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: WELCOME TO "EARTH - ODYSSEY".

I'M DYLAN DREYER.

- GET READY TO TRAVEL AROUND THE - WORLD.

TODAY, WE DISCOVER THE RUGGED

BEAUTY AND WONDER OF THE WORLD'S

ELEPHANTS.

WE'LL DISCOVER WHERE THE GIANTS

GO TO SOCIALIZE WITH THEIR BEST

AND BIGGEST FRIENDS.

PLUS, WE TRAVEL TO THE ANCIENT

ISLAND COUNTRY OF SRI LANKA AND

SEE HOW LOWLAND ELEPHANT BULLS

GO HEAD-TO-HEAD IN A BATTLE FOR

DOMINATION.

AND LATER, FIND OUT WHY THESE

ASIAN ELEPHANTS HAVE BECOME

KNOWN AS THE GARDENERS OF THE JUNGLE

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THE NORTHEAST REGION OF - INDIA IS ONE OF THE MOST

MYSTERIOUS AND LEAST EXPLORED

PLACES ON EARTH.

ALTHOUGH, TYPICALLY KNOWN AS THE

SEVEN SISTER STATES, THERE ARE

ACTUALLY EIGHT INDIAN STATES

THAT MAKE UP THIS ISOLATED

REGION.

EACH STATE IS UNIQUELY DIFFERENT

IN THEIR CULTURE, LANDSCAPE, AND

WILDLIFE.

LET'S EXPLORE THIS AWESOME AND

OFTEN OFF-LIMITS WORLD THAT

GIVES NORTHEAST INDIA ITS

DIVERSITY, CHARACTER, AND SENSE

OF ADVENTURE.

NESTLING IN THE FOOTHILLS OF THE

HIMALAYAS IS A LUSH, GREEN, AND

MOUNTAINOUS WORLD.

FORESTS AND VALLEYS TEEM WITH

LIFE.

AND THEY ARE HOME TO A QUARTER

OF THE WORLD'S ASIAN ELEPHANTS.

ONCE, THEY MIGRATED FREELY

ACROSS INDIA ON AN EPIC 800 MILE

JOURNEY.

TODAY, THEIR AGE-OLD PATHS ARE

PUNCTUATED WITH OBSTACLES AND

DANGER.

- BUT HERDS CONTINUE THEIR QUEST - TO FIND BETTER GRAZING AND AMPLE

WATER BY FOLLOWING THE MONSOON

NORTH.

THEIR ANNUAL TREK TAKES THEM

THROUGH JUNGLES, ACROSS PLAINS,

AND UP MOUNTAINS ALMOST TWO

MILES HIGH.

THE HERD IS LED BY THE OLDEST

FEMALE, THE MATRIARCH.

IT'S HER RESPONSIBILITY TO

REMEMBER THE ANCIENT ROUTES.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ELEPHANTS NEED A HUGE

AMOUNT OF FOOD TO SUSTAIN THEM.

ADULTS NEED TO EAT ALMOST 500

POUNDS OF VEGETATION A DAY.

THAT'S THE SAME WEIGHT AS TWO

AND A HALF FULLY GROWN MEN.

AND THEY NEED MORE THAN 25

GALLONS OF WATER A DAY TO WASH

IT DOWN.

THEIR TRUNK IS AN AMAZING

MULTIPURPOSE TOOL.

USED FOR BREATHING, SMELLING,

AND COMMUNICATING, AND CAN BE A

DANGEROUS WEAPON.

IT ALSO MAKES AN EXCELLENT

SHOWER.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ELEPHANTS LOVE WATER.

BUT THE BATHERS CAN'T LINGER,

THE MATRIARCH MUST GET HER HERD

BACK ON TRACK AND CONTINUE TO

FOLLOW THE PATH OF THE MONSOON.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: ADULT ELEPHANTS ARE TOO - LARGE TO BE THREATENED BY

PREDATORS, BUT FOR A YOUNG

ELEPHANT, INDIA'S FORESTS CAN BE

EVEN WORSE.

TIGERS LURK IN THESE FORESTS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: BUT WITH ADULTS CLOSE,

THE YOUNGSTER IS SAFE.

FOR NOW.

- COMING UP ON "EARTH ODYSSEY", - WE'LL DISCOVER WHERE THE GIANTS

GO TO SOCIALIZE WITH THEIR BEST

AND BIGGEST FRIENDS.

PLUS, WE TRAVEL TO SRI LANKA AND

SEE HOW LOWLAND ELEPHANT BULLS

GO HEAD-TO-HEAD IN A BATTLE FOR

DOMINATION.

AND LATER, FIND OUT WHY THESE

ASIAN ELEPHANTS HAVE BECOME

KNOWN AS THE GARDENERS OF THE

JUNGLE.

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WELCOME TO THE DIVERSE

AND BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY OF

MALAYSIA, WHERE YOU NEVER KNOW

WHAT YOU MIGHT FIND.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: MALAYSIA'S JUNGLES CAN

SEEM LIKE AN IMPENETRABLE WALL

OF GREEN BUT RUNNING THROUGH IT

ALL IS WATER.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: 150 RIVER SYSTEMS SPREAD

INTO A NETWORK OF CREEKS AND

STREAMS, SLICING UP THE FOREST.

THE RIVER DRAWS GIANTS OUT OF

THE FOREST.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: A GRASSY RIVERBANK IS

THE PERFECT PLACE FOR A HERD TO

GATHER.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THESE ELEPHANTS ARE RARE

TO FIND IN THESE PARTS.

THEY'RE PYGMY ELEPHANTS, FOUND

ONLY IN BORNEO.

THE SMALLEST ELEPHANTS IN THE

WORLD, THEY STAND ALMOST THREE

FEET SHORTER THAN THEIR LARGER

ASIAN COUSINS.

- AN ADAPTATION TO LIVING IN DENSE - FOREST.

THIS RIVERSIDE SHINDIG IS A

SOCIAL EVENT.

- RELATIVES WHO MAY NOT HAVE SEEN - EACH OTHER FOR MONTHS GET A

CHANCE TO CATCH UP AND REAFFIRM

BONDS.

ELEPHANTS FORM STRONG EMOTIONAL

TIES.

- THEIR RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN - FRIENDS AND FAMILY CAN BE AS

COMPLEX AS OUR OWN.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: BUT LIKE ALL ELEPHANTS,

THEY LOVE MUD.

ELEPHANTS ARE GOOD SWIMMERS.

THEIR BULK MAKING THEM BUOYANT

IN THE WATER.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: AND TAKING TWO TONS OF - WEIGHT OFF YOUR FEET IS THE

ULTIMATE WAY TO RELAX.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: GETTING OUT IS A LOT

TRICKIER THAN GETTING IN.

EVEN THE SMALLEST OF THESE

LITTLE LEVIATHANS CAN GET STUCK

IN THE MUD.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: BATH TIME OVER, THE

WHOLE HERD SLIPS INTO THE GREEN

GLOOM AND VANISHES FROM SIGHT.

COMING UP, WE SEE HOW LOWLAND

ELEPHANT BULLS GO HEAD-TO-HEAD

IN A BATTLE FOR DOMINATION.

AND LATER, FIND OUT WHY THESE

ASIAN ELEPHANTS HAVE BECOME

KNOWN AS THE GARDENERS OF THE

JUNGLE.

.

- 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.

LOCATED NEAR THE SOUTHERN TIP OF

INDIA SITS THE ISLAND NATION OF

SRI LANKA.

ALTHOUGH IT IS ROUGHLY THE SIZE

OF PENNSYLVANIA, THIS TROPICAL

REGION IS PACKED WITH ENOUGH

WILDLIFE TO RIVAL A VAST

CONTINENT.

BECAUSE OF ITS UNIQUE CLIMATE,

YOU WILL FIND A STAGGERING ARRAY

OF CREATURES BOTH LARGE

AND SMALL.

AND THEY RANGE FROM THE FRIENDLY

TO THE FEROCIOUS.

FOR SUCH A SMALL COUNTRY, SRI

LANKA HAS A VERY COMPLICATED

CLIMATE SYSTEM.

ON AVERAGE, TWO MONSOONS A YEAR

HIT THE ISLAND, DRENCHING IT IN

TORRENTIAL RAINS FOR WEEKS ON

END.

HOWEVER, FOR THE REST OF THE

YEAR, SRI LANKA'S LOWLANDS

ENDURE MONTHS OF DROUGHTS.

THIS LEAVES ANIMALS LIKE THE

ELEPHANT TO GO IN SEARCH OF

WATER.

SRI LANKA'S LOWLAND PLAINS COVER

MORE THAN TWO THIRDS OF THE

ISLAND.

THIS REGION IS HOME TO OVER

2,000 WILD ELEPHANTS, ONE OF THE

BIGGEST POPULATIONS ON EARTH.

WITH THE ARRIVAL OF DRY SEASON,

FINDING FOOD BECOMES

INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT.

A FULLY GROWN ELEPHANT SPENDS UP

TO 16 HOURS A DAY GRAZING.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: FEEDING ON THE SHORT,

DRY GRASS REQUIRES A SPECIAL

TECHNIQUE.

THE ELEPHANT GRABS, TWISTS, THEN

SHAKES THE CLUMPS TO REMOVE ANY

DIRT.

- ELEPHANTS LIVE IN CLOSE-KNIT - GROUPS UNDER THE WATCHFUL EYE OF

AN OLDER FEMALE.

WITH HER YEARS OF KNOWLEDGE AND

EXPERIENCE, THE MATRIARCH KNOWS

WHERE TO FIND FOOD AND WATER IN

TIMES OF SHORTAGE.

WITH WATER A PRECIOUS COMMODITY,

HERDS FROM ACROSS NORTHEAST SRI

LANKA MAKE THEIR WAY TO A VAST

LAKE KNOWN AS MINNERIYA TANK.

SOME ELEPHANTS TRAVEL HUNDREDS

OF MILES TO REACH THIS

RESERVOIR.

OFTEN, FAMILY GROUPS BAND

TOGETHER TO FORM LARGER HERDS.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THE LAKE IS A KEY TO - SURVIVAL FOR THE ISLAND

ELEPHANTS.

EVEN AFTER WEEKS WITHOUT RAIN,

MINNERIYA TANK OFFERS BOTH FOOD

AND WATER FOR THESE MIGRATING

HERDS.

AND THE SURROUNDING SCRUB FOREST

PROVIDES MUCH NEEDED SHELTER

FROM THE SUN.

AND WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE

FEMALES, MALE ELEPHANTS ARE

NEVER FAR BEHIND.

MALE ELEPHANTS, OR BULLS,

NORMALLY LEAD A SOLITARY

EXISTENCE.

- BUT DURING MATING SEASON, THEY - ARE READY FOR SOME FEMALE

COMPANIONSHIP.

- WITH THE BULL'S HORMONES RAGING, - THEY'RE READY TO GRAPPLE WITH

OTHER MALES TO ASSERT THEIR

DOMINANCE.

- THE WINNER OF THIS SHOWDOWN - STANDS TO WIN THE PICK OF THE

HERD.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: BUT ROMANCE ASIDE, THE

REAL PULL OF MINNERIYA IS ITS

PRICELESS WATER SUPPLY.

EVERY ANIMAL NEEDS WATER TO

SURVIVE, BUT FEW ANIMALS ENJOY A

GOOD BATH QUITE AS MUCH AS

ELEPHANTS.

- THEIR TRUNKS CAN PULL IN UP TO - TWO GALLONS OF WATER, WHICH THEY

USE TO HOSE DOWN THE OTHER

MEMBERS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WITHOUT THIS INVALUABLE

WATER SUPPLY, YOUNG ELEPHANTS IN

PARTICULAR ARE PRONE TO

OVERHEATING AND DEHYDRATION.

SO A COOL DIP IN THE LAKES IS

NOT JUST REFRESHING, IT IS

ESSENTIAL TO THEIR SURVIVAL.

- UP NEXT, FIND OUT WHY THESE - ASIAN ELEPHANTS HAVE BECOME

KNOWN AS THE GARDENERS OF THE

JUNGLE.

.

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

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: IN THE LOWLAND JUNGLES - OF SOUTHWEST CHINA LIVES ONE OF

- THE MOST ENDANGERED CREATURES ON - EARTH.

DESPITE THEIR SIZE, THESE

LUMBERING BEASTS HAVE MANAGED TO

EVADE DETECTION FOR DECADES.

THIS IS THE ASIAN ELEPHANT.

- WHILE THEY TRAVEL IN LARGE - GROUPS, THEY REMAIN ONE OF

CHINA'S GREATEST SECRETS.

GIANT HERDS USED TO BE COMMON

ACROSS CHINA, ROAMING AS FAR AS

BEIJING.

BUT THIS HIDDEN VALLEY IN YUNNAN

IS THE ONLY PLACE WHERE THEY

SURVIVE.

ASIAN ELEPHANTS EAT UP TO 300

POUNDS OF FOOD A DAY, AND THEY

ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE

JUNGLE ECOSYSTEM.

ELEPHANT DROPPINGS BOTH

FERTILIZE THE SOIL AND HELP

- DISPENSE SEEDS OF THE MANY PLANT - SPECIES.

ASIAN ELEPHANTS LIVE IN SMALL

GROUPS CONTAINING SIX OR SEVEN

FEMALES, AS WELL AS THEIR YOUNG.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THIS TIGHTLY KNIT FAMILY

OF FEMALES REMAINS TOGETHER FOR

LIFE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ADULT ELEPHANTS DRINK

MORE THAN 25 GALLONS OF WATER A

DAY.

BUT A VISIT TO THIS FOREST POND

SATISFIES ANOTHER IMPORTANT NEED

BESIDES THIRST.

BLOWING BUBBLES INTO THE MUCKY

POOL RELEASES MINERALS SUCH AS

CALCIUM AND MAGNESIUM.

SALTS ESSENTIAL FOR THEIR DIET.

THE GROWNUPS HAVE HAD THEIR FILL

AND ARE READY TO MOVE ON.

BUT THIS YOUNGSTER DECIDES THE

FUN ISN'T OVER YET.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THIS RIVER IS A FAVORITE - GATHERING POINT FOR MANY OF THE

REGION'S FAMILIES.

- BATHING ISN'T JUST ABOUT KEEPING - COOL, IT'S ALSO A PLACE FOR THE

ELEPHANTS TO PLAY AND SOCIALIZE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: AFTER A RELAXING DIP IN

THE WATER, THIS HERD IS OFF TO

FIND THEIR NEXT MEAL.

ALTHOUGH THEIR FAVORITE FOOD IS

BAMBOO AND GRASS, TREE LEAVES,

LIANAS, AND SAPLINGS WILL DO IN

A PINCH.

AS THESE ANIMALS MAKE THEIR WAY

THROUGH THE FOREST, THEY CREATE

CLEARINGS THAT ALLOW LIGHT TO

REACH THE FOREST FLOOR,

NURTURING NEW PLANT GROWTH.

- THEY ARE QUITE LITERALLY THE - GARDENERS OF THIS TROPICAL

LANDSCAPE.

OF THE THOUSANDS OF ELEPHANTS

THAT ONCE ROAMED ACROSS CHINA,

FEWER THAN 300 REMAIN.

AND THEY ALL LIVE HERE IN

YUNNAN'S SECRET FORESTS.

- 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]