Watch the Best Moments From Netflix’s Our Planet Grasslands Episode

Written by Angie Menjivar
Published: June 8, 2022
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The video starts with a look at our planet from the moon. The large green, blue, and brown rock is decorated with swirls of clouds—the camera pans closer as the narrator, Sir David Attenborough, talks about the increasing human population.

This series was created to highlight the natural wonders that remain on earth, and the responsibility humans have to preserve them—and help them thrive.

From deserts to grasslands, meet the animal populations that need protection.

The next scene is of a cheetah, slowly walking, showing off its tall, long body. He spots several zebras off in the distance as the narrator explains that these natural environments, meant to provide vital space for these wildlife populations, are quickly disappearing.

The camera follows the cheetah as it passes several wildebeests, and begins with a slow jog forward. In an unreal image, the cheetah looks back toward the camera, and continues forward, slowly increasing its speed.

Deciding on the wildebeests, the cheetah moves into a full sprint. Then, the screen goes dark.

The next scene captures the milky way, a scene viewable from a desert environment, where there is no light pollution. The narrator moves on with a fun fact about the Atacama in South America — where in some parts, rain has never been recorded.

Although appearing barren and empty, desert environments are still vital for life. In fact, deserts enrich the sea via the nutrient-packed dust that fertilizes the surrounding waters.

Another scene takes us to an Arabian leopard walking between large rocks on the southern edge of the Arabian Peninsula. This is one of the few places where there is enough prey to sustain the population of these leopards.

The Arabian leopard approaches a small body of water—the camera is positioned just a few feet from it as it laps up some water to quench its thirst, its bright pink tongue flashing on the screen as a wild palm creates a beautiful backdrop.

Birds and insects can be seen and heard flying around the leopard as it continues hydrating itself. He walks off and an aerial view spots a female leopard—she is now tracking the male.

As he relaxes on the edge of a cliff, she greets him with a headbutt a few times, walks in circles in front of him, and positions herself in front of him ready to mate. The narrator describes these encounters as becoming increasingly rare.

Ultimately, their territory must be protected for more of these encounters to secure the population of these rare leopards.

Fast forwarding, a scene opens in the Serengeti. Several dramas can be seen as shadow figures with a sunset behind them. The narrator describes the Serengeti as an exception where these dramas thrive. This is because it’s been a protected location for 65 years.

The camera cuts to a huffing bison, a black tongue sticking out of its enormous face. The camera pulls out and herds of bison can be seen grazing the grasslands.

Switching to a more action-packed scene, the male bison can be seen getting ready to battle the other males for possession of the females. Kicking up dirt and slamming their horns into each other, the fights become more brutal.

Sadly, over 90% of the prairie has been lost. Mostly due to agriculture. This series is a call to humans to protect the space that grasslands and deserts provide—so the animals can bounce back.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/Cavan Images


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About the Author

Angie Menjivar is a writer at A-Z-Animals primarily covering pets, wildlife, and the human spirit. She has 14 years of experience, holds a Bachelor's degree in psychology, and continues her studies into human behavior, working as a copywriter in the mental health space. She resides in North Carolina, where she's fallen in love with thunderstorms and uses them as an excuse to get extra cuddles from her three cats.

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