Return of the Predators Epic Yellowstone Full Episode Smithsonian Channel
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AnimalsTranscript
00:00 Hi, I'm Bill Pullman.
00:02 When I first came to Montana 40 years ago, I didn't realize something was missing from
00:07 this place that seemed so wild.
00:10 Wolves were gone, and grizzly bears were critically endangered.
00:15 But all that was about to change.
00:18 Yellowstone National Park became the stage for a groundbreaking comeback, the return
00:23 of these iconic animals.
00:26 But while we imagine them as invincible, you're about to see that their lives are full of
00:31 hardship.
00:32 A grizzly mom raising cubs has to always be on guard, and a wolf without a pack doesn't
00:38 have much of a chance to survive.
00:41 This is the story of the return of the predators.
00:48 Yellowstone.
00:51 It began with an idea, a bold experiment, to protect the wonders of the natural world.
01:01 But for nearly a century, a mighty force was missing.
01:06 Icons, hunted and feared.
01:13 For all its beauty, Yellowstone was in chaos.
01:19 A land out of balance.
01:24 Until the return of the predators.
01:30 The gray wolf has reclaimed its territory.
01:36 Grizzlies are taking back the throne.
01:44 Between the struggle of the chase, and the tireless battle for survival, life for a hunter
01:53 is never easy.
01:56 A legendary mother guards her legacy, and a lone wolf searches desperately to find a
02:08 pack.
02:12 This is Yellowstone Reborn.
02:15 The dawn of a new era, for both predators and prey.
02:43 Young bluebirds herald the arrival of spring in Yellowstone.
02:54 But nothing announces the season like a mighty grizzly, waking from hibernation.
03:13 Summer drives him down to the valley, guided by a familiar scent.
03:22 His nose, seven times stronger than a bloodhound's, brings him straight to the source.
03:32 A winter kill bison carcass.
03:36 A rich source of protein, unlocked by fast-melting ice and snow.
03:52 But it's also attracted another.
03:59 A lone wolf, a curious adolescent named Blacktail.
04:09 Like many young males, he's left behind the security of his pack, to strike out on his
04:15 own.
04:19 But Blacktail is already treading on thin ice.
04:29 It's a rare encounter.
04:32 Two top predators going toe to toe.
04:40 The old boar holds his ground.
04:44 Position is everything.
04:48 But what Blacktail lacks in experience, he makes up for with bravado.
04:55 He taunts the boar with a playful bow.
05:00 He's hungry.
05:01 And he's testing the limits.
05:04 A single swipe to kill.
05:22 Blacktail could outrun the bear, but he stays close, daring him to keep up.
05:35 Luring him farther and farther from the carcass.
05:54 The boar has had enough.
06:03 Blacktail is playing a dangerous game.
06:07 But this time, his strategy worked.
06:10 Though he may not keep the prize for long.
06:18 Coyotes.
06:21 Three of them.
06:28 Seeing that Blacktail's alone, they form an alliance and move in.
06:41 Wolves are usually top dog.
06:44 But the coyotes come at him from all sides.
06:52 He's never faced a gang like this before.
07:01 They're relentless.
07:11 Organized.
07:14 The coyotes chase him off and swiftly take possession.
07:29 Blacktail will go hungry.
07:36 Out here, a lone wolf is a vulnerable wolf.
07:43 Every moment without allies, without territory, Blacktail's at risk.
07:57 Life on his own isn't just difficult.
08:01 It may be impossible.
08:03 He must find a pack before it's too late.
08:14 Spring crests with a wave of green that rises up from the valley floor and rushes across
08:20 the plateau.
08:25 Yellowstone's great herds are returning to one of the last open ranges in North America.
08:34 Mice and elk and pronghorn migrate into the park by the thousands in pursuit of lush green
08:44 forage.
08:47 These herds once became so numerous, they overgrazed Yellowstone's rich valleys, leaving
08:53 them damaged and depleted.
08:57 But now, in spring's fervor, a resurgent force works to keep the system in balance.
09:05 The wolf pack.
09:11 This is the Wapiti pack.
09:16 The largest in Yellowstone, a family in its prime, 20 members strong and still growing.
09:32 They roam the vast interior of Yellowstone, a territory of 200 square miles, perfect wolf
09:42 habitat.
09:45 But until recently, gray wolves were gone from this landscape.
09:50 A century ago, predators were seen as the enemy of progress, eliminated from nearly
10:02 all of their former range.
10:11 Scientists had not yet discovered that an ecosystem cannot thrive without both prey
10:17 and predator.
10:22 In 1926, park rangers shot Yellowstone's last wolf.
10:30 No one understood the consequences.
10:34 About 70 years later, in the winter of 1995, two horse-drawn sleighs carried 15 gray wolves
10:42 captured in Canada and released them in the Yellowstone backcountry.
10:53 It was the beginning of one of the most ambitious restoration projects in history.
11:06 No one knew if the wolves would stay, if they could thrive in an unfamiliar place, or what
11:18 the long-term effects of their presence would bring to the Yellowstone ecosystem.
11:28 But it didn't take long for the wolves to make Yellowstone their home.
11:40 The revival of the hunt returned the most primary dynamic to Yellowstone.
11:46 A predator pursuing its prey.
11:55 Thanks to the return of the wolf, the world's first national park is now recognized as one
12:03 of the only intact ecosystems of its kind.
12:17 Today more than a hundred descendants of this endeavor roam Yellowstone.
12:25 The thriving wolf packs keep the grazing herds in check.
12:31 But they're not the only force reshaping Yellowstone.
12:38 High in the Alpine, another top predator is on the rise and beginning a rite of spring.
12:47 A boar grizzly racing towards the object of his desire.
12:57 A female.
13:00 The marathon of grizzly courtship, rarely witnessed, is a test of wills and endurance.
13:10 The reluctant female can run in bursts up to 35 miles per hour.
13:20 The boar must keep pace or risk losing her to a rival.
13:35 So far she seems unimpressed.
13:43 The pursuit could last for days.
13:55 Finally she slows her pace and allows him close, but not too close.
14:13 After a long chase, the female turns and greets her suitor.
14:23 His trial is over.
14:30 A fleeting moment of union that may live on with the next generation of Yellowstone grizzlies.
14:41 If all goes well, by next spring she'll have cubs at her side.
14:53 Down in the valley, two of this year's cubs have just emerged from their den.
15:02 A legendary mother leads the way.
15:06 Her name is Quad Mom.
15:10 The matriarch of Yellowstone.
15:15 One of the most revered grizzly sows in park history.
15:21 In spring 2010, she emerged with four cubs, one of only a handful of quadruplets ever
15:30 observed in Yellowstone.
15:34 Quad Mom earned her name.
15:38 Her fame spread, and so did her many offspring, who now range through the greater Yellowstone
15:46 ecosystem.
15:49 Her legacy has helped bring grizzlies back from the brink of extinction.
15:56 Forty years ago, the Yellowstone grizzly was placed on the endangered species list.
16:02 At the time, fewer than 150 bears remained in the park, their numbers decimated by a
16:11 century of conflict with humans.
16:15 But, once protected, grizzlies flourished.
16:21 Today, more than 700 grizzlies call Yellowstone home.
16:29 Quad Mom is now more than 20 years old.
16:33 Time is no longer on her side.
16:36 She's among the oldest wild grizzlies ever to breed.
16:42 These young cubs could be the last of her many litters.
16:47 And the rising number of bears in Yellowstone has created a new challenge.
16:55 Competition.
16:58 A gash raked across her forehead is a sign of recent trouble.
17:06 It's the mark of an aggressive boar.
17:09 A territorial male will kill cubs to bring a sow back into estrus.
17:18 She can't let her guard down.
17:24 She catches wind of something just over the horizon.
17:51 The boar's scent has given him away.
17:55 Time to leave.
17:56 And quickly.
17:57 The boar's scent has given him away.
18:25 By late June, abundant rain and maximum daylight drive an explosion of growth.
18:53 On cue, Yellowstone's herds are brimming with new life.
19:19 But where prey are many, predators are never far.
19:48 This is the mollies pack, celebrated as one of the first packs to form after the wolf
19:54 reintroduction.
19:57 For more than 20 years, they've ruled the Lamar Valley, limiting the elk herd to a healthy
20:03 size.
20:07 But their reign is no longer certain.
20:13 The mollies hone their skills hunting elk.
20:18 But this time, they've set their sights on something more difficult.
20:25 As elk become less plentiful, bison fill the void.
20:33 Reviving the bison hunt may be the key to the mollies' continued success.
20:41 A wall of horns and hooves stands guard.
20:45 Instinctively, mothers shield their calves.
20:53 And when danger threatens, the herd closes ranks.
21:07 The pack creates confusion, trying to shake the calf loose from the herd, probing for
21:17 any weakness.
21:24 Wolves are built for stamina.
21:29 The chase is on.
21:38 The bison hunt is a new test for both predator and prey.
21:43 An ancient struggle, missing for nearly a century, has returned.
21:55 As the mollies push the bison uphill, a lone wolf appears out of the sage.
22:05 Blacktail.
22:09 Still alone, still hungry, and still desperate.
22:17 He sneaks in to grab a share of the elk carcass while the pack's distracted.
22:26 In the mollies' territory, it's a dangerous move.
22:32 At any moment, the wolf pack could return to defend its kill.
22:45 The interloper has been spotted.
22:51 The mollies won't tolerate Blacktail stealing from their elk kill.
23:03 This is their turf.
23:05 The trespasser must be hunted down.
23:11 It's an aggressive display that's hardly ever witnessed.
23:24 Blacktail is trapped in the creek.
23:28 The pack closes in.
23:55 Scattered, soaked to the bone, Blacktail is lucky to escape alive.
24:18 If he can't find a pack, his luck will run out.
24:27 These are the trials of a lone wolf.
24:34 All he can do is lick his wounds and struggle on.
24:49 The resurgence of wolves and bears in Yellowstone shifts the dynamic not just for prey, but
24:56 also for other predators.
25:01 Chief among them, the coyote.
25:07 When wolves were gone and bears few, the coyote population skyrocketed.
25:13 Now, the balance has changed.
25:20 Wolves chase down coyotes at every opportunity.
25:29 Wolves are equally menacing.
25:39 Only three years after wolf reintroduction, the number of coyotes dropped by half.
25:47 But the genius of the coyote is in its adaptability.
25:53 With larger prey claimed by bigger predators, coyotes shift their focus to smaller quarry.
26:02 Take away one food source and another pops up.
26:07 A vole, a small social rodent weighing less than two ounces.
26:18 With sharp hearing and swift reflexes, the coyote makes quick work of the colony.
26:43 It looks easy, but there's a catch.
26:49 Smaller prey means he needs more, especially because he has other mouths to feed.
27:12 As wolves and bears reclaim Yellowstone, coyote numbers may never return to their peak.
27:26 But outside Yellowstone, it's another story.
27:31 Unlike larger carnivores, coyotes have adapted well to human habitat.
27:38 They're dramatically expanding from their historical range, spreading to the farthest
27:48 corners of North America and beyond.
28:15 By August, quad mom's cubs are gaining almost two pounds per day and growing friskier by
28:22 the minute.
28:32 Keeping them fed and out of trouble is a full-time job.
28:42 But taking a break to escape the summer heat is often tempting.
29:01 The cubs aren't so sure.
29:06 They'd rather stay on the run, but they'll need all the energy they can muster because
29:16 they're about to embark on an epic journey.
29:24 The nursing cubs have a constant demand for food.
29:29 Quad mom knows a secret source of calories, but it means leaving behind the lush valley,
29:42 leading the cubs into a completely different world.
30:02 (dramatic orchestral music)
30:06 (dramatic orchestral music)
30:09 (dramatic orchestral music)
30:13 (dramatic orchestral music)
30:17 - She climbs to her remote face of Yellowstone,
30:43 which you have ever laid eyes on.
30:45 It's an unexpected destination for a large carnivore.
30:50 But each August, a hidden feast lures bears
30:55 to the high alpine.
30:57 Quad Mom is not alone.
31:00 The mountains are crawling with grizzlies.
31:08 (dramatic orchestral music)
31:11 At first glance, it's a barren landscape,
31:19 but nestled among the rocks, a splash of color.
31:24 Alpine wildflowers.
31:30 Their sweet nectar attracts hundreds of thousands
31:35 of army cutworm moths.
31:37 (dramatic orchestral music)
31:41 These are what the bears have come for.
31:44 Each August, the moths migrate
31:48 and swarms from the Great Plains.
31:50 The fattened insects burrow deep
31:53 into crevices during the day,
31:55 hidden away from intense sunlight,
31:58 until a hungry intruder disrupts the peace.
32:04 (bear growling)
32:07 During the feast, the grizzlies each gorge
32:10 on 40,000 moths per day, 20,000 calories,
32:15 the richest bounty of fat and protein
32:19 in all of Yellowstone.
32:20 Quad Mom has perfectly timed her arrival
32:27 to take advantage of this brief abundance.
32:31 She'll consume half her annual calories in only 30 days,
32:36 a vital stockpile for winter.
32:39 Even the cubs have caught on,
32:43 relishing their first moths in the alpine.
32:47 In Yellowstone, survival hinges
32:55 upon heeding natural, predictable cycles.
32:58 (dramatic orchestral music)
33:02 But in rare cases, the fundamental rules of nature
33:07 appear to turn upside down,
33:10 and day turns into night.
33:16 The midday sun is fading.
33:26 (dramatic orchestral music)
33:28 A sudden chill grips the air.
33:30 The buzz of insects quiets,
33:35 and the feeding frenzy comes to a halt.
33:39 All across Yellowstone, darkness descends.
33:50 (dramatic orchestral music)
33:54 Traveling at 1,800 miles per hour,
34:03 the moon's shadow slices a narrow path
34:06 across North America.
34:17 A total solar eclipse blankets Yellowstone
34:20 in a fleeting aura of darkness.
34:22 (dramatic orchestral music)
34:26 (dramatic orchestral music)
34:30 (dramatic orchestral music)
34:57 The cosmic fireworks last only two minutes.
35:01 As suddenly as they vanished, light and warmth returned.
35:11 Yellowstone will not experience totality again
35:21 for 235 years.
35:23 (dramatic orchestral music)
35:27 (elk bugles)
35:35 In autumn, another cycle of change is underway.
35:49 The great herds reverse their flow.
35:53 Leaving the high country in droves,
35:55 and with good reason.
35:58 Winter comes early to Yellowstone.
36:05 Summer's bounty is gone.
36:14 By November, food becomes too scarce.
36:21 Quad Mom has no choice but to hibernate.
36:24 She's prepared well.
36:28 Since spring, she's gained 30% more body weight.
36:32 For the next five months, she and the cubs
36:38 will rely on this stored energy.
36:40 But it may not be enough.
36:44 Only half of all cubs reach a second spring.
36:48 (elk bugles)
36:50 As grizzlies retreat to the safety of their dens,
37:01 another predator rises to the challenge.
37:04 (elk bugles)
37:16 This is the season of the wolf.
37:19 While others battle the elements, wolves are in their prime.
37:26 Their success is tied to the collective strength of the pack.
37:32 Blacktail has beaten the odds to survive this long.
37:43 But winter's wrath could be fatal for a lone wolf.
37:47 In this lean season, every meal is critical.
37:52 And hiding among the willows
37:56 is what looks like a perfect opportunity.
37:58 A wounded bull elk, half frozen at the water's edge.
38:06 A wolf pack would go straight for the kill.
38:14 But alone, Blacktail has almost no chance of taking it down.
38:19 He must wait until the bull gives out.
38:30 But time is not in his favor.
38:37 Far across the valley, a legion is gathering.
38:44 The Wapiti Pack.
38:45 More than 20 wolves strong,
38:52 they travel in formation, searching for prey.
38:55 They follow the river unhurried
39:00 until in unison, they spot something.
39:03 The wounded elk.
39:10 (dramatic music)
39:13 Blacktail holds his ground in the meadow.
39:16 He can't afford to abandon this chance of a meal.
39:21 The Wapitis gather in the timber.
39:25 They're staging for an ambush, just as night has fallen.
39:38 (wolf howling)
39:40 But in the rugged terrain high above the valley floor,
39:49 another ambush has already taken place.
39:52 A white-tailed deer is carefully cached in the snow.
40:00 The victim of Yellowstone's most elusive predator.
40:08 The mountain lion.
40:09 Her kitten follows.
40:34 They visit the cache together, feeding only at night.
40:38 Under a cloak of darkness,
40:44 she avoids detection by other predators.
40:47 The unrivaled stealth of mountain lions
40:54 allowed a small population to persist
40:57 even as wolves and bears declined.
41:03 Alone on top of the food chain,
41:06 the big cats had little competition.
41:08 The kitten is only eight weeks old,
41:13 far too young to accompany mom on hunts.
41:17 But throughout its first year,
41:21 the cub will develop the trademark killing bite
41:25 that lions use to attack prey.
41:27 And they'll begin to hunt together.
41:32 (soft music)
41:35 In secret, mom and kitten have gotten their fill.
41:50 But as daylight approaches,
41:56 they cache the deer and retrace their steps.
42:00 (soft music)
42:02 Back to their den.
42:03 The sun rises on what little remains of the old bull elk.
42:17 The Wapiti's night ambush was a success.
42:21 20 wolves fed on their prize and vanished,
42:27 leaving only scraps for ravens and coyotes.
42:30 Blacktail is nowhere to be seen.
42:35 The Wapiti's are already moving on.
42:41 A pack this size never rests.
42:46 They must kill an elk every two to three days.
42:51 But this time, they're on the trail
42:56 of an even larger prize.
42:58 On the heels of the pack,
43:07 a lone figure straggles behind.
43:10 Blacktail.
43:13 Following the Wapiti's as they march on to a bison hunt.
43:21 (dramatic music)
43:24 By late winter, as snow piles higher in Yellowstone,
43:32 grazers become less mobile, more vulnerable.
43:38 Their weakness is another strength.
43:43 For the Wapiti pack,
43:47 these are the conditions in which they thrive.
43:51 Their energy is at an all-time high.
43:54 They're feeding on their biggest kill yet,
43:59 an adult bison.
44:02 It's a new era for both predator and prey.
44:10 The balance of power has shifted to the wolf pack.
44:14 Only a few packs in Yellowstone have ever achieved
44:20 the mythical status of true bison hunters.
44:23 Now, the Wapiti's are among them.
44:27 As the elk has finished their turn at the carcass,
44:32 a familiar face appears.
44:36 Blacktail.
44:39 He makes his move.
44:47 (elk call)
44:50 But Blacktail has nothing to fear.
45:05 He's already one of them.
45:08 He's joined the ranks of the Wapiti's.
45:14 (gentle music)
45:16 It's a rare case.
45:20 A young outsider has secured a place
45:23 within the established pack.
45:25 They've accepted him, and they will be his lifeline.
45:32 But he offers something in return.
45:36 Now that the Wapiti's have a taste for bison,
45:40 an additional member increases their chances
45:43 of success.
45:44 In Blacktail, the pack has gained a loyal foot soldier
45:49 who will hunt and defend at all costs.
45:53 After the trials he's faced alone,
46:00 he's finally found a large extended family.
46:03 The strongest pack in Yellowstone.
46:07 (elk call)
46:11 (gentle music)
46:13 But as the seasons turn and spring, vanishes the snow.
46:27 Everything is once again in flux.
46:31 So begins another cycle in Yellowstone.
46:38 (gentle music)
46:40 And the competition has returned.
46:43 It's Quad Mom with both her cubs.
46:48 The family has survived its first winter,
46:55 and it's time to make up for six months without food.
47:04 This time, the year old cubs are ready to hunt.
47:08 Spring delivers their first opportunity.
47:20 Newborn elk calves.
47:30 During peak calving, the bears will hunt around the clock.
47:34 Elk calves are born scentless.
47:41 Only able to run for short bursts,
47:46 they stay hidden deep in the sage.
47:48 The only way to find them is to flush them out.
47:59 (elk call)
48:01 It's like looking for a needle in a haystack.
48:04 But this is a game Quad Mom has played before.
48:11 (elk call)
48:14 (dramatic music)
48:17 Sensing an opportunity, a coyote joins the hunt.
48:34 (dramatic music)
48:38 (elk call)
48:40 He's onto something.
48:46 But it's only a hare, much too fast.
49:01 (elk call)
49:06 (dramatic music)
49:08 Now he's on target.
49:26 (elk call)
49:31 (dramatic music)
49:34 But the calf isn't going down without a fight.
49:42 Alerted by the struggle, Quad Mom joins the chase.
49:48 (elk call)
49:57 (elk call)
50:00 Cow elk rushes to her calf's defense.
50:06 But there's nothing she can do.
50:18 (dramatic music)
50:27 (elk call)
50:29 With their mother's guidance,
50:37 the cubs have learned the way of the predator.
50:39 They will now play a vital role in shaping Yellowstone.
50:46 In the span of a single lifetime,
50:51 Quad Mom has presided over a remarkable transformation.
50:55 (dramatic music)
50:57 The restoration of an ancient balance.
51:00 The return of Yellowstone's wild heart.
51:05 A place where the story of predators lives on.
51:11 But beyond these borders, a new frontier beckons.
51:23 Wolves and grizzlies are still gone
51:25 from most of their historic range.
51:27 But given freedom to roam,
51:31 their legacy will continue to grow
51:34 from the place where it all began.
51:37 Yellowstone, the world's first national park.
51:42 It's rare to have such a conservation success story.
51:49 And it's another reason to celebrate Yellowstone.
51:53 But while wolves and bears
51:54 have become iconic symbols of this place,
51:58 there's so many other animals
52:00 that make Yellowstone exceptional.
52:02 The park is home to more than 150 species of birds.
52:07 The next epic Yellowstone follows their stories,
52:10 showing the park from an entirely new perspective.
52:14 (upbeat music)
52:18 (upbeat music)