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[music playing]
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NARRATOR: Once there was
a forest as old as time.
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Our ancestors believed it
was a miracle to behold.
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This was a mysterious
realm so vast,
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no one knew where
it began nor ended.
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An everlasting sea of
green, stretched up
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to the highest mountains.
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Crystal waters ran down to
anoint the valleys below.
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[music playing]
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And where there is
water, there is life.
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Billions of creatures
colonize this wild land--
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rivers teemed with fish and
the sky was full of birds.
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[music playing]
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It was honed to the
most formidable beasts
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to roam the Earth.
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This was Europe millennia ago.
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We were once part of this
natural world, but over time,
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the wilderness
became our enemy--
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to be conquered and exploited.
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[music playing]
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Today, like the miracle
of old, life slowly
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arises from the
ashes in the lands
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known as the Wolf Mountains.
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[music playing]
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This region, on the
borders of Slovakia, Poland
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and the Ukraine, is part
of the mountain chain
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of the Eastern Carpathians.
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Its name dates back
to medieval times
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and is taken from one of its
oldest inhabitants, the wolf.
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Few humans dare venture here.
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This is the kingdom
of predator and prey,
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home to a host of
unique wildlife--
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animals that control one of
the most complex ecosystems
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found in Europe.
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The idea of a lost paradise
in the heart of Europe
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inspires three
Slovakian filmmakers
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to travel to the Wolf Mountains
and discover how nature is
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reverting to its former glory.
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Their main challenge
is to capture
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00:03:15,733 --> 00:03:19,067
shots of wildlife behavior
in very difficult terrain.
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They hope to film
creatures that were
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once on the brink of
extinction, like the bison,
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00:03:26,633 --> 00:03:28,833
beaver and wolf--
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00:03:28,933 --> 00:03:33,567
sure signs of a
return to wilderness.
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These animals are
elusive, but the team
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is determined not to
use artificial means
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to attract them.
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Over the next two
years, it requires
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patience and ingenuity.
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00:03:50,233 --> 00:03:52,533
The first task is to
catch sight of the largest
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surviving herbivore
from the forests
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of the ancient past, the bison.
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To track them successfully,
they need to wait
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for the first snows of winter.
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Five decades ago, a small
herd of wisent bison
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was reintroduced from
captivity into the Polish part
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of the Wolf Mountains.
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Their descendants now freely
wander through the forest.
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00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:32,200
It takes a trek of tens of
kilometers trying to spot them.
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00:04:34,633 --> 00:04:37,700
Only deep traces left in the
snow reveal their presence.
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00:04:41,100 --> 00:04:44,033
Although large, the bison
are surprisingly timid
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00:04:44,133 --> 00:04:46,400
and evade every
attempt to get close.
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00:04:56,400 --> 00:05:01,333
To see a bison in the wild is
like traveling back in time.
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And the dream of discovering
an ancient wilderness
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begins to become reality.
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[music playing]
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These huge beasts were once a
part of our prehistoric lives,
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alongside giant auroch rock
cattle and wild horses.
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[music playing]
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Just like their
ancient relatives,
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these large herbivores
live off all kinds of flora
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and can radically alter the
environment in which they live.
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Living generations of the wild
horse are the hucul horses--
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one of the oldest breeds
of native ponies in Europe.
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In winter, they eat
shoots beneath the snow.
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They particularly relish bark.
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This destructive action
kills off the trees,
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00:06:17,267 --> 00:06:19,567
but creates an open landscape.
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As a result, a variety
of meadows and bushes
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00:06:22,733 --> 00:06:26,267
can begin to flourish,
providing habitats
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for thousands of other species.
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It is forest management
at its most natural.
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After several days,
the team manages to get
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even closer to the bison.
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This herd now totals
almost 300 animals
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and is the biggest
population of bison
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across the Carpathian region.
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Numbers are still far lower
than in centuries past,
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00:07:06,100 --> 00:07:07,900
but it's hoped
these will increase
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00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:11,400
as the herd is left to colonize
new territories further afield.
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00:07:14,133 --> 00:07:15,733
The team hopes to get
the chance to meet
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00:07:15,833 --> 00:07:19,533
these primeval beasts elsewhere
on their wilderness trail.
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The most secretive and
controversial creature
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00:07:33,067 --> 00:07:36,567
of this wild country
is its top predator--
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the wolf.
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00:07:38,033 --> 00:07:41,867
To film the natural behavior
of these specters of the forest
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requires a huge amount of luck.
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00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:48,767
At the end of winter,
their presence
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is tantalizingly visible.
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It's clear evidence
they're alive and well.
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00:07:55,167 --> 00:07:57,833
But to see them,
let alone film them,
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proves at first impossible.
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00:08:06,133 --> 00:08:08,267
Man's relationship
with the wolf is
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as old as with the bison
and the wild horse,
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but it was more intimate.
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Our ancestors
worshipped the wolf.
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00:08:19,067 --> 00:08:21,567
They had a lot in common.
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00:08:21,667 --> 00:08:24,067
They both lived in
close knit groups.
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00:08:24,167 --> 00:08:26,600
Both chased the
same prey for food.
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00:08:26,700 --> 00:08:30,100
And both needed similar
skills for hunting.
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They became valued companions.
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In preparation for a
hunt, the men would sing
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in unison to ensure success.
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The wolves would howl in chorus.
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[wolves howling]
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In medieval times,
this relationship
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dramatically changed.
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And by the beginning
of the 20th century,
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wolves were hunted
to near-extinction.
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The few packs left retreated
into the shadows of the forests
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and learned how to avoid people.
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It takes six months before
these legendary animals
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are spotted for real.
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Two adults and a
young wolf appear
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in a small clearing
in the forest
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and mark their territory.
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Seconds later, they
vanish into thin air.
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00:10:03,067 --> 00:10:06,033
To increase the odds of
capturing wolves at large,
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the team sets up video
traps of key points
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where a pack might pass.
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During playback, the team
discovers that one wolf has
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ventured into beaver terrain.
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The trail is irresistible.
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[music playing]
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Like the bison and
the wolf, the beaver
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is another species
that was virtually
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eradicated across Europe.
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Prehistoric hunters saw beavers
as easily accessible food.
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They were numerous
and safe to hunt.
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00:10:46,467 --> 00:10:49,733
As a result, they were the
protein most often consumed.
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In the Middle
Ages, people hunted
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beaver for the alleged healing
power of their scent glands.
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00:11:03,167 --> 00:11:05,067
Beaver was also
believed to be part
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fish because of its scaly
tail and webbed feet.
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00:11:08,633 --> 00:11:12,267
So these parts of its body were
very popular to eat on the days
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when meat was forbidden.
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00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:17,200
As this amounted to
over half the year
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and as the human
population grew,
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the beavers soon became
a very threatened animal.
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00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:30,867
Somehow it survived and
is now slowly returning
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00:11:30,967 --> 00:11:32,500
to its old wilderness habitat.
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00:11:45,733 --> 00:11:48,967
Here in the Polish part
of the Wolf Mountains,
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there are signs of its
extraordinary activities.
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Beavers dramatically change
the structure of the small
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streams they inhabit.
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Thanks to their
voracious feeding habits,
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they clear small
pockets of forest
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to create open spaces
that attract many plant
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species that love the light.
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[music playing]
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00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:04,300
And by building dams, they
create a sophisticated chain
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of lakes and wetlands
that within a short time
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are brimming with life.
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[music playing]
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These wetlands also
provide rich feeding
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grounds for hunters, like black
storks and numerous birds.
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[music playing]
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Many other animals reap
the benefit of the beaver's
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unique architecture.
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Some use their dams as
bridges to cross the water.
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Unfortunately for
the beaver, these
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act as platforms for a
hungry predator to pounce.
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[music playing]
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It's clear that wolves are
attracted to this watery area
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for food, but only at night.
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One evening, the howls
are heard in the distance.
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[wolves howling]
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As the pack approaches,
the sounds of their cubs
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become all too apparent.
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[wolves howling]
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From the noises, it's certain
they've killed a beaver nearby
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for a midnight supper.
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Despite hearing a whole
wolf pack during a kill,
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the team is no closer to
filming them in action
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in this area of forest wetland.
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They move up to open
mountain terrain
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where the wolves can't hide.
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[music playing]
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Higher up, the fresh grass
of the Alpine Meadows
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attracts a lot of red
and roe deer to feed.
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[music playing]
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The most vulnerable
are the young
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and they must remain
hidden from the wolves.
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But here over the summer
months, the deer seem to enjoy
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an almost carefree existence.
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00:17:06,467 --> 00:17:09,900
One roe deer tries to
overcome the lack of action
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by picking a fight with
an imaginary enemy.
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00:17:22,267 --> 00:17:25,767
Even with temptations of
ready meals like these,
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there is neither sight nor
sound of the elusive predators.
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00:17:36,633 --> 00:17:39,500
But there are sounds
of a different kind.
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[deer roaring]
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It is now late
summer and the start
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00:18:08,133 --> 00:18:09,400
of the deer rutting season.
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00:18:12,300 --> 00:18:15,133
The forests resound with
the roars of the stags
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and a cacophony of
primeval passion.
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[deer roaring]
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00:18:46,833 --> 00:18:49,700
The stags have to compete
against one another
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00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:51,200
for the attention of the hinds.
209
00:19:00,367 --> 00:19:02,433
The older, more
experienced males
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round up their
conquests into harems
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and must defend
them at all costs.
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[music playing]
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00:19:37,167 --> 00:19:40,133
A year has passed
since filming began.
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00:19:40,233 --> 00:19:43,433
And still, the wolves
remain firmly out of sight.
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00:19:43,533 --> 00:19:46,767
[music playing]
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00:19:58,033 --> 00:19:59,767
The team decides
to try their luck
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00:19:59,867 --> 00:20:02,000
by the banks of a
major river that
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00:20:02,100 --> 00:20:05,700
runs through the Polish
side of the Wolf Mountains.
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00:20:05,800 --> 00:20:09,333
Riverine environments
are usually very fertile
220
00:20:09,433 --> 00:20:12,267
and an ideal place
for animals to gather,
221
00:20:12,367 --> 00:20:15,900
but most European rivers are
heavily populated and bordered
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00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:18,100
by roads.
223
00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:21,933
The very presence of humans
pushes the wildlife away
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00:20:22,033 --> 00:20:23,600
and the animals are
forced to survive
225
00:20:23,700 --> 00:20:26,567
in less favorable areas.
226
00:20:26,667 --> 00:20:30,067
But there are no humans on
this stretch of the San River.
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00:20:30,167 --> 00:20:31,933
Only wilderness and
wildlife thrive.
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00:20:32,033 --> 00:20:35,300
[music playing]
229
00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:56,700
It is a favorite crossing
point for animals
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00:20:56,800 --> 00:20:58,300
in unusually large numbers.
231
00:21:11,367 --> 00:21:13,933
As so many different
species are attracted
232
00:21:14,033 --> 00:21:16,433
to cross the river
in search of food
233
00:21:16,533 --> 00:21:18,933
and to cool down
in warm weather,
234
00:21:19,033 --> 00:21:23,000
it's possible to film them all
day from sunrise to sunset.
235
00:21:23,100 --> 00:21:26,367
[music playing]
236
00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:09,333
The animals have
no place to hide.
237
00:22:09,433 --> 00:22:12,267
And in only a few
days, more are seen
238
00:22:12,367 --> 00:22:14,033
than over all of last year.
239
00:22:14,133 --> 00:22:17,600
[music playing]
240
00:23:27,633 --> 00:23:30,967
Then, out of nowhere,
a huge brown bear
241
00:23:31,067 --> 00:23:35,900
comes down to the river
for an afternoon bathe.
242
00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:39,400
It is rare to have such an
encounter with one of Europe's
243
00:23:39,500 --> 00:23:41,800
greatest mammals in the wild.
244
00:23:52,233 --> 00:23:56,233
Then some days later, the
team strikes further gold.
245
00:23:56,333 --> 00:23:59,333
A lone wolf appears on the
opposite bank of the river.
246
00:23:59,433 --> 00:24:02,733
[music playing]
247
00:24:21,133 --> 00:24:24,300
Its full belly suggests
it has recently eaten,
248
00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:25,767
and its prey lies nearby.
249
00:24:37,700 --> 00:24:40,900
But it's not long before the
wolf returns to the shadows
250
00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:42,233
of its forest domain.
251
00:25:07,500 --> 00:25:09,433
The largest and most
powerful animals
252
00:25:09,533 --> 00:25:13,033
to frequent this river crossing
make up one of the biggest
253
00:25:13,133 --> 00:25:16,367
bison herds of the region.
254
00:25:16,467 --> 00:25:18,100
They spend most of
the time feeding
255
00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:20,900
in the compact vegetation
of the riverbank.
256
00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:23,167
And they regularly cross
the river in search
257
00:25:23,267 --> 00:25:26,467
of other food to snack on.
258
00:25:26,567 --> 00:25:29,067
They will sometimes stay
in the middle of the river
259
00:25:29,167 --> 00:25:31,767
where they feel safe
for hours at a time.
260
00:25:43,333 --> 00:25:46,833
When the herd ventures up
river, their incredible strength
261
00:25:46,933 --> 00:25:48,333
is tangible.
262
00:25:48,433 --> 00:25:51,100
It seems as if the Earth
trembles beneath their hooves.
263
00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:54,400
[music playing]
264
00:26:02,467 --> 00:26:06,300
Bison herds are composed mainly
of females and their young
265
00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:09,400
and by a few young bulls.
266
00:26:09,500 --> 00:26:13,100
But during mating season, the
older bulls, which can weigh up
267
00:26:13,200 --> 00:26:16,033
to one ton, will join the herd.
268
00:26:42,533 --> 00:26:46,000
The bull follows his
prospective mate everywhere.
269
00:26:48,767 --> 00:26:52,133
He can be surprisingly
gentle in his persuasions.
270
00:27:09,233 --> 00:27:12,100
These older bulls behave
differently to the others
271
00:27:12,200 --> 00:27:16,233
and can't wait to start a fight.
272
00:27:16,333 --> 00:27:19,533
They choose to do this in
dense vegetation out of sight.
273
00:27:41,700 --> 00:27:45,167
One bull comes down to the
river after a violent bout.
274
00:27:50,133 --> 00:27:53,367
It's lucky to escape
with few injuries.
275
00:27:53,467 --> 00:27:57,033
These fights not only
expel weaker opponents,
276
00:27:57,133 --> 00:27:58,433
they can result in death.
277
00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:12,900
Amid all the drama, another
lone wolf is spotted taking
278
00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:14,500
a drink on the opposite bank.
279
00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:27,467
[suspenseful music playing]
280
00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:36,067
Over the next day or so,
there are no further sightings
281
00:28:36,167 --> 00:28:37,567
of any wolves.
282
00:28:37,667 --> 00:28:40,533
But the huge bear returns
to the river for a bathe.
283
00:29:03,933 --> 00:29:07,400
[suspenseful music playing]
284
00:29:39,633 --> 00:29:44,967
After a while, the bear returns,
but it's now almost night.
285
00:29:45,067 --> 00:29:47,000
The river is again
full of animals.
286
00:29:54,400 --> 00:29:58,000
One wild boar is bold
enough to confront the bear.
287
00:30:01,167 --> 00:30:04,233
The bear is wise enough
to beat a hasty retreat.
288
00:30:22,233 --> 00:30:25,533
These brown bears go to the
river to browse for apples
289
00:30:25,633 --> 00:30:26,767
on the old fruit trees.
290
00:30:30,800 --> 00:30:35,600
Normally, bears in Europe are
almost totally vegetarian,
291
00:30:35,700 --> 00:30:39,067
but the biggest bears take every
opportunity to scavenge off
292
00:30:39,167 --> 00:30:41,033
the remains of any wolf kill.
293
00:30:44,167 --> 00:30:46,400
In times past, when
there were many more
294
00:30:46,500 --> 00:30:49,667
herbivores in the forest
and significantly more
295
00:30:49,767 --> 00:30:54,300
fish in the rivers, the
bears mostly ate meat.
296
00:30:54,400 --> 00:30:57,700
As a result, they were even
bigger than they are today.
297
00:31:02,267 --> 00:31:04,667
Salmon and sea
trout once migrated
298
00:31:04,767 --> 00:31:06,967
up and down the San River.
299
00:31:07,067 --> 00:31:10,633
But in the 1950s, all
that came to a halt
300
00:31:10,733 --> 00:31:13,367
with the building of
a dam for human needs.
301
00:31:16,067 --> 00:31:18,633
If these fish return
to these waters,
302
00:31:18,733 --> 00:31:22,800
perhaps the bears could again
be free to catch salmon,
303
00:31:22,900 --> 00:31:24,967
just like their wild
cousins in Alaska.
304
00:31:25,067 --> 00:31:28,533
[music playing]
305
00:31:41,867 --> 00:31:44,967
The abundance of all these
creatures by the San River
306
00:31:45,067 --> 00:31:48,700
is extraordinary, but
life here represents
307
00:31:48,800 --> 00:31:52,500
only a tiny fraction of what
the natural world can sustain.
308
00:31:57,533 --> 00:32:00,733
Without human intervention,
populations of animals
309
00:32:00,833 --> 00:32:05,100
would be far higher, and the
sightings of wolves and bears
310
00:32:05,200 --> 00:32:08,267
far more common.
311
00:32:08,367 --> 00:32:11,000
This small pocket of
pristine wilderness
312
00:32:11,100 --> 00:32:13,800
is a true reflection of
what the natural world could
313
00:32:13,900 --> 00:32:17,567
look like if left to itself.
314
00:32:29,367 --> 00:32:31,333
The only part of
the Wolf Mountains
315
00:32:31,433 --> 00:32:35,433
that is strictly protected is
the Bieszczady National Park,
316
00:32:35,533 --> 00:32:41,067
on the Polish side, but
the areas below the park
317
00:32:41,167 --> 00:32:42,667
have no protection.
318
00:32:47,300 --> 00:32:50,400
This is where all the
animals go in wintertime
319
00:32:50,500 --> 00:32:52,900
and it is open to
human exploitation
320
00:32:53,000 --> 00:32:54,267
for hunting and logging.
321
00:32:57,833 --> 00:32:59,800
There are now no
pristine forests
322
00:32:59,900 --> 00:33:01,667
left on the lower slopes.
323
00:33:01,767 --> 00:33:05,100
The only example of
such an ancient forest
324
00:33:05,200 --> 00:33:09,333
is one very old oak tree
found in the Ukraine.
325
00:33:09,433 --> 00:33:12,900
It's around 1,200 years old.
326
00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:18,333
In those times, bison, giant
auroch boars and wild horses,
327
00:33:18,433 --> 00:33:20,867
now both extinct,
would have grazed
328
00:33:20,967 --> 00:33:22,433
beneath its majestic branches.
329
00:33:32,333 --> 00:33:35,467
But in the higher altitudes,
some of these forests
330
00:33:35,567 --> 00:33:37,333
still remain.
331
00:33:37,433 --> 00:33:41,500
This is one of the most
biodiverse regions in Europe.
332
00:33:41,600 --> 00:33:43,633
One of the most
preserved forests
333
00:33:43,733 --> 00:33:48,100
lies in the Slovak part
of the Wolf Mountains,
334
00:33:48,200 --> 00:33:50,400
the Stuzica nature reserve.
335
00:33:54,833 --> 00:33:59,333
Some trees are as high as 56
meters and as thick as two.
336
00:34:02,433 --> 00:34:07,200
This ecosystem of primeval fir
beech forest support hundreds
337
00:34:07,300 --> 00:34:11,067
of various species,
from birds and insects
338
00:34:11,167 --> 00:34:15,033
to fungi and amphibians,
like the curious salamander.
339
00:34:23,900 --> 00:34:27,467
Dozens of different
birds live here.
340
00:34:27,567 --> 00:34:30,933
There are even eight
kinds of woodpeckers--
341
00:34:31,033 --> 00:34:33,733
almost unheard of in
other European forests.
342
00:34:33,833 --> 00:34:37,200
[birds chirping]
343
00:34:53,467 --> 00:34:56,633
A treecreeper builds a
nest under the peeling
344
00:34:56,733 --> 00:34:58,033
bark of a beech tree.
345
00:35:06,133 --> 00:35:08,767
It's the perfect place to
hide a brood of chicks.
346
00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:18,400
Similarly, a Eurasian
pygmy owl uses
347
00:35:18,500 --> 00:35:21,767
the holes created by a
woodpecker to make its nest.
348
00:35:25,067 --> 00:35:27,733
It's a fearsome predator.
349
00:35:27,833 --> 00:35:31,633
Besides other smaller birds,
it catches rodents as well.
350
00:35:47,667 --> 00:35:53,067
Rare species of owls can also be
found in this primeval forest,
351
00:35:53,167 --> 00:35:55,200
such as the enigmatic Ural owl.
352
00:36:00,633 --> 00:36:05,833
But the forest is the choice
home of the wolf population.
353
00:36:05,933 --> 00:36:07,333
They use the
shadows of the trees
354
00:36:07,433 --> 00:36:10,667
to give them every advantage
to stalk and capture
355
00:36:10,767 --> 00:36:12,800
their prey, usually deer.
356
00:36:12,900 --> 00:36:16,300
[music playing]
357
00:36:20,567 --> 00:36:23,600
The video traps set
up over the summer
358
00:36:23,700 --> 00:36:25,700
eventually reveals
some of the movements
359
00:36:25,800 --> 00:36:30,467
of these rarely seen predators
in their daily search for food.
360
00:36:30,567 --> 00:36:34,067
[music playing]
361
00:37:24,467 --> 00:37:29,100
Winter arrives in the Wolf
Mountains with a vengeance.
362
00:37:29,200 --> 00:37:31,367
Conditions for all
the animals are harsh.
363
00:37:41,733 --> 00:37:44,967
The herbivores, like
the bison and deer,
364
00:37:45,067 --> 00:37:48,033
must go to the valleys
where there is less snow
365
00:37:48,133 --> 00:37:49,567
and food is easier to locate.
366
00:38:14,967 --> 00:38:19,000
Temperatures at night can drop
to below minus 20 degrees.
367
00:38:19,100 --> 00:38:22,400
[music playing]
368
00:38:38,200 --> 00:38:41,933
Animals cross the San River
in their perpetual quest
369
00:38:42,033 --> 00:38:43,300
to find things to eat.
370
00:38:50,133 --> 00:38:52,867
During winter, they must
devise different strategies
371
00:38:52,967 --> 00:38:53,800
to survive.
372
00:39:06,267 --> 00:39:09,733
Some find food underwater,
others from the bark
373
00:39:09,833 --> 00:39:11,000
of snow covered trees.
374
00:39:23,467 --> 00:39:26,033
And for those choosing
the easy option,
375
00:39:26,133 --> 00:39:28,100
there is always
something hopefully
376
00:39:28,200 --> 00:39:29,800
to retrieve beneath the snow.
377
00:39:47,600 --> 00:39:52,900
A family of boars filmed in the
summer returns to the river.
378
00:39:53,000 --> 00:39:55,733
The young have clearly grown.
379
00:39:55,833 --> 00:39:59,533
Only the strongest will survive.
380
00:39:59,633 --> 00:40:02,567
It not only rests on the
ability to find food,
381
00:40:02,667 --> 00:40:05,600
it depends on the physical
condition of all the animals
382
00:40:05,700 --> 00:40:07,533
at the end of autumn.
383
00:40:07,633 --> 00:40:10,033
If they are fit, they
will have a better chance
384
00:40:10,133 --> 00:40:13,567
of surviving another year.
385
00:40:13,667 --> 00:40:15,933
Some will fail to make it.
386
00:40:16,033 --> 00:40:18,967
But the winter has
its advantages.
387
00:40:19,067 --> 00:40:22,167
A carcass provides a rich
meal for other animals
388
00:40:22,267 --> 00:40:25,100
in this wild country.
389
00:40:25,200 --> 00:40:28,200
In the eternal circle
of life and death,
390
00:40:28,300 --> 00:40:30,700
it pays to eat anything
that can be found.
391
00:40:41,900 --> 00:40:48,300
Martens, for example, usually
eat small mammals and birds,
392
00:40:48,400 --> 00:40:50,433
but they also enjoy
fruit in the winter.
393
00:40:50,533 --> 00:40:54,000
[music playing]
394
00:41:30,333 --> 00:41:33,333
This winter is
colder than normal.
395
00:41:33,433 --> 00:41:37,467
Temperatures drop even
further to minus 30 degrees.
396
00:41:50,300 --> 00:41:54,100
The river is frozen solid and
the only place not covered
397
00:41:54,200 --> 00:41:55,667
by a thick layer of snow.
398
00:42:05,500 --> 00:42:07,833
This provides the
wolves with a high way
399
00:42:07,933 --> 00:42:10,933
to capture prey more easily.
400
00:42:11,033 --> 00:42:14,467
Again, there is no
sign of a pack at work,
401
00:42:14,567 --> 00:42:17,700
only the sight of a
solitary wolf disappearing
402
00:42:17,800 --> 00:42:19,400
back into its forest kingdom.
403
00:42:32,267 --> 00:42:36,400
After a few days, the weather
warms and the thaw begins.
404
00:42:44,233 --> 00:42:47,833
The team has spent
500 days in the wild.
405
00:42:47,933 --> 00:42:49,733
And now it's time
for them to return
406
00:42:49,833 --> 00:42:52,000
from the wilderness
of their dreams
407
00:42:52,100 --> 00:42:53,500
and to reflect on
their discoveries.
408
00:42:53,600 --> 00:42:56,733
[music playing]
409
00:43:11,000 --> 00:43:12,800
Here in the Wolf
Mountains, there
410
00:43:12,900 --> 00:43:15,767
are few opportunities to
glimpse the animal that gives
411
00:43:15,867 --> 00:43:17,567
this wild region its name.
412
00:43:22,567 --> 00:43:25,233
Yet this top, but
secretive predator,
413
00:43:25,333 --> 00:43:27,700
reigns supreme over
the rivers, mountains
414
00:43:27,800 --> 00:43:31,933
and forests that make up this
unique and diverse ecosystem.
415
00:43:32,033 --> 00:43:35,400
[music playing]
416
00:44:14,567 --> 00:44:17,467
As animal after animal
is seen emerging
417
00:44:17,567 --> 00:44:20,667
from the mist of the
San River, a vision
418
00:44:20,767 --> 00:44:24,533
of a new European wilderness
begins to take shape.
419
00:44:41,700 --> 00:44:47,867
This is a beautiful
realm, full of life,
420
00:44:47,967 --> 00:44:51,700
and filled with all
manner of creatures,
421
00:44:51,800 --> 00:44:54,567
both great and small.
422
00:44:59,133 --> 00:45:02,067
Giant herbivores
migrate over the land.
423
00:45:06,433 --> 00:45:08,600
Rare mammals stalk its rivers.
424
00:45:12,033 --> 00:45:14,300
Strange beasts
change water flows
425
00:45:14,400 --> 00:45:18,133
and forge a new
habitat, just like they
426
00:45:18,233 --> 00:45:20,533
did in the ancient past.
427
00:45:34,000 --> 00:45:36,767
Generations today
have rarely seen
428
00:45:36,867 --> 00:45:38,600
a real wilderness like this.
429
00:45:41,267 --> 00:45:44,867
Such places belong in
Africa and North America,
430
00:45:44,967 --> 00:45:47,133
but there is little
in Europe to compare.
431
00:45:55,833 --> 00:45:59,200
Now Europeans are beginning
to value the first glimmers
432
00:45:59,300 --> 00:46:03,867
of wildernesses reborn and to
recognize the possibilities
433
00:46:03,967 --> 00:46:04,800
of the future.
434
00:46:17,133 --> 00:46:19,900
But even in the Wolf
Mountains, nature
435
00:46:20,000 --> 00:46:22,900
is not yet free to evolve.
436
00:46:23,000 --> 00:46:25,200
The areas that
are well-protected
437
00:46:25,300 --> 00:46:26,500
are still too small.
438
00:46:29,333 --> 00:46:34,133
If better protection is given
to bigger spaces where nature
439
00:46:34,233 --> 00:46:38,933
can take care of itself,
much more of wilderness life
440
00:46:39,033 --> 00:46:40,000
will thrive.
441
00:46:45,600 --> 00:46:49,400
After centuries of
exploiting nature for gain,
442
00:46:49,500 --> 00:46:52,233
it is time for us to
pay back the debt owed
443
00:46:52,333 --> 00:46:53,733
to the wilderness of our past.
444
00:46:58,700 --> 00:47:01,533
And we might, once
again, be able to look
445
00:47:01,633 --> 00:47:04,900
with respect into the eyes
of our ancient friends.
446
00:47:05,000 --> 00:47:08,367
[music playing]
33274
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