0:00:14 > 0:00:19In these dark, ancient forests lives a creature of legend.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25This is not an albino or polar bear,
0:00:25 > 0:00:30but a rare North American black bear known as a ghost bear.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36This white bear is a mother with two black cubs.
0:00:40 > 0:00:44A bear family like this can be found in only one place on Earth.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48The rainforest islands on the west coast of Canada.
0:00:51 > 0:00:55My name is Jeff Turner and I'm a Canadian wildlife film-maker.
0:00:56 > 0:01:00Alongside my own family, I'm heading into this wilderness to tell
0:01:00 > 0:01:02the story of these special bears.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06There's a lot at stake for this bear family.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10They only have a few critical months to find enough food to
0:01:10 > 0:01:12survive next winter's hibernation.
0:01:15 > 0:01:16And they're not alone.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20Hungry wolves...
0:01:20 > 0:01:23and much larger bears share their island home.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28It's going to take all the skills of this mother bear to get her
0:01:28 > 0:01:31cubs through the many challenges they'll face.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36This is their remarkable story.
0:01:52 > 0:01:57Canada's ghost bears live on the west coast, in an area
0:01:57 > 0:01:59known as the Great Bear Rainforest,
0:01:59 > 0:02:02part of the world's largest temperate rainforest.
0:02:06 > 0:02:08Here, the North Pacific Ocean
0:02:08 > 0:02:11meets the coastal mountains of British Columbia.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18This is one of the most productive landscapes on the planet,
0:02:18 > 0:02:22and the life here is sustained by an abundance of fresh water.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47The Great Bear Rainforest shelters thousands of different
0:02:47 > 0:02:49species beneath its branches...
0:02:52 > 0:02:55..but the one that we've come here to find, the most famous
0:02:55 > 0:02:59and elusive, lives deep within the forest.
0:03:00 > 0:03:04This isn't my first time I've been here looking for ghost bears.
0:03:04 > 0:03:0725 years ago, my wife Sue and I
0:03:07 > 0:03:10were the first people to ever make a film about these bears.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17We had some amazing experiences and it changed the way
0:03:17 > 0:03:21I have understood and worked around bears ever since.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25Today, we're heading to a spot
0:03:25 > 0:03:28where a ghost bear has been seen in recent years.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33Although any bear could be frightened by human presence,
0:03:33 > 0:03:36experience has taught me that if you're relaxed,
0:03:36 > 0:03:38the chances are the bears will be, too.
0:03:43 > 0:03:47And when we find her, this female is just awakening from a long sleep.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55White black bears can occur in other places,
0:03:55 > 0:03:59but it's one in a million odds, whereas here,
0:03:59 > 0:04:02because these bears have been isolated on these islands for
0:04:02 > 0:04:06so long, about one in ten black bears are white.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14This year, she's come out of the den with two little cubs
0:04:14 > 0:04:16that, unlike her, are black.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22The genes that create white fur are not always expressed,
0:04:22 > 0:04:25and a ghost bear mother is as likely to give birth to black cubs
0:04:25 > 0:04:27as she is to white ones.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37Getting both her cubs through their first year will be a challenge.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44The main risk to cubs comes from other bears and wolves,
0:04:44 > 0:04:48so when they're small, she'll keep them back here in the forest.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55It's safer here because there's relatively little to eat,
0:04:55 > 0:04:57and most animals are out on the coast,
0:04:57 > 0:05:02where one of the year's greatest feasts is getting underway.
0:05:04 > 0:05:08Hundreds of kilometres of shoreline are covered with sticky, white eggs.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15Creatures from around the region are here to take advantage
0:05:15 > 0:05:16of the abundant food.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20This hungry male bear could easily kill the cubs.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25But right now, he seems pretty content
0:05:25 > 0:05:27with just licking up the rich eggs.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37Wolves are also a threat to the cubs, and they're here, too.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50At this time of year, they'll spend hours eating the rich eggs
0:05:50 > 0:05:53while trying not to ingest too much of the seaweed underneath.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59All these eggs come from Pacific herring
0:05:59 > 0:06:02that have come up from deep water to spawn.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08Male herring broadcast their sperm into the water,
0:06:08 > 0:06:09turning it milky white.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18This attracts females to the area,
0:06:18 > 0:06:21who deposit their sticky eggs onto the vegetation.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25Each female can lay up to 40,000 eggs.
0:06:26 > 0:06:30There's a pheromone in the sperm that stimulates both the males
0:06:30 > 0:06:34and females into a frenzy of spawning activity.
0:06:36 > 0:06:41Herring are the most abundant fish on the coast,
0:06:41 > 0:06:45providing rich pickings for any animal that can take advantage.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51Like these Steller sea lions.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56The big males can eat up to 70kg in a day.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01DRAMATIC MUSIC
0:07:22 > 0:07:26The herring spawn is one of the most important events of the year...
0:07:30 > 0:07:32..but our white bear mother has not been able to take
0:07:32 > 0:07:35advantage of this spring feast.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39For now, she's continuing to keep her cubs hidden away.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46They do seem nervous,
0:07:46 > 0:07:50but it's not because there are wolves or other bears around.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57We are the first people that these cubs have ever seen...
0:08:01 > 0:08:03..and even though these cubs seem shy,
0:08:03 > 0:08:06we know what's possible in a relationship
0:08:06 > 0:08:07between humans and bears.
0:08:10 > 0:08:1425 years ago, we lived side-by-side with the bears of the
0:08:14 > 0:08:18Great Bear Rainforest, when our daughter Chelsea was just a baby.
0:08:18 > 0:08:20SHE BABBLES
0:08:22 > 0:08:25We quickly came to realise that these bears had never
0:08:25 > 0:08:27encountered people before.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31Over time, we were able to gain their trust,
0:08:31 > 0:08:34so that they were comfortable allowing us
0:08:34 > 0:08:36close enough to get a special view of their world.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44Growing up with bears as her neighbours became normal to Chelsea.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48- CHELSEA:- I don't remember being here as a child,
0:08:48 > 0:08:51but the experience must have rubbed off on me,
0:08:51 > 0:08:55because today, I feel instinctively comfortable around bears.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59It's really special to be able to share this again with my dad,
0:08:59 > 0:09:02only this time, I know how lucky I am to have such close,
0:09:02 > 0:09:04personal encounters with bears.
0:09:08 > 0:09:12Looking at her, this mother bear seems thin.
0:09:12 > 0:09:13She needs to build herself up
0:09:13 > 0:09:16if she's going to get her cubs through their first summer.
0:09:21 > 0:09:25Black bear mothers produce milk that is 30% fat,
0:09:25 > 0:09:28some of the richest milk of any land animal in the world.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34And she's had to do this with only plants to eat.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40Since coming out of the den, she's been slowly losing weight.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45She needs high-protein food,
0:09:45 > 0:09:48but she'll have to wait until the salmon arrive.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57Waiting in the forest does offer her
0:09:57 > 0:10:01and her cubs continued sanctuary, but it must be hard to stay back
0:10:01 > 0:10:04from the coast, where the pickings are much richer.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11Other inhabitants of these islands can take full advantage
0:10:11 > 0:10:13of what this place has to offer.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20The Great Bear Rainforest lies adjacent to the
0:10:20 > 0:10:23North Pacific Ocean, one of the richest in the world.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30The wolves have readily adapted to life in this marine environment.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36They are more sea wolves than timber wolves.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42They are genetically distinct from their cousins on the mainland
0:10:42 > 0:10:45and are incredible swimmers.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49They've been seen travelling up to 12km between islands.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52SOMBRE MUSIC
0:11:06 > 0:11:11Most of the food these wolves eat comes from the sea,
0:11:11 > 0:11:12but they also eat bears.
0:11:14 > 0:11:18A wolf pack kills at least one or two bears a year
0:11:18 > 0:11:20in the Great Bear Rainforest.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24There's a good reason the mother bear prefers the forest,
0:11:24 > 0:11:26even though there's less to eat.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32But with summer's imminent arrival,
0:11:32 > 0:11:35she shouldn't have to wait much longer for a decent meal.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42Millions of salmon are migrating from their distant offshore
0:11:42 > 0:11:46feeding grounds, returning to the rivers where they were born,
0:11:46 > 0:11:48to spawn and then die.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58Many will swim hundreds of kilometres inland,
0:11:58 > 0:12:00deep into the heart of the forest.
0:12:07 > 0:12:11And for some, it will mean they have to travel underground.
0:12:14 > 0:12:19Underlying huge parts of the coast is a type of bedrock that is
0:12:19 > 0:12:23so porous and permeable that water flowing on the surface
0:12:23 > 0:12:25will suddenly disappear into a hole.
0:12:29 > 0:12:33The water flows underground, often for kilometres,
0:12:33 > 0:12:38before re-emerging again, sometimes in a completely different valley.
0:12:41 > 0:12:45In these regions, known as karst landscapes,
0:12:45 > 0:12:48salmon may have to travel through many of these underground
0:12:48 > 0:12:51river systems to reach their spawning grounds.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57The water that flows through this special bedrock becomes very
0:12:57 > 0:13:01alkaline and carries nutrients leached from the rocks.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03Ideal for salmon.
0:13:08 > 0:13:12This salmon creek is fairly small, but it's full of fish.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18This could be a great spot to set up and wait for the mother bear...
0:13:20 > 0:13:23..even though there are other bears here already.
0:13:29 > 0:13:33This huge male is one of the biggest black bears I've ever seen.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35He must be the dominant bear on the creek,
0:13:35 > 0:13:38and could be a real problem for a mother bear with cubs.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43There is at least a dozen bears that use this creek,
0:13:43 > 0:13:46so I'm not sure our mother will make an appearance.
0:13:50 > 0:13:55The salmon only have a few weeks to spawn before they die,
0:13:55 > 0:13:57but many won't get the chance.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06Those white paws definitely belong to a ghost bear...
0:14:10 > 0:14:13..and I'm relieved to see that it's the mother bear.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17She has been lured from the forest by the chance of a good meal.
0:14:22 > 0:14:26This will be the first salmon she's tasted in almost a year.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28Hopefully, the first of many.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38But she's left her cubs behind in the forest.
0:14:39 > 0:14:43Although they'll be alone, with all the other bears on the creek,
0:14:43 > 0:14:45it's probably the right call.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52There are so many salmon here,
0:14:52 > 0:14:55it's almost like she doesn't know where to start.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58PLAYFUL MUSIC
0:15:18 > 0:15:21And it looks like she's not going to settle for just one.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32I've never seen a bear with one salmon in its mouth
0:15:32 > 0:15:34trying to catch another.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37She's either really experienced, or very hungry.
0:15:45 > 0:15:49Right now, it's still too risky to bring the cubs to the salmon...
0:15:58 > 0:16:03..instead it looks like she's taking the salmon to the cubs.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09It didn't take me long to learn that the mother bear
0:16:09 > 0:16:12liked to eat her salmon beneath a particular tree
0:16:12 > 0:16:15that the cubs were often in.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18So I was able to set up a remote camera right there
0:16:18 > 0:16:22to observe what the cubs thought of their first salmon.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25One cub was quick to the dinner table,
0:16:25 > 0:16:29but the other was definitely a little more cautious.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38And he seemed far more curious about my camera,
0:16:38 > 0:16:42than about the fresh salmon his mother brought him to eat.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58While the mother bear seems
0:16:58 > 0:17:01completely unconcerned by my camera,
0:17:01 > 0:17:02she has other worries.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05Keeping the cubs in the forest
0:17:05 > 0:17:08will really limit her fishing-time.
0:17:08 > 0:17:12Soon she is going to have to risk bringing them to the creek.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19And she doesn't wait long.
0:17:19 > 0:17:20With no other bears around,
0:17:20 > 0:17:22she makes the move.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26This is a big moment in the cubs' lives.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30She's got to be careful, though,
0:17:30 > 0:17:33another bear could turn up at any moment.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44The cubs are a bit nervous being out in the creek,
0:17:44 > 0:17:48and they know they have to stick close to her wherever she goes.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10While there are still lots of salmon around,
0:18:10 > 0:18:13the mother bear can be selective with what she eats.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17She takes a bite of this salmon...
0:18:17 > 0:18:19and then drops it.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22She can probably tell from the taste it's a male.
0:18:24 > 0:18:28Bears need to target the richest, most nutritious food source.
0:18:28 > 0:18:32What she really wants to find are female salmon...
0:18:34 > 0:18:36..and she'll go out of her way to catch one.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41Female salmon are loaded
0:18:41 > 0:18:45with thousands of brightly coloured, nutrient-rich eggs.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50This is the best part of the salmon,
0:18:50 > 0:18:53high in calories and fat...
0:18:53 > 0:18:56and she doesn't want to leave any behind.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06The cubs, though, still need to learn
0:19:06 > 0:19:08which are the best parts to eat.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17Though the cubs are still nursing,
0:19:17 > 0:19:21they need these protein-rich salmon as much as their mum does.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28The whole family has to put on as much weight as possible
0:19:28 > 0:19:30before winter hibernation.
0:19:37 > 0:19:41The mother bear is always alert to potential dangers to her cubs.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45Surprisingly, it's another ghost bear.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47This one looks like a large male.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53The cubs know that when another bear is around,
0:19:53 > 0:19:55they have to get out of there.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57They retreat to the safety of the trees.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03The mother bear is much smaller than him,
0:20:03 > 0:20:06but she's still going right after him.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10I'm not sure that's such a good idea -
0:20:10 > 0:20:13he could certainly do some damage to her.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17And he doesn't seem much deterred by her approach.
0:20:33 > 0:20:35That's a risky move on her part.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38Any time two bears physically interact like that,
0:20:38 > 0:20:41there's a good chance one of them could be hurt.
0:20:41 > 0:20:42They're very powerful animals.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47I don't know her character well enough yet to decide
0:20:47 > 0:20:49if she's foolhardy or brave.
0:20:51 > 0:20:52Only time will tell.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57But her cubs knew what to do in this situation -
0:20:57 > 0:21:02they knew that their best defence was to get up as high into a tree,
0:21:02 > 0:21:05as quickly as possible.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12Bear cubs always seem so at ease in these big trees,
0:21:12 > 0:21:13so far off the ground.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23They'll use their teeth as well as their claws
0:21:23 > 0:21:25to hang on and move around.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40The mother bear seems to have won the day,
0:21:40 > 0:21:44but these encounters with other bears will be stressful for her.
0:21:48 > 0:21:53She wisely decides to take her cubs back into the safety of forest.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59With the arrival of the salmon,
0:21:59 > 0:22:03the mother bear may also have to worry about the resident wolf packs.
0:22:05 > 0:22:10Wolves on this coast are known to catch salmon in these streams.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19It's lucky for her the ocean provides such a bounty
0:22:19 > 0:22:22that the wolves seem content to spend their time
0:22:22 > 0:22:24patrolling the shoreline.
0:22:34 > 0:22:38And they find a dead sea lion that has washed up onto shore.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47The whiter wolf is the old grandmother of the pack.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49Her teeth aren't strong enough
0:22:49 > 0:22:51to chew through the tough, rubbery hide,
0:22:51 > 0:22:54as this younger wolf is starting to do.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11For now, the old wolf must scavenge the beach for smaller prey.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16THEY HOWL
0:23:16 > 0:23:18Wolves use howls to communicate.
0:23:20 > 0:23:25When they find food they alert the other pack members to the discovery.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36The abundance of food from the ocean means that these sea wolves
0:23:36 > 0:23:40can survive on just 60 square kilometres,
0:23:40 > 0:23:44whereas wolves inland can range well over 1,000.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49This is a real bonanza for them -
0:23:49 > 0:23:52many kilos of fat-rich meat -
0:23:52 > 0:23:56and it will feed the pack for a week or more.
0:24:02 > 0:24:07Eventually, even the old grandmother wolf gets her chance to feed.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12The younger pack members have peeled back the hide
0:24:12 > 0:24:15and the heat from the sun has softened the carcass
0:24:15 > 0:24:17so she is able to eat her fill.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22While the summer sun has helped this old wolf get a meal,
0:24:22 > 0:24:26it brings tougher times for some of the other residents
0:24:26 > 0:24:28of the Great Bear Rainforest.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32Water levels on the creek are dropping,
0:24:32 > 0:24:35and it's getting harder for the bears to catch salmon.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41The salmon can't make it up and over the falls now...
0:24:43 > 0:24:46..so they hole up in the remaining deepwater pools.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52The bears keep trying...
0:24:52 > 0:24:55but salmon are very deep difficult to catch in deep water.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09Chelsea and I are going to set up our underwater camera
0:25:09 > 0:25:13in one of the pools to get a salmon's-eye view.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17We wanted to test a theory about why ghost bears are so prevalent here.
0:25:19 > 0:25:23We want to find out if white bears catch more fish than black ones.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27There's new research that indicates they can catch 30% more salmon
0:25:27 > 0:25:29during the day than black bears,
0:25:29 > 0:25:31because their white fur
0:25:31 > 0:25:33is less visible against the sky.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36This would give them a distinct survival advantage.
0:25:42 > 0:25:46Salmon have excellent vision - surprisingly similar to humans.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50We need to place the camera
0:25:50 > 0:25:53so that it's just the right spot to see the bears against the sky.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59My dad asks me to do my best bear imitation!
0:26:05 > 0:26:08Once we are happy with the camera replacement,
0:26:08 > 0:26:10we just have to wait.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14It's not long before a black bear arrives.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20From the salmon's perspective,
0:26:20 > 0:26:23he seems to blend in very well against the trees.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28He even makes a lucky catch.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38On this narrow creek, the forest obscures most of the sky above...
0:26:39 > 0:26:42..then I see our mother bear approaching.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48She seems to stand out even more against the trees
0:26:48 > 0:26:49than the black bear.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56But she still makes a successful catch.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05Later we pointed the camera more towards the sky
0:27:05 > 0:27:07and she did seem better camouflaged.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11It wasn't a very scientific test,
0:27:11 > 0:27:13but I think a bear's fishing ability
0:27:13 > 0:27:15is as much to do with its age and experience,
0:27:15 > 0:27:17as it does with its fur-colour.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27The more time we get to spend around this bear,
0:27:27 > 0:27:29the more we are learning about her skills.
0:27:29 > 0:27:34So far, she's managed to catch lots of fish and keep her cubs safe.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39But the busiest and most important part of the salmon season
0:27:39 > 0:27:40is still to come.
0:27:45 > 0:27:49While the mother bear lives on these islands year-round,
0:27:49 > 0:27:53there are other creatures that only come for a visit.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11These are North Pacific humpback whales...
0:28:13 > 0:28:17..and 25 years ago you rarely saw them on this coast.
0:28:20 > 0:28:25Today, there are about 2,000 that spend the summer on BC's coast.
0:28:29 > 0:28:33The humpbacks feed by lunging sideways into the water...
0:28:34 > 0:28:38..gulping down millions of tiny krill in massive mouthfuls.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48The humpbacks share their summer feeding grounds
0:28:48 > 0:28:50with Steller sea lions.
0:28:50 > 0:28:52GURGLING, BARKING GROWLS
0:29:00 > 0:29:01The juvenile sea lions
0:29:01 > 0:29:04are very curious about their giant neighbours.
0:29:07 > 0:29:12Filming at sea level, it wasn't clear exactly what was going on.
0:29:12 > 0:29:15Were the sea lions trying to feed around whales,
0:29:15 > 0:29:17or were they trying to play with them?
0:29:17 > 0:29:19We just couldn't tell.
0:29:21 > 0:29:25By using our small remote-control aerial camera,
0:29:25 > 0:29:27my son Logan was able to capture
0:29:27 > 0:29:28a bird's-eye view.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43With the footage from above, we could see that the sea lions
0:29:43 > 0:29:46were taking turns swimming closer and closer to the humpbacks -
0:29:46 > 0:29:49like dare-devilish teenagers.
0:29:51 > 0:29:55And we could see now that the humpbacks were clearly not happy
0:29:55 > 0:29:56with the sea lions' antics.
0:29:58 > 0:30:02This tail side-swiping is a sign of aggression in whales.
0:30:06 > 0:30:09For the sea lions, it's a dangerous game -
0:30:09 > 0:30:12a smack from a humpback's tail would be deadly.
0:30:17 > 0:30:21The humpbacks slap the water with their pectoral fins and tails
0:30:21 > 0:30:24in an effort to drive off the pesky sea lions.
0:30:33 > 0:30:37While the humpbacks have made a remarkable recovery,
0:30:37 > 0:30:40on this part of the coast, their future is far from secure.
0:30:44 > 0:30:48There are plans to ship oil and gas in massive tankers
0:30:48 > 0:30:51right through the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest.
0:30:53 > 0:30:56Humpbacks have no biosonar capacities
0:30:56 > 0:30:59and are therefore very vulnerable to collisions with large ships.
0:31:03 > 0:31:04The traffic in these waters
0:31:04 > 0:31:08is expected to climb more than 100-fold
0:31:08 > 0:31:11if the planned pipelines and tanker depots get built.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17It's not just whales that may be impacted...
0:31:18 > 0:31:22..these rich, coastal waters provide foraging opportunities
0:31:22 > 0:31:23for lots of other wildlife.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27Sea birds like these gulls, loons and guillemots
0:31:27 > 0:31:31are all here to take advantage of the schools of young herring
0:31:31 > 0:31:33living in these inland waters.
0:31:36 > 0:31:39The guillemots are expert underwater hunters.
0:31:40 > 0:31:44They can easily dive up to 100 metres.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51Herring will avoid swimming through bubbles.
0:31:51 > 0:31:55The guillemots take advantage of this to corral the herring
0:31:55 > 0:31:57and drive them up to the water's surface.
0:32:01 > 0:32:05The trails of bubbles are air trapped in the guillemots' feathers
0:32:05 > 0:32:08and squeezed out by the water pressure as they dive.
0:32:11 > 0:32:15The guillemots remain underwater for several minutes as they herd
0:32:15 > 0:32:18the frenzied herring into bigger and bigger bait balls.
0:32:23 > 0:32:27Forming a bait ball is the herrings' last-ditch defence.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33With the guillemots pushing them up from below,
0:32:33 > 0:32:35the herring are driven to the surface
0:32:35 > 0:32:38where the gulls have been waiting to attack.
0:32:44 > 0:32:47Many dive into the bait ball to try and make a catch.
0:32:53 > 0:32:55But some try a different technique...
0:32:58 > 0:32:59Piracy!
0:33:14 > 0:33:18These feeding frenzies don't last long, though,
0:33:18 > 0:33:22the herring eventually escape diving deep out of reach
0:33:22 > 0:33:24of these surface predators.
0:33:27 > 0:33:29Back on the salmon creek,
0:33:29 > 0:33:33the water is low and the mother bear is spending more time
0:33:33 > 0:33:37out here with her cubs scavenging salmon carcasses.
0:33:38 > 0:33:39Fishing is tough right now.
0:33:46 > 0:33:50What's nice to see is how increasingly tolerant
0:33:50 > 0:33:52she's becoming of us.
0:33:52 > 0:33:54She just goes about her day like we're not even here.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05This is because the people she has met before
0:34:05 > 0:34:07have treated her well.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10We're collaborating with local bear guide
0:34:10 > 0:34:14Marvin Robinson, a member of the Gitga'at First Nation.
0:34:17 > 0:34:19He spent a lot of time
0:34:19 > 0:34:22among the white bears in his traditional territory,
0:34:22 > 0:34:25protecting them and guiding photographers and tourists
0:34:25 > 0:34:26to see them.
0:34:30 > 0:34:33He has treated the bears with respect and tolerance.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42This has really helped us establish a relationship
0:34:42 > 0:34:43with this mother bear.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47She is so comfortable in our presence -
0:34:47 > 0:34:50she'll even take a nap right in front of us.
0:34:53 > 0:34:58In fact, she's looking so relaxed it's actually a little worrying.
0:34:58 > 0:35:01While she doesn't need to be concerned with us,
0:35:01 > 0:35:04she still does need to watch out for other bears.
0:35:06 > 0:35:08At least the cubs are up in a tree.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14If she wants to avoid a close encounter with another bear,
0:35:14 > 0:35:17she needs to literally sleep with one eye open.
0:35:30 > 0:35:33And this is what I was worried about.
0:35:38 > 0:35:40This big male doesn't know the mother bear
0:35:40 > 0:35:42is asleep on the other side of the tree.
0:35:51 > 0:35:53His sudden appearance startles her.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56LOUD GROWLING
0:35:56 > 0:35:58She has no idea of his intentions.
0:36:05 > 0:36:07LOW GROWLING
0:36:11 > 0:36:14She is very upset by how close he got
0:36:14 > 0:36:16and reacts with real aggression.
0:36:26 > 0:36:29GROWLING CONTINUES
0:36:38 > 0:36:40This is just the sort of encounter
0:36:40 > 0:36:43that most mother bears try to avoid.
0:36:48 > 0:36:52It was a dangerous situation for her to get yourself into.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59She is lucky the big male didn't fight back.
0:36:59 > 0:37:01He's so much bigger than her
0:37:01 > 0:37:05that one swipe of his paw could've injured or even killed her.
0:37:10 > 0:37:12For bears at this time of year,
0:37:12 > 0:37:14the stakes are high.
0:37:14 > 0:37:18And the next morning brings a stark reminder of just how high.
0:37:21 > 0:37:23It's a little male black bear.
0:37:24 > 0:37:28He was most likely killed in a fight with another bear -
0:37:28 > 0:37:29possibly the big male.
0:37:32 > 0:37:36Competition for salmon can be fierce and, occasionally, fatal.
0:37:41 > 0:37:43The presence of this dead bear
0:37:43 > 0:37:45appears to have really upset the mother.
0:37:47 > 0:37:48She needs the salmon,
0:37:48 > 0:37:52but the risk to her cubs is too high to stay out on the creek right now.
0:37:56 > 0:37:59Luckily, this stressful situation is about to change.
0:38:04 > 0:38:08The autumn rains finally arrive after a long, dry summer.
0:38:11 > 0:38:15This place is called the Great Bear Rainforest for a reason -
0:38:15 > 0:38:19more than three metres of rain falls on these forests every year.
0:38:21 > 0:38:24It is one of the wettest places in the northern hemisphere.
0:38:31 > 0:38:33This huge influx of fresh water
0:38:33 > 0:38:36cascades off the rocky mountain slopes
0:38:36 > 0:38:40filling the streams and creating surging waterfalls.
0:38:51 > 0:38:53Rising water levels
0:38:53 > 0:38:55mean that the salmon that have been trapped in shallow water,
0:38:55 > 0:38:58can now continue their migration upstream.
0:39:02 > 0:39:06But the higher water means that it can sometimes take 24 hours
0:39:06 > 0:39:08and dozens of attempts
0:39:08 > 0:39:10for them to leap a single waterfall.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24The salmons' efforts are made even more challenging
0:39:24 > 0:39:26by the presence of hungry black bears.
0:39:34 > 0:39:36These two bears are very skinny.
0:39:36 > 0:39:38They've both been drawn to the falls
0:39:38 > 0:39:42in a desperate attempt to catch one of the leaping salmon.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52But they have to be in exactly the right position,
0:39:52 > 0:39:54just a little bit off the mark
0:39:54 > 0:39:56and they won't catch a thing.
0:39:58 > 0:40:02This bear knows he needs a better position to fish,
0:40:02 > 0:40:03but there is a real danger -
0:40:03 > 0:40:07a fall into this surging water could be fatal.
0:40:38 > 0:40:40Not only does he have to stand in this fast water,
0:40:40 > 0:40:44but he has to be secure enough to reach for leaping fish.
0:41:06 > 0:41:08The other bear needs to get closer,
0:41:08 > 0:41:11but there's no place for him to stand.
0:41:22 > 0:41:24They are so close...
0:41:24 > 0:41:25And yet, just out of reach.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36The bear on the other side of the fall looks on in vain...
0:41:36 > 0:41:38He is just too high above the water.
0:41:40 > 0:41:44But this bear's precarious position finally pays off.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59With water levels up on the creek,
0:41:59 > 0:42:02the salmon are able to push further upstream
0:42:02 > 0:42:06and the bears have more opportunities to catch them.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14With higher water, the mother bear has moved to the falls
0:42:14 > 0:42:17where the salmon are most active.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20But the big male has taken over the best fishing spot.
0:42:23 > 0:42:25She needs to keep herself safe,
0:42:25 > 0:42:28but she also needs access to salmon.
0:42:31 > 0:42:33She cautiously moves closer to the big male.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38She's probably still a little unsure of him
0:42:38 > 0:42:40after their last encounter.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48There's lots of salmon swimming through the falls now,
0:42:48 > 0:42:50but with big male so close by,
0:42:50 > 0:42:54she can't really move around as freely as she needs to.
0:43:18 > 0:43:22The big male has control of the best fishing site.
0:43:22 > 0:43:24But due to the closeness of the mother bear,
0:43:24 > 0:43:27he also seems to be losing some of his focus.
0:43:27 > 0:43:30MALE BEAR GROWLS
0:43:31 > 0:43:34Then he manages to grab another salmon.
0:43:36 > 0:43:39However, this one is a male, and he lets it go.
0:43:41 > 0:43:43The mother bear is less fussy right now,
0:43:43 > 0:43:46but she's unable to take advantage of the opportunity.
0:43:48 > 0:43:51Neither bear is very happy with the presence of the other.
0:43:55 > 0:43:57The mother bear decides to move in
0:43:57 > 0:44:00and take advantage of the scraps the big guy's left behind.
0:44:10 > 0:44:13The big male seems annoyed by her presence so close behind him.
0:44:18 > 0:44:20Something has to give.
0:44:20 > 0:44:23At this rate, neither bear is going to be successful.
0:44:31 > 0:44:35The mother is getting more confident...
0:44:35 > 0:44:37growling at the big male,
0:44:37 > 0:44:40letting him know she wants him out of there.
0:44:43 > 0:44:46Finally, she builds up the nerve to storm his position.
0:44:48 > 0:44:50GROWLING
0:44:55 > 0:44:58LOW, SUSTAINED GROWLING
0:45:02 > 0:45:06Even though she's much smaller than him, she's not backing down.
0:45:06 > 0:45:09She wants access to the salmon more than he does.
0:45:14 > 0:45:17The big male tries to intimidate her with his much larger size...
0:45:20 > 0:45:23..but she holds her nerve - refusing to leave.
0:45:29 > 0:45:31Finally, the big male's had enough,
0:45:31 > 0:45:34and moves on to other fishing grounds.
0:45:40 > 0:45:43Now the mother bear has the falls all to herself.
0:45:49 > 0:45:50This has been a hard-won salmon,
0:45:50 > 0:45:54but I think there's going to be lots more where this came from now.
0:45:57 > 0:45:59Watching her these past months
0:45:59 > 0:46:02I've really been impressed by how well she's done
0:46:02 > 0:46:04for herself and her family.
0:46:04 > 0:46:07She's a committed mother, who will do what it takes
0:46:07 > 0:46:10to provide for her cubs and keep them safe.
0:46:11 > 0:46:15As winter approaches, they should be in good shape for hibernation.
0:46:20 > 0:46:23But she still had one more surprise in store for me.
0:46:26 > 0:46:28On the very last day of filming,
0:46:28 > 0:46:32she allows me to get the camera close enough to her cubs
0:46:32 > 0:46:35to see the world through the eyes of an individual bear.
0:46:40 > 0:46:4325 years ago, when Sue and I first came here,
0:46:43 > 0:46:47we had never before been in a place where the wildlife allowed us
0:46:47 > 0:46:49to get so immersed in their world.
0:46:59 > 0:47:03It's been such a privilege to be able to come back here
0:47:03 > 0:47:04all these years later
0:47:04 > 0:47:08and have the opportunity to see even closer into the world of bears.
0:47:13 > 0:47:18It's a testament to just how special the Great Bear Rainforest is -
0:47:18 > 0:47:20this temperate rainforest right next to
0:47:20 > 0:47:22the cold, rich North Pacific Ocean
0:47:22 > 0:47:27combine to make this a unique environment full of life.
0:47:32 > 0:47:34And nowhere else on the planet
0:47:34 > 0:47:37can you find a family of bears like this.
0:47:41 > 0:47:44With such a great role model to follow,
0:47:44 > 0:47:47I don't think these cubs will have any trouble
0:47:47 > 0:47:51eventually making their own way on these islands they call home.
0:48:00 > 0:48:02As a wildlife film-maker
0:48:02 > 0:48:05I've had the opportunity to film all around the world,
0:48:05 > 0:48:09but coming back here to the Great Bear Rainforest with my family
0:48:09 > 0:48:14reminds me again what a unique and extraordinary place this is.
0:48:16 > 0:48:18There's nowhere like it in the world
0:48:18 > 0:48:21and it needs to be celebrated and protected.
0:48:23 > 0:48:27There is such richness and diversity everywhere you look,
0:48:27 > 0:48:29but during our filming we discovered
0:48:29 > 0:48:32that it still had some amazing secrets to reveal.
0:48:46 > 0:48:49The Great Bear Rainforest on the west coast of Canada,
0:48:49 > 0:48:52is a huge, largely intact, wilderness
0:48:52 > 0:48:5574,000 square kilometres in size.
0:48:57 > 0:48:59British Columbia contains one fourth
0:48:59 > 0:49:02of all the temperate rainforests left on Earth.
0:49:03 > 0:49:06It's a forested archipelago of thousands of islands,
0:49:06 > 0:49:08fjords and inlets.
0:49:08 > 0:49:10What makes this place so unique
0:49:10 > 0:49:14is the fact that it's adjacent to the rich North Pacific Ocean.
0:49:17 > 0:49:20The sea here supports an abundance of life.
0:49:20 > 0:49:23Harbour seals spend all year here feeding.
0:49:27 > 0:49:29Surf scoters...
0:49:30 > 0:49:33..and the aptly named goldeneye ducks,
0:49:33 > 0:49:36travel here to feed on the abundant fish.
0:49:43 > 0:49:45During our past visits
0:49:45 > 0:49:47we've always focused our filming efforts on the land,
0:49:47 > 0:49:51but there's an incredibly rich world beneath the surface.
0:49:53 > 0:49:56Kelp thrive in these cold fast-moving waters.
0:49:56 > 0:50:00It's one of the fastest-growing plants on Earth
0:50:00 > 0:50:02and can reach up to 30 metres in height.
0:50:04 > 0:50:07This is the first time we've taken our cameras underwater
0:50:07 > 0:50:09to film the kelp forests.
0:50:11 > 0:50:13And for the seals that lived here,
0:50:13 > 0:50:17they were just as curious of our cameras as we were of them.
0:50:29 > 0:50:33Each kelp strand provides a habitat for up to 200 species
0:50:33 > 0:50:36and tens of thousands of individual creatures.
0:50:37 > 0:50:39When we first filmed here 25 years ago,
0:50:39 > 0:50:43there were no sea otters in this part of the central coast.
0:50:43 > 0:50:45They were hunted to extinction
0:50:45 > 0:50:48all along British Columbia's coast.
0:50:48 > 0:50:50A small number were reintroduced about 40 years ago
0:50:50 > 0:50:52and the richness of this environment
0:50:52 > 0:50:56has allowed the population to grow to more than 5,000 today.
0:50:58 > 0:51:00They are re-colonising areas of the coast
0:51:00 > 0:51:03that have not had sea otters for 100 years.
0:51:03 > 0:51:06Another success story on this coast
0:51:06 > 0:51:08has been the arrival of the Pacific white-sided dolphin.
0:51:10 > 0:51:14These agile hunters can reach speeds of up to 40km an hour.
0:51:16 > 0:51:2025 years ago, they were virtually non-existent here.
0:51:20 > 0:51:25Now, about 20,000 are making these inshore waters their home.
0:51:27 > 0:51:29The productivity of life beneath the sea,
0:51:29 > 0:51:32is directly linked to that of the forest above.
0:51:39 > 0:51:42Along the boundary between the sea and the forest,
0:51:42 > 0:51:45sandhill cranes arrive to spend the summer.
0:51:46 > 0:51:49CROAKING CALLS
0:51:49 > 0:51:53Pairs return from California every year to breed
0:51:53 > 0:51:56and raise their young in this rich forest environment.
0:51:56 > 0:52:00Their distinctive resonant cry can carry up to 5km.
0:52:04 > 0:52:07These temperate forests harbour a greater abundance of life
0:52:07 > 0:52:10than any other type of forest on earth.
0:52:18 > 0:52:20A big part of the reason for this
0:52:20 > 0:52:23is due to what's happening beneath the surface.
0:52:25 > 0:52:28It has to do with the way water flows through,
0:52:28 > 0:52:30and even beneath, this forest.
0:52:38 > 0:52:42Many of the trees grow on the permeable karst bedrock.
0:52:42 > 0:52:44Here the land is so soft and fractured,
0:52:44 > 0:52:46that water flowing on the surface
0:52:46 > 0:52:49can suddenly disappear through a hole in the ground.
0:52:51 > 0:52:55Down here there are many kilometres of underground tunnels and chambers
0:52:55 > 0:52:57that the water flows through.
0:53:03 > 0:53:07It's this water that's the key to the forest's success.
0:53:08 > 0:53:11Wherever this soluble karst bedrock occurs,
0:53:11 > 0:53:14the trees grow to incredible heights.
0:53:19 > 0:53:23The soil that develops on top of this bedrock is well-drained,
0:53:23 > 0:53:25so the tree roots don't get waterlogged.
0:53:27 > 0:53:29If the soil was removed you could see
0:53:29 > 0:53:33the convoluted and cracked surface of the bedrock
0:53:33 > 0:53:34that the rainwater flows through.
0:53:37 > 0:53:40This type of carbonate bedrock is rich in nutrients.
0:53:41 > 0:53:44The eroding rainwater carries these nutrients
0:53:44 > 0:53:48throughout the karst system feeding the trees.
0:53:50 > 0:53:53And this makes them highly prized by timber companies.
0:54:00 > 0:54:03Many of them, especially on Vancouver Island,
0:54:03 > 0:54:04have already been logged.
0:54:11 > 0:54:13When the trees are cut down,
0:54:13 > 0:54:15the thin topsoil is vulnerable.
0:54:17 > 0:54:18If a fire occurs,
0:54:18 > 0:54:21this soil can be washed away exposing the bare karst rock below.
0:54:23 > 0:54:26It could take hundreds of years before a site recovers.
0:54:41 > 0:54:43I was keen to document life beneath these forests.
0:54:43 > 0:54:46It's an important part of the salmons' story.
0:54:48 > 0:54:50Filming in these underground rivers
0:54:50 > 0:54:53was something that had never been attempted before,
0:54:53 > 0:54:55and I knew I needed help to make it happen.
0:55:02 > 0:55:04Whoa!
0:55:04 > 0:55:07So, let's put it down there, try to run it through the tunnel.
0:55:07 > 0:55:10If it doesn't fit, we'll leave it back on the left, then assemble it
0:55:10 > 0:55:12and we can just form a little line in.
0:55:14 > 0:55:16Travelling light today.
0:55:17 > 0:55:20'The first challenge was getting hundreds of kilograms
0:55:20 > 0:55:23'of diving and underwater camera gear into the caves.'
0:55:23 > 0:55:26Put it just below you, and then we'll stage everything down to here.
0:55:32 > 0:55:33All this for one shot!
0:55:33 > 0:55:36THEY LAUGH
0:55:36 > 0:55:39'This was no place for anyone who might suffer with claustrophobia!'
0:55:39 > 0:55:41Go ahead of me there.
0:55:44 > 0:55:46That's a bit of a squish, isn't it?
0:55:46 > 0:55:48- It's quite exciting.- OK.- Yeah.
0:55:50 > 0:55:51'This was a first for all of us.
0:55:51 > 0:55:54'We were exploring a hidden world.'
0:55:54 > 0:55:57It's an amazing experience being under here.
0:55:57 > 0:56:00These formations you just had no idea existed here.
0:56:00 > 0:56:03'Once we got through the narrow part of the cave,
0:56:03 > 0:56:05'it opened up into larger chambers.'
0:56:08 > 0:56:12During the wet season, these tunnels can fill with water.
0:56:13 > 0:56:16But eventually, we arrived at this underground lake,
0:56:16 > 0:56:19where we heard the salmon had been seen in the past.
0:56:21 > 0:56:25This is one of the deepest freshwater cave dives in Canada.
0:56:27 > 0:56:30The water is connected to the river that flows above ground,
0:56:30 > 0:56:34so fish like this sculpin can move in and out of the caves.
0:56:35 > 0:56:38For the dive team, this is a cause for concern.
0:56:38 > 0:56:41I heard that the current can get up to eight knots
0:56:41 > 0:56:44in certain places here. That's way too strong to swim against.
0:56:48 > 0:56:50It looks OK, Alex?
0:56:50 > 0:56:53I think it looks good.
0:56:53 > 0:56:56'Once the guys decided the current was safe, they were in the water,
0:56:56 > 0:56:59and their camera gear was lighting up this dark underwater world.
0:57:03 > 0:57:06It didn't take long until the salmon showed up,
0:57:06 > 0:57:08drawn to the sudden appearance of light.
0:57:10 > 0:57:13This is the first time that salmon have been filmed
0:57:13 > 0:57:15in these underground karst caves.
0:57:20 > 0:57:23While the salmon may have to navigate these cave systems,
0:57:23 > 0:57:27the water here offers them something extra.
0:57:27 > 0:57:29Thanks to the alkaline karst bedrock,
0:57:29 > 0:57:33the water here is particularly rich in nutrients and aquatic insects
0:57:33 > 0:57:35offering rich pickings to hungry salmon.
0:57:38 > 0:57:41Research in Alaska shows that salmon living in karst streams
0:57:41 > 0:57:45tend to be larger and more numerous than in other rivers.
0:57:48 > 0:57:51It's become clear to me that the karst landscapes
0:57:51 > 0:57:53of the Great Bear Rainforest
0:57:53 > 0:57:56are vitally important to the animals that make their home here.
0:57:58 > 0:58:00But it's also a fragile landscape.
0:58:00 > 0:58:03Without stronger protection for these karst regions,
0:58:03 > 0:58:05we may lose a key component
0:58:05 > 0:58:08of what makes the Great Bear Rainforest
0:58:08 > 0:58:10such a rich and diverse wilderness.
0:58:13 > 0:58:15And home to some very special wildlife.