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 THERE, I'M DYLAN - DREYER AND THIS IS

"EARTH ODYSSEY".

ON TODAY'S EPISODE, WE EXPLORE

THE HIDDEN BEAUTY OF PATAGONIA.

- WE'LL DISCOVER SOME OF THE - WILDLIFE THAT YOU WOULD NEVER

EXPECT TO SEE IN SOUTH AMERICA.

PLUS, WE'LL GO ISLAND HOPPING

WITH SOME NOISY SEALS WHO KEEP

THEIR NEIGHBORS ON HIGH ALERT.

PLUS, WE'LL EXPLORE JUST OFF

VANCOUVER'S SHORE AND QUICKLY

FIND OUT WHO IS THE CHIEF OF

THIS REEF.

AND LATER, WE HEAD TO THE

HEBRIDES, AN ISLAND CHAIN OFF

THE COAST OF SCOTLAND.

HERE, SEA MAMMALS LIKE THE GREY

SEAL TAKE UP RESIDENCE ON THE

DESERTED BEACHES WHERE THEY MUST

FIGHT FOR THEIR VERY EXISTENCE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE PATAGONIA REGION IS

HOME TO SOME OF THE MOST DIVERSE

LANDSCAPES AND INCREDIBLE

WILDLIFE ON THE PLANET.

DESPITE COMPRISING NEARLY A

THIRD OF THE ENTIRE CONTINENT OF

SOUTH AMERICA, FEWER THAN TWO

MILLION PEOPLE LIVE IN THIS

REGION.

- ITS UNPREDICTABLE CLIMATE AND - EVERCHANGING LANDSCAPE MAKE IT

HARDER FOR HUMANS TO CALL HOME.

SO, WHO RULES THIS RIGID REGION?

LET'S EXPLORE TO FIND OUT.

JUST OFFSHORE OF PATAGONIA ARE

SOME OF THE LARGEST ANIMALS IN

THE OCEAN.

SOUTHERN RIGHT WHALES CAN GROW

UP TO 60 FEET LONG AND WEIGH AS

MUCH AS 80 TONS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ABOUT 1,500 OF THESE

OCEAN GIANTS SPEND THE SUMMER

AROUND PENINSULA VALDEZ.

MANY HAVE COME TO GIVE BIRTH.

AWAY FROM THE FIERCE SEAS, THESE

PROTECTED BAYS AND THEIR

RELATIVELY WARM WATERS ARE THE

IDEAL NURSERY FOR YOUNG WHALES.

NEWBORNS WEIGH OVER A TON.

CALVES DRINK MORE THAN 40

GALLONS OF MILK AND PUT ON MORE

THAN 200 POUNDS EVERY DAY.

AND THEY'LL DO THIS FOR A YEAR

BEFORE THEY ARE WEANED.

EVEN THESE TITANS WOULD BE AT

RISK IN THE OPEN OCEAN.

- GREAT WHITE SHARKS PATROL - OFFSHORE, WHERE THEY COULD

EASILY MAKE A MEAL OF A BABY

WHALE.

GREAT WHITES NEED DEEP WATER TO

LAUNCH AN ATTACK AND RARELY

VENTURE INTO SHELTERED BAYS.

SO, WHALE MOTHERS KNOW TO HUG

THE COASTLINE TO KEEP THEIR

YOUNG OUT OF DANGER.

- BUT CLOSER TO LAND, THERE'S - ANOTHER THREAT.

KELP GULLS HAVE LEARNED THAT THE

LOUNGING WHALES ARE THE SOURCE

OF A GOOD MEAL.

WHALE SKIN IS SURPRISINGLY SOFT

AND THE GULLS' BEAKS ARE SHARP.

DWARFED BY THE HUGE WHALES, THE

GULLS PICK AT THEIR BLUBBER.

DESPITE THE SIZE DIFFERENCE, THE

WHALES ARE CLEARLY

UNCOMFORTABLE.

- AS WELL AS CAUSING PAINFUL CUTS, - HARASSMENT FROM THE GULLS MEANS

WHALES DIVE MORE FREQUENTLY,

WHICH CAN MAKE LIFE VERY HARD

FOR THEIR CALVES.

- YOUNGSTERS CAN'T HOLD THEIR - BREATH FOR AS LONG AS ADULTS AND

NEED TO LEAN ON THEIR MOTHERS

WHILE THEY REST AT THE SURFACE.

- IN JUST A FEW WEEKS, THE CALVES - WILL NEED TO BE STRONG ENOUGH TO

LEAVE THESE BAYS AND MIGRATE

SOUTH WITH THEIR MOTHERS TO

THEIR FEEDING GROUNDS IN

ANTARCTICA.

COMING UP, MEET THESE GIANT

SEALS WHO HAVE NO TROUBLE

THROWING THEIR WEIGHT AROUND.

AND LATER, SEA MAMMALS LIKE THE

GREY SEAL TAKE UP RESIDENCE ON

THE DESERTED BEACHES WHERE THEY

MUST FIGHT FOR THEIR VERY

EXISTENCE.

PLUS, THIS FISH MAY BE A STAR

BUT IT'S HARDLY THE BIGGEST SEA

CREATURE IN VANCOUVER'S REEFS.

.

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

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: JUST 300 MILES OFF THE - COAST OF SOUTH AMERICA, YOU'LL

- FIND THE CHAIN OF FALKLAND - ISLANDS.

700 IN TOTAL.

WIND-SWEPT AND WILD, THESE

ISLANDS LOOK AS IF NOTHING COULD

SURVIVE AND IT'S TRUE.

THERE ARE NO NATIVE LAND MAMMALS

OR REPTILES, BUT NATURE STILL

FINDS A WAY.

THIS ISLAND IS A POPULAR SPOT

FOR SOUTHERN SEA LIONS.

IN FACT, SEA LIONS PROWL THE

ENTIRE FALKLANDS.

AS MANY AS 5,000 NOW LIVE HERE.

PART OF THE SEAL FAMILY, THE

MALE SEA LION WEIGHS IN AT 700

POUNDS AND MEASURES ALMOST 10

FEET FROM NOSE TO TAIL.

LIKE A LION, THIS SEAL HAS A

MANE OF FUR ON HIS HEAD AND

NECK.

THE MALES ARE MUCH LARGER;

ALMOST THREE TIMES THE SIZE OF

FEMALE SEA LIONS.

A NURSERY OF BABY SEALS IS

CALLED A ROOKERY.

MANY OF THESE PUPS ARE BARELY A

DAY OR TWO OLD, BUT THEY GAIN

WEIGHT QUICKLY.

ALREADY PUSHING 30 POUNDS OR

MORE.

THE SEALS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A

PRETTY DAY AND WARM UP UNDER THE

SUN.

THEY HAVE TO SHARE THIS LAND

WITH ANOTHER MAMMOTH CREATURE.

MEET THE ELEPHANT SEAL.

APTLY NAMED FOR ITS GIGANTIC

SNOUT THAT LOOKS LIKE AN

ELEPHANT'S TRUNK.

THESE LARGE APPENDAGES HELP THE

SEALS COMMUNICATE WITH OTHERS.

ROARS CAN BE HEARD MORE THAN

HALF A MILE AWAY.

[SEALS ROARING]

DYLAN: THE ELEPHANT SEAL IS THE

LARGEST AMPHIBIOUS MAMMAL IN THE

WORLD.

SPENDING ITS TIME BOTH ON THE

LAND AND IN THE SEA.

THEY'LL HUNT IN OPEN WATER FOR

TEN MONTHS STRAIGHT.

THEY GROW TO AN ASTOUNDING 20

FEET LONG, WEIGHING AS MUCH AS

THREE FAMILY-SIZED CARS.

- THE YOUNG MALES LIKE TO SPAR - WITH EACH OTHER, A GOOD WAY TO

PASS THE TIME AND BUILD

STRENGTH.

THEY'LL NEED IT AS THEY GROW UP

ON THESE WILD ISLANDS.

COMING UP, WE HEAD TO THE

HEBRIDES, HERE SEA MAMMALS MUST

FIGHT FOR THEIR VERY EXISTENCE.

PLUS, THIS FISH MAY BE A STAR

BUT IT'S HARDLY THE BIGGEST SEA

CREATURE IN VANCOUVER'S REEFS.

.

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

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: 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.

LYING JUST OFF THE WEST COAST OF

SCOTLAND, THE HEBRIDES

ARCHIPELAGO IS MADE UP OF MORE

THAN 500 ISLANDS AND ISLETS.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: ISOLATION FROM THE - MAINLAND HAS MADE THE HEBRIDES

- THE PERFECT BREEDING GROUND FOR - MILLIONS OF CREATURES.

EARNING IT THE NAME EUROPE'S

LAST WILDERNESS.

EVER SINCE THEY WERE EXPOSED AT

THE END OF THE ICE AGE, THE

HEBRIDES ISLANDS HAVE BEEN A

LAND OF MYSTERY.

EARLY SAILORS RECOUNTED TALES OF

MERMAIDS WHO WOULD CALL OUT FROM

COASTAL CAVES.

LURING THE SAILORS INTO THE

ROCKS AND INTO A WATERY GRAVE.

ALTHOUGH MERMAIDS ARE THE STUFF

OF LEGENDS, THESE EERIE CALLS

CAN STILL BE HEARD TODAY.

GREY SEALS TAKE REFUGE IN THESE

CAVERNS.

AND THEY ARE THE MOST VOCAL OF

ALL SEAL SPECIES.

HALF OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION

OF GREY SEALS LIVES ALONG THE

BRITISH COAST.

THE MONARCH ISLES ON THE OUTER

HEBRIDES CHAIN HOST ONE OF THE

LARGEST GATHERINGS OF GREY SEALS

ON THE PLANET.

EACH WINTER, MORE THAN 35,000 OF

THESE SEA MAMMALS ARRIVE ON THE

ISLAND'S ISOLATED SHORES.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: ALTHOUGH MOTHERS GIVE - BIRTH TO JUST ONE PUP AT A TIME,

AROUND 9,000 ARE BORN HERE EVERY

YEAR.

PUPS NURSE FOR JUST 18 DAYS, THE

MOTHER'S MILK IS SO RICH IT

CONTAINS AROUND 60 PERCENT FAT.

THIS NUTRIENT-RICH MILK IS

ESSENTIAL SINCE THESE YOUNGSTERS

NEED TO PACK ON ABOUT FIVE

POUNDS A DAY.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: IN AROUND THREE WEEKS - TIME, THEIR WEIGHT MORE THAN

TRIPLES.

- ONCE THE PUPS ARE WEANED, - THEY'RE ABANDONED BY THEIR

MOTHERS AND LEFT TO FEND FOR

THEMSELVES.

- WITHOUT THE BURDEN OF A NURSING - CHILD, THE MOTHER IS FREE TO

MATE AGAIN.

IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS TIME, HUNGER

WILL DRIVE THESE ORPHANED PUPS

INTO THE OCEAN IN SEARCH OF

FOOD.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: BULL SEALS PLAY NO PART

IN THE RAISING OF THE YOUNG.

THEY HAVE A MORE IMPORTANT

MISSION: THE OLDER MALES MUST

BATTLE OVER TERRITORIAL RIGHTS

AND ACCESS TO THE FEMALE SEALS.

IT TAKES ABOUT TEN YEARS FOR THE

OLDER MALES TO BECOME LARGE AND

STRONG ENOUGH TO STAKE THEIR

CLAIM.

[SEALS ROARING]

DYLAN: SOMETIMES AN

INTIMIDATING SNARL CAN WARD OFF

A POTENTIAL RIVAL.

[SEAL ROARING]

DYLAN: BUT THESE TWO WARRIORS

APPEAR TO HAVE MET THEIR MATCH.

[SEALS ROARING]

DYLAN: FIGHTS BETWEEN BULL

SEALS CAN GET DOWN AND DIRTY,

OFTEN LEADING TO A SITUATION

WHERE ONLY WALKS OR SCOOTS AWAY.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THIS MALE REALIZES HE'S

NO MATCH AND EVENTUALLY BACKS

DOWN.

THE WATERS OFF THE HEBRIDES ARE

TEEMING WITH COUNTLESS VARIETIES

OF FISH.

SO IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT GREY

SEALS HAVE TO SHARE THIS FOOD

SOURCE WITH SOME OF THE LARGEST

SEA CREATURES ON THE PLANET.

MINKE WHALES WEIGH UP TO 15 TONS

AND CAN MEASURE UP TO 30 FEET IN

LENGTH.

THESE MAMMOTH ANIMALS LUNGE AT

THEIR PREY FROM BENEATH THE

SURFACE, SWALLOWING LARGE

VOLUMES OF FISH IN A SINGLE

GULP.

THE WHALES GENERALLY LIVE

SOLITARY LIVES BUT THEY

SOMETIMES GATHER IN GROUPS OF

TEN OR MORE WHEN FEEDING.

- BUT MINKE WHALES AREN'T THE ONLY - ONES LINING UP FOR THIS BUFFET.

- 24 SPECIES OF WHALES, DOLPHINS, - AND PORPOISES PATROL THESE

WATERS.

- INCLUDING BRITAIN'S LARGEST - FISH.

MEET THE BASKING SHARK.

THIS SLACK-JAWED CREATURE CAN

REACH UP TO 22 FEET IN LENGTH

AND HAS A DORSAL FIN UP TO FOUR

AND A HALF FEET HIGH.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THEY'RE DRAWN TO THE - HEBRIDES PLANKTON-RICH WATERS

WHERE THEY REMAIN CLOSE TO THE

SURFACE TO FEED.

THESE MASSIVE SHARKS FILTER

AROUND A MILLION AND A HALF

LITERS OF WATER EVERY HOUR.

TRAPPING THE TINY PLANKTON IN

THEIR ODD-LOOKING GILLS.

ANOTHER MIGHTY BEAST IS ALSO

FIGHTING FOR FOOD AND SURVIVAL.

COMING UP, WE EXPLORE THE OCEAN

ONE LAST TIME TO SEE IF WE CAN

FIND OR AVOID VANCOUVER ISLAND'S

UNDERWATER GIANTS.

.

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

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: VANCOUVER ISLAND HAS - SOME OF THE MOST FOOD-RICH

SHORES ON THE PLANET.

- WHICH ARE HOME TO AN ABUNDANCE - OF MARINE CREATURES.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THIS INTERTIDAL ZONE IS

A COLORFUL, COLDWATER PARADISE

THAT PUTS MANY TROPICAL REEFS TO

SHAME.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: IN SUMMER, SUPER RICH - PLANKTON BLOOMS GIVE AQUATIC

CREATURES A HUGE STEROID BOOST.

- DURING WINTER, THE WATER - TEMPERATURE DROPS TO JUST 41

DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

THIS ALLOWS DEEPER OCEAN OXYGEN

AND NUTRIENTS TO RISE TO THE

SURFACE AND BE WASHED CLOSER TO

SHORE.

BARNACLES SWEEP FOR PLANKTON

WITH THEIR FANLIKE FEET.

FEATHER DUSTER WORMS WAVE THEIR

STICKY TENTACLES, TRAPPING

EDIBLE DEBRIS MUCH LIKE A

SPIDER'S WEB.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: STARFISH HERE GROW TO

ENORMOUS SIZES.

SOME, LIKE THE SUNFLOWER STAR,

REACH UP TO THREE FEET ACROSS.

THESE GIANTS CAN HAVE UP TO

15,000 TUBE FEET.

THEY CAN MOVE AT MORE THAN A FEW

FEET A MINUTE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: MANY TIDAL CREATURES

PREFER TO KEEP A LOW PROFILE.

CAMOUFLAGE IS OFTEN KEY TO

SURVIVAL.

FOR A CRAB, BREAKING COVER IS A

DANGEROUS DECISION.

THE INTERTIDAL ZONE IS PATROLLED

BY A MONSTER.

AND CRUSTACEANS ARE ALWAYS ON

THE MENU.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THE GIANT PACIFIC - OCTOPUS IS THE LARGEST IN THE

WORLD.

IT CAN HAVE AN ARM SPAN OF MORE

THAN 30 FEET AND WEIGH MORE THAN

500 POUNDS.

FISH, SHARKS, EVEN BIRDS ARE

SOMETIMES EATEN.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: PREDATORS ASIDE, THE

INTERTIDAL ZONE CAN BE ONE OF

THE MOST DANGEROUS HABITATS.

HIGH TIDES BRING CRASHING WATERS

CAPABLE OF CRUSHING ANYTHING

UNTETHERED OR NOT GLUED TO THE

ROCKS.

LOW TIDES CAN EXPOSE PLANTS AND

ANIMALS TO HOT SUN, FRESHWATER,

AND DEHYDRATING AIR.

- BUT WITH THE NUTRIENTS THAT - VANCOUVER ISLAND RECEIVES FROM

THE LIFE CYCLE FROM ALL LIVING

THINGS, ANIMALS CONTINUE TO

THRIVE IN THIS UNBELIEVABLE

HABITAT.

- 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]