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IRONS: "3rd of May, 1893.

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My friend, 
welcome to the Carpathians.

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I am anxiously expecting you.

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I trust your journey 
from London has been a happy one

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and that you will enjoy 
your stay in my beautiful land."

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With these words an unknown 
Irish writer introduced one

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of the most famous characters 
in western culture.

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A character so compelling,

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his obscure homeland 
has become a household name

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around the globe.

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Today, this remote land is one 
of Europe's last wild frontiers.

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Home to vast mountain ranges 
where wolves and wildcats roam.

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To pristine rivers 
and ancient forests

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where Europe's 
great bears still run free.

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While Dracula was a figment 
of Bram Stoker's imagination,

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there is a place called 
Transylvania.

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♪♪

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[ Woman vocalizing ]

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♪♪

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♪♪

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♪♪

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IRONS: Transylvania lies 
in central Romania,

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on the far southeastern edge 
of Europe.

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Shielded from the world by the 
majestic Carpathian Mountains

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and in the 20th century 
by a hard communist regime,

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Transylvania is, to this day, 
a wild and wonderful land.

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♪♪

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A place where 
the great predators of Europe

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still have room to roam.

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♪♪

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♪♪

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Like the lynx.

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Hardly ever glimpsed 
by human eyes,

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it is a true phantom 
of the forest.

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High in the Carpathians, 
winter is on the wane.

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Record temperatures 
have left little snow

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on the mountains.

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A final flurry falls somewhere 
between sleet and rain.

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[ Rain falling ]

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After months of darkness, 
some big beasts are on the move.

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Transylvania is home to almost 
half of Europe's brown bears,

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and they haven't fed 
for five or six months.

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These are lean times. 
Everyone is hungry.

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♪♪

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For the great predators 
of Transylvania, spring

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can't come soon enough.

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♪♪

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In the high country, some heat 
from our life-giving star

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finally punches through.

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The mountains burst into life.

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♪♪

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♪♪

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After feeding up 
for a few weeks,

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this male's mind is turning 
to other matters.

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There are healthy genes 
to be passed on,

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but first he must deal with 
the competition.

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[ Bear roaring ]

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The fighting can go on 
for weeks...

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...and gives the females 
a chance

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to see who's made of 
the right stuff.

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[ Bears growling ]

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Fighting off rivals 
is a tiring business,

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but wooing 
a disinterested female

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is another level of pain 
altogether.

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♪♪

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♪♪

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She is just not in the mood.

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♪♪

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He heads off to try 
his luck elsewhere.

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Mating season lasts 
from April to June,

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so he has time to fine-tune 
his flirting skills.

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[ Bear roars ]

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♪♪

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♪♪

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Both may mate many times 
with different partners.

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It's a n exhausting business.

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♪♪

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♪♪

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All winter long,

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some powerful spirits 
have been missing from villages

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across Transylvania.

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But then a day comes in 
early spring

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when the lost souls return.

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♪♪

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White storks are revered 
in Transylvania,

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bringing good luck and fertility 
to those who treat them well.

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It takes the storks seven weeks 
to fly the 7,000 miles

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from their winter grounds 
in southern Africa,

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a little rest is in order...

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and there's no rush.

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[ Hooves clopping ]

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[ Horse chuffs ]

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Village life in Transylvania 
runs to its own relaxed rhythm.

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♪♪

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[ Stork shrieks ]

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The male storks arrive 
first to check all is clear.

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It also allows him time 
for some house maintenance

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before the boss makes 
an appearance.

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♪♪

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She is still flying north.

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♪♪

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♪♪

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[ Beak clacking ]

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♪♪

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When she does finally appear,

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they're just delighted 
to see each other.

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[ Beaks clacking ]

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♪♪

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♪♪

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Storks may live for 20 years 
or more and they mate for life.

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It's a powerful bond.

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[ Birds chirping ]

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♪♪

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History hangs heavy 
in Transylvania.

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Germans, Turks,

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Romanians all have fought 
and died over this land.

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♪♪

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800 years ago, the horsemen 
of Mongolia, the Tatars,

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laid waste to the countryside.

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♪♪

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Some local villagers made 
a last stand on this hill.

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Their dead 
buried all around the summit.

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Because Tatar Hill 
is left alone,

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every summer 
it explodes with wildflowers.

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♪♪

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Modern agriculture wipes 
almost all before it,

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but Transylvania still offers 
small windows into the past.

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Her surviving wildflower 
meadows are world-famous

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for their diversity 
and complexity.

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♪♪

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The keys to their survival --

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traditional farming without 
chemical fertilizers or poisons,

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and harvesting maybe once 
in the year.

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♪♪

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Transylvania's traditional 
meadows are one of Europe's

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great natural treasures.

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♪♪

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Almost 200 different kinds 
of butterflies

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are found in Romania.

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♪♪

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Most will live 
for only three or four weeks,

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a tiny window to enjoy the 
wildflowers and the summer sun.

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[ Bee buzzing ]

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[ Birds chirping ]

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Where there are bees 
in Transylvania,

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often not far away 
are bee-eaters.

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These spectacular creatures 
appear from the south

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in early May and settle in 
for a busy summer of bee eating.

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The bees may be dead, 
but they are still dangerous.

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With a strategic squeeze,

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the birds remove the stings 
and expel the venom.

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♪♪

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And bee-eaters are more than 
happy to broaden their diet

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if something else flies by.

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♪♪

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It's now breeding time, 
and everyone is busy,

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establishing just who is who 
in the pecking order.

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[ Birds chirping ]

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With competition out of the way,

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the males can get to work 
on their prospective mates.

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First, tasty treats 
are offered to win her over.

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♪♪

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If they go down well, he moves 
in closer to test the waters.

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♪♪

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00:14:29,966 --> 00:14:34,300
And if all is going to plan, 
he springs into action.

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♪♪

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♪♪

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On the longest days 
of the year,

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journey into Transylvania's 
meadows

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and you just might meet 
some fairies.

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Sanziene is a ritual 
that goes back to pagan times,

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the village girls 
bestowing magical powers

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on the wild flowers.

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♪♪

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♪♪

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Tradition dies hard 
in Transylvania.

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Thousands of years on, the girls

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still weave their floral crowns 
to celebrate summer

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and the gift of life.

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♪♪

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The eve of Sanziene is 
when the heavens open

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and spirits roam free.

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Fires are lit to ward 
off the evil ones.

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♪♪

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On this night, the 23rd of June,

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the gates to the other world 
are wide open.

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♪♪

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"Dracul" means dragon or devil,

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and a 15th-century warlord, 
Vlad Dracul,

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is widely regarded 
as the inspiration

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for the legendary vampire.

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♪♪

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Bran Castle is often touted 
as Vlad's lair.

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But Vlad barely visited Bran, 
if at all.

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♪♪

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40 miles to the south 
is Targoviste,

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where Vlad established 
his court.

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♪♪

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00:17:20,466 --> 00:17:25,366
His other nickname was 
Vlad the Impaler,

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as he would skewer his enemies 
on wooden stakes, alive.

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He had 20,000 Turks impaled 
outside Targoviste.

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The skies filled 
with their dying screams

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and departing souls.

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[ Birds cawing ]

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♪♪

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00:18:02,033 --> 00:18:08,133
Then, as now, religion was a 
backdrop for bloodshed and war.

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Across Transylvania,

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churches were often fortified 
with high walls and battlements.

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[ Crowd singing 
in foreign language ]

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500 years on,

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many still provide shelter 
for some

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of the other great characters 
in the story of Dracula.

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[ Singing continues ]

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♪♪

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00:18:51,766 --> 00:18:56,966
[ Bell tolling ]

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00:18:56,966 --> 00:19:01,800
Transylvania is a wonderland 
for bats.

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00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:06,233
26 different kinds make 
their homes here,

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00:19:06,233 --> 00:19:09,466
and this is one 
of the most successful,

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the greater mouse-eared bat.

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[ Bats chittering ]

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00:19:16,100 --> 00:19:20,166
Come summertime they 
often search out church towers,

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spending the daylight hours 
gathered in tight bundles

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for companionship.

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00:19:32,533 --> 00:19:35,766
But as dusk falls 
across Transylvania,

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00:19:35,766 --> 00:19:38,700
the bats start to come alive.

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It's time to go hunting.

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♪♪

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One of the largest bats 
in Europe,

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00:19:53,266 --> 00:19:55,033
greater mouse-eareds

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are ferocious predators, 
and Transylvania's

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00:19:59,133 --> 00:20:03,933
wild woods and meadows 
are still full of prey.

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00:20:03,933 --> 00:20:09,966
♪♪

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00:20:09,966 --> 00:20:15,166
Unlike many, these bats don't 
use sonar to locate their prey.

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00:20:15,166 --> 00:20:18,833
Instead, their ears are 
hypersensitive

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00:20:18,833 --> 00:20:22,533
to any tiny sounds 
from insects on the move.

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00:20:22,533 --> 00:20:23,933
[ Leaf rustles ]

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00:20:27,866 --> 00:20:29,000
[ Owl hoots ]

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00:20:32,533 --> 00:20:35,533
Once these huge ears lock on,

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00:20:35,533 --> 00:20:39,033
their unfortunate prey has 
little chance.

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♪♪

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00:20:48,300 --> 00:20:58,100
♪♪

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00:20:58,100 --> 00:21:04,700
♪♪

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00:21:04,700 --> 00:21:09,600
♪♪

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00:21:09,600 --> 00:21:13,033
But keep very still

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00:21:13,033 --> 00:21:17,700
and you might just survive to 
see another night in the forest.

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[ Thunder rumbles ]

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00:21:25,866 --> 00:21:29,500
While churches make 
handy summer shelters,

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00:21:29,500 --> 00:21:33,900
caves are critical sanctuaries 
for Transylvania's bats.

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00:21:35,233 --> 00:21:42,866
And Romania is riddled with 
caves, more than 12,000 in all.

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In winter, they are the perfect 
hibernation hideaways.

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[ Water dripping ]

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00:21:53,066 --> 00:21:56,700
15 years ago 
in western Transylvania,

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00:21:56,700 --> 00:21:59,166
a large chamber was discovered

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00:21:59,166 --> 00:22:02,466
with a very different kind of 
natural treasure...

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00:22:05,333 --> 00:22:10,866
...charcoal drawings 
more than 30,000 years old.

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00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:17,233
On one wall, the two-horned 
head of a rhinoceros.

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00:22:19,766 --> 00:22:24,766
On another, 
a faint outline of a giant,

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00:22:24,766 --> 00:22:29,666
a horned beast that was critical 
to these early human hunters.

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00:22:29,666 --> 00:22:35,466
♪♪

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00:22:35,466 --> 00:22:37,666
Millions roamed the continent.

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00:22:40,033 --> 00:22:46,433
But for the next 30,000 years, 
the slaughter of these giants

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00:22:46,433 --> 00:22:55,966
never stopped, until a century 
ago when just 54 survived.

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00:23:01,800 --> 00:23:06,933
But from these ashes, 
a minor miracle has unfolded.

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00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:14,600
Today, European bison are back 
in Transylvania.

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00:23:16,233 --> 00:23:19,533
Across Europe from Bulgaria 
to Belarus,

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00:23:19,533 --> 00:23:22,700
the bison are coming home 
to the wild.

267
00:23:22,700 --> 00:23:30,500
♪♪

268
00:23:30,500 --> 00:23:34,266
Introduced 
by local conservationists,

269
00:23:34,266 --> 00:23:37,900
there are now over 200 
in Romania.

270
00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:46,433
Today, their quiet presence 
brings vital new life

271
00:23:46,433 --> 00:23:49,233
to these ancient forests.

272
00:23:49,233 --> 00:23:51,633
[ Birds chirping ]

273
00:24:07,933 --> 00:24:11,800
Lynx are opportunistic hunters.

274
00:24:11,800 --> 00:24:14,933
They like surprise 
to be on their side.

275
00:24:23,633 --> 00:24:26,333
Chamois may be very wary,

276
00:24:26,333 --> 00:24:29,466
but it's often someone else 
who raises the alarm.

277
00:24:29,466 --> 00:24:32,766
[ Birds calling ]

278
00:24:42,366 --> 00:24:52,300
♪♪

279
00:24:52,300 --> 00:24:55,300
One of the iconic sounds 
of summer.

280
00:24:55,300 --> 00:24:57,766
[ Hoopoe warbling ]

281
00:24:57,766 --> 00:25:00,400
There is nothing quite 
like a hoopoe.

282
00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:05,700
♪♪

283
00:25:05,700 --> 00:25:10,666
With their glorious plumage 
and unmistakable calls,

284
00:25:10,666 --> 00:25:14,033
hoopoes bring their 
unique presence to Transylvania

285
00:25:14,033 --> 00:25:15,566
at this time of year.

286
00:25:22,766 --> 00:25:28,666
Hoopoes usually nest in holes in 
the ground or in hollow trees.

287
00:25:36,933 --> 00:25:39,300
This is the last of the brood.

288
00:25:39,300 --> 00:25:42,566
His siblings have 
already left the nest.

289
00:25:42,566 --> 00:25:43,933
He's on his own...

290
00:25:47,733 --> 00:25:50,800
...which has its advantages.

291
00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:53,100
The parents have no one else 
to feed.

292
00:25:53,100 --> 00:26:02,900
♪♪

293
00:26:02,900 --> 00:26:09,033
♪♪

294
00:26:12,900 --> 00:26:15,533
But he still has some lessons 
to learn.

295
00:26:17,633 --> 00:26:21,933
Prey won't always stay 
still just waiting to be eaten.

296
00:26:31,866 --> 00:26:35,466
It's almost time 
for his maiden flight,

297
00:26:35,466 --> 00:26:38,500
and those wing muscles 
have to be in good shape.

298
00:26:38,500 --> 00:26:47,400
♪♪

299
00:26:47,400 --> 00:26:54,600
♪♪

300
00:26:54,600 --> 00:26:59,266
♪♪

301
00:27:01,666 --> 00:27:06,900
He soon learns that life is 
very different on the outside.

302
00:27:06,900 --> 00:27:10,500
Mum won't always tolerate 
this constant begging.

303
00:27:14,866 --> 00:27:17,300
School is down in the meadow

304
00:27:17,300 --> 00:27:19,866
where the hunting and feeding 
lessons continue.

305
00:27:21,966 --> 00:27:26,433
But that big bill is 
a tricky weapon to master.

306
00:27:33,400 --> 00:27:35,566
[ Birds chirping ]

307
00:27:49,866 --> 00:27:53,633
[ Bear grunting ]

308
00:27:53,633 --> 00:27:59,833
♪♪

309
00:27:59,833 --> 00:28:04,633
♪♪

310
00:28:04,633 --> 00:28:07,300
Barely five months old,

311
00:28:07,300 --> 00:28:09,800
the cubs were born 
in their mother's den back

312
00:28:09,800 --> 00:28:12,200
in the dark days of midwinter.

313
00:28:12,200 --> 00:28:17,333
♪♪

314
00:28:17,333 --> 00:28:20,166
Fed on their mother's rich milk,

315
00:28:20,166 --> 00:28:23,100
they're growing stronger 
and bolder.

316
00:28:24,333 --> 00:28:26,466
[ Bear cub squealing ]

317
00:28:30,566 --> 00:28:34,833
Someday their fighting skills 
will be put to good use,

318
00:28:34,833 --> 00:28:37,500
but first they must practice.

319
00:28:37,500 --> 00:28:45,600
♪♪

320
00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:53,233
♪♪

321
00:28:53,233 --> 00:28:54,766
[ Bear cub whines ]

322
00:28:57,300 --> 00:28:58,900
For the next two years,

323
00:28:58,900 --> 00:29:02,866
the cubs are completely 
dependent on their mother

324
00:29:02,866 --> 00:29:04,733
as they learn all

325
00:29:04,733 --> 00:29:07,966
they need for their 
future lives in the forest.

326
00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:28,900
In Viscri,

327
00:29:28,900 --> 00:29:31,666
the Stork parents have 
a healthy brood to care for.

328
00:29:34,366 --> 00:29:37,333
Four large chicks now share 
the nest.

329
00:29:37,333 --> 00:29:38,700
[ Stork shrieks ]

330
00:29:40,733 --> 00:29:44,833
From hatching, the young storks 
won't leave this tiny space

331
00:29:44,833 --> 00:29:46,800
for two or three months.

332
00:29:49,033 --> 00:29:52,000
For mum and dad, 
it's a full-time job

333
00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:54,333
to keep them fed and watered.

334
00:30:05,266 --> 00:30:09,133
Transylvania's traditional 
farms are a critical reason

335
00:30:09,133 --> 00:30:12,566
they fly from Africa 
to raise their families here.

336
00:30:17,666 --> 00:30:21,900
Storks aren't fussy. 
They'll eat just about anything.

337
00:30:24,866 --> 00:30:27,333
Their pickings are stored 
in their gut,

338
00:30:27,333 --> 00:30:29,800
for the family waiting at home.

339
00:30:31,033 --> 00:30:40,933
♪♪

340
00:30:40,933 --> 00:30:44,266
Dinner is not an elegant affair.

341
00:30:44,266 --> 00:30:48,333
[ Storks shrieking, squawking ]

342
00:30:48,333 --> 00:30:51,333
Nothing seems 
to satisfy these youngsters.

343
00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:58,633
Trapped in their nest, the 
chicks have no access to water

344
00:30:58,633 --> 00:31:01,933
except what comes out of 
their parents' mouths.

345
00:31:01,933 --> 00:31:10,766
♪♪

346
00:31:10,766 --> 00:31:12,733
From just after sunrise,

347
00:31:12,733 --> 00:31:15,800
mum and dad 
keep up a relentless routine...

348
00:31:15,800 --> 00:31:20,400
♪♪

349
00:31:24,900 --> 00:31:30,166
...until late afternoon 
when they finally take a break.

350
00:31:31,633 --> 00:31:39,100
♪♪

351
00:31:39,100 --> 00:31:46,733
♪♪

352
00:31:46,733 --> 00:31:51,266
The chicks can mind themselves 
until another day dawns.

353
00:31:51,266 --> 00:32:01,333
♪♪

354
00:32:01,333 --> 00:32:05,166
♪♪

355
00:32:13,366 --> 00:32:15,266
[ Birds chirping ]

356
00:32:20,633 --> 00:32:24,000
The story of modern humans 
in Transylvania

357
00:32:24,000 --> 00:32:27,733
goes back at least 40,000 years.

358
00:32:30,033 --> 00:32:32,266
Here in the Carpathians

359
00:32:32,266 --> 00:32:36,166
were found some of the oldest 
bones of our direct ancestors

360
00:32:36,166 --> 00:32:37,733
ever discovered in Europe.

361
00:32:37,733 --> 00:32:38,900
[ Sheep bleats ]

362
00:32:40,600 --> 00:32:44,200
These pioneers faced 
high mountains

363
00:32:44,200 --> 00:32:47,100
and almost limitless forests.

364
00:32:50,266 --> 00:32:54,366
But there were some islands 
in this ocean of trees.

365
00:32:56,766 --> 00:33:02,266
♪♪

366
00:33:02,266 --> 00:33:09,600
Vast herds of bison, deer and 
auroch carved out open meadows,

367
00:33:09,600 --> 00:33:11,733
which over time evolved

368
00:33:11,733 --> 00:33:16,500
their own unique family of 
trees and meadow plants.

369
00:33:20,333 --> 00:33:24,433
Transylvania is home 
to some of the only remnants

370
00:33:24,433 --> 00:33:26,666
of these ancient pastures.

371
00:33:26,666 --> 00:33:34,366
♪♪

372
00:33:39,733 --> 00:33:43,200
The first farmers continued 
to use the meadows

373
00:33:43,200 --> 00:33:46,333
and hold back 
the encroaching woodlands.

374
00:33:48,133 --> 00:33:52,200
But giant oaks were left 
unharmed

375
00:33:52,200 --> 00:33:56,033
as their acorns were often 
welcome food for the animals.

376
00:33:58,100 --> 00:34:02,000
Some of these oaks 
are 800 years old.

377
00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:04,233
[ Cows mooing ]

378
00:34:07,433 --> 00:34:09,866
Today, farming 
with a light touch

379
00:34:09,866 --> 00:34:14,366
is still needed to preserve 
these unique forest clearings.

380
00:34:18,333 --> 00:34:24,166
The old and dead oak trees 
support a bonanza of tiny lives

381
00:34:24,166 --> 00:34:27,900
and one of the most spectacular 
insects on the planet.

382
00:34:27,900 --> 00:34:33,800
♪♪

383
00:34:33,800 --> 00:34:37,600
With jaws almost as long 
as his body,

384
00:34:37,600 --> 00:34:41,833
this stag beetle is in a hurry.

385
00:34:41,833 --> 00:34:46,833
He has spent five years 
underground as a juvenile,

386
00:34:46,833 --> 00:34:52,733
and now, as an adult, 
will only live for a few weeks.

387
00:34:52,733 --> 00:34:57,000
He must find a female and fast.

388
00:35:00,066 --> 00:35:06,100
This male has got lucky -- 
a female in a cozy crevice,

389
00:35:06,100 --> 00:35:09,133
but there are plenty 
of other males about.

390
00:35:09,133 --> 00:35:11,200
This is not going to be easy.

391
00:35:11,200 --> 00:35:21,133
♪♪

392
00:35:21,133 --> 00:35:23,966
Those great jaws swing 
into action.

393
00:35:23,966 --> 00:35:30,700
♪♪

394
00:35:30,700 --> 00:35:35,333
♪♪

395
00:35:35,333 --> 00:35:39,800
His rival may be down, 
but he's certainly not out.

396
00:35:39,800 --> 00:35:47,666
♪♪

397
00:35:47,666 --> 00:35:50,966
And another interloper joins 
the fray.

398
00:35:50,966 --> 00:35:53,433
It's a full on beetle battle.

399
00:35:53,433 --> 00:35:56,366
♪♪

400
00:35:56,366 --> 00:35:58,366
[ Cymbal crashes ]

401
00:35:58,366 --> 00:36:03,466
Rivals dealt with, he heads back 
to mate with the waiting female.

402
00:36:05,600 --> 00:36:08,000
She may live 
for a few months more,

403
00:36:08,000 --> 00:36:11,133
but his days are numbered.

404
00:36:11,133 --> 00:36:16,433
His massive jaws mean 
he can't feed properly,

405
00:36:16,433 --> 00:36:21,400
and though he may have the 
energy to mate a few more times,

406
00:36:21,400 --> 00:36:24,166
he will not live 
to see this summer out.

407
00:36:40,266 --> 00:36:45,066
As weeks go by, the bear family 
are constantly on the move.

408
00:36:48,600 --> 00:36:51,766
The cubs never stray too far 
from mum...

409
00:36:57,533 --> 00:37:00,100
And for good reason --

410
00:37:00,100 --> 00:37:02,133
they're in constant danger.

411
00:37:05,666 --> 00:37:08,033
Other bears are the problem.

412
00:37:08,033 --> 00:37:12,233
Mature males will kill cubs 
on sight,

413
00:37:12,233 --> 00:37:14,766
hoping to bring 
the mother back in heat

414
00:37:14,766 --> 00:37:16,266
so they can mate with her.

415
00:37:18,466 --> 00:37:22,400
Any sign of danger, 
the cubs are up in the trees...

416
00:37:22,400 --> 00:37:30,633
♪♪

417
00:37:30,633 --> 00:37:37,433
♪♪

418
00:37:37,433 --> 00:37:40,466
...while she stands guard 
with the youngest.

419
00:37:40,466 --> 00:37:49,866
♪♪

420
00:37:52,200 --> 00:37:54,766
When the coast does clear,

421
00:37:54,766 --> 00:37:58,900
there's the tricky business 
of getting back down.

422
00:37:58,900 --> 00:38:05,766
♪♪

423
00:38:05,766 --> 00:38:12,066
♪♪

424
00:38:12,066 --> 00:38:15,300
Until strong enough 
to defend themselves,

425
00:38:15,300 --> 00:38:18,433
the cubs' lives will depend 
on mum

426
00:38:18,433 --> 00:38:22,533
and her skills at keeping 
them fed and safe from harm.

427
00:38:22,533 --> 00:38:27,033
♪♪

428
00:38:27,033 --> 00:38:31,800
But right now danger is 
the last thing on their minds.

429
00:38:31,800 --> 00:38:41,800
♪♪

430
00:38:41,800 --> 00:38:47,400
♪♪

431
00:38:47,400 --> 00:38:51,066
[ Rain falling ]

432
00:38:58,000 --> 00:38:59,866
[ Birds chirping ]

433
00:39:14,266 --> 00:39:18,233
There is another new kid 
on the block in Transylvania.

434
00:39:18,233 --> 00:39:24,300
♪♪

435
00:39:24,300 --> 00:39:26,866
Though mostly active at night,

436
00:39:26,866 --> 00:39:30,200
you can't miss the telltale 
signs of their presence.

437
00:39:30,200 --> 00:39:33,700
♪♪

438
00:39:33,700 --> 00:39:39,200
Once found throughout Europe, 
beavers were ruthlessly hunted.

439
00:39:39,200 --> 00:39:44,033
♪♪

440
00:39:44,033 --> 00:39:48,400
It's 200 years since the last 
native beaver was reported

441
00:39:48,400 --> 00:39:49,833
in Transylvania.

442
00:39:52,100 --> 00:39:55,733
But today some natural migration

443
00:39:55,733 --> 00:39:59,566
and a reintroduction program 
has brought them back.

444
00:39:59,566 --> 00:40:08,300
♪♪

445
00:40:08,300 --> 00:40:16,833
♪♪

446
00:40:16,833 --> 00:40:22,066
Beaver dams form new ponds 
for all kinds of aquatic life

447
00:40:22,066 --> 00:40:25,466
and slow down the rivers, 
reducing floods.

448
00:40:25,466 --> 00:40:31,533
♪♪

449
00:40:31,533 --> 00:40:36,866
Engineering marvels creating 
whole new worlds of life.

450
00:40:36,866 --> 00:40:41,833
♪♪

451
00:40:48,266 --> 00:40:49,833
[ Birds chirping ]

452
00:40:53,300 --> 00:40:58,200
In Viscri, the stork chicks are 
almost three months old...

453
00:41:00,400 --> 00:41:04,366
...and very keen 
to leave their tiny home.

454
00:41:08,600 --> 00:41:11,900
Every day their wing 
muscles grow stronger.

455
00:41:17,266 --> 00:41:21,400
Soon, they face 
the biggest leap of their lives.

456
00:41:23,966 --> 00:41:26,666
And finally the moment comes.

457
00:41:26,666 --> 00:41:32,466
♪♪

458
00:41:32,466 --> 00:41:33,966
Flying is hard enough,

459
00:41:33,966 --> 00:41:37,000
but many challenges, 
both big and small,

460
00:41:37,000 --> 00:41:39,766
await in this crooked new world.

461
00:41:39,766 --> 00:41:46,766
♪♪

462
00:41:46,766 --> 00:41:51,700
♪♪

463
00:41:51,700 --> 00:41:53,933
In just a few short weeks,

464
00:41:53,933 --> 00:41:57,400
the stork family will sense 
a chill in the air

465
00:41:57,400 --> 00:42:01,066
and their new wings 
will carry the chicks south

466
00:42:01,066 --> 00:42:03,266
across two continents.

467
00:42:17,733 --> 00:42:27,733
♪♪

468
00:42:27,733 --> 00:42:33,666
In autumn, Transylvania 
puts on her finest show.

469
00:42:33,666 --> 00:42:38,633
♪♪

470
00:42:38,633 --> 00:42:41,466
She is home to some 
of the largest stretches

471
00:42:41,466 --> 00:42:44,233
of ancient forest in Europe.

472
00:42:47,200 --> 00:42:53,033
But there is the shadow 
of logging and development,

473
00:42:53,033 --> 00:42:56,900
as most of the wild woods 
are unprotected.

474
00:43:00,133 --> 00:43:04,200
Pressure is growing 
for a huge new national park

475
00:43:04,200 --> 00:43:06,300
in the Fagaras Mountains

476
00:43:06,300 --> 00:43:10,533
to preserve these priceless 
natural treasures.

477
00:43:10,533 --> 00:43:19,233
♪♪

478
00:43:19,233 --> 00:43:27,100
♪♪

479
00:43:27,100 --> 00:43:34,766
♪♪

480
00:43:42,233 --> 00:43:47,933
For Transylvania's bears, 
autumn is a critical time.

481
00:43:47,933 --> 00:43:51,166
They will soon head 
into their dens for the winter.

482
00:43:53,100 --> 00:43:56,833
To survive five or six months 
without food,

483
00:43:56,833 --> 00:43:59,900
they must build up 
their fat reserves.

484
00:44:01,900 --> 00:44:08,333
[ Birds chirping ]

485
00:44:08,333 --> 00:44:10,000
[ Horse snorts ]

486
00:44:12,033 --> 00:44:14,266
Autumn is often the time

487
00:44:14,266 --> 00:44:19,600
the bears come into 
closest contact with humans.

488
00:44:19,600 --> 00:44:24,400
For the people of Transylvania 
are master fruit growers.

489
00:44:24,400 --> 00:44:27,066
Plums are a specialty

490
00:44:27,066 --> 00:44:31,633
and used to distill a favorite 
liquor, palinca.

491
00:44:33,500 --> 00:44:37,900
But someone else is 
also a fan of ripe juicy plums.

492
00:44:37,900 --> 00:44:42,966
♪♪

493
00:44:42,966 --> 00:44:45,733
Come the quiet of evening,

494
00:44:45,733 --> 00:44:48,900
they'll risk a raid 
on the nearest orchard.

495
00:44:48,900 --> 00:44:57,166
♪♪

496
00:44:57,166 --> 00:45:07,233
♪♪

497
00:45:07,233 --> 00:45:17,166
♪♪

498
00:45:17,166 --> 00:45:21,466
These cubs are now eight 
months old and sturdy enough

499
00:45:21,466 --> 00:45:24,566
to be given a little 
more freedom by their mother.

500
00:45:27,300 --> 00:45:31,433
The cubs will soon face 
their first winter sleep,

501
00:45:31,433 --> 00:45:36,733
and with nights drawing in, 
this is a very welcome feast.

502
00:45:45,433 --> 00:45:47,266
[ Birds chirping ]

503
00:46:16,766 --> 00:46:18,266
Temperatures are falling.

504
00:46:19,733 --> 00:46:26,000
Slowly but surely winter wraps 
its cloak over Transylvania.

505
00:46:26,000 --> 00:46:32,266
♪♪

506
00:46:32,266 --> 00:46:37,400
♪♪

507
00:46:37,400 --> 00:46:40,233
So thick is the fur of a bison

508
00:46:40,233 --> 00:46:44,266
that almost no heat escapes 
their bodies,

509
00:46:44,266 --> 00:46:47,533
and the snow forms 
a protective shell.

510
00:46:54,433 --> 00:46:58,900
In the forest, deep snow 
can make progress difficult

511
00:46:58,900 --> 00:47:02,166
and the hunters are 
constantly on the move.

512
00:47:02,166 --> 00:47:05,966
♪♪

513
00:47:05,966 --> 00:47:10,133
The apex predator 
in these woods is the wolf.

514
00:47:12,333 --> 00:47:16,666
Transylvania is thought 
to be home to more wolves

515
00:47:16,666 --> 00:47:19,233
than anywhere in Europe,

516
00:47:19,233 --> 00:47:23,233
but no one really knows 
how many there are.

517
00:47:26,233 --> 00:47:31,666
For these are incredibly shy 
and elusive creatures

518
00:47:31,666 --> 00:47:37,000
who stay well away 
from their only predator, man.

519
00:47:39,200 --> 00:47:44,533
Their presence 
in these mountains is priceless.

520
00:47:44,533 --> 00:47:50,966
♪♪

521
00:47:54,766 --> 00:48:01,000
Transylvania is also home to one 
of nature's greatest survivors.

522
00:48:06,066 --> 00:48:09,800
Dinner may be 
under a thick layer of snow,

523
00:48:09,800 --> 00:48:13,000
but that's not going to stop 
a red fox.

524
00:48:13,000 --> 00:48:21,833
♪♪

525
00:48:21,833 --> 00:48:30,933
♪♪

526
00:48:30,933 --> 00:48:39,200
♪♪

527
00:48:39,200 --> 00:48:43,900
♪♪

528
00:48:47,933 --> 00:48:53,133
The lone warrior 
of these wildlands is the lynx.

529
00:48:56,000 --> 00:49:01,666
Covering vast distances 
on their eternal quest for food,

530
00:49:01,666 --> 00:49:06,566
lynx spend most of their lives 
on their own.

531
00:49:06,566 --> 00:49:13,100
But come late winter they 
need to find their own kind.

532
00:49:13,100 --> 00:49:17,966
Mature males leave scent marks 
throughout their territory.

533
00:49:17,966 --> 00:49:24,700
♪♪

534
00:49:24,700 --> 00:49:28,166
And this female is 
on their trail.

535
00:49:28,166 --> 00:49:36,433
♪♪

536
00:49:36,433 --> 00:49:40,533
♪♪

537
00:49:40,533 --> 00:49:44,466
Only fertile 
for a few days of the year,

538
00:49:44,466 --> 00:49:47,700
her time with the male is brief.

539
00:49:47,700 --> 00:49:56,500
♪♪

540
00:49:56,500 --> 00:50:00,033
For in the woods 
she has two lively kits

541
00:50:00,033 --> 00:50:02,866
and they take up most 
of her time and energy.

542
00:50:02,866 --> 00:50:09,833
♪♪

543
00:50:09,833 --> 00:50:15,433
Almost a year old, 
they're still dependent on her,

544
00:50:15,433 --> 00:50:19,566
but they will soon leave 
to carve a life of their own

545
00:50:19,566 --> 00:50:23,366
somewhere in the great forests 
of Transylvania.

546
00:50:33,200 --> 00:50:38,633
Today's Europe has fewer and 
fewer of these wild sanctuaries.

547
00:50:41,333 --> 00:50:46,800
Places where 
the solitary lynx can roam free.

548
00:50:46,800 --> 00:50:49,533
Or the great bears 
can find a home.

549
00:50:49,533 --> 00:50:55,133
♪♪

550
00:50:55,133 --> 00:51:01,066
Transylvania is one of Europe's 
last wild wonderlands.

551
00:51:03,666 --> 00:51:07,633
With some of the greatest 
forests on the continent,

552
00:51:07,633 --> 00:51:13,300
half of its bears, some 
of the largest packs of wolves.

553
00:51:13,300 --> 00:51:15,266
[ Wolf howling ]

554
00:51:18,466 --> 00:51:22,600
In the human imagination 
there is nowhere like it.

555
00:51:24,566 --> 00:51:30,533
A magical world 
of warlords and vampires.

556
00:51:30,533 --> 00:51:34,400
♪♪

557
00:51:34,400 --> 00:51:38,833
For thousands of years 
the people of Transylvania

558
00:51:38,833 --> 00:51:42,666
have lived alongside 
their wild neighbors.

559
00:51:42,666 --> 00:51:49,100
♪♪

560
00:51:49,100 --> 00:51:53,533
When the bears rise 
from their winter dens,

561
00:51:53,533 --> 00:51:59,566
they come back to a land 
where many people still care.

562
00:52:03,100 --> 00:52:08,700
In Transylvania, 
the land beyond the forest,

563
00:52:08,700 --> 00:52:13,333
the spirit of the wild 
still runs free.

564
00:52:13,333 --> 00:52:23,233
♪♪

565
00:52:39,566 --> 00:52:49,400
♪♪

566
00:52:49,400 --> 00:52:58,900
♪♪

567
00:52:58,900 --> 00:53:08,833
♪♪

568
00:53:08,833 --> 00:53:17,000
♪♪

569
00:53:17,000 --> 00:53:18,066
To learn more about

570
00:53:18,066 --> 00:53:18,966
what you've seen

571
00:53:18,966 --> 00:53:20,466
on this "Nature" 
program,

572
00:53:20,466 --> 00:53:22,533
visit pbs.org.

573
00:53:22,533 --> 00:53:31,333
♪♪