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.

GET READY TO EMBARK ON AN EXCITING EXPEDITION

ON EARTH ODYSSEY.

TODAY, WE'RE TAKING A TRIP AROUND THE WORLD TO SEE

THE WILD'S MOST ADORABLE ADOLESCENT ANIMALS.

LIKE THESE BIG CAT KIDS THAT ARE BORN WITH AN

UNMISTAKABLE SPOTTED STYLE.

AND SOME NOBLE NEWBORNS IN TRAINING TO BE THE NEXT KINGS

AND QUEENS OF THE JUNGLE.

LATER, WE'LL MEET SOME YOUNG BUCKS WHO LOVE TO

SHOW OFF THEIR STRENGTH.

BUT FIRST, WE HEAD TO THE AFRICAN SAVANNAH WHERE GIVING

BIRTH TO THESE IMPRESSIVE INFANTS IS A TALL ORDER.

ALL THIS COMING UP ON EARTH ODYSSEY.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: IN EARTH'S WILD ENVIRONMENTS, A TAPESTRY OF LIFE

UNFOLDS WITH EACH PASSING DAY.

AND THERE'S NO SIGNAL OF CHANGE QUITE LIKE THE

ARRIVAL OF A NEW GENERATION.

THESE NEWBORN CREATURES REVIVE THE SPIRIT AND WONDER OF NATURE,

SHOWING THE RESILIENCE AND STRENGTH IT TAKES TO SURVIVE.

THOUGH NOT EVERY NEWCOMER IS A TINY BUNDLE OF JOY.

FOR NATURE'S BIGGEST ANIMALS, THEIR LARGER THAN LIFE

REPUTATION STARTS FROM DAY ONE.

THE EXCITEMENT IS PALPABLE IN THIS NATURAL NEIGHBORHOOD

AS A NEW ARRIVAL HAS JUST BEEN ANNOUNCED.

A BABY GIRAFFE.

AS NEWBORNS GO, IT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST IMAGINABLE.

AT BIRTH, THIS LITTLE ONE WAS ALREADY ALMOST SEVEN

FEET TALL AND 150 POUNDS.

ITS ENTRANCE INTO THE WORLD IS RATHER DRAMATIC.

GIRAFFES GIVE BIRTH STANDING UP SO THE BABY DROPS ALMOST

SIX FEET TO THE GROUND.

LUCKILY, IT'S ON ITS FEET FAST, ABLE TO STAND AFTER JUST A

FEW MINUTES AND ENJOY SOME MILK FROM MOM WITHIN AN HOUR.

A GIRAFFE'S MILK IS VERY NUTRITIOUS, SO FEEDING

TIMES CAN BE SPACED OUT, WHICH ALLOWS MOM A NICE

BREAK FROM TIME TO TIME AND THE FREEDOM

DOESN'T GO UNAPPRECIATED.

MOM WILL TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE BREAK TO GET A DRINK OF HER

OWN.

YET IN THESE EARLY DAYS, MOM HAS ONLY ONE SIMPLE RULE.

NEVER BE MORE THAN 100 FEET AWAY FROM HER BABY.

MOTHERS MOVE AWAY FROM OTHER GIRAFFES WHEN THEY

ARE ABOUT TO GIVE BIRTH.

A PECULIAR CHOICE CONSIDERING THIS IS THE MOST VULNERABLE

TIME FOR BOTH MOTHER AND CHILD IN THE WILD.

BUT THEY MANAGE QUITE WELL, ABLE TO OBSERVE THEIR SURROUNDINGS

WITH EXPERT PRECISION, THANKS TO THEIR UNMATCHED HEIGHT.

LIONS AND HYENAS ARE A CONSIDERABLE THREAT

FOR THE LITTLE ONE, SO MAINTAINING A WATCHFUL EYE

IS CRUCIAL IN THE FIRST MONTH OF THE YOUNG GIRAFFE'S LIFE.

ONCE THEY'VE REACHED THAT MARK, MOM CAN RELAX HER CONSTANT

WATCHING, JUST A LITTLE.

AT THE VERY LEAST, SHE ALLOWS HER YOUNG TO VENTURE FARTHER

AWAY WHILE MOM FORAGES.

THE GIRAFFE CALF TAKES FULL ADVANTAGE OF THIS, WANDERING

SEVERAL HUNDRED YARDS AWAY TO EXPLORE ITS NEW HOME.

IT'S STILL A RISKY SITUATION, SO IF GIVEN THE

OPPORTUNITY, GIRAFFES WILL GET CLOSER TO OTHER FEMALES

WHO ALSO HAVE NEWBORNS.

YOUNG GIRAFFES ARE NEARLY EXACT COPIES OF ADULTS

WITH ONLY TWO DIFFERENCES.

SIZE, OF COURSE, AND THE RUFFLED TUFT OF HAIR THEY

HAVE AT THE TOP OF THEIR HORNS.

THESE HORNS WERE ALREADY PART OF THE GIRAFFE'S BUILD AT

THE EMBRYO STAGE, WHICH IS EXTREMELY UNIQUE IN MAMMALS.

BABY GIRAFFES HAVE A NATURAL TENDENCY TO MINGLE

WITH KIDS THEIR OWN AGE, SO A KIND OF NATURAL

NURSERY COMES INTO BEING, WHICH ALLOWS MOTHERS A BIT

MORE FREEDOM WHILE THE PROTECTION DUTIES ARE SHARED.

IT'S A TEAM EFFORT AMONG GIRAFFES TO ENSURE THEIR YOUNG

ONES WILL ONE DAY GROW TO BE THE WORLD'S TALLEST MAMMALS.

COMING UP, IT'S EASY TO SPOT THIS FURRY FAMILY WHEN

THEY'RE OUT ON THE PROWL,

AND WE'LL MEET SOME PINT-SIZED PREDATORS PRACTICING THEIR

SKILLS.

PLUS, THESE GAZELLES ARE GATHERING TO WELCOME IN

THEIR NEWEST ARRIVAL WHEN EARTH ODYSSEY RETURNS.

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: STYLE IS AN IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTE IN THE WILD.

EACH UNIQUE COAT AND COLOR SCHEME PLAYS AN

INTEGRAL ROLE IN SURVIVAL, AND FEW ARE MORE EYE-CATCHING

THAN THAT OF THE LEOPARD, THOUGH YOU'D BE HARD-PRESSED

TO SPOT THEM.

LEOPARDS PREFER A SOLITARY LIFESTYLE AND ARE EXPERTS

AT STAYING INCOGNITO.

AND IF THEY HAVE ONE WEAKNESS, IT'S THIS.

THEY'RE YOUNG.

ADOLESCENT LEOPARDS ARE EXTREMELY VULNERABLE.

THEY SPEND THE FIRST FEW WEEKS OF THEIR LIFE IN A CAREFULLY

CHOSEN HAVEN UNDER CONSTANT SUPERVISION FROM THEIR MOTHER.

LIONS AND HYENAS POSE A CONSTANT THREAT, SO AVOIDING ATTENTION

IS CRUCIAL TO THEIR SURVIVAL, EVEN AS FORMIDABLE

PREDATORS THEMSELVES.

AND WHEN THE TIME COMES TO RUN AND HIDE, LEOPARDS ARE

MASTERS OF THE DISAPPEARING ACT.

IN SEARCH OF ITS MOTHER, THIS YOUNG IMPALA HAS

MOVED AWAY FROM THE GROUP.

WITH NO MILK ON TAP, IT IS ALREADY QUITE INTERESTED

IN THE TASTE OF THE LEAVES AND GRASSES THAT WILL BE

THEIR DIET AS AN ADULT.

BUT FORAGING FOR THEMSELVES COMES AT FOUR AND A HALF MONTHS,

SO WITHOUT MILK FROM ITS MOTHER, THIS LITTLE

IMPALA WON'T SURVIVE.

LUCKILY, THE HERD ISN'T FAR AWAY.

TIME TO GO BACK AND JOIN THE OTHERS.

THIS LITTLE IMPALA CAN'T GET DISCOURAGED BECAUSE

SOMEWHERE AMONG THE THRONG OF THESE INCREDIBLE

ANIMALS, ITS MOTHER AWAITS.

BEFORE LONG, THEY ARE REUNITED, AND THE BABY CAN FEAST ON THE

MILK THAT IT'S BEEN CRAVING.

WE'VE FOUND THE LEOPARD CUBS AGAIN, AND THEY'RE GETTING

AN EDUCATION OF THEIR OWN.

THEIR MOTHER WATCHES OVER THEM FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR TO

ENSURE THEY DEVELOP THE TOOLS AND TRAITS TO SURVIVE.

SHE'LL MAKE SURE THEY CAN HUNT AND FEED THEMSELVES

BEFORE LEAVING THEM.

ONE REASON THIS SPECIES THRIVES IS THE WIDE

VARIETY OF FOOD THEY EAT.

BUT FOR NOW, THIS CUB STILL PREFERS ITS MOTHER'S MILK.

BUT A PRACTICE HUNT IS NEVER A BAD IDEA.

SURPRISE!

LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE ELSE HAD A HUNT OF THEIR OWN IN MIND.

WHILE MOM EATS, IT'S THE PERFECT TIME TO PLAY.

GETTING THEMSELVES READY FOR A LIFE OF HUNTING,

BREEDING, AND THRIVING ON THEIR OWN IN THE WILD.

WHEN WE COME BACK, THEY MAY LOOK CUTE AND CUDDLY, BUT YOU

WOULDN'T WANT TO TUSSLE WITH THESE CARNIVOROUS KITTENS.

LATER, WE'LL DROP IN ON ONE OF THE BIGGEST NEWBORN

NURSERIES IN THE WILD.

ALL THIS, NEXT, ON EARTH ODYSSEY.

.

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

DYLAN: ACROSS THE WORLD, WHETHER A WOLF IN NORTH AMERICA

OR A LION IN THE SAVANNA, EARTH'S PREDATORS HAVE A

PRETTY DEADLY REPUTATION.

THOUGH IT'S NO SURPRISE WHY.

THEIR ENTIRE EXISTENCE RELIES ON THE ABILITY TO HUNT

AND PREY ON OTHER ANIMALS.

YET THIS NECESSARY ROUGHNESS OFTEN MAKES US FORGET

THAT THERE ARE THREATS AND DANGERS FOR EVEN THE MOST

COLOSSAL OF CARNIVORES.

PROTECTION, SHELTER, AND DEFENSIVE TACTICS MUST BE

PART OF THEIR REPERTOIRE, BECAUSE IN THE WILD, EVEN

PREDATORS HAVE PREDATORS.

SHAPE AND SIZE MAY BE THE EASIEST WAY TO

DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN ANIMALS, BUT FOR SOME,

IT'S ALL ABOUT COLOR.

THIS SPOTTED PATTERN IS A FORM OF CAMOUFLAGE, HELPING

THEM HIDE AMONGST THE FLORA AS THEY STALK THEIR PREY.

HOWEVER, EVEN PREDATORS CAN BE THE ONES WHO ARE HUNTED.

LEOPARD CUBS CAN FALL PREY TO HYENAS AND EVEN LIONS.

SO BEING ABLE TO BLEND IN IS A KEY ASPECT TO THEIR SURVIVAL,

BOTH IN HUNTING AND HIDING.

FOR HYENA CUBS, THE DANGER IS A LITTLE CLOSER TO HOME.

OCCASIONALLY, THE ROUGH AND TUMBLE BETWEEN

SIBLINGS CAN GO TOO FAR.

LUCKILY, MOM IS RIGHT THERE TO SETTLE THE ARGUMENT.

HOWEVER, AMONG THESE IMPRESSIVE YOUNG PREDATORS, IT'S THE LION

CUBS THAT HAVE THE TOUGHEST HILL TO CLIMB.

THE WEAKEST OF THE LITTER HAVE TROUBLE FINDING FOOD,

SO HUNGER IS ALWAYS A RISK.

OTHERS DON'T GET ALONG WITH THE PRIDE'S DOMINANT MALE, WHICH

MAKES FOR A TESTY RELATIONSHIP.

HOWEVER, LION CUBS SHOW A GREAT DEAL OF RESILIENCE, SURVIVING

THROUGH CHANGES IN CLIMATE, RESOURCES, AND THREATS

FROM FELLOW ANIMALS, AND DOING ALL OF THIS TOGETHER.

THESE SIX CUBS ARE ALL PART OF THE SAME LITTER.

HOWEVER, MOM CAN ONLY FEED FOUR AT A TIME, SO PATIENCE

AND ORGANIZATION IS A LESSON LEARNED EARLY IN THIS FAMILY.

EACH MUST WAIT THEIR TURN, WHICH THEY'RE PRETTY GOOD AT.

LION MOTHERS GIVE BIRTH AFTER AROUND 110 DAYS OF PREGNANCY.

EACH CUB WEIGHS A MINUTE THREE POUNDS AT BIRTH, BUT

WILL GROW TO MORE THAN 100 TIMES THAT WEIGHT AS ADULTS.

THESE FRISKY FELINES ENJOY THEIR YOUTH, USING THEIR

LITTER MATES AS THE PERFECT TRAINING PARTNERS TO

LEARN THE WAYS OF THE WILD.

UNDER THEIR MOTHER'S WATCHFUL GAZE, THEY'LL LEARN AND

DEVELOP, ABLE TO START JOINING THE HUNT AT ABOUT A YEAR OLD.

BUT FOR NOW, AT ONLY A FEW MONTHS OLD, ANY PASSING

PREY FALLS UNDER THE "LOOK, DON'T TOUCH" CATEGORY.

FOR WARTHOGS, HIDING ISN'T THEIR FORTE, SO THEY

KEEP EXTREMELY MOBILE.

WHEN IT'S TIME TO MOVE OUT, MOM DOESN'T HAVE TO WORRY TOO

MUCH ABOUT THEM FALLING BEHIND.

INSTINCTIVELY, YOUNG WARTHOGS WILL FOLLOW THEIR MOTHER

CLOSELY IN TIGHT FORMATION.

THIS REGIMENTED GAME OF "FOLLOW THE LEADER" MAKES

SURE NO PIGLET IS LEFT BEHIND.

SPENDING SO MUCH TIME WITH ONE ANOTHER, IT'S NO

SURPRISE THAT A TUSSLE BREAKS OUT EVERY NOW AND THEN.

HOWEVER, THIS PLAY FIGHTING IS AS IMPORTANT AS ANY

OTHER EARLY EDUCATION, TO ENSURE THAT THEY CAN LOOK

AFTER THEMSELVES WHEN MAKING THEIR OWN WAY IN THE WILD.

WARTHOGS, LIKE THESE, ARE A PARTICULAR FAVORITE OF LIONS,

SO MOM AND DAD MUST TAKE EXTRA CAUTION WITH THEIR OWN

LITTLE ONES RUNNING AROUND.

LUCKILY, THESE PINT-SIZED PIGS ARE FAST AND NIMBLE,

GIVING THEM AN EDGE.

WHILE AS ADULTS THEY ARE EXPERT FORAGERS, BABY WARTHOGS STILL

RELY ON THEIR MOTHER FOR MILK.

MOMS CAN HAVE UP TO EIGHT KIDS IN A SINGLE LITTER.

TALK ABOUT A FULL-TIME JOB.

BUT IN THIS FORAGING FAMILY, IT'S ONLY FOUR,

THE PERFECT NUMBER TO MAKE SURE ENOUGH LOVE, CARE, AND

OF COURSE MILK GOES AROUND.

AT FIVE MONTHS, THEY ARE ABLE TO FEED THEMSELVES ON A DIET

OF MOSTLY GRASSES, ROOTS, BERRIES, AND OTHER PLANTS.

HOWEVER, THEY'VE ALSO BEEN KNOWN TO SCAVENGE

MEAT WHEN IT'S AVAILABLE.

ALWAYS THE OPPORTUNISTS.

BUT FOR NOW, SOME NICE SHRUBS MAKE A DELICIOUS

LUNCHTIME BUFFET.

AFTER THE BREAK, WE'LL MEET THE NEWEST GENERATION OF THIS

FAST, FOUR-LEGGED FAMILY.

STICK AROUND FOR MORE EARTH ODYSSEY UP NEXT.

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: FROM THE DAY THEY'RE BORN, ANIMALS ARE CONSTANTLY

LEARNING HOW TO MAKE THE BEST OF THEIR ENVIRONMENT.

SOMETIMES IT CAN BE AS SIMPLE AS KNOWING WHEN TO RELAX.

IMPALAS ARE KEEN TIMEKEEPERS AND WAIT UNTIL TWO HOURS

BEFORE THE SUN GOES DOWN BEFORE THEY GET ACTIVE AGAIN.

THE BABY IMPALAS ARE TRYING OUT THEIR MOBILITY

FOR THE FIRST TIME.

THE LITTLE GAZELLES CAN STAND FOR BARELY TEN

MINUTES AFTER THEY'RE BORN.

AS SOON AS THEY ARE TWO DAYS OLD, THEY HAVE TO BE

ABLE TO FOLLOW THE GROUP.

THIS IMPRESSIVE CLAN OF ABOUT 100 IMPALAS IS LARGELY DOMINATED

BY THE FEMALES AND THEIR YOUNG.

BUT A FEW YOUNG, UNATTACHED MALES LIVE ALONGSIDE THEM.

THEY'RE EASILY RECOGNIZED BECAUSE WITH IMPALAS,

ONLY THE MALES HAVE HORNS.

AND THEY USE THEM.

THESE YOUNG MALES, WHO ARE CONFRONTING EACH OTHER

ALL THE TIME, SOMETIMES SERIOUSLY, SOMETIMES NOT,

ARE ALREADY CAPABLE OF REPRODUCING, BUT THEY HAVE TO

WAIT UNTIL THEY'RE FOUR YEARS OLD BEFORE IT'S THEIR TURN.

AFTER MATING, THE FEMALES CARRY THEIR YOUNG FOR ABOUT 200 DAYS.

AT THE END OF THIS LONG PREGNANCY, ALL THESE

VIGOROUS AND WELL-BEHAVED BABIES ARRIVE ALL AT ONCE.

THE MOST STRIKING TRAIT OF IMPALAS, WHATEVER THEIR AGE, IS

THE CONDITION OF THEIR COATS.

NEARLY ALWAYS PERFECTLY CLEAN, PERFECTLY SMOOTH.

IT IS BOTH A SIGN OF GOOD HEALTH AND THE GUARANTEE OF

GOOD CONDITION IN GENERAL.

THIS IS THE RESULT OF SEVERAL PARTICULAR THINGS.

NOT ONLY IS THE IMPALA THE SMALLEST MAMMAL TO WELCOME THE

ASSISTANCE OF THE OXPECKERS, BUT EVEN THE YOUNGEST OF THEM

ACCEPT THIS INVALUABLE HELP.

THEY SOMETIMES GET A BIT MUCH, BUT ARE VERY USEFUL

IN GETTING RID OF TICKS.

IN FACT, THE IMPALA IS THE ONLY MAMMAL TO

PRACTICE MUTUAL DELOUSING.

THIS RITUAL CAN BE OBSERVED IN BOTH MALES AND FEMALES,

AS WELL AS THE YOUNG IMPALAS.

IT'S THE ONLY TIME THEY ALLOW ONE OF THEIR FELLOW CREATURES

TO COME CLOSER THAN SIX FEET.

THIS MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL RELATIONSHIP IS A BEAUTIFUL

SYMBOL OF COMMUNITY IN THE WILD.

AND AN IMPORTANT REMINDER THAT WHEN IT COMES

TO SURVIVAL SKILLS, THESE ANIMAL BABIES ARE

NEVER TOO YOUNG TO LEARN.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY ON OUR EXCURSION INTO THE WILD.

WHILE EVERY ENVIRONMENT MAY HAVE ITS OWN UNIQUE

COLLECTION OF CREATURES, ONE THING THAT TIES THEM

ALL TOGETHER IS DIVERSITY.

FROM EXOTIC BIRDS TO MASSIVE MAMMALS, SCALY REPTILES

TO SHELL-BOUND CRUSTACEANS, ALL ARE MASTERS OF

NAVIGATING THE WILD AS ONE GIANT ANIMAL KINGDOM.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME FOR ANOTHER EPISODE

OF EARTH ODYSSEY.

[MUSIC]