1
00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:14,556
[animal panting]

2
00:00:21,396 --> 00:00:24,399
[Bryan Cranston] All the qualities
found in the dogs we love

3
00:00:26,026 --> 00:00:28,611
are inherited from their wild ancestors.

4
00:00:33,783 --> 00:00:35,326
Sharp senses,

5
00:00:37,078 --> 00:00:38,371
athleticism…

6
00:00:40,540 --> 00:00:42,208
and fierce determination

7
00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:46,546
have helped canines take on the world.

8
00:00:47,922 --> 00:00:50,550
[uplifting music playing]

9
00:00:53,219 --> 00:00:57,557
But the real secret of their success
is much more surprising.

10
00:00:58,641 --> 00:01:00,894
It's a story of their intimate side.

11
00:01:03,104 --> 00:01:04,981
It's what makes every dog,

12
00:01:05,065 --> 00:01:07,150
from pet pooch to wild wolf,

13
00:01:07,233 --> 00:01:08,443
one of the family.

14
00:01:14,324 --> 00:01:16,242
[low growling]

15
00:01:27,962 --> 00:01:31,508
Every dog's story
begins hidden away in a den.

16
00:01:45,396 --> 00:01:49,734
It's a place of safety
for 15 African wild dog puppies.

17
00:01:49,818 --> 00:01:52,320
[puppies whimper]

18
00:01:54,364 --> 00:01:55,615
Five weeks old.

19
00:01:56,533 --> 00:01:58,743
Desperate for a solid meal.

20
00:02:01,371 --> 00:02:03,498
Their babysitters are hungry too.

21
00:02:08,670 --> 00:02:10,004
Like domestic dogs,

22
00:02:10,088 --> 00:02:12,632
they depend on others for food.

23
00:02:14,050 --> 00:02:15,468
But unlike our pets,

24
00:02:15,552 --> 00:02:18,054
they're never sure if dinner will arrive.

25
00:02:18,138 --> 00:02:19,514
[whimpering]

26
00:02:30,733 --> 00:02:36,030
Mom, Dad, and the rest of the family
have been out hunting since dawn.

27
00:02:38,283 --> 00:02:40,285
[dramatic drumbeat]

28
00:02:43,705 --> 00:02:44,581
In step.

29
00:02:46,249 --> 00:02:47,667
Thinking as one.

30
00:02:52,547 --> 00:02:55,175
Specialists in running down large prey,

31
00:02:55,842 --> 00:02:58,094
they can hit 40 miles an hour.

32
00:02:58,178 --> 00:03:00,555
[dramatic drumbeat continues]

33
00:03:07,312 --> 00:03:09,147
But not on flooded land.

34
00:03:19,699 --> 00:03:21,451
[water splashing]

35
00:03:21,534 --> 00:03:24,537
They need to push their prey
onto more solid ground.

36
00:03:29,375 --> 00:03:30,335
[grunting]

37
00:03:34,005 --> 00:03:38,051
But the lechwe know
deeper water could be a lifesaver.

38
00:03:39,719 --> 00:03:41,763
[dramatic music plays]

39
00:03:48,770 --> 00:03:50,605
[water splashing]

40
00:04:13,419 --> 00:04:14,629
Outmaneuvered.

41
00:04:15,255 --> 00:04:16,381
Out of their depth.

42
00:04:20,969 --> 00:04:23,388
Now, it's getting too hot to hunt.

43
00:04:27,892 --> 00:04:31,771
Returning home with nothing
means the whole family will suffer.

44
00:04:37,318 --> 00:04:39,696
[gentle music plays]

45
00:04:41,864 --> 00:04:43,866
[whimpering]

46
00:04:52,041 --> 00:04:54,544
Weaning mouths beg Mom for meat.

47
00:04:58,381 --> 00:05:02,302
[whimpering continues]

48
00:05:03,219 --> 00:05:05,179
But a little milk is all she can offer.

49
00:05:05,263 --> 00:05:06,597
[whimpering continues]

50
00:05:13,604 --> 00:05:16,816
If they don't eat soon,
the puppies will perish.

51
00:05:20,028 --> 00:05:22,363
The next days will be critical.

52
00:05:24,198 --> 00:05:27,869
To make it, the pack will need
all the qualities they share

53
00:05:27,952 --> 00:05:30,371
with members of their wider family.

54
00:05:32,290 --> 00:05:34,751
[howling]

55
00:05:34,834 --> 00:05:36,502
The family of wolves…

56
00:05:38,921 --> 00:05:41,132
foxes, wild dogs,

57
00:05:41,716 --> 00:05:42,550
and jackals.

58
00:05:43,301 --> 00:05:45,303
[upbeat music plays]

59
00:05:46,012 --> 00:05:48,056
Thirty-five species.

60
00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:52,018
Every one a hunter.

61
00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:59,150
Whether a 60-kilogram wolf
or a Chihuahua-sized fox,

62
00:06:00,151 --> 00:06:05,365
they range across the planet,
from the Sahara to the Arctic.

63
00:06:06,366 --> 00:06:09,118
[wind rushing]

64
00:06:09,786 --> 00:06:13,539
All have exceptional smell,
sight, and hearing.

65
00:06:16,751 --> 00:06:18,878
And they're athletic.

66
00:06:20,004 --> 00:06:22,840
-But they're not the fastest carnivores.
-[grunting]

67
00:06:24,717 --> 00:06:26,260
Certainly not the biggest.

68
00:06:30,264 --> 00:06:31,140
[squawking]

69
00:06:33,643 --> 00:06:35,812
All dogs punch above their weight.

70
00:06:36,646 --> 00:06:39,190
An ability rooted in their distant past.

71
00:06:40,900 --> 00:06:44,028
[distant howling]

72
00:06:44,112 --> 00:06:46,447
Over 40 million years ago,

73
00:06:47,073 --> 00:06:51,119
the first dogs appeared
in what's now the American southwest.

74
00:06:53,329 --> 00:06:55,331
It's still home to a throwback.

75
00:06:58,334 --> 00:07:01,379
A gray fox may look like a fox,

76
00:07:02,630 --> 00:07:06,426
but it's more closely related
to the canines' primitive ancestors.

77
00:07:10,596 --> 00:07:13,391
This is how all dogs started out.

78
00:07:15,017 --> 00:07:15,852
Small.

79
00:07:18,396 --> 00:07:19,230
Scared.

80
00:07:21,649 --> 00:07:26,154
A more modern dog,
a coyote, will kill him if he can.

81
00:07:29,282 --> 00:07:31,033
[distant howling]

82
00:07:37,248 --> 00:07:39,709
But the gray fox has a trick.

83
00:07:44,005 --> 00:07:45,465
He climbs trees.

84
00:07:47,717 --> 00:07:50,136
Something most dogs can't do.

85
00:07:54,098 --> 00:07:56,934
Long claws, short limbs.

86
00:07:58,102 --> 00:07:58,936
Agile.

87
00:08:01,439 --> 00:08:03,733
More cat than dog.

88
00:08:14,327 --> 00:08:18,206
The early ancestors got through
by staying out of trouble.

89
00:08:20,166 --> 00:08:23,336
But eventually,
they came down from the trees

90
00:08:23,419 --> 00:08:26,214
and became the feisty hunters
we know today.

91
00:08:31,177 --> 00:08:34,805
Over time, short, sturdy legs lengthened

92
00:08:36,682 --> 00:08:39,477
and dogs went right up on their toes.

93
00:08:40,061 --> 00:08:42,063
[upbeat music plays]

94
00:08:50,321 --> 00:08:54,408
Strong muscles
and special ligaments in their forelegs

95
00:08:54,492 --> 00:08:56,577
give them the spring in their step.

96
00:09:04,001 --> 00:09:06,170
[upbeat music continues]

97
00:09:09,924 --> 00:09:11,467
It's a gait so efficient,

98
00:09:12,885 --> 00:09:16,556
it's transformed them
into world-class endurance runners.

99
00:09:19,642 --> 00:09:21,644
[upbeat music stops]

100
00:09:32,113 --> 00:09:34,323
[animal panting]

101
00:09:34,407 --> 00:09:38,578
In the freezing North,
food is hard to find.

102
00:09:40,538 --> 00:09:42,206
[whimpers softly]

103
00:09:42,290 --> 00:09:43,833
A gray wolf couple,

104
00:09:43,916 --> 00:09:46,419
each twice the weight
of a German shepherd,

105
00:09:46,502 --> 00:09:47,712
lead their family.

106
00:09:56,304 --> 00:09:59,140
They may travel up to 60 miles a day.

107
00:10:08,482 --> 00:10:09,317
[sniffs]

108
00:10:10,067 --> 00:10:12,320
Tracking down their prey is one thing.

109
00:10:14,864 --> 00:10:16,574
Killing it is another.

110
00:10:21,078 --> 00:10:23,414
Adult bison weigh around a ton.

111
00:10:23,497 --> 00:10:24,373
[bison snorts]

112
00:10:25,583 --> 00:10:27,835
And they have lethal horns and hooves.

113
00:10:39,347 --> 00:10:41,766
If they stand their ground,

114
00:10:42,391 --> 00:10:44,435
the herd is like a fortress.

115
00:10:48,814 --> 00:10:50,024
[bison grunting]

116
00:10:52,026 --> 00:10:52,943
[growling]

117
00:10:54,820 --> 00:10:57,239
The wolf family lay siege.

118
00:11:04,580 --> 00:11:07,249
Searching for a hint of fear
or a weakness.

119
00:11:08,292 --> 00:11:10,544
[bison grunting]

120
00:11:12,380 --> 00:11:13,631
They hang in

121
00:11:15,049 --> 00:11:15,966
for days.

122
00:11:18,427 --> 00:11:19,887
No need to do much.

123
00:11:21,222 --> 00:11:22,973
Keep them surrounded.

124
00:11:25,226 --> 00:11:27,395
Prey on the bison's minds.

125
00:11:27,478 --> 00:11:29,146
[bison grunting]

126
00:11:30,189 --> 00:11:31,691
[suspenseful music plays]

127
00:11:33,609 --> 00:11:38,823
[howling]

128
00:11:38,906 --> 00:11:41,826
Eventually,
the wolves get under their skin.

129
00:11:42,618 --> 00:11:44,620
[suspenseful music continues]

130
00:11:56,424 --> 00:11:59,218
Now, they must keep them on the run.

131
00:11:59,301 --> 00:12:01,303
[suspenseful music continues]

132
00:12:25,661 --> 00:12:27,329
Father leads the chase.

133
00:12:28,247 --> 00:12:30,249
[suspenseful music continues]

134
00:12:35,045 --> 00:12:36,338
He hounds the bison…

135
00:12:38,632 --> 00:12:40,801
at huge risk to himself.

136
00:12:42,803 --> 00:12:44,054
[grunting]

137
00:12:45,389 --> 00:12:47,558
[grunting]

138
00:12:47,641 --> 00:12:50,686
Once he's selected a victim,
he doesn't give up.

139
00:12:55,566 --> 00:12:57,568
[suspenseful music continues]

140
00:13:15,085 --> 00:13:16,253
Bite by bite,

141
00:13:17,213 --> 00:13:19,340
he wears the young bison down.

142
00:13:31,477 --> 00:13:33,270
-[wolf barks]
-[bison grunts]

143
00:13:35,147 --> 00:13:37,608
Dogs aren't equipped to make a clean kill.

144
00:13:37,691 --> 00:13:39,026
[bison grunts]

145
00:13:39,109 --> 00:13:39,985
[wolf yelps]

146
00:13:43,489 --> 00:13:44,698
But he's relentless.

147
00:13:47,284 --> 00:13:48,869
[grunting]

148
00:13:53,290 --> 00:13:56,752
[grunting]

149
00:14:02,049 --> 00:14:04,093
[howling]

150
00:14:14,270 --> 00:14:19,191
Endurance helps him take down prey
at least five times heavier than himself.

151
00:14:25,281 --> 00:14:27,950
It changes the entire family's fortunes.

152
00:14:38,377 --> 00:14:40,671
Not all dogs hunt in packs.

153
00:14:43,173 --> 00:14:45,342
One operates as a lone wolf.

154
00:14:48,846 --> 00:14:51,432
At first glance, she looks like a fox.

155
00:14:52,558 --> 00:14:53,559
Only she

156
00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:55,728
walks on stilts.

157
00:14:57,980 --> 00:15:01,150
The maned wolf
is the tallest dog on the planet.

158
00:15:14,997 --> 00:15:18,167
To find her food,
she needs height, not speed.

159
00:15:19,877 --> 00:15:25,090
She's nearly a meter at the shoulder.
All the better to see over the tall grass.

160
00:15:29,428 --> 00:15:32,431
Few large animals
inhabit these arid plains.

161
00:15:33,807 --> 00:15:35,225
With little to chase,

162
00:15:36,018 --> 00:15:37,227
she works alone.

163
00:15:41,482 --> 00:15:44,526
She relies
on her incredible nose and ears.

164
00:15:45,611 --> 00:15:49,740
Her sense of smell is around
50 times more sensitive than our own.

165
00:15:50,866 --> 00:15:54,411
And her hearing
tunes in to ultra-high frequencies.

166
00:15:54,495 --> 00:15:55,621
[shrill squeaking]

167
00:15:58,749 --> 00:16:02,378
[squeaking]

168
00:16:03,420 --> 00:16:06,131
[squeaking]

169
00:16:06,632 --> 00:16:11,011
[squeaking and pattering]

170
00:16:11,845 --> 00:16:13,222
[shrill squeaking]

171
00:16:14,306 --> 00:16:17,726
[squeaking and pattering]

172
00:16:20,896 --> 00:16:25,985
[squeaking]

173
00:16:30,322 --> 00:16:32,533
[squeaking]

174
00:16:39,331 --> 00:16:43,210
Hunting prey this small
leaves her very little downtime.

175
00:17:00,227 --> 00:17:01,311
[squeaking]

176
00:17:03,689 --> 00:17:06,233
But rodents aren't enough to fill her up.

177
00:17:08,152 --> 00:17:10,029
Under a fruiting Lubera tree,

178
00:17:11,071 --> 00:17:14,533
she reveals something unexpected
about the dog family.

179
00:17:18,829 --> 00:17:21,749
Sometimes even carnivores go vegetarian.

180
00:17:24,752 --> 00:17:28,630
Dogs have smaller
but more versatile teeth than cats,

181
00:17:29,214 --> 00:17:31,592
so most of them can eat almost anything.

182
00:17:35,971 --> 00:17:41,143
A flexitarian diet means dogs can make do
when normal prey is hard to find.

183
00:17:45,647 --> 00:17:47,900
And can thrive almost everywhere.

184
00:17:51,987 --> 00:17:54,323
[barking]

185
00:17:54,406 --> 00:17:57,534
Even the concrete jungle
offers them a home.

186
00:17:58,827 --> 00:18:00,829
[dance music plays]

187
00:18:02,206 --> 00:18:03,457
In many cities,

188
00:18:03,540 --> 00:18:06,710
red foxes patrol the streets after dark.

189
00:18:10,631 --> 00:18:14,009
Their presence depends
on a fundamental canine quality.

190
00:18:16,678 --> 00:18:18,889
It's all to do with what's going on

191
00:18:19,765 --> 00:18:20,766
below ground.

192
00:18:25,896 --> 00:18:27,940
A vixen has just given birth.

193
00:18:29,358 --> 00:18:30,484
[whimpering]

194
00:18:33,487 --> 00:18:36,448
Every wild dog begins life in a den,

195
00:18:36,532 --> 00:18:38,575
usually scraped out by Mom.

196
00:18:40,285 --> 00:18:41,286
[whimpering]

197
00:18:46,583 --> 00:18:47,668
It's safe here,

198
00:18:47,751 --> 00:18:51,338
so cubs can be born small and helpless.

199
00:18:52,589 --> 00:18:54,091
And litters can be large.

200
00:19:00,013 --> 00:19:02,975
Making milk
for her seven cubs is draining her.

201
00:19:03,642 --> 00:19:05,894
But they need to be fed around the clock.

202
00:19:06,436 --> 00:19:09,273
She can't afford
to leave them to go feed herself.

203
00:19:11,567 --> 00:19:16,280
Behind every great vixen
is a Fantastic Mr. Fox.

204
00:19:17,573 --> 00:19:18,907
[rock music plays]

205
00:19:18,991 --> 00:19:19,867
[sniffs]

206
00:19:22,786 --> 00:19:27,166
He roams the city
and picks up all the food she needs.

207
00:19:33,213 --> 00:19:34,506
This is rare.

208
00:19:36,758 --> 00:19:41,263
Not many mammal moms
can rely on Dad to stick around.

209
00:19:42,389 --> 00:19:47,060
But every family of wild dogs
has a devoted father that provides.

210
00:19:47,769 --> 00:19:52,232
This loyalty is the origin
of the bond between dogs and humans.

211
00:19:55,068 --> 00:19:58,071
And means more cubs tend to survive.

212
00:19:59,615 --> 00:20:01,617
[tranquil music plays]

213
00:20:12,586 --> 00:20:16,423
The success of the dog family
is not about physical power.

214
00:20:18,300 --> 00:20:22,721
It's thanks to lifelong partnerships
between Mom and Dad.

215
00:20:39,488 --> 00:20:43,450
The African wild dog's devotion
is being tested to the limit.

216
00:20:47,996 --> 00:20:51,917
With 15 pups
and over 20 older brothers and sisters,

217
00:20:53,460 --> 00:20:56,046
it's vital they hunt successfully soon.

218
00:21:06,515 --> 00:21:08,433
Dad has sensed something.

219
00:21:13,438 --> 00:21:14,982
But it's not prey.

220
00:21:15,065 --> 00:21:16,108
[dog growls]

221
00:21:19,444 --> 00:21:21,530
[lion growls]

222
00:21:22,239 --> 00:21:23,573
It's another predator.

223
00:21:28,954 --> 00:21:31,123
Lions will kill wild dogs.

224
00:21:31,957 --> 00:21:32,791
[growls]

225
00:21:35,961 --> 00:21:38,422
[growls]

226
00:21:38,922 --> 00:21:41,925
[whimpering]

227
00:21:42,801 --> 00:21:45,220
The puppies are at serious risk.

228
00:21:45,304 --> 00:21:46,763
[whimpering]

229
00:21:46,847 --> 00:21:47,681
[barking]

230
00:21:54,980 --> 00:21:57,357
[tense music playing]

231
00:22:00,193 --> 00:22:01,069
[growls]

232
00:22:04,281 --> 00:22:05,991
To fight would be futile.

233
00:22:06,074 --> 00:22:06,908
[growls]

234
00:22:08,410 --> 00:22:09,870
[growls]

235
00:22:12,706 --> 00:22:13,623
[growls]

236
00:22:13,707 --> 00:22:16,626
Better to lure the lioness
away from the den.

237
00:22:16,710 --> 00:22:18,712
[suspenseful music plays]

238
00:22:36,646 --> 00:22:37,481
It works.

239
00:22:40,233 --> 00:22:43,737
But now she knows their hiding place,
she could come back.

240
00:22:47,449 --> 00:22:50,077
[growls]

241
00:22:50,911 --> 00:22:52,913
[foreboding music plays]

242
00:22:59,544 --> 00:23:01,004
The dogs have to gamble…

243
00:23:04,674 --> 00:23:08,011
move the pups,
even now, in broad daylight.

244
00:23:10,347 --> 00:23:13,225
[foreboding music continues]

245
00:23:14,601 --> 00:23:16,561
They have other dens,

246
00:23:16,645 --> 00:23:19,606
but the nearest
is over a half a mile away.

247
00:23:25,195 --> 00:23:27,197
Too far for weakening legs.

248
00:23:28,156 --> 00:23:31,076
[whimpering]

249
00:23:33,787 --> 00:23:37,374
Time for older brothers
and sisters to step up.

250
00:23:40,460 --> 00:23:42,462
[foreboding music continues]

251
00:24:05,152 --> 00:24:07,487
Safer, but still hungry.

252
00:24:09,197 --> 00:24:12,576
The odds against survival
are lengthening by the day.

253
00:24:24,129 --> 00:24:26,882
Dogs are surprisingly vulnerable.

254
00:24:34,347 --> 00:24:36,892
And if you weigh less
than a miniature dachshund,

255
00:24:37,684 --> 00:24:39,394
you're always the underdog.

256
00:24:39,478 --> 00:24:42,772
[grunting]

257
00:24:44,399 --> 00:24:50,197
This bat-eared fox dad
has been left in sole charge of five cubs

258
00:24:50,280 --> 00:24:52,616
while the love of his life, their mom,

259
00:24:52,699 --> 00:24:53,783
is off hunting.

260
00:24:56,369 --> 00:24:58,163
What could possibly go wrong?

261
00:25:01,791 --> 00:25:03,710
Day care starts as normal.

262
00:25:06,004 --> 00:25:07,005
He scrubs them up…

263
00:25:11,468 --> 00:25:13,220
and oversees homeschooling.

264
00:25:13,303 --> 00:25:15,305
[upbeat music plays]

265
00:25:28,068 --> 00:25:29,986
The cubs are keen to explore,

266
00:25:30,612 --> 00:25:32,781
learning to use their bat-like ears.

267
00:25:33,448 --> 00:25:35,367
[fluttering]

268
00:25:36,535 --> 00:25:39,955
They can hear sounds
20 decibels softer than we can.

269
00:25:40,539 --> 00:25:45,001
[fluttering]

270
00:25:45,085 --> 00:25:48,004
Even the footsteps
of termites and beetles.

271
00:25:55,428 --> 00:25:56,721
[fluttering]

272
00:26:01,393 --> 00:26:06,231
Incredibly, bat-eared foxes
survive almost entirely on insects.

273
00:26:08,316 --> 00:26:12,779
Mom needs thousands a day
to produce enough milk for the cubs.

274
00:26:17,117 --> 00:26:19,494
It's why she's away for hours at a time.

275
00:26:24,082 --> 00:26:26,126
And why Dad stays by their bunker,

276
00:26:27,210 --> 00:26:28,837
tending to the cubs' needs.

277
00:26:32,966 --> 00:26:34,843
Guarding them with his life.

278
00:26:37,887 --> 00:26:42,350
But an unseasonal storm
could spell bad news.

279
00:26:42,434 --> 00:26:46,021
[thunder crashes]

280
00:26:49,065 --> 00:26:50,317
[thunder crashes]

281
00:26:51,276 --> 00:26:56,072
Torrential rain is a problem
for anyone with a home below ground.

282
00:26:59,284 --> 00:27:01,286
[foreboding music plays]

283
00:27:06,207 --> 00:27:08,668
Dad and the cubs get off lightly.

284
00:27:13,048 --> 00:27:15,634
But their neighbors
had to abandon their den.

285
00:27:15,717 --> 00:27:17,719
[water rushing]

286
00:27:21,681 --> 00:27:23,224
In the scramble to escape,

287
00:27:23,308 --> 00:27:25,477
someone got left behind.

288
00:27:25,977 --> 00:27:26,811
[whimpers]

289
00:27:37,322 --> 00:27:40,116
A lost cub won't last long.

290
00:27:44,412 --> 00:27:46,706
She needs family backup.

291
00:27:48,458 --> 00:27:49,292
[yelps]

292
00:27:56,299 --> 00:27:58,343
Dad and his five cubs are nearest.

293
00:28:02,222 --> 00:28:04,766
Pleading for help is all she can do.

294
00:28:04,849 --> 00:28:07,477
[yipping]

295
00:28:09,145 --> 00:28:11,147
[yipping]

296
00:28:13,525 --> 00:28:14,526
It's a risk.

297
00:28:16,319 --> 00:28:18,530
Dogs often kill intruders.

298
00:28:24,160 --> 00:28:26,162
[melancholy music]

299
00:28:38,091 --> 00:28:40,260
Slowly, the cubs soften towards her.

300
00:28:40,343 --> 00:28:41,928
[whimpering]

301
00:28:57,819 --> 00:29:01,364
And when Dad nestles beside her,
it's a good sign.

302
00:29:07,078 --> 00:29:09,080
[uplifting music plays]

303
00:29:16,045 --> 00:29:17,255
Mom returns…

304
00:29:19,340 --> 00:29:21,342
to find an extra mouth to feed.

305
00:29:24,095 --> 00:29:25,722
But she doesn't bat an eye.

306
00:29:32,896 --> 00:29:35,315
The stray cub is probably related.

307
00:29:37,233 --> 00:29:41,029
Even so, an adoption like this
has rarely been witnessed.

308
00:29:44,824 --> 00:29:48,077
Doting dads and flexible families

309
00:29:49,579 --> 00:29:51,498
help get through the toughest times.

310
00:29:59,297 --> 00:30:01,674
Dogs are highly social animals.

311
00:30:02,175 --> 00:30:03,301
[growling]

312
00:30:05,386 --> 00:30:09,349
And the key to their family life
is sophisticated communication.

313
00:30:09,432 --> 00:30:11,684
[squealing]

314
00:30:14,938 --> 00:30:20,610
[howling]

315
00:30:20,693 --> 00:30:23,780
Wolf howls are supposed to intimidate.

316
00:30:23,863 --> 00:30:29,953
[howling continues]

317
00:30:31,496 --> 00:30:37,669
They tell neighbors up to ten miles away
all about the pack size and strength.

318
00:30:37,752 --> 00:30:41,798
[howling continues]

319
00:30:45,635 --> 00:30:48,429
[howling continues]

320
00:30:48,513 --> 00:30:50,807
It's an acoustic flag in the ground.

321
00:30:52,934 --> 00:30:55,353
A warning to keep off their patch.

322
00:30:58,481 --> 00:31:00,483
[foreboding music plays]

323
00:31:05,488 --> 00:31:08,157
Within the pack,
they're even more expressive.

324
00:31:11,786 --> 00:31:12,620
A look.

325
00:31:14,956 --> 00:31:15,790
A cower.

326
00:31:17,750 --> 00:31:18,918
Rising hackles.

327
00:31:20,461 --> 00:31:21,838
The height of their tail.

328
00:31:24,799 --> 00:31:28,761
In fact, every move they make
is part of an intricate language.

329
00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:33,308
One that our dogs also understand.

330
00:31:39,647 --> 00:31:43,192
But this is the strictest
of canine families.

331
00:31:47,322 --> 00:31:49,699
Especially when it comes to dinner time.

332
00:31:51,242 --> 00:31:54,120
[yelping]

333
00:31:56,581 --> 00:31:59,042
[snarling]

334
00:31:59,125 --> 00:32:01,669
Older wolves always feed first.

335
00:32:15,433 --> 00:32:17,268
A youngster steps out of line…

336
00:32:20,647 --> 00:32:21,898
[yelping]

337
00:32:21,981 --> 00:32:24,442
…the top dog puts it in its place.

338
00:32:24,525 --> 00:32:29,030
-[yelping]
-[growling]

339
00:32:29,989 --> 00:32:31,491
[growls]

340
00:32:35,912 --> 00:32:38,790
[snarls]

341
00:32:40,416 --> 00:32:42,835
Groveling is the only way to appease.

342
00:32:47,465 --> 00:32:49,968
It's thought that this tough pecking order

343
00:32:50,051 --> 00:32:53,096
helped pave the way
for cooperation with humans.

344
00:32:55,974 --> 00:32:58,643
Low-ranking wolves often go hungry.

345
00:32:59,769 --> 00:33:02,438
In lean times,
they're banished from the pack.

346
00:33:02,522 --> 00:33:03,481
[yelping]

347
00:33:05,274 --> 00:33:07,568
Around 40,000 years ago,

348
00:33:07,652 --> 00:33:10,822
a starving young wolf
approached a pack of humans

349
00:33:10,905 --> 00:33:14,575
and used puppy dog eyes
to charm itself a meal.

350
00:33:18,997 --> 00:33:22,208
Wolves worked their way
into early human families.

351
00:33:23,668 --> 00:33:24,919
And into our hearts.

352
00:33:27,505 --> 00:33:32,885
Incredibly, every domestic dog,
from toy poodle to Great Dane,

353
00:33:32,969 --> 00:33:35,013
descends from the gray wolf.

354
00:33:35,096 --> 00:33:37,765
[howling]

355
00:33:37,849 --> 00:33:42,520
But our relationship with the wild side
of the family is complicated.

356
00:33:43,813 --> 00:33:47,150
Fairy tales teach us they're big and bad.

357
00:33:48,026 --> 00:33:49,360
Or sly and cunning.

358
00:33:51,029 --> 00:33:55,116
Even though they share the loyalty
and intelligence of our best friends.

359
00:33:59,871 --> 00:34:03,499
[howling]

360
00:34:03,583 --> 00:34:08,504
Across the world, dogs,
wolves especially, have been persecuted.

361
00:34:08,588 --> 00:34:11,299
Driven from their former vast ranges.

362
00:34:14,469 --> 00:34:16,554
[howling]

363
00:34:17,680 --> 00:34:19,015
But they're resilient.

364
00:34:21,309 --> 00:34:23,686
Given half a chance and some room,

365
00:34:24,270 --> 00:34:25,730
dogs bounce back.

366
00:34:29,901 --> 00:34:33,863
And some have found unrivaled success
in our modern world.

367
00:34:37,658 --> 00:34:40,203
Thanks to Mom and Dad's hard work,

368
00:34:40,286 --> 00:34:43,247
a red fox cub
is ready to take on the world.

369
00:34:47,126 --> 00:34:51,380
She's five months old,
learning how to fend for herself.

370
00:34:51,464 --> 00:34:53,341
[yelping]

371
00:34:57,637 --> 00:34:59,847
A sibling can be a friend for life.

372
00:35:01,766 --> 00:35:02,850
A hunting partner.

373
00:35:04,936 --> 00:35:05,853
[yelping]

374
00:35:07,522 --> 00:35:08,648
[cat meows]

375
00:35:29,043 --> 00:35:30,211
[dog barking]

376
00:35:32,880 --> 00:35:37,760
As they scour the streets, they'll do well
to watch and learn from Mom.

377
00:35:41,097 --> 00:35:43,808
She's discovered a regular source of food.

378
00:35:48,312 --> 00:35:51,274
Feeding wild animals can cause problems.

379
00:35:52,817 --> 00:35:55,570
But maybe this is the beginning
of a new relationship

380
00:35:55,653 --> 00:35:57,905
between wild dogs and us.

381
00:36:00,074 --> 00:36:03,202
Just as with wolves
thousands of years ago.

382
00:36:05,454 --> 00:36:11,586
[siren wails]

383
00:36:11,669 --> 00:36:13,379
For now, the cub is learning

384
00:36:13,462 --> 00:36:16,924
that through the food
we hand out or throw away,

385
00:36:17,008 --> 00:36:19,385
humans are central to her survival.

386
00:36:24,098 --> 00:36:26,184
Adaptable and opportunistic,

387
00:36:26,267 --> 00:36:29,645
red foxes have spread into 83 countries.

388
00:36:30,438 --> 00:36:31,397
Five continents.

389
00:36:33,816 --> 00:36:38,738
They've taken over from wolves
as the most widespread carnivore on Earth.

390
00:36:45,286 --> 00:36:47,371
But not all are faring so well.

391
00:36:48,414 --> 00:36:51,834
Habitat loss, hunting, and disease

392
00:36:51,918 --> 00:36:56,631
mean fewer than 7,000
adult African wild dogs survive.

393
00:36:58,007 --> 00:37:01,260
And this family's future
is hanging by a thread.

394
00:37:03,512 --> 00:37:05,556
They need to find food.

395
00:37:07,350 --> 00:37:10,895
In bushy savanna,
there are many places for prey to hide.

396
00:37:14,023 --> 00:37:16,150
The pack needs to switch strategy.

397
00:37:17,360 --> 00:37:18,819
Make the most of their team.

398
00:37:24,742 --> 00:37:28,955
[suspenseful music plays]

399
00:37:40,216 --> 00:37:42,218
[suspenseful music intensifies]

400
00:37:48,891 --> 00:37:51,227
They split up into twos and threes

401
00:37:52,561 --> 00:37:54,313
to try to flush out the impala.

402
00:37:57,984 --> 00:37:59,986
[suspenseful music stops]

403
00:38:07,493 --> 00:38:08,327
[sniffs]

404
00:38:11,956 --> 00:38:14,083
[suspenseful music resumes]

405
00:38:14,166 --> 00:38:16,419
[grunting]

406
00:38:40,109 --> 00:38:41,277
Dad locks on.

407
00:38:42,528 --> 00:38:44,530
[suspenseful music continues]

408
00:38:54,332 --> 00:38:56,959
But he needs the others to finish the job.

409
00:38:58,586 --> 00:39:01,547
-[yipping]
-[grunting]

410
00:39:06,260 --> 00:39:08,304
At last, success.

411
00:39:08,846 --> 00:39:12,224
[yipping]

412
00:39:19,815 --> 00:39:23,527
They slice the impala
into large chunks and bolt them down.

413
00:39:24,362 --> 00:39:27,448
[grunting]

414
00:39:28,991 --> 00:39:30,451
They need to be quick.

415
00:39:31,452 --> 00:39:33,788
When other predators get wind of the kill…

416
00:39:36,499 --> 00:39:38,459
they have to abandon their prize.

417
00:39:43,923 --> 00:39:46,008
Once again, they head for home.

418
00:39:48,511 --> 00:39:51,722
But this time,
they're not returning empty-handed.

419
00:39:55,101 --> 00:39:58,813
Some carry an extra third
of their body weight in butchered meat

420
00:39:58,896 --> 00:40:00,648
stowed in their stomachs.

421
00:40:15,788 --> 00:40:18,749
This level of excitement
only means one thing.

422
00:40:20,709 --> 00:40:22,461
[upbeat music plays]

423
00:40:22,545 --> 00:40:24,380
[yipping]

424
00:40:43,649 --> 00:40:46,360
Unlike wolves,
there's no pecking order here.

425
00:40:48,279 --> 00:40:51,240
Pups and babysitters
all get their fair share.

426
00:41:01,959 --> 00:41:03,127
[yipping]

427
00:41:03,210 --> 00:41:05,087
Today is a joyful day.

428
00:41:07,590 --> 00:41:10,509
And the future of these pups
is a little more certain.

429
00:41:13,929 --> 00:41:19,393
For African wild dogs, survival relies
on a brave and tenacious team.

430
00:41:23,397 --> 00:41:26,192
But whether pack hunter or lone wolf,

431
00:41:26,275 --> 00:41:30,571
all ultimately depend on the strength
of Mom and Dad's undying loyalty.

432
00:41:36,368 --> 00:41:38,787
This is why dogs are so successful.

433
00:41:39,663 --> 00:41:43,417
And why they hold
such a special place in our hearts.

434
00:41:45,836 --> 00:41:49,131
[uplifting music plays]

435
00:41:52,885 --> 00:41:55,054
[closing theme music playing]