PBS Nature_Bears_1of2
Transcript
00:00Enter a grizzly bear's paradise.
00:15Here in the remote wilds of Russia lies Kamchatka, a haven for brown bears.
00:23This couple comes here to attempt the extraordinary, to live among these giants.
00:37They become foster parents of three orphaned bear cubs, teaching them skills they'll need
00:42to survive in this competitive world.
00:53And in this incredible moment, man and grizzly come face-to-face.
01:23On the rim of Russia lies a land of volcanoes, Kamchatka.
01:45Tens of craters form its bony spine.
01:57Around 200 volcanoes make up the rugged landscape, 65 of them active.
02:05Here, steaming geysers, molten rock and ash are constantly spewed up from the belly of
02:12the earth.
02:16Isolated, almost impenetrable, Kamchatka is a stronghold for one of the earth's last giants,
02:27the grizzly bear.
02:57This is the story of a remarkable encounter, of how two people learned to live in a land
03:21of bears and gained the privilege of walking among the grizzlies of Kamchatka.
03:34Jutting off the far east of Russia, Kamchatka is a 750-mile-long peninsula that was once
03:41home to a notorious Soviet prison camp.
03:54Kamchatka is a haven for one of the largest brown bear populations in the world.
03:58Here there are more brown bears, better known as grizzlies, per square mile than anywhere
04:03else on earth.
04:07The discovery of this bear sanctuary gave these two people the opportunity they'd been
04:11looking for.
04:12Charlie Russell and Maureen Enns share a passion for bears and have long wanted to live with
04:17them in a peaceful, non-threatening way.
04:23It was a risky, even dangerous undertaking, but the couple trusted their instincts about
04:27the grizzly.
04:28There are many interesting things about the bear that no one knows.
04:34I believe that it's an intelligent, social animal that is completely misunderstood.
04:40Our goal is to get close to these bears, study them, and live among them.
04:46We want to explore the true nature of the grizzly.
04:51An accomplished naturalist and photographer, Charlie has studied and written about bears
04:55for most of his life.
04:58Maureen is an artist whose paintings and drawings are inspired by her love of nature.
05:06Charlie and I came to Kamchatka to live amongst a population of bears that are innocent and
05:11had never had a bad experience with people.
05:15We realized that the bears were calm to people's presence.
05:22Charlie and Maureen plan to spend the summer here, the only human inhabitants.
05:27Few people would consider living among one of the world's fiercest predators.
05:34But they chose this remote bear kingdom because these grizzlies haven't yet learned to fear
05:42the presence of humans.
05:50Charlie has been looking for this opportunity for a long time.
05:56Years ago, he had an encounter with a bear that changed his life.
06:01This footage was shot in a Canadian forest by his partner, Maureen.
06:06He had been observing this young grizzly for several years.
06:09One day, he decided to let the bear approach him.
06:13Normally, I would not allow this to happen, but I knew the history of this bear.
06:18It had not been mistreated by humans.
06:22With his heart pounding, he tried to remain calm as the wild bear came close, close enough
06:28to touch.
06:29That's a good girl.
06:30Come on up.
06:31Easy now.
06:32Be gentle.
06:33Be gentle now.
06:34Take it easy.
06:35It's not very nice.
06:43Charlie was careful not to startle the animal.
06:47In an amazing moment, based on mutual trust, man and grizzly explored their curiosity.
07:04That experience made Charlie determined to prove something he had believed for a long
07:08time, that if we understood bears, we wouldn't need to fear them.
07:19Humans have had a long history of hunting bears.
07:22Cubs are cute, and some were an easy target once their parents were killed.
07:27Taken in by people, they lost touch with their instincts and habituated quickly to humans.
07:40People treated these cubs and other wild bears almost like pets, feeding them indiscriminately.
07:46The association of humans and food would prove to be disastrous.
07:51A hungry wild bear could become aggressive in seeking food.
07:55Tests were inevitable, and people began to fear the bear.
08:03Charlie's mission is to broaden people's view of bears.
08:07This quest has brought him and Maureen to Kamchatka year after year.
08:12They have worked here for a period of three years during the spring and summer, after
08:16the snow has melted.
08:21The only way to penetrate the peninsula is by air.
08:24Charlie built this lightweight, cold aircraft from a home kit.
08:28It's ideal for maneuvering over the rugged landscape.
08:34Kronotsky State Preserve is the largest wildlife sanctuary in Russia, covering nearly 4 million
08:40square miles.
08:41The isolated nature of the peninsula makes it a special bear habitat.
08:50For July and August, the harsh cold retreats from the valleys, and the volcanic earth is
08:55covered in lush vegetation.
08:56That's great.
08:57I count 80 bears today.
09:01Charlie and Maureen have discovered a bear paradise.
09:08Throughout the summer, they will be tracking and observing bears from their base camp at
09:13Lake Kambone.
09:15They are 200 miles from the nearest human settlement, deep in the Russian wilderness.
09:21This cabin Charlie built will be their home for the next four months.
09:38Attracted by summer flowers and grasses, hungry bears are roused from hibernation and begin
09:44their migration from the lingering cold of the slopes.
09:51Bears can eat almost anything, but for most of the year, they are vegetarian.
09:59Today their destination is the rivers that feed the Kurilsky Lake, where a rich supply
10:04of protein awaits them.
10:09More bears converge on this lake at this time of year than anywhere else in the world.
10:23Among them is a mother with a litter of three cubs, born just a few months ago.
10:30This is their first visit to the lakeside.
10:36Bears rarely come together in large numbers, living most of the year in isolation.
10:41This annual migration to the lake requires them to work on their social skills.
10:55Even with a mother's fierce protectiveness, the fate of her cubs is extremely precarious.
11:03Starvation, disease and infanticide can claim many cubs.
11:10They stay with their mother for two and a half years, during which time they learn essential
11:15survival skills.
11:32The bears have gathered from as far away as a hundred miles, drawn here for an event that
11:59occurs like clockwork each year.
12:06Thousands of salmon have surged into the lake from the sea.
12:10Now they'll drive their way upstream into the river where they were born.
12:19When they do, the bears will be ready for their biggest feast of the year.
12:40After four years at sea, their bodies turn a vivid red, a reaction to the fresh water
12:45of the lake.
12:47On this final journey, their sole purpose is to reach their breeding ground.
12:54As they reach the shallows, their movements become frenzied.
12:58It's a fight to reach the last sandbank.
13:02Get it wrong and they end up on dry land, still driven by the powerful instinct to spawn.
13:12Thousands more await their chance to skim across the shallow channel and make their
13:16way upstream.
13:18Despite the marathon effort, these fish will be dead within hours.
13:25For the bears, it's a spring bonanza.
14:18Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come
14:47on.
14:57The salmon that have successfully run the gauntlet of bears continue their strenuous
15:01journey into the upper reaches of the river.
15:05When the female finds a sandy spot, she lays her eggs.
15:18The males hover over the females, constantly jostling for position against their rivals.
15:26As one male releases his sperm, another darts in to release his sperm onto the eggs.
15:37Once these eggs hatch, the tiny fry will leave the river for the lake and onto the open sea.
15:45For these salmon, their journey is over.
15:49After spawning, they die, their bodies an easy meal for the many bears that make this
15:55their home.
15:57This cycle of nature brings the bears to Lake Kurilsky each year.
16:09Charlie and Maureen's work in Kamchatka has taken an unexpected and surprising turn.
16:20They've become foster parents to three orphaned cubs.
16:24This solar-powered electric fence keeps the cubs safe from the wild population.
16:30They were orphans when their mother was killed during the spring bear hunt.
16:33With no funds to look after them at the local Russian zoo, they were going to be put down.
16:41When we heard about this, we asked for special permission from the authorities to give them
16:45another chance at life in the wild.
16:49It's a rare experiment because bear cubs are usually very dependent upon their mother,
16:55staying with her for up to four years.
16:58Charlie and Maureen can only offer the cubs a safe environment while they learn survival
17:02skills.
17:10We knew full well that we couldn't replace the mother and didn't want to, so it was going
17:14to be up to the cubs to have a self-guided education.
17:19All we could do was escort them through the wilderness and hope for the best.
17:28We didn't come here originally to reintroduce cubs back into the wild.
17:33We believed that this would expand our knowledge of wild bears, but more importantly, we felt
17:39that it could illustrate how bears can benefit from positive contact with humans for a change.
17:46These cubs are four months old.
17:49Charlie and Maureen don't hand-feed the bears, but do leave porridge and sunflower seeds
17:54out for them.
17:55Other than this attempt to get the cubs off to a strong start, the couple is determined
18:00to have a hands-off approach.
18:02When they get big enough, these cubs will return to their natural place in the wild.
18:20We rarely worried about the cubs as they seem naturally in tune with the world around them.
18:25Every once in a while, they would go too far and we would call them back.
18:30Sometimes they would listen, sometimes they wouldn't.
18:37But that was fine because they weren't our pets or treated as such, and we would only
18:41intervene when we had real concern for their safety.
18:51Back at the lakeside, the mother bear's protectiveness of her cubs keeps her from fishing.
18:57These adolescent bears are now less rambunctious, having gorged on fish for hours.
19:06But the female still doesn't trust them and hasn't joined in.
19:10These young adults may not want competition at this prime fishing site.
19:19Until her cubs are older, she has to do all the fishing.
19:23But she's not willing to go into the water, leaving them unprotected.
19:27The latest arrival at the lake confirms her greatest fear.
19:32Unmistakably king of the area, this huge male immediately establishes his dominance over
19:38the adolescents.
19:39This is his fishing hole.
19:41A giant weighing 1,500 pounds, he commands respect.
19:47His presence drives the young bears off.
19:54Defiantly, one young bear goads the goliath by staring him down.
20:05The mother efficiently moves her cubs out of danger.
20:12Males will sometimes kill cubs for food or to bring the female back into heat to mate
20:17with her.
20:18Killing cubs also reduces competition for the same territory.
20:28Upstream, fishing conditions are not as good.
20:31The water is deeper, the sides are steeper, and the fish have thinned out.
20:37Catching them is harder.
20:40For a mother with three cubs to feed, life is a struggle.
20:44She needs to catch enough salmon to get herself and the cubs through the winter hibernation.
20:52There are other bears at this new site.
20:55Because of their large size, brown bears need to consume huge amounts of food, as much as
21:0090 pounds a day.
21:02A weight gain of nearly 40 pounds a week is essential to get them through the long Siberian
21:08winters.
21:09Lucky for them, there are still pockets of salmon around.
21:26Intimidated by the more boisterous adolescents, the tiny third cub clings to its mother's
21:31side while the others explore.
21:35They're clearly more adventurous.
21:41Bears have an extraordinary sense of smell, and the scent of salmon is overpowering.
21:48This mother is desperately hungry and watches helplessly as another bear dines on fresh
21:54fish.
21:59Still, she won't fish and leave her youngsters alone for even a moment.
22:10Grizzlies breed every three to five years, and 40% of all cubs don't make it through
22:15the first year.
22:17Because of this slow reproductive rate, she can't afford to take any risks.
22:29Charlie and Maureen are having an easier time with their three cubs.
22:33The couple worried the cubs wouldn't know how to forage for themselves.
22:37Instead, the bears introduce them to a wonderful array of plants.
22:52We were concerned about the cubs learning to eat wild food.
22:58We never let them have our food when in camp, hand feeding was out of the question.
23:05During the field trips, we discovered that the cubs seemed to know what was edible and
23:09what was not.
23:12I was impressed by how quickly they learned.
23:17Down at the water's edge, the female is still searching for a safe fishing hole.
23:23She's found a site well away from the wild adolescents, but at a price.
23:28The steep sides make getting into the water extremely difficult.
23:34Frustrated, she moves on.
23:46This loner has hidden in a tree.
23:50He's found the presence of so many bears intimidating.
23:53Even his hunger fails to tempt him down.
23:55He's wary of these two siblings.
24:08They, too, are looking for a new fishing site.
24:16Instead of facing competition, he sits tight.
24:19When the coast is clear, the mother bear tentatively approaches the water.
24:29The bear up the tree also decides to come down.
24:38But the mother and cubs arrival sends him right back up.
24:43Sensing the timid bear poses no threat to her cubs, the mother bear finally dives into
24:48the water. By now, she's starving and desperate for fish.
24:54The cubs are hungry, too, but luck is against them.
25:00The timing is wrong and there are fewer fish.
25:03The season of plenty is over.
25:06In the midst of their work, a Russian scientist arrives to get a status report.
25:23The Russians, initially doubtful of the orphan cubs survival, have now embraced the reintroduction
25:29program.
25:30You're not going to believe how they've grown.
25:33So, Charlie, what about salmon in this lake this year?
25:37It's been interesting.
25:38All the observations Charlie and Maureen have made are essential in planning for future
25:43cub reintroductions.
25:45But time is running out.
25:47For the project to succeed, the cubs must be able to survive on their own without any
25:52protection.
25:53The wind, velocity and direction.
25:56Anxiously, the couple decides to teach their cubs one of the most important skills they
26:01will ever need to know.
26:05Salmon fishing.
26:08We were told by many people, including the Russian scientific community, that we would
26:12never teach these cubs how to fish.
26:15The concern was that it's not normal for cubs at this age to be doing the fishing.
26:19The mother does the fishing and the cubs sit and wait.
26:24They don't usually learn until they're two or three years old, but perhaps there's a
26:29chance in a year.
26:30As soon as we showed them that the fish were in the water, they were in there immediately.
26:35It was instinctual.
26:36It happened not over weeks.
26:38It happened in minutes.
26:40It's going to take a while before they're on to this, but they're catching it pretty
26:44quick.
26:45Pretty quick. And I was amazed and very impressed with the intelligence level of this
26:50small creature who had been orphaned to figure that out.
26:54Wow. Look at look at her.
26:55She's got her head under.
26:58Incredible. I think these little bears are going to need every advantage they can get
27:02to survive in this kind of an area.
27:09Look at that.
27:11And I'm really surprised that it's slower.
27:15Although the cubs will need more practice, Charlie and Maureen are relieved to see they
27:19are well on their way to independence.
27:24We can teach them how to fish.
27:33Upstream, the mother bear and her three cubs have finally found a fishing hole safely
27:39away from other bears.
27:41The cubs will need to at least double their present weight before they hibernate.
27:46Every day that slips by without a meal of protein packed salmon decreases their chances
27:51of survival. Just like Charlie and Maureen's trio, once shown the way, these precocious
27:58cubs plunge right in.
28:05The timid cub gives up.
28:07He hasn't learned to swim.
28:10He hasn't learned to fish.
28:12It's not a good sign.
28:17Mother bear is ultimately successful.
28:19She will continue to feed the family until they are ready to den in just two months.
28:26Two of her cubs are well on their way to self-sufficiency.
28:30Even without her, they will know how to fish next season.
28:37Summer has reached its peak.
28:39Soon, the flower-filled meadows will fade and winter will descend once again.
28:46A red fox enjoys the last days of the sun.
28:57Having gorged themselves on salmon, the bears retreat.
29:01But there's always room for grass and berries.
29:09Charlie and Maureen need to familiarize the cubs to ice and snow, which dominate this
29:14peninsula for most of the year.
29:17By now, the cubs are part of their family and eagerly follow the couple on their excursions.
29:30Each cub has its own special way of getting around.
29:33Each cub has its own strong and distinct personality.
29:37One is clearly the leader, the other introspective.
29:42The last, the maternal one.
29:49Be careful, you guys.
29:52When Charlie and Maureen first took in these cubs, they weighed a mere 14 pounds.
29:57By denning time, they had grown to a weight of about 20 pounds.
30:01By denning time, they will have reached almost 200 pounds.
30:06Undoubtedly, as they grow and stay together, they will gain the confidence they need to
30:11make it in this competitive place.
30:14Even so, Charlie and Maureen can't help worrying about their young charges.
30:26The bears find the remnant of a former den.
30:31It won't be long now before they start digging their own den to hibernate for the intense
30:39Siberian winter.
30:41The three of them will almost certainly den together.
30:52A cub has found the shoulder bone of a bear.
30:55It's a somber reminder that bears, even in this haven, aren't completely safe.
31:01Poaching is a serious problem.
31:04But for now, these cubs need only to fatten up and stick together.
31:31With their cubs on their way to self-sufficiency, Charlie and Maureen embark on a new adventure.
31:45Their destination is Lake Kurilsky, a hotspot for watching bears.
31:50The couple hopes to get up close to wild bears and study them in their element, to
31:54test their beliefs about bears and trust.
31:58As they arrive, the bears are curious but apparently are not afraid to confront the
32:02bear.
32:06The bears are not only curious but they are also very inquisitive.
32:12The bears have no idea what they're doing, but they are aware of what they're doing.
32:19The bears are not only curious and they are not afraid to confront the bear.
32:24As they arrive, the bears are curious, but apparently unperturbed by the presence of humans.
32:41But there are more bears around than Charlie anticipated.
32:50These bears have never seen people before.
32:53Charlie and Maureen find those are the best subjects to be around.
33:01The lakeshore is an ideal place.
33:03It's flat, wide open, with high concentrations of bears.
33:09Over the years, we have developed ways to announce and present ourselves.
33:13The bears don't appear to feel threatened.
33:17Often, mothers and cubs will come around and pay no attention to us.
33:21They are capable of trusting us as much as any other bear.
33:39I have found that bears accepted our presence more than each other
33:43once they learned that we are not competitors or there to harm them.
33:48A young bear has sneaked into the best fishing hole.
33:52The arrival of a huge dominant male instantly changes the balance of power.
33:57The air is charged with tension.
34:06This is a scary moment.
34:08Charlie and Maureen mustn't make any sudden moves or try to run away.
34:13They can't show fear because fear is also a sign of aggression.
34:20Taking their cue from other bears, they quietly drop into the background.
34:43The bear is not afraid.
35:02The grizzly bear has a fierce reputation.
35:04And no wonder.
35:06This giant stands ten feet tall.
35:10A habitat of wide, open spaces gives bears no place to hide.
35:14So they depend on their immense size and aggressiveness to defend themselves.
35:19At an incredible 1,500 pounds, this bear can still run 35 miles per hour.
35:29The couple deliberately comes out of hiding.
35:31This is their opportunity to test their conviction that a wild bear isn't always a killer.
35:36And they are willing to put their lives on the line to prove it.
35:40We were in the presence of one of the most powerful creatures on earth.
35:45The feeling of seeing this bear so close was extraordinary.
35:50It was a great honor for us to be here, witnessing in peace this bear.
35:56There was no fear, just amazement.
36:07When you get this close, you can see the intelligence in their eyes
36:11and their search to understand us.
36:21We knew right away that he was not threatened by us.
36:24We felt comfortable and the bear could sense it.
36:27How, I don't know.
36:29Charlie has spent a lifetime observing bears
36:32and would never take a risk like this.
36:35If he didn't have such vast knowledge and experience with bears to rely on.
36:39His life's work has culminated in this moment.
36:44Every bear seems to develop his own way of catching fish.
36:48This one, diving for him, looking underwater with his face
36:53and then going down for the dead ones.
36:57I think it's about 15 feet deep there.
37:06Bears have been hunted to extinction in many parts of the world
37:10and have evolved to share a mutual fear with humans.
37:14But Charlie and Maureen stand their ground
37:17to prove these bears will be different.
37:36The pair has gained the bear's trust.
37:39It's an extraordinary privilege.
37:43They are far more intelligent than people have been led to believe.
37:47With good encounters like this, we can build trust between us and the grizzlies.
38:06Summer is ending and the brightness of the Siberian sun is beginning to fade.
38:17Charlie and Maureen have decided that their time as foster parents must come to an end.
38:25Fat and healthy, independent and alert, they are now equipped to manage alone.
38:31It's still an emotional moment.
38:35Though they've grown attached, Charlie and Maureen know these bears must return to the wild.
38:50After spending so much time with us, we worried that the cubs would not be able to gain independence
38:56to be on their own in this hostile environment.
39:01One of our greatest concerns is that these cubs become too dependent on us.
39:07This was potentially a big problem and was the last thing we wanted.
39:11But winter was coming and we had to know if they could make it on their own.
39:16This was new ground for both Maureen and I.
39:20I've grown attached to these cubs. It's impossible not to,
39:24having spent as much time as we have with them.
39:27But they were not our pets and I reminded myself daily their place was in the wild.
39:38Watching them head out into the wilderness for the last time was one of the hardest moments of my life,
39:44yet the most satisfying thing I've ever done.
39:58The days begin to shorten and the damp of autumn hangs on the ground.
40:03Clouds of mosquitoes signal the return of the coming cold.
40:18Maureen's relationship with the cubs has inspired her in many ways.
40:24The cubs gave me a new connection with the land that dramatically affected my art.
40:30I had developed a theory that bears appreciated beauty
40:33when I saw them many times looking at the view from their sleeping beds.
40:40I would start by painting the nesting site,
40:43trying to put myself into the head of the bear.
40:46When I sat in the nest at the eye level of the bear,
40:49I decided they appreciated the landscape as an Impressionist painter would.
40:57I see the bear as physically quite similar to humans.
41:01The bone structure of its paw is like that of a human hand,
41:05the dexterity, the flat soles of its feet,
41:09and the way it moves its body.
41:12They are closer to us than we think.
41:22Spurred on by his last thrilling experience with the giant bear,
41:26Charlie is eager to have one last encounter.
41:30This time he'll be alone.
41:37Having the COBE aircraft here is a vital part of our work in the Russian wilderness.
41:41Our eye in the sky, a lifeline to the outside world.
41:46It's a place where we can learn a lot,
41:49and it's a place where we can learn a lot of things.
41:52It's a place where we can learn a lot,
41:55and it's a place where we can learn a lot,
41:58a lifeline to the outside world.
42:02The COBE aircraft is essential.
42:05Without it, these valleys would be impenetrable,
42:08and finding the bears virtually impossible.
42:28COBE, RUSSIA
42:55As he heads back toward the lake
42:57for the last time this year,
42:59Charlie has some second thoughts.
43:01It could be a big mistake.
43:07Every contact with bears is an unknown.
43:10At the fishing hole, he finds a young bear.
43:13The behavior of an immature animal like this is unpredictable.
43:19Charlie is continually developing new techniques to approach bears.
43:24Today, he attempts a form of communication through body language.
43:28Bears are sensitive to the most subtle movements.
43:39Charlie stays relaxed and calm.
43:42Splashing in the shallows indicates a willing behavior.
43:46Splashing in the shallows indicates a willingness to play.
43:53He's captured the bear's curiosity.
44:00Now that Charlie has succeeded in attracting her attention,
44:03he turns away.
44:05Turning away is a signal to the bear that he trusts it,
44:10but it also means Charlie's vulnerable.
44:13If the bear were to attack, this would be the right moment.
44:18The offer to play wins out.
44:22A young female seemed quite relaxed,
44:25almost as though she appreciated the interest I took in her.
44:29It demonstrated that there are ways to relate to these powerful creatures
44:33without creating awkward situations.
44:44By now, secure with Charlie's presence,
44:47the bear surprises him by taking up the offer of a game.
44:56I discovered bears appreciated you being there at times.
45:01They clown around and get in playful moods.
45:05This playfulness is in no way threatening.
45:14Splashing in the shallows indicates a willingness to play.
45:26It is as though I am the audience and they are willing performers.
45:33For half an hour, the bear continues to play.
45:43Her exuberance grows, developing into a magnificent charge.
46:14This experience has a happy ending
46:17because of Charlie's extensive knowledge of these animals.
46:20Normally, it would be foolhardy to approach a wild bear on one's own.
46:31It's been an unforgettable season,
46:34and it's been an unforgettable time.
46:43But the challenge for Charlie and Maureen is not over.
46:47Our mission is to save grizzlies by helping people to understand them.
46:52There's so much about their intelligence, their emotional realm,
46:56and their ability to be respectful of people.
46:59We need to change mankind's attitude
47:02before the bears are driven to extinction.
47:06As we travel to various valleys, we find skulls and record them.
47:11One skull caught our attention
47:13as it appeared that the bear had not died of natural causes.
47:18Unfortunately, I think the situation is changing for the grizzlies of Kamchatka,
47:24and I dread to think what it is.
47:30On one of the last days of the expedition,
47:33Charlie attempts to approach the bears in a nearby meadow.
47:42He was startled by their reaction of fear.
47:45The smell and sight of him terrified them.
47:48As soon as he came within 100 yards, they fled.
48:06Their running from us was wrong, very wrong.
48:10It hadn't happened before.
48:12Something had spooked them enough that they couldn't stand our presence.
48:29It was a sad and fearful note to end on.
48:32Anxiety for the cubs creeps in.
48:35Charlie and Maureen are pleased that they have stayed away,
48:38but surprised, too.
48:41If something has happened to spook the older bears,
48:44there's good reason to fear for the safety of the cubs.
48:53We know that no place on Earth is immune to man's interference.
48:59It saddens us to think that this place could become compromised,
49:03and the cycle of life here in this pristine environment
49:06could change forever.
49:17To their relief, the cubs are safe.
49:20It's a tremendous relief to see the cubs thriving.
49:24They are so at ease in the wild.
49:27I think they are survivors, and they have learned well.
49:30Not to say that we have taught them anything.
49:33In fact, they have probably taught us more.
49:37They are far more intelligent than we could have imagined.
49:40Thinking through problems, changing and adapting to situations,
49:44that's not instinct.
49:46That's intelligence, and that will get them through a lot.
49:56Across the tundra, bear trails cut deep into the grass.
50:00Bears are creatures of habit,
50:02and always take the same route between feeding grounds.
50:05They have done so for tens of thousands of years.
50:10As long as these trails remain, it means the bears are thriving.
50:15And in places, it's much deeper than this, too.
50:19And it's beautiful, too.
50:21Charlie and Maureen are doing what they can
50:24to ensure that future generations of grizzlies
50:27can walk these trails for centuries to come.
50:41It's time to leave Russia until next season.
50:58Cold takes over this land.
51:00It's this very climate that has protected the bears for so long.
51:04In such harsh conditions, human settlement is extremely difficult.
51:08With the land left wild, it's become the perfect place for grizzlies.
51:28But for how much longer can this remote haven exist?
51:32Just two weeks after Charlie and Maureen left,
51:35Russian scientists took this video.
51:41Bears killed and cut open to remove the tiny trophy,
51:45their gallbladder.
51:47Nearly 70 bears were found mutilated like this.
51:51Bear gallbladders sell for thousands of dollars in Asia,
51:54where they're used for medicinal purposes.
52:01There is no proof that their gallbladders have any healing properties.
52:05Ironically, the very nature of the grizzly
52:08has made it a target for those who fear it,
52:11and also for those who covet its power.
52:20The following summer,
52:22Charlie and Maureen returned to Kamchatka
52:25and rejoined their cub family.
52:31Clearly, the cub reintroduction program was a success,
52:35and they hope to reintroduce other orphaned cubs
52:38to this wild bear sanctuary.
52:40And one day soon,
52:42they look forward to their cubs having cubs of their own
52:45to join the other grizzlies of Siberia.
52:53To learn more about what you've seen on this nature program,
52:56visit pbsonline at pbs.org
52:59or America Online, keyword PBS.
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