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: WELCOME, EVERYONE.

I'M DYLAN DREYER, AND WE'RE ABOUT TO MEET SOME OF THE

BIGGEST MOVERS AND SHAKERS IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.

THIS IS "EARTH ODYSSEY".

TODAY, WE'RE TRAVERSING THE LANDSCAPE TO MEET THE

ANIMALS WHO LOVE TO LIVE LIFE ON THE MOVE.

THIS TROOP IS ON A TREK TO FIND THE PERFECT HOME FOR

THE WHOLE FAMILY.

AND IT'S HARD TO MISS IT WHEN THESE NESTING NOMADS

TAKE FLIGHT.

LATER, WE'LL MEET AN ANTELOPE WHOSE STOMACH ACTS

AS A NAVIGATOR.

BUT WE BEGIN OUR JOURNEY FOLLOWING IN THE FORMIDABLE

FOOTSTEPS OF EARTH'S BIGGEST MAMMAL MIGRATOR.

ALL THIS AND SO MUCH MORE HERE ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]

A LITTLE CHANGE IN SCENERY RARELY GOES

UNAPPRECIATED IN THE WILD.

IN FACT, MANY ANIMAL SPECIES MAKE A HABIT OF MOVING

HUNDREDS, EVEN THOUSANDS OF MILES ON A REGULAR BASIS.

THIS EPIC ENDEAVOR IS CALLED MIGRATION, A NATURAL

PHENOMENON DRIVEN BY INSTINCT AND NECESSITY.

BIRDS, WHALES, AND SEA TURTLES ARE ICONIC EXAMPLES,

BUT ONE OF THE MOST CONSISTENT MIGRATORS IS ALSO

ONE OF THE BIGGEST.

CHECK IT OUT.

EVERY DAY WHEN THE SUN IS AT ITS HIGHEST POINT, THE

GROUND SHAKES WITH THE MOVEMENT OF GIANTS...

...ELEPHANTS.

IT'S NOT EASY BEING THE PLANET'S LARGEST TERRESTRIAL

ANIMAL.

EVERY DAY, AFRICAN ELEPHANTS MUST EAT AND DRINK ENOUGH TO

SUPPORT THEIR GIGANTIC SIZE.

THIS DAILY QUEST IS THE REASON WHY ELEPHANTS ARE

CONSTANTLY ON THE MOVE.

SOMETIMES IT'S TO FIND FRESH WATER.

THE OTHER REASON FOR THEIR CONSTANT MOVEMENT IS EQUALLY

AS SIMPLE, GRAZING.

GREAT SIZE MEANS A GREAT THIRST, DRINKING 25 TO 50

GALLONS OF WATER PER DAY.

USUALLY, THEY ONLY DRINK ONCE A DAY.

THIS IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A SECOND ACTIVITY

DEDICATED TO PERSONAL GROOMING.

ELEPHANTS ARE A SPECIES WITHOUT SUDORIFEROUS GLANDS,

OR SWEAT GLANDS, BUT THEY HAVE FOUND MUD TO BE THE

PERFECT SUBSTITUTE.

IT SOFTENS THE ELEPHANT'S HIDE.

THE MUD DRIES ON THEIR SKIN AND FORMS A CRUST WHICH WILL

PROTECT THEM FROM INSECTS AND THE HEAT OF THE SUN.

WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DRY SEASON.

THE FOOD IS LESS NUTRITIOUS, AND IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO

FUEL THIS ENORMOUS BULK, TAKING UP TO 16 HOURS OF THE

ELEPHANT'S DAY.

THEY NEED TO EAT THE EQUIVALENT OF FOUR TO SIX

PERCENT OF THEIR BODY WEIGHT.

FOR AN ADULT MALE THIS BIG, THIS MEANS AROUND 650 POUNDS

OF FOOD EVERY DAY.

ELEPHANTS NEED FOOD WHICH IS EASILY AVAILABLE IN LARGE

QUANTITIES, SO IT'S NO COINCIDENCE THAT THE WORLD'S

LARGEST LAND MAMMAL IS A VEGETARIAN.

IN ORDER TO SATISFY THIS NEED, BEING FUSSY IS NOT AN

OPTION.

ACCORDING TO THE LOCATION AND THE SEASON, AN ELEPHANT

WILL EAT ANYTHING IT FINDS AS LONG AS IT'S A PLANT.

IN THE PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES, DRY FOLIAGE

FITS THE BILL.

NEVERTHELESS, THESE CREATURES HAVE A REFINED

PALATE AND HAVE CERTAIN FAVORITE FOODS.

THEY PARTICULARLY LIKE THESE BUTTERFLY-SHAPED TURPENTINE

TREE LEAVES AND BAOBAB WOOD.

IT'S ALWAYS SURPRISING TO SEE THESE CREATURES, WHICH

MUST INGEST VAST AMOUNTS OF FOOD, TAKE TIME AND GREAT

CARE OVER THEIR MEAL.

IF ANY PROOF WERE NEEDED OF THEIR GARGANTUAN APPETITE,

ONE JUST HAS TO LOOK AROUND.

THE ELEPHANT SHARES AN UNUSUAL PRIVILEGE WITH MAN.

THEIR BEHAVIOR CAN ALTER THE LANDSCAPE, CHANGING A LUSH

SAVANNAH INTO AN ARID ONE.

HUMANS AND ELEPHANTS ALSO SHARE ANOTHER COMMON TRAIT.

BOTH CAN SURVIVE IN ANY HABITAT AS LONG AS THEY CAN

FIND WATER AND FOOD.

ELEPHANTS ARE VERSATILE CREATURES.

THEY'RE NOT SPECIALISTS.

THEY'VE COLONIZED ALL AVAILABLE ENVIRONMENTS WITH

THEIR ADAPTABILITY, MAKING THEIR SURVIVAL SENSE AS

IMPRESSIVE AS THEIR UNMATCHED SIZE.

COMING UP, THESE PRIMATES ARE ON THE PROWL IN THE HOT

AFRICAN SUN, AND WE'LL SEE A SHAPE-SHIFTING SWARM OF

PETITE PASSERINES.

PLUS, AN ANIMAL WHO CHANGES HOME WHEN CHANGING DIETS.

ALL THIS NEXT ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

.

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

DYLAN: NATURE CAN CHANGE THE LANDSCAPE IN AN INSTANT.

A HABITAT CAN GO FROM LUSH GREEN TO BONE DRY QUICKLY,

AND ANIMALS MUST BE PREPARED.

THE HEAT CAN MEAN DANGEROUS CONDITIONS, ESPECIALLY FOR

YOUNG ONES LIKE THIS BABY BABOON.

SO FOR THIS TROOP, THE DAY'S ROUTINE IS TAKING A

DIFFERENT TURN.

INSTEAD OF CASUALLY EXPLORING THE FEW SQUARE

MILES OF THEIR HABITUAL DOMAIN, THE BABOONS ARE

MOVING NORTH, CLEARLY ON A MISSION.

THE SCARCITY OF RESOURCES HAS SET THE CLAN ON A SMALL

MIGRATION.

BY LEAVING THEIR HOME OF THE LARGE TREE, THE CLAN IS

TAKING A BIG RISK, BETTING ON FINDING WHAT THEY'RE

HOPING FOR, BECAUSE OUT HERE IN THIS NEW TERRITORY, THEY

KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE NEW PREDATORS, WHERE THEY HIDE,

OR THEIR HABITS.

ALWAYS VIGILANT, THE CHIEF STAYS BEHIND THE TROOP AND

COVERS THE REAR.

AMONG THE HIGH GRASS, VISIBILITY IS REDUCED, AND

THE MONKEYS HAVE TO CROSS THIS SEA OF POTENTIAL DANGER.

THE CHIEF HAS TAKEN THE TASK OF STANDING GUARD, WHICH IS

RARE.

USUALLY, THAT ROLE IS TAKEN BY YOUNG MALES.

THAT'S THEIR WAY OF SHOWING THAT THEY ARE USEFUL TO THE

TROOP, BUT THIS IS TOO IMPORTANT FOR THE CHIEF TO

DELEGATE TODAY.

THE CROSSING IS OVER WITHOUT TROUBLE, AND THE TROOP NOW

APPROACHES A ROCKY HILL, BUT THE ARRIVAL OF THE CLAN HAS

NOT GONE UNNOTICED.

THIS SENTRY BELONGS TO ANOTHER GROUP OF BABOONS,

THOSE WHO LIVE ON THE HILL.

WHETHER THEY ARE PEACEFUL OR NOT REMAINS TO BE

DISCOVERED.

WITH A RIVAL TROOP ALREADY MAKING CAMP HERE, THE CLAN

MUST CONTINUE THEIR SEARCH SOMEWHERE ELSE.

THE JOURNEY MAY TAKE DAYS OF GRUELING TRAVEL, BUT THEY

ARE DRIVEN BY THE HOPE OF FINDING A NEW HOME, WHERE

THERE'S FOOD AND SAFETY FOR ALL.

WHEN WE COME BACK, AIR TRAFFIC IS AT AN ALL-TIME

HIGH WHEN THESE TRAVELERS TAKE FLIGHT.

AND THIS ANTELOPE FAMILY ARE GEARING UP TO GRAZE WHEN

"EARTH ODYSSEY" RETURNS.

.

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

DYLAN: THERE ARE A MYRIAD OF REASONS THAT KEEP ANIMALS

MOVING ACROSS AFRICA'S LANDSCAPES.

FOR QUELEAS, IT'S ALL ABOUT WATER.

THEIR MIGRATION PATTERNS CHASE THE RAIN AS IT

PROVIDES AN ABUNDANCE OF THEIR FAVORITE FOODS AS WELL

AS THE PERFECT ENVIRONMENT FOR BREEDING, AND WHAT

THEY'RE DOING IS WORKING.

RED-BILLED QUELEAS BOAST THE LARGEST POPULATION OF WILD

BIRDS ON THE PLANET.

WHETHER TRAVELING OR NESTING, IT SEEMS LIKE THEY

HAVE LIFE PRETTY WELL FIGURED OUT.

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS IS A SURVIVAL TACTIC ADOPTED BY

ANIMALS ACROSS THE WORLD.

MANY BIRDS LIVE IN GROUPS AND SYNCHRONIZE THEIR

ACTIVITIES.

THE NUMBER STATISTICALLY REDUCES THE RISK FOR EACH

INDIVIDUAL TO FALL VICTIM TO A PREDATOR.

ONE BIRD SPECIES HAS CARRIED THIS LOGIC TO ITS EXTREME,

THE QUELEA.

THIS CLOUD IS MADE UP OF MORE THAN 100,000 BIRDS.

THEY MOVE IN AN UNPREDICTABLE WAY LOOKING

FOR FOOD.

QUELEAS LIVE ON SEEDS, AND IN DRY REGIONS LIKE THIS

ONE, FINDING THEIR FOOD IS NOT EASY.

WHEN THEY DO FIND SOME, THEY FLY IN, IN WAVES, READY FOR

A FEAST.

SO THAT ALL THE BIRDS GET THEIR FAIR SHARE OF THE

FOOD, THE MAKEUP OF THE CLOUDS CHANGES FOR EACH

FLIGHT.

BIRDS AT THE TAIL END GO TO THE FRONT, SO THIS TIME,

THEY'LL BE THE FIRST TO LAND.

THE SYNCHRONIZATION OF BIRDS FLYING IN TIGHT FORMATION IS

ASTOUNDING.

IN FACT, EACH BIRD HAS PERFECT MASTERY OF ITS

IMMEDIATE SPACE AND REACTS WITHIN FRACTIONS OF A SECOND

TO ANY MOVE OF ITS NEIGHBOR.

INDIVIDUALLY, THE QUELEA IS JUST A DULL-COLORED LITTLE

BIRD, BUT TOGETHER, QUELEAS PROVIDE ONE OF THE MOST

FASCINATING SIGHTS IN THE BIRD WORLD.

FOR EVERY AVIAN SPECIES, FINDING WATER IS PARAMOUNT

TO SURVIVAL, ESPECIALLY DURING AFRICA'S DRY SEASON.

THIS POND IS A GODSEND, ATTRACTING A FEW MAMMALS AND

ALL SORTS OF BIRDS.

THESE GREY LOERIES ARE BEING WATCHFUL.

THEY TAKE TURNS DRINKING.

THERE'S ALWAYS ONE ON THE LOOKOUT.

THE CAPE TURTLE DOVES KNOW ALL ABOUT IT.

THERE'S ALWAYS A JACKAL WAITING FOR THEM AT THE

WATER HOLE.

SO THEY'VE ADOPTED A VERY SIMPLE STRATEGY.

THEY COME TO DRINK IN GROUPS, DISPERSING

THEMSELVES AROUND THE WATER HOLE.

DISTRACTION AND DISORIENTATION ARE POWERFUL

TOOLS IN KEEPING PREDATORS AT BAY.

AFTER THE BREAK, THESE ICONIC ANTELOPES ALWAYS

PREFER A SEASONAL MENU.

THERE'S LOTS MORE TO SEE NEXT ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

.

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

DYLAN: NOT EVERY ANIMAL ON THE MOVE MAKES A MASSIVE

MIGRATION.

STAYING LOCAL CAN BE A SURVIVAL TACTIC, MOVING ONLY

SHORT DISTANCES WHEN ON THE HUNT FOR NEW GRAZING AREAS.

THE STEENBOK IS A PRIME EXAMPLE...

...WHILE OTHERS SUBSCRIBE TO THE MORE TRADITIONAL

LONG-DISTANCE MOVES.

WILDEBEEST ARE FAMOUS FOR THEIR ANNUAL TREK AROUND THE

CONTINENT.

EVERY ANIMAL HAS THEIR OWN WAY OF DOING THINGS, AND OF

COURSE, THEIR OWN LOOK...

...AS, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE NYALAS.

THE MALE, WHICH IS MUCH BIGGER, HAS AN ALMOST PLAIN

DARK COAT, WHEREAS THE FEMALE'S HAIR IS LIGHTER AND

CLEARLY STRIPED.

THE COLOR OF THE COAT AND THE MARKINGS HAVE PRECISE

FUNCTIONS, TO MAKE THE ANIMAL AS INVISIBLE AS

POSSIBLE.

ANOTHER INTEREST CAMO LOOK IS THAT OF THE BUSHBUCK, A

MEMBER OF THE ANTELOPE FAMILY, AND HERE'S THE

FEMALE WITH HER LONG EYELASHES THAT PROTECT HER

EYES FROM THE LEAVES AND BRANCHES WHEN SHE'S

WANDERING IN THE UNDERGROWTH.

THIS ANTELOPE HAS A VERY SUBTLE COAT.

HER FUR OF ALTERNATING DARKISH TONES IS PUNCTUATED

HERE AND THERE BY A FEW WHITE MARKS AND SPOTS THAT

WE CAN ALSO FIND ON THE BODY AND HEAD OF THE MALE.

THIS RATHER UNREMARKABLE COAT HAS A MIRACULOUS EFFECT

IN THE UNDERGROWTH, WHERE THE FUR OF THE BUSHBUCK

MELDS WITH THE LIGHT SHADE OF THE FOLIAGE.

WHEN THE WIND IS FAVORABLE FOR THE GAZELLE, EVEN LIONS

AND HYENAS HAVE BEEN SEEN TO PASS WITHIN 30 FEET OF A

MOTIONLESS ANIMAL WITHOUT NOTICING IT.

THE ABILITY TO ESCAPE FROM PREDATORS IS ONE OF THE

FACTORS NECESSARY TO ESTABLISH A HIERARCHY IN THE

GREAT FAMILY OF GAZELLES.

BUT WE ARE MORE LIKELY TO REMEMBER THE SIZE OF THE

HORNS.

THE REDUNCA HORNS ARE ABOUT A FOOT LONG, A RESPECTABLE

SIZE, BUT THAT'S NOTHING IN COMPARISON WITH THOSE OF ITS

COUSIN, THE WATERBUCK, WHICH GROW TO MORE THAN DOUBLE

THAT SIZE.

THE ABSOLUTE RECORD GOES TO THIS ANTELOPE, THE GREATER

KUDU.

ONLY THE MALE HAS HORNS.

WHEN YOUNG, ITS HORNS ARE SMALL AND STRAIGHT, BUT THEY

GROW INTO SPIRALS.

THEY WILL REACH THEIR MAXIMUM SIZE WHEN THE ANIMAL

IS SIX YEARS OLD AND IS ABLE TO REPRODUCE.

AT THAT POINT, THERE WILL BE UP TO THREE SPIRALS FOR AN

AVERAGE LENGTH OF ABOUT FOUR FEET.

THE RECORD IS JUST UNDER SIX FEET.

AS THEY GROW, THE HORNS GRADUALLY BRING ABOUT THE

ESTABLISHMENT OF A HIERARCHY AMONG YOUNG RIVAL MALES.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE MORE THEY GROW, THE MORE

VULNERABLE THE KUDU BECOMES.

THEIR SIZE AND WEIGHT BECOME A TERRIBLE HANDICAP, SLOWING

DOWN THE MALES IF THEY ARE CHASED BY A PREDATOR.

IN FACT, THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF A FEMALE KUDU IS 14

YEARS, ALMOST DOUBLE THAT OF MALES.

IN THE SAVANNAH, THE TITLE OF CHAMPION IS ALWAYS VERY

RELATIVE.

IT'S OFTEN IN RELATION TO THE GROUP.

WHAT IS MOST OFTEN AT STAKE IS ACCESS TO THE FEMALES.

THE IMPALA HAS TO FACE A LOT OF CONFLICTS FOR A HIERARCHY

TO BECOME CLEAR.

THE CANDIDATES FOR THE TITLE OF LEADER OF THE HERD

CONFRONT EACH OTHER IN SINGLE COMBAT.

IT'S A KNOCKOUT COMPETITION.

THEIR IMPRESSIVE HORNS ARE NO MERE ORNAMENTS, BUT A

DECIDING FACTOR IN WHO WILL BE CROWNED CHAMPION AND RULE

THEIR DOMAIN.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TO SEE SOME OF EARTH'S MOST

MAGNIFICENT MIGRATORS.

IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE DISTANCE TRAVELED WHEN IT

COMES TO MOVING AROUND.

IT'S ABOUT MAKING THE MOST OF THE JOURNEY.

WHETHER FOR FOOD, WATER, WARMER WEATHER, OR BETTER

BREEDING GROUNDS, EACH ANIMAL KNOWS HOW TO TAKE

FULL ADVANTAGE OF THEIR TIME ON THE ROAD AND PASSES ALONG

THEIR TRAVEL TIPS TO THE NEXT GENERATION.

WE'LL SEE YOU FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF "EARTH ODYSSEY".

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