They are often seen as the kings
of Europe's forests - as a symbol of masculinity
and strength. But that is not the whole story. Red deer are so much more! They are vulnerable... social,... and surprisingly adaptable. Their lives are full of
twists and turns, defeats and victories! In autumn, excitement mounts in
Germany's red deer territories. Clearings turn into rutting arenas,
where the biggest stags compete to be crowned the most
impressive of them all. The victor's prize are a number
of females, called hinds, and with that, the chance to sire
a large number of offspring. Six weeks of running and fighting
around the clock. The lone big bulls often perform
right to the point of exhaustion. Though strength and stamina
are only secondary. It's the roar that provides the key
to producing powerful offspring. Deer hinds recognize the fitness of
a stag without needing to see him: a deep bass has the best prospects. Out of the booming concert,
they pick just the right one! To achieve this, females must analyse up to
10,000 roars per night. It's the female that
has the final choice. If she is not convinced,
he stands no chance. The hinds appreciate good manners. Already now it becomes clear
who has the best chances to produce strong offspring. If he accepts her rules, and the optics, chemistry and tone
are all found to be acceptable, it can all happen quickly. Being dominant, is a temporary
leadership position. It includes a lot of stress and guarantees exhaustion. This red deer rut takes place
on a military training area in Eastern Germany. Many stags have passed on
their genes here, paying a high price in doing so. Common ravens are often
the first to find them. Alone, they are hardly capable of getting a few bites
from the carcass. The conspicuous behaviour
of the birds is intentional: in order to eat properly, they need help to start the feast. The plan works. The white-tailed eagle has
a much stronger bill and is a welcome guest
at the raven party. As soon as a hole has been ripped
into the deer skin, the buffet is open. The organs are usually first
to disappear. Wolves are also not long in coming. They are quick to pick out
the biggest choice pieces. The pack has many mouths to feed. As long as they are there,
the others must bide their time. The following morning, a young wolf
returns to the carcass. It knows: eagles and ravens can
devour the leftovers in no time. Eagles eat a lot –
they are attacked first. The ravens also don't really
get a chance to dig in. Actually the wolf is already full, it is just food envy
that drives it. The eagle is gone,
but the ravens will stay for as long as there's anything
left to scavenge from the skeleton. The rich mosaic of forests,
heath- and wetlands provides optimal conditions
for red deer. Playfully, two wannabe top dogs imitate the fights
of the big stags. It is still an awkward,
almost careful manoeuvring. At around six years of age, stags can lay claim to
their leadership roles – a long way to go! Already now, they look at
the hinds with interest. One of the two, so it seems,
even challenges a big stag. Broadside presentation to look as
big as possible – made to impress! The 'royal stag',
with 12 point-antlers, pays him little attention.
He just wants his peace. Nearby, white-tailed eagles gather
in the hope of finding easy prey. Here, there is always
something to find. A hooded crow is stuck in the mud. The young eagle also
seems surprised! The crow fights. Its plumage is
soaked. Slowly, its energy wanes. Another crow attacks. Then something surprising happens: a parent bird wants to help. Others try to distract
the much larger eagle. But it does not lose focus. White-tailed eagles
mainly feed on fish, but they don't let opportunities
like these go to waste. The ponds are a refuge
for a lot of wildlife. The majestic 'macho', does not
notice who is in his way. He roars at the wrong opponent.
A case of mistaken identity... and clearly of too
much testosterone. In the shallow water, an otter
sets out in search of prey. Again, the eagles are there. In a team,
they try to steal the fish. Briefly, the eagle is distracted – and the otter seizes the chance. Autumn mists lie over the land. The red deer,
recently still fierce rivals, now quietly move in harmony. Stags form so-called
bachelor herds. The hinds and calves from the
previous year keep to themselves. Winters are getting milder. The deer in these wetlands find
good grazing all year round. Ideal conditions for
the vegetarians. If the water doesn't freeze,
fish eaters like the great egret can also get through the
cold season successfully. Climate change has been having
an impact for a while. Summers and winters
are getting drier. If snow does fall,
it does not remain for long. The deer now prefer to retire
into the forests, between the wetlands
and the military zones. They wander undisturbed
through the pine trees. If food becomes scarce, they're able to reduce their
metabolism to save precious energy. Fresh snow makes
their paths visible. With spring come storms. The pines are often not able to
withstand strong gusts of wind. For some, the fallen trees
are irresistible. Deer prefer feeding on grasses
and fresh herbs – which are scarce in winter. The adaptable animals now like
to snack on fresh bark. Young pines have thin bark
that is easily stripped off. A poor diet, but one that
ensures their survival. Towards the end of winter, the red deer suddenly lose a part
of their 'manliness'. Proud antler bearers become
'bald deer' for a while. The loss is the beginning of
an astonishing phenomenon: once a year, the deer grow
a new set of antlers. At more than two centimetres
per day, it is the fastest organ growth
in the animal kingdom: Within just 120 days, red deer can grow about
ten kilograms of new bone. From this point it will still take
several months before the extravagant headdress
comes to its intended use. Shed antlers are the excess of
an extremely efficient metabolism. Rich in proteins and minerals they deliver valuable resources
to the forest residents. In spring, blueberry bushes carpet
the nutrient poor sandy soils. At first, the new antlers
are as soft as velvet. Leaves and shoots
of the blueberries deliver enough energy and resources
for the first growth spurt. During these times, the bachelors
lay the foundation for their strength and fitness, and hence their success
with the females. The macho males of the autumn now roam around the forests
quietly in herds. Only at night do the deer
venture out into the open. They feel safe in the forests, but good grazing areas often lie
near settlements. In spring there is no threat
from humans. The hunting season
hasn't yet begun. Something else scares the herd. It is a young wolf. Alone, he presents no danger
to the deer. Without alarm,
they trot away to safety. Red deer are not necessarily
forest dwellers. They can find their way
in many different habitats. If they have the choice, they will always return
to the open. Outside the mating season, males
and females go different paths. If groups of females happen
to meet velvet stags, they all behave as though
nothing has happened. For all of them, the search
for food is now the priority. These are the last days of
togetherness for the females. In early May, when they've almost
lost their winter coat, the hinds get more
and more secretive. They retreat to small
islands or peninsulas lying well-protected in the reeds. A week before giving birth, the prospective mother already
checks the birth site. During this time,
it is almost impossible to spot the animals or to find
their hiding places. Nothing leaves the reed beds. Then it's time! If this mother is
a high-ranking hind, this island could be hosting
the start of the tale of a future top dog. Mixed forests surround
the wetlands. It's the time of the stag beetle. In June, old oaks start to 'bleed'. The beetles are attracted
by their sweet sap. This tree already has an 'owner'. And it tolerates no visitors. The landlord tries to take out
its rival. If two beetles lock horns, a fight like this can sometimes
last for an hour. In the end, the winner is the one
sitting a little higher up. Back to the real stags... Virtually invisible, a calf ducks
into the low forest undergrowth. All its senses are alert. For hours it remains here,
motionless, with ears pinned back and eyelids rigid. Outlasting the pesky irritants. Its heart rate increases if older
animals are in hearing range. But even now it doesn't move. Only once it receives
its mother's signal, does it venture out of cover. The calves live this hidden
life for about four weeks. High ranking hinds suckle their
male offspring more regularly and for longer than young females. Those with strong mothers, have a better chance of climbing
higher up the deer hierarchy. In July the hinds once again
reform their herds, that now also include the calves. The time of isolation is over. This habitat is man-made. Even today,
coal-mining plays a role in shaping some of
the east of Germany. After the retreat of
the ice age glaciers, it probably looked
a little like this, when large mammals dominated
the landscape: steppe bison, aurochs and... red deer. Hunters followed in their
footsteps: wolves! It was from here, that they once again managed
to spread into Western Europe. The first wolves from Poland were able to gain a foothold
on protected military areas. Today there are about
13 packs in the region. This former mining area was transformed into a
wetland-dominated landscape, one of the largest
in all of Germany. Coal is still being mined here. When the heavy machinery
is put out to pasture, nature will once again
take over the reins. Many deer species around the world
inhabit large floodplains that support habitat mosaics. Depending on the season and their
needs, the animals can choose between forests, dense reed beds
or more open areas. Just like here in Germany's
far east – with its 1,000 lakes, ponds
and marshy meadows. Here deer calves have a lot of
contact with water from early on. Where their mothers can wade
comfortably, they need to swim. This makes it tough to
keep close contact. For a moment the little one
is uncertain. The females in the
herd collectively keep an eye on their offspring.
None is left behind. They do not need to learn to swim,
they master it instinctively. On hot days, these marshes
resemble tropical swamps. To see red deer in the water in this part of Europe
is something special. In central Asia, probably the
ancestral home of this species, many relatives spend their lives
in reed beds and water-dominated lowlands. If the animals feel safe, they literally allow the zest
for life to run wild – in a dance performed
by the young deer. Towards the end of the day, the hinds once again gravitate
to the ponds. Water dropwort, which is poisonous
to other animals, is devoured as readily as
reed shoots and water plantain. Red deer have a long menu
to choose from. It can include up to 80%
of the plants in one area. This flexibility is one of the
reasons why they are so adaptable. Where vegetarians thrive, predators
will arrive sooner or later. Behind the reed belt, a wolf tries
to pick up the scent of the deer. He's a scout. While the reeds are great for protecting the hinds
with their calves it also shields possible attackers
from view. The mothers are nervous. They sense something is afoot. The animals gather
in the open terrain. Here, the distance to the
reed thicket is greater. After a while the deer
relax again... and with them the other
wetland residents. Right then, it happens! With their short legs, the wolves are far inferior
to the deer in the water. Here, they are no longer able
to follow scents easily – their most reliable
orientation on land. No chance this time. The wolves pull back. Those not fast enough
are sent on their way! Things don't always end this well. One of the hinds lost her tail
during a previous encounter. Deer can never feel
completely safe, Wolves don't comply with
the legal hunting season. Almost nothing has remained totally
natural in this part of Germany. For centuries, humans have had an
impact here, often dramatically so. Action in deer country. Tank chains now take over the role that was performed by large
herbivores for millennia: preventing the forest
from taking over. Not just by constantly tearing up
the ground cover. Target practice continues, causing fires that are restricted
to smaller areas. Special fire guards prevent
the greater spread of the flames, while the manoeuvres
are still going on. Fire keeps the heathland
free of trees. They are set in this region as part of the conservation
management plans. Most insects and other
small invertebrates survive the heatwave just a few
centimetres below the surface. After the flames die, life returns. Even a young stag shows up. After less than three months most of what the fire caused
is no longer visible. Sandy barriers act to restrict
the spread of fires. In addition, they serve the deer
as a trail. Sporadic burning
promotes diversity. The heathland then blooms
even more intensely and provides a habitat
for many new species. Among them: some from the steppes and
semi-deserts of Southern Europe. A breath of deadly exoticism
lies in the air... when a mantis hunts a grasshopper - a blue-winged... grasshopper. Carefully, a male descends onto
the clearly larger female. He stands a good chance of
surviving the mating... if she is not hungry. But careful: make a wrong move,
and it is all over for him. In summer, this region is one of
the warmest parts of Germany. In wind-protected depressions, temperatures easily reach
40 degrees Celsius. Right now, when the deer need to
drink a lot, water becomes scarce. The last pools dry out
to muddy holes. At least they provide
a chance to cool off, but soon it will only be enough
for just one animal. For a while, the muddy sludge
has not been good for drinking. Storm clouds don't automatically
bring rain. A number of consecutive dry summers have literally dried out
the region. The deer sucks the last drops
out of the wallow. Finally, after weeks of drought,
clouds close in. Within hours the pool
fills up again. Humid days follow the dry heat... and with them, an explosion
of pesky irritants. Louse flies, horseflies and mosquitoes
drive the deer crazy. Only one thing offers any defence: constant movement! Autumn is harvest time. Here and there, some apple trees grow in the deer range,
relics of long-abandoned villages. At dusk, life enters the orchard. The harvest is rich
and the apples sweet. Everyone takes as much as they can. The red deer are now raring to go
for the season's highlight. The stags that have been
so tolerable are again getting irritable
and readying for a fight - and that has nothing to do
with the apples. Something is making them nervous. Two young wolves take their siesta
in the old orchards and enjoy the fruit. It will be many months
before the deer need to start looking out
for these two. The hinds are also becoming
more tense... while their tolerance
threshold drops. They only have a few days
of calm remaining. A calm before the storm. And then he steps out, the contender for first place. The event of the year can begin. The revved-up macho hardly knows
what to do with all his energy. Then a rival approaches
through the reeds. He's an imposing and
well-matched challenger. The pond is transformed
into an arena. Spectators are guaranteed: the highest ranking hind in the
herd always gets the first choice. The contenders are locked
in the final act. Fighting for the privilege
of mating... ...to be the top dog on the range. The rival has been driven
away successfully, but the triumph takes its toll. A young stag senses his chance. Is he really trying to lure the
exhausted winner to engage again? Will the old macho leave his hinds
to this young pretender that just showed up? Never! The lack of respect
spurs him into action. The sight of a female inspires... Parallels to us humans? Mere coincidence.
