An aerial camera mounted to the side of a helicopter captured this life-and-death fight between a pack of northern gray wolves, 25 strong, and a herd of wood bison in Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada’s Northwest Territories.
The warm-blooded animals and their high metabolisms in action across the snowy scene give little indication that the freezing Arctic temperature is in fact -40°F.
But cameraman Michael Calin, a southern California native out of his element filming for Discovery Channel's "Frozen Planet," learned a hard lesson on the dexterity of heavy gloves. They have none. He filmed the scene gloveless. (Next time I'm sure he'll remember to pack a pair of fingerless gloves).
Calin operated the insulated camera from inside the helicopter using a computer and joystick.
Discovery producer Jason Robey details the behind-the-scenes action in his blog here:
Frozen Planet — a seven-part series from the co-producers of Planet Earth and Life — premieres Sunday, March 18, at 8 p.m. Eastern/Pacific on Discovery Channel.
