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'RE OFF TO THE SNOWIEST PLACES ON EARTH.

IN MONGOLIA, WE'LL JOIN A HERD OF WILD HORSES WHO'VE MADE AN

UNLIKELY FRIEND.

AND LATER, DISCOVER HOW THESE MUSKOXEN GET THROUGH THE HARSH

WINTER, EVEN WHEN TENSIONS ARE HIGH.

PLUS, THIS PRIMATE REALLY TURNS HIS NOSE UP AT THE COLD.

BUT FIRST, WE'LL DIVE RIGHT IN TO WATCH THIS SLY FOX SEARCH FOR

SUPPER IN THE SNOW.

ALL OF THIS AND MUCH MORE TODAY ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE COLDEST PLACES ON EARTH ARE SOME OF THE MOST

DANGEROUS FOR THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.

IN THESE EXTREME CLIMATES, A LACK OF SHELTER AND SCARCITY OF

FOOD CAN SNOWBALL INTO LIFE-THREATENING CIRCUMSTANCES

FOR THOSE UNPREPARED.

SO, THE ANIMALS WHO CALL THIS PLACE HOME HAVE LEARNED TO ADAPT

TO THE SEVERE CONDITIONS, ALLOWING THEM TO THRIVE WHERE

MOST WOULDN'T SURVIVE.

LIKE THE ARCTIC FOX YOU'RE ABOUT TO MEET, WHO IS LEFT ON THIN ICE

ALONE IN THE WILD.

WINTER CAN TAKE ITS TOLL ON ALL ANIMALS, BUT FOR THOSE LIVING IN

THE EARTH'S COLDEST REGIONS, IT CAN BE BRUTAL.

BY OCTOBER IN NORTHERN ALASKA, AVERAGE TEMPERATURES DROP WELL

BELOW FREEZING, RIGHT AROUND THE TIME WHEN SUMMER'S NEWBORNS

BEGIN TO SHOW FLASHES OF INDEPENDENCE.

THIS ARCTIC FOX IS JUST THREE MONTHS OLD.

LIFE IS ALL FUN AND GAMES NOW, BUT SOON, HE AND HIS SIBLINGS

WILL BE CAST OUT BY THEIR MOTHER AND MUST SURVIVE THE WINTER

ALONE.

BUT WITH SNOW COVERING THE GROUND, IT WILL BE A TOUGH TIME

TO LEARN HOW TO HUNT.

JUST A FEW DAYS LATER AND HE'S LEFT HIS FAMILY BEHIND.

FURRY SOLES PROTECT HIS FEET ON SNOW AND ICE.

SHORT EARS AND A SHORT MUZZLE REDUCE HIS SURFACE AREA,

MINIMIZING HEAT LOSS.

HIS THICK INSULATING FUR HAS TURNED FROM AUTUMN'S TAWNY BROWN

TO A PERFECT WHITE.

THESE ARE ALL IMPORTANT ADAPTATIONS TO LIFE IN THESE

BARREN WASTELANDS.

BUT THEY'RE USELESS UNLESS HE FINDS FOOD.

OLDER, MORE EXPERIENCED FOXES KNOW HOW TO STASH RESOURCES FOR

TIMES SUCH AS THESE.

BUT SCAVENGING FROM OTHERS IS A MEAGER EXISTENCE.

AND WHERE THERE'S CARRION, THERE'S ALWAYS COMPETITION.

BY MIDWINTER, DEEP SNOW MAKES FINDING FOOD NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE

FOR A YOUNG FOX.

BUT THIS IS WHERE ANOTHER OF HIS SKILLS COMES INTO PLAY.

HE NOT ONLY HAS EXCELLENT SIGHT, BUT PERFECTLY TUNED HEARING.

HIS EARS PICK UP THE FAINTEST RUSTLE FROM BENEATH THE SNOW.

UNDERNEATH HIS FEET, ANOTHER ANIMAL HAS TAKEN REFUGE FROM THE

COLD.

A DEER MOUSE HIDING UNDER THE SNOW KEEPS IT SAFE FROM THE

WEATHER, WHILE ALSO PROTECTING IT FROM MOST PREDATORS.

IT WOULD MAKE A TASTY TREAT, BUT IT'S NOT EASY TO CATCH SOMETHING

YOU CAN'T SEE.

WITH HIS PREY HIDING UNDER THREE FEET OF SNOW, THIS ARCTIC FOX

WILL NEED BOTH SKILL AND LUCK.

HE LOOKS, LISTENS, THEN DIVES RIGHT IN.

HE MUST JUDGE THE CORRECT DISTANCE AND DEPTH OF SNOW.

MASTERING THIS ART WILL BE CRUCIAL TO HIS SURVIVAL.

BUT IT TAKES PRACTICE.

WHILE AIRBORNE, HE ADJUSTS HIS TRAJECTORY WITH A SLIGHT MOVE OF

THE TAIL, HELPING HIM MAKE...THE PERFECT LANDING.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

THIS SKILL WILL SEE HIM THROUGH THE WINTER AHEAD AND ENSURE HIS

SURVIVAL.

COMING UP, LIFE IN THE TREES GETS PRETTY ROUGH WHEN ONE OF

THESE PRIMATES FEELS SNUBBED.

THEN, HOW THESE OXEN KEEP AWAY THE BRR WITH THEIR WINTER FUR.

PLUS, WE DISCOVER THE MAIN REASON THESE WILD HORSES STAND

THE SNOW.

LATER ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]

.

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

DYLAN: IN OUR EXPLORATION OF THE SNOWIEST PLACES ON EARTH,

IT'S TIME TO HEAD TO THE MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHERN CHINA.

AT TWO AND A HALF MILES ABOVE SEA LEVEL, THE CONDITIONS HERE

ARE EXTREME AND SO IS LIFE.

THE TREES IN THESE MYSTERIOUS HIGH-ALTITUDE FORESTS HAVE

SOMEHOW FOUND A WAY TO SURVIVE.

BUT BLANKETED IN SNOW FOR MONTHS ON END AND WITH AVERAGE WINTER

TEMPERATURES WELL BELOW FREEZING, FEW ANIMALS CAN

WITHSTAND THE CONDITIONS AT THIS HEIGHT.

YET, THESE MOUNTAINS ARE INFAMOUS FOR STRANGE

YETI-LIKE CREATURES.

BELIEVED TO ROAM THESE FROZEN FORESTS.

BUT THIS IS NO MYTH.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: SOMEHOW CAPABLE OF WITHSTANDING THESE PUNISHING

CONDITIONS, SNUB-NOSED MONKEYS LIVE AT THE HIGHEST ALTITUDE OF

ANY PRIMATE ON EARTH.

THESE STRANGE MONKEYS LIVE IN COLONIES OF AROUND 60.

ISOLATED ON MOUNTAINTOPS, THEY'VE EVOLVED TRICKS TO COPE

WITH THE EXTREME CONDITIONS.

TO AVOID FROSTBITE, THEY HAVE NO NASAL BONES.

AND THE UPTURNED NOSTRILS MEAN THEY HAVE LESS FLESH EXPOSED TO

THE BITTER COLD.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THEIR THICK, SHAGGY FUR IS ALSO PERFECTLY DESIGNED TO

KEEP IN BODY HEAT.

NO FRUIT OR LEAVES GROW IN THIS HARSH ENVIRONMENT, SO THESE

MONKEYS HAVE TO SETTLE FOR PINE NEEDLES AND TREE BARK.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: LUCKILY, THERE'S PLENTY TO GO AROUND.

WITH FEW ANIMALS ABLE TO SURVIVE IN THIS BRUTAL CONDITIONS, THESE

MONKEYS ARE LEFT IN ALMOST TOTAL PEACE.

BUT SOMETIMES, AN OUTSIDER WILL TRY AND EVADE A RIVAL COLONY'S

TERRITORY.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: CAUSING TENSION TO RISE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WHEN A RIVAL MALE TRIES HIS LUCK, IT'S THE ALPHA'S JOB

TO DEFEND THE COLONY.

A BATTLE ERUPTS AND THE REST OF THE GROUP SHOUTS THEIR SUPPORT.

SNUB-NOSED MONKEYS HAVE HUGE CANINE TEETH THAT MAKE ANY

CONFLICT A DANGEROUS AFFAIR.

THE CHALLENGER PUTS UP A SPIRITED DISPLAY.

BUT THE PACK'S ALPHA MALE ASSERTS HIS STRENGTH.

AND THE INVADER IS FORCED TO RETREAT BACK TO HIS OWN COLONY

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN.

HOWEVER, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT ALL THE DANGER IS GONE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: AS NIGHT STARTS TO FALL,

THE TEMPERATURES PLUNGE EVEN LOWER.

AND THEIR SHAGGY IS NOT ENOUGH TO FULLY INSULATE THEMSELVES

AGAINST THE COLD.

TO SURVIVE HERE, THE MONKEYS MUST HUDDLE TOGETHER IN THE

TREES AS A UNIT.

USING THEIR COMBINED BODY HEAT TO FIGHT THE MOUNTAIN'S

POTENTIALLY DEADLY COLD.

COMING UP, IT'S THE CLASH OF THE ARCTIC TITANS.

AND LATER, FIND OUT HOW THESE FOWL FAIR IN THE FREEZING

WINTERS OF SOUTH CHINA.

[MUSIC]

.

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

DYLAN: SOME OF THE TOUGHEST ANIMALS IN THE WILD ARE BUILT

FOR FREEZING CONDITIONS.

THEY'RE QUITE LITERALLY MADE FOR THE COLD, AS THEIR SPECIES HAS

ADAPTED OVER GENERATIONS TO THRIVE WHERE MOST

WOULDN'T DARE TO LIVE.

AND IF YOU LIVE IN THE ARCTIC, WHERE TEMPERATURES CAN DROP INTO

THE NEGATIVE 50'S, IT DOESN'T HURT TO BE STRONG AS AN OX.

TAKE A LOOK.

THE HIGH ARCTIC.

A LANDSCAPE OF FREEZING TEMPERATURES, COVERED IN ITS

ENTIRETY BY ENDLESS WHITE SHEETS OF SNOW.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE THAT ANY CREATURE CAN SURVIVE

SUCH CONDITIONS.

BUT ONE DOES.

THE MUSK OX.

THESE ICE AGE RELICS ARE PERFECTLY SUITED TO THIS

UNFORGIVING PLACE.

THEIR FUR ENABLES THEM TO WITHSTAND THE HARSHEST WEATHER

CONDITIONS.

BLIZZARD-PROOF.

REACHING UP TO THREE FEET IN LENGTH.

IT COVERS THEIR ENTIRE BODY.

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.

THE DOMINANT MALE IN THE GROUP IS ALWAYS ON GUARD.

COME SUMMER, HE'LL NEED TO FIGHT FOR HIS RIGHT TO MATE WITH THE

FEMALES.

SO, HE'LL TAKE ANY CHANCE HE GETS TO PRACTICE.

MALES CHARGE THEIR RIVALS AT UP TO 25 MILES PER HOUR, CRASHING

HORNS AS THEY COME TOGETHER.

THE CLASHES CONTINUE.

UNTIL ONE BACKS DOWN.

THE VICTOR HAS WON THE BATTLE.

BUT ALL THE MUSK OXEN MUST CONTINUE TO FIGHT THE WAR WITH

THE COLD.

COMING UP, THE LAST WILD HORSES ON EARTH ARE LIVING THE HIGH

LIFE.

[MUSIC]

.

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

DYLAN: DESPITE THE CHALLENGES THAT EXTREME WEATHER CAN BRING

IN EARTH'S MOST INHOSPITABLE ENVIRONMENTS, SOME ANIMALS FIND

A WAY TO MAKE IT THROUGH ALIVE.

WINTER ARRIVES EARLY ON THE MONGOLIAN STEP.

TURNING IT INTO ONE OF THE MOST BITTER AND HOSTILE PLACES ON

EARTH.

BUT THERE'S ONE CREATURE HERE WHO'S PREPARED FOR ITS

ONSLAUGHT, THE PRZEWALSKI'S HORSE.

THESE ARE THE LAST WILD HORSES ON EARTH.

THEY LIVE AT ALTITUDES UP TO 5,000 FEET.

WHERE SUBZERO TEMPERATURES AND STRONG WINDS WOULD RESULT IN

RAPID FROSTBITE FOR ANY HUMAN.

FORTUNATELY, THEIR NEW WINTER COATS HAVE ARRIVED JUST IN TIME.

ALONG WITH THICKER HAIR ON THEIR MUZZLE AND NECK.

BUT THIS YEAR'S EARLY SNOWFALL MEANS THE MOST NUTRITIOUS FOOD

IS NOW BURIED BENEATH TWO FEET OF SNOW.

THIS TIGHT-KNIT FAMILY GROUP IS MADE UP OF A STALLION, A FEW

MARES, AND THEIR YOUNG FOALS.

BUT WITH LITTLE MORE THAN WITHERED GRASS TO SUSTAIN THEM,

THE HERD MUST TRAVEL UP TO 13 MILES A DAY TO FIND ENOUGH FOOD.

FOR SOME OF THEM, KEEPING UP WITH THE JOURNEY IS TAKING ITS

TOLL.

BUT WHENEVER THEY STOP FOR A REST, THEY GAIN COMPANY.

WITH THE GROUND BLANKETED BY SNOW, MAGPIES WILL RELY ON THE

HORSES FOR FOOD.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE MAGPIES EAT PARASITES TAKING REFUGE DEEP IN

THE WARMTH OF THE HORSE'S COAT.

IN SUCH A BARREN LAND, THESE TINY INSECTS ARE THE ONLY FOOD

FOR MILES.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE MAGPIES HELP KEEP THE HORSE'S SKIN CLEAN.

HOWEVER, CARRYING EXTRA CARGO CAN BE JUST AS IRRITATING.

HAVING ALREADY GIVEN THE BIRDS A FREE MEAL, PROVIDING A FREE RIDE

IS A STEP TOO FAR.

TO SURVIVE THE HARSH SEASON AHEAD, THESE HORSES WILL NEED TO

FIND ENOUGH FOOD BENEATH THE SNOW ALL WINTER LONG.

FOR ALL ANIMALS, WINTER BRINGS UNIQUE CHALLENGES.

BUT NATURE'S TOUGHEST CREATURES HAVE FOUND INCREDIBLE WAYS TO

SURVIVE IN OUR PLANET'S COLDEST REGIONS.

WHETHER IT'S FINDING FOOD.

IMPRESSING A MATE.

OR WITHSTANDING THE PLANET'S MOST EXTREME COLD, THESE ANIMALS

HAVE EVOLVED REMARKABLE ADAPTATIONS TO OUTSMART THE COLD

AND SUCCEED IN THE RELENTLESS STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY AS WE BRAVED THE WINTERY WILDS

OF THE ARCTIC FOR A LOOK AT THE ANIMALS WHO CALL THIS PLACE

HOME.

THESE ENVIRONMENTS AREN'T FOR EVERYONE, BUT FOR THE CREATURES

THAT HAVE LEARNED TO THRIVE HERE, EVERYDAY IS A WINTER

WONDERLAND.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME FOR ANOTHER EPISODE

OF "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]