Wild Russia

Caucasus

47 min

From high snowy peaks to baking deserts, the Caucasus is much more than a simple mountain range. With habitats including forests, alpine meadows and arid salt flats, like the rest of Russia it boasts a dazzling array of wildlife. Home to wild boars, Eurasian lynx, long-eared hedgehogs, bezoar ibex, rare highland European bison and the truly bizarre glass lizard, this area is another jewel in Russia’s wilderness crown.

Arctic

47 min

The Russian Arctic is one of the world’s most extreme habitats, yet it is a haven for polar bears, lemmings, arctic foxes and walruses. In late August, massive muskoxen bulls gather together to compete for mating dominance. Each bull can weigh 400 kilogrammes and charge at a speed of 40 kilometres an hour; a head-to-head impact can be heard more than a kilometre away.

Urals

47 min

Travel through the majestic Primeval forests of the Urals. This Russian sanctuary is a land of extremes where giant deer and half-tonne leviathans. Eurasian elk make seasonal journeys in search of food. Unlike other deer, Eurasian elk are normally solitary and for pregnant females, the stress of meeting leads to fighting. As the snow retreats, opportunists like lone wolves advance to feed on winter's victims…