Iolo yn Rwsia - Kamchatka Iolo yn Rwsia

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-I'm on a journey through Russia,

-the world's largest country.

-I went from the Caucasus Mountains

-in the west...

-..through Siberia to Lake Baikal.

-I have reached eastern Russia

-and the Kamchatka Peninsula.

-This is Petropavlovsk.

-It may not be picturesque

-but it's the gateway...

-..to one of world's most remote

-and most beautiful places.

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-Kamchatka - the land of volcanoes.

-A land frozen in ice

-and scorched by fire.

-It's home to some giants

-of the world's wildlife.

-There are also countless

-natural wonders to be found here.

-Russia is huge.

-It covers an eighth

-of the world's land area...

-..and there are eleven time zones

-across the country.

-Russia extends over 40% of Europe

-and the whole of northern Asia.

-Kamchatka Peninsula

-lies at Russia's eastern tip.

-It stretches out to sea

-for over 800 miles.

-The Russian government hid Kamchatka

-from the world for 50 years.

-No-one, including Russians,

-were allowed to travel there.

-The Russian army

-controlled Kamchatka...

-..because the enemy's land in Alaska

-and Japan was just across the water.

-Kamchatka was reopened

-to the world in 1990.

-Before I explore the land,

-I'll sail around its coastline.

-In addition to tens of thousands

-of aquatic birds...

-..a bird of prey nests on that rock.

-The Steller's sea eagle.

-The Steller's sea eagle

-has adapted to feed on fish.

-It eats dead animals

-but it also eats aquatic birds.

-This is the perfect home for it...

-..because there are

-thousands of seagulls beneath it.

-Food is scarce

-for this huge eagle in winter.

-Lake Kurilskoye, the largest lake

-on Kamchatka, rarely freezes over...

-..making it an ideal gathering place

-for these birds of prey.

-They come here hoping to catch fish.

-It's January.

-The salmon have

-laid their eggs and died.

-Their dead bodies

-are a feast for the eagles.

-As they eat, they stay alert in case

-another eagle steals their food.

-These powerful birds,

-which weigh 18 pounds each...

-..must battle for every morsel

-if they are to survive the winter.

-There's fierce competition

-for the food.

-The eagles' sharp beaks and claws

-make them fearsome hunters.

-Kamchatka has hard winters.

-Snow falls on the peninsula daily...

-..making life hard

-for the Steller's sea eagle.

-It must survive in temperatures of

-minus 30 degrees Celsius.

-The harsh weather conditions

-last for eight months of the year.

-Other sea eagles

-head south for the winter...

-..but the Steller's sea eagle

-stays in Kamchatka.

-Despite the cold,

-they mate in a fierce, unique way.

-The red fox is another animal

-which can withstand the cold.

-Rather than hibernate, the red fox

-grows a thick coat to keep it warm.

-Winter may be a bleak and quiet time

-for other Kamchatka creatures...

-..this is the best time

-for a fox to find a mate.

-Here, the male welcomes the female

-on to his territory.

-They must find a shelter

-for the winter.

-They don't leave this beautiful

-piece of land immediately.

-The mating calls of the male

-black-billed capercaillie...

-..fills the morning air.

-The black-billed capercaillie's

-performance starts at daybreak.

-It will continue to parade like this

-until the first female arrives.

-Its calls have attracted

-some unwanted attention.

-For Kamchatka residents,

-these calls signify one thing.

-Spring is on its way.

-As the sun grows stronger,

-life awakens in Kamchatka.

-The snow melts,

-the rivers flow once again...

-..and plants begin to emerge.

-The first signs of spring...

-..means one of the giants of

-Kamchatka emerges after hibernation.

-Within days, 10,000 brown bears

-will appear across Kamchatka.

-Having slept for six months

-in their warm dens...

-..the hungry bears

-will eat anything.

-Kamchatka Brown Bears are among the

-largest grizzly bears in the world.

-Fortunately for the weasel,

-the bear isn't interested in him.

-It's more interested

-in what's under the snow.

-Months spent in a dark den makes

-the bear appreciate the open air.

-While the bears wake up...

-..the foxes have been busy

-and they've found a den.

-With the breeding season

-about to start...

-..the female

-shows the male she's ready.

-She stays close to him

-and she makes vocal calls.

-If they succeed, cubs will be born

-in seven weeks' time.

-Seeing the nature and wildlife

-of Kamchatka is thrilling.

-I can't wait to see what else

-Kamchatka has to offer...

-..as my journey continues.

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-I'm in Kamchatka,

-a magical area of Russia...

-..which has

-a store of natural wonders.

-This is a volcanic area.

-Entire valleys are steamed

-by hot springs...

-..and a series of geysers.

-Underground chambers fill with water

-and are heated from below.

-When the water reaches

-boiling point, the geyser erupts.

-With much of Kamchatka

-still covered in snow...

-..this area

-serves as a magnet for life.

-The plants which grow in the fertile

-ground is a lure for animals...

-..including bears.

-Incredibly, the bears are vegetarian

-for much of the year.

-In Kamchatka, animals have adapted

-to their surroundings.

-The white wagtail builds its nest

-near to the heat of the hot springs.

-Bears are as happy in the water

-as they are on the land.

-Like humans, they love the curative

-properties of the hot springs.

-In Kamchatka, animals must choose

-feeding grounds carefully.

-Hot springs can be toxic...

-..creating surreal landscapes

-and real dangers.

-With over 200 volcanoes,

-the majority of which are active...

-..the dark Kamchatka nights

-are often lit by flowing lava.

-Petropavlovsk stands in the shadow

-of Avachinskaya volcano.

-People here live with the threat

-of volcanic eruption every day.

-I meet two volcanologists

-who have lived here for years.

-Galina and Yevgeny, her husband,

-have retired...

-..but their passion for volcanoes

-is still strong.

-They remember the last eruption

-to hit Kamchatka in 1991.

-They watched the explosion

-from their house.

-Yevgeny says there are so many

-active volcanos in Kamchatka...

-..because seismic activity

-still happens here.

-The earth's tectonic plates

-push against each other.

-Yevgeny and Galina invited me and

-Mikhail, my translator, to dinner.

-Kamchatka is an interesting place

-for retired volcanologists to live!

-Mother Earth herself

-poses a real threat to Kamchatka.

-In June 2007...

-..part of the Valley of Geysers

-was destroyed by a mudslide.

-Without warning, millions of cubic

-metres of mud flooded the valley.

-The landscape was changed for ever.

-This was

-the most devastating mudslide...

-..ever registered on Kamchatka.

-There are no villages

-in this remote area...

-..but several geysers and several

-bears were buried under the mud.

-Wildlife adapts to new surroundings.

-This bear must find its way

-to new territory.

-The rivers and lakes did just that.

-The landscape is ever-changing,

-shaped by the elements.

-It's one factor which makes

-Kamchatka such a magical place.

-The changes merely serve to enhance

-the striking views.

-Kamchatka offers rich habitats...

-..but many species of birds have

-vanished from here over the years.

-Doctor Nikolai Gerasimov...

-..is an ornithologist who strives

-to rectify the situation.

-Nikolai has been reintroducing

-the Aleutian Goose to Kamchatka...

-..since 1989.

-He runs a small breeding centre

-here, in Petropavlovsk.

-I asked him how the Kamchatka

-wildlife protection system...

-..compares with

-the systems of yesteryear.

-Nikolai told me the system

-was better in Soviet Union times...

-..as a keener interest

-was taken in wildlife.

-Nikolai says current wildlife

-protection measures are inadequate.

-He hopes the situation improves.

-I think we should drink to that.

-Cheers!

-Before I leave,

-I take a look at the birds.

-They disappeared from Kamchatka

-some 70 years ago...

-..before Nikolai

-started his work here.

-He has now released over 400 birds

-on Kuril Islands.

-I admire his enthusiasm.

-This Steller's sea eagle has

-a magnificent view from its nest.

-Kamchatka is one of the few places

-in which this bird breeds.

-The eagle often lays two eggs

-but usually only one chick survives.

-There are two chicks in this nest

-and they both seem healthy.

-The chicks' baby down feathers

-will soon toughen and turn brown.

-Their wings will

-become stronger, ready to fly.

-For the time being,

-they enjoy their parents' catering!

-Both mother and father

-are attentive parents.

-Each parent usually provides

-a pound of fish every day.

-The chicks are fed small fish,

-torn into bite-sized pieces.

-They are fed two or three times

-a day, until they leave the nest.

-I'm about to

-fly out of Petropavlovsk...

-..to see the wildlife of Kamchatka.

-I'm waiting to leave

-Petropavlovsk...

-..to go to very remote place

-at Lake Kurilskoye.

-I was due to leave

-by helicopter yesterday...

-..since there are no roads

-out of this city.

-Unfortunately,

-the weather was rough.

-It's fine here this morning

-but it's not good at my destination.

-I'll wait here for an hour or two

-and wait for the all-clear.

-I'm packed and ready to go, so

-all I can do is sit here and wait.

-Fortunately,

-I don't have a long wait.

-The clouds cleared...

-..and it was time to venture

-to the heart of Kamchatka.

-There's no time to waste.

-The crew and me rush to load the

-helicopter as quickly as possible.

-Our plan is to spend three days

-on Lake Kurilskoye.

-We took plenty of supplies, in case

-the weather delayed our return.

-I'm excited

-because I'm about to see...

-..one of the remotest,

-wildest places in the world.

-The real adventure

-is about to start.

-Lake Kurilskoye is the best place

-to see brown bears.

-Bears gather around the lake

-in August and September.

-They eat the salmon

-which migrate from the sea.

-It has been ten months

-since the bears last fed on fish.

-Their survival depends on

-eating as many as possible...

-..during the next two months.

-It's August.

-The salmon's migration upstream

-to lay eggs has just begun...

-..and the bears must be patient.

-Over the coming weeks, millions of

-salmon will swim up these rivers.

-It's a two-hour flight

-from Petropavlovsk.

-The aerial view is breathtaking.

-As I approach the lake...

-..the bears sense the presence

-of the helicopter.

-They watch it closely, but clearly,

-it doesn't bother them in the least.

-I'll stay in this remote place

-for the next three days.

-This is such a remote spot,

-there is no hotel here.

-I'm staying here,

-in the warden's lodge.

-The great advantage of this is I'm

-right in the middle of the wildlife.

-There's no denying this part

-of Kamchatka feels remote...

-..and as the helicopter leaves us,

-I realize I'm far away from home.

-Judging by the view

-from the window...

-..tomorrow will be

-a great adventure.

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-Morning has broken.

-The view across Lake Kurilskoye

-is stunning, as it was last night.

-Here I am, on my first morning

-at Lake Kurilskoye.

-And what a glorious morning!

-Why are people

-attracted to such a remote spot?

-They come to see brown bears.

-At this time of year...

-..salmon leave the deep water

-and swim into the shallow water.

-They're here to lay their eggs

-and that attracts dozens of bears.

-I'm so excited because there are

-two bears down there this morning.

-I'm about to

-take a closer look at them.

-With all the bears in the area...

-..it wouldn't be wise for me

-to explore on my own.

-Vasily, the warden, brought his gun

-and Mikhail was here to translate...

-..and we ventured down to the lake.

-The bears have waited patiently

-for the salmon to arrive for weeks.

-They move slowly to conserve energy.

-Good things

-come to those who wait...

-..and the fish

-start to arrive in August.

-This is

-one of nature's most amazing sights.

-Most bears wait for the salmon

-to reach shallow water...

-..but the temptation is too much

-for less-experienced bears.

-It's not easy for a 300-kilo bear

-to catch fish in deep water.

-Those who hunt in deep water

-need good skills.

-Bears eat thousands of fish but this

-only forms 10% of their annual diet.

-The fat in the fish

-helps them survive the hard winter.

-The salmon enter the shallow water,

-and it's now or never for the bears.

-This is just the beginning.

-During the coming weeks...

-..the bears must catch and eat

-thousands of fish.

-I'm witnessing one of the

-greatest spectacles on earth.

-As we leave the safety of our

-shelter and walk to the lake...

-..we get closer to the bears.

-I really hope I'll see the bears

-hunting for fish with my own eyes.

-Within minutes,

-I'm ten metres away from these two.

-The bears gather at the point

-where the river flows into the lake.

-That's because the fish make their

-way from the deep water upstream...

-..in order to lay eggs.

-The salmon are restricted to

-a small, shallow stretch of water...

-..and the bears know

-it's easier to catch fish there.

-I must be patient, like the bears,

-if I want to see fish being caught.

-Fortunately,

-I don't have a long wait.

-These young bears are probably

-hunting alone for the first time.

-One has more luck than the other.

-It's not share and share alike here!

-Wow! What can I say about that?

-I was standing within 15 metres

-of a bear catching a fish.

-That was really amazing!

-The bear ignored me.

-It was focused on the salmon.

-It caught one

-and went into the woods to eat it.

-It went to hide in the woods...

-..away from the much bigger bears

-who are in the area.

-Had they seen it with the fish,

-they would have come and stolen it.

-I hope it will be left in peace.

-The big bears tend to gather

-at the other end of the lake.

-Their hunting technique

-is more aggressive.

-Bears only come into such

-close contact with each other...

-..in the hunting season.

-Minor clashes happen but

-vicious fighting rarely breaks out.

-There will soon be

-more than enough fish for everyone.

-The bears only have two months

-in which to feed on the salmon.

-During that time, a bear can eat

-up to 40 kilos of fish every day.

-That means catching 15 fish a day.

-Easier said than done!

-They must eat as much as possible...

-..if they are to survive

-the six winter months.

-This bear must also

-make sure her cubs eat enough.

-Here we have a mother and two cubs.

-She catches salmon...

-..and gives them to the youngsters,

-who eat them on the lakeside.

-She must be really vigilant.

-She gave birth to three cubs

-in the spring...

-..but a male bear

-killed and ate one of them.

-That's why she seems very nervous.

-There are some other bears around.

-There's a big one over here.

-She must keep an eye on her cubs

-all the time.

-Watching a mother and her cubs

-is amazing.

-Cubs usually stay with their mother

-for three years.

-During that time, the mother

-teaches them every possible skill.

-The bears prefer salmon skin

-and the rich eggs the fish carry.

-These will help bears store

-up to 200kg of body fat...

-..to see them through the winter.

-Meanwhile, the Steller's sea eagle

-takes care of her chicks.

-Her efforts paid off

-because her chicks seem healthy...

-..and their feathers

-have changed colour.

-The young still rely

-on their parents to feed them...

-..but they're developing

-the tools they need for life.

-Things like a sharp beak

-for ripping open salmon.

-The chicks

-are starting to spread their wings.

-This is

-the only practice they'll get...

-..before they fly the nest.

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-I've come to Lake Kurilskoye

-in Kamchatka.

-I'm staying in the wooden hut

-on the island.

-We're surrounded by brown bears.

-There are two bears up there

-and there's one by the river.

-One is making its way

-towards the lodge.

-The people who live here

-are very familiar with the bears...

-..but even then, they must be

-on their guard at all times.

-It's all too easy

-to make one fatal mistake.

-The bears are more interested in the

-salmon than in us at the moment...

-..but we must be very vigilant.

-The lake belongs to the bears.

-Vasily is someone

-who shows the bears great respect.

-He's worked as a warden here

-for four years.

-In addition to looking after

-tourists who visit the lake...

-..Vasily keeps away poachers

-and protects the bears.

-Mikhail asked him if he recognized

-all the bears...

-..but he said he recognized half the

-bears but they all recognized him!

-I'm very envious of the job he does

-and the life he lives here.

-Despite the dangers...

-..millions of salmon make it safely

-to the spawning ground.

-The female makes a nest for herself

-and lays around 5,000 eggs in it.

-The eggs are then immediately

-fertilized by the male.

-After reproducing, their mission

-is fulfilled and they die.

-Their bodies provide nutrition

-for eggs and other fish...

-..as they decay in the river.

-The three of us are on our way

-to the other end of the lake...

-..in search of other bears.

-There's plenty of fish here.

-Seconds later,

-one of the big bears plod past us...

-..and he catches a salmon

-effortlessly.

-We've come to a part of the lake

-where there are more fish...

-..which attracts larger bears.

-This bear is doing something

-I've never seen before.

-I've never seen it with my own eyes

-or seen it on television.

-It's diving underwater

-to catch fish.

-This part of the lake

-is teeming with fish.

-These bears won't be threatened

-with starvation this winter!

-I'm relieved there's enough salmon

-in the water...

-..to deflect attention from us.

-I've never been this close to

-these incredible creatures.

-It's priceless

-to be able to sit here...

-..and watch them

-go about their daily lives.

-The lake isn't the sole attraction.

-As Vasily, Mikhail and me

-walked across the tundra...

-..we saw a family of bears who were

-in a hurry to reach the lake.

-Bears certainly

-make the most of this period.

-It's beautiful here in the summer

-and it's a time of plenty.

-The bears, the foxes and all the

-other creatures who live here...

-..have eaten as much as possible.

-That's very important because

-the winters here are very bleak.

-When autumn arrives,

-Kamchatka is awash with colour.

-Air temperature may drop but the

-underground temperature is constant.

-Days get shorter and life everywhere

-begins to prepare for winter.

-Our crew spent four seasons here...

-..so we know bears spend the autumn

-foraging for berries...

-..although they're heavy

-with layers of warmth.

-They'll then hibernate

-in the mountains.

-This is their last day

-in the open air for some months.

-They're about to find a warm shelter

-for the winter.

-Kamchatka will soon be

-covered in snow and ice.

-Rain gradually turns to snow.

-The majority of Kamchatka wildlife

-must escape the winter.

-The world's largest eagle

-can withstand the winters.

-It's amazingly strong.

-The red fox is grateful for whatever

-it can find on the frozen land.

-At the moment, Lake Kurilskoye

-attracts dozens of bears.

-They have all been attracted here

-by millions of salmon.

-Two months from now, when the bears

-have gone into hibernation...

-..the fish will attract one of

-the world's most majestic birds.

-A huge bird

-called the Steller's sea eagle.

-Steller's sea eagles gather around

-the still unfrozen lake.

-This is the best place to find

-the fish which live in the water.

-Golden eagles

-often challenge them over the fish.

-This leads to fierce fighting.

-The Steller's sea eagle

-is heavier than the golden eagle...

-..but brains can triumph over brawn.

-Unlike Steller's sea eagles...

-..golden eagles work as a team

-to catch fish.

-They form a barrier

-with their bodies as they eat...

-..keeping

-the Steller's sea eagles away.

-My journey around Russia ends here,

-in Kamchatka, among the bears.

-To me, this place is a miracle.

-It's a miracle of nature.

-It's one of a few places on earth...

-..where you can walk for hundreds

-of miles and see no sign of humans.

-Kamchatka is certainly

-one of those untouched areas.

-Looking back at my time in Russia,

-there are many highlights.

-The Ural Mountains and the Caucasus

-with its striking landscapes.

-The Arctic and the polar bear.

-Then, Lake Baikal,

-the world's largest lake...

-..and its seals.

-I was also amazed by

-Ussuriland and the Siberian tiger.

-But perhaps the greatest highlight

-of all has been Kamchatka...

-..and my experience

-of seeing all these bears.

-What I've enjoyed

-more than anything else...

-..in a time where aeroplanes take us

-to every corner of the world...

-..is knowing it's still possible

-for us all to discover wild Russia.

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