05x08 - Three Cool Cats

[bunniefuu]

We've got a mystery to solve

That takes us deep
into the north woods.

What in tarnation's that?

[Martin]
we'll check out three
very cool cats.

[Chris]
and we're not talking tabbies.

We're looking for a wildcat.

[Grr]

[Martin]
and when you're tracking
wild cats,

You've got to be mobile.

[Chris]
we're tackling this adventure
from any angle we can!

[Martin]
it's all coming up
on kratts' creatures!

Iarriba!

Iandale, andale!

What in tarnation's that?

Bigger than a wolf?

Can jump 20 feet
in a single leap?

Sighted over an area
of 25 square miles in one night?

Wow! You can really discover
some weird stuff

On the creature net.

I mean, this is amazing
and a real mystery.

What kind of creature did
those folks see out there?

[Chris]
that's what we're
going to find out.

[Martin]
and we're heading into
the north woods to do it.

One of the most
important things
to remember

About creature
adventuring

Is that no matter
how much you think
you know

About the creature
world,

There's always
more to discover.

Right now we're
trying to discover

What kind of wild animal

Can live not far from
a big north american city

But prefers to prowl
through the wilderness...

And is so fast
and so secretive

That you rarely catch
a glimpse of it.

What could it be?

Sounds to me like it's time

For a north american
creature roll call!

How about the red fox?

[Chris]
too small, and no way
he could leap 20 feet.

[Allison]
how about a wolverine?

[Martin]
wolverines are
the biggest weasel around,

But you'll almost always
find them out in the wilderness.

It's unlikely they'd sneak up
on a farm.

[Chris]
could've been a bear.

[Martin]
I doubt it. Wild berries
are in season now,

And bears have got enough food
in the wild.

Maybe a wolf?

[Chris]
I don't know.
Wolves are pretty shy.

They avoid humans
whenever possible,

So they'd be a long sh*t.

[Allison]
coyote, then?

[Martin]
could be. Coyotes can
show up anywhere.

[Chris]
you're right, but we're
only guessing.

So how do we know who was
out there last night?

Come on, everybody!
We've got a mystery
to solve!

[Martin]
o.k. Let's recap what we know.

Last night, a large
unidentified creature

Was found lurking outside
this farmyard.

While it didn't hurt
any of the farm animals,

It did cause
a real commotion.

So our plan--

Chris! Over here!

Look at this fur.

Something's been
rubbing up against
this fence.

Hey! Over there!

Tracks,
and these are fresh.

We're definitely
talking about

A carnivore here.

Yeah. The treads
are round

With four toes
and no claw marks.

Yeah, but what could that mean?

It's definitely not
a fox, a coyote,

A wolf, or a bear.

We're looking
for a wildcat!

Yeah, and judging
by these tracks,

It seems like the creature
was heading...

Over there
by the hill!

How do you know
these tracks lead
up to the hill?

Because there it is!

What kind of cat is that?

[Chris]
well, let's do a quick
identity check.

Take a look at the ears...

[Martin]
and the spots on his legs.

[Chris]
get a load of those canines!

It can only be one creature.

[Together]
it's a bobcat!

[Allison]
o.k. Let me check this out.

Accessing info on bobcat.

"A bobcat's one of the most
elusive, best-camouflaged,

"And hardest-to-pin-down
felines around.

He can live in swamps,
forests, and rocky hillsides."

There's no way
they can track it on foot.

Foot?

Who said anything about foot?

When you're tracking bobcats,

You've got to be mobile.

[Chris]
of course, you need
more than wheels.

You need stamina.

[Martin]
no kidding. A single bobcat
can have a territory

As big as 15 to 20 square miles.

[Chris]
that's a lot of ground to cover.

[Martin]
man, this isn't
going to be that easy.

We might never find
a bobcat out here.

[Chris]
this is one cat who definitely
keeps a low profile...

At least when it comes
to humans.

[Martin]
that's right. When humans
appear on the scene,

Bobcats seem to disappear.

Actually, we're lucky
to even see a bobcat.

According to this,
they're in serious trouble.

Mammal misinformation!

Al, when was
that thing written?


Out-of-date.

It's a lot
out-of-date.

Remember,
in the creature world,
everything's changing.

And as far as my friend
bob the cat goes,

Change is
his middle name.

Check it out.

There are now
more bobcats than ever.

That's because bob's
a master at hiding out,

Laying low, and expanding
his territory.

Hey, ttark,
you're right!

The bobcat
isn't endangered.

Wait a minute.

I thought
I was the one

Who knew
everything about
latest developments

And you were
ancient history.

What, you think
I wouldn't keep up

With my friend bob?

He's one cool cat,

And not just cool,
he's tough.

You want to know
how tough?

Really tough. The bobcat
has managed to adapt

To all kinds of landscapes.

He can travel
across mountain ridges,

Through the woods,
along rivers,

And even...across highways.

Where'd he go?

I think he headed
back into the woods.

[Allison]
man. Chris and martin
have trekked far north.

They're miles
from where they started.

Wow! Who knows what
they'll find out there.

Martin!

At first glance,

This might look like
just a hollow log...

And it is!

But it's also the home
of a bobcat.

Hey, let me see.

Wow!

[Chris]
bobcats love hidden-away places

Like logs, dense thickets,
rocky ledges,

And even trees.

[Martin]
it's all part of their
almost uncanny ability

To melt into the brush.

[Chris]
they're so good at this

That most people
walk right by bobcat dens

Without having
the slightest idea.

[Martin]
but if you're lucky,

You could spot a bobcat
prowling through the woods.

You can also find a bobcat
on an overhanging limb,

Waiting for small game
to pass beneath.

And then it pounces.

Bobcat! 12 O'clock!

That's him,
all right--


Of pure power!

Now that's
a cool cat!

[Chris]
not just cool,
but efficient.

Matter of fact,
the bobcat is one of

The most effective hunters
in the woods.

[Martin]
he's a jack-of-all-trades

Who will go after everything
from mice...

To fox...

To rabbits.

[Chris]
and bobcats will even
go after fish.

Sounds weird, but it's
been known to happen.

[Martin]
the reason bobcats
are such good hunters

Is because they have
all the right equipment.

[Chris]
sharp eyes, sensitive ears,
quick reflexes,

And they're tough.
How tough?

[Martin]
ask a wolf.

These wolves may be four times
bigger than the bobcat,

But if the bobcat
feels cornered,

Like he doesn't have
a means of escape,

He goes on the defense.

[Chris]
we're talking serious defense.

[Allison]
hold it.

He's one cool cat, all right,
but there's one problem--

He's not the creature
we're looking for.

His paws are way too small.

They're almost the size
of a domestic cat's,

And his body size is all wrong.

There's no way this guy
made the tracks we saw before.

We're looking
for a different cat.

Al's right.

As tough as it is to leave
this cool cat,

We're looking for something
a lot bigger than a bobcat.

Guys, you're heading way north.

I'm losing your position.
Hang on.

Whoa! You're miles
from where you were last time!

They've gone so far north,

Who knows what
they'll run into.

For all we know...

[Howling]

That was no bobcat!

Hang on a sec.
I think I can solve this one.

Give me a second,
and I can input and...

[Howling]

That wasn't a bobcat.
That was the call of a lynx!

We got to check this out.

[Chris]
we're right
on top of it, al.

Martin, look out for the...

Aah!

Do you know
what that was?

Yeah. Painful.

It was a snowshoe hare.

That's the lynx's
favorite food.

So since we found
a hare,

Then we'll probably
find a lynx

Because a lynx
always hangs out

Where the hares are.

[Martin]
and if you're wondering
what exactly a hare is...

[Chris]
first off, the creature
we just saw

Was a rabbit,
not a snowshoe hare.

[Martin]
what makes you so sure?

[Chris]
his hindlegs--they were shorter
than a hare's.

[Martin]
that's right. Hares have
the same basic design as rabbits

But with longer hindlegs.

That means they can run faster.

[Chris]
and if you're a snowshoe hare
like this guy,

With a lynx on your tail,
speed must help.

It isn't easy
following these guys.

They move really fast,
and they're great at hiding.

But it is easy
to find their tracks

Because they have
such huge feet--

Like that--

And that's why they call them
snowshoe hares.

[Martin]
hey, I wonder if a lynx
ever gets confused

About which is a hare
and which is a rabbit.

[Chris]
snowshoe hare or rabbit,
I don't think he cares

As long as he can catch it
and eat it.

[Martin]
they're amazing stalkers.

It's important for the lynx

To get as close to its prey
as possible.

[Chris]
there he is,
over by the water!

Let's move in
for a closer look.

You know,
no wonder lynx are great

At catching snowshoe hare.

They have all
the right equipment.

[Martin]
yeah, I mean, check out
the big feet and long legs.

Those really help him chase hare
through deep snow.

[Chris]
don't forget the great hearing.

And hey, there's another way
you can tell a lynx.

The pointy tufts of black hair
on the ears.

Of course, having paws
like snowshoes

Really doesn't guarantee success
in catching a hare.

No kidding. I need a lot more
than snowshoes.

[Martin]
this lynx has all the talents
and traits she needs

For hunting,

And she really needs
those skills

Because back at the den,

There are some hungry lynx
kittens waiting for a meal.

[Chris]
when her kittens are young,

She'll leave them at the den
when she goes off to hunt.

[Martin]
and when the kittens are alone,

It's time to play and explore
the world around them.

[Chris]
these kittens are really
checking out the terrain,

But they won't go far.

For now, their world
is only as big as their den

And the immediate area
around it.

These little ones
won't grow to full size

Until 2 1/2 years,

But they'll set off on their own
after just a year with mom.

[Martin]
that's because lynx
are solitary hunters.

They prefer to live alone.

[Chris]
but right now, it looks like

All they want to do
is goof around,

Using a brother or a sister
as a stand-in

For a snowshoe hare.

[Martin]
all this playing
looks like definite fun,

And it is,

But, you know, it's also
a crucial learning time.

[Chris]
this is when they master
things like balance

And learn how to use
their claws and teeth.

[Martin]
uh-oh. Looks like
this little guy senses danger.

[Chris]
it's back into the den,

And that's where they'll stay,
waiting for mom.

[Martin]
no doubt, the lynx
is one cool cat.

O.k. He's our second cool cat,

But he's still not the creature
we're looking for.

Let's check out
three other cool cats

And see if any of them
fit the bill.

Let's see.
How about the ocelot?

Says here he's a stealthy,
silent hunter.

Sounds about right.
And he feeds on everything

From lizards to snakes to birds
to small mammals.

Now, that doesn't sound right.
Lizards and snakes?

I suppose it's possible,
but...

No wonder! The ocelot
doesn't live up here.

He lives much further south,

So the ocelot isn't the cat
that we're looking for.

How about...

Is this our night stalker?

This guy's called a jaguarundi.

He fits the bill
a little better.

He's a stalking cat who's active
during the day and the night.

The only problem is he only
weighs 20 pounds, and...

Strike out. He also lives
much further south.

And--whoa! Who's this?

The margay? He's cool and sleek,
all right,

But he hails
from central america,

So that rules him out.

So it's none of these cats.
They all live too far south,

And they're all way too small.

She's right. We're
looking for someone
a lot bigger.

About as big as a wolf

And able to leap 20 feet
in a single bound.

Someone with stealth.

Willing and able
to go after things
larger than itself.

Something sort of like...

A cougar!

Now, that's a cool cat!

And it could be
the creature we were
looking for.

O.k., It's a cougar,

But let's take this
one step at a time.

Have we found the creature
everyone's been looking for?

O.k. Does a cougar have stealth?

Absolutely.

Jumping ability?
Got it.

Bigger than a wolf?
Well, just take a look.

She's bigger, all right,

And she's packed with power.

She's got to be
a good hundred pounds.

That's what I call
one impressive creature.

The only thing is,
is it really smart

For chris and martin
to be tracking a wild cougar?

[Martin]
hang on a second, al.

Cougars are one of the most
misunderstood, maligned,

And persecuted of all
north american creatures.

People k*ll cougars

Because cougars have
been sometimes known
to hunt livestock.

But cougars
only hunt livestock

When their natural
prey disappears

Because of things
that humans do,

Like farming...

Ranching...

And building cities.

It's not like cougars
want to deal with humans

Or their livestock.

Cougars just want
to survive.

You want to see
what cougars would
prefer to go after

If they
had the choice?

Take a look
over there.

[Chris]
cougars--who also go by the name
of puma or mountain lion--

Are one of the great
north american predators.

[Martin]
they'll go after prey
a lot bigger than themselves,

And their all-time
favorite entree is deer.

[Chris]
so when cougars are around,
deer split.

Cougars aren't picky, though.

If there are no deer
to take down,

They'll go after smaller prey--

Anything from groundhogs
to rats.

[Martin]
whether the prey
is big or small,

The cougar has
a similar hunting style

To his african relative...

[Chris]
the prince of stealth,
the leopard.

[Allison]
the cougar is similar
to the leopard?

Now, that's something
to check out.

Accessing leopard.

Wow! There are a lot
of similarities

Between the leopard
and the cougar.

For one thing, they're both
great leapers and climbers.

They're both silent stalkers,

Which means they like
to sneak up on their prey,

Getting as close as possible
before they pounce.

Hey, check it out.

They hunt the same kind
of prey.

Now, a leopard's preferred meal
is impala,

While the cougar goes after
grazers like white-tailed deer.

There are a few
big differences, though,

Like their coat pattern,
their color,

And where they hide their food.

Leopards like to hide it
in the trees...

While cougars cover it
with leaves and brush.

Of course, the main similarity

Is that both the leopard
and the cougar

Are supremo hunters.

[Grr]

Wow! This could be
an old cougar k*ll.

It looks like some kind
of large deer.

When a mother cougar
kills something
this big,

She can't
drag it home,

So she eats whatever
she can here,

Then covers up
the carcass with
needles and leaves,

And then she goes
back to the den

To nurse her cubs.

Then when she's
hungry again,

She'll come back here,
uncover the carcass,

And eat some more.

You know what's
a real drag, though?

For years, people were
so afraid of cougars--

You know,
figured they were k*lling

Their livestock and game--

That they decided to k*ll
as many of them as possible.

We practically wiped them off
the face of north america.

Feeble-minded
feline fearers!

Another story of people
just not understanding
their fellow creatures!

You know, something
really ought to be done.

Believe me, al.
It's no fun
going extinct.

No kidding. It's not
the cougar's fault

It's a tough animal.

Sure. If a cougar kills,

It's only doing
what comes naturally.

You think animals k*ll
because they choose to?

Animals k*ll because
it's what they're
meant to do.

And let me tell you,

There's a lot more
to the cougar story
than k*lling.

Ttark is absolutely right.

Cougars are incredibly
adaptable cats,

And they've been around
for five million years.

They're such masters
of stealth,

One could sneak up
right behind you,

And you wouldn't
even know it.

It's the most beautiful
creature around.

She just walked by.

[Martin]
cougars have litters
of two to four cubs.

[Chris]
and for at least the first year
of their lives,

They depend on their mom
for everything.

[Martin]
these little guys
don't realize it,

But the world around them

Is filled with all sorts
of dangers, like wolves.

[Chris]
that's why their mother
is absolutely fierce

When it comes to
defending them.

[Martin]
if they get a chance,

A wolf will take a cougar cub
in a heartbeat.

[Chris]
bears are also a thr*at--
a big thr*at.

A grizzly bear can weigh
up to 840 pounds.

[Martin]
hey, and don't
count out coyotes.

They're always looking for food
to pounce on.

[Chris]
so it makes sense that mother
cougars protect their young.

But her duties don't end there.

A mother cougar must both
provide for her young

And teach them how to survive
in the wild.

As soon as the young cubs
are old enough,

They'll go out with their mother
on the hunt

And learn all the cougar
hunting techniques.

After two years, the young
cougar is off on his own,

Exploring the world around him.

[Martin]
looks like he's getting in
a little tree-climbing practice.

[Chris]
it's a good thing he's figured
out the tree trick,

Because his explorations
have taken him

A little too close to a pack
of hungry wolves.

[Martin]
it's definitely time
to back off.

A cougar may be a match
for a wolf

But not for a pack of wolves,

Especially when they're
defending a carcass.

[Chris]
now the coast is clear,
and there he goes.

He's checking out the lake.

[Martin]
it doesn't look like
the cougar's really into

This whole swimming thing.

[Chris]
looks to me like
he prefers the woods.

Cougars can make
their home anywhere.

Picture as many habitats
as you can, from...

Mountains...

Valleys...

Rock cliffs...

Near water...

On the plains...

To the deepest woods.

[Chris]
in fact, cougars have
the widest range

Of any cat
in the western hemisphere.

[Martin]
so it makes sense
that her diet consists

Of a lot of different creatures.

[Chris]
we already said
they go after deer,

But let's not forget
beavers, fox, moose,

Bighorn sheep,

Ducks,

Birds...

[Martin]
a little more deer,
groundhogs,

More bighorn sheep...

[Chris]
and rats, geese, caribou,
chipmunks, elk,

Raccoons, rabbits,
porcupines, and skunks.

Whew!

[Martin]
and they'll even go after
the occasional bobcat.

[Chris]
bobcats? Wow, the cougar
really is a powerhouse predator.

And hey, it's all fair game
in the creature world.

But with all that chow
out there,

Why do people think cougars
would go after farm animals?

Because some cougars
havegone after farm animals.

But then again, ttark,

It's humans who are taking away
cougar territory,

Not the other way around.

I mean, it's not like
the cougar started it.

If you ask me, it's time
to set the record straight.

Cougars are one cool cat.

Give them their space,
let nature take its course,

And everything
will work out just fine.

I couldn't agree
with ttark more,

And the proof's
right here.

The creature folks
saw around here

Probably was a cougar,

But no livestock
was k*lled or eaten.

Because if a cougar
has its choice,

It doesn't want to have
anything to do

With humans
or their livestock.

A cougar just wants
to be left alone.

To live as
it's meant to...

Out in the wild.

Another creature mystery solved.

And in this case, we didn't
get to see just one cool cat.

We got to see three.

I only have one question.

Isn't there anything
that goes after cougars?

[Chris]
yeah, there are, al.

Out in the wild,
there's always a balance.

And no creature
is ever supreme.

Hey, chris,
did you hear that?

Hear what?

I thought
I heard something.

Probably just
my imagination.

[Growling]

A black bear!

But that's a completely
different show.

[Chris]
you know, these three cool cats
are pretty secretive.

You could say they're even
shrouded in mystery,

Especially the cougar.

There's a lot more
to be learned.

[Martin]
which is all the more reason
to protect them.

Bigger predators
like cougar and lynx

Are the first to get hit
by the loss of wilderness.

[Chris]
that's right.

To survive, they need habitat
that has enough food.

[Martin]
and if they run into trouble
with humans,

It's only because they're losing
their habitat

And their natural foods.

[Chris]
these creatures would prefer
to be far away from humans,

Doing what they've been doing
for millions of years...

[Martin]
living the cool life
of cats in the wild.

You know, I've lived all my life
in north america,

And I never realized
I shared the continent

With such fantastic felines.

The bobcat, the lynx,
and the cougar

Are all cool cats.

But did you guys know

That there's a fourth
north american cat?

[Martin]
well, there's more than four,
but the biggest is the jaguar.

[Chris]
to find them, you have to go
to the rain forest.

You thinking what I'm thinking?

I should have known.

One guess where those guys
are heading now.