Magic of the Snowy Owl premiered Wednesday, Oct. 24 at 8/7c on PBS (check local listings)

Throughout the long months of the Arctic’s frozen winter, the sun remains below the horizon. The cold is intensified by the darkness, making life difficult, if not impossible, for all but the toughest and most experienced of animals. Snowy owls are built for the challenge, their every sense and skill honed to take on the eerie, bleak world. When the brief Arctic summer approaches, bringing light back to the tundra, snowy owls embark on an even more daunting challenge than keeping themselves alive. They breed and attempt to raise young in one of the harshest environments on the planet. Once summer arrives, they will have just 82 days of sunlight to successfully raise a family of helpless owlets until they are ready and able to fly. Documenting the degree of difficulty involved in those efforts, a team of filmmakers must face some challenges of their own as they set out to record the rarely observed daily lives of a breeding pair of snowy owls.

“The Dirt: This Week in Nature” curated and written by Robert Raciti.

The Arctic is changing. As temperatures slowly rise and the ice recedes, the shore is getting further away. Food sources that the polar bear have come to rely on are becoming less plentiful. In this changing climate, the polar bear is already showing signs of distress.

While polar bears struggle, opportunistic grizzlies fare well, as they benefit from the melting Arctic’s effects on its ecosystem. While the grizzly moves into newly opened territories, the polar bear can only wait for the freezing of its one-time kingdom. If the changing world proclaims the grizzly the new king of the Arctic, what will become of the polar bear?

To order a copy of Arctic Bears, visit the NATURE Shop.

Online content for Arctic Bears was originally posted February 2008.

The musk ox herd in White Falcon, White Wolf gets a lucky break when the pack of Arctic wolves chooses to go after other prey that’s easier to catch. But these hairy powerhouses face a great number of dangers in their Arctic home.

Contrary to their name and appearance, musk ox have no true musk glands and are not oxen.  They are more closely related to sheep and goats than the buffalo they more closely resemble. But it’s hard to tell with all that hair. Perfectly adapted to their Arctic habitat, musk ox have a winter coat that is eight times warmer than sheep’s wool. A layer of fine underwool is paired with their long, continuously growing skirt of guard hairs, which can reach the ground in older individuals. The only part of their body that is not covered in warm wool is a small strip of flesh between their nostrils and their lips. Other Arctic adaptations include short legs and a high body-fat content. These traits clearly work well for them, as musk ox have remained relatively unchanged and have successfully inhabited Arctic regions for over 40,000 years. And unlike their former neighbors, the wooly mammoths, musk oxen were able to survive the last ice age without being hunted to extinction by prehistoric peoples. In fact, musk oxen are the only large terrestrial mammal that has inhabited the Arctic continuously for the last 10,000 years.

But the traits that help the musk ox stay warm and survive the Arctic winter come with a price—the risk of overheating. Because of their thick fur, high fat content, and stocky legs, musk ox can only run short distances. Their only sweat glands are located on their back hooves. So, to protect themselves when faced with attacks by polar bears or wolves, musk ox form a circle around their young, with their rumps pointed in and their large horns facing the enemy. Musk ox have been known to maul–and even kill–wolves with their horns.

Wolves aren’t the only threat to young musk ox. For the first year of their life, offspring are dependant on their mothers for both food and warmth. Having not yet grown their full coats or put on the extra weight adults have to keep them warm, young musk ox hide beneath their mothers’ skirts to escape the elements.  Starvation is another winter threat. Musk ox eat almost any vegetation during the summer, including grasses, leafy plants, mosses, herbs, and shrubs. During the winter, when a blanket of snow covers everything, musk ox must dig to uncover frozen tundra grasses using their hooves and horns. At the onset of winter, herds migrate to higher altitudes where the roaring winds help to uncover buried food. The musk ox have no choice but to eat what they can find: Arctic willows, dwarf birch, lichen, roots, and any other vegetation that might lie beneath the icy landscape. This winter diet has very little nutritional value, so it is important for every member of the herd, especially younger individuals, to take advantage of the abundant vegetation during the summer.

Winters are long and dark, and the herd huddles together for warmth. The movement of the herd also helps loosen surface snow, making food more easily accessible, especially for young. If the calves can make it through their first winter, they have a good chance of living a long life. Some individuals live more than 20 years. Others may not be so lucky. Climate change poses a major threat to musk ox, as warming winters and unstable weather patterns bring on bouts of freezing rain that leave impenetrable layers of ice over the winter vegetation musk ox depend on. Unable to access food, many musk ox slowly starve to death. The Large Animal Research Station in Fairbanks, Alaska is hoping their conservation efforts, combined with research from the field, can make a difference in the continued survival of this amazing animal.

To learn more about the musk ox, visit our list of additional web and print resources.

Photo by Tim Bowman, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Snowy owl with chicks during the summer. In wintertime, survival on Ellesmere becomes even more difficult.

Winter on Ellesmere Island is a far cry from the tranquil summer seen in White Falcon, White Wolf. As the most Northern part of Canada and extending into the Arctic Circle, Ellesmere Island experiences extreme winters. Shrouded in continual darkness, temperatures reach beyond “cold” to a bitter -20 or -30 degrees Fahrenheit. To survive in these harsh conditions, animals must develop special adaptations to stay warm, conserve energy, and find food in a barren, frozen world.

To stay warm, most animals rely on their thick winter coats. Some of these coats can be quite “high tech.” Polar bears have a watertight layer of insulating hairs, protected by a layer of longer guard hairs on top.  Other Arctic animals rely on a similar layered coat where guard hairs act as a protective shield against the elements. Arctic foxes, for example, have furry feet. The hairs on the soles of their feet help them retain heat as they trot across the tundra.

The ultimate goal of all arctic animals is to lose as little body heat as possible. In comparison to their cousins, the red foxes, arctic foxes have several morphological differences. The first, of course, is their coat color. Their coats change to all white as the winter begins, then turn brown again the next summer to allow for seasonal camouflage. Arctic foxes also have a rounder body, shorter legs, shorter tails, shorter muzzles, and shorter ears. These are adaptations common to Arctic animals. The more compact the body, the less heat is lost.

Besides physical features like fur and body proportions, Arctic animals have highly specialized thermoregulatory systems. The metabolisms of Arctic animals can adjust seasonally so that animals conserve energy during the winter. Arctic animals have to be able to adjust their systems to cope with lower caloric intakes, or even to go without food for long periods of time. To do so, animals must make the most out of what they can find during the winter. The musk ox, like most Arctic animals, does what it can to fatten up during the summer when food is abundant. During the winter when food is less accessible and less nutritious, musk ox rely on these fat reserves to help them avoid starvation. It can be difficult to find food during the winter. Plants exist in a dormant state between the frozen ground and the blanket of snow. The air trapped between these two layers acts as insulation, and the plants and lichen living under the snow mostly avoid freezing temperatures. But any creature that eats this winter vegetation must first be able to get at it. Musk ox and caribou dig through the snow with their hooves and horns, or graze in windswept areas where food is exposed.

What it takes to survive on Ellesmere Island today may be vastly different in the years to come. Climate change and global warming are already altering the landscape. Massive ice shelves larger than the island of Manhattan, and thousands of years old, are breaking off from the northern edge of Arctic Canada. Glaciers are retreating, and the average winter temperature is increasing. Most animals on Ellesmere Island are so well adapted to life in the Arctic that any change in climate could be catastrophic. Only time can tell what will happen to the handful of specialized animals that call Ellesmere home during winter.

For further information on climate change and the Arctic, visit our list of additional web and print resources.

Photo © Mark Smith 2007

In the world of wildlife filmmaking, there are occasions when we all get together and talk about future projects. One of these events happens at Jackson Hole in Wyoming. Back in 2005 I had my chance ‘pitch’ with boss man Fred Kaufman, Executive Producer of NATURE. Given the competition, the number of people and ideas that he has to listen to, these pitches are vital.  I ordered a salad. We sat on a bar stool. I banged on about the white wolves, and the largest of the falcons, the gyrs, these two stunning white characters on a dramatic stage.   He just kept quiet and ate, glancing up occasionally. As he didn’t interrupt me with a question, I continued to pitch, getting more and more excited as I painted the picture of the island, the noises, the elements, and how we would bring to NATURE’s screen a real jewel of a film. As I ended the pitch I picked up a leaf of salad and crunched it and heard him say the words… ‘Fergus, I like it.’ Believe me, that’s rare in this business! So, we were on! Hey, Fred!

Back in 2005, I was researching logistical issues for working on Ellesmere in Northern Canada and kept on coming across the name of a remarkable solo arctic explorer, called Jim McNeill. He was, quite surprisingly, another Brit — and soon after we met for the first time — I realized that this man and his outfit ICE WARRIOR were going to be intrinsic to working in the remote corners of Ellesmere Island. Jim had done it all before — alone. He had encountered wolves in various parts, and had wonderful photographs to whet my appetite even more. He knew when and how the ice would behave, which vehicles could move with what, how aircraft could land and where — it was all straightforward to him. He was soon a crucial part of my team, and together we started planning.

Crew members load an ATV into the plane on Ellesmere Island

We did a fantastic arctic survival course with him near Reading and he was even able to provide a blizzard for us. Elements of the course included navigation, orientation and first aid. Though I was a soldier once, as was Jim, his expertise was second to none. Jim was able to highlight all the areas that would be a health and safety concern. His emergency plan would be vital to ensure that in the event of an accident on Ellesmere, a victim would get out alive…

This was a two-phase plan. Phase One, the recce, involved Jim McNeill and Assistant Producer, Harry Hoskyns-Abrahall. They would identify the wolf activity area before cameraman Mark Smith was flown out to join them for Phase Two.

– Fergus Beeley, Producer of White Falcon, White Wolf

The following are entries from the field diary of professional explorer Jim McNeill, written during the expedition on Ellesmere Island in preparation for the filming of White Falcon, White Wolf.

Photos © Mark Smith, 2007

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. Buy the DVD. The film premiered October 26, 2008.

(Click here for a printer-friendly version of this lesson.)

GRADE LEVEL: 9-11

TIME ALLOTMENT: Three 45-minute periods

OVERVIEW: This inquiry-based lesson plan will challenge students to design and conduct scientifically valid experiments to evaluate hypotheses regarding an animal’s expected behavior in response to changes in its environment.

Students will first view and analyze video segments from the NATURE film “Earth Navigators” as they begin to think about animal behavior as a response to stimulus in the environment. The video clips feature many different animal species reacting to changes in the environment by migrating from one part of the earth to another. Students will predict the reasons for these migrations and will determine the stimuli that actually trigger the animals to migrate.

Following the video exploration, students will conduct reading and research to learn about isopods (commonly known as pill bugs or roly polies). The students will use the information they gather to formulate research questions having to do with the isopods’ expected response to environmental stimulus. The students will design experiments that can be conducted in the classroom to test their hypotheses. They will conduct the student-designed experiments, collecting data and reporting their findings and conclusions. They will also make suggestions for future improvements in the experimental protocol.

SUBJECT MATTER: Living Environment/Biology

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Students will be able to:

• Draw connections between the migratory behavior of different animals and seasonal changes on Earth;
• Describe migration as an instance of behavioral response to stimulus;
• Using anatomical and environmental information, create a research question about an isopod’s behavior in response to environmental stimulus;
• Create a hypothesis that addresses the research question;
• Design and conduct an experiment to evaluate the hypothesis;
• Collect data from the experiment, describe results, and evaluate conclusions.

STANDARDS AND CURRICULUM ALIGNMENT:

CONTENT STANDARD A: As a result of activities in grades 9-12, all students should develop:

• Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
• Understandings about scientific inquiry

CONTENT STANDARD C: Life Science. As a result of activities in grades 9-12, all students should develop understandings of:

• Behavior of Organisms.

New York State Regents Core Curriculum Alignments
Living Environment Core Curriculum
STANDARD 1: Students will use mathematical analysis, scientific inquiry, and engineering designs, as appropriate, to pose questions, seek answers, and develop solutions

Key Idea 2: Beyond the use of reasoning and consensus, scientific inquiry involves the testing of proposed explanations involving the use of conventional techniques and procedures and usually requiring considerable ingenuity.

Performance Indicator 2.1: Devise ways of making observations to test proposed explanations.

Performance Indicator 2.3: Develop and present proposals including formal hypotheses to test explanations; i.e., predict what should be observed under specific conditions if the explanation is true.

Performance Indicator 2.4: Carry out a research plan for testing explanations, including selecting and developing techniques, acquiring and building apparatus, and recording observations as necessary.

Key Idea 3: The observations made while testing proposed explanations, when analyzed using conventional and invented methods, provide new insights into natural phenomena.

Performance Indicator 3.1: Use various methods of representing and organizing observations (e.g., diagrams, tables, charts, graphs, equations, matrices) and insightfully interpret the organized data.

STANDARD 4: Students will understand and apply scientific principles and theories pertaining to the physical setting and living environment and recognize the historical development of ideas in science.

Key Idea 5: Organisms maintain a dynamic equilibrium that sustains life.

Performance Indicator 5.3: Relate processes at the system level to the cellular level in order to explain dynamic equilibrium in multicelled organisms.

5.3a Dynamic equilibrium results from detection of and response to stimuli. Organisms detect and respond to change in a variety of ways both at the cellular level and at the organismal level.

Key Idea 6: Plants and animals depend on each other and their physical environment.

Performance Indicator 6.1: Explain factors that limit growth of individuals and populations.

6.1f Living organisms have the capacity to produce populations of unlimited size, but environments and resources are finite. This has profound effects on the interactions between organisms.

MEDIA COMPONENTS

Video

NATURE: Earth Navigators, selected clips

Clip 1: “Planetary Moves”

Introduction to four species’ migratory patterns.

Clip 2: “Monarch Migration”

The start of the monarch butterfly’s northward trek.

Clip 3: “Hungry Beasts”

Wildebeest and locusts on the move.

Clip 4: “Arctic Summer”

Many birds summer in the arctic.

Access the streaming and downloadable video segments for this lesson at the Video Segments Page.

Web Sites

FOSSWEB: Isopods
Includes general information on isopods and useful tips on how to find and keep pill bugs for the classroom

Isopod, Pillbug, Sow bug information
Includes general information on isopods

NCES Graphing Tutorial
This tutorial from the National Center for Education Statistics explains the various kinds of graphs and demonstrates how to build them.

MATERIALS

For the classroom:

• Computer and projection system for showing video clips
• Several computers for student use
  Chalkboard or whiteboard
• Isopods (pill bugs) in a terrarium or other classroom habitat (enough specimens for at least 15-20 per student group)
• Isopod Research Organizer Answer Key (PDF) (RTF)

Materials to be used in pill bug experiments (several of each):

• Paper towels or filter paper
• Eye droppers
• Portable Lamps
• Heat Packs
• Cold Packs
• Card stock or construction paper
• Substrate materials, e.g. sand, gravel, dirt, shredded paper, bark, etc.
• Thermometers

Per group of 3-4 students:

• Stopwatch
• Materials to make “test chambers”: Petri dishes or small disposable bowls or plates – enough for approx. 5 or 6 per group
• Roll of masking tape
• Scissors or art knife
• Paper cup
• Data Collection Chart
• Graph paper

Per student:

• Isopod Research Organizer (PDF) (RTF)
• Isopod Experiment Organizer (PDF) (RTF)
• Isopod Experiment Assessment Rubric (PDF) (RTF)
• Paper and pen

PREP FOR TEACHERS

Prior to teaching this lesson, you will need to:

Preview all of the video clips and Web sites used in the lesson.

Download the video clips used in the lesson to your classroom computer, or prepare to watch them using your classroom’s Internet connection.

Bookmark the Web sites used in the lesson on each computer in your classroom. Using a social bookmarking tool such as del.icio.us or diigo (or an online bookmarking utility such as portaportal) will allow you to organize all the links in a central location.

Procure live isopods (pill bugs) for the students to observe and use. Isopods are very easy to care for in the classroom, and can either be collected in the wild or ordered from a biological supply company. For more information on collecting, rearing, and keeping isopods in the classroom, see the two Isopod references mentioned in the “web sites” section.

Familiarize yourself with accepted guidelines for the safe and responsible handling of live animals in a classroom setting. The NSTA’s Responsible Use of Live Animals and Dissection in the Science Classroom and the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research’s Principles and Guidelines for the Use of Animals in Precollege Education are good general resources. Also check to see if your state or district has special animal handling guidelines or requirements.

Make copies of the Isopod Research Organizer and the Isopod Experiment Organizer for each student.

Next: Proceed to Activities