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 TREK TO THE FAR EAST

OF ASIA TO EXPLORE SOME OF THE

MOST EXOTIC ANIMALS THAT CALL

THIS REGION HOME...

[BIRD SCREECHING]

DYLAN: ...LIKE THIS ROMANTIC

SQUIRREL WHO WON'T LET DISTANCE

OR FATE GET IN THE WAY OF

ATTRACTING HIS MATE.

AND LATER, THIS CRUSTACEAN NEEDS

A VACATION AFTER DEALING WITH

ONE OF ITS MANY PREDATORS.

PLUS, YOU'LL HEAR ALL ABOUT THE

DEAFENING HONK OF ONE OF THE FAR

EAST OF ASIA'S FAVORITE SWANS.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THE EASTERN BORDER OF - ASIA HAS SOME OF THE MOST

SPECTACULAR BIODIVERSITY THAT

YOU'LL FIND IN THE WORLD.

ITS BORDER IS PROTECTED BY

THOUSANDS OF ISLANDS, SOME

UNOCCUPIED BY HUMANS AND SOME

BURSTING WITH NATURE.

TAIWAN IS ONE ISLAND THAT HAS A

BOOMING POPULATION OF PEOPLE,

BUT STILL MORE THAN HALF IS

COVERED BY BAMBOO FORESTS, AND

- WITHIN THESE FORESTS LIVES A - PRIMATE THAT HAS RULED THE

ISLAND FAR LONGER THAN ANY

HUMAN.

THE MYSTERIOUS LAND THAT MARKS

ASIA'S EASTERN BORDER WITH THE

MIGHTY PACIFIC OCEAN STRETCHES

ALMOST 5,000 MILES FROM SOUTH OF

THE EQUATOR TO THE ARCTIC

CIRCLE.

THESE DIVERSE HABITATS COVERING

ALMOST TEN MILLION SQUARE MILES

ARE KNOWN AS THE FAR EAST.

FROM TAIWAN'S DENSELY FORESTED

MOUNTAINS...

...TO THE SEA ICE NORTH OF

JAPAN, THE FAR EAST IS A PLACE

OF TRULY EPIC NATURAL BEAUTY.

AND THIS SURPRISINGLY DIVERSE

HABITAT IS HOME TO MANY OF THE

WEIRDEST AND MOST MYSTERIOUS

ANIMALS ON EARTH.

THIS JUNGLE IS HOME TO A SPECIES

OF PRIMATE THAT HAS ADAPTED TO

MANY OF TAIWAN'S DIFFERENT

TERRAINS.

THEY'RE KNOWN AS FORMOSAN ROCK

MACAQUES, BUT ARE COMMONLY FOUND

IN THE TREES...

...WHERE MOST OF THEIR TIME IS

SPENT SEARCHING FOR FOOD.

THEY WILL EAT ALMOST ANYTHING, A

MIX OF LEAVES, GRASSES...

...AND FRUITS.

- HIGHLY INTELLIGENT, THESE - MACAQUES ARE ALWAYS THINKING UP

NEW WAYS TO MAKE FORAGING

EASIER...

...LIKE SHAKING THE FRUIT ONTO

THE FOREST FLOOR.

THESE INGENIOUS MACAQUES HAVE

ALSO LEARNED TO FISH FOR

CATERPILLARS, HOISTING THEM UP

BY THEIR SILKS.

BUT SOMETIMES ONLY A CERTAIN

LEAF WILL DO.

- WITH SO MUCH FOOD, THERE'S - PLENTY OF TIME FOR THIS TROOP TO

SPEND BUILDING THEIR STRONG

SOCIAL BONDS.

GROOMING MAINTAINS THE HIERARCHY

AND REQUIRES CONCENTRATION

AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL.

A KEEN EYE WILL BE REWARDED WITH

A TASTY TREAT, AND SOME BECOME

OBSESSIVE.

ALTHOUGH NOT EVERYONE'S FLEAS

ARE CONSIDERED A DELICACY.

BUT THEY MUST ALWAYS REMAIN

VIGILANT.

- THE YOUNGEST MACAQUES ARE - CONSTANTLY UNDER THREAT FROM

AERIAL PREDATORS, SUCH AS

HAWKS...

[BIRD SCREECHING]

- ...BUT MOSTLY FROM LONE MALES - WANDERING INTO THEIR TERRITORY

LOOKING FOR TROUBLE.

- ALTHOUGH THESE MACAQUES HAVE A - STRONG FEMALE HIERARCHY, IT'S

THE MALES THAT MUST DEFEND THE

PACK AGAINST INTRUDERS.

LUCKILY, THIS TIME IT'S A FALSE

ALARM.

BUT IT ISN'T JUST THE FAR EAST'S

HABITAT THAT SHAPES THE BEHAVIOR

OF ITS WILDLIFE.

PLANETARY FORCES ALSO PLAY A

PART.

HERE IN TAIWAN, TONIGHT IS A

SUPER MOON, A FULL MOON AT ITS

CLOSEST POINT TO EARTH.

THIS CREATES THE YEAR'S MOST

POWERFUL TIDE, BRINGING OUT

TEN-LEGGED CREATURES IN THE

THOUSANDS FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT

MISSION OF THEIR LIVES.

COMING UP, THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS

SO DRAB IN THE LIFE OF THIS

LITTLE CRAB.

AND LATER, THIS SQUIRREL IS A

LITTLE NUTS, BUT THAT HELPS WHEN

LIVING IN THE WILD OF THE FAR,

FAR EAST.

[BREAK]

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO THE FAR

EAST OF ASIA, WHERE THE COASTAL

FORESTS OF THIS TINY PENINSULA

ARE HOME TO 30 SEPARATE SPECIES

OF LAND CRABS, THE HIGHEST

DIVERSITY ANYWHERE ON EARTH.

DRIVEN BY INSTINCT, THESE

LAND-DWELLING CRABS MUST MAKE A

JOURNEY TO THE OCEAN TO DEPOSIT

THEIR EGGS.

BUT IT WON'T BE EASY.

THE CRAB ATTRACTS PREDATORS BOTH

LARGE AND SMALL.

THIS LIZARD IS SEARCHING FOR A

SUITABLY SIZED MEAL, BUT

CHOOSING FROM SUCH A VARIED MENU

CAN BE TRICKY.

- HIGH UP, CAMOUFLAGED AGAINST THE - BRANCHES, HE SURVEYS THE

GROUND...

...WAITING FOR THE CRABS TO

EMERGE.

PERHAPS THIS ONE TAKES HIS

FANCY.

TOO SMALL.

OR MAYBE THIS ONE.

TOO BIG.

HOW ABOUT THIS ONE?

PERFECT.

HE JUST NEEDS TO KEEP HIS EYES

ON THE PRIZE, BUT THESE CRABS

ARE FAST FOOD.

THIS LIZARD'S EYES RELY ON

MOVEMENT TO IDENTIFY ITS PREY.

BUT NOW HIDING BEHIND THE LEAF,

IF THE CRAB STAYS STILL ENOUGH,

IT DISAPPEARS.

- SO, THE LIZARD DECIDES TO DINE - ELSEWHERE.

- AND TONIGHT, WITH SO MANY CRABS - ON THE MOVE, HE DOESN'T HAVE TO

LOOK FAR.

- AFTER DARK, ALL THE CRABS THAT - EVADE THE PREDATORS CONTINUE

THEIR MISSION TO REPRODUCE.

UNLIKE THEIR SEA-DWELLING

ANCESTORS, SOME LAND CRABS CAN'T

BREATHE UNDERWATER AND HAVE

LIVED MOST OF THEIR ADULT LIVES

ON LAND.

BUT THEY ALL HATCH IN THE OCEAN.

- TO BREED, THE MALE WILL GRASP - THE FEMALE WITH HIS CLAWS BEFORE

FERTILIZING HER EGGS AND

SEPARATING.

- THE FEMALE LAND CRAB WILL THEN - CARRY HER CLUTCH OF EGGS ON HER

BODY UNTIL THEY HATCH.

IT IS THEN SHE MUST MAKE A

PERILOUS JOURNEY INTO THE WAVES

TO RELEASE THE LARVA.

HOW THEY CAN PREDICT THE LUNAR

CYCLE IS UNCLEAR.

- BUT IT'S THOUGHT THESE CRABS - HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THE STRONG

TIDES BROUGHT BY THE FULL MOON

TO RELEASE THIS NEXT GENERATION.

TO SPREAD THEIR OFFSPRING AS FAR

AS POSSIBLE, THESE LAND CRABS

MUST RISK THEIR LIVES...

VENTURING INTO THE SURF AS FAR

AS THEY DARE BEFORE SHAKING THE

LARVA INTO THE BACKWASH OF THE

BIGGEST WAVES THEY CAN

WITHSTAND.

- THE OFFSPRING ARE THEN SUCKED - OUT TO SEA, WHERE THEY WILL

EMERGE FROM THESE WARM,

NUTRIENT-RICH WATERS TO LIVE OUT

THEIR LIFE AMONG THE TREES ON

THIS OR ANOTHER TROPICAL ISLAND.

ALMOST 10,000 MILES ABOVE SEA

LEVEL, TAIWAN'S MOONLIT FORESTS

MAY BE COOLER, BUT THINGS ARE

ABOUT TO GET STEAMY FOR ANOTHER

TREE-DWELLING ANIMAL.

COMING UP, YOU WON'T WANT TO

MISS THIS LITTLE SQUIRREL'S

CHANCE AT A TREE-HOPPING

ROMANCE.

[BREAK]

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: HIGH ABOVE TAIWAN'S

FOREST FLOOR LIVES AN ANIMAL

WHOSE LOVE KNOWS NO BOUNDS.

IT WILL TRAVEL MILES THROUGH THE

NIGHT TO FIND A PARTNER, AND NO

HEIGHT NOR TREE NOR BRANCH IS

TOO MUCH OF AN OBSTACLE FOR THIS

LITTLE ROMEO.

ALTHOUGH SMALLER THAN ITS

MAINLAND COUSIN, TAIWAN'S GIANT

WHITE-FACED SQUIRREL WILL ALWAYS

GO OUT ON A LIMB, LITERALLY, FOR

THE CHANCE AT LOVE.

HAVING SPENT ALL DAY ASLEEP,

THIS MALE GIANT WHITE-FACED

SQUIRREL MAY APPEAR ABSORBED BY

HIS OWN COMPANY,

BUT HE'S ALWAYS LISTENING OUT

FOR THE SOUND OF A FEMALE.

[SQUIRREL CHITTERING]

HE CAN HEAR HER, BUT HE CAN'T

SEE HER YET.

- TIME TO FIND A BETTER VANTAGE - POINT.

HUNDREDS OF FEET AWAY ON THE

OTHER SIDE OF THE VALLEY IS THE

FEMALE.

[SQUIRREL CHITTERING]

SHE HAS NOW HEARD HIS CALL AND

IS CLAMORING THROUGH THE CANOPY

TO MEET HIM.

BUT THESE STAR-CROSSED LOVERS

HAVE A PROBLEM.

A MOONLIT VALLEY LIES BETWEEN

THEM.

ON THE OTHER SIDE, THE MALE ALSO

SEES THE PROBLEM STANDING IN THE

PATH OF TRUE LOVE.

BUT IT SEEMS A SQUIRREL'S

PASSION KNOWS NO BOUNDS.

HE MAKES HIS WAY TO THE VERY

EDGE OF A TREE OVERHANGING THE

GORGE.

SHE, TOO, CREEPS ALONG THE

BRANCH UNTIL IT BARELY SUPPORTS

HER WEIGHT.

NOW WHAT?

HE COULD GO AROUND THE VALLEY,

BUT SQUIRRELS ARE ALWAYS IN A

HURRY.

TIME TO USE THEIR SECRET POWER.

IN LOVE, AS IN LIFE, IT'S OFTEN

EASIER TO MEET IN THE MIDDLE.

COMING UP, ONE OF THE FAR EAST

OF ASIA'S MOST ELEGANT ANIMALS

HAS ALL THE TRICKS TO SURVIVE

AND THRIVE.

[BREAK]

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO THE FAR

EAST OF ASIA.

THE FAR EAST ALSO INCLUDES SOME

PRISTINE HABITATS STRETCHING AS

FAR NORTH AS THE ARCTIC CIRCLE.

NORTH OF JAPAN LIES THE SEA OF

OKHOTSK.

IN WINTER, AIR TEMPERATURES DIP

TO MINUS NINE DEGREES,

AND ICE CLOAKS THE COAST.

WITH THE REGION'S RIVERS

GRADUALLY FREEZING, JUVENILE FAR

EASTERN SALMON HEAD TOWARDS THE

NORTH PACIFIC THROUGH THE SEA OF

OKHOTSK TO ESCAPE THE SEA ICE.

BUT ONE SPECIES HAS FOUND

ANOTHER WAY TO SURVIVE THIS

REGION'S BRUTAL CLIMATE.

WHILE MANY OF JAPAN'S RIVERS AND

LAKES ARE STILL FROZEN, LAKE

KUSSHARO IN EASTERN HOKKAIDO IS

A FAR EASTERN REFUGE.

VOLCANIC WATERS HAVE KEPT PART

OF THIS LAKE ICE-FREE ALL

WINTER...

...ATTRACTING THESE DEAFENING

WHOOPER SWANS.

NAMED AFTER THEIR LOUD HONKING

CALLS, HUNDREDS WILL SPEND THE

WINTER HERE AT THE LAKE IN PAIRS

THAT WILL MATE FOR LIFE.

[SWANS HONKING]

[HONKING CONTINUES]

- THEIR HONKING CALLS ARE USED AS - SIGNALS TO THE REST OF THE

FLOCK, COORDINATING THE MASSES

SO THAT THEY WILL ALL TAKE OFF

TOGETHER.

BUT WITH SO MANY BIRDS, ACCESS

TO THE WARM WATER IS LIMITED, SO

SQUABBLES ARE FREQUENT.

[SWANS HONKING]

[HONKING CONTINUES]

HE MAY HAVE WON THIS BATTLE,

BUT AS SPRING APPROACHES,

TEMPERATURES ARE RISING, AND

IT'S ALMOST TIME TO MOVE ON...

- ...TRAVELING THOUSANDS OF MILES - BACK TO THEIR BREEDING GROUNDS

IN SIBERIA...

...MARKING THE END OF WINTER AT

THIS VERY NORTHERN EDGE OF THE

FAR EAST.

IN ITS FORESTS AND COASTLINE,

ANIMALS HAVE ADAPTED TO THE FAR

EAST'S RICH VARIETY OF HABITATS

AND HARNESSED NEW SKILLS.

IN THESE TROPICAL LANDS SHROUDED

IN MYSTERY, SOME OF NATURE'S

STRANGEST CREATURES CONTINUE TO

THRIVE...

...ALL FIGHTING FOR SURVIVAL

HERE AT THE VERY EDGE OF

THE EARTH.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON THIS

ADVENTURE TO EASTERN ASIA.

THIS REGION HAS A NEVER-ENDING

STORY THAT IS FULL OF THE MOST

- INTERESTING CHARACTERS IN THE - WILD.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME ON

ANOTHER "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]