Original subtitles

.

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.

ARE YOU READY FOR AN EPIC AFRICAN ADVENTURE?

WE'VE GOT ONE COMING UP RIGHT HERE ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

TODAY, WE'RE HEADED TO AFRICA TO FIND THIS LUSH CONTINENT'S MOST

ASTONISHING ANIMALS.

WE'LL MEET THE BIGGEST PERSONALITY IN THE SAVANNAH AND

CATCH UP WITH A BRIGHT-EYED BUNCH OF BABY IMPALAS.

PLUS, A LETHAL LAY-ABOUT ENJOYING A COOL DIP.

BUT FIRST, WE'RE GOING TO GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH ONE OF

AFRICA'S HIGH-CLASS CREATURES.

ALL OF THIS AND MORE COMING UP ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: I'M HERE AT BROOKFIELD ZOO WITH DR. MIKE ADKESSON, AND

WE HAVE OUR VERY SPECIAL GUEST, ARNITA, THIS GIANT GIRAFFE.

MIKE, I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER HOW GIRAFFES GET SO HUGE.

DR. ADKESSON: THEY START OUT BIG AS

ONE OF THE FIRST PIECES TO THAT ANSWER, SIX

FEET TALL, 150 POUNDS WHEN THEY'RE BORN, AND THEY JUST GO

UP FROM THERE.

THEY'RE NATURALLY EVOLVED TO REACH HIGH UP INTO THOSE

TREETOPS TO GRAB HOLD OF THE LEAVES THAT NONE OF THE OTHER

ANIMALS CAN REACH.

DYLAN: AND WHY DO WE TEND TO SEE OUR BIGGEST ANIMALS IN THE

AFRICAN SAVANNAH?

DR. ADKESSON: YEAH, SO ABUNDANT FOOD SUPPLIES, TROPICAL, NICE

TEMPERATURE ALL YEAR ROUND.

SO IT'S REALLY JUST--IT'S A GREAT, ABUNDANT PLACE FOR THEM

TO LIVE.

DYLAN: DR. MIKE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

DR. ADKESSON: WELCOME.

DYLAN: HARD-TO-REACH LEAVES AREN'T THE ONLY REWARD FOR BEING

AS TALL AS A GIRAFFE.

THEIR HEIGHT ALSO GIVES THEM AN UNMATCHED VIEW OF THEIR

SURROUNDINGS, MEANING THEIR SIGHT IS ONE OF THE BEST

IN THE REGION.

THE GIRAFFE ALSO HEARS EXTREMELY WELL.

WITH ITS HEAD SO FAR OFF THE GROUND, IT DOESN'T MISS MUCH.

IN THE WILD, EVERY ANIMAL, LARGE OR SMALL, WHATEVER ITS SPECIES,

MUST HAVE ITS SENSES ALERT ALL THE TIME.

THIS HELPS THEM ESCAPE FROM THEIR PREDATORS, FIND FOOD,

MANAGE THEIR FAMILIES, AND ORGANIZE THEIR SOCIAL LIVES.

IMPALAS ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR ACUTE EYESIGHT, BUT HAVE A

SOMETIMES FATAL FLAW.

THEY CAN'T LOOK UP.

SO A HUNTER HIDING ABOVE EYE LEVEL HAS A DISTINCT ADVANTAGE.

LUCKILY, THIS TIME, THEY HAVE SENSED THE LEOPARD, SO HIS

ATTACK HASN'T CAUGHT THEM BY SURPRISE.

THIS PREDATOR NEVER PURSUES HIS PREY.

HIS TECHNIQUE IS THE AMBUSH.

WHILE HE MAY FAIL NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN, IT ONLY TAKES ONE

SUCCESS TO SURVIVE.

FOR SOME, LIKE THE LEOPARD, SIGHT IS THE MAIN SENSE.

FOR OTHERS, THE DOMINANT SENSE IS HEARING.

FOR THIS WARTHOG, IT IS SMELL.

THERE ARE THOSE WHO CAN SEE LONG DISTANCES...

...THE ONES WHO CAN SEE IN THE DARK,

THOSE WHO CAN SEE IN COLOR.

THIS ONE HEARS INFRASOUND, SOUNDWAVES TOO LOW FOR

HUMANS TO PICK UP.

THERE ARE WITHOUT A DOUBT AS MANY SITUATIONS

AS THERE ARE SPECIES.

THE RHINOCEROS, FOR EXAMPLE, HIS MUZZLE IS WHITE, HIS EAR FLAPS

WELL-DEVELOPED, BUT CONSIDERING HIS SIZE, HIS EYES ARE TINY.

THIS TENDS TO DEMONSTRATE THE FACT THAT THE RHINO'S SIGHT IS

VERY POOR.

HE CAN'T SEE ANYTHING CLEARLY MORE THAN 50 FEET AWAY.

HE MAKES UP FOR THIS HANDICAP BY A WELL-DEVELOPED SENSE OF SMELL

AND IMPECCABLE HEARING.

HIS EARS MOVE INDEPENDENTLY AND REACT TO THE SLIGHTEST SOUND.

[BIRDS SQUAWKING]

THE PROBLEM IS THAT IF THE WIND PICKS UP AND BLOWS IN THE WRONG

DIRECTION, THE RHINOCEROS FINDS HIMSELF PRACTICALLY DEPRIVED OF

ANY INFORMATION.

THE SENSES OF THE HERBIVORES SERVE PRIMARILY

TO DETECT PREDATORS.

FROM ONE SPECIES TO ANOTHER, THERE ARE DIFFERENCES OF VISUAL,

OLFACTORY, OR SMELL, AND AUDITORY ACUTENESS.

ANIMALS PROBABLY HAVE SOME IDEA OF EACH OTHER'S WEAKNESSES AND

OF THE APTITUDES OF THEIR NEIGHBORS.

THIS WOULD EXPLAIN WHY ANIMALS OF DIFFERENT

SPECIES DRAW TOGETHER.

BY BEING MORE NUMEROUS AT ANY ONE SPOT WITH DIFFERENT SENSORY

CAPACITIES, THEY CONSIDERABLY IMPROVE THE OVERALL SAFETY OF

THE GROUP.

THIS WATERBUCK, WHICH DOESN'T HAVE THE SAME NEEDS OR THE SAME

SOCIAL ORGANIZATION AS THE WILDEBEEST OR THE IMPALA,

NEVERTHELESS APPRECIATES THEIR COMPANY, BECAUSE HE TAKES

ADVANTAGE OF THEIR VIGILANCE.

THESE THREE SPECIES ARE PREY TO THE SAME PREDATORS, SO THEY

BENEFIT FROM BANDING TOGETHER AND SHARING THEIR SENSES.

COMING UP, A MASSIVE MAMMAL REVEALS ITS

BEST SURVIVAL TACTICS.

THEN WE'LL MEET AN ADORABLE ANTELOPE ADOLESCENT.

AND LATER, A REPTILE WITH A RUGGED REPUTATION,

WHEN "EARTH ODYSSEY" RETURNS.

.

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

DYLAN: AS THE SUN SHIFTS, THE CHANGE IN LIGHT PUTS A SPOTLIGHT

ON AFRICA'S BIGGEST PERSONALITIES.

THE ELEPHANTS ARE ON THE MOVE, SEARCHING FOR FOOD TO SATIATE AN

INCREDIBLE APPETITE.

UNLIKE MOST ANIMALS, FEMALE ELEPHANTS HAVE THEIR UTTERS ON

THE FRONT PART OF THEIR BODIES.

THIS MAKES SUCKLING EASIER FOR THE CALVES, WHO CAN USE THEIR

MOUTHS DIRECTLY RATHER THAN THEIR TRUNKS, WHICH THEY HAVEN'T

YET REALLY LEARNED TO USE PROPERLY.

THE ELEPHANT HAS MANY ANATOMICAL PECULIARITIES,

BUT EACH OF THEM IS PART OF A REMARKABLY COHERENT WHOLE.

ANY PROBLEM IS LINKED TO A SOLUTION TO HELP GET AROUND IT.

BARE SKIN EXPOSED TO THE HEAT OF THE SUN, NO PROBLEM.

IT HAS ITS THREE-FOOT-LONG EARS TO HELP COOL IT DOWN, AND SINCE

THEY ARE FULL OF BLOOD VESSELS, THE ANIMAL CAN REGULATE THE

BLOOD TEMPERATURE FOR ITS WHOLE BODY.

ONE REAL PROBLEM WAS ITS WEIGHT, 200 POUNDS OF TRUNK PLUS THE

WEIGHT OF THE TUSKS.

BUT THE TUSKS CAN HELP TO SUPPORT SOME OF THE WEIGHT OF

ITS TRUNK...

...ADDED TO WHICH THE ELEPHANT HAS UNIQUE FEET WITH WHICH TO

SUPPORT ITS ENORMOUS MASS.

EACH HAS FIVE INSET FINGERS WHICH CANNOT BE SEEN.

THEY ARE VERTICAL WHEN THERE IS NO PRESSURE ON THE FOOT, BUT

WHEN THE FOOT IS PUT DOWN, THEY SPREAD OUT TO PROVIDE A DE FACTO

SHOCK ABSORBER.

ELEPHANTS ARE VERY DIFFERENT FROM HIPPOS AND RHINOS.

THEY DO NOT BELONG TO THE SAME FAMILY, HAVE VERY DIFFERENT

SOCIAL STRUCTURES, AND LEAD VERY DIFFERENT LIVES.

NEVERTHELESS, SOMETHING OTHER THAN THEIR BARE SKIN, MASSIVE

SIZE, AND A VEGETARIAN DIET UNITES THEM.

THEY HAVE SURVIVED THROUGHOUT THE AGES TO LIVE

ALONGSIDE US, PROOF THAT THESE ARE TRIED AND TESTED

WAYS OF LIFE THAT HAVE PROSPERED HERE FOR CENTURIES

AND SHOW NO SIGNS OF STOPPING.

WHEN WE COME BACK, ONE OF THE WILD'S CUTEST

KIDS IS ON THE HUNT FOR A WARM MEAL.

AND WE'LL SEE A RAZOR-SHARP SMILE FROM A NATIVE OF THE NILE.

[HIPPO GROANING]

BUT FIRST, IT'S TIME FOR WILDLIFE A TO Z.

PROFESSIONAL CARE FOR EARTH'S WILDEST WONDERS IS NO EASY TASK,

ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO AFRICAN LIONS...

[LION ROARING]

...WHO EAT ABOUT 20 POUNDS OF MEAT ON AVERAGE IN A SINGLE DAY.

BUT GOOD NUTRITION ISN'T THE ONLY ITEM ON THE

DAY-TO-DAY CARE MENU.

DAILY ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES ARE ESSENTIAL TO

AN ANIMAL'S WELFARE.

TODAY AT BROOKFIELD ZOO, THESE LIONS ARE BEING GIVEN A NEW

CHALLENGE TO ENCOURAGE THEIR NATURAL BEHAVIOR.

IT TAKES BOTH PHYSICAL AND INTELLECTUAL POWER TO BRING DOWN

THIS DANGLING DELECTABLE.

HOWEVER, SOMETIMES THE BEST ENRICHMENT COMES FROM SIMPLY

HAVING A RAMBUNCTIOUS ROOMMATE.

THERE'S STILL A WHOLE LOT MORE TO COME ON "EARTH ODYSSEY"

RIGHT AFTER THIS.

.

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

DYLAN: NOT EVERY PREDATOR IN THE AFRICAN WILD SPORTS FOUR

LEGS AND RAZOR-SHARP TEETH LIKE WE THINK OF WITH LIONS,

CHEETAHS, OR CROCODILES.

IN FACT, SOME OF THE MOST ACCOMPLISHED HUNTERS

DON'T HAVE TEETH AT ALL.

BIRDS ARE MASTERS OF THE CATCH, USING NOT ONLY THEIR FLYING

SKILLS AND AGILITY, BUT ALSO THEIR CUNNING IN ORDER TO SNAG

THEIR NEXT MEAL.

HOWEVER, SOMETIMES THE MOST EFFECTIVE HUNTING TECHNIQUE IS

SIMPLY KNOWING HOW TO BE IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME.

A FULL NIGHT OF HEAVY RAINFALL HAS CAUSED THESE

RIVERBANKS TO OVERFLOW.

BUT THIS FLOOD OFFERS A FEAST OF OPPORTUNITIES TO

AFRICA'S EXPERT FISHERMEN...

...LIKE THIS WOOLLY-NECKED STORK LOOKING TO FIND A FROG

TO TUCK INTO.

AS FOR THE MARABOU, HE'S ALREADY FOUND A LARGE ONE.

AFTER HEAVY RAINS, FROGS ARE NOT REALLY IN A PARTY MOOD.

PREDATORS ARE COMING FROM EVERYWHERE,

AND EVEN THE HAMERKOP WREAKS HAVOC IN THEIR RANKS

WITH ITS TASTE FOR TADPOLES.

WORKING ITS WAY DOWN THE RIVERBANKS, A GREY HERON IS

WAITING TO AMBUSH ITS PREY, AND IT'S MAKING CATCH AFTER CATCH.

THEY HAVE HARDLY SWALLOWED ONE FROG BEFORE TAKING A FEW STEPS

FARTHER ALONG TO CATCH ANOTHER.

THE SAVANNAH UNFURLS ITS BEAUTIFUL GREEN COAT IN ALL ITS

SPLENDOR AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE.

FOOD IS PLENTIFUL ON DAYS LIKE THIS, EVEN IF THE FULL BELLY OF

SOME IS AT THE COST OF ITS PREY.

THESE SWALLOWS, STUFFED WITH THE BOUNTY OF INSECTS AVAILABLE, ARE

RED-BREASTED SWALLOWS.

THERE ARE ABOUT 100 SPECIES, BUT THE RED-BREASTED SWALLOWS, AT

ABOUT EIGHT INCHES LONG, ARE AMONG THE BIGGEST.

WHILE THE BATTLE BETWEEN PREY AND PREDATOR MAY DOMINATE THE

LANDSCAPE, INSECTS QUIETLY DECORATE THE TALL GRASSES,

FLOWERS, LEAVES, AND THE BRANCHES.

THESE TINY BEINGS DEFEND THEMSELVES AS WELL AS THEY CAN,

SOMETIMES ADOPTING RATHER UNIQUE STRATEGIES.

THESE CATERPILLARS HAVE SPINES AND VIVID COLORS TO DISSUADE

THEIR AGGRESSORS.

ANOTHER USES A MASKING TECHNIQUE, TAKING ON THE RATHER

UNPLEASANT APPEARANCE OF BIRD DROPPINGS SO AS NOT

TO ATTRACT ATTENTION.

STRANGE, BUT EFFECTIVE, CONVINCING EVEN THE MOST EAGER

PREDATOR TO TRY THEIR LUCK SOMEWHERE ELSE.

WHEN WE RETURN, THERE'S A PREHISTORIC PREDATOR LURKING

UNDER THE WATER'S SURFACE COMING UP ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

.

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

DYLAN: NOT EVERY ONE OF AFRICA'S ASTONISHING SIGHTS IS

ALWAYS ON SHOW.

HERE, THE MUDDY WATERS MASK A LETHAL LURKING PREDATOR, THE

CROCODILE, ALMOST ENTIRELY INVISIBLE.

THIS EGYPTIAN GOOSE IS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO EAT NEAR THE

WATER'S EDGE AND IS IN FOR QUITE A FRIGHT.

ON A LITTLE ISLAND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RIVER, THE GOLIATH HERON

DOES A LITTLE GROOMING WHILE WAITING FOR THE WATER TO CLEAR.

THIS BIRD IS FIVE FEET LONG, MAKING IT THE LARGEST HERON IN

THE WORLD.

ITS LONG, STREAMLINED BEAK ALLOWS IT TO SPEAR ITS PREY,

WHICH CAN BE UP TO AN ENTIRE FOOT LONG,

AN IMPRESSIVE MEASURE FOR THIS CHAMPION OF THE HERONS.

IN THE COMPETITION TO CATCH BIG FISH, THERE ARE TWO HEAVYWEIGHT

CONTESTANTS, THE AFRICAN FISH EAGLE...

...AND THE OSPREY.

AND ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER NEXT TO EACH OTHER ON THE

SAME TREE SITS TWO OF THESE VERY PREDATORS WITH THE CATCH.

ON THE LOWER BRANCH, THE LARGE BIRD OF PREY WITH BROWN FEATHERS

IS THE SAME SPECIES AS THE ONE SITTING ON THE UPPER BRANCH.

THEY'RE BOTH FISH EAGLES.

ON TOP, THE ADULT WITH ITS CHARACTERISTIC WHITE HEAD.

ON THE BOTTOM, A YOUNG ANIMAL.

IF THE SIZE OF HIS CATCH IS ANYTHING TO GO BY, HE'S ALREADY

AN EXCELLENT FISHERMAN.

THE RIVER HAS CLEARED AGAIN, AND THAT MAKES THE GREAT EGRET'S

FISHING A LITTLE EASIER.

UNDER THE VERY EYES OF A SMALL HERON, AN ENORMOUS NILE

CROCODILE APPEARS.

ITS SIZE, POWER, PREDATORY CAPACITY, STAMINA, AND LONGEVITY

MAKE THE CROCODILE ONE OF NATURE'S

MOST IMPRESSIVE PREDATORS.

AMONG THE MAMMALS, THE HIPPOPOTAMUS TAKES THE LEAD IN

HOLDING ITS BREATH.

ITS RECORD IS SIX MINUTES, BUT MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, IT REMAINS

ONLY TWO MINUTES UNDERWATER.

WHEN THE HIPPOPOTAMUS DIVES BELOW THE WATER'S SURFACE, ITS

HEART GOES FROM 60 TO 20 BEATS A MINUTE.

ITS SLOWER METABOLISM ALLOWS IT TO REDUCE

FOOD REQUIREMENTS CONSIDERABLY.

THE HIPPOPOTAMUS LIVES ON THREE TIMES LESS FOOD THAN ANY OTHER

ANIMAL OF THE SAME SIZE, AN IMPRESSIVE FEAT FOR SUCH A

MASSIVE MAMMAL AND A TRULY ASTONISHING ADDITION TO THE

WILDS OF AFRICA.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON OUR TOUR OF AFRICA TO SEE THE

INCREDIBLE COLLECTION OF ANIMALS THAT CALL THIS REGION HOME.

THE BIODIVERSITY HERE IS STAGGERING WITH ALL MANNER OF

MAMMALS, REPTILES, AND BIRDS DOMINATING THE LANDSCAPE.

IT'S NO WONDER THIS CONTINENT HAS THE WORLD'S MOST DENSE AND

RICH POPULATION OF WILDLIFE.

CLEARLY, THERE'S SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT WHAT AFRICA

HAS TO OFFER.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF

"EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]