03x04 - Loxodonta africana

[bunniefuu]

["One Step Closer" playing]

[Jane] "Loxodonta africana."

[trumpets]

[David] Elephants move a lot faster
than I thought they could.

Tracking them kind of feels like
we're in the herd too, doesn't it?

If we're kind of in the herd,
why do we have to hide?

Because wild elephants don't like it
when people get too close.

They could stampede and crush us.

Why are you always smiling when you
describe how animals could hurt us?

Because that's their defense.

Elephants are the largest land animal
on the planet.

Well, as a small land animal, I'd like
to know exactly what our mission is today,

other than not getting stampeded
or crushed.

We're trying to find out why elephant
herds are always led by a matriarch.

Matri-- What?

Matriarch. The oldest girl. Her.

- [grunting]
- [David] The one who's grunting?

Yep. She's got the biggest body,
biggest head and biggest tusks.

Well, she must be doing a good job.
She led them all to the watering hole.

I'm sure it's not always easy
to keep them in line.

Check out that little guy.

[gasps] Baby.

He's so cute and little,
and less able to squish us.

- [Greybeard chatters]
- What's wrong, Greybeard?

[gasps]

A lioness!

- [snarling]
- And she's heading for the baby.

[trumpets]

Whoa, she sounds mad.

Elephants are super protective
of their babies.

- [trumpets]
- [growling]

[Jane] They're stampeding back.

Oh, no. He's all alone.

He's not safe on his own.

We need to get him back to his herd
before the lionesses find him.

I thought you said
we don't want to get crushed.

We need to help him.

[trumpeting]

[grandparent] Let's not.

[Jane] Oh. Hi, Abuela.

Why are you and David stomping
on the couch with your shoes on?

We have to reunite a baby elephant
with its herd.

And stomping helps to make it feel
like we're in the middle of a stampede.

You can't do that from the floor?

- But--
- Jane, listen to your grandmother.

- Hey, Mom.
- [grandparent] Maria.

- Modern outfit.
- Mmm.

- But you could use a little more blush.
- I'm not wearing any.

Okay.

Jane, I have a meeting today,
so Abuela's looking after you.

Nice! What are we going to do today,
Jane's abuela?

David, I've told you so many times.
Call me Adriana.

I know, but I like Jane's abuela better.
It's like Jane's mom.

I gotta go. Jane, be good. Mom, be good.

- David, be--
- Be bad.

Kidding! Or am I?

- I am.
- [chuckles] Have fun.

And I'll be back in a couple hours.

- Bye, Mom!
- Bye. Break a leg!

- I know what we can do today.
- [Adriana] So do I.

You and David read quietly,
while I help your mother by tidying up.

It's a disaster in here.

Or "Loxodonta africana."

[Adriana] That better not be a bad word.

[David] My guess is that's
the scientific name for elephants.

African bush elephants, to be exact.

Do you always leave your things
on the floor?

I do when I'm on an important mission.

We're trying to find out
why elephant herds are always led

by the oldest girl elephant.

But then a baby elephant got separated
from its herd, and now we have to save it.

It's kind of like a bonus mission,

or a double mission
or a sequel to the original mission.

- Uh-huh.
- I bet the herd is looking for the baby.

And since they gather
around watering holes,

they're probably going to one now.

But where are we gonna find
an elephant watering hole?

[Adriana] Not sure about a watering hole,

but the park I used to take you to
when you were little has a splash pad.

[gasps] Great idea! Let's go.

No! Not-- No, I don't think so.
It's all the way across town.

Please, Abuela. There aren't
many elephants left in the wild.

And when they're gone,
they're gone forever.

- [sighs]
- Every elephant matters.

Especially the cute baby ones.

You almost had me until that.

Please. They need our help.

[sighs] Do you promise to clean
all this up when we get back?

Well, that depends
if another mission comes up.

Ooh, a trilogy.

[sighs] Okay, I promise.

Well, okay then. Let's go. [sighs]

[both] Yes!

But this is gonna be a nice,
relaxing trip to the park.

[Jane] Catch up, Abuela.

Are we running a race? Let's take a break.

[pants] But I don't see the watering hole.

I-- [grunts] Cariño,
I think you forgot how big this park is.

The splash pad is a long walk
all the way down there.

- You're right. We should pick up our pace.
- Not so fast.

- Remember what I said about relaxing?
- [elephant crying]

- Jane, look.
- [gasps] The baby.

We need to get over there
and reunite him with his herd.

I heard they probably miss him.

See what I did there?

I heard we were gonna
have a relaxing afternoon. Sit.

Um, Abuela, did you bring any snacks?

I was gonna pack some,
but you said we had to get to the park

before elephants went extinct
or something.

True, but now I'm hungry, and so is David.

[David] Yeah, so hungry.

I can hear my stomach going... [growls]

Can you hear it? It kind of sounds
like I swallowed a dinosaur.

I trust you.

Uh, there's a store
at the edge of the park we could go to.

Or you do that while me and David
stay here and finish our mission?

Alone? I don't think so. No.

But we go to the park by ourselves
all the time.

Plus, we can stay in touch
with our walkie-talkies.

- [static on walkie]
- [echoing] Come in, Jane's abuela.

We're at the playground, safe and sound.
Over.

You can turn down the volume with this.

Don't wander off. I'll be quick.

Thank you. Over and out.

[sighs]

Stay around here.

[chattering]

[David] Where'd the baby elephant go?

[sighs] We need to find him, fast. [pants]

[breathing heavily] Not here.

Or here.

[chattering]

The baby's not here.

You'd think an elephant
would be easier to spot.

[baby elephant crying]

- Wait, is that crying?
- [Jane] It must be the baby.

It's coming from over there. [gasps]
There he is. He's headed down the path.

He's scared. What do we do?

Let's follow him, but slowly.

We don't wanna spook him. Come on.

[trumpeting]

Aw, he sounds so sad.

I bet he's missing his family.

- Wait, the herd's his family?
- Yep.

Elephant herds are usually made up
of the matriarch,

her daughters, sisters and grandkids.

Boys leave the herd
when they're teenagers.

[David] So the matriarch
is this little guy's grandma?

Probably.
And once we get them back together,

we can finish our mission
and figure out why she's the leader.

[growling]

We better be quick, or it's snack time.

- And not for us.
- Uh-oh.

[cash register beeping]

Huh. Uh, these aren't scanning.

Uh, sorry. It's my first day.

Did you happen to see the price
of these pretzels?

Oh, I-- I didn't.

No worries, I'll just keep trying.

[cash register beeping]

S-Sometimes it just takes a few tries.

Uh, you know what? Skip the pretzels.

Uh, my granddaughter's at the park
waiting for me,

- and I really need--
- N-No, it's okay.

Um, I can just go check the price
in the aisle,

if I can remember
which aisle these are from.

[sighs]

- Jane?
- [Jane] Go for Jane.

How's everything going over there?

Good and bad.

Bad? What happened?

A lioness found us. The good news
is we found the baby elephant.

[David] But he won't follow us.

This way. Come this way
unless you wanna get eaten.

Who's getting eaten?

[Jane]
Oh, Abuela, don't forget bananas and--

- [gasps] Baby, what are you doing?
- Jane?

Jane, are you there?

[Jane] Um, I need that back, please.

- I meant in my hand.
- I think he wants to play with you.

The lioness is getting closer.
We need to hide the baby, fast.

But he won't listen to us.

I have an idea.

Hey, baby.
You like this walkie-talkie, right?

[trumpets]

It's working.

[growls]

Keep coming. Right over here.

Perfect. The lioness can't see him
behind these bins.

[trumpets]

[Jane] Quick. Hide.

- [growls]
- [baby elephant trumpets]

Shh, baby, or she'll find you.

I got this. [vocalizing]

- David?
- You have to be louder than the baby

so the lioness can't find him.

Smart idea!

I'm good at being loud.

- [both vocalizing]
- [chattering]

[growls]

Look, it worked. The lioness is leaving.

- [both vocalizing]
- Hey! Hey!

- Why all the screaming?
- That was singing.

And why did you stop answering me
on this thing?

Sorry, but we're trying to be louder
than the baby elephant

so the lioness wouldn't hear him cry.

- Mission accomplished.
- [children chuckling]

[chuckles]

[gasps] Mission not accomplished.
We've lost the baby again.

And gained some snacks. Come on.
Let's go. Let's go sit down.

[sighs]

[sighs]

Who wants some healthy snacks?

In plastic bags? Abuela!
Where are the reusable ones I made you?

At home. I wasn't planning
on a park adventure today.

Besides, it's just a couple of bags.

Uh-oh. Here we go.

Plastic bags last forever,

- and using them warms the planet, and--
- Let me stop you right there.

You asked me to go to the store, remember?

That's true. You did.

I know, and thank you.

But you can keep reusable bags
in your purse.

Plastic bags hurt the planet and animals.

Like elephants sometimes think
plastic bags are food and eat them.

Jane, baby "Loxodontoro."

[Jane] "Loxodonta africana."

We'll talk more about plastic bags later.

[inhales heavily] Can't wait.

Right now, all I need is bananas.

But I don't see any.

I'm not buying fruit for a stuffie.

[sighs] They're not for Greybeard.

Elephants eat bananas too.

I wanted to use them to help
lure the baby elephant back to his herd.

To his grandmother.

Abuela.

Jane.

If you buy us some bananas, I promise
we won't make any more loud noises.

[chuckles] You are lucky
you're my only granddaughter.

All right. I'll be right back.

Hold on.

- I always make sure I have one with me.
- [Adriana] An elephant.

- How perfectly on theme.
- Thank you.

Potato chips, if they have any.

[grunts]

[chatters]

[David grunts]

Now where'd he go?

- [lioness growling]
- I think she knows.

- [growls]
- [Jane gasps] The lioness. That's great.

It is?

She has an amazing sense of smell.

If we follow her,
she'll lead us right to the baby elephant.

Um... [sighs] ...any idea how much these are?

Five minutes ago
I didn't even know elephants ate bananas.

Okay, kind of random, uh,
but I'll be right back.

- But-- [stammers, sighs]
- [phone ringing]

- Hello?
- Hey, Mom.

I just got home. Where are you?

Oh, you know.

Buying food to lure a baby elephant
to its herd or something.

You're lucky. Yesterday was a cheetah.

Harder to keep up with. [chuckles]

Honestly, Maria, how do you do it?

Mom, you know how worried Jane gets
about the world.

Her missions help her.

Well, you know my feelings about that.

Don't worry about what you can't change.

She thinks she can,
and I think she can too.

"If you look at the whole picture,
it's overwhelming and terrifying.

But if you work on your little part

and know that people all over the world
are working on their little bit,"

well, "that will give you hope."

- Did you just come up with that?
- It's a Jane Goodall quote.

Uh, that'll be 1.81.

Nope, sorry. [chuckles]
That'll be $1.80, please.

Who's that?

I'm buying bananas, slowly.

I'll see you later.

- Love you.
- I love you too.

Oh, would you like a plastic bag?

- I brought my own.
- Oh.

[sighs]

[lion growling]

[Jane] Look, she found him.

Now we just need to get him
before the lioness does.

- [David] There are two of them!
- [growling]

[Jane] They do hunt together.

- [growling]
- [crying]

[Adriana] Jane?

David? [exhales sharply]

Where did they go now?

[growling]

We need to distract the lionesses.

- [growling]
- [shrieking]

- Wow. It worked.
- Greybeard can't distract them forever.

We need to get the baby to his herd
at the watering hole.

Which way is that?

[sighs] No idea.

[Adriana, on walkie]
Angry abuela to Jane, where are you?

What's worse, two angry lionesses
or one mad grandma?

[sighs] Your loving
and only granddaughter here.

- Where's here?
- [Jane] On the boardwalk.

I know we weren't supposed to leave,
but we had to help the baby elephant.

If something bad happens to him,

- there'll be less elephants.
- Jane.

The only way for us to help
is to get him back to his herd,

but there are two lionesses in the woods

and we have no idea
how to get to the watering hole,

- and--
- [Adriana] Jane, stop talking.

Look around.

Is there a set of stairs around there?

Yeah, how did you know?

You learned to walk near those stairs.

Go up them.
The path will lead you to the splash pad.

I'll meet you there.

You're helping us?

[Adriana] What else are abuelas for?

I'm on my way there too.

Over and under, or whatever you say.

[chuckles] Out. Thank you.

She's not mad?

I guess not.

[sighs] Now we just need to get the baby
to come with us up the stairs.

On it.

Do you want this?

- [Jane] Come on! Follow us!
- [baby elephant grunting]

- Do you want that walkie? Yeah?
- [baby elephant grunting]

[sighs] Hold on, baby.

Abuela, we went up the stairs
but now we don't know which way to go.

Do you see a rainbow bench?

I see it.

We found it. Abuela,
that's our favorite place to sit.

We always used to eat our ice cream there
when I was little.

That's it! Once you get to it, go right.

I'm a few minutes behind you.

Thanks. Over and out.

Almost there, baby.

[sighs] It's kind of like we're the
matriarch teaching the baby where to go.

More like your abuela is.
She's the one who's leading us.

You're right. She is.

- [lionesses growling]
- [both gasp]

Please tell me that's your abuela.

[snarling]

[Jane] I wish! The lionesses are back!

- We better--
- Run?

- Go, baby!
- [baby elephant trumpets]

[growling]

[trumpeting]

Wait, why does he sound so happy?

Does he like being chased by lionesses?

[gasps] David, look! The baby's family.

[trumpeting]

Abuela, we see the watering hole.

An elephant herd is there too.

I knew you could do it.

- [lion growling]
- [gasps]

- [baby elephant trumpets]
- [roars]

Abuela, the lionesses
are between us and the herd.

Uh, "There's always something we can do,
uh, no matter how small,

uh, you just have to work
on your little part," right?

Jane Goodall. Sort of.

You get the gist. [sighs]
And I know what I have to do.

[Adriana imitating animal noises]

Is that your abuela?

[imitating animal noises]

Yeah, that's definitely her.
Keep going, Abuela!

- [imitating animal noises]
- The lionesses are distracted!

[imitating animal noises]

This is our chance. Run, baby!

[baby elephant trumpeting]

We're gonna make it!

- [baby elephant trumpeting]
- [roars]

We're not gonna make it.

Oh, no!

[trumpeting]

The matriarch's leading the herd over
to save us!

- [trumpeting]
- [roars]

[sighs] The lionesses are retreating.

We did it! The baby's safe with his herd.

All thanks to the matriarch.

[Adriana imitating animal noises]

I don't think
your abuela knows our mission is over.

[imitating animal noises]

Abuela, you can stop. It worked!

You got the baby to the watering hole?

We did! But without you,
we wouldn't have found it.

Thanks, Abuela.
You're just like the matriarch.

Uh, you're welcome?

That's the oldest elephant in the herd.

I'm gonna take that as a compliment.

It is. She's the leader
and did all the things you did.

You remembered where the watering hole was
and how to get there.

- Where to find food.
- And how to keep us out of danger.

Ah, that's because
I've been around the longest.

I have a lot of memories up here.

[gasps] That must be why
the matriarch is the leader of the herd.

She's the oldest, so she has memories
that help the herd survive.

Okay, let's move on from the age stuff.

Mission accomplished.

Now, can we have the relaxing part
of our park visit?

And our snacks?

I have an even better idea,
but I need to call Mom first.

[all laughing]

- Mom?
- Hop on!

- Need a push?
- [laughs]

What's going on?

We finished our mission.

Missions. We saved the baby elephant.

And discovered that the matriarch
has memories that help her lead the herd.

Just like Abuela did for us today.

Yeah, but I think younger elephants
probably teach her a thing or two as well.

- [chuckles]
- Mmm. Well, congrats, you three.

What's that?

Stuff to make your very own reusable bags.

I thought we could help you decorate it
after our mission.

I'd love that.

Let's make them after you clean your room.

- You do have a good memory.
- [all chuckling]

[elephants trumpeting]

- Do you think that baby will be okay?
- I do.

He's got a strong matriarch
to look after him.

And if we do our part, hopefully
we can make her job a little easier.

- [elephant trumpets]
- [chatters, imitates elephant]

She's gonna need all the help she can get.

[chuckles]

- [Jane] Help save the elephants.
- [Greybeard chatters]

Jane? Since Abuela's not here today,

you need to follow this matriarch-- me--
to food.

Breakfast is ready.

I can't eat yet. David and I have a call
with Walona Sehularo.

- Who?
- Elephant expert.

The community outreach and education
coordinator for Elephants for Africa,

to be exact.

Sounds important.

Five minutes, then food.

Ten minutes?

Three minutes.

[chuckles] Five minutes is great.

- [video call ringing]
- There he is now.

- [both] Hi, Walona!
- Hi, Jane! Hi, David!

Thanks for talking to us today.

Of course. I love passing on what I know
and have learned about elephants.

When was the first time you saw
a real elephant, like, in the wild?

I was 11 years old
and I thought to myself,

"Wait, how can an animal so big
move so quietly?"

Why do they move so quietly?

Check this out.

Elephants have very flat, soft pads
underneath their feet.

They use them to communicate
over very long distances.

They would put its trunk down
on the ground and send a very low rumble...

[rumbles]

...which moves through the ground.

And the other elephant can pick it up
through its feet.

I wish I could send messages that way.

But I thought elephants use their trunks
to trumpet to each other?

They do that too, for shorter distances.

[trumpets]

How did you decide to help elephants?

It was my love for connecting people again
with nature,

so that they can see themselves
as environmental protectors and champions.

But lots of people are disconnected
from nature

because education and access to nature
aren't equal to everyone.

That doesn't seem fair.

- What do you do about that?
- Take a look at this.

Many people who live alongside national
parks have never been inside of them.

And one of my favorite things to do is to
take kids so that they can see elephants,

because a person's first experiences
can shape how they will see things.

That looks like a lot of fun.

Do you work with just kids?

We also work with farmers too,

because a herd of elephants
walking through a field

can destroy a farmer's food
that they grow to eat and then to sell.

So, there are times
when elephants are hurt by farmers.

- That's bad for everyone.
- [Walona] It is.

The good news is,

we have different solutions
that keep elephants away from their crops,

like burning chilies
because elephants don't like the smell.

But elephants also face habitat loss,

and poaching for the ivory
that's in their tusks

that is used to make products.

What can we do to help?

First, share with people
the importance of elephants.

They're a keystone species.

Their poo helps to spread and grow seeds
all around the environment,

and they move through thick bushes
to make space for other, smaller animals.

We'll tell everyone.

What else can we do to help?

You can also be an environmental protector
and champion in your local community

by volunteering for organizations
that work to protect your local wildlife.

We're all working together
but in different places,

and it all adds up to one greater push
for a very hopeful future.

Thanks, Walona. I know what I need to do.

Me too.

That's great. It's been a pleasure.
Thank you.

Bye, Walona!

- Bye, Jane! Bye, David!
- Bye, Walona!

[Maria] Jane, your five minutes are up.

- Your breakfast is getting cold.
- One second, Mom!

I'm going to ask her to help me
find somewhere to volunteer.

And I'll ask my dads. Talk later.

- [Maria] Jane?
- Coming!

[Maria] Jane?

["One Step Closer" playing]