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'RE HEADING TO

SOUTHWEST CHINA, A UNIQUE GARDEN

FULL OF BEAUTY AND FASCINATION.

WE'LL EXPLORE THE TREES AND FIND

ONE OF CHINA'S CUTEST LOCALS,

THE RED PANDA.

PLUS, WE'LL TRY TO STAY DRY AS

WE VISIT THE RICE FIELDS AND

CAVES THAT GIVE THIS LAND ITS

CHARACTER AND GEOGRAPHICAL

MAKEUP.

ALL THIS AND MORE COMING UP ON

"EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THE COUNTRIES IN ASIA - ARE FAMOUS FOR THEIR PROFOUND

BIODIVERSITY, AND CHINA IS AT

THE TOP OF THE LIST.

WITH MORE THAN SEVEN THOUSAND

SPECIES OF VERTEBRAE ANIMALS,

- YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'LL FIND - SWIMMING IN THE STREAMS,

FORAGING THE FOREST FLOOR, OR

HANGING HIGH UP IN THE TREES.

- AND FOR THE HIMALAYAN SQUIRREL - YOU'RE ABOUT TO MEET, THE TREES

AREN'T SO MUCH FOR HANGING AS

THEY ARE FOR HOPPING AND HOPING

THAT HE'LL FIND THE NEXT MEAL.

SOUTHWEST CHINA, ONE OF NATURE'S

GREATEST SECRETS.

SNOW-CAPPED MOUNTAINS,

TEMPERATURE VALLEYS,

AND TROPICAL JUNGLES ARE HOME TO

A SPECTACULAR ARRAY OF WILDLIFE.

[BAT SQUEAKING]

- DYLAN: APPROXIMATELY HALF OF - CHINA'S BIRDS AND MAMMALS LIVE

IN THIS TINY REGION, MANY FOUND

NOWHERE ELSE ON EARTH.

HIMALAYAN SQUIRRELS LIVE AT AN

ELEVATION BETWEEN FIVE THOUSAND

AND TEN THOUSAND FEET.

- WATER DROPLETS TRAPPED AMONG THE - PETALS QUENCHES THIS

INDIVIDUAL'S THIRST.

- ALTHOUGH NUTS AND FRUITS MAKE UP - THE MAJORITY OF ITS DIET,

INSECTS TAKING REFUGE INSIDE

FLOWERS ARE ALSO TAKEN.

THESE SECLUDED TEMPERATE

FOOTHILL FORESTS ARE ALSO HOME

TO ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST

ELUSIVE ANIMALS.

RED PANDAS ARE JUST SLIGHTLY

LARGER THAN A DOMESTIC CAT.

THEY LIVE A SOLITARY LIFE.

DESPITE THE NAME, BIOLOGICALLY,

THEY'RE NOT RELATED TO GIANT

PANDAS.

- THEY HAVE RECENTLY BEEN - ALLOCATED THEIR OWN FAMILY

- LABEL, MORE CLOSELY RELATED TO - WEASELS.

RED PANDAS CAN'T DIGEST THE

CELLULOSE FOUND IN MOST PLANTS,

SO THEIR DIET IS ALMOST ENTIRELY

MADE UP OF BAMBOO, A FOOD THEIR

STOMACHS CAN JUST ABOUT MANAGE.

BECAUSE BAMBOO NUTRITION LEVELS

ARE RELATIVELY LOW, THEY SPEND

AROUND 13 HOURS A DAY FEEDING.

- AFTER PATROLLING AND - SCENT-MARKING HIS PATCH OF

FOREST, THIS MALE HAS SOME

IMPORTANT WORK TO DO.

- TO COPE WITH COOLER - TEMPERATURES, RED PANDAS' BODIES

ARE COMPLETELY COVERED IN FUR,

INCLUDING THE SOLES OF THEIR

FEET.

THIS CAT-LIKE CLEANING IS ONE

RITUAL THAT CAN'T BE RUSHED.

MALE TERRITORIES ARE LARGE,

OVERLAPPING THOSE OF SEVERAL

FEMALES; HOWEVER, THIS

INDIVIDUAL APPEARS TO HAVE SOME

COMPANY...

...BUT OF THE WRONG GENDER.

- RED PANDAS ARE HIGHLY - TERRITORIAL AND DEFEND THEIR

PATCH OF GROUND WITH VIGOR.

PATCH OF GROUND WITH VIGOR.

- THIS VISITING ROMEO SUDDENLY - REALIZES THIS IS ANOTHER MALE'S

DOMAIN AND HEADS BACK THE WAY HE

CAME.

- BEING SMALL-BODIED AND CHOOSING - TO LIVE ALONE HAS ENABLED

CHINA'S RED PANDAS TO LIVE A

SECRETIVE LIFE.

BUT ON THE GROUND AND IN THE

FIELDS, SOMETHING FAR LESS

SECRETIVE IS GROWING.

COMING UP, RAIN IS A PAIN AND

COMES WITH A PRICE, BUT IS THE

- PRICE A VICE WHEN IT COMES TO - RICE?

PLUS, ANTS MAY BE STRONG, BUT

THEY ARE NO MATCH TO THEIR

BIGGEST PREDATORS.

[BREAK]

.

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

DYLAN: IN SOUTHWEST CHINA, RAIN

IS A VITAL PART FOR THE SURVIVAL

OF PLANTS, ANIMALS, AND HUMANS.

- SOME PARTS OF THE YUNNAN - PROVINCE RECEIVE AN EXCESS OF

- NEARLY A HUNDRED INCHES OF RAIN - EACH YEAR.

- THIS NATURAL RESOURCE IS - ESSENTIAL FOR GROWING ONE OF THE

MOST IMPORTANT FOODS IN THE

WHOLE OF ASIA.

- THE CHINESE HAVE BEEN - CULTIVATING RICE FOR MORE THAN

EIGHT THOUSAND YEARS.

IT TAKES APPROXIMATELY 1,300

GALLONS OF WATER TO PRODUCE TWO

POUNDS OF GRAIN.

- THESE RICE TERRACES IN YUNNAN - PROVINCE ARE SOME OF THE OLDEST

HUMAN STRUCTURES IN CHINA.

LOCALS HAVE CREATED A COMPLEX

SYSTEM OF CHANNELS TO DIVERT

WATER FROM THE FORESTED

MOUNTAINS TO THESE LOWER

ALTITUDE FIELDS.

VIRTUALLY EVERY SQUARE INCH OF

LAND HAS BEEN CLAIMED FOR RICE

CULTIVATION.

- THESE MANMADE MEADOWS ARE THE - PERFECT HABITAT FOR MANY WETLAND

RESIDENTS.

- AS DUSK APPROACHES, ONE - AMPHIBIAN MAKES HIS PRESENCE

KNOWN.

[FROGS CROAKING]

DYLAN: MALE PADDY FROGS CALL

OUT TO ATTRACT A NEARBY FEMALE,

BUT THEIR MATING SONGS QUITE

OFTEN DRAW IN THE WRONG KIND OF

ATTENTION.

[BIRD SQUAWKING]

DYLAN: CHINESE POND HERONS

SURVIVE ON A DIET OF SMALL FISH,

AQUATIC INVERTEBRATES, AND

FROGS.

[BIRD SQUAWKING]

- DYLAN: GROWING UP TO TWO INCHES - LONG, THESE AMPHIBIANS ARE ONE

OF THE LARGEST PREY ITEMS THE

HERONS CAN STOMACH.

- OF THE LARGEST PREY ITEMS THE - HERONS CAN STOMACH.

FORTUNATELY, THEY CAN ONLY

SWALLOW ONE FROG AT A TIME,

GIVING OTHER POTENTIAL MEALS THE

CHANCE TO HOP AWAY, BUT NOT

EVERYTHING HAS THE ABILITY TO

ESCAPE, SO SOME MUST RESORT TO

HIDING.

- WHEN "EARTH ODYSSEY" RETURNS, - ANTS ARE EVERYWHERE IN SOUTHWEST

CHINA, AND ONE LONG-NOSED EATER

COULDN'T BE HAPPIER.

PLUS, WE EXPLORE WHAT'S FLYING

AND SLEEPING IN THESE ANCIENT

CAVES.

[BREAK]

.

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

DYLAN: IN 1913, HENRY FORD

CREATED THE FIRST MOVING

ASSEMBLY LINE TO HELP MASS

PRODUCE HIS AUTOMOBILES.

ALTHOUGH COMPLETELY NOVEL FOR

HUMAN BEINGS, THIS METHOD OF

PRODUCTION HAS BEEN BUSINESS AS

USUAL FOR ONE SPECIES FOUND IN

THE RAINFORESTS OF CHINA, AN

INSECT WHOSE BRAINS ARE MATCHED

BY ITS BRAWN.

TAKE A LOOK.

CHINA'S SOUTHWEST SUPPORTS THE

LIVES OF MANY LARGE CREATURES.

HOWEVER, MILLIONS OF INSECTS

ALSO CALL THIS TROPICAL REGION

HOME.

- WEAVER ANTS GET THEIR NAME FROM - THE UNIQUE MANNER IN WHICH THEY

CONSTRUCT THEIR NESTS.

AS ONE GROUP OF ADULTS PULLS

LIVING LEAVES TOGETHER, ANOTHER

BEGINS JOINING THE LEAF EDGES

USING A REMARKABLE PROCESS.

BECAUSE ONLY THE LARVA OF THESE

ANTS PRODUCE SILK, THEY ARE IN

EFFECT USED AS GLUE GUNS.

HELD GENTLY IN THE JAWS OF

ADULTS, THE LARVA ARE SQUEEZED,

FORCING OUT A LINE OF STICKY

SILK ALONG THE LEAF JOINTS.

THIS PROCESS CONTINUES UNTIL THE

ENTIRE BALL-LIKE STRUCTURE IS

COMPLETE.

EACH NEST TAKES AROUND THREE

DAYS TO COMPLETE, AND A COLONY

OF UP TO A MILLION ANTS CAN

BUILD MORE THAN A HUNDRED

USUALLY IN LOW-LEVEL TREES.

WEAVER ANTS ARE HIGHLY

TERRITORIAL AND AGGRESSIVELY

DEFEND THEIR TERRITORIES AGAINST INTRUDERS

ONE PREDATOR, HOWEVER, COMES

WELL-PREPARED FOR THEIR BITES.

- DESPITE ITS REPTILIAN - APPEARANCE, THIS CREATURE IS

ACTUALLY AN INSECT-DEVOURING

NOCTURNAL MAMMAL.

KNOWN AS A PANGOLIN, ITS BODY IS

COVERED BY HARD OVERLAPPING

SCALES MADE OF KERATIN, THE SAME

PROTEIN THAT FORMS HUMAN HAIR

AND FINGERNAILS.

OFTEN REFERRED TO AS SCALY

ANTEATERS, PANGOLINS THRIVE ON A

DIET OF TERMITES AND ANTS.

- THEIR VISION IS POOR, SO THEY - RELY ON A STRONG SENSE OF SMELL

TO TRACK DOWN THEIR PREY.

THIS INDIVIDUAL GETS WIND OF THE

WEAVER ANTS' NEST AND MOVES IN.

PANGOLINS ARE EXCELLENT

CLIMBERS.

THE ANTS STAND LITTLE CHANCE OF

ESCAPE AGAINST THE 15-INCH-LONG

TONGUE COVERED IN STICKY SALIVA.

- ATTACKING THE INTRUDER'S HEAD IS - FUTILE.

ITS TOUGH ARMOR-PLATED SKIN

CAN'T BE PENETRATED.

NOSTRILS AND EARS CAN ALSO BE

CLOSED, AND THICK LIDS PROTECT

ITS EYES.

PANGOLINS HAVE NO TEETH, SO THE

ANTS ARE SWALLOWED WHOLE.

THEIR THICK, MUSCULAR INTERNAL

STOMACH WALLS ARE LINED WITH

SPINES MADE WITH KERATIN, WHICH

HELPS CRUSH AND MASH THEIR

MEALS.

PANGOLINS CAN CONSUME UP TO TWO

HUNDRED THOUSAND ANTS A NIGHT.

FORTUNATELY FOR THEIR INTENDED

VICTIMS, EACH RAID LASTS NO MORE

THAN A MINUTE OR TWO.

- BUT PANGOLINS AREN'T THE ONLY - CREATURE IN SOUTHWEST ASIA THAT

ENJOY THE DARK.

COMING UP ON "EARTH ODYSSEY", WE

EXPLORE THESE LIMESTONE CAVES,

BUT BRING A FLASHLIGHT, BECAUSE

WE WON'T BE ALONE, AND THEY CAN

SEE AND HEAR US COMING FROM

MILES AWAY.

[BREAK]

.

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

- DYLAN: CHINA'S SECLUDED - SOUTHWEST IS RENOWNED FOR ITS

VAST ARRAY OF CONICAL HILLS.

FORMED AFTER PREHISTORIC

SEAFLOOR SEDIMENT WAS RAISED TO

THE SURFACE, THIS WEATHERED

LIMESTONE LANDSCAPE TAKES ON A

NEW NAME, KARST.

LIMESTONE DISSOLVES IN

RAINWATER, AND THIS EROSION OF

ROCK IS MOST APPARENT IN YUNNAN

PROVINCE, WHERE ENORMOUS CAVERNS

- AND SINKHOLES FORM ONE OF THE - LEAST EXPLORED LANDSCAPES IN THE

WORLD.

- DEEP INSIDE THE CAVERN, A WINGED - RESIDENT IS JUST BEGINNING TO

RISE.

- BATS USE A SERIES OF - HIGH-PITCHED SQUEAKS TO NAVIGATE

THEIR WAY IN COMPLETE DARKNESS.

[BAT SQUEAKING]

- DYLAN: THESE NOCTURNAL HUNTERS - ALSO RELY ON THIS METHOD OF

ECHOLOCATION TO CATCH THEIR

PREY.

- WHILE THE MAJORITY OF BAT - SPECIES MAKE DO WITH A DIET OF

INSECTS, THE OVERSIZED FEET OF

THIS INDIVIDUAL POINT TO A MUCH

LARGER PREY.

THE BAT PINPOINTS THE SLIGHTEST

RIPPLE ON THE WATER SURFACE AND

SWOOPS IN.

ITS OVERSIZED CLAWS HOOK THE

TARGET CLEAN OUT OF THE WATER,

ALLOWING THE REST OF ITS BODY TO

REMAIN COMPLETELY DRY.

RICKETT'S BIG-FOOTED BAT IS THE

ONLY BAT IN ASIA TO SPECIALIZE

IN CATCHING FISH.

SOUTHWEST CHINA'S CAVES DON'T

JUST PROVIDE SECRET SANCTUARY

FOR RELATIVELY SMALL CREATURES;

THEY'RE ALSO HOME TO ONE OF THE

RAREST PRIMATES ON THE PLANET.

RAREST PRIMATES ON THE PLANET.

FRANCOIS' LANGURS ARE FOUND IN

JUST TWO PROVINCES LIVING AMONG

THE KARST LIMESTONE CAVERNS.

- LIVING IN TIGHTLY KNIT GROUPS OF - AROUND 12 INDIVIDUALS, THEY

SPEND A GREAT DEAL OF TIME

GROOMING ONE ANOTHER.

THIS BACK-SCRATCHING NOT ONLY

REINFORCES SOCIAL BONDS, IT'S

THE IDEAL WAY FOR A MONKEY TO

RELAX.

FRANCOIS' LANGURS RELY ON A DIET

OF LEAVES AND BUDS TO SURVIVE.

THEIR SPECIALIZED STOMACHS BREAK

DOWN THE LEAVES' CELLULOSE,

WHICH MANY OTHER PRIMATES ARE

UNABLE TO DIGEST.

BABIES ARE BORN WITH ORANGE FUR.

THIS EVENTUALLY TURNS BLACK AT

AROUND SIX MONTHS OLD.

MALES PLAY NO PART IN CARING FOR

THE YOUNG, WHEREAS ALL THE ADULT

FEMALES SHARE THE RESPONSIBILITY

IN LOOKING AFTER ANY NEWBORNS.

FEMALES SHARE THE RESPONSIBILITY

IN LOOKING AFTER ANY NEWBORNS.

- THESE PRECIPITOUS CLIFFS WILL - TEST THE NERVE OF MOST

EXPERIENCED CLIMBERS; HOWEVER,

THE LANGURS APPEAR COMPLETELY

UNFAZED.

THEY LEARN TO GRIP BEFORE THEY

CAN WALK, SO SCALING VERTICAL

WALLS IS CHILD'S PLAY.

WALLS IS CHILD'S PLAY.

- WATER SEEPING OUT OF THE - LIMESTONE NOT ONLY QUENCHES

THIRST, IT ALSO PROVIDES A

VALUABLE SOURCE OF MINERALS

ABSORBED FROM THE POROUS ROCK.

AS DUSK DRAWS IN, THE LANGURS

HEAD TOWARDS THE SAFETY OF THEIR

UNDERGROUND REFUGE.

ALTHOUGH LARGE PREDATORS SUCH AS

LEOPARDS ARE TODAY SELDOM SEEN,

THIS ANCESTRAL HABIT HAS OTHER

BENEFITS.

- DURING COLDER MONTHS, THE - MONKEYS HEAD EVEN DEEPER INTO

THE CAVE SYSTEM, WHERE THE

TEMPERATURE IS CONSTANT AND

RELATIVELY WARM.

SOUTHWEST CHINA IS A SECRET

PARADISE.

LIFE-FUELING VALLEYS PLAY HOST

TO A VAST ARRAY OF CREATURES,

MANY FOUND NOWHERE ELSE ON

EARTH.

THE REGION'S UNIQUE GEOGRAPHY

NOT ONLY SUSTAINS FOOD AND

WATER, IT ALSO PROVIDES

PROTECTION FROM THE EXTREME

NEIGHBORING CLIMATES.

CHINA'S SECRET GARDEN REMAINS A

UNIQUE AND MAGICAL LAND.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON OUR

EXPEDITION TO CHINA, ONE OF THE

MOST BIODIVERSE AND BEAUTIFUL

NATURAL WONDERS OF THE WORLD.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME FOR

ANOTHER "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]