Ghost Bat

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0:00:04 > 0:00:07On Deadly 60, I've had loads of incredible animal encounters.

0:00:08 > 0:00:11Here's just one of my many favourites.

0:00:12 > 0:00:16This is Deadly 60...Bites!

0:00:18 > 0:00:20The sun's just gone down

0:00:20 > 0:00:23and the creatures of the night are out to hunt.

0:00:23 > 0:00:27And I'm sat outside an old abandoned gold mine,

0:00:27 > 0:00:30cos tonight we're on a ghost hunt.

0:00:30 > 0:00:32SCREAMING

0:00:32 > 0:00:34THUNDERCLAP

0:00:36 > 0:00:39The ghost I've come here to find

0:00:39 > 0:00:44makes calls and sounds that are way too high for the human ear to hear.

0:00:44 > 0:00:45CLICKING

0:00:45 > 0:00:49This piece of ghost-busting technology

0:00:49 > 0:00:53can actually hear the ultrasonic frequencies they make.

0:00:53 > 0:00:58So, hopefully, I should be able to hear them before I can see them.

0:00:58 > 0:00:59CLICKING CONTINUES

0:00:59 > 0:01:04GRATING SQUEAKING CLICKS

0:01:04 > 0:01:06Whoa!

0:01:06 > 0:01:10That was our first ghost.

0:01:10 > 0:01:13They're ghost bats...

0:01:13 > 0:01:17one of the most astounding bat predators in the whole world.

0:01:18 > 0:01:20Whoa!

0:01:20 > 0:01:22They're starting to come out in larger numbers now.

0:01:28 > 0:01:32Oh, here they go. Oh... Whoa!

0:01:37 > 0:01:38I'm not just here because...

0:01:38 > 0:01:42ghost bats look like little spirits in the torchlight -

0:01:42 > 0:01:45these are truly terrifying hunters.

0:01:45 > 0:01:49These are some of the largest carnivorous bats in the world

0:01:49 > 0:01:51but they don't just eat insects.

0:01:51 > 0:01:54Using their fearsome incisor teeth

0:01:54 > 0:01:56they'll bite down through the head and the neck

0:01:56 > 0:02:00of birds, other bats, reptiles, frogs.

0:02:00 > 0:02:04This really is one of the most awesome predators of all bats

0:02:04 > 0:02:06but to see them at their best

0:02:06 > 0:02:09I'm going to have to come back here tomorrow when they're fast asleep.

0:02:14 > 0:02:19Ghost bats hunt at night. It's hard to get close when they're flying.

0:02:19 > 0:02:23Your best chance is during the day when they are resting.

0:02:23 > 0:02:26And Damian here...

0:02:28 > 0:02:33..has assured me there's a colony of ghost bats inside this disused mine.

0:02:33 > 0:02:38I have got a camera which is going to be following me all the way.

0:02:38 > 0:02:43Where the big camera can't go, you will be able to see what I'm doing.

0:02:43 > 0:02:46- Shall we head in, Damian?- Yep.

0:02:50 > 0:02:54I am a little bit scared of the dark. Shhh!

0:03:00 > 0:03:03This is an abandoned goldmine

0:03:03 > 0:03:07and as if the bats themselves weren't spooky enough.

0:03:07 > 0:03:13This place is just...well, freaky.

0:03:13 > 0:03:18Oh, yuck!

0:03:18 > 0:03:22Oh, this is hideous and it smells horrendous.

0:03:22 > 0:03:26Oh, I hate cockroaches.

0:03:26 > 0:03:30They are here because of the bats.

0:03:30 > 0:03:33They will be feeding on bat droppings

0:03:33 > 0:03:38which already is starting to make up a good proportion of the floor.

0:03:38 > 0:03:39Kill the light.

0:03:43 > 0:03:46We have just turned our lights out for a second.

0:03:46 > 0:03:50Let the bats settle down so they're not freaked out.

0:03:50 > 0:03:55I'm a bit less worried about them being freaked out than me.

0:03:58 > 0:04:01This place is "Spook Central"!

0:04:05 > 0:04:08When you are ready, shine your light up there.

0:04:09 > 0:04:14We have just come into a small chamber and...

0:04:14 > 0:04:17the smell of bat is very strong in here.

0:04:17 > 0:04:21Now, we really don't want to disturb this colony too much.

0:04:21 > 0:04:25So we are just going to turn the lights on for a short time

0:04:25 > 0:04:31- and get our first proper glimpse of the ghost bat. Are you ready?- Yeah.

0:04:36 > 0:04:38Whoa!

0:04:38 > 0:04:43Whoa! Through there.

0:04:43 > 0:04:46Here they come.

0:04:48 > 0:04:50'It's impossible to keep your nerve

0:04:50 > 0:04:54'when you're being dive-bombed by bats.'

0:04:54 > 0:04:57(They are absolutely huge!)

0:05:02 > 0:05:04'I really want to get a close look at one.

0:05:04 > 0:05:07'Damian, takes us to a spot in the cave where the tunnel narrows

0:05:07 > 0:05:11'and I may have a chance to net one.

0:05:11 > 0:05:14'The crew aren't so keen though.'

0:05:15 > 0:05:19(I've got to say, out of all the places that Steve has brought us to,

0:05:19 > 0:05:25(this is definitely the scariest I have ever been.)

0:05:25 > 0:05:27(I don't like bats!)

0:05:36 > 0:05:38SHOUTING AND GROANING

0:05:38 > 0:05:39Ah!

0:05:39 > 0:05:43- What happened there? - A bat flew straight into us.

0:05:44 > 0:05:46Here they come!

0:05:48 > 0:05:51- Got it! Got one.- Got one? - Yeah, I got one.

0:05:56 > 0:05:58Oh, no.

0:05:59 > 0:06:04That is THE most remarkable-looking bat I have ever seen.

0:06:07 > 0:06:12We are going to get bombarded by his cousins while we are doing this.

0:06:12 > 0:06:15I just need to unpick him from the net very carefully.

0:06:15 > 0:06:19The membranes of the wings can be quite fragile.

0:06:19 > 0:06:23I mean, quite a lot of bats

0:06:23 > 0:06:27of this size, I'd expect to be trying to eat through my arm.

0:06:29 > 0:06:33The first thing I have to say is that I have a unique opportunity

0:06:33 > 0:06:35to get this close to a ghost bat.

0:06:35 > 0:06:37This isn't something anyone should go around doing.

0:06:37 > 0:06:42When you are up close to it, you can see where it gets its name from.

0:06:42 > 0:06:46He does look like a little phantom.

0:06:46 > 0:06:53That abnormally pale grey, almost white fur there on the body

0:06:53 > 0:06:56is what makes him appear so ghost-like.

0:06:59 > 0:07:02Look at that, it's incredibly thin, isn't it?

0:07:02 > 0:07:06Almost like some kind of weird skin kite.

0:07:06 > 0:07:10That is another thing which lends to his ghostly image

0:07:10 > 0:07:16is the fact that that membrane just looks like a ghostly cloak.

0:07:19 > 0:07:23And these - the struts in between the membrane,

0:07:23 > 0:07:27those are fingers and hand bones.

0:07:27 > 0:07:32I want to show you these teeth because they are really mean.

0:07:32 > 0:07:35Look at those incisors there!

0:07:35 > 0:07:40If I can show you the bottom jaw as well, look at those.

0:07:40 > 0:07:45- I can't believe you're not getting bitten when you do that.- I know.

0:07:45 > 0:07:48That is a set of gnashers!

0:07:48 > 0:07:51Teeth like that are what allow this remarkable creature to feed

0:07:51 > 0:07:57not only on insects but on lizards, frogs, other bats,

0:07:57 > 0:08:00birds, small mammals.

0:08:00 > 0:08:02He really is a flying nightmare.

0:08:02 > 0:08:06And that is why the ghost bat is going on my Deadly 60.

0:08:11 > 0:08:14Ghost bats - they hunt with the stealth of ghosts

0:08:14 > 0:08:16and kill like storybook vampires.

0:08:16 > 0:08:20If you are a mouse, a frog or a lizard or another bat,

0:08:20 > 0:08:23they are a living nightmare.

0:08:27 > 0:08:31- There he goes.- Great stuff.

0:08:33 > 0:08:38- Can we get out of here now, please? - Yes, definitely.

0:08:49 > 0:08:52Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

0:08:52 > 0:08:55E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk