Islands can create some fascinating ecosystems that look fairly unique from other parts of the continent. Out in the Pacific Northwest, Netflix takes viewers on a three-episode exploration of the “Island of the Sea Wolves,” otherwise known as Vancouver Island.
While the sea wolves are the titular animals, they share screen time with a variety of other island residents and visitors. Soaring bald eagles, migrating whales, diving sea otters, and critically endangered Vancouver Island marmots are just some of the many creatures viewers will meet in this majestic island environment.
Amid the captivating natural scenery and the everyday activities of the animals, there were funnily enough some lessons people could take away from the animals. A sea otter mother and pup pair show that when the time comes, the youngster needs to learn to forge an independent path, sometimes with tough love. A young bald eagle learns to stand up for herself, in her case drop-kicking an adult eagle to reclaim stolen food. But hey, if a guy in China could look at a praying mantis and think he could develop a kung-fu style by imitating the insect’s movements, maybe taking lessons away from animals isn’t so crazy.
Canadian actor Will Arnett narrated throughout the documentary, and his calm quips added to the viewing experience. I did find it kind of funny how Arnett sounded like a guy just telling visitors about a region he really enjoys, because I’ve mainly seen him perform in more energetic or unhinged roles.
At the end of the last episode, the series smacks the viewer with a call to protect the old forests on the island from logging, a vital habitat for the animals that can be lost to future generations. Initially, I thought it was abrupt, but it made sense for it to be there. Trees are major absorbers of carbon dioxide, and reforestation is a major climate change mitigation effort. Throughout the episodes, there were extreme weather events or other oddities that impacted the island and its inhabitants. The late herring migration arrival, unusually strong summer heat, and months’ worth of rainfall in a couple of days. Arnett tells us that it is thought that climate change is making these events twice as common.
I know there are a lot of nature lovers out there on Martha’s Vineyard, so I say give this documentary a whirl and see what it’s like on another island on the other side of North America. Granted, it’s a whole lot bigger than our Island.