Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:08,409 --> 00:00:13,612
Life in the rockies
can be a real headache.
2
00:00:15,816 --> 00:00:19,318
Too high, and you're
out on a limb.
3
00:00:21,322 --> 00:00:24,690
And the snow can be a bear.
4
00:00:26,527 --> 00:00:30,596
But there's more to these
mountains than altitude.
5
00:00:33,034 --> 00:00:37,436
The rockies create
the strange...
6
00:00:37,538 --> 00:00:41,173
(music)
7
00:00:41,275 --> 00:00:43,742
control the flow...
8
00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:48,013
And challenge everything...
9
00:00:48,115 --> 00:00:51,116
(roaring)
10
00:00:53,154 --> 00:00:55,087
in their shadow.
11
00:00:55,189 --> 00:01:00,125
(music)
12
00:01:00,227 --> 00:01:06,265
(music)
13
00:01:06,367 --> 00:01:12,271
(music)
14
00:01:12,373 --> 00:01:18,710
(music)
15
00:01:18,813 --> 00:01:23,382
welcome to the top
of the world.
16
00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:28,720
Colorado's rocky mountains
17
00:01:28,823 --> 00:01:33,392
hold seven of the ten highest
peaks in the lower 48.
18
00:01:33,494 --> 00:01:36,895
(music)
19
00:01:36,997 --> 00:01:41,366
and more than 600 others
rise above the tree line.
20
00:01:41,469 --> 00:01:45,671
(music)
21
00:01:45,773 --> 00:01:50,042
this is where the rockies...
22
00:01:50,144 --> 00:01:52,478
Reveal their rock.
23
00:01:52,580 --> 00:01:57,015
(music)
24
00:01:57,118 --> 00:02:00,586
a pointed crown
25
00:02:00,688 --> 00:02:04,423
ringed by green gems
made of pine.
26
00:02:04,525 --> 00:02:09,461
(music)
27
00:02:09,563 --> 00:02:13,765
and just below,
around 8,000 feet elevation...
28
00:02:15,769 --> 00:02:19,304
...Is where the rockies
tuck away their fall leaves.
29
00:02:19,373 --> 00:02:23,575
(music)
30
00:02:23,677 --> 00:02:27,579
it's a color-coded message.
31
00:02:27,681 --> 00:02:32,084
A signal that says,
'come and get it.'
32
00:02:34,588 --> 00:02:37,389
the last buffet of the year
is ready.
33
00:02:38,826 --> 00:02:40,993
And it's all-you-can-eat.
34
00:02:41,095 --> 00:02:47,399
(music)
35
00:02:47,501 --> 00:02:51,370
these american robins have a
hankering for hawthorn berries.
36
00:02:51,472 --> 00:02:56,008
(music)
37
00:02:56,143 --> 00:03:00,279
a crucial last course
before winter hits.
38
00:03:00,381 --> 00:03:04,983
(music)
39
00:03:05,085 --> 00:03:11,690
(music)
40
00:03:11,792 --> 00:03:13,458
roosting sites like this
41
00:03:13,561 --> 00:03:17,095
can hold up to
a quarter million birds.
42
00:03:17,198 --> 00:03:19,531
(music)
43
00:03:19,633 --> 00:03:26,471
(music)
44
00:03:26,574 --> 00:03:29,208
and this restaurant
also has clientele
45
00:03:29,310 --> 00:03:32,711
that insist on larger portions.
46
00:03:36,550 --> 00:03:38,517
(grunt)
47
00:03:38,619 --> 00:03:43,121
this diner ambles in
without a reservation.
48
00:03:43,224 --> 00:03:46,992
And no respect
for the dress code.
49
00:03:47,094 --> 00:03:48,660
(grunting)
50
00:03:48,762 --> 00:03:52,831
black bears don't always
sport a black coat.
51
00:03:52,933 --> 00:03:54,967
(grunting)
52
00:03:55,069 --> 00:03:59,671
here, out west, they can also
be brown or blonde.
53
00:03:59,773 --> 00:04:05,877
(music)
54
00:04:05,980 --> 00:04:07,412
this mom teaches her two young
55
00:04:07,514 --> 00:04:10,148
about the best dish
on the menu.
56
00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:15,821
It's the start of
a lifelong habit.
57
00:04:15,923 --> 00:04:22,794
(music)
58
00:04:22,896 --> 00:04:29,668
(music)
59
00:04:29,770 --> 00:04:33,705
nearby, a male climbs high
for the berries.
60
00:04:35,743 --> 00:04:38,777
Something he's been doing
since he was a cub.
61
00:04:42,316 --> 00:04:45,083
But he's not a cub anymore.
62
00:04:48,122 --> 00:04:52,624
15 feet in the air,
63
00:04:52,726 --> 00:04:56,695
this 300-pound giant
tests just how far
64
00:04:56,797 --> 00:04:59,498
the tiny hawthorn branches
will bend.
65
00:05:09,109 --> 00:05:12,878
90% of what a black bear eats
is vegetarian.
66
00:05:17,785 --> 00:05:22,354
It's fine fall dining until...
67
00:05:24,925 --> 00:05:28,593
Overnight, the berries freeze.
68
00:05:28,696 --> 00:05:32,631
(music)
69
00:05:32,733 --> 00:05:35,500
the first big winter storm.
70
00:05:37,905 --> 00:05:41,573
And just like that,
71
00:05:41,675 --> 00:05:45,644
a blanket of white
takes out the fall colors.
72
00:05:45,746 --> 00:05:52,017
(music)
73
00:05:52,119 --> 00:05:55,387
all that's left to eat
is frozen food.
74
00:05:55,489 --> 00:05:59,257
(music)
75
00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:04,096
but the very berry bistro
remains open for business.
76
00:06:04,198 --> 00:06:07,566
(music)
77
00:06:07,668 --> 00:06:10,869
now its fruits are more
precious than ever.
78
00:06:10,971 --> 00:06:13,405
(growling)
79
00:06:13,507 --> 00:06:15,607
bear essentials.
80
00:06:18,145 --> 00:06:19,578
(growling)
81
00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:22,814
as winter sets in,
it's a race to feed
82
00:06:22,916 --> 00:06:25,751
and convert these carbs
into fat.
83
00:06:28,922 --> 00:06:31,790
He can eat 20,000 calories.
84
00:06:35,996 --> 00:06:39,664
And gain five pounds
in a single day.
85
00:06:39,767 --> 00:06:43,034
(music)
86
00:06:43,137 --> 00:06:45,303
sooner or later
87
00:06:45,406 --> 00:06:47,973
there's a little berry
88
00:06:48,075 --> 00:06:50,909
that's one too many.
89
00:06:51,011 --> 00:06:52,711
(roar)
90
00:06:58,419 --> 00:06:59,484
(grunt)
91
00:07:03,624 --> 00:07:07,192
finally, he must settle down
for the winter.
92
00:07:07,294 --> 00:07:13,665
(music)
93
00:07:13,767 --> 00:07:16,368
five months of hibernation
eat away
94
00:07:16,470 --> 00:07:19,504
up to 40% of a bear's
body weight...
95
00:07:21,942 --> 00:07:25,110
As winter buries the southern
slopes of the rockies
96
00:07:25,212 --> 00:07:28,513
under 50 feet or more of snow.
97
00:07:28,615 --> 00:07:30,615
(music)
98
00:07:30,684 --> 00:07:37,122
(music)
99
00:07:37,224 --> 00:07:43,295
the rockies stretch 3,000 miles
from canada to new mexico.
100
00:07:43,397 --> 00:07:46,865
It is the backbone of america.
101
00:07:46,967 --> 00:07:51,903
But it's colorado that's known
as the home of the rockies.
102
00:07:52,005 --> 00:07:54,172
From rocky mountain
national park,
103
00:07:54,274 --> 00:07:58,376
just over 50 miles
northwest of denver,
104
00:07:58,479 --> 00:08:01,146
and down south
to the great sand dunes
105
00:08:01,248 --> 00:08:05,717
of the san luis valley
that mountains shaped,
106
00:08:05,819 --> 00:08:10,021
colorado is the u.S. State with
the highest mean elevation.
107
00:08:10,123 --> 00:08:14,392
(music)
108
00:08:14,495 --> 00:08:17,095
winter here has bite.
109
00:08:19,833 --> 00:08:22,534
Some shelter in the trees.
110
00:08:25,806 --> 00:08:30,609
Up in a pine, this white-tailed
ptarmigan nibbles on needles.
111
00:08:33,146 --> 00:08:34,913
It's an elusive bird
112
00:08:35,015 --> 00:08:40,485
that will mess with the chilled
winds of a rockies winter.
113
00:08:40,587 --> 00:08:43,889
But this one has
special abilities.
114
00:08:47,127 --> 00:08:51,496
By mid-December, she transforms
herself from this...
115
00:08:53,967 --> 00:08:55,800
...To this.
116
00:08:57,771 --> 00:09:01,239
She is an ice queen.
117
00:09:01,341 --> 00:09:04,609
This camouflage is designed
to keep her safe.
118
00:09:06,713 --> 00:09:10,015
But there are some
keen eyes up here.
119
00:09:10,117 --> 00:09:16,922
(music)
120
00:09:16,990 --> 00:09:24,095
(music)
121
00:09:24,197 --> 00:09:27,399
mountain lions are
expert climbers.
122
00:09:27,501 --> 00:09:31,069
(music)
123
00:09:31,171 --> 00:09:33,371
they don't have dens.
124
00:09:33,473 --> 00:09:37,475
So a branch is as good a place
to hang out as any.
125
00:09:37,578 --> 00:09:41,479
(music)
126
00:09:41,582 --> 00:09:43,815
she gets the lay of the land.
127
00:09:43,917 --> 00:09:49,988
(music)
128
00:09:50,090 --> 00:09:54,926
and sits like a coiled spring,
129
00:09:55,028 --> 00:09:59,230
ready to launch an ambush
attack on any passing prey.
130
00:09:59,333 --> 00:10:03,234
(music)
131
00:10:03,337 --> 00:10:10,041
(music)
132
00:10:10,143 --> 00:10:14,913
she is an expert in stealth...
133
00:10:15,015 --> 00:10:16,781
Patience...
134
00:10:16,883 --> 00:10:21,987
(music)
135
00:10:22,089 --> 00:10:24,022
...And death.
136
00:10:24,124 --> 00:10:29,394
(music)
137
00:10:33,133 --> 00:10:38,236
(music)
138
00:10:38,305 --> 00:10:44,209
(music)
139
00:10:44,311 --> 00:10:45,877
by late fall,
140
00:10:45,979 --> 00:10:50,148
the pickings in colorado's
rocky mountains are slim.
141
00:10:50,250 --> 00:10:53,752
(music)
142
00:10:53,854 --> 00:10:57,455
no catch for this mountain lion
all morning.
143
00:11:00,861 --> 00:11:03,128
It's time for plan b.
144
00:11:06,933 --> 00:11:10,368
Her range can be as much
as 200 square miles;
145
00:11:10,470 --> 00:11:14,239
smaller than some males,
146
00:11:14,341 --> 00:11:16,841
but still a lot to cover.
147
00:11:16,943 --> 00:11:20,812
(music)
148
00:11:20,914 --> 00:11:24,683
she uses her terrain
to hunt for a hefty feed.
149
00:11:27,721 --> 00:11:31,990
If not a bighorn sheep,
then a deer or elk.
150
00:11:34,761 --> 00:11:37,662
But she has a backup plan.
151
00:11:48,842 --> 00:11:51,843
She hits up a stash
from a previous kill.
152
00:11:53,647 --> 00:11:56,247
One of several she keeps handy.
153
00:12:01,121 --> 00:12:03,054
When she first got this kill,
154
00:12:03,156 --> 00:12:08,593
she ate as much as 10 pounds
of it in a single day.
155
00:12:08,695 --> 00:12:11,062
The rockies provided
a well-chilled freezer
156
00:12:11,164 --> 00:12:13,665
for storage,
157
00:12:13,767 --> 00:12:16,334
but now, weeks later,
158
00:12:16,436 --> 00:12:19,637
other birds and animals
have had a go,
159
00:12:19,740 --> 00:12:23,808
outside and in.
160
00:12:23,910 --> 00:12:29,047
(music)
161
00:12:29,149 --> 00:12:32,951
what's left would
barely feed a rodent.
162
00:12:33,053 --> 00:12:37,422
(music)
163
00:12:37,524 --> 00:12:41,793
she has no choice
but to move on.
164
00:12:41,895 --> 00:12:47,398
(music)
165
00:12:47,467 --> 00:12:50,335
winter is mean and lean.
166
00:12:52,839 --> 00:12:57,041
Up high, it's April
before there's relief.
167
00:12:57,144 --> 00:13:02,213
(music)
168
00:13:02,315 --> 00:13:07,652
soon after, each rocky mountain
becomes a runaway bride.
169
00:13:10,090 --> 00:13:12,390
They lift veils of white.
170
00:13:12,492 --> 00:13:19,063
(singing)
ave maria
171
00:13:19,166 --> 00:13:20,965
(music)
172
00:13:21,067 --> 00:13:25,136
and send spring snowmelt
running down the aisles.
173
00:13:25,238 --> 00:13:31,543
(music)
174
00:13:31,645 --> 00:13:36,514
icy water flows all the way
down to their cold feet.
175
00:13:43,323 --> 00:13:47,559
For one creature here, the very
sound of this flowing water
176
00:13:47,661 --> 00:13:50,361
seems to trigger an impulse.
177
00:13:57,637 --> 00:13:59,671
It's like a reflex action.
178
00:13:59,773 --> 00:14:02,941
Even an audio recording
of a running stream
179
00:14:03,043 --> 00:14:05,910
can set a beaver a-building.
180
00:14:11,585 --> 00:14:14,385
This big male starts
with the small stuff.
181
00:14:14,487 --> 00:14:17,488
But don't let that fool you.
182
00:14:17,591 --> 00:14:20,258
He works about a 12-hour day,
183
00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:22,794
beginning in
the late afternoon.
184
00:14:26,132 --> 00:14:32,003
Bit by bit, he builds
his own mountain.
185
00:14:32,105 --> 00:14:38,943
(music)
186
00:14:39,045 --> 00:14:45,950
(music)
187
00:14:46,052 --> 00:14:52,957
(music)
188
00:14:53,059 --> 00:14:59,764
(music)
189
00:14:59,866 --> 00:15:03,268
beaver dams can be
up to 10 feet high
190
00:15:03,370 --> 00:15:06,371
and nearly 3,000 feet
in length.
191
00:15:08,942 --> 00:15:11,643
He's a clever engineer.
192
00:15:11,745 --> 00:15:14,879
This is not just
a pile of sticks,
193
00:15:14,981 --> 00:15:19,250
but a complex latticework
cemented with mud
194
00:15:19,352 --> 00:15:22,887
and packed down
to be near waterproof.
195
00:15:22,989 --> 00:15:25,156
(music)
196
00:15:25,258 --> 00:15:30,295
(music)
197
00:15:30,397 --> 00:15:34,399
in slow water,
they build the dams straight;
198
00:15:34,501 --> 00:15:36,634
in fast water, they curve them
199
00:15:36,736 --> 00:15:39,203
to be stronger
against the current.
200
00:15:39,306 --> 00:15:44,008
(music)
201
00:15:44,110 --> 00:15:48,646
for beavers,
this is all about safety.
202
00:15:48,748 --> 00:15:52,784
He knows he's protected from
predators when in the water.
203
00:15:55,655 --> 00:15:59,457
A good dam enlarges
his safety zone
204
00:15:59,559 --> 00:16:02,860
and gives him access
to more trees--
205
00:16:02,963 --> 00:16:06,698
wood he needs for construction
206
00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:08,866
and for food.
207
00:16:08,969 --> 00:16:13,871
(music)
208
00:16:13,974 --> 00:16:19,177
beavers eat bark and
the soft tissue under it,
209
00:16:19,279 --> 00:16:22,480
up to four and a half pounds
of it a day.
210
00:16:24,551 --> 00:16:29,654
It's mostly cellulose,
like glue for the gut,
211
00:16:29,756 --> 00:16:32,490
that most mammals can't digest.
212
00:16:35,895 --> 00:16:41,165
But beavers are brewers;
living distilleries.
213
00:16:41,267 --> 00:16:44,802
They have a sac between their
small and large intestines
214
00:16:44,904 --> 00:16:49,474
that ferments vegetation
to make it digestible.
215
00:16:51,878 --> 00:16:54,946
All that brewing in the belly
takes time.
216
00:16:57,250 --> 00:17:00,218
What he eats today won't
come out the other end
217
00:17:00,320 --> 00:17:02,653
for another 60 hours.
218
00:17:06,026 --> 00:17:10,061
He cuts branches
into manageable chunks
219
00:17:10,163 --> 00:17:13,431
and selects some
to store nearby.
220
00:17:13,533 --> 00:17:16,934
(music)
221
00:17:17,037 --> 00:17:22,974
(music)
222
00:17:23,076 --> 00:17:29,614
(music)
223
00:17:29,716 --> 00:17:34,085
he is a provider
and must think ahead.
224
00:17:36,089 --> 00:17:38,890
His family will soon grow.
225
00:17:38,992 --> 00:17:41,859
(music)
226
00:17:41,961 --> 00:17:47,865
(music)
227
00:17:47,967 --> 00:17:55,006
(music)
228
00:17:55,108 --> 00:17:58,042
he's the hard-working
responsible cousin.
229
00:17:58,144 --> 00:18:02,713
(music)
230
00:18:02,816 --> 00:18:05,983
then there's the other side
of the family.
231
00:18:11,958 --> 00:18:14,892
That cousin who's
a little slow.
232
00:18:14,994 --> 00:18:20,498
(music)
233
00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:23,201
no early riser here.
234
00:18:23,303 --> 00:18:27,438
(music)
235
00:18:27,540 --> 00:18:31,175
porcupines are the sloths
of the rodent world.
236
00:18:32,846 --> 00:18:36,247
Just getting out of bed
can be a chore.
237
00:18:38,084 --> 00:18:41,919
They're nearly as big as
a beaver but more pear-shaped.
238
00:18:44,257 --> 00:18:48,126
And they don't have
a great need for speed.
239
00:18:51,364 --> 00:18:54,265
Breakfast is never
that far way.
240
00:18:54,367 --> 00:19:00,938
(music)
241
00:19:01,040 --> 00:19:05,843
porcupines also have the diet
of a mulching machine.
242
00:19:05,945 --> 00:19:10,081
They can munch on leaves
or bare twigs.
243
00:19:10,150 --> 00:19:12,150
(music)
244
00:19:12,252 --> 00:19:18,489
(music)
245
00:19:18,591 --> 00:19:20,558
even pine needles.
246
00:19:24,397 --> 00:19:28,833
Or forget the greens altogether
and just eat the bark.
247
00:19:28,935 --> 00:19:34,005
(music)
248
00:19:34,107 --> 00:19:38,009
then, the surprise.
249
00:19:38,111 --> 00:19:41,479
Those long claws
are the only hint
250
00:19:41,581 --> 00:19:46,951
that this prickly character
has a superpower,
251
00:19:47,020 --> 00:19:49,220
one that takes it
above and beyond
252
00:19:49,322 --> 00:19:52,323
the realm of
its beaver cousins.
253
00:20:00,733 --> 00:20:05,536
(music)
254
00:20:05,638 --> 00:20:11,742
(music)
255
00:20:11,844 --> 00:20:17,748
when it's time for porcupines
to find a sweet dessert,
256
00:20:17,850 --> 00:20:21,385
it's up, up and away.
257
00:20:24,424 --> 00:20:29,026
Beneath the colorado rockies,
they take to the trees.
258
00:20:29,128 --> 00:20:31,529
(music)
259
00:20:31,631 --> 00:20:38,436
(music)
260
00:20:38,538 --> 00:20:42,607
well, sure,
it's only three feet up.
261
00:20:44,711 --> 00:20:47,411
But porcupines are one
of the only mammals here
262
00:20:47,513 --> 00:20:51,115
that eat spring buds
up off the ground.
263
00:21:02,629 --> 00:21:06,330
They grab on with those claws
and large pads.
264
00:21:09,502 --> 00:21:14,572
The stiff hairs on
their bellies also grip.
265
00:21:18,544 --> 00:21:22,346
They're safest among the trees;
the forest provides more cover
266
00:21:22,448 --> 00:21:26,017
than can be found
farther down the slopes.
267
00:21:26,119 --> 00:21:30,755
(music)
268
00:21:30,857 --> 00:21:33,057
just below is where the rockies
269
00:21:33,159 --> 00:21:36,761
create an entirely
different world.
270
00:21:36,863 --> 00:21:43,100
(music)
271
00:21:43,202 --> 00:21:45,536
anywhere else, the rockies'
eastern foothills
272
00:21:45,638 --> 00:21:49,440
would transition straight
to flat grasslands.
273
00:21:52,645 --> 00:21:55,913
But here in colorado's
san luis valley
274
00:21:56,015 --> 00:21:58,316
they drop into something else.
275
00:22:01,654 --> 00:22:03,020
Sand.
276
00:22:06,025 --> 00:22:08,426
Lots of it.
277
00:22:08,528 --> 00:22:11,562
The highest sand dunes
in north america.
278
00:22:14,701 --> 00:22:17,735
The 30 square miles
of this dune field
279
00:22:17,837 --> 00:22:22,373
would look more at home by the
beach or in the middle east.
280
00:22:25,978 --> 00:22:30,748
In summer the sand can
heat up to 150 degrees.
281
00:22:33,953 --> 00:22:36,253
Too hot for most life.
282
00:22:38,858 --> 00:22:42,393
Unless you come with
your own set of stilts.
283
00:22:43,963 --> 00:22:45,896
(music)
284
00:22:45,998 --> 00:22:52,503
(music)
285
00:22:52,605 --> 00:22:56,073
the great sand dune
tiger beetle lives here
286
00:22:56,175 --> 00:22:59,877
and nowhere else on the planet.
287
00:22:59,979 --> 00:23:04,782
He's elevated just enough
from the scorching sand below.
288
00:23:04,884 --> 00:23:08,786
(music)
289
00:23:08,888 --> 00:23:12,056
and built to dash
and dart about the dunes
290
00:23:12,158 --> 00:23:14,258
in search of insects.
291
00:23:14,360 --> 00:23:16,293
(music)
292
00:23:16,396 --> 00:23:22,032
(music)
293
00:23:22,135 --> 00:23:25,436
he's a bejeweled bedouin.
294
00:23:25,538 --> 00:23:29,640
But that hasn't always
been the case.
295
00:23:29,742 --> 00:23:33,844
As a kid, he definitely went
through a homely stage.
296
00:23:36,449 --> 00:23:40,851
Nearby, a great sand dune
tiger beetle
297
00:23:40,953 --> 00:23:44,855
is still in its larval stage.
298
00:23:44,957 --> 00:23:47,124
No long legs yet.
299
00:23:47,226 --> 00:23:50,694
No dazzling green.
300
00:23:50,797 --> 00:23:53,564
But don't underestimate
this baby beetle.
301
00:23:56,202 --> 00:24:00,571
It already knows how
to dole out death.
302
00:24:00,673 --> 00:24:05,876
(music)
303
00:24:05,978 --> 00:24:08,379
it digs a snug burrow.
304
00:24:10,616 --> 00:24:12,550
A perfect cylinder.
305
00:24:12,652 --> 00:24:17,621
(music)
306
00:24:17,723 --> 00:24:24,128
(music)
307
00:24:24,230 --> 00:24:30,668
when it gets too hot, it'll cap
it with a lid; but not yet.
308
00:24:30,770 --> 00:24:34,538
First it wants
to trap a victim.
309
00:24:34,640 --> 00:24:37,541
(music)
310
00:24:37,643 --> 00:24:43,948
(music)
311
00:24:44,050 --> 00:24:46,617
the larva anchors
himself inside
312
00:24:46,719 --> 00:24:49,019
with two protruding hooks...
313
00:24:52,592 --> 00:24:55,893
Sits with just his eyes
at the surface...
314
00:24:55,995 --> 00:24:57,928
(music)
315
00:24:58,030 --> 00:25:03,067
(music)
316
00:25:03,169 --> 00:25:04,568
and waits.
317
00:25:04,670 --> 00:25:10,207
(music)
318
00:25:10,309 --> 00:25:13,544
then, when the time is right...
319
00:25:13,646 --> 00:25:17,915
(music)
320
00:25:24,657 --> 00:25:28,325
at the foot of
colorado's rockies,
321
00:25:28,427 --> 00:25:32,229
the patience of the great
sand dune tiger beetle larvae
322
00:25:32,331 --> 00:25:34,698
finally pays off.
323
00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:38,269
(music)
324
00:25:38,371 --> 00:25:44,241
(music)
325
00:25:44,343 --> 00:25:47,311
fast food doesn't
come much faster.
326
00:25:47,413 --> 00:25:51,715
(music)
327
00:25:51,817 --> 00:25:54,618
it may stay here for a year,
328
00:25:54,720 --> 00:25:58,422
taking down passing ants,
329
00:25:58,524 --> 00:26:01,792
and preparing for a transition
into beetlehood.
330
00:26:04,430 --> 00:26:06,430
Unless, of course,
331
00:26:06,532 --> 00:26:10,167
colorado's rockies
make other plans.
332
00:26:10,269 --> 00:26:13,304
(music)
333
00:26:13,406 --> 00:26:18,609
(music)
334
00:26:18,711 --> 00:26:22,880
the rockies are responsible
for these dunes,
335
00:26:22,982 --> 00:26:24,715
but they also water them.
336
00:26:24,817 --> 00:26:29,820
(music)
337
00:26:29,922 --> 00:26:32,456
that seasonal snowmelt
from the slopes
338
00:26:32,558 --> 00:26:35,659
makes it all the way
to desert central.
339
00:26:35,761 --> 00:26:42,333
(music)
340
00:26:42,435 --> 00:26:45,402
it's unpredictable and sudden.
341
00:26:49,208 --> 00:26:51,909
Not so good for
burrowing beetles.
342
00:26:57,750 --> 00:27:01,352
The water swirls
around the dunes,
343
00:27:01,454 --> 00:27:05,022
then drains into the plains
of the san luis valley.
344
00:27:07,326 --> 00:27:12,329
No more mountain terrain here,
just miles of open air...
345
00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:16,200
...And the perfect racetrack
346
00:27:16,302 --> 00:27:19,703
for america's
fastest land animal.
347
00:27:19,805 --> 00:27:26,210
(music)
348
00:27:26,312 --> 00:27:33,117
(music)
349
00:27:33,219 --> 00:27:39,723
(music)
350
00:27:39,825 --> 00:27:44,828
pronghorn have been clocked
at almost 60 miles an hour.
351
00:27:44,930 --> 00:27:50,200
(music)
352
00:27:50,302 --> 00:27:57,041
(music)
353
00:27:57,143 --> 00:27:59,677
they have no collarbones,
354
00:27:59,779 --> 00:28:03,614
allowing their legs to stretch
forward an additional 20%.
355
00:28:03,716 --> 00:28:07,584
(music)
356
00:28:07,687 --> 00:28:09,887
it's a sacrifice for speed
357
00:28:09,989 --> 00:28:13,123
that's left them
unable to jump;
358
00:28:13,225 --> 00:28:15,426
but it's been worth the price.
359
00:28:15,528 --> 00:28:18,028
(music)
360
00:28:18,130 --> 00:28:24,601
(music)
361
00:28:24,704 --> 00:28:26,737
their ancestors probably
had to run
362
00:28:26,839 --> 00:28:30,708
from fast-moving
prehistoric cats.
363
00:28:30,810 --> 00:28:33,110
Out here they have slower,
364
00:28:33,212 --> 00:28:36,714
but still formidable predators
to worry about.
365
00:28:39,218 --> 00:28:41,952
Coyotes keep close watch.
366
00:28:42,054 --> 00:28:44,021
(music)
367
00:28:44,123 --> 00:28:50,027
(music)
368
00:28:50,129 --> 00:28:52,730
the older pronghorns
are vulnerable.
369
00:28:52,832 --> 00:28:57,434
(music)
370
00:28:57,536 --> 00:29:00,070
so, too, the injured.
371
00:29:00,172 --> 00:29:03,173
(music)
372
00:29:03,309 --> 00:29:09,513
(music)
373
00:29:09,615 --> 00:29:14,685
males may have fearsome,
nearly foot-long horns,
374
00:29:14,787 --> 00:29:18,088
but canines usually
attack from behind.
375
00:29:18,190 --> 00:29:22,092
(music)
376
00:29:22,194 --> 00:29:25,796
no telling who would come out
best in an ambush.
377
00:29:28,701 --> 00:29:30,467
Too risky.
378
00:29:30,569 --> 00:29:31,969
Strike one.
379
00:29:33,806 --> 00:29:36,673
The coyote moves on.
380
00:29:36,776 --> 00:29:42,613
(music)
381
00:29:42,715 --> 00:29:44,948
it's three weeks
before newborn fawns
382
00:29:45,050 --> 00:29:47,417
can keep up with the herd.
383
00:29:49,855 --> 00:29:54,992
Until then, they have only
one good line of defense: Mom.
384
00:29:57,596 --> 00:29:58,829
Her bulging eyes give her
385
00:29:58,931 --> 00:30:02,499
a near 360-degree
field of vision.
386
00:30:06,205 --> 00:30:10,007
She spots the interloper
before he sees her.
387
00:30:10,109 --> 00:30:16,947
(music)
388
00:30:17,049 --> 00:30:23,954
(music)
389
00:30:24,056 --> 00:30:26,723
she hides her twins
in some bushes...
390
00:30:29,061 --> 00:30:32,329
And walks about
70 yards away...
391
00:30:34,133 --> 00:30:36,333
...Within sight of the coyote.
392
00:30:39,538 --> 00:30:42,306
She acts as a decoy.
393
00:30:42,408 --> 00:30:46,310
But did she hide her young
well enough?
394
00:30:59,592 --> 00:31:03,760
The coyote knows the game.
395
00:31:03,863 --> 00:31:06,964
But at the base
of colorado's rockies,
396
00:31:07,066 --> 00:31:10,901
it could take hours for him
to find the hidden fawns.
397
00:31:14,306 --> 00:31:16,974
And he's lost
the element of surprise.
398
00:31:20,412 --> 00:31:22,346
Strike two.
399
00:31:22,448 --> 00:31:27,851
(music)
400
00:31:27,953 --> 00:31:32,222
about this time each year,
a new option hits the menu.
401
00:31:32,324 --> 00:31:38,362
(music)
402
00:31:38,464 --> 00:31:41,265
the rockies lead
to a giant wetland
403
00:31:41,367 --> 00:31:44,801
the size of 11,000
football fields.
404
00:31:46,705 --> 00:31:51,341
Every spring, this basin
becomes a super bowl.
405
00:31:51,477 --> 00:31:56,213
(honking)
406
00:31:56,315 --> 00:31:59,716
the players it attracts have
some extraordinary moves.
407
00:31:59,818 --> 00:32:06,890
(music)
408
00:32:06,992 --> 00:32:09,493
the monte vista
wildlife refuge,
409
00:32:09,595 --> 00:32:12,162
in the middle of the valley,
410
00:32:12,264 --> 00:32:16,300
is a favorite migration
rest stop for sandhill cranes.
411
00:32:16,402 --> 00:32:22,339
(music)
412
00:32:22,441 --> 00:32:28,946
(music)
413
00:32:29,048 --> 00:32:32,449
they trickle in at first.
414
00:32:32,551 --> 00:32:34,484
(squawking)
415
00:32:34,586 --> 00:32:40,857
(squawking)
416
00:32:40,960 --> 00:32:42,793
then...
417
00:32:45,164 --> 00:32:46,964
...A deluge.
418
00:32:49,168 --> 00:32:52,269
These birds average
four feet high,
419
00:32:52,371 --> 00:32:55,639
with a wingspan
of more than six feet.
420
00:32:55,741 --> 00:32:58,408
(squawking)
421
00:32:58,510 --> 00:33:02,312
more than 23,000
take over the valley.
422
00:33:05,117 --> 00:33:08,518
It's something they've been
doing for millions of years.
423
00:33:11,323 --> 00:33:13,757
And why not?
424
00:33:13,859 --> 00:33:16,393
This marsh has plenty to offer.
425
00:33:19,832 --> 00:33:24,835
Freshwater and loads of seeds
and insects to dine on.
426
00:33:24,937 --> 00:33:27,871
(music)
427
00:33:27,973 --> 00:33:34,411
(music)
428
00:33:34,513 --> 00:33:40,350
while they're here, they have
some serious business to do.
429
00:33:40,452 --> 00:33:45,689
To get this far, many of them
bonded into survival groups--
430
00:33:45,791 --> 00:33:47,457
gangs of unrelated cranes
431
00:33:47,559 --> 00:33:51,728
that decided to fly, feed
and roost together.
432
00:33:51,830 --> 00:33:55,866
(squawking)
433
00:33:55,968 --> 00:33:59,102
but now it's spring break
from all that work.
434
00:34:01,573 --> 00:34:04,474
And they're in the world's
best pick-up joint.
435
00:34:07,112 --> 00:34:08,712
Any single sandhill crane
436
00:34:08,814 --> 00:34:11,148
that's between
two and seven years old
437
00:34:11,250 --> 00:34:15,218
is probably looking for a mate.
438
00:34:15,320 --> 00:34:21,091
Problem is, how does one
stand out in a crowd like this?
439
00:34:21,193 --> 00:34:25,162
(music)
440
00:34:25,264 --> 00:34:29,366
the answer: Duke it out
on the dance floor.
441
00:34:31,737 --> 00:34:34,104
You just need some
fancy footwork...
442
00:34:37,042 --> 00:34:39,009
A flirty flap...
443
00:34:39,111 --> 00:34:43,513
(music)
444
00:34:43,582 --> 00:34:45,549
...And the right flair.
445
00:34:45,651 --> 00:34:52,522
(music)
446
00:34:52,624 --> 00:34:59,062
(music)
447
00:34:59,164 --> 00:35:01,665
it's high-stakes choreography.
448
00:35:03,368 --> 00:35:06,903
(squawking)
449
00:35:07,005 --> 00:35:11,007
when you're picking a mate for
life, you want to get it right.
450
00:35:11,110 --> 00:35:13,076
(music)
451
00:35:13,178 --> 00:35:19,349
(music)
452
00:35:19,451 --> 00:35:24,087
two lovers lock eyes
and take center stage.
453
00:35:24,189 --> 00:35:27,958
(music)
454
00:35:28,060 --> 00:35:31,027
it's a dance that
dazzles the crowd.
455
00:35:31,130 --> 00:35:33,063
(music)
456
00:35:33,165 --> 00:35:38,835
(music)
457
00:35:38,937 --> 00:35:42,339
the aim is to get in sync
with your partner.
458
00:35:44,943 --> 00:35:47,544
No missteps.
459
00:35:47,646 --> 00:35:50,046
(cooing)
460
00:35:50,149 --> 00:35:52,582
it was meant to be.
461
00:35:54,019 --> 00:35:56,920
You may kiss the bride.
462
00:35:57,022 --> 00:35:58,221
(cooing)
463
00:36:00,893 --> 00:36:02,826
(cooing)
464
00:36:02,928 --> 00:36:07,697
(music)
465
00:36:07,799 --> 00:36:10,567
(cooing)
466
00:36:10,669 --> 00:36:13,170
now bonded in the shadow
of the rockies,
467
00:36:13,272 --> 00:36:17,440
they're ready to continue north
468
00:36:17,543 --> 00:36:20,143
where they'll work together
to build a nest.
469
00:36:20,245 --> 00:36:25,949
(music)
470
00:36:26,018 --> 00:36:28,118
soon, they'll have two eggs.
471
00:36:28,220 --> 00:36:31,054
(squawking)
472
00:36:31,156 --> 00:36:33,723
a month after that, chicks.
473
00:36:33,825 --> 00:36:36,526
(squawking)
474
00:36:36,628 --> 00:36:38,762
and in the fall,
they'll pass back through
475
00:36:38,864 --> 00:36:41,998
the san luis valley
with the whole family.
476
00:36:43,535 --> 00:36:46,836
And take in their
bird's-eye view.
477
00:36:49,975 --> 00:36:51,808
They're one of
the few creatures
478
00:36:51,910 --> 00:36:53,944
to get the full picture.
479
00:36:57,616 --> 00:37:01,117
They see the rocky mountains
from top to bottom.
480
00:37:01,220 --> 00:37:07,624
(music)
481
00:37:07,726 --> 00:37:09,626
only one other animal
in the rockies
482
00:37:09,728 --> 00:37:12,829
comes close to reaching
their heights.
483
00:37:12,931 --> 00:37:14,898
(music)
484
00:37:15,000 --> 00:37:20,870
(music)
485
00:37:20,973 --> 00:37:26,509
and it is the undisputed
king of the mountain.
486
00:37:38,090 --> 00:37:42,058
Safety for the bighorn sheep
of colorado's rocky mountains
487
00:37:42,160 --> 00:37:46,129
is about going where
predators dare not roam.
488
00:37:49,268 --> 00:37:53,603
These climbing kings have
hooves that stick like glue.
489
00:37:55,340 --> 00:37:59,209
And a confidence that
has them scaling slopes
490
00:37:59,311 --> 00:38:04,414
and scrambling over loose rock
at up to 15 miles per hour.
491
00:38:04,516 --> 00:38:08,485
(music)
492
00:38:08,587 --> 00:38:13,323
(music)
493
00:38:13,425 --> 00:38:18,161
summer fills their alpine
fields with much to munch on.
494
00:38:18,263 --> 00:38:19,996
(music)
495
00:38:20,098 --> 00:38:26,836
(music)
496
00:38:26,938 --> 00:38:29,806
they stack on the weight
while they can.
497
00:38:33,879 --> 00:38:37,113
But still spend a third
of their day resting.
498
00:38:41,286 --> 00:38:45,955
That's when they must
turn rock beds...
499
00:38:46,058 --> 00:38:47,991
Into day beds.
500
00:38:48,093 --> 00:38:52,028
(music)
501
00:38:52,130 --> 00:38:58,034
(music)
502
00:38:58,136 --> 00:39:04,307
(music)
503
00:39:04,409 --> 00:39:07,544
they arrange themselves
to face every direction.
504
00:39:09,481 --> 00:39:13,983
Now they can see danger coming
from up to a mile away.
505
00:39:16,722 --> 00:39:19,356
Predators are out there.
506
00:39:22,728 --> 00:39:26,463
Just down at the tree line,
507
00:39:26,565 --> 00:39:29,366
the mountain lion
hasn't gone far.
508
00:39:31,937 --> 00:39:34,137
Nor the black bears.
509
00:39:38,076 --> 00:39:42,212
And the bighorn can't stay
up here all year round.
510
00:39:44,249 --> 00:39:48,418
Soon they'll have no choice
but to overlap territory
511
00:39:48,520 --> 00:39:51,588
with their most fearsome foes.
512
00:39:51,690 --> 00:39:53,623
(music)
513
00:39:53,725 --> 00:39:59,162
(music)
514
00:39:59,264 --> 00:40:01,898
fall chills the peaks.
515
00:40:04,736 --> 00:40:08,772
The herd moves lower
and hides among the trees.
516
00:40:08,874 --> 00:40:10,807
(music)
517
00:40:10,909 --> 00:40:16,012
(music)
518
00:40:16,114 --> 00:40:20,417
they must contend
with predators down here,
519
00:40:20,519 --> 00:40:22,585
and now each other.
520
00:40:22,687 --> 00:40:27,056
(music)
521
00:40:27,159 --> 00:40:29,926
the first snow
triggers the rut...
522
00:40:32,697 --> 00:40:35,498
...When males fight
for females.
523
00:40:39,070 --> 00:40:43,940
A large alpha male stands out;
the heavyweight champ.
524
00:40:45,677 --> 00:40:48,244
But rocky has challengers.
525
00:40:50,348 --> 00:40:52,148
Stand back.
526
00:40:52,250 --> 00:40:58,855
(music)
527
00:40:58,957 --> 00:41:03,526
30-pound horns collide
at speeds of 20 miles per hour.
528
00:41:06,097 --> 00:41:09,365
Backed by a 300-pound body.
529
00:41:09,468 --> 00:41:14,037
(music)
530
00:41:14,139 --> 00:41:20,143
(music)
531
00:41:20,245 --> 00:41:23,513
there's enough power here
to crack a young skull.
532
00:41:25,484 --> 00:41:28,952
But the older champ is
well built for the battering.
533
00:41:29,054 --> 00:41:33,189
(music)
534
00:41:33,291 --> 00:41:36,526
he has a fully formed
double-layered skull
535
00:41:36,628 --> 00:41:37,961
with enlarged sinuses
536
00:41:38,063 --> 00:41:41,064
to cushion his brain
from the blows.
537
00:41:41,166 --> 00:41:47,537
(music)
538
00:41:47,639 --> 00:41:51,908
it's not nonstop boxing;
more a match of endurance.
539
00:41:52,010 --> 00:41:55,612
(music)
540
00:41:55,714 --> 00:41:59,148
each round may only be
five hits across an hour.
541
00:42:01,219 --> 00:42:04,921
But they might go at it
for 25 rounds.
542
00:42:05,023 --> 00:42:08,324
(music)
543
00:42:08,426 --> 00:42:14,397
(music)
544
00:42:14,499 --> 00:42:20,570
(music)
545
00:42:20,672 --> 00:42:27,744
(music)
546
00:42:27,846 --> 00:42:31,414
the older male proves
once again
547
00:42:31,516 --> 00:42:34,617
that he's the king of the ring.
548
00:42:34,719 --> 00:42:37,720
And he's not done.
549
00:42:37,822 --> 00:42:41,691
He humiliates the loser
with a show of dominance.
550
00:42:44,162 --> 00:42:47,864
A soft kick, as he would
give one of his cows.
551
00:42:47,966 --> 00:42:51,834
(music)
552
00:42:51,937 --> 00:42:55,138
then an attempt to mount.
553
00:42:55,240 --> 00:42:59,542
(music)
554
00:42:59,644 --> 00:43:04,013
the spurned male won't go far.
555
00:43:04,115 --> 00:43:05,982
He still needs
the safety of numbers
556
00:43:06,084 --> 00:43:08,384
to protect him from predators.
557
00:43:11,957 --> 00:43:14,791
He's just got to suck it up.
558
00:43:16,328 --> 00:43:20,063
That's part of being raised
up here in the rockies.
559
00:43:24,002 --> 00:43:29,305
From the coldest snow
to the hottest sand...
560
00:43:29,407 --> 00:43:32,942
And all its altitudes
and diverse terrains
561
00:43:33,044 --> 00:43:36,446
seem to have
one thing in common:
562
00:43:36,548 --> 00:43:40,149
Tough love.
563
00:43:40,251 --> 00:43:44,420
Animals out here
face challenges daily.
564
00:43:44,522 --> 00:43:47,323
But they keep coming back
for more.
565
00:43:47,425 --> 00:43:52,962
Because from these same peaks
comes life.
566
00:43:56,201 --> 00:43:58,935
Underwater...
567
00:43:59,037 --> 00:44:02,405
In the trees...
568
00:44:02,507 --> 00:44:04,874
And in open plains.
569
00:44:07,312 --> 00:44:10,680
A rugged oasis
570
00:44:10,782 --> 00:44:13,816
for those who know
how to survive...
571
00:44:16,087 --> 00:44:22,458
...In the shadow
of the rockies.
572
00:44:22,560 --> 00:44:24,060
(cranes squawking)
44516
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.