01x08 - Moose Mayhem

[bunniefuu]

In the far north of Alaska,

three new baby moose enter the world.

One moose finds itself

in an unforgiving wilderness.

The other two find themselves

in the bewildering bustle of the suburbs.

But in whatever landscape they call home,

they'll face enemies, brutal conditions,

unimaginable odds

and even each other.

It's an epic journey

for these three little moose,

who will one day grow from tiny

to titan.

Deep in the Alaskan wilderness

sits diamond-crowned Denali.

At over 20,000 feet high,

it's the tallest mountain in the Americas.

Beneath its towering

peaks lives the moose

a giant, gangly,

and somewhat awkward beast.

For all its impressive size and power,

the moose is a bit, well,

odd.

Its legs seem far too spindly

to hold up its massive body.

It needs a huge hump

of muscles on its back

to hold up its amazing headgear:

antlers which can weigh up to 70 pounds.

That's like having the weight

of an entire Labrador retriever

on your head.

Its long, horsey head

ends in an impressive snout

that looks a little like a camel's.

And then there's the sack of skin

that hangs from its neck.

It's called a bell,

but no one knows whether

it's for intimidating rivals,

or impressing females.

Six feet tall at the shoulder,

with neck and head

reaching up to eight feet,

the largest bulls can weigh almost a ton.

But you have to be more

than just big to survive in Alaska.

If predators sneak up,

a moose can run off

at up to 35 miles an hour.

Those are some scrawny legs that can move.

They're actually members

of the deer family

the largest deer on Earth.

But even as big and unique as they are,

being a moose is no laughing matter.

Winter is almost here,

and in these parts, it hits hard.

It's time to fill up and stockpile fat.

The moose's name is quite suiting.

It comes from the Algonquin word "moswa,"

meaning twig-eater.

Young leaves and twigs of willow and birch

are their favorite foods.

They enjoy the treat while they can.

When the snow and ice come,

their tender twigs all but disappear.

Crunchy bark and poky needles

will be all that's left.

And twigs aren't all that's disappearing;

This is the time of year

when the bull's antlers fall off.

They won't be gone forever, though.

Each spring they grow them back,

sprouting bigger,

more impressive racks every year.

Talk about an exhausting endeavor.

But the moose need all of the help

they can get in the winter,

and a little less baggage can't hurt.

It's a desperate time for everyone.

The season takes its toll.

Predators, cold, and starvation

will take many of Denali's

oldest and youngest moose.

But when it finally comes to an end,

and the land begins to thaw,

it's a spectacular sight.

Springtime in Alaska

is vibrant and gorgeous.

The once frozen land explodes with color,

and trees everywhere sprout

the moose's favorite tender shoots,

turning the forest into

a delicious smörgåsbord.

This is the life.

For everyone, that is,

except the nearly one-year-old yearlings.

This little guy is about to set off

on his own, all alone.

For nearly a year,

Mom has stayed by his side

for company and protection.

But now, a baby brother is on the way,

and Mom needs a little peace and quiet

from her raucous young one.

And it's no use throwing tantrums.

He's off on his own now.

Finally, the moment is here

A baby is on its way.

After almost eight months

in the calm of the womb,

a calf is about to enter

the wild world of Denali.

A slippery newborn makes a shaky entrance.

He's a quick learner, though,

and within minutes, he's up on his feet.

Mother offers encouraging licks,

and some loving nuzzles.

Little does this calf realize,

his life is about to get

a whole lot tougher.

With bears, wolves,

and an unforgiving environment,

almost half of moose calves

don't even survive

past their first few weeks.

But it's not just big bad bears

moose have to worry about;

Man has staked claim

on moose country as well.

Welcome to Anchorage,

Alaska's largest city.

And seasonal home to a

remarkable number of moose.

Like people, the moose simply

follow the highways into the 'burbs.

Moose sometimes seem

as common as speed bumps,

yet they still seem to turn heads

wherever they go.

Even when they get into a little mischief.

Oh, no, get him!

He's gonna eat all my hyacinths.

In this snug backyard,

a suburban mother moose

has just given birth

to twins.

She's instinctively on guard to predators.

These domesticated dogs

don't seem nearly as dangerous

as their wild wolf cousins.

To the moose, city life

might actually be a bit luxurious

if you can ignore the

strange roaring machines.

The vegetation along cities' roads

is an all-you-can-eat buffet,

and predators tend to avoid

the commotion of the city.

But then,

out of nowhere

Away from the highways,

the suburbs are less dangerous,

but equally bewildering.

A few days old,

the twins are doing well,

though these man-made forests

can be quite confusing.

Sometimes you just need

a little human kindness.

Right now, if you go right now.

I can't see her.

She's around the other side.

But a kind gesture

can still turn dangerous

when a mother is separated from her calf.

The little moose twins

might get into trouble,

but their cuteness seems to save them.

There's always a puzzle to solve

for the urban moose.

Every day is an exciting new challenge.

Oh no, no, no, no!

You stay out.

One could say they're curious.

He is just swimming around.

And quite persistent.

But don't let their comical looks

deceive you.

The gentle moose can be

unpredictable and dangerous.

When startled or teased,

moose have trampled people

Even k*lled them.

Anchorage isn't the only city

that lives with moose mayhem

Moose live all around

the northern hemisphere.

Resourceful and adaptable,

they have spread all across Asia,

the Americas, and Europe.

In countries like Norway,

the moose population is exploding.

More and more of the animals

are showing up

in towns and cities,

and experts fear the forests

can no longer support the animals.

They're spilling out onto the roads

and causing all sorts

of dangerous situations.

It's estimated that

well over 10,000 moose collisions

occur annually around the world.

But, back in Anchorage,

the moose family isn't too concerned

about the passing traffic.

They enjoy a backyard stroll,

sampling the best garden goodies

the neighborhood has to offer.

Maybe their

garden destruction is tolerated

all because of those

irresistible young ones.

They're just too darn adorable.

But in Alaska,

no one can afford to take

Mother Nature lightly.

The city-dwelling moose

might think they're safe

from their natural predators,

but when hungry enough,

a brave bear will still venture

towards the concrete jungle.

Especially when he catches

the scent of some fresh calves.

The mother and twins

are completely oblivious

to this unexpected danger.

Both are out of their element.

But luckily for the moose,

the bear decides he's had enough

of this loud and crazy human world.

At least for now.

The moose family heads back

to their favorite backyard for bedtime.

Meanwhile,

summer has come to Denali National Park,

bringing with it almost

'round the clock daylight.

In summer, the sun barely even sets,

temperatures are warm,

and food is everywhere.

Our wild calf of Denali has grown a bit,

and is now sturdier on his feet.

His life seems much different

than his urban cousins'.

Bears and other predators are everywhere.

He's lucky he survived

the most dangerous of times:

the first few days after birth.

Now, every week that goes by,

his chances of survival grow.

But he is not out of the woods yet.

Predators may k*ll up to 50%

of his calf friends

before the end of the year.

The little guy must rely on his species'

super moose powers:

his highly heightened senses.

His eyesight may not be perfect,

but he can move his eyeballs independently

for a 360 degree view,

even directly behind him.

And that giant snout houses

an ultra-sharp sense of smell.

Millions of dedicated nerve endings

can catch the faintest

whiff of an unwelcome guest.

With constantly swiveling ears,

the moose can pick up

the slightest rustle.

Without the element of surprise,

even a wolf has a hard time

taking on mother moose.

One of the most surprising

things about the moose

is its love for water.

They might be a little clumsy on land,

but in the water,

they are completely at home

Graceful, even.

But this isn't just

a cool dip in the pool.

They've discovered

there's a goldmine of grub

beneath these waters.

Snapping their nostrils shut

to keep out water,

the moose chows down.

Moose can hold their breath

for up to a minute,

and they can uproot plants

as deep as 18 feet.

Now that is an Olympic swimmer.

If you're in search of

60 pounds of food a day, like these guys,

there's nothing like a nice swim

to cool you off in the process.

Throughout the spring and summer,

something peculiar

will happen to the males,

or bulls, of the moose family.

Almost like an alien life form,

little buds start

poking out of their skulls.

These are their antlers.

They will grow as fast

as three inches a week,

some of the quickest-growing

body tissue in all mammals.

A layer of fuzzy skin

helps their racks grow to enormous sizes.

It feels kind kind of like velvet

and is very delicate and sensitive,

packed with loads of

nerves and blood vessels.

It may discourage bulls from fighting

until their antlers are

fully grown and hardened.

A moose's antlers are the largest

of any mammal in the world.

When the antlers have finished growing,

the velvet needs to come off,

just in time for the mating season.

The bulls rub their antlers

against trees and rocks

to get the velvet off.

The sharp points of the antlers

emerge first

a glimpse of what's to come.

As the mating season approaches,

velvet rubbing becomes a full time job.

Despite the chilly,

misty mornings of early fall,

things in moose land are just heating up.

A bull looking for a mate

shows off his remarkable antler rack.

He rattles them against the vegetation

to impress both the cows

and other bulls alike.

Females start to gather,

intrigued by the display.

The male has the cows' full attention.

An especially impressive beast

can be quite a draw,

sparking a competition among the females.

Unlike other members of the deer family,

it's not just the males

who will battle it out

for their chosen suitor.

Spats among the females

can get downright ugly.

This male,

having proved his irresistibility

to so many females,

becomes choosy himself.

Maybe even a bit c*ck.

He chases off a less desirable female,

much to her dismay.

At 1,500 pounds,

seven feet high at the shoulder,

with a six-foot antler rack,

this is one of the baddest

bulls on the range.

It's no wonder the cows

find him attractive.

But there's trouble on the horizon:

a younger and equally impressive bull.

The challenger approaches,

waving his great antlers

from side to side.

The master responds.

A little intimidation

usually goes a long way,

and the challenger will often

back down without a fight.

But not this time.

The males stare each other down

like prizefighters,

circling and eyeing for an opening.

Neither backs down.

Finally, they clash.

With equally matched bulls,

the battle may last up to

a half an hour or more.

But the older bull soon gains

the upper hand.

He batters the challenger without mercy.

And the contest abruptly comes to an end.

The champion returns to the females.

The contender has paid

a price for his boldness:

a wounded leg.

In this unforgiving place,

a wounded leg is not welcome news.

Meanwhile, the victor will continue

to work his charms on the cows.

It's an annual ritual here

in the valley of Denali,

which will bring another batch

of baby moose next spring.

Whether born in the wild,

or amongst the humans

and their steel machines,

it takes strong will,

strength,

and a lot of luck

to survive this crazy world.

But these moose are doing it,

and they're even growing in numbers.

The next time you're up north,

keep your eyes out,

and your distance.

You never know if there's

a moose around the corner.