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00:00The wolf, a highly intelligent predator with a bad reputation.
00:12To many, they are cunning and ruthless killers.
00:17But I want to find out if there's another side to this feared carnivore.
00:22I've always had a fascination with wolves ever since I was a kid.
00:25These symbolise the wild like no other animal.
00:30My name is Gordon Buchanan. I'm a wildlife cameraman.
00:35I'm travelling to the Arctic to get closer to wild wolves than anyone has ever been before.
00:43I want to actually understand the true nature of the wolf, separate fact from fiction.
00:50I'll be dropped deep into wolf territory.
00:53These are animals that have killed people.
00:55And I've got two of them just five metres away.
00:59I'm putting my life on the line.
01:02Is this too close? Is this too close?
01:05James, what? Oh my God.
01:09To get an unprecedented view of wolf family life.
01:13Come on, pups, out you come.
01:16I'll meet the characters in a pack.
01:21Scruffy, you little swine.
01:25And discover if the big bad wolf is as dangerous as we imagine.
01:31Don't even think about it.
01:33To get inside a wolf pack, I'm travelling to a wilderness so remote that the wolves here have never seen people.
01:54It's taken me four days to reach Ellesmere Island in the Canadian Arctic.
02:04Near the North Pole, it's home to the most isolated wolves in the world.
02:09I'm here to try to follow a family of wolves during the most important three months of their lives.
02:23From spring when they have pups, until the return of the brutal Arctic winter.
02:40Two years ago, a biologist flew over and spotted a pack in this area.
02:46I've come to see if they're still here.
02:48Oh, look, look, look, look!
02:53Wow, one, two, three, four, five, six.
02:57Wow, look at that.
03:00How incredible.
03:05Great.
03:06Just staring up at me.
03:13Yes.
03:15Brilliant.
03:16This is the first of two trips I'll be making to the Arctic.
03:24I've brought supplies to keep me going for three weeks.
03:37Well, now that I've found the wolves, I'm going to stay here.
03:42I'm going to set up camp right over here.
03:44The Arctic wolves here have never seen people.
03:54I have no idea how they'll react.
03:57They might think I'm their next meal.
03:59I'm their next meal.
04:11Oh, my goodness me.
04:14That is sensational.
04:18I do not believe it.
04:20He's stopping.
04:21This is the closest I've ever been to a wild wolf.
04:32I feel incredibly vulnerable.
04:35Wolves take down animals five times my size.
04:38It is an unbelievable start to this.
04:52My heart is still racing when the wolf leaves.
04:55It's amazing to see wolves that close, but mixed with that is a little bit of apprehension.
05:08But the truth is I'm not alone here.
05:10I have a director and a sound man.
05:11If I was alone, I think it would be a very different experience.
05:17Wolves are at their most dangerous when they lose their fear of people.
05:20And it seems that these wolves don't have any fear to begin with.
05:33The wolves here are the top predator.
05:38They live in one of the most extreme places on Earth.
05:41In winter, temperatures plummet to minus 50 degrees.
05:51The sun sets in October and doesn't rise again for four months.
05:59The climate is so harsh that no people live on this part of the island.
06:06These wolves have never been hunted.
06:08That makes them bold.
06:12But it could also make them very dangerous.
06:22The fact is, wolves have attacked, killed and injured people in the past.
06:28In 2000, here in Canada, there was someone camping in the wild
06:33and they were pulled from their tent in their sleeping bag and set upon by wolves.
06:38He was only really saved by the fact that he was with people.
06:40Had he been alone, he would have almost certainly been killed by those wolves.
06:45That's why I'm putting up an electric fence.
06:49I'm camping alone to increase my chances of getting close to the pack.
06:54The camera crew is based half a mile away, so it won't be much help if I run into trouble.
06:59So, in theory, it's working now.
07:03I hate to do it, but I think I'm going to test it just...
07:08..just to make sure.
07:10Am I...? God, I don't want to do that.
07:13It must be working.
07:16I'll bugger it.
07:17Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, it's working.
07:23That's... Oh! Yeah, that's working as well.
07:29The pack are watching me from the other side of the valley,
07:33but I don't know how long they'll be here.
07:36Wolves stay in one place when they have a den with pups.
07:41I'm hoping that's what this pack is doing.
07:45My tent's in a perfect position for a stakeout.
07:50Hi!
07:52This is, er...
07:54My house, my home.
07:56This is where I'll be sleeping.
07:58Erm...
08:00And I have the most unbelievable view.
08:06Literally the first thing that I'll see when I...
08:08open my tent in the morning is, erm...
08:11the hillside where the wolves are.
08:15But what a place.
08:17What a...
08:18What a campsite.
08:21It really is brilliant.
08:27While they're here, I can observe them 24 hours a day.
08:32At this time of year, the sun never sets.
08:36It's spring.
08:38A time when this barren land is bursting with new life.
08:48Young arctic hare and baby foxes are everywhere.
08:55But there's also a creature from the Ice Age that I hope doesn't come too close.
08:59Musk-Ox are one of the Arctic's most powerful animals.
09:05They look like something from Star Wars.
09:09And they're notoriously bad-tempered.
09:12It's unsettling camping here, and the constant daylight makes it difficult to rest.
09:22It's hard to sleep when the sun's shining.
09:23Everything's telling you that you shouldn't be in bed.
09:24But it's quarter past two in the morning, so the best thing to do is try and make things as dark as possible.
09:26?
09:35?
09:37?
09:43in bed but it's quarter past two in the morning and so the best thing to do is
09:49try and make things as dark as possible
09:54these help
10:06today I want to find out if the pack have a den the plan is to track their
10:12movements for as long as I can stay awake but the wolves have other ideas oh my word
10:24the wolf that approached me yesterday is back and this time it's not alone
10:34both the wolves are about 40 meters away from me my heart is racing
10:39so wolves might approach for two reasons to see if I'm a threat or to find out if I'm worth eating
10:46oh geez they are right in front of me my god oh my god
10:55hey wolf it's going to turn this around
11:03I tell you what this is quite unnerving
11:12I'm being circled by wolves and I'm not sure if I like it
11:17being this close to a wolf I'm just reminded that these are animals that have
11:35injured people these are animals that have killed people and I've got two of them
11:40five meters away
11:51she's coming right up to my little fence
11:54oh my word look at those eyes
11:58all the better to see you with she is just stunning
12:02I definitely feel safer when they back off a bit
12:15my goodness I don't think I've seen such a beautiful animal in my life
12:22I never imagined that wolves would get this close
12:32it's a perfect chance to try and work out who's who
12:38it really is amazing there's so few places in the world that you can get this close to an animal
12:43of of this size and the closer these wolves come you start to see differences
12:49it looks like these are two females they're both full size this wolf is is much more mature
12:56looking you can see it in her in her face she's older definitely marginally bigger a lot more hair
13:03around her face like a lion's mane almost but look at this this is this could be major news
13:13this could be major news on her belly towards the back end it's bare you can almost see the nipples
13:19and what that means and what that tells me is that this is a breeding female and the great hope is
13:27that before too long i'm going to get a look at these pups this is a huge relief pups mean that this pack will stay in one place
13:37place now i need to find their den
13:44this new mom is pale like the moon so i've named her luna
13:48this is the only time of year wolves can raise young but they don't have long
14:03here in the high arctic spring and summer only lasts three months
14:06it's a brief respite from freezing temperatures but conditions remain tough
14:14and some years wolves don't breed at all
14:22i'm hoping this pack has a den with pups on the opposite hillside
14:26i spend hours trying to find it
14:33eventually my perseverance pays off look that has to be a den
14:39this den is an amazing find because it is the only way to keep track of these wolves
14:55to get them at the time of year that they can't move around freely and that's when they're denning
15:00that's when they've got pups and i can't help but imagine what's going on underground
15:06you know there has to be pups in there and the question is how many
15:14if i'm going to work my way inside a wolf family then gaining the trust of luna will be key
15:37camping next to a wild wolf pack is incredible but i do wish they weren't such noisy neighbors
15:50goodness me lord it makes it very difficult to sleep sometimes oh it's very wearing
15:58but i can't complain because i get to wake up to
16:06wolves howling
16:09this is the best way to wake up ever
16:14wolves communicate by howling every pack member has a distinct voice
16:20this morning the biggest wolf i've seen so far is rallying the pack to go hunting
16:34this big male must be the head of the family i'm going to call him romulus
16:39wolf packs are like human families romulus and luna are mum and dad
16:52all the other wolves are probably their offspring from different years
16:55hang on let me just count them we've got one two at front three four five six
17:07all six of them galloping and trotting along in the skyline there
17:12my guess is the two at the back are possibly last year's pups the yearlings a little bit smaller
17:25and they're a lot more playful
17:38arctic wolves hunt for food in a territory which can cover over a thousand square miles
17:47in spring there are lots of young animals
17:55so
17:58but here there's no such thing as an easy meal
18:02even if you are a big bad wolf
18:15and if the wolves go anywhere near a skua's nest they're dive bombed until they move on
18:25the pack can spend days hunting but luna usually returns within an hour to watch over the den
18:43this is a great opportunity to see if we can start to win our trust so i'm moving closer
18:55by making whining noises and avoiding eye contact i act submissively to try and put her at ease
19:25She seems nervous, so I make myself smaller and less threatening.
19:55I try something a little different to draw her in.
20:22It's clear that me getting close to the wolves is completely on their terms.
20:27I just tried to get close to Luna there and she moved away,
20:30kept a distance of about 60 metres, didn't let me close that distance.
20:34So it's not that she's fearful, it's just that she's a boss.
20:39She dictates what happens and when.
20:44I think the best thing I can do now is leave Luna alone for a few days.
20:49That way she can get used to me being around.
20:59It's been a week and I'm starting to get a sense of the pack's routine.
21:06Romulus leads the family out on hunts twice a day.
21:10Sometimes they don't have to go that far.
21:14Arctic hares are approaching the den.
21:18They're young living groups of up to 200, making them irresistible to hungry wolves.
21:24The youngest wolves of the pack are faster and more agile than the older wolves.
21:42But Arctic hares are built for speed.
21:57Accelerating up to 40 miles per hour.
22:03The hares often outpace the wolves.
22:15The two yearlings are the pack's troublesome teens.
22:18And now they're taking an interest in me.
22:21I do wonder what they think when they see me standing here.
22:24Because they certainly don't see me as a threat.
22:30And I wonder, I really do, if they don't see me as a threat.
22:37Whether they see me as a potential source of food.
22:40I shouldn't be surprised that one of the most intelligent animals on the planet
22:50has found a way of dismantling my fence without getting shocked.
22:57If they get into my food supplies, I'll be in big trouble.
23:01Apart from the yearlings, no other wolf will come near.
23:15To get to know the Shire members of the pack, I put out remote cameras.
23:20But the youngest wolves strike again.
23:24OK, here comes a wolf.
23:26It's one of the yearlings straight up the camera trap.
23:30Everything that wolves find, they test with their teeth.
23:38They don't use their paws to feel things out.
23:41The most sensitive part of their body are their lips, their mouth, their nose.
23:47Every camera I put out becomes a new chew toy for the pack's two teenagers.
23:55The yearlings appear a little bit darker than every other wolf.
23:58These wolves don't start off white. They're born brown or grey.
24:04And as they grow older, they become whiter and whiter.
24:06At least I can now identify one yearling from another.
24:11This one I'm calling Scruffy.
24:14He's bigger and darker.
24:16You can see how big he is.
24:18You'd never think that he was just a year old.
24:28Scruffy seems to be enjoying the use of my cameras.
24:31The next morning, it looks like Scruffy has developed a taste for my kit.
24:52Keep away from my stuff, Scruffy.
24:57Scruffy.
25:01He decides he likes my camping stool.
25:06You little swine.
25:07Scruffy.
25:08Scruffy.
25:09Scruffy.
25:10Scruffy.
25:12Absolutely no respect whatsoever for people's private property.
25:15This is bad news.
25:16If Scruffy thinks my stuff is up for grabs, he could destroy my camp.
25:29I try my best howl to get him to drop it.
25:36Scruffy.
25:50I sit down in the hope I can draw him away from the stool.
25:53Scruffy.
26:02He's coming straight towards me, yeah being fixed in that stair is not the most comfortable
26:30of things, heavens above, is this too close, is this too close, jeez what, oh my god, that
26:41is unnerving, yes Gruff, you go from being comfortable to being decidedly uncomfortable, you are enormous,
26:55as you might only be one year old, but you're a big old wolf, hey fella did you like my howling,
27:05gee whiz you are beautiful, you like that don't you, you can tell he's nervous, I don't know
27:17if he's as nervous as I am, I suppose that's what I came here for, is to get close to these
27:25animals but being this close worries me, as much as I think I understand these animals,
27:38you can't always read them, I don't always know what's on their mind.
27:44Eventually Scruffy gets bored of me and the stool, not bad, not too bad at all, still works,
28:01thanks Scruffy.
28:03I'm gradually overcoming my fear of these wolves.
28:10Now I've survived this encounter with Scruffy, I want to see if I can get closer to Luna.
28:24It's been a couple of days since I last tried to get near Luna, and I think it's time to
28:33give it another go.
28:35I came here to see another sight of wolves, that means seeing them raise pups, and it all
28:42rests on Luna trusting me.
28:45Luna is at the den, just glancing round at me.
28:57You know, I'm not worried about those looks.
29:02She's just checking that I'm still here, and glances around again.
29:07She's obviously aware of me.
29:17Oh look, I can see a pup, I can see a pup.
29:24There's a tiny little head popping up.
29:36Wow.
29:37I don't know, I was expecting them to be white, but there's a little brown head.
29:45The briefest glimpse of a wolf pup.
29:53Oh magic.
29:56That's amazing, it really is.
29:59I am so delighted.
30:04Wolves can have up to ten pups in a litter.
30:07I'm desperate to find out if there are more hidden in the den.
30:11But before I can move closer, the whole pack returns from a hunt.
30:18It's way too soon for me to approach with all of them around.
30:22So, I'm going to try the next best thing.
30:28We have power.
30:30This has never been used before with wolves.
30:34In fact, this has never been used before with any animal.
30:37It's very much a prototype, but it's a rock crawler.
30:40It can handle this rugged terrain, and it's fitted with two little HD cameras
30:46that I'm hoping to drive up the slope and get a good look at the den.
30:49Two potential problems.
30:51The terrain is really difficult, but the real danger is that the wolves
30:55don't take too kindly to this and rip it to pieces.
31:00It's designed to handle the terrain, but not a pack of six wolves.
31:05We'll see.
31:17Okay, I see a wolf.
31:19I'm a bit concerned about the interest the wolves are showing.
31:28Okay, there's a bit of difficult maneuvering.
31:46Let me see if I can nudge it forward.
31:52Oh dear.
31:58It's all part of a learning process.
32:00I've learned that there's part of the den up there on the right.
32:04It's the bit with the buggy sticking out of it.
32:10I might still get a view inside the den.
32:14I've found a hole.
32:17After a lot of maneuvering, I get the picture I was hoping for.
32:22Oh, I can see a pup. I can see a pup.
32:28Amazingly, looking straight into the camera.
32:33These wolves are incredible.
32:36They have never seen this kind of thing before.
32:38And they don't scurry back into the den.
32:43Oh my word.
32:45That is just glorious.
32:47Oh, you beauty too, pups.
32:50Oh, wow, they are just adorable.
32:57These pups were born deaf and blind.
33:01But now their senses are developing
33:03and they're starting to explore the world around them.
33:06I might get the pups to come and investigate it.
33:12They're looking at it.
33:16They're about four weeks old
33:18and their first teeth are coming through.
33:31These wolves are unbelievable. They really are.
33:33Three pups.
33:40Gee whiz.
33:41I do not believe it.
33:50Wow. I feel as if I'm right in there.
33:53I'm actually the member of the pack.
33:58It's great. I'm loving this.
34:00Of loving this.
34:10If I can follow these pups as they grow up,
34:13I'll get a unique insight into wolf family life.
34:16I think all the wolves are beginning to trust me more.
34:37The pups are spending more and more time above ground.
34:52And they're feeding regularly.
34:53By my count, Luna is suckling them over five times a day.
34:55No one has ever been this close to a wild wolf pack before.
35:00And there are signs that they're starting to see me as one of the family.
35:01I think a wolf has peed in my binoculars.
35:02I think a wolf has peed in my binoculars.
35:03I left them here and I saw a wolf come down, but I was like,
35:06I think a wolf has peed in my binoculars.
35:10And I left them here and I saw a wolf come down, but I was up that way.
35:14Yep.
35:15And that's a wolf you're in.
35:17And that's a wolf you're in.
35:19But we've got to see a wolf come down.
35:22It's a wolf that's peed in my binoculars.
35:23I think a wolf has peed on my binoculars.
35:29I left them here and I saw a wolf come down, but I was up that way.
35:35Yep, that's a wolf urine.
35:40It's very pungent.
35:44He wouldn't get up that high.
35:48It's all smelling a little bit wolfy round about here.
35:52That's a good thing.
35:53St Marking, that's a territorial thing.
35:57So maybe they're not marking their territory,
35:59but they're accepting me as part of their group,
36:01that I now belong to them.
36:11I've tried to film wolves many times before,
36:15but I've never got this close.
36:19In other parts of the world, it wouldn't be possible.
36:22Wolves often live in dense forests where you just can't see them.
36:31But here, I'm in an unprecedented position to watch everything they do.
36:37And I'm already surprised by what I'm learning.
36:41This pack works hard for one reason, to support Luna and the pups.
36:53She can't leave the den for long, so they bring food to her.
36:57Only Luna can feed the pups, so it's crucial she is kept well fed.
37:08Poor Luna's looking a little bit threadbare at the moment.
37:18Having pups takes its toll.
37:21You can't look your best when you've got little ones to be looked after.
37:31Even though Luna's hungry, the pups come first.
37:35She's now weaning them onto solid food.
37:37Amazingly, I see her make them work for their dinner.
37:43This is the first important step in teaching them how to hunt.
37:48But it's not just Luna that raises the pups.
37:54The whole pack is working together to make sure that these pups survive.
38:05There is some kind of moral responsibility within these animals.
38:16There has to be.
38:21You can't give up the food that you have got and give it to another wolf without there being a moral justification.
38:29It won't be morality like us, but it'll be a kind of wolfish morality.
38:40Work for the good of the pack.
38:43Strength is in the pack.
38:45If you look after the pack, the pack will look after you.
38:51Those are the wolf rules.
38:55I thought there'd be more fighting in a wolf pack.
38:58But they feel more like a loving family.
39:02As if to prove their devotion to each other, they howl together several times a day.
39:08And the pups are learning to join in.
39:11Howl grow up.
39:13medications.
39:15and, finally, howls are growing.
39:17So that's a bigå¦ç”Ÿ.
39:18In this open landscape, howls can be heard over 10 miles away.
39:43It's how the family keep in touch.
39:48In another month, the pups will leave the den and travel with the adults.
39:54If they get split up, howling is one of the only ways they'll be able to get back together.
40:11It's the end of my second week here, and the pack's routine is changing.
40:18They need to prepare the pups for the impending Arctic winter, and that means one thing, food.
40:29Romulus is leading the other four adults on hunts more frequently.
40:33There's a real pressure on the wolves to keep these pups eating.
40:43For them to survive the winter, they need to put on as much weight as possible.
40:49I'm spending a lot of time near the den, and I'm starting to figure out
41:03how to make them more comfortable around me.
41:06I'm taking a look at the pups.
41:07I'm taking a look at the pups.
41:07I'm going to take a look at the pups.
41:08Ignoring her is the best bet.
41:10It just seems to be that when you act naturally, like drinking water out of a stream like a
41:30like a wolf and they come much closer. Part of the learning process is that
41:37staying at them, constantly looking at them, doesn't seem to work. Ignoring them
41:45does. Today the rest of the pack has been out hunting for six hours and there's
41:54no sign of the return. The pups are getting really hungry so she has to
42:03resort to emergency supplies. What wolves will do is once they've made a kill, if it's
42:10something that's big and they can't eat it all in one go, they'll leave these little
42:16food parcels all around their territory and that's something they can return to
42:22and they can feed on when they haven't had any luck catching something. But I can
42:28imagine if you're leaving hundreds and hundreds of little food parcels all around
42:33your territory, an area that is vast, you can't possibly remember where every
42:38single one of them is. So it's a bit like hunting through your house looking for
42:44your car keys. You know that they're there somewhere but it might take a little
42:48while to legate them. The food caches around the den have been eaten but there
42:56will be food buried further afield. It's a chance for me to approach the pups, an
43:04opportunity to see wolf development like never before.
43:11I cannot believe that I'm this close to wolf pups, at a den. It is beyond my wildest dreams.
43:19I cannot believe that I'm this close to wolf pups at a den. It is beyond my wildest dreams.
43:24At this distance you can really get a good view of these pups.
43:37At this distance you can really get a good view of these pups.
43:45It seems that the smallest pup is the most dominant one. There's not much in it size-wise but just being this close, you can tell that one is marginally smaller but
44:09considerably more dominant. It's the dominant pup that seems to be the most adventurous one.
44:23They're kind of ranked in order. It's super adventurous, adventurous and stay at home.
44:33It always seems to be the same third one that stays back and it's kind of encouraged with others to head further out.
44:49The pups all look healthy now but when food gets scarce, it's the dominant pup that is most likely to survive.
44:57Soon the pups will leave the warmth and safety of the den. Life is going to get a lot harder.
45:09At least while I'm here, I'll help keep an eye on them.
45:17This is the best babysitting job I've ever had.
45:20It is amazing really to be trusted and accepted by a wild animal.
45:28Wolves are super cool.
45:33I've been really amazed by them.
45:37Amazed by how they live.
45:40And also amazed by how they've let me get so close to them.
45:44It's amazing really to form some kind of cross species relationship with wolves.
45:54To the point that they'll let you look after their young while they go off hunting.
46:03If that's not being welcomed into the pack, I don't know what is.
46:06After an hour, Luna returns with food.
46:20She's only been able to find an old musk ox leg.
46:27And there's barely enough meat on the bone for each pup.
46:30It's a worrying sign.
46:35My wolf family have a problem.
46:48The Arctic summer doesn't last long.
46:51It's a time when all animals race to feed their offspring.
46:55Preparing them for the approaching winter.
46:57This should be the easiest time of year to find food.
47:10But my wolves are struggling to bring back anything substantial for the pups.
47:16In six weeks, they will face freezing temperatures.
47:20On their current diet, the pups have little chance of surviving.
47:29What they desperately need is a big meal.
47:37I've only got four days left.
47:40I want to leave knowing that the pups are getting enough to eat.
47:44To do that, the pack will need to bring down a musk ox.
47:57Herds of musk ox move through wolf territories in search of grazing.
48:01They are the most dangerous creature a wolf can hunt.
48:06Look at this.
48:08It's the remains of a musk ox.
48:11And a pretty big one.
48:14Look at this.
48:16My goodness.
48:18It's like something from the distant past.
48:22And I suppose it is.
48:24Musk ox are one of the few animals to have survived the last ice age.
48:26And really, this animal evolved alongside wolves.
48:31But they evolved alongside animals that are long extinct.
48:34Sabre-toothed cats.
48:35So they are equipped to deal with predators that are much bigger than the wolf.
48:40Looking at this in detail, you realise what these wolves are up against.
48:45If musk ox are under attack, they can ram into a wolf.
48:50They're powerful enough to break the spine of a wolf if they get a direct hit.
48:53But also what they'll do is gore, like any animal with horns is designed to do.
48:59And that would go right through a wolf.
49:03For wolves to get a significant meal, they have to take on one of these huge animals.
49:09Can you imagine facing off an animal like this that weighs over 400 kilos?
49:15It stands nearly five foot at the shoulder.
49:17And these, in comparison, tiny wolves square up to them.
49:25Rather them than me.
49:32Two days later, I can't believe the pack's luck.
49:36A musk ox herd has moved into our valley.
49:38This could be the opportunity the family needs.
49:43They are huge.
49:47Now that is one animal I'm scared of.
49:50And they've got a bad attitude towards anything that looks like a predator.
49:54Right, I'm not too happy about this because the musk ox are coming straight towards me.
50:07I'm in a very dangerous position, trapped between the wolves and their prey.
50:13Now, this could get interesting.
50:26How is this going to play out?
50:29It looks like they're going to cross right over towards the wolves.
50:42It's crazy.
50:47Musk ox are aggressive and pose a danger to the pups.
50:54The wolves are up on their feet.
50:56They're heading right up towards the wolves.
51:00Holy mackerel.
51:02Now these wolves are going to have to spring into action.
51:05My God.
51:12Really alive.
51:13God, these wolves are super cool.
51:18My wolves are hungry.
51:20But this is a big herd.
51:22The pack are outnumbered two to one.
51:25It's not often that a mule comes straight towards a wolf, but that's what seems to have happened here.
51:31Now the wolves have to really think carefully whether this is worth it.
51:37Whether they stand a chance.
51:42Scruffy shows his inexperience.
51:45And it's pushed back by a bull.
51:47Oh, she's making a go for it.
52:00They're going for it.
52:02They're going for it.
52:04They're going for the musk ox.
52:06They're going for the musk ox.
52:07Geez, they've set panicking amongst the herd.
52:16Luna and Romulus are leading the charge.
52:19They don't want them to get them up on the hill because they'll lose them on the flat.
52:23Oh my God, this is unbelievable.
52:24The musk ox have regained their advantage.
52:37Two massive bulls.
52:38About ten females.
52:40Maybe they don't stand a chance.
52:41Crikey.
52:43Scruffy strays too close.
52:45A bull seizes the opportunity.
52:46In the confusion, the rest of the herd make a break.
52:47Oh my word.
52:48With Luna and Romulus in pursuit.
52:49In the confusion, the rest of the herd make a break.
52:51Oh my word.
52:52With Luna and Romulus in pursuit.
52:54The musk ox have regained their advantage.
52:56Two massive bulls.
52:57About ten females.
52:58Maybe they don't stand a chance.
52:59Crikey.
53:01Scruffy strays too close.
53:03A bull seizes the opportunity.
53:05In the confusion, the rest of the herd make a break.
53:10Oh my word.
53:12With Luna and Romulus in pursuit.
53:16That was exciting.
53:35It's gone midnight.
53:37And I'm shattered.
53:39But also delighted.
53:41I'm hoping I'll wake up to Luna feeding the pups the musk ox meal they badly need.
53:48The next morning, there's still no sign of Luna.
53:51It's my last day and I'm starting to worry.
53:55The pups haven't fed for eight hours.
53:56Luna has never left them for this long before.
53:57The pups aren't weaned and no other wolf can keep them alive.
53:58The pups aren't weaned and no other wolf can keep them alive.
53:59The pups aren't weaned and no other wolf can keep them alive.
54:00The pups aren't weaned and no other wolf can keep them alive.
54:01There's no sign of the pack.
54:04So I head out to look for them.
54:05The next morning, there's still no sign of Luna.
54:07The next morning, there's still no sign of Luna.
54:08It's my last day and I'm starting to worry.
54:11The pups aren't weaned and no other wolf can keep them alive.
54:28There's no sign of the pack.
54:30So I head out to look for them.
54:41I find musk ox but the wolves are nowhere to be seen.
54:50You can see from this viewpoint how hard the wolves have to work to survive.
54:54It's wild.
54:55It's the wildest place on earth.
54:56We're so far north that beyond this it's the North Pole.
55:01There's nothing.
55:04And we don't know how far they go.
55:06There's lots of questions about exactly where they're going to hunt.
55:10It may well be that they even go into those mountains and beyond.
55:18Even on this short walk I've realised that it's going to be impossible to follow the wolves on foot.
55:28When I get back to the den, I can't see the pups.
55:35I've only got a few hours until I have to leave.
55:38And I'm worried about them.
55:52I wonder if I can call the pups out.
55:55They've heard my voice and they haven't acted too adversely to it.
56:00It's all...
56:02Pup, pup, come on.
56:04Come on pups out you come.
56:06It is unbelievable.
56:07I never imagined when I first arrived here when I was looking at this den from across the valley that that would be one day sitting right on top listening to the pups inside.
56:20Pretty special.
56:21Pretty special.
56:22Their mum, Luna, has been away for 12 hours.
56:24Longer than ever before.
56:25The pups are starving.
56:26Longer than ever before.
56:27The pups are starving.
56:28The pups are starving.
56:29The pups are starving.
56:30The pups are starving.
56:31The pups are starving.
56:37I never expected to get this close to wild wolves.
56:38The pups are starving.
56:39The pups are starving.
56:45The pups are starving,
56:57The pups are starving.
56:59I never expected to get this close to wild wolves.
57:00The pups are starving.
57:05I never expected to get this close to wild wolves.
57:06Or to get so attached to them.
57:09To come here and actually get to know these wolves has been a complete revelation to me.
57:19Wolves are far more incredible than I could ever have imagined.
57:24I've really fallen for them in a big way.
57:27I desperately want to help the pups, but I can't.
57:35All I can do is hope that Luna feeds them soon.
57:39And they're all still alive when I come back in six weeks.
57:48When I return, everything has changed.
57:52My wolf family are on the move.
57:55And I struggle to keep up with them.
58:00Oh, wow.
58:01It's a crucial time as they try to feed up for the Arctic winter.
58:06That is a sign of desperation.
58:08That's a sign that the wolves are finding things tough.
58:12Tensions rise as they clash with a rival pack.
58:15These guys have pushed my pack out.
58:17I hope nothing bad's happened.
58:19And I see a new side to my wolf family.
58:23If ever I was going to be attacked by a wolf, now would seem like a good time.
58:28That's a good path.
58:29No, it's a goodnut.
58:30It's a good thing.
58:33Yeah.
58:38No.
58:39Transcription by CastingWords
59:09CastingWords
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