The Power of Endurance: The Swans of the Russian Tundra

In spring, tundra swans depart northern Japan for Siberia. The latest research has revealed their destination to be a bitterly cold land at 70 degrees north latitude, near the mouth of the great Kolyma River. Once there, the swans must raise their chicks in 3 months, when the snow and ice thaw between June and September. As foxes and seagulls lurk and look for opportunities to strike, the parents fiercely defend their eggs and young. An intense drama unfolds against the beauty of the tundra's short summer. (NHK / Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai)