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

ODYSSEY".

ON TODAY'S SHOW, WE UNCOVER THE

WILDLIFE THAT LIVES IN THE

UNBELIEVABLY DIVERSE ISLAND OF

JAPAN.

AND WE EXPLORE THE COUNTRY TO

FIND THE MOST FASCINATING

ANIMALS AND THE MOST HEROIC

INSECTS.

FROM STELLER'S EAGLES TO

HONEYBEES, YOU NEVER KNOW WHO

REIGNS SUPREME IN THE WILDLIFE

OF JAPAN.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: JAPAN IS A PLACE OF

TREMENDOUS EXTREMES, ESPECIALLY

ALONG ITS COASTLINE.

COLD CURRENTS MIX WITH WARM

WATER, CREATING THE PERFECT

- ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL TYPES OF - FISH.

- AND THIS IS THE DREAM BUFFET FOR - ONE OF THE BIGGEST BIRDS IN THE

WORLD, THE SEA EAGLE.

BUT THIS EXPERT HUNTER MUST TAKE

EXTREME CAUTION BECAUSE, AS

- YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE, ANOTHER - PREDATOR IS TRYING TO SPOIL ITS

MEAL.

JAPAN IS A LAND OF WILDLY

DIVERSE ENVIRONMENTS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: FROM SNOW-COVERED

MOUNTAINS TO STEAMY SUB-TROPICAL

MANGROVES.

- ANIMALS HAVE ADAPTED TO SURVIVE - IN THEM ALL.

THIS IS HOME TO WILDLIFE FOUND

NOWHERE ELSE ON EARTH.

UNIQUE RESIDENTS AND MYSTERIOUS

VISITORS ARE FOUND HERE IN

JAPAN'S ISLANDS OF EXTREMES.

THE SHIRETOKO PENINSULA IN

NORTHERN HOKKAIDO BORDERS THE

COLDEST SEA IN EAST ASIA, THE

SEA OF OKHOTSK.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: DURING WINTER, IT - BECOMES ALMOST COMPLETELY

COVERED WITH ICE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE ICE ORIGINATES IN

EASTERN RUSSIA AND IS PULLED

SOUTH BY OCEAN CURRENTS.

IN EARLY WINTER, THE ICE AROUND

THE SHIRETOKO PENINSULA CAN

REACH ALMOST TWO MILES WIDE AND

30 MILES LONG.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: AT THE SAME TIME COLD - CURRENTS ARRIVE HERE FROM

RUSSIA, WARM TROPICAL CURRENTS

ARRIVE FROM THE SOUTH.

AS THESE CURRENT COLLIDE, THE

NUMBER OF PLANKTON LITERALLY

EXPLODES.

- HUGE SHOALS OF FISH COME HERE TO - FEED.

THESE WATERS BECOME SOME OF THE

RICHEST FISHING GROUNDS IN THE

WORLD.

AND THEY PROVE IRRESISTIBLE TO

SOME OF NATURE'S MOST SKILLFUL

HUNTERS.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: A THIRD OF THE WORLD'S - POPULATION OF STELLER'S SEA

EAGLES MIGRATE HERE FROM RUSSIA

EVERY WINTER.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: STELLER'S SEA EAGLES ARE - AMONG THE LARGEST EAGLES IN THE

WORLD.

IN FULL FLIGHT, THEIR WINGSPAN

REACHES AROUND EIGHT FEET.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: SLOWLY CIRCLING THE ICE, - RAZOR-SHARP EYES SCAN THE SEA

FOR ANY SIGN OF PREY.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: ONE FLICKER OF MOVEMENT - IS ALL IT TAKES.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: BUT CATCHING A FISH DOES

NOT GUARANTEE A MEAL.

THERE ARE JEALOUS EYES

EVERYWHERE.

WITH UP TO 2,000 SEA EAGLES

GATHERING HERE, COMPETITION IS

FIERCE AMONG THESE NORMALLY

SOLITARY BIRDS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: FIGHTS OVER FOOD ARE

COMMON.

BEAKS, TALONS, AND WINGS ARE ALL

USED AS WEAPONS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: EVENTUALLY, THE HUNTER

PREVAILS.

- AFTER THE EFFORT IT TOOK TO KEEP - HOLD OF ITS PREY, THE EAGLE IS

HUNGRIER THAN EVER.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WHITE-TAILED EAGLES ARE

ON PATROL, TOO.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: IN MANY PLACES, THE - WHITE-TAILED SEA EAGLE WOULD BE

KING, BUT HERE, STELLER'S SEA

EAGLES ARE VICTORIOUS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: BUT AWAY FROM THE SEA,

ANOTHER ANIMAL REIGNS THE LAND.

COMING UP, WE NEED TO BE SLY AND

STAY OUT OF HARM'S WAY AROUND

THIS RED FOX.

PLUS, WE'LL SEE WHAT ALL THE

BUZZ IS ABOUT IN HONSHU.

[BREAK]

.

NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE

MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: HERE IN JAPAN'S FROZEN - WINTER WILDERNESS, OPPORTUNISTS

ARE ALWAYS READY TO TAKE

ADVANTAGE OF OTHERS' MISFORTUNE.

- EARLY MORNING, A NORTHER RED FOX - IS ON THE PROWL.

TO LOCAL TRIBES PEOPLE, THE RED

FOX IS THE GOD OF CUNNING AND IS

NOT TO BE TRUSTED.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: LOUD SQUAWKS ALERT THE

SCAVENGER TO A POSSIBLE JACKPOT.

A SITKA DEER HAS FAILED TO MAKE

IT THROUGH THE NIGHT.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THE FOX HAS NO TROUBLE - IN CLAIMING ITS PRIZE FROM A

FLOCK OF CROWS.

RAZOR SHARP TEETH MAKE LIGHT

WORK OF THE FROZEN CARCASS.

THE ANGRY CROWS ARE LEFT

SQUABBLING OVER SCRAPS.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: IT'S MARCH IN HOKKAIDO - AND WINTER IS DRAWING TO A

CLOSE.

CHANGES IN THE AIR, AS SPRING

FINALLY ARRIVES.

- TEMPERATURES CLIMB ABOVE - FREEZING AND THE PACK ICE

SURROUNDING THE SHIRETOKO

PENINSULA BEGINS TO BREAK UP.

CRACKING ICE IS A SIGNAL FOR

STELLER'S SEA EAGLES TO TAKE

FLIGHT.

- AFTER FOUR MONTHS OF FEEDING AND - FIGHTING, THEY START THE LONG

JOURNEY BACK TO THEIR BREEDING

GROUNDS IN EASTERN RUSSIA.

- MELTING ICE IS ALSO THE CUE FOR - ANOTHER VISITOR TO BEGIN THEIR

TRAVELS.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: WHOOPER SWANS GAINED - THEIR NAME FROM THEIR DEEP

HONKING CALL.

- THEY'RE THE NOISIEST SWANS IN - THE WORLD.

ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE

PREPARING TO MIGRATE.

10,000 SWANS HAVE SPENT THE

WINTER IN HOKKAIDO TO ESCAPE THE

SEVERE ARCTIC WEATHER IN THEIR

SIBERIAN HOME.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: HOKKAIDO'S WARM VOLCANIC - WATERS BRING WELCOME RELIEF FROM

THE COLD AND ENSURE THE SWANS A

CONSTANT SUPPLY OF VEGETATION

THROUGHOUT THE WINTER.

AS THE TEMPERATURES RISE, THE

SWANS TAKE TO THE AIR.

DESPITE THEIR SIZE, THEY ARE

POWERFUL AND GRACEFUL FLYERS.

- AS THEY LEAVE TO SPEND THEIR - SUMMER IN THEIR NESTING GROUNDS

IN SIBERIA, SOME JAPANESE PEOPLE

SAY THE SWANS CARRY WINTER ON

THEIR WINGS.

- BUT THE SWANS MUST HAVE MISSED - OUR NEXT STOP WHERE FLOWERS ARE

BLOOMING AND BUSINESS IS

BOOMING.

WHEN WE RETURN, THE ONGOING

BATTLE BETWEEN BEES AND HORNETS.

AND LATER, WE SETTLE BACK DOWN

TO EARTH AND EXPLORE WHAT'S

CRAWLING ON THE GROUND OF JAPAN.

[BREAK]

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: MANY ANIMALS NEED TO

EVOLVE TO STAY ALIVE.

- THEY DEVELOP INTO BETTER - HUNTERS, BETTER HIDERS, AND EVEN

BETTER SOLDIERS.

FOR EXAMPLE, JAPANESE HONEYBEES

ARE TOO SMALL TO FIGHT THEIR

BIGGEST ENEMY, THE JAPANESE

HORNET, SO THE BEES HAD TO

EVOLVE INTO A UNIFIED HIVE AND

THAT'S WHEN THE BATTLE OF THE

BUZZ BECAME A LOT MORE

INTERESTING.

TAKE A LOOK.

WELCOME BACK TO JAPAN WHERE

SPRING HAS SPRUNG, WHICH BRINGS

A BUZZ TO THE AIR.

- AT THIS BUDDHIST TEMPLE IN - SOUTHERN HONSHU, SPRING BRINGS A

FLURRY OF ACTIVITY.

- A COLONY OF JAPANESE HONEYBEES - HAS TAKEN OVER THE TEMPLE

GARDEN'S HIVES.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WORKER BEES TIRELESSLY

SEARCH FOR FOOD.

THEY RARELY STRAY FAR.

MOST FORAGING TAKES PLACE WITHIN

1,000 FEET OF THE HIVE.

THE HIVE BRISTLES WITH ENERGY

AND IT'S AN IRRESISTIBLE TARGET

TO THE HONEYBEE'S ANCIENT RIVAL.

A JAPANESE HORNET.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: HORNETS ALSO HAVE YOUNG - TO FEED AND THIS SCOUT HAS FOUND

A MAJOR SOURCE OF FOOD; THE

HONEYBEE'S HIVE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE HORNET IS FIVE TIMES

THE SIZE OF ITS PREY AND THE

VENOM FROM ITS STING IS

EXTREMELY POTENT.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: JUST A FEW HORNETS COULD

DECIMATE THE COLONY IN A MATTER

OF HOURS.

THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TOO GOOD

TO PASS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE SCOUT'S SCENT MARKS

HIS FIND FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THE HONEYBEES INSTANTLY - REPLY IN KIND AND FAN PHEROMONES

THROUGH THE AIR TO ALERT THE

COLONY TO DANGER.

THE BEES RETREAT AND THE HORNET

MAKES ITS MOVE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: GRASPING THE BEE IN ITS

JAW, IT STARTS TO FEED.

BUT ALL IS NOT WHAT IT SEEMS.

THE HORNET HAS BEEN TRICKED.

- AS IF ON CUE, THE BEES STRIKE - BACK.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: JAPANESE HONEYBEES HAVE - A UNIQUE AND GRIZZLY DEFENSE

TACTIC.

UP TO 500 BEES FORM A BALL AND

THEIR VIBRATING BODIES HEATS ITS

CORE TO MORE THAN 110 DEGREE

FAHRENHEIT.

THE HORNET BEGINS TO OVERHEAT.

THE BEES SECRET WEAPON IS A

TOLERANCE TO TWO DEGREE GREATER

HEAT THAN THEIR ENEMY.

TWO DEGREES CAN MAKE A GREAT

DIFFERENCE.

THE INVADER IS TOAST.

THE BEES REMOVE THE SCENT MARK

SO OTHER HORNETS CAN'T FOLLOW

THE SCOUT'S STEPS.

SOON, THERE'S NO TRACE OF IT

LEFT AT ALL.

- FOR JAPANESE HONEYBEES, HEAT IS - A WEAPON.

IN JAPAN'S EXTREME SOUTH, IT'S A

WAY OF LIFE.

UP NEXT, FIND OUT WHAT'S

STANDING THE HEAT IN JAPAN'S

MOST SOUTHERN REGION.

[BREAK]

.

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

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: OKINAWA IS THE SOUTHERN - MOST REGION OF JAPAN.

IT'S A GROUP OF AROUND 160

ISLANDS, STRETCHED OVER 350

MILES.

- THESE SUN-KISSED ISLANDS ARE A - WORLD APART FROM THE REST OF THE

COUNTRY.

AS SUMMER ARRIVES, THE

TEMPERATURE CLIMBS TO NEARLY 90

DEGREES.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: IRIOMOTE IS THE SECOND

LARGEST ISLAND IN OKINAWA IN

JAPAN'S LAST FRONTIER.

DUBBED THE GALAPAGOS OF THE

EAST, SUB-TROPICAL FORESTS,

WATERFALLS, AND MANGROVE SWAMPS

DOMINATE THE LAND.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: A HOST OF RARE ANIMALS - AND PLANTS LIVE IN THE LUSH

JUNGLE, COVERING MORE THAN 90

PERCENT OF THE ISLAND.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: AND NONE STAND OUT MORE

THAN THE ISLAND'S GIANTS.

STANDING 60 FEET TALL, THIS IS

THE LARGEST SAPPAN TREE IN

OKINAWA.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: ITS HUGE BUTTRESS ROOTS - FAN OUT LIKE TENTACLES OVER THE

FOREST FLOOR.

- THEIR DESIGNED TO SOAK UP - MINERALS FROM THE SURFACE OF THE

- SOIL AND ANCHOR THE HUGE TREE IN - PLACE.

TO SOME OF IRIOMOTE'S RESIDENTS,

THE ISLAND'S MAZE OF TREES AND

ROOTS IS VITAL TO EVERYDAY LIFE.

THE NAKAMA RIVER FLOWS FROM THE

HILLS DOWN TO THE OCEAN.

FRESHWATER MEETS SALTWATER AND

HELPS NURTURE EXOTIC MANGROVE

FORESTS.

- THE FORESTS THRIVE THANKS TO THE - POWERFUL KUROSHIO CURRENT, WHICH

FERRIES WARM WATERS TO JAPAN

FROM THE SOUTH.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE CURRENT KEEPS THE

SEAS AT A MINIMUM OF 68 DEGREES

FAHRENHEIT, ALLOWING MANGROVES

TO FLOURISH MUCH FARTHER NORTH

THAN NORMAL.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THIS IS HOME TO A VAST - ARRAY OF FISH, AMPHIBIANS, AND

BIRDS.

AND ONE SPECIES IS ESPECIALLY

APTLY NAMED.

MUD CREEPERS.

- THIS IS ONE OF THE LARGEST - GATHERINGS OF SNAILS IN THE

WORLD.

UP TO 150 LIVE IN JUST

THREE-SQUARE MILES.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: MUD CREEPERS CAN SURVIVE - WITHOUT FOOD FOR UP TO FOUR

MONTHS AND WHEN THEY ARE HUNGRY,

THE MANGROVE PROVIDES ALL THEY

NEED.

ADULTS ARE DRAWN TO THE SMELL

RELEASED BY DAMAGED LEAVES.

MEALTIMES ARE LONG, LEISURELY

AFFAIRS.

YOUNG MUD CREEPERS DON'T GROW

THE TEETH THEY NEED TO BREAK

- DOWN LEAVES UNTIL THEY'RE - ADULTS, SO THEY SLOWLY SIFT THE

SAND FOR LEFTOVERS INSTEAD.

BUT MUD CREEPERS DON'T HAVE IT

ALL THEIR OWN WAY.

THEY STEAL SOMEONE ELSE'S

INSTEAD.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THESE HERMIT CRABS NEED - TO KEEP UPSIZING THEIR SHELLS AS

THEIR BODIES GROW.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: WHEN THE IDEAL PROPERTY - COMES ON THE MARKET, THE RUSH TO

GRAB IT CAN BE FIERCE.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: IRIOMOTE'S MANGROVES - TEEM WITH MANY DIFFERENT SPECIES

OF CRAB.

FIDDLER CRABS TRY TO ATTRACT A

MATE BY FRANTICLY WAVING THEIR

OVERSIZED CLAWS.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: WHILE SOLDIER CRABS - MARCH IN GROUPS AS THEY RUSH TO

DODGE THE TIDE AND FIND FOOD.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: CRABS AND MUD CREEPERS - AERATE THE SAND AS THEY FEED AND

ARE VITAL TO THE LIFE CYCLE OF

THE MANGROVES.

JAPAN'S EXTREMELY DIVERSE

LANDSCAPE AND VAST ECOSYSTEMS

CREATE A HOME FOR ALL TYPES OF

CREATURES.

FROM THE SMALLEST BEE TO THE

LARGEST EAGLES, THERE IS NO

SHORTAGE OF FASCINATION FOR THIS

WILD ANIMAL KINGDOM.

- THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON OUR - EXCURSION TO JAPAN.

FROM BEES STAVING OFF HORNETS,

TO CROWS FIGHTING FOXES OVER

- THEIR NEXT MEAL, YOU NEVER KNOW - WHAT YOU'LL COME ACROSS IN THIS

INCREDIBLE COUNTRY.

- WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN ON OUR NEXT - "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]