0:00:02 > 0:00:05How can Wolfbloods run so fast and for so long?
0:00:06 > 0:00:08Why are their senses so intense?
0:00:08 > 0:00:10SHE SNIFFS
0:00:10 > 0:00:13And why is family so important to them?
0:00:14 > 0:00:16It all comes down to the extraordinary wild wolves
0:00:16 > 0:00:19that they share so many qualities with.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22- HE HOWLS - In this series, we'll uncover the truth about wolves
0:00:22 > 0:00:26and reveal just why Wolfbloods are the way that they are.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29This is Wolfblood Uncovered.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56In this episode, we discover how wolves
0:00:56 > 0:01:00can keep running for miles yet still have an incredible sprint finish.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11Being a Wolfblood makes my character, Rhydian,
0:01:11 > 0:01:13and his friend Maddy different to their friends,
0:01:13 > 0:01:15because they can transform into wolves
0:01:15 > 0:01:18and use wolf-like abilities during their day-to-day lives.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21One of the skills they share with the wolves is being able
0:01:21 > 0:01:24to run very long distances without ever really getting tired.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27Now, that's incredibly useful - never more so than
0:01:27 > 0:01:29when you need to help get your friends out of trouble.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31Just like when Tom and Shannon were out in the woods
0:01:31 > 0:01:34looking for the monster and there was a wild Wolfblood on the loose.
0:01:34 > 0:01:38You know what? I think we should go. Look, the fog's getting thicker -
0:01:38 > 0:01:40we clearly aren't going to see anything.
0:01:46 > 0:01:48Look! Shannon took it the other day.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52I thought it was Rhydian because I didn't know about wild Wolfbloods.
0:01:52 > 0:01:57- Where did they go?- To the woods - here.- Yeah, but where? Where's here?
0:01:57 > 0:02:00- I can't explain, but I can't find it.- No - you two stay here.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03- We're coming with you. - You're staying right here.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06If there's a wild Wolfblood out there, we'll sniff it out.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11This is ridiculous. I know where they are.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14- Mum and Dad know what they're doing. - What, in their car?
0:02:14 > 0:02:17If that wolf's out there, he's using his senses and he's going to hunt down Tom and Shannon.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19We can get there first.
0:02:21 > 0:02:26You're right. But no wolfing out. Shannon's got a camera.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34Miles away, Tom and Shannon were still on the lookout.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37That's a big badger, Shannon.
0:02:37 > 0:02:41It's really close. Six o'clock.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44- No, it's nearly seven. - No! I meant it's right behind us.
0:02:47 > 0:02:49THEY YELL AND LAUGH
0:02:49 > 0:02:52- Your faces! - You idiots! You're not funny!
0:02:52 > 0:02:53Have you found the monster yet?
0:02:53 > 0:02:56- No! Thanks to you. You probably scared it off.- Oh, please!
0:02:56 > 0:02:58Yeah, what kind of monsters would be scared of us?
0:02:58 > 0:03:01HOWLING
0:03:01 > 0:03:03What-what was that?
0:03:08 > 0:03:12It was just a dog. It must have wandered into the woods.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15It's not a dog. It's the monster! It's my monster.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18- I'm not hanging around to find out. - Look! If you run it'll chase you.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25THEY YELL
0:03:25 > 0:03:29Are you OK? Well, we would be if you would stop jumping out at us!
0:03:29 > 0:03:33Rhydian and Maddy were able to beat Maddy's parents in the car
0:03:33 > 0:03:36without even getting out of breath, by drawing on their wolf stamina
0:03:36 > 0:03:38to keep running for long enough.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41Wolves can keep on the move across all different types
0:03:41 > 0:03:45of landscapes, sometimes up to 45 miles in 24 hours.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48That's like running an ultra-marathon day after day.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50Now, that's pretty amazing, but
0:03:50 > 0:03:54how did these astonishing animals achieve such astonishing feats?
0:03:54 > 0:03:58Well, this wolf skull, with its long muzzle, gives us a clue.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03The long muzzle and the shape of the inner nose means more oxygen
0:04:03 > 0:04:06can get into the blood so wolves don't tire as quickly.
0:04:11 > 0:04:13And that's not the only reason they're brilliant
0:04:13 > 0:04:16over long distances.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19Long legs allow them to cover the ground quickly and easily,
0:04:19 > 0:04:21and because the elbows turn inward,
0:04:21 > 0:04:24their body weight is precisely balanced over their feet.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31This means they can travel over the toughest terrain
0:04:31 > 0:04:32without wasting precious energy.
0:04:41 > 0:04:45Large feet spread their weight so they don't sink into soft snow,
0:04:45 > 0:04:48and that gives them an edge over their prey.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51Lots of tiny blood vessels create heat pads in the paws
0:04:51 > 0:04:52so they can keep going,
0:04:52 > 0:04:55even when the temperature drops well below freezing.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00A narrow chest makes them more streamlined when they run through
0:05:00 > 0:05:05snow, and that chest contains big lungs and a large heart.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17But they don't just travel huge distances on land.
0:05:17 > 0:05:22The webbing between their feet makes them excellent swimmers.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25They've been known to swim up to eight miles in one go.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29So they're the ultimate travellers,
0:05:29 > 0:05:32but why do they need this super stamina?
0:05:32 > 0:05:35It's because their prey is spread out over huge areas,
0:05:35 > 0:05:39so they have to travel far and wide just to find it.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42Over mountains, through snow
0:05:42 > 0:05:43and across rivers.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48In winter, wolves can spend up to half of their time on the move.
0:05:52 > 0:05:56Keeping a steady pace - around 5mph -
0:05:56 > 0:06:00they save energy by using existing animal tracks
0:06:00 > 0:06:03or travelling in single file through deep snow,
0:06:03 > 0:06:06with one wolf breaking the trail, and the rest following behind.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11Even when they find their prey, like these caribou,
0:06:11 > 0:06:15the wolves can't always immediately go in for the kill.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18They sometimes have to follow a herd all day and all night
0:06:18 > 0:06:22until they panic the animals into running.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28Wolves need their prey to be moving quickly
0:06:28 > 0:06:31so they can identify the right target.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33When prey is running,
0:06:33 > 0:06:36the wolves can pick out the old, the young or the ill.
0:06:38 > 0:06:42Sometimes identifying these weaker members can take several miles,
0:06:43 > 0:06:46so their staying power is essential to find
0:06:46 > 0:06:50and pinpoint their target, to be in with the chance of securing a meal.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53But they also need incredible stamina to keep on top
0:06:53 > 0:06:55of their territory -
0:06:55 > 0:06:58the area where they live and hunt for food.
0:07:00 > 0:07:04The land belonging to a single pack can cover hundreds of square miles,
0:07:04 > 0:07:09and it's important to patrol it pretty regularly to make sure
0:07:09 > 0:07:13rival wolves don't start taking prey from their patch.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19So it's not hard to see why Rhydian and Maddy are able to run
0:07:19 > 0:07:22and run and hardly break into a sweat, but it's not
0:07:22 > 0:07:25just stamina that's key to helping Wolfbloods get what they want.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28It's also their explosive bursts of speed.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30Rhydian, using his wolf-like abilities,
0:07:30 > 0:07:33is often able to mystify his classmates with impressive
0:07:33 > 0:07:36speed, turning a difficult situation into his advantage.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39Just like when he was wrongly accused of smashing up
0:07:39 > 0:07:40the school's art project,
0:07:40 > 0:07:43and suddenly realised who was really to blame.
0:07:46 > 0:07:47HE GASPS
0:07:52 > 0:07:53Push off, Leek Boy.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10- I just want to know why you did it! - Get lost!
0:08:30 > 0:08:33- Did you do all that damage just to get me into trouble?- No!
0:08:33 > 0:08:36You've had it in for me since I arrived! You said I was here that night!
0:08:36 > 0:08:39You think everything's about you, don't you? Poor little orphan boy!
0:08:39 > 0:08:42You don't know how lucky you are!
0:08:43 > 0:08:45No-one telling you you're not good enough,
0:08:45 > 0:08:47you're a disappointment.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49If that's family, who needs one?
0:08:50 > 0:08:53Next time you lose your temper, smash up your own things.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58Rhydian's wolf-like lightning pace around school
0:08:58 > 0:09:01meant he could get Jimi to admit responsibility for causing all that damage,
0:09:01 > 0:09:05so it's a pretty useful skill for a teenage Wolfblood to have, but it's
0:09:05 > 0:09:09no wonder Rhydian was so quick, because wolves really are fast.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12Over short distances, they can reach speeds up to 35mph.
0:09:12 > 0:09:16That's quicker than you're allowed to drive around town.
0:09:16 > 0:09:20If a wolf was running at top speed from here to the school
0:09:20 > 0:09:24about 100m away, it could do it in just over six seconds.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26That's a lot quicker than your average human.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35When wolves are running flat-out, they're nearly 10mph quicker
0:09:35 > 0:09:37than the world's fastest sprinters.
0:09:44 > 0:09:45They cover the ground quickly
0:09:45 > 0:09:47because they can move in great bounds.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50Each bound can be 5 metres...
0:09:51 > 0:09:53..about the length of a school minibus.
0:09:55 > 0:09:59And it's their maximum speed that helps them finish off the hunt.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03Once they've identified their target,
0:10:03 > 0:10:07they accelerate to top pace to go in for the final attack.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14It's a truly deadly combination.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17They use their stamina to find and identify the right target
0:10:17 > 0:10:19and their speed to make the kill.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27So Wolfbloods owe all their impressive speed and stamina
0:10:27 > 0:10:30to the wolves in the wild, which gives them both a great advantage
0:10:30 > 0:10:33over their rivals and marks them out as extraordinary athletes
0:10:33 > 0:10:34in their own world.
0:10:42 > 0:10:44Next time you miss the bus, you can walk to school.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47If I ran, I'd get here before the bus.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51Stop where you are!
0:10:51 > 0:10:52Grab him!
0:11:14 > 0:11:17Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd