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: WELCOME TO "EARTH - ODYSSEY".

I'M DYLAN DREYER.

GET READY TO TRAVEL AROUND

THE WORLD.

TODAY, WE DISCOVER THE

EPIC JOURNEY OF THE

PACIFIC SALMON AND TRY TO

STAY OUT OF HARM'S WAY.

PLUS, WE'LL DODGE BLACK

BEARS' HUGE PAWS AND

SEAGULLS' BIG BEAKS AS WE

JOURNEY THROUGH VANCOUVER

ISLAND ON ONE OF THE

CRAZIEST ADVENTURES IN THE

ANIMAL KINGDOM.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: AS THE THIRD - LARGEST CONTINENT IN THE

WORLD, NORTH AMERICA IS

HOME TO THOUSANDS OF

- DIFFERENT SPECIES OF - ANIMALS.

SOME ARE PREDATORS; SOME

ARE PREY, BUT ALL WORK

TOGETHER TO KEEP THE

CIRCLE OF LIFE IN MOTION,

AND THERE'S ONE SMALL FISH

IN BRITISH COLUMBIA THAT

MEANS AS MUCH, IF NOT

MORE, TO ITS ENVIRONMENT

THAN ANY OTHER CREATURE ON

EARTH, THE SALMON.

- IT'S MORE THAN JUST FOOD - FOR THE BLACK BEARS AND

EAGLES.

IT'S THE FOCAL POINT FOR

LIFE IN BOTH THE FORESTS

AND RIVERS OF VANCOUVER.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK.

VANCOUVER ISLAND IS HOME

TO ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST

DIVERSE ECOSYSTEMS...

...GLACIER-CAPPED

MOUNTAINS, ANCIENT

FORESTS, NUTRIENT-RICH

OCEANS, AND A NETWORK OF

RIVERS AND CREEKS THAT

SUPPORT A WILDERNESS LIKE

NO OTHER.

BUT ONE CREATURE STANDS

OUT ABOVE ALL THE REST,

THE PACIFIC SALMON.

VIRTUALLY ALL LIFE HERE

RELIES ON ITS EXISTENCE.

AS SUMMER DRAWS TO AN END,

THE ISLAND PREPARES FOR AN

INVASION OF SALMON, A

SPECTACLE THAT FUELS THE

REGION'S RIVERS OF LIFE.

HUGGING THE WEST COAST OF

CANADA, VANCOUVER ISLAND

STRETCHES APPROXIMATELY

280 MILES LONG BY ABOUT 60

MILES WIDE.

IT'S THE LARGEST ISLAND

OFF THE WEST COAST OF

NORTH AMERICA.

- WHILE GLACIERS FUEL THE - FLOW OF SOME OF CANADA'S

TALLEST WATERFALLS, AN

ENDLESS NETWORK OF RIVERS

AND CREEKS PROVIDES THE

IDEAL HABITAT FOR ONE OF

- THE WORLD'S MOST IMPORTANT - FISH.

EACH YEAR, HALF-A-BILLION

SALMON LEAVE THE SEA TO

RETURN TO THEIR SPAWNING

GROUNDS IN THE RIVERS OF

NORTH AMERICA.

VANCOUVER ISLAND IS THE

DESTINATION FOR MILLIONS

OF THESE DETERMINED FISH.

- ON THEIR REMARKABLE - JOURNEY, THE SALMON FACE

AN ENDLESS ARRAY OF

CHALLENGES AND OBSTACLES.

NOT ALL MANAGE TO MAKE IT

HOME TO SPAWN THE NEXT

GENERATION.

AT THE NORTHERN TIP OF THE

ISLAND IN THE JOHNSTONE

STRAIT, MILLIONS OF SALMON

CONVERGE AFTER HAVING

SPENT UP TO FIVE YEARS AT

SEA IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN.

THIS IS THE FIRST STAGE OF

THEIR TESTING JOURNEY, AND

ALTHOUGH THE BLACK BEARS

LIE FURTHER INLAND,

ANOTHER PREDATOR IS EAGER

TO GREET THEM.

NAMED AFTER THE NATURALIST

GEORG WILHELM STELLER WHO

FIRST DESCRIBED THEM IN

1742, STELLER SEA LIONS

ARE THE LARGEST OF ALL SEA

LIONS.

- THEY CAN REACH MORE THAN - TEN FEET LONG AND WEIGH

MORE THAN A TON.

UNLIKE MOST TRUE OR

CRAWLING SEALS, THEY CAN

WALK ON ALL FOUR FLIPPERS.

SEA LIONS ALSO HAVE

VISIBLE EARS AND ARE OFTEN

MUCH MORE VOCAL THAN THEIR

COUNTERPARTS.

SOUNDING LIKE A GROUP OF

GRUMPY OLD MEN, THE MALES

CONSTANTLY BICKER FOR A

BETTER POSITION ON COASTAL

ROCKS.

STELLER SEA LIONS NEED TO

EAT AROUND SIX PERCENT OF

THEIR BODYWEIGHT EACH DAY.

SOON, HUNGER KICKS IN, AND

IT'S TIME FOR A SPOT OF

FISHING.

SEA LIONS MAY SEEM

CUMBERSOME ON LAND, BUT

UNDERWATER, THEY BECOME

STREAMLINED AND SLEEK.

HITTING SPEEDS OF MORE

THAN 18 MILES PER HOUR,

THEY MAKE TIGHT TURNS TO

OUT-MANEUVER THEIR PREY.

UNLUCKY VICTIMS ARE

DISPATCHED WITH QUICK

PRECISION.

- COMING UP, WE'LL CONTINUE - TO FOLLOW THE SALMON ON

THEIR JOURNEY AND SEE IF

THEY CAN BEAR THE

OBSTACLES.

THAT'S NEXT ON "EARTH

ODYSSEY".

.

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

DYLAN: IN VANCOUVER,

BEAVER PONDS PLAY A KEY

ROLE IN THE LIFE OF

PACIFIC SALMON.

THESE VAST, CALM STRETCHES

OF WATER TRAP NUTRIENTS

FLOWING DOWNSTREAM.

THIS CREATES A PERFECT

HABITAT FOR AQUATIC

INVERTEBRATES, WHICH IN

TURN PROVIDES FISH WITH

FORAGING OPPORTUNITIES NOT

FOUND IN FAST-FLOWING

STREAMS.

THESE JUVENILE SALMON

HATCHED SIX MONTHS AGO

FOLLOWING LAST YEAR'S

SPAWNING.

- THEY'LL SPEND THE NEXT - YEAR OR SO IN THESE

FRESHWATER NURSERIES

BEFORE THEY'RE LARGE

ENOUGH TO HEAD OUT TO SEA.

- AT AROUND THREE YEARS OF - AGE, THEY'LL RETURN TO

THIS EXACT STRETCH OF

WATER TO BREED.

- FURTHER DOWNSTREAM TOWARDS - THE OCEAN, MANY RIVERS

FLOW FAR TOO FAST TO DAM.

- A STRETCH OF MOUNTAINS - RUNNING THE ENTIRE LENGTH

OF THE ISLAND GIVES RISE

TO SOME OF CANADA'S MOST

SPECTACULAR WATERFALLS.

SHOALS OF SALMON HAVE

WORKED THEIR WAY INLAND.

USING AN EXTRAORDINARY

SENSE OF SMELL, THEY HAVE

- HOMED IN ON THE FRESHWATER - RIVER IN WHICH THEY

HATCHED.

- THEY CAN SNIFF OUT A - SINGLE DROP FROM THEIR

NURSERY STREAM IN ALMOST

TWO MILLION GALLONS OF SEA

WATER.

BUT THE SALMON AREN'T HOME

YET.

- THEY PAUSE AND PREPARE - THEMSELVES FOR THE

OBSTACLE THAT LIES AHEAD.

THESE SALMON WERE BORN TO

RETURN TO THEIR SPAWNING

GROUND, AND NOTHING SHORT

OF DEATH WILL STOP THEM.

- RACING TOWARDS THE FALL, - THEY LAUNCH THEMSELVES

INTO THE AIR.

- BENEATH THE WHITE FROTH, - WATER IS SQUEEZED BACK UP

TO THE SURFACE.

- THE SALMON USE THIS - HYDRAULIC UPLIFT TO BOOST

THEIR JUMPS.

INITIAL LEAPS ARE RARELY

SUCCESSFUL.

BUT GIVING UP ISN'T AN

OPTION.

EVENTUALLY, PERSEVERANCE

PAYS OFF.

THESE ATHLETIC EFFORTS ARE

FUELED BY STORED ENERGY.

- THE SALMON STOPPED EATING - AND DRINKING AS SOON AS

- THEY ENTERED THE - FRESHWATER RIVERS SEVERAL

DAYS AGO.

COMING UP, THESE PACIFIC

SALMON FACE THEIR BIGGEST

AND FURRIEST CHALLENGE

YET.

PLUS, WHAT HAPPENS AT THE

END OF THIS EPIC JOURNEY

FOR THESE VITAL FISH?

NEXT, ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

.

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

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK.

THE AMERICAN BLACK BEAR IS

ONE OF THE MOST COMMON AND

LARGEST BEARS IN THE

WORLD.

THEY CAN BE FOUND FROM

MEXICO TO CANADA AND AT

LEAST 40 STATES IN

BETWEEN, BUT THE DENSEST

POPULATION OF THESE

MASSIVE MAMMALS CAN BE

FOUND ON THE RELATIVELY

SMALL ISLAND OF VANCOUVER.

WHY?

BECAUSE ONE FISH GIVES

THEM THE BARE NECESSITIES

THEY NEED TO THRIVE.

IT'S EARLY OCTOBER, AND

MANY OF VANCOUVER ISLAND'S

STREAMS HAVE DRIED TO JUST

A TRICKLE.

THE AUTUMN RAINS ARE LONG

OVERDUE, AND THE RECENT

DROUGHT HAS PREVENTED

SALMON FROM MOVING UPRIVER

TO REACH THEIR SPAWNING

GROUNDS.

- BUT IT APPEARS CHANGE IS - IN THE AIR.

- EVEN THE ISLAND'S BLACK - BEARS, WHO HAVE BEEN

WAITING PATIENTLY FOR

WEEKS, SENSE IT.

SOON, THE RIVERS ARE IN

FULL FLOW.

THE SALMON MAKE THEIR

MOVE...

...SO DO THE BEARS.

- BLACK BEARS CAN KILL UP TO - HALF THE SALMON IN THESE

SMALLER STREAMS.

THEY CAN EACH CONSUME UP

TO 20,000 CALORIES A DAY

WITH STOCKING UP FOR

WINTER.

- DESPITE THE DELUGE OF - RAIN, THE RIVERS REMAIN

- RELATIVELY CLEAR AND FREE - OF DEBRIS.

- TREE ROOTS IN THE - SURROUNDING FOREST HOLD

THE SOIL, WHICH FILTERS

WATER BEFORE IT ENTERS THE

STREAMS.

THESE RIVERS CONTAIN SOME

OF THE PUREST WATER IN THE

WORLD.

- FOR THOSE SALMON THAT - MANAGE TO AVOID THE BEARS

AND MAKE IT FARTHER

UPSTREAM, A FINAL

CHALLENGE LIES AHEAD.

MALES AT THIS STAGE ARE

OFTEN GAUNT WITH HOOKED

JAWS, HUMPED BACKS, AND

BATTLE-TORN FINS.

MANY FEMALES DISPLAY LARGE

WHITE PATCHES OF BRUISED

AND DISEASED SKIN.

FORTUNATELY, THEIR MISSION

IS NEARLY OVER.

FEMALES JOSTLE FOR

POSITION ABOVE THE BEST

PLACES TO LAY THEIR EGGS.

COMING UP, THE JOURNEY IS

DRAWING TO A CLOSE, BUT

THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE

ADVENTURE IS OVER.

WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE THE

FINAL STEP FOR THESE

PACIFIC SALMON.

.

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

- DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO - VANCOUVER ISLAND, WHERE

ONE FISH IS AS IMPORTANT

AS ANYTHING LIVING HERE.

FEMALE SALMON LAY AROUND

THREE THOUSAND EGGS IN A

SERIES OF NESTS.

- EACH ONE IS COVERED BY - GRAVEL TO PROTECT AGAINST

PREDATORS AND TO PREVENT

THE EGGS FROM DRIFTING

AWAY.

- BUT EVEN BEFORE THEY'VE - HATCHED, THE SALMON'S

BATTLE FOR SURVIVAL

BEGINS.

- GULLS PEDAL THEIR FEET - ALONG THE FRESHLY VISITED

SPAWNING GROUNDS.

DISLODGED EGGS ARE A

PROTEIN-RICH DELICACY.

DIPPERS USUALLY EAT

AQUATIC INSECT LARVAE

WHICH THEY DIVE TO COLLECT

FROM THE RIVER BOTTOM.

- AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, THEY - CAPITALIZE ON THE SALMON

SPAWN; HOWEVER, CERTAIN

PICKINGS ARE OFTEN TOO BIG

TO SWALLOW.

ONLY TEN PERCENT OF SALMON

EGGS WILL SUCCESSFULLY

HATCH.

FOR EVERY ONE THOUSAND

LAID, ONLY FOUR WILL MAKE

THE JOURNEY TO THE OCEAN

AND BACK AGAIN.

THESE ADULT SALMON ARE

ULTIMATE SURVIVORS.

THEIR JOB IS DONE.

THEY'VE PASSED THE BATON

TO THE NEXT GENERATION,

AND THIS FINAL ACT MARKS

THE END OF THEIR LIFE.

PACIFIC SALMON ALWAYS DIE

AFTER THEY'VE SPAWNED.

- THROUGH A COMBINATION OF - EXHAUSTION AND THE EFFECTS

OF MOVING FROM SALT TO

FRESH WATER, THEY BREATHE

THEIR LAST IN THE SAME

STREAMS THAT SPAWNED THEM.

- THEIR DECOMPOSING BODIES - RELEASE NUTRIENTS THAT

FEED THE AQUATIC FOOD WEB.

- THIS, IN TURN, WILL - NURTURE THE NEXT

GENERATION OF SALMON

THROUGHOUT VANCOUVER

ISLAND'S RIVERS OF LIFE,

AND THEIR JOURNEY IS

FINALLY COMPLETE.

THANKS FOR JOINING ME ON

THIS SPECTACULAR JOURNEY

THROUGH THE GREATEST

PLACES ON EARTH.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME

FOR ANOTHER "EARTH

ODYSSEY".

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