America's Greatest Animals (2012) - full transcript

NARRATOR: There are three
key questions in nature:

Who's bigger than me?

Who's fiercer than me?

Who's more dangerous than me?

The bottom line: Who
wants a piece of me?

Or whom do I want a piece of?

North America boasts
some of the most fearsome
predators on the planet...

and some of nature's
greatest beauty.

But who's the meanest?

Who's the prettiest?

Whom do you most want to see
if you dare to get close?



It's time to crown...

America's greatest animals.

Our journey begins high
in the Rocky Mountains,

where there's an
animal so elusive he's
rarely seen by humans.

But his thunderclap echoes
across the canyons...

(horns knocking).

nature's super-collider:

(horns knocking).

the bighorn sheep.

This ram weighs
almost 140 kilos.

That's about the same size
as a large domestic sheep.

But he's a lot more powerful!

He's one of America's
most imposing animals.

Africa has a name for its
greatest beasts...



they call them the Big Five:

Elephant.

Rhino.

Leopard.

Cape buffalo.

Lion.

ANDY: Africa's Big
Five are the biggest,

baddest animals
in all of Africa.

MIREYA: The meanest, gnarliest
animals on the continent.

NARRATOR: But you don't
have to go to Africa
for stunning wildlife.

America's mega fauna can hold
their own against these guys.

BRADY: Africa has
their Big Five.

But what about North America?

Man, you're not going
to short change us.

We've got plenty of animals.

We need our own Big Five!

NARRATOR: But who
will make the grade?

We'll score America's animals on
the same criteria that impressed

the first explorers to Africa:

How powerful are they?

What amazing features
set them apart?

Are they dangerous?

(screaming).

And do they have charisma?

How badly do you want
to see them in the wild?

Each animal can score
a maximum of 20 points.

Four of National Geographic's
homegrown experts will weigh in

on who should make the list.

BRADY: Let him roll...

NARRATOR: Scientist Brady Barr
has wrangled some of the planets

most dangerous predators.

ANDY: Go forward, go forward!

NARRATOR: Wildlife cameraman
Andy Casagrande has filmed
all of Africa's Big Five.

ANDY: Stop, stop, stop.

NARRATOR: Primatologist Mireya
Mayor fights to protect some of

the world's most
endangered species.

MIREYA: Where Kinga
wants to go, he goes and
we get out of the way.

CASEY: Oh, boy, let's
show them how big you are.

NARRATOR: And naturalist Casey
Anderson has a pretty unique

relationship with
America's wildlife.

CASEY (off-screen):
That was big. Give me
a high-five. Good boy!

MIREYA: The big difference
between Africa's Big Five and

North America's Big
Five is the habitat.

CASEY (off-screen):
You know, when you think
Africa and the Big Five,

it's pretty simple-they
all live in the grasslands.

NARRATOR: But America's greatest
wildlife is to be found across
our entire continent.

So in the quest
to name the best,

we'll carve up the continent
into four main regions:

mountains...

prairies...

forests..

and Arctic.

The competition begins
in the mountains,

where the bighorns are
getting down to business.

It's fall in the Rockies.

Time for football
season, bighorn style.

As the temperature
plummets, bighorns get
ready to scrimmage...

...while the ewes watch
from the bleachers.

ANDY: Sometimes I've gone to
great lengths just to pick up

a girl, but these guys?

They take it to a
whole other level.

(horns knocking).

NARRATOR: Skull crushes
skull with the power
of a sledge hammer.

The rams are battling
for dominance and
the right to breed.

CASEY: They're like the
ultimate linebacker.

MIREYA: Boom!

NARRATOR: The bighorn's helmet
weighs 14 kilos and measures

a meter around.

CASEY: And they don't get to
shed their horns like elk get

to shed their antlers, or moose.

They have to pack 'em
around all year long.

And I carry big backpacks,

but I even like to take
it off once in a while.

So, they're pretty bad ass.

NARRATOR: The bighorn's
thick, double-layered
skull is reinforced

with a honeycomb of cross
struts to absorb the shock...

shielding their brain from
a lifetime of concussions.

When a ram's ready
to challenge a rival,

he says so in no
uncertain terms.

BRADY: Occasionally
there's a low-blow,

where they will throw
a hoof out and hit the
other one in the testicles.

ANDY: Really?

They kick each
other in the balls?

Dude!

MIREYA: Ouch.

ANDY: That's just uncalled for.

NARRATOR: But don't expect a
front row seat at the stadium,

this charismatic athlete
is very hard to find.

He's usually perched
half way up a cliff.

Despite his hefty size,
he can walk on only
five centimeters of ledge.

A sharp outer edge
on the hoof cuts into
rock like a fingernail,

while an inner elastic pad
grips to granite like glue.

A bighorn can scale a cliff
wall at 7 meters per second...

fast enough to summit
Grand Teton in ten minutes!

So how does the bighorn
rate among America's
greatest animals?

Measurement one: power.

That head gear delivers
one mean punch,

earning it four
points out of five.

Measurement two: what amazing
features does it have?

From the horns to the
hooves, there's no denying

his impressive toolkit.

Five out of five.

Next: danger to humans.

Fortunately, humans
aren't on the receiving
end of this arsenal.

Only two points for danger.

Finally, charisma.

ANDY: I mean, look
at these guys.

They've got these huge
spiraling horns on their head;

it's like Princess
Leia on steroids.

NARRATOR: Three
points for charisma.

The bighorn earns 14 points
out of a possible 20.

Not bad, but is it enough to
be considered one of America's
five greatest animals?

Our next contender is
a bit more fierce...

he's got teeth... and claws.

Enter Ursus arctos
horribilis...the grizzly.

A lumbering giant with the
speed of a thoroughbred.

The elk calf is an easy kill
for this 180-kilo mother bear.

The cub's father was
probably twice her size.

From head to tail, a
fully grown male can be two
and a half meters long and

one and a half meters
high at the shoulder.

And the grizzlies on Kodiak
Island in Alaska are even
bigger than that.

Weighing 450 kilograms,

they're the largest
predators on land.

CASEY: The one thing that's
interesting about a grizzly is

it could literally stand up and
look into a second story window.

ANDY: They're huge.

BRADY: Giant hands, broad
shoulders, huge head.

One of the most dangerous
predators on the planet.

NARRATOR: These bears patrol
America's mountains up to an
astonishing 5,000 meters.

Among Africa's Big Five, the
largest predator is the lion.

America's grizzly
dwarfs these kitties.

And there's one thing grizzlies
must contend with in the

mountains that lions never need
worry about...the weather!

Winter in the
Rockies is no picnic.

Food is scarce.

But it's this bear's lucky day.

He's found a dead bison that's
fallen through the ice.

It's a feast that will last for
days, if he can get it out.

The waterlogged bison
probably weighs twice
as much as the bear.

Only a grizzly has the
brute strength and power
to even attempt this.

A grizzly's power
comes from its hump.

Between the shoulders,
a large mass of muscle gives
it this distinctive bump.

It's a feature that clearly
distinguishes the grizzly
from it's smaller cousin,

the black bear.

When it comes to
food, the grizzly is a
jack of all trades...

hunter, fisherman,
scavenger, vegetarian.

Their giant claws aren't
for tearing flesh...

they've got teeth for that.

The claws are used for
digging up tasty roots.

And double as chopsticks
when it's sushi time.

But a grizzly's greatest
asset is perched right
in front of its face...

its nose... a nose unlike
any other in the world.

A grizzly's sense of smell
is believed to be 2000 times
more acute than our own!

CASEY: If you took a jar
of peanut butter and put it

three kilometers away, a
grizzly bear can smell it.

NARRATOR: An impressive boast
that'll earn it plenty of points

in our competition.

So does the grizzly make
America's Big Five?

ANDY: I mean, with an
arsenal of weapons that
the grizzly bear has,

its size, its strength,
its speed, its teeth,

its claws, there's no way it
can't be in the Big Five.

NARRATOR: It's time
to grade the grizzly.

Measurement one: power.

With its phenomenal
strength, the grizzly
gets five out of five.

Measurement two: amazing
features that set it apart.

Grizzlies have speed,
strength, size and smell...

four out of five.

Next, danger to humans.

This is real.

Female grizzlies will viciously
defend their cubs and they kill

at least two people in
the wild every year.

Five points.

Finally, charisma.

Seeing a grizzly in the
wild is always a thrill.

Four more points.

The grizzly's won 18 out of 20.

Four more than the bighorn.

But there's one more
contender in the mountains...

one you'll rarely get to see.

NARRATOR: The search for
America's greatest animals
continues in the mountains.

Our next contender
hides in the shadows,

waiting to pounce...

the mountain lion.

CASEY: You know they're out
there, but you never see them.

BRADY: You could walk right by
one and it could be right over

your shoulder looking at you,
and you'd never even know.

WOMAN (off-screen): Oh, my
God...!

MAN (off-screen):
Are you getting it?

WOMAN (off-screen):
Yes. Oh, my God.

NARRATOR: These tourists
have stumbled upon a
remarkable scene,

a mountain lion with a deer
caught in a deadly attack.

MAN (off-screen): It just
pounced out of there.

NARRATOR: Few people have
ever witnessed a mountain
lion kill in the wild.

The cat locks its jaws
around the deer's throat
to asphyxiate its prey.

MAN (off-screen):
This is amazing.

WOMAN (off-screen): Oh, my God.
They don't even care we're here.

MAN (off-screen):
I'm sure the deer does!

NARRATOR: Not one
for the limelight,

the lion takes this meal to go.

MAN (off-screen):
Wow, that was quick.

NARRATOR: Mountain lion,
cougar, panther, puma...

more than 80 names describe
this charismatic contender.

ANDY (off-screen):
Mountain lions are awesome.

These guys are incredibly
diverse predators.

They not only eat
birds and rabbits,

but they can also take
down things that are
five times their size.

That is epic.

NARRATOR: It's the
widest roaming mammal
in the New World...

found from northern Canada
to southern Chile...

From sea level up to
the highest mountain slopes...

a diversity in range no
African cat can match.

The two cats in Africa's
Big Five belong to the
Pantherinae subfamily,

The roaring cats.

But America's mountain
lion is feline.

Like the cheetah and domestic
cat, it purrs, not roars.

The secretive mountain
lion is very hard to find.

And, when one does appear,
it's headline news.

Here in Jackson, Wyoming a
mother has established her den

within clear view of the road.

It's a rare opportunity to
witness her rambunctious cubs

practice their skills.

The mountain lion's
body is perfectly
designed for one thing...

the kill.

two and a half meters long,
nose to tail, weighing
nearly 90 kilos,

she stalks silently
through the trees...

then gets ready to pounce!

Powerful muscles propel the
cat to short bursts of speed,

covering 14 meters in
a single bound,

jumping five and a half meters
straight up in the air.

With an 80% success
rate, it's a hunter who
rarely misses a kill.

MIREYA: Roar.

NARRATOR: It's ranking time.

Measurement one: power.

The lion is our smallest
contender so far,

but still has the power
to kill bighorn and elk.

Three out of five.

Next: amazing features
that set it apart.

Mountain lions are impressive,
but not unique, every cat has a

similar arsenal of speed,
agility, claws and canines.

Three points again.

Measurement three:
danger to humans.

Where suburbs spread
into lion habitat,

attacks are on the rise.

Every couple of years,
one will be fatal.

Four points.

Finally: charisma.

There's a certain majesty
to America's lion,

and a glimpse of
this magnificent
creature in the wild

is worthy of three points.

13 in total.

A healthy score, but
not the most impressive
beast in the mountains.

That honor goes to the grizzly.

And there's a chance to take a
much closer look at this winner,

by joining some scientists
in northwest Montana.

They're radio tagging females
in order to see whether
numbers are going up or down.

SCIENTIST: Or maybe right
up there? I don't know.

They've got one caught
in a baited snare.

SCIENTIST: It's
okay, bud, it's okay.

Nice shot!

She's a very healthy bear.

You guys can come on up.

NARRATOR: Covering her eyes
reduces the stress of capture.

SCIENTIST: Everyone take a
deep breath, deep breath.

Okay, ready?

One, two, three...

NARRATOR: This young
female already weighs
more than 160 kilos.

She'll pack on another
35 before winter.

A close examination
reveals she's not alone.

VET: This is her
teat right here.

Normally, this would be all
haired up just like here
if she didn't have cubs...

so what you want to
do is you kind of

just grab it and basically
we're milking it out.

And there you can see
that's milk right there.

So I think she's probably
got at least a couple of
cubs someplace right here.

SCIENTIST: This capture
foot looks good.

It's just slightly swollen.

NARRATOR: They remove the
snare, taking care to avoid her

incredible claws.

They're as long as human
fingers, and far more lethal.

The radio collar will transmit
the female's location,

enabling the scientists
to follow her progress
with her cubs.

In two years, the collar
will automatically fall off.

By then, these scientists will
have a much clearer picture of

how well grizzlies are
faring in this wilderness.

With the blindfold removed,
the bear is almost good to go.

But not before she gets
a quick dental check up.

SCIENTIST: She has some
wear on her front teeth.

So I would say she's probably
around 12 years old.

NARRATOR: At the
back of her mouth,

giant molars can
grind roots and seeds.

At the front, dagger-like
canines for when meat's
on the menu...

meaning nature has prepared
her for every contingency.

So the grizzly claims
the mountain spot among
America's greatest animals.

Now it's time to descend
from the mountains to
the open plains below...

in search of our
next contenders.

Here, giant grazers mow
the continent's lawn,

and predators thrive
on the moveable feast.

This elk is in danger.

Her young calf has attracted
the attention of two wolves.

Out on the prairie,

predators are always on
the lookout for easy prey.

This elk calf is barely
on its feet and isn't quite
ready to run for its life.

But a mother elk has
the heart of a lion.

She's about to demonstrate why
the elk is a worthy contender

for America's Big Five.

MIREYA: This is much more
than just pretty deer.

NARRATOR: In a remarkable
display of bravery,

she diverts attention away
from her calf by heading
straight for the wolves,

goading them to
chase her instead.

Several times she allows
the wolves to chase her,

then retreats to the water.

Her bold strategy is to
lead the predators on,

then surprise them
with a counter attack.

ANDY: They're ornery.

They don't give up easy,
and they fight back.

NARRATOR: Finally,
the wolves give up.

And mom washes away the fear.

CASEY: Elk are not wimpy.

The face grizzlies,
mountain lions and
wolves on a daily basis.

And they have these
huge antlers and they're
not afraid to use them.

NARRATOR: Once a year,
male elk must face even
more intimidating foes...

each other.

It's rutting season.

Bulls prepare to battle
for breeding rights.

Armed with thorny crowns,
the red-blooded males

advertise their
wares to the females.

(bugling).

This is bugling.

ANDY: Sounds like a
chalkboard being butchered
by another chalkboard.

(bugling).

NARRATOR: This distinctive
sound carries a message
that's loud and clear.

Using all the power
they can muster,

each bull tries to
dominate the other.

CASEY (off-screen): Imagine a
field full of women and two guys
fighting for them,

but now you've given
them giant swords and
a lot of testosterone,

and what you've got
is one bloody battle.

NARRATOR: A successful male
can win a harem of 20 females.

But there's a trade off, his
efforts clashing and coupling

cost him 90 kilos
during the rut.

Mature bulls look fantastic,
but in rutting season,

they are not to be messed with.

The Canadian town of
Banff is located in the
heart of elk country.

Males primed for a fight
parade down Main Street.

Here, two rivals battle
it out in the playground.

MAN (off-screen): There
you go, now he's loose.

His leg's broke!

(screaming, crying).

NARRATOR: A broken leg
means this time it's a
fight to the death.

So how does this
gladiator hold up?

Let's score the elk.

First up: power.

Elk are pretty fierce for deer,
but they don't pack as much

punch as bighorn sheep.

Two points.

Next: amazing and
unusual features.

It's a splendid animal, but
there's little to distinguish

it from other large deer.

Two more points.

Measurement three:
danger to humans.

In rutting season, that
crown of antlers is a
force to be reckoned with.

Three points.

Finally: charisma.

Many a trophy hunter has
trekked through the wilderness

in pursuit of a giant bull.

Three more points.

Giving our first prairie
contender a total of ten.

There are few patches of natural
prairie left in North America,

most have been plowed over.

But in its day, America's
Serengeti would have rivaled

anything Africa has to offer,
with one creature in particular

dominating the landscape.

The "thunder beast", the
largest land mammal in America.

BRADY: This is a brute.

Shaggy, up front, sporting a
beard, clean shaven in the back.

It's almost like
a reverse mullet.

CASEY: Here's an animal who's
survived the Ice Age and is

still sticking around
and kicking butt.

NARRATOR: This six-year-old
bull is a beast.

He's three and a half
meters long, nearly two
meters tall at the shoulder...

and he probably weighs
more than a ton.

He can easily hold his own
against Africa's cape buffalo.

Just 200 years ago,

50 million of these behemoths
blanketed the prairie.

BRADY: I love reading the
journals of Lewis and Clark,

where they would write that
they'd see a herd of bison and

it would take three days for the
entire herd to pass them by.

ANDY: Basically like a black
tide of hooves and fur and,

you know, testosterone.

NARRATOR: But those days
are a distant memory.

Bison were hunted
almost to oblivion.

NARRATOR: Many generations
have passed since the
bison almost disappeared.

A prairie without bison is
like sleep without dreams.

They are the keystone species,
nourishing every level of the

food chain from fertile grasses
to salivating predators.

Today, some 10,000 bison once
again roam wild and free.

It's a fraction of their former
numbers, but it's a start.

This herd has an
intruder in its midst.

The wily coyote has a
taste for tender calf.

But the youngster, while
a little slow to react,

can take care of himself.

Finally, mom steps in.

And few predators are foolish
enough to tackle an adult bison.

CASEY: Bison definitely
have attitude,

and certainly the
power to back it up.

And they know it.

They walk around slow,
and everything gets
out of their way,

and if you don't get out of
their way, you're getting flung.

NARRATOR: In the
middle of summer,

bison bulls display their
immense power and strength.

It's breeding season.

The bigger the bull,
the deeper the bellow.

(bellow).

Males engage in fierce,
head-to-head combat.

Their skulls are padded
with thick matted fur to
absorb the collisions.

The battle won, this male tends
to a female for several days

until she's ready to mate.

Nine months later, a
new generation arrives.

So how do bison stand
up to the competition?

On power.

There's no contest.

Bison are brutes.

Five out of five.

Measurement two: what amazing
feature sets them apart?

The millions of bison that
once roamed America formed

the biggest herd of large
animals ever thought to
have existed on the planet.

Four points.

Next: danger to humans.

Beware of these
colossal herbivores.

Every year in Yellowstone,

more humans are injured or
killed by bison than by bears.

Four again.

Finally: charisma.

As the buffalo nickel
confirmed, bison are money,

a true icon of the continent,
worthy of five points.

The total?

18...eight more than the elk.

While bison dominate the
plains with brute strength,

others follow a different path.

The next contender cuts through
the prairie like an arrow.

Blink and you'll miss it.

Meet the fastest land animal in
the Americas: the pronghorn.

It's springtime, and the
pronghorns are on the move.

Rising temperatures and longer
days set the herd in motion,

as they head for
summer pastures.

This pronghorn might
lack the charisma of
the bison or the bear,

but it's got plenty of other
features that make it stand out.

The pronghorn is neither
antelope nor deer,

it's in a class of its own.

True antelope have un-branched
horns that are permanent,

whereas deer have
branched antlers that shed
and re-grow each year.

But the pronghorn is
somewhere in the middle:

it has a branched horn,

with an outer
layer that sheds.

As their migration
gets underway,

the pronghorns reveal their
greatest asset: speed.

MIREYA: It can run the length
of a football field in three
and a half seconds flat.

That's fast.

NARRATOR: That's nearly
100 kilometers per hour,

certainly worthy of
contention among America's
greatest animals.

Capable of sustaining top
speeds for several kilometers,

they can easily out run any
predator America has to offer.

The only opponent worthy of
a race...Africa's cheetah.

BRADY: Now the cheetah
in Africa may beat it,

but the cheetah is only
good for short bursts.

Man, the pronghorn, he's
good for the long haul.

I'm taking endurance over
short burst of speed any day.

NARRATOR: America had
its own cheetah once.

But since it became
extinct 13,000 years ago,

pronghorns have torn across
the prairie unchallenged.

ANDY: All those ancient
predators, gone.

The pronghorn?

Still the fastest land mammal in
all of the Americas, hands down.

NARRATOR: Today, this tiny band
of 200 is the only herd that

still follows its
original migration route.

Every year, they trek nearly
200 kilometers from wintering
grounds in southern

Wyoming to summer pasture in
Grand Teton National Park.

200 kilometers might not
sound like much,

but for these animals, it's a
perilous obstacle course that

claims many lives.

A ribbon of asphalt
is a deadly barrier.

Every year, instinct drives
the pronghorns north on

their migration towards
summer pastures.

It's a journey
fraught with danger.

Wire fences criss-cross
the grasslands.

Some will find a way under.

Others go over.

The potentially lethal
hurdles stretch for
many kilometers.

But never underestimate
the resilience of
America's pronghorn.

Manmade barriers eventually
give way to nature's course.

And finally they
reach their refuge:

Grand Teton National Park.

Here in the high pastures,
they roam free,

and life begins anew.

So how does the pronghorn
rate in our quest to select

America's Big Five?

Measurement one: power.

Pronghorns are
peerless athletes,

but of delicate form,

only one out of five for power.

MIREYA: It's like a Ferrari.
Can't put 'em on a dirt road.

NARRATOR: Measurement two: what
unique features set them apart?

Pronghorns have two
things going for them:

their branched horn is the only
one in the animal kingdom,

and they're the fastest
land animal in America.

Definitely worthy of a four.

Measurement three:
danger to humans.

Well, not much you
can say, really.

One look at us and they'll
sprint the other way.

Another one.

Finally: charisma.

Pronghorns are beautiful and
know how to strike a pose.

But they're rarely the animal
you're dying to see on safari.

A two.

It's a paltry total of eight.

No doubt pronghorns are
remarkable creatures,

but not big or scary enough to
contend for America's top five.

So among the prairie
contenders so far only bison
seem to have what it takes.

But bison, elk and pronghorn
are all herbivores.

So who's eating all the meat?

This guy.

The handsome black wolf is
the alpha male of his pack in

Yellowstone National Park.

And he's hungry.

Wolves are Mother
Nature's strike force,

brandishing the ferocious
weapons of a predator.

But it's the collective
brainpower of the pack that

really sets them apart.

And they have plenty of
other features that'll
earn them points.

The wolf's keen sense
of smell detects prey

from more than three
kilometers away.

But he'll hear you coming
long before he smells you.

Up close, the wolves weed out
the sick and the injured

to make for an easier meal.

But wolves also have incredible
stamina that enables them

to pursue their prey over
several kilometers if need be.

In winter, their
large feet keep them
on the snow's surface,

with each hind foot falling
exactly into the print of
the foot in front,

a technique called
double registering.

Powerful jaw muscles give
them the strength of a vise.

ANDY: They have an amazingly
strong power-packed bite.

1500 pounds per square inch is
what their bite force reads.

That is unreal.

That's a serious bite.

NARRATOR: Canine teeth two
and a half centimeters long
tear a carcass to shreds.

Africa's Big Five features
a predator with a similar
hunting strategy:

the lion.

Both carnivores hunt in
groups, attack from behind,

and finally, as a group,
overwhelm their prey.

But there's a big difference
in the art of their kill.

Lions are ambush predators,

exploiting the
element of surprise.

Wolves are far more brash.

MIREYA: They don't need
that little secret ambush.

They just jump right out
in daylight, full force,

and take their prey.

NARRATOR: With giant carnassial
teeth for slicing meat and

molars that can crush bones,
nothing goes to waste.

NARRATOR: A wolf pack's
territory can span hundreds
of square kilometers.

And, when strangers
enter their domain,

they will defend their
territory to the death.

(barking).

The black wolf and
his pack win the day.

For now they hold their ground,
safe in the knowledge that a new

generation of reinforcements
is on its way.

(howling).

Wolves have returned
to our wilderness,

and the soundtrack of the
West is silent no more.

So how does this predator do
in our Big Five challenge?

MIREYA: I love wolves.

I mean, I think that wolves
have to make the Big Five.

NARRATOR: Measurement
one: power.

Wolves have powerful jaws, but
must rely on strength in numbers

to bring down substantial prey.

They get a three.

Measurement two:
unique features.

They have incredible stamina,

unrivaled hearing and
phenomenal teeth,

earning four points.

Measurement three:
danger to humans.

While you and I are not
on the regular menu,

there have been a
few unfortunate souls
who've fallen prey.

Another four.

Finally, charisma.

Whether you love
them or hate them,

wolves elicit powerful
emotions in all of us.

Five out of five.

The wolf made an impressive
showing with 16 out of 20,

But the bison was the clear
winner, with 18 points.

Very few bison currently roaming
the prairies are the real deal.

Most of them, wild or captive,
aren't full-blooded,

they've been
cross-bred with cattle.

Only a tiny handful
of purebreds remain...

here in northeast Montana.

Biologists at the American
Prairie Foundation are working

to restore our grasslands
to their former glory by

re-introducing this 100%
pure strain of bison.

MAN (off-screen): Beautiful.

MAN (off-screen): I can't
believe that actually worked.

NARRATOR: But not
everyone's cooperating.

This big bull isn't
ready to climb on board.

A veterinarian
must sedate him...

creating a new problem...

how to move this one ton beast?

MAN: Alright, you're good!

NARRATOR: Time for a
sleigh ride Montana style.

MAN (off-screen):
Here comes the bump.

NARRATOR: It's not often you get
to snuggle up with a bison,

but the chance reveals just
how well adapted they are for

winters on the prairie.

SCIENTIST (off-screen):
I can bury my hand almost
in his hair here,

in his hide, both these guard
hairs and then his underfur.

And in the wintertime,
40 below and wind, this

no effect on him.

NARRATOR: Bison are nothing
if not tenacious...

stubbornly withstanding
the harshest winters
America has to offer.

And their enormous
skull works wonders as a
fur-lined snow shovel,

digging deep
in search of a meal.

Tomorrow, this prize
bull will lead his herd
out onto the plain.

One by one, these pure-bred
bison will reclaim their

rightful place on our prairie.

They're the heart and soul
of America's grasslands.

And gradually,
they're coming home.

It's time to move the
competition from the
prairies to the forest.

Up in the canopy, a new
home is taking shape.

It's a mansion.

Four meters deep,
two and a half meters
wide and weighing a ton,

the bald eagle's nest
is bigger than any other
bird's in North America.

But when you're the national
icon, what do you expect?

America's eagle has plenty
of features earning it
points in our contest.

It soars over the canopy of
all 49 continental states.

It's a phenomenal bird of prey,

second only to the
California condor in size.

The eagle requires sturdy
old growth forest to
support its giant nest,

and prime real estate
alongside rivers and
lakes stocked with fish.

Like all birds of prey,
it has huge, powerful eyes

that can detect the
slightest motion below.

And long, razor-sharp talons,
which easily pluck today's

lunch from the water.

But, thanks to powerful
muscles in the legs,

they're capable of
far greater feats.

BRADY (off-screen): Those
things make me nervous.

They are armed to the tee.

MIREYA: You don't generally
think of birds as being tough,

but the bald eagle is
a fearless predator.

BRADY (off-screen): There have
been some experiments done where

bald eagle's talon strength is
400 pounds per square inch.

That's like ten
times a human grip.

You do not want to shake
hands with an angry eagle.

NARRATOR: Bald eagles used to
be so abundant they fished the

waters off Manhattan Island
and picnicked in Central Park.

But by the '60s, there were
barely 400 breeding pairs left

in all of North America.

Today, thanks to
conservation efforts,

their numbers are
climbing back up.

In spring, hundreds of these
charismatic birds gather along
the northern Mississippi

for one of the easiest
meals they'll ever come by.

Over winter, thousands
of gizzard shad freeze
in the icy water.

Spring releases
their frozen corpses,

proving there is such a
thing as a free lunch.

Downstream, a different kind of
food is ripe for the plucking...

the American coot...

thousands of them,
sitting ducks.

The eagles attack relentlessly.

In macabre fashion, they seem
almost to play with their food.

And they're just as happy
stealing someone else's lunch

as catching their own.

MIREYA: So what are
these guys doing here?

They just showing off?

Meat tenderizing?

What's the point?

NARRATOR: It remains a mystery.

The bald eagle is happy as
both predator and scavenger,

and is a force to
be reckoned with.

But how does it contend
with America's other
greatest animals?

ANDY: The bald eagle?

Come on!
It's our national symbol.

There's no way it's not
going to make the top five.

If we don't put it in there,
we'll be tried for treason.

NARRATOR: Let's score:

Measurement one: power.

Talon strength and a
two-and-a-half meter
wingspan earn three points.

Measurement two:
unique features.

Among our contenders, only
the eagle ranges through all

49 continental states.

Three points again.

Danger to humans.

If you're any kind of
small animal, watch out.

But humans are much
more dangerous to them
than they are to us.

One.

And finally: charisma.

This is indisputable.

As our national icon, bald
eagles have inspired America

for more than two centuries.

A well-deserved five.

So the eagle garners 12
points...not bad for a bird,

but not enough for
a seat at the table.

The wolf, with 16 points,
is still in contention,

but for how long?

Beneath the forest canopy a host
of new contenders are lurking.

These are creatures who
hide in the shadows,

seeking shelter in the big wood.

If you're American and
you live near some woods,

meet your neighbor,
the black bear...

Ursus Americanus...
this is our bear.

It's a smaller and very
distant cousin of both
grizzlies and polar bears.

And it has one feature
in particular that really
sets it apart...

the ability to climb.

This mother has given
birth to four cubs.

They're a few weeks old.

It's time to show them
around the neighborhood.

These cubs must learn
which berries to eat...

which plants taste good...

and how to escape
when danger comes calling.

A grizzly, twice the
black bear's size,

would happily eat
her cubs for dinner.

There's only one
place to go...up.

Unlike grizzlies, black
bears are built for

the vertical world.

Their non-retractable claws are
much shorter than the grizzly's

and are curved like
hooks...perfect for climbing.

ANDY: I've filmed these guys
before; they're awesome.

They're super-agile,
super-nimble.

They're like a little squirrel
but they weigh hundreds and
hundreds of pounds.

NARRATOR: The cubs are way
out of the grizzly's reach.

Defeated, it moves on.

Africa's Big Five has a
climber too, the leopard.

And the surprisingly
agile bear can climb
with the speed of a cat.

But, while leopards drag
their meal up with them,

black bears ascend
in search of food,

such as honey and pine nuts.

These days, black bears are
rarely alone in the woods.

But they have an
incredible ability to
adapt to a changing world.

Hang your bird feeder
where you like...

chances are the
bear will get it.

CASEY: The black
bear deserves props.

In this day and age
to be a survivor,

you have to adapt to
humans and the black bear
is really good at it.

MIREYA (off-screen):
These animals are perfectly
designed for the woods.

That doesn't mean far out there.

It could be right
behind your house.

WOMAN (off-screen): Omigod, it's
in the house, it's in the house!

NARRATOR: There's no denying
it: black bears are innovative
problem solvers,

but if they get too
comfortable around people,

it can be dangerous
for them as well as us.

So how does the ingenious
black bear stand up to
the competition?

On power.

It gets a three.. strong enough
to pull itself up a tree,

but not as powerful as
its cousin, the grizzly.

For unique features:

Its ability to climb at
a meter per second
earns it three again.

Next, danger to humans.

There are occasional
fatal attacks on humans,

but black bears are much more
timid than grizzlies and may

retreat if you fight back.

Another three.

NARRATOR: Finally, charisma.

There is definitely
something exciting about
seeing a black bear

but, again, it just can't
compete with the grizzly.

Three out of five.

The grand total: 12...

same as the bald eagle
and not enough to enter
America's Big Five.

Someone in the forest
needs to raise the bar.

Two meters tall.

500 kilos.

Cool crown.

Meet the moose...the
world's largest deer.

BRADY: These guys are awesome!

They're huge.

ANDY: I don't think
I've ever filmed an animal
as bizarre as the moose.

They just look weird.

MIREYA: It's like God took all
the spare parts and threw them

together and you got moose.

BRADY (off-screen): This massive
beast standing seven feet tall

on these tall
skinny, spindly legs.

CASEY: Nice long
legs and a big rack.

BRADY: In my book,
that's always good.

NARRATOR: An antler rack
can weigh 36 kilograms.

And be as wide as a man is tall.

Moose might be vegetarians,

but they're still
intimidating beasts.

The bulls are as thuggish
as any of Africa's Big Five.

CASEY (off-screen): They have a
temper and if you get them mad,

you're in trouble.

BRADY (off-screen): It's
not just the antlers that
you have to worry about.

The legs are extremely
dangerous on the moose
'cause they'll kick.

NARRATOR: But there
is a softer side.

This mother has
recently given birth.

After a winter pregnant
and deprived of good food,

she must re-gain her strength
before cold weather returns.

NARRATOR: She's got a
lot of catching up to do.

What she needs is a
nutrient-infused sodium boost

with a twist of iron.

And for that she's going
to have to get wet.

Plants growing underwater
have far more of the
nutrients she needs.

But this behavior is unique:

Moose are the only large land
mammals in North America that

eat aquatic plants, a feature
deserving of extra points.

BRADY (off-screen): Well,
if you're an herbivore,

if you can somehow figure
out a way to have access to

aquatic vegetation as
well as terrestrial, man,

that's just one step
over all your other
herbivore competitors.

NARRATOR: Special valves
close over their nostrils,

allowing them to hold
their breath for up to
a minute as they gorge.

20 kilos of food a day is a
hefty requirement to fulfill.

And it does a
number on your hair!

Poor lady.

The moose is the only large
land mammal in America that

can feed underwater.

The males bulk up in pursuit
of a higher calling: antlers.

Every spring, bull moose grow a
completely new set from scratch.

At more than two
centimeters per day,

it's one of the fastest
rates of tissue growth
in the animal kingdom.

An outer layer of soft
velvet rich in blood fuels
this spectacular growth.

But in fall, it's
time to toughen up.

The males scrape off the
velvet and polish their armor.

The bulls are ready to rumble.

It's over.

The loser retreats
to lick his wounds.

The winner stakes his
claim with a love potion
oozing in pheromones.

It drives the ladies wild.

MIREYA: Ugh, ladies,
what are you thinking?

Seriously? Ugh!

NARRATOR: It's believed this
bizarre ritual of rolling in the

male's urine speeds up
the cow's ovulation.

When she's ready, she lets the
prize bull pass on his crown and

seed a new generation.

But will the moose be
king of the forest?

Let's see.

Measurement one: power.

Moose are big, bad brutes.

Definitely five out of five.

Measurement two: what special
features set them apart?

Weird anatomy, giant antlers,
underwater feeding with

specialized nostrils.

Moose have it all going on.

Another five.

Danger to humans.

CASEY: I have actually been
charged by moose more than

grizzlies, hands down.

NARRATOR: Moose are huge,
aggressive animals.

And collisions with cars kill
at least 10 people every year.

Four out of five, not
bad for a vegetarian.

Finally: charisma.

These guys make any
road trip worthwhile,

so long as they
don't hit your hood!

A goofy yet charismatic five.

19 out of 20.

The moose has beaten the
black bear and the eagle.

He is the clear winner in the
forest and joins the grizzly and

the bison in our quest to
name America's Big Five.

Moose might be kings
of the forests,

but the forests today aren't
quite what they used to be.

Every year, there are
thousands of collisions
between cars and moose.

On one particular
stretch of road in Idaho,

169 of these enormous deer were
killed in a four-year period.

These biologists from the Idaho
Department of Fish and Game are

studying where the moose travel
to see how best to prevent

future collisions.

BIOLOGIST: Come on up
on land, come to shore.

She's hit.

NARRATOR: Once the
moose is sedated,

they can get a radio collar on.

Signals emitted by the collar
will enable them to track the

seasonal movements
of the animal.

BIOLOGIST: 8-9-4-4.

NARRATOR: It's a remarkable
chance to explore this

creature's features in detail
and assess the female's health.

Worn down teeth
indicate her age.

BIOLOGIST: Four on each side.

She's got a big gap between the
base of her tooth and where her

gum line is, where her
tooth roots are showing,

so she's gonna be in
that 10 to 15 age range.

NARRATOR: Cloven hooves
support her one-ton bulk.

BIOLOGIST (off-screen):
There's a soft part here,

which is akin to the tip of,
soft tip of our fingers.

These two toes can
splay apart quite wide

and that gives them
extra stability.

NARRATOR: Then there's the
dewlap, a weird bundle of skin

and fur dangling under the
chin that still has scientists

completely puzzled.

BIOLOGIST (off-screen): This
actually can get really long.

NARRATOR: But there's
something else...

something we
can't easily see.

BIOLOGIST: Joshua, we're
gonna do a timed tick
check for 90 seconds.

One, two...

NARRATOR: Beneath two layers
of fur lurks a tiny creature

flourishing on misfortune...

BIOLOGIST (off-screen):
10, 11, 12.

NARRATOR: ...winter ticks.

BIOLOGIST (off-screen):
13, 14, 15...

NARRATOR: Their lust for
blood transforms them
from a grain of sand

to the size
of a ripe grape.

BIOLOGIST: 17, 18, 19, 20.

NARRATOR: Itchy ticks will cause
a moose to rub itself raw and

can literally suck it to death.

On one carcass, scientists
counted 100,000 of these

engorged parasites.

It's a problem affecting the
southern range of moose habitat.

But, as climate change
raises the temperature,

the ticks are spreading north.

BIOLOGIST: 24, 25,
ooh, a lot more.

There you go, Scotty.

NARRATOR: This female is
pretty much covered in them.

There's a chance the ticks
will kill her long before she

succumbs to old age
or gets hit by a car.

There are few vehicles to worry
about where we're heading next,

in search of our
final contestants for
America's Big Five.

We've covered mountains,
prairies and forests.

There's only one region
still to explore.

And it's the most brutal
and breathtaking of all.

Africa's Big Five wouldn't
last a day up here.

On the northern fringe
of the Taiga Forest,

caribou wait out
the winter storm.

These are America's reindeer.

And their large, flared hooves
are perfectly designed to
pull Santa's sleigh.

In fact, they change
shoes with the season:

In summer, the pads soften and
swell like a sponge to gain

traction on wet ground.

But in winter, the sharp outer
rim of the hooves cut into
ice like a ski's edge.

The hooves are useful, too, for
digging under deep snow to find

what little food is available.

Their noses seek out the
carb-rich lichen known
as reindeer moss.

BRADY: Anything that can eat
that kinda stuff in that harsh

of an environment and get that
big is an amazing animal.

NARRATOR: Females especially
must find what nourishment they

can as up to 90% of
them will be pregnant.

They eagerly await the
first signs of spring.

In the icy cold of the Arctic,
spring finally arrives...

and, with it, the
irresistible urge to move.

Millions of hooves
set in motion,

thundering across the tundra,

nearly 5,000 kilometers.

This is what sets
the caribou apart.

It's the longest land
migration in the world.

Nothing in Africa can beat that,

and conditions here are
a heck of a lot worse.

ANDY: The wildebeest are
soaking up the rays in Africa,

while the caribou are freezing
their asses off in the icy
cold of the Arctic.

NARRATOR: With the
caribou come the wolves,

who follow the herds north.

But the caribou lead this dance,
avoiding the predator with

the grace of a flock of birds.

Nothing gets in their way.

They're strong swimmers,
able to cross rivers at
ten kilometers per hour.

That's a six-minute kilometer,
as fast as most people run.

5,000 kilometers is an arduous
trek for the pregnant females.

And timing is everything.

They must reach the northern
pasture before they give birth,

but get there too soon and
it'll still be covered in snow.

Everything's perfectly
synchronized,

down to the precise time in June
when all the females give birth.

50,000 caribou,
all with the same birthday!

Everyone gorges on the giant
salad bowl of cotton grass that

bursts to life under
the warm summer sun.

It's not on the table for long.

The first frost
comes in mid-August.

After that, it's a
diet of mushrooms.

By mid-October, the caribou
will move once more,

heading south to seek
shelter in the forest.

It's a dance that's played
across the tundra for thousands

of years, shifting
with the seasons.

So how does the
caribou measure up against
America's biggest and best?

Measurement one: power.

It's neither the largest
nor the smallest deer,

so it gets a mediocre three.

Measurement two: what amazing
features set them apart?

That 5,000-kilometer trek
through the snow ending in a

perfectly synchronized
birth is definitely
worthy of four points.

Next: danger to humans.

Those antlers might be fierce,
but they're never going to be

used on humans.

One.

Finally: charisma.

Santa's reindeer appeal to
everyone's inner child.

Three out of five.

Which gives the
caribou 11 out of 20.

It doesn't make the cut.

The wolf, with 16
points, has beaten it.

Which means the wolf
takes the fourth spot
in America's Big Five

and joins the grizzly,
the bison and the moose.

But there's one more
spot still to fill...

and only one more contender
worthy of the title...

the polar bear.

MIREYA (off-screen):
Now polar bears are like
my personal favorite.

These guys can reach
12 feet when they're
standing on their hind legs.

Hello!

Is there any more of
a Big Five animal?

I don't think so.

NARRATOR: It is the
largest carnivore on land.

BRADY (off-screen): Biggest
land predator on earth.

That is in anybody's
Big Five, any continent,
any planet, anywhere.

This is numero uno.

Doesn't get any bigger or
better than the polar bear.

NARRATOR: Fully grown males
can stand one and a half
meters tall at the shoulder.

The largest ever found
weighed nearly 1,000 kilograms,

almost as much as a car.

How can the most frigid
landscape on earth
sustain such a giant?

ANDY: They hunt seals out on
the sea ice, but ice is ice.

It melts. It moves. It shifts.

NARRATOR: Hiding beneath the ice
is a rich source of food...

if you can catch it.

A bear can smell a seal's lair
through a meter of snow.

And has the power to smash
through the roof uninvited.

A more subtle approach
is to wait quietly for
a seal to come calling.

The tapered head
and neck torpedo in.

The seal doesn't stand a chance.

There's only ever one thing
on a polar bear's plate: meat.

So if you find yourself
in the Arctic, beware,

you may find
yourself on the menu.

Hungry bears will seize the
opportunity for a meal however

it presents itself.

CASEY: Anything
moves, it's fair game.

It's pretty scary.

NARRATOR: Two layers
of thick, hollow fur,

along with ten
centimeters of blubber,

help insulate the bear
when it's -40 degrees.

The bear appears almost
invisible under thermal cameras,

showing how little
of its heat escapes.

Polar bears are impressively
comfortable on land,

but it's in the water that
their real beauty is revealed.

CASEY (off-screen):
Here is a bear that's
adapted to one of the most

hostile environments that
the earth has to offer.

It's frigid.

And this bear loves to just
jump in and take a swim.

NARRATOR: The hollow hair shafts
and buoyant blubber help keep

the bear afloat, while webbed
toes turn feet into paddles

capable of propelling it across
great tracts of open water.

Each year a bear may
range across 100,000 square
kilometers of ice floe,

sometimes covering
50 kilometers in a day.

On an island in northern
Canada, this bear is on
to something big...

Walrus.

It's a feast waiting to happen,
if he can get close enough

without being detected.

NARRATOR: On the aptly named
Walrus Island in the Hudson Bay,

potential food lies
napping on the shore.

In an extraordinary display
of cunning and intelligence,

the bear moves downwind,
silently bypassing the massive

bulls sleeping
high up the rocks.

Then quietly slips
into the water,

swims around to where
the mothers and pups
are close to the edge,

and then brazenly
walks right in.

The bear zeroes in on a pup.

Its mother's valiant attempt
to save it is futile.

Pups are easy pickings.

But in this very rare footage,
a bear can be seen hauling a

massive bull walrus, twice
its size from the water.

It's a gruesome scene, but one
that confirms the ice bear's

supremacy as the apex
predator in the Arctic.

The final appraisal is
a foregone conclusion.

For power.

This is indisputable.

Five points.

And unique features
that set it apart.

The ability to survive in the
Arctic on nothing but meat,

to smell its prey from
miles across the ice,

and to swim through vast tracts
of frigid open water surely earn

the bear five more points.

Next, danger.

A hungry bear is unpredictable
and the danger is very real.

Definitely another five.

And finally, charisma.

As the ultimate predator, it's
got to be five out of five.

A perfect score.

Without question,
the polar bear is one of
America's greatest animals,

but it's also a
creature in crisis,

that's now being
monitored very closely.

And scientific studies are
detecting an ominous trend.

Here in the Beaufort Sea off
the north coast of Alaska,

the Arctic pack
ice is shrinking.

Some bears must range
much farther north to
stay on solid ice.

But this takes them away
from where the seals are.

Others are left stranded on
land during hot summer months,

also unable to feed.

Bear populations are
showing the strain.

Here in Alaska, nearly
60% of cubs now die
in their first year,

a significant increase
over recent decades.

And overall, numbers are grim.

Scientists predict more than a
third of the world's polar bears

will be gone by 2050.

This team from the United States
Geological Survey is monitoring

how the bears adapt to this
rapidly changing world.

MAN (over radio): We're gonna
be on him in just a second.

Getting ready to fire.

NARRATOR: They've found what
looks to be a decent sized male.

MAN (over radio): Nice shot!

Let's get it over on its side,
get away from that thin ice.

Okay, here we go.

NARRATOR: The team struggles
to keep the bear away from

the water's edge.

MAN (over radio): He's really
trying to get in the water.

Let's just keep working
him into the flat area
away from this water.

NARRATOR: Heavily sedated,
it would quickly drown.

MAN (over radio): C'mon,
bear, go the other way.

Okay, there's a little
bit of a stumble.

Let's just give him a couple
minutes to relax a little bit.

MAN (over radio): Okay, I'll
pull back just a little bit.

NARRATOR: These are desperate
times in the Arctic,

which makes this enormous
beast even more impressive.

His feet alone are an
engineering marvel.

Giant paws, 30 centimeters
across, help distribute
his weight on the ice.

Tiny adhesive bumps on
the skin of the foot pad,

and thick tufts of fur between
the toes, give traction.

MAN (off-screen):
Incredible animal.

NARRATOR: The claws are slightly
shorter than the grizzly's,

and hooked like the black
bear's, perfect for running on

ice and grabbing slippery seals.

And the teeth are unmistakably
those of a meat eater.

But if there's no ice, there's
no way to catch seals...

these Arctic adaptations
will be useless.

MIREYA: Polar bears deserve
a spot in the Big Five,

but more importantly, they
deserve the chance to survive.

ANDY: Their hunting grounds are
melting, the clock is ticking.

This is a species we
can't afford to lose.

CASEY: If we don't do
something about it,

they're going to
be gone forever.

NARRATOR: But there's some good
news: this bear is a recapture.

MAN (off-screen): This bear
has been tattooed twice.

NARRATOR: He was originally
tagged in 2001 as a yearling,

weighing less than 200 kilos.

MAN: 972.

NARRATOR: Today, he enters
the class of heavyweights.

And he could continue
grow 220 kilos more.

So the list is complete...the
polar bear joins the grizzly,

the wolf, the bison
and the moose.

ANDY: It's a good list.

This is America's Big Five.

BRADY: I would put this Big Five
up against anybody's Big Five.

NARRATOR: America's Big Five
are as splendid as any creature

found anywhere on earth.

CASEY: But there are thousands
of other animals that need
celebration too.

MIREYA: Because all
creatures, big or small,

part of the web of life.

Not one animal is more
important than another.

NARRATOR: North America
is home to an astonishing
diversity of life.

From the mountains
to the prairie,

from the forests to the Arctic,

we are the caretakers of
these living treasures...

as we live in the company of
America's greatest animals.

(music plays through credits).

Captioned by
Cotter Captioning Services.