Original subtitles

.

ANNOUNCER: WHEN YOU SEE THIS SYMBOL YOU KNOW YOU ARE

WATCHING TELEVISION THAT S EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATIONAL.THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

DYLAN: I M DYLAN DREYER, TODAY WE RE JOINING THE

PACK AND HEADING INTO THE WILDERNESS TO DISCOVER THE

AMAZING WORLD OF NORTH AMERICAN WOLVES.

WE RE ON AN ADVENTURE ACROSS THE GREAT PLAINS

AND OVER THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS TO EXPERIENCE

LIFE THROUGH THE EYES AND THE NOSE OF ONE OF THE

GREAT ANIMAL HUNTERS.

WE LL FOLLOW WOLF CUBS AS THEY TAKE THEIR FIRST

STEPS THROUGH A HARSH AND GRUELING LAND.

WE LL MEET THE CONSERVATIONISTS FIGHTING

TO RETURN WOLVES TO THEIR RIGHTFUL PLACE IN THE

ECOSYSTEM.

AND WE LL DISCOVER THE WAYS WE CAN ANSWER THE

CALL OF THE WILD.

♪ MUSIC ♪ - [INTRO]

DYLAN: FEW SOUNDS ARE MORE RECOGNIZABLE AND BONE

CHILLING THAN THE LONELY CRY OF A WOLF.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WOLVES AND HUMANS IS AS

OLD AS HISTORY ITSELF.

ANCIENT ROMANS BELIEVED THEIR GODS ROMULUS AND

REMUS WERE NURSED BY A WOLF.

NAVAHO INDIAN TRIBES CALLED UPON WOLF SPIRITS

TO HEAL THEIR SICK AND INJURED WARRIORS.

EUROPEANS IN THE MIDDLE AGES EVEN BELIEVED SOME

CURSED MEN TRANSFORMED INTO A WOLF BY THE LIGHT

OF A FULL MOON.

THE NORTH AMERICAN WOLF ALMOST DISAPPEARED DUE TO

OVER HUNTING AND HABITAT LOSS.

BUT TODAY THE SPECIES IS MAKING A COMEBACK.

IN THE MOUNTAINS OF YELLOWSTONE,

THE BALANCE OF NATURE IS BEING ADJUSTED ONCE AGAIN.

HUMAN EYES WILL CLOSELY WATCH THIS PROCESS.

RECORDING ITS EFFECT ON THE ELK AND MULE DEER AND

GRIZZLY.

MAN: THEY RE CLEAR UP ON THIS SIDE,

SO WE RE GONNA TAKE A QUICK LOOK.

ALPHA TOWIE, THIS IS 48 NOLAN DYLAN: FOR A VITAL

ELEMENT IN THE NATURAL ORDER OF EXISTENCE HAS

BEEN MISSING FAR TOO LONG.

CANIS LUPUS HAS RETURNED TO THE WEST.

AS THE GREAT LAND BRIDGES THAT LINKED ASIA TO THE

AMERICAS CAME AND WENT, MANY SPECIES MIGRATED

BETWEEN THE OLD WORLD AND THE NEW.

AMONG THE ANIMALS WHO MADE THE JOURNEY EASTWARD TO

NORTH AMERICA WERE HERDS OF MUSK OX,

CARIBOU, ELK, AND BUFFALO.

AND FOLLOWING THE HERDS WERE SMALL BANDS OF

NOMADIC HUNTERS AND THEIR KINDRED SPIRITS,

THE WOLF PACKS.

THE WOLF IS PRIMARILY A HUNTER OF LARGE MAMMALS,

AND ON THE VAST ARCTIC TUNDRA THE PREY OF CHOICE

IS THE MUSK OX.

MUSK OX ARE FORMIDABLE CREATURES,

THEY POSSESS SHARP HOOVES AND CURVED HORNS,

AND A DEFENSIVE FORMATION ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO

BREACH.

FOR THE WOLF PACK THE PLAN IS SIMPLE,

THEY MUST GET THE HERD TO RUN.

ON THE RUN IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO SEPARATE A

SLOW OR WEAK INDIVIDUAL, CUT IT OFF AT THE SAFETY

OF THE GROUP.

ON THIS DAY, THERE IS TO BE NO EASY MEAL.

THIS ALPHA FEMALE IS SEARCHING FOR A DEN SITE.

IT ISN T MERELY A PERSONAL CHOICE,

FOR HER DECISION WILL DETERMINE THE DISPOSITION

OF THE PACK FOR MOST OF THE SPRING AND SUMMER.

SHE MAY WANT AS MANY AS 3 DENS.

PERHAPS AN EXPANDED FOX HOLE OR A DEN SHE S USED

BEFORE.

OR A NEW DEN, DUG SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS

LITTER.

WHATEVER SITE SHE CHOOSES THEY MUST BE CLOSE TO

WATER, PREFERABLY NEAR A RIDGE WHICH AFFORDS A

CLEAR VIEW IN ALL DIRECTIONS.

DURING THIS TIME OF BEARING AND REARING THE

PACK WILL NEVER BE FAR AWAY.

UNTIL THE PUPS ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO TRAVEL THE PACK

IS COMMITTED TO THIS PLACE.

BORN IN EARLY MAY THE PUPS FIRST VISIT TO THE OUTSIDE

WORLD WILL COME IF THE BIRTH DEN IS THREATENED IN

SOME WAY.

THEN ONE AT A TIME THE PUPS WILL BE TRANSFERRED

TO A NEW HOME.

♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: DURING THESE WEEKS THE PACK WAITS FOR THE

PUPS TO JOIN THE GROUP.

BUT NOT AS DISINTERESTED OBSERVERS.

THE PUPS ARE THE FUTURE OF THE PACK AND ALL WILL BE

INVOLVED IN THE FEEDING, PROTECTION,

TRAINING, AND SOCIALIZATION OF ITS NEW

MEMBERS.

THIS PACKS ALPHA MALE IS BIG,

EVEN BY WOLF STANDARDS, AT 125 POUNDS.

THE BLACK FACED WOLF IS ONE OF HIS SONS,

A 60 POUND YEARLING MALE.

HE IS STRONG ENOUGH TO RUN WITH THE PACK BUT IT WILL

BE A YEAR OR MORE BEFORE HE ACQUIRES SUFFICIENT

SKILLS TO BE OF MUCH USE ON THE HUNT.

TOGETHER WITH HIS BROTHER THEY ARE THE ONLY

SURVIVORS OF LAST YEAR S LITTER OF 6.

AT 2 YEARS OLD, ONE OR BOTH OF THESE YOUNG MALES

MAY BREAK OFF FROM THE PACK TO START PACKS OF

THEIR OWN.

BUT FOR NOW, THEY SUBMIT TO THEIR FATHER AND THE

HEAT OF THE AFTERNOON.

BECAUSE NEWBORN CUBS HAVE NO WAY TO REGULATE THEIR

OWN TEMPERATURE, THEIR MOTHER S BODY HEAT IS THE

ONLY THING THAT KEEPS THEM WARM.

FOR THE FIRST 2 WEEKS OF LIFE BOTH FOOD AND WARMTH

ARE CLOSE AT HAND AND SHE WILL LEAVE THEM ALONE ONLY

TO QUENCH HER THIRST.

AS INDUSTRIAL SOCIETIES SPREAD ACROSS NORTH

AMERICA IN THE 1800 S WOLF POPULATIONS BEGAN TO

DECLINE.

BY THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY THEY HAD ALMOST VANISHED

FROM THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA.

TODAY, CAREFUL MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION IS

WORKING TO BRING WOLVES BACK TO THEIR RIGHTFUL

PLACE IN THE ECOSYSTEM.

WHILE NEW SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND EDUCATION IS

WORKING TO KEEP THEM THERE.

COMING UP NEXT, A MOTHER WOLF HAS HER PAWS FULL

RAISING TWO YOUNG PUPS.

AND LATER, WE LL MEET A VERY SPECIAL WOLF NAMED

KOANI AND FIND OUT WHAT IT TAKES TO BE AN AMBASSADOR

FOR YOUR SPECIES.

DON T GO AWAY, 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.

♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO JOURNEY,

I M DYLAN DREYER.

A WOLF PACK IS A FAMILY WHOSE BLOODLINE IS

ESTABLISHED BY A LEAD MALE AND FEMALE.

PACKS MAY CONSIST OF 5 TO 12 INDIVIDUALS WORKING

CLOSELY TOGETHER TO STALK, HUNT,

AND KILL THEIR PREY.

THE PACK COVERS HUNDREDS OF MILES A DAY SEARCHING

FOR THEIR NEXT MEAL.

AND EVERY PACK IS FIERCELY TERRITORIAL,

GUARDING THEIR HUNTING GROUNDS WITH THEIR LIVES.

♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: EYES OPEN AT 12 DAYS.

HEARING DEVELOPED AT 20.

OUT OF THE DEN AND EXPLORING BY 21 DAYS.

WITH INFINITE PATIENCE, THE YEARLINGS SUPERVISE

THE PUPS IN TURNS, BECOME THE TARGETS FOR THIS

NIBBLING, NUZZLING, CHEWING MOB.

IN THESE FIRST WEEKS THEY ARE ALREADY PLAYING

TOGETHER AND THE SKILLS THEY PRACTICE NOW WILL

SERVE THE PACK IN THE YEARS AHEAD.

ENTHUSIASTIC REUNIONS BRING THE SMELLS OF THE

OUTSIDE WORLD ALONG WITH THE REGURGITATED MEAT THAT

IS THE PUP S FIRST SOLID FOOD.

THEY CONSTANTLY SOLICIT RETURNING ADULTS TO

STIMULATE THIS PROCESS.

AND BY THIS GROUP FEEDING STRATEGY FAMILY BONDS ARE

STRENGTHENED.

IN THE WIDE-OPEN COUNTRY BEHIND THE SAWTOOTH

MOUNTAINS, IS THE NEZ PERCE TRIBE THAT IS

REINTRODUCING THEIR OLD FRIEND,

THE WOLF, TO CENTRAL IDAHO.

MARICE: WE RE PROTECTING WOLVES,

WOLF HABITAT, AND TO BRING EVERYTHING BACK INTO

HARMONY.

MY NATIVE TRIBE HAS TAKEN THE LEAD IN RECOVERING AN

ENDANGERED SPECIES.

KURT: IT S A FAIRLY SIZABLE LANDSCAPE,

INCLUDES ABOUT 15 MILLION ACRES.

SO THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN REALLY KEEP TRACK OF

WOLVES IS FROM THE AIR.

SO WE RELY HEAVILY ON AERIAL RADIO LOCATION.

DYLAN: RADIO CALLERS AND TELEMETRY ARE MODERN TOOLS

TO HELP THE NEZ PERCE DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THEIR

CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN.

MAN: WE VE GOT A VISUAL OVER THERE ON THUNDER

MOUNTAIN, WE RE GONNA GO TAKE A QUICK LOOK.

GET A COUNT, WE LL BE OVER THERE.

MARICE: JUST KNOWING THAT THEY RE THERE AND YOU CAN

HEAR THE RADIO SIGNALS IS PRETTY EXCITING.

KURT: WOLF RECOVERY IS NOT SO MUCH A BIOLOGICAL

CHALLENGE AS A SOCIAL CHALLENGE.

BIOLOGICALLY SPEAKING, THE WOLVES ARE DOING VERY

WELL.

WE SUSPECT BY THE TIME THE FIELD CREWS GET THROUGH

WITH GATHERING ALL THE PUP COUNTS THIS SUMMER WE WILL

BE OVER THE HUNDRED WOLF MARK.

AND IF GIVEN HALF A CHANCE THEY WILL REPRODUCE,

THEY WILL RECOVER, AND I THINK THEY RE HERE TO STAY

IN IDAHO.

DYLAN: BY LATE SUMMER THE PACKS HAVE MOVED THEIR

PUPS TO RENDEZVOUS SITES.

THEIR FIRST STEP TO LIFE ON THE RUN.

FOR MANY OF THESE PUPS, SURVIVAL WILL DEPEND ON

WHO THEY MEET ALONG THE WAY.

SOPHIE: YOU HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN YOU COME

UP TO A WOLF IN A TRAP BUT WE VE NEVER HAD AN

ACCIDENT AND WE VE CAPTURED 65 WOLVES FOR THE

PROJECT.

THIS IS PROBABLY THE FIRST TIME IN NORTH AMERICA THAT

TRAPPERS, ABORIGINALS, AND CONSERVATION GROUPS ARE

WORKING TOGETHER TO SAVE PREDATOR LIKE THE WOLF.

WHEN WE CAPTURE WOLVES TO COLLAR THEM IN THE SUMMER

WE NEVER USE DRUGS.

ONCE YOU HAVE A WOLF THAT S SUBMITTED TO YOU,

IT S VERY UNLIKELY THAT HE LL TRY AND BITE YOU.

ANY BIOLOGIST WANTS TO INFLICT THE LEAST AMOUNT

OF STRESS ON THE ANIMALS TO GUARANTEE THAT,

THAT ANIMAL WILL CONTINUE TO LIVE AND BRING IN DATA.

TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE ENTIRE POPULATION AND HELP

US UNDERSTAND THESE ANIMALS.

WORKING TOGETHER WITH TRAPPERS OF THE REGION AND

GOVERNMENTAL OFFICIALS, IT SHOULD BE VERY EASY TO

COME UP WITH A PLAN THAT COULD SAFEGUARD THIS

POPULATION FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

I THINK IF YOU HAPPEN TO SEE A WOLF IN THE WOODS

YOU CAN CONSIDER YOURSELF LUCKY AND I REALLY DON T

THINK THAT IN THE WILD THERE S ANY DANGER AND ANY

REASON TO BE AFRAID OF THEM.

DYLAN: DON T GO AWAY, JOURNEY WILL RETURN RIGHT

AFTER THIS.

NNOUNCER: WE LL BE RIGHT BACK TO HE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

.

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

♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: THE BEST WAY TO INSURE THAT THE NORTH

AMERICAN WOLF POPULATION REMAINS HEALTHY IS BY

EDUCATING YOUNG PEOPLE.

TODAY, CHILDREN ARE LEARNING THAT WOLVES

AREN T SIMPLY SOMETHING TO FEAR,

THEY ARE ANIMALS TO PROTECT AND REVERE.

HELPING TEACH THAT LESSON ARE WILDLIFE BIOLOGISTS,

PAT, BRUCE, AND THEIR VERY SPECIAL COMPANION NAMED

KOANI.

BRUCE: SAY HI TO YOUR TEACHER.

THERE SEE THAT?

THAT S A GREETING, THAT S FACE LICKING.

DYLAN: KOANI IS A WOLF AMBASSADOR,

AND IN 200 SCHOOLS A YEAR SHE LOOKS INTO THE FACES

OF THOSE WHO WILL ONE DAY DECIDE THE FATE OF HER

WILD COUSINS.

♪ MUSIC ♪

PAT: SHE CAME INTO OUR LIFE BY DEFAULT AND I DO

FEEL A TREMENDOUS RESPONSIBILITY TO GIVE HER

AS GOOD A LIFE AS POSSIBLE.

AND THAT HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN EASY.

SHE S A WONDERFUL ANIMAL TO HAVE AROUND,

I VE LEARNED A LOT FROM HER BUT THEY RE NOT PETS.

WE REALLY FELT LIKE IT WAS IMPORTANT IF SHE WAS GOING

TO BE IN CAPTIVITY TO UTILIZE HER TO HER BEST

ADVANTAGE AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF HER

SPECIES.

BRUCE: KOANI BROUGHT US TOGETHER AND PUT A REAL

FOCUS ON THE DIRECTION THAT WE RE TAKING

EDUCATION.

PAT: THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT HAVING A LIVE ANIMAL

IN A PROGRAM THAT IS REALLY ASTOUNDING.

SHE REALLY DOES AFFECT PEOPLE.

DYLAN: IF KOANI S CAPTIVITY CAN HELP

CHILDREN TO UNDERSTAND WILD WOLVES THEN HER TIME

AMONG PEOPLE WILL BE IMPORTANT TO HER SPECIES

AND TO OURS.

BRUCE: OKAY, WELL YOU VE GOT YOURSELVES IMAGINED

INTO THAT SITUATION, REMEMBER THERE S JUST TWO

OF US NOW.

6 MILES TO GO BEFORE WE REACH ANY SHELTER,

WE VE GOT THE SUN SETTING, THE TEMPERATURE DROPPING.

AND ON TOP OF ALL THAT WE VE GOT WOLVES HOWLING

IN THE DARK FOREST.

BRUCE/PAT: [ HOWLING]

[WOLVES HOWLING]

DYLAN: BY HOWLING, WOLVES EXPRESS THEIR FELLOWSHIP

TO EACH OTHER AND THEIR STRENGTH TO THE WORLD

AROUND THEM.

SOMETIMES THAT STRENGTH ENGENDERS FEAR.

THE STUFF OF NIGHTMARES AND FOLKLORE.

OLD WORLD STORIES CREATED FOR THE DELICIOUS

ENTERTAINMENT OF CHILDREN ENTER INTO MAINSTREAM

CONSCIOUSNESS.

TRADITIONAL WISDOM AND MODERN SCIENCE.

THE NEZ PERCE HAVE COMBINED THE TWO IN THEIR

WOLF EDUCATION AND RESEARCH CENTER IN

WINCHESTER, IDAHO.

LEVI: IT IS FELT BY OUR ELDERS THAT THESE DANCES

SPEAK OF TIMES WHEN THE INDIAN AND THE ANIMAL

WORLD LIVED TOGETHER.

DANCE REPRESENTS A PHYSICAL PRAYER.

OUR DANCE WAS DEDICATED TO THE RETURN OF THE WOLF.

THERE WAS MUCH EXCITEMENT AROUND THE DISCUSSIONS OF

WHAT IT WOULD MEAN FOR THE NEZ PERCE TO INVOLVE

ITSELF IN WOLF RECOVERY.

NEZ PERCE HAVE THE CAPABILITIES IN THE FIELD

OF SCIENCE AND BIOLOGY TO PROTECT OUR BROTHER,

OUR SISTER WOLF IN THEIR RETURN.

WHEN THE YOUNG PEOPLE LOOK AT THE WOLVES THEY SHOULD

OPEN THEIR EYES, THEIR EARS,

AND THEIR HEART AND LOOK AT THE FAMILY OF WOLVES

AND ITS PLACE IN THE COMMUNITY.

THIS FOUNDATION IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NEZ

PERCE TRIBE.

WE WORK WITH THE YOUNGSTERS TO LOOK AT THE

WORLD A BIT DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE THEY ARE THE

FUTURE FOR THE WOLF.

DYLAN: JOURNEY WILL RETURN 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.

♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: SINCE GREY WOLVES WERE REINTRODUCED TO

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, BIOLOGISTS CAN WATCH THE

EFFECTS OF THEIR PRESENCE CASCADE THROUGH THE PARKS

ECOSYSTEMS.

RAVENS, FOXES, WOLVERINES, COYOTES,

BALD EAGLES, AND EVEN BEARS ALL BENEFIT FROM THE

CARCASSES OF ANIMALS KILLED BY WOLVES.

ELKS HAVE CHANGED THEIR BEHAVIOR TO AVOID WOLF

PREDATION, ALLOWING WILLOW,

ASPIN, AND COTTON WOODS TO GROW.

MORE TREES PROVIDES MORE FOOD FOR BEAVERS AND MORE

HABITATS FOR SONG BIRDS.

THE ECOSYSTEM HAS BEGUN TO STABILIZE AND WE HAVE THE

WOLVES TO THANK FOR IT.

DOUG: WHAT THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM IN THE UNITED

STATES IS ABOUT IS NOT WHAT S RIGHT OR WHAT S

WRONG OR WHAT S GOOD OR WHAT S BAD.

WE JUST WANT TO RESTORE WHAT WAS HERE BEFORE

HUMANS DISTURBED IT.

IS YELLOWSTONE NOW BALANCED IS YET TO BE

SEEN.

THE IMPACTS OF WOLVES AND THE ECOSYSTEM WILL TAKE A

WHILE.

AND WHAT WE RE AFTER IS RESTORATION OF A NATURAL

SYSTEM, WHETHER OR NOT THAT S GONNA BE A BALANCED

SYSTEM IS STILL OPEN TO QUESTION.

LEVI: THE REWARD IS IN THE BEAUTY OF SEEING A WOLF

RUN IN THE FOREST AND TO HEAR HIM HOWL AS THOSE

VOICES CARRY IN THE MOUNTAINS AND ACROSS THE

TREES.

IT S MUSIC TO THE WORLD.

DYLAN: I HOPE YOU ENJOYED OUR JOURNEY THROUGH THE

WILDERNESS WITH NORTH AMERICA S WOLVES.

UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN, SAFE TRAVELS.

♪ MUSIC ♪ - [CREDITS]