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".

ON TODAY'S EPISODE, I'D BE LION

IF I SAID WE WOULDN'T EXPLORE

BIG CAT COUNTRY.

WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN SPOT THIS

SPOTTED SNOW LEOPARD IN THE

HIMALAYAS BEFORE HE SPOTS US.

PLUS, ONE OF THE RAREST AND MOST

BEAUTIFUL MAMMALS IN THE ANIMAL

KINGDOM.

AND LATER, THIS BENGAL TIGER HAS

HER EYES ON HER NEXT MEAL, BUT

THESE DEER HAVE DIFFERENT IDEAS.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THE - HIMALAYAS ARE THE HIGHEST AND

PERHAPS THE MOST FAMOUS

MOUNTAINS ON EARTH.

THE RANGE LIES ACROSS MULTIPLE

ASIAN COUNTRIES AND IT'S HOME TO

THE WORLD'S TALLEST PEAK, MOUNT

EVEREST.

BUT IT'S ALSO HOME TO A VARIETY

OF EXOTIC ANIMALS AND ANCIENT

CIVILIZATIONS WHO SHARE THIS

DANGEROUS BUT BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAIN

RANGE.

LET'S HEAD EAST TO EXPLORE WHAT

CREATURES AND CULTURES ARE

LIVING IN THE HIMALAYAS.

AT 16,500 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL,

AMONG THE MOST TREACHEROUS AND

UNTAMED MOUNTAINS IN THE WORLD,

CERTAIN HIGHLY ADAPTED SPECIES

HAVE MADE THE HIMALAYAS THEIR

HOME.

BLUE SHEEP, ALSO KNOWN AS

BHARAL, RESEMBLE GOATS RATHER

THAN THEIR WOOLY NAMESAKE.

LIVING IN SMALL GROUPS OF AROUND

20, THEY ARE ACTIVE THROUGHOUT

THE DAY.

WINTER FOOD IS SO SCARCE,

SEARCHING FOR HIDDEN ROOTS IS

PART OF THE DAILY ROUTINE, BUT

THE OCCASIONAL STUMP OF DRIED-UP

SUMMER GRASS STILL PROVIDES A

WELCOME BONUS.

DESPITE THEIR EXCELLENT

CAMOUFLAGE AND SUREFOOTED

ABILITY, BHARAL STILL FALL

VICTIM TO PREDATORS.

YOUNG LAMBS ARE PARTICULARLY

VULNERABLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN

FORCED TO BREAK COVER IN SEARCH

OF A MUCH-NEEDED DRINK.

BUT AERIAL HUNTERS AREN'T THE

MAIN THREAT ALONG THESE

SNOW-COVERED PLAINS.

ANOTHER PREDATOR PROWLS THE

PEAKS AND THERE'S NO LIMIT TO

THE SIZE OF THIS CREATURE'S

PREY.

FROM ABOVE, THE ELEMENT OF

SURPRISE IS ALL PART OF THIS

SNOW LEOPARD'S PREFERRED METHOD

OF CAPTURE.

LIKE MANY OF THE BIG CATS, THE

SNOW LEOPARD IS A POWERFUL

AMBUSH HUNTER.

BUT LIKE ALL MOUNTAIN GOATS,

THESE IBEX HAVE HIGHLY TUNED

SENSES.

THEIR EYES LOCK ON TO THE

IMPENDING DANGER BEFORE TAKING

EVASIVE ACTION.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: DESPITE HAVING

LARGE, ROCK-GRIPPING PADDED FEET

AND A LONG BALANCE-ASSISTING

TAIL, THIS LEOPARD STANDS LITTLE

CHANCE OF CATCHING ONE OF THE

MOST AGILE CREATURES ON THE

PLANET.

UNLESS IT CAN AVOID BEING

SPOTTED.

- BUT THE SNOW LEOPARD RARELY GOES - HUNGRY.

IT HAS A SECRET WEAPON.

- WHILE MOST MOUNTAIN GOATS BECOME - BLIND TO THE NIGHT, THE SNOW

LEOPARD'S EXCELLENT NOCTURNAL

VISION KICKS IN.

THIS ADVANTAGE EXPLAINS WHY THE

MAJORITY OF ITS SUCCESS TAKES

PLACE CLOSER TO DAWN AND DUSK.

WHEN WE RETURN, WHEN THE BENGAL

TIGER LURKS AROUND, THE LAST

PLACE YOU WANT TO BE IS ON THE

GROUND.

PLUS, THE UNBELIEVABLE STRENGTH

AND ABILITY OF ONE OF THE

WORLD'S MOST INCREDIBLE AND

INCREDIBLY FEARED HUNTERS: THE

INDIAN LEOPARD.

THEN, THERE ARE PLENTY OF

PREDATORS THAT LIVE IN THE THAR

DESERT, BUT WHICH ONE IS THE

MOST FEARED AND MOST PROTECTED?

.

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

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THE - WESTERN GHATS IN INDIA ARE A

VAST, ANCIENT MOUNTAIN RANGE.

THESE FORESTED SLOPES ARE A TRUE

WONDER OF THE NATURAL WORLD.

COVERING JUST SIX PERCENT OF

INDIA'S TOTAL LAND MASS, THESE

MOUNTAINS ARE HOME TO A THIRD OF

ALL THE COUNTRY'S PLANT AND

WILDLIFE SPECIES.

MAKING IT ONE OF THE MOST

BIODIVERSE PLACES ON EARTH.

THIS FOREST IS THE HUNTING

GROUND OF ONE OF INDIA'S APEX

PREDATORS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: SLOWLY MAKING ITS

WAY TOWARDS THEM, THE LEGENDARY

BENGAL TIGER.

THIS FEMALE IS A MASTER OF

STALKING AND AMBUSH.

THERE ARE EYES IN THE TREES,

READY TO RAISE THE ALARM IF THE

BIG CAT IS SPOTTED.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: BUT A SMALL GROUP - OF DEER HAS LEFT THE SAFETY OF

THE HERD.

IT HASN'T GONE UNNOTICED.

THE DEER ARE FAST.

SHE NEEDS TO GET CLOSE BEFORE

SPRINGING HER TRAP.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: TO SUCCEED, SHE

MUST GET WITHIN A FEW FEET OF

HER PREY.

SPOTTED DEER HAVE EXCELLENT

HEARING AND AN INCREDIBLE SENSE

OF SMELL.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: BUT IT'S THE

LANGURS WHO SPOT HER FIRST.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THE ALARM CALL - RINGS OUT, ALERTING EVERY ANIMAL

WITHIN RANGE.

FOR THE TIGER, THE OPPORTUNITY

FOR A SURPRISE ATTACK HAS NOW

SLIPPED AWAY.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: BUT ALTHOUGH THIS - ELUSIVE PREDATOR USUALLY PREFERS

TO REMAIN HIDDEN, THERE ARE

CERTAIN ANIMALS IN THIS FOREST

THAT SHE WANTS TO COMMUNICATE

WITH.

TIGERS ARE HIGHLY TERRITORIAL

AND RIVALS ROAM NEARBY.

- SHE MUST MARK OUT HER BORDERS OR - RISK A POTENTIALLY DEADLY

CONFRONTATION.

- FIRST, SHE SNIFFS FOR OTHER - TIGERS.

- AND THEN, IT'S TIME TO LEAVE HER - SCENT, INFORMING THE COMPETITION

TO KEEP AWAY.

HER RANGE CAN STRETCH MORE THAN

SEVEN SQUARE MILES.

IN THE HEAT OF THIS FOREST, JUST

MARKING OUT HER HUNTING GROUND

IS THIRSTY WORK.

SO, TO AVOID DEHYDRATION, SHE'LL

NOW REST THROUGH THE HOTTEST

PART OF THE DAY, KNOWING ALL

OTHER TIGERS WILL STAY OUT OF

HER DOMAIN.

THE ONLY TIME SHE'LL BREAK THIS

RULE IS DURING BREEDING SEASON.

BUT SOME ANIMALS IN THIS PART OF

INDIA ARE FAR MORE OPEN WHEN IT

COMES TO ROMANCE.

A HERD OF SAMBAR DEER AMBLE

THROUGH THE FOREST.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE INFANTS NEVER

STRAY FAR FROM THEIR MOTHERS.

AND LUSTFUL MALES ARE ALWAYS

CLOSE BEHIND.

SAMBAR DEER MATE YEAR-ROUND, SO

ROMANCE IS ALWAYS ON THE CARDS.

- AND THIS FEMALE IS ABOUT TO HAVE - HER MORNING BATH RUDELY

INTERRUPTED.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE HOPEFUL MALE

SEARCHES FOR ANY SIGN OF AN

INVITATION, BUT HIS PRIVATE

PARTY IS ABOUT TO BE GATE

CRASHED.

ANOTHER MALE IS ON THE SCENE.

HE'S DISTRACTED BY THE INTRUDER,

LEAVING THE FEMALE ALONE.

COMING UP, THE UNBELIEVABLE

STRENGTH AND ABILITY OF ONE OF

THE WORLD'S MOST INCREDIBLE AND

INCREDIBLY FEARED HUNTERS: THE

INDIAN LEOPARD.

PLUS, I'D BE LION IF I SAID WE

WOULDN'T EXPLORE BIG CAT

COUNTRY.

.

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

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: WELCOME - BACK.

- ON EVERY "EARTH ODYSSEY", WE - FIND A DIVERSE GROUP OF WILDLIFE

- ALL WITH UNIQUE TRAITS THAT - SERVE THEM IN THE WILD.

- WELL, YOU'RE ABOUT TO MEET - ANOTHER ANIMAL WITH A SPECIAL

TALENT FOR SURVIVING AND

THRIVING.

TAKE A LOOK.

IN THE NORTH OF INDIA, LIFE MUST

FIND A WAY TO SURVIVE IN ONE OF

SOUTH ASIA'S DRIEST REGIONS.

HERE AMONG THE CRAGGY HILLS AT

THE EDGE OF THE THAR DESERT,

HUMAN ACTIVITY HAS MAROONED ONE

OF INDIA'S MOST ICONIC

PREDATORS.

AMONG THESE ROCKS LAY THE

REMAINS OF A RECENT MEAL.

THIS INDIAN LEOPARD IS A

STEALTHY, NOCTURNAL HUNTER.

CAPABLE OF TAKING DOWN PREY

THREE TIMES ITS SIZE.

THIS MALE HAS BEEN OUT HUNTING

ALL NIGHT.

IN THE COOL DAWN AIR, HE PATROLS

HIS ROCKY DOMAIN.

KEEPING OUT A WATCHFUL EYE FOR

INTRUDERS.

HE WOULD PREFER TO LIVE A

SOLITARY EXISTENCE, BUT DUE TO

HABITAT LOSS, HE MUST NOW SHARE

THE SINGLE HUNTING GROUND WITH

FIVE OTHER LEOPARDS.

- WITH SO MUCH COMPETITION, THESE - BIG CATS ARE BEING FORCED TO

HUNT NIGHT AND DAY.

THE SUN MAY BE RISING, BUT THIS

YOUNG FEMALE IS HEADING DOWN TO

SEARCH FOR PREY.

AT JUST TWO YEARS OLD, SHE'S

STILL PERFECTING HER TECHNIQUE.

AND SHE'S ALREADY BEEN SPOTTED.

ALWAYS READY TO SOUND THE ALARM,

A TROOP OF HANUMAN LANGURS ARE

- KEEPING A CLOSE WATCH ON THE BIG - CAT'S EVERY MOVE.

THEY'VE CREATED SO MUCH NOISE,

THE WHOLE FOREST IS ALERTED TO

THIS LEOPARD'S UNEXPECTED

APPROACH.

INCLUDING INDIA'S LARGEST

ANTELOPE.

NILGAI ARE BIG AND FAST.

BUT THE CALF IS AN OBVIOUS

TARGET.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: EVEN A LEOPARD - THIS YOUNG KNOWS NOT TO WASTE

ENERGY ON A LONG CHASE.

PATIENCE WILL BE HER SECRET

WEAPON.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: SHE SPOTS AN - OPPORTUNITY FOR A SURPRISE

ATTACK.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: BUT UNFORTUNATELY

FOR THIS ROOKIE HUNTER, HER

CAMOUFLAGE IS BEST SUITED FOR

LOW LIGHT.

AND IN THE BRIGHTNESS OF DAY,

THE NILGAI SOON SPOT THE

APPROACHING DANGER.

PERHAPS ONCE NIGHT FALLS, THE

BIG CAT WILL REGAIN THE UPPER

HAND.

- THE WILDLIFE OF SOUTH ASIA FACES - HUGE CHALLENGES.

THE MONSOON HAS GIFTED LIFE IN

PLACES, BUT IN OTHERS, CLIMATE

CHANGE COULD TIP THE BALANCE.

- LEAVING THE FUTURE OF THIS - SUBCONTINENT'S WILDLIFE

UNCERTAIN.

- FROM THE BIG TO THE SMALL AND - EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN, ALL THESE

INCREDIBLE SPECIES MUST FIGHT

FOR THEIR SURVIVAL IN SOUTH

ASIA'S WILD EDENS.

COMING UP, THERE ARE PLENTY OF

PREDATORS THAT LIVE IN THE THAR

DESERT, BUT WHICH ONE IS THE

MOST FEARED AND MOST PROTECTED?

.

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

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: INDIA'S - GREAT DESERT.

BAKING HEAT, DEHYDRATING WINDS,

AND NEAR PERMANENT DROUGHT HAVE

EARNED THIS UNFORGIVING LAND

ANOTHER NAME...THE REGION OF

DEATH.

BUT THIS DESERT IS FULL OF LIFE.

IT'S A HOTSPOT FOR NATURE.

HOME TO SOME OF THE TOUGHEST AND

RAREST CREATURES ON EARTH.

- MILLIONS OF PEOPLE LIVE HERE, - TOO.

IT'S THE MOST CROWDED DESERT IN

THE WORLD.

- HUMANS AND ANIMALS HAVE FORGED - INCREDIBLE ALLIANCES TO SURVIVE.

THIS IS NO ORDINARY WILDERNESS.

THIS IS THE THAR.

THE DESERT OF LIFE.

THE THAR IS HOME TO A SURPRISING

NUMBER OF PREDATORS.

INDIAN FOXES.

HYENAS.

AND THE KING OF THEM ALL, AN

ANIMAL THAT ONCE RIVALED THE

TIGER.

AT THE FAR SOUTHERN EDGE OF THE

DESERT IN GUJARAT'S GIR FOREST

LIVES A PREDATOR NORMALLY

ASSOCIATED WITH AFRICA.

THIS PARCHED FOREST IS AT ITS

MOST DANGEROUS IN THE SUMMER

- WHEN ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST - FORMIDABLE PREDATORS HAS

YOUNGSTERS TO FEED.

LIFESAVING WATER SOURCES BECOME

DEATH TRAPS.

THIS IS LION COUNTRY.

FEMALES HAVE CUBS DURING THE

HOTTEST MONTHS OF THE YEAR.

- WHEN PREY IS FORCED TO VISIT - SHRINKING WATERHOLES AND IT'S

EASIER TO MAKE A KILL.

- INDIAN LIONS CAN HUNT - SUCCESSFULLY ALONE, USING THE

COVER OF THE TREES TO GET WITHIN

STRIKING DISTANCE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: UNLIKE THEIR

AFRICAN COUSINS, INDIAN LIONS

- HAVE A THINNER MANE AND A LONG - LINE OF SKIN RUNNING DOWN THEIR

BELLY.

THE GIR FOREST IS THE LAST

STRONGHOLD OF LIONS, WHICH ONCE

ROAMED ALL OVER EUROPE, ASIA,

AND INDIA.

- AFTER A CENTURY OF BIG GAME - HUNTING, THEY WERE AT THE BRINK

OF EXTINCTION.

IN 1900, THERE WERE JUST 20

LIONS LEFT.

NOW, THERE ARE AROUND 500.

- THEY OWE THEIR SURVIVAL TO THE - MALDHARI HERDSMAN WHO GAVE UP

THEIR ANCESTRAL HOMELANDS TO

CREATE A LION RESERVE.

- WITH NOTHING BUT THORN FENCES - FOR PROTECTION, THE MALDHARI'S

TOLERANCE FOR BIG CATS IS

REMARKABLE.

THE MALDHARIS ARE HINDUS AND

CONSIDER THE LIONS SACRED.

THEY WORSHIP THE MAN LION

NARASIMHA, A SUPREME GOD.

- EVEN THOUGH LIONS ARE VENTURING - OUTSIDE THE RESERVE, THE

MALDHARI CONTINUE TO TOLERATE

THEIR DANGEROUS NEIGHBOR.

THE RELATIONSHIP THAT HUMANS

HAVE WITH THE ANIMALS THAT

BELONG TO THE THAR DESERT IS

WHAT MAKES THIS LAND SO SPECIAL.

IT'S A LAND OF LIFE THAT ONLY

THRIVES WITH THE MUTUAL RESPECT

AND TRUST THAT PEOPLE SHARE WITH

THEIR ANIMAL NEIGHBORS.

- 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]