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, EVERYONE, I'M DYLAN DREYER.

GET READY FOR ANOTHER ADVENTURE INTO THE WILD ON

"EARTH ODYSSEY".

TODAY, WE'RE TAKING A TROPICAL TRIP TO THE CARIBBEAN TO SEE

SOME OF THE ICONS OF THESE WILD ISLANDS.

LIKE THESE PRO POLLINATORS WHO PREFER THINGS PITCH BLACK.

WE'LL SEE A WASP THAT UNCHARACTERISTICALLY THRIVES

AWAY FROM THE HIVE.

AND LATER, WE DISCOVER A ONE-OF-A-KIND LOCAL LIZARD

THAT'S ALWAYS READY TO RUMBLE.

ALL OF THIS AND SO MUCH MORE ON TODAY'S EPISODE OF

"EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: NESTLED BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA IN THE

ATLANTIC OCEAN IS A PARADISE UNLIKE ANY OTHER ENVIRONMENT IN

THE WORLD.

SANDY, CORAL-LINED COASTS AND LUSH GREENERY DOMINATE THE

LANDSCAPES OF THE CARIBBEANS ISLANDS, WHICH STRETCH MORE THAN

ONE MILLION SQUARE MILES FROM CUBA TO THE COAST OF VENEZUELA.

THIS REGION IS HOME TO RICH BIODIVERSITY AND THERE'S A

NATURAL FEATURE THAT MAY BE THE REASON FOR THE FLORA AND FAUNA

FIREWORKS.

MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO IN A PLACE WHERE THERE HAD BEEN NO VISIBLE

LAND, TELLURIC FORCES IN THE EARTH'S CRUST THRUST UP ISLANDS

FROM BELOW THE SURFACE OF THE SEA.

SLOWLY, THE AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN PLATES CAME TOGETHER

AND BUCKLED, OVERLAPPING.

AND THIS CLASH OF TITANS GAVE BIRTH TO THE WEST INDIES.

GRADUALLY, EVERYTHING FELL INTO PLACE AND THE BARREN LANDS SOON

BECAME HAVENS FOR BIODIVERSITY.

WANDERING THESE SHORES AND CLIMBING THESE SLOPES REVEAL THE

IMPORTANCE OF VOLCANOES IN THE HISTORY OF THE WEST INDIES.

THESE LANDSCAPES, WITH THEIR TROPICAL CLIMATES, HAVE BEEN

FAVORABLE TO THE EMERGENCE OF A GREAT VARIETY OF NATURAL

HABITATS.

THE ISLAND TERRAINS PRODUCE THE IDEAL CONDITIONS FOR LIFE TO

THRIVE.

BOTH VEGETAL AND ANIMAL SPECIES HAVE TAKEN ROOT HERE AND

DIVERSIFIED OVER THE AGES TO CREATE ONE OF THE MOST

REMARKABLE CONCENTRATIONS OF ENDEMIC SPECIES ON THE PLANET.

UNIQUE SPECIES WHICH LIVE ONLY IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD.

THE VOLCANOES MAY BE MASTER BUILDERS, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE A

DESTRUCTIVE SIDE AND OVER THE YEARS HAVE IMPOSED THEIR WILL ON

LIVING BEINGS.

BORN FROM THE EARTH'S OWN KILN, THE WEST INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO IS

HOME TO SOME OF THE PLANET'S MOST DANGEROUS VOLCANOES.

ACTIVE, SULFUROUS TITANS WHOSE ANGER CAN BE AS SUDDEN AS IT IS

VIOLENT.

ON THE SUMMIT'S PLATEAU, LIFE IS SUSPENDED ACCORDING TO THE WINDS

OF THE VOLCANO.

HERE, IN THE BELCHING, TOXIC FUMES, THE PROSTRATED VEGETATION

IS PURELY EPHEMERAL.

MERELY TOLERATED.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE FLOWERS OF THE MOUNTAIN PINEAPPLE

ARE THE MOST DARING, DEPLOYING THEIR FLORAL STEMS

HIGHER THAN MOST OF THE OTHER PLANTS, WHICH LAY AT

GROUND LEVEL, SUCH AS MOSSES, PEAT MOSSES, AND LYCOPODIUM.

THESE GAPING CHASMS ARE LIKE SO MANY WIDE OPEN MOORS,

LEADING TO THE MOUNTAIN'S ENTRAILS, WHERE THE

EARTH'S HOT AND VISCOUS HEART BEATS.

THE VOLCANO IS ALIVE, AND STILL BREATHING.

HERE ON THESE ISLANDS, LIFE HAS EXPLORED EVERY POSSIBLE PATH TO

HELP IT FLOURISH.

ELEMENTS VITAL TO PLANT LIFE ARE IN ABUNDANCE HERE.

THE MOST IMPORTANT ARE MINERALS FROM THE VOLCANIC ASH, WHICH

FERTILIZE THE LAND FROM THE HIGHLANDS TO THE COAST.

THEN, THERE IS THE LIGHT FROM THE SUN, WHICH HERE IN THE

TROPICS, SHINES FROM 11 TO 13 HOURS A DAY ALL YEAR-ROUND.

AND FINALLY, WATER.

EVERY YEAR, MORE THAN 300 INCHES OF RAIN FALLS ON EVERY SQUARE

FOOT OF THE HIGHEST WEST INDIAN PEAKS, ALLOWING THICK, LUSH,

VERDANT FORESTS TO THRIVE.

WHEN WE RETURN, THIS DARK KNIGHT PROVES YOU DON'T NEED A CAPE

TO BE A CARIBBEAN HERO.

WE'LL SEE A WINGED WARRIOR THAT PREFERS LIFE UNDERGROUND INSTEAD

OF IN THE SKY.

AND AMONG THE TROPICAL TREES OF THESE ISLANDS, WE DISCOVER A

LIZARD UNLIKE ANY OTHER.

ALL THIS WHEN "EARTH ODYSSEY" RETURNS.

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: DEEP IN THE TROPICAL ISLANDS OF THE CARIBBEAN, THERE

IS ONE TYPE OF MAMMAL INDIGENOUS, THAT'S ROLE IS

PARAMOUNT TO THE SURVIVAL OF A VAST ARRAY OF BOTH PLANT AND

ANIMAL SPECIES.

A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO THE PROLIFERATION OF SEEDS AND THE

POLLINATION OF PLANTS.

BATS ARE A KEY SPECIES IN THIS ENVIRONMENT.

THEY ARE, IN A WAY, THE FOREST'S LITTLE HELPERS.

THE ANTILLEAN FRUIT-EATING BAT LIVES ONLY HERE.

THESE MEDIUM-SIZED BATS LIVE IN TIGHTLY KNIT GROUPS IN GROTTOS

AND CAVES UPSIDE DOWN.

WHEN THEIR WINGS ARE SPREAD, THEY HAVE A SPAN OF ALMOST TWO

FEET, DESPITE WEIGHING

LESS THAN TWO OUNCES.

THEIR WINGS ARE IN FACT THEIR HANDS.

BUT BETWEEN THEIR ELONGATED FINGERS, THERE'S A FINE MEMBRANE

OF SKIN, WHICH ALLOWS THEM TO FLY.

AS NIGHT FALLS, THESE LITTLE FINGER WINGS ALLOW THEM TO FLY

OFF TO FEED ON SWEET FRUIT AND NECTARS RICH IN SUGAR.

THE PERFECT FUEL FOR THEIR METABOLISM.

THESE SMALL MAMMALS MAY UNDENIABLY BE DEPENDENT ON THE

FOREST, BUT THEY RETURN THE FAVOR BY BEING THE MOST LOYAL

ALLIES TO THE ISLAND'S FLOWERING PLANTS.

THIS CARIBBEAN TREE IS THE PERFECT EMBODIMENT OF THE

ALLIANCE BETWEEN PLANTS AND BATS.

THE KAPOK TREE IS A VEGETAL MONSTER.

A NATIVE OF THIS PART OF THE WORLD, IT DOMINATES ITS REALM

LIKE A MONARCH.

ITS TRUNK GIVES IT AN ANIMAL-LIKE APPEARANCE AND ALONG

WITH ITS INTIMIDATING SPINES, HAS GIVEN IT PRIDE OF PLACE AT

THE HEART OF CARIBBEAN BELIEFS AND LEGENDS, WHERE IT'S OFTEN

ASSOCIATED WITH DEATH AND THE SPIRIT WORLD.

A TREE WHICH IS BOTH VENERATED AND FEARED.

IN THE DRY SEASON, THE KAPOK LOSES ALL OF ITS LEAVES, IT THEN

STARTS TO FLOWER.

DURING THE DAY, ONLY THE FULLY CLOSED BUDS ARE VISIBLE.

THE TREE KING HAS DECIDED TO WAIT UNTIL NIGHT FALLS BEFORE

ITS RETINUE OF LITTLE CREATURES TAKES THE STAGE.

IT'S NOW DARK AS NIGHT AND HUNDREDS OF BATS FLUTTER

FRANTICALLY AROUND THE GIANT TREE.

THIS IS A DIFFERENT SPECIES OF BAT COMMON THROUGHOUT

THE CARIBBEAN.

THE JAMAICAN FRUIT BAT HAS STAKED EVERYTHING ON THE KAPOK

TREE.

THEY'RE ALL WAITING FOR ONE THING, FOR THE FLOWERS TO

FINALLY OPEN.

THAT'S WHEN THE MAGIC HAPPENS.

WITH THE FLOWERS NOW ACCESSIBLE, THE FRUIT BATS THROW THEMSELVES

ONTO THE BALLOONS, GREEDILY LAPPING THE NECTAR WITH THEIR

TONGUES.

ALMOST EVERY VISIT IS AN OPPORTUNITY.

THE FRUIT BATS GUZZLE THE SWEET LIQUID FROM THE TREE AND IN

RETURN THEY POLLINATE EACH AND EVERY FLOWER.

TIME GOES BY BUT THE FRENZY DOESN'T END.

THE BATS BROWN PELT IS NOW STAINED WITH THE FLOWER'S

POLLEN.

THE HARVEST IS TURNING INTO A PARTY.

ON THIS CARIBBEAN NIGHT, THE FRUIT AND NECTAR-EATING BATS ARE

PERFORMING AN ACT CRUCIAL TO THE SURVIVAL AND WELL-BEING OF THESE

TROPICAL ECOSYSTEMS.

THEIR ROLE, WHILE ALMOST INVISIBLE TO US, IS NONETHELESS

VITAL.

WITHOUT THE BATS, THESE TROPICAL FORESTS WOULD BE QUITE

DIFFERENT.

IN FACT, WITHOUT BATS, THERE WOULD BE NO TROPICAL FORESTS AT

ALL.

COMING UP, A FEARSOME HUNTER THAT TRADES THE HEIGHTS FOR THE

UNDERGROUND.

AND LATER, WE GET A CLOSEUP LOOK AT ONE OF THE WORLD'S RAREST

REPTILES.

WHEN WE COME BACK ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE CARIBBEAN IS HOME TO A MYRIAD OF SPECIES THAT CAN BE

FOUND NOWHERE ELSE ON EARTH.

EACH OF THESE ANIMALS IS AS ECCENTRIC AS THEY ARE RARE.

WITH BEHAVIORS AND TRAITS TO MATCH THEIR ONE-OF-A-KIND

EXISTENCE, LIKE ONE ICONIC INSECT YOU MIGHT THINK IS PART

OF THE HIVE, BUT IN THE CARIBBEAN, IT'S A CREATURE THAT

PREFERS LIFE ON ITS OWN.

FAR DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THEY WERE BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF MAN,

THE WEST INDIAN SHORES ARE STILL IMPORTANT NATURAL HAVENS FOR A

WHOLE COMMUNITY OF CREATURES.

SOME HAVE CLEARLY MADE THE CHOICE TO SETTLE HERE AND

REPRODUCE.

WHETHER THEY ARE OR ARE NOT AFFECTED BY HUMAN ACTIVITY, THE

SHORES OF THESE ISLANDS ARE STILL ESSENTIAL TO THE SURVIVAL

OF SOME UNIQUE SPECIES.

SOMETIMES, SPECIES CONSIDERED INSIGNIFICANT REVEAL THEMSELVES

TO BE THE MOST REMARKABLE.

LIKE THIS HYMENOPTERAN.

THE HORSE GUARD WASP IS AN INSECT COMMON ON THE SHORES OF

THE CARIBBEAN AND IS EYED WITH SUSPICION, WRONGLY.

AS LARGE AS IT IS, IT'S NOT AGGRESSIVE.

SURPRISINGLY, THIS WASP IS A SOLITARY CREATURE.

UNLIKE ITS SOCIAL COUSINS, EACH WASP LIVES ITS OWN LIFE

INDEPENDENTLY, ALONGSIDE OTHERS.

AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, THE FEMALES ARE CLEARLY VERY BUSY.

THEIR MISSION IS TO DIG A GALLERY IN THE HOT SAND SO THAT

THEY CAN LAY AN EGG.

BURROWING BUSILY, THE FEMALE USES HER FORELIMBS LIKE SHOVELS

TO DIG OUT THE SAND.

THIS FEARSOME HUNTER THEN RETURNS TO LEAVE PREY IN ITS

BURROW.

STILL LIVING FLIES WILL BE FOOD FOR THE PATIENT LARVA.

ABOUT 30 SQUARE FEET OF SAND IS ENOUGH FOR THIS BURROWING WASP

TO ENSURE ITS PROGENY.

BUT THE EFFORT IS IMMENSE.

ON THE LOWER COAST, THE SALT MARSHES OFFER SANCTUARY TO MANY

SHORE BIRD SPECIES.

PERFECTLY SITUATED BETWEEN THE TWO AMERICAS, THE WEST INDIES

ARE A STAGING POST FOR MIGRATORY BIRDS.

SOME STOP HERE TWICE A YEAR ON THEIR WAY TO THEIR BREEDING

GROUNDS IN THE CANADIAN ARCTIC AND ON THEIR WAY BACK TO THEIR

SOUTH AMERICAN WINTER HOMES.

OTHERS LIVE HERE ALL YEAR-ROUND OR HAVE CHOSEN THIS PLACE TO

ENSURE THEIR PROGENY.

THE WINTER PLOVER IS ONE OF THEM.

THESE BIRDS ARE NOT HERE BY CHANCE.

THE SALT MARSHES HAVE TREASURE:

FLIES.

BILLIONS OF FLIES.

IT'S A BOUNTY NOT TO BE MISSED.

COMING UP, WE DISCOVER A LOCAL LIZARD THAT LOVES A TOXIC

ENVIRONMENT.

THIS AND MORE WHEN "EARTH ODYSSEY" RETURNS.

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THESE CARIBBEAN SHORES ARE HOME TO MANY SPECIES UNIQUE

IN THE WORLD.

ENDEMISM IS VERY COMMON HERE.

THE ISLANDS HAVE CREATED RESERVOIRS OF BIODIVERSITY,

ISOLATED IN TIME AND SPACE.

THIS HAS ALLOWED A NUMBER OF SPECIES TO DIVERSIFY.

SOME OF THESE WEST INDIAN ISLANDS ARE HOME TO AN

INDIGENOUS SPECIES OF REPTILE,

THE LESSER ANTILLEAN IGUANA.

THE YOUNGEST ONES BORN JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO ARE PERFECTLY

CAMOUFLAGED AMONGST THE LEAVES.

THEIR NEW GREEN SKIN BLENDS IN PERFECTLY WITH THE FOLIAGE OF

THE MANCHINEEL TREE.

THIS HIGHLY TOXIC TREE IS COMMON THROUGHOUT THE CARIBBEAN.

THE IGUANAS HAVE AN IMMUNITY TO ALL OF ITS TOXINS.

BUT IF THE SLIGHTEST CONTACT WITH ITS LEAVES WOULD CAUSE A

SERIOUS BLISTERING, WHAT AFFECT COULD EATING ITS FRUIT HAVE?

THE FIRST EUROPEAN COLONISTS WHO DISEMBARKED HERE PAID FOR THAT

ANSWER WITH THEIR LIVES.

SO, THESE BEACH APPLES ARE SOLELY RESERVED FOR THE IGUANAS.

AS THE HOURS TICK BY, THE SUN HAS SUFFICIENTLY WARMED THEIR

COLD-BLOODED BODIES AND IT'S TIME FOR THEM TO GO ABOUT THEIR

SECOND TASK OF THE DAY:

FEEDING THEMSELVES.

THESE HERBIVORES FAVOR SHRUBS, BUT THEY WILL EAT ON THE GROUND

IF IT'S OPEN.

THEY JUST NEED TO CRAWL TO GATHER FOOD.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE OLDER MALES CLAIM DOMINANCE OF THE GROUP'S FEMALES

FOR NOW.

BUT YOUNG PRETENDERS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY BOLD.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THEIR SENIORITY, THE DOMINANT

MALES HAVE TO BE PERSUASIVE.

A FLICK OF THE HEAD ALLOWS IT TO DISPLAY ITS DEWLAP,

LIKE A STANDARD.

AND WHEN INTIMIDATION NO LONGER WORKS, THEN THINGS HAVE TO

ESCALATE.

THE OUTCOME OF THE BATTLE DETERMINES WHICH MALE WILL EARN

THE RIGHT TO MATE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WHEN THE DUST SETTLES, THE LOSER LEAVES THE ARENA,

GIVING WAY TO THE VICTOR AND THE NEXT GENERATION.

ISOLATED AND ICONIC, THE ISLANDS OF THE CARIBBEAN GIVE US A

WINDOW INTO THE BEAUTIFUL DIVERSITY OF NATURE, WITH UNIQUE

PLANTS AND ANIMALS THAT HAVE FOUND A WAY TO THRIVE WHERE

OTHERS SIMPLY COULD NOT EXIST.

EVEN IN A TROPICAL PARADISE, ADAPTATION AND INGENUITY ARE KEY

FOR ANY ANIMAL'S SURVIVAL.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY AND I HOPE TO SEE YOU FOR THE

NEXT ADVENTURE ON

"EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]