Original subtitles

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NARRATOR: WHEN YOU SEE THIS SYMBOL,

YOU KNOW YOU'RE WATCHING TELEVISION

THAT'S EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATIONAL.

THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

DYLAN: HI EVERYONE, I'M DYLAN DREYER. WE'RE TAKING OFF

ON AN AWESOME AUSTRALIAN ADVENTURE INTO THE

WILD.

THIS IS EARTH ODYSSEY.

ON TODAY'S EPISODE, THIS JOEY IS ALL MUSCLE AND HE'S READY FOR A

BATTLE OF THE FITTEST.

AND IT'S A SPECTACULAR GET-TOGETHER WHEN WHALES MAKE

NEW FRIENDS.

PLUS, WHY ARE THESE EXPERT FLIERS HEADING STRAIGHT FOR

DANGEROUS WATERS?

AND WE MEET TRUE TASMANIAN ORIGINALS, INCLUDING A DEVIL OF

A MARSUPIAL.

NATURAL WONDERS JUST AHEAD.

THIS IS EARTH ODYSSEY.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: AUSTRALIA'S KANGAROO IS THE LARGEST MARSUPIAL ON EARTH.

WHILE BLESSED WITH MANY RARE BIOLOGICAL ADAPTATIONS, THE

KANGAROO CAN ALSO BE A BIT OF A BRAWLER.

FOR SOME LITTLE ROOS, THAT FIGHTING SPIRIT BEGINS STRAIGHT

OUT OF THE POUCH.

THE LAND DOWN UNDER IS FAMOUS FOR ITS VAST DESERT OUTBACK AND

THE UNUSUAL ANIMALS THAT CAN SURVIVE THERE.

AUSTRALIA'S UNIQUE CLIMATE AND GEOLOGY MEANS SOME ANIMALS ARE

DRIVEN TO COVER GREAT DISTANCES TO FIND FOOD, SHELTER OR A MATE.

KANGAROOS CAN'T WALK OR RUN, BUT THAT'S NO HANDICAP.

THEIR GIANT LEGS PROPEL THEM MORE THAN 30 MILES PER HOUR.

BUT FOR MALE KANGAROOS, HIND LEGS ARE ALSO WEAPONS.

ALPHA MALES MUST ENDURE BRUTAL BATTLES TO RETAIN THE TOP SPOT

BECAUSE ONLY THE BEST MAY BREED.

FROM THE MOMENT THEY LEAVE THE POUCH, MALE JOEYS ENTER THE

BOXING RING.

THEY BEGIN TO HONE THEIR SPARRING TECHNIQUE, AND THEIR

MOTHER IS A RELUCTANT PUNCHING BAG.

BUT AS HER JOEY GETS STRONGER, HE NEEDS TO PRACTICE WITH A

PARTNER HIS OWN SIZE.

SPARS USUALLY BEGIN WITH A SLAP TO THE FACE.

THE ULTIMATE AIM IS TO GRAB THE OTHER MALE BY THE NECK AND

WRESTLE HIM DOWN.

AT THIS AGE, THERE'S NOT MUCH TECHNIQUE.

BUT GRADUALLY, THE SPARRING BECOMES MORE FIERCE AS TIME

PASSES.

THIS MOB'S ALPHA IS IN HIS PRIME, RIPPLING WITH HARDENED

MUSCLES FROM YEARS OF SPARRING.

THE CHALLENGER IS UNDETERRED.

WITHOUT COMMITTING TO A FIGHT, HE HAS NO CHANCE OF MATING.

THE STAKES ARE HIGH.

LEANING BACK ON HIS TAIL, THE CHALLENGER LANDS A BLOW.

HIS THICKENED BELLY HIDE HELPS REPEL SHARP CLAWS.

INJURIES IN MOCK OR REAL BATTLES CAN BE SERIOUS.

THE ALPHA MALE'S EXPERIENCE PROVIDES THE WINNING EDGE.

THE CHALLENGER RETREATS TO HIS CORNER OF THE RING, WHERE HE'LL

GAIN ENOUGH EXPERIENCE TO TRY ANOTHER DAY.

COMING UP, ROMANCE IN THE SOUTHERN OCEAN FOR ONE OF THE

BIGGEST MAMMALS ON EARTH.

AND WE'LL SEE SOME ADVANCED FLYING TECHNIQUES FROM SOME

INTREPID AUSSIES.

PLUS, THIS MARSUPIAL HAS A SURPRISING WAY TO PROTECT

ITSELF.

MORE ANIMAL WONDERS FROM THE LAND DOWN UNDER 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.

DYLAN: THE CALM WATERS WHERE THE

INDIAN AND SOUTHERN OCEANS MEET.

THIS MAGNIFICENT BAY IS WELCOMING A LONG DISTANCE

TRAVELER.

A SOUTHERN RIGHT WHALE.

SHE'S AN OCEAN GIANT.

AND SHE SWAM MORE THAN 1,500 MILES FROM ANTARCTICA TO GET

HERE.

WEIGHING UP TO 176,000 POUNDS, SHE'S STOCKED UP ON

PLENTIFUL KRILL IN THE COLDER WATERS OF THE SOUTHERN OCEAN.

SHE'S MADE THIS GRUELING JOURNEY FOR THE WARMER WATER AND THE

SOCIAL SCENE.

MORE THAN 500 SOUTHERN RIGHT WHALES COME TO AUSTRALIA'S COAST

AND HER ARRIVAL IS GARNERING ATTENTION.

A MALE.

HE'S HERE TO IMPRESS HER.

BUT HE WON'T BE ABLE TO COURT HER ON HIS OWN.

SHE HAS MANY SUITORS, BUT THERE WON'T BE A BIG BATTLE FOR HER

ATTENTION.

STILL, SHE PUTS HER POTENTIAL PARTNERS TO THE TEST WITH A GAME

OF CHASE.

UNLIKE SOME OF THE OTHER WHALE SPECIES, RIGHT WHALE ROMANCE IS

A HARMONIOUS EVENT.

A GROUP OF MALES WILL CIRCLE AROUND A SINGLE FEMALE

AND SHOW OFF TO WIN HER FAVOR.

ONCE SHE'S CARRYING HER FUTURE OFFSPRING, SHE WILL HEAD BACK TO

ANTARCTICA TO FEED.

AND THEN ONE YEAR LATER, SHE'LL SWIM BACK TO THESE SHORES TO

WELCOME HER NEWBORN CALF.

RIGHT WHALE BABIES ARE BORN WITHOUT THE INSULATING LAYER OF

BLUBBER THAT ADULTS HAVE.

THE WARM WATERS HERE MAKE THE PERFECT NURSERY.

THE CALF WILL DOUBLE IN LENGTH AND FATTEN UP BEFORE MAKING ITS

FIRST TRIP WITH ITS MOTHER TO ANTARCTICA TO FEED.

BUT EVERY YEAR, THE YOUNG WHALE WILL RETURN TO THE BAY OF ITS

BIRTH.

A REALM OF SANCTUARY, BOUNTY AND NEW LIFE

ON AUSTRALIA'S WILD COASTS.

COMING UP, THESE DARING FLYING FOXES ARE COMING IN FOR A

LANDING, BUT THEY MIGHT BE IN FOR A SURPRISE.

AND A RARELY SEEN CREATURE MEETS AN OPPONENT WITH A FEARSOME

REPUTATION 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: ONLY ONE MAMMAL ON EARTH CAN TRULY FLY.

AND IF YOU GUESSED THE BAT, YOU'RE RIGHT.

AUSTRALIA IS HOME TO ONE OF THE OLDEST AND POSSIBLY THE BRAVEST

OF LITTLE FRUIT BATS.

LET'S MEET SOME FEARLESS FLYERS WILLING TO GO HEAD TO HEAD WITH

CROCODILES.

SOME ANIMALS ARE LIMITED TO A NARROW HOME RANGE.

ONE SMALL AUSTRALIAN MAMMAL SPECIES SPENDS ITS LIFE

MIGRATING AND SETTING UP ROOSTS 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 A ROAMING LIFESTYLE TO FIND IT.

COLONIES MOVE FROM REGION TO REGION FOLLOWING THE BLOOM OF

FLOWERING PLANTS.

TO KEEP COOL AND HYDRATED IN THE HEAT OF THE FOREST, THE BATS

HAVE DEVELOPED AN AEROBATIC

TECHNIQUE FOR TAKING A DIP.

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.

EVASIVE MANEUVERS ARE REQUIRED FOR A DRINK OUT HERE.

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.

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.

COMING UP, YOU DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO TANGLE WITH A TASMANIAN

DEVIL'S TEETH.

SORTING WILDLIFE FACT FROM FICTION 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.

DYLAN: LOCATED 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.

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 ARE

OTHER FEEDING OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPLORE.

SUDDENLY, AN UNMISTAKABLE CALL SPELLS DANGER.

THIS IS ALSO DEVIL COUNTRY.

THE QUOLL ARE WISE TO RETREAT.

THE TASMANIAN DEVIL IS THE SIZE OF A DOG AND TEN TIMES HEAVIER

THAN THE EASTERN QUOLL.

THEIR POWERFUL JAWS ARE CAPABLE OF BITING THROUGH METAL.

LIKE THE QUALLS, 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 ATTACKER'S 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 FREELOADING OFF HIS MOM.

AUSTRALIA IS HOME TO AN INCREASING NUMBER OF AMAZING

CONSERVATION SUCCESS STORIES.

IN ONE PROJECT, CITIZENS HELPED MONITOR WILD KOALAS USING A

MOBILE APP.

NOW THAT'S PROGRESS.

I'M DYLAN DREYER.

THANKS FOR SHARING OUR AUSSIE ADVENTURE HERE ON EARTH ODYSSEY.

[MUSIC]