Original subtitles

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: THE MIGHTY MISSISSIPPI RIVER

CARVES THROUGH OUR LAND

AND WEAVES THROUGH OUR HISTORY.

\hIT’S A JUGGERNAUT THAT SUPPORTS AND CHALLENGES

BOTH MAN AND BEAST.

♪

\h\h\hMINNESOTA MARKS THE HEAD OF THE RIVER,

\hBUT FROM THERE, DOWN TO ST. LOUIS,

IS THE MISSISSIPPI’S HEART.

[BIRD SCREECHES]

♪

IT BEATS TO A COUNTRY RHYTHM

AND HARBORS HIDDEN WONDERS.

♪

GET YOUR BLUE JEANS ON.

THIS IS A RIDE

DOWN THE WILD SIDE...

[GOBBLING]

[MEOW]

OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

THE MISSISSIPPI’S STORY BEGINS WITH A STREAM...

BABBLING OUT OF LAKE ITASCA \h\hWITH ELEGANCE AND GRACE.

♪

AS IT FLOWS, IT GROWS.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hEVENTUALLY IT LEAVES THE MAJESTIC NORTH

AND ENTERS MIDDLE AMERICA--

THE HEART OF THE COUNTRY.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h674 MILES FROM WHERE IT STARTS,

THE RIVER BIDS FAREWELL \h\h\h\h\h\hTO MINNESOTA

AND BECOMES A RIVER OF ISLANDS.

♪

GEOLOGISTS CALL THIS THE DRIFTLESS AREA.

IT’S THE ONLY PORTION \h\hOF THE MISSISSIPPI

THAT CUTS THROUGH \hA HILLY PLATEAU,

AN ISOLATED SECTION OF THE UPPER MIDWEST

THAT ESCAPED BEING FLATTENED \h\h\h\hBY ICE-AGE GLACIERS.

\h\hSMALL TOWNS NESTLE AMONG THE STEEP BANKS,

WHILE THE UNINHABITED ISLANDS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hHARBOR WILDLIFE.

♪

EACH SHAPE-SHIFTING ISLE

\h\h\h\h\hIS AN OASIS FOR AQUATIC CREATURES.

♪

AT LEAST UNTIL WINTER.

♪

\hTEMPERATURES IN DECEMBER DROP WELL BELOW FREEZING.

♪

THE DRIFTLESS AREA ICES OVER.

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE ISLANDS ARE NO LONGER ISOLATED.

♪

NOW PREDATORS, LIKE THIS COYOTE,

CAN WALK ON WATER...

AND LISTEN FOR ANIMALS HIDING \h\h\h\h\h\hBENEATH THE SNOW.

NO LUCK.

AND NOW OTHER PREY, LIKE THIS SQUIRREL,

KNOW HE’S HERE.

♪

SMALL PATCHES OF OPEN WATER

ARE PRECIOUS ESCAPE ROUTES \h\h\h\hFOR THE PANICKED.

♪

♪

BUT BEWARE.

THERE’S ALSO DANGER BELOW.

♪

[SPLASH]

\h\hTHIS YOUNG MALE AMERICAN RIVER OTTER

\h\hMUST EAT HIS BODY WEIGHT EACH WEEK JUST TO STAY WARM.

♪

♪

HE’LL EAT A SQUIRREL IF HE CAN.

♪

BUT THERE’S EASIER FOOD TO CATCH BENEATH THE MISSISSIPPI’S ICE.

♪

\h\h\h\h\hHE CAN CLOSE HIS EARS AND NOSTRILS

\h\hAND HOLD HIS BREATH FOR UP TO EIGHT MINUTES.

[BIRD CALLS]

\h\h\h\hOTTERS WILL SWIM MORE THAN 20 MILES A DAY

IN SEARCH OF FOOD.

[SQUEAK]

THIS YOUNG MALE OTTER \h\hFINDS HIS WAY HOME

TO A FAMILIAR FACE--

HIS MATE.

♪

THEY HAPPILY SPLASH IN AND OUT \hOF THE FREEZING MISSISSIPPI.

\hOIL IN THEIR COATS PROVIDES INSULATION

\h\h\h\h\hAND MAINTAINS THEIR CORE TEMPERATURE.

♪

\h\h\h\h\hTHE DURABILITY OF THE WATERPROOF PELTS

HAS ATTRACTED EUROPEAN TRAPPERS SINCE THE 1700s.

\h\h\h\h\hTHEIR COATS ARE THE GOLD STANDARD

FOR THE FUR TRADE’S \h\h\hRATING SYSTEM.

\h\h\hTRAPPERS NEARLY WIPED OUT RIVER OTTERS TWO CENTURIES AGO.

[SNIFFING]

NOW, THE AQUATIC WEASELS \hARE MAKING A COMEBACK.

♪

THE FEMALE IS PREGNANT.

♪

\h\h\h\hBUT HER BODY IS TUNED TO WAIT UNTIL THE RIGHT TIME.

SHE SUSPENDS THE DEVELOPMENT \h\hOF HER TWO UNBORN YOUNG

UNTIL THE SPRING...

\h\h\hWHEN THE MISSISSIPPI WILL ONCE AGAIN FLOW FREE.

♪

THE RIVER IS 2,300 MILES LONG.

♪

EVERY YEAR IT FREEZES OVER \h\h\h\h\hFROM LAKE ITASCA

TO SOMEWHERE AROUND \hGUTTENBERG, IOWA--

ALMOST A THIRD ITS LENGTH.

THAT INCLUDES MOST OF THE RAISED PLATEAU AND ISLANDS

OF THE DRIFTLESS AREA.

BUT THIS YEAR, A SEVERE WINTER \h\hPUSHES EVEN FARTHER SOUTH.

♪

NEAR DUBUQUE, IOWA,

THE ISLANDS BEGIN TO THIN OUT,

BUT THE BANKS ARE STILL STEEP,

AND THE RIVER REMAINS COVERED \h\h\hIN A THIN SHEET OF ICE.

♪

[TRAIN HORN BLOWS]

IT’S THE SCENIC ROUTE,

\h\h\h\h\hTHROUGH AREAS OF CHANGING TOPOGRAPHY.

SOON FORESTS INTERSPERSE \h\h\h\hWITH CLEARINGS,

\h\hWHICH IS JUST HOW SOME ANIMALS LIKE IT.

\h\h\h\hRED-TAILED HAWKS HUNT IN THE OPEN AREAS.

[SCREECHING]

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHIS JUVENILE WEATHERS HER FIRST WINTER

NEAR CLINTON, IOWA.

\h\h\hSHE STILL WEARS HER YOUTHFUL FEATHERS

AND WON’T GROW HER ADULT PLUMAGE UNTIL SHE MOLTS IN THE SPRING.

♪

HER VISION IS AMONG THE BEST \h\h\hIN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.

EACH EYEBALL IS BIGGER \hTHAN HER OWN BRAIN.

HER SIGHT IS ACUTE ENOUGH TO SPOT A TINY DEER MOUSE

FROM 100 YARDS AWAY.

♪

[SQUEAKING]

♪

THE MOUSE DOESN’T HIBERNATE.

HE MUST LEAVE HIS BURROW

TO COLLECT THE SEEDS, \h\h\hGRASS, AND ROOTS

HE NEEDS TO SURVIVE THE COLD.

♪

COLORED OILS IN THE HAWK’S EYES INCREASE CONTRAST

AND MAKE HER PREY STAND OUT \h\hAGAINST ITS BACKGROUND.

♪

SHE LOCKS ON.

IT’S SHOW TIME.

♪

[SHRIEKS]

♪

IT’S THIS RED-TAILED HAWK’S

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFIRST WINTER ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

SHE MUST LEARN FAST.

♪

TO SURVIVE THE COLD,

SHE MUST MAKE A KILL LIKE THIS EVERY DAY.

♪

SPRING ON THE MISSISSIPPI \h\h\h\h\h\h\hDRAWS NEAR,

\h\h\h\hBUT THE CHANGE IN SEASON BRINGS A NEW SET OF CHALLENGES.

♪

[SHRIEK]

♪

\h\h\hWINTER LOOSENS ITS GRIP UP NEAR FERRYVILLE, WISCONSIN.

♪

\h\h\h\hTHE MISSISSIPPI AND ITS MANY TRIBUTARIES

BEGIN TO THAW AND FLOW.

\hHUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF SNOWMELT

BEGIN THE JOURNEY SOUTH--

A MOSAIC OF ICE.

♪

NEAR PRAIRIE DU CHIEN,

THE RIVER PICKS UP MOMENTUM \h\h\h\h\hWITH ADDED WEIGHT.

THE WISCONSIN RIVER

FUNNELS WATER FROM MORE THAN \h\h\h\h12,000 SQUARE MILES

INTO THE MISSISSIPPI.

[GEESE HONKING]

♪

FLOODS HERE ARE A PART OF LIFE.

♪

IN 1829, A YOUNG ARMY COLONEL

REBUILT A FLOODED FORT HERE \h\h\h\h\h\hON HIGHER GROUND

AND STOPPED IT FROM DROWNING \h\h\h\h\h\h\hA FOURTH TIME.

THAT MAN TOOK HIS INGENUITY \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO WASHINGTON

\h\hAND WENT ON TO BECOME AMERICA’S 12th PRESIDENT,

ZACHARY TAYLOR.

♪

WHEN THE SNOW MELTS,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAS MANY AS TWO MILLION GALLONS OF WATER

PASS THROUGH PRAIRIE DU CHIEN \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hEVERY SECOND.

THE RISING WATER STIRS UP FOREST INSECTS AND WORMS.

TIME FOR THE CLEAN-UP CREW.

♪

UNLIKE THEIR DOMESTIC COUSINS

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT GRACE OUR THANKSGIVING TABLES,

WILD TURKEYS CAN FLY.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBUT RIGHT NOW, ALL THEY NEED IS ON THE GROUND.

THE BIRDS FATTEN UP FAST

\h\hON WORMS, SLUGS, AND GRASSHOPPERS...

[TURKEY CALLING]

WITH SEEDS AND BERRIES \h\h\h\h\hFOR DESSERT.

♪

THIS MALE, OR TOM,

PUSHES 25 POUNDS

AND MAY ULTIMATELY GROW \h\h\h\h\h\hTO OVER 30.

THAT BULK MAKES THIS COWBOY \h\hSTAND OUT TO THE GIRLS.

[GOBBLING]

BUT SIZE IS NOT ALL THAT COUNTS.

[GOBBLING]

\h\hEQUALLY IMPORTANT IN ATTRACTING A FEMALE

IS STYLE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hHE WEARS 6,010 COLORFUL FEATHERS,

A BEARD UNDER HIS BEAK,

AND ON TOP,

A 9-INCH-LONG MUSTACHE \h\h\hCALLED A SNOOD.

IMPRESSIVE,

BUT STILL NOT ENOUGH.

♪

THIS IS A FICKLE FEMALE.

♪

[GOBBLING]

HE PUFFS UP...

♪

AND SHAKES A TAIL FEATHER.

[GOBBLING]

THIS TWO-STEP SHIMMY \hIS CALLED A STRUT.

♪

FINALLY HE EARNS HER ATTENTION.

[GOBBLING]

BUT THERE ARE OTHER TOMS \h\h\h\h\hIN THE TROOP.

[GOBBLING]

ONE IS A CHALLENGER.

♪

THEY SIZE EACH OTHER UP.

[GOBBLING IN THE DISTANCE]

♪

\h\hWHEN IT’S UNCLEAR WHO’S THE BETTER MATE,

THE TURKEYS TURN VIOLENT.

♪

[GOBBLING]

\h\hA STRUGGLE FOR DOMINANCE LIKE THIS CAN LAST FOR DAYS.

♪

[GOBBLING]

FIGHTS CAN END IN DEATH.

♪

\h\h\h\hVICTORY GOES TO THE REIGNING TOM.

HE’S QUICK TO SECURE HIS PRIZE.

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

HENS ONLY NEED TO MATE \h\h\hONCE PER SEASON.

\h\h\h\h\h\hBUT THE TOM NOW HAS THE OPPORTUNITY

TO SOW PLENTY OF OATS.

HE NOT ONLY IMPRESSED \h\h\h\h\hTHIS FEMALE;

HE WON OVER HER ENTIRE HAREM.

♪

\hEACH HEN WILL LAY AROUND ELEVEN EGGS.

\h\hAND TWO MONTHS LATER, THEIR CLUTCHES WILL HATCH.

WITH SO MANY HENS IN THE ROOST,

IT WILL SOON BE A FULL HOUSE.

THAT’S WHEN SOME MOTHERS \hWILL TAKE THEIR YOUNG

AND MOVE OUT TO FORM \hTHEIR OWN FLOCKS.

♪

THE MISSISSIPPI’S JOURNEY \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hCONTINUES.

♪

FOR NEARLY 100 MILES,

\hTHE RIVER RUNS AS THE BORDER BETWEEN IOWA ON ITS WEST BANK

AND WISCONSIN, THEN ILLINOIS, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hON ITS EAST.

♪

IT IS DEEP AND WIDE,

NOW A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE

THAT HAS LONG CONNECTED \h\h\h\hNORTH TO SOUTH.

♪

IN ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS,

THE CITY’S NAMESAKE

HOUSES THE GOVERNMENT’S LARGEST WEAPONS FACTORY.

♪

IN 1856,

THE ROCK ISLAND BRIDGE OPENED

AS THE FIRST RAILROAD BRIDGE \h\hACROSS THE MISSISSIPPI,

CONNECTING EAST TO WEST.

\h\hTHE INITIAL BRIDGE ONLY STOOD FOR 15 DAYS

\h\hBEFORE THE FASTEST STEAMBOAT ON THE RIVER

ACCIDENTALLY PLOWED \h\h\hRIGHT INTO IT.

THE VERY PUBLIC COURT BATTLE \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT FOLLOWED

INTRODUCED A NEW LAWYER \h\h\h\h\hTO THE WORLD--

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE RIVER \h\h\hWAS FAST AND FURIOUS,

BUT THERE ARE STILL WILD SPACES ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI’S BANKS.

♪

NEAR SAVANNA, ILLINOIS,

\h\h\h\hA BOBCAT SEARCHES ALONG THE RIVER FOR A DEN.

\h\hSHE’S PREGNANT AND WILL GIVE BIRTH IN ABOUT A WEEK.

SOON SHE’LL BE BOUND TO HER DEN.

\h\hALL HER ENERGY WILL GO TO PRODUCING MILK FOR HER YOUNG.

SHE MUST HUNT WHILE SHE CAN.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHIS SQUIRREL POSES A UNIQUE CHALLENGE.

♪

♪

\h\h\h\h\hTHE BOBCAT IS AN ACCOMPLISHED CLIMBER.

♪

\h\h\h\h\hBUT THIS IS NO ORDINARY SQUIRREL.

♪

WITH THE RIGHT WIND,

THE SKIN FLAPS BETWEEN THIS \h\hFLYING SQUIRREL’S LIMBS

CAN CARRY HER 150 FEET.

♪

SHE’S SAFE FOR NOW.

♪

THE BOBCAT WILL HAVE \hTO TRY ELSEWHERE.

♪

\h\h\h\hTHE SQUIRREL WAITS OUT THE DANGER

INSIDE A TREE CAVITY.

♪

\h\hSHE HAS THREE YOUNG DEPENDENT ON HER RETURN.

[CHIRPING]

THEY’RE EIGHT WEEKS OLD,

WITH ANOTHER EIGHT TO GO BEFORE THEY LEAVE THE NEST

\h\h\h\h\h\hAND START TO GLIDE THROUGH THE FOREST THEMSELVES.

[CHIRPING]

♪

OUTSIDE THE NEST,

OTHER ANIMAL FAMILIES \hALSO EMBRACE SPRING.

\h\h\h\hWOOD DUCKS THAT PARTNERED UP IN JANUARY

NOW PREPARE TO START A FAMILY.

♪

THEY NEED A TREE CAVITY \h\h\h\h\hOF THEIR OWN.

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

THIS ONE WILL DO NICELY.

A HOLE HIGH ABOVE THE WATER

WILL PROVIDE RELATIVE SAFETY \h\h\h\h\hFROM PREDATORS...

\hAND EASY ACCESS TO THE MISSISSIPPI

WHEN THE CHICKS ARE READY \h\hTO TAKE TO THE WATER.

THE FEMALE LAYS 14 EGGS.

FOR THE NEXT MONTH,

\h\h\h\h\h\hIT’LL BE HER JOB TO KEEP THEM WARM AND SAFE.

♪

THE PREGNANT BOBCAT

HAS ALSO FOUND A HOME \h\h\h\hNEAR THE RIVER

FOR HER FUTURE FAMILY.

♪

BOBCATS OFTEN HAVE SEVERAL DENS IN THEIR TERRITORY,

FROM HOLLOW TREES TO BEAVER LODGES.

THE MOST PRIZED SIT UNDERGROUND IN ROCKY CREVICES.

♪

JUST A WEEK LATER...

THREE KITTENS.

♪

[MEWING]

\h\h\h\h\hIT’LL BE TEN DAYS BEFORE THEY OPEN THEIR EYES,

BUT MOM’S MILK IS EASY TO FIND.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHEY WILL GAIN ALMOST HALF AN OUNCE A DAY,

\hWHILE MOM FASTS TO STAY WITH THEM.

[MEWING]

\h\h\h\h\hNO SUCH COMFORT FOR THE FUTURE WOOD DUCKS.

THEIR MOTHER MUST VENTURE OUT \h\h\h\h\hEVERY DAY TO EAT...

LEAVING THE UNBORN YOUNG \h\h\h\h\h\h\hVULNERABLE

FOR 30 MINUTES AT A TIME.

♪

BEING NESTLED IN A TREE...

DOESN’T MEAN THEY ARE SAFE.

♪

\h\hALONG THE BANKS OF THE MISSISSIPPI,

A BLACK RAT SNAKE IS HUNGRY \h\h\hAFTER A HARSH WINTER,

AND DESPERATE FOR CALORIES.

♪

RIDGED, OR KEELED, SCALES \h\h\h\h\h\hGRIP THE BARK

AND GIVE HIM THE TRACTION \hHE NEEDS TO PUSH UPWARD.

♪

\h\h\h\hWITH NO MOTHER TO FEND OFF THE SNAKE,

IT’S AN OPEN BUFFET.

♪

♪

HIS JAWS UNHINGE.

♪

\hHE CAN SWALLOW FOOD LARGER THAN HIS HEAD.

130 CALORIES DOWN THE HATCH.

♪

IT’S A HEARTY COUNTRY BREAKFAST.

ONE EGG...

[CRACK]

SCRAMBLED.

THIS MEAL WILL KEEP HIM GOING \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFOR A WEEK,

BUT HE’LL BE BACK FOR MORE.

THE REMAINING 13 EGGS

ARE IN A DEVELOPMENTAL RACE \h\h\h\h\h\h\hAGAINST TIME.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBY LATE JUNE, 30 DAYS AFTER THEY WERE LAID,

A DOZEN SURVIVING WOOD DUCKS \h\h\h\hARE READY TO HATCH.

♪

[PEEPING]

♪

ALL THE CHICKS ARE BORN ALERT.

AND WITH A FULL COAT OF DOWN.

[PEEPING]

♪

THEY CAN’T FLY YET...

[PEEPING]

\h\hBUT THEY CAN’T STAY CRAMPED UP HERE EITHER.

AFTER ONLY ONE DAY,

MOM CALLS FOR THEM TO BOLDLY GO

WHERE THEY’VE NEVER \h\h\hGONE BEFORE--

TO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

[QUACKING]

♪

EVEN AT THIS YOUNG AGE, \h\h\h\hTHEY UNDERSTAND

\h\h\hIT’S TIME TO JUMP INTO A BRAVE NEW WORLD.

[QUACKING]

♪

IT’S A 30-FOOT LEAP OF FAITH.

♪

♪

\hTHE FIRST BRAVE SOUL PREPARES FOR LIFTOFF.

♪

[PEEPING]

♪

♪

♪

♪

[SPLASH]

♪

ONE DOWN.

♪

AND ITS BROTHERS AND SISTERS \h\h\h\h\hWAIT IN THE WINGS.

♪

[SPLASH]

♪

\h\hTYPICALLY, ALL THE CHICKS WILL JUMP JUST MINUTES APART.

♪

♪

\h\hBUT EVERY NOW AND THEN, THERE’S A FAILURE TO LAUNCH.

♪

[QUACKING]

♪

HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM.

♪

[SPLASH]

THE EAGLE HAS LANDED.

♪

[CHIRPING]

[QUACKING]

AFTER THE HARROWING DEPARTURE,

THEY FACE AN ENTIRELY NEW WORLD OF DANGERS.

ONLY ABOUT HALF THE DUCKLINGS \h\hWILL MAKE IT TO ADULTHOOD.

[QUACKING]

♪

\h\hWITH THE ARRIVAL OF SO MANY NEW LIVES ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI,

SPRING IS A GOOD TIME \h\h\h\hFOR PREDATORS.

♪

\h\hWITH HER KITTENS NOW FOUR WEEKS OLD,

\hTHE MOTHER BOBCAT RETURNS TO THE HUNT.

[GROWLING]

THEY WON’T BE WEANED \hFOR ANOTHER MONTH,

\hBUT THEY’RE READY TO EXPLORE A LITTLE.

[GROWLING]

♪

WHILE MOM’S OUT DOING THE WORK,

\hTHEY GET THEIR FIRST GLIMPSE OF LIFE ALONG THE RIVER BANK.

♪

[SNARL]

THIS YOUTHFUL EXPLORING \h\h\h\h\h\hWITHOUT MOM

\h\h\h\hIS A BIG STEP TOWARDS INDEPENDENCE.

♪

[SNARL]

IN FOUR MORE MONTHS, THEY’LL HAVE TO HUNT FOR THEMSELVES.

[SNARL]

♪

[SNARL]

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE MISSISSIPPI WILL BECOME THEIR CAREGIVER.

THEY’LL DRINK MISSISSIPPI WATER

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND PATROL THE RIVER’S BANKS FOR FOOD.

♪

IT WILL BE HOT WORK.

♪

IT’S NOW LATE SUMMER.

AS THE RIVER FLOWS SOUTH \h\h\h\h\hINTO MISSOURI,

TEMPERATURES SOAR.

♪

A WELCOME TREAT FOR SOME WELL-HIDDEN SLOW MOVERS.

LOOK CAREFULLY.

♪

THIS IS A SOFTSHELL TURTLE.

♪

THE MISSISSIPPI CLOAKS IT WELL.

♪

ITS DELICATE ARMOR IS MORE LIKE THICK SKIN THAN BONE.

THAT MAKES IT VULNERABLE \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO ATTACK,

BUT ALSO LIGHTER

AND MORE FLEXIBLE.

IT BUYS THIS TURTLE \h\hAN ADVANTAGE...

SPEED.

♪

IT CAN REACH 15 MILES AN HOUR.

♪

BUT IT’S STILL A TURTLE.

♪

IN THE WATER, HE CAN USE HIS NOSE LIKE A SNORKEL

TO BREATHE FOR DAYS AT A TIME.

IF NECESSARY, HE CAN STAY \h\h\hCOMPLETELY SUBMERGED

FOR UP TO FIVE HOURS

\h\h\h\h\h\hBY ABSORBING THE OXYGEN IN THE WATER

THROUGH HIS SKIN.

JUVENILES LIKE THIS NEED MAXIMUM PROTEIN

AND ARE ENTIRELY CARNIVOROUS.

BY HOLDING STILL,

HE HOPES TO AMBUSH \hA PASSING FISH.

LITTLE DOES HE KNOW

THAT JUST DOWNSTREAM IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS,

\hCATCHING DINNER IS LIKE SHOOTING FISH IN A BARREL.

THESE ARE ASIAN CARP.

\hFISH FARMERS IMPORTED CARP IN THE ’70s TO CLEAN PONDS,

AND THEY ESCAPED.

♪

\h\hTHEY HAVE SINCE SPREAD TO 31 STATES,

OUTCOMPETING NATIVE SPECIES \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFOR HABITAT.

♪

THE TINY TOWN OF BATH, ILLINOIS,

\h\h\h\hSITS ON A TRIBUTARY THAT FEEDS THE MISSISSIPPI.

\h\hHERE, FISHERMEN PREPARE FOR BATTLE--

A FIST-TO-FIN FIGHT \hFOR THE WATERSHED.

[POP]

♪

\h\hIT’S CALLED THE ORIGINAL REDNECK FISHING TOURNAMENT.

FOR TWO DAYS EVERY YEAR,

HUNDREDS GATHER TO FACE OFF AGAINST INVASIVE ASIAN CARP.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIT’S NOT YOUR TYPICAL TOURNAMENT.

[YELLING]

♪

\h\h\h\h\hALL IT TAKES IS A GOOD STURDY NET,

A GOOD OL’ SENSE OF FUN,

AND PLENTY OF HORSEPOWER.

♪

[ENGINES RUMBLING]

THE SOUND OF RUMBLING ENGINES

TRIGGERS A DEFENSE MECHANISM IN THE CARP’S TINY BRAIN...

♪

RESULTING IN THIS.

♪

RESIDENTS OF BATH, ILLINOIS,

\hLEAD THE ASSAULT AGAINST ASIAN CARP

INVADING THE MISSISSIPPI \h\h\h\h\h\h\hWATERSHED.

\hTHE FISH HURL THEMSELVES EN MASSE OUT OF THE WATER,

\hAWAY FROM THE SOUND OF APPROACHING BOATS.

♪

HEADS UP, FOLKS!

♪

BLACK EYES, BROKEN BONES,

COMPLETE KNOCK-OUTS.

ALL STANDARD EVENT HAZARDS.

♪

\h\h\h\h\hTAKING PART IS A RITE OF PASSAGE.

♪

[HOLLERING]

♪

THEY’LL CATCH MORE THAN 2,000 \h\h\hASIAN CARP THIS WEEKEND.

BUT THERE’LL BE NO FISH FRY.

THEY’RE ONLY CONSIDERED GOOD \hAS FERTILIZER OR CAT FOOD.

Man: THAT’S EIGHT.

Woman: HEY, WILL YOU SELL \hTWO OF YOUR BUSCH LIGHTS

FOR 5 BUCKS?

♪

[HORN TOOTS]

♪

\hNarrator: THE PEOPLE OF BATH DO THE MISSISSIPPI A SERVICE.

\h\h\hBUT THIS IS JUST A DROP IN THE BUCKET.

IN SOME PLACES, THE INVADERS DOUBLE IN NUMBER EVERY YEAR.

THIS WILL BE A LONG WAR.

♪

\h\h\h\hAMERICANS HAVE A SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP

WITH THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

IT MOVES US.

IT FEEDS US.

AND IT HELPS DEFINE \h\h\hOUR HERITAGE.

♪

NOWHERE IS THIS MORE EVIDENT \h\hTHAN HANNIBAL, MISSOURI,

THE BIRTHPLACE OF MARK TWAIN.

THE RIVER WAS HIS MUSE--

THE SETTING FOR HIS ADVENTURES \hOF HUCK FINN AND TOM SAWYER.

AS AN AUTHOR, HE HELPED SHAPE \h\hTHE MISSISSIPPI’S LEGACY.

\h"IT WILL ALWAYS HAVE ITS OWN WAY," HE SAID.

\h\h"NO ENGINEERING SKILLS CAN PERSUADE IT TO DO OTHERWISE."

[STEAM WHISTLE BLOWS]

\h\h\hTWAIN WAS ALSO A STEAMBOAT CAPTAIN.

\hHE HELPED FERRY GOODS TO PORTS FARTHER SOUTH.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hEVEN TODAY, 60% OF THE NATION’S GRAIN EXPORTS

TRAVEL DOWN THE RIVER.

♪

[HORN BLOWS]

\hAND NO YEAR IS COMPLETE WITHOUT THE FALL HARVEST.

♪

FARMERS SOUTH OF HANNIBAL \h\h\hBRING IN THEIR CROPS

AND SEND FIELD MICE \hAND OTHER RODENTS

SCURRYING TO THE RIVER BANKS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFOR COVER.

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

EVEN THERE, PREDATORS AWAIT.

♪

\h\h\h\hANIMALS MUST FATTEN UP FOR WINTER

WHILE THERE’S STILL FOOD \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO BE HAD.

BUT TIME SPENT FORAGING LEAVES THEM VULNERABLE.

NO RODENT IS SAFE,

NEITHER DAY...

NOR NIGHT.

♪

♪

\h\hA DEER MOUSE USES THE COVER OF DARKNESS

TO SEARCH FOR SNAILS \h\h\hAND EARTHWORMS

\h\hALONG THE BANKS OF THE MISSISSIPPI.

[SQUEAKING]

IT USES ITS ACUTE SENSE OF SMELL

TO PINPOINT FOOD IN THE DAMP SOIL

AND STOCK UP FOR WINTER.

\h\h\hA SILENT ASSASSIN WATCHES ITS EVERY MOVE.

A GREAT HORNED OWL.

THIS LETHAL AERIAL HUNTER

HAS THE MOST DIVERSE DIET \h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF ANY OWL.

HE IS ABLE TO KILL OTHER RAPTORS

AND WILL EVEN TAKE OUT \h\h\h\h\hA PORCUPINE.

\h\hCAMOUFLAGE FEATHERS MAKE HIM VIRTUALLY INVISIBLE FROM BELOW.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hHIS FACIAL DISK FUNNELS SOUND RIGHT TO HIS EARS.

[BOOM]

HE CAN HEAR A MOUSE \hFROM 75 FEET AWAY.

♪

HIS EYES ARE BUILT FOR NIGHT VISION--

\h\h\hSO LARGE, THEY CAN’T MOVE BACK AND FORTH LIKE HUMAN EYES.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hINSTEAD, HE SILENTLY TURNS HIS HEAD

UP TO 270 DEGREES.

♪

♪

PATIENCE PAYS OFF.

HE CAN REACH 40 MILES PER HOUR,

BUT HE DOESN’T RELY ON SPEED.

♪

\h\h\h\hHE’S THE MASTER OF THE SURPRISE ATTACK.

HIS FLIGHT IS SILENT.

♪

♪

\h\h\h\h\hBY THE TIME THE MOUSE SEES HIM...

♪

IT’S ALREADY TOO LATE.

HE CAN KILL HALF A DOZEN RODENTS IN A SINGLE NIGHT.

♪

GREAT HORNED OWLS

\hPATROL THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER,

\h\h\hHUNTING RODENTS ALONG ITS HEADWATERS,

ITS HEARTLAND, AND THE BAYOU.

♪

\hTHE RIVER LEAVES NORTHERN MISSOURI,

\h\hTHEN, 1,170 MILES FROM WHERE IT STARTED,

AT LAKE ITASCA,

IT REACHES ST. LOUIS.

THIS IS WHERE LEWIS AND CLARK

BEGAN THEIR FAMOUS \hEXPEDITION WEST,

ON MAY 14, 1804.

THE HUMAN FOOTPRINT HERE IS FIRM AND IN CONTROL.

BUT NOT SO FAST.

\h\h\h\hFROM ST. LOUIS TO THE GULF OF MEXICO,

\h\h\h\hTHE MISSISSIPPI PLAYS A DIFFERENT TUNE.

ONE WITH DRAMA...

AND DANGER.

♪

WE’VE TRACKED THIS RIVER \h\h\h\h\hFROM ITS HEAD

AND EXAMINED ITS HEART.

NOW, TIME FOR ITS SOUL.

♪

PREPARE FOR A JOURNEY \h\h\hWITH DEEP WATER,

DEEP TROUBLE,

AND INTO THE DEEP SOUTH.

♪