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, EVERYBODY, I'M DYLAN - DREYER, AND THIS IS "EARTH

ODYSSEY".

ON TODAY'S EPISODE, WE EXPLORE

WHAT AND WHO LIVES IN THE

WORLD'S BIGGEST RAINFOREST, THE

AMAZON.

WHO WAS LIVING IN THE AMAZON

WHEN EUROPEAN EXPLORERS FIRST

MADE LANDFALL?

AND WHICH CULTURES ARE STILL

AROUND TODAY TO CONTINUE THEIR

TRADITIONS.

PLUS, WE'LL HIT THE AMAZON RIVER

WITH LOCAL TRADERS AND TRY TO

- AVOID THE PREDATORS THAT CONTROL - THIS BREATHTAKING ECOSYSTEM.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: OVER A THIRD OF ALL

SPECIES IN THE WORLD CAN BE

FOUND IN THE AMAZON RAINFOREST.

THE WARM WEATHER AND ABUNDANCE

OF WATER HAVE CREATED A PERFECT

ECOSYSTEM FOR SUPPORTING THIS

BIODIVERSITY FOR MORE THAN 55

MILLION YEARS.

- TOWARDS THE END OF THIS - IMPRESSIVE RUN, ANOTHER SPECIES

ARRIVED, THE TWO-LEGGED KIND.

- LET'S FIND OUT HOW THE - APPEARANCE OF HUMAN BEINGS

IMPACTED THIS ANCIENT PARADISE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: IN 1541, SPANISH

EXPLORER FRANCISCO DE ORELLANA

BECAME THE FIRST EUROPEAN TO

VENTURE INTO THE DARK HEART OF

THE AMAZON RAINFOREST.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: FAR FROM FINDING A - PRISTINE WILDERNESS, ACCOUNTS

FROM HIS VOYAGE TELL OF BUSY

RIVERSIDE TOWNS, ROADS

STRETCHING DEEP INTO THE JUNGLE

INTERIOR, AND ADVANCED CULTURES.

BUT WITHIN 100 YEARS, WHEN THE

NEXT EXPEDITIONS FOLLOWED IN

ORELLANA'S FOOTSTEPS, ALMOST ALL

TRACE OF HUMANS HAD VANISHED.

- THE RAINFOREST HAD RECLAIMED THE - THRIVING SETTLEMENTS OF WHICH

ORELLANA WROTE.

AND TO THE CONQUISTADORS, THE

AMAZON SEEMED UNTOUCHED.

FEW BELIEVED THESE MYTHICAL

TOWNS HAD EVER EXISTED.

BUT RECENT RESEARCH HAS REVEALED

EVIDENCE OF ANCIENT

- CIVILIZATIONS BENEATH STRETCHES - OF FORESTS THOUGHT TO BE PRIMARY

GROWTH.

- IT IS NOW THOUGHT THAT FIVE AND - A HALF MILLION PEOPLE INHABITED

THE AMAZON IN THE EARLY 16TH

CENTURY.

AND IT SEEMS ORELLANA AND HIS

CREW UNWITTINGLY PRECIPITATED

THEIR DESTRUCTION.

TODAY, THERE ARE 30 MILLION

PEOPLE LIVING IN THE AMAZON.

- MANY ARE DESCENDANTS OF THE - FIRST WAVES OF INCOMERS, RUBBER

FARMERS AND TRADERS.

- BUT SOME ARE DESCENDED FROM - PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN IN THE

AMAZON FOR 10,000 YEARS.

THIS TEAM OF SETARE MAWE HUNTERS

IS AFTER SOME MENACING PREY.

- MOST HUNTING PARTIES CREEP - THROUGH THE FOREST, SO AS NOT TO

DISTURB THEIR QUARRY.

BUT THERE IS NO NEED FOR STEALTH

TODAY.

THESE MEN WANT THEIR TARGET TO

KNOW THEY'RE COMING.

HUNTING HORNS REVERBERATE

THROUGH THE FOREST AND STIR

EVERY CREATURE INTO LIFE.

AT LAST, THEY FOUND WHAT THEY'RE

LOOKING FOR.

BULLET ANTS.

COMING UP ON "EARTH ODYSSEY", WE

CONTINUE OUR JOURNEY THROUGH THE

RAINFOREST WITH THE PEOPLE WHO

KNOW IT THE BEST.

AND LATER, PREDATOR VERSUS

PREDATOR.

SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A CAIMAN

AND A JAGUAR COME FACE TO FACE.

[BREAK]

.

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

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO THE - AMAZON RAINFOREST WHERE WE'RE

HUNTING FOR SOME OF THE SMALLEST

GIANTS IN THE WORLD.

BULLET ANTS.

A FULL INCH LONG, THEY SPORT

SERRATED JAWS.

BUT IT'S THE OTHER END OF THE

ANT THAT'S MOST FEARSOME.

A BULLET ANT'S NAME SAYS IT ALL.

THEIR STING IS THE MOST PAINFUL

IN THE INSECT WORLD.

- AGITATING THE ANTS WITH SMOKE - AND SOUND BRINGS MORE AND MORE

TO THE SURFACE.

ONE STING WOULD INJECT

NEUROTOXIC VENOM SO POWERFUL IT

FEELS LIKE BEING SHOT.

THE ANTS HAVE EVOLVED THIS

WEAPON AS A DEFENSE MECHANISM.

THE EXCRUCIATING PAIN TRICKS ANY

ATTACKER INTO BELIEVING IT HAS

SUFFERED A FAR GREATER INJURY

THAN AN ANT STING AND CAUSES IT

TO RUN AWAY.

BUT CAPTURING THE HAZARDOUS HAUL

IS JUST THE BEGINNING.

AND DURING THE TERRIBLE PAIN A

BULLET CAN INFLICT IS A RITE OF

PASSAGE FOR EVERY SETARE MAWE

MAN.

- BACK IN THE VILLAGE, THEY - PREPARE FOR THE ARRIVAL OF THE

FEROCIOUS ANTS.

THE LEAVES OF A CASHEW TREE HAVE

SPECIAL PROPERTIES.

- CHILDREN ARE TAUGHT THAT THE - YOUNGEST AND JUICIEST LEAVES ARE

THE BEST ONES TO PICK.

SOAKED IN WATER, THEY MAKE A

NATURAL CHLOROFORM.

- MAKING THE ANTS UNCONSCIOUS IS - THE ONLY WAY THEY CAN BE

HANDLED.

IT'S A TECHNIQUE THAT HAS BEEN

PASSED DOWN GENERATIONS.

DOZY FROM THE SLEEPING POTION,

THE ANTS SUBMIT WITHOUT A

STRUGGLE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE WEAVE OF A PALM LEAF

GLOVE PINCHES EACH ANT AROUND

THE WAIST AND HOLDS THEM TIGHT.

DOZENS ARE TRAPPED, STING

INWARDS, IN A LIVING MITTEN.

THIS ANT CEREMONY IS KNOWN AS

THE FESTA TOCANDIRA.

EVERY SETARE MAWE MAN WILL PASS

THROUGH THIS RITUAL NOT ONCE BUT

20 TIMES DURING HIS LIFETIME.

TODAY, IT'S THE TURN OF TWO

BOYS.

THEY HAVE BOTH DONE IT BEFORE

BUT KNOWING WHAT LIES AHEAD IS

NOT EXACTLY COMFORTING.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE ANTS HAVE SHAKEN OFF

THEIR SLEEPING DRAFT.

SMOKE AGITATES THEM EVEN

FURTHER.

THEY'RE WIDE AWAKE AND NOT

HAPPY.

AND EACH BOY MUST KEEP HIS HAND

INSIDE THIS GAUNTLET FOR A FULL

TEN MINUTES.

EACH STING IS 30 TIMES MORE

PAINFUL THAN THAT OF A WASP, AND

IN EACH GLOVE, THERE ARE MORE

THAN 120 STINGING ANTS.

EVERYONE REACTS DIFFERENTLY THE

ANT'S VENOM, DANCING AND

CHANTING HELPS KEEP THE BOYS'

MINDS FOCUSED.

- DANCING KEEPS THE BLOOD PUMPING - THROUGH THEIR VEINS, WHICH HELPS

DISSIPATE THE POISON.

- AND SWEATING RELEASES IT FROM - THE BODY.

THE BOYS' HANDS SWELL AND BECOME

PARALYZED.

THE PAIN SPREADS UP THEIR ARMS

TO THEIR CHESTS.

AND IT WILL LAST FOR 24 HOURS.

- THE WHOLE VILLAGE SUPPORTS THEM - AND HELPS THEM THROUGH THE

ORDEAL.

THE SETARE MAWE PEOPLE SAY THAT

THE TOXINS IN THE ANTS STINGS

IMMUNIZE THEM AGAINST DISEASE

AND WILL HELP KEEP THEM STRONG

AND HEALTHY.

- AND THEY BELIEVE THAT UNDERGOING - THIS AGONIZING TRIAL HELPS EACH

BOY TAKE A STEP TOWARDS

ADULTHOOD AND BRAVERY.

SOMETHING ALL LOCALS MUST HAVE.

- COMING UP ON "EARTH ODYSSEY", - TWO OF THE AMAZON'S MOST FEARED

BEASTS MEET HEAD TO HEAD.

WILL THE MATCH LIVE UP TO THE

HYPE?

PLUS, WE TAKE A TRIP DOWN THE

AMAZON RIVER FOR A TASTE OF LIFE

AS A LOCAL TRADER.

THAT'S NEXT.

[BREAK]

.

NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE

MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE AMAZON RIVER

DISTRIBUTES MORE THAN 55 MILLION

GALLONS OF WATER INTO THE

ATLANTIC OCEAN EVERY SECOND, NOT

EVERYDAY, NOT EVERY MINUTE,

EVERY SECOND.

- BUT THERE'S MORE TO THAT NUMBER - THAN JUST A MIND-BLOWING

STATISTIC.

WATER IS CENTRAL TO CONNECTING

THE AMAZON'S PEOPLE, PLANTS, AND

ANIMALS.

- AND WITHOUT WATER, WE WOULDN'T - GET THE CHANCE TO SEE WHAT

HAPPENS WHEN A CROCODILE AND A

JAGUAR SHARE THE SHALLOW END.

BE CAREFUL.

THE AMAZON'S CONSTANT CLIMATE

HAS DRIVEN THE DIVERSITY OF

PLANTS, ANIMALS, AND EVEN

PEOPLE.

AND FUELING THE WHOLE GIANT

ECOSYSTEM IS WATER.

- RIVERS CRISSCROSS THE AMAZON, A - NATURAL IRRIGATION SYSTEM THAT

PROVIDES WATER TO ANIMALS IN ALL

CORNERS OF THE FOREST.

WHILE MANY CATS AVOID GETTING

THEIR FEET WET, JAGUARS USE THE

SMALLER WATERWAYS TO MOVE AROUND

WITH EASE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THEIR LARGE PAWS MAKE

EXCELLENT PADDLES.

THE RIVERS ALSO PROVIDE A JAGUAR

WITH A FOOD SUPPLY.

JAGUARS OFTEN CATCH FISH OR

TURTLES IN THE SHALLOWS.

- EVEN CAIMAN FALL PREY TO THESE - POWERFUL BIG CATS.

BUT THIS YOUNG JAGUAR IS A

NOVICE HUNTER.

THE CAIMAN IS YOUNG, TOO, BUT IT

INSTINCTIVELY KNOWS TO STAY

STILL.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: IT'S A LUCKY ESCAPE.

AN OLDER, LARGER JAGUAR MIGHT

NOT HAVE LET GO SO READILY.

WATER FROM ALL THESE SMALL

CREEKS EVENTUALLY FEEDS INTO THE

AMAZON, THE MIGHTIEST RIVER IN

THE WORLD.

MORE THAN 4,000 MILES LONG, IT

FLOWS FROM ITS SOURCE HIGH IN

THE PERUVIAN ANDES TO ITS VAST

GAPING MOUTH THAT STRETCHES 150

MILES ALONG THE EAST COAST OF

BRAZIL.

MORE WATER FLOWS FROM THE AMAZON

RIVER TO THE OCEAN THAN FROM THE

WORLD'S NINE NEXT LARGEST RIVERS

COMBINED.

IT HOLDS A FIFTH OF ALL THE

FRESHWATER IN THE WORLD.

THE AMAZON RIVER HAS MORE THAN

1,000 TRIBUTARIES.

- SOME ARE CLOUDY WITH NUTRIENT - RICH SEDIMENT, CARRIED FROM THE

ANDES MOUNTAINS.

OTHERS ARE ACIDIC, THEIR PURE

WATERS THE COLOR OF BLACK TEA.

- AT THE CITY OF MANAUS, IN THE - HEART OF THE RAINFOREST, THE

MUD-COLORED SOLIMOES RIVER IS

JOINED BY THE BLACK RIO NEGRO,

ITSELF ONE OF THE LARGEST RIVERS

IN THE WORLD.

TOGETHER, THEY FORM THE MAIN

TRUNK OF THE AMAZON.

- THE TWO RIVERS ARE DIFFERENT - TEMPERATURES AND FLOW AT

- DIFFERENT SPEEDS, SO THEY REMAIN - SEPARATE FOR MORE THAN FIVE

MILES BEFORE THEIR WATERS MIX.

AND WHERE THESE MEETINGS OF

WATER OCCUR ARE SOME OF THE

- RICHEST FRESHWATER ENVIRONMENTS - ON EARTH.

COMING UP, WHEN "EARTH ODYSSEY"

RETURNS, WE SWIM WITH THE

DOLPHINS AND TAKE A TRIP DOWN

THE WORLD'S LARGEST RIVER.

NEXT.

[BREAK]

.

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

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THERE ARE MORE SPECIES - OF FISH IN THE AMAZON RIVER

SYSTEM THAN ARE FOUND IN THE

ATLANTIC OCEAN.

- THERE ARE FISH SO LARGE THEY ARE - SAID TO BE ABLE TO SWALLOW

SOMEONE WHOLE.

AND SHOALS OF PIRANHAS WHO ARE

AS FAST AS THEY ARE HUNGRY.

BUT THERE IS ONE CREATURE HERE

THAT EVEN PIRANHAS FEAR.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: PINK RIVER DOLPHINS ARE

EXCELLENT HUNTERS.

- THEY ARE NEARLY BLIND, BUT - VISIBILITY IN THE RIVER IS

ALMOST ZERO, SO THEY DON'T NEED

EYESIGHT.

THEY HUNT AND NAVIGATE USING

ECHOLOCATION.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THE BULGE ON THEIR - FOREHEADS FOCUSES CLICKS THAT

- BOUNCE OFF OBSTACLES AND PREY, - BUILDING UP A SONIC PICTURE OF

THEIR UNDERWATER WORLD.

IT'S SO ACCURATE, THEY CAN

DETECT OBJECTS AS SMALL AS A

PIN.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THE RIVERS ARE FULL OF - LIFE, BUT THEY ARE ALSO ONE OF

THE REASONS THIS RAINFOREST IS

HOME TO SUCH EXTRAORDINARY

BIODIVERSITY.

- SMALL RIVERS MIGHT BE EASY FOR - WILDLIFE TO CROSS, BUT THE

LARGER ONES ARE IMPASSABLE.

THE AMAZON ITSELF CAN BE 20

MILES WIDE IN PLACES.

- RIVERS CROSS THROUGH THE JUNGLE, - FORMING BARRIERS AND CUTTING OFF

ANIMALS AND PLANTS FROM ONE

ANOTHER.

THIS NETWORK OF WATERWAYS SLICES

UP THE AMAZON INTO A SERIES OF

FORESTED ISLANDS.

IT LOOKS LIKE A UNIFORM BLANKET

OF GREEN STRETCHING TO THE

HORIZON.

BUT DIFFERENT REGIONS SEPARATED

BY LARGE RIVERS HAVE DISTINCT

CHARACTERS.

THE CLOUD FORESTS OF THE ANDEAN

FOOTHILLS ARE QUITE DIFFERENT

FROM THE FLOOD-PRONE LOWLANDS.

- CUT OFF FROM THEIR RELATIVES IN - THESE DIVERGENT HABITATS, CAST

AWAY CREATURES EVOLVE INTO NEW

SPECIES.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: TAMARINS ARE A PRIME

EXAMPLE.

THESE TINY PRIMATES HAVE

COLONIZED THE TORSO OF THE

RAINFOREST.

- THEY LIVE BELOW THE CANOPY, SO - THEY ARE OUT OF REACH OF THE

HARPY EAGLES.

- BUT ABOVE THE FOREST FLOOR, FAR - FROM THE STINGING, BITING

DANGERS THAT LURK THERE.

- CLAWS, RATHER THAN THE NAILS OF - OTHER PRIMATES, ARE AN

ADAPTATION FOR CLINGING TO

UPRIGHT TREE TRUNKS IN THEIR

VERTICAL WORLD.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THERE ARE DOZENS OF - DIFFERENT TAMARINS ACROSS THE

ENTIRE AMAZON RAINFOREST, BUT

CERTAIN SPECIES ARE CONFINED TO

SMALL SECTIONS OF IT, HEMMED IN

BY RIVER BOUNDARIES.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THESE PIED TAMARINS ONLY

OCCUR IN THE CORNER OF THE

AMAZON WHERE THE CITY OF MANAUS

HAS DEVELOPED.

THEIR FOREST WORLD IS BEING

TAKEN OVER BY THE URBAN JUNGLE.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: AS THE CITY SPREADS, - GROUPS ARE BEING CUT OFF FROM

ONE ANOTHER.

TRAPPED BY SURROUNDING RIVERS,

THEY HAVE NOWHERE TO GO.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: AS A SPECIES, PIED

TAMARINS ARE IN TROUBLE.

- THERE ARE ONE OF THE MOST - CRITICALLY ENDANGERED ANIMALS IN

THE AMAZON.

THEIR NATURAL ATHLETICISM HELPS

THEM IN NEGOTIATING A CITY

ENVIRONMENT.

- WALLS AND WIRES AREN'T MUCH - DIFFERENT FROM BRANCHES AND

LIANAS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: RIVERS SEPARATE SPECIES,

BUT FOR PEOPLE, WATERWAYS IN THE

- AMAZON ARE A VITAL COMMUNICATION - NETWORK.

DESPITE DECADES OF LOGGING,

ROADS ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN

OUTSIDE THE HANDFUL OF TOWNS IN

THIS HUGE REGION.

RIVERS ARE THE MAIN HIGHWAYS.

THIS MAN IS A RIVER TRADER.

HE'S BEEN TRAVELING UP AND DOWN

THE AMAZON AND ITS TRIBUTARIES

FOR 35 YEARS, CARRYING GOODS

FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER.

HE SPENDS DAYS AND WEEKS AT A

TIME OUT ON THE RIVER.

MOST OF THE AMAZON'S 30 MILLION

STRONG POPULATION ARE TRADERS.

- RIVER DWELLERS LIVING DEEP IN - THE INTERIOR AND FLOATING

VILLAGES.

- THEY MAKE A LIVING BY GROWING - FRUIT AND GATHERING WHAT THEY

CAN FROM THE FOREST.

- THE NEAREST SHOP CAN BE HUNDREDS - OF MILES AWAY, SO THEY RELY ON

THEM TO TRADE THEIR GOODS.

FOR THEM, RIVER TRADERS ARE A

LIFELINE, MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO

SURVIVE IN THE AMAZON.

- THE AMAZON IS A COMPLEX - PATCHWORK OF HABITATS, WHERE

POWERFUL FORCES PRODUCE

BIODIVERSITY UNPARALLELED ON OUR

PLANET.

- IT'S LARGER THAN ANY OTHER - FOREST, BUT IT'S NOT JUST ONE

WORLD, IT IS MANY.

THE LARGEST RIVER SYSTEM ON

EARTH CARVES UP THE JUNGLE,

ISOLATING ANIMALS AND PLANTS,

DRIVING THEM TO EVOLVE.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: AND THE CONSTANT CLIMATE - GIVES EVERY LIVING THING THE

TIME AND RESOURCES TO

SPECIALIZE.

AS THE MODERN WORLD ENCROACHES,

IT'S CLEAR HOW VULNERABLE

ANIMALS CAN BE TO CHANGE.

BUT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PART OF THE

AMAZON'S STORY FOR MILLENIA, AND

- IT SEEMS CIVILIZATIONS COME AND - GO.

THE AMAZON'S FUTURE IS IN OUR

HANDS AND ITS COMPLEXITIES MUST

BE RESPECTED.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON OUR

EXPEDITION TO THE AMAZON.

- THE TRADITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN - PASSED DOWN FROM GENERATION TO

GENERATION ONLY ADD TO THE PURE

WONDER OF THIS BIODIVERSE SOUTH

AMERICAN JEWEL.

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU AGAIN ON OUR

NEXT "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]