Original subtitles

.

NARRATOR: WHEN YOU SEE THIS SYMBOL, YOU KNOW YOU‘RE WATCHING

TELEVISION THAT IS EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATIONAL.

THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

DYLAN: HI EVERYONE, I’M DYLAN DREYER.

WE’RE HEADED TO MEET THE WILD, WEIRD,

AND WONDERFUL ANIMALS OF AUSTRALIA.

THIS IS EARTH ODYSSEY.

ON TODAY’S EPISODE, A SILENT PREDATOR

SWEEPS ACROSS THE OCEAN FLOOR TRYING TO DEFEAT

A CRUSTACEAN ARMY.

THEN, AN AQUATIC CREATURE SO STRANGE

SOME ZOOLOGISTS THOUGHT IT COULDN’T BE REAL.

PLUS, A SPECTACULAR UNDERWATER MIGRATION BRINGS OUT TWO VERY

DIFFERENT KINDS OF SWIMMERS.

AND ONLY IN AUSTRALIA WILL YOU SEE BEACH GOERS LIKE THIS.

THIS AND MUCH MORE RIGHT NOW ON EARTH ODYSSEY.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WILD ANIMALS FASCINATE US.

AND THANKS TO MODERN TECHNOLOGY AND BETTER EMPATHY FOR OUR

FELLOW LIVING CREATURES, WE ARE UNLOCKING MANY

OF THEIR SECRETS.

BUT SOME THINGS REMAIN UNKNOWN.

IN AUSTRALIA, THOUSANDS OF UNDERSEA ANIMALS GATHER IN

SHALLOW WATERS EVERY YEAR.

BUT WHEN THEY RETURN TO THE DEEP, THEIR LIVES ARE STILL

SOMETHING OF A MYSTERY.

IN THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC OCEAN OFF AUSTRALIA, ONE SPECIES

IS RISING FROM THE DEEP, STEP BY STEP IN A HUGE FORMATION.

[WAVES CRASHING, MUSIC]

DYLAN: WITH MORE THAN 25 INCH LEGS, THE JAPANESE SPIDER

CRABS ARE AMONG THE LARGEST CRABS IN THE OCEAN.

A TOUGH OUTER SHELL IS A PERFECT DEFENSE AGAINST PREDATORS.

BUT THIS INVERTEBRATE’S OUTER SHELL IS TOTALLY RIGID.

SO AS THE SOFT CRAB GROWS, THEY ALSO OUTGROW THEIR

OUTER BONY ARMOR EVERY YEAR.

NOW THEY’VE COME UP FROM DEPTHS OF MORE THAN 2,500 FEET

TO MOLT.

ONE FEMALE HAS REACHED THE FINAL STAGE.

HER BODY HAS BEEN PUMPING OUT ENZYMES TO SEPARATE

THE OLD EXOSKELETON.

IT WILL TAKE HER AN HOUR TO LITERALLY

CLIMB OUT OF HER SHELL.

MIGRATING EN MASSE, SPIDER CRABS HAVE SAFETY IN NUMBERS.

BUT SHE’S BEEN LEFT BEHIND.

SHE NEEDS TO BE QUICK.

PREDATORS HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THE MIGRATION.

[TENSE MUSIC]

DYLAN: AN EASY TARGET, SHE NEEDS TO GET BACK TO THE GROUP.

HUNGRY, SMOOTH STINGRAYS ARE MORE THAN 13 FEET IN LENGTH.

BUT MID-MOLT, THE CRAB CAN’T MOVE.

ANOTHER STRAGGLER.

IT’S INSTANTLY TARGETED.

IMMOBILE, THE MOLTING CRAB COULD BE NEXT.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

DYLAN: SHE GETS LUCKY.

SHE’S MANAGED TO WRIGGLE FREE OF HER OLD SHELL,

BUT HER NEW, LIGHTER-COLORED SHELL WILL TAKE DAYS TO HARDEN.

AT NEARLY 800 POUNDS, EACH RAY WILL EAT MULTIPLE CRABS.

GETTING TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PILE IS THE KEY SURVIVAL

STRATEGY.

CRABS THAT STILL HAVE THEIR OLD, TOUGH SHELLS

ACT LIKE LIVING SHIELDS.

[HOPEFUL MUSIC]

DYLAN: IT TAKES 48 HOURS OF THE ONSLAUGHT TO SURVIVE BEFORE

HER SHELL FULLY HARDENS.

THE MARCHING CRABS WILL LEAVE BEHIND WHAT LOOKS LIKE A

GRAVEYARD.

BUT THOSE OLD SHELLS ARE A SIGN OF A HEALTHY LIFE CYCLE.

FOR ALL WE CAN SEE IN SHALLOW WATER, THESE CRABS

ARE SOMETHING OF A MYSTERY.

SCIENTISTS ARE NOT SURE EXACTLY WHERE IN THE DEEP

OCEAN THE CRABS RETURN TO.

NEW RESEARCH TECHNIQUES TO TRACK THE CRABS’ MIGRATION

HOME MIGHT BRING THE ANSWER.

COMING UP, AN EXTRAORDINARY MIGRATION IN AUSTRALIA’S

OCEANS ATTRACTS A SOPHISTICATED PREDATOR.

THEN, WILD WALLABIES GET INTO A BEACHCOMBING BATTLE.

BUT IS IT ALL JUST FOR SHOW?

PLUS, WHAT HAS WEBBED FEET, A DUCKBILL, AND

A TAIL LIKE A BEAVER?

THE ANSWER IS COMING UP ON EARTH ODYSSEY.

NARRATOR: WE‘LL BE RIGHT BACK TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

.

NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: RAINFORESTS COVER LESS THAN 1% OF AUSTRALIA.

BUT THOSE FORESTS ARE HOME TO ONE-THIRD OF THE COUNTRY’S

MAMMAL AND BIRD SPECIES.

RIVERS FEED THE LUSH FOLIAGE AND PROVIDE A HUNTING GROUND

FOR ONE OF THE BEST EXAMPLES OF AUSTRALIA’S

EVOLUTIONARY ISOLATION.

THE PLATYPUS.

THIS AUSTRALIAN NATIVE HAS A DUCK BILL,

WEBBED FEET, A TAIL LIKE A BEAVER,

AND SHE LAYS EGGS.

SCIENTIFICALLY CLASSIFIED AS A MAMMAL BECAUSE SHE ALSO NURSES

HER YOUNG.

THIS SPECIES’ EVOLUTIONARY PATH DIVERGED FROM OTHER MAMMALS

MORE THAN 165 MILLION YEARS AGO.

THE MALES CAN BE MORE THAN 20 INCHES LONG AND ARE PERFECTLY

ADAPTED TO AN AQUATIC LIFESTYLE.

A BOTTOM FEEDER, THE PLATYPUS CLOSES HIS EYES,

EARS AND NOSE AS HE DIVES.

BUT THIS ANIMAL ISN’T SWIMMING BLIND.

THE PLATYPUS HAS A SUPER SENSE.

HIS UNIQUE BILL IS PACKED WITH THOUSANDS OF ELECTRICALLY

SENSITIVE RECEPTORS.

HE USES IT TO SCAN THE RIVERBED FOR ELECTRICAL

SIGNALS PRODUCED BY THE MUSCLE CONTRACTIONS OF PREY,

LIKE CRUSTACEANS AND WORMS HIDING IN THE MUD.

HE’LL STORE HIS CATCH IN HIS CHEEK POUCHES.

THIS MALE WILL SPEND MORE THAN 10 HOURS HUNTING,

EATING AROUND HALF HIS BODY WEIGHT EVERY DAY.

IF ALL THESE PLATYPUS FEATURES WEREN’T UNIQUE ENOUGH,

HE’S ALSO ONE OF THE FEW MAMMALS ARMED WITH POISON.

PLATYPUS MALES HAVE HIND LEG SPURS LOADED WITH VENOM TO FEND

OFF RIVALS.

ANOTHER RIVER PREDATOR IS TRACKING HIS EVERY MOVE,

WAITING FOR THE PERFECT MOMENT TO STRIKE.

AN AZURE KINGFISHER, A RIVERSIDE HUNTER

AND A KEEN OBSERVER OF THE PLATYPUS.

THE MAMMAL’S HUNTING TECHNIQUE MAKES HIM A FISHERMAN’S

BEST FRIEND.

AS HE STIRS UP THE RIVERBED, THE PLATYPUS FLUSHES

FISH TO THE SURFACE.

CUE THE KINGFISHER.

SCIENTISTS SAY THE ELUSIVE PLATYPUS IS HARD TO COUNT AND

STUDY, BUT THEY KNOW PLATYPUS NUMBERS HAVE DROPPED BY A THIRD

IN THE LAST 30 YEARS.

THIS PROTECTED RAINFOREST IS ONE OF THE LAST PLACES

THIS UNIQUELY AUSTRALIAN ANIMAL CAN SURVIVE.

COMING UP, HIGHLY INTELLIGENT HUNTERS THAT WORK AS A TEAM TO

CATCH A SUMPTUOUS FISH DINNER.

AND THESE WILD ONES KNOW HOW TO PICK THEIR BATTLES CAREFULLY.

MORE AUSTRALIAN SURVIVAL STRATEGIES WHEN EARTH ODYSSEY

COMES RIGHT BACK.

NARRATOR: WE‘LL BE RIGHT BACK TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

.

NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE DAZZLING BLUE OF AUSTRALIA’S COASTLINE IS HOME TO

ABUNDANT MARINE LIFE, BUT UNDERNEATH THE PEACEFUL WATERS,

THE SERIOUS BUSINESS OF PREDATOR AND PREY INVOLVES DAILY DANGER.

SOME ANIMALS SUCCEED THROUGH SPEED AND SIZE, WHILE OTHERS

SEEK SAFETY IN NUMBERS.

AND ONE CLEVER OPERATOR OPTS TO USE BOTH BRAINS AND

BRAWN WHILE ON THE HUNT.

THESE WILD COASTS ARE VIBRANT HABITATS TO AUSTRALIA’S

EXTRAORDINARY CREATURES.

FROM OCEAN ICONS

AND THE UNEXPECTED,

TO THE MESMERIZING.

THIS IS SOUTHWESTERN AUSTRALIA.

AT THE TIP OF THIS IMMENSE CONTINENT,

HEADLANDS FRAME PRISTINE BAYS THAT PLAY HOST

TO AN ENORMOUS ANNUAL MIGRATION.

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF AUSTRALIAN SALMON

HAVE TRAVELED MORE THAN 2,000 MILES

FROM SOUTHEASTERN AUSTRALIA.

DESPITE THEIR NAME, THEY ARE PART OF THE RAY-FINNED FISH

FAMILY AND NOT RELATED TO SALMON OR TROUT.

AND AT MORE THAN 27 INCHES LONG, THEY HAVE REACHED ADULTHOOD.

THEIR MIGRATION IS SYNCED WITH THE PEAK OF AN EASTWARD FLOWING

CURRENT.

THE CURRENT TRIGGERS THE HUGE SCHOOLS TO SPAWN.

AS THE EGGS ARE RELEASED, THE CURRENT WILL CARRY THE NEXT

GENERATION TO PROTECTED COASTAL NURSERIES IN THE EAST.

IT’S AN ANNUAL EVENT TO EXTEND THE FISH’S BLOODLINES.

AND A POTENTIAL FEAST FOR OTHERS.

GRAY NURSE AND COPPER SHARKS MORE THAN 10 FEET LONG.

[TENSE MUSIC]

DYLAN: THEY’RE HEADING STRAIGHT FOR THE MIGRATORS.

BUT THE AUSTRALIAN SALMON ARE NO EASY TARGETS,

EVEN FOR SHARKS.

WHEN ONE FISH SENSES ITS NEIGHBOR GETTING TOO CLOSE,

IT SPEEDS UP, THE WHOLE SCHOOL MOVING AS ONE.

BUT IN THESE WATERS, THERE’S ANOTHER SPECIES

THAT HUNTS THESE FISH, AND THEY WORK AS A TEAM.

WITH LARGER BRAINS THAN HUMANS, THESE DOLPHINS STAY IN

CONSTANT COMMUNICATION.

[DOLPHIN WHISTLES]

DYLAN: DRIVERS SPLIT FROM THE MAIN POD,

HERDING THE FISH TOWARDS THE BEACH.

[DOLPHIN WHISTLES]

DYLAN: IN THE SHALLOWS, THE SCHOOL BECOMES SPLINTERED.

UTILIZING ECHOLOCATION AND EXCEPTIONAL EYESIGHT,

THE DOLPHINS HIT THE PANICKING FISH, AND STRAGGLERS

ARE PICKED OFF.

THEY MAY NOT ALL SURVIVE, BUT FOR THE AUSTRALIAN

SALMON, THEIR ULTIMATE GOAL HAS BEEN ACHIEVED.

THEIR EGGS ARE ALREADY DRIFTING TOWARDS THEIR NURSING GROUNDS.

COMING UP, CAN YOU TELL A WALLABY FROM A KANGAROO?

MARSUPIALS IN THE MANGROVES, WHEN EARTH ODYSSEY COMES

RIGHT BACK.

NARRATOR: WE‘LL BE RIGHT BACK TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

.

NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: AUSTRALIA BOASTS MORE THAN 20,000 MILES OF SHORELINE.

ITS MARINE ECOSYSTEMS ARE AMONG THE MOST SPECIES-RICH IN

AUSTRALIA.

WHERE THE LUSH LAND MEETS THE BEAUTIFUL CORAL SEA, ONE HABITAT

TAKES ROOT ON THE INTERTIDAL ZONE.

MANGROVES.

THESE TREES EVOLVED TO GROW IN SALTY CONDITIONS.

THEIR ENTIRE REPRODUCTION IS ADAPTED TO A SEMI-AQUATIC

LIFESTYLE.

TO DISPERSE, THEY SIMPLY DROP.

PERFECTLY BUOYANT, THEY WILL SPEND UP TO A MONTH AT SEA,

DRIFTING MORE THAN 100 MILES.

AN UNLIKELY BEACHGOER, EASTERN GRAY KANGAROOS

HAVE LEARNED TO BENEFIT FROM THE BOUNTY OFFERED BY THE SEA.

THE MANGROVE POD BOUNTY HAS MADE THIS A POPULAR MARSUPIAL SPOT.

A SMALLER RELATIVE OF THE EASTERN KANGAROO JOINS THE

BEACHCOMBERS.

THE AGILE WALLABY.

WHILE BOTH SPECIES FEED ON THE SAME COASTAL VEGETATION,

THERE IS LITTLE INTERSPECIES CONFLICT.

BUT THE WALLABIES BREED YEAR ROUND, MEANING THERE’S ALWAYS

SOMEONE READY TO SHOW OFF.

IT’S A BATTLE OF STRENGTH.

FORELIMBS TO GRAPPLE AND SCRATCH.

POWERFUL KICKS.

THE SIGNATURE MOVE.

BUT THE WALLABIES ARE PULLING THEIR PUNCHES.

WITH NO DEFINED MATING SEASON, THERE’S NO NEED TO GO ALL OUT.

NOCTURNAL BY NATURE, THE WALLABY MOB RETREATS TO THE FOREST AS

THE SUN RISES.

THE KANGAROOS TAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO COOLING DOWN.

BREAKFAST OVER.

NOT ALL MANGROVE PODS HAVE BEEN CONSUMED.

UP AND DOWN THE COAST, THEY BEGIN TO TAKE ROOT,

KEEPING THE VALUABLE HABITATS ALIVE.

THE ANIMALS OF THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE ARE TRUE ORIGINALS.

FROM BEACHCOMBING KANGAROOS TO THE DOLPHINS WHO MAKE A TEAM

SPORT OUT OF HERDING AUSTRALIAN SALMON.

THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY ON OUR WILDLIFE ADVENTURES.

I’M DYLAN DREYER.

WE’LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME ON EARTH ODYSSEY.

[MUSIC]