Native to North America , the common turkey was tamed between 800 BC and 200 BC by the people of pre-Columbian Mexico. However, these early Americans weren’t the only ones to breed the bird.

Scientists conducting DNA analysis of ancient turkey remains recently discovered that the Pueblo peoples of what is now the southwestern United States achieved their own distinct domestication around 200 BC. For more than a millennium, Pueblo turkeys were raised primarily for their feathers, which were used in rituals, ceremonies, and textiles; it wasn’t until around 1100 AD that the turkey became an important source of sustenance for the Puebloans.

Despite centuries of successful breeding, some researchers believe that the Pueblo turkey may have become extinct, but no one knows for sure. DNA tests indicate that it is most closely related to two modern subspecies of wild turkey, the Eastern and Rio Grande, which roam U.S. forests and fields to this day. What is clear, however, is that the Pueblo breed did not become part of the modern domestic turkey’s bloodline. Instead, the distinction of “closest cousin” goes to the Aztec turkey, a direct descendent of the breed that was first domesticated in pre-Columbian Mexico.

When Spanish conquistadors encountered Aztec turkeys in the early sixteenth century, they promptly shipped the bird back to Europe. Here, esteem for the Aztec turkey rose with remarkable speed – no small feat, as New World fare was often embraced rather tentatively in the Old World. According to food historian Andrew F. Smith, there are number of factors that likely contributed to the turkey’s surprising popularity: it tasted good, it reproduced quickly, it was easy to care for, and it was relatively inexpensive to produce.

By the mid-sixteenth century, turkeys were common throughout Europe. When the first English colonists set off for what is now the eastern United States, they brought their turkeys with them – and so the bird crossed the Atlantic once again.

Fortunately for the colonial turkeys, the wild breeds encountered in North America were plentiful and large – significantly larger than the domestic birds shipped in from Europe. Settlers focused their attention on hunting rather than breeding until the supply of wild turkey was all but exhausted, at which point they began incorporating untamed birds into their domestic stock. This experiment produced the predecessors of the large-breasted domestic turkeys we are familiar with today, including the modern Thanksgiving turkey.

And which breed (wild or domestic) was served at the first Thanksgiving? The answer, most likely, is neither. Instead, the menu seems to have featured venison, seafood, duck, and goose. Though it is unclear exactly when turkeys and Thanksgiving became so closely entwined, the one thing that is obvious is that the turkey’s place on the table has been firmly established.

PRESENTED AND NARRATED BY
JOE HUTTO

APPEARING AS JOE HUTTO IN THE RECREATIONS
JEFF PALMER

PRODUCED BY
DAVID ALLEN

PHOTOGRAPHY
MARK SMITH
DAVID ALLEN

ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY
JEFF PALMER

FILM EDITOR
DARREN FLAXSTONE

ORIGINAL MUSIC
ROB DUNSTONE

DUBBING EDITOR
JONNY CREW

DUBBING MIXER
MATT SKILTON

GRAPHICS
ANITA CORCORAN

SCIENTIFIC ADVISERS
LOVETTE WILLIAMS
DAVID NICHOLSON

FIELD ASSISTANT
STEPHANIE WINKLER

ASSISTANT PRODUCERS
JEFF PALMER
GABY BASTYRA

PRODUCTION MANAGER
GEORGE CHIGNELL

SKETCHES BY
JOE HUTTO
From Illumination in the Flatwoods

SPECIAL THANKS
DANIEL PARKER
DAVID AUSTIN
THE CLARK FAMILY
WILDLIFE FOUNDATION OF FLORIDA, INC
FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION
SUE MARTIN

EXECUTIVE FOR PASSION PICTURES
ANDREW RUHEMANN

FOR NATURE

SERIES EDITOR
JANET HESS

SUPERVISING PRODUCER
JANICE YOUNG

SENIOR PRODUCER
LAURA METZGER

PRODUCTION MANAGER
JULIE SCHAPIRO THORMAN

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
JAYNE JUN

ADDITIONAL VOICEOVER
JEFF BOTTOMS

RE-RECORDING MIXER
ED CAMPBELL

ONLINE EDITOR
PATRICK KRASS

SERIES PRODUCER
BILL MURPHY

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
FRED KAUFMAN

A Production of Passion Pictures, THIRTEEN and the BBC in association with WNET New York Public Media

This program was produced by THIRTEEN, which is solely responsible for its content

© 2011 THIRTEEN and Passion Pictures
All rights reserved

WEB CREDITS

PRODUCER
KATE FULTON

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
CHIE WITT

DESIGNER
JOY WEEENG

PAGEBUILDING
BRIAN SANTALONE

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
BRIAN LEE

CREATIVE DIRECTOR
NICK MILLER

SENIOR DIRECTOR
DANIEL B. GREENBERG

WRITERS

for “Who’s Your Mama? The Science of Imprinting”
LYNNE HOPPE

for “The Making of a Turkey”
RACHAEL TEEL

 
 
MUSIC CREDITS

Eels
“Blinking Lights (For You)”
Blinking Lights and Other Revelations

Sylvester Weaver
“Guitar Rag”
The Slide Guitar: You Can’t Get That Stuff No More

Bob Dylan
“Main Title Theme (Billy)”
Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid

The Be Good Tanyas
“The Littlest Birds”
Blue Horse

Sonny Terry
“Sonny’s Squall”
Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee

Faithless
“A Kind of Peace”
To All New Arrivals

Bob Dylan
“Cantina Theme”
Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid

Jill Barber
“Legacy”
For All Time

Original music by Rob Dunstone

In the same way that inbreeding among human populations can increase the frequency of normally rare genes that cause diseases, the selective breeding that created the hundreds of modern dog breeds has put purebred dogs at risk for a large number of health problems, affecting both body and behavior.

Some conditions are directly related to the features breeders have sought to perpetuate among their dogs. As they deliberately manipulated the appearance of dogs to create or accentuate physical characteristics that were considered aesthetically pleasing, like the flat face of a bulldog or low-slung eyelids of a Bloodhound, breeders also created physical disabilities. The excessively wrinkled skin of the Chinese Shar-Pei causes frequent skin infection; Bulldogs and other flat-faced (or brachycephalic) breeds such as the Pekingese have breathing problems because of their set-back noses and shortened air passages; Bloodhounds suffer chronic eye irritation and infection.

The unnaturally large and small sizes of other breeds encourage different problems. For example, toy and miniature breeds often suffer from dislocating kneecaps and heart problems are more common among small dogs. Giant dogs such as Mastiffs, Saint Bernards, and Great Danes are nearly too big for their own good. Researchers have found a striking correlation between a dog’s large size and a frequency of orthopedic problems like hip dysplasia. Large dogs are often prone to heat prostration because they can’t cool down their bodies (tiny dogs, by contrast, have a hard time staying warm), and because of the massive weight they must support, these breeds are prone to malignant bone tumors in their legs. Meanwhile, the huge head and narrow hips of the Bulldog can necessitate that their pups must be born by Caesarean section.

Other health problems among purebreds are the product of both inbreeding and bad genetic luck. The genes responsible for many genetic diseases are “recessive,” which means that two copies of a damaged gene, one from the mother and one from the father, must be present in an individual for the disease to occur. Individuals that carry only one copy of the disease gene don’t have the condition, and are carriers of the disease. Normally, because disease genes are relatively rare, it is unlikely that both the mother and the father will be carriers, and even less likely that they’ll both give the disease gene to their offspring. But that’s not the case for purebred dog breeds, where genetically similar individuals are intentionally mated, increasing the concentration of disease genes. It’s like stacking a deck of cards with ten extra aces and ten extra face cards; the loaded deck increases your chance of hitting blackjack in a game of 21-but what you “win” might be allergies or a predisposition to cancer.

Bloodhounds suffer chronic eye irritation and infection.

Skin problems

A skin allergy, atopic dermatitis, inflicts itchy, inflamed skin on as many as 15 percent of all dogs, but certain breeds are particularly susceptible. Dog breeds prone to atopic dermatitis include Dalmatians, Vizslas, and several terriers, such as the Boston Terrier, Bull Terrier, and the West Highland White Terrier. The numerous skin folds of a Chinese Shar-Pei, so valued by some breeders, can become breeding grounds for staphylococcus and other bacteria, which cause frequent skin infections. Also, excess wrinkles of skin on the face can rub on the eye, causing lesions and, potentially, blindness.

Immune system disease

In autoimmune disorders, an individual’s immune system, which normally works to fight off foreign invaders, launches a misguided attack against its own tissues and cells. A number of inherited diseases compromising the immune system have been noted in dogs, including primary severe combined immunodeficiency (a dog version of the “bubble boy” disease) among Basset hounds, Cardigan Welsh Corgis, and Dachshunds. Addison’s disease, an autoimmune disease that affects the hormone-producing adrenal glands, occurs more frequently among several particular breeds, including the Bearded Collie, Portuguese Water Dog, and Standard Poodles. Diabetes mellitus, an autoimmune disorder affecting the body’s response to sugars, shows up more frequently among Samoyeds and Australian Terrier dogs.

Blood disorders

Bassett Hounds are prone to an inherited abnormality the effects the ability of the platelets in the blood to clump together after an injury. The blood doesn’t clot properly, leading to hemorrhage and bruising. Clotting problems also plague dogs with von Willebrand’s disease, a genetic condition frequent in Doberman Pinschers.

Neurological, behavioral, and sensory

Neurological and behavioral problems afflict many pure breeds. Bull Terriers, for example, often compulsively chase their tails. Pugs are be predisposed to Pug Dog encephalitis, a fatal brain disease. Scottish Terriers are affected by Scottie Cramp, a disorder that causes the dogs to lose muscle control when they get excited. German Shepherds may inherit degenerative myelopathy, a crippling spinal cord disease that causes weakness and eventually paralysis.

Hearing and vision

Hereditary hearing loss is common in Dalmatians, Australian Cattle Dogs, and English Setters. Alaskan Malamutes, Siberian Huskies, Samoyeds, Bichon Frise, and more than 60 other purebred dogs suffer from inherited forms of cataracts, while progressive retinal atrophy, a common cause of blindness in purebreds, is particularly a problem in Old English Sheepdogs and Papillons.

Heart disease

Sudden death from cardiac disease is recurrent in several dog breeds, including Doberman Pinschers, Great Danes, Irish Wolfhounds, and German Shepherds. Boxers can be genetically predisposed to an irregular heartbeat. High blood pressure afflicts many small breeds including Poodles, Cocker Spaniels, Staffordshire terriers, among others.

Other organs and systems

Low thyroid function crops up most frequently in Alaskan Malamutes, English Setters, Golden Retrievers, Keeshonds, Samoyeds, and Siberian Huskies. Gastric torsion, or bloat, a potentially life-threatening inability to expel gas from the digestive system, is common among deep-chested breeds such as the Great Dane, Doberman, and German Shepherd. An inherited form of kidney disease affects English Cocker Spaniels, while Dalmatians are prone to kidney stones and Basenjis suffer from Fanconi Syndrome, a potentially fatal inherited disease in which the kidneys fail to reabsorb nutrients. Liver damage and cirrhosis are common in Bedlington Terriers because of an inherited condition called copper toxicosis, in which high levels of copper accumulate in the liver.

Cancer

Cancers are strongly influenced by genetics, and so it is not surprising to find various types of cancer among different dog breeds. For example, bone cancer, or osteosarcoma, is considerably more frequent among large and giant breeds of dogs, such as the Irish Wolfhound, Great Dane, Rottweiler, Labrador and Golden Retriever, Greyhound, and Saint Bernard, because their bones are stressed by carrying so much weight. High rates of malignant blood vessel tumors are seen among Golden Retrievers, which are also prone to leukemia and brain tumors. German Shepherd Dogs and Chow Chows are predisposed to gastric cancer, while Scottish Terriers are 18 times more likely to develop bladder cancer than are other breeds.

Orthopedic

Hip dysplasia, in which looseness in the hip joint causes excessive wear that eventually leads to arthritis, is most common among large dogs, especially those like the German Shepherd Dog and the Saint Bernard which have heavy, broad hips. The long neck and large head of breeds such as the Great Dane and the Doberman can cause the compression of the spinal cord in neck vertebrae, leading to wobbling and falling (”wobbler syndrome”). Selective breeding of the disproportionately short legs of breeds such as the Basset Hound and the Dachshund has led to bowed legs and chronic problems with elbow dislocation; the short legs and long back of Dachshunds causes them to suffer more often from ruptured vertebral disks. Because of their small bones, toy and miniature breeds are more likely to experience patellar luxation, the slipping or dislocation of the kneecaps.

Genetics and brain physiology can affect a dog’s personality and behavior. (Video limited to U.S. & Territories.)

GRADE LEVEL: 9-12

SUBJECT MATTER: Science

TIME ALLOTMENT: Two or three 45-minute class periods

OVERVIEW

In this lesson, students will use segments from Nature: Wild Balkans to explore the roles and interrelationships of organisms in the varied environments of the Balkan Peninsula. In the Introductory Activity, students will identify the Balkan Peninsula on a map and hypothesize what natural environments and wildlife might be present there. Students will use an interactive map to identify different regions of the Balkan Peninsula and the wildlife that resides in each region. In the Learning Activity, students will explore the regions of the Balkan Peninsula in more depth by viewing and discussing segments from the episode. Students will explore the habitats and wildlife of each region and the ways in which species collaborate and compete, as well as the role of humans in these environments. In the Culminating Activity, students will explore one species in depth and create a 3-D diorama or computer-generated simulation of the species in its environment. Students will discuss their projects with the class.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Students will be able to:

• Describe at least three different habitats in the Balkan Peninsula and the species that reside in each.
• Explain how species cooperate and compete within an ecosystem.
• Describe the roles that humans play in the Balkan Peninsula.
• Discuss one species in depth, including its preferred habitat and how it cooperates and/or competes with other species.

STANDARDS

National Science Education Standards

Grades 9-12:

Content Standard C: Life Science
Fundamental concepts and principles that underlie this standard include:

• The Interdependence of Organisms
  • Organisms both cooperate and compete in ecosystems. The interrelationships and interdependencies of these organisms may generate ecosystems that are stable for hundreds or thousands of years.
  • Living organisms have the capacity to produce populations of infinite size, but environments and resources are finite. This fundamental tension has profound effects on the interactions between organisms.
  • Human beings live within the world’s ecosystems. Increasingly, humans modify ecosystems as a result of population growth, technology, and consumption. Human destruction of habitats through direct harvesting, pollution, atmospheric changes, and other factors is threatening current global stability, and if not addressed, ecosystems will be irreversibly affected.
• The Behavior Of Organisms
  • Organisms have behavioral responses to internal changes and to external stimuli. Responses to external stimuli can result from interactions with the organism’s own species and others, as well as environmental changes; these responses either can be innate or learned. The broad patterns of behavior exhibited by animals have evolved to ensure reproductive success. Animals often live in unpredictable environments, and so their behavior must be flexible enough to deal with uncertainty and change. Plants also respond to stimuli.
  • Like other aspects of an organism’s biology, behaviors have evolved through natural selection. Behaviors often have an adaptive logic when viewed in terms of evolutionary principles.

MEDIA COMPONENTS

Nature: Wild Balkans, selected segments

• Danube Delta (Delta Dunarii)

A close look at the Danube Delta (Delta Dunarii), Europe’s most extensive wetland.

• Dobrudza

A look at the dry and stony region of Dobrudza.

• Durmitor

A look at the wildlife and terrain of Durmitor region of the Balkans.

• Kopacki Rit

A look at Kopacki Rit, one of Europe’s most extensive and important wetlands.

• Skadar Lake

A look at Skadar Lake, the largest lake in the Balkans.

• Tikves

A look at the terrain and the vultures & other inhabitants of the desolate, mountainous region of Tikves.

Access the streaming and downloadable video clips at the Video Segments Page.

Websites:

• Interactive Map: Wilderness of the Balkan Peninsula

This map on the Nature: Wild Balkans website highlights the different regions highlighted in the episode. This map is used in the Introductory Activity to provide an overview of the different regions of the Balkan Peninsula.

• Balkan Peninsula Map

This map features the countries of the Balkan Peninsula.

• Photo Gallery: Rare Animals of the Balkans

This page on the Nature: Wild Balkans website features images and descriptions of some of the Balkans’ rarest species. Students could use this as a resource in the Culminating Activity.

MATERIALS

For the class:

• Computers with internet access.
• Computer, projection screen and speakers (for class viewing of online/downloaded video segments).
• 1 copy of the “Regions of the Balkan Peninsula” answer key.

For each student:

• 1 copy of the “Regions of the Balkan Peninsula” student organizer.

PREP FOR TEACHERS

Prior to teaching this lesson, you will need to:

Preview all of the video segments and websites used in the lesson.

Download the video clips used in the lesson to your classroom computer(s) or prepare to watch them using your classroom’s Internet connection.

Bookmark any websites that you plan to use in the lesson on each computer in your classroom. Using a social bookmarking tool such as del.icio.us or diigo (or an online bookmarking utility such as portaportal will allow you to organize all the links in a central location.Print out one copy of the “Regions of the Balkan Peninsula” student organizer for each student.

Print out one copy of the “Regions of the Balkan Peninsula” answer key.

Proceed to ACTIVITIES

Excerpts from the NATURE episode, Wild Balkans.

Danube Delta (Delta Dunarii)
(View full post to see video)
Dobrudza
(View full post to see video)
Durmitor
(View full post to see video)
Kopacki Rit
(View full post to see video)
Skadar Lake
(View full post to see video)
Tikves
(View full post to see video)

1. Danube Delta (Delta Dunarii)
A close look at the Danube Delta (Delta Dunarii), Europe’s most extensive wetland.

2. Dobrudza
A look at the dry and stony region of Dobrudza.

3. Durmitor
A look at the wildlife and terrain of Durmitor region of the Balkans.

4. Kopacki Rit
A look at Kopacki Rit, one of Europe’s most extensive and important wetlands.

5. Skadar Lake
A look at Skadar Lake, the largest lake in the Balkans.

6. Tikves
A look at the terrain and the vultures & other inhabitants of the desolate, mountainous region of Tikves.

Whether you like your cats striped or spotted, sleek or fuzzy, there is a breed for you. Indeed, cat breeding has become a multi-billion dollar business around the world, with breeders constantly competing to create exotic new varieties that might win the blue ribbon at the next pet show. Often, cat breeders will carefully comb wild and domestic breeds looking for just the right combination of characteristics, matching long hair from one breed, for example, with racy stripes from another. But other times, chance plays as big a role as design in the development of a popular breed.

The remarkable curve-eared American Curl, for instance, got its start with a stray cat discovered in California in 1981. “On a sunny day in June, a longhair silky black female kitten with unusual ears wandered up to the doorstep of Joe and Grace Ruga,” explains one Web site devoted to the cats with the gracefully-arced ears. “Joe [asked] Grace not to feed the kitten. Grace, not abiding by her husband’s wishes but listening to her heart instead, left a bowl of food on the porch. The affectionate black kitten quickly worked her way into the Rugas’ hearts (especially Joe’s) and they named her Shulamith, which means “black but comely.” Such are the beginnings of the American Curl as it is known today.

Like other breeds, the American Curl is officially registered as a breed with one of the several associations that keeps track of new varieties. The associations help define what makes a champion show cat. For the American Curl, for instance, the degree of curl to the ear is a key factor. Tufts of ear fur — called “furnishings” — and plumed tails are also considered handsome additions. The Curl, however, is just one of the thousands of cat breeds that people have created over time. And at Wild Side Exotics, a consortium of feline breeders in California, the search for new breeds continues. Using domesticated descendants from some of the 28 species of wild small cats, the breeders aim to produce “beautiful, elegant, hybrid felines with the exotic looks of their wild heritage and the predictable temperaments of domestic cats.”

Current offerings include such exotic-sounding and -appearing breeds as the Asian leopard cat, or Bengal, sporting leopard spots and rosettes or marbled pelts. Some have “glittered” coats, meaning the fur includes strands of shimmering and glistening hair. Savannahs are another striking breed, with golden black-spotted coats, long legs and neck, and large ears.

Given the work that goes into creating these breeds, it’s not surprising that the cats don’t come cheap. Even a homely kitten of uncertain quality can cost more than $400 — with especially unusual varieties reaching $3,500 or more. These custom-bred cats’ values have led some owners to begin looking for new ways to safeguard their treasured pets from catnappers, who can make big gains reselling their victims on the pet black market. One possibility that some researchers have suggested is taking a cat’s noseprint. Like fingerprints, it appears that the skin on every cat’s nose “leather” has its own unique pattern. So far, however, few owners have taken up the idea. The prospect of ending up with an angry, hissing, spitting, and smudge-nosed cat on their scratched-up hands seems to be too much effort for too little reward.

To order a copy of EXTRAORDINARY CATS, please visit the NATURE Shop.
Online content for EXTRAORDINARY CATS was originally posted February 1999.

Background:
Cattle originally evolved over millions of years through a process of natural selection-also known as “survival of the fittest”-which made them adaptable to a wide variety of environments, including most of those inhabited by another highly adaptable species: humans. Once humans discovered how to domesticate cattle about 4,000 years ago, they began to selectively, or “artificially,” breed them for specific desired traits like meat and milk production. This resulted in animals fit less for survival in the wild than the satisfaction of human needs, but in purely genetic terms, the arrangement has proven highly successful for cattle. Cattle now thrive throughout the world in over 800 different breeds, each more or less successfully adapted to their environment and the needs of their human caretakers.

The excerpted clips from the NATURE episode “Holy Cow!” illustrate some of the naturally evolved and artificially selected attributes of cattle.

Suggested Focus Questions:

Clip 1: A Cow’s Digestive System

1. What role do microbes serve in a cow’s rumen?
2. Does this clip illustrate naturally or artificially selected attributes?
3. Why would a cow’s ability to eat grass make it ideal for human domestication?

Clip 2: Desirable Breeding Traits in Cattle

1. How many different breeds of cattle have humans created?
2. Would the qualities that make good beef cattle help them survive in the wild?
3. Besides milk and meat production, what other traits might humans wish to breed in cattle?

Clip 3: Different Breeds of Cattle

1. What might indicate that a cattle breed is adapted to cold climates like Scotland?
2. What do the different breed names refer to?
3. Why might “adaptability” be a desirable trait in a specific breed?

Downloadable QuickTime versions of the video segments:
(Note: To downoad a video, right-click on the video title and click “Save Link As…” or “Save Target As…” On a Mac, press the CTRL key and simultaneously click the mouse, then save the link.)

Clip 1, “A Cow’s Digestive System”

Clip 2, “Desirable Breeding Traits in Cattle”

Clip 3, “Different Breeds of Cattle”