America the Beautiful (2022–…): Season 1, Episode 5 - Heartland - full transcript
(THEME MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: Welcome
to North America.
The most diverse
continent on Earth.
The only place where you can find
every landscape from polar ice cap,
to baking desert, and
everything in between.
Whatever the neighborhood, there
is a hero who can make it a home.
Smart, tough,
brave, you name it.
They all have what
it takes to thrive
in the wildest, most
beautiful continent on Earth.
SINGER: Patchwork quilt of life
Wildness never dies
Beauty always thrives
Under these spacious skies
(MUSIC CONCLUDES)
(INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: At the very
center of North America,
lies the Heartland.
A million square miles of prairies,
rolling hills, and woodland
from Texas to Canada.
It's a beautiful land, but
you've got to be prepared
for all seasons in a day.
(THUNDER CLAPPING)
NARRATOR: This is the most changeable
and extreme place on Earth.
(THUNDER CONTINUES)
(MUSIC CONCLUDES)
(BIRDS CHIRPING)
NARRATOR: Deep in the
forests of the Heartland,
one of America's top
predators is stirring.
(INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: A hunter of
near legendary status.
A wolf pup.
Okay, not a legend yet,
but he's working on it.
(WOLF PUP HOWLS)
(WOLF PUP CRIES)
NARRATOR: Mom's
gone off hunting,
and at every
entrance of the den,
there's a pup calling for her.
(WOLF PUPS HOWLING)
(WOLF PUP HOWLS)
(WOLF PUP CRIES)
NARRATOR: They're
definitely missing mom.
(CRYING CONTINUES)
NARRATOR: But her
absence is an opportunity
to go exploring.
(WOLF PUPS YIPPING)
(WOLF PUPS WHINING)
NARRATOR: The world
outside is fun.
Mostly.
This play builds their
strength and agility.
And establishes their
rank in the pack.
A bite to the tail
shows who's boss.
In just five months' time,
these guys will be old enough
to join the adults on the hunt,
where they'll have to face
much bigger dangers...
(WOLF PUPS WHIMPERING)
than a gust of wind.
The ever-changing Heartland is
a hard place to raise a family.
Adult wolves must catch up to 50 percent
more prey when they've got pups to feed.
(BISON BELLOWING)
NARRATOR: Bison, the
symbol of the Heartland,
are their biggest prize.
(BISON GRUNTING)
NARRATOR: A newborn.
A potential target for a female wolf
with hungry pups back in the den.
She could take down the calf
if she can get
past the bodyguard.
(ADULT BISON GRUNTS)
(WOLF YAWNS)
(ADULT BISON SNORTING)
(ADULT BISON BELLOWS)
NARRATOR: Two
mothers, eye-to-eye.
- (WOLF YIPPING)
- (ADULT BISON BELLOWS)
NARRATOR: No contest.
She doesn't have the weapons to
tackle a healthy adult bison alone.
She heads off to
rejoin her pack.
Working together, they
track down a group of elk.
Smaller than bison, but faster.
(WOLF BARKING)
NARRATOR: The pack has a plan.
Two wolves get
the elk running...
straight towards a catcher
who's waiting in their path.
(WOLVES BARKING)
(WOLVES WHINING)
(WOLVES BARKING)
NARRATOR: No luck today.
These elk are too
strong and healthy.
The wolves need to
bide their time,
and wait for conditions
to change in their favor.
Those conditions can
change in a heartbeat.
This South Dakota landscape
is evidence of just how
extreme things can get.
Every year, violent rains and flash
floods carve away the ground here.
The result is a jagged maze
so hard to travel through...
it was named The Badlands
by the Lakota people.
But right alongside
the rocky ridges,
one of America's
largest grasslands.
A perfect home for grass-eaters.
Prairie dogs.
(PRAIRIE DOG SQUEAKS)
NARRATOR: These burrow-dwellers
live in a peaceful town
with well-tended lawns.
(PRAIRIE DOGS SQUEAKING)
But the peace is
about to be disturbed.
(TENSE MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: This burrowing owl
and his partner in crime
have just flown in from Texas.
They're not coming to hunt...
but to steal.
They wanna take over a prairie
dog burrow to raise a family in.
The homeowner's not
happy about the invasion.
(MUNCHING)
- NARRATOR: But this burrow...
- (BURROWING OWL SCREECHING)
-NARRATOR: ain't big enough
for the both of them.
The owls are here to stay.
(BURROWING OWL SCREECHES)
NARRATOR: Their newly-acquired
home is ten feet deep,
solidly built, and
it needs to be.
The owls will need their
burrow's protection
if they're to raise a family through
the wild challenges that lie ahead.
(SNOW GEESE CALLING)
NARRATOR: Springtime is migration
time across the Heartland.
Snow geese are flying
from the Southern US
to their summer breeding
grounds in the Arctic.
They follow North
America's greatest rivers,
the Mississippi and Missouri.
Their journey is 2,000 miles.
So, sometimes, you
gotta take a break.
Over one million geese
rest up at this Missouri lake
on their migrations every year.
(CALLING CONTINUES)
NARRATOR: It's a great
American spectacle.
And it's being watched...
by an American icon.
Bald eagles.
Some on their own
annual migration.
Up to 800 birds...
adults and juveniles,
looking for an opening.
The geese are alert
to the danger.
By taking off together,
they blindside the eagles.
(TENSE MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: The predators can't
pick out a single target
in this confusing
swirl of wings.
A juvenile eagle spots
an isolated goose.
But the goose escapes.
By diving underwater, he
dodges the deadly talons.
Round one to the geese.
But the adult eagles know
that it pays to be patient.
(MUSIC FADES)
NARRATOR: In the Heartland,
change is always just
around the corner.
(SNOW GEESE CALLING, HONKING)
NARRATOR: The winds shift.
Cold air is now blowing all
the way from the Arctic.
From Texas to Canada, there are
no mountains to block the wind.
The temperature can plummet
by over 50 degrees in a day.
The fastest rate of
change on the planet.
(THUNDER RUMBLING)
NARRATOR: As the
waterways freeze...
(ICE CREAKING)
the odds change.
The geese
lose their escape route.
And some of the
exhausted travelers
fall prey to the bitter cold.
The sudden extreme freeze-up does
the eagles' hunting for them.
Their challenge now
isn't making the catch...
it's keeping it.
(BALD EAGLES WHISTLING)
NARRATOR: Adults usually get the
better of the brown-headed juveniles...
though the youngsters
still try their luck.
(SCREECHES)
(SNOW GEESE CALLING)
NARRATOR: The geese
that survive the cold
continue their journey towards
their Arctic breeding grounds.
The party's over for the eagles.
But they took their
chance when it came,
as you have to
in the ever-changing Heartland.
Out on the plains, the cold snap
brings three feet of snow in 24 hours.
(WIND HOWLING)
NARRATOR: Bison bulldoze
through the drifts.
(BISON BELLOWING)
NARRATOR: Others barely
break the surface.
(SMOOTH MID-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: A red fox.
She's hunting for
buried treasure.
Voles, hiding in tunnels
beneath the snow.
It won't be easy today, though.
The howling wind and swirling
snow are scrambling her senses.
Her massive satellite ears can normally
hear a vole from 100 feet away.
Tilting her head from side to side,
she tries to pinpoint the target
using sound alone.
Nope.
No luck.
But she won't let the
weather defeat her.
Time for Plan B.
That's B for "bison".
(BISON BELLOWS)
NARRATOR: As they dig for grass,
they destroy the voles' tunnels.
(VOLE SQUEAKING)
NARRATOR: The rebuilding
work is noisy...
if you've got ears like a fox.
Now, she can get a
proper fix on her target.
Dinner at last.
A little guile...
goes a long way...
in this land of extremes.
And few places are
more extreme than here,
where the Heartland meets
the Rocky Mountains.
(SOFT MAJESTIC MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: America's
oldest national park,
Yellowstone.
Up to 400 inches of snow
fall here every year.
For these two-year-old grizzly
bears just out of hibernation,
this late spring snowfall
is a chance for some fun.
(GRIZZLY BEARS GROWLING)
NARRATOR: But for anyone who's
had enough wintry conditions,
there's one place here where
you can always find warmth.
(THRILLING MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: Yellowstone's
geyser basin.
A supervolcano beneath heats
underground water to boiling point.
(WATER BURBLING, HISSING)
NARRATOR: The scalding
water erupts in geysers...
up to 300 feet high,
the highest on Earth.
(GEYSER ROARING)
NARRATOR: Bison gather
here for warmth...
(BISONS BELLOWING)
but they can't get too relaxed.
Yellowstone is the
only place in the USA
where they still
come face-to-face...
(WOLVES HOWLING)
with their ancient enemy.
(HOWLING CONTINUES)
NARRATOR: Our wolf
pack, at 30-strong,
is one of the biggest ever
seen in North America.
Wolves were reintroduced
to Yellowstone in 1995.
They soon learned that bison gather near
the hot springs during cold weather.
(TENSE MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: The alpha wolf
gets their prey moving.
He chases them away from the
hot springs into deeper snow.
(WOLF GROWLING)
NARRATOR: The wolves are
playing to their strength.
They can cover up
to 100 miles a day.
(MUSIC LOWERS)
NARRATOR: Every step
saps the bison's energy.
The wolves are constantly
on their shoulder.
(WOLVES HOWLING)
NARRATOR: A massive 2,000-pound bull
is guarding the rear of the herd.
(BISON BULL BELLOWING)
(WOLVES WHIMPERING)
NARRATOR: But some wolves get
past, chasing the smaller cows.
- (WOLVES YIPPING)
- (BISON BELLOWING)
NARRATOR: The pack's strategy,
divide and conquer.
(MUSIC RISES)
(WOLVES YIPPING)
(MUSIC FADES)
(RAVEN CROAKS)
NARRATOR: In the frenzied chase,
one old cow gets left behind.
And just one wolf.
- (RAVENS CROAKING)
- (WOLF WHINING)
(BISON COW BELLOWS)
NARRATOR: The cow is
too exhausted to run.
But she's still ten
times the wolf's weight,
and one strike of her
horns could kill him.
(BISON COW GRUNTING)
NARRATOR: It typically
takes at least nine wolves
to bring down a single bison.
(WOLF WHINING)
- (BISON COW GRUNTING)
- (WOLF WHIMPERING)
(WOLF HOWLING)
NARRATOR: The rest of the
pack is coming to help.
This old female's race is run.
By taking out animals that are too
weak to cope with the extremes,
the Yellowstone wolves help to
keep the bison herds strong.
(WOLVES HOWLING)
NARRATOR: It's a story as
old as the Heartland itself.
(HOWLING CONTINUES)
NARRATOR: A shift to
winds from the south...
and temperatures rise just
as quickly as they fell.
(WATER BURBLING)
NARRATOR: The cold
releases its grip.
(ICE CRACKING)
NARRATOR: And the great rivers
that drain half our continent
thaw out.
On the US-Canadian border,
meltwater feeds one of the greatest
wonders of the natural world.
(WATER CRASHING)
NARRATOR: This is
the Niagara River.
(WATER ROARING)
NARRATOR: And these
are the Niagara Falls.
(ROARING CONTINUES)
(GULLS SQUAWKING)
NARRATOR: Over
3,000 tons of water
plummet over the
edge every second.
(MAJESTIC MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: Over 100,000 gulls,
one of the biggest
gatherings in the world,
come here to catch fish
stunned by the 200-foot drop.
The most daredevil birds
head above the Falls...
catching their fish
on the very lip of the drop-off.
(MUSIC FADES)
(GULLS SQUAWKING)
NARRATOR: Where water
doesn't drain away,
the Heartland becomes wetland.
(SOFT INSTRUMENTAL
MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: The boggy
forests of Ontario...
(BIRDS CALLING, CHIRPING)
just a little north of Niagara,
and every bit as challenging
for the local heroes.
This spotted salamander was born in
this pond just three months back.
Now, she needs to leave
and find a new home before
this one dries out or freezes.
But facing the
unknown takes courage,
especially when you're
just two inches long.
She waits till after sunset.
(INSECTS CHIRPING IN DISTANCE)
NARRATOR: By dark,
this forest is a weird world
of glowing mushrooms...
and other more
sinister surprises.
It's a humid night, good
conditions for her journey.
She breathes partly
through her skin,
but that only works
if the skin is wet.
(DREAMY MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: She needs to find a damp
burrow to call home before she dries out.
And hydration's not
her only problem.
(THUNDER CLAPPING)
NARRATOR: There are
night hunters about.
(BIRD SCREECHING)
NARRATOR: She finds
a promising spot.
But this hole's already taken
by an adult spotted salamander.
Best to keep on moving.
The clock is ticking.
(THUNDER RUMBLING)
NARRATOR: Her quest
is becoming desperate.
Could this be the home that
she's been looking for?
Nope, it's a trap.
A pitcher plant.
It will consume any prey trapped
in its cup-shaped leaves.
(MUSIC TURNS TENSE)
NARRATOR: Usually,
they take insects.
But in this forest,
they take prey...
with bones.
The plant's leaves have
backward-facing hairs
to stop the salamander
from getting a grip.
Soon, the plant's digestive
juices will start to dissolve her,
as they have many others before.
All appears lost,
but in the Heartland...
a change in fortunes
is never far away.
(RAIN PATTERING)
NARRATOR: The storm
finally breaks.
Every drop of rain raises the
water levels in the pitcher...
just a tiny bit.
As the pitcher fills...
she's lifted toward the exit.
Saved by a storm.
And soon, our brave salamander
finds the dream burrow
she's been searching for
all along.
(HEROIC MUSIC PLAYING)
(THRILLING MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: In the Heartland,
you've got to be prepared
for unexpected dangers.
Out on the South Dakota prairie,
the bison are on the move.
And the burrowing owls...
have some new arrivals.
(MID-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYING)
(OWLETS CHIRPING)
NARRATOR: Six owlets...
getting their first look
at the outside world.
Feeding this crew is
gonna be a full-time job.
(OWLETS WHISTLING, SCREECHING)
NARRATOR: Mom's brought
a juicy grasshopper.
(OWLET WHISTLING)
NARRATOR: Now, over to Dad.
He's brought... bison dung.
Not what she was hoping for.
Maybe some food next time.
Nope, more dung.
Again and again, dung.
Mom looks... unimpressed.
(BURROWING OWL SCREECHES)
NARRATOR: He's making a real
smelly mess on the doorstep.
(UPBEAT GUITAR MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: But maybe
Dad's got a plan.
- (MUSIC CONCLUDES)
- (OWLETS CHIRPING)
(PRAIRIE DOG CHIRPS)
NARRATOR: A prairie dog
calls out an alarm...
(PRAIRIE DOGS SQUEAKING)
NARRATOR: signaling
danger in the town.
(OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING)
A badger,
an expert digger who's real
hungry after the cold snap.
(OWLETS CHIRPING)
NARRATOR: The bite-sized owls
must hunker down and keep quiet.
(MUSIC CONTINUES)
(PRAIRIE DOG CHIRPS)
NARRATOR: The badger's relying
on his nose to sniff out prey.
(MUSIC TURNS SUSPENSEFUL)
NARRATOR: And it looks
like the smell of the dung
has masked the
smell of the owls.
(MUSIC BRIGHTENS)
NARRATOR: The badger moves on.
A close call.
Nice work, Dad!
(OWLETS CHIRPING, SCREECHING)
(BISON GRUNTING)
NARRATOR: The drama isn't
over for the day, though.
- (PRAIRIE DOG CHIRPS)
- (BISON GRUNTING)
NARRATOR: With the heat rising,
the bison bulls are preparing to fight
for the chance to mate with the females.
(BISONS GRUNTING)
NARRATOR: There's
a battle brewing...
(TENSE MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: on land...
and in the sky.
(THUNDER RUMBLING)
(BISONS BELLOWING)
(BISONS GRUNTING)
NARRATOR: As the bulls collide,
there's an even greater collision
happening above their heads.
Warm, humid air direct from the tropics
is slamming into the cold Arctic air.
- (LOUD THUD)
- (THUNDER RUMBLING)
NARRATOR: Perfect
conditions for a megastorm.
The Heartland sees the most
powerful thunderstorms on Earth.
A single cloud can carry a
billion volts of electricity.
(THUNDER CLAPPING)
NARRATOR: Two-hundred-mile-per-hour
tornadoes...
(WIND HOWLING)
and torrential rain
sweep across the prairie.
- (MUSIC CONCLUDES)
- (THUNDER RUMBLING)
NARRATOR: It's a passion
killer for the bison bulls.
But ultimately, these
storms are life-givers.
(SOFT INSTRUMENTAL
MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: They water
the great grasslands...
and help turn this region into
the breadbasket of America.
Nearly half of the US
prairie is now farmland.
In a land of extreme changes,
this is the biggest change of all.
But some Heartland heroes
adapt to the modern world.
Under this deserted
ranch house...
is a very rare sight.
A family of bobcats.
The four kittens are
just six weeks old...
and still completely
reliant on Mom.
She's chosen a great den site, out
of the sun and hidden from predators.
Though it can't shelter her
from her playful kittens.
(PLAYFUL MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: Time to head out.
(MUSIC SOFTENS)
NARRATOR: Besides a break from the kids,
she's gotta put dinner on the table.
The world beyond the
fence is dangerous.
Bobcats are often
hunted by humans.
The kittens will be
safe while she's gone,
so long as they stay
under the house.
(PLAYFUL MUSIC RESUMES)
NARRATOR: Uh-oh!
This is the perfect playground
for wannabe hunters.
(BOBCAT KITTEN MEOWS, PURRS)
NARRATOR: One day, with
a little more practice,
these little guys will be one of the
most adaptable predators in America.
They'll hunt everything. From rats,
to insects, to birds in flight.
Right now, though...
(MUSIC TURNS TENSE)
the birds still
have the upper hand.
(HARRIS HAWK SCREECHES)
(BOBCAT KITTENS GROWLING)
NARRATOR: A Harris hawk.
(HARRIS HAWK SCREECHING)
(MUSIC FADES)
NARRATOR: Not
feeling so brave now.
Thank goodness Mom
chose a good shelter.
(TENDER MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: In no time at all,
the kittens will be out
hunting on their own.
(BOBCAT MUNCHING)
NARRATOR: As adults,
each will hunt hundreds
of rodents every year.
A free pest control service
for farmers who
let the bobcats be.
The Heartland rewards those
who can adapt to change.
Whether that's in the
new world of farmland...
(THEME MUSIC PLAYS)
NARRATOR: or in the vast wild
places of rolling hills and prairie.
Youngsters here have
to grow up fast.
SINGER: This is paradise
NARRATOR: At just a month old, our
owl chicks are learning to fly.
SINGER: Seed and grain, new life
NARRATOR: Our bobcats are braving
the world beyond the fence.
SINGER: All that
we don't even know
(WOLF HOWLING)
NARRATOR: And our wolf cubs are
almost ready to run with the pack.
(WOLVES HOWLING)
NARRATOR: As they grow,
every one of these youngsters
is destined to become a hero
of the great American Heartland.
SINGER: This is paradise
Under these spacious skies
(THRILLING MUSIC PLAYING)
(MUSIC CONCLUDES)
NARRATOR: Welcome
to North America.
The most diverse
continent on Earth.
The only place where you can find
every landscape from polar ice cap,
to baking desert, and
everything in between.
Whatever the neighborhood, there
is a hero who can make it a home.
Smart, tough,
brave, you name it.
They all have what
it takes to thrive
in the wildest, most
beautiful continent on Earth.
SINGER: Patchwork quilt of life
Wildness never dies
Beauty always thrives
Under these spacious skies
(MUSIC CONCLUDES)
(INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: At the very
center of North America,
lies the Heartland.
A million square miles of prairies,
rolling hills, and woodland
from Texas to Canada.
It's a beautiful land, but
you've got to be prepared
for all seasons in a day.
(THUNDER CLAPPING)
NARRATOR: This is the most changeable
and extreme place on Earth.
(THUNDER CONTINUES)
(MUSIC CONCLUDES)
(BIRDS CHIRPING)
NARRATOR: Deep in the
forests of the Heartland,
one of America's top
predators is stirring.
(INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: A hunter of
near legendary status.
A wolf pup.
Okay, not a legend yet,
but he's working on it.
(WOLF PUP HOWLS)
(WOLF PUP CRIES)
NARRATOR: Mom's
gone off hunting,
and at every
entrance of the den,
there's a pup calling for her.
(WOLF PUPS HOWLING)
(WOLF PUP HOWLS)
(WOLF PUP CRIES)
NARRATOR: They're
definitely missing mom.
(CRYING CONTINUES)
NARRATOR: But her
absence is an opportunity
to go exploring.
(WOLF PUPS YIPPING)
(WOLF PUPS WHINING)
NARRATOR: The world
outside is fun.
Mostly.
This play builds their
strength and agility.
And establishes their
rank in the pack.
A bite to the tail
shows who's boss.
In just five months' time,
these guys will be old enough
to join the adults on the hunt,
where they'll have to face
much bigger dangers...
(WOLF PUPS WHIMPERING)
than a gust of wind.
The ever-changing Heartland is
a hard place to raise a family.
Adult wolves must catch up to 50 percent
more prey when they've got pups to feed.
(BISON BELLOWING)
NARRATOR: Bison, the
symbol of the Heartland,
are their biggest prize.
(BISON GRUNTING)
NARRATOR: A newborn.
A potential target for a female wolf
with hungry pups back in the den.
She could take down the calf
if she can get
past the bodyguard.
(ADULT BISON GRUNTS)
(WOLF YAWNS)
(ADULT BISON SNORTING)
(ADULT BISON BELLOWS)
NARRATOR: Two
mothers, eye-to-eye.
- (WOLF YIPPING)
- (ADULT BISON BELLOWS)
NARRATOR: No contest.
She doesn't have the weapons to
tackle a healthy adult bison alone.
She heads off to
rejoin her pack.
Working together, they
track down a group of elk.
Smaller than bison, but faster.
(WOLF BARKING)
NARRATOR: The pack has a plan.
Two wolves get
the elk running...
straight towards a catcher
who's waiting in their path.
(WOLVES BARKING)
(WOLVES WHINING)
(WOLVES BARKING)
NARRATOR: No luck today.
These elk are too
strong and healthy.
The wolves need to
bide their time,
and wait for conditions
to change in their favor.
Those conditions can
change in a heartbeat.
This South Dakota landscape
is evidence of just how
extreme things can get.
Every year, violent rains and flash
floods carve away the ground here.
The result is a jagged maze
so hard to travel through...
it was named The Badlands
by the Lakota people.
But right alongside
the rocky ridges,
one of America's
largest grasslands.
A perfect home for grass-eaters.
Prairie dogs.
(PRAIRIE DOG SQUEAKS)
NARRATOR: These burrow-dwellers
live in a peaceful town
with well-tended lawns.
(PRAIRIE DOGS SQUEAKING)
But the peace is
about to be disturbed.
(TENSE MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: This burrowing owl
and his partner in crime
have just flown in from Texas.
They're not coming to hunt...
but to steal.
They wanna take over a prairie
dog burrow to raise a family in.
The homeowner's not
happy about the invasion.
(MUNCHING)
- NARRATOR: But this burrow...
- (BURROWING OWL SCREECHING)
-NARRATOR: ain't big enough
for the both of them.
The owls are here to stay.
(BURROWING OWL SCREECHES)
NARRATOR: Their newly-acquired
home is ten feet deep,
solidly built, and
it needs to be.
The owls will need their
burrow's protection
if they're to raise a family through
the wild challenges that lie ahead.
(SNOW GEESE CALLING)
NARRATOR: Springtime is migration
time across the Heartland.
Snow geese are flying
from the Southern US
to their summer breeding
grounds in the Arctic.
They follow North
America's greatest rivers,
the Mississippi and Missouri.
Their journey is 2,000 miles.
So, sometimes, you
gotta take a break.
Over one million geese
rest up at this Missouri lake
on their migrations every year.
(CALLING CONTINUES)
NARRATOR: It's a great
American spectacle.
And it's being watched...
by an American icon.
Bald eagles.
Some on their own
annual migration.
Up to 800 birds...
adults and juveniles,
looking for an opening.
The geese are alert
to the danger.
By taking off together,
they blindside the eagles.
(TENSE MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: The predators can't
pick out a single target
in this confusing
swirl of wings.
A juvenile eagle spots
an isolated goose.
But the goose escapes.
By diving underwater, he
dodges the deadly talons.
Round one to the geese.
But the adult eagles know
that it pays to be patient.
(MUSIC FADES)
NARRATOR: In the Heartland,
change is always just
around the corner.
(SNOW GEESE CALLING, HONKING)
NARRATOR: The winds shift.
Cold air is now blowing all
the way from the Arctic.
From Texas to Canada, there are
no mountains to block the wind.
The temperature can plummet
by over 50 degrees in a day.
The fastest rate of
change on the planet.
(THUNDER RUMBLING)
NARRATOR: As the
waterways freeze...
(ICE CREAKING)
the odds change.
The geese
lose their escape route.
And some of the
exhausted travelers
fall prey to the bitter cold.
The sudden extreme freeze-up does
the eagles' hunting for them.
Their challenge now
isn't making the catch...
it's keeping it.
(BALD EAGLES WHISTLING)
NARRATOR: Adults usually get the
better of the brown-headed juveniles...
though the youngsters
still try their luck.
(SCREECHES)
(SNOW GEESE CALLING)
NARRATOR: The geese
that survive the cold
continue their journey towards
their Arctic breeding grounds.
The party's over for the eagles.
But they took their
chance when it came,
as you have to
in the ever-changing Heartland.
Out on the plains, the cold snap
brings three feet of snow in 24 hours.
(WIND HOWLING)
NARRATOR: Bison bulldoze
through the drifts.
(BISON BELLOWING)
NARRATOR: Others barely
break the surface.
(SMOOTH MID-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: A red fox.
She's hunting for
buried treasure.
Voles, hiding in tunnels
beneath the snow.
It won't be easy today, though.
The howling wind and swirling
snow are scrambling her senses.
Her massive satellite ears can normally
hear a vole from 100 feet away.
Tilting her head from side to side,
she tries to pinpoint the target
using sound alone.
Nope.
No luck.
But she won't let the
weather defeat her.
Time for Plan B.
That's B for "bison".
(BISON BELLOWS)
NARRATOR: As they dig for grass,
they destroy the voles' tunnels.
(VOLE SQUEAKING)
NARRATOR: The rebuilding
work is noisy...
if you've got ears like a fox.
Now, she can get a
proper fix on her target.
Dinner at last.
A little guile...
goes a long way...
in this land of extremes.
And few places are
more extreme than here,
where the Heartland meets
the Rocky Mountains.
(SOFT MAJESTIC MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: America's
oldest national park,
Yellowstone.
Up to 400 inches of snow
fall here every year.
For these two-year-old grizzly
bears just out of hibernation,
this late spring snowfall
is a chance for some fun.
(GRIZZLY BEARS GROWLING)
NARRATOR: But for anyone who's
had enough wintry conditions,
there's one place here where
you can always find warmth.
(THRILLING MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: Yellowstone's
geyser basin.
A supervolcano beneath heats
underground water to boiling point.
(WATER BURBLING, HISSING)
NARRATOR: The scalding
water erupts in geysers...
up to 300 feet high,
the highest on Earth.
(GEYSER ROARING)
NARRATOR: Bison gather
here for warmth...
(BISONS BELLOWING)
but they can't get too relaxed.
Yellowstone is the
only place in the USA
where they still
come face-to-face...
(WOLVES HOWLING)
with their ancient enemy.
(HOWLING CONTINUES)
NARRATOR: Our wolf
pack, at 30-strong,
is one of the biggest ever
seen in North America.
Wolves were reintroduced
to Yellowstone in 1995.
They soon learned that bison gather near
the hot springs during cold weather.
(TENSE MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: The alpha wolf
gets their prey moving.
He chases them away from the
hot springs into deeper snow.
(WOLF GROWLING)
NARRATOR: The wolves are
playing to their strength.
They can cover up
to 100 miles a day.
(MUSIC LOWERS)
NARRATOR: Every step
saps the bison's energy.
The wolves are constantly
on their shoulder.
(WOLVES HOWLING)
NARRATOR: A massive 2,000-pound bull
is guarding the rear of the herd.
(BISON BULL BELLOWING)
(WOLVES WHIMPERING)
NARRATOR: But some wolves get
past, chasing the smaller cows.
- (WOLVES YIPPING)
- (BISON BELLOWING)
NARRATOR: The pack's strategy,
divide and conquer.
(MUSIC RISES)
(WOLVES YIPPING)
(MUSIC FADES)
(RAVEN CROAKS)
NARRATOR: In the frenzied chase,
one old cow gets left behind.
And just one wolf.
- (RAVENS CROAKING)
- (WOLF WHINING)
(BISON COW BELLOWS)
NARRATOR: The cow is
too exhausted to run.
But she's still ten
times the wolf's weight,
and one strike of her
horns could kill him.
(BISON COW GRUNTING)
NARRATOR: It typically
takes at least nine wolves
to bring down a single bison.
(WOLF WHINING)
- (BISON COW GRUNTING)
- (WOLF WHIMPERING)
(WOLF HOWLING)
NARRATOR: The rest of the
pack is coming to help.
This old female's race is run.
By taking out animals that are too
weak to cope with the extremes,
the Yellowstone wolves help to
keep the bison herds strong.
(WOLVES HOWLING)
NARRATOR: It's a story as
old as the Heartland itself.
(HOWLING CONTINUES)
NARRATOR: A shift to
winds from the south...
and temperatures rise just
as quickly as they fell.
(WATER BURBLING)
NARRATOR: The cold
releases its grip.
(ICE CRACKING)
NARRATOR: And the great rivers
that drain half our continent
thaw out.
On the US-Canadian border,
meltwater feeds one of the greatest
wonders of the natural world.
(WATER CRASHING)
NARRATOR: This is
the Niagara River.
(WATER ROARING)
NARRATOR: And these
are the Niagara Falls.
(ROARING CONTINUES)
(GULLS SQUAWKING)
NARRATOR: Over
3,000 tons of water
plummet over the
edge every second.
(MAJESTIC MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: Over 100,000 gulls,
one of the biggest
gatherings in the world,
come here to catch fish
stunned by the 200-foot drop.
The most daredevil birds
head above the Falls...
catching their fish
on the very lip of the drop-off.
(MUSIC FADES)
(GULLS SQUAWKING)
NARRATOR: Where water
doesn't drain away,
the Heartland becomes wetland.
(SOFT INSTRUMENTAL
MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: The boggy
forests of Ontario...
(BIRDS CALLING, CHIRPING)
just a little north of Niagara,
and every bit as challenging
for the local heroes.
This spotted salamander was born in
this pond just three months back.
Now, she needs to leave
and find a new home before
this one dries out or freezes.
But facing the
unknown takes courage,
especially when you're
just two inches long.
She waits till after sunset.
(INSECTS CHIRPING IN DISTANCE)
NARRATOR: By dark,
this forest is a weird world
of glowing mushrooms...
and other more
sinister surprises.
It's a humid night, good
conditions for her journey.
She breathes partly
through her skin,
but that only works
if the skin is wet.
(DREAMY MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: She needs to find a damp
burrow to call home before she dries out.
And hydration's not
her only problem.
(THUNDER CLAPPING)
NARRATOR: There are
night hunters about.
(BIRD SCREECHING)
NARRATOR: She finds
a promising spot.
But this hole's already taken
by an adult spotted salamander.
Best to keep on moving.
The clock is ticking.
(THUNDER RUMBLING)
NARRATOR: Her quest
is becoming desperate.
Could this be the home that
she's been looking for?
Nope, it's a trap.
A pitcher plant.
It will consume any prey trapped
in its cup-shaped leaves.
(MUSIC TURNS TENSE)
NARRATOR: Usually,
they take insects.
But in this forest,
they take prey...
with bones.
The plant's leaves have
backward-facing hairs
to stop the salamander
from getting a grip.
Soon, the plant's digestive
juices will start to dissolve her,
as they have many others before.
All appears lost,
but in the Heartland...
a change in fortunes
is never far away.
(RAIN PATTERING)
NARRATOR: The storm
finally breaks.
Every drop of rain raises the
water levels in the pitcher...
just a tiny bit.
As the pitcher fills...
she's lifted toward the exit.
Saved by a storm.
And soon, our brave salamander
finds the dream burrow
she's been searching for
all along.
(HEROIC MUSIC PLAYING)
(THRILLING MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: In the Heartland,
you've got to be prepared
for unexpected dangers.
Out on the South Dakota prairie,
the bison are on the move.
And the burrowing owls...
have some new arrivals.
(MID-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYING)
(OWLETS CHIRPING)
NARRATOR: Six owlets...
getting their first look
at the outside world.
Feeding this crew is
gonna be a full-time job.
(OWLETS WHISTLING, SCREECHING)
NARRATOR: Mom's brought
a juicy grasshopper.
(OWLET WHISTLING)
NARRATOR: Now, over to Dad.
He's brought... bison dung.
Not what she was hoping for.
Maybe some food next time.
Nope, more dung.
Again and again, dung.
Mom looks... unimpressed.
(BURROWING OWL SCREECHES)
NARRATOR: He's making a real
smelly mess on the doorstep.
(UPBEAT GUITAR MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: But maybe
Dad's got a plan.
- (MUSIC CONCLUDES)
- (OWLETS CHIRPING)
(PRAIRIE DOG CHIRPS)
NARRATOR: A prairie dog
calls out an alarm...
(PRAIRIE DOGS SQUEAKING)
NARRATOR: signaling
danger in the town.
(OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING)
A badger,
an expert digger who's real
hungry after the cold snap.
(OWLETS CHIRPING)
NARRATOR: The bite-sized owls
must hunker down and keep quiet.
(MUSIC CONTINUES)
(PRAIRIE DOG CHIRPS)
NARRATOR: The badger's relying
on his nose to sniff out prey.
(MUSIC TURNS SUSPENSEFUL)
NARRATOR: And it looks
like the smell of the dung
has masked the
smell of the owls.
(MUSIC BRIGHTENS)
NARRATOR: The badger moves on.
A close call.
Nice work, Dad!
(OWLETS CHIRPING, SCREECHING)
(BISON GRUNTING)
NARRATOR: The drama isn't
over for the day, though.
- (PRAIRIE DOG CHIRPS)
- (BISON GRUNTING)
NARRATOR: With the heat rising,
the bison bulls are preparing to fight
for the chance to mate with the females.
(BISONS GRUNTING)
NARRATOR: There's
a battle brewing...
(TENSE MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: on land...
and in the sky.
(THUNDER RUMBLING)
(BISONS BELLOWING)
(BISONS GRUNTING)
NARRATOR: As the bulls collide,
there's an even greater collision
happening above their heads.
Warm, humid air direct from the tropics
is slamming into the cold Arctic air.
- (LOUD THUD)
- (THUNDER RUMBLING)
NARRATOR: Perfect
conditions for a megastorm.
The Heartland sees the most
powerful thunderstorms on Earth.
A single cloud can carry a
billion volts of electricity.
(THUNDER CLAPPING)
NARRATOR: Two-hundred-mile-per-hour
tornadoes...
(WIND HOWLING)
and torrential rain
sweep across the prairie.
- (MUSIC CONCLUDES)
- (THUNDER RUMBLING)
NARRATOR: It's a passion
killer for the bison bulls.
But ultimately, these
storms are life-givers.
(SOFT INSTRUMENTAL
MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: They water
the great grasslands...
and help turn this region into
the breadbasket of America.
Nearly half of the US
prairie is now farmland.
In a land of extreme changes,
this is the biggest change of all.
But some Heartland heroes
adapt to the modern world.
Under this deserted
ranch house...
is a very rare sight.
A family of bobcats.
The four kittens are
just six weeks old...
and still completely
reliant on Mom.
She's chosen a great den site, out
of the sun and hidden from predators.
Though it can't shelter her
from her playful kittens.
(PLAYFUL MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: Time to head out.
(MUSIC SOFTENS)
NARRATOR: Besides a break from the kids,
she's gotta put dinner on the table.
The world beyond the
fence is dangerous.
Bobcats are often
hunted by humans.
The kittens will be
safe while she's gone,
so long as they stay
under the house.
(PLAYFUL MUSIC RESUMES)
NARRATOR: Uh-oh!
This is the perfect playground
for wannabe hunters.
(BOBCAT KITTEN MEOWS, PURRS)
NARRATOR: One day, with
a little more practice,
these little guys will be one of the
most adaptable predators in America.
They'll hunt everything. From rats,
to insects, to birds in flight.
Right now, though...
(MUSIC TURNS TENSE)
the birds still
have the upper hand.
(HARRIS HAWK SCREECHES)
(BOBCAT KITTENS GROWLING)
NARRATOR: A Harris hawk.
(HARRIS HAWK SCREECHING)
(MUSIC FADES)
NARRATOR: Not
feeling so brave now.
Thank goodness Mom
chose a good shelter.
(TENDER MUSIC PLAYING)
NARRATOR: In no time at all,
the kittens will be out
hunting on their own.
(BOBCAT MUNCHING)
NARRATOR: As adults,
each will hunt hundreds
of rodents every year.
A free pest control service
for farmers who
let the bobcats be.
The Heartland rewards those
who can adapt to change.
Whether that's in the
new world of farmland...
(THEME MUSIC PLAYS)
NARRATOR: or in the vast wild
places of rolling hills and prairie.
Youngsters here have
to grow up fast.
SINGER: This is paradise
NARRATOR: At just a month old, our
owl chicks are learning to fly.
SINGER: Seed and grain, new life
NARRATOR: Our bobcats are braving
the world beyond the fence.
SINGER: All that
we don't even know
(WOLF HOWLING)
NARRATOR: And our wolf cubs are
almost ready to run with the pack.
(WOLVES HOWLING)
NARRATOR: As they grow,
every one of these youngsters
is destined to become a hero
of the great American Heartland.
SINGER: This is paradise
Under these spacious skies
(THRILLING MUSIC PLAYING)
(MUSIC CONCLUDES)