Original subtitles

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ANNOUNCER: WHEN YOU SEE THIS SYMBOL YOU KNOW YOU'RE

WATCHING TELEVISION THAT'S EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATIONAL.THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

DYLAN: I'M DYLAN DREYER.

TODAY, WE'RE ON A JOURNEY AROUND THE WORLD LIKE

YOU'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

WE'LL COME FACE-TO-FACE WITH A SPECIES THAT'S

HUNTED NORTH AMERICAN WATERWAYS SINCE THE TIME

OF DINOSAURS.

WE'LL FOLLOW WOLF CUBS AS THEY TAKE THEIR FIRST

STEPS THROUGH A HARSH AND GRUELING LAND.

WE'LL WITNESS THE DESTRUCTION VOLCANOES

CAUSE TO ECOSYSTEMS, AND LATER,

WE'LL CLIMB UP A TREACHEROUS MOUNTAIN PATH

INTO A DEEP CAVE TO FIND ONE OF THE MOST UNLIKELY

TREASURES ON EARTH.

DYLAN: WITH THEIR STEALTHY MOVEMENTS AND POWERFUL

JAWS, IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT AN APEX PREDATOR LIKE

THE ALLIGATOR COULD EVER BE IN DANGER,

BUT IN THE 1960'S, THE AMERICAN ALLIGATOR WAS ON

THE EDGE OF EXTINCTION.

THANKFULLY, CAREFUL MANAGEMENT HAS BROUGHT

THESE ANCIENT PREDATORS BACK FROM THE BRINK,

AND TODAY, THEY'RE THRIVING ONCE AGAIN

THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED

STATES.

ONE OF THEIR FAVORITE HABITATS,

THE MIGHTY SWAMP THAT SPANS FROM GEORGIA TO

FLORIDA KNOWN AS OKEFENOKEE.

OVER MILLIONS OF YEARS, SEDIMENT FROM RISING AND

FALLING SEA LEVELS WALLED OFF SEVEN HUNDRED SQUARE

MILES FROM THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.

TODAY, THIS CORNER OF THE EARTH IS HOME TO ONE OF

THE LARGEST, MOST ECOLOGICALLY DIVERSE

WETLAND ECOSYSTEMS ON THE PLANET.

WHAT WAS ONCE TOWERING OAK TREES AND GRASSLAND IS NOW

BOGS AND SWAMP FORESTS.

THE CHOCTAW PEOPLE WOULD COME TO CALL IT

OKEFENOKEE, LAND OF THE TREMBLING EARTH.

DYLAN: JUST A FEW FEET BELOW THE MIRROR-LIKE

SURFACE, THE SANDY BOTTOM IS COVERED WITH PEAT,

A THICK LAYER OF PARTIALLY DECAYING PLANTS AND

LEAVES.

THIS ROTTING VEGETATION BREWS THE SWAMP WATER INTO

AN ACID-RICH BLACK TEA, THE LIFEBLOOD OF THE

OKEFENOKEE.

MORE THAN A THOUSAND SPECIES OF PLANTS AND

ANIMALS THRIVE HERE.

BUT THERE'S NO QUESTION WHO SITS ATOP THE FOOD

CHAIN.

[ALLIGATOR GRUNTING]

DYLAN: THE AMERICAN ALLIGATOR IS TRULY AN

ANCIENT CREATURE.

IT'S BEEN HERE AT LEAST A MILLION-AND-A-HALF YEARS,

PERHAPS AS MUCH AS FIVE MILLION YEARS.

IN FACT, THE AMERICAN ALLIGATOR REPRESENTS THE

END OF A VERY LONG EVOLUTIONARY HISTORY,

DATING BACK FROM THE DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS.

DR. VLIET: SO, ALLIGATORS AND DINOSAURS BOTH SHARED

COMMON ANCESTORS MORE THAN 220 MILLION YEARS AGO.

DYLAN: BUT WE SHOULDN'T THINK ALLIGATORS SIMPLE OR

PRIMITIVE.

THEY'RE ACTUALLY HIGHLY SOPHISTICATED,

VERY COMPLEX ANIMALS, AND SUPERBLY ADAPTED FOR THEIR

LIFE AS APEX PREDATORS IN WETLAND ECOSYSTEMS,

JUST LIKE THE OKEFENOKEE SWAMP.

ALLIGATORS HAVE A WELL-DEVELOPED BRAIN AND

HIGHER COGNITIVE SKILLS THAN MOST OTHER REPTILES,

AND THEY'RE CAPABLE OF LEARNING PATTERNS IN THE

ENVIRONMENT AROUND THEM.

THEY HAVE EXCELLENT EYESIGHT.

THEY SEE ABOUT AS WELL AS WE DO,

AND THEIR HEARING IS QUITE GOOD,

TOO.

SCATTERED ALL OVER THE FACE OF AN ALLIGATOR ARE

LITTLE ORGANS HIGHLY SENSITIVE TO TOUCH OR

VIBRATIONS.

DR. VLIET: AND EVEN IN THE COMPLETE ABSENCE OF LIGHT

OR SOUND, ALLIGATORS ARE ABLE TO PERCEIVE A SINGLE

DROP OF WATER ON THE SURFACE OF THE WATER AND

ORIENT TO THAT.

DYLAN: THE ALLIGATOR'S SKELETON REVEALS ITS

SECRETS TO BEING ONE OF THE LAST GREAT

FREE-ROAMING PREDATORS.

UNLIKE MANY MODERN REPTILES,

THEIR SKULLS ARE SOLID, FLEXING VERY LITTLE.

THE JAGGED TEETH IN FRONT ARE FOR HOLDING PREY.

THE CONICAL TEETH IN BACK ARE FOR CRUSHING.

LIKE THEIR ANCIENT COUSIN, THE T-REX,

GATOR SKULLS HAVE LARGE CAVITIES TO ACCOMMODATE

MASSIVE JAW MUSCLES AND TO DELIVER BITES MEASURED AT

THREE THOUSAND POUNDS.

[ALLIGATOR HISSING]

DYLAN: ITS BRAIN IS THE SIZE OF YOUR LITTLE

FINGER, TUCKED UP INSIDE A THICK CORAL OF BONE.

EARLY SWAMP SETTLERS FOUND THE ALLIGATOR NOTORIOUSLY

DIFFICULT TO KILL.

ANYTHING LESS THAN A PERFECT SHOT IS JUST A

FLESH WOUND.

CHIP CAMPBELL HAS BEEN GUIDING TOURS IN THE

OKEFENOKEE FOR MORE THAN A DECADE.

HIS EXPERIENCE AS A NATURALIST AND SEARCH AND

RESCUE VOLUNTEER HAS TAKEN HIM TO NEARLY EVERY CORNER

OF THE SWAMP.

CHIP: ALLIGATORS HAVE A CERTAIN,

YOU KNOW, CHARM TO THEM.

THEY'RE REMARKABLY GRACEFUL.

THAT STRIKES PEOPLE SOMETIMES.

THEY DON'T EXPECT THAT.

YOU SEE THEM.

THEY MOVE VERY SLOWLY, VERY METHODICALLY,

BUT THERE'S A CERTAIN ELEGANCE TO THE WAY THAT

THEY CAN MOVE THROUGH THE WATER,

AND THEN THEY CAN JUST EXPLODE FROM THOSE

POSITIONS INTO JUST FULL MOVEMENT.

YOU HAVE TO SEE HOW FAST ONE CAN MOVE IN ORDER TO

REALLY FULLY APPRECIATE THE POWER THAT'S THERE IN

THOSE ANIMALS.

DYLAN: THE RESURGENCE OF THESE ANIMALS IS IMPORTANT

TO THE ENTIRE ECOSYSTEM.

WHEN MOST OF THE SWAMP WATER DRAINS AWAY DURING

THE DRY SEASON, VITAL POCKETS OF WATER REMAIN

BEHIND, FILLING THE SMALL HOLES DUG BY ALLIGATORS

FOR THEIR NESTS.

THESE POOLS OF WATER CAN HELP SUSTAIN MANY OTHER

ANIMALS FROM THE REST OF THE FOOD CHAIN UNTIL THE

RAINS RETURN AND THE SWAMP FILLS BACK IN.

COMING UP NEXT, WE'RE ON AN ADVENTURE ACROSS THE

GREAT ROCKY MOUNTAINS TO EXPERIENCE LIFE THROUGH

THE EYES AND THE NOSE OF ONE OF THE GREAT ANIMAL

HUNTERS.

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES RIGHT AFTER THIS.

ANNOUNCER: WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

.

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

[WOLVES HOWLING]

DYLAN: FEW SOUNDS ARE MORE RECOGNIZABLE AND

BONE-CHILLING THAN THE LONELY CRY OF A WOLF.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WOLVES AND HUMANS IS AS

OLD AS HISTORY ITSELF.

ANCIENT ROMANS BELIEVED THEIR GODS ROMULUS AND

REMUS WERE NURSED BY A WOLF.

NAVAJO INDIAN TRIBES CALLED UPON WOLF SPIRITS

TO HEAL THEIR SICK AND INJURED WARRIORS.

EUROPEANS IN THE MIDDLE AGES EVEN BELIEVED SOME

CURSED MEN TRANSFORMED INTO A WOLF BY THE LIGHT

OF A FULL MOON.

THE NORTH AMERICAN WOLF ALMOST DISAPPEARED DUE TO

OVERHUNTING AND HABITAT LOSS,

BUT TODAY, THE SPECIES IS MAKING A COMEBACK.

IN THE MOUNTAINS OF YELLOWSTONE,

THE BALANCE OF NATURE IS BEING ADJUSTED ONCE AGAIN.

HUMAN EYES WILL CLOSELY WATCH THIS PROCESS,

RECORDING ITS EFFECT ON THE ELK AND MULE DEER AND

GRIZZLY...

[RADIO CHATTER]

...FOR A VITAL ELEMENT IN THE NATURAL ORDER OF

EXISTENCE HAS BEEN MISSING FAR TOO LONG.

CANIS LUPUS HAS RETURNED TO THE WEST.

[WOLVES HOWLING]

AS THE GREAT LAND BRIDGES THAT LINKED ASIA TO THE

AMERICAS CAME AND WENT, MANY SPECIES MIGRATED

BETWEEN THE OLD WORLD AND THE NEW.

AMONG THE ANIMALS WHO MADE THE JOURNEY EASTWARD TO

NORTH AMERICA WERE HERDS OF MUSK OX,

CARIBOU, ELK, AND BUFFALO, AND FOLLOWING THE HERDS

WERE SMALL BANDS OF NOMADIC HUNTERS AND THEIR

KINDRED SPIRITS, THE WOLF PACKS.

THE WOLF IS PRIMARILY A HUNTER OF LARGE MAMMALS,

AND ON THE VAST ARCTIC TUNDRA,

THE PREY OF CHOICE IS THE MUSK OX.

MUSK OX ARE FORMIDABLE CREATURES.

THEY POSSESS SHARP HOOVES AND CURVED HORNS AND A

DEFENSIVE FORMATION ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO BREACH.

FOR THE WOLF PACK, THE PLAN IS SIMPLE.

THEY MUST GET THE HERD TO RUN.

ON THE RUN, IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO SEPARATE A

SLOW OR WEAK INDIVIDUAL AND CUT IT OFF FROM THE

SAFETY OF THE GROUP.

ON THIS DAY, THERE IS TO BE NO EASY MEAL.

THIS ALPHA FEMALE IS SEARCHING FOR A DEN SITE.

IT ISN'T MERELY A PERSONAL CHOICE,

FOR HER DECISION WILL DETERMINE THE DISPOSITION

OF THE PACK FOR MOST OF THE SPRING AND SUMMER.

SHE MAY WANT AS MANY AS THREE DENS,

PERHAPS AN EXPANDED FOXHOLE OR A DEN SHE'S

USED BEFORE OR A NEW DEN DUG SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS

LITTER.

WHATEVER SITE SHE CHOOSES, THEY MUST BE CLOSE TO

WATER, PREFERABLY NEAR A RIDGE,

WHICH AFFORDS A CLEAR VIEW IN ALL DIRECTIONS.

DURING THIS TIME OF BEARING AND REARING,

THE PACK WILL NEVER BE FAR AWAY.

UNTIL THE PUPS ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO TRAVEL,

THE PACK IS COMMITTED TO THIS PLACE.

BORN IN EARLY MAY, THE PUPS' FIRST VISIT TO THE

OUTSIDE WORLD WILL COME IF THE BIRTH DEN IS

THREATENED IN SOME WAY.

THEN, ONE AT A TIME, THE PUPS WILL BE TRANSFERRED

TO A NEW HOME.

DURING THESE WEEKS, THE PACK WAITS FOR THE PUPS TO

JOIN THE GROUP, BUT NOT AS DISINTERESTED OBSERVERS.

THE PUPS ARE THE FUTURE OF THE PACK,

AND ALL WILL BE INVOLVED IN THE FEEDING,

PROTECTION, TRAINING, AND SOCIALIZATION OF ITS NEW

MEMBERS.

THIS PACK'S ALPHA MALE IS BIG EVEN BY WOLF STANDARDS

AT 125 POUNDS.

THE BLACK-FACED WOLF IS ONE OF HIS SONS,

A 60-POUND YEARLING MALE.

HE IS STRONG ENOUGH TO RUN WITH THE PACK,

BUT IT WILL BE A YEAR OR MORE BEFORE HE ACQUIRES

SUFFICIENT SKILLS TO BE OF MUCH USE ON THE HUNT.

TOGETHER WITH HIS BROTHER, THEY ARE THE ONLY

SURVIVORS OF LAST YEAR'S LITTER OF SIX.

AT TWO YEARS OLD, ONE OR BOTH OF THESE YOUNG MALES

MAY BREAK OFF FROM THE PACK TO START PACKS OF

THEIR OWN, BUT FOR NOW, THEY SUBMIT TO THEIR

FATHER IN THE HEAT OF THE AFTERNOON.

BECAUSE NEWBORN CUBS HAVE NO WAY TO REGULATE THEIR

OWN TEMPERATURE, THEIR MOTHER'S BODY HEAT IS THE

ONLY THING THAT KEEPS THEM WARM.

FOR THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF LIFE,

BOTH FOOD AND WARMTH ARE CLOSE AT HAND,

AND SHE WILL LEAVE THEM ALONE ONLY TO QUENCH HER

THIRST.

COMING UP NEXT, WE'LL COME FACE-TO-FACE WITH THE

INCREDIBLE ANIMALS WHO FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL IN THE

MOST DIFFICULT AND UNPREDICTABLE CONDITIONS.

DON'T GO AWAY.

"JOURNEY" WILL RETURN RIGHT AFTER THIS.

ANNOUNCER: WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

.

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

DYLAN: A VOLCANO IS FORMED WHEN HOT GASSES AND LAVA

DEEP WITHIN THE EARTH'S CORE ERUPT THROUGH A CRACK

IN THE EARTH'S CRUST.

SOME VOLCANOES CREATE VIOLENT,

DEADLY EXPLOSIONS.

SOME OCCUR DEEP UNDER THE OCEAN.

OTHERS ARE MORE PREDICTABLE,

LEAKING STEADY STREAMS OF LAVA OVER DECADES OR

CENTURIES.

TODAY, OUR STORY IS LESS ABOUT VOLCANOES THEMSELVES

AND MORE ABOUT THE WILDLIFE THAT LIVES WITHIN

THEIR SHADOW.

THESE UNIQUE AND RESOURCEFUL ANIMALS

SURVIVE THROUGH SOME OF THE MOST CHALLENGING

CONDITIONS ON OUR PLANET, RISING UP THROUGH THE

ASHES TOWARD THE PROMISE OF A NEW LIFE.

LITTLE STIRS SO CLOSE TO AN ERUPTING VOLCANO.

THE VOLCANO LIES IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA ON THE ISLAND

KNOWN AS NEW BRITAIN.

THE SURVIVING ANIMALS HAVE A CHOICE,

STAY AND FIGHT OR FLEE THE WRATH,

YET AMAZINGLY, SOME CREATURES ARE ACTUALLY

ATTRACTED TO THE DISASTER ZONE.

FOR THIS STRANGE, PREHISTORIC-LIKE BIRD,

THE MEGAPODE, THE ROAR OF THE VOLCANO IS LIKE A CALL

TO COMMUNE WITH THE ASHES.

IT'S SEARCHING FOR THE PERFECT NURSERY FOR THEIR

YOUNG, FOR THESE UNUSUAL BIRDS ACTUALLY USE THE

HEAT FROM THE ASH TO PROVIDE A NATURAL

INCUBATOR FOR THEIR EGGS.

THEY HAVE TO BE CHOOSEY, FOR THE TEMPERATURE NEEDS

TO STAY AROUND BODY HEAT.

COMPETITION IS FRANTIC.

GIANT EGGS ARE LAID QUICKLY IN BURROWS DEEP IN

THE WARM ASH.

[BIRD SQUAWKING]

EVEN THE TREES OFFER LITTLE SHELTER,

FOR SOME OF THE BOMBS RAINING DOWN ARE BIGGER

THAN A TRUCK.

FEW OTHER BIRDS TAKE CRAZY RISKS LIKE THESE.

THEY'VE LEARNED THE HARD WAY TO RUN FOR THEIR

LIVES.

WHEN EACH EGG IS LAID, THE HENS WILL RETURN TO THE

FOREST TO FEED UP, TRUSTING THE FATE THAT

THEIR EGGS WON'T BECOME HARDBOILED.

THE FIRST MEGAPODE CHICKS EMERGE FROM THEIR BURROWS.

UNIQUE AMONGST BIRDS, THEY'RE ON THEIR OWN.

WITH THEIR MOTHERS LONG GONE,

THEY HAVE TO FEND ENTIRELY FOR THEMSELVES.

THEY'RE BORN TO RUN FROM FLYING BOMBS.

DON'T GO AWAY.

JOURNEY WILL BE RIGHT BACK.

ANNOUNCER: WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

.

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

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO "JOURNEY." I'M DYLAN

DREYER.

THE IMPRESSIVE ROCK ISLANDS OF THAILAND'S KHAO

SOK NATIONAL PARK WERE IDEAL HIDEOUTS FOR PIRATES

WHO BURIED THEIR TREASURE DEEP WITHIN THE CAVES,

BUT THERE IS A DIFFERENT KIND OF TREASURE HIDDEN ON

THE ISLE OF NOK PAO, AND YOU'LL PROBABLY NEVER

GUESS WHAT IT IS.

THE FISHERMAN LOME IS IN CHARGE OF PROTECTING HIS

VILLAGE'S TREASURE.

HE HASN'T BEEN UP TO THE CAVE WHERE IT LIES FOR TWO

WEEKS.

THE ASCENT ONLY TAKES AN HOUR,

BUT EACH STEP IS MORE CHALLENGING THAN THE

PREVIOUS.

THE LIMESTONE IS SHARP AND CRAGGY,

AND AFTER THE RAIN, THE THICK VINES ARE SLIPPERY

AND DIFFICULT TO GRIP.

LOME: IT'S EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.

SOMEONE ONCE FELL HERE AND WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED.

HE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH STRENGTH TO HOLD ON TO THE

VINES.

DYLAN: THE GROUP'S OLDEST MEMBER IS 76.

HE ALWAYS MAKES IT.

MAN: I WORK HARD.

I DON'T JUST LIE AROUND.

DYLAN: THEY REACH THE ENTRANCE TO THE CAVE

SYSTEM.

THE VILLAGE'S TREASURE IS WELL-HIDDEN.

IT HANGS FROM THE CAVE CEILING.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THEIR TREASURE IS THE EDIBLE

SWIFTLET'S NEST.

IN CHINA, THESE NESTS ARE A DELICIOUS DELICACY AND

FETCH OVER ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS PER POUND.

THE BIRDS CONSTRUCT THEIR NESTS WITH THEIR SALIVA.

FIRST, A BAMBOO LADDER MUST BE FIRMLY FIXED.

ONLY THE YOUNGEST AND LIGHTEST CAN CLIMB THE

12-METER-HIGH LADDER; OTHERWISE,

THE RUNGS COULD GIVE WAY.

LOME: WE COULDN'T SCRATCH OFF MANY NESTS TODAY.

THERE ARE STILL BABY BIRDS IN MANY OF THEM.

WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THEY'VE LEFT,

AND THEN WE'LL RETURN.

DYLAN: WE VISITED QUITE A FEW BIG,

BEAUTIFUL PLACES AROUND THE WORLD TODAY,

AND THE AMAZING PLANTS AND ANIMALS LIVING THERE

DESERVE OUR RESPECT AND PROTECTION.

UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN, SAFE TRAVELS.

♪ CREDITS ♪