Summer in the Siberian Arctic: A tale of survival
Snow geese goslings facing threats from various animals, including Arctic foxes and wolverines.
Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz; Thumbnail © Hannah Babiak/Dreamstime.com
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Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz; Thumbnail © Bakhtovar Khobilov/Dreamstime.comOn Russia's Wrangel Island, an Arctic fox hunting for eggs in a colony of snow geese.
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Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, MainzArctic foxes and snowy owls struggling to find food in the Siberian Arctic.
Transcript
It’s summer in the Siberian arctic. Reindeer or caribou are on the move in search of fresh growth of grass. The huge army makes its way through a snow goose colony. The gentle grazers are no danger to the geese. Nevertheless, the birds are nervous. Their young have just hatched.
The fluffy little goslings are ready to leave the nest within a few hours of hatching. But first they have to wait for all their siblings to join them. It’s a dangerous time for the young chicks. Arctic foxes are on the prowl in the colony looking for an easy meal. The safest place to be, is under mother’s wing.
But this time, the fox has got his sight set on a different target. An arctic lemming - it’s favorite prey. The fox has moved on, and the gosling reappears from under mother’s wing. But there is another hunter about, a wolverine. This powerful predator can easily kill an adult goose, let alone a small gosling. But this time, it’s content to take off with an egg.
A last chance for the chicks to rest. As soon as the last egg hatches, the family is off. They are heading for lower ground, where they will find plenty of rich tundra grass and the safety of water to raise their young. It’s the goslings' first big adventure and many have to walk over 50 kilometers to reach their destination.
The fluffy little goslings are ready to leave the nest within a few hours of hatching. But first they have to wait for all their siblings to join them. It’s a dangerous time for the young chicks. Arctic foxes are on the prowl in the colony looking for an easy meal. The safest place to be, is under mother’s wing.
But this time, the fox has got his sight set on a different target. An arctic lemming - it’s favorite prey. The fox has moved on, and the gosling reappears from under mother’s wing. But there is another hunter about, a wolverine. This powerful predator can easily kill an adult goose, let alone a small gosling. But this time, it’s content to take off with an egg.
A last chance for the chicks to rest. As soon as the last egg hatches, the family is off. They are heading for lower ground, where they will find plenty of rich tundra grass and the safety of water to raise their young. It’s the goslings' first big adventure and many have to walk over 50 kilometers to reach their destination.