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 TO EMBARK ON AN EPIC ADVENTURE AROUND THE WORLD.

THIS IS "EARTH ODYSSEY".

TODAY, WE'LL LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED AS WE SEARCH THE

AFRICAN WILD TO DISCOVER THE CONTINENT'S MOST BIZARRE

ANIMALS.

LIKE IN ARABIA, WHERE THESE ROTUND ROCK DWELLERS ARE

ACTUALLY EXPERT ESCAPE ARTISTS.

THEN IN ETHIOPIA, WE'LL DISCOVER AN ANIMAL THAT'S A CROSS BETWEEN

TWO OF AFRICA'S MOST ICONIC MAMMALS.

AND LATER, WE'LL HEAD TO MADAGASCAR WHERE THIS BIZARRE

BRANCH DWELLER HAS A WILD WAY OF GETTING AROUND.

BUT FIRST, THIS CAMEL SPIDER IS JUST TRYING TO GET OVER THE

HUMP.

THIS AND SO MUCH MORE COMING UP TODAY ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WHY AFRICA IS HOME TO SO MANY

UNIQUE ANIMALS IS ITS RELATION TO THE EQUATOR, WHICH

PRACTICALLY CUTS THE CONTINENT IN HALF.

THE FLORA AND FAUNA IN BOTH THE NORTH AND SOUTH RECEIVE THE

BENEFITS OF A WARM AND CALM EQUATORIAL CLIMATE.

IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S THE PERFECT PLACE TO SUPPORT A WIDE VARIETY

OF ANIMALS, AND THIS SPECIES OF CREEPY CRAWLERS PREFERS ITS

WEATHER HOTTER THAN HOT.

THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO, THE SCORPION AND ITS TOXIC TAIL MADE

ITS MARK ON THE EARLIEST SETTLERS OF THE NILE REGION.

NOT ONLY WAS IT USED AS A KING'S NAME, IT BECAME THE SYMBOL OF A

GODDESS, SERKET, THE HEALER OF VENOMOUS STINGS AND BITES.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: LIKE SPIDERS AND ALL OTHER ARACHNIDS, SCORPIONS HAVE

EIGHT LEGS.

THESE ARE ACCOMPANIED BY A PAIR OF POWERFUL PINCERS, USED FOR

GRABBING AND TEARING UP PREY.

COMPARED TO OTHER SCORPIONS, THE FOUR-INCH-LONG DEATH STALKER IS

SLIGHTLY BUILT.

HOWEVER, ITS THIN TAIL AND SLENDER PINCERS ARE MORE THAN

COMPENSATED FOR BY ITS DEADLY STING.

IT IS POSSIBLY THE MOST VENOMOUS SCORPION ON THE PLANET.

THIS INDIVIDUAL HAS SPOTTED A POTENTIAL MEAL.

CAMEL SPIDERS AREN'T TRUE SPIDERS.

ALTHOUGH THEY SHARE THE SAME NUMBER OF LEGS, THE SIMILARITIES

END THERE.

DYLAN: THEY LACK BOTH THE SILK AND VENOM GLANDS OF THEIR

NAMESAKES.

INSTEAD, CAMEL SPIDERS RELY ON SPEED, STEALTH, AND A PAIR OF

POWERFUL, OVERSIZED JAWS TO SUBDUE THEIR PREY.

RELATIVE TO SIZE, THEY HAVE THE LARGEST JAWS OF ANY CREATURE ON

THE PLANET.

THEY ARE THE GREAT WHITE SHARKS OF THE ARACHNID WORLD.

CAMEL SPIDERS SHY AWAY FROM THE DESERT SUN, SO EVERY FEW DAYS,

THEY DIG A NEW BURROW IN WHICH TO SHELTER DURING THE DAY.

THIS BULLDOZER METHOD OF SHIFTING SAND AND ROCKS ENSURES

THE JOB IS DONE SWIFTLY.

WHILE THE CAMEL SPIDER FOCUSES ON THE FINISHING TOUCHES TO ITS

LAIR, THE SCORPION MOVES IN.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WITH THE BATTLE OVER, IT SEEMS VENOM HAS TRIUMPHED OVER

BRUTE FORCE.

THE SUBDUED VICTIM IS DISMEMBERED.

THE COOLER NIGHT AIR DRAWS OUT OTHER DESERT DWELLING CREATURES.

DYLAN: INCLUDING A UNIQUE MAMMAL THAT HAS ALSO EVOLVED TO

AVOID THE NEED TO DRINK.

THE FENNEC FOX IS NOT ONLY THE SMALLEST FOX IN THE WORLD, IT'S

ALSO THE SMALLEST MEMBER OF THE DOG FAMILY.

WITH A BODY LENGTH OF AROUND 10 INCHES, IT CAN WEIGH LESS THAN

TWO POUNDS.

OVERSIZED EARS NOT ONLY PROVIDE EXCELLENT HEARING, THEY ALSO

DISSIPATE BODY HEAT.

A BEETLE SCUTTLING ACROSS THE SAND STANDS LITTLE CHANCE OF

AVOIDING THIS PREDATOR.

THE FENNEC'S HIGHLY SENSITIVE EARS CAN EVEN LOCATE PREY MOVING

UNDERGROUND.

MOST MEALS ARE OBTAINED THROUGH DIGGING.

SCORPIONS ARE A FAVORITE MEAL.

THE FOX'S SMALL NEEDLE-SHARP TEETH ARE QUICK TO DISABLE THEIR

DEFENSIVE STINGS.

DOGS WERE HIGHLY REGARDED IN ANCIENT TIMES.

ALONG WITH GUARDING PALACES, THEY ALSO ACCOMPANIED PHARAOHS

WHEN HUNTING.

THE SALUKI IS THE OLDEST KNOWN BREED OF DOMESTICATED DOG.

AND WAS CONSIDERED TO BE THE ROYAL DOG OF EGYPT.

SIMILAR IN FORM TO A GREYHOUND, THEY ARE BUILT FOR SPEED,

HITTING ALMOST 40 MILES PER HOUR.

DESERT RABBITS, A FAVORITE QUARRY, STAND LITTLE CHANCE OF

ESCAPE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: SALUKIS WERE SO REVERED; THEIR BODIES WERE OFTEN FOUND

MUMMIFIED ALONGSIDE THOSE OF THEIR EMBALMED PHARAOH MASTERS.

EGYPT'S RICH HISTORY HAS ALWAYS BEEN AND WILL ALWAYS BE TIED

WITH THE ANIMALS WHO MAKE THESE ANCIENT DESERTS HOME.

COMING UP, WE'LL SWING BY MADAGASCAR TO MEET ONE OF ITS

MOST ACROBATIC ANIMAL LOCALS.

AND LATER, WE'LL SEE HOW THIS FAMILY OF HYRAX PREFERS LIFE ON

THE EDGE.

PLUS, A PRIMATE SO PECULIAR IT STANDS OUT IN A CROWD.

ALL WHEN WE RETURN TO "EARTH ODYSSEY".

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: MANY OF AFRICA'S MOST BIZARRE ANIMALS CAN BE FOUND ON

ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST ISOLATED ISLANDS, MADAGASCAR.

AND ONE OF THESE ADORABLY ODD RESIDENTS IS GIVEN THE HIGHEST

LEVEL OF PROTECTION BY ISLAND VILLAGERS.

BAMBOO LEMURS.

GETTING THEIR NAME FROM AN ALMOST EXCLUSIVE BAMBOO DIET,

THESE TREE-DWELLERS ARE THOUGHT TO HOUSE THE SPIRITS OF THE

VILLAGERS' ANCESTORS.

WEIGHING IN AT AROUND TWO POUNDS, THE HIGH LEVELS OF

CYANIDE CONTAINED IN LEAVES THEY CONSUME WOULD KILL OTHER SIMILAR

SIZED ANIMALS ALMOST INSTANTLY.

HOW THEY MANAGE TO AVOID BEING POISONED REMAINS A MYSTERY.

SELECTING A FOOD SOURCE THAT OTHERS AVOID IS ALL PART OF THE

BAMBOO LEMUR'S LONG-TERM SURVIVAL STRATEGY.

UNLIKE THE TWO CONTINENTS IT WAS ONCE CONNECTED TO, SURPRISINGLY,

MADAGASCAR HAS NO DANGEROUSLY VENOMOUS SNAKES.

WITH ITS ELLIPTICAL PUPILS AND ARROW-SHAPED HEAD, THIS CAT-EYED

SNAKE MAY LOOK LIKE IT COULD DELIVER A DEADLY STRIKE, BUT ITS

BITE IS TOTALLY HARMLESS TO HUMANS.

ITS VENOM IS SO MILD IT CAN JUST ABOUT SUBDUE ITS FROG AND LIZARD

PREY.

DESPITE POSING NO THREAT TO PEOPLE, MANY SNAKES ARE KILLED

ON SIGHT.

ONLY A HANDFUL OF THE ISLAND'S 80 OR SPECIES ARE SPARED,

THROUGH ISOLATED LOCAL TABOOS.

IN MANY REGIONS, ONE MADAGASCAN MAMMAL IS ALSO OFFERED NO

REPRIEVE.

YET THIS LEGENDARY CREATURE HAS MANAGED TO DEFY ALL ODDS OF

SURVIVAL.

REMAINING HIDDEN THROUGHOUT THE DAY, IT FILLS THE HEARTS OF

LOCAL PEOPLE WITH DREAD.

THE AYE-AYE IS POSSIBLY THE MOST BIZARRE CREATURE ON THE PLANET.

GROWING UP TO 20 INCHES LONG, THIS UNIQUE LEMUR IS ALSO THE

LARGEST NOCTURNAL PRIMATE IN THE WORLD.

BAT-LIKE EARS TUNE IN TO THE SLIGHTEST SOUND, BEFORE ITS

INCREDIBLY ACUTE SENSE OF SMELL CONFIRMS A MEAL IS IN THE

MAKING.

BUT TO PINPOINT ITS VICTIM, THE AYE-AYE LETS LOOSE ITS SECRET

WEAPON.

THIS EXTRA LONG BONY MIDDLE FINGER IS LESS THAN HALF THE

WIDTH OF ITS OTHER DIGITS.

TAPPING FOR HOLLOWS WITHIN THE BRANCH REVEALS THE HIDING PLACE

OF WOOD-BORING LARVAE, AN AYE-AYE DELICACY.

THE FINGER IS LINED WITH SENSITIVE NERVE ENDINGS THAT

SENSE THE SLIGHTEST OF VIBRATIONS INSIDE THE TREE.

ONCE LOCATED, SHARP FORWARD-FACING INCISORS TEAR

AWAY THE OUTER BARK.

THEN IT'S TIME FOR THE FINGER TO REALLY GO TO WORK.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: A BALL AND SOCKET JOINT ALLOWS THE LIMB TO BEND AND

ROTATE BEFORE HOOKING OUT THE PROTEIN-RICH PRIZE.

THIS SOLITARY LIVING LEMUR CAN COVER UP TO TWO AND A HALF MILES

A NIGHT IN SEARCH OF FOOD.

THOUGHT TO BE EXTINCT IN THE 1930'S, THIS ELUSIVE LEMUR WAS

REDISCOVERED APPROXIMATELY 20 YEARS LATER.

ALTHOUGH SUPERSTITION AND LEGEND LIVES ON, RECENT RESEARCH HAS

SHOWN THE AYE-AYE TO BE MUCH MORE WIDESPREAD THAN PREVIOUSLY

THOUGHT.

COMING UP, WHAT HAS THESE MONKEYS MARCHING TO THE BEAT OF

THEIR OWN DRUM?

AND FIND OUT WHY THIS REGION IS WHERE LEGENDS ARE MADE.

WHEN WE RETURN ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF SPECIES ENDEMIC TO AFRICA.

THIS MEANS THEY ARE FOUND NOWHERE ELSE ON EARTH.

ONLY ABLE TO SURVIVE IN AFRICA'S DIVERSE ENVIRONMENTS.

WHILE MANY OF THESE REGIONS MAY SEEM IMPOSSIBLE TO LIVE IN FOR

ANY HUMAN, WILD ANIMALS HAVE ADAPTED TO THRIVE IN THESE

UNLIKELY HOMES.

LIKE IN ETHIOPIA, WHERE ONE TROOP OF BABOONS HAS FOUND A

SPECIAL WAY TO SURVIVE.

IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM, IT'S ALWAYS TIME TO EAT.

AND WHILE SOME CREATURES WILL FEAST ON WHATEVER IS AVAILABLE,

OTHERS TAKE A SLIGHTLY CHOOSIER APPROACH TO DINING.

KNOWN AS THE ROOF OF AFRICA, THE SIMIAN MOUNTAINS OF ETHIOPIA ARE

HOME TO ONE OF THE WORLD'S RAREST PRIMATES, WHICH ARE ALSO

ONE OF THE MOST BIZARRE.

AS THE SUN RISES OVER THESE AFRICAN HIGHLANDS, A TROOP OF

GELADA BABOONS MAKES ITS WAY UP THE CLIFFS, TO THE HIGH MOUNTAIN

MEADOWS TO SEARCH FOR FOOD.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THEY MAY LOOK LIKE A CROSS BETWEEN A LION AND A

GORILLA, BUT THEY'RE SOME OF THE MOST SOCIABLE AND PEACEFUL

PRIMATES.

AND THESE BABOONS WON'T BE LOOKING FOR MEAT OR FRUIT ON THE

MOUNTAINS.

THEY'LL SPEND THEIR DAY FEEDING ON GRASS.

GELADAS ARE THE ONLY PRIMATES IN THE WORLD THAT ARE PRIMARILY

GRAZERS.

SPENDING UP TO TEN HOURS A DAY PICKING THE BLADES AND SEEDS

OF GRASSES.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE TROOP ARE WELL ADAPTED TO THIS LIFESTYLE, WITH

FATTY SITTING PADS, PROVIDING COMFORT WHILE THEY FEED.

THEIR HIGHLY OPPOSABLE THUMBS AND FINELY TUNED INDEX FINGERS

ALSO MAKE PLUCKING GRASS A BREEZE.

THE GELADAS HAVE PROVEN TO BE PICKY EATERS.

IF A BLADE SEEMS TOO DRY, THEY WILL PASS IT OVER FOR ONE THAT

LOOKS FRESHER.

THESE ADAPTATIONS AND THEIR KEEN EYE FOR QUALITY ALLOW THE GROUP

TO MAXIMIZE THEIR DAILY NUTRITIONAL INTAKE, BEFORE

RETURNING BACK DOWN THE CLIFFS TO SLEEP.

WHILE IT MAY SEEM STRANGE, RELYING ON THIS WIDELY AVAILABLE

FOOD SOURCE ALLOWS THE GELADAS TO FORM AN IMMENSE GROUP, WITH

SOME HERDS REACHING MORE THAN 1,000 INDIVIDUALS.

SOME OF THE LARGEST OBSERVED AMONG ANY PRIMATE.

COMING UP, WE HEAD TO ARABIA TO SEE WHY THESE HUNGRY HYRAX

PREFER LIFE ON THE ROCKS.

THAT AND MORE WHEN "EARTH ODYSSEY" RETURNS.

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE ARABIAN PENINSULA, AN ANCIENT LAND OF ILLUSION.

WHERE SEARING DESERT SAND NEVER STOPS MARCHING.

WHILE SUNBAKED MOUNTAINS RISE LIKE INACCESSIBLE FORTRESSES,

THE UNFORGIVING HEAT APPEARS TO SAP LIFE FROM EVERY CORNER.

YET, TRICKS OF THE LIGHT AND THE ART OF DECEPTION ARE THE FABRIC

OF LIFE.

MYTHOLOGICAL BEASTS ARE SAID TO ROAM HERE.

PLANTS APPEAR TO BLEED.

NOTHING IS QUITE AS IT SEEMS.

THIS IS THE PLACE WHERE MYTHS ARE BORN, BUT WILDLIFE FACES THE

HARSH REALITY OF SURVIVAL.

FLORA AND FAUNA BOTH RELY ON THEIR OWN ILLUSIONS AND TRICKS

OF SURVIVAL.

OMAN'S DHOFAR MOUNTAINS ALSO CONJURE CHANGE.

AS THE SUMMER HEATS UP, THERE ARE SIGNS SOMETHING IS IN

THE AIR.

THE RAMPARTS OF JABAL SAMHAN TOWER OVER SOUTHERN OMAN.

RISING TO MORE THAN A MILE, IT DEFENDS THE COAST LIKE A

FORTRESS.

THE SHEER DROP OF EVEN HALF OF A MILE GIVES A VERREAUX'S EAGLE A

LIFT ON THE MORNING THERMALS.

WITHIN THE DRIED-UP RIVERBEDS AND WATTIE CANYONS, COLONIES OF

ROCK HYRAX, THE PERFECT FOOD WHILE TRAVELING BY WING.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: BASKING IN THE MORNING SUN, LIFE SEEMS BLISSFUL.

AT AROUND 15 INCHES IN LENGTH, THESE FURRY, UNASSUMING MAMMALS

ARE ARABIA'S ULTIMATE ESCAPE ARTISTS.

RIGHT NOW, THEY HAVE OTHER THINGS ON THEIR

MINDS...BREAKFAST.

LIVING IN LARGE COLONIES, THEY CAN SPREAD OUT TO FIND FOOD.

HOWEVER, WATER IS NOT SO EASILY AVAILABLE.

SO, HYRAX PERFORM THEIR FIRST ACT OF SORCERY AND EXTRACT THE

WATER THEY NEED FROM THE JUICY PLANTS.

THESE NERVOUS FORAGERS CONSTANTLY CHECK THE VICINITY

FOR DANGER.

IF THE TERRITORIAL MALE GIVES THE SHRILL SHRIEK OF ALARM,

THEY'LL BOLT.

THIS VERREAUX'S EAGLE HAS SPOTTED THE HYRAX HIGHRISE.

HE USES THE SUN TO HIDE HIS PRESENCE.

BUT HYRAX KNOW THIS GAME.

A UNIQUELY SHAPED IRIS ALLOWS THEM TO LOOK ALMOST DIRECTLY

INTO THE SUN.

AND THE ALARM CALL IS RAISED.

NOW YOU SEE THEM...

...NOW YOU DON'T.

THE ROCK TOP SANCTUARY PROVIDES A NETWORK OF BURROWS AND THEIR

ESCAPE.

THANKS FOR JOINING US ON OUR EPIC ADVENTURE TO DISCOVER THE

MOST BIZARRE AND AMAZING ANIMALS IN AFRICA.

FROM BEHAVIOR TO APPEARANCE, THESE CREATURES DEFY THE ODDS,

ADAPTING PERFECTLY TO SOME UNIQUELY EXTREME HABITATS.

I HOPE TO SEE YOU NEXT TIME ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]