- 4 days ago
David Attenborough explores how animals rely on sound to hunt, escape, and fend off deadly predators as he follows great grey owls, kangaroo rats, and others fighting to survive in the wild...
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AnimalsTranscript
00:11The natural world is filled with sound.
00:23But so far, we've been hearing only part of it.
00:29The most advanced audio technology can now record sounds that we can't even hear.
00:47For some animals, sound is the key to survival.
00:54They use sound to hunt...
01:00...and escape.
01:09Sound can make a difference between life and death.
01:19It's time to open your ears to life as you've never heard it before.
01:32To get your Listener.
01:33In words in words in Stiller.
01:47They sense the food that pertinent to death.
01:49The people by being lost in the world areotions that also requested.
01:49Tony Macubble records ...
02:09Dawn on the African savanna.
02:24It's the best time of the day for lions to broadcast their message.
02:42As the sun rises, cold air is trapped near the ground.
02:48Because it's denser than warm air, it allows sound to travel further before dissipating.
02:59It's a declaration to other prides of his ownership of these hunting grounds.
03:06And the key to his and his pride's survival.
03:13It's one of the greatest acoustic displays of power in nature.
03:34He can be heard up to five miles away, but even this isn't far enough to reach the boundaries
03:45of their territory.
03:48It spans over 150 square miles.
03:54To defend an area as immense as this, the pride must roam and roar.
04:05But some members are too small to get very far.
04:14This pride is protected by three brothers.
04:21Together they head off on patrol.
04:29A lion's roar sends a clear message to other prides.
04:38But sound can also be used in more subtle ways.
05:04This garden is filled with the sound of the buzzing of bees.
05:08It's a sign that the plants have been successful in attracting pollinators with their brightly colored flowers and seductive smells.
05:22The buzzing sound we associate with bees is a byproduct created by the beating wings as they fly.
05:35But some bees take advantage of their buzz and use it in a surprisingly sophisticated way to get to a
05:44supply of food that others can't reach.
05:55One such bee lives underground.
06:05These are buff-tailed bumblebees.
06:11For the colony to survive, each worker must collect as much pollen as she can with which to feed their
06:18young.
06:21Searching for it is a constant preoccupation.
06:46It's spring in England.
06:59And she is not the only one in search of food.
07:04Competition for pollen and nectar is high.
07:10And poppies are putting on a show.
07:15Packed full of pollen, they flaunt it at the top of long filaments called anthers.
07:25These flowers are a free-for-all.
07:28And everyone is seeking a share of the bounty.
07:49But she doesn't need to compete with other species if she can find a particular kind of flower.
08:07She's found what she's been looking for.
08:11A type of nightshade.
08:20It's flowers are less striking.
08:23And unlike poppies, its pollen is locked up inside long yellow anthers.
08:31The only way for it to escape is through tiny holes.
08:39The bumblebee holds the key that unlocks this treasury of pollen.
08:45Sound.
08:48Locking in her wings, she uses her flight muscles to vibrate her whole body, buzzing up to 370 times a
08:57second.
08:57He's found important.
09:04This sonic assault blasts the pollen loose.
09:20She then grooves the pollen down into sticky sacks on her legs
09:25and flies off to the next flower.
09:34Very few species can buzz pollinate in this way,
09:38so bumblebees have nearly exclusive access to the nightshade's pollen.
09:50The bee's pollination buzz is higher pitched than that made during flight.
09:59It's the same frequency as the musical note D.
10:09She's like a living tuning fork.
10:13Some buzz pollinators can vary their pitch,
10:17fine-tuning it to suit different flowers,
10:20so pollen is released in the most efficient way.
10:28Fully loaded, she returns to the hive.
10:39She has successfully used sound to help secure the pollen her colony needs.
10:52We tend to take bees for granted,
10:55but it's not just plants that depend on them, we do too.
11:01Many of our crops rely on pollinators like bees and other insects.
11:08Worryingly, bee populations, together with those of many other insect pollinators,
11:14are in serious decline around the world.
11:19And with their numbers plummeting,
11:21both the natural world and our own food supplies are in danger.
11:27Bees need our help,
11:29and without them and the sound of their buzz,
11:32the future for us all would look bleak.
11:43Sound provides the key to this partnership between bumblebees and plants.
11:51But not all relationships in nature are as harmonious.
12:00The Bahama Islands and the Caribbean.
12:10The sand flats here are the home of garden eagles and razorfish.
12:25But there is trouble in paradise.
12:32The sound of approaching danger.
12:38It's a cue to hide.
12:49A mixed group of spotted and bottlenose dolphins.
12:59Their whistles and squeaks are part of their continuous conversations.
13:05With a range of frequencies seven times greater than ours.
13:21To hunt for food, they must split up.
13:26Each dolphin needs 15 kilograms of fish a day.
13:34But thanks to their rowdy arrival,
13:37there isn't a morsel in sight.
13:42The hunt is on.
13:48The bottlenose dolphins now switch from whistles to bursts of fast clicks,
13:55up to 200 per second.
14:06The bottlenose dolphins now switch from whistles to bursts of fast clicks,
14:09up to 200 per second.
14:10through an organ in the forehead called a melon,
14:13with which they can scan the ocean floor.
14:26When the beam of sound hits a fish hiding beneath the sand,
14:30it's reflected back, revealing its location.
14:35Using echolocation, the dolphins are able to create a visual map of what is hidden under the sea floor.
14:54Some of these clicks are ten times higher than the sounds our ears can detect.
15:03High-frequency sounds are most effective at close range,
15:07enabling the dolphins to pinpoint their prey with great precision.
15:19But there is more to these pirouettes than meets the eye.
15:27Scientists have recently discovered that bottlenose dolphins favour their right side when scanning the sea bed.
15:37The right side of the head usually produces the sonar clicks,
15:41and the right side is also better at detecting the returning echo.
15:59The only evidence that there has been a sonar search here are small craters in the sand.
16:21Dolphins use sound with great effect to find their food.
16:26But in other places, a quieter approach is the key to a successful hunt.
16:42In the forests of Manitoba in Canada, the Great Grey Owl is a master of silence.
16:59Specially adapted flight feathers allow him to approach silently.
17:15His prey is hidden under a blanket of snow.
17:30Voles.
17:34Finding them in this vast snow-covered landscape seems an impossible task.
17:44To combat the extreme cold, he must catch seven voles a day.
17:51His ears will be his most effective weapon.
18:01Voles need to feed continuously, or they will freeze to death.
18:11They constantly dig tunnels to find new food supplies.
18:17Unaware of the danger above.
18:25Hidden under a face covered by feathers,
18:28the owl's ears are positioned at slightly different levels on either side of his head.
18:36Sound will hit one ear before the other, allowing him to pinpoint his prey with great accuracy.
18:49His acoustic arsenal doesn't stop there.
18:55The large facial ruff, formed from feathers that are particularly stiff and dense,
19:01help to amplify sound and funnel it towards the ears.
19:18Through half a meter of snow, the sound of scampering feet is inaudible to us.
19:28But it's loud enough for him.
19:35With the help of a specialist camera equipped with 60 highly sensitive microphones,
19:42we can reveal what the owl is hearing.
19:47The camera visualizes where the vole is beneath the snow.
19:53And the car is catalogue on the other king has a Sis-Jung.
20:04The gorilla is inaudible.
20:06The gorilla is inaudible.
20:07the gorilla is inaudible.
20:19The gorilla is out at 9m 16.
20:21The gorilla is inaudible.
20:21The gorilla is inaudible.
20:25This time is missed.
20:38Despite his acute hearing, hunting in snow is a challenge.
20:45The snow not only muffles sound, it bends it too.
20:53While it appears as if the vole is here, it's actually over there.
21:03The only way to defeat this acoustic illusion is for the owl to get directly above the vole
21:09where sound is no longer distorted by the snow.
21:25As he flies, he tracks the sound as it changes.
21:36The closer he gets, the less the sound is bent.
21:44Directly above the vole, he can pinpoint his target.
22:05The great grey owl's hearing is its key to securing a meal.
22:12For others, it's crucial to avoid being eaten.
22:19In the Arizona desert, it's the height of summer.
22:26Daytime temperatures are over 40 degrees Celsius.
22:31So it's best to be active at night.
22:36Filming under infrared lights with a specialist camera, we can see everything.
22:47But to a kangaroo rat, it's nearly pitch black.
22:54In the dark, her most valuable ally is sound.
23:07Her mission tonight is to collect as many seeds as she can.
23:14But food is scarce and competition fierce.
23:24And in the dark, it's hard to spot danger.
23:36Her ears are 90 times more sensitive than ours, and hollow spaces in her skull act like an echo chamber,
23:44amplifying the faintest of sounds.
23:53But she has another problem tonight.
24:01Wind.
24:11She might not hear a predator until it's too late.
24:14blue.
24:19This time, it's just a stick.
24:23But in the darkness, she's right to be cautious.
24:31STAKE
24:31Snakes can pick up the sounds of scampering feet through their lower jaw.
24:45She's made it to her favorite feeding spot, but she's not alone for long.
25:01She warns him to stay away by drumming her foot on the ground.
25:12He can decipher her size and strength from her signal.
25:23He comes back.
25:27It's a battle of beats.
25:39Stalemate, there's only one way to resolve this.
26:09Dinner time at last.
26:23She hears something.
26:32Just out of striking range, she drums again.
26:40This time, do alert the snake.
26:43It's been spotted.
26:44But just to be sure...
26:59Message received.
27:08While kangaroo rats use the ground as a drum to drive their enemies away, others are summoned
27:15by seismic sounds.
27:30Amboseli National Park in Kenya.
27:34It hasn't rained here in nearly a year.
27:40And the dry season has turned into a severe drought.
27:51For elephants, the situation is desperate.
27:58With no food or water for miles around, the matriarch must wait for a message.
28:04A sound that will travel through the ground.
28:17If it arrives, it will guide them from disaster.
28:24The young calves are especially vulnerable.
28:31Their mother's milk will dry up if rain doesn't arrive soon.
28:50A hundred miles away, a storm has broken.
29:00And the elephants have heard.
29:08Not with their ears, but with their feet.
29:18The sound of the storm sends low-frequency vibrations through the ground.
29:28The herd picks up the vibrations through a network of nerves in the fatty pads of their feet.
29:42By lifting one foot, they can make better contact on the ground with the other.
29:52It's the message the matriarch has been waiting for.
29:58She gives a low, let's go, rumble.
30:05It's echoed by her sisters.
30:13The journey ahead is treacherous.
30:17But the sound of the storm will be their guide.
30:36Finally, after two days on the move, they've made it.
30:44Their ability to detect sound a hundred miles away has saved the herd.
30:56Elephants aren't the only ones who respond to the sound of rain.
31:03But sometimes sounds can be deceptive.
31:10In Vancouver, in Canada, it's also raining.
31:14It's raining.
31:41It's raining.
31:47Especially with germ-re Panel 2 on the ground, the soil is teeming with earthworms.
31:53Some rise to the surface in search of food or mates.
32:00But if the ground isn't wet enough, they risk drying out.
32:06Sound helps them pick the opportune moment.
32:13As the rain hits the ground, it creates vibrations that travel down into the soil.
32:24They're picked up by sensitive nerve cells in the worm's skin.
32:30As they rise, the tumultuous pitter-patter is music to their senses.
32:40But it is also a sound that conceal their fate.
32:46Worms aren't the only ones on the move.
32:53Outside the city, a flock of gulls are coordinating their morning departure from the roost.
33:11Thanks to the rain, they've got a special meal on the menu today.
33:18Worms.
33:20Worms.
33:21But by the time they arrive, the downpour is over.
33:28And the worms are already retreating.
33:31Worms.
33:32Worms.
33:33Worms.
33:35Dining options look scarce.
33:38But the gulls have a crafty trick.
33:43For it to work, they must find their rhythm.
33:52It's a worm.
33:55Paddling creates vibrations that likely mimics the sound of rain.
34:04It's a dance of deception.
34:09The worms rise once again.
34:18They can't resist the rhythmic rain dance.
34:41Another shower brings an acoustic climax.
34:54The rainy season will last all winter, so worms are on the menu until spring.
35:03For these gulls, the cunning use of sound helps them win an easy meal.
35:13But in other parts of the world, the stakes are higher for both predator and prey.
35:24As night falls on the African savannah, the air is filled with sounds of a formidable hunter.
35:46On the other side of the territory, the females of the pride are preparing to hunt.
35:53Over 30 strong, they must make a kill every night.
36:03Close by a hyena den.
36:10The adults must also head out to find their next meal.
36:19Hyenas will often steal if the opportunity arises.
36:25Even from their deadliest foes.
36:29But separated from the males, this pride is vulnerable.
36:37For a successful heist, the hyenas rely on sound.
36:45First, the lionesses need to make a kill.
36:49With a noisy family in tow, that can be tricky.
36:57Wildebeest have gathered together for safety.
37:05In darkness, they have to rely on their hearing.
37:22The lioness makes a stealthy approach.
37:34But there is a problem.
37:39The porcupine is a playful distraction for the youngsters.
37:44The sound of shaking quills is a warning.
37:53And the wildebeest have heard the commotion.
38:06They have blown it for her.
38:12But they will take the rattle of shaking quills more seriously next time.
38:26The pride have detected another opportunity.
38:31A warthog burrow.
38:52The sound of their feast carries fire in the cool night air.
38:58And the hyenas have heard.
39:09But there are too many lions here to steal this meal alone.
39:18She will need the full force of her clam.
39:24She sends a message to rally her troops.
39:37Directed at the ground, her message resonates further and faster than it would through air.
39:53Even with numbers now on their side, sound is critical if they are to steal this meal.
40:05Calling unites the clan.
40:07They must approach as a tight-knit group, making as much noise as they can.
40:12が長い,わずらが前走が落ちることにもたくなります。、長い歓声を持っているが、最高難しい部分を追っている。しかし、みなさんの触れを持っていたようです。だったら、初めての兵所を見ることができますが、まずは休職を止めることができます。最高見の釣りとしての夢の通りを追われています。
40:14Oh, we're out on the next part.
40:14Oh, it's all the sign.
40:16Okay, show the development of the battle.
40:18Get out of the battle.
40:18Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.
40:43The battle is still alive by far away,
40:44alerted more lions, it's game over for the hyenas. The brothers have returned.
41:21After a successful night, the pride is well fed. Some will spend the day dozing, but for
41:35others, it's time to reaffirm the pride's ownership of their territory.
41:55We are only just beginning to understand the many ways that animals use sound. For us, the
42:05sound of the natural world is a source of peace and tranquility. For other animals, it's a
42:14tool they have to master in order to hunt and survive.
42:31As the story of sound continues, we reveal how animals use sound to fight off competition, and use
42:44songs in their quest to win a mate.
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