Hungry Like The Wolf

This evening I found myself eating mutton chops whilst watching White Wolf on National Geographic Wild. An oddly ironic juxtaposition, I thought, considering the carnivorous nature of both viewer and viewed. The documentary dated from 1989 but was ageless in its beauty. And there wasn't a single mention of global warming which was a sort of relief for those of us who prefer to be in denial.

There's a point, well several really, as you're watching these fine creatures that you feel distinctly second rate. It put me in mind of Lawrence's poem on the mountain lion when he has that wonderfully and rather chillingly fascist thought about getting rid of a million or two people to allow for the survival of the lion and you know exactly what he means. Not very nice but sort of exhilarating.

National Geographic Wild achieves a kind of perfection. The adverts (for its own programmes) are repetitive and rubbish, and the commentaries on the actual documentaries are occasionally inane (why don't they just give them all to Attenborough and guarantee some quality?) but it's the work of a moment to hit the mute button and just bask in the pictures.

What is it about the Arctic winter that is so utterly compelling? Catch it while it lasts folks.