01x09 - Rangifer tarandus

[bunniefuu]

"Rangifer tarandus."

Jane, how long do we have to hide?

It's so cold.

As long as it takes
to finish our mission.

Can't we do our mission somewhere warm?

Caribou only live in northern places.

I think I hear something.

Where are you hiding anyways?

Hey!

Not funny, Greybeard.

And we're supposed to be hiding.

Quiet, you two.

Why do you get the cool hiding outfit?

Because I made it.

You can wear it next time.

Now get back into your hiding spots
so we can figure out

why caribou are always moving
and never stay in one place for long.

They probably keep moving to stay warm.

That's one idea.

Okay, Greybeard.

It's on.

Is that a little reindeer?

That is a little caribou.

- Caribou and reindeer are the same animal.
- What?

- And there's its dad.
- Mom.

- How do you know?
- Boys lose their antlers every fall.

Only girls keep them in the winter.

They're beautiful.

It's so sad that every year
there are less and less of them.

We have to help them.

That's why we need to figure out
why they don't stay in one place,

so we can understand the caribou.

Look.

Her mom wants her to keep moving. But why?

Oh, no. I spooked her. She might get lost.

We need to get her back to her mom.

Help me out of this thing.

Come on, she's getting away.

Of course she is.
She has two more legs than we do.

Wait up, baby!

She's too fast for us.

But not too fast for her mom,
and she brought backup.

A herd of caribou.

I wish they were staying in one place.

- Now what, Jane?
- Just try not to get trampled.

Incredible.

Caribou really do keep moving.

How are we gonna get them to come back
so we can figure out why?

By hiding again!

I'm not playing anymore.

Seriously, Jane, where are you?

Grandpa!

Grandpa James?

Grandpa, I'm so glad to see you.

Well. Hello, David.

Hello, Jane.

This just takes a second to get out of.

You're not working today?

No, I'm actually volunteering
at the community kitchen later.

But...

This looks like something delicious.

- For me?
- I made a lunch for everybody.

Including you, if you'd like, Jane.

Thanks, but we can't take a break.

We're in the middle
of tracking Rangifer tarandus.

That's the scientific name for caribou,
and it's a really important mission.

- But I could eat.
- You can always eat.

Well, I'd love to hear more
about this caribou mission.

I guess we can take a little break.

I knew you could.

Is that Greybeard?

Yeah, we were all hiding in the forest.

Well, some of us were hiding.

And some of us were throwing snowballs.

Shame on you, Greybeard.

Come on, let's go in.

And then we were running
with a herd of caribou.

More like running from a herd of caribou.

Did you know they can run
as fast as a car?

Yes, I did. But only for short distances.

Picture this: Caribou behind us.

Frozen creek in front of us.

I knew what I had to do.

What did you do?

Nothing. The herd jumped right over us.

It was like they were flying.

But we still need
to find out why they're always moving.

Yeah, they don't stay in one place
for very long.

It sounds like quite the mystery.

Maybe they're looking for food.

Maybe,
but there was still a lot left to eat

when the little caribou's mom made her go.

Let's get back to our mission, David.

Well, if they are looking for food,
we have plenty left.

All right. Let's clean up, kiddos.

- Thanks again for lunch, Dad.
- You're welcome.

Once we get outside,
we have to come up with a plan.

Why are you throwing all that away?

And that?

Because I'm full.

And I'm saving room for dessert.

There is dessert, right?

This is why over a billion tons of food
goes to waste every year.

What do you mean?

It means if you took too much food
for lunch,

you could pack away the rest for later.

Exactly.

But we have lots.

Kevin, have you not told them the stories?

Well...

You haven't forgotten, have you?

Stories? What stories, hon?

Like the stories you read to us
at bedtime?

Look, Dad, can we talk about this later?

Yeah, which means we're never
gonna talk about it.

Well, we should get back to the caribou.

But I didn't get an answer on dessert yet.

The caribou, David.

Thanks for lunch, Grandpa James.

It was really good. Even the salad.

Well, you're welcome.

Stay low. We don't want them
to see us, or they'll run away again.

Nothing.

Let's keep looking.

No caribou here either.

What do you think
my grandpa meant about the stories?

I don't know. Why didn't you ask him?

Because Pop was getting kind of weird
about it.

The caribou.

Not again.

We have to follow them. Come on.

Can I go play in my room?

Would anyone like coffee?

Water?

I'm gonna go play with Millie.

I need a minute.

They're getting away.

Where are you going, Grandpa?

I was actually gonna head down
to the community kitchen a little earlier.

Did you find your caribou?

We lost them again.

We keep hide-and-seeking
and they keep seeing and running.

We need a new plan.

Any ideas, Grandpa?

I have a few.

Did you know that the caribou have
a special connection with our ancestors,

our family?

Do they still get to
be my family if I'm adopted?

Family is family,
no matter what shape it takes.

You have a connection
with your birth family and your ancestors,

and you have a connection
with our family and our ancestors. Okay?

Okay.

Now, our family is Déné.

What does Déné mean?

Déné are one of the people indigenous
to where caribou live.

One more question.

What does indigenous mean?

The first people who live in a place,
who were there

before other people live there,
and have their own special way of life.

Now, come with me.

I used to tell this story to your dad
when he was a kid.

It all started a long, long time ago,

when the world was still new.

Back then, people didn't have things

like, electricity and running water
and apartment buildings.

Just like all the animals in the forest,

they relied on their relationship
with the land

to keep them alive and well.

But they had to work very hard to survive.

The Déné wanted to make sure
our people had a long future.

So they organized a great meeting
between them

and the animals they shared the land
and forest with.

And our people asked,

"How can we ensure that our families

can live alongside you
for years and years to come?"

In response, the caribou answered,

"For humans and animals to stay healthy,

we need to work together
to care for the land.

You may use our fur
for clothes to stay warm

and our antlers
to make the tools you need,

but you must practice respect
by only taking what you need

and nothing more.

Nothing should go to waste.

And just as we are sharing
the land with you,

you must remember
to share with others around you.

What you have too much of
can be given to others who have less.

You must also share these teachings
of how to care for the land

with all of your children,

so they can share it
with all of their children and so on."

It's everyone's responsibility

to ensure the passing of knowledge
for generations to come.

But after many more years,

a lot of people, not just the Déné,

began living on the land.

When the forests are disturbed,
so too are the animals who live there.

To this day, the Déné community are
working very hard to protect the caribou.

Just as the caribou did for us.

How come you never told me
that story before, Pop?

Well, I guess I kind of forgot about it.

Your grandpa told me
a lot of important stories

like the caribou one when I was your age.

Can you remember the others?

I think so.
Maybe with a bit of help from Grandpa?

I'd love that.

Can I hear them too?

Absolutely.

Do you think the caribou
have to keep moving

because the forests where they live
are being cut down, like in the story?

Losing their homes is one of
the reasons caribou are endangered,

but how do we prove
that's why they never stay in one place?

What if we got them somewhere
where they could feel safe?

Somewhere with food and trees
and everything they need to make a home?

Sounds like you three
have a pretty good plan.

Better get to it.

First step, find the caribou.

Right.

- Bye, Grandpa James.
- Thanks for lunch.

There.

Now all we need is a safe space.

I know just the place.

We also need a way
to get the caribou there.

That's where your lunch leftovers come in.

David, we got the bait.
Do you have eyes on the caribou?

Yep.

But they're leaving, Jane.

Hurry! They're getting away.

David?

Over here.

I'm stuck. I can't follow them.

Think you can catch up and use these
leftovers to get the caribou back here?

Lead them back here, Greybeard.
I'll do the rest.

I can't get out. Caribou getting away!

Yeah! Greybeard, you're doing it!

They're coming this way.

They're coming right at me.

Looks like you got a caribou-boo.

Get it? Caribou-boo?

You okay, Greybeard?

Jane, they're coming your way.

They're here. The caribou
are eating their way to the safe space.

Actually, more like snacking their way.

They're only taking little bites
of each piece.

I wonder why they don't eat all of it.

I don't know,
but I bet they'll stay put now.

They're so cute.

Wait! No, don't...

go.

Jane. Over here.

- Where are the caribou?
- Gone.

And we still don't know
why they keep moving.

We'll figure it out.

But it was nice of them
to leave some leftovers.

Just like your grandpa's story. Sharing.

Can I see that?

"How will this decision we're making today
affect people in the future?"

- Jane Goodall?
- Yep.

It's like how the caribou told the Déné

to only take what they needed
from the land. Nothing more.

Then everyone can survive.

Right.

Look!

- The rest of the caribou herd.
- Hide!

They're eating
what the other caribou left.

They keep moving because
they only take what they need.

Leaving enough for everyone.

Something people should do too.

We really should.

I have an idea.

Extra food for the community kitchen, Grandpa.

All this food will help feed
a lot of people who could really use it.

Mahsi cho,

- which means, "Thank you."
- You're welcome, Grandpa.

We even gave some cookies.
But I forget why.

Respect, sharing and...

Responsibility.

I'll tell you that story at bedtime.

And after that, I have a lot more stories
to share with you both.

And you too.

And me? I hope there are more animal ones.

A few.

Wait till you hear
the one about the foxes.

Do you think if more people hear
the Déné story, it will help the caribou?

Well,
telling stories keeps knowledge alive.

And if people learned about the caribou,

perhaps they'll be more mindful and
think about taking things from the land.

Got it, Grandpa.

Me too.

That'll definitely help.

- Ready, Dad? I'll drive you over.
- Thank you.

There's so much we can learn from animals.

And everything we learn we should share,

so we don't keep making
the same mistake over and over.

Greybeard!

Help save the caribou.

- David! David, where are you?
- I'll be right there.

What are you eating?

Leftovers.
They're even better the second time.

Save me some. I'll come after our call
with Caribou Guardian, Starr Gauthier.

There she is now.

Hi, Starr.

Hi, Jane. Hi, David.

It looks like you have your mouth full.

Those?

Those are male caribou antlers.

Why don't girl caribou shed their antlers
at the same time as boys?

Female caribou keep them during
the winter because, when they're pregnant,

they need to show strength over other
caribou to defend their food sources.

Cool. And sorry, I got hungry after we
spent the day tracking a herd of caribou.

They sure move a lot.

We were trying to figure out
why they're always on the move.

And what did you find out?

That caribou only take what they need
from a place

and leave the rest for later
or for other caribou.

You're right.

Some caribou herds
move according to the temperature

and some move
to find different sources of food.

Where do you work with caribou?

In this area, where we have
the Klinse-Za Caribou Maternity Pen.

What's a maternity pen?

That's this really big, fenced-off area.

We bring in pregnant caribou
from the wild.

That way,
they can safely give birth to their calf.

And then we release them
back into the wild.

- Why do they need to be protected?
- When they're in the mountains,

they're so small,
and predators go after them very easily.

- So, in the pen, they're safe.
- Do you get to feed them?

- I do.
- You're so lucky.

Why did you decide to help caribou?

Many years ago,
the elders in our communities

told us to stop hunting the caribou
because their numbers were so low.

So, we ate moose meat, and I would
help my mom rinse and cut the meat.

So, I know all the hard work
that goes into it.

I've never thought about that before.

Not many people do, because we
usually buy it at a grocery store, right?

But when you know all the work
that goes into it

before it's at your kitchen table,
you have appreciation for that animal.

And you don't waste it
and only take what you need.

You got it, David.

Why are there less caribou?

See right here? The biggest threat
to our caribou is the loss of forests.

We have taken away nature's balances.

We can also help to restore balances.

Just like caribou, it's important
to remember that we're a species too.

We're the human species,
and we need to work together.

So what can we do to help?

Sharing what you learned today
is a great start.

And reduce your waste.

Talk to your parent or guardian,

and go to your local landfill,
the place where your garbage gets dumped.

Our environment is greatly affected
by all of this waste.

And it affects the habitats of caribou
and every other species, including us.

Seeing all that garbage
makes me not wanna add to it.

I've never seen a landfill before.
I bet it smells.

You're probably right. And neither have I.

Thank you so much for talking to us
about caribou today, Starr.

Thank you.
It was my pleasure to meet you both.

- Bye, Starr.
- See you later.

You might wanna hurry, Jane.
There's not gonna be very much left soon.

It's almost gone.