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 THERE, I'M DYLAN

DREYER AND THIS IS "EARTH

ODYSSEY."

ON TODAY'S EPISODE, WE

EXPLORE THE HIDDEN BEAUTY

OF PATAGONIA.

- WE'LL DISCOVER SOME OF THE - WILDLIFE THAT YOU WOULD

NEVER EXPECT TO SEE IN

SOUTH AMERICA.

LIKE THESE JUNGLE BIRDS

MAKING CAMP ON THE CLIFFS?

PLUS, WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN

SNIFF OUT SOME SKUNKS WHO

SHARE CLOSE QUARTERS WITH

SOME HARD-NOSED

ARMADILLOS.

ALL OF THAT AND MORE

COMING UP ON OUR "EARTH

ODYSSEY."

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE PATAGONIA IS

REGION TO SOME OF THE MOST

DIVERSE LANDSCAPES AND

INCREDIBLE WILDLIFE ON THE

PLANET.

DESPITE COMPRISING NEARLY

A THIRD OF THE ENTIRE

CONTINENT OF SOUTH

AMERICA, FEWER THAN TWO

MILLION PEOPLE LIVE IN

THIS REGION.

ITS UNPREDICTABLE CLIMATE

AND EVERCHANGING LANDSCAPE

- MAKE IT HARDER FOR HUMANS - TO CALL HOME.

SO, WHO RULES THIS RIGID

REGION?

LET'S EXPLORE TO FIND OUT.

STRETCHING SOUTH FROM THE

RIO COLORADO, PATAGONIA

COVERS MORE 300,000 SQUARE

MILES OF ARGENTINA AND

CHILE.

IT'S A PLACE OF EXTREMES.

HOME TO ONE OF THE WORLD'S

LARGEST DESERTS.

AND YET, BILLIONS OF

GALLONS OF FRESHWATER ARE

LOCKED INTO THE ICE OF ITS

VAST GLACIER FIELDS.

IT'S A LAND OF THE

UNEXPECTED.

WHERE UNUSUAL ANIMALS LIVE

IN UNUSUAL PLACES.

PENGUINS NEST UNDER DESERT

PLANTS.

RELATIVES OF THE CAMEL SIT

OUT WINTER SNOWS.

AND PARROTS LIVE BY THE

SEA.

GRIPPED BY WINTER FOR

NEARLY HALF THE YEAR,

PATAGONIA IS A TOUGH PLACE

TO SURVIVE.

SPRING AND SUMMER ARE ALL

TOO BRIEF AND WILDLIFE

MUST RUSH TO TAKE

ADVANTAGE OF A SHORT

OPPORTUNITY TO PREPARE FOR

THE WINTER.

- ON THE NORTHEAST COAST, - THE OCEAN COLLIDES WITH A

REMOTE PENINSULA.

IT'S THE IDEAL PLACE FOR

SEA LIONS TO REAR THEIR

PUPS.

IT'S THE END OF SUMMER.

- FOR THE LAST TWO MONTHS, - THE PUPS HAVE ENJOYED THE

SAFETY OF THE BEACHES.

- BUT NOW, THEY ARE GETTING - CURIOUS AND VENTURING INTO

THE WATER.

- THEY NEED TO PERFECT THEIR - SWIMMING SKILLS BEFORE

WINTER RETURNS AND THEY

HAVE TO TAKE THEIR FIRST

JOURNEY OUT TO THE OPEN

OCEAN.

SURFING THE SHALLOWS, THEY

FLEX THEIR FLIPPERS AND

GEAR UP FOR A LIFE AT SEA.

BUT THIS NURSERY ISN'T A

SAFE PLACE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ORCAS, OR KILLER

WHALES, ARE THE OCEAN'S

TOP PREDATORS AND ONE OF

THE MOST INTELLIGENT

ANIMALS IN THE WATER.

THIS PATAGONIAN BEACH IS

THE ONLY PLACE IN THE

WORLD WHERE KILLER WHALES

HAVE LEARNED TO BEACH

THEMSELVES AS A HUNTING

TECHNIQUE.

IT'S A VERY RISKY

MANEUVER.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: IF THEY GET - STRANDED ON LAND, THEIR

- BODIES WOULD QUICKLY - COLLAPSE UNDER THEIR OWN

WEIGHT.

- THE KILLER WHALES - PATROLLING PATAGONIA'S

BEACHES HAVE LEARNED HOW

TO WRIGGLE BACK TO DEEPER

WATER.

THE HUNTER'S WINDOW OF

OPPORTUNITY IS SHORT

LIVED.

- IN JUST TWO WEEKS, THE SEA - LIONS WILL LEAVE THE

BEACHES AND HEAD SOUTH TO

THE RICH FEEDING GROUNDS

OF THE SOUTH ATLANTIC.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: COLD WATER FROM

ANTARCTICA PUSHES NORTH

ALONG SOUTH AMERICA'S WEST

COAST, FROM THE SOUTHERN

TIP OF CHILE, RIGHT UP TO

THE EQUATOR.

THIS VAST, COLD TONGUE OF

WATER IS KNOWN AS THE

HUMBOLDT CURRENT.

- BRINGING NUTRIENTS UP FROM - THE DEEP, IT POWERS THE

MOST PRODUCTIVE MARINE

ECOSYSTEM IN THE WORLD.

- WHILE THEY MAY HAVE - CLAIMED THE LIVES OF

HUNDREDS OF SAILORS, THE

COLD SEAS AROUND THE TIP

OF PATAGONIA ARE BURSTING

WITH LIFE.

SARDINES FORM SHOALS THAT

CAN BE MORE THAN 60 FEET

ACROSS AND MADE UP OF

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF

INDIVIDUALS.

A FIFTH OF THE WORLD'S

ENTIRE FISH CATCH COMES

FROM THESE WATERS.

AND SO MUCH FISH ATTRACT

SPECIALIST HUNTERS.

A SEA LION IS ONE OF THE

MOST SKILLFUL PREDATORS IN

THE OCEAN.

- HIS RICH DIET HELPS HIM - BUILD UP A LAYER OF

BLUBBER SEVERAL INCHES

THICK, KEEPING HIM WARM IN

ALMOST FREEZING WATER.

TIERRA DEL FUEGO IS

SURROUNDED BY ICY WATERS,

BUT ITS NAME MEANS LAND OF

FIRE.

COMING UP ON "EARTH

ODYSSEY," WE STEP INTO THE

STEEPEST PARTS OF

PATAGONIA AND EXPLORE WHAT

LIVES THERE.

PLUS, WHY ARE THESE JUNGLE

BIRDS MAKING CAMP ON THE

CLIFFS?

IT'S ALL COMING UP WHEN

"EARTH ODYSSEY" RETURNS.

[BREAK]

.

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

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: WE'RE BACK IN - SOUTH AMERICA WHERE THE

STEP MAKES UP 90 PERCENT

OF PATAGONIA.

- THE STEEP DROP FROM THE - MOUNTAINS TO THE PLAINS

GENERATES AN ALMOST

CONSTANT WIND.

AIR CURRENTS RACE DOWN THE

ANDEAN SLOPES AND ROAR

ACROSS THE PLAINS.

GALE FORCE WINDS MAKE IT

IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANYTHING

LARGER THAN A SHRUB TO

TAKE HOLD.

GUSTS CAN BE 100 MILES PER

HOUR.

MANY PATAGONIA INSECTS

HAVE LOST THE ABILITY TO

FLY.

THEIR HARD-WING CASES HAVE

BECOME FUSED.

IN EVOLUTIONARY TERMS,

IT'S A STEP BACKWARDS.

FLIGHT IS USUALLY

CONSIDERED PROGRESS BUT

TAKE OFF HERE AND THEY'D

BE BLOWN OUT TO SEA.

BUT THERE'S MORE THAN JUST

THE WIND TO WORRY ABOUT.

A PATAGONIAN SKUNK FORAGES

FOR A MEAL.

IT'S NOT A FUSSY EATER.

SKUNKS WILL EAT ANYTHING

THEY CAN LAY THEIR PAWS

ON, FROM RODENTS AND

LIZARDS, TO INSECTS AND

EVEN MEAT.

- A GRASSHOPPER DISGUISES - ITSELF AS A PEBBLE, IN THE

HOPE OF GOING UNNOTICED.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: A BEETLE CAN RUN.

AND IT CAN TRY TO HIDE.

BUT THE SKUNK'S CLAWS ARE

BUILT TO DIG AND THE SOFT,

SANDY SOIL OFFERS LITTLE

PROTECTION.

- WITHIN A FEW SHORT WEEKS, - THE FREEZING WATER IS A

DISTANT MEMORY.

EVERY ANIMAL ON THE

PATAGONIAN STEP IS IN A

HURRY TO MAKE THE MOST OF

SPRING.

A MALE ARMADILLO IS ON A

MISSION TO FIND A MATE.

- HIS THICK SKIN SHIELDS HIM - FROM THE THORNY

UNDERGROWTH.

THERE'S A FEMALE NEARBY,

BUT SHE'S MORE INTERESTED

IN FINDING FOOD.

THE BONY PLATE ON HER HEAD

HELPS HER BULLDOZE THROUGH

THE EARTH AS SHE DIGS FOR

PREY.

THIS MALE IS SMITTEN.

HIS EYESIGHT IS POOR, BUT

HE IS ABLE TO FIND HER

THROUGH HIS STRONG SENSE

OF SMELL.

BUT THIS ARMADILLO LOVE

STORY WASN'T MEANT TO BE.

- COMING UP ON "EARTH - ODYSSEY," WHAT IS THE MOST

ANNOYING ANIMAL TO ONE OF

THE WORLD'S BIGGEST

BEASTS?

PLUS, FIND OUT HOW THESE

BUSY BIRDS LIKE TO REST

AFTER MAKING THEIR NEST.

[BREAK]

.

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

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO - OUR LOOK AT THE INCREDIBLE

DIVERSITY OF PATAGONIA.

THE LANDSCAPE CAN BE A

HAZARDOUS HOME TO A

- FASCINATING ARRAY OF - ANIMALS.

BUT WHAT LIVES OFFSHORE?

THE WARM WATER FROM THE

ATLANTIC OCEAN CREATES A

PERFECT ENVIRONMENT FOR

SEA CREATURES AS SMALL AS

PLANKTON AND AS BIG AS

WHALES.

SPEAKING OF WHICH, LET'S

GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

WITH THESE MAGNIFICENT

MAMMALS.

JUST OFFSHORE OF PATAGONIA

ARE SOME OF THE LARGEST

ANIMALS IN THE OCEAN.

SOUTHERN RIGHT WHALES CAN

GROW UP TO 60 FEET LONG

AND WEIGH AS MUCH AS 80

TONS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ABOUT 1,500 OF

THESE OCEAN GIANTS SPEND

THE SUMMER AROUND

PENINSULA VALDEZ.

- MANY HAVE COME TO GIVE - BIRTH.

AWAY FROM THE FIERCE SEAS,

THESE PROTECTED BAYS AND

THEIR RELATIVELY WARM

WATERS ARE THE IDEAL

NURSERY FOR YOUNG WHALES.

NEWBORNS WEIGH OVER A TON.

CALVES DRINK MORE THAN 40

GALLONS OF MILK AND PUT ON

MORE THAN 200 POUNDS EVERY

DAY.

- AND THEY'LL DO THIS FOR A - YEAR BEFORE THEY ARE

WEENED.

EVEN THESE TITANS WOULD BE

AT RISK IN THE OPEN OCEAN.

GREAT WHITE SHARKS PATROL

OFFSHORE, WHERE THEY CAN

EASILY MAKE A MEAL OF A

BABY WHALE.

- GREAT WHITES NEED DEEP - WATER TO LAUNCH AN ATTACK

AND RARELY VENTURE INTO

SHELTERED BAYS.

SO, WHALE MOTHERS KNOW TO

HUG THE COASTLINE TO KEEP

THEIR YOUNG OUT OF DANGER.

BUT CLOSER TO LAND,

THERE'S ANOTHER THREAT.

KELP GULLS HAVE LEARNED

THAT THE LOUNGING WHALES

- ARE THE SOURCE OF A GOOD - MEAL.

WHALE SKIN IS SURPRISINGLY

SOFT AND THE GULLS' BEAKS

ARE SHARP.

- DWARFED BY THE HUGE - WHALES, THE GULLS PICK AT

THEIR BLUBBER.

- DESPITE THE SIZE - DIFFERENCE, THE WHALES ARE

CLEARLY UNCOMFORTABLE.

- AS WELL AS CAUSING PAINFUL - CUTS, HARASSMENT FROM THE

GULLS MEANS WHALES DIVE

MORE FREQUENTLY, WHICH CAN

MAKE LIFE VERY HARD FOR

THEIR CALVES.

- YOUNGSTERS CAN HOLD THEIR - BREATH FOR AS LONG AS

ADULTS AND NEED TO LEAN ON

THEIR MOTHERS WHILE THEY

REST AT THE SURFACE.

- IN JUST A FEW WEEKS, THE - CALVES WILL NEED TO BE

STRONG ENOUGH TO LEAVE

THESE BAYS AND MIGRATE

SOUTH WITH THEIR MOTHERS

TO THEIR FEEDING GROUNDS

IN ANTARCTICA.

- WHILE MOST OF THE FEMALE - RIGHT WHALES HAVE COME

HERE TO GIVE BIRTH, OTHERS

HAVE COME TO MATE.

- THEY ONLY DO THIS ONCE - EVERY THREE OR FOUR YEARS,

SO WHEN THEY DO, THEY

ATTRACT QUITE A CROWD.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: AS MANY AS 20

MALES ENGAGE IN AN ELEGANT

DANCE WITH EACH FEMALE.

SURPRISINGLY, THERE'S NO

ANIMOSITY BETWEEN THE

SUITORS.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: COMING UP, HANG ON - TIGHT BECAUSE WE'RE

CRUISING THE CLIFFS TO

EXPLORE THIS PARROT PARTY.

[BREAK]

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO

PATAGONIA.

WHERE NEARLY 100 MILES

NORTH OF PENINSULA VALDEZ,

LIES A COLONY OF BIRDS YOU

MIGHT NOT EXPECT TO SEE

HERE.

- PARROTS ARE USUALLY - THOUGHT OF AS A TROPICAL

JUNGLE BIRD, BUT THESE

PATAGONIAN CONURES HAVE

MOVED TO THE SEASIDE.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THIS PAIR ARE - RENOVATING THEIR CLIFFSIDE

BURROW IN PREPARATION FOR

LAYING THIS YEAR'S EGGS.

MOST PARROTS USE THEIR

BEAKS AS NUTCRACKERS, BUT

THESE PUT THEM TO WORK AS

PICKAXES.

THEIR NEST HOLES CAN REACH

MORE THAN 12 FEET INTO THE

CLIFF.

A PAIR OF PREDATORS LOOK

FOR FOOD BELOW.

ALTHOUGH THERE IS NOT MUCH

NOW, THESE SCAVENGERS KNOW

THERE WILL BE PLENTY

COMING SOON.

LIKE PENGUINS, THESE

PARROTS PAIR FOR LIFE.

- NUZZLING IS MORE THAN A - PUBLIC DISPLAY OF

AFFECTION; IT HELPS KEEP

EACH OTHER CLEAN AND FREE

FROM PARASITES.

- THIS PAIR IS PART OF AN - EXTENDED FAMILY GROUP THAT

ALL LIVE CLOSE BY ON THIS

PATCH OF CLIFF.

- BURROWING IN THE SOFT - SANDSTONE IS A NEAT

SOLUTION TO LIFE ON THE

TREELESS, WINDY PLAINS.

SO PERFECT, IN FACT, THAT

THIS COUPLE ARE ONE OF

35,000 BREEDING PAIRS THAT

HAVE TAKEN UP RESIDENCE IN

A STRETCH OF CLIFF SEVEN

MILES LONG.

- IT'S THE LARGEST COLONY OF - PARROTS ANYWHERE IN THE

WORLD.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: PARROTS SEE EACH - OTHER VERY DIFFERENTLY

THAN HUMANS.

TO US, THEY ALL LOOK

IDENTICAL.

- BUT TO EACH OTHER, MALES - AND FEMALES LOOK

STRIKINGLY DIFFERENT.

PARROTS SEE A BROADER

COLOR SPECTRUM, INCLUDING

ULTRAVIOLET.

SO, IT'S EASY FOR THEM TO

TELL EACH OTHER APART.

- MALES HAVE BRIGHTER GREENS - AND DEEPER REDS, WHILE

FEMALES HAVE BRIGHTER

BLUES AND A LONGER RED

STRIPE ON THEIR

UNDERSIDES.

AND, LIKE ALL PARROTS,

THEY ARE TALKATIVE.

JUST LIKE HUMANS, THEY

GOSSIP, TELLING EACH OTHER

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE

REST OF THE FLOCK.

- LIVING ON TOP OF EACH - OTHER CAN CAUSE TEMPERS TO

FRAY.

NOT ALL NEIGHBORS GET ON.

BUT A SUNSET FLIGHT IS ALL

IT TAKES TO COOL OFF.

- THANKS FOR JOINING ME ON - TODAY'S JOURNEY TO ONE OF

THE WORLD'S MOST

INCREDIBLE PLACES.

WHERE EXOTIC PLANTS AND

ANIMALS ARE LIVING,

WORKING, FIGHTING, AND

PLAYING TOGETHER.

- WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME - FOR ANOTHER "EARTH

ODYSSEY."

[MUSIC]