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00:00At the far eastern tip of Russia, there is a world where violent extremes collide.
00:27Where giants still reign, where fire and ice compete forever, Kamchatka.
00:57Ten thousand kilometers and eleven time zones away from central Europe, beyond the vast
01:07expanse of Siberia, lies a large peninsula, closed even to Russians till 1990, a forbidden
01:16military zone, Kamchatka.
01:19In winter, the land is overwhelmed by ice and snow, but the calm is deceptive.
01:38Eruptions bathe the landscape in an unearthly light.
01:42Kamchatka has the highest level of volcanic activity on Earth.
01:53A world enveloped in steam from hot springs and countless active geysers.
02:07In winter, temperatures can fall below minus 40 degrees centigrade.
02:17Only the hardiest creatures survive in these conditions, like the steller's sea eagle,
02:23at nine kilogram, the heaviest eagle in the world.
02:29Lake Kuryl, at the southern tip of Kamchatka, is heated by hot springs and rarely freezes
02:36over completely.
02:38Steller's sea eagles gather here in large groups of up to 700.
02:44In January, the final wave of salmon swim into the lake to spawn and then die.
03:10As soon as one of the eagles has caught some prey, it has to protect it from greedy companions.
03:23But not even great strength guarantees survival.
03:27The Russian winter takes its toll.
03:49Kamchatka has more than 160 volcanoes, 29 of which are still active.
04:00The peninsula covers half a million square kilometers and is one third bigger than Germany.
04:13When the salmon have been consumed, what's left can be fought over.
04:29Although such fights can be intense, the eagles normally avoid serious injury.
04:59It will be a long time before the salmon return.
05:12Kamchatka is ringed by three bodies of water, the Bering Sea to the north, the open Pacific
05:19Ocean to the southeast, and the Sea of Okhotsk to the west.
05:27This is the so-called world's refrigerator.
05:31Mainly the western coast feels its chill.
05:37Ideal waters for whales, the cold sea is rich in nutrition and particularly attractive to
05:43orcas.
05:49Some of their young stay with the parents their whole lifelong.
05:54As the females often live for up to 90 years, each group can include four or five generations.
06:13The Sea of Okhotsk is covered for more than six months of the year by a thick casing of
06:19ice and has a strong effect on the weather on the west side of the peninsula.
06:25There are 20 different climate zones on Kamchatka, influenced by seas, mountains, and volcanic
06:33activity.
06:34As the days grow longer, the northern seas slowly loosen their icy grip.
06:54The winter is tough on all the animals here.
06:58Red foxes don't hibernate, but are active all year round and have to grow a thick winter
07:03coat to survive.
07:13For these loners, it's the time to find a mate.
07:27The male welcomes a new female to his territory.
07:42Foxes are usually monogamous.
07:45If a female does mate with several males, she will establish a partnership with only
07:50one.
07:59Now all this couple need is a den.
08:16The end of March is the start of the courting season for the black-billed capercaillie.
08:26These birds only exist here.
08:29The cock will go on strutting and singing until the first female gives in.
08:43As the sun grows stronger, Kamchatka awakes from its hibernation.
08:56Hardly noticeable at first, little by little the ice and snow disappear.
09:07The winter cover gives way to the plant life beneath.
09:16At the same time, Kamchatka's brown bears emerge from their warm winter dens.
09:23The peninsula has the largest population of brown bears on earth, around 10,000.
09:31After six months in hibernation, these relatives of the Siberian brown bear are hungry enough
09:38to eat just about anything.
09:41The ermine has nothing to fear.
09:44The bears only pose a threat to small rodents, which they occasionally dig out of their holes.
10:03Kamchatka bears are among the largest subspecies of brown bears and among the most peace-loving.
10:10While the bears are still rubbing the sleep from their eyes, other animals are already hard at work.
10:33The pair of red foxes have found a den.
10:40Such dens are used by different couples from year to year.
10:50In a few days, spring will begin, and with it, the fox's breeding season.
10:56The female indicates clearly to the male that it's ready.
11:10The fertile period lasts only a few days.
11:14If they mate successfully, the offspring will arrive about seven weeks later.
11:35The fiery breath of Kamchatka.
11:39The valleys are filled with steam from hot springs and geysers.
12:04With much of Kamchatka still covered in a metre-thick blanket of snow, the hot springs
12:10are a magnet for many animals.
12:18The lush green is much prized by hungry bears.
12:23Although they're skilled hunters, they're mostly vegetarian.
12:33The geothermal warmth is free.
12:36This white wagtail is searching for a warm spot to build a nest.
12:53Animals love hot springs as much as humans do.
12:57The harlequin ducks enjoy the warm water and aren't bothered by the bears' proximity.
13:08But volcanic springs can also emit poisonous gases.
13:13This in turn gives rise to surreal landscapes.
13:25Yellow ptarmigans are regular visitors.
13:28In early spring, food is plentiful on the edge of the bubbling waters.
13:36For most of the year, the males and females look very similar.
13:41White feathers and brown tails.
13:44But in the breeding season, the female takes on a mottled brown, while the males adorn
13:49themselves with large red-eye combs, almost as ostentatious as their behaviour.
13:56Finally, towards the end of May, spring replaces winter.
14:26Melting snow swells more than 2,000 rivers and streams, and nature awakes in Kamchatka.
14:51The hardships of winter are soon forgotten.
15:01In the mating season, male willow ptarmigans establish territories that they defend vigorously
15:11using a wide range of sounds.
15:26If an outsider still dares to set foot on foreign territory, they had better be prepared
15:32for a confrontation.
15:57The fighting often takes longer than the mating.
16:16Despite the thaw, there is still not much to eat for the brown bears.
16:25It will be weeks before the salmon swim upstream.
16:29Until then, they satisfy their hunger with nutritious roots and other plants.
16:41The Valley of Geysers, six kilometres of rocky landscape sculpted by water and steam.
16:50More than 20 geysers crowded into one small area.
16:54The only place in the world with more is the Yellowstone National Park in the United States.
17:02The valley is especially attractive for the white wagtail.
17:11Its family benefits from the unique nursery, centrally heated by hot springs.
17:17It enables them to breed earlier than other birds.
17:21Even when the mother bird leaves to find food, the nest stays warm.
17:27Wagtails are mainly insect eaters.
17:30They prefer relatively barren rocky areas for feeding, where they can see their prey
17:36easily.
17:38The chicks are always hungry and keep their parents on the go.
17:46Only 15 days after hatching, the fledglings will be ready to spread their wings.
17:57It's not just the temperate climate and lush meadows that attract the animals to the Valley
18:02of Geysers.
18:04Geysers use the sulphurous water to get rid of fleas and other parasites.
18:16The volcanic activity has many advantages, but also deadly dangers.
18:22In June 2007, the Valley of Geysers was hit by a catastrophe which changed it forever.
18:45Millions of tons of mud and rock swept through the valley in minutes.
18:59The unique landscape was buried by the most devastating mudslide in the region's history.
19:13Many animals died, including numerous bears.
19:26The survivors had no choice but to adapt to completely new surroundings.
19:52The mud covered a distance of one and a half kilometres.
19:56For many, this meant having to find food elsewhere.
20:06Mudslides of this scale are generally considered a disaster, but in Kamchatka the only constant
20:12is change.
20:14Where once the Gizanaya River flowed, now a lake comes into existence.
20:32The landscape here is shaped by fire and ice.
20:49For hundreds of millions of years, nature has subordinated itself to these mighty forces,
20:57which are at the same time responsible for creating the peninsula's overwhelming splendour.
21:10The end of June.
21:12The Kamchatkan summers are as glorious as the winters are severe.
21:18The coasts and rocky cliffs are now a paradise for bears.
21:33They get most of their energy from vegetarian fare.
21:43This male is enjoying its favourite flowers, using finely tuned senses to pick them out.
22:00The decisive element of the summer is water, running through the rivers and bursting from
22:06geysers.
22:22And above all, pouring from the skies, Kamchatka has some of the wettest summers in the world.
22:30In the downpour, bear cubs explore the world outside the safety of their den.
22:43Here it's not unusual for females to have three cubs in one litter.
23:00The fox has shed its winter coat.
23:03Its summer fur is lighter and dries more quickly after the rain.
23:24The bear cubs will stay close to their mother for two years, learning to imitate her behaviour.
23:34Even if there is now enough vegetation to eat, they can't wait for the salmon to arrive.
23:41In a few weeks, the fish will swim upstream in their thousands to spawn in the rivers
23:47of their birth.
23:58While most Kamchatka bears wait for peak season, this mother already has impatient offspring
24:05to feed.
24:18The fish are still few and far between, but she is an experienced hunter.
24:31The cubs know when it's time to join in.
24:34Finally, they taste their first salmon of the season.
24:54At this time of year, the bears are not the only ones with hungry mouths to feed.
25:07Kamchatka is one of the few breeding grounds in the world for the majestic Steller's sea
25:13eagles.
25:21So every chick is precious.
25:27Usually only one chick in two survives.
25:30In this area, however, both seem strong.
25:34It looks like being a good year for the raptors.
25:39The chicks' soft down will give way to tougher brown plumage when they're ready to leave
25:44the nest.
25:46For the time being, they're spoiled.
25:48Their only concern is when dinner will next be served.
25:57The parents bring about half a kilo of fish per day for each chick.
26:11Mother and father share the parental chores.
26:25They feed the chicks small fish torn into beak-sized strips.
26:40Two or three times a day, the parents will bring food, preparing the chicks for the time
26:46when they will spread their wings.
27:07Late summer on the banks of Lake Kuril.
27:24At the southern tip of the peninsula, dozens of bears gather to await the feast of the
27:30year.
27:32It's been ten months since they last fed on fish.
27:36Their survival depends on their ability to catch and eat as many as possible during the
27:42next two months.
27:48In one of the oldest migrations in the Earth's history, more than six million salmon fight
27:54their way back to the rivers where they were born three years ago.
28:04For most of the bears, the number of salmon is still too low.
28:12Fishing now would waste much of the hungry bear's energy.
28:17Patience is called for.
28:48The days pass.
28:51The feast day approaches.
29:17While some remain patient, other bears try their luck.
29:35Although salmon only account for a small fraction of their diet, the fat fish are vital for
29:42the bear's survival.
29:47As the main shoal of salmon advances into the shallow water, the bear's big moment draws
29:54closer.
29:57It's now or never.
30:24Four hundred kilo of bear holds itself onto the
30:54slippery fish.
31:09Younger bears often remain empty-pored.
31:12The more experienced show how it's done.
31:31In the coming weeks, each bear has to catch hundreds of fish, and the banquet has barely
31:37begun.
31:45In summertime, warm and cold air currents meet at the coast and blanket the peaks in
31:52thick fog.
32:08Not many creatures brave these steep and precipitous heights.
32:14But for the Kamchatka snow sheep, there could be no home more perfect.
32:20While the buck keeps a lookout, the ewes can take care of their lambs.
32:29Snow sheep are agile climbers.
32:31The stony cliffs pose no problems, and their desolate habitat has many benefits.
32:44High above, the valleys below, the herd is safe from predators who only rarely venture
32:51into the craggy heights.
32:57The mountain meadows are rich in nutrition.
33:08These snow sheep are unique, and only to be found on Kamchatka.
33:13Although they live in Asia, they're more closely related to North American snow sheep,
33:18which live just on the other side of the Bering Strait.
33:29Stella's sea eagles are also great lovers of heights.
33:34Their nests are often up to 30 metres above the ground.
33:41The parents' efforts have borne fruit.
33:44Both chicks have grown, and their plumage has changed almost completely.
33:52While one dedicates itself to the eerie's interior decor, the other grooms its feathers.
34:05The adults are still feeding the big chicks every day.
34:10They're now nearly 10 weeks old, and are preparing for their maiden flights.
34:18This is the only practice they'll get.
34:21The first attempt at real flight will have to work first time.
34:29The bears, meanwhile, are on edge.
34:32As loners, it is only during the salmon season that they have such close contact.
34:42Heads down means aggression.
34:45Maybe the best thing is just to walk away.
34:54The salmon are late this year, and the bears are hungry and irritable.
35:14When the time comes, however, there's enough to go round for everyone.
35:19The salmon have journeyed hundreds of kilometres into the heart of Kamchatka.
35:35The moment the bears have been waiting for.
35:54Each one will eat up to 40 kilos of salmon a day.
35:58That means catching about 15 fish, which is easier said than done.
36:15The bears must gorge themselves on as many fish as possible to see them through the long
36:20winter.
36:24They tend not to eat the whole fish, but go for the fatty skin and nutritious eggs.
36:30In this fashion, the bears gain up to 200 kilograms with the layer of fat they need
36:36to survive for at least six months.
36:55Despite the bears, millions of salmon make it to the spawning grounds.
37:01Here the female lays thousands of eggs at a time, which are then fertilised by the male.
37:08Days after reproducing, most of the fish die.
37:24The end of the salmon run marks the beginning of autumn.
37:33The air temperature cools, but the heat from under the earth remains.
37:41As the sun weakens and the days grow shorter, nature starts preparing for the arrival of
37:48winter.
37:53Wrapped in their thick layer of fat, the bears return to their vegetarian diet before
37:59it is time to retire to their dens.
38:10For a few weeks, the landscape is transformed into a sea of colour.
38:40For most animals, the winter is a time of scarcity.
38:54In the frigid tundra, wolverines are in their element.
38:59When tracking something, they can run for 15 kilometres without a break.
39:10In the deep freeze of the Kamchatka winter, carrion stays fresh until a lucky scavenger
39:17comes along.
39:18With their sharp sense of smell, wolverines, far and wide, have scented the bear carcass.
39:30The animals are exceedingly strong for their size.
39:34Their powerful jaws can tear out even frozen flesh and crunch up the bear's bones.
39:49The biggest martins of the world are also skilful hunters and catch live prey, but a
39:56free meal is a godsend, saving precious energy in winter.
40:09The fox keeps its distance, best not to get involved with wolverines.
40:26There'll be plenty left when the bigger animals have had their fill.
40:45June, winter, once again has Kamchatka in its icy grip, but with a beauty all its own.
41:13Whatever the season, Kamchatka's fires never go out.
41:21Back at Lake Kiril, some newcomers have arrived, golden eagles.
41:31They're lighter and smaller than the stellar sea eagles, but they're not afraid to challenge
41:36their larger relatives.
41:38The sea eagles have brawn, but the golden eagles have a plan.
41:54The golden eagle is persistent.
42:19Despite the blows, it won't let go.
42:21Suddenly, the tables are turned.
42:27Other eagles wait all around, hoping for a chance to snatch the fish.
42:33The stellar's sea eagle has no choice but to give up.
42:52Unlike the stellar's sea eagles, who keep food for themselves, the golden eagles band
42:57together as a pack, forming a barrier as they eat, and keeping the sea eagles away.
43:11When it comes to surviving in extreme conditions, physical strength is obviously not everything.
43:40Nowhere else in Russia is the earth's fiery breath more immediate.
43:47Can stronger forces be felt than here?
43:52In this unique place, nature is like a capricious artist, constantly reinventing its genius,
44:00abandoning and starting afresh, and each time, creating a new, true work of art.