Original subtitles

.

- NARRATOR: WHEN YOU SEE THIS - SYMBOL YOU KNOW YOU'RE WATCHING

TELEVISION THAT IS EDUCATIONAL

AND INFORMATIONAL.

THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

DYLAN: HI, I'M DYLAN

DREYER, AND WE'RE ABOUT TO

EMBARK ON ANOTHER "EARTH

ODYSSEY."

TODAY, WE CLIMB THE TREES

AND WALK THE GROUNDS OF

THAILAND, HOME TO SOME OF

THE WILDEST ANIMALS IN THE

WORLD, LIKE THIS HUNGRY

INDOCHINESE TIGER.

- PLUS, WE'LL SEE WHAT THESE - MONKEYS ARE MACAQUING

ABOUT HIGH UP IN THE

TREES, AND LATER, FIND OUT

WHAT CREATURES ARE HIDING

IN THESE CAVES.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THE EARTH IS - COVERED WITH DIVERSE

ECOSYSTEMS THAT ARE QUITE

LITERALLY A FEEDING GROUND

FOR ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF

CREATURES, BUT FEW HAVE AS

MUCH BIODIVERSITY AND

SHEER BEAUTY AS THE LOW

PLAINS AND THE HIGH

MOUNTAINS OF THAILAND.

AT ANY GIVEN TIME OF YEAR,

ALMOST EVERY SEASON CAN BE

FOUND THERE, ALLOWING

THAILAND TO BE HOST TO A

MULTITUDE OF THRIVING

PLANTS AND ANIMALS.

AND JUST AS QUICKLY AS

THOSE SEASONS CAN CHANGE,

SO CAN THE FORTUNES OF

BOTH PREDATOR AND PREY.

TAKE A LOOK.

THAILAND IS A COUNTRY OF

EXTREMES, A LAND SHAPED BY

WILD FORCES, WHERE ANIMALS

FACE TOUGH CHALLENGES.

WITH ONE OF THE MOST

DIVERSE CLIMATES IN

SOUTHEAST ASIA, AN ARRAY

OF HABITATS HAS DEVELOPED.

[MONKEY HOWLING]

DYLAN: EACH IS HOME TO A

REMARKABLE VARIETY OF

SPECIES, BUT SURVIVAL IS

THE NAME OF THE GAME.

WITH NEARLY THREE HUNDRED

MAMMAL SPECIES ROAMING

THIS RICH LAND, SOME

CREATURES ARE CONSTANTLY

AT ODDS, BUT TOGETHER,

THEY MUST ALL COPE WITH

UNFRIENDLY ENVIRONMENTS.

- SURROUNDED BY FOUR - COUNTRIES AND BETWEEN TWO

SEAS, THAILAND IS A

MELTING POT FOR WILDLIFE

FROM ACROSS THE REGION,

AND WITH A RANGE OF

CLIMATES AND VARIED

GEOGRAPHY, IT'S A

BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOT.

- THE SOUTH TROPICAL - RAINFOREST HIDES A

PRIMEVAL CAVE SYSTEM

THAT'S SAID TO BE OLDER

THAN THE AMAZON.

AND IN THE NORTH, THE LAST

FOOTHILLS OF THE HIMALAYAS

CREATE HIGHLAND PLAINS.

BUT ALTITUDE SHOWS ANOTHER

SIDE TO THAILAND.

- OVER HALF-A-MILE HIGH, THE - NORTHEASTERN HILLS ARE A

FAR CRY FROM THE

SUN-SOAKED BEACH.

FOR ONE ANIMAL, THE CRISP

MORNING PROVIDES A PERFECT

TIME TO FIND A MEAL.

THE COOL, DRY SEASON IS A

TIME FOR HOG DEER TO STOCK

UP.

THIS IS BECAUSE IN A

MATTER OF MONTHS,

TEMPERATURES WILL SOAR,

AND FOOD WILL NOT BE AS

EASILY ACCESSIBLE.

DESPITE RARELY BEING FOUND

IN HILLY ENVIRONMENTS,

- THEY HAVE ADAPTED TO - THAILAND'S COLD UPLAND

PLAINS.

THEIR SUCCESS IS ALL ABOUT

TIMING.

CAPABLE OF HAVING AT LEAST

THREE FAWNS IN TWO YEARS,

- THEY CAN TIME THE ARRIVAL - OF NEW FAWNS WITH THE

AVAILABILITY OF FRESH

FOOD.

- WITH VULNERABLE YOUNG AND - PREGNANT FEMALES, SURVIVAL

HERE RELIES ON A LOT MORE.

THEIR POWERFUL SENSES OF

SMELL, SIGHT, AND HEARING

ARE ESSENTIAL.

IF THEY CATCH A WHIFF OF

TROUBLE, THEY'LL BOLT, AND

IN THESE DANGEROUS PLAINS,

IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA TO

BE ON HIGH ALERT.

COMING UP, FIND OUT IF

THESE DEER ARE ALERT

ENOUGH TO ESCAPE THE PROWL

OF THAILAND'S MOST

DANGEROUS PREDATOR.

PLUS, WE HEAD TO THE TREES

WITH SOME CUTE MACAQUES.

.

- NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE - MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC

DYLAN: THE HIGHLANDS OF

THAILAND ARE HOME TO A

WIDE ARRAY OF ANIMALS AT

ALL LEVELS OF THE FOOD

CHAIN, AND AT THE VERY

TOP, BUILT FOR A LIFE OF

AMBUSH ATTACKS, IS THE

INDOCHINESE TIGER.

- THAILAND IS THOUGHT TO - CONTAIN ONE OF THE LARGEST

POPULATIONS OF THESE CATS

IN THE WORLD, AND TIGERS

- LIKE THIS GUY HAVE EVOLVED - PERFECTLY FOR THIS

HABITAT.

HIS STRIPED MARKINGS

LIKELY HELP CAMOUFLAGE HIM

- WITHIN A WORLD OF CONFUSED - LINES.

BUT HOG DEER ARE EVER

VIGILANT,

SO SURPRISE IS HIS

MOST IMPORTANT ASSET.

ONLY ONE OUT OF EVERY TEN

TO 20 ATTACKS RESULTS IN

- SUCCESS FOR THE TIGER, SO - THE ODDS ARE STILL STACKED

AGAINST HIM.

- BUT THE HIGHLAND PLAINS - MAKE AN UNPREDICTABLE

PLAYING FIELD.

CAUTION AND AWARENESS ARE

ESSENTIAL FOR HOG DEER TO

- SURVIVE THAILAND'S WILD - ARENAS.

THE FOREST FLOOR IS AN

UNPREDICTABLE ARENA FOR

PLANT LIFE, TOO.

TREES CONSTANTLY COMPETE

FOR LIGHT, WATER, AND NUTRIENTS

- BUT THE STRANGLER FIG - AVOIDS SUCH

- PROBLEMS BY USING OTHER - TREES TO GIVE IT A

HEAD-START IN LIFE.

- IN THEIR CANOPY, THEY - GATHER NUTRIENTS FROM THE

SUN AND RAIN, SENDING OUT

AERIAL ROOTS WHICH ENGULF

THE HOST.

UP IN THE TREES, EVERY

PATCH IS ACCOUNTED FOR,

AND THE KINGS OF THE

CANOPY LIKE TO STAKE THEIR

CLAIM.

[MONKEYS HOWLING]

DYLAN: LAR GIBBONS ASSERT

THEMSELVES BY CALLING.

[HOWLING CONTINUES]

- DYLAN: THEY ARE A - TIGHT-KNIT FAMILY AND

- TOTALLY COMMITTED TO EACH - OTHER.

- BRINGING UP THEIR - OFFSPRING IS A FULL-TIME

JOB IN THIS HIGH-RISE

HOME.

THESE GIBBONS HAVE

SUCCESSFULLY AWAKENED

THEIR NEIGHBORS.

THEY NEED TO FEED AND

BEGIN HEADING FOR A

FRUITING TREE.

LIKE GYMNASTS, THEY USE

BODY WEIGHT TO PROPEL

THEMSELVES.

- THEIR ABILITY TO TOTALLY - ROTATE THEIR SHOULDER

JOINT MEANS SWINGING HOLDS

MORE SWAY.

- WITH NO NEED FOR A TAIL TO - BALANCE ON TOP OF

BRANCHES, THEY SWING

UNDERNEATH, HAND-OVER-HAND

THROUGH THEIR CANOPY

KINGDOM.

FRUIT MAKES UP AT LEAST

HALF OF THEIR DIET, SO A

FIG TREE IS A MONKEY

MAGNET, BUT THE GIBBON

ISN'T THE ONLY PRIMATE

ATTRACTED TO THESE FIGS.

COMING UP, MORE MONKEYS

SWING IN TO HANG WITH

THESE LOUD AND HUNGRY

GIBBONS.

[MONKEY HOWLING]

- DYLAN: PLUS, GRAB A - FLASHLIGHT, BECAUSE WE'RE

EXPLORING THE CREATURES

THAT ROAM AND RULE THESE

ANCIENT CAVES.

.

- NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE - MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK.

- THERE ARE MORE THAN 260 - DIFFERENT SPECIES OF

MONKEYS ON EARTH DIVIDED

INTO TWO GROUPS, OLD WORLD

AND NEW WORLD.

- NEW WORLD ARE THOSE THAT - LIVE IN THE AMERICAS, LIKE

THE TYPE YOU'D SEE

SWINGING IN THE AMAZON,

- AND THE OLD WORLD ARE THE - TYPE WE'RE SEEING TODAY

FOUND IN AFRICA AND ASIA.

THE JUNGLES OF THAILAND

ARE HOME TO FIVE DIFFERENT

SPECIES OF OLD WORLD

MONKEYS, BUT AS YOU'RE

ABOUT TO SEE, SOME OF

THESE MONKEYS ARE NEW TO

THE GAME.

GIBBONS AREN'T THE ONLY

MONKEYS THAT LOVE THESE

FIG TREES.

SOON ENOUGH, THIS ASSAMESE

MACAQUE JOINS THE FRUITY

FEAST, AND WHERE THERE'S

ONE, THERE'S USUALLY MORE

NOT FAR BEHIND.

WITH MORNINGS ONLY A

LITTLE ABOVE FREEZING,

- THEIR THICK FUR KEEPS THEM - SNUG.

LIVING IN A LARGE TROOP

HAS ITS BENEFITS IN THIS

UNFORGIVING FOREST.

THEY SPREAD OUT FURTHER

WHILE FORAGING AND HAVE

- MORE PAIRS OF EYES TO SPOT - POTENTIAL DANGER.

BUT IT ALSO BRINGS ITS OWN

TENSIONS.

THE DATING SEASON IS IN

FULL SWING, AND MALE

MACAQUES ARE CONSTANTLY

LOOKING FOR NEW MATES.

- BUT THE ROMANCE GAME IN - THE MACAQUE WORLD ISN'T

STRAIGHTFORWARD, AND

WOOING A FEMALE IF YOU'RE

IN A HIERARCHY CAN BE

RISKY BUSINESS.

- IF YOU'RE LOWER DOWN THE - PECKING ORDER, SHE

PROBABLY ALREADY HAS HER

MAN.

FOR SOME MALES, IT PAYS TO

HAVE ALLIES, AND THEY FORM

COALITIONS TO HELP WITH

FLIRTING SO THEY DON'T GET

INTO ANY TROUBLING

SITUATIONS.

- GUARDED BY HIS WINGMAN, A - MID-RANKING MALE COURTS

THE ALPHA FEMALE.

- THIS COULD BE RISKY IF - OTHERS SPOT HIM, OR WORSE,

IF THE ALPHA MALE CATCHES

HIM.

[MONKEYS GRUNTING]

- DYLAN: ANOTHER MALE TRIES - TO INTERFERE, SO HIS

TEAMMATES RALLY.

KEEPING OTHER MALES IN

CHECK MAINTAINS HIS

STATUS, BUT FOR THE YOUNG

MACAQUES, IT'S ALL ABOUT

PLAY TIME.

THE HILLTOP SPA HELPS COOL

THINGS DOWN AND EVEN HELPS

FACILITATE IMPORTANT BONDS

AND RELATIONSHIPS.

WITH A LARGE TROOP, THEY

HAVE PLENTY OF PLAYMATES

AND WATCHFUL ADULTS.

BUT THE FOREST IS ALSO

HOME TO A SILENT ENEMY.

THE KING COBRA IS A

PREDATOR OF MANY HABITATS

ACROSS THAILAND AND PACKS

ENOUGH VENOM TO

POTENTIALLY TAKE ON A

FULLY GROWN ASIAN

ELEPHANT.

TASTING THE AIR, HE

SEARCHES FOR PREY.

KING COBRAS PREFER EATING

OTHER REPTILES, BUT THE

MACAQUES DON'T WANT TO

TAKE THAT CHANCE.

[MONKEYS GRUNTING]

- DYLAN: THEY SCURRY OFF TO - THE NEXT TREE TO FIND MORE

FOOD, PEACE, AND QUIET.

AND FURTHER SOUTH IN

THAILAND, THERE IS ANOTHER

WORLD THAT'S CRAWLING IN

THE DARK.

COMING UP, YOU THOUGHT THE

FOREST FLOOR WAS FULLY OF

FASCINATING CREATURES.

- JUST WAIT UNTIL WE EXPLORE - WHAT HIDES IN THE DARK

- SHADOWS OF THESE ANCIENT - CAVES.

.

- NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE - MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC

- DYLAN: THAILAND'S - LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMS INTO

AN ANCIENT WORLD AS THE

COUNTRY HEADS SOUTH.

AROUND FIVE MILLION YEARS

AGO, SEA LEVELS ROSE AND

FELL RAPIDLY AND FORMED A

GEOGRAPHICAL BOTTLENECK,

THE ISTHMUS OF KRA.

AT ITS NARROWEST POINT,

IT'S 24 MILES ACROSS, AND

- MOUNTAIN PEAKS DOMINATE - THE SKYLINE THROUGHOUT

THIS REGION.

THESE KARST LIMESTONE

MOUNDS REACH NEARLY

HALF-A-MILE IN SOME PLACES

AND ONCE FORMED PART OF A

REEF SPANNING FROM BORNEO

TO SOUTHERN CHINA.

THE TROPICAL CLIMATE HERE

HAS ALSO GIVEN RISE TO A

RAINFOREST BELIEVED TO BE

THE OLDEST ON EARTH.

AS ONE OF THE WETTEST

AREAS IN THAILAND,

WATERWAYS HAVE CARVED OUT

HABITATS WHERE ONLY THE

- MOST SPECIALIZED CREATURES - CAN SURVIVE.

UNDERGROUND CAVERNS WITH

HUGE MOUNDS MARK THE

GATEWAY TO ANOTHER WORLD.

IT OFFERS A DAYTIME

SANCTUARY FOR SLEEPY BATS.

BUT IT ALSO BRINGS IN

THEIR PREDATORS.

THE CAVE RACER SNAKE IS

HUNTING, AND SHE HAS A

TASTE FOR THESE FLYING

MAMMALS.

FINDING A SUITABLE LEDGE,

SHE LIES IN WAIT, READY

FOR HER PREY AS THEY LEAVE

THE CAVE.

PREHISTORIC MONSTERS ALSO

ROAM THIS DESERT OF

DARKNESS AND HAVE TAKEN

ADAPTATION TO EXTREMES.

WITHOUT LIGHT, EYESIGHT IS

ALMOST NONEXISTENT, SO THE

WHIP SPIDER IS A PERFECT

PREDATOR FOR THE DARK.

POSSESSING ONLY SIX LEGS,

THE FOURTH PAIR HAS

EVOLVED INTO WHIPS THAT

SWEEP HIS ENVIRONMENT.

WITH THOUSANDS OF SENSORY

ORGANS, THEY DETECT THE

SLIGHTEST MOVEMENT AS HE

SEARCHES FOR HIS PREY.

A CAVE CRICKET, HE, TOO,

IS SEARCHING FOR FOOD, BUT

- IT'S A DANGEROUS GAME WHEN - YOUR NEMESIS IS HUNTING

YOU DOWN.

NERVOUSLY PROBING HIS WAY,

IT'S LIKE A GAME OF CAT

AND MOUSE.

HE HAS STUMBLED INTO A

CRICKET CORRAL.

THESE PRIMORDIAL PREDATORS

SURROUND THE CRICKETS AND

MOVE IN.

SENSES MUST BE FINELY TUNED

TO SURVIVE HERE IN THE CAVES

AS WELL AS EVERYWHERE ELSE

IN THIS EXOTIC LAND

FROM MAMMAL...

[MONKEY HOWLING]

DYLAN: ...TO INSECT,

EVERY ANIMAL HAS A

- SPECIFIC FUNCTION TO HELP - THEM SURVIVE EVERY DAY.

- THANK YOU FOR JOINING US - ON OUR JOURNEY TO THE

UNPREDICTABLE ECOSYSTEMS

OF THAILAND.

FROM MONKEYS ON THE RUN TO

TIGERS LOOKING OUT FOR

NUMBER ONE, THERE'S ALWAYS

SOMETHING HAPPENING IN

THIS FASCINATING COUNTRY.

I'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME AS

WE TRAVEL TO ANOTHER PART

OF THE WORLD ON THE NEXT

"EARTH ODYSSEY."

[MUSIC]