Extending above the Arctic Circle in the far north of Canada, Ellesmere Island is one of largest untouched wildernesses on the planet. Here, the animals have only three short months to raise offspring and prepare for the winter. To succeed, their timing must be just right. White Falcon, White Wolf follows two families, a breeding pair of gyrfalcons and a pack of Arctic wolves. As nine months of snow and ice melt away, flowers bloom, young are born, and the struggle begins.
Gyrfalcons are the world’s largest and most powerful falcons. Yet even for them, the pressure is on. Last summer this pair’s two chicks died of starvation. Will the conditions be right this summer? Will their best efforts be enough to keep this year’s chicks healthy? Filmed in HD from a ledge adjacent to the nesting site, White Falcon, White Wolf provides an intimate portrait of this magnificent species.
Meanwhile, the pack of Arctic wolves wait with great anticipation for a sign that new pups have been born to their breeding female, who has spent a great deal of time in her den. When the pups arrive, the young wolf daughter will need to grow up. For now, however, she tends to let her curiosity get the best of her. Musk ox, snowy owls, Arctic hares and Arctic foxes round out the cast, as they too try to make the most of the precious Arctic summer.
White Falcon, White Wolf premieres Sunday, October 26 at 8pm ET on PBS (check local listings).
To order a copy of White Falcon, White Wolf, please visit the NATURE Shop.
Online content for White Falcon, White Wolf was originally published October 2008.
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I’m so thrilled in anticipation of watching this wonderful program “White Falcon, White Wolf! I also hope that a certain Alaskan Governor will appreciate viewing wolves (not killing them) as precious to our environment!
Adele, I agree with you. This Alaskan Governor doesn’t think Polar Bears and Beluga Whales need any habitat protection despite dwindling population. She continues to sue THIS ADMINISTRATION (which is anti-environment) over the decision to list them as endangered species. Her efforts have delayed the process of protection for over a year now. I don’t understand why nobody talking about how pro oil she is!! She is not a maverick; she always has been PRO OIL. By the way, she does not believe in scientific evidence, according to her she knows better than them what is right and wrong!
I can’t wait to see this!!!! It looks so wonderful!!!!
Thank You!!!!!
Enjoy the show and leave your views in another roomsa
I too say, enjoy the show. I look forward to tuning in to these quality programs on PBS. I also say, keep your views right where they are, whatever they are. Whether you’re pro this or anti that, this is no time to be silent. We are all connected to this earth…a few drops here, a tidal wave there. Speak up and speak out.
I am watching and am fascinated not just by content, but by the amazing photography. How do the photographers cover all of these animals and know where to position themselves to watch flight, and to anticipate the movement of the creatures. I wonder how many hours were spent just to obtain the raw material for this one hour program.
I liked this one
Fantastic program however, the Long-Tailed “Skua” was actually a Long-tailed “Jaeger”. Otherwise everything else was great.
Amazing episode, stunning camera work and the whole thing looked just stellar in HD. Keep up the great work, this show is just wonderful!
Considering how important every part of the shrinking Arctic habitat is, it is critical for us to speak up, inform others, and not cave in to the discomfort of the malinformed. Goo on you, Maki!
A wonderful episode and a delight to watch! However, I concur with Donna Kelly regarding the Long-tailed Jaeger mis-identification. Somebody should have picked that up before going to the final narration…
Will this be aired again?
To find out if this program will be aired again where you live, check your local listings. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/schedule/
This episode looked stunning in HD, Overall this was an excellant episode. Keep up the good work
What a great show! I also enjoyed the filmmaker’s interviews.
We are no different than these wonderful animals that struggle to survive and raise their young for their future. Mother’s love, roll of family…unfortunately their destiny sometimes depends on us. This film made me more realize how precious the life on mother earth is and why we have to protect them not only for them but for US because we are part of this web of life (the earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth. All things are connected like the blood that unites us all. Man did not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself. –Chief Seattle)
i loved watching this. its so thrilling to see nature in action
can’t seem to find a map of where the footage was taken. where is it on the web site?
I thought this episode was quite cool. I really like Nature.
Quttinirpaaq National Park, Ellesmere Island, Nunavut
just watched white wolves white falcon. i didn’t know it’s a new one. stunning! by the way i live in alaska and it will not be spoiled by development, we need it for AK and the USA. Bear, wolf, etc etc populations are in good shape! we know how to manage (yes!) our wildlife. if it were not for “development” making our “high civilization” possible, we wouldn’t even be in a position to appreciate the natural world as we do now.
Impressive, wish to purchase a video, Diections will be appreciated.
stunning,…
Wonderful program! Anyone know where I might find the songs/music from this show?
Possibly the most sublime filmmaking ever to be presented under the NATURE series banner. Congratulations!
Great to see a gyrfalcon in its natural habitat. I have read about these being used for falconry. I took an interest in falconry after seeing last season’s episode “Raptor Force”. I am looking forward to becoming an apprentice falconer. I hope you do more on raptors!
Loved the photography as I do all Nature programs. Can anyone provide anecdotal information on the fact that the Ellesmere wolves don’t really hunt because they feed from the garbage dump at the military installation and are pretty much domesticated????
very nice ! I enjoyed the show very much
PLEASE AIR IT AGAIN – I MISSED IT – BOOO HOOO !!
This was truly enthralling. I sat on the couch motionless the whole time. Amazing how close the cameras get, and the dichotomy of whimsy and seriousness shown in the animals’ lives (hares “dancing”, young falcons in dire straits). Watching “Nature” i am always reminded of how lovely this planet really is, and all my worries seem to melt away. Great work. More people should watch nature shows (;
Another world-class program for viewers – thank you, PBS!
As I watched the stories unfold – a mother struggling to feed her three young children and a young, inexperienced father learning his own limits; a clan comically swimming in a chilly pool chasing geese and an adolescent member who learned some valuable lessons about growing up – I couldn’t help but see how their lives are the same as ours. Their emotions, so readable and open, just like ours in the same situation.
The symbolism of a single molted feather on the grass with changes in the clouds and seasons was effective, thought-provoking and primal.
Thank you PBS, and MORE, please!!
Jaeger is what North Americans call some of the skuas. Same scientific name, though, _Stercorarius longicaudus_.
Absolutely loved the show,we are so lucky to have a station like PBS to bring us all the travels and animals of the world. Thank You so much.
Terrific show that brought back wonderful memories. During the summers of 1959-60 and 1963-66 I worked at Ellesmere Island weather stations at Eureka and Alert. Were any portions of the show filmed near either Eureka or Alert?
It is a pleasure to see a wildlife show without humans in it. These days that’s all we see. This is a return to the finer nuanced wildlife storytelling.
This was a great program to watch
especially being from the north and not seeing our animals in their natural state…
great subject and beautiful
I actually recognized every animal that was on this episode.
Arnauyaq
“not a human in sight…” i’ll bet the wolves can see our photographer!
I really want my youngest daughter to see this! The falcon mother leaving her starving chicks to take over her preening obsessed supposed to be a father’s job of feeding them because she lost her last chicks to his (insert offensive comments here) lack of interest in them! The young female wolf who almost lost her life because she got separated from the pack while admiring herself! This episode was brilliant on every level!
it is lovely. However, while i get sound, is there any narration in this episode? I am 12 minutes in and i don’t hear any narration.
i think that the white falcon,white wolf is very beautiful
Loved this program, especially the saga of the Arctic wolf being separated from her pack and the saga of her journey, as well as the other creatures.
Our group loved the film so much we did a review on it.
I missed the original broadcast. I’m waiting to see a re-airing of the film. I’ve seen the preview clip and it looks great! Thanks for producing these intelligent, quality films. I hope all viewers continue to use their public voice to protect our public lands. The public advocacy of protecting our lands helps make opportunities to see these activities (someday) possible. It keeps the dream alive for the average citizen. We CAN be inspired by things other than Wal-Mart sales. None of us aspire to see a shopping center in our dreams. For 20 years I’ve listened to many of those that hope to represent us advocate for a “business” approach to governance. It has been a disaster. I’m engaged in business on a daily basis (as are most of us). I can tell you with conviction that the profit motive is no way to run a government or represent the interest of future generations. Governments exist for the good of all people, not a few. Beware of those that claim different. Keep up the good work on the Nature programs. Support all outdoor activities and vote your conscious.
beautiful filming
I have never seen rabbits play before. What a gift! They reminded me of bucking broncos at the rodeo. Please, keep filming, places like this are pristine and breath-taking.
I was inside watching a movie and I noticed while scrolling through the guide on the tv, that there was a new episode of Nature. I love animal shows. I put this show on about THE WHITE FALCON AND WHITE WOLF.
WOW!!! I loved every minute of it. To see the rabbits jumping like that also, was adorable, and I don’t think anyone should keep them as pets. All wild animals should be free and safe from poachers and etc.
Thank you very much for filming these episodes. All the scenery is beautiful.
This was a stunning, brilliantly filmed documentary! Amazing, amazing fiming, I don’t know how you did it but it was spellbinding from beginning to end…and I didn’t want it to end!
i loved this show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wonderful episode…just one glaring fault: the bird that was stated as a “Skua” is actually a Long-Tailed Jeager. Skuas live near the ocean and do not nest on the tundra, and look totally different than the Jeagers in the film. Please, please make sure the species are given their correct names, as a lot of people are watching and need the correct information.
While I have not been to Elsemeare Island- but hope to get there, one day- I have been to The Gates Of The Arctic, and was very happy to photograph/film and observe the wildlife there, including the Long-Tailed Jeagers. Wonderful birds. Blessings, Robin of Talkeetna, Alaska
For those of you who asked questions about the difference between jaegers and skuas: North Americans make distinctions between jaegers and skuas, while in the UK both are referred to as skuas.
Wolves are my favorite, and the white wolves are just gorgeous! It is a shame that north isn’t surviving well with global warming, I don’t know what I’ll do if those beautiful wolves disappear!
This show was great, kudos to the photographers who captured these amazing shots!
Some members of my family did not see this show. Please please air it again soon (and not at 3:00 AM)!
Thank you.
it is so beautiful and atractive,i like it so much,i want to saw that so close,,,,,,,
awful
i missed white fal. white wolf. please show the docum. again . thank you, jc