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, EVERYBODY, I'M DYLAN DREYER AND THIS IS "EARTH

ODYSSEY".

TODAY, WE TAKE A QUEST AROUND THE WORLD TO FIND THE SMARTEST

SPECIES IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.

WE BEGIN IN THAILAND WHERE A TROOP OF LONG-TAILED MACAQUES

USES THIS TOOL THAT PROVES THAT THEY ARE NO FOOL.

THEN, THESE SCAVENGERS HAVE FOUND A WAY TO BREAK UP THEIR

MEALS THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

AND LATER, THIS SPECIES OF PRIMATE TREATS ITS FOOD WITH

CLEANLINESS AND CARE.

PLUS, THESE MAMMALS ARE MASTERS OF HUNTING, BUT THEIR SUPREME

INTELLIGENCE MAKES IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEIR PREY TO GET

AWAY.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ON THE COAST OF AUSTRALIA LIVES ONE OF THE RARE

CREATURES THAT DOESN'T HAVE A BRAIN.

THE BOX JELLYFISH.

WHILE IT'S ABLE TO SURVIVE BY CATCHING PREY IN ITS VENOMOUS

TENTACLES, IT HAS NO TRUE INTELLIGENCE.

ON THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM, THE WILD IS ALSO FULL

OF REAL GENIUSES CAPABLE OF STAGGERING DISPLAYS OF THOUGHT,

CALCULATION, AND EVEN COMPASSION.

LET'S MEET SOME OF THEM, BEGINNING WITH A VERY

PROFESSORIAL PRIMATE.

THE NATURAL WORLD IS FULL OF REAL GENIUSES, CAPABLE OF

STAGGERING DISPLAYS OF THOUGHT, CALCULATION, AND EVEN

COMPASSION.

AND HERE IN THAILAND, ONE GROUP OF ANIMALS HAS DEVELOPED AN

ABILITY THAT DEMONSTRATES A LEVEL OF INTELLIGENCE USUALLY

FOUND ONLY IN HUMANS.

MOST LONG-TAILED MACAQUES SPEND THEIR LIVES AMONGST THE TREES,

EATING FRUIT.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: BUT AT LOW TIDE, THIS EXTRAORDINARY TROOP HAS LEARNED

TO USE TOOLS TO HARVEST SEAFOOD.

TWICE DAILY, THE MACAQUES GATHER, WAITING PATIENTLY FOR

THE TIDE TO GO OUT.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: AS THE WATER RECEDES, IT EXPOSES ROCKS ENCRUSTED WITH

SHELLFISH.

BUT THESE MOLLUSKS HAVE A TOUGH ARMOR AND IT CAN BE A STRUGGLE

TO CRACK THEM OPEN.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: SIMPLY BASHING THEM AGAINST THE ROCKS IS A SLOW AND

OFTEN WASTED EFFORT.

BUT OUT OF NECESSITY COMES INVENTION.

INCREDIBLY, THESE MACAQUES HAVE LEARNED TO USE STONES AS TOOLS.

MUCH THE SAME AS OUR OWN EARLY ANCESTORS, THESE MACAQUES USE

STONES AS MAKESHIFT HAMMERS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: APPLYING THE PERFECT FORCE TO GENTLY OPEN THE

MOLLUSKS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: AND MACAQUES DEMONSTRATE THEIR INTELLIGENCE EVEN FURTHER.

SELECTING DIFFERENT SHAPED STONES FOR EACH TASK.

CHISELING OFF OYSTERS REQUIRES A SHARP-POINTED STONE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WHILE A HEAVY FLAT STONE IS USED TO PENETRATE SHELLFISH,

NUTS, AND CRABS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: FEW ANIMALS ON EARTH ARE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE SUCH

DEXTERITY WITH STONE TOOLS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: FOR SOME MACAQUES, HOWEVER, HONING THEIR TECHNIQUE

TAKES LONGER THAN OTHERS.

THOUGH, PRACTICE, EVENTUALLY, MAKES PERFECT.

BUT ACCESS TO THIS BOUNTY DOESN'T LAST LONG.

AND THE TROOP MUST MOVE QUICKLY ALONG THE COASTLINE AT EACH LOW

TIDE.

THEY HAVE JUST A FEW HOURS TO PRY OFF AS MANY AS THEY CAN,

BEFORE THE SEA WILL SUBMERGE THE ROCKS ONCE MORE.

THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW PLACES ON EARTH WHERE PRIMATES HAVE BEEN

OBSERVED PERFORMING THIS RARE ABILITY.

COMING UP, THESE VULTURES HAVE A SKILL THAT HELPS THEM BREAK DOWN

BREAKFAST.

LATER, THESE MACAQUES MUST CLEAN THEIR FOOD BEFORE THEY CLEAN

THEIR PLATE.

PLUS, THESE WHALES CHANNEL THEIR INGENIOUS HUNTING SKILLS WHEN

THEY'RE ON THE PROWL IN THE CHANNELS OF PATAGONIA.

ALL THIS AND MORE, NEXT, ON "EARTHY ODYSSEY".

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO "EARTHY ODYSSEY".

HIGH UP IN ETHIOPIA'S SIMIAN MOUNTAINS, THE PLANET'S MOST

NOTORIOUS SCAVENGER HAS DEVISED AN INTELLIGENT TECHNIQUE TO

ASSIST WITH ITS UNIQUE DIETARY REQUIREMENTS.

WITH A WINGSPAN OF ALMOST TEN FEET, THE LAMMERGEIER VULTURE IS

ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST BIRDS.

IT'S ALSO THE ONLY CREATURE ON THE PLANET WITH A DIET MADE UP

MOSTLY OF BONES.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WHILE OTHER HAWKS PICK THE FLESH FROM THIS CARCASS...

...THE LAMMERGEIER VULTURE HAS A HIGHLY ACIDIC STOMACH.

ENABLING IT TO COMPLETELY DIGEST SOLID BONE.

ALTHOUGH, EVEN FOR THIS GIANT, THERE ARE LIMITS TO THE PORTION

SIZE IT CAN SWALLOW.

SO, THIS REMARKABLE BIRD HAS DEVELOPED AN INTELLIGENT

STRATEGY TO CONSUME EVEN THE BIGGEST BONES.

IN FACT, THE BIGGER THE BONE, THE BETTER.

THE VULTURE'S TALONS AREN'T STRONG ENOUGH TO SNAP THE BONE.

HE'S GOING TO NEED A LITTLE HELP.

TRANSPORTING OVERSIZED BONES TO A HEIGHT OF AROUND 500 FEET,

IT'S THEN TIME TO LET GO.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THEY REPEAT THIS BONE BREAKING TECHNIQUE UP TO 30

TIMES.

UNTIL THE FRAGMENTS ARE SMALL ENOUGH TO SWALLOW.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: BUT EVEN AFTER ALL THAT EFFORT, THE SIZE OF THE BONES

THE VULTURES CAN SWALLOW IS ENOUGH TO MAKE YOUR EYES WATER.

THE VULTURES USE OF GRAVITY TO HELP BREAK UP THEIR FOOD SHOWS A

CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF CAUSE AND EFFECT.

COMING UP, THESE MAMMALS HAVE A RESOURCEFUL SKILL THAT ALLOWS

THEM TO TAKE A WHALE OF A BITE IN SHALLOW WATERS.

BUT FIRST, THESE JAPANESE MACAQUES ARE PROVING THAT THEY

HAVE THE CLEAN-CUT WAY TO SANITIZE THEIR FOOD.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: AS WE'VE SEEN, PRIMATES ARE SOME OF THE MOST INTELLIGENT

ANIMALS ON THE PLANET.

THEY CAN USE TOOLS, COMMUNICATE EXTREMELY WELL, EVEN EXPRESS

EMOTIONS.

ALL PRIMATES SHARE THESE CHARACTERISTICS WITH HUMANS, BUT

THERE IS ONE TYPE OF MONKEY YOU'RE ABOUT TO MEET WITH A

UNIQUE, HEALTHY HABIT THAT MIGHT LOOK PARTICULARLY FAMILIAR.

TAKE A LOOK.

HERE, ON THE BEACHES OF KOSHIMA, A GROUP OF JAPANESE MACAQUES

HAVE EVOLVED A CULINARY PREFERENCE FOR WASHING THEIR

FOOD BEFORE EATING.

SCIENTISTS HAVE COME HERE TO MONITOR THIS UNIQUE BEHAVIOR.

LIKE ANY PICNIC ON THE BEACH, THE MACAQUE'S FOOD ALWAYS GETS

COVERED IN SAND.

AND NO ONE LIKES SAND IN THEIR MOUTH.

SO, THE MACAQUES HAVE COME UP WITH A SOLUTION.

THEY ALWAYS WASH WHAT THEY EAT.

USING THEIR HIGHLY DEXTEROUS FINGERS, THEY CLEAN AND PEEL

THEIR FOOD.

AND EVEN SEASON THEIR LUNCH, DIPPING IT IN THE SALTY WATER

BETWEEN BITES.

IT'S THE FACT THAT THIS BEHAVIOR IS SELF-TAUGHT THAT MAKES IT SO

FASCINATING.

CHOOSING TO WASH THEIR FOOD SEEMS TO DEMONSTRATE A FAR

HIGHER LEVEL OF INTELLIGENCE THAN SIMPLY EATING IT AS THEY

FIND IT.

THE YOUNG MACAQUES WITNESS THE ELDER'S EATING HABITS AND CHOOSE

TO FOLLOW SUIT, IN ORDER TO FIT IN.

BY THE TIME THEY'VE MASTERED THE TECHNIQUE, AT AROUND TWO AND A

HALF, THEY'VE DEVELOPED A TASTE FOR THE SALTY SNACKS.

AND SOME SIMPLY CAN'T GET ENOUGH.

SOME RESEARCHERS ARGUE THE FACT THAT ONLY THIS GROUP OF MACAQUES

HAS DEVELOPED AND PASSED DOWN THIS UNIQUE BEHAVIOR SHOWS IT'S

A LEARNED CULTURE AND A SELF-TAUGHT BEHAVIOR INDICATES

AN ANIMAL'S UNDERLYING INTELLIGENCE.

HERE IN AFRICA, THE WEAVER BIRD IS ONE ANIMAL THAT MANY BELIEVE

DEMONSTRATES ADVANCED PROBLEM SOLVING.

THEY BUILD NESTS SO COMPLEX AND INTRICATE, EVEN HUMANS FIND IT

DIFFICULT TO EMULATE.

EACH SPECIES' NESTS ARE UNIQUE.

BUT THEY ALL REQUIRE CAREFUL PLANNING AND DESIGN.

THEY USE A VARIETY OF PLANT MATERIALS TO BUILD WITH.

AND USING ONLY ITS BEAK, THE WEAVER BIRD CAN ACTUALLY TIE

KNOTS.

IT'S THIS SKILL THAT ALLOWS THEM TO CREATE SUCH STRONG AND

ELABORATE CONSTRUCTIONS.

CHOOSING A BRANCH HANGING OVER WATER, THE BIRDS ALSO BUILD A

NARROW TUBE-LIKE ENTRANCE TO DETER PREDATORS.

THE MALES DO ALL THIS AS PART OF THEIR COURTSHIP AND ONLY THE

MOST IMPRESSIVE NESTS WILL ATTRACT A FEMALE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: OFTEN, THEY MUST BE TORN DOWN MANY TIMES UNTIL IT MEETS

HER REQUIREMENTS.

AND IT'S THIS PROCESS WHERE THE WEAVERS DISPLAY THEIR ABILITY TO

LEARN.

THEY'RE NOT BORN WITH AN INNATE ABILITY TO MAKE THE PERFECT

NEST.

INSTEAD, THEY MUST USE THEIR INTELLIGENCE TO ADJUST THEIR

TECHNIQUE AND HONE THEIR SKILLS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ALL SO THA THEY CAN BUILD THE PERFECT HOME.

COMING UP, THESE ORCAS HAVE AN INNOVATIVE METHOD OF CATCHING A

SEAL FOR THEIR NEXT MEAL.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE PLANET'S MOST CLINICAL PREDATOR DEMONSTRATES

THEIR INTELLIGENCE BY TEACHING THEIR YOUNG AN INGENIOUS WAY TO

HUNT.

IN EVERY OCEAN ON EARTH, PODS OF ORCA ALL DEVELOP THEIR OWN

UNIQUE HUNTING TECHNIQUES.

BUT THIS PATAGONIAN SHORELINE IS ONE OF ONLY TWO PLACES IN THE

WORLD WHERE ORCAS HAVE LEARNED TO PURPOSEFULLY STRAND

THEMSELVES AS THEY ATTEMPT TO CATCH SEAL PUPS PLAYING ON THE

BEACH.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: IN BREEDING SEASON, THIS AMBUSH TACTIC IS HIGHLY

SUCCESSFUL.

BUT THEY DON'T ALWAYS GET IT RIGHT AND THE ORCA RISK DEATH IF

THEY ARE UNABLE TO WRIGGLE BACK INTO DEEPER WATER.

THE ORCAS, HOWEVER, HAVE THE INTELLIGENCE TO KNOW THAT THIS

IS A HIGH-RISK STRATEGY.

SO TODAY, EVEN BEFORE THE SEAL PUPS HAVE BEEN BORN, THESE ORCAS

HAVE GATHERED HERE FOR A TRAINING SESSION.

THE ORCA ARE WAITING NEAR THE ENTRANCE TO A LAGOON.

THEY KNOW THIS AREA HAS A LARGE TIDAL RANGE.

GRADUALLY, THE ATLANTIC WATERS FLOOD A HIDDEN CHANNEL, ALLOWING

THE ORCAS TO SWIM IN.

ONCE INSIDE THE LAGOON, THE BIGGEST ORCA NOW DEMONSTRATES

HOW TO TIME ITS ATTACK WITH THE SURGE OF A WAVE.

WAITING FOR THE NEXT WAVE TO MANEUVER BACK INTO DEEPER WATER.

THE YOUNG ORCAS ARE THEN FORCED TO PRACTICE THIS BEACHING

TECHNIQUE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: FOR THE ORCAS, THIS PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT.

IT MAY BE RISKY, BUT BY PRACTICING IN ADVANCE, THEY

DEMONSTRATE EXTREMELY HIGH INTELLIGENCE, ENABLING THE

YOUNGSTERS TO LEARN THIS SKILL IN A LOWER PRESSURE ENVIRONMENT.

IT'S THIS LEVEL OF INTELLIGENCE THAT MAKES THE OCEAN'S LARGEST

DOLPHIN ALSO ITS DEADLIEST PREDATOR.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US ON OUR QUEST TO FIND THE

SMARTEST CREATURES IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.

INTELLIGENCE IS A VITAL SKILL FOR SURVIVAL AND IT CAN BE FOUND

IN THE MOST UNFAMILIAR PLACES, WITH THE MOST UNEXPECTED

ANIMALS.

WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN ON ANOTHER "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]