Poland's Untamed Nature: A Wildlife Wonderland in Every Season

All year round, Poland's flora and fauna are full of surprises. From the mountains of the Tatra in the south, to one of the largest swamp regions in Europe. From the stork country of Mazury, to the desert-like dunes of the Baltic coast. The mountains are still in the grip of winter. To the south, peaks up to 2,500 meters high dominate Poland. Icy winds lash the ridges of the Tatra, Part of the Carpathian belt, and the smallest area of high mountains in the world. The Nutcracker is at home in the pine forests, and is at the moment living on the stores of food it hid in the ground in autumn. As good as invisible, the lynx, the roof of Poland, parts of which are still untouched by human contact. A mountain world of austere beauty. Few animals manage to brave the icy East Polish winter. Bison are protected by their thick, shaggy coats. These mighty descendants of ancient cattle have adapted to the harsh climate over thousands of years. They found a new home on the border to Belarus. Originally spread over the whole continent, Europe's largest land mammal was hunted almost to extinction. The last bison in Poland was killed in 1919, and a few years later, the species was completely extinct in the wild. 60 years ago, the first bison were released again. All the specimens living today are descendants of 12 captive animals. More than 500 of these powerful beasts now populate the east of Poland. They tend to avoid the company of humans. At last, the first signs that winter is coming to a close. The lowland rivers Biebrza and Narew break up and start to flow again. But the ice and frost are tenacious and don't give up that easily. The beaver knows how to deal with such wintry conditions. At least most of the time. Let's have another go. The morning's hygiene routine can begin. 23,000 hairs per square centimeter make for fantastic insulation, if you look after them. Castor, a fatty bodily secretion, protects the large rodent from moisture and chills. The beaver's neighbors are a mother otter and her two almost adult offspring. Playful and extremely agile, otters need around 15% of their body weight in food every day. The mother looks after her young for a good year, then comes the parting of the ways. Spring in one of Europe's largest regions of natural swampland. During the night, more migratory birds have arrived. This ornithological paradise is beginning to fill up. More than 180 kinds of bird nest here and seek protection from predators and humans in the swampy landscape. The biggest bird in the region is the mute swan. Like most of the other birds here, it spends most of its time feeding, apart from the occasional bout of posing. At this time of year, the swamps are full of life. White-winged black terns out hunting. The tern's hover flight enables them to keep both a lookout for water insects and an eye on their eggs. Their nests are inconspicuous, but the decisive aspect here is the fact that they float. Crane crosses the swamp in search of a bite to eat. But anyone who gets too close to the tern's nests can also lose their poise. Whiskered terns, brooding. Many species in the swamps breed in loose colonies which provide a certain security, including black-necked grebes. Their nests are also rafts of rotting plant remains which are unaffected by changing water levels. Glowing red eyes and bronze ear tufts are their characteristics. In the swamp, the best survival strategy is to get on your own two feet as quickly as possible. A few hours ago, this little crane was still in its egg. As soon as its sibling hatches, the family will undertake their first excursion in the swamp. The black-necked grebes and whiskered terns have also produced offspring. The tiny grebe chicks can already leave their floating home by themselves, but only do so when the temptation is great enough. To the north of the swamp region lie Warmia and Mazuria, extensive forests and Poland's biggest lake district. The numerous farms are evidence of intact agriculture, the numerous storks of intact flora and fauna. One in four storks is a pole, the locals say with pride, as 25% of the world's stork population of 50,000 breed in Poland, on top of church towers, barns and farmhouses. The birds' distinctive clattering is both a greeting and serves to strengthen the bond between partners. According to popular belief here, white storks symbolise good luck and parental care and are responsible for bringing human babies. Wherever storks live, nature and agriculture are still in harmony, and there is food in abundance. Thus, storks also profit from humans. Spotted susliks, too. The little rodents inhabit open spaces. Here created by the farmer's mowing. Susliks live in family groups and spend most of the time looking for food or eating. They like cereals and grasses. They spotted the stork some time ago and are keeping a lookout. A shrill whistle serves as a warning signal. But the stork is a safe distance away. Time for some reciprocal preening. Susliks have underground burrows into which they can disappear instantly at the first sign of danger. The stork is usually too late. But storks possess a quality sadly lacking in susliks. They have patience, infinite patience. Susliks are only found in certain parts of Poland, maybe as a consequence of the large stork population and their successful hunting strategy. Summer in Missouri. Many animals profit from the wealth of six-legged life, like the hoopoe. Its young are fed a steady stream of crickets and other insects. The roller is as colorful as a tropical bird and rarely seen in Poland. Like the hoopoe, it loves a warm climate and is always on the lookout for larger insects. Its qualities as a singer, however, are somewhat limited. Rollers can impress by their looks alone. The hoopoe's characteristic call can be heard some distance away. On the edge of the field live a family of foxes. The vixen is always on guard, but her cubs have other concerns. Like getting their mother to suckle them. This phase lasts six weeks. And when mum goes off to find food, it's time for some fun. The cubs use all of the sand hill to mock fight and scrap. They leave the den for the first time aged three weeks, then slowly increase their radius of activity. For the moment, their world is just one big adventure playground. Missouri's forests stretch to the horizon, peaceful and remote. Remote enough for a bird that seeks as little contact with humans as possible, the black stork. In stark contrast to their white relatives, black storks lead hidden lives, high up in the trees. But, like their white cousins, they reuse their nests for years. These rare birds feel at home in rich natural woodlands, bordered by streams and rivers, which marshes have in abundance. Feeding time at the black stork's nest. A thousand pairs live in Poland, the largest population in Europe. The young black storks still have some way to go. In comparison to their white cousins, black storks clatter very quietly, but have a larger repertoire of other calls and quiet songs. Morning mist inland. Summer is drawing to a close. Loud roaring coming from a forest clearing can only mean one thing. It's mating time for the red deer. The younger animals have no part to play. The stage is set for the larger, experienced stags. They have only one thing on their minds, procreation. Slowly the autumn sun gains in strength and disperses the swathes of mist. Full of hormone-fueled energy, the senior stags are always on the move. They're kept busy bringing their does together and holding off rivals. The mating season takes a lot of strength, with the stags losing up to a quarter of their weight. And the does will only mate with the most successful stags. A stag of a completely different kind, an elk. It uses the autumn to put on reserves of fat before food becomes scarce again. The first frosty night gives the landscape a new look. Stags don't mind the cold. Not even minus 50 degrees Celsius bothers them. In the middle of the 20th century, elks here were almost extinct. Today there are once more several thousand of these impressive beasts in Polish forests. And even if the icy temperatures aren't a problem, the lack of greenery in the winter forces them to eat bark and brushwood. Ancient forests and snowy mountainsides. The Tatra, with its prominent peaks and craggy ridges, is only one facet of Poland. The country with one of the richest varieties of wildlife in Europe.