Roam in the World of Predators

Walking with Beasts

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Episode 5 : "Sabre-tooth"

Filming Location: Brazil
1 Million Years Ago

The fifth episode shows the strange fauna of the isolated continent of South America and explores the effects of the Great American Interchange, which had happened 1.5 million years earlier. Since South America had drifted apart from Antarctica 30 million years ago, many unique mammals had evolved, including the Doedicurus: an armoured glyptodont that had a cannon ball-sized spiked club on a bony tail; the Macrauchenia, a long-limbed litoptern, somewhat resembling a humpless camel with a short trunk; and Megatherium, a very large ground sloth.

Before the continents of South America and North America collided, an 8 foot tall predatory "Terror Bird", Phorusrhacos, had reigned as top predator. However, the great cats, migrating from the north, soon displaced them as top predators.

The episode focuses on a male Smilodon, a sabre-toothed cat, named Half Tooth, whose leadership of a pride is threatened by two males who are brothers and work together against him.

The rival males ultimately chase off Half Tooth (actually Half Tooth backs off wisely without any serious injuries, feeling that the two males would be too strong for him), kill his cubs, and take over his pride. Next, the episode shows the Smilodon cats hunting down Macrauchenia and trying to protect the young from the two brothers. In the background, "Terror Birds" still hunt, but give way to the Smilodon.

However, a Megatherium,who wanted to eat meat as diet supplement, charges the pride of Smilodon, in order to eat some of the carrion. In the process, the Megatherium kills the dominant rival male, enabling Half Tooth to return, kill the other male and reclaim his territory.

Narrator:
Kenneth Branagh

Production Crew:
Director:
Nigel Paterson
Writers:
Kate Bartlett
Jasper James
Michael Olmert

Producers:
Tim Haines
Jasper James
Nigel Paterson

Film Editors:
Greg Smith
Andrew Wilks

Watch The BBC’s "Walking with Beasts" now for free online at WOWtv! Click HERE for more information.

*Only available for online viewers in Singapore
© 2001 BBC Worldwide.
Sources: Wikipedia.com, IMDb.com

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