All language subtitles for The.Norwegian.Fjords.Life.in.the.Twilights.2018.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DDP2.0.H.264_track3_[eng]

Norther Norway,

one of the most dramatic
coastal landscapes in the world.

Long, narrow inlets carry seawater

up to 200 kilometers inland.

These deep valleys were
once scoured out by glaciers

and filled up by the sea.

Today they attract a
rich diversity of life.

The Norwegian fjords are as
deep as the mountains are high

and they teem with life.

The cold, dark waters are home

to a surprisingly rich
and colorful community

of underwater creatures.

Some even produce their own lights

and glow in the dark.

The Norwegian fjords are one
of Europe's best kept secrets.

A magical wilderness unlike any other.

It's mid-November,

the Norwegian winter has set in

and the sun barely skirts the horizon

during the long polar nights.

All is quiet at the bottom of the fjord,

the waters appear lifeless,
the sediments undisturbed.

There is little sign of the
invasion that is to come.

Large kelp forests guard
the entrance of the fjord

and provide a safe hiding place for fish.

Further inland the fjords break up

into a network of smaller channels

that slow down the flow of the water.

And it's these calm seas that
attract huge numbers of fish.

Herring, over 10 billion of them.

Their shells are so dense

they darken the waters of the fjord.

The herring have been feeding

in the rich Arctic seas all summer.

Now, sleek and well fed, they
gather in the sheltered waters

of the fjords to over winter here.

These fjords offer little
food for the herring,

but the calm waters allow
them to rest and wait,

wasting little energy.

In spring, they'll continue
to their spawning grounds

along the coast.

The herring only come
to a few select fjords

in northern Norway,

but in their wake others follow.

Orca's or killer whales.

They've left the open
ocean to head inland,

attracted by the vast shoals of fish.

The herring bunch together

in a tight ball near the sea floor.

There's safety in numbers

and the dense mass
confuses most predators.

But not the orca's.

They work as a team, youngsters
learning from older ones.

The key to their success is co-operation.

Slowly the whales circle their quarry,

driving them into an even tighter bunch.

As they do, they communicate
with clicks and whistles.

The whales take turns
to dive below the shoal

and push it closer to the surface.

Finally they manage to drive the herring

into shallower water.

The rest is easy.

A large male approaches
the shoal from the side

and smacks into the mass
with his powerful tail fin.

With one blow he's killed
and stunned a dozen fish.

Now they can pick off
their prey at leisure.

Tail swatting appears
to be a hunting strategy

only used by orca's in
this part of the world,

but it's a highly effective
way of gathering food.

For a six ton whale, a
single fish is a mere morsel.

They need to eat around 200 a day,

so bulk fishing is the perfect solution.

With over a billion herring
in this one fjord alone,

there's plenty to go around.

Compared to humans hunters

that take thousands of herrings
from these waters each year,

the orca's hardly make a
dent in the population.

But orca's are messy feeders.

They leave behind a trail of dead fish.

Both at the bottom of the
fjord and in the water above.

But where there are free
handouts, there are takers.

Herring gulls follow the whales

as they travel through the fjord

and pick off any scraps
left in their wake.

Below the surface others
help dispose of leftovers.

Nonetheless, much sinks to the bottom.

And even here there are
animals that benefit

from the orca's feeding frenzy.

Hiding away on the sea floor

are creatures that depend on
debris sinking down from above.

Starfish are one of the
many bottom dwellers

that make a beeline for the feast.

Each arm contains a
branch of their stomach

and produced chemicals
to digest the carcass.

They will eat whatever comes their way

and eventually release the
nutrients back into the fjord.

In northern Norway the low winter sun

washes the landscape in ethereal colors.

Temperatures often drop below freezing.

Sheltered by the mountains,

the waters of the fjord are calm

and ice starts to form at the edges.

Although seawater doesn't freeze easily,

a sheet of ice often stretches across

the entire fjord in winter.

This sheet is made of fresh water

that sits in a layer
above the denser seawater.

The frozen fjord is many
miles from the open ocean,

but the daily rhythm of the tides

can still be felt and seen.

Every six hours, the massive slab of ice,

weighing millions of tons,
is lifted up and down.

The ice also acts as a gigantic lid,

keeping the waters below dark and warm.

It's these conditions

that allow some unusual
animals to live here.

The helmet jellyfish,

generally found at depths
of over a thousand meters.

Direct sunlight will kill it,

turning the dark red pigment in its body

into a lethal poison.

But the winter ice cover over the fjord

filters out most of the suns rays

and allows the jelly's to
rise up to shallower water.

So helmet jellyfish thrive here.

Sea pen's live in the
deepest part of the fjord,

where they anchor
themselves to the sea floor.

Here there's less risk of being
uprooted by ocean currents.

And the coral like creatures
use their feathery arms

to sift plankton from the water.

Sea pen's like to stay in one place,

so if danger threatens
they defend themselves.

If anything touches their delicate arms,

they produce a series of flashing lights,

maybe with the aim to
startle in the darkness.

But the feathery pen's not
only actively produce light,

they also glow when blue
light falls on them.

Most light waves are absorbed
as they pass through water,

but blue light travels
further than any other.

When it falls on sea pen's it
stimulates certain proteins

and triggers them to glow bright green.

But why sea pen's glow like
this is still a mystery.

And if all defense techniques fail,

the curious creatures have
another trick up their sleeve.

They literally disappear into the ground.

Above the surface the fjord
is now not only sealed by ice,

but a thick layer of snow.

The forests are silent
in the grip of winter.

Only one sound echoes through the hills.

The capercaillie have
started their mating rituals.

The males seek out the best
arenas on which to display.

Their song and dance is
for the benefit of females

scattered throughout the hills.

These northerly forests
are wetter than most

and provide perfect conditions
for lichens and mosses.

The cover the trees in
thick, shaggy carpets.

And they're home to strange,
long legged creature.

The spiny headed harvestman.

It hunts for small insects
amongst the lichen.

The arrival of spring
brings warmer temperatures

and fresh growth to the
hills around the fjord.

The ice has long melted

and below the surface spring
has also not gone unnoticed.

Along the shallow edges thick
layers of sand and sediment

create an underwater moonscape.

Brown crabs are after the
mussels buried in the soft sand.

The common dab will also feed
on mussels given the chance,

but it's unable to dig them up.

The mussels have burrowed
deep into the sediment,

but the crabs are persistent.

The pilgrim scallop has no need to hide.

With 60 eyes along the edge of
its mantel to keep a look out

it can make a quick getaway.

For those that are not fast enough,

the crabs are bad news.

They can prise open
the tightly shut shells

and pull out the scallops
soft body with their pincers.

Tearing apart the flesh releases
chemicals into the water

that soon attract the competition.

The dab also sees an opportunity.

The fish has little to fear from the crab,

despite the fearsome looking claws

crabs are slow and clumsy

and have no interest in
trying to catch a fish.

Nonetheless she keeps
a respectful distance,

slipping in to sneak a mouthful

when she thinks he's not looking.

The crab has had enough

and takes off with the remaining bounty.

One last look, but he's taken it all.

The Norwegian fjords
resemble large inland lakes

and thanks to the warming Gulf Stream

they enjoy a mild climate.

Not surprisingly they attract animals

both below the surface and above.

Common eider's seek
out the sheltered edges

to feed on crabs and mussels

and to raise their young.

But while the water may be safe.

There's danger from the air above.

Herring gulls are on the
lookout for an easy meal.

They've got their eye
on the young ducklings.

But the attentive females join forces

and launch a counter attack.

This smaller common gull

has bitten off more than it can chew.

The gull is
lucky to escape with its life.

Spring sees the arrival of
other visitors to the fjord.

The ruff has traveled
all the way from Africa

and now refuels on small crabs and insects

along the shoreline.

A turnstone is also after insects,

flicking over seaweed instead of stones.

The temminck's stint has other priorities,

to attract a mate with
it's aerial display.

Whilst some of the fjords visitors

arrive at the same time every year,

others are less predictable.

Harbor porpoises come and go,

hunting for small fish
in the coastal inlets.

At the end of May,

huge flocks of knot
descend upon the fjord.

They're traveling from wintering
ground in Western Europe.

To their arctic breeding
sites in Greenland and Canada.

They've come to the fjord
to replenish energy reserves

before continuing on their long journey.

And they're here in their thousands.

The small birds have flown
non stop for three days,

covering thousands of kilometers.

As soon as their feet touch the ground

they fall asleep, exhausted.

The knot will only stay
for a week in the fjords,

feeding on small snails and mussels

in the exposed mud at low tide.

When the sea returns, the snails
and other marine creatures

can safely emerge to graze
on algae and plankton.

The daily influx of seawater

is crucial for sustaining
life in the fjord.

But where there is life
there's also death.

A harbor porpoise is washed
ashore by the incoming tide.

It most likely drowned,

entangled and trapped in a fishing net.

Every year fishing nets
kill up to 10,000 porpoises

in Norway alone.

Pulled in as accidental
bi-catch on fishing boats.

It's a tragic and unnecessary loss.

The porpoise lies stranded on the shore,

the marks from the nets
clearly visible on its body.

12 hours later, as the tide returns,

the carcass is carried
away into deeper water.

The porpoise settles at
the bottom of the fjord

and it doesn't take long for scavengers

to arrive at the scene.

Eel like hagfish.

They quickly detect the
smell of rotting flesh

and arrive in their dozens.

They will bore into the carcass

and consume it from inside and out.

Releasing the nutrients
back into the food chain.

The hagfish are one of the
fjord natural recyclers.

There is one other vital
source of nutrients

that sustains life in the fjord.

Spectacular waterfalls are one
of the most iconic features

of this landscape.

Hundreds of them cascade
down the steep, rocky cliffs

carrying with them not just fresh water,

but sediments and food particles.

These dramatic waterfalls
are life giving arteries

that provide a continuous
supply of nutrients

to the fjords below.

The Norwegian fjords are warmed
by the mild ocean currents

of the Gulf Stream that makes
the five to 10 degrees warmer

than you might expect.

And many of them are very deep.

Some over a thousand meters.

These huge bodies of warm water
act as vast storage heaters

that warm the surrounding landscape

and create an exceptionally mild climate.

Surrounded by high
mountains and arctic tundra,

the fjord is an oasis for
both people and wildlife.

In the far north the
vegetation is sparser.

Few trees grow here.

The male bluethroat
sings his eloquent song

from the top of a mound or bush.

Other tundra residents
have chosen a spit of land

as a display arena.

Male ruff, with their spectacular plumes,

are waiting for an audience.

The first spectator has arrived.

And now the performance can begin.

Each male wants to outshine the others

and impress the ladies.

Their dance has a complex choreography.

A dark and a light colored
male will often tango together

in the hope of dazzling the females.

This time the male with the white ruff

seems to have won the dance off.

Three females are waiting
for his attention.

And a last minute competitor
is quickly seen off.

Norway's western coast and fjords

receive a huge amount of rainfall.

The sudden influx of freshwater

is a problem for many marine animals.

Some, like the cone jelly's
try to make a getaway.

They propel through the water

with tiny hairs that beat in synchrony

and scatter the light to
produce iridescent colors.

Green sea urchins graze on
algae in the rocky shallows.

They can't swim to escape the freshwater

but race on tiny tube feet.

The heavy rain also washes away salt,

deposited in the surrounding
forests by the wind.

It flows off the hills as small streams

and is carried back into the fjord.

Where the freshwater
streams flow into the fjord

animals have to cope with
great fluctuations in salinity.

These sudden changes can
be deadly for starfish,

they quickly move to deeper water

where conditions are more stable.

But some animals cope equally well

in both freshwater and salt water.

Salmon and sea trout.

Every year the fish make
their way back from the ocean

and follow the rivers upstream.

On the final leg of their journey,

they have to ascend waterfalls
several meters high.

This requires a huge amount of energy.

The fish congregate at
the foot of the falls,

ready to propel themselves
out of the water.

Not every attempt is successful.

There is no choice but to try again.

Those who make it beyond the rapids

are rewarded by clear and calmer water.

These are the traditional spawning grounds

where the fish rest and recover
from their arduous journey.

Then each female chooses
a spot to lay her eggs.

The males are close behind,
ready to deposit their sperm.

Mission accomplished.

The fish
eggs are left unattended

on the riverbed and take
around six weeks to develop.

The small fry are only
two centimeters long

and have a large yolk sack
attached to their belly.

This will provide them with
food for the next few weeks,

while they remain hidden among the gravel.

It's hard to believe that
these small upland streams

are the nursery grounds
for millions of tiny fish.

After a few weeks, the fry
resemble miniature salmon

and have used up their
onboard food supply.

They now have to hunt
for tiny insect prey.

The young salmon remain in these streams

for up to five years,

but eventually they have
to return to the ocean.

And to do so they must adapt their bodies.

It's one of the most extreme
physiological challenges

that any animal has to face

as they enter the deep, dark
and salty water of the fjord.

One group of animals
that is perfectly adapted

to life in the deep are the sea slugs.

Some even glow in the dark,
bejeweling the sea floor

with their striking shapes and colors.

The reason for their eye
catching fluorescence

is still a mystery.

But having lost their
shells millions of years ago

sea slugs may defend themselves

with these brilliant lights and colors.

While some use dazzling displays of light

others opt for camouflage
to avoid detection.

The long legged spider crab
is a master of disguise

and moves slowly across the sea floor

searching for edible morsels.

It's found some fish scales
that shine in fluorescent blue.

A second spider crab
has picked up the scent

and heads towards its rival.

With ritualized displays the
two opponents face each other.

Locking their spidery legs together.

From the bottom the fjord
the sides rise up steeply,

both below water and above.

The forested slopes are covered
in a thick carpet of moss

and in autumn they erupt with
the fruiting bodies of fungi.

The fungi are short lived

and like much of the woodland vegetation

will ultimately be carried
down the steep slopes

and into the fjord.

The last autumn
leaves fall from the trees

and are also swallowed by the waters.

Small marine crustaceans are at hand

to exploit this seasonal supply of food.

Amongst this myriad of microscopic life

are transparent forms
with a tiny yellow star

attached to the end.

These are starfish larvae

and they spend the first
weeks of their life

traveling the open seas.

Undulating gently through the water

the larvae feed on tiny plankton.

Eventually they sink to the ground

and the perfectly formed miniature star

detached itself from the main body.

With tiny tubular feet, the
small starfish now searches

for a place to settle and
grow into a larger star.

Vast quantities of organic matter

end up at the bottom of the fjord

and play a crucial role in maintaining

this rich underwater life.

In shallower regions sea
anemones filter tiny particles

from the water.

40 meters down and coral like sea fans

cling to the steep sides.

They are colonies of tiny animals

that feed off the rich supply of nutrients

brought in by the daily tide.

Deeper still, at depths
of 200 meters or more,

the sea floor turns into
a kaleidoscope of colors.

Vast wreaths of cold water corals

now stretch for kilometers
along the bottom of the fjord.

It's pitch black at these depths

so their colors are only visible
when light falls on them.

Deep sea fish, like the
curiously named rabbit fish,

have big eyes to capture
what little light there is.

It moves slowly along the sea floor,

searching for small bottom
living invertebrates.

By late autumn dead fish
litter the sea floor once more.

In the waters above, the migrating herring

have started to arrive.

Once again, nothing goes to waste.

A lunson shark is attracted
by the smell of dead fish.

It's one of the smallest
sharks in the world,

little bigger than a herring itself.

Autumn also sees the arrival
of more unusual visitors.

Humpback whales.

They followed the herring
on their migration

from the arctic ocean
to the Norwegian fjords.

But the humpback's don't hunt alone here.

They rely on help from another whale.

Orca's.

Hundreds of them converge on the fjord,

drawn in by the billions of herring.

Their calls guide the
humpback's to the banquet.

During the winter months
the Norwegian fjords

are amongst the richest
waters in the world.

They harbor millions of tons of fish

and not surprisingly attract
hunters from near and far

who cash in on the colossal feast.

The humpbacks have even
changed their annual migration

to take advantage of this fish bonanza.

They can swallow hundreds of
herring in one big mouthful.

As the days get longer
both orca's and humpbacks

leave the fjord

and follow the herring
out into the open ocean.

Whether they will return
again next year, no one knows.

The herring often change
their migration routes

and the hunters will follow them.

Nonetheless the Norwegian fjords

will continue to provide a safe haven

for a remarkable and
rich community of life.