Original subtitles

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ANNOUNCER: WHEN YOU SEE THIS SYMBOL YOU KNOW YOU'RE

WATHCING TELEVISION THAT'S EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATIONALTHE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

DYLAN: I'M DYLAN DREYER, JOIN ME ON AN EPIC

ADVENTURE ACROSS THE RUGGED WILDERNESS OF NORTH

AMERICA AS WE COME FACE TO FACE WITH BEARS.

WE'RE ON A MISSION TO UNCOVER THE COMPLEX LIVES

OF THESE AMAZING CREATURES,

AS WE FOLLOW TWO BLACK BEAR CUBS THROUGH THEIR

FIRST SUMMER.

ALONG THE WAY WE'LL LEARN ABOUT THE MYTHOLOGY OF

BEARS IN ANCIENT CULTURES AND HOW MODERN DAY

CONSERVATIONISTS ARE FIGHTING TO SAVE THEM.

AND WE'LL EXPERIENCE IT ALL THROUGH THE LENS OF

SPECTACULAR PHOTOGRAPHY AS OUR CAMERAMEN CAPTURE THE

LIVES OF BEARS LIKE YOU'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: THERE ARE 8 SPECIES OF BEARS ON OUR

PLANET.

THIS DIVERSE FAMILY INCLUDES THE POWERFUL

MEAT-EATING POLAR BEARS OF THE ARCTIC,

THE GENTLE BAMBOO-EATING PANDAS OF CHINA AND THE

SMALL SUN BEAR FROM THE JUNGLES OF SOUTHEAST ASIA.

BEARS ARE EXCELLENT RUNNERS,

SWIMMERS, CLIMBERS, AND HUNTERS AND THEY DOMINATE

THE VERY TOP OF THE ANIMAL FOOD CHAIN WHEREVER THEY

LIVE.

♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS PEOPLE AROUND THE

WORLD LOOKED INTO THE SKY AND SAW THE SAME THING

DANCING OVERHEAD; URSA MAJOR,

A CONSTELLATION OF STARS KNOWN AS THE GREAT BEAR.

SOME BELIEVE THE GREAT BEAR HAD SPECIAL POWERS,

THAT IT COULD MOVE MAGICALLY BETWEEN SKY AND

EARTH.

ALASKA HAS MORE THAN 30,000

BROWN BEARS, ONE OF THE HIGHEST POPULATIONS IN THE

WORLD.

THAT'S EXACTLY WHY CHRIS DAY HAS MADE ALASKA HER

HOME.

CHRIS IS A NATURALIST AND WILDERNESS GUIDE WHO'S

LIVED AMONG WILD BEARS FOR NEARLY 15 YEARS.

SHE WORRIES ABOUT THE BEARS OF ALASKA ALL WINTER

LONG; HOW THEY'RE DOING, HOW MANY CUBS HAVE BEEN

BORN.

BUT EVERY SPRING SHE LOOKS FORWARD TO TRAVELLING DEEP

INTO THE WILDERNESS TO MEET THEM.

♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: BROWN BEARS ARE FOUND ACROSS MUCH OF THE

NORTHERN HEMISPHERE.

IN NORTH AMERICA THEY'RE OFTEN CALLED GRIZZLIES.

IN THIS PART OF SOUTHWESTERN ALASKA,

THOUSANDS LEAVE THEIR DENS EVERY SPRING TO FIND FOOD.

CHRIS HAS BECOME AN EXPERT AT TRACKING THEM DOWN.

FOR CHRIS, THE SADDEST PART OF HER JOB IS

DISCOVERING THE REMAINS OF BEARS THAT HAVEN'T

SURVIVED THE WINTER.

THESE BONES WILL PROVIDE CHRIS WITH VALUABLE

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SIZE,

AGE, AND CONDITION OF THIS FALLEN BEAR AND HELP

PROVIDE CLUES TO THE HEALTH OF THIS SPECIES IN

THE WILD.

CHRIS' EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE WITH THE BEARS

OF THIS AREA HAS ALLOWED HER TO WATCH THEM SAFELY

AT CLOSE RANGE.

OVER THE YEARS, THEY'VE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO HER

AND SHE'S EVEN GIVEN THEM NAMES.

THIS IS SOLSTICE.

A 10-YEAR-OLD FEMALE THAT CHRIS HAS KNOWN SINCE THE

BEAR WAS JUST A CUB.

CHRIS HAS WATCHED HER GROW UP FOR YEARS AND NOW SHE'S

WATCHING SOLSTICE'S CUBS GROW UP AS WELL.

IN ALASKA, CUBS USUALLY STAY WITH THEIR MOTHER FOR

2 TO 3 YEARS BEFORE THEY GO OUT ON THEIR OWN.

LAST SPRING WHEN THESE CUBS WERE ONLY 6 MONTHS

OLD, CHRIS COULD ALREADY SEE THE PERSONALITY

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THEM.

ONE CUB WAS PRETTY TIMID AND STAYED CLOSE TO MOM.

THE OTHER WAS MUCH MORE ADVENTUROUS,

A LOT LIKE SOLSTICE WHEN SHE WAS A CUB.

♪ MUSIC ♪ -- [NATIVE AMERICAN]

DYLAN: MANY OF NORTH AMERICA'S NATIVE PEOPLE

HAD A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH BEARS.

THEY BELIEVED THE SPIRIT OF THE BEAR HELD THE POWER

TO HEAL, THE POWER TO PROTECT,

AND THE POWER TO BRING FORTH THE SEASONS.

EVERY FALL THEY WATCHED THE BEARS DISAPPEAR AS IF

ENTERING THE GRAVE AND THEN MIRACULOUSLY RETURN

FROM THE DEAD, BRINGING WITH THEM SPRING AND NEW

LIFE.

IN THE BITTERROOT MOUNTAINS OF MONTANA,

THIS BLACK BEAR HAS GIVEN BIRTH,

NURSED HER CUBS, AND SURVIVED 6 MONTHS OF

WINTER WITHOUT FOOD OR WATER.

FEW CREATURES ON EARTH CAN MATCH THIS MIRACLE OF

PHYSIOLOGY.

HUNGRY AS SHE IS, THIS MOTHER'S URGE TO FIND FOOD

IS OVERRIDDEN BY HER NEED TO STAY CLOSE TO HER

HELPLESS CUBS.

AT 6 WEEKS OLD THE CUBS ONLY JUST OPENED THEIR

EYES.

BUT IT WON'T BE LONG UNTIL THEY GET A CLOSER LOOK AT

THEIR BIG BACKYARD.

BLACK BEARS ARE FOUND IN FORESTS ACROSS NORTH

AMERICA, THEIR NUMBER ONE DEFENSE IS TO CLIMB A

TREE.

BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU LEARN YOUR FIRST DAY OF

SCHOOL.

THE BLACK BEAR IS THE SMALLEST OF THE NORTH

AMERICAN BEAR.

THOUGH THEIR DIET IS LARGELY VEGETARIAN THEY

ARE OMNIVORES, MEANING THEY EAT BOTH PLANTS AND

MEAT.

A BLACK BEAR'S BACKYARD IS AS BIG AS IT'S APPETITE.

THE MOTHER WILL FOLLOW HER NOSE AND HER MEMORY IN AN

ENDLESS SEARCH FOR FOOD.

THESE CUBS HAVE NEVER SET FOOT IN WATER.

HOWEVER, THEY HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO KEEP UP.

THE FIRST SUMMER IS THE BIGGEST TEST A CUB WILL

FACE.

THE CHANCES OF SURVIVING ARE ONLY ABOUT 50/50.

BUT WITH EVERY OBSTACLE THEY OVERCOME THEY GROW

STRONGER AND BETTER ABLE TO ONE DAY STRIKE OUT ON

THEIR OWN.

BLACK BEAR CUBS WEIGH LESS THAN ONE POUND AT BIRTH,

BUT WITH THEIR MOTHER'S MILK THEY CAN GAIN 60

POUNDS IN JUST 6 MONTHS.

THESE TODDLERS ARE DEFINITELY A HANDFUL.

COMING UP NEXT, WE'RE HEADING TO THE ARCTIC

CIRCLE TO MEET THE LARGEST LAND PREDATOR IN THE

WORLD.

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES RIGHT AFTER THIS.

ANNOUNCER: WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

.

ANNOUNCER: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

[BREAK] -- ♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO JOURNEY,

I'M DYLAN DREYER.

TO THE INUIT PEOPLE OF THE ARCTIC,

THE MOST POWERFUL ANIMAL IN THEIR WORLD WAS THE

POLAR BEAR.

THEY BELIEVED HUMANS SPIRITS AND THE SPIRITS OF

THE BEARS WERE INTERCHANGEABLE;

THAT HUMAN AND BEAST WERE ONE.

♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: POLAR BEARS ROAM GREAT SHEETS OF ICE THAT

COVER THE FROZEN ARCTIC OCEAN IN SEARCH OF SEALS.

IN THE MOST NORTHERN PARTS OF THEIR RANGE SOME BEARS

NEVER SET FOOT ON LAND.

FARTHER SOUTH, IT'S A DIFFERENT STORY.

IN THE SPRING, AS THE ICE DISAPPEARS ALONG HUDSON

BAY IN NORTHERN CANADA, THE BEARS ARE FORCED

ASHORE.

THIS YEAR THE MELT HAS COME EARLY,

DURING THE PEAK OF THE SEAL HUNT.

THE POLAR BEAR IS THE LARGEST LAND PREDATOR IN

THE WORLD, THE TRUE GIANTS WEIGH NEARLY A TON.

WHILE SPRING IS A TIME OF PLENTY FOR MANY SPECIES OF

BEAR, FOR THESE BEARS IT'S THE START OF FAMINE.

WITH TIME ON THEIR HANDS CUBS FIND WAYS OF AMUSING

THEMSELVES.

WHEN HUNTING AND BREEDING MALES ARE SAVAGE FOES.

BUT MAROONED TOGETHER ON LAND THEY BECOME TOLERANT

PLAYMATES.

♪ MUSIC ♪

♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: THE INUIT USED TO BELIEVE THAT THE POLAR

ROAMED ACROSS THE ENTIRE WORLD DURING THE DARK OF

WINTER AND MAGICALLY RETURNED TO THE ARCTIC

WITH THE SPRING SUN.

NATIVE PEOPLE KNEW THE BEAR BY MANY NAMES.

THE BLACKFEET INDIANS CALLED THE BLACK BEAR

KIAAYO, MEANING BEAR.

THEY CALLED THE GRIZZLY NITA KIAAYO,

WHICH MEANT REAL BEAR.

THIS PART OF ALASKA IS ONE OF THE BEST AND SAFEST

BEAR VIEWING AREAS IN THE WORLD.

GUIDED BY EXPERTS LIKE CHRIS DAY,

EVERY SUMMER A LUCKY FEW GET THE EXPERIENCE OF A

LIFETIME.

WHEN THEY FIRST START OUT, PEOPLE ARE APPREHENSIVE

AND SOME ARE REALLY AFRAID.

BUT WHEN THEY SEE THEIR FIRST BEAR THEY BEGIN TO

RELAX AND EVEN ENJOY THEMSELVES.

GIRL: CAN WE GET ANY CLOSER?

CHRIS: NO, LET'S JUST BE STILL HERE.

IF THEY'RE COMFORTABLE WITH US THEY'LL COME

CLOSER TO US ON THEIR OWN.

DYLAN: GRIZZLY BEARS ARE OFTEN PORTRAYED ONLY AS

FIERCE PREDATORS AND HUNTERS BUT THE TRUTH IS

MUCH LESS EXCITING.

WHEN THEY FIRST COME OUT OF THEIR DENS THEY FEED

MOSTLY ON A GRASS-LIKE VEGETATION CALLED SEDGE.

IN SOME WAYS THEY ARE MORE COW-LIKE THAN KILLER.

♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: ALL GRIZZLIES ARE OPPORTUNISTIC FEEDERS.

CLAMS MAY NOT PROVIDE MUCH IN THE WAY OF NOURISHMENT

BUT THEY'RE A DELICACY.

A WELCOME BREAK FROM A DIET OF SEDGE SALAD.

AS SUMMER APPROACHES IN ALASKA A LONG AWAITED

SIGNAL GOES OUT ACROSS THE LAND LIKE A SPECIAL

INVITATION TO A DINNER PARTY.

THE RIVER BEGINS TO SWELL WITH SALMON THAT JOURNEY

TO THEIR ANCESTRAL SPAWNING GROUNDS.

FOR CHRIS DAY IT'S A CHANCE TO INTRODUCE NEW

FRIENDS TO OLD.

SOMETIMES SHE GETS LUCKY; THE RIGHT PEOPLE,

THE RIGHT SITUATION, AND THE RIGHT BEAR.

THIS BEAR IS NAMED SCRAPPY.

SCRAPPY IS 5 YEARS OLD AND CHRIS HAS BEEN WATCHING

HIM COME TO THIS STREAM SINCE HE WAS A CUB.

SCRAPPY IS ONE OF THE MOST EASY-GOING BEARS THAT

CHRIS HAS EVER KNOWN.

CHRIS HOPES THAT IF ENOUGH PEOPLE CAN EXPERIENCE THE

WAY BEARS LIVE IN THEIR NATURAL HABITAT THEY WILL

FIGHT TO PROTECT THEM.

COMING UP NEXT, WE'LL DISCOVER HOW NORTH

AMERICAN BEARS GAIN THEIR MOST IMPORTANT ADVOCATE IN

HISTORY.

AND LATER, ALASKAN SALMON RETURN TO RIVERS AND

STREAMS TO SPAWN THE NEXT GENERATION AND THE MIGHTY

GRIZZLY BEARS PREPARE FOR THE GREATEST FEAST OF THE

YEAR.

DON'T GO AWAY, THE JOURNEY WILL BE RIGHT BACK.

ANNOUNCER: WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

.

ANNOUNCER: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

[BREAK] -- ♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: BEARS CAN BE DANGEROUS,

ESPECIALLY IF THEY BECOME STARTLED OR IF THEY SENSE

A THREAT TO THEIR YOUNG.

ALTHOUGH BEAR ATTACKS ON HUMANS ARE RARE,

THEY USUALLY HAPPEN THROUGH CARELESSNESS OR

JUST SIMPLY BEING IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG

TIME.

ANY CREATURE THAT INTRUDES ON A GRIZZLY FEAST PUTS

ITSELF IN PERIL.

THIS APPLIES TO BOTH MAN AND BEAST.

THOUGH BEARS HAVE STAYED TRUE TO THEIR NATURE,

WE HAVE PAINTED THEM IN ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT

LIGHTS.

THEY WERE PERSECUTED FOR CENTURIES AND DRIVEN OUT

OF MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD.

IT WAS A CHANCE ENCOUNTER THAT HELPED TURN THE TIDE

OF HISTORY.

A HUNTING TRIP BROUGHT FORMER PRESIDENT AND FOLK

HERO, TEDDY ROOSEVELT MUZZLE TO MUZZLE WITH A

CUB.

IN A MOMENT OF COMPASSION, HE CHOSE NOT TO SHOOT THE

DEFENSELESS ANIMAL, BUT INSTEAD FEEL A GREAT

CONNECTION TO IT.

THE STORY SPREAD AND LEAD TO THE CREATION OF A NEW

TOY IN HIS HONOR; THE TEDDY BEAR.

IT WAS A SPARK OF HOPE FOR BEARS EVERYWHERE.

AGAINST THE ODDS BOTH BLACK BEAR CUBS HAVE MADE

IT THROUGH THEIR FIRST SEASON.

♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: ACROSS NORTH AMERICA THE BLACK BEARS'

BIGGEST THREAT IS HABITAT LOSS AS FORESTS GIVE WAY

TO DEVELOPMENT.

THE BEARS HAVE DONE ALL THEY CAN TO PREPARE FOR

THE COMING WINTER.

IT'S UP TO US TO ENSURE THAT THEY ALWAYS HAVE A

PLACE TO RETURN TO IN THE SPRING.

THE POLAR BEAR FACES THREATS OF A VERY

DIFFERENT NATURE.

AS WINTER BEGINS TO TAKE HOLD ALONG HUDSON BAY THE

HUNGRY BEARS ARE RESTLESSLY WAITING FOR THE

ICE TO FORM AND THE SEAL HUNT TO BEGIN.

THE LONG FAST HAS BEEN ESPECIALLY HARD ON NURSING

MOTHERS WHO HAVE BEEN SUSTAINING THE ENTIRE

FAMILY ON THEIR RESERVES OF FAT.

GLOBAL WARMING IS STARTING TO TAKE ITS TOLL ON ARCTIC

ICE CONDITIONS, REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF TIME THESE

BEARS ARE ABLE TO HUNT ON THE FROZEN OCEAN.

OVER THE PAST DECADE THEIR SEAL HUNTING SEASON HAS

BEEN GETTING SHORTER AND SHORTER.

AND THEIR AVERAGE WEIGHT AND RATE OF REPRODUCTION

HAVE BEGUN TO DROP.

THE INUIT BELIEVE THAT POLAR BEARS HAVE THE POWER

TO SEE THE FUTURE; IF SO WHAT FUTURE DO THE BEARS

SEE FOR THEMSELVES?

STAY TUNED, THE JOURNEY CONTINUES COMING UP NEXT.

ANNOUNCER: WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

.

ANNOUNCER: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

[BREAK] -- ♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS THE MCNEIL RIVER HAS

BEEN A SANCTUARY FOR ALASKAN BEARS.

EACH SUMMER NEARLY 100 GRIZZLIES GATHER HERE TO

FISH FOR SALMON AND WE HAVE A FRONT ROW SEAT TO

THE ACTION.

THE FUTURE OF GRIZZLY DEPENDS ON US.

CHRIS DAY HAD HER VERY FIRST EXPERIENCE HERE AT

MCNEIL RIVER.

IT'S A PLACE WHERE THE BEARS ARE IN CHARGE AND

HUMANS HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING OBSERVERS.

FOR CHRIS, IT'S ONE OF THE GREATEST WONDERS OF THE

WORLD, THE PLACE THAT GIVES HER HOPE.

THESE MALES ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST GRIZZLIES ON

THE PLANET.

THEY'RE LONERS AS A RULE BUT THEY OVERCOME THEIR

NATURAL DISLIKE OF EACH OTHER FOR A PLACE AT THE

LARGEST SALMON BANQUET OF THE YEAR.

THE BIGGEST AND MOST DOMINANT BEARS GET THE

BEST SPOTS.

AND THEY RETURN YEAR AFTER YEAR TO RECLAIM THEIR

SEATS.

THERE'S A LOT RIDING ON THE SUCCESS OF THIS MEAL.

IT MUST SUSTAIN THEM FOR THE COMING WINTER.

AS LONG AS THE SALMON RUN THESE GREAT BEASTS WILL

CONTINUE TO RETURN.

1,000 YEARS FROM NOW, WILL SOMEONE BE ABLE TO STAND

IN THIS PLACE AND SEE WHAT CHRIS HAS SEEN?

ONLY IF WE LEARN TO LIVE IN HARMONY WITH THE BEARS

AND THE WILDERNESS THAT SUSTAINS THEM.

LIKE ALL OF THE LARGE ANIMALS ON EARTH,

BEARS ARE A SIGN OF THE HEALTH AND BALANCE OF THE

WILD PLACES THEY INHABIT.

THEY ARE THE SPIRIT OF THE WILDERNESS.

THE BLACKFEET INDIANS BELIEVED THAT THE BEARS

WERE GUARDIANS THAT COULD HEAL AND PROTECT THEM.

TODAY IT'S OUR TURN TO BE THE GUARDIAN SPIRITS OF

THE BEAR.

I HOPE YOU'VE ENJOYED OUR JOURNEY ACROSS

NORTH AMERICA.

UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN, SAFE TRAVELS.

♪ MUSIC ♪ - CREDITS

♪ MUSIC ♪ - CREDITS