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 TRAVEL TO SOUTHERN - SOUTH AMERICA.

ALONG THE WAY, WE'LL MEET SOME

SPECTACULAR ANIMALS, LIKE THESE

HIGH-FIVING PENGUIN PALS.

AND LATER, THE BIGGEST OTTERS IN

THE WORLD THAT YOU "OTTER" KNOW

ABOUT.

PLUS, IT'S SHOW AND SHELL TIME

FOR THESE TINY TURTLE

HATCHLINGS.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

DYLAN: SOUTH AMERICA IS HOME TO

SOME OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE

PLACES ON EARTH.

FROM THE AMAZON RAINFOREST TO

THE ORINOCO RIVER, THESE REGIONS

PROVIDE THE RESOURCES NEEDED TO

SUSTAIN SOME OF THE MOST DIVERSE

CREATURES ON THE PLANET, AND

THERE'S ONE REGION THAT'S RULED

BY SOME OF THE OLDEST AND

STRANGEST CREATURES OF THEM ALL,

PATAGONIA.

- STRETCHING FROM ARGENTINA TO - CHILE, THIS IS HOME TO THE

LARGEST DINOSAUR FOSSIL EVER

FOUND, THE SECOND OLDEST TREE ON

EARTH, AND A SPECIES OF

FLIGHTLESS BIRD THAT ALMOST

OUTNUMBERS HUMANS.

TAKE A LOOK INSIDE THE WILDLIFE

OF PATAGONIA.

FIVE HUNDRED MILES EAST OF THE

ANDES AND BEYOND PATAGONIA'S

VAST PLAINS LIES PENINSULA

VALDES.

IT STICKS OUT INTO THE ATLANTIC

OCEAN TO FORM TWO SHELTERED

- BAYS, PROVIDING A WELCOME - RESTING PLACE FOR OCEAN FRIENDS.

THESE MAGELLANIC PENGUINS HAVE

BEEN AT SEA FOR SIX MONTHS, BUT

THEY MUST COME TO THE SHORE TO

BREED.

PENGUIN COUPLES RETURN TO THE

SAME NEST YEAR AFTER YEAR.

THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS

OF PENGUIN NESTS IN SEVERAL

COLONIES ALONG THIS COAST.

IN THESE LARGE ROOKERIES, SOME

PENGUINS MUST WALK OVER A MILE

INLAND TO REACH THEIR BURROW.

NOT EASY FOR AN ANIMAL ADAPTED

TO LIFE IN THE OCEAN.

PENGUIN BODIES ARE BUILT FOR THE

SEA.

TIGHTLY PACKED FEATHERS ARE

COATED IN WATER-RESISTANT OIL

SECRETED BY A GLAND ABOVE THE

TAIL, AND WITH FLIPPER-LIKE

WINGS, THEY FLY THROUGH THE

WATER.

LIFE ON LAND IS MUCH HARDER

WORK.

EVEN ON PATAGONIA'S COOL SPRING

DAYS, A PENGUIN CAN OVERHEAT.

THEY CAN'T SWEAT, BUT PATCHES

AROUND THEIR EYES HELP BREAK

- DOWN THE HEAT, AND THEY CAN EVEN - PANT TO KEEP COOL.

COLONIES DISPERSE WHEN THEY'RE

AT SEA, AND THESE PENGUIN PAIRS

HAVEN'T SEEN EACH OTHER FOR SIX

MONTHS.

THEY'RE DESPERATE TO FIND THEIR

PARTNERS, BUT FINDING YOUR MATE

AMONG THE MULTITUDE CAN BE

TRICKY.

BILL FENCING IS A WAY OF

GREETING OLD ACQUAINTANCES, LIKE

A HANDSHAKE OR A PENGUIN POUND.

BUT NOT ALL PENGUINS ARE PLEASED

TO SEE EACH OTHER.

SQUABBLES OVER NEST SITES ARE

COMMON.

[PENGUIN WAILING]

LOUD CRIES CARRY RIGHT ACROSS

THE COLONY, AND EACH PENGUIN

RECOGNIZES THE DISTINCTIVE CALL

OF ITS PARTNER.

THESE LONG-DISTANCE

RELATIONSHIPS SEEM TO WORK, AND

- THESE LOVEBIRDS ARE READY TO - SETTLE DOWN FOR THE LONG SUMMER.

COMING UP, THE BIGGEST OTTERS IN

THE WORLD THAT YOU "OTTER" KNOW

ABOUT.

AND LATER, WE GET INSIDE THE

MIND OF THE LOGGERHEAD TURTLE.

.

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

- DYLAN: THE AMAZON RIVER ISLANDS - ARE THE HEART OF THE AMAZON

RIVER.

- THESE ANCIENT ISLANDS WERE - FORMED DURING A TIME OF CHANGE

IN THE AMAZON MORE THAN 1,500

YEARS AGO.

THEN, THE BLACK WATERS OF THE

RIO NEGRO DID NOT FLOW SO FREELY

INTO THE MIGHTY AMAZON RIVER.

CONDITIONS WERE MUCH CALMER.

- SEDIMENT ARRIVING FROM THE RIO - BRANCO TO THE NORTH STARTED TO

SETTLE.

JOINED BY WATERS FROM THE RIO

NEGRO'S UPPER REACHES, POCKETS

OF FOREST STARTED TO FORM.

THEY DEVELOPED INTO THE ISLANDS

WE SEE TODAY.

OVER TIME, THE RIO NEGRO ONCE

AGAIN PICKED UP PACE AND STARTED

TO FLOW BACK INTO THE AMAZON.

THE ISLANDS WERE LEFT AND

SURVIVE TO THIS DAY, BUT THEY

- WOULDN'T EXIST AT ALL IF IT - WEREN'T FOR THE WHITE WATERS OF

THE RIO BRANCO, WHERE EVEN TO

THIS DAY, LIFE DOESN'T JUST

SURVIVE; IT FLOURISHES.

ONE OF THE RIO BRANCO'S MOST

CHARISMATIC CREATURES IS THE

GIANT RIVER OTTER.

THE OTTERS SPEND MOST OF THEIR

TIME HUNTING.

- MOVING AS A PACK, THEY'RE ABLE - TO CORRAL FISH BEFORE PICKING

THEM OFF ONE-BY-ONE.

FRESH FISH MAKE A FINE

BREAKFAST.

- OTTERS NEED TO FUEL THEIR - ENERGETIC LIFESTYLE AND CAN

CRUNCH THROUGH UP TO EIGHT

POUNDS OF FISH A DAY.

- CATCHING THE FISH WITH THEIR - MOUTHS, THEY THEN HOLD THEM WITH

THEIR FOREPAWS AS THEY DEVOUR

THEIR PREY, SCALES AND ALL.

BUT THESE PREDATORS HAVE A

SOFTER SIDE, AND WHEN BREAKFAST

IS OVER, IT'S TIME TO PLAY.

[OTTER SPLASHING]

GIANT RIVER OTTERS LIVE IN

LARGE FAMILY GROUPS, AND IT WILL

- BE SOME TIME BEFORE LAST YEAR'S - CUBS HEAD OFF TO FORM FAMILIES

OF THEIR OWN.

FAMILY LIFE REVOLVES AROUND THE

DEN.

THE MOTHER REMAINS HIDDEN WHILE

SHE RAISES THE NEXT GENERATION.

- WITH SEVERAL DENS DOTTED AROUND - THEIR TERRITORY, THE FAMILY

MOVES REGULARLY IN SEARCH OF

FISH AND TO AVOID UNWANTED

ATTENTION FROM PREDATORS.

- JUST A FEW MONTHS OLD, THE CUBS - MUST BE CARRIED, AS THEY'RE

STILL TOO YOUNG TO SWIM.

THE FAMILY HEADS OFF UPRIVER.

- ARRIVING AT THEIR NEXT DEN, THE - FIRST PRIORITY IS TO GET THE

CUBS INSIDE WHERE IT'S SAFE.

- THE FATHER KEEPS WATCH WHILE HIS - FAMILY SETTLES INTO THEIR NEW

HOME.

- THE MALE'S SCENT MARKS THE - ENTRANCE TO WARN OTHERS THAT

THEY ARE NOW IN RESIDENCE.

IT'S A PUNGENT CONCOCTION THAT

WILL KEEP EVEN THE NOSIEST

NEIGHBORS AWAY.

COMING UP, WE TRAVEL TO THE

GANGES RIVER AND GO ON AN

EXPEDITION WITH ONE OF THE MOST

FASCINATING FISHING PARTNERS IN

THE WORLD.

AND LATER, WE GET INSIDE THE

MIND OF THE LOGGERHEAD TURTLE.

.

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

- DYLAN: ALONG WITH BEING A - NATURAL WONDER, THE GANGES RIVER

IS A CRITICAL SOURCE OF INCOME

FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES.

MANY PEOPLE WHO LIVE ALONG ITS

SHORES MAKE THEIR LIVING FROM

TRADING, TRANSPORTATION, AND

MOST TRADITIONALLY, FISHING.

BUT SOMETIMES EVEN THE MOST

EXPERIENCED ANGLER NEEDS HELP

FROM A VERY UNIQUE LOCAL EXPERT,

ONE WHOSE FEE FOR SERVICES

RENDERED IS JUST A HEFTY MEAL

FROM THE DAY'S CATCH.

TAKE A LOOK.

- THE GANGES, THE LONGEST RIVER IN - INDIA.

ON ITS EPIC JOURNEY FROM THE

WORLD'S HIGHEST MOUNTAINS

THROUGH CULTIVATED FARMLAND,

SPRAWLING WILDERNESS, TO THE

INDIAN OCEAN, IT PROVIDES A HOME

TO SOME OF INDIA'S RAREST

CREATURES...

...AND A LIFELINE TO MILLIONS OF

PEOPLE.

- CONSIDERED A GODDESS TO HINDUS, - THE GANGES HARBORS ONE OF THE

GREATEST CONTRADICTIONS OF LIFE

IN INDIA.

AND THE GANGES HIDES

LIFE-SUSTAINING SECRETS.

SASHIN HAS MADE HIS LIVING ON

THE GANGES FOR MORE THAN 40

YEARS.

BUT SASHIN IS NO ORDINARY

ANGLER.

HE HAS A SECRET WEAPON.

[OTTERS SHRIEKING]

OTTERS.

[MEN SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

HE'S RECRUITED SOME OF NATURE'S

MOST TALENTED FISHERMEN AND

TRAINED THEM TO HERD FISH INTO

HIS NETS.

THE FACT THAT FISH SURVIVE IN

THIS POLLUTED RIVER IS ANOTHER

INDICATION THAT GANGES WATER HAS

UNIQUE PROPERTIES.

[OTTERS SHRIEKING]

[SHRIEKING CONTINUES]

TODAY'S CATCH IS SMALL, BUT

PROFITABLE.

CATFISH CAN FETCH MORE THAN 30

DOLLARS EACH.

[OTTERS SHRIEKING]

- THIS FAMILY OF OTTERS HAS BEEN - FISHING WITH SASHIN'S FAMILY FOR

GENERATIONS.

[OTTER SHRIEKING]

BUT THE MEN MUST STILL BE

CAREFUL.

[OTTER SHRIEKING]

EVEN A FRIENDLY NIP OF THE

FINGER COULD DO A LOT OF DAMAGE.

[OTTERS SHRIEKING]

OTTERS WORK HARD AND ARE

WELL-PAID FOR THEIR LABOR.

- NO MATTER HOW SMALL THE CATCH, - THEY ARE FIRST TO BE FED.

- BACK IN THEIR VILLAGE, THE - OTTERS GET TIME TO TAKE A DUST

BATH WITH THEIR PUPS.

THIS IS THEIR FOURTH LITTER,

FIVE HEALTHY AND BOISTEROUS

MALES.

A SECOND HELPING OF FISH KEEPS

THE FAMILY CONTENT.

THE PUPS HAVE A LOT TO LEARN YET

ABOUT CATCHING FOOD.

THEY ARE THREE MONTHS OLD AND

JUST ABOUT WEANED.

SASHIN'S MOTHER ALWAYS LENDS A

HAND REARING THE OTTERS.

- IN A FEW WEEKS, THESE YOUNGSTERS - WILL BEGIN THEIR TRAINING AND

LEARN TO FISH WITH THE HUMANS.

AND WHEN THEY ARE A YEAR OLD,

SASHIN WILL SELL THEM ON.

A GOOD FISHING OTTER CAN FETCH

MORE THAN 200 DOLLARS.

- MUCH OF THE FISH SASHIN CATCHES - IS SOLD AND TRANSPORTED

DOWNSTREAM.

- THE MARKETS WHERE THE FISH ARE - SOLD HAVE HUGE GATHERINGS.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HUMANS

AND ANIMALS ON THE GANGES RIVER

IS SACRED, AND THERE'S ONE BOND

THAT GOES BENEATH THE SURFACE.

[OTTER SHRIEKING]

COMING UP, THESE LOGGERHEAD

TURTLES KNOW "EGGS-ACTLY" WHERE

TO LAY THEIR EGGS.

.

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

DYLAN: WELCOME TO THE WILD EDEN

OF TURKEY.

- 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.

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.

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

SPECIES TO FIGHT HARDER THAN

EVER TO SURVIVE.

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.

- 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 PLAYING]