Original subtitles

♪

[DOG HOWLING]

♪

Patrick: DOGS.

FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS,

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHEY’VE BEEN OUR TRUSTED COMPANIONS.

[MOOING]

INTELLIGENT,

PLAYFUL,

AND LOYAL.

[BARKING]

BUT EVERY DOG ON THE PLANET

IS PART OF A MUCH WILDER CLAN,

A GROUP KNOWN AS THE CANINES.

\h\hFROM THE MAJESTIC WOLF TO THE CUNNING LITTLE FOX

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND EVEN OUR LOYAL HOUSE PETS,

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHEY’RE ALL PART OF THE SAME AMAZING ANIMAL FAMILY.

THE CANINE FAMILY IS MADE UP OF 36 EXTRAORDINARY SPECIES.

[BARKING]

THERE ARE DESERT SPECIALISTS

\hAND THOSE THAT SURVIVE IN THE COLDEST PLACES...

[LAUGHS]

...ON EARTH.

\h\hALL OF THEM SHARE TRAITS WITH THE DOGS IN OUR HOMES.

[BARKING]

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWE’RE ON A JOURNEY THROUGH THE CANINE FAMILY TREE,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hREVEALING OUR PETS’ SURPRISING HISTORY

AND MEETING THEIR WEIRD AND WONDERFUL RELATIVES.

\h\h\h\h\h\hFROM YOUNG PUPS TAKING THEIR FIRST STEPS...

THESE ADORABLE LITTLE THINGS \h\h\h\h\h\hARE JACKAL PUPS.

\h\h\h\hTHEY’RE ONLY ABOUT TWO WEEKS OLD.

...TO THE MOST FEROCIOUS PACKS.

THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST SURREAL EXPERIENCES OF MY LIFE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHIS TIME, WE’RE IN THE AMERICAS...

♪

[SQUAWKING]

HOME TO SOME OF THE TALLEST...

STRANGEST...

AND WILDEST CANINES \h\h\hON THE PLANET.

[SNARLING]

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hPREPARE TO RETHINK EVERYTHING YOU KNOW ABOUT DOGS--

A TRULY AMAZING ANIMAL FAMILY.

[GROWLING]

[PANTING]

[BARKING]

♪

OUR STORY BEGINS

ON THE GREAT PLAINS OF NORTH AMERICA...

\h\h\h\h\hBECAUSE IT’S HERE THAT THE FIRST CANINES AROSE

MORE THAN 30 MILLION YEARS AGO.

\h\h\h\h\h\hIT’S THOUGHT THAT DOGS FIRST EVOLVED

ON THE GREAT OPEN PLAINS,

\h\h\h\h\h\hAND THEY DID SO AT A TIME WHEN THE LANDSCAPE

\h\h\hWAS JUST TEEMING WITH FAST-MOVING PREY.

SO, TO BE MASTER HUNTERS,

DOGS WOULD HAVE TO BECOME \h\h\hPOWERFUL AND QUICK.

\h\h\h\hAND ONE WILD DOG THAT MANAGED TO DO THIS

\h\h\h\h\h\hIS TODAY AN ICON OF THE AMERICAN WILDERNESS.

[HOWLING]

TO START MY JOURNEY,

I’M GOING TO GET EYE-TO-EYE \h\hWITH THE KING OF DOGS...

THE BIGGEST AND MOST FEARED \h\h\hCANINE ON THE PLANET.

THE WOLF.

[GROWLING]

♪

OK, SO THEY MIGHT NOT BE \h\h\h\h\hADULT WOLVES,

BUT THESE LITTLE PUPS \h\h\hSHOW THE TRAITS

SHARED BY ALL CANINES,

INCLUDING OUR PET DOGS.

♪

\h\h\hWOLVES SHARE 98.8 PERCENT OF THEIR DNA WITH DOMESTIC DOGS,

\h\hAND THE SIMILARITIES ARE IMMEDIATELY OBVIOUS.

FOR WOLF PUPS,

THEY’RE QUITE BOISTEROUS...

[WHIMPERING]

REALLY SOCIAL...

AND LOTS AND LOTS OF ENERGY.

[GROWLING]

\h\h\hYOU CAN SEE THAT IN EVERYTHING THEY DO,

FROM THE WAY THEY SMELL,

THE WAY THEY PRICK THEIR EARS UP WHEN THEY HEAR A CERTAIN SOUND,

THE WAY THEY PLAY \hWITH EACH OTHER.

IT’S JUST UNMISTAKABLY DOGLIKE.

THESE HAND-RAISED PUPS \hARE TWO MONTHS OLD.

IN THE WILD,

THEY’D JUST BE EMERGING \h\h\h\hFROM THEIR DEN.

AND THEIR DARK FUR WOULD OFFER \h\h\h\hFANTASTIC CAMOUFLAGE.

AS THEY GET OLDER,

THEY’LL EVENTUALLY LOSE \h\h\hTHEIR PUPPY FLUFF,

AND IT WILL BE REPLACED \h\h\hBY THAT ADULT FUR,

WHICH HAS TWO LAYERS TO IT.

HA HA HA! THANKS!

A SOFT DOWNY UNDER-FUR

AND THEN A SECOND OUTER LAYER,

\hWHICH IS MADE OF THICK GUARD HAIRS.

BUT FOR NOW THEY’VE STILL GOT \hTHIS REALLY SOFT PUPPY FUR.

[GROWL]

EVEN AT THIS YOUNG AGE,

THEY HAVE A NATURAL DRIVE

TO CHASE...

ALMOST EVERYTHING THEY SEE.

[CROAKING]

[CROAK]

\h\h\hTHIS STALKING AND CHASING BEHAVIOR

IS SEEN IN ALL MEMBERS \h\h\h\hOF THE FAMILY.

IT’S KNOWN AS THE CANINE \h\hPREY DRIVE INSTINCT.

\h\h\hFOR AN ANIMAL THAT’S GOING TO GROW

TO BECOME A FEARSOME PREDATOR,

\h\hTHESE LITTLE WOLVES ARE REALLY QUITE CLUMSY.

ALL THEY WANT TO DO

IS RUN AROUND AND EXPLORE \h\h\hTHEIR SURROUNDINGS.

BUT THEY’RE STILL LEARNING

\h\h\h\h\hHOW TO CONTROL ALL FOUR OF THEIR LEGS,

\h\h\h\hAND SOMETIMES WHEN THEY ARE RUNNING,

THEY END UP TRIPPING \h\hOVER THEMSELVES.

BUT WITH EVERY STEP THEY TAKE,

THEY’RE GROWING STRONGER \hAND MORE COORDINATED.

\hTHESE WOLF PUPS ARE HIGHLY SOCIAL.

[SNARLING]

AS THEY PLAY,

THEY’RE WORKING OUT \h\hTHEIR HIERARCHY,

AND WHO’S BOSS.

[GROWLING]

MOST CANINES ARE TEAM PLAYERS,

\h\h\h\h\hAND TO COPE WITH THE COMPLEXITIES

OF GROUP LIVING,

THEY EVOLVED BIGGER BRAINS...

\hWHICH IS WHY DOGS ARE MORE INTELLIGENT

THAN SOME SOLITARY ANIMALS, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hLIKE CATS.

THESE PUPS MIGHT ONLY BE \h\h\h\hTWO MONTHS OLD,

BUT IT’S CLEAR THAT THEY HAVE \h\hALL THE TOOLS THEY’LL NEED

TO BECOME EXPERT PREDATORS.

THESE ARE THE FAMILY TRAITS

THAT MAKE ALL DOGS \h\hSO SUCCESSFUL.

[HOWLING]

ALL CANINES--

WOLF, FOX, OR PET DOG--

SHARE THE SAME BASIC PHYSIOLOGY.

[BARK]

THEY ARE CHASE PREDATORS.

UNLIKE CATS THAT AMBUSH PREY \h\h\h\h\hFROM CLOSE RANGE,

THEY EVOLVED TO RUN.

[BARKING]

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHEIR CLAWS ACT LIKE RUNNING SPIKES.

CANINES ALSO EVOLVED LONG SNOUTS

PACKED FULL OF SCENT RECEPTORS.

THEIR SENSE OF SMELL

IS MORE THAN A THOUSAND TIMES \h\h\h\h\h\hBETTER THAN OURS.

AND A SPECIAL LIGAMENT \h\h\h\hIN THEIR NECKS

STRETCHES THEIR HEAD FORWARDS.

\hSO, DOGS REALLY DO FOLLOW THEIR NOSES.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFINALLY, THERE ARE THEIR WEAPONS.

[SNARLING]

THEIR TEETH ARE SO PROMINENT,

\h\hTHEY GIVE THE DOG’S WIDER FAMILY ITS NAME...

THE CANINES.

[SNARLING]

[HOWLING]

THESE ARE THE DEFINING FEATURES

\h\h\h\hSHARED BY EVERY MEMBER OF THIS AMAZING ANIMAL FAMILY.

THE CANINE FAMILY TREE

FIRST BURST INTO LIFE 34 MILLION YEARS AGO.

\h\hTODAY, THERE ARE FOUR MAIN BRANCHES.

\hTHE FANTASTIC FOXES OCCUPY TWO OF THE OLDEST BRANCHES.

THEY ARE THE SMALLEST MEMBERS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF THE FAMILY

AND HAVE BUSHY TAILS \hAND POINTED EARS.

[BARKS]

♪

THE NEXT BRANCH IS HOME

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO A GROUP OF RARE SOUTH AMERICAN DOGS.

♪

FINALLY, THERE ARE \h\hTHE TRUE DOGS,

THE BIGGEST CANINES OF ALL.

HUNTING DOGS,

COYOTES,

AND WOLVES.

[BARK]

ON THE END OF THIS BRANCH,

WE FIND OUR PET DOGS.

[BARK]

[BARKING]

TODAY THIS MOTLEY CREW \h\h\h\hOF 36 SPECIES

MAKE UP THE CANINE FAMILY.

[HOWLING]

AS EARLY MEMBERS OF THIS FAMILY

STARTED TO SEEK OUT \h\hNEW TERRITORIES,

THEY BEGAN TO SPREAD.

AND ONE DISTANT ANCESTOR \h\h\h\hOF TODAY’S FOXES

\h\h\h\hPUSHED ITS WAY INTO AN ICY FRONTIER.

DURING THE LAST ICE AGE,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hLARGE PARTS OF THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWERE TRANSFORMED INTO A FROZEN, EMPTY WILDERNESS.

FEW PREDATORS COULD ENDURE \h\h\h\hTHIS EXTREME COLD.

BUT FOR ONE LITTLE FOX,

\h\h\h\h\hTHIS PRESENTED A FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY

\h\h\h\h\hAND A CHANCE TO PUSH FURTHER NORTH

THAN ANY DOG HAD BEEN BEFORE.

♪

THE ARCTIC FOX.

PERHAPS THE HARDIEST MEMBER \h\h\hOF THE CANINE FAMILY.

♪

THEY LIVE IN SMALL FAMILY GROUPS

AND SHARE A SNOWY DEN.

♪

THEY’RE SMALL.

JUST HALF THE SIZE OF A RED FOX.

♪

BUT DESPITE THEIR SIZE,

THESE LITTLE FOXES ARE SO RESILIENT,

THEY DON’T EVEN START TO SHIVER

UNTIL TEMPERATURES REACH MINUS 70 DEGREE CELSIUS.

[BARK]

\hTO DISCOVER THE SECRET TO THEIR POLAR PROWESS,

I’M IN MONTANA, NORTH AMERICA.

AND I’M HERE TO MEET

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hSOME SPECIAL LITTLE HAND-RAISED FOXES.

THAT IS THE CUTEST...

FLUFFIEST THING I’VE EVER SEEN.

IT JUST LOOKS LIKE A BIG BALL OF FUR.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hARCTIC FOXES ARE OFTEN CURIOUS OF HUMANS,

AND THIS LITTLE GUY \h\hIS NO EXCEPTION.

IT MIGHT BE A SMALL CREATURE, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBUT IT’S...

MIGHTILY BOLD.

HA HA!

\h\h\hRIGHT NOW IT’S ABOUT MINUS 20 DEGREES CELSIUS,

AND IT’S SO COLD,

\h\h\h\h\hI CAN ACTUALLY FEEL THE HAIRS IN MY NOSE FREEZING.

\h\h\h\hAND IF I DIDN’T HAVE ALL OF THIS SPECIALIST GEAR,

\hI’D UNDOUBTEDLY BECOME HYPOTHERMIC

WITHIN A MATTER OF MINUTES.

BUT THE ARCTIC FOX

\hIS PERFECTLY ADAPTED FOR THESE CONDITIONS.

♪

THEY HAVE SHORTER SNOUTS \h\h\hTHAN OTHER FOXES.

LONGER NOSES LOSE MORE HEAT.

SO, THEY’VE SACRIFICED \hTHEIR SENSE OF SMELL

FOR WARMTH.

♪

THEIR SNOW-WHITE WINTER COAT

\h\hNOT ONLY PROVIDES PERFECT CAMOUFLAGE...

♪

THE DENSE UNDER-LAYER

ALSO OFFERS THE BEST INSULATION OF ANY MAMMAL FUR.

\h\h\h\h\hIT’S EVEN WARMER THAN THAT OF A POLAR BEAR.

BUT THE REAL SECRET \hTO ARCTIC SURVIVAL

IS IN THOSE PAWS.

\h\h\h\hTHE ARCTIC FOX HAS BLOOD VESSELS IN ITS FEET

THAT LIE VERY CLOSELY TOGETHER,

\h\hAND THIS ADAPTATION IS CALLED RETE MIRABILE.

IT LITERALLY TRANSLATES TO "WONDERFUL NETWORK."

AND THIS ADAPTATION

MEANS THAT’S IT’S ABLE \hTO REWARM THE BLOOD

\h\h\h\h\h\hAS IT TRAVELS FROM THE FEET, UP THE LEG,

AND BACK TO ITS BODY.

\h\hIT HELPS IT MAINTAIN A CONSTANT TEMPERATURE,

WHILST MAKING SURE THAT ITS FEET DON’T GET TOO COLD.

THIS ADAPTATION IS ALSO SEEN \h\h\h\h\h\hIN OUR PET DOGS.

[BIRD CAWING]

♪

THE OTHER BIG CHALLENGE THESE LITTLE FOXES FACE

IS FINDING FOOD.

BUT THEY HAVE A CLEVER TRICK.

THEY TAKE ADVANTAGE

\h\h\h\h\hOF THE WORLD’S LARGEST NATURAL FREEZER

AND BURY OR CACHE THEIR FOOD.

\h\h\h\h\hALTHOUGH, SOMETIMES REMEMBERING WHERE IT’S BURIED

CAN BE A CHALLENGE.

♪

HIS PARTNER WATCHES ON.

♪

FINALLY, HE FINDS HIS STASH.

[DING]

\h\h\hARCTIC FOXES EVOLVED IN THE MIDST OF AN ICE AGE

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND BECAME SO WELL-ADAPTED TO THE COLD,

THEY SPREAD FAR AND WIDE.

\h\h\h\hTODAY, OUR SNOW FOX IS ONE OF THE FEW PREDATORS

THAT’S ABLE TO SURVIVE \h\h\h\hALL YEAR ROUND

WITHIN THE ARCTIC CIRCLE

AND HAS EVEN BEEN SPOTTED \hCLOSE TO THE NORTH POLE.

THIS TOUGH LITTLE FOX

HAS LITERALLY MADE ITS HOME \h\hAT THE TOP OF THE WORLD.

\h\h\h\hAS THE CANINE FAMILY SEARCHED OUT NEW TERRITORY,

THEY STARTED TO MOVE \hOUT OF THE SNOWS.

AND IN AMERICA’S ANCIENT FORESTS,

\h\hA NEW SPECIES EVOLVED ON THE CANINE FAMILY TREE.

♪

[BARKING]

\h\h\h\h\hTHE ARCTIC FOX SITS ON THE TRUE FOX BRANCH OF THE TREE,

\h\h\h\hALONG WITH 11 OTHER WEIRD AND WONDERFUL SPECIES.

\hBUT ONE FOX EVOLVED ON A SEPARATE BRANCH,

AND IT CAN DO SOMETHING NO OTHER CANINE CAN DO.

♪

MEET THE GREY FOX.

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE ANCESTORS OF THESE BRIGHT-EYED FOXES

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFIRST PROWLED THE FORESTS OF NORTH AMERICA

AROUND TEN MILLION YEARS AGO.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND WAY BACK IN THEIR EVOLUTIONARY PAST,

THEY LEARNED TO DO THIS.

♪

THEY ARE THE ONLY FOX

\h\h\h\hTHAT CAN CLIMB VERTICAL TREE TRUNKS.

THEY HAVE SHARP CLAWS \h\h\h\h\hFOR GRIPPING

AND HOLDING ON.

[YIP]

♪

AND THEIR FOREARMS CAN ROTATE \h\h\h\hTO GRASP THE BRANCHES.

♪

[BUZZING]

FOR MILLIONS OF YEARS,

THESE NIMBLE-FOOTED FOXES

ENJOYED THE SAFETY \h\hOF THE CANOPY.

\h\hBUT THEY WOULDN’T HAVE THE TREETOPS TO THEMSELVES

FOR LONG.

\hWHEN THE FIRST WILD CATS MADE IT TO NORTH AMERICA,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHEY WERE MUCH BETTER CLIMBERS...

♪

AND EVENTUALLY OUTCOMPETED \h\hOTHER CLIMBING FOXES.

♪

BUT COMPARED TO CATS...

THEY STILL LACK A CERTAIN GRACE ON THEIR WAY DOWN.

[SQUEALING]

♪

BY SIX MILLION YEARS AGO,

EARLY FOX-LIKE CANINES

\h\h\h\hWERE SPREADING THROUGH NORTH AMERICA.

AS THEY MIGRATED SOUTH,

\h\h\h\h\hTHEY ADAPTED TO EACH NEW LANDSCAPE

\h\h\h\h\h\hAND EVOLVED INTO NEW CANINE SPECIES.

[SQUAWKING]

ON OUR CANINE FAMILY TREE,

\h\hTHE FOXES PROWL THE OLDEST BRANCHES.

BUT THE MOST RECENT BRANCH \h\h\h\h\h\hTO BREAK AWAY

WAS THAT OF THE TRUE DOGS.

\h\h\h\hTHESE WILD DOGS WERE BIGGER AND STRONGER

THAN THEIR FOXY COUSINS.

[BARK]

AND THEY WERE FAST \h\hON THEIR FEET.

[BARK]

♪

THE GREY WOLF.

♪

ONE OF THE FASTEST CANINES...

ON THE PLANET.

THEY EVOLVED ON THE OPEN PLAINS,

WHERE AMBUSHING PREY \hWASN’T AN OPTION.

SO INSTEAD, THEY BECAME \hLONG-DISTANCE RUNNERS.

♪

[HOWLING]

TO SEE HOW THEY ARE PERFECTLY \h\h\hADAPTED FOR THE CHASE...

I’VE GOT A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY \h\h\h\hTO SEE THEM IN ACTION.

LIKE MANY DOGS,

\h\h\h\hWOLVES EVOLVED TO BE CHASE PREDATORS,

RUNNING DOWN THEIR PREY USING SPEED AND STAMINA.

BUT WHAT’S IT LIKE TO BE CHASED

\h\h\h\hBY THE BIGGEST WILD DOG IN THE WORLD?

WELL, THERE’S ONLY ONE WAY \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO FIND OUT.

[STARTS ENGINE]

THIS WOLF HAS BEEN TRAINED \h\hTO CHASE A QUAD BIKE.

[REVS ENGINE]

WHOO!

OK! HERE HE COMES!

\hWOLVES CAN REACH SPEEDS OF 60 KILOMETERS AN HOUR.

THEIR LONG LEGS GIVE THEM \h\hAN IMPRESSIVE STRIDE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND THEY RUN ON THE TIPS OF THEIR TOES,

GIVING THEM AN EXTRA SPRING \h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN THEIR STEP.

ON A REAL HUNT,

\h\hWOLVES EVENTUALLY WEAR DOWN THEIR PREY.

BUT I’M NOT TAKING ANY CHANCES.

HA HA HA HA!

OH, WOW.

HA HA!

OH, THAT WAS AMAZING.

HAVING THAT WOLF HOT ON MY HEELS WAS JUST INCREDIBLE.

BUT FUNNY ENOUGH FOR THE WOLF,

\h\h\hTHAT WAS JUST A WALK IN THE PARK.

IN THE WILD, THEY CAN CHASE DOWN THEIR PREY

FOR MILES AND MILES AND MILES.

THEY REALLY ARE THE ULTIMATE \h\h\hLONG-DISTANCE RUNNERS.

[HOWLING]

\h\h\hBUT THE WOLF’S SUCCESS ALSO COMES DOWN TO TEAMWORK.

[GROWLING]

THEY HAVE ONE OF THE MOST \hSOPHISTICATED SOCIETIES

OF ANY CANINE.

AND TO SEE THIS IN ACTION,

I NEED TO GET INSIDE \h\h\h\hA WOLF PACK.

[BARKING]

[GROWLING]

\hTHEY IMMEDIATELY COME TO CHECK OUT

THE STRANGER ON THEIR TURF.

[GROWLING]

IT’S ONLY WHEN THEY’RE UP CLOSE

\hTHAT YOU REALLY APPRECIATE JUST HOW POWERFUL THEY ARE,

AND HOW STRATEGIC.

[PANTING]

\hTHIS PACK HAS BEEN RAISED IN CAPTIVITY,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBUT STILL RETAIN THEIR WILD PREDATORY INSTINCT.

[GROWLING]

IN MY MIND, I’M THINKING,

IF I WERE TO COME FACE-TO-FACE \h\h\h\h\hWITH ONE OF THESE...

MAYBE I COULD DEFEND MYSELF.

\h\hWHEN YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HUNT IN PACKS,

\h\h\h\h\h\hYOU REALIZE THAT YOU WOULDN’T STAND A CHANCE.

AND NEITHER DO THEIR PREY.

\h\h\h\h\h\hWOLF PACKS VARY FROM JUST A FEW INDIVIDUALS

\h\h\hTO MEGA-PACKS OF UP TO 30 STRONG.

[SNARLING]

AND THERE’S A STRICT HIERARCHY.

\h\h\h\hTHE ONLY WAY TO MOVE UP THE RANKS

IS TO FIGHT.

[GROWLING]

\h\h\hAND EVEN THOUGH THIS SEEMS AGGRESSIVE,

THEY EACH UNDERSTAND \h\hWHAT’S GOING ON.

\h\h\h\h\hTHIS IS THEIR WAY OF FIGURING OUT THEIR HIERARCHY.

[SNARLING AND GROWLING]

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN THIS PACK, THE WHITE WOLF IS THE LEADER.

THE ALPHA MALE.

THE GREY-COLORED WOLF,

THE BETA,

IS STARTING TO CHALLENGE HIM.

BUT WHEN THINGS GET NASTY,

SHE ROLLS ONTO HER BACK,

SHOWING HER BELLY,

THE MOST VULNERABLE PART \h\h\h\h\h\hOF HER BODY.

[WHIMPERING]

IT’S A SUBMISSIVE GESTURE

THAT MEANS "YOU ARE IN CHARGE."

[WHIMPERING]

\h\hTHESE COMPLEX INTERACTIONS HELP MAINTAIN SOCIAL BONDS...

BECAUSE WHEN IT COMES \h\h\h\h\hTO THE HUNT,

WOLVES NEED TO OPERATE AS A TIGHT-KNIT GROUP.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTOGETHER, THEY CAN TAKE DOWN PREY

UP TO TEN TIMES THEIR WEIGHT.

[SNORTING]

\h\h\h\h\hA HERD OF BISON IS THE ULTIMATE CHALLENGE.

[GROWLING]

♪

AS SOON AS THE HUNT BEGINS,

EVERY WOLF KNOWS ITS ROLE.

\hTHE FASTER, LIGHTER FEMALES DO MOST OF THE EARLY CHASING,

WEARING DOWN THE HERD.

THE ALPHA PICKS OUT THE TARGET--

A YOUNG CALF.

NOW THEY MUST SEPARATE THEM.

THEY WEAVE IN AND OUT,

CAUSING CONFUSION AND PANIC.

[BLEATING AND SNORTING]

THE ALPHA DOESN’T ALWAYS \h\h\h\h\hMAKE THE KILL.

THE RISK OF INJURY IS TOO HIGH.

BUT HE WILL BE FIRST TO FEED.

\h\h\h\h\hWOLVES CAME UP WITH A WINNING STRATEGY

\h\h\h\h\h\hFOR HUNTING OUT ON THE OPEN PLAINS.

[SNORTING AND SNARLING]

BY THREE MILLION YEARS AGO,

CANINES WERE CHASING DOWN PREY \h\h\h\hACROSS NORTH AMERICA.

\hTHIS WAS JUST THE START OF THEIR GLOBAL CONQUEST.

AROUND THIS TIME,

\h\h\h\h\h\hA FEW PIONEERS VENTURED INTO A NEW WORLD.

SOUTH AMERICA.

THE FIRST TO ARRIVE

\h\h\h\hMADE THEIR HOME ON THE VAST GRASSLANDS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND THEIR UNUSUAL-LOOKING DESCENDANTS

STILL PROWL HERE TODAY.

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE BRAZILIANS CALL THESE HIGH GRASSLANDS

CERRADO.

\h\h\h\h\h\hIT COVERS AN AREA THREE TIMES THE SIZE OF TEXAS,

AND, SURPRISINGLY,

\hHAS A GREATER BIODIVERSITY THAN THE SAVANNAS OF AFRICA.

BUT OF ALL THOSE SPECIES, \h\hI’M HERE TO SEE ONE--

A WILD DOG THAT HAS ADAPTED \h\h\h\h\hTO THIS LANDSCAPE

IN A WAY THAT IS BOTH BRILLIANT AND BIZARRE.

♪

MEET THE MANED WOLF.

♪

THE LANKIEST MEMBER OF THE CANINE FAMILY

AND THE SOUTH AMERICAN \h\h\h\hTANGO CHAMPION

OF THE GRASSLANDS.

♪

WITH LEGS NEARLY A METER LONG,

\h\h\h\h\h\hIT’S EASY TO SEE HOW THEY GET THEIR NICKNAME,

THE FOX ON STILTS.

♪

\h\h\hTO UNDERSTAND WHY THEY’RE SO TALL,

I NEED TO SEE THEM IN ACTION.

\hTHANKS TO SOME INTEL FROM LOCAL SCIENTISTS,

I KNOW THAT I SHOULD BE \h\h\hIN THE RIGHT AREA.

I FINALLY GET A FRONT-ROW SEAT

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO ONE OF THE STRANGEST CREATURES

I’VE EVER SEEN.

♪

THAT IS SO BIZARRE.

HA HA!

OH, WOW, THAT’S ASTONISHING.

♪

AS IT CAME RUNNING PAST,

IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS GALLOPING.

IT LOOKED MORE LIKE A HORSE THAN A DOG.

♪

I CAN UNDERSTAND, \h\hSEEING IT NOW,

WHY IT’S CALLED A FOX ON STILTS.

MANED WOLVES HUNT SMALL MAMMALS,

\h\h\h\h\hLIKE RABBITS AND WILD GUINEA PIGS.

USE THEM TO CHASE DOWN PREY,

BUT THAT DOESN’T WORK OUT HERE.

\h\hTHE LONG GRASS MAKES SEEING PREY

VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE.

SO, THE MANED WOLF LISTENS OUT.

HAVING THOSE LONG LEGS

ARE ACTUALLY ALL THE BETTER \h\h\h\h\hTO HEAR ITS PREY.

IT MEANS THAT ITS STOOD HIGH \h\h\h\hUP ABOVE THE GROUND,

\h\h\hAND IT CAN USE THOSE SATELLITE EARS

TO PICK UP EVERY SINGLE \h\h\h\h\hMINUTE SOUND.

♪

♪

IT’S ABOUT FINDING THE RIGHT MOMENT,

LISTENING TO YOUR PREY...

SNEAKING UP ON THEM,

AND THEN POUNCING.

♪

THE MANED WOLF DOESN’T ALWAYS \hGET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME.

SO, THEY STAMP DOWN THEIR PAWS TO HELP FLUSH OUT THE RODENTS.

♪

\hIT’S AN INTRICATE TANGO BETWEEN PREDATOR AND PREY.

♪

♪

[RODENT SCREECHING]

♪

TODAY, THERE ARE LESS THAN \h\h\h20,000 MANED WOLVES

LEFT IN THE WILD.

THE DISTANT ANCESTORS \h\hOF THE MANED WOLF

\hWERE SOME OF THE FIRST DOGS TO SET FOOT IN SOUTH AMERICA,

AND IT WAS ON THIS CONTINENT

THAT THE DOG FAMILY \h\h\hWOULD THRIVE.

TODAY, ALMOST A THIRD \h\h\h\hOF ALL CANINES

LIVE IN SOUTH AMERICA,

AND THEY INCLUDE

\h\h\h\hSOME OF THE RAREST AND STRANGEST DOGS OF ALL.

AS THE CANINE FAMILY PUSHED ON THROUGH THIS GIANT CONTINENT,

THEY ENCOUNTERED DENSE FORESTS \h\h\h\h\h\hAND GIANT SWAMPS.

TO SUCCEED,

\h\h\h\h\hTHEY WOULD HAVE TO USE EVERY TRICK IN THE JUNGLE BOOK.

[BIRD CALLING]

TODAY, IN THE WETLANDS \h\h\h\hOF THE AMAZON,

\h\h\h\hONE BIZARRE-LOOKING DOG HAS EVOLVED A DASTARDLY TACTIC.

WITH THE MUZZLE OF A BEAR...

THE WEBBED FEET OF AN OTTER...

AND A STRANGE SHAGGY TAIL...

\h\h\hIT’S EASY TO THINK THIS ISN’T A DOG AT ALL.

\hBUT THIS UNUSUAL CANINE IS A JUNGLE SPECIALIST...

CALLED...

THE BUSH DOG.

ALTHOUGH, THEY CAN LOOK \hMORE LIKE A WEREWOLF.

[HOWLING]

[SNARL]

BUSH DOGS LIVE IN GNARLY GANGS \h\h\h\h\hOF UP TO 12 MEMBERS.

AND THEY KEEP IN TOUCH \h\h\hWITH EACH OTHER

WITH SQUEAKS AND YELPS.

[YELPING]

\h\h\hBUT IT’S THE WAY THEY CATCH THEIR PREY

THAT’S REALLY UNIQUE...

\h\hBECAUSE BUSH DOGS CAN HUNT IN THE WATER.

♪

\h\h\h\h\hTHEY’RE AFTER ELUSIVE JUNGLE RODENTS,

LIKE AGOUTIS...

AND CAPYBARA.

THEY CHASE THEM INTO DEEP POOLS.

HAVING WEBBED FEET

\h\hMEANS BUSH DOGS ARE STRONG SWIMMERS.

BUT THEY CAN ALSO DIVE UNDERWATER...

\h\h\h\hSTAYING SUBMERGED FOR MORE THAN 30 SECONDS.

\h\hWITH THEIR PREY OUT OF THEIR DEPTH,

THE BUSH DOGS FINISH THEM OFF.

ONCE A BUSH DOG MAKES A KILL,

\hTHE GANG GET TOGETHER TO SHARE IN THE SPOILS.

[SQUEAKING]

AFTER A HUNT,

THERE’S NOTHING THEY LIKE MORE \h\h\h\hTHAN A GOOD OLD SHAKE.

♪

THEY CAN SHED 70% OF THE WATER \h\h\h\hIN JUST A FEW SECONDS.

♪

BY CHASING PREY INTO DEEP WATER,

\hTHESE DIVING DOGS OVERCAME THE SWAMPS OF SOUTH AMERICA.

♪

[BARK]

ON OUR CANINE FAMILY TREE,

THE SOUTH AMERICAN DOGS \h\h\h\h\hARE SO UNIQUE,

THEY HAVE THEIR OWN BRANCH.

♪

BUT THERE’S ONE MYSTERIOUS DOG \h\hTHAT’S SO HARD TO FIND...

ITS PLACE ON THE FAMILY TREE

APPEARS TO BE COMPLETELY EMPTY.

[HELICOPTER]

♪

I’M ON A MISSION TO TRACK DOWN ONE OF THE RAREST DOGS OF ALL.

I’M IN BRAZIL,

HOME TO THE LARGEST RAINFOREST \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hON THE PLANET.

OVER HALF THE COUNTRY IS COVERED IN THICK, IMPENETRABLE JUNGLE.

IT’S A WILD AND MYSTERIOUS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hLANDSCAPE,

AND IT’S THE PERFECT \h\h\h\hHIDING PLACE

\hFOR ONE OF THE MOST ELUSIVE DOGS ON EARTH.

THE SOUTH AMERICAN JUNGLES

ARE HOME TO MORE THAN 10%

\h\h\h\hOF THE WORLD’S ANIMAL AND PLANT LIFE.

♪

AND OVER THE LAST HUNDRED YEARS,

\hTHERE HAVE BEEN SPURIOUS SIGHTINGS

OF A STRANGE LITTLE JUNGLE DOG.

THIS DOG IS SO MYSTERIOUS

THAT ITS SCIENTIFIC RECORDS

\h\h\h\h\h\hREAD MORE LIKE A MISSING PERSON’S REPORT.

FIRST DOCUMENTED IN 1883,

AND A CENTURY LATER,

WE STILL KNEW VIRTUALLY NOTHING ABOUT THIS CREATURE.

\hTHIS DOG HAS BEEN HEARD MORE THAN IT’S BEEN SEEN.

THEIR HIGH-PITCHED CALLS TRAVEL FAR THROUGH THE UNDERSTORY.

[WARBLING]

USING REMOTE CAMERAS,

SCIENTISTS HAVE SPENT \h\hMORE THAN A DECADE

\hTRYING TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THESE ELUSIVE DOGS.

I’VE BEEN GIVEN RARE ACCESS \hTO SOME OF THE ONLY IMAGES

OF THIS SECRETIVE \hLITTLE PREDATOR.

THE SHORT-EARED DOG.

THAT’S BRILLIANT.

SO, ON THE FIRST FRAME,

WE’VE GOT A SHORT-EARED DOG...

STARING US RIGHT IN THE FACE.

YOU CAN TELL BY THOSE TINY EARS

AND THAT LONG, LONG MUZZLE.

IT’S RUMMAGING AROUND,

\h\h\hDOING EXACTLY WHAT DOGS DO BEST--

\h\hUSING ITS NOSE, ITS SENSE OF SMELL.

THEY EXIST IN NO ZOOS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.

\h\h\hSO, EVERY FRAME REVEALS SOMETHING NEW.

AH, LOOK AT THIS.

HA!

RECENTLY, SCIENTISTS DISCOVERED THIS DOG HAS AN UNEXPECTED DIET.

\h\h\h\h\hWELL, IT’S CLEARLY INTERESTED IN THIS CARCASS,

BUT AS WELL AS EATING MEAT,

\h\h\h\h\h\hSHORT-EARED DOGS ARE ALSO KNOWN TO EAT FRUIT.

SO, NOT ONLY IS IT A CARNIVORE,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBUT IT ACTS AS AN IMPORTANT SEED DISPERSER

\h\hFOR THE FOREST IN WHICH IT LIVES.

THIS DOG IS A TRUE OPPORTUNIST.

WHAT A STRANGE DOG.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME,

\h\hIT CLEARLY HAS CARVED OUT THE PERFECT NICHE FOR ITSELF.

♪

THE SHORT-EARED DOG

\hSHOWS JUST HOW VERSATILE THE CANINE FAMILY CAN BE.

♪

\h\hOVER THE COURSE OF 30 MILLION YEARS,

\h\h\hTHEY’VE ADAPTED TO EVERY LANDSCAPE ACROSS THE AMERICAS.

♪

FROM FURRY POLAR SPECIALISTS...

TO THE TALLEST DOGS \h\hIN THE WORLD...

\h\h\h\h\hFROM GNARLY AMAZONIAN BRUISERS...

TO THE MOST MAJESTIC WOLF PACKS.

FOR ALL DOGS, WOLVES, AND FOXES,

THEIR EVOLUTIONARY JOURNEY \h\h\h\h\h\h\hBEGAN HERE.

THE DOG FAMILY

FIRST CUT THEIR TEETH HERE IN NORTH AMERICA.

OVER MILLIONS OF YEARS,

\h\h\h\hTHEY ADAPTED TO THE SWELTERING JUNGLES,

THE DEEP SNOWS,

AND EVEN THE RUGGED MOUNTAINS.

\h\h\h\hBUT THE DOG’S JOURNEY WAS ABOUT TO GO EVEN FURTHER.

SIX MILLION YEARS AGO,

EARLY CANINES VENTURED \hBEYOND THE AMERICAS

INTO ASIA AND AFRICA.

HERE THEY WOULD DEVELOP \h\h\h\h\h\hSUPER SENSES

TO FIND FOOD IN THE DESERT...

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hACROBATICS TO HUNT IN THE SNOWS...

AND ONE DOG WOULD TEAM UP

TO FORM THE BIGGEST PACKS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hON EARTH.

♪