1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:07,000 Downloaded from YTS.MX 2 00:00:02,200 --> 00:00:03,867 ♪ MTV 3 00:00:06,333 --> 00:00:08,367 Hi, I'm Hugh Bonneville. 4 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:13,000 Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX 5 00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:10,967 I'm about to take you on a journey into the heart 6 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:14,000 of southern England to an ancient forest 7 00:00:14,033 --> 00:00:17,567 that's changed little since the last ice age. 8 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:21,433 Its woodlands and heaths are full of wildlife, 9 00:00:21,467 --> 00:00:25,267 among them, five different species of deer. 10 00:00:25,300 --> 00:00:29,300 That's why back in the 11th century, William the Conqueror, 11 00:00:29,333 --> 00:00:32,133 then king of England, claimed these lands 12 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:33,900 as his own private hunting ground. 13 00:00:35,100 --> 00:00:37,933 I can remember coming here as a child and marveling 14 00:00:37,967 --> 00:00:41,767 at the sight of wild ponies galloping across the heath. 15 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:45,467 You're about to witness one of Britain's treasures. 16 00:00:45,500 --> 00:00:49,700 The real magic of a year in the New Forest. 17 00:00:49,733 --> 00:00:54,967 - [light music] - [birds chirping] 18 00:00:55,667 --> 00:00:57,567 This is a special land. 19 00:00:59,567 --> 00:01:04,033 A place of gentle mists alive with the atmosphere 20 00:01:04,067 --> 00:01:05,700 of days gone by. 21 00:01:05,733 --> 00:01:10,767 - [light music continues] - [birds chirping] 22 00:01:14,900 --> 00:01:17,967 [bird caws] 23 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:20,433 Where the dragon-eyed goshawk rules 24 00:01:20,467 --> 00:01:23,033 the evergreen canopy from its lofty nest. 25 00:01:37,833 --> 00:01:42,700 And the understory below is home to bold fox cubs 26 00:01:42,733 --> 00:01:45,267 and fighting fallow deer. 27 00:01:45,300 --> 00:01:50,500 - [antlers smacking] - [light music continues] 28 00:01:53,133 --> 00:01:55,233 It's a special place to grow up in. 29 00:01:58,533 --> 00:02:02,000 But old England can spring many a surprise 30 00:02:02,033 --> 00:02:04,500 for these children of the New Forest. 31 00:02:09,300 --> 00:02:11,367 [thunder rumbling] 32 00:02:11,433 --> 00:02:16,000 Weather is fickle and can change in an instant. 33 00:02:18,067 --> 00:02:20,600 Like wild creatures everywhere, 34 00:02:20,633 --> 00:02:23,100 these animals will need more than luck 35 00:02:24,767 --> 00:02:27,367 to see them through this one magical year 36 00:02:29,667 --> 00:02:31,933 in the Crown's ancient forest. 37 00:02:31,967 --> 00:02:35,700 [light music continues] 38 00:02:44,133 --> 00:02:49,133 - [soft music] - [birds squawking] 39 00:02:50,467 --> 00:02:54,133 Sometimes March can bring a breath of spring, 40 00:02:56,133 --> 00:02:57,300 but not this year. 41 00:03:00,733 --> 00:03:03,633 A freezing blast from the east forces 42 00:03:03,667 --> 00:03:05,433 the wild ponies into a huddle. 43 00:03:11,733 --> 00:03:16,767 These compact little horses embody the spirit of the forest. 44 00:03:16,833 --> 00:03:21,067 They're all mares and most are expecting spring foals. 45 00:03:22,767 --> 00:03:24,900 [wind rustling] 46 00:03:24,933 --> 00:03:29,133 Ponies have lived here for thousands of years. 47 00:03:29,167 --> 00:03:32,400 They're a distinct breed native to southern England. 48 00:03:32,433 --> 00:03:34,933 [ground rustling] 49 00:03:34,967 --> 00:03:37,467 They shaped the landscape by grazing, 50 00:03:37,533 --> 00:03:40,833 keeping the clearings open and the trees in check. 51 00:03:45,167 --> 00:03:48,700 The ponies await the return of spring 52 00:03:48,733 --> 00:03:51,800 and a reawakening of the heathland. 53 00:03:51,833 --> 00:03:55,333 [light music continues] 54 00:03:55,367 --> 00:03:57,900 April is just around the corner. 55 00:04:04,633 --> 00:04:10,400 A chestnut mare pulls away from the herd seeking solitude. 56 00:04:10,433 --> 00:04:15,467 - [light music continues] - [birds chirping] 57 00:04:18,467 --> 00:04:23,033 Heavy with foal, she's heading into the heart of the wood. 58 00:04:31,567 --> 00:04:34,167 In the quiet secret hours of the morning 59 00:04:36,333 --> 00:04:38,333 her foal is born. 60 00:04:38,367 --> 00:04:40,933 [light music] 61 00:04:51,900 --> 00:04:56,433 Just hours old, the newborn shivers in the chill 62 00:04:56,467 --> 00:04:59,233 of this special morning. 63 00:04:59,267 --> 00:05:02,767 [light music continues] 64 00:05:08,067 --> 00:05:10,133 He's vulnerable lying like this. 65 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:20,100 He rises shakily. 66 00:05:20,167 --> 00:05:26,400 - [light music continues] - [owl hoots] 67 00:05:26,433 --> 00:05:29,667 And first touch seals their special bond. 68 00:05:34,067 --> 00:05:36,967 This young pony is one of a lucky band. 69 00:05:38,933 --> 00:05:42,900 Not many foals get to run wild in a rich place like this. 70 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:47,000 - [birds chirping] - [light music] 71 00:05:47,033 --> 00:05:51,367 His home, the New Forest National Park, 72 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:54,900 nestles in southern England not far from London. 73 00:05:57,033 --> 00:05:59,300 It's a patchwork of ancient woodland, 74 00:06:00,967 --> 00:06:03,267 boggy areas known as mires, 75 00:06:06,067 --> 00:06:09,033 and the largest area of rare lowland heath 76 00:06:09,100 --> 00:06:10,567 in all of Western Europe. 77 00:06:12,133 --> 00:06:16,933 Covering over 150 square miles it stretches 78 00:06:16,967 --> 00:06:21,300 from Salisbury Plain to the Solent strait 79 00:06:21,367 --> 00:06:23,000 which joins the English Channel. 80 00:06:26,233 --> 00:06:29,700 It was originally established as a royal hunting ground 81 00:06:29,733 --> 00:06:31,933 by the 11th century Kings of England. 82 00:06:33,933 --> 00:06:36,233 There's no hunting here anymore, 83 00:06:36,267 --> 00:06:39,900 but the land remains unplowed and unfenced, 84 00:06:39,933 --> 00:06:42,900 enabling all animals to roam freely. 85 00:06:46,933 --> 00:06:49,533 People make a living here, too. 86 00:06:49,567 --> 00:06:51,733 They're called the commoners. 87 00:06:51,767 --> 00:06:54,733 Locals who've inherited an ancient right to graze 88 00:06:54,767 --> 00:06:56,567 their livestock in the forest. 89 00:06:58,267 --> 00:07:01,133 3,000 head of cattle are in their charge. 90 00:07:02,733 --> 00:07:05,067 [horses neighing] 91 00:07:05,100 --> 00:07:07,767 They also own the free-ranging ponies. 92 00:07:08,900 --> 00:07:10,500 More than 5,000 of them. 93 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:18,500 Most male ponies have just one year to run wild and free 94 00:07:18,533 --> 00:07:22,567 before being rounded up and taken off the forest. 95 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:25,033 - [light music] - [grass rustling] 96 00:07:25,067 --> 00:07:27,767 Only a handful of stallions will be selected to run 97 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:31,367 with the mares and sire foals of their own, 98 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:33,067 but that's a long way off for now. 99 00:07:34,300 --> 00:07:39,200 - [light music continues] - [birds chirping] 100 00:07:45,933 --> 00:07:48,900 As the rising sun breeds much needed warmth 101 00:07:48,933 --> 00:07:53,900 into the wild wood, it's time for mother and foal 102 00:07:53,933 --> 00:07:57,200 to meet the herd, their close kin. 103 00:08:02,867 --> 00:08:06,933 How the colt develops now will determine his future. 104 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:09,767 [upbeat music] 105 00:08:09,833 --> 00:08:11,900 The early signs are good. 106 00:08:11,933 --> 00:08:15,500 He seems confident, walking and trotting well. 107 00:08:15,533 --> 00:08:20,467 - [upbeat music continues] - [birds chirping] 108 00:08:26,833 --> 00:08:28,600 In William the Conqueror's day, 109 00:08:28,633 --> 00:08:30,800 he would have needed this pace to outrun predators 110 00:08:30,833 --> 00:08:35,467 like wolves and lynx, but they're long gone. 111 00:08:37,033 --> 00:08:40,033 There's peace in the forest today. 112 00:08:40,067 --> 00:08:45,100 - [light music] - [birds chirping] 113 00:08:48,633 --> 00:08:52,967 Spring is still proving cold in the New Forest this year, 114 00:08:53,033 --> 00:08:56,733 but nothing can halt the advance of the breeding season. 115 00:08:56,767 --> 00:08:59,100 [birds chirping] 116 00:08:59,133 --> 00:09:04,233 Hidden in a towering stand of conifers, a rare goshawk, 117 00:09:04,267 --> 00:09:06,700 the bird with dragon red eyes, 118 00:09:06,767 --> 00:09:09,333 warms her three newly hatched chicks. 119 00:09:12,733 --> 00:09:14,700 [chick squeaks] 120 00:09:14,733 --> 00:09:17,533 In the cool air their soft down isn't enough 121 00:09:17,567 --> 00:09:19,467 to protect them for long without her. 122 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:27,067 - [birds squawking] - [light music] 123 00:09:30,633 --> 00:09:33,967 Piercing calls alert her to her partner's return. 124 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:41,600 The New Forest is a goshawk stronghold, 125 00:09:41,633 --> 00:09:45,233 close to 5% of the entire UK population lives here. 126 00:09:49,933 --> 00:09:52,500 For the first two weeks of the chicks' lives, 127 00:09:52,533 --> 00:09:54,900 the burden of hunting falls entirely 128 00:09:54,933 --> 00:09:56,833 on the much smaller male. 129 00:10:02,167 --> 00:10:05,467 His territory spans more than 14 square miles 130 00:10:05,500 --> 00:10:09,900 of conifer forest and ancient oak woods. 131 00:10:09,933 --> 00:10:12,967 His every moment is focused on providing for his family. 132 00:10:14,167 --> 00:10:19,767 - [light music] - [wings flapping] 133 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:23,067 A favorite of falconers, his ancestors would have flown 134 00:10:23,100 --> 00:10:25,200 with royal hunting parties here. 135 00:10:26,433 --> 00:10:31,433 - [light music continues] - [birds chirping] 136 00:10:33,100 --> 00:10:38,133 - [bird caws] - [light dramatic music] 137 00:10:39,533 --> 00:10:44,567 - [leaves rustling] - [suspenseful music] 138 00:10:58,767 --> 00:11:01,100 It's his second kill of the day. 139 00:11:01,133 --> 00:11:04,100 [birds squawking] 140 00:11:07,667 --> 00:11:10,500 Just days old, the chicks aren't strong enough 141 00:11:10,533 --> 00:11:11,800 to feed themselves. 142 00:11:14,167 --> 00:11:16,600 But even now they're in a serious competition 143 00:11:16,633 --> 00:11:18,900 with each other. 144 00:11:18,933 --> 00:11:23,833 If the food supply decreases, the smallest will perish. 145 00:11:23,867 --> 00:11:25,800 Already the first born dominates. 146 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:33,800 The male must keep hunting to keep all three alive. 147 00:11:35,033 --> 00:11:39,900 - [light dramatic music] - [Wings flapping] 148 00:11:50,133 --> 00:11:52,867 [birds chirping] 149 00:11:55,333 --> 00:11:58,100 [light music] 150 00:12:01,100 --> 00:12:03,100 The foal is now two days old. 151 00:12:09,133 --> 00:12:12,233 Still stiff from 11 months in the womb, 152 00:12:12,267 --> 00:12:13,700 he's finding his legs. 153 00:12:20,733 --> 00:12:23,933 There's a whole new world out there to explore. 154 00:12:23,967 --> 00:12:26,633 - [birds chirping] - [light music] 155 00:12:26,700 --> 00:12:29,200 A character is already emerging. 156 00:12:29,233 --> 00:12:31,567 He's bright and curious. 157 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:32,633 Good signs. 158 00:12:35,267 --> 00:12:38,633 Young horses eat solid food early, 159 00:12:38,667 --> 00:12:41,533 almost as soon as they can walk, 160 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:46,100 but learning what's good is a matter of trial and error. 161 00:12:46,133 --> 00:12:49,233 Not every plant tastes as good as it smells. 162 00:12:49,267 --> 00:12:54,300 - [light music] - [grass rustling] 163 00:13:00,667 --> 00:13:03,267 Pine needles are aromatic, 164 00:13:03,300 --> 00:13:05,667 but too spiky for a young mouth. 165 00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:09,900 [light music continues] 166 00:13:18,833 --> 00:13:22,267 Foxglove is deadly, best to avoid. 167 00:13:25,267 --> 00:13:28,400 These days of fun and games won't last long. 168 00:13:30,133 --> 00:13:32,833 His time under his mother's protection is limited. 169 00:13:35,400 --> 00:13:38,200 To ensure his place in the forest 170 00:13:38,233 --> 00:13:42,233 he needs to build strength and spirit fast. 171 00:13:43,500 --> 00:13:46,267 [birds chirping] 172 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:54,367 - [light music] - [water trickling] 173 00:13:56,767 --> 00:14:01,467 The heady smell of wild garlic signals warmer days. 174 00:14:01,533 --> 00:14:06,567 - [light music] - [birds chirping] 175 00:14:08,500 --> 00:14:11,800 A herd of female fallow deer and their yearlings 176 00:14:11,833 --> 00:14:13,800 hide deep in the wild wood. 177 00:14:15,867 --> 00:14:19,267 They're a tight family unit generations strong. 178 00:14:24,033 --> 00:14:27,267 For now they keep their distance from the bucks. 179 00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:31,267 Many will soon give birth. 180 00:14:34,533 --> 00:14:37,167 Hunted here for over a thousand years, 181 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:38,800 they still need to be cautious. 182 00:14:42,233 --> 00:14:46,933 Nearby a dog fox has hungry mouths to feed. 183 00:14:48,467 --> 00:14:50,767 He's no threat to the does, 184 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:53,900 but a fox can take a new born fawn. 185 00:14:53,967 --> 00:14:59,300 - [light music] - [birds chirping] 186 00:14:59,333 --> 00:15:02,433 Playing in the shadow of their oak tree den, 187 00:15:02,500 --> 00:15:04,800 his seven week old cubs are just beginning 188 00:15:04,833 --> 00:15:06,533 to make sense of their world. 189 00:15:12,833 --> 00:15:15,700 With five youngsters, the challenge for this family 190 00:15:15,767 --> 00:15:18,067 is finding enough food to go round. 191 00:15:20,267 --> 00:15:22,800 Like the goshawks, these siblings are in 192 00:15:22,833 --> 00:15:25,233 a fight for survival. 193 00:15:25,267 --> 00:15:27,867 Already one cub dominates and has earned 194 00:15:27,900 --> 00:15:29,500 the right to eat first. 195 00:15:32,867 --> 00:15:35,400 [wind howling] 196 00:15:39,300 --> 00:15:43,367 As storm clouds build, the fickle spring weather 197 00:15:43,400 --> 00:15:46,200 makes raising a family all the more difficult. 198 00:15:46,233 --> 00:15:49,233 [leaves rustling] 199 00:15:57,500 --> 00:16:01,300 Prolonged cold and wet can kill vulnerable youngsters. 200 00:16:03,267 --> 00:16:05,167 [horse neighs] 201 00:16:05,200 --> 00:16:08,233 The chestnut mare leads her foal into the lee of the woods 202 00:16:08,300 --> 00:16:10,900 trying to protect him from the approaching storm. 203 00:16:13,100 --> 00:16:16,167 [light music] 204 00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:21,233 - [light dramatic music] - [birds squawking] 205 00:16:24,433 --> 00:16:27,833 Winds lash the forest with brutal gusts 206 00:16:27,867 --> 00:16:29,433 40 miles an hour strong. 207 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:36,567 Rocking in their large tree nursery, 208 00:16:36,633 --> 00:16:39,100 there's real danger for the goshawk chicks. 209 00:16:41,400 --> 00:16:45,200 Nests are lost every year in spring storms like this one. 210 00:16:45,267 --> 00:16:49,200 [light dramatic music continues] 211 00:16:49,233 --> 00:16:51,933 [bird squawks] 212 00:17:08,500 --> 00:17:12,300 With dawn, calm returns to the New Forest. 213 00:17:14,167 --> 00:17:20,367 - [birds chirping] - [light music] 214 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:22,833 The goshawks' choice of nest site, 215 00:17:22,867 --> 00:17:25,233 protected by the encircling canopy, 216 00:17:25,267 --> 00:17:27,700 has seen the chicks through the overnight storm. 217 00:17:33,267 --> 00:17:36,800 For these rare hawks once persecuted almost 218 00:17:36,833 --> 00:17:40,233 to extinction by 19th century game keepers, 219 00:17:40,267 --> 00:17:42,900 each youngster is precious. 220 00:17:42,933 --> 00:17:47,233 - [light music continues] - [birds chirping] 221 00:17:47,267 --> 00:17:51,500 But at the forest's edge, the storm has claimed a victim. 222 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:54,800 [hawk squawks] 223 00:17:57,233 --> 00:18:00,200 A bereaved mother calls for her lost young. 224 00:18:06,433 --> 00:18:09,767 Just a few feathers are all that remain of her brood. 225 00:18:09,833 --> 00:18:12,333 [hawk squawks] 226 00:18:17,300 --> 00:18:21,767 But one family's tragedy is another's good fortune. 227 00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:23,567 [suspenseful music] 228 00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:27,167 This scavenged meal could offer a lifeline 229 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:28,533 to the fox family. 230 00:18:28,567 --> 00:18:34,167 - [light music] - [birds squawking] 231 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:38,033 In May the wild woods transform with 232 00:18:38,067 --> 00:18:40,400 a carpet of sweet bluebells. 233 00:18:40,433 --> 00:18:45,467 - [light music continues] - [birds chirping] 234 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:48,900 The bracken growls tall, 235 00:18:50,300 --> 00:18:52,967 giving cover to a newly born fallow deer. 236 00:18:56,267 --> 00:18:59,200 The fawn will stay here almost motionless 237 00:18:59,267 --> 00:19:00,433 for at least a week. 238 00:19:03,667 --> 00:19:06,000 The mother keeps her distance, 239 00:19:06,033 --> 00:19:10,033 ensuring the hiding place remains secret. 240 00:19:10,067 --> 00:19:13,800 - [light dramatic music] - [birds chirping] 241 00:19:13,833 --> 00:19:16,267 [doe barks] 242 00:19:25,167 --> 00:19:28,100 Her bark warns the newborn: danger. 243 00:19:29,567 --> 00:19:33,433 - [light music] - [birds chirping] 244 00:19:39,000 --> 00:19:41,233 Hidden in the bracken the fallow deer fawn 245 00:19:41,267 --> 00:19:45,633 is down wind of the fox, so can't be detected by smell. 246 00:19:45,667 --> 00:19:48,100 [doe barks] 247 00:19:50,100 --> 00:19:52,067 She must simply lay low. 248 00:19:55,567 --> 00:19:57,333 The dog fox's struggle to hunt 249 00:19:57,367 --> 00:19:59,633 is having serious consequences. 250 00:19:59,667 --> 00:20:04,700 - [light music] - [birds chirping] 251 00:20:06,067 --> 00:20:08,800 Five cubs have now become three. 252 00:20:12,833 --> 00:20:16,967 Now nine weeks old, the cubs will soon be weaned. 253 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:22,033 - [birds chirping] - [leaves rustling] 254 00:20:27,167 --> 00:20:29,500 The dominant cub's natural tenacity 255 00:20:29,533 --> 00:20:32,200 is already forging his destiny. 256 00:20:32,233 --> 00:20:34,467 He'll be the first to feed if his father 257 00:20:34,500 --> 00:20:36,500 finds success elsewhere. 258 00:20:36,533 --> 00:20:41,500 - [light music] - [birds chirping] 259 00:20:41,533 --> 00:20:44,300 The dog fox may have failed in the forest, 260 00:20:44,333 --> 00:20:47,767 but perhaps the open heath will yield better results. 261 00:20:52,533 --> 00:20:54,933 For a few months ground nesting birds 262 00:20:54,967 --> 00:20:56,533 are easy pickings here. 263 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:02,533 The New Forest is one of the few places in the south 264 00:21:02,567 --> 00:21:05,967 of England where curlews come to breed. 265 00:21:06,033 --> 00:21:11,533 - [birds squawking] - [light music] 266 00:21:11,567 --> 00:21:14,800 Their nests no more than a depression on the ground. 267 00:21:21,100 --> 00:21:24,000 But as their numbers decline due to habitat loss 268 00:21:24,033 --> 00:21:27,667 and human disturbance, it's getting harder for the fox. 269 00:21:29,433 --> 00:21:33,867 - [grass rustling] - [birds squawking] 270 00:21:33,900 --> 00:21:36,533 Curlews aren't the only rarity here. 271 00:21:38,667 --> 00:21:41,700 The lowland heath is a sanctuary for many creatures 272 00:21:41,733 --> 00:21:43,500 that depend on this habitat. 273 00:21:43,533 --> 00:21:48,533 - [branches rustling] - [light music] 274 00:21:50,667 --> 00:21:54,300 A rare sand lizard hides in a miniature forest 275 00:21:54,333 --> 00:21:55,933 of early flowering heather. 276 00:22:00,300 --> 00:22:02,533 Fresh from his spring molt and adorned 277 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:06,133 with a smartly burnished skim of vivid green, 278 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:08,867 this male is hoping to impress a female. 279 00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:18,300 A wiggle of her tail signals she's ready 280 00:22:18,333 --> 00:22:22,033 and their courtship begins with a rapid pursuit. 281 00:22:22,100 --> 00:22:27,333 - [light music] - [birds chirping] 282 00:22:27,367 --> 00:22:30,567 He bites her, a signal he's ready to mate. 283 00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:36,200 As their name suggests, the lizards lay their eggs 284 00:22:36,233 --> 00:22:38,900 in patches of sandy soil. 285 00:22:38,967 --> 00:22:42,300 She'll bury them there to be warmed by the sun's rays 286 00:22:42,333 --> 00:22:45,500 in the first leg of their cold blooded journey through life. 287 00:22:45,533 --> 00:22:50,533 - [branches rustling] - [birds chirping] 288 00:22:57,700 --> 00:23:01,233 By June, the foal is looking less like a baby. 289 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:08,333 Now two months old and increasingly independent, 290 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:10,267 he's learning to socialize. 291 00:23:10,300 --> 00:23:14,933 - [light music] - [birds chirping] 292 00:23:14,967 --> 00:23:17,267 In a foretaste of what's to come, 293 00:23:17,300 --> 00:23:20,533 he tries to dominate a young filly. 294 00:23:20,567 --> 00:23:23,533 - [light music] - [birds chirping] 295 00:23:23,567 --> 00:23:26,533 They may be reunited in the future, 296 00:23:26,567 --> 00:23:31,300 but only if the young male makes the grade. 297 00:23:31,333 --> 00:23:34,533 Each year, the commoners pick just a handful of colts 298 00:23:34,567 --> 00:23:36,933 to raise as breeding stock to maintain 299 00:23:36,967 --> 00:23:39,567 the pure New Forest bloodline. 300 00:23:39,600 --> 00:23:42,900 These adult stallions are let loose in the forest 301 00:23:42,967 --> 00:23:46,900 for nine weeks only to sire the next generation. 302 00:23:48,133 --> 00:23:51,433 [light dramatic music] 303 00:23:54,467 --> 00:23:58,433 [horses whinnying] 304 00:23:58,467 --> 00:24:01,733 The young foal's future will be decided long before 305 00:24:01,767 --> 00:24:03,433 his first birthday. 306 00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:11,233 - [light music] - [birds chirping] 307 00:24:23,033 --> 00:24:26,300 100 feet up in their conifer nursery 308 00:24:26,333 --> 00:24:28,733 the three goshawk chicks are doing well. 309 00:24:34,567 --> 00:24:38,400 So far food supplies have been good this year. 310 00:24:38,433 --> 00:24:41,333 They're all a decent size and adult feathers 311 00:24:41,367 --> 00:24:43,333 are now peeping through their down. 312 00:24:47,067 --> 00:24:49,000 The demands are growing on the parents. 313 00:24:49,033 --> 00:24:52,500 [light dramatic music] 314 00:24:52,567 --> 00:24:55,333 Both adults now hunt round the clock 315 00:24:55,400 --> 00:24:58,433 from the farthest limits of their territory. 316 00:24:58,467 --> 00:25:02,600 [light dramatic music continues] 317 00:25:07,433 --> 00:25:12,467 - [leaves rustling] - [birds squawking] 318 00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:16,433 The male brings in a young robin, 319 00:25:20,067 --> 00:25:22,067 then heads straight back out to hunt 320 00:25:22,100 --> 00:25:24,433 in the distant oak woods. 321 00:25:24,467 --> 00:25:28,833 [light dramatic music continues] 322 00:25:28,867 --> 00:25:31,533 Hunting further afield ensures that when the chicks 323 00:25:31,567 --> 00:25:34,267 finally fledge they'll have a ready supply 324 00:25:34,300 --> 00:25:35,600 of prey close to the nest. 325 00:25:39,567 --> 00:25:44,567 - [light music] - [birds chirping] 326 00:25:52,600 --> 00:25:56,367 The summer solstice is fast approaching. 327 00:25:56,400 --> 00:25:58,667 With the forest at its most verdant, 328 00:25:58,700 --> 00:26:01,700 the rule of light is now in the ascendant. 329 00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:09,100 After weeks of concealment, 330 00:26:09,133 --> 00:26:13,333 the fallow deer fawn finally emerges from the bracken. 331 00:26:13,367 --> 00:26:18,400 - [light music continues] - [birds chirping] 332 00:26:25,967 --> 00:26:29,267 In a woodland clearing the sisterhood of does 333 00:26:29,300 --> 00:26:30,867 welcomes her into the herd. 334 00:26:35,133 --> 00:26:38,533 Gathered with the other youngsters in a forest creche, 335 00:26:38,567 --> 00:26:40,767 many eyes will watch over her. 336 00:26:45,567 --> 00:26:49,200 These days will be the most carefree of the fawns' lives. 337 00:26:54,733 --> 00:26:57,467 [light music] 338 00:27:01,633 --> 00:27:05,567 It's early July and the forest is drying out. 339 00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:10,867 No rain has fallen for nearly a month. 340 00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:16,533 As the sun sucks moisture from the earth 341 00:27:16,567 --> 00:27:19,100 the mare's herd gathers at one of the last 342 00:27:19,133 --> 00:27:25,567 reliable water sources: a valley bog known as a mire. 343 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:30,967 - [birds chirping] - [light music continues] 344 00:27:32,833 --> 00:27:37,267 These lowland mires formed at the end of the last ice age. 345 00:27:37,300 --> 00:27:40,733 They're some of the last of their kind in Europe. 346 00:27:40,800 --> 00:27:45,500 - [birds chirping] - [light music] 347 00:27:45,533 --> 00:27:47,533 The lifeblood of the New Forest, 348 00:27:47,567 --> 00:27:51,567 this primeval world stays waterlogged year round. 349 00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:53,533 [water trickling] 350 00:27:53,567 --> 00:27:57,533 In the acidic water here, organic matter no longer breaks 351 00:27:57,567 --> 00:28:00,633 down and over time forms peat. 352 00:28:02,633 --> 00:28:07,500 - [ground rustling] - [light music] 353 00:28:07,533 --> 00:28:10,167 The mires offer rich hunting grounds for waders 354 00:28:10,233 --> 00:28:15,467 like snipe and they're home to almost 30 different species 355 00:28:15,500 --> 00:28:18,267 of damsel and dragonflies. 356 00:28:18,300 --> 00:28:22,033 - [light music] - [birds chirping] 357 00:28:22,100 --> 00:28:26,567 As temperatures soar, the mare and foal seek out shade 358 00:28:26,600 --> 00:28:28,133 in the conifer forest. 359 00:28:31,567 --> 00:28:35,000 Lethargic in the heat, the colt has barely enough energy 360 00:28:35,033 --> 00:28:36,600 to wipe away the flies. 361 00:28:38,100 --> 00:28:43,133 - [deep breathing] - [birds chirping] 362 00:28:46,300 --> 00:28:49,033 [light music] 363 00:28:49,067 --> 00:28:52,067 Nearby the goshawk family has continued 364 00:28:52,100 --> 00:28:54,033 to prosper despite the heat. 365 00:28:55,467 --> 00:28:58,300 All three chicks are still thriving. 366 00:29:03,900 --> 00:29:07,167 Their white down has now been almost completely replaced 367 00:29:07,200 --> 00:29:09,200 with flight feathers. 368 00:29:09,233 --> 00:29:14,267 - [leaves rustling] - [light music] 369 00:29:16,633 --> 00:29:20,267 Wing muscles are getting stronger 370 00:29:20,300 --> 00:29:24,567 and the nest edge wobbles have turned into longer hops 371 00:29:24,600 --> 00:29:26,933 with a more assured sense of balance. 372 00:29:30,533 --> 00:29:33,600 All three are starting to make short practice flights. 373 00:29:37,033 --> 00:29:39,867 At this age, their sexes become clearer. 374 00:29:41,633 --> 00:29:44,900 The single smaller male carefully keeps his distance 375 00:29:44,967 --> 00:29:47,067 from his larger, more aggressive sisters. 376 00:29:51,533 --> 00:29:54,300 [birds squawking] 377 00:29:54,333 --> 00:29:57,433 To encourage their brood to fly 378 00:29:57,467 --> 00:29:59,867 the parents now limit their food drops. 379 00:30:01,633 --> 00:30:03,533 But they'll keep a close watch on them 380 00:30:03,567 --> 00:30:05,900 even once they've fledged 381 00:30:05,933 --> 00:30:08,067 and still bring them an occasional meal. 382 00:30:09,967 --> 00:30:12,500 This squirrel may be one of the last offerings 383 00:30:12,533 --> 00:30:13,567 given at the nest. 384 00:30:16,567 --> 00:30:20,167 The bickering continues with the biggest female chick 385 00:30:20,200 --> 00:30:22,200 claiming the prize. 386 00:30:22,233 --> 00:30:23,767 [birds squawking] 387 00:30:23,800 --> 00:30:26,500 The little male loses out again, 388 00:30:26,567 --> 00:30:29,533 but his days of being picked on are almost over. 389 00:30:31,067 --> 00:30:34,100 Soon he'll try hunting for himself. 390 00:30:37,867 --> 00:30:39,767 [light music] 391 00:30:39,833 --> 00:30:44,667 It's now midsummer's day and the sun endures for 16 hours. 392 00:30:51,733 --> 00:30:55,967 - It's time to go. - [light dramatic music] 393 00:31:05,900 --> 00:31:08,733 A new generation of dragon eyed hawks 394 00:31:08,767 --> 00:31:12,100 stakes its claim to the hunting ground of kings. 395 00:31:14,367 --> 00:31:16,400 Their parents have done exceptionally well 396 00:31:16,433 --> 00:31:19,133 to raise three chicks this year. 397 00:31:19,167 --> 00:31:22,967 A welcome addition for a species once on the brink. 398 00:31:25,833 --> 00:31:30,867 - [thunder rumbling] - [wind whistling] 399 00:31:35,867 --> 00:31:38,600 After weeks of intense heat, 400 00:31:38,633 --> 00:31:41,833 the drought finally breaks. 401 00:31:41,867 --> 00:31:44,867 Quenching the earth's thirst. 402 00:31:44,900 --> 00:31:49,167 - [horses snorting] - [light music] 403 00:31:49,200 --> 00:31:54,133 - [thunder rumbling] - [upbeat music] 404 00:31:55,833 --> 00:31:59,833 The foal seems to frolic in sheer joy, 405 00:31:59,900 --> 00:32:02,900 reveling at the sensation of sweet cooling rain. 406 00:32:03,833 --> 00:32:07,133 [upbeat music continues] 407 00:32:14,767 --> 00:32:17,700 [thunder rumbling] 408 00:32:20,533 --> 00:32:22,700 [rain pattering] 409 00:32:22,733 --> 00:32:25,700 The stallion in him is really emerging now. 410 00:32:26,767 --> 00:32:29,833 Headstrong, powerful. 411 00:32:29,867 --> 00:32:34,167 It's time for the mare to slowly wean him off her milk. 412 00:32:34,200 --> 00:32:36,900 - [birds squawking] - [thunder rumbling] 413 00:32:36,967 --> 00:32:42,300 - [light music] - [grass rustling] 414 00:32:42,333 --> 00:32:45,400 The carefree playtime of summer is nearly over. 415 00:32:49,167 --> 00:32:51,867 [horse neighs] 416 00:32:55,400 --> 00:32:58,167 He's just two months away from the roundup 417 00:32:58,200 --> 00:33:00,567 that will decide his future. 418 00:33:00,600 --> 00:33:03,400 - [horse neighs] - [birds chirping] 419 00:33:03,433 --> 00:33:08,467 - [thunder rumbling] - [rain pattering] 420 00:33:10,900 --> 00:33:15,867 - [light music] - [birds chirping] 421 00:33:15,900 --> 00:33:17,867 The rain triggers one of the national park's 422 00:33:17,900 --> 00:33:19,833 most spectacular transformations. 423 00:33:22,067 --> 00:33:24,367 The blooming of the heather. 424 00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:29,433 - [light music] - [birds chirping] 425 00:33:38,367 --> 00:33:41,267 It offers a rich source of nectar for insects 426 00:33:41,333 --> 00:33:44,367 like the rare silver studded blue butterfly. 427 00:33:44,400 --> 00:33:49,200 - [playful music] - [bee buzzing] 428 00:33:49,233 --> 00:33:52,000 [grass rustling] 429 00:33:54,867 --> 00:33:56,933 The ponies graze here, too, 430 00:33:56,967 --> 00:34:00,933 helping to keep the heathland open and the forest at bay. 431 00:34:07,933 --> 00:34:09,967 [light dramatic music] 432 00:34:10,000 --> 00:34:14,867 Finally free of his sisters, the male goshawk fledgling 433 00:34:14,900 --> 00:34:16,933 is already confidently hunting here. 434 00:34:19,700 --> 00:34:24,733 - [bird caws] - [light dramatic music] 435 00:34:28,600 --> 00:34:31,800 Tiny, newly hatched sand lizards need to keep 436 00:34:31,867 --> 00:34:33,533 their wits about them. 437 00:34:33,567 --> 00:34:36,400 [leaves rustling] 438 00:34:39,633 --> 00:34:41,833 But it's likely the young hawk's future 439 00:34:41,900 --> 00:34:44,967 lies far from the New Forest. 440 00:34:45,000 --> 00:34:47,833 The thriving goshawk population here means 441 00:34:47,867 --> 00:34:49,833 he will almost certainly seek out a realm 442 00:34:49,867 --> 00:34:54,967 of his own elsewhere, possibly hundreds of miles away. 443 00:34:55,000 --> 00:34:57,633 [light music] 444 00:34:58,833 --> 00:35:01,967 [horse neighs] 445 00:35:02,000 --> 00:35:07,033 - [upbeat music] - [hooves thudding] 446 00:35:11,367 --> 00:35:14,567 The thunder of hooves brings summer to an end. 447 00:35:14,600 --> 00:35:19,633 - [hooves thundering] - [upbeat music] 448 00:35:24,633 --> 00:35:27,600 It's September and the commoners have returned 449 00:35:27,633 --> 00:35:28,700 for the annual roundup. 450 00:35:31,033 --> 00:35:36,467 Called The Drift, more than 30 take place across the forest. 451 00:35:36,500 --> 00:35:39,333 It's a tradition started five centuries ago 452 00:35:39,367 --> 00:35:42,400 when Tudor England faced the threat of invasion. 453 00:35:42,433 --> 00:35:45,900 [upbeat music continues] 454 00:35:48,567 --> 00:35:52,467 With extra horses needed, New Forest ponies were rounded up 455 00:35:52,533 --> 00:35:55,700 by Royal command and pressed into service 456 00:35:55,767 --> 00:35:57,067 for the defense of the realm. 457 00:36:01,367 --> 00:36:04,067 Today, the drifts enable the commoners to check 458 00:36:04,100 --> 00:36:06,600 their ponies' health and to remove some 459 00:36:06,667 --> 00:36:08,167 of the colts from the forest. 460 00:36:09,567 --> 00:36:11,200 Many will become riding ponies. 461 00:36:15,867 --> 00:36:18,433 For now, the foal escapes, 462 00:36:18,467 --> 00:36:20,933 but his time in the forest is running out. 463 00:36:26,500 --> 00:36:31,533 - [birds chirping] - [light music] 464 00:36:35,233 --> 00:36:38,233 As days shorten, temperatures fall. 465 00:36:42,267 --> 00:36:45,800 The forest transforms into a sea of gold. 466 00:36:48,200 --> 00:36:53,200 - [light music] - [birds chirping] 467 00:36:57,600 --> 00:37:00,400 It's a time of plenty in the ancient woods. 468 00:37:03,100 --> 00:37:06,533 Beech, hazel and oak shed fruit to offer up 469 00:37:06,567 --> 00:37:08,267 a forest floor banquet. 470 00:37:14,667 --> 00:37:18,100 But too many green acorns can poison the ponies. 471 00:37:20,567 --> 00:37:23,067 Fortunately, help is at hand. 472 00:37:23,133 --> 00:37:24,533 [pigs squeaking] 473 00:37:24,567 --> 00:37:27,200 Pigs have much stronger stomachs. 474 00:37:29,367 --> 00:37:32,200 Across the forest the commoners release hundreds 475 00:37:32,233 --> 00:37:36,633 of them every September in a tradition known as the pannage. 476 00:37:42,667 --> 00:37:45,833 Pigs and ponies aren't the best of friends, 477 00:37:45,867 --> 00:37:48,700 but the horses have to live with these piggy neighbors 478 00:37:48,733 --> 00:37:49,967 for 60 days. 479 00:37:51,133 --> 00:37:53,900 [pigs squealing] 480 00:37:53,933 --> 00:37:57,167 Wise to the acorn's poison, pigs gobble up 481 00:37:57,200 --> 00:38:02,100 the nutritious nuts but spit out their toxic skins. 482 00:38:02,167 --> 00:38:07,200 - [light music] - [pigs squealing] 483 00:38:14,633 --> 00:38:17,133 [horse neighs] 484 00:38:19,200 --> 00:38:22,600 The foal has never seen a pig before 485 00:38:22,633 --> 00:38:24,433 and he's not at all sure about them, 486 00:38:28,367 --> 00:38:31,933 but it seems the pigs are in a playful mood 487 00:38:31,967 --> 00:38:35,333 so the ponies will need to get used to their antics, 488 00:38:35,367 --> 00:38:37,033 for the next few weeks, at least. 489 00:38:39,400 --> 00:38:44,433 - [horse neighs] - [pigs squealing] 490 00:38:52,933 --> 00:38:55,867 [birds chirping] 491 00:38:59,500 --> 00:39:02,233 Concealed in the fading bracken, 492 00:39:02,267 --> 00:39:06,367 a young fox gives both pigs and ponies a wide berth. 493 00:39:12,100 --> 00:39:16,333 In search of earthworms, he hunts alone, 494 00:39:16,367 --> 00:39:19,233 likely the sole survivor of the litter born in 495 00:39:19,267 --> 00:39:21,433 the oak wood earlier in the year. 496 00:39:25,100 --> 00:39:28,333 The biggest challenge for this youngster lies ahead: 497 00:39:28,367 --> 00:39:30,167 to find a home of his own. 498 00:39:31,567 --> 00:39:33,733 Woodland territories are fiercely contested 499 00:39:33,767 --> 00:39:38,333 in the New Forest, but as the strongest cub of the litter, 500 00:39:38,367 --> 00:39:41,200 hopefully his tenacity will see him through. 501 00:39:41,233 --> 00:39:43,100 [birds chirping] 502 00:39:43,167 --> 00:39:45,900 [deer grumbles] 503 00:39:52,233 --> 00:39:55,333 As the days shorten one of the New Forest's 504 00:39:55,400 --> 00:39:57,900 greatest natural spectacles begins. 505 00:40:01,667 --> 00:40:02,933 The fallow deer rut. 506 00:40:03,767 --> 00:40:07,167 [light dramatic music] 507 00:40:09,400 --> 00:40:13,100 Roaring and strutting, the mature bucks march 508 00:40:13,133 --> 00:40:16,167 to their rutting stands just as they have 509 00:40:16,200 --> 00:40:18,433 since the days of the medieval kings. 510 00:40:20,433 --> 00:40:22,633 Fawns need to be wary. 511 00:40:22,667 --> 00:40:26,200 A collision with 170 pound buck could be fatal. 512 00:40:33,467 --> 00:40:36,100 The bucks, surging with hormones, 513 00:40:36,133 --> 00:40:38,700 try desperately to claim the prime patch 514 00:40:38,733 --> 00:40:40,267 of the lekking ground. 515 00:40:40,300 --> 00:40:43,800 - [bucks snorting] - [light dramatic music] 516 00:40:43,867 --> 00:40:45,333 Battle commences. 517 00:40:45,367 --> 00:40:50,167 - [horns clattering] - [light dramatic music] 518 00:41:02,133 --> 00:41:04,767 A bout like this can last for over an hour. 519 00:41:06,300 --> 00:41:11,333 - [light dramatic music] - [ground rustling] 520 00:41:15,100 --> 00:41:18,933 Sheer attrition has worn the challenger down. 521 00:41:18,967 --> 00:41:21,500 - [light music] - [birds chirping] 522 00:41:21,533 --> 00:41:26,767 The victor holds firm, marking the ground with his scent, 523 00:41:26,800 --> 00:41:29,900 staking his claim to the forest rutting stand. 524 00:41:41,067 --> 00:41:43,700 The old buck has barely slept for days. 525 00:41:52,267 --> 00:41:55,700 Each female is only in season for 24 hours. 526 00:41:55,733 --> 00:41:58,300 [buck grumbles] 527 00:41:59,967 --> 00:42:02,467 Over the coming weeks he will attempt to mate 528 00:42:02,500 --> 00:42:04,433 with as many does as he can. 529 00:42:07,233 --> 00:42:11,233 Starving himself, there's no time to feed. 530 00:42:22,767 --> 00:42:27,800 - [birds chirping] - [light music] 531 00:42:34,200 --> 00:42:37,400 By the end of the rut the bucks are utterly spent. 532 00:42:42,200 --> 00:42:43,700 Many are injured. 533 00:42:46,000 --> 00:42:51,500 - [light music continues] - [birds chirping] 534 00:42:51,533 --> 00:42:53,700 It will take them months to recover. 535 00:42:55,900 --> 00:42:58,733 [leaves rustling] 536 00:43:05,300 --> 00:43:07,033 As winter descends, 537 00:43:10,100 --> 00:43:14,533 another rich year in the New Forest draws to a close. 538 00:43:14,600 --> 00:43:19,633 - [light music] - [birds chirping] 539 00:43:24,200 --> 00:43:27,300 The fallow deer have separated once again. 540 00:43:27,333 --> 00:43:31,033 Many of the does now carrying the old buck's bloodline 541 00:43:31,100 --> 00:43:32,900 into the future. 542 00:43:32,933 --> 00:43:38,000 - [light music continues] - [birds chirping] 543 00:43:38,033 --> 00:43:41,000 The goshawks with the dragon red eyes 544 00:43:41,033 --> 00:43:43,467 will soon reclaim their canopy nest 545 00:43:44,867 --> 00:43:46,833 to prepare for another brood. 546 00:43:49,667 --> 00:43:53,500 Perhaps one day their fledglings will return 547 00:43:53,533 --> 00:43:56,300 to claim these forests as their own. 548 00:43:56,333 --> 00:43:59,767 [light music continues] 549 00:44:05,800 --> 00:44:10,300 Out on the heath, a stallion colt awaits his destiny. 550 00:44:14,600 --> 00:44:17,700 Independent, brave, and strong, 551 00:44:17,733 --> 00:44:21,600 his days in the New Forest will soon come to an end. 552 00:44:25,233 --> 00:44:28,900 But he may yet return as a proud stallion 553 00:44:28,933 --> 00:44:34,267 galloping freely in this exquisite, timeless forest. 554 00:44:35,367 --> 00:44:38,767 The ancient hunting ground of kings. 555 00:44:38,800 --> 00:44:43,833 - [light music] - [horse neighs] 556 00:44:56,800 --> 00:44:59,033 We've had a glimpse into the secret lives of 557 00:44:59,067 --> 00:45:02,100 so many animals here in the forest. 558 00:45:02,133 --> 00:45:06,833 It really is a wonderful haven for British wildlife. 559 00:45:06,900 --> 00:45:10,767 But increasingly this landscape is under pressure. 560 00:45:10,800 --> 00:45:13,200 The New Forest is one of Britain's most popular 561 00:45:13,233 --> 00:45:15,867 national parks with an astonishing 562 00:45:15,900 --> 00:45:19,300 15 million visitors each year. 563 00:45:19,367 --> 00:45:21,900 These numbers can disturb the animals 564 00:45:21,967 --> 00:45:25,667 and damage their ancient habitats. 565 00:45:25,700 --> 00:45:29,533 So please let's all play our part in protecting 566 00:45:29,567 --> 00:45:34,567 this magical place for future generations to enjoy.