- 5 weeks ago
America's Wild Frontier
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TravelTranscript
00:04Question, which state has more fresh water lakes than any place in the lower 48 and winter
00:13temperatures that can drop to minus 60?
00:20The answer, Minnesota.
00:26Its wilderness tests the American spirit and the mettle of our heartiest wildlife.
00:35Now, see what it takes to survive the winter and manage the thaw in the land of 10,000 lakes.
01:07And those Florida ones, they got it easy.
01:15You gotta be at least as tough as a bald eagle to survive winter in Minnesota.
01:32But the bird's eye vistas up here may just be worth the hardship.
01:43No one knows how Minnesota got the nickname Land of 10,000 Lakes, but that number holds up.
01:54There's also six million acres of water-drenched peatlands.
01:59That's 10% of the state.
02:04Prairies once covered the west, and the forest is split in two.
02:11More evergreens in the north, and in the southeast, trees that shed their leaves.
02:22In winter, it's a good place for a fur coat.
02:38This is a gray wolf.
02:43Also called a timber wolf.
02:48He may grow to weigh up to 175 pounds.
02:53It all depends on how much he can find to eat.
03:01Right now, he's got more on his mind than himself.
03:07He's starting his own pack.
03:11He bonded with this female after the first snow.
03:17In nine weeks, she'll give birth.
03:21Somewhere between one and eleven pups.
03:32Wolves were close to extinction in Minnesota in the 60s.
03:37But now, they're back from the brink.
03:39And the Land of Lakes supports more than 500 packs.
03:50They mostly hunt after dark.
03:53And a few nights ago, these two made a kill.
04:02It'll keep them content for a few hours longer.
04:21Wolves are always on the lookout for a feed on four legs.
04:27But there is one menu item up here that gives them paws.
04:38Minnesota's largest wild animal.
04:43The moose.
04:46Their antlers can be five feet across.
04:52They aren't aggressive.
04:53But they'll defend themselves and their young to the death.
05:00The climate in the Land of Lakes is perfect for them.
05:04They only live in areas that have seasonal snow cover.
05:08And they can't tolerate temperatures above 80 degrees.
05:14Winter for them is barely an obstacle.
05:19Some moose exceed 1,200 pounds.
05:23And 100 pounds of that can just be the food in their stomachs.
05:32Finding a meal up here in winter is all about knowing where to look.
05:39Around the lakes and under them.
05:48In some places, the ice on the lakes is a foot thick.
05:53Perfect for die-hard ice fishermen.
05:59It's a seasonal tradition and Minnesotans don't hesitate.
06:05The state has more than a half million anglers.
06:15Experience alone tells them just how thick this ice is.
06:25They can safely walk on ice that's four inches thick.
06:31Five or six inches.
06:33And they can use sleds.
06:35Or even four-wheelers and snowmobiles.
06:42Special gear includes an auger.
06:45Special gear includes an auger.
07:11After that, it's pretty much like any other fishing trip.
07:15From chance to�.
07:16I don't know.
07:45It's long for a nibble.
07:53From the depths, it's a one-way ascension through a tunnel to the bright, shiny light of the surface.
08:03But all the glory goes to the fishermen.
08:07Catch another couple more of those and we'll have a meal.
08:15A feast to behold.
08:18Not a favored walleye or a pike, but bluegills are a popular pan-fried fish.
08:24And out here, you can work up an appetite.
08:36There are more than 150 species of fish here.
08:46Served on ice, courtesy of the land of 10,000 lakes.
08:55Food is out here, even in the dead of winter.
09:01In the surrounding treetops, the great gray owl is a master of the winter hunt.
09:12Minnesota marks the southern border of her range.
09:17At dusk, her hunt begins.
09:21She scans the bare trees and barren lands.
09:28Her deep-set yellow eyes are legendary, but it's the shape of her face that helps here.
09:37Her two large circles of plumage are called facial disks.
09:42And they're the largest of any owl species.
09:47They act like satellite dishes.
09:50Only instead of receiving the nightly news, they channel the smallest sound.
10:01Even the scurry of tiny rodent feet.
10:14She can't see her prey once it ducks under the snow, but hovers above the sound.
10:29Then, an incredible maneuver, rarely seen.
10:47The great gray owl is a master of the silent but deadly vertical plunge.
11:01The great gray owl is a master of the silent but deadly vertical plunge.
11:17It's one of only a few species that will drop deep into this Minnesota snow for a rodent.
11:24Like this field mouse.
11:32By height, she is the largest owl in North America.
11:37But she's a silent flyer.
11:40That's why Minnesotans call her the Phantom of the North.
11:50The more food this female eats now, the more eggs she'll lay in the spring.
11:57In a good year, she may lay up to five eggs.
12:01And this looks like a good year.
12:07The land of lakes serves up a feast.
12:11And the bounty continues each night.
12:14Through the heart of winter and into the big Minnesota melt.
12:22Hard luck for this frozen treat.
12:26This gray tree frog partially froze inside like a slushie.
12:38But wait.
12:46And they can change colors like chameleons to give themselves the best camouflage possible.
12:55They only leave these trees after the thaw to search for mates.
13:03This season for sex is also a time of terror.
13:11Down at lake level, these hunters become the hunted.
13:36The garter snake may be more tolerant of cold weather than any other snake in North America.
13:45The tree frog's best chance is to stay still and make like a log.
13:57They all hope they're not seen.
14:00But for some, the danger is too close for comfort.
14:07They all have a catch up.
14:09They all have a catch up.
14:25And I'll let it into the dark.
14:27And you blow up another snake in the hole.
14:27The dark, the dark, the dark.
14:34I'm sure it's a good hit.
14:43It's March, and the eagle nest is now free of snow.
14:49They add more lining every chance they get.
14:54Their powerful wings, nearly seven feet across, help them do the heavy lifting.
15:00They are treehouse masters.
15:05Bald eagle couples have built the largest tree nests of any bird species on the planet.
15:12One measured 20 feet deep and more than nine feet wide.
15:19They can weigh more than two tons.
15:23They work together to create complex layers of limbs and sticks.
15:33And pack it with soft grass in the middle to protect some valuable merchandise.
15:43With triplets on the way, someone needs to always be home.
15:49The female does most of the egg minding and turning of the eggs.
15:55But dad pitches in too.
16:02The days can still be chilly.
16:04But they can't let the eggs get any cooler than 29 degrees.
16:11Vigilance.
16:13Vigilance.
16:13All day.
16:16All night.
16:20It's a waiting game for just over a month.
16:32Then, it can take up to two days for a chick to break out of an egg.
16:37But eventually, one little fluff ball.
16:59Make that two.
17:14Number three takes his time.
17:18But soon enough.
17:41Down below, the land of lakes is also transforming.
17:49Spring in these woods brings out the appetite in all kinds of critters.
18:00This is a long-tailed weasel.
18:03Strong, fast, and incredibly flexible.
18:07He can slip through a hole as small as a couple of quarters.
18:14Don't insult this guy by thinking he's a rodent.
18:17He's closely related to the wolverine.
18:22There are rodents around here too.
18:25Like this deer mouse.
18:34He survived all winter in his warm, safe den.
18:38But now, he's on the move.
18:41Spreading his scent.
18:45A deep hole will keep out most predators.
18:49But not the long-tailed weasel.
19:01He is a sleek interceptor built for home invasion.
19:23He follows his nose.
19:28Escape for this deer mouse seems impossible.
19:41The weasel has the mouse cornered.
19:46Now for his signature move.
19:55A lethal bite to the back of the neck.
19:58And a grip like death.
20:18Now the den, and all that's in it, is his and his alone.
20:27He has a choice of home.
20:30But he'll take his log for now.
20:34And keep watch to see what other juicy morsels enter the parlor he's just left vacant.
20:45Everyone in the land of 10,000 lakes enters spring with an appetite.
20:51But none bigger than right here.
20:56This black bear mom lost a third of her body weight over winter.
21:01And now she needs to bulk up.
21:06She has little ones dependent upon her milk.
21:15Other bears in the area also emerge for spring jamboree.
21:22It's like a party.
21:24The kind where no ice is a plus.
21:53It's all fun and games.
21:57Until this guy shows up.
22:03He's around 300 pounds of danger.
22:11Adult males sometimes kill cubs that aren't their own.
22:20It makes the mom nervous.
22:56Her surprise charge startles the male.
23:00But it doesn't send him far.
23:07Now she has a problem.
23:09The kids are slowing her down.
23:12She needs to do some intensive foraging.
23:16But she can't leave them alone with predators around.
23:23The solution?
23:24A babysitter.
23:30The cubs will be safe from attack if they can climb high enough.
23:51Year old cousins know this and have already taken the high road.
24:05There are as many as 20,000 black bears in Minnesota.
24:16It's like they grow on trees.
24:30It's like they grow on trees.
24:34But that doesn't mean they can't fall.
24:49Once settled, they can nap away.
24:55And mom can get on with her work.
25:00Looking for berries, nuts, seeds, and insects like termites.
25:31At the end of the day,
25:32one last task for the cubs to master.
25:36Getting down.
25:37No.
25:39No.
25:51No.
25:53Come.
25:55Come on now.
26:15They leave the treetops to the birds.
26:27It's getting crowded up here in the eagle's nest, and there's a lot of mouths to feed.
26:34The most common treat, sushi.
26:38Everything these young need to grow big and strong.
26:46The white and gray fluff balls have grown dark and speckled.
26:52They won't get their white heads for another three or four years.
26:59Before they earn that sparkling white crown, they must master the sky.
27:15Minnesota has 10,000 or so lakes, but perhaps most remarkable is an area with water you can't
27:25see.
27:30It may be the state's biggest secret.
27:36This is the peatlands.
27:49Few have heard of it, yet this 6 million acre landform covers 10% of the state.
28:02It's impossible to drive on, and difficult to explore.
28:09So it's mostly untouched, a protected ecosystem trapped in its own time warp.
28:25These spindly black spruce trees may be more than 200 years old, but grow little more than
28:3330 feet high.
28:38Attrition is a challenge.
28:46The soil drains poorly, and there's more precipitation than evaporation.
28:54The result, a super-sized sponge.
29:00Peat moss and piles of decomposing vegetation soak up the water and turn it acidic.
29:11Life struggles in this liquid desert.
29:16But nearly 300 bird species live in and around this unique habitat.
29:24One with a haunting call.
29:30This whale comes from a land of lakes icon.
29:36The loon.
29:44It's the state bird of Minnesota.
29:49There are about 12,000 here, more than anywhere else in the lower 48.
30:00These are the heavyweights of the water bird community.
30:07Ducks and geese swim with their bellies above the water.
30:12Loons swim with their bellies under.
30:15And there's a reason.
30:19The bones of most birds are hollow and light, but loons have solid bones to help them dive
30:27deep.
30:28They can hold their breath for up to five minutes and duck down as far as 250 feet deep to
30:38look
30:38for food.
30:43They have unique calls for different reasons.
30:47This soft call to a mate.
30:54Just checking in.
30:59They too have a family on the way.
31:03While one gets some lunch, the other stays on the nest.
31:08They've been doing this for a month.
31:16One chick has hatched, and already it's in the water, eager for dad's protective wing.
31:24The other egg has not yet hatched.
31:29Loons lay their eggs one to three days apart.
31:33This one needs just one more day.
31:38But a day can be a long time out here.
31:50The threats are many.
31:54Vigilance is vital, 24-7.
32:02This raccoon is a night raider, but he launches a surprise attack.
32:20A raccoon charges in on the loon nest.
32:46The land of 10,000 lakes can be a war zone, but these birds are not easily shaken.
32:54And that protective instinct pays off.
33:03By morning, they have another little loon.
33:13Within 24 hours, both chicks are out for a swim.
33:19It's still a dangerous time.
33:22Not much will threaten an adult loon, but the babies are prized by the birds above and the
33:30fish and turtles below.
33:34Mom and dad keep a close watch and offer something remarkable.
33:42If this little loon can manage it, he'll get a free ride on mom's back.
34:05It's a mission to land on the loon.
34:14One giant step for bird kind.
34:27It's the safest and warmest place for a chick.
34:34But there's still a threat to this family's harmony.
34:38And it comes from another loon.
34:43It's a male who wants to move in on dad's turf.
34:48Now, the signal is a yodel.
34:53All at once, it says, stay close, dear.
34:56And back off, buddy.
35:18The intruder takes the hint, but not far enough.
35:25He sees them coming for him from below.
35:55That's more like it.
36:05Peace is restored in the land of 10,000 lakes.
36:14And the year moves on.
36:47Then the deer moves on the other.
36:47Let's go to the next level.
36:47a sure sign of the changing season flashes of fluttering color
36:56once a year monarch butterflies float into minnesota to soak up the sunshine
37:03and some nectar from minnesota's blooming wildflowers
37:12they've been a sight to behold all the way from mexico
37:28but the journey has taken its toll rain and wind from a thunderstorm ripped through this one's
37:37delicate wings
37:42monarchs will start their journey back south in the fall but none of this generation will ever make it
37:52some monarchs only live a month
38:00so it's their great-grandchildren who finally cross the rio grande
38:29the young eagles are now in full flight
38:38and they've learned a pretty nifty trick
39:01now they can snatch fish on their own
39:06or sometimes steal a catch from a sibling
39:29it sounds easy to live in a land of ten thousand lakes
39:36even inviting
39:44but now these young eagles are getting ready to head into their first winter
39:50continuing a tradition of toughing it out
39:58surviving year-round in minnesota takes grit
40:05skill
40:07and adaptability
40:11and it creates some of the hardiest creatures on the planet
40:20maybe that's the point
40:22maybe that's the point
40:24if it were easy everyone would be here
40:27living it up
40:32instead it's a select few
40:36just the very best
40:43minnesota creates an elite club of the extraordinary
40:52who must work it out
40:56just to survive
41:02in a land of ten thousand lakes
41:07in a land of ten thousand lakes
41:07in a land of ten thousand lakes
41:21i
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