0:00:02 > 0:00:05This is Deadly 360.
0:00:05 > 0:00:07The show that pits three of the world's
0:00:07 > 0:00:10deadliest predators against their prey,
0:00:10 > 0:00:12examining their hunting strategies
0:00:12 > 0:00:16and their escape tactics from every angle.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20By delving beneath the fur and feathers,
0:00:20 > 0:00:23we find out why a hunt succeeds
0:00:23 > 0:00:26and why they sometimes fail.
0:00:26 > 0:00:31One thing's certain - prey animals are anything but sitting ducks.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34heir defensive strategies keep them alive...
0:00:36 > 0:00:39..and push predators to the limits.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42Prepare for Deadly 360.
0:00:44 > 0:00:49This is Deadly 360 mission control, where all of today's action
0:00:49 > 0:00:51and analysis takes place.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57From here, we have access to some of the most enthralling hunts
0:00:57 > 0:00:59that have ever been caught on camera.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02I've recreated three of the most exciting and analysed them
0:01:02 > 0:01:06from a variety of angles and perspectives in 360-degree style.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10The predators we're looking at have to find
0:01:10 > 0:01:12and catch food or they just won't make it.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15In the wild world, simply managing to survive
0:01:15 > 0:01:17is the greatest challenge of all.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20I present to you the Arboreal Hunters.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25Arboreal means living in the treetops.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27It's a dangerous place where animals risk life
0:01:27 > 0:01:30and death every time they want a meal.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33Up here, one miscalculated leap could be fatal.
0:01:34 > 0:01:39And in today's deadly line-up we meet three predators who take
0:01:39 > 0:01:42great risks to survive in this environment.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45We'll witness the hunting skills of a perfectly tuned
0:01:45 > 0:01:48killing machine, the leopard.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52And meet the fossa, a mysterious animal from Madagascar.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56'And in the forests of Africa,
0:01:56 > 0:02:00we'll follow the chimpanzees who use team work to hunt their prey.
0:02:01 > 0:02:06Three predators, three different hunting strategies, all deadly.
0:02:06 > 0:02:10They look invincible, but there's a continual arms race going on
0:02:10 > 0:02:13in nature which ensures that prey animals are always evolving
0:02:13 > 0:02:16spectacular ways of taking care of themselves.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21Today's defenders are also tree top specialists.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25They include the baboon,
0:02:25 > 0:02:30an agile tree-dweller with an incredible turn of speed.
0:02:30 > 0:02:31And the colobus monkey,
0:02:31 > 0:02:35a true master of the tree tops with lightning reactions.
0:02:35 > 0:02:40And we investigate the sifaka's aeronautical tactics
0:02:40 > 0:02:43that have to be seen to be believed.
0:02:43 > 0:02:47Three evaders with three very different escape strategies.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50So, I've introduced you to all of our contenders,
0:02:50 > 0:02:53now it's time to meet our first deadly duo going head to head.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59We start with the fossa, a confident and cunning killer.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04And up against it is this.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09The sifaka, a graceful lemur with remarkable leaping abilities.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13But which animal has the edge in the race for life?
0:03:13 > 0:03:15It's time to go Deadly 360.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24We join the action just seconds before the final strike.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27This is the sifaka in full flight,
0:03:27 > 0:03:30taking giant leaps through the canopy.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33And hot on its heels is the fossa.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37Well, if we freeze the action at this critical moment,
0:03:37 > 0:03:40who do the odds favour? The predator or the prey?
0:03:40 > 0:03:44Well, as ever, we need to examine this hunt in forensic detail,
0:03:44 > 0:03:47and to do that, we have to take it back to the start.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51First off, where did this hunt take place?
0:03:51 > 0:03:53Well, what you're about to see
0:03:53 > 0:03:56happened on the island of Madagascar,
0:03:56 > 0:03:58in the forests of the southwest.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04This island has many diverse habitats,
0:04:04 > 0:04:07from tropical rainforests to strange, spiny trees.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12So its inhabitants have to be tough and resourceful to survive here.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16And one of these animals is the sifaka.
0:04:16 > 0:04:21A member of the lemur family, it uses the forests like a playground.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25And the sifaka is the favourite prey of the fossa.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29Both of these unusual animals are unique to Madagascar.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33The fossa is a tenacious predator,
0:04:33 > 0:04:37at home on the ground and in the trees.
0:04:37 > 0:04:41So that's the arena for our gladiatorial contest.
0:04:41 > 0:04:45What weapons and defences do the two animals doing battle have?
0:04:47 > 0:04:52First up, the fossa's claws, perfect tools for climbing trees.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57Secondly, agility, constantly changing direction
0:04:57 > 0:05:00and springing effortlessly from trees to ground.
0:05:00 > 0:05:05And teeth, 32 of them, designed for inflicting serious damage.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09All of that makes our predator a pretty scary prospect.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11What does our prey have to counter?
0:05:12 > 0:05:15Sifaka may look comical leaping on the ground
0:05:15 > 0:05:19but when they're in the trees, they're extremely skilful.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24With springy hind legs they can jump up to 10 metres in one leap!
0:05:26 > 0:05:28And they have tough paws
0:05:28 > 0:05:32capable of dealing with some very prickly situations.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37So our predator's going to find it pretty difficult
0:05:37 > 0:05:40to get anywhere near this prey. Let's see what happens.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44It's late afternoon in the forest
0:05:44 > 0:05:46and the fossa is on the move in search of dinner.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49And it's not the only one who has an appetite.
0:05:49 > 0:05:5510 metres up is the sifaka, also getting stuck into dinner.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58Trying to get food from these ludicrously prickly plants
0:05:58 > 0:06:01is all but impossible.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03But the sifaka manage it by having large feet
0:06:03 > 0:06:08with broad, flat, tough pads at the end and surprisingly delicate claws.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12Even so, you can see how carefully they have to move.
0:06:14 > 0:06:19And just metres below, the hungry fossa has spotted the sifaka.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22Fossas can move from the ground to the trees with real ease
0:06:22 > 0:06:26and now it's spotted a potential meal, it wastes no time
0:06:26 > 0:06:29and rockets up the tree with incredible pace.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33Just look at that!
0:06:33 > 0:06:36It's climbing that vertical tree trunk with no difficulty at all.
0:06:38 > 0:06:42The sifaka's long sinuous limbs are perfect for swinging
0:06:42 > 0:06:45and leaping through the tree tops.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47But the fossa is a completely different shape.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51Those short, stocky legs are great for running along the length
0:06:51 > 0:06:53of branches more like a squirrel.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55And when it needs to descend from the trees tops,
0:06:55 > 0:06:58it sprints down headfirst with no fear!
0:06:58 > 0:07:01It does this by having manoeuvrable ankles which can turn almost
0:07:01 > 0:07:03completely around, and sharp, curved claws
0:07:03 > 0:07:07that work like grappling hooks, giving it sensational grip.
0:07:09 > 0:07:13Zoologists are a little perplexed about what to do with the fossa.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15I mean, I have to say, if I didn't know this was a fossa skull,
0:07:15 > 0:07:20I'd think it was that of a medium size cat, like an ocelot, perhaps.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24And certainly the arrangement of the teeth is almost identical -
0:07:24 > 0:07:28it has those long sharp canines at the front, these carnassials
0:07:28 > 0:07:33or cheek teeth which are perfect for grinding through flesh and for bone.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36And it also has the ability to kill in the same way
0:07:36 > 0:07:38as some of the cats do.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42Now, its prey, the lemurs, have much lighter, less bony skulls
0:07:42 > 0:07:45than the fossa does and, grim as it sounds,
0:07:45 > 0:07:52this animal has the ability to bite through those skulls into the brain.
0:07:52 > 0:07:56Let's see if the fossa can put those teeth into action.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01Right, back to the hunt, and the fossa is in hot pursuit
0:08:01 > 0:08:06and seems to be gaining ground on the sifaka with every bound.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09Those leaps are quite incredible -
0:08:09 > 0:08:11these animals are 10 metres off the ground,
0:08:11 > 0:08:14and at this height, the risks are huge.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17That certainly doesn't worry the sifaka though,
0:08:17 > 0:08:20because it's an absolute master of moving through the trees.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23But let's have a closer look at how it does it.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27Normally, lemurs that are superbly adapted to springing,
0:08:27 > 0:08:30leaping and swinging up in the tree tops are quite loathe
0:08:30 > 0:08:33to come down to the ground because they feel very exposed to predators.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36But sifakas have a remarkable method of locomotion
0:08:36 > 0:08:38they can use on the ground.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41Now, I know it looks quite comical, but it actually
0:08:41 > 0:08:45gives us a really good chance to get a closer look at how the sifaka
0:08:45 > 0:08:47makes those enormous springs.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49As it's leaping, you can get a good look
0:08:49 > 0:08:52at those enormous thigh muscles.
0:08:52 > 0:08:57I mean, it looks like he's got the muscles of an Olympic athlete.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00He's springing along using enormous amounts of explosive
0:09:00 > 0:09:04muscular force, but also storing up elastic energy in his tendons.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07And when he's leaping in the tree trunks,
0:09:07 > 0:09:10he's using the same muscles and tendons to glorious effect.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14Let's see if they're enough to keep him away from the fossa.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19Right, we're in the last stages of the hunt now,
0:09:19 > 0:09:22and the fossa is just metres from the sifaka.
0:09:22 > 0:09:27One wrong jump or slip by either of them, and it's the end of the line.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30The sifaka has to pull something out of the bag.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33But it looks like there's nowhere left to run,
0:09:33 > 0:09:35and the fossa is right behind it.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39Oh, now that's what I call a leap of faith.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41Let's see it in slow motion.
0:09:41 > 0:09:45You can see that as the sifaka jumps, it orientates itself towards
0:09:45 > 0:09:48the cactus and then uses those long, slender toes
0:09:48 > 0:09:51to exploit gaps in between the spines.
0:09:51 > 0:09:56The fossa, with its cat-like paws would almost certainly
0:09:56 > 0:09:58puncture its digits, crippling itself.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00And a lame hunter is as good as dead.
0:10:00 > 0:10:04The fossa decides to make a very wise retreat.
0:10:05 > 0:10:09The various species of lemur have many different ways of evading
0:10:09 > 0:10:10an attack by a fossa -
0:10:10 > 0:10:15so much so, in fact, that only one in five hunts result in success.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18But the fossa is a tenacious, determined hunter
0:10:18 > 0:10:22and he's going to keep on trying until he eventually gets his meal.
0:10:22 > 0:10:28But today the fossa's sharp claws, teeth and climbing abilities
0:10:28 > 0:10:33were no match against the sifaka's own climbing skills,
0:10:33 > 0:10:36tough paws and endless bounce.
0:10:42 > 0:10:47Now, onto our next pair of hunters locked in a battle for survival.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50This is the leopard, an expert night hunter and tree climber.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54Up against it is this - the yellow baboon,
0:10:54 > 0:10:59a primate that has some pretty impressive weapons to defend itself.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02But which has the edge in the race for life?
0:11:02 > 0:11:04It's time to go Deadly 360!
0:11:09 > 0:11:11We join the action at a crucial moment.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15In the darkness, the baboon is blindly leaping from tree to tree
0:11:15 > 0:11:18and right behind him is the leopard.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24It looks like the prey is in serious trouble,
0:11:24 > 0:11:28but how did it get there and is there any chance it might survive?
0:11:28 > 0:11:32To answer these questions we have to wind back to the start of the hunt,
0:11:32 > 0:11:34break down all of the action
0:11:34 > 0:11:38and find out what's happening that leads up to this strike.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41First, let's take a look at where this hunt takes place.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43We're travelling to southern Africa
0:11:43 > 0:11:46and the landlocked country of Zambia.
0:11:46 > 0:11:50This habitat is made up of open woodlands, scrubland and savannah.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55There's plenty of food on offer for a troop of yellow baboons.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59But where you find baboons, you also find leopard...
0:12:00 > 0:12:04..predators who've developed the ability to hunt in the trees
0:12:04 > 0:12:08and at night - so not great news for the baboons.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11So that's our location,
0:12:11 > 0:12:13but what sort of attributes do our predator and prey have
0:12:13 > 0:12:17that will give them an advantage in this kind of environment?
0:12:19 > 0:12:22Leopards are incredibly agile, making easy work of climbing.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25And they have incredible eyesight -
0:12:25 > 0:12:29spotting prey at up to 500 metres, no animal is safe.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32And, lastly, they have 32 teeth
0:12:32 > 0:12:36that can finish off prey that's ten times bigger than them.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42I think it's clear we're dealing with another well-equipped predator,
0:12:42 > 0:12:46but how is our prey going to try and neutralise the threat?
0:12:48 > 0:12:51Well, baboons also have tremendous strength and agility,
0:12:51 > 0:12:53making them hard to catch.
0:12:53 > 0:12:54BARKING
0:12:54 > 0:12:59And a baboon can produce a bark of ninety decibels, sounding the alarm.
0:12:59 > 0:13:00BARKING
0:13:00 > 0:13:03And lastly their teamwork - this tight-knit bunch stick together
0:13:03 > 0:13:07to defend themselves against attackers.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09We have two very different animals,
0:13:09 > 0:13:12but which one's going to come out on top in this hunt?
0:13:12 > 0:13:13Let's find out.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15It's dusk in the Zambian grasslands
0:13:15 > 0:13:18and the baboons have been foraging all day.
0:13:18 > 0:13:22When it's light, they are able to see any predators,
0:13:22 > 0:13:25but it's getting dark, and the baboons' poor night vision
0:13:25 > 0:13:28makes them vulnerable to attacks on the ground,
0:13:28 > 0:13:31so they move to the safety of the trees.
0:13:31 > 0:13:35This increases their chances of survival against most big cats,
0:13:35 > 0:13:37but the leopard is a cunning killer
0:13:37 > 0:13:40that's fully adapted to catching its meals up high.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43Just a few hundred metres away, a hungry leopard is on the prowl.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48Now is the perfect time for this cat to hunt,
0:13:48 > 0:13:49because of its night vision.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54Like most nocturnal animals, cats have a special layer
0:13:54 > 0:13:56at the back of the eye called the tapetum.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58This functions almost like a mirror,
0:13:58 > 0:14:01reflecting light back through the retina,
0:14:01 > 0:14:03giving it another chance to sense it,
0:14:03 > 0:14:05which intensifies their night vision.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09This is why, when you shine a torch into the eyes of a nocturnal animal,
0:14:09 > 0:14:11you get that incredible glowing eye shine.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17OK, the leopard has spotted the troop of baboons in the treetops,
0:14:17 > 0:14:21but if it wants to get close to them it needs to rely on the moon.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24Unlike the leopard, baboons have poor night vision,
0:14:24 > 0:14:27so complete darkness will favour the predator.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31And at just the right time, a cloud covers the moon
0:14:31 > 0:14:34and the leopard makes its move.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38The baboons have heard it and call out to each other to warn the group.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41Unable to see, their best defence is to stick together
0:14:41 > 0:14:46and make as much noise as possible to intimidate the leopard.
0:14:46 > 0:14:47Calling on its own, though,
0:14:47 > 0:14:51isn't going to deter a predator as powerful as a leopard.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55Luckily, though, each individual baboon has its own set of weapons.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57Let's get a closer look at those.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02Let's get a look at a baboon beneath the flesh and the fur.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05First of all, the teeth. They have the same amount as we do
0:15:05 > 0:15:09and they're in the same arrangement as well, but the teeth themselves
0:15:09 > 0:15:13couldn't be more different, particularly these canine teeth.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17Look at those. In an adult male baboon,
0:15:17 > 0:15:20those can be as long as the canine teeth of a lion.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23And one more thing which is even more clever -
0:15:23 > 0:15:26if I just open the jaw, you can see this tooth here -
0:15:26 > 0:15:30it's a premolar - has a very special shape to it.
0:15:30 > 0:15:35It has actually got hardened enamel on the top and is very flat,
0:15:35 > 0:15:40and every time this canine tooth closes over the top of it,
0:15:40 > 0:15:42it gets sharpened.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46That tooth functions like a grindstone.
0:15:46 > 0:15:51This animal effectively has four self-sharpening carving knives
0:15:51 > 0:15:52inside its mouth.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55I don't know about you, but I'd be scared stiff
0:15:55 > 0:15:57if I came face-to-face with one of these.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00Let's see how our leopard deals with it.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03Right, back to the hunt.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07The baboons still can't see their attacker, but can hear him below.
0:16:07 > 0:16:11At this point, one wrong move in the treetops and they'd be history.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15OK, let's just pause the action at this crucial moment.
0:16:15 > 0:16:17There's no doubt that the leopard has the edge
0:16:17 > 0:16:19in terms of its nocturnal vision.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21But what about hunting in the tree tops?
0:16:21 > 0:16:23Surely the baboons are on top there.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26Well, the leopard has these things on its side.
0:16:26 > 0:16:31First of all, it has retractable claws which give it fantastic grip.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34Secondly, its powerful musculature and limbs
0:16:34 > 0:16:38allow it to grasp onto the tree and also to make big springing leaps.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41Thirdly, one of the most powerful sets of jaws
0:16:41 > 0:16:43found in the whole animal kingdom.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46Let's find out how it puts these attributes into effect.
0:16:48 > 0:16:53OK, this is a leopard skull,
0:16:53 > 0:16:56and you can really see how it manages to administer
0:16:56 > 0:16:59that unbelievably powerful bite.
0:16:59 > 0:17:04This strap of bone that runs across here is the zygomatic arch.
0:17:04 > 0:17:09That's where the muscles insert that drive this mandible, or lower jaw.
0:17:09 > 0:17:14It has an incredible bite force and it needs it,
0:17:14 > 0:17:17because the way it kills its prey is by clenching around
0:17:17 > 0:17:21the windpipe here and suffocating them, or clean through the vertebrae
0:17:21 > 0:17:24at the back of the neck and breaking the spinal cord.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27So our baboons are being tracked by a truly formidable animal.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33The hunt has reached a critical point.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35Time is running out for the leopard
0:17:35 > 0:17:38and its success is still resting on the moon.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41But it looks like its chance of a meal is increasing -
0:17:41 > 0:17:45the clouds come to the leopard's rescue at just the right moment.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48Now it can make its final move.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52But in all this commotion, will it catch anything?
0:17:52 > 0:17:54Success!
0:17:54 > 0:17:56One of the baboons got separated from the troop
0:17:56 > 0:17:59and the leopard took its opportunity - a lethal pounce.
0:18:00 > 0:18:04Despite all of the leopard's astounding abilities,
0:18:04 > 0:18:07actually it came down to something as simple as darkness
0:18:07 > 0:18:09for him to overcome his prey.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13Perhaps during the daytime, the result would have been different.
0:18:13 > 0:18:19The baboon's agility, noisy bark, and canine teeth
0:18:19 > 0:18:25weren't enough to save it against the leopard's night vision,
0:18:25 > 0:18:28crafty claws and powerful jaws.
0:18:33 > 0:18:38This is our last deadly duo, locked in a battle for life or death.
0:18:39 > 0:18:44This is the chimpanzee, an intelligent pack hunter.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47And up against it is this - the colobus monkey.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50They're seven times lighter than the chimps,
0:18:50 > 0:18:52but not to be underestimated.
0:18:52 > 0:18:56But which animal has the edge in the race for survival?
0:18:56 > 0:18:58It's time to go 360.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07The chimpanzees are on the chase.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10The monkeys look like they've got nowhere to go
0:19:10 > 0:19:13and will need to use all their agility and speed to get away.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16By now you know there's a lot more to a hunt
0:19:16 > 0:19:18than just the final strike.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22What are the hidden factors that will influence what happens
0:19:22 > 0:19:23in the next few seconds?
0:19:23 > 0:19:28To find out, we have to wind back to the start and dissect the action.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31OK, so where is this all happening?
0:19:31 > 0:19:35We're back in Africa, but this time we're in the west,
0:19:35 > 0:19:38in the thick tropical rainforests of the Congo.
0:19:41 > 0:19:45It's hot and humid, and surviving in these forests is hard work.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49So the chimpanzee has had to learn to use tools
0:19:49 > 0:19:52and techniques to find food.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56They are not vegetarians - chimps have a taste for meat.
0:19:56 > 0:20:00They need this protein in their diets in order to fuel
0:20:00 > 0:20:02their fast lifestyles in the trees.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05And these forests are also home
0:20:05 > 0:20:09to the elegant and springy colobus monkey.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12Although well adapted to life in the trees,
0:20:12 > 0:20:16they'll need to be very nimble to outmanoeuvre the chimps.
0:20:16 > 0:20:18So that's the scene set,
0:20:18 > 0:20:21let's have a look at some of our predator's attributes.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28Well, chimps might have a cute and cuddly image
0:20:28 > 0:20:31but they're also extremely intelligent.
0:20:31 > 0:20:35Their teamwork allows them to co-ordinate complex hunting parties
0:20:35 > 0:20:37in order to catch their prey.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40And they have incredibly strong muscles -
0:20:40 > 0:20:43essential for climbing in the forest.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46This is one deadly primate.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49So, those are the weapons our predator will unleash on its target.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52But what about the animal in the firing line,
0:20:52 > 0:20:54what's it got to protect itself?
0:20:55 > 0:20:58Firstly, colobus monkeys have acute hearing -
0:20:58 > 0:21:01they're capable of picking up a chimp's movement
0:21:01 > 0:21:0430 metres below them. Next, their speed and agility -
0:21:04 > 0:21:08the colobus's light frame allows them to hurtle through the trees
0:21:08 > 0:21:10and leap up to seven metres,
0:21:10 > 0:21:13the length of a double-decker bus!
0:21:13 > 0:21:16OK, now we have all the background, let's get the hunt underway.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21We drop in on the action following a group of five chimpanzees
0:21:21 > 0:21:23as they're out on the move.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25The chimps are out foraging,
0:21:25 > 0:21:28moving silently along the forest floor in tight formation.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31If we look at this from above you can see the group
0:21:31 > 0:21:34coming in there from the right.
0:21:34 > 0:21:35What are they searching for?
0:21:35 > 0:21:39A bit further on in the forest - 30 metres up in the canopy -
0:21:39 > 0:21:41are a group of red colobus monkeys.
0:21:41 > 0:21:46This is exactly the sort of thing that our chimps are looking to hunt.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50But these colobus monkeys are tricky prey to creep up on
0:21:50 > 0:21:52because of their sensitive hearing.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55They can pick up a greater range of sounds than the chimps,
0:21:55 > 0:21:59which may give them the opportunity to flee.
0:21:59 > 0:22:03So, the only way the chimps can catch them is by working as a team.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06In fact, each chimp takes a specific role in the hunt.
0:22:06 > 0:22:10This is the driver - its job is to start the chase.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14Then there's the blockers - their job is to stop the monkeys escaping.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17And then, most importantly, there's the ambusher -
0:22:17 > 0:22:20its job is to catch the prey.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23They've spotted the monkeys and the plan goes into action.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25Let's go back to our aerial view.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28You can see now that the chimps are in a horseshoe formation,
0:22:28 > 0:22:32but one is making a direct line at speed straight into the middle
0:22:32 > 0:22:36of the colobus monkeys, and this is going to cause instant panic.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39With the monkeys scattering, the blockers immediately run ahead
0:22:39 > 0:22:43and climb up trees either side to cut off all escape routes.
0:22:44 > 0:22:48The next to set off is the ambusher - it runs further ahead.
0:22:48 > 0:22:49This is the most experienced chimp.
0:22:49 > 0:22:54It's worked out where the colobus will go and lies in wait.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57With the trap set, the driver makes its move.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00Being the lightest and most agile,
0:23:00 > 0:23:03it gets closest to the monkeys to flush them out.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05Chimpanzees move through the tree tops
0:23:05 > 0:23:09with extraordinary agility for an animal of such muscularity.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11How do they manage it? Let's pause it there
0:23:11 > 0:23:13and take a closer look.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16Chimpanzees are our closest living relatives
0:23:16 > 0:23:19and their body shape is startlingly similar to our own,
0:23:19 > 0:23:24but with a few important differences that reflect their lifestyle.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26So, I weigh about 90 kilograms -
0:23:26 > 0:23:29an adult male chimpanzee could be half that.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32But, pound for pound, he'd be twice as strong.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34And an enormous amount of that strength
0:23:34 > 0:23:37is going to be in those arms.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40So the arms are proportionally longer than our own.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43They're also twice the weight.
0:23:43 > 0:23:48He can use this to swing through the trees and also to grip very well and
0:23:48 > 0:23:52tear apart potential prey, potential prey like the colobus monkey.
0:23:52 > 0:23:57So let's see how this tree-top battle of the primates continues.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01Here is the aerial view again.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03So you can see to either side
0:24:03 > 0:24:05we have the blockers lying in wait,
0:24:05 > 0:24:08and at the end is the ambusher.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12Now the driver is actually bringing those colobus monkeys
0:24:12 > 0:24:15right into the middle of this deadly ambush.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17The driver moves in but, as it does,
0:24:17 > 0:24:21the monkeys scatter in different directions to cause confusion.
0:24:21 > 0:24:23Some of them manage to slip through a gap in the canopy
0:24:23 > 0:24:26using their superior speed and agility.
0:24:26 > 0:24:30The remaining monkeys now just have one other defence tactic.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33They exploit the chimp's only weakness, their greater size.
0:24:33 > 0:24:37For a chimp, negotiating the thin branches is risky -
0:24:37 > 0:24:39one wrong leap and they risk a fatal fall.
0:24:39 > 0:24:43The colobus monkeys, being much lighter, can get right out
0:24:43 > 0:24:46to the thinnest branches and up into the very top of the canopy
0:24:46 > 0:24:48where the chimps simply cannot follow.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51They also have plenty of other escape strategies
0:24:51 > 0:24:54and they're all based around the monkey's body shape.
0:24:54 > 0:24:59Let's have a closer look. Whilst, with their bulky muscular bodies,
0:24:59 > 0:25:03chimpanzees are equally at home on the ground as up in the trees,
0:25:03 > 0:25:06The colobus monkey is a true canopy specialist.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09Those long, slender limbs with lightweight bones
0:25:09 > 0:25:13mean that they can exploit every single area of the tree,
0:25:13 > 0:25:15right out to the most slender branches.
0:25:15 > 0:25:17They have forward-facing eyes,
0:25:17 > 0:25:19which gives them superior binocular vision.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21This is great for depth perception,
0:25:21 > 0:25:25which is absolutely essential if you're hurtling at great speeds
0:25:25 > 0:25:28towards a branch that you absolutely have to catch.
0:25:28 > 0:25:32Those long, thin fingers are great for grasping onto tree branches,
0:25:32 > 0:25:35and there's no thumb to get in the way.
0:25:35 > 0:25:39So, is this wonderfully adapted animal going to stand any chance
0:25:39 > 0:25:42against its relative, the chimpanzee?
0:25:44 > 0:25:47Time is running out for the chimps.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49They've used a lot of energy chasing these monkeys
0:25:49 > 0:25:53and they now need to make a kill in order to feed the group.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57Now three of the colobus have escaped, they now have to act fast.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59The chimps are too heavy to swing from tree to tree,
0:25:59 > 0:26:04so they have to come down to the ground and climb back into position.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07Back on target, and with just one monkey left,
0:26:07 > 0:26:09they funnel it towards the ambusher.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11If we pause it there, you can see
0:26:11 > 0:26:14it looks like the colobus has used its superior agility
0:26:14 > 0:26:18and speed to move away from the chimpanzee at the last moment.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21It looks like it's going to escape. But, if we play on,
0:26:21 > 0:26:24you can see, actually, by turning back on itself,
0:26:24 > 0:26:26it's run straight into a trap.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29All of the other chimpanzees are waiting.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33And with animals with such superior size, strength and power,
0:26:33 > 0:26:35it simply doesn't stand a chance.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38The time and energy invested in this hunt has paid off,
0:26:38 > 0:26:41and each chimp will benefit from the kill.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44The popular image of a chimpanzee munching a banana
0:26:44 > 0:26:47couldn't be further from the truth.
0:26:47 > 0:26:49Actually, most hunts are opportunistic,
0:26:49 > 0:26:53but, even so, they employ a whole range of strategies to succeed.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56And though this time round only one colobus monkey was killed,
0:26:56 > 0:26:59they can take as many as seven in one hunt.
0:26:59 > 0:27:04The colobus monkey's honed hearing, speed and agility
0:27:04 > 0:27:07gave the chimps the run-around.
0:27:07 > 0:27:11But it was ultimately the chimp's intelligent hunting tactics,
0:27:11 > 0:27:16strength and precision moves that got the job done.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23There can be few more challenging places to make a living
0:27:23 > 0:27:24than up in the tree tops.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27After all, this is an environment where any wrong step,
0:27:27 > 0:27:30any misjudged leap, could mean death.
0:27:30 > 0:27:34Any animal that can hunt up in the tree tops has to be a champion.
0:27:34 > 0:27:36That's all we've got time for.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40Join us next time, as three more pairs of animals go head-to-head
0:27:40 > 0:27:43and we analyse the action Deadly 360 style.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:27:55 > 0:27:58E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk