The Wonder of America's National Parks | MEGA EPISODE Season 1 Full Episode

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♪ ♪ NARRATOR: The Grand Canyon. A chasm 277 miles long. Even in winter what appears barren supports life. A female mountain lion shelters from the cold, with her eight-month-old daughter. She can't rest for long, with an extra mouth to feed. Finding food is tough at the best of times, but a good hunt can provide for a week or more. Elk are their main prey. The canyon limits their escape routes. Every day is a battle for survival... In one of America's grandest national parks. (theme music playing). NARRATOR: President Theodore Roosevelt championed the Grand Canyon's protection, saying: “It is beyond comparison, beyond description; absolutely unparalleled throughout the wide world.” He's not wrong. At its heart, the canyon itself. An epic natural landmark, visible from space. Running through it, the mighty Colorado River. Over five million years its powerful waters have carved the rocks to form a canyon so vast, it creates its own weather. Steep cliffs radiate the sun's heat. So even in winter the walls act like an oven. Temperatures can drop as low as minus 22 at the top, but it can be 30 degrees hotter at the bottom. As the air at the base of the canyon warms, it rises up through the colder air above, creating updrafts, thermals. As the thermals lift higher out of the canyon, they're caught by the largest bird in North America, the California condor. They use the thermals to soar up to 15,000 feet. California condors nearly went extinct in the 1980s. Today, just over 100 rule the skies, over Grand Canyon National Park. Each one is tagged and carefully monitored. Making sure its habitat is protected is important. Because the condors provide a unique service in the park... Scavenging on dead animals. They can eat four pounds of meat a day. As long as there's enough to go around. This male has had enough. He's got other things on his mind. The need to find a mate has lured some of the males onto a rocky dance floor. ♪ ♪ He gives it his best, but he's no Fred Astaire! To impress the female, he shows off his massive wings. She has her pick but it's a big commitment. Condors partner up for life. Finally, his moves pay off, and the match is made. Each new pairing is essential for the future of condors in the park. Condor families make their homes in the tall rock faces. Cliffs that have been protected since Grand Canyon became a national park in 1919. But the canyon itself is much older. The exposed rocky walls give a glimpse of Earth's history, dating back 1.8 billion years. It's one of the most studied landscapes in the world, yet there are still secrets to be found. Hidden away, deep in the rocks, a den of Great Basin rattlesnakes. (rattling) Thousands of these cold-blooded reptiles shelter together over winter. Curled up in what scientists call a, “Cuddle pile.” (hisses) Their metabolism slows down in the cold, so they've hardly used any energy since Fall. Now, they're waking up. Without a bite to eat for months, this is one hungry group of snakes. When the outside temperature hits 60 degrees, it triggers a mass emergence. Basking in the spring sunshine builds up energy to hunt. But these snakes face a big challenge. Found only on the North Rim, they're cut off to the South by the canyon. Their diet is restricted to the small mammals, birds, and lizards, if they can find them. To the snakes, the Grand Canyon is a vast rocky outcrop. If they could travel further, they would discover that this park is hugely varied. Islands of different habitats cut off by rivers and canyons. And 9,000 feet up, something more surprising. The Kaibab Plateau. Home to over 1,000 square miles of pristine forest. In this magical green oasis lives an animal found nowhere else on the planet. ♪ ♪ NARRATOR: The Kaibab squirrel. One of the rarest mammals in Grand Canyon National Park. This tree dweller has a special relationship with this particular tree. The ponderosa pine is the squirrel's home, her safe place away from predators, and her main source of food. She eats almost every part of the tree, the shoots, twigs, and pinecones. In return, she helps spread the seeds, helping to keep the forest healthy. Not bad for a tiny squirrel. The Kaibab Plateau is home to one of the last ponderosa pine forests in the Southwest. It's a unique habitat, protected by Grand Canyon National Park, and a spectacle to behold. Less than 5% of the six million annual visitors to the park make it beyond the rim. For most, a trip to a scenic overlook is enough to get a taste of the beauty in this magic place. But for those with a sense of adventure traveling into the heart of the park can be quite the thrill! A Grand Canyon rafting trip is the adventure of a lifetime. It can take two weeks to raft its entire length. Entrusting their fate to the river, paddlers navigate their way through at least 80 big water rapids, including the infamous Lava Falls. MAN: Let's go! NARRATOR: The waters of the Colorado are a rafter's Mecca. But it's best not to fall in. The Grand Canyon pink rattlesnake. Only found in this region, it's perfectly adapted to canyon life. While the river is a barrier to some, for him, it's an opportunity. Swimming gives him the freedom to search for new hunting grounds. His ability to scour more of the park, gives Grand Canyon its own, natural, form of rodent control. Spring is a common season to spot rattlesnakes. They're found from the base of the canyon, to the top. The South Rim lies around 1,000 feet lower than the North. Temperatures can be ten degrees warmer at this time of year. Making life slightly easier for its residents. The elk herd enjoy spring's lush new growth. The bulls, with their new velvet covered antlers concentrate on eating as much as they can. While the females have bigger tasks at hand. Hiding away from the herd an elk cow has given birth. Born during the night, her little calf can walk almost immediately. But her legs aren't strong enough to keep up with Mom, who has to eat soon, for both their sakes. She has a risky decision to make. Find food, or protect her calf from mountain lions and coyotes. The mom has to leave. The youngster may seem vulnerable. But she's not completely defenseless, she has a super power to protect her. For the first few days of her life, she has no scent. Predators, like the park's mountain lions, can't smell her, and won't come looking. Laying low should be enough so long as she just... Keeps... Still. While the elk calf hides from predators stalking the rim... Others use the natural fortress of the canyon walls to keep their young safe. In a cave high above the canyon floor, a pair of condors take turns to incubate their single egg. Life partners dash six and 66 have been together for eight years. Every new egg is precious, only around a dozen are laid in the wild each year. It will hatch in just over 50 days. But until then, the new parents need to keep it away from the edge or risk it plummeting half a mile to the rock-hard floor. ♪ ♪ NARRATOR: Over a month later the condor population of Grand Canyon National Park increases by one. Dash six and 66's new chick is just a few days old. He's already keeping his parents busy with a ferocious appetite. The cliffs provide sanctuary... But this high-rise nursery isn't totally child friendly. He's got to be careful if he's going to soar the skies alongside his parents. That momentous day won't come for six months, if it comes at all. The Grand Canyon is a place of many different worlds. The life-giving waters of the Colorado run year-round. But on the plateau, it's a very different story. This might look like a furry little pig but it is, in fact, a javelina. Also known as a, “Skunk pig,” thanks to their terrible smell. The scent is used to strengthen their family bond and mark territory. They live in tight knit groups called, “Squadrons.” They're always on the move, searching for food and water. (sniffing) Today the thirsty javelina are in luck! The rain-fed watering hole is a life saver. Javelina will drink from this precious water source for as long as they can. But in the summer, it will quickly dry up. In the hottest part of the year, dehydration is a real risk. Death in the wild is a fact of life, but that doesn't make it any easier for those left behind. Javelina are intelligent and they are known to mourn. For three days the female stays close to her deceased relative. But she can't be with him forever. ♪ ♪ It's not just Javelina facing tough times from lack of water high on the rim. A mule deer mom and her young are taking a risky step. They're heading nearly a mile down into the canyon, on their own search for water. It's a steep and treacherous descent. One misstep and it's 1,000-foot drop to the canyon floor. ♪ ♪ NARRATOR: Mule deer are agile, but the youngster doesn't know the route. Over the years, he will learn the many vertical highways down to the canyon floor. As they climb down, desert vegetation takes over. The walls of the canyon are covered by cacti and saltbush. Finally, they reach a magical, green paradise. If you can reach them, Grand Canyon National Park is peppered with natural water sources. There are many seeps and springs, each one unique. Some are fed by ancient underground aquifers. Others are torrents of run-off that create stunning waterfalls. For the tired young deer, the perilous journey is over. Life is abundant in these oases. (buzzing) It's an ideal habitat for lots of insects. A damselfly, recently emerged, lays her eggs... While trying to avoid becoming a snack. More than 1,000 springs have been mapped in the Grand Canyon. Many are yet to be discovered. (singing in native language) NARRATOR: Some have been used by Native Americans for thousands of years. 11 Indigenous tribes have important connections with the land of Grand Canyon National Park. For the Zuni, the Paiute, Hopi, and the Navajo people, it's a sacred place. For the Havasupai and the Hualapai People this is home. People have lived in the Grand Canyon for at least 13,000 years. Today, the park is actively working with tribes and developing new collaborative partnerships. Summer hits, heat intensifies. Dry washes, crisscross the landscape. (gusting winds) The ideal highway for many residents. Including one of the park's rarest sightings... A Gila monster. At nearly two feet long, they are North America's largest and only venomous lizard. 95% of their life is spent inactive underground. But driven by hunger, this female is on a mission to find an easy meal. Her eyesight is poor, so she relies on her forked tongue to pick up scents over 600 feet away. ♪ ♪ No luck here. On with the hunt. Finally, a promising spot. This burrow belongs to someone else. It's home to a desert tortoise. The tortoise has found somewhere cool and quiet, to lay eggs. A Gila monster delicacy. But a check of the burrow shows there's no eggs yet. She's too early. It's a lucky break for the tortoise. The hungry Gila monster continues her search. She can't stay out for too long, and risk cooking in the desert heat, best get a move on. Finally, she picks up another scent, and follows it to a nest of quail eggs. Once a meal is found, there's no stopping her. She gorges herself, eating up to a third of her body weight in one go. Excess calories will be stored as fat in her body and tail. With a full belly, she can head back to her burrow to digest. And hide from the canyon's biggest predators. Like the mountain lion. On the prowl in the 1.2 million acres of Grand Canyon National Park. Finding prey in this vast wilderness is no easy task. Her hunting grounds can cover 150 square miles. Today, she doesn't need to travel far. She's revisiting a kill from days ago. By caching the carcass under a tree, it's kept safe from the eyes of other animals. If condors find it, they could devour the entire carcass in hours. Keeping it hidden is key to her survival. But in the Grand Canyon, fortunes can change in an instant. (thunder clap) (rain) NARRATOR: Summer thunderstorms hit hard in Grand Canyon National Park. (thunder rumbling) The mountain lion takes cover. The intense downpours are a welcome relief from the dry desert heat. Animals away from the river make the most of the showers. The Great Basin rattlesnake flattens his body, to form a tight coil, to catch as much water as possible. His scales act like tiny rain buckets, providing a much-needed drink. A handy skill to have, in a land where water is scarce. (thunder rumbling) On the Kaibab Plateau, lightning storms are the main cause of fires. Recently, higher temperatures have led to more violent weather and intense blazes. It's a growing problem. But, if the destruction is not too extensive, fires can stimulate new life by thinning the canopy, allowing more sunlight through. New grasses and fast-growing flowers spring up. Bugs, birds, and other little animals are drawn to the blooming plateau, all relying on this unique forest to thrive. (wings fluttering) Now, late summer, one animal is starting to outgrow its rocky den. A condor chick is four months old. He starts to explore his surroundings, testing his growing flight feathers. Almost as big as his parents, but he still relies on them to eat. If lucky, they'll avoid the larger threat of lead poisoning from ammunition in their food. Protected lands offer a much-needed sanctuary for this iconic bird. It will be late Fall before he finally takes to the skies, when he'll enter a new, more dangerous world. Condors aren't the only ones to use caves as safe places. There are thought to be over 1,000 caves dotted around the park, most yet to be discovered. In a small rock crevice, a newly hatched tortoise prepares to leave his nest. He's the last of the clutch to emerge. With Mom long gone, he's on his own. He's spent the last few days living off the last of his yolk sack. But now, it's time to venture forth into the big wide world. He needs to get away from the traceable smell of the nest and find a new shelter. When you're just two inches long, walking a few yards can feel like a million miles. Small and slow, he's an easy target. Only 5% of hatchlings survive to adulthood. His shell is still soft. And it'll be five years before it's hard like a shield. Until then, he relies on a bit of luck, and the vastness of Grand Canyon to hide safely away. New home found; he hunkers down. While some of the park's residents stay quietly hidden away, others are making their presence known. (elk shrieking) Early Fall is elk mating season. (shrieking) The air is filled with the bugling calls of males, (shrieking) announcing their intentions to the females. The bulls scrape away the soft velvet of their antlers to reveal the sharp points beneath. All to intimidate their rivals. (shrieking) Loud shrieks and large antlers increase chances of getting female attention. A young male is entering his first mating season, but what do you do if you've got small antlers? He decides to take the direct approach. ♪ ♪ (shrieking) NARRATOR: The female elk quickly gives the young bull the brush off. It's time for a different tack! By urinating on himself, the young bull spreads a scent that the females find intoxicating. Completely covered, he makes his move. Tasting the air, he can detect if a female is in season. Now he's got more interest. One female simply can't resist the aroma. They head to a more secluded spot. While the elk are distracted by mating rituals... On the Kaibab Plateau, others have to work hard to prepare for winter. Unlike most squirrels, Kaibab squirrels don't store much away. Instead, they forage all year long. Their home spreads over 600 square miles of pine forest, so there should be plenty to go around. But there is another critical task to do before winter hits. Their nests need some essential maintenance. Made out of ponderosa needles and twigs, this female needs it to be a sturdy shelter from the snow. For extra warmth, the normally solitary squirrel will share her nest with other females. She better get a move on with the renovations, because in four weeks' time, the first snows of winter will hit. Animals across the park have to be ready for the harshest season. As some build their homes, others leave theirs for the very first time. Now is the moment of truth for the condor chick. After six months confined to the nest, he's ready to fly. It's a make-or-break moment. In an instant he's gone from grounded chick, to full-fledged condor. Over one million acres of Grand Canyon National Park are now his to explore. This special place has so much more than just postcard views. It's a land of extremes whose world-famous canyon and tough residents are protected. Full of surprises, a thrill seeker's paradise. America's National Parks are an epic testament to our love for nature. And a vital reminder that we need the natural world as much as it needs us. ♪ ♪ NARRATOR: Winter in Yosemite National Park. (barking) For the coyote, food hides deep below the snow. It helps to muffle his steps. Exceptional hearing... pinpoints prey under a foot of snow. Timing is everything. Yosemite is full of hidden treasures... if you know where to find them. (howl) (theme music plays) Big, bold, beautiful. Yosemite is filled with famous landmarks, El Capitan... Half Dome... Glacier Point... Home to one of the largest natural water supplies in California. An oasis in a drying state. The park has unique geography. Clouds from the Pacific Ocean hit the 13,000-foot Sierra Nevada. Bringing snow to its towering peaks... Meltwater that will slowly release throughout the year. A spring pulse sweeps across Yosemite Valley. Snowpack thaws. The park's first wave of water unlocks. Yosemite Falls is in full flow. The Merced River roars back to life. Barren, white landscapes, transform into luscious green meadows. 20% of California's plant species flourish here. The best time to see them is when Yosemite wakes from its winter slumber. Insects provide a welcome feast for acorn woodpeckers nesting under El Capitan. Yosemite's granite rock faces have inspired people for millennia. Ahwahnee, meaning 'large gaping mouth' was the original Native American name for this iconic Valley. Yosemite's 3,000 meadows are rich islands of life. Spring grass, a surprising food source for the park's biggest animal. (growling) A male black bear. He is part of Yosemite's unique bear research running for almost 50 years, it protects black bears and people. A GPS collar and an ear tag help to track his movements. He recently emerged from hibernation... and is starving. But a 400-pound bear cannot survive on grass alone. After sleeping for five months, this big boy needs a shot of protein. And he knows where to get one. His sense of smell is at least 100 times better than a human. He can sniff out calorie rich grubs hidden under tree bark. But when you've got huge paws... tiny treats are hard to reach. It's easy to see why he'll need to feed... all day. He isn't the only hungry bear out here. And others have more than one mouth to feed. A Yosemite mom; who's been studied for seven years. She has two new spring cubs. They emerged from hibernation late so are playing catch up. To find food they must explore vast areas of the park. Her cubs need to pile on the pounds. At five months old they are underweight and vulnerable. They need to stay close to mom. Especially when there are crafty coyotes around. Keeping up with mom can be difficult... when you're an easily distracted pre-schooler. Yosemite's coyotes usually feed on gophers, squirrels and mice. A cub could easily weigh 25 times more, a welcome feast. The cub has the high ground... And surprises the coyote. Defending territory, a life lesson the bear cub has just put to the test. In Yosemite, there can be 20 competing bears in just seven square miles thanks to nearly half a century of research and protection. But the preservation of the park began much earlier. In Congress, Yosemite was said to be home to 'some of the greatest wonders of the world'. Over 160 years ago, photographer Carleton Watkins ventured into a largely uncharted Yosemite Valley. He captured jaw dropping landscapes of a secret American wilderness. The photos inspired President Lincoln to sign the first ever legislation... protecting an area based solely on its natural beauty. Yosemite National Park has expanded since the late 1800s. Its boundaries encompass the Merced River Canyon... One of the last, sections of undammed white water in California. Home to one of the park's most adventurous animals. The Sierra newt. She spends most of her life hidden from sight. In spring, that all changes. Her body releases hormones and when the conditions are just right... she'll start a journey to find a mate... That can be as long as two miles. A huge task, when you're only five inches long. One last obstacle stands in her way... (car speeding) a Yosemite highway. ♪ ♪ NARRATOR: Despite the odds this Yosemite explorer has made it. ♪ ♪ Her skin releases a pheromone as she enters the water. An irresistible signal. Males respond almost immediately. A tumultuous ball of males surround her. In this underwater rodeo, the male who holds on the longest wins. The chosen male must now show his gentler side. He starts with subtle toe movements. And for his final big move, the chin rub. Suitably impressed, she allows for what passes as newt intimacy. And she deposits multiple large egg masses... Which will hatch in seven weeks. The next generation of Yosemite's most extreme, romantic adventurer. Yosemite is not only home to small, brightly colored animals... the park also houses some of the world's largest organisms. Giant Sequoias. ♪ ♪ The Western Sierra Nevada is the only place on the planet where they grow naturally. They sit in a sweet spot on the landscape. Between 5,000 and 7,000 feet. An oasis where these giants thrive. And no one spends more time in these old growth forests than researchers, Anthony Ambrose and Wendy Baxter. ANTHONY: I've been studying trees for about 24 years. The first time that you enter into a Sequoia Grove, you're just immediately struck by these massive orange trunks. They get over 300 feet tall. They live for more than 3,000 years. They are just incredibly majestic. NARRATOR: Like humans, plants require a set of building blocks to grow. Carbon from the atmosphere... nutrients from the soil... and finally, something essential... Water. Anthony monitors the water status of Yosemite's largest tree species. Like blood pressure in humans this indicates the health of the tree and the wider conditions for all life in the park. ANTHONY: They're very unique individuals. Every tree that I've climbed is, is different. There's that really cool sense of exploration when you go up in them for the first time, knowing that chances are you're the first person that's ever been up in that particular tree. Just to know that, that living organism has been in that same spot for millennia is, is, is really incredible to contemplate. We're measuring the, the water flow at the very top here because this is the most sensitive part of the tree. NARRATOR: Measuring here helps indicate the tree's health. ANTHONY: 29.2. WENDY: Okay. NARRATOR: A crucial piece of research for giants living under drought conditions. In recent years California has experienced unnatural fires that burn at immense temperatures, destroying everything in their path. Places like Yosemite, are essential for their survival. ANTHONY: The National parks are critical for the conservation of the giant sequoias. I encourage people to visit the giant sequoias themselves and, and visit the national parks where they're located. It is a really good way for people to reconnect with nature and to be inspired and awestruck by what nature can, can do. NARRATOR: In Yosemite Valley, summer temperatures hit over 100 degrees. The park falls into a drought. Meaning a low crop year for berries, the bears' favorite summer snack... And one is in search of relief. The Merced River, lifeblood of Yosemite... And popular bear swimming pool. When food is in short supply, territory is at a premium. The park's orchard become prime bear real estate. (bear growling) This Yosemite female is an apple picker extraordinaire. But all the commotion attracts unwanted attention... A large, hungry male. He launches a sneak attack. (growling) To show submission she flattens her ears. And there's only one direction for her to go. Adult bears are not the only ones exploring Yosemite's trees. The cubs also enjoy getting some height. Climbing is an essential life lesson. All this activity burns up precious energy. But for mom, things aren't so care free. To keep her cubs safe, she avoids other adults... But that means they never get to the juiciest fruit trees. There are slim pickings in her territory but mom still provides. In summer, she produces 30 ounces of milk for each cub, every single day. She is thin but will never give up. Her cubs are oblivious... like any kids they just wanna play. The search for new places to eat drives mom to take a big risk. NARRATOR: Mom needs to find more food. (cars) The Yosemite Highway. A familiar obstacle for all the animals that live here. 214 miles of road, where a dozen bears can die every year. Cubs are most likely to be struck down. Mom makes a dash, hoping her kids will follow. But the cubs seem scared and rooted to the spot. (traffic) (growl) The cubs are clever, and time their crossing perfectly. With a low summer berry crop this family has no choice but to move on. In search of new, richer pastures. In their never-ending quest to feed, Yosemite's black bears will navigate the park's forests... an environment that climbs 10,000 feet in only a few miles. A steep change in elevation, where close to 40 tree species thrive. Home to hundreds of animals. One of them so perfectly evolved to life in the trees... it can be hard to spot. Dark brown feathers, interspersed with white dots, camouflage this female. Needle sharp talons reveal her power. She is a Californian spotted owl and she's not alone. At 19 years old she has been the resident female here for nearly two decades. Her partner is much younger. He's only seven and lacks experience. Even so, his preening skills prove he is an attentive mate It's unusual to see these owls out in the day. But this pair has a good reason to be up past bedtime. A new arrival. (shrieking) At two months old, this fluff ball is demanding. (shrieking) The parents must feed her at least three times a day. They are the ultimate aerial predators. Specialized feathers allow near silent flight. Phenomenal hearing and eyesight... give pinpoint hunting precision. The hardworking parents leave their chick for long periods. Like any kid left home alone, she gets antsy. Without mom and dad she is at risk of falling from safety, onto the dangerous forest floor. Where a Yosemite bobcat waits for her... NARRATOR: Thankfully the young owl's talons act like a ratchet... an anchor that locks the chick on her perch. The bobcat soon loses interest. The owl chick lives to fight another day. In Yosemite, snowmelt from the Sierra Nevada continues to feed the park's meadows. It's the height of blooming season for a very special plant. One that holds a poisonous secret. Milkweed a flower steeped in history. A natural material used by Native Americans for basket weaving, twine, and rope. Its leaves are toxic, and few animals can stomach them. Like Yosemite's Cobalt Milkweed Beetle... and Milkweed aphids. The small yellow insects are at the bottom of the food chain. Prey for ladybugs, in a rich microscopic world... that flourishes in the park's protected meadows. The cobalt milkweed beetles are not just here to feed. They're also here to breed. This male is the latest arrival... To what looks like '60's Beatlemania. Females mate with multiple males. So, competition is high. Once they've mated, males ride on the backs of the females... to fend off rivals. It's a collection of clingy boyfriends. Who thrive in the park's flower rich meadows. Yosemite's bedrock is almost entirely granite. Cliff faces, domes and boulders dominate the high country. Between these formidable barren peaks are meadows... bursting with life. Tuolumne. Based on the Native American Miwok word talmalamne, meaning stone houses. It's the park's largest meadow. The final place to make use of this year's snow melt. Usually quiet and tranquil it now rings out with sound. Thanks to a resident high-pitched choir... of Belding's ground squirrels. ♪ ♪ Summer up here is short. So, these lightning-fast alpine specialists don't mess around. Life is one big race against time... to feed and breed. They are also tenacious tunnelers. Their burrows aerate the soil, which help the meadow store and filter water. A cleaning service benefiting all of Tuolumne. But they have to always be on guard for the park's most skilled predators. (red-tailed hawk scream) A red-tailed hawk. (red-tailed hawk scream) (whistle) A whistle indicates an aerial attack and is quickly understood! A multiple-note trill signifies a ground-based predator. But not everyone understands the calls. A young pup strays on the edge of its family range. He doesn't realize he's in danger. A long-tailed weasel, prolific predator of pups. With keen eyesight and sharp, powerful teeth... he's on the lookout for his next meal. ♪ ♪ NARRATOR: More warning calls ring out from the pup's family. (whistling) He gets the message... just in time. Outfoxed, the weasel gives up, and returns to his rocky burrow. Yosemite's stone comes in all shapes and sizes. And the most iconic is a 3,000-foot monolith. El Capitan. Twice the height of the Empire State Building. American Icon. Once thought to be unscalable. Now a mecca of big wall rock climbing. But in Yosemite, humans aren't the only vertigo hunters. Western Fence Lizards. Capable of gripping onto large rock overhangs... and making death-defying leaps. In breeding season males are all about their ego. A bright blue chin and stomach are the lizard's equivalent of washboard abs! If you've got it, flaunt it. To show what he's working with... it's time for some push-ups. ♪ ♪ And one female takes notice... But is he her perfect muscle man? Looks like he needs to work on his moves. Not all behavior in the park is dominated by macho males, sometimes females take the lead. From Yosemite's iconic green Valley to its secret eastern edge. Little rain reaches this arid landscape, blocked by over 13,000 feet of solid Sierra Nevada. An alien, desert-like habitat. Home to one of the park's strangest females. A praying mantis. It's the last days of summer in Yosemite, and she's coming to the end of her seasonal feeding spree. Her main weapons, prominent front legs, lined with shark tooth shaped spikes. The praying mantis is the only insect on the planet with three-dimensional vision. Her lightning-fast strike clocks at one-twentieth of a second. But this is only a cricket drumstick appetizer... She releases a concoction of alluring pheromones into the air. Eau du mantis. One lucky guy picks up the signal. Maybe some eye contact can smooth out this first date. Or maybe not! In exchange for his would be wooing, the Casanova is attacked. It's impossible for him to free himself. The male's head is ripped off. The female's final main course. It's an abrupt end to a first date. Or is it? The decapitated male is still moving. NARRATOR: The headless torso of the male praying mantis is still controlled by nerves in the abdomen. In a final mating act, his body completes what his head started. The female on the other hand, is busy finishing dinner. She'll mate with multiple males each breeding season... not all of them will suffer the same fate. But the males who are decapitated may father the most eggs. The ultimate sacrifice in a unique Yosemite love story. In Yosemite Valley the season turns... transforming into vivid fall colors. And the sound of change rings across the park. Male mule deer are rutting. In fall, Yosemite produces one last bumper crop of acorns. A staple food source for local Miwoks. Animals across the park fatten up before winter... and store for leaner times. A young black bear family arrives in Yosemite. They're here at the right time to flex some climbing muscles. ♪ ♪ Fall is the last chance for them to feed before hibernation. Mom could easily eat up to 20,000 calories a day... that's 40 Big Macs! Dropping branches full of food might seem wasteful... but bears are smart. Dinner with a view at the top of the tree... And an acorn dessert on the ground. Essential fat reserves for the cold months ahead. Winter comes quick in this true American wilderness. Where temperatures need to drop to 32 degrees for snowfall to replenish the park's precious water supply. The driver of all life in this unique landscape. Yosemite's water holds one more hidden treasure. ♪ ♪ Fire falls. On the Eastern rock-face of El Capitan, under the perfect frosty conditions. Color punches through the white landscape. And this waterfall comes to life... In this picture-perfect paradise. More than four million people visit Yosemite each year... It's a land of wonder whose iconic mountains and resilient residents live protected. Winters in Yosemite are becoming shorter and temperatures are predicted to rise by ten degrees in the next century. A hotter climate with less water could alter this pristine landscape. Luckily, we have America's National Parks, time capsule to a vivid past and a blank canvas for a bountiful future. Big Bend National Park. Male desert bighorn sheep prepare for battle. ♪ ♪ Big Bend's monsoon season is the perfect time to breed. ♪ ♪ The strongest males will pass on their genes to the next generation. ♪ ♪ The arrival of a female ratchets up the tension. ♪ ♪ Before the fight, males test their opponent's resolve. ♪ ♪ As heat and humidity build across one of America's last great wildernesses, the pressure increases. (thunder) Only to release in a single strike. (thunder) ♪ ♪ Months before the monsoon, Big Bend National Park is peaceful. A wild sanctuary deep in the heart of Texas. Established in 1944, it's 800,000 acres of mountains, deserts, and rivers. A challenging place to call home, but the park's spectacular range of habitats provides opportunities for plants and animals, creating a surprising web of life, with more species of birds, bugs and cacti, than any other national park in the United States; making Big Bend the perfect home for one of the park's most hardworking parents. The roadrunner-- a true survivalist. She's fully prepped for life in this remote corner of Texas, hunkering down in a prickly pear cactus. With two chicks on the nest and four more on the way, it pays to be tough. (chick chatters) ♪ ♪ Right now, there's calm. But for a roadrunner mom, the peace and quiet doesn't last long. Her chicks are hungry. (chattering) Fortunately, she's raising kids in a place where there's plenty to eat. (chirping) But it's still a grueling routine. ♪ ♪ Leave. ♪ ♪ Catch prey. ♪ ♪ Return. ♪ ♪ Feed chicks. ♪ ♪ (chirp) That should do it. (chattering) Leave. ♪ ♪ Catch prey. Return. Feed chicks. ♪ ♪ It helps that roadrunners eat almost everything from spiders to scorpions. (chattering) Mom is also a super-quick hunter with a top speed of 20 miles an hour. With hundreds of roadrunners living here, it's a good thing Big Bend has an amazing biodiversity of bugs. ♪ ♪ Not that the chicks seem to appreciate it. As they grow, their appetites cannot be stopped. Time for Dad to go big. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ This lizard may be fast, but the roadrunner is faster. ♪ ♪ (chattering) A supersized meal almost as big as the chick? No problem! ♪ ♪ Surely this will fill them up. ♪ ♪ Thanks to the bounty of food available in the park and the tireless efforts of doting parents, peace and quiet return. ♪ ♪ (chattering) Or...maybe not. Nearly 6,000 feet up in the mountains, another mom has a huge challenge. ♪ ♪ A female black bear has spent the winter in a high mountain cave. ♪ ♪ She needs to teach her cubs to survive in the park. With little to no food or water for months, the stakes are high. But they're living in a special place. Big Bend is the only national park with an entire mountain range inside its borders-- the Chisos. Named for their previous inhabitants and once home to the Mescalero Apache and the Comanche tribes, the mountains are a sky island oasis. 40 square miles of peaks, up to 8,000 feet, loom over the hot desert below. At the height of summer, monsoon storms can dump nearly a year's rainfall in a few months. Right now, the monsoon is a long way off, but the Chisos do something incredible-- they catch the rains and store them for year-round use. Water slowly releases from deep in the mountains into precious spring-fed pools. ♪ ♪ Attracting critters of all types... and all colors. ♪ ♪ The key to survival in a desert is a reliable source of water. (bark) And mom knows exactly where to find it, thanks to her mom, who taught her about the hidden oases in the Chisos. It's the cubs' first visit to this magical place. ♪ ♪ Every day is a school day. Today's lesson is all about water. ♪ ♪ They've never tasted or seen so much of it. ♪ ♪ Mom relaxes in the spring, but for the cubs, it's playtime. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (growl) ♪ ♪ (growling) The fun has to come to an end eventually, but mom has another lesson for her eager students. ♪ ♪ How to scratch that itch. ♪ ♪ Mom shows how it's done, rubbing off her winter coat and leaving a scent behind, signaling her presence to other bears in the park. ♪ ♪ Mom made it look easy, but the cubs will need a lot more practice. (cub groans) ♪ ♪ For the bear family, the Chisos Mountains provide water and a cool refuge, but down below on the desert floor, life in the park has more extreme challenges. Big Bend protects a vast and pristine area of the Chihuahuan Desert, the largest in North America. Early Spanish settlers called it "el despoblado," a desolate and empty land. ♪ ♪ If your home is tough, sometimes you've got to be tougher. And one animal is the ultimate desert survivor. ♪ ♪ The Texas horned lizard. He's everything you would expect from a desert veteran. Perfectly camouflaged. And searing hot is just how he likes it. ♪ ♪ Once widespread across Texas, the horned lizard is in decline. Agriculture and urban development have robbed this reptile of space. Protected areas like Big Bend National Park are vital for his survival. ♪ ♪ He's on the hunt. ♪ ♪ And ants are on today's menu. Just like the last meal, and the next. In fact, ants are pretty much all he eats. These small snacks are all he needs to survive. But the ants won't surrender without a fight. These are harvester ants, packing super-strong jaws and one of the most toxic insect venoms ever discovered. ♪ ♪ A defensive stinger in the back contains a neurotoxin so strong, that with enough stings, these ants could kill a human. But this lizard's hunting technique combats the ants' deadly defense. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ All he has to do is hold his nerve. ♪ ♪ His timing has to be perfect. ♪ ♪ Not now. Not now. Not even now. If the ants mob him, he'll have to retreat and go hungry. ♪ ♪ One false move, and it's game over. For the horned lizard, getting a meal requires military precision and patience. He picks a target and takes aim. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ It's now or never. ♪ ♪ His tongue shoots forward at the speed of a bullet. It's all over in a fraction of a second. A precision weapon, avoiding the ant's bite and deadly stinger. The sticky tongue flicks it into his stomach in one move. The ant drowns instantly in thick mucus on the way down. ♪ ♪ Any slower, he'd get a toxic sting to the mouth. ♪ ♪ As the desert heats up in Big Bend, the challenges keep coming, and the Texas horned lizard will deal with them head on. ♪ ♪ Spring moves into summer, and the Texan sun bakes Big Bend National Park to a crisp. ♪ ♪ It can reach well over 100 degrees, and the monsoon rains are more than a month away. ♪ ♪ Across the park, everything is dry. The reserves from last year's rains run low. And the bear family desperately digs for the last drops of water. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ On the desert floor, conditions get more brutal by the day. Without rain, wind whips up dust storms. Big Bend transforms into a hostile place. With such extreme heat, the park's main river system becomes a vital and rich ribbon of life. The Rio Grande forms the park's southern boundary with Mexico, connecting millions of acres of protected land on both sides of the border. Overuse from agriculture upstream and a changing climate have reduced the once mighty river's flow. Across the park, rivers run dry. Each remaining water source holds the key to survival. ♪ ♪ Last summer, this place had barely a trickle. But now, something truly surprising has appeared. ♪ ♪ (birds chirping) ♪ ♪ An oasis of life. But it's no miracle. ♪ ♪ It's an impressive feat of engineering. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Meticulously constructed by one determined critter. ♪ ♪ (insects buzzing) A beaver. ♪ ♪ For the past few months, she's been building a dam on a small tributary of the Rio Grande. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ It's taken months of hard work, but night after night, she's transformed a tiny spring into a desert paradise. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Around 200 beavers live in Big Bend National Park. ♪ ♪ But it takes a pioneering spirit and perseverance to overcome its harsh conditions. ♪ ♪ There is another reason this beaver has been working so hard. She's building a future for her family. Her home also provides water for other animals in the park, attracting life from miles around. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (rumbling) But the beavers' Big Bend paradise is about to be put to the test. (rumbling) (thunder) (rumbling) The first sign of the coming monsoon lights up the Big Bend sky. (rumbling) (rustling) (thunder) Warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico pushes further west into the park. It collides with the Chisos Mountains. Immense storm clouds form, ready to break. (wind howling) The monsoon is close. Although the storm passes 100 miles to the north, in Big Bend, it's enough to create one of nature's most destructive forces... a flash flood. In just hours, the river's flow can increase more than 1,000 times. (wind buffeting) The beaver's dam is destroyed. Months of tireless construction are no match for the power of floodwaters. The beaver's desert dream has become a nightmare. (water rushing) It was a brave move to build a dam here. But this is Texas. It will take more than a flash flood to crush the beaver's spirit. The dam just needs to be bigger. While the coming monsoon proves problematic for some, for others, it provides a world of opportunity. ♪ ♪ When the rains arrive, plants unfurl and burst into life. Temporary lifesaving pools spring up across the park. And on the steep cliffs above the desert, the monsoon triggers the most dramatic time of the year for a mighty beast... the desert bighorn sheep. Their presence alone is cause for celebration. ♪ ♪ 60 years ago, the bighorns were gone; killed off from overhunting and disease. ♪ ♪ But since the 1980s, international efforts have restored them to their rightful place. ♪ ♪ With feet made to climb, they are perfectly adapted to the rocky terrain... ♪ ♪ ...able to scale near-vertical cliffs with ease. (rumbling) The monsoon approaches. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Males zero in on the scent of females ready to mate. ♪ ♪ There is a strict hierarchy in place. Rams younger than seven rarely take part. Competition is so fierce that one-on-one combat can last over 25 hours. (grunt) But before they put their horns to the test, contenders taunt their rivals. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Withstanding pain is a test of endurance. But it's a waiting game. Who will break first? (grunt) ♪ ♪ (thunder) (grunt) (thunder) The monsoon rains are edging closer, and the atmosphere is electric. (thunder) (thunder) Tensions are high until fights break out. ♪ ♪ (thunder) (crash) ♪ ♪ (crash) (thunder) (crash) All the fighting has a purpose. If the winning males breed now, their newborn calves will have the most nutritious green shoots to eat, brought on by the rains. (thunder) ♪ ♪ A finely tuned survival strategy for the toughest of Big Bend survivors. (thunder) ♪ ♪ The monsoon has finally arrived. It's the moment the park has been waiting for. ♪ ♪ The desert soaks up the life-giving rains. ♪ ♪ For plant life in Big Bend, it's welcome relief, and for the animals, too. Big Bend's veteran has another awesome desert adaptation. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ He flattens his body out to catch as much rain as he can. A useful skill in a place where rains are patchy and unpredictable. The monsoon weather system is the defining feature of the park. All life in Big Bend depends on it. Storms can be intense, but there are places here that will see a whole year pass without receiving any rain. So the Texas horned lizard needs to catch every precious drop. As fast as they arrived, the rains pass, and Big Bend dries out under the harsh Texan sun. (crackling) But the horned lizard can find and make use of any water source, no matter how small, simply by standing in it. ♪ ♪ His waterproof skin has a network of capillary channels between the scales, directing water straight into his mouth. (rippling) ♪ ♪ (rippling) ♪ ♪ Tiny jaw movements pull water in for drinking. It's another amazing adaptation for Big Bend's toughest lizard. ♪ ♪ After the rains, plants race to flower and reproduce while moisture remains in the soil. ♪ ♪ (bird chirps) ♪ ♪ (buzzing) It's time to celebrate as Big Bend puts on a show in full color. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Prickly pear fruit ripens... (insect buzzing) ...providing an energy-rich treat for insect life. A leaf-footed bug doesn't travel far. ♪ ♪ The prickly pear cactus is both his home and food supply. ♪ ♪ Most of the year his meals are a little tough, but for a few weeks after the rains, it's easy picking. Juicy, soft, delicious fruit. ♪ ♪ Other animals have a liking for cactus fruit, too. ♪ ♪ The bear cubs are growing fast and learning about all the good things Big Bend National Park has to offer. ♪ ♪ Even the slower residents rush to get a taste. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ For the box turtle, it's a fruity feast worth waiting for. (chomp) ♪ ♪ In the harsh Chihuahuan Desert, there are still times when Big Bend provides. One plant here is a beacon of life in the park. An intimidating beast with a rich history. The agave. Once a building material and food source for the indigenous people of Big Bend. Now it's the main ingredient in tequila and mezcal. And Big Bend would not be the same without it. The agave doesn't seem to do much. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ It takes its sweet time to build up reserves. ♪ ♪ Sometimes waiting up to 50 years. ♪ ♪ Taking energy from the sun and water from the monsoon rains. All the while getting bigger, stronger, and sharper. Then one day, something magical happens. After decades, the waiting is over for the agave. All that stored energy erupts, sending a stalk 30 feet into the sky. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ The plant's final act, using its last reserves for one purpose--to reproduce. ♪ ♪ Flowers bloom, but they need to be pollinated, and they're going to need help. Hidden inside the agave's flowers is sweet, sweet nectar. The astonishing variety of flying critters in Big Bend means it doesn't take long for word to get around. The first wave of pollinators arrive. Some come for nectar; others for nectar feeders. But all will take a little pollen with them from plant to plant, helping the agave reproduce and maintain its presence in the park. In Big Bend the secret to success is making the most of every opportunity. And the agave has become a star attraction. ♪ ♪ After sunset, the agave ramps up nectar production. Its flowers now fully open, this is the time for the agave to spread its pollen far and wide, as the second wave of pollinators descend. ♪ ♪ The five-spotted hawk moth's long proboscis is the right tool for the job, ideal for sucking up nectar from deep inside. ♪ ♪ And just like the day, at night, predators are on the prowl. (chirping) (chirping) The nocturnal elf owl is a skilled hunter... taking prey while they feed and making a home in the agave's stalk. (chirping) ♪ ♪ But of all the creatures that visit the agave, there is one that spreads more pollen to more agave plants than any other pollinator. (squeaking) The Mexican long-nosed bat. Flying almost 800 miles from central Mexico, they spend the summer feeding on the agave in Big Bend National Park. Until now, this ancient exchange has only been witnessed by a handful of scientists. (squeaking) ♪ ♪ The bat's long nose and tongue fit the flowers like a glove. (squeaking) The agave and bat have evolved together for thousands of years. They depend on each other for survival, and Big Bend National Park for protection. (squeaking) Nights in the park attract another creature from far away. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ People travel from all over the world to experience something you can only get in a handful of places like Big Bend National Park-- true darkness. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Here you can see across the galaxy and beyond. Humans aren't the only ones to make the most of the dark. But with a sturdy pair of boots and a flashlight, visitors are welcome to explore the park at night, which is the best time to see a particular breed of visitor... (zipper) The astrophotographer. Big Bend National Park is at the top of their bucket list. ♪ ♪ Surrounded by millions of acres of protected land and wilderness, the lack of light pollution makes it one of the best places on the planet to film the stars. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ As the world gets more crowded and developed, dark places like Big Bend National Park become even more precious. ♪ ♪ And if it's your home, it's a place worth fighting for. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (beaver grunts) When the floodwaters recede, the beaver gets back to work, day... and night. ♪ ♪ Rebuilding the dam to create a year-round waterfront home for her family. ♪ ♪ Beavers are found all over America, but this beaver mom is a Big Bend veteran. A highly skilled engineer, adapting to changing times, determined to make a life here no matter what the park throws at her. ♪ ♪ As the season shifts into fall, an early cold snap is a sure sign that winter is just around the corner. For the bear family, it's time to prepare. After everything that Big Bend has thrown at them, the best is yet to come. Soon mom and cubs will head back to the cave to ride out the winter, but first, they need to put on enough pounds to make it through. As a final fall gift, the park lays out a feast of acorns. ♪ ♪ Oak trees thrive in the cool valleys of the Chisos... ♪ ♪ ...creating a park paradise vital for the survival of all bears. ♪ ♪ Without the Chisos, Big Bend would not support the rich web of life here. It's what makes the park unique, something the bears certainly appreciate as winter approaches. ♪ ♪ They enter a phase called hyperphagia, eating as much as they can, as fast as they can. And oak trees provide an all-you-can-eat acorn buffet. The cubs have never seen a full winter. Now, they'll learn another important survival lesson from mom--how to make the most of every opportunity. Some acorns are a long way up. You could just wait underneath and let others do all the work. But sometimes, you got to go straight to the source. (grunt) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (grunting) All the tree climbing practice pays off. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Now mom can sit back and wait for the acorns to fall, letting her cubs do all the work for a change. ♪ ♪ A quick power nap, and the youngsters are back at it again. ♪ ♪ Young bears are still light enough to climb out to the smallest branches. Their reward is acorns adults simply can't reach. ♪ ♪ (grunt) With the energy from a final feast, the bear family heads back to the mountains to wait out the winter. Their survival means more to Big Bend National Park than they can ever know. ♪ ♪ When Big Bend was established in 1944, there were almost no bears left in the park. They had all been trapped or shot. It wasn't until the 1980s, when a bold mother bear crossed the Rio Grande to raise her cubs in the Chisos, that a significant bear population could begin to rebuild. The park offered protection. Their return is a reminder that this is a very special place. A sanctuary not just for bears, but for the entire web of life that makes a home in the park. Big Bend is a treasured gift from Texas to the nation. And like all of America's national parks, it's a gift worth holding on to. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Summer in Badlands National Park. (grumbling) Home to the country's largest mammal, weighing 2,000 pounds... (bellowing) ...the American bison. Badlands is the perfect stage for their annual rut. ♪ ♪ One of the greatest heavyweight bouts in the natural world. ♪ ♪ (grumbling) The reigning champion, a big, old bull. ♪ ♪ Only winners get the chance to breed. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Today he loses his crown. (bellows) The old bull retreats. (grumbling) ♪ ♪ He'll wait a year to have another shot. ♪ ♪ To regain his strength, he needs help. ♪ ♪ In the Badlands, it comes from a surprising place. He's just got to find it. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (grumbling) ♪ ♪ Badlands National Park, South Dakota. 244,000 acres split into two dramatic worlds. The rocky Badlands themselves, carved out of the ground by wind and rain. ♪ ♪ Beyond them, an ancient sea of grass. ♪ ♪ Home to the icons of the Old West. This land has a long and deep connection to the indigenous peoples of America. It's the current and traditional land of the Oglala Lakota tribe. For 12,000 years, people have used these lands, but prairie dogs have been here even longer. (chirping) A female black-tailed prairie dog lives on the grasslands in a family group known as a coterie. ♪ ♪ In spring it's time for her to start a family. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ After mating, she maintains her burrow and collects nesting material. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ In doing so, she becomes an eco-engineer. ♪ ♪ Her constant gardening benefits over 100 species. ♪ ♪ In the sprawling sea of grass, the prairie dog town is an island of life, drawing in species from far and wide... (barking) ...including predators. ♪ ♪ (chirp) ♪ ♪ Prairie dogs are the perfect snack for the coyote. ♪ ♪ The female's quest to start a family could be over before it's started. ♪ ♪ (chirping) ♪ ♪ She's completely oblivious to the threat. ♪ ♪ However, the prairie dog has allies. (chirping) Her neighbors are on high alert. (distant chirping) (chirping) Each prairie dog town comes with its own built-in alarm system. (chirping) It's one of the most complex animal languages ever decoded, with specific calls for different threats. (chirping) The coyote is spotted, and short chirps call him out. (chirping) He literally has nowhere to hide. With the threat gone, they give the all-clear signal... (yipping) ...a jump-yip. (yipping) (chirp) The key to thriving in the Badlands is looking out for each other. ♪ ♪ Badlands became a national park in 1978. The name, an homage to the Lakota people. Hundreds of years before the first national park, they named this land mako sica, "land bad." The rocky features are also called Badlands, formed by a process that began 75 million years ago as layer upon layer of sediment built up. Colored bands show it's been a jungle, a swamp, and an ancient ocean floor. Each has left its mark like pages in a history book. They may look hostile to life, but for one specialist, it's the ideal place to raise a family. (bleats) For bighorn sheep, the Badlands are the perfect mix of protective fortress and giant playpen. ♪ ♪ The flock is brimming with lambs, with no apparent fear of heights. This female was born with all the climbing gear she needs. But she still has to learn how to use it. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ She's encouraged to start climbing, even though one false move could send her tumbling hundreds of feet. ♪ ♪ (bleating) ♪ ♪ Just weeks after birth, these lambs already look like experts: sure-footed, agile and fearless. ♪ ♪ (grunt) ♪ ♪ (grunt) ♪ ♪ But the Badlands are treacherous. Despite their confidence, not every jump goes to plan. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Suddenly this nursery is missing a lamb. ♪ ♪ She's fallen down a canyon and has a serious wound on her back. ♪ ♪ Badlands rock shears like rough sandpaper. ♪ ♪ The lamb's inexperience shows. She's going down where she should be climbing up. (distant bleating) (grunts) As the sun goes down... (bleats) ...she finds herself alone. (bleats) (echoing bleating) This canyon is a natural echo chamber. (grumbles) (lamb cries) Her cries for help will either save her or ring the dinner bell. (howling) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ The lamb survives the night. ♪ ♪ Two million bighorns once roamed some of America's toughest terrain, but like many animals, they've faced a steep decline. Today, Badlands National Park is a sanctuary for around 250 bighorns. ♪ ♪ While rocky peaks offer safety, down on the open prairie, an unusual spring ritual begins. ♪ ♪ Male sharp-tailed grouse gather together in a group called a lek. ♪ ♪ They're here for a dance competition. The best movers will win the chance to mate. (chirping) ♪ ♪ The park's flat land and short grass provide the perfect dance floor... ♪ ♪ ...where the hens are the judges. They scout prospective partners from the sidelines. ♪ ♪ With the stage set, the males go toe-to-toe. (warbling) Performers rapidly stamp their feet and shake their tail feathers. (chirping) Each defends his own spot. (chirping) If a dancer doesn't back down... (chirping) ...they settle it the old-fashioned way. (chirping) It's no holds barred. (chirping) (chirping) Despite their best efforts, the boys haven't impressed the hen, but she doesn't have to choose today. (chirping) The dance floor closes one hour after sunrise. (birds singing) Competitors will be back every morning for the next few weeks to prove their worth in the grasslands of the prairie. ♪ ♪ Badlands National Park is dominated by grass. ♪ ♪ It's America's largest mixed-grass ecosystem, where short grass from the west meets long grass from the east. Home to a greater number of plant species than any other type of prairie. ♪ ♪ But for herbivores in the park, not all grass is the same. (bison groans) For the battle-weary bison, this is what he's been looking for: prairie dogs. To regain his strength, he needs nutrient-rich feeding grounds. ♪ ♪ The grass may be short, but thanks to the prairie dogs, it's the best in the park. ♪ ♪ There's plenty to go around... ♪ ♪ (chirping) ...so he's given the all-clear. (chirps) As they graze around their homes, they leave the plants in a constant state of new growth, making them higher in protein than the rest of the plains. ♪ ♪ The bison can relax after a big meal, but there's no rest for the prairie dog gardeners. ♪ ♪ This female's burrow has been used by many generations. ♪ ♪ It takes a lot of effort to keep it in shape. ♪ ♪ Her hard work doesn't just keep things tidy, it also has a large impact on the park. ♪ ♪ She recycles the nutrients in the soil, nourishing more plants and flowers for everyone to eat. ♪ ♪ Distracted, she doesn't notice an intruder. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ The first burrowing owl has arrived. ♪ ♪ He's flown all the way from Mexico to Badlands National Park to breed. ♪ ♪ Now he's got to find a home before his mate arrives. ♪ ♪ (squawk) Despite his name, this burrowing owl seldom bothers to burrow. ♪ ♪ Why make your own when the work's already done? ♪ ♪ (chirping) The old prairie dog burrow looks perfect. ♪ ♪ Good views of the grasslands. ♪ ♪ With its own guard dogs for spotting any threats. ♪ ♪ Prime real estate secured, he hopes his mate will arrive soon. Until then he has nothing to do but wait... ♪ ♪ ...and wait some more. (squawk) ♪ ♪ A few days after the male lands in the park, his mate arrives from Mexico. ♪ ♪ Somewhat fashionably late. ♪ ♪ She's got high expectations, and immediately inspects their potential home. ♪ ♪ It's just the right size to raise a family. ♪ ♪ He showers her with housewarming gifts. ♪ ♪ Nothing impresses female burrowing owls more than a big, juicy beetle. ♪ ♪ Soon the pair will breed, and the female will lay her eggs safely in the burrow. ♪ ♪ While some travel over a thousand miles to create new life in the park, others come to see the life that was here long ago. ♪ ♪ Badlands National Park contains one of the world's richest fossil beds. Relics of sabertooth cats, the ancient ancestors of rhinos and tortoise have been found here. A Lakota legend tells of a giant serpent, longer than 100 bison. Two brothers attacked her and fired magic arrows. Her death throes tore up the land. Her remains created the Badlands. ♪ ♪ And they shift and erode by an inch a year. ♪ ♪ Eventually, wind and rain will wear them down completely. Storms are rare here, but can be intense. (thunder) Even a short downpour can reshape these ancient features. (rumbling) On the northern side of the park, Sage Creek, one of only a handful of rivers, is revitalized by rainfall. (crickets chirping) A thirsty traveler has come to drink. ♪ ♪ A cliff swallow. ♪ ♪ He and many others have flown almost 3,000 miles to be here, all the way from South America. (cacophony of chirping) He's spent the last few days scouting the park with his mate, for the perfect spot to set up home. (chirping) It's got to check all the right boxes: shade from the midday sun, hard for predators to reach, and near water. ♪ ♪ Once the females give approval, the colony launches into action. (chirping) Rains aren't only good for drinking, they also wash sediment down to the valley. Mud, made from half a million years of erosion, is the perfect nest-building material. The land where sabertooth cats once roamed is now cement for the swallows. (chirping) But with each nest taking a thousand beakfuls, they've got a lot of work to do. The rain that helps swallows build homes also revitalized the grassland. (chirp) Life around the prairie dog town is beginning to thrive. A herd of bison arrive to graze on the never-ending supply of lush grass. But bison now occupy less than one percent of their historical range. ♪ ♪ For a long time, they were nothing but a memory here. Until, in 1963, a handful were released into what is now Badlands National Park. ♪ ♪ Less than 60 years later, that handful has risen... ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ...to over 1,000 strong. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Today, Badlands National Park is a glimpse into our past. Nearly half of all temperate grasslands worldwide have been lost. They are the most endangered ecosystem on Earth. (grumbling) The park is an island of hope. As bison repopulate the prairie, life flourishes. Each one, on average, produces up to 12 quarts of dung, and gallons of urine every day. A natural fertilizer packed with chemicals and nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and calcium, all amazing for growing plants. (chirp) The prairie dog helps the bison; the bison help the grasslands. A key relationship that shapes the Great Plains. When habitats are protected, wildlife can thrive. (grumbling) (chirping) The bison have left quite the mess. The burrowing owl is on clean-up duty. Dung is good for the grass, and the smell helps hide his nest from predators. He's not the only one taking advantage of this natural resource. ♪ ♪ So does a rainbow scarab beetle. ♪ ♪ For him, dung is an irresistible meal. He's not eaten in months. All he has to do is get to it without being squashed by an oblivious bison. ♪ ♪ But it's the burrowing owl the beetle should be more worried about, still on the hunt for presents. ♪ ♪ The beetle would make an impressive gift. ♪ ♪ Time for a swift exit. ♪ ♪ (buzzing) He's not the most graceful flyer. (buzzing) But he's found what he was looking for. (flies buzzing) He's not alone. ♪ ♪ Amongst the grunting bison and the yipping prairie dogs, it's love at first sight. After a quick meal, time to get down to business. ♪ ♪ The love bugs burrow into their new home. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Working together, they create a series of tunnels. ♪ ♪ Some will act as a pantry, but this lower chamber will hold something more precious. ♪ ♪ Deep inside she has laid an egg. ♪ ♪ The dung will provide enough food to see their offspring through winter. (grumbling) If it wasn't for the beetles, the grasslands would be knee-deep in dung, which wouldn't be much fun for the prairie dogs or their new visitors. (chirping) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Badlands is visited by close to a million tourists a year who come here to hike, take in the sights, and rest in beautiful campsites. ♪ ♪ Now is the best time to be in a prairie dog town. (chirping) It's pupping season. Curious pups are popping up all over Badlands National Park. Mom has her hands full. She's spent the last few weeks tending to her young in the safety of her burrow. It's time to introduce them to the outside world. (grumbling) Bison must look so odd. Closer to home, there's something even more scary: their jealous aunt. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ As mom tidies her burrow, dirt is promptly kicked back in her face. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (squeaking) It's a family feud that's been brewing for weeks. ♪ ♪ The aunt doesn't like sharing space. Tempers are fraying. ♪ ♪ It's a literal turf war. ♪ ♪ (chirping) The new mom has had enough. There is no misreading this signal. (chirping) That should be the end of it. But this dog won't let it lie. ♪ ♪ (shrieking) Mom has to teach her sister a lesson. With teeth and claws made for digging, they are formidable fighters. Serious injuries can occur. (squeaking) (squeaking) Family. Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em. Nobody messes with a mom and her pups. (yipping) All clear. The war is over. The old bull's strength is back, but while everyone is building a home or starting a family, he remains, sadly, alone. (grumbling) He finds his own source of comfort: a scratching post. Park rangers have installed a number of posts and signs, perfect to target those hard-to-reach itches. (grunt) But his peace is short-lived. (thunder) Weather can change quickly in the Badlands, even in the summer. (thunder) Storms bring vital rain to the park that has begun to dry out under months of hot sun. (thunder) But for some, rain can be disastrous. (thunder) ♪ ♪ Like the Badlands, the cliff swallows' home is eroding. Water brought them here, but now it's destroyed their home. Floodwater has caused the rock face to collapse. The colony is gone. There's barely a sign they were ever here. But swallows are industrious. (cacophony of chirping) Just days later, they've wasted no time. Their nests rebuilt under a bridge. Once confined to the cliff faces of western America, the expansion of roads and bridges has extended the cliff swallows' range. (chirping) (chirping) The pair are now living in a first-class high-rise. (chirping) (chirping) The swallows have a great view. Even if they are a little tightly packed together. (chirping) The bridge is now a swallow city with its own rush hour. (chirping) (chirping) But it's no utopia. ♪ ♪ A bull snake has found the swallows. (chirping) (chirping) But he's not here for them. (chirping) The bull snake will eat a cliff swallow if given the chance. (chirping) There's little the birds can do to fight him off. (chirping) (chirping) But he's looking for a less feathery meal: the swallows' eggs. ♪ ♪ The cliff swallow can take her chances and stay with her eggs or flee. (chirping) (chirping) This early into the breeding season, it's simply not worth the risk. (chirping) The pair still has time to start again. (chirping) (chirping) ♪ ♪ The burrowing owls spent the storm in the safety of their burrow. As they emerge, they are not alone. (screeching) The first chick is eager to see the world. It's very hungry. (screeching) Feeding one chick is hard work. Feeding two is a challenge. (screeching) Mom guards, Dad hunts. It's relentless. ♪ ♪ Now there's three chicks. (screeching) Five chicks. (screeching) And imagine his surprise when the tired dad returns to find seven mouths to feed. (screeching) ♪ ♪ In a week, the chicks double in size. Just when he thinks he can get some rest, a latecomer arrives, dwarfed by his siblings. He's got some serious catching up to do. (screeching) If he's gonna get fed, he's got to toughen up. (screech) ♪ ♪ Try as he might, he can't get to the front of the line. (screeching) Late-hatching chicks don't often make it to adulthood. (screeching) ♪ ♪ But in the insect-rich prairie dog town, there's plenty to eat. (screeching) He finally gets fed. ♪ ♪ Revitalized, he's back in the game. ♪ ♪ On your marks, get set, go. (screeching) ♪ ♪ The little burrowing owl finally learns the meaning of a food coma. ♪ ♪ (grumbling) It's been a year, and the old bison finally returns to the battleground. ♪ ♪ With the help of Badlands National Park and its prairie dogs, he's back to full strength. ♪ ♪ The herd gathers for the epic rut fought in the very heart of the park. ♪ ♪ Contenders arrive. ♪ ♪ Old enemies reunite. ♪ ♪ (grumbling) This could be the old bull's last chance at domination... (grumbling) ...and to leave a dynasty. ♪ ♪ (thunder) (bellowing) At last year's rut, the old bull was beaten and weak. But the park has brought him back to life. (grumbling) He's ready to rut. (grunt) (grumbling) Each female must be won over, then shielded from rival males. ♪ ♪ (bellowing) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ First, a roll in the dust shows he is fighting fit. ♪ ♪ (grunt) ♪ ♪ (grunt) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ It's his day of reckoning. ♪ ♪ (grumbling) 2,000 pounds of muscle looking for a fight. (grunting) (rocks clattering) (grunting) (snort) But not just one fight. (grunting) Fight... after fight... after fight. ♪ ♪ And so far, so good. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ But a new arrival is bigger. ♪ ♪ This is everything the old bull has been preparing for. There's no backing down now. (bellowing) Challenge accepted. ♪ ♪ (bellowing) The pair are evenly matched, but the old bull has experience. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (bellowing) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ The rival concedes... and retreats. (grumbling) The old bull claims a hard-won victory. ♪ ♪ (bellowing) ♪ ♪ It's his glory day. His blood will run in the next generation. Protected, his offspring will flourish in the park and build on the rising number of bison native to this land. ♪ ♪ The reintroduction of bison into the Badlands National Park is a success story to witness. ♪ ♪ It cements a new chapter in the history of this land. ♪ ♪ The Badlands are a sanctuary for wildlife. Amongst the fossils, new life blooms. (chirping) ♪ ♪ Icons now returned, the guardians of the Great Plains are back to maintain this wilderness for years to come. (yipping) (music) NARRATOR: Along the coast of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, humpback whales are on the move. (music) Every year, these magnificent animals travel from Alaska in search of warmer waters. (music) The Hawaiians call these 40-ton mammals 'kohola'. (music) Up to twelve thousand make the epic journey. (music) Hawaii is a much-needed sanctuary to this endangered species. (music) A unique setting where ocean and lava collide. (music) Hawaii is the only place in the U.S. where humpbacks breed and nurse their young. Born with very little fat, calves would soon freeze to death in the cold waters of Alaska. Mothers come to these clear, shallow waters to avoid predators. (music) But there's a catch. There's no food here. The moms go hungry, losing up to forty percent of their weight, raising their calves. It's a sacrifice that pays off. Humpback populations are increasing. The park is just one place to see these giants of the deep. But they are not its biggest attraction. Two massive volcanoes are. The first is Kilauea. One of the most active volcanoes on Earth. The lava lake inside this crater can be more than seven hundred and fifty feet deep. Its lava flows can reach the sea ten miles away. Kilauea is so big that even its vents and craters are huge. Starting in 1983, one of these vents erupted for thirty-five years! It produced so much lava that it covered the coast road, burying it more than 100 feet deep. To the west is the second volcano and it's the biggest on the planet. This is Mauna Loa, rising more than fifty-six thousand feet above its base, much taller than even Mount Everest. The park exists thanks to eruptions over hundreds of thousands of years, where hardened lava forms a solid foundation for life. Close to the source, poisonous gas fumes escape from hot vents, called 'fumaroles.' This landscape is often swept clean by molten lava. It's one of the most barren and toxic environments on Earth. Nature has had to adapt to living in this land of fire. (music) A wingless lava cricket. After an eruption, she is the first creature to take up residence in this hostile landscape. The ultimate pioneer. No larger than a fingernail she survives by eating morsels of food that blow in with the ocean breeze. Nobody knows where she comes from, where she goes, or how long she lives. In many ways, she's a mystery. At some point known only to her, she'll leave. The lava cricket isn't the only unusual resident that has adapted to this extreme environment. On these inhospitable slopes there isn't any soil, only hardened lava where the 'ohi' a lehua tree takes root. It is one of the first plants to do so after an eruption. Growing from tiny windblown seeds, this incredibly rugged tree anchors its roots in cracks and crevices. When toxic volcanic gases blow its way, the plant closes its breathing pores, called 'stomata', in essence, holding its breath. The Hawaiians revere these trees. When they speak of people who are skilled, strong, and beloved, they refer to them as 'pua lehua' or lehua blossoms. They grow up to one hundred feet tall and can live over a thousand years. Over time, the tough, volcanic specialists will grow from gangly individuals into incredible tropical forests. (music) Eighty percent of Hawaii's native trees are 'ohi a lehua'. Another reason for their success is their aerial root systems, which draw in moisture from the Pacific's tropical air. With roots in the air and digging deep into the lava below, the ohi a tree ensures its survival and provides a home for other creatures. The forests are a biological treasure, a sanctuary for rare and fantastical native species. Some are endemic, like the happy face spider, found only in Hawaii. Unlike many spiders, she doesn't wait to catch her prey in a web but, instead, actively hunts for food. When she senses an insect nearby, she throws a sticky silk over it just like a lasso, and hauls it in. There are also few unwelcome visitors. Like the Jackson's three horned chameleon. This species was brought to Hawaii from East Africa in the 1970s. It is considered an invasive species. Hunting native snails, insects and spiders, it poses a threat to the delicate balance of this magical forest. But there's another native creature here that fights to keep the balance. NARRATOR: This caterpillar is a special resident in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Commonly known as an inchworm. These little herbivores have evolved to blend in amongst the ohi a blossoms. But the cute little inchworm has a killer cousin. Which has a dramatically different approach to getting food. It's not pollen or nectar he's after. These are some of the only carnivorous caterpillars on the planet! He latches on to the branch with his rear prolegs and waits for a victim to come close. With six front tarsal claws ready to snatch his prey, he sits perfectly still until something triggers his rear sensory bristles. Faster than the blink of an eye, he eats his prey alive. A magical forest, growing on lava, that's home to a carnivorous caterpillar might sound like fiction, but this park is where legends, lore, and real life combine. Trees, rocks, plants and animals can all have connections to deities and spirits. Nowhere is that connection stronger than within the heart of Kilauea, in the Halema uma u Crater. Tradition holds this is the home of the goddess Pele. According to legend, Pele is the daughter of the Earth Mother 'Papa' and Sky Father 'Wakea', two of the most ancient and revered of all Hawaiian gods. Pele is known as 'she who shapes the sacred lands'. Ancient legends inspire people today and shape much of life throughout Hawaii. For over one thousand years, Hawaiians have cherished this land. They continue to strive to find balance, to protect their home, including Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Dr. Sam Ohu Gon is an advocate for integration of Hawaiian values and knowledge. DR SAM OHU GON: Our traditions place great value on nature. The park is a protected place, but that protection extends beyond the park, to all of the islands of Hawaii. It's a sacred part of who we are, as a people. Hawaiians call their ancestor gods 'aumakua' and they can take the form of native plants and animals. Such a form as a kino lau, a physical manifestation of a deity. When the gods are also your family and the elements of nature their physical presence, your relationship with nature is fundamentally transformed. Of all the Hawaiian traditional values, the one most globally recognized today is aloha, empathetic compassion, love. The aloha that you extend to family extends further in Hawaiian thought, to all of the elements of nature around you and your 'aina', the lands of your place. This emerges as aloha aina, a deep appreciation and love for all the features of the land, such that you realize that you are not whole without your place and that the fate and health of your place is your own fate, your own health. Hawaiians believe that this applies across all lands, on every island and around the world. NARRATOR: That connection extends to all of the creatures on Earth, no matter where they call home or how far they roam. (music) A green sea turtle, called 'honu' by Hawaiians, is making her way to the park. The honu is an 'aumakua', a friendly spirit that watches over and protects Hawaiian families. After twenty years at sea, she's heading for the shallow and inviting waters along Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. She's been lucky so far. Only one in a thousand baby turtles survive to adulthood. But her greatest fight may lay ahead. NARRATOR: A tiger shark off the coast of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park A green sea turtle is just the ticket. Out-swimming the shark isn't an option. But a clever defense might save her life. Turning on her side makes her too big a meal for the shark to get its jaws around. She's not tiring but the shark is using up a lot of energy. Brains win out over brawn and the turtle continues on her journey. Green sea turtles have been protected throughout the United States since 1978. But the park was founded long before then. It was established in 1916 by President Woodrow Wilson, in order to protect these wild and wonderful landscapes. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is one of the oldest national parks in the U.S. ♪(singing in native language)♪ But Hawaiians were here first. ♪(singing in native language)♪ The park is filled with a rich cultural tradition. ♪(singing in native language)♪ It's thought that early Hawaiians carved these petroglyphs more than five hundred years ago, using stones to etch the images deep into the cooled lava. The carvings in the park form the largest concentration of petroglyphs anywhere in Hawaii. On land, people, plants, and animals learned to live alongside lava. But it also shapes life in the ocean. During an eruption, flowing lava creates channels underground. These channels are lava tubes, created when molten lava cools on the surface but continues to flow underneath. Along the edges of the park, where lava meets the sea, these lava tubes offer a different type of opportunity for some of the ocean's fiercest sea dwellers. Here, in the confines of the tubes, white-tip reef sharks find safety from larger predators, like the tiger shark. They look like they're asleep, but are simply in a deep state of calm, something that's easier to achieve in the safety of the lava tubes. Amidst the labyrinth exists another species that's found a clever way to survive in this fish-eat-fish world. The Hawaiian cleaner wrasse. He provides an invaluable service that the other reef dwellers take full advantage of. Like his name suggests, he cleans all of the residents, big and little, relieving them of unwanted parasites, broken scales or mucus. The fish crowd around him, jostling to be next. His striking colors and the way he moves is a signal to other fish. That he is here to help. But, can every fish be trusted? NARRATOR: The Hawaiian cleaner wrasse now undertakes a somewhat terrifying task. Even the scariest of ocean dwellers rely on him to help them survive. What the reef shark might gain as a meal is nothing compared to what it gets by staying clean of parasites. All life here is connected, creating unique opportunities in the heart of the most fiery wonders within the park. When 2000-degree lava meets the sea, things get explosive! The heat from the lava raises the water temperature. Minerals disperse. A vital food source for the ocean's smallest organisms, plankton. These tiny creatures are the precursors to much of the wildlife that we know in the sea. Plankton includes a wide range of organisms such as bacteria, algae, and microscopic animals. In one teaspoon of sea water as many as a million single-celled plankton can be found. Without them, entire marine ecosystems could collapse. And along the coast of the Big Island of Hawaii, the abundance of plankton attracts a creature that seems out of this world. For divers with the desire for a unique underwater experience, there's a once in a lifetime encounter to be had. The 'hahalua' is also known as the reef manta ray. Despite a formidable wing span of up to fourteen feet, they surprisingly only eat tiny plankton. These gentle giants pose no threat to people. Reef mantas have the largest brain size of any fish. They are highly intelligent, and recent experiments show, self-aware. This trait is also shared by dolphins, primates, and elephants so it puts the manta in a pretty select club. Inside the park, Pele wakes up. When her mind is set to destroy, there's little that can escape her wrath. But once in a while, Pele's mercy can create a sanctuary that is unlike any other place on Earth. NARRATOR: This is a kipuka forest, woodland spared by lava flows, now extremely isolated. Its seclusion creates the opportunity for unimaginable islands of habitat. This forest has been cut off by continual lava flows going back at least 8,600 years. Life has evolved independently from other areas on the island. Thanks to a process known as adaptive radiation, the isolation of these kipukas is behind the incredible number of unique species that live here. From as few as 250 original insect species, Hawaii is now home to more than 7,500. Species may be found here that exist nowhere else on Earth, not even in forests a few miles away. But there is a looming threat. Rapid Ohi a Death is a foreign fungal disease that the native trees are defenseless against. Even with the protection of the park, up to 90 percent of all infected trees die. Losing the ohi a forests would be disastrous, not only for Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, but for the creatures that depend on them. Including a bird, considered to be one of the most spectacular examples of evolution on the planet. Meet the scarlet Hawaiian honeycreeper. There's been at least 59 different species of honeycreepers throughout Hawaiian history. Some scientists suggest they all descended from a single ancestor. The flowers of the ohi a tree are their main source of food. (music) That curvy beak is a special adaptation that allows better access to nectar deep within. (music) What may have started out as one species of bird evolved into dozens of different types, each in their own little world. Where once there were 59 species, only 17 exist today. The rest are sadly extinct. And there's another bird found here who's custom built for this place. This is a cousin of the scarlet honeycreeper. He doesn't feed on nectar. He eats insects. An incredibly rare bird, there are approximately one thousand left in the wild. The Hawaiian woodpecker. He locates his prey with his lower beak, using it like a pick-axe to dig. The curved top beak gives him reach to extract the tasty larvae inside. Once again, the park nurtures life in the least expected places. The ohi a lehua tree has another surprise in store. Not only do its roots in the sky help to capture precious moisture, they also delve deep beneath the ground too, emerging into an alien world. NARRATOR: Below the surface of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, there is a hidden and mysterious world like no other. Deep inside the lava tubes that criss-cross underground. The roots dangle through the cave ceiling. They help to transport and provide an essential ingredient for life, water. While the lava tubes may seem like they'd be barren of life, it turns out these roots provide an environment for rare insects. Cave biologists from around the U.S. have been studying the communities of animals living in the lava tubes. Recently, a research team discovered a remarkable number of new species. The new discoveries hint at what may yet be found. We're still learning how these hidden places are connected and essential to life above ground. Where some lava tubes are seemingly inaccessible, others welcome us into their mysterious depths. This tunnel was created over 500 years ago by a river of molten lava that exceeded temperatures of 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. This is 'Nahuku', or Thurston Lava Tube, one of the most visited sites in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. It's part of the network of tunnels that spans more than forty miles from Kilauea. Descending 3,600 feet beneath the surface, it is the longest and deepest lava tube network on the planet. The park has more than half a million visitors every year, but humans are not the only species to keep coming back. After thousands of miles and more than twenty years at sea, a female green sea turtle returns to the park's inshore waters. This is her homecoming debut. But first, she needs a bit of a clean-up. Over the years, her shell has become covered in algae. It doesn't hurt her but it does slow her down. Up until now, there wasn't anything she could do about it. Today, she's in luck! Yellow and black tangs offer a unique cleaning service. It's a symbiotic relationship. The turtle gets cleaned and the fish get a meal. Before long, she'll find her way back to the beach where she was born. There she'll lay her eggs and continue the circle of life. As some residents return, others leave. Winter break is over. It's time for the humpbacks to begin their migration back to the cooler waters of Alaska. Their numbers have grown. Their time in Hawaii has been productive and the calves are strong enough to embark on the 3000 mile journey. The humpbacks keep in constant contact through complex vocalizations. Some of their low frequency calls can travel through water up to 10,000 miles! Next year, the whales will return to this special place, like so many visitors to the park choose to do. The park was born from lava, and it's how it continues to grow. Eruptions of Kilauea and Mauna Loa produce new layers of land that make the island bigger. But the park is so much more than just volcanoes and lava. (music) Every day in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park can reveal something new and unexpected. (music) The land and its inhabitants live in a precious balance. (music) Ancient Hawaiians knew it, and we recognize it today. (music) By understanding how important this place is to all of us, we become part of something bigger than just the park, something essential, memorable, legendary.

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Channel: National Geographic

Views: 5,551,295

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Keywords: national geographic, nat geo, natgeo, animals, wildlife, science, explore, discover, survival, nature, culture, documentary, perpetual planet nat geo, photography, full episode, America's National Parks nat geo, America's National Parks national geographic, America's National Parks mega episode, America's National Parks season 1, America's National Parks, season 1 mega episode, season 1, Full Episode, National Parks, full episodes compilation

Id: r10g5gERB04

Channel Id: undefined

Length: 220min 16sec (13216 seconds)

Published: Sun Apr 28 2024