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, I'M DYLAN DREYER, AND

WE'RE ABOUT TO EMBARK ON ANOTHER

"EARTH ODYSSEY".

TODAY, WE HEAD TO TURKEY AND

EXPLORE THE INCREDIBLE ANIMALS

WHO CALL THIS WILD EDEN HOME.

WE'LL SEE HOW THESE CUBS WILL

FARE WITH THE HELP OF THEIR MAMA

BROWN BEAR.

- AND THESE FLAMINGOES MIGHT STAND - ON ONE FOOT, BUT THEY'RE FAR

FROM STATIONARY BIRDS.

PLUS, IT'S SHOW AND SHELL TIME

FOR THESE TINY TURTLE

HATCHLINGS.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: OF ALL THE PLACES WE'VE - TRAVELED TO ON "EARTH ODYSSEY",

FEW ARE AS MUCH A HIDDEN EDEN OF

LIFE AS THE COUNTRY OF TURKEY.

- IT HAS AN INCREDIBLE - BIODIVERSITY WITH MORE THAN

80,000 SPECIES OF ANIMALS,

19,000 OF WHICH ARE

INVERTEBRATES, AND THIS IS ALL

DUE TO THE FAUNA AND FLORA THAT

MAKE UP TURKEY'S PRECIOUS

ECOSYSTEM.

THIS IS A LAND FULL OF WONDER, A

COUNTRY OF EXTREME CONTRASTS,

WHERE EAST MEETS WEST.

SOME OF THE WORLD'S MOST

SPECTACULAR LANDSCAPES HAVE

FORMED...

...DENSE FORESTS...

...VAST WETLANDS...

...AND RUGGED MOUNTAINS...

...SURROUNDED BY COLORFUL SEAS.

- THIS STAGGERING ARRAY OF - ENVIRONMENTS HAS RESULTED IN A

MELTING POT OF LIFE.

BUT THIS COUNTRY'S FRAGILE

ECOSYSTEMS AND THE WILDLIFE THAT

INHABITS THEM ARE NOW BEING

PUSHED TO THE VERY BRINK.

[BIRD SQUAWKING]

- CLIMATE CHANGE IS FORCING SOME - OF THE WORLD'S MOST ICONIC

SPECIES TO FIGHT HARDER THAN

EVER TO SURVIVE.

- WELCOME TO THE WILD EDEN OF - TURKEY.

IN A COUNTRY ICONIC FOR ITS

BLISTERING HEAT AND ARID

LANDSCAPES LIES A SECRET EDEN,

THE PROVINCE OF KARS, TURKEY'S

EMERALD CROWN.

THE COMBINATION OF HIGH

ELEVATION AND HIGH RAINFALL MAKE

KARS A REMOTE, YET FLOURISHING

NATURAL PARADISE.

IN THIS MID-SUMMER SUN, THESE

SLOPES BURST INTO LIFE.

FLOWER MEADOWS BLOOM, AND

VALLEYS RING OUT TO THE SOUND OF

BIRDSONG, INCLUDING THE CALL OF

ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST

RAPTORS.

[BIRD SQUAWKING]

WEIGHING ALMOST 30 POUNDS AND

WITH A WINGSPAN OF NEARLY TEN

FEET, THE CINEROUS VULTURE IS A

TRUE KING OF TURKEY SKIES.

BUT THIS YOUNG MALE STILL HAS

SOME GROWING TO DO.

[BIRD SQUAWKING]

AT JUST OVER EIGHT WEEKS OLD,

HE RELIES ON HIS PARENTS TO FEED

HIM.

- THEY HAVE NOT RETURNED FOR - SEVERAL DAYS, AND THE CHICK IS

BECOMING WEAK.

EVEN IN THIS BOUNTIFUL HABITAT,

STUCK HERE, STARVATION IS A VERY

REAL THREAT.

SO, THIS FLEDGLING WILL NEED TO

TAKE FATE INTO HIS OWN HANDS.

URGED ON BY INSTINCT AND HUNGER,

HE TESTS HIS DEVELOPING WINGS.

BUT HE'S NOT STRONG ENOUGH.

OTHER RAPTORS CIRCLE IN THE

SKIES.

EVERY PASSING BIRD COULD BE

MISTAKEN FOR A PARENT.

- FORTUNATELY, HIS LUCK IS ABOUT - TO CHANGE.

HIS MOTHER RETURNS.

THE YOUNG FLEDGLING IS QUICK TO

DEMAND HIS FEED.

[BIRD SQUAWKING]

- BUT FIRST, THE MOTHER MUST - PREPARE HER YOUNGSTER'S MEAL BY

REGURGITATING FLESH SCAVENGED

FROM A DISTANT CARCASS.

VULTURES ARE TYPICALLY

SCAVENGERS, OFTEN FEEDING ON THE

REMAINS OF ANIMALS KILLED BY

CARNIVOROUS PREDATORS.

AND IT'S HERE IN THESE MOUNTAINS

AMONG DEEP GORGES AND RAVINES

THAT THE COUNTRY'S LARGEST

PREDATOR MAKES ITS HOME.

COMING UP, THIS MOTHER BEARS

DOWN WHEN IT COMES TO PROTECTING

HER CUBS.

- AND WE HAVE A STANDING - APPOINTMENT WITH THESE BEAUTIFUL

FLAMINGOES.

AND LATER, THIS CREATURE SHELLS

OUT ADVICE ON HOW TO SURVIVE AND

THRIVE IN TURKEY'S WILD EDEN.

[BREAK]

.

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

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO TURKEY,

WHERE WE HAVE JUST DISCOVERED

THE COUNTRY'S LARGEST PREDATOR,

THE BROWN BEAR.

THIS FEMALE ISN'T ALONE.

HER YOUNG CUBS ARE NEVER FAR

BEHIND.

FOR HER, THE SHADED WOODS ARE

PERFECT FOR A MIDDAY NAP,

LEAVING THE CUBS TO ONE OF THEIR

FAVORITE ACTIVITIES.

[BEARS GROWLING]

BUT THEY CAN'T SPEND ALL DAY

PLAYING.

[GROWLING CONTINUES]

- BEARS HIBERNATE THROUGH THE - WINTER MONTHS, SO WITH THIS

BOUNTIFUL TIME OF YEAR IN FULL

SWING, THEY'LL NEED TO EAT AS

MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

LUCKILY, THERE ARE MANY

NUTRITIOUS FOODS FOUND ACROSS

THESE BLOSSOMING FLOWER MEADOWS.

THESE FIELDS ATTRACT MANY BEARS,

YOUNG AND OLD.

IT'S THOUGHT THERE ARE AROUND

3,000 BEARS ACROSS TURKEY.

MANY OF THEM LIVE HERE IN THE

MOUNTAINS OF THE NORTHEAST, ALL

THANKS TO THE ABUNDANCE OF FOOD.

- THESE SWEEPING MEADOWS WOULDN'T - BE NEARLY AS RICH WITHOUT ONE OF

NATURE'S KEY INGREDIENTS.

DESPITE TEMPERATURES OF MORE

THAN 100 DEGREES, AT THIS

ALTITUDE, SUMMER THUNDERSTORMS

ARE COMMON.

THE HIGH RAINFALL ALLOWS PLANT

LIFE TO FLOURISH, WHICH IN TURN

SUPPORTS THE HIGH POPULATION OF

BEARS.

BUT LARGE MALES LIKE THIS ARE

TYPICALLY SOLITARY ANIMALS.

HE MARKS HIS SCENT ON TREES TO

TELL OTHER BEARS IN THE AREA TO

KEEP OUT OF HIS WAY.

BUT WITH SO MANY BEARS HERE,

CONFRONTATION IS INEVITABLE.

- ANOTHER MALE HAS VENTURED TOO - CLOSE.

EACH ARMED WITH POWERFUL CLAWS,

A SQUABBLE OVER TERRITORY COULD

BECOME A FIGHT TO THE FINISH.

[BEARS GROWLING]

ALTHOUGH BOTH BEARS GAVE IT

THEIR ALL, ONLY ONE BEAR CAN

CLAIM THIS TERRITORY.

COMING UP, WE EXPLORE THE LIFE

OF TURKEY'S PINKEST PESCATARIAN.

AND LATER, WE GET INSIDE THE

MIND OF THE LOGGERHEAD TURTLE.

[BREAK]

.

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

DYLAN: TO SAY THAT TURKEY'S

COUNTRYSIDE IS PERFECT WITH BIRD

SPECIES IS ALMOST TOO CLICHE TO

MENTION, BUT WE HAD TO FEATHER

IT IN.

WITH MORE THAN 500 SPECIES OF

BIRDS, ITS LANDSCAPE OF RICH

WATER AND TALL GRASS IS A

PERFECT HAVEN FOR A PLETHORA OF

THE AVIAN TYPE, AND THERE'S ONE

BIRD WHO STANDS ABOVE THE REST

AND OFTEN ON ONE LEG.

TAKE A LOOK.

- AT THE FOOT OF TURKEY'S - ANTI-TAURUS MOUNTAINS, COMPLEX

WETLANDS AT THE BASE OF THE

MOUNTAIN STRETCH FOR NEARLY 100

SQUARE MILES, RESULTING IN ONE

OF THE COUNTRY'S MOST PRECIOUS

HABITATS.

REED BEDS DOMINATE THE

LANDSCAPE, PROVIDING A HAVEN FOR

A VAST ARRAY OF BIRD LIFE...

[BIRD CHIRPING]

...INCLUDING A COLONY OF

TURKEY'S QUIRKIEST CREATURES...

...THE GREATER FLAMINGO.

- THESE COLORFUL CHARACTERS OFTEN - CONGREGATE IN FLOCKS REACHING

THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS.

HERE ON THE FLATS OF SULTAN

SAZLIGI, AROUND 80 INDIVIDUALS

MAKE UP THIS RELATIVELY SMALL

COLONY ALL YEAR ROUND.

- THEY REMAIN HERE THANKS TO THE - ABUNDANCE OF FOOD IN THESE SALTY

WATERS.

- IN SEARCH OF A GOOD MEAL, IT'S - EASY TO STEP ON EACH OTHER'S

TOES.

[BIRDS SQUAWKING]

BUT THE REAL COMPETITION IS A

MUCH MORE ELEGANT AFFAIR.

- THIS SYNCHRONIZED MARCH HELPS - INDIVIDUALS DETERMINE WHO IS THE

BEST SHAPE FOR MATING.

ONCE A SUITABLE PARTNER IS

FOUND, CHICKS ARE SOON TO

FOLLOW.

- FLAMINGOES FEED THEIR YOUNG BY - SECRETING NUTRITIOUS MILK FROM

THEIR DIGESTIVE SYSTEM, AND THIS

CHICK WILL HAVE PLENTY OF

SUPPORT.

FLAMINGOES LOOK AFTER ONE

ANOTHER'S OFFSPRING.

- THIS COMMUNAL PARENTING ENSURES - THE NEXT GENERATION WILL GROW UP

STRONG ENOUGH AND GIVE THEM THE

BEST POSSIBLE CHANCE WHEN IT'S

TIME TO MOVE ON.

THESE BIRDS AREN'T TYPICALLY

MIGRATORY, PREFERRING TO STICK

CLOSE TO RELIABLE FOOD AND, OF

COURSE, WATER SOURCES.

COMING UP, THESE LOGGERHEAD

TURTLES KNOW EXACTLY WHERE TO

LAY THEIR EGGS.

[BREAK]

.

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

DYLAN: AS THE SUN GOES DOWN IN

TURKEY, ONE OF THE SEA'S MOST

TIRELESS TRAVELERS HAS A LONG

NIGHT AHEAD OF HER.

A FEMALE LOGGERHEAD TURTLE

JOURNEYING FOR MANY THOUSANDS OF

MILES, SHE HAS RETURNED TO THE

BEACH WHERE SHE WAS BORN.

DIGGING A NEST, SHE LAYS EGGS AT

HER ANCESTRAL HOME.

SHE ONLY MATES ONCE EVERY TWO

YEARS, BUT WHEN SHE DOES, SHE

CAN NEST UP TO SIX TIMES, LAYING

MORE THAN 100 EGGS IN EACH NEST.

BURYING THE EGGS DEEP WILL

HOPEFULLY KEEP THEM SAFE FROM

PREDATORS.

- SHE'S DONE EVERYTHING SHE CAN TO - GIVE HER OFFSPRING THE BEST

CHANCE OF SURVIVAL AS SHE MAKES

HER WAY BACK TO THE SEA.

FURTHER ALONG THE BEACH, THE

SAND IS ALREADY BEGINNING TO

STIR.

ANOTHER LOGGERHEAD TURTLE'S

YOUNG ARE ABOUT TO EMERGE.

- BENEATH THE SAND, THEY'VE BEEN - GROWING INSIDE THEIR SHELLS FOR

AROUND 60 DAYS.

THE COOL NIGHT AIR PROMPTS THE

YOUNG TURTLES TO BREAK FREE OF

THEIR NEST.

- BUT GLOBAL WARMING COULD - THREATEN THE SPECIES' VERY

EXISTENCE.

TEMPERATURE DETERMINES THE

GENDER OF EACH HATCHLING.

- THE WARMING CLIMATE WILL RESULT - IN MORE FEMALE TURTLES THAN

MALES, THREATENING THE SPECIES'

GENETIC DIVERSITY.

TONIGHT, THESE YOUNG HATCHLINGS

FACE A MORE IMMEDIATE CHALLENGE,

- MAKING IT TO THE SAFETY OF THE - SEA.

- UNDER THE COVER OF DARKNESS, - THEY AVOID MANY OF THE REGION'S

PREDATORS, BUT GHOST CRABS STILL

STAND IN THEIR WAY.

THE CRUSTACEAN'S STRONG CLAWS

COULD EASILY HURT THE YOUNG

TURTLES.

- THE HATCHLINGS ARE COMPLETELY - DEFENSELESS.

GUIDED BY THE MOON, AN INNATE

INSTINCT DRAWS THEM TO THE FAINT

LIGHT ON THE SEA'S HORIZON.

THEY HAVE TO MAKE A BREAK AND

TAKE THEIR CHANCE.

IT'S TIME TO RUN THE GAUNTLET.

- THE GHOST CRABS CLOSE IN FOR THE - KILL.

- BUT THESE CRUSTACEANS ARE HIGHLY - TERRITORIAL.

FIGHTING OFTEN BREAKS OUT

AMONGST THEMSELVES...

- ...GIVING THE PERFECT - OPPORTUNITY FOR THE TURTLES TO

DASH ACROSS THE LAST STRETCH OF

BEACH.

- FOR THOSE WHO HAVE CONQUERED - TONIGHT'S CHALLENGE, THIS IS

JUST THE BEGINNING AS THEY SET

OFF INTO THE DARK SEA.

THE NEXT GENERATION FACES

GREATER CHALLENGES THAN EVER.

WHILE THIS LAND OF CONTRAST

THRIVES IN PLACES, MANY OF ITS

DELICATE EDENS ARE BEING LOST TO

CLIMATE CHANGE...

...LEAVING AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE

FOR THE WILDLIFE FOUND HERE.

FROM THE WEIRD TO THE

WONDERFUL...

...ALL OF THESE AMAZING SPECIES

MUST FIGHT FOR THEIR VERY

SURVIVAL IN TURKEY'S WILD EDENS.

- THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON THIS - ADVENTURE TO TURKEY.

THIS INCREDIBLY DIVERSE

LANDSCAPE GIVES ALL TYPES OF

ANIMALS A PLACE TO CALL HOME.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME ON

ANOTHER "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]