These Birds Clean These Animals For Free
Transcript
00:00 "We humans always feel the need to socialize. We need a companion to keep us company, share
00:05 our happiest moments with, and most importantly, we need a true friend we can trust and who
00:10 has got our backs in return." You see, the same is true with some animals.
00:17 These animals have formed a sort of partnership, an understanding that is truer than what is
00:21 portrayed in animation movies or bedtime stories. Most notable, the story of Simba and his buddies
00:28 Timon and Pumbaa. Over the years, animals have built very cordial relationships with
00:34 animals of other species to survive or just to get a free meal in exchange for their service.
00:40 Isn't that mutualism? We know, you smarty pants, we all went through middle school.
00:45 Wanna know of the most amazing interspecies relationship? Stick around for number 1 as
00:50 we get to take a look at the vampire birds that is internally loyal to their hosts.
00:56 Welcome to another episode of Forever Green, and this time, we will be sharing some of
01:00 the most beneficial animal relationships with you. You probably haven't heard about the
01:04 number 3, stick around.
01:08 10. Sharks and Remora Fish
01:14 Remember those little fish that hang around a shark? Those tiny fish that follow the shark
01:18 around like a kid running after his or her mom in a park? Yeah. Sorry to break it to
01:25 you, they aren't the baby sharks or their sidekicks, you obviously watch too much cartoons.
01:30 They are remoras. You see, remoras are small fish that can attach themselves to not just
01:37 sharks but other large marine animals.
01:43 Remoras aren't just groupies for no reason. I mean, why would the shark allow a yummy
01:48 looking fish to move around it without making a meal of it?
01:53 These fish, which measures between 1-3 feet, use their specialized front dorsal fins to
01:58 attach to sharks and do the job of cleaning the shark's skin and ridding it of bacteria.
02:06 Being a boss, the shark doesn't like to be in a dirty environment or have any disease-causing
02:10 bacteria lying around. So he gets these janitors, remoras, to do the work for him by eating
02:19 unwanted scraps left over from his meal. In exchange, the remoras get free food and protection
02:26 from the shark. And if the shark is in a good mood, he allows the remora to enter his mouth
02:32 to clean the debris from its mouth.
02:36 According to research, the sharks value the remoras so much that they will stop to allow
02:40 the remoras to attach to their body. The shark also provides transportation for the remora,
02:47 allowing the remora to conserve energy as an additional benefit.
02:53 9. Cattle Egret and Cattle Next is cattle and their journey companions,
03:02 the cattle egret. You'd hardly pass by any pasture land with grazing cattle without probably
03:08 noticing several birds accompanying the herd. The birds are called cattle egret, perhaps
03:15 because they are found with cattle mostly. Who knows?
03:20 These stubby white creatures with little blots of buff-colored plumage on their underbellies
03:25 and crowns are native to tropical and semi-tropical parts of Africa, Asia, and Europe. These white
03:32 little long-legged birds sit comfortably on the cow's back and pick off parasitic bugs
03:37 like ticks, fleas, and flies. They also feed on grasshoppers or other insects stirred up
03:44 by cows' movement in the grass to add to the variety of food they eat.
03:49 On other days, the cattle egrets eat moths, frogs, worms, toads, lizards, eggs, snakes,
03:56 small mammals, and on rare occasions, fish. What's in it for the cattle, you might wonder?
04:04 Thanks to the egrets constantly being on the cow's back. The cow can rest easy knowing
04:09 that the egret will take care of any parasitic insect on its back and never have to worry
04:13 about using its tail to ward off flies. The egrets are also jealously guarded by their
04:19 host as the cows are seen to move in the direction of anyone who tries to attack or catch them.
04:24 That's so sweet of them, right?
04:28 8. Pistol Shrimp and Gobi Fish Have you ever had to make your little sister
04:36 or brother keep watch of your parents while you snuck your girlfriend or boyfriend into
04:40 your room? This is a classic example of that, only the pistol shrimp doesn't have a girlfriend
04:47 or a boyfriend. How is this anything like sneaking someone into my room? Let me explain.
04:54 Naturally, pistol shrimps or snapping shrimps of the family Alphidae are burrowers, notorious
05:00 for their large claws and digging abilities. They are always creating and maintaining burrows
05:06 in shallow marine habitats such as seagrasses, coral reefs, and mangroves. However, the shrimp
05:14 has very poor eyesight, nearly blind, and it cannot spot its predators until it is too
05:20 late. So, during the process of clearing out or creating a new burrow, the shrimp is very
05:25 vulnerable to predators whenever it dumps the debris outside the burrow since it is
05:29 as blind as a bat. This is where the gobi fish comes in.
05:35 The gobi fish of the Gobidae family is a tiny and vigilant fish with super sights. They
05:40 form a great relationship with the shrimp by acting as the shrimp's watchmen against
05:45 predators. In exchange for a place to stay and perform its mating rituals, what the gobi
05:51 fish usually does is, it sits at the entrance of the burrow, keeping constant watch against
05:56 potential predators, while the shrimp clears the gravel from the burrow. With the gobi
06:02 on the lookout, the nearly blind shrimp places one tentacle on the fish while exposed. So,
06:07 if the gobi runs for it and darts inside the hole, the shrimp is immediately alerted to
06:12 the presence of a predator. It too runs for its life into the safety of the burrow. The
06:18 shrimp also provides food for itself and its life-saving mate, the gobi, in appreciation
06:23 for its diligent work. If you're wondering how the shrimp finds a gobi fish willing to
06:28 take part in this venture in the first place, you're just as confused as we are.
06:34 7. Ants and Fungi Ants are known for their diligence, teamwork,
06:44 perseverance, and detailed planning. What I bet you probably didn't know is that ants
06:49 are seasoned farmers. Yes, you heard that right. Long before humans started farming,
06:54 in fact, before our ancestors even existed, it's been proven that ants have been farming.
07:00 Some tropical ants, like leafcutter ants, collect leaves, which they use to cultivate
07:04 fungi in their underground nests. You see, ants can't digest the leaves directly, and
07:11 so they feed only on the fungi they farm. They may have been eating fungi for nearly
07:16 50 million years, and they have co-evolved with their fungal partners during that period.
07:23 The ants and the fungi form a really twisted kind of mutualism, but somehow, both partners
07:29 benefit from the relationship. The ants grow the fungi and provide them with leaves, which
07:35 they feed on and consequently break down into more edible protein and sugars, which the
07:39 ants can feed on. The ants carefully select the leaves of the fungi's choice and even
07:45 secret antibiotics to prevent bacteria from growing on the rotting leaves. This eliminates
07:51 any competition the bacteria will pose to the fungi. The ants also move the fungus around
07:57 when they move to a new nest. Talk about having a mobile farm. The queen ant takes a small
08:02 quantity of fungus in her mouth after mating, digs a hole, and spits out the fungus to begin
08:07 a new nest.
08:10 6. Sea anemones and hermit crabs
08:17 This is a tale of two unusual childhood friends who become lifelong buddies. When hermit crabs
08:24 are young, they go around searching for sea anemones, probably of the same age, to pick
08:29 up and attach to their shell, and they become partners for life. The creepy thing about
08:34 this pair is that they even seem to grow at the same rate. Although sea anemones are known
08:40 to be poisonous to most sea creatures, the survival of hermit crabs in the treacherous
08:45 and unforgiving seas depends on finding and attaching an anemone on their shells. The
08:51 hermit crab is protected from predators by its relationship with the sea anemone. Scientists
08:57 haven't figured out how the hermit crab is able to communicate potential danger to the
09:00 sea anemone, but somehow the anemone responds to the alert just the same way the crab does.
09:08 The sea anemone also extends its stinging tentacles out as additional protection. With
09:14 an anemone on board, the crab is less likely to be eaten by a larger predator. In the event
09:20 of the hermit crab outgrowing its shell, they somehow convince the sea anemone to go with
09:24 them into a new one. This happens when the sea anemones have covered the entirety of
09:29 the crab's shell surface. So, what does the sea anemone get in return for being the personal
09:36 bodyguard of the crab? Since the sea anemone eats just about anything in the sea, it receives
09:42 whatever is leftover from the crab's food. The hermit crab is responsible for providing
09:47 dinner, while the sea anemone cleans up the leftovers. It is a steady supply of food for
09:52 the sea anemone. Sea anemones move very little if they even move at all. Another advantage
09:59 of hitching a ride on the hermit crab's back is getting exposed to a much larger area to
10:03 search for food. While the hermit crab is taking a stroll around the seafloor, the anemone
10:08 can use the time traveling on his mobile home to trap and collect small fish and plankton.
10:15 Before we move on, here's a quick challenge for you. If you can leave a like on this video,
10:20 smash that subscribe button, and turn on the notifications in less than 5 seconds, you
10:24 will have 10 years of amazing luck. Hurry up and try it, it actually works!
10:31 5. Spider Crab in Algae
10:38 The common spider crabs, or decorator crabs as they are often called due to the fact that
10:42 they choose to decorate their shells in an attempt to disguise themselves from predators,
10:47 are slow-moving, long-legged crustaceans that live in shallow bays on the sandy bottom of
10:51 the sea. The spider crabs have learned to be great makeup artists to camouflage themselves
10:57 away from the lurking eyes of predators. The spider crab snips off bits of algae and covers
11:03 their spiny shells to form what can be regarded as a living camouflage. The amazing thing
11:09 about this behavior is that the crabs literally choose to decorate their shells rather than
11:13 the algae growing on them haphazardly or by accident. The camouflage works so well that
11:20 a predator such as a shark, for example, could be staring at the spider crab and not know
11:24 it's there. That's how well the crab can blend into its surroundings thanks to the
11:30 help of the algae. As expected, the algae are also a beneficiary in this partnership.
11:38 It gets a fair bit of what the crab eats and gets a free ride, which gives it access to
11:42 more floating debris for food and more room to spread its genetic material around the
11:46 ocean.
11:48 4. Ants and Aphids
11:55 Many farmers dread the sight of aphids on their crops. Who would blame them? These extremely
12:01 small sap-sucking insects collect the sugar-rich fluids from host plants and destroy the host
12:06 plant in the process. Aphids are also referred to as plant lice. The aphids must consume
12:15 ample quantities of a plant in order to get adequate nutrition. After that, they excrete
12:21 equally large amounts of waste, known as honeydew, which in turn becomes a sugar-rich meal for
12:26 ants. As you all know, where there is sugar, there are bound to be ants, and this is where
12:33 the relationship comes into play. Because the ants love and depend on the waste from
12:39 aphids they care for and protect them from predators and parasites. Sometimes, the ants
12:46 get so hungry for the aphids' honeydew that they are forced to milk the aphids to make
12:51 them the sugary substance. They do this by stroking the aphids with their antennae, stimulating
12:57 them to release their waste, or should I say the honeydew. Some species of aphids have
13:03 become so used to this that they have lost the ability to pass waste on their own and
13:07 depend on caretaker ants to milk them. However, it is the duty of these aphid-herding ants
13:14 to ensure the aphids stay well-fed and are in safety. When the host plant is void of
13:19 nutrients, the ants transport their precious aphids to a new food source. And if any predatory
13:26 insect or parasite attempts to harm the aphids, the ant will defend them to the last. Some
13:33 even go as far as destroying the eggs of the predators.
13:38 We're sure you've enjoyed watching the video thus far. If yes, tell us what you've loved
13:42 the most about today's video.
13:46 3) Clownfish and sea anemones
13:52 If you were a little, defenseless, bright-colored, tasty-looking fish, you'd need to find a way
13:57 to survive the perils of the coral reef and how to not end up a predator's dinner or lunch.
14:05 The clownfish has found a way to do just that and thrive under these highly unfavorable conditions
14:10 by finding a haven in the unlikeliest of places. Inside the poisonous sea anemones, they live
14:17 within the protective tentacles of the sea anemone thanks to the mucous layer around
14:21 its body, which is four times thicker than other fish. Over the years, the clownfish
14:27 and sea anemones have built a mutualistic relationship in which each party provides
14:31 premium services for the other. Sea anemones attach themselves to rocks in their habitats
14:38 and catch prey by paralyzing them with their poisonous tentacles.
14:44 Living in the sea anemone definitely comes with a price. In return for the anemone's
14:48 hospitality, the clownfish clean the anemone's tentacles, keeping them free from parasites.
14:53 They also ward off predatory fish, such as butterflyfish, who may want to feed on the
14:59 nutrient-rich tentacles of their host, as well as acting as baits by luring fish and
15:03 other prey within the striking range of the sea anemones. Another added incentive is that
15:09 the clownfish gets to feed on the leftovers of the sea anemones, thereby eliminating the
15:14 need for it to search for its own food.
15:18 2. Cleaner shrimps and moray eels
15:21 Oh my god, such big teeth you have, and what a brave little shrimp. That's the image
15:31 of the kind of relationship that exists between the cleaner shrimps and moray eels. Giant
15:38 moray eels feast on crustaceans and octopuses, and usually hunt at night. They averagely
15:45 grow up to 3 meters, and their inability to remove dead skin and parasites from their
15:49 surface puts them at risk of diseases. Therefore, they require the help of the sea dentists
15:56 and spa attendants, cleaner shrimps. After a hard day's work, moray eels make a pit
16:03 stop to a cleaning station, where they will find cleaner shrimps ready to take up the
16:07 task. The morays are welcomed with a dance by the shrimps. Once the moray eel is convinced,
16:15 it offers itself up for some squeaky cleanup service. The cleaner shrimps are usually very
16:21 keen on cleaning not just the eel's skins, but also cleaning around its eyes, gills,
16:26 teeth, and weight for it. Even bravingly entering the eel's mouth to ensure a thorough teeth
16:32 cleaning session and a decent meal. Healthy skin and mouth make the moray eel happy, and
16:39 the shrimp get a handsome meal. Everybody wins.
16:45 It's now time for today's subscriber pick. Today's photo was sent to us by a subscriber
16:49 who would like to know why an antelope and a hippo have cute little birds on the face
16:52 and skin. If you come across a mysterious photo online and want us to look into it,
16:57 just send it over and we may even feature it in a future video. We did some research
17:02 and found that these cute little birds aren't as innocent as they look. But what makes them
17:07 so crucial to the well-being of these African animals? Let's find out as we unveil our
17:11 number one pick for today's video.
17:15 Oxpeckers and Antelopes
17:21 There are two species of the oxpecker birds, the red-beaked oxpecker and yellow-beaked
17:25 oxpecker, found in sub-Saharan Africa. They perform a somewhat mutualistic relationship
17:32 with antelope and other large-hoofed mammals of the area like giraffes, zebras, rhinoceroses,
17:37 and hippopotamuses. The oxpeckers spend the majority of their lives feeding almost anything
17:43 they find on their host's backs. From ticks to lice and any other insect feasting on the
17:49 host, they are so dedicated to the service of their hosts that they leave no crevice
17:55 untouched. They go as far as working their way into their host's ears to remove insects,
18:01 parasites, and earwax. The oxpeckers also eat diseased wound tissues to keep wounds
18:08 clean as they heal and make hissing sounds to tip off their hosts when they sense the
18:12 presence of predators. But there is an imperfection to this seemingly perfect relationship. It
18:21 is argued that because the oxpecker prefers to feed on blood-filled ticks and doesn't
18:25 necessarily reduce the tick population, it has failed to help its host. They are also
18:31 guilty of digging into the open wound caused by ticks on their hosts, therefore earning
18:36 them the moniker "blood-sucking birds."
18:40 Regardless of this fact, the oxpecker has been labeled as a parasite to their host.
18:46 And that's it for the animals that benefit other animals. Which of these relationships
18:50 dropped your jaw the most? Be sure to let us know in the comments below.
18:53 (Outro)
19:07 (upbeat music)