Original subtitles

(logo whooshing)

(soft music)

(uplifting music)

- [Narrator] On rejuvenated mountainsides

roams one of Japan's most elusive animals.

Moon bears share their home with an array of wild neighbors.

Cubs emerge from hibernation,

seeing the outside world for the very first time.

Life lessons are learned

as they follow their mother's every footstep.

(dramatic music)

Sometimes to their detriment.

A family life is fraught with danger.

Mothers will courageously fight to protect their cubs.

Above all, they face a race against time

to stock up on food (uplifting music)

and find shelter before the mountain's bitter winter hits.

These resilient bears must fight to survive.

(awe-inspiring music)

(peaceful music)

To the southwest of Japan's Tochigi Prefecture

lies the picturesque Ashio Mountain Range.

Lush green forest blankets the mountainsides

and stretch for as far as the eye can see.

(peaceful music)

(birds chirping) These woodlands have

become one of the few remaining strongholds

for much of Japan's wildlife.

Japanese macaques thrive amongst Ashio's many trees.

(peaceful music) (birds chirping)

The mountain's grassy plains provide the perfect habitat

for sika deer.

They are not the only large mammal

to be found grazing on the mountains.

Japanese serow also call Ashio home.

(peaceful music)

The two species are often seen together, living in harmony

in the intermixed terrain.

(birds chirping)

Ashio's forests were not always

the pristine habitat we see today.

They have risen from the ashes.

Industrial copper mines once dominated

the now lush green landscape.

(melancholy music)

Pollution and deforestation choked the mountain range.

(melancholy music)

The mining industry stripped Ashio of its many trees.

(wind whooshing)

(melancholy music)

Only bare hills were left in the wake of the mines.

But the mountains have seen an astonishing revival

over the last 60 years. (peaceful music)

Half of the Ashio forests have recovered.

As life has been breathed back into the landscape,

wild animals have begun to return.

(peaceful music) (birds chirping)

One wildlife photographer has made it

his life goal to document Ashio's remarkable transformation.

Mr. Hiroshi Yokota has been filming

the mountain's inhabitants for over 27 years.

One wild occupant has become the center of his attention.

Hiroshi searches the mountainsides

for his favorite Ashio resident.

(birds chirping)

Deer graze in the distance,

but they are not the species he is searching for.

Hiroshi heads to a valley that was one

of the first locations to recover from the invasive mining.

(truck rattling) (birds chirping)

A figure is spotted in the distance.

(birds chirping)

(Hiroshi speaks in Japanese)

It is the elusive species he has been searching for.

A moon bear.

(peaceful music)

Solitary by nature,

the rugged bear searches the mountain sides for food.

(calm music)

The large mammals are carnivorous,

but more than 90% of their diet is made up of plants.

(calm music)

Weighing between 70 to 120 kilograms,

moon bears are one of Japan's largest animals.

The striking mammals get their name

from the moon-shaped crescent on their chest.

(birds chirping) (wind whooshing)

Hiroshi runs a busy chiropractic clinic for a living,

but devotes his spare time

to filming his favorite Ashio resident.

(peaceful music)

He has been mesmerized by the moon bears

ever since his first encounter over 27 years ago.

The moon bears are confined to Japan's southern islands

of Shikoku and Honshu

and live deep within isolated forests,

making them incredibly hard to film.

Yet Hiroshi has managed to film

over 1000 hours of footage.

From his tapes,

we witnessed the trials and tribulations

of Ashio's moon bears.

(calm music)

In early March,

the mountains are still covered

with a thick blanket of snow.

But spring is just around the corner.

(water whooshing)

Snow and ice begin to melt.

Cascading down the mountains,

the liberated water nourishes Ashio's thirsty foliage.

It is time for wintering birds,

like the Steller's sea eagle,

to head back to their breeding grounds.

(calm music)

Until spring fully awakens, Japanese macaques have

to make do with tree bark as a meal.

Deer feed on the few patches of grass

that have pierced the blanket of snow.

(calm music)

With spring nearing, some Ashio's moon bears

have begun to wake from hibernation.

It is only males and females without cubs

that will rise this early.

(wind whooshing)

The drowsy bears' first port of call is

to find a mountainside stream.

Unable to drink during hibernation,

a gulp of fresh water is much overdue.

(water whooshing)

Using its powerful sense of smell,

the bear scans its surroundings for food.

Strongly built and equipped with curved claws,

the moon bears are perfectly adapted

to their mountainside home.

(curious music)

A steep rock face is no obstacle.

Bears are accomplished climbers.

Using its curved claws,

this individual makes short work of the steep climb.

The rock face becomes almost vertical.

A fall from this height could be fatal.

(curious music)

But despite their heavy weight,

the large mammals are remarkably nimble climbers.

After a long hibernation with no food,

this bear is starving and must find nourishment soon.

(calm music)

Something has caught its attention.

It is only recently sprouted grass,

but it will have to do.

All of Ashio's waking residents are finding it tough.

This bear makes do with bark from a willow tree as a meal.

(birds chirping)

The slopes are bare and food is scarce.

The early risers will have to make do with meager pickings.

A rare patch of grass grown from a mountainside spring

provides a little nourishment.

More substantial meals must be found soon

in order for the bears to regain their strength,

lost from their long hibernation.

Some have fared better than others.

A dead deer provides a much needed fat and protein boost.

The ravenous bear tears off every piece of meat

it can find on the decomposing carcass.

(peaceful music)

As spring starts to blossom in Ashio,

the mountain's mother bears will soon awake.

Pregnant females give birth during their long hibernation.

Hiroshi patiently waits for a new family's arrival.

(birds chirping)

Two small figures appear from within a den.

(peaceful music)

It's two moon bear cubs,

seeing the outside world for the first time.

Gingerly, they take their first steps

into the great outdoors.

(peaceful music)

Their mother seems a little more hesitant to leave.

(bright music)

Eventually, she follows suit,

leaving her cozy winter home behind.

It's follow the leader for the cubs

as they shadow their mother's every step.

(bright music)

While Mum feeds, the cubs have a chance to explore.

After three long months underground,

the young bears are fascinated by their surroundings.

In May, the forest is in full blossom.

(peaceful music) (birds chirping)

Flowers spring into life all over the mountainside.

Finally, food has become more abundant for the moon bears.

Fresh young leaves are soft,

easily digested, and bursting with protein.

This is a vital time for the bears.

They must begin to regain their strength

after their long hibernation.

(peaceful music)

A young family have taken to a steep slope,

covered in fresh vegetation.

The mother bear settles down on her haunches.

It's feeding time for the cubs.

(bear cub grunts)

Eagerly, the youngsters suckle.

(wind whooshing)

Gently, the mother holds her precious young

as they feed.

(bear cub bleats)

Moon bear's milk is packed full of fat and protein,

containing three times as much energy

as human breast milk.

(cheerful music)

The nutritious meal

has given the restless cubs an energy boost.

Using their sharp claws, the playing youngsters shred bark

as they clamber up a tree.

The sibling rivalry between the two is strong,

which helps to build up their strength.

But the young cubs cannot spend their entire day playing.

There is work to be done.

(birds chirping)

Constantly on the move,

the youngsters must learn crucial survival skills

whilst following their mother.

Using her powerful jaws,

the mother rips bark off a larch tree.

(birds chirping)

Sap is extracted and provides a sweet treat.

The liquid is full of sugar,

making it an excellent energy source for the hungry bears.

(peaceful music)

Cubs are quick learners

and soon follow their mother's example.

This learned behavior could prove to be an lifesaver

as the cubs develop into adults.

Every day, the cubs grow physically

and garner more knowledge from their mother.

Between life lessons,

the two still find time for a bit of rough and tumble.

(grass rustling)

(insects chirring)

Loud buzzing sounds engulf the mountainside forests.

It is the sound of the cicada.

Their deafening song heralds

the start of the summer.

(cicadas chirring)

The moon bear's favorite fruit has begun to ripen.

Wild cherry trees.

The blossoming cherries present the moon bears

with a sweet-tasting feast.

Since the spring,

they have primarily been eating grass or leaves.

The ravenous bears crave the sweet food source.

(cicadas chirring)

Hardest to reach branches are snapped off

to get to the sweetest of prizes.

It looks wasteful,

as a lot of the branches, laden with precious cherries,

fall to the ground.

But one man's trash is another's treasure.

(curious music)

In the day, a badger appears

and feeds on the discarded cherries.

The area becomes particularly active during the night.

Sniffing through the undergrowth,

a wild boar joins the feast.

A deer inspects the discarded branches.

But this time, feeds on the leaves.

(curious music)

All the activity attracts the forest's predators,

like the carnivorous marten.

A red fox has also sensed activity.

(insects chirring)

(curious music)

The bear's discarded branches have become a feast

for forest animals that would not normally be able

to reach the ripest of cherries.

(insects chirring)

Hiroshi is on his way

to try to capture a rare summertime behavior

of the mountain's moon bears.

Conditions are not always easy in Ashio.

(curious music)

A recent rock slide has blocked the path.

(birds chirping)

Undeterred by the natural blockade,

Hiroshi shifts the fallen rocks.

(curious music)

After 10 minutes of clearing, he is back on track.

(wind whooshing)

(birds chirping)

Hiroshi heads to a deep valley

that has a mix of both forest and rock.

It is the perfect location for the moon bears

to exhibit the behavior he is after.

A bear appears on the steep rock face.

(insects chirring)

Using its powerful sense of smell,

it examines the hillside.

(suspenseful music)

With incredible strength,

the bear dislodges a giant rock,

sending it flying down the slope.

The shifted boulder exposes an ant nest.

This is the behavior Hiroshi has been after.

Ants are packed full of nutrition.

(upbeat music)

In the summer, moon bears will spend the majority

of their day searching for nests.

However, foraging is not without its dangers.

(suspenseful music)

In 2007, Hiroshi filmed a family foraging

on the mountainside.

(suspenseful music)

The mother bear is fully focused on finding ant nests,

seemingly forgetting about her cubs.

Joining in with the search,

the youngsters take on some of the smaller rocks.

(suspenseful music)

(rock rumbles)

A jagged rock is shifted by the mother,

which slams into her oblivious cub.

(suspenseful music)

Miraculously, the minor is uninjured.

However, cubs do not always come out unscathed.

(suspenseful music)

This mother has a bad habit

of being reckless during her frantic ant hunts.

Again, the mother shifts a large rock,

which rolls straight into her cub.

(melancholy music) (rocks rattling)

The heavy impact sends the cub tumbling down the rock face.

Once more, the young bear managers to rise

to its feet after the hefty collision.

But this time, it has not escaped without injury.

Its front leg is visibly damaged.

(melancholy music)

The mother shows little concern for her wounded cub.

Growing up in Ashio is not for the faint hearted.

The stricken cub must keep up, or face being abandoned.

(calm music)

Hiroshi finds the ill-fated youngster two years.

It still bears the mark of the ant hunting ordeal,

but has survived.

(calm music)

This individual's survival against the odds

is a testament to the moon bear's astonishing resilience.

The wildlife of Ashio

has always faced many dangers.

By far, their biggest challenge

has been surviving human influences.

(suspenseful music)

Aerials of the mountains serve as a reminder

of the harmful impacts people have had on the landscape.

(uplifting music)

Nonetheless, Ashio is recovering,

thanks to a full scale regeneration project

which started in the 1950s.

(uplifting music)

Thousands of blocks of soil, mixed with grass seed,

were planted on the mountainsides.

(uplifting music)

It was a mammoth task,

but slowly the grass began to take root.

Ashio has been regenerating ever since.

Restored woodland has had a positive effect

on the region by acting as a natural dam.

Rainwater gathers underground

and is naturally filtered by the renewed foliage.

(water pattering)

The water is then released back into the landscape.

(water whooshing)

It pours down the mountainsides

and into Ashio's flowing rivers.

(peaceful music)

The bare mountains of the 1870s once muddied these waters.

Now they are crystal clear and full of life.

(peaceful music)

The river's fish have returned to the rejuvenated waters.

Among them, the landlocked masu salmon

and whitespotted char.

(water whooshing)

(peaceful music)

Forests dominate the vast mountainous landscape

and even Ashio's smaller residents with a home.

(peaceful music)

Over 27 species of tree now grow on the mountainsides.

Japanese macaques have been quick to take advantage,

setting up home in the canopies.

The healthy monkey population is testament

to Ashio's regeneration.

Moon bears were one of the last residents to return.

They require a variety of food,

so could only reappear once the forests were back

to full health.

(birds chirping) (branches rustling)

Moon bears have been known to eat up

to 20 different kinds of fruit.

(birds chirping)

A range of food is essential

for building up strength,

as life in the forest can throw up many challenges.

(peaceful music) (birds chirping)

Summertime is the breeding season for Ashio's moon bears.

It is a dangerous time to be a mother with cubs.

Hiroshi has been tracking one bear in particular

for 10 years, recording the trials and tribulations

of a cub reaching adulthood.

(wind whooshing)

(bright music)

They first met in May of 2005

while the cub was riding on its mother's back.

The young bear caught Hiroshi's attention,

as it had a particularly distinguishing moon crescent.

It's marking as longer than that

of a normal moon bear.

Hiroshi named the cub Jiro,

as he believed it to be a male by its boisterous behavior.

(wind whooshing)

Seven years later, he finds a mother bear

with the same distinguishable marking.

Jiro is, in fact, a female.

(peaceful music)

(bears grunting)

She safely raised her first offspring to adulthood.

Another two years passed and Jiro, once again,

gives birth, this time to two healthy cubs.

(peaceful music)

These two cubs disappeared,

highlighting the danger a mother and her offspring face

during the breeding season.

After Jiro's previous tragic losses,

she once again gets a chance at motherhood

With only one young to focus on,

Hiroshi had high hopes it would reach adulthood.

(peaceful music)

(birds chirping)

Jiro and her cub are later found huddled in a larch tree.

It soon becomes apparent why.

(suspenseful music)

A large male has detected them

and begins to scramble up the tree.

Jiro desperately tries to intercept the aggressor.

Branches shake under the force of the fighting bears.

(suspenseful music) (bears grunting)

Gripped in a vicious battle,

the two tumble down a steep slope.

(dramatic music)

The aggressor shakes off the brave mother

and heads back towards the defenseless cub.

(dramatic music)

In an act of sheer bravery,

Jiro attempts to again stop the male

from reaching her offspring.

(dramatic music)

Her efforts are futile.

The male has the tiny, defenseless bear in his jaws.

Jiro has not let her young go down without a fight,

but she cannot stop the inevitable

Eventually, she accepts her offspring's fate.

It is a brutal behavior,

but females will not mate

while they're still breastfeeding their cubs.

By killing Jiro's offspring,

she will become ready to mate again,

giving the male a chance to add to his bloodline.

(melancholy music)

This violent behavior is part and parcel of moon bear life.

Despite these hardships, better times are ahead

as September brings a valuable gift

to Ashio's rugged residents.

Oak trees start to yield acorns.

Like the cherries of the summer,

oaks provide the moon bears

with another valuable seasonal food.

The large bears climb even the most precarious trees

to get to the bounty.

Acorns are one of the most important foods

at this time of the year.

With only three months before they go into hibernation,

they must consume as many as possible.

(peaceful music)

Building a substantial fat reserve is vital

for their impending sleep.

(peaceful music) (birds chirping)

Other fat rich opportunities also present themselves.

(birds chirping)

A deer carcass has been found entangled in a fence.

This is a rare feast for the moon bears.

(birds chirping)

The carcass does not go unnoticed

by other hungry observers.

It is highly unusual for bears

to be in such close proximity.

The late visitor begins to eat the deer

from the other side of the fence.

Sensing the two are of similar strength,

the initial bear on the scene gives up the precious carcass.

This is the moon bear's way of avoiding conflict

and potential injury.

(birds chirping) (wind whooshing)

Sensing something, the bear briefly stops eating.

(suspenseful music)

The valuable meat is bound to attract more attention.

(suspenseful music)

With one final mouthful,

this individual makes a hasty retreat.

A much larger bear has arrived on the scene.

When there is judged to be a great difference

in size and power, the weaker will retreat.

(suspenseful music)

(wings whooshing)

The dominant individual feasts without interruption,

bar a few noisy neighbors.

(crows cawing)

Obliviously gorging, the ravenous bear

has an unseen observer, watching in the undergrowth.

(curious music)

It is the hungry diner that was the first on the scene.

(curious music)

10 more minutes pass

and finally, the imposter leaves with a full stomach.

(curious music)

After waiting eagerly,

the patient bear walks back to his find.

By lingering in the undergrowth,

it is still able to get an adequate meal

and has avoided any risky conflict.

(bright music)

Autumn arrives and the forest is burning with red leaves.

The vibrant colors signal the eminent winter is on its way.

A tapestry of rich colors blanket the mountainside forests.

Many trees bear fruit,

which becomes a lifeline to much of Ashio's wildlife.

(bright music)

A mother bear and cub feed on a fruiting tree.

The youngster was only born this year

and has already mastered the art of climbing.

All of Ashio's moon bears will soon enter hibernation.

It is their final chance load themselves

with as much nutrition as possible.

(peaceful music)

The winter strips the forest of its vibrant leaves.

Autumn has now fully departed.

(calm music)

A lone bear roams the naked landscape.

Climbing a steep, rocky hill,

this bear is searching for something.

(wind whooshing)

It peers into gaps in the hillside's rocks.

The lone bear is probing for a suitable hibernation den.

(wind whooshing)

This hole is only just big enough

for the moon bear to squeeze into.

(curious music)

Dens are usually found

between rocks or beneath tree roots

and have a depth of around three meters.

They are natural holes,

but bears will expand the interior.

(curious music)

To make its winter home more habitable,

this bear gathers fallen leaves

and loose foliage, rolling its gatherings

into a more compact size.

Grasping the collection in its large arms,

this bear has collected a decent amount for a comfy bed.

(curious music)

Awkwardly, the new bedding is carried

into its secluded home.

This bear can now hunker down for the impending winter.

Snow has already begun to fall on the Ashio Mountain range.

Winter is almost upon this young family.

They must find a den soon.

(birds chirping) (wind whooshing)

The hefty cub was only born this year.

At this astonishing growth rate,

a large winter home is needed.

Juveniles will spend their first hibernation

with their mother.

The pair will not resurface until March.

(wind whooshing)

As snow covers Ashio,

the moon bears lie sheltered in their snug dens.

(wind whooshing)

Conditions on the mountains can be extreme.

It is no wonder the bears avoid the harsh winters.

Some, however, do not have it as good as the sleeping bears.

(suspenseful music)

Non-hibernating animals have to tough it out

on the freezing mountainsides.

(wind whooshing) (suspenseful music)

Blizzards range throughout the winter,

shutting off Ashio to the outside world.

(wind whooshing)

(birds chirping)

As spring arrives,

the snow begins to melt

and the forest slowly starts to come back to life.

(birds chirping) (wind whooshing)

(peaceful music)

The mother and large cub begin to awake from their slumber.

It's been around three months

since the two entered into hibernation.

(bright music)

They exit the den together,

but soon the juvenile will leave his mother

and fend for himself.

Going solo can be a daunting prospect.

Nonetheless, it is time to go it alone.

With the knowledge garnered from its mother,

this individual is well equipped for a life

in the wilderness.

(uplifting music)

Today, moon bear habitats are threatened all over Japan.

Ashio's recovering forests have become a lifeline

for the enchanting bears.

Young families can flourish in the safe haven

of the protected mountainsides,

undisturbed by human impacts.

The resilient bears will face many challenges

as they grow up in their often precarious surroundings.

(uplifting music)

Life can be tough and surprises lurk around every corner,

but as long as Ashio's recovery continues,

the moon bears will survive in their mountainside kingdom.

(uplifting music)

(awe-inspiring music)

(bright music)