Original subtitles

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Narrator: when you see this Symbol, you know you're watching

Television that's educational And informational.

The more you know on nbc.

Dylan: hi everyone, I'm dylan Dreyer.

And today we'll check out the Surprisingly rough and tumble

World of european animals right Here on earth odyssey.

Coming up, this fierce looking Animal isn't afraid to bust a

Move, but just what is he after?

And a power couple is on the Prowl in the mountains of italy.

[howling]

Dylan: plus, if you hear this Sound, you know there's a battle

Brewing.

And it's time to meet a real Prickly fellow.

All that and more on earth Odyssey.

[music]

Dylan: our planet boasts an Impressive collection of more

Than 8 million species of Animals, each with their own

Unique ability to flourish.

And one great example is this Consummate survivor that has

Made the perfect home in the Perfect environment.

In northern spain, an impressive Mountain chain stretches for

Miles.

The highest peaks set the stage For fierce confrontations.

For the refuge of the last great Predators of the iberian

Peninsula.

This mountain range contains Some of the wildest and roughest

Landscapes in the region.

Even so, for some animals, it's The perfect habitat.

A group of chamois, a european Goat antelope, is grazing on a

Steep slope.

Then something catches their Attention.

A rare mountain dweller is Searching for food, the iberian

Brown bear.

As long as they keep their Distance, everyone is safe.

Although the bear could hunt a Chamois, the chase is not worth

The effort.

This ancient land, ripped by High mountain peaks, still holds

Some of the most pristine Habitats on the peninsula.

Brown bears are essentially Vegetarian and haventy of

Food options here.

Threatened by centuries of Persecution, relentless hunting,

And habitat loss, its presence In the territory has been

Reduced to around 200 Individuals.

In these mountains, they reside In the largest remaining patches

Of native forest in spain and Portugal.

Finding food is not a problem in This well-preserved ecosystem.

The forest has a lot to offer.

The brown bears are extremely Opportunistic animals.

Anything will serve as a meal.

This ant hill is a nice find for This mother and her cub.

Tween spring and autumn, all Brown bears must gather the

Much-needed energy reserves for The next hibernation period.

But food is not their only Concern.

One thing that is hard to find In these large areas is a mate.

Here, a bear can go for weeks Without seeing another bear.

But for mating, nature always Finds a solution.

When bears want to make their Presence known, they communicate

By rubbing themselves on trees In order to leave their scent.

And they do it with style.

[music and bear growling]

Dylan: once spread across Several regions of the iberian

Peninsula, brown bears are today Reduced to a small territory

Here in cantabria.

Thankfully, their population has Been recovering in numbers,

Mainly because nowadays the bear Is seen as part of the rich

Natural heritage of the region.

In this corner of europe, the Brown bear is the ultimate

Symbol of wildlife resilience.

Coming up, finding food in Winter can be harder than it

Looks, even for this legendary Top predator.

And these rivals really put Their whole selves into a battle

Of the birds.

Plus, how one brave baby uses His natural defenses to stay out

Of danger.

This and more when earth odyssey Comes right back.

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Narrator: we now return to The more you know on nbc.

Dylan: these snowy mountain Peaks form the backbone of

Italy.

While much of europe's Mediterranean region enjoys a

Mild wet winter, temperatures Here drop to as little as minus

Four degrees fahrenheit.

Perfect conditions for the Mountain's most notorious

Predator...

The italian wolf.

This male has grown an Insulating winter coat,

And he's not hunting alone.

These two are the alpha couple, Mates for life and leaders of

The pack.

The italian wolf is smaller than The european gray wolf, weighing

Under 100 pounds.

These mountains are a vital Refuge for this endangered

Species.

This time of year, sparse winter Vegetation means their prey has

Dispersed.

So they patrol hunting trails Across their 40-square-mile

Territory.

The pair's experience is paying Off.

They're on to a scent.

Their sense of smell is 100 Times better than ours.

Red deer are a hard target for Just two wolves, so it's time to

Make a little noise.

[howling]

Dylan: howling is a call for Backup with a 10-mile range.

Their prey won't stay put for Long.

They must close the gap.

They get within a few feet, but The rest of their pack is still

Miles away, and the 220-pound Deer are standing their ground.

[music]

Dylan: they try for almost an Hour to find a weak link.

But the herd is united.

And this time, the alpha Couple's call has gone

Unanswered.

They decide to save energy.

It's a wise choice with two Months of winter still to

Survive high in the italian Mountain.

Coming up, these rivals in the Scottish highlands are prepared

To go wing to wing to win.

And it's shake, rattle, and roll When this little one tries to

Scare off a predator.

Find out more when earth odyssey Returns.

.

Narrator: we now return to The more you know on nbc.

Dylan: most animals live in a Brutal world.

There's no time to debate a Course of action.

They have to show up ready to Forage, hunt, mate, show off, or

Sometimes just plain old fight For what they want.

The trick is to do it without Giving up too much.

Take a look.

It's dawn in the pine forests of Scotland.

The snow lays thick on the Ground, but tempers here are

Raging hot.

These male western Capercaillies, or wood grouse,

Are fighting for their chance at A hen harem.

Female birds watch the display From the safety of the treetops.

They aren't in a hurry to choose A victor.

They will have many suitors Before the day is out.

The winner of the morn Scuffle paces the snow.

His is the posture of courtship And intimidation.

His beak points at the sky, and His tail is fanned to its

Maximum extent, as tall and Showy as possible.

The males are as large as a North american turkey, weighing

Up to 16 pounds, and this Courtship display is impossible

To miss.

He calls to the females and any Who dare challenge his territory

With distinctive clicks that Resonate throughout the forest.

[distant clicking sounds]

Dylan: that's not an echo.

It's a rival male.

The distinct clicking gets Closer.

The bird appears to be getting Angrier.

Then a challenger emerges.

A female moves closer to Observe, sending the males into

A click frenzy.

She appears only mildly Interested in the showdown, but

Much more is at stake than the Attention of a single hen.

Any female in earshot will agree On the winner, and they will all

Offer him the right to father Their offspring.

As the females gather, so do More males.

They are intoxicated with Aggression.

One male advances on a hen.

It's too much for his rival, and The fight turns physical.

These brutal duels can end in Death or serious injury.

Finally, a victor emerges from The fray.

He is short a few feathers, but His pride has swelled to new

Heights.

He has won favor with the Females, and the prize is

Reproductive success, crucial to This endangered species.

Coming up, the hunters come at Night, but their prey just might

Be sharper than expected when Earth sey returns.

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Narrator: we now return to The more you know on nbc.

Dylan: the tuscan coast is a Harsh and at times impenetrable

Environment.

The shadows of the night slowly Envelop every corner of the

Maremma park in italy.

Most wild mammals are more Active in the dark.

They use smell and hearing to Get a more accurate picture of

The situation.

As with this porcupine looking Out of the entrance to its den.

Not just one porcupine, but two.

A mother with her young.

Like all babies, it's always Looking for something new to

Discover.

The mother needs to make sure That her little one, called a

Porcupette, doesn't do anything Reckless.

Danger is lurking in the dark.

Sensing the threat, the mother Porcupine quickly pushes her

Young back into the den.

Only when she's sure the baby is Safely underground, does she

Leave with her mate in search of Food.

The wolves have smelled the Presence of a herd of fallow

Deer.

But the deer have sensed the Predators in time and take off

Fleeing hastily.

Intrigued by the noises, the Young porcupine has ventured out

Of the den.

The attacker is not a wolf, but A fox.

The baby porcupine is clicking Its teeth, a warning sign that

There's worse to come.

The baby has built-in spiny Protection, but it is still

Small and vulnerable.

[growling noises]

Dylan: the enemy is faced with A wall of quills.

An important porcupine defense, The quills detach easily and can

Cause real pain.

The fox tries to find a weak Spot, but the barrier is

Impenetrable.

Forget it and focus on something Easier.

Thank you for joining us on our Expedition into the wild.

Each of these remarkable animals Has its own story to tell as

They journey through their cycle Of life.

With luck, their species stays Healthy and strong in their

Natural habitats.

I'm dylan dreyer.

We hope you'll come along for Our next wildlife adventure here

On earth odyssey.

[music]