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00:08Welcome to the Americas.
00:15An extraordinary journey across Earth's great supercontinent.
00:26From the northern reaches of Canada, through the breathtaking landscapes of the United
00:37States, south to the iconic Amazon rainforest, and the very tip of the ocean.
00:53Of Patagonia, capturing the widest variety of life on the planet.
01:09Five years in the making, with 180 separate expeditions.
01:19Revealing new discoveries, only found here.
01:26For the first time, experience the strength, the heart, the hope.
01:42The untold story of our home.
01:59Tonight, on The Americas.
02:07The Atlantic coast.
02:13A world of wonder.
02:21Where enchanted seas meet fairytale forests.
02:30And life finds a home amongst the bright lights of a new world.
02:41Although over 100 million people live on America's east coast, this is also where you find 200,000
02:52square miles of historic forest.
02:59And where the Carolinas' vast coastal plains slip beneath the waves.
03:09Reemerging as the ever-shifting sands of the outer banks.
03:17These islands are home to surprising castaways.
03:28Wild horses.
03:32They live a perilous life.
03:35Braving tides.
03:37And strong kermits.
03:43Legend has it.
03:45Their ancestors were marooned here.
03:47When the ships of conquistadors were wrecked on these shores.
03:59But one stallion is doing very well here.
04:09He rules this part of the island.
04:12Carpeted in lush meadows.
04:17And at its heart, lies the key to his success.
04:24A fresh water spring.
04:35Controlling this vital supply.
04:38Gives him power.
04:44For a decade, he's defended the well and his family.
04:50From other stallions.
04:54He bears the scars to prove it.
05:00But at 15 years old, the stallion may be past his prime.
05:09Losing one big fight could be the end of his reign.
05:24That fight looks to be on the cards.
05:31Because it's breeding season.
05:35He can smell that one of his mares is ready to mate.
05:43To heighten his senses, he curls his lips in what's known as the flaming response.
05:51But other stallions have noticed too.
06:01Including...
06:02His arch rival.
06:16This intruder may have dainty white feet.
06:20But he's 500 pounds of testosterone-fueled attitude.
06:33The aging stallion must rise to the challenge.
06:39Like prize fighters, they size each other up.
06:44Stamping.
06:47And posturing.
06:53The intruder is younger.
06:55And bigger.
06:57But the wily old stallion has years of combat experience.
07:04Soajahplit.
07:04A stamp of his foot says...
07:07...bring it on.
07:33The old stallion skillfully dodges flying hooves.
07:46He takes one ferocious kick to the chest, but rears up to avoid the knockout blow.
07:59That was the challenger's best shot.
08:04And it wasn't enough.
08:08The stallion runs the intruder off his land.
08:25Victory for the veteran means he can stay with his family.
08:32And his place on these unique islands is secure.
08:47But here, danger is never far away.
08:54Out to sea, Atlantic waters are deadly.
09:00Both above and below.
09:12In the waters just off the coast of North Carolina, this sand tiger is heading to a shark rendezvous.
09:28Ten feet long, with teeth to die for, this female certainly looks the part.
09:42But she is about to reveal a very different side to her nature.
09:53Sand tiger sharks are surprisingly sociable.
10:08Every summer, hundreds assemble here.
10:15But the purpose of these extraordinary gatherings is still a mystery to scientists.
10:30They happen in a place of eerie beauty, known as the graveyard of the Atlantic.
10:42More than 2,000 ships have met their end on this coastline.
10:48From Spanish galleons and pirate ships to merchant vessels sunk in World War II.
10:54These rusting hulks create new habitats, swiftly colonized by many creatures, including vast shoals of scad.
11:19But these little fish have a big problem.
11:25They're on the menu for jacks, 30-pound high-speed hunters.
11:39And not just one of them.
11:42And not just one of them.
11:53The scad must seek safety.
12:02And they find it somewhere extraordinary.
12:12With the sharks.
12:23The scad use the sand tigers as bodyguards.
12:33Each shark finds itself cloaked in a shimmering veil of tiny scad.
12:40Each shark finds itself cloaked in a shimmering veil of tiny scad.
13:07It's a remarkable relationship, and one rarely filled.
13:26A hidden wonder where the human world and the natural world meet.
13:39The sea.
13:42The sea.
13:47The sea.
13:50The sea.
13:52The sea.
13:53The sea.
13:57The sea.
14:00The sea.
14:02The sea.
14:03The sea.
14:10The sea.
14:13The sea.
14:18The streams and rivers that feed Chesapeake Bay are a haven for wildlife.
14:32But they are also among North America's busiest waterways.
14:39To thrive here takes a particular kind of attitude.
14:47A bald eagle, the Atlantic coast's great success story.
14:57In the 1970s there were no eagles on this stretch of river.
15:04But thanks to protection and the banning of harmful pesticides,
15:09now there are more than 300 breeding pairs.
15:18Their numbers are soaring.
15:29With a seven foot wingspan and eyesight five times better than ours,
15:38this female looks the perfect predator.
15:44But for a bird that likes to hunt fish, she has one major flaw.
15:51She's not built to take off from water.
16:01For all her power, fishing is not easy.
16:13Missed again.
16:20For most of the year, she can do well enough.
16:25But in the spring, everything changes.
16:39Ospreys arrive.
16:41Birds of prey supremely adapted to just one thing.
16:47Fisher.
17:03In March each year, 20,000 ospreys migrate here from the south.
17:13They stay for the summer to raise their chicks.
17:20Now, they're in the eagle's territory.
17:26Ospreys can hit the water at 70 miles an hour.
17:32Their long legs stretch down to grab fish three feet below the surface.
17:39Equipped with waterproof feathers, takeoff is no problem for them.
17:54They're taking a lot of her fish.
18:06Outclassed on home turf?
18:14It's time to impose a fish tax.
18:27Bald eagles have some powers that ospreys can't match.
18:37Audacity.
18:40Persistence.
18:48And sheer strength.
18:52And sheer strength.
19:13Daylight.
19:14Robbery.
19:20A quick barrel roll.
19:26And it's time for her to collect.
19:36North America's comeback queen.
19:46Flourishing on this most crowded coast.
19:55Almost a third of Americans make the Atlantic coast home.
20:01The towns and cities we build have been the biggest force of change here.
20:08Where animals can sometimes find themselves in an alien world.
20:18But here in the suburbs, there are aliens living among us.
20:29This peaceful corner of Maryland is about to be invaded.
20:42This peaceful corner of Maryland is about to be invaded.
21:03And it is not alone.
21:08This male, and thousands of others, have spent 17 years deep underground.
21:18They are called periodical cicadas.
21:22And each is on a critical mission to secure the next generation.
21:29But things here have changed.
21:3517 years earlier, George W. Bush was in the White House.
21:41No one had heard of a smartphone.
21:45And many suburban developments were still plots of woodland.
21:55Instinct drives the swarm to climb.
22:02Many fall at the first hurdle.
22:08But this male has found a good spot.
22:16A tall tree.
22:23The ideal place to make a dramatic transformation.
22:36A tall tree.
22:53Breaking free from the husk of his old body.
22:58He unfurls new wings.
23:05And his adult form is revealed.
23:11Around him, the others change too.
23:18Ahead of the next stage of the mission.
23:30It might seem a beautiful day in the neighborhood.
23:38But the human residents wake to an audio onslaught.
23:45The volume can exceed 96 decibels.
23:49It's like a rock concert in your front yard.
23:52With cicadas on vocals.
23:59But for the cicadas, this isn't a horror story.
24:07It's a romance.
24:09It's a romance.
24:10And the language of love.
24:12Is music.
24:14Bud style.
24:22With many males for every female.
24:25It isn't straightforward.
24:28It isn't straightforward.
24:31Perhaps three's a crowd.
24:38Maybe she's the one.
24:42It's time for a cicada serenade.
24:52Vibrating his body like a tiny violin.
24:55He waits for a special signal from her.
25:01And there it is.
25:03A snap of her wings.
25:05That shows his charms have won her over.
25:17After 17 years of waiting, a brief encounter is all it takes to fertilize her 500 eggs.
25:35For the males, adult life is very short.
25:46After just a month, it's all over.
25:51Now their bodies will nourish the soil for the next generation.
25:59While above, the female lays her precious eggs.
26:09A few weeks later, the young will drop to the ground and burrow deep into the earth.
26:16When they emerge, in 17 years' time, who knows what they'll find?
26:32To keep up with the pace of the modern world, animals have to be versatile.
26:39Meet one of the most adaptable in all the Americas.
26:46She can think and feel her way through any challenge.
26:55Getting a drink out of a water-filled tree hole?
26:59No problem.
27:02But she'll need all her wits about her.
27:07Because this raccoon doesn't live in the woods.
27:15She's a New Yorker.
27:24New York City.
27:31Home to 8 million people.
27:38But even here, the wildlife finds a way.
27:44Making the most of 20,000 acres of parks and gardens
27:48is one of the cleverest animals in the Americas.
28:03A raccoon.
28:06Country raccoons are nocturnal.
28:09But here, they emerge in the daytime as well.
28:14So, they must be wary of people, dogs, and cars.
28:20Be kind of street smart.
28:29This female needs to take extra care.
28:34She's a mom.
28:36The wall provides high-rise living for her growing family.
28:45These kits are four months old.
28:49And they share their home with an older brother.
28:53He's getting ready to leave home for good.
28:58But raccoons aren't the only ones with a taste for city living.
29:09A red-tailed hawk.
29:11And it has its sights set on the kits.
29:25Mom is alert to any sign of trouble.
29:44Come on. Come on. Back inside.
29:47Come on. Come on. Back inside.
29:51With that hawk nearby,
29:54she needs to stick around.
29:59There may be safety in numbers,
30:02but this is becoming a tight squeeze.
30:06And something's gotta give.
30:12But it's best to wait for nightfall.
30:17This city may never sleep.
30:24But luckily,
30:26hawks do.
30:32It's a chance for the eldest kit
30:34to bid farewell to the family.
30:56As mom watches him go,
31:01he's tentative at first.
31:07He's on his own now.
31:10She must stay with her younger kids.
31:21But soon, he's free-sullowing with ease.
31:31His super-sensitive paws help him find the safest footholds.
31:53And they're not bad for shucking snails, either.
32:06But alone on the parapet,
32:09he needs to keep on his toes.
32:20Yeah.
32:21Nice move.
32:29He seems ready to face the city on his own.
32:39In fact, there's evidence that an urban upbringing
32:42makes raccoons better at problem-solving.
32:54He's gonna be just fine.
33:17Away from the magical bright lights of New York
33:22is a different fairy-tale world.
33:31Deep in the Appalachian woods
33:34for a few bewitching summer nights,
33:42fireflies take the stage.
33:47Males flash to attract females.
33:53The chemical light they produce
33:55is one of the most energy-efficient on Earth.
34:02For the fireflies,
34:04flashing in synchrony increases their impact.
34:11For us, it's pure wonder.
34:43Forests cover 65% of the Atlantic coast.
34:50In one corner of Tennessee,
34:52there are so many trees.
34:55They seem to create smoke.
34:59In fact, it's a unique fog.
35:04This is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
35:10And here, one black bear mom
35:14is having trouble with some very hungry cubs.
35:27It's late summer in the Smoky Mountains.
35:31The national park with the greatest biodiversity in America.
35:41The huge range of trees and plants
35:45provides a varied menu for this mother bear
35:49and her six-month-old cubs.
35:53With winter just a few months away,
35:56they need to pile on the pounds.
35:58And there's one food that will help them get there.
36:03Cherries.
36:09They're high in fats and protein.
36:11So it's crucial the cubs make the most of them.
36:17But someone beat them to it.
36:21A trespasser.
36:24An adult male.
36:27And what's worse?
36:29Males sometimes kill cubs.
36:32Males.
36:33Males.
36:36Males.
36:42Males.
36:43Males.
36:43He's no match
36:46for a protective mom.
37:06Now the family can focus on getting those cherries.
37:18The tasty fruits are not easy to reach.
37:23Especially if you're a cub.
37:28Mom's got to work around.
37:37Her cubs, though, don't yet have the strength.
37:42Or the skill.
37:56But they do appear to be fearless.
38:04Hmm.
38:05This is going out on a limb.
38:10At just 30 pounds,
38:11the cubs are light enough to climb to the ends of branches.
38:17But a fall from this height could be fatal.
38:26They've got the hang of it.
38:29And these calorie-packed cherries
38:31will help the cubs to gain the weight they'll need
38:35to survive the coming winter.
38:41The Smokies are a magical place.
38:46And as America's most visited national park,
38:49they bring that magic to millions.
38:57Heading north,
39:00the ancient Appalachians formed the backbone
39:03of the Atlantic coast.
39:06Eventually, their weathered peaks reached New England.
39:12Two hundred years ago,
39:14the woods here were cleared for agriculture.
39:18But when many farmers headed west,
39:21the forest made a spectacular return.
39:27And now there are six and a half billion trees.
39:34In the heart of Massachusetts
39:36stands a queen of the woods.
39:40A red oak tree.
39:43Known here as triple oak.
39:53She has weathered 130 years of change.
39:59Right now, she faces the inevitable turn of the seasons.
40:07Throughout the long days of summer,
40:09her leaves captured the sun's energy.
40:15Using green chlorophyll to produce the sugar she needs to thrive and grow.
40:21And the oxygen we need to breathe.
40:30But winter is coming.
40:34Shorter days mean there won't be enough sunlight to power her leaves.
40:40So triple oak must do something remarkable.
40:47She withdraws her chlorophyll.
40:52As the green pigment is extracted,
40:56all the other colors are revealed.
41:06For a few short weeks,
41:09triple oak wears a gown of burnished gold.
41:16But her work isn't finished.
41:19In winter storms,
41:21a tree in full leaf catches the wind like a ship in full sail.
41:25She could be uprooted.
41:27So her leaves must go.
41:31Triple oak creates a layer of cells that seal the leaf off from its twig.
41:39Denied the tree's life support, the leaf dies.
41:49And is cast aside.
41:53Triple oak then heals the scar.
41:59A process she repeats 200,000 times.
42:09Across New England,
42:11countless oaks, maples, beech and birch all follow suit.
42:24A spectacle so vast, it can be seen from space.
42:32New England in the fall is one of planet Earth's greatest natural wonders.
42:42And it happens on our very own doorstep.
42:50On America's spellbinding Atlantic coast.
42:54The End
42:56The End
42:59The End
43:02The End
43:03The End
43:07The End
43:08The End
43:09The End
43:09The End
43:11The End
43:11The End
43:11The End
43:12Or The End
43:12You
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