Talking to Strangers

This episode concentrates on communication. In Kenya, Attenborough accompanies a tribesman who calls to a honeyguide, which in turn answers him and leads the pair to a bees' nest. The tribesman extracts the honey, and some is left to reward the bird. African hunting dogs are shown hunting gazelles, of which the target is the individual that leaps lowest. Larks evade merlin by sending a similar message: by continuing to sing while being chased, it tells the pursuer that its prey is fit and therefore will be difficult to catch. (In 80% of cases this turns out to be true.) Vervet monkeys' cries are among the most complex. Their utterances are effectively words: a vocabulary that defines each of their predators, so an alarm call is specific to a particular threat. Some creatures transmit their presence by display, and Attenborough observes thousands of fireflies illuminating the darkness. Sounds travel further underwater, and over 200 species of fish use them to communicate. In turn, sea lions have become adept at sensing their proximity. However, the most visual aquatic animal is the squid, which uses colour change and posture to communicate. Finally, Attenborough swims with dolphins. They converse with a series of ultrasonic clicks, and each has a family call inherited from its mother: effectively a 'surname'. They also use normal sound, body posture and touch - in short, in terms of ability to communicate, they are man's closest rival.

Van egy hal, amelynek szerenádja nem hagyja aludni a San Francisco-i öböl lakóit. Malaysiában alkonyatkor a folyópartokon milliónyi apró bogár fénye sziporkázik. A világ leghangosabb madarának rikoltozása felveri a dzsungelt. Ebben a részben még David Attenborough is beszélget az állatokkal, és közben áttekinti az állati kommunikáció jelenségeit.

Kommunikation wird im Tierreich großgeschrieben – oft ist sie sogar lebensnotwendig … Kommunikation – sei es per Gestik und Mimik, sei es durch Ultraschall, Schall oder Duft oder sogar Leuchtsignale – gehört im Tierreich zu den täglichen Erfordernissen des Lebens. Sie sichert die Fortpflanzung und entscheidet oft über Leben oder Tod.

동물들이 의사소통을 하는 엄청나게 다양한 방법들을 알아보고 그 중 몇몇을 따라해보면서, 데이빗 어텐보로는 어떻게 동물들에게 말을 걸 수 있는지 직접 보여준다.