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These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated: 1 00:00:07,659 --> 00:00:11,359 [narrator] Come rain, snow, hell or highwater, 2 00:00:13,317 --> 00:00:15,624 these alphas are ready to throw down. 3 00:00:15,624 --> 00:00:18,018 This is hard core brutal mother nature. 4 00:00:18,018 --> 00:00:21,978 They've got protection from the elements... 5 00:00:21,978 --> 00:00:23,762 It can cope with the worst Scottish weather, 6 00:00:23,762 --> 00:00:28,854 endless rain. 7 00:00:28,854 --> 00:00:30,291 The polar bear is essentially wearing nature's own wetsuit. 8 00:00:30,291 --> 00:00:34,251 [narrator] And a nasty bag of battle tricks... 9 00:00:34,251 --> 00:00:35,209 They're incredibly cunning, they're incredibly aggressive 10 00:00:35,209 --> 00:00:38,821 and they're incredibly smart. 11 00:00:38,821 --> 00:00:39,952 [narrator] When angry neighbours meet 12 00:00:39,952 --> 00:00:41,824 or an apex alpha gets hungry-- 13 00:00:41,824 --> 00:00:43,739 Fur will fly. 14 00:00:43,739 --> 00:00:47,612 [growling] 15 00:00:47,612 --> 00:00:47,743 [narrator] Every day, everywhere, our planet is a battleground. 16 00:00:49,614 --> 00:00:53,705 Turf wars, 17 00:00:53,705 --> 00:00:55,620 food fights 18 00:00:55,620 --> 00:00:58,058 and mating mayhem rage on 19 00:00:58,058 --> 00:00:58,971 as animals outwit and outmanoeuvre their own kind 20 00:01:00,495 --> 00:01:02,714 in Battle of the alphas. 21 00:01:05,021 --> 00:01:06,631 This is wolverine territory. 22 00:01:08,938 --> 00:01:13,029 Harsh and remote. 23 00:01:13,029 --> 00:01:13,812 In a climate where few can survive, the wolverine thrives. 24 00:01:17,077 --> 00:01:19,557 Part of what makes wolverine so successful is that fur. 25 00:01:21,951 --> 00:01:25,302 There's an under layer that keeps them warm, 26 00:01:25,302 --> 00:01:26,825 and then there's this outer layer that's oily and waterproof 27 00:01:26,825 --> 00:01:29,654 that keeps the snow off of them, 28 00:01:29,654 --> 00:01:31,569 keeps the frost off of them and makes sure 29 00:01:31,569 --> 00:01:33,267 that they're able to function in those cold climates. 30 00:01:33,267 --> 00:01:34,006 It is one of the toughest animals on the planet. 31 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:39,403 It can climb trees. 32 00:01:39,403 --> 00:01:41,188 It's a really adept swimmer. 33 00:01:41,188 --> 00:01:43,799 It can climb mountains. 34 00:01:43,799 --> 00:01:44,930 The wolverine is an animal that spends its life 35 00:01:44,930 --> 00:01:48,151 constantly on the move. 36 00:01:48,151 --> 00:01:50,414 [narrator] Most people will never see one. 37 00:01:50,414 --> 00:01:52,590 They're solitary creatures with an almost mythical status. 38 00:01:52,590 --> 00:01:57,204 Wolverines are so aggressive, they're so legendary 39 00:01:57,204 --> 00:01:57,900 that you could probably even make up a superhero based on them. 40 00:01:57,900 --> 00:02:01,904 I'm just saying. 41 00:02:01,904 --> 00:02:02,426 [narrator] They're not hospitable neighbours. 42 00:02:03,819 --> 00:02:06,952 If one wolverine crosses another's path, 43 00:02:06,952 --> 00:02:10,347 violence is almost guaranteed. 44 00:02:10,347 --> 00:02:13,611 Males have a huge home range, 45 00:02:13,611 --> 00:02:15,744 up to 1500 square kilometres. 46 00:02:15,744 --> 00:02:21,358 To put that in perspective, 47 00:02:21,358 --> 00:02:25,449 that's about the size of three million professional basketball courts or the size of the entire island of Maui. 48 00:02:25,449 --> 00:02:28,060 That's like the size of a bear's home range 49 00:02:28,060 --> 00:02:30,933 or a cougars home range. 50 00:02:30,933 --> 00:02:31,629 It's just a little golden retriever size thing, 51 00:02:31,629 --> 00:02:34,589 but it thinks it's big. 52 00:02:34,589 --> 00:02:36,591 It's definitely punching above its weight. 53 00:02:36,591 --> 00:02:37,983 [narrator] A male will share his vast territory 54 00:02:37,983 --> 00:02:40,899 with three or more females. 55 00:02:40,899 --> 00:02:43,511 Wolverines are polygamous, 56 00:02:43,511 --> 00:02:45,034 which means they can mate with a number of females, 57 00:02:45,034 --> 00:02:47,471 so females will have smaller home ranges 58 00:02:47,471 --> 00:02:51,345 within the vast territory of the male. 59 00:02:51,345 --> 00:02:53,347 [narrator] Defending their turf is a never-ending job. 60 00:02:53,347 --> 00:02:56,654 One they take very seriously. 61 00:02:56,654 --> 00:02:59,135 It's an animal that rarely encounters its own kin. 62 00:02:59,135 --> 00:03:02,269 But if it does, there will be fireworks. 63 00:03:02,269 --> 00:03:03,705 [narrator] Wolverines fight to protect their domain 64 00:03:06,229 --> 00:03:10,233 and everything that comes with it. 65 00:03:10,233 --> 00:03:12,148 These animals have everything they need to eat meat in cold places, 66 00:03:12,148 --> 00:03:15,020 they can scavenge on things that have died by other means. 67 00:03:15,020 --> 00:03:19,764 And when that doesn't work, 68 00:03:19,764 --> 00:03:21,897 they'll kill the food - themselves. - If they have a territory that they live on 69 00:03:21,897 --> 00:03:24,421 with a certain amount of prey in it, 70 00:03:24,421 --> 00:03:25,335 they don't want other wolverines coming in 71 00:03:25,335 --> 00:03:26,641 and getting some of the action. 72 00:03:26,641 --> 00:03:28,077 [growling] 73 00:03:33,474 --> 00:03:36,216 [narrator] This male is prepping for one of his busiest battle seasons. 74 00:03:36,781 --> 00:03:43,223 Winter. 75 00:03:43,223 --> 00:03:45,355 A lot of animals survive the winter by hibernating, but not wolverines, they don't hibernate at all. 76 00:03:45,355 --> 00:03:47,749 They're active year-round looking for prey, 77 00:03:47,749 --> 00:03:49,925 trying to find food in the middle of winter that's very hard to do. 78 00:03:49,925 --> 00:03:53,668 That's when the animals get desperate. 79 00:03:53,668 --> 00:03:56,148 They'll start to move into neighbours' territory 80 00:03:56,148 --> 00:03:59,369 if their noses pick up a recent kill, 81 00:03:59,369 --> 00:04:02,720 that's when they'll come to blows. 82 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:03,591 [narrator] He's got to beef up his security, 83 00:04:05,549 --> 00:04:08,857 and nasty weather won't stop him. 84 00:04:08,857 --> 00:04:09,118 The wolverine is able to cope with these sub-zero temperatures, 85 00:04:11,381 --> 00:04:15,820 so it's ready for action at a moment's notice. 86 00:04:15,820 --> 00:04:19,824 [narrator] He's laying a scent trail. 87 00:04:19,824 --> 00:04:22,044 It's like building a fence or a moat but stinkier. 88 00:04:22,044 --> 00:04:26,570 There are a few other nicknames for wolverines 89 00:04:26,570 --> 00:04:30,052 like skunk bear or stink bear, 90 00:04:30,052 --> 00:04:31,793 because they can produce these smells that are pretty pungent, 91 00:04:31,793 --> 00:04:35,013 so they have anal glands. They have glands 92 00:04:35,013 --> 00:04:36,580 next to their belly button. They have glands on their legs, 93 00:04:36,580 --> 00:04:39,453 all these different glands producing smells 94 00:04:39,453 --> 00:04:41,542 so they can tell other members of the species not to come in. 95 00:04:41,542 --> 00:04:43,370 [narrator] This rival wolverine doesn't heed the warning. 96 00:04:43,370 --> 00:04:46,286 These two may be neighbours, 97 00:04:48,288 --> 00:04:50,202 but there is nothing friendly about this meet-up. 98 00:04:50,202 --> 00:04:52,640 Wolverines are built to kill 99 00:04:54,468 --> 00:04:56,165 and so when that weaponry shows up, 100 00:04:56,165 --> 00:04:58,080 when those big, tough arms, those big, sharp teeth, 101 00:04:58,080 --> 00:05:01,301 all of that comes together into a battle, 102 00:05:01,301 --> 00:05:03,825 you can really see what these animals are made of. 103 00:05:03,825 --> 00:05:04,869 [narrator] They're fighting on treacherous turf, 104 00:05:04,869 --> 00:05:08,525 deep snow and ice, 105 00:05:08,525 --> 00:05:09,831 their feet are perfectly adept to handle the terrain. 106 00:05:09,831 --> 00:05:13,791 If they put their foot down on the snow, 107 00:05:13,791 --> 00:05:17,665 they can spread it out to twice the area 108 00:05:17,665 --> 00:05:21,321 that it would normally have in order to really distribute the weightacross a larger surface, just like a snowshoe. 109 00:05:21,321 --> 00:05:23,105 They've got some formidable weapons, first and foremost, 110 00:05:23,105 --> 00:05:26,761 they'll be slashing with those huge claws 111 00:05:26,761 --> 00:05:30,330 on the end of very powerful limbs. 112 00:05:30,330 --> 00:05:31,679 [narrator] They throw their full body weight into each swipe. 113 00:05:33,289 --> 00:05:35,639 Males can weigh up to 18 kilograms, 114 00:05:37,772 --> 00:05:40,818 and they work hard to stay in battle-ready form. 115 00:05:40,818 --> 00:05:44,039 I like the Latin names of animals you always learn something, 116 00:05:44,039 --> 00:05:45,562 and the Latin name for the wolverine is a perfect example of that. 117 00:05:45,562 --> 00:05:48,696 It's called gulo and gulo means glutton. 118 00:05:48,696 --> 00:05:50,393 And it's totally a glutton because they eat a ton of meat. 119 00:05:50,393 --> 00:05:54,571 The wolverine's teeth, all 38 of them 120 00:05:54,571 --> 00:05:57,357 are perfectly evolved for catching and killing prey. 121 00:05:57,357 --> 00:06:01,404 The molars at the back are turned inward 122 00:06:01,404 --> 00:06:04,973 and rotated 90 degrees, 123 00:06:04,973 --> 00:06:07,018 and they have an amazing bite force for crushing bone 124 00:06:07,018 --> 00:06:11,588 and biting through frozen meat from a carcass. 125 00:06:11,588 --> 00:06:13,982 [narrator] Molars are for crushing, 126 00:06:16,071 --> 00:06:17,899 canines for puncturing, tearing and strategic attacks. 127 00:06:17,899 --> 00:06:21,990 In this battle, the defender tries for a tactical advantage: 128 00:06:21,990 --> 00:06:27,865 jumping on his opponents back. 129 00:06:27,865 --> 00:06:32,217 There are two reasons to get on the back of your opponent if you're a wolverine. One, 130 00:06:32,217 --> 00:06:34,132 you have access to all the tendons in their back and their neck. 131 00:06:34,132 --> 00:06:35,830 That's a great place to be attacking, but I think, more importantly, 132 00:06:35,830 --> 00:06:40,487 you're getting away from all their sharp parts. 133 00:06:40,487 --> 00:06:44,926 [narrator] On rare occasions wolverines will fight to the death. But usually one admits defeat. 134 00:06:44,926 --> 00:06:47,711 In this battle, it's the intruder that scampers off. 135 00:06:47,711 --> 00:06:51,585 Wolverines aren't dumb, so they'll fight, 136 00:06:51,585 --> 00:06:54,979 and when they reach the point where they realize 137 00:06:54,979 --> 00:06:56,894 that they're probably not going to win, they're smart enough to cut and run. 138 00:06:56,894 --> 00:06:59,201 [narrator] It's a sweet win. 139 00:06:59,201 --> 00:07:00,115 But the triumphant wolverine doesn't have time to celebrate. 140 00:07:00,115 --> 00:07:02,987 As the snow picks up... 141 00:07:04,946 --> 00:07:07,383 he's off to scent mark his territory yet again, 142 00:07:07,383 --> 00:07:08,993 at least this time it'll be a victory lap. 143 00:07:09,820 --> 00:07:12,649 [♪] 144 00:07:14,521 --> 00:07:17,915 [narrator] From fur to feathers ... 145 00:07:17,915 --> 00:07:20,440 mallards are the most abundant duck on the planet. 146 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:23,704 Some might say they're ordinary maybe even boring, 147 00:07:23,704 --> 00:07:28,056 but these little ducks are surprisingly gritty. 148 00:07:28,056 --> 00:07:31,407 Mallards have a variety of very special adaptations 149 00:07:31,407 --> 00:07:34,932 to help keep them warm in the winter. 150 00:07:34,932 --> 00:07:37,065 They have really dense feathers. 151 00:07:37,065 --> 00:07:39,763 This layer of fat under their feathers, 152 00:07:39,763 --> 00:07:41,983 and also this amazing circulatory system 153 00:07:41,983 --> 00:07:44,202 to help keep their feet from freezing. 154 00:07:44,202 --> 00:07:45,465 [narrator] They're built to battle the weather 155 00:07:45,465 --> 00:07:48,511 and each other. 156 00:07:48,511 --> 00:07:49,947 [intense music] 157 00:07:51,949 --> 00:07:52,472 For most people, when they're thinking of an alpha, 158 00:07:56,824 --> 00:08:00,610 you're probably not thinking about the mallard. 159 00:08:00,610 --> 00:08:01,481 But what people don't see is that they're not just the calm and docile duck, 160 00:08:03,308 --> 00:08:07,748 they can actually be downright violent. 161 00:08:07,748 --> 00:08:09,314 [narrator] These fights are dangerous 162 00:08:12,056 --> 00:08:13,188 and so are the events that lead to them. 163 00:08:13,188 --> 00:08:15,277 In the spring and summer 164 00:08:18,062 --> 00:08:20,674 mother ducks sit dutifully on their eggs. 165 00:08:20,674 --> 00:08:23,154 Once a pair forms and the female starts laying eggs, 166 00:08:23,154 --> 00:08:27,681 the male doesn't linger. 167 00:08:27,681 --> 00:08:29,247 [narrator] It's not because he's a deadbeat, 168 00:08:29,247 --> 00:08:31,685 in fact, it's quite the opposite. 169 00:08:31,685 --> 00:08:34,078 That nest is very susceptible to predation. 170 00:08:34,078 --> 00:08:37,168 If that male is around, he's just going to give away 171 00:08:37,168 --> 00:08:40,650 the nest location like, he has to get lost. 172 00:08:40,650 --> 00:08:41,912 [narrator] She's got to stay if she want her offspring to survive. 173 00:08:41,912 --> 00:08:46,743 Putting her life on the line for theirs. 174 00:08:46,743 --> 00:08:48,397 They can spend up to 23 hours a day sitting on those nests. 175 00:08:48,397 --> 00:08:53,141 There is no time in a female mallard's life 176 00:08:53,141 --> 00:08:55,447 when she is more vulnerable than when she is incubating her eggs 177 00:08:55,447 --> 00:08:58,102 and she's under constant threat from predators 178 00:08:58,102 --> 00:09:00,583 like raccoons, foxes, weasels. 179 00:09:00,583 --> 00:09:04,195 She is quite literally a sitting duck. 180 00:09:04,195 --> 00:09:06,720 [narrator] The mortality rate of female mallards 181 00:09:06,720 --> 00:09:08,983 more than doubles when they're incubating their eggs. 182 00:09:08,983 --> 00:09:12,290 A lot of adult females don't survive. 183 00:09:12,290 --> 00:09:15,903 And what you get in the end is that 184 00:09:15,903 --> 00:09:17,687 there are generally more male mallards in the population 185 00:09:17,687 --> 00:09:22,910 than female mallards. 186 00:09:22,910 --> 00:09:23,911 [narrator] That imbalance becomes a problem during mating season. 187 00:09:23,911 --> 00:09:27,001 Not every guy will get a girl and so, 188 00:09:27,001 --> 00:09:30,439 the males battle for the right to pair up. 189 00:09:30,439 --> 00:09:33,137 They are like little speedboats. 190 00:09:33,137 --> 00:09:35,487 They go so fast on that water after one another. 191 00:09:35,487 --> 00:09:36,576 [narrator] But the competition starts more like a pageant. 192 00:09:38,969 --> 00:09:41,711 When a male mallard wants to court a female mallard, 193 00:09:41,711 --> 00:09:44,235 he puts on a whole show with a number of different parts. 194 00:09:44,235 --> 00:09:48,152 The females are the ones that pick out the males 195 00:09:48,152 --> 00:09:51,155 which they deem as being good enough, strong enough, 196 00:09:51,155 --> 00:09:54,506 having the best genes to pass on to the next generation. 197 00:09:54,506 --> 00:09:57,466 [narrator] First, they try to impress her with their looks. 198 00:09:57,466 --> 00:10:00,948 The males have this wonderful green, iridescent head. 199 00:10:00,948 --> 00:10:05,213 They do lots of flapping to show off their wings. 200 00:10:05,213 --> 00:10:09,696 But the best thing to see, 201 00:10:09,696 --> 00:10:11,349 they like to stick their head up and their butt up at the same time, 202 00:10:11,349 --> 00:10:15,745 much like cat cow in yoga. 203 00:10:15,745 --> 00:10:16,964 And that's not the only talent they put on display. 204 00:10:16,964 --> 00:10:20,184 [narrator] They serenade her too. 205 00:10:20,184 --> 00:10:22,534 They do lots of grunt whistle noises. 206 00:10:22,534 --> 00:10:25,625 They make really interesting sounds 207 00:10:25,625 --> 00:10:27,322 as they're swimming around in circles. 208 00:10:27,322 --> 00:10:29,977 All of those different things 209 00:10:29,977 --> 00:10:32,196 are designed to try to show the female 210 00:10:32,196 --> 00:10:34,721 that they are going to be the perfect father 211 00:10:34,721 --> 00:10:38,855 of her offspring. 212 00:10:38,855 --> 00:10:39,595 The whole reason for any animal's existence 213 00:10:39,595 --> 00:10:43,207 is to be the best it can be. 214 00:10:43,207 --> 00:10:45,427 So, it is all about passing on the strongest genes 215 00:10:45,427 --> 00:10:50,127 in order to survive a life, and then to perpetuate. 216 00:10:50,127 --> 00:10:53,261 [narrator] This female likes what she sees. 217 00:10:53,261 --> 00:10:57,178 She lowers her head flat in the water, 218 00:10:57,178 --> 00:10:58,919 it's her way of saying she's picked someone 219 00:10:58,919 --> 00:11:02,226 and is ready to pair up. 220 00:11:02,226 --> 00:11:03,619 But this male wasn't picked. 221 00:11:03,619 --> 00:11:06,274 And he's not happy about it. 222 00:11:06,274 --> 00:11:08,319 His testosterone is surging. 223 00:11:08,319 --> 00:11:10,974 The only way he'll get access to a female now 224 00:11:10,974 --> 00:11:14,064 is to steal her from another male 225 00:11:14,064 --> 00:11:16,763 and that means he's got to fight. 226 00:11:16,763 --> 00:11:19,504 He approaches his target and opens his mouth. 227 00:11:19,504 --> 00:11:22,638 Tt's all about saying, "Listen, look how big I am, 228 00:11:22,638 --> 00:11:26,163 look at me. Check me out! 229 00:11:26,163 --> 00:11:27,687 If you want some of this, come on, let's have it!" 230 00:11:27,687 --> 00:11:30,385 This bill is made of a really extraordinary substance, 231 00:11:30,385 --> 00:11:34,215 keratin which is both hard and can be quite sharp 232 00:11:34,215 --> 00:11:38,741 and is also a little bit flexible as well. 233 00:11:38,741 --> 00:11:41,657 This is something that they use, you know, for finding food 234 00:11:41,657 --> 00:11:43,354 and for gripping things, and also for fighting one another. 235 00:11:45,313 --> 00:11:47,881 They'll try to actually pluck the feathers 236 00:11:50,274 --> 00:11:53,321 out of another male, especially in their chest. 237 00:11:53,321 --> 00:11:56,541 So if you pluck away all that beautiful plumage, 238 00:11:56,541 --> 00:12:00,067 you are all of a sudden not going to be very appealing to a female. 239 00:12:00,067 --> 00:12:04,941 You might not be able to find a mate the rest of that season. 240 00:12:04,941 --> 00:12:08,423 [narrator] Losing feathers isn't just about losing mates, 241 00:12:08,423 --> 00:12:12,209 that plumage keeps the ducks warm and waterproof. 242 00:12:12,209 --> 00:12:15,169 If you've ever seen a mallard or any other kind of duck preening, 243 00:12:15,169 --> 00:12:18,476 it looks like they're kind of dipping their head under their wing 244 00:12:18,476 --> 00:12:21,523 and kind of moving things around. What they're really doing is 245 00:12:21,523 --> 00:12:24,178 taking this particular oil from a special gland near their tail 246 00:12:24,178 --> 00:12:29,139 and running it through their feathers to weatherproof them. 247 00:12:29,139 --> 00:12:31,054 [narrator] The battle continues until one male swims or flies away. 248 00:12:31,054 --> 00:12:34,710 And the other male mallard will continue to go after it 249 00:12:34,710 --> 00:12:37,713 and vocalize at it to make sure it knows, 250 00:12:37,713 --> 00:12:39,628 hey, this is my territory. This is my space. 251 00:12:39,628 --> 00:12:44,154 You can't come back. 252 00:12:44,154 --> 00:12:47,592 [narrator] In rare cases, neither male will retreat, and the fight can become deadly. 253 00:12:47,592 --> 00:12:50,204 Mallards can occasionally kill each other, 254 00:12:50,204 --> 00:12:51,683 and most often the way that they do this is by drowning, 255 00:12:51,683 --> 00:12:54,643 just by flapping their wings 256 00:12:54,643 --> 00:12:57,907 and putting their body weight on that of another duck 257 00:12:57,907 --> 00:12:59,822 to the point that that duck can't breathe and they die. 258 00:12:59,822 --> 00:13:03,086 They may even end up killing female ducks 259 00:13:03,086 --> 00:13:06,046 that kind of get caught in the crossfire 260 00:13:06,046 --> 00:13:08,265 of these sorts of arguments as well. 261 00:13:08,265 --> 00:13:11,181 So the stakes can be incredibly high. 262 00:13:11,181 --> 00:13:11,747 [narrator] From severe weather to fiercely competitive pageants 263 00:13:12,922 --> 00:13:17,274 and mating brawls. 264 00:13:17,274 --> 00:13:19,102 Mallard life isn't easy. 265 00:13:19,102 --> 00:13:20,669 And it's definitely not boring. 266 00:13:27,067 --> 00:13:31,549 Mallards may be mighty ducks, 267 00:13:31,549 --> 00:13:33,682 but when it comes to cattle, 268 00:13:33,682 --> 00:13:37,033 one rugged breed stands alone. 269 00:13:37,033 --> 00:13:39,209 Highland cows are pretty different from your average cow. 270 00:13:39,209 --> 00:13:42,604 They can cope with the worst Scottish weather, 271 00:13:42,604 --> 00:13:45,694 gales, endless rain, really cold freezing conditions. 272 00:13:47,609 --> 00:13:52,788 They have these two layers of fur. 273 00:13:52,788 --> 00:13:54,311 There's a short layer underneath that you don't really see. 274 00:13:54,311 --> 00:13:59,577 That's what keeps it warm. 275 00:13:59,577 --> 00:14:02,319 But then there's this baggy outer coat that's waterproof. It's oily. And because they're built for those tough 276 00:14:02,319 --> 00:14:06,541 they're tough animals, and that means 277 00:14:06,541 --> 00:14:07,934 that when a conflict happens they're built for a tough fight. 278 00:14:07,934 --> 00:14:10,023 [narrator] This is a leader. 279 00:14:11,372 --> 00:14:14,636 An alpha male. 280 00:14:14,636 --> 00:14:15,158 He rules over a kingdom in the Scottish highlands. 281 00:14:16,290 --> 00:14:19,032 Right now, it's calm. 282 00:14:20,816 --> 00:14:23,166 No one is testing his rank. 283 00:14:23,166 --> 00:14:24,559 Most cows are in groups called herds, 284 00:14:26,648 --> 00:14:29,433 but a highland's cow is in a group called a fold. 285 00:14:29,433 --> 00:14:30,957 There is a strict hierarchy within this fold. 286 00:14:33,176 --> 00:14:36,745 The older you are, the higher up you are in the hierarchy, 287 00:14:36,745 --> 00:14:39,879 and males tend to outrank females. 288 00:14:39,879 --> 00:14:41,315 Right at the top of that is the dominant male, the big bull. 289 00:14:41,315 --> 00:14:44,709 Now he's the daddy, he's the head honcho, 290 00:14:44,709 --> 00:14:46,363 he's the man in charge. 291 00:14:46,363 --> 00:14:50,498 [mooing] 292 00:14:50,498 --> 00:14:54,371 [narrator] The alpha gets dibs on food and mating. And his subordinates show him respect. 293 00:14:54,371 --> 00:14:55,807 If you are a highland cow and a dominant animal 294 00:14:55,807 --> 00:14:59,463 is coming towards you, you get out of their way. 295 00:14:59,463 --> 00:15:01,639 And if you have the opportunity, you groom them, 296 00:15:01,639 --> 00:15:03,772 you lick their head, you lick their neck 297 00:15:03,772 --> 00:15:05,556 just to show that you respect their position in space. 298 00:15:05,556 --> 00:15:07,080 Everybody knows where they are in line, 299 00:15:11,084 --> 00:15:13,738 so you don't get a lot of conflict over territories and stuff like that because everyone knows what they're supposed to 300 00:15:13,738 --> 00:15:16,567 And it's only really when a bull male 301 00:15:16,567 --> 00:15:20,397 that's not the dominant male wants to become the top dog... 302 00:15:20,397 --> 00:15:26,012 Or you might have a farmer that buys a bunch of new cows 303 00:15:26,012 --> 00:15:27,578 and they have to figure out how they fit into societies that already exist. 304 00:15:27,578 --> 00:15:30,277 That's when you'll say horns come together 305 00:15:30,277 --> 00:15:33,280 and massive animals really getting down to 306 00:15:33,280 --> 00:15:37,762 the business of fighting. 307 00:15:37,762 --> 00:15:38,241 [narrator] This young male is near the bottom of the social heap. 308 00:15:38,241 --> 00:15:44,944 And he's fed up. 309 00:15:44,944 --> 00:15:48,730 He approaches the alpha, ready to fight for dominance. - You can tell there's a fight brewing, because what happens is 310 00:15:48,730 --> 00:15:50,950 one of the animals will lower their horns it's saying, 311 00:15:50,950 --> 00:15:53,561 "I'm going to get under you, 312 00:15:53,561 --> 00:15:54,692 I'm going to push your centre of mass off centre, 313 00:15:54,692 --> 00:15:57,869 I'm ready to go with you." 314 00:15:57,869 --> 00:15:59,436 That initial phase where they're pushing against each other 315 00:15:59,436 --> 00:16:02,526 and they're just getting a sense of how big one another are 316 00:16:02,526 --> 00:16:05,138 is really important because that's when they decide 317 00:16:05,138 --> 00:16:07,444 if they're going to really go for it. 318 00:16:07,444 --> 00:16:08,619 [narrator] The alpha isn't backing down. 319 00:16:08,619 --> 00:16:11,013 It's bristling with aggression. 320 00:16:11,013 --> 00:16:13,407 It's full of testosterone. 321 00:16:13,407 --> 00:16:16,236 It's ready for action. 322 00:16:16,236 --> 00:16:17,672 You've got two 800 kilogram animals 323 00:16:17,672 --> 00:16:19,674 that are angrily trying to knock one another off 324 00:16:19,674 --> 00:16:23,417 of that hierarchy ladder. 325 00:16:23,417 --> 00:16:25,506 So you see them pushing. You see them twisting, 326 00:16:25,506 --> 00:16:28,683 really communicating to each other 327 00:16:28,683 --> 00:16:32,382 just how much muscle there is on the other side.[grunts] 328 00:16:32,382 --> 00:16:34,689 [narrator] Keeping bulked up for battle takes work. 329 00:16:34,689 --> 00:16:35,037 Highland cattle eat up to 18 kilograms of vegetation every day. 330 00:16:36,778 --> 00:16:41,957 They're feeding in an alpine environment 331 00:16:41,957 --> 00:16:43,741 where food is hard to come by. They're using their horns 332 00:16:43,741 --> 00:16:45,830 to pull down branches so they can get food that way. 333 00:16:45,830 --> 00:16:47,919 They eat some of the most indigestible plant material 334 00:16:47,919 --> 00:16:52,054 you could possibly imagine. 335 00:16:52,054 --> 00:16:54,491 Rough, rush hard grasses. 336 00:16:54,491 --> 00:16:56,580 I mean, life can be tough up in the north of Scotland, 337 00:16:56,580 --> 00:17:01,020 and the food it's eating 338 00:17:01,020 --> 00:17:03,109 requires a huge amount of digestion. 339 00:17:03,109 --> 00:17:05,154 [narrator] It can take up to 100 hours for a highland cow 340 00:17:06,808 --> 00:17:10,899 to fully digest its meal. 341 00:17:10,899 --> 00:17:12,509 It's so important for their digestive system to be effective 342 00:17:12,509 --> 00:17:15,469 because they're able to have that muscle 343 00:17:15,469 --> 00:17:18,733 and they're ready for those conflicts. 344 00:17:18,733 --> 00:17:19,777 [narrator] During battle, the bulls throw around their weight 345 00:17:19,777 --> 00:17:24,391 and use their horns like weapons. 346 00:17:24,391 --> 00:17:25,957 When you look at these wrestling matches between the cows, 347 00:17:25,957 --> 00:17:28,873 it's more like hand-to-hand combat. 348 00:17:28,873 --> 00:17:31,963 Those horns are extensions of bones 349 00:17:31,963 --> 00:17:34,879 with blood vessels in them. That's part of their body. 350 00:17:34,879 --> 00:17:36,142 It's not a weapon on top of their body. 351 00:17:36,142 --> 00:17:38,579 It's part of their body. 352 00:17:38,579 --> 00:17:39,536 If they can get those big horns into the flank 353 00:17:39,536 --> 00:17:43,323 and gore the other animal. 354 00:17:43,323 --> 00:17:45,760 Then there they're at distinct advantage, 355 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:47,370 and they could well be on their way to winning the battle. 356 00:17:47,370 --> 00:17:50,939 The stakes are so high. If you lose this fight, 357 00:17:50,939 --> 00:17:54,247 you lose your position in the hierarchy, 358 00:17:54,247 --> 00:17:57,163 it really pays to be the alpha. 359 00:17:57,163 --> 00:17:57,859 [narrator] The fight ends when one male can't take any more 360 00:17:57,859 --> 00:18:01,689 and backs down. 361 00:18:01,689 --> 00:18:03,299 This time, the defending alpha is triumphant. 362 00:18:03,299 --> 00:18:06,128 The best part is that once the battle is over 363 00:18:06,128 --> 00:18:08,565 everybody looks at the results and everybody says, 364 00:18:08,565 --> 00:18:10,393 "Okay, we're good. We got this figured out." 365 00:18:10,393 --> 00:18:12,308 And as soon as you have a winner, 366 00:18:12,308 --> 00:18:15,224 a victor and a vanquished, 367 00:18:15,224 --> 00:18:16,095 peace and tranquility will be restored. 368 00:18:18,619 --> 00:18:20,099 [♪] 369 00:18:23,624 --> 00:18:24,146 [narrator] All species fight their own kind, 370 00:18:26,017 --> 00:18:27,106 but for the top of every food chain there is no contest 371 00:18:28,498 --> 00:18:31,588 this is an apex alpha. 372 00:18:36,506 --> 00:18:40,031 This bloody face means it's been a good day. 373 00:18:41,555 --> 00:18:43,992 Proof of a successful hunt. 374 00:18:46,429 --> 00:18:47,169 A well-fed polar bear is covered in red. 375 00:18:49,519 --> 00:18:52,261 It lives in the harshest environments. 376 00:18:53,915 --> 00:18:55,917 It really is up there 377 00:18:59,007 --> 00:18:59,399 with the top apex predators ever on planet earth. 378 00:19:01,444 --> 00:19:04,230 It hunts prey that spends 90 % of its time in the ocean. 379 00:19:06,145 --> 00:19:10,975 [narrator] To find that elusive meal, 380 00:19:10,975 --> 00:19:13,239 it searches far and wide, crossing land and sea. 381 00:19:13,239 --> 00:19:16,111 And it's equipped for the journey. 382 00:19:18,418 --> 00:19:20,985 The polar bear is essentially wearing nature's own wetsuit. 383 00:19:20,985 --> 00:19:23,814 When it gets wet, it can whisk that water away very quickly. 384 00:19:23,814 --> 00:19:28,123 [narrator] But it's no secret that climate change 385 00:19:28,123 --> 00:19:31,344 is melting the polar bear's hunting grounds, 386 00:19:31,344 --> 00:19:32,736 making it harder for them to catch their favourite food: 387 00:19:32,736 --> 00:19:39,178 seals. 388 00:19:39,178 --> 00:19:42,572 Forcing them to embark on far more dangerous hunting missions - You don't need to go to the Arctic to know 389 00:19:42,572 --> 00:19:45,575 that it isn't exactly stock full of food. 390 00:19:45,575 --> 00:19:48,361 [narrator] Finding prey in this barren landscape 391 00:19:48,361 --> 00:19:51,451 takes patience and stamina. 392 00:19:51,451 --> 00:19:53,714 While it's making these huge trudges across the ice, 393 00:19:53,714 --> 00:19:57,674 it's burning around about 12,000 calories a day. 394 00:19:57,674 --> 00:20:01,025 So give or take, it can go about 10 days without feeding . 395 00:20:01,025 --> 00:20:05,508 But as it gets closer and closer and closer to that deadline, 396 00:20:05,508 --> 00:20:09,120 it will get more and more desperate. 397 00:20:09,120 --> 00:20:10,818 [narrator] But it can't eat just anything. 398 00:20:10,818 --> 00:20:11,775 To survive the bitter cold of the arctic, 399 00:20:13,473 --> 00:20:16,258 polar bears need a thick layer of blubber 400 00:20:16,258 --> 00:20:19,522 and they don't get that by eating light. 401 00:20:19,522 --> 00:20:21,611 You might think that a polar bear could take down 402 00:20:21,611 --> 00:20:23,613 maybe a reindeer and yes, it certainly can. 403 00:20:23,613 --> 00:20:26,834 But that lean meat is no good. 404 00:20:26,834 --> 00:20:29,837 Polar bear can't get enough energy for it. 405 00:20:29,837 --> 00:20:32,056 The perfect meal is blubber. 406 00:20:32,056 --> 00:20:35,495 This guy loves fat. 407 00:20:35,495 --> 00:20:35,843 [narrator] He uses his nose to sniff it out. 408 00:20:38,019 --> 00:20:39,803 They have an amazing sense of smell. 409 00:20:43,198 --> 00:20:45,244 And by having that little bit of moisture on the tip of the nose, 410 00:20:45,244 --> 00:20:48,247 it actually helps magnify whatever odours that it's smelling. 411 00:20:48,247 --> 00:20:52,686 [narrator] Polar bears use crosswinds to hunt. 412 00:20:52,686 --> 00:20:54,470 When a bear moves perpendicular to the wind, 413 00:20:56,777 --> 00:20:59,040 new streams of air are constantly hitting its nose, 414 00:20:59,040 --> 00:21:02,304 giving it information about what's upwind. 415 00:21:02,304 --> 00:21:06,177 An animal can hide under snow 416 00:21:06,177 --> 00:21:08,528 but its scent will still be carried 417 00:21:08,528 --> 00:21:10,791 right to the nose of a hungry bear. 418 00:21:10,791 --> 00:21:13,359 When the wind is blowing by, 419 00:21:13,359 --> 00:21:15,056 they can do a type of calculus to help them calculate 420 00:21:15,056 --> 00:21:19,495 where that prey item is potentially coming from. 421 00:21:19,495 --> 00:21:21,802 This just further demonstrates how this apex predator 422 00:21:21,802 --> 00:21:26,720 earned this title. 423 00:21:26,720 --> 00:21:29,592 It uses all the tools available to it in its environment to its advantage. 424 00:21:34,423 --> 00:21:37,818 [narrator] His super sniffer leads him to this herd of walruses. He scopes the scene, looking for an ideal target. 425 00:21:37,818 --> 00:21:41,952 They're looking for weak and injured animals. 426 00:21:41,952 --> 00:21:43,911 They're looking for young ones. They're looking for calves. 427 00:21:43,911 --> 00:21:46,043 Anything that indicates to the polar bear 428 00:21:46,043 --> 00:21:48,394 that this prey will be relatively easier to take out. 429 00:21:48,394 --> 00:21:52,267 [narrator] Hunting a walrus is a gutsy move. 430 00:21:52,267 --> 00:21:54,922 Walruses are like tanks of the ocean. 431 00:21:54,922 --> 00:21:57,403 They are ton, ton and a half, two-ton animals. 432 00:21:57,403 --> 00:22:01,668 It has those characteristic teeth, 433 00:22:01,668 --> 00:22:03,844 those long incisors that are like ice picks. 434 00:22:03,844 --> 00:22:06,107 They could be up to a meter long. 435 00:22:06,107 --> 00:22:09,371 Just ice picks. 436 00:22:09,371 --> 00:22:11,242 They're not to be messed with and they're not the usual prey 437 00:22:11,242 --> 00:22:13,680 of the polar bear. But drastic times call for drastic measures. 438 00:22:13,680 --> 00:22:18,119 And that's where the polar bear ends up. 439 00:22:18,119 --> 00:22:19,642 [narrator] The walrus is a formidable opponent, 440 00:22:19,642 --> 00:22:22,819 but the polar bear doesn't retreat. 441 00:22:22,819 --> 00:22:25,692 It's bold and fearless, 442 00:22:25,692 --> 00:22:27,694 with its own set of battle weaponry. 443 00:22:27,694 --> 00:22:30,436 When it comes to apex predators, 444 00:22:30,436 --> 00:22:32,742 the polar bear really does take the cake. 445 00:22:32,742 --> 00:22:34,918 [narrator] Polar bears are the largest land carnivore. 446 00:22:34,918 --> 00:22:39,793 Males can weigh up to 650 kilograms. 447 00:22:39,793 --> 00:22:43,057 Their giant paws are equipped with thick, curved claws. 448 00:22:43,057 --> 00:22:46,974 And their canine teeth are five centimetres long, 449 00:22:46,974 --> 00:22:48,845 designed for grasping prey and tearing through hides. 450 00:22:51,152 --> 00:22:54,111 This bear will rely on all his weaponry for what comes next. 451 00:22:56,026 --> 00:22:58,681 The polar bear rises up on those hind feet 452 00:23:00,379 --> 00:23:03,947 and comes crashing down. 453 00:23:03,947 --> 00:23:04,644 It usually tries to attack it from its back. 454 00:23:06,080 --> 00:23:09,692 It tries to stay away from what I call 455 00:23:09,692 --> 00:23:12,391 the business end of the walrus. 456 00:23:12,391 --> 00:23:13,914 [narrator] A good plan, but it doesn't work. 457 00:23:13,914 --> 00:23:17,483 He backs off. 458 00:23:17,483 --> 00:23:19,398 He may be down, but he's not out. 459 00:23:19,398 --> 00:23:21,617 He goes for a smaller target. 460 00:23:23,271 --> 00:23:25,752 This one's tusks aren't nearly as brutal, 461 00:23:25,752 --> 00:23:28,624 but its thick hide is hard to penetrate. 462 00:23:28,624 --> 00:23:30,670 It's four centimetres thick and then underneath that, 463 00:23:30,670 --> 00:23:33,977 is thicker layers of blubber. 464 00:23:33,977 --> 00:23:37,546 This is an armour-plated machine. 465 00:23:37,546 --> 00:23:39,548 [narrator] That calorie-rich blubber is exactly what the bear is after. 466 00:23:39,548 --> 00:23:42,421 But his target gets help from a friend. 467 00:23:44,248 --> 00:23:45,902 Thwarted again. 468 00:23:49,340 --> 00:23:51,995 If a walrus is cornered, it's going to fight. 469 00:23:51,995 --> 00:23:53,693 And if a walrus doesn't like the fact that a bear is eating its friend, 470 00:23:53,693 --> 00:23:56,347 it's going to have something to say about it as well. 471 00:23:56,347 --> 00:23:57,784 [narrator] The bear is exhausted 472 00:24:00,003 --> 00:24:02,353 but hunger drives him back to the battle ground. 473 00:24:02,353 --> 00:24:05,008 And there's some serious, serious risk involved with this. 474 00:24:05,008 --> 00:24:09,012 You know, they're wasting a lot of energy in these fights. 475 00:24:09,012 --> 00:24:11,319 [narrator] Against all odds, third time's the charm. 476 00:24:11,319 --> 00:24:14,583 If a polar bear is in fact successful enough 477 00:24:14,583 --> 00:24:17,717 to collar a walrus, 478 00:24:17,717 --> 00:24:19,936 they can't kill it on land, 479 00:24:19,936 --> 00:24:20,546 they will drag it into the water and drown it. 480 00:24:25,202 --> 00:24:27,857 And this is hard-core, brutal Mother Nature. 481 00:24:30,643 --> 00:24:31,992 [narrator] It may be brutal, but it's also powerful and clever, 482 00:24:35,169 --> 00:24:37,954 true traits of the mighty apex alpha. 483 00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:42,524 No matter the conditions... 484 00:24:46,572 --> 00:24:47,616 these weatherproof alphas fight to stay on top. 485 00:24:47,616 --> 00:24:51,315 Defending territory, 486 00:24:51,315 --> 00:24:53,143 attacking for survival, 487 00:24:53,143 --> 00:24:55,885 competing for love 488 00:24:55,885 --> 00:24:57,365 and claiming respect. 41110

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