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: HI THERE, I'M DYLAN DREYER AND THIS IS EARTH

ODYSSEY.

ON TODAY'S EPISODE, WE EXPLORE SOME OF THE MOST

POWERFUL AND ELUSIVE ANIMALS ON EARTH.

COMING UP, WE SEARCH FOR A MONKEY SO SECRETIVE IT'S

BEEN LINKED TO THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN.

PLUS, FIND OUT HOW THESE KING COBRAS SETTLE THEIR

DIFFERENCES.

AND LATER, FIND OUT WHAT MAKES THIS LEOPARD SO

BRAVE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: HI, EVERYBODY, I'M DYLAN DREYER AND WELCOME

TO THE BEST OF EARTH ODYSSEY.

THE SAND TIGER SHARK IS THE LARGEST SHARK HERE AT

RIPLEY'S AQUARIUM OF THE SMOKIES.

NATIVE TO WARM WATERS, THE SAND TIGER CAN REACH

LENGTHS OF TEN FEET AND UPWARD OF 400 POUNDS.

IN THE WILD, A POWERFUL BUILD CAN BE A LIFESAVING

ASSET.

LET'S WATCH AS THESE FORCEFUL BEARS THROW THEIR

WEIGHT AROUND THE FORESTS OF CAMBODIA.

CAMBODIA IS PART OF A REGION CALLED INDOCHINA IN

SOUTHEAST ASIA.

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.

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.

THE MOON BEARS AREN'T THE ONLY ANIMALS THAT CONJURE

UP FANTASTIC STORIES.

HIGH UP IN THE HENGDUAN MOUNTAINS OF CHINA, LIVES

A MYSTERIOUS GROUP OF PRIMATES AND THEY'VE

INSPIRED LEGENDS OF MYTHICAL CREATURES WHO

ROAM THIS SNOW-COVERED SUMMITS.

DURING THE COLDER MONTHS, FEW HUMANS VENTURE INTO

THESE UNBEARABLE CLIMATES AND REPORTS OF UNEARTHLY

BEINGS IS JUST ANOTHER REASON TO STAY AS FAR AWAY

AS POSSIBLE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: AND WHO COULD BLAME THEM?

THESE BIZARRE LOOKING PRIMATES HAVE BEEN

ASSOCIATED WITH THE YETI OR ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN FOR

CENTURIES.

BUT THESE ARE NOT GHASTLY MONSTERS, THESE ARE

SNUB-NOSED MONKEYS, NOTORIOUS FOR THEIR

HUMANLIKE UPRIGHT WALKING.

WITH THEIR STRANGE APPEARANCE AND DEMONIC

SOUNDING CHATTER, IT'S NO WONDER LOCAL PEOPLE

THOUGHT THEY WERE SINISTER VILLAINS.

IT'S BELIEVED THAT THEIR LACK OF A FLESHY NOSE IS

NATURE'S WAY OF PROTECTING THEM FROM GETTING A

FROSTBITTEN FACE.

THEIR FLAT MUZZLED NOSTRILS ALSO GIVE THEM

THEIR APTLY EARNED NAME.

SNUB-NOSED MONKEYS ARE OFTEN FOUND LIVING IN

ALTITUDES HIGHER THAN ANY OTHER PRIMATE, ASIDE FROM

HUMANS.

ONE GROUP IN NORTHERN YUNNAN HAVE BEEN RECORDING

LIVING AT OVER 15,000 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL.

AT THESE ALTITUDES, TEMPERATURES CAN DROP TO

MINUS 40 DEGREES.

BUT WHILE OTHER MAMMALS RETREAT TO THE WARMER

VALLEYS, SNUB-NOSED MONKEYS HAVE FREE REIGN OF

THE SNOWY PEAKS AND THEY TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF IT.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: SWINGING FROM TREE TO TREE IS THE PREFERRED

FORM OF TRAVEL.

KNOWN AS BRACHIATION, IT ALLOWS THEM TO MOVE

QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY OVER SHORT DISTANCES.

THEIR LONG MUSCULAR ARMS ENABLE THEM TO PERFORM

INCREDIBLE ACROBATICS AND THEY OFTEN STICK THE

LANDING ON TWO FEET.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THEIR LONG, LANKY ARMS AREN'T THE ONLY

THINGS THAT COME IN HANDY.

THE SNUB-NOSED MONKEY'S THICK SHAGGY FUR ALSO

PROVIDES THEM WITH NECESSARY COLD WEATHER

INSULATION.

WHILE MOST PRIMATES HAVE THE LUXURY OF DINING ON

LEAVES AND FRUIT, THESE GUYS ARE HAPPY WITH A

HARDY MEAL OF PINE NEEDLES AND BARK.

WHILE THERE'S PLENTY OF RUFFAGE TO GO AROUND,

COMPETITION OVER THE BEST TWIG CAN LEAD TO SOME

MINOR SCUFFLES BETWEEN THE YOUNGER MONKEYS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: AS THE DAY COMES TO AN END, IT PAYS FOR

EVERYONE TO SETTLE THEIR DIFFERENCES.

HUDDLING TOGETHER IS KEY TO SURVIVAL AS THE

NIGHTTIME TEMPERATURES DROP BELOW FREEZING.

COMING UP, THEY DON'T HAVE ANY ARMS OR LEGS, BUT

THESE TWO COBRAS ARE HEADED TO THE MAT FOR A

WRESTLING MATCH.

FIND OUT HOW THEY DO IT WHEN WE RETURN.

.

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.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO THE BEST OF EARTH

ODYSSEY.

YOU'RE ABOUT TO MEET A COUPLE OF ANIMAL A-LISTERS

WHO COMMAND RESPECT AND FEAR AS TWO OF THE MOST

ICONIC PREDATORS IN THE WORLD.

THESE TWO SYMBOLS OF STRENGTH AND BEAUTY MAKE

THEIR HOME IN THE GHATS MOUNTAINS OF INDIA, BUT

THEIR PRESENCE IS FELT ACROSS THE ENTIRE GLOBE,

TAKE A LOOK.

THE TROPICAL RAINFORESTS OF THE WESTERN GHATS

MOUNTAINS IN INDIA ARE HOME TO SOME OF THE MOST

RARE, WONDEROUS, 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.

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.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: 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.

JUST IN TIME TO ESCAPE THE CHANGING WEATHER.

THANKS TO THE WESTERN GHATS, THE RAINFOREST AND

COASTAL PLAINS RECEIVE THE MAJORITY OF RAIN EACH

YEAR.

BUT ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN, THE

LANDSCAPE LOOKS MUCH DIFFERENT.

BECAUSE THE WESTER 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.

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.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: BUT SHE'S NOT ALWAYS SUCCESSFUL.

ONLY ONE IN 20 TIGER HUNTS ENDS IN A KILL.

THESE ANIMALS ARE A UNIVERSAL SYMBOL OF THE

POWER OF NATURE AND ARE REVERED THROUGHOUT INDIA.

COMING UP, FIND OUT WHY THEY SAY YOU SHOULD NEVER

WAKE A SLEEPING BEAR.

AND THEN, WATCHING OUT FOR WOLVES IN THE MOUNTAINS OF

TURKEY.

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: OF THE 18 KNOWN SPECIES OF PENGUIN, ALL

LIVE IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE, EXCEPT FOR TWO

THAT SEE SNOW AND ICE ALL YEAR LONG.

FORMING DIFFERENT SPECIES IS NATURE'S WAY OF

ADAPTING ANIMALS TO DIFFERENT CONDITIONS

ACROSS THE WORLD.

WHILE THERE ARE ONLY EIGHT SPECIES OF BEARS, THERE

ARE DOZENS OF SUB-SPECIES, EACH WITH A SPECIFIC SET

OF SKILLS TO SURVIVE IN ITS HABITAT.

TAKE, FOR INSTANCE, THE BROWN BEAR IN TURKEY.

AS YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE, THE SKY'S THE LIMIT THANKS

TO HIS POWERFUL CLIMBING PROWESS.

LET'S WATCH.

TURKEY IS NESTLED BETWEEN EUROPE AND THE MIDDLE

EAST.

A REGION OF EXTREMES.

VOLCANOES AND EARTHQUAKES ROCK THE LAND.

AT HIGH ALTITUDES, ALPINE FORESTS CLING TO THE

MOUNTAINSIDES.

THIS BROWN BEAR TRIES TO SCALE THE TREES DESPITE

HIS HEFTY BUILD.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: BEARS ARE THE LARGEST LAND MAMMALS IN

TURKEY.

THIS ONE COULD WEIGH HALF A TON.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: HIS PAWS ARE ENORMOUS, THE SIZE OF

FRISBEES.

HIS FINGERLIKE CLAWS ARE LONG ENOUGH TO HELP HIM

HANG ON.

IN A TREE, THERE ARE NO DISRUPTIONS AND HE CAN

ENJOY HIS SOLITARY DINNER IN PEACE.

DOWN BELOW IS ANOTHER STORY.

SOMETIMES A COMPETING BEAR WITH INTERRUPT HIS FEEDING

TIME.

HE'LL NEED AN ESCAPE ROUTE TO AVOID ANY TROUBLES.

MALE BEARS PREFER TO STAY SOLO; THEY CAN WANDER AS

FAR AS 700 MILES LOOKING FOR A GOOD MEAL.

THESE BEARS TAKE A LONG WINTER'S NAP, HIBERNATING

FOR SIX MONTHS AT A TIME.

WHEN THEY WAKE UP, THEY'RE LITERALLY STARVING.

BEARS DON'T NORMALLY EAT OR DRINK DURING

HIBERNATION.

IN FACT, FEMALES WHO GIVE BIRTH DURING THE WINTER

SLEEP CAN LOSE ALMOST HALF THEIR BODY WEIGHT'S.

THESE BEARS ARE GRUMPY WHEN THEY WAKE UP, TOO.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THAT'S WHERE THE OLD SAYING COMES FROM;

NEVER WAKE A SLEEPING BEAR.

WINTER APPROACHES, TEMPERATURES DROP WELL

BELOW FREEZING.

THIS MIDDLE EASTERN AREA TRANSFORMS INTO A WHITE

WONDERLAND.

THE ANATOLIAN MOUFLON ARE THE WILD SHEEP OF TURKEY,

LIVING HIGH ON THE MOUNTAINS, THEY LIVE ON

PLANT TUBERS HIDDEN BENEATH THE FROZEN GROUND.

HOWEVER, THEY'RE NOT THE ONLY HUNGRY ANIMALS IN THE

MOUNTAINS.

WOLVES STALK THESE SHEEP.

WOLVES CAN REACH SPEEDS UP TO 37 MILES PER HOUR.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: STAYING CLOSE, THE HERD MAKES A BREAK FOR IT.

KEEPING TOGETHER IS HOW THEY SURVIVE THESE CHASES.

UNITY IN ACTION.

RUGGED, STRONG, AND DETERMINED, THEY THRIVE

UNDER THE EXTREME CONDITIONS OF THIS MIDDLE

EASTERN TERRAIN.

COMING UP, MASTERS OF THE SKIES.

WATCH OUT AS THESE PREDATORY BIRDS DIVE FOR

THEIR DINNER.

AND THEN, ON A TINY ISLAND, GIANT CATS REIGN

SUPREME.

THAT'S NEXT ON EARTH ODYSSEY.

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: SWIMMING THE FARTHEST, RUNNING THE

FASTEST, IN THE WILD, COMPETITION IS FIERCE AND

NATURE HAS A WAY OF LEVELING THE PLAYING

FIELD, WHICH MEANS EVEN LITTLE ANIMALS CAN BE

WORTHY OPPONENTS.

SOME ARE MORE INTELLIGENT, OTHERS, LIKE THESE POISON

DART FROGS, SECRETE TOXINS TO DEFEND THEMSELVES.

BUT FOR THE BIRDS OF PREY YOU'RE ABOUT TO MEET,

SPEED IS ON THEIR SIDE.

TAKE A LOOK.

OFF THE WEST COAST OF SCOTLAND ARE A CHAIN OF

ISLANDS KNOWN AS THE HEBRIDES.

THE VAST SEA LIFE IN THE OCEAN SURROUNDING THE

HEBRIDES PROVIDES A BOUNTY OF FOOD FOR THE AQUATIC

BIRDS WHO SOAR IN THE SKIES ABOVE THE CRASHING

WAVES.

BUT FEW CAN COMPETE WITH THE MASTER DIVER OF THEM

ALL.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: NORTHERN GANNETS HAVE A WINGSPAN OF AROUND

SIX FEET ACROSS, MAKING THEM GRACEFUL FLYERS AND

SKILLFUL HUNTERS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: UNLIKE MOST BIRDS, THEY HAVE FORWARD FACING

EYES, GIVING THEM RAZOR SHARP DEPTH PERCEPTION.

THIS ALLOWS THEM TO ACCURATELY ESTIMATE HOW

CLOSE THE FISH ARE TO THE SURFACE OF THE WATER.

ONCE LOCKED IN ON THEIR TARGET, THEY FOLD BACK

THEIR WINGS AND MAKE THEIR PLUMMETING DIVE.

GANNETS HIT THE WATER AT MORE THAN 60 MILES AN HOUR

TO CAPTURE THEIR PREY.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: AT THE; MOMENT OF IMPACT, THEY STRETCH THEIR

BODIES INTO A STREAMLINE TORPEDO-LIKE SHAPE.

POCKETS OF AIR CELLS BETWEEN THEIR SKIN AND

MUSCLES HELP CUSHION THE BLOW.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WITH THIS KIND OF PREDATORY FINESSE, IT'S NO

WONDER WHY THESE BIRDS HAVE SURVIVED HERE FOR

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

LOCATED JUST ABOVE THE EARTH'S EQUATOR, YOU'LL

FIND THE SMALL ISLAND NATION OF SRI LANKA IN THE

INDIAN OCEAN.

OUT HERE, THERE'S ONE PREDATOR WHO HAS NO ONE TO

FEAR.

IN SRI LANKA, LEOPARDS HOLD AN UNCHALLENGED

POSITION AT THE TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN.

THERE ARE NO LIONS OR TIGERS ON THE ISLAND.

THIS LACK OF COMPETITION HAS CAUSED THE LEOPARDS TO

GROW ESPECIALLY LARGE FOR THEIR SPECIES.

IN FACT, THEY ARE THE BIGGEST LEOPARDS IN THE

WORLD.

FULLY GROWN MALES WEIGH UP TO 175 POUNDS, ROUGHLY THE

SIZE OF AN ADULT HUMAN.

BECAUSE OF THEIR SIZE AND STATUS, SRI LANKA'S

LEOPARDS ARE REMARKABLY CONFIDENT.

IN OTHER REGIONS IT WOULD BE UNUSUAL TO SEE A

LEOPARD OUT IN THE OPEN IN BROAD DAYLIGHT.

EVEN THIS YOUNG CUB ISN'T AFRAID TO STRUT AROUND IN

THE OPEN.

BUT HAVING HIS MOM BY HIS SIDE DOESN'T HURT EITHER.

THESE LEOPARDS WILL GROW UNCHECKED ON SRI LANKA,

BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE IN MOST PARTS OF THE WORLD.

EVEN FOR THE STRONGEST AND SMARTEST SPECIES, NATURE

WILL FIND A WAY TO BALANCE POWER WITH A PROMISE FOR A

BETTER FUTURE.

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]