01x06 - Brave New World

[bunniefuu]

[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.

[MUSIC FADES]

NARRATOR: The southeast corner of the USA.

For over a thousand miles,

between Washington, D.C.,
the tip of Florida,

and onwards to Louisiana,

a coastal plain sits just above sea level.

A magical place where the boundary
between land and water

is ever changing.

And life must slip between two worlds.

The steamy swamplands of Louisiana...

as rich in life
as a tropical rainforest.

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

NARRATOR: And some of that life...

can be found in surprising places.

[BEAR GRUMBLING]

NARRATOR: This black bear
has been holed up in her tree all winter.

When she went to bed,
there was dry land all around her.

But it's rained way more
than usual this year.

Now her tree is an island.

[BEAR WHINES]

NARRATOR: Weird thing to wake up to.

[BARK CREAKING]

NARRATOR: Being cut off from dry land
has given her a problem.

Because now,
this bear's got a family to feed.

[BEAR CUB WHINES]

NARRATOR: These little guys were born
just three months ago.

They're each drinking
a quart of milk every day.

To keep them fed, she's gotta eat.

[BEAR CUB WHINES]

NARRATOR: And that means...

-crossing gator-infested water.
-[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

NARRATOR: She's scouting
the most direct path to dry land.

She can swim, but her cubs can't.

So now she's got to try something
which nobody has ever seen before,

let alone filmed.

[TENSE MUSIC CONTINUES]

NARRATOR: She has no other choice
but to carry her cubs through the swamp.

She can't grip him too tightly.

But if she loses her grip...

[MUSIC BUILDS]

NARRATOR:
...the stakes couldn't be higher.

She must take the risk,
or her cubs will starve.

The swamp floor is a mass of gnarly roots.

One slip, one stumble,

and he's got an easy meal.

She's reached the point of no return.

[MUSIC INTENSIFIES]

NARRATOR: That's one cub on dry land.

Now she needs to finish the job.

[MUSIC BUILDS]

NARRATOR: Cub number two

doesn't want to leave
the safety of the tree.

[BEAR CUB YELPS]

NARRATOR:
It's the only home he's ever known.

[MUSIC INTENSIFIES]

[MUSIC FADES]

NARRATOR: Mission accomplished.

This mother proves herself
a true Waterland hero.

Around here, you gotta be able to move
from land to water...

and from water to land.

The barrier islands of South Carolina.

Part of a chain of sand dune islands

running for 200 miles
up the Atlantic coast.

Behind is a maze of mud and water
shaped by the tides.

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

NARRATOR: The setting
for a southern spectacle

not seen anywhere else in America.

[WAVES CRASHING]

-[WAVES CRASHING]
-[FISH SPLASHING]

NARRATOR: The tide is dropping,

and predators are swimming
into the maze from the open sea.

[BIRD CAWING]

NARRATOR: They know these inlets
are full of fish.

And here, these bottlenose dolphins
have figured out how to catch them...

on land.

They have just three hours
before the tide rises

and covers the exposed mud once again.

A youngster joins the group
to learn how it's done.

They find their prey by echolocation,

sound waves that help them see
in muddy water.

They work together to corral
the fish close to the bank.

Now for the smart part.

They swim side by side,
creating a bow wave.

[WAVES CRASHING]

NARRATOR: Which pushes the mullet
up onto the mudbank.

Now it's an easy meal for the dolphins.

And freeloading pelicans.

It's a great play...

but you've got to herd the fish
to just the right spot.

Avoid the banks with sharp oyster shells.

Steep banks are no good.
Most fish just bounce back into the water.

Nice catch.

And with flat banks,
you risk getting stranded.

Not many fish so far,
and the tide is rising again.

There's only one mudbank left uncovered.

This is the perfect spot.

It's showtime.

[DETERMINED MUSIC PLAYING]

NARRATOR: And the rookie?
Well, he's nearly got the hang of it.

[MUSIC SWELLS]

[MUSIC FALLS]

NARRATOR: A good fishing trip after all,

for these super-smart heroes
that move from water to land

and back again.

Inland, the wetlands stretch as far
as the eye can see.

And their undisputed ruler...

is the American alligator.

It's mating season.

Time to get ready to rumble.

This male gator is moving into the arena.

Where the males will compete
with each other

for the hearts of the females.

Not a physical contest.

A sonic one.

[RUMBLING]

NARRATOR: As he exhales,

the gator creates a rumble so deep,
it's infrasonic.

Lower than we can hear.

So instead, we see it.

The sound waves make the water dance.

[LIGHT, ORCHESTRAL MUSIC PLAYING]

NARRATOR: Sound travels more efficiently
in water than air.

So the rumble sends out
the gator's dating profile

far along the waterways.

[MUSIC SWELLS]

NARRATOR: The bigger the gator,
the bigger the rumble,

and the further his love song will travel.

[MUSIC FADES]

NARRATOR: But in this battle of the bands,
you need to beware of jealous rivals.

[LOW RUMBLING]

NARRATOR: The underside of a gator
has no armor.

So rumbling males are vulnerable.

[RUMBLING]

[RUMBLING]

NARRATOR: Male gators can lose limbs,

be blinded, or even k*lled
in breeding season battles.

[ALLIGATOR HISSES]

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

[MUSIC FADES]

NARRATOR: The biggest male is unharmed,
and his deep voice has worked its charm.

A female has traced his call
back to him.

And now these ten-foot predators
reveal their tender side.

Foreplay, reptile style.

A few weeks after this romance,

the female will have eggs to lay.

Above the waterline,
the ruler is more secretive.

This deer is right to be nervous.

A stealth hunter
lives in this Florida forest.

An expert at using dense cover to hide.

One of the rarest mammals in the world...

found nowhere but here.

Only brief glimpses of this animal
have ever been seen in the wild...

before now.

A Florida panther.

Once this big cat,
supremely well-adapted to these forests,

thrived here.

But by 1970,
there were just 20 left in the wild

because of a change
they weren't adapted for.

The clearance of their home, for ours.

Since then, though,

amazing conservation efforts
have brought the panthers back.

[UPLIFTING MUSIC PLAYING]

NARRATOR: A green ribbon
of protected wilderness,

the Florida Wildlife Corridor
weaves between cities

and connects patches of forest
the length of the state.

Where highways cut through the corridor,

underpasses allow cats
to cross in safety.

Now, there are over 200 panthers
in Florida once again.

[MUSIC FADES]

NARRATOR: Joining up forest is good
for the region's biggest land animal too.

There's 40,000 across the South.

And they're not shy
about leaving their mark.

This black bear's rubbing off
his thick winter coat,

so he can stay cool through the summer.

[GRUNTING, HUFFING]

NARRATOR: He's 400 pounds.

-And eight feet tall.
-[BEAR GRUNTS]

NARRATOR: But there's a tree for everyone.

[BEAR ROARING]

[BEAR ROARING]

NARRATOR: The youngsters watch and learn
from the experts.

By midsummer,
it will be over 100 degrees.

You could say "unbearable."

For females without cubs,
this is more than a way to stay cool.

While rubbing off their coats,
they're rubbing on their scent.

Inviting males from miles around...

-to a private rendezvous.
-[BEAR SNORTS]

In the Waterland,

the summer can be
the most challenging time of the year.

Even for the most resourceful inhabitants.

-This raccoon is a single mom.
-[RACCOON CHATTERS]

NARRATOR: She and her kits are up early
to avoid the midday heat.

Though sleepyhead here
didn't get the memo.

The mud is full of juicy invertebrates.

Tasty.

Raccoon paws are four times more sensitive
than most mammals'.

They can virtually see with their hands.

So Mom's eyes are free to scout
for their next meal.

An alligator nest mound packed with eggs.

Just one problem.

-The owner's still home.
-[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

NARRATOR: She mated with her rumbling male
three weeks back

and has fifty eggs in the mound.

She could finish a raccoon in one bite.

But she hasn't spotted the thieves,
and she heads off to hunt.

[MUSIC BUILDING]

NARRATOR: The raccoons grab their chance.

[MISCHIEVOUS MUSIC PLAYING]

NARRATOR: No surprise that it's sleepyhead
bringing up the rear.

Gator eggs are full of protein.

Perfect for a growing family.

This has to be
a smash-and-grab raid, though.

[MUSIC INTENSIFIES]

NARRATOR:
They need to finish their breakfast

before the gator returns from hers.

[MUSIC BUILDING]

NARRATOR: Bellies full, the bandits leave
the scene of the crime.

[MUSIC FALLS]

NARRATOR: All except sleepyhead.

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

NARRATOR: This is no time
for sleeping on the job.

The security's heading home.

[MUSIC BUILDS]

NARRATOR: Last-minute getaway.

[MUSIC FALLS]

NARRATOR: It'll be another year
before the gator mom can breed again.

It's hard slipping between two worlds.

Sometimes, it's better
to live in just one.

The ancestors of one southern giant

switched from land to water
a few million years back.

A manatee, cousin of the elephant.

These thousand-pound vegetarians
are relaxing in a Florida spa.

[BURBLING]

NARRATOR: Warm water springs bubble up

and keep these hot tubs
at a balmy 72 degrees.

The warmth can be a lifesaver.

Especially for a nursing calf.

This little guy wouldn't have survived
the winter in the cool ocean.

So Mom brought him to the pool party.

Nearly half the world's manatees
come to Florida springs each year.

Some swimming over 500 miles to get here.

This pool hosts the largest gathering
of all. Over 800 manatees.

Now, the party's over.

They've eaten all the food around here,

and the ocean's warming up again.

Time for the annual migration
back to the coast.

Just a quick kiss goodbye.

Mom needs to keep her calf
close to her side.

The ancient migration routes
are much more dangerous

than they used to be.

Because of a man-made k*ller.

-[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]
-[PROPELLER RUMBLING, WHIRRING]

NARRATOR: Slow-moving manatees

are vulnerable to boats
that break the speed limit.

-[SORROWFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
-[PROPELLER RUMBLING]

NARRATOR:
The propellers of speeding vessels

k*ll many manatees every year.

When a mom is k*lled,

it's big trouble for the calf.

Orphaned, he'll only survive
a few days alone.

But manatees do something
that only a handful of other animals

in the whole world do.

Mothers adopt orphaned calves.

This mom produces enough milk for two,

and can lead both calves
on the rest of their migration.

The favorite destination for many
is the coast of Everglades National Park.

In between the mangrove-fringed islands,

the warm shallow seas nourish
huge beds of seagrass.

The manatees' favorite food.

Each manatee can eat up to 15 percent
of its body weight every day.

Here in the Waterland, the biggest meadows
are down on the seabed.

And after sunset,

the most beautiful light displays
are not in the sky...

but under the water.

[ELECTRICAL WHIZZING]

[ELECTRICAL CRACKLING]

These lights are created
by microscopic life-forms

-that thrive in their millions...
-[THUNDER RUMBLES]

NARRATOR: ...in the warm summer seas.

[WATER SPLASHING]

NARRATOR: These tiny creatures
flash with light,

known as bioluminescence,

when fish try to feed on them.

It doesn't seem to put off the mullet
that are out feeding tonight.

[SWEEPING MUSIC PLAYING]

NARRATOR: Though the fish
aren't the only predator in town.

The dolphin, lighting up the lagoon
in search of a mullet midnight feast.

In the summer,
night brings relief from the heat.

On the coastal dunes,
the hardest working hero in the South

is starting her shift.

This beach mouse has lots of food
to collect before sunup.

Luckily, she's got a great partner.

Beach mice are one of very few mammals
that mate for life.

They work together
to gather energy-rich seeds of sea oats.

But the mice have a deadly foe.

[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]

NARRATOR: A red rat snake.

Roaming the dunes, trying to pick up
the mouse's scent trail.

[MUSIC INTENSIFIES]

NARRATOR: He's just inches away.

How the mouse avoids detection
was a mystery until recently.

Even in near darkness,
the snake has super senses.

His forked tongue tastes the air
to sniff out prey.

But he can't get a fix on his target.

[MUSIC RISING]

[MUSIC FALLS]

NARRATOR: The mouse escapes again.

-[THUNDER RUMBLES]
-[LIGHTNING CRACKS]

NARRATOR: With a storm looming,
she heads home.

And reveals the answer to the mystery.

She's a collector of old snake skins.

As she walks through,
the snake scent rubs off on her...

disguising her own scent.

[THUNDER RUMBLING]

NARRATOR: But the beach mice
aren't safe just yet.

The snake has found the mouse hole.

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

NARRATOR: In the burrow,
there's no evading the hunter.

[MUSIC BUILDING]

[MUSIC STOPS]

NARRATOR: Unless you've planned ahead.

Every beach mouse burrow
has a secret back door.

[THUNDER RUMBLING]

NARRATOR: The snake is foiled again.

While the mouse rejoins
her faithful partner in a backup burrow,

dug for exactly these occasions.

They'll sleep through the day ahead,

their burrow sheltering them
from something far deadlier than a snake.

Morning reveals
an apocalyptic force of nature

building far out in the Atlantic Ocean.

Under the searing summer sun,

water is evaporating faster and faster
from the sea's surface.

[THUNDER RUMBLING]

NARRATOR: Winds blow
the rapidly growing storm clouds

towards land.

[BEAR SNORTS, GRUNTS]

NARRATOR: The warmer the water,
the more powerful the weather system.

The biggest grow from tropical storm...

to hurricane.

-[THUNDER RUMBLING]
-[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

NARRATOR: The leading edge
of the hurricane

pushes rain clouds in front of it
towards the coast.

A year's worth of rain can fall
in a single day.

[MUSIC BUILDING]

NARRATOR: Good time to move inland,
if you can.

The system begins to rotate
counterclockwise around its eye...

[MUSIC INTENSIFIES]

NARRATOR: ...forming a storm cell
hundreds of miles across.

The winds drive the sea water
in the storm's path forwards,

creating a surge up to 20 feet high.

[WATER BURBLING]

NARRATOR: When the eye wall,

the most dangerous part of the hurricane,
makes landfall,

winds hit over 160 miles per hour.

[TENSE MUSIC CONTINUES]

[METAL CLATTERS]

[ALARM BLARING]

-[THUNDER RUMBLES]
-[MUSIC FADES]

NARRATOR: Hurricanes cause
billions of dollars of destruction

and untold heartbreak

across the southeast of our continent.

As ocean temperatures rise,
these storms are becoming more frequent

and more ferocious.

Our best hope for the future may lie

with the coastal defenses
that nature provides.

Beneath the sand dunes,

some of our heroes
are unknowingly doing great work

to keep storm damage at bay.

Every time our beach mice move
to a new burrow,

they leave their store of seeds behind.

So these guys are super efficient
at spreading sea oats all along the beach.

Over time, the abandoned oats germinate.

As they grow, they bind
the sand grains together...

making the dunes bigger and stronger.

These dunes absorb
the impact of wind and waves

and protect coastal towns and cities

from the devastating force
of storms and hurricanes.

Where there are no dunes,

mangrove forests line hundreds
of miles of southern coastline.

Their network of twisted roots
is incredibly strong.

A barrier sheltering manatees
and other residents from extreme weather.

Where the mangrove forests
are left to flourish,

just like the sand dunes,
they protect our homes,

including the city of Miami.

The Waterland is more than just
a barrier against danger.

It's the perfect home,
if you can go with the flow.

Every year, the great swamps
soak up the floodwaters.

This year, those waters are deep,

but the gator mom built her nest
above the high waterline.

And this time, she kept it safe
from raiding raccoons.

Now, two months after the eggs were laid,

the youngsters are calling from inside...

[HATCHLINGS SQUEAK]

NARRATOR: ...telling Mom
they're ready to hatch.

[HATCHLINGS SQUEAK]

NARRATOR: They break through
the leathery shell

using a tiny egg tooth

on the tip of their snout.

The emergence of the first encourages
the rest to get going.

[HATCHLINGS SQUEAK]

NARRATOR: All 50 eggs
can hatch within a day or two.

At just seven inches long,
they're gonna need protection.

Luckily for them,
alligator babies have bodyguards.

Their mothers are the most caring
in the reptile world.

[ALLIGATOR GROWLS]

NARRATOR: She'll guard them for months,
possibly up to a year.

Great parenting is one of the reasons
gators can thrive in this Waterland.

A place they've called home
since the time of the dinosaurs.

Some things remain much the same
as they were back then.

On late summer mornings,

hatchlings still use dragonflies
for target practice.

With mixed success.

[WINGS FLUTTERING]

NARRATOR: And they still kick back
when the day gets too hot

to do too much of anything at all.

[HATCHLINGS SQUEAK]

NARRATOR: These days,
there are millions of gators

across the southern U.S.

But last century, they were hunted
to near extinction.

So it's down to us humans
to make sure that this

will be a scene that continues
to play out into the future.

These giant reptiles with a sensitive side

are true emblems of the South.

A place for heroes
of both water and land,

where nothing is quite what you expect.

[ALLIGATOR HISSES]

[THEME MUSIC PLAYING]

[MUSIC FADES]