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: WELCOME EVERYONE, I'M DYLAN DREYER AND WE'RE HEADED TO

AFRICA FOR AN ANIMAL EXCURSION.

JOIN US ON "EARTH ODYSSEY."

TODAY WE'RE TAKING A TOUR AROUND THE AFRICAN CONTINENT TO SEE

SOME OF ITS WILDEST INHABITANTS.

LIKE THESE POPULAR PRIMATES WHO LOVE TO LOOK PRIMPED AND PROPER.

AND A SOAK IN THE SUN IS THIS HEAVYSET HERD'S FAVORITE PAST

TIME.

LATER WE'LL MEET A GRAZING GIANT WITH A SPIKEY DISPOSITION.

BUT FIRST, IT'S OFF TO THE GRASSLANDS TO CATCH ONE OF THE

FASTEST FAMILIES IN THE SAVANNA.

THE ADVENTURE IS JUST BEGINNING HERE ON "EARTH ODYSSEY."

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: FOR ANIMALS THAT PREFER THE VEGETARIAN DIET, LIFE'S

CHALLENGES MAY SEEM AS THOUGH THEY START AND STOP WITH THE

CARNIVORES ON THEIR TAIL.

HOWEVER, PREY ANIMALS FACE A MULTITUDE OF PROBLEMS FROM

WITHIN THEIR OWN RANKS.

EACH DAY IS A NEW BATTLE FOR FOOD, MATING PARTNERS AND ONE OF

THE MOST HOTLY-CONTESTED COMMODITIES - REAL ESTATE.

CLAIMING ONE'S TERRITORY CAN MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

SURVIVAL AND A MUCH MORE DIFFICULT ROAD.

SO, STAKING YOUR CLAIM HAS TO BE PART OF THE DAILY ROUTINE.

CLAIMING, HOLDING AND DEFENDING TERRITORY IS PART OF THE DAILY

ROUTINE IN THE WILD.

WILDEBEESTS ARE NO EXCEPTION.

THEY HAVE SCENT GLANDS ON THEIR FOREHEAD SO THEY CAN MARK

TERRITORY AS THEY GRAZE.

TALK ABOUT EFFICIENT.

[MUSIC AND INSECTS]

DYLAN: AS HERBIVORES MOVE, THEY OFTEN DO SO IN A LINE, ONE AFTER

ANOTHER.

BUT WHY?

WHY NOT A TIGHTLY-PACKED GROUP OR RANDOM ASSORTMENT?

TURNS OUT THERE ARE SOME VERY GOOD REASONS FOR THIS REGIMENTED

ROUTE.

THE LINE IS LED BY A MATURE MEMBER OF THE HERD, SHOWING THE

REST THE WAY.

AS THE LINE MOVES, THE GRASS IS FLATTENED, MAKING PROGRESS

EASIER.

BUT THE NUMBER ONE REASON FOR THIS METHOD OF MOVEMENT IS TO

THWART PREDATORS.

[MUSIC AND INSECT NOISE CONTINUES]

DYLAN: WALKING THIS WAY, THE GROUP IS MORE DISCREET, KEEPING

THE SOUNDS OF THEIR TRAVEL DOWN AND REDUCING THE RISK OF

ATTRACTING UNWANTED ATTENTION.

ALL MANNER OF PREY ANIMALS HAVE DEVELOPED SOME HIGHLY-EFFECTIVE

WAYS OF KEEPING HUNTERS AT BAY.

IT ALL BEGINS WITH THEIR SHARP SENSES ALWAYS BEING ON ALERT.

THEN THERE'S COOPERATION.

ALL IT TAKES IS ONE ANIMAL TO RAISE THE ALARM BELLS FOR ALL TO

GET THE MESSAGE.

BECAUSE IN THE WILD, THE BIGGEST DANGER IS SURPRISE.

SOME ANIMALS WILL EVEN LET A PREDATOR GET UNCOMFORTABLY CLOSE

SO THEY CAN KEEP WATCH BEFORE MAKING THEIR ESCAPE.

IT'S TENSE, BUT EFFECTIVE.

LIONS USUALLY WON'T CHASE PREY THAT'S RUNNING AWAY, SO A HEAD

START IS ALL PREY ANIMALS NEED TO DISCOURAGE A FOE.

TAKE THIS WATERBUCK, A LARGE MEMBER OF THE ANTELOPE FAMILY

THAT CAN WEIGH MORE THAN 400 POUNDS.

THEY ARE VERY SENSITIVE TO DEHYDRATION, SO CAN'T LIVE TOO

FAR FROM A GOOD WATER SOURCE; HENCE THE NAME.

[MUSIC AND BIRDS CHIRPING]

DYLAN: AS IT DRINKS SO MUCH WATER, IT NEEDS VEGETATION RICH

IN PROTEIN TO FEED ON.

SO, THEIR HABITAT HAS TO BE PRETTY SPECIFIC.

ONCE THEY'VE FOUND THE IDEAL SPOT, THE KEY IS MAKING SURE IT

STAYS THEIRS.

WATERBUCKS CAN'T STOP OTHER SPECIES FROM USING THEIR STRETCH

OF RIVER, BUT THEY CAN LIMIT ACCESS AMONG THEIR OWN HERD SO

ONLY A FEW MAY USE IT AT A TIME.

IT'S ALL ABOUT SOCIAL ORGANIZATION, SO THERE'S NO

SURPRISE THAT THE WATERBUCK IS EXTREMELY TERRITORIAL AND MANY

CHALLENGERS ARE TAKEN HEAD-ON.

WHEN WE COME BACK, WE'LL VISIT THE HARDEST WORKING HAIR SALON

IN THE SAVANNA.

AND MEET A WATER BABY THAT NEEDS A WIDE BERTH.

PLUS, THIS HORNED HULK HAS A SHARP SENSE OF SMELL.

NEXT ON "EARTH ODYSSEY."

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ONE OF THE MOST CONSISTENT BATTLES IN THE ANIMAL

KINGDOM IS THE FIGHT AGAINST PESTS.

AND WHEN IT COMES TO FENDING THEM OFF, SOME ANIMALS ARE

BETTER EQUIPPED.

MONKEYS, FOR EXAMPLE.

WITH THEIR LONG ARMS AND FINGERS, THEY CAN REACH ANY PART

OF THEIR BODY WITH PRECISION, OR EVEN THEIR FRIEND'S BODY.

FOR BABOONS, THERE'S A BONUS FOR PARASITE REMOVAL; A TASTY SNACK.

AND THERE'S A GOOD REASON WHY THEY USE THEIR MOUTHS INSTEAD OF

THEIR FINGERS TO PICK OFF THE PESTS.

WHILE THEIR THUMBS AND FINGERS ARE USEFUL, THEY AREN'T WELL

ENOUGH COORDINATED TO GRAB THE TINY INSECTS.

THEIR TEETH, ON THE OTHER HAND, ARE SURGICALLY PRECISE.

WHILE THEY MAY BE THE MOST FAMOUS FOR IT, MONKEYS AREN'T

THE ONLY ANIMALS THAT APPRECIATE MUTUAL GROOMING.

IN FACT, IT'S A VERY WIDESPREAD PRACTICE AND ITS BENEFITS ARE

OBVIOUS.

MUTUAL GROOMING HELPS TO CLEAN PARTS OF THE BODY WHICH WOULD

OTHERWISE BE UNREACHABLE.

AND OF COURSE, IT'S A TRIED AND TESTED BONDING EXERCISE.

BUT FOR THE REALLY TOUGH TO REACH PLACES, THERE ARE ALWAYS A

FEW VOLUNTEERS AVAILABLE.

THIS YOUNG IMPALA IS ACTING AS A LIVING BIRD FEEDER FOR THESE

OXPECKERS.

THEY'VE COME FOR THE BACKSIDE BUFFET OF INSECTS IN THE

IMPALA'S FUR.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: OCCASIONALLY, THE OXPECKERS CAN BE PRETTY

INTRUSIVE, BORDERING ON DOWNRIGHT RUDE.

BUT ANIMALS PUT UP WITH THEIR CHEEKY NATURE BECAUSE THEY ARE

THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS AT KEEPING COATS OF ALL COLORS AND

SIZES HEALTHY.

[MUSIC CONTINUES]

DYLAN: FROM ZEBRAS TO WATER BUFFALO, AND ESPECIALLY

GIRAFFES, OXPECKERS AREN'T TOO PICKY AS LONG AS THERE'S AMPLE

SPACE TO COVER.

AND A GIRAFFE'S NECK IS THE PERFECT HUNTING GROUND.

THE GIRAFFE IS A WILLING AND THANKFUL HOST.

HIPPOS ARE ANOTHER APPRECIATIVE CUSTOMER OF THE OXPECKER'S

GROOMING SERVICES.

RHINOS ARE A PARTICULARLY ATTRACTIVE ANIMAL FOR OXPECKERS.

THE LARGE SURFACE AREA AND MINIMAL HAIR MAKE THEIR JOBS

EASIER.

AND THEY'RE EXTREMELY SAFE WHILE CLEANING THE RHINO.

THIS SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OXPECKERS AND THE

ANIMALS OF THE SAVANNA SHOWS THAT EVEN IN THE WILD, NOTHING

BEATS A SENSE OF COMMUNITY.

COMING UP, WE'RE HEADED INTO THE SPLASH ZONE ALONG THE AFRICAN

RIVERBANKS.

AND LATER, A MISUNDERSTOOD MAMMAL MAKES THEIR MARK.

STAY TUNED FOR MORE "EARTH ODYSSEY."

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE ANIMAL KINGDOM IS ALWAYS FULL OF THE UNEXPECTED,

AND A BIG 9,000-POUND EXAMPLE IS THE HIPPOPOTAMUS.

WHILE THEIR MASS MAY IMPRESS, IT'S THEIR MUNCHING THAT

MATTERS.

THESE SEMI-AQUATIC CREATURES PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN THEIR

ECOSYSTEM, HELPING TO CLEAR RIVERS, STREAMS AND LAKES BY

EATING HUGE AMOUNTS OF AQUATIC PLANTS.

AND THERE'S NOTHING A HIPPO LOVES MORE THAN A WELL-CARED-FOR

WATERWAY.

IT'S PLAYTIME ON THE WATERFRONT AND THESE YOUNG HIPPOS ARE

TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE.

THE SPARRING AND WRESTLING IS HARMLESS AS THEIR TEETH HAVEN'T

COME THROUGH YET.

SO, FOR NOW, IT'S ALL FUN AND GAMES.

BUT WHEN THEY'RE ADULTS, THE SIZE OF THEIR CANINES AND

STRENGTH OF THEIR JAWS WILL MEAN THEY SAVE THESE TYPES OF BRAWLS

FOR SERIOUS MATTERS ONLY.

HIPPOS ARE A RELATIVELY SOCIAL BUNCH IN THE WILD.

THEY LIVE IN GROUPS MOSTLY COMPOSED OF A DOMINANT MALE AND

A FEW FEMALES WITH THEIR YOUNG.

EACH ALPHA MALE ONLY CONTROLS 100 YARDS OF RIVERBANK, BUT THEY

DEFEND IT FIERCELY.

AS LONG AS NO CHALLENGERS ARISE, THE WATERFRONT REMAINS SERENE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: HIPPOS AREN'T PICKY WHEN IT COMES TO BODIES OF WATER.

AS LONG AS THEY CAN SUBMERGE THEMSELVES COMPLETELY, THEY'RE

AS HAPPY AS CAN BE.

AND FOR GOOD REASON.

A HIPPO'S SKIN ISN'T AS THICK AS IT LOOKS, NOR DO THEY HAVE ANY

SWEAT GLANDS.

THAT MEANS THEY DEHYDRATE FAST.

NO WONDER THEY HAVE SUCH A STRONG CONNECTION TO THE WATER.

[MUSIC AND SOUNDS OF WILDLIFE]

DYLAN: YOU'D THINK THIS AQUATIC AFFECTION WOULD MAKE HIPPOS

GREAT SWIMMERS.

BUT THEY AREN'T AT ALL.

IN FACT, THEY SINK.

[MUSIC CONTINUES]

DYLAN: ONCE UNDER THE SURFACE, THEY MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE

BOTTOM, HOLDING THEIR BREATH AS THEY MOVE AROUND.

BUT WHAT ARE THEY DOING DOWN THERE?

IT'S A TRUE MYSTERY.

ONE THING WE KNOW THEY ARE NOT DOING IS EATING.

THAT REQUIRES TOO MUCH BREATHING.

BUT WHAT THEY CAN DO IS SLEEP.

THEY CAN EVEN COME TO THE SURFACE TO BREATHE WITHOUT

WAKING UP.

TALK ABOUT TRUSTING YOUR INSTINCTS.

WHEN IT COMES TIME TO FEED, HIPPOS GORGE ON GRASS.

THEY CAN EAT UP TO 90 POUNDS OF IT IN A DAY.

BUT THEY PREFER TO EAT ALONE; NOT WANTING TO RUB SHOULDERS

WITH THEIR FELLOW HIPPOS DURING A MEAL.

HOWEVER, WHEN THE MEAL IS OVER, HIPPOS ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO

HANG OUT.

THE REASON BEHIND THEIR CLOSE SOCIAL BONDS ISN'T EXACTLY

CLEAR.

IT COULD BE PART OF A ROUTINE.

IN THE SUMMER WHEN THERE ISN'T MUCH WATER, THEY PACK TOGETHER

TO SHARE WHAT WATER THERE IS.

IT COULD ALSO BE A DEFENSIVE STRATEGY TO PROTECT THEIR YOUNG

FROM CROCODILES.

BUT THE REAL ANSWER IS THAT WE SIMPLY AREN'T SURE.

THESE MAJESTIC MAMMALS ARE PROOF THAT NATURE IS STILL FULL OF

MYSTERIES.

UP NEXT, THIS HORNED HARD BODY HAS AN UNEXPECTED SOFT SIDE.

THERE'S MORE "EARTH ODYSSEY" RIGHT AFTER THIS.

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: APART FROM SOME BIRDS, WHITE IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM IS

RARE.

[MUSIC AND ANIMAL SOUNDS]

DYLAN: EVEN THE WHITE RHINOCEROS ISN'T WHITE.

SO, WHY THE MISLEADING NAME?

IT COMES FROM A CONFUSION OF WORDS.

"WIDE" WAS THE WORD USED TO DESCRIBE THE RHINO'S SNOUT.

OVER TIME, THIS WAS CORRECTED INTO WHITE AND THE NAME STUCK.

LEOPARDS HAVE THEIR OWN COLOR-COATING, FEATURING A

LITTLE UNDERCOVER WHITE ON THEIR TAIL.

YET WHEN IT COMES TO TRULY ICONIC LOOKS, THERE ARE FEW MORE

MEMORABLE THAN THE WHITE AND BLACK STRIPES OF THE ZEBRA.

BUT WHY DO THEY SPORT THESE UNMISSABLE STRIPES?

THE ZEBRAS ANCESTORS HAD PLAIN DARK COATS WHICH MAKES THEIR

CURRENT STYLE ALL THE MORE INTRIGUING.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: FROM THE MOMENT THEY'RE BORN, ZEBRAS SHOW OFF THEIR

MONOCHROMATIC COAT WITH PRIDE.

A COMMON THEORY IS THAT ZEBRAS HAVE STRIPES AS A FORM OF

DEFENSE.

[MUSIC CONTINUES]

DYLAN: ZEBRAS LIVE IN GROUPS AND USUALLY STICK PRETTY CLOSE

TO THEIR COMPATRIOTS.

AND THAT POSES A PROBLEM FOR PREDATORS.

ONCE THIS LIONESS SPOTS THE ZEBRAS, THEY APPEAR AS A

CONFUSING AND SHIFTING MIXTURE OF LINES.

SEEING THIS OPTICAL ILLUSION MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR HER

TO SINGLE OUT JUST ONE AS HER POTENTIAL PREY.

ON THE SURFACE, ALL ZEBRAS ARE ALIKE.

BUT LOOKING A LITTLE DEEPER, WE CAN SEE THAT NO ZEBRA HAS THE

SAME DESIGN AS ANY OTHER.

THIS SUGGESTS ANOTHER REASON FOR THEIR STRIPES.

MAYBE THEY ACT AS A NATURAL BARCODE LIKE FINGERPRINTS ON

HUMANS; ALLOWING OTHER ZEBRAS TO RECOGNIZE EACH OTHER WITH EASE.

HOWEVER, WHAT IF THE REAL REASON FOR THE STRIPES IS SOMETHING

ELSE ENTIRELY.

NOT DEFENSE.

NOT RECOGNITION.

BUT AIR CONDITIONING; A WAY TO KEEP COOL.

THIS NEW THEORY HAS COME FROM OBSERVING A SURPRISING

PHENOMENON.

ABOVE THE DARK STRIPES WHICH ABSORB MORE HEAT, THE

ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE IS LOWER THAN IT IS OVER THE WHITE

STRIPES.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: SO, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

THESE LITTLE DIFFERENCES IN PRESSURE ARE THOUGHT TO CREATE

TINY AIR CURRENTS ABOVE THEIR HIDE.

AND JUST LIKE THAT, ANIMAL AC.

[MUSIC CONTINUES]

DYLAN: ZEBRAS ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR ICONIC BLACK AND WHITE,

BUT THERE'S A THIRD COLOR STRIPE THAT OFTEN GETS OVERLOOKED.

BROWN STRIPES, ALSO REFERRED TO AS SHADOW STRIPES, OCCUR ON

CERTAIN ZEBRAS, ESPECIALLY NEWBORNS.

THESE TAN LINES ARE AN UNEXPECTED BIT OF MAGIC FOR ONE

OF EARTH'S MOST EYE-CATCHING ANIMALS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY AS WE SHINE THE SPOTLIGHT ON

SOME OF NATURE'S MOST UNIQUE ANIMALS.

WHETHER ICONIC STYLE, UNEXPECTED PHYSICAL TRAITS, OR JUST A

CHEEKY PERSONALITY, EVERY CREATURE BRINGS THEIR OWN BRAND

OF VIBRANT LIFE TO THE WILD.

WE MAY NOT HAVE THE ANSWERS FOR EVERY ANIMAL'S ACTIONS OR

EVOLUTIONARY TRAITS, BUT AS WE CONTINUE TO OBSERVE THEM, ONE

THING IS CLEAR - IN NATURE, THERE'S ALWAYS MORE TO LEARN.

WE HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US NEXT TIME HERE ON "EARTH ODYSSEY."

[MUSIC]