Wild Germany: The Mecklenburg Lake Plateau | Free Documentary Nature

[Music] in the northeast of germany lies the mecklenburg lake district home of the murids germany's largest lake this unspoiled mosaic of water and woods is a paradise for nature lovers with a fascinating world of wildlife both under the water and above it [Music] the majestic osprey is the heraldic bird of the region [Music] almost two thousand lakes and ancient forests cover the murrich national park and surrounding area providing a home for numerous rare species thanks also to the many people who helped them [Music] [Applause] [Music] winter in mecklenburg in northeast germany the lakes of the muric national park are covered in a layer of ice [Music] a guest has arrived from southern europe the great egret at work the ice is paper thin but that doesn't help he has to get to the open water in order to hunt his dagger-like beak is a deadly weapon but only if his prey isn't too fast for him this time it worked even if it was only a small fish the big ones bring eurasian otters onto land his advantage is the ability to dive for fish the great egret hangs around maybe the otter will leave a few leftovers [Music] a grueling waiting game begins even in the depth of winter there are still a few open points on the lakes [Music] still bad times for white-tailed sea eagles who struggle to find prey right now a few fish have been frozen by the end of a pond the natural refrigerator has quickly turned into a big attraction especially the young eagles come here to feed they're recognizable by their dark dappled plumage and dark beaks they still appear clumsy and inquisitive can you eat them or at least playing with them it doesn't seem to be entirely clear to the eagles much more interesting however is what is lurking under the ice the frozen goods attract eagles from kilometers around the harsher the winter the more there are of these imposing birds of prey who gather fish are defended with threatening gestures only aerial attacks have any chance of success everyone tries their luck amidst the general chaos only the experienced older bird hangs back and waits for the right moment [Music] which comes when someone tries to protect their booty from the hungry mob one attempt is enough for the old eagle [Music] and the youngsters they've learned another valuable lesson a spring morning at the vlancase in the national park on the eastern shores of the murids a deceptive silence reigns [Music] the rich fishing grounds of the lake landscape attract hungry predators [Music] like the otter who is once again on the hunt [Music] he needs about a kilo of food every day he'll eat anything that he finds underwater mostly fish but also crayfish and amphibians potters are deft swimmers and prey mainly on small weak fish which are devoured on the spot but he's not quite full yet fish are often lurking in the shallow areas by the banks the perfect hunting grounds gotcha this time the prey is taken onto shore that way it can't slip away again otters are among the rarest mammals in europe and are strictly protected they live all over the muric's region but are hardly ever seen existing in ghostly secrecy so the only thing the national park biologists have to go on are the tracks the otters leave behind on land clear water and natural river banks are what make the almost two thousand lakes of the region so unique in 1990 the maurits national park was established 322 square kilometers of nature now lie under rigorous preservation the park consists of the mecklenburg lake district and part of the feldberg lake district forming a paradise where nature is left to itself cranes migrating north like to head for the eastern shores of the murids several thousand of them more and more stay to breed in the moors and forests they need a lot of peace and quiet [Music] although in spring they make quite a racket themselves [Music] this couple have found a spot and is ready for courtship [Music] mating occurs at the climax of this noisy spectacle [Music] the word crane comes from the old high german crano meaning something like rough caller and the calls will continue for a few days more before silence reigns once again at the lake and the big bursts get down to brooding by now more than 3 800 couples brewed in mecklenburg for bombing that's almost half of the entire brooding crane population of germany ancient beach forests also make the muris region exceptional [Music] the saran forest area has now even been protected as a unesco world heritage site fred bowman is out and about in the forests by the brook and teen sea he grew up in the muric region and those that make landscape like the back of his hand again and again this nature fan and former park ranger heads off to observe rare animals this time he's out to repair an ospreys airy to do this he has to climb 25 meters up an old pine tree in recent years the migratory birds have brooded here but a winter storm has damaged their nest it must be built in early spring before the ospreys return from africa not an easy job but fred bowman gets on with it on behalf of his favorite bird of prey he wants to help maintain the osprey population here in the murids region does i think that's why i do this i don't do it because i have to but out of conviction and it's fun everyone should contribute something and i enjoy climbing and building nests like that once the birds move in so to speak i only have to collect the rent but of course i don't this is all the payments i need and i get a lot out of it fred bowman has to wait another month before his ospreys return again from the [Music] south [Music] on a calm april morning the waiting is over the ospreys have arrived [Music] the lady is already waiting at the airy while the man brings a bridal gift that certainly comes before any building materials she seems to be impressed and now the preparation of the nest for the upcoming season can begin spring cleaning nesting material from the previous year has to go the new branches and tufts of grass are arranged so that a deep hollow is formed this will shield the female and their eggs from rainfall and strong winds in the coming weeks meanwhile the mail makes it clear that this territory is occupied the ospreys otherwise extremely rare are so widespread in the muric region that there have even been disputes between couples over desirable nesting places at times the osprey has been close to extinction thanks to intensive conservation efforts however there are now once again more than 190 couples breeding in mecklenburg for common and they're on the increase [Music] the forests of the mooris are still bare but the ground between the centuries-old beech trees is starting to flourish [Music] some early bloomers liver leaf and wind flowers in the beach forests between varan and feldberg vast floral carpets form within a few days [Music] the first warmer days and nights coax amphibians from their winter rest [Music] common newts set off under the cover of darkness to their spawning grounds the male is still inconspicuous until he reaches his pool [Music] in a few days in the water where his life began the male starts to transform in front of the unremarkable female [Music] he's dressed to impress [Music] in his special new suit all spruced up the male positions himself next to his prospective partner showing off his best side and fanning the female with attractants [Music] it doesn't succeed right away but the little fellow is persistent and finally convinces his partner with a love bite [Music] in the middle of the national park a few kilometers south of varen is the murritzhorth [Music] four-legged nature conservationists care for the landscape [Music] trespassing on this protected natural environment is a special privilege of these gotland sheep the sheep are custodians of an old tradition 150 years ago farmers from varan drove their livestock to the eastern shores of the murids helping to create a unique grazing landscape with juniper meadows and rare orchids sheep both great and small eat their fill the lush grass is devoured while the prickly juniper remains these robust sheep live outdoors the whole year round and it's here that they also give birth early spring is lambing season [Music] 90 mothers bring their lambs into the world at the same time [Music] around 200 animals make up the herd exactly the right number to maintain sustainable pastoral farming [Music] for the labs only three things are important mother's milk exploring [Music] and enough sleep [Music] nearby the muric's hoof by the vin peach lakes [Music] they provide the stage for an extraordinary spectacle [Music] the first spring sunshine has brought them out to hunt for a wife grass snakes from every corner the males swim out in the search for a potential partner [Music] first of all they gather on the dry bank sides to warm up [Music] using their tongues these harmless snakes can detect where the females are hiding [Music] at times there's more than one suitor embracing his special someone once the sun has warmed the cold blooded creatures up to operating temperature the mating can begin [Music] the males get the ladies in the mood by rhythmically flicking their skin [Music] a little game that can last for hours close nearby some offspring of the european toads have hatched the tadpoles feed on algae and plants growing by the shore they have however long since caught the attention of a skillful hunter on the ground lurks some blue hawker dragonfly nymphs [Music] they go after the tadpoles using a weapon unique in the animal kingdom they have an extensible lower lip that works like a spear gun it shoots out in just two hundredths of a second it can only be witnessed in slow motion [Music] after two to three years in the water the dragonfly larvae climb onto land where they undergo a wondrous transformation they now change into adults which are able to fly a process which can take five hours the insect pumps air into its body in order to literally climb out of its skin this is the most dangerous moment of his life he's now completely helpless and vulnerable [Music] [Music] at first the wings are folded and have to be pumped up they're still milky and soft like the entire body since the adult body resembles that of the larvae the transformation is considered to be incomplete in contrast to butterflies [Music] the pale body takes on the typical blue hawker markings now the dragonfly just has to harden up a bit in the sun and its second life can begin as a flying insect on the lookout for a partner [Music] spring also transforms the forests of the murrats national park one area in particular stands out in the feldberg lake district the highly gahan the holy halls this protected area is the oldest beach forest in germany some of these giants are up to 350 years old and there where the forest meets the lake the male osprey goes hunting with spectacular nosedives the osprey plugs fish after fish from the water bringing them directly to the nest after six weeks of brooding the osprey couple's chicks have hatched the father's hunting instinct is so strong that he can hardly be separated from his quarry the mother really has to wrench the fish away from him she feeds them tiny pieces as the chicks are only three four and five days old dad is only tolerated in the nest right now as the food delivery service tiny osprey chicks warm is no easy matter when your own feet are razor sharp weapons she has to crawl over the little ones with her talons retracted in order not to injure them for a good two weeks the mother will constantly keep the offspring warm only pausing to feed them in the lake landscape of the national park lies noise trailheads the former residents of the dukes of mecklenburg still has a lot to remind visitors of its previous splendor like the palace gardens with their orangery and the palace church the right from the edge of noise trailers nature is back in charge some parts almost resemble the amazon terrier benny and fred bowman are out along the castrina bach an insider tip for anyone looking for solitude in the feldberg lake district this is all fred needs for true contentment if not of course i want to see a few things but there are so many beautiful spots here i guess i've just fallen in love with my home has also struck right here among the otters the male has the scent of a female in his nose normally otters are lonesome creatures they only get over their shyness during breeding season mating is preceded by play fights and long chases this is how to flirt otto style [Music] when the female is won over by her partner they head to the land tonight where they can have a little privacy the murray's region is also home to the eurasian kingfisher he's not exactly a giant but is thanks to his bright feathers one of the most beautiful native birds the male attracts his mate with a nest in a steep face then nothing can get in the way of the kingfisher's family planning at lower levels everything also revolves around the young generation like here in the crystal clear water of the smarlin luzine lake is home to a fish with some eccentric habits the three spines stickleback during spawning season the male changes colour in an attempt to impress the ladies on the lake bed between plant particles and algae he builds a nest some interested females observe the construction work but only one laser eggs in the well-camouflaged tube after laying the eggs the female has done her bit and the nail takes over [Music] he slithers into the tube and fertilizes the eggs [Music] for the next one or two weeks the father will keep watch over the nest and his offspring but the sticklebacks have to deal with an airborne menace they're the favorite prey of the kingfisher he plunges into the water like an arrow not every attempt is successful however while the female kingfisher waits impatiently for a fish the offspring of hatched in the breeding burrow one meter underground at the end of the tube lies the birth chamber the little ones are just a day old and right now need constant warming outside the father is on the hunt for food [Applause] [Music] the youngsters need the smallest fish possible in order to avoid the danger of prickles and scales catching in the chicks throats the kingfisher carries the prey head first into the hollow they're still blind and snap at the food instinctively the fish is swallowed in one piece as kingfishers can't break up their catches for the parents this is just the start of four long hard weeks until their chicks are fully fledged [Music] in the fenwood the cranes are already a lot further on but the long-legged birds only appear at their old breeding grounds in the afternoons their chicks hatched seven weeks ago and now spend their whole day in the forest with the older ones in the search for food the youngsters are already quite a size and look almost like their parents these two siblings now only head to the old nest for rest and sleep vigilance is still the watchword for the older birds as it will be another three weeks before the young cranes can fly then will the family leave the safety of this breeding place and join other cranes at the gathering areas around the muris region a peaceful idle only a few hundred meters away from the hustle and bustle of lake mouritz [Music] in summer the largest lake exclusive to germany is a favorite holiday spot several hundred thousand visitors flock here every year most of them take boat tours on the lake the tourist center of varan lies on the northern shore byron's harbour promenade is buzzing with life it's here that most tourists start out their trips on the merits [Music] right after the city limits however the hurley burley ends and the national park begins may lilies offer bright spots in the darkness of the beach forest the plants disseminate under the ground so always grow in clusters [Music] and it's not only native plants and animals which enjoy the protection of the national park raccoons also live in the woods here invaders from america who didn't originate in the region at all the vast forests of the lake landscape have lots of dead trees perfect conditions for these little mammals hollow trees ideal for offspring can be found everywhere raccoons are skilled climbers which can become a nuisance as they're able to raid the nests and dens of endangered animals in their first few weeks youngsters learn all about the area around their home hollow everything is explored after all it could be edible raccoons feel for their prey under the water [Music] like all young animals the little raccoons are very playful [Music] this is how they learn to stand up for themselves in their future lives as adults and develop their hunting skills raccoons are also highly intelligent and adaptable their population has expanded all over germany these furry little predators are here to stay whether the sensitive wildlife of the region likes it or not summer in the murrich national park the ospreys still have lots to keep them busy several times a day the father provides fish for the chicks while mum as before takes care of the feeding [Music] the offspring are now three weeks old but they still can't break up the food themselves so far breeding season has gone without a hitch for parents and chicks but today danger is lurking from above an unfamiliar osprey male is soaring over the nest the parents are highly agitated every bird of prey which appears poses a threat to the little ones [Music] finally the interloper is put off by the screeches and threatening gestures of the osprey couple and turns around on the eastern shores of the murids the work of the gotland sheep is paying off large numbers of common march orchids are on display in the meadows in their full glory these rare flowers only blossom when the grasses are kept short by the sheep's grazing [Music] on hot days red deer come to one of the lakes to cool off [Music] and there's an added bonus to the cold bath the annoying flies disappear at least for a few seconds [Music] red deer were previously reared and cultivated individually for recreational hunting today their population is regulated only by the national park authorities high summer in the feldberg lake district at almost 200 square kilometers it's the largest county in mecklenburg for pubmen and certainly one of the most diverse tailor-made for the red kite the raptor searches for food from above the numerous lakes by shmael and luzine in felberg fred bowman helps the red kites find provisions his own personal kite knows the routine well when fred comes along like every evening in his boat [Music] now for some fresh fish [Applause] i find these birds fascinating their hunting methods their behavior how they look i'm a big fan nevertheless the red kites are struggling their population is in decline biologists suspect that intensive agriculture is making life tough for the birds [Music] ospreys relatives of the red kite have it easier in the fish ponds of burke the only settlement on the eastern shore of the murids they can hunt undisturbed [Music] back at the nest the fish are already longingly awaited the three chicks are now eight weeks old and are constantly hungry although they can now fly they're still being fed as they still have to learn how to hunt like their parents the young ospreys won't be able to enjoy being fed for much longer soon they'll have to learn how to fend for themselves in order to survive the long journey to their winter territories in africa in october they head off to the south [Music] then autumn arrives in the forest of the [Music] murids a melancholic air comes over the mecklenburg lake district the landscape with its countless lakes and ponds was formed in the last ice age erratic boulders found in many places remind us of these age-old origins the stones were used as building material like at the ruined castle of groupenhagen this landscape is studded with stone like here at borg schlitz with its magnificent park and there are other testaments to history not all of them as ancient as the ice age remains but still several centuries old like this common oak at cuckelmiss in autumn the old familiar strains can be heard once again on the murids cranes are gathering in their thousands on their journey from scandinavia one of the largest crane resting and sleeping zones of inland mecklenburg four common is at the raidarangzi in the evenings the birds gather in the shallow water of the pond to sleep here the youngsters especially are safe from foxes and wild boar [Music] [Music] only when the next day is dawning do the cranes fly off again to feed in the surrounding cornfields when they've built up enough fat reserves they head off towards the mediterranean and their wintering quarters heralding the beginning of the season on the [Music] merits [Music] snow and weeks of cold temperatures arrive in the region for the birds of prey this is a tough time fred bowman is helping his favorite animals now more than ever he brings the carcass of a run over roe deer to the birds of prey after all they're an important part of home for him i think it's even a figurehead for the feldberg lake district it really is something special the common buzzers are the hungriest and come first of the feeding grounds these raptors are a sign that the wildlife of the mecklenburg lake district in the murids is intact in many places but fred bowman also looks into the future of the region with concern they're being damaged here on the one hand it's intensive agriculture which is impacting on the habitats of many species and on the other of course intensive forestry so i also want to do my bits in order to maybe prevent some of the effects i have lots of plans the key thing is to actually do something to put it into action and um [Music] [Music] you

Channel: Free Documentary - Nature

Views: 1,878,772

Keywords: Free Documentary, Documentaries, Full documentary, HD documentary, documentary - topic, documentary (tv genre), nature documentary, Free Documentary Nature, Nature Documentary, Wildlife Documentary, Mecklenburg Lake Plateau, müritz, Lake Müritz, Wildlife, Eagle, Golden Eagle, Eagle Documentary, eagles, bald eagle, Animal Documentary, wild animals, Nature, Wild Nature, Wildlife Documentary 2021, Wildlife Europe, Germany, Wild Germany, Birds, Bird Documentary

Id: yF1C35-wP6o

Length: 50min 6sec (3006 seconds)

Published: Fri Sep 04 2020