Bears 2014

in the dark depths of winter a mother listens to the first sounds of our brand-new baby Cubs let's call this mama bear Skye and her cubs are scout and amber I little guys they say the first year of apparently is the hardest the sky will soon learn that for bears it's nearly impossible almost half of all bear cubs don't survive their first year but for now deep inside the den they're safe it's warm and comfy and after an entire winter together it probably smells pretty bad sky worked hard last summer eating over 90 pounds of fish a day to store up enough fat to last through these early months but now she's hungry no she doesn't eat soon the milk her cubs need will dry up there's a long dangerous journey ahead of them this guy needs to get her cubs down to the coast and she hopes that the salmon will be plentiful this summer but there's no guarantee little scout and Amber's survival depends on it okay cuddle time is over these bears need to get on the move this is the story of their incredible first year what an amazing place to take your first steps these little Cubs will have to be brave from the second their paws touch the snow this is the Alaska Peninsula with over 5 million acres of protected national park land it's home to thousands of brown bears five months ago sky climbed these mountains to dig their den now therefore the biggest obstacle they've got to get all the way across these frozen mountains before they'll find even the first hint of food sky is clearly delighted to be free of the smelly den we got mom maybe a little too delighted nothing like a mother's gentle touch a lot of new moms guy doesn't have patience for dogma you know you come here not deep this doesn't hurt little Scout but still this guy has a bit to learn when it comes to parenting Mike was certainly easier when she was just a single bear now she can only go as fast as her cubs come on you guys she has good reason to dish out a little tough love they've got an awful lot of ground to cover and with every passing day the journey will only get harder a walk in the warm Sun on a bright spring day may seem like fun but that warmth starts to melt the snow that sheltered them through the winter becomes a deadly enemy ouch these massive monsters reach speeds of up to 80 miles an hour a wall of snow and ice barreling over everything that's path it's guy in the Cubs we're lucky this time but it's a good reminder that they need to stay moving Amber's found a smart way to keep up with her mom just hit your ride just gotta get that toe in there marry him but Scout being more adventurous one decides to explore his own pace they've been traveling for over a week now and the climb is only getting steeper as they climb their final mountain Scout an Amber try their best but sure isn't easy they're finding themselves a little on top of each other they've made it to the summit the coast is now within sight it's downhill all the way from here Oh to me as we roll down this unfamiliar Road no no this way just know you're not alone cuz I'm gonna make this place your home the winter snow has melted down by the alaskan coast and all that green offers the promise of something to eat just know you're not alone cuz i'm gonna make this place show a quiet meadow time for a little rest amber certainly taking it easy this is one cup of really like staying close to mom let's scout acts like he's too old to be carried around bear rides are for babies scout can't believe what you sing other bears there are other bears in the world did everybody know that sky did in fact her mother brought her to this meadow when she was little and she's been coming here every summer since all these bears have come down from the mountains for starving what they really need is the protein from loads of salmon but this will do in a pinch it's like settling for a dirty salad skyy and amber are exhausted after their long journey let's scout he's a little too excited to sleep this place is crawling with bears Scout is looking for a role model which bear will he grow up to be he could be an angry bear fighting all the time mmm seems like a lot of work no no he's bears are way too cuddly definitely wants to be tougher than this Scout sure he'll find at least one bear he can look up to come on do something wow he looks fun at least just one bear 1 Bear who's the toughest coolest bear anybody hello you sir chase me you want to lift a mosquito that being a bear would be I don't know more fierce this is downright embarrassing if a tough bear is what Scott wants he's about to meet just that Magnus this bear is huge at over a thousand pounds he's three times the size of Skye and this meadow is his turf he's confident and dominant and everyone knows to stay out of his way this guy has to keep her cubs away from big males like Magnus she'll have to find food somewhere calmer as Magnus watches over his domain it's clear he's got one thing in particular on his mind or one she bear to be specific Magnus might have a half ton of weight to throw around but he's got no game Magnus it's so obvious but a little mystery into it picture some flowers from the meadow or something see that walking away that sort of left therefore no I think I'm actually starting to feel sorry for him sky has found a quiet corner of the meadow to let her Cubs nurse scout and amber are going through a growth spurt and they need all the milk think again - Connie he's a gray wolf and the thief of the meadow home these wolves know a slow bear cub makes for a quick easy meal this is why it's so much harder for Sky than the other bears she has to make sure her cubs are always by her side Amber's about to learn what happens when you ride a bear without wearing your seatbelt ah this guy's found herself driven to a remote unfamiliar area the bad part of town the dangers reveal themselves almost immediately this is Chinook the outcast banished from the meadow by Magnus Chinook has grown leaner meaner and more desperate for food any food even bear cubs there's nowhere to hide this guy must stand her ground Chinook's circling is dangerous if sky shows any weakness he will attack it worked sky successfully held her ground and Chinook continues his hunt elsewhere scout and amber must be pretty impressed with their mom at certain times of the year a huge change comes over the coast a vast area of mud flats are exposed this muddy desert has hidden treasures buried beneath sky and the cups have gone way out to the edge of the tide to search for anything that could count as calories there's have an excellent sense of smell the noses are seven times more sensitive than a bloodhounds scout doesn't seem to get what mom's looking for jackpot this guy pulls up a meaty clam it'll help in the meantime but one or two clamps you know it doesn't are nearly enough Skye needs her cubs to stay close she's following a low tide a long way out Scouts not worried he'd rather enjoy his first day at the beach amber chooses to stay close to mom it looks a little less well ridiculous what Scout doesn't care he likes the sand stuff like this somersault well I have some trucker amber look at me I'm a mud monster real mature Scotland real mature no come on it's fine why is this bird always following us around no matter where we go it'll ask them hey bird Hey where did you get those fish Stein amber enjoy some mother-daughter bonding time scouts learned that sand tastes bad both tubs in their own way of loving their first eighth Beach let's guy can't afford too much time playing she's got to keep searching for clams while the tide is out wherever sky goes the Raven follows the Raven can spot an opportunity from way up high while the bear has got a nose for finding hidden food an unusual partnership but it works hey mom how do you open one of these things anyway never mind I got it I'm fine what do you do if y'all get stuck in the limb mom it's stuck in my cloth are you looking at bird this is how I carry it just walk it over here just taking my clown for a walk I don't want that clam anyway this guy and the Cubs are far from the shore when the tide starts to turn this guy's trying to get as much food as you can before the water covers up a mud scout doesn't know what's about to happen to the tide he's just tired from a long day and now they are surrounded by water freezing cold water when sky finally heads back to the shore she assumes both her cubs are supposed to be hired it's a mistake Scout is too tired to keep going amber notices that Scout isn't just dawdling this time he's asleep when Scout wakes up he sees he's stranded far from the shore he desperately calls for his mother and she calls back urging him to hurry the currents is much stronger now when Scout is really struggling to get back on land scout stayed tough and made it safely to the shore and the Cubs well they look pretty happy to see each other as the week's progress the weather warms and the mudflats are no longer so exposed time to head back to the meadow where it's bursting with color Scot and amber are bonding during these early days of summer while their mother watches from a safe distance with no fish nearby it's back to eating grass scout is less than impressed by this time of year everything tastes a little stale and dry with food and such short supply even the female bears are getting a little cranky these fears head-to-heads maybe sure but they're becoming more frequent it's getting tense the Cubs know something feels wrong there's nowhere to hide everyone is watching them singer cops getting nervous this guy goes to their side to protect them Magnus and this time he's really hungry you spotted the Cubs Scott must quickly decide what to do she runs hoping to find safety it's a choice she will soon regret Chinook round 2 and ready to fight he takes off after them shinik is much stronger than sky but she'll fight with everything she's got to give her cubs a chance to escape the Cubs make a run for it this guy tries to lead him away but instead of following her Chinook heads straight for the Cubs we knows they can't have gotten far shinnok's powerful sense of smell tells them the Cubs are hiding the logs which ones sky is desperately searching for her cubs amber but no sign of scout amber doesn't want to leave the matter without her brother but sky knows they need to keep moving Gina could come back at any moment she still has amber to protect no matter how much she wants to look for Scout it's not an easy decision there is back together again sky knows another spot up the coast her mother took her to long ago as she leads her cubs there she must be hoping her luck will start changing mid-summer brings longer days and a new place to feed while sky in the Cubs are moving to a safer place to eat the rest of the bears leave the meadow and head for the shore Chinook is already here and so is Magnus for now they wait and wait sannen first opportunity to fish it has been a full year since the Bears went fishing it looks like they're a bit rusty really slippery fish only Magnus has dignity here Magnus doesn't have to fish because he has a plan he's gonna take whatever Chinook catches yeah that's it Chinook get me that fish good there Magnus moves in Magnus ultimately wins and Chinna can only limp away watching his hard-earned meal go to someone else's stomach shinik won't forget this far from the danger of the crowded salmon beach Skye and her cubs are still searching for a quiet place to feed Scout gets distracted by the tiniest things slowing them down they're being followed - Connie has sensed an opportunity if he's quiet enough he can snatch a darling coven scout attack decani want scout to follow him get him alone but sky stays close only sky can chased Akane off this mama bears keeping a good eye on her cups Chicanos usual tricks aren't working but that doesn't mean he's giving up just a few miles up the coast sky follows the Ravens call to a very special place a hidden sanctuary where the bears can let down their guard nice fine mr. Raven good eye this guy must be worried about her milk supply she doesn't eat tons of salmon by the end of the summer she won't have enough fat stored up to feed scout and amber through next winters hibernation Cubs could starve to death right beside her in the den sky knows that before too long she'll have to brave the salmon Beach but first she has a little treat to show her cubs when the tide goes out the ocean becomes a secret restaurant serving up mussel covered rocks it's all-you-can-eat but you have to eat carefully the Cubs seem completely confused and that's supposed to taste like this this is really crunchy let's guy knows that a good clawful is worthwhile she uses her powerful pause to expose a hidden snack rock eels a shy little fish are not exactly salmon looks better than nothing Scout thinks he has the muscles for the job well amber lets her mother do all the heavy lifting and the clever raven collects his reward hey that was mine saving that it is a lot of work but there's nothing else on the menu right now ouch back at the beach the salmon have finally arrived in large numbers this is what the Bears have been waiting for all summer the sea is bubbling with fish and their massive numbers make them much easier to catch this is where Skye and her Cubs need to be and soon we're already missing out chinnis not letting anyone swipe a fish from him this time without magnus around we've got more than a mouthful even sacani this year testing out his fishing skills it's harder than it looks there's no mistaking the inexperienced ones out here then it's just a matter of eating your cash before someone else does hurry up little guy you know when a wolf's walking like that he's up to something head down slow and steady the thief at work impressive he didn't even get his tail whip after months of being on the constant hunt for salmon it seems almost impossible that the Bears can be too full to eat but that's exactly what's happening here so very full and interested in I don't know what he's doing suddenly everyone's very itchy this guy looks like my dad when he's watching TV hey who change the channel I was watching that Stein her Cubs aren't the only ones on a journey here salmon are merely waiting before they can start heading upriver to spawn they've spent the entire winter out in the salty ocean and will take a few weeks for their bodies to adapt to fresh water the hanging around the shallow river mouth behind the beach hidden from where the Bears have been hunting Skye is the first to get here and she's got the place all to herself it's a huge amount of fish you have to take advantage of the situation now but she knows it's risky to leave the Cubs she's only got so much time before the other bears arrive but much more efficiently if she goes alone she decides it's worth the risk the Cubs try to defend themselves while calling for their mother's help they can't do it alone sky rushes back and too Connie retreats sky has taken her cubs to every spot she knows on the coast with no luck there are other secret places upstream hidden spots like the Golden Pond that are sometimes filled with fish but they're hard to find and the climb is steep sky doesn't have much choice she needs to find somewhere to feed before it's too late for the salmon it's been two weeks in the river mouth and they're now used to the fresh water their journey upstream can finally begin it's an almost unbelievable mission they're trying to return to the exact same place where they were hatched they rely on chemical cues the taste of the water to tell them exactly where to go some travel up to 30 miles upriver against the relentless turn and often the waterfalls are just too steep to let them past unable to swim any higher these salmon we'll just have to wait the plunge pools below this is where the salmon are headed calm shallow waters that offer the perfect place to lay their eggs sky in the Tufts have just arrived too they've spent the past two weeks climbing their way to this lonely spot sky shocked me too she's hoping she's made it for the Salmons first arrival to these quiet waters but her timing is heartbreakingly off the fish are still stuck in the pools below it looks like this time the Raven was wrong they may be soaking wet and freezing but the rain actually gives sky in the cup some much-needed hope the downpour causes the water levels to rise leaving the salmon the exact push they need to get back on track yes they've made it this guy knows the salmon are coming she can almost taste them sky searches where are they so first fish of the season and the cops finally get to taste Sam this town takes his to go but amber cuddles out for a little mother-daughter sushi date mom salmon is my new favorite food let's never have mussels again the only problem with salmon is they don't stay in one place for long they're still on their journey sky knows where they're headed and it's a place far too dangerous for her mother with young cubs with no other options she has to find the Golden Pond these are the Great Falls only the biggest and baddest computer thousands of salmon passed through these Falls for just a few short weeks at the end of summer if you want to catch a fat fish you got to be in the right place at the right time even then well no guarantee Magnus is an old pro just open your mouth the competition for the best fishing spot is intense Chinna quants Magnus's client position but he's forgotten how powerful magnets is time for a little reminder shinik surrenders the Magnus remains the undisputed ruler of the Great Falls sky and the Cubs have found a peaceful place deep in the woods upriver from the Great Falls summer is almost over and with the promise of fall the Cubs are already growing their thick winter coats with hardly any salmon Skye hasn't had a chance to build up her fat reserves for the winter with no food skies milk will definitely dry up and Scout an Amber will make it through hibernation poor Skye she tried hard all year to be a good mom and keep her cubs safe she's lost and totally exhausted but she still doesn't want to give up the fight if only she knew she's almost there just a short walk away this is the Golden Pond where sky wanted to take her cups in certain years salmon gathered here in unimaginable numbers The Raven calls asking sky to follow sky can hardly believe her eyes so many bears peacefully gathered safe and welcoming and more salmon than Sheen the Cubs can shake a paw with all this salmon the Cubs will grow fat the sky will be able to keep them going through the winter skies long difficult journey is finally over turns out that tough bear Scott was looking for was right by his side all along as winter approaches all the bears begin their trek back up the mountains scout and amber will rely on their mother for the next two years growing stronger with each passing season before the dark days of winter arrived every bear must return to the high peaks to dig their dens for hibernation and for the next six months all the Bears will remain asleep under a deep blanket of snow there goes chin up he survived it over here and the mighty Magnus gives one last look over his domain they say the first year of parenting is the hardest but sky was patient and determined she never stopped Karen and her reward eight little paws following her back up the mountain for a long winters nap it's always always somewhere you are before you ever started just do so this will ever be easy you you

Channel: Joslyn Vrabel

Views: 310,157

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Id: nc9mmSNOJzM

Length: 59min 46sec (3586 seconds)

Published: Thu Feb 04 2016