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.

IT'S TIME FOR A JOURNEY INTO THE WILD TO SEE SOME OF THE PLANET'S

MOST INCREDIBLE ANIMALS.

THIS IS "EARTH ODYSSEY".

TODAY, WE'RE SCOURING THE GLOBE FOR SOME OF THE MOST

EYE-CATCHING AND UNIQUE LOOKS IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM, LIKE THESE

BLACK-AND-WHITE BEAUTIES THAT ARE AN AFRICAN CLASSIC.

AND FIND OUT WHAT'S GOT THIS ISLAND INHABITANT DIGGING SO

DILIGENTLY.

LATER, WE'LL SIZE UP SOME LANKY AVIAN LOCALS.

BUT FIRST, WE'RE GETTING UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH A

PREDATOR THAT'S GOT A PREHISTORIC STYLE.

ALL OF THIS IS NEXT ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: LEARNING THE WAYS OF THE WILD IS AN EDUCATION PASSED DOWN

THROUGH THE GENERATIONS OF EVERY ANIMAL.

OVER HUNDREDS, EVEN THOUSANDS OF YEARS, EACH SPECIES HAS

DEVELOPED HIGHLY SPECIALIZED SKILLS AND TRAITS TO EFFECTIVELY

ADAPT TO THEIR ENVIRONMENT.

BUT ALONG THE RIVERBANKS OF AFRICA, THERE'S ONE RAZOR-SHARP

REPTILE WHOSE STATUS AS AN ELITE APEX PREDATOR HAS BEEN MORE THAN

90 MILLION YEARS IN THE MAKING.

BEING ONE OF THE EARTH'S OLDEST AND MOST LETHAL HUNTERS DOESN'T

MEAN THE NILE CROCODILE IS FEARED BY ALL.

THIS RIVER IS HOME TO AN ODDLY PEACEFUL PAIR OF SPECIES, THE

CROC, OF COURSE, AND HIPPOS.

THE HIPPOS GRAZE THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT, EACH DEVOURING UP TO 200

POUNDS OF GRASS.

BUT THE DAY IS SPENT SOAKING IN THE WATER, COOLING THEIR THIN

SKIN THAT IS PRONE TO DEHYDRATION.

[HIPPOS GRUNTING]

THE HIPPO IS AN ANIMAL UNLIKE ANY OTHER IN ITS MORPHOLOGY, ITS

AMPHIBIOUS NATURE, BUT ALSO ITS PARADOXICAL AND STILL LARGELY

MYSTERIOUS LIFESTYLE.

IT SPENDS MOST OF ITS LIFE IN THE WATER AND IS USUALLY

SUBMERGED SO THAT ONLY A FEW OF THE HAIRS ON ITS SNOUT ARE

VISIBLE.

CROCODILES, ON THE OTHER HAND, PREFER THE OPPOSITE, RESTING ON

THE SANDY BANKS TO SOAK UP THE SUN'S RAYS, BUT WHEN HUNGER

STRIKES, IT'S INTO THE WATER THEY GO.

CROCODILES ARE BUILT FOR PURPOSE, WITH A LOOK AS UNIQUE

AS IT IS LETHAL.

THEIR POWERFUL BODIES CAN REACH NEARLY 15 FEET AND WEIGH ALMOST

1,000 POUNDS.

THEIR EYES AND NOSTRILS ARE ON THE TOP OF THEIR HEADS, SO THEY

CAN ALMOST COMPLETELY SUBMERGE THEMSELVES WHILE STALKING PREY.

[CROCODILES GRUNTING]

A CROCODILE'S SKIN IS HORNED, SET ON TOUGH BONE PLATES, GIVING

THEM THEIR DINOSAUR-ESQUE OUTWARD APPEARANCE.

BUT PERHAPS THEIR MOST DANGEROUS TRAIT IS THEIR BRAIN, BECAUSE IT

SIGNALS JUST TWO PRIORITIES, WARMING ITS BLOOD IN THE SUN AND

TO EAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

IT'S A SIMPLE TO-DO LIST, BUT A WARNING FOR ANY ANIMAL IN THEIR

WAY TO WATCH OUT.

WHEN IT'S TOO HOT OUT, CROCODILES KEEP THEIR MOUTHS

OPEN TO COOL THEIR BODY TEMPERATURE.

AFRICA'S BIGGEST REPTILE, THE NICE CROCODILE, IS A TRUE

PICTURE OF POWER AND BEAUTY IN THE AFRICAN WILD.

NOT FAR FROM THE RIVER, A PURRING PREDATOR LURKS AMONG

THE TREES, A LEOPARD.

WITH ITS MAGNIFICENT COAT AND NATURAL ELEGANCE, IS ONE OF THE

WILD'S MOST REVERED HUNTERS.

THESE ICONIC BIG CATS ARE DEFINED BY THEIR GRACE AND

AGILITY.

THE SAME CANNOT BE SAID FOR ANOTHER AFRICAN HUNTER...

...PAINTED DOGS.

THEY ROAM IN PACKS.

LIKE BARBARIANS OF THE WILD, THEY SPREAD FEAR AMONG ANIMALS

WHEREVER THEY GO.

THE REAL STRENGTH OF THESE WILD DOGS IS THE PACK.

WHILE EACH OF THESE CARNIVOROUS CANINES WEIGH ABOUT 70 POUNDS,

THEIR HUNTING SKILL AS AN INDIVIDUAL FALLS SHORT.

BUT AS A GROUP, THEY ARE SOLID, ORGANIZED, AND IN TOTAL

COOPERATION WITH ONE ANOTHER.

THE CLAN IS MADE UP OF ABOUT A DOZEN MEMBERS CENTERED AROUND A

DOMINANT MALE AND FEMALE.

LIFE IS ABOUT COLLABORATION FOR THESE PRECOCIOUS PREDATORS,

ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TIME TO PLAY.

COMING UP, WE'LL SEE HOW STANDING STILL HELPS THESE

AFRICAN EQUINES BLEND IN.

AND WE'LL MEET AN UNEXPECTED EXPERT IN BEACHSIDE BURROWING.

PLUS, FASHION EQUALS FUNCTION FOR THESE MAGNIFICENT FISHING

BIRDS WHEN "EARTH ODYSSEY" RETURNS.

.

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

DYLAN: WHEN THEY HAVE NO OBVIOUS PECULIARITY, INDIVIDUAL ANIMALS

ARE DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY AT A GLANCE.

THIS IS TRUE WITH ZEBRAS, AND YET EACH ZEBRA'S COAT IS

COMPLETELY UNIQUE.

THE STRIPES CAN BE THICK OR THIN AND ARE ALWAYS OF DIFFERENT

DESIGNS.

SOMETIMES THEY'RE EVEN SHADED, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS ONE CONSTANT.

THEY'RE ALL OVER THE BODY OF THE ZEBRA.

BUT HERE'S ONE THAT'S AN EXCEPTION TO THE RULE, ONE OF A

FEW RARE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE MISSING SOME STRIPES.

THE MARKINGS ARE CLEARLY LESSENED, IF NOT COMPLETELY

MISSING FROM THE HIND QUARTERS,

AND YET THEY BELONG TO THE SAME SPECIES AS THE OTHERS.

THEY ARE BURCHELL'S ZEBRAS, PLAINS ZEBRAS.

THEY ARE REMINISCENT OF THE QUAGGA, A SPECIES THAT'S BEEN

EXTINCT SINCE THE END OF THE 19TH CENTURY.

THE QUAGGA HAD CLEARLY DEFINED STRIPES ONLY ON THE NECK AND THE

HEAD.

FROM THERE, THEY FADED UNTIL THEY DISAPPEARED TOWARDS THE

REAR OF THE ANIMAL.

RECENT RESEARCHERS HAVE PROVEN THAT THE QUAGGA WASN'T A

DIFFERENT SPECIES, BUT A BRANCH DESCENDED FROM THE PLAINS

ZEBRAS.

IF THESE HAVE FEWER STRIPES THAN THE OTHERS, IT'S BECAUSE THEY

HAVE IN THEIR GENES THIS TRAIT IN COMMON WITH THEIR DISTANT

ANCESTOR.

THERE ARE FEW ANIMALS IN THE WILD WITH THE UNWAVERING

CONFIDENCE THAT BABOONS HAVE.

YOU CAN SEE IT IN THEIR EASE WHILE HANGING AROUND CROCODILES.

EVEN A SMALL CROCODILE LIKE THIS ONE CAN RUIN A TAIL, BUT THESE

PRIMATES RARELY TAKE NOTICE.

OCCASIONALLY, A CROC WILL GO AFTER A BABOON, BUT THE BIG

REPTILES ARE IN NO WAY RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR MORE

COMMON INJURIES.

THE MONKEYS HAVE ONLY THEMSELVES AND THEIR LOVE OF FIGHTING TO

BLAME.

[MONKEYS SCREECHING]

THEIR BATTLES ARE MORE OFTEN THAN NOT JUST SIMPLE

ROUGHHOUSING THAT THEY INDULGE IN FROM AN EARLY AGE.

WHEN THEY GROW UP, THEIR CONFRONTATIONS BECOME RATHER

MORE SPECTACULAR, SO MUCH SO, THAT YOU WONDER IF THEY'RE

REALLY JUST PLAYING.

THEIR REACTIONS MAKE IT HARD TO TELL.

THIS ONE RESPONDS WITH A SOMERSAULT, AN ODD RESPONSE TO A

BROTHERLY BRAWL.

ALTHOUGH IT MAY SEEM THAT ANIMALS IN THE WILD LIVE WITH

PREDICTABLE BEHAVIOR PATTERNS IN COMMONPLACE SITUATIONS...

...NATURE CAN STILL SURPRISE US WITH THE IMPRESSIVE MAJESTY OF

SOME EXCEPTIONAL CREATURES.

WITH THE ECCENTRICITIES AND RHYTHMS OF EACH INDIVIDUAL

ANIMAL, WE CAN ADMIRE A VAST VARIETY OF CURIOUS INSECTS AND

SEE THAT BABOONS TOO CAN GET THE HICCUPS...

...AND THAT GIRAFFES SOMETIMES SIT DOWN.

IN FACT, YOU CAN EVEN SEE THAT WHEN HYENAS ARE NOT FEEDING,

THEY ARE PLAYFULLY CELEBRATING SUNRISE.

EACH SPECIES SHOWS US THAT WHAT MAKES THE ANIMAL KINGDOM SO

WONDERFUL IS THAT THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING UNEXPECTED.

AFTER THE BREAK, WE'LL MEET AN INSECT EXCAVATOR LIVING IN THE

TROPICS AND A STORK WITH A SUPER-SIZED SNOUT.

STAY TUNED FOR MORE ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

.

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

DYLAN: THE CARIBBEAN IS HOME TO A MYRIAD OF SPECIES THAT CAN BE

FOUND NOWHERE ELSE ON EARTH.

EACH OF THESE ANIMALS IS AS ECCENTRIC AS THEY ARE RARE, WITH

BEHAVIORS AND TRAITS TO MATCH THEIR ONE-OF-A-KIND EXISTENCE,

LIKE ONE ICONIC INSECT YOU MIGHT THINK IS PART OF THE HIVE, BUT

IN THE CARIBBEAN, IT'S A CREATURE THAT PREFERS LIFE

ON ITS OWN.

THE SHORES OF THE WEST INDIES PROVIDE A BEAUTIFUL LOCALE FOR A

TRULY STUNNING COMMUNITY OF CREATURES.

WHILE THE PRESENCE OF HUMANS IN THESE SMALL ECOSYSTEMS HAS

CHANGED THE LANDSCAPE, THIS REGION IS STILL A CRUCIAL PART

OF SURVIVAL FOR SOME OF EARTH'S MOST UNIQUE SPECIES.

AND MANY ARE ONES YOU'D LEAST EXPECT.

SOMETIMES SPECIES CONSIDERED INSIGNIFICANT REVEAL THEMSELVES

TO BE THE MOST REMARKABLE...

...LIKE THIS HYMENOPTERAN.

THE HORSE GUARD WASP IS AN INSECT COMMON ON THE SHORES OF

THE CARIBBEAN AND IS EYED WITH SUSPICION, WRONGLY.

AS LARGE AS IT IS, IT IS NOT AGGRESSIVE.

SURPRISINGLY, THIS WASP IS A SOLITARY CREATURE.

UNLIKE ITS SOCIAL COUSINS, EACH WASP LIVES ITS OWN LIFE

INDEPENDENTLY ALONGSIDE OTHERS.

AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, THE FEMALES ARE CLEARLY VERY BUSY.

THEIR MISSION IS TO DIG A GALLERY IN THE HOT SAND SO THAT

THEY CAN LAY AN EGG.

BURROWING BUSILY, THE FEMALE USES HER FORELIMBS LIKE SHOVELS

TO DIG OUT THE SAND.

THIS FEARSOME HUNTER THEN RETURNS TO LEAVE PREY IN ITS

BURROW.

STILL-LIVING FLIES WILL BE FOOD FOR THE NASCENT LARVA.

ABOUT 30 SQUARE FEET OF SAND IS ENOUGH FOR THIS BURROWING WASP

TO ENSURE ITS PROGENY, BUT THE EFFORT IS IMMENSE.

ON THE LOWER COAST, THE SALT MARSHES OFFER SANCTUARY TO MANY

SHOREBIRD SPECIES.

PERFECTLY SITUATED BETWEEN THE TWO AMERICAS, THE WEST INDIES

ARE A STAGING POST FOR MIGRATORY BIRDS.

SOME STOP HERE TWICE A YEAR ON THEIR WAY TO THEIR BREEDING

GROUNDS IN THE CANADIAN ARCTIC AND ON THEIR WAY BACK TO THEIR

SOUTH AMERICAN WINTER HOMES.

OTHERS LIVE HERE ALL YEAR-ROUND OR HAVE CHOSEN THIS PLACE TO

ENSURE THEIR PROGENY.

THE WINTER PLOVER IS ONE OF THEM.

THESE BIRDS ARE NOT HERE BY CHANCE.

THE SALT MARSHES HAVE TREASURE...

...FLIES, BILLIONS OF THEM.

AND IN THE WILD, A BOUNTY LIKE THIS CAN NEVER BE TAKEN FOR

GRANTED.

WHEN WE RETURN, WE'LL MEET A BIRD WITH ONE OF THE BIGGEST

BILLS IN THE SAVANNAH.

THIS AND MORE COMING UP NEXT ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

.

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

DYLAN: WHEN SEARCHING THE WILD FOR TRULY ONE-OF-A-KIND LOOKS,

FEW PLACES HAVE AS WONDEROUS A COLLECTION AS AFRICA.

THIS MARABOU STORK IS A PRIME EXAMPLE.

MOSTLY A SCAVENGER, MARABOUS WILL EAT ALMOST ANYTHING THEY

FIND.

LIKE POSSIBLY THIS TURTLE.

NOPE, NO SOONER CAUGHT THAN REJECTED.

PROBABLY A BIT TOO COMPLICATED AS MEALS GO.

THESE BIRDS LOVE TO MAKE THE LEAST EFFORT POSSIBLE, AND ARE

ABOVE ALL, OPPORTUNISTS.

IF IT MOVES AND IT ISN'T TOO BIG, IT'S A POTENTIAL MEAL;

HOWEVER, THIS TIME, THEY WERE A LITTLE AMBITIOUS.

IT'S THE FIRST TIME THIS MONITOR LIZARD HAS BEEN THREATENED BY

THESE BIRDS.

THE MARABOUS ARE VERY PRESENT IN ALL THAT'S GOING ON IN THE

SAVANNAH.

THEY'RE CONSUMMATE ARTISTS WITH AN INCREDIBLE BEARING AND A

LITTLE BIT OF AN ILL TEMPER.

WHEN THEY'RE PERCHED, YOU'D SWEAR THEY HAD NO HEADS.

THEY CAN ALSO PLAY THE CLOWN OR AN ACROBAT.

THIS MARABOU GETS CAUGHT UP TRYING TO STEAL FROM HIS FELLOW

BIRD.

LUCKILY, HELP IS NEVER FAR AWAY.

TO AVOID THIS SORT OF MISHAP, THE GREAT WADER CAN ABANDON ITS

INTEREST IN FINDING A MEAL ON LAND AND TURN TO ITS OTHER AREA

OF EXPERTISE, FISHING.

A WHOLE COLONY OF MARABOUS HAS MOVED INTO A BRANCH OF THE RIVER

THAT IS DRYING UP.

THEY'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE

OPPORTUNITY.

THERE'S ALSO A HUGE VARIETY OF FISHING BIRDS THERE...

...ESPECIALLY STORKS OF ALL SORTS.

RARELY HAS SUCH A RANGE OF AFRICAN STORKS BEEN OBSERVED

IN A SINGLE SPOT.

APART FROM THE MARABOUS, THERE ARE BLACK STORKS WITH THEIR RED

BEAKS...

...WOOLLY-NECKED STORKS...

...AND YELLOW-BILLED STORKS.

THERE'S ALSO THE OTHER GIANT OF THE FAMILY,

THE SADDLE-BILLED STORK WITH ITS MAGNIFICENT BEAK.

AT APPROXIMATELY FIVE FEET TALL, IT'S ALMOST AS BIG AS THE

MARABOU.

DESPITE ITS DULL COLORING, THIS ONE IS ALSO A SADDLE-BILL, BUT A

YOUNG ONE THAT HASN'T YET GOT ITS ADULT BEAK OR BEAUTIFUL

PLUMAGE.

FISHING IS IN FULL SWING.

WHAT'S SURPRISING IS THAT APART FROM THE SOUNDS OF SPLASHING,

THIS SCENE HAPPENS IN COMPLETE SILENCE.

NOT ONE CRY IS HEARD.

IN FACT, ALL STORKS ARE ALMOST MUTE, UNABLE TO EMIT A SOUND

EXCEPT IN THE MATING SEASON WHEN THEY CACKLE A LITTLE.

WHEN THEY'VE EATEN ENOUGH, THESE GREAT BIRDS SIT BY BENDING THEIR

LEGS IN AN ASTONISHING WAY.

THEIR KNEES SEEM TO WORK BACKWARDS, BUT THIS IS NOT THEIR

KNEE JOINT.

IT'S THE ANKLE JOINT.

IT'S A STRANGE SPECIALTY THAT MAKES THESE BIRDS ANOTHER UNIQUE

ADDITION TO AN EVER-SURPRISING WILD.

WHEN IT COMES TO SURVIVING IN THE WILD, BEING BIZARRE CAN BE

AN ADVANTAGE IN ANY ENVIRONMENT.

THE STRANGEST CREATURES AND STRANGEST HABITS ARE OFTEN THOSE

THAT ARE BEST SUITED TO THEIR SURROUNDINGS, ADAPTING OVER TIME

TO THRIVE UNLIKE ANY OTHER ANIMALS ON THE PLANET.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING OUR ADVENTURE TO SEE THE WEIRD AND

WONDERFUL.

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU AGAIN FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF "EARTH

ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]