Secrets of the Wild - Following Deer Through the Seasons | Full Documentary

[Music] we're all familiar with deer even if we  live in the city they are the ultimate animal   icon covering Christmas cards town and family  crests and shields gracing the grounds of stately homes but despite their Fame  few of us really get to know them in the wild deer are masters  of longdistance travel alert and   fast agile and bold and with their  Regal antlers they're not afraid to [Music] fight deer undergo huge changes  throughout the [Music] year the only   way to really appreciate deer is to watch them [Music] grow the vast forests of the north bear witness  to the start of a new deer story [Music] the calf is small but he's been born to the  biggest of deer kind adult moose can weigh   a ton and stand taller than a man right now the  mini moose needs TLC from birth his instincts are   strong and he staggers to his feet his mother's  eating the afterbirth she doesn't want any traces   of the new arrival to be left the world is  a dangerous place for deer especially little ones it's going to take him a while to  master those gangly [Music] legs mom has   double trouble a twin daughter  taking a bit longer to find her feet Instinct runs strong in  all baby deer all know they   must Master their legs it's the  only thing that will keep them safe though their mother is careful  and attentive she will FasTrack their   development the youngsters will  have to go It Alone by the end   of the [Music] year as soon as the wobbly  C is ready mother nudges him towards her UD she'll only provide milk for 5 months so  he needs to get it while he can thanks to the   rich creamy super drink the calf might  gain a kilo every day Mom turns off the [Music] tap she needs to  encourage his sister to have a drink soon both carves are stable and quenching  their thirst under her guidance they will grow   fast and quickly learn the ways of the [Music]  forest it's May at this time of year there is   a baby boom for dear kind in slightly warmer  forests of Europe another youngster is finding   its feet while the large moose babies are known  as carves little r deer are known as kids or fors in typical fashion for dear kind  row are born with spotted coats that   will fade over [Music] time the modeling  helps camouflage the little one in the   vegetation aided by another trademark  deer [Applause] trick to reduce the   chances of them being spotted by a  Predator most newborn deer know to freeze sit tight on the forest floor  barely moving unless told to do so by   their mothers it means the mother can go  off and feed keeping herself healthy to   ensure a good milk supply but it's not a  strategy without risk a fox on the prow a bark from his mother tells the little one to lie low the fox is dangerously close  but there's a greater threat [Music] looming Meadows are like Jungles  to the little deer and ideal places to hide [Music] out but not to day the jungle is being clearcut mass [Music] destruction the seemingly harmless Act of  cutting the grass can kill rad deer forms [Music] [Applause] fortunately this  one has the sense to creep out of the [Music] way his mother leads him to a safer spot  where he can get a much needed drink most young   deer spend their first few weeks lying [Music]  low but there are some babies that won't get that luxury reindeer take a Timeout on their  migration using the temporary cover of   trees to deliver their [Music] [Applause] carbs  this little car will be born to a life on the move an Arctic specialist this species  is circumpolar it's known as Caribou in   North America and reindeer throughout Europe and Asia under either name it performs  the longest migration of any land animal some populations cover 5,000 col k a  year that's like walking the entire length of Africa the only time these Nomads get a pit  stop is when they give [Music] birth but the   break will be brief more than any other  deer the Cal must find its feet any baby   that can't keep up with the herd will be left  behind [Music] at just days old her life of   walking gets underway like the wilderbeast  of Africa reindeer must keep constantly on   the Move in search of fresh grazing if they  stay in one place too long the food will dry up she'll track with the herd over Tundra through  forests and Marshland even Crossing mountains out here any weakness will be quickly [Music] spotted the golden eagle weighs more than the baby   deer soaring on 2 m Wings it has  no trouble keeping up with the herd a wobbly baby is like a Sitting Duck a calf Falls to its talons the little female was lucky this  time she rushes to her mother's side to   continue the [Music] March it's early summer  and things are warming [Music] up the world over bambies are being born and  bounding to their [Music] feet sometimes twins often on their own usually [Music] spotted  and always with a possessed for life for 10 days this classic Bambi baby a  spotted phow deer has hidden in the forest   but phow are among the most social of deer and now  his mother is ready to introduce him to the herd   for the first time he meets other deer of his  own age everyone wants to meet the new arrival   [Music] most deer babies arrive within a few weeks  of each other the herds are playing a numbers game   if there are lots of babies all at once it will  be a lot harder for a predator to Dent their numbers the little male is shy at first but it doesn't last long if there is one thing fors love it's the chance to play though it's just fun and games  it's strengthening his body teaching   him social and survival skills and  getting him well integrated into the herd so far none of the babies have  seen their dads or even an adult male   deer and there's good reason for  most of the year the Sexes live apart why is a mystery it might just  be that because the females are not   interested in breeding while they have young  fors the boys can't be bothered with them but   it may be something more useful it might  be that the females and their young have   access to the best spots for food and  safety and the males give way to reduce competition either way they form Bachelor groups  and for most of the Year seem pretty friendly with   each other by getting together early in the season  they can get to know each other and work out   who are friends or Rivals before hormone levels  rise later in the year and things get a bit more complicated now in early summer their antlers  are looking a bit odd one of the unique things   about antlers that separates them from the horns  of sheep goats and cattle is that they fall off   every [Music] year antlers are something of  a biological Marvel a wonder of the natural   world they're the fastest growing living tissue  on earth a deer can churn out several centimeters   of new antler a day they're wrapped in velvet  skin rich in nerves and blood vessels protecting   the new growth and supplying the nutrients  it needs though the growth is phenomenally   fast it might take 4 months for giants like  these Red Deer Stags to complete their antler development because of the nerve filled velvet  the young antlers are very sensitive to touch but the sensitivity is good it  quickly teaches the deer their   limits they know where their antlers  are so they can avoid banging into [Music] branches though the antlers can  be used as Weapons their main function   is to show off the bigger they are the  more attractive they are to the females   a big rack shows a male is healthy and  knows how to take care of [Music] himself   during summer the males rub along  pretty [Music] well peace Reigns for [Music] now reindeer Stand Out Among the family they're the   only species of deer where  both male and female have antlers in this habitat it's hard to make a  living animals must defend any food resources   they can find the female reindeer can use  their antlers to clear snow to find plants   underneath but they can also use them  to defend their hard-earned meat meal   the girls with the biggest antlers are  generally the healthiest because they   get the richest pickings the antlers also  help the females to defend their carbs   something the males won't help with because  in reindeer 2 the males get a bachelor party underway they have reached their summer   feeding grounds where liking their  preferred food is [Music] plentiful for all of dear kind it's time  to enjoy the long lazy days of summer the fellow dear thns are growing fast  thanks to the rich supply of milk from their mothers now they're free to  roam around the herd with other forms [Music] the Red Deer hindes and their  young hang out on Lush Meadows but   close to the edge of the forest  where they can dash for cover the   forns have doubled in size but  are still covered in their baby spots enjoying a new sense of Independence  they have endless energy and a desire to [Music] explore [Music] but it's a  dangerous time in their young lives the deer aren't the  only animals with young to feed a lynx drags a carcass of a young deer  deeper into the forest and summons her Cubs these stealthy and Powerful cats are  one of the biggest threats to the deer herds many forns have survived but it's still  early days over their lives the dangers will be nonstop but the carnivores don't  always have their upper hand on   The Plains of the American West Young  mule deer are often targeted by the Wy coyote the foraging wild dog Spooks the herd well at first but the do's regroup they're  not happy about his intimidation tactics by joining forces their five sets   of pointed hooves are more  than the coyote can [Music] handle for once it's the Predator running from its prey wherever they share a  home wild dogs are a threat to Deer whether it's the coyote in  North America or the red fox in Europe but a fox isn't going to dampen the road deer's spirit for most Dear Summer is a quiet  time where boys can hang out as friends   but not for the robu this is the  start of their rut the breeding season for most deer this would not be a good time   to get pregnant but female  Rose have a unique [Music] trick she gets pregnant in the summer but will  delay development until the end of winter if   her body is in good enough condition she'll  commence with a pregnancy if the Winter's   harsh she can just terminate and get herself  back into good shape for the next season one impressive buck in his prime has taken a shine   to the dough with her kid she  doesn't seem interested in the buck but the male form [Music] does this is the first time he's seen a   buck he's very curious about  the projections on the male's head perhaps he imagines what it  would be like to have such weapons himself the buck lacks any parental  interest he's just interested in mom [Music] regardless of the for's Curiosity the buck   continues his persuasive tactics  and eventually they pay [Music] off summer is the most Bountiful and  relaxing time for most deer but it   can still be fraught with difficulties it can get hot red deer climbs slopes to  get relief from Mountain [Music] Air Sometimes drought makes finding water harder but summer storms can also  have the opposite [Music] effect with the ground baked hard it takes a while  for water to soak in it quickly [Music] [Applause] builds animals of the lowlands might  find themselves swimming for their [Music] [Applause] lives looking for higher Mounds   where they can rest until  the water subsides [Music] eventually the Summer sun will burn off the clouds the grass is high around a Japanese  River and a Seeker herd drop their [Music] guard the youngsters are learning the ropes practicing adult gestures on each other but they're not the  only ones on a steep learning curve a brown bear needs to teach her two  young cubs the art of stalking she takes   the approach very seriously getting  her family as close as possible to [Music] Ambush it's a game of patience not something baby bears are  very good [Music] [Applause] at with   the youngsters threatening to blow their  cover Mother Bear knows it's now or [Music] [Music] never it's not easy to hunt with little ones in toe but for the Cubs school's out for today for some of dear kind play is not an option by late summer the reindeer herds  are on the move again this time in Alaska   where they're known as Caribou their lives  are a Non-Stop slog they must constantly   follow the SE Seasons to find the best food  to support their high energy Lifestyles the   young in the herd are about to face their  biggest challenge yet melting snow has   fueled streams transforming them into raging  torrant to keep up with the herd they must cross reindeer have broad feet built in snowshoes  but they also make good paddles helping the adults   to swim strongly across so much air is trapped  in their warm thick fur that the deer actually float but even with the life jackets  the current's too strong for the little ones the mothers try to keep their carves  next to them using their bodies to Shield the young but despite best  efforts some carves are Swept Away finding themselves landing  on areas without a suitable Bank all of the reindeer know that for  their own safety they must keep up with the herd the harsh reality is that if the  Cal can't survive a river crossing it   has no chance of getting through the migration it's the ultimate [Music] test there's no time to recover a  quick shake to get rid of some of the weight   of water and they're on their way they might  be exhausted but it doesn't matter Instinct   drives them on [Music] the river crossing  is just a small hurdle in their challenging lives it pales in comparison to the next  test the herd must cross a mountain range   for the cares it's daunting but  to make a living here they must   make the journey back and forth  every year for the rest of their lives summer is short-lived and as the days shorten  changes are a foot for bucks and Stags around the world they're starting to lose their  velvet the growth of their antlers is complete the living part of the antler  is dying leaving the rigid bone structure the flaking skin is itchy encouraging the deer to   try and help it on its way by rubbing  against trees and bushes the Red Deer   Stags are already starting to feel  a bit frisky as their hormone levels rise they're about to embark on the most demanding  part of their annual diary the [Applause] rut   a short window in which they must compete and  win the affection of females in order to leave   a legacy in the genes of next year's [Music]  young the Mal start sniffing at the girls to   see which might be most receptive to [Music]  mating and they need to start weighing up the opposition the males organizing  themselves by size and [Music]   strength they're lining up for  the big fight that lies [Music] ahead as the weather cools the deer are hotting up the girls only play ball if the boys  impress them so the males must put on a show they pee on themselves and  roll in their own waist a   urine Waller drenching themselves in hormone Laden [Music] cologne antlers are decorated with grass  and leaves to make them look [Music] bigger there's a lot of showing off posturing strutting  with their heads held high to show off their rack and all male deer like not only to  be seen But heard they all have their own   distinct war cries known as a [Music] bugle  the bugle is an indicator of [Music] Fitness   the biggest strongest bodies will produce the  deepest and most powerful sounds broadcasting   to other males the scale of the opposition  and advertising the most desirable male to   the girls no two bugles sound the same not  only within species but between them from   from the guttural Roar of the phow [Music] buck  to the Bellow of the red stag all calls are fit   for purpose the low sounds carry better  through the obstructing vegetation of the [Music] forest in North America  the red has a close cousin known   locally as elk or Wapiti deer despite  their close kinship they have a unique [Music] voice the higher call  carries over open Plains and [Applause] valleys the Moose bleeds a moah which the cows seem to  find irresistible in moose kind the girls bleed back the sheer scale of some of  the stacks is enough to remove the competition they can just round  up the hindes and we'll spend a   few weeks servicing them hoping to f the Next Generation this is a tough  time for this year's carves and THS they need to stay out of the way they're weaned by now no  longer dependent on mother's   milk but still used to her constant company now the moms have other things on  their minds and want them out of the way the mother moose is in season a bulls picked up her  scent and is following her every move he tests a urine with a gland in the  roof of his mouth to measure her hormone levels the Moose Cal isn't ready to say goodbye to   his mother but it would be dangerous to  be caught in the path of the huge Bulls his mother's popular this year she soon has an [Applause] Entourage she'll have the pick of the crop and in the end Size Matters [Music] a of course in America the Moose are  super sized the Alaskan moose are the biggest   deer on the planet these giant deer stand Head  and Shoulders Above the Rest more than 2 m tall   and weighing close to a ton they also have the  largest antlers on Earth even the tallest person   could lie across them and they weigh more  than the entire body of most other kinds of deer younger Bulls quickly give way to the king until another big bull shows up a signal is sent challenge accepted when equally sized males meet  there is only one way to settle the match to go head to [Music] head it's time for deer of the world to unite [Music] antlers are designed to lock together  a different configuration for each [Music] [Applause] species [Applause] [Music] it's like  a brutal arm wrestle a test of [Music] [Music] [Music] strength [Music] each stag tries to throw his  opponent off [Music] balance the stakes are 0:38:57.440,1193:02:47.295 [Music] high if they fail to hold the  position puncture wounds can spell [Music] disaster other animals are  quick to take advantage of the Fallen it's strenuous enough for all deer  but the reinder have to do it while the   herd's still on the move the males  run themselves ragged trying to keep   groups of wondering females [Music] together and  always having to chase away competition [Music] it takes its [Music] toll time for a power [Music] naap sleep is a luxury he can't [Music] afford successful males get to mate their job is done they guarantee their royal bloodlines will  continue it's a massive test of endurance but   its effect might play out for many months  to come [Music] the weather is getting   colder most animals fatten themselves  up ready to get through lean winter months but the Stags have just burnt all their   calories defending their honor winter  will claim many of [Music] them as the   weather worsens Red Deer leave the open  grassy slopes and seek shelter in the [Music] forest with the rut  over fellow deer Gather in   mixed herds politics and hormones go out the window now staying together increases their chances   of spotting and avoiding danger  during the tough times that lie [Music] ahead snow drifts make travel hard their pointed Hooves sink  into deep snow slowing them down something Predators [Music] know with  their broad hairy Paws links are experts   in Walking silently across the [Music]  snow they take advantage of the deer's predicament [Music] throughout the Northern Hemisphere  life for Bambi is getting tough wolves are one of the biggest threats to deer and  they share all of the same habitats around the world even the largest members of the family  regularly turn up on the menu thanks to the   Wolves strong pack mentality that enables  them to work together to bring down large   prey they enjoy a rich bounty in winter  when the deer are struggling with hard   terrain and poed [Music] diets though  the brain power of deer is not to be underestimated a huge elk bull is under attack he weighs more than half a dozen  wolves but they have numbers on their [Music] side they're trying to tire him out but this king is in his prime  and he hasn't reached it by being stupid he makes straight for the freezing River he knows the Wolves  won't risk the cold and [Music] currents but his thin legs keep most of his body   high and dry while he waits  for the pack to give [Music] up the snow is tough on some deer but there is one deer that has  such a Mastery over its snowy   home that has become an icon of the season to humans the reindeer keeping on the move with broad Snowshoe  Hooves and cloaked in dense double layered fur   they can travel the forest in search of  food [Music] they specialize in eating   lyan a moss and fungi growing together  as [Music] one it hangs from the trees   grows on the open Tundra and clings to  [Music] bark A Feast for Santa's Little Helpers people are very fond of reindeer over  much of the world Legends abound of them helping   bring Christmas gifts and enjoying the power of  flight they are not quite that remarkable but   wonderful nonetheless and their relationship  with people is much older and stronger than   Christmas fairy tales reindeer were only  added to Christmas tradition in the 1800s   but people have been hunting them for at  least 45,000 years years and for at least   3,000 years living with them as Livestock in  some parts of the world reindeer are considered semi-domestic they still live out in the  wilderness living off the land but they're   accompanied by humans who migrate with them  and help protect them from [Music] predators   some 900,000 people have lives in twine  with the world's 3 million semi-domestic Reindeer the people harvest the animals they need   from the herd and use every part of  its body to make food clothing and tools unlike most farmers of domestic animals  the reindeer herders have little to do they don't   need to shelter muck out or feed their  livestock the Hardy deer takes care of themselves and of course as any child will  tell you reindeer can be used to pull a [Music] sleigh [Music] winter tests the  endurance of dear kind Only the strongest   will survive but that ensures that it is the  strongest healthiest genes that will be passed   to the Next Generation spring comes around  for the yearling fors their childhood has come   to an end most would have stayed with their  mothers but the females no longer want them around they're ready to start the cycle  all over [Music] again last year's young   need to use all they've learned to go  It Alone in the dear world [Music] world   as almost all of the globe's forests  Plains and Tundra Echo with the patter   of tiny Hooves as a new generation  of bambies wobble to their [Music] feet [Music] [Music] he [Music]

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Keywords: Free High-Quality Documentaries, HD, Full HD, Quality, natgeo, animals, wildlife, science, explore, discover, survival, nature, culture, documentary, perpetual planet full episode, full documentary, animal documentary

Id: kDuShRpja4M

Length: 52min 1sec (3121 seconds)

Published: Sat Apr 06 2024