Original subtitles

-Coming this way.

-Yep, right down the track.

-They are coming straight toward us.

Okay, really still, really still.

[♪ suspenseful music playing]

Hey, okay, that's close enough.

[♪ peaceful music playing]

-Hudson Bay.

An inland sea surrounded by a vast, open landscape.

It may be remote, but this place means a lot to me.

It is very exciting to be back here.

For the last seven years,

I've been following a really special pack of wolves.

And the last time I was here,

the pack was led by a really beautiful female

and her partner, a very distinctive bright white male,

called Kona.

During the seven years I've filmed Kona's family,

I've seen how tough it is to survive.

Battling harsh conditions and the other predators

of this hostile place.

[growling]

But one of their greatest challenges,

finding enough food.

Weighing more than ten times a wolf,

moose are dangerous prey.

It's this epic battle of moose versus wolf that

I've always wanted to film.

These hunts often happen deep in the forest,

making them really hard to see.

We're setting out to do what might be impossible,

but one thing's for sure: we're in for a wild ride.

There's wolves, wolves, wolves, wolves, wolves.

No way!

I certainly did not expect to see wolves this quick.

That is a very, very good sign.

I can't tell if it's Kona's pack;

he may not even be alive, but it's a promising start.

It's almost winter,

prime moose hunting season for the wolves.

And the most challenging time to film.

Daytime temperatures can drop to minus 40.

We've teamed up with Butch Saunders,

an elder of the Swampy Cree First Nations

who have lived on this land for centuries.

And Mike Reimer,

a local wildlife guide for over 30 years.

[engine starting]

There are no roads here.

The only way to track the wolves is

with all-terrain vehicles.

The territory of a pack of gray wolves can span

hundreds of square miles,

and they're almost always on the move.

So, if we wanna film the pack,

not only have we got to find them,

we've then gotta keep up.

Out here, there are dangers everywhere.

[Mike] Right here.

[Bertie] Approaching wildlife on foot requires

patience and understanding.

Oh yeah, they're still there.

Okay, we've got two bull moose,

and these are the primary prey of the wolves,

so we're gonna try and sneak in and see if we can get a,

get a view of them.

Moose can be aggressive,

so we really don't want to spook one.

[mimicking moose calls]

Mike is pretending to be a moose.

What did you do at work today?

[mimicking moose calls]

Those are some big antlers.

I'm sure they've fended off some

wolf packs in their time.

You know, the wolves might be top predator here,

but if you're a moose with a rack that big,

nobody messes with you.

[Mike] They'll eat about 50 pounds of willows a day...

-Wow. -...just to stay fit.

-I guess fattening up is just really important if

there's a pack of wolves running around here.

-Yep, yep, you want to be at peak strength for that.

[Bertie] Soon, they'll drop their antlers,

to conserve energy through winter.

But even without them, they're intimidating prey

for Kona and the pack.

Well, let's keep moving, see if we can find the wolves.

Hudson Bay almost completely freezes

over in winter.

But climate change has delayed the big freeze

Glad I've got my boots on, otherwise I'd have very

chilly toes right now.

Conditions are unpredictable,

and progress is slow.

[Mike] That's not a good spot.

Ice, water, mud.

-Ah, it's frustrating.

[wheels spinning]

We've got to cover big ground,

but until these rivers freeze,

it's impossible.

And we're not the only ones impacted by the late freeze-up.

Polar bears rely on the ice to hunt seals,

and they're still waiting for it to return.

Okay, we've got a polar bear.

It's just tracking through the willows here.

Just trying to figure out where it's going to pop out.

Here it is, here it is.

Huh!

It's got a cub.

Less sea ice means fewer hunting opportunities.

In the last 40 years, the bear population here

has dropped dramatically.

So, every cub that makes it to adulthood is a big win.

He's being all confident and bold.

Then he keeps looking over his shoulder just to check

that his backup's following him.

She gives him a long leash, though.

[Mike] Oh, yeah, I'm surprised at how far out he goes.

-And he's lucky that we're friendly people.

'Cause Kona's is the only pack of wolves known to go

after polar bears, and if the pack turns up here,

that cub would be food.

It's not an easy place to raise a cub.

This mum needs to stay alert.

But her cub has other priorities.

Ah-hah, he wants to play.

Come on, mum.

[laughs]

That is so cute.

How cool is that?

Just getting to hang out with a mother polar bear

and a little cub in the middle of nowhere.

[growling]

Huh.

[growling]

There's another bear out there.

It's a male.

When food is scarce, male bears will sometimes

go after cubs.

See her calling the cub.

Cub's running.

Okay, both running here they go.

She said we are outta here.

And fortunately, that male bear has decided not to follow.

Many of these bears haven't had a decent meal in months.

Oh, hang on, watch out, watch out.

And this one seems hungry.

Well, this male bear might not have managed to

get a cub, but now he's coming for us.

There are a handful of animals that will

actively hunt humans, polar bears are one of them.

And he is very much trying to figure out

if we're on the menu.

[Mike] Hey. Hey, hey, hey, hey.

That's good enough.

[Bertie] Come on, dude.

No.

[Mike] Hey, hey.

[tapping]

Psst, psst, psst.

Psst, psst, psst.

[tapping]

Hah, hah, hah, hah.

[Bertie] It's not nice to have to move him on,

but Mike knows how quickly things can escalate.

[Mike] He's still curious.

Let's get out of here.

[Bertie] Conditions are challenging.

-If it cracks, you're safe;

if it breaks through, you're not.

[Bertie] But an aerial view of the river reveals

some are making the most of the late freeze-up.

Oh, we've got a river otter with a huge brook trout.

-Oh, that is so cool.

That is amazing, dude.

-Oh, he's under the ice.

He's under the ice.

[♪ peaceful music playing]

Here he comes, out, boop!

-Seeing him swimming under the ice is absolutely awesome.

[Bertie] Mike's stoked!

[Mike] That's the coolest thing I've seen in ages!

[laugh]

[Bertie] It's great to see life can thrive here.

But we're still no closer to filming a moose hunt.

I think I really have underestimated

how difficult it would be to find this pack of wolves again.

We haven't seen a single wolf since our flight in,

let alone signs of Kona's pack.

It makes me wonder, you know, has something

happened to them?

But I don't know.

I think they're out here somewhere.

We just gotta keep going, keep searching,

and at some point,

I'm hoping we're gonna get lucky.

We've had a frustrating time,

but things are looking up.

Late last night, we got a message from Butch

that he found tracks.

They were up the coast, but they're heading this way,

so we're gonna get out there,

try and figure out who made them.

[♪ upbeat music playing]

Well, the temperature has dropped,

and finally we've got some fresh snow.

Freezing temperatures are brutal to work in,

but they make tracking the wolves much easier.

[Mike] We've got some tracks; we've got some tracks.

[Bertie] It's the same size as my hand.

-That's a big animal, that can take down a moose.

Especially if he's got helpers.

[Bertie] Pretty exciting,

having not had any sign of wolves at all.

Now we've got tracks heading east.

And they're very fresh, and they're going that way,

so let's keep going.

Wolves can travel over 30 miles a day,

so they're really hard to keep up with.

But following their tracks finally pays off.

[Mike] Yep! Wolf across the river!

[Bertie] Are they coming back this way?

[Mike] Yep, yep, they're coming!

-They're right here.

Goh, they're so beautiful.

[Mike] Ah, absolutely gorgeous.

-They're gonna come check us out.

One of them is bright white.

I know that wolf.

That's Kona.

That's the breeding male.

He's still alive.

Hah, it's very nice to see them.

That was taking a very long time,

and I was getting very nervous.

Hey buddy.

Hey, okay, that's close enough.

Wow, you are big and beautiful.

This is the smallest I've seen this family.

There were nine, now there are just five.

That's a very small team to take on a large adult moose.

And with Kona reaching his final years,

this pack could be very vulnerable.

Did you see where the rest of the pack went?

-Yeah, they went into the willows here.

[Bertie] Okay, I'm gonna get the drone up.

[drone whirring]

Got them.

[♪ suspenseful music playing]

Hey Butch, they've smelt something.

And they've just come off the trail,

and they're going up a creek.

[Butch] A moose.

[Bertie] Oh yeah, got it.

Oh, it's a big one.

-Oh man, that's what we were waiting for.

[Bertie] That's a bull moose.

You can see the, the stumps of the antlers

where they've fallen off.

And the wolves are closing the gap.

Their coats are camouflaged in this landscape.

And the willows help them stay hidden.

The moose still hasn't seen them.

See, it's still feeding on the willows.

[Mike] Yeah, he's still quite relaxed.

[♪ suspenseful music playing]

[♪ suspenseful music playing]

[Bertie] Here they go.

Moose is running.

They're spreading out.

[♪ suspenseful music playing]

The wolves are having such a tough time in the deep snow.

[♪ somber music playing]

No, they've given up.

These hunts are so challenging for the wolves,

not to mention dangerous, and a big bull in his prime,

is just not worth the risk.

[Mike] Oh man, that was close!

I can tell you right now, Bertie, in 20 years of

watching wolves, that's a first for me.

[Bertie] Yeah?

You've never seen that, never seen them?

-No, never seen that like that, not on a hunt,

not a hunt like that.

[Bertie] I mean, I guess from eye level

there's nothing to see.

Drone is the only tool.

[Mike] Drone is the only tool.

[Bertie] It's very special to share this experience

with Mike and Butch.

-When I see a wolf there I just, I feel happy,

like, just to see a wild animal.

Something here, I guess you know.

Like a soft spot in my heart for them.

[Bertie] While the wolves haven't been successful,

this has given me an insight into their tactics.

So, I'm primed and ready if they hunt again.

Well, this is looking good.

We've had a massive dump of snow overnight,

which means if there are any tracks,

they're gonna be just a few hours old.

We're gonna be hot on their tail.

Oh, it's got seriously cold now.

And there is just snow everywhere,

mountains of powder.

Now we can use the snowmobiles, yeah,

we can travel so much further, so much faster.

Yeah, wolf, wolf, wolf, wolf.

Kona's pack does not have a black member in it.

Who are you?

Wolfpacks are just like human families, really.

Yeah, they've got yeah, a mum and dad,

and then their kids from the previous years.

Youngsters usually leave between the ages of one

and three to start a family.

This might be why Kona's pack is much smaller;

their older kids left home,

and they didn't have new pups to replace them.

It's breeding season right now,

and suddenly the territories that they

really strictly respect, kinda go out the window.

A new, single wolf in the neighborhood.

What does that mean for Kona's pack?

Wolf's spotted something, Mike.

There's a fox up ahead.

[Mike] There's a red fox.

[Bertie] Red fox.

[Mike] Yep.

I don't think the red fox can see him yet.

[Bertie] Okay, it's going, it's going.

Whoa, that's quick.

He's gaining on it.

I thought the fox was in big trouble there.

[Mike] Well, the fox has those big furry pads and

he can just glide on top,

and he's much lighter, of course.

And that wolf's just gonna punch right through.

[Bertie] It just shows how hard it can be for a wolf.

And without the support of a pack, this time of year

is particularly tough.

This wolf is just powering through the snow.

Oh, it looks like hard work.

Where are you going, wolf?

What are you doing?

Hang on, what's that?

Oh, it's found a kill, there's a moose kill.

No way!

These leftovers are a lifeline for a lone wolf.

But he could be treading on Kona's territory.

There's no way this wolf took down

an adult moose by himself.

You know, this kill must have been made by a pack.

If Kona turns up here, this wolf is in trouble.

He's gotta feed quick and get out of here.

Well, looks like he's leaving the kill.

A moose is a substantial meal,

and wolves will often return over a few days.

So, I'm going to set up some remote cameras to see

if Kona's pack made this kill.

Wow, just tracks in and out everywhere.

Let's get these set up.

Oh, look, look, look, Pine Marten.

Pine Marten through the gap.

It's coming in for the kill.

So cute and so bold.

Very cool.

Right, let's leave these cameras to do the spying for us.

A kill that big could sustain Kona's pack for days.

They might not hunt again in the time we have left.

[♪ peaceful music playing]

Next morning, I'm eager to check the remote cameras.

This place has been busy.

All the bones have been moved around.

Yeah, there's fresh prints all around it.

Let's see what we've got.

Something's there.

Ah, pine marten.

I guess the little guy that was running round us

when we were setting up the camera,

straight back in.

Oh, they're so cute.

Oh, there's a red fox.

I wonder if it's the one that got away from

the black wolf.

Red fox is looking very nervous.

Oop, something spooked the red fox.

Whoa, Wolverine.

Right in there.

Goh, so strong.

It's so rare to see them.

What's that?

I just saw a shadow in the background.

What is that?

It's big.

Ooh!

[Bertie] Oh, it's a wolf, it's a wolf,

it's the black wolf.

The black wolf's back.

Wow!

That is a good-looking animal!

Well, there's no sign of the pack that killed the moose,

but it's been so busy here, so many different animals.

You know, when you look at a wolf kill,

it's very easy to focus on the death, but actually,

these carcasses are givers of life.

Over 30 years, Mike has seen how vital wolves

are to this wild place.

-Yeah, wolves have always been important to us.

Everything that's living out here,

whether it's the pine marten or the wolverines we're seeing.

[Bertie] Across the world, thousands of wolves are

killed each year.

Due to hunting, conflicts with livestock and game,

and fears around human safety.

-I suspect it's a lot of it,

still harks back to some of our childhood stories.

-For sure.

-We grew up with all these horrifying big bad wolf stories,

and you don't certainly get that sense when you're out

here that there's, they're monsters waiting

to gobble you up.

[Bertie] The remoteness of this place and

the compassion of the local people,

gives these wolves some much-needed protection.

Kona and the pack,

kind of see us as just part of the landscape.

[howling]

[Mike] These wolves are comfortable with people

because no one has ever threatened them,

they've never been hunted, and we want to keep it that way.

[Bertie] It's uplifting to hear how we can respect

and live alongside wolves.

And the uniqueness of this pack is now

even clearer to me.

This really is one of the only places where we have

a chance of filming them taking on a moose.

Yeah, we need so many things to come together.

You know, we need to find the wolves,

and then the wolves need to find a moose;

it just seems so unlikely.

We're gonna need a lot of luck.

But as Mike always says,

when you're looking for wildlife,

luck is spelt W-O-R-K!

And hard work pays off.

Wolf, wolf.

Kona and the pack are incoming.

Well, I'm glad we drove so far looking for wolves today.

-Yeah, we could have sat here and drank coffee

and eaten bonbons.

[Bertie] Ran past our front door!

[♪ uplifting music playing]

[♪ peaceful music playing]

Whoa, look at all their tails in air.

Something's fired them up.

I don't know what they've smelt,

but something has got them on edge.

[whimpering]

It's the lone black wolf.

What is he doing?

Oh, he's nervous.

See his tail between his legs.

Kona will not want this wolf sniffing around his partner.

The lone wolf is competition and could

be looking to take over the pack.

Black wolf's seen the pack.

He's running.

[♪ suspenseful music playing]

Oh, that black wolf is running for his life.

[Bertie] Whoa, look at him go!

Kona and the pack are in hot pursuit.

They are flying behind him.

[♪ suspenseful music playing]

That black wolf is just so quick.

He is just charging ahead.

They're giving up.

That black wolf is not coming back.

[♪ uplifting music playing]

This is the, the power of the pack.

If you wanna be a successful wolf around here,

you've got to be able to hold a territory,

and to do that, you need to work as a team.

[howling]

Well, it looks like Kona is leading them off.

Where are they going?

I think they are on the hunt,

and that means it's time for us to move too.

While Kona is still very much the head of this pack,

he's being tested.

Argh!

He's not as fit as the younger members,

but their success relies on his experience.

Something I depend on from Mike and Butch.

Mike, Mike!

Situation report: I am very, very stuck.

So, we're gonna hitch up a tow rope and

see if I can get pulled out.

[Butch] Are you ready?

[Bertie] Situation update: the snowmobile that was

meant to be towing me out is now stuck as well.

So, we're gonna get a third snowmobile.

We need to get out of here fast to catch up

with the wolves.

-Alright, boys and girls.

-Ready.

Success!

We're back on the road, and thankfully,

we've found the wolves' tracks,

and they're stalking something big!

That's definitely a moose trail,

and the wolves are in it, hey.

[Mike] Yeah.

[Bertie] Yeah, can see the prints here.

The wolves have found a moose.

Now we need to find the wolves who

have found the moose!

[Mike] Exactly.

[Bertie] A wolf's sense of smell is 100 times better

than ours, allowing them to track prey

from over a mile away.

Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop!

[Butch] Those are fresh.

[drone whirring]

-Okay, here we go.

Got 'em.

[Mike] How far out?

[Bertie] Couple hundred meters that way.

[Mike] Wahoo!

[Bertie] Wow, they're just nose to tail,

going through the moose tracks.

Moving like this is more efficient,

helping them gain ground, saving valuable energy.

[panting]

Moose, see, see, see.

[Mike] Yep, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Bertie] Yeah, there's a moose ahead of them.

They're slowly getting closer.

[♪ suspenseful music playing]

Okay, here they go, here they go!

Moose is running.

[Bertie] Into the forest.

Well, we can't follow them into the thick stuff

with the snowmobiles.

We'll just follow on the drone.

There's two moose.

That's a female and calf.

A mother moose is among the most determined

they'll come up against.

But a calf is too good an opportunity to miss.

Oh, the pack are giving this everything,

they're working so hard.

The moose just glide over the snow.

These hunts are an endurance race,

and the wolves have teamwork and stamina on their side.

[Mike] These guys have been running hard now for

a long time through deep snow.

[Bertie] The distance they cover is crazy.

There is only so far, I can fly the drone.

If they keep going like this,

I won't be able to stick with them much longer.

Well, the wolves are relentless.

Fresh legs at the front.

The deep snow may be tough for the pack,

but it's also slowing the moose.

They must be exhausted.

[growling]

Turning around defending.

Incredible bravery by that mother moose.

One kick connects in the right place,

and those wolves are done.

Oh, she's turning, she's turning again!

Oh, my word!

That's Kona!

Kona's attached!

[Mike] Kona's got the.

[Bertie] Kona's got the mum by her leg!

Kona's just not letting go!

Oh, my word, Kona, you are a beast!

[drone alarm]

I'm right at the edge of the drone's range.

I can't follow them any further.

They're too far.

I am coming home.

[drone alarm]

We can't keep following, and the light's fading.

Woohoo.

That was insane.

Just the most extraordinary scene.

I mean, we might never know how this finishes,

but what a chase, what a battle,

what a pack of wolves.

After the excitement of yesterday,

we head straight back to where we left Kona and the pack.

I've got them, they're just here.

Mike, I've got them.

Look, look, look, look, look.

There's a carcass.

[Mike] Wow.

[Bertie] They got that moose.

I'm very happy for them, that's a big meal.

[Mike] Yeah, yeah.

[Bertie] Kona is such a strong leader.

The old dog's still got it!

They're coming this way.

[♪ uplifting music playing]

They might be bold, they might be curious,

but there is no aggression.

We need to reimagine our relationship with wolves,

one that's not based on fear and myth and conflict,

and instead a relationship based on coexistence.

[♪ uplifting music playing]

This is actually kind of sad, because, you know,

Kona's getting on, he's an old wolf now,

and I don't know when I'm next gonna be up here,

so that could be the last time I get to see him.

But what a send-off, what a final encounter.

What a wolf!

Off they go.

See you later, Kona.