Original subtitles

.

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.

WELCOME TO "EARTH ODYSSEY".

TODAY, WE'RE SOARING TO GREAT HEIGHTS TO FIND THE ANIMALS THAT

THRIVE AT SOME OF THE HIGHEST ELEVATIONS ON EARTH, LIKE IN THE

ALPS, WHERE AFTER A SUDDEN SHIFT IN WEATHER, THIS LITTLE MARMOT

MUST MODIFY ITS WINTER PREPARATION.

AND IT'S TIME FOR THIS FLEDGLING VULTURE TO LEARN TO SOAR.

PLUS, WE DISCOVER THE PRIDE OF THIS LOVING TROOP OF PRIMATES.

BUT FIRST, AFTER A LONG DAY IN SNOW, THESE MACAQUES REALLY KNOW

HOW TO GET WARM.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: AT EARTH'S HIGHEST ALTITUDES, ANIMALS MUST BE IN

PEAK CONDITION TO SURVIVE IN THESE TREACHEROUS HABITATS.

TODAY, WE'RE GETTING A CLOSER LOOK AT THE CREATURES THAT HAVE

LEARNED TO THRIVE WHILE LIVING THE HIGH LIFE.

FROM THE TALLEST FOREST CANOPIES TO THE MOST TOWERING

MOUNTAINTOPS, SOME OF EARTH'S MOST AMAZING ANIMALS RULE THE

HECTIC HEIGHTS, AND YOU WON'T BELIEVE HOW THEY STAY ON TOP.

TAKE A LOOK.

THE FOURTH LARGEST ISLAND COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, JAPAN

CONSISTS OF ALMOST 7,000 ISLANDS, AND THREE-FOURTHS OF

ITS LANDMASS IS COVERED BY MOUNTAINS.

JIGOKUDANI IS ONE OF ITS MANY HIGH-PEAKING REGIONS.

IT SITS ABOUT A HALF-MILE ABOVE SEA LEVEL.

TEMPERATURES HERE OFTEN DROP BELOW 14 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

WITH A THICK BLANKET OF SNOW COVERING THE GROUND FOR FOUR

MONTHS OF THE YEAR, FEW ANIMALS CHOOSE TO LIVE IN THESE

CONDITIONS.

BUT THIS EXTRAORDINARY PRIMATE IS ONE EXCEPTION.

THE JAPANESE MACAQUE.

AROUND 200 MACAQUES INHABIT THIS BLEAK LANDSCAPE ALL YEAR ROUND.

AND IN WINTER, THEY ARE FORCED TO FORAGE FOR FOOD UNDERNEATH

THE SNOW, LIVING OFF ROOTS OR EVEN SOIL.

FORTUNATELY, A MACAQUE'S FINGERS ARE NEARLY AS DEXTEROUS AS A

HUMAN'S, GIVING THEM THE ABILITY TO DIG DOWN DEEP INTO THE SNOW.

BUT THEIR FUR ONLY OFFERS THEM LIMITED PROTECTION FROM THE

BLIZZARDS AND ICY WINDS.

LIFE IS HARD FOR THE MONKEYS HERE IN JIGOKUDANI.

BUT THESE LUCKY CREATURES HAVE MANAGED TO FIND A WAY TO GET OUT

OF THE COLD.

JIGOKUDANI IS A VOLCANIC HOTSPOT, AND WATER BOILS UP

FROM DEEP IN THE EARTH'S CRUST, CREATING NATURAL HOT SPRINGS.

THE WATER IN THIS NATURAL HOT TUB REACHES 104 DEGREES,

PROVIDING MUCH-NEEDED RESPITE FROM THE WINTER CHILL.

THE POOLS ARE USED REGULARLY BY THE MONKEYS WHO GATHER HERE

TO RELAX AFTER AN EXHAUSTING DAY FORAGING.

THEY SPEND MUCH OF THEIR TIME GROOMING EACH OTHER.

BUT NOT ALL MONKEYS ARE ALLOWED IN.

MACAQUES HAVE AN INTENSELY HIERARCHICAL STRUCTURE.

THEY LIVE IN GROUPS RULED BY A DOMINANT FEMALE AND MALE.

THE ALPHA MALE WON'T LET JUST ANYONE INTO HIS THERMAL

PARADISE.

ENTRY IS FOR APPROVED MEMBERS ONLY.

HE FAVORS HIGH-RANKING FEMALES AND THE YOUNG.

THE REST ARE LOCKED OUT IN THE COLD.

ONE UNVETTED MONKEY TRIES A SPOT OF BATHING.

[MONKEYS SCREECHING]

HE'S TAUGHT A BRUTAL LESSON IN HOT TUB ETIQUETTE.

WITH THE INTRUDER GONE, THE MACAQUES GET BACK TO RELAXING BY

THE POOL.

REACHES WITH ACTIVE VOLCANOES USUALLY MAKE LIFE IMPOSSIBLE FOR

MOST ANIMALS.

YET WITHOUT THE VOLCANIC WATERS OF JIGOKUDANI, THESE MONKEYS

COULD NOT SURVIVE THIS HARSH ENVIRONMENT.

WHEN WE RETURN, WE JET OVER TO TURKEY, WHERE A DAY OF SOARING

IS NEVER BORING FOR THIS WORLD-CLASS SCAVENGER.

PLUS, THIS TROOP IN THE TREES IS GROWING BY THE DAY.

AND LATER, IF THIS MARMOT WANTS TO MAKE IT THROUGH WINTER, IT

MUST LEARN HOW TO GO WITH THE SNOW.

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

.

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

DYLAN: IN A COUNTRY ICONIC FOR ITS BLISTERING HEAT AND ARID

LANDSCAPES LIES A SECRET EDEN, THE PROVINCE OF KARS,

TURKEY'S EMERALD CROWN.

THE COMBINATION OF HIGH ELEVATION AND HIGH RAINFALL

MAKE KARS A REMOTE, YET FLOURISHING NATURAL PARADISE.

IN THIS MIDSUMMER SUN, THESE SLOPES BURST INTO LIFE.

FLOWER MEADOWS BLOOM,

AND VALLEYS RING OUT TO THE SOUND OF BIRDSONG,

INCLUDING THE CALL OF ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST RAPTORS.

WEIGHING ALMOST 30 POUNDS AND WITH A WINGSPAN OF NEARLY TEN

FEET, THE CINEROUS VULTURE IS A TRUE KING OF TURKEY'S SKIES.

BUT THIS YOUNG MALE STILL HAS SOME GROWING TO DO.

[VULTURE SCREECHING]

AT JUST OVER EIGHT WEEKS OLD, HE RELIES ON HIS PARENTS TO FEED

HIM.

THEY'VE NOT RETURNED FOR SEVERAL DAYS, AND THE CHICK IS BECOMING

WEAK.

EVEN IN THIS BOUNTIFUL HABITAT, STUCK HERE, STARVATION IS A VERY

REAL THREAT.

SO, THIS FLEDGLING WILL NEED TO TAKE FATE INTO HIS OWN HANDS.

URGED ON BY INSTINCT AND HUNGER, HE TESTS HIS DEVELOPING WINGS.

BUT HE'S NOT STRONG ENOUGH.

OTHER RAPTORS CIRCLE IN THE SKIES...

...EVERY PASSING BIRD TO BE MISTAKEN FOR A PARENT.

FORTUNATELY, HIS LUCK IS ABOUT TO CHANGE.

HIS MOTHER RETURNS.

THE YOUNG FLEDGLING IS QUICK TO DEMAND HIS FEED.

[VULTURE SCREECHING]

BUT FIRST, THE MOTHER MUST PREPARE HER YOUNGSTER'S MEAL BY

REGURGITATING FLESH SCAVENGED FROM A DISTANT CARCASS.

VULTURES ARE TYPICALLY SCAVENGERS, OFTEN FEEDING ON THE

REMAINS OF ANIMALS KILLED BY CARNIVOROUS PREDATORS.

AND TO AVOID THE PREDATORS THEMSELVES, THESE VULTURES FLY

HIGH IN THE SKY TO STAY TOWARDS THE TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN.

AFTER THE BREAK, LOOK UP, BECAUSE THE KINGS AND QUEENS OF

THE CANOPY HAVE NEW ROYALTY IN THEIR TROOP.

PLUS, THIS MARMOT SCURRIES AND HURRIES TO PREPARE FOR THE

UNPREDICTABLE ALPS.

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

.

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

DYLAN: FOR MANY ANIMAL SPECIES, THEIR FAMILY ROOTS ARE ACTUALLY

HIGH UP IN THE TREES, AND FEW ARE MORE FAMOUS THAN MONKEYS,

LIKE THE ONES WE'RE ABOUT TO MEET, WHO HAVE MADE THEIR HOMES

IN THE HARD-TO-REACH HEIGHTS OF TREES JUST LIKE GENERATIONS

BEFORE THEM.

AND HERE, IT'S NEVER BEEN MORE TRUE THAT THE APPLE DOESN'T FALL

FAR FROM THE TREE.

OVER THE YEARS, DECADES, AND EVEN CENTURIES, BUILDINGS HAVE

RAPIDLY TAKEN THE PLACE OF TALL TREES, AND INDIA IS NO

EXCEPTION.

THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF THE CITY IS A FAR CRY FROM THE

FOREST.

BUT THERE IS PLENTY HAPPENING IN THE CANOPY,

ESPECIALLY IN THE WORLD OF LION-TAILED MACAQUES.

THESE PRIMATES LIVE IN TROOPS OF UP TO 20 INDIVIDUALS.

AND THIS FAMILY HAS RECENTLY WELCOMED A NEW ADDITION,

A BABY FEMALE.

SHE WILL STAY WITH THE TROOP ALL HER LIFE, FITTING INTO THE

HIERARCHY AS SHE GETS OLDER.

BUT IT'S VERY DIFFERENT FOR THE MALE OFFSPRING.

THIS YOUNG MALE WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE TO BREAK AWAY FROM HIS

FAMILY AND JOIN A BACHELOR GROUP.

BUT WITH THE FORESTS BECOMING EVER MORE FRAGMENTED, FINDING

HIS OWN PATCH IS ONLY GOING TO GET HARDER.

HE'S ALREADY SHOWING SIGNS OF INDEPENDENCE BY INVESTIGATING

EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY IN THE CANOPY FOR THINGS TO EAT.

TREE BARK CAN HIDE NUTRITIOUS INSECTS, AND HE'S LEARNING WHICH

TREES PROVIDE THE TASTIEST FRUITS.

THE FOREST SHOULD PROVIDE HIM WITH EVERYTHING HE'LL NEED.

A MORE EXPERIENCED BACHELOR MALE IS ONE STEP AHEAD OF HIM AND HAS

ALREADY FOUND A GOOD MEAL.

BUT THERE IS A PROBLEM.

HE IS LOWER DOWN IN THIS HIERARCHY, SO HE MUST QUICKLY

AND QUIETLY GATHER AS MUCH FOOD AS POSSIBLE BEFORE A MORE

DOMINANT MEMBER ARRIVES.

LUCKILY, HIS EXTENDABLE CHEEK POUCHES CAN HOLD AS MUCH FOOD AS

HIS STOMACH.

SO, THIS BACHELOR CAN ENJOY HIS MEAL IN PEACE.

NEGOTIATING THE STRICT HIERARCHY OF MACAQUE SOCIETY CAN BE TOUGH,

BUT IT'S A USEFUL LESSON THE YOUNG MALE WILL HAVE TO LEARN.

AS LONG AS THIS FOREST REMAINS UNTOUCHED, THE TREES WILL

PROVIDE HIM AND THE OTHER MACAQUES WITH EVERYTHING THEY

NEED.

COMING UP, WINTER IS ALWAYS AROUND THE CORNER IN THE ALPS,

SO THIS ALTI-DUDE IS IN A HURRY TO BE READY.

.

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

DYLAN: IN THE HIGHEST ALTITUDES ON EARTH, THE WEATHER SEEMS TO

BE ON A DIFFERENT SCHEDULE THAN THE REST OF THE WORLD.

SO, THE ANIMALS THAT LIVE ATOP THE WORLD MUST ALWAYS BE

PREPARED.

IT'S ONLY SEPTEMBER HERE IN THE ALPS, BUT THE PEAKS ARE SHROUDED

IN WHITE, EVEN IN MIDSUMMER.

AND WHILE THESE LOWER SLOPES MIGHT LOOK IDYLLIC NOW,

IN JUST A FEW MONTHS, THEY TOO WILL BE BURIED IN SNOW.

SO, THE CLOCK IS TICKING FOR THIS ALPINE MARMOT.

HE'S TOO SMALL TO FACE THE WINTER ABOVE GROUND,

SO HE NEEDS TO PILE ON THE POUNDS BEFORE THE COLD SETS IN,

WHEN HE'LL RETIRE TO HIS DEN.

BUT HE'S PICKY ABOUT WHAT HE EATS, CHOOSING GRASSES WITH THE

HIGHEST LEVELS OF FATS.

HE MUST DOUBLE HIS BODY WEIGHT IF HE IS TO SURVIVE.

BUT HE'S NOT THE ONLY HUNGRY ANIMAL UP HERE IN THE MOUNTAINS.

THIS GOLDEN EAGLE IS A MARMOT'S NUMBER ONE ENEMY AT THIS TIME OF

YEAR.

SO, HIS MISSION WILL HAVE TO WAIT.

[MARMOT CHIPPING]

THE MARMOT LETS OUT A WARNING TO THE REST OF THE COLONY.

THEY MUST HEAD FOR SAFETY...

[MARMOT CHIPPING]

...AND QUICKLY.

[MARMOTS CHIPPING]

THIS TIME HE ESCAPES UNHARMED.

BUT THERE'S NO TIME TO WASTE.

HE NEEDS TO GET BACK TO WORK.

BEING PREPARED FOR WINTER CAN MEAN TAKING RISKS.

AS WELL AS EATING, HE NEEDS TO COLLECT ENOUGH NESTING MATERIAL

TO KEEP HIM WARM.

BUNDLES OF DRY GRASS WILL LINE HIS BURROW

AND ACT AS THE PERFECT INSULATOR.

AS SOON AS THE WEATHER STARTS TO TURN, HE HEADS FOR COVER...

...NINE FEET UNDERGROUND, SAFE IN HIS BURROW.

IT'S TIME FOR HIS BIGGEST TRICK TO SURVIVING THE COLD, SLEEP.

BUT THIS WILL BE NO ORDINARY NAP.

FOR THE NEXT EIGHT MONTHS, HE'LL BE BARELY ALIVE.

AS THE SNOW ARRIVES AND THE AIR OUTSIDE COOLS,

SO DOES THE MARMOT'S BODY TEMPERATURE...

...DROPPING TO JUST 39 DEGREES.

MARMOTS SHUT DOWN EVERY SYSTEM IN THEIR TINY BODIES.

IT'S A DRASTIC SURVIVAL TECHNIQUE, BUT THEY HAVE NO

CHOICE.

THE BIG CHILL IS COMING.

BY PREPARING FOR WINTER'S ARRIVAL AND SPENDING THE HARDEST

MONTHS UNDERGROUND, THE MARMOT ENSURES ITS SURVIVAL THROUGH THE

BLEAKEST SEASON.

THANK YOU FOR HITTING THE HEIGHTS WITH US TO FIND THE

ANIMALS THAT LOVE SOME ALTITUDE.

WHETHER ESCAPING FROM PREDATORS OR EYEING UP SOME PREY, THESE

SKYSCRAPING CREATURES HAVE TAKEN THE HIGH LIFE

TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL.

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

[MUSIC]