0:00:02 > 0:00:05This is Deadly 360 -
0:00:05 > 0:00:10the show that pits three deadly predators against their prey,
0:00:10 > 0:00:13examining both their hunting strategies
0:00:13 > 0:00:17and their escape tactics from every angle.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20By delving beneath the fur and the feathers,
0:00:20 > 0:00:26we find out why a hunt succeeds and why they sometimes fail.
0:00:26 > 0:00:31One thing's certain. Prey animals are anything but sitting ducks.
0:00:31 > 0:00:36Their defensive strategies keep them alive
0:00:36 > 0:00:40and 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.
0:00:51 > 0:00:55From here, we have access to the most thrilling hunts
0:00:55 > 0:00:59that have ever been caught on camera.
0:00:59 > 0:01:03I've recreated three of the most exciting and analysed them
0:01:03 > 0:01:08from a variety of different angles in true 360 degree style.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12The predators we're looking at have to catch food or they won't make it.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16In the wild world, simply managing to survive
0:01:16 > 0:01:20is the greatest challenge of all. I present to you the dogs.
0:01:20 > 0:01:26In today's line-up, we'll see how grey wolves use canine intelligence
0:01:26 > 0:01:30to bring down prey that could be ten times their weight.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33We'll take a birds-eyes view
0:01:33 > 0:01:39of a hunt by Africa's most successful predator, the wild dog.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43Plus, we'll also witness the explosively quick attack
0:01:43 > 0:01:47of the mysterious and seldom seen Ethiopian wolf.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50Three dogs with very different hunting styles
0:01:50 > 0:01:53but all devastatingly deadly.
0:01:53 > 0:01:58They look invincible, but there's an arms race in nature which ensures
0:01:58 > 0:02:02that prey animals are always evolving spectacular ways
0:02:02 > 0:02:04of taking care of themselves.
0:02:04 > 0:02:09Today's three defenders are an odd looking rodent
0:02:09 > 0:02:13that's an expert at duck and cover. The giant mole rat.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16There's also the mighty elk.
0:02:16 > 0:02:21Half a ton of brute strength armed with some deadly weapons of its own.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25Completing the line-up, a champion long jumper of the plains.
0:02:25 > 0:02:30It's swift, it's agile, it's the impala. Three impressive prey,
0:02:30 > 0:02:33each with its own way of staying alive.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37But how will they fare against our predators?
0:02:37 > 0:02:40So I've introduced you to all of our contenders.
0:02:40 > 0:02:45Now it's time to meet our first deadly duo going head to head.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48We start with my all time favourite animal.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50The dramatic killer, the grey wolf.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54In addition to its fearsome teeth, this predator is armed
0:02:54 > 0:02:59with a keen intelligence, making it a highly dangerous hunter.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02And up against it, is this. It's an elk,
0:03:02 > 0:03:06a giant deer built for both strength and speed.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08A truly formidable opponent.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12But which animal has the edge in the race for life?
0:03:12 > 0:03:14It's time to go Deadly 360.
0:03:21 > 0:03:25We've dropped into a frozen mountain wilderness.
0:03:25 > 0:03:30The chase is nearing its end. It's a battle of pace and endurance,
0:03:30 > 0:03:36with the elk herd and the wolf pack running up to 25mph across deep snow.
0:03:36 > 0:03:41Both the hunter and the hunted are on the edge of exhaustion.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45If we freeze the action at this moment, who do the odds favour?
0:03:45 > 0:03:48The predator or the prey?
0:03:48 > 0:03:54Let's go back to the start and examine the hunt in forensic detail.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57With any hunt, location is key.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01This drama's playing out in northwest USA in the wilderness
0:04:01 > 0:04:05of the Yellowstone National Park.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09It's winter and temperatures are well below freezing,
0:04:09 > 0:04:12which makes life tough for everything that lives here.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15With fresh snow on the ground, it's even harder to get around
0:04:15 > 0:04:18on this steep, uneven terrain.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22A trip or a fall when sprinting at high speeds could easily
0:04:22 > 0:04:25result in a life-threatening injury.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29This is a pretty challenging environment for a hunt,
0:04:29 > 0:04:32but what do our two animals have that's going to give them an edge
0:04:32 > 0:04:34in such extreme conditions?
0:04:34 > 0:04:39First, let's take a look at the wolf. It's built for the chase,
0:04:39 > 0:04:43with a lean body ideally suited to running down its prey.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46In addition to speed and stamina,
0:04:46 > 0:04:49it's got jaws lined with bone-crunching teeth.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53All of that makes our predator a pretty scary prospect.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55What does our prey have to counter?
0:04:55 > 0:05:00The elk has size and strength on its side.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03A fully grown adult can weigh in at over half a ton.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05That's ten times more than the wolf.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08And the males also have these two massive antlers
0:05:08 > 0:05:12which are potentially lethal weapons to use against any predators.
0:05:12 > 0:05:17So big, powerful and heavily-armed.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19Well, based on all of that,
0:05:19 > 0:05:23this will be a pretty interesting hunt. Let's see how it unfolds.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31So, like most dogs in the wild, the wolves are hunting in a pack.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35Working together gives them the best chance of success
0:05:35 > 0:05:38but the elk are also operating as a group.
0:05:38 > 0:05:43A herd means more eyes to spot danger and a better chance of survival.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47So it's team wolf against team elk.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50The elk are making a run for it but this is what the wolves want.
0:05:50 > 0:05:54The success of their hunting technique depends entirely
0:05:54 > 0:05:57on picking out the right target. When the elk are in motion,
0:05:57 > 0:06:02it's much easier to spot any weak or frail members of the herd.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06If we analyse the action from above, we see the herd stampeding downhill.
0:06:06 > 0:06:11That's because they're frightened and because it's quicker to run downhill
0:06:11 > 0:06:14than uphill. This takes them into a valley where the snow's deeper
0:06:14 > 0:06:16and this could mean more danger.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19Let's pause the action and I'll explain why.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23The elk's long, slender legs will cut right down into the deep snow
0:06:23 > 0:06:27slowing it down. Once the wolves catch up, is there anything the elks
0:06:27 > 0:06:31can do to defend themselves? The obvious thing is their antlers.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34Only the males have these and in a fully grown male,
0:06:34 > 0:06:38it would be much bigger than this one I've got here.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41In fact, it could be double the width and have seven tines.
0:06:41 > 0:06:45This one only has three. Now, these are a remarkable material.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48It's one of the fastest growing tissues in the natural world.
0:06:48 > 0:06:53It can grow two and half centimetres a day, which is just phenomenal.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57The primary reason that they have antlers is for two males
0:06:57 > 0:07:01to battle with each other when they're competing over a female.
0:07:01 > 0:07:05They can make a pretty formidable weapon against something like a wolf.
0:07:05 > 0:07:10The tines are pretty sharp and if you can imagine that driven
0:07:10 > 0:07:14with the weight of a 600 kilo elk behind it, it would be a little bit
0:07:14 > 0:07:19like being charged by a horse with a bunch of swords strapped to its head.
0:07:19 > 0:07:23You have to say, I certainly wouldn't fancy being on the end of that.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26Let's see if our elk has to put his weapons to any use.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28Let's go back to the hunt.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32It looks like the wolf pack has managed to split off
0:07:32 > 0:07:35one of the elk from the rest of the herd.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39You might think this is a good thing for the wolves but look at that elk.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42It's an adult male and he's massive, which means he could easily
0:07:42 > 0:07:47kill one of these wolves if they get their attack wrong.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52He's going to use that freezing water to try and deter the wolves.
0:07:52 > 0:07:56They certainly don't look keen on following him in,
0:07:56 > 0:07:59especially as he's bringing those sharpened antlers into play.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02This adult male's clearly not the target for the wolves,
0:08:02 > 0:08:08so they're going to head back up hill and go after the main herd again.
0:08:08 > 0:08:13This is interesting. One young wolf has hung around on his own.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16Perhaps he's curious, maybe just hungry, but this is a bad idea.
0:08:16 > 0:08:20Trying to take on an animal of this size could easily end in its death.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23Luckily, though, it looks like he's escaped.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26The main pack has gathered again around the herd
0:08:26 > 0:08:29and it's driving them over some rough terrain,
0:08:29 > 0:08:33trying to use their superior endurance and also trying to find
0:08:33 > 0:08:37that one weakened individual that could make their perfect target.
0:08:37 > 0:08:41But selecting the right animal will be tricky. Even a female elk
0:08:41 > 0:08:44is much larger than the wolf.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47So they might be badly equipped to bring down such sizeable prey,
0:08:47 > 0:08:51but underneath the wolf's magnificent fur is a skeleton
0:08:51 > 0:08:54that I think tells a really interesting story.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56This is the skull of a grey wolf
0:08:56 > 0:09:00and it's more elongated than the skull of a comparably sized cat,
0:09:00 > 0:09:05let's say a leopard. Because it's longer, there's space for more teeth.
0:09:05 > 0:09:10There are 42 teeth inside this jaw as opposed to 30 in a cat.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14The ones that I think are most interesting are perhaps these here.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17They're called carnassials, or cheek teeth.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19They're broad but have a sharp cutting edge
0:09:19 > 0:09:22and these are perfect for crunching through bone.
0:09:22 > 0:09:26If you've ever seen a dog eating a bone, it'll use the side of its mouth
0:09:26 > 0:09:29and crunch away at it, rather than using these teeth here,
0:09:29 > 0:09:32which are far too brittle for such a strong job.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35Even more interesting, though, is this.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39This is called the nuchal crest. It's at the very, very back of the skull
0:09:39 > 0:09:42and that anchors the neck muscles. What wolves will classically do
0:09:42 > 0:09:46is bite in and then brace themselves back using their front legs
0:09:46 > 0:09:50and use their entire body weight to shake their head
0:09:50 > 0:09:54from side to side like this, wrenching out chunks of meat
0:09:54 > 0:09:57and that simply wouldn't be possible without the massive muscles
0:09:57 > 0:09:59that are anchored here.
0:09:59 > 0:10:03Let's see how all of these features function in a real life situation.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06It's back to the hunt.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13Our hunt is in its final stages and if we head back to our aerial view,
0:10:13 > 0:10:17you can see that the pack's managed to completely fracture the herd.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21This particular wolf has spotted a target. It's a much younger female.
0:10:21 > 0:10:26Let's compare her to the fully grown male from earlier on.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30You can see she's a totally different story. She's about half his weight,
0:10:30 > 0:10:34much less powerful and doesn't have those terrifying antlers.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37There's also one extra thing which there's no doubt
0:10:37 > 0:10:40that our wolf will have noticed and we can see with our technology.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42If we zoom in, we can see that
0:10:42 > 0:10:45there's a bony growth on the rear leg.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49This is possibly caused by her being kicked or from a fall in the past
0:10:49 > 0:10:52and now she's slightly lame.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54The wolves will have spotted this.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57This is the kind of weakness they've been trying to find.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00Let's restart the action.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04After such a long pursuit, the elk is completely exhausted
0:11:04 > 0:11:08and that injured leg means she can't maintain her speed.
0:11:08 > 0:11:13The wolves have latched on with those bone-crunching jaws.
0:11:13 > 0:11:19The rest of the pack moves in and it's all over.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22OK, so the pack has had their meal.
0:11:22 > 0:11:26In these kind of conditions and with this sort of prey source,
0:11:26 > 0:11:30grey wolves will be successful 45 to 64 percent of the time.
0:11:30 > 0:11:35And today, at least, the pack is not going to go hungry.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38So although the elk had size and power, strength in numbers
0:11:38 > 0:11:44and sharpened antlers, the wolves still managed to bring one down
0:11:44 > 0:11:47using their endurance, their bone-crunching jaws
0:11:47 > 0:11:49and most importantly, teamwork -
0:11:49 > 0:11:54working together to bring down the weakest member of the herd.
0:11:57 > 0:12:02Now on to our next pair of hunters locked in a battle for survival.
0:12:02 > 0:12:06For the predators, it's another wolf. The Ethiopian wolf.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08Although it might look similar to its grey cousin,
0:12:08 > 0:12:12it has an altogether different style of hunting.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14And up against it is this.
0:12:14 > 0:12:19A burrowing rodent, with super quick reactions. The giant mole rat.
0:12:19 > 0:12:25But which has the edge in the race for life? It's time to go Deadly 360.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31As we drop into the action,
0:12:31 > 0:12:36you can already see this is a totally different type of hunt.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40There's no long-distance endurance race. Instead, it's a battle
0:12:40 > 0:12:43of patience and nerve. We're at the critical point.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46The next few seconds will decide the outcome.
0:12:48 > 0:12:53Based on size alone, you'd say it looks like the prey's done for,
0:12:53 > 0:12:57but don't give up hope just yet. It's very rarely as simple as that.
0:12:57 > 0:13:02Let's rewind to the start of the hunt and begin our investigation.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06First, location. As our wolf's name suggests,
0:13:06 > 0:13:12we're in Ethiopia in Africa. In the Bale Mountains, to be precise.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15It's high altitude here, over 3,000 metres above sea level.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19That's twice the height of the UK's highest mountain.
0:13:19 > 0:13:23It's dry and the ground is open with very little vegetation,
0:13:23 > 0:13:27which means no cover for either animal.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31That's our location. What attributes do our predator and prey have
0:13:31 > 0:13:35that will give them an advantage in this kind of environment?
0:13:35 > 0:13:38First up, the Ethiopian wolf. It's smaller than the grey wolf
0:13:38 > 0:13:43and instead of endurance, this dog's hunting technique relies
0:13:43 > 0:13:46on stealth and a quick explosive attack.
0:13:46 > 0:13:51It's also got a range of super senses and those killer canine jaws,
0:13:51 > 0:13:53lined with sharp teeth.
0:13:53 > 0:13:57Those are the weapons that our predator will unleash on its target.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00But what about the animal in the firing line?
0:14:00 > 0:14:02What's it got to protect itself?
0:14:02 > 0:14:07Well, firstly it lives underground, a useful way of staying out of trouble
0:14:07 > 0:14:12and it has two prominent front teeth, which look like
0:14:12 > 0:14:14they could give quite a bite.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17Plus, it also has an unlikely friend to protect it,
0:14:17 > 0:14:20but I'll tell you more about that later.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22So we have two very different animals.
0:14:22 > 0:14:26But which one's going to come out on top in this hunt? Let's find out.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29Here's our pack of Ethiopian wolves
0:14:29 > 0:14:32and it looks like they're heading out to hunt.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36But the first thing that will happen is the pack is going to split up.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40That's because unlike grey wolves, Ethiopian wolves are solo hunters.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44This is all down to the size of their potential prey.
0:14:44 > 0:14:48There's nothing in the mountains here as large as elk that needs
0:14:48 > 0:14:51to be overcome by a group working together as a team and actually,
0:14:51 > 0:14:55if you sneak up on something like a rodent, it's easier on your own.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59But first of all, they have to find their target.
0:14:59 > 0:15:04That might appear easy. There don't seem to be too many places to hide.
0:15:04 > 0:15:08But the giant mole rat spends most of its time living down
0:15:08 > 0:15:10in an extensive network of tunnels.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13So how do you hunt down and catch prey that could be underground
0:15:13 > 0:15:16and you can't even see?
0:15:16 > 0:15:19Let's take a closer look at the adaptations the Ethiopian wolf has
0:15:19 > 0:15:21for going rat catching.
0:15:21 > 0:15:27The Ethiopian wolf is subtly different to its grey wolf cousin.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31The muzzle is slightly longer and thinner, which is great
0:15:31 > 0:15:33for getting into cracks and crevices.
0:15:33 > 0:15:37Also, looking at the teeth, you can see that they're smaller
0:15:37 > 0:15:39and more spread out than they are in a grey wolf.
0:15:39 > 0:15:44That's much more suited to taking on small prey than to bringing down
0:15:44 > 0:15:46something as large as an elk or a moose.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50However, that long, thin snout is decidedly dog-like
0:15:50 > 0:15:54and it's something that all of the canines share and there's a reason.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56The nasal cavity extends through all of this muzzle,
0:15:56 > 0:16:00which means it has much more surface area inside than our own.
0:16:00 > 0:16:05That means that there are many more places for a scent molecule to alight
0:16:05 > 0:16:10and it means its sense of smell is much more potent than our own.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13Right, let's get back to the hunt.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17The wolf's using its nose to sniff out its prey
0:16:17 > 0:16:21and it's on to something. There's a mole rat nearby.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25So now the wolf is keeping as low a profile as possible
0:16:25 > 0:16:29and being silent, just waiting for the mole rat to make a mistake.
0:16:31 > 0:16:36This rodent eats roots and grasses, which gives it a dilemma.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39It can either stay underground and starve or come to the surface
0:16:39 > 0:16:43and risk coming into contact with the wolf.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46But surely the mole rat isn't totally defenceless?
0:16:46 > 0:16:52So this is pretty much all you would ever see of a mole rat.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55As the head pops up, the eyes instantly become available
0:16:55 > 0:17:00to the outside world, because they're positioned on top of its head.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04It doesn't have amazing eyesight but the fact that it can keep its body
0:17:04 > 0:17:08deep inside the burrow safe while it's looking around is an advantage.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11They do have an impressive set of incisor teeth
0:17:11 > 0:17:13which are used for digging, for foraging
0:17:13 > 0:17:17and potentially for biting, but that's not going to put off the wolf.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21However, this animal has a friend on its side.
0:17:21 > 0:17:25This is a hill chat and it's developed an interesting relationship
0:17:25 > 0:17:29with the mole rat. It's learnt that the burrows created by the mole rat
0:17:29 > 0:17:32throw earth up on to the surface that's full of invertebrates,
0:17:32 > 0:17:35things like worms and beetles, and it can feed on those.
0:17:35 > 0:17:39And the hill chat is good at sensing the approach of predators.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43When it sees something coming, it'll make an alarm call and fly away
0:17:43 > 0:17:45and the mole rat listens for that alarm call.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48The second it hears it, it knows that danger's approaching
0:17:48 > 0:17:52and disappears into its burrow. It's like an early warning system.
0:17:52 > 0:17:56Let's see if this mutual friendship actually works.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02The giant mole rat isn't making this easy for the wolf.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05It's well camouflaged and will only pop up for a brief second,
0:18:05 > 0:18:09grab some grass or herbs and then disappear back down underground.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13So to try and catch it out, the wolf keeps very low to the ground
0:18:13 > 0:18:19attempting to get close enough to launch a strike.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23Whoa! That was really quick. Perhaps too quick to see with the naked eye.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26Let's have another look. You can see that the leap is incredibly precise,
0:18:26 > 0:18:28but the mole rat's already gone.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31The hill chat was calling, alarm calling,
0:18:31 > 0:18:36and the mole rat heard it and disappeared down into its burrow.
0:18:36 > 0:18:41I'm pretty sure, though, our wolf isn't going to give up that easily.
0:18:41 > 0:18:46Now that the chat has been scared off, the wolf will have another try.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48He's creeping up close.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51And the final pounce. He's done it!
0:18:51 > 0:18:54Let's see that one more time.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57So there's no hill chat, there's no early warning system.
0:18:57 > 0:19:02Every time the mole rat ducks underground, the wolf is scooching
0:19:02 > 0:19:05one bit closer and the final plunge is perfect.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09The mole rat is, unfortunately, lunch!
0:19:09 > 0:19:13The beautiful Ethiopian wolf was using a completely different
0:19:13 > 0:19:17hunting strategy to the grey wolf and going for much smaller prey.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21In parts of the Bale Mountains, there are as many as 6,500 giant mole rats
0:19:21 > 0:19:27per square mile, so there are plenty of targets for our canine killer.
0:19:27 > 0:19:31The mole rat had lightning fast reactions, those nasty gnashers
0:19:31 > 0:19:36and its avian early warning system. But the Ethiopian wolf tracked down
0:19:36 > 0:19:41and snared its prize using a super sensitive nose, explosive speed
0:19:41 > 0:19:43and those rodent-chomping jaws.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46So that's two hunts down, one to go.
0:19:48 > 0:19:54And this is our last deadly duo locked in a battle for life or death.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56For the predators, we have the wild dog,
0:19:56 > 0:20:02widely regarded as one of the most effective hunters on the planet.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04And up against it is this.
0:20:04 > 0:20:08The light-footed impala. With its incredible powers of pace
0:20:08 > 0:20:11and manoeuvrability, it will take some catching.
0:20:11 > 0:20:15But which animal has the edge in the race for survival?
0:20:15 > 0:20:17It's time to go 360.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24As usual, we drop straight into the action.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27The wild dog is closing in on its prey.
0:20:27 > 0:20:32It's looking for a last burst of speed to bring down the impala.
0:20:32 > 0:20:36But by now, you know there's more to a hunt than just the final strike.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40What are all the hidden factors that will influence what happens
0:20:40 > 0:20:42in the next few seconds.
0:20:42 > 0:20:47To find out, we have to wind back to the start and dissect the action.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50First, where we are? This chase is taking place
0:20:50 > 0:20:53in one of the great theatres of the natural world,
0:20:53 > 0:20:57the plains of southern Africa, here in Botswana.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01That means open ground, shrub land and very high temperatures.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05The ground's flat, so once either of these animals gets going,
0:21:05 > 0:21:09they'll be able to move at great speed without encountering
0:21:09 > 0:21:14too many obstacles. And finally, it's just after the wet season,
0:21:14 > 0:21:19so there are still large expanses of open water on the plains.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23We've set the scene, but how do these animals operate in this environment
0:21:23 > 0:21:26and what attributes do they have, in particular,
0:21:26 > 0:21:29that might tip the balance in their favour?
0:21:29 > 0:21:33For attacking, the wild dogs have those powerful canine jaws
0:21:33 > 0:21:39and a body perfectly adapted for long distance running in the African heat.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43And like the grey wolves, they're hunting in a pack, working as a team
0:21:43 > 0:21:46to bring down their prey.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50An impressive line-up of hunting skills, but as ever on Deadly 360,
0:21:50 > 0:21:54our prey animal is armed with some pretty impressive means of defence.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57The impala has extraordinary hearing and vision,
0:21:57 > 0:22:02and if you combine that with incredible speed and the ability
0:22:02 > 0:22:09to leap over nine metres, this is certainly not an easy target.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13Our predator will find it difficult to get anywhere near this prey.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15Let's see what happens.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18Here we are at the start of the hunt.
0:22:18 > 0:22:23The impala are tucking into lunch but they could be on the menu today.
0:22:23 > 0:22:27Here comes our pack of wild dogs.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29OK, let's just stop it there.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33To understand what makes these some of the most effective predators
0:22:33 > 0:22:37on the African plains, let's go aerial.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41As the dogs are moving in towards their prey, they're splitting up.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44They might surround their prey. Sometimes they'll even drive animals
0:22:44 > 0:22:49towards other dogs that are lying waiting in ambush.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56It looks like they've been spotted.
0:22:56 > 0:23:02One of the dogs is making its move. OK, let's just rewind that.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05In response to a threat, the impala are splintering.
0:23:05 > 0:23:09They're running off in different directions to confuse the dogs.
0:23:09 > 0:23:14The downside of this is that now they're out of touch with each other.
0:23:14 > 0:23:18The herd is completely splintered. However, the impala
0:23:18 > 0:23:20have a very nifty way of keeping in touch.
0:23:20 > 0:23:25The impala have special scent glands on the rear legs.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28As they sprint off in all different directions,
0:23:28 > 0:23:33they leave behind a chemical marker which the other impala can interpret.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36This is going to really help when they try and re-group later on.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39Let's look at the impala's locomotion, because it is unusual.
0:23:39 > 0:23:43They move in a series of sprints and leaps and as they come back down
0:23:43 > 0:23:46to the ground, they kick out with their rear legs,
0:23:46 > 0:23:49taking their whole body above the vertical and land
0:23:49 > 0:23:54on their enlarged, lengthened front legs. It looks highly ungainly
0:23:54 > 0:23:57but it enables this animal to get up to speeds of over 30mph,
0:23:57 > 0:24:00to make leaps of nine metres consecutively
0:24:00 > 0:24:02and over three metres in height.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06This, combined with their exceptional manoeuvrability,
0:24:06 > 0:24:09mean that this is no easy meal.
0:24:10 > 0:24:14OK, the chase is now fully underway.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17From our aerial view, you can see that the three lead dogs
0:24:17 > 0:24:20have targeted a single impala and they're driving it
0:24:20 > 0:24:24towards another hidden member of the pack.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27Oh! That was so close. Hang on, let's see that again.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31You can see at the last split second, the impala side steps away
0:24:31 > 0:24:34from the dog and bounds off into the distance.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37However, the hunt is certainly not done.
0:24:37 > 0:24:42One of the dogs is cutting the corner anticipating the impala's course.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45He's almost caught up.
0:24:45 > 0:24:49Now it's one on one. While the impala certainly has more pace than the dog,
0:24:49 > 0:24:52the dog has incredible endurance.
0:24:52 > 0:24:57Let's get a look at why this animal has so much stamina.
0:24:57 > 0:25:02What is it that makes the wild dog such an efficient marathon runner?
0:25:02 > 0:25:06If we take a look at the body shape, you can see that the legs are long,
0:25:06 > 0:25:08lean and slender.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12This creates a loping gait that's very efficient over longer distances.
0:25:12 > 0:25:17The chest cavity, here, is quite large. That houses very sizable lungs
0:25:17 > 0:25:22which drag in enormous amounts of oxygen which can then be transferred
0:25:22 > 0:25:26into the blood and around the body with this, the heart.
0:25:26 > 0:25:30It's about a third larger than is found in most other mammals.
0:25:30 > 0:25:34One of the problems that an animal like this will face
0:25:34 > 0:25:37is overheating, particularly in the heat of the African sun.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40Dogs don't sweat as efficiently as we do,
0:25:40 > 0:25:43so they need to lose heat in other ways.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45Firstly, the ears are really rather large.
0:25:45 > 0:25:50They have lots of blood vessels that are close to the surface of the skin
0:25:50 > 0:25:52and as the warm blood travels through them,
0:25:52 > 0:25:54heat is lost to the outside air.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57And they also pant, just like a domestic dog.
0:25:57 > 0:26:01This is a great way of getting heat away from the core body.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05All of these adaptations mean that it should be more efficient
0:26:05 > 0:26:09in a longer chase than its prey. Let's see it in effect.
0:26:11 > 0:26:17This is a face-off. A straightforward battle of speed against endurance.
0:26:17 > 0:26:21With its stamina, the wild dog knows it just has to keep up long enough
0:26:21 > 0:26:24for the impala to make a mistake.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27This is pretty much a foregone conclusion now. No, hang on a second.
0:26:27 > 0:26:32He's heading into the lake! That is a bold move and a desperate escape.
0:26:32 > 0:26:38It had the dogs on its heels and the impala headed straight to the water.
0:26:38 > 0:26:42They're not strong swimmers but it looks like the dogs won't follow!
0:26:42 > 0:26:46And this is an incredibly lucky escape.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50Four out of five wild dog hunts result in a successful kill,
0:26:50 > 0:26:54which makes them much more efficient hunters than any of the big cats.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57For our impala to make good, its escape required a mix of skill
0:26:57 > 0:27:01and, let's face it, good fortune.
0:27:01 > 0:27:06So the wild dogs had teamwork, a lean body for speed
0:27:06 > 0:27:10and a massive heart and lungs for stamina.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13But they were up against the impala's highly tuned senses,
0:27:13 > 0:27:16its acceleration and that dramatic agility.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19It was a very close run thing but this time,
0:27:19 > 0:27:23an act of desperation from the impala was enough to save its life.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28All over the world, there are constant dramas
0:27:28 > 0:27:31playing out between predators and prey.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34Whether it's in the ice and snow of Yellowstone,
0:27:34 > 0:27:36up at high altitudes in the mountains of Ethiopia,
0:27:36 > 0:27:40or in the searing heat of the African plains, the canines,
0:27:40 > 0:27:44the dog family, are a complete and cunning set of predators.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48That's all we've got time for. Join us next time
0:27:48 > 0:27:50as three more pairs of animals go head to head
0:27:50 > 0:27:53and we analysis the action Deadly 360 style.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:28:02 > 0:28:06E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk