In the sweeping wilderness
of yellowstone,
the grizzly once ruled alone.
Unmatched in size and strength,
no creature could challenge
the mighty bear.
Then came the return of
a formidable rival...
Tall, rangy wolves
from the north now stake
their claim to yellowstone.
And somewhere in
the back country,
an epic battle unfolds.
It's a clash of wills --
and opposing skills --
that echoes
all through yellowstone.
In the cauldron
of this wilderness,
the grizzly has
the most to lose.
Will wolves be the new masters
of yellowsne?
Or can the grizzly
keep its kingdom
and emerge the Victor here?
It's spring in
the northwest corner of Wyoming.
The year is about to begin for
the grizzlies of yellowstone.
By early march,
bears begin to emerge
from their long winter's nap.
[ Geese honking ]
They may not have eaten a thing
for four or five months --
and with snow still deep,
a female and three cubs
search for a winterkill.
Otters have been out all winter,
slipping and sliding
between streams,
looking for patches of
open water.
They're kept under close watch
by a coyote.
He's on a constant search
for food.
This is a world of predators,
scavengers, and opportunists.
In the thawing
surface layer of ice,
the grizzlies find
a strange windfall.
Entombed in the ice all winter,
frozen fish
are the first banquet
of the year for the bears.
While the bears search for
another easy meal,
the wolves of the Hayden pack
gather to feast on the rewards
of their own hard work.
But a bold young bear
has found their carcass,
and a grizzly is accustomed
to taking what he wants.
The Hayden wolves
size up the situation.
The pack is nine wolves strong,
and the bear...
Is not as big as he could be.
He's tried to bury the carcass,
and defends it from the center
of his earthworks.
It's his strength against
their speed,
but the wolves seem to think
they can take him.
The haydens prove to be more
than the young bear can handle,
this time.
Bears or wolves --
it makes no difference to
the ravens.
They always make their point --
but manage to stay above
the competition.
Bison will face
both wolves and bears
over the course of their lives,
but the first challenge
for newborn calves
is just keeping up with
their mothers.
They're on their way
to summer pastures,
and for the calves,
it's sink or swim.
Instinctively, the calves seek
shelter next to their mothers.
But the waters are
cold and fast --
too fast for the tiny calves.
One has been swept into
a logjam,
and is in real trouble.
His mother has suddenly
realized what's happening.
The calf breaks free,
but is not out of danger.
Calves often lose their mothers
during river crossings,
and without her,
he can't survive.
This calf is a lucky one.
He's safe,
though utterly exhausted.
The yellowstone river
was just the first
of many perils to come.
A grizzly is following
behind them,
and for the bear,
it's hunting season.
Yellowstone's 3,500 bison
are the largest free-ranging
bison herd in the world.
As they gather on the greening
meadows of Hayden valley,
the old frontier
looks very much alive.
It's a scene one old grizzly
has witnessed many times.
This rugged veteran has roamed
yellowstone for almost 20 years,
long before wolves
were brought back to the park.
He is bear number 211,
known to bear watchers
as "scarface."
In his youth, he hunted bison
in this great valley.
Now, he leaves
such high risk work
to a younger generation.
The bear has no advantage
of surprise --
yet he suddenly
swings into action.
The chase is just
youthful exuberance --
there's not much hope
of success.
The bear will need
a better strategy,
but a truly devious plan
is a coyote's specialty.
He's so small,
no one takes him seriously.
He tests a calf.
This one's big and strong.
Then, he finds a smaller one.
He pretends to play --
but this is no game.
If the coyote can coax the calf
off by itself,
he has every intention
of killing it.
One bite could cripple the calf.
[ Bison grunting ]
But some motherly backup
puts an end to that.
Another grizzly
is on the calving grounds --
and this one
has perfected his craft.
The grizzly uses his top speed
of 35 Miles per hour
to separate a calf
from its mother.
And though the bison weighs
twice as much as the bear,
she's young, and undone
by the grizzly's aggression.
She hesitates --
and her calf is lost.
For hunters and hunted alike,
each encounter in yellowstone
presents a critical choice.
What is brave one moment
is foolish the next.
To fight or to flee --
all of life
hangs on the decision.
With two wolves
out on the prowl,
a mother elk weighs
her options carefully.
The wolves have seen her
but not her calf.
It's too young
to outrun the wolves.
Its only defense is to hide
and keep completely still.
Its mother heads
straight for the wolves.
[ Elk calls ]
Her purpose is to distract them,
to keep their attention
entirely on her.
Again and again, she charges --
then invites them to chase her,
using the river
as a safe retreat.
She can play this game
against two wolves.
She would never attempt this
with an entire wolf pack.
Frustrated, the wolves give up.
The calf owes its life
to the tactics
and the courage of its mother.
Motherhood, even for
a grizzly bear,
is a test of character.
It's June, and a spring
snow squall has kicked up.
But the bear and her cub
are confronting more than
the weather.
Wolves from the druid pack have
caught them out in the open.
In the tug of war
between grizzlies and wolves,
the wolves attack
where they can.
They are after the cub.
If they can kill it,
they will eliminate
a future rival.
She's not a big bear,
but she stands her ground.
The lves won't risk an injury.
Then, suddenly, it's over.
The wolves make a decision,
and the bears are free to go.
As the two dominant predators
in yellowstone,
grizzlies and wolves
make life hard for each other.
The cub is vulnerable
to the wolves now.
If he survives to become
a really big bear,
the tables will turn.
But he will be a cub
for a long time yet,
and growing up
is a full-time job.
Out along the edge of
the yellowstone river,
sandhill cranes are announcing
their territories.
Now, it's the bears' turn
to cause trouble.
The cranes try to
shoo them away.
For the cub,
it's just an adventure.
Things are even more interesting
with a brother or sister.
Cubs can turn anything
into a toy --
even a bison pie.
Every game lets them discover
what they can do,
and their mother is always there
to supervise.
For grizzlies, these are
the days of family life.
They'll spend
two and a half years
under the constant care
of their mother.
Then the cubs will be big enough
to go their separate ways
and travel
through yellowstone alone.
Until then,
she is everything they need.
A wolf's lifestyle
couldn't be more different.
Wolf pups are used to
large families.
There are five pups
in the average litter.
At one month old,
they begin to venture
away from the den.
Their mother is
the Alpha female,
the white wolf
with the research collar.
But they have
other guardians, too --
older brothers and sisters,
aunts and uncles.
A member of the family
is always in attendance.
When the pups grow up,
many will disperse to
other packs,
looking for a place to belong.
Wolves will always be drawn to
each other's company.
A grizzly ambles along a trail
on his solitary way
above the den.
It's old scarface.
He probably means the pups
no harm,
but he's come way too close
for the wolves' comfort.
The adults treat him
as a serious threat.
It's the pups'
first encounter with a bear,
and their elders have shown them
something valuable --
together, they can
challenge a grizzly...
And defeat it.
As for scarface,
he hasn't ved this long
without knowing
how to avoid real conflict.
By the end of June,
the high country
is bright with color.
[ Bird singing ]
Summer residents
are settling in.
They're claiming territories,
building homes,
finding partners.
Even grizzlies get caught up
in the social scene.
It's the mating season.
A courting couple could be
mistaken for youngsters playing.
But for grizzlies,
this is romance.
Once she has accepted him,
they will wrestle and play
and mate many times,
staying together
for ten days or so.
But their devotion
will be fleeting --
enduring bonds
are not in their nature.
Yet while it lasts,
they share
a moment of tenderness
grizzlies seldom display.
[ Lowing ]
While the mating season brings
solitary grizzlies together,
it sends the companionable bison
into an uproar.
Bulls are built for
the battles of the rut.
They wield their massive heads
as both weapon
and defense.
They must protect
their own bodies
as they twist and turn,
pressing for an advantage.
They are one-ton warriors,
and each breeding season,
more than a few
are fatally wounded.
This young bull must have
taken on more than his match
and has suffered a head injury.
Round and round he turns,
unable to find his way forward.
Then, remarkably,
he makes it to solid ground.
Bison are as tough as they come.
Days later,
the injured bull staggers on,
alone but still alive.
When a bison does go down
in combat, a grizzly wins.
It's one of the rare carcasses
not supplied by wolves.
A bear this size would take
a lot for wolves to run off --
that's a job
for another grizzly.
Several big males may wander
in overlapping ranges,
and they are certain to have
crossed paths before.
They both look intimidating
to our eyes,
but the bears
are keenly aware of
each other's
strengths and weaknesses.
[ Howling ]
The Hayden wolves
have found the carcass
and call for reinforcements.
They need to rally
the entire pack
to challenge such a bear.
[ Ravens croaking ]
Ravens also call each other in.
They're often the first
to spot a carcass,
but they wait for someone else
to break it open.
The wolf's calls
are going unanswered.
The pack is too far flung,
and with no chance
to dominate the carcass,
the wolves just drift away.
But a grizzly's
toughest competition
isn't from wolves at all.
His ultimate challenge comes
when he meets an equal --
and there's only one way
to find out who's stronger.
[ Growling ]
The bear that turns
and walks away
is the winner.
Showing his back is a sign of
supreme confidence.
Perhaps these two
will meet again
and there will be a rematch.
Maybe it's been settled
between them for good.
For the grizzlies,
this year's battle
for yellowstone
is coming to a close.
It's beginning to snow.
One by one,
the bears retreat to their dens.
Winter settles in.
Snow brings elk
down from the high country
to wintering grounds
in the valleys.
[ Wolves howling ]
And wherever the elk go,
the wolves follow.
Winter is the season
when wolves are riding high.
Severe conditions
always work in their favor,
wearing down their prey.
The deeper the snow,
the better the hunting.
Rsnt
es e nyng
oyuninvid es
veouhad,
e e r
l eshecarnivores.
[ Snarling ]
As long as there are elk,
the wolves will provide.
But all these hungry scavengers
steal so much meat
that they may be one reason why
the wolves form packs --
to protect their own share
of the kill.
Frnow isstheir season
for courting and mating.
If a stranger comes calling,
yearling females and pups
come out to greet him.
He'll please them all
if he can,
but what he's really after
is a willing partner --
and a private rendezvous.
Yet even the most
intimate moment
often requires
the pack's approval.
The Alpha pair
that leads the pack
may share a bond
that lasts for life.
But all this togetherness
comes down to just one thing --
wolves need each other.
Wolves are accustomed to
working year-round
and feeding many mouths.
But come the end of winter,
it can take the abilities
of a bear
to get the job done.
As ice begins to thaw,
a frozen pond
becomes treacherous --
solid one moment, soft the next.
A wolf has discovered
its most recent victim.
The wolves weigh
about a hundred pounds
and cannot trust the ice
to hold them.
They can see the carcass,
and would take the handout...
But it just isn't worth
the risk.
As the pond continues to freeze
and thaw,
coyotes venture onto the ice.
At 30 pounds, they are
light enough to cross it,
but not strong enough
to move the carcass.
If the ice melts much more,
they won't be able to
reach the carcass at all.
For once, a grizzly,
fresh from his den,
arrives as something of a hero.
He's certain to fall through...
But his massive strength
will come to the rescue.
It's only when
his coat is soaking wet
that you can see how
thin he is
and why this carcass
is worth so much effort.
Wi the prize avapecia h l h
yo [ Howling ]
Dawn sends an eerie smoke
through the remains
of a forest fire.
It's moisture, vaporizing from
the blackened trunks
as they warm up in the sun.
Though the fire
killed the trees,
a wild garden Springs up
at their charred feet,
rich with minerals from the ash.
Grizzlies seek out
this fresh, nutritious salad.
A great gray owl dozes
at the edge of the burn.
He's been up all night, hunting.
But a Robin has a nest nearby.
In yellowstone, conflicts can
flare up in any corner.
[ Chirping ]
Until the owl leaves...
There'll be no rest
for either of them.
[ Grunting ]
A grizzly has come to
the recovering burn
to feast on daisies, asters,
fireweed, and cow parsnip,
teaching her yearling cub that
this is a good place to forage.
A cub has to learn
a great variety of plants
and where to find them
at what time of year.
And while one cub
studies this lesson,
another follows its mother onto
the calving grounds of the elk.
Grizzlies aren't full-time
predators like the wolves,
but they take their toll of
elk calves each spring.
The bear moves through the grass
with a purpose.
She relies on her nose,
testing the air and searching
the ground for the scent of elk.
It's all her tiny cub can do
to keep up.
[ Bear panting ]
For the calf, the brief dance
between birth and death
will be over in a moment.
For the cub, it's a first step
in honing a skill
that will help him succeed
in yellowstone.
Yet bears have many ways
to make a living.
Wolves must hunt to survive,
but a grizzly's life
is full of choice.
Old scarface may no longer
be able to chase down elk,
but he has managed
to catch a fish.
And as he wanders his range,
there will be mushrooms
and dandelions,
ants and earthworms,
biscuit root and berries
to harvest.
The grizzly needs a kingdom vast
and varied and complex.
He needs all of yellowstone.
[ Booming ]
[ Wolf howling ]
[ Honking ]
At sunrise,
the otters of yellowstone lake
are out catching breakfast.
The coyote is quick
to seize his chance.
Everyone has to make
the most of their talents.
In this cauldron of
competition and conflict,
a grizzly sometimes
gets to relax.
He retrieves a mule deer
he has stashed
in the grass by the lake,
and for once,
he has a carcass to himself.
Well, almost.
He takes his time
over a delicate morsel.
It's not often he gets to enjoy
the little things in life.
After lunch, a nap.
Until biting flies discover
the grass covered carrion
he is using for a pillow.
He retreats to the cool waters
for some sweet relief.
By the end of summer,
all activity
is focused on the coming winter.
Grizzlies head up high
for the most important harvest
of the year.
The Clark's nutcracker
is up there already,
collecting the seeds
of the whitebark pine.
Squirrels are also gathering
their winter seed store.
The bird will disperse
the seeds,
but the squirrels will
cache them --
and that's what the grizzly
is looking for.
The bear digs up their work.
The seeds are rich in fats,
and the bear packs on
as many calories as she can.
These seeds are crucial
to grizzlies,
but the cones
don't fall to the ground.
Grizzlies often rely on
someone else
to climb up and harvest them.
Black bears can make it
almost to the top.
They will bring the branches
and cones to the ground
and in reach of the grizzly.
The mighty bear may be dominant
among these many creatures,
but she is also dependent
on all their efforts.
[ Bear grunting ]
In this tale of two predators,
each succeeds
according to its nature.
This enormous male
is waiting on the wolves.
He's staked out in the territory
of the mollie's pack.
And here they come,
right on schedule.
Instead of starting
some kind of fight,
the grizzly tags along
with the pack.
The bear is huge.
He looks to be
well over 600 pounds,
and the wolves seem
resigned to his presence.
The wolves attend to
their task.
They're here to hunt.
The bear lets them go.
He's in no hurry.
But as soon as the wolves
have accomplished a kill,
he is suddenly
quick on the scene.
This is the way of things
in yellowstone.
A wolf pack working together
is the greatest predator
there is.
But even the mollies,
14 wolves strong,
know to step aside
for one big bear.
A grizzly in his prime
is the master here.
He makes the most of
others' skills
and takes from them all in turn.
The wolves must simply
bide their time
and wait for him to leave.
Old scarface is past
challenging a wolf pack.
He's up in
the whitebark pine forest,
where it's already
starting to snow.
Winter is closing in.
The pine seeds
are all but gone.
Soon there'll be
nothing left to eat.
Slowly, limping now
with age and effort,
he makes the climb
up the snowy slope.
His den and a long winter's rest
are waiting.
By the end of November,
the grizzlies of yellowstone
have gone to bed.
Once again,
yellowstone is wolf country.
[ Wolves howling ]
At least, that's how the story
is supposed to end.
[ Raven croaking ]
But here, on Christmas day,
four weeks late for hibernation,
a grizzly sits on a wolf kill.
Is this the start of
something new?
A grizzly...
Out in winter,
breaking all the rules.
The coyote grabs a bite
and runs.
This is not good news to him --
will the bear be waiting at
every kill, all winter?
The bear is wide awake
and appears to enjoy
being out past his bedtime.
After all, it's Christmas,
and he's discovered
a satisfying secret.
Although it's winter,
he may not have to
hide from hunger.
Wolves are hunting for him.
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