Original subtitles

.

- NARRATOR: WHEN YOU SEE THIS - SYMBOL YOU KNOW YOU'RE WATCHING

TELVISION THAT IS EDUCATIONAL

AND INFORMATIONAL.

THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

DYLAN: HI, I'M DYLAN DREYER AND

WE'RE ABOUT TO EMBARK ON ANOTHER

"EARTH ODYSSEY".

- TODAY, WE'LL HEAD TO THE DESERTS - OF EGYPT TO DISCOVER THE DEEP

CONNECTION BETWEEN THE ANCIENT

HISTORY AND FASCINATING ANIMALS.

LIKE THE HORNED VIPER, A SNAKE

THAT SLID ITS WAY TOWARDS THE

TOP OF EGYPT'S FOOD CHAIN.

PLUS, WE TURN BACK THE DIAL AND

EXPLORE THE HISTORY OF THESE

ANCIENT REPTILES.

AND YOU THINK YOU LOVE YOUR

DOGS; WE'LL EXPLORE HOW MUCH

ANCIENT EGYPTIANS REVERED THEIR

CANINE COMPANIONS.

ALL THIS AND MORE COMING UP ON

"EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: IF YOU'VE EVER BURIED A - TIME CAPSULE, YOU KNOW THAT IT

PRESERVES YOUR CURRENT PASSIONS

FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

ANCIENT EGYPTIANS DID THE SAME

THING BUT FAR MORE ELABORATELY.

- THEIR PASSIONS FOR ANIMALS WERE - CAPTURED BEAUTIFULLY ON THE

WALLS OF TOMBS AND DELICATELY

DEPICTED IN LARGER THAN LIFE

STATUES.

AND YOU CAN FIND MANY OF THOSE

SAME ANIMALS IN EGYPT TODAY.

SLITHERING SIDEWAYS ACROSS THE

DESERTS OF THIS FASCINATING AND

ANCIENT ECOSYSTEM.

EGYPT IS A COUNTRY SYNONYMOUS

WITH PHARAOHS, PYRAMIDS, AND

ABOVE ALL, DESERT.

SITUATED IN NORTH AFRICA, IT IS

SURROUNDED BY TWO MAJOR SEAS.

TO THE NORTH, THE MEDITERRANEAN

AND TO THE EAST, THE RED.

BUT THESE VAST BODIES OF WATER

PLAY LITTLE PART IN FUELING THE

HUGE ARRAY OF LIFE FOUND WITHIN

EGYPT'S SAND-COVERED CENTER.

WITH AN ANNUAL RAINFALL OF JUST

OVER 30 INCHES, OFTEN FAR LESS,

REMARKABLY, THIS REGION ALSO

LAYS CLAIM TO ONE OF THE WORLD'S

EARLIEST AND LONGEST LASTING

CIVILIZATIONS.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: ANCIENT EGYPTIANS - BELIEVED THAT CREATURES HAD

POWER OVER NATURE, CONTROLLING

THE SUN, THE MOON, THE DAY AND

NIGHT.

AND ONE IN PARTICULAR WAS SEEN

AS LORD OF THE WATER.

THE KEY TO SURVIVING THIS HARSH

DESERT LIFE.

POSSIBLY THE MOST INFLUENTIAL

CREATURE THROUGHOUT EGYPT'S

ANCIENT HISTORY IS THE SNAKE.

WITH ITS DISTINCTIVE SIDEWINDING

MOVEMENT AND UNIQUE HORN-LIKE

PROTRUSIONS, THE HORNED VIPER IS

ONE OF THE MOST EASILY

RECOGNIZABLE SNAKES OF THE

DESERT.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: BECAUSE THE SAND IS

LOOSE AND OFFERS LITTLE GRIP,

THE VIPER CONTRACTS ITS MUSCLES

AND FLINGS ITS BODY SIDEWAYS.

- THIS WAY ONLY TWO POINTS OF ITS - BODY REMAIN IN CONTACT WITH THE

GROUND WHEN TRAVELING ACROSS THE

DUNES.

- DESPITE GROWING TO JUST OVER 20 - INCHES, HORNED VIPERS STILL PACK

A VENOMOUS PUNCH.

- WITHOUT TREATMENT, A BITE CAN BE - FATAL TO HUMANS.

IT'S THOUGHT THESE HORNS MAY

PROTECT THE SNAKE'S EYES, AS

WELL AS BREAK UP ITS OUTLINE

AGAINST THE DESERT TERRAIN.

SO REVERED WAS THIS SPECIES,

EGYPTIANS EVEN EMBALMED THEIR

BODIES.

THIS ACT WAS A SIGN OF DEVOTION

TO THE SNAKE GODS AND A WAY OF

EARNING THEIR PROTECTION.

- PREFERRING TO HUNT AT NIGHT, - THIS INDIVIDUAL SEEKS SHELTER

FROM THE MORNING SUN.

- HOWEVER, ANOTHER REPTILE IS ONLY - JUST WAKING UP.

THIS LIZARD, ALSO KNOWN AS A

SKINK, WOULD MAKE AN IDEAL MEAL

FOR A VIPER.

SHORT, STUBBY LEGS AND A THICK

SQUARE-SHAPED BODY AREN'T

OBVIOUS ATTRIBUTES FOR SPEED.

AND WITH NOWHERE TO HIDE, THE

OUTCOME OF THIS DUEL LOOKS SET.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: BUT WHAT IT LACKS IN - ATHLETIC APPEARANCE, THIS LIZARD

MORE THAN MAKES UP FOR IN STYLE.

A TORPEDO SHAPED SNOUT, SMOOTH,

SHINY SCALES, AND PADDLE-LIKE

FEET OFFER CLUES TO ONE OF

NATURE'S GREATEST DISAPPEARING

ACTS.

NOW YOU SEE IT...NOW YOU DON'T.

ALSO KNOWN AS A SANDFISH, THE

SKINK LITERALLY SWIMS THROUGH

THE SAND WHENEVER FACED WITH

DANGER.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: BUT IT ISN'T JUST - LIZARDS THAT UTILIZE THE DESERTS

VAST CONCEALMENT RESOURCE.

COMING UP, THERE'S A SNAKE IN

THE SAND WHO'S ALL TOO FAMILIAR

WITH THE LAND, SO WE NEED TO

WATCH OUR STEP.

AND LATER, YOU WON'T WANT TO

MISTAKE THIS REPTILE FOR A LOG.

OR COME FACE TO FACE WITH THIS

ANCIENT DOG.

COMING UP NEXT ON "EARTH

ODYSSEY".

[BREAK]

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO THE

DESERTS OF EGYPT WHERE THE

- ANIMALS THAT ARE LOCALS TO THESE - LANDS ARE BUILT FOR THE

ENVIRONMENT.

SAND BOAS ARE ALSO BUILT FOR

BURROWING.

A STOUT BODY, SMALL EYES, AND

HARD SCALES PROTECT THEIR SKIN

FROM THE ABRASIVE SAND.

HOWEVER, THIS RELATIVELY SMALL,

NON-VENOMOUS SNAKE EMPLOYS

ANOTHER UNIQUE DEFENSE TACTIC.

TO CONFUSE PREDATORS, THE SAND

BOA LEAVES PART OF ITS BODY

EXPOSED.

ITS HEAD-SHAPED TAIL IS ARMORED

WITH TOUGH SCALES.

THIS LESS VULNERABLE BODY PART

CAN WITHSTAND MOST ATTACKS,

- GIVING THE SNAKE TIME TO REACT - OR FLEE.

ONE SERPENT, HOWEVER, NEEDS

LITTLE IN THE WAY OF DISGUISE OR

PROTECTION.

GROWING TO JUST UNDER TEN FEET

LONG, THE EGYPTIAN COBRA IS THE

LARGEST SNAKE OF THE REGION AND

THE MOST DANGEROUS.

ITS VENOM IS SO POWERFUL, IT

WOULD TAKE DOWN A FULLY-GROWN

ELEPHANT IN JUST THREE HOURS.

- ONCE BITTEN, THE VICTIM'S - NERVOUS SYSTEM IS QUICKLY

PARALYZED, SHUTTING DOWN THE

ABILITY TO BREATHE.

ALONG WITH SMALL MAMMALS AND

LIZARDS, OTHER SNAKES ARE ALSO

ON THIS HUNTER'S MENU.

THIS BUZZARD THINKS HE'S HOMED

IN ON BREAKFAST.

BUT THE COBRA HAS A UNIQUE TRICK

UP ITS SLEEVE.

AFTER REARING UP, IT FLATTENS

ITS NECK TO LOOK EVEN LARGER AND

INTIMIDATE THE PREDATOR.

THIS CLASSIC HOODED POSE IS

ACHIEVED THROUGH ELONGATED RIBS

THAT EXTEND THE LOOSE SKIN

AROUND THE COBRA'S NECK.

THE DISPLAY WORKS.

THE BUZZARD DECIDES TO GIVE THIS

POTENTIAL MEAL A MISS.

- EGYPT LAYS CLAIM TO ONE OF THE - EARLIEST KNOWN CIVILIZED

SOCIETIES.

ESTABLISHED APPROXIMATELY 5,000

YEARS AGO.

ONE CREATURE, HOWEVER, PREDATES

ANY HUMAN ARRIVAL BY SEVERAL

MILLION YEARS.

WHEN WE RETURN, IT WOULDN'T BE A

TRIP TO THE NILE WITHOUT RUNNING

INTO...OR AWAY FROM THIS

PREHISTORIC CROCODILE.

PLUS, WE EXPLORE THE HISTORY OF

ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS STINGERS

IN THE DESERT OF EGYPT.

[BREAK]

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: EGYPTIAN WILDLIFE IS

SYNONYMOUS WITH DESERTS.

THAT'S WHERE YOU'LL FIND THE

SNAKES, FOXES, AND BIG CATS THAT

- HAVE BEEN REVERED IN THE REGION - FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

BUT THE MOST REVERED ANIMAL IN

ALL OF EGYPT'S CAPTIVATING

HISTORY ISN'T FOUND NEAR THE

DESERT.

LET'S JUMP IN BUT KEEP OUR

DISTANCE FROM EGYPT'S MOST

FEARED AND RESPECTED REPTILES,

THE NILE CROCODILE.

WELCOME BACK TO EGYPT, WHERE THE

NILE CROCODILE HAS REMAINED

UNCHANGED SINCE THE DAYS OF THE

DINOSAUR.

REACHING A LENGTH OF 16 FEET AND

WEIGHING MORE THAN 800 POUNDS,

IT'S THE SECOND LARGEST REPTILE

ON THE PLANET.

A POWERFUL JAW FULL OF SHARP

CONICAL TEETH ENABLES IT TO KILL

ALMOST ANY CREATURE WITHIN ITS

RANGE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: NILE CROCODILES WERE

ALSO REVERED.

THEY INHABITED TEMPLE PONDS,

WERE ADORED WITH GOLD BRACELETS,

AND FED THE FINEST OF MEATS.

AS NIGHT DRAWS IN, THE DESERT

TEMPERATURE DROPS DRAMATICALLY

FROM JUST ABOVE 100 DEGREES TO

BELOW 20 DEGREES.

AVOIDING THE HEAT OF THE DAY IS

VITAL FOR MANY CREATURES.

AND SOME HAVE ADAPTED TO LEAD A

NOCTURNAL LIFE.

AT FIRST GLANCE, THE EGYPTIAN

LESSER JERBOA COULD EASILY BE

MISTAKEN FOR AN UNDERSIZED

KANGAROO.

- BUT THIS FOUR-INCH-LONG - BURROWING MAMMAL IS ACTUALLY A

MEMBER OF THE JUMPING RODENT

FAMILY.

LIKE ITS RAT RELATIVES, THE

JERBOA IS AN OMNIVORE, RELYING

- ON PLANTS, SEEDS, AND INSECTS TO - SURVIVE.

- BECAUSE WATER IS SO SCARCE, - THEY'VE DONE AWAY WITH THE NEED

TO DRINK.

THEY OBTAIN ALL THE MOISTURE

THEY NEED FROM FOOD.

AFTER A QUICK SNACK, IT'S TIME

FOR A SAND BATH.

THIS REMOVES OILS AND ANY

CLOGGED DIRT FROM THEIR FUR.

TAIL GROOMING IS ANOTHER

IMPORTANT ACTIVITY.

EXTENDING UP TO 10 INCHES LONG,

THIS FUR-TIPPED APPENDAGE CAN BE

- NEARLY THREE TIMES THE JERBOA'S - BODY LENGTH.

- THIS TAIL PROVIDES ESSENTIAL - BALANCE WHEN HAVING TO MOVE AT

HIGHER SPEEDS, AS AT NIGHT,

PREDATORS ARE ALWAYS ON THE

PROWL.

HORNED-VIPERS HAVE HOLLOW,

HINGED FANGS AND SPECIALIZE IN

AMBUSH.

THEY CAN STRIKE AT LIGHTNING

SPEED, INJECTING THEIR VICTIM

WITH VENOM.

A SMALL MAMMAL WOULD BE TAKEN

DOWN IN A MANNER OF SECONDS.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: UNAWARE OF THE NEARBY - THREAT, THE JERBOA REPAIRS ONE

OF THE MANY ENTRANCES TO ITS

BURROW.

HOWEVER, THIS SNAKE'S POTENTIAL

VICTIM STILL ISN'T WITHIN

STRIKING RANGE.

- AS THE VIPER CREEPS CLOSER, ITS - COVER IS BLOWN.

- WITH HINDLEGS FOUR TIMES THE - LENGTH OF ITS FRONT, THE JERBOA

CAN COVER MORE THAN THREE FEET

IN A SINGLE JUMP, REACHING

SPEEDS OF ALMOST 15 MILES PER

HOUR.

EVEN THE FASTEST SNAKE IN THE

WORLD, THE BLACK MAMBA, ISN'T

ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THAT.

THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS DIDN'T

ONLY WORSHIP AND RESPECT LARGE

ANIMALS, ONE OF THE REGION'S

MOST RECOGNIZABLE INVERTEBRATES

- PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN THEIR DAY - TO DAY LIVES.

UP NEXT, THIS ANCIENT DESERT DOG

IS FASTER THAN ALMOST ANY MAMMAL

ON THE PLANET.

BUT JUST HOW FAST CAN THIS

CANINE GO?

PLUS, THE SMALLEST FOX IN THE

WORLD HAD ONE OF THE BIGGEST

FOLLOWINGS IN ANCIENT EGYPT.

[BREAK]

.

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

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO EGYPT, - WHERE ONE OF THE MOST

RECOGNIZABLE ARACHNIDS MADE ITS

HOME IN THESE DESERTS THOUSANDS

OF YEARS AGO.

THE SCORPION AND ITS TOXIC TAIL

MADE ITS MARK ON THE EARLIEST

SETTLERS OF THE NILE REGION.

NOT ONLY WAS IT USED AS A KING'S

NAME, IT BECAME THE SYMBOL OF A

GODDESS, SERKET, THE HEALER OF

VENOMOUS STINGS AND BITES.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: LIKE SPIDERS AND ALL

OTHER ARACHNIDS, SCORPIONS HAVE

EIGHT LEGS.

THESE ARE ACCOMPANIED BY A PAIR

OF POWERFUL PINCERS, USED FOR

GRABBING AND TEARING UP PREY.

- COMPARED TO OTHER SCORPIONS, THE - FOUR-INCH-LONG DEATH STALKER IS

SLIGHTLY BUILT.

HOWEVER, ITS THIN TAIL AND

SLENDER PINCERS ARE MORE THAN

- COMPENSATED FOR BY ITS DEADLY - STING.

- IT IS POSSIBLY THE MOST VENOMOUS - SCORPION ON THE PLANET.

- THIS INDIVIDUAL HAS SPOTTED A - POTENTIAL MEAL.

CAMEL SPIDERS AREN'T TRUE

SPIDERS.

- ALTHOUGH THEY SHARE THE SAME - NUMBER OF LEGS, THE SIMILARITIES

END THERE.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THEY LACK BOTH THE SILK - AND VENOM GLANDS OF THEIR

NAMESAKES.

INSTEAD, CAMEL SPIDERS RELY ON

SPEED, STEALTH, AND A PAIR OF

POWERFUL, OVERSIZED JAWS TO

SUBDUE THEIR PREY.

RELATIVE TO SIZE, THEY HAVE THE

LARGEST JAWS OF ANY CREATURE ON

THE PLANET.

THEY ARE THE GREAT WHITE SHARKS

OF THE ARACHNID WORLD.

CAMEL SPIDERS SHY AWAY FROM THE

DESERT SUN, SO EVERY FEW DAYS,

THEY DIG A NEW BURROW IN WHICH

TO SHELTER DURING THE DAY.

- THIS BULLDOZER METHOD OF - SHIFTING SAND AND ROCKS ENSURES

THE JOB IS DONE SWIFTLY.

- WHILE THE CAMEL SPIDER FOCUSES - ON THE FINISHING TOUCHES TO ITS

LAIR, THE SCORPION MOVES IN.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WITH THE BATTLE OVER, IT

SEEMS VENOM HAS TRIUMPHED OVER

BRUTE FORCE.

THE SUBDUED VICTIM IS

DISMEMBERED.

THE COOLER NIGHT AIR DRAWS OUT

OTHER DESERT DWELLING CREATURES.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: INCLUDING A UNIQUE - MAMMAL THAT HAS ALSO EVOLVED TO

AVOID THE NEED TO DRINK.

THE FENNEC FOX IS NOT ONLY THE

SMALLEST FOX IN THE WORLD, IT'S

ALSO THE SMALLEST MEMBER OF THE

DOG FAMILY.

WITH A BODY LENGTH OF AROUND 10

INCHES, IT CAN WEIGH LESS THAN

TWO POUNDS.

OVERSIZED EARS NOT ONLY PROVIDE

EXCELLENT HEARING, THEY ALSO

DISSIPATE BODY HEAT.

A BEETLE SCUTTLING ACROSS THE

SAND STANDS LITTLE CHANCE OF

AVOIDING THIS PREDATOR.

- THE FENNEC'S HIGHLY SENSITIVE - EARS CAN EVEN LOCATE PREY MOVING

UNDERGROUND.

MOST MEALS ARE OBTAINED THROUGH

DIGGING.

SCORPIONS ARE A FAVORITE MEAL.

- THE FOX'S SMALL NEEDLES-SHARP - TEETH ARE QUICK TO DISABLE THEIR

DEFENSIVE STINGS.

DOGS WERE HIGHLY REGARDED IN

ANCIENT TIMES.

ALONG WITH GUARDING PALACES,

THEY ALSO ACCOMPANIES PHARAOHS

WHEN HUNTING.

THE SALUKI IS THE OLDEST KNOWN

BREED OF DOMESTICATED DOG.

AND WAS CONSIDERED TO BE THE

ROYAL DOG OF EGYPT.

SIMILAR IN FORM TO A GREYHOUND,

THEY ARE BUILT FOR SPEED,

HITTING ALMOST 40 MILES PER

HOUR.

DESERT RABBITS, A FAVORITE

QUARRY, STAND LITTLE CHANCE OF

ESCAPE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: SALUKIS WERE SO REVERED;

THEIR BODIES WERE OFTEN FOUND

MUMMIFIED ALONGSIDE THOSE OF

THEIR EMBALMED PHARAOH MASTERS.

EGYPT'S RICH HISTORY HAS ALWAYS

BEEN AND WILL ALWAYS BE TIED

WITH THE ANIMALS WHO MAKE THESE

ANCIENT DESERTS HOME.

- THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON OUR - ADVENTURE TO EGYPT.

YOU DON'T NEED TO LOOK FAR TO

FIND SAND HERE, BUT YOU DO NEED

- TO LOOK OUT FOR THE FIERCE AND - FASCINATING PREDATORS WHO CALL

THIS ANCIENT LAND HOME.

JOIN US NEXT TIME ON ANOTHER

"EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]