Byw'n Gynddeiriog Arctig Gwyllt Iolo Williams

-Subtitles

-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

-A land of extremes.

-Where fire and ice clash.

-Ancient mountains

-give way to lush forests.

-A forgotten wilderness.

-Dazzling in its diversity.

-Seasons of darkness

-and perpetual light...

-..reveal life

-thriving against all odds.

-Surviving a battle

-against the elements and each other.

-In the remote north of Scandinavia

-lies a vast treeless wilderness.

-The Arctic tundra.

-The temperature

-rarely rises above freezing.

-Very little grows.

-For a short period,

-the surface thaws...

-..revealing

-a carpet of moss and grass.

-It is a harsh

-and unforgiving landscape.

-Perhaps surprisingly,

-there's life here.

-Major life.

-Musk oxen.

-Their thick, shaggy coats protect

-them from the extreme climate.

-They are at home on the tundra.

-It is autumn their mating season.

-Males, each weighing

-as much as 400 kilos...

-..charge each other

-at speeds of 40 kilometres an hour.

-Females wait

-to see who will emerge victorious.

-Between jousts, the males

-strut and posture like toreadors...

-..in a ritual to intimidate.

-A thick pad

-at the base of their horns...

-..protects them

-from the worst ruts.

-Sizing each other up, they get into

-position for yet another charge.

-They may go 20 rounds

-before one of them retreats.

-The loser is exiled.

-He's lost the battle

-but not the war.

-Next year, the males must fight

-for the females all over again.

-Scandinavia

-is made up of five countries...

-..encompassing an extreme range of

-climates in the northern hemisphere.

-It is home to

-a diverse array of animals...

-..uniquely adapted to survive

-in this ice-scarred region.

-The only visitors

-to the this treeless expanse...

-..are herds of reindeer.

-They cannot survive winter here...

-..so every autumn they migrate south

-to the shelter of the forests.

-It's a busy time for breeding males.

-The rutting period and migration...

-..happen concurrently.

-For more than three weeks,

-the males do nothing...

-..but fight and mate

-while keeping on the move.

-They live entirely

-off their fat reserves.

-The herds travel

-as much as 50 kilometres every day.

-They must leave before extreme

-conditions slam the door shut.

-Winter closes in fast.

-Temperatures plunge, often

-reaching minus 40 degrees Celsius.

-Deep snow covers the land...

-..and the sun disappears

-below the horizon for two months.

-The only respite

-from the winter darkness...

-..is this celestial spectacle -

-the Aurora Borealis.

-To the south of the tundra

-lies a belt of forest...

-..covering thousands

-of square kilometres...

-..which extends

-through Norway, Sweden and Finland.

-This forest

-is part of an even larger belt...

-..extending across the continents

-of Eurasia and North America.

-This is the largest

-expanse of forest in the world.

-By March, the days are longer...

-..but the temperatures

-are still well below freezing.

-The red fox

-is on a constant search for food.

-The sea eagle's usual food

-is buried under the ice.

-Sea eagles rarely venture into

-the forest, but times are hard.

-With its strength

-and sharp talons...

-..it could easily catch a fox.

-But on the ground,

-the fox has the advantage.

-So it can risk

-stealing a scrap of food.

-Its audacity pays off.

-Scandinavian elk are the largest

-member of the deer family.

-They search for food in the snow...

-..but with no greenery

-to be found...

-..they're forced to eat

-bark and twigs.

-They must consume

-up to 20 kilos a day to survive.

-Elk are the favourite prey

-of bears and wolves.

-In these drifts, elk can't run fast.

-But they can fight back.

-Males can weigh up to 700 kilos.

-A kick from such a large creature

-would inflict serious injury.

-.

-Subtitles

-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

-Despite the freezing conditions,

-ravens take time out to play.

-These large, intelligent birds...

-..shadow the forest's

-most adept predators...

-..to make sure

-they get regular meals.

-They rely on grey wolves.

-This elk

-has not survived the winter.

-The pack moves off,

-leaving the youngest on guard.

-The ravens move in.

-They can strip a carcass bare.

-The young wolf

-does his best to see them off.

-The scene

-has also attracted the attention...

-..of another of the forest's

-predators - the big brown bear.

-Bears that emerge early

-from hibernation are starving.

-They will sniff out a carcass from

-more than three kilometres away.

-He approaches with caution.

-With the pack nearby, he grabs

-what he can and swiftly retreats.

-Wolves and bears have competed

-for millennia in these rich forests.

-A full-grown male brown bear

-can weigh over 300 kilos...

-..more than four times that

-of an adult wolf.

-But wolves have two advantages -

-agility and mutual understanding.

-Their teamwork

-forces the bear to drop his food.

-The wolves

-have won the battle and the food.

-Even though

-the land is still frozen...

-..this is

-the breeding season for some.

-Whooper swans have arrived.

-It's possible

-they spent the winter...

-..in central or eastern Russia,

-thousands of miles away.

-These swans mate for life...

-..and return to the same place

-to raise their brood.

-This noisy display

-lays claim to their patch...

-..and serves as a warning

-for others to stay away.

-Good territory is hard to come by.

-Another pair has moved in.

-The head down display is a

-warning and a challenge to a duel.

-Whoopers are among

-the largest of the world's swans.

-Their vicious battles could easily

-result in a broken neck or wing.

-The female is standing by.

-She joins in the fight.

-The intruders are driven away...

-..and the territory holders

-claim ownership.

-The deep snows of winter work

-to the advantage of forest voles.

-Tunnelling allows them to move

-around, out of sight of predators.

-But nothing is invisible to such a

-gifted hunter as the great grey owl.

-It has developed

-the perfect weapon.

-The discs on the front of its face

-work like a sonar detector...

-..amplifying the faintest of sounds.

-It can hear a vole

-moving under half a metre of snow.

-Turning its head to the sound...

-..it knows to the nearest inch

-where its prey is hiding.

-Owls' wings are completely silent.

-The little vole

-has no idea of its impending doom.

-As spring advances...

-..there's one sound that

-all the forest dwellers can hear.

-The male capercaillie.

-It's mating season for them.

-Weighing up to seven kilos, these

-males are almost as big as turkeys.

-Their characteristic call

-resounds through the entire forest.

-To other males, it's a battle cry.

-As the males square up,

-an audience congregates.

-Less colourful

-and smaller in size...

-..the females

-are shopping for a mate.

-The largest contenders challenge

-and fight the dominant male.

-Their battles

-can be bloody, even fatal.

-When it's over,

-females crouch and wait to be mated.

-The loser

-is lucky to escape unscathed.

-The winner claims his prize.

-Further south

-the climate is much milder.

-The deciduous forests of Denmark...

-..support a very different

-cast of characters.

-The red deer is the protagonist.

-There are no wolves or bears here.

-Man once hunted the deer

-close to extinction.

-Now they are protected.

-They are here in their thousands.

-During spring and summer...

-..the antlers the males shed

-in winter grow back.

-The antlers are made of bone...

-..and covered with

-a thin layer of skin like velvet.

-They grow as much as

-three centimetres every day.

-Size determines

-the pecking order among stags.

-When autumn comes...

-..antlers will be their

-main weapon in winning females.

-They must fight

-for the right to mate.

-As spring progresses...

-..the ice and snow

-of the northern forest zone melts.

-The layer of permafrost beneath

-prevents water draining away...

-..and the area

-becomes a vast wetland.

-Finland alone

-is home to 200,000 lakes.

-These are rich in food...

-..and a prime location

-for a variety of nesting birds.

-A haunting call

-echoes through the morning mist.

-Red-throated divers.

-They've flown inland

-from the coast...

-..to take advantage

-of the lake's bounty, and to nest.

-Their plaintive wail

-serves as a mating call...

-..and helps them claim territory.

-Courtship is elegant.

-A synchronized swim.

-Intruders aren't welcome.

-Even in

-this bountiful environment...

-..it's worth fighting

-for the best territory.

-Victory is celebrated in style.

-.

-Subtitles

-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

-Birds aren't the only ones

-to enjoy this season of plenty...

-..in the Scandinavian wetlands.

-Lakes are

-an important feeding ground for elk.

-Despite their bulk

-they are agile swimmers.

-They can take their pick

-of succulent aquatic plants.

-This male's antlers

-have just started growing.

-By autumn,

-they'll be nearly two meters across.

-Growing antlers

-demands a huge supply of minerals.

-To meet it, the elk eats

-not five portions of greens a day...

-..but 20 kilos.

-The wolves have noticed

-the influx of water birds.

-Two of them are lurking

-in the lakeside vegetation...

-..eyeing the new arrivals.

-The young wolf

-is merely curious about the birds...

-..but its elder

-seizes a perfect opportunity.

-The duck

-will satisfy his hunger for a while.

-During the summer months,

-the tundra thaws.

-Melting snow swells the rivers.

-Fresh vegetation...

-..is a signal for the musk oxen

-to descend to the valleys...

-..to feast on wild flowers

-and young shoots.

-They will gain weight quickly.

-After the long, hard winter,

-life is a little more leisurely.

-The rutting period

-is a distant memory...

-..and the males

-are more tolerant of each other.

-But the temptation

-is too strong for some.

-On the tundra,

-the season of calm is a short one.

-Is there peace?

-Not in the depths of the forest.

-For once, the hungry brown bear

-thinks of something besides food.

-This is their mating season.

-The large males

-don't hesitate at all.

-They fight to hold on to territory

-and win a female.

-Standing two meters tall,

-armed with sharp teeth and claws...

-..bears can be

-cruel and vicious warriors.

-But these fierce fights

-are mostly about intimidation.

-They rarely end in bloodshed.

-The female awaits the outcome.

-The loser exits,

-giving the victor carte blanche...

-..to pursue the female.

-For bears,

-courtship requires perseverance.

-Females are only on heat

-every three to four years.

-And both will mate with

-more than one partner in a season.

-What appears to be scratching

-is in fact scent marking.

-He's showing who's boss.

-But the exertion has taken its toll.

-He'll need a long sleep before

-he's ready for any more activity.

-Late summer, and the landscape

-basks in the heat.

-The bull elk's antlers

-have reached maturity...

-..and he's shedding the velvet.

-Blood attracts a swarm of flies.

-With a width of almost two metres

-and a weight of 30 kilos...

-..the antlers are now as wide

-as a man's outstretched arms.

-This impressive spread

-shows that he's in his prime...

-..and less likely

-to be a target for predators.

-These noble horns

-indicate that he's ready to mate.

-On the edge of the forest...

-..squawking ravens alert the

-wolf pack to a feeding opportunity.

-This time, it's the wolves

-that follow the ravens to the food.

-The birds' warm welcome...

-..has attracted

-a big turn-out to the feast.

-The wolves' old rival, the bear,

-is also moving in.

-The pack approaches with caution.

-The bear

-has beaten the wolves to the prize.

-A solitary wolf

-is no match for a bear...

-..but he decides to risk it.

-They exercise caution.

-The commotion attracts more wolves.

-This is dangerous, and the bear

-tries to escape with his portion.

-Another bear appears.

-But it is only a temporary alliance.

-The wolves are lifelong friends.

-The well-drilled pack

-outwit the enemy at every turn.

-Once again, the bear loses his meal.

-The second bear vanishes too.

-Since the bear

-hasn't acquired any meat at all...

-..he must satisfy his hunger

-with plants, nuts and insects.

-Meat is not essential but

-it is the best way to grow quickly.

-With summer almost over,

-time is of the essence.

-If the bear fails to gain enough

-weight in the next few weeks...

-..he will not survive the winter.

-It's now autumn.

-The bull elk's antlers

-are completely free of velvet.

-Female elk are in season.

-Solitary males only congregate

-at this time of year.

-The females are on heat for just

-three days over the coming weeks.

-Younger, subordinate males

-are no match for the bull...

-..and they keep their distance.

-His whole year

-has been leading up to this moment.

-Mating is brief.

-The male has to lift

-his 500-kilo bulk onto the female.

-The rest can only look on with envy.

-Better luck next year, lads!

-.

-Subtitles

-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

-In Denmark's forests, the red deer

-must fight to retain its territory.

-Its bellow is a war cry and

-also a way of attracting females.

-A stag that bellows the loudest and

-most frequent gets the entire harem.

-He'll challenge any rival male

-who dares to approach.

-They compare antlers, and

-if they have to, they will fight.

-During combat

-he must leave his harem...

-..but still keep watch

-at the same time.

-If he is

-to hold on to his females...

-..he must respond to every

-challenge and win every battle.

-Battles can last

-for up to six weeks...

-..until he wins the day.

-By the end of October,

-autumn is turning to winter.

-The first snow arrives.

-The brown bear has delayed

-hibernation as long as possible.

-Food has been scarce this year.

-He must find one big meal

-before his winter sleep.

-Food in the forest is scarce

-but the hungry bear is in luck.

-An elk carcass.

-The big, heavy bear

-tests the frozen lake.

-He's aware that he might yet again

-lose his meal to sly wolves.

-He's not alone.

-It's not a wolf pack

-but a wolverine.

-He hesitates to take on the bear.

-The bear drags his prize

-to the safety of the shore...

-..hoping he won't lose it

-in the lake's icy water.

-Unlike bears, wolverines

-don't have to hibernate in winter.

-It's in no rush.

-This time, the bear can enjoy

-his meal without interruption.

-The wolverine may return...

-..for the rest of the carcass

-once the bear has finished.

-Now he's full, it's time to sleep...

-..until spring rouses him again.

-Another year has passed...

-..and once again

-winter grips the land.

-Animals

-have had to learn to survive...

-..in this mysterious

-and hostile landscape.

-Some, like the bear,

-escape in sleep...

-..while others search for shelter

-or migrate to warmer climes.

-One animal, however,

-stands its ground through it all.

-With temperatures

-well below freezing...

-..musk oxen face the most formidable

-opponent of all the Arctic winter.

-Their battle of endurance

-will last more than six months.

-But musk oxen

-have adapted well to the cold.

-They have been residents in the icy

-north for more than 40,000 years...

-..and once shared this realm

-with woolly mammoths.

-In this never-ending fight

-for survival...

-..they're holding on to life.

-S4C Subtitles by Adnod Cyf.

-.