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'LL HEAD TO THE DESERTS

OF EGYPT TO DISCOVER A SNAKE IN

THE SAND WHO IS ALL TOO FAMILIAR

WITH THE LAND, SO WE NEED TO

WATCH OUR STEP.

AND LATER, WE HEAD TO THE CAVES

WHERE ONE REPTILE LIVES, BUT WHY

AND HOW IT LIVES THERE IS A

MYSTERY.

PLUS, FIND OUT WHAT LIFE IS LIKE

FOR LOCALS ON THE ORONOCO RIVER.

PLUS, THE SPECIAL BOND BETWEEN

ANIMALS AND HUMANS IS REVEALED

AS PATAGONIAN GAUCHOS TAME THESE

MAGNIFICENT WILD HORSES.

[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.

- WELCOME 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.

[BUZZARD CHIRPING]

AFTER REARING UP, IT FLATTENS

ITS NECK TO LOOK EVEN LARGER AND

INTIMIDATE THE PREDATOR.

[BUZZARD CHIRPING]

- THIS CLASSIC HOODED POSE IS - ACHIEVED THROUGH ELONGATED RIBS

THAT EXTEND THE LOOSE SKIN

AROUND THE COBRA'S NECK.

THE DISPLAY WORKS.

[BUZZARD SCREECHING]

THE BUZZARD DECIDES TO GIVE

THIS POTENTIAL MEAL A MISS.

COMING UP, THE CAVES OF

MADAGASCAR ARE FOR SOME REASON

HOME TO ONE OF THE BIGGEST

REPTILES IN THE WORLD, AND

THAT'S NOT EVEN THE MOST

MYSTERIOUS ASPECT OF THIS

CURIOUS CROCODILE.

[BREAK]

.

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

DYLAN: WELCOME TO MADAGASCAR.

- WE'RE AT THE NORTHERN TIP OF THE - ISLAND.

AN UNDERWORLD OF SECRET CAVERNS

AND EXTENSIVE CAVES STRETCHES

FOR MORE THAN 60 MILES BELOW THE

STONE MASSIVE.

TO LOCAL PEOPLE, THIS

SUBTERRANEAN WORLD IS SACRED.

THEIR ANCESTORS HID HERE TO

ESCAPE TRIBAL WARS.

THE BODIES OF ANCIENT KINGS WERE

ALSO LAID TO REST HERE.

IN SOME PLACES, THE CAVERN ROOF

HAS COLLAPSED, ALLOWING ISOLATED

POCKETS OF DECIDUOUS FOREST TO

TAKE ROOT.

BUT DEEPER INSIDE THIS DIMLY-LIT

LABYRINTH LIES A WORLD OF

GIANTS.

GROWING TO ALMOST 11 INCHES IN

LENGTH, THE WORLD'S LARGEST

MILLIPEDE THRIVES IN THIS DARK,

DAMP ENVIRONMENT.

IT FEEDS ON DECAYING VEGETATION

DEPOSITED BY THE VISITING RIVERS

AND STREAMS.

ANOTHER GIANT IS GIVEN A WIDE

BIRTH BY ANY LOCALS BRAVE ENOUGH

TO ENTER ITS MURKY LAIR.

THIS IS THE DOMAIN OF THE

WORLD'S ONLY CAVE-DWELLING

CROCODILES.

REACHING A LENGTH OF UP TO 20

FEET, THESE REPTILES ARE SOME OF

THE LARGEST SPECIMENS IN THE

WORLD.

- AND WHY THESE CROCODILES INHABIT - THE CAVES HAS LONG BEEN A

MYSTERY TO SCIENTISTS.

THIS DARK, DAMP ENVIRONMENT MAY

BE AN ESCAPE FROM THE REGION'S

HIGH DAYTIME TEMPERATURES, BUT

IN THEORY, IT'S WAY TOO COOL IN

HERE FOR THEIR BODIES TO

FUNCTION.

- IT'S NO WONDER CERTAIN LOCALS - BELIEVE THESE REPTILES HAVE

SUPERNATURAL POWERS AND ALSO

HARBOR THE SPIRITS OF THEIR

RELATIVES.

- THESE CHILDREN HAVE COME TO THE - CAVE ENTRANCE ON BEHALF OF THEIR

VILLAGE.

THROUGH THE LOCAL SHAMAN,

THEY'RE ASKING THEIR CROCODILE

ANCESTORS FOR GOOD RAINS IN

ORDER TO SECURE THIS YEAR'S

HARVEST.

MADAGASCAR IS RICH WITH

FASCINATING ANIMALS AND ANCIENT

TRADITIONS, AND YOU NEVER KNOW

WHAT YOU'LL FIND HIGH UP IN THE

SUNNY TREES OR DEEP DOWN IN THE

DARKEST CAVES.

COMING UP, DISCOVER THE LOCALS

OF THE ORONOCO RIVER AND THEIR

SKILLFUL FISHING TECHNIQUES.

[BREAK]

.

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

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK.

THE ORONOCO RIVER IS HOME TO ALL

TYPES OF WILD ANIMALS.

IT'S NOT ONLY USED FOR FOOD AND

WATER, BUT ALSO A SHELTER FOR

PREDATOR, PREY, AND PEOPLE WHOSE

FAMILIES HAVE BEEN NESTLED ALONG

- THE SHORELINE FOR THOUSANDS OF - YEARS.

THEIR WAY OF LIFE TODAY ISN'T

MUCH DIFFERENT FROM HOW THEY

LIVED WHEN THE FIRST EUROPEAN

EXPLORERS CAME TO SOUTH AMERICA

IN THE EARLY 1500'S.

TAKE A LOOK.

- WHEN CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS - DISCOVERED THE MOUTH OF THE

ORONOCO, HE DESCRIBED IT AS THE

GATEWAY TO CELESTIAL PARADISE.

IT WAS SO LARGE, HE REALIZED THE

RIVER DRAINED NOT JUST AN

ISLAND, BUT AN ENTIRE CONTINENT.

IN TERMS OF VOLUME, IT'S THE

LARGEST RIVER IN THE WORLD.

FLOWING 1,500 MILES, THE ORONOCO

IS ALSO THE THIRD LONGEST RIVER

IN SOUTH AMERICA.

IT CURLS AROUND THE NORTHEAST

CORNER LIKE A GIGANTIC FISH

HOOK, DRAINING MORE THAN 380,000

SQUARE MILES OF VENEZUELA,

COLOMBIA, AND BRAZIL.

AT THE RIVER'S MOUTH, THE

ORONOCO DELTA STRETCHES 300

MILES ALONG THE COAST OF

NORTHEAST VENEZUELA.

MANGROVES UNDERPIN THIS SALTY

SWAMP.

THEY'RE THE ONLY TREES THAT CAN

WITHSTAND THE CHANGES BROUGHT BY

DAILY TIDES.

THEIR ROOTS SLOW THE PASSING

CURRENTS, GRABBING SEDIMENT AND

CREATING STABLE FOUNDATIONS FOR

A MAZE OF MORE THAN 300 FORESTED

WATERWAYS.

WHILE WILDLIFE ON THE ORONOCO

RIVER IS EVERYWHERE, THE WARAO

ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE TO HAVE MADE

THE ORONOCO DELTA THEIR

PERMANENT HOME.

- KNOWN AS THE CANOE PEOPLE, - THEY'VE CHOSEN A PRECARIOUS WAY

OF LIFE.

THE WARAO CALL THE DELTA

WERINOCO, "THE PLACE TO PADDLE".

THEIR VILLAGES INSPIRED

EXPLORERS TO NAME THE COUNTRY

LITTLE VENICE, HENCE, VENEZUELA.

THE STILTED HOUSES CALLED

PALAFITOS ARE DESIGNED TO

WITHSTAND THE TWICE DAILY

FLOODS, AND THEIR OPEN SIDES

ENCOURAGE A COOLING BREEZE.

IT SEEMS AN IDYLLIC EXISTENCE,

BUT SOMEONE'S GOT TO FEED THE

FAMILY.

MEET ADILIO.

- HE HAS SET HIS NET ON THE HIGH - TIDE.

NOW HE'S HOPING GREAT TREASURES

HAVE WASHED DOWN ON THE CURRENT.

HIS TWO BOYS WATCH HIS EVERY

MOVE.

THEIR LIVES DEPEND ON LEARNING

THEIR FATHER'S SKILLS.

FROM A YOUNG AGE, WARAO CHILDREN

ARE PERFECTLY AT HOME IN THIS

WATER WORLD.

A GIANT CATFISH, OR LO-LO, THEY

CAN REACH COLOSSAL SIZES, AT

LEAST TWICE ADILIO'S WEIGHT.

BUT THIS ONE WILL BE MORE THAN

ENOUGH FOR TONIGHT'S SUPPER.

THE PALAFITOS ARE STURDY, BUT

THEY'RE NOT PERMANENT.

WHEN TIMBERS ROT OR FOOD BECOMES

SCARCE, THE NOMADIC WARAO SEEK

OUT A NEW HOME.

THEY NEVER STRAY FAR UPRIVER.

THEY KEEP TO THE RELATIVE SAFETY

OF THEIR FLOODED FORTRESS.

BUT EARLY EXPLORERS SAW THE

ORONOCO AS A ROUTE TO EL DORADO,

THE FABLED CITY OF GOLD.

SIR WALTER RALEIGH WAS ONE OF

THE FIRST.

IN 1595, HE AND HIS CREW MADE IT

THROUGH THE DELTA AND FIVE

HUNDRED MILES UPRIVER BEFORE A

SERIES OF RAPIDS HALTED THEIR

PROGRESS.

- THESE TURBULENT WATERS ARE FULL - OF OXYGEN, ATTRACTING VAST

SHOALS OF FISH, DRAWING IN

SCORES OF HUNGRY PREDATORS.

NEOTROPICAL CORMORANTS ARRIVE

EARLY EACH MORNING READY FOR A

FULL DAY'S FISHING.

SPECTACLED CAIMANS GATHER IN THE

SHALLOWS.

- THERE'S A STRICT HIERARCHY, AND - EACH HAS A REGULAR SPOT ON THE

RIVERBANK.

ONCE IN POSITION, THEY WAIT WITH

OPEN MOUTHS FOR BREAKFAST TO

COME THEIR WAY.

EGRETS AND HERONS SLOT IN WHERE

THEY CAN, OPPORTUNISTS READY TO

GRAB A SNACK.

THEN A FEARSOME SIGHT...

...ORONOCO CROCODILES, THE

LARGEST PREDATORS IN SOUTH

AMERICA.

THEY GROW UP TO 16 FEET LONG,

AND POWERFUL TAILS PROPEL THEM

AT GREAT SPEED.

THE NARROW SNOUT CUTS EASILY

THROUGH WATER.

THIS IS A SPECIALIST FISH-EATER.

- BUT IN THE COOL MORNING, - COLD-BLOODED CROCODILES TAKE A

WHILE TO GET UP TO SPEED,

LEAVING THE GO-GETTING

CORMORANTS TO STRIKE FIRST.

COMING UP, TAMING A WILD HORSE

CAN BE TRICKY, BUT WAIT UNTIL

YOU SEE HOW THIS NEW GENERATION

OF GAUCHOS HAS LEARNED TO SOOTHE

THE SAVAGE BEAST.

[BREAK]

.

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

- DYLAN: EAST OF THE ANDES - MOUNTAIN RANGE, THE GLACIAL

LAKES GIVE WAY TO THE DESERT OF

PATAGONIA'S STEP.

- GUANACOS HERE HAVE HAD A LESS - SEVERE WINTER THAN THOSE IN THE

HIGHLANDS, BUT THEY FACE

CHALLENGES OF THEIR OWN.

WITH NO RAINFALL AND FEW RIVERS,

GUANACOS MUST GET ALL THE

MOISTURE THEY NEED FROM EATING

THE FEW TOUGH PLANTS THAT MANAGE

TO GROW IN THE ARID CONDITIONS.

GUANACOS ARE THE ONLY LARGE

NATIVE HERBIVORES ABLE TO

SURVIVE HERE, BUT THEY DO HAVE

COMPETITION.

INTRODUCED 150 YEARS AGO, SHEEP

THRIVE IN PATAGONIA, BUT ONLY

WITH HUMAN HELP.

- BY SHEPHERDING THEIR FLOCKS LONG - DISTANCES BETWEEN PASTURES AND

FAR-FLUNG WATERPOINTS,

PATAGONIAN COWBOYS CALLED

GAUCHOS CAN RAISE THOUSANDS OF

SHEEP.

IT'S ARDUOUS WORK.

THESE GAUCHOS RELY ON THEIR

HORSES TO REACH THEIR FLOCKS.

A RIVER RUNNING THROUGH THEIR

LAND IS A VALUABLE ASSET, BUT AS

WELL AS BEING A VITAL WATER

SUPPLY, IT CAN BE A DAMAGING

FORCE.

- SNOW MELT IN THE MOUNTAINS AT - THIS TIME OF YEAR CAN SWELL

WATER LEVELS DRAMATICALLY IN A

MATTER OF HOURS.

THEY HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO PRESS

ON AND GET TO THE HERDS.

IT'S LAMBING TIME, THE MOST

DANGEROUS TIME FOR SHEEP.

- A GLUT OF YOUNG LAMBS OFTEN - DRAWS PREDATORS DOWN FROM THE

MOUNTAINS.

THEY'RE MUCH EASIER TO HUNT THAN

WILD GUANACOS.

THE GAUCHOS CANNOT AFFORD TO

LOSE THEIR LIVELIHOODS TO THE

JAWS OF A MOUNTAIN LION.

PUMAS ARE PESTS HERE, AND THE

GAUCHOS NEED TO BE VIGILANT.

- BREEDING WORKING ANIMALS STRONG - ENOUGH TO COPE WITH THIS

RANCHING LIFESTYLE IS TOUGH AND

DANGEROUS.

- THESE YOUNG HORSES WERE BORN ON - THE FARM, BUT HAVE NEVER BEEN

HANDLED.

[MAN SHOUTING]

- THEY HAVE LIVED ALMOST WILD FOR - THE LAST THREE YEARS, ROAMING

THE PLAINS AS A HERD.

BUT NOW IT'S TIME FOR THEM TO BE

CAUGHT AND TAMED.

DON ZOILA HAS BEEN WORKING WITH

HORSES SINCE HE WAS A BOY.

IN HIS YOUNGER DAYS, HE MIGHT

HAVE USED A LESS HUMANE WAY TO

BREAK IN THIS HORSE.

BUT TODAY, HE AND HIS STEPSON,

GERARDO, PRACTICE A MORE

COMPASSIONATE METHOD.

THEY BELIEVE THE SECRET BEHIND

TAMING A HORSE IS TO SPEAK ITS

LANGUAGE AND EARN ITS TRUST.

BUT IT'S NOT EASY.

- LITTLE BY LITTLE, THEY INTRODUCE - A YOUNG COLT TO A BIT AND A

SADDLE.

[HORSE NEIGHING]

[NEIGHING CONTINUES]

- FOR A HORSE THAT'S KNOWN - NOTHING BUT THE FREEDOM OF THE

FIELDS, IT'S A SHOCK TO THE

SYSTEM.

[HORSE NEIGHING]

[NEIGHING CONTINUES]

- THIS HORSE IS SO FEISTY, HE'S - BEEN NAMED CHISPA, MEANING

"SPARK".

- IT WILL TAKE A LOT MORE - PERSUASION TO CONVINCE CHISPA TO

TOW THE LINE, BUT THESE ARE

PATAGONIA'S PREMIUM GAUCHOS, AND

THEIR NEW METHODS OF TRAINING

WILL PREVAIL FOR THEIR HORSES.

[HORSE NEIGHING]

PATAGONIA IS ONE OF SOUTH

AMERICA'S LAST GREAT

WILDERNESSES.

A WINDSWEPT PLAIN IN THE SHADOW

OF FROZEN MOUNTAINS, IT HOLDS

THE WILD WONDER THAT MAKES IT

ONE OF THE MOST FASCINATING

REGIONS IN THE WORLD.

THANKS FOR JOINING ME ON THIS

SPECTACULAR JOURNEY THROUGH THE

GREATEST PLACES ON EARTH.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME FOR

ANOTHER "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]