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'I'm Gordon Buchanan. | 0:00:02 | 0:00:04 | |
'I've filmed the most amazing creatures on the planet.' | 0:00:05 | 0:00:09 | |
Wow. | 0:00:09 | 0:00:10 | |
These are animals that have killed people. | 0:00:10 | 0:00:12 | |
'But, for me, some of the best wildlife | 0:00:14 | 0:00:16 | |
'is right here on our doorstep. | 0:00:16 | 0:00:18 | |
'And I'd like some of our best-loved household names | 0:00:20 | 0:00:23 | |
'to experience it as I do.' | 0:00:23 | 0:00:25 | |
It's just awe-inspiring. | 0:00:25 | 0:00:27 | |
That was unbelievable. | 0:00:27 | 0:00:29 | |
Beautiful. | 0:00:29 | 0:00:30 | |
Oh, what an experience. | 0:00:30 | 0:00:32 | |
'I can spend weeks or even months tracking down | 0:00:32 | 0:00:34 | |
'these elusive creatures. | 0:00:34 | 0:00:36 | |
'This time, I have just three days. | 0:00:36 | 0:00:40 | |
'This could be the biggest challenge of my career.' | 0:00:40 | 0:00:44 | |
'I'm in the north of Scotland with someone | 0:00:53 | 0:00:56 | |
'I'm more used to seeing in a flak jacket. | 0:00:56 | 0:00:58 | |
'John Simpson, BBC's world affairs editor. | 0:00:58 | 0:01:03 | |
Veteran war correspondent and a man who's often in the firing line.' | 0:01:03 | 0:01:08 | |
Out there, the Gaddafi people are shooting in our direction. | 0:01:08 | 0:01:13 | |
You can hear bullets flying overhead from time to time, quite low. | 0:01:13 | 0:01:17 | |
Nobody's around. They're too scared to stay. | 0:01:17 | 0:01:21 | |
'John joined the BBC when he was 25 | 0:01:23 | 0:01:25 | |
'and he's made a career reporting from the world's conflict zones.' | 0:01:25 | 0:01:29 | |
Baghdad and Kabul. | 0:01:31 | 0:01:33 | |
I actually enjoy going to them, not because it's dangerous, | 0:01:33 | 0:01:37 | |
although it is quite dangerous sometimes, | 0:01:37 | 0:01:39 | |
but because it's difficult. | 0:01:39 | 0:01:41 | |
Difficult to operate, difficult to explain. | 0:01:41 | 0:01:43 | |
I take a pleasure in that. | 0:01:43 | 0:01:45 | |
But there is something in me that would prefer to get on a plane | 0:01:45 | 0:01:49 | |
and go to these wild, kind of crazy places that nobody goes to. | 0:01:49 | 0:01:55 | |
'For the next three days, we're going to be | 0:01:58 | 0:02:00 | |
'in and around Cairngorm National Park in the north of Scotland. | 0:02:00 | 0:02:03 | |
'It's the UK's largest national park, | 0:02:06 | 0:02:09 | |
1,750 square miles, | 0:02:09 | 0:02:12 | |
'and home to four of the UK's five highest mountains. | 0:02:12 | 0:02:15 | |
'Today, we're on the lookout for the elusive wildcat. | 0:02:18 | 0:02:22 | |
'Then we are in the Highlands tracking red squirrels, | 0:02:24 | 0:02:27 | |
'and our only native hare. | 0:02:27 | 0:02:29 | |
'I'm hoping we'll also see ptarmigan and free ranging reindeer.' | 0:02:31 | 0:02:35 | |
So, John, one of my favourite places on the planet is right here. | 0:02:37 | 0:02:45 | |
-Cairngorms. I absolutely love it. -Oh, yes. Oh, yes. | 0:02:45 | 0:02:48 | |
25% of some of the UK's most important species are found... | 0:02:48 | 0:02:53 | |
Is that right, a quarter? | 0:02:53 | 0:02:55 | |
Yes, so, what I'd like to do is just show you | 0:02:55 | 0:02:58 | |
the majesty of the mountains, the magic of the forest, | 0:02:58 | 0:03:02 | |
-and just pick a handful of creatures that I'd like to find. -Like what? | 0:03:02 | 0:03:07 | |
-Red squirrel. -I'd love to. I've never seen a red squirrel. | 0:03:07 | 0:03:10 | |
Really? Oh, there you go. | 0:03:10 | 0:03:11 | |
Ptarmigan, again, | 0:03:11 | 0:03:13 | |
a hardy little bird that presents its own challenges. | 0:03:13 | 0:03:17 | |
For them, we're going to have to go up into the mountains. | 0:03:17 | 0:03:20 | |
Wildcat is the Holy Grail, I think, of British wildlife. | 0:03:20 | 0:03:23 | |
-There's so few of them, they're so hard to find. -Fewer than tigers. | 0:03:23 | 0:03:26 | |
Fewer than tigers, yes. | 0:03:26 | 0:03:28 | |
They're one of the most endangered cats in the world. | 0:03:28 | 0:03:30 | |
So, of those species, is there any that kind of ignites a spark? | 0:03:30 | 0:03:35 | |
Well, there really is. | 0:03:35 | 0:03:37 | |
Ever since I was a kid, | 0:03:37 | 0:03:39 | |
I've been excited by the idea of wildcats in Scotland. | 0:03:39 | 0:03:45 | |
Really endangered, really, really rare, | 0:03:45 | 0:03:48 | |
really difficult to see. So that's what I'd like to see. Can you...? | 0:03:48 | 0:03:53 | |
I'll see what I can do. | 0:03:53 | 0:03:55 | |
OK. Well, if you can, I'll be really happy. | 0:03:58 | 0:04:02 | |
-We are in the best possible place to see them. -OK, well, you know. | 0:04:02 | 0:04:08 | |
-I live in hope. -Yeah. | 0:04:08 | 0:04:10 | |
'So, I've just three days to show John wildcats, red squirrels, | 0:04:10 | 0:04:14 | |
'mountain hare, ptarmigan and reindeer. | 0:04:14 | 0:04:18 | |
'But it's November and the Cairngorm plateau is the highest, | 0:04:22 | 0:04:26 | |
'coldest, and snowiest place in the UK. | 0:04:26 | 0:04:30 | |
'I hope John knows what he's in for.' | 0:04:32 | 0:04:35 | |
I don't like the cold so much. | 0:04:35 | 0:04:38 | |
I did a documentary in the Arctic with Ranulph Fiennes, | 0:04:38 | 0:04:43 | |
and there I was miserable. | 0:04:43 | 0:04:46 | |
I mean, it was -70, and the wind blowing like crazy. | 0:04:46 | 0:04:52 | |
And I got frostbite on all my fingers. I just... | 0:04:52 | 0:04:57 | |
I loathed that. I couldn't wait to be out of it. | 0:04:57 | 0:05:00 | |
I promise there's no chance of frostbite. Hypothermia? Yes. | 0:05:00 | 0:05:07 | |
But frostbite, no. | 0:05:07 | 0:05:09 | |
'The Angus Glens are around 20 miles north of Dundee. | 0:05:14 | 0:05:18 | |
'And one of the few places we might spot the elusive Scottish wildcat. | 0:05:19 | 0:05:23 | |
'They used to be found all over Britain. | 0:05:26 | 0:05:29 | |
'Now there are only a handful left in the north of Scotland | 0:05:29 | 0:05:33 | |
'because of persecution and loss of habitat. | 0:05:33 | 0:05:36 | |
'Scottish Wildcat Action is a conservation project set up | 0:05:39 | 0:05:42 | |
'to save this iconic animal from extinction. | 0:05:42 | 0:05:45 | |
'They've been monitoring wildcats using trail cameras. | 0:05:49 | 0:05:52 | |
'And this area has one of the highest densities. | 0:05:52 | 0:05:55 | |
'So, I'm hoping project manager Dr Roo Campbell | 0:05:58 | 0:06:01 | |
'can tell us where to put our cameras.' | 0:06:01 | 0:06:03 | |
This is all... | 0:06:06 | 0:06:08 | |
all great habitat. Hello, how are you doing? Roo's the man. | 0:06:08 | 0:06:13 | |
Nice to meet you. | 0:06:13 | 0:06:15 | |
I was thinking, when was the last time a wildcat walked up... | 0:06:15 | 0:06:18 | |
walked up here? Have you ever bumped into a wildcat? | 0:06:18 | 0:06:22 | |
I could count the number of times on one hand. | 0:06:22 | 0:06:25 | |
-So it's not often. -Yeah. | 0:06:25 | 0:06:26 | |
So, this habitat, | 0:06:26 | 0:06:28 | |
-I suppose it provides everything that wildcats need. -It does, yes. | 0:06:28 | 0:06:31 | |
When that grass goes up and that becomes great vole habitat, | 0:06:31 | 0:06:34 | |
so then you've got prey. | 0:06:34 | 0:06:35 | |
Right next to it, you've got all this mature pine | 0:06:35 | 0:06:37 | |
or you've got a young plantation, so, that'll provide cover. | 0:06:37 | 0:06:40 | |
So the cat's got everything it needs all in one place. | 0:06:40 | 0:06:43 | |
It's exciting, isn't it? | 0:06:43 | 0:06:45 | |
When you think, small island, not very many species of wildlife, | 0:06:45 | 0:06:49 | |
really. And, yet, you can have something | 0:06:49 | 0:06:54 | |
that's so little known as a wildcat. | 0:06:54 | 0:06:57 | |
That's really...why I've always had a real interest in them, | 0:06:57 | 0:07:01 | |
for that reason. Just sort of mysterious. | 0:07:01 | 0:07:05 | |
Our last ferocious predator. | 0:07:05 | 0:07:07 | |
And without the use of camera traps, | 0:07:07 | 0:07:10 | |
the chances of actually learning anything about them would be... | 0:07:10 | 0:07:13 | |
They've revolutionised the work on the species. Totally. | 0:07:13 | 0:07:17 | |
We can go out and cover large areas of ground. | 0:07:17 | 0:07:20 | |
Scottish Wildcat Action's going to be setting | 0:07:20 | 0:07:22 | |
something like 70 camera traps for 60 days in each of our | 0:07:22 | 0:07:26 | |
six priority areas we've got across Scotland, so that's 420 cameras. | 0:07:26 | 0:07:30 | |
-You know how these work. -I do, yes. -So, you put it out. Anything... | 0:07:30 | 0:07:34 | |
-Anything that moves. -Anything that moves will be recorded. | 0:07:34 | 0:07:38 | |
So what we're going to do is start exploring on the edge | 0:07:38 | 0:07:42 | |
of the forest and go in, and look for places that I think | 0:07:42 | 0:07:44 | |
are going to give us the best chance. Let's do it. | 0:07:44 | 0:07:47 | |
-Roo, thank you very much. See you later. -Good luck. -All the best. | 0:07:47 | 0:07:50 | |
'Roo is also going to put out a couple of his camera traps, | 0:07:52 | 0:07:55 | |
'just in case.' | 0:07:55 | 0:07:56 | |
-Just up here, see the post? -Yes. | 0:07:56 | 0:07:59 | |
Here what I want to do is try and hold the cat | 0:07:59 | 0:08:02 | |
in this area by... | 0:08:02 | 0:08:04 | |
putting things here that are going to be of interest. | 0:08:04 | 0:08:07 | |
-So, sardines. Nice, smelly fish. -Yep. | 0:08:07 | 0:08:12 | |
Do you have any cat urine with you? | 0:08:12 | 0:08:14 | |
-Strangely, I left it behind. -I should have said. | 0:08:14 | 0:08:19 | |
I've got some mountain lion urine. | 0:08:19 | 0:08:21 | |
JOHN LAUGHS | 0:08:21 | 0:08:22 | |
-How do they get it to pee in the bottle? -That is the question. | 0:08:22 | 0:08:26 | |
-Do you know what wildcat lure smells like? -Strangely not. | 0:08:26 | 0:08:30 | |
This will be a first for you. | 0:08:30 | 0:08:33 | |
Not, erm... | 0:08:34 | 0:08:36 | |
Phwoar, that's disgusting. | 0:08:36 | 0:08:39 | |
This is possibly more familiar. | 0:08:40 | 0:08:43 | |
-It's like the worst public toilet in the world. -Yes. | 0:08:43 | 0:08:47 | |
That's not very nice, either. | 0:08:47 | 0:08:49 | |
LAUGHTER | 0:08:49 | 0:08:50 | |
You're right, it's not very nice. | 0:08:50 | 0:08:53 | |
-Right, if you take that, and... -Try not to spray it on myself. | 0:08:53 | 0:08:57 | |
Don't spray it on yourself, | 0:08:57 | 0:08:58 | |
just liberally around this area, so this whole tangle of roots. | 0:08:58 | 0:09:03 | |
Presumably this isn't something you've done before. | 0:09:03 | 0:09:06 | |
-No, I'm just trying to think... -Sprayed urine on a log, | 0:09:06 | 0:09:11 | |
in your long and varied career. | 0:09:11 | 0:09:13 | |
There's always something new, there's always something new. | 0:09:13 | 0:09:17 | |
-Go close because of this wind and rain. -Yes. | 0:09:17 | 0:09:21 | |
-I'm afraid the wind's blowing it... -It's blowing straight into me! | 0:09:21 | 0:09:25 | |
You're spending the next three days with me, John, | 0:09:25 | 0:09:27 | |
and you're covering me with cat pee. | 0:09:27 | 0:09:30 | |
Onto the camera. | 0:09:36 | 0:09:37 | |
-It will take in that whole... -The whole of that. -Yes. | 0:09:44 | 0:09:48 | |
Finding a good site, going to all this effort to climb up | 0:09:48 | 0:09:52 | |
here and put out all this food, | 0:09:52 | 0:09:54 | |
-you just have to obviously make absolutely sure... -Yes. | 0:09:54 | 0:09:57 | |
..that the camera is doing what it should. Good luck, camera. | 0:09:57 | 0:10:01 | |
'Often, when I use camera traps, I like to use several | 0:10:03 | 0:10:05 | |
'in the same location to increase my chances or just in case one fails.' | 0:10:05 | 0:10:10 | |
Good luck. | 0:10:14 | 0:10:15 | |
'On our way back to the Land Rover, we look for signs of wildcats. | 0:10:18 | 0:10:23 | |
'Like droppings, or scat, | 0:10:23 | 0:10:26 | |
'which wildcats use to mark their territory.' | 0:10:26 | 0:10:29 | |
There we go, John. Right...right there. | 0:10:31 | 0:10:33 | |
I'm really glad you told me because I wouldn't know. | 0:10:33 | 0:10:37 | |
Let me just find something to give it... | 0:10:37 | 0:10:41 | |
to give it a prod with. | 0:10:41 | 0:10:43 | |
Is that genuine wildcat? | 0:10:46 | 0:10:49 | |
I couldn't say with absolute certainty, but it fits...the bill. | 0:10:49 | 0:10:55 | |
And it smells... | 0:10:55 | 0:10:57 | |
like... | 0:10:57 | 0:10:59 | |
It's got... What's it been eating? | 0:10:59 | 0:11:02 | |
Fur. | 0:11:02 | 0:11:04 | |
The longer hairs could be from... | 0:11:04 | 0:11:07 | |
a rabbit? | 0:11:07 | 0:11:09 | |
So that's been eating something... something furry. | 0:11:09 | 0:11:12 | |
-Does it smell as you...? -Not much. | 0:11:14 | 0:11:16 | |
I just got a good catty waft. | 0:11:16 | 0:11:19 | |
Finding faeces is, kind of, greatly exciting to me. | 0:11:20 | 0:11:25 | |
It's one of the key, one of the very few things that is associated | 0:11:25 | 0:11:30 | |
with the animal that you can see, isn't it? | 0:11:30 | 0:11:33 | |
It's not exactly beautiful, and it certainly doesn't smell | 0:11:33 | 0:11:36 | |
very nice, but I think that's really exciting. | 0:11:36 | 0:11:40 | |
I mean, it shows that a wildcat has been here. | 0:11:40 | 0:11:44 | |
'So, we leave the camera traps to do their thing. | 0:11:50 | 0:11:53 | |
'But there are no guarantees, so we're travelling 70 miles north | 0:11:55 | 0:11:59 | |
'to the Highland Wildlife Park, | 0:11:59 | 0:12:01 | |
'where I know I can show John a wildcat.' | 0:12:01 | 0:12:04 | |
-Will I really see it? -We will see... | 0:12:04 | 0:12:07 | |
-we will see one... -Not a stuffed one? | 0:12:07 | 0:12:09 | |
Not a stuffed one. | 0:12:09 | 0:12:10 | |
Even in captivity, they're still quite shy. | 0:12:11 | 0:12:14 | |
But we can certainly go into the enclosure, and see one. | 0:12:14 | 0:12:19 | |
Cos I'd really like you to see | 0:12:19 | 0:12:21 | |
-this animal that we're talking about. -Oh, yes, yes, yes. | 0:12:21 | 0:12:25 | |
'The Highland Wildlife Park covers 260 acres. | 0:12:30 | 0:12:33 | |
'And it helps to conserve endangered species, like the wildcat.' | 0:12:33 | 0:12:37 | |
These cats that we're going to see are very different | 0:12:38 | 0:12:41 | |
to the cats in the wild, | 0:12:41 | 0:12:42 | |
insomuch as they're well used to seeing people. | 0:12:42 | 0:12:46 | |
Visitors come every single day. | 0:12:46 | 0:12:48 | |
'There have been captive wildcat populations in zoos | 0:12:50 | 0:12:53 | |
'for around 50 years. Here at the park, they have nine.' | 0:12:53 | 0:12:57 | |
-There's a youngster. -My God, yes. -So, that's a kitten from this year. | 0:12:57 | 0:13:02 | |
-Oh! -There's a litter of three that were born in April. | 0:13:02 | 0:13:05 | |
I never thought to see this in my life. | 0:13:07 | 0:13:10 | |
And another couple over there. | 0:13:11 | 0:13:13 | |
I'm just out of my... out of my head with this. | 0:13:14 | 0:13:19 | |
The one that's looking slightly grumpy is this... | 0:13:19 | 0:13:24 | |
is the mother. | 0:13:24 | 0:13:25 | |
I don't think I would reach my hand out to this one. | 0:13:27 | 0:13:31 | |
It's those flattened ears, she's telling us | 0:13:31 | 0:13:33 | |
exactly how she's feeling about us. | 0:13:33 | 0:13:36 | |
That cat looks quite bad-tempered. | 0:13:38 | 0:13:40 | |
-That's what I wanted to see! -A hissing, snarling wildcat! | 0:13:40 | 0:13:44 | |
Even though it's not in the wild, I just think it's fantastic. | 0:13:44 | 0:13:49 | |
-Let's go round, let's go into the enclosure, and get even closer. -Yes. | 0:13:49 | 0:13:53 | |
-I like the way I make you go first. -Delighted to go first. | 0:13:56 | 0:14:02 | |
'It's a real privilege to be allowed in the cage with them.' | 0:14:02 | 0:14:05 | |
I'm used to cages with various wild things but not cats. | 0:14:05 | 0:14:09 | |
-Here comes one here, John, look. -Oh, yes. | 0:14:11 | 0:14:13 | |
They are exquisitely beautiful. | 0:14:16 | 0:14:18 | |
They really are. | 0:14:18 | 0:14:20 | |
That stare is kind of as intimidating as the stare | 0:14:23 | 0:14:28 | |
-of a tiger. -I'm sure it is, yes. | 0:14:28 | 0:14:31 | |
Not a creature you'd want to get on the wrong side of. | 0:14:31 | 0:14:34 | |
'Wildcats have a distinctive thick, ringed, black-tipped tail.' | 0:14:35 | 0:14:40 | |
He is absolutely magnificent. | 0:14:44 | 0:14:47 | |
-Can you see the barring on the tail? -Yes. On the tail, yes. | 0:14:47 | 0:14:52 | |
Never would've thought this. | 0:14:52 | 0:14:53 | |
-We're being stalked by the Highland tiger. -Yes, yes! | 0:14:53 | 0:14:56 | |
Despite the fact that they are actually, you know, | 0:14:58 | 0:15:01 | |
they're accustomed to seeing people, | 0:15:01 | 0:15:02 | |
-they're not walking between your legs and purring. -No, no. | 0:15:02 | 0:15:06 | |
-I'd like to get as close as we can, as close as we dare... -Sure. | 0:15:07 | 0:15:11 | |
-So I've arranged for Rachel to come and put some food out. -Oh, yes. | 0:15:11 | 0:15:16 | |
And they're looking pretty hungry, so... | 0:15:16 | 0:15:20 | |
Rachel Williams is a carnivore animal keeper. | 0:15:20 | 0:15:22 | |
What have we got? Chicks? All right, here, look at this. | 0:15:25 | 0:15:27 | |
(Oh, yes. Gosh.) | 0:15:29 | 0:15:31 | |
No messing. You just see how comfortable they are... | 0:15:31 | 0:15:34 | |
-Look how he works his way his way through there. -..in the trees. | 0:15:34 | 0:15:37 | |
They'll catch things from small mice, voles, rabbits, young hare... | 0:15:37 | 0:15:43 | |
birds if they can get them. | 0:15:43 | 0:15:45 | |
-Beautiful. -Oh, look at that. | 0:15:48 | 0:15:50 | |
The sharp claws are retractable which helps keep them sharp | 0:15:50 | 0:15:55 | |
so that helps with their climbing. | 0:15:55 | 0:15:57 | |
Yes. | 0:15:57 | 0:15:59 | |
And just incredibly sharp teeth. | 0:15:59 | 0:16:04 | |
All predators are unsuccessful most of the time. | 0:16:04 | 0:16:06 | |
Of course, yes, of course. | 0:16:06 | 0:16:08 | |
-And if they were successful most of the time... -There wouldn't be any... | 0:16:08 | 0:16:11 | |
There wouldn't be anything left. | 0:16:11 | 0:16:13 | |
It's a hard life, isn't it? | 0:16:13 | 0:16:15 | |
For predators of all sizes. | 0:16:15 | 0:16:18 | |
The wild is no place for the weak. | 0:16:18 | 0:16:20 | |
Sounds like the BBC! | 0:16:20 | 0:16:21 | |
HE LAUGHS | 0:16:21 | 0:16:23 | |
He's very choosy. | 0:16:23 | 0:16:24 | |
That one just made a little noise. | 0:16:26 | 0:16:28 | |
Some unmentionable bit of a bird hanging out of his mouth and "Grrr!" | 0:16:30 | 0:16:35 | |
I thought he was going to jump on my head for a moment. | 0:16:35 | 0:16:38 | |
-Don't speak too soon! -No, he still might. | 0:16:38 | 0:16:40 | |
Oh, what an experience! | 0:16:44 | 0:16:46 | |
When I lived in the country, I had a cat which used to go | 0:16:50 | 0:16:55 | |
and catch voles and things. | 0:16:55 | 0:16:57 | |
We had an Indian carpet with a circle in the middle | 0:16:57 | 0:17:01 | |
and the cat would put this little vole or whatever | 0:17:01 | 0:17:05 | |
exactly in the middle of the circle and he would have messed around | 0:17:05 | 0:17:09 | |
with the tail until the tail was directly straight. | 0:17:09 | 0:17:13 | |
He was proud of what he'd done, he wanted it to look good. | 0:17:13 | 0:17:15 | |
-A little gift. -Yes, a little gift | 0:17:15 | 0:17:16 | |
and he wanted to show it off in the best way possible. | 0:17:16 | 0:17:20 | |
Maybe it's just your cat. | 0:17:20 | 0:17:21 | |
Yes, it may be. | 0:17:21 | 0:17:23 | |
-That's his present to us. -I'm well fed, John's looking a bit hungry. | 0:17:23 | 0:17:27 | |
-He might like this vole. -I'll do a nice thing with a bit of tail. | 0:17:27 | 0:17:31 | |
What a sight! | 0:17:32 | 0:17:34 | |
They are all the more magnificent for being wild animals. | 0:17:34 | 0:17:40 | |
They're not all sort of pretty-pretty, | 0:17:40 | 0:17:43 | |
soft, furry, you know, curling up on the end of your bed | 0:17:43 | 0:17:48 | |
type of animal. | 0:17:48 | 0:17:49 | |
That's what I really appreciate. | 0:17:49 | 0:17:52 | |
Look at the colours, look at the markings. | 0:17:52 | 0:17:55 | |
Look at the grace of that thing. | 0:17:57 | 0:17:59 | |
Magnificent! | 0:18:00 | 0:18:02 | |
I'm so glad to be able to show John these fabulous cats up close. | 0:18:04 | 0:18:09 | |
It's only a 15-minute drive to the Alvie forest | 0:18:19 | 0:18:23 | |
and our bed for the night. | 0:18:23 | 0:18:24 | |
We're staying in a bothy, | 0:18:26 | 0:18:27 | |
a simple shelter out in the wild that anyone can use. | 0:18:27 | 0:18:31 | |
It's basically wild camping indoors. | 0:18:33 | 0:18:36 | |
I think it's time for dinner. | 0:18:39 | 0:18:42 | |
'Bothies are often abandoned farm buildings | 0:18:42 | 0:18:45 | |
'and they're found in remote and mountainous spots all over the UK.' | 0:18:45 | 0:18:48 | |
As long as I've got... | 0:18:50 | 0:18:52 | |
somewhere to sleep that's not too infested with insects, | 0:18:52 | 0:18:57 | |
that's kind of warm and dry or warmish and dry-ish, | 0:18:57 | 0:19:01 | |
and some food, a little bit of whisky maybe, | 0:19:01 | 0:19:04 | |
it's amazing the places that I can make myself comfortable. | 0:19:04 | 0:19:07 | |
Absolutely, yes. | 0:19:07 | 0:19:08 | |
The worst sleeping experience happened to me | 0:19:10 | 0:19:13 | |
night after night after night in Sarajevo during the siege | 0:19:13 | 0:19:18 | |
when all the windows had been shot out of the hotel. | 0:19:18 | 0:19:22 | |
I was there for two months in the winter | 0:19:22 | 0:19:24 | |
and it was one of the coldest winters, 1992. | 0:19:24 | 0:19:27 | |
--19, -20 every night. -Oh, gosh. | 0:19:27 | 0:19:30 | |
And nothing really protecting us from the outside world. | 0:19:30 | 0:19:34 | |
I used to sleep in my sleeping bag with all my clothes on | 0:19:34 | 0:19:38 | |
except my shoes and I tied a scarf around my head | 0:19:38 | 0:19:42 | |
and I still couldn't sleep. | 0:19:42 | 0:19:45 | |
It was too cold to sleep. | 0:19:45 | 0:19:46 | |
But whisky helped! | 0:19:48 | 0:19:49 | |
Just going to stick a couple of logs on. | 0:19:52 | 0:19:55 | |
There's a bottle of whisky as well that is... | 0:19:55 | 0:19:58 | |
Well, that will be my reward. | 0:19:58 | 0:19:59 | |
-Can you bear some of this? -I could bear a great deal of that, yes. | 0:20:03 | 0:20:07 | |
-Yes, please. -Would you like a splash of water or...? | 0:20:07 | 0:20:10 | |
No, I think I'll just take it neat, actually. | 0:20:10 | 0:20:13 | |
Thank you. | 0:20:13 | 0:20:15 | |
Oh, it's very good, isn't it? | 0:20:15 | 0:20:16 | |
It's got almost a sort of orangey sort of nose to it. | 0:20:16 | 0:20:21 | |
-Cheers. -Cheers. -Slainte. -Excellent, yes. | 0:20:21 | 0:20:24 | |
That, to me, is a sort of really satisfying end to the day. | 0:20:27 | 0:20:33 | |
If I can't sleep or if I've had a stressful day or something, | 0:20:33 | 0:20:38 | |
I like to make myself a hot chocolate | 0:20:38 | 0:20:41 | |
with a big dollop of whisky in it. | 0:20:41 | 0:20:43 | |
You've properly had more than your fair share | 0:20:43 | 0:20:45 | |
of stressful days throughout your career. | 0:20:45 | 0:20:47 | |
Erm... Well, I try not to let things stress me. | 0:20:47 | 0:20:52 | |
I try and really kind of float over it a bit. | 0:20:52 | 0:20:56 | |
But for the most part, you know, the sort of constant irritations | 0:20:56 | 0:21:02 | |
and difficulties, I just feel now that I'm in my 70s, | 0:21:02 | 0:21:06 | |
-I can just float over them. -Rise above it. | 0:21:06 | 0:21:09 | |
Rise above it. | 0:21:09 | 0:21:11 | |
Through all those horrific things that you've witnessed, | 0:21:11 | 0:21:13 | |
how have you managed to keep it together? | 0:21:13 | 0:21:17 | |
That's assuming I have, of course. | 0:21:17 | 0:21:20 | |
And if it's going to come out, | 0:21:20 | 0:21:22 | |
it's going to come out in a lonely bothy in the Highlands. | 0:21:22 | 0:21:24 | |
I think for a start, I belong to a different generation. | 0:21:24 | 0:21:29 | |
I came along at the end of that period where you just | 0:21:29 | 0:21:36 | |
tried to keep calm and carry on. | 0:21:36 | 0:21:39 | |
I have seen quite a lot of nasty things | 0:21:39 | 0:21:42 | |
and the worst thing that happened in many ways to me | 0:21:42 | 0:21:45 | |
was that we got bombed in Iraq. | 0:21:45 | 0:21:48 | |
When was that? 12 years ago. | 0:21:48 | 0:21:50 | |
And... | 0:21:50 | 0:21:52 | |
..a lot of people killed, 18 people killed, | 0:21:53 | 0:21:56 | |
but my colleague and I spent the next four or five days, I think, | 0:21:56 | 0:22:03 | |
talking to each other and we talked and talked and talked | 0:22:03 | 0:22:07 | |
and talked about what we'd seen and what we'd done. | 0:22:07 | 0:22:10 | |
And by the end of the third day, I think, | 0:22:10 | 0:22:15 | |
we'd just got sick to death of talking about it. | 0:22:15 | 0:22:18 | |
Both he and I, I think, | 0:22:18 | 0:22:19 | |
felt that afterwards that that had exorcised it. | 0:22:19 | 0:22:23 | |
We are equipped to deal with the horrors of life | 0:22:24 | 0:22:28 | |
-and the best way of dealing with it is to actually share that. -Yes. | 0:22:28 | 0:22:32 | |
And I think a lot of the social ills is that people don't want | 0:22:32 | 0:22:36 | |
to admit that they're weak and that they're vulnerable. | 0:22:36 | 0:22:40 | |
Yes, yes. | 0:22:40 | 0:22:41 | |
It's the second day of our Highland adventure. | 0:22:48 | 0:22:50 | |
And there's just time for a quick breakfast | 0:22:53 | 0:22:55 | |
before we head off to our next animal. | 0:22:55 | 0:22:57 | |
My entire life is spent racing around and that business which | 0:23:05 | 0:23:11 | |
we did here of arriving in the dark | 0:23:11 | 0:23:14 | |
and then in the morning stumbling out, you know, | 0:23:14 | 0:23:17 | |
rubbing your eyes and seeing what lies outside, especially | 0:23:17 | 0:23:20 | |
when it's as beautiful as this, I love all of that. | 0:23:20 | 0:23:23 | |
In a way, you and I live parallel lives. | 0:23:26 | 0:23:29 | |
You know, you observe animals, I observe people, | 0:23:29 | 0:23:34 | |
often in fairly extreme circumstances. | 0:23:34 | 0:23:39 | |
Are you a reckless man, would you say? | 0:23:39 | 0:23:42 | |
Erm... I kind of am, in a way, yes. | 0:23:42 | 0:23:45 | |
I am. I tell myself I'm very sensible and don't take risks, | 0:23:45 | 0:23:52 | |
but that isn't true. | 0:23:52 | 0:23:54 | |
Does it become an addiction, | 0:23:54 | 0:23:56 | |
a lifelong addiction to sort of travel and uncover those stories? | 0:23:56 | 0:24:01 | |
Yes. It's that business of always, you know, | 0:24:01 | 0:24:05 | |
always wanting to know what's round the next corner. | 0:24:05 | 0:24:08 | |
That's what keeps me going. | 0:24:08 | 0:24:11 | |
"For lust of knowing what should not be known, | 0:24:11 | 0:24:13 | |
"we take the Golden Road to Samarkand." | 0:24:13 | 0:24:16 | |
That's what I love, things that people don't want you to know | 0:24:16 | 0:24:20 | |
and going and finding out and coming back and telling other people. | 0:24:20 | 0:24:25 | |
That, to me, is heaven. | 0:24:25 | 0:24:27 | |
There is nothing in my world, in my life, in my existence, | 0:24:27 | 0:24:33 | |
that's better than that. | 0:24:33 | 0:24:35 | |
Thank you, bothy. | 0:24:39 | 0:24:40 | |
That was a nice place. | 0:24:40 | 0:24:43 | |
Roof above our heads. | 0:24:43 | 0:24:45 | |
We head south towards Glenfeshie to track down another amazing animal. | 0:24:49 | 0:24:53 | |
The mature pine woodland is the perfect habitat for the UK's | 0:24:56 | 0:25:00 | |
only native squirrel. | 0:25:00 | 0:25:01 | |
Red squirrels were common all over Britain | 0:25:09 | 0:25:11 | |
until grey squirrels were introduced in the late 1800s. | 0:25:11 | 0:25:15 | |
Disease and competition for food means | 0:25:16 | 0:25:19 | |
they are losing the fight against their bigger cousins. | 0:25:19 | 0:25:22 | |
-John, if you go into the hide, make yourself comfortable... -Yep. | 0:25:27 | 0:25:32 | |
..and I'll put out some food. | 0:25:32 | 0:25:35 | |
John has never seen a red squirrel before | 0:25:40 | 0:25:44 | |
and I'd really like to show him one. | 0:25:44 | 0:25:46 | |
Even if it means enticing them in with hazelnuts. | 0:25:46 | 0:25:49 | |
Great. | 0:25:54 | 0:25:55 | |
Let the long wait begin. Or let the short wait begin. | 0:25:58 | 0:26:01 | |
JOHN LAUGHS | 0:26:01 | 0:26:02 | |
And do they expect to find nuts here? | 0:26:10 | 0:26:13 | |
Yeah, this is a place where food has been put out before. | 0:26:13 | 0:26:17 | |
-On a regular sort of basis? -Yeah. | 0:26:17 | 0:26:19 | |
Do they live on the ground or do they live up in the trees? | 0:26:19 | 0:26:23 | |
Their nest is made of a collection of twigs and leaves. | 0:26:23 | 0:26:27 | |
It is called a dray. And they'll have a dray up in the trees. | 0:26:27 | 0:26:31 | |
But, yeah, we kind of think of them as being an arboreal creature, | 0:26:31 | 0:26:35 | |
but they are as happy on the ground. | 0:26:35 | 0:26:38 | |
The trees are their safe haven. | 0:26:38 | 0:26:40 | |
That's where they'll retreat to if they feel threatened. | 0:26:40 | 0:26:44 | |
There are now only 140,000 red squirrels left, | 0:26:45 | 0:26:49 | |
compared to 2.5 million greys. | 0:26:49 | 0:26:52 | |
-(John, John, John, John. There's one. OK.) -(Where?) | 0:26:58 | 0:27:00 | |
(OK, to the right, on the tree. Stay there.) | 0:27:00 | 0:27:04 | |
You don't even need the binoculars for it. | 0:27:04 | 0:27:07 | |
(I want to see more than that.) | 0:27:14 | 0:27:16 | |
-(Yes, yes. OK. I think they're there, right on the log.) -(Yes.) | 0:27:19 | 0:27:23 | |
(Watch what he does. Watch what he does.) | 0:27:23 | 0:27:26 | |
(Fantastic.) | 0:27:33 | 0:27:34 | |
-(You see that. It covered about 25 feet without me even seeing it.) -(Yes.) | 0:27:34 | 0:27:39 | |
(It's just darted back up in that direction.) | 0:27:39 | 0:27:42 | |
INDISTINCT | 0:27:42 | 0:27:45 | |
I think he's fine. | 0:27:45 | 0:27:46 | |
-It knows that we are here. -Look at that beautiful animal. | 0:27:47 | 0:27:51 | |
-I saw just a flicker of something. There you go. There it is. -You did. | 0:27:51 | 0:27:56 | |
'And it's gone.' | 0:28:00 | 0:28:02 | |
I can wipe the sweat from my brow because the fact that | 0:28:02 | 0:28:05 | |
I have been able to show you a red squirrel, | 0:28:05 | 0:28:07 | |
I'm mightily pleased about. | 0:28:07 | 0:28:08 | |
I'm so pleased. I'm profoundly grateful to the squirrel for coming. | 0:28:08 | 0:28:13 | |
Let's move on, because we're actually going to leave the woodland | 0:28:13 | 0:28:16 | |
and go somewhere that's very different to here. | 0:28:16 | 0:28:19 | |
-Am I going to like it? -I...think... you will like it. | 0:28:19 | 0:28:23 | |
THEY LAUGH | 0:28:23 | 0:28:24 | |
The next place, if the weather closes in, | 0:28:24 | 0:28:28 | |
it could get a little bit wild. | 0:28:28 | 0:28:30 | |
Oh, well. We'll see. | 0:28:30 | 0:28:34 | |
We're heading towards the Monadhliath mountains | 0:28:39 | 0:28:41 | |
on the very edge of the National Park. | 0:28:41 | 0:28:43 | |
I've heard that it's the best place to track down mountain or | 0:28:46 | 0:28:49 | |
a blue hares, our only Arctic mammal. | 0:28:49 | 0:28:53 | |
Right, we could potentially see hare at any point... | 0:28:54 | 0:28:58 | |
And they're white now, are they? | 0:28:58 | 0:29:01 | |
They won't be in full winter coat, | 0:29:01 | 0:29:03 | |
because when they are in full winter coat | 0:29:03 | 0:29:06 | |
-and they're pure white, they stand out on this landscape... -Yes. | 0:29:06 | 0:29:10 | |
..which makes them very vulnerable to golden eagles and foxes. | 0:29:10 | 0:29:14 | |
They're also Britain's only native hare and may have been here | 0:29:16 | 0:29:19 | |
since the last Ice Age. | 0:29:19 | 0:29:21 | |
Do they eat the grass? What do they eat? | 0:29:24 | 0:29:27 | |
Heather makes up most of their diet but they'll browse | 0:29:27 | 0:29:29 | |
on other plant species if there's any willow or juniper. | 0:29:29 | 0:29:33 | |
I thought I saw some movement straight ahead. I'm sure I didn't. | 0:29:36 | 0:29:41 | |
I'm sure it wasn't anything. | 0:29:41 | 0:29:43 | |
They don't want to be seen by any predator. | 0:29:46 | 0:29:49 | |
-Don't they want to get on television? -Not today, it seems. | 0:29:49 | 0:29:53 | |
HE LAUGHS | 0:29:53 | 0:29:54 | |
One of the great things about watching wildlife is that you | 0:29:56 | 0:29:59 | |
never know what you are going to spot next. | 0:29:59 | 0:30:02 | |
-See right up on the ridge, the red deer? -Actually on the ridge? | 0:30:02 | 0:30:06 | |
-So right at the very, very top. -Oh, yes. -There you go. | 0:30:06 | 0:30:10 | |
Oh, there's even more just below the horizon. | 0:30:12 | 0:30:15 | |
-A couple of stags to the right. -Yes, I see. Yes. Yes, yes, yes. | 0:30:15 | 0:30:20 | |
Red deer are our largest deer species, | 0:30:22 | 0:30:26 | |
found mainly in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. | 0:30:26 | 0:30:28 | |
It's lovely to see the red deer, even though that's not what | 0:30:28 | 0:30:31 | |
-we came here for. Mind you, they are long way up. -They are. | 0:30:31 | 0:30:36 | |
-What is that, a mile? -Must be approaching a mile, yeah. -Yeah. | 0:30:36 | 0:30:39 | |
-There we go, John. -No! Where? | 0:30:43 | 0:30:46 | |
-Just... -Where, where? -..lots. | 0:30:46 | 0:30:48 | |
-A fair number. -Really? -Yes. | 0:30:48 | 0:30:49 | |
Up the hill? | 0:30:49 | 0:30:51 | |
-Yes, white specks. -Yes, yes, yes. | 0:30:51 | 0:30:53 | |
Oh, yes, I see them. Oh, yes. | 0:30:53 | 0:30:57 | |
They're very handsome creatures, aren't they? | 0:30:57 | 0:31:00 | |
But I'd like to get John even closer to the hares. | 0:31:06 | 0:31:09 | |
Bit of off-roading. | 0:31:19 | 0:31:21 | |
OK, nice and slow. There you go. There you go. | 0:31:21 | 0:31:23 | |
-Right there. -Yes. -You see? -Yes. Lovely. | 0:31:23 | 0:31:26 | |
-Oh, yes. -Doesn't seem too fearful. | 0:31:32 | 0:31:37 | |
Please tell me this is another one of our native species that | 0:31:39 | 0:31:44 | |
you haven't ever seen before. | 0:31:44 | 0:31:46 | |
-Yeah. -Is it? -It... Absolutely. | 0:31:46 | 0:31:48 | |
It looks at us. It's assessing us. | 0:31:56 | 0:31:58 | |
They think, "Actually, they're not a threat." | 0:31:58 | 0:32:01 | |
-Look at that. -Stretching. -Lovely. -Off it goes. | 0:32:01 | 0:32:04 | |
Their powerful hind legs propel them forward at speeds of up to 40mph, | 0:32:06 | 0:32:12 | |
fast enough to give them a chance of escaping any predator. | 0:32:12 | 0:32:15 | |
Lovely to see it. Absolutely lovely. | 0:32:18 | 0:32:20 | |
And so close. And so clearly. | 0:32:20 | 0:32:25 | |
Beautiful animal. Beautiful. | 0:32:26 | 0:32:28 | |
I once did a ride over the mountains in Afghanistan | 0:32:29 | 0:32:34 | |
in the Hindu Kush on horses. | 0:32:34 | 0:32:38 | |
-It was cold like this. -Really? -Yeah. Wonderful. | 0:32:38 | 0:32:42 | |
The only problem was that the men who were guiding us | 0:32:42 | 0:32:47 | |
wanted to rob us, perhaps kill us. | 0:32:47 | 0:32:50 | |
So it was quite tricky. But this is no less beautiful than those views. | 0:32:50 | 0:32:57 | |
It was worth the whole thing. | 0:32:57 | 0:33:00 | |
I just feel kind of liberated looking out over these mountains. | 0:33:03 | 0:33:09 | |
I... It's such an uplifting feeling. | 0:33:09 | 0:33:14 | |
I can't believe that people aren't here, | 0:33:17 | 0:33:20 | |
that it's not full of tourists bashing about taking pictures. | 0:33:20 | 0:33:26 | |
'We're back in Glenfeshie, where we saw our red squirrel. | 0:33:36 | 0:33:40 | |
'I've heard that after the wildcat, it's also a great | 0:33:42 | 0:33:45 | |
'place for spotting Britain's second rarest carnivore.' | 0:33:45 | 0:33:48 | |
There is...a nano per cent of a chance | 0:33:50 | 0:33:54 | |
that we'll actually see a pine marten. | 0:33:54 | 0:33:57 | |
But if we go into the forest and put the camera traps up | 0:33:57 | 0:33:59 | |
and we can leave them working overnight... | 0:33:59 | 0:34:02 | |
Like the wildcat, they are incredibly difficult to find. | 0:34:02 | 0:34:07 | |
If we did have that nano chance of seeing it, | 0:34:07 | 0:34:11 | |
how would I know that I'd seen one? | 0:34:11 | 0:34:13 | |
-Cat size, domestic cat... -Right. -..but they're quite weaselly... | 0:34:13 | 0:34:16 | |
-Sort of long? -Long and low. | 0:34:16 | 0:34:18 | |
Beautiful deep brown creamy bib. | 0:34:18 | 0:34:22 | |
They look like little bears at times. | 0:34:22 | 0:34:24 | |
They are arboreal, but they come down to the ground. | 0:34:24 | 0:34:27 | |
-They're... -So would they live in the trees, in nests or something? | 0:34:27 | 0:34:30 | |
-No, they'll nest in rock hollows or hollow trees. -Oh, yeah. | 0:34:30 | 0:34:35 | |
They hunt squirrels? | 0:34:35 | 0:34:36 | |
-They'll hunt squirrels... -Yes. -..birds if they can catch them. | 0:34:36 | 0:34:39 | |
They are a formidable predator because the pine marten can | 0:34:39 | 0:34:42 | |
-hunt a huge range of prey on the ground and up in the trees. -Yeah. | 0:34:42 | 0:34:46 | |
-I think we're going to just head off.. -OK. -..into the night. | 0:34:46 | 0:34:51 | |
Into the dark... deep, dark forest. | 0:34:51 | 0:34:54 | |
'Up until about 1800, pine martens were widespread throughout Britain. | 0:34:58 | 0:35:02 | |
'Now there are only around 4,000 left, mainly in Scotland.' | 0:35:02 | 0:35:08 | |
Are they threatened in any way? | 0:35:09 | 0:35:13 | |
Loss of woodland, loss of habitat, combined with this | 0:35:13 | 0:35:16 | |
-pressure of persecution... -Yes. -..that almost wiped them out. | 0:35:16 | 0:35:21 | |
This looks like the perfect spot. | 0:35:25 | 0:35:27 | |
-That should be fine. -This is for the camera? | 0:35:30 | 0:35:34 | |
-I'm going to put the camera trap here. -I see. | 0:35:34 | 0:35:36 | |
-And there's a nice... -In the hopes that the pine marten will... | 0:35:36 | 0:35:39 | |
Why should it go there, though? | 0:35:39 | 0:35:40 | |
This is why it should go there. | 0:35:40 | 0:35:43 | |
-Because I have two of a pine marten's favourite foods. -Ah. | 0:35:43 | 0:35:46 | |
-Honey. -Yes. | 0:35:46 | 0:35:48 | |
-Peanuts. -Yes. -They can't resist it. | 0:35:48 | 0:35:51 | |
You sure this isn't part of some Disney film? | 0:35:51 | 0:35:54 | |
Peanuts and honey, who could resist? Actually, I don't know if I can. | 0:35:54 | 0:36:00 | |
Mmm. | 0:36:01 | 0:36:02 | |
-Mmm. -It's rather good, actually. -That is really good. | 0:36:02 | 0:36:06 | |
A very thick honey as well, so... | 0:36:07 | 0:36:09 | |
I'm going to use the honey like a glue. HE LAUGHS | 0:36:09 | 0:36:12 | |
-Yeah, for the peanuts? -For the peanuts. | 0:36:12 | 0:36:14 | |
It's pouring with rain now. I hope it doesn't wash it off. | 0:36:14 | 0:36:17 | |
And nothing else will come along and eat this? | 0:36:17 | 0:36:20 | |
I suppose a badger would tuck into this quite happily. | 0:36:20 | 0:36:24 | |
-Really? -Yeah. -Yes. | 0:36:24 | 0:36:25 | |
A fox would come, maybe, yeah, if it's hungry enough. | 0:36:25 | 0:36:28 | |
Well, we'll know, if we've got the camera. | 0:36:28 | 0:36:30 | |
-We will know, yeah. -So we'll know who the guilty party is. -Yeah. | 0:36:30 | 0:36:33 | |
It'll be exciting to come back and find all of this gone. | 0:36:33 | 0:36:37 | |
-OK, I'm the camera... -Mm-hm. -..you're the pine marten. -I am. | 0:36:37 | 0:36:41 | |
You're going to stand on your hind legs. | 0:36:41 | 0:36:43 | |
I think he's going to look around and think, "What on earth is this | 0:36:43 | 0:36:46 | |
"delicious honey-peanutty treat doing here in the dead of night?" | 0:36:46 | 0:36:50 | |
He's probably not going to think about that too much, | 0:36:50 | 0:36:52 | |
he's just going to think, "I love this stuff and..." | 0:36:52 | 0:36:55 | |
MAKES LIP-SMACKING SOUNDS | 0:36:55 | 0:36:57 | |
-Don't eat it all! -Well, I'm just having a lick. | 0:36:57 | 0:36:59 | |
I didn't even get a peanut! This is like Halloween. JOHN LAUGHS | 0:36:59 | 0:37:02 | |
And... Oh, actually, it's quite nice. Mmm. | 0:37:02 | 0:37:05 | |
So I'm hoping, I imagine if a pine marten finds this, | 0:37:05 | 0:37:10 | |
it's going to eat the whole lot. | 0:37:10 | 0:37:12 | |
-Let's hope this works. -I've got a good feeling about this. | 0:37:29 | 0:37:33 | |
That we're in prime pine marten habitat. | 0:37:33 | 0:37:36 | |
But who knows what we'll see. | 0:37:36 | 0:37:38 | |
If we come back tomorrow and it's gone... | 0:37:38 | 0:37:41 | |
-that's a good sign. -Yes. | 0:37:41 | 0:37:43 | |
OK, great. Let's find our way home. | 0:37:43 | 0:37:45 | |
'All we can do now is keep our fingers crossed | 0:37:45 | 0:37:48 | |
'and wait for tomorrow.' | 0:37:48 | 0:37:51 | |
It's the final day of our journey into the wild. | 0:37:57 | 0:38:00 | |
And I'm hoping to show John a very special animal. | 0:38:03 | 0:38:07 | |
So we head south towards the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre | 0:38:07 | 0:38:11 | |
at Glenmore, which covers over 10,000 acres. | 0:38:11 | 0:38:14 | |
It's a 20-minute walk to the 150-strong reindeer herd. | 0:38:17 | 0:38:21 | |
All right, once we're on the hill, it's... | 0:38:29 | 0:38:33 | |
less steep. | 0:38:33 | 0:38:35 | |
These reindeer are originally from Sweden | 0:38:36 | 0:38:39 | |
and are the UK's only free-ranging herd. | 0:38:39 | 0:38:42 | |
They are on the move constantly. | 0:38:42 | 0:38:44 | |
They're one of those species that migrates, | 0:38:44 | 0:38:47 | |
-but open tundra's what we tend to associate with reindeer. -Yes. | 0:38:47 | 0:38:52 | |
The reason that they were brought back here was because, | 0:38:52 | 0:38:57 | |
actually, this habitat | 0:38:57 | 0:38:59 | |
very closely matches the habitat from which they came. | 0:38:59 | 0:39:04 | |
Reindeer were indigenous to the UK until about 8,000 years ago. | 0:39:04 | 0:39:08 | |
One theory is that overhunting combined with | 0:39:08 | 0:39:11 | |
the warming of the planet led to their extinction. | 0:39:11 | 0:39:15 | |
The Cairngorms are the only place in the UK cold enough for them | 0:39:15 | 0:39:19 | |
to survive all year round. | 0:39:19 | 0:39:20 | |
-Have you ever been close to a reindeer before? -Never. -Really? | 0:39:21 | 0:39:25 | |
-I've never seen one. -Well, there you go, there's your first reindeer. | 0:39:25 | 0:39:28 | |
My God, yes! | 0:39:28 | 0:39:30 | |
Good morning, reindeer. | 0:39:32 | 0:39:33 | |
Well, they are, I suppose, | 0:39:36 | 0:39:39 | |
-one of those creatures that are completely unmistakable. -Yes. | 0:39:39 | 0:39:44 | |
Very recognisable. | 0:39:44 | 0:39:45 | |
Nobody who's ever seen a Christmas card could fail | 0:39:45 | 0:39:49 | |
-to know where we are. -GORDON LAUGHS | 0:39:49 | 0:39:52 | |
Can I touch the antlers and things? Or do they...? | 0:39:52 | 0:39:54 | |
I think, yes. No, I think as long as they can see your hand coming in... | 0:39:54 | 0:39:57 | |
They won't mind? Yes. | 0:39:57 | 0:39:58 | |
I've actually got some food here. | 0:39:58 | 0:40:01 | |
Let me just... | 0:40:01 | 0:40:03 | |
'These deer are very tame.' | 0:40:03 | 0:40:04 | |
There you go. | 0:40:04 | 0:40:06 | |
They know I've got the good stuff. | 0:40:06 | 0:40:07 | |
'And used to being hand-fed.' | 0:40:07 | 0:40:09 | |
There you go. | 0:40:09 | 0:40:11 | |
-This is a calf from last year. -Right. | 0:40:11 | 0:40:15 | |
It's an animal that is designed to cope | 0:40:17 | 0:40:19 | |
with these sub-zero temperatures. | 0:40:19 | 0:40:22 | |
In -40, you've got a herd of reindeer out on the open tundra, | 0:40:22 | 0:40:28 | |
so they have to be able to cope with those conditions. | 0:40:28 | 0:40:31 | |
'It's bitter today and the wind makes it feel even colder.' | 0:40:33 | 0:40:37 | |
Their coat is incredibly, incredibly warm. They are very well insulated. | 0:40:39 | 0:40:43 | |
Their noses are completely covered in fur. | 0:40:43 | 0:40:46 | |
'Reindeer are the only deer species where both male | 0:40:48 | 0:40:51 | |
'and female have antlers.' | 0:40:51 | 0:40:53 | |
Their antlers, why are they covered in fur? | 0:40:55 | 0:40:57 | |
That's just bone so it's, erm... | 0:40:57 | 0:41:00 | |
Why do you have to keep that warm? | 0:41:00 | 0:41:02 | |
The reason for that is, every single year, | 0:41:02 | 0:41:05 | |
the reindeer lose their antlers, | 0:41:05 | 0:41:07 | |
so this massive impressive rack is grown every single year, | 0:41:07 | 0:41:13 | |
and for them to grow fast, | 0:41:13 | 0:41:15 | |
they're covered in this velvet, it's called. | 0:41:15 | 0:41:18 | |
This is just engorged with blood. | 0:41:18 | 0:41:20 | |
'It might look painful, but what's left is just the membrane | 0:41:25 | 0:41:28 | |
'from when the antlers were growing.' | 0:41:28 | 0:41:30 | |
Hey! | 0:41:32 | 0:41:34 | |
Aren't they lovely? They're a beautiful animal. | 0:41:34 | 0:41:37 | |
They're an animal that's been domesticated for thousands of years. | 0:41:37 | 0:41:41 | |
We were able to domesticate them and herd them, | 0:41:41 | 0:41:44 | |
take the products from them that we wanted. | 0:41:44 | 0:41:47 | |
Which are milk, meat? | 0:41:47 | 0:41:50 | |
-Do we eat reindeer meat? -We do. | 0:41:50 | 0:41:52 | |
The skins themselves, clothing made out of skins. | 0:41:52 | 0:41:55 | |
Antler was very useful for making tools out of them. | 0:41:55 | 0:41:59 | |
-I've seen shelters made out of reindeer skins. -Really? | 0:41:59 | 0:42:04 | |
If you have a frozen surface and you put down a reindeer skin | 0:42:04 | 0:42:08 | |
and sleep on top of that, your body warmth will heat up the skin | 0:42:08 | 0:42:12 | |
and you won't get any of that cold from underneath. | 0:42:12 | 0:42:16 | |
-Really? -Yeah. | 0:42:16 | 0:42:17 | |
I have to say it is bloody cold. | 0:42:17 | 0:42:20 | |
I don't know what it is. | 0:42:20 | 0:42:22 | |
In the wind, it's really cold. | 0:42:22 | 0:42:24 | |
Yeah, they won't be feeling any of this. | 0:42:24 | 0:42:27 | |
This is the good times. | 0:42:27 | 0:42:30 | |
Come on, boy. | 0:42:34 | 0:42:35 | |
You see, if you look at their feet. | 0:42:38 | 0:42:40 | |
Yeah, the feet, the splaying of the feet | 0:42:40 | 0:42:43 | |
is really interesting, isn't it? | 0:42:43 | 0:42:45 | |
If you're walking through a snowy landscape, | 0:42:45 | 0:42:49 | |
as you're sinking in with every footfall, you're going | 0:42:49 | 0:42:51 | |
to use part of your energy just covering getting around. | 0:42:51 | 0:42:54 | |
They're just lovely animals, aren't they? | 0:42:56 | 0:42:58 | |
I can see why people are fond of them. | 0:42:58 | 0:43:02 | |
-It's... -Are you feeling festive? | 0:43:02 | 0:43:04 | |
THEY CHUCKLE | 0:43:04 | 0:43:06 | |
Yes. | 0:43:06 | 0:43:08 | |
We're out of food. | 0:43:10 | 0:43:12 | |
That's the last bit, I'm afraid. | 0:43:12 | 0:43:14 | |
'I'd like to show John another animal | 0:43:18 | 0:43:20 | |
'which thrives in this cold climate.' | 0:43:20 | 0:43:22 | |
'It wins the prize hands down for Britain's toughest bird.' | 0:43:29 | 0:43:35 | |
The interesting thing about ptarmigan is that they choose | 0:43:35 | 0:43:40 | |
to live at the tops of these mountains. | 0:43:40 | 0:43:42 | |
You find them in these mountains over 3,000 feet. | 0:43:42 | 0:43:45 | |
If we want to get up quickly, as high as we can, | 0:43:47 | 0:43:51 | |
the best way to do it is use the available transport. | 0:43:51 | 0:43:53 | |
Let's not make things more difficult than they already are. | 0:43:53 | 0:43:57 | |
'So we're taking the funicular railway, | 0:44:00 | 0:44:03 | |
'the only one in Scotland, to the top of Cairngorm. | 0:44:03 | 0:44:06 | |
'At just over 4,000 feet, it's the sixth largest mountain in the UK. | 0:44:09 | 0:44:13 | |
'And a snow sports mecca.' | 0:44:13 | 0:44:16 | |
With every metre of altitude we're heading up into ptarmigan territory. | 0:44:16 | 0:44:20 | |
-You can just see the trees are starting to thin out. -Yes. | 0:44:20 | 0:44:24 | |
It almost feels like we're stepping from autumn into winter. | 0:44:24 | 0:44:27 | |
You see now the heather's practically gone. | 0:44:30 | 0:44:33 | |
It's gone, hasn't it? | 0:44:33 | 0:44:35 | |
-No trees... -Into the snow line. -..whatsoever. | 0:44:35 | 0:44:37 | |
My God, what a view. | 0:44:37 | 0:44:39 | |
-Isn't that... -Spectacular. -..absolutely wonderful? | 0:44:39 | 0:44:42 | |
Right, you're going to feel... | 0:44:47 | 0:44:49 | |
Welcome to the Arctic. | 0:44:49 | 0:44:52 | |
Oh! | 0:44:52 | 0:44:53 | |
Oh, yes. | 0:44:53 | 0:44:55 | |
'This is officially the coldest, windiest | 0:44:55 | 0:44:58 | |
'and snowiest place to spend the winter in the UK.' | 0:44:58 | 0:45:02 | |
The weather conditions that you get up in the Cairngorms | 0:45:02 | 0:45:06 | |
is as bad as it gets the United kingdom. | 0:45:06 | 0:45:09 | |
What sort of speed is the wind, do you think? | 0:45:09 | 0:45:12 | |
There's a weather gauge and it's gusting at 60mph, | 0:45:12 | 0:45:16 | |
but that weather gauge is in a sheltered location, | 0:45:16 | 0:45:18 | |
so it could be 75. | 0:45:18 | 0:45:21 | |
'It's November and by now most creatures have headed down to | 0:45:22 | 0:45:25 | |
'lower altitude in search of food and shelter. | 0:45:25 | 0:45:29 | |
'The Ptarmigan is one of the few exceptions.' | 0:45:29 | 0:45:33 | |
On a day like this, they'll be hunkered, | 0:45:33 | 0:45:36 | |
may well be hunkered down but they've still got to eat. | 0:45:36 | 0:45:40 | |
When the weather is bad like this, it is a real reminder for them | 0:45:40 | 0:45:43 | |
and with the snow covering that winter is on its way. | 0:45:43 | 0:45:46 | |
-Look, look, look. -Where? -Just right there. Do you see it? | 0:45:46 | 0:45:48 | |
It's right in front of us. | 0:45:48 | 0:45:50 | |
'The ptarmigan is a member of the grouse family.' | 0:45:55 | 0:45:59 | |
-Do you see how well camouflaged they are? -Yeah. | 0:45:59 | 0:46:02 | |
'They put on weight throughout the year and in winter | 0:46:02 | 0:46:04 | |
'try and conserve as much energy as possible.' | 0:46:04 | 0:46:07 | |
-We're not having to hide from them. They have got nothing to fear. -No. | 0:46:08 | 0:46:13 | |
They don't see us as predators. | 0:46:13 | 0:46:15 | |
Oh, there you go. | 0:46:17 | 0:46:18 | |
-On the other side of the fence, on the ground to the right. -Oh, yes. | 0:46:18 | 0:46:21 | |
A little covey of them there. | 0:46:21 | 0:46:23 | |
Yes. | 0:46:23 | 0:46:25 | |
-How come they've got this weird name? -Ptarmigan? -Yeah. | 0:46:26 | 0:46:29 | |
It comes from a Gaelic word which means "the croaker" | 0:46:29 | 0:46:33 | |
and they make a croaking sound. | 0:46:33 | 0:46:35 | |
MIMICS THE CROAK | 0:46:35 | 0:46:39 | |
-When do they do that? -They often do that when they fly. | 0:46:39 | 0:46:42 | |
Look at them, though... | 0:46:42 | 0:46:44 | |
I really thought we were going to have to walk bloody miles. | 0:46:44 | 0:46:48 | |
-You know... -So did I. | 0:46:48 | 0:46:50 | |
I've been whining, or at least I try not to whine | 0:46:50 | 0:46:54 | |
and I try and keep up. | 0:46:54 | 0:46:55 | |
I'm so grateful to these little animals for being here. | 0:46:55 | 0:46:59 | |
I mean, it's good of them. | 0:46:59 | 0:47:01 | |
There's a white one. It's almost completely white. | 0:47:02 | 0:47:06 | |
With just a little bit of stuff over its wings. | 0:47:06 | 0:47:10 | |
'Ptarmigan are the only birds in Britain to turn | 0:47:10 | 0:47:13 | |
'white during the winter.' | 0:47:13 | 0:47:15 | |
Until they move, they're so well camouflaged. | 0:47:15 | 0:47:18 | |
-You couldn't tell. -You can't tell. | 0:47:18 | 0:47:20 | |
Then the one that it's quite close to | 0:47:20 | 0:47:24 | |
is still quite dark, isn't it? | 0:47:24 | 0:47:27 | |
Look there, that one looks, just kind of walking along. | 0:47:29 | 0:47:32 | |
It's bits of white on it. | 0:47:32 | 0:47:35 | |
'Cold weather and shorter days trigger hormonal changes | 0:47:35 | 0:47:39 | |
'that give rise to its dense, white plumage.' | 0:47:39 | 0:47:42 | |
You can see how dumpy they are. | 0:47:43 | 0:47:46 | |
That's all about conserving heat. | 0:47:46 | 0:47:48 | |
Obviously, they've got their body fat, | 0:47:48 | 0:47:50 | |
but it's those feathers that are giving them that insulation. | 0:47:50 | 0:47:54 | |
I just marvel at their ability to survive up here. | 0:47:54 | 0:47:58 | |
Through the winter, it's -25 up here | 0:47:58 | 0:48:02 | |
and these little birds can survive. | 0:48:02 | 0:48:05 | |
-Human beings, you'd just perish. -Yeah. Yeah, yeah. | 0:48:05 | 0:48:08 | |
I mean, apart from anything else, | 0:48:08 | 0:48:09 | |
we might get swept off the mountainside by the wind. | 0:48:09 | 0:48:13 | |
I mean, they're pecking away, aren't they? | 0:48:15 | 0:48:17 | |
They're getting stuff through the snow. | 0:48:17 | 0:48:19 | |
'When it's snowy, | 0:48:20 | 0:48:22 | |
'they look for areas where the wind has cleared the ground.' | 0:48:22 | 0:48:25 | |
On a day like this, they're reluctant to fly | 0:48:30 | 0:48:32 | |
just because it's so windy. | 0:48:32 | 0:48:34 | |
-They're expert fliers. -They'll find themselves in Edinburgh if they fly. | 0:48:34 | 0:48:37 | |
You've got such admiration for these characters, haven't you? | 0:48:39 | 0:48:44 | |
-Are they one of your favourite birds? -Yeah. | 0:48:44 | 0:48:46 | |
I love them, I really do. They're my favourite British bird | 0:48:46 | 0:48:50 | |
and actually probably my favourite bird of all. | 0:48:50 | 0:48:52 | |
I always love seeing them | 0:48:52 | 0:48:53 | |
and I'm very glad that we've seen them without too much hardship. | 0:48:53 | 0:48:59 | |
Yes. | 0:48:59 | 0:49:00 | |
'We head back down on the funicular railway before we're blown away.' | 0:49:03 | 0:49:07 | |
-There we go. -So what are we doing now? | 0:49:08 | 0:49:11 | |
Where will we go? | 0:49:11 | 0:49:13 | |
While we've been exploring the Cairngorms, our camera traps have | 0:49:13 | 0:49:16 | |
hopefully been doing their magic back down at the wildcat locations. | 0:49:16 | 0:49:22 | |
-We're going to head back south. -Great. | 0:49:22 | 0:49:25 | |
And, yeah, pick them up and review them and see what's on them. | 0:49:25 | 0:49:30 | |
-I do hope there is something. -I really do. Yeah, me too. -I'm very excited. | 0:49:30 | 0:49:33 | |
'It's pitch-black by the time we reach the Angus Glens. | 0:49:45 | 0:49:49 | |
'I just hope I can find the camera traps.' | 0:49:50 | 0:49:52 | |
OK. | 0:49:59 | 0:50:01 | |
They're still here, which is good. | 0:50:03 | 0:50:05 | |
John is, I think, very surprised at the successes that we've had, | 0:50:06 | 0:50:10 | |
but the cherry on what's already been a very lovely cake... | 0:50:10 | 0:50:15 | |
CHUCKLES | 0:50:15 | 0:50:17 | |
..will be a wildcat on one of these camera traps. | 0:50:17 | 0:50:20 | |
Fingers and toes crossed. | 0:50:22 | 0:50:23 | |
'We've already picked up the pine marten camera traps, | 0:50:26 | 0:50:28 | |
'so head off to a nearby hotel to view the footage.' | 0:50:28 | 0:50:32 | |
Right. | 0:50:37 | 0:50:39 | |
Pick a card, any card. | 0:50:39 | 0:50:40 | |
How are you feeling about this? | 0:50:42 | 0:50:44 | |
Actually rather excited. | 0:50:44 | 0:50:46 | |
It's like Christmas morning. | 0:50:46 | 0:50:50 | |
Oh, that's... | 0:50:50 | 0:50:53 | |
That's us framing up. | 0:50:53 | 0:50:55 | |
So that's still... There I am. | 0:50:55 | 0:50:58 | |
And these are clips with something on them? | 0:50:58 | 0:51:02 | |
These are when it's been triggered. | 0:51:02 | 0:51:03 | |
So whether I triggered it 12 times. | 0:51:03 | 0:51:05 | |
Oh... | 0:51:07 | 0:51:09 | |
Six times, seven times. | 0:51:09 | 0:51:14 | |
-Eight times... -Oh, no. | 0:51:14 | 0:51:16 | |
Oh, dear. | 0:51:16 | 0:51:18 | |
Oh, hang on. | 0:51:18 | 0:51:19 | |
Let's have a look. | 0:51:19 | 0:51:21 | |
Something's triggered it. | 0:51:25 | 0:51:26 | |
-You never know, it might have been... -Movement of something. | 0:51:28 | 0:51:32 | |
..a sort of bat flying through. | 0:51:32 | 0:51:34 | |
-I think there's one more. -There's one more. -One final. | 0:51:34 | 0:51:37 | |
-No. -Aw... -That's OK. | 0:51:39 | 0:51:43 | |
Right, let's see, John. | 0:51:46 | 0:51:48 | |
-That's a lot of. -That's a lot, isn't it? -That's a lot of clips. | 0:51:50 | 0:51:53 | |
There's 25. | 0:51:53 | 0:51:54 | |
-This is all the setting up. -Yeah. | 0:51:57 | 0:51:59 | |
THEY GASP | 0:52:03 | 0:52:05 | |
HE CHUCKLES | 0:52:05 | 0:52:06 | |
-Fantastic! -That is your pine marten. | 0:52:06 | 0:52:09 | |
That is a real... | 0:52:09 | 0:52:11 | |
-Is that what they look like? -Hang on. | 0:52:11 | 0:52:13 | |
Look at it. | 0:52:13 | 0:52:15 | |
-Two of them! -Wow! | 0:52:15 | 0:52:17 | |
-Yay! -Fantastic!. | 0:52:17 | 0:52:20 | |
So my hands have actually got the shakes here. | 0:52:20 | 0:52:24 | |
I wasn't expecting that, actually. | 0:52:26 | 0:52:29 | |
Look at that. | 0:52:29 | 0:52:31 | |
Fantastic. | 0:52:31 | 0:52:34 | |
Bloody brilliant! Look, they're really... | 0:52:34 | 0:52:37 | |
So how was my description, a bearlike cat? | 0:52:37 | 0:52:40 | |
Yeah, absolutely right, yes. | 0:52:40 | 0:52:43 | |
Very sharp teeth. | 0:52:43 | 0:52:44 | |
Their eyes obviously don't shine, that's the infrared light | 0:52:44 | 0:52:47 | |
-bouncing off. -Sure, sure. | 0:52:47 | 0:52:48 | |
-Look at that. -They're perfectly relaxed, as well. | 0:52:48 | 0:52:52 | |
Look at him, what a handsome beast he is. | 0:52:52 | 0:52:56 | |
And that branch was as thick as my wrist | 0:52:56 | 0:52:59 | |
and he's just balancing perfectly. | 0:52:59 | 0:53:01 | |
It's the honey he's interested in, though. | 0:53:01 | 0:53:03 | |
-Look he's licking, isn't he? -A honey addict. | 0:53:03 | 0:53:05 | |
-He's been very thorough. -He is eating the peanuts, but he's... | 0:53:07 | 0:53:10 | |
-Oh, he heard something there. -Oh, yes. | 0:53:10 | 0:53:13 | |
-They don't... Oh, look! -Look, another one. | 0:53:13 | 0:53:15 | |
That's what he was... | 0:53:15 | 0:53:17 | |
Oh, that jump. | 0:53:17 | 0:53:19 | |
Look at this one, this one's face is a little bit different. | 0:53:19 | 0:53:22 | |
It's sharper, isn't it, and more... | 0:53:22 | 0:53:24 | |
It could be siblings. | 0:53:24 | 0:53:26 | |
Or, it could be a mother and one of its young. | 0:53:26 | 0:53:30 | |
Whatever the relationship is between these two, | 0:53:30 | 0:53:34 | |
this is the more dominant one because that other one would | 0:53:34 | 0:53:38 | |
have stayed there and polished off all of that honey. | 0:53:38 | 0:53:40 | |
Yes, and did a runner when this one arrived. Yeah, yes. | 0:53:40 | 0:53:44 | |
Look at that tail. | 0:53:44 | 0:53:47 | |
-Look... -Yeah, and see how he's balancing and... | 0:53:47 | 0:53:51 | |
-Well, we did it. -We certainly did. | 0:53:51 | 0:53:54 | |
And we didn't have to get cold and wet | 0:53:55 | 0:53:57 | |
and spend half the night sitting in the forest. | 0:53:57 | 0:54:00 | |
Look at that. | 0:54:00 | 0:54:02 | |
That is a beautiful jay, isn't it? | 0:54:02 | 0:54:05 | |
-He's after the peanuts. -Yes. | 0:54:05 | 0:54:07 | |
'But the million-dollar question is, do we have a wildcat on camera? | 0:54:08 | 0:54:14 | |
'I would be ecstatic if we did.' | 0:54:14 | 0:54:18 | |
-Oh! -Oh, no! -That's not good. | 0:54:20 | 0:54:22 | |
-That's not good. -Just one entry. | 0:54:22 | 0:54:25 | |
That is very disappointing. | 0:54:26 | 0:54:29 | |
Dash, dash, dash. | 0:54:29 | 0:54:31 | |
-Is that it, or do we? -No, I've got another two. | 0:54:31 | 0:54:34 | |
-OK. Three. -Three. | 0:54:34 | 0:54:37 | |
Oh, dear. | 0:54:41 | 0:54:43 | |
-That's just... -That is disappointing. | 0:54:43 | 0:54:46 | |
-That's the cat urine going in. -Yeah. | 0:54:46 | 0:54:49 | |
Wasn't strong enough, you see. | 0:54:49 | 0:54:51 | |
We blitzed that place, look. | 0:54:51 | 0:54:52 | |
Can you blame them for not wanting to come along | 0:54:54 | 0:54:56 | |
and sniff cat urine? I mean... | 0:54:56 | 0:54:59 | |
To be fair, it did absolutely pong. | 0:54:59 | 0:55:02 | |
But, I think, I've see it work before as an enticement. | 0:55:02 | 0:55:04 | |
-OK. -What a shame. | 0:55:04 | 0:55:06 | |
One more card from a different location. | 0:55:06 | 0:55:09 | |
That other site that we had a trap out at. | 0:55:09 | 0:55:12 | |
'Remember Roo, the project manager we met? | 0:55:13 | 0:55:15 | |
'Well, these cards are from his camera traps.' | 0:55:15 | 0:55:18 | |
Oh, no, there's lots of them. | 0:55:21 | 0:55:22 | |
Don't get excited, because I've got excited like this before | 0:55:23 | 0:55:29 | |
-and it's been movement of the branches. -Yes. | 0:55:29 | 0:55:33 | |
-This is three minutes. -That must be the branch there, mustn't it? | 0:55:33 | 0:55:37 | |
This is 3:16 in the morning. | 0:55:37 | 0:55:41 | |
-Oh, look at this. -Ah! | 0:55:42 | 0:55:45 | |
-What is that? -It's definitely a wildcat. -It certainly is. | 0:55:46 | 0:55:51 | |
Well, the back of a wildcat. | 0:55:51 | 0:55:53 | |
-Yes. -Often, well, almost always, we find the back of wildcat. | 0:55:53 | 0:55:58 | |
-You need to find the front. -We need to find the front. | 0:55:58 | 0:56:00 | |
-Look at that. -Look at that. | 0:56:00 | 0:56:04 | |
-And it's a beauty. -Oh, yes. | 0:56:04 | 0:56:07 | |
-Look see the stripes down its neck. -Yes, yes. | 0:56:07 | 0:56:10 | |
A stripe down into his tail. | 0:56:10 | 0:56:12 | |
That is certainly a wildcat, a really good example of a wildcat. | 0:56:12 | 0:56:16 | |
Look at that. | 0:56:19 | 0:56:22 | |
What a beauty. | 0:56:22 | 0:56:24 | |
I mean, the thing is, you know, we saw them, | 0:56:24 | 0:56:27 | |
of course, in the wildlife park, | 0:56:27 | 0:56:29 | |
which was wonderful, heart-stopping. | 0:56:29 | 0:56:31 | |
But, this is a real, live... | 0:56:31 | 0:56:35 | |
-Wild. -..out in the wild and it's alive | 0:56:35 | 0:56:39 | |
and it's having a great time. | 0:56:39 | 0:56:41 | |
-A wildcat. A very wild... -A wild wildcat. -A wild wildcat. | 0:56:41 | 0:56:45 | |
Oh... | 0:56:51 | 0:56:53 | |
Look at the head lamps. | 0:56:53 | 0:56:55 | |
It's gone for the grouse. | 0:57:00 | 0:57:01 | |
-Like a leopard. -Oh, oh, oh. | 0:57:01 | 0:57:04 | |
That is beautiful. | 0:57:04 | 0:57:06 | |
Oh, God, this makes it all worthwhile, | 0:57:08 | 0:57:10 | |
it really, really, really does. | 0:57:10 | 0:57:12 | |
See, with the claws, clinging on...? | 0:57:12 | 0:57:14 | |
Climbing trees is not a problem for these animals. | 0:57:14 | 0:57:18 | |
-What about that! -Oh, look! | 0:57:18 | 0:57:20 | |
In daylight, in colour. | 0:57:20 | 0:57:24 | |
-Look at the belly on it. -Yes. | 0:57:24 | 0:57:26 | |
It's not getting enough exercise. | 0:57:27 | 0:57:30 | |
What a handsome creature that is. | 0:57:30 | 0:57:34 | |
I came here really because I wanted to see a wildcat | 0:57:35 | 0:57:40 | |
and I've seen the real thing, but this is more of the real thing, | 0:57:40 | 0:57:44 | |
because this is what they look like in the wild. | 0:57:44 | 0:57:49 | |
A wild wildcat. | 0:57:49 | 0:57:51 | |
What a pleasure it is to see that. | 0:57:51 | 0:57:53 | |
-Congratulations. -You did it. -No, we did it. | 0:57:56 | 0:58:00 | |
What a success. The whole thing was a huge success. | 0:58:00 | 0:58:05 | |
It means one hell of a lot to me. | 0:58:05 | 0:58:07 | |
You quite possibly picked the toughest species | 0:58:07 | 0:58:10 | |
at the toughest time of year. So to come away | 0:58:10 | 0:58:14 | |
with these results is fantastic. | 0:58:14 | 0:58:16 | |
Thanks so much for showing me all these things. | 0:58:16 | 0:58:19 | |
It's really given me something to invigorate my entire life. | 0:58:19 | 0:58:23 | |
-Let's do it again. Let's go somewhere warm, tropical. -OK. | 0:58:23 | 0:58:27 | |
THEY CHUCKLE | 0:58:27 | 0:58:28 |