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, EVERYONE, I'M DYLAN DREYER.

GET READY FOR AN EPIC ADVENTURE.

THIS IS "EARTH ODYSSEY".

TODAY, WE'RE ON A JOURNEY ACROSS THE WORLD TO FIND THE MOST

ICONIC CREATURES LIVING IN THE WILD.

LIKE IN THE AFRICAN SAVANNA WHERE THIS LANKY LOCAL LOOMS

OVER THE WILDLIFE COMMUNITY.

THEN, IN THE HIMALAYAS, WE FOLLOW THE IMPRESSIVE FOOTSTEPS

OF SOME MAJESTICALLY MASSIVE MAMMALS.

AND LATER, WE'RE OFF TO THE FALKLAND ISLANDS, WHERE IT'S

ALWAYS A FORMAL EVENT FOR THESE TUXEDO CLAD CHARACTERS.

PLUS, HOW THIS FOREST IN ASIA SEEMS TAILOR MADE FOR THIS

ICONIC INHABITANT, THE RED PANDA.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: EXTRAORDINARY WILD ANIMALS ARE FOUND THROUGHOUT THE

WORLD, BUT ONE CONTINENT STANDS OUT AMONG THE REST: AFRICA.

IT'S HOME TO MORE ICONIC CREATURES THAN ANY OTHER PLACE

ON EARTH.

A LAND SO LUSH AND DIVERSE THAT MULTIPLE SPECIES OF THE SAME

ANIMAL CAN THRIVE.

OUR FIRST STOP IS THE VAST AFRICAN SAVANNA, WHERE ONE

HIGH-PROFILE MAMMAL STANDS HEAD, NECK, AND SHOULDERS ABOVE THE

REST.

WHEN IT COMES TO FINDING FOOD, LAND LIVING GIANTS HAVE LEARNED

TO MAKE THE MOST OF THEIR STATURE.

STANDING UP TO 16 FEET HIGH, THIS GIRAFFE SEEMS TO HAVE IT

MADE.

WITH FEET THE SIZE OF DINNERPLATES AND A NECK THAT

STRETCHES TO ALMOST HALF ITS HEIGHT, BEING HEAD AND SHOULDERS

ABOVE THE REST CERTAINLY HAS ITS PERKS.

IT MAKES GETTING THE HARDEST TO REACH LEAVES A BREEZE.

ESPECIALLY WITH AN 18 INCH TONGUE TO GO THE EXTRA DISTANCE.

JUST AS WELL BECAUSE GIRAFFES HAVE A SUPERSIZED APPETITE,

CONSUMING UP TO 140 POUNDS A DAY.

BUT LONG NECKS COME AT A COST.

AS IT STRETCHES UP, THE THICK MUSCLE WALLS OF ITS SURPRISINGLY

POWERFUL HEART MUST DRIVE BLOOD UP TO THE BRAIN AT A PHENOMENAL

PRESSURE.

GIRAFFES HAVE THE HIGHEST BLOOD PRESSURE OF ANY ANIMAL.

WHICH SHOULD CAUSE A PROBLEM WHEN THEY DROP THEIR HEAD DOWN

TO DRINK.

BUT WHILE OTHER ANIMALS WOULD FAINT UNDER SUCH PRESSURE,

SPECIALIZED VALVES IN THE GIRAFFE'S NECK COUNTER THE

POTENTIALLY EXPLOSIVE EFFECTS OF GRAVITY.

BLOCKING ALL THIS BLOOD FROM FLOWING INTO ITS SKULL.

THIS SIMPLE SOLUTION IS NOW USED IN NASA'S SPACESUITS.

IT MAY BE ONE SMALL STEP IN EVOLUTION FOR THE GIRAFFE, BUT

IT'S LED TO A GIANT LEAP FOR MANKIND.

THE GIRAFFE'S LONG NECK AND UNIQUE ADAPTATIONS ALLOW IT TO

FEED WITH EASE.

BUT MANY OF NATURE'S GIANTS HAVE TO FIGHT FOR THEIR FOOD.

IT'S SPRING IN TURKEY'S ALPINE FORESTS.

AND THE REGION'S MIGHTIEST RESIDENT HAS RECENTLY EMERGED

FROM A LONG HIBERNATION.

AFTER SIX MONTHS WITHOUT FOOD OR WATER, THE RAIN IS A WELCOME

RELIEF.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: BUT HIS PRIMARY CONCERN IS FINDING SOMETHING TO EAT.

BROWN BEARS CAN LOSE UP TO 40 PERCENT OF THEIR BODY WEIGHT

DURING HIBERNATION.

WHILE ON THE MOVE, HE RUBS AGAINST TREES, LEAVING A CLEAR

MESSAGE OF HIS SIZE AND STATUS.

HOPEFULLY WARDING OFF ANY WOULD-BE INTRUDERS, HE'S ON A

COUNTDOWN TO BREEDING SEASON.

AND IF HE IS TO STAKE A CLAIM TO ANY FEMALES IN HIS HOME RANGE,

HE NEEDS TO BULK UP.

LARGER MALES HAVE BETTER MATING SUCCESS.

BUT HE'S NOT THE ONLY HUNGRY ONE IN THE FOREST.

A RIVAL.

HE'S SMALLER BUT HE'S NOT BACKING DOWN.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: SIZE MATTERS HERE.

AND IT'S WON HIM THE RIGHT TO THE AREA.

HE CAN NOW GET BACK TO THE VERY IMPORTANT JOB OF FINDING FOOD.

SADLY, THE BEST PICKINGS ARE OUT OF REACH.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: SURPRISINGLY, FOR A BEAST WEIGHING ALMOST 900

POUNDS, BROWN BEARS ARE EXCELLENT CLIMBERS.

HIS GIANT CLAWS AND PAWS ALLOW HIM A SECURE GRIP AND HE FINALLY

GETS A CHANCE TO ENJOY HIS WINNINGS.

WHILE BROWN BEARS USE THEIR SIZE TO THEIR ADVANTAGE, THERE ARE

SOME NEGATIVES TO LIFE ON THE LARGER SIDE.

CARRYING EXTRA WEIGHT REDUCES BOTH SPEED AND AGILITY.

BUT HE WON'T LET THAT STOP HIM.

COMING UP, WE'LL SEE HOW THESE MEGA MAMMAL'S VOICES ARE AS BIG

AS THEIR SIZE.

AND SURF'S UP IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE FOR THESE COLD

WEATHER WATERBIRDS.

PLUS, WE'LL SPEND SOME TIME IN THE TREETOPS WITH A RARE RED

RASCAL.

THIS WHEN "EARTH ODYSSEY" RETURNS.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC ANIMALS IN THE WORLD LIVES HERE

IN THE FOOTHILLS OF THE HIMALAYAS.

WITH THE LARGEST BRAIN OF ANY LAND ANIMAL EVER TO HAVE LIVED,

THEY HAVE A NOTORIOUSLY LONG MEMORY AND THE ABILITY TO FEEL

EMOTIONS.

ALTHOUGH EACH OF THESE ASIAN ELEPHANTS WEIGHS ALMOST FIVE

TONS, THEY ARE GENTLE GIANTS.

THEY HAVE DEVELOPED A SUBTLE AND INTRICATE LANGUAGE.

ENABLING THEM TO COMMUNICATE THEIR COMPLEX EMOTIONS.

FROM HIGH-FREQUENCY CALLS TO SEISMIC RUMBLES, ELEPHANTS USE

DOZENS OF DIFFERENT SOUNDS TO EXPRESS THEIR FEELINGS.

THEIR HUGE BRAINS ARE ALSO MOST FAMOUS FOR THEIR POWERFUL

MEMORY.

ENABLING THIS HERD TO NAVIGATE BACK TO THE SAME WATERING HOLES

FOR CENTURIES.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: FOLLOWING THE MONSOON TO THEIR NORTHERN FEEDING GROUNDS,

THE HERD IS LED BY THE OLDEST FEMALE.

IT'S HER JOB TO REMEMBER HOW TO GET THERE.

HAVING BEEN SHOWN THE WAY BY HER OWN ANCESTORS.

HER EXTRAORDINARY MEMORY NOW ALLOWS HER TO LEAD THE OTHERS

ALONG THIS ANCIENT MIGRATORY ROUTE.

THIS MEMORY REQUIRES REMARKABLE BRAINPOWER.

BUT IT'S THE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE THAT

BINDS THEIR FAMILY GROUPS TOGETHER.

HERE IN TANZANIA, NOTHING DEMONSTRATES THEIR APPARENT

INTELLIGENCE MORE THAN THESE AFRICAN ELEPHANT'S ABILITY TO

MOURN THE DEATH OF ANOTHER ELEPHANT.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WHENEVER ELEPHANTS ENCOUNTER THE BONES OF ANOTHER

ELEPHANT, THE WHOLE GROUP WILL GATHER, USING THEIR SENSITIVE

TRUNKS TO INVESTIGATE THE REMAINS.

SOLEMNLY THE WHOLE GROUP APPEARS TO MOURN THE LOSS, SOMETIMES FOR

HOURS, BEFORE MOVING OFF.

AND IT'S ONLY ELEPHANT BONES AND TUSKS THAT ELICITS THIS

RESPONSE, WHICH APPEARS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT ELEPHANTS HAVE

A CONCEPT OF DEATH.

IT WAS THOUGHT ONLY HUMANS AND APES HAD SUCH EMOTIONAL

INTELLIGENCE, THANKS TO A PART OF THE BRAIN KNOWN AS SPINDLE

CELLS.

BUT SPINDLE CELLS HAVE NOW BEEN FOUND IN ELEPHANTS, WHICH HELPS

EXPLAIN THEIR ABILITY TO DISPLAY EMPATHY.

FEELING SADNESS AT THE DEATH OF ANOTHER ANIMAL PLACES THE

ELEPHANT AMONG NATURE'S MOST EMOTIONALLY INTELLIGENT

CREATURES.

COMING UP, WE HEAD TO THE FALKLAND ISLANDS TO SPEND TIME

WITH THESE PAMPERED PENGUINS.

PLUS, THE INCREDIBLY SECLUDED LIFE OF THIS ICONIC MAMMAL.

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ONE OF THE MOST RECOGNIZABLE AND BEST DRESSED

ANIMALS ON EARTH IS THE PENGUIN.

ALL OF THE 18 DIFFERENT SPECIES OF PENGUINS ARE FOUND IN THE

SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE, PREFERRING HOMES IN COLD WEATHER CLIMATES.

BUT ONE IN PARTICULAR HAS AN OBSESSION WITH CLEANLINESS THAT

SETS IT APART FROM THE REST OF ITS FLIGHTLESS FAMILY.

WE'RE HEADING TO THE FALKLAND ISLANDS TO SEE WHAT MAKES THESE

PECULIAR PENGUINS THE KINGS AND QUEENS OF PRISTINE.

JUST 300 MILES OFF THE COAST OF SOUTH AMERICA, YOU'LL FIND THE

CHAIN OF FALKLAND ISLANDS, 700 IN TOTAL.

WINDSWEPT AND WILD, THESE ISLANDS LOOK AS IF NOTHING COULD

SURVIVE AND IT'S TRUE.

THERE ARE NO NATIVE LAND MAMMALS OR REPTILES, BUT NATURE STILL

FINDS A WAY.

EVERY YEAR, THE ISLANDS TURN INTO A VACATION DESTINATION FOR

MORE THAN A MILLION OF THESE PECULIAR-LOOKING ANIMALS.

YOU COULD SAY THEY FLOCK HERE.

THE FALKLANDS ARE A PENGUIN PARADISE.

OF THE 18 SPECIES OF PENGUINS IN THE WORLD, NEARLY ONE THIRD

VISIT THE FALKLANDS TO LAY THEIR EGGS AND RAISE THEIR YOUNG.

THROUGHOUT THE ARCHIPELAGO, AMONGST THE RUGGED MOUNTAINS AND

CROWDED COASTLINES, EACH OF THESE SEASONAL VISITORS MUST

COME UP WITH UNIQUE WAYS TO ENSURE THEIR CHICKS ARE SAFE.

ON SAUNDERS ISLAND, ONE SPECIES OF PENGUIN HAS TAKEN A PECULIAR

APPROACH TO LIFE ON THE ROCKS.

AFTER SPENDING SEVERAL MONTHS AT SEA, THESE ROCKHOPPERS MAKE

THEIR WAY ACROSS THE TREACHEROUS COAST.

THEY'RE ON A MISSION TO REACH THE COLONY BEYOND THE CLIFFS.

AND RETURN TO THEIR CHICKS WITH A MUCH-NEEDED MEAL.

BUT THE ROCKHOPPERS ARE TIRED AND WEATHER-BEATEN.

SO FIRST, THEY MAKE A STOP AT A PENGUIN PAMPERING SERVICE LIKE

NO OTHER.

A NATURAL SPRING FEEDS INTO THIS FRESHWATER SHOWER.

WHERE ROCKHOPPERS WASH AWAY SALT AND DIRT FROM THEIR TIME AT SEA.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: TAKING A SHOWER IS BEHAVIOR NEVER BEFORE SEEN IN

THE ANIMAL KINGDOM, BUT FOR THIS ISLAND'S PENGUINS, IT'S PART OF

THEIR DAILY ROUTINE.

LINES OFTEN FORM FOR THE HIGHLY SOUGHT-AFTER SHOWER.

AND AFTER A LONG WAIT, TEMPERS CAN BEGIN TO FRAY.

ONE ROCKHOPPER HAS EXCEEDED HIS TIMESLOT.

AND THE NEXT IN LINE IS QUICK TO MOVE HIM ALONG.

HE'LL THINK TWICE BEFORE HOLDING UP THE GROUP NEXT TIME HE NEEDS

A WASH.

NOW, REVITALIZED, THE ROCKHOPPERS CAN CONTINUE THEIR

JOURNEY UP THE SEA CLIFFS AND FINALLY FEED THEIR CHICKS.

IT'S BEEN A LONG, ARDUOUS JOURNEY FOR THE PENGUINS BUT YOU

WOULD NEVER KNOW IT WITH SUCH IMMACULATE COATS.

COMING UP, WE SEEK OUT THE SECRET LIFE OF THIS TREE-DWELLER

IN THE SECLUDED FORESTS OF INDIA.

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE FOOTHILLS OF THE HIMALAYAS ARE ONE OF THE MOST

REMOTE REGIONS ON EARTH.

SO, IT'S THE PERFECT HOME FOR ONE THE WORLD'S MOST SECRETIVE

ANIMALS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE RED PANDA.

NO BIGGER THAN A DOMESTIC CAT, THIS MALE LEADS A SOLITARY LIFE.

HE SPENDS THE MAJORITY OF HIS DAY FEEDING.

BUT LIKE THEIR GIANT BLACK AND WHITE NAMESAKES, RED PANDAS ARE

UNABLE TO DIGEST THE CELLULOSE FOUND IN MOST PLANTS.

SO, THEIR DIET IS ALMOST ENTIRELY MADE UP OF BAMBOO.

THESE FORESTS, WITH THEIR UNDERSTORIES THICK WITH BAMBOO,

ARE THE ONLY PLACE ON EARTH WHERE HE CAN SURVIVE.

HOWEVER, HE CAN DIGEST JUST 24 PERCENT OF WHAT HE CONSUMES.

SO, HE MUST SPEND UP TO 13 HOURS A DAY EATING, TO ENSURE HE GETS

ENOUGH NUTRIENTS.

ONCE HE'S HAD HIS FILL, IT'S BACK TO THE CANOPY FOR SOME

IMPORTANT PAMPERING.

WITH FUR COVERING HIS ENTIRE BODY, THIS CAT-LIKE CLEANING IS

ONE ACTIVITY THAT CANNOT BE RUSHED.

WHEN HE'S NOT EATING OR GROOMING, THERE'S ONLY ONE THING

THAT CAN ENTICE HIM DOWN FROM HIS PERCH.

THE PROMISE OF A POTENTIAL MATE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: TIME FOR A SPOT OF SEDUCTION.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: HE LAYS A TRAIL OF SCENT, HOPING TO ENTICE A

PARTNER.

DYLAN: BUT DESPITE HIS PERSISTENCE, HIS EFFORTS ARE

FUTILE.

HE'S MISSED HIS CHANCE.

FEMALE RED PANDAS ARE ONLY FERTILE FOR ONE 24 HOUR WINDOW

PER YEAR.

AND THAT'S USUALLY AT THE BEGINNING OF SPRING.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: HE'LL JUST HAVE TO HOPE HIS VISITOR PASSES BY A LITTLE

EARLIER NEXT YEAR.

IN THE MEANTIME, HE'S GOT SOME IMPORTANT BAMBOO EATING TO CATCH

UP ON.

THANKS FOR JOINING US ON OUR JOURNEY AROUND THE WORLD TO MEET

SOME OF THE MOST ICONIC CREATURES IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.

FROM THE AFRICAN SAVANNA TO THE SOUTHERN TIP OF THE AMERICAS,

THESE WILD WONDERS OF THE WORLD GIVE EARTH'S CONTINENTS THEIR

UNIQUE CHARACTER.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]