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".

ON TODAY'S SHOW WE HEAD TO SOUTH AMERICA TO EXPLORE ALL TYPES OF

EXOTIC ANIMALS FROM CROCS TO CAPYBARAS.

WE'LL FIND OUT WHAT THRIVES THE MOST FROM THIS RICH AND FERTILE

ECOSYSTEM.

THEN, WE MARCH DOWN TO THE FOREST FLOOR TO SALUTE ONE OF

THE HARDEST WORKING CREATURES IN THE WORLD.

AND LATER, JAGUARS AND MONKEYS DON'T MAKE THE HUNTING TEAM, BUT

THERE ARE TWO SPECIES THAT HELP EACH OTHER FROM THE WATER TO THE

SKY.

AND LATER, THESE MASSIVE MAMMALS CAN NAVIGATE THROUGH THE

SMALLEST STREAMS.

ALL THIS AND MORE COMING UP ON "EARTH ODYSSEY."

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: SOUTH AMERICA HAS AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF DIVERSITY

IN ITS PHYSICAL FEATURES FROM ANCIENT MOUNTAINS TO ENORMOUS

RIVERS.

THESE REGIONS ARE A CRADLE OF LIFE FOR BOTH HUMANS AND

ANIMALS.

AND ONE FEATURE THAT'S NO EXCEPTION IS THE GREAT GRASSLAND

PLAIN OF LOS LLANOS.

STRETCHING OVER VENEZUELA AND COLUMBIA, THIS NORTHWEST REGION

OF SOUTH AMERICA HAS THE WATER AND SUSTAINABLE CLIMATE THAT'S

PERFECT FOR ANIMALS WITH SCALES, FUR AND FEATHERS.

TAKE A LOOK.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WELCOME TO LOS LLANOS.

THIS WETLAND IS ABOUT THE SIZE OF ITALY AND COVERS A THIRD OF

VENEZUELA.

THE DESCENDANTS OF THE SPANISH INVADERS KNOWN AS LLANEROS STILL

LIVE HERE.

MAINTAINING HUGE HERDS OF CATTLE IN THIS SEASONAL SWAMP.

DESPITE HUNGRY CATTLE, LOS LLANOS IS ONE OF SOUTH AMERICA'S

WILDLIFE HOTSPOTS.

HOME TO MORE THAN 100 SPECIES OF MAMMALS AND AROUND 700 SPECIES

OF BIRD.

AND IT'S THE REALM OF THE LARGEST RODENT ON EARTH; THE

CAPYBARA.

A LARGE AMPHIBIUS GRAZER.

THE SOUTH AMERICAN EQUIVALENT OF THE HIPPOPOTAMUS.

WITH BROAD FEET AND ITS EYES AND NOSE ON TOP OF ITS HEAD, IT'S

PERFECTLY ADAPTED TO LIFE IN A SWAMP.

BUT WHERE THERE ARE RODENTS, EVEN GIANT ONES, THERE ARE

ANIMALS TO EAT THEM.

GREEN ANACONDAS, CROCODILES AND CAIMAN ABOUND.

AND THESE PREDATORS RARELY GO HUNGRY.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: DURING THE 6-MONTH RAINY SEASON, LOS LLANOS IS BOMBARDED

BY DOWNPOURS.

THE WATER LEVEL RISES BY UP TO 3 FEET; HUGE TRACTS OF LAND

DISAPPEAR.

BUT THE GROWING FLOODS OPEN NEW OPPORTUNITIES FROM THE SWAMP'S

LEGION OF AQUATIC CREATURES.

NORMALLY SHY TERRAPINS EMERGE FROM DRY SEASON REFUGES AND

DISPERSE ACROSS THE WETLANDS.

THE RAINS AFFECT EVERY ASPECT OF LOS LLANOS ANIMALS' LIVES.

FOR MANY, THEY SIGNAL THE TIME TO BREED.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: LEAFY NESTS CAREFULLY CONSTRUCTED 3 MONTHS AGO ARE

ROTTING AWAY, LEAVING LEATHERY EGGS EXPOSED AT THE SURFACE.

THE NEST BUILDER KEEPS A CLOSE EYE, BUT THE MOTHER CAIMAN WON'T

GET INVOLVED UNLESS SHE MUST.

AFTER SEVERAL HOURS OF STRUGGLE, THE EGG'S INHABITANT TEARS FREE.

WITHIN MINUTES, MORE AND MORE SIBLINGS EMERGE.

THERE COULD BE 60 EGGS IN THIS ONE BATCH.

NEWBORN CAIMAN HAVE MANY PREDATORS.

THEIR SURVIVAL INSTINCT TELLS THEM TO HEAD STRAIGHT FOR WATER.

EVEN HERE, THE TINY REPTILES AREN'T SAFE.

DANGER LURKS BENEATH THE SURFACE TOO.

PIRANHAS.

UNTIL THEY OUTGROW THEIR PREDATORS, THESE CAIMAN WILL

ALWAYS BE IN DANGER.

SOME DON'T MAKE IT THIS FAR.

PREDATORS WILL KILL THOUSANDS OF YOUNG CAIMANS IN THE COMING

WEEKS.

BUT THOUSANDS MORE WILL SURVIVE THE ONSLAUGHT.

COMING UP, WE CLIMB DOWN THE TREE AND ONTO THE FOREST FLOOR

WHERE WE'LL MEET SOME OF THE STRONGEST INSECTS ON EARTH.

PLUS, WE HIT THE RIVER AND JOIN LOCALS AS THEY EMBARK ON ONE OF

THE MOST FASCINATING FISHING TRIPS YOU'LL EVER SEE.

AND LATER, THESE INSECTS MIGHT WANT YOU TO THINK TWICE BEFORE

VENTURING AWAY FROM LAND.

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE AMAZON IS A MULTILEVEL WORLD.

ANIMALS LIVING AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF ONE TREE LEAD SUCH

CONTRASTING LIVES THEY MAY AS WELL BE AT DIFFERENT ENDS OF THE

EARTH.

THE FOREST FLOOR IS A VERY DIFFERENT WORLD FROM THE CANOPY

ABOVE.

ONLY 2 PERCENT OF THE SUNLIGHT THAT SATURATES THE CANOPY

FILTERS DOWN TO THE GROUND.

IT'S HOT AND MUGGY; PERFECT FOR SOME OF THE AMAZON'S MOST

DANGEROUS CREATURES.

IT'S MOVING DAY FOR THIS COLONY OF ARMY ANTS.

SCOUTS BEAT A PATH THROUGH THE UNDERGROWTH, LEAVING A CHEMICAL

SCENT TRAIL FOR THE REST OF THE SWARM TO FOLLOW.

WORKERS LINK TOGETHER TO BUILD LIVING BRIDGES.

SOLDIERS STAND GUARD OVER THE ANT HIGHWAY.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ARMY ANT COLONIES CAN CONTAIN AS MANY AS 2 MILLION

INDIVIDUALS, AND A LINE OF THEM CAN STRETCH FOR MORE THAN 200

YARDS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THESE ANTS MAKE THEIR NEW NEST INSIDE A HOLLOWED-OUT

TREE.

AS MORE ANTS ARRIVE, THEY CLING TOGETHER, FORMING A PROTECTIVE

FRAME AROUND THE ENTRANCE.

BUT THIS NEST IS JUST TEMPORARY.

ARMY ANTS CAN'T AFFORD TO STAY IN ONE PLACE FOR LONG.

WITH THE NEW CAMP ESTABLISHED, THE ANTS' BEHAVIOR CHANGES.

THE MARCHING COLUMN DISPERSES AND WORKERS FAN OUT ACROSS THE

FOREST FLOOR.

IT'S TIME TO HUNT.

THE RAIDING ANTS SYSTEMATICALLY SWEEP THROUGH A PATCH OF FOREST,

SEARCHING EVERY SURFACE FOR FOOD.

THE SWARM CAN CATCH AS MANY AS 100,000 PREY ITEMS IN A SINGLE

DAY.

THE ANTS COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER USING PHEROMONES, WHICH

ARE CHEMICALS RELEASED INTO THE AIR THAT SEND INSTANT MESSAGES

CALLING FOR REINFORCEMENTS.

THEY CARRY THEIR FOOD BACK TO THEIR NESTS TO SHARE WITH THEIR

COLONY.

WHEN THEY ARE DONE WITH ONE PATCH OF FOREST, THE WHOLE

COLONY MOVES ON TO A FRESH HUNTING GROUND.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ARMY ANTS ARE SOME OF THE MOST FORMIDABLE CREATURES IN

THE AMAZON.

BUT THERE ARE ANIMALS THAT BEAT THEM AT THEIR OWN GAME.

AT THE HEAD OF THE HUNTING PARTY, ANT BIRDS PICK UP INSECTS

FLUSHED OUT BY THE ADVANCING SWARM.

THESE BIRDS SURVIVE BY LETTING ARMY ANTS DO THE HARD WORK FOR

THEM.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: AND THEN THEY GO IN FOR THE FEAST.

INCREDIBLY, SOME BUTTERFLIES ONLY EAT ANT BIRD WASTE.

IT'S JUST ONE OF MANY EXAMPLES OF HOW THESE ANIMALS RELY ON

EACH OTHER.

MORE THAN 300 SPECIES OF BIRDS AND BUTTERFLIES RELY ON ARMY

ANTS FOR SURVIVAL.

ALL OF THESE ANIMALS CAN SURVIVE IN THE AMAZON BECAUSE IT'S SUCH

A STABLE ENVIRONMENT.

THIS IS VASTLY DIFFERENT FROM OTHER AREAS ON EARTH LIKE THE

NORTH AND SOUTH POLE WHERE ANIMALS ARE FACED WITH EXTREME

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SEASONS.

WINTER IS DARK AND FROZEN SOLID.

AND IN SUMMER, THE SUN NEVER SETS; SO, 24 HOURS OF DAYLIGHT

MELTS THE FROZEN WORLD.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: FEW ANIMALS EVOLVE TO COPE WITH SUCH EXTREMES.

BUT AS YOU TRAVEL TOWARDS THE EQUATOR, CONDITIONS STABILIZE.

THE LENGTH BETWEEN DAYS AND NIGHTS ARE MORE EQUAL, WHILE THE

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SEASONS IS LESS EXTREME.

ANIMALS NO LONGER NEED TO HIBERNATE OR MIGRATE FOR WINTER.

BUT CAN SPEND THEIR ENERGY EXPLOITING THEIR ENVIRONMENT.

SO, IN THE AMAZON RIGHT ON TOP OF THE EQUATOR, ALMOST NOTHING

CHANGES FROM ONE DAY TO THE NEXT, YEAR-IN AND YEAR-OUT.

AND CREATURES LIKE ARMY ANTS CAN CONTINUE TO RULE THE AMAZON'S

FLOOR.

COMING UP, YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS THE RELATIONSHIP THESE

LOCALS HAVE WITH BIRDS, AND HOW THEY HELP EACH OTHER CATCH ONE

OF PANTANAL'S BIGGEST FISH.

PLUS, THESE MASSIVE MAMMALS CAN NAVIGATE THROUGH THE SMALLEST

STREAMS.

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: WELCOME BACK.

THE PANTANAL IS HOME TO MORE THAN 300 DIFFERENT SPECIES OF

FISH.

SOME ARE BIG, SOME ARE SMALL, BUT ALL PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE

IN SUSTAINING THE RICH LIFE THAT LIVES IN AND AROUND THE REGION'S

WATERWAYS.

JUST ASK THE LOCALS WHO USE FISHING NOT ONLY AS A SOURCE OF

FOOD, BUT AS THEIR LIVELIHOOD.

LET'S JUMP ABOARD A LOCAL ANGLING EXPEDITION TO SEE IF WE

CAN HOOK ONE OF THE BIGGEST FISH IN THE PANTANAL.

IT'S BARELY RAINED IN 4 MONTHS AND THE PANTANAL'S WATER LEVEL

HAS FALLEN 9 FEET ALREADY.

ALONG THE RIVERBANKS, STRANGE HOLES APPEAR.

DUG NOT BY BIRDS, BUT BY FISH EXCAVATING SAFE REFUGES AS THE

WATERS DROPPED.

BLACK-COLLARED HAWKS ARE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR OXYGEN-STARVED PREY.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: BLACK SKIMMERS HAVE TAKEN OVER A WHOLE BEACH.

THE ADULTS USUALLY FISH AT NIGHT, BUT RIGHT NOW, THEY HAVE

HUNGRY MOUTHS TO FEED, SO THEY'RE WORKING A DOUBLE-SHIFT.

THE BREEDING SEASON IS IN FULL FLOW.

NESTS ARE SIMPLE SCRAPES IN THE SAND.

THE ADULTS CAN'T STAY AWAY FOR LONG; THEY MUST SHELTER THEIR

CHICKS FROM THE BLAZING SUN.

THE CLOCK IS TICKING.

THE SKIMMERS WILL HAVE TO FLEDGE WITHIN 2 MONTHS WHEN THE RAINS

WILL RETURN AND THE RIVER LEVEL RISE AGAIN.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: GONZAGA HAS WAITED UNTIL DUSK TO SET HIS HOOKS.

ANY EARLIER AND PIRANHAS WOULD DEMOLISH HIS BAIT.

A PINTADO OR TIGER CATFISH.

THEY CAN GROW TO A MONSTROUS 55 POUNDS.

THIS IS JUST A YOUNGSTER.

AT LEAST 5,000 TONS OF FISH ARE PULLED OUT OF THE PANTANAL EVERY

YEAR.

CATFISH ARE DECLINING IN NUMBER AND SIZE.

BUT FISHING HAS SUSTAINED PEOPLE HERE FOR LONGER THAN ANYONE CAN

REMEMBER.

AROUND 8,000 YEARS AGO BAND OF NATIVE AMERICANS FIRST ARRIVED

IN THE PANTANAL.

THEY FOUND A PLENTIFUL HUNTING GROUND.

TODAY, FEW NATIVE COMMUNITIES REMAIN; MOST WIPED OUT BY THE

DISEASES AND WEAPONS OF EUROPEAN CONQUISTADORS.

BUT THE FRINGES OF THE PANTANAL ARE THE LAST STRONGHOLD OF THE

BORORO.

ONLY AROUND 1,000 ARE LEFT.

THE BORORO MAY HAVE EMBRACED MODERN CLOTHING, BUT THEY STILL

HOLD ON TO THEIR MOST IMPORTANT TRADITIONS.

THIS ELDER OF THE VILLAGE LEADS THE FISHING TEAM.

IT'S A 2-DAY PROCESS AND STARTS WITH HARVESTING PALM FRONDS.

GETTING THE RIGHT LENGTH AND STRENGTH IS CRUCIAL.

THE BORORO METHOD IS A FINELY-TUNED TECHNIQUE.

ONCE THEY'VE GATHERED THE RAW MATERIALS, THE MEN TAKE IT IN

TURNS TO WEAVE A GIANT SIV.

NEXT, THEY BUILD THE DAM.

THE VILLAGERS HAVE CHOSEN THE LOCATION CAREFULLY.

THIS TRIBUTARY HASN'T BEEN FISHED IN MORE THAN A YEAR.

THE ELDERS ARE INTENT ON GETTING EVERY DETAIL JUST RIGHT.

SONS AND GRANDSONS LOOK ON, SOAKING UP THE TRADITIONS OF

THEIR FOREFATHERS.

SKILLS LIKE THESE ARE WHAT MAKE THEM A BORORO.

COMING UP, THESE INSECTS MIGHT WANT YOU TO THINK TWICE BEFORE

VENTURING AWAY FROM LAND.

PLUS, THESE MASSIVE MAMMALS CAN NAVIGATE THROUGH THE SMALLEST

STREAMS.

NEXT ON "EARTH ODYSSEY."

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: MOST INSECTS IN THE AMAZON RIVER ISLANDS HAVE NOT

QUITE ADAPTED TO THEIR AQUATIC HOME.

SOME ARE FORCED TO VENTURE ACROSS THE WATER SURFACE IN

SEARCH OF DRY LAND.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: IT'S A CROSSING FRAUGHT WITH DANGER.

AROWANA LURK BENEATH.

THE FISH PATROL CLOSE TO THE SURFACE, SCANNING FOR PREY.

NO INSECT IS SAFE.

AS THE FLOODWATERS RISE, MORE AND MORE GET WASHED INTO REACH.

IT'S A TIME FOR THE AROWANA TO FATTEN UP BEFORE THE LONG DRY

SEASON RETURNS.

SOME OF THE WATERWAY'S MORE UNUSUAL CREATURES ARE ALSO

TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE NEW FOOD AVAILABLE.

NEEDLEFISH LIE JUST BENEATH THE SURFACE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THEY HUNT BY SIGHT AND ARE READY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF

ANY STRAGGLERS.

UNLUCKY SPIDERS ARE PICKED OFF WITH EASE.

CARNIVOROUS FISH ARE NOT THE ONLY UNDERWATER ANIMALS ENJOYING

A GLUT OF FOOD.

ONE OF SOUTH AMERICA'S LARGEST ANIMALS LURKS IN THESE WATERS.

THE AMAZONIAN MANATEE IS AN ICONIC SYMBOL.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: HIDING OUT IN THE QUIET BACKWATERS, THEY GORGE ON THE

FOOD THAT ARRIVES WITH THE FLOODWATERS.

FOR THE MANATEE, THIS IS A TIME OF PLENTY.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: AND ALSO, A TIME TO REAR THEIR YOUNG.

THESE SHY MAMMALS GIVE BIRTH TO A SINGLE CALF ONCE EVERY 2

YEARS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE MOTHER WILL SPEND TIME TEACHING THE YOUNGSTER THE

BEST ROUTES THROUGH THE MAZE OF RIVER CHANNELS.

THE CALF WILL NEED ALL ITS MOTHER'S KNOWLEDGE AND SUPPORT

WITH THE DRY SEASON FAST APPROACHING.

THANKS FOR JOINING ME ON THIS SPECTACULAR JOURNEY THROUGH THE

GREATEST PLACES ON EARTH.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME FOR ANOTHER "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]