Awesome Animals (2020) s01e08 Episode Script

1
In the far north of Alaska,
three new baby moose enter the world.
One moose finds itself
in an unforgiving wilderness.
The other two find themselves
in the bewildering bustle of the suburbs.
But in whatever landscape they call home,
they'll face enemies, brutal conditions,
unimaginable odds
and even each other.
It's an epic journey
for these three little moose,
who will one day grow from tiny
to titan.
Deep in the Alaskan wilderness
sits diamond-crowned Denali.
At over 20,000 feet high,
it's the tallest mountain in the Americas.
Beneath its towering
peaks lives the moose
a giant, gangly,
and somewhat awkward beast.
For all its impressive size and power,
the moose is a bit, well,
odd.
Its legs seem far too spindly
to hold up its massive body.
It needs a huge hump
of muscles on its back
to hold up its amazing headgear:
antlers which can weigh up to 70 pounds.
That's like having the weight
of an entire Labrador retriever
on your head.
Its long, horsey head
ends in an impressive snout
that looks a little like a camel's.
And then there's the sack of skin
that hangs from its neck.
It's called a bell,
but no one knows whether
it's for intimidating rivals,
or impressing females.
Six feet tall at the shoulder,
with neck and head
reaching up to eight feet,
the largest bulls can weigh almost a ton.
But you have to be more
than just big to survive in Alaska.
If predators sneak up,
a moose can run off
at up to 35 miles an hour.
Those are some scrawny legs that can move.
They're actually members
of the deer family
the largest deer on Earth.
But even as big and unique as they are,
being a moose is no laughing matter.
Winter is almost here,
and in these parts, it hits hard.
It's time to fill up and stockpile fat.
The moose's name is quite suiting.
It comes from the Algonquin word "moswa,"
meaning twig-eater.
Young leaves and twigs of willow and birch
are their favorite foods.
They enjoy the treat while they can.
When the snow and ice come,
their tender twigs all but disappear.
Crunchy bark and poky needles
will be all that's left.
And twigs aren't all that's disappearing;
This is the time of year
when the bull's antlers fall off.
They won't be gone forever, though.
Each spring they grow them back,
sprouting bigger,
more impressive racks every year.
Talk about an exhausting endeavor.
But the moose need all of the help
they can get in the winter,
and a little less baggage can't hurt.
It's a desperate time for everyone.
The season takes its toll.
Predators, cold, and starvation
will take many of Denali's
oldest and youngest moose.
But when it finally comes to an end,
and the land begins to thaw,
it's a spectacular sight.
Springtime in Alaska
is vibrant and gorgeous.
The once frozen land explodes with color,
and trees everywhere sprout
the moose's favorite tender shoots,
turning the forest into
a delicious smörgåsbord.
This is the life.
For everyone, that is,
except the nearly one-year-old yearlings.
This little guy is about to set off
on his own, all alone.
For nearly a year,
Mom has stayed by his side
for company and protection.
But now, a baby brother is on the way,
and Mom needs a little peace and quiet
from her raucous young one.
And it's no use throwing tantrums.
He's off on his own now.
Finally, the moment is here
A baby is on its way.
After almost eight months
in the calm of the womb,
a calf is about to enter
the wild world of Denali.
A slippery newborn makes a shaky entrance.
He's a quick learner, though,
and within minutes, he's up on his feet.
Mother offers encouraging licks,
and some loving nuzzles.
Little does this calf realize,
his life is about to get
a whole lot tougher.
With bears, wolves,
and an unforgiving environment,
almost half of moose calves
don't even survive
past their first few weeks.
But it's not just big bad bears
moose have to worry about;
Man has staked claim
on moose country as well.
Welcome to Anchorage,
Alaska's largest city.
And seasonal home to a
remarkable number of moose.
Like people, the moose simply
follow the highways into the 'burbs.
Moose sometimes seem
as common as speed bumps,
yet they still seem to turn heads
wherever they go.
Even when they get into a little mischief.
Oh, no, get him!
He's gonna eat all my hyacinths.
In this snug backyard,
a suburban mother moose
has just given birth
to twins.
She's instinctively on guard to predators.
These domesticated dogs
don't seem nearly as dangerous
as their wild wolf cousins.
To the moose, city life
might actually be a bit luxurious
if you can ignore the
strange roaring machines.
The vegetation along cities' roads
is an all-you-can-eat buffet,
and predators tend to avoid
the commotion of the city.
But then,
out of nowhere
Away from the highways,
the suburbs are less dangerous,
but equally bewildering.
A few days old,
the twins are doing well,
though these man-made forests
can be quite confusing.
Sometimes you just need
a little human kindness.
Right now, if you go right now.
I can't see her.
She's around the other side.
But a kind gesture
can still turn dangerous
when a mother is separated from her calf.
The little moose twins
might get into trouble,
but their cuteness seems to save them.
There's always a puzzle to solve
for the urban moose.
Every day is an exciting new challenge.
Oh no, no, no, no!
You stay out.
One could say they're curious.
He is just swimming around.
And quite persistent.
But don't let their comical looks
deceive you.
The gentle moose can be
unpredictable and dangerous.
When startled or teased,
moose have trampled people
Even killed them.
Anchorage isn't the only city
that lives with moose mayhem
Moose live all around
the northern hemisphere.
Resourceful and adaptable,
they have spread all across Asia,
the Americas, and Europe.
In countries like Norway,
the moose population is exploding.
More and more of the animals
are showing up
in towns and cities,
and experts fear the forests
can no longer support the animals.
They're spilling out onto the roads
and causing all sorts
of dangerous situations.
It's estimated that
well over 10,000 moose collisions
occur annually around the world.
But, back in Anchorage,
the moose family isn't too concerned
about the passing traffic.
They enjoy a backyard stroll,
sampling the best garden goodies
the neighborhood has to offer.
Maybe their
garden destruction is tolerated
all because of those
irresistible young ones.
They're just too darn adorable.
But in Alaska,
no one can afford to take
Mother Nature lightly.
The city-dwelling moose
might think they're safe
from their natural predators,
but when hungry enough,
a brave bear will still venture
towards the concrete jungle.
Especially when he catches
the scent of some fresh calves.
The mother and twins
are completely oblivious
to this unexpected danger.
Both are out of their element.
But luckily for the moose,
the bear decides he's had enough
of this loud and crazy human world.
At least for now.
The moose family heads back
to their favorite backyard for bedtime.
Meanwhile,
summer has come to Denali National Park,
bringing with it almost
'round the clock daylight.
In summer, the sun barely even sets,
temperatures are warm,
and food is everywhere.
Our wild calf of Denali has grown a bit,
and is now sturdier on his feet.
His life seems much different
than his urban cousins'.
Bears and other predators are everywhere.
He's lucky he survived
the most dangerous of times:
the first few days after birth.
Now, every week that goes by,
his chances of survival grow.
But he is not out of the woods yet.
Predators may kill up to 50%
of his calf friends
before the end of the year.
The little guy must rely on his species'
super moose powers:
his highly heightened senses.
His eyesight may not be perfect,
but he can move his eyeballs independently
for a 360 degree view,
even directly behind him.
And that giant snout houses
an ultra-sharp sense of smell.
Millions of dedicated nerve endings
can catch the faintest
whiff of an unwelcome guest.
With constantly swiveling ears,
the moose can pick up
the slightest rustle.
Without the element of surprise,
even a wolf has a hard time
taking on mother moose.
One of the most surprising
things about the moose
is its love for water.
They might be a little clumsy on land,
but in the water,
they are completely at home
Graceful, even.
But this isn't just
a cool dip in the pool.
They've discovered
there's a goldmine of grub
beneath these waters.
Snapping their nostrils shut
to keep out water,
the moose chows down.
Moose can hold their breath
for up to a minute,
and they can uproot plants
as deep as 18 feet.
Now that is an Olympic swimmer.
If you're in search of
60 pounds of food a day, like these guys,
there's nothing like a nice swim
to cool you off in the process.
Throughout the spring and summer,
something peculiar
will happen to the males,
or bulls, of the moose family.
Almost like an alien life form,
little buds start
poking out of their skulls.
These are their antlers.
They will grow as fast
as three inches a week,
some of the quickest-growing
body tissue in all mammals.
A layer of fuzzy skin
helps their racks grow to enormous sizes.
It feels kind kind of like velvet
and is very delicate and sensitive,
packed with loads of
nerves and blood vessels.
It may discourage bulls from fighting
until their antlers are
fully grown and hardened.
A moose's antlers are the largest
of any mammal in the world.
When the antlers have finished growing,
the velvet needs to come off,
just in time for the mating season.
The bulls rub their antlers
against trees and rocks
to get the velvet off.
The sharp points of the antlers
emerge first
a glimpse of what's to come.
As the mating season approaches,
velvet rubbing becomes a full time job.
Despite the chilly,
misty mornings of early fall,
things in moose land are just heating up.
A bull looking for a mate
shows off his remarkable antler rack.
He rattles them against the vegetation
to impress both the cows
and other bulls alike.
Females start to gather,
intrigued by the display.
The male has the cows' full attention.
An especially impressive beast
can be quite a draw,
sparking a competition among the females.
Unlike other members of the deer family,
it's not just the males
who will battle it out
for their chosen suitor.
Spats among the females
can get downright ugly.
This male,
having proved his irresistibility
to so many females,
becomes choosy himself.
Maybe even a bit cocky.
He chases off a less desirable female,
much to her dismay.
At 1,500 pounds,
seven feet high at the shoulder,
with a six-foot antler rack,
this is one of the baddest
bulls on the range.
It's no wonder the cows
find him attractive.
But there's trouble on the horizon:
a younger and equally impressive bull.
The challenger approaches,
waving his great antlers
from side to side.
The master responds.
A little intimidation
usually goes a long way,
and the challenger will often
back down without a fight.
But not this time.
The males stare each other down
like prizefighters,
circling and eyeing for an opening.
Neither backs down.
Finally, they clash.
With equally matched bulls,
the battle may last up to
a half an hour or more.
But the older bull soon gains
the upper hand.
He batters the challenger without mercy.
And the contest abruptly comes to an end.
The champion returns to the females.
The contender has paid
a price for his boldness:
a wounded leg.
In this unforgiving place,
a wounded leg is not welcome news.
Meanwhile, the victor will continue
to work his charms on the cows.
It's an annual ritual here
in the valley of Denali,
which will bring another batch
of baby moose next spring.
Whether born in the wild,
or amongst the humans
and their steel machines,
it takes strong will,
strength,
and a lot of luck
to survive this crazy world.
But these moose are doing it,
and they're even growing in numbers.
The next time you're up north,
keep your eyes out,
and your distance.
You never know if there's
a moose around the corner.
Captioned by Point.360