Secret Life of the Forest Episode 4 (Channel 5 Wednesday 8 March 2023)

Today Wednesday 8 March 2023, there is a new episode of Secret Life of the Forest.

Episode 4 At Dalby and Cropton Woods, the balmy Summer days keep on rolling. Yorkshire is nearly under drought conditions due to the lack of rain. But back in the beaver pond, the family is hard at work making it the ideal aquatic home. They now have two young kits to instruct in all their remarkable carpentry techniques. Having completed a dam that measures more than seventy meters in length, they have moved on to other construction projects, seemingly to increase their domain.

The young beavers can look forward to a learning experience. With hidden cameras, we can observe various young forest residents—from apprehensive fawns to badger cubs emerging from their dens for the first time and practicing their play fights with siblings. We may use these cameras to keep an eye on the beaver pond and its inhabitants as well.

Several species in Cropton have flourished since their introduction. A wide variety of amphibians, fish, and even a few lampreys have made their pond home. Herons enjoy eating all of these animals. We observe these apex predators as they stalk their prey by waiting in ambush by the water, their keen eyes scanning the area for any sign of life.

We also have a look around the valley’s distinctive tufa fens, where the water is rich in calcium. There are many rare flowers and butterflies in these meadows.

In such picturesque settings, it’s simple to forget that other, more sinister monsters are at work in the surrounding forest. The annual production of lumber is increased by 20,000 tons thanks to the use of giant equipment that can fell and strip a tree in a minute. Dalby is a major commercial timber operation, but there is still plenty of space for wildlife to flourish.

Airdate: Wednesday 8 March 2023 at 20:00 on Channel 5

Season 2 Episode 4

Filmed over one year, this four-part series reveals the spectacular beauty of England’s largest forest, Kielder, as it changes through the seasons. Situated in one of the wildest and most remote parts of the country, it’s home to some of Britain’s greatest and most secretive wildlife, from red squirrels to pine martens, feral goats to water voles and a variety of birds of prey.

Featured image credit: Channel 5