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(dramatic music)

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The king of the forest.

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Nothing says northern wilderness

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more than a magnificent bull moose.

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But they don't start out big.

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For twins born in a forest glade

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a challenging childhood lies ahead.

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They need to learn the ways of the wilderness,

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cope with predators,

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and find their place among their giant cousins.

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It's a story with enough drama to fill a movie,

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a moose movie.

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(slow music)

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(birds chirping)
(bird calling)

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The boreal forests circling the cooler parts

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of the Northern Hemisphere.

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Dense, misty, chilly, shady, and full of secrets,

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including a well-hidden birthplace

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for the kings and queens of the forest.

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A diligent mother carefully cleans her calf

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and encourages her to her feet.

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Her twin brother has beaten her to it.

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Even though he's less than an hour old,

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the urge to walk is strong.

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But moose have exceptionally long legs.

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The wobbly stilts will take some getting used to.

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The mother cleans up the mess from the birth.

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She doesn't want any trace of blood

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to alert predators to her babies.

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These two are destined to become

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the largest deer on the planet.

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But they've got a long way to go.

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The family are getting to know

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each other's sounds and smells.

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Their bond must be tight.

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There'll be dependent on Mum for six months.

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She'll protect them.

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And during that time they must learn everything

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they need to know to survive.

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Moose often have twin calves,

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though the chances of them both reaching maturity are slim.

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They are not the only babies in the forest.

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It's spring and everyone has new arrivals,

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including the lynx,

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one of the top predators of the forest.

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Lynx can have up to five cubs.

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This one only has a small litter,

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but they are still hard work.

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For their first month she kept them hidden in a den.

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They were blind, helpless, and totally dependent on her.

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Now they're strong enough to explore,

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her workload is even greater,

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trying to keep them together for their own protection.

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Gently carrying them by the neck,

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she tries to gather them, but all they want to do is play.

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(gentle music)

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She offers the one thing guaranteed to settle them down,

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some warm and creamy milk.

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It should keep them quiet for a little while at least.

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Summers are short in the forest

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and the animals here grow fast.

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The moose twins are a few days old now.

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Their fur's fluffy and they're a little more stable

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on their long wobbly legs.

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The stilts enable them to reach the milk bar,

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which is also high, at the top of their mother's long legs.

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Her milk has twice the fat of cow's milk.

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It's also packed with enzymes and amino acids.

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(moose calling)

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In parts of Russia, moose are milked,

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and the milk given to patients to help cure disease.

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It's said to taste slightly acidic

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and have a gentle pine scent.

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The young are enjoying their breakfast

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but Mum can't drop her guard.

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This is the toughest time for her.

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The calves are still not strong enough to run far,

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small and vulnerable to predators.

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(slow music)

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She must stay on high alert.

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(moose calling)

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As fast as her calves are growing,

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the lynx are ahead of them,

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going from strength to strength

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and now taking trips with Mum to explore the forest.

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They're playing more than ever.

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Pouncing on each other helps them

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to build their strength and coordination.

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(upbeat music)

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The skills they will later need to hunt.

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(birds chirping)

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But their speedy development keeps Mum on her toes.

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The cubs are starting to enjoy solid food.

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Now she has extra hungry bellies to fill.

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The moose just has to supply milk to her youngsters.

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But to do that she has to keep herself well fed.

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Moose are like other deer.

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The calves know to sit down, still and quiet

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in the undergrowth while their mother leaves to feed.

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(slow suspenseful music)

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Being away from the calves is risky.

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It should be okay, but only if they keep still.

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But the young female's getting restless.

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No movement in the forest goes unnoticed.

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The moose calf has a leg stretch

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and wants to find out what goodies she's missing out on.

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The lynx is cautious, using her coat

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to blend into the shadows.

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She needs to be careful.

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Mum's nearby.

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A blow from one of her hooves could be fatal.

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(suspenseful music)

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(moose calling)

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Mum's quickly on the scene, but she's already too late.

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(slow music)

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She comforts the little male,

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the lone survivor.

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Their loss will ensure several good feeds

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for the lynx family.

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Well, in theory.

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The wolverine is about the same size as the lynx

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but one of the most feared animals in the forest.

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Famed for its strengthen and ferocity.

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The lynx knows it's best to stay

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out of reach of its bone-crushing jaws.

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(birds chirping)

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She decides to choose a vantage point

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where she can watch the fruits of her labor devoured.

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Wolverines are sometimes called gluttons

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because of their ability to make short work of a big meal.

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It's a survival strategy for the challenging far north

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where there is no certainty of where

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the next meal might be coming from.

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The moose can still smell her calf.

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(dramatic music)

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Mealtime's over.

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Though all of the forest's great predators will take moose

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given a chance, the giants are treated with respect.

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She could kill with a powerful kick

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from massive sharp hooves.

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She's not taking any chances with her remaining calf.

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The little prince drinks a lot.

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He needs to grow fast and learn to take care of himself

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so he doesn't befall a similar fate to his sister.

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Moose are mostly solitary, but the pair are being watched.

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A bull.

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He's feeling optimistic,

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checking out the cows in this region.

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But it's still way too early in the season.

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His antlers are still growing and covered in velvet.

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He's just staking out the possibilities ahead of time.

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She's more interested in grooming out the last

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of her itchy winter coat.

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The calf's growing fast

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and is starting to experiment with solid foods.

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He, like all cud-chewing animals such as cows and sheep,

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only has front teeth at the tip of his lower jaw

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which cut against a tough pad at the top.

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But the chisel-shaped teeth are ideal for stripping bark.

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His mother joins him for the woody snack.

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The forest plants that the moose live on

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are low in nitrates, but the cambium of the trees,

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the inner bark that is busy making cells

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for the tree to grow, is rich in nitrates

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and the moose relish the mineral fix.

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(upbeat music)

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During his life the young moose

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will roam through the forest,

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a perfect patchwork of trees, lakes, and rivers.

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And sometimes also meadows.

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Now that the calf is bigger and stronger,

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he and his mother will travel more

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so he can learn from her where to find resources.

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His gingery fur contrasts

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with her short, dark ,chocolatey summer coat.

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The youngster is increasingly aware of an audience.

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(insects chirping)

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This young bull has been following

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at a respectable distance.

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It's possible he's a half brother,

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one of the female's previous calves

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still hoping for a bit of attention.

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The female's wary.

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(slow music)

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Even if he is family, a big blundering teenager

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could do serious damage to the little one.

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The calf is half his size and has a long way to go.

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But the presence of the bigger male

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seems to get him excited.

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He's getting more confident, playful, and independent.

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Mum tries to keep an eye on him during his games.

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But charging about will help develop

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his strength and coordination.

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Moose love water.

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And by the end of the day

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they are not alone in enjoying the lake.

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Male moose, even young ones, roam far and wide.

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By the end of summer they'll gather

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on favorite breeding spots.

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(swans calling)

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Whooper swans on the move

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and first glimpses of yellow in the leaves

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are the first signs that summer is waning.

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Still, this male won't be ready to breed

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until his antlers have stopped growing

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and the protective covering of velvet has been shed.

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The antlers fall off every winter and must be regrown.

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They're among the fastest growing of all living tissues.

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A bull moose can add a kilo of bone

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to his headgear every two days.

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It takes a lot of nutrition to fuel this growth.

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And of course, what goes in must come out.

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A dinner gong to some of the forest's smaller residents.

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(flies buzzing)

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The soils are often poor quality,

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but the insects and fungi help break down droppings,

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returning the nutrients to the ground,

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which in turn will help the trees grow,

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feeding the moose.

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(slow music)

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Mini ecosystems grow where the moose has been.

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Dung beetles' specialty is taking out the trash.

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They seek out lumps of poop they can bury,

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into which they will lay their eggs,

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creating an edible nursery for their young.

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(birds squawking)

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A toilet break for the moose is a romantic meal

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for dung beetles hoping to pair up.

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But a toad has an appetite for something else.

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The whole bustling community is thanks to the passing moose.

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(birds chirping)

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Throughout their range, young bulls are on the move.

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(slow music)

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Following their noses, trying to pick up the scent

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of females to get ahead of the game

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and be in the right place at the right time.

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Finding a cow moose in this vast wilderness

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is like searching for a needle in a haystack.

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But with their long legs, moose are good walkers,

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covering tens or even hundreds of kilometers

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on their annual searches.

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In the northern forests, summers can be generous

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with rich pickings, but they don't last for long.

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Though moose can live as far south as Colorado in the US,

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Poland in Europe, and even parts of China,

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they are most common in the boreal forests to the north

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and can roam up the tree line where forests become tundra.

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(birds chirping)

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(slow music)

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Here summer enjoys endless hours of daylight.

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There is no night.

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But as autumn takes hold, the evenings quickly draw in.

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The loss of light and rapidly dropping temperatures

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are a signal to deciduous trees to shed their leaves

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to prevent frost damage.

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As the green photosynthesizing cells die off

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they reveal the other pigments in the leaves,

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the glorious yellows, reds, and oranges of stored sugars.

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Eventually the leaves will fall,

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building a natural compost around the trees,

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and they will be ready to sit out the cold.

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The temperature and light trigger changes for the moose too.

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They're flushed with hormones,

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preparing them for their annual breeding season, the rut.

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The first sign of change is that the velvet,

266
00:22:26,950 --> 00:22:28,540
the blood-rich layer of skin

267
00:22:28,540 --> 00:22:31,298
that has nourished the growing antlers, dies back.

268
00:22:31,298 --> 00:22:34,131
(birds squawking)

269
00:22:35,850 --> 00:22:38,310
It withers and splits, peeling away

270
00:22:38,310 --> 00:22:40,343
to reveal the bull's new headgear.

271
00:22:51,730 --> 00:22:54,883
And now the cows finally start to show a bit of interest.

272
00:22:57,715 --> 00:23:00,382
(moose calling)

273
00:23:01,530 --> 00:23:04,170
They'll soon reach their most fertile period

274
00:23:04,170 --> 00:23:06,420
and start shopping around for the best fathers

275
00:23:06,420 --> 00:23:07,570
for next year's calves.

276
00:23:19,813 --> 00:23:22,480
(moose calling)

277
00:23:26,530 --> 00:23:28,723
A young hopeful sniffs the air.

278
00:23:31,350 --> 00:23:34,270
He has a sensory organ in the roof of his mouth

279
00:23:34,270 --> 00:23:36,793
that can pick up the chemical traces of hormones.

280
00:23:42,150 --> 00:23:45,490
The so-called flehmen position helps to get the urine

281
00:23:45,490 --> 00:23:47,823
over these organs to get an accurate read.

282
00:23:56,440 --> 00:23:58,900
It's like a home pregnancy test.

283
00:23:58,900 --> 00:24:01,323
He wants to know if she is ovulating.

284
00:24:02,263 --> 00:24:04,763
(slow music)

285
00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:08,330
She's not quite ready to give it up

286
00:24:08,330 --> 00:24:10,370
to the first bull she meets

287
00:24:10,370 --> 00:24:11,873
and will make him work for it.

288
00:24:16,580 --> 00:24:19,783
He'll need to follow and guard her over the coming weeks.

289
00:24:24,530 --> 00:24:28,173
But his presence signals a major change for the young male.

290
00:24:32,730 --> 00:24:35,930
He's still grabbing milk at every chance he gets.

291
00:24:35,930 --> 00:24:38,400
But the appearance of interested bulls

292
00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:41,084
means he won't have that luxury much longer.

293
00:24:41,084 --> 00:24:43,460
(dramatic music)

294
00:24:43,460 --> 00:24:47,823
The calf's much bigger, but not compared to the big guys.

295
00:24:50,970 --> 00:24:54,263
Flushed with testosterone, the bulls are bolshy.

296
00:25:01,580 --> 00:25:03,680
This could be very dangerous for the calf.

297
00:25:04,550 --> 00:25:07,293
He can't afford to get caught between the angry giants.

298
00:25:12,084 --> 00:25:14,917
(birds squawking)

299
00:25:17,168 --> 00:25:19,668
(slow music)

300
00:25:23,270 --> 00:25:26,630
The forest is cooled by the first frosts

301
00:25:26,630 --> 00:25:29,143
but the moose mood just gets hotter.

302
00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:32,033
(upbeat music)

303
00:25:32,033 --> 00:25:34,866
(birds squawking)

304
00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:40,980
Bigger bulls are turning up for a tournament

305
00:25:40,980 --> 00:25:43,703
and a giant game of kiss chase gets underway.

306
00:26:01,501 --> 00:26:03,480
It's hard to get any privacy.

307
00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:06,083
A receptive female attracts quite a crowd.

308
00:26:11,340 --> 00:26:14,743
The female's mating choices mostly come down to size.

309
00:26:18,900 --> 00:26:21,170
But young hopefuls stay close

310
00:26:21,170 --> 00:26:23,797
just in case an opportunity presents itself.

311
00:26:27,790 --> 00:26:29,660
The big boys are tense,

312
00:26:29,660 --> 00:26:32,260
knowing they must keep driving the competition away.

313
00:26:37,530 --> 00:26:40,000
The cow has attracted quite a crowd

314
00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:42,963
and the calf finds himself in the middle of a load of bull.

315
00:26:50,419 --> 00:26:53,586
(slow dramatic music)

316
00:26:59,663 --> 00:27:02,980
(mid-tempo music)

317
00:27:02,980 --> 00:27:05,223
And his mother's too busy to notice.

318
00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:14,170
The biggest, most impressive males

319
00:27:14,170 --> 00:27:16,850
seem to wait to make their entrance.

320
00:27:16,850 --> 00:27:20,563
But once they do, it's all over for the smaller competitors.

321
00:27:26,710 --> 00:27:29,333
No matter how much they dress up for the occasion.

322
00:27:33,033 --> 00:27:35,866
(birds squawking)

323
00:27:37,210 --> 00:27:39,463
It doesn't mean they won't still try.

324
00:27:40,849 --> 00:27:43,516
(upbeat music)

325
00:27:46,070 --> 00:27:48,860
Occasionally an agile young bull

326
00:27:48,860 --> 00:27:51,203
might manage to dash in and get some action.

327
00:28:09,890 --> 00:28:12,611
But this big guy is not going to take any prisoners.

328
00:28:12,611 --> 00:28:15,361
(dramatic music)

329
00:28:22,920 --> 00:28:24,480
The only thing that can spoil

330
00:28:24,480 --> 00:28:27,413
his romantic rendezvous is another giant.

331
00:28:36,330 --> 00:28:39,763
The undergrowth is the first to feel his fury.

332
00:28:47,970 --> 00:28:50,270
Between six and 12 years old

333
00:28:50,270 --> 00:28:52,063
these bulls are in their prime.

334
00:28:59,270 --> 00:29:01,553
There is only one way to settle the score.

335
00:29:11,220 --> 00:29:15,523
At approaching a ton apiece, this is no place for wimps.

336
00:29:36,526 --> 00:29:39,193
(moose calling)

337
00:29:41,060 --> 00:29:44,670
His honor defended, the male has won her heart,

338
00:29:44,670 --> 00:29:46,960
at least for this breeding season,

339
00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:48,703
and goes to claim his prize.

340
00:29:57,120 --> 00:30:00,085
The mating season is really tough on the bulls.

341
00:30:00,085 --> 00:30:02,585
(slow music)

342
00:30:08,500 --> 00:30:11,560
For weeks they must fight to prove their worth.

343
00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:13,753
And by the end they're shattered.

344
00:30:16,340 --> 00:30:20,530
Burning energy, their bodies lose condition

345
00:30:20,530 --> 00:30:24,423
and not all will have the stamina to face the coming winter.

346
00:30:25,760 --> 00:30:27,973
Other animals are injured in the ruckus.

347
00:30:31,970 --> 00:30:33,960
But the cleanup crew is soon on hand.

348
00:30:41,100 --> 00:30:42,910
The spoils come at the perfect time

349
00:30:42,910 --> 00:30:44,633
for another giant of the forest.

350
00:30:49,860 --> 00:30:53,573
Unlike the moose, the bears won't stick out the coming snow.

351
00:30:55,260 --> 00:30:56,453
They will hibernate.

352
00:30:57,460 --> 00:31:00,456
But to do so successfully, they will need to bulk up.

353
00:31:00,456 --> 00:31:03,289
(raven squawking)

354
00:31:06,562 --> 00:31:08,950
(slow music)

355
00:31:08,950 --> 00:31:10,730
A big carcass like this

356
00:31:10,730 --> 00:31:13,123
might literally prove to be a lifesaver.

357
00:31:18,560 --> 00:31:20,263
It won't just feed the bears.

358
00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:27,120
Ravens gather.

359
00:31:27,120 --> 00:31:28,560
A whole host of scavengers

360
00:31:28,560 --> 00:31:30,723
will benefit from the fallen giant.

361
00:31:37,380 --> 00:31:40,743
The first snows meant time for the bears is nearly up.

362
00:31:44,791 --> 00:31:47,708
(ravens squawking)

363
00:32:09,230 --> 00:32:11,340
The whitewash will also bring more change

364
00:32:11,340 --> 00:32:12,403
for the young moose.

365
00:32:16,410 --> 00:32:19,350
His mother is still allowing him to hang around,

366
00:32:19,350 --> 00:32:21,163
but she's cut off the milk supply.

367
00:32:23,820 --> 00:32:27,253
Her focus is now on the embryo she nurtures inside her.

368
00:32:34,160 --> 00:32:35,923
So he needs solids.

369
00:32:39,760 --> 00:32:43,250
The leaves have fallen, vegetation is sparse,

370
00:32:43,250 --> 00:32:44,833
and the snow is getting deeper.

371
00:32:45,890 --> 00:32:48,143
It's time for the moose to move.

372
00:32:52,150 --> 00:32:55,700
Many populations of moose have a migration of some sort,

373
00:32:55,700 --> 00:32:58,650
sometimes covering hundreds of kilometers,

374
00:32:58,650 --> 00:33:00,820
but usually less as they search

375
00:33:00,820 --> 00:33:02,713
for a safe place to spend winter.

376
00:33:15,500 --> 00:33:18,560
Most favor low-lying wetlands during summer

377
00:33:18,560 --> 00:33:22,100
when ponds and lakes are full of tasty sodium-rich plants

378
00:33:22,100 --> 00:33:24,128
and surrounded by succulent willow.

379
00:33:24,128 --> 00:33:26,830
(birds squawking)

380
00:33:26,830 --> 00:33:31,230
But in winter, the soft ground under snow is dangerous

381
00:33:31,230 --> 00:33:34,410
and the low vegetation hard to find.

382
00:33:34,410 --> 00:33:36,413
And so the moose climb.

383
00:33:39,540 --> 00:33:41,830
Migration paths are well-worn,

384
00:33:41,830 --> 00:33:43,500
used by generations of moose

385
00:33:43,500 --> 00:33:46,213
for hundreds or even thousands of years.

386
00:33:48,529 --> 00:33:50,840
(gentle music)

387
00:33:50,840 --> 00:33:54,050
But their homeland is crisscrossed with waterways,

388
00:33:54,050 --> 00:33:56,610
making a challenging obstacle course

389
00:33:56,610 --> 00:33:58,680
especially for this year's young

390
00:33:58,680 --> 00:34:00,793
who haven't confronted the journey before.

391
00:34:06,450 --> 00:34:08,820
The normally solitary animals gather

392
00:34:08,820 --> 00:34:10,300
as they retrace the pathways

393
00:34:10,300 --> 00:34:11,900
they learned from their mothers.

394
00:34:20,240 --> 00:34:23,566
They're all apprehensive, but especially the young.

395
00:34:23,566 --> 00:34:26,066
(slow music)

396
00:34:27,040 --> 00:34:31,393
Soft mud and slippery rocks make it difficult underfoot.

397
00:34:33,050 --> 00:34:37,283
And in places the river is deep and the current strong.

398
00:34:50,830 --> 00:34:53,950
The more experienced animals know the way.

399
00:34:53,950 --> 00:34:55,760
They are the pathfinders,

400
00:34:55,760 --> 00:34:58,413
knowing the safest, shallowest spots.

401
00:35:01,460 --> 00:35:02,733
Others follow their lead.

402
00:35:11,010 --> 00:35:13,643
The young male and his mother rush to catch up.

403
00:35:22,260 --> 00:35:25,493
With their long legs they can wade most of the way.

404
00:35:28,140 --> 00:35:31,343
And fortunately, moose are fantastic swimmers.

405
00:35:38,150 --> 00:35:41,053
The young male has to paddle hard to fight the current.

406
00:35:53,090 --> 00:35:56,973
But soon the whole herd is across, including the young male.

407
00:35:58,150 --> 00:36:00,300
Now they can make their way into the hills.

408
00:36:08,230 --> 00:36:10,160
Cold air sinks.

409
00:36:10,160 --> 00:36:12,440
And so they're low, flat summer grounds

410
00:36:12,440 --> 00:36:13,873
are colder than the hills.

411
00:36:15,990 --> 00:36:17,930
And being on the valley slopes,

412
00:36:17,930 --> 00:36:19,773
they're less exposed to the wind.

413
00:36:24,500 --> 00:36:26,580
Even in the sheltered forests,

414
00:36:26,580 --> 00:36:28,480
the moose need to prepare themselves

415
00:36:28,480 --> 00:36:30,523
for some long, dark months of cold.

416
00:36:38,100 --> 00:36:39,540
With their long legs,

417
00:36:39,540 --> 00:36:41,490
they can cope with wading through snow.

418
00:36:47,080 --> 00:36:49,483
But food is in short supply.

419
00:36:52,620 --> 00:36:55,040
No grass or tree leaves,

420
00:36:55,040 --> 00:36:58,163
just tough pine needles and bare branches.

421
00:37:06,530 --> 00:37:09,150
But the word moose is derived

422
00:37:09,150 --> 00:37:12,870
from the Algonquin Indian name twig eater.

423
00:37:12,870 --> 00:37:14,540
The heavyweight deer are experts

424
00:37:14,540 --> 00:37:16,633
in making a meal of twigs and bark.

425
00:37:26,380 --> 00:37:31,060
Still with food shortages and the animals closer together,

426
00:37:31,060 --> 00:37:32,240
there is more competition

427
00:37:32,240 --> 00:37:34,283
for the meager resources available.

428
00:37:37,280 --> 00:37:40,113
(dramatic music)

429
00:37:41,680 --> 00:37:44,070
The males have dropped their antlers,

430
00:37:44,070 --> 00:37:45,950
and without their head gear

431
00:37:45,950 --> 00:37:50,353
both sexes use the same weapons, their big, heavy hooves.

432
00:38:09,010 --> 00:38:12,173
With one dispute settled, they get back to business.

433
00:38:13,360 --> 00:38:15,700
Another advantage of their big feet,

434
00:38:15,700 --> 00:38:17,763
they make good snow shovels.

435
00:38:24,540 --> 00:38:27,080
Getting caught up on disputes over food

436
00:38:27,080 --> 00:38:29,220
creates new problems.

437
00:38:29,220 --> 00:38:31,833
It can distract them from an arch enemy,

438
00:38:35,150 --> 00:38:38,710
the wolf, the predator most capable

439
00:38:38,710 --> 00:38:41,363
of bringing down even the biggest moose.

440
00:38:54,580 --> 00:38:57,970
The wolf can move easily over the surface of the snow,

441
00:38:57,970 --> 00:39:00,053
but the moose sink deep.

442
00:39:18,010 --> 00:39:20,170
They use their peculiar gait,

443
00:39:20,170 --> 00:39:23,000
lifting their feet high to avoid fallen logs,

444
00:39:23,000 --> 00:39:24,563
to lift themselves through.

445
00:39:32,740 --> 00:39:34,643
But the wolf barely gives chase.

446
00:39:37,730 --> 00:39:40,980
While the dogs specialize in hunting big game,

447
00:39:40,980 --> 00:39:43,403
they can only tackle moose as a team.

448
00:39:45,880 --> 00:39:49,010
Perhaps the reason for its lack of enthusiasm

449
00:39:49,010 --> 00:39:52,664
is because the rest of its pack have already made a kill.

450
00:39:52,664 --> 00:39:55,581
(ravens squawking)

451
00:39:57,350 --> 00:40:00,330
With bellies full, they are taking a timeout

452
00:40:00,330 --> 00:40:01,703
to recover from the hunt.

453
00:40:04,830 --> 00:40:05,920
With just enough energy

454
00:40:05,920 --> 00:40:08,503
to lazily chase the ravens from their prize.

455
00:40:15,900 --> 00:40:18,743
But soon they'll have a bigger pest to worry about.

456
00:40:22,237 --> 00:40:24,820
(wind howling)

457
00:40:26,440 --> 00:40:30,253
A bear has decided to put in a rare winter appearance.

458
00:40:34,010 --> 00:40:37,420
Bears often do wake up from their winter sleep

459
00:40:37,420 --> 00:40:40,403
and sometimes even seek out a little snack.

460
00:40:51,390 --> 00:40:53,383
The moose meat has called him in,

461
00:40:56,140 --> 00:40:58,800
but it's more than just leftovers.

462
00:40:58,800 --> 00:41:01,790
The pack can feed on this for days

463
00:41:01,790 --> 00:41:03,771
and they're not ready to give it up.

464
00:41:03,771 --> 00:41:06,604
(dramatic music)

465
00:41:09,580 --> 00:41:11,333
They have numbers on their side,

466
00:41:14,850 --> 00:41:16,243
and the bear knows it.

467
00:41:17,910 --> 00:41:19,603
He grabs a bedtime snack,

468
00:41:23,790 --> 00:41:26,953
but they catch up before he can make it to his den.

469
00:41:52,380 --> 00:41:54,143
He has to leave empty handed.

470
00:42:03,363 --> 00:42:06,613
And the wolves celebrate their success.

471
00:42:08,260 --> 00:42:11,880
They are the ultimate predators of the north.

472
00:42:11,880 --> 00:42:15,690
By working together, they can tackle the biggest of prey

473
00:42:15,690 --> 00:42:18,740
and defend it from the largest carnivores.

474
00:42:25,590 --> 00:42:27,460
The winters are tough here

475
00:42:27,460 --> 00:42:29,566
and many animals won't make it through.

476
00:42:29,566 --> 00:42:32,066
(slow music)

477
00:42:33,700 --> 00:42:35,523
Moose will succumb to the cold.

478
00:42:55,970 --> 00:42:58,913
But eventually winter loosens its grip.

479
00:43:05,407 --> 00:43:08,157
(birds chirping)

480
00:43:15,238 --> 00:43:17,988
(water burbling)

481
00:43:31,430 --> 00:43:33,660
The endless drips mean it's time

482
00:43:33,660 --> 00:43:36,060
for the moose to return to their summer grounds.

483
00:43:46,760 --> 00:43:48,830
The moose gather on the banks,

484
00:43:48,830 --> 00:43:51,113
waiting for someone to make the first move.

485
00:43:55,040 --> 00:43:58,593
But the meltwater swells rivers, fueling the current.

486
00:44:00,789 --> 00:44:03,289
(slow music)

487
00:44:13,875 --> 00:44:15,030
The moose gather.

488
00:44:15,030 --> 00:44:16,643
The young bull is with them.

489
00:44:19,020 --> 00:44:20,863
He survived his first winter.

490
00:44:24,980 --> 00:44:27,380
He's now completely independent of his mother

491
00:44:28,240 --> 00:44:30,503
but instinct told him to join the herd.

492
00:44:34,600 --> 00:44:35,617
It will be wisdom from experience

493
00:44:35,617 --> 00:44:38,593
that will guide the moose on their crossing.

494
00:44:42,110 --> 00:44:44,330
With dense fur, they are not bothered

495
00:44:44,330 --> 00:44:46,333
by the temperature of the icy water.

496
00:44:50,170 --> 00:44:53,283
But it's deeper and more turbulent than before.

497
00:44:56,770 --> 00:44:59,693
The current sweeps them widely off course.

498
00:45:06,960 --> 00:45:10,493
But they stay calm, paddling strongly against the flow.

499
00:45:14,360 --> 00:45:17,010
The young male is one of the last to take the plunge.

500
00:45:29,350 --> 00:45:31,870
But he slips in behind an older cow

501
00:45:31,870 --> 00:45:33,513
and carefully follows her route.

502
00:45:38,660 --> 00:45:42,313
He has successfully made it through to his first birthday.

503
00:45:48,730 --> 00:45:50,163
Many more will come.

504
00:45:51,950 --> 00:45:54,170
Looking into his future,

505
00:45:54,170 --> 00:45:57,703
he will grow, bigger antlers will come.

506
00:45:58,540 --> 00:46:03,160
He'll hone his life skills, learning the ways of the forest

507
00:46:03,160 --> 00:46:05,850
until eventually he'll be big enough to think

508
00:46:05,850 --> 00:46:08,363
about fathering calves on his own.

509
00:46:12,690 --> 00:46:14,463
But he's off to a good start.

510
00:46:15,320 --> 00:46:17,173
A prince of the forest.

511
00:46:18,270 --> 00:46:21,092
A movie star is born.

512
00:46:21,092 --> 00:46:23,675
(gentle music)

513
00:46:30,470 --> 00:46:31,825
(slow music)

514
00:46:31,825 --> 00:46:34,575
(birds chirping)

515
00:46:48,907 --> 00:46:51,542
{\an8}(moose grunting)

516
00:46:51,542 --> 00:46:54,292
{\an8}(bird squawking)