Introduction: Great Bear Stakeout (01:47)

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There are more grizzlies in Alaska than anywhere else on Earth. A BBC team ventures there to live amongst these bears for five months. The mission is to get closer to their lives than ever before.

Hungry Bears Everywhere (02:15)

The film crew arrives in southern Alaska in May. The grizzlies have just awakened from hibernation, and they have not eaten for months. Bear expert Chris Morgan leads the team, which camps with only a small, electric fence for protection.

Very Close Encounter (02:42)

The team first encounters a mother with cubs, which leads to a tense standoff. The only protection the men have is a can of bear spray. Morgan coaches them on how to act to prevent an aggressive response.

Grizzly Family (04:23)

These bears have never been hunted, so they do not see people as threats. The crew meets Parsnip, a first-time mom with two five-month-old cubs. Van is the type of large male that is known to kill cubs to mate, but he is mostly interested in Alice.

Mom Makes a Mistake (03:54)

A desperate Parsnip wanders into the surf in search of fish, putting her cubs in jeopardy. Wren is swept away by the current and presumed dead. Only half of all cubs survive their first year.

Defending Alice (04:36)

More grizzlies emerge from hibernation and enter the meadow to gorge on vegetation. Guide Buck Wilde finds evidence that a very large male is in the area. Van chases off an interloper; Parsnip and baby Pushki want no part of this aggression.

Brief Reprieve (04:23)

Parsnip believes she has found a safe spot for her cub until Van corners her. The crew anticipates tragedy, but the bigger bear decides a cliffside battle is not worth it. Ultimately, a bald eagle drives Parsnip off.

Dramatic Crossing (04:02)

Mother and cub head back to the beach to forage for food. Pushki must put on a lot of weight before the long winter. The crew is stunned as Parsnip leads her cub into the cold water again.

Mating Season Begins (05:52)

The crew looks on as a grizzly gnaws on a camera. Makes ready to reproduce arrive from miles away, sizing each other up, scent marking everything in sight, and looking for blonde females. They stay out of the much bigger Van’s way.

Island Sanctuary (03:20)

Wilde's team successfully tracks down Parsnip and Pushki; they have finally found a safe refuge, away from the other grizzlies. Mom must teach her cub how to be a bear. He will be pushed out to fend for himself in a couple of years.

Love, War, and Deceit (05:52)

Hormone-addled males have started to fight each other; the winners get to mate with the fittest females. They are usually not seriously hurt, but close matches can turn deadly. Van's sole focus on Alice is unusual for a bear; she is not quite as faithful.

Grizzly Training (07:30)

Parsnip chases and tussles with Pushki to prepare her cub for the challenges ahead. Van keeps watch over Alice until another female catches his attention. The crew evacuates the area as tempers flare, and Van shocks by killing the female.

Credits: Great Bear Stakeout: Episode 1 (00:34)

Credits: Great Bear Stakeout: Episode 1