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.

ON TODAY'S SHOW, WE'LL MEET

SNAKES IN THE RICE FIELDS.

WE PEEK INSIDE THE SHELL OF ONE

OF THE BIGGEST TORTOISE SPECIES

ON EARTH.

- PLUS, WE HIT THE WATER TO SWIM - WITH CAMBODIA'S RESIDENT

REPTILES.

AND LATER, MEET THE MODERN-DAY

DRAGON WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING

FOR.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: IT CAN TAKE EONS FOR

ISLANDS TO FORM.

LAVA ERUPTS FROM THE OCEAN

FLOOR, COMBINES WITH CORAL AND

OTHER SEDIMENT, THEN HARDENS

UNTIL IT GROWS ENOUGH TO

PENETRATE THE WATER'S SURFACE.

AND OVER HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS

OF YEARS, THESE ISLANDS SLOWLY

CREATE BEAUTIFUL, LUSH BEACHES,

LIKE THE ONES FOUND ON ZANZIBAR.

THAT'S WHERE WE FIND AN ANIMAL

WHO ALSO LIKES TO TAKE HIS TIME.

TAKE A LOOK.

WELCOME TO ZANZIBAR, HOME TO ONE

OF THE WORLD'S BIGGEST SPECIES.

AT MORE THAN 500 POUNDS AND WITH

A SHELL LENGTH APPROACHING

ALMOST FIVE FEET LONG, THE

ALDABRA IS ONE OF THE LARGEST

TORTOISES IN THE WORLD.

- IT'S ONE OF THE LONGEST-LIVED - ANIMALS, TOO.

SOME LIVE FOR MORE THAN 200

YEARS.

GIANT TORTOISES FEED MAINLY ON

GRASSES AND WOODY PLANTS.

WHENEVER THESE AREN'T WITHIN

REACH, DRIED LEAVES WILL DO.

THIS CRUNCHY MEAL CONTAINS VERY

LITTLE MOISTURE, SO ALDABRA

TORTOISES DRAW ON A SPECIAL

METHOD TO REHYDRATE THEIR

ENORMOUS FRAMES.

THE FAT STORED BENEATH THEIR

SHELLS CAN BE CONVERTED TO

WATER.

BURNING THESE RESERVES RELEASES

FLUID DURING THE HOTTEST PARTS

OF THE DAY AND PREVENTS THEM

FROM BECOMING DEHYDRATED.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: CHANGUU'S GIANT - TORTOISES CAN SURVIVE WITHOUT

WATER FOR LONG PERIODS, BUT FOR

CREATURES LESS FORTUNATE,

ANOTHER LOCATION PROVIDES A

PERMANENT WETLAND.

ON ZANZIBAR'S UNGUJA ISLAND, THE

SHORELINE BOUNDARY ISN'T CLEARLY

DEFINED.

SMALL ESTUARIES VENTURE INTO

FORESTS, FORMING A UNIQUE

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LAND AND

SEA.

MANGROVES THRIVE IN SALINE

COASTAL HABITATS.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: A COMPLEX SYSTEM OF - AERIAL ROOTS ENABLES THE INTAKE

OF OXYGEN AND TRAPS ORGANIC

DEBRIS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE

WASHED OUT TO SEA.

THESE TIDAL SWAMPS PROVIDE A

BREEDING GROUND AND NURSERY FOR

SEVERAL SPECIES OF FISH AND

INVERTEBRATES.

- MANY OF THESE WILL HEAD OUT INTO - THE SURROUNDING REEFS AND

SEABEDS WHEN ADULTS.

SOME SPECIES OF MANGROVE HAVE

DEVELOPED A UNIQUE METHOD OF

REPRODUCING.

THE SEEDS GERMINATE AND BECOME

FULLY FLEDGED SEEDLINGS WHILE

ATTACHED TO THE MOTHER PLANT.

THESE PODS ARE THEN RELEASED,

ALLOWING THEM TO IMMEDIATELY

TAKE ROOT.

- OR THEY CAN REMAIN DORMANT TO - FLOAT FURTHER AFIELD.

COMING UP, MONSOONS FEED

CAMBODIA'S LOWLANDS.

- BUT WHAT FEEDS THE LOWLAND'S - LOCALS?

.

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

[MUSIC]

CAMBODIA IS A COUNTRY CARVED BY

WATER.

MONSOONS HAVE A HUGE AFFECT ON

MANY HABITATS.

BUT NONE MORE NOTICEABLE THAN

THE CENTRAL LOWLAND AREAS.

WATERWAYS FROM THE FORESTED

UPLANDS JOURNEY TOWARDS THE

LONGEST RIVER IN SOUTHEAST ASIA;

THE MIGHTY MEKONG.

ORIGINATING AT THE TIBETAN

PLATEAU, IT ENTERS CAMBODIA ON

THE NORTHERN BORDER WITH LAOS.

TRAVELING WELL OVER 2,000 MILES,

IT DISCHARGES ENOUGH WATER TO

ANNUALLY FILL 190 MILLION

OLYMPIC-SIZED SWIMMING POOLS.

BRINGING WITH IT A TIDAL WAVE OF

LIFE AND SUPPLYING THE WORLD'S

LARGEST INLAND FISHERY.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THANKS TO THE MONSOON, - THE MEKONG RIVER IS AT FULL

FLOOD AND HAS INCREASED IN SIZE

OVER 16 TIMES.

THIS ANNUAL CHANGE MEANS THE

MEKONG HAS DEVELOPED KEY

ECOSYSTEMS LIKE THE FLOODED

FOREST.

- THOUGHT TO BE CRITICALLY - IMPORTANT FOR THEIR RICH

DIVERSITY OF FISH, THEY ALSO

HARBOR PREDATORS.

- THE MURKY WATERS ARE THICK WITH - SEDIMENT, IDEAL FOR CONCEALING

ONE OF THE MEKONG RIVER'S

MONSTERS.

THE LARGE FLATTENED SHELL OF THE

CANTOR'S SOFTSHELL TURTLE IS

DIFFERENT FROM MOST.

HER RIBS ARE FUSED TOGETHER,

COVERED BY RUBBERY SKIN.

ABLE TO GROW TO TWO METERS IN

LENGTH, HE IS THE LARGEST OF ALL

SOFT-SHELLED TURTLES.

THE DIVERSITY OF FISH FOUND HERE

IS PERFECT FOR THIS PREDATOR.

AND WITH A BITE THAT CAN CRUSH

BONE,

AN UNSUSPECTING FISH STANDS

LITTLE CHANCE.

- DESPITE BEING ONE OF THE FASTEST - STRIKING ANIMALS ON THE PLANET,

THE FISH ARE FASTER.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: CAMOUFLAGE AND - CONCEALMENT ARE KEY FOR THIS

AMBUSH PREDATOR.

- USING SAND AND MUD FROM THE - MEKONG, HE COVERS HIS SHELL AND

HEAD TO HIDE HIS PRESENCE.

SPENDING UP TO 95 PERCENT OF

THEIR LIFE BURIED AND ONLY

NEEDING TO SURFACE TWICE A DAY

TO BREATHE INCREASES HIS CHANCE

OF SURPRISE.

IT'S A WAITING GAME.

THE PUPILS OF HIS EYES MIMIC

GRAINS OF SAND, AS DO HIS NOSE

AND MOUTH.

SURVIVAL IS DOWN TO APPEARANCE

AND JUDGING THE PERFECT MOMENT

TO STRIKE.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THIS IS A BALANCE - GOVERNED BY ONE OF CAMBODIA'S

RAREST AND MOST REVERED

PREDATORS:

THE SIAMESE CROCODILE.

WITH ONLY AROUND 250 REMAINING

IN THE WILD, THIS IS A SPECIES

ON THE BRINK.

THIS PREHISTORIC CROCODILIAN HAS

MASTERED ITS HUNTING TECHNIQUE

OVER MILLENIA.

HAVING WALKED WITH DINOSAURS,

THEY ARE SO WELL-EVOLVED,

RELATIVELY LITTLE HAS CHANGED.

MEASURING UP TO TEN FEET IN

LENGTH, THE SIAMESE CROCODILE

PERFORMS A VITAL ROLE FOR

CAMBODIA'S WILDLIFE.

SCAVENGING THE DEAD AND HUNTING

THE WEAK.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: FORTUNATELY FOR THE - DEER, THE SIAMESE CROCODILE HAS

A PALLETTE FOR SMALLER PREY.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THIS WILD LAND OF

MONSOON RAINS, RAGING RIVERS AND

FLOODING LAKES PROVIDES SOME OF

THE MOST UNIQUE HABITATS ON

EARTH.

LIFE-GIVING WATERS CARVE OUT

ENVIRONMENTS.

PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOME

AND CHALLENGES FOR OTHERS.

IT'S A LAND WHERE LOST

CIVILIZATIONS HAVE BEEN

REDISCOVERED.

AND WHERE ANIMALS FACE A DAILY

BATTLE TO SURVIVE.

GIANTS, SPECIALIST PREDATORS,

AND MONSTERS OF THE DEEP

THRIVE HERE.

A TIDAL WAVE OF LIFE FEEDS

CAMBODIA.

THE WATER KINGDOM.

COMING UP, WHAT LIVES IN THE

RICE FIELDS BUT STILL CAN'T LEND

THE FARMERS A HAND...OR AN ARM

OR LEGS.

PLUS, REAL-LIFE DRAGONS COMING

UP ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

.

- 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.

THE LOWER REACHES OF INDIA'S

GANGES RIVER BASIN ARE SO

FERTILE, THE LOCALS CALL THE

AREA THE RICE BOWL OF INDIA.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: FARMERS REAP FOUR RICE

HARVESTS A YEAR HERE.

- DOUBLE THAT OF MANY PARTS OF THE - COUNTRY.

BUT THESE FERTILE FIELDS BRING

DANGERS OF THEIR OWN.

A DEADLY MONOCLED COBRA FEASTS

ON A TOAD; COMMON PREY IN A

PATTY FIELD.

- THE SNAKE'S HUNTING TRIP BRINGS - IT PERILOUSLY CLOSE TO FARMERS

HARVESTING RICE.

A MILLION PEOPLE IN INDIA ARE

BITTEN BY SNAKES EVERY YEAR.

MONOCLED COBRAS ARE ONE OF THE

MOST VENOMOUS SNAKES IN ASIA.

FANGS INJECT POISON THAT

PARALYZES ITS VICTIM'S NERVOUS

SYSTEM AND BREAKS DOWN ITS

CELLS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ONE BITE CAN BE FATAL

AND IT CAN HAPPEN IN LESS THAN

AN HOUR.

- MANY PEOPLE HERE HAVE AN - UNDERSTANDABLE FEAR OF SNAKES.

BUT IN THE VILLAGE OF CHOTO

PASHLA, IN WEST BENGAL, THE

ATTITUDE TOWARDS THESE DEADLY

SERPENTS IS RATHER MORE

SURPRISING.

SNAKES ARE DRAWN TO THE VILLAGE

IN SEARCH OF RODENTS OFTEN FOUND

AROUND HUMAN SETTLEMENTS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: A RAT IN THE PANTRY IS

ONE THING...

A COBRA IN THE BEDROOM, QUITE

ANOTHER.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: BUT INSTEAD OF CAUSING

PANIC, THE VENOMOUS VISITOR

RAISES NOT SO MUCH AS AN

EYEBROW.

VILLAGERS HERE DON'T JUST

TOLERATE SNAKES, THEY WORSHIP

THEM.

- THE VILLAGE PRIEST IS SUMMONED - TO RELOCATE THE REVERED

INTRUDER.

HE'S THE ONLY ONE PERMITTED TO

HANDLE THEM.

CHOTO PASHLA'S 6,000 RESIDENTS

SHARE THE VILLAGE WITH 3,000

MONOCLED COBRAS.

VILLAGE ELDERS TELL THE TALE

THAT SNAKES ARRIVED SIX

CENTURIES AGO TO SEEK REFUGE

FROM A HUGE FLOOD.

FLOODWATER BROUGHT REMARKABLE

RICE PRODUCTION.

- SNAKES HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH - PROSPERITY EVER SINCE.

- VILLAGERS MAKE OFFERINGS OF - FRUIT AND SWEETS TO THE SNAKE

GODDESS MANASA, WHO THEY BELIEVE

KEEPS THEIR FIELDS FLOURISHING

AND THEIR PEOPLE SAFE FROM

SNAKEBITE.

WHEN WE RETURN, MEET THE

MODERN-DAY DRAGON WE'VE ALL BEEN

WAITING FOR.

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE PHILIPPINES ARE MADE

UP OF MORE THAN 7,000 TROPICAL

ISLANDS IN THE WESTERN PACIFIC

OCEAN.

THEY'RE AMONG THE MOST ANCIENT

ISLANDS ON EARTH.

DENSE RAINFORESTS COVER MOST OF

THE LAND AND ALL COMBINED, THE

PHILIPPINES HAVE THE WORLD'S

FIFTH LONGEST COASTLINE.

THIS IS A LAND THAT TIME FORGOT.

- THE ISLAND'S PREHISTORIC - COASTLINE PROVIDES A

HOME TO A CREATURE UNCHANGED FOR

THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

- AND IS THE LAIR OF A MODERN-DAY - DRAGON.

THIS WATER MONITOR IS ON THE

HUNT FOR FOOD.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: IT WEIGHS MORE THAN 55

POUNDS AND IS THE SECOND LARGEST

LIZARD IN THE WORLD.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: IT SPENDS UP TO A THIRD

OF ITS LIFE IN WATER AND LIKES

TO LIVE NEAR SEA AND RIVERS, SO

PALAWAN PROVIDES A PERFECT HOME

FOR THESE GIANT REPTILES.

- THEY HAVE EASY ACCESS TO THE SEA - AND THEY'RE THE ISLAND'S TOP

PREDATOR, SO THEY HAVE NO

NATURAL COMPETITION.

- AND THEY AREN'T FUSSY ABOUT - FOOD.

THEY'LL EAT ANYTHING THEY CAN

CATCH.

LIKE SNAKES, WATER MONITORS HAVE

FORKED TONGUES, WHICH CONSTANTLY

- FLICKER AS THEY TASTE THE AIR TO - PINPOINT PREY.

- AND WHEN THEY CAN'T FIND FOOD ON - THE GROUND, THEY CAN EASILY

SEARCH UP IN THE CANOPY.

WATER MONITORS ARE SURPRISINGLY

AGILE CLIMBERS.

THEY'LL SOMETIMES EVEN JUMP FROM

TREE TO TREE TO CHASE PREY OR

ESCAPE DANGER.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: BUT GOOD CLIMBING SKILLS

DON'T GUARANTEE A MEAL.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: AND FAILING TO LAND A - CATCH ISN'T THE END OF ITS

PROBLEMS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: DOWN ON THE GROUND,

TEMPERS ARE FRAYING.

ALTHOUGH WATER MONITORS CROSS

PATHS WHEN FORAGING, THEY ARE

SOLITARY BY NATURE.

- IT'S EVERY LIZARD FOR ITSELF, - ESPECIALLY WHERE FOOD IS

CONCERNED.

WHILE OTHERS FIGHT, A LONE

LIZARD SLINKS AWAY FROM THE

CROWD TO SEARCH FOR A FRESH

HUNTING GROUND.

WATER MONITORS RARELY STRAY FAR

FROM THE SEA.

- THEIR STRONG SWIMMING SKILLS - HAVE ENABLED THEM TO OCCUPY

ISLANDS ALL OVER ASIA.

AND BEACHES CAN BE A GOOD PLACE

TO FIND FOOD.

- ITS FLICKERING TONGUE SENSES A - FAVORITE MEAL.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: RAZOR SHARP TEETH CUT - THROUGH THE SHELL LIKE A KNIFE

THROUGH BUTTER.

AND THIS IS JUST THE START OF

THE FEAST.

- CRABS HAVE CREPT OUT OF THEIR - BURROWS TO FORAGE WHILE THE TIDE

IS OUT.

THE WATER MONITOR HAS HIT THE

JACKPOT.

THEY ARE SURPRISINGLY QUICK AND

CAN RUN FASTER THAN MOST HUMANS.

CRABS HAVE LITTLE CHANCE OF

ESCAPE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: AFTER A SATISFYING MEAL,

THIS MYTHICAL LIZARD SLINKS BACK

INTO THE SHADE OF THE FOREST.

THE PHILIPPINES ARE HOME TO SOME

OF THE RAREST ANIMALS ON EARTH

AND SOME OF THE MOST UNUSUAL.

MANY OF THESE ANCIENT ISLANDS

ARE ISOLATED AND UNDISTURBED.

AS A RESULT, UNIQUE SPECIES HAVE

FLOURISHED UNINTERRUPTED BY THE

MODERN WORLD.

- THANKS FOR JOINING ME ON TODAY'S - JOURNEY TO ONE OF THE MOST

INCREDIBLE PLACES.

WHERE EXOTIC PLANTS AND ANIMALS

ARE LIVING, WORKING, FIGHTING,

AND PLAYING TOGETHER.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME FOR

ANOTHER "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]