Original subtitles

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'LL MEET SOME OF THE WORLD'S TOUGHEST ANIMALS AND SEE

EXACTLY HOW THEY PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM THE

UNPREDICTABLE WILD.

NEITHER HIDE NOR HAIR WILL KEEP THESE MUSK OXEN FROM BUTTING

HEADS TO RULE THE BRUTAL RUSSIAN LANDSCAPE.

PLUS, IT'S NO DAY AT THE BEACH FOR THESE CRABS, AS THEY MIGRATE

FOR MILES.

AND LATER, WE'LL HEAD TO ARABIA, WHERE THESE GREEN SEA TURTLES

PUT THE SHELL IN SHELTER.

BUT FIRST, WHETHER IT'S SCALES OR SKIN, THESE GIANTS OF EAST

ASIA HAVE THE NATURAL BODY ARMOR TO MAKE IT THROUGH THICK AND

THIN.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: LIVING IN HARSH CLIMATES IS A DIFFICULT TASK FOR ANY

ANIMAL.

BUT WHEN YOU ADD IN THE RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF PREDATORS,

SURVIVAL DEPENDS ON ADAPTABILITY.

IN THE WILD, ANIMALS DEVELOP BEHAVIORAL AND EVEN PHYSICAL

ATTRIBUTES THAT ACT AS THEIR LAST LINE OF DEFENSE.

EVEN SOME OF THE MOST FIERCE CREATURES ON EARTH NEED THICK

SKIN BECAUSE IT CAN BE WHAT ULTIMATELY TIPS THE SCALES IN

THEIR FAVOR.

TAKE A LOOK.

WELCOME TO SOUTH ASIA, WHERE DANGEROUS PREDATORS ARE NEVER

TOO FAR.

LIKE THIS ONE LURKING IN THE SHALLOW END.

REACHING MORE THAN 13 FEET LONG, MARSH CROCODILES ARE POWERFUL

PREDATORS.

THIS CROC BASKS IN THE SUN TO KEEP WARM.

BUT SUBMERGES ITSELF WHEN IT'S READY TO HUNT.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: PERFECTLY DISGUISED AS A PIECE OF WOOD, THIS SHALLOW

WATERHOLE MAKES AN IDEAL HUNTING GROUND.

HE'LL USUALLY SURVIVE ON FISH AND SMALLER ANIMALS, BUT THIS

DEER COULD SUSTAIN HIM FOR MONTHS.

IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY HE ISN'T GOING TO IGNORE.

THE SAMBAR DEER LIVES TO SEE ANOTHER DAY.

AND THE HUGE CROCODILE SLOWLY RETURNS TO HIS HIDING PLACE.

BUT NOT ALL OF INDIA'S MOST EXTRAORDINARY HABITATS ARE

FAMOUS FOR BIG PREDATORS.

IN THE FAR EAST OF INDIA LIES A BOUNTIFUL LAND OF GENTLE GIANTS.

THE GRASSLANDS OF ASSAM ARE ONE OF THE MOST FERTILE HABITATS ON

EARTH.

AMONGST THESE ECOSYSTEMS, SOME OF THE WORLD'S TALLEST GRASSES

FLOURISH.

AND THESE GIANT PLANTS SUPPORT ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST

MAMMALS.

THE INDIAN RHINOCEROS.

STANDING MORE THAN SIX FEET TALL AND WEIGHING MORE THAN TWO TONS,

RHINOS SPEND A LOT OF TIME MAINTAINING THEIR WEIGHT.

BUT THIS MOTHER AND HER CALF ARE RARELY LEFT TO DINE IN PEACE.

DRONGO BIRDS CATCH A RIDE.

SCOUTING FOR ANY FLIES OR TICKS OFTEN FOUND ON THE RHINO'S SKIN.

AND NIMBLE CATTLE EGRETS FEED ON OTHER INSECTS DISTURBED BY THE

LARGE HERBIVORES AS THEY GRAZE THROUGH THE GRASS.

THE MOTHER AND HER CALF TOLERATE THESE BIRDS, BUT THE TWO RHINOS

MUST SOON GO THEIR SEPARATE WAYS.

THE CALF WILL SOON NEED TO LEAVE ITS MOTHER'S SIDE AND ESTABLISH

A HOME OF ITS OWN.

BUT IN THESE LAST DAYS AS A FAMILY, THERE IS STILL TIME TO

ENJOY THE PLEASURES OF THIS WILD PARADISE TOGETHER.

COMING UP, WE'LL DIG IN AND SEE WHY THESE TURTLES ARE WORKING

THE NIGHTSHIFT.

PLUS, WHY ARE THESE LIZARDS MAKING THEIR PREY SO CRABBY?

AND LATER, IN THE HARSH COLD OF SIBERIA, THIS BABY MUSK OX IS

DRESSED FOR SUCCESS.

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

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ARABIA IS THE WORLD'S LARGEST PENINSULA.

BETWEEN THE DESERTS AND BEACHES, ARABIA'S LANDSCAPE SEEMS VERY

SIMILAR, BUT IT'S WHAT'S LIVING UNDER THE SURFACE THAT GIVES

ARABIA A SENSE OF WONDER.

GREEN TURTLES USE THE COVER OF ARABIA'S NIGHT TO DIG THEIR

NESTS.

THE DEPTH AND POSITION IS CRITICAL.

IT NEEDS TO BE DEEP ENOUGH TO PROTECT THE HELPLESS EGGS, BUT

IT ALSO DETERMINES THE GENDER OF THE BABIES INSIDE.

CLOSER TO THE SEA AND INCUBATION WILL BE COOLER, PRODUCING MORE

MALE HATCHLINGS.

FURTHER UP THE BEACH, THE EGGS WILL BE WARMER AND THEY WILL

HOLD MORE FEMALES.

HAVING INCUBATED FOR AROUND TWO MONTHS, A CLUTCH LAID EARLIER IN

THE SEASON BEGIN THEIR EPIC JOURNEY.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: DARKNESS PROVIDES A CLOAK OF SAFETY AS THEY FOLLOW

THE NATURAL LIGHT OF THE HORIZON TO THE SEA.

ARABIA'S DAWN FIRST BREAKS ON THE EASTERN SHORES OF RAS AL

HADD.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: AS THE LAST EXPECTANT MOTHERS RETURN TO THE SEA,

PREDATORS TAKE TO THE SKIES.

THEY COMB THE BEACH FOR ANY HATCHLINGS THAT DIDN'T ESCAPE

UNDER THE COVER OF DARKNESS.

WITH SUNRISE, HUNTERS HAVE A GREATER CHANCE OF FINDING FOOD.

WITHIN MINUTES OF SURFACING, THE LATE YOUNGSTER RACES FOR ITS

LIFE, BUT IT IS TOTALLY EXPOSED.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE LURE OF SCAVENGED EGGS DISTRACTS THE PREDATORS

FROM THEIR QUARRY AND GIVES THE YOUNGSTER A CHANCE TO MAKE A

BREAK FOR IT.

THE EQUIVALENT OF A HUMAN KILOMETER TO THE WATER'S EDGE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: YET WITH ESTIMATES OF ONLY ONE IN A THOUSAND MAKING IT

TO ADULTHOOD, FACING THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE ARABIAN SEA,

HIS GREATEST TRICK MAY STILL BE IN FRONT OF THIS LITTLE TURTLE

TOT.

COMING UP, WE'LL SHELLEBRATE THE AMAZING WAYS THIS CRAB PROTECTS

ITSELF.

PLUS, ONE OF RUSSIA'S BIGGEST MAMMALS STANDS OUT IN ITS ROUGH

AND RUGGED WILDERNESS.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE SHELL OF A CRAB IS MORE THAN A TOUGH EXTERIOR.

IT'S ACTUALLY THEIR EXTERNAL SKELETON, MADE FROM CALCIUM

CARBONATE TO PROTECT THE SOFT TISSUE UNDERNEATH.

THESE CRUSTACEANS HAVE ADAPTED OVER THOUSANDS OF GENERATIONS TO

HAVE THE BEST CHANCE AT SURVIVAL IN THEIR WILD HABITATS.

ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY FIND THEMSELVES IN A PINCH.

TAKE A LOOK.

WELCOME TO THE FAR EAST OF ASIA, WHERE THE COASTAL FORESTS OF

THIS TINY PENINSULA ARE HOME TO 30 SEPARATE SPECIES OF LAND

CRABS, THE HIGHEST DIVERSITY ANYWHERE ON EARTH.

DRIVEN BY INSTINCT, THESE LAND-DWELLING CRABS MUST MAKE A

JOURNEY TO THE OCEAN, TO DEPOSIT THEIR EGGS.

BUT IT WON'T BE EASY.

THE CRAB ATTRACTS PREDATORS, BOTH LARGE AND SMALL.

THIS LIZARD IS SEARCHING FOR A SUITABLY SIZED MEAL.

BUT CHOOSING FROM SUCH A VARIED MENU CAN BE TRICKY.

HIGH UP, CAMOUFLAGED AGAINST THE BRANCHES, HE SURVEYS THE GROUND.

WAITING FOR THE CRABS TO EMERGE.

PERHAPS THIS ONE TAKES HIS FANCY...

TOO SMALL.

OR MAYBE THIS ONE.

TOO BIG.

HOW ABOUT THIS ONE?

PERFECT.

HE JUST NEEDS TO KEEP HIS EYES ON THE PRIZE.

BUT THESE CRABS ARE FAST FOOD.

THIS LIZARD'S EYES RELY ON MOVEMENT TO IDENTIFY ITS PREY.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: BUT NOW, HIDING BEHIND THE LEAF,

IF THE CRAB STAYS STILL ENOUGH, IT DISAPPEARS.

SO, THE LIZARD DECIDES TO DINE ELSEWHERE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: AND TONIGHT, WITH SO MANY CRABS ON THE MOVE, HE

DOESN'T HAVE TO LOOK FAR.

AFTER DARK, ALL THE CRABS THAT EVADE THE PREDATORS CONTINUE

THEIR MISSION TO REPRODUCE.

UNLIKE THEIR SEA-DWELLING ANCESTORS, SOME LAND CRABS CAN'T

BREATHE UNDERWATER AND HAVE LIVED MOST OF THEIR ADULT LIVES

ON LAND.

BUT THEY ALL HATCH IN THE OCEAN.

TO BREED, THE MALE WILL GRASP THE FEMALE WITH HIS CLAWS BEFORE

FERTILIZING HER EGGS AND SEPARATING.

THE FEMALE LAND CRAB WILL THEN CARRY HER CLUTCH OF EGGS ON HER

BODY UNTIL THEY HATCH.

IT IS THEN SHE MUST MAKE A PERILOUS JOURNEY INTO THE WAVES

TO RELEASE THE LARVA.

HOW THEY CAN PREDICT THE LUNAR CYCLE IS UNCLEAR.

BUT IT'S THOUGHT THESE CRABS HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THE STRONG

TIDES BROUGHT BY THE FULL MOON TO RELEASE THIS NEXT GENERATION.

TO SPREAD THEIR OFFSPRING AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, THESE LAND CRABS

MUST RISK THEIR LIVES.

VENTURING INTO THE SURF AS FAR AS THEY DARE.

BEFORE SHAKING THE LARVA INTO THE BACKWASH OF THE BIGGEST

WAVES THEY CAN WITHSTAND.

THE OFFSPRING ARE THEN SUCKED OUT TO SEA, WHERE THEY WILL

EMERGE FROM THESE WARM, NUTRIENT-RICH WATERS TO LIVE OUT

THEIR LIFE AMONG THE TREES ON THIS OR ANOTHER TROPICAL ISLAND.

COMING UP, WE'LL SEE HOW ONE OF THE TOUGHEST ANIMALS IN RUSSIA

WAS MADE FOR THIS BRUTAL CLIMATE.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: TO RUSSIA, WHERE WINTER IS HERE.

COLONIES OF ATLANTIC WALRUS HAVE SPENT THE LAST FEW MONTHS HAULED

OUT ON RUSSIA'S MOST NORTHERLY ISLANDS TO REAR THEIR YOUNG.

THEY SPEND A THIRD OF THEIR ENTIRE LIVES HUDDLED IN BLUBBER

BALLS, LIKE THESE, FOR WARMTH.

THE REST OF THEIR TIME, THE WALRUS SPEND IN THE WATER

HUNTING FOR CLAMS.

BUT WHEN YOU WEIGH UP TO ONE AND A HALF TONS, GETTING THERE TAKES

A BIT OF IMPROVISATION.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

THE WALRUS COLONY IS GOVERNED BY THE LARGEST MALE.

HE SPORTS THE BIGGEST TUSKS AND HIS POWERFUL ROAR CAN BE HEARD

FOR ALMOST A MILE.

ALLOWING HIM TO COMMAND THE BEST POSITIONS, UNCHALLENGED.

BUT THAT DOESN'T STOP THE LOWER RANKING WALRUS CONSTANTLY

CALLING EACH OTHER INTO BATTLE.

THESE TWO ARE ONLY PLAYFIGHTING.

BUT WITH MORE THAN A TON BEHIND EACH IMPACT, THEIR TUSKS COULD

INFLICT A DEADLY INJURY TO ALMOST ANY OTHER ANIMAL.

BUT THANKS TO TEN INCHES OF BLUBBER, THESE IMPACTS DON'T

DRAW ANY BLOOD.

WITHIN JUST A FEW SHORT WEEKS, WINTER SWEEPS DOWN ACROSS

RUSSIA.

CONDITIONS CHANGE RAPIDLY.

NOWHERE MORESO THAN IN ONE OF ITS COLDEST AND MOST ISOLATED

HABITATS, THE YAMAL PENINSULA.

A PAIR OF MUSK OX, MAKING THEIR WAY ACROSS THE YAMAL'S EXPOSED

TERRAIN.

BUT A CLOSER LOOK ALSO REVEALS A CALF.

IN THIS UNFORGIVING TERRAIN, MUSK OX CALVES ARE EXTREMELY

TOUGH.

CAPABLE OF KEEPING UP WITH THE ADULTS JUST A FEW HOURS AFTER

BEING BORN.

THIS MUSK OXEN FAMILY SPENT THE SUMMER GRAZING ALONE, BUT THE

ADULTS ARE NOW LEADING THEIR CALF TOWARD A BIGGER HERD.

AND IT TURNS OUT, THEY AREN'T THE ONLY ONES WITH A NEW ARRIVAL

THIS YEAR.

GATHERING IN GROUPS OF UP TO 60 FOR THE WINTER, MUSK OX WORK

TOGETHER TO DEFEND THE HERD'S YOUNG FROM WOLVES AND EVEN POLAR

BEARS.

BUT IT'S THE WEATHER HERE THAT IS OFTEN THE BIGGEST THREAT.

WHEN THE SUN SETS IN LATE NOVEMBER, THE MUSK OX WON'T SEE

IT AGAIN FOR TWO MONTHS.

YAMAL'S TEMPERATURES WILL GRADUALLY BEGIN TO DROP TO AN

AVERAGE OF MINUS FOUR DEGREES.

BUT WITH NO TREES OUT HERE ON THE TUNDRA, THE WIND CAN MAKE IT

FEEL LIKE MINUS 50.

LUCKILY, THIS MUSK OX THICK COAT HAS TWO SEPARATE LAYERS OF FUR,

ENABLING IT TO WITHSTAND THIS REGION'S HARSH CLIMATE.

BENEATH THE SNOW, THERE IS PLENTY OF VEGETATION TO GO

AROUND.

BUT EVEN WITH ALMOST 50,000 SQUARE MILES TO CHOOSE FROM, IT

SEEMS THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER.

AND SCUFFLES OVER GRAZING RIGHTS ARE COMMON.

BUILT FOR BATTLE, EACH MUSK OX'S SKULL IS MORE THAN SEVEN INCHES

THICK.

IN MATING SEASON, THESE CLASHES ESCALATE INTO SOME OF NATURE'S

MOST EPIC DUELS.

BUT AMAZINGLY, THESE SEEMINGLY VIOLENT IMPACTS HAVE ALMOST NO

EFFECT.

AND DESPITE THESE CONSTANT SQUABBLES, CHOOSING TO LIVE AS A

HERD THROUGH THE RUSSIAN WINTER, THE MUSK OXEN STAND A BETTER

CHANCE OF SURVIVAL.

THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY AS WE TOOK A CLOSER LOOK AT THE

AMAZING ANIMALS SPORTING THE HARDEST EXTERIORS ON EARTH.

THROUGH THICK AND THIN, THESE CREATURES RELY ON THEIR TOUGH

BUILDS TO WEATHER ANY STORM AND THRIVE IN THE WILD.

JOIN US NEXT TIME FOR ANOTHER ADVENTURE ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]