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(light music)
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High in Russia's frozen north,
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the mighty Volga rises up and reaches out
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for people and nature.
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(light dramatic music)
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Over the course of 2,000 miles,
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this vibrant lifeline crosses the Russian heartland
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deep into inner Asia.
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(water splashing)
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From north to south, it transforms itself
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into the biggest river in Europe
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before creating a spectacular delta
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and the world's largest inland sea.
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(light music)
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Heading east across Europe,
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the light of human presence fades away.
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In Poland, an enormous plain opens up
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towards the Ural Mountains in the east
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and the Caspian Sea in the south.
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Here, a single river, the Volga,
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dominates the vast lowlands
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which are as large as all of western Europe.
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Its source lies in the Valdai Hills,
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an empty no-mans-land between Moscow and the Baltic Sea.
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(water bubbling)
(light music)
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In Russia, mighty things are often born in secret.
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Hidden under ice for much of the year,
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this is where the Volga rises.
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(light music)
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Deep in the frozen forests,
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the river starts its epic journey.
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Meandering past a typical Russian basilica,
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the Volga will develop into one of
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the world's richest river systems.
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But where does all this water come from?
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One single source cannot be enough
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to produce such prodigious quantities.
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From Valdai, dozens of rivers flow out into the lowlands.
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Sooner or later, all these waters
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must surely empty into the sea.
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But the young Volga does not abide by such rules.
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Instead, it turns inland.
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(birds squawking)
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Valdai has an unforgivingly harsh climate.
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(water sloshing)
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Russian beavers know this all too well.
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The lead by this beaver's lodge freezes over every night.
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And with it, the entrance to its home.
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Sharp incisors are surprisingly good ice breakers.
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And so begins the morning routine
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with a determined assault against last night's frost.
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(ice crunching)
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Thick ice is no problem for a Russian beaver.
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(water sloshing)
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(light music)
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And there's another technique: sheer body weight.
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(ice crunches)
(water splashes)
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For the largest rodent in Eurasia,
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using one's size is faster than biting your way through.
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A light hop can be enough for an animal
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that can clock in at 50 pounds.
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With two, it's even quicker.
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(water trickling)
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By dawn, the pool is back to its beaver-size dimensions.
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(ice cracking)
(water splashing)
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In Russian winter, open water is a rare treat
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and will not remain unnoticed for long.
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(ducks quacking)
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Mallard ducks quickly turn the basin into a wintry spa.
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(wings flapping)
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Good for a quick wash and now and again
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a scrap between the males if it gets a little overcrowded.
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(ducks squawking)
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(light music)
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The beavers may have broken the ice,
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but for the time being, the ducks are certainly
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the superior maritime force.
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For months on end, the giant lakes of Valdai
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lie blanketed in ice and snow.
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Monasteries like the magnificent Nilov stand isolated.
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(wind whistling)
(light music)
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Yet, just a few miles away, the young Volga flows freely.
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Spreading through fairytale forests,
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the small trickle grows into a formidable stream.
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As it broadens, it becomes a highway for would-be settlers.
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American mink.
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Brought in to enrich the fur trade,
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they've only been here a couple of decades,
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yet now it's they who have become the hunters.
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(snow crunching)
(crows cawing)
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For a mink, this is a perfect habitat.
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Beavers are not only familiar to the mink,
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they help them make it through the Russian winter.
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(playful music)
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By breaking ice and building dams
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they keep the river open.
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And this means access to fertile hunting grounds.
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(upbeat music)
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(water splashing)
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A decent-sized frog makes a very decent meal.
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An American migrant who seems to have settled
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well in this Russian realm.
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(upbeat music)
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(light dramatic music)
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As dark as oil, the Volga glides from
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the high plateau of its source out into the plains.
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When it leaves the Valdai Hills,
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the river almost gets within sight of Moscow.
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And yet, it still looks just like Siberia.
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Here, the Volga turns south,
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descending into endless Russian lowlands.
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(light music)
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Moose.
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At the outset of winter, they come to the floodplains
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seeking safety in numbers.
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But food is scarce.
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The search for something to eat is always on.
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The land is buried under snow
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and the going gets harder and harder.
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The only answer is to head to the forests.
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(snow crunching)
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(crows cawing)
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Even in the woods, the snow is deep.
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But at least it's sheltered and warmer.
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(playful music)
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A winter forest can be full of life.
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But even in Russia, squirrels in numbers like this
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are a surprisingly rare sight.
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(rustling)
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Besides nuts, the squirrels
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gather insulation for their nests.
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Tirelessly, they strip the bark from dead or dying trees.
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Packed down, snuggled in, recyclable.
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That's what you call sustainable.
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(crows cawing)
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What do moose think about?
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(bird squawking)
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Could it have learned something from the squirrels?
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In fact, it's the other way around.
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The moose's work helped squirrels
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get to the softer wood.
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(crunching)
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Meanwhile, for the moose, bark is its daily bread.
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A cornerstone of its winter diet.
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They prefer maple for its sweet taste.
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Even poplar, while somewhat bitter, is a delicacy.
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Frozen stiff, the outer layer is easy
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to snap off and very crunchy.
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(crunching)
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(bird chirping)
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An observer in nearby trees sees an opportunity.
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A moose, resting to digest bark,
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could provide a healthy meal for the bird.
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(birds chirping)
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To get its prize, the tit must wait for its chance.
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(rustling)
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Nimbly, the bird combs the moose's thick hair.
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At its roots, louse flies and their eggs
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are spending the winter.
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That bird's help in de-lousing moose
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has never been filmed before.
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The long Russian winter is the mother of invention.
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The moose is happy, too.
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As the tits dig out the tiny protein snacks from its flank,
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the perfect winter food.
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But sometimes, pickings are slim.
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So tits have another trick up their sleeve.
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(knocking)
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The great black woodpecker has a bigger,
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more powerful beak.
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If need be, it can expose an entire tree root like this.
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Hard work, but essential.
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Shavings shake loose all kinds of meals.
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Small beetles, spiders, ant eggs.
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Crumbs from the woodpecker's table
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which the tits can enjoy.
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In Russia, nothing goes to waste.
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(light music)
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For five long months, winter rules the northern Volga.
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Icy times ripe for affliction.
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Moscow harnessed the power of the Volga
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before the atomic age.
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Giving rise to reservoirs as big as seas.
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In this case, at Rybinsk,
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nearly four times the size of New York City.
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The energy produced powers this vast country.
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For hundreds of miles, high voltage lines
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flow through the forests,
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branching out to form beloved meeting points.
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(snorting)
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In the cold morning air, bison emerge from the woods
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into patches of sun.
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As in North America where bison are known as buffalo,
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these megabeasts were nearly hunted out of Russia.
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Today, they have resettled.
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In the United States they're associated with the plains.
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Here, forest is their natural home.
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Better to stay out of the way.
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But the wild boar have a plan.
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(snow crunching)
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European bison can weigh as much as a cow.
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Even deep drifts present no problem.
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Like snow plows, the half-tonners cruise through the woods.
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(branches rustling)
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(snow crunching)
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Despite their shorter legs,
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the wild boar can easily navigate
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using the freshly-made bison paths.
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Not very quietly, but at a respectable distance.
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They're en route to a very special place.
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(bird squawking)
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Far away from the oceans, forests begin to change.
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Here, oaks grow shorter than in Central Europe.
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(birds squawking)
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(snow crunching)
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The boars know every oak in the area.
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Hidden from the chill, a bounteous supply
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of acorns lie buried.
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Just as their stomachs fill, their snouts grow frosty.
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The harvest has been rich this year.
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The herd is relaxed.
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December is the month of their rut.
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Time for a boar to check his sows.
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Would-be suitors are not tolerated.
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(boars squawking)
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The front is clear again.
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(light music)
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All that remains is to win over the sow.
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(boars squawking)
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But she wants to be conquered.
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Once again, the smaller boar takes up the scent.
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The alpha male pushes him aside with little effort.
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(snow rustling)
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Finally, the couple retreat into the undergrowth
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where nature takes its course.
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The young rival sneaks up to see if he can learn something.
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Luckily, the big boar is busy and in a good mood.
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Or so it seems.
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(boar squawking)
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(rustling)
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(light music)
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When the rivers freeze over, Russians grow melancholy.
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The Volga never reaches Russia's capital,
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yet its tributary, the Moscow River,
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flows right through the city.
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(men vocalizing)
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Over 300 feet high, a statue stands here
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to the Russian emperor Peter the Great.
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More than three centuries ago,
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Czar Peter built his empire's power
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right across western Russia,
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following rivers like the Volga all the way to the sea.
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The country's honor and glory
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are closely bound to these waterways.
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But the Volga's history has seen painful chapters, too.
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(singing in foreign language)
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The Kalyazin Bell Tower is a memorial
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to a severe flood.
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Before World War II, Stalin built dams on the Volga.
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Constructing power stations to defend the Soviet empire.
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Hundreds of villages, thousands of farms,
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and dozens of churches sank forever under the deluge.
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The Volga has traveled nearly 600 miles to this point,
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and still, it goes on even deeper inland.
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Far to the east, the old island fortress
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near the city of Kazan has had many lives.
267
00:21:10,930 --> 00:21:14,700
A rampart against horse riding raiders, a gulag,
268
00:21:14,700 --> 00:21:19,123
a psychiatric hospital, and nearly a world heritage site.
269
00:21:20,675 --> 00:21:23,175
(light music)
270
00:21:30,340 --> 00:21:31,880
The days are short,
271
00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:34,283
and little time remains to search for food.
272
00:21:36,760 --> 00:21:40,250
Animals behave like many Russians have learned to do;
273
00:21:40,250 --> 00:21:43,243
pull the belt tight and wait patiently.
274
00:21:52,446 --> 00:21:53,621
(crows cawing)
275
00:21:53,621 --> 00:21:54,720
(snorting)
276
00:21:54,720 --> 00:21:58,200
The frost finds bison in their element.
277
00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:01,993
Young bulls full of energy are coming into their peak form.
278
00:22:01,993 --> 00:22:04,660
(snow rustling)
279
00:22:10,550 --> 00:22:14,760
For many animals, tree bark is the winter staple.
280
00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:17,040
Nothing else can be found now.
281
00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:20,499
Grass and herbs lie deep under the snow.
282
00:22:20,499 --> 00:22:22,749
(rustling)
283
00:22:30,751 --> 00:22:33,334
(crows cawing)
284
00:22:34,710 --> 00:22:39,710
Bison love to rub energetically against smaller trees.
285
00:22:40,110 --> 00:22:43,400
Satisfying itches in parts that are just
286
00:22:43,400 --> 00:22:47,260
too hard to reach with teeth or hooves.
287
00:22:47,260 --> 00:22:51,293
The bison aren't the only ones with massage on their minds.
288
00:22:54,980 --> 00:22:57,960
A wild boar is cautious at first,
289
00:22:57,960 --> 00:22:59,973
there could still be a bison around.
290
00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:04,823
A bison's scratching post, pre-rubbed, perfect.
291
00:23:06,020 --> 00:23:09,170
Threadbare trunks make a good surface
292
00:23:09,170 --> 00:23:11,573
and the snow is already trampled.
293
00:23:13,530 --> 00:23:15,053
There's the shoulder rub.
294
00:23:19,530 --> 00:23:20,873
And the other shoulder.
295
00:23:24,090 --> 00:23:27,073
All the way down the back.
296
00:23:28,517 --> 00:23:30,490
A little neck massage can't hurt.
297
00:23:35,904 --> 00:23:38,404
(light music)
298
00:23:40,387 --> 00:23:42,970
(upbeat music)
299
00:23:55,889 --> 00:23:59,477
♪ Aye aye aye ya ♪
300
00:23:59,477 --> 00:24:03,006
♪ Oh oh oh ♪
301
00:24:03,006 --> 00:24:05,756
♪ Aye aye aye ya ♪
302
00:24:09,139 --> 00:24:12,630
(snow crunching)
303
00:24:12,630 --> 00:24:15,660
On they go deeper into the forest
304
00:24:15,660 --> 00:24:18,043
before the bison trails are snowed in.
305
00:24:21,500 --> 00:24:25,260
Moving east, they may encounter the biggest contributor
306
00:24:25,260 --> 00:24:28,060
to the Volga's immense size.
307
00:24:28,060 --> 00:24:30,923
A mountain range known as the Urals.
308
00:24:32,023 --> 00:24:34,660
(light dramatic music)
309
00:24:34,660 --> 00:24:38,040
Amidst thick forest, huge tributaries drive
310
00:24:38,040 --> 00:24:40,223
through the approaches to the mountains.
311
00:24:46,520 --> 00:24:48,830
Here, the forest is so dense,
312
00:24:48,830 --> 00:24:51,273
the best way to penetrate is by river.
313
00:25:01,360 --> 00:25:05,010
This is a world of snow and when it melts
314
00:25:05,010 --> 00:25:06,983
it will all run into the Volga.
315
00:25:08,860 --> 00:25:10,720
More than half of the river's volume
316
00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:12,103
comes from melted snow.
317
00:25:20,007 --> 00:25:24,556
The Ural Mountains separate Europe from Asia.
318
00:25:24,556 --> 00:25:28,108
(wind whistling)
319
00:25:28,108 --> 00:25:29,990
(light dramatic music)
320
00:25:29,990 --> 00:25:34,743
This windswept summit is known as Man-Pupu-Ner.
321
00:25:40,280 --> 00:25:43,982
Vast stone statues over 40 meters tall.
322
00:25:43,982 --> 00:25:47,232
(light dramatic music)
323
00:25:55,660 --> 00:26:00,020
On their eastern side, all rivers flow to Siberia.
324
00:26:00,020 --> 00:26:03,593
Just a few steps away to the west, into the Volga.
325
00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:14,350
Billions of tons of water bound together a slope.
326
00:26:16,084 --> 00:26:18,584
(light music)
327
00:26:21,180 --> 00:26:24,550
From here, great tributaries of the Volga,
328
00:26:24,550 --> 00:26:27,460
the Vushera, the Kama, and the Belaya,
329
00:26:27,460 --> 00:26:30,643
begin their way into the endless plains.
330
00:26:30,643 --> 00:26:33,893
(light dramatic music)
331
00:26:44,750 --> 00:26:48,493
For now, the Volga is still sleeping.
332
00:26:50,502 --> 00:26:51,335
(water bubbling)
333
00:26:51,335 --> 00:26:54,410
But under the ice, pressure is about
334
00:26:54,410 --> 00:26:57,345
to produce a dramatic effect.
335
00:26:57,345 --> 00:26:59,595
(rumbling)
336
00:27:05,900 --> 00:27:09,363
Shards pile up alongside the Makaryev Convent.
337
00:27:11,259 --> 00:27:13,121
(water trickling)
338
00:27:13,121 --> 00:27:16,371
(light dramatic music)
339
00:27:18,586 --> 00:27:21,850
(ice crunching)
340
00:27:21,850 --> 00:27:24,033
A giant is awakening.
341
00:27:25,710 --> 00:27:30,133
The Volga is freeing itself from its icy corset.
342
00:27:31,203 --> 00:27:34,453
(light dramatic music)
343
00:27:35,970 --> 00:27:38,220
In a matter of just a few hours,
344
00:27:38,220 --> 00:27:40,093
the main stream runs free.
345
00:27:48,267 --> 00:27:51,100
(water trickling)
346
00:27:58,800 --> 00:28:02,063
Spring sun blesses the holy walls.
347
00:28:12,477 --> 00:28:15,727
(light dramatic music)
348
00:28:20,490 --> 00:28:25,243
The Volga's pulse is starting to beat again.
349
00:28:27,900 --> 00:28:30,620
Veins bring life to a land which
350
00:28:30,620 --> 00:28:32,880
has been set solid for months.
351
00:28:32,880 --> 00:28:35,380
(light music)
352
00:28:38,970 --> 00:28:41,793
Snow melt fills the river courses.
353
00:28:47,680 --> 00:28:51,060
Some species head upstream to their spawning grounds
354
00:28:51,060 --> 00:28:53,063
or seek new sources of food.
355
00:28:54,822 --> 00:28:57,572
(water bubbling)
356
00:29:09,606 --> 00:29:10,939
A common dipper.
357
00:29:12,470 --> 00:29:16,350
It's here to hunt caddisfly larvae lying under stones
358
00:29:16,350 --> 00:29:17,250
in the melt water.
359
00:29:18,410 --> 00:29:21,160
(water bubbling)
360
00:29:22,010 --> 00:29:24,303
The last ice is a useful perch.
361
00:29:27,020 --> 00:29:29,520
(light music)
362
00:29:30,810 --> 00:29:31,823
River otters.
363
00:29:32,800 --> 00:29:35,510
This family is heading upstream in search
364
00:29:35,510 --> 00:29:36,873
of fishing grounds.
365
00:29:54,626 --> 00:29:57,460
(suspenseful music)
(wings flapping)
366
00:29:57,460 --> 00:29:58,973
The mother has two young.
367
00:29:59,810 --> 00:30:02,810
They're nearly fully grown, yet still they rely
368
00:30:02,810 --> 00:30:04,969
on her to find food.
369
00:30:04,969 --> 00:30:07,802
(water trickling)
370
00:30:10,850 --> 00:30:14,353
Melt water on a river bend has flooded a reed bed.
371
00:30:15,270 --> 00:30:18,670
The roots are perfect shelter for amphibians
372
00:30:18,670 --> 00:30:20,813
and the mother otter knows it.
373
00:30:24,790 --> 00:30:28,143
Common frogs hibernating at the bottom are the reward.
374
00:30:29,412 --> 00:30:32,245
(water trickling)
375
00:30:39,060 --> 00:30:42,010
It's a welcome meal and the young otters
376
00:30:42,010 --> 00:30:44,470
must take advantage, for soon they'll have
377
00:30:44,470 --> 00:30:45,573
to hunt on their own.
378
00:30:46,550 --> 00:30:49,533
In just a few minutes, they catch dozens of frogs.
379
00:30:58,020 --> 00:31:00,273
Russians have a special word for it.
380
00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:03,180
(speaking foreign language)
381
00:31:03,180 --> 00:31:05,970
If fate suddenly sends you a windfall,
382
00:31:05,970 --> 00:31:08,733
don't hesitate, take as much as you can.
383
00:31:10,525 --> 00:31:13,358
(water splashing)
384
00:31:15,081 --> 00:31:17,831
(teeth clicking)
385
00:31:23,920 --> 00:31:26,770
For the otters, this is pure (speaking foreign language).
386
00:31:28,543 --> 00:31:31,043
(light music)
387
00:31:34,130 --> 00:31:38,100
Soon their bellies are full, and now instead of hunting,
388
00:31:38,100 --> 00:31:39,293
they want to play.
389
00:31:45,430 --> 00:31:49,320
Not so much fun for the frog, but for a young otter,
390
00:31:49,320 --> 00:31:53,070
this chance to explore and build its strength is a vital
391
00:31:53,070 --> 00:31:56,593
opportunity in the still-chilly spring conditions.
392
00:32:01,070 --> 00:32:03,950
Plenty more frogs have nevertheless survived
393
00:32:03,950 --> 00:32:05,550
along the countless tributaries.
394
00:32:09,181 --> 00:32:11,848
(snow rustling)
395
00:32:17,012 --> 00:32:19,845
(water trickling)
396
00:32:26,394 --> 00:32:29,000
(water bubbling)
397
00:32:29,000 --> 00:32:32,230
Among all the Volga's principle sources,
398
00:32:32,230 --> 00:32:36,563
there is one more, which many claim is a forgotten one.
399
00:32:37,939 --> 00:32:40,439
(light music)
400
00:32:46,070 --> 00:32:49,780
Hundreds of miles west, and north of the Urals
401
00:32:49,780 --> 00:32:54,733
close to Finland, lies the third vital source of the Volga.
402
00:32:56,136 --> 00:32:56,969
Atleka.
403
00:33:04,060 --> 00:33:07,433
These are the last primeval forests of Europe.
404
00:33:08,380 --> 00:33:12,997
Cold, wet woodlands home to a truly special bird.
405
00:33:14,586 --> 00:33:17,336
(bird squawking)
406
00:33:21,080 --> 00:33:22,143
Capercaillie.
407
00:33:23,030 --> 00:33:26,233
The cock bird performs an ancient ritual.
408
00:33:26,233 --> 00:33:27,780
(wings flapping)
409
00:33:27,780 --> 00:33:29,740
His clicking call echoes back
410
00:33:29,740 --> 00:33:31,950
from the forest around him.
411
00:33:31,950 --> 00:33:34,070
It's a call for a mate.
412
00:33:34,070 --> 00:33:36,737
(bird clicking)
413
00:33:49,890 --> 00:33:52,163
A hen a-watches from the sidelines.
414
00:33:54,600 --> 00:33:56,263
She has seen another male.
415
00:34:00,448 --> 00:34:01,820
(light dramatic music)
A rival.
416
00:34:01,820 --> 00:34:05,973
He perches off the ground to make himself seem superior.
417
00:34:17,622 --> 00:34:20,455
(birds squawking)
418
00:34:22,740 --> 00:34:24,793
The cock must defend.
419
00:34:26,190 --> 00:34:30,023
His display arena and the female are at stake.
420
00:34:32,400 --> 00:34:34,977
The rival is not backing down.
421
00:34:34,977 --> 00:34:38,439
(bird clicking)
(bird squawking)
422
00:34:38,439 --> 00:34:41,689
(light dramatic music)
423
00:34:42,540 --> 00:34:46,100
The capercaillies fight with their beaks.
424
00:34:46,100 --> 00:34:47,960
Each aims for the bullseye;
425
00:34:47,960 --> 00:34:50,943
the bright red makeup around the opponents' eye.
426
00:35:10,549 --> 00:35:13,140
(birds clicking)
427
00:35:13,140 --> 00:35:15,413
Eventually, the rival concedes.
428
00:35:19,030 --> 00:35:21,443
The rest is apiece of cake.
429
00:35:27,498 --> 00:35:29,237
(wings flapping)
430
00:35:29,237 --> 00:35:31,904
(bird clicking)
431
00:35:32,850 --> 00:35:35,800
And now a lap of honor.
432
00:35:35,800 --> 00:35:38,523
Time to display his full majesty.
433
00:35:43,090 --> 00:35:45,153
The reward is surely his.
434
00:35:48,137 --> 00:35:48,970
Or is it?
435
00:35:49,853 --> 00:35:51,799
(wings flapping)
436
00:35:51,799 --> 00:35:55,042
(light dramatic music)
437
00:35:55,042 --> 00:35:57,792
(men vocalizing)
438
00:35:59,545 --> 00:36:01,330
Gentle snowfall.
439
00:36:01,330 --> 00:36:04,520
For mating to succeed, capercaillie eggs
440
00:36:04,520 --> 00:36:07,890
and their ground nest need a dry bed,
441
00:36:07,890 --> 00:36:10,593
so hens avoid snowy romance.
442
00:36:13,050 --> 00:36:14,763
This is Russia.
443
00:36:15,630 --> 00:36:20,630
Endless effort, however, winter usually wins the day.
444
00:36:20,750 --> 00:36:23,404
(wings flapping)
445
00:36:23,404 --> 00:36:27,560
(light music)
(water trickling)
446
00:36:27,560 --> 00:36:30,030
By mid-May, it's safe to say we're
447
00:36:30,030 --> 00:36:31,713
seeing the last of winter.
448
00:36:34,110 --> 00:36:36,520
Moose are back in the river valleys.
449
00:36:36,520 --> 00:36:39,463
Like it or not, they must brave the water.
450
00:36:40,489 --> 00:36:43,322
(water trickling)
451
00:36:48,800 --> 00:36:51,640
There are no great dangers lurking here,
452
00:36:51,640 --> 00:36:54,373
but the melt water is ice cold.
453
00:36:55,775 --> 00:36:57,300
(water splashing)
454
00:36:57,300 --> 00:36:59,070
Who's going to take the plunge?
455
00:37:10,050 --> 00:37:12,733
It always takes one brave one to go first.
456
00:37:20,450 --> 00:37:22,220
Moose are excellent swimmers
457
00:37:23,980 --> 00:37:26,881
and they know the narrowest streams.
458
00:37:26,881 --> 00:37:29,714
(water trickling)
459
00:37:34,940 --> 00:37:38,190
They may swim together, but at the other bank,
460
00:37:38,190 --> 00:37:40,133
each will go its separate way.
461
00:37:41,020 --> 00:37:44,863
Perhaps they'll meet again, many more rivers lie ahead.
462
00:38:01,152 --> 00:38:01,990
(water bubbling)
463
00:38:01,990 --> 00:38:05,240
Vast clear bodies of water full of life
464
00:38:05,240 --> 00:38:08,503
push through the valleys into the central Volga basin.
465
00:38:20,550 --> 00:38:23,770
Ground water flushes from underneath to the surface,
466
00:38:23,770 --> 00:38:27,633
only to sink again and follow underground slopes.
467
00:38:37,600 --> 00:38:41,513
This region is the most powerful reservoir in Europe.
468
00:38:42,420 --> 00:38:45,133
Countless rivers begin their lives here.
469
00:38:48,690 --> 00:38:51,093
The rivers feed three great seas:
470
00:38:52,330 --> 00:38:56,330
the Atlantic Ocean via the Baltic, the Arctic Ocean,
471
00:38:56,330 --> 00:38:58,543
and the Caspian Sea via the Volga.
472
00:39:06,570 --> 00:39:11,350
In Russian, the name of this magical region, Atleka,
473
00:39:11,350 --> 00:39:13,223
is short for these seas.
474
00:39:19,310 --> 00:39:23,440
The waters of Atleka are the third major source.
475
00:39:23,440 --> 00:39:27,160
Together with Valdai and the snow of the Ural Mountains,
476
00:39:27,160 --> 00:39:30,800
they make the Volga into Europe's mightiest river.
477
00:39:30,800 --> 00:39:35,013
It's catchment area is like the size of Alaska.
478
00:39:35,013 --> 00:39:37,846
(engine rumbling)
479
00:39:42,290 --> 00:39:44,410
At one point in particular,
480
00:39:44,410 --> 00:39:46,630
it is joined by another big river.
481
00:39:46,630 --> 00:39:48,030
The Kama.
482
00:39:48,030 --> 00:39:50,723
And this makes the Volga a giant.
483
00:39:50,723 --> 00:39:53,973
(light dramatic music)
484
00:39:56,603 --> 00:40:00,436
Truly majestic, the mightiest river in Europe.
485
00:40:04,890 --> 00:40:07,967
Yet nearly 1,000 miles more lie ahead.
486
00:40:08,890 --> 00:40:11,770
From now on, the river will flow southwards.
487
00:40:19,080 --> 00:40:23,268
In the hinterland lie tiny unnamed tributaries.
488
00:40:23,268 --> 00:40:25,920
(birds chirping)
489
00:40:25,920 --> 00:40:27,733
The forests here are lusher.
490
00:40:29,459 --> 00:40:32,458
(woodpecker tapping)
491
00:40:32,458 --> 00:40:33,958
Home to Ural owls.
492
00:40:36,076 --> 00:40:38,230
(owl hooting)
493
00:40:38,230 --> 00:40:42,529
A fledgling chick and an expectant parent.
494
00:40:42,529 --> 00:40:45,196
(owl squawking)
495
00:40:46,818 --> 00:40:49,568
(wings flapping)
496
00:40:50,845 --> 00:40:52,250
(light music)
497
00:40:52,250 --> 00:40:54,940
Luckily, that's what claws are for.
498
00:40:57,010 --> 00:40:58,053
But what next?
499
00:41:01,955 --> 00:41:04,720
(squawking)
500
00:41:04,720 --> 00:41:07,207
Not what you'd call the perfect first flight.
501
00:41:08,790 --> 00:41:11,623
(leaves rustling)
502
00:41:21,202 --> 00:41:23,535
(squawking)
503
00:41:24,640 --> 00:41:27,147
The ground is no place for a small owl.
504
00:41:28,961 --> 00:41:32,553
(suspenseful music)
505
00:41:32,553 --> 00:41:34,347
Claws to the rescue again.
506
00:41:40,617 --> 00:41:42,950
(squawking)
507
00:41:49,100 --> 00:41:52,540
One small leap in the bird world.
508
00:41:52,540 --> 00:41:54,793
A giant one for this young owl.
509
00:41:55,782 --> 00:41:58,532
(birds chirping)
510
00:42:01,560 --> 00:42:03,543
Enough flying school for one day.
511
00:42:07,996 --> 00:42:10,496
(owl hooting)
512
00:42:12,610 --> 00:42:16,330
Ural owls are not fussy about food.
513
00:42:16,330 --> 00:42:19,113
They hunt almost anything the forest offers up.
514
00:42:24,196 --> 00:42:27,987
(branches rustling)
(wings flapping)
515
00:42:27,987 --> 00:42:30,654
(bugs chirping)
516
00:42:32,140 --> 00:42:35,603
The adult must dismantle morsels for a small beak.
517
00:42:40,580 --> 00:42:42,580
A very Russian trait.
518
00:42:42,580 --> 00:42:46,523
Still needs to be beak-fed, yet wants to fly high.
519
00:42:47,854 --> 00:42:49,070
(water trickling)
520
00:42:49,070 --> 00:42:51,880
The river babbles along beneath.
521
00:42:51,880 --> 00:42:55,363
To a beaver, the mere sound is a source of concern.
522
00:42:57,830 --> 00:43:00,030
What a mess.
523
00:43:00,030 --> 00:43:04,073
The dam has burst, the home pond is draining fast.
524
00:43:10,820 --> 00:43:13,963
An emergency that calls for immediate action.
525
00:43:16,490 --> 00:43:19,323
(water trickling)
526
00:43:23,270 --> 00:43:26,070
Beavers don't have it easy in Russia.
527
00:43:26,070 --> 00:43:29,580
They can't just build here on the basis of the weather.
528
00:43:29,580 --> 00:43:31,990
If people open a sluice upstream,
529
00:43:31,990 --> 00:43:33,893
water will break their dams.
530
00:43:34,880 --> 00:43:38,363
Closing sluices downstream has the same effect.
531
00:43:41,030 --> 00:43:43,493
Sealing breaches is a daily matter.
532
00:43:47,930 --> 00:43:49,743
A fellow worker has woken up.
533
00:43:57,110 --> 00:43:59,770
Larger branches that can fill big holes
534
00:43:59,770 --> 00:44:02,200
demand two operators.
535
00:44:02,200 --> 00:44:04,763
They encourage one another with a push-pull.
536
00:44:07,073 --> 00:44:09,906
(water trickling)
537
00:44:21,361 --> 00:44:24,850
At last, the framework is in place.
538
00:44:24,850 --> 00:44:26,243
Now for the mortar.
539
00:44:30,720 --> 00:44:33,660
Even the smallest holes get plastered in.
540
00:44:33,660 --> 00:44:35,327
The devil's in the detail.
541
00:44:37,688 --> 00:44:39,938
(rustling)
542
00:44:45,133 --> 00:44:48,510
Bulldozing makes the route to the dam easier
543
00:44:48,510 --> 00:44:51,143
and helps to shore up foundations on shore.
544
00:44:57,130 --> 00:45:00,959
The rest of the night is spent making good.
545
00:45:00,959 --> 00:45:03,542
(mud sloshing)
546
00:45:13,060 --> 00:45:16,453
Having built up a head of steam, neither wants to stop.
547
00:45:17,290 --> 00:45:20,413
A beaver can never get enough building materials.
548
00:45:29,130 --> 00:45:32,790
By the time they lay the final layer, it's nearly dawn.
549
00:45:35,557 --> 00:45:38,390
(water trickling)
550
00:45:43,240 --> 00:45:46,443
A last listen, no more babbling.
551
00:45:49,870 --> 00:45:52,921
Their dam is secure once more.
552
00:45:52,921 --> 00:45:53,771
But for how long?
553
00:45:55,677 --> 00:46:00,677
(light music)
(birds chirping)
554
00:46:06,580 --> 00:46:09,613
Even in summer, Volga nights are cool.
555
00:46:10,620 --> 00:46:13,993
A heavy morning mist hangs over an old meander.
556
00:46:18,910 --> 00:46:21,683
Sun takes time to break through.
557
00:46:23,280 --> 00:46:25,740
(water trickling)
558
00:46:25,740 --> 00:46:27,450
There's a new breach.
559
00:46:27,450 --> 00:46:29,950
Water has found an alternative exit,
560
00:46:29,950 --> 00:46:32,190
this time from the other side.
561
00:46:34,083 --> 00:46:36,583
(light music)
562
00:46:39,447 --> 00:46:43,630
The water has flushed out an unexpected guest.
563
00:46:43,630 --> 00:46:45,123
A Russian desman.
564
00:46:46,360 --> 00:46:48,033
It's just become homeless.
565
00:46:49,740 --> 00:46:52,139
High water has flooded his burrow.
566
00:46:52,139 --> 00:46:54,720
(light music)
567
00:46:54,720 --> 00:46:56,843
Desmans are a kind of water mole.
568
00:46:57,810 --> 00:46:59,730
Instead of tunneling through earth,
569
00:46:59,730 --> 00:47:02,363
they fish about for food in murky water.
570
00:47:03,630 --> 00:47:06,963
Like their cousins the moles, they're virtually blind.
571
00:47:09,590 --> 00:47:11,250
Why have sight?
572
00:47:11,250 --> 00:47:13,150
There's little to be seen in the silk.
573
00:47:19,480 --> 00:47:22,290
Better to have a strong nose.
574
00:47:22,290 --> 00:47:26,350
A desman's snout is always on the move.
575
00:47:26,350 --> 00:47:29,501
It senses what is edible and what isn't.
576
00:47:29,501 --> 00:47:32,334
(mouth crunching)
577
00:47:34,750 --> 00:47:37,003
Water snails are a favorite.
578
00:47:42,800 --> 00:47:44,341
(water trickling)
579
00:47:44,341 --> 00:47:46,924
Time to leave the sinking pool.
580
00:47:59,080 --> 00:48:02,293
For the beavers, the day shift is about to begin.
581
00:48:07,770 --> 00:48:09,600
To keep their domain in tact,
582
00:48:09,600 --> 00:48:11,783
water must never be allowed to run low.
583
00:48:12,623 --> 00:48:15,123
(light music)
584
00:48:20,220 --> 00:48:22,610
But the flow is strong.
585
00:48:22,610 --> 00:48:24,733
Branches just won't cut it.
586
00:48:28,210 --> 00:48:30,133
A more substantial barrier.
587
00:48:42,060 --> 00:48:45,550
Beavers build with wood, so a pallet,
588
00:48:45,550 --> 00:48:48,633
driftwood from the main current, is just right.
589
00:48:50,330 --> 00:48:54,923
Emergencies call for ingenuity, an ancient Russian motto.
590
00:48:58,236 --> 00:49:00,790
(upbeat music)
591
00:49:00,790 --> 00:49:03,047
Time for a desman to dry out.
592
00:49:11,254 --> 00:49:13,754
(light music)
593
00:49:15,530 --> 00:49:17,227
And it's not only them;
594
00:49:18,600 --> 00:49:20,450
everyone's got that grooming feeling.
595
00:49:28,520 --> 00:49:32,733
And when that's over, time for a little free time sparring.
596
00:49:34,087 --> 00:49:36,414
(birds chirping)
597
00:49:36,414 --> 00:49:39,164
(grass rustling)
598
00:49:44,692 --> 00:49:47,525
(water trickling)
599
00:49:48,770 --> 00:49:53,403
Nothing like a spot of water boxing in a beaver paradise.
600
00:50:05,901 --> 00:50:08,994
(water bubbling)
601
00:50:08,994 --> 00:50:11,744
(ethereal music)
602
00:50:14,890 --> 00:50:18,243
Summer in the Volga is short and intense.
603
00:50:20,190 --> 00:50:24,200
Freshwater shrimps bloom in the clear protected waters.
604
00:50:24,200 --> 00:50:26,810
In tributaries and lakes, water fleas
605
00:50:26,810 --> 00:50:28,513
and other plankton flourish.
606
00:50:34,530 --> 00:50:36,883
Young pike grow up fast here.
607
00:50:38,207 --> 00:50:40,810
(light dramatic music)
608
00:50:40,810 --> 00:50:43,423
Soon, they will become giants.
609
00:50:50,070 --> 00:50:53,890
And deep flooded meadows cut off from the main river
610
00:50:53,890 --> 00:50:56,426
make perfect hunting grounds.
611
00:50:56,426 --> 00:50:59,176
(dramatic music)
612
00:51:01,904 --> 00:51:06,034
(light music)
(wings flapping)
613
00:51:06,034 --> 00:51:09,190
Further south, the Volga moves into a world
614
00:51:09,190 --> 00:51:10,693
of heat and drought.
615
00:51:13,970 --> 00:51:16,620
On the barren edge of inner Asia,
616
00:51:16,620 --> 00:51:20,883
it becomes a vital refuge and lifeline for wildlife.
617
00:51:23,738 --> 00:51:26,571
(chicks chirping)
618
00:51:28,550 --> 00:51:32,330
Shaping a lush water world where the river
619
00:51:32,330 --> 00:51:35,667
creates our planet's largest inland sea.
620
00:51:40,155 --> 00:51:44,643
(light music)
44903
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