Wild Britain - Season 2018 Episode 2

Take a walk in Britain's forests, and you'll find yourself amongst majestic trees, some of them thousands of years old. Peer behind the curtain of leaves, and a magical world is revealed. Be in the right place at the right time, and you never know what you might find. This episode travels the length of the country to reveal Britain's elusive forest animals. It opens by revealing a booming population of Wild Boar in the Forest of Dean. Hunted out of Britain 300 years ago they're bouncing back – there are now more than a thousand here. Their presence – and vast appetite – threatens the existence of the Forest's other wildlife, including its glorious bluebells. But using a state-of-the-art thermal imaging camera we reveal that the boar actually benefit the other creatures. Goshawks, fierce birds of prey known to attack humans encroaching on their turf, are also spreading, largely unseen. Rare footage from a goshawk nest gives an insight into their family life. And we discover their hunting prowess – their power and agility mean they can fly at 40mph even through a tangle of trees. Nothing is safe from this ultimate forest hunter. We witness the heart-warming moment a family of badger cubs emerges from underground for the first time; a treetop encounter between two feisty red squirrels; the breeding ritual of Fallow Deer in the New Forest; the aggressive antics of the exotic-looking Purple Emperor butterfly; a remarkable centrally-heated Wood Ant nest in Scotland's chilly Caledonian Forest; and meet the lucky B&B owners who are paid daily visits by a family of Pine Martens. We reveal that Britain's forest wildlife is making a comeback. It may not be long before you have a pine marten or even a wild boar on your doorstep!