"Mysteries at the Museum" Animal Heroes: Special

1 00:00:01,820 --> 00:00:04,650 The burning story behind a beloved American icon... 2 00:00:04,660 --> 00:00:08,230 WEATHERFORD: This little cub had captured the nation's attention. 3 00:00:08,230 --> 00:00:11,630 His story spread like wildfire. 4 00:00:11,630 --> 00:00:15,170 A sled dog's desperate race to save a town... 5 00:00:15,170 --> 00:00:18,200 This is as dangerous as you could possibly imagine. 6 00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:22,410 And an injured dolphin must either sink or swim. 7 00:00:22,410 --> 00:00:25,040 YATES: It means the difference between life and death. 8 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:28,850 These are the mysteries at the museum. 9 00:00:34,090 --> 00:00:37,650 Once home to the infamous outlaw Billy the Kid, 10 00:00:37,660 --> 00:00:39,690 New Mexico's Lincoln County 11 00:00:39,690 --> 00:00:42,890 is known as the Wild West frozen in time. 12 00:00:42,900 --> 00:00:47,530 Visitors can explore an old fort used by the US cavalry 13 00:00:47,530 --> 00:00:52,900 or ride a four-horse stagecoach past a 19th-century cemetery. 14 00:00:52,910 --> 00:00:56,640 But one attraction here honors a truly heated period 15 00:00:56,640 --> 00:01:00,310 of American history -- Smokey Bear Historical Park. 16 00:01:04,020 --> 00:01:06,420 On display are statues, figurines, 17 00:01:06,420 --> 00:01:08,020 and ephemera celebrating 18 00:01:08,020 --> 00:01:11,150 the famous furry symbol of wildfire prevention. 19 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:17,330 And among these charming mementos is an object 20 00:01:17,330 --> 00:01:20,660 that first sparked the iconic bear's rise to stardom. 21 00:01:20,670 --> 00:01:24,700 WEATHERFORD: The artifact measures roughly 5 1/2 by 10 inches. 22 00:01:24,700 --> 00:01:27,370 It's made out of brownish-red leather 23 00:01:27,370 --> 00:01:30,710 and has a series of straps that intersect with metal buckles. 24 00:01:30,710 --> 00:01:35,110 It looks like it was designed to control a small animal. 25 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:41,380 WILDMAN: Most think that Smokey is nothing more than a cartoon, 26 00:01:41,390 --> 00:01:44,790 but this leather harness reveals the amazing true tale 27 00:01:44,790 --> 00:01:47,590 behind this enduring American ursine. 28 00:01:47,590 --> 00:01:50,590 This is the surprising story behind the creation 29 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:53,560 of one of the most beloved icons in the nation. 30 00:01:58,500 --> 00:02:00,440 WILDMAN: It's the 1940s. 31 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:02,870 From the majestic mountains of Colorado 32 00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:05,080 to the verdant valleys of Vermont, 33 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:08,080 the advent of the motorcar has turned the nation's 34 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:11,110 natural wonders into popular vacation destinations. 35 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:13,520 WEATHERFORD: Visitors were largely young families, 36 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:15,520 so the love of our forests was something 37 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:17,390 that was starting to be generational, 38 00:02:17,390 --> 00:02:19,890 something that you could pass down to your children. 39 00:02:19,890 --> 00:02:22,860 WILDMAN: But this new wave of tourists 40 00:02:22,860 --> 00:02:25,760 also creates an incendiary problem -- 41 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:28,570 forest fires. 42 00:02:28,570 --> 00:02:31,400 Careless campers spark small blazes 43 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:34,800 that quickly grow into infernos, 44 00:02:34,810 --> 00:02:37,810 and as fires sweep through protected areas, 45 00:02:37,810 --> 00:02:40,380 millions of acres of pristine forest 46 00:02:40,380 --> 00:02:42,450 are charred beyond recognition. 47 00:02:42,450 --> 00:02:45,920 WEATHERFORD: With the increased visitation to national forests 48 00:02:45,920 --> 00:02:47,950 came an increase in forest fires. 49 00:02:47,950 --> 00:02:51,290 The cost of these fires was enormous. 50 00:02:53,190 --> 00:02:55,960 WILDMAN: The US Forest Service estimates that 51 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:59,460 nine out of ten forest fires are caused by human negligence. 52 00:02:59,460 --> 00:03:01,600 WEATHERFORD: Forest fires generally 53 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:03,630 were started out of carelessness, 54 00:03:03,640 --> 00:03:06,440 people not extinguishing their campfires properly 55 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:09,540 or even just tossing away cigarette butts in dry brush. 56 00:03:12,110 --> 00:03:15,550 WILDMAN: So to educate the public about fire prevention, 57 00:03:15,550 --> 00:03:20,050 the Forest Service launches a national advertising campaign. 58 00:03:20,050 --> 00:03:24,050 Their posters run the gamut from images of evil Nazis 59 00:03:24,060 --> 00:03:28,220 to illustrations of adorable woodland creatures, 60 00:03:28,230 --> 00:03:31,760 and one of those animals is a forest-dwelling cartoon bear 61 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:34,700 named Smokey. 62 00:03:34,700 --> 00:03:38,130 But no matter what the Forest Service tries, 63 00:03:38,140 --> 00:03:41,840 people fail to take its fire prevention messages to heart. 64 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:44,770 WEATHERFORD: It didn't really seem to be connecting. 65 00:03:44,780 --> 00:03:47,480 Forest fires were continuing at the same rates. 66 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:51,080 Millions of acres were being burned every single year. 67 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:53,480 WILDMAN: But as a new decade begins, 68 00:03:53,490 --> 00:03:55,690 something happens that will change the face 69 00:03:55,690 --> 00:04:00,190 of wildfire prevention forever. 70 00:04:00,190 --> 00:04:04,460 In May 1950, a devastating fire breaks out 71 00:04:04,460 --> 00:04:07,760 in the mountains above Capitan, New Mexico. 72 00:04:07,770 --> 00:04:10,430 A careless camper tossed a cigarette butt 73 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:13,400 into some dry brush and a massive fire begins, 74 00:04:13,410 --> 00:04:16,170 swept along very quickly by the wind. 75 00:04:16,170 --> 00:04:20,740 It starts to spread and threatens 17,000 acres. 76 00:04:20,750 --> 00:04:24,510 This was exactly the kind of carelessness 77 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:27,320 and easily preventable situation 78 00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:30,890 that they were working to educate people about. 79 00:04:30,890 --> 00:04:33,920 WILDMAN: Brave firefighters battle the inferno for hours 80 00:04:33,930 --> 00:04:36,490 and eventually put out the blaze, 81 00:04:36,500 --> 00:04:38,400 but by the time it's over, 82 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:42,230 the landscape has been reduced to a charred wasteland. 83 00:04:44,340 --> 00:04:46,670 WEATHERFORD: The only thing left 84 00:04:46,670 --> 00:04:49,840 in this scorched patch of wilderness is a lone, 85 00:04:49,840 --> 00:04:52,010 singed tree. 86 00:04:52,010 --> 00:04:54,810 WILDMAN: And clinging to the branches of that tree 87 00:04:54,810 --> 00:04:57,310 is a creature that, unbeknownst to them all, 88 00:04:57,320 --> 00:05:00,120 will change the face of fire prevention forever -- 89 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:02,390 a wounded bear cub. 90 00:05:04,490 --> 00:05:06,960 WEATHERFORD: The firefighters were amazed that 91 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:09,960 there was anything left alive in this patch of wilderness. 92 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:12,560 The bear cub was very badly injured. 93 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:15,970 His paws and his hind legs were very badly burned. 94 00:05:15,970 --> 00:05:18,840 WILDMAN: The awestruck firefighters carefully 95 00:05:18,840 --> 00:05:22,670 bring the cub down from the tree 96 00:05:22,670 --> 00:05:25,980 and send it to Santa Fe for medical attention. 97 00:05:25,980 --> 00:05:29,980 While the baby bear recuperates, his heartwarming survival story 98 00:05:29,980 --> 00:05:32,920 attracts the attention of the national press. 99 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:34,620 WEATHERFORD: The story exploded 100 00:05:34,620 --> 00:05:36,720 in a way that nobody could have foreseen. 101 00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:41,660 The public loved this tiny bear cub. 102 00:05:41,660 --> 00:05:45,330 WILDMAN: The US Forest Service realizes that the cute cub 103 00:05:45,330 --> 00:05:49,000 could be used to ignite the hearts of campers everywhere, 104 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:51,740 and so the little orphan is named after 105 00:05:51,740 --> 00:05:54,500 the cartoon fire prevention character -- 106 00:05:54,510 --> 00:05:56,070 Smokey. 107 00:05:56,070 --> 00:05:59,110 They write the real Smokey's survival story 108 00:05:59,110 --> 00:06:01,610 into their fire awareness campaign 109 00:06:01,610 --> 00:06:04,810 and take him on a coast to coast publicity tour, 110 00:06:04,820 --> 00:06:08,080 where he's led around using a leather harness, 111 00:06:08,090 --> 00:06:12,320 which is now on display at the Smokey Bear Historical Park. 112 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:17,390 WEATHERFORD: Smokey had become a beloved national celebrity. 113 00:06:19,700 --> 00:06:22,930 WILDMAN: Smokey's likeness appears on posters, 114 00:06:22,930 --> 00:06:25,570 in magazines, and in television ads. 115 00:06:25,570 --> 00:06:27,840 His simple yet powerful message 116 00:06:27,840 --> 00:06:30,170 resonates with the American public. 117 00:06:30,180 --> 00:06:34,680 SMOKEY: Remember, only you can prevent forest fires. 118 00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:37,910 WILDMAN: This time, the campaign is a huge success. 119 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:40,050 Finally, people got the message 120 00:06:40,050 --> 00:06:42,820 and started being conscious of fire safety. 121 00:06:45,690 --> 00:06:48,390 WILDMAN: Over the next several decades, 122 00:06:48,390 --> 00:06:52,530 forest fires caused by careless humans become far less frequent. 123 00:06:52,530 --> 00:06:55,930 WEATHERFORD: The dramatic decrease in forest fires 124 00:06:55,930 --> 00:06:58,900 can really be attributed to the success of 125 00:06:58,900 --> 00:07:00,870 the Smokey the Bear campaign. 126 00:07:00,870 --> 00:07:04,140 WILDMAN: The character's legacy lives on to this day. 127 00:07:04,140 --> 00:07:06,740 WEATHERFORD: The Smokey Bear campaign is 128 00:07:06,750 --> 00:07:09,480 the longest-running public service campaign 129 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:11,850 in the history of the United States, 130 00:07:11,850 --> 00:07:14,720 and Smokey is recognized by 96% of Americans. 131 00:07:17,090 --> 00:07:18,720 WILDMAN: This harness, 132 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:22,030 on display at the Smokey Bear Historical Park, 133 00:07:22,030 --> 00:07:26,060 recalls the real-life cub that grew into an American icon. 134 00:07:29,570 --> 00:07:32,740 Cascading waterfalls, lush forests, 135 00:07:32,740 --> 00:07:37,010 and 10,000-year-old gorges make Cornell University 136 00:07:37,010 --> 00:07:40,410 in Ithica, New York one of the most majestic 137 00:07:40,410 --> 00:07:44,050 college campuses in America, and in the heart of 138 00:07:44,050 --> 00:07:48,420 this idyllic academic setting is the Carl A. Kroch Library. 139 00:07:50,490 --> 00:07:55,360 This vast repository houses more than 500,000 printed volumes, 140 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:57,690 everything from the earliest collection 141 00:07:57,700 --> 00:08:00,700 of William Shakespeare's plays to a handwritten copy 142 00:08:00,700 --> 00:08:03,100 of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. 143 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:08,170 But among these illustrious works 144 00:08:08,170 --> 00:08:10,240 is an ordinary looking volume 145 00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:13,240 that recounts a truly unbelievable tale. 146 00:08:13,250 --> 00:08:16,650 JANES: The artifact is six inches wide by eight inches tall, 147 00:08:16,650 --> 00:08:21,050 it has a brittle outer cover, and contains a large photograph 148 00:08:21,050 --> 00:08:24,820 of a man standing next to a chalkboard and a horse. 149 00:08:28,630 --> 00:08:31,760 WILDMAN: This century-old book reveals the truth 150 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:34,930 behind perhaps the most controversial entertainer 151 00:08:34,930 --> 00:08:36,470 to ever take the stage. 152 00:08:36,470 --> 00:08:40,400 This is an eccentric story of willing and unwilling deception. 153 00:08:45,280 --> 00:08:46,640 WILDMAN: It's 1891. 154 00:08:46,650 --> 00:08:48,080 The people of Germany 155 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:50,850 are captivated by a genius mathematician 156 00:08:50,850 --> 00:08:53,280 who's been dazzling live audiences 157 00:08:53,290 --> 00:08:55,080 with his impressive skills. 158 00:08:55,090 --> 00:08:57,850 His names is Clever Hans. 159 00:08:57,860 --> 00:08:59,790 JANES: People loved him. 160 00:08:59,790 --> 00:09:03,390 It was just a genuine display of rare talent. 161 00:09:03,400 --> 00:09:05,190 WILDMAN: But there's something unique about 162 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:07,200 this particular prodigy -- 163 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:10,330 Clever Hans... is a horse. 164 00:09:10,340 --> 00:09:11,900 [ Horse whinnies ] 165 00:09:11,900 --> 00:09:14,970 The four-legged phenomenon belongs to a schoolteacher 166 00:09:14,970 --> 00:09:17,610 named Wilhelm von Osten. 167 00:09:17,610 --> 00:09:20,480 Von Osten takes his horse all over Germany, 168 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:21,810 and during each show, 169 00:09:21,810 --> 00:09:24,450 the teacher invites members of the audience 170 00:09:24,450 --> 00:09:27,120 to present Hans with a simple math problem. 171 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:30,590 The star stallion seems to mull over the equation 172 00:09:30,590 --> 00:09:33,490 and then taps out the answer with his hoof. 173 00:09:33,490 --> 00:09:37,330 JANES: If asked what the answer to 3 times 2 was, 174 00:09:37,330 --> 00:09:39,460 Hans would tap his foot six times 175 00:09:39,460 --> 00:09:41,360 to deliver the correct response. 176 00:09:44,670 --> 00:09:47,640 WILDMAN: For years, people turn out in droves 177 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:50,310 to see this incredible equine in action, 178 00:09:50,310 --> 00:09:55,380 and Clever Hans becomes a bona fide supersteed. 179 00:09:55,380 --> 00:09:59,150 But not everyone is convinced that Hans' talent is for real. 180 00:09:59,150 --> 00:10:02,390 Naysayers claim it's all just a ruse 181 00:10:02,390 --> 00:10:05,820 masterminded by his owner, Wilhelm von Osten. 182 00:10:05,820 --> 00:10:07,360 JANES: Skeptics and critics 183 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:09,590 insisted that a trick was on display. 184 00:10:12,030 --> 00:10:14,600 WILDMAN: Critics suspect that von Osten 185 00:10:14,600 --> 00:10:18,530 solves the math problems himself and gives Hans some sort of cue 186 00:10:18,540 --> 00:10:21,870 to let the horse know how many times to tap his hoof, 187 00:10:21,870 --> 00:10:24,510 yet von Osten proudly insists 188 00:10:24,510 --> 00:10:27,940 that Hans really can do arithmetic. 189 00:10:27,950 --> 00:10:30,350 In his defense, the teacher points out 190 00:10:30,350 --> 00:10:32,980 that he's not making any money on the show. 191 00:10:32,980 --> 00:10:35,990 Tickets, in fact, are free, so there's no 192 00:10:35,990 --> 00:10:39,120 financial incentive for him to fool anyone. 193 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:42,860 So what's the truth behind this star stallion? 194 00:10:46,060 --> 00:10:48,660 It's 1891, Berlin, Germany. 195 00:10:48,670 --> 00:10:53,600 Audiences are enamored by a horse named Clever Hans. 196 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:56,570 This incredible animal solves math problems 197 00:10:56,570 --> 00:10:59,370 by tapping out the answer with his hoof. 198 00:10:59,380 --> 00:11:01,040 But some naysayers think 199 00:11:01,050 --> 00:11:03,780 the stallion's act just doesn't add up. 200 00:11:03,780 --> 00:11:07,050 So is Clever Hans a master mathematician 201 00:11:07,050 --> 00:11:09,250 or just a four-legged fraud? 202 00:11:09,250 --> 00:11:12,620 One man is determined to find out. 203 00:11:12,620 --> 00:11:17,330 In 1904, a psychologist named Oscar Pfungst 204 00:11:17,330 --> 00:11:19,630 sets out to expose what's behind 205 00:11:19,630 --> 00:11:22,430 Clever Hans' seemingly miraculous skills. 206 00:11:22,430 --> 00:11:25,230 JANES: As a man of science, Pfungst was determined 207 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:30,270 to unlock the secrets behind Hans' abilities. 208 00:11:30,270 --> 00:11:33,680 WILDMAN: One day, while von Osten isn't around, 209 00:11:33,680 --> 00:11:36,410 Pfungst sets up a secret experiment. 210 00:11:36,410 --> 00:11:38,510 Pfungst stands in front of Hans 211 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:41,020 and asks him a series of math problems. 212 00:11:41,020 --> 00:11:44,250 The psychologist expects the horse to fail miserably, 213 00:11:44,260 --> 00:11:47,660 but he gets the shock of his life -- 214 00:11:47,660 --> 00:11:51,960 Hans gets every answer right. 215 00:11:51,960 --> 00:11:54,430 JANES: Pfungst must have been astonished 216 00:11:54,430 --> 00:11:57,670 when even after isolating Hans, the horse was still able 217 00:11:57,670 --> 00:12:00,540 to tap out the correct answers to his questions. 218 00:12:00,540 --> 00:12:03,140 WILDMAN: It seems like Hans might really be 219 00:12:03,140 --> 00:12:07,240 a master mathematician after all. 220 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:10,110 Still, Pfungst has a nagging suspicion 221 00:12:10,110 --> 00:12:13,620 there's more to it, and so he does one last test, 222 00:12:13,620 --> 00:12:16,850 in which he makes an important adjustment -- 223 00:12:16,850 --> 00:12:20,660 instead of addressing the animal face to face, 224 00:12:20,660 --> 00:12:25,560 the psychologist stands out of sight and asks Hans a question, 225 00:12:25,560 --> 00:12:30,900 and this time, Hans gets it wrong. 226 00:12:30,900 --> 00:12:35,540 The animal just keeps tapping his hoof over and over again. 227 00:12:35,540 --> 00:12:37,370 JANES: Hans continued tapping his foot 228 00:12:37,370 --> 00:12:39,340 past the correct answer. 229 00:12:39,340 --> 00:12:42,580 WILDMAN: Pfungst zeros in on a peculiar pattern -- 230 00:12:42,580 --> 00:12:45,610 the horse can only answer a question correctly 231 00:12:45,620 --> 00:12:49,420 when he is able to see the person who asked him. 232 00:12:49,420 --> 00:12:53,020 Pfungst thinks he's figured out the true secret 233 00:12:53,020 --> 00:12:56,330 behind Hans' supposed mathematical genius. 234 00:12:56,330 --> 00:13:00,230 The scientist concludes that von Osten genuinely believed 235 00:13:00,230 --> 00:13:03,830 he taught Hans simple math, but what really happened 236 00:13:03,830 --> 00:13:06,770 was that the showman accidentally trained his horse 237 00:13:06,770 --> 00:13:09,470 to read a person's body language. 238 00:13:09,470 --> 00:13:12,770 When von Osten asked the stallion a question, 239 00:13:12,780 --> 00:13:15,410 Hans would begin tapping his hoof, 240 00:13:15,410 --> 00:13:18,810 but instead of having genuinely solved the problem, 241 00:13:18,820 --> 00:13:21,750 Hans had simply picked up on subtle changes 242 00:13:21,750 --> 00:13:25,550 in von Osten's body language to know when to stop tapping. 243 00:13:25,560 --> 00:13:27,820 JANES: Whether it was a furl of the brow, 244 00:13:27,830 --> 00:13:30,290 a lean-in, or a quick breath of astonishment, 245 00:13:30,290 --> 00:13:32,730 Hans would immediately realize he had come to 246 00:13:32,730 --> 00:13:35,030 the correct answer and would stop tapping. 247 00:13:35,030 --> 00:13:36,230 WILDMAN: Over time, 248 00:13:36,230 --> 00:13:38,800 the horse learned to read the body language 249 00:13:38,800 --> 00:13:43,340 of any person standing in front of him. 250 00:13:43,340 --> 00:13:45,310 Pfungst must have been overjoyed 251 00:13:45,310 --> 00:13:47,440 when he discovered this phenomenon. 252 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:50,910 WILDMAN: Pfungst publishes his study in a book titled 253 00:13:50,910 --> 00:13:53,850 "Clever Hans -- The Horse of Mr. von Osten." 254 00:13:53,850 --> 00:13:56,350 It inspires legions of scientists 255 00:13:56,350 --> 00:14:00,260 to study animals' abilities to read human body language. 256 00:14:00,260 --> 00:14:02,960 This same phenomenon can be observed 257 00:14:02,960 --> 00:14:05,990 in a whole host of animals, including dogs, 258 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:10,430 elephants, and dolphins. 259 00:14:10,430 --> 00:14:13,700 Today, this rare first-edition copy of Pfungst's 260 00:14:13,700 --> 00:14:16,240 groundbreaking book is on display at 261 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:19,510 the Carl A. Kroch Library at Cornell University. 262 00:14:19,510 --> 00:14:23,680 It recalls the brilliant horse whose calculating talents 263 00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:27,580 really added up. 264 00:14:27,580 --> 00:14:30,020 Six million different artifacts, 265 00:14:30,020 --> 00:14:34,260 including dinosaurs that are over 200 million years old. 266 00:14:34,260 --> 00:14:36,530 These are among the wonders on display 267 00:14:36,530 --> 00:14:38,990 at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History 268 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:41,400 in Cleveland, Ohio. 269 00:14:41,400 --> 00:14:44,370 But one of the museum's most popular exhibits 270 00:14:44,370 --> 00:14:46,070 is actually a stuffed dog. 271 00:14:46,070 --> 00:14:50,670 WEBSTER: This artifact stands about three feet tall. 272 00:14:50,670 --> 00:14:51,940 It does possess a tail 273 00:14:51,940 --> 00:14:54,440 which might give it a little additional length. 274 00:14:54,450 --> 00:14:57,650 WILDMAN: But this stuffed pooch was no ordinary household pet. 275 00:14:57,650 --> 00:15:00,420 The story behind this amazing animal 276 00:15:00,420 --> 00:15:03,080 is a tale of dogged determination. 277 00:15:03,090 --> 00:15:07,020 WEBSTER: This artifact is one of the heroes of Nome, Alaska 278 00:15:07,020 --> 00:15:09,760 in the winter of 1925. 279 00:15:09,760 --> 00:15:12,730 WILDMAN: So what did this taxidermic canine do 280 00:15:12,730 --> 00:15:16,430 to become an international symbol of heroism and endurance? 281 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:22,740 Nome, Alaska, 1925. 282 00:15:22,740 --> 00:15:25,410 This remote town of 1,400 people 283 00:15:25,410 --> 00:15:29,180 is almost totally cut off from the outside world. 284 00:15:29,180 --> 00:15:32,980 The closes train station is over 600 miles away. 285 00:15:32,980 --> 00:15:35,480 The only connection with the outside world 286 00:15:35,490 --> 00:15:37,490 was through the radio telegraph. 287 00:15:37,490 --> 00:15:40,320 WILDMAN: Dark, freezing, and isolated -- 288 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:43,020 one of the worst possible environments 289 00:15:43,030 --> 00:15:46,800 for the outbreak of a deadly disease. 290 00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:50,970 But that's exactly what happens on January 20th 291 00:15:50,970 --> 00:15:55,140 when the children of Nome start coming down with diphtheria, 292 00:15:55,140 --> 00:15:57,010 and extremely contagious 293 00:15:57,010 --> 00:16:00,810 and often fatal infection of the throat and lungs. 294 00:16:00,810 --> 00:16:03,350 WEBSTER: There was hundreds of children that were at risk. 295 00:16:03,350 --> 00:16:07,250 They would die this horrible, suffocating death. 296 00:16:07,250 --> 00:16:09,950 WILDMAN: But Nome has only one doctor, 297 00:16:09,950 --> 00:16:12,690 and he has no antidote for the disease. 298 00:16:12,690 --> 00:16:15,990 The nearest source of the essential medicine 299 00:16:15,990 --> 00:16:19,260 is a hospital in Seattle, but in the 1920s, 300 00:16:19,260 --> 00:16:22,200 flying to Nome is out of the question. 301 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:27,240 The plane's engines would stall in the sub-zero temperatures. 302 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:31,010 So the medicine is sent via train to the town of Nenana, 303 00:16:31,010 --> 00:16:35,710 more than 600 miles away, but the question remains -- 304 00:16:35,710 --> 00:16:39,080 how will they get the medicine from Nenana to Nome? 305 00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:41,450 WEBSTER: They finally came up with the idea, 306 00:16:41,450 --> 00:16:45,490 well, what about the dogsled teams? 307 00:16:45,490 --> 00:16:48,620 WILDMAN: In order to traverse the 674 miles 308 00:16:48,630 --> 00:16:51,560 as quickly as possible, officials decide 309 00:16:51,560 --> 00:16:55,400 to transport the medicine as a relay. 310 00:16:55,400 --> 00:16:58,730 21 teams are assembled along the route, 311 00:16:58,740 --> 00:17:02,800 each with about 10 dogs and one driver, or musher. 312 00:17:02,810 --> 00:17:06,270 Each team will race the 20-pound box of medicine 313 00:17:06,280 --> 00:17:10,380 for about 30 miles before handing it off to the next team. 314 00:17:10,380 --> 00:17:11,580 [ Dogs barking ] 315 00:17:11,580 --> 00:17:12,850 On January 27th, 316 00:17:12,850 --> 00:17:16,080 seven days after the outbreak is discovered, 317 00:17:16,090 --> 00:17:17,990 the relay begins. 318 00:17:17,990 --> 00:17:20,160 WEBSTER: This is as dangerous conditions 319 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:21,690 as you could possibly imagine. 320 00:17:21,690 --> 00:17:24,560 Windchills could be in excess of a hundred below zero. 321 00:17:24,560 --> 00:17:25,960 [ Dogs barking ] 322 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:30,100 WILDMAN: In the first five days, 19 relay teams bravely drive 323 00:17:30,100 --> 00:17:33,170 through 600-some miles of gale-force winds. 324 00:17:33,170 --> 00:17:35,270 [ Dogs barking ] 325 00:17:35,270 --> 00:17:38,870 Then the antitoxin is handed to one of the last teams, 326 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:43,950 led by Gunnar Kaasen and his lead dog, Balto. 327 00:17:43,950 --> 00:17:45,750 [ Dogs barking ] 328 00:17:45,750 --> 00:17:49,220 After racing through whipping ice and sub-zero temperatures, 329 00:17:49,220 --> 00:17:53,150 they are within 40 miles of delivering the antidote to Nome 330 00:17:53,160 --> 00:17:56,290 when disaster strikes. 331 00:17:56,290 --> 00:17:57,990 An enormous gust of wind 332 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:01,300 sends the sled crashing into the freezing snow. 333 00:18:01,300 --> 00:18:03,400 WEBSTER: And then when he looked in the sled, 334 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:06,170 the box was gone. 335 00:18:06,170 --> 00:18:10,040 This was the box containing the antitoxin. 336 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:13,140 WILDMAN: With the precious antidote seemingly lost, 337 00:18:13,140 --> 00:18:18,210 Kaasen fumbles in the dark in 40-below-zero temperatures. 338 00:18:18,220 --> 00:18:20,120 Will he find the antidote, 339 00:18:20,120 --> 00:18:24,290 or will the children of Nome be sentenced to an early grave? 340 00:18:27,190 --> 00:18:29,960 It's January 1925. 341 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:31,830 The remote town of Nome, Alaska 342 00:18:31,830 --> 00:18:34,760 is in the grip of a deadly diphtheria epidemic. 343 00:18:34,770 --> 00:18:38,430 The only known antidote is more than 600 miles away, 344 00:18:38,440 --> 00:18:42,140 but a dogsled team is racing across the frozen tundra 345 00:18:42,140 --> 00:18:44,910 to deliver the life-saving medication. 346 00:18:44,910 --> 00:18:47,740 But can they make it in time? 347 00:18:47,740 --> 00:18:50,550 While sprinting through the freezing wilderness 348 00:18:50,550 --> 00:18:53,820 with the precious antidote, the dogsled team led by Balto 349 00:18:53,820 --> 00:18:56,920 is hit by a monumental gust of wind, 350 00:18:56,920 --> 00:19:01,920 tossing the box of medicine into the frozen nighttime snow. 351 00:19:01,930 --> 00:19:04,590 The leader of the sled team, Gunnar Kaasen, 352 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:05,890 fumbles in the dark, 353 00:19:05,900 --> 00:19:08,160 grasping blindly with his fingers, 354 00:19:08,170 --> 00:19:10,670 trying to find the box. 355 00:19:10,670 --> 00:19:14,040 WEBSTER: You're within 40 miles of delivering it to the doctor, 356 00:19:14,040 --> 00:19:15,440 and now you've just lost it. 357 00:19:15,440 --> 00:19:18,070 I would imagine him just as panicked and as desperate 358 00:19:18,080 --> 00:19:21,110 as a man could be. 359 00:19:21,110 --> 00:19:23,110 WILDMAN: Somehow, against all odds, 360 00:19:23,110 --> 00:19:26,350 in the frozen darkness, 361 00:19:26,350 --> 00:19:28,920 Kaasen finds the antitoxin. 362 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:31,150 [ Dogs barking ] 363 00:19:31,150 --> 00:19:35,790 Kaasen and his lead dog Balto race through the night, 364 00:19:35,790 --> 00:19:38,690 and after a 53-mile journey, 365 00:19:38,700 --> 00:19:42,000 they finally arrive in Nome with the life-saving serum. 366 00:19:44,740 --> 00:19:48,200 WEBSTER: He finds the hospital and pounds on the door, 367 00:19:48,210 --> 00:19:50,110 he hands off the box of serum, 368 00:19:50,110 --> 00:19:52,470 and then he goes back to the dogs, 369 00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:55,040 and reputedly he said, "Damn fine dog. 370 00:19:55,050 --> 00:19:58,450 Damn fine dog." 371 00:19:58,450 --> 00:20:00,480 WILDMAN: The arrival of the medicine 372 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:02,120 stops the thread of diphtheria, 373 00:20:02,120 --> 00:20:05,890 and the epidemic is brought under control. 374 00:20:05,890 --> 00:20:07,520 In the weeks to come, 375 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:11,590 parades in Balto's honor take place across the country. 376 00:20:11,600 --> 00:20:14,830 Then, later in his life, the city of Cleveland 377 00:20:14,830 --> 00:20:17,530 opens its arms to Balto and his team, 378 00:20:17,530 --> 00:20:21,740 letting them live out their lives in the Cleveland Zoo. 379 00:20:21,740 --> 00:20:24,770 Upon his death in 1933, Balto is stuffed 380 00:20:24,780 --> 00:20:27,810 so that his body might remain on display 381 00:20:27,810 --> 00:20:31,010 at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, 382 00:20:31,010 --> 00:20:35,050 where children of all ages could be told the heroic tale 383 00:20:35,050 --> 00:20:37,350 of the sled dogs who risked their lives 384 00:20:37,350 --> 00:20:41,020 so that Alaskan children would not lose theirs. 385 00:20:43,090 --> 00:20:49,200 Just 50 miles north of London is the English village of Duxford. 386 00:20:49,200 --> 00:20:51,130 During the Second World War, 387 00:20:51,130 --> 00:20:54,800 this town was home to an active Royal Air Force base. 388 00:20:54,810 --> 00:20:58,010 Today, the former airfield houses an institution 389 00:20:58,010 --> 00:21:01,540 that honors the area's connection to military history, 390 00:21:01,550 --> 00:21:05,780 the Imperial War Museum Duxford. 391 00:21:09,090 --> 00:21:13,120 On display is a two-stage guided missile from the 1980s, 392 00:21:13,120 --> 00:21:16,490 a one-man German submarine from World War II, 393 00:21:16,490 --> 00:21:22,300 and a 1950s Royal Navy search and rescue helicopter. 394 00:21:22,300 --> 00:21:25,570 But among these massive mechanical marvels 395 00:21:25,570 --> 00:21:27,670 is a tiny decorative object. 396 00:21:27,670 --> 00:21:29,970 LEVINE: The object is circular. 397 00:21:29,970 --> 00:21:32,740 It's about six inches in diameter, 398 00:21:32,740 --> 00:21:34,710 it's made of brown leather, 399 00:21:34,710 --> 00:21:39,310 and it has a metal plate with an engraving on it. 400 00:21:39,320 --> 00:21:43,320 WILDMAN: This collar was worn by an unlikely canine hero. 401 00:21:43,320 --> 00:21:46,690 LEVINE: This is a story of friendship, loyalty, 402 00:21:46,690 --> 00:21:51,190 and one of the world's most unusual prisoners of war. 403 00:21:51,190 --> 00:21:53,330 [ Barks ] 404 00:21:53,330 --> 00:21:55,960 WILDMAN: August 1942. 405 00:21:55,970 --> 00:21:58,830 Throughout the Pacific, thousands of Allied soldiers 406 00:21:58,840 --> 00:22:03,510 are being held by the Japanese as prisoners of war. 407 00:22:03,510 --> 00:22:05,110 Though these soldiers' lives 408 00:22:05,110 --> 00:22:07,810 are protected under strict international laws, 409 00:22:07,810 --> 00:22:11,380 their day to day existence is bleak. 410 00:22:11,380 --> 00:22:13,820 LEVINE: Japanese prisoner of war camps 411 00:22:13,820 --> 00:22:16,650 were notorious for their appalling conditions. 412 00:22:16,650 --> 00:22:19,120 Prisoners lived in unsanitary conditions, 413 00:22:19,120 --> 00:22:20,690 they were regularly beaten, 414 00:22:20,690 --> 00:22:24,960 and they received very little food. 415 00:22:24,960 --> 00:22:27,560 WILDMAN: On the island of Sumatra, 416 00:22:27,560 --> 00:22:31,300 one of these POWs is a Royal Air Force radar operator 417 00:22:31,300 --> 00:22:32,870 named Frank Williams. 418 00:22:32,870 --> 00:22:35,500 LEVINE: Frank Williams was captured in Singapore. 419 00:22:35,510 --> 00:22:37,840 He's a very kind man, a very generous man, 420 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:40,340 and he displays real loyalty. 421 00:22:43,080 --> 00:22:45,410 WILDMAN: Every day, Williams is forced to perform 422 00:22:45,420 --> 00:22:49,180 endless hours of backbreaking labor. 423 00:22:49,190 --> 00:22:53,420 Exhausted and starving, he struggles to survive. 424 00:22:53,420 --> 00:22:56,460 But the prisoner is about to get a glimmer of hope. 425 00:22:58,660 --> 00:23:02,030 One day, while eating his meager ration of rice, 426 00:23:02,030 --> 00:23:05,470 Williams spots something unusual wandering through the camp -- 427 00:23:05,470 --> 00:23:08,140 a thin brown and white dog. 428 00:23:08,140 --> 00:23:10,570 [ Whines ] 429 00:23:10,570 --> 00:23:12,840 The other prisoners tell him that the dog 430 00:23:12,840 --> 00:23:15,440 first appeared in the camp a few months earlier. 431 00:23:15,450 --> 00:23:17,480 They call her Judy. 432 00:23:17,480 --> 00:23:21,620 The stray shows up every so often to beg for food. 433 00:23:21,620 --> 00:23:23,420 LEVINE: Life in the camp would have been very, 434 00:23:23,420 --> 00:23:24,490 very difficult, 435 00:23:24,490 --> 00:23:28,520 because she was having to fend for herself. 436 00:23:28,530 --> 00:23:30,990 WILDMAN: Williams takes pity on the starving animal 437 00:23:30,990 --> 00:23:36,230 and offers her his bowl of rice, which the dog devours. 438 00:23:36,230 --> 00:23:38,630 LEVINE: After she'd eaten it, she then lies down at his feet, 439 00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:41,140 and from that moment on, these two, 440 00:23:41,140 --> 00:23:44,810 Judy and Frank Williams, are pals, they're inseparable. 441 00:23:48,380 --> 00:23:51,950 WILDMAN: Williams continues to feed and care for Judy. 442 00:23:51,950 --> 00:23:54,750 In return, she proves to be a loyal pet. 443 00:23:54,750 --> 00:23:57,290 Her affection makes it easier for Williams 444 00:23:57,290 --> 00:23:59,750 to bear the camp's deplorable conditions. 445 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:02,360 Frank and Judy are helping each other to survive, 446 00:24:02,360 --> 00:24:07,630 and things aren't good, but they have each other. 447 00:24:07,630 --> 00:24:10,600 They're getting by. 448 00:24:10,600 --> 00:24:11,870 WILDMAN: Then one day, 449 00:24:11,870 --> 00:24:16,270 Williams is hard at work when he drops a heavy load. 450 00:24:16,270 --> 00:24:19,910 Before he can pick it up, a guard starts to beat him. 451 00:24:19,910 --> 00:24:23,140 Suddenly, Judy intervenes. 452 00:24:23,150 --> 00:24:24,680 She jumps between Williams 453 00:24:24,680 --> 00:24:26,850 and the guard and starts growling. 454 00:24:26,850 --> 00:24:29,420 The guard backs away from Judy 455 00:24:29,420 --> 00:24:32,390 but gives Williams a stern warning -- 456 00:24:32,390 --> 00:24:35,690 he'll kill the dog if she acts up again. 457 00:24:35,690 --> 00:24:38,090 Judy was in a precarious position. 458 00:24:38,090 --> 00:24:40,900 She was at the mercy of the guards, 459 00:24:40,900 --> 00:24:43,460 and if one of them wanted to shoot her, 460 00:24:43,470 --> 00:24:47,300 then they would simply go ahead and do that. 461 00:24:47,300 --> 00:24:50,040 WILDMAN: Williams realizes he must do something soon 462 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:52,870 to protect his beloved pet. 463 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:54,410 LEVINE: Frank was very worried 464 00:24:54,410 --> 00:24:57,580 that he was going to lose his greatest friend. 465 00:24:57,580 --> 00:25:01,520 WILDMAN: So what will it take to save this captive canine? 466 00:25:05,190 --> 00:25:08,720 It's 1943 in Indonesia. 467 00:25:08,730 --> 00:25:12,530 British POW Frank Williams has made an unlikely friend -- 468 00:25:12,530 --> 00:25:14,300 a stay dog named Judy. 469 00:25:14,300 --> 00:25:18,570 But when Judy saves him from a beating by prison guards, 470 00:25:18,570 --> 00:25:21,270 Williams knows it's only a matter of time 471 00:25:21,270 --> 00:25:23,700 before his jailers put the dog down. 472 00:25:23,710 --> 00:25:27,880 So how will Frank save his canine companion? 473 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:31,680 The imprisoned serviceman comes up with an unusual solution. 474 00:25:31,680 --> 00:25:34,450 He figures that since soldiers in the camp 475 00:25:34,450 --> 00:25:37,020 are protected under international law, 476 00:25:37,020 --> 00:25:39,550 the dog should be, too, so he sets out 477 00:25:39,560 --> 00:25:42,960 to get Judy recognized as an official prisoner of war. 478 00:25:42,960 --> 00:25:46,390 LEVINE: This is a quite a novel idea. 479 00:25:46,400 --> 00:25:49,100 If Judy gets official prisoner of war status, 480 00:25:49,100 --> 00:25:52,470 then she's in the same position as all the men in the camp, 481 00:25:52,470 --> 00:25:54,840 so in theory, the guards will no longer 482 00:25:54,840 --> 00:25:57,540 be able just to take her aside and shoot her. 483 00:26:01,280 --> 00:26:04,550 WILDMAN: The only one who can register Judy as a POW 484 00:26:04,550 --> 00:26:07,480 is the camp's commandant, Colonel Banno, 485 00:26:07,480 --> 00:26:09,620 and Williams thinks he can get 486 00:26:09,620 --> 00:26:12,550 the Japanese commander to hear him out. 487 00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:15,660 The prisoner notes that Banno has two vices -- 488 00:26:15,660 --> 00:26:16,960 alcohol and women. 489 00:26:16,960 --> 00:26:18,860 If Williams can talk to Banno 490 00:26:18,860 --> 00:26:21,530 when the commander has a few too many, 491 00:26:21,530 --> 00:26:25,130 he might be receptive to his unusual idea. 492 00:26:25,130 --> 00:26:27,200 LEVINE: Frank knows when he's drunk, 493 00:26:27,200 --> 00:26:31,340 he's a man who might well view his request favorably. 494 00:26:31,340 --> 00:26:34,710 WILDMAN: One day, Williams spies his chance. 495 00:26:34,710 --> 00:26:38,410 He spots Banno drinking heavily and confronts him 496 00:26:38,410 --> 00:26:41,750 in his office to appeal for the dog's life, 497 00:26:41,750 --> 00:26:46,090 and the crafty airman makes Banno an offer he can't refuse. 498 00:26:46,090 --> 00:26:50,360 LEVINE: Frank tells him that Judy is liable to have puppies 499 00:26:50,360 --> 00:26:52,960 and the commandant can have one of those puppies 500 00:26:52,960 --> 00:26:54,460 to give to his own mistress, 501 00:26:54,460 --> 00:26:57,670 and the camp commandant in his drunken state likes this idea. 502 00:26:57,670 --> 00:27:00,670 WILDMAN: Banno agrees and signs documents 503 00:27:00,670 --> 00:27:04,110 classifying Judy as an official prisoner of war. 504 00:27:04,110 --> 00:27:09,610 She becomes legally entitled to rations and cannot be executed. 505 00:27:09,610 --> 00:27:11,280 For the next three years, 506 00:27:11,280 --> 00:27:13,850 Williams and Judy remain inseparable, 507 00:27:13,850 --> 00:27:15,780 and when the war finally ends, 508 00:27:15,790 --> 00:27:18,950 Williams brings the dog home with him to England. 509 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:23,160 Judy goes down in history as the only official animal POW 510 00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:24,530 of World War II. 511 00:27:24,530 --> 00:27:26,730 For her courage and devotion, 512 00:27:26,730 --> 00:27:31,470 Judy is awarded the Dickin Medal by the British POW Association. 513 00:27:31,470 --> 00:27:33,070 It is the highest honor 514 00:27:33,070 --> 00:27:36,070 an animal can receive for military service. 515 00:27:36,070 --> 00:27:38,440 She also receives a specially made collar 516 00:27:38,440 --> 00:27:40,570 commemorating her wartime experience. 517 00:27:40,580 --> 00:27:43,510 LEVINE: The fact that Frank Williams survived the war 518 00:27:43,510 --> 00:27:47,250 is down in no small part to Judy the dog. 519 00:27:47,250 --> 00:27:51,520 She gave him the courage that allowed him to carry on. 520 00:27:54,620 --> 00:27:57,460 WILDMAN: Today, Judy's collar is on display at 521 00:27:57,460 --> 00:28:01,300 the Imperial War Museum Duxford in England. 522 00:28:01,300 --> 00:28:03,260 It recalls the unbreakable bond 523 00:28:03,270 --> 00:28:05,700 between one man and his best friend. 524 00:28:10,740 --> 00:28:15,510 The city of Clearwater, Florida holds the Guinness World Record 525 00:28:15,510 --> 00:28:18,980 for the most consecutive sunny days at 361. 526 00:28:18,980 --> 00:28:21,820 Set alongside this seaside paradise 527 00:28:21,820 --> 00:28:24,590 is the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. 528 00:28:24,590 --> 00:28:28,990 Built in what was once an abandoned water treatment plant, 529 00:28:28,990 --> 00:28:31,960 today this facility is packed with living exhibits, 530 00:28:31,960 --> 00:28:34,830 including stingrays, sea turtles, 531 00:28:34,830 --> 00:28:38,030 and dolphins. 532 00:28:38,030 --> 00:28:41,340 But amidst these wonders of aquatic life 533 00:28:41,340 --> 00:28:45,510 is an item composed of materials not found in nature. 534 00:28:45,510 --> 00:28:47,840 We have a really cool artifact here 535 00:28:47,840 --> 00:28:51,580 that's about three feet long, it is made of plastic and metal. 536 00:28:51,580 --> 00:28:54,320 When people see this for the first time, 537 00:28:54,320 --> 00:28:57,120 they go, "What in the world is that for?" 538 00:28:57,120 --> 00:29:01,160 WILDMAN: As director David Yates witnessed first-hand, 539 00:29:01,160 --> 00:29:05,160 this unusual contraption had a huge impact on life 540 00:29:05,160 --> 00:29:07,230 both in and out of water. 541 00:29:07,230 --> 00:29:10,930 This artifact was designed to help one animal 542 00:29:10,930 --> 00:29:13,400 and now its helped thousands of people. 543 00:29:13,400 --> 00:29:16,600 WILDMAN: What role did this revolutionary device play 544 00:29:16,610 --> 00:29:18,540 in an inspirational tale, 545 00:29:18,540 --> 00:29:22,880 and how is its impact still felt today? 546 00:29:22,880 --> 00:29:26,810 December 2005, Clearwater, Florida. 547 00:29:26,820 --> 00:29:31,090 Marine rescuers rush a baby female bottlenose dolphin 548 00:29:31,090 --> 00:29:32,890 into the Clearwater aquarium. 549 00:29:32,890 --> 00:29:33,950 Hours earlier, 550 00:29:33,960 --> 00:29:36,120 they discovered the wounded creature 551 00:29:36,130 --> 00:29:38,430 off the coast with a grievous injury. 552 00:29:38,430 --> 00:29:40,230 YATES: It was caught in a crab trap. 553 00:29:40,230 --> 00:29:43,030 The rope had caught around her tail fork and pulled it tight, 554 00:29:43,030 --> 00:29:44,330 cutting off the blood flow. 555 00:29:44,330 --> 00:29:47,840 WILDMAN: Rescuers managed to stabilize the dolphin, 556 00:29:47,840 --> 00:29:50,770 but it has lost too much blood to save the tail 557 00:29:50,770 --> 00:29:52,040 and it falls off. 558 00:29:52,040 --> 00:29:55,210 Now, the injured mammal's chances for recovery 559 00:29:55,210 --> 00:29:56,880 seem hopeless. 560 00:29:56,880 --> 00:29:58,810 Dolphins have to have tails to swim. 561 00:29:58,820 --> 00:30:00,650 That's how they propel themselves. 562 00:30:00,650 --> 00:30:04,650 There was no chance this dolphin was going to survive. 563 00:30:04,650 --> 00:30:08,760 WILDMAN: But David Yates and his team remain undaunted. 564 00:30:08,760 --> 00:30:14,260 They name her Winter for the season in which she was rescued, 565 00:30:14,260 --> 00:30:16,360 and after just a few weeks, 566 00:30:16,370 --> 00:30:19,800 it seems the resilient dolphin is adapting. 567 00:30:19,800 --> 00:30:21,540 YATES: She refuses to give up. 568 00:30:21,540 --> 00:30:24,040 She found out on her own, "You know what? 569 00:30:24,040 --> 00:30:27,270 I can't swim like this, but if I move my body like this, 570 00:30:27,280 --> 00:30:30,380 I can propel myself," and that's what she did. 571 00:30:30,380 --> 00:30:32,680 WILDMAN: But as a year passes, 572 00:30:32,680 --> 00:30:34,180 Yates grows concerned 573 00:30:34,180 --> 00:30:37,450 about the impact of Winter's new swimming style. 574 00:30:37,450 --> 00:30:39,690 It can damage the spine and cause, for example, 575 00:30:39,690 --> 00:30:41,760 scoliosis, which is curvature of the spine, 576 00:30:41,760 --> 00:30:44,260 and at some point, it could lock her up. 577 00:30:44,260 --> 00:30:46,890 WILDMAN: Yates worries that further damage 578 00:30:46,900 --> 00:30:49,460 will render Winter unable to swim at all, 579 00:30:49,470 --> 00:30:52,070 so he comes up with an extraordinary idea. 580 00:30:52,070 --> 00:30:55,840 What if someone could make a new tail for winter? 581 00:30:55,840 --> 00:31:00,410 So Yates reaches out to a man named Dan Strzempka. 582 00:31:00,410 --> 00:31:03,510 YATES: Dan helps design and fit people with prosthetic limbs. 583 00:31:03,510 --> 00:31:07,150 He lost one of his legs in a lawnmower accident at age four, 584 00:31:07,150 --> 00:31:10,280 and that kind of inspired him to go into this work. 585 00:31:10,290 --> 00:31:13,390 WILDMAN: Dan agrees to help, but he soon discovers 586 00:31:13,390 --> 00:31:16,290 the task comes with its own set of challenges. 587 00:31:16,290 --> 00:31:17,890 How do we get the buoyancy right, 588 00:31:17,890 --> 00:31:19,560 how do we get the flexibility right 589 00:31:19,560 --> 00:31:21,400 so she can actually move like a dolphin, 590 00:31:21,400 --> 00:31:23,000 up and down the way she needs to? 591 00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:26,330 So all the mechanics you have in a real-life dolphin's tail, 592 00:31:26,340 --> 00:31:29,540 we had to make that happen in an artificial tail. 593 00:31:29,540 --> 00:31:32,340 WILDMAN: Dan spends the next six months 594 00:31:32,340 --> 00:31:35,710 creating various prototypes he thinks will work, 595 00:31:35,710 --> 00:31:39,750 like this one, on display at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. 596 00:31:39,750 --> 00:31:42,620 When the team tests a model on Winter, 597 00:31:42,620 --> 00:31:44,080 she begins to swim, 598 00:31:44,090 --> 00:31:48,390 but it soon becomes apparent that something is wrong. 599 00:31:48,390 --> 00:31:49,820 YATES: It started getting loose, 600 00:31:49,830 --> 00:31:51,890 we could see the water start seeping through. 601 00:31:51,890 --> 00:31:54,330 If the tail wasn't snug all the time, 602 00:31:54,330 --> 00:31:55,730 it wouldn't work. 603 00:31:55,730 --> 00:31:58,470 WILDMAN: But when the team tightens the straps 604 00:31:58,470 --> 00:32:00,330 to keep the prosthetic in place, 605 00:32:00,340 --> 00:32:03,570 it creates too much pressure on Winter's sensitive skin. 606 00:32:03,570 --> 00:32:05,540 YATES: The straps were hurting her. 607 00:32:05,540 --> 00:32:08,110 They were friction points, so we realized, okay. 608 00:32:08,110 --> 00:32:09,110 We have a problem. 609 00:32:09,110 --> 00:32:10,840 If she doesn't like that tail, 610 00:32:10,850 --> 00:32:12,810 we're not going to make her wear it. 611 00:32:12,820 --> 00:32:15,150 WILDMAN: And with each passing day, 612 00:32:15,150 --> 00:32:17,520 the staff of the Clearwater Aquarium 613 00:32:17,520 --> 00:32:19,320 becomes increasingly worried. 614 00:32:19,320 --> 00:32:20,650 We knew if it didn't work, 615 00:32:20,660 --> 00:32:22,660 there was no other answer for winter. 616 00:32:22,660 --> 00:32:26,690 WILDMAN: So will Winter the Dolphin sink or swim? 617 00:32:30,130 --> 00:32:33,330 It's September 2007 in Florida 618 00:32:33,340 --> 00:32:35,300 when a young dolphin named Winter 619 00:32:35,300 --> 00:32:37,100 is injured and loses her tail. 620 00:32:37,110 --> 00:32:40,270 Prosthetics designer Dan Strzempka is determined 621 00:32:40,280 --> 00:32:43,210 to develop a device that will help her swim. 622 00:32:43,210 --> 00:32:48,050 So will this tale have a happy ending? 623 00:32:48,050 --> 00:32:50,680 Dan realizes that to eliminate the pain 624 00:32:50,690 --> 00:32:53,050 and keep the tail snug and secure, 625 00:32:53,060 --> 00:32:55,490 he needs to place something between 626 00:32:55,490 --> 00:32:58,060 the dolphin's skin and her prosthetic. 627 00:32:58,060 --> 00:33:00,790 This needs to fit like a surgeon's glove -- 628 00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:03,760 very tight but very comfortable at the same time. 629 00:33:03,770 --> 00:33:07,270 WILDMAN: But no material like this exists, 630 00:33:07,270 --> 00:33:09,600 so Dan decides to create one. 631 00:33:09,610 --> 00:33:11,810 Working with a chemical engineer, 632 00:33:11,810 --> 00:33:14,010 he develops a brand-new substance 633 00:33:14,010 --> 00:33:16,440 that he hopes will be up to the task. 634 00:33:16,450 --> 00:33:18,480 YATES: Dan developed a material 635 00:33:18,480 --> 00:33:20,910 that is a thermoplastic elastomer. 636 00:33:20,920 --> 00:33:25,020 It's very soft and rubbery but also very, very strong. 637 00:33:25,020 --> 00:33:27,890 WILDMAN: Then he tries the material on himself, 638 00:33:27,890 --> 00:33:30,820 creating a rubber-like sock that forms a cushion 639 00:33:30,830 --> 00:33:33,360 between his body and his own prosthetic. 640 00:33:33,360 --> 00:33:35,260 YATES: And he wanted to make sure that it worked for him 641 00:33:35,260 --> 00:33:37,700 before he took it to his favorite patient. 642 00:33:37,700 --> 00:33:40,200 WILDMAN: And while he finds the material comfortable, 643 00:33:40,200 --> 00:33:45,010 there's still one question -- will it work in water? 644 00:33:45,010 --> 00:33:48,310 In December 2007, David Yates and his team 645 00:33:48,310 --> 00:33:52,450 place the polymer sock around the end of Winter's body. 646 00:33:52,450 --> 00:33:56,050 Then they attach a prosthetic and hope for the best. 647 00:33:56,050 --> 00:33:58,020 YATES: It means the difference between life and death 648 00:33:58,020 --> 00:33:59,450 for Winter, literally at that point. 649 00:33:59,460 --> 00:34:01,520 It's that big of a moment. 650 00:34:01,520 --> 00:34:03,690 WILDMAN: As Winter swims away, 651 00:34:03,690 --> 00:34:06,960 her prosthetic tail stays securely attached, 652 00:34:06,960 --> 00:34:10,630 and just as importantly, it's comfortable. 653 00:34:10,630 --> 00:34:14,070 We put the tail on, she's fine. 654 00:34:14,070 --> 00:34:16,770 WILDMAN: Winter's unique prosthetic makes her 655 00:34:16,770 --> 00:34:19,640 the central attraction of the Clearwater museum. 656 00:34:19,640 --> 00:34:22,940 She even stars in a 2011 movie inspired by 657 00:34:22,950 --> 00:34:25,950 her road to recovery, "Dolphin Tale," 658 00:34:25,950 --> 00:34:30,080 but her story doesn't end there. 659 00:34:30,090 --> 00:34:32,750 That material designed for Winter finds 660 00:34:32,750 --> 00:34:35,660 another practical use in human prosthetics, 661 00:34:35,660 --> 00:34:39,190 helping everyone from war veterans to accident victims 662 00:34:39,190 --> 00:34:43,330 adjust comfortably to their artificial limbs. 663 00:34:43,330 --> 00:34:45,830 Today, this specially designed tail, 664 00:34:45,830 --> 00:34:48,840 on display at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, 665 00:34:48,840 --> 00:34:51,710 reminds visitors of the ambitious quest 666 00:34:51,710 --> 00:34:56,010 to save a dolphin who continues to make waves around the world. 667 00:34:58,010 --> 00:35:01,520 Eugene, Oregon is the only city in the United States 668 00:35:01,520 --> 00:35:05,390 to host three consecutive Olympic track and field tryouts, 669 00:35:05,390 --> 00:35:10,220 so it's only fitting that it's nicknamed Track Town, USA. 670 00:35:12,230 --> 00:35:14,530 But away from the athletics field 671 00:35:14,530 --> 00:35:18,200 is an institution dedicated to more stationary subjects -- 672 00:35:18,200 --> 00:35:20,700 the Museum of Natural and Cultural History. 673 00:35:20,700 --> 00:35:24,400 Here visitors can examine the skeletal remains 674 00:35:24,410 --> 00:35:29,980 of long-extinct animals, like a saber-toothed cat, 675 00:35:29,980 --> 00:35:32,750 and ancient miniature horse, 676 00:35:32,750 --> 00:35:37,520 and even a giant sloth. 677 00:35:37,520 --> 00:35:41,350 But among these prehistoric relics are the massive remains 678 00:35:41,360 --> 00:35:43,190 of a more modern creature. 679 00:35:43,190 --> 00:35:45,760 DAVIS: It probably weighs over 200 pounds, 680 00:35:45,760 --> 00:35:48,560 the length has got to be maybe four feet long, 681 00:35:48,560 --> 00:35:50,700 and it's three or four feet wide. 682 00:35:50,700 --> 00:35:52,970 The object itself is just so amazing 683 00:35:52,970 --> 00:35:57,370 and you can see that there's a story there. 684 00:35:57,370 --> 00:36:01,780 WILDMAN: This huge skull once belonged to a star attraction 685 00:36:01,780 --> 00:36:05,380 whose epic rise and fall captivated the nation. 686 00:36:05,380 --> 00:36:07,110 DAVIS: He was a national celebrity 687 00:36:07,120 --> 00:36:09,680 of mythological proportions. 688 00:36:09,690 --> 00:36:14,020 WILDMAN: How did this colossal creature win America's heart? 689 00:36:18,430 --> 00:36:21,490 1922, Washington state. 690 00:36:21,500 --> 00:36:25,370 Scores of traveling circuses are touring the country, 691 00:36:25,370 --> 00:36:31,840 dazzling audiences with wild spectacles and exotic creatures. 692 00:36:31,840 --> 00:36:35,780 And one of the biggest stars of the day is an enormous, 693 00:36:35,780 --> 00:36:39,210 seven-ton elephant named Tusko. 694 00:36:39,210 --> 00:36:41,850 DAVIS: He was very successful at drawing crowds. 695 00:36:41,850 --> 00:36:44,320 He was billed nationally as the most massive, 696 00:36:44,320 --> 00:36:49,220 the biggest elephant ever in captivity. 697 00:36:49,220 --> 00:36:51,930 WILDMAN: Known as Tusko the Magnificent, 698 00:36:51,930 --> 00:36:55,760 the popular pachyderm gains more fans with every performance. 699 00:36:55,760 --> 00:36:58,330 DAVIS: Tusko was one of the most famous elephants 700 00:36:58,330 --> 00:37:00,100 in North America. 701 00:37:02,800 --> 00:37:06,270 WILDMAN: But it seems the animal's spectacular rise 702 00:37:06,280 --> 00:37:09,680 is about to come to a crashing halt. 703 00:37:09,680 --> 00:37:13,480 On May 15, Tusko's trainer discovers the elephant 704 00:37:13,480 --> 00:37:16,850 has broken out of his pen and gone missing, 705 00:37:16,850 --> 00:37:19,020 and that's not all he finds. 706 00:37:19,020 --> 00:37:24,660 A wooden barrel once filled with the crew's whiskey 707 00:37:24,660 --> 00:37:26,230 is empty. 708 00:37:26,230 --> 00:37:29,200 [ Crowd shouting ] 709 00:37:29,200 --> 00:37:33,070 The trainer soon discovers Tusko is drunk 710 00:37:33,070 --> 00:37:34,730 and stumbling through the town, 711 00:37:34,740 --> 00:37:36,700 destroying everything in his path. 712 00:37:36,710 --> 00:37:39,270 YATES: He's rearing up on his hind legs, 713 00:37:39,270 --> 00:37:42,940 he's tearing down the town, breaking buildings. 714 00:37:42,940 --> 00:37:46,780 People were very fearful to see Tusko on the loose. 715 00:37:46,780 --> 00:37:50,680 [ Tusko grumbles ] 716 00:37:50,690 --> 00:37:54,490 WILDMAN: Eventually, Tusko's trainer manages to rein him in. 717 00:37:54,490 --> 00:37:56,590 He was able to step in and calm him 718 00:37:56,590 --> 00:37:59,360 and get him back to the circus. 719 00:37:59,360 --> 00:38:03,260 WILDMAN: Thankfully, no one is injured. 720 00:38:03,270 --> 00:38:06,530 But the circus owners are forced to shell out 721 00:38:06,540 --> 00:38:08,340 $20,000 to cover damages. 722 00:38:08,340 --> 00:38:11,670 DAVIS: They had to go through town and pay out 723 00:38:11,670 --> 00:38:14,870 to try to keep people from suing the circus. 724 00:38:14,880 --> 00:38:17,810 WILDMAN: The outlay is a major financial hit, 725 00:38:17,810 --> 00:38:20,610 and Tusko's handlers are forced to reassess 726 00:38:20,620 --> 00:38:22,950 the value of their star performer. 727 00:38:22,950 --> 00:38:24,350 DAVIS: At that point, 728 00:38:24,350 --> 00:38:26,720 people didn't see Tusko as an asset but as a liability. 729 00:38:30,160 --> 00:38:32,590 WILDMAN: The poor creature is sold to 730 00:38:32,590 --> 00:38:35,800 a smaller three-ring outfit, but his new owners find 731 00:38:35,800 --> 00:38:39,130 that Tusko is more elephant than they'd bargained for. 732 00:38:39,130 --> 00:38:42,700 DAVIS: He was so large and it was expensive to feed him. 733 00:38:42,700 --> 00:38:46,510 Tusko is literally eating the profits. 734 00:38:46,510 --> 00:38:49,010 WILDMAN: Over the years, he is passed from 735 00:38:49,010 --> 00:38:51,410 one nickel and dime sideshow to another, 736 00:38:51,410 --> 00:38:54,480 none of which are able to cover his mammoth food bill. 737 00:38:54,480 --> 00:38:56,980 DAVIS: Tusko's reputation is in shambles. 738 00:38:56,990 --> 00:38:58,080 No one wants him. 739 00:38:58,090 --> 00:39:01,150 That's the level that he's fallen to. 740 00:39:01,160 --> 00:39:03,760 WILDMAN: Once known as Tusko the Magnificent, 741 00:39:03,760 --> 00:39:06,630 the beleaguered elephant acquires a new nickname -- 742 00:39:06,630 --> 00:39:10,900 Tusko the Unwanted. 743 00:39:10,900 --> 00:39:13,330 But there's one man who thinks he knows 744 00:39:13,340 --> 00:39:15,970 how to turn a profit on the giant creature. 745 00:39:15,970 --> 00:39:18,040 A promoter known as the Colonel 746 00:39:18,040 --> 00:39:20,470 grabs Tusko at a knockdown price, 747 00:39:20,480 --> 00:39:23,810 but the Colonel's grand plan won't require him 748 00:39:23,810 --> 00:39:26,650 to pay for the elephant's food at all. 749 00:39:26,650 --> 00:39:28,520 DAVIS: He thought Tusko would be more profitable 750 00:39:28,520 --> 00:39:31,280 as a dead animal, 751 00:39:31,290 --> 00:39:34,490 cut up into pieces and put on display at sideshows. 752 00:39:34,490 --> 00:39:39,930 WILDMAN: So has poor Tusko reached his final act? 753 00:39:42,900 --> 00:39:45,600 It's 1932 in Washington state. 754 00:39:45,600 --> 00:39:49,340 An enormous circus elephant named Tusko 755 00:39:49,340 --> 00:39:51,440 is facing a grim fate. 756 00:39:51,440 --> 00:39:53,970 His owner, a man known as the Colonel, 757 00:39:53,980 --> 00:39:57,080 can't afford to feed him and has decided to kill 758 00:39:57,080 --> 00:40:00,050 the gentle giant and put his bones on display. 759 00:40:00,050 --> 00:40:05,220 So who will save this peaceful pachyderm? 760 00:40:05,220 --> 00:40:09,520 It seems all hope is lost for Tusko, 761 00:40:09,530 --> 00:40:11,560 but then the doomed animal receives help 762 00:40:11,560 --> 00:40:15,760 from an unexpected ally -- the media. 763 00:40:17,930 --> 00:40:20,770 Reporters learn of the Colonel's plan. 764 00:40:20,770 --> 00:40:22,700 Outraged by the cruel plot, 765 00:40:22,710 --> 00:40:26,510 they launch a campaign to save Tusko's life. 766 00:40:26,510 --> 00:40:29,780 They publish stories about the elephant's tragic journey, 767 00:40:29,780 --> 00:40:34,080 rallying the public to his defense. 768 00:40:34,080 --> 00:40:36,950 The swelling of support even attracts the attention 769 00:40:36,950 --> 00:40:39,920 of Seattle's mayor, John Francis Dore. 770 00:40:39,920 --> 00:40:41,920 The mayor of Seattle started to take 771 00:40:41,920 --> 00:40:43,890 a personal interest in Tusko's story 772 00:40:43,890 --> 00:40:46,330 and made a public show of being his supporter. 773 00:40:46,330 --> 00:40:50,060 WILDMAN: Dore is determined to wrest ownership of Tusko 774 00:40:50,070 --> 00:40:54,840 away from the Colonel, so he devises a cunning plan. 775 00:40:54,840 --> 00:40:56,770 Using his executive powers, 776 00:40:56,770 --> 00:40:59,910 Dore declares that Tusko is a public menace 777 00:40:59,910 --> 00:41:03,140 and orders the animal be placed under arrest. 778 00:41:03,150 --> 00:41:07,750 The charge levies a heavy fine against the animal's owner. 779 00:41:07,750 --> 00:41:09,550 Unable to pay the fees, 780 00:41:09,550 --> 00:41:15,920 the Colonel has no choice but to turn Tusko over to the city, 781 00:41:15,930 --> 00:41:21,260 and on October 8, 1932, the elephant is finally given 782 00:41:21,260 --> 00:41:25,100 a permanent home at Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo. 783 00:41:25,100 --> 00:41:28,300 DAVIS: It was a really nice retirement for him 784 00:41:28,300 --> 00:41:30,040 after a really hard life. 785 00:41:30,040 --> 00:41:33,770 [ Trumpets ] 786 00:41:33,780 --> 00:41:36,510 WILDMAN: Today, Tusko's skull is preserved 787 00:41:36,510 --> 00:41:39,450 at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History. 788 00:41:39,450 --> 00:41:42,350 It recalls the trials and tribulations 789 00:41:42,350 --> 00:41:47,120 of a beleaguered elephant who finally found a home. 790 00:41:47,120 --> 00:41:52,130 From a fire-fighting bear to an unwanted elephant, 791 00:41:52,130 --> 00:41:56,860 an inspiring dolphin to a POW dog, 792 00:41:56,870 --> 00:42:00,200 I'm Don Wildman, and these are the mysteries at the museum.