Wild Bavaria

Nature is the star of this mini-series but the human co-creators of this primal landscape have proven just as significant to the habitat. Shot over a 4-year-period, Jan Haft and his team used their state of the art camera equipment to capture nature's rawness. When newts gather for their bizarre mating display, wolfish mini-monsters hatch from tiny, white balls and a giant daddy longlegs takes a freezing shower, the big moments of these small creatures prove to be truly entertaining. Episode 1 of the “Wild Bavaria” mini series sets in when winter is still reigning in shadowy valleys but the spring sun melts the snow on the southern slopes of Bavaria's Alps. As the cold is receding, mysterious tracks appear on the remnants of snow. In the old days, human mountain dwellers took them for the marks of the Tatzel worm, a creepy being with a reptile body and the head of a cat. Today, biologists know better. This episode features how mating time comes when spring arrives. Animals covered include iconic mountain dwellers such as marmot, chamois and ibex, but also smaller, less conspicuous creatures including the Apollo butterfly and the giant weaver's snail. This film is yet another example of the outstanding cinematographic art of bio-geologist and director Jan Haft and his team. Their work conveys the countless wonders and beauty of the mountain landscape throughout the year with knowledge, but also with ease and humour.