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, I'M DYLAN DREYER, AND WE'RE ABOUT TO

EMBARK ON ANOTHER "EARTH ODYSSEY."

ON TODAY'S EPISODE, WE HEAD TO TURKEY, A REGION

OF EXTREMES.

VOLCANOES AND EARTHQUAKES ROCK THE LAND.

ALPINE FORESTS ARE FOUND HIGH IN THE MOUNTAINS.

TREACHEROUS CLIFFSIDES AND WATERY DELTAS OFFER LITTLE

PROTECTION FOR THE COUNTRY'S INHABITANTS, YET

DESPITE ALL OF THESE CHALLENGES, ITS ANIMALS

AND PLANTS THRIVE.

COMING UP, IT'S A HARD KNOCK LIFE FOR THESE TOUGH

TURTLES, AND LATER, DISCOVER WHY THESE ANCIENT

VOLCANOES HAVE A MAGICAL REPUTATION.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THIS IS MY NEW PAL, LEAH, AN AFRICAN

BLACK-FOOTED PENGUIN HERE AT RIPLEY'S AQUARIUM OF

THE SMOKIES.

AS YOU CAN SEE, SHE'S SPORTING THE TRADITIONAL

PENGUIN COLORS OF BLACK AND WHITE, WHICH ARE VERY

PRETTY, BUT DID YOU KNOW THEY ALSO SERVE A VERY

IMPORTANT PURPOSE IN THIS SPECIES' SURVIVAL?

IT'S CALLED COUNTERSHADING, AND IT

ALLOWS THESE BIRDS TO HIDE FROM PREDATORS LIKE SHARKS

AND KILLER WHALES.

IN TURKEY, THE TORTOISE YOU'RE ABOUT TO MEET IS

WELL-CAMOUFLAGED, TOO.

IT'S BARELY VISIBLE IN THE TALL, DRY GRASSES OF THIS

RUGGED ENVIRONMENT.

LET'S SEE IF WE CAN FIND HIM.

TURKEY IS SITUATED BETWEEN THE MIDDLE EAST AND

EUROPE.

MOUNTAINOUS LANDSCAPES AND VAST WETLANDS DOMINATE THE

REGION.

TURKEY'S WILDLIFE IS AS BIOLOGICALLY DIVERSE AND

ABUNDANT AS A MINI CONTINENT.

IT'S BOUND BY EXTREME WEATHER PATTERNS AS WELL

AS MOUNTAINS THAT REACH THREE MILES HIGH.

THESE FORCES SHAPE THE EXPERIENCES AND LIFESTYLES

OF TURKEY'S INHABITANTS.

EVEN THE SMALLER CREATURES MUST HANDLE THE EXTREME

TEMPERATURES.

IN THE WINTER, THESE SPUR-THIGHED TORTOISES CAN

HIBERNATE, BUT AS THE GROUND HEATS UP, THIS

HARD-SHELLED RESIDENT GETS GOING.

ON AVERAGE, THESE REPTILES ARE ABOUT NINE INCHES

LONG, BUT WHAT THEY LACK IN SIZE, THEY MAKE UP FOR

IN AGE.

TORTOISES LIKE THIS ONE CAN LIVE FOR A HUNDRED

YEARS.

AND OUT HERE, IT'S BETTER TO ROUGH IT WITH A FRIEND.

THIS TORTOISE COMES KNOCKING FOR SOME COMPANY.

TURKEY'S LAND TAKES A SERIES OF HARD KNOCKS AS

WELL, THIS TIME IN THE FORM OF EARTHQUAKES.

FAULT LINES RUN THROUGH THE EARTH, SHIFTING LAND

MASSES, A JUMBLE OF ROCK LEFT WITH REMINDERS OF A

SIMMERING PAST.

65 MILLION YEARS AGO, TURKEY SUFFERED MAJOR

VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS HERE.

AND WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE WHAT THIS COUNTRY'S

ANCIENT VOLCANOES LEFT BEHIND.

THEY'RE CALLED THE FAIRY CHIMNEYS OF CAPPADOCIA.

BEFORE YOU ASK, NO, FAIRIES DON'T LIVE IN

THEM, BUT WILD PIGEONS DO, AND SWALLOWS ENJOY SOARING

PAST THEIR CLOUD-SHAPED TOPS.

THE FAIRY CHIMNEYS WERE CREATED WHEN THREE

VOLCANOES LEFT BEHIND VOLCANIC ASH, LAVA, AND

BASALT, EACH ERUPTION CREATING ANOTHER

STRATIFIED LINE IN THESE ROCKS.

EARTHQUAKES AND EROSION HAVE PLAYED THEIR PARTS TO

SHAPE THESE OTHERWORLDLY CREATIONS.

EACH SPORTS A TOP HAT OF BASALT ROCK THAT KEEPS IT

FROM FALLING APART.

TURKEY'S ANIMALS LIVE UNDER CONSTANT THREAT OF

FALLING ROCK AS THE GROUND SHIFTS BENEATH THEM.

IT'S THE PRICE THEY PAY TO LIVE IN SUCH AN EXTREME,

YET BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY.

COMING UP, FIND OUT WHAT ALL THE BUZZ IS ABOUT NEXT

ON "EARTH ODYSSEY."

.

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.

[EAGLE SCREECHING]

DYLAN: DOWN BELOW ON THE ANATOLIAN PLATEAU, HERDS

OF SHEEP LOOK FOR PATCHES OF GREEN PASTURE UNDER THE

BLAZING SUN.

TURKEY WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PLACES IN THE WORLD

THAT PEOPLE DOMESTICATED SHEEP.

THERE ARE WILD VERSIONS OF THESE ANIMALS IN TURKEY

CALLED MOUFLON.

[SHEEP BLEATING]

BUT OUT THERE, THEY MUST FEND FOR THEMSELVES.

HERE ON THE BARREN TURKISH LANDSCAPE, SHEPHERDING IS

AN ANCIENT VOCATION THAT'S NOT ONLY STILL PRACTICED

TODAY, IT'S CELEBRATED.

[MAN WHISTLING]

IN FACT, EACH YEAR, SOME TURKISH SHEPHERDS HOLD A

COMPETITION TO DETERMINE WHICH ONE HAS FORGED THE

CLOSEST BOND WITH THEIR FLOCK.

IT'S A TRADITION THAT DATES HUNDREDS OF YEARS,

AND IT REVEALS HOW IMPORTANT THIS WORK IS TO

THE PEOPLE AND ANIMALS OF THIS COUNTRY.

THE WEATHER WARMS IN THE TOURIST MOUNTAIN RANGE TO

THE SOUTH.

THAT'S WHERE THESE ALPINE MEADOWS MAKE THE PERFECT

LANDING PAD FOR A BUZZWORTHY CROWD.

HONEYBEES SWARM THE CLOVER-DOTTED LANDSCAPE.

THEY'RE MINING ALPINE FLOWERS FOR NUTRIENTS.

THE FLOWERS' POLLEN IS PROTEIN FOR DEVELOPING

BEES.

THE FLOWERS' NECTAR IS THE SWEET STUFF THAT WILL

EVENTUALLY TURN INTO HONEY.

BUT THESE BEES MUST ACT FAST.

WINTER IS ON ITS WAY, AND THEY'RE NOT THE

HIBERNATING VARIETY.

THEY'LL NEED NECTAR ALL WINTER LONG TO SURVIVE.

A LOAD FOR THIS HIVE, EQUAL TO AS MUCH AS 60

BAGS OF SUGAR.

THESE BEES WORK BEST AS A TEAM.

WITH MILITARY PRECISION, THEY EXTRACT EVERYTHING

THEY NEED AND MOVE ON.

BUT BEFORE HEADING BACK TO THE HIVE, THEY NEED TO

LOAD UP ON RATIONS OF WATER AS WELL.

THE BEES HEAD TO A NEARBY MOUNTAIN STREAM.

FRESH, COOL WATER BEATS THE HEAT OF THE SUMMER

SUN.

THE HIVES NEED THE WATER TO COOL DOWN AS WELL.

THE BEES SWALLOW DROPLETS, STORING THE WATER IN A

PART OF THEIR BODIES CALLED THE CROPS.

THAT'S HOW THEY CAN CARRY THE WATER BACK TO THE

HIVE.

ONCE HOME, THEY'LL THINLY SPREAD THE WATER ACROSS

EGGS AND LARVA, KEEPING THEM COOL AS THEY GROW.

WHEN IT'S TIME TO LEAVE THE MEADOW, THESE BEES FLY

TOGETHER, SAFETY IN NUMBERS.

EVEN THE SMALLEST BEE MUST KEEP UP WITH THE AERIAL

MANEUVERS.

WHEN "EARTH ODYSSEY" RETURNS, A SECRETIVE

CREATURE MAKES A SURPRISE APPEARANCE DOWN ON THE

DELTA.

.

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

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO "EARTH ODYSSEY."

I'M DYLAN DREYER.

TO SURVIVE IN THE WILD, ANIMALS LEARN TO ADAPT TO

THEIR SURROUNDINGS.

THIS MORAY EEL OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN IS A PRIME

EXAMPLE.

IT HAS A PECULIAR WAY OF BREATHING.

BY OPENING AND CLOSING ITS MOUTH, THE EEL PUSHES

OXYGEN AND WATER OVER ITS GILLS.

THIS TECHNIQUE ALSO EXPOSES ITS TEETH, GIVING

THE EEL A SPOOKY GRIN.

IN TURKEY, THE NILE SOFT-SHELL TURTLE HAS

FOUND A WAY TO BREATHE A LITTLE EASIER, TOO.

IT ABSORBS OXYGEN THROUGH ITS SKIN.

LET'S SEE IF WE CAN CATCH A GLIMPSE OF THIS ELUSIVE

CREATURE.

WATER FLOWS DOWN TURKEY'S JAGGED MOUNTAINS,

EVENTUALLY ENDING UP HERE IN THE DALYAN DELTA.

THIS IS A MAZE OF WATERWAYS AND ONE OF

TURKEY'S MOST IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTS.

IT'S ALSO WHERE MONSTERS HIDE IN THE MURKY WATERS.

CRACKS IN THE EARTH RELEASE SULFUROUS HOT

WATER SPRINGS IN A LONG-FORGOTTEN PART OF

THIS RIVER...

...THE PERFECT HABITAT FOR AN UNUSUAL-LOOKING

CREATURE TO LIVE A LIFE OUT OF THE LIMELIGHT.

THIS IS THE NILE SOFT-SHELL TURTLE.

THE LARGEST POPULATION OF THESE TURTLES IS FOUND

HERE IN TURKEY, YET THERE ARE ONLY FIVE HUNDRED

KNOWN TO EXIST IN THIS MEDITERRANEAN AREA.

THEY EASILY ADAPT TO LIFE UNDERWATER, ABSORBING THE

MAJORITY OF THE OXYGEN THEY NEED TO BREATHE

THROUGH THEIR SKIN.

THE REST OF THE OXYGEN THESE AQUATIC REPTILES

NEED IS PUMPED INTO THEIR MOUTHS WITH WATER.

THIS MECHANISM ACTS LIKE GILLS ON A FISH.

THEIR ABILITY TO TAKE IN OXYGEN SO EFFORTLESSLY

LETS THEM STAY UNDERWATER FOR LONG STRETCHES AT A

TIME, UP TO 15 HOURS, BUT THESE TURTLES ARE KNOWN TO

BE AGGRESSIVE.

THEY HAVE A QUICK TEMPER, TOO.

ANY COMPETING TURTLE WHO IS LOOKING FOR A MATE WILL

LIKELY END IN A DUEL.

THESE TWO TURTLES USE THEIR THREE-CLAWED FRONT

LIMBS TO SHOW EACH OTHER WHO'S BOSS.

AND THEIR DEFENSE MECHANISMS AREN'T JUST

USED TO BATTLE POTENTIAL COMPETITORS.

THESE TURTLES CAN GROW TO BE MORE THAN THREE FEET

FROM NOSE TO TAIL.

THEY'RE FAST SWIMMERS AND STEALTHY HUNTERS,

SOMETIMES LYING QUIETLY ON THE MUDDY RIVER BOTTOM

UNTIL THEY GRAB UNSUSPECTING PREY WITH

THEIR LONG NECKS AND STRONG JAWS.

THEY'VE EVEN BEEN SEEN FEASTING ON UNLUCKY GOATS

AND PIGS ALONG THE RIVERBANK.

WITHOUT A HARD SHELL TO PROTECT THEM, THEY USE

THEIR WEBBED FEET LIKE PADDLES, TAKING A SWIPE AT

THE OPPONENT WITH ONE SIDE FINALLY GIVING UP.

ANOTHER ONE OF TURKEY'S MORE CURIOUS ANIMALS IS A

SCAVENGER AT HEART.

WITH ITS ANTENNAS AT HIGH ALERT, ONE WHIFF SENDS THE

DUNG BEETLE SCURRYING TO A FRESH CATCH.

BUT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FRESH LIQUIDS, THIS

BEETLE NEEDS TO ACT FAST.

SOON, IT'S EVIDENT HE'S NOT THE ONLY ONE OUT HERE.

A POTENTIAL THREAT TRIES TO OVERTAKE HIM.

A BATTLE ENSUES OVER THE PRIZE.

AFTER A MASSIVE EFFORT TO DEFEND HIS NEWFOUND

TREASURE, THE DUNG BEETLE DECLARES VICTORY, BUT IT'S

SHORT-LIVED.

NOW HE NEEDS TO GET THE PRIZE TO SAFETY.

THE BEETLE CAN CARRY DUNG 50 TIMES ITS BODYWEIGHT.

NOW THE BEETLE MAKES A MAJOR PUSH TO SAFETY.

HE USES HIS STRONG FRONT LEGS AND SPURS ON HIS BACK

LEGS TO KEEP THE BALL ROLLING.

BUT THANKS TO A HARD SHELL, THIS BEETLE CAN

TAKE THE EASY WAY DOWN.

JUST IN TIME TO GET THE DUNG OUT OF THE SUN BEFORE

IT DRIES OUT.

WHEN EARTH ODYSSEY RETURNS, FIND OUT MORE

ABOUT TURKEY'S "BEAR" NECESSITIES.

.

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

DYLAN: CLIFFS AND CANYONS CUT DEEP INTO TURKEY'S

LAND.

THE ROCKY EARTH EASILY SHIFTS, CREATING A

HAZARDOUS LIFESTYLE.

ALWAYS JUST ONE STEP BELOW FROM TAKING A PLUNGE, THE

BROWN BEARS ARE TURKEY'S LARGEST CARNIVOROUS

ANIMALS.

THESE BEARS ARE ALSO ON THE COUNTRY'S PROTECTED

SPECIES LIST.

ONLY THREE THOUSAND STILL THOUGHT TO BE LIVING IN

THE WILD.

THESE MASSIVE BEARS ARE OFTEN STARVING WHEN THEY

COME OUT OF THEIR LONG WINTER'S NAP.

AS SPRING ARRIVES, THE BEARS WILL WANDER FOR

MILES LOOKING FOR FOOD...

...A DANGEROUS PROPOSITION ON THESE STEEP CLIFFSIDES.

WET AND WEAK, THESE BEARS NAVIGATE SLIPPERY SLOPES.

WEIGHING SEVERAL HUNDRED POUNDS, THAT'S NO EASY

FEAT.

BUT GRAVITY AND ROCKY SLOPES AREN'T THIS FEMALE'S ONLY

CONCERNS.

A MALE BEAR SEEMS TO BE CHASING HER.

ALTHOUGH HE MIGHT JUST BE LOOKING FOR COMPANIONSHIP,

MALE BEARS CAN BE UNPREDICTABLE.

AS THIS ONE GETS CLOSER, THE FEMALE FEELS THE

PRESSURE AND MAKES A BREAK FOR THE TREE LINE.

SHE'LL USE THE FOREST FOR PROTECTION.

BROWN BEARS WEREN'T BUILT TO NAVIGATE THIS KIND OF

TREACHEROUS TERRAIN.

BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY.

HOWEVER, THIS TURKEY NATIVE IS MUCH MORE

SURE-FOOTED.

THE ANATOLIAN WILD GOATS ARE ADEPT AT TURKEY'S

TOUGHER SPOTS.

LEATHERY SOLES ON THEIR HOOVES HELP THEM CLING TO

THE STEEP CLIFFS.

RECTANGULAR EYES ALLOW A WIDER FIELD OF VISION FOR

THESE MOUNTAINEERS.

A HARD CLIMB IS REWARDED WITH THE BEST THAT SPRING

OFFERS.

YOUNG GREEN PLANTS SHOOT UP BETWEEN THE ROCKS FOR

THESE BRAVE EXPLORERS.

BUT LIVING IN A LAND OF EXTREMES DEMANDS MORE THAN

JUST COURAGE.

TURKEY'S UNYIELDING CONDITIONS CONSTANTLY TEST

THE SKILLS AND SURVIVABILITY OF ITS

INHABITANTS.

NOT ONE DAY IS TAKEN FOR GRANTED IN THIS MIDDLE

EASTERN WILDERNESS.

THANKS FOR JOINING ME ON THIS EXCITING EXPEDITION

TO TURKEY.

WE NOW SEE HOW MUCH THIS TERRAIN CHALLENGES THE

ANIMALS WHO LIVE THERE.

CONSTANTLY EXPOSED TO EXTREME TEMPERATURES AND

RUGGED CONDITIONS, TURKEY'S WILDLIFE PASSES

NATURE'S SURVIVAL TEST WITH FLYING COLORS.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME ON "EARTH ODYSSEY."

[MUSIC]