A Genet's Tale - Go Wild

[Music] the body's shape reminds us of the domestic cat but the nose is sharper or its cuddly appearance could be a lovely pet but its heart is wild and fierce it is a sneaky and solitary predator the perfect union between intelligence and agility it is the jeanette in this hidden corner of the mediterranean forest three young cubs begin to discover the world [Music] but the independent character of the little female will change her fate her brave heart wants to discover the surroundings and leaves her family behind [Music] she will find the most beautiful scenes of the forest but at the same time a daunting reality is waiting [Music] this forest and its wild rules will decide if she can live or die in just a few hours we will follow the footsteps of our little puppy an adventure that in just two days will decide their fate we will follow this jeanette's tale it's springtime in the southern mediterranean forest of europe all types of animals are busy with their recently born offspring today is the seventh week of life for our little cubs in this dark corner of the forest during these past weeks they have been nursed and suckled growing and strengthening their bodies all the while but now their time has arrived they are at last ready to see the day's light outside of the den a cool breeze brings with it a fresh scent of spring and song of birds [Music] a wave of courage begins to fill their small hearts despite any doubt they had comes their big moment to take the leap into the outside world [Music] her body is slightly larger than that of a domestic house cat and her face a little sharper with a spotted coat perfectly suited for camouflage in the forest and an enormous ring tail designed for balance while jumping they are the jeanettes [Music] the mother of these cubs decided to make her home in this ash tree trunk [Music] after only 10 weeks of gestation she has given birth to three cubs two males and one female in the first months of life the majority of jeannette cubs will die during their first half year of life they will play eat and explore their territory together afterwards the family will have to separate the mother is always close by she is never too far away as she needs to feed them her milk when they are a little older she will bring home prey to show them how to hunt and eat she almost never leaves during the day jeanettes are nocturnal animals today the cubs are very active it would be best to watch them from above the little female is the most adventurous of the three and looks to take a short walk outside she needs to be careful the forest is always full of danger her two brothers are not so brave and shortly returned to the den the trunk of this ash tree is a great place to play even though they miss their sister even at home can have their own little [Music] adventures [Music] they are worried about their sister but she is already on her way back [Music] this time our brave little jeanette has had luck and returned safe and sound once again the family is reunited [Music] so [Music] the weeks come and go as summer arrives [Music] the cubs have gained quite a bit of weight and strength but something tragic occurred the past few days the cubs still live here but one appears to be missing one of the male juveniles was ambushed during the night by a european horned owl and died in its clutches only the last brother and sister remain even still this may not be the end of misfortune for our family here the future of our independent little female is destined to change very soon her heart drives her to discover her surroundings she wants to know what lies beyond shortly her unforgettable adventure will begin each passing day she plays to strengthen her body [Music] a huge commotion deriving from the far reaches of the ash grove draws the attention of our little jeanette she has a strong desire to investigate [Music] it seems that the sound is originating from those trees over there [Music] the cause of all the commotion are the inhabitants of this nest five herring chicks that live in this square meter home these wing exercises function to strengthen their muscles in order to take the first steps and flights outside their house the bravest chick jumps from the nest like our jeanette he wants to explore his surroundings his brother closely looks on and in a moment of courage also takes his first leap but something goes wrong thanks to the lower branches below shock is the worst thing he suffers he will have to try again perhaps it would be better to follow his brother and use a more reliable branch but something causes these little adventures to abrupt come to an end just to be safe everyone returns to the nest [Music] they need to lie down and remain motionless [Music] there's no need to worry this common buzzard won't be attacking the nest other eagles such as the larger golden eagle could potentially cause more problems but today has seen good fortune as everything returns to normal in the nest there are not many things to entertain these chicks when one of the brothers finds something fun all of them want it thanks to these simple games their muscles sight and coordination become better to prepare them for the real world the heron's nest is no longer as loud and lively as before but surely there will be other interesting things to discover [Music] every few meters she discovers smells everything is new and exciting she has never gone so far before our jeanette used to the soft leaves of her ash grove den has come across new ground these leaves are coarser and smell different the young jeanette has entered the oaks but this new territory already has an owner a fast fierce predator which will not hesitate to kill if it finds her it is the pole cat if our jeanette were a full-grown adult there would be no problem but because she is still a juvenile she must avoid encounters at all cost so off in the distance a new sound and an invigorating scent the riverbeds are special places within the forest many species gather here some drink or forage for food while others attend to their personal hygiene the jeanette is coming to the river for the first time she feels a cool sensation as she nears the water's edge a disturbance downstream grabs her attention it's a rowdy group of coal tits relaxing in the refreshing waters drinking and bathing [Music] [Music] [Applause] so unbeknownst to the jeanette however the polecat has found her trail and will follow it until he finds her he will not permit an intruder to remain in his territory our jeanette captivated by the coal tits is unaware that the pole kent dangerously [Music] approaches the decision to cross the river undoubtedly saves her life for the polecat has lost her trail in the water but if our protagonist wishes to return home she will have to cross the polecat's territory once again and maybe this time she won't be so [Music] lucky from the highest branches someone observes our protagonist leaving the river it's a common kingfisher the danger is passed and he flies to a branch closer to the water this is a good spot to search for food the kingfisher spends a lot of time making his plumage impeccable he uses his beak to preen his feathers while at the same time spreading natural oils throughout which he himself produces this allows him to have the perfect protection when he dives into the river he has just detected movement in the water now is the time to fish [Music] this time he did not have luck on his side the kingfisher is a proficient fisher but even still is not perfect there's no reason to give up yet it appears that today is just not his day down river there are always more fish it will be better to fly down there this one is a little too big for him here is one a little more his size first he must kill or stun his prey [Music] afterwards he can swallow it beginning with the head so that the scales of the fish do not get stuck in his throat there are always spectators like this white wagtail meanwhile our little jeanette has gone further away from the river [Music] something suddenly causes her to stop there is someone here waiting it could be very dangerous without a second thought she changes direction to go into hiding it's a baby row dear he means no harm to our jeanette this little baby is waiting for its mother to return but this time the mother is taking longer than usual to return something is strange our jeanette continues on her path but not long after she uncovers another surprise what has happened here what's wrong with this animal it's the mother of the baby roe deer the previous night she suffered a fatal attack from a pack of wild dogs even though she was able to keep her baby hidden she was unable to keep herself safe his instincts bring him into the protection of nearby ferns it will be the safest place for him to wait for his mother [Music] sadly she will not be returning without the protection and nourishment from his mother the baby roe deer will die in just a few hours nevertheless he will remain waiting our jeanette takes one last look then resumes her journey she's not a scavenger and although she feels pains of hunger will not eat but in the forest nothing goes to waste our jeanette continues her exploration in the waning hours of daytime after such a long and arduous day our jeanette has become hungry even though she doesn't yet know how to hunt her instincts push her to search each new scent drives her exploration as well as each new sound this black bird has spotted our jeanette and sounds the alarm the calls fuel our jeanette's curiosity further her ability to move through the trees is flawless an important part of the jeanette's diet are small birds that they hunt within the trees jeanette's are solitary independent hunters they will live in groups only during their infancy with the blackbird resting on the ground the jeanette begins a difficult maneuver downward jeanettes are one of the few mammals of this size that can descend face-first down the trunk of a tree nevertheless the blackbird remains unimpressed and flies to another less threatening area [Music] so [Music] as enjoyable as the ground is she prefers her high-flying acrobatics in the treetops [Music] the day is coming to a close as she waits for nightfall high in the trees [Music] her instincts tell her that she was made for this moment her vertical pupils dilate a true sign of a nocturnal hunter [Music] [Applause] it's difficult to encounter an adult jeanette during the day they are queens of the night and their kingdom is the darkened forest where they exist hidden away from our eyes [Music] something new draws her attention on the forest floor she wants to descend as quickly as possible this little mouse is looking for something to eat the muffled sounds of the mouse's movement are enough to pique the interest of our jeanette she can't see it clearly yet and prefers to maintain a safe distance suddenly she observes something moving absolutely silently it comes from the depths of the darkness it's an owl another silent hunter of the night it's searching for its next prey when she spots the jeanette in the branches of the trees but our jeanette is much too large and the little mouse below is much more interesting little rodents are an important part of an owl's diet owls are an invaluable weapon to combat the scourge of mice found in farming areas just one owl can catch more than 1500 mice in one year the mouse leaves the tree trunk continuing the search for food but he is making a grave error the shape of the owl's face functions like a parabolic antenna that allows it to capture even the slightest whispers in the dead of night her stealthy silent flight is precise and deadly her claws fall onto her prey in a mortal strike with the owl preoccupied with her prize on the forest floor our jeanette uses this opportunity to slip away from the scene [Music] right [Music] foreign [Music] a new day begins for our janette she hasn't eaten anything since yesterday and is now feeling a lot of hunger [Music] she still does not know how to hunt it is something her mother will show her in the following weeks sometimes jeanette's will eat figs or forest berries but we are still in summer and there is no fruit available it will be better to return home [Music] something in the forest clearing awakens her interest it's a missile thrust chick he's the last hatchling from this clutch of eggs this year the rest of his siblings have already left the group he is the laziest of the bunch clearly in no rush while he stretches out his limbs he observes that the other birds have already begun to look for breakfast he is also hungry and wants to eat he tries to call for his parents who are observing him from the branches of a bush nearby he wants them to bring him food but today something will change in his life stuck between his mother and father the chick impatiently waits to be fed the mother calls for her chick she has his breakfast ready the father tired of providing food for his last chick wants him to learn how to be self-sufficient this crested lark can sense something bad is about to happen the father is forcing the little chick to grow up fast [Applause] the chick is confused he doesn't understand what has happened he comes close to his mother once again soliciting food the mother with much more patience than the father will show the chick how to forage on his own she goes off in search of seeds to collect with her beak shortly the lesson will begin she feeds him a seed letting the rest fall from her beak then demonstrates how he will have to begin to forage it seems that little by little he is beginning to understand the lessons [Music] our jeanette has just experienced an important lesson from nature the parents have shown their chick how to find food all by himself in just a little while he will become independent and able to leave the nest the same will happen to our jeanette if she manages to return home there her mother awaits to show her how to hunt for her own food as well morning is quickly approaching and our cub searches without rest for the back home not far off from our jeanette just centimeters beneath the earth another familiar forest family begins their daily routine the mother of these young field mice has left to forage [Music] in the meantime one by one each mouse awakens and begins its daily cleaning [Music] every passing moment they do not eat causes them to become more restless [Music] and just like the family of our jeanette one mouse here is courageous enough to explore without waiting for his mother the sun's rays filter through the entrance of the den indicating the exit our brave little mouse sees the outside world for the first time he still does not know of the dangers that lie in weight [Music] both cubs are inexperienced and the encounter is friendly she does not yet know how to hunt and the mouse does not seem to fear her either the two juveniles share a unique moment of youthful innocence the mouse is intrigued by the presence of our jeanette but our jeanette has lost interest due to her desire to return home the summers in the mediterranean climate can become extremely hot beneath the relentless sun this home oak tree top supports an enormous nest almost two meters in diameter inside is a baby of one of the largest birds of prey in europe the black vulture the black vulture lays only one egg each season the parents have been feeding their only chick for more than three months now [Music] in just a few short days they will stop bringing it food and it will have to leave the nest to find its own but in the meantime and with so much heat the mother will use the utmost care for her only chick at nearly three meters her wingspan becomes a makeshift sunshade another inhabitant of the mediterranean forest is the european green woodpecker the heat is grueling she's in search of shelter this female woodpecker has lost her chicks this year a snake made short work of them she is looking for a suitable space inside of a tree trunk where she can make her second home it needs to be a quiet and safe space this looks like a good spot but our jeanette has spotted the woodpecker and wants to get closer this completely throws the woodpecker's plans out the window [Music] this hole seems comfortable it's ideal for a brief rest and reprieve from the midday sun [Music] it will be better to pack up and try a different tree the short break was necessary to recuperate some strength before leaving she must check to see if there is any danger around and then resume the journey home as the temperatures cool at sundown arjunet can now advance at a more rapid pace she detects a familiar scent wafting through the air and the familiar sound of running water at last she has reached the river she knows she must cross the river to get back home waiting for her on the other side is not only her house but an enemy who has been waiting for her first she must find the best point at which to cross not every jump is perfect in order to return to her family she must go through these home oak woods that separate the river from the ash grove but this is the pole cat's territory if she moves swiftly maybe the pole cat will not detect her she can't find the path home she searches in the trees with hopes of finding any scent or sign that will show her the way back even though she continues her search calmly her sin has betrayed her the polecat is on high alert in search of the tracks that will lead him to her [Music] he is searching for her but to no avail as of yet his sight is not the best but his hearing and sense of smell are impeccable something on the floor draws our jeanette's attention it's an enormous rat they are abundant near the river and together with the rabbit are the favorite prey of the pole cat at first she is frightened and seeks shelter in the branches even though the rat does not appear to pose a serious threat [Music] curious as always she approaches to [Music] investigate she has no idea that the pole cat is so close by [Music] every other thing she discovers is another reason for a distraction her scent is more intense now as our paul cat picks up his pace the jeanette without realizing is on a direct collision course with the pole cat at the last minute something suddenly changes the direction of the poor cat [Music] at long last she finds her home the old ash tree trunk where she was born something feels strange there is no one home where are brother and mother it seems they are playing a little game of hide and seek with her so finally something to eat that her mother left for her in the den after a long excursion she can finally relax now safe at home close to her family [Music] these last two days have been magical [Music] she's discovered new lands and met other inhabitants of the forest a doubt one day she would encounter them again [Music] the refreshing sensations of the river and the new sense learned on her journey has broadened her understanding of the surrounding environment a vital lesson learned through experience she is still very young but something deep inside pushed her onward to discover and to experience an adventure an irrepressible urge to explore and cross new borders there were many scenarios in which our jeanette would not have returned home but she had luck on her side and she managed to survive in a forest full of breaths [Music] a forest in which each moment is a gamble between life and death but it has all been worth it in the end this brief journey has given our little adventurer the confidence to face the challenges that await the vivid images and sensations that will remain with her always she will remember that when she was young she lived a fabulous tale a jeanette's [Music] tale [Music] you

Channel: Go Wild

Views: 145,600

Keywords: orf universum, documentary, blue chip, natural history, secrets of nature, planet earth, natura, wildlife, genet, animals, free documentary, watch free documentary, watch full documentary

Id: a_pTOhhB8Q8

Length: 50min 0sec (3000 seconds)

Published: Mon Jun 14 2021