Original subtitles

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- 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".

ON TODAY'S SHOW, WE HEAD

TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN,

WHERE YOU'LL FIND SOME OF

THE WILDEST ANIMALS IN ONE

OF THE MOST EXOTIC

LOCATIONS ON EARTH, THE

PHILIPPINES.

TODAY, WE'LL MEET A

BINTURONG, WHO'S NOT QUITE

A BEAR AND NOT QUITE A

CAT, DESPITE ITS COMMON

NICKNAME, AND THIS

SCORPION, WHOSE LITTLE

TAIL CAN BRING A BIG

STING.

AND LATER, IT'S TIME TO BE

BRAVE, BECAUSE WE'RE

HANGING IN A CAVE.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THERE ARE FEW - PLACES ON EARTH THAT ARE

MORE BIODIVERSE THAN THE

PHILIPPINES.

- THE WATERS AROUND THESE - INCREDIBLE ISLANDS ARE

SAID TO HAVE MORE LIFE

THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE

WORLD, BUT IT'S NOT JUST

SEA ANIMALS THAT GIVE THE

PHILIPPINES ITS LIVELY

REPUTATION.

THERE'S ALSO PLENTY OF

ANIMAL ACTIVITY ON LAND.

- LET'S CRUISE OVER TO - SOUTHEAST ASIA TO GET UP

- CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH - THE PHILIPPINES' ABUNDANCE

OF WILDLIFE.

THE PHILIPPINES ARE MADE

UP OF MORE THAN SEVEN

THOUSAND TROPICAL ISLANDS

IN THE WESTERN PACIFIC

OCEAN.

- THEY'RE AMONG THE MOST - ANCIENT ISLANDS ON EARTH.

- DENSE RAINFOREST COVERS - MOST OF THE LAND, AND ALL

COMBINED, THE PHILIPPINES

HAVE THE WORLD'S FIFTH

LONGEST COASTLINE.

THE ISLANDS SIT WITHIN THE

NOTORIOUS PACIFIC RING OF

FIRE, MAKING THEM PRONE TO

TYPHOONS, EARTHQUAKES, AND

THE THREAT OF ERUPTION

FROM AROUND 20 ACTIVE

VOLCANOES.

- THEY ARE ALSO HOME TO ONE - OF THE MOST DIVERSE

- COLLECTION OF ANIMALS AND - PLANTS IN THE WORLD.

- THE PHILIPPINES ARE - CROWDED WITH RARE AND

UNIQUE SPECIES, INCLUDING

MANY SPECIALIZED

PREDATORS.

SOME OF THE MOST SKILLFUL

STALK THE DENSE FORESTS OF

PALAWAN ISLAND.

- PALAWAN LIES BETWEEN THE - SOUTH CHINA SEA IN THE

- NORTHWEST AND THE SULU SEA - IN THE SOUTHEAST.

- IT'S THE SIXTH LARGEST - ISLAND IN THE PHILIPPINES.

IT'S ALSO THE MOST

SPARSELY POPULATED AND THE

MOST HEAVILY FORESTED.

- DENSE RAINFOREST AND MISTY - MOUNTAINS RUN THE LENGTH

OF THE ISLAND.

BENEATH THE CANOPY IS A

MAZE OF BRANCHES AND

- VINES, THE PERFECT HOME - FOR SOME OF THE

PHILIPPINES MOST

FORMIDABLE HUNTERS.

THE LEAF LITTER RUSTLES

UNDER THE WEIGHT OF BULKY

- BUGS, LIKE THIS FOREST - SCORPION SEARCHING FOR A

MEAL.

ARMED WITH A LETHAL STING

THAT TARGETS NERVE CELLS,

IT WILL INJECT ANY PREY IT

COMES ACROSS WITH

PARALYZING VENOM.

A GIANT SCOLOPENDRA IS

JUST AS DEADLY.

THIS IS ONE OF THE WORLD'S

LARGEST CENTIPEDES.

- ADULTS CAN REACH UP TO - EIGHT INCHES LONG.

ONE POISON-PACKED BITE IS

USUALLY ENOUGH TO GO

TOE-TO-TOE WITH ANIMALS AS

BIG AS MICE, BIRDS, AND

BATS.

- IT'S NOT ONLY ANIMALS WHO - HAVE DEVELOPED SPECIAL

SKILLS TO SURVIVE IN

PALAWAN'S JUNGLES.

- THE SAME IS TRUE OF THE - VEGETATION ITSELF.

BIZARRE PLANTS CROWD THE

EDGE OF THE FOREST.

- THEY'RE CALLED PITCHER - PLANTS DUE TO THEIR

VASE-SHAPED BODIES, BUT

THERE'S SOMETHING THAT

- SEPARATES THESE PLANTS - FROM THOSE IN YOUR

BACKYARD.

THESE PLANTS ARE HUNGRY.

THE SOIL AT THE EDGE OF

THE FOREST IS POOR QUALITY

- AND NOT FERTILE ENOUGH TO - SUPPORT MOST PLANTS.

SO, PITCHER PLANTS TURN TO

OTHER SOURCES OF FOOD,

LIVING CREATURES.

- THESE PLANTS ARE - PREDATORS, AND SINCE THEY

- CAN'T MOVE, THEY MAKE - THEIR PREY COME TO THEM.

- THERE ARE MORE THAN ONE - HUNDRED SPECIES OF

TROPICAL PITCHER PLANT,

BUT NEPENTHES

- PHILIPPINENSIS IS FOUND - NOWHERE ELSE ON EARTH.

- USING SPECIAL GLANDS, THE - PLANT SECRETES

SWEET-SMELLING NECTAR ONTO

ITS BRIGHTLY COLORED OUTER

LIP.

TO INSECTS LIKE ANTS, THE

COMBINATION OF SCENT AND

COLOR PROVES IRRESISTIBLE,

AND THE LIP OF THE PLANT

- SEEMS THE MOST ENTICING - PART OF ALL.

ONCE LURED ONTO THE EDGE,

THE ANT'S FATE IS SEALED.

THE SURFACE IS A SLIPPERY

TRAP.

- THE PLANT'S BODY IS FULL - OF LIQUID.

SOME HOLD AS MUCH AS A

HALF-A-PINT, AND ITS WAXY

WALLS MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE

FOR ITS PREY TO CLIMB OUT.

- SPECIAL DIGESTIVE ENZYMES - WORK LIKE ACID AND BREAK

- DOWN THE ANTS' BODIES AS - THEY DROWN.

THE PITCHER PLANT NOW HAS

THE VITAL NUTRIENTS IT

CAN'T GET FROM THE SOIL.

WHEN WE RETURN, WE STAY

LOW TO THE GROUND AND MEET

WHO REALLY RULES THE

JUNGLE.

PLUS, REAL LIFE DRAGONS

COMING UP ON "EARTH

ODYSSEY".

.

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

- DYLAN: WE'RE BACK ON THE - JUNGLE FLOOR OF THE

PALAWAN ISLAND, THE SIXTH

LARGEST ISLAND OF THE

PHILIPPINES AND HOME TO

SOME HUNGRY INSECT EATERS,

INCLUDING ONE

UNLIKELY-LOOKING CREATURE

UNIQUE TO PALAWAN.

A BINTURONG, ONE OF THE

PHILIPPINES' RAREST AND

MOST ELUSIVE ANIMALS, IS

ON THE PROWL FOR FOOD.

IT'S ALSO KNOWN AS A

BEARCAT.

A CLOSER LOOK REVEALS WHY.

WITH ITS STOCKY BODY,

FELINE FEATURES, AND SMALL

TUFT OF EARS, IT LOOKS

LIKE A CROSS BETWEEN A

BEAR AND A CAT.

DESPITE APPEARANCES, IT'S

RELATED TO NEITHER.

ITS CLOSEST RELATIVES ARE

THE AFRICAN CIVET AND

GENET.

BINTURONGS ARE FOUND IN

DWINDLING NUMBERS

THROUGHOUT ASIA, BUT AS

ITS NAME SUGGESTS, THE

- PALAWAN BEARCAT IS FOUND - ONLY ON THE ISLAND.

AND THE FOREST FLOOR ISN'T

ITS FAVORITE PLACE TO HUNT.

- BEARCATS ARE BUILT FOR - LIFE AMONG THE BRANCHES.

SEMI-RETRACTABLE CLAWS

HELP IT SCALE TALL TREES

WITH EASE.

ALONGSIDE THE SOUTH

AMERICAN KINKAJOU, THE

BEARCAT IS ONE OF ONLY TWO

CARNIVORES IN THE WORLD

WITH A PREHENSILE TAIL.

IT WORKS LIKE A FIFTH HAND

TO HELP IT GRIP, BALANCE,

AND MOVE THROUGH THE

CANOPY.

- ONCE AMONG THE BRANCHES, - THE BEARCAT REVEALS A

- SPEED AND DEXTERITY IT - CAN'T MATCH ON THE GROUND.

- PALAWAN'S FORESTS ARE A - FERTILE BEARCAT HUNTING

GROUND, AND IT SPENDS MOST

OF ITS LIFE UP IN THE

TREES.

- ALTHOUGH IT MAINLY LIVES - ON FRUIT, IT WILL EAT

INSECTS, BIRDS, AND

RODENTS, TOO.

- POWERFUL JAWS EASILY SHRED - BARK TO FIND GRUBS.

IT ALSO HAS A KEEN SENSE

OF SMELL, AND THE AIR

- CARRIES THE SCENT OF A - BEARCAT FAVORITE, EGGS.

- LONG, SENSITIVE WHISKERS - HELP IT TRACK DOWN THE

SOURCE OF THE SMELL

BALANCED AMONG THE

BRANCHES.

COMING UP, WE'LL FIND OUT

WHAT'S CRAWLING, HANGING,

AND FLYING IN THESE

ANCIENT AND LIVING CAVES.

PLUS, A STORYBOOK ENDING

WITH THESE MYTHICAL

CREATURES.

.

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

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK.

THERE ARE MORE 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 OLD WORLD ARE THE TYPE

WE'RE SEEING TODAY FOUND

IN AFRICA AND ASIA.

- THE JUNGLES OF THAILAND - ARE HOME TO MANY DIFFERENT

SPECIES OF OLD WORLD

MONKEYS, BUT AS YOU'RE

ABOUT TO SEE, SOME OF

THESE MONKEYS ARE NEW TO

THE GAME.

BESIDES THE DENSE FORESTS

CARPETING THE ISLAND,

- PALAWAN HAS ANOTHER HIDDEN - WORLD, AND THIS ONE

- ONE COULDN'T BE MORE DIFFERENT - FROM THE TANGLE OF PLANT

LIFE.

AS THE ISLAND'S RIVERS

DRAIN TOWARDS THE SEA,

SOME DISAPPEAR INSIDE THE

LIMESTONE MOUNTAINS.

- THESE RIVERS HAVE CARVED - ONE OF THE MOST

SPECTACULAR CAVE SYSTEMS

ON EARTH, THE PUERTO

PRINCESA SUBTERRANEAN

RIVER PARK.

IT'S NOT KNOWN EXACTLY WHO

DISCOVERED THESE CAVES OR

WHEN.

SOME BELIEVE THE ISLAND'S

EARLIEST INHABITANTS KNEW

- THEY EXISTED, BUT WERE TOO - AFRAID TO EXPLORE THEM.

ONCE INSIDE, IT'S EASY TO

UNDERSTAND WHY.

ENORMOUS STALAGMITES REACH

UP FROM THE CAVE FLOOR

LIKE HUGE GNARLED FINGERS,

AND AS DAYLIGHT

- DISAPPEARS, CAVE DWELLERS - CREEP OUT OF THE SHADOWS.

A WHIP SCORPION STALKS THE

CAVE WALLS.

- DESPITE ITS NAME, IT'S - MORE CLOSELY RELATED TO A

SPIDER THAN A SCORPION.

- AND IT HAS THE SPEED TO - PROVE IT.

A CAVE TARANTULA WAITS FOR

THE TINY HAIRS ON ITS BODY

- TO BRISTLE, A SIGN THAT - PREY IS NEAR.

THE BEAT OF BAT WINGS IS A

CONSTANT ECHO.

HUGE COLONIES CROWD THE

ROOF OF THE CAVE.

ITS DARK CREVICES ARE THE

PERFECT PLACE TO ROOST AND

HELP KEEP THEM SAFE FROM

PREDATORS.

THE PUERTO PRINCESA'S

SUBTERRANEAN RIVER IS

ROUGHLY FIVE MILES LONG

AND THE WORLD'S SECOND

LONGEST UNDERGROUND RIVER.

A BRAVE CAVER MIGHT FOLLOW

THIS WATERWAY TO ITS END,

- WHERE THEY WOULD FIND ONE - OF THE WORLD'S RAREST

CREATURES WITH A TRULY

EPIC NAME.

- WHEN WE RETURN, MEET THE - MODERN-DAY DRAGON WE'VE

ALL BEEN WAITING FOR.

.

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

- DYLAN: THE PUERTO - PRINCESA'S SUBTERRANEAN

RIVER FORMS PART OF

PALAWAN'S MOUNTAIN-TO-SEA

ECOSYSTEM, WHERE THE

FORESTS STRETCH ALL THE

WAY TO THE SHORE.

THE RIVER PASSES THROUGH

THE CAVE BEFORE EVENTUALLY

- REACHING THE SOUTH CHINA - SEA.

THIS IS A LAND THAT TIME

FORGOT.

- THE ISLAND'S PREHISTORIC - COASTLINE PROVIDES A HOME

- TO A CREATURE UNCHANGED - FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS AND

IS THE LAIR OF A

MODERN-DAY DRAGON.

- THIS WATER MONITOR IS ON - THE HUNT FOR FOOD.

IT WEIGHS MORE THAN 55

POUNDS AND IS THE SECOND

LARGEST LIZARD IN THE

WORLD.

IT SPENDS UP TO A THIRD OF

ITS LIFE IN WATER AND

LIKES TO LIVE NEAR SEA AND

RIVERS, SO PALAWAN

PROVIDES A PERFECT HOME

FOR THESE GIANT REPTILES.

- THEY HAVE EASY ACCESS TO - THE SEA, AND THEY'RE THE

ISLAND'S TOP PREDATOR, SO

THEY HAVE NO NATURAL

COMPETITION, AND THEY

AREN'T FUSSY ABOUT FOOD.

- THEY'LL EAT ANYTHING THEY - CAN CATCH.

LIKE SNAKES, WATER

MONITORS HAVE FORKED

TONGUES WHICH CONSTANTLY

FLICKER AS THEY TASTE THE

- AIR TO PINPOINT PREY, AND - WHEN THEY CAN'T FIND FOOD

ON THE GROUND, THEY CAN

EASILY SEARCH UP IN THE

CANOPY.

- WATER MONITORS ARE - SURPRISINGLY AGILE

CLIMBERS.

- THEY'LL SOMETIMES EVEN - JUMP FROM TREE TO TREE TO

CHASE PREY OR ESCAPE

DANGER.

BUT GOOD CLIMBING SKILLS

DON'T GUARANTEE A MEAL.

- AND FAILING TO LAND A - CATCH ISN'T THE END OF ITS

PROBLEMS.

DOWN ON THE GROUND,

TEMPERS ARE FRAYING.

ALTHOUGH WATER MONITORS

CROSS PATHS WHEN FORAGING,

THEY ARE SOLITARY BY

NATURE.

IT'S EVERY LIZARD FOR

ITSELF, ESPECIALLY WHERE

FOOD IS CONCERNED.

WHILE OTHERS FIGHT, A LONE

LIZARD SLINKS AWAY FROM

THE CROWD TO SEARCH FOR A

FRESH HUNTING GROUND.

- WATER MONITORS RARELY - STRAY FAR FROM THE SEA.

- THEIR STRONG SWIMMING - SKILLS HAVE ENABLED THEM

- TO OCCUPY ISLANDS ALL OVER - ASIA, AND BEACHES CAN BE A

GOOD PLACE TO FIND FOOD.

- ITS FLICKERING TONGUE - SENSES A FAVORITE MEAL.

- RAZOR SHARP TEETH CUT - THROUGH THE SHELL LIKE A

KNIFE THROUGH BUTTER, AND

THIS IS JUST THE START OF

THE FEAST.

CRABS HAVE CREPT OUT OF

THEIR BURROWS TO FORAGE

WHILE THE TIDE IS OUT.

THE WATER MONITOR HAS HIT

THE JACKPOT.

- THEY ARE SURPRISINGLY - QUICK AND CAN RUN FASTER

THAN MOST HUMANS.

- CRABS HAVE LITTLE CHANCE - OF ESCAPE.

AFTER A SATISFYING MEAL,

THIS MYTHICAL LIZARD

SLINKS BACK INTO THE SHADE

OF THE FOREST.

- THE PHILIPPINES ARE HOME - TO SOME OF THE RAREST

- ANIMALS ON EARTH AND SOME - OF THE MOST UNUSUAL.

MANY OF THESE ANCIENT

ISLANDS ARE ISOLATED AND

UNDISTURBED.

AS A RESULT, UNIQUE

SPECIES HAVE FLOURISHED

UNINTERRUPTED BY THE

MODERN WORLD.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR

COMING ALONG ON OUR

JOURNEY TO THE ALWAYS

FASCINATING PHILIPPINES.

FROM THE BRIGHTEST DAYS TO

THE DARKEST CAVES, THERE'S

NEVER A DULL MOMENT IN

THIS LIVELY ISLAND CHAIN.

- WE HOPE TO SEE YOU NEXT - TIME ON OUR JOURNEY TO

ANOTHER AMAZING PART OF

THE WORLD ON "EARTH

ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]