01x09 - Valley of the Wolves

[bunniefuu]

Hidden within the towering peaks

of Yellowstone Park is

a fearsome carnivore,

who was once almost completely

wiped out of the United States,

and then made a dramatic comeback.

Today, the wolves reign as top predators,

but not without their share of skirmishes,

and sometimes, full-scale wars.

This is the valley of the wolves,

and these are a pack of

awesome animal survivors.

There's nothing like

an early morning wake up call

here in Yellowstone National Park.

In the winter, food is scarce,

and these guys need to

hit the ground running

if they're going to eat today.

Lucky for them, this is Yellowstone's

finest hunting grounds:

the Lamar Valley.

Thanks to mountains that shelter

this nearly 30-mile wide plain

from the worst of winter's weather,

it's where animals flock to,

including some 2,000 elk.

This is where the action is at.

The young wolves are always eager,

and they're the first to

charge full speed ahead.

They've been hunting with the pack

since a mere six months old.

The wolf is built for stamina.

It's out to wear the elk down

and find its weakness.

The youngsters might do

most of the grunt work,

but this isn't an all-you-can-eat buffet.

The alpha male takes charge

of the carcass,

deciding who can eat and when.

But there's no rest for these wily wolves.

To feed a pack this size,

they must k*ll again

within two to three days.

And if they don't, it's not

just a few wolves going hungry.

Ravens and magpies are

so quick on the scene,

they often beat the rest

of the clan to the k*ll.

They enjoy a light snack,

and steal some fluffy leftovers

for their springtime nest.

But scavengers need to be smart and savvy.

After all, this is still

the property of the wolf,

the top predator in these parts.

This timid red fox eyes the prize,

but he makes a quick retreat.

He's no match for the wolf.

The coyotes, though, are a little c*ck.

They move in, slow and steady,

naively hoping the wolves

are too full to care.

But they have no such luck.

The wolves aren't out for blood.

At least not this time.

But they give the coyotes

a good scare and a clear message:

no moochers allowed.

Instead, the coyotes must

catch a meal of their own.

Rustling around in the frozen grass,

a plump little vole gets careless.

And it proves an easy catch.

The coyote couple

settles down for the night.

As mates, they share

a territory in the valley,

and a bond that will last for life.

A hardy flock of waxwings

has been feeding on

juniper berries all winter,

and in Yellowstone,

that's six long months.

It's still cold and wintry,

but signs of spring are in the air.

A lone black wolf is looking for love.

He's not just any wolf.

He's the most notorious flirt

in Yellowstone.

He's traveled from a clan

almost 20 miles away

to court his sweetheart,

who just happens to be

the daughter of the old chief,

the alpha male.

The alpha male and his mate

aren't exactly pleased to see him.

But their daughter can

hardly contain herself.

They flirt, they sniff

It looks like love at first sight.

Dad, on the other hand,

has a different opinion.

Enough is enough.

The suitor makes a hasty retreat.

He's a lover, not a fighter.

And he wants no part of

challenging the old chief.

The daughter slinks home to her mother.

But this is a battle

parents never seem to win,

particularly in the wild,

during mating season.

The next day,

the Casanova is back for more.

He courts the females,

but what he really wants

is to join the clan,

an idea that seems to agree

with all the daughters.

Though this is the usual way

a wolf changes clans,

the alpha pair will not allow it.

Together, they send the Casanova packing,

once and for all.

As winter retreats from the Lamar Valley,

a new threat emerges:

a strong pack of 15 wolves

from Slough Creek to the north.

Already deep into Lamar territory,

they're approaching fast

and without hesitation.

Usually, a fierce growl

and a flash of the teeth

would scare away

trespassers such as these,

but not this time.

The Slough Creek pack is on a mission:

to take over Lamar Valley.

They're young and confident

with tails waving high.

They're challenging an aging pack

that has reigned over Lamar Valley

for almost a decade.

The older pack tries to play it cool,

but they're clearly outnumbered,

two-to-one.

Eventually,

the reigning pack has no choice

but to run for their lives,

overthrown by the young canines

from Slough Creek.

Once the rulers over this land,

they now scatter throughout Yellowstone,

destined for hard times ahead.

For the Slough Creek Pack,

though, life is good.

They've done what no other pack

has been able to do in almost 10 years.

They've taken the Lamar Valley,

the greatest prize in Yellowstone.

This calls for a celebration.

For the coyotes,

it means there are some

new kids on the block.

They hope their new neighbors

will be just as tolerant

of them as the old pack.

So when the Sloughs make a k*ll,

the male coyote moves in as usual.

This is not a smart move.

The new pack of wolves make it known,

loud and clear, who the new boss is.

The female coyote has no choice

but to flee for her life, alone.

She heads deeper into Yellowstone,

and daunting, unfamiliar territory.

A melting river becomes

a convenient highway,

despite how slippery it is.

She treks 20 miles,

and through grueling terrain.

It's a brutal uphill climb

with some surprises along the way.

She stumbles upon a fox

scavenging a carcass.

Luckily for her, she has the upper-hand.

The coyote is as scary to the fox

as a wolf is to a coyote.

The fox plays it smart,

and makes a speedy getaway.

He climbs even higher

into Yellowstone's mountains.

Above the valley

lies Yellowstone's high plateau,

almost 8,000 feet in elevation.

While winter is coming

to an end in Lamar Valley,

it's still in full force up here.

Weighing a mere 10 pounds,

the fox magically tiptoes

across the frozen snow

without ever crashing through.

That is, until he hears the perfect

pitter-patter of rodents,

up to three feet down.

Delish.

The coyote isn't so fortunate.

At 30 pounds, she crashes

through the crusty snow.

Her strategy is to dig.

And dig.

And dig.

Is this seriously worth it?

Finally.

A rodent never tasted so good.

But if a coyote thinks it has it tough,

it's no comparison to the bison.

The only way the bison can get around

is by using their heads as snowplows.

And the reward for all their work?

Meager morsels of dead, frozen grass.

Yellowstone's plateau

is far from easy living.

Few other creatures seem

to have the awesome power

to survive this brutal place,

a select group that includes

the winter wolves of Hayden Valley.

Unlike the other wolf packs,

the Haydens didn't go

to the lower grounds

of Lamar Valley for the winter.

They chose to tough out the cold

on the exposed plateau.

There's just one problem:

wolves here survive on bison,

the largest and toughest prey to catch

in all of Yellowstone.

Though they might not

make a k*ll as often as they'd like,

the Hayden Pack can still manage

to bring down an entire bison.

The little coyote, however,

would simply be crushed.

She's wandered into dangerous territory,

and quickly moves on.

After all, she has more

important things to tend to

than some big bad wolves and giant bison.

She has pups on the way,

and needs to find a den, fast.

Just when it seems

winter will never end,

spring arrives,

and the snow begins to melt.

Playtime breaks out along

the Yellowstone River.

Even the grizzly bears can't resist.

And they slowly make an appearance

for the first time in nearly half a year.

After fasting all winter,

he's got a bear-sized appetite,

and he'll eat anything

he can get his paws on.

Back in the Lamar Valley,

the Slough pack is also

out to find a feast.

Lucky for them, the elk are everywhere.

This is an endurance test:

wolf versus elk.

Who will falter first?

It takes almost an hour

of full-on running,

but the wolves finally take their prize.

But it's a bittersweet ending.

When a grizzly gets wind of a k*ll,

it doesn't hesitate to move in,

and the wolves have no choice

but to step aside.

All the grizzly needs to worry about

is another grizzly.

But a mother and her cubs

are a vulnerable combination.

Even the wolf tries to

give them a hard time,

but she puts him in his place.

And maybe even becomes

a bit too sure of herself.

Approaching a bear twice her size,

mid-meal, takes courage.

Well, it was worth a try.

Mom and the cubs are still safe,

at least for now.

All across Yellowstone,

life is perking up.

The once lonesome fox

is now busier than ever.

Her thick coat

disappeared with winter,

and with spring came the most energetic,

frisky batch of kits,

who don't seem to have

a care in the world.

Full of energy, they spend

their free time horsing around.

After several cold months,

summer finally arrives in Yellowstone.

It greens up the high Hayden Valley,

and warms the shores of Yellowstone Lake.

The entire park fills up with life,

and a little playful laughter.

It's here that another little batch

of new furballs are having fun.

The mother coyote has also had babies,

along with the bears and wolves.

These guys are already eight weeks old

and will soon be learning to hunt,

but not quite.

In the meantime, Mom keeps busy

trying to feed three very hungry mouths.

She steals a nutritious

little egg sitting in a nest.

They always make the perfect snack.

For the pups, though,

food isn't their top priority.

This lake is just too darn irresistible.

As summer unfolds,

the pitter-patter of paws

seems to be everywhere.

The landscape is lush and green,

and the valley recovers from

the wear and tear of winter.

Even the exiled Lamar Valley

wolves are thriving again.

And they now have a litter of their own.

Their numbers are growing,

and their strength is increasing.

That can only lead to one thing:

Preparing for a battle to take back

their lost homeland in the Lamar Valley.

In the far north of Yellowstone,

summer is a fleeting season.

Just as quickly as it came,

it begins to fade.

Elk herds start down

from the high country,

heading for wintering grounds.

And the bison shake the valley floor

with their fights to win over mates.

It's not even the end of September,

but on the slopes above Lamar Valley,

snow starts to fall again.

The grizzlies snatch their last

snacks of seeds and berries,

stripping the bushes clean

before retreating to their dens.

For a long six months,

they'll leave the wolves in charge.

From all across Yellowstone,

Elk roll into the valley

for food and shelter.

And on their heels,

come the Lamar Valley wolves,

ready to take back their territory.

It's a land of extremes,

where all life is tested to its limits.

And where time and time again,

the wolves prove to be

formidable fighters,

becoming one of the top

predators of the land,

and one the most awesome animals

in all of Yellowstone.