The Norwegian Fjords - Life in the Twilight | Full Nature Documentary

[Applause] [Music] um northern norway one of the most dramatic coastal landscapes in the world long narrow inlets carry sea water up to 200 kilometers inland [Music] these deep valleys were once scoured out by glaciers and filled up by the sea today they attract a rich diversity of life [Music] the norwegian fuels are as deep as the mountains are high and they team with life [Music] [Music] the cold dark waters are home to a surprisingly rich and colorful community of underwater creatures [Music] some even produce their own lights and glow in the dark [Music] the norwegian fjords are one of europe's best kept secrets a magical wilderness unlike any other [Music] it's mid-november the norwegian winter has set in and the sun barely skirts the horizon during the long polar nights all is quiet at the bottom of the fjord the waters appear lifeless the sediments undisturbed there is little sign of the invasion that is to come large kelp forests guard the entrance of the fjord and provide a safe hiding place for fish further inland the fjords break up into a network of smaller channels that slow down the flow of the water and it's these calm seas that attract huge numbers of fish [Music] herring over 10 billion of them the shoals are so dense they darken the waters of the fjord [Music] the herring have been feeding in the rich arctic seas all summer now sleek and well fed they gather in the sheltered waters of the fjords to overwinter here these fjords offer little food for the herring but the calm waters allow them to rest and wait wasting little energy in spring they'll continue to their spawning grounds along the coast the herring only come to a few select fjords in northern norway but in their wake others follow orcas or killer whales they've left the open ocean to head inland attracted by the vast shoals of fish the herring bunch together in a tight ball near the sea floor there's safety in numbers and the dense mass confuses most predators but not the orcas they work as a team youngsters learning from older ones the key to their success is cooperation slowly the whales circle their quarry driving them into an even tighter bunch as they do so they communicate with clicks and whistles [Music] the whales take turns to dive below the shoal and push it closer to the surface finally they managed to drive the herring into shallower water the rest is easy a large male approaches the shoal from the side and smacks into the mass with his powerful tail fin with one below he's killed and stunned a dozen fish now they can pick off their prey at leisure tail swatting appears to be a hunting strategy only used by orcas in this part of the world but it's a highly effective way of gathering food for a six-ton whale a single fish is a mere morsel they need to eat around 200 a day so bulk fishing is the perfect solution with over a billion herring in this one fueled alone there's plenty to go around compared to human hunters that take thousands of tons of herring from these waters each year the orcas hardly make a dent in the population but orcas are messy feeders they leave behind a trail of dead fish both at the bottom of the fjord and in the water above but where there are free handouts there are takers herring gulls follow the whales as they travel through the fjord and pick off any scraps left in their wake below the surface others help dispose of leftovers nonetheless mod sinks to the bottom and even here there are animals that benefit from the orca's feeding frenzy hiding away on the sea floor are creatures that depend on debris sinking down from above starfish are one of the many bottom dwellers that make a beeline for the feast each arm contains a branch of their stomach and produces chemicals to digest the carcass they will eat whatever comes their way and eventually release the nutrients back into the fjord in northern norway the low winter sun washes the landscape in ethereal colours temperatures often drop below freezing sheltered by the mountains the waters of the fjord are calm and ice starts to form at the edges although seawater doesn't freeze easily a sheet of ice often stretches across the entire fjord in winter [Music] this sheet is made of fresh water that sits in a layer above the denser sea water the frozen fjord is many miles from the open ocean but the daily rhythm of the toys can still be felt and seen [Music] every six hours the massive slab of ice weighing millions of tons is lifted up and down [Music] the ice also acts as a gigantic lid keeping the waters below dark and warm it's these conditions that allow some unusual animals to live here [Music] the helmet jellyfish generally found at depths of over a thousand meters direct sunlight will kill it turning the dark red pigment in its body into a lethal poison but the winter ice cover over the fjord filters out most of the sun's rays and allows the jellies to rise up to shallower water so helmet jellyfish thrive here [Music] sea pens live in the deepest part of the fjord where they anchor themselves to the sea floor here there's less risk of being uprooted by ocean currents and the coral-like creatures use their feathery arms to sift plankton from the water sea pens like to stay in one place so if danger threatens they defend themselves if anything touches their delicate arms they produce a series of flashing lights maybe with the aim to startle in the darkness but the feathery pens not only actively produce light they also glow when blue light falls on them [Music] most light waves are absorbed as they pass through water but blue light travels further than any other when it falls on sea pens it stimulates certain proteins and triggers them to glow bright green [Music] so [Music] but why see pens glow like this it's still a mystery and if all defense techniques fail the curious creatures have another trick up their sleeve they literally disappear into the ground [Music] above the surface the fjord is now not only sealed by ice but a thick layer of snow the forests are silent in the grip of winter only one sound echoes through the hills the cappuccilli have started their mating rituals the males seek out the best arenas on which to display their song and dance is for the benefit of females scattered throughout the hills [Applause] these northerly forests are wetter than most and provide perfect conditions for lichens and mosses they cover the trees in thick shaggy carpets [Music] and they're home to a strange long-legged creature the spiny headed harvestmen it hunts for small insects amongst the lichen the arrival of spring brings warmer temperatures and fresh growth to the hills around the fjord the ice has long melted and below the surface spring has also not gone unnoticed along the shallow edges thick layers of sand and sediment create an underwater moonscape brown crabs are after the mussels buried in the soft sand the common dab will also feed on muscles given the chance but it's unable to dig them up the mussels have burrowed deep into the sediment but the crabs are persistent the pilgrim scallop has no need to hide with 60 eyes along the edge of its mantle to keep a lookout it can make a quick getaway [Music] for those that are not fast enough the crabs are bad news they comprise open the tightly shut shells and pull out the scallops soft body with their pincers tearing apart the flesh releases chemicals into the water that soon attract the competition [Music] the dab also sees an opportunity [Music] the fish has little to fear from the crab despite the fearsome looking claws crabs are slow and clumsy and have no interest in trying to catch a fish nonetheless she keeps a respectful distance slipping in to sneak a mouthful when she thinks he's not looking [Music] the crab has had enough and takes off with the remaining bounty one last look but he's taken it all the norwegian fjords resemble large inland lakes and thanks to the warming gulf stream they enjoy a mild climate not surprisingly they attract animals both below the surface and above common ideas seek out the sheltered edges to feed on crabs and mussels and to raise their young but while the water may be safe there's danger from the air above herring girls are on the lookout for an easy meal they've got their eye on the young ducklings but the attentive females join forces and launch a counter-attack [Music] yes this smaller common goal has bitten off more than it can chew oh here we go the girl is lucky to escape with its life spring sees the arrival of other visitors to the fjord the rough has traveled all the way from africa and now refuels on small crabs and insects along the shoreline a turn stain is also after insects flicking over seaweed instead of stones the teming stint has other priorities to attract a mate with its aerial display while some of the fields visitors arrive at the same time every year others are less predictable harbour porpoises come and go hunting for small fish in the coastal inlets [Music] at the end of may huge flocks of knot descend upon the fjord they're traveling from wintering grounds in western europe to their arctic breeding sites in greenland and canada they've come to the fjord to replenish energy reserves before continuing on their long journey and they're here in their thousands [Music] the small birds have flown non-stop for three days covering thousands of kilometers [Music] as soon as their feet touch the ground they fall asleep exhausted [Music] the knot will only stay for a week in the fjords feeding on small snails and mussels in the exposed mud at low tide [Music] when the sea returns the snails and other marine creatures can safely emerge to graze on algae and plankton [Music] the daily influx of seawater is crucial for sustaining life in the field but where there is life there's also death a harbour porpoise is washed ashore by the incoming tide it most likely drowned entangled and trapped in a fishing net [Music] every year fishing nets kill up to 10 000 porpoises in norway alone pulled in as accidental bycatch on fishing boats it's a tragic and unnecessary loss the paupers lies stranded on the shore the marks from the nets clearly visible on its body [Music] twelve hours later as the tide returns the carcass is carried away into deeper water [Music] the purpose settles at the bottom of the fjord and it doesn't take long for scavengers to arrive at the scene eel like hagfish they quickly detect the smell of rotting flesh and arrive in their dozens they will bore into the carcass and consume it from inside and out releasing their nutrients back into the food chain the hagfish are one of the fjords natural recyclers [Music] there is one other vital source of nutrients that sustains life in the fjord spectacular waterfalls are one of the most iconic features of this landscape hundreds of them cascade down the steep rocky cliffs carrying with them not just fresh water but sediments and food particles these dramatic waterfalls are life-giving arteries that provide a continuous supply of nutrients to the fjords below so [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] the norwegian fjords are warmed by the mild ocean currents of the gulf stream that makes them five to ten degrees warmer than you might expect and many of them are very deep some over a thousand meters these huge bodies of warm water act as vast storage heaters that warm the surrounding landscape and create an exceptionally mild climate [Music] surrounded by high mountains and arctic tundra the fjord is an oasis for both people and wildlife in the far north the vegetation is sparser few trees grow here the male blue throat sings his eloquent song from the top of a mount or bush other tundra residents have chosen a spit of land as a display arena male rough with their spectacular plumes are waiting for an audience the first spectator has arrived and now the performance can begin [Music] each male wants to outshine the others and impress the ladies [Music] so [Music] their dance has a complex choreography a dark and a light-colored male will often tango together in the hope of dazzling the females [Music] [Music] this time the male with the white ruff seems to have won the dance-off three females are waiting for his attention and a last-minute competitor is quickly seen off norway's western coast and fjords receive a huge amount of rainfall the sudden influx of fresh water is a problem for many marine animals [Music] some like the comb jellies try to make a getaway [Music] they propel through the water with tiny hairs that beat in synchrony and scatter the light to produce iridescent colours green sea urchins graze on algae in the rocky shallows they can't swim to escape the fresh water but race away on tiny tube feet the heavy rain also washes away salts deposited in the surrounding forests by the wind it flows off the hills as small streams and is carried back into the fjord where the fresh water streams flow into the fjord animals have to cope with great fluctuations in salinity these sudden changes can be deadly for starfish that quickly move to deeper water where conditions are more stable but some animals cope equally well in both fresh water and salt water salmon and sea trout every year the fish make their way back from the ocean and follow the rivers upstream on the final leg of their journey they have to ascend waterfalls several metres high this requires a huge amount of energy the fish congregate at the foot of the falls ready to propel themselves out of the water not every attempt is successful [Music] there is no choice but to try again those who make it beyond the rapids are rewarded by clear and calmer water these are the traditional spawning grounds where the fish rest and recover from their arduous journey then each female chooses a spot to lay her eggs the males are close behind ready to deposit their sperm mission accomplished [Music] okay [Music] the fish eggs are left unattended on the riverbed and take around six weeks to develop the small fry are only two centimeters long and have a large yolk sac attached to their belly this will provide them with food for the next few weeks while they remain hidden among the gravel it's hard to believe that these small upland streams are the nursery grounds for millions of tiny fish after a few weeks the fry resemble a miniature salmon and have used up their on-board food supply they now have to hunt for tiny insect prey the young salmon will remain in these streams for up to five years but eventually they have to return to the ocean and to do so they must adapt their bodies it's one of the most extreme physiological challenges that any animal has to face as they enter the deep dark and salty waters of the fjord [Music] one group of animals that is perfectly adapted to life in the deep are the sea slugs some even glow in the dark bejeweling the sea floor with their striking shapes and colours [Music] the reason for their eye-catching fluorescence is still a mystery but having lost their shells millions of years ago sea slugs may defend themselves with these brilliant lights and colors [Music] while some use dazzling displays of light others opt for camouflage to avoid detection the long legged spider crab is a master of disguise and move slowly across the sea floor searching for edible morsels it's found some fish scales that shine in fluorescent blue a second spider crab has picked up the scent and heads towards its rival with ritualized displays the two opponents face each other locking their spidery legs together [Music] from the bottom of the field the sides rise up steeply both below water and above the forested slopes are covered in a thick carpet of moss and in autumn they erupt with the fruiting bodies of fungi [Music] the fungi are short-lived and like much of the woodland vegetation will ultimately be carried down the steep slopes and into the fjord [Music] foreign [Music] so [Music] the last autumn leaves fall from the trees and are also swallowed by the waters small marine crustaceans are at hand to exploit this seasonal supply of food amongst this myriad of macroscopic life are transparent forms with a tiny yellow star attached to the end these are starfish larvae and they spend the first weeks of their life traveling the open seas undulating gently through the water the larvae feed on tiny plankton [Music] eventually they sink to the ground and the perfectly formed miniature star detaches itself from the main body [Music] with tiny tubular feet the small starfish now searches for a place to settle and grow into a larger star vast quantities of organic matter end up at the bottom of the fjord and play a crucial role in maintaining this rich underwater life [Music] in shallower regions sea enemies filter tiny particles from the water [Music] 40 meters down and coral-like sea fans cling to the steep sides [Music] they are colonies of tiny animals that feed off the rich supply of nutrients brought in by the daily tide deeper still at depths of 200 meters or more the sea floor turns into a kaleidoscope of colours [Music] vast reefs of cold water corals now stretch for kilometers along the bottom of the fjord it's pitch black at these depths so their colors are only visible when light falls on them [Music] sea fish like the curiously named rabbit fish have big eyes to capture what little light there is it moves slowly along the sea floor searching for small bottom living invertebrates by late autumn dead fish litter the sea floor once more in the waters above the migrating herring have started to arrive once again nothing goes to waste a london shark is attracted by the smell of dead fish [Music] it's one of the smallest sharks in the world little bigger than a herring itself autumn also sees the arrival of more unusual visitors [Music] humpback whales they followed the herring on their migration from the arctic ocean to the norwegian fjords but the humpbacks don't hunt alone here they rely on help from another whale orcas hundreds of them converge on the fjord drawn in by the billions of herring their calls guide the humpbacks to the vanquish [Music] during the winter months the norwegian fjords are amongst the richest waters in the world they harbor millions of tons of fish and not surprisingly attract hunters from near and far who cash in on the colossal feast [Music] [Music] the humpbacks have even changed their annual migration to take advantage of this fish bonanza they can swallow hundreds of herring in one big mouthful [Music] as the days get longer both orcas and humpbacks leave the fjord and follow their herring out into the open ocean [Music] whether they will return again next year no one knows the herring often change their migration routes and the hunters will follow them nonetheless the norwegian fjords will continue to provide a safe haven for a remarkable and rich community of life [Music] [Music] if you can let me [Music] me

Channel: Get.factual

Views: 657,157

Keywords: Documentary, Doucmentaries, Documentary series, Full Documentary, Nature, science, history, biography, biographical documentary, historical documentary, wildlife, wildlife film, wildlife documentary, science documentary, nature documentary, Norway, Norway documentary, norway nature, Norway nature documentary, Norway fjords, Fjords, Fjord, Fjorde, Norwegian documentary, Travel Norway, Norway Wildlife, climate change, glaciers

Id: 8ix-_-ZBXH8

Length: 51min 44sec (3104 seconds)

Published: Fri Apr 22 2022

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