- 3 hours ago
America's Wild Frontier
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🐳
AnimalsTranscript
00:06Look over the Appalachian Mountains and into the valley below, to find a special slice of America,
00:18birthplace of frontier heroes, and a challenge for some iconic critters.
00:27Now spring in down south, from Tennessee to Pennsylvania, where the pace of life is closely followed by the shadow
00:45of death.
01:14If you're a crayfish hanging out in a babbling brook, there's one thing you really don't want to see.
01:24And this is it.
01:32The Paw of Death.
01:40It belongs to a bandit.
01:44This is trouble.
01:48How did any self-respecting crepuscular crustacean get into this mess?
01:56To find out, you have to go back a few steps.
02:05First, the location.
02:09The Appalachian Mountains.
02:14They are world famous, thought to be the oldest mountain range in America, maybe the world.
02:23What's less known is what lies among them, a chain of secluded valleys, more than a thousand miles long.
02:37Together, they are known as the Great Appalachian Valley.
02:46It's southern half holds wildlife that is quintessentially American.
02:54Life is not always easy for these creatures.
03:05Towards the end of summer and into the fall, where water levels in the Great Valley streams drop, life becomes
03:16perilous for crayfish.
03:25They need clear flowing water to survive.
03:31But the shallower it gets, the more they are exposed.
03:38In some places, the water stops.
03:44And streams become pools.
03:55The cover of darkness helps protect crayfish from many predators.
04:01But not all.
04:20When it comes to fishing for food, raccoons don't rely so much on sight, or smell.
04:31They're a touchy-feely kind of critter.
04:38The most important sense for a raccoon is touch.
04:43Its front paws have a leathery layer that becomes more pliable and sensitive when wet.
04:51And that's how a hapless crustacean becomes the target of a tactile tormentor.
05:13Raccoon paws have refined nerve endings.
05:16Raccoon paws have refined nerve endings.
05:17Sensitive, like whiskers on a cat.
05:23They tell her if an object is edible.
05:33Raccoons have more of their brains dedicated to the sense of touch than a cat or a dog.
06:05She may risk getting a pinch or two.
06:12But a good seafood dinner is worth it.
06:15Raccoon paws have no sense of purpose.
06:19No way.
06:33It's nice to see here.
06:37We're ready to go.
06:38We're ready to go.
06:48For a part of the year, up to a third of a raccoon's diet can be shellfish.
07:03Raccoons roam the full length of the Great Valley's southern section.
07:11Sandwiched between the Appalachian Plateau to the west and the Blue Ridge Mountains to
07:17the east, the Great Appalachian Valley's southern section cuts through Tennessee and
07:25stretches up to Pennsylvania.
07:33As summer winds down, the weather cools.
07:39This is a cue for some creatures in the valley to up their game.
07:55This old possum usually prefers after dark activities.
08:00He roams like a ghost in the night.
08:03His work is to stock up on calories.
08:07Fat will help keep him warm in the cooler months ahead.
08:13So he haunts the valley floor scrounging for food, a lone wanderer.
08:43He'll kill a rodent or a frog if he can.
08:48He's also happy to eat just about every day.
08:50Any animal that's already dead.
08:54He has the chompers to handle it.
08:58There are 50 teeth crammed into that slender snout.
09:02More than any other mammal in North America.
09:09He is unique in many ways.
09:12The possum is the only marsupial in the United States.
09:19The females have two vaginas.
09:22And the males have a double-headed penis to match.
09:28When he was younger, he could hang from a branch by his tail.
09:32Now, he's too big for that.
09:36There are more opportunities on the ground.
09:43But also, more danger.
09:51The timber rattlesnake is the most venomous snake to live in the Great Appalachian Valley.
10:00He is well camouflaged in the leaf litter.
10:03And he also has an impressive mouth.
10:14This ambush hunter kills with venom that destroys blood cells.
10:28Pregnant females prefer the warmth of rocky outcrops.
10:32But this male hides in the shadows.
10:39Today, that means a face-off with Mr. Possum.
11:00It's a bold battle beneath the Appalachian Mountains.
11:05The timber rattlesnake's vertical pupils adjust for daylight.
11:11And pits under those eyes sense the possum's body heat.
11:19But in a strange twist of nature, it's the snake who feels threatened.
11:25It puts out the warning.
11:28Stay back.
11:38The possum knows the snake is there now.
11:41But he's not alarmed.
11:44It's an even matchup.
11:52Possums have a protein in their blood that makes them highly resistant to snake venom.
12:00A bite would not kill him.
12:03But it would still hurt.
12:07Best to move on.
12:16They both head off through the Great Valley to inflict their carnage elsewhere.
12:22Best to move on.
12:40The weak don't last long.
12:47This old raccoon couldn't go any farther.
12:55Death in the valley is closely followed by its cleanup crew.
13:06Here, they stand tall and at the ready.
13:19Turkey vultures gather to work out their pecking order.
13:38Their squabbles are full of grunts and hisses.
13:45They're the only noises they can make.
13:49Turkey vultures lack a syrinx.
13:52Meaning they don't have a vocal organ.
13:59No songbirds here.
14:03But the dead don't need a serenade.
14:30They are lost in hand.
14:36Adrian bl回 directly ends up theiller
14:36They have no qualms about digging into the guts, but are surprisingly hygienic.
14:43They have no feathers on their heads to catch bacteria.
14:50And they regularly use their giant six-foot wingspan to soak up the sun.
14:58It's a drying out of sorts, and it's a reminder for all who can see.
15:04No matter how long you live in the great Appalachian Valley, it's the turkey vulture that'll have the final word.
15:19When early settlers first came to the Appalachians, they dined on the same critters as the turkey vulture.
15:28Even some that would seem most unsavory.
15:37Skunks are said to be better tasting than coons or possums, just a little bony.
15:48He digs around for insects, larvae, worms.
15:53Even lizards and rodents are on the menu.
16:01There's plenty of wilderness in the great valley for him, but it's interspersed with human habitat.
16:11Clashes are inevitable.
16:19One of the skunk's enemies, the domestic dog.
16:29One of the skunk's enemies, the domestic dog.
16:42It's early spring, and the trees are still bare.
16:49That makes a streak of white easy to spot.
16:53We're holding on to the wetland!
16:57But her...
16:57You see, Robin will do not stand for seven months.
17:02So under the silver lining.
17:02It surprises some right.
17:03untuk—
17:06Just some heaven expect us to be wet.
17:06Chams
17:06Tm—
17:06Tm—
17:13Tm—
17:14Tm—
17:14Tm—
17:16Tm—
17:18Tm—
17:45He can run, but nowhere near as fast as this German shepherd.
17:54He finds him quite fascinating.
18:00You know what's coming, right?
18:12It's another face-off in the Great Valley.
18:23Only the skunk isn't using his face.
18:30Curiosity may kill the cat, the domestic dog, it just makes really stinky.
18:44The yellow spray from a couple of glands in his butt is the ultimate defense for this skunk.
19:00He can hit a target from 10 feet away and shoot five to eight times in a row to really
19:09drive
19:09that message home, too pungent for this pooch.
19:51No need to feel too bad for a skunk on the run.
19:56He's quite a formidable predator himself.
20:04One of his favorite meals can be found hiding throughout the Appalachians.
20:10Wild Turkey
20:13Wild Turkey Chicks, to be precise.
20:17But that skunk delicacy is still weeks away.
20:22Right now, chicks are just a twinkle in mom's eye.
20:31In April, these valley girls are more interested in finding places to fatten up on seeds and insects,
20:43and maybe checking out possible partners.
20:53This male does his best to attract the ladies with a show.
21:03A strut
21:05A fan
21:08A shimmy
21:21Come on, girls.
21:23Someone's got a notice.
21:36He homes in on a good-looking gobbler, and shows off his best spread.
22:00The response
22:03Back off, buddy.
22:04I'm not a Tammy.
22:06I'm a Tom.
22:24While many of the creatures here read like that frontier restaurant menu, it's not all prey.
22:31There are predators, too.
22:45One of the most formidable hunters in the Great Valley is the coyote.
22:53This one searches the grasslands for his next meal.
22:59He may look like a loner, but he's not.
23:06Coyotes are monogamous.
23:08He'll eat some of what he finds, and bring some back for his pregnant mate.
23:16He's hunting for two, but the pickings here are particularly good.
23:24The Great Valley's soft alluvial soil is a favorite for small burrowing mammals.
23:35He listens carefully for anything digging through the earth and grass.
23:41Bulls, moles, groundhogs, shrews, rats, mice.
23:48Something has to be here.
24:08Then, he smells it.
24:23Time for his signature move.
24:39Tennessee's section of the Great Appalachian Valley is fertile.
24:44Lots of rodents on offer for a persistent coyote.
24:57Each jump is a surprise attack.
25:06It's a lot of hit and miss.
25:14But he only needs one hit to make it meal time.
25:25He's on to a vole, but doesn't have a good grip.
25:30A hasty move, and he may lose it.
25:35He holds firm, head in a hole, and waits.
25:45Until his victim weakens.
25:54Down in a couple of gulps.
26:00Coyotes have been known to eat more than a dozen voles in a single morning.
26:17He moves on with confidence.
26:20The Great Appalachian Valley will provide.
26:38To travel the Great Valley is to take a walk on the wild side.
26:45The tree-covered Appalachian Mountains shadow it from above.
26:53And fast-flowing streams cut through its core.
27:07There's a rugged edge here.
27:11An element of hidden danger.
27:19It has long been home to wild critters.
27:23And some wild men.
27:32Davy Crockett trapped and hunted all around Tennessee.
27:39Pioneer Daniel Boone was born right here, near Redding, Pennsylvania, in the heart of the Appalachians.
27:50The legends are long gone.
27:55But the wildlife they knew so well still thrives.
28:01Like some of the creatures here, some of those frontier folk didn't always get along.
28:13In the 1800s, the Hatfields and the McCoys attacked each other along the Kentucky and West Virginia border.
28:22They criss-crossed the Appalachians to kill family members on both sides.
28:27In total, a dozen dead.
28:32The Hatfields left another memorable mark on the land.
28:36The Hatfield Timber Company cut swaths of Appalachia bear.
28:48Today's timber and mining interests leave their own marks.
28:56But when allowed to recover, areas of regrowth include flower-filled meadows.
29:05This is welcome habitat for the humble bumblebee.
29:11A native pollinator vital for our survival.
29:21They fly from flower to flower, sucking nectar and, incidentally, pollinating the plants so new generations of vegetation can grow.
29:35With the bumblebee now is the honeybee from Europe.
29:46They aren't as good at pollinating, but they are outstanding at producing honey.
29:58Every box has a queen inside, and just a few male drones with which she'll breed.
30:05The rest are female.
30:08Thousands of working daughters care and defend the hive like Amazon warriors.
30:15These females return from their floral escapades with their legs caked in yellow grain.
30:23Pollen.
30:25It's the honeybee's main source of protein.
30:30Sometimes in here, it gets hot.
30:34Too hot.
30:35So these ladybees use the power of their numbers to do something extraordinary.
30:52To beat the heat in the Great Appalachian Valley, these bees must create their own air conditioning.
31:04They position themselves by the hive and beat their wings, extracting the hot air from inside, letting fresh, cooler Appalachian
31:16air flow through.
31:25Honeybee numbers have fluctuated in recent years, but in the Appalachians, there's enough to support a sweet little business.
31:42Logging and industry pepper the Great Appalachian Valley, but the animals persist.
31:57Forests interspersed with grass-filled meadows that attract deer by the thousands.
32:10Less than a century ago, deer were nearly hunted to extinction throughout large areas of the valley,
32:18including all but a few hundred in Pennsylvania.
32:23It took an intensive conservation effort to bring them back.
32:28And now, it's like they were never gone.
32:31All right.
32:32All right.
33:12Not all of it makes it to a stream.
33:20Some of it gathers in the valley's low points.
33:27These calm, temporary pools are crucial habitat for spotted salamanders.
33:41On just one night each year, a majority of these speckled beauties come out all at once
33:48and use the exact same pool of water they were born in for a spectacular ritual.
34:11When the temperature in the Great Appalachian Valley is just right,
34:18salamanders lay thousands of eggs in the stagnant pools.
34:26There are no fish here to eat them.
34:34A month later, they hatch.
34:38After just a couple of months in the water, the young will lose their gills
34:43and join the adults for a life in the woods.
34:50Most of their time is spent underground, hunting for worms and insects.
34:57But at night, when the humidity is high, they can come up into the moist air.
35:04But these are the little guys.
35:12The big daddy of salamanders prefers hiding out, almost exclusively, in the Great Valley's
35:19faster-moving waters.
35:32This is the Hellbender.
35:38He's built to blend in with sandy bottoms, where he depends on clean, moving water for oxygen.
35:48He absorbs it through his skin.
36:01Another Hellbender encroaches on his territory.
36:09They're loners, so fight for land rights.
36:32They're loners, so fight for land rights.
36:39Now he's secured his claim.
36:46He can hunt for food like fish, crayfish, and worms.
37:06With a good diet, he can grow to more than two feet in length, and live up to 30 years
37:14old.
37:15With a dude in pen and感謝.
37:17For 100 years, we...
37:27Have you talked about his work where people will need them?
37:29Have you talked about those?
37:30All right.
37:43You haven't talked about the
37:45His eyesight is poor, but he has light sensors all over his body, lateral lines that detect movement in the
37:57water, and, most importantly, a remarkably keen sense of smell.
38:30That makes a dead fish easy to find.
38:44And down the hatch.
39:23Most of the fish species in the Great Valley are not going to wind up on your dinner plate, or
39:30break any size records.
39:31But, the scaled fish share this waterway with those freshwater crayfish, or crawfish.
39:43Of the 600 species of crayfish worldwide, close to half live here, in the Appalachians.
39:52Most, like this spiny wrist crayfish, only grow to about 3 inches long.
39:58Then, there are the giants.
40:04The Tennessee Bottlebrush crayfish is new to science, only identified less than 10 years ago.
40:13And there are more on the way.
40:17This female carries more than 100 eggs.
40:23And after 3 to 4 weeks of growing on her tail, they're close to hatching.
40:33Unlike her saltwater cousins, this freshwater mom will spend at least some time trying to protect her young.
40:45And just as well.
40:52There are many threats, from in the water, and above.
41:07That's part of the nature of the Great Valley.
41:13A sense of mortality seems to hang here, like mist in the morning.
41:23Like the Appalachian leaves that give the valley a famous burst of color every fall, before fading and dying.
41:36The struggle of life and the finality of death are deeply woven into the land.
41:45This is what animals, and people, have found here for thousands of years.
41:53But they wouldn't have it any other way.
41:57It's home.
42:02Traveling through the Great Appalachian Valley is like stepping back in time.
42:08It's still an experience that is rugged and raw.
42:13And uniquely American.
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