The New Wild episode 1
The New Wild episode 1
Category
🐳
AnimalsTranscript
00:00Perhaps you think you know Scotland, this land of proud tradition, rugged mountains,
00:14sparkling lochs and heather-clad hills. But look again, and our country may surprise
00:27you. With its vastness, its spectacle, its subtlety and its splendour. For this is a
00:53wild country, on the cusp of change. A land where animals and plants are fighting to reclaim their
01:03place in the natural order. This is Scotland, the new wild.
01:33Our country has a vast and varied coastline. Surrounded by nearly 800 islands. Ranging
01:57from the craggy heights of Skye to the water world of North Uist. While only 93 are inhabited
02:09by people, these beautiful and remote places are a haven for some of the most spectacular
02:16wildlife in our nation. Lifeboats of diversity, surrounded by a wild and unruly sea. On the very
02:40edge of the west of Scotland lie the remote Monarch Isles. They were inhabited for thousands
02:49of years, but the last people left in the 1940s. These beautiful islands have been reclaimed by
03:03nature. And now, every autumn, the pristine Shell Sand beaches become the scene for a wildlife
03:13spectacle. The grey seal pupping season. Every year, over 10,000 grey seals make the pilgrimage
03:33to these beaches, where pregnant females give birth to snowy white pups. Each tiny pup has
03:51just three weeks to grow large enough to fend for itself. Suckling on its mother's milk, which is
03:59among the richest in the animal kingdom. It's 50% fat, ten times that of cow's milk, which should
04:12enable the pups to triple in size in a few short weeks. For the pups to grow, they need to feed
04:23hourly. But occasionally, the females head to the shallows to cool off, leaving their youngsters
04:34unattended. One pup finds himself alone on the beach. He's getting hungry.
05:04With no sign of his mother, he sets off to look for her. He's only a few days old. He's confused.
05:15No luck here. The older pup tries to get away, with the lost infant in pursuit.
05:33The beach is a dangerous place for youngsters.
05:45As well as pupping time, this is also when grey seals mate.
05:55The bulls are pumped with testosterone. Weighing in at more than 300 kilograms,
06:07they are prepared to battle each other for access to the females.
06:15Two huge bulls scrap in the shallows.
06:36They're evenly matched, so could fight to the death.
06:45The winner will now seek a female to mate with.
07:02Peace returns.
07:12But the lost pup is still desperate to feed. He hasn't seen his mother for two hours now.
07:22He's not going to get a meal from this bigger infant.
07:25His mother has returned from the shallows to the spot where she left him.
07:35She sniffs a nearby pup. Perhaps this could be him. No joy.
07:46In desperation, her pup tries to feed from another newborn.
07:53His mother continues her search further up the beach.
08:04He's heading in the right direction.
08:24Mother and pup are reunited.
08:30At last, he can feed to his heart's content.
08:34He must now fatten up to be ready for independence in just three weeks' time.
08:54Just a few kilometres east of the Monarchs lie Scotland's lowest-lying islands, the Uists.
09:18Because these isles are so flat, they're vulnerable to rising sea levels.
09:28But their relationship with the sea is also what makes these islands so exceptional.
09:38Here is a habitat unique to Western Scotland and Ireland.
09:47The macker.
10:01Macker is part of the ancient system of farming called crofting.
10:07It's low-intensity agriculture where seaweed is used as fertiliser.
10:12Grazing is managed and crops are rotated to give nature a chance.
10:26In the spring and summer, the macker becomes a glorious carpet of wildflowers.
10:35Attracting in a huge array of wildlife.
10:46A pair of lapwing are working hard to raise their two tiny chicks.
10:54They're ground-nesting birds who rely on the long grass for feeding and breeding.
11:01Their tiny chicks are fully mobile, and so they keep a constant lookout.
11:12A curious oyster catcher has strayed too close to one of the chicks.
11:43Eventually, the oyster catcher gets the message.
11:55Once, the lapwing's distinctive calls were heard throughout Scotland.
12:06But as farming has become more intense, their numbers have declined.
12:14However, there's an even rarer and more elusive bird found here.
12:20Often heard on these islands, but seldom seen.
12:27The corn crake.
12:31These secretive birds hide in long grass, and this has nearly led to their extinction in Britain.
12:39When fields and grasslands are mowed early, nestlings can be killed.
12:46But here in the Uists, crofters leave the grass long until the end of July,
12:52throwing a lifeline to these rare birds.
13:08Crofters have been working with nature for centuries,
13:13passing down their methods from generation to generation,
13:17creating a balance between the human and wildlife needs found across these islands.
13:25This close bond between people and wildlife means some very special relationships develop.
13:33This crofter has new lodgers.
13:39This crofter has new lodgers.
13:45This crofter has new lodgers.
13:51This crofter has new lodgers.
14:02A pair of nesting wrens.
14:11Wrens only weigh around nine grams, and are particularly vulnerable in harsh winters.
14:20But this pair are successfully raising their chicks in the safety and shelter of the crofter's barn.
14:50On the far side of the croft, a pair of short-eared owls are hunting for voles.
15:06Unlike most owls, these birds frequently hunt during daylight hours.
15:14And this pair has a lot of food to find, for they have a growing family.
15:21A couple of weeks ago, their five chicks hatched in the long grass here,
15:26and now both parents have their work cut out feeding the brood.
15:32A job that's made all the harder as the five chicks are now mobile.
16:02The lambs are curious.
16:06What can this be?
16:09Perhaps a new playmate?
16:32A pair of short-eared owls.
16:43Short-eared owls are doing well here.
16:46Their numbers are growing, and they're a common sight across the Uists.
16:51But the bigger picture on these islands is more worrying.
16:56Rising sea levels and stronger, longer gales are increasing.
17:05In some places, up to 20 metres of land have been lost to the sea forever.
17:11And in the future, the sea could infiltrate the freshwater table, putting the ecosystem under threat.
17:27The crofting system helps preserve the rich habitats here,
17:31but this unique place is under great pressure from our changing climate.
17:47Some things can be done to help these vulnerable islands,
17:52using the natural world itself as protection.
18:02In the shallow waters lapping the coast, bathed in sunlight, lie fields of seagrass.
18:12These meadows act as storm breaks, buffering the worst of the waves before they hit the shoreline, preventing erosion.
18:23They're also one of the most productive ecosystems in the world,
18:27creating a rich habitat for marine wildlife.
18:34Snake-lok anemones,
18:38spider crabs,
18:42and greater sand eels shelter amongst the grass blades.
18:52Only now are seagrass meadows being fully appreciated.
18:57Although they capture carbon up to 35 times faster than tropical rainforests,
19:0392% of them have been lost.
19:08Scottish waters have the highest abundance in the UK,
19:12and conservation work is now well underway to expand them further.
19:23These Hebridean waters are among the richest in the British Isles.
19:30In the summer months, the mix of light and warmth produces billions of tonnes of plankton,
19:44attracting in the most spectacular summer visitors.
19:53Basking sharks.
20:08They can grow up to 11 metres in length, the largest weighing in at 16 tonnes.
20:22But a passing seal has nothing to fear,
20:26for these sharks only have tiny teeth.
20:35To feed, they open their giant jaws a metre wide and sieve plankton,
20:41taking in 6,000 litres of water through their gills every hour.
20:47Hundreds of sharks migrate here every year to feed along the cooler water channels.
20:55Here, they were harpooned for the oil in their liver.
21:02That ended in 1995, allowing their numbers to start growing again,
21:09and now new measures have been taken to protect them further.
21:17In 2020, the Sea of the Hebrides was designated a marine protected area.
21:27And here in Scotland, these ocean-going behemoths have a chance to continue their recovery.
21:46The Shants
22:05Off the coast of Lewes, at a group of remote and rugged islands, the Shants.
22:12These isles are of international importance and specially protected,
22:19for every spring hundreds of thousands of seabirds come here to breed.
22:33Including 10% of the UK's population of puffins.
22:41Alongside their close relatives, guillemots and razorbills.
22:53They've spent most of the last year at sea, and now they return to this colony,
22:59flying in wheels, tier upon tier, a protection strategy against predators.
23:12The Shants are a booming seabird city.
23:16With a predatory rat population recently exterminated,
23:20the auks now have the islands to themselves.
23:24Each species taking up residence in a different rocky apartment.
23:31Puffins can be found from the shore to the high cliffs, nesting under boulders and in burrows.
23:41Further down, guillemots raise their young on the great boulder ledges.
23:49While feisty razorbills are found throughout this auk metropolis.
23:56Many of the puffins are too young to breed, but will spend spring learning the ways of the colony.
24:04They try to catch the eye of a potential mate.
24:12And if that suitably impresses, the pair bill.
24:18Which always draws in an audience.
24:26Puffins are a great source of entertainment,
24:29but they're also a great source of stress.
24:32Which always draws in an audience.
24:40Puffins pair for life, so finding the right partner might take some time.
24:52Other puffins are old hands and nest here every year.
25:02Tucked away under a boulder, a male cares for his puffling.
25:10His partner has been fishing, and now has a healthy stash of sand eels to take back to her burrow.
25:18But her alluring meal is catching the eye of a rookie puffin.
25:23And it's not just her.
25:25He hasn't learned the etiquette of colony life yet.
25:41Young puffins aren't the only chancers after a free meal.
25:46A razorbill is interested too.
25:49The razorbill will need to look elsewhere.
25:55And it's not just a matter of time before it's caught.
26:00It's a matter of time before it's caught.
26:04And it's a matter of time before it's caught.
26:09And it's a matter of time before it's caught.
26:13The razorbill will need to look elsewhere.
26:20These awks can make for unruly neighbours.
26:25They're highly territorial.
26:30Any roaming guillemot chicks need to beware.
26:38Razorbills don't take kindly to strangers.
26:43They'll even attack their own kind.
26:50But their aggression belies their softer side.
26:57They also mate for life.
27:03A pair affectionately reaffirm their bond.
27:13They too have a chick here amongst the boulders.
27:19Who relies on them for every meal.
27:38They're pursuit divers.
27:42Capable of plunging to depths of 120 metres.
27:48Using their wings to propel them at speed.
28:09It's been a successful trip for this father.
28:12And he returns to feed his hungry offspring.
28:23This chick is on the verge of fledging.
28:27And that means making the perilous journey down through the rocks to the sea.
28:32Many chicks perish before reaching the water.
28:39But this youngster has his father by his side.
28:42Showing him each and every step.
28:53They're attracting attention from other razorbills.
28:57Dad to the rescue.
29:05Eventually, the pair make it to the water's edge.
29:08Dad to the rescue.
29:16Eventually, the pair make it to the water's edge.
29:39Now, the chick will spend the winter learning how to hunt for fish.
29:44And if he does well, he has a chance of living up to 40 years.
29:54As for the puffling, he'll eventually fledge from his burrow too.
30:00Under cover of darkness.
30:09Farther south on the island of Rum, night is falling.
30:17An eerie sound gradually builds into a cacophony.
30:27When the Vikings first came here,
30:30they thought these mountains were inhabited by trolls.
30:33And called one Trollval.
30:45But the supernatural sounds are actually made by birds.
30:50These mountaintops hold one of the world's biggest colonies of Manx shearwaters.
30:55They spend most of the year as far away as Brazil.
30:59But using the stars as their guide,
31:02a fifth of the world's population returns annually to these cliffs
31:07to raise their young.
31:14The chicks are now at their heaviest.
31:17This epic battle for survival is only the beginning.
31:20The chicks are now at their heaviest.
31:23This extra weight is crucial to enable them to fledge
31:28and make the journey all the way to South America.
31:41As the wheel of the seasons turns,
31:44the summer cries of the trolls disappear.
31:50But Rum is never silent for long.
31:55In October, another sound starts to dominate this rugged landscape.
32:07Red deer stags.
32:20It's autumn, time for the annual rut.
32:27This island is a special place for deer.
32:30Bought for the nation in the 1950s,
32:33it's where many theories of animal behaviour were developed.
32:46Many of the hinds here are tagged,
32:48so scientists can identify them throughout their lives.
32:54But at this time of year, the adult males are the stars of the show.
33:05A magnificent stag guards his hinds.
33:13At 11 years old, he's been the most successful stag here for years.
33:18Fathering more calves than all the others.
33:27But as the hinds come into season,
33:30he's about to face challenges to his dominance.
33:36Other stags from around the island are closing in.
33:49They toss their antlers in the grass to appear more intimidating.
34:03The old stag must keep his hinds close,
34:06otherwise an opportunist could sneak in and mate.
34:11As long as he's on patrol, most of them won't dare.
34:18But there's always one foolish enough to give it a go.
34:49The upstarts are unlikely to try again in a hurry.
34:53Every encounter takes its toll.
34:56He has to constantly be on the watch for the opportunity.
35:04He doesn't know what to do.
35:07He's always on the lookout.
35:10But he's always a little bit scared.
35:14He can't see what's coming.
35:17He can't see anything.
35:19encounter takes its toll. He has to constantly keep his challengers at bay.
35:30For days, he hardly eats or sleeps, perpetually on the move, until eventually
35:41he's exhausted.
35:45Now he's at his most vulnerable to attack.
35:55An old rival has been waiting for this moment.
36:06He boldly sneaks in amongst the hinds.
36:15Right under the nose of the dominant stag.
36:24This time the two adversaries are more evenly matched.
36:45Just one stab from a sharp tine could prove fatal.
37:01It's going the old stag's way.
37:14It's all over. The challenger is one antler down, but at least he has his life.
37:45The monarch of the glen is still in charge. It will be his genes that will
37:52pass down to the next generation.
38:01The challenger's chances of mating are over, but next year his antlers will grow
38:06again and he'll be back to fight another day.
38:14Across the water, on the mainland west coast, is one of Scotland's best-kept
38:28secrets. Warmed by the Gulf Stream, this place is mild and wet, creating the
38:39perfect conditions for temperate rainforest.
38:45Much rarer than their tropical namesakes, these forests cover less than 1% of the
38:52planet and Scotland is one of their last European strongholds. These are
39:00mysterious, magical places.
39:19The trees, ancient oak, ash, hazel and pine, are thought to have been here since the
39:27retreat of the Ice Age 10,000 years ago.
39:36This is a place of great diversity.
39:42Almost every surface is covered by organisms who thrive in these damp
39:47conditions. Some species found hardly anywhere else on the planet.
39:56Liverworts and mosses are ancient plants, evolving more than 450 million years ago.
40:08Nearly 1,000 species of moss find a home here. Together they act as a giant sponge,
40:17slowing the flow of rain into streams and rivers.
40:26Fungi also flourish in these cool forests.
40:33Turkey-tail fungus grows in layers on dead trees.
40:41And glue fungus has the ability to trap falling twigs, sticking them together
40:47high in the canopy.
40:51Here it has the dead wood to itself, free from the fierce competition on the
40:56forest floor.
41:01As spring warmth creeps into the rainforest, it becomes a hive of activity.
41:08Migrant redstarts arrive.
41:15And pearl-bordered fritillary butterflies emerge.
41:21But these fragments are under huge pressure from overgrazing, non-native
41:33conifers and invasive rhododendrons. They need careful management to ensure
41:40their long-term survival.
41:51Beneath the shallow seas that border the temperate forest, lies another wonder of
41:57Scotland.
42:05The cold-water soft coral reef.
42:13Here in the Firth of Lorne, marine life has been protected by new legends of
42:20and is quickly recovering from overfishing and dredging.
42:36Sustained by the Gulf Stream, animals like the octopus are doing well here.
42:44And our slowly warming seas may be helping this animal thrive, even in the
42:48cool waters of the far-distant Shetland Islands.
43:02Shetland is a globally important stronghold of the otter.
43:09An experienced female is fishing in the bay, unconcerned by the human activity
43:15around her.
43:21As comfortable in the water as she is on land, she's a practiced hunter.
43:27And she needs to be.
43:31On the shore, in a bed of kelp, is her male cub.
43:37At 10 months old, he's almost as large as his mother, but still relies on her to
43:43catch his mules.
43:51Otter cubs stay with their mother for a long time.
43:58Otter cubs stay with their mothers for up to 18 months, during which time they
44:04must learn how to hunt for themselves.
44:10But he's not ready yet, and calls for her constantly.
44:28She's found an octopus,
44:34a substantial meal for the growing youngster.
44:45Cubs must eat a quarter of their body weight every day, before they're strong
44:51enough to become independent.
44:56So this is just what he needs to prepare for life in the wild North Sea.
45:02Further west, the Monarch Isles are also battered by high winds.
45:13And another group of youngsters is getting ready for the big day.
45:17They're getting ready for the big day.
45:21And another group of youngsters is getting ready for the big day.
45:28And another group of youngsters is gearing up for adult life.
45:39By late October, the island seal pups have been feeding from their mothers for
45:43three weeks.
45:45They're beginning to molt off their white fur coats, and many have tripled in
45:49body size.
45:53Now they're starting to explore.
46:04With humans no longer here, the seals have the run of the island.
46:13The larger pups wander far inland from the sand dunes.
46:20Some even visiting the abandoned cottages.
46:30These ruined buildings, with their stories of loss and hardship, could be a
46:36melancholy place.
46:41But this thriving population of grey seals fills these islands with new life
46:46and hope.
46:50A positive symbol of Scotland's new wild.
47:02Now the pups are nearly big enough to survive on their own.
47:06Their mothers will soon abandon them.
47:15Many of the cows are coming into season.
47:20The most dominant bulls now have their choice of females.
47:37Mating is always preceded by a boisterous tussle.
47:50But the
48:10struggle ends in a long embrace, lasting up to half an hour.
48:20The
48:24females will return here to give birth again next year.
48:30Meanwhile, the pups will wander the island for another four weeks,
48:36preparing for their next big adventure.
48:41A life in the vast Atlantic Ocean.
48:50Grey seals are prospering in the monarchs.
48:54The seclusion and absence of humanity has served them well.
48:59But some species can gain from being close to people,
49:03and in turn, help us too.
49:14The white-tailed eagle.
49:20Once hunted to extinction here,
49:24they were reintroduced to the Hebrides in the 1970s.
49:32Since then, they've flourished,
49:36and their population is now 150 pairs strong.
49:43They've become a significant tourist attraction,
49:47and visitors flock from around the world to get a close-up view
49:51of this magnificent bird.
49:56It's been calculated that watching and photographing wildlife
50:00is worth up to £8 million a year to Mull's economy.
50:10Clear evidence that protecting nature can benefit us too.
50:17In our fragile world,
50:21full of conflict and strife,
50:25wild animals need places to thrive.
50:36It's known that enjoying wild places
50:40and living alongside these wild animals
50:45is good for our health,
50:49both mental and physical.
50:55Wild animals and people are finding a way to live together
50:59in the remote islands of Scotland.
51:03From the Makar of the Uists
51:07to the mountains of Rum.
51:11We're moving towards a greater understanding
51:15of just how important the natural world is
51:21here in Scotland's New Wild.
51:41Throughout the series, the crew worked with many
51:45of Scotland's leading conservationists.
51:49One of Scotland's most ambitious marine restoration projects
51:53is currently underway here in Loch Craignish in Argyll.
51:57Local charity Sea Wilding are replenishing
52:01some of the loch's seagrass meadows with their very own hands.
52:05Will Goudie is the project manager of this pioneering scheme.
52:10This season we're trying to harvest about 125,000 seeds
52:14and then hoping to increase that year on year.
52:18We normally harvest for about a six-week to two-month period.
52:22It's absolutely fantastic when you're in the water
52:26working with the seagrass. The environment is just wonderful
52:30and it's just so peaceful.
52:34We're interested in restoring seagrass
52:38because it's a keystone species. It supports a huge amount of biodiversity.
52:42It's a keystone species and it creates these three-dimensional habitats
52:46which create a haven for young juvenile fish and other marine life.
52:50And it also sequesters carbon as well
52:54and locks it away into the sediments.
53:02The flowering stems and seeds are brought back on shore
53:06after a few months maturing
53:10they can start to be separated.
53:14So far we've processed about 100,000 seeds
53:18and they'll just stay here in this bag in the tank to keep them fresh
53:22until we're ready to plant them out in a couple of months' time.
53:26Preparing the seeds for planting is a team effort.
53:30We have lots and lots of volunteers who come out from the community
53:34with the seagrass harvesting and the processing of the seeds as well.
53:42So far we've planted about 350,000 seeds
53:46and we think we've got about 5 hectares of seagrass meadow
53:50in the lock here. But we reckon we've got about
53:5480 hectares of potential restoration area.
53:58So I get a huge amount of satisfaction from doing this work.
54:02It's great to know that we're actually making a difference.
54:06We have enough remnant populations of seagrass around Scotland
54:10which potentially can be restored. So we're hopeful that in decades to come
54:14we'll get back to where we once were.
54:22Further west on the island of Rum, the rugged peaks
54:26offer a dramatic backdrop for the 1,000 red deer who live here.
54:32Scientists
54:36have been studying the red deer of Kilmorey for over 50 years.
54:44The genetic information gathered here has helped inform the management
54:48of red deer populations across Europe.
54:52Autumn is rutting season,
54:56a crucial period for field worker Ali Morris.
55:00It's one of our busiest times of year
55:04and you just never know what's going to be happening at this time of year
55:08so it's pretty exciting.
55:12The Red Deer Project began in 1971
55:16making it one of the longest running mammal studies in the world.
55:20The deer within the glen are tagged to make them
55:24easier to identify.
55:28What we see with them through their lives is that they're hefted.
55:32That means they kind of live and grow up in the areas that their mothers were born in
55:36so that's how we can follow down through the generations.
55:40So we've noticed that there's a difference in the timing of events throughout the year
55:44so for example our calving season has become earlier
55:48and that's come forward 12 days since the 1980s
55:52and this is thought to be as a result of warmer climate during the summer.
55:56Earlier calves also mean an earlier rut.
56:04Studying it requires a patient approach.
56:08We go from baking hot to freezing cold and soaking wet
56:12quite often on a daily basis but at the moment we're enjoying
56:16a little nice spell of almost sunshine.
56:20Oh fight!
56:24Glariola 09 on the, oh well, being pushed up the hill
56:28and now back down. Oh I'm going over!
56:32Oh somebody's broken an antler. That's Glariola 09's antler broken.
56:36Wisdom 11 has won.
56:40That was amazing.
56:44Can even see the antler on the ground there now.
56:48Poor old man. He'll be feeling really weird
56:52and it's a somewhat way to quite balance his head.
57:00Ali sets off to carefully retrieve the antler.
57:04That is a catastrophic break
57:08and his rut's done for this year.
57:12It is a real privilege to be able to get up close and personal
57:16with these animals throughout their lives and I've seen several generations
57:20of their career here from a purely observational point of view.
57:24It's a real privilege.
57:50Music
57:54Music
57:58Music