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S26 Ep13

Prince of the Alps

Premiere: 5/11/2008

NATURE reveals a breathtaking view into the world of a red deer calf as he struggles to survive.

Prince of the Alps

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NATURE reveals a breathtaking view into the world of a red deer calf as he struggles to survive in Prince of the Alps.

From the moment he is born, a red deer calf faces a life-long struggle to survive in his new home — the mountain wilderness of the Austrian Alps. His first six weeks are filled with exploration and discovery of his world, under the watchful eye of his mother. When he is ready, he and his mother journey along age-old migration paths from the forests up to the high mountain meadows, where the beginning of summer brings life and renewal to the slopes. There, they join other red deer mothers and their calves. The stags have already arrived, their antlers covered in tender velvet — and growing quickly.

Featuring panoramic scenes of lush landscapes, Prince of the Alps travels high into the mountains, where chamois and ibex are right at home on the nearly vertical cliffs, marmots emerge late from hibernation, and red deer prove their agility. The little prince enjoys special status in the herd, thanks to his mother’s social rank. She leads him to the best feeding places and teaches him about his new surroundings. His first brush with civilization is a herdsman calling out to his cattle. Unlike drivers on the roads, and the hunters and hikers who also invade their world, the herdsman poses no threat to deer in the mountains. The young calf also learns his first lesson about dangerous weather in the mountains, where storms rage and lighting kills.

In September, the mountains echo with the calls of the great red deer stags. During the six weeks or so of the autumn rut, the stags compete for the chance to father next year’s calves before the seasons change and winter claims the mountains. Snow, ice, cold, and hunger will also claim their share of the herds before spring returns. Many deer find it hard to feed and finding shelter takes all the energy they have.

Seven months into his life, the little prince is left alone and his chances of survival are slim. But when the sights and sounds of spring once again appear, and the red deer mothers and calves make their way up to the high mountain pastures, a one-year-old red deer calf with tiny antlers sets out with them. He has earned his place as Prince of the Alps.

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PRODUCTION CREDITS

Television Credits

PRINCE OF THE ALPS

Narrated by
F. MURRAY ABRAHAM

Written and Produced by
KLAUS FEICHTENBERGER
OTMAR PENKER

Photography
OTMAR PENKER

Additional Photography
JOSEPH PACHOINIG

Camera Assistant
ERWIN ZUPANCIC

Sound
OTMAR PENKER
FRED VORNEHM

Film Editor
KARL KÖNIGSBERGER

Music Composed by
ANDREAS FABIANEK

Music Performed by
MÄNNERGESANGSVEREIN KANING
“TUA LEI SINNAN” COURTESY OF JÖRG FREUNSCHLAG

Dubbing Editor
OTMAR PENKER

Foleys
KARL KÖNIGSBERGER

Dubbing Mixer
STEFAN K. FIEDLER

Special Effects
WOLFGANG SCHERZ

Special Camera Equipment
ALEX GLINZ
GÜNTHER HOLZHOFER
GÜNTER LASSNIG
GERT UNTERZAUCHER
FRED VORNEHM

Colorist
TOM VARGA

Researcher
CHRISTIAN MESSNER

Scientific Advisor
HUBERT ZEILER

Production Manager
FRED VORNEHM

Unit Manager
ELEONORA FREY

Executive Producer
WALTER KÖHLER

© 2007 ORF All rights reserved.

For NATURE

Series Editor
JANET HESS

Supervising Producer
JANICE YOUNG

Senior Producer
LAURA METZGER

Producers
JILL CLARKE
IRENE TEJARATCHI

Production Manager
JULIE SCHAPIRO THORMAN

Production Assistant
JAYNE JUN

Manager
EILEEN FRAHER

Re-recording Mixer
DOUG JOHNSON

Online Editor
CHRIS CONNOLLY

Series Producer
BILL MURPHY

Executive In Charge
WILLIAM GRANT

Executive Producer
FRED KAUFMAN

A co-production of ORF, ARGEntur, Zentralstelle der Österr. Landesjagdverbände, Österr. Bundesforste, Kärnten Werbung

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

© 2008 Educational Broadcasting Corporation

Web Credits

Director of Production
DANIEL B. GREENBERG

Producer
TANNER VEA

Production Assistant
DANIEL ROSS

Writers

“Survival Through the Seasons”
by ELYSE EISENBERG

“Green Bridges and Wildlife Corridors”
by JILL CLARKE

Designer
MICHAEL DIMAURO

Creative Director
NICK MILLER

Pagebuilding
BRIAN SANTALONE

Technical Director
BRIAN LEE

Director of Digital Strategy
DAVID HIRMES

Photos for “Overview,” “Green Bridges and Wildlife Corridors,” “Survival Through the Seasons,” and “Resources” by Otmar Penker © ORF / Die ARGEntur Filmproduktions GmbH. Other photos from “Prince of the Alps.”

Thirteen Online is a production of Thirteen/WNET New York’s Kravis Multimedia Education Center in New York City. Dan Goldman, Executive Director, thirteen.org. Bob Adleman, Business Manager

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PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.