Original subtitles

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NARRATOR: WHEN YOU SEE THIS SYMBOL, YOU KNOW YOU'RE WATCHING

TELEVISION THAT IS EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATIONAL.

THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

DYLAN: HI EVERYONE, I'M DYLAN DREYER.

GET READY TO DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF SURVIVAL IN THE WILD.

ON TODAY'S EPISODE, THESE MASSIVE MAMMALS ALWAYS KNOW THE

WAY TO STAY COOL IN THE HEAT OF THE SERENGETI.

THEN THIS SLY FOX TAKES AN INCREDIBLE LEAP OF FAITH.

AND FIND OUT HOW THIS OCTOPUS REALLY DISAPPEARS INTO HER ROLE

AS A MOTHER.

PLUS, THE LITTLE OWL WITH A BIG STORY.

THIS AND SO MUCH MORE JUST AHEAD ON EARTH ODYSSEY.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: HI EVERYONE, I AM HERE WITH A VERY SPECIAL GUEST,

DR. RAE WYNN-GRANT FROM MUTUAL OF OMAHA'S WILD KINGDOM:

PROTECTING THE WILD ON NBC.

IT'S SO GREAT TO SEE YOU.

DR. RAE: IT IS REALLY AWESOME TO BE HERE WITH YOU, DYLAN.

DYLAN: SO NOT ONLY DO YOU HOST A TV SHOW ABOUT ANIMALS, YOU

YOURSELF ARE A WILDLIFE ECOLOGIST.

DR. RAE: IT'S TRUE.

MY AREA OF EXPERTISE IS NORTH AMERICAN BEARS, SO BLACK BEARS,

GRIZZLY BEARS, THAT KIND OF THING.

BUT I ACTUALLY GOT INSPIRED TO DO THIS WORK FROM WATCHING

NATURE SHOWS LIKE WILD KINGDOM OR EVEN SOMETHING LIKE

EARTH ODYSSEY.

DYLAN: SO GREAT.

WELL, HERE WE ARE IN MORE OR LESS A DESERT ENVIRONMENT, WHICH

CAN REALLY BE A VERY HARSH HABITAT FOR A LOT OF ANIMALS.

DR. RAE: IT IS NOT FOR THE WEAK OF HEART, BUT ALL OF THESE

ANIMALS HAVE ADAPTED TO THE CLIMATE.

LIKE DESERT TORTOISES, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT MAKE BURROWS UP TO

10 FEET UNDERGROUND WHERE IT IS NICE AND COOL.

WHEN THEY LEAVE THOSE BURROWS, IT PROVIDES SHELTER FOR OTHER

ANIMALS.

DYLAN: THAT IS SO COOL.

WE ARE GOING TO ACTUALLY INTRODUCE YOU TO ANOTHER ANIMAL

THAT KNOWS HOW TO KEEP COOL.

WE'RE GOING TO TRAVEL TO THE AFRICAN SAVANNA TO SEE HOW A

FAMILY OF ELEPHANTS BEATS THE HEAT.

DR. RAE: I LOVE ELEPHANTS, AND SO THIS IS GONNA BE GREAT.

DYLAN: FROM SCORCHING DESERTS

TO THE PARCHED SAVANNA,

NATURE IS FULL OF FIERCE COMPETITIONS,

BLISTERING BATTLES,

SCARCE RESOURCES,

AND HOT TEMPERS.

EACH INHOSPITABLE CORNER OF THE PLANET IS A PLACE WHERE NATURE'S

WARRIORS ARE PACKING HEAT.

IN THE WILD, LIFE HAS ITS LIMITS.

[HIPPO GROANING]

DYLAN: AND ONLY A SELECT FEW CAN SHARE THE SPOILS.

THE RIGHT TO MATE.

FUEL TO SURVIVE.

A PLACE TO CALL HOME.

AND NO SPECIES SHOWCASES THESE SURVIVAL SKILLS LIKE THE WORLD'S

LARGEST LAND MAMMAL, THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT.

[ELEPHANTS GROANING]

DYLAN: NATIVE TO SOUTHERN AND EASTERN AFRICA, THEY LIVE IN A

HOT, DRY LAND WHERE THEY FACE A CONSTANT BATTLE TO STAY COOL.

[GROANING CONTINUES]

DYLAN: FLAPPING THEIR BIG EARS HELPS COOL THEIR BLOOD SUPPLY.

WEIGHING ANYWHERE FROM 4 TO 14,000 POUNDS, GETTING RID OF

HEAT IS A MAJOR ISSUE FOR THE ELEPHANT.

EACH ANIMAL NEEDS TO DRINK HUNDREDS OF GALLONS OF WATER

EVERY DAY TO STAY HYDRATED.

[GROANING CONTINUES]

DYLAN: AND THE REWARDS OF THIS WATERING HOLE HAVE EVAPORATED.

THE HERD RELIES ON THE MATRIARCH TO GUIDE THEM TO ANOTHER SOURCE

OF WATER.

MOTHERS, AUNTS, SISTERS AND YOUNG ONES FOLLOW HER LEAD.

SHE TAKES ONE OF MANY WELL-TRAVELED ELEPHANT HIGHWAYS.

AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, SOME PATHS WILL LEAD TO DUST BOWLS OF

DISAPPOINTMENT.

BUT THE MATRIARCH KNOWS OTHER ROUTES TO FOLLOW.

FOR A YOUNG CALF, A LONG TREK FOR WATER IS HARD WORK.

BUT THEIR JOURNEY GREATLY BENEFITS THE WORLD AROUND THEM.

ELEPHANTS AREN'T JUST LARGE, THEY PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SERVICES

TO OTHER LIVING CREATURES ON THE SAVANNAH.

AFRICAN ELEPHANTS ARE KNOWN AS KEYSTONE SPECIES.

THAT MEANS THEY'RE VITAL TO THE ECOSYSTEMS THEY INHABIT.

AS THEY TRAVEL, THEY CONSUME AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF FOOD.

[MUSIC]

THEY PUSH OVER LARGE TREES, CREATING SPACE AND LIGHT FOR

GRASS TO GROW.

AS THEY MIGRATE ACROSS THE PLAINS, THEY DISPERSE SEEDS AS

THEY GO.

AND WHEN THEY GET THIRSTY, THEY DIG HOLES TO REACH WATER,

CREATING NATURAL WELLS THAT OTHER ANIMALS CAN USE.

BUT TO COOL OFF PROPERLY, ELEPHANTS NEED A REAL MUD BATH.

[MUSIC CONTINUES]

DYLAN: AFTER TREKKING MORE THAN 60 MILES, THE HERD FINALLY

ARRIVES AT AN OASIS.

IT'S A WATER FESTIVAL, AND FOR THE CALVES, A NEW DELIGHT.

[ELEPHANTS GROANING, WATER SPLASHING]

DYLAN: BUT THERE IS NEVER AN IDEAL MOMENT TO RELAX IN THE

SERENGETI.

A YOUNG ELEPHANT HAS WANDERED OFF FROM THE HERD, INTENT ON

EXPLORING ITS NEW SURROUNDINGS, FINDING A NICE SPOT FOR A DUST

BATH.

BUT HE'S NAIVE TO SO MANY THREATS.

HIS FAMILY CONTINUES TO BATHE AS HE HEADS AWAY FROM THE WATER

HOLE IN FULL VIEW OF A PRIDE OF LIONS.

LUCKILY, ONE OF THE ADULTS WARNS HIM JUST IN TIME.

AND THE YOUNGSTER IS ABLE TO REJOIN THE HERD, SAFE FOR

ANOTHER DAY.

COMING UP WHEN IT'S DINNER TIME THESE NATURAL-BORN HUNTERS DIVE

RIGHT IN.

PLUS WITH HALF A MILLION EGGS THIS MOTHER OCTOPUS HAS HER ARMS

FULL.

AND THE ENDURING STORY OF THE OWL AND THE OLIVE TREE,

WHEN EARTH ODYSSEY RETURNS.

NARRATOR: WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

.

NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: COVERING MORE THAN 2 MILLION ACRES IN THE

NORTHWESTERN UNITED STATES, YELLOWSTONE IS THE OLDEST

NATIONAL PARK IN THE WORLD.

THE REGION WAS FORMED IN A MASSIVE VOLCANIC ERUPTION

MORE THAN HALF A MILLION YEARS AGO.

THE LAVA FROM THAT ERUPTION CREATED A GIANT 45-MILE-WIDE

CALDERA, A BOWL-LIKE DEPRESSION IN THE GROUND.

THE VOLCANIC, NUTRIENT-RICH SOILS FORM A VITAL FEEDING

GROUND FOR A WIDE RANGE OF MAMMALS, FROM HERDS OF ELK

TO FAMILIES OF BEARS.

[CUB GROWLING]

DYLAN: AND GROUND SQUIRRELS.

BUT WHEN WINTER ARRIVES IN YELLOWSTONE, FINDING FOOD IN

THIS FROZEN WORLD BECOMES A CHALLENGE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: A GOLDEN EAGLE SCAVENGES WHAT IT CAN.

AND A RED FOX FEMALE CALLED A VIXEN HUNTS ALONE.

HER PUPS HAVE LEFT THE DEN TO FIND THEIR OWN TERRITORY IN THE

VAST FOREST.

[MUSIC CONTINUES, WIND BLOWING]

BUT THERE IS NO EASY GAME TO BE HAD HERE.

THE FOX HAS TO HUNT FOR FOOD UNDER THE SNOW.

ALTHOUGH FOXES WILL EAT PLANTS, SHE'S ON THE PROWL FOR A

DIFFERENT KIND OF FOOD TODAY.

WHEN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE LIES UNDER A THICK BLANKET OF

SNOW, SMALL MAMMALS AND HAVE IT A NEW WORLD BENEATH.

THEY SURVIVE IN THE SUBNIVIAN ZONE, LIVING UNDER THE SNOW.

IT'S AN OPEN, SHALLOW LAYER HELD UP BY VEGETATION AND ICE.

WARMED BY THE GROUND, THE ZONE UNDER THE SNOW IS PROTECTED FROM

THE WIND CHILL AT A TEMPERATURE HOVERING AROUND FREEZING OR 32

DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

IT'S WARMER UNDER HERE THAN OUTSIDE, BUT NOT ENTIRELY SAFE.

ANY MOVEMENT MAKES A SOUND.

AND THE VIXEN IS LISTENING, ROTATING EACH EAR

INDEPENDENTLY.

SHE TRIES TO DETERMINE AN EXACT POSITION FOR HER PREY,

THEN TAKES A LEAP.

[MUSIC]

[SNOW CRUNCHING]

DYLAN: ACCURACY IS HARD IN A BLIND SNOW DIVE.

THE SUCCESS RATE OF A POUNCE IS LESS THAN 20%, BUT THIS

IS A GAME OF PERSISTENCE.

AND THERE'S MORE TO IT THAN MEETS THE EYE.

STRANGELY WHEN FOXES POUNCE IN A NORTH EASTERLY DIRECTION

THEY ARE MUCH MORE SUCCESSFUL HITTING THEIR TARGET IN THREE

OUT OF FOUR ATTEMPTS.

IT'S THOUGHT THEY CAN DETECT THE EARTH'S MAGNETIC FIELD USING A

SPECIAL PROTEIN IN THEIR EYES.

THEY ALIGN THE SOUND OF ANIMALS UNDER THE SNOW TO THE SLOPE OF

THE MAGNETIC FIELD AND ESTIMATE WHERE THEIR PREY IS HIDING.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THIS UNIQUE ADAPTATION AND THOSE ACROBATIC SNOW DIVES

PROVIDE A POWERFUL EDGE IN THE BATTLE AGAINST HUNGER HERE IN

YELLOWSTONE.

[MUSIC ENDS]

DYLAN: COMING UP, THIS UNDERWATER CREATURE CAN CREATE

THE PERFECT DISGUISE IN A NANOSECOND.

AND WHICH NOCTURNAL RAPTOR IS WORKING ROUND THE CLOCK?

FIND OUT WHO WHEN EARTH ODYSSEY COMES RIGHT BACK.

NARRATOR: WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

.

NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: LIKE US, WILD ANIMALS ARE FAMOUSLY PICKY ABOUT PROTECTING

THEIR YOUNG.

THE WARM WATERS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA MIGHT SEEM

LIKE THE PERFECT NURSERY FOR WATER BABIES, BUT EVEN HERE,

RISKS ABOUND.

ONE EXQUISITELY LOYAL INVERTEBRATE MOTHER REFUSES

TO LEAVE THE SURVIVAL OF HER OFFSPRING TO CHANCE.

JUST OFF THE COAST, AMONG MORE THAN 200 SPECIES OF CORAL,

LIES A BREEDING GROUND FOR PERHAPS THE PLANET'S MOST

DEVOTED PARENT.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE COMMON OCTOPUS.

AT ABOUT 32 INCHES LONG, SHE'S 90% MUSCLE.

SHE'S NOT ONLY STRONG, SHE'S CONSIDERED TO BE AMONG THE MOST

INTELLIGENT OF ALL INVERTEBRATES.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE COMMON OCTOPUS ISN'T DARING.

NORMALLY, THIS ACCOMPLISHED SHAPE-SHIFTING PREDATOR ROAMS

HER TERRITORY ON THE HUNT FOR CRABS.

BUT TODAY, SHE'S NOT STRAYING FAR FROM HER DEN.

DUSKY GROUPERS ARE PATROLLING NEARBY.

OCTOPUS AND SQUID MAKE UP THE BULK OF THE FISH'S DIET.

WHEN SHE'S THREATENED BY A PREDATOR, THE QUICK-MOVING

OCTOPUS CAN SQUIRT, INK, AND ESCAPE AS A LAST RESORT.

BUT RIGHT NOW, SHE CAN'T LEAVE.

HIDDEN IN HER OCTOPUS'S DEN ARE CLOSE TO HALF A MILLION EGGS.

[MUSIC, WATER SWISHING]

DYLAN: HER SOLE DUTY IS TO PROTECT HER FRAGILE OFFSPRING.

[MUSIC CONTINUES]

DYLAN: HIDING IS THE MOTHER OCTOPUS'S ONLY OPTION.

SHE HAS A VAST NETWORK OF PIGMENT CELLS HELPING HER MATCH

THE ROCKS AND CORAL.

SHE CAN CHANGE HER SKIN COLOR AND TEXTURE IN LESS THAN A

SECOND TO PROTECT HERSELF.

IT'S THE PERFECT DISGUISE.

BUT HER PARENTING DUTIES ARE FAR FROM OVER.

HER YOUNG WON'T SPAWN FOR ANOTHER FOUR MONTHS.

CONSTANTLY FLUSHING WATER FROM HER FUNNEL, SHE KEEPS THE EGGS

OXYGENATED.

SHE WON'T LEAVE THE DEN OR EVEN EAT UNTIL THEY HATCH.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THIS WILL BE THE ONE AND ONLY TIME THE COMMON OCTOPUS

WILL REPRODUCE.

[MUSIC CONTINUES]

DYLAN: AND HER HATCHLING'S SURVIVAL IS HER FINAL GOOD DEED.

SHE'LL PASS AWAY NOT LONG AFTER HER EGGS HATCH.

SCIENTISTS ARE ONLY JUST BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND THESE

SOLITARY BUT ALWAYS SURPRISING CREATURES AND THEIR REMARKABLE

BEHAVIORS.

COMING UP, THIS SMALL BUT MIGHTY BIRD OF PREY SEEMS TO ALWAYS BE

WATCHING.

DON'T LOOK AWAY ANOTHER INCREDIBLE WILDLIFE STORY IS UP

NEXT WHEN OUR EARTH ODYSSEY RETURNS

NARRATOR: WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

.

NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ALL LIFE HAS TO ADAPT TO THE EXTREMES OF THE SEASONS,

INCLUDING THE OLIVE TREE.

THIS PLANT IS A DROUGHT SURVIVOR.

THE OLIVE HAS SPECIALIZED ROOTS TO ABSORB THE SPORADIC RAINFALL

IN THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION.

THE TREES HAVE BEEN CULTIVATED FOR MILLENNIA WITH AN AVERAGE

LIFESPAN OF 500 YEARS.

THE TRUNKS WARP AS THEY GROW, CREATING PLENTY OF HIDING SPACES

FOR OTHER SPECIES.

LIKE THE LITTLE OWL.

AT JUST EIGHT INCHES TALL, THIS SPECIES LIVES UP TO ITS

NAMESAKE.

WITH YELLOW EYES AND WHITE BROWS, THE LITTLE OWL IS A REAL

LOOKER.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: RIGHT NOW, SHE'S BUSY KEEPING HER THREE CHICKS FED.

AND AT THREE WEEKS OLD, THEY'RE CONSTANTLY HUNGRY.

[MUSIC CONTINUES]

DYLAN: LITTLE OWLS TYPICALLY PERCH UNTIL READY TO SWOOP

DOWN ON THEIR PREY.

LUCKILY, SHE'S NOT WORKING ALONE.

AT FIRST, THE MALE OWL BRINGS IN FOOD TO THE BROOD, WHICH THE

FEMALE THEN DOLES OUT.

BUT AS THE CHICKS GROW AND DEMAND MORE, IT TAKES TWO TO GET

THE JOB DONE.

LIKE A TAG TEAM, MOM AND DAD HUNT ALL DAY AND NIGHT.

FROM DUSK TO DAWN, IT'S A RACE TO FATTEN THE LITTLE OWL CHICKS

WITH INSECTS, EARTHWORMS AND SMALL MAMMALS.

AND A GOOD THING TOO, IN JUST FOUR TO FIVE WEEKS, IT WILL BE

TIME FOR THESE LITTLE WISE GUYS TO HUNT ON THEIR OWN.

FROM AN EIGHT-LEGGED OCTOPUS TO A PETITE LITTLE OWL, ALL THE WAY

TO A BEHEMOTH ELEPHANT, IT'S INSPIRING TO SEE HOW OUR FELLOW

EARTHLINGS COPE WITH CHALLENGES LIKE FOOD SCARCITY, EXTREME

WEATHER, AND THE BALANCE OF PREDATOR AND PREY.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

I'M DYLAN DREYER.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME ON EARTH ODYSSEY.

[MUSIC]