into smaller groups
0:32:50 > 0:32:52so they can give them vital medicine.
0:32:52 > 0:32:54SHE SHOUTS
0:33:08 > 0:33:12On the day she was born, Elle was given a portion of this herd.
0:33:15 > 0:33:20Now aged 20, and a recent graduate of Norway's reindeer college,
0:33:20 > 0:33:24it's up to her to make sure they all survive the perilous journey ahead.
0:33:30 > 0:33:31It will take nearly a month
0:33:31 > 0:33:34for these deer to migrate to their winter pastures.
0:33:38 > 0:33:40But today is the toughest day of all,
0:33:40 > 0:33:44because the deer have to swim 2.5 kilometres across the channel.
0:33:44 > 0:33:46COWBELLS CHIME DULLY
0:33:46 > 0:33:48REINDEER GRUNT
0:33:58 > 0:34:02These chilly Arctic waters are only just above freezing.
0:34:04 > 0:34:08Even for adult reindeer this is a long swim.
0:34:14 > 0:34:18But for this year's calves, which have never been in the water before,
0:34:18 > 0:34:20it's a marathon.
0:34:34 > 0:34:36SHIP HORN BLARES
0:35:00 > 0:35:05As the young calves approach the halfway point, exhaustion sets in.
0:35:12 > 0:35:14For Elle, it's a tense moment,
0:35:15 > 0:35:21because if one calf turns around and swims back, the rest could follow.
0:35:43 > 0:35:47A baby female is in trouble, and suddenly, she turns back.
0:35:47 > 0:35:52Elle must stop her or the whole migration could derail.
0:36:14 > 0:36:16She's done it.
0:36:16 > 0:36:19The migration remains on track.
0:36:43 > 0:36:49After an hour of hard swimming, Elle and her reindeer reach the mainland.
0:37:04 > 0:37:07It won't be long before Elle's deer will be grazing
0:37:07 > 0:37:10on the lichen they need to get them through the winter.
0:37:14 > 0:37:18And it's not just animals looking for a meal at this time of year.
0:37:22 > 0:37:26In Greenland, Maassannguaq and his father are already breaking into
0:37:26 > 0:37:31the caches of little auks they stored up in the summer.
0:37:33 > 0:37:37The birds have now fermented and have become
0:37:37 > 0:37:41the Inuit delicacy known as kiviak.
0:37:42 > 0:37:46It's easy to tell if your kiviak is ready by the aroma.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50It should sting the nostrils.
0:37:53 > 0:37:58This is why it's polite always to serve kiviak outdoors.
0:38:03 > 0:38:08The flavour should resemble extremely intense Gorgonzola cheese.
0:38:11 > 0:38:16Nothing is wasted. Everything is edible.
0:38:21 > 0:38:25The Inuit of northern Greenland love kiviak so much
0:38:25 > 0:38:29that it's the dish of choice for birthdays and weddings.
0:38:29 > 0:38:33And it's nutritious, full of vitamins and minerals
0:38:33 > 0:38:36that will sustain people over the winter months ahead.
0:38:42 > 0:38:49As September gives way to October, winter returns to the Arctic.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55The ocean ices over once again.
0:38:59 > 0:39:04One of the first places to freeze lies along Hudson's Bay
0:39:04 > 0:39:07near the town of Churchill, Manitoba.
0:39:09 > 0:39:13Every year, the 1,000 human residents must share their town
0:39:13 > 0:39:16with one of the few predators on Earth
0:39:16 > 0:39:18that actively hunts human beings.
0:39:21 > 0:39:23BEAR GROWLS
0:39:28 > 0:39:29From September to November,
0:39:29 > 0:39:34as many as 300 ravenous polar bears descend on Churchill
0:39:34 > 0:39:36on their way back to hunt on the sea ice.
0:39:36 > 0:39:39BEAR GROWLS
0:39:40 > 0:39:44Bob Windsor is in charge of protecting the residents.
0:39:44 > 0:39:49He belongs to a special task force - the Polar Bear Alert team.
0:39:51 > 0:39:55'Polar bears are pure predators, so they kill other animals to eat.
0:39:55 > 0:39:57'That's how they survive.
0:39:57 > 0:40:00'Knowing that, you have to give them a little more respect
0:40:00 > 0:40:02'because you could also be a potential meal for them.'
0:40:10 > 0:40:11(OVER RADIO) This is one nine zero.
0:40:11 > 0:40:15Just to let everybody know that there's a bear coming towards town.
0:40:15 > 0:40:17BEAR SNARLS
0:40:17 > 0:40:19VEHICLE HORN BLARES
0:40:19 > 0:40:21As a first line of defence,
0:40:21 > 0:40:24Bob tries to frighten the bear back into the wilderness.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27GUNSHOTS
0:40:33 > 0:40:36But this skirmish isn't necessarily over.
0:40:36 > 0:40:37GUNSHOT
0:40:37 > 0:40:42Desperate for something to eat, bears often return in the darkness...
0:40:47 > 0:40:50WINDCHIMES/DOG BARKS
0:40:51 > 0:40:53...which is bad news for Bob,
0:40:53 > 0:40:58because tonight, more than any other night, fills him with dread.
0:40:58 > 0:41:02'Halloween is probably the busiest night of the year that we work,
0:41:02 > 0:41:07'just by the sheer number of people out and about that evening.'
0:41:10 > 0:41:12DOG BARKS
0:41:12 > 0:41:17So, the potential for something bad to happen is definitely there.
0:41:23 > 0:41:25MUSIC PLAYS
0:41:25 > 0:41:29At the same time as the trick-or-treaters hit the streets,
0:41:29 > 0:41:34people at the Royal Legion gather for their weekly meat raffle.
0:41:34 > 0:41:39The prize for winning is prime Canadian beef.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42Next ticket...
0:41:42 > 0:41:45number 440.
0:41:45 > 0:41:47- Ha-ha-ha-ha! Yeah! - APPLAUSE
0:41:59 > 0:42:01This may seem cavalier,
0:42:01 > 0:42:05but the residents of Churchill refuse to live in fear.
0:42:06 > 0:42:11And the protection of the polar bear patrol makes them feel safe.
0:42:13 > 0:42:15However, in the past,
0:42:15 > 0:42:20bears have mauled and killed people right here on Main Street,
0:42:20 > 0:42:22and Bob is all too aware of the risks.
0:42:25 > 0:42:29You always hope and pray that nothing bad is gonna happen.
0:42:30 > 0:42:35Keep your eyes open, be aware of your surroundings
0:42:35 > 0:42:39and always be thinking that there could be a bear nearby.
0:42:41 > 0:42:43They'll move around. You won't hear them.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46Hi! Trick or treat!
0:42:46 > 0:42:49We kind of refer to them sometimes as ghosts,
0:42:49 > 0:42:51cos they'll just disappear on you.
0:42:53 > 0:42:58They'll be there, then, "Where did it go?" A little spooky that way.
0:43:01 > 0:43:06They're amazingly fast, amazingly agile, and amazingly stealthful.
0:43:07 > 0:43:11- SHE SCREAMS - Trick or treat!
0:43:14 > 0:43:17- Hi, guys! How you doin'? - Trick or treat.
0:43:17 > 0:43:18Trick or treat?
0:43:18 > 0:43:21- Have you seen any bears? - No, it's been good tonight.
0:43:21 > 0:43:23There was a bear in town earlier today.
0:43:23 > 0:43:27- But there's been nothing tonight at all.- Did you hear that? We're safe.
0:43:27 > 0:43:29You have a good night tonight, OK?
0:43:29 > 0:43:32Keep your eyes open for polar bears too, OK?
0:43:32 > 0:43:34- Thank you, guys.- Bye-bye!
0:43:34 > 0:43:36- Happy Halloween! - See you, little bear!
0:43:36 > 0:43:38Happy Halloweenie!
0:43:45 > 0:43:49Tonight, the residents of Churchill are safe,
0:43:49 > 0:43:52but it was a closer call than many of them realised.
0:43:53 > 0:43:56Inside this bear trap is proof
0:43:56 > 0:44:01trick-or-treaters weren't the only ones on the streets last night.
0:44:01 > 0:44:07Lured into the cage by seal meat, this male weighs over half a ton.
0:44:13 > 0:44:16This bear is sedated and will be flown
0:44:16 > 0:44:19at least 60 kilometres outside of town.
0:44:26 > 0:44:28In the past,
0:44:28 > 0:44:33an average of 75 bears per year have been transported out of Churchill.
0:44:38 > 0:44:42But in recent years, the number of invading bears has halved
0:44:42 > 0:44:46because in this part of the Arctic, polar bears are in decline.
0:44:56 > 0:45:00They have timed the sedative so that it wears off soon after they land
0:45:02 > 0:45:07so that bears can protect themselves from other bears in the area.
0:45:08 > 0:45:10For Officer Windsor,
0:45:10 > 0:45:14it means working fast before this bear fully wakes up.
0:45:16 > 0:45:20A single swipe from a male this size could be fatal.
0:45:24 > 0:45:29It's a great feeling cos here it is, you're letting them go.
0:45:29 > 0:45:32You can't help but wonder where's it going to be going,
0:45:32 > 0:45:34how is it going to make out.
0:45:37 > 0:45:41Very satisfying to see a bear actually get up and go on its way.
0:45:41 > 0:45:43HELICOPTER ROTORS WHIRR
0:45:47 > 0:45:52Wish 'em well, hope for the best, and to never seem 'em again in town.
0:46:02 > 0:46:03With the sea ice forming fast,
0:46:03 > 0:46:06it won't be long before this polar bear
0:46:06 > 0:46:09can roam far and wide in search of food.
0:46:12 > 0:46:15But for people, moving around the Arctic
0:46:15 > 0:46:18is about to get a lot more treacherous,
0:46:18 > 0:46:21because the sun is deserting them.
0:46:21 > 0:46:24It's November in Ilulissat, Greenland,
0:46:24 > 0:46:28and the sun no longer rises above the horizon.
0:46:30 > 0:46:34The residents won't see daylight for another 54 days.
0:46:36 > 0:46:41They try to live their lives as normal. They still hunt and fish.
0:46:43 > 0:46:46Adults go to work.
0:46:47 > 0:46:50Children go to school.
0:46:51 > 0:46:54But it's all under the cover of darkness.
0:47:01 > 0:47:07As the dark days drag on, everybody yearns for the sun to come back.
0:47:13 > 0:47:15DOG BARKS
0:47:19 > 0:47:24Finally, on January 13th, they get their wish.
0:47:24 > 0:47:28The entire community comes out to celebrate
0:47:28 > 0:47:30the first sunrise of the new year.
0:47:42 > 0:47:47With every new sunrise, the Arctic is warming up.
0:47:50 > 0:47:53And the seasonal opportunities that have made life possible
0:47:53 > 0:47:56may not be here in years to come.
0:47:58 > 0:48:03However, the people of the Arctic are born survivors.
0:48:03 > 0:48:06If there's anyone who can adapt
0:48:06 > 0:48:11to the changes on the horizon, surely it's them.
0:48:20 > 0:48:25For the Arctic team, the narwhal hunt was always going to be a challenge.
0:48:27 > 0:48:29The hunt happens in the spring,
0:48:29 > 0:48:33when the sea ice is at its most fragile and dangerous.
0:48:39 > 0:48:40HE SHOUTS
0:48:43 > 0:48:46Even knowing the risks, no-one could have foreseen
0:48:46 > 0:48:51quite how much drama they would face in this treacherous place.
0:49:00 > 0:49:01Day one on the ice,
0:49:01 > 0:49:06and the experienced crew, including polar cameraman Doug Allan,
0:49:06 > 0:49:08are busy loading the sleds.
0:49:08 > 0:49:12This is what you need to take six people onto the ice for a fortnight.
0:49:12 > 0:49:15It's a hell of a lot of stuff, isn't it?
0:49:16 > 0:49:19We've probably got about 400 kilos between six people.
0:49:19 > 0:49:24So, to say we're travelling light is possibly a little understatement!
0:49:24 > 0:49:27With the kit and a person on board,
0:49:27 > 0:49:31each dogsled is having to carry about 100 kilos of freight,
0:49:31 > 0:49:35which is quite a lot, really, between 12 dogs.
0:49:38 > 0:49:43But this is what these dogs are bred for, and they're in their element.
0:49:43 > 0:49:47They set off across 27 kilometres of sea ice to open water.
0:49:50 > 0:49:53Three brothers, Mamarut, Gedion and Mikele,
0:49:53 > 0:49:56lead the crew on their quest for narwhal.
0:49:56 > 0:49:59HE SHOUTS
0:50:03 > 0:50:05After only a couple of hours,
0:50:05 > 0:50:08the expedition encounters their first sign of danger.
0:50:09 > 0:50:12You can quite distinctly see the movement here.
0:50:12 > 0:50:16The swell's coming in from the open ocean and it's breaking it up.
0:50:16 > 0:50:20And this little crack here, which you can put your finger down,
0:50:20 > 0:50:23maybe 15 minutes from now, it's going to be this wide.
0:50:23 > 0:50:26Half an hour, it will be too wide to cross.
0:50:26 > 0:50:29You have to be careful. This ice is on the move all the time.
0:50:29 > 0:50:34The Inuit hunters decide the ice is too unstable
0:50:34 > 0:50:38and the expedition is forced back to the safety of land.
0:50:38 > 0:50:40After five and a half hours of travelling,
0:50:40 > 0:50:43we've come all the way across the...the inlet.
0:50:43 > 0:50:47The ice edge is still unstable so I think we'll wait the night out here
0:50:47 > 0:50:50and then maybe have a look-see tomorrow.
0:50:52 > 0:50:53The next morning,
0:50:53 > 0:50:56they pick their way across broken tidal ice to the sleds,
0:50:56 > 0:50:58to check out the situation.
0:50:58 > 0:51:03I'm pleased the hunters made the decision they did, as overnight,
0:51:03 > 0:51:06we've lost three or four kilometres of the ice shelf,
0:51:06 > 0:51:10which is now disappearing rapidly in that direction.
0:51:12 > 0:51:16As we were coming into the fjord, we actually crossed our tracks,
0:51:16 > 0:51:21and they disappeared into the water, which was quite a sobering thought.
0:51:23 > 0:51:27When they do reach the edge, they can't believe their luck,
0:51:27 > 0:51:29as Mamarut quickly spots some narwhal.
0:51:32 > 0:51:35We've just seen some narwhal further along the ice edge,
0:51:35 > 0:51:38so the guys are getting the kayaks ready
0:51:38 > 0:51:42because if the narwhals come close, they might try to hunt them.
0:51:44 > 0:51:46Doug's ready to capture the action.
0:51:49 > 0:51:55But just when Gedion is in position to harpoon, the narwhal dives.
0:51:59 > 0:52:03They wait and hope for the whales to resurface.
0:52:04 > 0:52:09It's now one o'clock in the morning. We've been here for about 12 hours.
0:52:09 > 0:52:11The narwhal have gone
0:52:11 > 0:52:16but the hunters are still sure that they're going to come back,
0:52:16 > 0:52:20and we're still waiting, and we're all getting very tired.
0:52:23 > 0:52:2724-hour daylight melts the ice from above,
0:52:27 > 0:52:31and ocean swells stress the ice from beneath.
0:52:31 > 0:52:34It's not the safest place to camp,
0:52:34 > 0:52:38but they must wait at the edge for the narwhals' return.
0:52:40 > 0:52:42The days start to run into weeks
0:52:42 > 0:52:45and the crew have to extend their shoot.
0:52:46 > 0:52:50It's almost three weeks now that we've been on location
0:52:50 > 0:52:54and this...this is the problem - ice.
0:52:54 > 0:52:58And somewhere under here are the narwhals.
0:52:58 > 0:53:01It's really frustrating.
0:53:03 > 0:53:07Next, it's the weather that turns against them.
0:53:08 > 0:53:12It's just one thing after another, isn't it?
0:53:15 > 0:53:17Oh!
0:53:20 > 0:53:22I'll tell you how bored I am.
0:53:22 > 0:53:25- How bored are you? - I moved my tent this morning.
0:53:25 > 0:53:28That was the most exciting thing I've done in three days.
0:53:28 > 0:53:30And I moved it six feet.
0:53:30 > 0:53:34It gave me a sense of satisfaction, cos I'd done something!
0:53:37 > 0:53:40As the days pass, the temperature rises
0:53:40 > 0:53:46and the ice thins, increasing the chance of something going wrong.
0:53:56 > 0:53:59Did you hear it? Did you hear it? Oh, listen, listen!
0:53:59 > 0:54:03It's cracking... It's cracking right underneath us right now.
0:54:03 > 0:54:07You can't see it cos there's snow on top of it. There was like, "Crunch!"
0:54:07 > 0:54:10DOGS HOWL
0:54:10 > 0:54:14It's perfect narwhal conditions, perfect light, perfect everything,
0:54:14 > 0:54:17and what's happening, we've got swell.
0:54:17 > 0:54:20The swell can fracture the sea ice literally anywhere.
0:54:20 > 0:54:21That's not good news.
0:54:21 > 0:54:26So, it's time to leave here and head to safer ground.
0:54:27 > 0:54:30The normally laid-back Inuit up their pace,
0:54:30 > 0:54:33and the crew realise the situation is serious.
0:54:33 > 0:54:35Go! Go!
0:54:37 > 0:54:39Gotta go.
0:54:40 > 0:54:42HE SHOUTS
0:54:44 > 0:54:46HE SHOUTS
0:54:57 > 0:55:01They are all now cast adrift on an ice floe.
0:55:01 > 0:55:05I don't know how the hell we're going to get off this now!
0:55:07 > 0:55:11They're facing an emergency and everyone's focus turns to survival.
0:55:13 > 0:55:14Stop this, please.
0:55:17 > 0:55:23The whole expedition is now floating away at an alarming rate.
0:55:26 > 0:55:31There are 13 people, 54 dogs and six sleds of kit to get to safety.
0:55:31 > 0:55:33HE SHOUTS
0:55:34 > 0:55:36Gedion has got into his canoe
0:55:36 > 0:55:41and is paddling furiously across the lead with a very fine trace wire,
0:55:41 > 0:55:44onto which, by the looks of it, they will put a much thicker rope,
0:55:44 > 0:55:47to physically haul from the other side the sleds across,
0:55:47 > 0:55:50which is very clever, cos they float - amazing.
0:55:51 > 0:55:53Speed is of the essence,
0:55:53 > 0:55:57as the wind blows the team further and further from land.
0:55:57 > 0:56:02The sea temperature here can kill in minutes.
0:56:04 > 0:56:07It pays not to rock the boat.
0:56:09 > 0:56:12Get the important stuff on!
0:56:12 > 0:56:15Well, the guys have done great.
0:56:15 > 0:56:19Very impressed. No flap. They knew what to do.
0:56:20 > 0:56:22After four hours ferrying,
0:56:22 > 0:56:25the kit and crew reach the other side safely.
0:56:27 > 0:56:32But that still leaves 54 water-shy dogs.
0:56:34 > 0:56:36DOGS WHINE
0:56:40 > 0:56:42CALLS OUT
0:56:47 > 0:56:50On the other side, they're still far from home
0:56:50 > 0:56:53and on ice that's breaking up around them.
0:56:55 > 0:56:57It's a race against time,
0:56:57 > 0:57:01as over 10km before they reach the safety of the village.
0:57:03 > 0:57:04Within sight of home,
0:57:04 > 0:57:08an inexperienced dog team makes a serious error.
0:57:08 > 0:57:11SHOUTING
0:57:14 > 0:57:16SHOUTING
0:57:18 > 0:57:22An unseen crack has opened up just metres from the village.
0:57:24 > 0:57:27Any wider and the fully laden sledge would sink to the bottom,
0:57:27 > 0:57:29dragging the dogs under.
0:57:32 > 0:57:35There's a dog trapped under the sledge
0:57:35 > 0:57:39but, miraculously, even this one emerges unharmed.
0:57:41 > 0:57:46Doug and the crew spot the problem and find a better route home.
0:57:49 > 0:57:52It was another week before the ice was safe enough
0:57:52 > 0:57:55for the crew to film the full narwhal hunt sequence.
0:57:56 > 0:57:59This shoot, more than any other,
0:57:59 > 0:58:02highlights the importance of the complete trust
0:58:02 > 0:58:06between the Human Planet crew and the local Inuit,
0:58:06 > 0:58:10in a place where knowing your environment is the key to survival.
0:58:34 > 0:58:36Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:58:36 > 0:58:38E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk