Amazing nature - Run to survive - Full Documentary
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AnimalsTranscript
00:00In a land of dangers, plant-eating animals are always at risk, and never more so than at the time of their birth.
00:22Out in the open, they are vulnerable, and there are few places to hide.
00:31But luckily, these little ones are born to run.
00:52On the African plains, a topi antelope welcomes a new life.
01:00And so begins a desperate struggle. The clock is ticking. The baby must learn to run.
01:10Already, other youngsters in the herd have found their feet. But for this little one, the timing of his birth couldn't have been worse.
01:26A cheetah is watching. She has little ones of her own, and for their survival, she must make a kill.
01:41Only a few minutes old, she puts up a good fight. But she can't outrun the fastest animal.
01:56One's lost, but others survive.
02:11But others survive.
02:21All over the plains, similar struggles are playing out.
02:27Though some will have a happier ending.
02:29The mare cleans and dries her baby, trying to remove all scent of the birth before it's detected by a predator.
02:45It's instinct for baby runners to find their feet.
03:02In minutes, she'll be able to walk.
03:04And in just a few weeks, she'll be keeping up with her mother at 60 kilometers per hour.
03:17Licking helps strengthen their bonds.
03:20They will remember each other's scent and sounds.
03:23Vital for life in the herd, where it's easy to become separated.
03:27But the most prolific player in this African baby boom is the wildebeest.
03:48More than 300,000 are dropped in the space of a few weeks.
03:51All are desperate to find their feet.
04:02Among them, a little boy, just minutes old, already staggers around his mother.
04:21His life will be a never-ending march.
04:24And to survive, his only defense is to run.
04:42Birthing is a dangerous time for any mother.
04:44But herd animals have an inherent advantage, even in the South American Andes.
04:53When Iguanaco is incapacitated, she knows other members of the group will be on the lookout for danger.
04:58On the lookout for danger.
05:29Her thick fur needs to dry out to protect her from the freezing Andean winds.
05:39For all babies, the first few weeks are the most critical.
05:42They have a lot to learn about survival, and there are dangers everywhere.
05:55Guanaco enemy number one, the puma.
06:20But she's spotted by a sentinel.
06:21The mother seems to draw the attack, and the calf runs for his life.
06:38The puma will go hungry today.
06:49Moose don't have the benefit of the herd for protection.
07:03But weighing 350 kilos, she's a formidable mother, capable of driving off most would-be attackers.
07:13Most hoofed animals have a single baby.
07:31But this moose has an insurance plan.
07:34She delivers twins.
07:35The calves have a reddish fur that will darken with age.
07:45She meticulously licks them clean, paying special attention to their umbilical cords to keep them free from infection.
08:10About the size of a beagle, the youngsters will have to master their spindly legs.
08:28Not only do they need to be able to run within hours of birth, but they will also master the art of swimming within their first two weeks.
08:44And that's going to require a lot of energy.
08:55For mammal babies, it's all about milk.
08:58Thanks to this fat and protein-rich power drink, moose calves can increase in weight by one and a half percent per day.
09:11It's all about.
09:21But after six weeks, it's time to branch out.
09:42The calves copy their mother, learning what to eat.
09:46The name Moose comes from a Canadian tribe.
09:50It means twig-eater, and the little one is finding out why.
10:02Some babies have a tough start in life.
10:05To make the most of a short northern winter, Arctic muskox drop their lambs in April, a
10:11time when there is still snow on the ground.
10:16Luckily, their thick fur, or kiviot, is among the warmest on earth, protecting their little
10:23bodies.
10:28The farmers use various techniques to keep their little ones safe.
10:35Quails are very vulnerable on the ground, but their cryptic camouflage helps them to disappear
10:41in the grass.
10:53These youngsters leave their eggs ready to run.
10:57There is no milk for them.
10:59From day one, they must feed themselves, though their parents give them constant tutorials on
11:05what leaves and seeds to eat.
11:15Deer go a step further.
11:19A roe deer kid, with long, gangly legs, is not the fastest creature on earth.
11:38But when danger appears, his mother barks a warning.
11:55The kid, with his dappled markings, knows instinctively to lie perfectly still, hoping to go unnoticed.
12:23It seems the fox didn't notice the fawn, and settled for a mouse.
12:30Of course, lying still is not without its risks.
12:44Farmer's fields can be dangerous places to hide out.
12:51Luckily, the little one seems to sense the danger, and wobbles back to mother.
12:58His kind may be born to run, but it will take a few weeks to get up to speed.
13:05In the meantime, hiding is his best bet.
13:12Not all calves have the same strategy.
13:19For wildebeest, who must endlessly march in search of fresh grazing, there is no choice for the youngsters other than to follow the great herds.
13:26Water holes are drying up.
13:33They quickly become deadly quagmires.
13:40But our little calf and her mother must risk the treacherous ground to drink.
13:47Water holes are drying up.
13:54Water holes are drying up, and the herds flock around them.
13:58They quickly become deadly quagmires.
14:01But our little calf and her mother must risk the treacherous ground to drink.
14:06That's because the two more costly generations are immplaying so bougiennes to learn from other days.
14:11They probably can't hating
14:22because there could be biscuits one day later.
14:29Or maybe someone else, but they want to go to the children again.
14:32If you want to go to go to and leave with these paths,
14:35After struggling free of the mud, the calf realises she's lost her mother.
15:04She tries to attach herself to a likely looking female.
15:16But it's not her mother.
15:29More than half of the calves perish at this time.
15:32But the mother's bond to her calf is strong and she searches for her infant.
15:42But can she find the right calf?
15:5716% of the wildebeest deaths are down to nothing more than accidents like falling or getting
16:05left behind.
16:07Gradually, the confusion of lost calves find their mothers.
16:19The female hears a familiar voice.
16:31But there is no time for a long greeting.
16:47The herd is moving on.
16:58In the chaos of the mass movement there can be stragglers.
17:04This is not a good time to be alone.
17:11A little male has wandered from the herd.
17:16A cheetah wouldn't normally tackle prey as large as a wildebeest.
17:21The adults weigh three times more than it does and have been known to fight back.
17:26But a little one, on its own, is a sitting duck.
17:51Although they are born to run, wildebeest clock in at about 60km per hour.
17:56The cheetah tops 100.
18:09Being a youngster can be serious, but there is also time to play.
18:19The frolicking of red deer calves helps build their muscles and stamina.
18:26It's little more than a game at the moment, but a fit calf will have the best chances of survival.
18:32The bambi ballet.
18:43The bambi ballet.
18:47The bambi ballet.
19:16For boars, it's fun to have a lot of brothers and sisters.
19:21One sow can have up to 12 piglets.
19:31Like turbocharged humbugs, they dash around the forest, truly born to run.
19:36The bambi ballet.
19:42The bambi ballet.
19:47The bambi ballet.
19:56Mum interrupts the wrestling match. School is not all fun and games. The piglets must
20:13learn what to eat. Which luckily for boars is not very restrictive. They'll eat almost
20:20anything from fungi to carrion. But this gang are only a few weeks old and soon lose interest
20:28in lessons. Boar society is female led and within the sounder there is a strong hierarchy.
20:40Even at this tender age, the youngsters are working out who among them is top dog.
20:55When they do get hungry, they have an easier option. Mum. She'll provide milk for their
21:01first three months. Though she does require some manners at the dinner table.
21:08Now the games pay off. The piglets that won the playfights will be able to command the best
21:15places for dinner.
21:31Now the games pay off. The piglets that won the playfights will be able to command the best
21:38places for dinner.
21:47And there is one other thing baby animals do a lot of. Sleeping is a chance to recharge their
21:54batteries.
21:59The spotted fallow deer enjoy a lazy afternoon. But it's boring for fawns.
22:16Mounting one another in play is also a life lesson. They are playing at being grown ups.
22:22Learning social etiquette that will help them in later life to win mates and have fawns of
22:27their own.
22:34But once again, kids running off makes life hard for mothers.
22:45The does bark, each with a distinct voice, to try and find their little ones.
22:54Mum checks. But this one isn't hers.
23:01Nope, this one isn't either.
23:09The little fawn has slept through his alarm.
23:16The little fawn has slept through his alarm.
23:23But certainly seems pleased to see mum and quench his thirst.
23:31Running can be as much about interacting with each other as it is escaping from predators.
23:41It's encouraged from day one.
23:44The little fawn has slept through, but they are lost with no good.
23:47It's so weird.
23:49The myth is so weird that they give us a chance to try and get it right.
23:53Notice being less than 11 years later.
23:55It's hard to find anyone to like.
23:56It's aówne Holestown, who's a man who's a man who's not a man who's not a man who's not a man who's not a man who's not a man who's not a man that's a man who's not a man who's not a man who's not a man.
24:02Childhood can pass quickly.
24:18These chamois will be fully grown in less than a year.
24:25The males will have to leave the herd, and so make the most of the company now.
24:32The herd has close bonds.
25:02If a kid is orphaned, other females will even try to raise it themselves.
25:09Like most runners, they can be a bit highly strung.
25:15It's wise to stay alert.
25:24You never know when danger might threaten.
25:27But with someone on watch, it's all fun in the Guanaco nursery.
25:33Without horns and antlers like antelope and deer, Guanaco and their camel cousins use boxing and nipping to settle disputes.
25:42And it's good to get in training from a young age.
25:49But then what every youngster dreads… bath time.
25:56In the freezing Andes, there isn't water on tap, so they dust bathe.
26:03A healthy coat is the only way to beat the weather.
26:10And it's never more important than at the poles, where every season can pass in a day.
26:17The ultimate all-weather coat belongs to the musk ox.
26:24Though in summer, it molts out in great clumps.
26:27For the hot-headed oxen, it's important not to overheat in summer.
26:31This is the time of the rut.
26:33Time to go head to head.
27:01Though they may not look born to run, these heavyweights can go faster than 40 kilometers per hour.
27:22Muskox have built-in crash helmets.
27:25Seven centimeters of bone encased the brain.
27:28Cushioned by a horny mass known as the boss.
27:31Dense matted hair, 10 centimeters thick.
27:34A natural shock absorber.
27:38The impact is the force of a car ramming a brick wall at 27 kilometers an hour.
27:48Eventually, one of the bulls realizes he's been out-butted.
27:55This is Muskox tradition, and the young kids will soon develop crash helmets of their own.
28:06They get in some practice.
28:13Sometimes picking the wrong opponent.
28:25They get in some practice.
28:33He might have won the fight, but the victors also get a bit hot under the collar.
28:39He can't take his coat off, so there is only one thing for it.
28:43And for this flock, bath time means family fun.
28:50The poolside games help to keep the herd fit and healthy.
28:51Their lives are spent constantly on the move.
28:52Running to cover a vast territory.
28:53Over 200 square kilometers.
28:54The poolside games help to keep the herd fit and healthy.
28:56The poolside games help to keep the herd fit and healthy.
29:14Their lives are spent constantly on the move.
29:17Running to cover a vast territory.
29:19Over 200 square kilometers.
29:23It's the only way to find enough to eat.
29:26Though it's not often they seem to run for fun.
29:29It takes a while to clean and dry the fur.
29:52Though born with the woolly kiviot, it will take months before the little one's long guard hairs grow in.
29:59In the meantime, if he gets too cold, he shelters against mother.
30:05Her dress like fur can curtain him.
30:07Portable protection against the wind.
30:15The summer season is short, so the lamb must race to put on weight before winter.
30:21He'll gain half a kilo a day.
30:29He was able to eat solids when just a few weeks old.
30:34But will still suckle throughout his first year.
30:37With a good layer of fat for insulation, this little one doesn't look like he was born to run.
30:53But when pushed, muskox can run twice the speed of the fastest human sprinter.
30:59Happy family life.
31:03The protection of the herd is what has enabled them to survive in the harshest conditions on the planet.
31:09And to remain unchanged since the days that mammoths roamed the earth.
31:13While Arctic muskox struggle to keep cool in the summer, it's winter in the southern hemisphere.
31:28Now the guanaco's fleecy wool is really put to the test.
31:35Like their camel cousins, they are good at coping with extremes.
31:40When the mountains freeze, they can survive extended periods without water.
31:44They have another adaptation to help weather their high altitude home.
31:53Four times more red blood cells than a human, to enable them to extract oxygen from the thin air.
31:59Sticking with the herd, they act as windbreaks for one another, while they brush snow to expose vegetation.
32:22The seasons shape the fortunes of those born to run.
32:26It's getting hot on the plains, and the herds need water.
32:40The zebra foal is looking strong and healthy, despite the perilous march.
33:00And she needs to be, if she's to survive the next few hours.
33:03The herd's jumpy, as it approaches the waterhole.
33:10The young wildebeest looks a bit bewildered, as he picks his way through the throng.
33:26The zebras seem confident and drink first.
33:39They are not expecting company.
33:44It's a dangerous time for the inexperienced youngsters.
34:09Theological Toast помids
34:11Thanks to her powerful legs, she'll live to learn from the experience.
34:41Crocodiles are patient animals.
34:57They know the thirsty will return.
35:09Now as the wildebeest turn to drink, the youngster can sense the tension.
35:31A careless calf pays the ultimate price.
35:44With more than 2,000 kilos of bite force, the outcome is devastating.
35:51Our young male flees with the herd, but sooner or later, he will have to face his fears and drink.
36:10The herd regroups, despite the dangers, the crocodiles are less of a threat than dehydration.
36:21The herd regroups, despite the dangers, the crocodiles are less of a threat than dehydration.
36:40The herd regroups are reliant with the복.
36:53Shaken, but not stirred, he must try again.
37:23The young male tries to get ahead of the queue, water at last.
37:38The young male tries to get ahead of the queue, water at last.
37:54The young male tries to get ahead of the queue, water at last.
38:00He was born to run, with strong legs, fast reactions and a powerful heart.
38:21The young female tries to get ahead of the queue, water at last.
38:36Only his speed can save him now.
39:06This time, he was lucky.
39:36But this will not be the last time he will have to face this foe.
40:01Apart from the heat and the drought of the savannah, late summer marks the breeding season
40:06for roe deer.
40:11The kids have doubled in size and are now enjoying greens for dinner.
40:25This is the first time they have met a buck.
40:30Because the roe have small home ranges, this is probably their father.
40:36The male plays no role in raising the youngsters and when she sees him, their mother ushers
40:42get them away.
40:51Though they are three months old, they still get the occasional drink of milk, but not for
40:55much longer.
41:02By the end of the summer, they will be completely weaned, but will probably hang out in a family
41:08group through winter.
41:20Male rose can breed at just 12 months old.
41:24But to stand a chance of winning access to a female, this buck is likely to be at least
41:29three years older.
41:37The young buck seems both fascinated and intimidated by the sight of the male.
41:55He seems to wonder where his own antlers are.
42:12The male isn't interested in the fawns though.
42:15He wants their mother.
42:33Milk time is interrupted.
42:40Once the female is mated, she'll be keen to wean her twins as soon as she can.
42:52The male may have to pursue the female for several days before she's finally ready to mate.
43:02Roe deer have a unique survival strategy.
43:06Though she's mated, she will delay the formation of an embryo.
43:10She can put its development on hold.
43:13If over the coming months she faces a tough winter, she may decide to terminate the pregnancy
43:19to avoid draining her precious resources.
43:22However, if she can find enough to eat and is in good shape, she'll begin the pregnancy
43:28in late winter, ready to give birth in spring.
43:34It's a strategy that means she'll only give birth when she's fit enough to give her youngsters
43:40the best start in life.
43:43Looking at her almost full grown twins, it seems to be a technique that works.
43:52It's an uphill struggle for all youngsters.
43:55But on the Serengeti, the greatest challenge lies ahead.
44:05The young wildebeest is doing well.
44:08But because he's heard numbers in the millions, they must keep constantly on the move, following
44:13the rains to fresh pasture.
44:16Without their migration, they'd overgraze an area and starve.
44:28They know where to find fresh food, but there is an obstacle in their way.
44:40The Mara River.
44:42Currents and crocodiles.
44:44It will be the ultimate test.
44:54The sheer volume of animals massing behind them pushes the herd leaders to take the plunge.
44:59The Mara River.
45:29The calf has little choice but to go with the flow.
45:56The steep banks crumble.
45:59The struggle is relentless.
46:24Some members of the herd will fall, but the majority can make it.
46:28Just as long as they keep on running.
46:30Music.
46:32Music.
47:043,000 wildebeest will perish on this last epic chapter of their migration.
47:16A huge death count, but a drop in the ocean compared to the 2 million animals that undertake the journey.
47:25The male slips past the distracted croc, as do countless others.
47:34Now the bank becomes a death trap, with even more bodies crammed together and getting in each other's way.
47:44It's easy to get trampled in the chaos.
47:48The calf is pinned against the shore.
47:50He finds himself back in the river.
48:07The calf is pinned to the shore.
48:37A firm footing at last.
48:43Before him lies the promised land.
49:09Endless grazing.
49:18Plenty of companions, and above all, room to run.
49:23Susan started flying.
49:24The fax is headed on.
49:32Everybody try to swim.
49:33Bad up in the sea.
49:35Welcome back.
49:35All up.
49:36Tall rundown.