“Wolves Up Close” is a 44-minute National Geographic wildlife documentary hosted and produced by explorer and film maker Bertie Gregory. The documentary, which premiered on Friday, Nov. 6, follows a wolf pack led by an alpha wolf named Kona, whom Gregory tracked and documented at different times for about eight years.
The film follows Kona and his pack in Hudson Bay, Canada, through severe winter conditions when food is scarce. To survive, the wolves take on high-risk, large prey, including a rare hunt against a bull moose.
“Wolves Up Close” is certainly a captivating film if you’re someone who loves wildlife like I do. Gregory explains everything in great detail, which I found very helpful. It was amazing to see how much of a connection Gregory had with these wolves, especially Kona.
The documentary opens introducing Gregory and his field crew: 30-year-old local wildlife guide Mike Reimer, who is helping track Kona and his pack, and Albert “Butch” Saunders, a Swampy Cree First Nations guide and elder.
Without roads, the crew relies on snowmobiles and other all-terrain vehicles to pursue the pack. Gray wolf territories can span up to 100 miles, so the crew acts quickly to keep pace with the moving animals.
The crew encounters setbacks early on along the Hudson Bay, a region home not only to gray wolves but also to polar bears and moose. Navigating the terrain requires patience and caution, especially when approaching wildlife. Their first hurdle was a moose, a potentially aggressive animal that forces the team to keep a safe distance. To survive the harsh environment, these massive creatures consume up to 50 pounds of willows daily and shed their antlers once a year to conserve critical energy for the winter.
Not long after, the crew encounters a mother and baby polar bear. Because of the lack of sea ice, bears have a harder time hunting for seals, so it’s unlikely that they’ve eaten a meal in the past few weeks.
In the last 40 years, the polar bear population has dropped dramatically due to climate change. Every cub that makes it to adulthood is a win for their species. The mother polar bear and her cub don’t stay around for long as a male polar bear approaches. When food is scarce, male polar bears often eat cubs.
After miles of searching through rough and icy terrain, the crew finally makes a breakthrough. Fresh tracks appear in the snow, ones from Kona and his pack, and Gregory makes a discovery when he sees the wolves. When he began documenting his journey with the pack, there were nine wolves. Now there are only five, making a moose hunt an extremely difficult pursuit. However, the wolves persist.
The white wolf Kona and his pack track down a female moose and her calf. While adult female moose are fiercely defensive and difficult targets, their calves present an easier meal. Despite this, the wolves choose the harder option. Deep in the snow, Kona leaps and latches onto the mother, prompting the rest of the pack to join the attack as she kicks frantically. Though the kill occurs off camera after the drone reaches its range limit, the wolves ultimately complete the hunt.
Returning the next morning, the crew discovers the pack feasting on the female moose, which will sustain them for weeks. Driven by curiosity, the wolves approached Gregory and his team, showing bold interest without a hint of aggression. Reflecting on the encounter, Gregory leaves viewers with a powerful message: “We need to reimagine our relationship with wolves — one that’s not based on fear and myth and conflict and instead a relationship based on coexistence.”
Gregory’s dedication to the wolves was immense; even harsh winter conditions and daunting challenges didn’t stop him. As someone who aspires to photograph and write about wildlife, I find Gregory deeply inspiring. He proves that reaching a dream requires persistence but overcoming tough moments yields a truly magnificent reward.
This captivating installment is part of a broader trajectory for the filmmaker, who expanded his “Up Close” series earlier in 2026 with episodes such as “Cheetahs Up Close.”