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 WE'RE ABOUT TO

VENTURE INTO THE WILD WILDERNESS OF NORTH AMERICA.

THIS IS "EARTH ODYSSEY".

TODAY, WE'RE HEADED TO THE LUSH LANDSCAPES OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

TO MEET THE INCREDIBLE CREATURES OF CANADA...

...LIKE THESE OVERLY AFFECTIONATE MOUNTAINTOP

MAMMALS.

FOR THIS MOLLUSK, LIFE IS LIVED IN SLOW MOTION.

AND LATER, NOT SURE YOU'D WANT A BEAR HUG FROM THIS WILD

WANDERER.

BUT FIRST, WE'LL MEET A NORTH AMERICAN WHO'S AS HUNGRY AS A

BEAR.

THIS AND SO MUCH MORE ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]

ONE OF OUR PLANET'S MOST DRAMATIC COLLECTIONS OF

BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPES IS UNDOUBTEDLY THE CANADIAN

PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA.

ITS BRIGHT FORESTS AND STAGGERING MOUNTAINS GIVE A

SENSE OF WONDER TO THIS UNTAMED WILD.

SUCH EXPANSIVE WILDERNESS MEANS THAT ANIMALS OF ALL KINDS CAN

THRIVE HERE.

ON PEAKS OR IN VALLEYS, WHETHER FLORA OR FAUNA, IN THIS REGION,

THE BEAUTY OF NATURE IS ON FULL DISPLAY.

AWE-INSPIRING, DIVERSE,

AND EXTRAORDINARY, THESE TERRAINS

MAKE UP AN INCREDIBLE REGION KNOWN AS BRITISH COLUMBIA.

COVERING MORE THAN 360,000 SQUARE MILES, THIS LAND IS AS

UNIQUE AS IT IS UNEXPECTED.

THIS SPOTTED LAKE IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE.

IT'S THE RESULT OF HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF VARIOUS

MINERALS LEFT IN POOLS WHEN THE HEAT OF SUMMER EVAPORATES THE

LAKE.

THIS LAKE IS SEEN AS A SACRED PLACE FOR THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

OF THE REGION WHO REGARD IT AS HAVING HEALING POWERS, YET NO

MATTER WHAT ONE BELIEVES, THIS REMARKABLE PLACE HAS AN

UNDENIABLE SENSE OF MAGIC TO IT, AND THE ANIMALS THAT LIVE NEARBY

HAVE A SIMILAR SENSE OF MAJESTY ABOUT THEM.

IT'S SALMON SEASON, AND THE RIVERS ON VANCOUVER ISLAND ARE

FILLED WITH POTENTIAL MEALS.

THIS BUFFET BRINGS OUT A MYRIAD OF OPPORTUNISTIC PESCATARIANS.

HOWEVER, THERE'S ONE THAT TAKES PRIDE OF PLACE AMONG THESE

RIVERBANKS...

...THE BLACK BEAR.

THESE BEARS ARE VERY COMMON ON THE ISLAND.

WHILE THEY SHARE THEIR TERRITORY WITH OTHER BEARS ON THE

MAINLAND, HERE, THEY ARE MASTERS OF THEIR DOMAIN...

...WHICH MEANS GRABBING A MEAL IS USUALLY A PEACEFUL ENDEAVOR.

ALTHOUGH THEY ARE MOSTLY VEGETARIAN, THIS AMPLE SUPPLY OF

FISH CAN'T BE IGNORED.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY CAN'T BE PICKY.

BLACK BEARS WILL CHOSE ONLY THE GAMIEST FARE.

BUT BLACK BEARS AREN'T THE ONLY ONES OUT FOR A FREE MEAL.

THIS BALD EAGLE LOOKS ON GREEDILY, EAGER FOR THEIR OWN

FISHY FEAST.

ALWAYS LOOKING FOR A BIT OF PRIVACY, THE BLACK BEAR LEAVES

THE RIVER WITH ITS CATCH.

EATING AMONG THE TREES SPREADS MINERALS FROM THE LEFTOVERS

ALONG THE FOREST FLOOR, ENRICHING THE SOIL.

HERE, EVERYONE MUST CHIP IN TO KEEP THEIR HABITAT HEALTHY.

WHEN WE RETURN, THESE RUGGED RODENTS HAVE A CHEEKYWAY OF

SAYING HELLO.

LATER, WE'LL SEE THE SLIMIEST WAY TO STRUT YOUR STUFF.

PLUS, THERE'S NOTHING SWEET ABOUT THESE BEAR CLAWS WHEN

THEY'RE ON THE HUNT, COMING UP ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

.

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

DYLAN: ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC FEATURES OF CANADA'S EXPANSIVE

DOMAIN IS ITS MOUNTAINS.

THESE NATURAL SKYSCRAPERS FORMED BY THE MEETING OF TECTONIC

PLATES DOMINATE THE HORIZON IN THIS PART OF THE CANADIAN

WILDERNESS.

MANY OF THESE PEAKS REACH WELL OVER 10,000 FEET AND PRESENT

EXTREMELY DIFFICULT LIVING CONDITIONS FOR BOTH PLANTS AND

ANIMALS.

BUT THERE ARE THOSE THAT HAVE FOUND A WAY TO THRIVE IN THIS

HIGH-ALTITUDE HOME.

RIGHT ON CUE.

THIS IS A HOARY MARMOT...

...PERFECTLY AT EASE IN THIS RUGGED, ROCKY ENVIRONMENT.

THEIR SLOW METABOLISM, WHICH ALLOWS THEM TO CONSERVE ENERGY,

REQUIRES THAT THEY BASK IN THE SUN EACH MORNING TO PERK UP AND

ACCUMULATE HEAT.

MARMOTS FORM CLOSE-KNIT FAMILY CLANS AND HAVE A RATHER PECULIAR

WAY OF GREETING EACH OTHER.

THEY SNIFF EACH OTHER'S CHEEKS IN ORDER TO RECOGNIZE EACH

OTHER'S SCENT.

IT'S ODOR ID.

[MARMOT WHISTLING]

AN ALARM.

THE WHISTLING OF A NEIGHBOR IS HEARD ACROSS THE ROCKS.

[WHISTLING CONTINUES]

WEIGHING ONLY FIVE OUNCES AND MEASURING LESS THAN EIGHT INCHES

FROM NOSE TO TAIL, THIS IS THE AMERICAN PIKA, THE SMALLEST

RABBIT IN THE WORLD.

IT'S ONE OF THE RARE MAMMALS THAT MANAGES TO LIVE AT THIS

ALTITUDE THROUGH EVERY SEASON.

UNLIKE MARMOTS, WHO HIBERNATE IN THE WINTER, THE PIKA STAYS

ACTIVE ALL YEAR ROUND.

NOW THAT'S MASTER OF THE MOUNTAIN.

PIKAS LIVE ABOVE THE TREE LINE AT ABOUT 8,000 FEET IN THE COLD

AND WINDY ALPINE ZONE.

HERE, NOTHING GROWS BUT GRASSES, WHICH SUITS THIS LITTLE

MOUNTAIN-DWELLER JUST FINE.

WITH A STRICT VEGETARIAN DIET, THESE ALPINE GRASSLANDS PROVIDE

AN ABUNDANCE OF NOURISHMENT FOR THE PIKA.

WHILE OTHER ANIMALS REDUCE THEIR BIOLOGICAL ENERGY LEVELS TO

SURVIVE THE HARSH WINTERS, THE PIKA CONFRONTS THE COLD HEAD-ON.

ITS SMALL ROUND SHAPE IS IDEAL FOR CONSERVING BODY HEAT, AND

THOSE FURRY FEET ACT LIKE SNOWSHOES SO IT CAN MOVE EASILY

ACROSS THE SNOW.

LIFE SEEMS IDYLLIC FOR THIS MINI-MAMMAL, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS

A CATCH.

FINDING FOOD IN THE WINTER MONTHS CAN PROVIDE DIFFICULT AS

THE GRASSES ARE HEAVY SNOWFALL, BUT THIS LITTLE ROCK RABBIT HAS

GOT THE ANSWER.

AT THE END OF SUMMER, THEY START HAYMAKING.

LOOK AT THEM GO.

QUICK...

...AGILE...

...AND EFFECTIVE...

...ABLE TO GATHER AND STORE FOOD WITH INCREDIBLE EFFICIENCY.

[PIKA WHISTLING]

EVEN THE MARMOTS LOOKING ON CAN'T HELP BUT BE IMPRESSED.

DASHING ACROSS THE GRASSLAND, THE PIKA RARELY TAKES A BREAK

FROM ITS MISSION TO GATHER FOOD.

THE ONLY STOPS IT MAKES ARE TO QUICKLY SURVEY THE SURROUNDING

AREA FOR ANY PESKY PREDATORS.

ONE CAN EVER BE TOO CAREFUL.

[PIKA WHISTLING]

AFTER GETTING THE ALL CLEAR, THEY CAN DASH BACK TO A

STOREHOUSE, WHERE THEIR BOUNTY IS KEPT SAFE.

BUT IN SUCH A HARSH ENVIRONMENT, THE WORK IS NEVER DONE.

UP NEXT, A FOREST INHABITANT WHO'S FEELING A BIT SLUGGISH

THIS AFTERNOON.

AND SOME MOUNTAIN CLIMBING HAS GIVEN THIS BIG BEAR A BIGGER

APPETITE.

STAY TUNED FOR MORE "EARTH ODYSSEY" RIGHT AFTER THIS.

.

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

DYLAN: OFF OF CANADA'S WESTERN COAST IS AN ISLAND UNLIKE ANY

OTHER.

VANCOUVER ISLAND IS HOME TO THE CAPITAL OF BRITISH COLUMBIA AND

ALMOST ONE MILLION PEOPLE, BUT ALSO HOSTS ONE OF THE RICHEST

AND MOST VIBRANT WILD HABITATS IN NORTH AMERICA.

ONE OF THE LARGEST ISLANDS ON EARTH, VANCOUVER ISLAND

STRETCHES ALMOST 300 MILES ALONG THE PACIFIC OCEAN, FEATURING

THICK FORESTS AND WATERWAYS TEEMING WITH WILDLIFE.

THIS EXQUISITE POCKET OF THE WORLD IS A PLACE WHERE BOTH

FLORA AND FAUNA CAN TRULY FLOURISH.

IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST LIES AN ISLAND OF MAJESTIC NATURAL

BEAUTY...

...VANCOUVER ISLAND.

THIS LUSH LOCAL IS SEPARATED FROM THE MAINLAND ONLY BY NARROW

STRAITS.

WITH NUMEROUS RIVERS AND A RUGGED TERRAIN, IT'S COVERED BY

DENSE AND SOMETIMES EVEN IMPENETRABLE FORESTS.

THE WEST COAST OF THE ISLAND RECEIVES UP TO 200 DAYS OF RAIN

EVERY YEAR.

THIS WET WEATHER CREATES THE CONDITIONS FOR A TEMPERATE

RAINFOREST IN ONE OF THE WETTEST NON-TROPICAL ZONES IN THE WORLD.

YET ONLY A FEW SPECIES OF TREES CAN SURVIVE THE ENVIRONMENT.

WESTERN HEMLOCK, PACIFIC RED CEDAR, AND DOUGLAS FIR ARE THE

MOST COMMON AND WIDESPREAD.

IN THE UNDERGROWTH, EVEN THE SMALLEST SURFACES ARE COVERED BY

MOSSES AND LICHENS.

RECORD LEVELS OF HUMIDITY ALLOW PLANT LIFE TO FLOURISH IN THIS

AREA.

BUT PLANTS AREN'T THE ONLY ORGANISMS THAT THRIVE IN THESE

CONDITIONS.

THIS IS THE HOME OF CANADA'S LARGEST LAND MOLLUSK, MORE

COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE BANANA SLUG.

ABLE TO GROW UP TO TEN INCHES LONG, THIS EYE-CATCHING

INVERTEBRATE IS WHAT'S KNOWN AS A DECOMPOSER.

IT FEEDS ON THE AMPLE AMOUNTS OF DECAYING MATTER ON THE FOREST

FLOOR, BUT ITS FAVORITE FOOD IS MUSHROOMS.

FOR FEEDING, BANANA SLUGS ARE EQUIPPED WITH A RIBBON OF TINY

HARD TEETH CALLED A RADULAR.

IT ALLOWS THEM TO CUT AND SCRAPE EVEN THE LARGEST PIECES OF FOOD,

SO THEIR EYES ARE RARELY BIGGER THAN THEIR STOMACHS.

SLUGS ACTUALLY COME FROM A MARINE ORIGIN, OR FROM THE

OCEAN.

OVER TIME, THEY ADAPTED TO DRY LAND, DEVELOPING ONE LUNG, A

MUSCULAR FOOT, AND OF COURSE THEIR CALLING CARD, MUCOUS, OR

SLIME.

THIS FLUID OVER THEIR ENTIRE BODY ALLOWS THEM TO MOVE WITH

RELATIVE EASE.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE THEY'RE GLIDING ON AIR AS THEY MOVE ACROSS THE

FLOOR, TREES, OR ANY OTHER OBSTACLE IN THEIR WAY.

CLEARLY, THE TEMPERATE RAINFORESTS OF VANCOUVER ISLAND

ARE THE PERFECT PLACE TO FLOURISH FOR THIS SLIPPERY

CUSTOMER.

COMING UP, AN UNBEARABLE ARRIVAL SCARES AWAY THE NEIGHBORS WHEN

"EARTH ODYSSEY" RETURNS.

.

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

[MARMOT WHISTLING]

DYLAN: A WARNING SIGNAL RINGS ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS.

THIS IS AN ALARM BELL FOR THE MARMOTS AND PIKAS, AND THE

MESSAGE IS CLEAR, RUN.

AN UNFAMILIAR FACE IS COMING THIS WAY.

GRIZZLY BEARS ARE COMING FROM THE COAST TO THE ALPINE ZONES.

CAPABLE OF TRAVELING GREAT DISTANCES, GRIZZLIES CAN MIGRATE

FROM THE HIGH MOUNTAINS TO THE LOW VALLEYS WHENEVER THEY NEED.

THIS ONE IS MERELY PASSING THROUGH THE AREA, BUT THAT

DOESN'T MEAN OTHER CREATURES CAN BE AT EASE.

THERE AREN'T MANY THINGS OR ANIMALS THAT ARE NOT ON A

GRIZZLIES MENU.

AS OMNIVORES, THEY EAT PLENTY OF VEGETATION, FISH, AND MEAT.

FOR NOW, IT LOOKS LIKE THIS BEAR IS HAPPY TO SEEK OUT ITS MEAL

SOMEWHERE ELSE.

WITH DANGER AVERTED, THE AMERICAN PIKA GETS STRAIGHT BACK

TO WORK FORAGING.

DESPITE THEIR CUTE AND CUDDLY APPEARANCE, PIKAS ARE ACTUALLY

ONE OF THE REGION'S TOUGHEST CHARACTERS.

VERY FEW ANIMALS CAN SURVIVE LIVING THEIR ENTIRE LIVES IN

ALPINE TERRAIN DUE TO ITS HARSH CONDITIONS AND EXTREME ALTITUDE,

YET THIS ROCK-RUNNING RABBIT DOES IT IN STYLE.

THEY WATCH OVER THEIR DOMAIN WITH FERVENT ATTENTION.

WHILE THEY LIVE IN COLONIES, THEY DEFEND THEIR TERRITORY

FIERCELY, KNOWING THE DANGERS OF BEING LEFT WITHOUT SHELTER OR

FOOD STORES WHEN WINTER COMES.

[PIKA WHISTLING]

THESE DRAMATIC LANDSCAPES MAY PAINT A PICTURE OF BEAUTY, BUT

LIFE HERE CAN BE WROUGHT WITH CHALLENGES.

[BEARS GROWLING]

EVERY CREATURE BIG AND SMALL MUST SHOW THEIR RESOURCEFULNESS

AND RESILIENCE TO SURVIVE IN THIS REMARKABLE NORTH AMERICAN

WILD.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON OUR JOURNEY INTO CANADA'S UNTAMED

WILD TO SEE BOTH THE CREATURES AND NATURAL FEATURES THIS REGION

HAS TO OFFER.

BEING THE SECOND LARGEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, IT'S EASY TO SEE

HOW SO MANY UNIQUE AND MAGNIFICENT LIFE FORMS HAVE

FOUND REFUGE HERE.

FROM MOUNTAINS RISING THOUSANDS OF FEET ABOVE THE GROUND TO

MINI-MAMMALS THAT HAVE BECOME MASTERS OF THEIR DOMAIN, CANADA

IS CERTAINLY A ONE-OF-A-KIND WILDERNESS.

WE'LL SEE YOU FOR THE NEXT EPISODE OF "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]