Original subtitles

(light music)

High in Russia's frozen north,

the mighty Volga rises up and reaches out

for people and nature.

(light dramatic music)

Over the course of 2,000 miles,

this vibrant lifeline crosses the Russian heartland

deep into inner Asia.

(water splashing)

From north to south, it transforms itself

into the biggest river in Europe

before creating a spectacular delta

and the world's largest inland sea.

(light music)

Heading east across Europe,

the light of human presence fades away.

In Poland, an enormous plain opens up

towards the Ural Mountains in the east

and the Caspian Sea in the south.

Here, a single river, the Volga,

dominates the vast lowlands

which are as large as all of western Europe.

Its source lies in the Valdai Hills,

an empty no-mans-land between Moscow and the Baltic Sea.

(water bubbling) (light music)

In Russia, mighty things are often born in secret.

Hidden under ice for much of the year,

this is where the Volga rises.

(light music)

Deep in the frozen forests,

the river starts its epic journey.

Meandering past a typical Russian basilica,

the Volga will develop into one of

the world's richest river systems.

But where does all this water come from?

One single source cannot be enough

to produce such prodigious quantities.

From Valdai, dozens of rivers flow out into the lowlands.

Sooner or later, all these waters

must surely empty into the sea.

But the young Volga does not abide by such rules.

Instead, it turns inland.

(birds squawking)

Valdai has an unforgivingly harsh climate.

(water sloshing)

Russian beavers know this all too well.

The lead by this beaver's lodge freezes over every night.

And with it, the entrance to its home.

Sharp incisors are surprisingly good ice breakers.

And so begins the morning routine

with a determined assault against last night's frost.

(ice crunching)

Thick ice is no problem for a Russian beaver.

(water sloshing)

(light music)

And there's another technique: sheer body weight.

(ice crunches) (water splashes)

For the largest rodent in Eurasia,

using one's size is faster than biting your way through.

A light hop can be enough for an animal

that can clock in at 50 pounds.

With two, it's even quicker.

(water trickling)

By dawn, the pool is back to its beaver-size dimensions.

(ice cracking) (water splashing)

In Russian winter, open water is a rare treat

and will not remain unnoticed for long.

(ducks quacking)

Mallard ducks quickly turn the basin into a wintry spa.

(wings flapping)

Good for a quick wash and now and again

a scrap between the males if it gets a little overcrowded.

(ducks squawking)

(light music)

The beavers may have broken the ice,

but for the time being, the ducks are certainly

the superior maritime force.

For months on end, the giant lakes of Valdai

lie blanketed in ice and snow.

Monasteries like the magnificent Nilov stand isolated.

(wind whistling) (light music)

Yet, just a few miles away, the young Volga flows freely.

Spreading through fairytale forests,

the small trickle grows into a formidable stream.

As it broadens, it becomes a highway for would-be settlers.

American mink.

Brought in to enrich the fur trade,

they've only been here a couple of decades,

yet now it's they who have become the hunters.

(snow crunching) (crows cawing)

For a mink, this is a perfect habitat.

Beavers are not only familiar to the mink,

they help them make it through the Russian winter.

(playful music)

By breaking ice and building dams

they keep the river open.

And this means access to fertile hunting grounds.

(upbeat music)

(water splashing)

A decent-sized frog makes a very decent meal.

An American migrant who seems to have settled

well in this Russian realm.

(upbeat music)

(light dramatic music)

As dark as oil, the Volga glides from

the high plateau of its source out into the plains.

When it leaves the Valdai Hills,

the river almost gets within sight of Moscow.

And yet, it still looks just like Siberia.

Here, the Volga turns south,

descending into endless Russian lowlands.

(light music)

Moose.

At the outset of winter, they come to the floodplains

seeking safety in numbers.

But food is scarce.

The search for something to eat is always on.

The land is buried under snow

and the going gets harder and harder.

The only answer is to head to the forests.

(snow crunching)

(crows cawing)

Even in the woods, the snow is deep.

But at least it's sheltered and warmer.

(playful music)

A winter forest can be full of life.

But even in Russia, squirrels in numbers like this

are a surprisingly rare sight.

(rustling)

Besides nuts, the squirrels

gather insulation for their nests.

Tirelessly, they strip the bark from dead or dying trees.

Packed down, snuggled in, recyclable.

That's what you call sustainable.

(crows cawing)

What do moose think about?

(bird squawking)

Could it have learned something from the squirrels?

In fact, it's the other way around.

The moose's work helped squirrels

get to the softer wood.

(crunching)

Meanwhile, for the moose, bark is its daily bread.

A cornerstone of its winter diet.

They prefer maple for its sweet taste.

Even poplar, while somewhat bitter, is a delicacy.

Frozen stiff, the outer layer is easy

to snap off and very crunchy.

(crunching)

(bird chirping)

An observer in nearby trees sees an opportunity.

A moose, resting to digest bark,

could provide a healthy meal for the bird.

(birds chirping)

To get its prize, the tit must wait for its chance.

(rustling)

Nimbly, the bird combs the moose's thick hair.

At its roots, louse flies and their eggs

are spending the winter.

That bird's help in de-lousing moose

has never been filmed before.

The long Russian winter is the mother of invention.

The moose is happy, too.

As the tits dig out the tiny protein snacks from its flank,

the perfect winter food.

But sometimes, pickings are slim.

So tits have another trick up their sleeve.

(knocking)

The great black woodpecker has a bigger,

more powerful beak.

If need be, it can expose an entire tree root like this.

Hard work, but essential.

Shavings shake loose all kinds of meals.

Small beetles, spiders, ant eggs.

Crumbs from the woodpecker's table

which the tits can enjoy.

In Russia, nothing goes to waste.

(light music)

For five long months, winter rules the northern Volga.

Icy times ripe for affliction.

Moscow harnessed the power of the Volga

before the atomic age.

Giving rise to reservoirs as big as seas.

In this case, at Rybinsk,

nearly four times the size of New York City.

The energy produced powers this vast country.

For hundreds of miles, high voltage lines

flow through the forests,

branching out to form beloved meeting points.

(snorting)

In the cold morning air, bison emerge from the woods

into patches of sun.

As in North America where bison are known as buffalo,

these megabeasts were nearly hunted out of Russia.

Today, they have resettled.

In the United States they're associated with the plains.

Here, forest is their natural home.

Better to stay out of the way.

But the wild boar have a plan.

(snow crunching)

European bison can weigh as much as a cow.

Even deep drifts present no problem.

Like snow plows, the half-tonners cruise through the woods.

(branches rustling)

(snow crunching)

Despite their shorter legs,

the wild boar can easily navigate

using the freshly-made bison paths.

Not very quietly, but at a respectable distance.

They're en route to a very special place.

(bird squawking)

Far away from the oceans, forests begin to change.

Here, oaks grow shorter than in Central Europe.

(birds squawking)

(snow crunching)

The boars know every oak in the area.

Hidden from the chill, a bounteous supply

of acorns lie buried.

Just as their stomachs fill, their snouts grow frosty.

The harvest has been rich this year.

The herd is relaxed.

December is the month of their rut.

Time for a boar to check his sows.

Would-be suitors are not tolerated.

(boars squawking)

The front is clear again.

(light music)

All that remains is to win over the sow.

(boars squawking)

But she wants to be conquered.

Once again, the smaller boar takes up the scent.

The alpha male pushes him aside with little effort.

(snow rustling)

Finally, the couple retreat into the undergrowth

where nature takes its course.

The young rival sneaks up to see if he can learn something.

Luckily, the big boar is busy and in a good mood.

Or so it seems.

(boar squawking)

(rustling)

(light music)

When the rivers freeze over, Russians grow melancholy.

The Volga never reaches Russia's capital,

yet its tributary, the Moscow River,

flows right through the city.

(men vocalizing)

Over 300 feet high, a statue stands here

to the Russian emperor Peter the Great.

More than three centuries ago,

Czar Peter built his empire's power

right across western Russia,

following rivers like the Volga all the way to the sea.

The country's honor and glory

are closely bound to these waterways.

But the Volga's history has seen painful chapters, too.

(singing in foreign language)

The Kalyazin Bell Tower is a memorial

to a severe flood.

Before World War II, Stalin built dams on the Volga.

Constructing power stations to defend the Soviet empire.

Hundreds of villages, thousands of farms,

and dozens of churches sank forever under the deluge.

The Volga has traveled nearly 600 miles to this point,

and still, it goes on even deeper inland.

Far to the east, the old island fortress

near the city of Kazan has had many lives.

A rampart against horse riding raiders, a gulag,

a psychiatric hospital, and nearly a world heritage site.

(light music)

The days are short,

and little time remains to search for food.

Animals behave like many Russians have learned to do;

pull the belt tight and wait patiently.

(crows cawing)

(snorting)

The frost finds bison in their element.

Young bulls full of energy are coming into their peak form.

(snow rustling)

For many animals, tree bark is the winter staple.

Nothing else can be found now.

Grass and herbs lie deep under the snow.

(rustling)

(crows cawing)

Bison love to rub energetically against smaller trees.

Satisfying itches in parts that are just

too hard to reach with teeth or hooves.

The bison aren't the only ones with massage on their minds.

A wild boar is cautious at first,

there could still be a bison around.

A bison's scratching post, pre-rubbed, perfect.

Threadbare trunks make a good surface

and the snow is already trampled.

There's the shoulder rub.

And the other shoulder.

All the way down the back.

A little neck massage can't hurt.

(light music)

(upbeat music)

♪ Aye aye aye ya ♪

♪ Oh oh oh ♪

♪ Aye aye aye ya ♪

(snow crunching)

On they go deeper into the forest

before the bison trails are snowed in.

Moving east, they may encounter the biggest contributor

to the Volga's immense size.

A mountain range known as the Urals.

(light dramatic music)

Amidst thick forest, huge tributaries drive

through the approaches to the mountains.

Here, the forest is so dense,

the best way to penetrate is by river.

This is a world of snow and when it melts

it will all run into the Volga.

More than half of the river's volume

comes from melted snow.

The Ural Mountains separate Europe from Asia.

(wind whistling)

(light dramatic music)

This windswept summit is known as Man-Pupu-Ner.

Vast stone statues over 40 meters tall.

(light dramatic music)

On their eastern side, all rivers flow to Siberia.

Just a few steps away to the west, into the Volga.

Billions of tons of water bound together a slope.

(light music)

From here, great tributaries of the Volga,

the Vushera, the Kama, and the Belaya,

begin their way into the endless plains.

(light dramatic music)

For now, the Volga is still sleeping.

(water bubbling)

But under the ice, pressure is about

to produce a dramatic effect.

(rumbling)

Shards pile up alongside the Makaryev Convent.

(water trickling)

(light dramatic music)

(ice crunching)

A giant is awakening.

The Volga is freeing itself from its icy corset.

(light dramatic music)

In a matter of just a few hours,

the main stream runs free.

(water trickling)

Spring sun blesses the holy walls.

(light dramatic music)

The Volga's pulse is starting to beat again.

Veins bring life to a land which

has been set solid for months.

(light music)

Snow melt fills the river courses.

Some species head upstream to their spawning grounds

or seek new sources of food.

(water bubbling)

A common dipper.

It's here to hunt caddisfly larvae lying under stones

in the melt water.

(water bubbling)

The last ice is a useful perch.

(light music)

River otters.

This family is heading upstream in search

of fishing grounds.

(suspenseful music) (wings flapping)

The mother has two young.

They're nearly fully grown, yet still they rely

on her to find food.

(water trickling)

Melt water on a river bend has flooded a reed bed.

The roots are perfect shelter for amphibians

and the mother otter knows it.

Common frogs hibernating at the bottom are the reward.

(water trickling)

It's a welcome meal and the young otters

must take advantage, for soon they'll have

to hunt on their own.

In just a few minutes, they catch dozens of frogs.

Russians have a special word for it.

(speaking foreign language)

If fate suddenly sends you a windfall,

don't hesitate, take as much as you can.

(water splashing)

(teeth clicking)

For the otters, this is pure (speaking foreign language).

(light music)

Soon their bellies are full, and now instead of hunting,

they want to play.

Not so much fun for the frog, but for a young otter,

this chance to explore and build its strength is a vital

opportunity in the still-chilly spring conditions.

Plenty more frogs have nevertheless survived

along the countless tributaries.

(snow rustling)

(water trickling)

(water bubbling)

Among all the Volga's principle sources,

there is one more, which many claim is a forgotten one.

(light music)

Hundreds of miles west, and north of the Urals

close to Finland, lies the third vital source of the Volga.

Atleka.

These are the last primeval forests of Europe.

Cold, wet woodlands home to a truly special bird.

(bird squawking)

Capercaillie.

The cock bird performs an ancient ritual.

(wings flapping)

His clicking call echoes back

from the forest around him.

It's a call for a mate.

(bird clicking)

A hen a-watches from the sidelines.

She has seen another male.

(light dramatic music) A rival.

He perches off the ground to make himself seem superior.

(birds squawking)

The cock must defend.

His display arena and the female are at stake.

The rival is not backing down.

(bird clicking) (bird squawking)

(light dramatic music)

The capercaillies fight with their beaks.

Each aims for the bullseye;

the bright red makeup around the opponents' eye.

(birds clicking)

Eventually, the rival concedes.

The rest is apiece of cake.

(wings flapping)

(bird clicking)

And now a lap of honor.

Time to display his full majesty.

The reward is surely his.

Or is it?

(wings flapping)

(light dramatic music)

(men vocalizing)

Gentle snowfall.

For mating to succeed, capercaillie eggs

and their ground nest need a dry bed,

so hens avoid snowy romance.

This is Russia.

Endless effort, however, winter usually wins the day.

(wings flapping)

(light music) (water trickling)

By mid-May, it's safe to say we're

seeing the last of winter.

Moose are back in the river valleys.

Like it or not, they must brave the water.

(water trickling)

There are no great dangers lurking here,

but the melt water is ice cold.

(water splashing)

Who's going to take the plunge?

It always takes one brave one to go first.

Moose are excellent swimmers

and they know the narrowest streams.

(water trickling)

They may swim together, but at the other bank,

each will go its separate way.

Perhaps they'll meet again, many more rivers lie ahead.

(water bubbling)

Vast clear bodies of water full of life

push through the valleys into the central Volga basin.

Ground water flushes from underneath to the surface,

only to sink again and follow underground slopes.

This region is the most powerful reservoir in Europe.

Countless rivers begin their lives here.

The rivers feed three great seas:

the Atlantic Ocean via the Baltic, the Arctic Ocean,

and the Caspian Sea via the Volga.

In Russian, the name of this magical region, Atleka,

is short for these seas.

The waters of Atleka are the third major source.

Together with Valdai and the snow of the Ural Mountains,

they make the Volga into Europe's mightiest river.

It's catchment area is like the size of Alaska.

(engine rumbling)

At one point in particular,

it is joined by another big river.

The Kama.

And this makes the Volga a giant.

(light dramatic music)

Truly majestic, the mightiest river in Europe.

Yet nearly 1,000 miles more lie ahead.

From now on, the river will flow southwards.

In the hinterland lie tiny unnamed tributaries.

(birds chirping)

The forests here are lusher.

(woodpecker tapping)

Home to Ural owls.

(owl hooting)

A fledgling chick and an expectant parent.

(owl squawking)

(wings flapping)

(light music)

Luckily, that's what claws are for.

But what next?

(squawking)

Not what you'd call the perfect first flight.

(leaves rustling)

(squawking)

The ground is no place for a small owl.

(suspenseful music)

Claws to the rescue again.

(squawking)

One small leap in the bird world.

A giant one for this young owl.

(birds chirping)

Enough flying school for one day.

(owl hooting)

Ural owls are not fussy about food.

They hunt almost anything the forest offers up.

(branches rustling) (wings flapping)

(bugs chirping)

The adult must dismantle morsels for a small beak.

A very Russian trait.

Still needs to be beak-fed, yet wants to fly high.

(water trickling)

The river babbles along beneath.

To a beaver, the mere sound is a source of concern.

What a mess.

The dam has burst, the home pond is draining fast.

An emergency that calls for immediate action.

(water trickling)

Beavers don't have it easy in Russia.

They can't just build here on the basis of the weather.

If people open a sluice upstream,

water will break their dams.

Closing sluices downstream has the same effect.

Sealing breaches is a daily matter.

A fellow worker has woken up.

Larger branches that can fill big holes

demand two operators.

They encourage one another with a push-pull.

(water trickling)

At last, the framework is in place.

Now for the mortar.

Even the smallest holes get plastered in.

The devil's in the detail.

(rustling)

Bulldozing makes the route to the dam easier

and helps to shore up foundations on shore.

The rest of the night is spent making good.

(mud sloshing)

Having built up a head of steam, neither wants to stop.

A beaver can never get enough building materials.

By the time they lay the final layer, it's nearly dawn.

(water trickling)

A last listen, no more babbling.

Their dam is secure once more.

But for how long?

(light music) (birds chirping)

Even in summer, Volga nights are cool.

A heavy morning mist hangs over an old meander.

Sun takes time to break through.

(water trickling)

There's a new breach.

Water has found an alternative exit,

this time from the other side.

(light music)

The water has flushed out an unexpected guest.

A Russian desman.

It's just become homeless.

High water has flooded his burrow.

(light music)

Desmans are a kind of water mole.

Instead of tunneling through earth,

they fish about for food in murky water.

Like their cousins the moles, they're virtually blind.

Why have sight?

There's little to be seen in the silk.

Better to have a strong nose.

A desman's snout is always on the move.

It senses what is edible and what isn't.

(mouth crunching)

Water snails are a favorite.

(water trickling)

Time to leave the sinking pool.

For the beavers, the day shift is about to begin.

To keep their domain in tact,

water must never be allowed to run low.

(light music)

But the flow is strong.

Branches just won't cut it.

A more substantial barrier.

Beavers build with wood, so a pallet,

driftwood from the main current, is just right.

Emergencies call for ingenuity, an ancient Russian motto.

(upbeat music)

Time for a desman to dry out.

(light music)

And it's not only them;

everyone's got that grooming feeling.

And when that's over, time for a little free time sparring.

(birds chirping)

(grass rustling)

(water trickling)

Nothing like a spot of water boxing in a beaver paradise.

(water bubbling)

(ethereal music)

Summer in the Volga is short and intense.

Freshwater shrimps bloom in the clear protected waters.

In tributaries and lakes, water fleas

and other plankton flourish.

Young pike grow up fast here.

(light dramatic music)

Soon, they will become giants.

And deep flooded meadows cut off from the main river

make perfect hunting grounds.

(dramatic music)

(light music) (wings flapping)

Further south, the Volga moves into a world

of heat and drought.

On the barren edge of inner Asia,

it becomes a vital refuge and lifeline for wildlife.

(chicks chirping)

Shaping a lush water world where the river

creates our planet's largest inland sea.

(light music)