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The wolf. A highly intelligent predator. | 0:00:02 | 0:00:06 | |
With a bad reputation. | 0:00:07 | 0:00:09 | |
To many, they are cunning and ruthless killers. | 0:00:12 | 0:00:15 | |
But I want to find out if there's another side | 0:00:17 | 0:00:19 | |
to this feared carnivore. | 0:00:19 | 0:00:21 | |
I've always had a fascination with wolves ever since I was a kid. | 0:00:22 | 0:00:25 | |
They symbolise the wild like no other animal. | 0:00:25 | 0:00:29 | |
My name is Gordon Buchanan. | 0:00:30 | 0:00:32 | |
I'm a wildlife cameraman. | 0:00:32 | 0:00:33 | |
I'm travelling to the Arctic to get closer to wild wolves | 0:00:35 | 0:00:38 | |
than anyone has ever been before. | 0:00:38 | 0:00:41 | |
I want to actually understand the true nature of the wolf, | 0:00:43 | 0:00:46 | |
separate fact from fiction. | 0:00:46 | 0:00:48 | |
I'll be dropped deep into wolf territory. | 0:00:50 | 0:00:52 | |
These are animals that have killed people | 0:00:52 | 0:00:55 | |
and I've got two of them just five metres away. | 0:00:55 | 0:00:58 | |
I'm putting my life on the line... | 0:00:59 | 0:01:01 | |
Is this too close? Is this too close? | 0:01:02 | 0:01:04 | |
Jesus wept...! Oh, my God. | 0:01:04 | 0:01:07 | |
..to get an unprecedented view of wolf family life. | 0:01:09 | 0:01:12 | |
Come on, pups, out you come. | 0:01:13 | 0:01:15 | |
I'll meet the characters in a pack. | 0:01:16 | 0:01:19 | |
Scruffy! | 0:01:21 | 0:01:23 | |
You little swine! | 0:01:23 | 0:01:25 | |
And discover if the big, bad wolf is as dangerous as we imagine. | 0:01:25 | 0:01:30 | |
Don't even think about it. | 0:01:31 | 0:01:32 | |
To get inside a wolf pack I'm travelling to a wilderness | 0:01:46 | 0:01:50 | |
so remote that the wolves here have never seen people. | 0:01:50 | 0:01:54 | |
It's taken me four days to reach Ellesmere Island | 0:01:56 | 0:01:59 | |
in the Canadian Arctic. | 0:01:59 | 0:02:01 | |
Near the North Pole, | 0:02:04 | 0:02:05 | |
it's home to the most isolated wolves in the world. | 0:02:05 | 0:02:09 | |
I'm here to try to follow a family of wolves | 0:02:13 | 0:02:16 | |
during the most important three months of their lives. | 0:02:16 | 0:02:19 | |
From spring, when they have pups... | 0:02:24 | 0:02:26 | |
..until the return of the brutal Arctic winter. | 0:02:28 | 0:02:31 | |
Two years ago a biologist flew over and spotted a pack in this area. | 0:02:40 | 0:02:46 | |
I've come to see if they're still here. | 0:02:46 | 0:02:48 | |
Oh, look! Look, look! | 0:02:52 | 0:02:53 | |
Wow! One, two, three, four, five, six. | 0:02:53 | 0:02:56 | |
Wow! Look at that! | 0:02:57 | 0:02:58 | |
How incredible! | 0:03:01 | 0:03:02 | |
Great. Just staring up at me. | 0:03:05 | 0:03:07 | |
Yes! | 0:03:13 | 0:03:14 | |
Brilliant. | 0:03:16 | 0:03:17 | |
This is the first of two trips I'll be making to the Arctic. | 0:03:19 | 0:03:22 | |
I've brought supplies to keep me going for three weeks. | 0:03:24 | 0:03:27 | |
Well, now that I've found the wolves, | 0:03:37 | 0:03:39 | |
I'm...I'm going to stay here | 0:03:39 | 0:03:42 | |
and I'm going to set up camp right over here. | 0:03:42 | 0:03:44 | |
The Arctic wolves here have never seen people. | 0:03:50 | 0:03:53 | |
I have no idea how they'll react. | 0:03:54 | 0:03:56 | |
They might think I'm their next meal. | 0:03:58 | 0:04:00 | |
Oh, my goodness me, that is sensational. | 0:04:11 | 0:04:15 | |
I do not believe it. | 0:04:17 | 0:04:18 | |
He's stopping. | 0:04:19 | 0:04:20 | |
This is the closest I've ever been to a wild wolf. | 0:04:23 | 0:04:27 | |
I feel incredibly vulnerable. | 0:04:32 | 0:04:34 | |
Wolves take down animals five times my size. | 0:04:34 | 0:04:38 | |
It is an unbelievable start to this. | 0:04:47 | 0:04:50 | |
My heart is still racing when the wolf leaves. | 0:04:52 | 0:04:55 | |
It's amazing to see wolves that close, | 0:05:00 | 0:05:03 | |
but mixed with that is a little bit of apprehension. | 0:05:03 | 0:05:06 | |
But the truth is, I'm not alone here. | 0:05:06 | 0:05:09 | |
I have a director and a soundman. | 0:05:09 | 0:05:12 | |
If I was alone, I think it would be a very different experience. | 0:05:12 | 0:05:16 | |
Wolves are at their most dangerous when they lose their fear of people | 0:05:17 | 0:05:21 | |
and it seems that these wolves don't have any fear to begin with. | 0:05:21 | 0:05:25 | |
The wolves here are the top predator. | 0:05:33 | 0:05:35 | |
They live in one of the most extreme places on earth. | 0:05:38 | 0:05:41 | |
In winter, temperatures plummet to minus 50 degrees. | 0:05:44 | 0:05:49 | |
The sun sets in October and doesn't rise again for four months. | 0:05:51 | 0:05:56 | |
The climate is so harsh | 0:05:59 | 0:06:00 | |
that no people live on this part of the island. | 0:06:00 | 0:06:03 | |
These wolves have never been hunted. | 0:06:05 | 0:06:08 | |
That makes them bold but it could also make them very dangerous. | 0:06:10 | 0:06:15 | |
The fact is wolves have attacked, killed | 0:06:22 | 0:06:25 | |
and injured people in the past. | 0:06:25 | 0:06:27 | |
In 2000, here in Canada, there was someone camping in the wild | 0:06:28 | 0:06:32 | |
and they were pulled from their tent in their sleeping bag | 0:06:32 | 0:06:35 | |
and set upon by wolves. | 0:06:35 | 0:06:37 | |
He was only really saved by the fact that he was with people. | 0:06:37 | 0:06:39 | |
Had he been alone, | 0:06:39 | 0:06:41 | |
he would have almost certainly been killed by those wolves. | 0:06:41 | 0:06:44 | |
That's why I'm putting up an electric fence. | 0:06:45 | 0:06:48 | |
I'm camping alone | 0:06:49 | 0:06:51 | |
to increase my chances of getting close to the pack. | 0:06:51 | 0:06:54 | |
The camera crew is based half a mile away, | 0:06:54 | 0:06:57 | |
so won't be much help if I run into trouble. | 0:06:57 | 0:06:59 | |
So, in theory, it's working now. | 0:07:01 | 0:07:03 | |
I hate to do it, but I think I'm going to test it just... | 0:07:04 | 0:07:09 | |
just to make sure. | 0:07:09 | 0:07:10 | |
Am I? Oh, God, I don't want to do that. | 0:07:11 | 0:07:14 | |
It must be working. | 0:07:14 | 0:07:15 | |
Oh, bugger it. | 0:07:16 | 0:07:18 | |
Ay-yayaya! It's working! | 0:07:18 | 0:07:19 | |
That's... Oh! | 0:07:23 | 0:07:24 | |
Yeah, that's working as well. | 0:07:24 | 0:07:26 | |
The pack are watching me from the other side of the valley. | 0:07:29 | 0:07:32 | |
But I don't know how long they'll be here. | 0:07:32 | 0:07:34 | |
Wolves stay in one place when they have a den with pups. | 0:07:36 | 0:07:39 | |
I'm hoping that's what this pack is doing. | 0:07:41 | 0:07:45 | |
My tent's in a perfect position for a stakeout. | 0:07:45 | 0:07:48 | |
Hey... | 0:07:50 | 0:07:51 | |
This is, er... | 0:07:51 | 0:07:52 | |
..my house, my home. | 0:07:53 | 0:07:55 | |
This is where I'll be sleeping. | 0:07:55 | 0:07:57 | |
Erm...and I have the most unbelievable view. | 0:07:57 | 0:08:02 | |
Literally, the first thing I'll see when I open my tent in the morning | 0:08:05 | 0:08:10 | |
is erm...the hillside where the wolves are. | 0:08:10 | 0:08:12 | |
But what a place. | 0:08:15 | 0:08:16 | |
What a... What a campsite. | 0:08:16 | 0:08:19 | |
It really is brilliant. | 0:08:21 | 0:08:22 | |
While they're here, I can observe them 24 hours a day. | 0:08:27 | 0:08:31 | |
At this time of year, the sun never sets. | 0:08:33 | 0:08:35 | |
It's spring. | 0:08:38 | 0:08:39 | |
A time when this barren land is bursting with new life. | 0:08:39 | 0:08:43 | |
Young arctic hare and baby foxes are everywhere. | 0:08:48 | 0:08:52 | |
But there's also a creature from the ice age | 0:08:55 | 0:08:57 | |
that I hope doesn't come too close. | 0:08:57 | 0:09:00 | |
Muskox are one of the Arctic's most powerful animals. | 0:09:01 | 0:09:05 | |
They look like something from Star Wars. | 0:09:06 | 0:09:08 | |
And they're notoriously bad-tempered. | 0:09:11 | 0:09:13 | |
It's unsettling camping here | 0:09:30 | 0:09:32 | |
and the constant daylight makes it difficult to rest. | 0:09:32 | 0:09:35 | |
It's hard to sleep when the sun is shining. | 0:09:37 | 0:09:39 | |
Everything's telling you that you shouldn't be in bed | 0:09:41 | 0:09:43 | |
but it's 2.15 in the morning. | 0:09:43 | 0:09:46 | |
So the best thing to do is try and make things as dark as possible. | 0:09:48 | 0:09:52 | |
These help. | 0:09:55 | 0:09:56 | |
Today, I want to find out if the pack have a den. | 0:10:06 | 0:10:09 | |
My plan is to track their movements for as long as I can stay awake. | 0:10:10 | 0:10:14 | |
But the wolves have other ideas. | 0:10:16 | 0:10:19 | |
Oh, my word... | 0:10:20 | 0:10:21 | |
The wolf that approached me yesterday is back. | 0:10:24 | 0:10:26 | |
And this time, it's not alone. | 0:10:27 | 0:10:29 | |
Both of the wolves are about 40 metres away from me. | 0:10:34 | 0:10:37 | |
My heart is racing. | 0:10:37 | 0:10:39 | |
Wolves might approach for two reasons, | 0:10:40 | 0:10:42 | |
to see if I'm a threat | 0:10:42 | 0:10:44 | |
or to find out if I'm worth eating. | 0:10:44 | 0:10:46 | |
Oh, jeez! They are right in front of me. | 0:10:49 | 0:10:51 | |
My God...! | 0:10:52 | 0:10:53 | |
Oh, my God. | 0:10:54 | 0:10:55 | |
Hey, wolf.... | 0:11:00 | 0:11:01 | |
I'm just going to turn this round. | 0:11:01 | 0:11:03 | |
I tell you what, this is quite unnerving. | 0:11:08 | 0:11:12 | |
I'm being circled by wolves | 0:11:13 | 0:11:15 | |
and I'm not sure if I like it. | 0:11:15 | 0:11:17 | |
Being this close to a wolf, | 0:11:27 | 0:11:29 | |
I'm just reminded that... | 0:11:29 | 0:11:30 | |
..these are animals that have injured people. | 0:11:32 | 0:11:35 | |
These are animals that have killed people | 0:11:37 | 0:11:39 | |
and I've got two of them... | 0:11:39 | 0:11:41 | |
..five metres away. | 0:11:43 | 0:11:44 | |
She's coming right up to my little fence. | 0:11:51 | 0:11:53 | |
Oh, my word...! | 0:11:54 | 0:11:55 | |
Look at those eyes! | 0:11:55 | 0:11:57 | |
All the better to see you with. | 0:11:58 | 0:12:00 | |
She is just stunning. | 0:12:00 | 0:12:02 | |
I definitely feel safer when they back off a bit. | 0:12:08 | 0:12:11 | |
My goodness. | 0:12:15 | 0:12:17 | |
I don't think I've seen such a beautiful animal in my life. | 0:12:18 | 0:12:22 | |
I never imagined that wolves would get this close. | 0:12:29 | 0:12:32 | |
It's a perfect chance to try and work out who's who. | 0:12:33 | 0:12:35 | |
It really is amazing. | 0:12:38 | 0:12:39 | |
There's so few places in the world | 0:12:39 | 0:12:40 | |
that you can get this close to an animal of this size. | 0:12:40 | 0:12:44 | |
And the closer these wolves come, you start to see differences. | 0:12:45 | 0:12:48 | |
It looks like these are two females. | 0:12:49 | 0:12:51 | |
They're both full-size. | 0:12:51 | 0:12:53 | |
This wolf is much more mature-looking. | 0:12:54 | 0:12:57 | |
You can see it in her face. | 0:12:57 | 0:12:58 | |
She's older, definitely. | 0:12:58 | 0:12:59 | |
Marginally bigger. | 0:12:59 | 0:13:01 | |
A lot more hair around her face, | 0:13:01 | 0:13:04 | |
like a lion's mane almost. | 0:13:04 | 0:13:05 | |
But look at this. This is... | 0:13:07 | 0:13:08 | |
This could be major news. | 0:13:10 | 0:13:12 | |
On her belly, towards the back end, | 0:13:13 | 0:13:15 | |
it's bare. | 0:13:15 | 0:13:16 | |
You can almost see the nipples. | 0:13:16 | 0:13:18 | |
And what that means and what that tells me | 0:13:19 | 0:13:22 | |
is that this is a breeding female | 0:13:22 | 0:13:26 | |
and the great hope is that, before too long, | 0:13:26 | 0:13:28 | |
I'm going to get a look at these pups. | 0:13:28 | 0:13:31 | |
This is a huge relief. | 0:13:32 | 0:13:34 | |
Pups mean that this pack will stay in one place. | 0:13:34 | 0:13:37 | |
Now I need to find their den. | 0:13:39 | 0:13:42 | |
This new mum is pale, like the moon, | 0:13:44 | 0:13:46 | |
so I've named her Luna. | 0:13:46 | 0:13:48 | |
This is the only time of year wolves can raise young. | 0:13:56 | 0:13:59 | |
But they don't have long. | 0:13:59 | 0:14:01 | |
Here in the High Arctic, spring and summer only last three months. | 0:14:03 | 0:14:06 | |
It's a brief respite from freezing temperatures. | 0:14:08 | 0:14:12 | |
But conditions remain tough | 0:14:12 | 0:14:14 | |
and some years wolves don't breed at all. | 0:14:14 | 0:14:17 | |
I'm hoping this pack has a den with pups on the opposite hillside. | 0:14:22 | 0:14:26 | |
I spend hours trying to find it. | 0:14:27 | 0:14:30 | |
Eventually, my perseverance pays off. | 0:14:32 | 0:14:36 | |
Look... | 0:14:37 | 0:14:38 | |
That has to be a den! | 0:14:38 | 0:14:39 | |
This den is an amazing find | 0:14:49 | 0:14:51 | |
because it is the only way to keep track of these wolves, | 0:14:51 | 0:14:55 | |
to get them at a time of year that they can't move around freely, | 0:14:55 | 0:14:58 | |
and that's when they're denning, that's when they've got pups. | 0:14:58 | 0:15:01 | |
And I can't help but imagine what's going on underground. | 0:15:02 | 0:15:06 | |
You know, there has to be pups in there. | 0:15:07 | 0:15:09 | |
The question is, how many? | 0:15:11 | 0:15:12 | |
If I'm going to work my way inside a wolf family, | 0:15:14 | 0:15:17 | |
then gaining the trust of Luna will be key. | 0:15:17 | 0:15:20 | |
Camping next to a wild wolf pack is incredible. | 0:15:37 | 0:15:39 | |
HOWLING | 0:15:39 | 0:15:41 | |
But I do wish they weren't such noisy neighbours. | 0:15:41 | 0:15:44 | |
HOWLING CONTINUES | 0:15:44 | 0:15:45 | |
GORDON YAWNS | 0:15:48 | 0:15:49 | |
Goodness me! | 0:15:50 | 0:15:51 | |
Lord... | 0:15:51 | 0:15:52 | |
It makes it very difficult to sleep sometimes. | 0:15:52 | 0:15:55 | |
GORDON YAWNS, THE WOLVES HOWL | 0:15:56 | 0:15:57 | |
Oh, it's very wearing. | 0:15:57 | 0:15:58 | |
But I can't complain because... | 0:15:59 | 0:16:01 | |
..I get to wake up to... | 0:16:02 | 0:16:03 | |
..wolves howling. | 0:16:05 | 0:16:07 | |
This is the best way to wake up. | 0:16:09 | 0:16:11 | |
Ever. | 0:16:11 | 0:16:12 | |
HOWLING CONTINUES | 0:16:12 | 0:16:13 | |
Wolves communicate by howling. | 0:16:14 | 0:16:17 | |
Every pack member has a distinct voice. | 0:16:17 | 0:16:20 | |
HOWLING | 0:16:20 | 0:16:22 | |
HOWLS | 0:16:24 | 0:16:26 | |
This morning, the biggest wolf I've seen so far | 0:16:26 | 0:16:28 | |
is rallying the pack to go hunting. | 0:16:28 | 0:16:30 | |
HOWLS | 0:16:30 | 0:16:33 | |
This big male must be the head of the family. | 0:16:34 | 0:16:36 | |
I'm going to call him Romulus. | 0:16:37 | 0:16:39 | |
HOWLS | 0:16:40 | 0:16:42 | |
Wolf packs are like human families. | 0:16:43 | 0:16:46 | |
Romulus and Luna are mum and dad. | 0:16:47 | 0:16:50 | |
All the other wolves are probably their offspring | 0:16:52 | 0:16:54 | |
from different years. | 0:16:54 | 0:16:56 | |
Hang on, let me just count them... | 0:16:57 | 0:16:58 | |
We've got one, two at the front. | 0:16:59 | 0:17:02 | |
Three, four, | 0:17:02 | 0:17:04 | |
five, six. | 0:17:04 | 0:17:05 | |
All six of them galloping and trotting along the skyline there. | 0:17:07 | 0:17:12 | |
And my guess is | 0:17:15 | 0:17:18 | |
the two at the back | 0:17:18 | 0:17:19 | |
are possibly last year's pups, they're yearlings. | 0:17:19 | 0:17:23 | |
A little bit smaller. | 0:17:24 | 0:17:25 | |
And they're a lot more playful. | 0:17:26 | 0:17:28 | |
Arctic wolves hunt for food in a territory | 0:17:38 | 0:17:41 | |
which can cover over 1,000 square miles. | 0:17:41 | 0:17:44 | |
In spring, there are lots of young animals. | 0:17:47 | 0:17:50 | |
But here, there's no such thing as an easy meal, | 0:17:58 | 0:18:02 | |
even if you are a big, bad wolf. | 0:18:02 | 0:18:04 | |
And if the wolves go anywhere near a skua's nest, | 0:18:15 | 0:18:18 | |
they're dive-bombed until they move on. | 0:18:18 | 0:18:20 | |
The pack can spend days hunting, | 0:18:33 | 0:18:35 | |
but Luna usually returns within an hour to watch over the den. | 0:18:35 | 0:18:38 | |
This is a great opportunity to see if I can start to win her trust, | 0:18:43 | 0:18:47 | |
so I move in closer. | 0:18:47 | 0:18:49 | |
GORDON WHINES | 0:18:56 | 0:18:58 | |
WHINING | 0:18:59 | 0:19:01 | |
WHINING | 0:19:04 | 0:19:05 | |
By making whining noises and avoiding eye contact, | 0:19:05 | 0:19:09 | |
I act submissively, to try and put her at ease. | 0:19:09 | 0:19:12 | |
WHINES | 0:19:13 | 0:19:14 | |
WHINES | 0:19:18 | 0:19:20 | |
WHINES | 0:19:22 | 0:19:23 | |
WHINES | 0:19:24 | 0:19:25 | |
She seems nervous. | 0:19:27 | 0:19:29 | |
So I make myself smaller and less threatening. | 0:19:29 | 0:19:32 | |
WHINES | 0:19:33 | 0:19:35 | |
WHINES | 0:19:37 | 0:19:38 | |
WHINES | 0:19:39 | 0:19:41 | |
I try something a little different to draw her in. | 0:20:07 | 0:20:09 | |
It's clear that me getting close to the wolves | 0:20:22 | 0:20:24 | |
is completely on their terms. | 0:20:24 | 0:20:27 | |
I just tried to get closer to Luna there | 0:20:27 | 0:20:29 | |
and she moved away, | 0:20:29 | 0:20:30 | |
kept a distance of about 60 metres. | 0:20:30 | 0:20:33 | |
Didn't let me close that distance. | 0:20:33 | 0:20:35 | |
So, it's not that she's fearful, | 0:20:35 | 0:20:36 | |
it's just that she's the boss. | 0:20:36 | 0:20:39 | |
She dictates what happens and when. | 0:20:39 | 0:20:42 | |
I think the best thing I can do now is leave Luna alone for a few days. | 0:20:45 | 0:20:49 | |
That way, she can get used to me being around. | 0:20:50 | 0:20:52 | |
It's been a week | 0:20:59 | 0:21:00 | |
and I'm starting to get a sense of the pack's routine. | 0:21:00 | 0:21:03 | |
Romulus leads the family out on hunts twice a day. | 0:21:06 | 0:21:09 | |
Sometimes, they don't have to go that far. | 0:21:10 | 0:21:13 | |
Arctic hares are approaching the den. | 0:21:14 | 0:21:17 | |
Their young live in groups of up to 200, | 0:21:18 | 0:21:21 | |
making them irresistible to hungry wolves. | 0:21:21 | 0:21:24 | |
The youngest wolves of the pack are faster and more agile | 0:21:40 | 0:21:43 | |
than the older wolves. | 0:21:43 | 0:21:45 | |
But arctic hares are built for speed. | 0:21:51 | 0:21:54 | |
Accelerating up to 40 miles per hour. | 0:21:57 | 0:22:00 | |
The hares often outpace the wolves. | 0:22:05 | 0:22:07 | |
The two yearlings are the pack's troublesome teens | 0:22:15 | 0:22:18 | |
and now they're taking an interest in me. | 0:22:18 | 0:22:21 | |
I do wonder what they think when they see me standing here. | 0:22:21 | 0:22:24 | |
Because they certainly don't see me as a threat. | 0:22:24 | 0:22:26 | |
And I wonder, I really do... | 0:22:31 | 0:22:33 | |
..if they don't see me as a threat... | 0:22:34 | 0:22:36 | |
..whether they see me as a potential source of food. | 0:22:38 | 0:22:41 | |
I shouldn't be surprised | 0:22:45 | 0:22:47 | |
that one of the most intelligent animals on the planet... | 0:22:47 | 0:22:49 | |
..has found a way of dismantling my fence, | 0:22:52 | 0:22:55 | |
without getting shocked. | 0:22:55 | 0:22:57 | |
If they get into my food supplies, I'll be in big trouble. | 0:22:58 | 0:23:02 | |
Apart from the yearlings, no other wolf will come near. | 0:23:11 | 0:23:14 | |
To get to know the shyer members of the pack, I put out remote cameras. | 0:23:15 | 0:23:19 | |
But the youngest wolves strike again. | 0:23:21 | 0:23:24 | |
OK, here comes a wolf. | 0:23:25 | 0:23:26 | |
It's one of the yearlings. | 0:23:26 | 0:23:28 | |
Straight up to the camera trap. | 0:23:29 | 0:23:31 | |
Everything that wolves find, they test with their teeth. | 0:23:34 | 0:23:38 | |
They don't use their paws to feel things out. | 0:23:38 | 0:23:40 | |
The most sensitive part of their body | 0:23:40 | 0:23:42 | |
are their lips, their mouths, their nose. | 0:23:42 | 0:23:45 | |
Every camera I put out becomes a new chew toy | 0:23:47 | 0:23:51 | |
for the pack's two teenagers. | 0:23:51 | 0:23:53 | |
Yearlings appear a little bit darker than every other wolf. | 0:23:54 | 0:23:58 | |
These wolves don't start off white, they're born brown or grey. | 0:24:00 | 0:24:04 | |
And as they grow older, they become whiter and whiter. | 0:24:04 | 0:24:07 | |
At least I can now identify one yearling from the other. | 0:24:08 | 0:24:11 | |
This one I'm calling Scruffy. | 0:24:11 | 0:24:13 | |
He's bigger and darker. | 0:24:13 | 0:24:15 | |
You can see how big he is. | 0:24:16 | 0:24:19 | |
You'd never think that he was just a year old. | 0:24:19 | 0:24:21 | |
Scruffy seems to be enjoying the use of my cameras. | 0:24:28 | 0:24:31 | |
The next morning, | 0:24:48 | 0:24:50 | |
it's looks like Scruffy has developed a taste for my kit. | 0:24:50 | 0:24:53 | |
Keep away from my stuff, Scruffy. | 0:24:54 | 0:24:57 | |
Scruffy...! | 0:24:59 | 0:25:00 | |
He decides he likes my camping stool. | 0:25:04 | 0:25:07 | |
You little swine! | 0:25:10 | 0:25:12 | |
Scruffy... | 0:25:13 | 0:25:14 | |
Scruffy... | 0:25:15 | 0:25:16 | |
Absolutely no respect whatsoever for people's private property. | 0:25:16 | 0:25:20 | |
This is bad news. | 0:25:22 | 0:25:24 | |
If Scruffy thinks my stuff is up for grabs, | 0:25:24 | 0:25:26 | |
he could destroy my camp. | 0:25:26 | 0:25:28 | |
GORDON CHUFFS | 0:25:28 | 0:25:31 | |
CHUFFS | 0:25:33 | 0:25:34 | |
I try my best howl to get him to drop it. | 0:25:34 | 0:25:37 | |
HOWLS | 0:25:37 | 0:25:41 | |
HOWLS | 0:25:44 | 0:25:49 | |
I sit down in the hope I can draw him away from the stool. | 0:25:50 | 0:25:53 | |
HOWLS | 0:25:53 | 0:25:57 | |
HOWLS | 0:25:59 | 0:26:04 | |
HOWLS | 0:26:07 | 0:26:13 | |
HOWLS | 0:26:16 | 0:26:18 | |
He's coming straight towards me. | 0:26:23 | 0:26:24 | |
Yeah, being fixed in that stare is not the most comfortable of things. | 0:26:27 | 0:26:31 | |
Heavens above...! | 0:26:31 | 0:26:32 | |
Is this too close? | 0:26:33 | 0:26:34 | |
Is this too close? | 0:26:34 | 0:26:36 | |
Jesus wept... Oh, my God! | 0:26:37 | 0:26:39 | |
That is unnerving. | 0:26:40 | 0:26:42 | |
Hey, Scruff. | 0:26:43 | 0:26:44 | |
You go from... | 0:26:45 | 0:26:47 | |
..being comfortable to being decidedly uncomfortable. | 0:26:49 | 0:26:53 | |
You are enormous. You might only be one year old... | 0:26:54 | 0:26:56 | |
..but you're a big old wolf. | 0:26:58 | 0:26:59 | |
Hey, fella, did you like my howling? | 0:27:01 | 0:27:03 | |
Gee whiz, you are beautiful. | 0:27:05 | 0:27:06 | |
GORDON HOWLS | 0:27:08 | 0:27:11 | |
You like that, don't you? | 0:27:12 | 0:27:13 | |
You can tell he's nervous. | 0:27:14 | 0:27:16 | |
But I don't know if he's as nervous as I am. | 0:27:17 | 0:27:20 | |
I suppose that's what I came here for, to get close to these animals, | 0:27:22 | 0:27:25 | |
but being this close... | 0:27:25 | 0:27:27 | |
..worries me. | 0:27:29 | 0:27:30 | |
Because, as much as I think I understand these animals... | 0:27:32 | 0:27:37 | |
..you can't always read them. | 0:27:38 | 0:27:41 | |
I don't always know what's on their mind. | 0:27:41 | 0:27:43 | |
Eventually, Scruffy gets bored of me | 0:27:45 | 0:27:48 | |
and the stool. | 0:27:48 | 0:27:49 | |
Not bad. | 0:27:50 | 0:27:51 | |
Not too bad at all. | 0:27:53 | 0:27:54 | |
Oh... | 0:27:56 | 0:27:57 | |
Still works. | 0:27:58 | 0:27:59 | |
Thanks, Scruffy. | 0:28:01 | 0:28:02 | |
I'm gradually overcoming my fear of these wolves. | 0:28:04 | 0:28:07 | |
Now I've survived this encounter with Scruffy, | 0:28:10 | 0:28:13 | |
I want to see if I can get closer to Luna. | 0:28:13 | 0:28:16 | |
It's been a couple of days since I last tried to get near Luna | 0:28:28 | 0:28:32 | |
and I think it's time to give it another go. | 0:28:32 | 0:28:34 | |
I came here to see another side to wolves. | 0:28:37 | 0:28:39 | |
That means seeing them raise pups | 0:28:39 | 0:28:42 | |
and it all rests on Luna trusting me. | 0:28:42 | 0:28:45 | |
Luna is at the den. | 0:28:51 | 0:28:53 | |
Just glancing round at me. | 0:28:54 | 0:28:56 | |
You know, I'm not worried about those looks. | 0:28:58 | 0:29:01 | |
She's just checking that I'm still here. | 0:29:02 | 0:29:05 | |
Glances around again. | 0:29:06 | 0:29:07 | |
She's obviously aware of me. | 0:29:07 | 0:29:09 | |
Oh, look! | 0:29:16 | 0:29:17 | |
I can see a pup! I can see a pup! | 0:29:17 | 0:29:19 | |
It is! | 0:29:25 | 0:29:26 | |
A tiny little head popping up. | 0:29:26 | 0:29:28 | |
Wow...! | 0:29:36 | 0:29:37 | |
I... | 0:29:38 | 0:29:39 | |
I don't know, I was expecting them to be white, | 0:29:39 | 0:29:42 | |
but there's a little brown head. | 0:29:42 | 0:29:43 | |
The briefest glimpse of a wolf pup. | 0:29:46 | 0:29:49 | |
Oh, magic! | 0:29:53 | 0:29:54 | |
That's amazing. It really is. | 0:29:56 | 0:29:58 | |
I am so delighted. | 0:29:59 | 0:30:01 | |
Wolves can have up to ten pups in a litter. | 0:30:04 | 0:30:06 | |
I'm desperate to find out if there are more | 0:30:07 | 0:30:10 | |
hidden in the den. | 0:30:10 | 0:30:11 | |
But before I can move closer, the whole pack returns from a hunt. | 0:30:11 | 0:30:15 | |
It's way too soon for me to approach with all of them around. | 0:30:18 | 0:30:22 | |
So, I'm going to try the next best thing. | 0:30:22 | 0:30:25 | |
BEEPING | 0:30:28 | 0:30:29 | |
We have power. | 0:30:29 | 0:30:30 | |
This has never been used before with wolves. | 0:30:30 | 0:30:33 | |
In fact this has never been used before with any animal. | 0:30:34 | 0:30:37 | |
It's very much a prototype. | 0:30:37 | 0:30:39 | |
But it's a rock crawler that can handle this rugged terrain | 0:30:39 | 0:30:43 | |
and it's fitted with two little HD cameras | 0:30:43 | 0:30:46 | |
that I'm hoping to drive up the slope | 0:30:46 | 0:30:48 | |
and get a good look at the den. | 0:30:48 | 0:30:50 | |
Two potential problems, | 0:30:50 | 0:30:51 | |
the terrain is really difficult | 0:30:51 | 0:30:53 | |
but the real danger is that | 0:30:53 | 0:30:55 | |
the wolves don't take too kindly to this and rip it to pieces. | 0:30:55 | 0:30:59 | |
It's designed to handle the terrain but not a pack of six wolves. | 0:31:00 | 0:31:04 | |
We'll see... | 0:31:05 | 0:31:06 | |
OK, I see a wolf. | 0:31:16 | 0:31:18 | |
I'm a bit concerned | 0:31:22 | 0:31:25 | |
about the interest the wolves are showing. | 0:31:25 | 0:31:27 | |
OK, there's a bit of difficult manoeuvring. | 0:31:45 | 0:31:47 | |
Let me see if I can nudge it forward... | 0:31:47 | 0:31:49 | |
Oh, dear... | 0:31:51 | 0:31:52 | |
It's all part of a learning process. | 0:31:58 | 0:32:00 | |
And I've learnt that there's part of the den up there on the right. | 0:32:00 | 0:32:03 | |
It's the bit with the buggy sticking out of it. | 0:32:04 | 0:32:07 | |
I might still get a view inside the den. | 0:32:10 | 0:32:13 | |
I've found a hole. | 0:32:15 | 0:32:16 | |
After a lot of manoeuvring, I get the picture I was hoping for. | 0:32:17 | 0:32:22 | |
Oh, I can see a pup! I can see a pup! | 0:32:25 | 0:32:27 | |
Amazingly, looking straight into the camera. | 0:32:29 | 0:32:32 | |
Theses wolves are incredible. | 0:32:33 | 0:32:35 | |
They have never seen this kind of thing before | 0:32:36 | 0:32:38 | |
and they don't scurry back into the den. | 0:32:38 | 0:32:40 | |
Oh, my word...! | 0:32:44 | 0:32:45 | |
That is just glorious! | 0:32:45 | 0:32:48 | |
Oh, you beauty! Two pups! | 0:32:50 | 0:32:52 | |
Oh, wow! | 0:32:52 | 0:32:54 | |
They are just adorable! | 0:32:54 | 0:32:55 | |
These pups were born deaf and blind. | 0:32:58 | 0:33:01 | |
But now their senses are developing | 0:33:01 | 0:33:04 | |
and they're starting to explore the world around them. | 0:33:04 | 0:33:06 | |
I might get the pups to come and investigate it. | 0:33:10 | 0:33:12 | |
They're looking at it. | 0:33:12 | 0:33:14 | |
They're about four weeks old | 0:33:16 | 0:33:19 | |
and their first teeth are coming through. | 0:33:19 | 0:33:21 | |
These wolves are unbelievable. They really are. | 0:33:32 | 0:33:34 | |
Three pups! | 0:33:38 | 0:33:39 | |
Gee whiz! | 0:33:40 | 0:33:42 | |
I do not believe it! | 0:33:42 | 0:33:44 | |
Wow! | 0:33:50 | 0:33:51 | |
I feel as if I'm right in there. | 0:33:51 | 0:33:53 | |
That I am actually a member of the pack. | 0:33:54 | 0:33:57 | |
It's great! I'm loving this. | 0:33:59 | 0:34:01 | |
If I can follow these pups as they grow up, | 0:34:10 | 0:34:13 | |
I'll get a unique insight into wolf family life. | 0:34:13 | 0:34:17 | |
I think all the wolves are beginning to trust me more. | 0:34:35 | 0:34:38 | |
The pups are spending more and more time above ground. | 0:34:54 | 0:34:57 | |
And they're feeding regularly. | 0:35:01 | 0:35:03 | |
By my count, Luna is suckling them over five times a day. | 0:35:06 | 0:35:10 | |
No-one has ever been this close to a wild wolf pack before | 0:35:13 | 0:35:18 | |
and there are signs | 0:35:18 | 0:35:19 | |
that they're starting to see me as one of the family. | 0:35:19 | 0:35:23 | |
I think a wolf has peed on my binoculars! | 0:35:23 | 0:35:26 | |
I left them here | 0:35:29 | 0:35:31 | |
and I saw a wolf come down, | 0:35:31 | 0:35:32 | |
but I was up that way and... | 0:35:32 | 0:35:34 | |
-SNIFFS -Yep. | 0:35:35 | 0:35:36 | |
That's... That's wolf urine. | 0:35:36 | 0:35:39 | |
SNIFFS | 0:35:39 | 0:35:40 | |
It's very pungent. | 0:35:40 | 0:35:42 | |
SNIFFS | 0:35:42 | 0:35:44 | |
They wouldn't get up that high. | 0:35:44 | 0:35:45 | |
It's all smelling a little bit wolfy round about here! | 0:35:48 | 0:35:51 | |
That's a good thing. | 0:35:52 | 0:35:53 | |
Scent marking, that's erm...that's a territorial thing. | 0:35:53 | 0:35:57 | |
So, maybe they're not marking their territory, | 0:35:57 | 0:35:59 | |
but they're accepting me as part of their group, | 0:35:59 | 0:36:01 | |
that I now belong to them. | 0:36:01 | 0:36:03 | |
I've tried to film wolves many times before | 0:36:11 | 0:36:15 | |
but I've never got this close. | 0:36:15 | 0:36:17 | |
In other parts of the world, it wouldn't be possible. | 0:36:20 | 0:36:22 | |
Wolves often live in dense forests where you just can't see them. | 0:36:24 | 0:36:28 | |
But here, I'm in an unprecedented position | 0:36:31 | 0:36:34 | |
to watch everything they do. | 0:36:34 | 0:36:36 | |
And I'm already surprised by what I'm learning. | 0:36:38 | 0:36:41 | |
This pack works hard for one reason, | 0:36:45 | 0:36:48 | |
to support Luna | 0:36:48 | 0:36:50 | |
and the pups. | 0:36:50 | 0:36:51 | |
She can't leave the den for long, | 0:36:53 | 0:36:55 | |
so they bring food to her. | 0:36:55 | 0:36:57 | |
EXCITED WHINING | 0:37:00 | 0:37:02 | |
Only Luna can feed the pups, | 0:37:03 | 0:37:05 | |
so it's crucial she is kept well-fed. | 0:37:05 | 0:37:08 | |
Poor Luna's looking a little bit | 0:37:10 | 0:37:12 | |
threadbare at the moment. | 0:37:12 | 0:37:15 | |
Having pups takes its toll. | 0:37:18 | 0:37:21 | |
You can't look your best when you've got little ones to be looked after. | 0:37:23 | 0:37:28 | |
Even though Luna's hungry, | 0:37:31 | 0:37:32 | |
the pups come first. | 0:37:32 | 0:37:34 | |
She's now weaning them onto solid food. | 0:37:35 | 0:37:37 | |
Amazingly, I see her make them work for their dinner. | 0:37:40 | 0:37:43 | |
This is the first important step in teaching them how to hunt. | 0:37:45 | 0:37:49 | |
But it's not just Luna that raises the pups. | 0:37:52 | 0:37:55 | |
The whole pack is working together | 0:38:02 | 0:38:05 | |
to make sure that these pups survive. | 0:38:05 | 0:38:08 | |
There is some kind of sense of moral responsibility within these animals. | 0:38:11 | 0:38:16 | |
There has to be. | 0:38:17 | 0:38:18 | |
You can't give up food that you have caught | 0:38:21 | 0:38:24 | |
and give it to another wolf | 0:38:24 | 0:38:26 | |
without there being a moral justification. | 0:38:26 | 0:38:29 | |
It won't be morality like us, but... | 0:38:31 | 0:38:32 | |
..it'll be a kind of wolfish morality. | 0:38:34 | 0:38:36 | |
Work for the good of the pack. | 0:38:40 | 0:38:42 | |
Strength is in the pack. | 0:38:42 | 0:38:44 | |
If you look after the pack, | 0:38:45 | 0:38:47 | |
the pack will look after you. | 0:38:47 | 0:38:49 | |
Those are the wolf rules. | 0:38:51 | 0:38:53 | |
I thought there'd be more fighting in a wolf pack. | 0:38:55 | 0:38:57 | |
But they feel more like a loving family. | 0:38:58 | 0:39:01 | |
As if to prove their devotion to each other, | 0:39:02 | 0:39:05 | |
they howl together several times a day. | 0:39:05 | 0:39:07 | |
And the pups are learning to join in. | 0:39:08 | 0:39:10 | |
LOUD HOWLING | 0:39:10 | 0:39:13 | |
A DISTANT HOWL | 0:39:35 | 0:39:38 | |
In this open landscape, | 0:39:38 | 0:39:39 | |
howls can be heard over ten miles away. | 0:39:39 | 0:39:42 | |
It's how the family keep in touch. | 0:39:43 | 0:39:45 | |
In another month, the pups will leave the den | 0:39:48 | 0:39:51 | |
and travel with the adults. | 0:39:51 | 0:39:52 | |
HOWLING | 0:39:52 | 0:39:54 | |
If they get split up, | 0:39:54 | 0:39:57 | |
howling is one of the only ways | 0:39:57 | 0:39:58 | |
they'll be able to get back together. | 0:39:58 | 0:40:00 | |
HOWLING | 0:40:03 | 0:40:06 | |
It's the end of my second week here | 0:40:11 | 0:40:14 | |
and the pack's routine is changing. | 0:40:14 | 0:40:16 | |
They need to prepare the pups for the impending Arctic winter | 0:40:20 | 0:40:24 | |
and that means one thing... | 0:40:24 | 0:40:25 | |
Food. | 0:40:26 | 0:40:27 | |
Romulus is leading the other four adults on hunts more frequently. | 0:40:29 | 0:40:33 | |
There's a real pressure on the wolves to keep these pups eating. | 0:40:37 | 0:40:40 | |
For them to survive the winter, | 0:40:43 | 0:40:45 | |
they need to put on as much weight as possible. | 0:40:45 | 0:40:48 | |
I'm spending a lot of time near the den | 0:40:58 | 0:41:01 | |
and I'm starting to figure out | 0:41:01 | 0:41:03 | |
how to make them more comfortable around me. | 0:41:03 | 0:41:06 | |
Ignoring her is the best bet. | 0:41:21 | 0:41:23 | |
It just seems to be that when you act naturally, | 0:41:24 | 0:41:28 | |
like drinking water out of a stream like a wolf, | 0:41:28 | 0:41:31 | |
they come much closer. | 0:41:31 | 0:41:33 | |
Part of the learning process is that staring at them, | 0:41:34 | 0:41:39 | |
constantly looking at them, | 0:41:39 | 0:41:40 | |
doesn't seem to work. | 0:41:40 | 0:41:42 | |
Ignoring them does. | 0:41:44 | 0:41:46 | |
Today, the rest of the pack has been out hunting for six hours | 0:41:49 | 0:41:53 | |
and there's no sign of their return. | 0:41:53 | 0:41:55 | |
The pups are getting really hungry. | 0:41:58 | 0:42:01 | |
So, she has to resort to emergency supplies. | 0:42:02 | 0:42:05 | |
What wolves will do is, once they've made a kill, | 0:42:07 | 0:42:10 | |
if it's something that's big and they can't eat it all in one go, | 0:42:10 | 0:42:14 | |
they'll leave these little food parcels all round their territory. | 0:42:14 | 0:42:18 | |
And that's something they can return to and they can feed on | 0:42:20 | 0:42:24 | |
when they haven't had any luck catching something. | 0:42:24 | 0:42:27 | |
But I can imagine, | 0:42:28 | 0:42:30 | |
if you're leaving hundreds and hundreds of little food parcels | 0:42:30 | 0:42:33 | |
all around your territory, | 0:42:33 | 0:42:34 | |
an area that is vast, | 0:42:34 | 0:42:36 | |
you can't possibly remember where every single one of them is. | 0:42:36 | 0:42:40 | |
So it's a bit like, erm...hunting through your house | 0:42:41 | 0:42:44 | |
looking for your car keys. | 0:42:44 | 0:42:45 | |
You know they're there somewhere | 0:42:45 | 0:42:47 | |
but it might take a little while to locate them. | 0:42:47 | 0:42:49 | |
The food caches around the den have been eaten. | 0:42:51 | 0:42:54 | |
But there will be food buried further afield. | 0:42:55 | 0:42:58 | |
It's a chance for me to approach the pups. | 0:43:01 | 0:43:03 | |
An opportunity to see wolf development like never before. | 0:43:04 | 0:43:08 | |
I cannot believe that I am this close to wolf pups at a den. | 0:43:30 | 0:43:35 | |
It is beyond my wildest dreams. | 0:43:37 | 0:43:40 | |
At this distance, | 0:43:44 | 0:43:46 | |
you can really get a good view of these pups. | 0:43:46 | 0:43:49 | |
It seems that the smallest pup is the most dominant one. | 0:44:00 | 0:44:04 | |
There's not much in it sizewise, | 0:44:06 | 0:44:08 | |
but just being this close, | 0:44:08 | 0:44:10 | |
you can tell that one is marginally smaller, | 0:44:10 | 0:44:13 | |
but considerably more dominant. | 0:44:13 | 0:44:16 | |
It's the dominant pup that seems to be the most adventurous one. | 0:44:19 | 0:44:23 | |
They're kind of ranked in order. | 0:44:25 | 0:44:27 | |
There's super-adventurous. | 0:44:27 | 0:44:29 | |
Adventurous. | 0:44:30 | 0:44:32 | |
And stay-at-home. | 0:44:32 | 0:44:33 | |
It always seems to be the same third one that stays back. | 0:44:34 | 0:44:38 | |
And it's kind of encouraged by the others to head further out. | 0:44:39 | 0:44:43 | |
The pups all look healthy now | 0:44:49 | 0:44:52 | |
but when food gets scarce | 0:44:52 | 0:44:54 | |
it's the dominant pup that is most likely to survive. | 0:44:54 | 0:44:57 | |
Soon, the pups will leave the warmth and safety of the den. | 0:45:03 | 0:45:06 | |
Life is going to get a lot harder. | 0:45:07 | 0:45:09 | |
At least, while I'm here, I'll help keep an eye on them. | 0:45:10 | 0:45:13 | |
This is the best baby-sitting job I've ever had. | 0:45:17 | 0:45:20 | |
It is amazing, really, to be trusted and accepted by a wild animal. | 0:45:22 | 0:45:27 | |
Wolves are super-cool. | 0:45:28 | 0:45:31 | |
I've been really amazed by them. | 0:45:33 | 0:45:36 | |
Amazed by how they live | 0:45:37 | 0:45:40 | |
and also amazed by how they've let me get so close to them. | 0:45:40 | 0:45:44 | |
It's amazing, really, to be able to form some kind of | 0:45:47 | 0:45:51 | |
cross-species relationship with wolves, | 0:45:51 | 0:45:54 | |
to the point that they'll let you | 0:45:54 | 0:45:57 | |
look after their young | 0:45:57 | 0:45:59 | |
while they go off hunting. | 0:45:59 | 0:46:01 | |
If that's not being welcomed into the pack, | 0:46:03 | 0:46:05 | |
I don't know what is. | 0:46:05 | 0:46:07 | |
After an hour, Luna returns with food. | 0:46:15 | 0:46:18 | |
She's only been able to find an old muskox leg. | 0:46:21 | 0:46:24 | |
And there's barely enough meat on the bone for each pup. | 0:46:28 | 0:46:31 | |
It's a worrying sign. | 0:46:34 | 0:46:35 | |
My wolf family have a problem. | 0:46:39 | 0:46:41 | |
The Arctic summer doesn't last long. | 0:46:48 | 0:46:50 | |
It's a time when all animals race to feed their offspring, | 0:46:52 | 0:46:56 | |
preparing them for the approaching winter. | 0:46:56 | 0:46:58 | |
This should be the easiest time of year to find food. | 0:47:06 | 0:47:10 | |
But my wolves are struggling | 0:47:11 | 0:47:13 | |
to bring back anything substantial for the pups. | 0:47:13 | 0:47:15 | |
In six weeks, they will face freezing temperatures. | 0:47:18 | 0:47:21 | |
On their current diet, the pups have little chance of surviving. | 0:47:23 | 0:47:27 | |
What they desperately need is a big meal. | 0:47:30 | 0:47:33 | |
I've only got four days left. | 0:47:39 | 0:47:41 | |
I want to leave knowing that the pups are getting enough to eat. | 0:47:42 | 0:47:46 | |
To do that, the pack will need to bring down a muskox. | 0:47:47 | 0:47:51 | |
Herds of muskox move through wolf territories in search of grazing. | 0:47:57 | 0:48:01 | |
They are the most dangerous creature a wolf can hunt. | 0:48:02 | 0:48:06 | |
Look at this... | 0:48:07 | 0:48:08 | |
It's the remains of a muskox. | 0:48:09 | 0:48:10 | |
And a pretty big one. | 0:48:12 | 0:48:14 | |
Look at this... | 0:48:14 | 0:48:15 | |
My goodness! | 0:48:16 | 0:48:18 | |
It's like something from the distant past. | 0:48:18 | 0:48:22 | |
And I suppose it is. | 0:48:22 | 0:48:24 | |
Muskox are one of the few animals to have survived the last ice age | 0:48:24 | 0:48:28 | |
and, really, this animal evolved alongside wolves, | 0:48:28 | 0:48:31 | |
but they evolved alongside animals | 0:48:31 | 0:48:33 | |
that are long-extinct - sabre-toothed cats. | 0:48:33 | 0:48:35 | |
So, they are equipped to deal with predators | 0:48:35 | 0:48:38 | |
that are much bigger than the wolf. | 0:48:38 | 0:48:40 | |
Looking at this in detail, | 0:48:40 | 0:48:41 | |
you realise what these wolves are up against. | 0:48:41 | 0:48:44 | |
If muskox are under attack, they can ram into a wolf. | 0:48:45 | 0:48:49 | |
They're powerful enough to break the spine of a wolf, | 0:48:50 | 0:48:53 | |
if they get a direct hit. | 0:48:53 | 0:48:54 | |
But, also, what they'll do is gore, | 0:48:54 | 0:48:56 | |
like any animal with horns is designed to do, | 0:48:56 | 0:48:59 | |
and that would go right through a wolf. | 0:48:59 | 0:49:03 | |
For wolves to get a significant meal, | 0:49:04 | 0:49:06 | |
they have to take on one of these huge animals. | 0:49:06 | 0:49:10 | |
Can you imagine facing off an animal like this, | 0:49:10 | 0:49:12 | |
that weighs over 400 kilos? | 0:49:12 | 0:49:15 | |
It stands nearly five foot at the shoulder. | 0:49:15 | 0:49:17 | |
And these, in comparison, tiny wolves square up to them. | 0:49:18 | 0:49:23 | |
Rather them than me. | 0:49:25 | 0:49:27 | |
Two days later, I can't believe the pack's luck. | 0:49:32 | 0:49:35 | |
A muskox herd has moved into our valley. | 0:49:36 | 0:49:39 | |
This could be the opportunity the family needs. | 0:49:40 | 0:49:43 | |
They are huge. | 0:49:44 | 0:49:46 | |
Now that is one animal I'm scared of. | 0:49:49 | 0:49:51 | |
And they've got a bad attitude | 0:49:51 | 0:49:52 | |
towards anything that looks like a predator. | 0:49:52 | 0:49:55 | |
Right, I'm not too happy about this | 0:49:59 | 0:50:01 | |
because the muskox are coming straight towards me. | 0:50:01 | 0:50:04 | |
I'm in a very dangerous position, | 0:50:08 | 0:50:11 | |
trapped between the wolves and their prey. | 0:50:11 | 0:50:13 | |
Now, this could get interesting. | 0:50:24 | 0:50:26 | |
How's this going to play out? | 0:50:28 | 0:50:29 | |
It looks like they're going to cross right over towards the wolves. | 0:50:38 | 0:50:41 | |
It's crazy. | 0:50:42 | 0:50:44 | |
Muskox are aggressive | 0:50:48 | 0:50:50 | |
and pose a danger to the pups. | 0:50:50 | 0:50:52 | |
The wolves are up on their feet. | 0:50:54 | 0:50:56 | |
They're heading right up towards the wolves. | 0:50:58 | 0:51:00 | |
Holy mackerel... | 0:51:00 | 0:51:01 | |
Now these wolves are going to have to spring into action. | 0:51:02 | 0:51:05 | |
My God... | 0:51:06 | 0:51:07 | |
They're really relaxed. God, these wolves are super-cool! | 0:51:12 | 0:51:15 | |
My wolves are hungry, but this is a big herd. | 0:51:18 | 0:51:21 | |
The pack are outnumbered two to one. | 0:51:23 | 0:51:25 | |
It's not often that a meal comes straight towards a wolf | 0:51:26 | 0:51:29 | |
but that's what seems to have happened here. | 0:51:29 | 0:51:31 | |
Now the wolves have to really think carefully | 0:51:31 | 0:51:35 | |
whether this is worth it, | 0:51:35 | 0:51:37 | |
whether they stand a chance. | 0:51:37 | 0:51:40 | |
Scruffy shows his inexperience | 0:51:43 | 0:51:45 | |
and is pushed back by a bull. | 0:51:45 | 0:51:47 | |
Oh, she's making a go for it! | 0:51:58 | 0:52:00 | |
They're going for it. | 0:52:03 | 0:52:04 | |
They're going for the muskox. | 0:52:04 | 0:52:06 | |
They're going for the muskox. | 0:52:06 | 0:52:07 | |
Jesus, they've set panic in amongst the herd. | 0:52:07 | 0:52:10 | |
Luna and Romulus are leading the charge. | 0:52:17 | 0:52:19 | |
They don't want them to get up on the hill | 0:52:21 | 0:52:22 | |
because they'll lose them on the flat. | 0:52:22 | 0:52:24 | |
Oh, my God, this is unbelievable! | 0:52:43 | 0:52:45 | |
The muskox have regained the advantage. | 0:52:48 | 0:52:50 | |
Two massive bulls, | 0:52:52 | 0:52:54 | |
about ten females. | 0:52:54 | 0:52:55 | |
Maybe they don't stand a chance? Crikey... | 0:52:57 | 0:52:59 | |
Scruffy strays too close. | 0:53:00 | 0:53:01 | |
A bull seizes the opportunity. | 0:53:02 | 0:53:04 | |
In the confusion, the rest of the herd make a break... | 0:53:07 | 0:53:09 | |
Oh, my word! | 0:53:10 | 0:53:12 | |
..with Luna and Romulus in pursuit. | 0:53:12 | 0:53:14 | |
That was exciting. | 0:53:20 | 0:53:22 | |
Phew...! | 0:53:24 | 0:53:25 | |
It's gone midnight and I am shattered. | 0:53:36 | 0:53:38 | |
HOWLING | 0:53:38 | 0:53:39 | |
But also delighted. | 0:53:39 | 0:53:41 | |
I'm hoping I'll wake up to Luna feeding the pups | 0:53:43 | 0:53:46 | |
the muskox meal they badly need. | 0:53:46 | 0:53:48 | |
The next morning, there's still no sign of Luna. | 0:54:04 | 0:54:07 | |
It's my last day and I'm starting to worry. | 0:54:08 | 0:54:11 | |
The pups haven't fed for eight hours. | 0:54:12 | 0:54:15 | |
Luna has never left them for this long before. | 0:54:17 | 0:54:20 | |
The pups aren't weaned and no other wolf can keep them alive. | 0:54:21 | 0:54:25 | |
There's no sign of the pack. | 0:54:28 | 0:54:30 | |
So I head out to look for them. | 0:54:31 | 0:54:33 | |
I find muskox, | 0:54:44 | 0:54:46 | |
but the wolves are nowhere to be seen. | 0:54:46 | 0:54:48 | |
You can see from this viewpoint | 0:54:50 | 0:54:52 | |
how hard the wolves have to work to survive. | 0:54:52 | 0:54:55 | |
It is wild. It's the wildest place on earth. | 0:54:55 | 0:54:57 | |
We are so far north that, beyond this, it's the North Pole. | 0:54:57 | 0:55:01 | |
There is nothing. | 0:55:02 | 0:55:03 | |
And we don't know how far they go. | 0:55:05 | 0:55:06 | |
There's lots of questions about exactly where they're going to hunt. | 0:55:06 | 0:55:10 | |
It may well be that they even go into those mountains and beyond. | 0:55:11 | 0:55:16 | |
Even on this short walk, | 0:55:19 | 0:55:20 | |
I've realised that it's going to be impossible | 0:55:20 | 0:55:22 | |
to follow the wolves on foot. | 0:55:22 | 0:55:24 | |
When I get back to the den, | 0:55:29 | 0:55:31 | |
I can't see the pups. | 0:55:31 | 0:55:32 | |
I've only got a few hours until I have to leave. | 0:55:35 | 0:55:38 | |
And I'm worried about them. | 0:55:39 | 0:55:41 | |
I wonder if I can call the pups out? | 0:55:52 | 0:55:54 | |
They've heard my voice | 0:55:55 | 0:55:58 | |
and they haven't acted too adversely to it so... | 0:55:58 | 0:56:01 | |
Pup, pup, come on. | 0:56:03 | 0:56:04 | |
Come on, pups. Out you come. | 0:56:06 | 0:56:08 | |
It is unbelievable. | 0:56:19 | 0:56:20 | |
I never imagined, when I first arrived here, | 0:56:22 | 0:56:25 | |
when I was looking at this den from across the valley, | 0:56:25 | 0:56:27 | |
that I would one day be sitting right on top | 0:56:27 | 0:56:32 | |
listening to the pups inside. | 0:56:32 | 0:56:33 | |
Pretty special. | 0:56:35 | 0:56:36 | |
Their mum, Luna, has been away for 12 hours. | 0:56:44 | 0:56:48 | |
Longer than ever before. | 0:56:49 | 0:56:51 | |
The pups are starving. | 0:56:53 | 0:56:55 | |
I never expected to get this close to wild wolves. | 0:57:02 | 0:57:05 | |
Or to get so attached to them. | 0:57:06 | 0:57:09 | |
To come here and actually get to know these wolves | 0:57:10 | 0:57:15 | |
has been a complete revelation to me. | 0:57:15 | 0:57:19 | |
You know, wolves are far more incredible | 0:57:19 | 0:57:23 | |
than I could ever have imagined. | 0:57:23 | 0:57:24 | |
I've really fallen for them in a big way. | 0:57:24 | 0:57:26 | |
I desperately want to help the pups, | 0:57:28 | 0:57:30 | |
but...I can't. | 0:57:30 | 0:57:32 | |
All I can do is hope that Luna feeds them soon | 0:57:35 | 0:57:39 | |
and they're all still alive when I come back in six weeks. | 0:57:39 | 0:57:43 | |
When I return, everything has changed. | 0:57:48 | 0:57:51 | |
My wolf family are on the move... | 0:57:51 | 0:57:54 | |
..and I struggle to keep up with them. | 0:57:55 | 0:57:57 | |
Oh, wow! | 0:57:59 | 0:58:00 | |
It's a crucial time as they try to feed up for the Arctic winter. | 0:58:01 | 0:58:05 | |
That is a sign of desperation. | 0:58:06 | 0:58:09 | |
That's a sign that the wolves are finding things tough. | 0:58:09 | 0:58:11 | |
Tensions rise as they clash with a rival pack. | 0:58:11 | 0:58:15 | |
These guys have pushed my pack out. | 0:58:15 | 0:58:17 | |
I hope nothing bad's happened. | 0:58:17 | 0:58:19 | |
And I see a new side to my wolf family. | 0:58:20 | 0:58:22 | |
If ever I was going to be attacked by a wolf, | 0:58:24 | 0:58:27 | |
now would seem like a good time. | 0:58:27 | 0:58:29 |