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

ODYSSEY".

ON TODAY'S SHOW, WE UNCOVER THE

SECRETS OF THE LOST WORLDS OF

INDIA.

HERE LIES THE LAND SEEMINGLY

FORGOTTEN BY MODERN

CIVILIZATION, BUT THAT DOESN'T

MEAN IT'S BARE.

WE'LL EXPLORE THE RELATIONSHIP

BETWEEN HUMANS AND ELEPHANTS AND

HOW THE RESPECT FOR EVERY LIVING

BEING IS A TOP PRIORITY.

PLUS, WE EXPLORE THE ANCIENT

CULTURES AND TRADITIONS THAT ARE

STILL PRACTICED TODAY.

ALL THAT AND MORE ON "EARTH

ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THERE ARE MORE THAN TWO - HUNDRED LANGUAGES SPOKEN IN THE

- SEVEN SISTER STATES OF NORTHEAST - INDIA.

THESE INCLUDE EVERYTHING FROM

REMOTE TRIBAL TONGUES TO

WIDESPREAD LANGUAGES LIKE

BENGALI, BUT THERE'S ONE DIALECT

THAT'S DEEP WITHIN THE CULTURE

OF ALL NORTHEASTERN INDIAN

PEOPLE, A COMMUNICATION WITH

ANIMALS.

AND THERE'S ONE GIANT MAMMAL WHO

KNOWS HOW TO TALK BACK.

TAKE A LOOK.

- IMAGINE A SECRET AND SECLUDED - LAND...

...TIGER-INFESTED FORESTS...

...UNCHARTED MOUNTAINS SHROUDED

IN MIST, AND RAGING WATERFALLS.

THE SEVEN STATES OF NORTHEAST

INDIA ARE AMONG THE LEAST

EXPLORED PLACES ON EARTH.

- WE REVEAL A WORLD OF DRAMATIC - LANDSCAPES AND MAGNIFICENT

WILDLIFE.

WELCOME TO INDIA'S LOST WORLD.

LOCAL PEOPLE ARE NEVER SHORT OF

WATER.

THEY EMBRACE NATURE IN ALL ITS

FORMS AND UTILIZE THE RAPID RATE

OF PLANT GROWTH IN THE MOST

INGENIOUS WAY.

THE ROOTS OF INDIAN RUBBER TREES

ARE TRAINED TO CROSS THE RIVER

AND EMBEDDED ON THE OTHER SIDE.

THIS CREATES A LIVING ROOT

BRIDGE WHICH WILL CARRY ON

GROWING FOR DECADES.

THIS BRIDGE HAS TAKEN MORE THAN

30 YEARS TO REACH THIS SIZE.

ALTHOUGH THE LOCALS THRIVE AMONG

THE RICH FORESTED MOUNTAINS,

THEY AREN'T IMMUNE TO ATTACKS

FROM THE ANIMALS THEY SHARE

THEIR HOME WITH.

[ELEPHANT GRUNTING]

DYLAN: AND WHEN THESE NEIGHBORS

FALL OUT, THE RESULTS CAN BE

DEVASTATING.

[ELEPHANT GROANING]

- DYLAN: THE INDIAN ELEPHANT'S - MIGRATORY ROUTES EXTEND

THROUGHOUT ARUNACHAL PRADESH,

BUT THEIR ANCIENT PATHS HAVE

BEEN SERIOUSLY INTERRUPTED BY

LOCAL PEOPLE.

- THEY'VE BEEN CRISSCROSSED WITH - TEA PLANTATIONS, CROPS, AND

HOUSES.

[ELEPHANT GRUNTING]

DYLAN: TO HUNGRY ELEPHANTS,

THIS ISN'T ALWAYS A PROBLEM.

- HUMAN HABITATS CAN BE A - CONVENIENT PLACE FOR A FAST FOOD

FIX.

[ELEPHANT GRUNTING]

[GRUNTING CONTINUES]

- DYLAN: AS HOMES AND CROPS ARE - DEVASTATED, TENSIONS BETWEEN

HUMANS AND ELEPHANTS ESCALATE.

CONFLICTS SOMETIMES LEAD TO

TRAGEDY ON BOTH SIDES.

AS CROPS SPREAD AND VILLAGES

GROW, FURTHER CLASHES SEEM

INEVITABLE.

THE POPULATION OF ASIAN

ELEPHANTS HAS BEEN CUT IN HALF

IN THE PAST 75 YEARS.

THEY ARE NOW LISTED AS AN

ENDANGERED SPECIES.

- THE DESTRUCTION OF THEIR HABITAT - WILL LIKELY LEAD TO A FURTHER

FALL IN NUMBERS.

THE HERD MOVE AWAY QUICKLY AND

CONTINUE THEIR TREK.

THE TIME BEING, DESPITE THE

TENSION, THIS LOST WORLD REMAINS

THEIR LAST STRONGHOLD.

[ELEPHANTS GROANING]

DYLAN: COMING UP, WE'LL JOIN A

LOCAL HUNTING PARTY AND DISCOVER

WHICH ANIMAL IS MOST SACRED TO

THIS LOCAL TRIBE.

[BREAK]

.

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

- DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO THE LOST - WORLDS OF INDIA, WHERE WE ARE

EMBARKING ON A JOURNEY WITH A

LOCAL TRIBE.

[SHOUTING]

DYLAN: AS THE HUNTING PARTY

BEGINS, SPIRITS ARE HIGH.

THEY USE GIBBON-LIKE WAR CRIES

TO FLUSH OUT THEIR PREY.

HUNTERS PICK UP THE TRAIL OF A

FOREST HOG.

THEIR AIM IS TO STARTLE THEIR

QUARRY RATHER THAN CREEP UP ON

IT.

THE HUNT HAPPENS QUICKLY.

[SHOUTING]

DYLAN: AS THANKS TO THE GODS,

THE TIP OF A PIG'S EAR IS LEFT

IN THE FOREST.

- THE CARCASS WILL BE TAKEN BACK - TO THE VILLAGE, BUTCHERED,

BOILED, AND SHARED AMONGST THE

WHOLE COMMUNITY.

- A CLOSE RESPECT AND - UNDERSTANDING OF NATURE TIES THE

TRIBE'S BELIEFS TO THE WORLD

AROUND THEM.

ANIMALS LIKE TIGERS ARE

CONSIDERED LIVING DEITIES.

TIGER SKINS ARE THOUGHT TO GRANT

THEIR OWNERS IMMORTALITY.

- TRADITIONAL FOLK SONGS AND - DANCES ARE ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS

OF CULTURE.

THESE CELEBRATIONS ARE INSPIRED

BY A CREATURE WHICH IS AN ICON

THROUGHOUT NORTHEAST INDIA.

HORN-SHAPED HAIR DECORATIONS

CELEBRATE ONE OF INDIA'S MOST

EXOTIC AND ALLURING BIRDS...

...THE HORNBILL.

THE GREAT PIED HORNBILL IS THE

LARGEST OF THE HORNBILL FAMILY.

THEY CAN LIVE UP TO 50 YEARS.

HORNBILLS HAVE A LONG,

DOWNCURVED BILL WHICH IS OFTEN

BRIGHTLY COLORED.

THESE BEAKS ARE HEAVY.

- HORNBILLS ARE THE ONLY BIRDS - WHOSE FIRST TWO NECKBONES ARE

FUSED TOGETHER.

- THEY MAINLY EAT FRUIT, BUT - SUPPLEMENT THEIR DIET WITH SMALL

- MAMMALS, INSECTS, AND EVEN - SNAKES.

HORNBILLS CHOOSE JUST ONE MATE.

PAIRS STAY TOGETHER FOR YEARS,

SOMETIMES A LIFETIME.

DURING THE BREEDING SEASON, THEY

LAY ONE TO TWO EGGS.

- WHEN IT'S TIME TO NEST, THE - FEMALE FINDS A TREE HOLLOW AND

STARTS TO SEAL IT WITH DUNG AND

MUD.

WHILE SHE SITS ON THE NEST, HER

PARTNER BRINGS HER FOOD.

INCUBATION CONTINUES FOR UP TO

EIGHT WEEKS.

- THESE BEAUTIFUL BIRDS ARE - ADMIRED AND REVERED BY PEOPLE

ALL ACROSS THE REGION.

BOTH THEIR BEAKS AND FEATHERS

ARE HIGHLY PRIZED...

...ESPECIALLY TO ONE TRIBE.

[BELLS RINGING]

- DYLAN: HORNBILL BEAKS ARE THE - MOST PRIZED POSSESSION OF THE

NYISHI.

THEY SYMBOLIZE MANHOOD AND

VALOR.

[BELLS RINGING]

DYLAN: TODAY, THE GREAT PIED

HORNBILL IS PROTECTED BY LAW.

THE NYISHI STILL USES FALLEN

TAILFEATHERS, BUT NOW LEAVE

HORNBILL BEAKS OUT OF CANE OR

USE FIBERGLASS REPLICAS INSTEAD.

- HOPEFULLY, THIS WILL HELP - PROTECT THIS ICONIC BIRD FROM

FURTHER DECLINE.

WHEN WE RETURN, WE EXPLORE MORE

OF THE SPIRITUAL CONNECTION

BETWEEN HUMANS AND ELEPHANTS.

PLUS, AN UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

INSIGHT OF HOW THE LOCAL TRIBES

USE THESE MAGNIFICENT ELEPHANTS.

[BREAK]

.

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

DYLAN: THERE IS NO CLOSER

RELATIONSHIP IN NORTHEAST INDIA

- THAN THAT BETWEEN HUMANS AND - ELEPHANTS.

THIS CONNECTION ISN'T ALWAYS

PERFECT SINCE HUMANS WILL TAKE

ADVANTAGE OF AN ELEPHANT'S

STRENGTH AND POWER WHILE

- ELEPHANTS MIGHT TAKE ADVANTAGE - OF HUMANS' ABUNDANT AND

DELICIOUS CROPS, BUT THERE'S

ALWAYS A MUTUAL RESPECT AND EVEN

SOME SIMILARITIES IN BEHAVIOR

BETWEEN THIS MAGNIFICENT MAMMAL

AND HER HUMAN COUNTERPARTS.

[ELEPHANT GRUNTING]

- DYLAN: THROUGHOUT INDIA'S LOST - WORLD, THE LIVES OF PEOPLE AND

ANIMALS ARE INTERTWINED.

BUT THE CLOSEST RELATIONSHIP IS

BETWEEN HUMANS AND ELEPHANTS.

THE HERD HAVE REACHED THE

NORTHERN TIP OF INDIA.

- HERE IN THE FOOTHILLS OF THE - HIMALAYAS, THEY SHOULD BE SAFE

FROM CONFLICT WITH MAN.

[ELEPHANT GRUNTING]

DYLAN: BUT THE HEAT OF THE DAY

CAN PROVE JUST AS TAXING, EVEN

UNDER THE SHADE OF THE TREES.

A MUD BATH IS ONE WAY TO KEEP

COOL.

- ALTHOUGH THESE NOISES ARE EASY - TO HEAR, ELEPHANTS HAVE AN

EXTRAORDINARY WAY OF

COMMUNICATING OVER LONG

DISTANCES.

[ELEPHANTS TRUMPETING]

DYLAN: THEY MAKE LOW-FREQUENCY

NOISES CALLED INFRASOUNDS, A

SERIES OF DEEP GRUMBLES AND FOOT

STOMPS INAUDIBLE TO THE HUMAN

EAR.

INFRASOUNDS TRAVEL A LONG WAY

AND CAN BE HEARD BY OTHER

ELEPHANTS WITHIN 40 SQUARE

MILES.

- THIS GIVES ELEPHANTS AN - INCREDIBLE HEARING RANGE, WHICH

CAN BE VERY USEFUL TO HELP

LOCATE OTHER ANIMALS...

[ELEPHANT TRUMPETING]

DYLAN: ...SUCH AS OTHER

ELEPHANTS.

THE HERD CAN HEAR SOMETHING

LARGE APPROACHING.

IT'S ANOTHER HERD WHO ARE

ACCOMPANIED BY A LOCAL TRIBE.

THESE ARE SPECIALLY TRAINED

ELEPHANTS CALLED KANCHIS.

THEY HELP THE TRIBE BRING OTHER

ELEPHANTS BACK TO THE VILLAGE.

ONE OF THE TRIBESMEN SPOTS

TRACKS.

- MOST OF THE ELEPHANTS LEAVE, BUT - ONE STAYS BEHIND.

THE SIGHT OF OTHER ELEPHANTS

COMFORTS THE YOUNG ELEPHANT.

- THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE - KANCHIS' DUTIES.

- SHE'S BROUGHT BACK TO THE - VILLAGE, AND ONCE TAMED WILL

BE CARED FOR BY A MAHOUT.

HERE, THEY WILL DEVELOP A

LIFELONG RELATIONSHIP.

UP NEXT, FIND OUT HOW THESE

ELEPHANTS ARE CARED FOR AND

VALUED BY THE LOCAL TRIBES.

[BREAK]

.

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

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO THE LOST

WORLDS OF INDIA.

- HERE, ELEPHANTS ARE AN INTEGRAL - PART OF LIFE FOR THE KHAMTI

TRIBE.

- THE NEW ARRIVAL WILL BE FED AND - CAREFULLY LOOKED AFTER BY THE

MAHOUT.

SOON, SHE WILL BE PART OF THE

FAMILY.

SHE WILL HAVE DAILY BATHS...

[MAN GROANING]

MAN: COME ON.

[MAN SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

[MAN GROANING]

[GROANING CONTINUES]

[ELEPHANT GRUMBLING]

DYLAN: ...AND LEARN TO CARRY

OUT A WIDE RANGE OF JOBS...

...FROM TRANSPORTATION TO

PLOWING FIELDS.

WORKING IN THE HEAT OF THE SUN

TAKES ITS TOLL.

- ELEPHANTS CAN'T SWEAT, SO THEY - SUCK UP WATER FROM THEIR

STOMACHS AND SPRAY THEMSELVES TO

COOL DOWN.

- IT'S NOT JUST THEIR SIZE THAT'S - USEFUL TO MAN.

ELEPHANTS ARE HIGHLY

INTELLIGENT.

THEIR USE OF TOOLS IS PROBABLY

AS ADVANCED AS THE GREAT APES,

AND LIKE HUMANS, THEY ARE

SELF-AWARE.

- DOMESTICATED ELEPHANTS ARE EVEN - RELEASED BACK INTO THE FOREST IN

THE EVENING TO MIX WITH WILD

HERDS AND FORAGE FOR FOOD.

- EACH MORNING, THE ELEPHANTS - RETURN TO THEIR MAHOUTS FOR

BREAKFAST AND BEGIN THE DAY'S

WORK.

- THESE ELEPHANTS HAVE LEARNED TO - LIVE WITH PEOPLE, BUT FOR THE

POPULATION TO THRIVE, OTHERS

MUST REMAIN WILD AND CONTINUE TO

FOLLOW THEIR ANCIENT MIGRATION

ROUTES.

- SCIENTISTS ARE ATTEMPTING TO - PRESERVE NATURAL CORRIDORS FOR

THE ELEPHANTS' JOURNEY, SO THERE

IS HOPE.

AFTER FOUR MONTHS, THE HERD

REACHES THEIR DESTINATION, THE

FERTILE LANDS OF THE NORTHEAST.

- NOW THEY CAN FEAST BEFORE THEY - BEGIN THEIR GREAT RETURN

JOURNEY.

- THIS INCREDIBLE AND ALMOST - FORGOTTEN REGION OF THE WORLD IS

A MODERN WONDER.

WITHOUT MANY OTHER PLACES ON

EARTH LIKE THESE LOST WORLDS,

THESE ARE SOME OF THE LAST

REMAINING ANCIENT TRADITIONS OUR

WORLD HAS LEFT.

- THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON OUR - JOURNEY TO THE LOST WORLDS OF

- NORTHEAST INDIA, WHERE WE - WITNESSED A CONNECTION BETWEEN

HUMANS AND ANIMALS THAT'S RARELY

SEEN IN THE WILD.

WE HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US NEXT TIME

FOR ANOTHER "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]