Skip to main content Skip to footer site map
S40E4

First Steps | Born in the Rockies

Premiere: 11/10/2021 | 0:30 |

From early spring to late summer, follow new animal mothers through the trials of raising a family in the Rocky Mountains. Cranes migrate north to give birth, a bison mother protects her lambs from threats and young mountain goats learn to climb.

About the Episode

The Rocky Mountains are one of the longest mountain ranges on Earth, stretching some 2,000 miles from central New Mexico to the northern edge of Canada. Journey deep into the wild heart of the Rocky Mountains and experience this rugged land through the eyes of its iconic wildlife. As the seasons change, follow the drama of courageous animal families: a herd of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep and their newborn lambs, a mother grizzly bear and her cubs, and a flock of sandhill cranes and their offspring. Witness their struggle to survive in one of the world’s most challenging and spectacular habitats as they face off against predators, the elements and, sometimes, even each other. Narrated by Uma Thurman.

Buzzworthy Moments:

Baby mountain goats learn how to climb mountains; their mothers memorize the landscape to lead the way. Baby goats imprint on their mothers, which allows one kid to find his mother even in a crowded environment.

Adult cranes lead their babies across a busy road to begin their journey to a new home.

Noteworthy Facts:

Mountain goats spend their entire lives at the roof of the Rocky Mountains, surviving where few others can, even in the depths of winter.

The Rocky Mountains stretch 2,000 miles across six states and parts of Canada.

SHARE
PRODUCTION CREDITS

BORN IN THE ROCKIES
FIRST STEPS

NARRATED BY
UMA THURMAN

WRITTEN AND PRODUCED BY
JOSEPH PONTECORVO

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
JOSEPH PONTECORVO

EDITED BY
BILLY MCMILLIN

MUSIC COMPOSED BY
JEREMY ZUCKERMAN

PERFORMED BY
THE BUDAPEST ART ORCHESTRA

FLUTES
GINA LUCIANI

MUSIC PREP
BRIAN HERALD

ADDITIONAL CINEMATOGRAPHY BY
DAWSON DUNNING
JUDY LEHMBERG
BRANDON NAVRATIL
NIMMIDA PONTECORVO
COLIN RUGGIERO
NOAH WALDRON

ASSISTANT CAMERA
NIMMIDA PONTECORVO

LOCATION SOUND
NIMMIDA PONTECORVO

SOUND SUPERVISOR
LEN DELOREY

SOUND EDITORS
SCOT B. CHARLES
JASON DEVORE

ONLINE EDITOR
SHANE DILLON

RE-RECORDING MIXER
LEN DELOREY

COLORIST
ERIC ROSEN

ASSISTANT EDITOR
PHILIP THANGSOMBAT

GRAPHICS
LUCY WOODWARTH

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
CHELSEA FISKE

STOCK FOOTAGE
JEFF HOGAN FILMS
INSPIRE WILD MEDIA
MIKE OLBINSKI PHOTOGRAPHY
KATE AND ADAM RICE
BRETT SCHRECKENGOST PRODUCTIONS
POND 5

SCIENTIFIC ADVISORS
PATRICK DONNELLY
KELSEY C. KING
KEITH AUNE
BRUCE SMITH
JACK HOGG
FANIE PELLETIER
FRANK T. VAN MANEN

RESEARCH ASSISTANCE
CHELSEA FISKE
NIMMIDA PONTECORVO

SPECIAL THANKS
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
U.S. FOREST SERVICE
U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE
AMERICAN PRAIRIE RESERVE
RUSS SCHUMACHER
MPG RANCH
SANDRA NOLL
ERV NICHOLS
JUDY LEHMBERG

FOR TERRA MATER FACTUAL STUDIOS

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS
IVO FILATSCH
SABINE HOLZER

FOR NATURE

SERIES EDITOR
JANET HESS

SENIOR PRODUCER
LAURA METZGER LYNCH

COORDINATING PRODUCER
JAYNE JUN

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
JAMES F. BURKE

LEGAL COUNSEL
BLANCHE ROBERTSON

DIGITAL LEAD
DANIELLE BROZA

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER – DIGITAL
AMANDA SCHMIDT

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR
KAREN HO

AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT
CHELSEY SAATKAMP

BUDGET CONTROLLER
JAYNE LISI

ONLINE EDITORS
CHRIS GUIDO
STACEY DOUGLASS MOVERLEY

RE-RECORDING MIXER
JON BERMAN

NARRATION RECORDIST
DON HOFFMAN

ORIGINAL SERIES PRODUCTION FUNDING PROVIDED IN PART BY
CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING
ARNHOLD FOUNDATION
THE FAIRWEATHER FOUNDATION
KATE W. CASSIDY FOUNDATION
SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III
KATHY CHIAO AND KEN HAO
CHARLES ROSENBLUM
FILOMEN M. D’AGOSTINO FOUNDATION
LILLIAN GOLDMAN CHARITABLE TRUST
LEONARD AND NORMA KLORFINE
SANDRA ATLAS BASS
COLIN S. EDWARDS
GREGG PETERS MONSEES FOUNDATION
KOO AND PATRICIA YUEN

SERIES PRODUCER
BILL MURPHY

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
FRED KAUFMAN

A PRODUCTION OF PONTECORVO PRODUCTIONS AND THE WNET GROUP IN CO-PRODUCTION WITH TERRA MATER FACTUAL STUDIOS

THIS PROGRAM WAS PRODUCED BY THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC, WHICH IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CONTENT.

© 2021 THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

FUNDING

Series funding for Nature is made possible in part by The Arnhold Family in memory of Henry and Clarisse Arnhold, The Fairweather Foundation, Kate W. Cassidy Foundation, Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III, Kathy Chiao and Ken Hao, Charles Rosenblum, Filomen M. D’Agostino Foundation, Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust, Leonard and Norma Klorfine, Sandra Atlas Bass, Colin S. Edwards, Gregg Peters Monsees Foundation, Koo and Patricia Yuen, by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and by public television viewers.

TRANSCRIPT

- [Narrator] In the heart of North America, there is wild country.

These are the Rocky Mountains, one of the most challenging places to grow up in on earth.

Here, the young must quickly learn the rules of their tribe to find their place.

Journey from the American Southwest to the Canadian Arctic.

Discover what it's like to be born in The Rockies.