Tiny Creatures (2020) s01e08 Episode Script

1
[narrator] New Hampshire.
Home to the peaks and ridges
of the White Mountains,
where dazzling, autumnal forests
blanket this majestic landscape.
But as night falls,
strange animals are revealed:
animals that prowl in the shadows
who often find themselves
clashing with other residents.
[dog growls softly]
A mysterious creature stalks the garden,
in search of its next meal.
Alerted to its boisterous actions,
the resident guard dog doesn't hesitate
to protect its territory.
But this naive hero
gets more than he bargained for.
-[objects clattering]
-[barking]
[dog whimpers]
Far from being a terrifying bear,
this menace turns out to be
a juvenile striped skunk.
While she may be small,
skunks are usually confident creatures.
However, she isn't a typical skunk.
She is young and inexperienced.
Being nervous of her surroundings
is a very unfortunate affliction
for this nocturnal animal.
Cautious and on edge,
even the smallest movement
can elicit an involuntary reflex.
[croaks]
The sudden movement startles her,
and a leopard frog narrowly avoids
a direct hit of skunk spray,
a potent liquid
that acts like a chemical weapon.
But she must learn
how to control her nerves.
A total of six consecutive sprays
would use up all her supply for ten days,
leaving her vulnerable to predation.
And there are animals in this neighborhood
that warrant her apprehension.
[screeches]
Although cautious, her natural curiosity
sees her temporarily forget her fears.
As an opportunist,
skunks have a voracious appetite,
hunting and scavenging
anything they can find.
Still recovering from the spray attack,
the dog maintains a safe distance.
He doesn't wish to receive
a second dousing.
Meanwhile,
the skunk rifles through the trash
to see what might be on the menu.
Using its sharp canines,
it devours whatever it can find.
The spilled contents don't go unnoticed.
Like skunks,
house mice aren't fussy eaters.
Natural prey for the skunk,
the mouse needs to tread carefully.
Noticing the mouse,
the skunk can't resist.
But it is not known as a fast animal,
and can only move
up to ten miles per hour.
The mouse tries to lose the skunk
through these narrow, winding pathways.
But the skunk is still quick enough
to keep pace with the mouse.
The skunk's eyesight is poor,
relying on her hearing
and heightened sense of touch
to find her prey.
Transfixed by her target,
she recklessly follows the mouse
up the precarious log pile.
The skunk has entered the unknown.
Realizing she cannot escape,
her anxiety slowly starts to build.
But before her fears begin
to take hold, in an instant,
the movement of the mouse snaps
her attention back to the task at hand.
The mouse shows off its dexterity
by nimbly navigating the objects
it encounters.
The long claws of the skunk
make her a poor climber.
She must find an alternate route
where she can.
But by the time she makes it
to where she last saw the mouse,
it's nowhere to be seen.
Suddenly, the skunk is acutely aware
she is all alone.
Without warning, the space around her
seems to come alive.
She tries to escape the commotion
but her fear causes her to react
in the only way she knows how.
Finding somewhere to hide
and catch her breath, she waits.
Eventually, the noises
and movements in the room cease.
Unaware the skunk is still there,
the mouse passes by confidently.
Darting towards a tiny gap in the wall,
the mouse passes through with ease.
The skunk sniffs around the exit,
but there's no way out for her.
Normally, she would be asleep by now.
But instead she's trapped
in an unfamiliar habitat,
far away from her home.
It's a beautiful day in New Hampshire.
But perhaps not for everyone.
Still suffering from being sprayed
the night before,
the dog's hypersensitive nose can't cope
with the smell
of the skunk's chemical cocktail.
If left untreated, the foul-smelling odor
will linger for up to three weeks.
Overwhelmed by the dog's new smell,
the owner takes him urgently
to a professional cleaner for de-skunking.
[garage door motor whirring]
All of a sudden, sunlight bursts
through the crack under the door.
The intense morning light
is searingly bright.
And for the first time,
this nocturnal animal
experiences full daylight.
And with it, the realization
that not everything was what it seemed.
She realizes
that it wasn't an intruder she sprayed,
but, in fact, her own reflection.
Skunks are inquisitive animals,
and she instinctively
has the urge to investigate.
She sets off into the yard.
It's an alien world that's been hidden
under a cloak of darkness.
Despite her tiredness,
she's motivated to explore
before darkness falls again.
The skunk notices
a brightly colored yellow canary,
also known as a song canary.
And for good reason,
as it adds a majestic melody
that drifts across the landscape.
But not far away,
forested areas
of deciduous and evergreen trees
provide homes to other,
much larger, species of birds.
And the mixture of these trees
and suburban gardens
help create havens for wildlife.
And some animals have adapted
to prosper in these human-made landscapes.
To the skunk,
the garden appears to be a paradise.
But it's not always as it seems.
[hawk screeches]
A red-tailed hawk
aggressively descends,
landing behind the skunk.
But the skunk is oblivious.
-[canary chirps]
-Spotting the predator,
the canary sends out
a warning call across the garden.
But its actions
catch the hawk's attention.
Able to scan the garden from above,
this eagle-eyed predator
can see its prey from half a mile away.
But now, presented with two prey animals
in such close proximity,
the hawk is unsure of which one to hunt.
Luckily for the skunk,
the canary's relentless calling
draws the hawk's attention.
So fixated on the canary,
the raptor is not deterred
by the glass that is blocking its prey.
-[hawk screeches]
-[canary chirps]
Armed with a razor-sharp beak
and powerful talons,
it's not willing to give up that easily.
The arrival of the car
heralds the return of the humans
and their freshly-groomed dog.
The hawk has no choice but to give up.
The skunk knows it would be prudent
to find some protection.
The daytime
is proving to be very dangerous.
She must try to find somewhere
to rest her head before it's too late.
[singing]
For many people,
a well-kept house and garden is important.
Yet it requires a lot of resources
and endless commitment.
Gardeners often feed
many of the wild animals
who visit their property.
And their plants become home
to some very special insects.
Sometimes, the most unlikely places
provide great opportunity
and the perfect conditions
for some of nature's
most impressive miracles.
Encased in a hardened chrysalis,
the monarch caterpillar is set
to transform itself
within two weeks from larvae to adult.
The hardened shell
provides the perfect protection
for the remodeling of its physical form,
preparing for the ultimate transformation.
The skunk's black and white markings
are designed
to warn off potential enemies.
But in this new daytime world,
she instinctively hides in the shadows.
Should she need it, she is capable
of spraying a distance of 15 feet.
But she must be careful.
She knows her supply is limited,
and there are endless possible dangers
still to encounter before night falls.
So preoccupied with the garden,
the human is oblivious
to the skunk's presence.
Assured in her action,
the skunk managed to hold her nerve.
This encounter has diverted
her need for sleep.
The adrenaline gives way to a new feeling,
and her stomach makes itself known.
Skunks have insatiable appetites.
She peers out into the garden
to see what she can find.
Luckily for her,
the human is turning over fresh soil,
exposing earthworms.
These subterranean earthworms are vital
for maintaining healthy soil.
As an omnivore, it's important
the skunk gets a varied diet.
She just can't resist this opportunity,
so she steps out once more
into the daylight.
[pigeons cooing]
Other animals take full advantage
of what the humans have provided.
And this rock pigeon
is making the most of the bird bath.
[cooing]
The skunk's claws are long and sharp,
adapted for digging.
And earthworms are a writhing source
of protein and nutrients.
All the animals in the garden
must keep a watchful eye.
Breaking the tranquility,
the canary calls with a warning.
[hawk screeches]
But it's too late.
Finishing her meal,
the skunk is now ready
to seek a place to sleep.
But the resident bully looks to claim
yet another victim.
The hawk locks onto its target.
The skunk doesn't stand a chance.
[canary singing]
But the canary's warning call
provides the hawk
with an opportunity
that's too good to miss.
[screeches]
The newly-painted window
next to the canary's cage
has accidentally been left open to dry.
Now, there's nothing left to protect it.
The canary is in serious danger.
The hawk's talons
crash against the metal bars,
the only barrier
between it and the songbird.
The hawk tries everything it can
to get inside.
Thankfully, the human
has come to the canary's rescue.
[hawk screeches]
The hawk is forced
to leave its prize behind.
Having now witnessed
the hawk's ruthless capabilities,
the skunk knows
she is no match for the raptor.
Across the garden,
it seems nothing is safe.
The human restores order
by fixing the cage
and closing all the windows.
The skunk must find shelter quickly.
Moving with caution,
she longs for the protection of darkness.
Soon the sun will set
and she will be safe again.
But the merciless hawk
has returned once more.
Frustrated at its failed hunting attempts,
its motivation is clear.
This experienced predator
could easily outwit the young skunk.
It creeps up behind her.
The preoccupied skunk
just catches a glimpse of the hawk.
Her only thought is to run.
She uses the mouse's tactics
from the night before
in a bid to lose the hawk.
But the raptor is gaining ground.
Left with only one viable option,
she doesn't waver, and takes a chance.
With nowhere to go,
the skunk's outlook is bleak,
so she hides in the shadows.
The hawk is clearly undeterred
by its new surroundings.
[screeching]
[clattering]
[garage door motor whirring]
But it's not over for the skunk.
In one final, courageous act,
the skunk aims, fires,
and manages a direct hit.
With its face now covered
in noxious liquid,
the hawk has no choice
but to retreat in a blind panic.
Unbelievably, it was the timid skunk
that confronted
the predatory hawk and won.
The exhilaration of success
surges through her body.
Stepping out of the garage,
she's a changed animal,
finally gaining her confidence.
Like so many species,
the need to change and transform
is an essential part
of development and growth.
Having defeated the hawk,
the skunk's newfound confidence
has benefited not only her,
but many of the other animals
that share the garden.
[dog whines]
[canary singing]
And as day turns to night
this young skunk finds time to reflect
on all the events she has experienced.
And this nocturnal animal finds security
once more in the cover of darkness.
Now seeing and understanding things
in a new light,
she is equipped to tackle
whatever comes her way.