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(THEME MUSIC PLAYING)
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NARRATOR: Welcome to North America.
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The most diverse continent on Earth.
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The only place where you can find
every landscape from polar ice cap,
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to baking desert,
and everything in between.
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Whatever the neighborhood, there is a hero
who can make it a home.
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Smart, tough, brave, you name it.
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They all have what it takes to thrive
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in the wildest,
most beautiful continent on Earth.
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SINGER: Patchwork quilt of life
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Wildness never dies
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Beauty always thrives
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Under these spacious skies
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(MUSIC CONCLUDES)
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(INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING)
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NARRATOR:
At the very center of North America,
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lies the Heartland.
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A million square miles of prairies,
rolling hills, and woodland
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from Texas to Canada.
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It's a beautiful land,
but you've got to be prepared
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for all seasons in a day.
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(THUNDER CLAPPING)
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NARRATOR: This is the most changeable
and extreme place on Earth.
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(THUNDER CONTINUES)
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(MUSIC CONCLUDES)
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(BIRDS CHIRPING)
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NARRATOR:
Deep in the forests of the Heartland,
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one of America's top predators
is stirring.
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(INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING)
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NARRATOR:
A hunter of near legendary status.
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A wolf pup.
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Okay, not a legend yet,
but he's working on it.
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(WOLF PUP HOWLS)
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(WOLF PUP CRIES)
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NARRATOR: Mom's gone off hunting,
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and at every entrance of the den,
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there's a pup calling for her.
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(WOLF PUPS HOWLING)
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(WOLF PUP HOWLS)
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(WOLF PUP CRIES)
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NARRATOR: They're definitely missing mom.
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(CRYING CONTINUES)
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NARRATOR:
But her absence is an opportunity
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to go exploring.
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(WOLF PUPS YIPPING)
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(WOLF PUPS WHINING)
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NARRATOR: The world outside is fun.
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Mostly.
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This play builds
their strength and agility.
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And establishes their rank in the pack.
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A bite to the tail shows who's boss.
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In just five months' time,
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these guys will be old enough
to join the adults on the hunt,
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where they'll have to face
much bigger dangers...
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(WOLF PUPS WHIMPERING)
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...than a gust of wind.
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The ever-changing Heartland is
a hard place to raise a family.
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Adult wolves must catch up to 50 percent
more prey when they've got pups to feed.
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(BISON BELLOWING)
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NARRATOR: Bison,
the symbol of the Heartland,
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are their biggest prize.
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(BISON GRUNTING)
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NARRATOR: A newborn.
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A potential target for a female wolf
with hungry pups back in the den.
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She could take down the calf
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if she can get past the bodyguard.
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(ADULT BISON GRUNTS)
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(WOLF YAWNS)
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(ADULT BISON SNORTING)
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(ADULT BISON BELLOWS)
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NARRATOR: Two mothers, eye-to-eye.
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-(WOLF YIPPING)
-(ADULT BISON BELLOWS)
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NARRATOR: No contest.
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She doesn't have the weapons to tackle
a healthy adult bison alone.
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She heads off to rejoin her pack.
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Working together,
they track down a group of elk.
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Smaller than bison, but faster.
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(WOLF BARKING)
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NARRATOR: The pack has a plan.
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Two wolves get the elk running...
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straight towards a catcher
who's waiting in their path.
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(WOLVES BARKING)
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(WOLVES WHINING)
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(WOLVES BARKING)
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NARRATOR: No luck today.
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These elk are too strong and healthy.
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The wolves need to bide their time,
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and wait for conditions to change
in their favor.
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Those conditions can change
in a heartbeat.
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This South Dakota landscape
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is evidence of just how extreme
things can get.
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Every year, violent rains and flash floods
carve away the ground here.
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The result is a jagged maze
so hard to travel through...
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it was named The Badlands
by the Lakota people.
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But right alongside the rocky ridges,
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one of America's largest grasslands.
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A perfect home for grass-eaters.
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Prairie dogs.
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(PRAIRIE DOG SQUEAKS)
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NARRATOR: These burrow-dwellers live
in a peaceful town
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with well-tended lawns.
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(PRAIRIE DOGS SQUEAKING)
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But the peace is about to be disturbed.
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(TENSE MUSIC PLAYING)
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NARRATOR: This burrowing owl
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and his partner in crime
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have just flown in from Texas.
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They're not coming to hunt...
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but to steal.
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They wanna take over a prairie dog burrow
to raise a family in.
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The homeowner's not happy
about the invasion.
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(MUNCHING)
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-NARRATOR: But this burrow...
-(BURROWING OWL SCREECHING)
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-NARRATOR: ...ain't big enough
for the both of them.
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The owls are here to stay.
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(BURROWING OWL SCREECHES)
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NARRATOR: Their newly-acquired home
is ten feet deep,
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solidly built, and it needs to be.
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The owls will need
their burrow's protection
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if they're to raise a family through
the wild challenges that lie ahead.
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(SNOW GEESE CALLING)
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NARRATOR: Springtime is migration time
across the Heartland.
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Snow geese are flying
from the Southern US
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to their summer breeding grounds
in the Arctic.
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They follow North America's
greatest rivers,
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the Mississippi and Missouri.
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Their journey is 2,000 miles.
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So, sometimes, you gotta take a break.
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Over one million geese
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rest up at this Missouri lake
on their migrations every year.
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(CALLING CONTINUES)
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NARRATOR: It's a great American spectacle.
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And it's being watched...
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by an American icon.
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Bald eagles.
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Some on their own annual migration.
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Up to 800 birds...
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adults and juveniles,
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looking for an opening.
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The geese are alert to the danger.
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By taking off together,
they blindside the eagles.
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(TENSE MUSIC PLAYING)
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NARRATOR: The predators can't pick out
a single target
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in this confusing swirl of wings.
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A juvenile eagle spots an isolated goose.
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But the goose escapes.
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By diving underwater,
he dodges the deadly talons.
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Round one to the geese.
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But the adult eagles know
that it pays to be patient.
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(MUSIC FADES)
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NARRATOR: In the Heartland,
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change is always
just around the corner.
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(SNOW GEESE CALLING, HONKING)
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NARRATOR: The winds shift.
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Cold air is now blowing
all the way from the Arctic.
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From Texas to Canada,
there are no mountains to block the wind.
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The temperature can plummet
by over 50 degrees in a day.
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The fastest rate of change on the planet.
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(THUNDER RUMBLING)
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NARRATOR: As the waterways freeze...
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(ICE CREAKING)
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...the odds change.
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The geese
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lose their escape route.
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And some of the exhausted travelers
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fall prey to the bitter cold.
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The sudden extreme freeze-up
does the eagles' hunting for them.
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Their challenge now
isn't making the catch...
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it's keeping it.
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(BALD EAGLES WHISTLING)
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NARRATOR: Adults usually get the better
of the brown-headed juveniles...
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though the youngsters
still try their luck.
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(SCREECHES)
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(SNOW GEESE CALLING)
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NARRATOR: The geese that survive the cold
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continue their journey towards
their Arctic breeding grounds.
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The party's over for the eagles.
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But they took their chance when it came,
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as you have to
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in the ever-changing Heartland.
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Out on the plains, the cold snap brings
three feet of snow in 24 hours.
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(WIND HOWLING)
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NARRATOR:
Bison bulldoze through the drifts.
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(BISON BELLOWING)
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NARRATOR: Others barely break the surface.
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(SMOOTH MID-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYING)
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NARRATOR: A red fox.
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She's hunting for buried treasure.
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Voles, hiding in tunnels beneath the snow.
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It won't be easy today, though.
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The howling wind and swirling snow
are scrambling her senses.
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Her massive satellite ears can normally
hear a vole from 100 feet away.
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Tilting her head from side to side,
she tries to pinpoint the target
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using sound alone.
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Nope.
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No luck.
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But she won't let the weather defeat her.
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Time for Plan B.
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That's B for "bison".
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(BISON BELLOWS)
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NARRATOR: As they dig for grass,
they destroy the voles' tunnels.
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(VOLE SQUEAKING)
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NARRATOR: The rebuilding work is noisy...
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if you've got ears like a fox.
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Now, she can get a proper fix
on her target.
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Dinner at last.
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00:19:27,166 --> 00:19:28,500
A little guile...
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goes a long way...
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in this land of extremes.
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00:19:41,054 --> 00:19:43,974
And few places are more extreme than here,
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where the Heartland
meets the Rocky Mountains.
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(SOFT MAJESTIC MUSIC PLAYING)
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NARRATOR: America's oldest national park,
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Yellowstone.
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Up to 400 inches of snow
fall here every year.
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00:20:05,287 --> 00:20:09,041
For these two-year-old grizzly bears
just out of hibernation,
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00:20:09,791 --> 00:20:13,712
this late spring snowfall
is a chance for some fun.
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(GRIZZLY BEARS GROWLING)
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00:20:35,025 --> 00:20:37,569
NARRATOR: But for anyone who's had enough
wintry conditions,
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there's one place here
where you can always find warmth.
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(THRILLING MUSIC PLAYING)
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00:20:50,415 --> 00:20:52,626
NARRATOR: Yellowstone's geyser basin.
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00:20:59,007 --> 00:21:03,428
A supervolcano beneath
heats underground water to boiling point.
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00:21:04,221 --> 00:21:07,099
(WATER BURBLING, HISSING)
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00:21:07,349 --> 00:21:09,977
NARRATOR:
The scalding water erupts in geysers...
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00:21:11,645 --> 00:21:13,647
up to 300 feet high,
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the highest on Earth.
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00:21:15,691 --> 00:21:18,860
(GEYSER ROARING)
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00:21:23,991 --> 00:21:25,784
NARRATOR: Bison gather here for warmth...
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00:21:26,493 --> 00:21:28,870
(BISONS BELLOWING)
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00:21:30,038 --> 00:21:31,748
...but they can't get too relaxed.
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00:21:33,583 --> 00:21:36,420
Yellowstone is the only place in the USA
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00:21:37,546 --> 00:21:39,673
where they still come face-to-face...
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00:21:39,881 --> 00:21:41,216
(WOLVES HOWLING)
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...with their ancient enemy.
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(HOWLING CONTINUES)
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NARRATOR: Our wolf pack, at 30-strong,
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00:21:52,394 --> 00:21:55,689
is one of the biggest
ever seen in North America.
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00:22:07,617 --> 00:22:12,080
Wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone
in 1995.
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00:22:13,749 --> 00:22:18,628
They soon learned that bison gather near
the hot springs during cold weather.
241
00:22:19,254 --> 00:22:22,257
(TENSE MUSIC PLAYING)
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00:22:33,769 --> 00:22:36,438
NARRATOR:
The alpha wolf gets their prey moving.
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00:22:38,815 --> 00:22:42,444
He chases them away from the hot springs
into deeper snow.
244
00:22:43,278 --> 00:22:44,321
(WOLF GROWLING)
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00:22:47,199 --> 00:22:49,618
NARRATOR:
The wolves are playing to their strength.
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00:22:50,118 --> 00:22:53,080
They can cover up to 100 miles a day.
247
00:22:53,538 --> 00:22:55,165
(MUSIC LOWERS)
248
00:22:56,666 --> 00:22:59,294
NARRATOR:
Every step saps the bison's energy.
249
00:23:06,885 --> 00:23:09,137
The wolves are constantly
on their shoulder.
250
00:23:10,889 --> 00:23:14,017
(WOLVES HOWLING)
251
00:23:19,856 --> 00:23:24,569
NARRATOR: A massive 2,000-pound bull
is guarding the rear of the herd.
252
00:23:25,362 --> 00:23:28,240
(BISON BULL BELLOWING)
253
00:23:28,407 --> 00:23:31,118
(WOLVES WHIMPERING)
254
00:23:35,914 --> 00:23:40,669
NARRATOR: But some wolves get past,
chasing the smaller cows.
255
00:23:45,298 --> 00:23:49,261
-(WOLVES YIPPING)
-(BISON BELLOWING)
256
00:23:51,638 --> 00:23:52,931
NARRATOR: The pack's strategy,
257
00:23:53,598 --> 00:23:55,392
divide and conquer.
258
00:23:55,684 --> 00:23:57,477
(MUSIC RISES)
259
00:23:57,686 --> 00:23:59,938
(WOLVES YIPPING)
260
00:24:04,067 --> 00:24:05,318
(MUSIC FADES)
261
00:24:05,444 --> 00:24:07,070
(RAVEN CROAKS)
262
00:24:09,698 --> 00:24:11,408
NARRATOR: In the frenzied chase,
263
00:24:12,701 --> 00:24:15,745
one old cow gets left behind.
264
00:24:21,710 --> 00:24:23,545
And just one wolf.
265
00:24:24,546 --> 00:24:26,089
-(RAVENS CROAKING)
-(WOLF WHINING)
266
00:24:26,465 --> 00:24:27,841
(BISON COW BELLOWS)
267
00:24:29,217 --> 00:24:31,511
NARRATOR: The cow is too exhausted to run.
268
00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:36,057
But she's still ten times
the wolf's weight,
269
00:24:36,266 --> 00:24:39,478
and one strike of her horns
could kill him.
270
00:24:40,854 --> 00:24:42,522
(BISON COW GRUNTING)
271
00:24:46,443 --> 00:24:49,196
NARRATOR: It typically takes
at least nine wolves
272
00:24:49,279 --> 00:24:51,072
to bring down a single bison.
273
00:24:51,156 --> 00:24:52,324
(WOLF WHINING)
274
00:24:58,497 --> 00:25:00,749
-(BISON COW GRUNTING)
-(WOLF WHIMPERING)
275
00:25:01,333 --> 00:25:03,084
(WOLF HOWLING)
276
00:25:03,335 --> 00:25:05,295
NARRATOR:
The rest of the pack is coming to help.
277
00:25:16,264 --> 00:25:19,100
This old female's race is run.
278
00:25:25,065 --> 00:25:28,860
By taking out animals that are too weak
to cope with the extremes,
279
00:25:29,027 --> 00:25:33,031
the Yellowstone wolves help to keep
the bison herds strong.
280
00:25:35,242 --> 00:25:36,326
(WOLVES HOWLING)
281
00:25:36,493 --> 00:25:40,080
NARRATOR: It's a story as old
as the Heartland itself.
282
00:25:40,413 --> 00:25:43,458
(HOWLING CONTINUES)
283
00:25:46,753 --> 00:25:48,588
NARRATOR:
A shift to winds from the south...
284
00:25:53,385 --> 00:25:56,888
and temperatures rise
just as quickly as they fell.
285
00:25:57,180 --> 00:25:59,266
(WATER BURBLING)
286
00:25:59,849 --> 00:26:02,686
NARRATOR: The cold releases its grip.
287
00:26:02,936 --> 00:26:04,062
(ICE CRACKING)
288
00:26:07,857 --> 00:26:10,777
NARRATOR: And the great rivers
that drain half our continent
289
00:26:11,319 --> 00:26:12,362
thaw out.
290
00:26:14,281 --> 00:26:16,449
On the US-Canadian border,
291
00:26:16,741 --> 00:26:21,079
meltwater feeds one of the greatest
wonders of the natural world.
292
00:26:22,872 --> 00:26:25,208
(WATER CRASHING)
293
00:26:29,379 --> 00:26:31,464
NARRATOR: This is the Niagara River.
294
00:26:32,215 --> 00:26:35,135
(WATER ROARING)
295
00:26:40,557 --> 00:26:43,351
NARRATOR: And these are the Niagara Falls.
296
00:26:45,395 --> 00:26:47,856
(ROARING CONTINUES)
297
00:26:59,034 --> 00:27:01,578
(GULLS SQUAWKING)
298
00:27:04,664 --> 00:27:07,000
NARRATOR: Over 3,000 tons of water
299
00:27:07,876 --> 00:27:11,463
plummet over the edge every second.
300
00:27:11,755 --> 00:27:14,633
(MAJESTIC MUSIC PLAYING)
301
00:27:16,509 --> 00:27:18,762
NARRATOR: Over 100,000 gulls,
302
00:27:19,179 --> 00:27:21,222
one of the biggest gatherings
in the world,
303
00:27:21,598 --> 00:27:26,436
come here to catch fish
stunned by the 200-foot drop.
304
00:27:51,419 --> 00:27:54,964
The most daredevil birds
head above the Falls...
305
00:27:57,258 --> 00:27:58,426
catching their fish
306
00:27:59,302 --> 00:28:01,846
on the very lip of the drop-off.
307
00:28:02,055 --> 00:28:03,556
(MUSIC FADES)
308
00:28:11,940 --> 00:28:15,318
(GULLS SQUAWKING)
309
00:28:20,323 --> 00:28:22,158
NARRATOR: Where water doesn't drain away,
310
00:28:23,576 --> 00:28:25,912
the Heartland becomes wetland.
311
00:28:28,832 --> 00:28:30,542
(SOFT INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING)
312
00:28:30,959 --> 00:28:32,919
NARRATOR: The boggy forests of Ontario...
313
00:28:33,086 --> 00:28:34,671
(BIRDS CALLING, CHIRPING)
314
00:28:36,297 --> 00:28:38,341
...just a little north of Niagara,
315
00:28:40,093 --> 00:28:43,596
and every bit as challenging
for the local heroes.
316
00:28:50,687 --> 00:28:54,858
This spotted salamander was born
in this pond just three months back.
317
00:28:57,527 --> 00:28:59,362
Now, she needs to leave
318
00:28:59,863 --> 00:29:04,200
and find a new home
before this one dries out or freezes.
319
00:29:05,577 --> 00:29:08,204
But facing the unknown takes courage,
320
00:29:08,872 --> 00:29:11,166
especially when you're just
two inches long.
321
00:29:16,546 --> 00:29:18,590
She waits till after sunset.
322
00:29:19,048 --> 00:29:21,050
(INSECTS CHIRPING IN DISTANCE)
323
00:29:21,593 --> 00:29:22,719
NARRATOR: By dark,
324
00:29:23,052 --> 00:29:26,681
this forest is a weird world
of glowing mushrooms...
325
00:29:30,018 --> 00:29:33,146
and other more sinister surprises.
326
00:29:38,485 --> 00:29:42,071
It's a humid night,
good conditions for her journey.
327
00:29:44,491 --> 00:29:46,576
She breathes partly through her skin,
328
00:29:47,911 --> 00:29:50,580
but that only works if the skin is wet.
329
00:29:54,834 --> 00:29:56,961
(DREAMY MUSIC PLAYING)
330
00:30:02,425 --> 00:30:06,930
NARRATOR: She needs to find a damp burrow
to call home before she dries out.
331
00:30:08,473 --> 00:30:10,517
And hydration's not her only problem.
332
00:30:10,642 --> 00:30:12,143
(THUNDER CLAPPING)
333
00:30:12,852 --> 00:30:14,395
NARRATOR: There are night hunters about.
334
00:30:15,480 --> 00:30:16,689
(BIRD SCREECHING)
335
00:30:22,403 --> 00:30:24,280
NARRATOR: She finds a promising spot.
336
00:30:25,990 --> 00:30:29,452
But this hole's already taken
by an adult spotted salamander.
337
00:30:35,208 --> 00:30:37,168
Best to keep on moving.
338
00:30:40,338 --> 00:30:41,506
The clock is ticking.
339
00:30:44,425 --> 00:30:46,678
(THUNDER RUMBLING)
340
00:30:46,886 --> 00:30:49,347
NARRATOR: Her quest is becoming desperate.
341
00:30:53,726 --> 00:30:56,020
Could this be the home
that she's been looking for?
342
00:31:02,068 --> 00:31:04,153
Nope, it's a trap.
343
00:31:05,780 --> 00:31:06,865
A pitcher plant.
344
00:31:08,533 --> 00:31:12,537
It will consume any prey
trapped in its cup-shaped leaves.
345
00:31:12,787 --> 00:31:14,372
(MUSIC TURNS TENSE)
346
00:31:17,041 --> 00:31:18,543
NARRATOR: Usually, they take insects.
347
00:31:20,712 --> 00:31:21,963
But in this forest,
348
00:31:22,964 --> 00:31:24,340
they take prey...
349
00:31:25,842 --> 00:31:26,968
with bones.
350
00:31:36,394 --> 00:31:39,314
The plant's leaves
have backward-facing hairs
351
00:31:39,772 --> 00:31:42,150
to stop the salamander
from getting a grip.
352
00:31:48,239 --> 00:31:51,534
Soon, the plant's digestive juices
will start to dissolve her,
353
00:31:52,327 --> 00:31:54,704
as they have many others before.
354
00:32:03,796 --> 00:32:05,256
All appears lost,
355
00:32:06,507 --> 00:32:07,675
but in the Heartland...
356
00:32:09,719 --> 00:32:12,722
a change in fortunes is never far away.
357
00:32:12,972 --> 00:32:14,515
(RAIN PATTERING)
358
00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:19,646
NARRATOR: The storm finally breaks.
359
00:32:23,775 --> 00:32:27,487
Every drop of rain raises
the water levels in the pitcher...
360
00:32:29,322 --> 00:32:31,074
just a tiny bit.
361
00:32:38,706 --> 00:32:40,166
As the pitcher fills...
362
00:32:43,002 --> 00:32:45,046
she's lifted toward the exit.
363
00:32:56,224 --> 00:32:58,059
Saved by a storm.
364
00:33:04,107 --> 00:33:06,359
And soon, our brave salamander
365
00:33:06,859 --> 00:33:09,237
finds the dream burrow
she's been searching for
366
00:33:09,862 --> 00:33:10,863
all along.
367
00:33:12,657 --> 00:33:15,660
(HEROIC MUSIC PLAYING)
368
00:33:24,085 --> 00:33:25,878
(THRILLING MUSIC PLAYING)
369
00:33:26,504 --> 00:33:27,755
NARRATOR: In the Heartland,
370
00:33:27,964 --> 00:33:31,050
you've got to be
prepared for unexpected dangers.
371
00:33:35,805 --> 00:33:37,473
Out on the South Dakota prairie,
372
00:33:39,392 --> 00:33:41,144
the bison are on the move.
373
00:33:46,524 --> 00:33:48,276
And the burrowing owls...
374
00:33:50,028 --> 00:33:51,738
have some new arrivals.
375
00:33:52,321 --> 00:33:54,282
(MID-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYING)
376
00:33:57,785 --> 00:33:59,537
(OWLETS CHIRPING)
377
00:34:01,581 --> 00:34:02,749
NARRATOR: Six owlets...
378
00:34:04,667 --> 00:34:07,920
getting their first look
at the outside world.
379
00:34:10,882 --> 00:34:13,926
Feeding this crew
is gonna be a full-time job.
380
00:34:14,886 --> 00:34:17,764
(OWLETS WHISTLING, SCREECHING)
381
00:34:20,391 --> 00:34:22,810
NARRATOR:
Mom's brought a juicy grasshopper.
382
00:34:23,144 --> 00:34:25,313
(OWLET WHISTLING)
383
00:34:29,567 --> 00:34:31,277
NARRATOR: Now, over to Dad.
384
00:34:33,571 --> 00:34:36,365
He's brought... bison dung.
385
00:34:37,575 --> 00:34:39,035
Not what she was hoping for.
386
00:34:41,871 --> 00:34:43,873
Maybe some food next time.
387
00:34:44,957 --> 00:34:47,335
Nope, more dung.
388
00:34:49,128 --> 00:34:52,799
Again and again, dung.
389
00:34:54,092 --> 00:34:56,886
Mom looks... unimpressed.
390
00:34:57,929 --> 00:34:59,180
(BURROWING OWL SCREECHES)
391
00:35:01,474 --> 00:35:04,727
NARRATOR: He's making a real smelly mess
on the doorstep.
392
00:35:06,562 --> 00:35:08,648
(UPBEAT GUITAR MUSIC PLAYING)
393
00:35:11,400 --> 00:35:14,570
NARRATOR: But maybe Dad's got a plan.
394
00:35:16,906 --> 00:35:18,908
-(MUSIC CONCLUDES)
-(OWLETS CHIRPING)
395
00:35:19,659 --> 00:35:20,952
(PRAIRIE DOG CHIRPS)
396
00:35:21,077 --> 00:35:23,121
NARRATOR:
A prairie dog calls out an alarm...
397
00:35:23,663 --> 00:35:24,914
(PRAIRIE DOGS SQUEAKING)
398
00:35:25,081 --> 00:35:27,166
NARRATOR: ...signaling danger in the town.
399
00:35:29,127 --> 00:35:30,795
(OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING)
400
00:35:31,462 --> 00:35:32,505
A badger,
401
00:35:33,047 --> 00:35:36,467
an expert digger who's real hungry
after the cold snap.
402
00:35:37,260 --> 00:35:38,427
(OWLETS CHIRPING)
403
00:35:39,011 --> 00:35:43,182
NARRATOR: The bite-sized owls
must hunker down and keep quiet.
404
00:35:44,142 --> 00:35:45,726
(MUSIC CONTINUES)
405
00:35:46,811 --> 00:35:47,812
(PRAIRIE DOG CHIRPS)
406
00:35:57,780 --> 00:36:00,867
NARRATOR: The badger's relying on his nose
to sniff out prey.
407
00:36:09,125 --> 00:36:10,376
(MUSIC TURNS SUSPENSEFUL)
408
00:36:11,961 --> 00:36:13,880
NARRATOR:
And it looks like the smell of the dung
409
00:36:15,381 --> 00:36:17,508
has masked the smell of the owls.
410
00:36:19,135 --> 00:36:21,053
(MUSIC BRIGHTENS)
411
00:36:26,267 --> 00:36:27,643
NARRATOR: The badger moves on.
412
00:36:30,813 --> 00:36:31,856
A close call.
413
00:36:34,775 --> 00:36:35,943
Nice work, Dad!
414
00:36:37,445 --> 00:36:41,157
(OWLETS CHIRPING, SCREECHING)
415
00:36:43,117 --> 00:36:44,118
(BISON GRUNTING)
416
00:36:44,285 --> 00:36:46,495
NARRATOR:
The drama isn't over for the day, though.
417
00:36:54,003 --> 00:36:56,631
-(PRAIRIE DOG CHIRPS)
-(BISON GRUNTING)
418
00:36:58,883 --> 00:37:00,176
NARRATOR: With the heat rising,
419
00:37:01,719 --> 00:37:06,182
the bison bulls are preparing to fight
for the chance to mate with the females.
420
00:37:06,891 --> 00:37:09,310
(BISONS GRUNTING)
421
00:37:10,436 --> 00:37:12,146
NARRATOR: There's a battle brewing...
422
00:37:12,730 --> 00:37:15,524
(TENSE MUSIC PLAYING)
423
00:37:16,067 --> 00:37:17,276
NARRATOR: ...on land...
424
00:37:19,987 --> 00:37:21,155
and in the sky.
425
00:37:24,784 --> 00:37:26,369
(THUNDER RUMBLING)
426
00:37:28,788 --> 00:37:31,707
(BISONS BELLOWING)
427
00:37:37,588 --> 00:37:40,341
(BISONS GRUNTING)
428
00:37:43,761 --> 00:37:44,971
NARRATOR: As the bulls collide,
429
00:37:46,347 --> 00:37:50,142
there's an even greater collision
happening above their heads.
430
00:37:54,105 --> 00:37:59,527
Warm, humid air direct from the tropics
is slamming into the cold Arctic air.
431
00:38:00,152 --> 00:38:02,280
-(LOUD THUD)
-(THUNDER RUMBLING)
432
00:38:03,614 --> 00:38:06,075
NARRATOR:
Perfect conditions for a megastorm.
433
00:38:11,289 --> 00:38:15,334
The Heartland sees the most powerful
thunderstorms on Earth.
434
00:38:18,254 --> 00:38:21,966
A single cloud can carry
a billion volts of electricity.
435
00:38:23,592 --> 00:38:24,593
(THUNDER CLAPPING)
436
00:38:28,097 --> 00:38:30,558
NARRATOR:
Two-hundred-mile-per-hour tornadoes...
437
00:38:31,183 --> 00:38:33,227
(WIND HOWLING)
438
00:38:35,187 --> 00:38:36,522
...and torrential rain
439
00:38:37,481 --> 00:38:39,275
sweep across the prairie.
440
00:38:39,942 --> 00:38:41,527
-(MUSIC CONCLUDES)
-(THUNDER RUMBLING)
441
00:38:42,528 --> 00:38:44,989
NARRATOR:
It's a passion killer for the bison bulls.
442
00:38:49,160 --> 00:38:52,413
But ultimately, these storms
are life-givers.
443
00:38:53,205 --> 00:38:54,957
(SOFT INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING)
444
00:38:58,002 --> 00:39:00,087
NARRATOR:
They water the great grasslands...
445
00:39:02,256 --> 00:39:06,135
and help turn this region
into the breadbasket of America.
446
00:39:09,430 --> 00:39:13,142
Nearly half of the US prairie
is now farmland.
447
00:39:17,605 --> 00:39:22,985
In a land of extreme changes,
this is the biggest change of all.
448
00:39:29,367 --> 00:39:33,287
But some Heartland heroes
adapt to the modern world.
449
00:39:36,165 --> 00:39:38,167
Under this deserted ranch house...
450
00:39:40,628 --> 00:39:42,463
is a very rare sight.
451
00:39:50,304 --> 00:39:52,264
A family of bobcats.
452
00:40:00,147 --> 00:40:02,858
The four kittens are just six weeks old...
453
00:40:06,487 --> 00:40:09,156
and still completely reliant on Mom.
454
00:40:12,618 --> 00:40:17,790
She's chosen a great den site,
out of the sun and hidden from predators.
455
00:40:19,375 --> 00:40:22,545
Though it can't shelter her
from her playful kittens.
456
00:40:23,003 --> 00:40:24,797
(PLAYFUL MUSIC PLAYING)
457
00:40:42,690 --> 00:40:44,024
NARRATOR: Time to head out.
458
00:40:44,733 --> 00:40:46,944
(MUSIC SOFTENS)
459
00:40:47,361 --> 00:40:51,490
NARRATOR: Besides a break from the kids,
she's gotta put dinner on the table.
460
00:41:00,291 --> 00:41:03,252
The world beyond the fence is dangerous.
461
00:41:07,715 --> 00:41:10,468
Bobcats are often hunted by humans.
462
00:41:13,554 --> 00:41:15,806
The kittens will be safe while she's gone,
463
00:41:16,348 --> 00:41:18,225
so long as they stay under the house.
464
00:41:22,104 --> 00:41:24,482
(PLAYFUL MUSIC RESUMES)
465
00:41:26,233 --> 00:41:27,318
NARRATOR: Uh-oh!
466
00:41:32,114 --> 00:41:35,367
This is the perfect playground
for wannabe hunters.
467
00:41:40,414 --> 00:41:43,125
(BOBCAT KITTEN MEOWS, PURRS)
468
00:41:48,631 --> 00:41:51,509
NARRATOR: One day,
with a little more practice,
469
00:41:52,134 --> 00:41:56,931
these little guys will be one of the most
adaptable predators in America.
470
00:42:03,521 --> 00:42:09,235
They'll hunt everything. From rats,
to insects, to birds in flight.
471
00:42:14,823 --> 00:42:16,116
Right now, though...
472
00:42:17,034 --> 00:42:18,035
(MUSIC TURNS TENSE)
473
00:42:18,285 --> 00:42:20,704
...the birds still have the upper hand.
474
00:42:21,121 --> 00:42:22,748
(HARRIS HAWK SCREECHES)
475
00:42:25,918 --> 00:42:27,419
(BOBCAT KITTENS GROWLING)
476
00:42:31,298 --> 00:42:32,466
NARRATOR: A Harris hawk.
477
00:42:40,808 --> 00:42:43,686
(HARRIS HAWK SCREECHING)
478
00:42:46,855 --> 00:42:48,941
(MUSIC FADES)
479
00:42:52,820 --> 00:42:54,697
NARRATOR: Not feeling so brave now.
480
00:42:59,410 --> 00:43:01,745
Thank goodness Mom chose a good shelter.
481
00:43:03,122 --> 00:43:04,540
(TENDER MUSIC PLAYING)
482
00:43:14,466 --> 00:43:15,634
NARRATOR: In no time at all,
483
00:43:16,051 --> 00:43:18,596
the kittens will be out
hunting on their own.
484
00:43:19,930 --> 00:43:21,682
(BOBCAT MUNCHING)
485
00:43:24,143 --> 00:43:25,227
NARRATOR: As adults,
486
00:43:25,352 --> 00:43:28,355
each will hunt hundreds
of rodents every year.
487
00:43:32,943 --> 00:43:34,862
A free pest control service
488
00:43:35,946 --> 00:43:38,991
for farmers who let the bobcats be.
489
00:43:49,168 --> 00:43:52,588
The Heartland rewards those
who can adapt to change.
490
00:43:54,965 --> 00:43:57,259
Whether that's
in the new world of farmland...
491
00:43:58,385 --> 00:43:59,762
(THEME MUSIC PLAYS)
492
00:43:59,928 --> 00:44:04,141
NARRATOR: ...or in the vast wild places
of rolling hills and prairie.
493
00:44:09,355 --> 00:44:12,066
Youngsters here have to grow up fast.
494
00:44:16,695 --> 00:44:19,990
SINGER: This is paradise
495
00:44:20,157 --> 00:44:24,411
NARRATOR: At just a month old,
our owl chicks are learning to fly.
496
00:44:26,872 --> 00:44:31,126
SINGER: Seed and grain, new life
497
00:44:31,585 --> 00:44:35,255
NARRATOR: Our bobcats are braving
the world beyond the fence.
498
00:44:37,633 --> 00:44:39,843
SINGER: All that we don't even know
499
00:44:40,135 --> 00:44:41,345
(WOLF HOWLING)
500
00:44:42,012 --> 00:44:46,642
NARRATOR: And our wolf cubs
are almost ready to run with the pack.
501
00:44:47,476 --> 00:44:48,644
(WOLVES HOWLING)
502
00:44:49,436 --> 00:44:52,523
NARRATOR: As they grow,
every one of these youngsters
503
00:44:52,731 --> 00:44:55,359
is destined to become a hero
504
00:44:56,151 --> 00:44:58,779
of the great American Heartland.
505
00:44:58,987 --> 00:45:02,950
SINGER: This is paradise
506
00:45:04,076 --> 00:45:09,540
Under these spacious skies
507
00:45:09,873 --> 00:45:12,501
(THRILLING MUSIC PLAYING)
508
00:45:33,939 --> 00:45:35,315
(MUSIC CONCLUDES)
35639
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