Kelsey Eliasson and Karine Genest have spent countless hours in the company of grizzly, polar and black bears in the wilds of Canada and the frozen landscapes of Alaska. They have watched bear battles in the salmon-rich waters of Katmai, been charged by grumpy bruins when they strayed too close, and watched bears living in perfect harmony with humans in areas where they are treated with respect.

But capturing these incredible animals in their natural habitat is not without its challenges. Harsh conditions, unpredictable bear behaviour and those pesky trees that keep popping up in front of the drone are just some of the difficulties they have had to overcome. For Bears: Ultimate Survivors the filming duo documented a number of different bears fighting to survive. Adapting to climate change and humans faster than anyone thought possible, these charismatic, captivating and often deadly predators still rule the cold north. 

In our new behind-the-scenes series, you'll get to know the bears, share in their triumphs and failures and learn what life is like for wildlife filmmakers trying to capture these incredible animals on camera. Here's the first episode (more to come soon):

Learn more about Bears: Ultimate Survivors here and watch the tailer for the film below: