Norway’s Magical Fjords

The Norwegian fjords are one of the most dramatic landscapes in Europe. Their cold, dark waters are home to a surprisingly rich and colorful underwater world: vast reefs of coldwater corals, sea pens with feathery arms and flashing lights, and strange sea slugs that glow in the dark. In winter, billions of herring converge on the fjords, the shoals so dense, they darken the waters. Not surprisingly, they attract hunters from near and far. Orcas and humpback whales feast on the fish banquet, while gulls and starfish help dispose of leftovers. In summer, salmon migrate up the fjords and rivers, propelling themselves up waterfalls to reach their traditional spawning grounds. The small, upland streams are the nursery grounds for millions of tiny fish, which stay here for five years before returning to the deep waters of the fjord. (ZDF)