01x05 - Louisiana

[bunniefuu]

[narrator] Louisiana.

A place like no other,

where bluesy notes of endless love songs

drift on the breeze.

And in a quiet suburb of New Orleans

lives an animal that holds a secret.

One that is yet to be discovered.

Animals have long been a fascination

for humankind.

A source of companionship,

study, and intrigue.

Devoting her life

to researching the natural world,

this scientist's ambition is to unravel

all the secrets nature has to offer.

An assortment of curiosities

and hidden wonders

form a miniature museum in her own home.

The closer she looks,

the more spellbinding the revelations.

A monarch butterfly.

To the naked eye,

the wings are a rich tapestry of colors.

Magnified 40 times reveals

it is made up of scales,

over a million of them,

arranged like slates on a roof.

Like a typical scientist,

with each new discovery,

her fascination grows.

Taking her infatuation even further,

she has brought the outside world in.

[birds chirping and cooing]

It's a diverse collection of animals

from every corner of the globe.

Somewhat different from the rest,

and separated from the other animals,

a large cage stands alone.

The nest box appears empty.

Something secretive lurks inside.

While the animals

that live inside these man-made walls

are protected from external dangers,

wild animals, on the other hand,

have to be far more careful

when choosing their home.

Made by a woodpecker,

but long since abandoned,

this hole is the perfect home

for a small animal.

It's a nocturnal male squirrel.

Unlike squirrels that emerge in the day,

this one comes out only at night.

A pocket-sized rodent,

it's only half the weight of a baseball.

Now, cloaked in darkness,

he begins his nightly adventures.

His large, bulging eyes

promote keen eyesight,

needed to navigate the shadows.

As a wild animal, he's free to explore

anything and anywhere he chooses.

Having previously

chewed through the insulation,

he enters the scientist's home with ease.

[sniffs]

Squirrel squatters can become

a real nuisance.

If they like what they find,

these unwelcome guests

are extremely hard to evict.

Squeezing and wriggling,

he emerges into his favorite playground.

Warm, safe, and out of reach

of nighttime predators, it's perfect.

Unknowingly, the scientist

has created the ultimate habitat

for her mystery guest.

As far as he's concerned,

this is his attic,

and part of his home.

An expert chewer,

each evening the squirrel

hones his rodent teeth

on this forsaken table leg.

With his dental regime complete,

his relentlessly playful nature

kicks him into overdrive.

Time to have a little fun.

With no one to join in his game,

the attic and its contents

become the ultimate racetrack.

[airplane whirring]

[clattering]

[crashing]

Each night he plays the same game,

and yet he's never experienced

circumstances quite like this before.

His only exit is a pitch-black tunnel.

Without a moment to think,

he impulsively dives into the unknown.

He assesses his surroundings.

His misendeavors in the attic

have brought him

into an unfamiliar part of the house.

Time to explore.

But he doesn't have long.

Daylight is quickly approaching.

He picks up a strong, recognizable scent

and follows his nose.

He's never encountered anything

like this place before.

If he's quiet, perhaps he can slip past

these sleeping monsters.

As he moves to the back of the room,

the scent intensifies.

It's not something he's smelled before,

yet it's strangely familiar.

It entices him to investigate.

He notices some movement in the distance.

To his amazement,

it's a lone female squirrel.

She's exactly like him.

[chirps]

Although she lives in captivity,

her wild instincts are irrepressible,

and so she, too, emerges at night.

However, unlike the male squirrel,

the outside world

is completely alien to her.

Confused,

it's like looking at a reflection.

There's an instant attraction.

But the bars of the cage

are a barrier neither can cross.

[chirping]

With the rising of the sun,

the male squirrel is torn.

He cannot stay.

Like a vampire who shuns the light,

he is forced to go.

Left alone once more,

she watches him leave.

Unaware of their midnight encounter,

the scientist sets about

her daily routine.

Unlike its owner, the squirrel does not

keep a clean and tidy nest.

Cleaning out the cage is a vital job.

With the cage door ajar,

the squirrel can't help herself.

New and unusual fragrances

drift through the open window.

The chance encounter

with the male squirrel

has given her

a newfound curiosity and confidence.

It's the first time

she's ever ventured out of her enclosure.

Her home is familiar,

yet it's confined her.

The human knows if the squirrel escapes,

she may not be able to fend for herself.

In the chaos, she makes her choice

and enters into the unknown.

Piercingly bright,

the sunlight is blinding.

Slowly, her eyes adjust,

revealing a perfectly manicured courtyard,

a uniform space of cold,

straight lines and hard surfaces.

Far from a haven for wildlife,

the squirrel's first taste of freedom

is disappointing.

Nervous of her new surroundings,

she must find shelter.

On first inspection,

it's dark, warm, and inviting.

A strange odor emanates from within,

but as a temporary hideaway

to rest her weary head,

it will suffice for now.

Squirrels climb high

to escape the reach of hungry carnivores.

But they cannot avoid every predator.

Commonly found in human dwellings,

the black rat snake can grow

to eight feet in length.

Small rodents are their preferred prey.

The snake picks up

the female squirrel's distinctive scent.

Expert climbers, they can scale

seemingly impossible surfaces,

frequently raiding bird nests.

Impressively, the snake's scales

and body muscles work together

to push against the grooves of the bark.

This muscular power allows it

to ascend vertically.

Unaware of the danger,

she continues to sleep.

Squirrels often nest together

in large groups,

cuddling for warmth and protection

but she has no one to look out for her.

Confronted by the cold-blooded predator,

the squirrel is unable to climb down

the way she came.

She must find another exit.

Forced onto the edge

the only way is down.

The snake has her cornered.

But this box belongs to another

[screeches]

a giant great horned owl.

Now faced with two deadly predators,

the squirrel has no choice but to jump.

But instead of falling to her death,

she instinctively spreads out her limbs,

and like an acrobatic escape artist,

she glides to safety.

Unknowingly, she was born

with a unique and special gift.

She is not just any squirrel.

She is a flying squirrel.

Defying the laws of gravity,

she holds the ultimate superpower.

Finally discovering who she truly is,

she's filled with an overwhelming urge

to try again.

There's nothing stopping her.

The possibilities are limitless.

To stay in the air, she needs balance.

Both sides of her body must be in harmony

with one another.

The flabby membrane of skin

attached to her wrists and ankles

transform her body into a parachute.

The more the squirrel stretches

her arms apart,

the faster she goes,

allowing her to cover

impressive distances.

She ends up with the perfect flight

and the perfect landing.

Tired, she catches her breath.

She quickly realizes she's no longer

in the stark courtyard,

but somewhere quite different.

Unknowingly, she's flown over the fence

and into the neighboring garden.

The world opens up before her eyes.

This garden is erupting with life.

A vibrant, colorful place,

bursting at the seams

with a bounty of untapped resources.

Perennials, trees, fruits,

not to mention bird feeders

overflowing with nuts.

Clearly, the person who lives here

is a lover of nature.

As the last of the sun's rays fade

over Louisiana, night sets in.

[owl hooting]

Eager to explore this new environment,

her excitement grows.

Catching a glimpse of fur in the distance,

her sense of curiosity encourages her

to investigate.

Could it be?

She freezes,

as if struck by a bolt of lightning.

It's him!

Thumping against their tiny chests,

the two feel their heartbeats quicken.

Together, at last.

But their lovers' rendezvous

has not gone unnoticed.

Male flying squirrels often chase females

in displays of courtship.

In a reversal of roles,

the male squirrel leads the way,

confidently showing off

his agility and home to the female.

She matches the male's dexterity

and speed with ease.

With every step,

their bond only strengthens.

But love is blind,

and in their excitement,

they have let their guard down.

-[squirrel squeaks]

-[screeching]

[chirping]

She repeatedly calls out to him,

but there is no reply.

[continues chirping]

Thinking the worst,

and with all her energy depleted,

she seeks refuge

in the old woodpecker hole.

Here she finds a familiar smell.

This was his home.

Comforted only by his lingering scent,

she drifts off into an uneasy sleep.

A new day, and the events

of the night before hang heavy in the air.

[squirrel chirps dolefully]

The utopian framework is shattered

by a distressing sound,

which echoes out across the garden.

[chirping continues]

The chirps cut through her sleep.

To her joy and utter amazement,

it's the male squirrel.

Relieved he's alive,

it's clear he's in trouble.

Somehow, he managed to escape the clutches

of the great horned owl.

But clearly, his hunger

got the better of him.

Upon seeing her, he switches his tone,

now more desperate than ever.

But to his despair,

the female leaves in a hurry.

[continues chirping dolefully]

But out of nowhere,

a furry body bursts from the sky.

Like a superhero emerging

to save the day,

she uses her newfound powers

to bring the feeder crashing down.

Her bravery has paid off.

[chirping tentatively]

He emerges unharmed.

Having both broken free

from their caged existence,

finally they can be together.

[croaking]

The world is composed

of intimate partnerships

and meaningful interactions.

As a deep-rooted mutual connection,

love can exist

not just between two individuals,

but between all living things.

[squeaks playfully]

All love stories

are tales of new beginnings,

and the future

of these two flying squirrels

is yet to be written.

But whatever life throws their way,

one thing is certain:

nothing is impossible,

now that they have each other.