The Swiss Alps: Wild Animal Paradise | Free Documentary Nature

breathtaking mountain vistas and against this backdrop the Alpine ibex wonderful Green Meadows and romantic winter landscapes jagged Rocky Mountain View's where wild animals can cavort to their heart's content this is how we imagine nature in Switzerland cliches that actually apply but they can't do justice of the abundance of natural phenomena and the diversity of wildlife in this small country there's just so much to discover [Music] late autumn in the valet Alps [Music] the Sun now low down in the sky conceals the landscape behind an early morning mist [Music] the peaks awaken mystical beauty and cradle the largest glacier in the Alps the Alec glassier in the nearby forests the female Red Deer are already in the company of a splendid stag [Music] the deteriorating weather heralds the approaching winter [Music] [Applause] [Music] way up in the mountains a few alpine ibex have gathered in preparation for the courtship ceremony but the object of their affections is undecided [Music] more and more males appear on the scene [Music] the female has taken refuge in a small cave but the large male does not give up [Music] she's also not impressed by the other males display of interest it's in any case only the stronger males over six years of age that have the right to mate this one would appear to be unchallenged however despite trying every trick in the book he's obviously just too early the mating period does not begin until the start of December further south into Chino the first snow has already fallen but the wild waters of the fascist giver will not freeze over this arguably the most picturesque mountain river in Switzerland is crossed at lava Tetzel by the famous ponte de sal t although often referred to as the roman bridge it only dates back to the Middle Ages stretching for 25 kilometers the valley of the Kasatka at the heart of Ticino runs north to south the name face Oscar is believed to come from the greenish color of the water with our de aqua the many small and not so small waterfalls coupled with a strong current have enabled the river to cut deep into the rocks now winter has arrived in the higher reaches of Switzerland and a fast and furious arrival it is too the Alpine marmots have precious little time to gather dry vegetation as padding for their winter quarters [Music] several meters below the ground they will hibernate safely through the cold period visiting the toilet in a separate room only every few weeks [Music] the winter has now also reached valet [Music] the bitingly cold weather embellishes nature with its magical white icing [Music] days of snow have changed the appearance of the great alleged classier [Music] within only a few days the entire elite region is covered in a resplendent white coat meters thick [Music] deep inside the icy core of the glacier and irrespective of the time of year there is an intricate maze of crystalline caverns and tunnels [Music] sometimes tiny seasonal guests hardly visible to the naked eye retreat from the surface to this secret world as their refuge during the winter months called glassier fleas they are in fact not fleas but spring tails in the meantime the marmots are deep in their hibernation phase [Music] despite the beauty of winter in these mountain heights it makes survival in the animal kingdom extremely difficult to avoid battling their way arduously through frozen snow the Red Deer prefer the less tiring walk along freezing cold streams [Music] after a clear starry night the slightly defused early morning Sun reveals Switzerland's most famous landmark the Matterhorn four thousand four hundred and seventy-eight meters high [Music] the Eiger moons and young fowl now appear in the Bernese Alps while the Uyghur does not quite managed to hit the 4000 meter mark the munch and young fowl are just two of the 48 4000 meter peaks in Switzerland the Shinhwa can cope with the toughest of weather conditions and are ideally adapted to life in the higher regions of the mountains the adults of this species up here have no serious predators even this one would probably be at a disadvantage if you were to go sham hua hunting however in deep snow they are less agile than on bare rock [Music] wolves have been infiltrating the region from Italy since 1995 above the tree line is the ptarmigans home in the winter it was plain white while at other times of the year it wears appropriate camouflage there are still plenty of leaves buds and shoots to keep it satisfied however due to climate change the ptarmigan are having to move further and further up the mountains humans prefer to pass the winter in the valleys many of the historic mountain villages are deserted during the winter months barn owls have set up their winter quarters in the eaves of one of the houses practical shelter is rare which is why several of the birds will often share one space although they normally prefer to be alone these nocturnal hunters do not hibernate they have to rely on picking up the few smaller animals that are imprudent enough to show themselves so at least the homeowners are unlikely to find many mice in the house when they return in spring in contrast to the Owls the squirrels have gathered a good store of food in the higher wooded regions and that has paid off as long as some streams remain unfrozen mehar ducts will have few problems as bottom feeders they can always find something this character's existence also depends on finding open waters [Applause] the Kingfisher is just that a fish eater and one of the most colorful worldwide [Applause] situated between the Bernese and Valley Alps lies the 30 kilometer Looch entire valley it may not have any 4000 meter peaks to boast about but there are numerous pristine natural vistas to be found here for centuries the latrine tile was considered to be the most inaccessible valley in Switzerland although much easier to reach today it's managed to retain the original character to a great extent for the red foxes among others it seems like paradise the winter is long here but finally spring returns to the valley the marmots in a clocks have woken them from their hibernation having lost up to 30% of their body mass these slim down rodents soak up the sun's warmth tussling with each other is one of their favorite pastimes now although they prefer to frequent the south-facing slopes where the snow melts faster sometimes they still have to venture onto the white snow-covered areas this is dangerous and someone has to keep watch sometimes the warnings come too late large birds of prey are among the key enemies of the Alpine Marmot every day the sun's strength increases and releases tremendous volumes of meltwater [Music] in the more remote areas of the valley there are Lynx's most of the Lynx is found in Switzerland today originated from animals released into the wild from the Carpathian Mountains in 1971 and subsequent decades the last Swiss Lynx was shot in 1904 in the sample on pass the big cats feel most at home in the woods just below the upper treeline which is around 2,300 metres here the Lynx prefers to hunt at night and will attack roe deer foxes and Martens and even chinois if it can surprise one it's unlikely that the dead bird the hawk is currently enjoying was killed by a Lynx Hawks are the specialists when it comes to catching birds if a golden eagle is seen gliding at a low altitude many animals are well advised to keep out of sight [Music] that was close the Hawks are already involved in family planning an unmistakable sign that winter is drawing to a close they will remain monogamous as long as they live [Music] the blue tits day starts with a springtime breakfast [Music] in the Alps of Appenzell it's the Cintas that dominates the landscape against the backdrop of the sale Plake a few trout live in this clear water but they're seldom seen and it's doubtful whether the large catfish can really survive on them long term it was probably released into the lake at some time in the solitude of the surrounding forests the greatest bodies woodpeckers have started rearing their young [Music] the parents take it in turns to look after their offspring tirelessly they collect insects and larvae and bring them home as bite-sized morsels for around four weeks the parents will have to keep up this arduous routine until the young fledglings leave the nest [Music] with around 50,000 breeding pairs the greatest spotted woodpecker is the most common of the woodpeckers in Switzerland near by a black woodpecker is pecking away at some rotten wood to find insects a pygmy owl has brooded in a woodpeckers Hollow vacated by its original builders [Music] the parent bird must now go out searching for food their favorite and very abundant meal is mice [Music] bringing up ones young is anything but easy for some time now the higher reaches up to about 1800 meters have been mainly free of ice and snow this white delicacy is a feast for the Rodya crocuses the tasty plant is even appreciated by such beasts of prey as the red fox situated in the central Swiss Alps is the Rhone glacier the glossiest out currently covers around 15 square kilometers [Music] the ice is melting at a remarkable rate and the meltwater forms the origin of one of the largest rivers in Europe [Music] by the time it reaches its estuary in the Mediterranean it will have a length of 812 kilometers but before it leaves Switzerland the wrong feeds the largest body of water in the country Lake Geneva [Music] Lake Geneva is a paradise for birds it's in the quieter places close to the banks that many waterfowl have their refuge while others have a bath [Music] more remote spots provide excellent nesting grounds for the crested grebe among others they have anchored there floating nests to submerge branches and aquatic vegetation the nest is constantly being extended and repaired a [Music] clutch normally consists of three or four light-colored eggs the female is kept very busy with the brood [Music] the eggs are incubated for up to 29 days and the parents take turns sitting on the nest for three hours at a time [Music] the mute swans have built their home not on the water but very close to it [Music] in this case is the female that takes over most of the incubating while the male guards the nest and its surroundings fastidiously to ward off predators cygnets are Nidhi feuless meaning they leave the nest quickly and can swim from the start the large number of ugly ducklings in the brood is part of the survival strategy of mute swans [Music] according to the statistics there are so many dangers awaiting the young that despite their caring parents around 90% of the young will not live to become adults as yet this family is complete and the two parents are doing their best to make sure it stays that way after all in contrast to many other countries in Europe swans are not allowed to be hunted in Switzerland so [Music] there's a good chance that the young swans will soon be dabbling alongside their neighbors the ducks in the shallow waters close to the bank the climate on Lake Geneva is mild almost Mediterranean this climate is much appreciated by such species as the edible snails who feed greedily on soft leaves and algae using their rough tongue and 40,000 teeth [Music] during copulation two snails raised themselves up and inseminate each other [Music] to stimulate each other they prick their partner with a sharp Dart exactly who is stimulating whom in this threesome is impossible to see with the naked eye [Music] above the fine vineyards around the lake we find the territory held by other creatures that are less well received raccoons have inhabited the forests around Lake Geneva for quite a while it's assumed the Swiss raccoons did not immigrate from neighboring countries but have managed to escape from enclosures inside the country raccoons are normally native to North America but it seems the local climate here is perfectly acceptable to them their ability to adapt is legendary in the first half of the 20th century they were imported into Germany for their furs and the few individuals that escaped from the farms soon developed into an almost contiguous population the Swiss population is not that well developed yet [Music] some ecology experts fear that this adaptable animal may endanger indigenous species by encroaching on their habitats or eating them out of house and home one certainly can't accuse them of lacking in hygiene in many languages the animals name is related to washing because it appears to wash its dinner [Music] it's favorite dip it is crayfish it locates them with its extremely sensitive pores which is falsely interpreted as a form of washing the raccoon is classed as a hunter but is in fact completely omnivorous it's unlikely however to be a danger to the black stork we can expect to hear more of this newcomer to wild Switzerland in the future the roe deer on the other hand are highly likely to be descendants of animals that have migrated here a German language guide to wildlife from 1892 claimed the roe deer is all but extinct in Switzerland apart from a few herds in the intervening time it has re-established itself [Music] Switzerland has the most 3000 meter mountains in Europe at these altitudes it's still winter but on lake lugano the mediterranean spring has long since arrived [Music] the area around the historic village of ganderia provides optimum breeding conditions for the Lupo this picture s Lee located village is one of the few places in Switzerland where who pose feel at home [Music] this rather noticeable bird is one of the rarest of the 215 breeding bird species in Switzerland [Music] Lupo's need large numbers of large insects and in particular suitable breeding facilities [Music] since 2000 the government has been funding a range of measures to encourage these endangered birds and they've been successful the population that had shrunk to only a hundred breeding pairs in 1995 is now steadily increasing these youngsters appear to have a secure future only about 20% of lake maggiore lies within the canton of Ticino close to the eastern bank Pike perch meet up ready for mating [Music] after spawning the male's take over the task of protecting the eggs on the riverbed fathers can be very protective a predatory fish up to 1.3 meters in length is unlikely to be intimidated by unwanted guests long thread Algy show the currents on the riverbed a wild underwater landscape extends close to the bank innumerable water lilies have grown the several meters up to the surface of the water [Music] besides the noisy edible frogs numerous carp in courtship forced their way through the dense underwater foliage they encourage the females to spawn and then inseminate the eggs in the open water at the estuaries of the Ticino and the facade rivers we find the bull ad Magaddino an extensive wetland area [Music] rare species such as his tree frog have found a safe refuge in one of the last natural river deltas Switzerland has to offer the core area of this region is protected and only accessible to visitors along a few predefined routes even underwater Switzerland is wild and eerie in the complex network of waterways a very conspicuous Lord of the labyrinth a large albino catfish a very rare find [Music] Pyke also abound in the river delta not every attack there's a foregone conclusion since the branches of the rivers boasts rich stocks of fish the larger predatory fish do not go without this is the realm of the catfish at a verified length of about 3 meters Lavelle's catfish is the largest european fish that only lives in freshwater reports of 5 meter specimens have not been substantiated but who knows what size the Valles catfish in the bowl ad Magaddino can attain fishing them here is not permitted they continue to grow their entire life and are thought to achieve ages of a hundred years excellent conditions for Giants as many as 300 species of birds can occur in the Balaji Magaddino the young crows wait expectantly for their parents to bring the next long-awaited meal they appear to be taking their time but this does not make them bad parents they'll be here soon [Music] this unique estuary environment accommodates a variety of different aquatic swamp and land biotopes [Music] botanists have identified around 560 plant species here under water flora also thrives prolifically but not everything that looks like a plant is in fact flora many plants are inhabited by colonies of minut creatures the tiny animals are called bryozoa and do nothing all day except use their very fine tentacular arms to filter plankton out of the water to eat [Music] the Hydra by contrast uses its stinging tentacles [Music] the location of such colonies is crucial for their survival it's advantageous to settle where there are large quantities of passing prey [Music] further to the east in the east and Alps we find the Bernina range of mountains between Engadine and felt lean the Bernina range is over 4,000 meters high and is flanked by a pair of the most interesting glaciers in the region the Paris and mortar arts classes combined as they creep towards the valley now at the height of the short summer the water runoff at the glossiest snout is tremendous all over the rocky alpine meadows rare plant such as Alpine Edelweiss are in blue [Music] now in July the Alpine anemone is improved the lady slipper orchid blooms nearby the ptarmigan are now dressed in their summer outfit almost perfect camouflage during the few weeks of plenty available it is in particular the females that have to build up a new store of fat after the exhausting breeding period [Music] where the ptarmigan prefer to remain unnoticed even in the summer almost every other form of nature appears in a blaze of color could a meadow be more beautiful than this [Music] the Alpine ibex are still very relaxed there's an abundant supply of fresh greens for these frugal ruminants to graze on [Music] as with most of the alpine animals the ibex spends the summer replenishing its energy reserves some of the males are already testing their ranking order but now in the middle of the year it's not yet in earnest the skirmishes of the young males in particular are more of a learning game than serious conflicts [Music] but now and again one or other of the more hot-headed youngsters takes it up a level Golden Eagles have built their Eyrie at a completely inaccessible point on the rock face [Music] numerous marmots live inside the Eagles hunting grounds this does not appear to worry the youngsters with its wingspan of around 2 meters this bird of prey is an impressive sight which can be a disadvantage during hunting the guard recognized the danger in good time but the others don't appear to take him seriously at last just in time in the meantime that chick in the Erie is busy with itself but suddenly there's a most unusual encounter a seriously injured Marmot appears to awaken from the dead presumably caught and plucked by one of the parents and then deposited in the nest it has now recovered from its comatose state there may be no escape from the earring but the plucky animal does not intend to give up without a fight [Music] driven by desperation the marmot attacks the chick [Music] the fledgling defends itself bravely perhaps the parents heard the clamor and have rushed back to help finally the chick comes out of hiding because the marmots strength has obviously been sapped the end of a dramatic encounter that has probably never been filmed before the Rhine also has its source in the Swiss Alps the anterior rhine valley has been shaped by the river one of the two arms that joined to make up the rhine wearing into the chalk the wild water is enjoyed by many not only by those keen on watersports the cold waters of the river rich in oxygen are home to numerous species of fish and surprisingly even to the rare Danube salmon officially the Danube salmon is classified in Switzerland as extinct in earlier times it was to be found in the river in but not in the Rhine attempts have often been made to restock the rivers these brine Danube salmon are presumably examples of such efforts barbels are bound here in large shoals they're some of the most important prey of the Danube salmon [Music] these socially orientated relatives of the carp use therefore whiskers to detect edible creatures on the bottom of the river in contrast to the predator the seriously endangered Danube salmon the barbels are not threatened the anterior rhine is a bathing paradise a chaffinch and a blue tit take their morning shower the Goldfinch does not want to be left out [Applause] nutria and muskrats are among the 50 or so species of animals that have migrated into Switzerland native to North America these rodents have spread around Switzerland sadly they are very partial to thick shelled river mussels that are already critically endangered above the river warmth loving green lizards soak up the sunshine and prepare for the next generation [Music] to impress the female he will pamper her with an extensive massage of the back [Music] his attentions were worthwhile [Music] one level above the penduline tits are putting the finishing touches to their hanging apartment [Music] their preferred construction material is the fluff from poplars and willows this fluff is felted woven together with threads made of reed leaves and stuck together with spider's webs these little songbirds require about 30 days to complete the complex tasks in place is highly inaccessible the anterior Rhine Valley has remained a safe home to many rare species in the shade of the Zen teas in the Sankt Gallen Valley there is the banner eat region in earlier times peat was cut here today the ban read region is a nature conservation area in a mosaic like pattern small ponds and reed beds break up the terrain this wetland is an ideal habitat for the white stork and not far away Badgers have dug themselves a set in the dry area several members of the family toilet in a tireless effort to maintain and extend the large set the set has numerous entrances and exits and for very good reasons [Music] the underground set provides accommodation for an unusually large clan or seat of 30 animals in Switzerland fully grown badgers hardly have any natural predators so it's not particularly risky to live out one's private and social life outside the front door sometimes even courtship rituals often take place in the open air mating can take up to an hour in mid-summer it's mostly only the younger females that are willing to mate the more mature females will not normally mate until spring the months of July and August are also the key months for the stag beetle if two males meet they will first assess each other respectfully there then follows a show of arms as the adversaries present the weapons they carry with them once they have finished boasting they get down to business the objective is to turn the opponent onto his back or reject him from the ring the prize for the triumphant Beatle is the female gradually the summer is drawing to a close the days are getting shorter now and the nights colder [Music] the sun's rays are no longer as strong a very rare visitor to Switzerland the short eared owl this specimen is certainly just in transit but even so it's a minor sensation there's certainly no shortage of its staple diet voles the indigestible remains of bone and fur are regurgitated by the bird as a pellet [Music] another group of animals that need have no worries about finding food at the beginning of the autumn are the squirrels abundant supplies of seeds are available ideal to eat once fill and build up those crucial reserves of fat animals that like berries as much as these red wings and field fairs will have nothing to worry about the hawk however needs to keep his nerve because the lively squirrel is in the way this little rodent has everything he needs on the ground and yet he feels it necessary to go up the tree [Music] the hawk is completely taken by surprise [Music] but now the hawk has been forewarned faced I too I with the bird of prey the cheeky little squirrel gives in the waxwing harbinger of a tough winter has just arrived in the north of Eurasia from its breeding grounds depending on the conditions in their home country we see more or fewer or even none of these songbirds in the Alps but here in the extreme southeast of Switzerland in the Muenster Valley we have just witnessed an invasion large numbers of Brambling have just arrived from Scandinavia in some years swarms made up of millions of finches occur which is why ornithologists often talk of eruptive migrations of rambling and Waxwing the wild undulation of these swarms of birds in the evening sky over the Alps is a tremendous natural spectacle [Music] the mood in the landscape is changing almost as we watch over the stretches of forest there's a breath of Indian summer [Music] the marmots are slowly preparing for the winter eat as much as you possibly can as long as you can is their objective others have a more relaxed outlook on life and are paying attention to their personal relationships or looking after themselves which is not unimportant [Music] but the key activity now is carrying grass into the den an effective buffer that stays soft and warm in the winter cold [Music] the most extensive stone pine forests in Switzerland are to be found in the moonsto Valley the pine cones produced by these trees or rather their nourishing seeds make all the difference between life and death for many animals the speckled Nutcracker is one of those that benefit from this it has a close relationship with the stone pine the habitat of the speckled Nutcracker covers large swaths of Switzerland a doubt it used between 700 and 2,000 metres its habitat is coniferous forests with spruce fir trees and large and of great importance stone pine trees the seeds of the stone pine or the arrow Lapine as it's also known make up a large proportion of the nutcrackers food [Music] as the other part of this symbiosis the stone pine benefits from some of its seeds not being eaten but spread around or if some of the secreted pinecones are not rediscovered they have in effect been disseminated by the bird the speckled Nutcracker creates up to 10,000 stores of stone pine seeds even if the bird is able to locate its hideaways with remarkable accuracy with this many caches some seeds are bound to take root [Music] other birds such as the Red Cross bill have nothing like the same degree of significance for the stone pine as the speckled Nutcracker the stone pine forests coaxed by the wind and weather into bizarrely shaped yet tough growths are symbolic of the wild aspects of Switzerland wild Switzerland breathtaking mountain backdrops but so much more besides [Music] [Music]

Channel: Free Documentary - Nature

Views: 838,042

Rating: 4.7009544 out of 5

Keywords: Free Documentary, Documentaries, Full documentary, HD documentary, documentary - topic, documentary (tv genre), nature documentary, Swiss Alps, Alps, Switzerland, Lynx, Eagle, Wildlife, Ibex, Ibex Documentary, Wildlife Documentary, switzerland documentary, Documentary, european alps, Lynx Documentary, eagle, Bird of Prey, golden eagle, Eagles Documentary, animal documentary, animal documentary 2020

Id: 1FQS-eVf31Y

Length: 51min 24sec (3084 seconds)

Published: Fri Jun 19 2020