Our story begins at the heart of Europe...
Big cities dominate the landscape
Towering tributes to a dynamic culture.
And an economy that's starting to grow.
Home to many millions of us...
But beyond these bustling urban centers,
there is another world...
A place of natural wonder...
One of the largest wildernesses in Europe.
Where vast ancient forests still grow..
And great mountains reach up to kiss the sky...
Winding waters twist and turn...
Beasts steeped in myth and legend roam free...
They all share the same challenge:
To survive the twists and turns of the changing seasons.
Attempting to outlast the frozen Winter months...
Nurture future generations during the Spring and Summer...
And prepare for Winter, by reaping Autumn's bounty
In Europe's most spectacular land.
This is Untamed Romania,
UNTAMED ROMANIA
The Carpathian Mountains.
Stretching for 1,600 kilometers, through 7 different countries,
they are the backbone of our nation.
Winter here is a cruel mistress.
She leaves little in her path
but ice and snow.
Only a handful of specialists brave her frozen embrace.
And only the most hardy will survive.
But as Winter's icy grip begins to loosen...
Deep in the forests, sleeping giants begin to stir.
Brown bears have slept through
the worst of winter, sheltering from the cold.
Resting whilst food is scarce.
This young bear probably hasn't eaten for weeks,
and he's not the only one...
There could be up to 5,000 bears in our forested heartland.
At this time of year, they scour the cold forest floor
for roots, nuts and bugs.
These slopes are home to a variety of expert foragers.
Wild boar.
Their unfussy diet rivals our own; they will eat almost anything.
This female has become separated from her herd,
perhaps distracted by her search for food.
But this makes her vulnerable...
She's heavily outnumbered.
Unable to outrun the wolves, she must face them head on.
Her fierce defense has put the wolves off
But she'll need to rejoin her herd, sooner rather than later.
A boar could fatally wound a wolf
But these creatures of folklore
also need to eat.
And they will soon have young to feed.
Living in tight-family packs, they act and hunt as one.
But their domain is about to change...
Spring flutters her eyes awake.
Longer, warmer days awaken the plants and trees.
And there are many of them here;
over one third of Europe's plant species are found in Carpathia.
Beech trees are one of the most prevalent across our homeland.
Their budding leaves are one of the first signs of Spring.
These little green gems
will slowly grow over the year, soaking up the sun's rays.
Below the budding canopy, among the undergrowth,
smaller forest residents begin to wake up.
As the days slowly grow warmer,
Fire salamanders awaken from their winter slumber.
They're never found too far from running water.
Legend has it that these amphibians are forged in fire.
Living among fallen branches,
their hiding places were sometimes collected by our ancestors for firewood.
When placed upon fire,
the Fire Salamander would suddenly emerge from the flames, earning their name.
The reality is quite the opposite.
Fire Salamanders begin their life in water.
They are one of the few amphibians to give birth to live young.
These young Salamanders are water bound for now,
and are left to fend for themselves.
Each day they'll grow a little stronger - and a little brighter -
until the time comes for them to return to the undergrowth.
Some have seen our seasons come and go for many years...
But for others, this is a whole new world.
These bear cubs are just a few months old.
At this age, life is all fun and games.
And this forest clearing makes a perfect playground.
The family will stick together for two or three years,
learning valuable lessons.
This little one needs a bit more practice than his siblings...
All over the Carpathians, small streams trickle down our mountainsides.
Many end up feeding into our greatest river...
The Danube.
Flowing through 10 different countries,
this vast river is the second longest in Europe.
Through the ages, the Danube has worn through ancient stone.
Twisting and turning through forests, shaping the landscape we see today.
And where the Danube meets the Black Sea,
some of our most spectacular wildlife flourishes.
This is the Danube Delta.
A seemingly endless maze of waterways...
marshes...
and forests.
Covering almost 6,000 square kilometers,
it is one of the most diverse ecosystems in Europe.
With Spring's arrival, there is a fresh bounty for all
But the celebration is fleeting.
The Delta becomes a grandstand for the fiercest of competitions.
It's breeding season for the Delta's wild horses.
Groups of males test their strength against each other.
Only the strongest stallions will get the chance to mate.
A short distance away, an established Stallion guards over his herd,
he alone can mate with these mares.
But a potential challenger emerges.
Violence is the only option,
but a broken jaw or leg could mean a slow, torturous death.
With the challenger defeated, the stallion returns to his females.
His family is secure... for now.
Al over the Delta, young families are raising the next generation.
In late Spring, Whiskered Terns spend the day feeding their young.
Sometimes this means the chicks are left alone.
Without the protection of their parents, they're at their most vulnerable.
Danger is all around.
Oblivious to the risk,
one chick decides now s the perfect time for an unsupervised swim.
But at such a young age,
his soft feathers are not quite ready for such an ambitious adventure.
He could easily become waterlogged or exhausted.
The remaining chick begins to follow its sibling.
But a parent returns just in time.
Another guides the novice swimmer back to the nest.
Disaster narrowly averted, the family are safely reunited.
Spring's bloom also brings fresh vigor to the Delta's plant life.
Access to light is the greatest struggle amongst the life of plants.
These waters are ruled by those that can seize the surface.
One of the most successful have evolved
a defense mechanism that's deployed, day and night.
When the moon is at its highest,
Lily flowers hold their delicate petals firmly clasped...
Protecting what is most important to them...
Pollen - the key to their survival.
Whilst closed, the flowers shelter their sticky Pollen
from the morning dew.
But as the sun rises, and the temperature is just right...
these flowers begin to unfurl.
With the sun beaming down,
insects are soon attracted to their enticing odor.
Bringing with them pollen from other lilies, fertilizing the flowers
and ensuring the next generation of these dynamic plants.
These vast forests of water lilies
also provide shelter and protection for much of the Delta's wildlife.
Including Europe's largest native Frog.
Reaching up to 17 cm long,
maintaining their formidable size is no easy task.
Fortunately, for Marsh Frogs the Delta s full of tasty snacks.
If you can catch them...
Marsh Frogs don't give up easily.
Being the biggest frog around,
means you also fall the hardest.
But their persistence normally pays off.
Beneath the lily pads, there is a darker world.
A place of murk and mystery.
Home to over 100 fish species.
And occasionally... a prehistoric giant.
A mammoth beast that has navigated the seas and rivers for millions of years:
The Beluga Sturgeon.
Sometimes referred to as 'living fossils',
these prehistoric fish have barely changed form in over 200 million years.
It's one of the biggest freshwater fish in the world.
A full sized adult can reach 6 metres in length and weigh over a ton.
As Solitary animals, these monolithic beasts
cruise the gloomy depths, alone.
Above these bottom dwellers,
others find that teamwork yields the best results.
Great White Pelicans are the masters of collaboration.
Many thousands migrate here in the Spring from warmer climates: Africa,
the Middle East and even the Indian Subcontinent.
Cruising the Delta's waterways,
they herd schools of fish into one another's path.
This clever fishing technique
increases the chance of catching a meal.
Fish, crustaceans and various amphibians are always on the menu.
Once they've exhausted these waters,
it's time to do what pelicans do best...
Take to the skies...
They can travel one hundred kilometers a day
searching for food before returning to their nesting ground.
But it's not just animals that have made their home in the Delta...
This is Histria.
An ancient city built by the Greeks, two and a half thousand years ago.
Once a vibrant trading centre,
its streets would of been filled with merchants and tradesmen.
But now, these ruins are home to much wilder residents...
And some of them are cold-blooded killers.
Dice snakes.
These serpents spent the winter in hibernation,
emerging in the warmer months to hunt.
Although this female has no interest in ground squirrels or birds...
Because this snake, like any other water snake
is a fish-hunter.
And bottom-feeding Gobies are her favourite prey.
But finding them isn't easy.
Dice Snakes lack gills, 502 quick breath is often required.
Time for round two.
Despite a final struggle, the Goby's fate has long since been sealed.
Once the catch is consumed, she will seek refuge from the midday heat.
During our hottest season, even cold blooded killers
cannot survive the sun at its peak.
Summer has arrived, pulling the country into her warm embrace.
Her days are long, slow and hot.
Perhaps the season's most spectacular event
is born from humble beginnings,
among the depths of the Mures River.
Deep under this water, millions of tiny creatures
have been patiently waiting for 3 years.
The arrival of summer triggers these Mayfly larvae
to head to the surface.
At first just a few...
Then a few more...
By the end of the day, millions will have taken to the sky.
This spectacle lasts less than a day,
in this time the Mayflies must race to mate,
and travel upriver to lay their eggs,
after which their lives will come to an end.
Other life cycles here have a much slower pace.
The Carpathian Mountains are home
to some of the most ancient forests in Europe.
Seas of green stretch as far as the eye can see...
These great forests have stood the test of time.
They are representative of what much of Europe
would of looked like just 3,000 years ago.
A mix of beech, birch, oak and pines
cover a third of our country.
Like the animals that live among them, many of these trees
help and support one another.
Vast networks of roots connect families of trees,
supplying one another with vital nutrients.
Even in death, each tree continues giving life to the forest.
The act of falling alone slices a gap in the dense canopy,
drenching the fresh clearing in sunlight.
As the tree begins to rot,
it releases important nutrients, acting as a natural fertilizer.
Under these perfect conditions,
new plant life quickly flourishes;
irresistible to hungry herbivores.
Which are the perfect prey for Europe's largest feline...
The Eurasian Lynx.
This adept predator is a secretive character.
Its preferred hunting technique is to ambush prey
using the dense cover of the forest.
But for now, this female has other priorities ...
At just a few weeks old,
her cubs won't be able to hunt for a while yet.
For now, it all about playtime.
They're always looking for new playgrounds.
It's exhausting for their mother.
They'll spend their first year together,
exploring the forest's secrets,
watching and learning how to survive through the seasons.
Others care for their young high above the forests.
The Apuseni Mountains...
This geological mosaic of volcanic rock and limestone
has been forged over millions of years.
They are also home to one of the world's most iconic raptors.
The King of the Skies...
The Golden Eagle.
A powerful predator.
But he is also wise...
Every flight is calculated.
Patrolling his Kingdom, he carefully scans the land below.
Eagles have some of the best eyesight on the planet.
It's estimated to be up to 8 times stronger than the average human,
Powerful enough to spot a meal from over 3 kilometers away...
Alone hare.
The perfect pray for this warrior-king of birds.
Ina full stoop, he can reach speeds of up to 320 kilometers per hour.
The hare doesn't stand a chance.
But the eagle won't keep the meal to himself.
He must return to his home.
For he is also a father,
The young chick is quick to devour its share.
It soon be ready to leave the nest,
and establish a kingdom of its own...
The skies these eagles soar through
are living out a story of their own.
Mid summer sees the Carpathian's highest levels of rainfall.
The forest is soon drenched with life-sustaining water.
It also shapes what lies deep beneath the surface.
As water seeps into the ground, it enters a very different world.
One of darkness and damp.
Around 4000 caves can be found within the Apuseni mountains alone.
Many are filled with stalactites and stalagmites.
As water creeps through the rock and stone,
it deposits salts and minerals, forming these eerie statues.
But these caves are also... a tomb.
The fearsome skeletons are the remains of Cave Bears.
A distant cousin of the brown bear,
the Cave Bear became extinct around 27,000 years ago.
Perhaps due to climate change or hunting.
Others have come close to a similar fate.
Deep in the forest clearings,
live one of Romania's rarest and most endangered mammals.
The Eurasian Bison.
Unrivaled in strength and size, it is Europe's largest land mammal.
Hulking, hairy beasts, some standing nearly two metres tall
and weighing as much as a ton.
Many thousands once roamed across Europe.
By the early 20th century,
habit loss and hunting led to their near-extinction.
Today, only a few small herds can be found in our wilderness.
Other forest-dwellers have had better luck.
With this bountiful time of year in full swing,
many bears are attracted to the rich foods found in this forest clearing.
Flavorsome flower buds and succulent grasses.
But sometimes what you want most is right under your nose.
For this female finding it is easier said than done.
But even the biggest beasts can be scared by the smallest things.
Finally, she finds what she's been looking for.
A large ant colony is a nutritious, conveniently packaged treat.
Many of our bears have survived the tougher seasons.
Now with full bellies, they can finally kick back and relax.
A sunny meadow is the perfect spot.
And the view isn't too bad either...
Al over the country, meadows burst with colour.
These rolling plains are amongst the most diverse ecosystems in Europe,
with levels of richness unrivaled across the globe
Their perfumed petals attract an equally colorful squadron of insects,
in search of sweet nectar.
Of the 200 or so species of butterfly native to our lands,
the Large blues are without doubt some of the most unusual.
This female chooses the colorful Marsh Gentian to deposit her eggs.
And soon eggs turn into caterpillars.
Using a fine strand of silk, this individual abseils to the ground.
Although... not everything quite goes to plan.
Regardless, the caterpillar continues searching for food.
The meadow floor, however, harbours many dangers.
Red ants search for anything edible to feed their own brood.
They have an excellent sense of smell -
and this individual has locked-on to the defenseless young caterpillar.
Using a set of powerful jaws,
the ant seizes its prize and heads straight back to the colony.
Other worker ants appear intrigued by the new arrival.
Rather than attack, they amazingly treat it as one of their own.
Because this caterpillar has developed an ingenious survival strategy.
It mimics the scent of the ants,
even making the same noise
as the colony's queen, fooling the workers.
Some ants feed it.
While others ensure its skin is kept clean and free from parasites.
Despite this S-star treatment,
the ants get nothing in return for their efforts.
The caterpillar grows bigger and stronger,
eventually transforming within its cocoon.
It is soon time for the caterpillar to break free.
Once out, the butterfly rushes to exit the nest.
For now is the only time the ants would realize they'd been duped.
The butterfly prepares for its maiden flight.
Living for just a few weeks as a butterfly,
it will soon mate, and continue
one of nature's most extraordinary
and complex life cycles all over again.
With 50 many insects to be found among the flower meadow,
White Storks are never very far away.
Today, they're drawn together for an impromptu feast.
And the foods being served by an unusual chef.
The freshly cut grass
means insects and other small prey are easily located.
But they can't forage for too long...
Many of these Storks have important deliveries to make.
Storks time raising chicks to coincide
with the summer's abundant supply of food.
Both parents have been ferrying cargo
to their nest since the chicks first hatched, around 9 weeks ago.
The chicks are getting big now and ready for their first migration.
Close by, other siblings are forced to find their own meals.
A local orchard has the ripest apples.
And these young bears are happy to help themselves.
Lady Autumn, Nature's most talented artist, has finally arrived;
She paints the forest with masterful strokes.
Her dazzling vision is unequaled in richness and intensity.
And she has one last, timely gift.
The autumn bounty.
Fruits and berries are the sweetest treats.
Beech trees occasionally bestow an exceptionally generous gift.
Every few years, all over Carpathia,
Beech nuts will simultaneously fall to the ground.
It is thought that this tactic guarantees an abundance of nuts, so many,
that the animals who feast upon them, couldn't possibly finish them all.
Giving the leftover nuts
a better chance to take root and grow.
For much of Romania's wildlife,
it is the last chance to fatten up before winter returns.
The clock s ticking for this bear family
to pile on calories before they hibernate through the winter.
Starvation is a very real threat.
Whilst some are gorging,
others have very different priorities.
And none more so than on Piatra Craiului.
Located in the Southern Carpathians, this is one of our most iconic ridges.
The steep slopes are a haven for plant life found nowhere else in the world.
Three quarters of Romania's unique
plant species are found on such ridges.
And where plant life flourishes, herbivores are never far away.
Including the most resilient of mountain inhabitants:
Chamois.
They are found upon the highest and most inaccessible slopes.
Bucks spend most of the year alone,
but in the autumn months they seek out females.
Competition can be tough to secure mating rights.
This male must be vigilant
that no others get too close to his females.
A rival Buck is closing in...
But this hasn't gone unnoticed.
The resident male quickly descends the steep slopes to intercept the challenger.
His quick descent has worked,
the challenger retreats...
He must continue his search elsewhere, and alone.
The dominant Buck returns to the females.
Further down the slopes,
confrontations can be much more deadly.
Winter is knocking on Autumn's door.
Pushing creatures of the Forest to extremes,
A large male bear has sniffed out the wolf pack's latest victim:
a red deer.
The pack won't give up their hard earned prize without a fight.
This powerful giant could weigh more than all of his opponents combined.
If the pack refuse to give up their kill
the bear won't hesitate to unleash his full fury.
The wolves escape unharmed
although the message s clear: the prize is lost.
Once the hear has taken his fill,
there might be some scraps left for the pack...
If they're lucky.
Winter's imminent arrival pushes many to their limit.
The resilient few who've made it this far,
may now witness the year's final transformation.
As snow begins to fall across the land,
only the most adaptable will face the season's harshest months.
This female Lynx will roam
the snowy slopes through the depths of winter.
Her thick winter coat keeps her warm and dry.
A solitary creature, she will wander these slopes alone,
seeking out what little prey she can find.
Others prefer to return to their cosy dens.
Spending the cold months ahead, drifting in and out of sleep.
The mountains become a still and frozen wonderland once more.
Our story is reaching its end...
A humble tribute to the wild.
But it is a tribute to people as well.
A tribute to all those Romanians,
in increasing number, that understand
our environment faces challenges.
Poaching...
Illegal fishing...
Parks and forests carelessly littered...
A decreasing number of green spaces within cities...
Unsustainable logging...
Alack of household recycling...
Excessive consumption of water, energy and other resources...
These are not the only problems we face,
but they are amongst the most important.
Nature is not only majestic...
but also fragile.
A wise man once said that flowers don't have to be loved,
they have to be watered.
He also said that the beauty of petals
should not make up a gardener's pride,
but should instead stir his wonder and gratitude.
Over the past few years,
people in our country have become increasingly interested in nature.
We no longer want to be strangers to our own environment.
Living in freedom, educating ourselves, and traveling,
we also come to grasp an essential truth:
of all the things one may feel about the beauty of one's land,
pride is not the wisest thing.
Many nations dwell amidst majestic sceneries,
seemingly designed to take your breath away.
And no particular people is accountable for the magnificence of its homeland.
It was not men's arms that have folded the Earth's crust,
thrusting forward the rock of the mountains to the skies.
It was not from women's looms
that the endlessness of plains emerged like an outstretched canvas.
It was not children's play
that has engendered the wind's quadrille or birds' chirping.
Nor has the wisdom of elders
brought into being the progression of seasons
and other cycles of life.
The spectacle of nature is stunning all over the world
and it does not owe anything to humankind.
Our species holds a merit only in as much as it understands all this,
and insofar as it decides to act accordingly:
That's to cherish, protect, and preserve
the marvelous planet we have been blessed with.
To be born in a beautiful place is not a virtue,
but it is a virtue to make it last.
Magnificence should still be here for our children to see.