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".

- TODAY, WE'LL DISCOVER THE - ANIMALS THAT ARE SIZABLE FOR

THEIR SPECIES.

WE'LL START IN THE AMAZON WHERE

YOU'LL FIND SOME OF THE BIGGEST

OTTERS IN THE WORLD.

PLUS, THE BIGGEST LIZARD IN THE

WORLD LOOKS LIKE IT BELONGS IN A

FAIRYTALE.

ALL THIS AND MORE TODAY ON

"EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ALL ACROSS OUR PLANET,

WE FIND ANIMALS OF MANY

DIFFERENT SIZES, FROM THE

MASSIVE TO THE MICROSCOPIC.

BUT EVEN WITHIN EACH SPECIES,

SOME ARE WAY BIGGER THAN OTHERS.

TODAY, WE'LL LOOK AT SUPERSIZED

VERSIONS OF SOME FASCINATING

CREATURES AND WHAT MAKES THEM SO

BIG, LIKE THE GIANT RIVER OTTER,

WHOSE SIZE IS ONLY DWARFED BY

THE RIVER WHERE IT RESIDES.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THE AMAZON RIVER ISLANDS - ARE THE HEART OF THE AMAZON

RIVER.

THESE ANCIENT ISLANDS WERE

FORMED DURING A TIME OF CHANGE

- IN THE AMAZON, MORE THAN 1,500 - YEARS AGO.

THEN, THE BLACK WATERS OF THE

RIO NEGRO DID NOT FLOW SO FREELY

INTO THE MIGHTY AMAZON RIVER.

CONDITIONS WERE MUCH CALMER.

SEDIMENT ARRIVING FROM THE RIO

BRANCO TO THE NORTH STARTED TO

SETTLE, JOINED BY WATERS FROM

THE RIO NEGRO'S UPPER REACHES,

POCKETS OF FOREST STARTED TO

FORM.

- THEY DEVELOPED INTO THE ISLANDS - WE SEE TODAY.

OVER TIME, THE RIO NEGRO ONCE

AGAIN PICKED UP PACE AND STARTED

TO FLOW BACK INTO THE AMAZON.

THE ISLANDS WERE LEFT AND

SURVIVED TO THIS DAY.

- BUT THEY WOULDN'T EXIST AT ALL - IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE WHITE

WATERS OF THE RIO BRANCO.

WHERE EVEN TO THIS DAY, LIFE

DOESN'T JUST SURVIVE, IT

FLOURISHES.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: ONE OF THE RIO BRANCO'S - MOST CHARISMATIC CREATURES IS

THE GIANT RIVER OTTER.

- THE OTTERS SPEND MOST OF THEIR - TIME HUNTING.

- MOVING AS A PACK, THEY'RE ABLE - TO CORRAL FISH BEFORE PICKING

THEM OFF ONE BY ONE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: FRESH FISH MAKE A FINE

BREAKFAST.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: OTTERS NEED TO FUEL - THEIR ENERGETIC LIFESTYLE AND

CAN CRUNCH THROUGH UP TO EIGHT

POUNDS OF FISH A DAY.

- CATCHING THE FISH WITH THEIR - MOUTH, THEY THEN HOLD THEM WITH

THEIR FOREPAWS AS THEY DEVOUR

THEIR PREY.

SCALES AND ALL.

BUT THESE PREDATORS HAVE A

SOFTER SIDE, AND WHEN BREAKFAST

IS OVER, IT'S TIME TO PLAY.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: GIANT RIVER OTTERS LIVE - IN LARGE FAMILY GROUPS AND IT

WILL BE SOME TIME BEFORE LAST

YEAR'S CUBS HEAD OFF TO FORM

FAMILIES OF THEIR OWN.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: FAMILY LIFE REVOLVES - AROUND THE DEN.

THE MOTHER REMAINS HIDDEN WHILE

SHE RAISES THE NEXT GENERATION.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: WITH SEVERAL DENS DOTTED - AROUND THEIR TERRITORY, THE

FAMILY MOVES REGULARLY, IN

SEARCH OF FISH AND TO AVOID

- UNWANTED ATTENTION FROM - PREDATORS.

- JUST A FEW MONTHS OLD, THE CUBS - MUST BE CARRIED AS THEY'RE STILL

TOO YOUNG TO SWIM.

THE FAMILY HEADS OFF UPRIVER.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: ARRIVING AT THEIR NEXT - DEN, THE FIRST PRIORITY IS TO

- GET THE CUBS INSIDE WHERE IT'S - SAFE.

- THE FATHER KEEPS WATCH WHILE HIS - FAMILY SETTLES INTO THEIR NEW

HOME.

- THE MALE SCENT MARKS THE - ENTRANCE TO WARN OTHERS THAT

THEY ARE NOW IN RESIDENCE.

IT'S A PUNGENT CONCOCTION THAT

WILL KEEP EVEN THE NOSIEST

NEIGHBORS AWAY.

COMING UP, WE'LL TURN ON OUR

FLASHLIGHTS TO FIND ONE OF THE

BIGGEST CRABS IN THE WORLD THAT

ONLY COMES OUT AT NIGHT.

THEN, WE HEAD TO NORTH AMERICA

TO FIND A BEAR THAT IS AS

POPULAR AS IT IS BIG.

PLUS, THE TALE OF A LIZARD WHOSE

TAIL IS AS BIG AS ITS BODY.

[BREAK]

.

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

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: AS NIGHT DRAWS IN ON THE - ISLANDS OF ZANZIBAR, THE WORLD'S

BIGGEST CREEPING-CRAWLY REVEALS

ITSELF.

- WEIGHING IN OVER EIGHT AND A - HALF POUNDS, WITH A LEG SPAN UP

TO THREE FEET, THE COCONUT CRAB

IS THE PLANET'S LARGEST

LAND-LIVING INVERTEBRATE.

- IT'S ACTUALLY A GIANT HERMIT - CRAB.

WHILE IT'S YOUNG, IT CARRIES

ANOTHER CREATURE'S ABANDONED

SHELL ON ITS BACK FOR

PROTECTION.

BUT ONCE FULLY GROWN, IT

DEVELOPS A TOUGH OUTER SKIN.

- THIS CRAB STAYS HIDDEN DURING - THE DAY TO REDUCE WATER LOSS

FROM HEAT.

BUT AT NIGHT, THIS SOLITARY

STALKER HEADS OFF IN SEARCH OF

ITS FAVORITE FOOD.

UNLIKE MOST OF ITS RELATIVES,

THE COCONUT CRAB CAN'T SURVIVE

IN WATER.

IT WOULD DROWN IF SUBMERGED.

- ITS GILLS HAVE EVOLVED TO WORK - LIKE LUNGS.

ALTHOUGH, THEY NEED TO BE KEPT

MOIST IN ORDER TO FUNCTION.

ITS ANTENNAE HAVE ALSO EVOLVED,

ENABLING IT TO PICK UP AIRBORNE

SCENTS, THE SAME WAY INSECTS DO.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THIS FOREST FORAGER,

ALONG WITH OTHERS, IS ONTO

SOMETHING.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ALSO KNOWN AS THE ROBBER

CRAB, OR PALM THIEF, COCONUT

CRABS ARE GREAT CLIMBERS.

- THEY CAN'T CUT DOWN COCONUTS BY - THEMSELVES.

HOWEVER, FALLEN FRUITS ARE

QUICKLY SEIZED UPON.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: ALTHOUGH, THE - SURROUNDING SEA IS A NO-GO-ZONE

FOR THESE LAND-BASED GIANTS, IT

WASN'T ALWAYS THAT WAY.

THEY STARTED LIFE IN THE WATER.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: A FEMALE COCONUT CRAB

MAKES HER WAY TO THE SHORE.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: SHE'S BEEN CARRYING A - BATCH OF EGGS GLUED TO HER

ABDOMEN FOR TWO MONTHS.

- AT HIGH TIDE, THEY'RE READY TO - BE RELEASED.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ON CONTACT WITH WATER,

THE EGGS HATCH IMMEDIATELY.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THE JUVENILE GIANTS - EVENTUALLY MAKE THEIR WAY

ASHORE, WHERE THEY LIVE A

HERMIT'S LIFE BEFORE BECOMING

PERMANENT DRY LAND RESIDENTS.

COMING UP, THE NORTH AMERICAN

BLACK BEAR SHOWS US AROUND THE

ISLAND WHERE IT REIGNS SUPREME.

PLUS, THE WATER MONITOR'S SIZE

MAKES IT ONE OF THE CREEPIEST

CREATURES ON EARTH.

[BREAK]

.

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

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: BEARS ACROSS THE WORLD - ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR IMPRESSIVE

SIZE, WITH SOME WEIGHING MORE

THAN 2,000 POUNDS.

- ALTHOUGH, BLACK BEARS ARE NOT - THE LARGEST BEARS IN NORTH

AMERICA, THEY ARE THE MOST

ABUNDANT.

- VANCOUVER ISLAND HAS MORE BLACK - BEARS THAN ANY OTHER REGION ON

EARTH AND IT'S NO SURPRISE HOW

THEY GOT THEIR HEFTY SIZE.

VANCOUVER ISLAND HAS THE DENSEST

POPULATION OF BLACK BEARS IN THE

WORLD.

- THEY'RE DARKER THAN MAINLAND - BEARS AND SLIGHTLY LARGER.

WEIGHING UP TO 600 POUNDS.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: ALTHOUGH LARGELY - VEGETARIAN, FEEDING ON GRASSES

- AND BERRIES FOR MOST OF THE - YEAR, THEY ARE THE ISLAND'S

LARGEST PREDATOR.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THE ANNUAL SALMON RUN - PROVIDES A MAJOR FOOD SOURCE FOR

MANY BEARS.

THE BRAIN, EGGS, SKIN, AND BACK

MUSCLES CONTAIN HIGH LEVELS OF

FAT AND IT'S THESE PARTICULAR

AREAS THAT THE BEARS FOCUS ON.

- THEY CAN EACH EAT UP TO 15 - SALMON A DAY.

- ONE AND A HALF INCH CURVED CLAWS - AND A SET OF FLESH TEARING TEETH

AREN'T THE ONLY QUALITIES

KEEPING BLACK BEARS AT THE TOP

OF THE FOOD CHAIN.

THEY CAN ALSO SCALE TREES WITH

EASE, RUN AT MORE THAN 30 MILES

PER HOUR, AND SWIM LONG

DISTANCES.

TO TOP IT OFF, THEIR SENSE OF

SMELL IS SEVEN TIMES SHARPER

THAN A BLOODHOUND'S.

- DESPITE THESE IMPRESSIVE - ATTRIBUTES, CATCHING LIVE SALMON

IN THESE DEEPER WATERS IS EASIER

SAID THAN DONE.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: FARTHER UP STREAM, THE - WATER LEVELS ARE TOO LOW FOR THE

SALMON TO CONTINUE THEIR JOURNEY

HOME.

- UNTIL THE HEAVY AUTUMNS RAINS - ARRIVE, THEY'LL JUST HAVE TO SIT

TIGHT, AS WILL THE ISLAND'S MANY

BEARS.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: BLACK BEARS PLAY A VITAL - ROLE IN VANCOUVER ISLAND'S

ECOSYSTEM.

- NOT ALL SALMON ARE COMPLETELY - CONSUMED AFTER BEING CARRIED

INTO THE FOREST.

AND THIS HAS A SIGNIFICANT

EFFECT ON THE SURROUNDING LAND.

WHEN THESE CARCASSES BREAK DOWN,

NITROGEN, PHOSPHOROUS, AND OTHER

NUTRIENTS ARE ABSORBED BY THE

SURROUNDING VEGETATION.

UP TO 70 PERCENT OF THE NITROGEN

IN SOME AREAS COMES DIRECTLY

FROM THE FISH.

- TREES TAKING ROOT CLOSE TO - SALMON RIVERS GROW THREE TIMES

FASTER THAN THOSE NEXT TO

FISH-FREE STREAMS.

HERE, SITKA SPRUCE TAKE JUST 86

YEARS TO REACH A THICKNESS OF 20

- INCHES, RATHER THAN THE USUAL - 300 YEARS.

VANCOUVER ISLAND IS HOME TO THE

TALLEST SITKA SPRUCE TREES IN

CANADA, POSSIBLY THE WORLD.

- SOME REACH HEIGHTS OF MORE THAN - 300 FEET.

SITKA SEEDLINGS, HOWEVER, HAVE A

DIFFICULT TIME STARTING OUT.

DENSE MOSSES AND SMALLER PLANTS

CARPET THE FOREST FLOOR, MAKING

IT DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO TAKE

ROOT.

BUT MANY ARE GIVEN A HELPING

HAND.

FALLEN TREES REPAY HUNDREDS OF

YEARS WORTH OF BENEFITS BY

ACTING AS NURSE LOGS.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: SEEDS LANDING ON THESE - DOWNED GIANTS ALREADY HAVE A

HEIGHT HEAD START, AS WELL AS AN

OPEN AREA TO GERMINATE AND

DEVELOP.

- MORE THAN 90 PERCENT OF SITKA - SEEDLINGS HERE START OUT THIS

WAY.

FUNGI ALSO FEED ON THE DECAYING

TREES AND PLAY THEIR PART IN

RECYCLING NUTRIENTS.

AND JUST AS THE LAND BENEFITS

OFF OF EACH LIVING ORGANISM, THE

- OCEAN SEES ITS FAIR SHARE OF - NUTRIENTS ITSELF.

STARFISH HERE GROW TO ENORMOUS

SIZES.

SOME, LIKE THE SUNFLOWER STAR,

REACH UP TO THREE FEET ACROSS.

THESE GIANTS CAN HAVE UP TO

15,000 TUBE FEET.

THEY CAN MOVE AT MORE THAN A FEW

FEET A MINUTE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: COMING UP, ONE LARGE

LIZARD LURKS THROUGHOUT THE LAND

- AND WE'RE HERE TO MONITOR ITS - SIZE.

[BREAK]

.

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

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO EARTH - ODYSSEY, WHERE WE'RE EXPLORING

THE MOST FASCINATING REGIONS FOR

THE PLANET'S BIGGEST CREATURES.

LIKE THIS REGION OF THE

PHILIPPINES.

THE PUERTO PRINCESA SUBTERRANEAN

RIVER FORMS PART OF PALAWAN'S

MOUNTAIN TO SEA ECOSYSTEM, WHERE

THE FORESTS STRETCH ALL THE WAY

TO THE SHORE.

- THE RIVER PASSES THROUGH THE - CAVE BEFORE EVENTUALLY REACHING

THE SOUTH CHINA SEA.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THIS IS A LAND THAT TIME

FORGOT.

- THE ISLAND'S PREHISTORIC - COASTLINE PROVIDES A HOME TO A

- CREATURE UNCHANGED FOR THOUSANDS - OF YEARS.

- AND IS THE LAIR OF A MODERN-DAY - DRAGON.

THIS WATER MONITOR IS ON THE

HUNT FOR FOOD.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: IT WEIGHS MORE THAN 55

POUNDS AND IS THE SECOND LARGEST

LIZARD IN THE WORLD.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: IT SPENDS UP TO A THIRD - OF ITS LIFE IN WATER AND LIKES

TO LIVE NEAR SEA AND RIVERS, SO

PALAWAN PROVIDES A PERFECT HOME

FOR THESE GIANT REPTILES.

- THEY HAVE EASY ACCESS TO THE SEA - AND THEY'RE THE ISLAND'S TOP

PREDATOR, SO THEY HAVE NO

NATURAL COMPETITION.

- AND THEY AREN'T FUSSY ABOUT - FOOD.

- THEY'LL EAT ANYTHING THEY CAN - CATCH.

LIKE SNAKES, WATER MONITORS HAVE

FORKED TONGUES, WHICH CONSTANTLY

- FLICKER AS THEY TASTE THE AIR TO - PINPOINT PREY.

- AND WHEN THEY CAN'T FIND FOOD ON - THE GROUND, THEY CAN EASILY

SEARCH UP IN THE CANOPY.

WATER MONITORS ARE SURPRISINGLY

AGILE CLIMBERS.

- THEY'LL SOMETIMES EVEN JUMP FROM - TREE TO TREE TO CHASE PREY OR

ESCAPE DANGER.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: BUT GOOD CLIMBING SKILLS - DON'T GUARANTEE A MEAL.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: AND FAILING TO LAND A - CATCH ISN'T THE END OF ITS

PROBLEMS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: DOWN ON THE GROUND,

TEMPERS ARE FRAYING.

ALTHOUGH WATER MONITORS CROSS

PATHS WHEN FORAGING, THEY ARE

SOLITARY BY NATURE.

- IT'S EVERY LIZARD FOR ITSELF, - ESPECIALLY WHERE FOOD IS

CONCERNED.

WHILE OTHERS FIGHT, A LONE

LIZARD SLINKS AWAY FROM THE

CROWD TO SEARCH FOR A FRESH

HUNTING GROUND.

- WATER MONITORS RARELY STRAY FAR - FROM THE SEA.

THEIR STRONG SWIMMING SKILLS

HAVE ENABLED THEM TO OCCUPY

ISLANDS ALL OVER ASIA.

- AND BEACHES CAN BE A GOOD PLACE - TO FIND FOOD.

ITS FLICKERING TONGUE SENSES A

FAVORITE MEAL.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: RAZOR SHARP TEETH CUT - THROUGH THE SHELL LIKE A KNIFE

THROUGH BUTTER.

AND THIS IS JUST THE START OF

THE FEAST.

- CRABS HAVE CREPT OUT OF THEIR - BURROWS TO FORAGE WHILE THE TIDE

IS OUT.

THE WATER MONITOR HAS HIT THE

JACKPOT.

THEY ARE SURPRISINGLY QUICK AND

CAN RUN FASTER THAN MOST HUMANS.

CRABS HAVE LITTLE CHANCE OF

ESCAPE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: AFTER A SATISFYING MEAL,

THIS MYTHICAL LIZARD SLINKS BACK

INTO THE SHADE OF THE FOREST.

THE PHILIPPINES ARE HOME TO SOME

OF THE RAREST ANIMALS ON EARTH

AND SOME OF THE MOST UNUSUAL.

MANY OF THESE ANCIENT ISLANDS

ARE ISOLATED AND UNDISTURBED.

AS A RESULT, UNIQUE SPECIES HAVE

FLOURISHED UNINTERRUPTED BY THE

MODERN WORLD.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON

ANOTHER ADVENTURE EXPLORING

NATURE'S MOST SIZABLE SPECIES.

AS WE DISCOVERED THAT SIZE IS

ONLY MATCHED BY THEIR HUGE

PERSONALITIES, WHICH ARE ALWAYS

ON FULL DISPLAY.

WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN ON OUR NEXT

"EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]