Original subtitles

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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.

Today we sail for the Southern oceans.

Join us for a wildlife adventure Right now on earth odyssey

On today's show a spectacular Underwater migration brings

Out two very different kinds Of predators.

And only in australia will you See beach goers like this.

Plus one very tiny dancer in What could be the performance

Of a lifetime.

And the tiniest penguins brave The waves to come home to roost

All this and much more just Ahead on "Earth odyssey."

[music]

Dylan: the dazzling blue of Australia's coastline is home

To abundant marine life but Underneath the peaceful waters

The serious business of predator And prey involves daily danger.

Some animals succeed through Speed and size while others

Seek safety in numbers in Our first story one clever

Operator opts to use both brains And brawn while on the hunt.

These wild coasts are vibrant Habitats to australia's

Extraordinary creatures.

From ocean icons...

...And the unexpected...

...To the mesmerizing.

This is southwestern australia.

At the tip of this immense Continent headlands frame

Pristine bays that play host to An enormous annual migration.

Hundreds of thousands of Australian salmon have traveled

More than 2,000 miles from Southeastern australia.

Despite their name they are part Of the ray finned fish family

And not related to salmon or Trout and at more than 27 inches

Long they have Reached adulthood.

Their migration is synced with The peak of an eastward flowing

Current.

The current triggers the Huge schools to spawn.

As the eggs are released the Current will carry the next

Generation to protected Coastal nurseries in the east

It's an annual event to Extend the fishes bloodlines.

[music]

Dylan: and a potential feast for Others.

Gray nurse and copper sharks More than 10 feet long.

They are heading straight For the migrators.

But the australian salmon are No easy targets even for sharks.

When one fish senses its Neighbor getting too close

It speeds up the whole school Moving as one.

[music]

Dylan: but in these waters, There's another species that

Hunts these fish and they work As a team.

With larger brains than humans These dolphins stay in constant

Communication.

Drivers split from the main pod Herding the fish towards the

Beach.

[music]

Dylan: in the shallows the School becomes splintered

Utilizing echolocation and Exceptional eyesight the

Dolphins hit the panicking fish And stragglers are picked off.

They may not all survive but For the australian salmon their

Ultimate goal has been achieved.

Their eggs are already drifting Towards their nursing grounds.

Coming up wild wallabies get Into a beach combing battle,

But is it all just for show?

And a minuscule spider Shows off some major talent.

Plus these navy blue birds Show their true colors.

There's much more still ahead When earth odyssey returns.

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Narrator: we now return to The more you know on nbc.

[music]

Dylan: australia boasts more Than 20,000 miles of shoreline

From the remote marine Wilderness of the north and

Western regions to the tropical Wonders of the great barrier

Reef to the east.

Warm waters and strong Currents create a realm of

Sanctuary and bounty where the Strange and wonderful thrive

Both on land and at sea.

In the northeast queensland's Coast covers more than 8,000

Miles its marine ecosystems Are among the most species

Rich in australia where the lush Land meets the beautiful coral

Sea.

One habitat takes root on The intertidal zone.

Mangroves.

These trees evolved to grow in Salty conditions.

Their entire reproduction Is adapted to a semi-aquatic

Lifestyle to disperse they Simply drop.

[music]

Dylan: perfectly buoyant they Will spend up to a month at sea

Drifting more than a hundred Miles.

An unlikely beachgoer eastern Gray kangaroos have learned

To benefit from the bounty Offered by the sea.

The mangrove pod bounty has made This a popular marsupial spot.

A smaller relative of the Eastern kangaroo joins the

Beachcombers; the agile wallaby.

While both species feed on the Same coastal vegetation there is

Little interspecies conflict.

But the wallabies breed Year-round meaning there's

Always someone ready to show Off.

[music]

Dylan: it's a battle of Strength.

Forelimbs to grapple and Scratch.

Powerful kicks.

The signature move.

But the wallabies are pulling Their punches with no defined

Mating season there's no need To go all out.

Nocturnal by nature the Wallaby mob retreats to

The forest as the sun rises.

The kangaroos take a different Approach to cooling down.

Breakfast over.

Not all mangrove pods have Been consumed.

Up and down the coast they Begin to take root keeping

The valuable habitats alive.

Coming up this peacock spiders Colors are on full display,

And a voice only a penguin could Love.

Don't go away "Earth odyssey" We'll be right back.

.

Narrator: we now return to The more you know on nbc.

[music]

Dylan: even in the animal Kingdom appearances aren't

Everything however, they can Play a key role when it comes

Time to find a partner this Might mean a vibrant display

Using feathers or horns while For others it's more of a dance

Routine big or small some Species take their looks very

Seriously when it comes to Attracting a mate.

On the australian coast One animal has spent the

Night hiding in the sand Inside a bubble woven of silk.

[music]

Dylan: the coastal peacock Spider is a species of beach

Lovers surviving on the Dunes.

[music continues]

Dylan: this male is only the Size of a grain of rice.

To get around he's evolved an Efficient form of locomotion.

With each leap...

...He can move an astounding 40 times his body length.

Before each jump he anchors A safety line of silk,

In case he falls

[music]

Dylan: but this one isn't His.

He's not the only spider on the Dunes.

[music]

Dylan: a female.

Mating is the arachnids Ultimate goal,

But female peacock spiders Are cannibalistic.

[music continues]

Dylan: rather than run he's Ready to perform the courtship

Dance.

Talk about pressure.

Peacock spider eyes can perceive The entire color spectrum, so

He utilizes an optical illusion.

The dark spots on his abdomen Are super black.

One of the most light absorbent Materials in nature perfect

For making bright colors Pop.

Not just a dancer he's on Percussions as well.

His abdomen makes subtle Vibrations which the female

Detects with sensory Organs in her legs.

[music]

Dylan: he's within her Striking distance.

It's the moment of truth.

Denied but he's done enough To avoid becoming dinner.

No one knows exactly what the Perfect peacock spider dance

Routine is.

But australia is the only Place on earth where these

Vibrant performances are staged.

Coming up these small but mighty Sailors are taking a big risk

Coming ashore when earth odyssey Returns.

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Narrator: we now return to The more you know on nbc.

[music]

Dylan: in southern australia the Great southern reef stretches

For around 5,000 miles along the Coast.

Within its waters rests phillip Island.

Made up of interconnecting Kelp forests the surrounding

Ocean teems with marine life.

But every night an unlikely Australian species exits the

Aquatic realm; little penguins.

They are true seafarers.

The majority of their life is Spent in the ocean, but they're

Coming ashore on an important Mission; to feed their chicks.

Li penguins are just 12 Inches tall and weigh under

Three-and-a-half pounds

Forming many rafts of penguins Just offshore they wait for

Numbers to muster enough Courage.

False starts are a standard.

They're right to be cautious.

On land they are at their most Exposed.

Little penguin coloring Is made for the sea.

Their dark navy blue Feathers match the ocean.

And their white bellies Blend with the sky providing

Camouflage from predators Both above and below.

But on land it's not much help.

It's now or never.

Sea eagles patrol the coast When the sun rises and the

Penguins have an important Delivery to make on land.

It's time to run or waddle.

No one wants to get left behind.

Their burrows are dotted amongst The dunes beyond the beach.

He recognizes the distinctive Call of his offspring.

The sole reason for His daring dash.

Male and female penguin parents Spend around 60 days feeding

Their young 24/7 before their Chicks are strong enough to

Follow them into the ocean For an adventurous life at sea.

Thank you for joining us on Our expedition into the wild.

Each of these remarkable Animals has their own story

To tell as they show us their Version of what it means to

Thrive.

I'm dylan dreyer.

We hope you'll come along For the next amazing adventure

Here on "Earth odyssey".

[music]