Original subtitles

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

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

DYLAN: I'M DYLAN DREYER.

TODAY WE'RE ON A WILD JOURNEY TO ONE OF EUROPE'S

OLDEST AND MOST AMAZING PLACES;

THE BUSTLING GERMAN CITY OF COLOGNE.

WE'LL TRAVEL DOWN THE MIGHTY RHINE RIVER THROUGH

THIS FAMOUS GERMAN CITY TO MEET A COLLECTION OF

ANIMALS LIKE YOU'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

WE'LL TREK THROUGH PEACEFUL WATERWAYS,

ANCIENT FORESTS AND BUSY RAIL LINES TO DISCOVER HOW

THE PEOPLE AND THE ANIMALS OF COLOGNE SHARE THIS

CITY.

SURPRISES WAIT AROUND EVERY CORNER.

THE JOURNEY STARTS RIGHT NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: COLOGNE IS A FASCINATING PLACE RENOWNED

FOR ITS GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGNS.

IT'S ONE OF GERMANY'S OLDEST CITIES AND IT'S

BEEN HOME TO THRIVING COMMUNITIES FOR OVER

2,000 YEARS.

THERE ARE MORE THAN A MILLION PEOPLE LIVING HERE

BUT HUMANS AREN'T THE ONLY INHABITANTS.

WILD ANIMALS OF ALL SHAPES AND SIZES HAVE MADE THIS

URBAN JUNGLE THEIR HOME AS WELL.

[♪ MUSIC ♪ - SOUNDS OF DIFFERENT WILDLIFE]

DYLAN: WHETHER THEY'RE WELL-KNOWN ANIMALS OR AN

INTRODUCED SPECIES, WHETHER THEY'RE ECCENTRIC,

CHEEKY OR TIMID, THEY'RE ALL LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO

LIVE AND THRIVE.

DESPITE ALL THEIR DIFFERENCES THESE ANIMALS

HAVE ONE THING IN COMMON; AN UNUSUAL HOME.

WELCOME TO THE GERMAN CITY OF COLOGNE,

A MILLION-STRONG METROPOLIS RESTING ON THE

GREAT RHINE RIVER.

HERE THE URBAN JUNGLE ATTRACTS MANY UNIQUE

SPECIES BECAUSE THE CITY OFFERS LOTS OF DIFFERENT

HABITATS.

RIGHT IN THE CENTER OF COLOGNE IS A LAKE AND IT

ATTRACTS WATER BIRDS OF ALL KINDS.

PERHAPS THE MOST ICONIC OF ALL THE BIRDS IN COLOGNE

IS THE SWAN.

FOR THE PAST 100 YEARS THIS SPECIES HAS

MULTIPLIED RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY.

THE SWAN RULES OVER THE LAKE AND PONDS.

IN FACT, THIS MIGHTY BIRD CLAIMS THE ENTIRE LAKE FOR

ITS OFFSPRING.

UNLIKE THE SWAN, THE EGYPTIAN GEESE ARE

RELATIVELY NEW IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.

THEIR ANCESTORS ACTUALLY ESCAPED FROM THE LOCAL

ZOOS AND NOW THEY LIVE WILD AND FREE.

THE SWANS ARE HAVING A HARD TIME ACCEPTING THESE

NEWCOMERS BECAUSE THEY COMPETE FOR THE SAME

SOURCES OF FOOD.

[♪ MUSIC ♪ - SOUNDS OF BIRD SQUAWKING]

DYLAN: THE EGYPTIAN GOOSE MAY HAVE LEFT

EMPTY-HANDED, BUT IT HAS STOOD UP TO THE SWAN.

SQUIRRELS ARE A COMMON SITE IN THE URBAN JUNGLE

BUT RECENTLY THEY HAVE NEW NEIGHBORS WHO ARE

IMPOSSIBLE TO MISS.

THE ALEXANDRINE PARAKEET, A COLORFUL,

FUNNY-LOOKING BIRD FROM EAST ASIA.

LIKE THE EGYPTIAN GEESE, THESE BIRDS ARE ALSO

DESCENDANTS OF PETS OR ZOO ANIMALS THAT ESCAPED INTO

THE WILD.

THE EXOTIC LOOK OF THESE BIRDS IS WHAT MAKES THE

PARROTS SO INTRIGUING TO LOCALS.

IN FACT, THE PEOPLE OF COLOGNE ENJOY THESE BIRDS

SO MUCH THEY'VE INSTALLED A NETWORK OF LIVE VIDEO

CAMERAS HIGH UP IN THE TREETOPS.

THEY RECORD IMAGES OF THE BIRDS THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

THE IMAGES ARE THEN PROJECTED ONTO THE BARE

CONCRETE WALLS OF THE LOCAL UNDERGROUND TRAIN

STATION.

NOW AS PEOPLE GO ABOUT THEIR DAY THEY CAN WATCH

THE BIRDS GOING ABOUT THEIRS.

THE ART PROJECT IS ONE OF MANY WAYS THE URBAN

ANIMALS ARE BROUGHT CLOSER TO THE PEOPLE IN THE CITY.

IN A METROPOLIS LIKE COLOGNE IT'S NEVER QUIET,

ESPECIALLY DURING THE DAY.

SO SOME ANIMALS USE THE COVER OF DARKNESS FOR

THEIR ACTIVITIES.

WHILE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE SEEK ENTERTAINMENT IN THE

CITY'S STADIUM, NOCTURNAL ANIMALS ARE SEARCHING FOR

FOOD IN THE FOREST BEHIND IT.

BATS USE ECHOLOCATION TO HUNT INSECTS THEY LIKE TO

EAT.

AND THERE ARE PLENTY OF INSECTS LURED IN BY THE

CITY'S BIG LIGHTS.

THESE AMAZING FLYING MAMMALS USED TO BE SCORNED

BUT TODAY THEY ARE A SPECIAL ATTRACTION.

THERE ARE EVEN GUIDED TOURS TO THE BAT'S HUNTING

PLACES WHERE CONSERVATIONISTS HELP

PEOPLE APPRECIATE HOW COOL AND IMPORTANT THIS SPECIES

IS.

SOME OF THE MOST QUIET PLACES IN A CITY ARE

CEMETERIES.

THESE OPEN SPACES AREN'T ONLY FOR PEOPLE TO GRIEVE

AND REMEMBER THEIR LOVED ONES,

THEY'RE ALSO HOME TO MANY ANIMALS.

PHOTOGRAPHER HELMUT ZEUCH COMES HERE AS OFTEN AS

POSSIBLE.

HE'S BEEN DOCUMENTING A VERY SPECIAL FAMILY THAT

LIVES HERE AMONG THE GRAVES.

THE FAMILY IS VERY SHY SO HELMUT TRIES TO BE NOTICED

AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE; HE EVEN TRIES TO BECOME

INVISIBLE.

[SOUND OF CAMERA SHUTTER]

DYLAN: BUT WITH GREAT PATIENCE COMES GREAT

REWARD.

HELMUT HAS BEEN WATCHING THIS FAMILY OF FOXES AND

THEIR PUPS THROUGHOUT THE SPRING.

FOXES ARE USUALLY VERY SHY AND ONLY COME OUT AT

NIGHT.

BUT WITH SO FEW DISTURBANCES IN THE

CEMETERY THIS FAMILY COMES OUT DURING THE DAY TO

PLAY.

IN TODAY'S COLOGNE THERE ARE FOX FAMILIES IN ALMOST

EVERY GREEN HAVEN IN THE CITY.

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING, THEY ARE PREDATORS BUT THEY'LL

EAT ALMOST ANYTHING.

THE CITY PROVIDES THEM WITH ALL THE FOOD AND

SHELTER THEY NEED.

THE YOUNG FOXES HAVE GROWN UP LIVING VERY CLOSE TO

HUMANS.

THEY DON'T SEEM TO BE BOTHERED BY IT.

WITH ALL OF ITS MANY NOOKS AND CRANNIES THE CITY OF

COLOGNE PROVIDES PLENTY OF OPTIONS FOR AN ANIMAL TO

FIND A COZY HIDEOUT JUST LIKE THE CLEVER CEMETERY

FOX.

AND WITH THE MIGHTY RHINE RIVER RUNNING RIGHT

THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF TOWN,

ANIMALS THAT LOVE THE WATER FEEL RIGHT AT HOME.

COMING UP NEXT, WE'LL MEET A GUARDIAN ANGEL WATCHING

OVER THE BIRDS OF COLOGNE.

AND LATER, WE'LL TRAVEL DEEP INTO THE SURROUNDING

FOREST WHERE THE MAGIC OF ANCIENT GERMANY STILL RUNS

FREE.

STAY TUNED, OUR 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.

THE CITY OF COLOGNE LIES ALONG THE RHINE RIVER,

THE THIRD LONGEST RIVER IN EUROPE.

OVER THE YEARS THE EBB AND FLOW OF THIS WATERWAY HAS

SHAPED COLOGNE'S STREETS, MARKETS AND GROWTH.

TODAY THE MIGHTY RIVER CONTINUES TO CHANGE THE

CITY AND BRING IN NEW WILDLIFE.

THE WATERS OF THE RHINE RIVER SPILL OUT ACROSS

COLOGNE INTO MANY LAKES AND PONDS.

AT THE EDGE OF ONE POND A SMALL BRICK WALL BLOCKS

THE PATH OF THESE DUCKLINGS.

TO GET TO THE WATER THEY'LL NEED TO FIND A NEW

WAY AROUND.

[SOUNDS OF DUCKS AND DUCKLINGS]

DYLAN: THE MOTHER DUCK SHOWS HER BABIES HOW IT'S

DONE.

YOU NEED TO FLY.

BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK.

THE LITTLE DUCKS WILL NEVER GIVE UP.

AND FINALLY AFTER A LONG WALK THEY REACH THE POND

AND THEIR MOTHER.

[SOUND OF THUNDER]

DYLAN: A STORM IS COMING.

THE MOTHER PROTECTS HER CHILDREN.

HER DUCKLINGS ARE SENSITIVE TO THE COLD,

WET CONDITIONS.

WHEN IT RAINS, AND IT RAINS A LOT IN THIS

COLOGNE DAY, SHE TAKES THE DUCKLINGS UNDER HER WINGS

UNTIL THE RAIN GRADUALLY STOPS.

AFTER THE RAIN A SWAN FAMILY GOES FOR A WALK.

BUT NOT EVERYONE IN THE FAMILY IS ENTHUSIASTIC

ABOUT IT.

WALKS ON FOOT ARE EXHAUSTING FOR LITTLE

SWANS.

SOON IT BECOMES CLEAR WHY THEY DECIDED TO VISIT A

DIFFERENT POND; THIS ONE HAS A WATER SLIDE.

FROM THE BEGINNING OF MAY ONWARDS BIRDS CALLED

COMMON SWIFTS FILL THE SKY.

THESE MIGRATORY BIRDS WHO ARRIVED ALL THE WAY FROM

AFRICA ARE LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO STAY FOR A FEW

MONTHS DURING THE SUMMER.

ANNA ROSE ROYTER LURES THESE FEATHERED GUESTS TO

HER HOME BY USING A RECORDING OF BIRD CALLS

AND A LOUD SPEAKER ON THE HOUSE WALL.

[SOUNDS OF BIRD ALLS FROM LOUDSPEAKER]

DYLAN: IT DOESN'T TAKE LONG BEFORE ONE OF THE

BIRDS MOVES INTO MRS. ROYTER'S BIRD HOUSE.

THE SUMMER VISITOR IS BEING MONITORED WITH A

SMALL CAMERA THAT WAS INSTALLED IN THE NESTING

BOX.

MRS. ROYTER DOESN'T JUST GIVE THE BIRDS A PLACE TO

STAY, SHE ALSO CARES FOR INJURED BIRDS THAT SHE

FINDS AROUND THE CITY.

IF A BIRD CRASHES INTO A WINDOW OR HURTS ITS WING

SHE'S THERE TO HELP.

MRS. ROYTER PATIENTLY CHECKS THE BIRD'S RECOVERY

AND FEEDS THEM INSECT LARVAE.

THE BIRDS HAVE UNTIL THE LATE SUMMER TO HEAL THEN

THEY HAVE TO FLY HOME TO AFRICA.

WHILE THEY REGAIN THEIR STRENGTH MRS. ROYTER

WATCHES THEIR AMAZING INTIMATE LIVES ON THE

SCREEN.

COMING UP NEXT, IN THIS DENSE URBAN JUNGLE THE

BEST HOTEL ROOMS ARE RESERVED FOR VERY TINY

GUESTS THAT PAY THEIR BILLS WITH VERY SPECIAL

CURRENCY.

DON'T GO AWAY, 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.

♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: WHERE I LIVE IN NEW YORK CITY PIGEONS ARE

A COMMON SIGHT.

BUT THROUGHOUT THE WORLD MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF

BIRDS HAVE MANAGED TO CARVE OUT SPACES FOR

THEMSELVES IN THE URBAN LANDSCAPE,

OFTEN IN WAYS WE NEVER ENVISIONED.

SOMETIMES ALL THOSE BIRDS NEED ARE A COUPLE THOUSAND

FRIENDS TO MAKE A CITY THEIR OWN.

THIS NEW MOSQUE IN THE CITY CENTER ABSORBS THE

SUN'S WARMTH AND ATTRACTS LOTS OF PIGEONS WHICH ARE

CONSIDERED PEACE SYMBOLS.

IT'S ALSO GOOD HUNTING GROUND FOR PEREGRINE

FALCONS.

WHEN THEY SHOW UP THEY KEEP THE PIGEONS ON THEIR

TOES.

BIRD CONSERVATIONIST PETER WAGNER HAS BEEN KEEPING

CLOSE WATCH OVER THE CITY'S FALCONS FOR

DECADES.

ONCE A YEAR THE 72 YEAR-OLD CLIMBS UP A

200-FOOT CHIMNEY OF THIS INDUSTRIAL PLANT TO REACH

A PEREGRINE FALCON NEST.

AND SOMEONE'S HOME.

WAGNER CHECKS THE CHICK'S NUTRITIONAL STATUS.

DUE TO PESTICIDES AND POACHERS THIS SPECIES

ALMOST DIED OUT IN COLOGNE.

BUT THANKS TO THE WORK OF CONSERVATIONISTS THE

NUMBER OF PEREGRINE FALCONS IS INCREASING

AGAIN.

THE FATE OF INDIVIDUAL BIRDS CAN BE MONITORED

WITH THE HELP OF FOOT RINGS.

WAGNER KEEPS HIS INTRUSION AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE.

TODAY THE NUMBER OF PEREGRINE FALCON PAIRS

LIVING IN COLOGNE HAS INCREASED TO 5.

TOWARDS THE END OF THE SUMMER MRS. ROYTER'S LAST

PATIENTS HAVE RECOVERED AND ARE LEAVING FOR WARMER

REGIONS FOR THE WINTER.

COLOGNE IS SURROUNDED BY A GREEN FOREST NAMED

KöNIGSFORST.

AROUND 100 RED DEER LIVE HERE.

THEY HAVE TO SHARE THE AVAILABLE SPACE WITH

HUMANS LOOKING FOR REST AND RELAXATION.

AFTER THE FIRST COUPLE OF COLD NIGHTS OF THE YEAR

THE HORNED SUBURBANITES COME OUT TO EXPLORE.

[DEER BELLOWING]

DYLAN: IT'S MATING SEASON AND THE DEER GATHER IN

OPEN SPACES.

BUT THEIR TERRITORY IS LIMITED.

THERE ARE HUMANS CLOSE BY AND THE LOUD MOTORWAY

CROSSES RIGHT THROUGH THEIR FOREST.

THE SOLUTION, A PATHWAY FOR WILDLIFE.

THIS WAY THE DEER FROM THE FOREST CAN GET CLOSER TO

THE CITY CENTER AND INHABIT A LARGER

TERRITORY.

IT IS AN URBAN SUCCESS STORY.

DON'T GO AWAY, 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.

♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO JOURNEY,

I'M DYLAN DREYER.

CITIES ARE DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR HUMANS.

ANY WILD ANIMALS LIVING IN A CITY ARE DEFINITELY AN

AFTERTHOUGHT.

RECENTLY, HOWEVER, ATTITUDES HAVE BEGUN TO

CHANGE AND CITY DWELLERS ARE WORKING HARD TO MAKE

THEIR ENVIRONMENT SAFE AND WELCOMING TO LIFE OF ALL

SHAPES AND SIZES.

HONEYBEES COLLECT POLLEN WITH THEIR HIND LEGS.

AT THE SAME TIME THEY POLLINATE THE BLOSSOMS.

WITHOUT THEM MANY PLANTS IN THE CITY WOULD NOT BE

ABLE TO MULTIPLY.

THIS BEE TAKES HER POLLEN TO AN UNUSUAL PLACE.

AND MANY GUESTS IN THIS CITY HOTEL ENJOY A CERTAIN

SPECIALTY OF THE HOUSE.

WAY UP IN THE BREAKFAST ROOM A GOLDEN YELLOW TREAT

IS SERVED; HONEY FROM THEIR OWN HARVEST.

THE BEES FLY UP AND RESIDE ON THE HOTEL ROOF.

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF BEES FORM A COMMUNE COMPRISED

OF 8 COLONIES.

THE BEEKEEPER, TOGETHER WITH THE HOTEL MANAGER,

COLLECT THE INSECT-SWEET PRODUCE.

THEY DO REGULAR CHECKUPS ON THE COLONIES.

THERE'S A POPULAR SAYING IN COLOGNE: "NOTHING

REMAINS AS IT WAS." AND IN RECENT YEARS NATIVE NORTH

AMERICANS WEARING MASKS HAVE SECRETLY CONQUERED

THE CITY; RACCOONS.

THEY WERE RELEASED IN THIS REGION IN THE 1930'S AND

FROM THERE THE ICONIC ANIMAL SLOWLY SPREAD.

NOW THEY HAVE COME TO COLOGNE AND ARE LOOKING

FOR A NEW PLACE TO STAY.

LIKE HUMANS THEY ARE OMNIVORES;

EATING BOTH MEAT AND PLANTS.

ALSO LIKE US THEY ARE CURIOUS AND PICKY.

OF COURSE THEY ARE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN

THE WASTE BINS.

IN THE CATHEDRAL CITY MORE AND MORE SPECIES ARE

FINDING FOOD, WARMTH AND PROTECTION HERE.

ALL OF THE ANIMALS HAVE FOUND A PLACE TO CALL HOME

AT THIS COSMOPOLITAN METROPOLIS JUST LIKE THEIR

HUMAN NEIGHBORS.

FROM COLORFUL PARROTS TO HOTEL BEES TO CEMETERY

FOXES, COLOGNE IS A CITY OF HIDDEN TREASURES.

WE'VE ONLY JUST SCRATCHED THE SURFACE OF ITS RICH

HISTORY AND WILDLIFE.

PERHAPS SOME DAY YOU CAN VISIT FOR YOURSELF.

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED OUR GERMAN JOURNEY.

UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN, SAFE TRAVELS.

♪ CREDITS ♪