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: HEY THERE, I'M DYLAN DREYER, AND THIS IS

"EARTH ODYSSEY."

TODAY, WE TRAVEL TO THE WESTERN GHATS MOUNTAINS OF

INDIA TO MEET ONE OF THE RAREST SPECIES OF MACAQUES

WHO LIVE SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH THE LARGEST SQUIRRELS IN

THE WORLD.

PLUS, WE'LL WATCH AS TWO DEADLY COBRAS GO

HEAD-TO-HEAD IN A BATTLE TO DECIDE WHO WILL BE THE

SERPENT KING, AND LATER, WE'LL FIND OUT HOW TIGERS

AND WILD DOGS USE TWO VERY DIFFERENT TACTICS TO HUNT

THEIR PREY.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: I'M HERE AT RIPLEY'S AQUARIUM OF

CANADA.

MANY OF THE SEA CREATURES YOU SEE BEHIND ME CAN ONLY

BE FOUND IN CERTAIN PARTS OF THE WORLD.

THE GREEN SAWFISH, FOR EXAMPLE, LIVES EXCLUSIVELY

IN THE TROPICAL AND SUBTROPICAL WATERS OF THE

INDO-WEST PACIFIC, AND LIKE THE GREEN SAWFISH,

MANY SPECIES OF ANIMALS, INCLUDING THE LION-TAILED

MACAQUE, LIVE EXCLUSIVELY IN THE TROPICAL CLIMATES

OF WESTERN INDIA.

LET'S JOURNEY TO INDIA'S SPECTACULAR WESTERN GHATS

MOUNTAIN RANGE TO GET A RARE GLIMPSE AT THIS

MYSTERIOUS MONKEY.

THE WESTERN GHATS MOUNTAINS STRETCH ALMOST A

THOUSAND MILES FROM MUMBAI ALL THE WAY TO THE

SOUTHERN TIP OF INDIA, RUNNING PARALLEL TO

INDIA'S WEST COAST.

THIS MOUNTAIN RANGE COVERS SIX PERCENT OF INDIA'S

LAND MASS, BUT PROVIDES A HOME TO MORE THAN 30

PERCENT OF ITS PLANT AND ANIMAL SPECIES.

DEADLY SNAKES, RARE PRIMATES, AND FEROCIOUS

PREDATORS ALL LIVE IN THE WESTERN GHATS.

HUGE PEAKS RISE TO MEET MONSOON CLOUDS, TRIGGERING

RAINFALL AND PRODUCING ONE OF THE WETTEST CLIMATES IN

INDIA.

HERE, TROPICAL RAINFORESTS THRIVE.

THIS JUNGLE CANOPY IS HOME TO ONE OF INDIA'S MOST

ELUSIVE ANIMALS, THE LION-TAILED MACAQUE, A

RARE PRIMATE WHO ONLY LIVES HERE IN THE

RAINFOREST OF THE WESTERN GHATS.

THEIR DARK BODIES AND GRAY MANES MAKE THEM DIFFICULT

TO SPOT AMONG THE SHADOWS OF THE JUNGLE.

THEIR THICK FUR HELPS TO PROTECT THEM FROM THE

TORRENTIAL RAINS.

THESE PRIMATES ARE JUNGLE SPECIALISTS.

THEY SPEND MOST OF THEIR TIME EATING FRUIT, AND

THERE'S ALWAYS A MEAL WITHIN REACH IN THIS LUSH

FOREST.

THESE JACKFRUIT MAY HAVE A ROUGH OUTER LAYER, BUT

THAT DOESN'T BOTHER A HUNGRY MACAQUE.

IT'S LARGE CANINE TEETH ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO TEAR

THROUGH THE FRUIT'S TOUGH, SPINY SKIN.

THIS BABY IS THE NEWEST ADDITION TO A MACAQUE

FAMILY LED BY A DOMINANT MALE.

SHE WILL STAY WITH HER TROOP ALL OF HER LIFE AND

WILL EVENTUALLY FIND HER PLACE IN THE SOCIAL

HIERARCHY AS SHE GETS OLDER; HOWEVER, THIS YOUNG

MALE WILL ONE DAY BREAK AWAY FROM HIS FAMILY AND

JOIN A BACHELOR GROUP.

HE'S ALREADY SHOWING SIGNS OF INDEPENDENCE.

THE YOUNG MALE IS LEARNING HOW TO INVESTIGATE HIS

ENVIRONMENT TO FIND THINGS TO EAT.

IN ADDITION TO FRUITS AND SEEDS, INSECTS, BIRDS AND

LIZARDS ARE ALSO ON THE MACAQUE'S MENU.

THIS OLDER MALE HAS SECURED A NICE MEAL.

HE QUICKLY GATHERS AS MUCH FOOD AS POSSIBLE BEFORE A

MORE DOMINANT MEMBER OF THE TROOP DECIDES TO

SNATCH AWAY HIS MIDDAY SNACK.

THE MACAQUE'S CHEEK POUCHES CAN HOLD AS MUCH

FOOD AS HIS STOMACH.

UP IN THE CANOPY OF THE TREES, HE CAN RELAX AND

FINISH HIS MEAL IN PEACE.

FIGS ARE ANOTHER JUNGLE STAPLE FOR THE MACAQUE,

AND THEY ALSO HELP FEED ANOTHER CREATURE IN THE

JUNGLE AS WELL.

THE MALABAR GIANT SQUIRREL USES ITS LONG TAIL AS A

COUNTERWEIGHT TO HELP IT BALANCE WHILE IT FEEDS.

MALABAR SQUIRRELS ARE ONE OF THE LARGEST SQUIRRELS

IN THE WORLD.

THEY CAN GROW TO BE OVER A FOOT-AND-A-HALF LONG AND

CAN WEIGH UP TO SEVEN POUNDS, THREE TIMES THE

SIZE OF A NORTH AMERICAN GRAY SQUIRREL.

LIKE THEIR FOREST NEIGHBORS THE MACAQUES,

GIANT SQUIRRELS ALSO SPEND TIME GROOMING EACH OTHER.

BUT THE GIANT SQUIRRELS AND MACAQUES ALSO LIVE

WITHIN STRIKING DISTANCE OF ONE OF THE MOST DEADLY

PREDATORS OF THE JUNGLE, THE KING COBRA, THE

LARGEST VENOMOUS SNAKE IN THE WORLD, AND HE'S

LOOKING FOR HIS NEXT MEAL.

COMING UP, FIND OUT WHICH VIPER WILL BE THE VICTOR

IN THIS BATTLE OF COBRA DOMINATION.

THAT'S NEXT WHEN "EARTH ODYSSEY" RETURNS.

.

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

ANNOUNCER: THIS EPISODE OF "EARTH ODYSSEY WITH DYLAN

DREYER" IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY RIPLEY'S AQUARIUMS.

DYLAN: THE TROPICAL RAINFORESTS OF THE WESTERN

GHATS MOUNTAINS IN INDIA ARE HOME TO SOME OF THE

MOST RARE, WONDROUS, AND DEADLY CREATURES ON EARTH.

THE KING COBRA HAS EARNED ITS REGAL NAME BEING THE

LARGEST VENOMOUS SNAKE TO INHABIT THE EARTH.

THESE GIANT REPTILES CAN GROW TO BE OVER 15 FEET

LONG.

THEY ARE THE TRUE KINGS OF THE JUNGLE.

VENTURING DOWN TO THE FOREST FLOOR CAN BE A VERY

RISKY PROPOSITION.

THE COBRA'S EYESIGHT IS SO SHARP, IT CAN SPOT PREY

MOVING OVER 325 FEET AWAY.

THAT'S ROUGHLY THE SIZE OF A FOOTBALL FIELD.

BUT LUCKILY FOR THE LION-TAILED MACAQUE, THEY

ARE NOT PART OF THE COBRA'S DIET.

KING COBRAS ONLY EAT OTHER SNAKES.

ONCE THE COBRAS LOCK IN ON THEIR TARGET, THEY TRACK

THEIR PREY BY SMELL, BUT NOT WITH THEIR NOSTRILS.

THE COBRA SMELLS WITH ITS TONGUE.

CHEMICAL SCENT PARTICLES STICK TO ITS TONGUE AND

TRANSFER TO RECEPTORS ON THE ROOF OF ITS MOUTH.

THE FORKS IN ITS TONGUE WORK IN STEREO, ENABLING

THE COBRA TO PINPOINT PREY WITH DEADLY ACCURACY;

HOWEVER, THIS COBRA IS NOT LOOKING FOR HIS NEXT MEAL.

HE'S LOOKING FOR COMPANIONSHIP.

IT'S EARLY SUMMER, BREEDING SEASON FOR KING

COBRAS.

THIS MALE IS ON THE HUNT FOR A MATE, BUT THE SNAKE

HE'S FOUND IS NOT A FEMALE.

IT'S A RIVAL MALE, AND THIS PATCH OF FOREST ISN'T

BIG ENOUGH FOR THE BOTH OF THEM.

IT'S A SERPENT STANDOFF.

THEY GROWL A WARNING AT EACH OTHER, A LOW

FREQUENCY HISS.

[SNAKES HISSING]

AIR IS SUCKED INTO THEIR ELONGATED LUNGS AND

SQUEEZED OUT THROUGH THE MOUTH AS EACH ONE

CONSTRICTS ITS BODY, BUT NEITHER ONE IS WILLING TO

BACK DOWN.

THE ONLY OPTION IS TO FIGHT.

THIS WILL BE A BATTLE OF POWER, NOT POISON, AS

THESE HUGE SNAKES ARE IMMUNE TO EACH OTHER'S

VENOM.

EACH ONE WEIGHS UP TO 20 POUNDS, AND THEY USE ALL

THEIR MIGHT AND MUSCLE TO WRESTLE THE OTHER TO THE

GROUND.

FINALLY, THE STRONGER SNAKE TRIUMPHS, AND THE

LOSER SLITHERS OFF TO FIND NEW TERRITORY.

IN THE TREES ABOVE THE FOREST FLOOR, THE DRACO

LIZARD HAS A SURVIVAL SKILL THE COBRA DOESN'T,

THE GIFT OF CAMOUFLAGE.

KEEPING STILL, HE ALL BUT DISAPPEARS INTO THE TREE

BARK, BUT ON THIS DAY, HE WANTS TO BE NOTICED.

HE'S LOOKING FOR A MATE.

THE BRIGHT FLAP OF SKIN CALLED A DEWLAP ALERTS

OTHER FEMALES OF HIS PRESENCE, BUT HE'S

ATTRACTED THE WRONG KIND OF ATTENTION, A VINE

SNAKE.

IT'S ELONGATED PUPILS GIVE THE VINE SNAKE ACUTE

BINOCULAR VISION.

IT CAN JUDGE DISTANCE WITH PINPOINT ACCURACY.

THIS IS ONE OF THE THINNEST SNAKES IN THE

WORLD.

ITS BODY IS LESS THAN AN INCH WIDE, BUT IT CAN GROW

UP TO SIX-AND-A-HALF FEET LONG.

ITS MOUTH STRETCHES ALL THE WAY TO THE BACK OF ITS

HEAD AND OPENS WIDE ENOUGH TO SWALLOW PREY WHOLE.

THE SLENDER SERPENT MOVES SLOWLY THROUGH THE

BRANCHES, MIMICKING THE CREEPING VINES OF THE

TREES, A PERFECT DISGUISE TO SURPRISE ITS PREY, BUT

THE DRACO SENSES DANGER AND USES HIS OWN TRICK OF

ILLUSION.

FLEXING ITS RIB CAGE, THE LIZARD SPREADS OUT A BROAD

MEMBRANE OF SKIN, MAKING HIM APPEAR TOO LARGE TO

SWALLOW.

THE VINE SNAKE WILL HAVE TO FIND HIS MEAL SOMEWHERE

ELSE.

COMING UP, WE'LL WITNESS THE POWER AND STEALTH OF

THE ASIAN TIGER AND FIND OUT WHY ENTIRE FESTIVALS

ARE DEVOTED TO THESE MIGHTY BEASTS.

.

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

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO "EARTH ODYSSEY."

THE NURSE SHARKS AND SAND TIGER SHARKS THAT LIVE IN

THIS EXHIBIT MAY LOOK DANGEROUS, BUT THEY POSE

VERY LITTLE THREAT TO HUMANS; HOWEVER,

THROUGHOUT THE OCEANS OF THE WORLD, THEY ARE STILL

BORN PREDATORS WHO ENJOY THEIR PLACE AT THE TOP OF

THE FOOD CHAIN.

IN THE JUNGLES OF INDIA, THERE IS ALSO A CLEAR

HIERARCHY OF PREDATORY ANIMALS, AND AT THE PEAK

OF THAT PYRAMID IS THE ASIAN TIGER, A TRULY

MAJESTIC ANIMAL WHOSE PROWESS IS CELEBRATED BY

THE HUMANS WHO LIVE NEARBY.

TAKE A LOOK.

THANKS TO THE WESTERN GHATS, THE RAINFOREST AND

COASTAL PLAINS RECEIVE THE MAJORITY OF RAIN EACH

YEAR.

THIS RAINFALL IS THE REASON FOR INDIA'S DAMP,

DENSE JUNGLES, BUT ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE

MOUNTAIN, THE LANDSCAPE LOOKS MUCH DIFFERENT.

BECAUSE THE WESTERN GHATS MOUNTAIN RANGE BLOCKS THE

MONSOON RAINS, THE WOODLAND PLAINS ONLY

RECEIVE A TENTH OF THE RAIN.

THE TREES ON THE EASTERN SIDE HAVE BROAD LEAVES TO

SOAK UP AS MUCH SUNLIGHT AS POSSIBLE.

IN THE DRY SEASON, THE TREES DROP THEIR LEAVES TO

CONSERVE AS MUCH MOISTURE AS POSSIBLE.

CHITAL DEER GRAZE ON THESE NUTRIENT-PACKED LEAVES,

BUT WHERE THERE ARE DEER, THERE ARE ALSO HUNTERS,

SPECIFICALLY, TIGERS.

THESE BIG CATS USUALLY HUNT AT NIGHT, BUT WITH

HUNGRY MOUTHS TO FILL, THIS MOTHER MUST SEIZE

EVERY OPPORTUNITY SHE CAN.

BUT SHE'S NOT ALWAYS SUCCESSFUL.

ONLY ONE IN 20 TIGER HUNTS ENDS IN A KILL; HOWEVER,

THERE IS A MUCH SMALLER, MORE EFFICIENT PREDATOR

STALKING THESE PLAINS.

INDIAN WILD DOGS ARE PACK ANIMALS.

THEY LIVE IN TIGHT-KNIT GROUPS LED BY A PAIR OF

ALPHA DOGS, AND THEY HAVE A STRICT SOCIAL HIERARCHY.

EVERY DOG KNOWS HIS PLACE IN THE PACK.

UNLIKE TIGERS, INDIAN WILD DOGS DON'T USE STEALTH AS

A STRATEGY.

THEIR TACTIC IS TEAMWORK.

THE INDIAN WILD DOG WHISTLES TO KEEP IN

CONTACT DURING A HUNT.

[DOGS WHISTLING]

EACH INDIVIDUAL HAS AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY.

THEY WORK LIKE A WELL-OILED MACHINE.

THE CHITAL DEER FLASHES A WHITE TAIL TO WARN OTHERS

OF THE APPROACHING DANGER.

WHILE THESE WILD DOGS ARE SKILLED HUNTERS, IT IS

STILL THE TIGER WHO REIGNS SUPREME.

THESE ANIMALS ARE A UNIVERSAL SYMBOL OF THE

POWER OF NATURE AND ARE REVERED THROUGHOUT INDIA.

THE CARUBA PEOPLE OF THE WESTERN GHATS GO TO GREAT

LENGTHS TO EXPRESS THEIR ADMIRATION FOR THESE

MIGHTY HUNTERS.

EVERY SEPTEMBER DURING THE DUSSEHRA FESTIVAL, FOLK

DANCERS LET THEIR WILD SIDE OUT IN THE

TRADITIONAL TIGER DANCE, ALSO CALLED A HULIVESHA.

THE DANCERS' MOVES MIMIC THE BIG CATS' STEALTH AND

POWER.

THESE PERFORMERS TRAVEL FROM VILLAGE TO VILLAGE TO

HONOR AND RESPECT THE TIGER, BUT THE DANCE HAS A

DEEPER MEANING.

THE HULIVESHA IS A CELEBRATION OF THE POWER

OF THE WILD AND MAN'S DEPENDENCE ON NATURE.

COMING UP, IN THIS TROPICAL PARADISE, DANGER

IS ALWAYS LURKING.

FIND OUT WHAT'S JUST BELOW THE SURFACE WHEN "EARTH

ODYSSEY" RETURNS.

.

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

DYLAN: THE RIVERS AND LAKES OF THE WESTERN GHATS

PROVIDE BOTH ESSENTIAL WATER AND A NATURAL

HABITAT FOR SCORES OF BIRDS, MAMMALS, AND

REPTILES.

THIS MALE EGRET PERFORMS AN ELABORATE COURTSHIP

DANCE.

THE WISPY FEATHERS ON HIS BACK ARE DESIGNED TO CATCH

A FEMALE'S EYE.

BUT THIS RIVER ALSO HIDES A DEADLY PREDATOR.

A PAIR OF EYES PEEKING ABOVE THE WATER GIVES THIS

CROCODILE AWAY.

MUGGER CROCODILES CAN GROW TO BE UP TO 12 FEET LONG.

MOVING THROUGH THE SHALLOW WATER HELPS TO STIR UP

TINY FISH.

THIS HERON TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THE FEEDING

OPPORTUNITY.

BUT HE IS TAKING A HUGE RISK.

A MUGGER CAN SNATCH A MEAL FROM THE RIVERBANK AT THE

BLINK OF AN EYE.

CROCODILES ARE COLD-BLOODED.

THEY RELY ON THE ELEMENTS TO MAINTAIN THEIR BODY

TEMPERATURE, WHICH IS WHY THEY SPEND LOTS OF TIME

BASKING IN THE SUN.

UNDER EACH BONY SCALE IS A CLUSTER OF BLOOD VESSELS

THAT ABSORB HEAT LIKE TINY SOLAR PANELS.

MUGGERS CAN'T SWEAT, SO IF THEY GET TOO WARM, THEY

RELEASE HEAT THROUGH THEIR MOUTHS.

THEY ARE SOCIAL ANIMALS WITH A STRICT DOMINANCE

HIERARCHY.

MALES FIGHT FOR SUPREMACY OVER TERRITORIES, AND

BATTLES CAN SOMETIMES BE BRUTAL.

THE RIVERS THAT FLOW DOWN FROM THE WESTERN GHATS

ALSO PROVIDE WATER AND A HOME TO ANOTHER GIANT

CREATURE, THE ASIAN ELEPHANT.

THE LARGEST POPULATION OF WILD ASIAN ELEPHANTS CAN

BE FOUND IN THIS REGION.

THIS FEMALE IS THE MATRIARCH OF HER FAMILY.

SHE IS THE OLDEST AND LEADS A HERD OF OTHER

ELEPHANTS BOTH YOUNG AND OLD.

ELEPHANTS LIVE IN CLOSE-KNIT GROUPS.

THIS TWO-MONTH-OLD CALF IS TAUGHT EVERYTHING HE NEEDS

TO KNOW BY HIS FAMILY.

A MUD BATH IS FUN, BUT IT ALSO HELPS TO PROTECT AN

ELEPHANT'S SKIN FROM INSECT BITES.

IT ALSO ACTS AS A NATURAL SUNSCREEN.

ADULT ELEPHANTS NEED TO EAT ALMOST THREE HUNDRED

POUNDS OF VEGETATION A DAY.

DURING THE DRIER MONTHS, RIVERS RECEDE AND EXPOSE

FRESH GREEN BANKS OF GRASS.

THESE CHUTES OF GRASS ARE FULL OF NUTRIENTS, AND

HERDS OF ELEPHANTS GATHER FROM FAR AND WIDE TO FEED

ON THESE LAWNS.

A MOUTHFUL OF MUD MAY NOT SEEM APPETIZING TO US, BUT

IT SUPPLEMENTS THE ELEPHANT'S MINERAL INTAKE.

IN INDIA, ELEPHANTS LIVE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO

HUMANS, AND LIKE THE TIGER, THEY ARE ALSO A

REVERED AND WORSHIPPED ANIMAL.

THANKS FOR EMBARKING ON THIS SAFARI WITH ME

THROUGH INDIA'S WESTERN GHATS.

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED EXPERIENCING THE REGION

AND ALL OF ITS INCREDIBLE WILDLIFE.

JOIN ME NEXT TIME WHEN WE TRAVEL TO ANOTHER WONDROUS

LOCATION ON "EARTH ODYSSEY."

[MUSIC]