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

STAR, AND THIS IS "EARTH ODYSSEY."

ON TODAY'S EPISODE, WE'LL VENTURE INTO THE JUNGLES

TO SEE A RECENTLY DISCOVERED GROUP OF

LANGURS LONG THOUGHT EXTINCT.

PLUS, THE GIANTS OF THE CLEAR BLUE CARIBBEAN FIND

A SAFE HAVEN FOR THEIR YOUNG.

AND LATER, YOU WON'T BELIEVE HOW FAR THESE

ELEPHANTS WILL TRAVEL TO MAKE IT TO THEIR FAMILY

REUNION.

[ELEPHANTS GRUNTING]

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE COWNOSE RAYS BEHIND ME ARE NATIVE TO

THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.

GOOD THING, BECAUSE THEY NEED PLENTY OF ROOM.

THESE RAYS ARE CALLED SCHOOLING RAYS, WHICH

MEANS THEY WILL TRAVEL IN VERY LARGE GROUPS, EVEN

THOUSANDS AT A TIME.

FOR THE RAYS, THERE'S CERTAINLY MORE SAFETY IN

NUMBERS WHEN SURVIVING IN THE WILD.

IT ALSO HELPS TO HAVE A STRONG FAMILY WATCHING

OVER YOU, ESPECIALLY IF THE MAJORITY OF YOUR TIME

IS SPENT FLYING HIGH IN THE TREES LIKE THESE

MONKEYS OF VIETNAM.

TAKE A LOOK.

VIETNAM IS SITUATED ON THE EASTERNMOST RIM OF THE

INDOCHINA PENINSULA.

TO PROTECT THEIR FAMILIES, ANIMALS HERE TAKE

ADVANTAGE OF THE COUNTRY'S DIVERSE LANDSCAPE.

YELLOW-CHEEKED GIBBONS ARE BORN WITH BLONDE FUR

BUT AT AROUND TWO YEARS OLD, IT CHANGES TO BLACK.

AND WHILE MALES RETAIN THIS DARK COLOR FOR LIFE,

FEMALES RETURN TO BLONDE ONCE FULLY MATURE.

40 PERCENT OF THE CAT TIEN REGION IS BAMBOO FOREST.

COMBINED WITH TOWERING TREES, IT'S THE PERFECT

PLACE FOR ENERGETIC YOUNGSTERS TO SHOW OFF.

GIBBONS ARE THE BEST BRACHIATORS, OR SWINGERS,

ON THE PLANET.

THEY CAN REACH SPEEDS UP TO 35 MILES AN HOUR

SWINGING 50 FEET FROM BRANCH TO BRANCH.

AFTER PLAYTIME, THIS YOUNG PRIMATE DECIDES IT'S TIME

TO REST.

HANGING FROM ONE ARM IS A COMMON WAY FOR GIBBONS TO

RELAX.

LONG FINGERS AND POWERFUL LIMBS ENABLE THEM TO HOLD

ON FOR OVER AN HOUR WITHOUT LETTING GO.

WHEN IT COMES TO FOOD, BAMBOO SHOOTS ARE A

PARTICULAR FAVORITE.

ALTHOUGH LEAVES, FRUITS, AND SEEDS MAKE UP MOST OF

THEIR DIET, THEY ALSO INDULGE IN INSECTS AND THE

OCCASIONAL BIRD'S EGG.

HAVING THUMB-LIKE OPPOSABLE TOES ALLOWS

THEIR FEET TO GRASP LIKE A SECOND PAIR OF HANDS.

HOWEVER, THIS YOUNG GIBBON IS STILL GETTING USED TO

THE SLIPPERY SURFACE OF BAMBOO CANES.

YELLOW-CHEEKED GIBBONS SPEND MOST OF THEIR LIVES

IN THE UPPER CANOPY OF THE TREES, RARELY VENTURING

DOWN TO THE FOREST FLOOR.

VIETNAM'S LABYRINTH OF CAVES PROVIDE A PERMANENT

SHELTER FOR ONE OF THE MOST UNCOMMON PRIMATES IN

THE WORLD.

HA LONG BAY IN NORTHERN VIETNAM CONSISTS OF MORE

THAN 1,600 LIMESTONE ISLANDS AND ISLETS.

IT'S ALSO HOME TO SOME OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST CAVES.

THESE LIMESTONE CAVERNS PROVIDE REFUGE TO SOME OF

THE RAREST SPECIES OF LANGURS.

THESE LANGURS WERE FIRST DISCOVERED IN THE 1960'S,

BUT THEY ALMOST COMPLETELY DISAPPEARED FOLLOWING THE

VIETNAM WAR AND WERE ASSUMED TO BE EXTINCT.

BUT 30 YEARS LATER, A SMALL POPULATION WAS

DISCOVERED LIVING IN THE CAVES OF THESE LIMESTONE

FORESTS.

THERE ARE BELIEVED TO BE AROUND A THOUSAND LIVING

IN THE WILD TODAY.

LANGURS RARELY COME TO THE GROUND, SPENDING MOST OF

THEIR DAY FEEDING IN THE TREES.

LIKE OTHER LEAF-EATING MONKEYS, THEY LACK CHEEK

POUCHES.

INSTEAD, THEY RELY ON A COMPLEX MULTI-CHAMBERED

STOMACH.

THIS REQUIRES THEM TO EAT ON A SEEMINGLY CONTINUOUS

BASIS.

MUNCHING ON SUCCULENT LEAVES ALSO REDUCES THE

NEED TO DRINK WATER.

THE ADULTS IN THIS GROUP TAKE A BREAK FROM FEEDING

TO INDULGE IN A LITTLE MUTUAL GROOMING.

THIS RITUAL NOT ONLY REINFORCES SOCIAL BONDS,

IT'S ALSO THE PERFECT WAY TO RELAX.

BUT THESE YOUNGER MEMBERS OF THE GROUP HAVEN'T QUITE

GRASPED LANGUR SOCIAL ETIQUETTE.

THE ONLY WAY THESE YOUNGSTERS KNOW HOW TO

UNWIND IS WITH A GAME OF MONKEY TAG.

AS THEIR DAY COMES TO A CLOSE, THE LANGURS RETURN

TO THE SAFETY OF THEIR LIMESTONE CAVERNS.

COMING UP, FIND OUT WHERE THESE GIANTS OF THE SEA GO

TO LAY THEIR EGGS WHEN WE RETURN.

.

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: WELCOME BACK TO THE BEST OF "EARTH ODYSSEY."

WHILE ANIMALS CAN'T ALWAYS CHOOSE WHERE THEY RAISE

THEIR FAMILIES, THEY CAN ADAPT TO THEIR

SURROUNDINGS.

PLENTY OF FOOD AND WATER ALSO ENCOURAGE A THRIVING

ECOSYSTEM FOR WILDLIFE.

TAKE, FOR INSTANCE, THE NUTRIENT-RICH WATERS OF

THE CARIBBEAN SEA.

FROM THE VIBRANT CORAL REEFS TO GIANT SEAFARING

CREATURES, IT'S FILLED WITH UNIQUE ANIMALS WHO

CALL THIS PARADISE HOME.

SEVEN THOUSAND ISLANDS BETWEEN THE NORTH AND

SOUTH AMERICAN CONTINENTS MAKE UP THE CARIBBEAN.

THE ISLAND THAT'S FARTHEST SOUTH IN THE CARIBBEAN IS

CALLED TRINIDAD, THE PERFECT NESTING GROUND FOR

AN ANCIENT OCEAN-BOUND TRAVELER.

EVERY SPRING, THE LEATHERBACK TURTLE SWIMS

ASHORE UNDER THE COVER OF NIGHT.

THE FEMALE LEATHERBACKS CROSS THOUSANDS OF MILES

IN OPEN OCEAN TO REACH TRINIDAD'S SHORES.

IT'S TIME TO LAY HER EGGS IN THE SAME SPOT THAT SHE

WAS BORN.

THE LARGEST TURTLES IN THE WORLD, THESE SEAFARING

REPTILES CAN GROW TO BE ABOUT SIX FEET, BUT THEY

CAN WEIGH AS MUCH AS A SMALL CAR.

THE TURTLES VOLLEY FOR POSITION.

WITH AS MANY AS FIVE HUNDRED TURTLES COMING

ASHORE, IT'S HARD TO CLAIM A SPOT ON THE BEACH.

TO GET THE NEST STARTED, THE FEMALES DIG DEEP INTO

THE SAND WITH THEIR GIANT FLIPPERS.

THIS ONE WILL MAKE THE HOLE LARGE ENOUGH TO FIT

AT LEAST ONE HUNDRED EGGS.

TO KEEP THE EGGS SAFE, SHE MUST BURY THEM UNDER THE

SAND.

THE TEMPERATURE OF THE SAND DETERMINES IF SHE'LL

HAVE BOYS OR GIRLS.

IF THE SAND HEATS UP TO MORE THAN 86 DEGREES, THE

BABY TURTLES WILL BE FEMALE.

ANY COOLER, AND THEY'LL PROBABLY END UP MALE.

THE WORK IS EXHAUSTING, BUT SHE'S STILL GOT ONE

MORE TRICK UP HER SLEEVE TO KEEP HER EGGS SAFE.

A FEW FEET AWAY, THE MOTHER WILL DIG UP THE

SAND AGAIN, CREATING A DECOY AND HOPEFULLY

THROWING OFF THE SCENT FOR ANY WOULD-BE EGG ROBBERS.

WITH SO MANY TURTLES TRYING TO REACH A NESTING

SPOT, THERE ARE USUALLY A FEW STRAGGLERS STILL HARD

AT WORK AS DAWN BREAKS.

ONCE THEIR BABIES ARE SAFE UNDER THE SAND, THESE

LEATHERBACK FEMALE TURTLES WILL TURN BACK TOWARD THE

SEA, NEVER TO RETURN TO THEIR NESTS AGAIN.

BUT THAT'S NOT THE ONLY STORY TOLD IN THIS AREA.

THESE PROTECTED WARM WATERS ARE NOW A NURSERY

FOR ANOTHER OCEAN TREASURE, BABY HUMPBACK

WHALES.

THEY'RE CALLED CALVES.

FROM DECEMBER TO APRIL, THERE ARE NEARLY THREE

THOUSAND HUMPBACKS THAT VISIT THE SILVER BANK

NURSERY.

THE MOTHER HUMPBACK AND HER CALF STAY CLOSE

TOGETHER, CONSTANTLY TOUCHING EACH OTHER AS

THEY SWIM IN THE CLEAR BLUE WATERS.

PHYSICAL CONTACT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE BABY AND

ITS MOTHER.

FOR THE FIRST YEAR, THE TWO WILL STAY TOGETHER.

WHEN SUMMER GETS CLOSER, THE WHALES WILL SWIM

THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY.

THEY HEAD NORTH TO THE COLD ATLANTIC OCEAN WATERS

WHERE THERE ARE PLENTY OF FISH.

IT WILL BE TEN YEARS BEFORE THE CALF WILL FULLY

GROW TO ITS ENORMOUS SIZE.

SOME GET AS LARGE AS 52 FEET, WEIGHING AN

UNBELIEVABLE ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND POUNDS.

THESE GIANTS OF THE SEA HAVE LONG SOUGHT REFUGE IN

THE CALM CLEAR WATERS OF THE CARIBBEAN, A SAFE

PLACE FOR EVEN THE LARGEST MARINE ANIMALS.

COMING UP ON "EARTH ODYSSEY," NO MORE

MONKEYING AROUND.

WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE HOW THESE PRIMATES HAVE

LEARNED TO SLEEP HIGH IN THE TREES.

.

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

DYLAN: HERE AT RIPLEY'S AQUARIUM OF THE SMOKIES,

THESE NURSE SHARKS ARE NOCTURNAL, OFTEN RESTING

DURING THE DAY.

THEY GET THEIR NAME FROM THE SUCKING NOISE THEY

MAKE WHEN THEY'RE FEEDING.

THE NOISE SOUNDS A LOT LIKE A BABY SUCKING ON A

BOTTLE, WHICH REMINDS US OF ANOTHER ANIMAL ON THE

OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD, A GROUP OF YOUNG MONKEYS WHO

STICK CLOSE TO THEIR MOTHERS, ESPECIALLY WHEN

THEY'RE FEEDING.

IT'S A SURVIVAL INSTINCT THAT KICKS IN AT BIRTH AND

STAYS WITH THE YOUNGSTERS UNTIL THEY'RE READY TO

BRAVE THE WORLD ON THEIR OWN.

TAKE A LOOK.

THE TIBETAN MACAQUE IS ONE OF THE LARGEST OF ALL

MACAQUE SPECIES.

LIKE MOST PRIMATES, GROOMING PLAYS AN

IMPORTANT PART IN THE LIVES OF THE TROOP.

THIS RITUAL REINFORCES SOCIAL BONDS AND PROVIDES

A RELAXING BREAK FROM THE DAILY GRIND.

AFTER BREAKFAST, THESE YOUNGER MALES TAKE TIME TO

BURN OFF SOME ENERGY.

PLAYTIME FOR THESE PRIMATES ISN'T JUST ABOUT

HAVING FUN OR TUSSLING WITH YOUR BUDDY.

THIS IS ACTUALLY AN IMPORTANT LEARNING TOOL,

AS ONE DAY, THESE TWO COULD BE COMPETING OVER A

FEMALE MEMBER OF THE TROOP.

THIS MOTHER HAS FOUND A QUIET PLACE TO ESCAPE FROM

THE RUCKUS DOWN BELOW.

SHE'S JUST GIVEN BIRTH, AND THIS SPOT UP IN THE

TREES PROVIDES PROTECTION FOR HER NEW BABY.

AS TRANQUIL AS THE FOREST SEEMS, THIS MOTHER KNOWS

THAT DANGER LURKS AROUND EVERY CORNER.

MACAQUES ARE FOUND IN DIVERSE TYPES OF

ENVIRONMENTS ACROSS ASIA.

THESE LION-TAILED MACAQUES LIVE IN THE TROPICAL

FORESTS OF SOUTHERN INDIA.

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.

MACAQUES ARE EXTREMELY ADAPTABLE TO THEIR

ENVIRONMENTS.

ACROSS THE ASIAN CONTINENT, THESE CURIOUS

CREATURES LIVE OFF THE LAND, LEARNING FROM EACH

OTHER AND NURTURING THEIR YOUNG.

COMING UP, ONE OF THE LARGEST POPULATIONS OF

THESE GIANTS ON EARTH.

THAT'S NEXT ON "EARTH ODYSSEY."

.

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

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO THE BEST OF "EARTH ODYSSEY."

WHERE YOU LIVE CAN DICTATE WHAT KIND OF CHALLENGES

YOU'LL FACE GROWING UP.

LAND ANIMALS CERTAINLY DON'T HAVE THE SAME ISSUES

AS THOSE FROM THE SEA, BUT HOPEFULLY, THEY ALL HAVE

SOMEONE WHO WILL SHOW THEM THE ROPES AND HELP THEM

NAVIGATE THEIR SURROUNDINGS.

LET'S SEE HOW TWO VERY DIFFERENT SPECIES TEACH

THE NEXT GENERATION THE SKILLS THEY NEED TO

SURVIVE.

LOCATED JUST ABOVE THE EARTH'S EQUATOR YOU'LL

FIND THE SMALL ISLAND NATION OF SRI LANKA IN THE

INDIAN OCEAN.

WHAT IT LACKS IN SIZE, THIS COUNTRY MAKES UP FOR

IN DIVERSITY.

THESE LOWLANDS ARE RULED BY GIANTS.

ELEPHANTS LIVE IN CLOSE-KNIT GROUPS UNDER

THE WATCHFUL EYE OF AN OLDER FEMALE.

WITH HER YEARS OF KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE,

THE MATRIARCH KNOWS WHERE TO FIND FOOD AND WATER IN

TIMES OF SHORTAGE.

WITH WATER A PRECIOUS COMMODITY, HERDS FROM

ACROSS NORTHEAST SRI LANKA MAKE THEIR WAY TO A VAST

LAKE KNOWN AS MINNERIYA TANK.

SOME ELEPHANTS TRAVEL HUNDREDS OF MILES TO REACH

THIS RESERVOIR.

OFTEN, FAMILY GROUPS BAND TOGETHER TO FORM LARGER

HERDS.

THE LAKE IS A KEY TO SURVIVAL FOR THE ISLAND

ELEPHANTS.

EVEN AFTER WEEKS WITHOUT RAIN, MINNERIYA TANK

OFFERS BOTH FOOD AND WATER FOR THESE MIGRATING HERDS.

AND THE SURROUNDING SCRUB FOREST PROVIDES

MUCH-NEEDED SHELTER FROM THE SUN.

A THOUSAND MILES WEST OF THE SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTRY

OF ECUADOR ARE A GROUP OF ISLANDS CALLED THE

GALAPAGOS.

ISABELA IS BY FAR THE LARGEST IN THE CHAIN OF

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS.

IT'S THOUGHT THAT THIS SETTLER ON ISABELA ISLAND

WAS ONCE JUST A CALIFORNIA DREAMER.

SCIENTISTS SAY ANCESTORS OF THE SEA LION LEFT THEIR

NORTH AMERICAN HOME AND SWAM NEARLY THREE THOUSAND

MILES TO ISABELA ISLAND.

GALAPAGOS SEA LIONS ARE SMALLER THAN THEIR

AMERICAN COUSINS.

TEN FEET LONG AND WEIGHING IN AT MORE THAN FIVE

HUNDRED POUNDS, THIS ONE IS NO PUSHOVER.

SEA LIONS ARE THE LARGEST MAMMALS ON THESE ISLANDS

AND PROBABLY ONE OF THE FIRST ANIMALS THAT DARWIN

SAW SUNBATHING ON THE ROCKS.

[SEA LION GROWLING]

COMFORTABLE ON LAND AND IN THE SEA, THESE

CREATURES HAVE HIND FLIPPERS THAT HELP THEM

NAVIGATE THE SLIPPERY ROCKS.

NEWBORN PUPS ARE PUT IN A NURSERY ABOUT A WEEK AFTER

BIRTH.

ONE FEMALE IS IN CHARGE OF THE WHOLE LOT.

THE OTHER FEMALES GO ON TRIPS LOOKING FOR FOOD.

THOSE TRIPS CAN LAST FOR SEVERAL DAYS.

MEANWHILE, THE PUPS LEARN TO SOCIALIZE AND PLAY

TOGETHER.

WHEN THE MOTHERS RETURN, THEY CALL OUT FOR THEIR

YOUNG PUPS.

[SEA LION BARKING]

WHEN THE PUPS GROW OLDER, THEY'LL LEARN TO DO THE

SAME, CALLING FOR THEIR MOTHERS...

[SEA LION GROWLING]

...A COMMON BOND BETWEEN MOTHERS AND YOUNG

WITNESSED IN SPECIES ACROSS THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.

THANKS FOR JOINING ME ON THIS SPECTACULAR JOURNEY

THROUGH THE GREATEST PLACES ON EARTH.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME FOR ANOTHER "EARTH

ODYSSEY."

[MUSIC]