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

"EARTH ODYSSEY".

TODAY, WE'LL EXPLORE THE JUNGLES

AND THE DESERTS FOR OUR FAVORITE

- MONKEY SPECIES IN THE ANIMAL - KINGDOM.

LIKE IN SOUTH ASIA, WHERE THIS

MONKEY'S PERSONALITY IS AS BIG

AS THE NOSE ON ITS FACE.

AND LATER, THE SOUNDS OF THIS

MONKEY ECHO THROUGHOUT THESE

RAINFORESTS, BUT WHAT DID THE

EARLIEST EUROPEAN EXPLORERS

THINK ABOUT THIS FUNKY MONKEY

HOWL?

THEN, WE HEAD TO THE THAR DESERT

WHERE A TROOP OF CITY MONKEYS

ARE ALWAYS READY TO FEND OFF

RIVAL GANGS.

AND LATER, THE AMAZON IS FULL OF

GIANTS BUT NOTHING IS TOO BIG

- FOR THESE BRAVE BUT MINIATURE - MONKEYS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ONE OF THE MOST BELOVED

ANIMALS ON EARTH IS THE ALWAYS

ENTERTAINING AND UNPREDICTABLE

PRIMATE, THE MONKEY.

TODAY, WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON

THE WEIRDEST AND WILDEST MONKEYS

ALL OVER THE WORLD.

THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT

TYPES THAT IT'S OFTEN HARD TO

KEEP TRACK OF WHO'S WHO.

- BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE WITH OUR - FIRST MONKEY BECAUSE IT'S

- WEARING ITS NAME RIGHT ON ITS - FACE.

THERE ARE 100 SPECIES IN BORNEO

THAT OCCUR NOWHERE ELSE ON

EARTH.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: AND THERE'S ONE THAT

WINS THE WEIRD RACE BY A NOSE.

FOR PROBOSCIS MONKEYS, BEAUTY IS

SURELY IN THE EYE OF THE

BEHOLDER.

MALES HAVE THE LONGEST NOSES OF

ALL PRIMATES.

[MONKEY CALLS OUT]

DYLAN: THEIR ECHO CHAMBERS

AMPLIFY THE MALE'S CALLS, WHICH

INTIMIDATES RIVALS, AS WELL AS

IMPRESSES FEMALES.

THE BIGGEST NOSE IN THIS PACK

BELONGS TO AN ALPHA MALE.

HE'S THE BOSS OF A SMALL GROUP

OF FEMALES AND THEIR YOUNG.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: YOUNG MALES HANG OUT - TOGETHER IN SMALL TROOPS UNTIL

THEY'RE STRONG ENOUGH TO RUN A

GROUP OF THEIR OWN.

AND THEY'RE ALWAYS ON THE

LOOKOUT TO RECRUIT NEW MEMBERS.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THE DOMINANT MALE - DOESN'T SEEM TOO UPSET BY THE

GROUPS' ADVANCES, BUT HE'S

KEEPING A STEADY EYE ON THINGS.

[THUNDER CRASHES AND

RAIN FALLS]

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: BUT A BRIEF RAINSTORM - EXTINGUISHES ANY IMPENDING

SCUFFLE, OR PERHAPS IT'S JUST

NOT WORTH PUTTING THE ALPHA

MALE'S NOSE OUT OF JOINT.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: PROBOSCIS MONKEYS AREN'T

THE MOST GRACEFUL OF PRIMATES.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THEIR POT BELLIES SEEM - TO MAKE JUMPING DIFFICULT, BUT

THEY'RE KEY TO SURVIVAL.

- PACKED WITH FRIENDLY BACTERIA - AND DIVIDED INTO CHAMBERS LIKE A

COW'S, A PROBOSCIS MONKEY'S

STOMACH IS LIKE A HUGE

FERMENTATION VAT.

AND THIS UNIQUE DIGESTION SYSTEM

MEANS THEY CAN CARRY UP TO A

QUARTER OF THEIR BODY WEIGHT IN

THEIR STOMACH, SLOWLY GLEANING

EVERY LAST MORSEL OF NUTRITION.

THE BACTERIA EVEN NEUTRALIZE

TOXINS, MEANING PROBOSCIS

MONKEYS CAN EAT LEAVES THAT

WOULD POISON OTHER ANIMALS.

EVEN SO, THEY CHOOSE THEIR FOOD

CAREFULLY.

THE SEARCH FOR THE TASTIEST

LEAVES AND SHOOTS LEADS THIS

YOUNGSTER AWAY FROM THE TROOP.

BUT THE MANGROVE FOREST ISN'T

THE SAFEST PLACE TO EXPLORE

UNSUPERVISED, ESPECIALLY WHEN

GYMNASTICS AREN'T YOUR STRONG

SUIT.

BUT THERE'S NOTHING FUNNY ABOUT

WHAT'S BELOW THE TREES, IT'S THE

WORLD'S LARGEST LIVING REPTILE.

A FEARSOME GIANT THAT CAN GROW

TO 22 FEET LONG.

A SALTWATER CROCODILE.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THE MONKEYS MIGHT SEEM - SAFE IN THE BRANCHES, BUT THEY

CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE THEIR

FOOTING.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: A MOUTH FULL OF MORE - THAN 60 TEETH, WITH THE

STRONGEST BITE FORCE OF ANY

ANIMAL IS WAITING FOR ITS NEXT

MEAL.

AND THE CROC HAS A SECRET

WEAPON.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: USING ITS POWERFUL TAIL,

A SALTWATER CROCODILE CAN LEAP

MORE THAN THREE FEET INTO THE

AIR IN UNDER A SECOND.

LUCKILY FOR THE MONKEY, THIS

CROC DIDN'T TIME HIS JUMP QUITE

RIGHT AND THIS MONKEY WILL THINK

TWICE BEFORE VENTURING SO LOW.

COMING UP, IN VENEZUELA, YOU ARE

WELCOMED INTO THE RAINFOREST BY

ONE OF THE WILD'S MOST

UNWELCOMING SOUNDS.

THEN, THE THAR IS FULL OF TROOPS

THAT ARE OFTEN UNDER ATTACK,

WHETHER THAT'S FROM OTHER

MONKEYS OR THE HARSH CLIMATE OF

THE DESERT.

PLUS, THESE LITTLE MONKEYS NEED

TO STAY A SAFE DISTANCE FROM THE

UNKNOWN BECAUSE THERE IS NO

TELLING WHAT DANGER LIVES JUST

BELOW THE SURFACE.

[BREAK]

.

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

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO "EARTH - ODYSSEY", WHERE WE ARE LOOKING

FOR SOME OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE

MONKEYS IN THE WORLD'S MOST

INCREDIBLE PLACES.

ACCORDING TO CHARLES DARWIN,

BARON ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT WAS

THE GREATEST TRAVELING SCIENTIST

WHO EVER LIVED.

200 YEARS AFTER SIR WALTER

RALEIGH, HE JOURNEYED FARTHER UP

THE ORINOCO THAN ANY NATURALIST

BEFORE.

MAPPING MORE THAN 1,600 MILES OF

THIS VAST RIVER SYSTEM.

THE CALL OF RED HOWLER MONKEYS

TERRIFIED MOST EXPLORERS, BUT

HUMBOLDT NOTED THAT THEIR EYES,

VOICE, AND GATE ARE IN

INDICATIVE OF MELANCHOLY.

MEANING THAT HE THOUGHT THESE

MONKEYS AREN'T SCARY, THEY'RE

SCARED.

HOWLERS ARE GENTLE, SHY

CREATURES, AND THEIR RAUCOUS

CALL SERVES ONLY TO KEEP OTHER

HOWLERS AT A COMFORTABLE

DISTANCE.

THEY LEAD A TRANQUIL, IF

SOMEWHAT PRECARIOUS EXISTENCE,

- HIGH IN THE TREETOPS, WHERE THEY - HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR FAVORITE

FOOD, FRESH LEAVES.

THEY MAY BE PLENTIFUL, BUT THIS

STRICT DIET IS HARDLY

INVIGORATING.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: EVEN A CLOSE ENCOUNTER - WITH A TWO-TOED SLOTH IS NOT

ENOUGH TO SPARK THE HOWLER'S

INTEREST.

ANOTHER LEAF-EATER, PERHAPS THE

SLOTH IS THE ONLY ANIMAL IN THE

- JUNGLE LESS EXCITABLE THAN THE - HOWLER.

- WEDGE-CAPPED CAPUCHINS PATROL - THE LOWER BRANCHES OF THE

RIVERSIDE FOREST, USING THEIR

TAILS FOR SUPPORT AND BALANCE.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THEY SEARCH THE LOWER - BRANCHES FOR THEIR FAVORITE

PREY, INSECTS.

TODAY, ANTS ARE ON THE MENU.

TINY TREATS, BUT LURKING IN

NUMBERS BELOW THE BARK.

- IT TAKES A FAIR BIT OF EFFORT - FOR THE CAPUCHINS TO FUEL UP AND

LUNCH DOES OCCASIONALLY BITE

BACK.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: BUT THE ENERGY-RICH

RESULTS ARE WORTH IT.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: CAPUCHIN SOCIETY WORKS

ON A STRICT HIERARCHY.

AND IN TIMES OF HARDSHIP, ONLY

THE UPPER ECHELONS GET ACCESS TO

FOOD.

LIVING IN GROUPS UP TO 30

STRONG, IT PAYS TO GROOM ALLIES.

- ONLY WHEN THAT'S DONE CAN THEY - AFFORD TO SLEEP OFF THE

MORNING'S EXERTIONS.

- BUT WHEN ALL IS DONE, THEY - SETTLE BACK INTO THEIR BRANCHED

HAMMOCKS AND GET SOME REST.

COMING UP, THIS LITTLE TROOP

REIGNS OVER ALL OF THEIR RIVALS

UNTIL THEY REALIZE MOTHER NATURE

REIGNS OVER THEIR EMPIRE IN THE

THAR DESERT.

PLUS, THESE LITTLE MONKEYS NEED

TO KEEP THEIR HEADS HIGH AND, ON

A SWIVEL, WHEN JUMPING OVER THE

RIVERS OF THE AMAZON.

[BREAK]

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: MONKEYS ARE AMONG

HUMAN'S CLOSEST RELATIVES IN THE

ANIMAL KINGDOM.

WE HAVE SIMILAR DIETS AND BODY

STRUCTURES AND GET THIS, WE'RE

THE ONLY TWO ANIMALS IN THE

WORLD WITH FINGERPRINTS.

IN JAIPUR, INDIA, LOCALS ARE

PROBABLY GLAD ABOUT THAT BECAUSE

- THIS MONKEY'S FINGERS ARE KNOWN - TO BE STICKY.

- IN THE THAR DESERT, WHEN THE - SUMMER HEAT IS AT ITS PEAK, IT'S

TOO HOT TO MOVE.

TEMPERATURES SOAR TO 120 DEGREES

FAHRENHEIT.

WITHOUT A DROP OF RAIN, THE

DESERT IS GRIPPED BY DROUGHT.

THE REGIONS CAPITAL CITY,

JAIPUR, FEELS THE EFFECTS OF

FOOD AND WATER SHORTAGES.

THE TEMPLE TROOP IS FORCED

DOWNTOWN IN SEARCH OF SOMETHING

TO EAT.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WATER SUPPLIES ARE

DRYING OUT, EVEN AT THE TEMPLE.

BUT THE RESIDENT TROOP STILL HAS

ONE PRECIOUS POOL LEFT.

AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, THEY'RE

PERMANENTLY ON GUARD.

- GIVEN HALF A CHANCE, NEIGHBORING - TROOPS WILL STEAL THEIR PRIME

TERRITORY.

IN MACAQUE SOCIETY, YOU HAVE TO

DEFEND YOUR HOME IF YOU WANT TO

KEEP IT.

THE TEMPLE TROOP HAS LIVED HERE

IN LUXURY FOR GENERATIONS.

IT'S THE MAIN REASON SO MANY

HAVE SURVIVED.

- BUT THEIR RIVALS ARE CLOSING IN, - THEY'LL DO ALMOST ANYTHING TO

CLAIM THE TEMPLE AND ITS

PRICELESS WATER SUPPLIES.

THE TEMPLE TROOP FORMS A

DEFENSIVE WALL.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: BUT DESPERATION IS

A POWERFUL, DRIVING FORCE, THE

INTRUDERS TAKE THEIR CHANCE AND

ATTACK.

THEY BREAK THE TEMPLE TROOP'S

DEFENSIVE LINE.

IT'S HARD TO KNOW WHO'S WHO,

UNTIL THE RIVAL'S DOMINANT MALE

MAKES HIS MOVE.

HE ATTACKS THE ALPHA FEMALE.

IT'S A BIG MISTAKE, HER FAMILY

LEAPS TO HER DEFENSE.

THE BIG MALE TURNS TAIL AND

FLEES.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: HIS TROOP FOLLOWS SUIT

AND THEIR ATTACK CRUMBLES.

AFTER TEN MONTHS OF DROUGHT, THE

BAKING DESERT IS ROCK HARD.

SUDDENLY, A CHANGE IN THE AIR.

THE MONSOON STIRS.

LOW PRESSURE SUCKS MOISTURE

LADEN AIR FROM THE INDIAN OCEAN

TOWARDS THE HIMALAYAS.

[MUSIC]

[THUNDER CRASHING]

DYLAN: WITHIN DAYS, THE DESERT

IS TRANSFORMED.

SOILS BECOME FERTILE; CROPS

REGROW.

JAIPUR IS QUICK TO REAP THE

BENEFITS.

FRESH FOOD AND WATER STOCKS ARE

REPLENISHED.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: COMING UP, LET'S HOPE - THESE LITTLE MONKEYS KNOW WHAT

THEY'RE DOING AS THEY LIVE

AMONGST SOME OF THE MOST

DANGEROUS PREDATORS IN THE WILD.

[BREAK]

.

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

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THE AMAZON RAINFOREST - COVERS MORE THAN TWO MILLION

SQUARE MILES OF OUR PLANET.

SPRAWLING ACROSS ALMOST HALF OF

THE SOUTH AMERICAN CONTINENT, IT

IS FED BY THE MIGHTY AMAZON

RIVER.

AND AT ITS HEART ARE A GROUP OF

ISLANDS KNOWN AS THE ANAVILHANAS

AND MARIUA ARCHIPELAGOS.

MORE THAN 1,000 ISLANDS STRETCH

ALONG THE RIO NEGRO BRANCH OF

THE AMAZON RIVER, AND TOGETHER

MAKE UP THE LARGEST COLLECTION

OF RIVER ISLANDS IN THE WORLD.

THOUSANDS OF MILES FROM THE

NEAREST OCEAN, THESE RIVER

ISLANDS ARE UNIQUE.

SURROUNDED NOT BY CORAL REEFS

AND CRYSTAL-CLEAR WATERS, BUT BY

FLOODED FORESTS AND HIDDEN

DANGERS.

THIS IS HOME TO SOME OF THE MOST

UNUSUAL CREATURES IN THE WORLD.

FLOODED FOR SIX MONTHS OF THE

YEAR, THE ISLANDS ARE A MASS OF

SUBMERGED TREES AND WANDERING

VINES.

THIS IS A WORLD LIKE NO OTHER.

THE FOREST FLOOR BECOMES THE

RIVERBED.

FISH FEED FROM THE TREETOPS AND

CANOPY DWELLERS ARE STALKED BY

CREATURES THAT LURK BENEATH.

IT'S MAY AND THE FLOODWATERS ARE

STARTING TO RISE.

THE LIVES OF THE ANIMALS THAT

CALL THE ISLANDS HOME TAKE A

DRAMATIC TURN.

ONLY TWO PRIMATES LIVE HERE.

RED HOWLER MONKEYS...

AND THE MORE COMMON ARE

SQUIRREL MONKEYS,

WHO HAVE THE RUN OF THE

CANOPY.

BECAUSE THEY SPEND MUCH OF THE

YEAR CUT OFF FROM THE MAINLAND,

THEY'VE LEARNED TO ADAPT TO LIFE

ABOVE THE WATER.

- IT'S EARLY MORNING AND A LARGE - GROUP IS HEADING OUT ON A

FORAGING EXPEDITION.

- THE MONKEYS MAKE THE MOST OF THE - DAYLIGHT HOURS AS THEY MOVE

THROUGH THE CANOPY.

THEY'RE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR

FRUITS, FLOWERS, AND INSECTS

THAT MAKE UP THEIR DIET.

LONG TAILS PROVIDE THEM WITH

EXCELLENT BALANCE.

- AND AIDED BY NIMBLE HANDS AND - FEET, THEY'RE ABLE TO

INVESTIGATE ANY OPPORTUNITY.

BUT THE CANOPY OFFERS SLIM

PICKINGS.

- SURROUNDED BY WATER, THE - ARCHIPELAGOS DO NOT SUPPORT THE

ABUNDANCE OF FOOD THAT IS

AVAILABLE TO MONKEYS ELSEWHERE

IN THE AMAZON.

SOME OF THE YOUNG MALES AREN'T

IMPRESSED WITH WHAT'S OFFERED.

SO THEY DECIDE TO VENTURE DOWN

DEEPER INSIDE THE FLOODED

FOREST.

THE REWARDS ARE WORTH IT.

YOUNG MONKEYS HAVE INCREDIBLY

GOOD EYESIGHT AND THEY'RE ABLE

TO SPOT FOOD AMONGST THE DENSE

VEGETATION WITH EASE.

THEY FOUND A FAVORITE.

THESE FLOWER'S SWEET NECTAR IS

IRRESISTIBLE.

- AFTER A FRANTIC MORNING - FORAGING, ONE OF THE YOUNGSTERS

IS DESPERATE FOR A DRINK.

BUT IT'S RISKY BUSINESS.

BLACK CAIMAN LURK BELOW.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: AN ALARM CALL ALERTS HIM

TO THE DANGER BUT HE IS NOT OUT

OF TROUBLE YET.

THE SLIGHTEST SLIP COULD BE

FATAL FOR THE PLUCKY PRIMATE.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: FINALLY, HE MAKES IT - BACK TO THE CANOPY WHERE HE IS

SAFE FOR NOW.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON OUR

ADVENTURE TO FIND THE MONKEYS

- WITH THE MOST PERSONALITY ON THE - PLANET.

SOME LOVE A MEAL AND SOME LOVE

TO STEAL, BUT THEY ALL HAVE

- THEIR OWN PERSONALITIES THAT - MAKE THESE PRIMATES SOME OF THE

- MOST FASCINATING MAMMALS IN THE - WORLD.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME ON

ANOTHER "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]