Original subtitles

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ANNOUNCER: WHEN YOU SEE THIS SYMBOL YOU KNOW YOU'RE

WATCHING TELEVISION THAT'S EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATIONAL

THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

DYLAN: I'M DYLAN DREYER AND THIS IS EARTH ODYSSEY.

CAMBODIA, A COUNTRY FLOODED WITH ANCIENT

RIVERS AND WATERWAYS.

FEEDING THE DENSE FORESTS AND MYSTERIOUS WILDLIFE.

TODAY, WE DIVE INTO THIS LUSH AND DIVERSE

ECOSYSTEM, TEEMING WITH LIFE BOTH BIG AND SMALL.

FROM THE GIANTS WHO ROAM THE FORESTS,

TO HIGH FLYING ACROBATS OF THE TREETOPS.

AND SOME SURPRISING CREATURES BELOW.

GET READY TO UNCOVER THE MYSTERY THAT IS CAMBODIA.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE KELP FOREST EXHIBIT BEHIND ME REVEALS

ONE OF THE OCEAN'S MOST DYNAMIC ECOSYSTEMS.

IT'S ALSO A GREAT WAY TO DESCRIBE OUR DESTINATION

TODAY, THE KINGDOM OF CAMBODIA.

ITS BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY IS PARTIALLY THANKS TO A

MONSOON SEASON, WHICH BRINGS PLENTY OF RAIN TO

FILL THE RIVERS AND WATERWAYS.

WE'LL HAVE TO WATCH OUR STEP THOUGH,

THE EARTH MOVES EASILY WITH ALL OF THAT WATER.

SO GRAB YOUR RAINCOAT AND LET'S SEE WHO WE CAN MEET

ON TODAY'S JOURNEY.

CAMBODIA IS BORDERED BY THE COUNTRIES THAILAND,

LAOS, AND VIETNAM, AS WELL AS THE GULF OF THAILAND.

THE COUNTRY IS PART OF A REGION CALLE INDOCHINA,

THAT'S IN SOUTHEAST ASIA.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: MOST OF THE LAND IS LOW-LYING PLAINS WITH

MOUNTAINS IN THE NORTH AND MORE HILLS TO THE EAST.

THE WATER SYSTEMS ARE EPIC.

RIVERS RUNNING WILD THROUGH THE LAND.

ANCHORED BY THE MEKONG RIVER THAT'S NEARLY

2,500 MILES LONG.

THE MEKONG FEEDS THE LARGEST INLAND BODY OF

WATER IN SOUTHEAST ASIA.

THE TONLE SAP.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ANIMALS AND PLANTS HERE MUST ADAPT TO EXTREME

WEATHER.

A HOT, DRY SEASON FOLLOWED BY SIX MONTHS OF FLOODING

RAINS.

THE MONSOON SEASON BRINGS LIFE BACK FROM THE BRINK

AND DEEP IN THE JUNGLE.

WE CATCH OUR FIRST GLIMPSE OF ONE OF THE ANIMALS WHO

LIVES HERE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE MIGHTY ASIAN ELEPHANT.

SMALLER THAN ITS AFRICAN COUSIN,

BUT STILL WEIGHS A HEFTY THREE TONS.

THAT'S MORE THAN A CAR.

MOST OF THE ELEPHANTS IN CAMBODIA LIVE IN THE

EASTERN PLAINS.

THESE ANIMALS NEED TO FIND A LOT OF FOOD TO KEEP

THEIR MASSIVE FIGURE.

THEY EAT ALL DAY.

SOMETIMES AS MANY AS 16 HOURS AT A TIME.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE MIGRATION ROUTES OF THESE ELEPHANTS

HAVE DRASTICALLY CHANGED OVER THE CENTURIES.

THERE IS LESS LAND TO FORAGE.

THESE GIANTS ARE ALWAYS SEARCHING FOR THEIR NEXT MEAL.

BUT WATCH WHERE YOU WALK.

MUDDY GROUNDS MAY BE EXCELLENT FOR HUNTING

TASTY BERRIES, BUT IT'S EASY TO SLIP AND SLIDE

WITH ALL THAT RAIN.

LUCKILY, THESE ELEPHANTS ARE EQUIPPED WITH ENORMOUS

PADDED FEET.

ABSORBING THE SHOCK OF ALL THEIR WEIGHT.

AND KEEPING THEM FROM TOPPLING OVER.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THESE ELEPHANTS ALSO HAVE A BUILT-IN

AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM.

ENORMOUS EARS.

IN THE HOT, HUMID FORESTS OF CAMBODIA,

TEMPERATURES WILL SOAR TOWARDS 100 DEGREES.

HEAT THAT CAN BE DANGEROUS IF IT BUILDS UP IN THE

ELEPHANT'S BODY.

THE ASIAN ELEPHANTS FLAP THEIR GIANT EARS TO COOL

DOWN.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: OUT HERE, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE AN EXTRA

HAND.

AND THAT'S JUST WHAT AN ELEPHANT'S TRUNK OFFERS.

AND MAYBE MORE.

ELEPHANTS' TRUNKS HAVE MORE THAN

100,000 MUSCLES WORKING TOGETHER.

THE TRUNK ACTS LIKE A MULTITASK TOOL.

ELEPHANTS USE THESE AMAZING APPENDAGES TO EAT,

SMELL, BREATHE, AND COMMUNICATE WITH EACH

OTHER.

PLAYFUL AND SOCIAL CREATURES,

ELEPHANTS ALSO USE THEIR TRUNKS TO SHOW AFFECTION.

LOOK AS THE ELEPHANTS SHOW AFFECTION BY WRAPPING

THEIR TRUNKS AROUND EACH OTHER.

REACHING OUT TO BOND WITH EACH OTHER AND BUILD

LASTING FRIENDSHIPS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: SINCE THE ASIAN ELEPHANTS SUFFER FROM

TERRIBLE EYESIGHT, THEY RELY ON THEIR TRUNKS TO

SMELL OUT ANY DANGER LURKING.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ELEPHANTS TRAVEL IN HERDS TO STAY IN TOUCH

WITH EACH OTHER.

THESE ELEPHANTS CAN MAKE DEEP RUMBLING SOUNDS WITH

THEIR NOSE AND THROAT, NOISES SO LOW THAT THE

HUMAN EAR CAN'T HEAR THEM.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: IT IS THOUGHT THAT THOSE SOUNDS CAN TRAVEL AS

FAR AS THREE MILES AWAY.

AND ROAMING HERDS CAN SENSE THESE LOW NOISES

THROUGH THEIR FEET AND TRUNKS.

IT'S A GREAT WAY TO FIND OUT WHAT THE NEIGHBORS ARE

HAVING FOR DINNER, AND WHERE TO FIND THE BEST

WATERING SPOTS FOR A DIP IN THE POOLS.

ELEPHANTS THINK NOTHING IS BETTER THAN A GOOD BATH

AMONG FRIENDS.

ALL OF THAT EATING IS HARD WORK.

WITH OVERFLOWING RIVERS AND STREAMS DURING THE

MONSOON SEASON...

[ELEPHANT TRUMPETS]

DYLAN: ...CAMBODIA IS FILLED WITH UNEXPECTED CREATURES IN

THE WATER AND ON THE LAND.

THE ELEPHANTS SOAK UP THE FUN WHILE THEY CAN.

SOON, THE DRY SEASON WILL BE BACK AND THOSE LAZY

RIVER DAYS WILL SEEM LIKE A DISTANT MEMORY.

A LONG-FORGOTTEN KINGDOM TAKEN OVER BY THE JUNGLE.

LOOK WHO HOLDS COURT NOW.

AND WATCH AS THESE ACROBATS OF THE TREES

PERFORM DEATH DEFYING ACTS.

AND THEN, WHAT'S THIS MYSTERIOUS CREATURE ON THE

FOREST FLOOR?

IT WEARS A SECRET SYMBOL ON ITS CHEST.

FIND OUT WHO IT COULD BE COMING UP RIGHT AFTER

THIS, ON EARTH ODYSSEY.

.

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

NARRATOR: THIS EPISODE OF EARTH ODYSSEY WITH DYLAN

DREYER IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY RIPLEY'S AQUARIUMS.

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO EARTH ODYSSEY.

IN THIS REGION, KNOWN AS INDOCHINA,

800 YEARS AGO THIS WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST

PREINDUSTRIAL CITIES IN THE WORLD.

THE KINGDOM OF ANGKOR, PART OF THE KHMER EMPIRE.

MORE THAN A MILLION PEOPLE LIVED HERE.

REMINDERS OF GREATNESS NOW COVERED IN VINES IN THE

MIDDLE OF A JUNGLE.

IT LOOKS LIKE A SCENE OUT OF AN ADVENTURE MOVIE,

WITH A NEW CAST READY TO TAKE THE STAGE.

MEET THE MACAQUES.

THESE LONG-TAILED MONKEYS RULE OVER THIS CITY LONG

ABANDONED BY THEIR HUMAN PREDECESSORS.

THE KHMER PEOPLE BUILT A SYSTEM OF MOATS AND

RESERVOIRS TO CAPTURE THE RAINS.

TODAY, THIS WATERY LANDSCAPE SERVES THESE

MONKEYS WELL.

MACAQUES ENJOY BIG, NOISY FAMILIES.

60 IN A TROOP, MAKING FOR CRAZY EATING TIMES.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: MACAQUES ARE PICKY EATERS.

AND IN SOME PARTS OF THE WORLD,

THEY'VE FIGURED OUT A WAY TO ACTUALLY CLEAN THEIR

FOOD.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE LITTLE ONES HAVE TO MAKE THEIR VOICES

HEARD OVER THE TROOP.

SCIENTISTS BELIEVE THAT THE BABIES ARE BORN DURING

THE RAINY SEASON, MAKING SURE THERE IS PLENTY OF

WATER AND FOOD.

THE MOMS ARE IN CHARGE OF THE BABIES,

AND THAT'S A FULL TIME JOB;

FEEDING, CLEANING, AND PROTECTING THEM FROM

PREDATORS.

AS THE YOUNG MALE MACAQUES GROW UP,

THEY TEST THEIR STRENGTH IN PLAY BATTLES,

GETTING READY FOR LIFE IN THE JUNGLE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WHEN THEY'RE A LITTLE OLDER,

THEY'LL LEAVE THE TROOP AND THIS WATERY KINGDOM,

FIND A BAND OF MALE BACHELORS TO HANG OUT WITH

OR TRY RUNNING THEIR OWN TROOP OF MONKEYS.

WHEREVER THEY END UP, THESE MONKEYS NEED TO BE

RESOURCEFUL, FINDING WATER AND FOOD AT ALL TIMES.

LUCKILY, THE MONSOON SEASON PROVIDES BOTH.

THESE RULERS OF THE FOREST TREETOPS LOOK LIKE THEY

COME FROM ANOTHER PLANET.

BLUE-FACED WITH YELLOW-RINGED EYES,

THE BLACK-SHANKED DOUCS ONLY LIVE HERE IN CAMBODIA

AND IN NEIGHBORING VIETNAM.

RARE AND ENDANGERED, THEY PERFORM WILD TRICKS IN THE AIR.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: DARING ACTS SAILING THROUGH THE

TREETOPS LIKE TRAPEZE ARTISTS.

LONG HIND LEGS SHOOT UP GIANT TREES HUNDREDS OF

FEET IN THE SKY.

TAILS HELP THEM BALANCE ON SKINNY TREE LIMBS.

ALWAYS ON THE MOVE, LOOKING FOR UNRIPE FRUIT

TO EAT.

UNLIKE OTHER MONKEYS, RIPE FRUIT IS HARDER FOR THIS

SPECIES TO DIGEST.

EVEN THE LITTLE ONES WILL GET INTO THE ACT,

FOLLOWING THEIR PARENTS, LEAPING FROM TREE TO TREE

DEEPER INTO THE FOREST.

WHEN EARTH ODYSSEY RETURNS,

WE GO IN SEARCH OF A MYSTICAL CREATURE WITH A

SYMBOL ON HIS CHEST.

BEAR IN MIND, HE MAY LOOK TOUGH,

BUT BY NO MEANS IS HE AT THE TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN,

THAT'S RESERVED FOR ANOTHER PREDATOR.

.

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

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO EARTH ODYSSEY,

I'M DYLAN DREYER.

THESE ALIEN LOOKING CREATURES BEHIND ME HERE

AT RIPLEY'S AQUARIUM OF CANADA ARE ACTUALLY VERY

MUCH FROM PLANET EARTH.

THEY'RE PACIFIC SEA NETTLES.

THEY HAVE NO EYES, NO BRAIN,

AND THEY'RE ALMOST 95 PERCENT WATER.

THEY'RE ALSO NOT THE ONLY JELLYFISH IN THE SEA,

THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF JELLYFISH FOUND

AROUND THE WORLD, INCLUDING MOON JELLIES;

WHOSE NICKNAME IS SHARED BY THE CAMBODIAN MAMMAL

YOU'RE ABOUT TO MEET.

LET'S TAKE A TRIP BACK INTO THE FOREST TO SEE IF

WE CAN CATCH A GLIMPSE OF THIS FURRY LUNAR GIANT.

BILLOWING CLOUDS MARK THE BEGINNING OF THE MONSOON

SEASON ONCE AGAIN IN CAMBODIA.

WATER RUSHES DOWN FROM THE FOREST UNTIL IT MEETS UP

WITH THE MEKONG RIVER; THE LONGEST RIVER IN SOUTHEAST

ASIA.

DURING THE RAINY MONSOONS, THIS RIVER WILL GROW TO 16

TIMES ITS SIZE.

BOTH PLANTS AND ANIMALS DEPEND ON THOSE RAINS TO

COME BACK EVERY YEAR, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'VE GOT

AN ENORMOUS APPETITE.

HIDING IN THE THICK FOREST,

YOU MIGHT CATCH A GLIMPSE OF A FURRY CREATURE.

BUT KEEP YOUR DISTANCE.

THE POWERFUL ASIATIC BLACK BEAR IS A TOWER OF FORCE.

THIS BEAR WEIGHS TWICE AS MUCH AS THE AVERAGE HUMAN

AND COULD PLAY PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL

WITH AN AVERAGE HEIGHT OF SIX AND A HALF FEET.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: BUT THE MOST INTRIGUING

CHARACTERISTIC...

AN ASTRONOMICAL SIGN ON ITS CHEST.

A CREAMY WHITE MARK THAT LOOKS JUST LIKE A CRESCENT

SHAPED MOON.

ITS NICKNAME?

MOON BEAR.

THESE BEARS ARE BUILT A LOT LIKE ITS COUSINS,

THE AMERICAN BLACK BEARS.

IT'S THOUGHT THEY MIGHT EVEN SHARE A COMMON

ANCESTOR.

THE MOON BEAR HAS A NOSE FOR FOOD,

TOO.

WITH A POWERFUL SENSE OF SMELL,

HE CAN SNIFF OUT TASTY INSECTS AND GRUBS.

EVEN WHEN THEY ARE BURIED THREE FEET BELOW THE

FOREST FLOOR.

HE QUICKLY DIGS FOR HIS DINNER WITH LONG,

SHARP CLAWS.

THE EARTH IS SOFT AFTER ALL OF THE RAIN.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE TREES ARE LIKE SPONGES FOR THE RAIN,

CREATING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EVEN THE SMALLEST

CREATURES TO GET INTO THE ACT.

THIS PRAYING MANTIS BLENDS INTO THE LEAVES AROUND IT.

GREAT COVER FROM HUNGRY PREDATORS.

BUT THIS INSECT NEEDS TO DRINK WATER EVERYDAY.

A RAINDROP FROM A WAXY LEAF WILL DO THE TRICK.

COMING UP ON EARTH ODYSSEY,

WHAT'S THAT PEERING BETWEEN THOSE JUNGLE

LEAVES?

PERHAPS THE MOST FEROCIOUS CREATURE IN CAMBODIA,

AND ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL.

JUST DON'T LET ITS LOUD PURRING FOOL YOU.

AND WE SLITHER BACK TO THE WATER TO FIND OUT WHERE

THIS SNAKE IS HEADED.

WE'LL HAVE THAT AND A LOT MORE NEXT ON EARTH

ODYSSEY.

.

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

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO EARTH ODYSSEY.

THESE FORESTS AND JUNGLES OF CAMBODIA ARE TEEMING

WITH LIFE.

PERHAPS NONE AS RECOGNIZABLE THAN THIS

GIANT CAT.

THE INDOCHINESE TIGER IS A NATURAL PREDATOR FOR MOST

WILDLIFE IN THIS HOT, HUMID CLIMATE.

THESE TIGERS LIVE ALONE IN THE WILD,

SEEING ONE UP CLOSE IS A RARE TREAT.

AND JUST LIKE THAT, THE CAT DISAPPEARS AS FAST AS

IT CAN BACK INTO THE DEEP JUNGLE.

BACK ON THE RIVER, THERE IS ANOTHER PREDATOR OF

SORTS AND HE'S JUST AS SLIPPERY AS THE TIGER.

PERHAPS MORE SO.

THE BURMESE PYTHON, ONE OF THE LARGEST SNAKES IN THE

WORLD.

THIS MONSTER SNAKE CAN GROW 23 FEET LONG AND

WEIGH NEARLY 300 POUNDS.

THE PYTHON'S SHARP SENSES HELP HIM HUNT DOWN PREY.

BIRDS AND SMALL ANIMALS ARE A PARTICULAR FAVORITE.

WHEN THE RAINS FLOOD HIS HUNTING GROUNDS,

THE PYTHON WILL SWITCH GEARS AND GO AQUATIC.

THIS HIGHLY ADAPTIVE SNAKE TAKES A DIP IN THE FLOODED

FORESTS.

DESPITE ITS SIZE, THIS SNAKE IS AN EXCELLENT

SWIMMER.

THE BURMESE PYTHON CAN STAY SUBMERGED FOR AS LONG

AS A HALF AN HOUR.

IT WILL BRAVE THE WATERS, LEAVING LAND TO FIND NEW

OPPORTUNITIES.

EVEN HITCHING A RIDE ON PASSING BOATS.

STOWING AWAY.

THAT PYTHON WILL BE A SURPRISE WHEN THIS BOATER

GETS BACK HOME.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: JUST ANOTHER UNIQUE EXPERIENCE TO ROUND

OUT OUR JOURNEY INTO THIS WATER FILLED COUNTRY.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME ON THIS EPIC JOURNEY TO

CAMBODIA.

THIS REGION OF INDOCHINA IN SOUTHEAST ASIA THAT'S

HOME TO LOST CIVILIZATIONS AND ABUNDANT WILDLIFE WHO

THRIVE AMIDST ONE OF THE WORLD'S WILDEST MONSOON

SEASONS.

I'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK AS WE TRAVEL TO ANOTHER PART

OF THE WORLD ON EARTH ODYSSEY.

[MUSIC]