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.

ON TODAY'S EPISODE, WE

EXPLORE THE NATURAL BEAUTY

OF ZANZIBAR.

WE'LL HANG WITH MONKEYS

AND SOAR WITH SOME OF THE

BIGGEST BATS ON THE

PLANET.

PLUS, A PEEK INSIDE THE

SHELL OF ONE OF THE

BIGGEST TORTOISE SPECIES

ON EARTH.

AND LATER, WE'LL GET A

GLIMPSE OF THE ANIMAL WHO

LOVES TO LEND A PAW WHEN

TAKING CARE OF ZANZIBAR'S

RODENT PROBLEM.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE ZANZIBAR

ARCHIPELAGO SITS RIGHT OFF

- THE COAST OF TANZANIA IN - EAST AFRICA.

50 OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL

ISLANDS IN THE WORLD

COMPRISE THIS CHAIN, EACH

OF THEM CRAWLING WITH ALL

TYPES OF ANIMALS.

THE AMOUNT AND DIVERSITY

OF LIFE THAT'S SUPPORTED

HERE IS NOTHING SHORT OF

MIRACULOUS.

LET'S FIND OUT WHO'S

SWINGING THROUGH THE TREES

AND BASKING IN THE BREEZE

OF THIS UNSPOILED

PARADISE.

WELCOME TO THE SOUTHEAST

COAST OF AFRICA.

HUNDREDS OF SPECIES CALL

ZANZIBAR HOME.

SOME BIG...

SOME TINY.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: AS AQUATIC GIANTS

PATROL THE SHORES, ON ONE

ISLAND, A UNIQUE SPECIES

OF PRIMATE HAS TAKEN

REFUGE IN THE TREES.

UNLIKE MOST OF ZANZIBAR'S

ARCHIPELAGO, PEMBA ISLAND

IS FORMED FROM A TRUE

LANDMASS, RATHER THAN

CORAL REEFS AND SAND

BANKS.

LYING 25 MILES NORTH OF

UNGUJA, ROLLING HILLS AND

FORESTED VALLEYS HAVE

EARNED PEMBA ANOTHER NAME:

GREEN ISLAND.

THE REGION'S VAST NUMBER

OF TREES ARE HOME TO ONE

OF THE RAREST PRIMATES IN

THE WORLD.

ISOLATED FROM MAINLAND

AFRICA FOR MORE THAN

10,000 YEARS, THE ZANZIBAR

RED COLOBUS MONKEY LIVES

HERE.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: ITS COLOR AND SOME - OF ITS HABITATS ARE

UNIQUE.

- FEEDING AS A GROUP - ACTIVITY AND BEGINS IN THE

EARLY MORNING.

COLOBUS MONKEYS ARE

LEAFEATERS.

LEAVES ARE HIGHLY

NUTRITIOUS, BUT MOST

ANIMALS ARE UNABLE TO

DIGEST THE CELLULOSE THAT

MAKES UP PLANT CELL WALLS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: COLOBUS MONKEYS

HAVE A SOLUTION.

THEY HAVE A FOUR-CHAMBERED

STOMACH, LIKE MANY HOOVED

ANIMALS, WHICH ENABLES

BACTERIA TO FERMENT AND

BREAK DOWN WHAT THEY EAT.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: AFTER AN HOUR OR - SO OF MUNCHING, IT'S TIME

TO REST.

THEIR PECULIAR DIGESTIVE

SYSTEM LEADS TO LONG

PERIODS OF INACTIVITY.

UP TO 70 PERCENT OF THE

TIME THEY'RE AWAKE.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: BUT NOT ALL - MEMBERS OF THIS TROOP ARE

SLEEPY.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: UNLIKE MOST OTHER

MONKEYS, YOUNG RED COLOBUS

- MONKEYS CONTINUE NURSING - FOR AROUND 18 MONTHS.

ENERGY FROM THEIR MOTHER'S

MILK IS QUICKLY CONVERTED.

- AND WHILE THE GROWNUPS - TAKE A NAP, THE YOUNGSTERS

DECIDE IT'S TIME TO PLAY.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: FOR AN ADULT RED - COLOBUS MONKEY, GRABBING A

PEACEFUL 40 WINGS IS

EASIER SAID THAN DONE.

- ALONGSIDE THE ANNOYING - ANTICS OF THE TROOP'S

TEENAGERS, THE PROCESS OF

DIGESTING LARGE VOLUMES OF

LEAVES CREATES AN

INEVITABLE BIPRODUCT.

- FEELING BLOATED AFTER A - BELLY FULL OF LEAVES,

- THESE YOUNGSTERS WILL JUST - HAVE TO LEARN TO LIVE WITH

WHAT THEY EAT.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ZANZIBAR'S RED

COLOBUS ARE ALSO FOND OF

UNRIPE BERRIES AND SEEDS.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: UNLIKE MANY - PRIMATES, THEIR STOMACHS

CAN'T DIGEST THE SUGARS

CONTAINED IN THE MORE

MATURE FRUITS.

HERE ON PEMBA ISLAND IS A

GIANT CREATURE THAT DOES

HAVE A SWEET TOOTH.

THE PEMBA FLYING FOX IS

THE LARGEST BAT IN THE

WORLD.

IT HAS A WINGSPAN OF MORE

THAN FIVE FEET.

- MOST OTHER BATS USE ACUTE - HEARING TO CAPTURE

INSECTS, BUT FLYING FOXES

RELY ON LARGE EYES TO

TRACK DOWN THEIR MEALS.

BLOSSOMS, NECTAR, AND RIPE

FRUIT MAKE UP THE MAJORITY

OF THEIR VEGETARIAN DIET.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THESE MEGA BATS - HAVE EXCELLENT VISION AND

GOOD HEARING.

THEY'RE ALSO VERY VOCAL,

ESPECIALLY WHEN NEIGHBORS

GET A LITTLE TOO CLOSE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: LIVING IN LARGE

GROUPS OF UP TO 850 HAS

ITS DOWNSIDE.

ESPECIALLY WHEN ALL YOU

WANT TO DO IS SLEEP.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: BUT AS NIGHT DRAWS - IN, THE INCONVENIENCE OF

SHARING A TREE WITH SO

MANY REAPS ITS REWARD.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: FLYING FOXES SPLIT

UP IN SEARCH OF FOOD.

- WHEN THEY RETURN TO THE - ROOST, DIFFERENT SCENTS

INDICATING WHICH TREES ARE

IN FRUIT ARE SHARED AMONG

THE ENTIRE GROUP.

INDIVIDUALS NOW KNOW WHERE

TO FORAGE THE FOLLOWING

NIGHT.

- COMING UP ON "EARTH - ODYSSEY", MEET ZANZIBAR'S

MEDDLESOME MONKEYS, WHOSE

LOVE OF A TASTY PLANT IS

OFTEN THE ROOT OF CONFLICT

WITH THEIR HUMAN

NEIGHBORS.

[BREAK]

.

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

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO - ZANZIBAR WHERE WE ARE

- EXPLORING ONE OF THE - ARCHIPELAGOS MOST ACTIVE

ISLANDS.

WHILE PEMBA ISLAND'S

FLYING FOXES HELP

POLLENATE PLANTS AND

DISPERSE SEEDS, ANOTHER

MAMMAL CAUSES NOTHING BUT

TROUBLE.

VERVETS ARE MEDIUM-SIZED

MONKEYS THAT HANG AROUND

IN TROOPS OF UP TO 50.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: UNLIKE THE - ISLAND'S RED COLOBUS,

VERVET YOUNGSTERS NURSE

FOR APPROXIMATELY FOUR

MONTHS.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THE SCHOOL OF HARD - KNOCKS STARTS EARLY IN

VERVET SOCIETY AND THIS

TROOP IS UP TO NO GOOD.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: FRUITS, BERRIES, - AND LEAVES MAKE UP A LARGE

PART OF THIS MONKEY'S

DIET, BUT ONE OF THEIR

FAVORITE FOODS IS CASSAVA.

- THIS STARCHY, TUBEROUS - ROOT IS FULL OF

- CARBOHYDRATES AND IS ONE - OF THE MOST

DROUGHT-TOLERANT CROPS ON

THE PLANET.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: AFTER RICE, - CASSAVA IS THE SECOND MOST

IMPORTANT FOOD CROP

THROUGHOUT ZANZIBAR.

- PROTECTING THEIR PRECIOUS - FIELDS IS A CONSTANT

BATTLE FOR PEMBA'S

FARMERS.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THE VERVET REALIZE - THEY'VE BEEN SPOTTED AND

SCRAMBLE BACK TO THE

TREES.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THE FARMERS' - CATAPULTS AND STICKS ACT

ONLY AS A TEMPORARY

DETERRENT.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THE VERVET DON'T - JUST POSE A PROBLEM TO

PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOODS, THE

FLYING FOXES OFTEN FALL

FOUL TO THIS MONKEY'S

ANTICS.

- THEY'VE DISLODGED A MOTHER - AND BABY FLYING FOX FROM

THEIR TREE.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: UNABLE TO TAKE OFF - FROM THE GROUND, THE

FARMERS REALIZE THE PAIR

NEEDS HELP.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: 20 YEARS AGO,

THESE GIANT BATS WERE

VIRTUALLY HUNTED TO

EXTINCTION BY LOCAL

ISLANDERS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: TODAY, THE SPECIES

IS PROTECTED.

- THE PEMBA PEOPLE REALIZE - THE IMPORTANT ROLE THE

BATS PLAY IN DISPERSING

POLLEN AND SEEDS.

THEY'RE VITAL FOR KEEPING

THE REGION'S FORESTS

ALIVE.

COMING UP ON "EARTH

ODYSSEY", WE DISCOVER SOME

OF THE BIGGEST TORTOISES

IN THE WORLD AND YOU WON'T

BELIEVE HOW OLD THEY ARE.

[BREAK]

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK.

IT CAN TAKE EONS FOR

ISLANDS TO FORM.

LAVA ERUPTS FROM THE OCEAN

FLOOR, COMBINES WITH CORAL

AND OTHER SEDIMENT, THEN

HARDENS UNTIL IT GROWS

ENOUGH TO PENETRATE THE

WATER'S SURFACE.

- AND OVER HUNDREDS OF - THOUSANDS OF YEARS, THESE

ISLANDS SLOWLY CREATE

BEAUTIFUL LUSH BEACHES,

LIKE THE ONES FOUND ON

ZANZIBAR.

- THAT'S WHERE WE FIND AN - ANIMAL WHO ALSO LIKES TO

TAKE HIS TIME.

TAKE A LOOK.

WELCOME BACK TO ZANZIBAR,

HOME TO ONE OF THE WORLD'S

BIGGEST SPECIES.

AT MORE THAN 500 POUNDS

AND WITH A SHELL LENGTH

APPROACHING ALMOST FIVE

FEET LONG, THE ALDABRA IS

ONE OF THE LARGEST

TORTOISES IN THE WORLD.

- IT'S ONE OF THE - LONGEST-LIVED ANIMALS,

TOO.

SOME LIVE FOR MORE THAN

200 YEARS.

GIANT TORTOISES FEED

MAINLY ON GRASSES AND

WOODY PLANTS.

WHENEVER THESE AREN'T

WITHIN REACH, DRIED LEAVES

WILL DO.

THIS CRUNCHY MEAL CONTAINS

VERY LITTLE MOISTURE, SO

ALDABRA TORTOISES DRAW ON

A SPECIAL METHOD TO

REHYDRATE THEIR ENORMOUS

FRAMES.

- THE FAT STORED BENEATH - THEIR SHELLS CAN BE

CONVERTED TO WATER.

- BURNING THESE RESERVES - RELEASES FLUID DURING THE

HOTTEST PARTS OF THE DAY

AND PREVENTS THEM FROM

BECOMING DEHYDRATED.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: CHANGUU'S GIANT - TORTOISES CAN SURVIVE

WITHOUT WATER FOR LONG

PERIODS, BUT FOR CREATURES

LESS FORTUNATE, ANOTHER

LOCATION PROVIDES A

PERMANENT WETLAND.

ON ZANZIBAR'S UNGUJA

ISLAND, THE SHORELINE

BOUNDARY ISN'T CLEARLY

DEFINED.

SMALL ESTUARIES VENTURE

INTO FORESTS, FORMING A

UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP

BETWEEN LAND AND SEA.

MANGROVES THRIVE IN SALINE

COASTAL HABITATS.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: A COMPLEX SYSTEM - OF AERIAL ROOTS ENABLES

THE INTAKE OF OXYGEN AND

TRAPS ORGANIC DEBRIS THAT

WOULD OTHERWISE BE WASHED

OUT TO SEA.

- THESE TIDAL SWAMPS PROVIDE - A BREEDING GROUND AND

NURSERY TO SEVERAL SPECIES

OF FISH AND INVERTEBRATES.

- MANY OF THESE WILL HEAD - OUT INTO THE SURROUNDING

REEFS AND SEABEDS WHEN

ADULTS.

SOME SPECIES OF MANGROVE

HAVE DEVELOPED A UNIQUE

METHOD OF REPRODUCING.

- THE SEEDS GERMINATE AND - BECOME FULLY FLEDGED

SEEDLINGS WHILE ATTACHED

TO THE MOTHER PLANT.

- THESE PODS ARE THEN - RELEASED, ALLOWING THEM TO

IMMEDIATELY TAKE ROOT.

OR THEY CAN REMAIN DORMANT

TO FLOAT FURTHER AFIELD.

- COMING UP, WHEN "EARTHY - ODYSSEY" RETURNS, WE HANG

IN THE TREES WITH SOME

SYKES' MONKEYS AND YOU

WON'T WANT TO MISS THE

MASSIVE RODENT RUNNING

DOWN BELOW.

[BREAK]

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE JOZANI FOREST

LIES AT THE HEART OF PEMBA

ISLAND, ONE OF THE BIGGEST

ISLANDS OF ZANZIBAR.

ALONGSIDE THE VAST ARRAY

OF BIRDS, INSECTS, AND

REPTILES, IT'S HOME TO TWO

SPECIES OF PRIMATE.

SYKES' MONKEYS EAT

VIRTUALLY ANYTHING.

LEAVES, RIPE FRUITS, AND

FLOWERS, INSECTS, AND EVEN

SMALL VERTEBRATES.

HOWEVER, NOT EVERY PREY

MAKES AN EASY PICKING.

ZANZIBAR'S GIANT CARPENTER

ANTS ALSO HAVE A GIANT

BITE.

- AT JUST UNDER ONE INCH IN - LENGTH, THEY PUT UP A

STRONG DEFENSIVE FIGHT.

THIS MONKEY SOON REALIZE

IT'S BEEN OFF MORE THAN IT

CAN CHEW.

THE OTHER PRIMATES HERE,

MORE RED COLOBUS MONKEYS,

ARE STRICT VEGETARIANS.

- IT'S IDENTICAL TO THE - SPECIES FOUND ON PEMBA

ISLAND, EXCEPT THIS

PARTICULAR POPULATION HAS

COME UP WITH THE UNIQUE

SOLUTION TO THEIR ONGOING

DIGESTION PROBLEM.

- INSTEAD OF SITTING AROUND - FEELING BLOATED AFTER A

BELLY FULL OF LEAVES,

THESE MONKEYS ARE ON A

MISSION.

- THEY SINGLE OUT THEIR - TARGET AND WAIT FOR THE

RIGHT MOMENT TO STRIKE.

WITHOUT WARNING, THEY

LAUNCH THEIR ATTACK.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: IT'S A CONSTANT - BATTLE FOR THE ISLAND'S

CHARCOAL SELLERS.

HERE IN JOZANI, RED

COLOBUS MONKEYS HAVE LONG

WORKED OUT THAT EATING

CHARCOAL AIDS THE

DIGESTION OF EXOTIC

LEAVES.

- THIS LEARNED BEHAVIOR, - PASSED DOWN FROM MOTHER TO

YOUNG, IS UNIQUE TO

UNGUJA'S TROOPS.

AS NIGHT DRAWS IN, ANOTHER

OF ZANZIBAR'S GIANTS

EMERGES FROM THE SHADOWS.

KNOWN AS A GIANT POUCHED

RAT, IT'S ABLE TO STORE

VAST AMOUNTS OF FOOD IN

ITS EXPANDABLE CHEEKS.

THIS IS NO ORDINARY RAT.

AT MORE THAN THREE FEET

LONG, IT'S ONE OF THE

LARGEST IN THE WORLD.

ITS EYESIGHT IS VERY POOR

BUT IS AUGMENTED BY AN

EXCELLENT SENSE OF SMELL

AND HEARING.

ITS GIANT NOSE IS SO

SENSITIVE, SCIENTISTS HAVE

BEGUN USING THIS SPECIES

TO SNIFF OUT LANDMINES AND

DETECT HUMAN DISEASES,

SUCH AS TUBERCULOSIS.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: TO AVOID - PREDATORS, THE RAT CHANGES

ITS BURROW SITE EVERY TWO

WEEKS, AND THIS MAY NOT BE

A BAD THING.

- A UNIQUE SPECIES OF - LEOPARD IS STILL THOUGHT

TO ROAM THESE WOODS.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: ANCIENT TRIBES - WOULD HUNT THESE LEOPARDS,

- BELIEVING THERE WAS A - SPIRITUAL CONNECTION

BETWEEN THEM AND THE

ANIMALS.

- BECAUSE OF THIS BELIEF, - THE ISLAND'S LEOPARDS ARE

ON THE BRINK OF

EXTINCTION.

ZANZIBAR'S GIANT RAT

POPULATION, HOWEVER,

CONTINUES TO FLOURISH.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US

ON OUR EXCITING ADVENTURE

TO ZANZIBAR.

THIS ARCHIPELAGO IS ONE OF

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL IN THE

WORLD, AND THE WILDLIFE

THAT THRIVES HERE IS NO

DIFFERENT.

- WE HOPE TO SEE YOU NEXT - TIME WHEN WE TRAVEL TO

ANOTHER AMAZING PART OF

THE WORLD ON "EARTH

ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]