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 ARE ABOUT TO MEET SOME INCREDIBLE ANIMALS ON "EARTH

ODYSSEY."

TODAY, WE'RE INVESTIGATING THE ISLANDS OF THE CARIBBEAN TO FIND

THE MESMERIZING ANIMALS THAT LIVE IN THIS TROPICAL PARADISE.

LIKE THESE VOCAL PRIMATES THAT DEFINE THE TERM "LOUD AND

PROUD."

AND THERE'S A FLURRY OF FLIPPERS IN THIS REPTILE RACE TO THE SEA.

LATER, WE'LL SEE WHAT'S GOT THESE RADIANT AVIANS TALKING.

BUT FIRST, WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE LAND ITSELF TO SEE WHAT'S

RESPONSIBLE FOR SUCH AN EXPLOSION OF BIODIVERSITY.

THERE'S THIS AND MORE UP NEXT ON "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 CARIBBEAN ISLANDS, WHICH STRETCH MORE THAN

1 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.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: 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 WHIMS

OF THE VOLCANO.

[MUSIC CONTINUES]

DYLAN: HERE, IN THE BELCHING, TOXIC FUMES, THE PROSTRATED

VEGETATION IS PURELY EPHEMERAL; MERELY TOLERATED.

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, PEET 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 VISCUS HEART

BEATS.

THE VOLCANO IS ALIVE AND STILL BREATHING.

[MUSIC CONTINUES]

DYLAN: 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'S THE LIFE IN THE SUN, WHICH HERE IN THE TROPICS

SHINES FOR 11 TO 13 HOURS A DAY ALL YEAR-ROUND.

AND FINALLY, WATER.

THIS REGION SEES EXTENSIVE ANNUAL RAINFALL WHICH CREATES

LUSH, TROPICAL FORESTS THAT CAN FOSTER SOME OF EARTH'S MOST

REMARKABLE ANIMAL LIFE.

WHEN WE COME BACK, YOU DON'T NEED A FULL MOON TO HEAR THESE

MONKEYS HOWL.

AND IT'S OUT OF THE EGG AND INTO THE OCEAN FOR THESE NEWBORN

NAVIGATORS.

PLUS, WE'LL MEET ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST COLORFUL FLOCKS.

STAY TUNED FOR MORE "EARTH ODYSSEY."

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: IN THE WEST CARIBBEAN NESTLED AMONG THE TREES ON THE

ISLAND OF COSTA RICA...

[HOWLS]

DYLAN: YOU'RE SURE TO HEAR A FEW LOUD LOCALS BEFORE YOU SEE THEM.

MEET 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.

[MUSIC AND FOREST SOUNDS]

DYLAN: THIS NEW WORLD PRIMATE MANAGES TO PRODUCE THE LOUDEST

SOUNDS IN THE FOREST.

[HOWLS]

DYLAN: THERE ARE MULTIPLE HOWLER MONKEY SPECIES.

AND WHILE THE MANTLED HOWLER IS NOT THE NOISIEST OF THEM,

ITS VOCAL DEMONSTRATION 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.

[HOWLS]

DYLAN: THE MONKEYS' 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.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WHILE NOT EXACTLY THE MOST ROMANTIC, THE PROMISE OF

NEW LIFE MAKES THEIR UNION ONE TO BE CELEBRATED IN THIS

CARIBBEAN WILD.

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.

[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 CONTINUES]

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

GIVING WAY TO THE VICTOR AND THE NEXT GENERATION.

COMING UP, WHERE ONE JOURNEY ENDS, A FEW DOZEN BEGIN FOR THIS

REPTILE FAMILY.

AND WE'LL MEET ONE OF THE RAREST BIRDS IN THE CARIBBEAN CANOPY.

WHEN WE RETURN ON "EARTH ODYSSEY."

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: 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.

HERE IN THE SAND OF THIS TROPICAL BEACH, NEW LIFE IS

READY TO EMERGE.

[MUSIC]

[WAVES CRASHING]

DYLAN: AFTER OVERCOMING THE DANGERS OF HURRICANE SEASON,

THESE BABY SEA TURTLES HAVE ONLY JUST BEGUN ONE OF NATURE'S MOST

EPIC JOURNEYS.

[MUSIC CONTINUES]

DYLAN: IT TAKES TRUE PERSEVERANCE FOR THESE TURTLES

TO REACH ADULTHOOD AND BE ABLE TO COME AND LAY THEIR OWN EGGS

ON THESE SHORES.

THE CARIBBEAN HAS ALWAYS BEEN SUBJECT TO HURRICANES AND THE

WILDLIFE WHICH LIVES THERE HAS LEARNED TO ADAPT TO THEM.

THEIR RESILIENCE AND THEIR CAPACITY TO OVERCOME THESE

CHALLENGES WILL SERVE THEM WELL IN THE FUTURE AS THEY GROW AND

FACE THE HARDSHIPS THAT COME ALONG WITH A LIFE LIVED IN THE

WILD.

EVEN IN A TROPICAL PARADISE.

THE ISLANDS OF THE CARIBBEAN ARE ONE OF 36 HOTSPOTS OF GLOBAL

DIVERSITY.

THEY ARE THE RICHEST, THE MOST FRAGILE AND THE MOST VULNERABLE

ECOSYSTEMS ON THE PLANET.

THESE TREASURES ARE UNLIKE ANY OTHER AND OFFER US A GLIMPSE

INTO THE INCREDIBLE BEAUTY OF THE WILD.

ON THE LOWER COASTS OF THESE CARIBBEAN ISLAND, THE 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 HOME.

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.

SOME OF THE WORLD'S MOST MAGNIFICENT MIGRATORY BIRDS CAN

BE FOUND HERE, USING THIS TROPICAL LOCALE AS THEIR WINTER

WONDERLAND.

AFTER THE BREAK, WE'LL SEE WHAT PERFECT PLUMAGE LOOKS LIKE IN

PARADISE.

THERE'S MORE TO COME HERE ON "EARTH ODYSSEY."

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: OFF THE NORTHEAST COAST OF COSTA RICA ON THE EDGE OF THE

CARIBBEAN, ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST ICONIC, EXOTIC BIRDS FLIES

FREELY.

[MUSIC - MACAWS SQUAWKING]

DYLAN: THE GREAT GREEN MACAW, OR BUFFON'S MACAW.

GIVEN ITS RARITY, OBSERVING THE BUFFON'S MACAW IN ITS NATURAL

ENVIRONMENT IS A PRIVILEGE.

THIS SOCIAL BIRD ONCE FLOURISHED ACROSS CENTRAL AMERICA.

BUT DEFORESTATION CAUSED BY BANANA CULTIVATION HAS

TRAGICALLY REDUCED ITS NUMBERS.

[MUSIC - MACAWS SQUAWKING CONTINUES]

DYLAN: IN ONE CENTURY, 90 PERCENT OF ITS HABITAT HAS

DISAPPEARED.

NOW THAT GROOMING IS FINISHED, IT'S TIME TO FIND SOME LUNCH.

THE GROUP FLIES STRAIGHT TO ITS FAVORITE PANTRY.

[MUSIC - MACAWS SQUAWKING]

DYLAN: THIS PARROT'S TREE IS A PROPER SYMBOL FOR THE SPECIES.

THE BIRDS USE IT FOR REPRODUCTION AND FEED FROM IT

ABUNDANTLY.

THE ALMENDRO, OR MOUNTAIN ALMOND.

THE FRUIT IS A VERY HARD-SHELLED NUT THAT THE MACAW SKILLFULLY

CRACKS OPEN.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: IN COSTA RICA, A PROTECTIVE BAN HAS PRESERVED THE

LAST REMAINING FORESTS OF WILD ALMENDRO TREES FROM BEING

DESTROYED.

AND A REFORESTATION CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED.

THE CAMPAIGN IS NOW BEARING FRUIT, FROM THE MOUNTAIN ALMOND

TREES OF COURSE.

OF THE 350 SPECIES OF PARROTS AND RELATED BIRDS, 100 ARE IN

DANGER OF EXTINCTION INCLUDING THE GREAT GREEN MACAW.

BUT WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF CONSERVATION PROGRAMS AND

WILDLIFE PRESERVATION AREAS, THE UNIQUE AND EYE-CATCHING ANIMALS

OF EARTH'S ISLANDS REMAIN AN EXQUISITE REMINDER OF WHY THEY

ARE WORTH PROTECTING.

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]