01x08 - New Hampshire

[bunniefuu]

[narrator] New Hampshire.

Home to the peaks and ridges

of the White Mountains,

where dazzling, autumnal forests

blanket this majestic landscape.

But as night falls,

strange animals are revealed:

animals that prowl in the shadows

who often find themselves

clashing with other residents.

[dog growls softly]

A mysterious creature st*lks the garden,

in search of its next meal.

Alerted to its boisterous actions,

the resident guard dog doesn't hesitate

to protect its territory.

But this naive hero

gets more than he bargained for.

-[objects clattering]

-[barking]

[dog whimpers]

Far from being a terrifying bear,

this menace turns out to be

a juvenile striped skunk.

While she may be small,

skunks are usually confident creatures.

However, she isn't a typical skunk.

She is young and inexperienced.

Being nervous of her surroundings

is a very unfortunate affliction

for this nocturnal animal.

Cautious and on edge,

even the smallest movement

can elicit an involuntary reflex.

[croaks]

The sudden movement startles her,

and a leopard frog narrowly avoids

a direct hit of skunk spray,

a potent liquid

that acts like a chemical weapon.

But she must learn

how to control her nerves.

A total of six consecutive sprays

would use up all her supply for ten days,

leaving her vulnerable to predation.

And there are animals in this neighborhood

that warrant her apprehension.

[screeches]

Although cautious, her natural curiosity

sees her temporarily forget her fears.

As an opportunist,

skunks have a voracious appetite,

hunting and scavenging

anything they can find.

Still recovering from the spray attack,

the dog maintains a safe distance.

He doesn't wish to receive

a second dousing.

Meanwhile,

the skunk r*fles through the trash

to see what might be on the menu.

Using its sharp canines,

it devours whatever it can find.

The spilled contents don't go unnoticed.

Like skunks,

house mice aren't fussy eaters.

Natural prey for the skunk,

the mouse needs to tread carefully.

Noticing the mouse,

the skunk can't resist.

But it is not known as a fast animal,

and can only move

up to ten miles per hour.

The mouse tries to lose the skunk

through these narrow, winding pathways.

But the skunk is still quick enough

to keep pace with the mouse.

The skunk's eyesight is poor,

relying on her hearing

and heightened sense of touch

to find her prey.

Transfixed by her target,

she recklessly follows the mouse

up the precarious log pile.

The skunk has entered the unknown.

Realizing she cannot escape,

her anxiety slowly starts to build.

But before her fears begin

to take hold, in an instant,

the movement of the mouse snaps

her attention back to the task at hand.

The mouse shows off its dexterity

by nimbly navigating the objects

it encounters.

The long claws of the skunk

make her a poor climber.

She must find an alternate route

where she can.

But by the time she makes it

to where she last saw the mouse,

it's nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly, the skunk is acutely aware

she is all alone.

Without warning, the space around her

seems to come alive.

She tries to escape the commotion

but her fear causes her to react

in the only way she knows how.

Finding somewhere to hide

and catch her breath, she waits.

Eventually, the noises

and movements in the room cease.

Unaware the skunk is still there,

the mouse passes by confidently.

Darting towards a tiny gap in the wall,

the mouse passes through with ease.

The skunk sniffs around the exit,

but there's no way out for her.

Normally, she would be asleep by now.

But instead she's trapped

in an unfamiliar habitat,

far away from her home.

It's a beautiful day in New Hampshire.

But perhaps not for everyone.

Still suffering from being sprayed

the night before,

the dog's hypersensitive nose can't cope

with the smell

of the skunk's chemical c*ck.

If left untreated, the foul-smelling odor

will linger for up to three weeks.

Overwhelmed by the dog's new smell,

the owner takes him urgently

to a professional cleaner for de-skunking.

[garage door motor whirring]

All of a sudden, sunlight bursts

through the crack under the door.

The intense morning light

is searingly bright.

And for the first time,

this nocturnal animal

experiences full daylight.

And with it, the realization

that not everything was what it seemed.

She realizes

that it wasn't an intruder she sprayed,

but, in fact, her own reflection.

Skunks are inquisitive animals,

and she instinctively

has the urge to investigate.

She sets off into the yard.

It's an alien world that's been hidden

under a cloak of darkness.

Despite her tiredness,

she's motivated to explore

before darkness falls again.

The skunk notices

a brightly colored yellow canary,

also known as a song canary.

And for good reason,

as it adds a majestic melody

that drifts across the landscape.

But not far away,

forested areas

of deciduous and evergreen trees

provide homes to other,

much larger, species of birds.

And the mixture of these trees

and suburban gardens

help create havens for wildlife.

And some animals have adapted

to prosper in these human-made landscapes.

To the skunk,

the garden appears to be a paradise.

But it's not always as it seems.

[hawk screeches]

A red-tailed hawk

aggressively descends,

landing behind the skunk.

But the skunk is oblivious.

-[canary chirps]

-Spotting the predator,

the canary sends out

a warning call across the garden.

But its actions

catch the hawk's attention.

Able to scan the garden from above,

this eagle-eyed predator

can see its prey from half a mile away.

But now, presented with two prey animals

in such close proximity,

the hawk is unsure of which one to hunt.

Luckily for the skunk,

the canary's relentless calling

draws the hawk's attention.

So fixated on the canary,

the raptor is not deterred

by the glass that is blocking its prey.

-[hawk screeches]

-[canary chirps]

Armed with a razor-sharp beak

and powerful talons,

it's not willing to give up that easily.

The arrival of the car

heralds the return of the humans

and their freshly-groomed dog.

The hawk has no choice but to give up.

The skunk knows it would be prudent

to find some protection.

The daytime

is proving to be very dangerous.

She must try to find somewhere

to rest her head before it's too late.

[singing]

For many people,

a well-kept house and garden is important.

Yet it requires a lot of resources

and endless commitment.

Gardeners often feed

many of the wild animals

who visit their property.

And their plants become home

to some very special insects.

Sometimes, the most unlikely places

provide great opportunity

and the perfect conditions

for some of nature's

most impressive miracles.

Encased in a hardened chrysalis,

the monarch caterpillar is set

to transform itself

within two weeks from larvae to adult.

The hardened shell

provides the perfect protection

for the remodeling of its physical form,

preparing for the ultimate transformation.

The skunk's black and white markings

are designed

to warn off potential enemies.

But in this new daytime world,

she instinctively hides in the shadows.

Should she need it, she is capable

of spraying a distance of 15 feet.

But she must be careful.

She knows her supply is limited,

and there are endless possible dangers

still to encounter before night falls.

So preoccupied with the garden,

the human is oblivious

to the skunk's presence.

Assured in her action,

the skunk managed to hold her nerve.

This encounter has diverted

her need for sleep.

The adrenaline gives way to a new feeling,

and her stomach makes itself known.

Skunks have insatiable appetites.

She peers out into the garden

to see what she can find.

Luckily for her,

the human is turning over fresh soil,

exposing earthworms.

These subterranean earthworms are vital

for maintaining healthy soil.

As an omnivore, it's important

the skunk gets a varied diet.

She just can't resist this opportunity,

so she steps out once more

into the daylight.

[pigeons cooing]

Other animals take full advantage

of what the humans have provided.

And this rock pigeon

is making the most of the bird bath.

[cooing]

The skunk's claws are long and sharp,

adapted for digging.

And earthworms are a writhing source

of protein and nutrients.

All the animals in the garden

must keep a watchful eye.

Breaking the tranquility,

the canary calls with a warning.

[hawk screeches]

But it's too late.

Finishing her meal,

the skunk is now ready

to seek a place to sleep.

But the resident bully looks to claim

yet another victim.

The hawk locks onto its target.

The skunk doesn't stand a chance.

[canary singing]

But the canary's warning call

provides the hawk

with an opportunity

that's too good to miss.

[screeches]

The newly-painted window

next to the canary's cage

has accidentally been left open to dry.

Now, there's nothing left to protect it.

The canary is in serious danger.

The hawk's talons

crash against the metal bars,

the only barrier

between it and the songbird.

The hawk tries everything it can

to get inside.

Thankfully, the human

has come to the canary's rescue.

[hawk screeches]

The hawk is forced

to leave its prize behind.

Having now witnessed

the hawk's ruthless capabilities,

the skunk knows

she is no match for the raptor.

Across the garden,

it seems nothing is safe.

The human restores order

by fixing the cage

and closing all the windows.

The skunk must find shelter quickly.

Moving with caution,

she longs for the protection of darkness.

Soon the sun will set

and she will be safe again.

But the merciless hawk

has returned once more.

Frustrated at its failed hunting attempts,

its motivation is clear.

This experienced predator

could easily outwit the young skunk.

It creeps up behind her.

The preoccupied skunk

just catches a glimpse of the hawk.

Her only thought is to run.

She uses the mouse's tactics

from the night before

in a bid to lose the hawk.

But the raptor is gaining ground.

Left with only one viable option,

she doesn't waver, and takes a chance.

With nowhere to go,

the skunk's outlook is bleak,

so she hides in the shadows.

The hawk is clearly undeterred

by its new surroundings.

[screeching]

[clattering]

[garage door motor whirring]

But it's not over for the skunk.

In one final, courageous act,

the skunk aims, fires,

and manages a direct hit.

With its face now covered

in noxious liquid,

the hawk has no choice

but to retreat in a blind panic.

Unbelievably, it was the timid skunk

that confronted

the predatory hawk and won.

The exhilaration of success

surges through her body.

Stepping out of the garage,

she's a changed animal,

finally gaining her confidence.

Like so many species,

the need to change and transform

is an essential part

of development and growth.

Having defeated the hawk,

the skunk's newfound confidence

has benefited not only her,

but many of the other animals

that share the garden.

[dog whines]

[canary singing]

And as day turns to night

this young skunk finds time to reflect

on all the events she has experienced.

And this nocturnal animal finds security

once more in the cover of darkness.

Now seeing and understanding things

in a new light,

she is equipped to tackle

whatever comes her way.