0:00:02 > 0:00:03My name's Steve Backshall!
0:00:03 > 0:00:07You can call me Steve.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12I'm on a mission to find the Deadly 60 -
0:00:12 > 0:00:14that's 60 deadly creatures.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16I'm travelling all over the world.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20And you're coming with me every step of the way.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24- HISSING - Shark!
0:00:25 > 0:00:27Aaah!
0:00:29 > 0:00:32I'm on the search for animals to add to my Deadly 60 list.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34Not all will be deadly to humans,
0:00:34 > 0:00:37but they'll all be deadly in their own world.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39We've come to Australia,
0:00:39 > 0:00:42a continent that has so many lethal contenders
0:00:42 > 0:00:45that I'm having to scour both the sea and the land.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50It truly is an awesome place to see wildlife.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53The sea is stuffed full of incredible creatures
0:00:53 > 0:00:56all busy catching and killing each other.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05And then there's the spiders.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09Australia has more deadly spiders than anywhere else in the world.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18And, of course, there's the crocs.
0:01:18 > 0:01:19Australia can also boast
0:01:19 > 0:01:23five of the top ten most venomous snakes in the world.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26I'm gonna start my search here with one of them -
0:01:26 > 0:01:28the highly venomous tiger snake.
0:01:28 > 0:01:32Where better to start than a typical Aussie back yard?
0:01:37 > 0:01:39I'm in the outskirts of Perth,
0:01:39 > 0:01:41the largest city in Western Australia,
0:01:41 > 0:01:43but this being Australia,
0:01:43 > 0:01:46there's bound to be some contenders for my Deadly 60
0:01:46 > 0:01:47even in people's back yards.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50- Hi, Mitch. How are you doing? - How you going, Steve?
0:01:50 > 0:01:53Pretty good. This is a fantastic back yard - a good place to search.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56We're gonna have an easy time catching things.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58Excellent! Let's go look.
0:01:58 > 0:02:03'This is Mitch Ladyman, and he's just bonkers about snakes.'
0:02:05 > 0:02:09Basically, you know, to other people, it's rubbish,
0:02:09 > 0:02:12but it's habitat for the animals.
0:02:12 > 0:02:13I've gotta say,
0:02:13 > 0:02:16this stuff here is perfect material for reptiles.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19If any of you are wanting to have a wild corner of your garden
0:02:19 > 0:02:22to attract slowworms, grass snakes, that kind of thing,
0:02:22 > 0:02:26laying down a bit of corrugated iron like this is just perfect
0:02:26 > 0:02:29because the snakes are attracted to lie underneath it
0:02:29 > 0:02:31cos it generates warmth,
0:02:31 > 0:02:33so I'm guessing that's why you've got this lot.
0:02:33 > 0:02:38No, I'm doing a bit of building(!) STEVE LAUGHS
0:02:38 > 0:02:41- Mate, you actually have a dunny!- Well...
0:02:41 > 0:02:44Have a look at the view! I mean...
0:02:44 > 0:02:49An archetypal image of Australia is the outdoors toilet, or dunny.
0:02:49 > 0:02:51Have a look in there!
0:02:51 > 0:02:55Just picture yourself with a newspaper, sun shining,
0:02:55 > 0:02:56birds are singing.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59Oh! Mate, that's a throne!
0:02:59 > 0:03:02- Made for you!- I love it! 'Yeah, thanks, Mitch!
0:03:02 > 0:03:04'I think I'll wait till the cameras are off!'
0:03:04 > 0:03:08One of the cardinal rules... of doing stuff like this
0:03:08 > 0:03:10is never to put your fingers
0:03:10 > 0:03:12where you can't see what's underneath them.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16And that's particularly true here in Australia
0:03:16 > 0:03:20where there's an awful lot of things that can give you a nasty bite.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22It's just so hard to find things.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25An infinite amount of places for things to hide.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29- Oh, look, look, look!- Oh, oh, oh!
0:03:30 > 0:03:34- Woah!- Oh-ho! Good catch!
0:03:34 > 0:03:36Oh, dear! Don't bite!
0:03:36 > 0:03:39Grumpy! Oh!
0:03:41 > 0:03:45- Thought that was a tiger snake for a second!- Well done! So did I!
0:03:45 > 0:03:48You saw that black form and thought, "Here we go!"
0:03:48 > 0:03:51- Is this a king's skink? - Yeah, mate, Egernia kingii.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54Most people think they're like a coastal skink.
0:03:54 > 0:03:58They hang out a lot on the limestone cliffs on the coast.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00You can still get them on the local beaches
0:04:00 > 0:04:03down in Perth's local foreshore.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07Really robust - they eat insects, vegetation, all-sorts of stuff.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09- Really quite strong, so...- Yeah.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11..pretty much eat whatever comes along.
0:04:11 > 0:04:12He is wonderful!
0:04:12 > 0:04:14They don't hurt.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17If you let them bite on... they'll bite...
0:04:17 > 0:04:18Let go.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20Woah!
0:04:20 > 0:04:24- They'll let go...- Look at that! - ..when they realise it's pointless.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26That's great stuff!
0:04:26 > 0:04:30- So, the jaw is incredibly powerful...- Heaps powerful.
0:04:31 > 0:04:32Ow!
0:04:32 > 0:04:35That REALLY hurts!
0:04:35 > 0:04:38I can't believe you just made me do that!
0:04:38 > 0:04:40I knew what I was getting in for.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43I think it surprises half of the, er...
0:04:43 > 0:04:46- Let go, please! - STEVE CHUCKLES
0:04:46 > 0:04:49If you can imagine that on your knuckle or something like that,
0:04:49 > 0:04:51so much more painful.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53- He's starting to settle down now.- Yeah.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56- That is wonderful. - Yeah, he's so cute.- Yeah.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58Well, he's pretty good,
0:04:58 > 0:05:00but he's not going on my Deadly 60.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04Look at that - he grabbed hold of my hand, didn't even make me bleed!
0:05:07 > 0:05:09'So, if you get giant skinks in your back yard,
0:05:09 > 0:05:12'what's lurking in the local park?
0:05:12 > 0:05:14'I'm hoping for tiger snakes!'
0:05:16 > 0:05:19Despite the fact that we are so close to all these houses,
0:05:19 > 0:05:22this really is fantastic habitat for tiger snakes,
0:05:22 > 0:05:26mostly because there's so much water, so many reeds, long grasses,
0:05:26 > 0:05:30and that's perfect habitat for their main prey source, which is frogs.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33If you're a snake and these super-fast frogs are on the menu,
0:05:33 > 0:05:35then you want to be able to kill them quickly
0:05:35 > 0:05:38so they don't hop away and leave you hungry.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41That's exactly why the tiger snake's venom is SO strong
0:05:41 > 0:05:43and fast-acting.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45One bite and it's game over.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50It's one thing to stop a frog dead in its tracks,
0:05:50 > 0:05:51but here's the scary thing -
0:05:51 > 0:05:54there's enough lethal venom in one bite from a tiger snake
0:05:54 > 0:05:57to kill a handful of people.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59Imagine you tread on one and it bites you.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03The bite itself wouldn't feel that bad,
0:06:03 > 0:06:06but inside your body, it's a very different story.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09At first, your nerves stop firing
0:06:09 > 0:06:11and you feel a tingling in your hands and feet,
0:06:11 > 0:06:14then your muscles stop functioning properly,
0:06:14 > 0:06:18you can't keep your eyes open and your throat starts to close.
0:06:18 > 0:06:19Paralysis sets in.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22Other toxins in the venom dissolve and eat your muscles.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24It gets harder to move.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28Meanwhile, your blood is being thickened into sticky clumps,
0:06:28 > 0:06:32and as all the effects of the toxin combine, the organs start failing.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36The muscles round your lungs seize up and you stop breathing.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39If you don't get help in the form of anti-venom,
0:06:39 > 0:06:40it could all be over within an hour.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44You might think we're crazy to go looking for tiger snakes.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47But both Mitch and I have been working with snakes for years.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49We're all rooting for you!
0:06:49 > 0:06:51- Yeah, yeah!- This way, mate.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55STEVE SIGHS
0:06:55 > 0:06:58Follow me, mate, you're more likely to catch something.
0:06:58 > 0:06:59Get stuffed!
0:06:59 > 0:07:01That's a good patch.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03These basking platforms, they're perfect,
0:07:03 > 0:07:05- cos they'll sit on there...- Good!
0:07:05 > 0:07:10Oh, yeah, trying to get in front! I can run too!
0:07:11 > 0:07:15Normally, I'd be going really slowly, really gently,
0:07:15 > 0:07:18but because I'm all competitive, I'm half-running along!
0:07:18 > 0:07:21To be honest, it's the best way,
0:07:21 > 0:07:24because, really, the longer we take to come on top of them,
0:07:24 > 0:07:26- the more chance they've got of getting away.- Yeah.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29They are quite sensitive to disturbance,
0:07:29 > 0:07:33so I've found, when I was doing research,
0:07:33 > 0:07:34that walking at a good pace,
0:07:34 > 0:07:37you know, all you're basically looking out for
0:07:37 > 0:07:42is a black pile of shiny skin, so it's not like they're difficult,
0:07:42 > 0:07:45and so you're better off just covering more ground.
0:07:45 > 0:07:46Ah, got one!
0:07:46 > 0:07:48'This method might look a bit gung-ho,
0:07:48 > 0:07:50'but we're deadly serious.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53'Using a snake hook like this keeps me at a safe distance
0:07:53 > 0:07:56'and is also the gentlest way to handle the snake.'
0:07:56 > 0:07:58It's all right, it's all right!
0:07:58 > 0:08:01There's nothing worse than being patronised by an Australian!
0:08:01 > 0:08:03THEY LAUGH
0:08:03 > 0:08:05So... There's another one.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08Yep, all right... That's...
0:08:08 > 0:08:09- Get a hook...- Get out the way...
0:08:09 > 0:08:11MITCH LAUGHS
0:08:13 > 0:08:14I...
0:08:14 > 0:08:15Didn't say a word, wasn't me!
0:08:15 > 0:08:17Here's one.
0:08:18 > 0:08:20Ah, this is just getting unfair.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23See, the problem is, Steve, you SEE them, you gotta CATCH them.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25I was waiting for Mark to go in and film it!
0:08:25 > 0:08:29I was waiting for you to throw it at me!
0:08:29 > 0:08:31There's one, right at the side here.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33- Back off, back off!- Two, two, two!
0:08:33 > 0:08:36There was two, that's why I couldn't grab it. There was two.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38See that, basking together?
0:08:38 > 0:08:42I just launched down, I thought, "There's too many coils there!"
0:08:42 > 0:08:44Nearly had it!
0:08:44 > 0:08:45This is a big one. It IS a big one.
0:08:47 > 0:08:48And it's gone.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56- Yep, there you go.- There's one.
0:08:56 > 0:08:57All right, whip it out.
0:08:59 > 0:09:00Go on, get it, get it, get it!
0:09:00 > 0:09:01Gone.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04Wahey! Good save!
0:09:04 > 0:09:06I got it, I got it.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09- Oh! Well done!- Finally!- OK...
0:09:09 > 0:09:13We've been looking for... probably five minutes.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17- Maybe two! - This is incredible!- Yeah!
0:09:17 > 0:09:18We are right on the outskirts
0:09:18 > 0:09:21of the biggest city in Western Australia
0:09:21 > 0:09:24- and I have in my hand...- Watch it.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27..the fourth most toxic venomous snake in the world -
0:09:27 > 0:09:29the tiger snake.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32- Mitch, this is an absolute beauty. - Yeah, it's cute.
0:09:32 > 0:09:37Cute?! Only an Australian could describe a tiger snake as cute!
0:09:37 > 0:09:39This is a snake
0:09:39 > 0:09:42that needs to be treated with an amazing amount of respect
0:09:42 > 0:09:43because drop by drop,
0:09:43 > 0:09:47its venom is far more toxic than any of the cobras,
0:09:47 > 0:09:50far more toxic than a king cobra, than a black mamba...
0:09:50 > 0:09:52This has enough venom to bring down...
0:09:52 > 0:09:56Mitch and I and probably the rest of the film crew as well.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58But as you can see,
0:09:58 > 0:10:01he has absolutely no interest in striking whatsoever.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03What's wonderful about this
0:10:03 > 0:10:06is that tiger snakes are in the same family as the cobras -
0:10:06 > 0:10:08they're called elapids -
0:10:08 > 0:10:11and you can actually see that it does have a hood.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13It'll spread its body sideways,
0:10:13 > 0:10:16making itself seem bigger that it actually is,
0:10:16 > 0:10:20and standing a good portion of its body up off the ground as well.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22- That is a classic cobra shape, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:10:22 > 0:10:28For me, the reason the tiger snake is such an amazing predator
0:10:28 > 0:10:31is just that it kills its prey so quickly, you know?
0:10:31 > 0:10:33If you're feeding on a frog,
0:10:33 > 0:10:35the last thing you want is to bite it,
0:10:35 > 0:10:38for it to disappear into the reeds and you never find it again.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41But if a tiger snake bites a frog, it's got minutes to live.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43What you can see here...
0:10:43 > 0:10:48Tiger snakes commonly have a reputation for charging people,
0:10:48 > 0:10:51but you can see where that misconception comes from.
0:10:51 > 0:10:56All this snake wants to do... is go straight back into the bush.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59At the moment, he's heading straight for between my legs.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01Just let him go.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04This is the amount of confidence that I have...
0:11:07 > 0:11:09..in this snake and its behaviour.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11There's no way he was gonna bite me.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13Heading off into the grass.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15That is absolutely fantastic.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19The thing that really gets me about this
0:11:19 > 0:11:23is the fact that we've seen people wandering through here,
0:11:23 > 0:11:26there's houses right there, but nobody here ever gets bitten.
0:11:26 > 0:11:30In all the time I've been here, wandering around, like we're doing,
0:11:30 > 0:11:34I'll actually have people pull over on their pushies, their push-bikes,
0:11:34 > 0:11:38or stop while they're jogging in absolute disbelief,
0:11:38 > 0:11:40and they say, "What are you doing?"
0:11:40 > 0:11:42I say, "I'm studying tiger snakes."
0:11:42 > 0:11:44They have no idea.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48And the reason is, is because, this... I mean,
0:11:48 > 0:11:51they're sitting along the edge in the vegetation,
0:11:51 > 0:11:52minding their own business...
0:11:52 > 0:11:55- The second anyone gets too close... - Yep, they disappear.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02As soon as he knows he's safe, he'll pick up speed
0:12:02 > 0:12:05and he'll shoot into that bush like nobody's business.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09Look at that, wonderful.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12Excellent!
0:12:12 > 0:12:15I have never seen anywhere with so many venomous snakes
0:12:15 > 0:12:17this close to so many people.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21With one of the most potent venoms on the planet,
0:12:21 > 0:12:24a tiger snake can kill its frog prey in minutes.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28And that's why it's going on the Deadly 60.
0:12:35 > 0:12:39Time to get wet and check out some deadly predators in the sea.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42This may sound obvious, but if you're a predator,
0:12:42 > 0:12:45the main benefit to living in the sea is fish.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49Beneath me, there could be huge, shimmering shoals of fish,
0:12:49 > 0:12:51packed full of protein.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54My next contender to the Deadly 60 are all masters at catching fish,
0:12:54 > 0:12:58but they all have very different ways of doing it.
0:12:58 > 0:12:59Argh!
0:13:11 > 0:13:14Woah-ha-ha!
0:13:14 > 0:13:17Look at that!
0:13:17 > 0:13:20As soon as they get in the water, they are transformed!
0:13:20 > 0:13:27He turns from a sluggish big boulder on the beach into a torpedo!
0:13:40 > 0:13:43Oh, you're just showing off now!
0:13:43 > 0:13:45This might look like fun,
0:13:45 > 0:13:48but try and imagine if you were a fish being hunted by this!
0:13:48 > 0:13:51You wouldn't stand any chance at all.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54Sea lions are formidable predators.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58They are super-fast, reaching speeds of up to 40km an hour,
0:13:58 > 0:14:01twisting and turning their whole bodies,
0:14:01 > 0:14:04so they can even catch fish that are right behind them.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07Check THAT out for deadly accuracy!
0:14:09 > 0:14:13They have fantastic eyesight and ultra-sensitive whiskers
0:14:13 > 0:14:17that can sense the tiniest of ripples made by fish.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21All of these skills combine to make it a truly awesome predator.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23Where are ya?!
0:14:26 > 0:14:28He's behind me!
0:14:28 > 0:14:30And he's underneath me!
0:14:34 > 0:14:38There's another predator round here that has a very different strategy
0:14:38 > 0:14:40for killing fish.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42How am I supposed to get out of here?!
0:14:42 > 0:14:44I'm not taking YOUR hand!
0:14:46 > 0:14:48HE LAUGHS
0:14:50 > 0:14:53- What you doing down there, Steve?! - STEVE LAUGHS
0:14:59 > 0:15:02There are two birds here that would
0:15:02 > 0:15:04definitely be in contention for the Deadly 60.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07The first ones are these cormorants down the front here,
0:15:07 > 0:15:11but I think the birds up the top definitely have the edge -
0:15:11 > 0:15:12they're pelicans.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20I'm sure there's a fair few of you at home who are thinking,
0:15:20 > 0:15:22"Steve has finally lost it.
0:15:22 > 0:15:26"Pelicans - they're rubbish, they're like big, oversized ducks."
0:15:26 > 0:15:30If you're one of those thinking that, have a look at this.
0:15:30 > 0:15:34Brown pelicans cruise effortlessly looking for their next meal.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37Once they've spotted their prey, they fold up their wings
0:15:37 > 0:15:40and accelerate to speeds of up to 65km an hour,
0:15:40 > 0:15:44hitting the water like a javelin.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51It's a regular pelican pile-up.
0:15:51 > 0:15:56Although they hit the water fast, they stop quickly,
0:15:56 > 0:15:58because their lightweight skeleton
0:15:58 > 0:16:01is packed with air spaces that keeps them buoyant.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04One of their most dramatic physical characteristics
0:16:04 > 0:16:08is their unbelievable bill. It's the longest of any bird.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28What's particularly extraordinary about it,
0:16:28 > 0:16:33you think of pelicans as having huge swollen sacks under their bills,
0:16:33 > 0:16:34but you can see at the moment,
0:16:34 > 0:16:38it's lying right flush against the underside of the bill.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41What's amazing is that when they hit the water,
0:16:41 > 0:16:44they fill that sack with an enormous amount of water.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53If you're wondering quite how much that is,
0:16:53 > 0:16:57I'm gonna try and show you with the help of my glamorous assistant,
0:16:57 > 0:16:59Rich the sound man.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02Rich, if you could just hold this bag out like this...
0:17:02 > 0:17:06So if you imagine this is the sack underneath the bill of the pelican.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10This is water.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12One litre...
0:17:23 > 0:17:25Here we go...
0:17:28 > 0:17:3113 litres of water!
0:17:31 > 0:17:33HE LAUGHS
0:17:33 > 0:17:36I can barely carry it!
0:17:36 > 0:17:39Can you imagine that hanging underneath the beak?!
0:17:39 > 0:17:41That's incredible!
0:17:43 > 0:17:47Fortunately for the pelicans, they don't have to carry it around.
0:17:47 > 0:17:51What they do is squeeze all the water out before eating the fish.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53That can take about a minute,
0:17:53 > 0:17:56and other birds keep trying to steal the fish left behind,
0:17:56 > 0:17:58but finally, they do get to gulp it down.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02Often, you'll see pelicans flying right over the surface of the water
0:18:02 > 0:18:05and they can fly like that for a very long time.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08It's not because they're too lazy to get up high and fly,
0:18:08 > 0:18:11but because it's a very economical way of keeping in the air.
0:18:11 > 0:18:17If you think of...waves... as being like this -
0:18:17 > 0:18:19this is my rubbish drawing -
0:18:19 > 0:18:21as wind blows along the surface of the wave,
0:18:21 > 0:18:24it's driven up by the wave itself.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27What this does is create lift,
0:18:27 > 0:18:32so if a bird flies across here, it gets carried up by the wind.
0:18:32 > 0:18:36You can see them almost cruising along with their wing tips
0:18:36 > 0:18:37just grazing the top of the water,
0:18:37 > 0:18:41and they can fly like that for miles, barely expending any effort.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45I've got a little experiment to try and show you how this works.
0:18:45 > 0:18:50Our researcher, John, is a dab hand...
0:18:50 > 0:18:52with making paper aeroplanes.
0:18:52 > 0:18:57I'm gonna see if this will lift up when it flies over the waves.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00Don't worry, I AM gonna go and get it.
0:19:02 > 0:19:06Here goes with a disastrous experiment...
0:19:06 > 0:19:08If this works well, as this wave comes in,
0:19:08 > 0:19:10it should lift the dart up.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14HE LAUGHS
0:19:14 > 0:19:17Rats! Got another dart, John?!
0:19:19 > 0:19:22- HE LAUGHS - That was even worse!
0:19:22 > 0:19:25You should write your name on it - whoever's flies best, wins!
0:19:28 > 0:19:29It's the winner!
0:19:32 > 0:19:37The crew has bombarded me with darts - one of them is gonna work!
0:19:37 > 0:19:39Good luck, Steve!
0:19:41 > 0:19:42Ooooh!
0:19:42 > 0:19:45HE LAUGHS
0:19:46 > 0:19:47No.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51Sound man Richard's deadly 747.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56Yeah! That is the winner!
0:19:56 > 0:20:00That one went backwards!
0:20:00 > 0:20:03We can fairly safely say my science experiment is rubbish,
0:20:03 > 0:20:06but the pelicans do it a lot better.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15Be under no illusions -
0:20:15 > 0:20:17pelicans are killing machines.
0:20:17 > 0:20:22They're large, fast and deadly accurate,
0:20:22 > 0:20:25securing them a place on my Deadly 60.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40Another day, another boat.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44I'm on the trail of possibly the finest fish-finder in the seas.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46It's an animal you're familiar with.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48With its distinctive curved dorsal fin,
0:20:48 > 0:20:51its sleek grey profile
0:20:51 > 0:20:53and its brutally sharp teeth.
0:20:53 > 0:20:58This could well be the most perfect predator in the Deadly 60.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01But it's identity might come as a bit of a surprise.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04I'll give you a clue - Sarah here is going to be my guide
0:21:04 > 0:21:08and they call her the Dolphin Girl.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12Literally, five minutes out of the dock and already
0:21:12 > 0:21:17a whole bunch of bottlenose dolphins have popped up alongside.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20There's about six or seven animals and they are so close.
0:21:20 > 0:21:22These ones are right up at the bow.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25This is a family group, known as a pod.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29We're hoping that they want to stay and play.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32So how come cute and cuddly dolphins
0:21:32 > 0:21:35get to be contenders on my Deadly 60?
0:21:35 > 0:21:38Well, just bear with me and I'll show you.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42There are so many reasons why dolphins have to be on my Deadly 60.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45First, their streamlined bodies and powerful tails
0:21:45 > 0:21:47mean they're incredibly fast.
0:21:47 > 0:21:49They can easily outstrip a boat like this
0:21:49 > 0:21:53and they can jump 16 feet out of the water.
0:21:53 > 0:21:58That's as high as our sound man's boom pole.
0:22:06 > 0:22:08But the thing that really sets them apart
0:22:08 > 0:22:11is that dolphins are incredibly brainy.
0:22:11 > 0:22:13Look at this.
0:22:13 > 0:22:18If you can imagine, this green jelly here is about the size
0:22:18 > 0:22:20and the weight of a human brain
0:22:20 > 0:22:23and this pink one,
0:22:23 > 0:22:25which has kind of fallen apart
0:22:25 > 0:22:27rather drastically
0:22:27 > 0:22:29is a bit of an embarrassment, really.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32But that's about the size of a dolphin brain.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35Having a brain that big, being that intelligent
0:22:35 > 0:22:37means that dolphins can work together in teams,
0:22:37 > 0:22:40and come up with all kinds of different strategies
0:22:40 > 0:22:42for catching fish.
0:22:45 > 0:22:46Mmm.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49Brains taste good.
0:22:50 > 0:22:54Using that superior brain power to work together as a team
0:22:54 > 0:22:57means they can come up with astonishing strategies
0:22:57 > 0:22:59for catching fish.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02Check out these dolphins in Florida.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05That ring of muddy water was actually made by a dolphin
0:23:05 > 0:23:07swimming along the bottom
0:23:07 > 0:23:09to churn up the mud with its tail.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11The ring encircles a shoal of fish,
0:23:11 > 0:23:15the fish think they're trapped, and as they leap out to escape,
0:23:15 > 0:23:17the other dolphins are lying in wait.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25But the really amazing thing
0:23:25 > 0:23:27is they all take turns to churn up the mud
0:23:27 > 0:23:30so everyone gets a chance to grab a fish dinner
0:23:30 > 0:23:33and have a bit of fun as well.
0:23:40 > 0:23:44These dolphins have come up with a completely different technique.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49They're not rushing up to the beach for a bit of fun.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52They're herding fish out of the water so they're easier to catch
0:23:52 > 0:23:55and that means stranding themselves,
0:23:55 > 0:23:58which is a very risky thing for a dolphin to do,
0:23:58 > 0:24:01but they choose beaches with just the right slope
0:24:01 > 0:24:04so they can roll back safely after grabbing the fish.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06Getting this right
0:24:06 > 0:24:10takes not only intelligence but agility as well.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20Finally, as well as chatting with their whistles and clicks,
0:24:20 > 0:24:24dolphins use sound to find and catch their prey.
0:24:24 > 0:24:28Bursts of ultrasound echo off anything solid in the water,
0:24:28 > 0:24:31giving the dolphins a kind of sound picture
0:24:31 > 0:24:34which they can even beam to each other,
0:24:34 > 0:24:36a bit like e-mailing a photo,
0:24:36 > 0:24:37but better.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40Their ultrasound even penetrates the sand,
0:24:40 > 0:24:42so there's nowhere to hide,
0:24:42 > 0:24:45but in order to really see them properly,
0:24:45 > 0:24:47I have to join them in their world.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51I tell you what, I absolutely hate my job.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01OK. Wish me luck, guys.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03Good luck, Steve.
0:25:03 > 0:25:04Get ready.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06OK, guys, go!
0:25:10 > 0:25:13These motorised sleds actually give you an idea
0:25:13 > 0:25:15of what it's like to be a dolphin
0:25:15 > 0:25:18and help us keep up with these beautiful streamlined animals.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21It's frustrating, because we can't hold our breath
0:25:21 > 0:25:25anywhere near as long as a dolphin, we need to keep coming up for air.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28They also seem to be having as much fun as we are
0:25:28 > 0:25:31and this is even more special because these are
0:25:31 > 0:25:34really wild dolphins, and they're choosing to play with us.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37This is out of this world!
0:25:37 > 0:25:41I've never seen anything like it before in my life.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43Just incredible.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40Ah! That was out of this world!
0:26:40 > 0:26:44And that's why dolphins are pretty much everyone's favourite animal.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47But they're also fearsome hunters.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50And that's why they're going on my Deadly 60.
0:26:57 > 0:26:58Ultra-intelligent and adaptable,
0:26:58 > 0:27:01perfectly streamlined and turbo-charged,
0:27:01 > 0:27:04with built-in ultrasound and weapons systems,
0:27:04 > 0:27:07dolphins have to be on my Deadly 60.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13All in the name of science. Ow! That stung right through the suit.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15Join me next time
0:27:15 > 0:27:18as I continue my search for the Deadly 60.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23Oh-ho! Getting up some speed now!
0:27:23 > 0:27:25Sunlight here.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42Subtitles by Red Bee Media LTD