As the year draws to an end, a special time begins, a time filled with wonders. A winter world sets its own rules with nature at its most demanding. Snow and ice transform the land. Storms and wind bring with them cold, harsh conditions. But the gleaming white splendor also offers carefree fun. It's a time of contrasts. implacable and harsh, yet transient and enchanting. Human beings and animals experience it very differently, each in their own way. A closer look shows just how. Its early December, the first snowflakes herald the approach of winter. The snow gradually covers up the greenery, cloaking field and forest. There's not much food for the animals and the icy cold is hard to cope with. They have to adjust to the conditions in very different ways. Many months of deprivation lie ahead. And not all of them will survive. In today's world, humans can look forward to the first snows with pleasurable anticipation. The fight for survival doesn't really involve them. It needs to be cold for snow to form. It all starts high up in the moist atmosphere of towering clouds in icy conditions. There, tiny droplets of water and moats of dust transform themselves into glistening crystals. These combine to form soft flakes becoming heavier as they make their way towards the ground. Diamond dust, it's called, when the sunlight catches the flakes and makes them sparkle. Once on the ground, they form a sea of the finest crystalline shapes. Matchless jewels. Six pointed works of art, each one unique and different from all the others. Gradually, the snowflakes joined together to form a thick layer that covers everything. Mice make themselves comfortable under this dense blanket of snow. It protects them from icy temperatures and hides them from predatory eyes. A fox is on the prowl. Rhodian know they have no need to fear the fox. He prefers smaller prey like mice, for instance. The trick is to find them. This is where the fox is finely tuned sense of hearing comes in. He can locate even the faintest noise beneath the snow. The mouse has no idea that every russell is being closely monitored from the snow's surface. Or does it? At the slightest sound from overhead, the mouse disappears underground, out of reach of the still hungry fox. The world in winter seems a silent, abandoned place. It's hard to imagine that there could be anything edible here yet, nature does provide sustenance for animals, even in the depths of winter. Sometimes only at second glance. Vegetarians like the bullfinch, hardly need to adjust their needs at all in winter. They still find seeds, grains and berries on some plants. Only now, they're deep frozen. The great tit prefers the larvae and insect eggs it finds hidden under the bark of trees. The reeds growing along lake and river banks offer both protection and food. Bearded tits are specialists in harvesting its tiny seeds at high speed. The Nutaj hides its treasures in secret places. The lucky ones might still find the odd nut, but only the woodpecker is big and strong enough to break the shell. It has hollowed out a workbench in a branch, a kind of pine cone vice. Here, it can crack open anything from pine cones to the hardest nuts. There are bound to be bits falling off this banqueting table. Much to the delight of others. The bird box is a magnet for birds of all kinds to stock up on sorely needed calories. But it doesn't make a very good hiding place. Most birds eat their fill while they can, to help them survive the cold nights. They gorge themselves till nightfall. Then return to their roosts. As the days get shorter, colourful lights illuminate the long dark evenings. For humans, Christmas markets sweeten the waiting period before the upcoming celebrations. It's a time of anticipation, a time for burnishing and upholding old traditions. For animals, on the other hand, it's getting more and more difficult to get through the long frosty winter nights. Darkness holds no fears for the eagle owl. Its photosensitive eyes allow it to see extremely well in the dark. Deer are able to lower their body temperature, which slows down their metabolism. This resting mechanism saves energy. A special camera reveals how the animals only lose body heat in a few places, mainly from their heads. The rest is protected by their dense fur. The owl's plumage also provides perfect insulation, certainly better than the mouse's coat. Apart from eyes and beak, no body heat escapes at all. The rest of the surface is the same temperature as the air. Mice are only safe from owls when they're in their burrows. After a long night, everyone's hungry. They all set out to find food. Most of them must make do with the few short hours of daylight to tank up their energy reserves. Mice use every available opportunity to stock up their pantries. Pine and spruce cones are a favorite. Their scales conceal nourishing seeds. Squirrels literally take the knees apart. It's a painstaking business, all that effort for such small seeds. When food is in short supply, every edible morsel becomes the subject of dispute. In the forest, the fur trees branches seemed to groan under the weight of the glistening snow. But for one animal, snow is apparently no hindrance at all. Wild boars have very powerful snouts. As long as the ground beneath the snow isn't frozen, they have no problems getting at their food. Their omnivores constantly on the lookout for prime spots to dig for food. The forest floor provides them with plenty of roots, bulbs, worms, and occasionally, even a mouse. Their menu is varied from time to time by the addition of a bit of greenery. But foraging is tiring work. Really tiring. Regardless of how large a wild boar her or sounder is, they vanish as if by magic the minute humans appear in the forest. Winter is hunting season for wild boars. The biggest danger is humans. But they have nothing to fear from these forest visitors. A sleigh ride through the snowy forest is like a trip into a childhood fantasy. Dim memories are stirred, of a fairy tale world where anything seems possible. Where dwarves and trolls hide under snow- covered fur trees. And snow queens travel around the countryside in flying carriages. Everything seems enchanted. It's hard to imagine that this winter magic is all just due to water, ice, snow, and diamond dust. Even the otherwise rather rough and ready wild boars seem to fall under the romantic spell. A sounder consists only of sows with their young. The males, called Tuskers, live alone and are only allowed to join a sounder during the mating season. The social cohesion of the group is very strong, and the females enjoy tender physical contact. And there are always some who are especially fond of each other. Glorious sun and deep blue skies, Kaiserwetter in German, fit for an emperor. It draws the winter sports enthusiasts in droves to the ski trails and slopes. Today's outdoor sports clothing allows people to stay out in the cold for hours at a time. Animals, however, have sophisticated, built- in cold proof protection, like the otter. The cold doesn't worry him. His thick coat insulates incredibly well. Not a drop of water can penetrate down to his skin. The coat has a dense outer covering made up of hairs that are closely interlinked, like a zipper. He can stay underwater for up to eight minutes, plenty of time for him to hunt at leisure for fish, crabs, or muscles. As long as he can find streams and rivers that are clear and full of fish, and don't freeze over, the otter can survive quite happily even in the chill of winter. winter. Hard winters with snow and ice are especially difficult for creatures that need running water. Like the white throated dipper, a few ice free spots are essential if it is to spend the winter in its breeding grounds. It's the only European songbird that can swim and dive. In the icy water, it forages for protein- rich insects larvae. Similarly to the otter, it can close its nostrils and ears and its sharp eyesight allows it to see underwater and above, as clearly as though it were wearing goggles. The combination of frost and water creates the most astonishing works of art. Even a waterfall can freeze over if it's cold for long enough. Layer by layer, ice is deposited on the icicles until the water stops flowing. The world seems to stand still, frozen in an icy moment in time. When the cold gets extreme, animals sometimes seek proximity to human settlements. The fox stays on the move. He's driven by hunger. His winter coat might be thick and warm, but only if he can find enough to eat, will he survive? He needs 20 miles a day for his hunger to be sad. But where are they? Hunting takes strength, and every failed attempt makes him even hungrier. Bre Fox doesn't have an easy time of it in winter. He shares his habitat with roe deer, and they have devised their own strategy for getting through the winter. The thicker the blanket of snow, the more difficult the search for food. To survive on their sparse diet, they keep all movement to a minimum. Towards the end of winter, this energy saving can mean the difference between life and death. The fox isn't giving up. Will he succeed this time? With a little luck, his prey can even turn out to be quite satisfying. There are many ways to survive winter. Some animals simply escape by sleeping through almost all of it. A mother bear with her two cubs prepare for hibernation. The young bears aren't really interested in quiet, yet, it's much more fun romping in the snow. They were born last winter, and will have another year at their mother's side. She is well aware that she must make the final preparations for the cold time ahead, immediately. The omnipresent crows don't seem particularly worried by snow and cold. As omnivores, they'll eat whatever they can find, grains, seeds, berries, or even rubbish. The bears have spent the summer and autumn guzzling to pile on as much fat as possible. Now they're well padded and ready for winter. High time to get their sleeping quarters ready. While the youngsters frolic, their mother hunts about for insulating material. Twigs are just as good as leaves as long as they make comfortable bedding. Like most adolescent offspring, hers are not very helpful either. Finally, the work is over, and the bears can lay themselves down to rest. For the next few months, they'll spend most of their time in the cave, sleeping. Forest and rocky terrain are also home to an increasingly rare creature, the Links. Apart from small mammals, roe deer are its main prey. Deep snow makes it difficult for the animals to move about and find food. And yet a fast escape is the only way to save themselves from enemies. Once a Lynx has killed a deer, he feasts off it for days. To ensure that other animals can't steal his prey, he drags it to a safe hiding place. Buried under the snow, the carcass stays as chilled as though it were in a fridge. Crows don't care much for fresh meat. Carrion is an integral part of their winter diet as it is for magpies. But however effective the animal's adaptations and survival strategies might be, not all creatures will make it through the winter. For people living comfortably in their houses, it's a different world. But the animal kingdom is not entirely vulnerable. Whether omnivore like the crow, vegetarian like the Rhodia, or carnivore like the fox. Those who are well prepared for the daily struggle against hunger and frost will also survive the cold season. The squirrel took precautions in autumn and can enjoy his stores throughout the winter. He's hidden hundreds of nuts and crevices in the trees or buried in the ground. Of course, now the problem is finding them again. It's got to be here somewhere. Nope, that's just a clump of frozen earth. Ah, but finally... Days of snowfall have turned a simple orchard into a tobogganing paradise. Everyone's after the same thrill, getting down the hill as fast as possible, however they can. The snow affords hours of sheer fun. Even otherwise grown up people turn into kids again. On bright and sunny winter days like this, every moment is enjoyed until twilight, when the lure of the warm indoors beckons again. Outside, bone chilling cold settles over everything. But despite this, many waterfowls stay in the north during winter. Most coots choose not to fly south to warmer climes. As long as there are still lakes that are not frozen over, they can find enough algae, water plants and small creatures underwater. It may be cold, but plumage still needs grooming, and an icy shower is part of the ritual. The heron is only interested in fishing. It couldn't care less about the excitable cots. Once up in the air, Courts are good at flying long distances, but taking off can be quite a challenge. However, they are excellent divers with a perfected header technique and strong strokes. Coming back up happens automatically. They're very light and just pop up to the surface. Their dense oiled plumage protects them from the icy water like a wetsuit. They're actually quite peaceable birds, but when it comes to territory and food, they draw the line. It all gets too much for the heron. But the coots soon make up again and carry on diving for food. The damp mist rising from the surface of the water settles on plants and vegetation in the form of little ice crystals. This hoar frost forms whenever icy temperatures, wind and high humidity occur together. The water vapor freezes in the air and causes delicate filigree structures to form on the surface of humbles, twigs and fruit. The frosty covering thickens in the direction of the prevailing wind. Sometimes the snow can be an enemy. Cold, impenetrable, burying everything beneath it. Deer are actually very well protected against the cold and snow. In winter, their coat is shaggy, with a thick layer of woolly hairs underneath the long, stiff outer bristles. This insulation is so efficient that even the snow falling on their backs stays there without melting. So they can ruminate in peace. No matter how cold it gets, the white-throated dipper heads for the water in any weather. But it never gets wet. It oils its plumage carefully and emerges from the water absolutely dry. A great advantage when foraging for food in an icy stream. The Lynx's coat is like camouflage, making him almost invisible in the forest. And of course it's cold proof, like that of any animal active in winter. During the day, he rests, only when darkness falls will he set off on the hunt. With his long legs and broad hairy paws, it's almost like walking on snowshoes so he can even prowl in deep snow. The snow seems to have absorbed all the other colours in the landscape, leaving a world of white and grey. This is winter too, a time in which sunlight is rare and precious. On its orbital journey through space, planet Earth's northern hemisphere tilts away from the Sun. The periods of light grow shorter. Clear, bright days are rare. When the sun returns, so do blue skies and a glistening world. But the longed-for sun has its downside, too. When the surface of the snow begins to melt, it can have unexpected consequences. Melting ice crystals can have a treacherous effect on frozen earth. The white snow blanket turns into a shimmering hard sheet of ice. The animals have to adjust to this new development, especially the fox. The snow is now so hard that his soft paws don't even leave tracks. Not the most ideal conditions for hunting mice. He can hardly penetrate the ice. This hunt ends with a rather bruised nose. Like most birds, cots have cold feet. This is due to a so- called wonder net, a special circulatory system that keeps the body warm and the feet cold. This prevents the ice from melting underfoot and trapping them when it freezes again. Added insulation is provided by their plumage, which they wrap around their feet. It makes standing up a bit difficult though. Their webbed feet are not ideal for walking on frozen water, however. however. And that's what they have to do every now and then. Another precaution against getting stuck to the ice. Taking off from a frozen runway can be pretty difficult too. Deer only ramp up their much reduced metabolic rate when they need to forage for food. Good quality food is hard to find. They mostly have to be satisfied with bark, lichen and moss. It's mega fair, but it sees the healthier animals through the long winter. Gradually, the longest night of the year approaches, and with the winter solstice, the most important Christian festival draws nigh. Christmas. For many, the Festival of Love is synonymous with celebrating the end of another year. It's a time of tradition, reflection, and tales of old. It all began in a stall in Bethlehem. That's the story told by these carved wooden figures of the nativity scene. On Christmas Eve, when the Christmas tree is ceremoniously lit up, candle light banishes the gloom and bathes the world in peaceful light. While people celebrate in their homes, life outdoors goes on as usual. The days will be getting longer now, but the coldest time of the year still lies ahead. Frost and hunger will continue to dictate the lives of the animals. Winter has only just begun. The season of contrasts cruel, yet beautiful. Winter has so many faces, all of them worth a closer look.
