Original subtitles

GARTH BROOKS: Spring in Voyageurs National Park.

Hidden within its dense forests...

♪ ♪

9 tiny wolf pups...

just 4 weeks old.

(whining)

To feed them, the pack needs to hunt...a lot.

(pups whining)

leaving the pups home alone.

♪ ♪

There's plenty of time to play.

(whining)

♪ ♪

Being a pup can be exhausting..

but one youngster is restless.

♪ ♪

(howling)

He howls for mom.

(howls)

In such a large backyard,

it will be hard to hear his small voice.

(howling)

Wolf territory can be 30 square miles

in Voyageurs National Park.

♪ ♪

(woodpecker thumping tree)

(wolf pup howls)

♪ ♪

Mom is out of earshot of her pup.

She's busy prowling the park for food...

♪ ♪

a vast, spectacular jewel,

tucked away in northeastern Minnesota.

♪ ♪

Voyageurs is one of America's best kept secrets.

♪ ♪

Over 10,000 years ago,

glaciers scoured the land and filled it with meltwater...

♪ ♪

leaving behind a stunning mosaic,

where 84,000 acres of beautifully clear water

meets over 130,000 acres of forest.

♪ ♪

It's a wonderland,

home to over 100 bird, and 50 mammal species...

♪ ♪

and up to 9 wolf packs.

♪ ♪

They have space to thrive

and an abundance of prey,

including one animal that makes the park its own.

♪ ♪

Signs of their presence are everywhere.

♪ ♪

The beaver, the largest rodent in North America.

♪ ♪

Around 3,000 live in the park,

making it the unofficial beaver capital

of the United States.

This hard-working family has been busy.

Over the last decade, they've cut down trees

to build a dam across a stream.

It now floods a large area...

♪ ♪

a two-acre oasis in the middle of Voyageurs' thick forest.

♪ ♪

These industrious engineers didn't stop there.

They built a home right in the middle of the pond...

accessible by two underwater entrances...

a fortress, safe from predators...

(grunting)

and it needs to be.

Hidden inside 4 tiny kits

just a few days old and raring to go.

♪ ♪

It's never too early to start wrestling

to see who's boss.

The kits won't leave until they're a month old.

(grunting)

♪ ♪

It's a tight squeeze when all 10 family members are home...

♪ ♪

but in Spring, bigger beavers spend more time topside

for good reason.

(insects buzzing)

Fresh green grass is exactly what they've been waiting for.

(birds chirping)

The edge of the pond is their local veggie patch.

Beavers are excellent swimmers

but much slower on land.

To keep safe, they need to stay close to water...

♪ ♪

because the woods are full of predators.

♪ ♪

Dad's appetite is driving him into the danger zone.

♪ ♪

A beaver would make a tasty snack

for one of Voyageurs' top hunters.

♪ ♪

(panting)

♪ ♪

Mom raises the alarm.

♪ ♪

The beaver family retreats to their underwater refuge.

♪ ♪

For the wolves, it's back to Voyageurs' lush forests.

The park is one of the only places

in the Lower 48 where they have lived

continuously for 8,000 years.

It remains a hotspot,

home to the densest population of wolves in the Midwest.

♪ ♪

In spring, they hunt beaver,

young deer, and other small animals,

leaving their young in the den for several hours.

♪ ♪

(howls)

That's a long time when you're a pup.

♪ ♪

(howls)

♪ ♪

Luckily, his parents are nearly home.

♪ ♪

In just a few months,

the pack will leave the den behind

to explore the park as a family

♪ ♪

Wolves are protected by Voyageurs' thick forests,

but its waters also provide

a sanctuary to a rare wetland species.

♪ ♪

Less than 100 years ago, trumpeter swans

were on the brink of extinction

Now Voyageurs' biggest birds have made a comeback.

♪ ♪

(swan honks)

Over a third of the park is submerged.

It's the perfect home for swans

that build nests surrounded by water.

(honking)

♪ ♪

They often mate for life.

(honking)

This pair reinforce their bonds by head-bobbing.

They are new parents.

(honking continues)

Mom incubates the eggs...

while dad keeps watch

because a nest in the park is prime real estate.

(honking)

♪ ♪

Others have their eye on it.

Dad needs to step up to defend his patch.

♪ ♪

He launches into action to protect

his unhatched family.

♪ ♪

A wingspan of over 7 feet is intimidating.

(honking)

♪ ♪

His rival runs out of road.

♪ ♪

Dad saves the day.

(honking)

Now, he can focus on helping mom raise

the next generation of Voyageurs' giants.

♪ ♪

Early summer in Voyageurs National Park

arrives with a welcome splash of color.

Temperatures rise to a balmy 78 degrees.

♪ ♪

Many of the park's 400 species of wildflower come to life.

Insects rush to feed and mate.

♪ ♪

(wings humming)

♪ ♪

Beaver dams double up as natural bridges...

♪ ♪

and their ponds become vital feeding stations,

rich enough to draw out a secretive creature...

(braying)

a moose, one of the largest mammals in North America.

There are only around 40 in Voyageurs.

(grunts)

♪ ♪

Make that 41.

This mom is in need of a fast-food fix

to produce milk for her calf.

♪ ♪

Aquatic plants are up to 4 times more nutritious

than those on land--

just what she's looking for.

♪ ♪

But Voyageurs' ponds are a popular summer destination.

This male's antlers are the quickest growing

tissue of any animal on the planet,

capable of adding a pound of bone every day.

The extra nutrients in the plants

help grow the biggest antlers, showing he's in charge.

♪ ♪

(brays)

Mom is fiercely protective of her calf

and doesn't like company.

Time to disappear back to the safety of the forest.

♪ ♪

The park's extraordinary location

puts it right where two different forests meet.

♪ ♪

A southern boreal woodland of trees

such as pine and fir that can exist

at high altitudes and cold temperatures...

♪ ♪

and a Northern hardwood forest

of trees like sugar maple and birch.

Two different, special homes

for all of Voyageurs' 50 species of mammal.

In early summer, new arrivals are eager

to make the most of the park's trees.

(bears growling)

These 3 black bear cubs were born

in a den 4 months ago

and have recently emerged with their mom.

(growls)

They join the 150 bears in the park,

all of whom are not afraid of heights.

♪ ♪

The cubs are fearless,

and they need to be.

Voyageurs' trees will be their escape route

when trouble looms.

♪ ♪

(growling)

♪ ♪

Voyageurs National Park is home

to many of North America's most iconic animals,

although it's not always easy to find them.

In a park the size of 165,000 football fields,

there are plenty of places to hide.

Tom Gable and Austin Homkes

head up the Voyageurs Wolf Project.

Today they're looking for pups.

The team has already collared the adult wolves,

so they have a good idea where the den is.

With no adults around,

Tom takes a look to see if the pups are there.

Oh, man!

Oh gosh. Whtt!

(whistles)

Aust, over here.

BROOKS: Then it's over to Austin to get them out.

With 7 years of experience,

he knows exactly how to extract the wolf pups

with minimal harm,

but this den is challenging.

TOM: I got you.

BROOKS: Austin has to squeeze down

a twisting 12-foot tunnel to reach the wolf chamber....

AUSTIN: Gonna go further. TOM: Yeah.

BROOKS: then somehow put the pups into a bag

with only a small headlamp for company.

TOM: All right.

It's going to take some force to get them out of there.

BROOKS: Even if the adult wolves are close by,

they pose no risk to Tom and Austin,

and they'll always return to their pups

as soon as the team has finished.

TOM: Got them? AUSTIN: Yeah. Go.

TOM: OK.

AUSTIN: All right.

Wow! he's a fatty.

BROOKS: The pups are tagged with a microchip...

It's right in the back of the scruff.

BROOKS: so the team can follow each wolf's every move.

♪ ♪

All right.

BROOKS: A hair sample allows for DNA testing.

Finally, they're weighed

to find out how healthy they are.

3, 2, 1, 0.

BROOKS: This research builds up

a fuller picture of how many wolves live

in the park, what they eat, and where they go...

♪ ♪

helping the team to devise a plan

to protect this remarkable species,

not just in Voyageurs but in forests

across America and beyond.

♪ ♪

Summer is in full swing.

♪ ♪

For the park's beavers, it's time to relax

and take their foot off the gas just a little.

♪ ♪

Dad likes to explore for the tastiest things to eat.

(beaver grunts)

Beavers prefer a tree's inner bark,

the sugary tissue layer...

♪ ♪

and he has just the right tools for the job,

4 self-sharpening incisors, which never stop growing.

♪ ♪

Now a few months old, the kits have left

the security of the lodge...

♪ ♪

and are growing more confident by the day,

although not ready to leave mom's side just yet...

♪ ♪

but their peace and quiet is about to be broken

by a pair of interlopers.

(chattering)

♪ ♪

An otter mom and her pup have come from a nearby river,

drawn to the beaver pond with its bounty of fish,

trapped when the stream was dammed.

In these still waters, it's easy pickings

for these speedy torpedoes.

♪ ♪

With powerful jaws and teeth,

they make quick work of their bony prey.

♪ ♪

The beavers seem unfazed by their squatters.

♪ ♪

They don't eat fish,

so there's no conflict of interest.

(barks)

But a male otter has also arrived at the pond.

He's larger than the female and takes up

residence right on top of the beaver lodge.

♪ ♪

(grunts)

♪ ♪

Dad isn't going to stand for some noisy trespasser

coming into his home.

♪ ♪

(otter squealing, beaver grunting)

(otter chattering)

♪ ♪

(otter snorts)

♪ ♪

(beaver grunting, otter squealing)

♪ ♪

Having put the otter in his place,

he gets on with his chores.

(beaver grunts)

The pond is big enough for all of them,

but the beavers were here first

♪ ♪

The relationship between Voyageurs

and beavers has existed for millennia,

long before it was designated a National Park in 1975.

Ever since the glaciers receded

nomadic tribes flowed in and out of the area

before the Cree, Monsoni, Assiniboine,

and Ojibwe people settled permanently.

Beaver fur and meat kept them warm and well fed,

but it's from more recent visitors that

Voyageurs National Park takes its distinctive name.

♪ ♪

By the 17th century, traders arrived

to fuel the demand for beaver fur in Europe.

Canoemen, known as Voyageurs,

transported the pelts via the waterways...

♪ ♪

and the park's name was born.

♪ ♪

Today, the traders and canoemen are long gone,

but one magical sound still rings out across the park.

(loon crying)

♪ ♪

(loon crying)

♪ ♪

(loon crying)

The cry of the loon.

(crying)

The female calls to her mate to keep in contact.

(distant crying)

They arrived from the Gulf of Mexico

6 weeks ago, looking for a place to raise a family.

(loon crying)

Voyageurs' lakes, with their coves and islands,

provide cover from predators.

♪ ♪

(splash)

(warbles)

They take turns on the nest

to keep the eggs safe and warm.

(warbles)

♪ ♪

After nearly a month, something's stirring...

♪ ♪

their first chick...

♪ ♪

and then another.

♪ ♪

Less than a day old

(cheeping)

and already eager to take their first dip.

♪ ♪

It's a promising start...

♪ ♪

but at 60 degrees Voyageurs' lakes

are chilly for little chicks.

To keep warm, they need to hitch a ride.

♪ ♪

Getting on board is tricky.

♪ ♪

Finally, one of them makes it..

and the other follows close behind.

Mom and dad's taxi service isn't available 24/7.

This family needs to eat.

The park's lakes are home to thousands

of small fish.

Dad has caught their first meal...

♪ ♪

even if it's large for such tiny beaks.

♪ ♪

A hungry loon family can put away up to 800 pounds of fish

in just 3 months,

an abundance that attracts another of the park's predators

♪ ♪

A chick is a soft target for a bald eagle.

(loon crying)

(warbling)

♪ ♪

(chicks cheeping)

Mom goes on the defensive.

♪ ♪

Dad distracts the aerial threat

with a splashy display known as a penguin dance.

♪ ♪

It works...

But the chicks need to become self-reliant pretty quick.

(loon crying)

Mom and dad will leave the park

when fall arrives in about 3 months.

♪ ♪

The youngsters will be left to make

their own journey south a few weeks later.

♪ ♪

Voyageurs National Park has more than 30 lakes

and a multitude of smaller ponds and pools.

And for one species,

they've provided a vital refuge for millennia.

♪ ♪

Tucked away, a prehistoric relic takes a break.

♪ ♪

Snapping turtles have hardly changed

in over 200 million years.

♪ ♪

That's older than many dinosaurs.

♪ ♪

In the shallows, she's able to reach the surface

to breathe while sitting on the bottom.

(water bubbling)

♪ ♪

Breakfast is simply a waiting game.

♪ ♪

Snapper by name...

♪ ♪

snapper by nature.

♪ ♪

She doesn't need to move much to have everything she needs...

♪ ♪

but that changes today.

6 weeks ago, she mated in this pond,

and now she's ready to leave to lay her eggs.

♪ ♪

She checks that the coast is clear.

There's not much in Voyageurs that could threaten her,

but you can never be too cautious.

♪ ♪

She walks the same fixed 3-mile route.

♪ ♪

Researchers think snapping turtles

may have an astonishing way to navigate

using both the sun and Earth's magnetic fields--

her very own GPS tracker.

♪ ♪

This is her final destination,

one of Voyageurs' sandier stretches,

ideal to dig a shallow bowl-shaped nest

with her powerful hind legs.

♪ ♪

She lays up to 40 ping-pong ball-sized eggs.

♪ ♪

In just under 3 months, the next generation

of Voyageurs' snapping turtles should hatch...

♪ ♪

but only if they get that far.

Up to 90% of nests are destroyed by predators...

♪ ♪

often during the very first night.

Any eggs that do make it will secure her ancient legacy.

Job done...

mom starts her long, solo trek home.

♪ ♪

The snapping turtle survives today because

its life has been relatively untouched

by the modern world thanks to the park.

♪ ♪

Voyageurs is one of the less well-known

of all America's National Parks

with just a quarter of a million visitors each year

♪ ♪

The easiest way to explore is on water...

♪ ♪

canoes for the more adventurous

houseboats for those who prefer their creature comforts.

♪ ♪

There's always something surprising to discover,

day or night,

because, in this park, you can witness

one of the greatest light shows on Earth.

The Northern Lights.

♪ ♪

These collisions of charged particles and gases

have a long connection

to the first people who lived here.

Ojibwe traditions teach that when a person dies

they move through the next world as spirits

to join their ancestors and dance in the sky.

These awe-inspiring lights, known as Waawaate,

are believed to be those celestial celebrations.

♪ ♪

Fall arrives in Voyageurs National Park,

beautiful and brief.

♪ ♪

Winter is never far away

in this great American wilderness.

♪ ♪

Colored leaves are more than a vibrant spectacle.

Each holds vital nutrients.

♪ ♪

Voyageurs has just the right moist

and cool conditions to break them down into the soil...

(cracking)

(squeaking)

(squishing)

a perfect world for fungi to thrive.

They are so abundant that no one's been able

to put a number on how many species lie

within the park's boundaries.

♪ ♪

These mushrooms are just the part of fungi we can see.

Underneath is where the magic happens.

Long, thread-like filaments grow and spread underground.

Mycelium breaks down debris, creating a fertile soil

for Voyageurs' 50 species of trees and shrubs...

♪ ♪

but the job isn't finished yet.

Another type of fungi, the truffle, lives

amongst the roots to help trees absorb nutrients.

There's just one problem.

It lives underground

and can't easily disperse spores and multiply.

The truffles need help...

♪ ♪

which comes from one of Voyageurs'

most elusive animals...

the flying squirrel.

♪ ♪

She only emerges under the cover of darkness,

gliding up to 150 feet using

a specialized furry membrane called the patagium.

♪ ♪

At ten inches long, she's an easy target

for the park's predators,

so she spends most of her life in trees.

Truffles are one of the few things that

tempt this high flyer to the ground.

♪ ♪

It's a dangerous place for her...

♪ ♪

but the promise of a truffle is too good to resist.

♪ ♪

Its natural perfume is irresistible.

♪ ♪

They make up to 90% of her diet

♪ ♪

Jackpot!

(gnawing)

She'll deposit the truffle spores

all over the forest as waste,

helping Voyageurs' trees to flourish

and thrive across the park.

♪ ♪

Each fall, beavers reap the benefits

of the squirrels' nightly gardening.

It's their busiest time of year

when a healthy supply of trees is more important than ever.

♪ ♪

There's so much to do:

add more logs to strengthen the dam

to withstand winter storms;

plaster the lodge with mud and twigs to freeze

into a concrete-hard sealant for protection;

♪ ♪

and collect as many branches as possible

to build up an underwater pantry to last the winter.

♪ ♪

(grunting)

It's tiring work...

♪ ♪

(grunting)

and a power nap is needed from time to time...

♪ ♪

but with the whole family helping out,

many hands make light work.

♪ ♪

They prepare as best they can,

although some things are out of their control.

♪ ♪

It hasn't rained in Voyageurs for weeks,

and the water in their pond is dangerously low.

If winter arrives before the rain,

the pond will freeze through to the bottom,

trapping the beavers in their lodge.

♪ ♪

(thunder)

Hopeful signs are on the horizon.

(thunder)

(wind blowing)

♪ ♪

Rain arrives at last.

♪ ♪

Water levels rise

just in time.

Winter comes early in Voyageurs

as cold, dry, Arctic air flows in from Canada.

♪ ♪

By late October, a thick layer of snow blankets the park.

Temperatures can drop as low as -40.

The beaver lodge is barely visible,

and the pond is completely frozen over.

It's unlikely to be free of ice for 6 months.

♪ ♪

It's calm and desolate on the surface,

but below the ice, life continues to buzz.

♪ ♪

Beavers don't need to hibernate

♪ ♪

Their makeshift fridge means they can spend

the whole winter without having to go topside...

♪ ♪

able to swim underwater for 15 minutes at a time

to collect food.

♪ ♪

Inside, the temperature hovers several degrees above freezing,

while outside it's well below zero.

The kits are now 6 months old,

able to join the family wherever they go.

Thanks to incredibly thick fur,

just one stamp-sized patch of beaver skin

is covered with up to 126,000 hairs.

That's more than on a human head...

♪ ♪

but it needs care and attention

Spreading oil from their glands all over the body

and using feet as a comb

keeps a beaver's coat nice and waterproof.

♪ ♪

They work together to survive Voyageurs' long winter.

♪ ♪

Above ground, Voyageurs National Park

transforms itself

into a breath-taking winter wonderland.

♪ ♪

Perfect conditions for an expert predator.

♪ ♪

The great grey owl doesn't watch for signs of life.

She listens.

(snow crunching)

Her hearing is up to 10 times better than a human's.

(sniffing)

♪ ♪

(sniffing)

♪ ♪

(mouse squeaking)

(crow cawing)

Even concealed by snow,

Voyageurs continues to provide.

♪ ♪

Voyageurs National Park is

an ancient water world just waiting to be explored...

♪ ♪

a remote sanctuary for America' most iconic species...

(whining)

♪ ♪

home to endless horizons and magical sights.

♪ ♪

America's National Parks inspire us to think big

and safeguard the natural world

from the challenges that lie ahead,

Helping to protect the habitat for now

and the future.