OFF THE FENCE

FIGHTING FOR LIFE

FIGHTING FOR LIFE
TRANSMISSION SCRIPT
JOB ID:

44690

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Job ID: 44690

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10:00:00:16

PAN up from fallen

tree to show forest

10:00:09:19

SHOT

across

savannah

showing

trees on horizon
10:00:14:13

SHOT of rocky terrain

10:00:19:02

SHOT of countryside,
river cutting through
mountainous

forest

as clouds move by
overhead
10:00:24:17

SHOT

of

clouds

10:00:31:20

river

move

as 10:00:29:22

NARRATOR

by

THE TRANQUILLITY OF NATURE IS

overhead

JUST

SHOT of sun shining

NARRATOR (CONT)

through trees

A FAADE.
10:00:34:20

NARRATOR
LIVING

10:00:35:03

SHOT

of

monkeys

NARRATOR (CONT)

sitting on tree stump

MEANS

STRUGGLING

AND

FIGHTING.
10:00:38:02

MONTAGE:

10:00:39:07

NARRATOR
IT MEANS WINNING AND LOSING

SHOTS

of

various

MANY BATTLES, BOTH BIG AND

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animals fighting

SMALL.
10:00:45:12

NARRATOR
THIS

STRUGGLE

AFFECTS

EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING.

10:00:50:06

NARRATOR
FIGHTS

OVER

FOOD,

OVER

TERRITORY, OR FOR LOVE.

10:00:58:00

NARRATOR
NEVERTHELESS,

VIOLENCE

IN

NATURE IS OFTEN JUST A RITUAL

THAT FOLLOWS A PROTOCOL, A
SET OF RULES AND FORMALITIES
THAT ALMOST ALWAYS PREVENT
SERIOUS INJURIES.
10:01:10:00

SHOT of injured ox
limping

across

savannah
10:01:11:14

SHOTS of Siamese 10:01:16:00

NARRATOR

fighting fish floating in

THATS FIGHTING FOR LIFE.

water
10:01:22:15

CU

on

rhinoceros
crawling

Japanese
beetle
by,

programme title on its

back

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10:01:31:09

SEQUENCE:

10:01:36:11

NARRATOR
THE MOST BASIC FACETS OF THE

Japanese rhinoceros

FIGHT FOR LIFE ARE THE ONES

beetle

THAT DRIVE ALMOST ALL MALES TO

walking

through woodland

COMPETE FOR TERRITORY AND A

MATE IN ORDER TO DECIDE WHICH
INDIVIDUALS ARE

10:01:46:02

SEQUENCE:

NARRATOR (CONT)
THE

Japanese rhinoceros

MOST

IDEAL

TO

HAVE

OFFSPRING.

beetles fighting over

a mate, one lifting its 10:01:49:13

NARRATOR

rival from the ground

THATS

in victory

SELECTION

HOW
TAKES

NATURAL

PLACE

THAT

LEADS TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF

THE SPECIES.
10:02:45:19

SHOT of Japanese 10:02:50:15

NARRATOR

rhinoceros

beetle

THE WEAPONS OF SOME MALES,

falling to the ground,

WHICH HAVE GROWN HUGE AS THE

before standing and

SPECIES HAS EVOLVED BECAUSE

walking off screen

THE FEMALES PREFER THEM BIG,

ARE SUCH

10:02:57:07

CU

on

Japanese

Rhinoceros

10:03:01:11

Beetles

NARRATOR (CONT)
IMPOSING

WEAPONS

THAT

sword

SOMETIMES THEY PREVENT THE

SEQUENCE:

MALES FROM LEADING NORMAL

LIVES.

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Japanese rhinoceros 10:03:03:12

NARRATOR

beetle

FOR

perched on

EXAMPLE,

THIS

JAPANESE

twig before setting off

RHINOCEROS BEETLE IS UNABLE

through woodland

TO EAT.
10:03:08:01

NARRATOR
ITS LONG SWORD IS THE PRICE IT
PAYS FOR VICTORY IN THE MATING
GAME.

10:03:12:24

NARRATOR
ITS THAT SIMPLE.

10:03:15:00

SHOTS
Chameleon

of 10:03:18:18
perched

NARRATOR
NONETHELESS,

on tree branch

BEHAVIOUR

OF

SOMETIMES

THE

WILDLIFE

ISNT

THAT SIMPLE.
10:03:24:15

NARRATOR
NOT ALL THE BATTLES BETWEEN
MALES ARE THE SAME.

10:03:28:03

NARRATOR
NOT

ALL

BOXING,

OF

THEM

SHOVING AND

INVOLVE
HITTING

EACH OTHER.
10:03:36:18

CU on chameleons 10:03:37:19

NARRATOR

face showing off its

THE

horns

CHAMELEONS HAVE MORE TO DO

HORNS

OF

THESE

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WITH AESTHETICS THAN THEY DO

WITH THE LETHAL SABRE OF A
FENCING MASTER.
10:03:45:19

NARRATOR
THIS TRIDENT IS NOT SHARP.
INJECTS NO VENOM.

IT

ITS NOT

EVEN INTENDED TO
10:03:50:20

SHOT of fly landing

NARRATOR (CONT)

on chameleons horn

WOUND

AN

OPPONENT

OR

PREVENT BEING WOUNDED.

10:03:54:16

SHOT of chameleon 10:03:54:16

NARRATOR

walking

ITS AN ORNAMENT. THATS ALL.

along

tree

branch
10:03:58:11

SHOT of fly flying

away

from

chameleons horn

10:04:03:05

SEQUENCE:

10:04:03:09

NARRATOR
BUT A GENTLEMAN CHAMELEONS

Female
perched
branch

chameleon
on
as

ABILITY

tree

TO

SEDUCE

LADY

CHAMELEON DEPENDS A LOT ON

males

THE VISUAL.

change colour in front

of her

10:04:10:23

NARRATOR
THE SHAPE IS IMPORTANT, BUT THE
COLOURS

ARE

EVEN

MORE

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IMPORTANT.
10:04:15:23

NARRATOR
THE VARIATIONS IN THE COLOURS
ARE

GOING TO PLAY A MORE

INFLUENTIAL ROLE THAN BRUTE

STRENGTH

IN

HOW

THIS

ENCOUNTER AMONG TWO MALES

AND A FEMALE TURNS OUT.
10:04:26:01

NARRATOR
STRENGTH AND SIZE COUNT OF
COURSE, BUT THEYRE NO LONGER
ALL THAT COUNTS.

10:04:30:22

CU on chameleons 10:04:31:07

NARRATOR

tail curling

AND THAT IS A BIG EVOLUTIONARY

STEP.
10:04:34:21

NARRATOR
THE

COLOURING

OF

THE

COMPETING
10:04:36:04

SHOTS

of

male

NARRATOR (CONT)

chameleons perched

MALE CHAMELEONS MAKES IT

beside one another

POSSIBLE TO SELECT THE ONE

BEST

ABLE

TO

CAMOUFLAGE

ITSELF.
10:04:41:21

NARRATOR
THE SURVIVAL OF A CHAMELEON

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DEPENDS

LOT

ON

GOING

UNNOTICED, BY BOTH PREDATORS

AND PREY.
10:04:50:10

NARRATOR
THATS

10:04:53:14

WHY THEIR ABILITY TO

CHANGE COLOURS IS CRUCIAL,

AND THATS WHY ITS JUDGED

SEQUENCE:

WHEN THEY FIGHT.

Chameleons fighting
over

mate, 10:05:06:08

NARRATOR

changing colour as

AS

they do so

COLOURS GROW MORE INTENSE.

CUT with:

10:05:11:11

THEY GET ANGRIER,

NARRATOR
THE

SHOT

THEIR

COLOURS

VARY

FROM

of

female

LIGHTER TO DARKER TONES, AND

chameleon

looking

PATTERNS OF BANDS, OR DOTS,

on

APPEAR THAT IN EACH SPECIES

DEMONSTRATES THE ABILITY OF
EACH INDIVIDUAL.
10:05:26:17

NARRATOR
THAT

HELPS

CHOOSE
SUITORS.
10:05:43:19

SHOT of chameleon
falling

from

tree

branch and hanging

by its tail

THE

BETWEEN

FEMALE
HER

TO
TWO

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10:05:57:07

SHOT of chameleon
struggling as its rival
looks on

10:06:00:07

SHOTS of chameleon 10:06:03:16

NARRATOR

falling

THIS TIME THE AGE AND

from

tree

branch and landing

on the ground
10:06:05:05

SHOT of chameleon

NARRATOR (CONT)

perched

SIZE OF THE LARGER OF THE

on

tree

branch

TWO COMBATANTS LEFT LITTLE

ROOM FOR SURPRISE.
10:06:11:06

NARRATOR
ALTHOUGH, AMONG CHAMELEONS,

10:06:12:12

SEQUENCE:

NARRATOR (CONT)
YOU NEVER KNOW.

Chameleons walking
along tree branches 10:06:14:24

NARRATOR

towards one another

ONE OF THE THINGS THEY VALUE

MOST, BESIDES COLOURING, IS THE
ABILITY TO DO EVERYTHING VERY,
VERY SLOWLY.

10:06:32:16

SHOT of savannah, 10:06:35:09

NARRATOR

giraffe

THE

through
horizon

walking
trees

on

LONGEST,

OLDEST

TOUGHEST

BIOLOGICAL

FIGHT

AND
IN

NATURE, WHAT WE COULD CALL

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10

THE

REAL

FIRST

WORLD

WAR,

TAKES PLACE
10:06:42:18

SEQUENCE:

NARRATOR (CONT)
BETWEEN THE PLANT KINGDOM

Giraffes eating leaves

from

acacia

AND THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.

trees,

before leaving as tree 10:06:55:20

NARRATOR

secretes poison

ANIMALS EAT PLANTS, AND PLANTS

DEFEND THEMSELVES.
10:07:02:14

NARRATOR
EVEN IF WE DONT SEE IT AS A
FIGHT, IT IS.

10:07:06:04

NARRATOR
PLANTS
MOST

SEQUENCE:

KEEP

INVENTING

SOPHISTICATED

THE

POISONS

AND THE SHARPEST THORNS TO

DEFEND THEMSELVES FROM THE

Giraffes eating leaves

CONTINUOUS

ATTACKS

from

HERBIVORES,

AND

acacia

trees,

OF

THE
THE

before leaving as tree

HERBIVORES COUNTER-ATTACK BY

secretes poison

DEVELOPING

IMMUNITIES,

CAST-

IRON STOMACHS OR DESENSITISED

TONGUES, THAT DONT FEEL IT
WHEN THEYRE STABBED, LIKE THE
GIRAFFES.
10:07:27:05

NARRATOR

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11

ACACIAS, THE FAVOURITE FOOD OF

THESE VORACIOUS LEAF EATERS
HAVE

RE-COUNTER

ATTACKED

WITH A HI-TECH DOUBLE ANTIHERBIVORE PROTECTION SYSTEM.

10:07:37:13

NARRATOR
WHEN

THEYRE

BITTEN,

THESE

TREES SECRETE COMPLEX TOXIC

SUBSTANCES THAT MAKE THEIR
LEAVES TASTE BAD, AND IN THIS
WAY THEY MAKE THE GIRAFFE GO
SOMEWHERE ELSE TO LOOK FOR
SOMETHING THAT DOESNT TASTE
SO BITTER, AND THAT DOESNT
UPSET ITS STOMACH.
10:07:54:18

NARRATOR
BUT THE GIRAFFE WILL HAVE TO
WALK PRETTY FAR BECAUSE THE
WOUNDED ACACIAS GIVE OFF A
SECRET SIGNAL THROUGH THE AIR
THAT

10:08:01:05

SEQUENCE:

NARRATOR (CONT)
WARNS ALL THE ACACIAS IN THE

Giraffe

walking

AREA OF THE ATTACK, AND THEY

across savannah in
search

ALL GO ON THE WARPATH.

of alternate

food source

10:08:11:05

NARRATOR

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12

AND

SO

THIS

HIGHLY

SOPHISTICATED

CHEMICAL

WEAPON MAINTAINS THE BALANCE

BETWEEN THE ACACIAS AND THE
GIRAFFES.
10:08:23:17

SEQUENCE:

10:08:28:03

NARRATOR
THE FIGHT BETWEEN ANIMALS AND

Giraffe eating leaves

PLANTS,

from lone

AND

tree

on

savannah

BETWEEN

PRODUCERS

CONSUMERS, IS MANAGED

AND

WILL

CONTINUE

TO

BE

MANAGED SO THAT THERE ARE

NEITHER WINNERS NOR LOSERS.
10:08:38:19

NARRATOR
IN TERMS OF CHESS STRATEGIES,
WE COULD DESCRIBE IT AS A
DRAW.

10:08:47:04

NARRATOR
ALTHOUGH THERE IS A CASE OF
CHECK-MATE.

10:08:51:23

SHOT of elephants 10:08:54:19

NARRATOR

approaching baobab

THIS BAOBAB

tree

LARGEST LIVING BEINGS ON THE

PLANET.
10:09:00:24

NARRATOR
IT MAY

IS ONE OF THE

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13

10:09:01:01

SHOT of elephants

NARRATOR (CONT)

grazing

WEIGH MORE THAN 1,500 TONS

beside

baobab tree

AND HAVE LIVED FOR A THOUSAND

YEARS.
10:09:08:12

10:09:10:05

SHOT

of

THE ELEPHANTS BESIDE IT ARE

SMALL IN COMPARISON, ALMOST

elephant

approaching its family

standing

NARRATOR

IRRELEVANT.

beside

baobab tree

10:09:16:17

NARRATOR
AND YET THE ELEPHANTS HAVE
FINISHED OFF THE BAOBAB.

10:09:24:03

SHOT of elephants
grazing

beside

baobab tree
10:09:29:01

SHOT
trees

of
as

baobab 10:09:30:09
elephants

NARRATOR
THE FATE OF ALL THESE GIANT

walk between them

PLANTS IS TO DIE WITHOUT HAVING

OFFSPRING.
10:09:35:24

NARRATOR
THERE

WONT

BE

ANY

NEW

BAOBABS, AT LEAST WHEREVER

THERE ARE ELEPHANTS.
10:09:40:23

SEQUENCE:

10:09:44:13

NARRATOR

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14

ELEPHANTS

ARE

THE

LARGEST

Elephants grazing on

ANIMALS THAT WALK ON GRASS,

grass beside baobab

AND THE LARGEST ANIMALS THAT

trees

EAT GRASS TOO.

10:09:52:17

NARRATOR
EXCEPT THAT THEY DONT EAT
ONLY GRASS.

THEY ALSO EAT

TREES,

THAN

MORE

ANYTHING

ELSE.
10:10:01:06

SHOTS

of

fallen 10:10:03:22

NARRATOR

trees, destroyed by

WHATS LEFT OF THE AFRICAN

elephants

SAVANNAH IS GOOD PROOF OF

THIS, AND SINCE EVERY DAY LESS
AND

LESS

OF

THE

SAVANNAH

REMAINS, THE DAMAGE CAUSED

TO

THE

VEGETATION

BY

ELEPHANTS
10:10:13:00

SHOTS
tree

of

baobab

destroyed

NARRATOR (CONT)

by

IS MORE AND MORE EVIDENT,

elephants

AND INCREASINGLY UNBALANCED.

10:10:29:06

NARRATOR
ALTHOUGH WE SHOULD POINT OUT
THAT THE ELEPHANTS ARENT THE
REAL CULPRITS THAT WE SHOULD
BLAME FOR THIS SITUATION.

10:10:35:23

NARRATOR

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15

WE

HUMAN

BEINGS

SHOULD

ALLOW THE ELEPHANTS ACCESS

TO LONGER ROUTES ON THEIR
SEASONAL PATH IN SEARCH OF
FOOD.
10:10:45:01

NARRATOR
BUT WE DONT, AND SO ELEPHANTS

10:10:47:11

SHOT of elephants

NARRATOR (CONT)

walking

TODAY

across

savannah

CAN

ALMOST

NEVER

LEAVE AFRICAS NATIONAL PARKS.

10:10:52:24

NARRATOR
THATS

WHY

ELEPHANTS

NOW

REPRESENT SUCH A TREMENDOUS

THREAT

TO

THEIR

GREEN

NEIGHBOURS.
10:10:59:22

SHOT of savannah 10:11:00:14

NARRATOR

littered with trees

IN TARANGIRE, IN THE HEART OF

TANZANIA, THE ELEPHANTS

10:11:03:18

SEQUENCE:

NARRATOR (CONT)
HAVE KILLED OFF THE BAOBABS

Elephants grazing on

FOR GOOD.

grass beside baobab

trees

10:11:13:09

NARRATOR
THE

FEW

THAT

ARE

STILL

STANDING WILL LAST AS LONG AS

THEIR AGE

PERMITS, MAYBE A

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16

THOUSAND YEARS OR MORE.

10:11:20:24

NARRATOR
BUT THAT, IN BAOBAB TERMS, IS
JUST ONE GENERATION.

10:11:27:21

NARRATOR
NONE

OF

THEIR

SEEDS

WILL

SUCCEED, SO NO YOUNG BAOBAB

WILL

ESCAPE

FROM

THE

ELEPHANTS TRUNKS.
10:11:35:07
SEQUENCE:

NARRATOR
ONLY THESE LARGE OLD TREES
CAN WITHSTAND THE ELEPHANTS

Elephants grazing on

ATTACKS.

grass beside baobab

trees

10:11:41:16

NARRATOR
BUT NO SON OF A BAOBAB WILL BE
ABLE TO SURVIVE.

10:11:48:02

NARRATOR
THIS

LANDSCAPES

DAYS

ARE

NUMBERED.
10:11:51:03

SHOTS

of

baobab 10:12:06:10

trees on savannah

NARRATOR
AS WE WATCH POWERLESSLY THE
DECLINE OF THIS

MAGNIFICENT

SPECIES,

UNLESS

WE

BECOME

EXTINCT

BEFORE

HUMANS
THE

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17

LAST BAOBAB DIES, AND SO FREE

THE

BAOBABS

FROM

THE

ELEPHANTS HARASSMENT.
10:12:22:15

SHOT of elephants 10:12:22:22

NARRATOR

grazing

BUT THEN WHO WOULD BE LEFT TO

on

grass

beside baobab trees

10:12:30:05

CARE?

PAN around to show

sun hanging in the
sky

above

baobab

trees
10:12:46:02

PAN around to show 10:12:52:00

NARRATOR

savannah, mountains

FORTUNATELY THE

on horizon
10:12:52:18

SEQUENCE:

NARRATOR (CONT)
FIGHT

Dik-dik

grazing

on

FOR

LIFE

DOESNT

ALWAYS INVOLVE SUCH DRAMATIC

foliage as its rival

CONSEQUENCES.

approaches
10:12:58:13
CUT with:

NARRATOR
THE FIGHT IS SOMETHING VERY
COMMON,

SHOTS

of

dik-dik

AND

THATS

WHY

IT

SHOULDNT CAUSE MORE THAN

approaching its rival

MINIMAL

HARM

TO

THE

COMBATANTS.
10:13:07:22

NARRATOR
THE DIK-DIK HAS MANAGED TO

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18

REDUCE THE COST OF ITS BATTLES

TO PRACTICALLY ZERO.
10:13:16:17

NARRATOR
IN FACT, WHEN DIK-DIKS FIGHT, THE
MALES

NORMALLY DONT

EVEN

TOUCH EACH OTHER.

10:13:33:15

SEQUENCE:

10:13:43:08

NARRATOR
THEY

Dik-diks
one

staring

another

beginning

to

at

JUST

THREATEN

EACH

OTHER AND TRY TO SCARE THEIR

and

OPPONENT.

fight,

before both running

away in fright
10:13:50:08

SEQUENCE:

10:13:52:00

NARRATOR
THE

FEMALES

ARE

ALWAYS

Female dik-dik joining

WATCHING, AND LOGICALLY THEY

winner of fight and

JOIN THE WINNERS AND LIVE IN

setting

THEIR TERRITORY.

off

into

undergrowth
10:14:00:01

NARRATOR
WE CANT SAY THAT THE DIK-DIK IS
EXACTLY THE

PARADIGM

OF A

GREAT FIGHTER, BUT AS WELL

SEE,

THEIR

TECHNIQUE

IS

FANTASTIC.
10:14:07:12

NARRATOR
THEY DONT SHED A DROP OF

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19

BLOOD, AND HARDLY A DROP OF

SWEAT.
10:14:21:22

SEQUENCE:

10:14:22:21

NARRATOR
DIK-DIKS

HAVE

TINY

HORNS

IF

Dik-diks grazing on

THEYRE MALES, AND NO HORNS AT

foliage,

ALL IF THEYRE FEMALES.

turning

as

noises sound around

them

10:14:30:05

NARRATOR
THEY

STAND

BARELY

30

CENTIMETRES TALL, THATS JUST

12 INCHES.
10:14:34:19

SHOTS

of

dik-dik 10:14:35:05

elongating its nose

NARRATOR
EVERYTHING

ABOUT

THEM

IS

SMALL ACTUALLY, EXCEPT THEIR

NOSES, WHICH THEY CAN EVEN
STRETCH.
10:14:46:04

NARRATOR
ANOTHER

OF

THE

DIK-DIKS

CHARACTERISTICS IS THE GLAND

10:14:49:22

THAT MALES USE TO MARK THEIR

TERRITORY, BLADE OF GRASS BY

SEQUENCE:

BLADE
Dik-dik

walking

through

grass,

making its territory as

OF

SHOT

of

dik-diks 10:15:02:15

TRYING

TO

MAKE IT CLEAR TO POTENTIAL

COMPETITORS
CHARGE HERE.

it does so
10:14:59:24

GRASS,

NARRATOR

JUST

WHOS

IN

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20

grazing on foliage

IN ANY CASE, THE DOMINANT MALE

NEVER LETS HIS GUARD DOWN,
NOT FOR A SECOND.

10:15:07:02

SEQUENCE:

10:15:08:21

NARRATOR
HES ON CONSTANT ALERT WITH

Dik-dik

grazing

on

ALL FIVE SENSES, ALWAYS

ON

foliage as its rival

GUARD, JUST IN CASE ANOTHER

approaches

MALE APPEARS ON THE SCENE.

CUT with:

10:15:26:23

NARRATOR
HES

SHOTS

of

dik-dik

GOT

GREAT

SENSES

OF

SMELL AND HEARING, AND HE JUST

approaching its rival

SMELLED AND HEARD SOMETHING

THAT HE LIKES LEAST OF ALL,
ANOTHER MALE DIK-DIK.
10:15:38:10

NARRATOR
HELL HAVE TO CONFRONT HIM,
AND MAYBE THIS ONE WILL BE
LESS OF A COWARD THAN THE ONE
THIS MORNING.

10:15:44:21

NARRATOR
IT WILL BE A VERITABLE

10:15:45:15

SEQUENCE:

NARRATOR (CONT)
DUEL,

EVEN

THOUGH

THEY

Dik-diks fighting over

WONT EVER TOUCH A SINGLE HAIR

territory,

ON EACH OTHER.

jumping

back and forth before

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21

one turns and walks

away
10:17:15:00

SHOT

of

Dik-dik 10:17:19:00

looking

around

as

NARRATOR
ALTHOUGH DIK-DIKS DONT USE

fight comes to an end

10:17:19:17

MONTAGE:

NARRATOR (CONT)
THEM MUCH, THE HORNS OF

SHOTS

of

various

DEER,

horned animals

BUFFALOS,

ANTELOPES

ARE

GOATS
A

AND

TERRIFIC

INVENTION.
10:17:28:18

NARRATOR
AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE GIRLS IN
ALL

THE

SPECIES

JUST

LOVE

HORNS.
10:17:35:00

NARRATOR
BIG ONES, LONG ONES, TWISTED
ONES, THICK ONES, ROUGH ONES,
SINUOUS ONES.

10:17:41:14

NARRATOR
WHATEVER THEY LOOK LIKE, THEIR
PURPOSE

IS

COMBATANTS

TO
FROM

KEEP

THE

BREAKING

EACH OTHERS HEADS WHEN THEY

FIGHT.

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22

10:17:48:03

NARRATOR
HORNS ARE THE DEFINITIVE TOOL
FOR THOSE ANIMALS THAT HAVE
TO FIGHT WITHOUT USING THEIR
HANDS,

AND

THEYRE

ALSO

PRETTY COOL LOOKING.

10:17:58:11
MONTAGE:

NARRATOR
THEYRE THE SEXUAL ATTRIBUTES
THAT MAKE THE DIFFERENCE, AND

SHOTS

of

various

THATS BECAUSE WITH A GOOD

horned animals

SET OF HORNS YOU CAN AVOID A

LOT OF PROBLEMS.
10:18:08:10

NARRATOR
NOBODY MESSES WITH THE GUY
WHO HAS GOT THE BIGGEST ONES.

10:18:12:13

NARRATOR
THATS AN UNWRITTEN RULE THAT
EVERYBODY RESPECTS.

10:18:19:07

SEQUENCE:

10:18:28:24

NARRATOR
THE THING IS, WHEN TWO ANIMALS

Grants

gazelle

HAVE

walking

across

ABOUT THE SAME SIZE, THINGS

savannah

and

HORNS

THAT

ARE

JUST

GET A LITTLE COMPLICATED.

meeting with a rival

10:18:41:04

NARRATOR
THESE TWO GRANTS GAZELLES

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23

HAVE ALMOST IDENTICAL SEXUAL

ATTRIBUTES.
10:18:44:24

SEQUENCE:

10:18:46:20

NARRATOR
IT ALMOST SEEMS TO THEM AS IF

Grants

gazelles

THEY WERE LOOKING IN A MIRROR,

carrying out various

AND THAT REALLY GETS THEIR

rituals

BLOOD BOILING.

as

they

prepare for a fight

10:18:53:10

NARRATOR
THEY STILL HAVE A FEW MORE
STEPS TO TAKE HOWEVER BEFORE
BEGINNING TO FIGHT IN EARNEST.

10:19:03:05

NARRATOR
ALL

MALES,

NO

MATTER

HOW

BRAVE OR STRONG THEY ARE,

PREFER TO AVOID THE RISKS OF A
REAL FIGHT.
10:19:09:24

NARRATOR
WELL, EXCEPT FOR THOSE CLUMSY
MALES

THAT

CHARGE

INTO

BRAWL RIGHT OFF THE BAT.

10:19:17:12

NARRATOR
THE RITUALS PRIOR TO A COMBAT
ARE ANOTHER VERY INTERESTING
STRATEGY.

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24

10:19:22:20

NARRATOR
THESE

RITUALS

MARK

THE

INCREASING LEVELS OF VIOLENCE

IN THE CONFRONTATION.

10:19:28:15

NARRATOR
SOMETIMES TWO MALES FACE OFF
ONLY UP TO LEVEL ONE OF THEIR
FIGHT

PROGRAMME,

DISPUTE

IS

AND

THE

COMPLETELY

RESOLVED AT THAT FIRST LEVEL.

10:20:21:01
10:20:22:08

NARRATOR
BUT LOOKING IN THE MIRROR AND
EXHIBITING THEIR HORNS WASNT

SEQUENCE:

ENOUGH
Grants
jumping

gazelles
back

FOR

GAZELLES

and

TO

THESE

GRANTS

DECIDE

THEIR

QUARREL, SO THEY MOVE UP TO

forth as they begin to

LEVEL TWO.

fight, causing one to

back down

10:20:44:14

NARRATOR
LIKE THE DIK-DIKS THEY HAVE

10:20:47:09

BARELY TOUCHED EACH OTHER,

BUT THERE IS ALREADY A WINNER.

SEQUENCE:

THEY DIDNT NEED TO RESORT TO

Grants

gazelles

walking

off

opposite

directions

across savannah

in

LEVEL

THREE

UNFORTUNATE
HAPPEN.

WHERE
THINGS

REALLY
CAN

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25

10:20:54:20

NARRATOR
AS

10:20:58:11

SHOT of trees

10:21:03:14

SEQUENCE:

together

10:21:10:14

gathered
in

CAN

SEE,

ANTELOPES

ARENT AS BARBARIC AS SOME

PRIMATES.

NARRATOR
THE

Monkeys

WE

KEY

UNNECESSARY

colony

CONTROLLING

along with their young

TO

PREVENTING

HARM
THE

LIES

IN

SUCCESSION

OF DEGREES OF VIOLENCE AND

APPLYING THEM APPROPRIATELY.

CUT with:
10:21:20:02

NARRATOR

SHOTS of monkeys

THE MORE COMPLEX THE SPECIES

sitting on tree stump

SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS ARE, THE

MORE THEY NEED TO LEARN TO
CONTROL

THEIR

AGGRESSIVENESS.
10:21:29:00

NARRATOR
AND

AS

WITH ANY

IMPORTANT

MATTER, THE LESSONS HAVE TO

BE

TAUGHT

BEGINNING

AT

YOUNG AGE.
10:21:34:18

NARRATOR
LEARNING TO LIVE HAS A LOT TO
DO WITH LEARNING HOW TO PLAY.

10:21:39:14

SEQUENCE:

10:21:56:09

NARRATOR

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26

AND THATS WHY ITS GOOD FOR

Monkeys play fighting

YOUNG ANIMALS TO PLAY AND

with their siblings in

PLAY ENDLESSLY.

trees
CUT with:

10:22:16:16

NARRATOR
PERHAPS

SHOTS

of

small

SOMETIMES

THEIR

GAMES SEEM A LITTLE VIOLENT,

monkey sitting in tree

BUT THEY HAVE TO BE.

10:22:25:22

NARRATOR
IN

ADDITION

POSTURING,

THERE

ARE

GESTURES

AND

ATTITUDES THAT CALM THE FIGHT

IN AN INSTANT SO THAT THINGS
DONT GET OUT OF HAND.
10:22:35:06

NARRATOR
THE HIERARCHY OF THE FAMILY
AND THE GROUP IS ESTABLISHED
ON THE BASIS OF ALL THESE

10:22:41:05

10:22:46:00

monkey

EXPERIENCES, AND THAT

PREVENTS A LOT OF FRUSTRATION

slowly turning to face

AND COMPLICATIONS AMONG THE

camera

ADULT COMPANIONS.

SHOT

of

SEQUENCE:

10:22:48:24

NARRATOR
AT THE SAME TIME, GAMES ARE A

Monkeys play fighting

KIND

OF

ENTERTAINMENT,

with their siblings in

THESE FIGHTING GAMES SERVE TO

trees

GROW

AND

DEVELOP

AS

BOTH

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27

PHYSICALLY

AND

PSYCHOLOGICALLY.

10:23:00:11
SEQUENCE:

NARRATOR
THESE

GAMES

AGILITY

AND

HELP
A

TO

GAIN

SENSE

OF

Monkeys play fighting

BALANCE, AND TO IMPROVE THE

with their siblings in

REFLEXES,

trees

MOMENT MAY HELP TO ESCAPE

WHICH

AT A GIVEN

FROM A PLAYMATE, OR ALSO TO

DODGE

THE

ATTACK

OF

PREDATOR.
10:23:12:24

NARRATOR
AND EACH INDIVIDUAL LEARNS TO
RECOGNISE ITS ABILITIES AND ITS
LIMITS.

10:23:25:06

NARRATOR
MONKEYS, WHICH ARE SO SIMILAR
TO PEOPLE, ARE ABLE TO HAVE
FUN AND LEARN AT THE SAME
TIME.

10:23:31:03

SEQUENCE:
Monkeys

10:23:32:14
running

NARRATOR
TOGETHER

WITH

FACIAL

AND

CORPORAL

EXPRESSIONS,

THIS

across savannah and

CHASING, HITTING AND SHOVING

into water in a game

MAKE

UP

VERY

COMPLETE

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28

of chase

LANGUAGE.
10:23:41:10

NARRATOR
THE

TIES

WITHIN

THE

GROUP

GRADUALLY FORM ACCORDING TO

SEQUENCE:

THE RESULTS THAT ARE REPEATED

MOST

Monkeys

running

FREQUENTLY

IN

THESE

GAMES.

across savannah and

into water in a game 10:23:57:23

NARRATOR

of chase

THE ONES WHO WIN THE MOST

OFTEN WILL BE THE DOMINANT
MALES

AND

FEMALES,

AND

EVERYONE WILL HAPPILY ACCEPT

THE ORDER THAT IS ESTABLISHED
BECAUSE

IT

EMERGED

IN

GRADUAL, NATURAL AND FAIR WAY.

10:24:20:21

SHOT of rocky terrain

10:24:24:08

SEQUENCE:

10:24:35:07

NARRATOR
THE HIERARCHICAL ORGANISATION

Young

mountain

OF

goats play fighting on

SPECIES

IS

FORGED

FROM

INFANCY.

rocky terrain
10:24:40:07

NARRATOR
IT PLAYS A FUNDAMENTAL ROLE IN
CUSHIONING
AND

IT

COHESIVE

ALSO

AGGRESSIVENESS,
SERVES

AS

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29

10:24:45:03

SEQUENCE:

NARRATOR (CONT)
ELEMENT THAT UNITS THE CLAN,

Young elephants play

OR THE HERD, SO THAT TOGETHER

fighting at they graze

AND WELL ORGANISED THEY CAN

on savannah

IMPROVE

THEIR

CHANCES

FOR

SURVIVAL.
10:24:57:01

NARRATOR
THE BABIES GAMES GRADUALLY
BECOME MORE SERIOUS AS THEY
GROW OLDER.

10:25:06:05

NARRATOR
AND

OF

REACH

COURSE,

WHEN

ADOLESCENCE,

THEY
THEIR

SPIRITS RUN HIGH.

10:25:12:07

SEQUENCE:

10:25:14:05

NARRATOR
YOUNG IMPALAS MAY BE THE MOST

Young impalas play

ARDENT ADOLESCENT MALES IN

fighting in woodland

THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.

10:25:20:20

NARRATOR
IF THEY HAD THEIR WAY THEY
WOULD SPEND ALL THEIR TIME
COMPETING WITH EACH OTHER, AN
ABSOLUTE FREE-FOR-ALL.

10:25:38:20

NARRATOR

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30

BUT OF COURSE THIS TIRES THEM

OUT
SEQUENCE:

CONSIDERABLY, AND

THEY

INEVITABLY ARENT AS ATTENTIVE

AS

THEY SHOULD

Young impalas play

POSSIBLE

fighting in woodland

PREDATORS.
10:25:48:12

BE TO THE

PRESENCE

OF

NARRATOR
TO REDUCE THE RISK OF BEING
ATTACKED WHILE THEY LEARN TO
USE

THEIR

HORNS,

THE

ADOLESCENTS LIVE WITH OTHER

MALES OF VARIOUS AGES, AND
ONE OF THEM IS ALWAYS ON THE
LOOK-OUT, JUST IN CASE.
10:25:59:06

SEQUENCE:

10:26:05:11

NARRATOR
THE

MEMBERS

Young

impalas

EXCLUSIVE

walking

through

INCLUDE

OF

THESE

BACHELORS

CLUBS

ADOLESCENTS,

ADULT

woodland as elders

MALES

THAT

DONT

YET

HAVE

looks on

THEIR OWN GROUP OF FEMALES,

AND ALSO THOSE ADULT MALES
THAT HAVE LOST THEIR FEMALES,
THAT IS, APPRENTICES, ASPIRANTS
TO BECOME ALPHA MALES

10:26:19:03

SEQUENCE:

NARRATOR (CONT)
AND DEPOSED ALPHA MALES.

Young impalas play

fighting in woodland

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31

10:26:21:23

NARRATOR
ALTHOUGH THE ONES THAT FIGHT
THE MOST ARE THE ADOLESCENTS
THAT ARE COMPETING FOR THE
RIGHT

TO

PARADISE,

ENTER
BY

IMPALA

BECOMING

THE

BEST IN THE BACHELORS CLUB.

10:26:52:24

SHOTS

of impalas 10:26:55:00

grazing on hillside

NARRATOR
SOME DAY THEY WILL CHALLENGE
THE SUPER MALE THAT LIVES A
FEW KILOMETRES AWAY, ALONE
WITH HIS HAREM OF FEMALES.

10:27:02:03

NARRATOR
HE WON THIS RIGHT BY BEATING
THE

STRONGEST

RIVALS

IN

THOUSAND BLOODLESS BATTLES.

10:27:09:24

NARRATOR
THE

PROBLEM

IS,

SOMETIMES

THESE BATTLES DO HAVE VERY

SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES.
10:27:14:01

SHOTS of injured ox 10:27:21:18

NARRATOR

limping

ON THE SAVANNAH, AN INJURY

savannah

across

MAKES YOU VERY VULNERABLE TO

THE LIONS, AND A LIMP IS THE
QUICKEST WAY TO DRAW THEIR
ATTENTION.

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32

10:27:52:04

SHOT of

the

vultures

sky,

circling

amongst the clouds

10:27:54:14

SEQUENCE:

10:28:05:21

NARRATOR
AND IF YOU GIVE UP, WHEN YOU

Injured

ox

across

limping

GIVE UP, YOU CAN DODGE THE

savannah

HUNTER, BUT YOULL END UP WITH

before stopping and

THE SCAVENGERS.

lying down in water

CUT with:
SHOT of
vultures

the

sky,

circling

amongst the clouds

10:28:31:06

SHOT

of

vulture

flying through the air

10:28:35:10

10:28:43:18

SHOT

of

vultures 10:28:42:12

NARRATOR

looking on

THE DEATHS OF THE WEAKEST,

SHOTS of vultures

NARRATOR (CONT)

flying through the air

OF THOSE WHO HAVENT BEEN

INVITED

TO

THE

PARTY

TO

PROPAGATE THEIR GENES, WILL

FEED NEW FIGHTS, NEW ATTEMPTS.
NARRATOR
SHOTS of vultures 10:28:51:07

THE VULTURES EYESIGHT IS THE

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33

flying through the air

BEST IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.

NARRATOR
10:28:54:19

ITS LIKE THEYVE GOT A ZOOM IN

THEIR

EYES

TO

SPOT

DEAD

ANIMALS FROM THE AIR.

NARRATOR
10:29:01:01
10:29:04:05

SHOT

of

crowded

OF

COURSE

THE

MORE

VULTURES THERE ARE AROUND IT,

THE EASIER IT IS TO LOCATE A

vultures
around

AND

CORPSE.

carcass
10:29:10:22

NARRATOR
FLYING

10:29:11:06

SHOT

of

vulture

NARRATOR (CONT)

coming in to land

VULTURES
VULTURES

CAN

SEE

DESCENDING

OTHER
FROM

VERY FAR AWAY, AND THAT, IN THE

LANGUAGE OF VULTURES,
10:29:17:15

SEQUENCE:

NARRATOR (CONT)
CAN MEAN ONLY ONE THING.

Vultures

crowded

THAT YOU HAVE TO HURRY UP

around a carcass as

BEFORE THE OTHERS GOBBLE UP

they

THE WHOLE FEAST.

feed

on

its

remains
10:29:29:14

NARRATOR
VULTURES DONT HAVE TO HUNT,
THEY EAT THE CORPSES THAT

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34

THEY JUST HAPPEN TO STUMBLE

UPON.
10:29:35:03

NARRATOR
THEY

ONLY

STOMACHS

HAVE

THAT

TO

CAN

HAVE
HANDLE

VERY WELL DONE MEAT, EVEN

DECOMPOSING MEAT.
10:29:44:01

NARRATOR
BUT THEY DO HAVE TO FIGHT FOR
EACH MOUTHFUL THAT MOTHER
NATURE SERVES UP TO THEM.

10:29:50:02

NARRATOR
THE RISKS THAT THEY DONT HAVE
TO RUN TO CATCH THEIR PREY,
THEY DO HAVE TO RUN TO GET
EACH BITE NEXT TO THE OTHER
VULTURES AROUND THEM.

10:30:03:10

NARRATOR
BUT

THERE

ARE

RULES

THAT

ESTABLISH SOME ORDER IN THE

CHAOS OF VULTURES SQUABBLING
OVER DINNER.
SEQUENCE:

10:30:08:14

NARRATOR
THE HUNGRIEST ONES ARE ALSO

Vultures

crowded

THE MOST AGGRESSIVE, AND AS

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35

around a carcass as

THEY GRADUALLY SATISFY THEIR

they

APPETITE,

feed

on

its

remains

VIOLENT

THEY
IN

BECOME

THE

LESS

FIGHT

FOR

TENDONS AND INTESTINES.

10:30:19:18

NARRATOR
CONSEQUENTLY,

THERE

IS

ROTATION AT THE BUFFET TABLE,

AND THE WHOLE GROUP GETS TO
EAT SOMETHING IN A WAY THAT IS
VERY PROPORTIONAL TO WHATS
AVAILABLE.
10:31:25:23

SHOT

of

vulture

turning its head

10:31:29:00

SEQUENCE:
Wolf

10:31:34:21

approaching

NARRATOR
ALTHOUGH

WOLVES

ALSO

SCAVENGE

SOMETIMES

LIKE

group and joining in

VULTURES, WOLVES ARE MAINLY

as

HUNTERS.

they

feed

on

carcass
10:31:41:12

NARRATOR
AND IN WOLF SOCIETY, THINGS ARE
DONE

10:31:43:09

10:31:47:05

SHOT of rocky terrain

NARRATOR (CONT)

as wolves feed on

AS A GROUP, AND EVERYONE HAS

carcass

A ROLE TO PLAY.

SHOT

of

wolves 10:31:48:11

NARRATOR

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36

10:31:49:06

feeding on carcass

THATS WHY THERE

SEQUENCE:

NARRATOR (CONT)
IS A HIERARCHY AT THEIR FAMILY

Wolf

growling

group

as

FEASTS

members

THAT

PREVENTS

ALTERCATIONS.

continue to feed on
carcass

10:31:59:21

NARRATOR
EVEN IF THEY ARE VERY HUNGRY, A
STRICT CODE OF SIGNS, GESTURES
AND

SOUNDS

MANAGES

THE

TENSION QUITE WELL.

10:32:12:11

SHOTS

of

wolves 10:32:13:22

feeding on carcass

NARRATOR
THE KEY TO HAPPINESS DOESNT
LIE IN BEING THE LEADER OF THE
PACK, ITS FINE TO BE NUMBER
THREE OR FIVE, THE KEY

10:32:22:02

SEQUENCE:

NARRATOR (CONT)
IS IN KNOWING TO A T WHAT

Wolf
group

growling

as

YOUR PLACE IS WITHIN THE GROUP.

members

continue to feed on
carcass

NARRATOR
10:32:27:14

ITS

NOT

CONFORMING,

QUESTION
BUT

OF
OF

RECOGNISING YOUR ABILITIES AND

OFFERING THEM TO THE CLAN.
NARRATOR

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37

10:32:33:15

WOLVES

UNDERSTAND

THAT

PERFECTLY.
10:32:42:09

SHOT

of

crashing

waves 10:32:46:16
against

rocks

NARRATOR
ALTHOUGH

WATER

PERCENT

OF

COVERS

THE

71

EARTHS

SURFACE,
10:32:49:03

MONTAGE:

NARRATOR (CONT)
AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEAS

SHOTS

of

various

THERES

creatures under the

NO

MORE

AVAILABLE

TERRAIN THAN ON DRY LAND.

sea
10:32:56:04

NARRATOR
ITS ALMOST ALL SAND, LIKE AN
IMMENSE DESERT.

10:33:01:02

NARRATOR
ONLY ON THE REEFS AND ON THE
ROCKY

BOTTOMS

NEAR

THE

COASTS IS THERE REALLY LIFE.

10:33:07:03

NARRATOR
HERE, EVERY STONE, EVERY NOOK
AND

CRANNY

IS

SOMEBODYS

TERRITORY.
10:33:12:09

NARRATOR
THE MAJORITY OF MARINE LIFE IS
CONCENTRATED

AROUND

THESE

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38

10:33:17:20

LIVING OASES, AND THATS WHY

EVERY SQUARE CENTIMETRE IS IN

SEQUENCE:

BIG DEMAND.
Boxer shrimp making
its way across the 10:33:24:00

NARRATOR

sea

before

THIS SHRIMP IS LOOKING FOR A

coming face to face

HOME, AND THE ONE HE LIKES

with a rival

ALREADY HAS AN OWNER.

bed

10:33:32:02

NARRATOR
THE POPULAR NAME WE HAVE
GIVEN THIS SPECIES IS BOXER
SHRIMP, BECAUSE THEYRE VERY
SURLY TO EACH OTHER.

THEY

CANT STAND TO HAVE ANOTHER

ONE NEAR.
10:33:41:05

NARRATOR
BUT TO KEEP FROM KILLING EACH
OTHER,

THEY

DEVELOPED

BRILLIANT TRICK AND SO THEY

ALWAYS

FIGHT

BY

CATEGORY,

ACCORDING TO THEIR SIZE.

10:33:49:23

SEQUENCE:

10:33:49:22

NARRATOR
THEY COMPARE HOW LONG THEY

Boxer shrimp facing

ARE, THE SIZE OF THEIR CLAWS, TO

off

SEE IF ONE OF THEM IS CLEARLY

against

touching

rival,

antennae

BIGGER.

before beginning to
fight

10:33:56:09

NARRATOR

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39

THEY ALWAYS LOOK FOR SOME

WAY TO RESOLVE THE DISPUTE
WITHOUT BLOODSHED.
10:34:13:19

NARRATOR
THEY TOUCH EACH OTHER WITH
THEIR

LONG

ANTENNAE,

COMMUNICATING TO THE OTHER

EXACTLY WHAT THEIR INTENTIONS
ARE.
10:34:32:23

SEQUENCE:

10:34:35:24

NARRATOR
AND IF THERE IS A FIGHT, ITS VERY

Boxer shrimp cutting

QUICK.

off its rivals claw,

causing it to walk 10:34:38:21

NARRATOR

away

THE AIM IS TO GRAB THE OTHERS

CLAWS AND WHEN ONE OF THEM
MANAGES TO DO THAT, THE OTHER
SHRIMP ACCEPTS DEFEAT, AND AS
THE

LOSER,

VOLUNTARILY

SURRENDERS ITS LEFT ARM, THE

WEAKER OF THE TWO CLAWS.
10:34:52:01

NARRATOR
THE LOSER IS LEFT ONE-ARMED,
BUT ONLY TEMPORARILY.
NEXT

10:34:58:08

SHOT

of

severed

claw lying on the sea

TIME

IT

THE

SHEDS

ITS

EXOSKELETON IN JUST A FEW

WEEKS,
IT
COMPLETELY
REGENERATES THE LOST CLAW.

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40

bed
10:35:05:16

CU on murky sea bed 10:35:06:21

NARRATOR
THERES NOT MUCH EXTRA SPACE
IN THESE WATERS

10:35:08:11

SHOT

of

boggy

NARRATOR (CONT)

terrain surrounded by

EITHER, ESPECIALLY IN THOSE

water

LITTLE

POOLS

WHICH
10:35:14:06

BY

THE

BANKS

EVAPORATION

HAS

SEQUENCE:

ISOLATED FROM THE MAIN

CHANNEL.

Siamese fighting fish 10:35:18:07

NARRATOR

moving through water

THE TERRITORY OF A SIAMESE

before coming to face

FIGHTING FISH CHANGES IN SIZE

to face with a rival

AND SHAPE.

10:35:23:20
SEQUENCE:

NARRATOR
IT

GROWS,

OR

SHRINKS,

ACCORDING TO THE RAINS OR THE

Siamese fighting fish

HEAT.

moving through water

before coming to face 10:35:28:00

NARRATOR

to face with a rival

THAT MAKES THESE FISH ONE OF

THE MOST ANTI-SOCIAL ANIMALS
ON THE PLANET.
10:35:35:01

NARRATOR

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41

WHEN

TWO

SIAMESE

FIGHTING

FISH END UP ISOLATED IN A POOL

THATS TOO SMALL, ONE OF THEM
WILL

KILL

THE

OTHER,

SINCE

THERE IS NO WAY TO RUN AWAY.

10:35:44:23

NARRATOR
THERE CAN BE

10:35:45:09

SEQUENCE:

NARRATOR (CONT)
ONLY ONE.

Siamese fighting fish

flaring up their fins as 10:35:50:00

NARRATOR

they prepare to fight

IT LOOKS LIKE THE RED ONE IS

over territory

GOING TO WIN, AT LEAST HES THE

BIGGEST BRAGGART.
10:35:57:21

NARRATOR
MALE

SIAMESE

HAVE

FIGHTING

FISH

DISPROPORTIONATELY

SEQUENCE:

LARGE FINS.

Siamese fighting fish 10:36:02:22

NARRATOR

flaring up their fins as

THEIR FIRST PURPOSE IS TO MAKE

they prepare to fight

THEIR OWNERS VISIBLE TO OTHER

over territory

SIAMESE FIGHTING FISH IN THESE

MUDDY WATERS.
10:36:11:01

NARRATOR
THEYRE ALSO USEFUL TO COURT

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42

THE LADIES WHENEVER THEY FIND

THEM.
10:36:15:12

NARRATOR
BUT ABOVE ALL, THEY ARE A
SHIELD.

10:36:21:15

NARRATOR
GIVEN

THEIR

SURFACE

AREA,

LENGTH
HIS

AND
RIVALS

ATTACKS ALMOST NEVER REACH

THE VITAL PARTS OF THE BODY.
10:36:29:02

NARRATOR
HIS FINS END UP IN SHREDS, BUT
THE DAMAGE DOESNT GO BEYOND
THAT, AND THE FINS WILL HEAL.

10:36:39:23

SEQUENCE:

10:37:42:23

NARRATOR
WHEN ONE OF THE COMBATANTS

Siamese fighting fish

FEELS

fighting over territory,

pieces of fin tearing
away

from

their

bodies as they fight

10:37:43:21

SEQUENCE:

NARRATOR (CONT)
CLEARLY

BEATEN,

HE

STAYS

Siamese fighting fish

COMPLETELY STILL SO AS NOT TO

feigning

INCITE

death

and

THE

WINNER

TO

KEEP

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43

beginning to float in
water

as

its

ATTACKING.

rival

swims away

10:37:51:05

NARRATOR
HE SURRENDERS.

10:37:53:22

NARRATOR
THIS TECHNIQUE, IN WHICH HE
SPREADS
COMPLETELY

HIS
TO

FINS
REVEAL

OUT
HIS

WOUNDS, PLACATES HIS RIVAL AND

GAINS HIM A FEW HOURS RESPITE.
NARRATOR
10:38:02:07

WITH LUCK, EVEN A WHOLE DAY,

AND FORTUNATELY IN THAILAND IT
RAINS FREQUENTLY.

10:38:08:03

TIMELAPSE:
SHOT

of

boggy

terrain being filled up

with water
10:38:18:21

SHOTS

of 10:38:21:01

NARRATOR

hippopotamuses

ANOTHER SOURCE OF CONFLICT IN

bathing

THE WILD IS THE DIFFERENCES

in

muddy

water

BETWEEN THE SEXES.

10:38:26:00

NARRATOR
ACTUALLY

THE

LACK

OF

DIFFERENCES, WHEN THE GUYS

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44

AND THE
10:38:29:16

SEQUENCE:

NARRATOR (CONT)
GALS LOOK SO MUCH ALIKE

Hippopotamuses

THAT YOU ALMOST CANT TELL

carrying out mating

THEM APART.

rituals as they bathe

in muddy water

10:38:34:20

NARRATOR
THATS WHY THERE ARE MATING
RITUALS

TO

CLEAR

UP

THIS

CRUCIAL POINT.
10:38:40:12

NARRATOR
ANIMALS

MATING

RITUALS

EXTREMELY VARIED, AND

ARE
SOME

ARE EVEN VIOLENT.

10:38:46:24

NARRATOR
HIPPOPOTAMI

LOOK

LIKE

THEY

BITE EACH OTHER MORE THAN

KISS EACH OTHER.
10:39:36:13

SEQUENCE:

10:39:36:16

NARRATOR
THE GIRAFFES MATING RITUALS

Giraffes carrying out

BEGIN

THE

SAME

WAY FIGHTS

mating rituals as they

BETWEEN

stand beside trees

SOME BLOWS TO THE NECK, A

GIRAFFES

DO,

WITH

SHOVE OR TWO.
10:39:45:11

NARRATOR
HOW

DOES

THE

OTHER

ONE

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45

RESPOND?
10:39:49:15

NARRATOR
IF ITS STRONG AND HAS MALE
HORMONES,

IT

WILL

RESPOND

AGGRESSIVELY AND HIT BACK.

10:39:56:19

NARRATOR
IF THE VIOLENCE GROWS, THEN
ITS

TIFF

BETWEEN

MALES,

WHICH HAS NO FUTURE.

10:40:04:24

NARRATOR
BUT IF TO THE CONTRARY DURING
THE SKIRMISH ONE OF THE TWO
GIRAFFES BACKS OFF INSTEAD OF
RETURNING THE BLOWS, REFUSING
TO

RESPOND

WITH

MORE

VIOLENCE, THEN THAT INDICATES

THAT ITS A FEMALE, AND THAT THE
MEETING

WILL

HAVE

ENDING AMONG THE

10:40:18:23

SHOT

of

walking

giraffes
into

woodland
10:40:31:23

SHOT

of

continuing

giraffes
mating

rituals amongst trees

NARRATOR (CONT)
TREES.

A HAPPY

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46

10:40:36:16

TIMELAPSE:
SHOT

of

the

sun

setting on horizon
10:40:46:10

SEQUENCE:

10:40:50:11

NARRATOR
FOR THE MOMENT THERES NO

Spanish

toads

ROOM FOR

CONFUSION AMONG

croaking as they sit in

THESE TOADS, THERE ARE ONLY

water and amongst

MALES IN THE POOL.

reeds
10:41:02:22

NARRATOR
THEYVE BEEN CALLING TO THE
FEMALES

FOR

DAYS,

BUT

THE

LADIES STILL HAVENT SHOWN UP.

10:41:08:03

NARRATOR
THEYRE HOT BLOODED, THEY ARE
SPANISH TOADS AFTER ALL,

10:41:11:15

SEQUENCE:

NARRATOR (CONT)
AND THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

Spanish
making
through
search

toads
their

way 10:41:14:14

water
of

in

mating

NARRATOR
EACH TOAD IS TRYING TO CLAIM A
GOOD

SPOT

WITH

THE

IDEAL

areas, battling with

DEPTH TO FERTILISE HIS FUTURE

rivals as they do so

MATE, AND HE WANTS A BIT OF

PEACE AND CALM, SO THE OTHER
MALES AROUND CAN JUST TAKE A
HIKE, BUT THEYRE NOT LEAVING.

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47

10:41:37:10

SEQUENCE:

10:41:38:07

NARRATOR
IF IN THE HEAT OF NIGHT ONE OF

Spanish

toad

THESE TOADS WERE TO GRAB

accidentally mounting

ANOTHER THE WAY HE WOULD

HOLD

fellow

male,

A FEMALE,

THEN

TOTAL

causing others to join

CHAOS WOULD BREAK OUT AMONG

in

THE TOADS.
10:41:46:18

NARRATOR
EVERYONE WOULD TRY TO MATE
WITH THE ALLEGED LADY!

10:41:50:18

NARRATOR
ALTHOUGH, WHO KNOWS, MAYBE IT
IS A LADY.

10:41:54:06

SHOTS of Spanish 10:41:54:18

NARRATOR

toad croaking as it

WHO CAN SEE A THING IN THIS

sits amongst reeds

DARKNESS?
10:41:58:06

NARRATOR
BUT THE SUN WILL COME UP SOON,
AND THE PARTY WILL CONTINUE
TOMORROW.

10:42:05:17

SHOT
toad
water,

of

Spanish

submerged

in

looking

towards camera

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10:42:17:02

TIMELAPSE:
SHOT

of

clouds

moving through the

sky as sun rises
10:42:27:01

SEQUENCE:

10:42:29:06

NARRATOR
THIS CLASH BETWEEN A MALE AND

Warthogs

carrying

A FEMALE IS VERY UNUSUAL.

out mating rituals, the

female

becoming 10:42:34:05

NARRATOR

violent as the male

ITS NOT A MISTAKE LIKE THE

persists

TOADS,

NOR

MATING

IS

IT

RITUAL

A VIOLENT
LIKE

THE

GIRAFFES.
10:42:40:16

NARRATOR
BUT FOR A MATING RITUAL, THE
FEMALE SURE IS PLAYING HARD TO
GET.

10:42:55:16

NARRATOR
SHES REJECTING THE SUITOR.

10:42:58:17

NARRATOR
HES A YOUNG MALE THAT HASNT
EARNED

SUCH

HONOUR

YET,

A
AND

FOLLOW THE RULES.

PLACE
HE

OF

WONT

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10:43:10:06

NARRATOR
ISNT

THERE

AN

ALPHA

MALE

AROUND HERE SOMEWHERE TO

DEFEND THE LADY?
10:43:14:01

NARRATOR
MAYBE A LION ATE HIM?

10:43:22:00

SEQUENCE:

10:43:24:02

NARRATOR
FINALLY, THANK GOODNESS! OKAY,

Second male warthog

NOW EVERYTHING WILL BE AS IT

arriving on the scene

SHOULD BE AGAIN, AFTER A BIT OF

and

SHOVING.

coming

to

females aid
10:43:33:09

SEQUENCE:
Warthogs

fighting

over a mate before

one runs away
10:43:37:12

SHOT

of

warthogs 10:43:37:17

standing

on

savannah

NARRATOR
SQUABBLES BETWEEN THE SEXES,
CLASHES AMONG MALES, FIGHTS
TO

10:43:41:04

SEQUENCE:

NARRATOR (CONT)
THE DEATH, OR MERE THREATS,

Zebras
together

standing
as

they

graze on savannah

THE FIGHT FOR LIFE TAKES MANY

FORMS.

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10:43:46:19

NARRATOR
LITTLE DAILY QUARRELS ARE THE
MOST

COMMON

THING

AMONG

NEIGHBOURS, BUT THEYRE VERY

IMPORTANT.
10:43:52:07

PAN around to show 10:43:54:00

NARRATOR

savannah as zebras

THEY LET OFF STEAM.

graze

10:43:55:23

SEQUENCE:

10:44:00:08

NARRATOR
ZEBRAS, LIKE ANY OTHER ANIMAL,

Zebras

standing

together

as

LIVE

they

WITH

STRESS.

graze on savannah

HIGH

LEVEL

OF

THEY KNOW THE LIONS

ARE OUT THERE, AND THAT MAKES

THEM NERVOUS.

10:44:09:10

SHOT of lions looking

on as zebras graze in
background

10:44:14:12

10:44:13:12

NARRATOR
LETTING THE TENSION BUILD UP
WOULD BE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE.

SEQUENCE:

A LITTLE SPAT THAT SETS THINGS

Zebras
they

fighting
walk

as

STRAIGHT NEVER DID ANY HARM

across

TO ANYBODY.

savannah
10:44:23:22

NARRATOR
RESTING YOUR HEAD ON YOUR
NEIGHBOURS SHOULDER IS ALSO
AN IDEAL WAY TO MAKE UP.

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10:44:34:20

SEQUENCE:

10:44:47:12

NARRATOR
NEIGHBOURS

Zebras resting their

heads

on

ARE

POTENTIAL

FRIENDS WHEN THEY CAN

fellow

group members by
way of an apology

10:44:49:06

PAN down to show

NARRATOR (CONT)

ants crawling across

COOPERATE

tree stump

THEMSELVES.
10:44:53:09

AMONGST

NARRATOR
BUT SOME NEIGHBOURS CAN ONLY
BE ENEMIES.

10:44:55:10

SEQUENCE:

10:45:02:14

NARRATOR
WHEN THE NUMBER OF ANTS IN AN

Ants

making

their

ANT HILL GROWS WITH THE BIRTH

way across terrain in

OF A NEW GENERATION, THEIR

search

NEED

of

new

home

FOR

GROWS,

RESOURCES

AND

THEN

ALSO

THE

COLONYS ONLY OPTION

ANT

IS TO

CONQUER MORE LAND.

10:45:21:08

NARRATOR
THIS

IS

RECONNAISSANCE

MISSION MADE UP OF SOLDIERS

FROM AN ANT HILL, AND IT HAS

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52

JUST CROSSED THE BORDERS OF

ITS TERRITORY.
10:45:32:12

NARRATOR
ANIMALS

GENERALLY

AVOID

INJURING EACH OTHER, BUT TODAY

THAT WONT BE POSSIBLE.

10:45:39:23

SEQUENCE:

10:46:10:09

NARRATOR
ANT

COLONIES

THAT

SHARE

Ants battling with rival

BORDERS OFTEN DESCEND FROM

colony

SISTER QUEENS.

as

they

attempt to take over

terrain

10:46:16:04

NARRATOR
GENETICALLY
SIMILAR,

THEYRE

BUT

VERY

THEYRE

NOT

IDENTICAL.
10:46:21:21

NARRATOR
THEY

CAN

COUSINS

DISTINGUISH
PERFECTLY

THEMSELVES.

THEIR
FROM

THEY KNOW WHAT

THE PRESENCE OF INVADERS NEXT

TO THEIR HOME MEANS, AND THEY
ARE

WELL

AWARE

OF

WHICH

FAMILY THE ANTS BELONG TO.

10:46:51:16

NARRATOR
THERE MAY NOT BE ANY OTHER

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FORM OF VIOLENCE IN THE ANIMAL

KINGDOM AS FIERCE AS THIS.
10:46:57:10

NARRATOR
HERE, THERE ARE NO PROTOCOLS,
NO STRATEGIES, NO RULES.

10:47:02:09

NARRATOR
IT WOULDNT MAKE ANY SENSE.

SEQUENCE:

10:47:04:07

NARRATOR
THERE IS ONLY ONE AIM.

TO

Ants battling with rival

ELIMINATE THE OTHER ANT HILL IN

colony

ORDER

as

they

attempt to take over

TO

HAVE

ENOUGH

RESOURCES AT THEIR DISPOSAL.

terrain
10:47:11:11

NARRATOR
ITS THEIR LIVES OR OURS.

10:47:16:18

NARRATOR
ITS ONLY A QUESTION OF USING
BRUTE FORCE TO KILL AS MANY OF
THE ENEMY AS POSSIBLE.

10:47:30:09

SEQUENCE:

10:47:34:07

NARRATOR
SOME ANTS SEEM TO TRY TO STAB

Ants

attempting

to

THEIR STING IN OTHERS, BUT THEY

stab rivals as battle

DONT HAVE A STING.

takes place
10:47:39:24

NARRATOR

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ANTS DESCEND FROM WASPS AND

SOME SPECIES STILL HAVE A STING
TO

INJECT

VENOM

WITH,

BUT

THATS NOT THE CASE WITH THIS

SPECIES.
10:47:49:20

NARRATOR
NONETHELESS, THE TREMENDOUS
AGGRESSIVENESS

THAT

SOME

INDIVIDUAL ANTS EXHIBIT LEADS

THEM TO RESORT TO EVERY KIND
OF WEAPON THEY KNOW, EVEN
THOSE THAT THEY NO LONGER
HAVE.
10:48:05:13

SEQUENCE:

10:48:06:07

NARRATOR
THIS MADNESS THAT TAKES OVER

Ants battling with rival

AS THEY FIGHT TO THE DEATH,

colony

ALSO

as

they

SEEMS

TO

ELIMINATE

attempt to take over

COMPLETELY THE PAIN THEY FEEL

terrain, continuing to

ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

fight even once cut in

two

10:48:18:22

NARRATOR
THATS WHY AN ANT THAT HAS
BEEN CUT IN TWO KEEPS FIGHTING
AS IF IT WERE WHOLE.

10:48:25:02

NARRATOR
NOBODY, AND NO PART OF A BODY,
WILL STOP FIGHTING UNTIL THEY

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HAVE USED EVERY LAST OUNCE OF

ENERGY.
10:48:33:16

NARRATOR
WAR AMONG THE ANTS IS CRUEL,
MERCILESS AND FIERCE.

JUST

LIKE ANY OTHER.

10:49:06:04

SHOT of ant walking

by, checking on a
rivals corpse as it
passes

10:49:08:22

SHOT of dead ant

10:49:11:21

CU

on

dying

ant

moving its leg and

jaw
10:49:21:22

PAN

up

to

show

woodland
10:49:29:02

CU on lichen covered
tree

10:49:32:21

SEQUENCE:

10:49:36:17

NARRATOR
WE HUMANS ARE AWARE OF ALL

Japanese rhinoceros

THE POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF

beetle

across

walking
branch

meeting with rival

and

CONFRONTATION,

ANIMALS ARE NOT.

BUT

WILD

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10:49:46:16

NARRATOR
THEY

ONLY

FOLLOW

THEIR

INSTINCTS.

10:49:52:00

SEQUENCE:
Japanese rhinoceros
beetles fighting over
territory, lifting each
other as fight takes
place

10:50:22:11

SHOTS of Japanese 10:50:35:20

NARRATOR

rhinoceros

beetles

ANOTHER FIGHT

silhouetted

against

the

sky

as

they

continue to fight
10:50:36:13

SHOTS of Japanese

NARRATOR (CONT)

rhinoceros

IS

beetle

OVER.

THE

WINNER

celebrating victory on

CELEBRATES HIS VICTORY IN THE

branch

MOST VISIBLE PLACE HE KNOWS IN

silhouetted

against the sky

THE FOREST, HIS BRANCH.

10:50:45:24

NARRATOR
JUST IN CASE SOMEONE HAS SEEN
WHAT HE DID.

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10:50:50:00

SHOT

of

female 10:50:50:10

NARRATOR

Japanese rhinoceros

MOTHER NATURE HAS A BIG PRIZE

beetle

on

IN STORE FOR THE

SHOT of Japanese

NARRATOR (CONT)

rhinoceros

VICTOR AND HIS GENES.

perched

branch

10:50:52:16

beetle

flying from branch

10:50:54:15

SHOTS of Japanese 10:50:57:12

NARRATOR

rhinoceros

beetles

THE LAW OF THE JUNGLE IS TO

silhouetted

COMPETE, AND ONLY THE BEST

mating

against the sky

PREVAIL AND PROCREATE.

10:51:05:08

NARRATOR
COMPETITION

IS

ALSO

STIMULATING FOR HUMANS, BUT

WE CAN CONTROL OUR FIGHTING
INSTINCT

AND

REACH

OUT

TO

OTHERS IN SOLIDARITY, WITH LOVE

RATHER THAN VIOLENCE.
10:51:16:19

TIMELAPSE:
SHOT

of

clouds

moving through the

sky above savannah
as sun sets
10:51:24:15

FADE TO BLACK

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10:51:25:05

END CREDITS

10:51:25:05

MONTAGE:
SHOTS from series
as end credits roll

10:51:50:02

END CARD