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, EVERYONE, I'M DYLAN DREYER.

ON DECK TODAY, A DEEP DIVE INTO THE DEEP BLUE MEDITERRANEAN SEA.

WELCOME ABOARD.

THIS IS "EARTH ODYSSEY".

TODAY, OCEAN GIANTS TRY TO STEER CLEAR OF DANGER AS THEY MAKE

THEIR WAY TO SUMMER WATERS.

AND IT'S A GAME OF HIDE-AND-SEEK FOR ONE CLEVERLY DISGUISED FISH.

PLUS, WE'LL TAKE YOU TO A REAL OCTOPUS' GARDEN.

AND WE WITNESS AN ANCIENT JOURNEY AS THIS OCEAN-DWELLER

BRAVES THE BEACH FOR THE SURVIVAL OF THE SPECIES.

THIS AND MUCH MORE RIGHT NOW ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA IS RELATIVELY SMALL, BUT IT IS

PACKED WITH MARINE LIFE, ENOUGH TO BE CONSIDERED A GLOBAL

DIVERSITY HOTSPOT.

ITS SHORELINES TOUCH EUROPE, AFRICA, AND ASIA, CREATING A

TRUE CROSSROADS OF PEOPLE AND ANIMAL SPECIES.

AND ALTHOUGH ITS ISLANDS AND RESORTS ARE SOME OF THE MOST

POPULAR IN THE WORLD, UNDER THE SEA IS WHERE TRULY FABULOUS

CREATURES CAN BE FOUND.

THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA, EXOTIC ISLANDS, SANDY COASTLINES,

AND SERENE WATERS STRETCHING THOUSANDS OF MILES ACROSS

22 COUNTRIES, A PARADISE FULL OF WILD SURVIVORS,

EACH WITH THEIR OWN CHALLENGES TO OVERCOME, SPRING IN THE

STRAIT OF GIBRALTAR, A STORIED STRIP OF WATER CONNECTING

MOROCCO AND SPAIN.

AN OCEAN GIANT IS MAKING HER ANNUAL MIGRATION FROM THE

ATLANTIC OCEAN TOWARDS THE WARMER SHALLOW WATERS OF THE

MEDITERRANEAN SEA.

THIS FIN WHALE IS MORE THAN 70 FEET LONG AND 12 TIMES

HEAVIER THAN AN AFRICAN ELEPHANT.

SHE'S MADE THIS JOURNEY FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS,

AND THIS TIME, SHE'S GOT COMPANY...

...A SIX-MONTH-OLD CALF.

ALREADY WEIGHING MORE THAN THREE TONS, THIS CALF WON'T BE FULLY

GROWN FOR 25 YEARS.

IT WILL STAY CLOSE TO ITS MOTHER FOR SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS WHILE

NURSING AND DRINK MORE THAN 100 GALLONS OF MILK A DAY.

ONCE WEANED, MOTHER AND CALF ALIKE PREFER SCHOOLS OF SMALL

FISH AND SHRIMP-LIKE CREATURES CALLED KRILL.

BOUNTIFUL BLOOMS OF KRILL AWAIT IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA.

TO GET THERE, THE WHALES MUST CROSS ONE OF THE WORLD'S BUSIEST

SHIPPING LANES.

[BOAT HORN BLARING]

DYLAN: MORE THAN 300 CARGO SHIPS PASS THROUGH THIS 8 MILE WIDE

CHANNEL BETWEEN THE CONTINENTS OF EUROPE AND AFRICA EVERY DAY.

FIN WHALES DO THEIR BEST TO AVOID COLLISIONS.

FIN WHALES ARE THE FASTEST WHALES, ABLE TO TRAVEL AT SPEEDS

OF ALMOST 30 MILES PER HOUR.

GUIDING THE CALF, SHE NAVIGATES HER WAY THROUGH THE BUSTLING

TRADE ROUTE, BUT THE LOUD VESSELS CAN BE VERY

DISORIENTING.

UNDERWATER NOISE CAN DRIVE THE WHALES IN THE WRONG DIRECTION,

AWAY FROM THEIR PREFERRED MATING AND FEEDING GROUNDS.

FOR THIS NEW WHALE FAMILY, THE JOURNEY TO THE MEDITERRANEAN WAS

WORTH TAKING.

THERE ARE MILLIONS OF KRILL HERE.

THESE SMALL CRUSTACEANS ARE A WELCOME FEAST AFTER A LONG

VOYAGE.

THESE GENTLE GIANTS FEAST WITHOUT TEETH.

THEY'RE FILTER FEEDERS.

THE FIN WHALE TAKES ENORMOUS GULPS OF WATER.

WHEN SHE CLOSES HER MOUTH, SPECIAL RAKE-LIKE PLATES ON HER

JAW CALLED BALEEN ALLOW THE WATER TO FLOW OUT, LEAVING

BEHIND A NUTRITIOUS MEAL.

THANKS TO WATERS LIKE THESE, THESE GIANT MAMMALS CAN HAVE

LONG LIFE SPANS, UP TO 80 OR 90 YEARS AND BEYOND,

PLENTY OF TIME FOR THIS WHALE FAMILY TO ENJOY THE SAFETY OF

THE SUMMER IN THE MEDITERRANEAN.

AFTER ALL, THERE'S ROOM TO EXPLORE.

FROM THE STRAIT OF GIBRALTAR, THE SEA STRETCHES 2,500 MILES

EAST.

COMING UP, IT'S A LIFE-GIVING JOURNEY THAT NEVER FAILS TO

CAPTURE OUR IMAGINATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN THESE TINY TOTS

EMERGE.

AND A SEAHORSE'S COUSIN IS AN EXPERT AT HIDING IN THIS

UNDERSEA FOREST.

PLUS, WHAT HAS EIGHT ARMS, NINE BRAINS, AND CAN CHANGE COLOR IN

UNDER A SECOND?

MORE UNDERSEA MARVELS WHEN "EARTH ODYSSEY" COMES RIGHT

BACK.

.

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

DYLAN: MORE THAN 10,000 SPECIES LIVE IN THE WATERS OF THE

MEDITERRANEAN, AND MOST MAKE THEIR HOME ALONG ITS WILD,

UNTAMED COASTLINE, INCLUDING ONE OF THE OLDEST AND LARGEST LIVING

ORGANISMS ON THE PLANET...

...NEPTUNE GRASS, AN UNDERWATER PLANT COVERING ALMOST

17,000 SQUARE MILES.

IT'S FOUND IN ALMOST EVERY CORNER OF THE MEDITERRANEAN.

SEA GRASS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT HABITATS ON EARTH.

IT ABSORBS MORE CARBON DIOXIDE THAN AN EQUIVALENT AREA OF THE

AMAZON RAINFOREST, AND IT'S A FEEDING GROUND FOR A VULNERABLE

MARINE SPECIES...

...THE LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLE.

CRUSTACEANS AND MOLLUSKS MAKE UP THE MAJORITY OF THIS SPECIES'

DIET...

AND THERE ARE PLENTY HIDING AMONG THE SEA GRASS.

THIS SEA TURTLE SPENDS HER ENTIRE LIFE SWIMMING IN THE

MEDITERRANEAN, SURFACING EVERY FOUR TO FIVE MINUTES TO BREATHE.

BUT SHE RETURNS TO LAND BRIEFLY EVERY THREE YEARS TO SPAWN THE

NEXT GENERATION.

SHE'S READY TO LAY HER EGGS, BUT AS A COLD-BLOODED ANIMAL, SHE'D

QUICKLY OVERHEAT ON LAND DURING THE DAY, SO SHE HAS TO WAIT FOR

THE COOL OF NIGHT.

FOR SOME CREATURES, NEPTUNE GRASS IS A SANCTUARY THEY NEVER

LEAVE.

SMALL, STEALTHY, AND HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT, IT'S THE

BROAD-NOSED PIPEFISH.

A RELATIVE OF THE SEAHORSE, IT HAS EVOLVED SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH

THE SEA GRASS.

BARELY MOVING THROUGHOUT HER LIFE, THIS SIX-INCH-LONG FISH IS

A MASTER OF HIDE-AND-SEEK.

SHE MIMICS A BLADE OF GRASS BOTH WITH HER COLOR AND HER LONG,

SLENDER BODY.

SHE HAS A GOOD REASON TO BLEND IN, BARRACUDA.

THESE OPPORTUNISTIC PREDATORS HUNT MAINLY BY SIGHT AND ARE

CONSTANTLY ON THE LOOKOUT FOR PREY.

THE PIPEFISH RESTS VERTICALLY, SWAYING GENTLY IN THE CURRENT.

TO THE BARRACUDA, SHE'S JUST ANOTHER BLADE OF GRASS.

BUT ANOTHER PREDATOR HERE HAS A SUPER SENSE,

A MARBLED ELECTRIC RAY.

IT'S ALSO ON THE HUNT.

SENSORS IN ITS HEAD DETECT MINUTE ELECTRICAL FIELDS

PRODUCED BY THE MOVEMENTS OF ITS PREY.

ANOTHER TEST OF THE PIPEFISH'S STEALTH, HER ONLY HOPE,

DON'T MOVE A MUSCLE.

NO ELECTRICAL SIGNAL FOR THE RAY TO PICK UP.

THANKS TO THE PIPEFISH'S EXTRAORDINARY CAMOUFLAGE, SHE'S

ONE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN'S TRUE SURVIVORS.

AS DAY SHIFTS TO NIGHT,

THE LOGGERHEAD TURTLE MAKES HER MOVE.

IT'S COOL ENOUGH FOR HER TO HAUL HER 300-POUND BODY ONTO THE

BEACH.

SHE'S TRAVELED MORE THAN A THOUSAND MILES TO COMPLETE A

REMARKABLE LIFE CYCLE, RETURNING TO THE SAME BEACH WHERE SHE

HATCHED.

SHE USES POWERFUL FLIPPERS STRENGTHENED BY A LIFE AT SEA TO

DIG TWO-AND-A-HALF FEET INTO THE SAND.

AND THEN THE NEXT CYCLE OF LIFE CAN BEGIN.

THE WARMTH OF THE MEDITERRANEAN BEACH WILL INCUBATE HER EGGS.

SHE'LL VISIT THIS BEACH FIVE SEPARATE TIMES THROUGHOUT THE

SEASON TO DIG A NEW NEST AND LAY MORE THAN A HUNDRED EGGS IN

EACH.

IN TWO MONTHS' TIME, WHEN ALL THE TINY HATCHLINGS EMERGE,

THEY'LL FIND SAFETY IN NUMBERS AS THEY TRY TO MAKE IT TO THE

SEA.

COMING UP, SHE MAY BE ONLY A MOLLUSK, BUT SHE'S GOT MOXIE.

WE UNCOVER ONE COLORFUL CEPHALOPOD.

AND JUST HOW DO THESE TINY TURTLE HATCHLINGS KNOW WHEN TO

LEAVE THE NEST?

FIND OUT WHEN "EARTH ODYSSEY" COMES RIGHT BACK.

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

DYLAN: ON THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA COAST, WE'VE SEEN HOW THE

LOGGERHEAD TURTLE MAKES A NEST FOR HER EGGS, THEN HEADS BACK TO

SEA, LEAVING THE EGGS UNATTENDED.

BUT ANOTHER UNDERWATER SPECIES REFUSES TO LEAVE THE SURVIVAL OF

HER OFFSPRING TO CHANCE.

JUST OFF THE COAST, AMONG MORE THAN 200 SPECIES OF CORAL

LIES A BREEDING GROUND FOR PERHAPS THE PLANET'S MOST

DEVOTED PARENT...

...THE COMMON OCTOPUS.

AT ABOUT 32 INCHES LONG, SHE'S 90 PERCENT MUSCLE.

SHE'S NOT ONLY STRONG, SHE'S CONSIDERED TO BE AMONG THE MOST

INTELLIGENT OF ALL INVERTEBRATES,

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE COMMON OCTOPUS ISN'T DARING.

NORMALLY, THIS ACCOMPLISHED SHAPE-SHIFTING PREDATOR ROAMS

HER TERRITORY ON THE HUNT FOR CRABS, BUT TODAY, SHE'S NOT

STRAYING FAR FROM HER DEN.

DUSKY GROUPERS ARE PATROLLING NEARBY.

OCTOPUS AND SQUID MAKE UP THE BULK OF THE FISH'S DIET.

WHEN SHE'S THREATENED BY A PREDATOR, THE QUICK-MOVING

OCTOPUS CAN SQUIRT INK AND ESCAPE AS A LAST RESORT,

BUT RIGHT NOW, SHE CAN'T LEAVE.

HIDDEN IN HER OCTOPUS' DEN ARE CLOSE TO HALF-A-MILLION EGGS.

HER SOLE DUTY IS TO PROTECT HER FRAGILE OFFSPRING.

HIDING IS THE MOTHER OCTOPUS' ONLY OPTION.

SHE HAS A VAST NETWORK OF PIGMENT CELLS HELPING HER MATCH

THE ROCKS AND CORRAL.

SHE CAN CHANGE HER SKIN COLOR AND TEXTURE IN LESS THAN A

SECOND TO PROTECT HERSELF.

IT'S THE PERFECT DISGUISE.

BUT HER PARENTING DUTIES ARE FAR FROM OVER.

HER YOUNG WON'T SPAWN FOR ANOTHER FOUR MONTHS.

CONSTANTLY FLUSHING WATER FROM HER FUNNEL, SHE KEEPS THE EGGS

OXYGENATED.

SHE WON'T LEAVE THE DEN OR EVEN EAT UNTIL THEY HATCH.

THIS WILL BE THE ONE AND ONLY TIME THE COMMON OCTOPUS WILL

REPRODUCE.

AND HER HATCHLINGS' SURVIVAL IS HER FINAL GOOD DEED.

SHE'LL PASS AWAY NOT LONG AFTER HER EGGS HATCH.

SCIENTISTS ARE ONLY JUST BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND THESE

SOLITARY, BUT ALWAYS SURPRISING CREATURES AND THEIR REMARKABLE

BEHAVIORS.

COMING UP, IT'S TIME FOR THESE HATCHLINGS TO LEAVE THE NEST AND

FOLLOW THE LIGHT OF THE MOON.

FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IN THIS INCREDIBLE WILDLIFE STORY

WHEN "EARTH ODYSSEY" RETURNS.

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

DYLAN: BY LATE SUMMER, TEMPERATURES ARE AT THEIR PEAK

IN THE MEDITERRANEAN.

AFTER TWO MONTHS, THE LOGGERHEAD TURTLE'S DIFFICULT JOURNEY OUT

OF THE SEA AND UP THE BEACH TO BUILD A NEST IS FINALLY PAYING

OFF.

HER HATCHLINGS ARE DIGGING OUT OF THEIR SANDY NEST.

TEN TIMES LIGHTER THAN HER MOTHER, THE TINY ONE-OUNCE

HATCHLING FOLLOWS IN HER FOOTSTEPS, GUIDED BY THE LIGHT

OF THE MOON.

TO THIS LITTLE ONE, A JOURNEY DOWN TO SEA LEVEL IS A DANGEROUS

MARATHON...

...WITH HUNGRY GHOST CRABS SEARCHING FOR STRAGGLERS.

BUT THE CRABS ARE PICKING FIGHTS WITH EACH OTHER.

IT'S THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE TURTLE HATCHLINGS TO SNEAK

BY.

THE SHALLOWS ARE ONLY A FEW FEET AWAY NOW.

ONE FINAL PUSH, SAFE.

THE BABY TURTLES HEAD STRAIGHT INTO THE WAVES, ORIENTING

THEMSELVES FOR THE SEA BEYOND.

BY DAYBREAK, THE NEST IS EMPTY.

MORE THAN 200,000 HATCHLINGS MAKE IT INTO THE MEDITERRANEAN

EACH YEAR.

BUT THEIR FIRST FEW MONTHS WILL BE THE MOST PERILOUS.

ONLY ONE IN EVERY THOUSAND SURVIVE TO ADULTHOOD IN THE BUSY

MEDITERRANEAN SEA BECAUSE OF NET FISHING, POLLUTION, AND SHIP

TRAFFIC.

THANKFULLY, THESE BEAUTIFUL WATERS STILL NURTURE SOME OF THE

MOST FASCINATING MARINE CREATURES ON EARTH.

A WIDE RANGE OF PLANT AND ANIMAL LIFE FLOURISH IN THE

MEDITERRANEAN SEA, FROM THE TINY PLANKTON THAT FEED THE PIPEFISH

TO THE MIGHTY FIN WHALE GUIDING HER CALF.

MARINE BIOLOGISTS ARE WORKING TO UNDERSTAND HOW ALL THESE SPECIES

INTERACT AND THRIVE IN OUR PLANET'S OCEANS.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO DISCOVERING MORE AMAZING CREATURES NEXT TIME

ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]