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Meet Sam, Sophie and Sybil,
three black bear cubs.

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They live with their mum, Juliet.

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They're just three months old,
tiny and vulnerable.

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They rely entirely
on Mum for survival.

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I spent May in the Northwoods of
Minnesota for Planet Earth Live...

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BEAR GRUNTS

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..following the cubs
as their story unfolded.

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SHE WHISPERS
And so vulnerable.

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Just...oh, God...just so sweet.

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These woods are full
of danger and challenges.

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Savage cold.

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Weather that can turn in an instant.

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Deadly predators.

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Eagles, coyotes, wolves.

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And even forest fires.
SIRENS WAIL

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Mum, Juliet, has a battle on her
hands to keep her three cubs safe.

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This is Sam, Sophie
and Sybil's story.

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The cubs are born in mid-January.

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The bears are all
deep in hibernation.

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Many females are pregnant.

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They mated last year,
fattened up in autumn,

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and settled in their dens
around September.

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In January, temperatures can drop as
low as -20 degrees Celsius.

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The woods are buried under
almost a metre of snow.

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The females must conserve energy
just to get through the winter.

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And to give birth.

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In mid January, mum, Juliet

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welcomes Sam, Sophie and Sybil
into the world.

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BEARS CHATTER

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Black bear cubs are born
blind and helpless.

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They each weigh less
than half a kilogram.

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The den is like a second womb.

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It keeps them safe as they grow.

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By around six weeks,
their eyes are open,

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and they've begun
to crawl and explore.

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Usually, they leave the den in May.

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By then, they'll weigh ten times
more than when they were born.

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But in April, things go badly wrong
for Sam, Sophie and Sybil.

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Juliet's den is in
a low-lying cedar bog.

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Normally,
the ground would stay frozen

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until the cubs were ready to leave.

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But spring this year
is incredibly warm.

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The snow begins to melt over
a month earlier than usual.

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WATER RUSHES

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The den slowly fills
with icy meltwater.

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Juliet must evacuate her cubs.

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For the triplets, this is
the equivalent of a premature birth.

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They're fragile and exposed.

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Juliet must make
a life or death decision.

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She can wait by the den
and hope that the water refreezes,

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or move the tiny cubs to another
site to see out the winter.

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For the cubs, a wrong choice
could be fatal.

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Little Sybil
is especially vulnerable.

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She's the smallest and the weakest.

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Her eyes have barely opened.

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She hardly has the energy to move.

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But Juliet's made her decision.

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She's ten years old,
an experienced mother.

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She must find somewhere else
to keep the cubs safe.

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After five months with no food,
this journey is exhausting for her.

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For her tiny cubs,
it's an almost unimaginable effort.

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Finally, Juliet finds a spot.

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She uses this as a day bed
in the summer.

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The overhanging branches will
keep off the worst of the weather.

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Fresh foliage makes the bed
as comfortable as possible.

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But there's not much about.

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Exhausted, she collapses.

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And the cubs enjoy a well-earned
meal in their new home.

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CUBS CHATTER

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Juliet's decision has paid off.

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For now.

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Minnesota is nestled
up on the Canadian border.

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The state of 10,000 lakes.

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In between the lakes
are the Northwoods,

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a mixed woodland of pines, firs,
cedars and aspen.

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It's home to over
20,000 black bears.

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Biologist Lynn Rogers has studied
the bears here for over 45 years.

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He's developed some controversial
and revolutionary methods.

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For years, Lynn tranquilised bears
to fit radio collars and track them.

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Then he found a new a way.

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He uses treats
to gain the bears' trust.

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No more tranquilisers.

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It's good for the bears,
and good for Lynn, too.

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He and his researchers can now
walk with the bears

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and learn from them
as they go about their daily lives.

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BEAR SNIFFS

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Thanks to his work,
we can get these incredibly close

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and intimate views of black bears.

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When I arrived at the start of May,
I was desperate to experience

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some of these intimate views
for myself.

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I wanted to see how
Sam, Sophie and Sybil were doing,

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after their traumatic start to life.

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Lynn took me straight out
into the woods to find them.

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TRACKER CLICKS

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Let's see if she's there.

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That way.

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'I have to admit, I was nervous.

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'It's not every day you walk up to
a completely wild black bear

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'with no protection.'

100
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Let's see if she's there. Ah-ha!

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I'm sorry, bear!
I rushed up upon you!

102
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You might be a little bit brave
being here.

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I've always heard, never
get between a mother and her cubs,

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but it takes more than
a mother black bear to scare us.

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Well, maybe it takes
more to scare you,

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because you've been doing
this for 45 years!
THEY LAUGH QUIETLY

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It's interesting...

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BEAR MOVES AND GRUNTS
Ooh! Oh, God!

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I'm sorry bear, what do you want?

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You wonder what we're here for?

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We think this is the only place
in the world that we can come

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and see a mother with cubs like
this, have her sit and trust us.

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A WILD bear. Let's remember this.
Yeah, yeah.

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Mmm-hmm.

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Mmm-hmm. Mmm-hmm.

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Hello, Mrs Bear.

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Nothing from me, I'm afraid.

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BEAR HISSES

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No.

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I MEAN no.

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SHE SIGHS

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These aggressive looking charges
are called blusters.

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They don't mean the bear
is about to attack.

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She's just nervous,
probably because I'm new.

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For me, this is scary stuff.
BEAR SNARLS

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But Lynn's been doing this
for 45 years.

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He's been blustered
thousands of times,

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and not once has a bear
attacked him.

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BEAR THUMPS HIDE

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SHE WHISPERS
Where are those cubs?

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They must be pretty high.

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I wish they'd come down. Yeah.

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'No cubs in sight.
But Mum wasn't worried.

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'So we took our cue from her,
and sat down to wait.

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'After 45 minutes,
our patience paid off.'

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SHE WHISPERS
Yeah, here we go.

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OK. Here we go.

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I've never seen anything so cute!

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'Sophie is bravest.

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'She's first to climb down
to join mum.'

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Oh! She's got them to wake up.

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SHE WHISPERS
I can't believe I'm actually sitting

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right here, just a
few feet away from this...

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adorable, vulnerable,
beautiful creature.

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Look, she's feeding.

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'A few minutes later,
Sam puts in an appearance.'

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Someone else to join the party.

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Is he the right size for his age,
or should he be bigger?

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He's doing OK, yeah.

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He's doing OK.

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'Finally, cautious little Sybil
decides to join the family meal.'

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Oh!

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CUBS CHATTER

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They're starting to nurse.

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That little cheering hum.

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That's the sound of nursing?

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Yeah. That's the sound
of a contented cub.

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A comfortable cub.

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Once the cubs have had their fill,
it's time for a stretch,

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and then play time.

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BEARS YELP AND GROWL

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That's what you call a bear hug!

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As the exceptionally hot
spring continues,

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more bears take advantage
of the warmth

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to come out and forage.

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But it's still early in the season,

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and the bears
are dangerously exposed.

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Jewel is a three-year-old,

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and a first-time mother.

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She has two cubs, Herbie and Fern.

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They're twins and inseparable.

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Jewel has a decision to make.

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Stay in the den,
keeping the twins warm and safe,

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or go out in search of food.

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She hasn't eaten for six months.

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She's famished.

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She decides to leave the den,

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taking Herbie and Fern with her.

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She's a first-time mother,

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so her decision is based on instinct
rather than experience.

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She has no way of knowing
that the weather

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has another surprise
in store for them.

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A cold front is approaching
from the north,

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bringing howling Arctic winds.

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Winter has returned.

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For Jewel, for Juliet,
and especially for their cubs,

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this could spell disaster.

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Juliet has the advantage
of experience.

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As the snow starts to fall,

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she keeps her cubs close to her body

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so they benefit from her warmth.

192
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As they suckle,
she helps keep them dry

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by licking the snow
from their backs.

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Just a few miles away, first-time
mum, Jewel, is struggling.

195
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She's stranded well away from her
den with her cubs, Herbie and Fern.

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00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:43,760
The cubs' first reaction
is instinctive.

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They're faced with danger.

198
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There's only one thing to do.

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Herbie and Fern climb a tree.

200
00:17:55,120 --> 00:17:58,120
It's a potentially
catastrophic tactic.

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Sticking closely together as always,

202
00:18:05,720 --> 00:18:10,240
soon, both cubs
are shivering with cold.

203
00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:17,680
Up here, there's very little
protection from the elements.

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00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:20,800
Their coats
are quickly crusted in snow.

205
00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:32,720
Down on the ground, their mother's
body heat could help them keep warm.

206
00:18:32,720 --> 00:18:37,000
Up here, their small bodies are
struggling to generate enough heat.

207
00:18:43,920 --> 00:18:47,400
They're shivering so hard
they can barely hold on.

208
00:18:57,120 --> 00:18:59,760
Eventually, Jewel seems
to understand the situation.

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00:18:59,760 --> 00:19:01,720
She calls the cubs down.

210
00:19:01,720 --> 00:19:05,800
SHE CLICKS AND CALLS

211
00:19:15,400 --> 00:19:17,920
Herbie and Fern gingerly
make their descent.

212
00:19:17,920 --> 00:19:20,040
It's slow going in the cold.

213
00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:21,480
A slip could kill them.

214
00:19:37,320 --> 00:19:40,920
Jewel urgently needs to get the cubs
close, warm them up,

215
00:19:40,920 --> 00:19:43,200
and protect them from the storm.

216
00:19:55,760 --> 00:19:58,720
But incredibly,
instead she moves off,

217
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leaving her frozen youngsters
to struggle after her.

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00:20:05,360 --> 00:20:08,200
CUBS SQUEAL

219
00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:11,520
At just three months old,

220
00:20:11,520 --> 00:20:13,680
the cubs find walking on snow
almost impossible.

221
00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:19,360
Their paws are just too small,
and sink into the drifts.

222
00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:28,920
With the snow now deeper
than the cubs are tall,

223
00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:31,200
this is a dangerous world.

224
00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:40,360
Worse, the cubs only have
a single layer of fur.

225
00:20:40,360 --> 00:20:44,040
They won't grow a second,
insulating layer

226
00:20:44,040 --> 00:20:46,600
until they go into hibernation
in the autumn.

227
00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:55,440
But autumn is a long way off
for Herbie and Fern.

228
00:20:57,200 --> 00:20:59,560
Without Jewel,
they won't last the night.

229
00:21:03,080 --> 00:21:07,080
But as darkness falls,
there's still no sign of her.

230
00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:13,880
Overnight, the temperature plummets
to -12 degrees Celsius.

231
00:21:13,880 --> 00:21:16,240
There's little hope the cubs
will survive.

232
00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:24,280
But as dawn breaks...

233
00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:27,240
..relief.

234
00:21:40,760 --> 00:21:43,720
Jewel hasn't abandoned the cubs.

235
00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:46,000
She's led them to safety.

236
00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:49,160
She's found a more sheltered spot.

237
00:21:55,200 --> 00:21:57,960
Now she's keeping Herbie
and Fern close and warm.

238
00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:21,400
The snow storm has highlighted the
difference that experience can make.

239
00:22:26,120 --> 00:22:28,640
Jewel struggled in the storm,

240
00:22:28,640 --> 00:22:32,240
though ultimately,
her instincts were good.

241
00:22:32,240 --> 00:22:34,640
But with three sets
of cubs behind her,

242
00:22:34,640 --> 00:22:37,000
Juliet has taken it in her stride.

243
00:22:45,640 --> 00:22:48,360
So far this year,
she's got everything right.

244
00:22:48,360 --> 00:22:49,800
Her cubs are growing well,

245
00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:52,720
and developing personalities
of their own.

246
00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:03,320
Sam, the lone boy,
is boisterous and adventurous.

247
00:23:09,840 --> 00:23:11,840
He's always on the look out
for a scrap,

248
00:23:11,840 --> 00:23:14,800
usually with the middle sister,
Sophie.

249
00:23:20,920 --> 00:23:23,000
But Sophie isn't afraid
to fight back.

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00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:27,120
In fact, the two of them
are almost inseparable.

251
00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:37,400
Which means that Sybil,

252
00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:39,720
the smallest
and most vulnerable cub,

253
00:23:39,720 --> 00:23:40,880
is often left out.

254
00:23:43,760 --> 00:23:46,560
She's smaller and skinnier
than the other two.

255
00:23:46,560 --> 00:23:49,760
That puts her most at risk.

256
00:23:55,440 --> 00:23:58,480
But without a den to protect them,

257
00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:02,600
all the cubs
are extremely vulnerable.

258
00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:07,480
They'd make a tasty snack for any
of the Northwoods' many predators.

259
00:24:15,480 --> 00:24:17,640
These woods are
rich hunting grounds.

260
00:24:17,640 --> 00:24:20,680
There's plenty of potential prey.

261
00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:26,400
A camera trap baited
with a deer carcass

262
00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:29,080
exposes some of the threats
the cubs face.

263
00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:32,600
CROWS CAW

264
00:24:32,600 --> 00:24:35,920
The crows are first to arrive,

265
00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:38,960
but their meal is soon disturbed.

266
00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:43,840
A bald eagle.

267
00:24:48,360 --> 00:24:50,520
They're immensely powerful,

268
00:24:50,520 --> 00:24:52,960
easily strong enough
to snatch and kill a cub.

269
00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:01,720
But the biggest threats
come out at night.

270
00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:13,280
A red fox. Small but wily.

271
00:25:13,280 --> 00:25:15,400
It could easily sneak up
and grab a cub.

272
00:25:22,040 --> 00:25:23,800
Coyotes are much larger.

273
00:25:23,800 --> 00:25:26,040
For them,
a bear cub is fair game.

274
00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:34,560
Finally,
the most dangerous of all.

275
00:25:34,560 --> 00:25:37,360
A grey wolf.

276
00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:46,200
There are around 3,000 wolves
in Minnesota.

277
00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:59,240
It's rare for a pack to attack
a mother bear with cubs.

278
00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:01,960
But if they find Sam, Sophie
and Sybil alone,

279
00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:04,680
our little friends
won't stand a chance.

280
00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:20,920
Luckily, bear cubs have
a survival trick all of their own.

281
00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:29,280
From the moment they leave the den,
black bears can climb.

282
00:26:38,880 --> 00:26:41,440
But when you're tiny,
nothing is as easy as it looks.

283
00:26:45,520 --> 00:26:48,160
One major challenge is working out

284
00:26:48,160 --> 00:26:51,000
which trees are safe to scamper up.

285
00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:52,400
Some are better than others.

286
00:26:57,680 --> 00:26:59,480
This beauty is a red pine.

287
00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:00,960
It's a nice mature tree,

288
00:27:00,960 --> 00:27:04,800
and it looks as if it should be
a good climber, but it's not.

289
00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:07,200
Because the bark just peels away,

290
00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:10,680
so the little claws would dig in...

291
00:27:12,320 --> 00:27:14,960
..and then fall away.

292
00:27:19,040 --> 00:27:20,840
So we've got a paper birch

293
00:27:20,840 --> 00:27:22,280
right next door to a cedar here.

294
00:27:22,280 --> 00:27:25,120
I'll show you why this is called
the paper birch.

295
00:27:25,120 --> 00:27:27,560
Look at that.
So, not a great climbing tree,

296
00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:31,400
and also quite slippy.

297
00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:34,040
The cedar, on the other hand,

298
00:27:34,040 --> 00:27:35,480
nice juicy, juicy trunk,

299
00:27:35,480 --> 00:27:38,560
and you can get really good
purchase on that.

300
00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:40,920
That's a good climber.

301
00:27:45,840 --> 00:27:47,880
And finally, this is actually

302
00:27:47,880 --> 00:27:50,520
the perfect black bear
climbing tree,

303
00:27:50,520 --> 00:27:52,000
a mature white pine.

304
00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:55,280
Look at the bark.
Very sturdy and solid.

305
00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:57,600
It doesn't come away at all.

306
00:27:57,600 --> 00:28:00,880
So, imagine claws
clinging into that.

307
00:28:00,880 --> 00:28:03,760
And then, when you go up to the top,
plenty of protection,

308
00:28:03,760 --> 00:28:05,920
strong, sturdy branches,
and protection

309
00:28:05,920 --> 00:28:08,600
from the rain and from the sunshine
for the cubs.

310
00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:13,040
And you can see how protected
you would be down here.

311
00:28:13,040 --> 00:28:15,400
This is actually
one of Juliet's day beds.

312
00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:19,080
And look, it's been raining
all morning... Perfectly dry.

313
00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:23,400
Of course, it doesn't matter
what kind of tree it is

314
00:28:23,400 --> 00:28:25,120
if it's far too small.

315
00:28:29,920 --> 00:28:31,120
Or if it's dead.

316
00:28:33,240 --> 00:28:35,400
And even on the big trees,

317
00:28:35,400 --> 00:28:37,040
the tough bit's getting down.

318
00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:27,000
CUB YELPS

319
00:29:37,240 --> 00:29:39,880
It's exhausting work
for little legs.

320
00:29:39,880 --> 00:29:41,560
But the cubs are bundles of energy,

321
00:29:41,560 --> 00:29:44,080
and play is an important part
of growing up.

322
00:29:44,080 --> 00:29:47,680
CUBS YELP

323
00:29:47,680 --> 00:29:50,840
Sam and Sophie
play fight constantly.

324
00:29:56,480 --> 00:29:59,280
These battles teach coordination,
build muscle,

325
00:29:59,280 --> 00:30:01,800
and establish a pecking order
among the cubs.

326
00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:05,800
Little Sybil tries
to join in the fun,

327
00:30:05,800 --> 00:30:09,040
but Sam and Sophie
quickly reject her.

328
00:30:13,360 --> 00:30:16,680
She's bottom of the pecking order,

329
00:30:16,680 --> 00:30:18,800
even when the cubs are suckling.

330
00:30:23,600 --> 00:30:26,080
Female black bears have
three pairs of nipples.

331
00:30:26,080 --> 00:30:32,320
The top pair provide more rich milk
than the lower two pairs.

332
00:30:32,320 --> 00:30:35,920
Thanks to their play fights,
Sam and Sophie are stronger.

333
00:30:35,920 --> 00:30:38,680
They always get the best meal.

334
00:30:38,680 --> 00:30:40,680
CUBS CHATTER

335
00:30:43,760 --> 00:30:45,200
When Sybil tries to barge in,

336
00:30:45,200 --> 00:30:47,280
Sam bullies her into submission.

337
00:30:53,720 --> 00:30:56,160
In this fight,
it's every cub for themselves.

338
00:31:00,360 --> 00:31:02,560
One in five cubs
die in their first year.

339
00:31:04,480 --> 00:31:06,720
Sybil is very much at risk.

340
00:31:16,080 --> 00:31:19,680
Having three cubs improves
Juliet's chances as a mum.

341
00:31:19,680 --> 00:31:24,800
She may lose one, but two survivors
is still a good year.

342
00:31:24,800 --> 00:31:28,280
If all three survive, even better.

343
00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:32,320
It all depends on whether Juliet
can provide enough milk.

344
00:31:36,600 --> 00:31:39,440
The milk's around 25% fat,

345
00:31:39,440 --> 00:31:42,480
five times as rich as a cow's.

346
00:31:42,480 --> 00:31:45,120
Producing it is a strain
on Juliet's reserves.

347
00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:51,560
To provide enough milk for three,

348
00:31:51,560 --> 00:31:53,760
she must eat
whenever she gets the chance.

349
00:32:07,440 --> 00:32:10,920
But in these woods,
it's tough to find enough food.

350
00:32:15,920 --> 00:32:19,640
Lynn took me out to show me
some items on the Black Bear menu.

351
00:32:19,640 --> 00:32:22,680
If I were a bear coming along here

352
00:32:22,680 --> 00:32:25,120
and there's ant pupae about,

353
00:32:25,120 --> 00:32:27,080
I'd be sniffing this rock.

354
00:32:27,080 --> 00:32:28,600
And if I smelled something,

355
00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:31,800
I'd pull it over and be licking up

356
00:32:31,800 --> 00:32:34,480
all the pupae and the larvae.

357
00:32:36,360 --> 00:32:37,760
OK, nothing there, though.

358
00:32:37,760 --> 00:32:41,400
They don't roll them back, but I do.
JULIA LAUGHS

359
00:32:41,400 --> 00:32:43,720
These look like juicy
little morsels. What are they?

360
00:32:43,720 --> 00:32:47,080
Oh, large leaf aster,
and bears are eating those right now.

361
00:32:47,080 --> 00:32:50,560
They only eat them when they're in
this fuzzy stage, all curled up.

362
00:32:50,560 --> 00:32:53,080
This is when they taste good.
Right.

363
00:32:54,760 --> 00:32:56,240
Tastes OK. OK.

364
00:32:56,240 --> 00:32:59,520
And here's something else
right now. What's that?

365
00:32:59,520 --> 00:33:01,520
HE LAUGHS
Horse tail.

366
00:33:01,520 --> 00:33:02,960
What does that taste like?

367
00:33:02,960 --> 00:33:05,360
Not that good.
SHE LAUGHS

368
00:33:07,400 --> 00:33:08,600
Oh, here.

369
00:33:08,600 --> 00:33:11,080
Here's something a bear
would check for grubs.

370
00:33:11,080 --> 00:33:13,560
They just tear into it like that.

371
00:33:13,560 --> 00:33:15,800
And what sort of grubs
are we looking for?

372
00:33:15,800 --> 00:33:18,200
Beetle larvae.

373
00:33:18,200 --> 00:33:21,800
But they would know
if there's grubs in here.

374
00:33:21,800 --> 00:33:25,880
They sniff it first,
before they waste the energy.

375
00:33:25,880 --> 00:33:28,520
They know their stuff,
these bears, don't they?

376
00:33:28,520 --> 00:33:29,920
Yeah! Yep.

377
00:33:29,920 --> 00:33:32,200
So here's an aspen tree,

378
00:33:32,200 --> 00:33:34,800
and if a bear was going to eat
the leaves,

379
00:33:34,800 --> 00:33:38,560
which they eat
at this time of the year... Yeah.

380
00:33:38,560 --> 00:33:40,920
..they climb it
and bring the tree down

381
00:33:40,920 --> 00:33:42,960
and then they would strip
the leaves

382
00:33:42,960 --> 00:33:44,160
through their mouth...

383
00:33:45,760 --> 00:33:48,520
SHE LAUGHS
..sideways, like that.

384
00:33:51,040 --> 00:33:54,520
Good bear!
Yuck, I got the whole thing!

385
00:33:54,520 --> 00:33:55,760
Shall we let this tree live?

386
00:33:55,760 --> 00:33:57,760
Yes. OK, I'm going to let it go.

387
00:33:57,760 --> 00:33:58,960
OK. OK? Yeah.

388
00:33:58,960 --> 00:34:00,200
There we go.

389
00:34:06,680 --> 00:34:08,480
As spring warms the woods,

390
00:34:08,480 --> 00:34:10,160
more food begins to appear.

391
00:34:18,000 --> 00:34:21,320
For Sam, Sophie, and Sybil,
it's an important time.

392
00:34:21,320 --> 00:34:24,600
They need to investigate
all these foods for themselves.

393
00:34:29,360 --> 00:34:32,400
Because exactly a year from now,
when they're yearlings,

394
00:34:32,400 --> 00:34:35,920
Juliet will kick them out
to face life alone in the woods.

395
00:34:44,400 --> 00:34:47,760
It's called family break up,
and it's driven by one thing.

396
00:34:47,760 --> 00:34:50,160
The need to mate.

397
00:34:57,200 --> 00:35:01,800
Every year in May, the normally
secretive males reappear.

398
00:35:04,600 --> 00:35:06,680
They're looking
for receptive females

399
00:35:06,680 --> 00:35:09,080
and they'll fight
to get access to them.

400
00:35:15,120 --> 00:35:19,720
Males are hugely powerful.
They can weigh up to 275 kilograms.

401
00:35:21,120 --> 00:35:23,680
Fights like this
can cause serious harm.

402
00:35:27,160 --> 00:35:29,400
You might expect them to roar.

403
00:35:29,400 --> 00:35:30,920
Instead, they honk.

404
00:35:32,120 --> 00:35:35,080
BEARS HONK

405
00:35:49,480 --> 00:35:51,600
For yearlings
with receptive mothers,

406
00:35:51,600 --> 00:35:53,560
the message is brutal and clear.

407
00:35:54,720 --> 00:35:56,360
Beware.

408
00:35:59,600 --> 00:36:01,040
Mum wants to mate.

409
00:36:01,040 --> 00:36:03,720
She doesn't want cubs around.

410
00:36:03,720 --> 00:36:05,920
Neither will the male.

411
00:36:10,000 --> 00:36:11,720
But breaking up can be difficult.

412
00:36:13,760 --> 00:36:15,480
Meet Aster and Aspen,

413
00:36:15,480 --> 00:36:18,920
yearlings born to mother, June,
last January.

414
00:36:20,360 --> 00:36:23,920
At 18 months old,
they're typical teenagers.

415
00:36:23,920 --> 00:36:27,040
Boisterous, troublesome,
but not yet independent.

416
00:36:32,840 --> 00:36:35,560
Aster, the female,
sticks close to mum.

417
00:36:39,680 --> 00:36:41,720
She's gentle and inquisitive,

418
00:36:41,720 --> 00:36:45,320
and still learning
the tricks and trades of the woods.

419
00:36:45,320 --> 00:36:47,360
Not always successfully.

420
00:36:47,360 --> 00:36:49,800
Here she's come unstuck
with red ants.

421
00:36:53,240 --> 00:36:56,080
The male cub, Aspen,
is more independent.

422
00:36:56,080 --> 00:36:58,640
He's happy
to head off on his own,

423
00:36:58,640 --> 00:37:02,200
sometimes for hours on end.

424
00:37:11,560 --> 00:37:14,840
But most of the time, both
are content to stay close to June.

425
00:37:19,280 --> 00:37:20,960
But she has other ideas.

426
00:37:32,600 --> 00:37:35,040
June snaps, and Aspen is expelled.

427
00:37:43,440 --> 00:37:46,280
This is the reality
of family break up.

428
00:37:48,720 --> 00:37:51,320
Aspen must now fend for himself,

429
00:37:51,320 --> 00:37:53,160
and face the dangers
of the woods alone.

430
00:38:11,080 --> 00:38:14,240
But June still has Aster
tagging along.

431
00:38:14,240 --> 00:38:15,680
Rather than drive her away,

432
00:38:15,680 --> 00:38:17,800
she tries to shake her off.

433
00:38:21,920 --> 00:38:25,680
When Aster moves ahead,
June makes her move.

434
00:38:34,120 --> 00:38:38,080
When Aster realises she's alone,
she backtracks.

435
00:38:38,080 --> 00:38:40,480
She clearly doesn't want
to be left alone.

436
00:38:47,200 --> 00:38:49,040
Aster's going to be hard to shake.

437
00:38:49,040 --> 00:38:51,080
June needs a new tactic.

438
00:38:56,080 --> 00:38:59,640
Black bears have
an incredible sense of smell.

439
00:38:59,640 --> 00:39:03,480
Maybe June can lose Aster
by hiding her scent trail.

440
00:39:10,280 --> 00:39:12,280
But, persistent as ever,

441
00:39:12,280 --> 00:39:14,240
Aster is in hot pursuit.

442
00:39:23,560 --> 00:39:26,280
For now, June will have to put up
with her daughter.

443
00:39:33,120 --> 00:39:35,680
At least she's down to one.

444
00:39:35,680 --> 00:39:37,440
Or so she thought.

445
00:39:53,840 --> 00:39:56,480
An unexpected visitor.

446
00:39:56,480 --> 00:39:58,160
Aspen rejoins the party.

447
00:40:00,280 --> 00:40:01,800
After two days out on his own,

448
00:40:01,800 --> 00:40:04,080
he's found his mum and sister again.

449
00:40:06,880 --> 00:40:09,880
It's unusual for a bear
to return after break up.

450
00:40:11,920 --> 00:40:13,960
But instead of chasing him
off again,

451
00:40:13,960 --> 00:40:16,000
June seems to accept his presence.

452
00:40:18,640 --> 00:40:21,480
And Aspen tries his hardest
to ingratiate himself

453
00:40:21,480 --> 00:40:22,680
back into the fold.

454
00:40:36,520 --> 00:40:39,360
As June's yearlings struggle
to accept their independence,

455
00:40:39,360 --> 00:40:43,200
Juliet's young cubs are in danger
of embracing it too early.

456
00:40:49,520 --> 00:40:53,560
To provide milk for three hungry
cubs, Juliet needs to feed.

457
00:40:57,240 --> 00:40:59,640
There are no babysitters
in these woods.

458
00:40:59,640 --> 00:41:03,320
So she encourages Sam, Sophie and
Sybil up a tree to keep them safe.

459
00:41:13,680 --> 00:41:14,840
Left home alone,

460
00:41:14,840 --> 00:41:18,440
it isn't long before the
little bears start to misbehave.

461
00:41:20,960 --> 00:41:24,560
Sophie and Sam quickly get bored
of waiting and decide to explore.

462
00:41:33,080 --> 00:41:35,800
Adventures are fun,
but the woods are full of dangers,

463
00:41:35,800 --> 00:41:38,240
and it's easy to get lost.

464
00:41:55,240 --> 00:41:59,600
They climb a tree some distance
from where Juliet left them.

465
00:41:59,600 --> 00:42:01,000
They're out of sight.

466
00:42:08,120 --> 00:42:10,520
Back by the first tree,
Sybil is torn.

467
00:42:13,840 --> 00:42:19,160
She's unsure whether to follow her
siblings or wait for Mum.

468
00:42:30,240 --> 00:42:32,320
She's alone on the forest floor,

469
00:42:32,320 --> 00:42:34,440
exposed and very vulnerable.

470
00:42:37,520 --> 00:42:39,200
She calls for help.

471
00:42:39,200 --> 00:42:43,040
SHE SQUEALS

472
00:42:52,360 --> 00:42:57,240
Juliet returns to find Sybil
alone and distressed, but safe.

473
00:43:02,600 --> 00:43:04,600
There's no sign of Sam and Sophie.

474
00:43:13,360 --> 00:43:16,160
Juliet is faced with a dilemma.
Rush off to look for them,

475
00:43:16,160 --> 00:43:19,080
or wait by the tree
where she left them.

476
00:43:21,840 --> 00:43:24,680
SHE CALLS

477
00:43:24,680 --> 00:43:28,320
She calls, but the cubs
are either out of range,

478
00:43:28,320 --> 00:43:30,360
or wilfully ignoring her.

479
00:43:38,080 --> 00:43:40,920
Suddenly, they reappear

480
00:43:40,920 --> 00:43:43,360
in a blur of black fur.

481
00:43:45,680 --> 00:43:50,080
They race back towards Mum,
and are safely reunited.

482
00:43:50,080 --> 00:43:54,800
Clearly, these cubs are not yet
as grown-up as they think they are.

483
00:44:20,280 --> 00:44:24,200
Meanwhile, our camera trap
has picked up its first male.

484
00:44:31,040 --> 00:44:33,720
He's small and relatively immature,

485
00:44:33,720 --> 00:44:37,840
but his arrival signals the start
of the breeding season.

486
00:44:37,840 --> 00:44:40,880
He's here for females,
and the females are ready.

487
00:44:48,400 --> 00:44:53,880
When a female comes into season, she
needs to advertise her availability.

488
00:44:53,880 --> 00:44:56,360
For black bears,
that means scent marking.

489
00:44:59,840 --> 00:45:03,000
There are three good ways to
leave your mark in these woods.

490
00:45:03,000 --> 00:45:06,080
First, tree rubbing.

491
00:45:08,720 --> 00:45:10,920
You need to choose a good,
prominent tree.

492
00:45:10,920 --> 00:45:15,320
And then it's all about working hard
to cover it in scent.

493
00:45:20,880 --> 00:45:22,720
A small bite finishes the job,

494
00:45:22,720 --> 00:45:25,520
and it's on to the second technique.

495
00:45:25,520 --> 00:45:29,000
Cowboy walking.

496
00:45:29,000 --> 00:45:30,640
Females have glands on their feet,

497
00:45:30,640 --> 00:45:33,440
and rubbing each foot
into the ground leaves a trail

498
00:45:33,440 --> 00:45:35,600
for any prospective suitor.

499
00:45:46,960 --> 00:45:48,880
The final method is a messy one.

500
00:45:48,880 --> 00:45:50,520
Urinating.

501
00:45:52,720 --> 00:45:54,400
They drag themselves
over small trees

502
00:45:54,400 --> 00:45:56,400
to leave a trail
all across their territory.

503
00:46:00,280 --> 00:46:01,680
Not very appealing to us,

504
00:46:01,680 --> 00:46:04,440
but irresistible to male bears.

505
00:46:09,880 --> 00:46:13,040
And it seems that our male
from the camera trap

506
00:46:13,040 --> 00:46:14,880
has picked up a scent,

507
00:46:14,880 --> 00:46:16,720
and found himself a female.

508
00:46:22,640 --> 00:46:24,040
Due to his small size,

509
00:46:24,040 --> 00:46:26,880
this male wouldn't normally
have a chance to mate.

510
00:46:29,280 --> 00:46:31,360
This female seems impatient,

511
00:46:31,360 --> 00:46:34,320
and our male
doesn't have to be asked twice.

512
00:46:45,960 --> 00:46:50,480
His small size causes
a few logistical problems.

513
00:46:50,480 --> 00:46:54,080
But with persistence
and the odd leg up,

514
00:46:54,080 --> 00:46:55,920
finally, he succeeds.

515
00:47:12,600 --> 00:47:16,640
Mating over,
the female grooms the young male.

516
00:47:21,120 --> 00:47:24,800
With no yearlings around, she can
afford to spend time with her man.

517
00:47:46,120 --> 00:47:48,320
There's no such luck for June.

518
00:47:48,320 --> 00:47:52,000
She's still got
Aster and Aspen in tow.

519
00:47:54,600 --> 00:47:56,680
At least she can continue
giving her yearlings

520
00:47:56,680 --> 00:47:58,000
the benefit of her experience.

521
00:48:03,600 --> 00:48:06,320
But experience doesn't always pay.

522
00:48:11,200 --> 00:48:13,920
There may be rich pickings
along these verges,

523
00:48:13,920 --> 00:48:16,360
but foraging here
puts our bears at risk.

524
00:48:16,360 --> 00:48:18,800
TRAFFIC RUMBLES

525
00:48:40,960 --> 00:48:43,640
80% of bear deaths in Minnesota
are caused by man.

526
00:48:46,440 --> 00:48:47,840
Motor collisions,

527
00:48:47,840 --> 00:48:50,520
the killing of nuisance bears...

528
00:48:52,520 --> 00:48:54,080
..and hunting.

529
00:48:55,160 --> 00:48:57,360
SHOT FIRES

530
00:49:01,040 --> 00:49:03,600
Lynn has seen scores of bears

531
00:49:03,600 --> 00:49:06,320
killed or injured by humans
in his 45 years here.

532
00:49:12,000 --> 00:49:14,760
When he takes a call saying
a collared bear had been found,

533
00:49:14,760 --> 00:49:17,720
he immediately fears the worst.

534
00:49:20,120 --> 00:49:22,960
One of the bears he works with
has been shot.

535
00:49:43,720 --> 00:49:45,560
This is Jo. She was obviously shot.

536
00:49:45,560 --> 00:49:49,640
See the blood on her tongue.
There's a spot of blood up there.

537
00:49:49,640 --> 00:49:53,680
She was, uh...a really
good research bear.

538
00:49:53,680 --> 00:49:55,720
Never hurt anybody.

539
00:49:55,720 --> 00:49:57,920
Was just a gentle, gentle bear.

540
00:50:07,080 --> 00:50:09,720
It's legal for a landowner
to shoot a bear

541
00:50:09,720 --> 00:50:12,560
if they feel that they
or their property is under threat.

542
00:50:13,800 --> 00:50:16,800
However, they must report
the shooting within 48 hours.

543
00:50:18,080 --> 00:50:20,480
No-one has come forward.

544
00:50:20,480 --> 00:50:22,800
This shooting is illegal.

545
00:50:37,720 --> 00:50:40,200
When black bears
come into contact with people,

546
00:50:40,200 --> 00:50:42,840
conflict is all but inevitable.

547
00:50:48,880 --> 00:50:52,160
Lynn hopes his work will help people
understand black bears better,

548
00:50:52,160 --> 00:50:54,200
so that needless deaths
can be avoided.

549
00:51:09,200 --> 00:51:11,080
As spring gives way to summer,

550
00:51:11,080 --> 00:51:13,360
Sam, Sophie, and Sybil
continue to thrive.

551
00:51:24,480 --> 00:51:26,360
But when temperatures top
30 degrees,

552
00:51:26,360 --> 00:51:30,160
tearing around and play fighting
aren't quite so much fun.

553
00:51:33,800 --> 00:51:36,920
The only game in town
is staying cool.

554
00:51:36,920 --> 00:51:40,080
Juliet works hard to get rid
of her winter coat.

555
00:51:44,040 --> 00:51:48,000
When it gets really hot,
a dip is irresistible.

556
00:51:56,600 --> 00:51:59,800
But the heat is more than
a nuisance.

557
00:51:59,800 --> 00:52:04,080
Beneath the greenery, the hot spring
has left the undergrowth tinder-dry.

558
00:52:04,080 --> 00:52:05,880
The bears are now at risk.

559
00:52:05,880 --> 00:52:07,520
From fire.

560
00:52:10,520 --> 00:52:13,800
SIRENS WAIL

561
00:52:13,800 --> 00:52:15,640
This is Highway 1.

562
00:52:15,640 --> 00:52:17,680
Ely's over that's way in the west
and you can see

563
00:52:17,680 --> 00:52:19,560
the skyline behind me
is full of smoke

564
00:52:19,560 --> 00:52:22,160
and the skies are full of
helicopters and aeroplanes.

565
00:52:22,160 --> 00:52:23,800
A lot of police activity.

566
00:52:23,800 --> 00:52:25,960
The locals are out trying to see
what's going on.

567
00:52:25,960 --> 00:52:27,400
What I don't know at this stage

568
00:52:27,400 --> 00:52:29,360
is whether or not
the fire's under control.

569
00:52:33,120 --> 00:52:36,200
I can't believe it, here's a fire
right at the edge of town.

570
00:52:36,200 --> 00:52:39,000
There's a bad wind today
that's carrying it into town.

571
00:52:39,000 --> 00:52:41,760
They're talking about evacuating
some of these houses.

572
00:52:41,760 --> 00:52:43,720
I've never seen
anything like this before.

573
00:52:43,720 --> 00:52:46,920
There's a fire just south
of Juliet's territory

574
00:52:46,920 --> 00:52:50,400
and with this south wind, that means
it's going to be blowing it

575
00:52:50,400 --> 00:52:52,640
into her territory.

576
00:52:52,640 --> 00:52:57,840
And, uh...she does have
three cubs and they climb trees.

577
00:52:57,840 --> 00:52:59,400
Fire fighters out west have told me

578
00:52:59,400 --> 00:53:02,760
of hearing the shrieks of cubs
as the tree burns up.

579
00:53:07,280 --> 00:53:10,920
But the biggest worry is Juliet's
inexperienced neighbour, Jewel.

580
00:53:16,600 --> 00:53:19,560
The scent of smoke is everywhere.

581
00:53:19,560 --> 00:53:22,280
Terrified, Jewel has done exactly
what Lynn fears most.

582
00:53:24,840 --> 00:53:28,080
She's taken little Herbie and Fern
up a tree for protection.

583
00:53:31,400 --> 00:53:35,280
As the cubs scamper around,
unaware of the danger,

584
00:53:35,280 --> 00:53:37,480
Jewel nervously sniffs the air.

585
00:53:44,000 --> 00:53:46,040
If the fire comes this way,

586
00:53:46,040 --> 00:53:50,080
the decision to climb a tree
could be her last.

587
00:53:50,080 --> 00:53:52,360
And spell the end for all of them.

588
00:53:57,680 --> 00:53:59,160
The fire spreads rapidly.

589
00:54:01,520 --> 00:54:06,360
The emergency services must work
tirelessly to contain the blaze.

590
00:54:11,040 --> 00:54:15,840
Each water plane and helicopter
scoops up 7,500 litres of water

591
00:54:15,840 --> 00:54:20,360
and dumps it ahead of the fire
to slow its spread.

592
00:54:24,640 --> 00:54:26,120
Whoa!

593
00:54:40,280 --> 00:54:44,600
After 48 exhausting hours, the fire
services manage to contain the fire.

594
00:54:46,200 --> 00:54:48,880
It's devastated
a massive swathe of forest.

595
00:54:52,640 --> 00:54:55,280
But Herbie and Fern are in luck.

596
00:54:58,160 --> 00:55:02,400
The fire didn't spread
to Jewel's territory.

597
00:55:02,400 --> 00:55:05,560
All three are in one piece.

598
00:55:05,560 --> 00:55:09,320
For the cubs, it's as if
nothing has happened.

599
00:55:09,320 --> 00:55:12,360
For Jewel, it's another
valuable lesson in motherhood.

600
00:55:25,360 --> 00:55:28,400
Just a few miles away,
Juliet was unfazed by the fire.

601
00:55:30,840 --> 00:55:32,400
With such an experienced mum,

602
00:55:32,400 --> 00:55:36,920
Sam, Sophie, and Sybil
have had a good start in life.

603
00:55:36,920 --> 00:55:39,000
For them, the summer beckons.

604
00:55:40,800 --> 00:55:42,360
And with May nearly over,

605
00:55:42,360 --> 00:55:44,880
it's almost time for me
to leave the woods,

606
00:55:44,880 --> 00:55:46,720
but not before one last visit

607
00:55:46,720 --> 00:55:51,800
to Juliet, Sam, Sophie, and Sybil.

608
00:55:51,800 --> 00:55:54,480
So here we are wondering
where the cubs might be.

609
00:55:54,480 --> 00:55:57,000
Silly me!
Right at the top of that tree.

610
00:55:57,000 --> 00:55:58,920
Look at those little bundles!

611
00:55:58,920 --> 00:56:00,720
They're safe.

612
00:56:04,040 --> 00:56:05,440
Look at this!

613
00:56:05,440 --> 00:56:07,200
Sam, Sybil, Sophie, hello! Aw!

614
00:56:07,200 --> 00:56:09,440
I mean, when they come down
that readily,

615
00:56:09,440 --> 00:56:12,720
when the mother returns to
the base of the tree,

616
00:56:12,720 --> 00:56:14,680
it could mean nursing time.

617
00:56:14,680 --> 00:56:17,600
And she's sat down
and starting to lean back.

618
00:56:17,600 --> 00:56:20,840
OK. There we go.
Look at that, look at that!

619
00:56:20,840 --> 00:56:23,280
Lynn knew exactly
when that was coming.

620
00:56:23,280 --> 00:56:26,320
CUBS CHATTER
Ah, there's that noise!

621
00:56:28,360 --> 00:56:30,960
And they've all got
their nipple order sorted out.

622
00:56:30,960 --> 00:56:33,080
Yeah, see how they're not fighting?

623
00:56:33,080 --> 00:56:41,120
Sam, who was the most agile
early on, has got the hind set.

624
00:56:41,120 --> 00:56:42,760
I'm surprised to see that.

625
00:56:42,760 --> 00:56:45,040
The two females have
got the best ones.

626
00:56:45,040 --> 00:56:47,000
I can't understand it,

627
00:56:47,000 --> 00:56:49,640
but that's why we do research!

628
00:56:52,920 --> 00:56:55,960
Look at this little one,
right by us. Right by us.

629
00:56:55,960 --> 00:56:59,000
Hello! Hello, Sybil.

630
00:56:59,000 --> 00:57:01,640
Peek-a-boo!
They're playing with us.

631
00:57:01,640 --> 00:57:03,480
Oh, look! Look at Sam
taking a ride!

632
00:57:03,480 --> 00:57:05,080
Ooh! She doesn't like it!

633
00:57:05,080 --> 00:57:07,320
SHE LAUGHS

634
00:57:07,320 --> 00:57:10,400
We've been so incredibly lucky
with this family of bears.

635
00:57:10,400 --> 00:57:14,040
We've seen some very, very special
moments between them but this...

636
00:57:15,240 --> 00:57:16,680
..this is incredible.

637
00:57:27,440 --> 00:57:29,280
Since we finished filming,

638
00:57:29,280 --> 00:57:33,600
Sam, Sophie, and Sybil
have continued to thrive.

639
00:57:33,600 --> 00:57:35,360
Sam is still a cheeky chap.

640
00:57:35,360 --> 00:57:38,400
Adventurous,
but also a bit of a mummy's boy.

641
00:57:38,400 --> 00:57:40,480
He and Sophie are still close,

642
00:57:40,480 --> 00:57:42,960
the best of buddies
through and through.

643
00:57:47,360 --> 00:57:49,400
Sybil is still left out,

644
00:57:49,400 --> 00:57:53,000
but seems content,
happy to play on her own.

645
00:57:53,000 --> 00:57:56,200
This independence may well leave
her in the best position,

646
00:57:56,200 --> 00:57:57,920
come family break up next year.

647
00:58:02,600 --> 00:58:05,240
Juliet has seen them
through the toughest period

648
00:58:05,240 --> 00:58:07,520
they're ever likely to face,

649
00:58:07,520 --> 00:58:11,760
and all three
have had the best possible start

650
00:58:11,760 --> 00:58:13,720
to their life in the Northwoods.

651
00:58:46,960 --> 00:58:50,520
Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd