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, EVERYBODY, I'M DYLAN DREYER AND THIS IS "EARTH

ODYSSEY".

TODAY, WE TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD TO DISCOVER THE ODDEST

ANIMALS IN THE WILD.

WE'LL BEGIN IN RUSSIA WHERE THIS STRANGE LOOKING ANTELOPE SPECIES

KNOWS HOW TO STAY SAFE.

THEN WE HEAD TO THE COAST OF SOUTH AFRICA WHERE THIS MASTER

OF CAMOUFLAGE REALLY STANDS OUT.

AND LATER, IT'S A SPECIAL DELIVERY FOR THESE MALE

SEAHORSES.

PLUS, THIS SHOCKING SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP KEEPS THESE SPECIES

SAFE FROM PREDATORS AND FROM EACH OTHER.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE THEORY OF NATURAL SELECTION MAKES PERFECT SENSE

WHEN EXPLAINING WHY GIRAFFES HAVE LONG NECKS OR WHY

CHAMELEONS CHANGE COLOR TO MATCH THEIR ENVIRONMENT.

BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE ARE MANY SPECIES THAT HAVE BAFFLED

SCIENTISTS FOR CENTURIES, LIKE THE MYSTIFYING MAMMALS YOU'RE

ABOUT TO MEET THAT LOOK ABOUT AS ODD AS THEY ACT.

IN NATURE, MOST SPECIES HAVE EVOLVED TRAITS AND BEHAVIORS

THAT ARE CLEARLY A RESULT OF THE HABITAT IN WHICH THEY LIVE.

BUT THERE ARE MANY STRANGE CREATURES THAT HAVE BAFFLED

SCIENTISTS FOR CENTURIES.

HERE IN RUSSIA LIVES ONE OF THE MOST UNUSUAL.

THIS IS THE SAIGA ANTELOPE.

ITS LARGE, CARTOON-LIKE NOSE RESEMBLES A SHORTENED ELEPHANT

TRUNK.

BUT THERE'S MORE TO THIS COMICAL APPENDAGE THAN MEETS THE EYE.

ITS NOSTRILS ARE LINED WITH HAIRS, MUCUS, AND GLANDS.

WHICH NOT ONLY WARM UP IN HAILED WINTER AIR, BUT ALSO FILTER OUT

DUST DURING THE ARID SUMMER MONTHS.

AN ESSENTIAL ADAPTATION OF THE STEP WHERE SEASONAL CHANGES CAN

BE SEVERE.

AS THE END OF SUMMER APPROACHES, THE GRASSES THEY FEED ON HAVE

COMPLETELY DRIED OUT, SO THE SAIGA MUST TRAVEL FAR AND WIDE

TO FIND WATER.

AND THEY'RE IN LUCK.

THIS FRESHWATER LAKE WILL KEEP THE HERD HYDRATED IN THE

PUNISHING HEAT, BUT THIS IS NO TIME TO RELAX.

PREDATORS TRACK DOWN PREY WITH EASE ON THE FLAT OPEN GRASSLAND.

AND THERE IS NO COVER FOR THE SAIGA TO SEEK SHELTER.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: SOMETHING APPROACHES THE WATER AND THE SAIGA MAKE A QUICK

EXIT.

FORMING LARGE HERDS PROVIDES SOME PROTECTION BUT THEIR

SURPRISINGLY FAST LEGS ARE THEIR BEST DEFENSE.

AT FULL PACE, SAIGA ARE FASTER THAN A RACEHORSE.

UP TO 50 MILES PER HOUR.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: BUT IT'S A FALSE ALARM.

THIS TIME IT'S JUST A VERY THIRSTY YOUNG FOX, WHICH IS NO

THREAT TO THE HERD.

THE STRANGE LOOKING CREATURES QUICKLY RETURN TO THE LAKE TO

QUENCH THEIR OWN THIRST.

COMING UP, WE HEAD TO THE COAST WHERE THIS SPECIES OF OCTOPUS

DOES EVERYTHING SHE CAN TO KEEP HER HEAD ABOVE WATER IN THESE

UNFORGIVING REEFS.

AND LATER, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THIS UNUSUAL DUO IS

MAKING WAVES IN THE REEFS OF SOUTH AFRICA.

PLUS, A GENDER REVEAL WITH A TWIST.

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: IN THE ANIMAL WORLD, IMAGE CAN BE EVERYTHING.

AMONG THE OCEAN'S COUNTLESS SPECIES, MANY SEEK TO STAND OUT

WITH THEIR STRIKING LOOKS.

BUT OTHERS USE THEIR APPEARANCE TO STAY OUT OF SIGHT.

AS THE TIDE GOES OUT ALONG THE SOUTH AFRICAN COAST, VAST ROCK

POOLS BEGIN TO EMERGE.

THE RETREATING WAVES LEAVE BEHIND COUNTLESS SEA CREATURES,

NOW TRAPPED IN THE POOLS.

THEY COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES AND MOST RELY ON THE ROCKS

AND THE CREVICES TO HOLE UP UNTIL THE TIDE RETURNS.

BUT ONE IS HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT.

THE OCTOPUS IS A MASTER OF CAMOUFLAGE.

THE COLOR AND TEXTURE OF ITS SKIN CAN QUICKLY CHANGE TO MATCH

ITS SURROUNDINGS.

AN ESSENTIAL ADAPTATION FOR AVOIDING PREDATORS.

BUT ALSO, AMBUSHING PREY.

THIS FEMALE IS ON THE LOOKOUT FOR ANY CRABS UNFORTUNATE ENOUGH

TO SHARE THE SAME ROCK POOL AS HER.

SHE JETS HERSELF AT SPEEDS UP TO 25 MILES PER HOUR, BY RAPIDLY

DRAWING WATER INTO HER MANTLE AND EXPELLING IT THROUGH A

TUBE-LIKE SYPHON.

AND HER LACK OF BONES ENABLES HER TO FIT IN EXTREMELY SMALL

SPACES.

THERE'S NOWHERE TO HIDE FROM THIS RELENTLESS PREDATOR.

BEFORE LONG, SHE'S CLEANED OUT THE ROCK POOL, BUT SHE'S STILL

HUNGRY.

IT WILL BE HOURS BEFORE THE TIDE COMES IN.

LUCKILY, THE OCTOPUS HAS ANOTHER EVEN MORE UNUSUAL ABILITY TO

HELP AVOID THE WAIT.

CLIMBING OUT OF THE WATER, POWERFUL TENTACLES HELP HER

MANEUVER ACROSS THE ROCKS AND SHELLS.

SHE KNOWS THAT THE NEARBY POOLS STILL HAVE PLENTY TO OFFER.

NOTHING WILL COME BETWEEN THIS EXTRAORDINARY PREDATOR AND HER

PREY.

THE OCTOPUS IS HAPPY BEING A FISH OUT OF WATER.

BUT SOMETIMES CREATURES APPEAR SO OUT OF PLACE IT SEEMS NATURE

HAS MADE A MISTAKE.

HERE IN THE HEART OF SOUTH AMERICA, AMID THE FLOODED

FORESTS OF THE RIO NEGRO LIVES ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST UNUSUAL

CREATURES.

THE SLOTH.

IT MIGHT HAVE A UNIQUE APPEARANCE BUT IT'S NOT JUST ITS

FEATURES THAT SET IT APART.

SLOTHS ARE ALSO THE SLOWEST MAMMALS ON EARTH.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THIS THREE-TOED SLOTH TRAVELS AT A TOP SPEED OF SIX

AND A HALF FEET PER MINUTE THROUGH THE TREES.

HE'S SO SEDENTARY THAT ALGAE GROWS ON HIS FURRY COAT, GIVING

HIM A GREENISH TINT, WHICH IS USEFUL CAMOUFLAGE IN THE CANOPY.

HE'S BUILT FOR LIFE IN THE TREETOPS, SPENDING NEARLY ALL

HIS TIME HANGING FROM THE BRANCHES WITH A POWERFUL GRIP,

AIDED BY HIS LONG CLAWS.

BUT HEAVY RAIN BEGINS TO FALL ACROSS THE AMAZON AND THE SPRING

FLOODWATERS HAVE ALREADY BEGUN TO RISE.

THOUSANDS OF SQUARE MILES OF RAINFORESTS ARE EVENTUALLY

FLOODED.

AND DESPITE THE DANGERS, HE'S BEEN FORCED TO BRAVE THE WATERS

IN SEARCH OF A NEW HOME.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: A SLOTH MAY BE SLOW AND CUMBERSOME IN THE TREES, BUT

THEY'RE SURPRISINGLY CAPABLE SWIMMERS.

DUE TO THEIR INCREDIBLY SLOW DIGESTIVE RATE, ALL SLOTHS BOAST

AN ENORMOUS MULTICHAMBERED STOMACH.

THIS BIG BAG OF FERMENTING LEAVES CREATES A LOT OF GAS,

ACTING AS A GIANT FLOTATION DEVICE.

AND THE LONG ARMS MAKE EFFECTIVE PADDLES.

HE MOVES THREE TIMES FASTER THAN ON LAND.

BUT NOT FAST ENOUGH TO GO UNNOTICED.

THE GREEN ANACONDA IS A FORMIDABLE AMAZON PREDATOR.

OFTEN CATCHING LARGE CAPYBARA AND THE OCCASIONAL CAYMAN.

SO A VULNERABLE SLOTH IS AN OPPORTUNITY TOO GOOD TO MISS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: FINALLY, HE MAKES IT TO A SUITABLE TREE AND MAKES THE

LONG CLIMB TO SAFETY.

COMING UP, WE DISCOVER WHY THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SEA

ANEMONES AND CLOWNFISH IS NO LAUGHING MATTER.

BUT FIRST, THE PREGNANCY FOR THIS SPECIES OF SEA FISH MAY BE

UNUSUAL BUT WE'LL FIND OUT WHY IT'S PERFECT FOR THIS GROWING

FAMILY.

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: FOR CENTURIES, SAILORS HAVE WARNED EACH OTHER ABOUT

MYTHICAL SEA CREATURES LIKE MERMAIDS, SIRENS, AND THE KILLER

KRAKEN.

AND EVEN THOUGH MORE THAN 80 PERCENT OF THE EARTH'S OCEANS

ARE UNMAPPED, UNOBSERVED, AND UNEXPLORED, IT'S SAFE TO BET

THAT WE WON'T BE RUNNING INTO THOSE MONSTERS.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE OCEANS AREN'T FULL OF BIZARRE

ODDITIES.

FOR INSTANCE, THE SEAHORSE.

IT'S A FISH WITHOUT SCALES THAT'S NOT VERY GOOD AT

SWIMMING.

AND TO TOP IT OFF, THE MALES HAVE A VERY UNIQUE BURDEN TO

CARRY AND IT'S NOT WHAT YOU'RE EXPECTING.

SOME CREATURES HAVE EVOLVED TO REPRODUCE IN A WHOLE NEW WAY.

AND DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY MAY JUST BE THE SECRET TO THEIR

SUCCESS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ON THE SOUTHERN COAST OF SOUTH AFRICA, THE KNYSNA ESTUARY

SUPPORTS A NUMBER OF ENDEMIC SPECIES, INCLUDING THE MOST

ENDANGERED SEAHORSE IN THE WORLD.

THIS CAPE SEAHORSE HAS THE SMALLEST KNOWN GEOGRAPHIC RANGE

OF ITS KIND.

OCCURRING IN JUST A HANDFUL OF ESTUARIES ALONG THE SOUTH

AFRICAN COAST.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: IT'S THE ONLY SEAHORSE KNOWN TO EXCLUSIVELY INHABIT

ESTUARIES.

AND WITHIN THE SUBMERGED VEGETATION, SOMETHING

EXTRAORDINARY IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.

UNIQUELY, IT'S THE MALES WHO BECOME PREGNANT AND GIVE BIRTH

TO THE BABIES.

THIS ALLOWS THE FEMALE TO MAKE MORE EGGS STRAIGHT AWAY, AND

THEREFOR, REPRODUCE QUICKER.

INTERNAL FERTILIZATION OCCURS IN THE MALE AND HIS

POUCH TISSUES

HAVE CAPILLARIES THAT SUPPLY THE EMBRYOS WITH OXYGEN AND VITAL

FLUIDS.

AFTER A NUMBER OF WEEKS, THE FATHER BEGINS TO GIVE BIRTH.

BUT THIS CAN BE A LONG PROCESS.

WITH CONTRACTIONS LASTING UP TO 12 HOURS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE YOUNG FRY WILL OFTEN GRASP ONTO NEARBY WEEDS WITH

THEIR PREHENSILE TAILS.

PREVENTING THEM FROM BEING WASHED AWAY BY STRONG CURRENTS

AND WAVES.

THIS NEW FATHER WILL EVENTUALLY GIVE BIRTH TO UP TO 200 BABIES.

AND OVER THE COMING WEEKS, THEY'LL BRAVE THE ESTUARY WATERS

UNTIL THEY TOO ARE ABLE TO MATE.

BUT THIS IS NO TIME FOR THE FATHER TO RELAX.

A FEW HOURS AFTER THE BIRTH, THE FEMALE WILL DEPOSIT MORE EGGS

INTO HIS POUCH, TO START THE PROCESS ALL OVER AGAIN.

SO, A MALE COULD DELIVER BABIES IN THE MORNING AND GET PREGNANT

AGAIN THE SAME DAY.

COMING UP, THE FATAL TOUCH OF THESE ANEMONES IS NO LAUGHING

MATTER, UNLESS YOU'RE A CLOWNFISH.

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: OFF THE COAST OF SOUTH AFRICA IS THE SODWANA REEF

SYSTEM.

IT'S HOME TO ANOTHER SEA CREATURE WITH AN UNCONVENTIONAL

ADAPTATION.

WITH MORE THAN 1,000 SPECIES OF FISH, THIS REEF IS ONE OF THE

HEALTHIEST AND MOST DIVERSE IN EXISTENCE.

BUT SPACE IS HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER IN THIS OVERCROWDED ECOSYSTEM

AND DANGER CAN COME FROM ANY DIRECTION, SO ONE REEF RESIDENT

HAS HAD TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX WHEN CHOOSING A HOME.

ACROSS THE CORAL'S VAST COLONIES OF ANEMONES SWAY WITH THE

CURRENT.

THEY MAY BE SIMPLE SEA CREATURES, BUT THEY ARE FAR FROM

HARMLESS.

HUNGRY FISH MIGHT BE TEMPTED BY THEIR ALLURING, SOFT TENTACLES.

BUT THE SLIGHTEST TOUCH WILL TRIGGER THEM, FIRING A

HARPOONLIKE FILAMENT INTO THEIR PREY.

INJECTING A PARALYZING NEUROTOXIN.

THE HELPLESS VICTIM IS THEN GUIDED INTO THE MOUTH BY THE

TENTACLES, TO MEET A GRISLY END.

MOST SEA CREATURES KNOW TO GIVE THE ANEMONES A WIDE BIRTH.

BUT ONE SPECIES CHOOSES TO IGNORE THE WARNING SIGNS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: UNLIKE ALL OTHER FISH ON THE REEF, THESE CLOWNFISH DON'T

APPEAR TO BE PHASED BY THE STINGING TENTACLES.

IN FACT, THEY'RE COMPLETELY IMMUNE TO THE TOXINS THE

ANEMONES PRODUCE, THANKS TO A MUCUS LAYER COVERING THEIR

BODIES.

CONSEQUENTIALLY, THEY HAVE DEVELOPED A UNIQUE SYMBIOTIC

RELATIONSHIP.

THEY REMOVE ANY PARASITES AND DRIVE AWAY INTRUDERS FROM THEIR

HOME WHILE THE ANEMONE PROVIDES SHELTER FOR THE CLOWNFISH, AS

WELL AS PROTECTION FROM THEIR PREDATORS.

IT'S AN UNUSUAL ALLIANCE BUT ONE WHERE BOTH PARTIES REAP THE

BENEFITS.

IN THIS TIME, FEMALES WILL LAY UP TO 1,000 EGGS NEARBY AND THE

MALE WILL STAND GUARD UNTIL THEY HATCH.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THANKS TO THEIR EXTRAORDINARY IMMUNITY, THEIR

YOUNG WILL GROW UP IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT AND EVENTUALLY FIND

ANEMONES OF THEIR OWN TO CALL HOME.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON THIS ADVENTURE AROUND THE WORLD TO

DISCOVER SOME OF EARTH'S MOST FASCINATING ANIMAL ODDITIES.

AS WE'VE SEEN, SOMETIMES THE TRAITS THAT SET US APART FROM

THE HERD ARE ALSO WHAT MAKE US THRIVE.

WE'LL SEE YOU FOR ANOTHER ADVENTURE ON THE NEXT "EARTH

ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]