Original subtitles

.

- 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, EVERYBODY, I'M

DYLAN DREYER, AND THIS IS

"EARTH ODYSSEY".

TODAY, WE HEAD BACK TO THE

HIMALAYAS, HOME OF SOME OF

EARTH'S HIGHEST PEAKS.

- WE'LL FLY HIGH WITH ONE OF - THE TALLEST BIRDS IN THE

WORLD AND GO ON ONE OF THE

MOST INCREDIBLE MIGRATIONS

IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.

PLUS, WE'LL HANG WITH SOME

GOLDEN LANGURS, BUT BE ON

THE LOOKOUT FOR WHAT AND

WHO IS LOOMING BELOW?

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE HIMALAYAS ARE

THE LARGEST MOUNTAIN CHAIN

IN THE WORLD AND ALTHOUGH

THEY LOOK FROZEN, THEY'RE

ACTUALLY MOVING AROUND TWO

INCHES EACH YEAR.

THIS RATE MIGHT SEEM

INCREDIBLY SLOW BUT IT

ACTUALLY MAKES THE

HIMALAYAS THE FASTEST

MOVING MOUNTAIN RANGE IN

THE WORLD.

AND IT'S HOME TO A SPECIES

OF GEESE THAT KNOWS A

THING OR TWO ABOUT MOVING

FAST THEMSELVES.

TAKE A LOOK.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: WELCOME TO THE - HIMALAYAS, WHERE MOUNTAINS

BREAK THROUGH THE CLOUDS

AND ONE SPECIES OF BIRD

BREAKS THROUGH THE SKY.

- BAR-HEADED GEESE HEAD - SOUTH OVER THE HIMALAYAS

- TO THE WARMER - WINTER-FEEDING GROUNDS OF

NORTHERN INDIA.

BUT TRAVELING MORE THAN

900 MILES IN A SINGLE DAY

ISN'T THIS BIRD'S ONLY

CLAIM TO FAME.

IT CHOOSES TO FLY AT AN

ALTITUDE FEW OTHER

CREATURES COULD BARELY

IMAGINE, AND THAT INCLUDES

HUMANS, AS THIS BIRD

CRUISES EVEN HIGHER THAN A

JUMBO JET.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: SOARING MORE THAN

30,000 FEET, BAR-HEADED

GEESE HAVE EVEN BEEN

SPOTTED FLYING OVER

EVEREST, THE TALLEST

MOUNTAIN IN THE WORLD.

- ALTHOUGH, BROADER THAN - AVERAGE WINGS CREATE A

LARGE UPLIFTING SURFACE TO

WEIGHT RATIO, THIS SPECIES

DOESN'T JUST GLIDE WITH

THE WIND.

- PART OF ITS SUCCESS IS - DOWN TO BEING A POWERFUL

FLAPPER.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: UNDER THEIR OWN - POWER, BAR-HEADED GEESE

CAN FLY MORE THAN 50 MILES

PER HOUR, WITH A TAIL

WIND, THIS SPEED CAN

EASILY BE DOUBLED.

AT MINUS 31 DEGREES

FAHRENHEIT, ICE BUILDUP ON

- THEIR WINGS WOULD NORMALLY - BE AN ISSUE FOR MOST

BIRDS, BUT THE BAR-HEAD'S

RELENTLESS FLAPPING OVER

THE MOUNTAINS PRODUCES

EXCESS BODY HEAT, WHICH IN

TURN ACTS AS A DE-ICING

MECHANISM.

- THE ATMOSPHERE UP HERE - CONTAINS JUST A QUARTER OF

THE OXYGEN FOUND AT SEA

LEVEL.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: BUT UNLIKE OTHER - GOOSE SPECIES, BAR-HEADED

- GEESE HAVE A GREATER - NUMBER OF BLOOD

CAPILLARIES SERVICING

THEIR WING MUSCLES.

THIS EVOLUTIONARY TRAIT

MEANS THE LIMITED OXYGEN

ABSORBED IS UTILIZED MUCH

MORE EFFICIENTLY.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: SINCE THEIR

CREATION, THE HIMALAYAS

HAVE SHAPED THE CULTURES

OF SOUTHERN ASIA.

MANY PEAKS ARE SEEN AS

SACRED AND RELIGION SUCH

AS BUDDHISM HAVE A STRONG

PHYSICAL PRESENCE IN THE

REMOTEST OF AREAS.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: PRAYER FLAGS - FLAPPING IN THE WIND BREAK

THE SILENCE ACROSS THE

NUMEROUS MOUNTAIN PASSES.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: FOR CENTURIES, - BUDDHIST PILGRIMS HAVE

DRAPED THESE PENNANTS

ACROSS VALLEYS AND PLACES

OF SPIRITUAL PRACTICE FOR

THE WIND TO CARRY THEIR

WRITTEN PRAYERS ACROSS THE

LANDSCAPE.

ALTHOUGH, THE FLAGS ARE

SAID TO BRING HAPPINESS

- AND PROSPERITY TO THE FLAG - PLANTER, IT IS ALSO

BELIEVED THEY SPREAD

GOODWILL AND COMPASSION TO

ALL BEINGS THROUGHOUT THE

PERVADING SPACE.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: MORE PERMANENT - MONUMENTS TO THE BUDDHIST

FAITH ALSO REVEAL THE

MAGNITUDE OF RELIGION

THROUGHOUT THE REGION.

- EVOKING THE SHAPE OF THE - SEATED BUDDHA, MONUMENTS

SUCH AS THESE HAVE BEEN

CENTRAL TO BUDDHIST

WORSHIP FOR MORE THAN

2,000 YEARS.

KNOWN AS STUPAS, THEY TAKE

THE SAME FORM AS THE

PROTOTYPE CREATED BY THE

RELIGION'S FOUNDER BACK IN

THE SIXTH CENTURY B.C.

- THE MAIN DOME REPRESENTS - THE SACRED MOUNTAINS,

LIKING HEAVEN AND EARTH.

- WHILE CROWNING THE - STRUCTURE IS A SINGLE

SPIKE.

HOLDING THE THREE JEWELS

DENOTING THE BUDDHA.

THE LAW AND THE COMMUNITY

OF MONKS.

PERCHED HIGH ABOVE THE

VALLEYS, ISOLATED MONASTIC

RETREATS PROVIDE A

PERMANENT HOME FOR HOLY

FOLLOWERS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ALSO KNOWN AS

GOMPAS, MOST HIMALAYAN

MONASTERIES APPEAR LOCKED

IN TIME, HAVING UNDERGONE

- LITTLE CHANGE OVER THE - PAST 400 YEARS.

DAILY LIFE AT STAKNA GOMPA

STARTS EARLY IN THE

MORNING.

- THE SPINNING OF PRAYER - WHEELS IS BELIEVED TO

ACCUMULATE WISDOM AND

POSITIVE KARMA.

- IT ALSO HAS THE SAME - AFFECT AS ORALLY RECITING

THE MANTRAS THAT ADORN THE

CYLINDERS.

THE HIMALAYAS ARE A PLACE

OF SPIRITUALITY FOR PEOPLE

OF ALL CULTURES.

BUT IT'S NOT JUST HUMANS

WHO REAP THE BENEFITS OF

- THIS AMAZING MOUNTAIN - RANGE.

COMING UP, WE FIND OUT WHO

CAN BEAR BEING IN THE COLD

CLIMATE OF THE HIMALAYAS.

PLUS, WE FIND MORE CLOUDS

IN THE MOUNTAINS THAN

ABOVE.

[BREAK]

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: IT'S THE END OF

MARCH IN THE HIMALAYAS AND

WHILE THE REST OF THE

REGION CONTINUES TO SUFFER

FROM THE CRIPPLING COLD,

SPRING HAS ALREADY ARRIVED

IN THIS FERTILE GORGE.

- ALTHOUGH KNOWN AS THE - VALLEY OF FLOWERS, IT'S

STILL TOO EARLY FOR THE

BASIN'S COLORFUL PETALED

PLANTS TO EMERGE.

BUT THE MELTING OF SNOW

COVER IS CUE FOR ANOTHER

SPECTACLE TO MAKE AN

APPEARANCE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: NOT ALL ASIATIC

BLACK BEARS HIBERNATE.

- BUT HERE IN THE COLDER, - NORTHERN PARTS OF THE

WORLD, THEY'RE FORCED TO

REMAIN IN THEIR DENS FOR

- AROUND FOUR MONTHS OF THE - YEAR.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: DESPITE BEING - SIMILAR IN SIZE TO ITS

AMERICAN RELATIVE, A

DISTINCTIVE CREAM-COLORED

CRESCENT AT THE CENTER OF

ITS CHEST GIVES THIS

HIMALAYAN RESIDENT ITS

UNIQUE IDENTITY.

THICKER FUR, UP TO SIX

INCHES LONG AROUND ITS

NECK AND FACE, IS ANOTHER

FEATURE SEPARATING THE TWO

SPECIES.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: ARMED WITH - TWO-INCH-LONG CURVED CLAWS

AND CANINE TEETH DESIGNED

FOR TEARING MEAT,

SURPRISINGLY, THIS

PREDATOR IS PRIMARILY A

VEGETARIAN.

- BERRIES, GRASSES, AND - ROOTS MAKE UP THE MAJORITY

OF ITS DIET.

ALONG WITH THE OCCASIONAL

INSECT.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: WITH THE FRUITS OF - AUTUMN A LONG WAY OFF, THE

HUNTER RELIES ON ITS MOST

VALUABLE WEAPON, AN

INCREDIBLY ACUTE SENSE OF

SMELL.

THIS NOSE IS CAPABLE OF

DETECTING HONEY FOR MORE

THAN THREE MILES AWAY.

- BUGS AND GRUBS HIDING UP - TO THREE FEET BELOW GROUND

ARE ALSO AT RISK OF

BECOMING PART OF THIS

BEAR'S BREAKFAST.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: BEETLES CHOOSING - THE SANCTUARY OF A ROTTEN

LOG STAND LITTLE CHANCE

AGAINST SUCH A HIGHLY

EQUIPPED OPPONENT.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: WHILE THE VALLEY - OF FLOWERS OFFERS

SANCTUARY TO ONE OF THE

MOST ENDANGERED BEARS IN

THE WORLD, LADAKH'S

THERMAL SPRINGS WELCOME

THE EARLY ARRIVAL OF ONE

OF THE PLANET'S MOST

ENDANGERED BIRDS.

OF THE 15 SPECIES OF CRANE

IN THE WORLD, THE

- BLACK-NECKED CRANE IS THE - ONLY ONE LIVING AT SUCH

HIGH ALTITUDE.

- AFTER OVERWINTERING IN - LARGER FLOCKS IN THE

WARMER VALLEYS OF CHINA

AND TIBET, THEY SEPARATE

INTO BREEDING PAIRS AND

HEAD NORTH TO THE WETLANDS

AND LAKES OF THE HIGH

HIMALAYAN PLATEAU.

- BUT EVEN AT THIS TIME OF - YEAR, NIGHT TEMPERATURES

CAN SUDDENLY PLUMMET.

- FORTUNATELY, THIS - PARTICULAR BIRD DOESN'T

JUST HAVE A HEAD FOR

HEIGHTS, IT CAN SURVIVE

TEMPERATURES DOWN TO MINUS

22 DEGREES.

- AT JUST UNDER FIVE FEET, - THE BLACK-NECKED CRANE IS

ALSO ONE OF THE WORLD'S

TALLEST BIRDS.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THE PLUMAGE OF - BOTH GENDERS IS VIRTUALLY

IDENTICAL, BUT THE MALE IS

BIGGER IN SIZE.

ALTHOUGH, TRADITIONALLY

THOUGHT TO CARE FOREVER,

RECENT STUDIES HAVE SINCE

SHOWN CRANES DO CHANGE

PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THEIR LIFE

WHICH OFTEN STRETCHES OVER

SEVERAL DECADES.

- BREEDING TERRITORIES ARE - PROTECTED AND IT APPEARS

- THIS COUPLE ALREADY HAS - COMPANY.

THE PAIR CLOSE IN ON THE

INTRUDER.

- ONCE WITHIN RANGE, IT'S - TIME TO UNLEASH THEIR

DEFENSIVE WEAPON.

[CRANES CAWING]

DYLAN: THIS LOUD,

TERRITORIAL DUET, KNOWN AS

THE UNISON CALL, IS NOT

ONLY USED TO STOP

AGGRESSION, IT'S ALSO A

VITAL PART OF REINFORCING

BONDS BETWEEN THE PAIR.

- THE CALLING ALSO - ACCOMPANIES ONE OF

NATURE'S MOST SPECTACULAR

COURTSHIP DISPLAYS.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: TO THIS LONE MALE, - THE MESSAGE IS CLEAR AND

- HIS QUEST FOR A MATE - CONTINUES.

COMING UP, CLOUDED

LEOPARDS ARE HARD TO SPOT.

JUST ASK THESE GOLDEN

LANGURS.

- PLUS, WE WELCOME BACK THE - GEESE FROM THEIR LONG

FLIGHT, NEXT ON "EARTH

ODYSSEY".

[BREAK]

.

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

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THE HIMALAYAS - STRETCH ACROSS SIX

- DIFFERENT ASIAN COUNTRIES, - COVERING ALL KINDS OF

TERRAIN, FROM FROZEN

MOUNTAIN PEAKS, TO LUSH,

TROPICAL RAINFORESTS.

- AND WITHIN THIS GREEN - CANOPY, LIVES ONE

ADRENALINE JUNKY MONKEY

WHO HAS NO FEAR OF

HEIGHTS.

- HE LIVES ON THE TREE'S TOP - FLOOR WHERE THE FOOD IS

PLENTIFUL AND WHERE HE'S

SAFE FROM THE REACH OF A

- BEAUTIFUL PREDATOR LURKING - BELOW.

TAKE A LOOK.

- CLOSER TO THE RIVERS OF - THE HIMALAYAS, LIVES A

GROUP OF TREE-CLIMBING

MAMMALS.

GATHERED IN TIGHTLY KNIT

SOCIAL GROUPS OF AROUND A

DOZEN INDIVIDUALS, GOLDEN

LANGURS LIVE HERE ALL

YEAR-ROUND.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: FOUND ONLY HERE - AND THE NEIGHBORING

FOOTHILLS OF BHUTAN,

THEY'RE ONE OF INDIA'S

MOST ENDANGERED PRIMATES.

- UNLIKE THE RED PANDA, - LANGURS HAVE A CHAMBERED

STOMACH, WHICH HELPS BREAK

DOWN CELLULOSE.

MATURE LEAVES AND FRESH

BUDS MAKE UP THE MAJORITY

OF THEIR DIET.

AND LARGE SALIVARY GLANDS

ALSO ASSIST WITH THEIR

DIGESTION.

- REGARDLESS OF THE VAST - FOOD SUPPLY, COMPETITION

OVER FEEDING STILL EXISTS.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: MINOR SKIRMISHES - CAN QUICKLY GET OUT OF

HAND, BUT GOLDEN LANGURS

HAVE A WAY OF LEAPING TO

THEIR OWN DEFENSE.

LARGE HIND-LIMBS PROVIDE

POWERFUL PROPULSION.

WHILE LONG PADDED FINGERS

ALLOW FOR EFFECTIVE

HOOKING AND GRABBING.

- LANGURS ARE ONE OF THE FEW - PRIMATES TO HAVE ALL BUT

LOST THEIR THUMBS.

AN EVOLUTIONARY ADAPTATION

TO PREVENT THE DIGIT FROM

- BEING A HINDRANCE WHILE - SWINGING THROUGH THE

TREES.

- ALTHOUGH A LONG TAIL - ENHANCES BALANCE, IT ALSO

- REQUIRES A LITTLE MORE - EFFORT WHEN IT COMES TO

CLEANING.

GROOMING ISN'T JUST A SOLO

AFFAIR.

RUMMAGING THROUGH A

FRIEND'S FUR IS THE

LANGUR'S WAY OF

REINFORCING SOCIAL BONDS,

AS WELL AS RELIEVING

STRESS.

GOLDEN LANGURS SELDOM

LEAVE THE TREES, EVEN TO DRINK

- MOST OF THEIR WATER COMES - FROM DEW AND RAIN-SOAKED

LEAVES.

- THIS TACTIC IS ADOPTED BY - SOME OF THE FOOTHILL'S

SMALLER ANIMALS, TOO.

- SUCH AS HIMALAYAN - SQUIRRELS THAT FIND

SANCTUARY IN THE

FOOTHILL'S FLOWERING

RHODODENDRON FORESTS.

- MORE THAN 90 PERCENT OF - THE WORLD'S RHODODENDRON

- TREES ORIGINATE FROM THIS - REGION.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: SOME BIRDS ADD - MORE COLOR TO THE MIX AS

THEY FEED ON INSECTS

ATTRACTED TO THE

SPRINGTIME BLOSSOM.

THE HIMALAYAN FOOTHILL

TREES PROVIDE SAFE REFUGE

TO MANY CREATURES.

- BUT THERE'S ONE PREDATOR - THAT RELIES ON THEIR

ELEVATED BRANCHES FOR ITS

HUNTING SUCCESS.

RELATIVELY SHORT LEGS AND

BROAD PAWS MAKE THE

CLOUDED LEOPARD AN EXPERT

AT CLIMBING TREES.

ITS EXCEPTIONALLY LONG

TAIL PROVIDES EXCELLENT

BALANCE.

- ALTHOUGH, IT SPENDS MOST - OF THE DAY RESTING, THIS

MEDIUM SIZED STALKY CAT IS

NO SLUMBERING SOFTIE.

THE CLOUDED LEOPARD IS A

FORMIDABLE PREDATOR AND

RELATIVE TO ITS SIZE, IT

HAS THE LONGEST CANINE

TEETH OF ANY LIVING

CARNIVORE.

AS DUSK DRAWS IN, THE

NOCTURNAL HUNTER SPOTS A

POTENTIAL VICTIM.

ROTATABLE REAR ANKLE

JOINTS ALLOW FOR A

CONTROLLED DECENT

HEADFIRST.

- BLIND BY NIGHT, JUNGLE - FOWLS STAND LITTLE CHANCE

AGAINST THE LEOPARD AND

ITS SHARP NOCTURNAL VISION.

COMING UP, THE GEESE

RETURN TO THE HIMALAYAS

AND SO WILL WE.

NEXT ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[BREAK]

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: IN THE HIGH

HIMALAYAN PLATEAU OF

LADAKH, BUDDHIST MONKS

OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCE THE

ARRIVAL OF SPRING.

[HORNS BLOWING]

- DYLAN: THE FROSTED - STREAMS FEED THE

THAWED-OUT GRASSLANDS.

- AND THE HIGH-ALTITUDE - LAKES PREPARE THEMSELVES

FOR THE RETURN OF THEIR

SUMMERTIME RESIDENCE.

- WITH TEMPERATURES IN - AROUND 70 DEGREES ABOVE

FREEZING, TSO MORIRI

WATERS ARE VIRTUALLY

COMPLETELY MELTED.

- THE HIGH-FLYING BAR-HEADED - GEESE BEGIN ARRIVING FROM

THEIR WINTER BASE OF

INDIA'S LOWER PLAINS, MORE

THAN 1,000 MILES AWAY.

TSO MORIRI IS THE ONLY

PLACE IN INDIA WHERE

- BAR-HEADED GEESE COME TO - BREED.

- BECAUSE THERE ARE FEW - PREDATORS AT THIS HIGH

ALTITUDE, THE LAKE

PROVIDES THE PERFECT

SUMMER RESIDENCE FOR A

WHOLE VARIETY OF WATER

BIRDS.

SHELL DUCKS, GREBES, AND

GULLS ALSO RELY ON TSO

- MORIRI FOR RAISING THEIR - YOUNG.

- MAKING THIS HIMALAYAN LAKE - ONE OF INDIA'S MOST

IMPORTANT WETLAND

ECOSYSTEMS.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: WITH SUMMER FAST - APPROACHING, THE SNOW

- LEOPARDS FOLLOW THE - MOUNTAIN'S RETREATING

SNOWLINE.

- THE HIMALAYAS IS AN - UNBELIEVABLE REGION IN OUR

WORLD.

- FROM THE ANCIENT CULTURES - THAT ARE STILL PRACTICED

TODAY.

- TO THE ANIMALS WHO THRIVE - IN SUCH HARSH

ENVIRONMENTS.

- THIS MOUNTAIN RANGE IS ONE - OF THE MOST FASCINATING

PLACES ON EARTH.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THANKS FOR JOINING - US ON ANOTHER JOURNEY

THROUGH THE HIMALAYAS.

WHETHER IT'S CLOUDED

LEOPARDS HUNTING THEIR

NEXT MEAL OR LANGUR

MONKEYS SOARING TO THE

NEXT TREE, YOU NEVER KNOW

WHAT YOU'LL DISCOVER ON

- THIS INCREDIBLE MOUNTAIN - RANGE.

WE'LL SEE YOU ON OUR NEXT

"EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]