Scotland: The New Wild

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Nature Documentary hosted by Thoren Ferguson, published by BBC in 2023 - English narration

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Series showcasing Scotland's wildlife, habitats and scenery. Chapter 1: Islands Nearly 800 islands lie off the coast of Scotland, and these are some of the most biodiverse places in the country where the mix of low intensity agriculture, wild spaces and a diverse and rich ocean has benefited numerous species. From the Shetland Isles in the north to the Inner Hebrides in the south, these isles are teeming with life. In the north west, sitting low in the Atlantic, are the remote Monach Islands, uninhabited since the 1940s. Now every autumn, the white sand beaches host the largest breeding colony of grey seals in Europe. More than 10,000 pups are born each year and they have just a few short weeks to get ready for independence. Just a few kilometres to the east lie the Uists. From Berneray in the north to Eriskay in the south, these are Scotland's lowest lying chain of islands. The wildlife here has a close and enduring relationship with the local people. The western shores of these isles are home to an incredibly rare habitat, found in few other places in the world - the machair. Low-intensity agriculture on rich shell sand soils allows wildlife to flourish, with huge populations of waders drawn to nest here. Tiny lapwing chicks can be seen foraging in the grassland, as their parents ward off curious neighbours. In the shallow waters around Scotland's islands, great underwater meadows can be found. Beds of seagrass, an incredibly important habitat for numerous species, provide an ideal nursery ground for shoals of young fish. While also buffering against the impact of storms and collecting huge quantities of carbon, locking it up in the sediments below. More than 90 per cent of these meadows have been lost due to human impacts. Warmed by the gulf stream, the rich waters of the west coast are seen to attract the second largest fish in the world during the summer months, basking sharks. These huge fish come to feed on plankton every year. Nearly hunted to extinction here in the past, numbers of these ocean giants have been rising in recent years. Chapter 2: Lowlands More than 80 per cent of Scotland's population live in the Lowlands, a vast swathe of the country stretching from Aberdeenshire in the north east to the border with England in the south. This is a landscape characterised by sprawling urban centres, huge areas of agricultural farmland, fragmented forests and mighty rivers. The Lowlands are the most intensely managed part of Scotland's landscape. But wildlife still survives here, clinging on, and in some places a few species are beginning to stage a comeback. In the heart of Edinburgh, the peregrine falcon now graces the sky on a daily basis. A pair have recently started raising a family here, just a few decades on from the cusp of extinction in Scotland and the UK. Further out in the suburbs, we see other animals have also adapted to the urban environment. By the Water of Leith, a family of foxes have made a home, and we watch their tiny cubs starting to explore the world outside their den, learning the skills needed for independence. Across the central belt in Glasgow lives a hardy collection of water voles - nowhere near water! They are the only population known to live in burrows in open grassland anywhere in the UK, and were only discovered here in 2008. Further north lies the River Tay, journeying for over 100 miles from source to sea. As it passes the mighty Tay Reedbed, the river slows and widens dramatically. The reedbed stretches for miles along the north shore and is home to Scotland's largest population of rare bearded tits, which only colonised here in the early 1990s. Further upstream in Perth, Scotland's first urban population of beavers can now be found. These industrious rodents have recently returned from extinction, after an absence of over 400 years. More than 1,000 of them can now be found throughout the Tay catchment, sometimes coming into conflict with farmers. The Tay nears the end of its journey in Dundee, and out on the mudflats we witness huge numbers of wading birds gathering to forage. They race against the incoming tide in search of food, before setting off to look for somewhere quiet to rest and wait out high water. Further inland lies one of Scotland's great agriculture heartlands. Here, two special families of marsh harriers are nesting, both with a shared secret, and filmed for the very first time in Scotland. Chapter 3: Highlands The Highlands are a vast landscape covering much of Scotland. Dominated by mighty hills, glens, lochs, rivers and forests, it's a landscape that has been heavily altered by people and climate. Once a great forest covered much of this land, but little now remains. In the Central Highlands lie the Cairngorms, a vast plateau where Scotland's greatest Arctic-alpine environment can be found and home to Scotland's only free-roaming reindeer herd. For thousands of years, reindeer roamed these hills before eventually being lost due to hunting and climate pressures. The herd was reintroduced in the 1960s and, each spring, it is joined on the high tops by a true Highland specialist - the dotterel. These trusting little birds return from North Africa to breed, flitting around the melting snow patches in search of food. For the very first time, we see their breeding behaviour captured on camera. In the glen below, we find the largest remaining fragment of the great wood of Caledon. This special forest is among the last places that some rare species can be found, including the critically endangered capercaillie. Huge wood ant nests are seen dotted throughout the forest as thousands of workers gather in the branches of the Scots pines above. The ants range is much reduced from the past, fragmented throughout the landscape like the forest they depend on for survival. Hidden in the roof of an abandoned cottage, we find a female pine marten raising a family of her own. These agile predators are helping out the local red squirrels by preying on the larger invasive grey squirrel. Further north, in the Moray Firth, a great migration is under way as Atlantic salmon continue their journey to the spawning grounds. However, obstacles lie in their way, as in the estuary, bottlenose dolphins patrol the tidal rip at Chanonry Point, while further upstream, great waterfalls block their path. Salmon have decreased massively in the last few decades, with habitat degradation, rising sea and river temperatures, increased pollution and overfishing all contributing to their plight. Gatherings take place throughout the Highlands as people come out to celebrate the history and culture of the landscape, while in the hills beyond, the black grouse lek takes place. This mating ritual involves the males gathering each morning to fight and display, hoping to impress the watching females. Their numbers are down, but it is hoped that woodland recovery will start to turn the tide. Winter can be brutal in the Highlands, with snow falling and temperatures dropping into the -20s. In this tough weather, mountain hares are seeking shelter in which to wait out the weather. Nearby red deer are being forced off the hillsides and into the forest in search of food, as the snow becomes too deep to dig through. These animals are hardy and have evolved to cope with such conditions. However, not all will survive the weather, and some will provide a welcome meal for apex predators. Snow is falling less frequently and lying for less time than in past winters, and a warmer and wetter Highlands will look quite different, posing even greater challenges for some. But there is hope for the landscape here as habitats are restored, with woodland and peatland beginning to show signs of recovery.