"In spring, flocks of birds return from the far off south, flying over city scapes created by man, and unerringly, without compass or map, gather outside of civilization." "THE LAST OASIS" "We are in Europe, high above one of the rare scenes of untouched nature, over the Balkans in a broad expanse of forest, water and marshy area between two rivers, the Danube and the Drava, in Yugoslavia." "We will descend into this oasis under the condition that we do not distrub the relations which have prevailed here since time immemorial." "It is wise to go unnoticed, for wild boars, if they feel endangered, can simply snap off a leg with their powerful tusks!" "Birds are the least dangerous here, and there are almost three hundred kinds, making this spot unique in the world." "Wherever we look we see the most varied kinds of wild animals." "Everywhere - on the ground, in trees - there are countless insects, and the marshy waters hold fish which have never seen fishermen or fishhooks." "We wonder - how do they live?" "Well, theres rivalry, and instinct - the same as in humans - but there are also differences." "Dont take these cute kittens onto your lap, or else Accident!" "And no ones hurt!" "Theres no fine and no one loses his licence." "Live craters in the sand." "Well come back to them, but this little bug had better run before its too late!" "The law says:" "You must eat to survive." "Birds are fond of good fish." "This one seems to be choosy!" "He doesnt like fish that arent fresh!" "But if its fresh and tasty, then..." "Red wine goes well with fish, but if theres none a sip of marsh water does the trick." "Night falls on the oasis." "The animal world is not romantically inclined." "Night is only a period of increased activity." "There he is!" "Our friend from the accident, still hauling his precious load of food." "During the night some will find booty and some will be casualities." "This badger certainly did not leave the underground to catch a breath of fresh air." "Nor the owl to stretch his wings!" "A skunk has found his favorite treat - birds eggs!" "Hes called a bat." "And he certainly isnt blind." "The spider has a long way to go." "He waves his trap all night long and moves into action at dawn." "His web is seven times sronger than steel and condolences to those who fall into it!" "And so it goes, nonstop." "He devours ten times his weight a day." "Birds are more modest:" "They only eat their weight in food each day." "There they are:" "They even have night duty above the water to supplement their daily meal." "Danger lurks everywhere!" "The hamster is cautious." "When hes sure its safe - he comes out to gather some fresh seeds, then back into his hole!" "And then - hes petrified with fear!" "The hamster is Mr. Foxs favorite treat, especially if hes well-fed." "Saved - just in time!" "The ducks appearance drew all attention to him." "What a strange game." "We know the fox doesnt like water, but why doesnt the duck flap his wings and fly away?" "The answer is simple - he cant!" "Ducks change feathers twenty days out of the year." "During this time their wings are useless." "After this horrible sight, the hamster abandons any further search for food." "Hes right." "One fox devours up to one thousand of his kin a year." "Better hungry and hidden than full and dead!" "Until daybreak several more will be victims and some will get a good mouthful." "The transition between night and day has a special charm." "Grass is never so juicy and sweet as when freshened by dew at dawn." "That is of course, if you like grass!" "The most piercing sound heard in the oasis is the stags bellow." "This is neither a battle cry nor any other kind of menace." "But for one day and night during mating season the stag bellows forth around 3OO times." "The bellow of a proud male is actually a love call to the doe." "The time for love has come." "The stags bellow is also a warning to other antlered pashas:" "Keep away from my harem!" "Lts not said in vain:" "If it werent for love the world would be barren!" "When two geese fly in a pair like this, theres no doubt - its love!" "When birds fall in love they never think of any other partner" "There you are, couples as far as the eye can see." "And no domestic triangles!" "The animal world doesnt have whispers and gentle words like we do, for love is conquered by instincts, rivalry and fights over females." "Watch carefully:" "First they go a bit side by side... and then..." "Charge!" "What happened?" "Why did they stop fighting so suddenly?" "Ltll soon be clear!" "A young stag whose antlers only matured last year took advantage of the situation to grab someone elses female." "This time it wont work." "Pheasants are well known for polygamy, too." "Spry Don Juans with beautiful multicolored feathers wont even let anyone near their females." "Were watching an unusual situation." "A pheasant without his own harem just cant leave his neighbors lovenest." "Its not easy to be a voyeur next to so many females." "No one likes to have a stranger fool around with his females." "This really is the last straw!" "The lord of the manner lunges at the intruder." "Time passes by." "The harem owner shows signs of tiring and in the end - he gives up!" "His opponent wont deliver the final blow - it is sufficient to acknowledge defeat and surrender the harem." "Heres one more couple in love, but they are a bit strange." "At first glance their pecks ressemble a quarrel more than lovers kisses." "Obviously, the male is full of initiative but shes not roused." "Maybe hes not her type." "Or maybe this is all merely a normal overture a la tortoise?" "Persistence guarantees success." "When it looks as though things are settled - nix again!" "A spiders web sometimes witnesses lyrical scenes." "Their heads are spinning from love!" "But, as soon as the jobs done, the male clears out." "Hes not naive - when passions cool off the female unexpectedly devours her partner!" "Here they are together again and things start anew!" "She takes off running and he persistently joins the chase." "And finally - a happy end!" "Just like the movies." "When stags sharpen their antlers a jousting match is imminent." "Gentle does withdraw to the spectators stands and two powerful males fight for the championship." "Their antlers alone weight around 12 kilos and if one of them succeeds in freeing his grip and plunges a sharp point into his opponents stomach, the match is over." "They can fight like this from morning to night." "Strong antlers are often a deciding factor, but in this case both rivals are highly ranked." "This is not surprising:" "Deer from this region have been world champions for 25 years in antler size and beauty." "Cases are known where two stags lie dead, their antlers interwined." "Exhausted by the fight, they didnt have the strength to disentangle them and separate!" "A few hundred meters further, in the forest, a similar battle takes place." "The same grip with powerful pincers, and - females waiting the result of the match between two stag beetles." "Females are always off to one side, but after two hours of fighting, it seems that the does have lost patience." "Since they cant choose the one they like, they might as well find out who they belong to." "But time passes." "Those living in the oasis, and among them this owl who was awakened from his daytime sleep, will watch this free fight between irreconcilable opponents" "There are as many styles of loving as there are animal types" "In the bird kingdom there are no battles over females." "Only love, gentleness and fidelity." "In passing, a child might ask:" "If storks bring children to humans, who brings little storks into the world?" "Females always receive special attention." "They must be courted and sometimes gently stroked." "This pair of praying mantises seems to be resting after the ritual of love." "Wrong!" "They are at the height of their experience." "No temperament compared to the rhythm of love of two ladybugs!" "Howerer, the praying matis love has a second act, too:" "After all that fervor, the female eats the male!" "That is the males last pleasure." "Wherever you look - love is present!" "In the world of the oasis, only the dragonfly has a short prelude." "He doesnt live long and only has time to love!" "They call it the prussian carp." "Its a strange animal - it doesnt care about love and fertilizes itself, without a partner." "Since were already in water, heres another unusual creature." "It gets around like a fish, but its actually an insect." "What is an insect looking for in the water?" "Lf they only could, these poor wretches would answer us:" "This diver is carnivorous and appreciates good fish." "Bite by bite - eaten alive!" "After the feast, this amphibian comes out on dry land to take in reserves of oxygen." "Then - back into the water." "Heres something else not often seen." "Flying ants." "Once a year ants grow wings and the wedding feasts begins." "Once love has taken place in the air, the male dies." "The female survives but only two or three out of a thousand are fertilized." "Lets watch one of the fertilized females." "She quickly leaves the scene of love and death and withdraws to the underground forever." "She discards her wings, her wedding dress, and her gloomy drama begins in solitude." "But this is also the most wonderful example of motherhood." "When she lays her first eggs, she is already exhausted and looks like a skeleton." "Manaced by death, she eats an egg." "For every egg she eats she lays two or three more." "All this time, the wonderful mother remains underground." "She will never again see the light of day and the world above with all the natures beauties." "She will spend her life in eternal darkness, caring for her descendants." "Here we see her carrying the larvae from one place to another searching for the spot with the best temperature for their development." "As soon as the first ants break through their casings, their mothers worries are over." "From that moment on they take on the responsability for food and posterity." "The anthill comes to life." "Mother remains in the dark." "Once fertilized, until her death shell bring to life up to 5O." "OOO ants." "If there werent any ants to destroy plant lice and... caterpillars, the forest oasis would not be so dense and green" "So, anthil to anthil - separated only by little streams." "But whats going on?" "Ants never hurry so headlong in several columns!" "Doesnt this look like a bridge made out of ant bodies?" "What are they looking for on a leaf in the water?" "Where are their boats headed?" "Obviously, they are transferring to the other shore where theres an anthill with pharoah ants." "We are witnessing real wartime operations." "It starts will a well-organized landing of red ants on the pharoah ants territory." "There are very few warriors as brave and skillful as the ant." "And there are very few who hate each other a much as the red and pharoah ants." "Chest to chest, eye to eye - all along the width and breadth of the front." "The red ants are twice as big, but the pharoahs are more numerous and no less aggressive." "In the clash of ants, there are no retreats or white flags." "A torn off head, a headless body, they still dont withdraw, as though they want to continue the fight!" "The end once again shows the futility of war." "Will the ants disappear from the oasis because of such clashes?" "No!" "August will come again and several females, through their sacrafices, will create posterity." "Nature takes care of everything." "Nearby, the water is full of loach and this duck adores them." "As soon as he sees one - gulp!" "As he devours a second one and lies in wait for a third, the first one saved himself - he got out on the back door!" "How?" "Heres how:" "The duck has very simple digestion canal and the loach is very, very - slippery!" "Little by little..." "little by little and once more in the water, free!" "And the duck?" "The duck is under the illusion that hes filled his belly!" "Or is something fishy going on here?" "The case of the loach is an exception." "Many birds who live here are the terror of the fish world." "Theres never a lack of fish!" "They come from rivers, and when the channels dry up, they remain here to spawn." "Due to the strange shape of their beaks, these birds are called - spoonbills!" "When these spoons dip into shallow water, they scoop up two or three victims!" "The cormorant." "The first thing that stands out is his unusual fan-shaped tail." "In the water, these fans turn into excellent ores and - watch out fish!" "Each bird has a different fishing style." "If a harrier or large white-tailed eagle appears in the sky, even more fish will be killed." "But birds, too." "Divers immediately forget their hunger." "They quickly go deep under water to avoid their day of reckoning!" "The white-tail is the largest eagle in Europe." "He terrorizes everything." "His nest, on the top of the highest tree, is inaccessible to others." "The young do not leave the nest for a full two months but their parents constantly bring them freshly-caught fish or carrion they have found." "Sitll, there are fewer and fewer of them in the oasis." "If a female lays two eggs, only one baby eagle will remain in the nest." "Immediately upon hatching, the stronger baby eats his weaker brother." "For this reason, a nest with two babies is a rarity." "Birds everywhere." "Each is always with its own flock!" "However, this is an exceptional case." "A swan among wild geese!" "Ls he trying to have a love affair?" "Certainly not!" "Lf he was that abnormal, the swan would probably choose these Great White Herons who have beautiful bodies similar to his with only a somewhat shorter neck." "The copper heron, also called the squacco heron, can squat like this for hours." "But when he takes off, we know hes looking for..." "Excuse me!" "Hes looking for a new parking space!" "Birds of prey, for example this dangerous harrier, devour everything they catch, like..." "Again!" "Birds, fish and frogs." "Have you ever seen this bird before?" "Lts another kind of stork - yes, it nests on warm chimneys, too." "But this is a black stork, always found far from civilization." "And it is slowly disappearing." "One of them led us to a remote corner of the oasis where we suddenly came upon several pairs." "Many zoos try to get them, but in vain." "They say these birds are so valuable that each is worth a new car and an expensive one, too." "Once again - an entire parking lot." "Only once a year, many types of animals gather together in the marsh." "Then the landscape changes:" "Everything turns to yellow." "It is so tasty and sweet that even the cursed meat eaters find it hard to resist." "This delicacy only lasts several days, then suddenly disappears." "And once again fish becomes the main food." "They say that birds sometimes organize joint fishing efforts." "We are watching one right now!" "As though by agreement, numerous colonies gather at almost the same time on both shores." "When all the flocks are in place, an unusual silence falls." "And then - all together!" "Strategic movements!" "The left and right flanks rush toward the water and beat on the surface, scaring the fish, which are driven toward one shore!" "The frightened fish are pushed into a narrow space in the shallow water where they are easy prey for those flying." "In the brutal animal world, nature has bestowed on many types of animals feelings of love toward their offspring." "There are no limits to a mothers tenderness." "While she carresses and licks him, she simultaneously absorbs his smell which will let her recognize him unmistakenly among hundreds of other fawns." "The doe only leaves her baby when she must look for food, but she first hides him well." "She will only leave when she has made certain that there are no foxes, eagles or any other danger nearby." "Contrary to the doe, the wild boar, who is a less gentle mother, never leaves her young ones alone." "Unaware of danger, this little one has left the shelter." "What attracts him?" "A wild world as yet unseen by his curious eyes?" "And then he notices something." "Who is that?" "They rush to greet each other, feeling the intimacy that brings two of the same kind together." "While playing, our little one has forgotten his mother, but when he feels hungry, he looks for food where hes used to finding it." "And of course - what a disappointment!" "When his friend leaves, he sets out over the broad oasis in search of his mother." "After wandering for a long time, he came across a herd of stags and does." "The fawn is sure hes found his herd, that he will finally find milk." "Look:" "In searching for milk, he even approaches a haughty, antlered male." "This is simply - an insult!" "But, surely the one who feeds him is here somewhere!" "Maybe someone will come up to him?" "Yes!" "No, they wont!" "No one pays attention to him, so hell try again." "No, no one wants him here!" "Where is the one who licked him, caressed him and fed him?" "Where is his mother?" "Alone in a forest full of danger." "The eagle cant see the field mouse, but he knows his favorite treat is hidden nearby." "They dont call him the mousing eagle for nothing." "Turn your head if you cant watch this heartless execution!" "But thats how it is in the animal world." "The stronger ones win, the weaker ones die." "Now watch how the doe reacts when she discovers that her little fawn has become the victim of something stronger" "As though she doesnt believe it!" "As though she wont admit that this is the massacred body of her baby." "The same sorrow that man feels!" "The wild boar has completely different feelings." "She feeds and guards her young, wont let them wander off, but if one dies - she shows no sorrow and - eats it!" "Her logic is probably:" "Better me than someone else!" "The doe would never do that." "The weak usually die, but not always." "The hedgehog, for example, quickly rolls up whenever in danger, and if you like it - help yourself!" "The fox is - foxy!" "He withdraws as though giving up, and when the impudent hedgehog unrolls and uncovers his soft, sweet stomach, he will suddenly grab him." "After his failure, the fox suddenly remembers:" "The hedgehog opens up when he gets wet." "Why not urinate on him?" "Wonderful idea!" "The hedgehog quickly turns on his back and bristles his quills" "And quills arent very tasty!" "Maybe another time, when it really rains!" "When prey is concerned, the spider is - very assured!" "While waiting for its victims, it watches with six eyes, since it has three pairs." "Here they come!" "Lt doesnt matter if the unlucky ones are a lot bigger than the spider:" "This advantage doesnt help in the web." "First it paralyzes them with its poison, enough so the victim doesnt offer resistance, and then it winds a little fine home made thread up and down." "There is never a shortage of thread:" "The spider can secrete thread several miles long." "Sometimes it hides, holding a thread, and when the web shakes a little it quickly runs to greet the new guest!" "Some disappear, others arrive!" "Look how it spins!" "As though its pedalling a bike!" "Lf a man were ever wrapped up like this, hed never free himself." "Not even Houdini!" "Always insatiable, a spider may invade anothers web." "The survivor immediately continues hunting." "And its good that it does." "Some scientists claim that if spiders and their webs didnt exist, insects would multiply so much that they would form a covering arround the world pierced by only the tallest buildings!" "As fatal as the spider is for many insects, the preying mantis has his number." "The spider is wrong to attack." "Remember:" "This is that dangerous one who eats her husband." "She usually goes straight for the head." "Since the spider has lost its head, the next victim is in line." "A rare miss, but the preying mantis isnt a lion and will therefore try again." "Save yourself if you can!" "Resounds a little caterpiller." "If we should come across a swarm of bees in our oasis, this doesnt mean that well see a beehive." "But the bees must have a refuge and, here it is in the hollow of a three-hundred-old oak." "No beekeeper, but still - inside it looks just like a beehive." "These are called wild bees and they are smaller than tame ones." "The difference is that the honey and pollen they gather are not used by anyone else but them." "We wonder:" "How can young bees, who have just come out of larvae find fields of flowers?" "An older bee will show them using these movements which they understand." "Pastures are sometimes over five miles away, and some bees damage their delicate wings and die." "But others continue to work tirelessly for the collective." "This - as you will surely recognize - is a doe, and to her right is - excuse the expression - excrement." "We would never pay attention to it if it werent for the dung beetles we find in every such pile." "What are they doing there?" "Well, take a look:" "They are breaking up the pile, as much as each can hold." "Why?" "Because that is their - dont get sick - favorite food." "One would even say - a delicacy." "When they remove as much as they need they become - sculptors and make balls out of the material." "And then an unusual cross country race begins!" "The balls are - obviously - of different sizes depending on the beetles strenght and appetite!" "Watch the rolling technique closely." "They push the balls with their back legs and give direction with their front legs, and their heads are right next to the ground." "So they cant see where theyre going." "Dung beetles were known more than 2.OOO years ago." "If they made balls and pushed them way back then, then congratulations!" "Their balls were the prototype of the wheel which was discovered much later." "Rascal!" "Lts bad enough to push such a ball, all he needs is a stowaway." "One obstacle after another and finally - home sweet home." "And the other one?" "A rise separates him from his goal." "He must try with all his strength." "Just a little bit more!" "Here we witness something found in our world as well." "You can always find those who chase the easy life!" "Why should he get his hands dirty, make balls and roll them, if he can appear when the works done?" "Still, if these pushers and fliers didnt exist - the oasis would be full of such unpleasant piles." "A little farther off theres another, bigger casualty." "And, as it usually goes, a second, then third pretender quickly arrives for the tasty meat of this unlucky pheasant." "The prey is big, but the one who caught it doesnt want to divide the spoils." "It seems that their beaks are their main weapons." "But this is only an illusion." "The hardest blow comes from the foot!" "There is something unusual everywhere in the oasis." "Water has withdrawn and is only left in the largest recesses;" "some fish did not leave on time." "When animals get upset collectively - something is happening!" "Whether a swarm of gadflies attacked the deer or not, well soon see, but this little fugitive is obviously escaping from their hooves!" "The stampede has passed and here he is!" "Hes come to show us the secret of the living craters which are, rightly so, near some bushes full of insects." "Naive little bug!" "Lf he was smart hed skedaddle as fast as his legs could go!" "The trap is simple." "The ejected sand creates a sliding area, the ground under the victims feet moves and he falls deeper and deeper into the crater where the powerful pincers of the underground killer await!" "Horrible death!" "Buried alive in the sand where the merciless executioner is in his element!" "Here is an example of exceptional solidarity." "This brave ant wants to help a victim who has, as the saying goes, one foot in the grave!" "His persistence paid off." "Not meant to be a victim, he hits solid ground, but unfortunately his rescuer took his place!" "The troublemaker is called the ant lion since he loves ants." "However, he wont let anything pass by, not even an insect twice his size and much stronger than he is." "Here, he won the first round, but its a big bite!" "Lf he didnt let him go hed be outside the hole, too, and there hes on foreign ground!" "After a while, the ant lion starts to eject all his victims and it looks as though he was joking." "Not so." "Only the shell is untouched." "The rest has been sucked out." "From time to time the ant lion leaves his shelter to get a breath of fresh air and to see whats new." "What a mistake!" "Hes not so scary outside the trap." "Theres an executioner for him, too." "This time hes appropriately dressed in a black suit." "We wondered earlier if a swarm of gadflies scared the deer." "Certainly not, since all the animals panicked together when they felt the heat and ominous smell of smoke and fire brought by the wind." "Danger reconciles the intolerances between species." "Their common goal is to leave their fiery surroundings as fast as possible!" "Only the birds prey can be seen circling above the flames, searching for prey, maybe a well-cooked field mouse, or whatever else they can find." "In this increasing drama, first prize goes to a sure shelter." "You own or someone elses - its all the same." "Deep underground its only a little bit warmer, but, all things considered, bearable, even - comfortable!" "Only the heaven can save them!" "Lf it opens up and pours." "Fireman of the gods!" "Until then, many will die." "The anthill only burned on the outside, but underground life goes on." "And that is selection:" "Those who cant escape or reach a pond - are left behind!" "Lts going to rain!" "These bugs also predict rain." "Theyre weathermen." "As soon as they run underground its a sign of cooler days." "When the sky opens up and douses the flame, the air in the oasis is fresh and full of ozone." "Yes, it is a bit slippery, but this is the last effort before winter to make a valuable supply of food." "We salute the dung beetle and - bon appetit!" "In the fall, rain freshens the grass, rising streams bring fresh fish and there are seeds everywhere." "Its a birds paradise, one would think!" "But this isnt so." "Now when food is in abundance and the temperature is fine - they will leave." "There is the scout." "He circles the sky for days to determine air pressure, humidity and the best weather for the trip." "He does this unerringly." "The best weathermen envy him." "Birds have their own calendar." "When they are disturbed and fly off in flocks:" "Cold days are approaching." "While the flock flies off, this small white heron seems to be sad at leaving the oasis blessings." "Thats not the reason." "An injured wing wont allow her to make the long trip." "For the moment, its not too serious." "She wont starve and shes not alone." "When the last flock left, the heron tried to flutter upwards, but in vain." "She could only watch the flock leave with the mate she had lived with for so long in faithful love." "She had never spent a winter alone away from the warm south." "And as we watched her sad and abandoned, another small white heron appeared in the sky." "Who knows when her mate noticed that she wasnt with the flock." "Here he is, hes coming back!" "How wonderful it is to have wings, yet to stay faithful." "To share the bad as they shared the good." "The hedgehog filled his storehouse long ago with food and now hes fixing it up a bit before stretching out for winter" "But how to fasten these on, when you dont have hands?" "Heres how:" "He turns over on his back, jabs the leaves like the park maintenance men do, and then takes the leaves to his shelter to make a softer bed!" "Animals usually group together to face the hardships of winter." "Well never see so many deer in a herd during summer." "The time of bellows and love has passed." "Is this a proud deer who cannot accept the friendship of his former rivals?" "No, thats not it!" "The years have taken their toll." "He is no longer the solder who fought duels from morning to night with similarly matched opponents." "He is dying a natural death of old age." "His strong love call will no longer pierce the air." "Hell last today." "Then the birds of prey will smell him." "And only bones and antlers will remain." "Will they live to see the little herons return from the sunny south?" "While many are preparing for survival, wild boars are just starting their love rites." "Foam around the snout - like shaving cream - is the best sign that a battle will soon begin between the males." "Will the big, old boar be the winner again this winter, or will he cede his place to younger boars?" "The decision lies in this duel!" "Body to body the fight, for whoever reaches his opponents side with his hooves is the winner!" "The old one proved that he is still without equal." "He won, but doesnt it seem as though he wonders - why did I fight that fellow anyway?" "Because of the females, of course." "Mating time has come!" "A little obligatory prelude, and in the spring there will be cute little babies in the oasis wearing striped jerseys!" "When winter comes to the oasis, there is less and less food." "Why are these birds returning now, we wonder?" "These arent the same ones!" "In the middle of winter around ten thousand geese from Siberia land in the oasis." "It is so cold in the far north that their stay here is like a summer vacation." "And theres more food than is Siberia." "The geese spend two or three months here, leave their tracks as a sign that they have visited, and then gather together again and return to their homeland." "If a goose should stay behind, since its not attached to its place of birth, it will have an easier time during winter than the other oasis inhabitants." "Theres no problem on the snow and hard ground, but what about when you have to cross the ice and nature didnt endow you with any talent for ballet?" "For whatever reason he started off with his 2OO kilograms - for food or a female waiting on the other shore - ice represents a real trial, even for those who are much lighter and more graceful!" "Lf winter lasted 12 months - hed learn pirouettes and figure eights!" "Just go slowly and double-clutch!" "Thats it!" "Left... right!" "Left... right!" "Good." "Thats it..." "Right!" "Left!" "Bravo, just a little bit more..." "Dry land again!" "Winter freezes the water, but snow quenches your thirst, too." "Its harder to find food, especially for vegetarians." "Every winter, around February, the deer experience something unpleasant - they shed their beautiful, powerful antlers." "Heres that moment!" "Only a painful wound remains where new, even more beautiful antlers will grow several months later." "Until then - humiliation." "Young deer who will not lose their modest antlers for two or three months more, now have the advantage." "Their time has come." "When deer lose their other antler, the young ones become even more daring." "They attack, provoke, then break off in front of the almost-sacred males who are forced to retreat or humorously defend themselves with their hooves." "These fledglings get up their courage and are even capable of attacking the harem masters females." "Our herons!" "As though they want to show that cold and hunger cannot outweigh the warmth of love which has joined them together by fate!" "Many animals endlessly wander through the baren oasis." "They are looking under the snow and ice for a stray acorn, hidden worm, periwinkle or some moss - anything to satisfy their hunger." "Those few birds who remain in the oasis or who were too young to fly off with the flock - dont give up fishing." "Where did this water come from in the middle of the frozen lake its not by chance!" "When water starts to freeze, birds peck at the first film and wont let the ice harden." "Heres a small problem!" "Lts easy to swallow small fish, but what if it weighs more than a kilo?" "This sea gull starts with the eyes and then slowly hollows it out." "This gray heron takes a risk and swallows it whole... whatever the result." "In you go!" "Better dead with a full stomach than dead with an empty one!" "Lt has snowed heavily as we once again look for our small herons." "We only found the female with her broken wing." "No, the male didnt abandon her to save himself from the cold and hunger." "He stayed here - frozen!" "Able to fly off, and faithful to the end!" "This is a sad ending to all those flights together." "You surely remember the old oak and its bees." "Theyre still there, but there is no longer enough food for everyone." "Only the strongest will see the arrival of spring with new flowers full of polen and nectar." "Still they struggle..." "move..." "live!" "Just to escape from this horrible icy grave." "Who knows, maybe shell catch sight of her flock of herons in the sky as they return to the oasis with spring?" "In the middle of winter the oasis gets its first babies." "These are the only young ones to first see the world when it is white and unpleasantly cold." "Nature has made them more resistant than other offspring, and their parents have woven a warm, comfortable nest." "Mother anxiously takes care of her striped children who dont look at all like their powerful, dangerous parents." "She never lets them wander off." "The young ones dont want to." "Just a few meters away from the nest, then quickly, back home." "Shes still here!" "As though she defies everything and lives for herself and her mate, for that suspended love from the time they flew side by side over the swamps..." "How many more days and nights will pass until the earth thaws, grass sprouts and the branches are adorned with leaves?" "Everything has disappeared!" "The last leaf, periwinkle, snail or grass, anything that helps to survive." "Ice has conquered the water, fish have disappeared from the rare unfrozen fishing spots." "Of the hundred birds that remained here all winter, only a few will greet the warmer days of spring." "Look!" "Water broke through, making little puddles." "This is the first indication that the hungry otters suffering came to an end." "The breath of a warmer breeze can already be felt." "Spring is coming to awaken life on the battlefield of death." "Soon the first flowers will arrive, nature will turn green, and begin to flower and sprout to the great joy of all those living in the oasis." "When the first flock of birds appeared in the sky, our little heron wanted to rush and greet them, to tell them everything about the winters drama, about her mates death and the love that kept her alive." "Once again there are thousands of birds in the oasis." "Some will build new nests, some will find old ones and fix them to be more comfortable than last year." "Spring cleaning has begun!" "And just when the marsh is filling up with water, when the birds are mating, when pairs are forming, our little heron received her biggest blow." "She is only a foreigner to the flocks which have arrived from the south." "No one accepts her - no one wants her!" "The fruits of love are arriving." "Everywhere:" "In nests, trees, under water." "New inhabitants of the oasis will be born, after breaking their shells or larvae, or after their painful birth." "Their first weak voices will be heard, chirping or grunting." "They will be cared for and watched over, licked, defended, loved and nursed to able their first independent steps, to become stronger and grow." "The oasis will be full of new life." "New antlers will once more sprout on the old deer, full of hormones for growth and strength, for new exploits." "Nature has taken care of everything." "The yong ones are coming of age." "As they play in their innocence, these little ones remind us of likable, mischievous children, that is until they lose their stripes and grow large hooves." "Offsprings are growing and becoming independent." "Two hours ago they were born, and their mother already considers them grown up." "Once in the water - theyll swim." "Theyll soon terrorize the fish or be the victim of stronger." "Everything will repeat itself, endlessly in a circle." "The deers bellow will again resound." "There will be dramas, battles and love." "They will defend themselves and attack, destroy each other and search for food." "They will fight over females, flee from the elements, die and be born." "But everything will be perfectly normal!" "This is natural selection." "It doesnt prevent the continuation of species, but rather strengthens them." "We came here under the condition that we not disturb the relations that have always existed." "We leave the oasis with the desire that civilization will not destroy the last stronghold of these creatures." "We must let them live." "For there is the danger that one day man will be alone on this planet." "Director of photography:" "Second camera:" "Editor:" "Sound Editor:" "Production consultants:" "Written and directed by:"