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.

JOIN US FOR A VEGETARIAN VACATION TO MEET THE WORLD'S

MOST ICONIC PLANT-EATERS.

ARE YOU READY?

THIS IS "EARTH ODYSSEY".

TODAY, WE'RE SEEING HOW EARTH'S HUNGRIEST HERBIVORES

KEEP UP WITH LIFE IN THE WILD, LIKE THESE

HEAVYWEIGHTS REACHING FOR SOME HIGH-END TREATS AND A

BULKY BUNCH THAT'S GIVING A CRASH COURSE IN HOW TO

GRAZE.

PLUS, THIS LONG-LEGGED LOCAL IS ONLY INTERESTED IN

TOP-SHELF SNACKS.

BUT FIRST, WE MEET AN ANIMAL WITH AN INCREDIBLY

FASHIONABLE FORM OF PEST CONTROL.

ALL OF THIS COMING UP ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]

IN THE WILD, THERE'S NOT JUST ONE DIET THAT WORKS

FOR EVERYONE.

ANIMALS ARE AS DIVERSE IN THEIR FOOD HABITS AS WE ARE.

SOME EAT INSECTS, OTHERS FRUITS.

THERE ARE THOSE THAT PREFER MEAT ONLY, AND OF COURSE,

OMNIVORES, WHO LIKE IT ALL.

BUT FOR LAND'S BIGGEST EATERS, IT'S THE HERBIVORE

DIET THAT TAKES THE CAKE.

EARTH'S LARGEST TERRESTRIAL ANIMAL, THE TALLEST AND MOST

WIDESPREAD, ALL LIVE A PLANT-BASED LIFE, MAKING FOR

AN IMPRESSIVE BUNCH.

ACROSS EVERY LANDSCAPE ON EARTH, WE CAN SEE A WIDE

VARIETY OF VEGETARIAN ANIMALS FROM THE

WILDEBEEST...

...TO THE NYALA.

HERBIVORES COME IN ALL SHAPES, SIZES, AND COLORS,

BUT A COMMON THEME YOU MAY NOTICE IS DARK COATS.

THE BROWNS, BLACKS, AND GRAYS GIVE THEM A SUBTLE

DISGUISE AMONGST THE SHADE OF TREES AND BUSHES.

HOWEVER, THERE'S STILL ONE CONCERN NO MATTER THE COAT'S

COLOR...

...PESTS.

WHETHER LIGHT OR DARK FUR, ANIMALS IN THE WILD MUST

CONSTANTLY CONTEND WITH A BOMBARDMENT OF BUGS, SO THEY

ALL HAVE THEIR OWN STRATEGIES OF HOW TO REPEL THEM.

SOME LICK.

SOME SCRATCH.

SOME HIDE.

BUT THERE'S ONE ANIMAL WHO USES STYLE TO KEEP THE BUGS

AT BAY, ZEBRAS.

THEIR STRIPED HIDE WORKS LIKE A NATURAL INSECT

REPELLANT, CONFUSING FLIES AND DISRUPTING THEIR ABILITY

TO LAND EFFECTIVELY.

BUT AMONG ALL THE STRIPES, ONE DISCREPANCY STICKS OUT,

A SMALL BLACK PATCH ON THE INSIDE OF ITS HIND LEGS.

IT'S AN AREA OF BARE AND CALLOUSED SKIN WITH A

CRUCIAL FUNCTION.

IT PROTECTS THE LEG.

THIS PATCH STOPS THE SHARP EDGES OF THE ZEBRA'S HOOF

FROM INJURING IT WHEN RESTING.

THE PAD CUSHIONS THE EXACT PLACE WHERE THE HOOF MAKES

CONTACT.

A ZEBRA'S COAT IS AS VERSATILE AS IT IS UNIQUE.

ELSEWHERE IN THE SAVANNAH, THERE'S TROUBLE BREWING.

FOR THIS ELEPHANT, ITS ODD STANCE AND BEHAVIOR IS

CAUSED BY SUDDEN DISCOMFORT.

TO TRY TO EASE THE PAIN, IT STRETCHES OUT ON ITS SIDE,

WHICH IS AN UNUSUAL SIGHT FOR THESE HEFTY HERBIVORES.

THIS YOUNG ELEPHANT HAS GOTTEN THE MESSAGE.

HE CAN SEE THAT HIS MOTHER IS NOT DOING WELL AND JUMPS

INTO ACTION.

THE LOYALTY AND CONNECTION BETWEEN ELEPHANTS IS ON FULL

DISPLAY WITH THIS ATTEMPTED TREATMENT.

IT'S HARD TO TELL IF THIS IS SERIOUS OR IF THE MOTHER IS

IN DANGER.

LUCKILY, THE ARRIVAL OF THE HERD'S MATRIARCH WILL GIVE

US THE ANSWER.

LIKE A DOCTOR, SHE MAKES HER DIAGNOSIS QUICKLY,

UNDERSTANDING THE NOISES HER FRIEND IS MAKING.

THE PROBLEM, A BELLYACHE, AND A BIG ONE.

THE MATRIARCH ENJOYS A LITTLE SNACK WHILE HER

PATIENT RESTS.

LOOKS LIKE THE COAST IS CLEAR, AND THE FEMALE IS

BACK ON HER FEET, MUCH TO THE PLEASURE OF HER CALF.

AND THERE'S NO BETTER WAY TO RECOVERY THAN ENJOYING SOME

COMFORT FOOD.

WHEN WE COME BACK, THIS AFRICAN NATIVE HAS TO GUZZLE

GALLONS TO QUENCH ITS THIRST.

AND A HORNED HULK THAT "NOSE" ALL ABOUT PROTECTION.

PLUS, NO TREAT IS OUT OF REACH FOR THIS GRAZING

GIANT.

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

.

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

DYLAN: AFRICAN ELEPHANTS MAY HAVE THE BIGGEST APPETITE ON

LAND, AND THEIR THIRST IS NOT SO EASILY QUENCHED,

EITHER.

CONTRARY TO ITS LOOK, THE TRUNK DOES NOT ACT AS A

STRAW.

INSTEAD, IT'S AN EASY WAY TO COLLECT AND SPRAY WATER INTO

THE ELEPHANT'S MOUTH.

A SINGLE TRUNKFUL CAN CARRY MULTIPLE GALLONS OF WATER.

THAT'S SOME SERIOUSLY HEAVYWEIGHT HYDRATION.

THIRST TAKEN CARE OF, IT'S BACK TO THEIR FAVORITE

PASTIME, GRAZING.

THIS HERD IS HARD AT WORK GRABBING LEAVES FROM THE

HIGH BRANCHES IN THIS TREE.

AS THEY MUNCH, THEIR POWERFUL EARS ACT AS A

COOLING SYSTEM FOR THEM.

AROUND THE BACKSIDE OF THE ELEPHANT, THEIR TAIL IS AN

EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR SWATTING AWAY ANY UNWANTED

PESTS OR BIRDS.

BUT OF COURSE, EVERY APPENDAGE PALES IN

COMPARISON TO THE MOST VERSATILE OF ALL, THE TRUNK.

INCREDIBLY MOBILE AND ACCURATE, TRUNKS CAN ACT AS

A SNORKEL, ARM, AND FLYSWATTER AT ANY GIVEN

MOMENT.

THE DEXTERITY WITH WHICH THEY CAN GRAB AND PICK OUT

FOOD WITH THEIR TRUNK IS UNMATCHED AMONG ITS FELLOW

ANIMAL CITIZENS OF THE SAVANNAH, BUT THERE ARE MORE

HIDDEN ATTRIBUTES OF THE ELEPHANT'S MAKEUP.

THEIR SKIN HAS NO SWEAT GLANDS, MAKING IT

UNATTRACTIVE TO MANY PESTS, LIKE TICKS.

HOWEVER, THAT DOESN'T MEAN A GOOD DUST BATH GOES TO WASTE.

IT CAN HELP DETRACT MITES AND OTHER TINY INSECTS.

SO IN THIS CASE, THE DIRTIER, THE BETTER.

WHILE ELEPHANTS ARE ONE OF THE WILD'S MOST WELL-KNOWN

ANIMALS, THEY OFTEN RAISE THE MOST QUESTIONS.

FOR EXAMPLE, IF THEY HAVE NO SWEAT GLANDS, WHAT'S THAT

LIQUID WE SEE TRICKLING BETWEEN THE EYE AND THE EAR?

IT'S FROM THE ELEPHANT'S TEMPORAL GLAND.

ON FEMALES, OR THE YOUNG, IT'S SIMPLY CAUSED BY A

STATE OF STRESS OR EXCITEMENT.

BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE MATURE MALES, IT MEANS THEY

ARE IN A PERIOD KNOWN AS MUSTH.

MUSTH IS A CONDITION IN MALE ELEPHANTS THAT SEES A

MASSIVE INCREASE IN THEIR REPRODUCTIVE HORMONES...

...A TIME WHEN OTHER ANIMALS KNOW THEY MUST BE CAREFUL.

THEIR TESTOSTERONE LEVELS CAN REACH MORE THAN 60 TIMES

THE USUAL AMOUNT, AND USUALLY, THAT MEANS SOME

HIGHLY AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR.

THIS BULL CAN SENSE IT IN HIS COMPATRIOT AND PREFERS

TO AVOID CONTACT ALTOGETHER.

WHEN IN THIS MOOD, AN ELEPHANT CAN CHASE OFF ALL

THE MALES IN THE VICINITY TO BE ALONE WITH THE FEMALES.

BUT STRANGELY, THIS PHENOMENON IS NOT ENTIRELY

LINKED TO REPRODUCTION.

MALES CAN MATE PERFECTLY WELL WITHOUT EVER GOING INTO

THIS MUSTH STATE, SO ITS TRUE REASON REMAINS A TRUE

MYSTERY.

JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF NATURE'S ABILITY TO KEEP US

GUESSING.

UP NEXT, THESE BIG BEAUTIES ARE BULKING UP IN THE

GRASSLANDS, AND WE'LL MEET THE LIVING, BREATHING

SKYSCRAPER OF THE SAVANNAH WHEN "EARTH ODYSSEY"

RETURNS.

.

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

DYLAN: WHILE THEY ALL MAY HAVE A SIMILAR PENCHANT FOR

PLANTS IN THEIR DIET, HERBIVORES ARE AN INCREDIBLY

DIVERSE GROUP OF ANIMALS, AND FOR MANY, IT'S THEIR

SHAPE THAT HELPS THEM STAND OUT.

FEW ARE MORE RECOGNIZABLE AND REVERED FOR THEIR BUILD

THAN THE WHITE RHINOCEROS.

THEIR IMPRESSIVE HORNS IMMEDIATELY CATCH THE EYE,

BUT A STRONG BODY AND SQUARED LIPS GIVE A POWERFUL

PROFILE FOR THESE GENTLE GIANTS OF AFRICA.

TAKE A LOOK.

ELEPHANTS AREN'T THE ONLY HEAVYWEIGHT HERBIVORES

ROAMING THE WILD.

THESE WHITE RHINOS ARE AN IMPRESSIVE ADDITION TO THE

VEGGIE GROUP.

THEY TRAVEL IN SMALL GROUPS CALLED A CRASH, AND YOU'D

CERTAINLY WANT TO AVOID CRASHING INTO ANY OF THESE

WANDERING HULKS.

HERE ARE THREE FEMALES AND ONE OF THEIR YOUNG.

LIKE MOST MOTHERS IN THE WILD, THEY'RE VERY

PROTECTIVE OF THEIR YOUNG, EVEN IF IT MEANS STEPPING IN

FRONT OF THE ONLY ANIMAL BIGGER THAN THEM IN THE

SAVANNAH...

...THE ELEPHANT.

THE RHINOS HAVE THEIR HORNS.

THE ELEPHANT, ITS SIZE, BUT A BATTLE BETWEEN THEM WOULD

BE BAD FOR ALL PARTIES CONCERNED.

ALTHOUGH RARE, ELEPHANTS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO GO AFTER

RHINOS, SO THIS GROUP IS TREADING CAREFULLY.

[ELEPHANT GRUNTING]

LOOKS LIKE A SMART MOVE.

LESS CONCERNED WITH A COSTLY CONFRONTATION, THIS

WILDEBEEST IS ENJOYING A NICE MUD BATH.

ALSO KNOWN AS BRINDLED GNUS, THESE HERD-BASED HERBIVORES

USE THE MUD FOR TWO MAIN REASONS, ONE, TO CALM ITS

ITCHING, AND TWO, TO CLEAN ITSELF.

THESE DIRT RUBDOWNS ARE A COMMON SIGHT AMONG ANIMALS,

EVEN AMONG BIRDS.

THIS TURACO IS DIVING HEADFIRST INTO THE DUST.

BUFFALOES ARE ALSO BIG FANS OF MUD BATHS.

THEY'RE ONE OF THE ANIMALS IRRITATED MOST BY PESTS, BUT

THE MUD CREATES A SHORT OF SHELL TO PROTECT THEM.

THAT'S WHY BUFFALOES ARE NEVER AFRAID TO DO THE DIRTY

WORK WHEN IT COMES TO KEEPING CLEAN.

[BUFFALO GROANING]

AFTER THE BREAK, FEEDING FOR THIS

HIGH-CLASS HERBIVORE IS A TALL ORDER.

WE'VE GOT A WHOLE LOT MORE RIGHT HERE ON "EARTH

ODYSSEY".

.

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

DYLAN: EACH FAMILY OF ANIMALS IS TIED TOGETHER BY

COMMON TRAITS THAT MAKE THEM UNIQUE, SETTING THEM APART

FROM OTHER ANIMALS.

LET'S USE THE GREAT FAMILY OF BOVIDAE AS AN EXAMPLE.

THERE'S THE BUFFALO AND THE ANTELOPES, 75 SPECIES IN

ALL, VARYING IN SHAPE, SIZE, AND COLOR.

BUT WHAT DO THEY HAVE IN COMMON?

TO START, THEY HAVE TWO-TOED HOOVES.

THERE'S HORNS ON ALL THE MALES, AND EVERY ONE OF THEM

IS ON THE MENU OF THEIR CARNIVOROUS CO-INHABITANTS.

BUT EVEN WITH THEIR SIMILARITIES, EACH SPECIES

IS ORGANIZED DIFFERENTLY, CHOOSING EITHER TO LIVE IN

GROUP OR ALONE.

IT'S ALMOST HALF-AND-HALF.

FORTY-THREE SPECIES LIVE IN COMMUNITIES, WHILE 32 OF

THEM KEEP TO THEMSELVES.

BUFFALOES CERTAINLY PREFER THE FORMER.

FOR THEM, LIVING IN GROUPS IS A KEY TO THEIR SURVIVAL

STRATEGY.

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO KEEP OUT OF SIGHT,

ESPECIALLY AS THEY HAVE TO KEEP MOVING DUE TO THEIR

MASSIVE APPETITE.

AT ANY MOMENT, THEY COULD COME UPON A PREDATOR ON THE

PROWL.

SO HOW DO THEY PREPARE FOR THIS?

THEY LIVE IN GROUPS, WHICH TURNS OUT TO BE AN EFFECTIVE

STRATEGY.

THEIR NUMBER AND THEIR MASS CAN BE A STRONG DETERRENT

FOR ANY PREDATOR, ESPECIALLY IN THIS HERD, WHERE EVERY

ANIMAL IS KEEPING WATCH FOR EACH OTHER.

IN A HERD OF SEVERAL HUNDRED MEMBERS LIKE THIS ONE, THE

RISK OF BEING A PREDATOR'S NEXT VICTIM IS DEFINITELY

LESS OF A WORRY.

WHILE THE BUFFALO MAKE UP A STABLE AND TIGHT-KNIT GROUP,

GIRAFFES ARE A DIFFERENT STORY ENTIRELY.

IN GENERAL, THEY ARE PHYSICALLY AND SOCIALLY

APART FROM ONE ANOTHER.

YET THEY ARE A GREGARIOUS ANIMAL THAT ENJOYS THE

COMPANY OF OTHERS, BUT GIRAFFES NEVER STAY WITH THE

SAME INDIVIDUALS FOR LONG.

GROUPS FORM AND BREAKUP WITH NO LOVE LOST.

THEY'RE INFORMAL, OPEN TO ALL, AND THERE'S NOT ANY

SINGLE LEADER.

AS FOR THE INDIVIDUALS THEMSELVES, THEY HAVE A FEW

SURPRISES HIDDEN UP THEIR VERY LONG SLEEVES.

FOR EXAMPLE, GIRAFFES ARE WHAT'S CALLED RUMINANT,

MEANING THEY CAN GET NUTRIENTS BY FERMENTING FOOD

IN THEIR STOMACHS...

...OR HOW ABOUT THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE CLOVEN HOOVES

LIKE GAZELLES OR GOATS?

ANOTHER INTERESTING FACT IS THAT THE MALE'S COAT DARKENS

WITH AGE, WHILE THE FEMALE'S DON'T.

HOWEVER, WHAT TRULY SETS GIRAFFES APART IS THEIR

IMPRESSIVE REACH.

SOME AS TALL AS 18 FEET, THEY'RE MASTERS OF PICKING

THEIR FOOD FROM THE TOP SHELF.

ADDING SOME EXTRA REACH THEIR NEARLY TWO-FOOT-LONG

TONGUES, THESE GRAZERS CAN FEED WHERE NO ONE ELSE CAN.

GORGEOUS, BUT A BIG GAWKY.

ODD, BUT UNDOUBTEDLY AWE-INSPIRING.

THE GIRAFFE IS AN ANIMAL THAT TOWERS OVER THE AFRICAN

LANDSCAPE AS A TRULY HIGH-CLASS HERBIVORE.

THERE ARE CONSTANT DANGERS FOR OUR PLANET'S WILD VEGETARIANS.

FROM PREDATORS TO LIMITED RESOURCES, HERBIVORES NEED

TO KNOW HOW TO COMBAT ANY CHALLENGES THROWN AT THEM,

BUT THEIR VERSATILITY AND UNIQUE BRAND OF SURVIVAL

HAVE CREATED A MAJESTIC GROUP OF CREATURES THAT ARE

STUNNING IN LOOK AS WELL AS BEHAVIOR.

WE'RE SO GLAD YOU COULD COME ALONG TODAY AND HOPE YOU'LL

JOIN US NEXT TIME ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]