1 00:00:53,127 --> 00:00:54,321 The grizzly bear... 2 00:00:54,487 --> 00:00:58,878 is surely the most impressive large carnivore in all the world. 3 00:00:59,047 --> 00:01:02,801 Weighing up to a thousand pounds, they can run as fast as a racehorse. 4 00:01:02,967 --> 00:01:06,676 They are smart. They are resourceful. They are strong. 5 00:01:06,847 --> 00:01:09,680 And some people think they are very dangerous. 6 00:01:18,607 --> 00:01:21,326 But not this man, Jeff Turner... 7 00:01:22,287 --> 00:01:26,644 a Canadian film maker who has spent the best part of the last 15 years... 8 00:01:26,807 --> 00:01:28,763 with grizzly bears. 9 00:01:29,087 --> 00:01:31,362 Hey, bear, where are you going? 10 00:01:55,247 --> 00:01:58,080 Because he understands bears so well... 11 00:01:58,287 --> 00:02:01,757 Jeff can get us closer to them than ever before. 12 00:02:02,047 --> 00:02:04,766 That's what makes this film so special. 13 00:02:31,367 --> 00:02:34,404 The coastal rain forests of western Canada. 14 00:02:35,447 --> 00:02:39,406 It was here, in this magnificent wilderness close to his home... 15 00:02:39,607 --> 00:02:43,156 that Jeff's relationship with grizzly bears began. 16 00:02:44,167 --> 00:02:47,364 I came to this place not knowing the grizzly. 17 00:02:48,087 --> 00:02:50,521 But there was something strangely compelling... 18 00:02:50,687 --> 00:02:54,441 about getting close to such a powerful and dangerous predator. 19 00:02:56,447 --> 00:02:59,883 I think it was this curious mix of fear and wonder... 20 00:03:00,047 --> 00:03:02,402 that first drew me to the bear. 21 00:03:07,007 --> 00:03:10,636 One bear, in particular, really caught my interest. 22 00:03:11,487 --> 00:03:15,275 I met her when she was just a cub 13 years ago. 23 00:03:21,287 --> 00:03:24,245 It's great to see her again after so long... 24 00:03:24,407 --> 00:03:26,602 but does she remember me? 25 00:03:27,407 --> 00:03:29,284 I certainly remember her. 26 00:03:33,447 --> 00:03:36,439 I took this film of her at 6 months old... 27 00:03:36,687 --> 00:03:40,839 with her mother and two brothers. They were a close family... 28 00:03:41,007 --> 00:03:43,885 but a year later, she lost one brother. 29 00:03:44,287 --> 00:03:46,005 Then, not long after... 30 00:03:46,287 --> 00:03:49,040 her other brother and her mother died. 31 00:03:49,847 --> 00:03:54,557 Orphaned at a year and a half old, I held out little hope for her. 32 00:03:57,127 --> 00:03:59,482 But now, so many years on... 33 00:03:59,647 --> 00:04:03,879 it's amazing to see she's survived, despite her rough start. 34 00:04:04,047 --> 00:04:08,723 Just like her mother, she's grown in to a fine and trusting adult. 35 00:04:11,087 --> 00:04:12,839 By allowing me close... 36 00:04:13,207 --> 00:04:16,882 she's shown me a door into the world of the grizzly. 37 00:04:17,567 --> 00:04:20,365 And there's much, much more to this animal... 38 00:04:20,527 --> 00:04:22,279 than I ever imagined. 39 00:04:58,447 --> 00:05:02,326 By her sharing these intimate family moments with me... 40 00:05:02,527 --> 00:05:04,677 I've been inspired to take a journey... 41 00:05:04,847 --> 00:05:08,681 to discover more of the true character of the grizzly. 42 00:05:09,367 --> 00:05:12,723 The story begins where the bears themselves began... 43 00:05:17,287 --> 00:05:19,039 The northern tundra. 44 00:05:30,207 --> 00:05:35,122 It was into just this sort of place that grizzly's ancestors arrived. 45 00:05:36,007 --> 00:05:37,998 They were smaller, brown bears... 46 00:05:38,167 --> 00:05:41,876 which came to North America from the forests of Europe and Asia... 47 00:05:42,047 --> 00:05:46,598 into an Ice Age world of mammoths, musk ox, bison... 48 00:05:47,567 --> 00:05:48,795 and caribou. 49 00:05:49,247 --> 00:05:51,681 Faced with new challenges on the open tundra... 50 00:05:51,967 --> 00:05:56,006 they grew stronger, faster and bigger. 51 00:06:04,407 --> 00:06:09,401 Today, vast herds of caribou still journey across this rugged terrain... 52 00:06:09,727 --> 00:06:12,878 tracked by the great North American grizzly... 53 00:06:13,047 --> 00:06:15,925 named for its coarse, grizzled fur. 54 00:06:26,327 --> 00:06:29,444 This bear might appear casual and disinterested... 55 00:06:29,607 --> 00:06:31,757 but he's got a close eye on the herd... 56 00:06:31,927 --> 00:06:35,556 Iooking for the young, the injured, or unwary. 57 00:06:50,687 --> 00:06:54,521 The caribou know to keep a safe distance from the grizzly. 58 00:06:54,687 --> 00:06:57,155 Bears have got a mean turn of speed. 59 00:06:57,327 --> 00:07:00,558 In short bursts they can hit 35 miles an hour. 60 00:07:10,487 --> 00:07:13,206 Hunting on the open tundra is tricky... 61 00:07:13,567 --> 00:07:15,956 the grizzly prefers an ambush. 62 00:07:25,527 --> 00:07:27,757 River crossings are a good spot... 63 00:07:27,927 --> 00:07:30,077 but others know this too. 64 00:07:37,927 --> 00:07:40,316 When grizzlies arrived in North America... 65 00:07:40,487 --> 00:07:45,436 wolves, lions and sabre-toothed tigers were already well-established here. 66 00:07:45,887 --> 00:07:50,165 Facing such heavy competition, only the most aggressive bears survived... 67 00:07:50,327 --> 00:07:52,716 and just as its ancestors did... 68 00:07:52,887 --> 00:07:56,243 today's grizzly can still stand up for itself. 69 00:09:06,047 --> 00:09:09,084 Encounters like this toughened the grizzly's character... 70 00:09:09,247 --> 00:09:12,922 and gave it valuable skills it could use elsewhere. 71 00:09:13,087 --> 00:09:18,002 As the glaciers retreated, this fearless predator expanded its range. 72 00:09:20,367 --> 00:09:22,562 Settling as far south as Mexico... 73 00:09:22,727 --> 00:09:25,400 the intrepid grizzly was eventually forced out... 74 00:09:25,567 --> 00:09:28,286 by the arrival of European pioneers. 75 00:09:31,407 --> 00:09:35,719 Only in a few protected areas, like Yellowstone National Park... 76 00:09:35,887 --> 00:09:37,843 were bears left in peace. 77 00:09:38,167 --> 00:09:40,203 Because they've been sheltered here... 78 00:09:40,367 --> 00:09:43,325 Yellowstone's grizzlies can be very relaxed... 79 00:09:43,487 --> 00:09:48,197 making this an excellent place for Jeff to watch mothers with cubs. 80 00:09:50,527 --> 00:09:52,404 In situations like this... 81 00:09:52,567 --> 00:09:54,637 I have to be very careful. 82 00:09:55,047 --> 00:09:57,356 The first few weeks out of the den... 83 00:09:57,527 --> 00:10:01,281 are a difficult time for mothers with new-born cubs... 84 00:10:01,447 --> 00:10:03,597 and they're easily disturbed. 85 00:10:04,087 --> 00:10:07,045 I stayed a good distance downwind from this family... 86 00:10:07,207 --> 00:10:11,246 so as not to upset them, and they never knew I was there. 87 00:10:21,127 --> 00:10:25,279 A grizzly's character is moulded from the day it is born. 88 00:10:25,847 --> 00:10:28,361 Mothers have the greatest influence of all... 89 00:10:28,727 --> 00:10:29,921 and this female... 90 00:10:30,087 --> 00:10:33,682 seemed to have all the right credentials, patience... 91 00:10:33,847 --> 00:10:36,839 devotion and a healthy sense of fun. 92 00:11:29,287 --> 00:11:33,121 Grizzly cubs need a full three years of care and education... 93 00:11:33,287 --> 00:11:36,723 before they can safely leave their mother's side. 94 00:11:37,327 --> 00:11:40,797 Right now, these youngsters must stick close by. 95 00:11:40,967 --> 00:11:43,481 In Yellowstone, rivers swollen by snow melt... 96 00:11:43,647 --> 00:11:45,524 are a very real hazard. 97 00:12:13,607 --> 00:12:15,916 Such are the perils of growing up... 98 00:12:16,087 --> 00:12:20,160 that only two of all the cubs this mother produces in her lifetime... 99 00:12:20,327 --> 00:12:22,477 are likely to reach adulthood. 100 00:12:22,647 --> 00:12:26,879 But, like all good parents, she can't be over-protective... 101 00:12:27,207 --> 00:12:29,926 she must let them find their own feet. 102 00:12:36,607 --> 00:12:40,759 Even at this tender age, different characters are becoming evident. 103 00:12:40,927 --> 00:12:42,440 But the more adventurous cub... 104 00:12:42,607 --> 00:12:46,282 may have bitten off slightly more than she can chew. 105 00:13:01,887 --> 00:13:04,401 Yellowstone is very different from the tundra... 106 00:13:04,567 --> 00:13:09,277 but it has one important thing in common, large prey like elk. 107 00:13:13,247 --> 00:13:16,478 One of the most important lessons these cubs must learn... 108 00:13:16,647 --> 00:13:18,922 is the fine art of hunting. 109 00:13:21,927 --> 00:13:24,999 A grizzly's sense of smell is formidable... 110 00:13:25,767 --> 00:13:30,761 one reason why elk mothers are quick to dispose of their calf's afterbirth. 111 00:13:39,767 --> 00:13:43,237 New-born elk can be hard to find in the tangled brush... 112 00:13:43,407 --> 00:13:47,082 so the bears carefully search the calving grounds. 113 00:13:54,807 --> 00:13:57,958 Sitting tight is the calf's best defence. 114 00:13:59,087 --> 00:14:01,521 But the grizzly mother has an answer to this... 115 00:14:01,687 --> 00:14:06,317 by rushing the herd one of the calves may lose its nerve and bolt. 116 00:15:12,927 --> 00:15:15,316 In all my years watching grizzlies... 117 00:15:15,487 --> 00:15:18,160 I've never seen a bear move like that! 118 00:15:20,847 --> 00:15:23,202 It was hard watching the calf killed... 119 00:15:23,367 --> 00:15:26,598 but there are 10,000 elk in the park and this meal... 120 00:15:26,767 --> 00:15:31,238 could spell the difference between life and death for the cubs. 121 00:15:33,287 --> 00:15:36,199 The protein is important for the mother's milk supply... 122 00:15:36,367 --> 00:15:40,883 and will give her extra strength to care for her growing family. 123 00:15:45,687 --> 00:15:47,279 The grizzly bear... 124 00:15:47,487 --> 00:15:50,524 on the one hand a fearsome predator... 125 00:15:51,247 --> 00:15:53,966 on the other, a gentle giant. 126 00:15:55,727 --> 00:15:59,561 Working in bear country certainly carries its risks... 127 00:16:00,007 --> 00:16:04,558 so it's important to go carefully, keeping your wits about you. 128 00:16:08,287 --> 00:16:11,643 In getting to know my rainforest bear back home... 129 00:16:11,807 --> 00:16:16,323 I have learned some important lessons about getting close to grizzlies. 130 00:16:16,687 --> 00:16:19,599 First of all, no surprises. 131 00:16:20,207 --> 00:16:23,756 Let the bear know you are there, long before you get too close... 132 00:16:23,927 --> 00:16:26,282 so it can leave if it wants. 133 00:16:33,567 --> 00:16:37,845 Then, if they stick around and you want them closer... 134 00:16:38,247 --> 00:16:41,000 don't be threatening. Be relaxed. 135 00:16:41,367 --> 00:16:45,155 Talk quietly. Try to avoid eye contact. 136 00:17:05,487 --> 00:17:06,681 Another thing... 137 00:17:06,887 --> 00:17:09,003 let the bear set the distance. 138 00:17:09,167 --> 00:17:12,682 Let them come as close as they feel comfortable. 139 00:17:13,007 --> 00:17:16,886 But keep a careful eye on how they're reacting to you. 140 00:17:20,087 --> 00:17:21,884 The most important thing... 141 00:17:22,047 --> 00:17:25,119 is to remember that bears are individuals... 142 00:17:25,287 --> 00:17:28,882 so you can never know for sure how they will react. 143 00:17:30,887 --> 00:17:34,084 Fortunately, I've spent enough time around this bear... 144 00:17:34,247 --> 00:17:36,442 to know she has a gentle nature. 145 00:17:36,607 --> 00:17:39,883 And because she's been so relaxed in my presence... 146 00:17:40,047 --> 00:17:42,766 she's taught me a lot about her world. 147 00:17:45,407 --> 00:17:48,479 It's fascinating how she's managed to get by... 148 00:17:48,647 --> 00:17:51,719 on this same stretch of coastline for so long... 149 00:17:51,887 --> 00:17:54,242 with hardly any animals to hunt. 150 00:17:54,567 --> 00:17:57,718 Like us, bears are very versatile animals. 151 00:18:09,407 --> 00:18:10,965 It may seem surprising... 152 00:18:11,127 --> 00:18:14,278 but most grizzles spend the best part of their waking hours... 153 00:18:14,447 --> 00:18:16,119 munching plants. 154 00:18:16,287 --> 00:18:19,279 Here at the coast, new sedge grass is a favourite... 155 00:18:19,447 --> 00:18:22,041 it's tender and easy to digest. 156 00:18:26,127 --> 00:18:30,803 Like meat many plants contain valuable proteins that bears can use. 157 00:18:30,967 --> 00:18:33,640 But grass is still fairly low-grade food... 158 00:18:33,807 --> 00:18:37,800 so grizzlies must eat a lot of it to get the calories they need. 159 00:18:44,127 --> 00:18:46,322 Being a carnivore that could live on plants... 160 00:18:46,487 --> 00:18:51,481 gave the grizzly the means to survive in the harshest corners of America. 161 00:18:57,407 --> 00:19:02,242 In the northern interior, autumn brings a crop of sugar-rich berries... 162 00:19:02,407 --> 00:19:04,398 which the grizzlies crave. 163 00:19:05,087 --> 00:19:09,478 This is one sweet mothers certainly don't mind their youngsters eating. 164 00:19:10,567 --> 00:19:12,205 The berries are so nutritious... 165 00:19:12,367 --> 00:19:15,040 that at the height of the season a bear in one day... 166 00:19:15,207 --> 00:19:17,960 will eat up to 100,000 of them. 167 00:19:24,167 --> 00:19:27,876 For a meat-eater, grizzlies cope well with plants. 168 00:19:28,127 --> 00:19:31,164 Long snouts and sharp teeth, good for tearing flesh... 169 00:19:31,327 --> 00:19:33,682 also work for plucking berries. 170 00:19:36,127 --> 00:19:38,880 Muscular legs, built for strength and stamina... 171 00:19:39,047 --> 00:19:41,083 are powerful earth-movers. 172 00:19:44,247 --> 00:19:47,205 Slicing molars have become useful tools... 173 00:19:47,367 --> 00:19:49,961 for grinding tough roots and tubers. 174 00:20:00,007 --> 00:20:02,077 The roots of this wild pea plant... 175 00:20:02,247 --> 00:20:06,923 are one of dozens of different types of plant foods cubs are introduced to. 176 00:20:07,087 --> 00:20:11,842 Right from an early age, they learn to become botanical experts. 177 00:20:15,047 --> 00:20:16,526 But, given the choice... 178 00:20:16,687 --> 00:20:19,963 grizzlies always prefer their meat to their greens... 179 00:20:20,127 --> 00:20:24,086 and turfing up the soil sometimes throws up tasty treats... 180 00:20:24,247 --> 00:20:26,124 like ground squirrels. 181 00:21:03,847 --> 00:21:06,042 This grizzly has met his match... 182 00:21:06,207 --> 00:21:10,564 but at the coast there are easier ways bears can get their protein... 183 00:21:10,727 --> 00:21:12,445 as Jeff found out. 184 00:21:13,607 --> 00:21:16,838 One summer morning I noticed the female and her cub... 185 00:21:17,007 --> 00:21:20,158 rummaging along the shoreline at low tide. 186 00:21:22,527 --> 00:21:26,122 At first, it was hard to make out what was going on. 187 00:21:26,407 --> 00:21:30,241 But they allowed me close, and I was amazed to discover... 188 00:21:30,407 --> 00:21:34,719 they were prizing tiny barnacles from off of rocks and logs. 189 00:21:43,487 --> 00:21:46,399 The bears must have been getting important salt and minerals... 190 00:21:46,567 --> 00:21:49,206 from this seemingly inedible food. 191 00:21:51,407 --> 00:21:53,967 The cub spent so much time at it... 192 00:21:54,327 --> 00:21:57,080 she obviously loved the taste of them. 193 00:22:03,087 --> 00:22:05,362 Seeing this unusual behaviour... 194 00:22:05,527 --> 00:22:09,156 made me appreciate just how smart and resourceful... 195 00:22:09,327 --> 00:22:10,840 grizzlies really are. 196 00:22:11,407 --> 00:22:14,399 And right up north, on the beaches of Alaska... 197 00:22:14,567 --> 00:22:17,525 I found they go even one step further. 198 00:22:23,247 --> 00:22:24,726 They dig for clams. 199 00:22:30,447 --> 00:22:31,436 At low tide... 200 00:22:31,607 --> 00:22:35,600 bears patrol the sand flats using their keen sense of smell... 201 00:22:35,767 --> 00:22:38,918 to locate clams hidden more than a foot down. 202 00:22:41,207 --> 00:22:43,198 The bears need to tread softly... 203 00:22:43,367 --> 00:22:46,677 clams can quickly bury themselves out of reach. 204 00:23:05,447 --> 00:23:08,200 Using its massive claws as levers... 205 00:23:08,367 --> 00:23:13,361 the grizzly opens the fragile shells with the delicacy of a watchmaker. 206 00:23:16,327 --> 00:23:20,320 Young bears dig a lot of unrewarding holes in the sand. 207 00:23:20,487 --> 00:23:23,479 This cub hasn't yet got the hang of catching clams... 208 00:23:23,647 --> 00:23:28,163 but his mother is still happy to share her few tiny morsels with him. 209 00:23:32,927 --> 00:23:36,158 Three years must seem a long apprenticeship for a young grizzly... 210 00:23:36,327 --> 00:23:38,363 but it's the very minimum a bear needs... 211 00:23:38,527 --> 00:23:41,917 to acquire a basic set of survival skills. 212 00:23:47,927 --> 00:23:51,715 The first few months away from home are always the toughest. 213 00:23:52,607 --> 00:23:56,202 Jeff noticed this young female paddling around in the shallows... 214 00:23:56,367 --> 00:23:57,959 Iooking for food. 215 00:23:58,887 --> 00:24:02,516 She was with her brother and I guessed from all the gulls... 216 00:24:02,687 --> 00:24:05,520 that the first salmon were moving inshore. 217 00:24:05,687 --> 00:24:07,120 But this early in the season... 218 00:24:07,287 --> 00:24:10,597 the fish were clearly few and far between... 219 00:24:10,887 --> 00:24:14,038 and these youngsters were out of their league. 220 00:24:14,207 --> 00:24:17,597 Only the most experienced bears knew what to do. 221 00:24:43,327 --> 00:24:46,763 This old female was the only one catching fish... 222 00:24:47,207 --> 00:24:51,837 and it soon became apparent that she was the mother of the cubs. 223 00:24:57,447 --> 00:25:00,883 They wanted to share, like before, when they were younger... 224 00:25:01,047 --> 00:25:03,481 but she wasn't having any of it. 225 00:25:18,447 --> 00:25:19,880 These hungry teenagers... 226 00:25:20,047 --> 00:25:23,278 would never have been so bold with a stranger. 227 00:25:24,527 --> 00:25:26,643 Mom quickly went back to work. 228 00:25:48,367 --> 00:25:52,565 One cub pushed his luck again, begging even harder. 229 00:25:57,247 --> 00:26:00,080 The other saw the gulls had a morsel... 230 00:26:00,247 --> 00:26:03,045 and he thought this was his big chance. 231 00:26:16,167 --> 00:26:17,441 There comes a time... 232 00:26:17,607 --> 00:26:21,600 when every mother must insist on her cubs' independence. 233 00:26:22,207 --> 00:26:25,165 This female had other things on her mind. 234 00:26:31,007 --> 00:26:33,362 Big males are on the prowl. 235 00:26:38,127 --> 00:26:40,846 Females normally give males a wide berth... 236 00:26:41,007 --> 00:26:42,998 especially if they've got cubs... 237 00:26:43,167 --> 00:26:46,125 but they're more approachable when they're ready to mate. 238 00:26:49,567 --> 00:26:53,480 But it's still hard for females to drop their guard. 239 00:27:00,087 --> 00:27:03,966 Back-rubbing is one way this fellow breaks the ice. 240 00:27:07,927 --> 00:27:09,918 But she's no pushover. 241 00:27:13,727 --> 00:27:17,242 The bigger he is the higher up the tree he makes his mark... 242 00:27:17,407 --> 00:27:20,126 impressing her and other males. 243 00:27:20,647 --> 00:27:23,559 But size isn't everything, and anyway... 244 00:27:23,727 --> 00:27:27,800 how could she possibly resist the John Wayne swagger... 245 00:27:27,967 --> 00:27:30,197 the Elvis swivel? 246 00:27:34,567 --> 00:27:38,401 And just for good measure, one last tumble. 247 00:27:51,207 --> 00:27:52,640 Still no luck. 248 00:27:52,807 --> 00:27:55,401 Jeff had never seen such a stalemate. 249 00:27:57,047 --> 00:27:59,561 It was fascinating watching this pair. 250 00:27:59,727 --> 00:28:02,719 Every time he'd approach, she'd move away. 251 00:28:03,567 --> 00:28:06,525 Coyness was written all over her face. 252 00:28:08,487 --> 00:28:11,160 Little by little she let him closer... 253 00:28:11,527 --> 00:28:13,483 until finally they touched. 254 00:28:14,207 --> 00:28:18,564 It had taken him three full days just to get to first base. 255 00:28:19,567 --> 00:28:22,639 I'm not used to seeing courting bears this wary. 256 00:28:22,807 --> 00:28:26,402 Normally, this is when they're most affectionate. 257 00:29:34,567 --> 00:29:35,966 Watching grizzlies... 258 00:29:36,127 --> 00:29:40,643 I'm convinced that every bear has its own special character... 259 00:29:40,807 --> 00:29:44,004 which is shaped by instinct and upbringing. 260 00:29:45,647 --> 00:29:50,118 Like us they remember important places and events in their life. 261 00:29:50,287 --> 00:29:53,404 This really came home to me last salmon season... 262 00:29:53,567 --> 00:29:57,355 when I couldn't find my favourite female on the coast. 263 00:30:01,287 --> 00:30:03,960 Then I remembered a special fishing spot... 264 00:30:04,127 --> 00:30:07,403 where she'd been with her mother thirteen years ago. 265 00:30:14,167 --> 00:30:16,317 Sure enough, there she was... 266 00:30:16,687 --> 00:30:19,485 sharing this secret with her own cub. 267 00:30:28,807 --> 00:30:30,320 Her timing was good. 268 00:30:30,487 --> 00:30:33,604 Large numbers of pink salmon were heading up the creek. 269 00:30:40,287 --> 00:30:42,596 The bears knew this place well. 270 00:30:43,087 --> 00:30:45,885 They went straight to a pool beneath a waterfall... 271 00:30:46,047 --> 00:30:49,198 which the salmon were having trouble passing. 272 00:31:01,327 --> 00:31:02,726 In a bottleneck like this... 273 00:31:02,887 --> 00:31:05,879 grizzlies can quite simply make a killing. 274 00:31:10,887 --> 00:31:12,764 When food is super-abundant... 275 00:31:12,927 --> 00:31:17,478 bears have a useful adaptation, they can eat and eat and eat... 276 00:31:17,647 --> 00:31:22,357 without ever feeling full, putting on almost 5 pounds of fat a day. 277 00:31:26,167 --> 00:31:29,921 With so many salmon around bears can afford to be choosy. 278 00:31:30,087 --> 00:31:31,759 Why waste time eating flesh... 279 00:31:31,927 --> 00:31:34,805 when there are far more nutritious parts to a fish? 280 00:31:34,967 --> 00:31:38,755 Skin, brains, and eggs. 281 00:31:40,807 --> 00:31:43,241 The cub has learnt a trick or two. 282 00:31:56,127 --> 00:31:58,516 For these coastal bears the salmon season... 283 00:31:58,687 --> 00:32:03,158 is the most important time of the year for piling on calories. 284 00:32:04,447 --> 00:32:08,565 For Jeff it's also an opportunity to get into the thick of things... 285 00:32:08,727 --> 00:32:12,686 closing further in on the true nature of the grizzly. 286 00:32:14,927 --> 00:32:19,239 All along the Alaskan peninsula bears fish the salt water... 287 00:32:19,407 --> 00:32:21,318 converging in numbers on the tidal flats... 288 00:32:21,487 --> 00:32:25,196 as the salmon leave the ocean for their journey up river. 289 00:32:25,367 --> 00:32:28,325 Here the grizzly is at its most social... 290 00:32:28,487 --> 00:32:31,001 and many barriers seem to come down. 291 00:32:34,727 --> 00:32:36,683 I love places like this... 292 00:32:36,847 --> 00:32:39,680 these protected areas where bears are gathered... 293 00:32:39,847 --> 00:32:43,123 and so focused on fishing that if you're quiet... 294 00:32:43,287 --> 00:32:48,042 and don't get in their way, you can slip right into their midst. 295 00:32:54,127 --> 00:32:57,961 This close I can really see the different characters... 296 00:32:58,127 --> 00:33:00,561 and the subtleties of their skill. 297 00:33:00,927 --> 00:33:04,522 Watch how this experienced fellow smells the water... 298 00:33:04,687 --> 00:33:08,043 to help him detect salmon in the murky shallows. 299 00:33:09,047 --> 00:33:11,845 Most people think bears have poor eyesight... 300 00:33:12,007 --> 00:33:15,079 but this guy could spot a fin at 100 feet. 301 00:33:42,167 --> 00:33:45,762 It was thrilling to watch such an old pro at work... 302 00:33:45,927 --> 00:33:49,442 but the younger bears here still had a lot to learn. 303 00:34:38,007 --> 00:34:41,158 Every waterway breeds its own bear-culture. 304 00:34:41,367 --> 00:34:45,042 And here upriver, where thousands of fish are waiting to spawn... 305 00:34:45,207 --> 00:34:47,004 it should be paradise. 306 00:35:01,207 --> 00:35:04,802 However hard the bears try, it's virtually impossible for them... 307 00:35:04,967 --> 00:35:07,879 to pin down salmon in such deep water. 308 00:35:09,167 --> 00:35:13,365 It's all so tempting, the bears will try anything. 309 00:35:39,447 --> 00:35:44,237 Then further upriver, Jeff saw one family doing something different. 310 00:35:45,047 --> 00:35:49,438 They were taking a much calmer, stealthier approach to fishing. 311 00:36:00,167 --> 00:36:03,557 But Jeff couldn't see clearly what was going on. 312 00:36:04,727 --> 00:36:06,843 He needed a different view. 313 00:36:19,527 --> 00:36:22,360 When I got in the water with my wetsuit on... 314 00:36:22,527 --> 00:36:24,597 the bears were nervous of me. 315 00:36:27,527 --> 00:36:30,405 The only way I was going to see what they were doing... 316 00:36:30,567 --> 00:36:34,162 without disturbing them was by putting a remote camera... 317 00:36:34,327 --> 00:36:36,682 in their favourite fishing hole. 318 00:36:53,607 --> 00:36:56,883 I discovered the bears were "snorkelling". 319 00:36:57,167 --> 00:36:59,522 Peering underwater with their eyes open... 320 00:36:59,687 --> 00:37:03,566 they were picking dead or injured fish off the bottom. 321 00:37:25,127 --> 00:37:27,846 Grizzly bears are very adaptable. 322 00:37:28,367 --> 00:37:32,201 Here they'd clearly found a solution to their problem. 323 00:37:33,487 --> 00:37:37,639 But I also noticed that there were limits to their success. 324 00:37:38,847 --> 00:37:41,122 Watching these bears I realised... 325 00:37:41,287 --> 00:37:44,006 that they didn't like getting water in their ears. 326 00:37:52,567 --> 00:37:56,560 This aversion meant they wouldn't reach for fish in deep water... 327 00:37:56,727 --> 00:37:59,036 where most of the carcasses lay. 328 00:37:59,247 --> 00:38:04,082 But I finally saw one individual that was overcoming her inhibitions. 329 00:38:12,087 --> 00:38:16,319 In these rivers the fish are never too far out of reach... 330 00:38:17,287 --> 00:38:20,723 but some salmon systems are completely different. 331 00:38:21,127 --> 00:38:23,482 In the mountains of Kodiak Island there's a lake... 332 00:38:23,647 --> 00:38:26,844 where millions of salmons spawn in deep water. 333 00:38:27,007 --> 00:38:29,885 How does the grizzly cope with this challenge? 334 00:38:33,927 --> 00:38:38,045 Bears frequently snorkel in the lake's shallower margins... 335 00:38:38,207 --> 00:38:41,517 but the carcasses here are few and far between. 336 00:38:41,807 --> 00:38:43,798 However, as Jeff found out... 337 00:38:43,967 --> 00:38:48,518 some of the bears have found their way beyond this scant supply. 338 00:38:51,287 --> 00:38:53,482 I watched this mother bear and her cub... 339 00:38:53,647 --> 00:38:56,286 swimming out towards the middle of the lake. 340 00:38:56,447 --> 00:38:58,005 This was really exciting... 341 00:38:58,167 --> 00:39:02,080 I'd heard about bears who'd taken snorkelling to a new level. 342 00:39:04,727 --> 00:39:06,046 They're divers. 343 00:39:16,447 --> 00:39:17,766 I was amazed. 344 00:39:17,927 --> 00:39:21,158 She'd gone down 20 feet to get this dead salmon... 345 00:39:21,327 --> 00:39:26,003 then swum into the shallows, where she could touch bottom, to eat. 346 00:39:27,847 --> 00:39:30,407 I really wanted to film her diving underwater... 347 00:39:30,767 --> 00:39:33,839 so I hid my remote camera on the bottom of the lake... 348 00:39:34,007 --> 00:39:36,680 where the carcasses were concentrated. 349 00:39:37,927 --> 00:39:40,919 She was swimming straight towards the camera... 350 00:39:41,087 --> 00:39:45,080 but she must have spotted it, as she suddenly veered way. 351 00:39:46,407 --> 00:39:49,922 Luckily for me, the cub was much more inquisitive. 352 00:39:52,447 --> 00:39:55,359 He could clearly see the dead fish down there... 353 00:39:55,527 --> 00:39:58,963 but he bobbed around on the surface, like a cork. 354 00:40:09,447 --> 00:40:13,076 Bears, like us, are natural born swimmers... 355 00:40:13,367 --> 00:40:18,122 but it looks like he'll need more lessons before taking the plunge. 356 00:40:23,567 --> 00:40:26,286 It's hard to pigeonhole grizzly bears... 357 00:40:26,447 --> 00:40:28,802 they come from all walks of life. 358 00:40:28,967 --> 00:40:31,640 The challenges of living in so many different places... 359 00:40:31,807 --> 00:40:36,722 have created an animal that is adaptable, intelligent and complex. 360 00:40:38,967 --> 00:40:42,926 And once in a while all sorts of different characters converge... 361 00:40:43,287 --> 00:40:47,724 for one of the most spectacular gatherings in all bear country. 362 00:41:17,487 --> 00:41:19,478 Brooks Falls in Alaska... 363 00:41:19,647 --> 00:41:23,322 hosts an annual convention of the quickest, the cleverest... 364 00:41:23,487 --> 00:41:27,241 the biggest and the boldest bears in the business. 365 00:41:33,127 --> 00:41:37,837 Cuts and scars attest to the fighting for the best fishing spots... 366 00:41:38,687 --> 00:41:42,521 A hierarchy is established, but arguments still arise. 367 00:41:49,287 --> 00:41:51,357 Opening your mouth and flashing your teeth... 368 00:41:51,527 --> 00:41:55,839 usually intimidates rivals and prevents any serious injury. 369 00:42:04,167 --> 00:42:07,079 But not all bears are fighters. 370 00:42:07,927 --> 00:42:10,839 Some, like this one, are thieves. 371 00:42:12,887 --> 00:42:14,605 This old fellow sits back... 372 00:42:14,767 --> 00:42:18,646 and waits for someone else to catch his dinner for him. 373 00:42:20,687 --> 00:42:22,200 Challenging the bear with the fish... 374 00:42:22,367 --> 00:42:25,359 the thief provokes him to open his mouth. 375 00:42:28,287 --> 00:42:31,677 The fish drops out and the thief is quickly off. 376 00:42:35,047 --> 00:42:36,446 Size matters here... 377 00:42:36,607 --> 00:42:40,282 so most of the top spots are held by the big males. 378 00:42:40,727 --> 00:42:43,878 This female, however, has slipped into an empty spot... 379 00:42:44,047 --> 00:42:46,356 while the rightful owner is away. 380 00:42:50,927 --> 00:42:53,441 Too soon, though, the big guy is back... 381 00:42:53,607 --> 00:42:56,326 and she must pull out or fight. 382 00:43:20,247 --> 00:43:22,363 It's really no contest. 383 00:43:23,047 --> 00:43:24,321 Sufficiently cowed... 384 00:43:24,487 --> 00:43:28,162 there's nothing for her to do now, but wait in line. 385 00:43:40,767 --> 00:43:43,998 Soon enough the big guy has his fish. 386 00:43:46,727 --> 00:43:49,036 Then number two gets one as well. 387 00:43:51,127 --> 00:43:52,242 Her luck's in. 388 00:43:52,407 --> 00:43:55,717 She's got the top of the falls all to herself. 389 00:44:08,287 --> 00:44:13,281 It seems all obstacles between her and a feast of salmon are gone. 390 00:44:13,847 --> 00:44:16,600 But there's one hurdle still to cross. 391 00:44:16,767 --> 00:44:17,916 Thief bear! 392 00:44:30,287 --> 00:44:34,997 Instincts win out again, but the salmon is lost to both of them. 393 00:44:37,567 --> 00:44:40,161 But it's no big deal for the thief. 394 00:44:40,567 --> 00:44:43,684 Below the falls another bear has a fish. 395 00:44:47,127 --> 00:44:49,322 The thief moves in again. 396 00:44:56,047 --> 00:44:58,959 But this bear is wise to the thief's tricks. 397 00:44:59,127 --> 00:45:01,641 He knows that no matter how much he's threatened... 398 00:45:01,807 --> 00:45:03,843 he must not open his mouth. 399 00:45:13,167 --> 00:45:15,840 Finally, thief bear gives up. 400 00:45:17,087 --> 00:45:20,443 The wise bear wins this contest of wills. 401 00:45:24,247 --> 00:45:25,999 Watching bears over the years... 402 00:45:26,167 --> 00:45:29,842 Jeff has seen an incredible range of characters. 403 00:45:31,967 --> 00:45:34,640 But, of course, there's one particular bear... 404 00:45:34,807 --> 00:45:37,605 that has a special place in his heart. 405 00:45:45,367 --> 00:45:48,598 When I met this bear thirteen years ago... 406 00:45:49,407 --> 00:45:51,921 I knew very little of grizzlies... 407 00:45:52,087 --> 00:45:54,555 only that they could be dangerous. 408 00:45:57,807 --> 00:46:02,756 But I've learned how incredibly gentle and relaxed grizzlies can be. 409 00:46:03,767 --> 00:46:08,045 So when she started coming towards me, I was not afraid. 410 00:46:15,487 --> 00:46:19,719 Of the hundreds of encounters I've had with bears over the years... 411 00:46:19,887 --> 00:46:23,846 what's most impressed me is their tolerance. 412 00:46:25,647 --> 00:46:29,003 I feel I've often been accepted in their world. 413 00:46:30,047 --> 00:46:34,359 And by allowing me close I have been amazed to realise... 414 00:46:34,527 --> 00:46:37,678 that grizzlies are so like us... 415 00:46:38,407 --> 00:46:41,956 they are real individuals with varied characters... 416 00:46:42,127 --> 00:46:46,678 good parents, intelligent, adaptable, gentle creatures. 417 00:46:47,647 --> 00:46:52,357 It's easy to see in them reflections of our own lives. 418 00:46:55,567 --> 00:47:00,436 But our fear gets in the way of appreciating these similarities. 419 00:47:14,047 --> 00:47:18,916 It was once said that we will only protect something we care for... 420 00:47:19,087 --> 00:47:22,921 and we can only care for something we understand. 421 00:47:23,407 --> 00:47:27,002 I would not want to live in a world without the grizzly... 422 00:47:27,167 --> 00:47:32,116 so I hope that we can all, as I have, begin to understand... 423 00:47:32,487 --> 00:47:36,275 the many faces of this magnificent animal.