Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:07,000
Downloaded from
YTS.MX
2
00:00:04,070 --> 00:00:07,173
There are three
key questions in nature:
3
00:00:07,941 --> 00:00:10,477
Who's bigger than me?
4
00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:13,000
Official YIFY movies site:
YTS.MX
5
00:00:11,144 --> 00:00:13,413
Who's fiercer than me?
6
00:00:14,514 --> 00:00:17,617
Who's more dangerous than me?
7
00:00:18,585 --> 00:00:21,888
The bottom line: Who
wants a piece of me?
8
00:00:23,890 --> 00:00:27,761
Or whom do I want a piece of?
9
00:00:32,332 --> 00:00:36,503
North America boasts
some of the most fearsome
predators on the planet...
10
00:00:38,605 --> 00:00:42,042
and some of nature's
greatest beauty.
11
00:00:44,344 --> 00:00:47,213
But who's the meanest?
12
00:00:48,181 --> 00:00:50,316
Who's the prettiest?
13
00:00:50,950 --> 00:00:54,854
Whom do you most want to see
if you dare to get close?
14
00:00:59,025 --> 00:01:01,661
It's time to crown...
15
00:01:01,728 --> 00:01:04,898
America's greatest animals.
16
00:01:15,942 --> 00:01:19,312
Our journey begins high
in the Rocky Mountains,
17
00:01:19,379 --> 00:01:24,250
where there's an
animal so elusive he's
rarely seen by humans.
18
00:01:25,452 --> 00:01:28,688
But his thunderclap echoes
across the canyons...
19
00:01:31,791 --> 00:01:34,461
Nature's super-collider:
20
00:01:37,063 --> 00:01:39,632
The bighorn sheep.
21
00:01:42,502 --> 00:01:46,139
This ram weighs
almost 140 kilos.
22
00:01:46,206 --> 00:01:48,942
That's about the same size
as a large domestic sheep.
23
00:01:50,143 --> 00:01:53,046
But he's a lot more powerful!
24
00:01:53,113 --> 00:01:56,749
He's one of America's
most imposing animals.
25
00:02:01,054 --> 00:02:04,557
Africa has a name for its
greatest beasts...
26
00:02:04,624 --> 00:02:07,727
they call them the Big Five:
27
00:02:08,962 --> 00:02:10,497
Elephant.
28
00:02:10,563 --> 00:02:12,065
Rhino.
29
00:02:12,132 --> 00:02:13,333
Leopard.
30
00:02:13,399 --> 00:02:14,868
Cape buffalo.
31
00:02:14,934 --> 00:02:16,936
Lion.
32
00:02:17,437 --> 00:02:19,572
Africa's Big
Five are the biggest,
33
00:02:19,639 --> 00:02:21,708
baddest animals
in all of Africa.
34
00:02:21,774 --> 00:02:24,978
The meanest, gnarliest
animals on the continent.
35
00:02:25,979 --> 00:02:29,849
But you don't
have to go to Africa
for stunning wildlife.
36
00:02:31,351 --> 00:02:34,954
America's mega fauna can hold
their own against these guys.
37
00:02:38,892 --> 00:02:40,193
Africa has their Big Five.
38
00:02:40,260 --> 00:02:41,694
But what about North America?
39
00:02:41,761 --> 00:02:43,396
Man, you're not going
to short change us.
40
00:02:43,463 --> 00:02:44,964
We've got plenty of animals.
41
00:02:45,031 --> 00:02:47,300
We need our own Big Five!
42
00:02:48,902 --> 00:02:52,372
But who will make the grade?
43
00:02:52,872 --> 00:02:56,543
We'll score America's animals on
the same criteria that impressed
44
00:02:56,609 --> 00:02:59,579
the first explorers to Africa:
45
00:03:00,780 --> 00:03:03,516
How powerful are they?
46
00:03:05,552 --> 00:03:08,488
What amazing features
set them apart?
47
00:03:11,191 --> 00:03:14,027
Are they dangerous?
48
00:03:16,162 --> 00:03:18,298
And do they have charisma?
49
00:03:18,364 --> 00:03:21,267
How badly do you want
to see them in the wild?
50
00:03:23,436 --> 00:03:27,106
Each animal can score
a maximum of 20 points.
51
00:03:29,008 --> 00:03:32,779
Four of National Geographic's
homegrown experts will weigh in
52
00:03:32,845 --> 00:03:35,381
on who should make the list.
53
00:03:37,550 --> 00:03:39,652
Let him roll...
54
00:03:39,719 --> 00:03:42,522
Scientist Brady Barr
has wrangled some of the planets
55
00:03:42,589 --> 00:03:44,958
most dangerous predators.
56
00:03:45,458 --> 00:03:47,493
Go forward, go forward!
57
00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:52,966
Wildlife cameraman
Andy Casagrande has filmed
all of Africa's Big Five.
58
00:03:53,032 --> 00:03:55,568
Stop, stop, stop.
59
00:03:56,703 --> 00:04:00,073
Primatologist Mireya
Mayor fights to protect some of
60
00:04:00,139 --> 00:04:03,409
the world's most
endangered species.
61
00:04:04,410 --> 00:04:07,780
Where Kinga
wants to go, he goes and
we get out of the way.
62
00:04:09,582 --> 00:04:11,160
Oh, boy, let's
show them how big you are.
63
00:04:11,184 --> 00:04:13,886
And naturalist Casey
Anderson has a pretty unique
64
00:04:13,953 --> 00:04:17,056
relationship with
America's wildlife.
65
00:04:17,123 --> 00:04:19,659
That was big. Give me
a high-five. Good boy!
66
00:04:21,961 --> 00:04:24,530
The big difference
between Africa's Big Five and
67
00:04:24,597 --> 00:04:27,634
North America's Big
Five is the habitat.
68
00:04:28,201 --> 00:04:30,603
You know, when you think
Africa and the Big Five,
69
00:04:30,670 --> 00:04:34,040
it's pretty simple-they
all live in the grasslands.
70
00:04:35,208 --> 00:04:40,480
But America's greatest
wildlife is to be found across
our entire continent.
71
00:04:41,247 --> 00:04:43,416
So in the quest
to name the best,
72
00:04:43,483 --> 00:04:47,186
we'll carve up the continent
into four main regions:
73
00:04:48,054 --> 00:04:49,956
mountains...
74
00:04:51,057 --> 00:04:53,526
prairies...
75
00:04:54,427 --> 00:04:56,229
forests..
76
00:04:56,296 --> 00:04:58,598
And Arctic.
77
00:05:01,234 --> 00:05:04,237
The competition begins
in the mountains,
78
00:05:04,304 --> 00:05:07,407
where the bighorns are
getting down to business.
79
00:05:08,708 --> 00:05:10,777
It's fall in the Rockies.
80
00:05:10,843 --> 00:05:14,514
Time for football
season, bighorn style.
81
00:05:16,649 --> 00:05:20,520
As the temperature
plummets, bighorns get
ready to scrimmage...
82
00:05:23,222 --> 00:05:26,192
while the ewes watch
from the bleachers.
83
00:05:26,259 --> 00:05:28,299
Sometimes I've gone to
great lengths just to pick up
84
00:05:28,361 --> 00:05:30,229
a girl, but these guys?
85
00:05:30,296 --> 00:05:32,899
They take it to a
whole other level.
86
00:05:37,070 --> 00:05:40,707
Skull crushes
skull with the power
of a sledge hammer.
87
00:05:43,710 --> 00:05:49,549
The rams are battling
for dominance and
the right to breed.
88
00:05:50,083 --> 00:05:52,919
They're like the
ultimate linebacker.
89
00:05:52,985 --> 00:05:54,821
Boom!
90
00:05:56,189 --> 00:05:59,792
The bighorn's helmet
weighs 14 kilos and measures
91
00:05:59,859 --> 00:06:01,928
a meter around.
92
00:06:03,129 --> 00:06:05,131
And they don't get to
shed their horns like elk get
93
00:06:05,198 --> 00:06:06,699
to shed their antlers, or moose.
94
00:06:06,766 --> 00:06:09,035
They have to pack 'em
around all year long.
95
00:06:09,102 --> 00:06:10,803
And I carry big backpacks,
96
00:06:10,870 --> 00:06:12,710
but I even like to take
it off once in a while.
97
00:06:12,772 --> 00:06:15,641
So, they're pretty bad ass.
98
00:06:20,580 --> 00:06:23,783
The bighorn's
thick, double-layered
skull is reinforced
99
00:06:23,850 --> 00:06:27,720
with a honeycomb of cross
struts to absorb the shock...
100
00:06:29,455 --> 00:06:33,292
shielding their brain from
a lifetime of concussions.
101
00:06:35,962 --> 00:06:38,464
When a ram's ready
to challenge a rival,
102
00:06:38,531 --> 00:06:41,501
he says so in no
uncertain terms.
103
00:06:42,602 --> 00:06:43,936
Occasionally there's a low-blow,
104
00:06:44,003 --> 00:06:46,749
where they will throw
a hoof out and hit the
other one in the testicles.
105
00:06:46,773 --> 00:06:48,040
Really?
106
00:06:48,107 --> 00:06:50,410
They kick each
other in the balls?
107
00:06:50,476 --> 00:06:51,978
Dude!
108
00:06:52,044 --> 00:06:53,546
Ouch.
109
00:06:53,613 --> 00:06:56,115
That's just uncalled for.
110
00:06:59,318 --> 00:07:02,488
But don't expect a
front row seat at the stadium,
111
00:07:03,022 --> 00:07:07,260
this charismatic athlete
is very hard to find.
112
00:07:07,326 --> 00:07:10,930
He's usually perched
half way up a cliff.
113
00:07:12,231 --> 00:07:17,303
Despite his hefty size,
he can walk on only
five centimeters of ledge.
114
00:07:19,906 --> 00:07:25,912
A sharp outer edge
on the hoof cuts into
rock like a fingernail,
115
00:07:25,978 --> 00:07:30,450
while an inner elastic pad
grips to granite like glue.
116
00:07:32,752 --> 00:07:37,857
A bighorn can scale a cliff
wall at 7 meters per second...
117
00:07:39,559 --> 00:07:42,962
fast enough to summit
Grand Teton in ten minutes!
118
00:07:44,597 --> 00:07:49,402
So how does the bighorn
rate among America's
greatest animals?
119
00:07:50,036 --> 00:07:52,438
Measurement one: power.
120
00:07:52,505 --> 00:07:56,175
That head gear delivers
one mean punch,
121
00:07:56,242 --> 00:07:59,111
earning it four
points out of five.
122
00:08:00,146 --> 00:08:03,516
Measurement two: what amazing
features does it have?
123
00:08:04,383 --> 00:08:07,220
From the horns to the
hooves, there's no denying
124
00:08:07,286 --> 00:08:09,288
his impressive toolkit.
125
00:08:09,355 --> 00:08:11,557
Five out of five.
126
00:08:12,892 --> 00:08:15,528
Next: danger to humans.
127
00:08:15,595 --> 00:08:19,765
Fortunately, humans
aren't on the receiving
end of this arsenal.
128
00:08:19,832 --> 00:08:21,934
Only two points for danger.
129
00:08:22,802 --> 00:08:25,037
Finally, charisma.
130
00:08:25,104 --> 00:08:26,639
I mean, look at these guys.
131
00:08:26,706 --> 00:08:29,141
They've got these huge
spiraling horns on their head;
132
00:08:29,208 --> 00:08:31,811
it's like Princess
Leia on steroids.
133
00:08:31,878 --> 00:08:34,547
Three points for charisma.
134
00:08:35,915 --> 00:08:39,051
The bighorn earns 14 points
out of a possible 20.
135
00:08:39,986 --> 00:08:45,825
Not bad, but is it enough to
be considered one of America's
five greatest animals?
136
00:08:49,428 --> 00:08:52,965
Our next contender is
a bit more fierce...
137
00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:57,537
he's got teeth... and claws.
138
00:08:58,571 --> 00:09:03,109
Enter Ursus arctos
horribilis... the grizzly.
139
00:09:05,711 --> 00:09:09,782
A lumbering giant with the
speed of a thoroughbred.
140
00:09:14,620 --> 00:09:19,358
The elk calf is an easy kill
for this 180-kilo mother bear.
141
00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:24,564
The cub's father was
probably twice her size.
142
00:09:25,665 --> 00:09:30,002
From head to tail, a
fully grown male can be two
and a half meters long and
143
00:09:30,069 --> 00:09:33,005
one and a half meters
high at the shoulder.
144
00:09:33,072 --> 00:09:37,777
And the grizzlies on Kodiak
Island in Alaska are even
bigger than that.
145
00:09:38,511 --> 00:09:41,047
Weighing 450 kilograms,
146
00:09:41,113 --> 00:09:43,783
they're the largest
predators on land.
147
00:09:43,849 --> 00:09:45,627
The one thing that's
interesting about a grizzly is
148
00:09:45,651 --> 00:09:49,422
it could literally stand up and
look into a second story window.
149
00:09:49,488 --> 00:09:50,590
They're huge.
150
00:09:50,656 --> 00:09:53,426
Giant hands, broad
shoulders, huge head.
151
00:09:53,492 --> 00:09:56,062
One of the most dangerous
predators on the planet.
152
00:09:58,464 --> 00:10:03,769
These bears patrol
America's mountains up to an
astonishing 5,000 meters.
153
00:10:07,607 --> 00:10:12,144
Among Africa's Big Five, the
largest predator is the lion.
154
00:10:13,112 --> 00:10:17,016
America's grizzly
dwarfs these kitties.
155
00:10:17,750 --> 00:10:20,319
And there's one thing grizzlies
must contend with in the
156
00:10:20,386 --> 00:10:24,957
mountains that lions never need
worry about... the weather!
157
00:10:29,195 --> 00:10:32,965
Winter in the
Rockies is no picnic.
158
00:10:33,699 --> 00:10:37,103
Food is scarce.
159
00:10:39,438 --> 00:10:42,475
But it's this bear's lucky day.
160
00:10:44,043 --> 00:10:47,079
He's found a dead bison that's
fallen through the ice.
161
00:10:47,980 --> 00:10:53,419
It's a feast that will last for
days, if he can get it out.
162
00:10:57,523 --> 00:11:01,494
The waterlogged bison
probably weighs twice
as much as the bear.
163
00:11:04,797 --> 00:11:11,137
Only a grizzly has the
brute strength and power
to even attempt this.
164
00:11:14,106 --> 00:11:17,476
A grizzly's power
comes from its hump.
165
00:11:17,543 --> 00:11:22,882
Between the shoulders,
a large mass of muscle gives
it this distinctive bump.
166
00:11:25,651 --> 00:11:30,222
It's a feature that clearly
distinguishes the grizzly
from it's smaller cousin,
167
00:11:30,690 --> 00:11:32,825
the black bear.
168
00:11:39,131 --> 00:11:43,235
When it comes to
food, the grizzly is a
jack of all trades...
169
00:11:43,669 --> 00:11:48,107
hunter, fisherman,
scavenger, vegetarian.
170
00:11:49,809 --> 00:11:53,245
Their giant claws aren't
for tearing flesh...
171
00:11:53,312 --> 00:11:56,182
they've got teeth for that.
172
00:11:56,248 --> 00:12:00,252
The claws are used for
digging up tasty roots.
173
00:12:03,756 --> 00:12:07,193
And double as chopsticks
when it's sushi time.
174
00:12:09,228 --> 00:12:14,400
But a grizzly's greatest
asset is perched right
in front of its face...
175
00:12:15,067 --> 00:12:20,206
its nose... a nose unlike
any other in the world.
176
00:12:23,075 --> 00:12:28,180
A grizzly's sense of smell
is believed to be 2000 times
more acute than our own!
177
00:12:36,555 --> 00:12:38,390
If you took a jar
of peanut butter and put it
178
00:12:38,457 --> 00:12:41,694
three kilometers away, a
grizzly bear can smell it.
179
00:12:42,628 --> 00:12:45,431
An impressive boast
that'll earn it plenty of points
180
00:12:45,498 --> 00:12:47,600
in our competition.
181
00:12:47,666 --> 00:12:50,870
So does the grizzly make
America's Big Five?
182
00:12:50,936 --> 00:12:53,405
I mean, with an
arsenal of weapons that
the grizzly bear has,
183
00:12:53,472 --> 00:12:55,708
its size, its strength,
its speed, its teeth,
184
00:12:55,775 --> 00:12:59,011
its claws, there's no way it
can't be in the Big Five.
185
00:13:00,346 --> 00:13:02,581
It's time to grade the grizzly.
186
00:13:03,682 --> 00:13:06,252
Measurement one: power.
187
00:13:06,652 --> 00:13:09,855
With its phenomenal
strength, the grizzly
gets five out of five.
188
00:13:11,857 --> 00:13:15,928
Measurement two: amazing
features that set it apart.
189
00:13:16,562 --> 00:13:20,733
Grizzlies have speed,
strength, size and smell...
190
00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:23,469
four out of five.
191
00:13:23,536 --> 00:13:26,705
Next, danger to humans.
192
00:13:26,772 --> 00:13:29,375
This is real.
193
00:13:29,441 --> 00:13:33,345
Female grizzlies will viciously
defend their cubs and they kill
194
00:13:33,412 --> 00:13:36,348
at least two people in
the wild every year.
195
00:13:36,816 --> 00:13:38,851
Five points.
196
00:13:38,918 --> 00:13:41,787
Finally, charisma.
197
00:13:41,854 --> 00:13:45,157
Seeing a grizzly in the
wild is always a thrill.
198
00:13:45,224 --> 00:13:47,193
Four more points.
199
00:13:47,259 --> 00:13:49,962
The grizzly's won 18 out of 20.
200
00:13:50,029 --> 00:13:52,798
Four more than the bighorn.
201
00:13:55,968 --> 00:13:59,071
But there's one more
contender in the mountains...
202
00:14:00,206 --> 00:14:03,409
one you'll rarely get to see.
203
00:14:05,611 --> 00:14:09,849
The search for
America's greatest animals
continues in the mountains.
204
00:14:12,017 --> 00:14:15,187
Our next contender
hides in the shadows,
205
00:14:15,254 --> 00:14:17,690
waiting to pounce...
206
00:14:18,390 --> 00:14:20,392
the mountain lion.
207
00:14:20,459 --> 00:14:23,462
You know they're out
there, but you never see them.
208
00:14:24,463 --> 00:14:26,508
You could walk right by
one and it could be right over
209
00:14:26,532 --> 00:14:28,868
your shoulder looking at you,
and you'd never even know.
210
00:14:32,738 --> 00:14:34,573
Oh, my God...!
211
00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:35,841
Are you getting it?
212
00:14:35,908 --> 00:14:38,410
Yes. Oh, my God.
213
00:14:38,477 --> 00:14:42,014
These tourists
have stumbled upon a
remarkable scene,
214
00:14:42,081 --> 00:14:46,118
a mountain lion with a deer
caught in a deadly attack.
215
00:14:46,185 --> 00:14:49,455
It just pounced out of there.
216
00:14:49,521 --> 00:14:54,193
Few people have
ever witnessed a mountain
lion kill in the wild.
217
00:14:55,294 --> 00:14:59,732
The cat locks its jaws
around the deer's throat
to asphyxiate its prey.
218
00:15:00,266 --> 00:15:02,368
This is amazing.
219
00:15:02,434 --> 00:15:05,170
Oh, my God.
They don't even care we're here.
220
00:15:05,237 --> 00:15:08,607
I'm sure the deer does!
221
00:15:09,775 --> 00:15:11,277
Not one for the limelight,
222
00:15:11,343 --> 00:15:15,047
the lion takes this meal to go.
223
00:15:15,114 --> 00:15:17,616
Wow, that was quick.
224
00:15:19,551 --> 00:15:23,555
Mountain lion,
cougar, panther, puma...
225
00:15:23,622 --> 00:15:27,760
more than 80 names describe
this charismatic contender.
226
00:15:27,826 --> 00:15:29,695
Mountain lions are awesome.
227
00:15:29,762 --> 00:15:31,897
These guys are incredibly
diverse predators.
228
00:15:31,964 --> 00:15:33,899
They not only eat
birds and rabbits,
229
00:15:33,966 --> 00:15:37,136
but they can also take
down things that are
five times their size.
230
00:15:37,202 --> 00:15:40,039
That is epic.
231
00:15:42,207 --> 00:15:46,845
It's the
widest roaming mammal
in the New World...
232
00:15:46,912 --> 00:15:50,549
found from northern Canada
to southern Chile...
233
00:15:51,917 --> 00:15:55,554
From sea level up to
the highest mountain slopes...
234
00:15:57,256 --> 00:16:01,193
a diversity in range no
African cat can match.
235
00:16:02,594 --> 00:16:06,999
The two cats in Africa's
Big Five belong to the
Pantherinae subfamily,
236
00:16:07,066 --> 00:16:09,501
The roaring cats.
237
00:16:09,568 --> 00:16:12,438
But America's mountain
lion is feline.
238
00:16:12,504 --> 00:16:17,710
Like the cheetah and domestic
cat, it purrs, not roars.
239
00:16:23,449 --> 00:16:27,119
The secretive mountain
lion is very hard to find.
240
00:16:27,186 --> 00:16:31,290
And, when one does appear,
it's headline news.
241
00:16:32,024 --> 00:16:35,194
Here in Jackson, Wyoming a
mother has established her den
242
00:16:35,260 --> 00:16:38,130
within clear view of the road.
243
00:16:41,233 --> 00:16:44,636
It's a rare opportunity to
witness her rambunctious cubs
244
00:16:44,703 --> 00:16:47,573
practice their skills.
245
00:16:50,943 --> 00:16:55,647
The mountain lion's
body is perfectly
designed for one thing...
246
00:16:55,714 --> 00:16:58,217
the kill.
247
00:16:58,751 --> 00:17:03,856
Two and a half meters long,
nose to tail, weighing
nearly 90 kilos,
248
00:17:03,922 --> 00:17:08,027
she stalks silently
through the trees...
249
00:17:08,861 --> 00:17:11,764
then gets ready to pounce!
250
00:17:14,233 --> 00:17:17,903
Powerful muscles propel the
cat to short bursts of speed,
251
00:17:17,970 --> 00:17:22,307
covering 14 meters in
a single bound,
252
00:17:22,374 --> 00:17:25,978
jumping five and a half meters
straight up in the air.
253
00:17:30,282 --> 00:17:34,987
With an 80% success
rate, it's a hunter who
rarely misses a kill.
254
00:17:36,188 --> 00:17:37,923
Roar.
255
00:17:39,124 --> 00:17:41,427
It's ranking time.
256
00:17:42,561 --> 00:17:45,397
Measurement one: power.
257
00:17:45,464 --> 00:17:48,834
The lion is our smallest
contender so far,
258
00:17:48,901 --> 00:17:52,271
but still has the power
to kill bighorn and elk.
259
00:17:52,838 --> 00:17:55,307
Three out of five.
260
00:17:55,374 --> 00:17:59,278
Next: amazing features
that set it apart.
261
00:17:59,344 --> 00:18:04,583
Mountain lions are impressive,
but not unique, every cat has a
262
00:18:04,650 --> 00:18:08,821
similar arsenal of speed,
agility, claws and canines.
263
00:18:10,422 --> 00:18:12,724
Three points again.
264
00:18:13,959 --> 00:18:17,196
Measurement three:
danger to humans.
265
00:18:18,430 --> 00:18:21,233
Where suburbs spread
into lion habitat,
266
00:18:21,300 --> 00:18:23,435
attacks are on the rise.
267
00:18:23,502 --> 00:18:26,605
Every couple of years,
one will be fatal.
268
00:18:27,139 --> 00:18:29,108
Four points.
269
00:18:29,174 --> 00:18:31,310
Finally: charisma.
270
00:18:31,376 --> 00:18:34,246
There's a certain majesty
to America's lion,
271
00:18:34,313 --> 00:18:37,116
and a glimpse of
this magnificent
creature in the wild
272
00:18:37,182 --> 00:18:40,085
is worthy of three points.
273
00:18:40,152 --> 00:18:42,654
13 in total.
274
00:18:42,721 --> 00:18:47,259
A healthy score, but
not the most impressive
beast in the mountains.
275
00:18:47,860 --> 00:18:51,263
That honor goes to the grizzly.
276
00:18:56,468 --> 00:18:59,638
And there's a chance to take a
much closer look at this winner,
277
00:18:59,705 --> 00:19:03,742
by joining some scientists
in northwest Montana.
278
00:19:05,978 --> 00:19:11,583
They're radio tagging females
in order to see whether
numbers are going up or down.
279
00:19:12,584 --> 00:19:16,288
Or maybe right
up there? I don't know.
280
00:19:16,688 --> 00:19:20,459
They've got one caught
in a baited snare.
281
00:19:22,861 --> 00:19:25,797
It's okay, bud, it's okay.
282
00:19:26,532 --> 00:19:29,735
Nice shot!
283
00:19:29,801 --> 00:19:32,104
She's a very healthy bear.
284
00:19:32,171 --> 00:19:34,706
You guys can come on up.
285
00:19:35,107 --> 00:19:38,343
Covering her eyes
reduces the stress of capture.
286
00:19:38,410 --> 00:19:40,679
Everyone take a
deep breath, deep breath.
287
00:19:40,746 --> 00:19:41,980
Okay, ready?
288
00:19:42,047 --> 00:19:43,715
One, two, three...
289
00:19:43,782 --> 00:19:47,753
This young
female already weighs
more than 160 kilos.
290
00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:51,223
She'll pack on another
35 before winter.
291
00:19:54,159 --> 00:19:58,297
A close examination
reveals she's not alone.
292
00:19:59,431 --> 00:20:01,166
This is her teat right here.
293
00:20:01,233 --> 00:20:05,270
Normally, this would be all
haired up just like here
if she didn't have cubs...
294
00:20:05,337 --> 00:20:06,777
so what you want to
do is you kind of
295
00:20:06,805 --> 00:20:09,341
just grab it and basically
we're milking it out.
296
00:20:09,408 --> 00:20:11,243
And there you can see
that's milk right there.
297
00:20:11,310 --> 00:20:16,381
So I think she's probably
got at least a couple of
cubs someplace right here.
298
00:20:17,816 --> 00:20:19,284
This capture foot looks good.
299
00:20:19,351 --> 00:20:20,986
It's just slightly swollen.
300
00:20:21,053 --> 00:20:23,755
They remove the
snare, taking care to avoid her
301
00:20:23,822 --> 00:20:26,124
incredible claws.
302
00:20:26,191 --> 00:20:30,229
They're as long as human
fingers, and far more lethal.
303
00:20:34,499 --> 00:20:37,436
The radio collar will transmit
the female's location,
304
00:20:37,502 --> 00:20:41,540
enabling the scientists
to follow her progress
with her cubs.
305
00:20:41,607 --> 00:20:45,644
In two years, the collar
will automatically fall off.
306
00:20:46,545 --> 00:20:49,715
By then, these scientists will
have a much clearer picture of
307
00:20:49,781 --> 00:20:53,652
how well grizzlies are
faring in this wilderness.
308
00:20:55,220 --> 00:20:59,558
With the blindfold removed,
the bear is almost good to go.
309
00:20:59,625 --> 00:21:02,361
But not before she gets
a quick dental check up.
310
00:21:02,427 --> 00:21:04,963
She has some
wear on her front teeth.
311
00:21:05,030 --> 00:21:08,033
So I would say she's probably
around 12 years old.
312
00:21:08,100 --> 00:21:09,501
At the back of her mouth,
313
00:21:09,568 --> 00:21:12,838
giant molars can
grind roots and seeds.
314
00:21:12,904 --> 00:21:18,010
At the front, dagger-like
canines for when meat's
on the menu...
315
00:21:19,244 --> 00:21:24,416
meaning nature has prepared
her for every contingency.
316
00:21:28,587 --> 00:21:33,792
So the grizzly claims
the mountain spot among
America's greatest animals.
317
00:21:37,095 --> 00:21:41,533
Now it's time to descend
from the mountains to
the open plains below...
318
00:21:42,034 --> 00:21:45,203
in search of our
next contenders.
319
00:21:46,705 --> 00:21:51,209
Here, giant grazers mow
the continent's lawn,
320
00:21:51,276 --> 00:21:55,113
and predators thrive
on the moveable feast.
321
00:22:02,921 --> 00:22:06,792
This elk is in danger.
322
00:22:06,858 --> 00:22:11,096
Her young calf has attracted
the attention of two wolves.
323
00:22:16,468 --> 00:22:18,036
Out on the prairie,
324
00:22:18,103 --> 00:22:21,540
predators are always on
the lookout for easy prey.
325
00:22:21,606 --> 00:22:27,079
This elk calf is barely
on its feet and isn't quite
ready to run for its life.
326
00:22:30,182 --> 00:22:34,886
But a mother elk has
the heart of a lion.
327
00:22:35,320 --> 00:22:39,024
She's about to demonstrate why
the elk is a worthy contender
328
00:22:39,091 --> 00:22:41,626
for America's Big Five.
329
00:22:41,693 --> 00:22:44,830
This is much more
than just pretty deer.
330
00:22:44,896 --> 00:22:47,632
In a remarkable
display of bravery,
331
00:22:47,699 --> 00:22:53,238
she diverts attention away
from her calf by heading
straight for the wolves,
332
00:22:53,305 --> 00:22:57,142
goading them to
chase her instead.
333
00:22:58,243 --> 00:23:01,613
Several times she allows
the wolves to chase her,
334
00:23:01,680 --> 00:23:04,082
then retreats to the water.
335
00:23:04,916 --> 00:23:08,720
Her bold strategy is to
lead the predators on,
336
00:23:08,787 --> 00:23:12,090
then surprise them
with a counter attack.
337
00:23:17,195 --> 00:23:18,430
They're ornery.
338
00:23:18,497 --> 00:23:21,833
They don't give up easy,
and they fight back.
339
00:23:31,176 --> 00:23:34,946
Finally, the wolves give up.
340
00:23:38,984 --> 00:23:42,921
And mom washes away the fear.
341
00:23:43,588 --> 00:23:45,390
Elk are not wimpy.
342
00:23:45,457 --> 00:23:49,027
The face grizzlies,
mountain lions and
wolves on a daily basis.
343
00:23:49,094 --> 00:23:53,231
And they have these
huge antlers and they're
not afraid to use them.
344
00:23:54,866 --> 00:23:59,738
Once a year,
male elk must face even
more intimidating foes...
345
00:24:00,505 --> 00:24:03,141
each other.
346
00:24:03,975 --> 00:24:06,144
It's rutting season.
347
00:24:06,211 --> 00:24:09,514
Bulls prepare to battle
for breeding rights.
348
00:24:11,316 --> 00:24:14,653
Armed with thorny crowns,
the red-blooded males
349
00:24:14,719 --> 00:24:17,823
advertise their
wares to the females.
350
00:24:21,026 --> 00:24:24,196
This is bugling.
351
00:24:27,799 --> 00:24:33,271
Sounds like a
chalkboard being butchered
by another chalkboard.
352
00:24:36,274 --> 00:24:41,012
This distinctive
sound carries a message
that's loud and clear.
353
00:24:50,422 --> 00:24:53,358
Using all the power
they can muster,
354
00:24:53,425 --> 00:24:56,828
each bull tries to
dominate the other.
355
00:24:58,463 --> 00:25:02,267
Imagine a
field full of women and two guys
fighting for them,
356
00:25:02,334 --> 00:25:06,071
but now you've given
them giant swords and
a lot of testosterone,
357
00:25:06,137 --> 00:25:09,774
and what you've got
is one bloody battle.
358
00:25:20,719 --> 00:25:24,923
A successful male
can win a harem of 20 females.
359
00:25:28,627 --> 00:25:32,497
But there's a trade off, his
efforts clashing and coupling
360
00:25:32,564 --> 00:25:35,934
cost him 90 kilos
during the rut.
361
00:25:45,577 --> 00:25:51,850
Mature bulls look fantastic,
but in rutting season,
362
00:25:51,917 --> 00:25:55,487
they are not to be messed with.
363
00:25:56,988 --> 00:26:01,526
The Canadian town of
Banff is located in the
heart of elk country.
364
00:26:02,027 --> 00:26:06,765
Males primed for a fight
parade down Main Street.
365
00:26:11,536 --> 00:26:15,473
Here, two rivals battle
it out in the playground.
366
00:26:24,449 --> 00:26:27,719
There you go, now he's loose.
367
00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:31,222
His leg's broke!
368
00:26:43,034 --> 00:26:47,505
A broken leg
means this time it's a
fight to the death.
369
00:26:50,942 --> 00:26:54,579
So how does this
gladiator hold up?
370
00:26:54,946 --> 00:26:57,182
Let's score the elk.
371
00:26:57,248 --> 00:26:59,651
First up: power.
372
00:26:59,718 --> 00:27:02,988
Elk are pretty fierce for deer,
but they don't pack as much
373
00:27:03,054 --> 00:27:05,490
punch as bighorn sheep.
374
00:27:05,557 --> 00:27:06,992
Two points.
375
00:27:07,058 --> 00:27:10,428
Next: amazing and
unusual features.
376
00:27:11,029 --> 00:27:14,199
It's a splendid animal, but
there's little to distinguish
377
00:27:14,265 --> 00:27:16,301
it from other large deer.
378
00:27:16,368 --> 00:27:18,403
Two more points.
379
00:27:18,470 --> 00:27:21,906
Measurement three:
danger to humans.
380
00:27:21,973 --> 00:27:26,978
In rutting season, that
crown of antlers is a
force to be reckoned with.
381
00:27:27,746 --> 00:27:29,781
Three points.
382
00:27:29,848 --> 00:27:32,484
Finally: charisma.
383
00:27:32,550 --> 00:27:35,086
Many a trophy hunter has
trekked through the wilderness
384
00:27:35,153 --> 00:27:37,389
in pursuit of a giant bull.
385
00:27:37,455 --> 00:27:39,824
Three more points.
386
00:27:39,891 --> 00:27:43,728
Giving our first prairie
contender a total of ten.
387
00:27:48,667 --> 00:27:52,170
There are few patches of natural
prairie left in North America,
388
00:27:52,237 --> 00:27:55,306
most have been plowed over.
389
00:27:55,373 --> 00:27:59,544
But in its day, America's
Serengeti would have rivaled
390
00:27:59,611 --> 00:28:04,649
anything Africa has to offer,
with one creature in particular
391
00:28:04,716 --> 00:28:07,986
dominating the landscape.
392
00:28:12,390 --> 00:28:17,262
The "thunder beast", the
largest land mammal in America.
393
00:28:20,165 --> 00:28:22,701
This is a brute.
394
00:28:22,767 --> 00:28:27,205
Shaggy, up front, sporting a
beard, clean shaven in the back.
395
00:28:27,272 --> 00:28:29,941
It's almost like
a reverse mullet.
396
00:28:30,008 --> 00:28:33,078
Here's an animal who's
survived the Ice Age and is
397
00:28:33,144 --> 00:28:36,481
still sticking around
and kicking butt.
398
00:28:40,752 --> 00:28:44,222
This six-year-old
bull is a beast.
399
00:28:44,289 --> 00:28:49,160
He's three and a half
meters long, nearly two
meters tall at the shoulder...
400
00:28:49,227 --> 00:28:53,031
and he probably weighs
more than a ton.
401
00:28:53,665 --> 00:28:57,769
He can easily hold his own
against Africa's cape buffalo.
402
00:29:00,338 --> 00:29:02,574
Just 200 years ago,
403
00:29:02,640 --> 00:29:06,444
50 million of these behemoths
blanketed the prairie.
404
00:29:09,981 --> 00:29:12,283
I love reading the
journals of Lewis and Clark,
405
00:29:12,350 --> 00:29:14,628
where they would write that
they'd see a herd of bison and
406
00:29:14,652 --> 00:29:18,356
it would take three days for the
entire herd to pass them by.
407
00:29:19,257 --> 00:29:23,895
Basically like a black
tide of hooves and fur and,
408
00:29:23,962 --> 00:29:27,098
you know, testosterone.
409
00:29:30,235 --> 00:29:34,038
But those days
are a distant memory.
410
00:29:34,105 --> 00:29:38,343
Bison were hunted
almost to oblivion.
411
00:29:42,914 --> 00:29:46,584
Many generations
have passed since the
bison almost disappeared.
412
00:29:50,155 --> 00:29:54,759
A prairie without bison is
like sleep without dreams.
413
00:29:57,228 --> 00:30:00,865
They are the keystone species,
nourishing every level of the
414
00:30:00,932 --> 00:30:06,337
food chain from fertile grasses
to salivating predators.
415
00:30:10,875 --> 00:30:16,915
Today, some 10,000 bison once
again roam wild and free.
416
00:30:17,582 --> 00:30:21,753
It's a fraction of their former
numbers, but it's a start.
417
00:30:28,760 --> 00:30:32,497
This herd has an
intruder in its midst.
418
00:30:32,564 --> 00:30:36,601
The wily coyote has a
taste for tender calf.
419
00:30:41,673 --> 00:30:44,576
But the youngster, while
a little slow to react,
420
00:30:44,642 --> 00:30:48,046
can take care of himself.
421
00:31:05,263 --> 00:31:07,866
Finally, mom steps in.
422
00:31:07,932 --> 00:31:11,836
And few predators are foolish
enough to tackle an adult bison.
423
00:31:13,104 --> 00:31:15,073
Bison definitely have attitude,
424
00:31:15,139 --> 00:31:17,141
and certainly the
power to back it up.
425
00:31:17,208 --> 00:31:18,376
And they know it.
426
00:31:18,443 --> 00:31:22,513
They walk around slow,
and everything gets
out of their way,
427
00:31:22,580 --> 00:31:25,717
and if you don't get out of
their way, you're getting flung.
428
00:31:34,626 --> 00:31:36,094
In the middle of summer,
429
00:31:36,160 --> 00:31:40,164
bison bulls display their
immense power and strength.
430
00:31:41,032 --> 00:31:43,835
It's breeding season.
431
00:31:43,902 --> 00:31:47,005
The bigger the bull,
the deeper the bellow.
432
00:31:57,448 --> 00:32:01,519
Males engage in fierce,
head-to-head combat.
433
00:32:02,954 --> 00:32:07,892
Their skulls are padded
with thick matted fur to
absorb the collisions.
434
00:32:19,370 --> 00:32:23,841
The battle won, this male tends
to a female for several days
435
00:32:23,908 --> 00:32:27,645
until she's ready to mate.
436
00:32:38,823 --> 00:32:42,994
Nine months later, a
new generation arrives.
437
00:32:48,700 --> 00:32:51,436
So how do bison stand
up to the competition?
438
00:32:52,337 --> 00:32:54,372
On power.
439
00:32:54,439 --> 00:32:56,007
There's no contest.
440
00:32:56,074 --> 00:32:58,142
Bison are brutes.
441
00:32:58,209 --> 00:33:01,112
Five out of five.
442
00:33:01,713 --> 00:33:05,817
Measurement two: what amazing
feature sets them apart?
443
00:33:07,218 --> 00:33:11,055
The millions of bison that
once roamed America formed
444
00:33:11,122 --> 00:33:16,227
the biggest herd of large
animals ever thought to
have existed on the planet.
445
00:33:17,462 --> 00:33:19,630
Four points.
446
00:33:19,697 --> 00:33:23,001
Next: danger to humans.
447
00:33:24,268 --> 00:33:26,270
Beware of these
colossal herbivores.
448
00:33:27,805 --> 00:33:30,208
Every year in Yellowstone,
449
00:33:30,274 --> 00:33:34,579
more humans are injured or
killed by bison than by bears.
450
00:33:35,113 --> 00:33:37,015
Four again.
451
00:33:37,081 --> 00:33:39,751
Finally: charisma.
452
00:33:39,817 --> 00:33:44,022
As the buffalo nickel
confirmed, bison are money,
453
00:33:44,088 --> 00:33:48,359
a true icon of the continent,
worthy of five points.
454
00:33:49,861 --> 00:33:51,396
The total?
455
00:33:51,462 --> 00:33:54,665
18... eight more than the elk.
456
00:33:58,736 --> 00:34:02,840
While bison dominate the
plains with brute strength,
457
00:34:02,907 --> 00:34:06,611
others follow a different path.
458
00:34:06,677 --> 00:34:10,648
The next contender cuts through
the prairie like an arrow.
459
00:34:11,849 --> 00:34:14,886
Blink and you'll miss it.
460
00:34:15,920 --> 00:34:21,192
Meet the fastest land animal in
the Americas: the pronghorn.
461
00:34:24,495 --> 00:34:29,100
It's springtime, and the
pronghorns are on the move.
462
00:34:33,204 --> 00:34:37,108
Rising temperatures and longer
days set the herd in motion,
463
00:34:37,175 --> 00:34:40,845
as they head for
summer pastures.
464
00:34:44,115 --> 00:34:48,586
This pronghorn might
lack the charisma of
the bison or the bear,
465
00:34:48,653 --> 00:34:52,723
but it's got plenty of other
features that make it stand out.
466
00:34:53,858 --> 00:34:56,961
The pronghorn is neither
antelope nor deer,
467
00:34:57,028 --> 00:34:59,263
it's in a class of its own.
468
00:34:59,330 --> 00:35:02,934
True antelope have un-branched
horns that are permanent,
469
00:35:03,000 --> 00:35:08,573
whereas deer have
branched antlers that shed
and re-grow each year.
470
00:35:10,041 --> 00:35:13,211
But the pronghorn is
somewhere in the middle:
471
00:35:13,277 --> 00:35:15,279
it has a branched horn,
472
00:35:15,346 --> 00:35:19,150
with an outer layer that sheds.
473
00:35:24,922 --> 00:35:26,991
As their migration
gets underway,
474
00:35:27,058 --> 00:35:31,596
the pronghorns reveal their
greatest asset: speed.
475
00:35:32,563 --> 00:35:36,367
It can run the length
of a football field in three
and a half seconds flat.
476
00:35:36,434 --> 00:35:38,503
That's fast.
477
00:35:41,038 --> 00:35:43,908
That's nearly
100 kilometers per hour,
478
00:35:43,975 --> 00:35:48,246
certainly worthy of
contention among America's
greatest animals.
479
00:35:50,548 --> 00:35:54,152
Capable of sustaining top
speeds for several kilometers,
480
00:35:54,218 --> 00:35:58,322
they can easily out run any
predator America has to offer.
481
00:36:00,958 --> 00:36:05,897
The only opponent worthy of
a race... Africa's cheetah.
482
00:36:06,364 --> 00:36:08,332
Now the cheetah
in Africa may beat it,
483
00:36:08,399 --> 00:36:10,635
but the cheetah is only
good for short bursts.
484
00:36:10,701 --> 00:36:13,437
Man, the pronghorn, he's
good for the long haul.
485
00:36:13,504 --> 00:36:17,708
I'm taking endurance over
short burst of speed any day.
486
00:36:21,012 --> 00:36:23,581
America had
its own cheetah once.
487
00:36:23,648 --> 00:36:26,484
But since it became
extinct 13,000 years ago,
488
00:36:26,551 --> 00:36:30,588
pronghorns have torn across
the prairie unchallenged.
489
00:36:31,122 --> 00:36:32,857
All those ancient
predators, gone.
490
00:36:32,924 --> 00:36:34,091
The pronghorn?
491
00:36:34,158 --> 00:36:38,563
Still the fastest land mammal in
all of the Americas, hands down.
492
00:36:42,867 --> 00:36:47,038
Today, this tiny band
of 200 is the only herd that
493
00:36:47,104 --> 00:36:50,074
still follows its
original migration route.
494
00:36:50,841 --> 00:36:56,280
Every year, they trek nearly
200 kilometers from wintering
grounds in southern
495
00:36:56,347 --> 00:37:01,085
Wyoming to summer pasture in
Grand Teton National Park.
496
00:37:19,670 --> 00:37:22,440
200 kilometers might not
sound like much,
497
00:37:22,506 --> 00:37:26,244
but for these animals, it's a
perilous obstacle course that
498
00:37:26,310 --> 00:37:29,380
claims many lives.
499
00:37:34,719 --> 00:37:38,723
A ribbon of asphalt
is a deadly barrier.
500
00:37:45,162 --> 00:37:48,599
Every year, instinct drives
the pronghorns north on
501
00:37:48,666 --> 00:37:52,370
their migration towards
summer pastures.
502
00:37:53,804 --> 00:37:57,842
It's a journey
fraught with danger.
503
00:38:08,953 --> 00:38:12,990
Wire fences criss-cross
the grasslands.
504
00:38:18,129 --> 00:38:21,766
Some will find a way under.
505
00:38:21,832 --> 00:38:25,703
Others go over.
506
00:38:29,774 --> 00:38:34,078
The potentially lethal
hurdles stretch for
many kilometers.
507
00:38:39,784 --> 00:38:43,587
But never underestimate
the resilience of
America's pronghorn.
508
00:38:56,334 --> 00:39:01,339
Manmade barriers eventually
give way to nature's course.
509
00:39:08,245 --> 00:39:12,450
And finally they
reach their refuge:
510
00:39:12,516 --> 00:39:15,653
Grand Teton National Park.
511
00:39:16,721 --> 00:39:20,458
Here in the high pastures,
they roam free,
512
00:39:23,894 --> 00:39:28,065
and life begins anew.
513
00:39:31,469 --> 00:39:34,405
So how does the pronghorn
rate in our quest to select
514
00:39:34,472 --> 00:39:36,607
America's Big Five?
515
00:39:37,641 --> 00:39:40,211
Measurement one: power.
516
00:39:40,277 --> 00:39:43,614
Pronghorns are
peerless athletes,
517
00:39:43,681 --> 00:39:45,383
but of delicate form,
518
00:39:45,449 --> 00:39:48,319
only one out of five for power.
519
00:39:48,986 --> 00:39:51,522
It's like a Ferrari.
Can't put 'em on a dirt road.
520
00:39:52,423 --> 00:39:56,827
Measurement two: what
unique features set them apart?
521
00:39:57,395 --> 00:40:00,498
Pronghorns have two
things going for them:
522
00:40:00,564 --> 00:40:04,835
their branched horn is the only
one in the animal kingdom,
523
00:40:04,902 --> 00:40:08,272
and they're the fastest
land animal in America.
524
00:40:08,339 --> 00:40:10,908
Definitely worthy of a four.
525
00:40:10,975 --> 00:40:14,445
Measurement three:
danger to humans.
526
00:40:14,512 --> 00:40:17,748
Well, not much you
can say, really.
527
00:40:18,149 --> 00:40:20,618
One look at us and they'll
sprint the other way.
528
00:40:20,684 --> 00:40:22,753
Another one.
529
00:40:22,820 --> 00:40:25,656
Finally: charisma.
530
00:40:25,723 --> 00:40:30,060
Pronghorns are beautiful and
know how to strike a pose.
531
00:40:30,528 --> 00:40:34,198
But they're rarely the animal
you're dying to see on safari.
532
00:40:34,265 --> 00:40:36,233
A two.
533
00:40:36,300 --> 00:40:39,370
It's a paltry total of eight.
534
00:40:40,871 --> 00:40:44,041
No doubt pronghorns are
remarkable creatures,
535
00:40:44,108 --> 00:40:48,779
but not big or scary enough to
contend for America's top five.
536
00:40:50,247 --> 00:40:55,519
So among the prairie
contenders so far only bison
seem to have what it takes.
537
00:40:56,454 --> 00:41:00,791
But bison, elk and pronghorn
are all herbivores.
538
00:41:00,858 --> 00:41:03,127
So who's eating all the meat?
539
00:41:06,130 --> 00:41:08,966
This guy.
540
00:41:09,033 --> 00:41:13,204
The handsome black wolf is
the alpha male of his pack in
541
00:41:13,270 --> 00:41:16,607
Yellowstone National Park.
542
00:41:16,674 --> 00:41:19,710
And he's hungry.
543
00:41:20,845 --> 00:41:24,014
Wolves are Mother
Nature's strike force,
544
00:41:24,081 --> 00:41:27,818
brandishing the ferocious
weapons of a predator.
545
00:41:27,885 --> 00:41:30,287
But it's the collective
brainpower of the pack that
546
00:41:30,354 --> 00:41:32,523
really sets them apart.
547
00:41:33,157 --> 00:41:37,595
And they have plenty of
other features that'll
earn them points.
548
00:41:38,762 --> 00:41:41,665
The wolf's keen sense
of smell detects prey
549
00:41:41,732 --> 00:41:45,870
from more than three
kilometers away.
550
00:41:47,104 --> 00:41:51,108
But he'll hear you coming
long before he smells you.
551
00:41:58,449 --> 00:42:01,886
Up close, the wolves weed out
the sick and the injured
552
00:42:01,952 --> 00:42:05,122
to make for an easier meal.
553
00:42:06,056 --> 00:42:09,827
But wolves also have incredible
stamina that enables them
554
00:42:09,894 --> 00:42:13,797
to pursue their prey over
several kilometers if need be.
555
00:42:14,899 --> 00:42:20,070
In winter, their
large feet keep them
on the snow's surface,
556
00:42:20,137 --> 00:42:25,209
with each hind foot falling
exactly into the print of
the foot in front,
557
00:42:25,276 --> 00:42:28,879
a technique called
double registering.
558
00:42:31,882 --> 00:42:35,419
Powerful jaw muscles give
them the strength of a vise.
559
00:42:38,756 --> 00:42:42,259
They have an amazingly
strong power-packed bite.
560
00:42:42,326 --> 00:42:46,096
1500 pounds per square inch is
what their bite force reads.
561
00:42:46,163 --> 00:42:48,365
That is unreal.
562
00:42:48,432 --> 00:42:51,101
That's a serious bite.
563
00:42:55,673 --> 00:43:00,644
Canine teeth two
and a half centimeters long
tear a carcass to shreds.
564
00:43:04,582 --> 00:43:09,687
Africa's Big Five features
a predator with a similar
hunting strategy:
565
00:43:09,753 --> 00:43:11,989
the lion.
566
00:43:13,223 --> 00:43:17,795
Both carnivores hunt in
groups, attack from behind,
567
00:43:20,297 --> 00:43:24,501
and finally, as a group,
overwhelm their prey.
568
00:43:27,037 --> 00:43:30,708
But there's a big difference
in the art of their kill.
569
00:43:33,210 --> 00:43:35,245
Lions are ambush predators,
570
00:43:35,312 --> 00:43:38,616
exploiting the
element of surprise.
571
00:43:43,020 --> 00:43:46,223
Wolves are far more brash.
572
00:43:50,527 --> 00:43:52,529
They don't need
that little secret ambush.
573
00:43:52,596 --> 00:43:55,199
They just jump right out
in daylight, full force,
574
00:43:55,265 --> 00:43:58,268
and take their prey.
575
00:44:01,972 --> 00:44:05,009
With giant carnassial
teeth for slicing meat and
576
00:44:05,075 --> 00:44:09,546
molars that can crush bones,
nothing goes to waste.
577
00:44:15,586 --> 00:44:20,691
A wolf pack's
territory can span hundreds
of square kilometers.
578
00:44:30,434 --> 00:44:33,370
And, when strangers
enter their domain,
579
00:44:33,437 --> 00:44:36,974
they will defend their
territory to the death.
580
00:45:00,030 --> 00:45:03,400
The black wolf and
his pack win the day.
581
00:45:04,068 --> 00:45:08,238
For now they hold their ground,
safe in the knowledge that a new
582
00:45:08,305 --> 00:45:12,142
generation of reinforcements
is on its way.
583
00:45:18,782 --> 00:45:22,186
Wolves have returned
to our wilderness,
584
00:45:22,252 --> 00:45:25,956
and the soundtrack of the
West is silent no more.
585
00:45:32,763 --> 00:45:36,867
So how does this predator do
in our Big Five challenge?
586
00:45:37,501 --> 00:45:38,669
I love wolves.
587
00:45:38,736 --> 00:45:42,039
I mean, I think that wolves
have to make the Big Five.
588
00:45:42,740 --> 00:45:45,676
Measurement
one: power.
589
00:45:45,743 --> 00:45:50,581
Wolves have powerful jaws, but
must rely on strength in numbers
590
00:45:50,647 --> 00:45:54,184
to bring down substantial prey.
591
00:45:54,251 --> 00:45:56,220
They get a three.
592
00:45:56,286 --> 00:45:59,790
Measurement two:
unique features.
593
00:45:59,857 --> 00:46:02,926
They have incredible stamina,
594
00:46:02,993 --> 00:46:07,464
unrivaled hearing and
phenomenal teeth,
595
00:46:07,531 --> 00:46:10,200
earning four points.
596
00:46:12,402 --> 00:46:16,540
Measurement three:
danger to humans.
597
00:46:17,207 --> 00:46:20,144
While you and I are not
on the regular menu,
598
00:46:20,210 --> 00:46:23,947
there have been a
few unfortunate souls
who've fallen prey.
599
00:46:24,481 --> 00:46:26,517
Another four.
600
00:46:26,583 --> 00:46:29,219
Finally, charisma.
601
00:46:29,286 --> 00:46:32,055
Whether you love
them or hate them,
602
00:46:32,122 --> 00:46:35,993
wolves elicit powerful
emotions in all of us.
603
00:46:37,094 --> 00:46:39,963
Five out of five.
604
00:46:41,465 --> 00:46:45,269
The wolf made an impressive
showing with 16 out of 20,
605
00:46:46,336 --> 00:46:50,307
But the bison was the clear
winner, with 18 points.
606
00:46:54,778 --> 00:46:59,750
Very few bison currently roaming
the prairies are the real deal.
607
00:47:02,786 --> 00:47:07,491
Most of them, wild or captive,
aren't full-blooded,
608
00:47:07,558 --> 00:47:11,028
they've been
cross-bred with cattle.
609
00:47:13,864 --> 00:47:18,101
Only a tiny handful
of purebreds remain...
610
00:47:18,168 --> 00:47:21,772
here in northeast Montana.
611
00:47:22,306 --> 00:47:25,475
Biologists at the American
Prairie Foundation are working
612
00:47:25,542 --> 00:47:29,213
to restore our grasslands
to their former glory by
613
00:47:29,279 --> 00:47:35,185
re-introducing this 100%
pure strain of bison.
614
00:47:51,101 --> 00:47:53,136
Beautiful.
615
00:47:53,203 --> 00:47:56,106
I can't
believe that actually worked.
616
00:47:57,708 --> 00:48:00,210
But not everyone's cooperating.
617
00:48:00,277 --> 00:48:04,214
This big bull isn't
ready to climb on board.
618
00:48:04,715 --> 00:48:08,385
A veterinarian
must sedate him...
619
00:48:11,388 --> 00:48:14,992
creating a new problem...
620
00:48:16,260 --> 00:48:20,330
how to move this one ton beast?
621
00:48:21,265 --> 00:48:23,934
Alright, you're good!
622
00:48:27,137 --> 00:48:31,408
Time for a
sleigh ride Montana style.
623
00:48:37,981 --> 00:48:40,417
Here comes the bump.
624
00:48:42,819 --> 00:48:46,290
It's not often you get
to snuggle up with a bison,
625
00:48:46,356 --> 00:48:49,726
but the chance reveals just
how well adapted they are for
626
00:48:49,793 --> 00:48:51,461
winters on the prairie.
627
00:48:51,528 --> 00:48:54,798
I can bury my hand almost
in his hair here,
628
00:48:54,865 --> 00:48:58,168
in his hide, both these guard
hairs and then his underfur.
629
00:48:58,235 --> 00:49:02,139
And in the wintertime,
40 below and wind, this
630
00:49:02,205 --> 00:49:04,741
no effect on him.
631
00:49:08,412 --> 00:49:12,282
Bison are nothing
if not tenacious...
632
00:49:13,450 --> 00:49:18,822
stubbornly withstanding
the harshest winters
America has to offer.
633
00:49:20,991 --> 00:49:26,630
And their enormous
skull works wonders as a
fur-lined snow shovel,
634
00:49:27,764 --> 00:49:31,368
digging deep
in search of a meal.
635
00:49:37,341 --> 00:49:42,746
Tomorrow, this prize
bull will lead his herd
out onto the plain.
636
00:49:44,381 --> 00:49:47,884
One by one, these pure-bred
bison will reclaim their
637
00:49:47,951 --> 00:49:51,188
rightful place on our prairie.
638
00:49:52,189 --> 00:49:56,893
They're the heart and soul
of America's grasslands.
639
00:49:56,960 --> 00:50:01,131
And gradually,
they're coming home.
640
00:50:04,368 --> 00:50:08,939
It's time to move the
competition from the
prairies to the forest.
641
00:50:10,741 --> 00:50:15,112
Up in the canopy, a new
home is taking shape.
642
00:50:15,178 --> 00:50:17,547
It's a mansion.
643
00:50:17,614 --> 00:50:22,786
Four meters deep,
two and a half meters
wide and weighing a ton,
644
00:50:22,853 --> 00:50:27,724
the bald eagle's nest
is bigger than any other
bird's in North America.
645
00:50:28,925 --> 00:50:32,763
But when you're the national
icon, what do you expect?
646
00:50:34,197 --> 00:50:39,069
America's eagle has plenty
of features earning it
points in our contest.
647
00:50:40,871 --> 00:50:45,942
It soars over the canopy of
all 49 continental states.
648
00:50:47,277 --> 00:50:49,379
It's a phenomenal bird of prey,
649
00:50:49,446 --> 00:50:53,583
second only to the
California condor in size.
650
00:50:55,685 --> 00:51:02,025
The eagle requires sturdy
old growth forest to
support its giant nest,
651
00:51:02,092 --> 00:51:07,597
and prime real estate
alongside rivers and
lakes stocked with fish.
652
00:51:09,232 --> 00:51:12,769
Like all birds of prey,
it has huge, powerful eyes
653
00:51:12,836 --> 00:51:16,339
that can detect the
slightest motion below.
654
00:51:17,607 --> 00:51:21,378
And long, razor-sharp talons,
which easily pluck today's
655
00:51:21,445 --> 00:51:24,514
lunch from the water.
656
00:51:24,581 --> 00:51:27,350
But, thanks to powerful
muscles in the legs,
657
00:51:27,417 --> 00:51:31,154
they're capable of
far greater feats.
658
00:51:31,221 --> 00:51:32,889
Those things make me nervous.
659
00:51:32,956 --> 00:51:36,593
They are armed to the tee.
660
00:51:36,660 --> 00:51:40,097
You don't generally
think of birds as being tough,
661
00:51:40,163 --> 00:51:43,567
but the bald eagle is
a fearless predator.
662
00:51:44,267 --> 00:51:46,136
There have
been some experiments done where
663
00:51:46,203 --> 00:51:50,207
bald eagle's talon strength is
400 pounds per square inch.
664
00:51:50,273 --> 00:51:52,776
That's like ten
times a human grip.
665
00:51:52,843 --> 00:51:56,179
You do not want to shake
hands with an angry eagle.
666
00:52:02,486 --> 00:52:05,455
Bald eagles used to
be so abundant they fished the
667
00:52:05,522 --> 00:52:10,360
waters off Manhattan Island
and picnicked in Central Park.
668
00:52:11,561 --> 00:52:17,267
But by the '60s, there were
barely 400 breeding pairs left
669
00:52:17,334 --> 00:52:19,870
in all of North America.
670
00:52:19,936 --> 00:52:22,305
Today, thanks to
conservation efforts,
671
00:52:22,372 --> 00:52:25,842
their numbers are
climbing back up.
672
00:52:29,846 --> 00:52:35,051
In spring, hundreds of these
charismatic birds gather along
the northern Mississippi
673
00:52:35,118 --> 00:52:39,289
for one of the easiest
meals they'll ever come by.
674
00:52:39,990 --> 00:52:45,028
Over winter, thousands
of gizzard shad freeze
in the icy water.
675
00:52:46,830 --> 00:52:50,033
Spring releases
their frozen corpses,
676
00:52:50,100 --> 00:52:53,803
proving there is such a
thing as a free lunch.
677
00:53:05,315 --> 00:53:09,953
Downstream, a different kind of
food is ripe for the plucking...
678
00:53:13,123 --> 00:53:16,092
the American coot...
679
00:53:16,159 --> 00:53:19,329
thousands of them,
sitting ducks.
680
00:53:24,467 --> 00:53:27,837
The eagles attack relentlessly.
681
00:53:28,438 --> 00:53:33,109
In macabre fashion, they seem
almost to play with their food.
682
00:53:39,049 --> 00:53:41,918
And they're just as happy
stealing someone else's lunch
683
00:53:41,985 --> 00:53:44,688
as catching their own.
684
00:53:45,755 --> 00:53:47,157
So what are
these guys doing here?
685
00:53:47,224 --> 00:53:48,425
They just showing off?
686
00:53:48,491 --> 00:53:49,726
Meat tenderizing?
687
00:53:49,793 --> 00:53:52,295
What's the point?
688
00:53:53,930 --> 00:53:57,000
It remains a mystery.
689
00:53:58,802 --> 00:54:03,106
The bald eagle is happy as
both predator and scavenger,
690
00:54:03,173 --> 00:54:06,409
and is a force to
be reckoned with.
691
00:54:07,777 --> 00:54:12,415
But how does it contend
with America's other
greatest animals?
692
00:54:12,949 --> 00:54:14,150
The bald eagle?
693
00:54:14,217 --> 00:54:15,685
Come on!
It's our national symbol.
694
00:54:15,752 --> 00:54:18,021
There's no way it's not
going to make the top five.
695
00:54:18,088 --> 00:54:20,957
If we don't put it in there,
we'll be tried for treason.
696
00:54:21,825 --> 00:54:23,693
Let's score:
697
00:54:23,760 --> 00:54:27,264
Measurement one: power.
698
00:54:28,131 --> 00:54:32,936
Talon strength and a
two-and-a-half meter
wingspan earn three points.
699
00:54:34,738 --> 00:54:38,141
Measurement two:
unique features.
700
00:54:38,808 --> 00:54:42,312
Among our contenders, only
the eagle ranges through all
701
00:54:42,379 --> 00:54:45,148
49 continental states.
702
00:54:45,215 --> 00:54:47,684
Three points again.
703
00:54:48,418 --> 00:54:50,720
Danger to humans.
704
00:54:51,187 --> 00:54:54,724
If you're any kind of
small animal, watch out.
705
00:54:54,791 --> 00:54:58,828
But humans are much
more dangerous to them
than they are to us.
706
00:54:58,895 --> 00:55:00,764
One.
707
00:55:00,830 --> 00:55:04,100
And finally: charisma.
708
00:55:04,167 --> 00:55:06,136
This is indisputable.
709
00:55:06,202 --> 00:55:10,473
As our national icon, bald
eagles have inspired America
710
00:55:10,540 --> 00:55:12,542
for more than two centuries.
711
00:55:12,609 --> 00:55:15,178
A well-deserved five.
712
00:55:15,779 --> 00:55:19,683
So the eagle garners 12
points... not bad for a bird,
713
00:55:19,749 --> 00:55:23,119
but not enough for
a seat at the table.
714
00:55:26,156 --> 00:55:30,493
The wolf, with 16 points,
is still in contention,
715
00:55:30,560 --> 00:55:33,496
but for how long?
716
00:55:33,563 --> 00:55:39,102
Beneath the forest canopy a host
of new contenders are lurking.
717
00:55:41,304 --> 00:55:44,941
These are creatures who
hide in the shadows,
718
00:55:45,008 --> 00:55:48,578
seeking shelter in the big wood.
719
00:55:50,747 --> 00:55:53,483
If you're American and
you live near some woods,
720
00:55:53,550 --> 00:55:57,987
meet your neighbor,
the black bear...
721
00:56:02,359 --> 00:56:07,364
Ursus Americanus...
this is our bear.
722
00:56:08,565 --> 00:56:13,570
It's a smaller and very
distant cousin of both
grizzlies and polar bears.
723
00:56:13,636 --> 00:56:18,942
And it has one feature
in particular that really
sets it apart...
724
00:56:19,008 --> 00:56:22,545
the ability to climb.
725
00:56:24,814 --> 00:56:27,884
This mother has given
birth to four cubs.
726
00:56:27,951 --> 00:56:31,020
They're a few weeks old.
727
00:56:31,087 --> 00:56:34,858
It's time to show them
around the neighborhood.
728
00:56:36,493 --> 00:56:39,629
These cubs must learn
which berries to eat...
729
00:56:39,696 --> 00:56:42,298
which plants taste good...
730
00:56:42,365 --> 00:56:46,736
and how to escape
when danger comes calling.
731
00:56:49,406 --> 00:56:52,041
A grizzly, twice the
black bear's size,
732
00:56:52,108 --> 00:56:55,612
would happily eat
her cubs for dinner.
733
00:57:01,017 --> 00:57:05,355
There's only one
place to go... up.
734
00:57:07,023 --> 00:57:09,959
Unlike grizzlies, black
bears are built for
735
00:57:10,026 --> 00:57:13,229
the vertical world.
736
00:57:14,164 --> 00:57:18,101
Their non-retractable claws are
much shorter than the grizzly's
737
00:57:18,168 --> 00:57:22,338
and are curved like
hooks... perfect for climbing.
738
00:57:23,339 --> 00:57:25,179
I've filmed these guys
before; they're awesome.
739
00:57:25,241 --> 00:57:26,876
They're super-agile,
super-nimble.
740
00:57:26,943 --> 00:57:31,047
They're like a little squirrel
but they weigh hundreds and
hundreds of pounds.
741
00:57:34,184 --> 00:57:37,754
The cubs are way
out of the grizzly's reach.
742
00:57:37,821 --> 00:57:41,558
Defeated, it moves on.
743
00:57:51,100 --> 00:57:55,338
Africa's Big Five has a
climber too, the leopard.
744
00:57:56,773 --> 00:58:01,811
And the surprisingly
agile bear can climb
with the speed of a cat.
745
00:58:01,878 --> 00:58:05,448
But, while leopards drag
their meal up with them,
746
00:58:05,515 --> 00:58:08,551
black bears ascend
in search of food,
747
00:58:08,618 --> 00:58:11,421
such as honey and pine nuts.
748
00:58:13,623 --> 00:58:18,428
These days, black bears are
rarely alone in the woods.
749
00:58:18,495 --> 00:58:23,833
But they have an
incredible ability to
adapt to a changing world.
750
00:58:27,036 --> 00:58:29,739
Hang your bird feeder
where you like...
751
00:58:29,806 --> 00:58:33,343
chances are the
bear will get it.
752
00:58:37,514 --> 00:58:39,015
The black bear deserves props.
753
00:58:39,082 --> 00:58:40,650
In this day and age
to be a survivor,
754
00:58:40,717 --> 00:58:45,154
you have to adapt to
humans and the black bear
is really good at it.
755
00:58:46,356 --> 00:58:49,092
These animals are perfectly
designed for the woods.
756
00:58:49,158 --> 00:58:51,194
That doesn't mean far out there.
757
00:58:51,261 --> 00:58:53,930
It could be right
behind your house.
758
00:58:55,231 --> 00:58:57,500
Omigod, it's
in the house, it's in the house!
759
00:58:57,567 --> 00:59:03,406
There's no denying
it: black bears are innovative
problem solvers,
760
00:59:03,473 --> 00:59:06,075
but if they get too
comfortable around people,
761
00:59:06,142 --> 00:59:09,712
it can be dangerous
for them as well as us.
762
00:59:13,716 --> 00:59:17,754
So how does the ingenious
black bear stand up to
the competition?
763
00:59:18,655 --> 00:59:20,123
On power.
764
00:59:20,189 --> 00:59:23,826
It gets a three.. strong enough
to pull itself up a tree,
765
00:59:23,893 --> 00:59:27,497
but not as powerful as
its cousin, the grizzly.
766
00:59:28,264 --> 00:59:30,433
For unique features:
767
00:59:30,500 --> 00:59:35,705
Its ability to climb at
a meter per second
earns it three again.
768
00:59:36,439 --> 00:59:40,209
Next, danger to humans.
769
00:59:41,044 --> 00:59:43,846
There are occasional
fatal attacks on humans,
770
00:59:43,913 --> 00:59:47,650
but black bears are much more
timid than grizzlies and may
771
00:59:47,717 --> 00:59:50,153
retreat if you fight back.
772
00:59:50,219 --> 00:59:52,422
Another three.
773
00:59:52,488 --> 00:59:55,158
Finally, charisma.
774
00:59:55,224 --> 00:59:59,195
There is definitely
something exciting about
seeing a black bear
775
00:59:59,262 --> 01:00:02,699
but, again, it just can't
compete with the grizzly.
776
01:00:02,765 --> 01:00:04,834
Three out of five.
777
01:00:04,901 --> 01:00:08,304
The grand total: 12...
778
01:00:08,371 --> 01:00:13,076
same as the bald eagle
and not enough to enter
America's Big Five.
779
01:00:14,444 --> 01:00:18,548
Someone in the forest
needs to raise the bar.
780
01:00:23,519 --> 01:00:25,555
Two meters tall.
781
01:00:25,622 --> 01:00:28,091
500 kilos.
782
01:00:28,157 --> 01:00:30,693
Cool crown.
783
01:00:30,760 --> 01:00:35,665
Meet the moose... the
world's largest deer.
784
01:00:38,234 --> 01:00:40,403
These guys are awesome!
785
01:00:40,470 --> 01:00:41,871
They're huge.
786
01:00:41,938 --> 01:00:45,808
I don't think
I've ever filmed an animal
as bizarre as the moose.
787
01:00:45,875 --> 01:00:48,745
They just look weird.
788
01:00:50,713 --> 01:00:53,116
It's like God took all
the spare parts and threw them
789
01:00:53,182 --> 01:00:55,585
together and you got moose.
790
01:00:55,652 --> 01:00:58,287
This massive
beast standing seven feet tall
791
01:00:58,354 --> 01:01:01,758
on these tall
skinny, spindly legs.
792
01:01:01,824 --> 01:01:04,627
Nice long legs and a big rack.
793
01:01:04,694 --> 01:01:07,830
In my book, that's always good.
794
01:01:13,670 --> 01:01:17,206
An antler rack
can weigh 36 kilograms.
795
01:01:17,273 --> 01:01:20,276
And be as wide as a man is tall.
796
01:01:22,679 --> 01:01:25,281
Moose might be vegetarians,
797
01:01:25,348 --> 01:01:29,118
but they're still
intimidating beasts.
798
01:01:32,689 --> 01:01:37,126
The bulls are as thuggish
as any of Africa's Big Five.
799
01:01:39,462 --> 01:01:41,764
They have a
temper and if you get them mad,
800
01:01:41,831 --> 01:01:44,167
you're in trouble.
801
01:01:44,233 --> 01:01:46,903
It's
not just the antlers that
you have to worry about.
802
01:01:46,969 --> 01:01:50,973
The legs are extremely
dangerous on the moose
'cause they'll kick.
803
01:02:00,483 --> 01:02:04,053
But there is a softer side.
804
01:02:05,822 --> 01:02:10,126
This mother has
recently given birth.
805
01:02:10,693 --> 01:02:14,597
After a winter pregnant
and deprived of good food,
806
01:02:14,664 --> 01:02:18,367
she must re-gain her strength
before cold weather returns.
807
01:02:21,804 --> 01:02:25,041
She's got a
lot of catching up to do.
808
01:02:27,543 --> 01:02:31,414
What she needs is a
nutrient-infused sodium boost
809
01:02:31,481 --> 01:02:33,950
with a twist of iron.
810
01:02:34,016 --> 01:02:37,653
And for that she's going
to have to get wet.
811
01:02:40,456 --> 01:02:45,394
Plants growing underwater
have far more of the
nutrients she needs.
812
01:02:47,396 --> 01:02:50,733
But this behavior is unique:
813
01:02:50,800 --> 01:02:54,270
Moose are the only large land
mammals in North America that
814
01:02:54,337 --> 01:02:59,442
eat aquatic plants, a feature
deserving of extra points.
815
01:03:00,910 --> 01:03:02,411
Well, if you're an herbivore,
816
01:03:02,478 --> 01:03:06,849
if you can somehow figure
out a way to have access to
817
01:03:06,916 --> 01:03:09,919
aquatic vegetation as
well as terrestrial, man,
818
01:03:09,986 --> 01:03:14,423
that's just one step
over all your other
herbivore competitors.
819
01:03:16,259 --> 01:03:19,195
Special valves
close over their nostrils,
820
01:03:19,262 --> 01:03:23,032
allowing them to hold
their breath for up to
a minute as they gorge.
821
01:03:23,699 --> 01:03:28,604
20 kilos of food a day is a
hefty requirement to fulfill.
822
01:03:29,505 --> 01:03:31,974
And it does a
number on your hair!
823
01:03:32,041 --> 01:03:34,377
Poor lady.
824
01:03:35,044 --> 01:03:38,181
The moose is the only large
land mammal in America that
825
01:03:38,247 --> 01:03:41,884
can feed underwater.
826
01:03:42,652 --> 01:03:47,623
The males bulk up in pursuit
of a higher calling: antlers.
827
01:03:51,093 --> 01:03:56,465
Every spring, bull moose grow a
completely new set from scratch.
828
01:03:57,733 --> 01:04:00,102
At more than two
centimeters per day,
829
01:04:00,169 --> 01:04:04,874
it's one of the fastest
rates of tissue growth
in the animal kingdom.
830
01:04:06,342 --> 01:04:12,181
An outer layer of soft
velvet rich in blood fuels
this spectacular growth.
831
01:04:17,186 --> 01:04:21,557
But in fall, it's
time to toughen up.
832
01:04:25,828 --> 01:04:31,701
The males scrape off the
velvet and polish their armor.
833
01:04:41,077 --> 01:04:44,747
The bulls are ready to rumble.
834
01:05:08,104 --> 01:05:09,372
It's over.
835
01:05:09,438 --> 01:05:13,309
The loser retreats
to lick his wounds.
836
01:05:16,879 --> 01:05:22,084
The winner stakes his
claim with a love potion
oozing in pheromones.
837
01:05:25,922 --> 01:05:30,626
It drives the ladies wild.
838
01:05:31,794 --> 01:05:34,397
Ugh, ladies,
what are you thinking?
839
01:05:34,463 --> 01:05:37,767
Seriously? Ugh!
840
01:05:39,302 --> 01:05:41,637
It's believed this
bizarre ritual of rolling in the
841
01:05:41,704 --> 01:05:46,042
male's urine speeds up
the cow's ovulation.
842
01:05:51,280 --> 01:05:55,685
When she's ready, she lets the
prize bull pass on his crown and
843
01:05:55,751 --> 01:05:59,188
seed a new generation.
844
01:06:00,890 --> 01:06:05,394
But will the moose be
king of the forest?
845
01:06:05,461 --> 01:06:07,363
Let's see.
846
01:06:07,430 --> 01:06:10,266
Measurement one: power.
847
01:06:10,333 --> 01:06:13,636
Moose are big, bad brutes.
848
01:06:13,703 --> 01:06:16,572
Definitely five out of five.
849
01:06:17,139 --> 01:06:21,544
Measurement two: what special
features set them apart?
850
01:06:21,610 --> 01:06:26,148
Weird anatomy, giant antlers,
underwater feeding with
851
01:06:26,215 --> 01:06:28,317
specialized nostrils.
852
01:06:28,384 --> 01:06:30,386
Moose have it all going on.
853
01:06:30,453 --> 01:06:32,888
Another five.
854
01:06:32,955 --> 01:06:35,691
Danger to humans.
855
01:06:35,758 --> 01:06:37,235
I have actually been
charged by moose more than
856
01:06:37,259 --> 01:06:39,528
grizzlies, hands down.
857
01:06:39,595 --> 01:06:42,064
Moose are huge,
aggressive animals.
858
01:06:42,131 --> 01:06:46,736
And collisions with cars kill
at least 10 people every year.
859
01:06:48,070 --> 01:06:51,741
Four out of five, not
bad for a vegetarian.
860
01:06:52,675 --> 01:06:55,611
Finally: charisma.
861
01:06:55,678 --> 01:06:58,881
These guys make any
road trip worthwhile,
862
01:06:58,948 --> 01:07:01,851
so long as they
don't hit your hood!
863
01:07:01,917 --> 01:07:05,121
A goofy yet charismatic five.
864
01:07:06,722 --> 01:07:09,191
19 out of 20.
865
01:07:09,258 --> 01:07:12,561
The moose has beaten the
black bear and the eagle.
866
01:07:12,628 --> 01:07:16,132
He is the clear winner in the
forest and joins the grizzly and
867
01:07:16,198 --> 01:07:20,703
the bison in our quest to
name America's Big Five.
868
01:07:24,173 --> 01:07:27,343
Moose might be kings
of the forests,
869
01:07:27,410 --> 01:07:31,680
but the forests today aren't
quite what they used to be.
870
01:07:34,050 --> 01:07:38,320
Every year, there are
thousands of collisions
between cars and moose.
871
01:07:40,122 --> 01:07:42,625
On one particular
stretch of road in Idaho,
872
01:07:42,691 --> 01:07:48,097
169 of these enormous deer were
killed in a four-year period.
873
01:07:53,803 --> 01:07:57,206
These biologists from the Idaho
Department of Fish and Game are
874
01:07:57,273 --> 01:08:00,476
studying where the moose travel
to see how best to prevent
875
01:08:00,543 --> 01:08:03,012
future collisions.
876
01:08:06,649 --> 01:08:10,152
Come on up
on land, come to shore.
877
01:08:11,854 --> 01:08:14,423
She's hit.
878
01:08:23,299 --> 01:08:24,934
Once the moose is sedated,
879
01:08:25,000 --> 01:08:27,303
they can get a radio collar on.
880
01:08:27,369 --> 01:08:30,072
Signals emitted by the collar
will enable them to track the
881
01:08:30,139 --> 01:08:32,475
seasonal movements
of the animal.
882
01:08:32,541 --> 01:08:34,877
8-9-4-4.
883
01:08:34,944 --> 01:08:36,812
It's a remarkable
chance to explore this
884
01:08:36,879 --> 01:08:41,317
creature's features in detail
and assess the female's health.
885
01:08:43,152 --> 01:08:46,255
Worn down teeth
indicate her age.
886
01:08:46,322 --> 01:08:50,493
Four on each side.
887
01:08:50,559 --> 01:08:53,696
She's got a big gap between the
base of her tooth and where her
888
01:08:53,762 --> 01:08:56,232
gum line is, where her
tooth roots are showing,
889
01:08:56,298 --> 01:09:00,569
so she's gonna be in
that 10 to 15 age range.
890
01:09:00,636 --> 01:09:04,206
Cloven hooves
support her one-ton bulk.
891
01:09:04,273 --> 01:09:06,609
There's a soft part here,
892
01:09:06,675 --> 01:09:11,347
which is akin to the tip of,
soft tip of our fingers.
893
01:09:11,413 --> 01:09:16,152
These two toes can
splay apart quite wide
894
01:09:16,218 --> 01:09:20,156
and that gives them
extra stability.
895
01:09:20,222 --> 01:09:23,492
Then there's the
dewlap, a weird bundle of skin
896
01:09:23,559 --> 01:09:27,863
and fur dangling under the
chin that still has scientists
897
01:09:27,930 --> 01:09:29,632
completely puzzled.
898
01:09:29,698 --> 01:09:32,535
This
actually can get really long.
899
01:09:33,035 --> 01:09:34,837
But there's something else...
900
01:09:34,904 --> 01:09:38,474
something we can't easily see.
901
01:09:39,942 --> 01:09:43,979
Joshua, we're
gonna do a timed tick
check for 90 seconds.
902
01:09:44,046 --> 01:09:46,081
One, two...
903
01:09:46,148 --> 01:09:49,818
Beneath two layers
of fur lurks a tiny creature
904
01:09:49,885 --> 01:09:52,321
flourishing on misfortune...
905
01:09:52,388 --> 01:09:54,757
10, 11, 12.
906
01:09:54,823 --> 01:09:56,492
Winter ticks.
907
01:09:56,559 --> 01:09:58,994
13, 14, 15...
908
01:09:59,061 --> 01:10:03,065
Their lust for
blood transforms them
from a grain of sand
909
01:10:03,132 --> 01:10:05,734
to the size of a ripe grape.
910
01:10:05,801 --> 01:10:09,738
17, 18, 19, 20.
911
01:10:09,805 --> 01:10:14,143
Itchy ticks will cause
a moose to rub itself raw and
912
01:10:14,210 --> 01:10:17,379
can literally suck it to death.
913
01:10:17,446 --> 01:10:21,283
On one carcass, scientists
counted 100,000 of these
914
01:10:21,350 --> 01:10:24,420
engorged parasites.
915
01:10:24,486 --> 01:10:28,657
It's a problem affecting the
southern range of moose habitat.
916
01:10:28,724 --> 01:10:31,660
But, as climate change
raises the temperature,
917
01:10:31,727 --> 01:10:35,431
the ticks are spreading north.
918
01:10:36,232 --> 01:10:40,603
24, 25, ooh, a lot more.
919
01:10:40,669 --> 01:10:42,137
There you go, Scotty.
920
01:10:42,204 --> 01:10:46,308
This female is
pretty much covered in them.
921
01:10:46,942 --> 01:10:49,979
There's a chance the ticks
will kill her long before she
922
01:10:50,045 --> 01:10:54,283
succumbs to old age
or gets hit by a car.
923
01:11:00,222 --> 01:11:03,826
There are few vehicles to worry
about where we're heading next,
924
01:11:03,892 --> 01:11:08,330
in search of our
final contestants for
America's Big Five.
925
01:11:10,165 --> 01:11:14,003
We've covered mountains,
prairies and forests.
926
01:11:14,069 --> 01:11:17,606
There's only one region
still to explore.
927
01:11:17,673 --> 01:11:22,578
And it's the most brutal
and breathtaking of all.
928
01:11:23,279 --> 01:11:28,017
Africa's Big Five wouldn't
last a day up here.
929
01:11:33,088 --> 01:11:36,025
On the northern fringe
of the Taiga Forest,
930
01:11:36,091 --> 01:11:39,862
caribou wait out
the winter storm.
931
01:11:41,163 --> 01:11:43,999
These are America's reindeer.
932
01:11:44,066 --> 01:11:48,971
And their large, flared hooves
are perfectly designed to
pull Santa's sleigh.
933
01:11:49,438 --> 01:11:52,708
In fact, they change
shoes with the season:
934
01:11:52,775 --> 01:11:56,011
In summer, the pads soften and
swell like a sponge to gain
935
01:11:56,078 --> 01:11:59,014
traction on wet ground.
936
01:11:59,081 --> 01:12:04,853
But in winter, the sharp outer
rim of the hooves cut into
ice like a ski's edge.
937
01:12:06,855 --> 01:12:11,160
The hooves are useful, too, for
digging under deep snow to find
938
01:12:11,226 --> 01:12:14,530
what little food is available.
939
01:12:14,797 --> 01:12:18,734
Their noses seek out the
carb-rich lichen known
as reindeer moss.
940
01:12:19,535 --> 01:12:21,575
Anything that can eat
that kinda stuff in that harsh
941
01:12:21,637 --> 01:12:25,741
of an environment and get that
big is an amazing animal.
942
01:12:28,644 --> 01:12:31,647
Females especially
must find what nourishment they
943
01:12:31,714 --> 01:12:36,118
can as up to 90% of
them will be pregnant.
944
01:12:37,186 --> 01:12:41,390
They eagerly await the
first signs of spring.
945
01:12:46,228 --> 01:12:51,100
In the icy cold of the Arctic,
spring finally arrives...
946
01:12:56,572 --> 01:13:01,276
and, with it, the
irresistible urge to move.
947
01:13:06,014 --> 01:13:08,584
Millions of hooves
set in motion,
948
01:13:08,650 --> 01:13:11,487
thundering across the tundra,
949
01:13:11,553 --> 01:13:15,190
nearly 5,000 kilometers.
950
01:13:16,191 --> 01:13:19,695
This is what sets
the caribou apart.
951
01:13:19,762 --> 01:13:23,499
It's the longest land
migration in the world.
952
01:13:23,565 --> 01:13:26,602
Nothing in Africa can beat that,
953
01:13:26,668 --> 01:13:30,205
and conditions here are
a heck of a lot worse.
954
01:13:30,672 --> 01:13:33,075
The wildebeest are
soaking up the rays in Africa,
955
01:13:33,142 --> 01:13:38,247
while the caribou are freezing
their asses off in the icy
cold of the Arctic.
956
01:13:44,987 --> 01:13:47,656
With the
caribou come the wolves,
957
01:13:47,723 --> 01:13:51,393
who follow the herds north.
958
01:13:52,428 --> 01:13:56,365
But the caribou lead this dance,
avoiding the predator with
959
01:13:56,432 --> 01:14:00,736
the grace of a flock of birds.
960
01:14:06,542 --> 01:14:09,945
Nothing gets in their way.
961
01:14:10,646 --> 01:14:15,417
They're strong swimmers,
able to cross rivers at
ten kilometers per hour.
962
01:14:16,051 --> 01:14:19,955
That's a six-minute kilometer,
as fast as most people run.
963
01:14:32,568 --> 01:14:37,306
5,000 kilometers is an arduous
trek for the pregnant females.
964
01:14:38,073 --> 01:14:40,709
And timing is everything.
965
01:14:40,776 --> 01:14:45,080
They must reach the northern
pasture before they give birth,
966
01:14:45,147 --> 01:14:49,284
but get there too soon and
it'll still be covered in snow.
967
01:14:53,822 --> 01:14:56,225
Everything's perfectly
synchronized,
968
01:14:56,291 --> 01:15:01,129
down to the precise time in June
when all the females give birth.
969
01:15:11,840 --> 01:15:16,378
50,000 caribou,
all with the same birthday!
970
01:15:20,849 --> 01:15:24,119
Everyone gorges on the giant
salad bowl of cotton grass that
971
01:15:24,186 --> 01:15:28,156
bursts to life under
the warm summer sun.
972
01:15:29,324 --> 01:15:32,127
It's not on the table for long.
973
01:15:32,194 --> 01:15:35,330
The first frost
comes in mid-August.
974
01:15:35,397 --> 01:15:38,700
After that, it's a
diet of mushrooms.
975
01:15:44,506 --> 01:15:47,943
By mid-October, the caribou
will move once more,
976
01:15:48,010 --> 01:15:52,981
heading south to seek
shelter in the forest.
977
01:15:55,083 --> 01:15:58,053
It's a dance that's played
across the tundra for thousands
978
01:15:58,120 --> 01:16:02,558
of years, shifting
with the seasons.
979
01:16:17,172 --> 01:16:22,544
So how does the
caribou measure up against
America's biggest and best?
980
01:16:23,211 --> 01:16:25,147
Measurement one: power.
981
01:16:25,213 --> 01:16:27,883
It's neither the largest
nor the smallest deer,
982
01:16:27,950 --> 01:16:30,819
so it gets a mediocre three.
983
01:16:30,886 --> 01:16:34,623
Measurement two: what amazing
features set them apart?
984
01:16:35,457 --> 01:16:38,961
That 5,000-kilometer trek
through the snow ending in a
985
01:16:39,027 --> 01:16:43,465
perfectly synchronized
birth is definitely
worthy of four points.
986
01:16:44,933 --> 01:16:47,569
Next: danger to humans.
987
01:16:47,636 --> 01:16:51,607
Those antlers might be fierce,
but they're never going to be
988
01:16:51,673 --> 01:16:53,642
used on humans.
989
01:16:53,709 --> 01:16:54,977
One.
990
01:16:55,043 --> 01:16:57,613
Finally: charisma.
991
01:16:57,679 --> 01:17:01,383
Santa's reindeer appeal to
everyone's inner child.
992
01:17:01,450 --> 01:17:03,819
Three out of five.
993
01:17:04,820 --> 01:17:07,723
Which gives the
caribou 11 out of 20.
994
01:17:07,789 --> 01:17:11,026
It doesn't make the cut.
995
01:17:12,361 --> 01:17:16,498
The wolf, with 16
points, has beaten it.
996
01:17:16,565 --> 01:17:21,069
Which means the wolf
takes the fourth spot
in America's Big Five
997
01:17:21,136 --> 01:17:24,706
and joins the grizzly,
the bison and the moose.
998
01:17:29,911 --> 01:17:34,149
But there's one more
spot still to fill...
999
01:17:37,285 --> 01:17:41,523
and only one more contender
worthy of the title...
1000
01:17:41,590 --> 01:17:44,292
the polar bear.
1001
01:17:45,260 --> 01:17:47,929
Now polar bears are like
my personal favorite.
1002
01:17:47,996 --> 01:17:51,266
These guys can reach
12 feet when they're
standing on their hind legs.
1003
01:17:51,333 --> 01:17:52,467
Hello!
1004
01:17:52,534 --> 01:17:54,903
Is there any more of
a Big Five animal?
1005
01:17:54,970 --> 01:17:57,239
I don't think so.
1006
01:17:58,206 --> 01:18:02,044
It is the
largest carnivore on land.
1007
01:18:02,110 --> 01:18:04,279
Biggest land predator on earth.
1008
01:18:04,346 --> 01:18:09,951
That is in anybody's
Big Five, any continent,
any planet, anywhere.
1009
01:18:10,018 --> 01:18:13,021
This is numero uno.
1010
01:18:13,088 --> 01:18:16,124
Doesn't get any bigger or
better than the polar bear.
1011
01:18:17,359 --> 01:18:21,663
Fully grown males
can stand one and a half
meters tall at the shoulder.
1012
01:18:22,464 --> 01:18:26,702
The largest ever found
weighed nearly 1,000 kilograms,
1013
01:18:26,768 --> 01:18:29,938
almost as much as a car.
1014
01:18:33,241 --> 01:18:38,647
How can the most frigid
landscape on earth
sustain such a giant?
1015
01:18:39,948 --> 01:18:43,351
They hunt seals out on
the sea ice, but ice is ice.
1016
01:18:43,418 --> 01:18:46,588
It melts. It moves. It shifts.
1017
01:18:51,793 --> 01:18:56,064
Hiding beneath the ice
is a rich source of food...
1018
01:18:56,131 --> 01:18:59,134
if you can catch it.
1019
01:19:00,402 --> 01:19:04,940
A bear can smell a seal's lair
through a meter of snow.
1020
01:19:08,176 --> 01:19:12,681
And has the power to smash
through the roof uninvited.
1021
01:19:22,057 --> 01:19:27,095
A more subtle approach
is to wait quietly for
a seal to come calling.
1022
01:19:38,306 --> 01:19:41,977
The tapered head
and neck torpedo in.
1023
01:19:44,212 --> 01:19:48,150
The seal doesn't stand a chance.
1024
01:19:49,151 --> 01:19:54,122
There's only ever one thing
on a polar bear's plate: meat.
1025
01:19:57,893 --> 01:20:01,797
So if you find yourself
in the Arctic, beware,
1026
01:20:01,863 --> 01:20:05,066
you may find
yourself on the menu.
1027
01:20:06,334 --> 01:20:09,704
Hungry bears will seize the
opportunity for a meal however
1028
01:20:09,771 --> 01:20:12,574
it presents itself.
1029
01:20:12,641 --> 01:20:16,378
Anything moves, it's fair game.
1030
01:20:22,083 --> 01:20:25,120
It's pretty scary.
1031
01:20:26,955 --> 01:20:29,457
Two layers of thick, hollow fur,
1032
01:20:29,524 --> 01:20:31,793
along with ten
centimeters of blubber,
1033
01:20:31,860 --> 01:20:35,163
help insulate the bear
when it's -40 degrees.
1034
01:20:38,366 --> 01:20:42,771
The bear appears almost
invisible under thermal cameras,
1035
01:20:42,838 --> 01:20:46,074
showing how little
of its heat escapes.
1036
01:20:47,676 --> 01:20:51,279
Polar bears are impressively
comfortable on land,
1037
01:20:51,346 --> 01:20:55,283
but it's in the water that
their real beauty is revealed.
1038
01:21:04,092 --> 01:21:06,962
Here is a bear that's
adapted to one of the most
1039
01:21:07,028 --> 01:21:10,031
hostile environments that
the earth has to offer.
1040
01:21:10,098 --> 01:21:11,633
It's frigid.
1041
01:21:11,700 --> 01:21:15,103
And this bear loves to just
jump in and take a swim.
1042
01:21:17,372 --> 01:21:20,642
The hollow hair shafts
and buoyant blubber help keep
1043
01:21:20,709 --> 01:21:25,447
the bear afloat, while webbed
toes turn feet into paddles
1044
01:21:25,513 --> 01:21:29,818
capable of propelling it across
great tracts of open water.
1045
01:21:31,853 --> 01:21:37,792
Each year a bear may
range across 100,000 square
kilometers of ice floe,
1046
01:21:37,859 --> 01:21:41,696
sometimes covering
50 kilometers in a day.
1047
01:21:46,868 --> 01:21:52,040
On an island in northern
Canada, this bear is on
to something big...
1048
01:21:53,041 --> 01:21:55,343
Walrus.
1049
01:21:55,410 --> 01:21:59,814
It's a feast waiting to happen,
if he can get close enough
1050
01:21:59,881 --> 01:22:02,617
without being detected.
1051
01:22:05,553 --> 01:22:09,024
On the aptly named
Walrus Island in the Hudson Bay,
1052
01:22:09,090 --> 01:22:13,261
potential food lies
napping on the shore.
1053
01:22:18,166 --> 01:22:21,269
In an extraordinary display
of cunning and intelligence,
1054
01:22:21,336 --> 01:22:26,374
the bear moves downwind,
silently bypassing the massive
1055
01:22:26,441 --> 01:22:30,445
bulls sleeping
high up the rocks.
1056
01:22:32,547 --> 01:22:38,286
Then quietly slips
into the water,
1057
01:22:38,653 --> 01:22:43,124
swims around to where
the mothers and pups
are close to the edge,
1058
01:22:47,095 --> 01:22:50,365
and then brazenly
walks right in.
1059
01:22:54,736 --> 01:22:58,306
The bear zeroes in on a pup.
1060
01:23:00,809 --> 01:23:04,312
Its mother's valiant attempt
to save it is futile.
1061
01:23:09,951 --> 01:23:13,388
Pups are easy pickings.
1062
01:23:13,455 --> 01:23:17,459
But in this very rare footage,
a bear can be seen hauling a
1063
01:23:17,525 --> 01:23:21,663
massive bull walrus, twice
its size from the water.
1064
01:23:24,866 --> 01:23:28,536
It's a gruesome scene, but one
that confirms the ice bear's
1065
01:23:28,603 --> 01:23:32,374
supremacy as the apex
predator in the Arctic.
1066
01:23:35,110 --> 01:23:38,813
The final appraisal is
a foregone conclusion.
1067
01:23:38,880 --> 01:23:40,281
For power.
1068
01:23:40,348 --> 01:23:42,784
This is indisputable.
1069
01:23:42,851 --> 01:23:44,619
Five points.
1070
01:23:44,686 --> 01:23:48,089
And unique features
that set it apart.
1071
01:23:48,156 --> 01:23:52,093
The ability to survive in the
Arctic on nothing but meat,
1072
01:23:52,160 --> 01:23:55,864
to smell its prey from
miles across the ice,
1073
01:23:55,930 --> 01:24:01,036
and to swim through vast tracts
of frigid open water surely earn
1074
01:24:01,102 --> 01:24:03,571
the bear five more points.
1075
01:24:04,839 --> 01:24:07,342
Next, danger.
1076
01:24:07,409 --> 01:24:12,113
A hungry bear is unpredictable
and the danger is very real.
1077
01:24:12,180 --> 01:24:14,849
Definitely another five.
1078
01:24:14,916 --> 01:24:18,186
And finally, charisma.
1079
01:24:18,253 --> 01:24:22,490
As the ultimate predator, it's
got to be five out of five.
1080
01:24:23,625 --> 01:24:26,294
A perfect score.
1081
01:24:29,431 --> 01:24:35,603
Without question,
the polar bear is one of
America's greatest animals,
1082
01:24:35,670 --> 01:24:39,374
but it's also a
creature in crisis,
1083
01:24:39,441 --> 01:24:43,044
that's now being
monitored very closely.
1084
01:24:43,978 --> 01:24:47,315
And scientific studies are
detecting an ominous trend.
1085
01:24:47,382 --> 01:24:51,786
Here in the Beaufort Sea off
the north coast of Alaska,
1086
01:24:51,853 --> 01:24:55,056
the Arctic pack
ice is shrinking.
1087
01:24:56,091 --> 01:25:01,429
Some bears must range
much farther north to
stay on solid ice.
1088
01:25:01,496 --> 01:25:05,133
But this takes them away
from where the seals are.
1089
01:25:05,200 --> 01:25:10,305
Others are left stranded on
land during hot summer months,
1090
01:25:10,371 --> 01:25:13,541
also unable to feed.
1091
01:25:15,877 --> 01:25:19,948
Bear populations are
showing the strain.
1092
01:25:21,416 --> 01:25:26,888
Here in Alaska, nearly
60% of cubs now die
in their first year,
1093
01:25:26,955 --> 01:25:30,325
a significant increase
over recent decades.
1094
01:25:32,494 --> 01:25:35,230
And overall, numbers are grim.
1095
01:25:37,799 --> 01:25:41,136
Scientists predict more than a
third of the world's polar bears
1096
01:25:41,202 --> 01:25:45,039
will be gone by 2050.
1097
01:25:47,542 --> 01:25:51,246
This team from the United States
Geological Survey is monitoring
1098
01:25:51,312 --> 01:25:54,682
how the bears adapt to this
rapidly changing world.
1099
01:25:55,450 --> 01:25:58,052
We're gonna
be on him in just a second.
1100
01:25:58,119 --> 01:25:59,554
Getting ready to fire.
1101
01:25:59,621 --> 01:26:02,524
They've found what
looks to be a decent sized male.
1102
01:26:03,057 --> 01:26:04,292
Nice shot!
1103
01:26:04,359 --> 01:26:07,295
Let's get it over on its side,
get away from that thin ice.
1104
01:26:07,362 --> 01:26:08,930
Okay, here we go.
1105
01:26:08,997 --> 01:26:10,832
The team struggles
to keep the bear away from
1106
01:26:10,899 --> 01:26:12,400
the water's edge.
1107
01:26:12,467 --> 01:26:14,068
He's really
trying to get in the water.
1108
01:26:14,135 --> 01:26:16,775
Let's just keep working
him into the flat area
away from this water.
1109
01:26:17,305 --> 01:26:19,807
Heavily sedated,
it would quickly drown.
1110
01:26:19,874 --> 01:26:22,443
C'mon, bear, go the other way.
1111
01:26:23,111 --> 01:26:24,812
Okay, there's a little
bit of a stumble.
1112
01:26:24,879 --> 01:26:27,749
Let's just give him a couple
minutes to relax a little bit.
1113
01:26:27,815 --> 01:26:30,885
Okay, I'll
pull back just a little bit.
1114
01:26:36,291 --> 01:26:39,160
These are desperate
times in the Arctic,
1115
01:26:39,227 --> 01:26:43,031
which makes this enormous
beast even more impressive.
1116
01:26:44,966 --> 01:26:48,770
His feet alone are an
engineering marvel.
1117
01:26:48,836 --> 01:26:53,541
Giant paws, 30 centimeters
across, help distribute
his weight on the ice.
1118
01:27:01,349 --> 01:27:04,552
Tiny adhesive bumps on
the skin of the foot pad,
1119
01:27:04,619 --> 01:27:08,323
and thick tufts of fur between
the toes, give traction.
1120
01:27:08,990 --> 01:27:10,592
Incredible animal.
1121
01:27:10,658 --> 01:27:13,595
The claws are slightly
shorter than the grizzly's,
1122
01:27:13,661 --> 01:27:16,764
and hooked like the black
bear's, perfect for running on
1123
01:27:16,831 --> 01:27:20,368
ice and grabbing slippery seals.
1124
01:27:24,005 --> 01:27:27,942
And the teeth are unmistakably
those of a meat eater.
1125
01:27:30,345 --> 01:27:35,083
But if there's no ice, there's
no way to catch seals...
1126
01:27:35,149 --> 01:27:38,786
these Arctic adaptations
will be useless.
1127
01:27:41,689 --> 01:27:44,392
Polar bears deserve
a spot in the Big Five,
1128
01:27:44,459 --> 01:27:47,762
but more importantly, they
deserve the chance to survive.
1129
01:27:49,564 --> 01:27:52,533
Their hunting grounds are
melting, the clock is ticking.
1130
01:27:52,600 --> 01:27:56,004
This is a species we
can't afford to lose.
1131
01:27:56,070 --> 01:27:58,206
If we don't do
something about it,
1132
01:27:58,273 --> 01:28:00,708
they're going to
be gone forever.
1133
01:28:05,480 --> 01:28:09,684
But there's some good
news: this bear is a recapture.
1134
01:28:09,751 --> 01:28:13,021
This bear
has been tattooed twice.
1135
01:28:13,087 --> 01:28:16,758
He was originally
tagged in 2001 as a yearling,
1136
01:28:16,824 --> 01:28:19,527
weighing less than 200 kilos.
1137
01:28:21,162 --> 01:28:23,598
972.
1138
01:28:23,665 --> 01:28:26,901
Today, he enters
the class of heavyweights.
1139
01:28:28,569 --> 01:28:32,940
And he could continue
grow 220 kilos more.
1140
01:28:38,413 --> 01:28:43,351
So the list is complete... the
polar bear joins the grizzly,
1141
01:28:43,418 --> 01:28:46,954
the wolf, the bison
and the moose.
1142
01:28:47,889 --> 01:28:49,324
It's a good list.
1143
01:28:49,390 --> 01:28:51,993
This is America's Big Five.
1144
01:28:52,060 --> 01:28:55,563
I would put this Big Five
up against anybody's Big Five.
1145
01:28:58,199 --> 01:29:02,136
America's Big Five
are as splendid as any creature
1146
01:29:02,203 --> 01:29:05,039
found anywhere on earth.
1147
01:29:05,106 --> 01:29:08,209
But there are thousands
of other animals that need
celebration too.
1148
01:29:08,276 --> 01:29:10,645
Because all
creatures, big or small,
1149
01:29:10,712 --> 01:29:12,547
part of the web of life.
1150
01:29:12,613 --> 01:29:15,550
Not one animal is more
important than another.
1151
01:29:18,419 --> 01:29:24,025
North America
is home to an astonishing
diversity of life.
1152
01:29:25,193 --> 01:29:27,895
From the mountains
to the prairie,
1153
01:29:27,962 --> 01:29:31,032
from the forests to the Arctic,
1154
01:29:31,099 --> 01:29:35,002
we are the caretakers of
these living treasures...
1155
01:29:35,069 --> 01:29:40,708
as we live in the company of
America's greatest animals.
1156
01:29:58,993 --> 01:30:00,553
Captioned by
Cotter Captioning Services.
89281
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.