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".

TODAY, WE HEAD TO SOUTH AMERICA,

WHERE THE SECOND HIGHEST

MOUNTAIN RANGE IN THE WORLD RUNS

THROUGH AND TOWERS OVER SEVEN

COUNTRIES, THE ANDES MOUNTAINS.

WE'LL GO WITH THE FLAMINGO AS

THEIR MIGRATION TAKES THEM

ACROSS THE ANDES.

AND LATER, WE'LL DISCOVER WHAT

CLIMBS AND SWINGS IN THE ANDES'

ACTIVE HOT SPRINGS.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THE ANDES MOUNTAIN RANGE - IS A REGION

OF PROFOUND ACTIVITY, NOT JUST

AMONG THE WILDLIFE WHO LIVE

- THERE, BUT WITHIN THE MOUNTAINS - THEMSELVES.

- ACTIVE VOLCANOES CAN BE FOUND - THROUGHOUT THE ANDES, INCLUDING

THE BIGGEST IN THE WORLD THAT

STANDS AT MORE THAN 22,000 FEET,

AND THEIR ERUPTIONS HAVE SHAPED

THE LAND THAT SURROUNDS THEM,

CREATING A VIBRANT, SOMETIMES

VIOLENT ECOSYSTEM FOR ONE OF THE

MOST BIODIVERSE REGIONS ON

EARTH.

FORTY-FIVE HUNDRED MILES LONG

AND 120 MILES WIDE, THE ANDES

ARE AN EPIC LANDSCAPE OF

SNOWCAPPED MOUNTAINS AND

BELCHING VOLCANOES.

THEY STRETCH FROM THE NORTHERN

COASTS OF VENEZUELA TO THE TIP

OF TIERRA DEL FUEGO IN CHILE.

SOME OF THE HIGHEST PEAKS IN THE

WORLD ARE FOUND HERE.

HALFWAY DOWN THE ANDES, ANCIENT

VOLCANIC ACTIVITY HAS FORMED

MASSIVE DESERT PLAINS.

THE BACKBONE OF THE ANDES IS

FORMED BY A CHAIN OF LIVE

VOLCANOES.

THEY ARE SO HIGH, THAT EVEN IN

TROPICAL PERU AND BOLIVIA, THEIR

RIMS ARE COVERED WITH ICE AND

SNOW.

MELTWATER RUNS OFF THE PEAKS TO

A VAST, HIGH-ALTITUDE DESERT

PLATEAU CALLED THE ALTIPLANO.

- THE ALTIPLANO IS A HUNDRED MILES - ACROSS AND MORE THAN THREE

HUNDRED MILES LONG.

CAUSTIC LAKES HAVE FORMED IN

SLIGHT DEPRESSIONS.

VOLCANIC GEYSERS KEEP THE LAKES

FREE OF ICE.

AT ALTITUDES OVER 13,000 FEET,

THE TEMPERATURE OFTEN FALLS TO

MINUS FOUR DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AT

NIGHT.

ONE OF THE LARGEST TOXIC LAKES

IN THE ALTIPLANO IS LAGUNA

COLORADA.

COLORFUL PLANKTON AND ALGAE

THRIVE IN ITS MINERAL-RICH

WATER.

IN THE SPRING, FLAMINGOS ARE

ATTRACTED TO THESE LAKES TO

FEED.

THREE OF THE WORLD'S SIX SPECIES

GATHER HERE.

THE JAMES'S FLAMINGO, WITH PINK

LEGS AND BRIGHT CARMINE STREAKS,

LIVE HERE YEAR-ROUND.

IN SPRINGTIME, THEY'RE JOINED BY

ANDEAN AND CHILEAN FLAMINGOS.

THESE SPECIES MIGRATE HERE FROM

BOLIVIA AND CHILE UNDER COVER OF

DARKNESS, MAKING THE

FOUR-HUNDRED-MILE JOURNEY IN

JUST ONE NIGHT.

ALL FLAMINGOS ARE FILTER

FEEDERS.

THEY TARGET SHRIMP AND ALGAE

FROM THE SALTY WATER.

EACH SPECIES HAS A DIFFERENT

SIZED FILTER IN ITS BILL, AND

EACH GATHERS ITS FOOD FROM

DIFFERENT DEPTHS TO AVOID

COMPETITION.

THE WATER IS TOO SALTY FOR THE

FLAMINGOS TO DRINK, AND IT'S SO

CAUSTIC, THAT IT BURNS THE

BIRDS' FEATHERS.

SO THEY MUST FLY TO NEARBY

FRESHWATER STREAMS TO QUENCH

THEIR THIRST AND WASH THEIR

PLUMAGE.

- THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT IN - THE MATING SEASON, WHEN

- COMPETITION IS FIERCE TO ATTRACT - A FEMALE.

THE MALES' COURTSHIP RITUALS

INCLUDE HIGHLY SYNCHRONIZED

DANCING, PREENING, NECK

STRETCHING, AND HONKING.

- BY THE END OF THE BREEDING - SEASON, THERE WILL BE MORE THAN

100,000 FLAMINGOS IN THE

ALTIPLANO, AND THAT'S NOT EVEN

SCRATCHING THE SURFACE OF THE

AMOUNT OF OTHER SPECIES THAT

LIVE IN THIS RICH MOUNTAIN

RANGE.

COMING UP, THIS HOT SPRING IS A

HOTBED FOR THE ANDES' MOST

FASCINATING ANIMALS.

PLUS, WE DANCE TO THE TUNE OF A

HUMMINGBIRD, BUT NOTHING CAN

COMPARE TO THE MOVES OF THIS

ANDEAN BEAR.

THAT'S NEXT ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[BREAK]

.

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

- DYLAN: THE ANDES WERE - FORMED BY THE FORCES OF PLATE

TECTONICS MORE THAN 65 MILLION

YEARS AGO.

- THE MOUNTAINS ARE STILL - GEOLOGICALLY ACTIVE, CAUSING

EARTHQUAKES AND VOLCANIC

ERUPTIONS ALL DOWN THE CHAIN.

ON THE BORDER BETWEEN BOLIVIA

AND CHILE IS A SERIES OF HOT

VENTS AND MUD POTS KNOWN AS

SOLTE MANANA.

SULFUROUS STEAM BELCHES 150 FEET

INTO THE AIR FROM A SUBTERRANEAN

PRESSURE COOKER.

THE EARTH'S INNER FIRES SURFACE

HERE AT NEARLY 16,000 FEET ABOVE

- SEA LEVEL, BUT AT LOWER - ALTITUDES, THE HABITATS ARE MORE

STABLE.

THREE THOUSAND FEET DOWN THE

VOLCANICALLY ACTIVE ALTIPLANO,

THE PREVAILING WIND PUSHES

MOISTURE-LADEN AIR UP AGAINST

THE MOUNTAIN SLOPES.

THIS WATER VAPOR COOLS AND

CONDENSES INTO A COLD FOG.

HERE AT AROUND TEN THOUSAND FEET

ABOVE SEA LEVEL ARE THE ALPINE

GRASSLANDS OF THE ANDEAN PUNA.

THE MOUNTAINS' MELTWATER CREATES

FRESHWATER STREAMS WHICH FEED

MARSHES.

VISCACHAS ARE RABBIT-LIKE

RODENTS WHICH GRAZE THE BOGGY

GRASSES.

THEY HAVE THIN MUSCLE WALLS IN

THEIR LUNGS TO MAXIMIZE OXYGEN

UPTAKE, AN ADAPTATION TO LIVING

AT SUCH HIGH ALTITUDE.

ANDEAN FOXES PATROL THE PUNO.

FOXES USUALLY CREEP UP ON THEIR

PREY, NOT AN EASY THING TO DO IN

THIS OPEN MARSH.

DESPITE THEIR ADAPTED LUNGS,

RUNNING EXHAUSTS THE VISCACHA.

BUT THE FOX TIRES QUICKLY, TOO.

FEW TREES CAN GROW IN THE PEATY

SOIL OF THE ANDEAN PUNO.

ONE OF THE TALLEST PLANTS IS

CALLED THE PUYA.

- IT GROWS FOR DECADES BEFORE - SENDING UP A TALL SPIKE COVERED

IN HUNDREDS OF TINY FLOWERS.

THIS RICH FOOD SOURCE IS SOUGHT

AFTER BY ONE OF THE ANDES' MOST

ICONIC ANIMALS.

[BEAR GROANING]

- DYLAN: EVERY SUMMER, ANDEAN - BEARS VENTURE UP

FROM THE FORESTS BELOW TO THESE

SOGGY GRASSLANDS.

- THIS MOTHER BEAR FINDS THE - SUGAR-FILLED FLOWER SPIKES

IRRESISTIBLE.

HER LONG CLAWS RIP THROUGH TO

THE SUGARS OF THE PUYA'S BASE.

HER CUBS ARE KEEN TO COPY HER,

BUT IT TAKES YEARS OF PRACTICE

TO GET THE TECHNIQUE JUST RIGHT.

FLAT MOLARS ALLOW THE MOTHER TO

CHEW THROUGH FIBERS TOO TOUGH

FOR MOST ANIMALS.

PUYA GROW TO BE MORE THAN 30

FEET TALL.

THESE ANCIENT-LOOKING PLANTS

RELY ON THE ANDEAN HILLSTAR

HUMMINGBIRDS TO POLLENATE THEM.

THE AIR IS SO THIN, IT'S HARD TO

SUSTAIN A HOVER, SO THEY OFTEN

PERCH ON THE PUYA'S SPINES TO

FEED ON ITS NECTAR.

THE ANDEAN HILLSTAR IS THE MOST

SPECIALLY ADAPTED HUMMINGBIRD TO

SURVIVE IN THE ANDES.

AT NIGHT, IT MUST GO INTO A

STATE OF INACTIVITY TO SURVIVE

THE COLD.

- AS THE SUN SETS, THE TEMPERATURE - DROPS.

THIN AIR DOESN'T HOLD ONTO THE

SUN'S HEAT FOR LONG.

- WITHIN THREE HOURS, THE - TEMPERATURE HAS PLUMMETED TO

MINUS FOUR DEGREES FAHRENHEIT,

SO THESE HUMMINGBIRDS LOWER

THEIR HEART RATE AND DROP THEIR

BODY TEMPERATURE BY UP TO 20

DEGREES TO CONSERVE ENERGY.

EVERY NIGHT IS LIKE A 12-HOUR

WINTER.

EVEN THE WATER FREEZES.

AND FOR THE HILLSTAR, IT IS A

NIGHTLY BATTLE FOR SURVIVAL.

THE HIGH-ALTITUDE HABITATS OF

THE ANDES ALSO UNDERGO A TRUE

SEASONAL WINTER.

MANY ANIMALS DESCEND TO LOWER

SLOPES TO SURVIVE, BUT SOME WILL

SIT IT OUT.

MOST YEARS, EVEN THE SALT LAKES

TURN TO ICE.

ANY BIRDS LEFT BEHIND RISK BEING

FROZEN INTO THE LAKE, BUT THERE

ARE SOME PLACES THAT NEVER

FREEZE.

COMING UP, YOU'LL "BEARLY"

BELIEVE WHICH ANIMAL SPENDS MORE

TIME IN THE TREES THAN ON THE

GROUND.

PLUS, THE BEAUTY THAT COMES FROM

THE DAILY RAINSTORMS, NEXT ON

"EARTH ODYSSEY".

[BREAK]

.

NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE

MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC

- DYLAN: THE ANDES - MOUNTAINS ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR

HIGH PEAKS AND ACTIVE VOLCANOES,

BUT DON'T LET THAT CLOUD YOUR

JUDGMENT.

- THERE'S A REGION OF THE ANDES - THAT'S LOW TO THE GROUND, AWAY

FROM ACTIVE VOLCANOES, AND HAS

MORE BIODIVERSITY THAN ANY OTHER

PLACE IN SOUTH AMERICA AND

POSSIBLY THE WORLD.

LET'S JOG THROUGH THE FOG AND

EXPLORE THE ANDEAN CLOUD FOREST.

BELOW TEN THOUSAND FEET IN THE

ANDES, CROWNS OF STUNTED TREES

POKE UP INTO THE MIST.

TANGLED VEGETATION FORMS A

DENSE, DAMP MAZE.

THIS IS THE ANDEAN CLOUD FOREST.

THE PERPETUAL FOG ALLOWS PLANTS

TO TAKE THEIR MOISTURE DIRECTLY

FROM THE AIR.

MOSSES AND LICHENS COAT EVERY

SURFACE.

ORCHIDS CLOTHE THE CANOPY.

AND BROMELIADS PERCH AT EVERY

LEVEL.

A FAVORITE FOOD OF ANDEAN BEARS,

THEY ARE QUICKLY SNIFFED OUT.

THE BEARS GO STRAIGHT FOR THE

BASE, WHERE FATS, PROTEIN, AND

CARBOHYDRATES ARE STORED.

MOST BROMELIADS GROW HIGHER UP,

WHERE THERE'S MORE LIGHT, SO THE

- ANDEAN BEAR SPENDS MUCH OF ITS - TIME IN THE TREETOPS.

- CUBS FOLLOW THEIR MOTHER, - LEARNING WHERE TO LOOK FOR FOOD

AND HOW TO GET IT.

LOOSE VEGETATION MAKES

CLAMBERING AROUND DANGEROUS.

- MORE SUITED TO LIFE IN THE TREES - ARE WOOLLY MONKEYS.

- THEIR THICK DOWNY COATS MEAN - THEY CAN STAY WARM IN THE

VERDANT, BUT COOL FOREST.

THESE LARGE MONKEYS STICK TO THE

CANOPY.

IT'S TOO RISKY TO VENTURE DOWN

TO THE FOREST FLOOR, HOME TO THE

MOST VERSATILE PREDATOR IN THE

AMERICAS, THE ANDEAN PUMA.

- HUNTING IN THE FOREST SHADOWS, - THESE BIG CATS ARE ALMOST

INVISIBLE.

- THEIR MERE PRESENCE KEEPS THE - CLOUD FOREST'S OTHER CREATURES

ON EDGE.

- THEIR FAVORITE FOREST PREY IS - MONKEYS.

A TROOP OF BROWN CAPUCHINS HAS

SPENT A CHILLY NIGHT HUDDLED

TOGETHER.

THE MORNING SUN WARMS THEM UP.

THEN THE CAPUCHINS SET OUT TO

FORAGE.

TREE-BURROWING INSECTS ARE ONE

OF THEIR FAVORITE FOODS.

- THE CAPUCHINS PICK THEM OUT FROM - THEIR HOLES.

- THE CLOUD FOREST TREES ARE LADEN - WITH FRUIT YEAR-ROUND, AND THE

CAPUCHINS ENJOY A FEAST.

- FUELED ON A SUGARY BREAKFAST, - THE YOUNGSTERS ARE SOON FULLY

CHARGED AND SPEND THE MORNING

PLAYING IN THE TREES.

THE MONKEYS DRINK WATER TRAPPED

IN TREETOP BROMELIADS.

- THEY ARE SAFE IN THE CANOPY, FAR - FROM THE DANGERS OF THE FOREST

FLOOR.

THE FRUITING TREES ALSO ATTRACT

A HOST OF OTHER ANIMALS.

COMING UP, WHAT MAKES THE ANDEAN

FOREST THE MOST BIODIVERSE

REGION ON THE PLANET?

WE'LL EXPLORE WHEN WE RETURN.

[BREAK]

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

- DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO - THE ANDES MOUNTAINS, WHERE

JEWEL-LIKE BIRDS GATHER TO FEED

IN THE CLOUD FORESTS.

THE HIGH ALTITUDE CAUSES THE

NIGHTS TO BE EXTREMELY COLD AND

THE DAYS VERY DAMP, MEANING NOT

MANY FLYING INSECTS CAN SURVIVE

HERE.

SO MOST PLANTS ARE POLLINATED BY

HUMMINGBIRDS.

- THEY HOVER IN POSITION BY - BEATING THEIR WINGS UP TO A

HUNDRED TIMES A SECOND.

THEIR HEARTBEAT CAN REACH A

THOUSAND BEATS PER MINUTE.

- TO POWER THEIR INCREDIBLE - METABOLISM, THEY MUST CONSUME

MORE THAN THEIR OWN WEIGHT IN

NECTAR EVERY DAY.

- THEY MUST FEED FROM HUNDREDS OF - FLOWERS TO GAIN ENOUGH ENERGY TO

SURVIVE THE NIGHT.

THERE'S A HUGE DIVERSITY OF

PLANTS HERE.

- THEIR COLORFUL PETALS ADVERTISE - THE NECTAR WITHIN.

- TO AVOID COMPETITION, EACH TYPE - OF HUMMINGBIRD IS ADAPTED TO

FEED ON DIFFERENT SPECIES OF

FLOWERS AND HAS A PERFECTLY

DESIGNED BILL TO MATCH ITS

SHAPE.

- THERE ARE MORE HUMMINGBIRDS IN - THE ANDEAN CLOUD FORESTS THAN

ANYWHERE ELSE ON EARTH.

- THE FORESTS' ABUNDANCE OF FRUIT - MEANS MANY BIRDS CAN QUICKLY

COLLECT LOTS OF CALORIES.

THIS GIVES THEM PLENTY OF ENERGY

AND TIME TO ATTRACT THE OPPOSITE

SEX.

THE ANDEAN COCK-OF-THE-ROCK

STANDS OUT LIKE AN ORANGE

BEACON.

[BIRD SQUAWKING]

- DYLAN: BRIGHTLY-COLORED MALES - GATHER IN

DISPLAY GROUNDS CALLED LEKS.

THEY'RE HERE TO MATE.

[BIRD SQUAWKING]

- DYLAN: DRESSED TO IMPRESS, THEY - SHOW OFF THEIR

FLAMBOYANT PLUMAGE.

- BRIGHT COLORS INDICATE STRONG - GENES, AND THE MALES WITH THE

BEST SHOW ARE THE MOST LIKELY TO

BE SELECTED BY A WATCHING

FEMALE.

BUT DESPITE THE EFFORTS

INVOLVED, MANY MALES NEVER MATE.

AS THE FORESTED SLOPES DROP

BELOW FIVE THOUSAND FEET, THE

CLOUD FOREST CHANGES INTO THE

TROPICAL RAINFOREST OF THE

AMAZON BASIN.

AROUND THREE THOUSAND FEET ABOVE

SEA LEVEL, MONKEYS COME TOGETHER

TO FEED IN A GIANT FIG TREE THAT

HAS BEGUN TO FRUIT.

- THE FIRST TO ARRIVE ARE SPIDER - MONKEYS.

FIGS ARE ONE OF THEIR FAVORITE

FOODS.

BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE TREE TO

THEMSELVES FOR LONG.

EMPEROR TAMARINS ARRIVE TO JOIN

THE FEAST.

- THEY'RE QUICKLY SCARED OFF BY A - GROUP OF SQUIRREL MONKEYS

WORKING THE TREE AS A TEAM.

THEY FEED FAST.

BIGGER AND MORE AGGRESSIVE

CAPUCHIN MONKEYS THEN ARRIVE,

WANTING THE FIGS FOR THEMSELVES.

MOST DAYS IN THE FOREST, THE

CLOUDS DUMP THEIR RAIN, UP TO 30

FEET EVERY YEAR.

- AND THIS RAIN IS ESSENTIAL FOR - SUPPORTING THE AMAZING

BIODIVERSITY THAT YOU WILL FIND

IN THE ANDES MOUNTAINS.

- THANK YOU FOR COMING ALONG ON - OUR ADVENTURE TO THE ANDES.

BETWEEN FLAMINGOS, ANDEAN BEARS,

AND ACTIVE VOLCANOES, THIS

MOUNTAIN RANGE IS FULL OF

DANGER, BEAUTY, AND INTRIGUE.

- WE HOPE TO SEE YOU NEXT TIME ON - "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]