Original subtitles

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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, AND IT'S TIME FOR AN

AUSTRALIAN ADVENTURE ON EARTH ODYSSEY.

ON TODAY'S EPISODE, THIS OCEAN EXPLORER'S FANTASTIC HOME IS THE

LARGEST LIVING STRUCTURE ON EARTH.

AND WE MEET TRUE TASMANIAN ORIGINALS, INCLUDING A DEVIL

OF A MARSUPIAL.

PLUS, SOME SMOOTH MOVES FROM AN INTELLIGENT SHAPESHIFTER.

AND WHY ARE THESE EXPERT FLIERS HEADING STRAIGHT FOR DANGEROUS

WATERS?

NATURAL WONDERS JUST AHEAD.

THIS IS EARTH ODYSSEY.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: AUSTRALIA SPANS ALMOST 3 MILLION SQUARE MILES,

ENCOMPASSING DESERTS, RAINFORESTS, AND JUST OFFSHORE,

A VAST CORAL SEA, WHICH IS HOME TO A GENTLE, SEAFARING SURVIVOR

WHO KNOWS EXACTLY WHEN TO HIDE AND WHEN TO KEEP HER HEAD ABOVE

WATER.

RUNNING ALONG AUSTRALIA'S NORTHEASTERN SHORELINE IS ONE OF

THE WORLD'S NATURAL WONDERS.

THIS IS THE LARGEST CORAL REEF SYSTEM ON EARTH.

THE GREAT BARRIER REEF.

STRETCHING FOR MORE THAN 1,200 MILES, IT'S THE LARGEST LIVING

STRUCTURE ON EARTH.

SO BIG IT'S EVEN VISIBLE FROM SPACE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WITH AROUND 9,000 SPECIES LIVING HERE, EVERY CREATURE

PLAYS A ROLE IN THE FUNCTION OF THIS DIVERSE HABITAT.

THAT INCLUDES THE ONLY TURTLE IN THE OCEAN THAT SURVIVES

COMPLETELY ON PLANTS AS AN ADULT.

THIS GREEN TURTLE IS YOUNG, BUT SHE'LL GROW UP TO BE ONE OF THE

BIGGEST TURTLES ON THE PLANET, ABLE TO NAVIGATE THE WORLD'S

OCEANS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: FOR NOW THE CORAL REEF IS HER HOME.

[MUSIC CONTINUES]

DYLAN: AND THIS THRIVING SEA GARDEN IS IN HER CARE.

GRAZING ON THE SEA FLOOR, SHE HELPS CONTROL THE GROWTH OF

ALGAE.

SHE'LL EAT ONLY THE TOPS OF THE PLANTS AND LEAVE THE ROOTS.

THIS ALLOWS THE CORAL TO ACCESS MORE SUNLIGHT FOR

PHOTOSYNTHESIS, PROMOTING ITS GROWTH.

AUSTRALIA'S GREAT BARRIER REEF SUPPORTS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF

GREEN TURTLES.

BUT THERE ARE ALSO MORE THAN 80 SPECIES OF SHARKS LIVING HERE,

MOST OF WHICH HUNT AT NIGHT.

SHE MUST HIDE BEFORE IT GETS DARK.

WITH SO MANY TURTLES SHARING THE REEF, SHELTER IS AT A PREMIUM.

THIS TIME, SHE'S IN LUCK.

A FREE CORAL HIDEOUT.

BUT ANOTHER TURTLE IS CLAIMING THIS SAFE HAVEN, SO SHE'LL NEED

TO FIND NEW ACCOMMODATIONS.

AND FAST.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: AS THE SUN BEGINS TO SET, EVERY HIDING SPOT IS TAKEN.

[MUSIC CONTINUES]

DYLAN: FINALLY, SHE FINDS ONE.

AND THERE'S ANOTHER CHALLENGER.

BUT THIS TIME, THE YOUNG GREEN TURTLE HOLDS HER OWN.

STAYING HIDDEN IS VITAL TO SURVIVING THE NIGHT,

HERE IN THE GREAT BARRIER REEF.

COMING UP, THIS MIGHTY MARSUPIAL HAS A SURPRISING WAY OF

PROTECTING ITSELF.

AND WITNESS AN AUSTRALIAN GIANT THAT'S HARD TO SPOT.

PLUS, THESE DARING FLYING FOXES ARE COMING IN FOR A LANDING, BUT

THEY MIGHT BE IN FOR A SURPRISE.

MORE AUSTRALIAN ORIGINALS WHEN EARTH ODYSSEY RETURNS.

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: 150 MILES FROM AUSTRALIA, LIES THE ISLAND OF TASMANIA.

WITH ITS RUGGED FORESTS AND MILES OF GRASSY PLAINS, IT IS

HOME TO COUNTLESS SPECIES FOUND NOWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD.

SURROUNDED BY THE SOUTHERN, PACIFIC AND INDIAN OCEANS,

TASMANIA IS BOMBARDED BY VOLATILE WEATHER SYSTEMS ALL

YEAR ROUND.

TO SURVIVE ON THIS ISOLATED ISLAND, ANIMALS OFTEN FACE FOUR

SEASONS IN A SINGLE DAY.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: BUT ISOLATION HAS ALSO MADE TASMANIA A NOAH'S ARK FOR

ONE OF THE RAREST MARSUPIALS ON THE PLANET.

THIS SPECIES HAS BEEN EXTINCT ON THE MAINLAND FOR 50 YEARS.

TASMANIA IS THE EASTERN QUOLL'S FINAL REFUGE.

NOCTURNAL QUOLLS ARE THE SIZE OF A HOUSE CAT AND THEIR FAVORITE

FOOD IS INSECTS.

BUT THE QUOLL WILL VENTURE OUT IN THE DAYTIME IF THERE ARE

OTHER FEEDING OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPLORE.

SUDDENLY, AN UNMISTAKABLE CALL SPELLS DANGER.

[GROWLING]

DYLAN: THIS IS ALSO DEVIL COUNTRY.

[GROWLING CONTINUES]

DYLAN: THE QUOLL ARE WISE TO RETREAT.

[TASMANIAN DEVIL GROWLING]

DYLAN: THE TASMANIAN DEVIL IS THE SIZE OF A DOG AND 10 TIMES

HEAVIER THAN THE EASTERN QUOLL.

THEIR POWERFUL JAWS ARE CAPABLE OF BITING THROUGH METAL.

LIKE THE QUOLLS, THIS FIERCE LOOKING CREATURE IS A MARSUPIAL,

A FAMILY OF MAMMALS FOUND MAINLY IN AUSTRALIA.

POUND FOR POUND, THE TASMANIAN DEVIL HAS THE STRONGEST BITE

FORCE OF ALL MAMMALS.

ANOTHER UNIQUELY AUSTRALIAN RESIDENT MAKES ITS HOME IN

TASMANIA TOO.

THE BARE-NOSED WOMBAT.

THIS LITTLE JOEY SPENT THE FIRST EIGHT MONTHS OF HIS LIFE NURSING

IN HIS MOTHER'S POUCH.

AN ONLY CHILD, HE'LL STICK BY HIS MOTHER'S SIDE FOR NEARLY TWO

YEARS, LEARNING EVERYTHING FROM HER.

THE FIRST LESSON IS GRAZING.

WOMBATS SPEND UP TO EIGHT HOURS A DAY MUNCHING ON FOLIAGE.

THE JOEY'S NEXT CLASS IS DEFENSE.

HE MIGHT NOT LOOK IT NOW, BUT WHEN HE'S AN ADULT, HE'LL BE

ABLE TO RUN AT MORE THAN 24 MILES PER HOUR.

WITH FOXES AND TASMANIAN DEVILS KNOWN TO HUNT WOMBATS, HIS

ULTIMATE SAFETY NET IS HIS BURROW.

HIS BURROW AND HIS IMPRESSIVE RUMP.

WITH TWO BONE PLATES AND THICK CARTILAGE, THEIR BACKSIDE IS

USED LIKE A SHIELD.

IN THE TIGHT CONFINES OF THEIR TUNNELS, WOMBATS HAVE EVEN BEEN

KNOWN TO CRUSH THEIR ATTACKERS' SKULL USING THEIR ARMORED

BEHINDS.

HE'LL HAVE TO DIG HIS OWN 11-FOOT DEEP BURROWS WHEN HE'S

OLDER, BUT FOR NOW HE'S SAFE, SIMPLY FREE-LOADING OFF HIS MOM.

COMING UP, WHEN IT COMES TO ROMANCE, THE MALE OF THIS

SPECIES CAN BE A MASTER OF DECEPTION.

AND WE'LL SEE SOME ADVANCED FLYING TECHNIQUES FROM SOME

INTREPID AUSSIES 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: LIKE HUMANS, ANIMALS CAN REVEAL THEIR INTELLIGENCE IN

MANY WAYS, LIKE SOLVING PROBLEMS, USING TOOLS, AND EVEN

RECOGNIZING THEMSELVES IN A MIRROR.

RECENTLY, SCIENTISTS HAVE DISCOVERED THAT EVEN CERTAIN

INVERTEBRATES SHARE THESE SAME ABILITIES.

OFF THE COAST OF AUSTRALIA, ONE REMARKABLE SEA CREATURE USES

CLEVER TACTICS TO FIND AND KEEP ITS MATE.

THE WATERS IN AUSTRALIA'S GREAT SOUTHERN REEF ARE A WINTER

DESTINATION FOR MANY SPECIES.

THAT INCLUDES ONE OF THE OCEAN'S MOST INTELLIGENT AND STRANGE

RESIDENTS.

THE GIANT AUSTRALIAN CUTTLEFISH IS THE LARGEST CUTTLEFISH IN THE

WORLD, MORE THAN 35 INCHES IN LENGTH.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: NO ONE KNOWS EXACTLY WHERE THEY MIGRATE FROM, BUT

THEY DESCEND ON THESE SHALLOWS IN THE TENS OF THOUSANDS.

HE'S COME FOR ONE REASON...

...TO FIND A MATE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: MALES OUTNUMBER FEMALES 11 TO 1.

TO STAND OUT, HE USES MILLIONS OF SPECIALIZED CELLS TO PUT ON A

MESMERIZING LIGHT SHOW.

[MUSIC CONTINUES]

DYLAN: ONE FEMALE APPARENTLY LIKES WHAT SHE SEES.

THE SMALLER FEMALE IS IMPRESSED WITH HIS COLORFUL DANCE.

SHE'LL WAVE HER TENTACLES TO LET HIM KNOW, HE MEETS WITH HER

APPROVAL.

FOR NOW, THIS MALE TRIES TO KEEP HER FROM NOTICING HER OTHER

SUITORS BY CARRYING HER ALONG WITH HIM.

DRIFTING ON THE REEFS OCEAN CURRENTS IS EASY FOR CUTTLEFISH

THANKS TO THEIR NATURAL BUOYANCY.

THIS SPECIES HAS AN INTERNAL SHELL CALLED A CUTTLEBONE THAT

ACTS LIKE A SWIM BLADDER TO KEEP THEM AFLOAT.

CUTTLEFISH HAVE THE LARGEST BRAIN TO BODY RATIO OF ANY

INVERTEBRATE,

MAKING THEM NOT EXACTLY CUDDLY, BUT CERTAINLY CLEVER.

ONCE THE FEMALE HAS SPAWNED OR LAID HER EGGS, THE GROUP OF

CUTTLEFISH WILL SCATTER AND DISAPPEAR BACK INTO THEIR

MYSTERIOUS OCEAN HABITAT.

COMING UP, THESE FLYING FOXES HAVE A SLY WAY OF COOLING OFF IN

THE AUSTRALIAN HEAT WHEN EARTH ODYSSEY RETURNS.

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: SOME ANIMALS ARE LIMITED TO A NARROW HOME RANGE.

BUT ONE SMALL AUSTRALIAN MAMMAL SPECIES SPENDS ITS LIFE

MIGRATING IN THE THOUSANDS.

MEET THE LITTLE RED FLYING FOX.

THESE FRUIT BATS, NOT FOXES AT ALL, FEED ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY ON

NECTAR, AND THEY'VE ADOPTED IT'S A ROAMING LIFESTYLE TO FIND IT.

[BATS SQUEAKING]

DYLAN: COLONIES MOVE FROM REGION TO REGION FOLLOWING THE

BLOOM OF FLOWERING PLANTS.

[MUSIC, SQUEAKING CONTINUES]

DYLAN: TO KEEP COOL AND HYDRATED IN THE HEAT OF THE FOREST, THE

BATS HAVE DEVELOPED AN AEROBATIC TECHNIQUE FOR TAKING A DIP.

[BATS SQUEAKING]

[WATER SPLASHING]

DYLAN: FUR DRENCHED IN WATER REDUCES THEIR BODY TEMPERATURE

AND ALSO PROVIDES A DRINK FOR LATER.

IT'S AN INGENIOUS SOLUTION TO AVOID LAND-BASED PREDATORS.

BUT IN THE NORTHERN TERRITORIES, THE WATERS ARE NOT ALWAYS SAFE

EITHER.

FRESHWATER CROCODILES ARE EQUIPPED WITH A LONG, SLENDER

SNOUT LINED WITH AROUND 70 TEETH.

[TENSE MUSIC]

[WATER SPLASHING]

DYLAN: EVASIVE MANEUVERS ARE REQUIRED FOR A DRINK OUT HERE.

[WATER SPLASHING]

DYLAN: NOT ALL THE BATS MAKE IT THROUGH, BUT THE MAJORITY DO.

AND AS THE VAST COLONIES MIGRATE ACROSS THE CONTINENT, THEY

POLLINATE FLOWERS AND DISPERSE THEIR SEEDS.

[MUSIC, BATS SQUEAKING]

DYLAN: THE LITTLE REDS MIGHT BE SMALL, BUT THEY'RE A KEY PLAYER

IN AUSTRALIA'S THRIVING FORESTS.

THESE UNTAMED REALMS ARE HOME TO SOME LUCKY AND EXTRAORDINARY

SURVIVORS.

WE'VE JUST SEEN HOW ANIMALS NAVIGATE LIFE'S UNCERTAINTIES.

BIOLOGISTS TELL US WE HAVE A LOT MORE TO LEARN ABOUT THE PRECIOUS

AND ENDANGERED CREATURES WE SHARE THE EARTH WITH.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR WATCHING.

I'M DYLAN DREYER.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME ON EARTH ODYSSEY.

[MUSIC]