National Geographic: White Wolf Page #5

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This particular day they woke up and

predictably after a long sleep,

woke up with lots of excitement.

And I sensed very strongly that

something big was about to happen.

Some days they would leave the den

site and kind of wander

casually and be gone for

a couple hours and come right back.

But this particular day they took off

in a straight line towards the east,

single file, a very quick pace,

the kind of pace that even with the

advantage of machines

it was very difficult to keep up.

The rough ground is no obstacle

for an arctic wolf.

Each travels purposefully.

The pack has spread out but keeps in

touch by howling from time to time.

While the wolves are within

range of the den,

their howls are heard by the pups

and the female that watches over them.

Brandenburg, loaded with film

stock and rations,

is prepared to travel for days

to film a major hunt.

One of the advantages of working in

the high Arctic that you don't find

in lower latitudes is you have

Here the wolves could never really

get away from us and in the sense

that they were always on stage with

the lights full on.

And if we could simply keep up

with them, and had enough time,

eventually that scene could be

played out in front of us.

There are anxious moments when the

wolves are far ahead, out of sight.

Brandenburg has only their tracks

and his intuition to follow.

The wolves have traveled 30 miles

from the den, and Jim is still behind.

Finally, he catches up to the pack

as they search for a place to cross

a deep, fast-flowing river.

Again, his hopes of filming an attack

on musk oxen are crushed.

It was quite a frustrating experience

watching the wolves continue

on in the distance out of sight,

knowing that they were clearly going

on to some fairly intense action.

With summer running out,

Mech and Brandenburg decide

that a change in plan is imperative.

Rather than follow the pack,

they'll sit tight,

following all that happens right here

for the next 24 hours.

It made sense to commit a complete

Watch everything that happened,

try to film the highlights

of the behavior.

And I'd hoped to show an aspect of

a day in the life of the wolf pack,

near the den site,

their coming and going,

their interaction, their naps,

their sleeps.

Anything that might happen within

that 24 hour period.

Here comes one.

He's go hind feet

or she does, it's a female.

It's interesting,

usually they bring just the

hind quarter back, or often they do.

But I mean I've never seen them bring

the front quarters.

They may bring the whole hare.

The strategy begins to pay off

almost at once.

A small drama of pack life unfolds

within camera range

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