Original subtitles

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ANNOUNCER: WHEN YOU SEE THIS SYMBOL YOU KNOW YOU'RE

WATCHING TELEVISION THAT'S EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATIONAL.THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

DYLAN: I'M DYLAN DREYER, JOIN ME ON AN ADVENTURE TO

THE TOP OF THE WORLD TO EXPERIENCE THE FROZEN

WONDERS OF THE ARCTIC.

DYLAN: WE'LL TREK DEEP INTO THE PLANET'S LAST WILD

FRONTIER AND FOLLOW SCIENTISTS RACING TO

CONFRONT THE THREATS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

WE'LL MEET THE AMAZING ANIMALS THAT CALL THIS

PLACE HOME, AND VISIT LOCAL VILLAGERS WHO WILL

STOP AT NOTHING TO PROTECT THE WILDLIFE AROUND THEM.

DYLAN: FOR NEARLY A MILLION YEARS THE ARCTIC

HAS BEEN A KINGDOM RULED BY ICE AND SNOW; A VAST

FROZEN WORLD EERILY SILENT AND UNFORGIVING.

BUT HIDDEN UNDER LAYERS OF THICK ICE THE OCEAN IS

BRIMMING WITH WILDLIFE.

FREEZING ARCTIC WATER HOLDS MORE OXYGEN AND

SUPPORTS SOME OF THE MOST PRODUCTIVE ECOSYSTEMS IN

THE WORLD.

OUR JOURNEY BEGINS BELOW THE SURFACE OF THE WAVES

IN THE KINGDOM OF WHALES.

DYLAN: THE CURIOUS BELUGA IS THE MOST ABUNDANT WHALE IN

THE ARCTIC, TRAVELING IN PODS THAT CAN

NUMBER IN THE HUNDREDS.

BELUGAS ARE SOCIABLE AND VERY VOCAL.

THEY USE A HUGE VARIETY OF SOUNDS TO COMMUNICATE WITH

EACH OTHER.

NEARLY HALF THEIR BODY WEIGHT IS MADE UP OF

BLUBBER, THE PERFECT ARCTIC INSULATOR.

ONE OF THE STRANGEST WONDERS OF THE ARCTIC IS

THE NARWHAL.

THIS MYSTERIOUS CREATURE HAS BEEN CALLED THE

UNICORN OF THE SEA BECAUSE OF ITS TUSK WHICH IS

ACTUALLY AN ELONGATED TOOTH THAT CAN REACH 10

FEET IN LENGTH.

SWIMMING NEARBY IS THE MYSTERIOUS GREENLAND

SHARK, AN ANCIENT, PREHISTORIC GIANT THAT CAN

REACH 20 FEET IN LENGTH.

THIS CREATURE HAS THE LONGEST KNOWN LIFESPAN OF

ALL VERTEBRATES ON EARTH; SOME SURVIVE PAST THE RIPE

OLD AGE OF 500 YEARS.

DYLAN: WHEN SPRING COMES AND THE ICE STARTS TO BREAK UP

WHALES GATHER TO FEED WHERE ICE MEETS OPEN

WATER.

HERE CURRENTS BRING COOLER, NUTRIENT-RICH

WATER UP TO THE SURFACE.

SPRING IS ALSO THE TIME WHEN THE LARGEST ARCTIC

CREATURES OF ALL BEGIN THEIR ANNUAL MIGRATION.

THESE ARE BOWHEAD WHALES.

THEY TRAVEL THOUSANDS OF MILES EVERY YEAR, FINALLY

ARRIVING AT CUMBERLAND SOUND AT THE SOUTH END OF

BAFFIN ISLAND.

IN THESE PROTECTIVE FJORDS THEY FEED AND GIVE BIRTH

TO THEIR YOUNG.

HUGE WHALES DINE ON MICROSCOPIC CREATURES,

DEVOURING MILLIONS OF SHRIMP AND PLANKTON INSIDE

THE LARGEST MOUTH IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.

THEY CAN REACH 60 FEET IN LENGTH AND LIVE FOR 200

YEARS; LONGER THAN ANY OTHER MAMMAL ON EARTH.

DYLAN: A CENTURY AGO BOWHEAD WHALES WERE DRIVEN TO THE

EDGE OF EXTINCTION, SLAUGHTERED FOR THEIR

BALEEN AND BLUBBER.

TODAY THEY ARE HUNTED FOR A VERY DIFFERENT REASON.

BERNARD LEBLANC IS A MARINE BIOLOGIST WITH THE

CANADIAN DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES AND OCEANS.

BERNARD: THE BOWHEAD HAS REBOUNDED SINCE THE BAN ON

WHALING WAS PUT IN PLACE 50 YEARS AGO.

WE'RE NOT SURE YET HOW MANY WHALES ARE OUT THERE

AND HOW HEALTHY THE POPULATION IS.

I'M USING OLD TECHNOLOGY TO DO HIGH-TECH RESEARCH.

THE ARROWS ARE FITTED WITH HOLLOW BIOPSY TUBES THAT

CAN PENETRATE THE SKIN AND EXTRACT TINY SAMPLES OF

BLUBBER.

THAT TELLS ME THE IDENTITY AND SEX OF THE WHALES, AND

FROM THAT I CAN FIGURE OUT HOW MANY THERE ARE.

DYLAN: THE ARROWS ARE SHOT FROM A CROSSBOW AT CLOSE

RANGE AND HIS ASSISTANT, SUSAN ANN POLAR, IS A

ROOKIE.

IT'S EASY TO HIT A STATIONARY TARGET ON DRY

LAND; HITTING A SURFACING WHALE FROM A MOVING BOAT

IS ANOTHER MATTER.

♪ ADVENTUROUS MUSIC ♪

BERNARD: WE TRAVEL IN TEAMS BECAUSE BEING IN

WOODEN BOATS IN ICY WATER NEAR SUCH BIG AND

UNPREDICTABLE ANIMALS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS.

THE BEST CHANCE WE HAVE IS TO HOPE THAT THE WATER

STAYS CALM, ALLOWING US TO SPOT THE BLOWS THAT SIGNAL

THE SURFACING WHALE.

BERNARD: THE WHALES USUALLY ONLY SURFACE A FEW TIMES TO

BREATHE BEFORE GOING FOR A DIVE THAT CAN LAST UP TO

AN HOUR.

DYLAN: THE FIRST SHOT GOES TO BERNARD.

HE GETS CLOSE THE BUT WHALE DIVES BEFORE HE'S

WITHIN CROSSBOW RANGE.

NOW IT'S SUSAN'S CHANCE.

♪ MUSIC CONTINUES ♪

DYLAN: HER FIRST ARROW MISSES.

SHE MAY ONLY GET ONE MORE SHOT BEFORE THE WHALE GOES

INTO A DEEP DIVE.

DYLAN: SHE GOT IT!

NICE SHOT.

DURING THE NEXT TWO WEEKS BERNARD AND HIS TEAM WILL

ANALYZE SAMPLES FOR MORE THAN 100 WHALES.

HIS RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT THERE ARE NOW OVER 20,000

BOWHEADS IN THE ARCTIC; A REMARKABLE COMEBACK STORY

FOR THE KING OF THE ICE WHALES.

IT LOOKS INTENSE BUT SO MUCH INFORMATION ABOUT

BOWHEAD WHALE BIOLOGY CAN BE LEARNED FROM THAT TINY

SAMPLE COLLECTED AT THE END OF A DART.

BIOLOGISTS WILL NOT ONLY DISCOVER THE HEALTH OF

THAT SINGLE INDIVIDUAL WHALE, BUT ALSO THE HEALTH

OF THE ENTIRE POPULATION, LEADING TO BETTER

CONSERVATION AND PROTECTIONS FOR THE

SPECIES.

DYLAN: COMING UP NEXT, IT'S HALLOWEEN NIGHT IN THE

TOWN OF CHURCHILL, CANADA, AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT

IS ON THE LOOKOUT FOR UNWANTED

TRICK-OR-TREATERS.

WATCH THE HEROIC EFFORTS TO KEEP BOTH PEOPLE AND

POLAR BEARS SAFE AND SOUND WHEN THE JOURNEY CONTINUES

RIGHT AFTER THIS.

ANNOUNCER: WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

.

ANNOUNCER: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO JOURNEY.

THE MIGHTY POLAR BEAR IS ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC

SYMBOLS OF THE ARCTIC.

TODAY POLAR BEARS ARE ALSO THE FACE OF CLIMATE

CHANGE.

AS OUR PLANET HEATS UP AND ARCTIC SEA ICE MELTS

FASTER EVERY YEAR, SPECIES LIKE THE POLAR BEAR ARE

UNDER THREAT.

AND COMMUNITIES THAT LIVE NEAR POLAR BEAR HABITATS

ARE DOING WHAT THEY CAN TO HELP.

ON THE SOUTH SHORE OF HUDSON BAY THE ICE BEARS

AWAIT THE RETURN OF WINTER.

90 PERCENT OF THEIR DIET CONSISTS OF SEAL MEAT.

THEY CATCH SEALS BY WALKING ACROSS THE SEA ICE

FAR AWAY FROM THE SHORE.

BUT THE ICE ONLY RETURNS WHEN THE WEATHER COOLS AND

IT'S BEEN FOUR MONTHS SINCE THEIR LAST MEAL.

HUDSON BAY HAS THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF POLAR

BEARS IN THE WORLD.

DYLAN: THE MALES COMPETE FOR DOMINANCE IN SPARRING

MATCHES THAT CAN LAST ON AND OFF FOR DAYS.

DYLAN: USUALLY A BOUT ENDS IN THE TRADITIONAL WAY,

WITH A PINNING.

DYLAN: BUT SOMETIMES IT LOOKS MORE LIKE TAG-TEAM

WRESTLING WITH BYSTANDERS DRAWN INTO THE ACTION.

DYLAN: WITH THE ICE AND THEIR NEXT SEAL STILL WEEKS AWAY

THE TEMPTATION TO SEARCH FOR OTHER FOOD BECOMES

OVERWHELMING.

IN THE TOWN OF CHURCHILL MANITOBA OCTOBER 31ST IS

THE BUSIEST DAY OF THE YEAR FOR BOB WINSOR.

BOB: I WONDER IF THAT'S THE SAME BEAR AS I SAW

YESTERDAY.

CAN YOU LET THE RESIDENTS OF THE AREA KNOW?

DYLAN: HE'S THE LOCAL NATURAL RESOURCES OFFICER

AND NUMBER ONE BEAR PATROLLER.

BOB'S TASK TONIGHT IS TO SEE THAT HALLOWEEN GOES

OFF WITHOUT A HITCH; NO EASY TASK IN AN AREA THAT

HAS ALMOST AS MANY BEARS AS PEOPLE.

DYLAN: THIS FALL BOB HAS LOGGED OVER 200 BEAR

INCIDENTS ALREADY; 12 ENCOUNTERS IN THE PAST 4 DAYS

ALONE. THE LAST THING BOB NEEDS IS ANOTHER BEAR IN HIS

COMMUNITY.

WITH HALLOWEEN JUST HOURS AWAY HE CALLS IN

REINFORCEMENTS.

THE NOISE OF THE HELICOPTER PERSUADES MOST

BEARS TO MOVE AWAY, BUT NOT ALL.

AS THE WITCHING HOUR APPROACHES LOOKOUTS ARE

POSTED AROUND THE TOWN'S PERIMETER.

TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE BOB HAS ONE RULE, NO POLAR

BEAR COSTUMES ALLOWED.

ALL'S WELL IN CHURCHILL TONIGHT BUT DESPITE THEIR

BEST EFFORTS SOME BEARS MANAGE TO ENTER TOWN AND

NEED TO BE TRANQUILIZED AND HAULED OFF TO JAIL.

THE JAIL IS CALLED THE POLAR BEAR HOLDING

FACILITY AND IT HAS UP TO 28 INMATES AT ONE TIME.

THEY'RE KEPT IN ISOLATION CELLS UNTIL THEY CAN BE

RELOCATED UP THE COAST.

♪ ADVENTUROUS MUSIC ♪

♪ ADVENTUROUS MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: THE CARE TAKEN TO BRING BEARS SAFELY AWAY

FROM HUMANS IS IN STARK CONTRAST TO THE OLD DAYS.

50 YEARS AGO THESE BEARS WERE CONSIDERED A MENACE

AND HUNDREDS WERE SHOT.

TODAY THEY ARE RESPECTED AND EVEN LOVED.

DYLAN: AFTER AN HOUR THE TRANQUILIZER IS WEARING

OFF AND BOB KNOWS HE HAS ONLY A FEW MINUTES OF

SAFETY LEFT.

ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL RELOCATION.

BUT THE FUTURE OF THIS BEAR AND HER ENTIRE

SPECIES IS GRIM.

IN THE PAST 50 YEARS THE ARCTIC HAS WARMED BY

NEARLY 4 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

THE ARCTIC OCEAN STILL FREEZES OVER EVERY WINTER

BUT THE AMOUNT OF ICE THAT MELTS EACH SUMMER HAS BEEN

INCREASING.

IF THE CURRENT TRENDS CONTINUE THE ENTIRE ARCTIC

OCEAN MAY LOSE ALL ICE IN THE SUMMER MONTHS, AND THE

MIGHTY POLAR BEAR MAY DISAPPEAR AS WELL.

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES RIGHT AFTER THIS.

ANNOUNCER: WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

.

ANNOUNCER: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

DYLAN: CLIMATE CHANGE IS CAUSING MASSIVE

DISRUPTIONS TO THE DELICATE ECOSYSTEMS OF THE

ARCTIC.

DEDICATED SCIENTISTS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE ARE IN A

RACE AGAINST TIME TO PROTECT THE ARCTIC BEFORE

IT'S TOO LATE.

DR. SHARI GEARHEARD WAS DESTINED TO BE AN ARCTIC

SCIENTIST.

AS A CHILD IN SOUTHERN ONTARIO SHE WAS FASCINATED

WITH THE NORTH AND DEVOURED EVERY BOOK AND

T.V. SPECIAL SHE COULD FIND.

SHARI: I NEVER DREAMED I'D HAVE MY OWN DOG TEAM.

IT WAS THE START OF MY REAL EDUCATION UP HERE.

WHEN MY DOGS ARE HAPPY I'M HAPPY.

DYLAN: SHARI AND HER TEAM HAVE BUILT A SERIES OF

MONITORING STATIONS ON THE SEA ICE AROUND THE CLYDE

RIVER ON BAFFIN ISLAND.

♪ ADVENTUROUS MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: EVERY WEEK THEY RETURN TO TAKE

MEASUREMENTS; IT'S PART OF A LARGER GLOBAL EFFORT TO

UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE

ARCTIC.

SHARI: IT'S A VERY SIMPLE BUT EFFECTIVE TECHNIQUE.

ILKUT DRILLS HOLES FOR THE WIRES THAT

ARE FROZEN INTO THE SEA ICE.

ISA KIDLOCK SENDS AN ELECTRIC CURRENT THROUGH

THE WIRE.

THE HEATED WIRE MELTS THE ICE AROUND IT.

HE PULLS IT UP UNTIL THE BOLT HITS THE BOTTOM OF

THE ICE.

THAT TELLS US EXACTLY HOW THICK IT IS.

DYLAN: THE ICE AROUND THE NORTH POLE HAS BUILT UP

OVER THOUSANDS OF YEARS AND REMAINS FROZEN

YEAR-ROUND, AT LEAST FOR NOW.

IT KEEPS THE ARCTIC COOL EVEN IN SUMMER BY

REFLECTING THE SUN'S ENERGY BACK OUT INTO

SPACE.

IN MORE SOUTHERN AREAS LIKE THE COAST OF BAFFIN

ISLAND THE OCEAN FREEZES OVER AGAIN EVERY WINTER.

DYLAN: ON THE NORTHERN TIP OF QUEBEC THE THICKNESS OF

SEA ICE IS THE NUMBER ONE CONCERN FOR CAPTAIN BRANDY

OF THE ICEBREAKER, THE MV ARCTIC.

MAN: CAPTAIN, SHE'S SLOWING DOWN.

CAPTAIN: OKAY, FULL AHEAD.

DYLAN: PUSHING THROUGH ICE THAT'S 30 FEET THICK, THIS

SHIP HAS TRAVELED JUST 400 YARDS IN 5 DAYS.

IT'S THE ONLY VESSEL FOR NEARLY 1,000 MILES AND

THEY MUST MANAGE ON THEIR OWN.

ICE IS JUST ONE OF THE CHALLENGES OF WORKING THIS

FAR NORTH IN THE DEAD OF WINTER.

THE TEMPERATURE CAN DROP BELOW MINUS 50, WINDS CAN

REACH HURRICANE STRENGTHS OF 100 MILES PER HOUR OR

MORE.

FINALLY THE MV ARCTIC BREAKS THROUGH INTO

THINNER ICE.

THE VOYAGE BACK TO QUEBEC CITY CAN TAKE UP TO 2

WEEKS OR MORE.

NOTHING IS EASY IN THE KINGDOM OF ICE.

BUT SOME PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF

EXPERIENCE TO GUIDE THEM.

SHARI: THE INUIT HAVE A SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH

ICE SHARED BY FEW OTHERS IN THE WORLD.

BEING ABLE TO READ THE SNOW AND ICE CONDITIONS

CAN MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH.

MY FRIEND ILKUK ANGTICUA CAN TELL YOU IF THERE IS

OPEN WATER 10 MILES AWAY JUST BY LOOKING AT THE

REFLECTION THE ICE MAKES IN THE CLOUDS.

HE'S ONE OF THE LAST OF HIS GENERATION WITH THE

KNOWLEDGE TO FORECAST THE WEATHER.

NOW WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER TO SET UP WEATHER

STATIONS, COMBINING HIS SKILLS WITH THE TOOLS OF

SCIENCE.

TODAY WE'RE GOING TO ONE OF OUR MOST REMOTE

STATIONS AND HE SAYS WE BETTER GET MOVING.

WHEN IT COMES TO WEATHER I PUT MY TRUST IN ILKUK.

DYLAN: COMING UP NEXT, SHARI AND HER TEAM VENTURE

DEEP INTO THE ARCTIC WILDERNESS, HOPEFULLY THE

WEATHER WON'T TURN BAD.

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES RIGHT AFTER THIS.

ANNOUNCER: WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

.

ANNOUNCER: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

DYLAN: THE BEST WAY TO TRULY UNDERSTAND THE

ARCTIC AND HOW TO PROTECT IT COMES FROM THE PEOPLE

WHO HAVE LIVED THERE FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

INUITS HOLD AN ANCIENT KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR FROZEN

WORLD AND THEY ARE EAGER TO SHARE THEIR SECRETS.

SHARI: I CAME UP TO THE ARCTIC 18 YEARS AGO TO

STUDY WHAT THE INUIT KNOW ABOUT ICE AND CLIMATE

CHANGE.

I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE PLACE AND THE PEOPLE AND

I'VE BEEN LIVING AND WORKING HERE EVER SINCE.

DYLAN: TODAY ILKUK IS GUIDING SHARI AND HER TEAM

TO THEIR MOST REMOTE WEATHER STATION.

SHARI: WE HAVE 3 WEATHER STATIONS SPREAD OUT ALONG

THE COASTLINE AND THEY ARE AMONG THE MOST

SOPHISTICATED ON THE PLANET.

THE DATA ARE UPLOADED BY SATELLITE TO A WEBSITE

THAT PEOPLE IN CLYDE RIVER CAN CHECK BEFORE THEY HEAD

OUT ON THE LAND.

WEATHER IN THE ARCTIC CAN CHANGE QUICKLY.

ELDERS LIKE ILKUK HAVE NOTICED THAT LATELY IT'S

BECOME MORE UNPREDICTABLE WHICH MAKES TRAVELING ON

THE ICE EVEN MORE DANGEROUS.

LEN, THAT RAVEN GOT IN HERE AGAIN THIS YEAR.

LEN: YEAH, IT'S PRETTY BAD.

DYLAN: SHARI'S RESEARCH IS VITAL TO OUR UNDERSTANDING

OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE AND HOW THAT CHANGE WILL

IMPACT PEOPLE LIKE HER FRIENDS OF THE INUIT

COMMUNITY.

SHARI: ILKUK WAS BORN IN A SEALSKIN TENT AND SPENT

MOST OF HIS LIFE LIVING OFF THE LAND.

IT WAS A NOMADIC LIFE DRIVEN BY THE SEASONS IN A

WORLD DOMINATED BY ICE AND SNOW FOR 9 MONTHS OF THE

YEAR.

ILKUK LEARNED HOW TO FISH AND HUNT AND BUILD AN

IGLOO.

BY THE TIME HE WAS A TEENAGER HE WAS ALREADY

ABLE TO READ THE ICE.

WHEN ILKUK WAS YOUNGER HE COULD HUNT ON THE ICE

UNTIL LATE JULY.

BUT THINGS HAVE CHANGED.

THE ICE SEASON IS OVER A MONTH SHORTER THAN IT USED

TO BE.

THE INUIT HAVE ALWAYS ADAPTED TO CHANGE.

ELDERS LIKE ILKUK ARE IMPORTANT LEADERS IN THE

EFFORT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THE

ICE.

WHEN I FIRST CAME UP HERE I SAW ICE AS JUST ICE;

FROZEN OCEAN.

BEING WITH ILKUK AND HIS FAMILY, I'VE LEARNED THAT

ICE IS MUCH MORE THAN THAT; IT HAS SOUNDS,

TASTES, SMELLS AND TEXTURES.

ICE INSPIRES SONGS AND STORIES.

IT'S WHERE PEOPLE FIND FOOD, IT'S WHERE THEY GET

TOGETHER.

ICE IS NOT JUST ICE, HERE IT'S A WHOLE WAY OF LIFE.

DYLAN: THE ARCTIC CAN SEEM A HARSH AND INHOSPITABLE

PLACE TO THOSE WHO VENTURE INTO IT UNPREPARED.

IT REMAINS ONE OF THE PLANET'S LAST WILD

FRONTIERS, A TIMELESS WORLD OF WONDERS SCULPTED

AND PRESERVED BY ICE.

FOR THE PEOPLE AND CREATURES OF THE ARCTIC

IT'S SOMETHING MUCH MORE PROFOUND, IT'S THEIR HOME.

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED OUR JOURNEY TO THE ARCTIC.

UNTIL NEXT TIME, SAFE TRAVELS.