Apex Predators Hunting in Scandinavia's Wild Forests

High up in the north of Europe, where the sun in winter often hides away for weeks on end, this is where Jack Frost has everything under control. It's bitter cold in the forest of the bears, but not all of them have to freeze. Concealed beneath the thick snow, new life is born. A brown bear female has delivered three youngsters during hibernation, well warmed in a cave. The bear babies have not yet seen the moon, nor the moderately warming winter sun. Since their birth, the little family has not once left the protection of the cave. Ravens while away the time over their heads. They are waiting for a suitable opportunity to snatch a tasty morsel somewhere. And the opportunity knocks. A young wolf in his winter coat, and he appears to have a nice big bone with him. The buffet is open, at least when it has anything to do with the raven's liking. Time to sharpen the beaks. Solitude and tranquility in the winter forest? No way. In the end, the ravens get what they want, and the wolf a little less. But he's definitely had enough of birds for one day. It's brighter for just that little bit longer every day. The sun is slowly growing stronger, and it's time to wake up. After five months in the cramped bear cave, a walk in the snow is not a given. The male bear hasn't had a bite to eat for the entire winter. Okay, he may be a mighty predator, but the mooses haven't really got anything to fear. They can reach the floor with their long legs, and therefore make up considerably more ground. Not all of the bear caves are already vacant. Beneath a thick blanket of snow, the mother stands waiting. She knows that in the very moment she leaves the cave with her infants, everything will be different. Until now, the trio knows nothing of the many dangers that lurk in the forest outside, and the adventures that await them. The male bear organizes himself outside again, in his stomping ground. But unfortunately, his stomach won't stop rambling. He's not the only hungry one, though. A lynx is roaming around the forest. Can the melting ice bear the weight of the colossus? Even the featherweight cranes sink into the snow. The resiliency test passed. Now, just follow the nose. He's drawn as if by magic to a perished moose, his first meal for months. And he's not sharing it with anyone. The first thing to do is to get the carcass from the ice. The lynx is no competition at the carcass, but he decides to play it safe, and has to hurry. Who knows how long the ice will carry bear plus dead moose. Wet paws? That's not something for cats. Give the bear a bone. It's all over with peace and quiet when the cranes get back from their holidays down south. The sound of spring in Scandinavia's forests. Crane couples are faithful throughout their lives. Their mating is an ingenious balancing act, and doesn't always work. But in this way, the birds consolidate their bond each spring. Snow still blankets the country in the high north. No problem for the great grey owl. He is one of the most accurate hunters at any time of the year, as far as rodents are concerned. Oops, missed that one. The vole has fled beneath the snow. The owl can't see it anymore. But for the grey owl, invisible doesn't necessarily mean inaudible. Silently, he attacks once again. The owl is able to pull his prey out of up to half a meter of snow. The bear mother suckles her triplets, and still doesn't dare to come out. She has to eat something, otherwise she won't have enough milk. And when the young ones need to move, the cave is definitely getting too small. Outside is anything but safe in the night. Not only wolves roam the forest, it's a popular pastime for male bears too. The old man is not king on intruders, and especially not wolves that tend to share his food preferences. Tonight, yet another unwanted visitor announces his arrival. To party. He's equal. And just as hungry. This is not quite how he had imagined his evening would be. When to quarrel, the third could rejoice. And in this case, it would be the wolf. The bears clarify the situation. The intruder retreats. Pristine landscapes and huge forests. They are still intact at the north of Sweden, Norway and Finland. Blanketed in ice and snow for at least six months of the year. Until the moment arrives in which the sun finally prevails. At last, the day has arrived. On which to say hello to the world out there. All still a little unusual. And all of a sudden, there's room to play. The bear mother doesn't let her little ones out of her sight. Talk about bowling over. Their very first snow experience. And it's all so bright. Time to cast your vote. Who is the noisiest sibling of them all? They'll try anything once. Or twice. As long as mum is just a few bear steps away. The brashest of them all is also the smallest sibling. While the other two order an energy drink at mum's milk bar. Number three prefers doing his own thing. As long as she has the little ones in her sights, nothing can really happen to them. For two or three years, bear mums do all they can to protect their offspring. No matter what it takes. The bond with their mother is the closest and most important in an entire bear lifetime. Once they become adults on their own, the siblings will have to assert themselves in the enormous forests of the north. Strange sounds resound through the forest on this late April morning. Is this character the source by any chance? Oh yes. Good grouse mating season has begun. At specific locations that have been utilised for many generations. Hardly new for the bear mother, it's the same procedure every winter. But her triplets have never heard anything quite like that. By calling out, the wild grouse want to impress both their male rivals and their women. Whatever. The three cubs are extremely impressed. So much to see already on their very first outing with mum. New and huge. Wild grouse can be more than a metre tall and weigh around four kilos. Bear baby number three has decided to take a look at the giants from above. Bears are born climbers. So why not risk a peek and absorb everything from on high? Down there at the clearing, it looks rather exciting. Seems like trouble is on its way. Under the strict supervision of the much smaller hens, two rivals are warming up to fight one another. They are deadly serious too. Untiring attacks, combining pecking and wing flapping. And we have a victor. And he is presented with his prize. The prerogative of the hens. The loser has vanished and may only look on from afar. And with this, the next grouse generation is ensured. High up in the trees, someone has lost a connection. Going down is a whole lot more difficult. Well, he certainly passed his first adventure successfully. Together with mum, the journey continues. On little bear paws, through her huge home. Today, only a meagre few forests in Scandinavia provide enough room, protection and peace for brown bears, wolves and many other wild animals. Well hidden, a cow moose has delivered two little calves. Mooses sometimes have twins. To stand up immediately after birth is no mean feat with long legs like those. In this position, mother's teats seem hardly accessible. His sister already stands on her own wobbly legs. The cow moose carefully licks both calves dry. Like the bear mother, she will also not let her offspring out of her sight. Not even for a moment. The forest in spring is full of surprises. Many are well hidden, even up in the trees. In an old black woodpecker cave, not a woodpecker, rather a duck has moved in. Donald instead of Woody. The golden eye appreciates the security and the view for herself and her future family members. In the squatter's neighborhood, one can hear house builders at work. A woodpecker couple is busy furnishing their new home. And the noise. Woodpeckers are born carpenters. With a duck bill, labor wouldn't get very far. How fortunate to be the following tenant. The bear mother doubles as a teacher today and asks, what can one eat and what not? This is something the little ones have to learn. Brown bears are omnivores, but they are predominantly vegetarian and love seeds and fruit, roots and mushrooms. Tastier still are the larvae of insects hidden beneath tree bark. Off they go. Well, all of them, but one. The others disappear in the underbrush. The smallest triplet utterly alone in the forest. For the first time, the little fellow has lost not only his orientation, but also the scent trace of his mother. His instinct tells him that he's safe up in the tree. But up here, flying squirrels are the big cheeses. And the pig meow. So keep going further and further. Flying squirrels are mostly nocturnal, but sometimes they prefer day trips, like now in the mating season. The female rubs chewed excrement onto the branches, perfume, flying squirrel style. Now the bait is supposed to release its effect, but until then, it's back to the nest. The little bear keeps climbing and climbing. Now he really is all on his own. It looks cozy and warm in the flying squirrel nest, but the female risks a glance outside. Didn't I hear a noise? Here they come, sailing by on their outstretched wing-like gliding skin. Several males have followed her scent. Now the race is fully underway for the chosen one. But just where has she gone? At last. Finally, the little bear has opted to go down. He's not prepared for what could be waiting for him down below. Not only wolverines. A male bear has also made himself comfy beneath him. A tree like this is very fine. When using it to have a good scratch, the bear loses fur and leaves. Significant traces of perfume behind. He is marking his territory. And yet, he is oblivious to the little one higher up in the tree. But the little bear is in danger. Adult males often kill the babies of unrelated females in order to procreate with her. Especially now, he should stay where he is. He just doesn't seem to be in the mood to climb trees. Danger. The heavy male would never have been able to follow him to the top of the tree. If found on the forest floor, the little one wouldn't stand a chance. The old boy seems to have picked up a scent. He then turns off, loses his interest. A young tree has the dubious honor of being on the receiving end of the bear's liquid fragrance. The little one has a much better smell in his nose. A good smell. A familiar one. At last. The little adventurer is in no mind to be distracted by anything this time. The family is back together again. And including all three siblings. All's well that ends well. For today at least. Swamps, lakes and forests characterize large swathes of the higher north. And bears like the water. Not just because of the nourishing water lilies. They have to share their home with wolves. In Scandinavia, there are more bears than wolves. But this pack of wolves is definitely too close. The old wolf with the bent tail, the male chief of the pack, the patriarch, seems to have something specific worked out. The bear is much bigger and stronger than the wolf. But the leading female, strikingly bright in color, is aware of her speed. The she-wolf has a duck in her sights. Duck feels safe as long as it remains in open water. One of the young wolves stays on the duck's track. While his parents give the bear a hard time. It's all over a carcass in the swamp. A carcass that the bears do not want to share. Misjudgment on behalf of the duck. The seniors are keen on a bit of the bear's carcass. The juniors prefer poultry today. Greater in numbers and much faster. The wolves get the better of the bears. And to add insult to injury. The female boss takes the biggest piece. There, where infinite wilderness and water characterize the landscape, is where they feel at home. Ospreys. These birds of prey are monogamous, at least for a season. They return to the same eerie for years and often find the same partner in doing so. It looks as though the prerequisites for another year of happy osprey family life have been set. Elsewhere in the forest, things are more advanced. The small golden eyes have hatched. Well, almost. Their mother has upholstered the tree nest with soft downs. And she toils tirelessly. She eats the eggshells in order to regain valuable calcium. When she's finished, there's no trace of eggshell in the cave to be found. The chicks are warm and dry, yet still they want to get outside as soon as they can. Golden eyes are typical precocials. In the new build next door, noise is king. The black woodpecker chicks have hatched too. Four open beaks that continually beg for food. The male with the red parting is munching ant eggs, woodpecker's favorite. This is how things will be for the next four weeks. Right up until the offspring springs off, so to speak. No holding back next door. A big moment draws near at the duck household. First off, it's mother's turn. She lures her little ones to follow her. But the pint-sized feather balls still can't fly, and the nest is at the top of the tree. Mother duck flies away. Will she simply leave the little ones behind, alone? Yes, she wants them to jump. Help from behind. The chicks follow the call of the mother, one after the other. What a test of bravery. The chicks remain unscathed. They are simply featherlight. Just one chick is somewhat wary, but no one waits. That's the way. The others have almost made it. And the straggler hits the accelerator. His first siblings reach the riverbank. Just as he catches up at last. Mum is still calling out to them, off to safer waters. A little snack, and they've survived their first adventure. For the rear guard, too. The young hooper swans haven't tried out tree falls yet. Their mother has laid out the nest at water level. Like these red-throated divers here. However, the flea from the nest seems to be an idea worth copying. Not only water birds like aquatic plants. The young moose bull enjoys a refreshing cool down, and the mineral-rich water lilies in the pond. Red-throated diver chicks like fish from day one. It's still the parents' job to serve their offspring with glibbery whatever, which is easier to swallow. Bears love water lilies, too. Especially the storks, which are rich in nutrients. When the whooper swan mother takes a bath, everyone joins her. From the moment her offspring hatch, they follow her. Well, most of the time. But one just has to be the nestling.