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, I'M DYLAN DREYER AND WE'RE ABOUT TO EMBARK ON ANOTHER

"EARTH ODYSSEY".

TODAY, WE'LL DISCOVER THE DIVERSE WILDLIFE LIVING ON THE

CONTINENT OF ASIA.

STARTING IN EASTERN ASIA WHERE THESE MACAQUES HAVE CRACKED THE

CASE OF HOW TO GET TO THEIR FAVORITE MEAL.

THEN, WE'LL TRY TO GRAB A BITE WITH ASIA'S BIGGEST CAT.

AND LATER, WE'LL DISCOVER THE WILDLIFE THAT COMES OUT AT NIGHT

IN THE ARABIAN DESERT.

ALL THAT AND MORE ON TODAY'S "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE ASIAN CONTINENT IS SO LARGE, IT'S SEPARATED INTO

THREE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CLIMATE ZONES.

COLD ARCTIC WINDS DEFINE THE NORTH CENTRAL ZONE.

THE HOT AND DESOLATE SOUTHWEST ZONE IS HOME TO THE GOBI DESERT

AND THE ARABIAN PENINSULA.

AND FINALLY, THERE'S THE SOUTHEAST ZONE WHERE TODAY'S

ODYSSEY BEGINS.

THIS LUSH, TROPICAL CLIMATE IS PERFECT FOR THE INCREDIBLE

PRIMATES YOU'RE ABOUT TO MEET.

WELCOME TO THE FAR EAST OF ASIA'S BORDER WHERE THE LAND IS

RENOWN FOR ITS ICONIC WILDLIFE.

MOST NOTORIOUS THAN ANY OTHER ANIMAL WITH MORE THAN 50

SPECIES, THE MONKEY DOMINATES THIS REGION.

AND HERE IN THAILAND, A GROUP OF MACAQUES HAVE DEVELOPED AN

ABILITY THEY DISPLAY ALMOST NOWHERE ELSE.

LONG-TAILED MACAQUES ARE USUALLY FOUND AMONGST THE TREES EATING

FRUIT.

BUT AT LOW TIDE, THIS EXTRAORDINARY TROOP HAVE LEARNED

TO HARVEST A SURPRISING FOOD SOURCE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: TWICE A DAY THE MACAQUES GATHER,

WAITING PATIENTLY FOR THE TIDE TO GO OUT.

AS THE WATER RECEDES, IT EXPOSES A COASTLINE ENCRUSTED WITH

SHELLFISH.

DUE TO THEIR TOUGH ARMOR, THEY WOULDN'T GENERALLY APPEAR ON THE

MACAQUES' MENU.

IT CAN BE A STRUGGLE TO CRACK THE MOLLUSKS OPEN.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: AND BASHING THEM AGAINST THE ROCKS IS A SLOW AND OFTEN

WASTED EFFORT.

SO, OUT OF NECESSITY CAME INVENTION.

INCREDIBLY, THESE MACAQUES HAVE LEARNED TO USE STONES AS TOOLS.

MUCH THE SAME AS OUR EARLY ANCESTORS, THESE MACAQUES USE

STONES AS MAKESHIFT HAMMERS; APPLYING THE PERFECT FORCE TO

GENTLY OPEN THE MOLLUSKS.

AND THIS ISN'T JUST BRUTE FORCE.

MACAQUES ACTUALLY SELECT DIFFERENT SHAPED STONES

DEPENDING ON THE JOB.

OYSTERS REQUIRE A POINTED STONE.

WHILE A HEAVY, FLAT STONE IS USED FOR COLLECTED SHELLFISH,

NUTS AND CRABS.

FEW ANIMALS ON EARTH ARE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE SUCH DEXTERITY WITH

STONE TOOLS.

FOR SOME MACAQUES, LEARNING THE TECHNIQUE TAKES TIME.

BUT PATIENCE IS EVENTUALLY REWARDED.

BUT THEY ARE ALSO WORKING AGAINST THE CLOCK.

AND THE TROOP MUST MOVE QUICKLY ALONG THE COASTLINE AT EACH LOW

TIDE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THEY JUST HAVE A FEW HOURS BEFORE THE SEA WILL

SUBMERGE THE ROCKS ONCE MORE.

COMING UP, WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN, THE DESERT WAKES UP.

THIS JUMPING JIRD IS JUST TRYING TO AVOID THE STEALTHY SIDEWINDER

HIDING IN THE SAND.

THEN, IN ASIAN WILDERNESS, THIS BENGAL TIGER TRIES TO EARN ITS

STRIPES.

PLUS, IT'S A DESERT FACE-OFF LIKE YOU'VE NEVER SEEN.

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WELCOME TO ARABIA'S DEMANDING DESERT.

WHERE THE SMALLEST CREATURES MUST HAVE THE BIGGEST SENSE OF

DANGER.

TENTATIVELY TESTING THE AIR FOR DANGER, A JIRD EMERGES FROM HIS

BURROUGH.

HAVING JUST WOKEN UP FROM HIS DAYTIME SLUMBER, IT'S TIME TO

FEED.

RELATED TO THE GERBIL, HE'S ONE OF THE SMALLEST MAMMALS FOUND IN

THE DESERT.

HOWEVER, APPEARANCES CAN BE DECEIVING.

HE'S ABLE TO JUMP DISTANCES 3 TIMES HIS OWN LENGTH, AND WILL

VIGOROUSLY DEFEND HIS FOOD FROM COMPETITORS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: HE WINS, BUT HIS TROUBLES AREN'T OVER YET.

A HORNED VIPER IS ALSO SEARCHING FOR A QUICK BITE.

BUT SHE HAS A DIFFERENT TRICK.

SHE WILL SEEMINGLY VANISH INTO THIN AIR.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: CAMOUFLAGE HELPS HER AMBUSH.

BUT IN ARABIA'S DESERTS, THE JIRD IS A MASTER ESCAPE ARTIST.

SUNRISE REVEALS ANOTHER ILLUSION OF THIS LAND.

THE MOUNTAINOUS DUNES OF OMAN'S WAHIBA SANDS ARE CONSTANTLY

MOVING.

DRIVEN BY THE ELEMENTS, THEY TRAVEL AROUND 30 FEET EACH YEAR.

HOWEVER, SINCE THEY ARE UNABLE TO MOVE, MANY TREES DROWN IN

THESE SHIFTING SANDS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: MORNING WINDS ARE BEGINNING TO PICK UP.

ANIMAL TRACKS TELL THE STORY OF THE NIGHT BEFORE.

YET THESE WILL SOON DISAPPEAR.

COOL LIQUID-LIKE DUNES ALLOW THE ARABIAN SAND BOA

TO ESCAPE THE HEAT OF THE DAY.

SPOOKY SOUNDS REVERBERATE ACROSS THE SHIFTING SEA.

THIS SCORPION MUST ALSO KEEP MOVING.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WITH POOR EYESIGHT, IT USES THE COMB-LIKE STRUCTURES

CALLED PECTINES UNDER ITS BODY TO BUILD UP A PICTURE OF THIS

ENVIRONMENT.

HOWEVER, AS DARKNESS FALLS ONCE AGAIN, NOT ALL OF ARABIA'S SANDS

ARE STIRRED BY THE CLIMATE.

COMING UP, CAN THIS BENGAL TIGER FIND A FEAST IN ASIA'S DANGEROUS

WILDERNESS?

PLUS, WE'LL DIG IN WITH THIS AGAMA TO DISCOVER HOW IT BEATS

THE DESERT HEAT.

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: IT'S ONLY FITTING THAT THE WORLD'S LARGEST CONTINENT

HAS SOME OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST PREDATORS.

AND FEW ARE MORE ICONIC THAN THE BENGAL TIGER.

THIS BEAUTIFUL AND BRUTISH BEAST EARNED ITS STRIPES BY BEING ONE

OF THE BEST HUNTERS IN THE ASIAN JUNGLE; ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT

FOR A QUICK MEAL.

THIS FOREST IS THE HUNTING GROUND OF ONE OF INDIA'S APEX

PREDATORS.

SLOWLY MAKING ITS WAY TOWARDS THEM,

THE LEGENDARY BENGAL TIGER.

THIS FEMALE IS A MASTER OF STALKING AND AMBUSH.

THERE ARE EYES IN THE TREES READY TO RAISE THE ALARM IF THE

BIG CAT IS SPOTTED.

BUT A SMALL GROUP OF DEER HAS LEFT THE SAFETY OF THE HERD.

IT HASN'T GONE UNNOTICED.

THE DEER ARE FAST.

SHE NEEDS TO GET CLOSE BEFORE SPRINGING HER TRAP.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: TO SUCCEED, SHE MUST GET WITHIN A FEW FEET OF HER PREY.

SPOTTED DEER HAVE EXCELLENT HEARING AND AN INCREDIBLE SENSE

OF SMELL.

BUT IT'S THE LANGURS WHO SPOT HER FIRST.

THE ALARM CALL RINGS OUT, ALERTING EVERY ANIMAL WITHIN

RANGE.

FOR THE TIGER, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A SURPRISE ATTACK HAS NOW

SLIPPED AWAY.

BUT ALTHOUGH THIS ELUSIVE PREDATOR USUALLY PREFERS TO

REMAIN HIDDEN, THERE ARE CERTAIN ANIMALS IN THIS FOREST THAT SHE

WANTS TO COMMUNICATE WITH.

TIGERS ARE HIGHLY TERRITORIAL.

AND RIVALS ROAM NEARBY.

SHE MUST MARK OUT HER BORDERS OR RISK A POTENTIALLY DEADLY

CONFRONTATION.

FIRST, SHE SNIFFS FOR OTHER TIGERS.

AND THEN IT'S TIME TO LEAVE HER SCENT INFORMING THE COMPETITION

TO KEEP AWAY.

HER RANGE CAN STRETCH MORE THAN 7 SQUARE MILES.

IN THE HEAT OF THIS FOREST, JUST MARKING OUT HER HUNTING GROUND

IS THIRSTY WORK.

SO, TO AVOID DEHYDRATION, SHE'LL NOW REST THROUGH THE HOTTEST

PART OF THE DAY, KNOWING ALL OTHER TIGERS WILL STAY OUT OF

HER DOMAIN.

THE ONLY TIME SHE'LL BREAK THIS RULE IS DURING BREEDING SEASON.

BUT SOME ANIMALS IN THIS PART OF INDIA ARE FAR MORE OPEN WHEN IT

COMES TO ROMANCE.

A HERD OF SAMBAR DEER AMBLE THROUGH THE FOREST.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE INFANTS NEVER STRAY FAR FROM THEIR MOTHERS.

AND LUSTFUL MALES ARE ALWAYS CLOSE BEHIND.

SAMBAR DEER MATE YEAR-ROUND, SO ROMANCE IS ALWAYS ON THE CARDS.

AND THIS FEMALE IS ABOUT TO HAVE HER MORNING BATH RUDELY

INTERRUPTED.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE HOPEFUL MALE SEARCHES FOR ANY SIGN OF AN

INVITATION, BUT HIS PRIVATE PARTY IS ABOUT TO BE

GATE-CRASHED.

ANOTHER MALE IS ON THE SCENE.

HE'S DISTRACTED BY THE INTRUDER,

LEAVING THE FEMALE ALONE.

AND SHE COULD BE IN SERIOUS TROUBLE.

COMING UP, THE UNDERCOVER LIFE OF RUSSIA'S TOAD-HEADED AGAMA.

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WELCOME TO RUSSIA, WHERE WINTER HAS TAKEN OVER THE

COUNTRY.

ALMOST EVERY INCH IS FROZEN.

WHILE RUSSIA'S ARCTIC SPECIES HAVE ADAPTED TO THESE EXTREMES,

EVERYWHERE ELSE ANIMALS MUST FIND WAYS TO BATTLE THE

ELEMENTS.

SOME MIGRATE.

OTHERS BURROW DOWN TO SIT OUT THE MONTHS AHEAD.

BUT WHATEVER METHODS THEY USE TO SURVIVE IN THIS VAST FROZEN

WILDERNESS, ALL MUST AWAIT THE RETURN OF THE SUN.

AND IN RUSSIA, SPRING ARRIVES FIRST HERE ON ITS SOUTHWESTERN

FRINGES IN THE DESERTS NEAR THE CASPIAN SEA.

BUT IT'S NOT UNTIL APRIL THAT TEMPERATURES ARE WARM ENOUGH FOR

ONE OF ITS MOST STRIKING RESIDENTS TO EMERGE FROM ITS

WINTER HIDING PLACE.

AT FIRST GLANCE, THIS IS A RATHER ORDINARY-LOOKING LIZARD.

BUT THIS SECRET TOAD-HEADED AGAMA HAS A FEW HIDDEN TRICKS TO

HELP IT THRIVE IN THIS ARID LANDSCAPE.

AND DAYTIME TEMPERATURES REGULARLY EXCEED 80 DEGREES, SO

THE AGAMA ADOPTS A TIPTOE STANCE TO LIMIT ITS CONTACT WITH THE

HOT SAND.

HE NEEDS THE SUN TO REGULATE HIS BODY TEMPERATURE, BUT SOMETIMES

THE DESERT HEAT CAN BE TOO MUCH FOR THE AGAMA.

TO ESCAPE THE SUN'S RAYS, HE BURIES HIMSELF BY SHIMMYING INTO

THE SAND, ALMOST DISAPPEARING IN SECONDS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: BUT THIS ISN'T ONLY TO KEEP COOL, IT ALSO PROVIDES

EXCELLENT CAMOUFLAGE FROM PREDATORS AND PREY.

AFTER 4 MONTHS UNDERGROUND IN HIS BURROUGH, THE AGAMA IS

HUNGRY.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WITH HIS BELLY FULL, SOMETHING ELSE TURNS HIS HEAD;

A FEMALE.

APRIL IS THE BEGINNING OF THE AGAMA MATING SEASON.

WITH SPRING IN THE AIR, THINGS COULD SOON BE HEATING UP.

BUT HE ISN'T THE ONLY MALE IN THE AREA.

HE'LL NEED TO TAKE ON HIS CHALLENGER IF HE WANTS TO EARN

THE RIGHT TO BREED.

FIGHTS OVER FEMALES CAN BE BLOODY.

BUT THEY HAVE LESS VIOLENT WAYS TO SCARE OFF THE COMPETITION.

PULLING OUT HIS MOST IMPRESSIVE HIDDEN WEAPON,

THE CHALLENGER UNVEILS HIS BRIGHTLY-COLORED SKIN FLAPS.

UNDETERRED, THE OTHER MALE FLICKS HIS TAIL AT THE

CHALLENGER TO SIGNAL HIS INTENT TO STAND HIS GROUND.

THE CHALLENGER REPLIES.

EVENTUALLY, IT WORKS AND THE CHALLENGER BACKS DOWN.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US IN OUR ADVENTURE TO ASIA TO

DISCOVER THE ANIMALS THAT CALL THIS MASSIVE CONTINENT HOME.

FROM CLIMATE TO THE ENVIRONMENT, SO MANY FACTORS ARE STACKED

AGAINST THEM.

BUT THEIR ABILITY TO ADAPT IS WHAT MAKES THE ANIMALS OF ASIA

SO SPECIAL.

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

[MUSIC]