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 - "EARTHY ODYSSEY".

TODAY, WE'LL EXPLORE THE

EXCITING AND UNUSUAL WILDLIFE

THAT CALLS EAST ASIA HOME, LIKE

THE LIMB-SWINGING SNUB-NOSED

MONKEY, WHOSE UNIQUE FEATURE

KNOWS NO BOUNDS.

THEN WE'LL HOP OVER TO TAIWAN,

WHERE THE LOCAL FROGS HAVE AN

UNUSUAL WAY TO GET AROUND.

PLUS, WE'LL DISCOVER A SPECIES

OF MONKEY THAT HAS THE TOOLS

THAT GIVES THEM AN UPPER HAND

WHEN IT'S TIME TO EAT.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: EASTERN CHINA IS HOME TO - SOME OF THE MOST DANGEROUS

CLIMATES AND SEVERE ELEVATIONS

IN THE WORLD, AND WHILE HUMANS

COULDN'T POSSIBLY BEAR THE

EXTREMES OF CHINA'S MOUNTAINS,

OTHER ANIMALS THRIVE OFF THE

CONDITIONS, LIKE ONE SPECIES OF

MONKEY WHO LOOKS DOWN ITS NOSE,

OR LACK THEREOF, AT EVERY OTHER

- ANIMAL WHO CAN'T HANG AT THEIR - HEIGHTS.

IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM, THERE IS

NO SUB FOR THE SNUB-NOSED

MONKEY.

WELCOME TO ASIA'S EASTERN BORDER

THAT SPANS MANY MYSTERIOUS AND

ANCIENT WORLDS.

IT'S HOME TO A HUGE DIVERSITY OF

HABITATS FOUND NOWHERE ELSE ON

EARTH.

[BIRD SCREECHING]

DYLAN: FROM FROZEN SEAS TO SOME

OF THE WORLD'S OLDEST JUNGLES,

THESE SECRET WORLDS HOLD

NATURE'S STRANGEST AND MOST

SPECTACULAR CREATURES.

BUT EVEN IN THIS PARADISE, THEY

MUST ADAPT TO ALL OF THEIR

SURROUNDINGS...

...BECAUSE HERE AT THE VERY EDGE

OF ASIA'S EASTERN COAST,

ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN.

AT THE HIGH ALTITUDES OF

SOUTHERN CHINA, SNOW BLANKETS

- THE MOUNTAIN PEAKS ALL YEAR - ROUND.

BUT THIS REMOTE, UNWELCOMING

TERRAIN IS HOME TO MANY SPECIES

THAT HAVE ADAPTED TO ITS

CLIMATE, INCLUDING A TRULY

BIZARRE GROUP OF PRIMATES.

THIS SPECIES OF SNUB-NOSED

MONKEY MAKES THEIR HOME UP TO

TWO MILES ABOVE SEA LEVEL, THE

HIGHEST ALTITUDE OF ANY PRIMATE.

- AND UP HERE, SNOW CLOAKS THE - FORESTS FOR MONTHS.

- AND IT'S THOUGHT THAT THIS - MONKEY'S SNUBBED NOSE MAY HAVE

EVOLVED TO AVOID THE OTHERWISE

INEVITABLE FROSTBITE IN SUCH

HARSH CONDITIONS.

THEIR FUR, THANKFULLY, LOCKS IN

BODY HEAT.

SO, WHILE OTHER MAMMALS MUST

RETREAT TO THE WARMER VALLEYS,

THESE SNUB-NOSED MONKEYS HAVE

THE PICK OF THE CROP.

ALTHOUGH THERE'S NO FRUIT AT

THIS TIME OF YEAR, LICHENS AND

TREES PROVIDE NOURISHMENT.

- IT SEEMS EVEN THIS BARK IS WORTH - A BITE...

...SO HERE IN THE BRANCHES, FOOD

IS EVERYWHERE.

DESPITE THE ABUNDANCE OF FOOD,

CONFLICTS BETWEEN GROUPS IS

- COMMON, AND TERRITORY MUST BE - DEFENDED.

[MONKEYS SCREECHING]

DYLAN: LIVING IN GROUPS OF 60

MONKEYS, THEY MUST WORK TOGETHER

TO PROTECT THEIR YOUNG, AND THE

ADULTS REMAIN ON HIGH ALERT FOR

ANY SIGN OF DANGER...

- ...LIKE A RIVAL ENTERING THEIR - TERRITORY.

AS THIS INTRUDER APPROACHES,

DEFENDING THE TERRITORY WILL

FALL TO THIS LARGE MALE.

[MONKEYS SCREECHING]

- DYLAN: AS THE BATTLE BEGINS, - OTHER GROUP MEMBERS GATHER

TOGETHER AND CALL AT THE

INVADER.

AND THANKS TO THEIR HUGE CANINE

TEETH, FIGHTS LIKE THESE CAN BE

ROUGH.

THE CHALLENGER IS SPIRITED AND

POWERFUL, BUT EVENTUALLY, THE

PACKS' BIGGEST MALE ASSERTS HIS

DOMINANCE, AND THE CHALLENGER IS

FORCED TO FLEE.

THEY ARE HIGHLY AGILE, TRAVELING

AT SPEED THROUGH THE TREES AND

OFTEN LANDING ON TWO FEET.

NOTORIOUS FOR THIS HUMAN-LIKE

WALKING AND THEIR STRANGE CALLS,

IT'S EASY TO SEE WHY THESE

MONKEYS MAY HAVE INSPIRED THE

LEGEND OF THE YETI.

AT NIGHT, AS TEMPERATURES

PLUNGE, THE WHOLE TROOP MUST

ONCE AGAIN WORK TOGETHER.

- SLEEPING IN CLUSTERS LIKE THIS - WILL BE ESSENTIAL IF THEY ARE TO

SURVIVE THE WINTER IN THIS

FROZEN CORNER OF THE FAR EAST.

- COMING UP, WE LEAP OVER TO THE - FROGS WHO CALL THE FORESTS OF

TAIWAN THEIR HOME.

AND LATER, A LONG-TAILED MACAQUE

USES HIS TOOLS ON THE ROCK.

ALL THIS AND MORE COMING UP ON

"EARTH ODYSSEY".

[BREAK]

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK.

- WE WILL NOW MAKE OUR WAY FROM - THE MOUNTAINS TO NEARLY ONE

HUNDRED MILES OFF THE CHINESE

COAST, WHERE THE TROPICAL ISLAND

OF TAIWAN LIES.

- THE LUSH JUNGLES FOUND IN THE - NORTH OF THE ISLAND ARE HOME TO

A POPULATION OF EMERALD GREEN

TREE FROGS PERFECTLY SUITED TO

THIS RAINFOREST HABITAT.

DESPITE LIVING IN THE CANOPY,

THIS AMPHIBIAN EVOLVED FROM

AQUATIC ANCESTORS AND STILL

NEEDS THE HIGH HUMIDITY TO KEEP

HIS SKIN MOIST.

FEEDING ON THE PLETHORA OF

INSECTS IN THE JUNGLE, HE'LL

SPEND HIS ENTIRE ADULT LIFE

AMONG THE BRANCHES...

...ONLY DESCENDING TO THE FOREST

FLOOR WHEN IT'S TIME TO FIND A

PARTNER.

NOT FAR AWAY, ANOTHER EMERALD

TREE FROG IS ALSO LOOKING FOR

LOVE.

THE FEMALE EMERALD TREE FROG IS

25 PERCENT LARGER THAN THE MALE,

- AND SHE IS NOW ON A QUEST TO - FIND HER PRINCE.

[FROGS CROAKING]

- DYLAN: WITH MANY MALES IN THE - FOREST, SHE CAN AFFORD TO BE

CHOOSY, SEARCHING FOR A PARTNER

THAT APPEARS MOST COMMITTED TO

HELPING HER BUILD A NEST.

BUT FIRST, SHE MUST BE

SERENADED.

EACH MALE TREE FROG'S CALL IS

UNIQUE, BROADCASTING ITS

SPECIES, SIZE, AND AVAILABILITY.

[FROGS CROAKING]

- DYLAN: EVER HOPEFUL, SHE WILL - MOVE TOWARDS ANY MALE CALL THAT

FITS HER FANCY.

[CROAKING CONTINUES]

- DYLAN: THIS MALE SOUNDED LIKE A - GOOD MATCH FOR HER.

[CROAKING CONTINUES]

- DYLAN: BUT WHEN SEARCHING FOR A - PRINCE, YOU ALWAYS COME ACROSS A

FEW FROGS ON THE WAY.

BUT DESPITE THESE FAILED BLIND

DATES, HER SEARCH FOR MR. RIGHT

CONTINUES.

[FROGS CROAKING]

DYLAN: AND BY MORNING, IT SEEMS

THIS OLD ROMANTIC IS FAR FROM

HOPELESS.

WHEN SHE'S CHOSEN A PARTNER, THE

FEMALE WILL CARRY HIM ON HER

BACK FOR SEVERAL HOURS.

IT'S EXHAUSTING, BUT THIS IS NO

FREE RIDE, BECAUSE THEY HEAD TO

- THE TREES, WHERE HE WILL HAVE TO - KEEP HIS PROMISE BY HELPING TO

BUILD A NEST.

INGENIOUSLY, MANY TREE FROGS LAY

THEIR EGGS ON LEAVES OVER

WATER...

...SO WHEN FULLY DEVELOPED, THE

TADPOLES EMERGE, FALLING FROM

THE CANOPY SAFELY INTO WATER TO

BEGIN A LIFE THAT WILL PUT THEM

BACK UP IN THE TREES.

WHEN WE RETURN, WE'LL HEAD TO

THE MIDDLE OF A SUPER TYPHOON

AND DISCOVER WHAT ANIMALS COME

OUT SQUEAKY CLEAN.

PLUS, WE'LL DISCOVER HOW ONE

MONKEY USES HIS HANDS AND HIS

BRAIN TO BREAK INTO ITS NEXT

MEAL.

[BREAK]

.

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

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: NOBODY WANTS TO BE STUCK - IN A TYPHOON.

WITH WINDS OF MORE THAN 74 MILES

PER HOUR, THE DESTRUCTION IT

LEAVES IS DEVASTATING TO

EVERYTHING IN ITS PATH.

BUT YOU ESPECIALLY DON'T WANT TO

BE IN A SUPER TYPHOON, WHICH CAN

BLOW WINDS AT LEAST 120 MILES

PER HOUR.

AND THESE SUPER TYPHOONS ARE

DEVASTATING FOR EAST ASIA'S

WILDLIFE, BUT THERE'S ONE TINY

MOUSE WHO KNOWS HOW TO SAVE ITS

TINY HOUSE.

HERE IN THE FAR EAST OF CHINA,

JUNGLES TYPICALLY CREATE ITS

DAILY RAIN, BUT IT'S THE

PROXIMITY OF THE PLANET'S

BIGGEST OCEAN THAT OFTEN

DOMINATES THE REGION'S CLIMATE.

- AND HERE IN THE MIGHTY PACIFIC, - A STORM IS BREWING.

WITH WINDS OF ALMOST 190 MILES

PER HOUR, A SUPER TYPHOON IS NOW

- APPROACHING ASIA'S EASTERN - COAST...

...GENERATING HUGE WAVES...

...AND BRINGING TORRENTIAL RAIN

ACROSS MUCH OF THE FAR EAST.

THE RAIN SOME COUNTRIES RECEIVE

IN AN ENTIRE YEAR FALLS HERE IN

JUST A FEW HOURS.

STREAMS TURN TO RAGING RIVERS,

WASHING AWAY SOIL, TREES, AND

EVEN ANIMALS.

THE RAIN MAY HAVE STOPPED AND

THE RIVERS RETURN TO NORMAL,

- BUT HAVING BEEN WASHED HUNDREDS - OF FEET DOWNSTREAM BY THE

FAST-FLOWING WATER, THIS MOUSE

IS SEARCHING FOR A WAY BACK TO

DRY LAND.

AND THIS STORM SURVIVOR USUALLY

SPENDS ITS TIME IN THE FOREST.

- BUT ALTHOUGH HE APPEARS - RELUCTANT TO ENTER THE WATER,

MICE ARE EXCELLENT SWIMMERS.

- HE MAY HAVE EVADED THE DANGERS - OF THE WATER, BUT AMONG THE

ROCKS LURKS AN EVEN MORE

FRIGHTENING THREAT THAN THE

STORM.

PERFECTLY CAMOUFLAGED AMONGST

THE STONES, THIS VIPER STAYS SO

FOCUSED WHILE HUNTING, THAT EVEN

AN ARMY OF ANTS CRAWLING OVER IT

- DOESN'T DISTRACT THE VIPER FROM - ITS MISSION.

- AND ONLY AN EAGLE EYE WOULD - NOTICE THAT IT IS STILL

BREATHING AS IT WAITS FOR ITS

PREY TO ENTER ITS TRAP.

- HAVING SAFELY EMERGED FROM THE - RIVER, THE WET MOUSE HAS NO IDEA

IT'S ALMOST WITHIN STRIKING

DISTANCE OF ONE OF THE MOST

LETHAL SNAKES ON EARTH.

BUT PERHAPS STILL DIGESTING

ANOTHER MEAL, THE VIPER LETS THE

MOUSE PASS UNHARMED AND CONTINUE

ITS JOURNEY HOME BACK TO THE

FOREST.

- BUT AS NIGHT FALLS, HE'LL FACE - OTHER PREDATORS BROUGHT OUT BY

THE HEAVY RAIN, LIKE THIS

CHINESE BAMBOO VIPER,

AND THIS ONE IS DEFINITELY ON

THE HUNT.

- SLIDING UP INTO THE WET - BRANCHES, THIS VIPER WILL ALL

BUT DISAPPEAR.

IT WILL NOW LIE IN WAIT FOR ANY

ANIMAL WHO WANDERS INTO ITS

DOMAIN.

IT COULD BE A LONG NIGHT, OR

MAYBE NOT.

EVEN ON THE FOREST FLOOR, THE

MOUSE ISN'T SAFE.

BY HANGING IN THE BRANCHES, THE

VIPERS OFTEN STRIKE FROM THE

- TREES, SURPRISING THEIR VICTIMS - WITH LIGHTNING SPEED.

STILL SEARCHING FOR A WAY HOME

BY CLIMBING THROUGH THE TREES,

THE MOUSE MAKES WHAT COULD BE AN

UNFORTUNATE ERROR.

FOR NOW, THE MOUSE MAY BE OUT OF

HARM'S WAY, BUT THE SNAKE

DECIDES TO GET CLOSER.

THE LETHAL VENOM FROM THE

VIPER'S FANGS WOULD QUICKLY DO

ITS JOB,

BUT THIS LITTLE MOUSE

HAS DESTINY ON ITS SIDE.

HE'S ABLE TO ESCAPE ANOTHER TRAP

AND RUNS OFF TO CONTINUE ITS

LONG JOURNEY HOME.

UP NEXT, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN

YOU'RE A CLAM STUCK BETWEEN A

MONKEY AND A HARD PLACE?

COMING UP ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[BREAK]

.

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

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO THE FAR - EAST OF ASIA'S BORDER, WHERE THE

- LAND IS RENOWNED FOR ITS ICONIC - WILDLIFE.

- MOST NOTORIOUS THAN ANY OTHER - ANIMAL WITH MORE THAN 50

SPECIES, THE MONKEY DOMINATES

THIS REGION, AND HERE IN

THAILAND, A GROUP OF MACAQUES

HAVE DEVELOPED AN ABILITY THEY

DISPLAY ALMOST NOWHERE ELSE.

LONG-TAILED MACAQUES ARE USUALLY

FOUND AMONGST THE TREES EATING

FRUIT.

BUT AT LOW TIDE, THIS

EXTRAORDINARY TROOP HAVE LEARNED

- TO HARVEST A SURPRISING FOOD - SOURCE.

TWICE A DAY, THE MACAQUES

GATHER, WAITING PATIENTLY FOR

THE TIDE TO GO OUT.

- AS THE WATER RECEDES, IT EXPOSES - A COASTLINE ENCRUSTED WITH

SHELLFISH.

- DUE TO THEIR TOUGH ARMOR, THEY - WOULDN'T GENERALLY APPEAR ON THE

MACAQUES' MENU.

IT CAN BE A STRUGGLE TO CRACK

THE MOLLUSKS OPEN.

AND BASHING THEM AGAINST THE

ROCKS IS A SLOW AND OFTEN WASTED

EFFORT.

- SO, OUT OF NECESSITY CAME - INVENTION.

INCREDIBLY, THESE MACAQUES HAVE

LEARNED TO USE STONES AS TOOLS.

- MUCH THE SAME AS OUR EARLY - ANCESTORS, THESE MACAQUES USE

STONES AS MAKESHIFT HAMMERS...

...APPLYING THE PERFECT FORCE TO

GENTLY OPEN THE MOLLUSKS.

AND THIS ISN'T JUST BRUTE FORCE.

- MACAQUES ACTUALLY SELECT - DIFFERENT SHAPED STONES

DEPENDING ON THE JOB.

- OYSTERS REQUIRE A POINTED - STONE...

...WHILE A HEAVY, FLAT STONE IS

USED FOR COLLECTED SHELLFISH,

NUTS, AND CRABS.

FEW ANIMALS ON EARTH ARE ABLE TO

DEMONSTRATE SUCH DEXTERITY WITH

STONE TOOLS.

FOR SOME MACAQUES, LEARNING THE

TECHNIQUE TAKES TIME.

- BUT PATIENCE IS EVENTUALLY - REWARDED.

BUT THEY ARE ALSO WORKING

AGAINST THE CLOCK.

[MONKEY BANGING ROCK]

- DYLAN: AND THE TROOP MUST MOVE - QUICKLY ALONG THE COASTLINE AT

EACH LOW TIDE.

- THEY JUST HAVE A FEW HOURS - BEFORE THE SEA WILL SUBMERGE THE

ROCKS ONCE MORE.

AND THIS CREATES ANOTHER AMAZING

ECOSYSTEM FOR THE CREATURES WHO

LIVE IN FAR EAST ASIA.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON OUR

JOURNEY TO THE FAR EAST OF ASIA,

WHERE THE DIVERSITY OF LAND AND

WEATHER GIVE THE ANIMALS HERE

THE TOOLS TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE.

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU NEXT TIME ON

ANOTHER "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]