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, AND WE ARE ABOUT TO MEET

SOME INCREDIBLE ANIMALS ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

TODAY, WE'RE ON AN ADVENTURE TO AFRICA TO SEE HOW THE ANIMALS OF

THE SAVANNAH SPEND THEIR YULETIDE SEASON, LIKE THESE

LOCAL LAY-ABOUTS THAT HAVE PERFECTED THE ART OF TAKING IT

EASY.

WE'LL SEE A HERD OF HEAVYWEIGHTS WHO ARE STRICT ABOUT PROPER

PLAYTIME.

AND LATER, WE FIND OUT HOW THESE GAZELLES MAINTAIN THE CLEANEST

COAT ON THE CONTINENT.

BUT FIRST, WE HEAD TO THE WATERFRONT WHERE AN AFRICAN

AMPHIBIAN IS WHIPPING UP A HOME FOR THEIR YOUNG.

GET READY FOR ALL OF THIS AND MORE ON

"EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]

EACH DAY, LIFE IN THE WILD IS A TEST OF SURVIVAL.

NEW CHALLENGES, UNPREDICTABLE RESOURCES, AND CHANGING

ENVIRONMENTS MEAN THAT ANIMALS MUST STAY ON THEIR TOES, OR

HOOVES, YEAR-ROUND, YET THERE ARE CERTAIN TIMES OF YEAR THAT

ACT AS A RESPITE FROM THIS EXTREME LIFESTYLE, TIMES WHEN

FOOD AND WATER ARE PLENTIFUL AND SURVIVING IN THE WILD TURNS TO

THRIVING IN THE WILD.

IT'S DECEMBER HERE, AND THE DAY HAS STARTED CHEERFULLY, LIKE

MOST DAYS IN THE SAVANNAH.

AT SUNRISE, ALL IS LIVELY AND RELAXED.

IT'S NEARING THE NEW YEAR, WHICH MEANS IT'S THE WET SEASON, A

TIME OF BOUNTY AND REVIVAL.

BUT WHILE ELSEWHERE THEY'RE DECORATING FOR THE HOLIDAY

SEASON, HERE, THEY HAVE TO MAKE DO WITH LUSH ACACIA.

AROUND THE SAVANNAH, THERE ARE MANY LITTLE CLUES THAT SUGGEST

THAT HERE TOO, IT'S A SPECIAL TIME OF YEAR.

HANGING FROM PARASITIC CREEPERS TANGLED UP IN THE FOLIAGE, THESE

FRUITS ARE NOT MERELY FOR DECORATION.

EVERYWHERE ARE SIGNS THAT THE WET SEASON HAS BROUGHT LUSH

BLOOMS.

THESE ARE THE FLOWERS OF A MIMOSA.

THE MIMOSA CINEREA.

THEY FLOWER AT PRECISELY THIS TIME OF YEAR,

AND THEY MAKE SUCH A GOOD DISPLAY,

THAT THE SHRUB IS SOMETIMES CALLED THE KALAHARI

CHRISTMAS TREE.

BUT THERE'S ONE THING MORE NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE PICTURE

AND CREATE THE ILLUSION.

IT ONLY LASTS A FEW DAYS AND ALWAYS AT THIS EXACT TIME OF

THE YEAR.

HERE AND THERE, AS YOU APPROACH THE AREA WHERE THE TERRAPIN

LIVES, YOU CAN SEE A FEW PATCHES OF WHAT

SURPRISINGLY LOOKS LIKE SNOW.

IF YOU LOOK CAREFULLY AT THIS ODD FOAM-LIKE SUBSTANCE THAT IS

ATTACHED TO THE TRUNKS, THE GRASSES, AND THE BRANCHES,

YOU'LL NOTICE THAT IN EVERY CASE, IT IS ABOVE WATER.

WE OWE THESE UNUSUAL PATCHES TO AN ANIMAL, WHICH LIKE THE

PYTHON, CAN DISAPPEAR INTO THE BACKGROUND AND WHICH IS ALSO A

COLD-BLOODED ANIMAL.

THIS IS THE GRAY TREE FROG.

IN NORMAL TIMES, IT'S HARD TO SEE AGAINST THE BRANCHES.

IN THE PERIOD OF REPRODUCTION, IT SHOWS ITSELF SPECTACULARLY.

THANKS TO THESE ADHESIVE DISCS, THE TREE FROG HANGS ON VERY

TIGHTLY IN A VERTICAL POSITION.

THE MALES, ALWAYS SMALLER THAN THE FEMALE, HANG ONTO HER BACK,

OFTEN SEVERAL AT A TIME.

WHAT THEY ARE CREATING IS A NEST, THOUGH IT MAY LOOK MORE

LIKE THEY ARE WHIPPING EGG WHITES.

THE MORE THEY BEAT, THE MORE THE FOAM RISES.

IT WILL HARDEN IN CONTACT WITH THE AIR, AND THE FEMALE WILL LAY

HER EGGS IN IT.

THE TADPOLES WILL BE BORN INSIDE THIS FOAM NEST AND THEN FALL

INTO THE WATER BELOW TO CONTINUE THEIR TRANSFORMATION.

THIS PROCESS WILL TAKE SEVERAL WEEKS FOR THE TADPOLES TO FULLY

MATURE INTO THEIR TREE-DWELLING ADULT COUNTERPARTS.

IN THE SAVANNAH, THERE IS ONE ASPECT OF THIS TIME OF YEAR THAT

APPEALS UNLIKE ANY OTHER.

IT'S THE SAME EVERY YEAR, AND YET EVERY YEAR, THE ANIMALS

WELCOME IT WITH THE SAME JOY.

THIS IS IT, LOTS AND LOTS OF GREEN GRASS.

THE ADULTS LOVE IT AS MUCH AS THE YOUNG.

FOR THE RED-BILLED BUFFALO WEAVER, THIS TALL GRASS ISN'T AS

MUCH THE PRESENT, BUT THE WRAPPING PAPER AROUND IT.

WHAT MATTERS IS WHAT'S INSIDE, NOURISHMENT AND HOLIDAY FEAST

THAT ONLY COME ONCE A YEAR.

COMING UP, WE JOIN THE BIGGEST SLEEPOVER IN THE SAVANNAH.

AND LATER, IT'S BATH TIME FOR THESE MASSIVE MAMMALS, AND

THEY'VE BROUGHT THEIR OWN SHOWERHEAD.

PLUS, AN ANIMAL THAT'S SERIOUS ABOUT SELF-CARE FROM THE DAY

THEY WERE BORN.

ALL OF THIS AND MORE WHEN "EARTH ODYSSEY" RETURNS.

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

DYLAN: DURING THE WET SEASON, IT'S THE HERBIVORES WHO ARE THE

MOST SPOILED.

THIS GRASS IS FRESH AND TENDER AND SO NOURISHING,

SO EASY TO COLLECT, THEY'LL HAVE TO

SPEND MUCH LESS TIME GRAZING.

IT'S A TREAT FOR EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY FOR THE FEMALES WHO

ARE THINKING ABOUT MOTHERHOOD.

IN THE SAVANNAH, AT THAT SPECIAL TIME OF YEAR, YOU CAN SEE HUGE

NUMBERS OF LITTLE GAZELLES.

THEY'RE ALL UNDER THREE WEEKS OLD AND ARE MORE OFTEN TOGETHER

THAN WITH THEIR MOTHERS.

THE MOTHER IMPALAS USUALLY HAVE ONLY ONE BABY, AND QUITE

HONESTLY, PREFER TO GIVE THEM THEIR OWN SPACE.

AND SO WHILE THEY GO AND GRAZE SOMEWHERE ELSE, THE BABIES

GATHER TOGETHER SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HERD UNDER THE

WATCHFUL EYE OF ONE OR TWO FEMALES ON GUARD DUTY.

THESE GATHERINGS OF BABIES HAVE A NAME.

THEY'RE CALLED A CRECHE.

EVEN IN THE MIDDLE OF DECEMBER, BY 11 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING,

THE AIR TEMPERATURE IS ALREADY MORE THAN 90 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

MOST OF THE ANIMALS ARE LOOKING FOR SOMEWHERE COOL.

WHILE THE AFRICAN HOOPOE HAS FOUND SOME COOL SHADE TO GROOM

ITSELF...

...A GROUP OF ELEPHANTS IS MOVING AROUND IN FULL SUNLIGHT.

THIS IS BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHERE THERE'S A WATERING HOLE, AND

THEY'RE GOING THERE TO COOL OFF.

ONLY THE CHAMELEON AT THIS MOMENT IS KEEPING VERY BUSY.

AS HIS METABOLISM INCREASES WITH THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE, IT'S

JUST THE RIGHT TIME FOR HIM TO GO HUNTING.

HOWEVER, IT'S QUITE THE OPPOSITE FOR THE WILD DOGS.

THE WHOLE PACK SETTLES DOWN IN THE SHADE AND ENJOYS A VERY

WELCOME REST.

THEIR BELLIES ARE FULL, AND IT'S AN EASY GUESS AS TO WHAT WAS FOR

DINNER.

FOR THESE CARNIVORES, THE IMPALA IS PRACTICALLY THE ONLY SOURCE

OF FOOD.

THE PACK HAS A VERY CLEAR HIERARCHY, AND YET THERE IS NO

NOTICEABLE TENSION BETWEEN THE MEMBERS.

AND WHEN A LATECOMER WANTS TO FIND ITS PLACE IN THE SHADE IN

THE MIDDLE OF ALL THE OTHERS, THERE'S NO VISIBLE SIGN OF AN

ANNOYANCE OR IRRITATION FOR THE DISTURBANCE.

WHETHER DURING AN AFTERNOON SIESTA OR WHEN HUNTING, THESE

DOGS ARE INSEPARABLE.

THEY ARE HIGHLY EFFICIENT PREDATORS, HAVING EXTRAORDINARY

HEARING AND SENSE OF SMELL.

WILD DOGS EASILY DETECT ANY POTENTIAL PREY BY ITS ODOR, BUT

THE DOGS THEMSELVES GIVE OFF SUCH A VERY STRONG SMELL, THAT

OTHER ANIMALS KNOW WHEN THEY'RE NEARBY OR RECENTLY HAVE BEEN.

THIS ENCOURAGES PREY TO STAY AWAY AND MAKE HUNTING NO EASY

GAME FOR THESE CARNIVOROUS CANINES.

WHEN WE RETURN, WE'LL SEE A ONE-STOP SHOP FOR ELEPHANTS TO

EAT, PLAY, DRINK, AND BATHE.

AND IN THE HIGH GRASS, A HERD OF IMPALA TAKES GROOMING TO THE

NEXT LEVEL, ALL COMING UP ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

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

DYLAN: BEING A SUCCESSFUL HUNTER IS ABOUT UTILIZING YOUR

STRENGTHS.

EVERY PREDATOR IN THE WILD HAS THEIR OWN UNIQUE METHOD OF

CAPTURING THEIR NEXT MEAL, BUT IT TAKES A DIFFERENT KIND OF

INGENUITY WHEN THE PREDATOR IS MORE THAN TEN TIMES SMALLER THAN

ITS PREY.

FOR TINY INSECTS, LIKE ANTS, THE BEST HUNTING SKILLS ARE HAVING

THE RIGHT TEAM AND PROVING THAT STRENGTH CAN BE FOUND IN

NUMBERS.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A FIERCE GIANT TO BE AN EFFECTIVE

PREDATOR.

HERE, WE CAN OBSERVE THE PREDATION BETWEEN MINI

CARNIVORES, ANTS ATTACKING A CENTIPEDE.

THIS TIME, THE POISONOUS HOOKS THAT THE CENTIPEDE GENERALLY

USES TO KILL ITS VICTIMS ARE OF NO USE TO IT.

HERE'S ANOTHER SPECIES OF ANT AND THE SAME DEMONSTRATION.

BY ATTACKING AS A GROUP, YOU CAN GET THE BETTER OF AN ENEMY

BIGGER THAN YOURSELF.

EACH ANTS INJECTS A SMALL DOSE OF VENOM INTO THIS DUNG BEETLE.

ITS ATTEMPTS TO SHAKE OFF ITS ATTACKERS ARE OF NO AVAIL.

IT WILL BE POISONED RAPIDLY.

THIS UNFORTUNATE ENDING ISN'T IN THE CARDS FOR ALL HERBIVORES,

THOUGH.

FOR THESE FEMALE WATERBUCKS, IT'S QUITE THE OPPOSITE.

THEIR COATS, LONGEST OF ANY GAZELLES, WHICH WOULD BE PERFECT

FOR DECEMBER CLOSER TO THE POLES, BUT HERE, IT'S A

HOT TOPIC.

FOR MANY YEARS, IT WAS BELIEVED THAT THE WATERBUCK'S LONG HAIR

SERVED TO PROTECT THEM FROM PREDATORS.

THEY ARE COVERED WITH AN OILY LAYER SMELLING STRONGLY OF MUSK,

AND THAT WOULD SPOIL THE TASTE OF THE MEAT.

IN REALITY, LIONS REGULARLY PARTAKE FROM AMONG THEIR RANKS,

NOT BECAUSE OF THIS MARK WHICH SHOWS UP AS A TARGET, BUT

BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHERE TO FIND THEM.

WATERBUCKS TRAVEL LESS THAN A FEW MILES A DAY AND HAVE TO

DRINK REGULARLY.

DON'T WORRY, THIS CHEETAH SHOULDN'T PRESENT ANY DANGER FOR

THESE ANTELOPES.

THE ELEPHANTS HAVE FOUND THEIR WATERING HOLE.

THIS IS WITHOUT A DOUBT ONE OF THE BEST PRESENTS THAT AN

ELEPHANT CAN DREAM, TO COOL OFF BY IMMERSING ITSELF COMPLETELY

AND USING ITS TRUNK AS A SNORKEL.

IF ONE OF HIS FRIENDS JOINS IN THESE WATERSPORTS, THE PLEASURE

IS COMPLETE.

BETWEEN THESE TWO MALES OF PRETTY WELL THE SAME SIZE, THE

HIERARCHY HASN'T BEEN CLEARLY ESTABLISHED.

BATH TIME IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE A FEW DEMONSTRATIONS OF

STRENGTH AND SHOW A SPIRIT OF COMPETITION.

THE ELEPHANTS THEMSELVES PROBABLY CAN'T TELL THE

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT IS PLAY AND WHAT ISN'T IN THESE FAIRLY

HARMLESS CONFRONTATIONS.

DURING THIS HOLIDAY PERIOD WHEN THE POOLS ARE FULL, ELEPHANTS

PREFER TO TAKE A DAILY BATH.

THEY ALWAYS BATHE AFTER QUENCHING THEIR THIRST AND

GENERALLY END UP SQUIRTING MUD, WHICH, AS IT DRIES, FORMS A

PROTECTIVE LAYER ON THE SKIN.

IT'S AN ESSENTIAL MOMENT IN THE ELEPHANT'S DAILY PROGRAM, A

PROGRAM WITH NO SURPRISES FOR THOSE TO WHOM NOTHING UNTOWARD

CAN HAPPEN.

THIS DELIGHTFUL DAY WILL BE SPENT EATING.

THEY WILL STUFF THEMSELVES WITH GRASS, EVEN IF THE SILICA IT

CONTAINS PREMATURELY WEARS OUT THEIR TEETH, A WORTHWHILE PRICE

TO PAY FOR GETTING WHILE THE GETTING IS GOOD.

COMING UP NEXT, IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY FOR THESE BABY IMPALAS TO

LEARN PROPER CARE FOR THEIR WINTER COATS.

THIS AND MORE WHEN "EARTH ODYSSEY" RETURNS.

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

DYLAN: AS THIS HOT DECEMBER DAY COMES TO AN END, THE ANIMALS OF

THE SAVANNAH OFTEN STAY IN THE SHADE.

SOME GRAZE WHILE OTHERS SLEEP, BUT OVERALL, THERE'S A

DISTINCTLY CALM ATMOSPHERE ALL AROUND.

IMPALAS ARE KEEN TIMEKEEPERS AND WAIT UNTIL TWO HOURS BEFORE THE

SUN GOES DOWN BEFORE THEY GET ACTIVE AGAIN.

THE BABY IMPALAS ARE TRYING OUT THEIR MOBILITY FOR

THE FIRST TIME.

THE LITTLE GAZELLES CAN STAND FOR BARELY TEN MINUTES AFTER

THEY'RE BORN.

AS SOON AS THEY ARE TWO DAYS OLD, THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO

FOLLOW THE GROUP.

THIS IMPRESSIVE CLAN OF ABOUT 100 IMPALAS IS LARGELY DOMINATED

BY THE FEMALES AND THEIR YOUNG, BUT A FEW YOUNG UNATTACHED MALES

LIVE ALONGSIDE THEM.

THEY ARE EASILY RECOGNIZED BECAUSE WITH IMPALAS, ONLY THE

MALES HAVE HORNS.

AND THEY USE THEM.

THESE YOUNG MALES WHO ARE CONFRONTING EACH OTHER ALL THE

TIME, SOMETIMES SERIOUSLY, SOMETIMES NOT, ARE ALREADY

CAPABLE OF REPRODUCING, BUT THEY HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THEY'RE FOUR

YEARS OLD BEFORE IT'S THEIR TURN.

AFTER MATING, THE FEMALES CARRY THEIR YOUNG FOR ABOUT 200 DAYS.

AT THE END OF THIS LONG PREGNANCY, ALL THESE VIGOROUS

AND WELL-BEHAVED BABIES ARRIVE ALL AT ONCE.

THE MOST STRIKING TRAIT OF IMPALAS, WHATEVER THEIR AGE, IS

THE CONDITION OF THEIR COATS, NEARLY ALWAYS PERFECTLY CLEAN,

PERFECTLY SMOOTH.

IT IS BOTH A SIGN OF GOOD HEALTH AND THE GUARANTEE OF GOOD

CONDITION IN GENERAL.

THIS IS THE RESULT OF SEVERAL PARTICULAR THINGS.

NOT ONLY IS THE IMPALA THE SMALLEST MAMMAL TO WELCOME THE

ASSISTANCE OF THE OXPECKERS, BUT EVEN THE YOUNGEST OF THEM ACCEPT

THIS INVALUABLE HELP.

THEY SOMETIMES GET A BIT MUCH, BUT ARE VERY USEFUL IN GETTING

RID OF TICKS.

IN FACT, THE IMPALA IS THE ONLY MAMMAL TO PRACTICE MUTUAL

DELOUSING.

THIS RITUAL CAN BE OBSERVED IN ANIMALS OF BOTH SEXES, AND EVEN

WITH YOUNG IMPALAS, IT'S THE ONLY TIME THEY ALLOW ONE OF

THEIR FELLOW CREATURES TO COME CLOSER THAN SIX FEET.

THIS CAUTION, BOTH OF ALLOWING OTHERS TO BE NEAR AND TO

MAINTAIN ONE'S HEALTH, IS A GOOD SYMBOL OF WHAT IT TAKES TO

SURVIVE IN THE AFRICAN SAVANNAH AS DECEMBER CLOSES ANOTHER YEAR

IN THE WILD.

ON EVERY CONTINENT, CHANGING SEASONS PROVIDE A SPECTACLE OF

INGENUITY AMONG ANIMALS.

SPECIES MUST WORK TO SURVIVE THE COLD AND AVOID THE HEAT.

NO MATTER THE TEMPERATURE, MOMENTS OF CALM AND SAFETY ARE

CHERISHED AND SHOW US THE BEAUTY OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON TODAY'S ADVENTURE TO THE

AFRICAN SAVANNAH.

I HOPE TO SEE YOU NEXT TIME ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]