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, THERE, I'M DYLAN DREYER.

WE'RE ABOUT TO GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH THE WILDEST AND

WEIRDEST CREATURES ON THE PLANET, RIGHT HERE ON

"EARTH ODYSSEY".

TODAY, WE'RE TRAVERSING THE GLOBE TO FIND THE MOST UNIQUE

AND ODDLY AWESOME ANIMALS AROUND.

LIKE THIS AFRICAN ICON WHO KNOWS HOW TO THRIVE WHEN

THE LAND IS BONE DRY.

LATER, WE'LL MEET SOME LIZARD LOCALS THAT LOVE TO TUCK INTO

TOXIC FRUIT.

AND FOR THIS YOUNG BACHELOR, LOVE IS JUST A HOP, SKIP, AND A

JUMP AWAY.

BUT FIRST, WE VENTURE DOWN TO THE WATER'S EDGE WHERE A REPTILE

FOOTRACE IS ABOUT TO START.

GET READY FOR A WILD ADVENTURE.

THIS IS "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WE'RE HERE AT BROOKFIELD ZOO AND I HAVE DR. MIKE ADKESSON

JOINING ME, ALONG WITH SAFI, THE LEOPARD TORTOISE.

I'VE HEARD THEM DESCRIBED AS THE SMALL FIVE.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

DR. ADKESSON: SO, THE BIG FIVE IN AFRICA ARE SOME OF THE

TOUGHEST ANIMALS.

LIONS, LEOPARDS, CAPE BUFFALO, RHINOCEROS, AND ELEPHANTS.

AND THE SMALL FIVE ARE ANIMALS THAT HAVE THOSE SAME NAMES IN

THEIR NAME.

SO, THE LEOPARD TORTOISE, BUFFALO WEAVER, ANT LION,

RHINOCEROS BEETLE, AND THE ELEPHANT SHREW.

DYLAN: OH, THAT'S REALLY COOL.

THE SAVANNA SEEMS LIKE A HARSH PLACE FOR, REALLY, ANY ANIMAL.

BUT FOR SOMETHING SO SMALL, HOW DOES IT THRIVE IN THE SAVANNA?

DR. ADKESSON: SO, SHE'S ABOUT SIX YEARS OLD, SO WHEN SHE'S

FULL-SIZE, SHE'LL BE ABOUT 30 OR 40 POUNDS AND

A LOT BIGGER THAN THIS.

SO, THAT OBVIOUSLY IS HELPFUL.

BUT THEN, JUST THE TOUGHNESS OF THEIR SHELL AND THEN THESE TOUGH

SCUTES ON THE FRONT OF THEIR LEGS.

WHEN SHE PULLS INSIDE THAT SHELL, SHE'S GOT GREAT

PROTECTION FROM PREDATORS.

DYLAN: AND CAMOUFLAGE, TOO.

DR. ADKESSON: AND CAMOUFLAGE, YEAH.

SO, SHE BLENDS IN PERFECTLY WITH THE DRY GRASS SAVANNA.

IT MAKES IT VERY HARD TO SEE HER.

DYLAN: DR. MIKE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

NO ONE ENJOYS THE WILD'S WET WEATHER LIKE A LEOPARD TORTOISE.

SO CALLED BECAUSE OF THE MARKINGS ON ITS SHELL.

IT'S A LARGE HERBIVOROUS TORTOISE.

AT THE ADULT STAGE, IT CAN MEASURE UP TO TWO FEET LONG AND

WEIGH ALMOST 50 POUNDS.

THE YOUNG ARE MUCH SMALLER, SO WE'LL PUT IT DOWN TO THE FOLLY

OF YOUTH, AS THESE THREE INDIVIDUALS SUDDENLY SET OFF ON

A SORT OF MAD DASH.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THEY MIGHT JUST BE TWO YOUNG MALES RUSHING IN PURSUIT

OF A FEMALE, BUT WHATEVER THE MOTIVATION, THE RACE IS ON.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE RAIN BRINGS REVIVAL IN THE WILD.

GREENNESS AND LIFE FLOW BACK TO THE LAND.

THE BLACKSMITH PLOVER HAS TO ADAPT TO THE WHIMS OF ITS BROOD.

THIS LITTLE ONE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE SHELTER BUT THE PLACE IS

ALREADY TAKEN AND NO ONE IS MOVING OVER TO MAKE ROOM.

FOR THE REJECTED LITTLE PLOVER, THE SOLUTION WILL COME QUITE

SIMPLY WHEN IT STOPS RAINING.

NATURE USUALLY PROVIDES ENOUGH RESOURCES TO RESOLVE, TO A

LESSER OR GREATER EXTENT, MOST NUTRITIONAL ISSUES.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE REAL PROBLEM IS WHEN THE WATER DISAPPEARS.

EVEN BIRDS ADAPTED TO THE ARID CONDITIONS, LIKE THE SECRETARY

BIRD, NEED TO DRINK REGULARLY.

WITHOUT LOSING CONCENTRATION BECAUSE OF THE CROWD, THIS GREAT

RAPTOR QUENCHES ITS THIRST WITH ELEGANCE

AND IMPECCABLE TECHNIQUE.

BEND AND STRETCH.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ON ONE HAND, THERE ARE LOTS OF BIRDS

AROUND THE POND.

ON THE OTHER, THERE ARE LOTS OF FISH TRAPPED IN THE LAKE THAT'S

NOW REDUCED TO THE SIZE OF A LARGE PUDDLE.

THE ONLY REMAINING FISH ARE LARGE ONES.

THE OTHERS, HAVING BEEN EATEN BY THE FISHING BIRDS.

THE LAST SURVIVORS OFTEN WEIGH SEVERAL POUNDS, WHICH LEAVES THE

HERON WITH A PROBLEM.

THEIR EYES ARE BIGGER THAN THEIR STOMACHS.

HOWEVER, FOR EVERY WATER WADING INHABITANT OF THE SAVANNA, A

BOUNTY OF FOOD IS NEVER SOMETHING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT.

COMING UP, HE'S NO DOG, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THIS GIRAFFE CAN'T

ENJOY A GOOD CHEW TOY.

AND THESE CAMO CRITTERS ARE BORN TO BLEND IN.

PLUS, A SWAMP-SIDE SOIREE IS THE PERFECT PLACE TO FIND A MATE,

WHEN "EARTH ODYSSEY" RETURNS.

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: INQUISITIVE AND OPPORTUNISTIC, BABOONS ARE

ALWAYS CAPTIVATING TO OBSERVE.

THIS TROOP HAS THEIR INTEREST AND APPETITE PIQUED BY SOME

ANIMAL-LIKE SHELLS ON THIS TREE TRUNK.

THESE ARE EXUVIA.

THE SHED SKIN LEFT BEHIND BY INSECTS WHEN THEY HAVE FINISHED

THEIR TRANSFORMATION.

FROM THE SHAPE OF THESE DRIED MEMBRANES, YOU CAN EASILY

IDENTIFY WHAT ANIMAL WAS INSIDE.

CICADAS.

ALTHOUGH, THEY ARE CLEAR AND VIRTUALLY INTACT.

IT ALL BEGAN IN THE SOIL AT THE FOOT OF THE TRUNK.

AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF LIFE AS LARVAE, THE PUPAE CAME OUT OF

THE EARTH AND SET OFF TO CONQUER THE TREE.

THE AIM OF THIS LIFE IN THE OPEN AIR IS TO GO THROUGH

ONE LAST METAMORPHOSIS.

IT JUST HAS TO LEAVE ITS SHELL TO CHANGE INTO A CICADA AND

START SINGING.

DURING THE DRY SEASON, DROUGHT HAS MADE LIFE DIFFICULT FOR THE

ANIMALS WHO ARE IN SEARCH OF FOOD AND WATER.

EACH ANIMAL MAKES DO AS BEST IT CAN.

THESE WARTHOGS USE THEIR SNOUT AS A SHOVEL.

THEY DIG IN THE SAND OF THE RIVER AND EVENTUALLY FIND

SOMETHING TO DRINK.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THIS BABOON HAS DECIDED TO EAT AN

OLD BIT OF CACTUS.

IT'S TOUGH AND COMPLETELY DRIED OUT, BUT IT'S

BETTER THAN NOTHING.

YOU HAVE TO MAKE DO WITH WHAT YOU CAN GET.

THE DROUGHT LEADS TO MANY OTHER STRANGE BEHAVIORS.

THIS GIRAFFE HASN'T TURNED CARNIVOROUS, YET WE CAN'T IGNORE

THE FACT THAT IT IS ACTUALLY CHEWING ON A BONE.

IT FOUND THE BONE ON THE GROUND AND IT'S ALL THAT REMAINS OF A

LONG PASSED ANIMAL.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THIS BEHAVIOR IS ONLY TO BE SEEN AT THE HEIGHT OF THE

DRY SEASON, WHEN THE GIRAFFE IS SUFFERING FROM

LACK OF NUTRITION.

IT CAN NO LONGER FIND THE CALCIUM AND PHOSPHOROUS THAT IT

NEEDS IN THE FOLIAGE THAT IT FEEDS ON.

SO IT CHEWS ON BONES UNTIL THE NUTRIENTS THEY CONTAIN PASS INTO

THE SALIVA.

THE DANGER IS THAT THE GIRAFFE COULD SWALLOW A LONG BIT OF BONE

THAT COULD INJURE IT.

BUT DEXTEROUS USE OF ITS ALMOST TWO-FOOT-LONG TONGUE MAKES SURE

THAT IT REGURGITATES ANY DANGEROUS BITS IN TIME.

WHEN RESOURCES ARE SCARCE, ODD BUT EFFECTIVE

MEASURES MUST BE TAKEN.

WHEN WE COME BACK, WE'LL MEET AN INCOGNITO ISLAND INHABITANT.

AND CHECK OUT THE DATING SCENE FOR THIS AMOROUS AMPHIBIAN.

BUT FIRST, WE'RE HEADED TO BROOKFIELD ZOO FOR

WILDLIFE A TO Z.

EVEN AMONG THE MOST UNUSUAL ANIMALS, THERE ARE STILL A RARE

FEW THAT STAND OUT FROM THE REST.

NONE MORESO THAN THE PANGOLIN.

A RARE AND FASCINATING ANIMAL OF EQUATORIAL AFRICA.

BUT BEING ONE-OF-A-KIND CAN SOMETIMES BE A DISADVANTAGE IN

THE WILD.

PANGOLINS ARE NOW ENDANGERED DUE TO ILLEGAL POACHING.

THANKFULLY, ORGANIZATIONS LIKE BROOKFIELD ZOO ARE LEADING THE

CHARGE IN PANGOLIN CONSERVATION, RESEARCH,

AND SPECIES REHABILITATION.

THEY HAVE BECOME GLOBALLY RECOGNIZED IN PANGOLIN HEALTH,

REPRODUCTION, AND NUTRITION.

ALL WHILE FOSTERING THE SUCCESSFUL ARRIVAL

OF NEW GENERATIONS.

WITH THEIR DRIVE AND ACTION, CONSERVATION PROGRAMS CAN HELP

REVIVE THE POPULATION OF THIS RARE BEAUTY IN THE WILD.

STAY TUNED, "EARTH ODYSSEY" WILL BE RIGHT BACK AFTER THIS.

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ADAPTABILITY IS WITHOUT QUESTION ONE OF THE MOST

IMPRESSIVE TRAITS OF ANIMALS EVERYWHERE.

IT'S ALSO WHAT CREATES SUCH RICH DIVERSITY WITHIN

THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.

EVEN LIVING IN THE SAME ENVIRONMENT, NEW SPECIES CAN

ARISE THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY SUITED TO CLIMATE OR RESOURCE

CHANGES, NEW PREDATOR THREATS, OR EVEN HUMAN ENCROACHMENT.

ADAPTABILITY NOT ONLY CREATES A BETTER CHANCE AT SURVIVAL BUT

CAN REVEAL SOME TRULY UNIQUE ITERATIONS OF WILD CREATURES.

THESE CARIBBEAN SHORES ARE HOME TO MANY SPECIES UNIQUE

IN THE WORLD.

ENDEMISM IS VERY COMMON HERE.

THE ISLANDS HAVE CREATED RESERVOIRS OF BIODIVERSITY,

ISOLATED IN TIME AND SPACE.

THIS HAS ALLOWED A NUMBER OF SPECIES TO DIVERSIFY.

SOME OF THESE WEST INDIAN ISLANDS ARE HOME TO AN

INDIGENOUS SPECIES OF REPTILE.

THE LESSER ANTILLEAN IGUANA.

THE YOUNGEST ONES BORN JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO ARE PERFECTLY

CAMOUFLAGED AMONGST THE LEAVES.

THEIR NEW GREEN SKIN BLENDS IN PERFECTLY WITH THE FOLIAGE OF

THE MANCHINEEL TREE.

THIS HIGHLY TOXIC TREE IS COMMON THROUGHOUT THE CARIBBEAN.

THE IGUANAS HAVE AN IMMUNITY TO ALL OF ITS TOXINS.

BUT IF THE SLIGHTEST CONTACT WITH ITS LEAVES WOULD CAUSE A

SERIOUS BLISTERING, WHAT EFFECT COULD EATING ITS FRUIT HAVE?

THE FIRST EUROPEAN COLONISTS WHO DISEMBARKED HERE PAID FOR THAT

ANSWER WITH THEIR LIVES.

SO, THESE BEACH APPLES ARE SOLELY RESERVED FOR THE IGUANAS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: AS THE HOURS TICK BY, THE SUN HAS SUFFICIENTLY WARMED

THEIR COLD-BLOODED BODIES.

AND IT'S TIME FOR THEM TO GO ABOUT THEIR SECOND TASK OF THE

DAY: FEEDING THEMSELVES.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THESE HERBIVORES FAVOR SHRUBS, BUT THEY WILL EAT

ON THE GROUND IF IT'S OPEN.

THEY JUST NEED TO CRAWL TO GATHER FOOD.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE OLDER MALES CLAIM DOMINANCE OF THE GROUP'S FEMALES

FOR NOW, BUT YOUNG PRETENDERS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY BOLD.

IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THEIR SENIORITY, THE DOMINANT MALES

HAVE TO BE PERSUASIVE.

A FLICK OF THE HEAD ALLOWS IT TO DISPLAY ITS DEWLAP,

LIKE A STANDARD.

AND WHEN INTIMIDATION NO LONGER WORKS, THEN THINGS

HAVE TO ESCALATE.

THE OUTCOME OF THE BATTLE DETERMINES WHICH MALE WILL EARN

THE RIGHT TO MATE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WHEN THE DUST SETTLES, THE LOSER LEAVES THE

ARENA, GIVING WAY TO THE VICTOR AND THE NEXT GENERATION.

WHEN WE RETURN, THESE SWAMP-DWELLERS ARE LOOKING FOR A

KISS FROM THE PERFECT PRINCESS.

THIS AND SO MUCH MORE COMING UP ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: IN THE SWAMPS OF AFRICA, THE SOUNDS OF THE HIPPOS MIX

WITH THE STRANGE SONG OF ONE OF THE MOST AMAZINGLY ODD

AMPHIBIANS IN THE WORLD: THE BULLFROG.

JUST AFTER THE HEAVY RAINS, THE BULLFROGS, WHO SPENT ALL THE DRY

SEASON IN THEIR BURROWS, HAVE RUSHED TO THE POND TO REPRODUCE.

THE MALES, WHO CAN WEIGH MORE THAN THREE POUNDS ARE MUCH

BIGGER THAN THEIR PARTNERS.

THE STRONGEST ONES, THE DOMINANT MALES, HAVE THE GREATEST SUCCESS

WITH THE FEMALES.

COMPETITION IS FIERCE, AS THE MALES DISPLAY A VERY AGGRESSIVE

SENSE OF TERRITORY.

THEY CONTINUALLY TRY TO CHASE AWAY THEIR RIVALS AND AREN'T

AFRAID TO PLAY A LITTLE ROUGH.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE BULLFROGS AREN'T THE ONLY ANIMALS FIGHTING FOR

THEIR PLACE.

THIS PAIR OF FISH EAGLES IS BEING HARASSED BY SOME PLOVERS

BECAUSE THEY HAVE SETTLED, WITHOUT REALIZING IT, NEAR WHERE

THE PLOVERS HAVE LAID THEIR EGGS.

IN THIS SITUATION, IGNORANCE IS MOST CERTAINLY NOT BLISS.

NOT ALL ANIMALS STAND OUT FOR THEIR FIGHTING SKILLS.

SOME ARE MORE WELL-KNOWN FOR THEIR UNIQUE STYLE.

THE WATTLED LAPWING PROUDLY DISPLAYS ITS LONG WATTLES.

THE AFRICAN COMB DUCK DOES THE SAME WITH THE IMPRESSIVE GROWTH

IT HAS ON ITS BEAK.

WHILE OTHERS STAND OUT FOR THEIR UNEXPECTEDLY NASTY BEHAVIOR.

IN THE NESTS, HATCHLINGS ARE TAKING CENTER STAGE.

SOME OF THE YOUNG ARE ALREADY ATTEMPTING TO FLY.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: UNLIKE MOST BIRDS IN THE NEST, THESE PRECOCIOUS

CHICKS ARE ODDLY ROUGH WITH THEIR LOVING PARENTS.

YOU CAN SEE STRAIGHT AWAY THAT THE YOUNG ARE NOT GENTLE WHEN

THEIR PARENTS COME BACK WITH SOME FISH.

YOU CAN'T IMAGINE JUST HOW FAR THE COMPETITIVE SPIRIT CAN GO.

LUCKILY, THERE ARE MORE TENDER MOMENTS IN NATURE, EVEN WITH

SPECIES WHERE YOU WOULDN'T EXPECT IT.

THESE TWO SLUGS SLOWLY EMBRACING LIKE THERE'S NO TOMORROW ARE

PREPARING FOR THEIR OFFSPRING.

THESE SLUGS HAVE BOTH MALE AND FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS AND

HAVE TO MIX UP THEIR SECRETIONS AS MUCH AS

POSSIBLE TO FERTILIZE.

AS THE WATERING HOLES ARE NOW FULL AGAIN, THE HIPPOS ARE MUCH

MORE RELAXED.

THIS ONE CLEARLY LIKES TO PLAY, WHICH IS RARE FOR HIPPOS.

THESE ANIMALS TEND TO BE QUITE IRRITABLE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: HE'S PLAYING WITH A BRANCH AND ENJOYING THE SUN

WHILE HE HAS ONE OF AFRICA'S BEST BATHS ALL TO HIMSELF.

THE WILD IS BURSTING WITH ODD AND FASCINATING CREATURES THAT

HAVE TAKEN INDIVIDUALITY TO THE EXTREME.

YET, THEIR UNEXPECTED CHARACTERISTICS ARE WHAT GIVE

THESE ONE-OF-A-KIND ANIMALS THE ABILITY TO THRIVE WHERE MOST

OTHERS COULD NOT.

LIFE IN THE WILD IS ALWAYS FULL OF SURPRISES AND THE ANIMAL

KINGDOM IS A TESTAMENT TO HOW DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY CAN BE

THE BEST CHANCE FOR SUCCESS.

WE'RE SO GLAD YOU COULD JOIN US AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME ON

"EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]