The North Sea - Nature Paradise in the Heart of Europe | Free Documentary Nature

on the north sea coast ships in distress [Music] so [Applause] the two faces of a sea which connects half of northern europe a place of tranquility but also of turmoil twice a day here the flood reigns supreme water turns to land and land to water the german vadim [Music] vast endless spaces where unusual jobs are done [Music] a postman delivers mail to a solitary island [Music] it's a so-called hallig a small elevation in the tidal flats despite being underwater during storm surges the haligan are permanently inhabited [Music] the post arrives punctually at low tide collection times are always determined by the sea whoever lives here is in the heart of europe yet also in a completely different world people have been trying to gain land for centuries using wooden fence structures known as groins a team effort a house a meadow and nothing more there are only 10 haligan in germany the only ones left which the north sea hasn't swallowed up in the background lie the open flats a temporary landscape stretching from holland to denmark the largest tidal flat area in the world [Music] oh [Music] [Music] a giant hunk of rock in the middle of the north sea the island of helgoland cliffs eaten away by the elements in constant danger of destruction by the sea it's a vital habitat for animals in the midst of the endless waters [Music] there are 1 000 northern gannets alone breeding on helgo land these large birds enjoy ideal conditions here even though space is often limited on the steep cliffs the challenging sections are occupied by other birds the nearby gannets are not always the most peaceful of neighbors [Applause] the birds gather whatever they can to build their nests greenery and flotsam [Music] anything for the beloved family and anyone too lazy to gather for themselves simply steals from the neighbors you just have to try to avoid being caught [Music] [Applause] [Music] the smallest places have been occupied by common gilimits an egg on the edge a case for steady nerves the trick is now big enough for the water but it can't fly yet so how to manage the 30 vertical meters downwards [Music] unfortunately there's no stairway here he has to jump good luck [Applause] the baby gillimat is so light that it isn't injured now all that's missing is the parents [Music] they've noticed the daring dive and for the next few weeks they'll accompany their offspring on the open sea [Music] helgoland's real treasure however lies underwater the rocky tidal flats of helgoland are home to hermit crabs sea anemones soft corals and sea urchins [Music] the coveted helgoland lobster a brown crab also known as kniper meaning pincher with his typical sideways walk balanadai another kind of crab this sea urchin is in the middle of having sex or what he calls having sex sperm and eggs are simply released into the open sea and here comes a shark a miniature version at least seals are omnivorous they'll eat anything this lesser spotted dogfish had better hide he relies entirely on camouflage the seal appears to have missed him a lucky escape [Music] but not so fast the enemy is still nearby [Music] [Music] he's saved by his hard spiky shark skin simply inedible with their disagreements behind them and the neighbours robbed the gannets can turn to their true occupation reconnaissance flights [Music] from up on high they search for shoals of fish in the water below and then nose dive down into the sea [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] so [Music] [Applause] romantic sunsets over the sea are all well and good but they can also display one of the rarest light phenomena in existence even the ancient egyptians spoke of it [Music] with clear enough air perfect visibility and a good measure of luck one can see the green flash of the sun appear just before it sets jule vern commented if there is green in paradise it cannot be but of this shade [Music] [Music] right next to helgo land is the sand island called duna besides the obligatory sea birds one of the largest predators in germany lives here the grey seal duna is also an island for bathing seals and humans meet face to face and those with enough nerve can even splash about with the little creatures in their natural element beauty and the beast [Music] [Music] so [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] gray seals aren't at all camera shy they're extremely inquisitive [Music] some people even claim that seals chat with each other underwater these two seem to be taking it seriously [Music] i don't have a clue what they're saying but somehow they're managing to communicate it was probably more of a short story but now they've discovered the cameraman that looks pretty daft a human in a diving suit and those flippers are also fake will he fancy a tickle wild animals really are wild after all but along comes the next one already [Music] pretty chilled out predators these gray seals [Music] the entire tidal flat area of the eastern north sea is a unique natural wonder full of unbelievable forms and colours [Music] [Music] the flats are dry for 6 hours and 12 minutes before the sea comes back in high tide [Music] it may look gray and bleak but the surface of the flats is one of the most productive environments on earth an ideal breeding ground for algae [Music] it's not the salt marshes which are fertile but the shallow flats [Music] when the water recedes [Music] countless life forms tuck into the blanket of algae aquatic snails in fast motion extremely agile [Music] this is not dog dirt but worm dirt in between lie a few common cockles which have kicked the bucket [Music] worms love the vadden sea with its algae beds crabs too of course at low tide they dive under the surface [Music] worms are as important for the tidal flats as ants for the rainforest a logworm shifts 25 kilos of sand per year it's an absolute paradise for birds here the oyster catcher can peck away anywhere it wants it always finds a worm now let's see gotcha and another okay we get the picture this worm-filled paradise attracts 12 million birds a year and all this with no air traffic control [Music] [Music] a flight over the picturesque coast of north frisia [Music] in some areas the north sea heaps up sand that it's picked up elsewhere the largest island in north freesia sult the perfect holiday destination [Music] [Music] there are more than enough waves at the beach in westerland and more than enough tourists in summer the personnel of the german lifeguard association aren't only watching the sea they're coming very close to the beach poor poises the world's smallest whales [Music] inquisitive just like a gray seal [Music] [Music] ah [Music] the real high season however is in spring and autumn when the beaches are empty again high season for birds waders such as bartailed godwits red knots and a host of others arrive on mass wellness tourism for our feathered friends simply unmissable [Music] [Music] now we're leaving the german coast to head north [Music] the most northerly branch of the vadden sea denmark [Music] [Music] dreamy islets in the endless sea [Music] relaxation banks for the gray seals [Music] the north is the true home of the grey seal the cold water doesn't disturb them at all but such a welcoming sun bed is also not to be sneezed at just when you want a quick 40 winks the neighbors have to start making a racket first the young gang and then the big boys soon mating season will arrive and that's when they'll really get down to business [Music] now we head further into magical denmark [Music] denmark also offers paradise for bird life to perna for example with its rare and curious residents this impractical plumage belongs to a ruff every male wears his very own costume rococo style and what does a ruff do in mating season he plays rough of course [Music] the plain little characters are the females they're the ones the extravagant showmen wish to impress [Music] uh [Music] [Music] [Music] the jutland peninsula the dunes here tower up to 100 meters high [Music] in 1910 the sand began to wander towards the lighthouse a few decades later it was abandoned wind water and sand ensure constant change on the north sea whoever lives here has to get used to transients thus land emerges from the sea and then disappears again after a while sometimes it's like the sahara here not a bad view is it [Music] let's head even further north [Music] after a stretch of open water a mystical landscape appears [Music] rocks in the sea the scary coast of norway [Music] a monumental backdrop the fjords even apple trees grow here thanks to the gulf stream gigantic glaciers ate their way through the mountains during the ice age thus freed from pressure scandinavia continues even now to rise out of the sea up to one centimeter a year [Music] but this is only the tip of the iceberg under the water the rock faces can plunge to over one thousand meters deep here in the underworld of the fjord something astonishing is concealed this is the realm of the cold water corals corals don't only occur in the tropics welcome to the enchanted garden of the north sea [Music] now all we need is a beautiful dancer a lion's mane jellyfish [Music] on the cliffs sea anemones cover every square centimeter [Music] these are peacock worms whose tentacles look a bit like peacock tails the water is cold but not icy thanks to the gulf stream that's why so many life forms can survive here a northern stone crab at work always taking its time a cuckoo razz a bit of color doesn't hurt in the coral garden of the vikings now then who fancies a trip to the depths hold on tight now this is a real shark and this guy we know better lying on a seafood platter the norway lobster in its natural habitat a hagfish this fish a gernard scuttles with its spiky fins across the seabed and by the way if you pull a gurnard out of the sea he growls the norway lobster only tolerates his co-species on a buffy platter while alive he ferociously defends his territory against any intruder chasing the loser a little always looks impressive a few sea pens are in his way sea pens are also animals and filter what they can from the water the perfect hiding place for a poor cod and here's another culinary delicacy this is what he really looks like the famous long-spined fish [Music] enough splashing around let's have another look at the fjords from above [Music] the old glacial trails lead the sea miles inland norway is one of the world's must-see destinations simply breathtaking here they hide the giant glaciers from long ago traces of the glaciers are all over the landscape a world straight from a fantasy novel and in its midst some survivors from the ice age [Music] musk oxen the scraggy-haired creatures are efficient energy savers although two males in mating season can move around rather fiercely but apart from that life is basically looking around and munching and pretty soon you've whiled away a few thousand years careful with that horn who knows how many calves have been accidentally stabbed by their own mothers aren't they cuddly the little baby musk oxen now it's turning really romantic the tundra is glowing [Music] could that be a norwegian lemming walking on water like jesus [Music] okay the water's actually frozen underneath a little magic trick it's not only the weather that's becoming uncomfortable the mood of the male musk oxen is reaching boiling point two three hundred kilo heavyweights clash in the ultimate jewel let's see what the head can withstand whoever gives up is the loser so we need an even longer run up that's about a big enough headache for today back to the sea a whitetailed eagle the expert fish catcher at top speed [Music] as a seagull you just look on with envy [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] oh [Music] we've arrived in northern norway here the north sea reaches its edge and runs into the norwegian sea pilot whales plow through the water the largest predator in existence the sperm whale after a few minutes catching some air he dives down to the depths again to grab some food giant squids 18 meters of whale meets 13 meters of squid we will never see exactly what these giants are up to under the water this great predator however works at the surface every autumn killer whales search for shows of fish off the norwegian coast even in the dark they can locate the position of objects in the water by the echo of their calls herring the whales encircle the shoal and grab one fish after another now it's back to the deep it's astonishing how colorful this underwater world is even here in the far north corals and starfish [Music] a gorgon's head relative of the starfish a first-rate hiding place [Music] with a bit of luck you can also encounter some mysterious inhabitants of the deep sea here ghost sharks also known as ratfish or rabbit fish these prehistoric creatures occasionally surface to go hunting but there's an even creepier fish on offer here the greenland shark he can reach up to seven meters long and around 200 years old very calmly he emerges out of the deep he sensed some prey he has a parasite in his eyes which makes him blind but he doesn't need to see much his sense of smell is outstanding gradually he gets closer to his goal [Music] there on the left you can see the ocular parasites hanging his objective was a dead seal the gravedigger of the north sea at his daily chores and as stealthily as he arrived he disappears again down to the deep [Music] now then anyone for a swim in the north sea don't worry though greenland sharks only appear in the far north [Music] let's leave this cozy place and head west across the sea and what do we have here [Applause] [Music] it's the wild romantic coast of scotland [Music] so [Music] [Applause] what a panorama the cliffs of duncan's behead the sheer cliffs of scotland's coastline are tailor made for seabirds gillimits who didn't have enough space in helga land can raise their young here in the dizzy heights mass tourism they only cluster together on the cliffs for the little ones their true home is the sea [Applause] the eggs are shaped so they can't roll away [Applause] the gillimits show their real talents in their natural element the sea has always been full of fish here due to climate change however the number of sand deals is dropping [Music] who says that birds can only fly through the air [Music] [Music] even small fish are a large task for the chicks right next door on the grass some strange-looking relatives have settled in [Music] puffins their large colored beak has earned them the nickname the clown of the ocean every year the same couples get together for mating season like little hobbits they've dug out a breeding burrow for themselves [Music] with such a large beak it would be a shame not to use it for the odd kiss now and then [Music] the sea is a plentiful food store for puffins as well while the partner keeps the egg nice and warm [Music] mating season means masses of air traffic on the scottish coast they may not be elegant flyers but they are ideal underwater hunters they can dive down to 60 meters [Music] always a beak full of sand deals yummy [Music] at the foot of the cliffs lives another scottish family european otters these sociable creatures make themselves comfortable amongst the seaweed otters have one of the densest furs they have as much hair on one square centimeter of skin as one of us has on our whole head if we have any hair left that is it makes ideal insulation for diving in cold water there is also an optimal selection of prey here crabs live dangerously in otter territory the seafood gourmets already have their crab forks built in simply remove lid it's that easy the grey heron hopes that the gang will leave him something behind as soon as the crab is done with you just grab yourself another and what else do we know about scotland cliffs and rough sea [Music] sheep okay fair enough and highland cattle [Music] their proud owner takes special care of their fur [Music] with their shaggy hairstyle the short-legged characters can be outside here the whole year round [Music] a few horses right down by the sea and one with antlers it's unmistakably a red deer of course the horses don't appear to be surprised by anything anymore the deer hold their noisy rotting session right here by the water [Music] the lords of the harem have to keep an eye on both their females and the troublesome competitors [Music] it's a tough life for a [Music] deer now that is some sight enough to make every hunter's trigger finger twitch the animals don't even shy away from direct contact with the north sea their reward a salty seaweed salad after a fine feed and a nice dip in the pool it's back to the bellowing match [Music] my heart's in the highlands my heart is not here my hearts in the highlands are chasing the deer a chasing the wild deer and following the raw my hearts in the highlands wherever i go [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] so [Music] this is bass rock off the scottish coast here we'll be meeting some old friends in mating season 100 000 northern gannets crush together on the island [Applause] only 400 meters long and uninhabited bass rock is the origin of the gannett's latin name morris bassanos [Applause] the nests lie a neat beak's length apart from one another [Applause] you wouldn't want that in your eye how the couples find their nursery in a swarm like that is a mystery [Applause] loving monogamy is the rule here as well [Applause] feeding is not for the faint-hearted [Applause] the young ones don't seem to be too bothered however [Applause] [Music] the north sea tides are set off by the tidal waves of the great north atlantic each wave hits the scottish east coast here travels down to england and after 12 hours finally reaches the german bite a boatload of bird watchers every year they head to the fan islands to descend upon a colony of arctic terns the feathered parents don't think very much of the photo safari the turns are now working at full capacity to satisfy the whining chicks is that morsel not perhaps slightly too big oh well never mind there's zero tolerance for human disturbance in the nesting area and if you don't want to listen you'll learn the hard way [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] the white cliffs of dover this is the english channel which links the north sea to the atlantic there are enough lighthouses for the busy shipping traffic [Music] every year fish emerge at the fruit of the white cliffs which make the great white shark look like a toy basking sharks up to 10 meters long the second largest fish in the world next to the whale shark luckily they're plankton eaters they swim along the surface with their mouths wide open filtering crabs fish eggs and so on from the murky channel water eighteen hundred tons of water per hour rush through the mouth and gills of the giant shark [Music] we're on the move again this time southeast back to the continent and to a land barely above sea level [Music] first of all tidal flats again the vadin sea begins here [Music] in holland [Music] the windmills are not for grain they're pumping water from the meadows it's a battle against the sea for every meter unless there's no wind that's the ooster sheldon dam intended to protect the countryside against the destruction of the waves directly off this beach the annual summit meeting of the most dazzling inhabitants of the north sea takes place [Music] the common cuttlefish about the size of a small dog there's the eggs they've discarded or rather stuck on hundreds of the mollusks meet here punctually every year to find their blind date it's an ideal spot in which to supply their eggs with oxygen [Music] decked out in fashionable stripes the romantic hopefuls size each other up in their marine marriage market the females search for something strong to anchor their egg parcel to against the current [Music] the cephalopods are certainly not in relaxed mood right now with tentacles on their heads it's not quite clear are they wrestling or do they actually love each other dearly in only a few weeks the strange creatures will part company calmly and head off in the sea [Music] now we're flying further east back to germany specifically the coastal islands of east frisia [Music] vast salt meadows and marshland landing sites for bird life [Music] the backdrop here is slightly reminiscent of holland brent geese passing through a panorama in classical regional style light houses protective dikes and sheep of course the wooly lawnmowers trample the grass nice and firm sheep are invaluable for the dyke very nearby some peculiar birds are breeding i wonder why they're called spoonbills the large build birds have only been back in germany again for a few years although they're not very beautiful they're certainly special the nest simply lies flat on the damp ground the baby spoonbills can be rather tiresome the young ones beaks are already quite wide but haven't developed yet into the full spoon form of the adult birds in protected spots within bays or on the lee side of islands mud flats form [Music] with a special sledge one can travel through the sludge gill nets have captured a few fish from the tide please landscapes don't get much flatter than this [Music] flocks of migrants setting off mass tourism to the warmer south nothing new for birds [Music] winter is not far off some birds however are arriving now and will stay here during the colder months for these creatures winter in the north sea is downright tropical they arrive in flops from siberia and scandinavia barnacle geese all winter guests have to be completely weather resistant storm season is beginning [Music] back to helga land and the neighboring island with its seal colony [Music] [Applause] young ones having fun in the water [Music] [Music] so [Music] the seals have picked exactly the most unpleasant time of year to have children childbirth is no problem for seals the little one however has a bad case of hiccups [Music] they find each other again by memorizing each other's scent [Music] the mail disturbs right now shortly after the birth mating season will begin again already first of all however the new arrival has to be thoroughly sniffed over during this time the 200 kilo males fight over every female [Music] the great predators enter the arena things are going to get messy [Music] [Music] it looks worse than it is however and no one is mortally wounded the baby seals are miracles of growth they arrive at 10 kilos but after only three weeks have reached a chubby 50 kilos in weight the secret seal formula milk with 50 percent fat the mother only returns from fishing once or twice daily to attend to her pups he mostly just lies around and grows there we have it the natural world of the north sea apart from one small detail the fearsome storm flood when a cyclone from the atlantic catapults the tide against the coast when the north sea clutches at the land 400 years ago there was land here where the angry waves now rage it was engulfed forever along with 10 000 people in the floods [Music] the north sea never rests [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] you

Channel: Free Documentary - Nature

Views: 2,791,346

Keywords: Free Documentary, Documentaries, Full documentary, HD documentary, documentary - topic, documentary (tv genre), nature documentary, Free Documentary Nature, North Sea, North Sea Documentary, Nature, Wildlife Documentary, Wildlife, Animals, Animal Documentary, Ocean, Ocean Documentary, Wadden Sea, Wadden Sea Documentary, Helgoland, Heligoland, White Cliffs of Dover, Marine Life, Ocean Life, German North Sea, Secrets of the North Sea, Nature Paradise, German Sea, Documentary 2022

Id: sMsjnU0Ueug

Length: 89min 33sec (5373 seconds)

Published: Sun Sep 25 2022