[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:07.24,0:00:11.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Somewhere near you, \Nan animal is defecating.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:11.18,0:00:15.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In fact, each day, the animal kingdom \Nproduces roughly enough dung
Dialogue: 0,0:00:15.58,0:00:21.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to match the volume of water pouring \Nover the Victoria Falls.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:21.57,0:00:24.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So why isn’t the planet covered \Nin the stuff?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:24.93,0:00:29.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can thank the humble dung beetle \Nfor eating up the excess.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:29.24,0:00:34.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Capable of burying 250 times \Ntheir body weight in a single night,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:34.57,0:00:40.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,these valiant insects make\Nquick work of an endless stream of feces.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:40.25,0:00:46.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Over 7,000 known species of dung beetle \Nrun clean-up duty across six continents
Dialogue: 0,0:00:46.06,0:00:48.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,—everywhere except Antarctica.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:48.78,0:00:51.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A dung beetle’s first task \Nis to locate dung.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:51.92,0:00:54.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Some live on the anal regions \Nof larger animals,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:54.95,0:00:57.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,ready to leap off when they defecate.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:57.49,0:01:01.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Others sniff out feces \Nthat animals leave behind.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:01.99,0:01:07.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A pile of elephant dung can attract \N4,000 beetles in 15 minutes.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:07.06,0:01:08.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So once a beetle finds dung,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:08.87,0:01:12.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it must work quickly to secure \Nsome of the bounty for itself.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:12.96,0:01:16.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Most dung beetle species fall into one \Nof three main groups:
Dialogue: 0,0:01:16.94,0:01:17.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,rollers,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:17.88,0:01:18.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,tunnelers,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:18.75,0:01:21.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and dwellers.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:21.25,0:01:25.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Dung rollers sculpt a ball of dung,\Nand using their back legs,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:25.25,0:01:28.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,quickly roll it away from competitors.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:28.45,0:01:30.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Potential partners jump on the ball,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:30.43,0:01:32.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and once the ball-maker \Nhas selected their mate,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:32.98,0:01:36.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the pair dig their dung ball \Ninto the soil.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:36.38,0:01:41.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Once it’s been buried, the female lays \Na single egg within the dung ball.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:41.61,0:01:43.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Tunnelers have a different approach.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:43.65,0:01:47.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Digging underneath a pat, \Nsome drag dung down into the soil
Dialogue: 0,0:01:47.54,0:01:50.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and pack it into clumps \Nknown as brood balls,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:50.90,0:01:52.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,dung balls,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:52.00,0:01:56.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or dung “sausages,” \Ndepending on their shape and size.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:56.30,0:02:00.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Male tunnelers sport a spectacular \Narray of horns
Dialogue: 0,0:02:00.20,0:02:02.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to fight each other\Nfor control of these tunnels,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:02.60,0:02:06.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which they then defend \Nuntil the female’s laid her egg.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:06.77,0:02:12.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Some male tunnelers avoid the fray\Nby masquerading as hornless females
Dialogue: 0,0:02:12.03,0:02:16.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and sneaking into tunnels to mate \Nwhile the guardians’ heads are turned.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:16.80,0:02:19.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The third group of dung beetles, dwellers,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:19.36,0:02:21.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,take the most straightforward approach,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:21.63,0:02:25.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,laying their eggs\Ndirectly into a dung pat.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:25.14,0:02:28.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This makes their offspring\Nmore vulnerable to predation
Dialogue: 0,0:02:28.02,0:02:30.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,than those of the tunnelers and rollers.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:30.64,0:02:34.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As the larvae feed, they riddle \Nthe dung pat with tunnels,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:34.08,0:02:39.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,leaving remains that are quickly colonized\Nby bacteria and fungi and weathered away.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:39.75,0:02:43.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Inside a tunnel, ball, or pat, \Nonce the larvae hatch,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:43.90,0:02:47.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they consume the dung \Nbefore metamorphosing into a pupa
Dialogue: 0,0:02:47.51,0:02:50.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then an adult beetle.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:50.30,0:02:53.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Besides clearing dung, \Nthe actions of these beetles
Dialogue: 0,0:02:53.38,0:02:56.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,have considerable ecological importance.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:56.67,0:03:00.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For one, they serve as secondary \Nseed dispersers.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:00.62,0:03:02.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Dung from monkeys,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:02.04,0:03:02.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,wild pigs,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:02.89,0:03:06.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and other animals is riddled with seeds \Nfrom the fruits they eat.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:06.74,0:03:08.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When beetles bury their dung balls,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:08.88,0:03:12.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they inadvertently protect these seeds \Nfrom predators
Dialogue: 0,0:03:12.00,0:03:15.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and increase the likelihood \Nthey’ll germinate.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:15.09,0:03:18.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The advantage is so great \Nthat one South African plant
Dialogue: 0,0:03:18.49,0:03:22.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,has evolved to produce seeds that look \Nand smell like dung
Dialogue: 0,0:03:22.84,0:03:25.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to trick beetles into burying them.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:25.87,0:03:30.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Dung beetles also play important roles \Nin agricultural systems.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:30.16,0:03:34.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Livestock, like cows and sheep,\Nproduce huge amounts of dung,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:34.00,0:03:37.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which contains nutrients \Nthat can benefit plants.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:37.64,0:03:41.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The beetles break up the dung \Nand tunnel it deep into the soil,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:41.52,0:03:45.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,bringing the nutrients into close contact\Nwith plant roots.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:45.82,0:03:51.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Their services to farmers have been valued\Nat $380 million a year in the US
Dialogue: 0,0:03:51.77,0:03:56.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and £367 million a year in the UK.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:56.09,0:03:59.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Dung beetles can even help us battle \Nglobal warming
Dialogue: 0,0:03:59.20,0:04:03.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,by reducing greenhouse gas emissions\Nassociated with farming.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:03.48,0:04:06.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Microbes living in oxygen-poor \Nlivestock dung
Dialogue: 0,0:04:06.80,0:04:10.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:10.68,0:04:14.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But beetles oxygenate pats when \Nthey tunnel into them,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:14.18,0:04:17.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,preventing the microbes\Nfrom producing methane.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:17.62,0:04:19.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The dung beetle spreads seeds,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:19.52,0:04:20.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,helps farmers,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:20.59,0:04:22.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and fights climate change
Dialogue: 0,0:04:22.44,0:04:26.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,—and accomplishes it all\Nsimply by doing its business.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:26.68,0:04:30.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Maybe next time you come across \Nsome dung in the forest or a field,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:30.46,0:04:32.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you’ll be tempted to take a closer look.