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, AND THIS IS PETERSON.

JOIN US AS WE MEET THE CREATURES OF THE CARIBBEAN.

THIS IS "EARTH ODYSSEY".

TODAY, WE ARE HEADED FOR THE TROPICS TO GET A GLIMPSE AT ONE

OF EARTH'S MOST DIVERSE ENVIRONMENTS.

THIS PACK OF POLLINATORS ACTS AS CARETAKERS OF THE FORESTS.

LATER, WE'LL MEET A TROPICAL TROOP THAT'S NEVER AFRAID TO

MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD.

[MONKEY HOWLING]

AND WE'LL GET COMFY IN A COCOON WITH THESE FLYING FANCIES, BUT

WE BEGIN OUR JOURNEY WHERE SOME ADORABLE ISLAND INFANTS BEGIN

THEIRS, ON THE SUNNY SANDS OF THE CARIBBEAN SHORES.

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

[MUSIC]

FOR ANY ANIMAL, BEING BORN IN THE WILD COMES WITH ITS FAIR

SHARE OF CHALLENGES, BUT FOR CERTAIN SPECIES, THEIR TOOLS FOR

SURVIVAL ARE PUT TO THE TEST IMMEDIATELY.

SEA TURTLES ARE A TRULY REMARKABLE EXAMPLE OF RESILIENCE

AND ENDURANCE FROM THE MOMENT THEY LEAVE THEIR SHELL.

HATCHLINGS ARE LEFT ON THEIR OWN TO FIND THEIR WAY ACROSS

TREACHEROUS PREDATOR-FILLED BEACHES TO THE UNPREDICTABLE

DANGERS OF THE OPEN SEA, WHERE THEY WILL SPEND THE REST OF

THEIR LIVES.

IT'S NO EASY TASK, BUT ONE THAT EACH MUST UNDERTAKE TO SURVIVE.

ON THE COASTS OF THESE CARIBBEAN ISLANDS, SALT MARSHES OFFER

SANCTUARY TO MANY SPECIES OF SHOREBIRD.

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 HAVE CHOSEN THIS PLACE TO SETTLE AND ENSURE THE ARRIVAL OF

THE NEXT GENERATION, LIKE THIS SNOWY PLOVER GETTING COMFORTABLE

ON THE WATER'S EDGE.

MEANWHILE, ALONG THE CARIBBEAN SHORES,

SOMETHING BIG IS HAPPENING.

AFTER A TWO-MONTH INCUBATION PERIOD, THE YOUNG SEA TURTLES

ARE GETTING READY TO EMERGE FROM THE SAND TO HEAD FOR THE OCEAN.

THEY HAVE SURVIVED THE BATTERING OF THE HURRICANES.

IT TAKES TRUE PERSEVERANCE FOR THESE TURTLES TO REACH ADULTHOOD

AND BE ABLE TO COME AND LAY THEIR OWN EGGS ON THESE SHORES.

THESE SMALL MANGROVE ISLANDS SERVE AS RESTING PLACES FOR

BIRDS COMING IN FROM THE OPEN SEA.

ONE OF THEM LEADS QUITE AN UNBELIEVABLE LIFE...

...A BIRD WHOSE LIFE IS INEXTRICABLY LINKED TO THE OCEAN

THAT HUNTS AND EATS ONLY MARINE PREY.

IT SPENDS ITS LIFE GLIDING ABOVE THE SEA DAY AND NIGHT.

IT SLEEPS WHILE IN THE AIR, CARRIED BY POWERFUL TROPICAL

UPWARD CURRENTS, WHICH CAN LIFT IT TO AN ALTITUDE OF ALMOST

10,000 FEET.

ITS FIVE-FOOT WINGSPAN, NARROW WINGS, AND LIGHT BODY ALLOW IT

TO GLIDE WITHOUT EFFORT.

IRONICALLY, ITS PLUMAGE IS NOT WATERPROOF, AND ITS FEATHERS

MUST HAVE NO CONTACT WITH WATER, OR ELSE IT WILL DROWN.

BUT THEY HAVE ADAPTED, ABLE TO LIVE ON THE EDGE OF LIFE AND

DEATH WITH PRACTICED EASE.

THE MAGNIFICENT FRIGATE BIRD IS A LIVING PARADOX AND PROOF THAT

MOTHER NATURE IS ALWAYS UNEXPECTED.

WHEN WE RETURN, WE'LL MEET A MINI-MAMMAL THAT IS VITAL TO THE

FUTURE OF THE FOREST AND SOME PRECOCIOUS PRIMATES YOU'LL

ALWAYS HEAR COMING.

[MONKEY HOWLING]

PLUS, A LOOK AT THE LIFE CYCLE OF EARTH'S MOST BEAUTIFUL BUG.

ALL THIS AND SO MUCH MORE ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

.

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

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 DARKEST 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 BLOOMS, 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 BAT'S 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 WELLBEING 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.

UP NEXT, THESE TROPICAL TREE-HUGGERS HAVE A HOWL YOU CAN

HEAR FOR MILES.

[MONKEY HOWLING]

AND AMONG THE MEADOWS, AN INSECT ICON IS TAKING SHAPE.

BUT FIRST, IT'S TIME FOR WILDLIFE A TO Z.

ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE FEATS OF ACCREDITED ZOOS AND WILDLIFE

PARKS IS THEIR ABILITY TO CARE FOR ANIMALS FROM

ALMOST ANY ENVIRONMENT...

[TIGER GROWLING]

...WHETHER FROM LAND, AIR, OR SEA.

[DOLPHIN WHISTLING]

PROFESSIONAL CARE FOR MARINE MAMMALS, LIKE THE BOTTLENOSE

DOLPHIN, COMES WITH UNIQUE CHALLENGES BECAUSE OF THEIR

AQUATIC HABITAT.

AS WITH ANY OTHER ANIMAL INHABITANT OF THE ZOO, DOLPHINS

NEED A SPECIALLY CURATED DIET AND DAILY ENRICHMENT.

VETERINARY TEAMS LIKE HERE AT BROOKFIELD ZOO MUST BE FULLY

EQUIPPED TO HANDLE DAY-TO-DAY HEALTH AS WELL AS

ANY EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.

IT'S NOT AN EASY TASK, BUT A VITAL ONE TO KEEP THESE MAJESTIC

MARINE MAMMALS FIT AND FLOURISHING.

[DOLPHIN WHISTLING]

STAY TUNED.

WE'VE GOT MORE "EARTH ODYSSEY" COMING UP NEXT.

.

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

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK.

I'M HERE AT BROOKFIELD ZOO WITH DR. MIKE ADKESSON, AND WE'VE GOT

TIMO THE SLOTH.

OH, MY GOODNESS, WHAT A SPECIAL ANIMAL.

AND THEY SPEND MOST OF THEIR LIVES IN THE TREES, RIGHT?

DR. ADKESSON: YEAH, SO SLOTHS SPEND THEIR

ENTIRE LIVES IN THE TREES.

THEY'LL COME DOWN OCCASIONALLY, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, THEY'RE

ALWAYS UP HIGH.

DYLAN: SO FOR ANIMALS THAT LIVE UP IN THE TREES, WHAT SORT OF

QUALITIES AND TRAITS DO THEY NEED TO HAVE?

DR. ADKESSON: SO THEY'VE GOT TO HAVE A REALLY GOOD ABILITY TO

STAY UP THERE.

SO IN THE CASE OF TIMO, HE'S GOT REALLY LONG TOENAILS THERE TO

HELP HIM HOLD ONTO BRANCHES AND VERY STRONG MUSCLES TO KEEP HOLD

OF THE TREE.

A LOT OF ANIMALS THAT ARE UP IN THE TREE, VERY AGILE, VERY

QUICK, MOVE VERY FAST, JUMP FROM BRANCH-TO-BRANCH.

SLOTHS, ON THE OTHER HAND, JUST KIND OF TAKE IT NICE AND SLOW.

DYLAN: DR. MIKE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

DR. ADKESSON: YOU'RE WELCOME.

DYLAN: NOW BACK TO OUR SHOW.

THROUGHOUT THE CARIBBEAN AND THE MAJORITY OF CENTRAL AMERICA,

LIVING IN TREES IS A POPULAR LIFESTYLE.

[MONKEY HOWLING]

DYLAN: BUT UNLIKE THE SLOTH, THESE NOISY NEIGHBORS ARE QUICK

TO MAKE THEIR PRESENCE KNOWN.

IT'S THE HOWLER MONKEY, OR MORE SPECIFICALLY,

THE MANTLED HOWLER MONKEY.

LARGELY DEPENDENT ON THE FOREST ENVIRONMENT, TREES PROVIDE THIS

SPECIES WITH FOOD AND A PLACE TO LIVE.

THIS NEW WORLD PRIMATE MANAGES TO PRODUCE THE LOUDEST SOUNDS

IN THE FOREST.

[MONKEY HOWLING]

THE HOWLER MONKEY GROUP IS MADE UP OF NINE SPECIES.

WHILE THE MANTLED HOWLER IS NOT THE NOISIEST OF THEM, ITS VOCAL

DEMONSTRATIONS CAN STILL BE HEARD FROM MILES AWAY...

...CLEARLY LOUD ENOUGH TO MARK ITS TERRITORY.

IN DOING SO, IT WARNS OTHER GROUPS OF HOWLERS THAT THIS

TRIBE IS OCCUPYING THIS PARTICULAR RESTING

OR FEEDING SITE.

TO PRODUCE SUCH A SOUND, THE MONKEY HAS A PARTICULARLY

EFFECTIVE VOICE BOX.

HUMANS POSSESS SPOKEN LANGUAGE.

THIS IS THANKS TO A CERTAIN SKELETAL ELEMENT,

THE HYOID BONE.

THIS BONE IS UNIQUE IN THAT IT ARTICULATES WITH NO OTHER BONES,

BUT IS ATTACHED TO THE ROOT OF THE TONGUE BY MUSCLES

IN THE JAW.

IN NON-HUMAN PRIMATES, THIS BONE IS NOT POSITIONED IN QUITE THE

SAME MANNER, AND IN THE HOWLER MONKEY, IT'S 20 TIMES LARGER, AN

ENLARGEMENT WHICH CHARACTERIZES THE SPECIES AND GIVES IT THIS

UNIQUE LOOK.

THEIR LARYNX THEN AMPLIFIES ANY SOUNDS THAT ARE PRODUCED.

[MONKEYS HOWLING]

THE MONKEY'S CRY IS POWERFUL, BUT ITS STRENGTH IS GENTLE.

IT RELIES ON DISSUASION, USING ITS VOICE TO ELIMINATE THE NEED

TO ENGAGE IN CONFLICT.

IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM, IT IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO

DISTINGUISH GENDER.

FOR THE HOWLER MONKEY, HOWEVER, THAT IS NOT THE CASE.

THIS IS AN ALPHA MALE.

HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THE SECURITY AND THE UNITY OF

THE GROUP, WHICH IS COMPOSED OF FEMALES, ADOLESCENTS, AND A FEW

OTHER MALES.

HIERARCHY DEMANDS THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL OBEY AND RESPECT THE

ALPHA'S SOCIAL RANK.

THIS TENDS TO KEEP THE PEACE AMONG THE GROUPS.

THE PRIVILEGE OF THE ALPHA MALE IS PROCREATION.

WHEN COURTING, HE STICKS OUT HIS TONGUE IN A

PUBLIC DISPLAY OF INTENT.

IT MAY NOT BE THE MOST CHARMING OF GESTURES, BUT IT'S

EFFECTIVENESS CAN'T BE DENIED AND SPARKS A ROMANCE THAT WILL

BRING IT INTO THE NEXT GENERATION.

STILL TO COME, A ROYAL ADDITION TO THE CARIBBEAN'S INSECT

POPULATION NEXT ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

.

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

DYLAN: BEHIND THE CARIBBEAN'S MANGROVES AND MARSHY FORESTS,

THERE ARE WATER MEADOWS.

THE FOREST CLEARINGS HAVE BECOME MORE AND MORE POPULATED BY

FLOWERING PLANTS.

ONE OF THESE, THE TROPICAL MILKWEED, PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN

THE LIFE OF A MONARCH BUTTERFLY.

MONARCHS ARE NORMALLY NOMADIC, BUT THEY HAVE DECIDED TO SETTLE

DOWN PERMANENTLY HERE IN THE CARIBBEAN.

FOR MONARCH BUTTERFLIES, THIS IS MATING SEASON.

ONCE FERTILIZED, THE FEMALES ARE READY TO PRODUCE

A NEW GENERATION.

TROPICAL MILKWEED IS THE PERFECT PLACE FOR A MONARCH

TO LAY ITS EGGS.

AFTER JUST A FEW DAYS, TINY CATERPILLARS APPEAR.

THEY WILL GROW VERY QUICKLY.

AFTER TWO WEEKS AND A FEW MOLTING MUTATIONS, THEIR SIZE

WILL INCREASE BY 200 TIMES.

THE MILKWEED THAT THEY FEED ON CONTAINS TOXIC COMPOUNDS TO

WHICH THE CATERPILLARS ARE IMMUNE.

BY CONCENTRATING THE TOXINS WITHIN THEIR BODIES, THE LARVAE

ARE WELL-ARMORED AGAINST ANY PREDATOR.

THE CATERPILLARS HAVE FINISHED GROWING.

THEIR NEXT MOLT WILL BE THEIR LAST.

AROUND TEN DAYS LATER, A BRAND-NEW CREATURE

IS READY TO EMERGE.

THIS CHRYSALIS, THE FRAGILE ENVELOPE WITHIN WHICH THE

CATERPILLAR'S SLOW METAMORPHOSIS HAS TAKEN PLACE, NOW OPENS TO

REVEAL THE NEW CREATURE.

THE YOUNG BUTTERFLY SPREADS ITS WINGS AND PUMPS HEMOLYMPH, OR

BLOOD, THROUGH ITS BODY.

THIS LIQUID WILL IRRIGATE AND STRENGTHEN EACH OF ITS LIMBS.

THEN COMES THE ULTIMATE CHALLENGE, THAT OF WARMING ITS

MOTOR MUSCLES ENOUGH TO ENABLE IT TO FLY.

JUST LIKE ITS PREDECESSORS, THE MONARCH WILL CRISSCROSS THE

CARIBBEAN SHORES IN SEARCH OF ITS OWN HOME IN THE WILD.

THE ISLANDS OF THE CARIBBEAN ARE ONE OF THE 35 HOTSPOTS

OF GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY.

THEY ARE THE RICHEST, THE MOST FRAGILE,

AND THE MOST VULNERABLE ECOSYSTEMS ON THE PLANET.

THESE TREASURES ARE UNLIKE ANY OTHERS AND OFFER US A GLIMPSE

INTO THE INCREDIBLE BEAUTY OF THE CARIBBEAN WILD.

THE CARIBBEAN'S BIODIVERSITY IS ONE OF THE MOST ASTONISHING ON

EARTH, BUT IT'S A DELICATE BALANCE TO KEEP THE ECOSYSTEM

HERE THRIVING, SUPPORTING ITS RICH PLANT

AND ANIMAL POPULATION.

THE CONSERVATION EFFORTS IN THIS REGION HAVE PLAYED A CRITICAL

ROLE IN KEEPING SUCH A LUSH ENVIRONMENT FROM LOSING ITS WILD

IDENTITY WHILE PROTECTING THE CREATURES THAT CAN SURVIVE

NOWHERE ELSE.

IT'S AN EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW, KEEPING SAFE THE RARE AND UNIQUE

CREATURES THAT ARE TRUE TREASURES OF THE WILD.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

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

[MUSIC]