0:00:11 > 0:00:14HOWLING
0:00:14 > 0:00:16There is a remote corner of the planet
0:00:16 > 0:00:19where wolves still hunt buffalo,
0:00:19 > 0:00:22as they have for thousands of years.
0:00:31 > 0:00:36It's the home of a remarkable wolf named Storm.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52My name is Jeff Turner,
0:00:52 > 0:00:55and I've been filming wolves for 25 years.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02But I've never met a wolf quite like Storm.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10Now, I'm going to spend the next year getting closer to these wolves
0:01:10 > 0:01:13in ways that have never been possible before.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22'By using the latest camera technology
0:01:22 > 0:01:26'mixed with some good old-fashioned fieldcraft...'
0:01:26 > 0:01:29- HE WHISPERS:- Hush, just wait. You've got a wolf coming right here.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33That was close.
0:01:34 > 0:01:38'..I will follow them and uncover the details of their family life.'
0:01:44 > 0:01:47And in the process, I hope to understand how wolves like Storm
0:01:47 > 0:01:51have lived in this ancient wilderness for so long.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24This is Wood Buffalo National Park, in Northern Canada.
0:02:26 > 0:02:27And I love this land.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39While the rest of the modern world is changing so fast,
0:02:39 > 0:02:44this place still feels timeless and unspoiled to me.
0:02:50 > 0:02:51Despite the weather,
0:02:51 > 0:02:55winter is the best time to begin following the wolf pack.
0:02:59 > 0:03:04HOWLING
0:03:07 > 0:03:11This is when a wolf pack is most visible and cohesive,
0:03:11 > 0:03:13travelling together.
0:03:22 > 0:03:26The big white guy looks to be the alpha male wolf.
0:03:26 > 0:03:32He's one of the biggest I've ever seen - a real force of nature.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35I'm going to call him Storm.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48The smaller wolf Storm is sticking so close to must be his mate.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54A wolf pack is, at its heart, a family.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58The leaders of the pack, the alpha wolves,
0:03:58 > 0:03:59are the father and mother wolf,
0:03:59 > 0:04:01and most of the members of the pack
0:04:01 > 0:04:05are their offspring of various ages.
0:04:09 > 0:04:14The success or failure of a wolf pack depends on its leaders.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16Just as in a human family,
0:04:16 > 0:04:21the mother and father wolf are the ones that provide food and security.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26But the long-term survival of this family's bloodline
0:04:26 > 0:04:30depends on Storm teaching his kids the family business.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35And the family business is hunting buffalo.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43There is no prey bigger on this planet
0:04:43 > 0:04:45that wolves regularly take down.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49Buffalo can weigh over a tonne
0:04:49 > 0:04:53and are 20 times the size of a wolf.
0:04:55 > 0:05:00Yet the pack must hunt them every week or so.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09Buffalo are supremely adapted to winter.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13Their massively muscled heads and necks act like snowploughs.
0:05:20 > 0:05:21They are so well insulated
0:05:21 > 0:05:25that snow lying on their bodies doesn't even melt.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33While this sort of weather doesn't faze the buffalo,
0:05:33 > 0:05:35I can't say the same for myself.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40Look at the front of my lens here.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55I think we are going to have to call it a day here.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58I think we've done about as much as we could do.
0:05:59 > 0:06:05It's impossible to keep up with wolves with only my two feet.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07But this year, I have some help.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17Each day, the Delta pack can range 30 miles or more
0:06:17 > 0:06:18to find prey to hunt.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23And I've never been able to see a wolf hunt from beginning to end.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29But with the aerial camera as my eye in the sky,
0:06:29 > 0:06:32for the first time, I can follow every step.
0:06:34 > 0:06:38OK. Looks like we've still got the wolves out there.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40I can see them in a tight bunch.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45Ooh, OK, good!
0:06:45 > 0:06:48We've got a buffalo-wolf situation here for sure.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59Storm and his family are true travellers.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07But finding their prey is no easy task.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12Wood Buffalo National Park is huge,
0:07:12 > 0:07:16it would take me a whole season to walk around it.
0:07:28 > 0:07:33But the buffalo concentrate around the Peace and Athabasca Rivers,
0:07:33 > 0:07:35where they find the best winter grazing.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43Killing a buffalo is a risky business.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47But these wolves have hunted buffalo
0:07:47 > 0:07:49for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52They know what they need to do.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59Storm and his pack have to attack from behind,
0:07:59 > 0:08:01so they must get the herd to run.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11The buffalo know that if they stand and face the wolves,
0:08:11 > 0:08:12they have the advantage.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21Sometimes, these stand-offs can last for days.
0:08:34 > 0:08:38But if this strategy were foolproof, there wouldn't be any wolves.
0:08:41 > 0:08:46Eventually, the buffalo lose their nerve and make a run for it.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01I can see how the wolves are testing the buffalo,
0:09:01 > 0:09:04looking for a young animal or one that is struggling.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23During the winter, the buffalo have to break trail,
0:09:23 > 0:09:26running through the deep snow.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28They tire more quickly than the wolves.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47Scattering through the bush forces the wolves to split up
0:09:47 > 0:09:50and reduces their effectiveness.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55But Storm is not distracted.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57He's got a lock on his prey.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16It's a yearling calf.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19Storm is such a huge wolf,
0:10:19 > 0:10:25he's able to bring this 300-kilogram animal to a stop all by himself.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31But the herd scattering through the bush
0:10:31 > 0:10:36has led one of Storm's younger sons into his own solo battle.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41And he tries to grab the buffalo by the front.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47And pays the price for this mistake.
0:10:56 > 0:10:57I hope he wasn't hurt.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00A broken bone would spell the end for him.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04Wolves have to be in peak form to hunt buffalo.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15He still has a lot to learn from his father.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29For a single wolf, killing such a large prey is dangerous.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32Storm is older and wiser.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37Once he's wounded the buffalo,
0:11:37 > 0:11:39he pulls back
0:11:39 > 0:11:41and waits for the animal to die.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51HOWLING
0:11:55 > 0:12:01I never realised until now that one wolf could bring down a buffalo.
0:12:01 > 0:12:06It's remarkable what a strong and determined leader, like Storm,
0:12:06 > 0:12:08can do for his pack.
0:12:09 > 0:12:14Thanks to his skill, his family has lots of meat to eat now,
0:12:14 > 0:12:19which will ensure the female gives birth to healthy pups in the spring.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26And they will need all the help they can get.
0:12:26 > 0:12:27The spring and summer
0:12:27 > 0:12:30are the leanest months of the year for wolves.
0:12:33 > 0:12:37There will be more mouths to feed, a den to defend
0:12:37 > 0:12:40and less chance to roam in search of prey.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50That's when it'll be time for me to return.
0:12:50 > 0:12:54Finding the den and watching how this family raises their pups
0:12:54 > 0:12:56through the difficult first year
0:12:56 > 0:13:00will tell me a lot about how well Storm's pack will endure.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25The landscape of Wood Buffalo Park
0:13:25 > 0:13:28undergoes a radical transformation in the spring.
0:14:12 > 0:14:16Like the other spring migrants, it's great to be back here again.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22Getting around on the ground is easier,
0:14:22 > 0:14:25but there's still a lot of territory to cover.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37Once again, I've got extra help.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41Here, in the southern region of the park,
0:14:41 > 0:14:45is one of the largest inland deltas in the world.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49But from the air, it doesn't take long to spot Storm and his pack.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59They look different - they're shedding their winter coats.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18I love watching wolves like this.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22It's nice to be reminded that they are far more than just killers.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44But this doesn't get me any closer to finding their den.
0:15:44 > 0:15:49My best chance is to follow them back from a hunt
0:15:49 > 0:15:51when they take food to the pups.
0:15:54 > 0:15:59And the spring provides a new hunting opportunity for the wolves.
0:16:04 > 0:16:08The buffalo calves are a much easier target in their first few months.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17It looks like a big female wolf from Storm's pack
0:16:17 > 0:16:19is scouting out the herd.
0:16:23 > 0:16:24It's the only time of the year
0:16:24 > 0:16:28the wolves can hunt buffalo smaller than themselves.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37There looks to be lots of calves in this herd.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47But to get to the calves,
0:16:47 > 0:16:51she has to somehow get past these intimidating adults.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55SHE HOWLS
0:16:55 > 0:16:57The female scout calls for some back-up.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10Storm and some of the pack's younger wolves quickly respond.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28You'd think with the calves around,
0:17:28 > 0:17:31the spring would make easier hunting for the wolves,
0:17:31 > 0:17:32but it's actually harder.
0:17:35 > 0:17:39Buffalo mothers are fierce defenders of their calves
0:17:39 > 0:17:41and they're not encumbered by deep snow now.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53Again, the only chance for the wolves is to get the herd running
0:17:53 > 0:17:55and break up this defensive barrier.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17The buffalo soon get strung out in a long line.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19This is what the wolves need.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36Storm zeroes in on a lone calf.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44But with a burst of speed, it gets back to its mother.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51Storm comes back for a second try.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01But even at full gallop, he can't get past the mother.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14Wolves can run for hours, waiting for their chance.
0:19:14 > 0:19:19But the buffalo have incredible endurance, too, even the calves.
0:19:19 > 0:19:23I've seen these chases go on for 20 miles.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39But an opportunity for the wolves lies ahead.
0:19:52 > 0:19:57The water means the buffalo have to slow down and break their stride.
0:19:57 > 0:20:02They can get injured or a calf separated from its mother.
0:20:18 > 0:20:19For some reason,
0:20:19 > 0:20:22Storm and his offspring are letting the buffalo go.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32But the big female wolf doesn't want to give up.
0:20:39 > 0:20:40And it looks like she's seen
0:20:40 > 0:20:43something the other wolves have missed.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49One of the calves is lagging behind.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02Even with the calves,
0:21:02 > 0:21:05the wolves find it difficult to make a clean kill.
0:21:08 > 0:21:10She has to work quickly,
0:21:10 > 0:21:13because the mother buffalo will soon come back looking for her calf.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35If the buffalo can get back in time,
0:21:35 > 0:21:38there's a chance she can still save her calf.
0:22:06 > 0:22:10In these situations, it's hard to know who to hope for -
0:22:10 > 0:22:14this mother buffalo and her injured calf,
0:22:14 > 0:22:17or the female wolf with hungry pups at the den.
0:22:46 > 0:22:51Though still alive, the calf can't quite make it back onto its feet.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00It's frustrating to have to leave now,
0:23:00 > 0:23:02but the chopper's running low on fuel,
0:23:02 > 0:23:06so we'll come back tomorrow to see what's happened.
0:23:21 > 0:23:25This far north, sunrise is about 4.00am,
0:23:25 > 0:23:26but it's beautiful.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51The calf is still alive.
0:23:51 > 0:23:55But I think it doesn't look very hopeful for that calf.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58If it had been able to, I'm sure, you know,
0:23:58 > 0:24:01last night it would have gotten up and followed her so, you know,
0:24:01 > 0:24:03it's just a waiting game now
0:24:03 > 0:24:06between, you know, the cow eventually realising
0:24:06 > 0:24:08the calf isn't going to be able to follow her
0:24:08 > 0:24:10and she's going to be, going to go with her instinct
0:24:10 > 0:24:12to try to find and get back to her herd.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14And she's going to have to abandon the calf.
0:24:14 > 0:24:19She's torn and caught in between these two desires,
0:24:19 > 0:24:23but the calf is obviously unable to follow her at this point.
0:24:27 > 0:24:28I mean, the only way to think about it
0:24:28 > 0:24:33is that this calf is going to feed a family of wolves.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05It's hard to watch these predations,
0:25:05 > 0:25:08but death is a crucial part of the natural cycle.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12The young of the buffalo is going to feed the young of the wolves.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25With a full belly now,
0:25:25 > 0:25:28hopefully this wolf will head back to the pups.
0:25:32 > 0:25:36This is where being able to follow the wolves from the air
0:25:36 > 0:25:38is really going to pay off for me.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41I'm sure she's going to lead us to the den.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55Most wolf dens are in thick brush.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59I'll have to wait to see if she has pups here.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13Oh, it's great to finally see a puppy.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15They're so tiny.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19This must be the mother wolf.
0:26:19 > 0:26:24Besides Storm, she is the one most likely to bring food to the pups.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28But she's different than the female I saw Storm with in March.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30PUP WAILS
0:26:32 > 0:26:34It's not unusual for more than one female
0:26:34 > 0:26:36to come into season in a pack.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39But it seems that only this older, larger female
0:26:39 > 0:26:41has given birth to pups this spring.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46They're still very young.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48Even so, they're hungry for meat.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50They jump and lick at her mouth,
0:26:50 > 0:26:54which stimulates her to regurgitate the food
0:26:54 > 0:26:55she is carrying in her stomach.
0:27:00 > 0:27:04This wolf is a strong and determined mother.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06She's a good match for Storm.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08I'll call her Susie.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12For the next two months at least,
0:27:12 > 0:27:15the wolves will have to continue coming back to this spot
0:27:15 > 0:27:18with food to keep these pups alive.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22It gives me a rare opportunity to film them from my hide
0:27:22 > 0:27:25and see how they raise the new members of their family.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35I don't have to wait long until the rest of the pack arrive.
0:27:40 > 0:27:42You can see how the younger wolves
0:27:42 > 0:27:45are excited by the arrival of their father, Storm.
0:27:49 > 0:27:53These younger wolves are his pups from previous years.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56In fact, they still lick at his mouth to be fed
0:27:56 > 0:27:58like they did when they were small.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05It's so rare to see this. I feel very lucky.
0:28:55 > 0:29:00But then, my eye in the sky spots a black bear approaching the den.
0:29:03 > 0:29:05I see it before the wolves do.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08They don't realise the approaching threat.
0:29:11 > 0:29:15While the black bear would be hard-pressed to take on an adult,
0:29:15 > 0:29:17it could be after the pups.
0:29:40 > 0:29:44Every time the bear tries to go into the trees where the pups are,
0:29:44 > 0:29:46Storm bites him in the rear,
0:29:46 > 0:29:49forcing the bear to turn back to face him.
0:30:18 > 0:30:20By working together,
0:30:20 > 0:30:24a combination of pushing from behind and leading him on,
0:30:24 > 0:30:28Storm and his offspring get the bear away from the den.
0:30:36 > 0:30:39I think that bear is just as happy as the wolves to be out of there.
0:31:05 > 0:31:07The buffalo continue to regain their strength and weight
0:31:07 > 0:31:09on the spring grass.
0:31:15 > 0:31:17But their search for this fresh feed
0:31:17 > 0:31:20can take them many miles from the wolf den site.
0:31:23 > 0:31:25The calves are growing all the time.
0:31:25 > 0:31:29They will be getting harder for the wolves to catch and kill.
0:31:34 > 0:31:37The summer season pushes the wolves from both ends -
0:31:37 > 0:31:40the prey is more difficult to find and kill
0:31:40 > 0:31:44and yet, the need for more food is increasing all the time.
0:31:51 > 0:31:55And although the pups are quite small, they grow fast.
0:32:02 > 0:32:06It puts a lot of pressure on the hunting adults.
0:32:12 > 0:32:16It's been two weeks since I've seen the wolves make a kill.
0:32:16 > 0:32:21Storm and Susie head off with one of their eldest offspring.
0:32:33 > 0:32:38I often wonder how it is that wolves know which direction to go.
0:32:41 > 0:32:46It's a big country to search, but they do have a keen sense of smell.
0:32:46 > 0:32:49They can tell when a herd has passed through,
0:32:49 > 0:32:51even two or three days before.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06The scent has led the wolves into the forest.
0:33:10 > 0:33:12The buffalo could be anywhere around here.
0:33:36 > 0:33:40The trees make it harder for the wolves to isolate one calf.
0:33:52 > 0:33:56Soon, the wolves push the buffalo out from the forest,
0:33:56 > 0:33:59where they can focus on separating one of the buffalo from the herd.
0:34:38 > 0:34:42I can see her holding off Storm and Susie.
0:34:42 > 0:34:44But then, the third wolf appears.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55Now, she's really going to have a tough job
0:34:55 > 0:34:57to get her calf out of this predicament.
0:35:01 > 0:35:05The calf knows its only chance is to stick tight to its mother's side.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20I realise the wolves are just trying to injure the calf.
0:35:20 > 0:35:22They don't have enough time to kill it
0:35:22 > 0:35:24before the mother buffalo would be on them.
0:35:34 > 0:35:38The mother's best chance is to get back into the shelter of the trees.
0:36:42 > 0:36:46Somehow, the mother and calf have given the wolves the slip.
0:36:46 > 0:36:47They've also found another calf
0:36:47 > 0:36:51that was separated from its mother earlier in the chase.
0:37:03 > 0:37:07There's no meat for the pups back at the den tonight.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13It's been a couple of weeks since the pups have had anything to eat.
0:37:15 > 0:37:18Most wolf pups die of starvation in their first summer.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23Storm and Susie need to get their pups through these lean times
0:37:23 > 0:37:25and into the autumn.
0:37:25 > 0:37:27Then, with the pups bigger,
0:37:27 > 0:37:31they can at last leave the den and widen their search for buffalo.
0:37:35 > 0:37:39As much as I love watching these wolves, it's time for me to go.
0:37:41 > 0:37:43I have my own family waiting for me at home,
0:37:43 > 0:37:46and it's been more than a month since I've seen them.
0:37:48 > 0:37:51I'll come back in the autumn to pick up with Storm and his family.
0:37:51 > 0:37:53I hope the pups will make it through.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13September is my favourite month in the Park.
0:38:29 > 0:38:33When I get back, the buffalo are just ending their breeding cycle.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42You can see that big bull right there,
0:38:42 > 0:38:44he's just checking one of the cows.
0:38:44 > 0:38:47They go up and sniff them, they get a scent
0:38:47 > 0:38:50and then, they can pass it through this special gland in their nostrils
0:38:50 > 0:38:52and they can tell if the female is in oestrus
0:38:52 > 0:38:54and whether or not she's ready to breed.
0:38:56 > 0:38:58There's a lot more bulls in the herd right now
0:38:58 > 0:39:00than there would normally be.
0:39:00 > 0:39:01And they're all checking females out
0:39:01 > 0:39:04and keeping tabs on who's ready to breed or not.
0:39:09 > 0:39:11The bulls are so huge!
0:39:12 > 0:39:16I mean, their head has got to be, like, almost two feet across
0:39:16 > 0:39:19and they're going to weigh, like, 1,000 kilograms.
0:39:19 > 0:39:21Like, a tonne.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24It's really, really hard to imagine
0:39:24 > 0:39:27how these wolves can kill animals like this.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29They are so big.
0:39:36 > 0:39:40But these bulls actually become vulnerable to wolves
0:39:40 > 0:39:41at this time of year.
0:39:41 > 0:39:45After a month of battling each other for breeding rights,
0:39:45 > 0:39:47they've lost weight and their energy levels are low.
0:39:59 > 0:40:01Since I've come back,
0:40:01 > 0:40:04I'm surprised that, even from the air,
0:40:04 > 0:40:06we can't find the wolves.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09They should be hanging out in the meadows with their pups.
0:40:27 > 0:40:31Then, one day, Storm and Susie just walk out of the woods.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39It's good to see them again.
0:40:43 > 0:40:47Their family has grown in numbers since I saw them last.
0:40:47 > 0:40:51Some of the wandering members of the pack must have returned to the fold.
0:40:55 > 0:40:59At first, I don't recognise the pups.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02I am shocked at how much they've grown.
0:41:02 > 0:41:04They look more like adult wolves now.
0:41:13 > 0:41:18But I'm relieved to see that all four pups are still alive.
0:41:24 > 0:41:27Storm and Susie must be really good parents.
0:41:27 > 0:41:31I count 17 wolves in the pack now.
0:41:36 > 0:41:37During the spring and summer,
0:41:37 > 0:41:42some of the wolves in the pack had wandered away in search of buffalo.
0:41:42 > 0:41:47With the pups mobile now, the family can hunt together again.
0:41:48 > 0:41:52But the pups still won't have the endurance of the adults.
0:41:59 > 0:42:02The pack has travelled down a long peninsula of land
0:42:02 > 0:42:03sticking out into the lake.
0:42:06 > 0:42:07Rather than turn back,
0:42:07 > 0:42:10Storm decides to swim across to the other side,
0:42:10 > 0:42:13a distance of at least two miles.
0:42:21 > 0:42:25But the wind is coming up and the waves on the lake are building.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35The pups are trailing behind the much stronger adults.
0:42:44 > 0:42:49Suddenly, I see Susie turn and start to swim back.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51She must have decided that it's going to be too far
0:42:51 > 0:42:53for the pups to swim.
0:43:00 > 0:43:03Now, some of the sub-adults and other pack members
0:43:03 > 0:43:05turn back with her and the pups.
0:43:22 > 0:43:25But Storm and the other adults keep on going.
0:43:25 > 0:43:28They still have a very long way to swim.
0:43:45 > 0:43:48It was smart that Susie turned back -
0:43:48 > 0:43:50the pups look exhausted.
0:43:58 > 0:44:00SHE HOWLS
0:44:00 > 0:44:01Susie calls for her pups.
0:44:10 > 0:44:13Finally, she has all four of her pups together,
0:44:13 > 0:44:17but Storm and the rest of the pack are far away now.
0:44:19 > 0:44:22Adult wolves are excellent swimmers,
0:44:22 > 0:44:24but it's a long swim in cold water.
0:44:31 > 0:44:35I'm always amazed at the endurance of these animals.
0:44:35 > 0:44:37They hardly look winded.
0:44:47 > 0:44:50Storm and the other adults have just one priority -
0:44:50 > 0:44:54to find food for themselves and their family.
0:44:54 > 0:44:56Even if it means leaving the pups behind.
0:45:04 > 0:45:05But their swim was in vain,
0:45:05 > 0:45:08there doesn't appear to be any animals here to hunt.
0:45:10 > 0:45:13The only food is an old kill.
0:45:17 > 0:45:20They have to gnaw the dried scraps from the bones.
0:45:32 > 0:45:35Although Susie and the pups are far away now,
0:45:35 > 0:45:37they can still stay in contact.
0:45:37 > 0:45:40HOWLING
0:45:43 > 0:45:46Wolf howls can travel several miles over open country.
0:45:47 > 0:45:52HE HOWLS
0:46:00 > 0:46:05MULTIPLE HOWLS ECHO AND RESPOND
0:46:44 > 0:46:46Storm and the others don't find anything new to eat,
0:46:46 > 0:46:49and head back to meet up with the rest of their family.
0:46:51 > 0:46:54The pups will go hungry tonight.
0:47:01 > 0:47:04The longer they go without a kill, the weaker the pups will get
0:47:04 > 0:47:08and the less distance they'll be able to travel to find prey.
0:47:15 > 0:47:19If Storm is to save his pups, they need to make a kill soon.
0:47:36 > 0:47:40Next morning, I find the whole pack back together again
0:47:40 > 0:47:42and on the hunt for buffalo.
0:47:57 > 0:48:02Luckily, it doesn't take them long to find a herd.
0:48:02 > 0:48:04They really need to make a kill now.
0:48:04 > 0:48:07They're looking for easy prey.
0:48:21 > 0:48:24But as the herd starts to run,
0:48:24 > 0:48:28it's apparent that there are few, if any, calves in this herd.
0:48:36 > 0:48:39The pups get left behind as the adults push the herd.
0:48:49 > 0:48:52I'm not sure what the wolves are looking for with this herd.
0:48:52 > 0:48:56There doesn't seem to be any calves, only adults.
0:49:04 > 0:49:07Then, I see Storm spot something
0:49:07 > 0:49:10and sprint past all the buffalo.
0:49:12 > 0:49:16Even the buffalo seem surprised by what he's doing.
0:49:19 > 0:49:21What is he after?
0:49:33 > 0:49:36They're really legging it,
0:49:36 > 0:49:38but I still can't see what they are running to.
0:49:45 > 0:49:46Two bulls!
0:49:46 > 0:49:48A young one and an old one.
0:49:49 > 0:49:54I wonder what drew them out here to these two lone animals
0:49:54 > 0:49:55in the middle of a chase.
0:50:02 > 0:50:05The wolves seem very relaxed.
0:50:05 > 0:50:08They take a moment to rest up and have a drink.
0:50:12 > 0:50:13The pups even catch up.
0:50:19 > 0:50:23Finally, the bulls take off and head for the willows.
0:50:28 > 0:50:31The wolves don't seem worried at all.
0:50:31 > 0:50:33It doesn't seem like a hunt any more.
0:50:36 > 0:50:41It's strange, the wolves just seem to be focused on the older bull,
0:50:41 > 0:50:44like they're waiting for something to happen.
0:50:45 > 0:50:48I'll come back in the morning to see if the wolves are still here.
0:51:03 > 0:51:08The next day, it looks like the old bull just laid down and died.
0:51:08 > 0:51:11There doesn't appear to be any sign of a struggle.
0:51:15 > 0:51:19The wolves must have sensed something wrong with this old bull
0:51:19 > 0:51:21that I couldn't see.
0:51:25 > 0:51:27I don't know what happened here,
0:51:27 > 0:51:31but I do know that we humans rarely realise
0:51:31 > 0:51:36how sophisticated the wildlife we share this planet with really is.
0:51:38 > 0:51:41GROWLING
0:51:41 > 0:51:45One of the pups is laying on top of the kill, claiming the spoils.
0:51:58 > 0:52:01Finally, one of the adults has had enough.
0:52:10 > 0:52:13The pups will now have to start to earn their place
0:52:13 > 0:52:15at the dinner table.
0:52:23 > 0:52:26Storm's family now has enough food
0:52:26 > 0:52:28to see them through the next few weeks.
0:52:31 > 0:52:33But winter will soon be here.
0:52:37 > 0:52:40Then, I'll discover whether Storm and Susie's pups
0:52:40 > 0:52:43have learned enough to pass their toughest test -
0:52:43 > 0:52:46participating in their first buffalo hunt.
0:52:56 > 0:53:01But as I leave the park again, I fear for their long-term future.
0:53:01 > 0:53:05Flying south, I realise that the modern world
0:53:05 > 0:53:07is marching towards their ancient home.
0:53:12 > 0:53:14The Alberta Oil Sands,
0:53:14 > 0:53:17the third largest crude oil reserve in the world,
0:53:17 > 0:53:21is directly upstream, right on their doorstep.
0:53:41 > 0:53:46In the past decade, air emissions have increased substantially...
0:53:53 > 0:53:56..while leaks from the toxic holding ponds
0:53:56 > 0:54:00into the surrounding water supply have more than quadrupled.
0:54:07 > 0:54:09Over the next seven years,
0:54:09 > 0:54:13oil production from here is expected to double.
0:54:15 > 0:54:21How will this affect the wolves and buffalo? No-one knows for sure.
0:54:42 > 0:54:45Winter brings me full circle with the wolves.
0:54:48 > 0:54:50A year ago, I first met Storm
0:54:50 > 0:54:53and I've learned he is a truly impressive leader for his family.
0:54:55 > 0:54:59He and Susie have kept all four pups alive.
0:54:59 > 0:55:02And they've grown so much, it's hard to tell them now from the adults.
0:55:06 > 0:55:09But have they learned any hunting skills from their parents?
0:55:15 > 0:55:18Winter is the season when the pack is at full strength.
0:55:18 > 0:55:22All of the wandering members of the family are back.
0:55:22 > 0:55:26And now is the time when they can really bring down large prey.
0:55:36 > 0:55:39There's a couple of black wolves in the pack now.
0:55:39 > 0:55:42It's rare to see black wolves this far north.
0:55:52 > 0:55:57This hunt will be the first real test for the pups.
0:55:57 > 0:56:01Now, they need to be able to contribute to the family's survival.
0:56:22 > 0:56:25It looks like some of the pups are in the chase.
0:57:03 > 0:57:07One after another, the wolves of the pack join in to help.
0:57:07 > 0:57:10Together, they quickly subdue the buffalo.
0:57:14 > 0:57:18I see some of the pups helping out as well.
0:57:23 > 0:57:27It seems to me that Storm and Susie have taught their children well.
0:57:42 > 0:57:44Through my year with Storm and his pack,
0:57:44 > 0:57:46I've learned something of how wolves
0:57:46 > 0:57:50have lived in this ancient wilderness for so long.
0:57:51 > 0:57:55Their success comes down to the strength of their family,
0:57:55 > 0:57:59which, in turn, comes down to the strength of their leader.
0:58:01 > 0:58:04I do worry about their future.
0:58:04 > 0:58:08But for now, this latest generation of pups
0:58:08 > 0:58:11will be able to grow up in this beautiful wilderness
0:58:11 > 0:58:16under the watchful eye of a remarkable wolf called Storm.
0:58:55 > 0:58:58Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd