Magical Moors - A Mysterious World Full of Life | Free Documentary Nature

um uh uh uh dawn breaks over an eerie landscape [Music] drenched in early morning dew the silhouettes of twisted trees keep silent watch ghostly shapes move in the mist and strange haunting cries fill the air these are the moors a wilderness unlike any other in the darkness of the night tiny hunters set their traps [Music] they work industriously spinning their deadly web [Music] [Applause] by dawn the lethal contraption is complete others have fallen victim to the more long ago one careless footstep can lead to a grisly end [Music] as night gives way to the early morning sun the moor seems peaceful and serene but deep beneath the carpet of grass and moss dark secrets lie hidden from our eyes they conceal a gruesome past [Music] buried here for thousands of years the mummified bodies of bob people this one hanged in a ritual sacrifice to the gods the tall and man was placed in a danish bog more than 2 000 years ago but his features are perfectly preserved in the acidic peat the old english word more refers to peat bogs like this as well as upland heaths both formed on acidic soil [Music] dead vegetation is unable to break down in these conditions so it builds and forms thick layers of peat which grow by a centimeter each decade a meter in a thousand years the peat and moss soak up water like a sponge where it can hold no more shallow pools and lakes form the bog water is acidic and low in nutrients few plants and animals can tolerate such conditions the pools are constantly changing in size shrinking and growing with the rain erratic and unpredictable the moors are a hostile environment [Music] as the sun sinks below the horizon they come alive with the sounds of the living dead [Music] creaking and groaning the gnarled and twisted trees appear to awaken their naughty arms reaching into the night sky [Music] cold damp air trapped in the old wood stretches and pulls the fibers in different directions seemingly bringing the dead trees back to life it's natural events such as this which give the moors their ghostly [Music] reputation it's the middle of winter but black grouse are already gathering on their traditional mating sites the females are attracted by the bubbling calls of the males the in their striking black plumage are charged up and ready to challenge rivals they vie for the best spots on the arena each hoping to win over the females every morning at dawn the competitors lock in battle but by the time the sun rises it's all over again with the coming of spring the sun's rays melt away the last of the frost and warm up the icy ground again other moorland residents now emerge from hibernation their old tunics flutter in the breeze male adders have shed their winter skins and look glossy and vibrant in their new colors [Music] they're ready to mate and like the grouse have come to traditional sites on the moor they've picked up the scent of a female there's a frenzy of activity as males from all around hone in on the smell [Music] when two rivals meet [Music] they pit their strength against each [Music] other the dance of the adders is in fact an old-fashioned duel [Music] the aim is to wrestle the opponent to the ground [Music] the winner keeps ownership of the arena [Music] and the loser gives way one of the first plants to flower in spring is a drab looking bundle of grass pointed quills push up the silver heads of the bog cotton or cotton grass pollinated not by insects but by the wind it has no need for colorful flowers instead it produces masses of tiny pollen grains that are carried away on the breeze as dusk falls more secretive moorland residents converge on a grassy arena great snipe are well camouflaged in the tussocks no one knows why this particular spot is their preferred display site the males come here year after year hoping to impress the opposite sex [Music] center stage is the preferred position but a little extra height can help catch a female's eye he's detected a better spot a mound of moss raises him a little above the competition it's the perfect launching pad for his [Music] performance leaping into the air the males are all out to impress [Music] the more imposing the display the greater the chance of winning the ladies towards the end of may the nights are short and the dancers continue into the early hours of the morning then suddenly it's all over and the shy performers disappear back into the long grass with moorland habitats on the decline great snipe have disappeared from much of europe and are confined largely to northern scandinavia and russia another moorland resident is still found in nearly every peat bog today all it needs is plenty of rain and permanently wet sodden ground the sundew a strangely beautiful plant with a dark nature it unfurls its leaves to reveal tentacles tipped in glistening droplets of sticky dew but the sweet smelling drops are a trap they attract insects into the sundew's deadly arms [Music] there is little chance of escape [Music] the whole leaf wraps around the prey and slowly digests the overgrown edges of the bog pools slowly dry out in the summer a female adder basking in the sun is well camouflaged among the brown grass but a dark colored male has detected her scent a second male appears on the scene two's company but three is definitely a crowd there's nothing for it but to eliminate the competition and to do so requires the traditional wrestling contest the female only has to wait the winner will soon return to her side [Laughter] at last he claims his prize or maybe not another male is on the trail of her scent he has distinctive black and white [Music] markings [Music] now the female is being courted by two suitors but she will not mate until one has evicted the other [Music] the black male seems to have the upper hand but then his checkered rival launches an attack [Music] he has lost his prize at the last moment and retreats in defeat his colorful opponent follows the female into the undergrowth to complete their union [Music] in late summer she will give birth to their live young somewhere in the mall a brown bear has discovered the carcass of a moose in the swamps bears are not commonly seen out on the moors but the smell of a sizable meal has tempted the large animal onto the treacherous terrain our moors are one of the last true wildernesses in the heart of europe with few people venturing into its boggy marshes the bear knows he can feed here undisturbed even during the light of day the fluffy heads of the cotton grass have transformed the landscape into a glorious carpet of white hiding within are tiny dwarf birches no more than a few feet in height their tender leaves attract another sizeable visitor the european elk or moose has no trouble navigating through the swamp on its long legs it will eat nearly 30 kilos of vegetation a day and leaves behind plenty to show for it in the nutrient poor soil the bowls of dung are a valuable fertilizer the small pellets are soon covered in a thick carpet of fungi and mosses [Music] the aptly named dung moss relies on the droppings left by large mammals within a few weeks thin stalks start to push upwards from the green [Music] cushion [Music] near the top capsules filled with millions of tiny spores are formed these now need to reach a new dung pile the question is how [Music] the capsules start to emit the smell of ripe fruit to attract attention [Music] it's worked when the bear has digested his meal of dung moss the spores will be deposited along with a fresh pile of manure mission accomplished the yellow mustang moss produces one of the largest and showiest capsules in the form of a dainty parasol it needs to attract the attention of a much smaller helper it emits a fragrance that's irresistible to flies the smell of fresh manure the flies hone in on the alluring scent but are offered little reward instead they are tricked into carrying a package of spores to a real pile of dung somewhere out in the moors the acidic and nutrient-poor soils of the moors only allow specialists to grow here [Music] the bog bilbrey a hardy relative of the blueberry and on its leaves the tiny red eggs of another mauland specialist the moorland clouded yellow butterfly only lays its eggs on bilberry bushes its caterpillars don't have far to go for food once they hatch the hungry larvae grow quickly on a diet of bilbrey leaves [Music] [Music] so [Music] the edges of the moorland pools are sparse in vegetation fringed by spongy mats of green the acidic sterile waters support little life on floating rafts of moss and grass some nevertheless manage to eke out a living the sundew gets all the nourishment it needs from insects trapped in its sticky claws but even a meat-eating plant has its enemies [Music] this caterpillar is a peat bog specialist and has turned the tables [Music] it carefully navigates the sundew's tentacles biting through the stalks and munching on the succulent leaves [Music] and it doesn't stop short of the sundew's prey [Music] [Applause] this caterpillar is also a meat eater and will consume both plant and insect in one meal its appetite satisfied at last the monstrous maggot looks for a safe place to turn into a pupa and it chooses none other than the flowering stalk of the sundew after 17 hours the transformation is complete it will eventually emerge as a delicate plume mother as the summer sun heats up the ground the water table falls the carpet of moss now forms a dry skin across thick toxic sludge below even decomposing bacteria struggle to survive here over time the dead vegetation builds up to form thick layers of peat in which moorland plants anchor their roots another creature that has adapted to these hostile conditions is a small ant the black bog ant like so many more land creatures is a survivor from the ice age [Music] these rare ants are only found in peat bogs and they are masters at navigating through the waterlogged terrain they avoid getting their feet wet by using natural bridges to stay on high ground [Music] but there is one way that bog ants differ from other ants they depend on the sundew for survival bog ants rarely hunt themselves instead they resort to stealing the sundew's victims robbing them of two-thirds of their prey [Applause] the booty is carried back to the nest to feed to the young ant larvae [Music] on the stalks of the sundew flower one of nature's miracles is underway after 11 days inside its pupa the plume moth caterpillar emerges in its adult form [Music] the curious looking moth heads off into the moors to find a mate and to lay eggs of its own on another sundew plant the sundew also needs to ensure the survival of a future generation unfurling its long stalks it raises its flowers above the sticky tentacles [Music] with few insect pollinators living in peat bogs the sundew has opted for another strategy it produces small flowers that fertilize [Music] themselves [Music] [Music] [Music] peat bogs form where the ground is permanently wet and waterlogged regularly soaked by heavy downpours of rain for the animals that live here the sound of the approaching storm is a familiar one the life-giving water is crucial for this unique wilderness even if the heavy deluge can be unnerving at times it's hard to imagine that the sudden ground could absorb any more moorland animals can be walking on terrain that appears solid but is in fact 95 percent water [Music] mosses grasses and sundew thrive in this harsh waterlogged terrain with little competition from others [Music] [Music] [Music] the barren nature of the moorlands is down to the hostile conditions here where only the most specialized are able to survive both big and small as the stagnant acidic water forms pools and lakes it kills off the underlying vegetation it's a constant battle between water and land the one encroaching upon the other water also invades from the air swathes of mist roll in shrouding the moor in ghostly white the poor visibility poses no problems for the bear his good nose has directed him to a wolf kill then a second bear appears out of the murky haze the smell of fresh meat penetrates even the thickest mist but it's only a youngster and is unwilling to challenge the owner the wolves are back having eaten their fill they'd left the kill unattended to sleep off the heavy meal now the alpha female is back [Music] but can a wolf fight off a bear it seems not on her own she has little chance but the bear has had enough and decides to move on the path is clear for the alpha female but she seems unsure and hesitant [Music] and the bear is already returning he'd gone less than 200 meters before the tantalizing smell of the meat persuaded him to turn back [Music] the wolf keeps a safe distance unlike wolves bears are not good hunters who knows when he'll get a large meal like this again the wolf pack remains around the boggy marsh for a number of days reluctantly sharing their bounty with the bears the scarcity of food in the moorlands sometimes makes for unlikely dinner companions [Music] the beauty and tranquility of the moors belies the reality of a harsh and austere wilderness and it's not just large predators like wolves and bears that struggle to find food rising out of the dark pools is one of the largest and most striking of sundews the long paddle-shaped leaves of the great sundew are covered in sticky droplets like those of its smaller relatives with its roots weakly anchored in water it gets little nutrition from below to survive it needs to catch insect food [Music] but unlike its smaller cousins the great sundew is after larger prey [Music] the leaves bend inwards to join forces in overpowering their victim and the sticky tentacles secrete digestive juices that suck the nutrients out of the prey [Music] sun dews and a handful of other plants are all that appear to thrive in the boggy marshes it's a seemingly barren and desolate [Music] environment but many of the creatures that live here are shy and elusive and remain hidden out of sight some live in places we don't dare to look below the surface of the murky brown water strange exotic looking creatures from an alien world red eyes at the end of a telescopic body and tiny wheels that spin in the gloom the rotifer uses its propellers to sweep microscopic algae and bacteria into its mouth there may be millions of rotifers in one small pool of water and they come in over 2 000 different shapes and designs [Music] this one has already swallowed a belly full of algae and laid two small eggs a third is still inside its body the eggs will remain dormant until conditions are right for the young to hatch this curious creature is a water bear or moss piglet it may appear small and podgy but can withstand conditions more extreme than any other animal on earth small algae propel through the water with whip-like appendages [Music] others uncannily replicate themselves by dividing in half like tiny solar panels less than a millimeter in size they seek out the light and convert it to energy it's a magical world of creatures both beautiful and bizarre yet so small that they remain hidden from our eyes [Music] [Music] at the height of summer the shallow peat bogs quickly dry out creating even more challenging conditions for its residents all the remains of the microscopic world are the eggs and spores which will lie dormant until the water returns the dark peat rapidly heats up in the sun and even reptiles leave to seek shelter only the deepest of moorland pools hold water all year round but much moisture is stored in the ground and the carpets of moss the sound of small explosions cuts through the silence of the moors the moss is littered with tiny black peppercorns they are in fact spore capsules that help the moss to reproduce as they warm up in the sun the pressure inside builds up until finally they explode and the spores are catapulted into the air carried off by the wind the tiny seeds will germinate elsewhere in the more it's autumn and mushroom season glorious red wax caps have sprung up from the ground the leaves of blueberry and bilberry bushes have also turned shades of orange and red they're preparing for winter and will drop their leaves with the first night frost as temperatures fall and the nights become longer life in the moors slows down to a leisurely beat [Music] in the swampy forests at the edge of the marsh large silhouettes move silently through the trees young bull moose are gearing up for the mating season in the far north of europe the night skies bear witness to an annual spectacle tinted streaks of light flit across the sky and quickly turn into a breathtaking display of supernatural colors [Music] the aurora borealis on earthly though they may seem they're not the will of the wisp the mysterious light said to lead travellers into treacherous marshes but they give the moors an eerie and mysterious air [Music] even today the moorlands are magical and secretive places full of strange and surprising creatures but it's a landscape that is rapidly changing [Music] the extraction of peat and draining of the moors is destroying 5 000 square kilometers of moorland every year over half of europe's moors have already been lost an area almost the size of germany the demand for peat as a fossil fuel is only part of the problem the draining of the marshes for agriculture is a bigger one when peat bogs are drained the carbon which was previously locked up in the decaying matter is released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide globally this accounts for nearly six percent of men's greenhouse gas emissions all over the world large areas of moorland are being lost every day peat bogs are disappearing 10 times faster than the rate at which they form today moores account for less than three percent of the earth's surface and yet they store more carbon than all the trees in all the world's forests their destruction not only affects many species but also fuels climate change our peat bogs were formed thousands of years ago but man is destroying them within a few hundred nowhere has the damage been greater than in europe pete has long been exploited by man as early as the roman times traditionally it was cut by hand a slow and small scale operation that allowed some of the more land vegetation to grow back modern extraction is far more brutal cutting deep trenches and turning the surface into a desert but there is hope we now know that by filling in drainage ditches and digging out pools we can restore damaged peat bogs within a matter of years [Music] the re-flooded moorland can also be cultivated with water-tolerant crops to ensure a sustainable use of the land when drained peat bogs are flooded again they quickly return to life but it will take centuries for them to be restored to the true wildernesses they once were the first plants and animals to recolonize the wet bogs appear quite unspectacular and ordinary but many of them are surprisingly rare [Music] today crucian carp have evolved to survive in the murky stagnant water [Music] it's also the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes and their larvae make a welcome meal [Music] dragonfly nymphs are after the same prey [Music] the mosquito larvae hangs suspended near the surface filtering tiny food particles from the water there are always some who will dive below [Music] they make easy pickings for hunters [Music] [Music] the carp are wary of swimming near the surface and they have good reason to be cautious [Music] so [Music] [Music] since re-flooded peat bogs are richer in nutrients than before they support a greater variety of plants and animals than a pristine moorland from the air the restored moors are immediately recognizable by their straight drainage canals and geometrical shapes nonetheless the vast areas of undisturbed wetland soon attract birds and other animals which find a safe refuge here [Music] not surprisingly many of these wetlands have been turned into nature reserves [Music] it may take centuries for the re-wetted land to turn back into peat bog but for the moment it provides a home for many animals and a safe place to breed and refuel a grey heron is on the hunt [Music] [Music] [Music] there's no escaping the dagger-like beak reeds are one of the first and most important plants to recolonize flooded land they thrive in shallow water forming thick impenetrable forests that soon turn the wetland into a boggy marsh in fact peat bogs were formed much like this after the last ice age glacial erosion left hollows and basins in the landscape that gradually filled with water the reeds and marsh plants that colonize the edges crept ever inwards filling the lake with dead vegetation and turning it into a swampy bog deep inside the thick jungle of reeds a shy and elusive bird is raising its young the little bitten [Music] the male has brought back small fish for breakfast it's the usual mealtime squabbles at the nest there is no shortage of noisy neighbors in the reeds [Music] firebellied toads called day and night to attract females [Music] a rustling close to the nest puts the mail on his guard but it's only the female returning with a crop full of food [Music] she slips carefully and quietly through the reeds so as not to give the location of the nest away little bittens are one of the smallest of their kind and one of the rarest in europe with their habitats on the decline they gladly seek refuge in the restored marshes [Music] [Music] ancient peat bogs like this one on the other hand took over 8 000 years to form the cold clear lake is fed by rainfall and its waters are acidic and low in nutrients conditions much harsher than in the re-flooded wars the creatures that live here have adapted to the hostile conditions over thousands of years [Music] the bog bilbrey is one such specialist and its green leaves low in nitrogen are particularly appealing to the caterpillar of the moorland clouded yellow butterfly [Music] the marsh labrador tea plant also flourishes on wet acidic soil its flowers are dazzling white against the black waters of them all dragonflies are drawn to water of any kind living most of their lives below the surface as nymphs [Music] their transformation into adult form complete the dragonfly dries its wings before taking to the air most dragonflies will tolerate acidic water but the white-faced data positively seeks it out [Music] alongside the moorland specialists there are other visitors drawn in from the surrounding area a row deer is attracted by the fresh leaves on the bilbrey bushes nearby the chrysalis of a moorland butterfly breaks open to reveal a new life the adult clouded yellow emerged from its case within minutes but it will take another hour for the body to fully dry in the air the delicate feeding tube is still split in half and needs to be zipped together and the golden yellow wings have to be pumped up and hardened it's one of nature's most extraordinary [Music] transformations [Music] the edges of the peat bogs give way to grasslands which in summer are carpeted in wild flowers they're a haven for butterflies a kaleidoscope of different colors and [Music] patterns this rare alcon blue is vying for the attention of a female [Music] do [Music] with nectar in such rich supply the clouded yellow butterfly didn't have far to travel from the neighboring bog where it emerged the wet grasslands are also breeding grounds for an iconic moorland bird the curl you this pair have hidden their nest somewhere in the boggy heath where few egg thieves dare to venture tucked away in the tusky grass are three speckled eggs well camouflaged all she has to do is sit perfectly still the grazing moose are not after bird eggs but they may accidentally destroy a nest with their hooves if they or any other animal comes too close the incubating bird quietly moves away a watching predator may see the adult bird but is unlikely to detect the nest the moose have little interest in the curly they remain near the edges of the marsh feeding on the leafy shrubs and trees the forested edges provide cover for another nesting moorland bird black grouse lay their pale eggs in a shallow scrape lined with grass the female alone broods the eggs the male's black plumage would attract far too much attention she will be in attendance for the next three to four weeks until our chicks hatch the curl you also returns to her nest the moose have moved on and she feels safe again [Laughter] both curl you and blackgrouse have become rare across europe because their natural habitats are fast disappearing ancient woodlands wet grasslands meandering streams and boggy marshes a mosaic of habitats that was once found across much of the continent today more lands provide a last wilderness refuge for the birds where they can breed undisturbed more lands are not only crucial for the survival of rare birds the large marsh grasshopper is one of the biggest of its kind once common in bogs and flooded meadows today it's all but disappeared occurring in just a handful of places [Music] it feeds mainly on bog grasses and sedges chewing its way through their juicy leaves and stems but it also has an appetite for the carnivorous sundew grasshopper is too big a prey for the small plant anyway [Music] the clicking sound made by the male is aimed at the females [Music] he makes it by flicking his hind legs against the wings it's a signal that he's ready to mate [Music] the arrival of a female causes great excitement among the males the life of a grasshopper is a short one and each is determined to pass on his genes to the next generation [Music] but there can be only one winner [Music] after mating the female will lay her eggs in the wet ground [Music] back at the nest of the black grouse the young chicks have hatched within two weeks they'll be able to fly but in the meantime they have to be careful not to fall prey to hunters a family of bears is heading into the open grassland the young cubs are curious and inquisitive eagerly exploring their new surroundings [Music] the female watches their approach nervously keeping her chicks close under her wings [Music] last minute refueling for the journey [Music] ahead and then they're off the day old chicks instinctively know to follow their mother they're already able to feed themselves but they still need her warmth and protection [Music] finding the way through the tangle of grasses is not easy when you're that small but they all get there in the end [Music] in the marshes and meadows near the edge of the mall other birds are preparing for the arrival of young a crane chick has just hatched from its egg still wet and exhausted from the effort the pair and birds have a demanding few weeks ahead of them barely a day old and the young chick is already up on its legs but the mother pushes it back into the middle of the nest they have to wait for its sibling to [Music] hatch the world outside seems a little overwhelming at first [Music] the old eggshell is comfortingly familiar [Music] and then it's time for the first meal a freshly called dragonfly lava the pair and bird seems to have endless [Music] [Applause] [Music] patience [Applause] [Music] at last and now a well-deserved rest is in order to help digest the meal nearby the marshes have erupted in a display of color the bright yellow flowers of the bolg asphodel rise above them all but this beautiful and rare plant has long had a bad reputation believed to cause brittle bones in sheep it was given the latin name bone breaker in fact the true culprit was the calcium deficient vegetation of the moors living among the reeds and sedges is one of europe's smallest mammals the harvest mouse a water rail searches for snails and worms in the boggy swamp her chick has been hiding in the thick vegetation waiting for her to return [Music] the waterlogged marsh offers safety from predators so not surprisingly many animals choose to raise their young here the harvest mouse has built a nest of grass well above the water line where her young are warm and dry the entire moor has been turned into an animal nursery with parents in attendance round the clock the mouse regularly leaves the nest to feed and replenish her reserves her young is still naked and blind and like all mammals dependent on her milk the long warm summer days provide plenty of food and the young animal families grow quickly the bleak and desolate winters now seem but a distant memory but there's a change in the air the brown bears need to put on fat reserves for the winter and they know the best place to search for food in the deep dark waters of the moor but those that venture here have to tread carefully one false step and they could sink caught in the deadly grip of the bog it's tales like this that have given the moors their fearsome reputation poem from the 19th century captures the mood tis an eerie thing or the more to fair when the eddies of peat smoke justtle when the wraiths have missed whirl here and there and the wind-blown tendrils tussle [Music] when every step starts a hidden spring and the trodden moss tufts hiss and sing it is an eerie thing or the more to fair when the tangled reed beds rustle [Music] although man has tamed and restrained most of the earth's wildernesses our last remaining moorlands are home to some unique and rare plants and animals [Music] it's autumn and the cranes are gathering for their annual migration south a journey of over a thousand miles [Applause] [Music] below them the relics of a landscape dating back to the ice ages more lands that have remained virtually unchanged for thousands of years [Applause] the cranes are heading for their traditional roosting sites the waterlogged marshes offer them safety from predators at night [Applause] [Music] the knights have turned frosty and claimed their first casualties [Music] as winter's chill settles in the air the more lands are cloaked in a blanket of white life has come to a standstill and yet surprisingly one creature is defying the rules of winter [Music] black grouse have already assembled on the mating grounds and practice their displays every morning even a female occasionally drops by [Laughter] but the thick mantle of snow is here to stay and will not lift its covers for a few months yet the moors have slowed down to the heartbeat of winter eerily quiet yet hauntingly beautiful a magical stillness has settled over the [Music] land so as the winter sun slowly regains its strength the more awakens to another year [Music] [Music] um [Music] the black grouse males are stepping up the pace and heading for a grand finale in their mating dance [Music] ah [Music] this snow-covered arena has witnessed generations of males perform their eye-catching displays this is the true magic of a wilderness unlike any other deeply romantic [Music] and at the same time deceptively treacherous the moors [Music] [Music] wow [Music] ah [Music] [Music] ah [Music] [Music] [Music] you

Channel: Free Documentary - Nature

Views: 683,669

Rating: 4.7282519 out of 5

Keywords: Free Documentary, Documentaries, Full documentary, HD documentary, documentary - topic, documentary (tv genre), nature documentary, Free Documentary Nature, Wildlife, Wildlife Documentary, Nature, Nature Documentary, Wildlife Documentary 2021, Magie der Moore, Magical Moors, Moor, Moors, Moor Documentary, European Wildlife, Jan Haft, Bog, Wetland, European Moors

Id: LxYT7QMT_pA

Length: 91min 29sec (5489 seconds)

Published: Fri Jun 04 2021