Wild Norway

”Wild Norway” moves through three biotopes; vast forests, rugged coastline and interior highlands shaped by shifting ice ages. These landscapes resonate deep within the Scandinavian soul, floating into view like illustrations from shared fairy tales. And so do the iconic animal species that feature strongly in the programme, stirring ancestral memories and reaffirming our connection with the land.

Deep in the forest we are treated to the sight of a female bear and not just one or two but three cubs emerging in the sunshine after hibernation. On the forest edge, the mighty elk is in rut; an enormous, ghostly bull emerges out of the fog to lovingly court an accommodating cow. But an even rarer sight awaits us at the courting grounds of the Capercailie. Blinded by battle rage, one of the cocks take on a mighty Eagle and meets a brutal end.

Far North in Svalbard, the polar bear depends on the ice to hunt seal. With the ice receeding, it turns to larger, trickier prey – the walrus. The hunt is unsuccessful and leave us wondering about the long term survival of the polar bear. On stark bird cliffs we follow the drama of a puffin family, falling apart in the face of starvation. And finally we learn of the remarkable symbiosis between human and eider.