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 EPISODE, WE

TRAVEL BACK TO THE

PHILIPPINES TO EXPLORE

MORE OF THIS INCREDIBLE

ISLAND CHAIN, LIKE THE

MANGROVE FOREST THAT IS

HOME TO SOME OF THE MOST

ADAPTED ANIMALS IN THE

WORLD.

PLUS, WE LIGHT UP WITH

SKIES WITH THESE LUMINOUS

AND FASCINATING FIREFLIES.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THE PHILIPPINES IS - ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST

ISLAND CHAINS.

- ITS RICH SOIL AND WATER AS - WELL AS ITS WARM CLIMATE

MAKE IT A PERFECT

ECOSYSTEM FOR ANIMALS TO

THRIVE, BUT IT'S NOT JUST

ANIMALS WHO FLOURISH HERE.

HUMAN CIVILIZATIONS HAVE

MADE THE PHILIPPINES THEIR

HOME SINCE THEY FIRST

ARRIVED TENS OF THOUSANDS

OF YEARS AGO, AND AS

YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE, MANY

OF THEM ADHERE TO THE SAME

TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS AS

THEIR ANCIENT ANCESTORS.

TAKE A LOOK.

- THE PHILIPPINES ARE A - CHAIN OF TROPICAL ISLANDS

- IN THE WESTERN PACIFIC - OCEAN.

THEY'RE AMONG THE MOST

SPECTACULAR ISLANDS ON

EARTH, AND THEY'RE HOME TO

SOME OF THE WORLD'S MOST

EXOTIC WILDLIFE.

THESE ISLANDS ARE FORMED

BY THE SOUTH CHINA SEA,

BUT IT DOESN'T JUST SHAPE

THE ISLAND'S COASTLINE.

IT HELPS FORM ONE OF ITS

MOST COMPLEX ECOSYSTEMS,

MANGROVE FORESTS.

WHERE SALT WATER MEETS

FRESH WATER, IT CREATES A

UNIQUE AND UNFORGIVING

ENVIRONMENT.

THE MUD IS OVERWHELMING.

THE SALT LEVELS WOULD KILL

MOST PLANTS IN HOURS, BUT

REMARKABLY, SOME

VEGETATION FLOURISHES.

- MANGROVES ARE HOME TO SOME - OF THE MOST RESILIENT

PLANTS IN THE WORLD.

SPECIAL ADAPTATIONS HELP

THEM SURVIVE.

A LACK OF OXYGEN IS ONE OF

THEIR GREATEST CHALLENGES.

THE EARTH IS SATURATED

WITH SALT AND BACTERIA,

- AND IT'S DIFFICULT FOR - PLANTS TO BREATHE THROUGH

THE SOIL NORMALLY.

SO MANGROVE ROOTS RISE

ABOVE THE GROUND AND TAKE

OXYGEN DIRECTLY FROM THE

AIR INSTEAD.

OVER TIME, RAISED ROOTS

SLOW THE TIDE, ALLOWING

SEDIMENT TO SETTLE AND NEW

LAND TO FORM.

THIS CREATES A HOME FOR A

WEALTH OF CREATURES AND A

HUNTING GROUND FOR HUMANS.

THERE ARE MANY EXOTIC

FOODS IN PALAWAN, BUT ONE

FOUND IN THE MANGROVES IS

A PARTICULAR FAVORITE, A

GIANT WORM-LIKE CREATURE

CALLED TAMILOK.

THEY LIVE INSIDE DEAD

MANGROVE ROOTS.

- FINDING WHICH ONES THEY'RE - HIDING IN TAKES A LOT OF

TIME AND PATIENCE.

BOREHOLES ARE A SIGN THAT

THEIR QUARRY IS GONE.

TAMILOK ARE ALSO KNOWN AS

SHIPWORMS.

THEY PLAGUED SEAFARERS FOR

CENTURIES AND CAUSED

THOUSANDS OF SHIPS TO

SINK.

- TRYING TO FIND ONE AMONG - THE MAZE OF ROOTS AND MUD

CAN BE EXHAUSTING WORK.

IT'S LIKE LOOKING FOR A

NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK.

ONE BLOW SPLITS A ROTTING

ROOT RELATIVELY EASILY.

AND THIS TIME, THE HUNTERS

HAVE STRUCK LUCKY.

DESPITE APPEARANCES,

TAMILOK ISN'T A WORM.

IT'S AN ELONGATED CLAM

WITH A TINY SHELL.

- LOCAL RESTAURANTS - SOMETIMES SERVE TAMILOK

WITH A SPECIAL MARINADE,

BUT SOME PEOPLE SAY

THEY'RE BEST EATEN

STRAIGHT FROM THE ROOT.

ONE TAMILOK DOWN, THE

SEARCH GOES ON, BUT THE

MANGROVES DON'T JUST

PROVIDE AN UNUSUAL SOURCE

OF FOOD FOR PEOPLE.

COMING UP, SURF AND TURF

IS ALWAYS ON THE MENU FOR

THESE EXOTIC MONKEYS NEXT

ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

.

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

DYLAN: AROUND 340 MILES

DUE EAST OF PALAWAN ON THE

ISLAND OF BOHOL, MANGROVES

HAVE BECOME A FAVORITE

PLACE TO FIND FOOD FOR

SOME OF OUR CLOSEST LIVING

RELATIVES.

A TROOP OF LONG-TAILED

MACAQUES ARE ON THE MOVE.

- THEY'VE LEFT THEIR HOMES - IN THE FOREST AND ENTERED

THE MANGROVES TO SATISFY

THEIR UNUSUAL APPETITES.

- FOR ANIMALS USED TO LIFE - IN THE TREES, THE MANGROVE

IS A HOME AWAY FROM HOME.

BUT THEY NEED TO TREAD

CAREFULLY.

- JAGGED ROOTS JUT FROM THE - GROUND LIKE A BED OF

NAILS.

ONE WRONG MOVE COULD

RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY.

- HUMAN-LIKE HANDS - SKILLFULLY RUMMAGE THROUGH

THE MUD.

FALLEN FRUITS ARE BURIED

BENEATH THE SLUDGE.

A QUICK CLEAN, AND THEY

MAKE A TASTY SNACK, BUT

FRUIT IS NOT THE MAIN

ATTRACTION.

THE MACAQUES IN BOHOL

VISIT THE MANGROVE TO FIND

ONE OF THEIR FAVORITE

FOODS, AND IT'S A VERY

UNLIKELY ONE...

...CRAB.

ONCE CAUGHT, CRABS NEED TO

BE HANDLED WITH CARE.

- AND IT PAYS TO FIND A SAFE - PLACE TO EAT AWAY FROM THE

REST OF THE TROOP.

NIMBLE FINGERS MAKE LIGHT

WORK OF THE SHELL.

CRAB MEAT IS FULL OF

PROTEIN.

A WIDE-EYED YOUNGSTER

WATCHES FROM ABOVE.

- IT SEEMS CONFIDENT ENOUGH - TO TRY AND CATCH A CRAB

ITSELF.

BUT IT SOON FINDS OUT IT'S

NOT AS EASY AS IT LOOKS.

SOME FOOD BITES BACK.

OTHERS HAVE HAD MORE LUCK.

THE YOUNGSTER RETREATS

AFTER A PAINFUL LESSON.

MACAQUES ARE ABLE TO

EXPLOIT ANY FEEDING

OPPORTUNITIES AND ARE

FOUND AROUND THE WORLD,

EVERYWHERE FROM TROPICAL

ISLANDS TO FROZEN FORESTS.

NEXT TO HUMANS, THEY ARE

THE MOST ABUNDANT PRIMATES

IN THE WORLD.

AFTER THE FEAST IS OVER,

IT'S TIME TO RELAX.

IN MACAQUE SOCIETY, THERE

IS A CLEAR HIERARCHY.

- GROOMING NOT ONLY REMOVES - PARASITES, IT ALSO

REAFFIRMS RELATIONSHIPS.

FRESHLY FED AND GROOMED,

IT'S TIME TO MOVE ON, AND

- THAT TAKES THEM BACK INTO - ONE OF THE MOST

EXTRAORDINARY PLACES IN

THE PHILIPPINES.

COMING UP ON "EARTH

ODYSSEY", WE EXPLORE THE

DOUBLE LIFE OF A TREE

NYMPH CATERPILLAR.

- PLUS, WE EXPLORE THE FATE - OF ONE OF THE WORLD'S

SMALLEST PRIMATES.

.

NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE

MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK.

- THE PHILIPPINES HAS ONE OF - THE WORLD'S RICHEST

CLIMATES TO SUPPORT

MAMMALS, REPTILES, BIRDS,

AND PLANTS.

ITS WARM WEATHER HARDLY

CHANGES FROM SEASON TO

SEASON, ALLOWING FOR ITS

INHABITANTS TO SURVIVE AND

THRIVE THROUGHOUT THE

YEAR, BUT THERE'S ONE

CREATURE THAT CHANGES

DRASTICALLY BECAUSE OF THE

CONSISTENT CLIMATE.

LET'S MIGRATE BACK TO THE

FOREST WHERE WE DISCOVER

THE NEW LIFE OF THIS

CRAFTY CATERPILLAR.

- THE PHILIPPINES ARE HOME - TO ALL SORTS OF STRANGE

SPECIES, LIKE AN INSECT

WITH AN APPETITE FOR

POISON.

A TREE NYMPH CATERPILLAR

CLIMBS ITS FAVORITE PLANT,

A DOGBANE.

TO TRY AND STOP INSECTS

EATING THEM, DOGBANES

FLUSH THEIR LEAVES WITH

TOXINS, BUT IT'S A TACTIC

WHICH DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK.

POISON MAKES THE PLANTS

MORE DESIRABLE TO THE TREE

NYMPH CATERPILLAR, NOT

LESS.

IT CAREFULLY SEVERS THE

STEM CARRYING THE TOXINS

SO IT CONSUMES ONLY A

NON-LETHAL DOSE AS IT EATS

THE LEAF.

- THE CATERPILLAR CUNNINGLY - ADOPTS THE PLANT'S

SELF-DEFENSE TACTIC.

IT NOW CARRIES THE TOXINS,

WHICH SHOULD DETER

PREDATORS.

- AFTER ABOUT TWO WEEKS, THE - CATERPILLAR DOUBLES IN

SIZE.

IT WEAVES A SILK PAD ON A

LEAF AND SUSPENDS ITSELF

USING BARBED HOOKS ON ITS

REAR.

WHAT HAPPENS NOW IS A

BIOLOGICAL MIRACLE.

ENZYMES DIGEST THE

CATERPILLAR'S TISSUE,

EFFECTIVELY LIQUIDIZING

ITS INSIDES.

THE CATERPILLAR SLOWLY

SHEDS ITS SKIN TO REVEAL A

GOLDEN CHRYSALIS.

AT FIRST, THE CHRYSALIS IS

SOFT AND SKIN-LIKE.

BUT IT QUICKLY TOUGHENS TO

FORM A PROTECTIVE COCOON.

IN THE SAFETY OF ITS

HARDENED HOME, IT WAITS

FOR CELLS IN ITS LIQUID

CENTER TO SLOWLY CHANGE.

TWO WEEKS PASS.

- THE CATERPILLAR IS NOW - READY FOR THE FINAL STAGE

OF A MIRACULOUS

TRANSFORMATION.

- ONE OF THE PHILIPPINES' - MOST SPECTACULAR

BUTTERFLIES, THE TREE

NYMPH SLOWLY ENTERS THE

WORLD.

- FREE OF ITS CRAMPED - COCOON, IT GENTLY PUFFS UP

ITS PAPERY WINGS.

ITS FRAGILE BODY SLOWLY

DRIES IN THE WARM

SUNSHINE.

FINALLY, IT'S TIME FOR ITS

FIRST FLIGHT.

BUT FREEDOM IS

SHORT-LIVED.

AN ORB WEAVER SPIDER

STRIKES.

ITS WEB IS MORE THAN THREE

FEET WIDE AND ALMOST

INVISIBLE.

THE OUTCOME SEEMS

INEVITABLE, BUT ALL IS NOT

WHAT IT SEEMS.

- SOMETHING ABOUT THE - BUTTERFLY DOESN'T TASTE

QUITE RIGHT.

ONE LAST LOOK, AND THE

SPIDER CUTS ITS CAPTIVE

FREE.

THE TOXINS FROM THE

DOGBANE PLANT THE

BUTTERFLY ATE WHEN IT WAS

A CATERPILLAR HAVE SAVED

ITS LIFE.

IT'S COMPLETELY

UNPALATABLE TO THE SPIDER.

- THIS INGENIOUS TRICK HAS - EARNED THE TREE NYMPH

ANOTHER NAME, THE LUCKY

BUTTERFLY.

THE ORB WEAVER IS LEFT

WAITING FOR A MORE

APPETIZING CATCH.

COMING UP, WHAT GIVES

THESE FIREFLIES THEIR

BEAUTIFUL GLOW, AND HOW DO

THE NUMBER OF SPECIES IN

THE PHILIPPINES CONTINUE

TO GROW?

.

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

- DYLAN: WE'RE BACK IN THE - FASCINATING ISLAND CHAIN

OF THE PHILIPPINES.

THESE SMALL INSECTS LOOK

FAIRLY UNREMARKABLE DURING

THE DAY, BUT AS THE SUN

SETS, THEY SHOW A VERY

DIFFERENT SIDE.

DARKNESS DESCENDS, AND

GHOSTLY LIGHTS FLASH.

THE INSECTS ARE FIREFLIES,

AND NIGHTTIME IS WHEN THEY

SHINE.

THE LIGHTS ARE A COURTSHIP

DISPLAY, A SIGN MALES WANT

TO MATE.

- FLASHES ARE CAUSED BY A - CHEMICAL REACTION INSIDE

THE FLY'S BODY.

IT'S THOUGHT THAT BY

DISPLAYING AT THE SAME

- TIME, MALES HAVE A GREATER - CHANCE OF ATTRACTING A

FEMALE.

- THEIR MASS EFFECT RIVALS - THE BRIGHTEST STARS IN THE

NIGHTTIME SKY.

THE SHIMMERING DISPLAY

SLOWLY DRAWS TO A CLOSE.

- NOW IS THE TIME WHEN THE - PHILIPPINES' MOST

CELEBRATED AND SECRETIVE

PREDATOR COMES OUT OF

HIDING...

...THE PHILIPPINE TARSIER.

IT'S SO TINY, IT WOULD FIT

INSIDE A HUMAN HAND, AND

IT ONLY STIRS AFTER DARK.

THE TARSIER IS ONE OF THE

WORLD'S SMALLEST PRIMATES,

BUT IT HAS THE BIGGEST

EYES RELATIVE TO BODY SIZE

OF ANY MAMMAL.

UNSURPRISINGLY, IT HAS

SUPERB SIGHT.

A CRICKET IS

WELL-CAMOUFLAGED, BUT NOT

WELL ENOUGH.

THE TARSIER'S HEARING IS

SUPERB, TOO.

IT PINPOINTS THE CRICKET'S

POSITION...

...AND STRIKES.

- THE CRICKET DOESN'T SENSE - DANGER UNTIL IT'S TOO

LATE.

THE NAME TARSIER COMES

FROM ITS UNUSUALLY LONG

TARSUS, OR ANKLE BONES,

WHICH WORK LIKE SHOCK

ABSORBERS.

THEY HELP IT TO JUMP

QUICKLY AND LAND QUIETLY.

- AS IT HOLDS THE CRICKET, - IT'S CLEAR HOW TINY THE

TARSIER IS AND HOW HUNGRY.

SPECIAL ADHESIVE DISCS ON

ITS FEET HELP IT STICK TO

BRANCHES WHILE IT EATS AND

KEEPS WATCH.

ITS EYES ARE BIGGER THAN

ITS BRAIN AND ITS STOMACH.

THEY'RE FIXED IN ITS SKULL

AND CAN'T MOVE, BUT IT CAN

SPIN ITS HEAD THROUGH 180

DEGREES LIKE AN OWL, AND

- THAT HELPS IT SPOT MANY - MORE FEEDING

OPPORTUNITIES.

A CRICKET PROVIDES A BIG

MEAL, BUT IT'S MERELY AN

APPETIZER.

- THE TARSIER LAUNCHES A - FEEDING FRENZY TO RIVAL

THE MOST FEROCIOUS

PREDATOR.

- ONE OF THE ISLAND'S - TINIEST PREDATORS IS AMONG

ITS DEADLIEST.

A LONG NIGHT'S HUNTING HAS

ONLY JUST BEGUN.

- 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.

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]