0:00:02 > 0:00:05My name's Steve Backshall. Wow!
0:00:05 > 0:00:08This is my mission to find the Deadly 60.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12That's not just animals that are deadly to me,
0:00:12 > 0:00:15but animals that are deadly in their own world.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20My crew and I are exploring the planet...
0:00:20 > 0:00:23and you're coming with me every step of the way!
0:00:30 > 0:00:32This time on Deadly 60, we're in Thailand.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35It's half a world away from my home in England,
0:00:35 > 0:00:39kind of hot and sticky, and from the urban towns like here,
0:00:39 > 0:00:42the big cities, right out to the forest wildernesses,
0:00:42 > 0:00:45it's PACKED with awesome wildlife!
0:00:47 > 0:00:49Thailand is in South East Asia.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53If you look up the word "exotic" in the dictionary,
0:00:53 > 0:00:55it says, "See Thailand".
0:00:55 > 0:00:59This place has weird and wonderful...well,
0:00:59 > 0:01:03everything, really. But I'm here for the wildlife.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05Thailand has more than its fair share
0:01:05 > 0:01:09of venomous and potentially lethal snakes.
0:01:09 > 0:01:13Not everyone round here shares my enthusiasm for these magnificent creatures,
0:01:13 > 0:01:18and unfortunately, if villagers see them, they'll often take a maschete to them and kill them.
0:01:18 > 0:01:22There is, however, one village that has a unique relationship with snakes,
0:01:22 > 0:01:26and it's here that you have the best opportunity in the world
0:01:26 > 0:01:28to get up close to the king of snakes.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34I first came to this village about four years ago,
0:01:34 > 0:01:39got to know some of the characters that live here and became friends with them as well.
0:01:39 > 0:01:41I'll warn you now, some of the stuff you'll see here
0:01:41 > 0:01:43might seem a little bit odd.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46It kind of IS odd, there's nowhere else in the world that I've seen
0:01:46 > 0:01:49that is quite like this village, but also, there's nowhere
0:01:49 > 0:01:52where the relationship with snakes is as strong. Let's meet the guys.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57Hey, hello, hello, hello!
0:01:57 > 0:02:00'The people living here are surrounded by snakes.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02'They've grown up with them,
0:02:02 > 0:02:05'and as such, know all about the dangers, and more importantly,
0:02:05 > 0:02:07'how to handle them.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09'There are hundreds of snakes here,
0:02:09 > 0:02:12'like this baby Burmese python, which these kids look after.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16'Over the years, this village has become well-known as a snake hotspot
0:02:16 > 0:02:19'and tourists come here to catch a glimpse of snakes -
0:02:19 > 0:02:22'constrictors like this one and highly venomous ones.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24'But before we meet the king of those snakes,
0:02:24 > 0:02:27'I'm getting introduced to one of his close cousins.'
0:02:27 > 0:02:29Oh, wow.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31SNAKE HISSES
0:02:33 > 0:02:35OK...
0:02:35 > 0:02:37Now, this is a whole different ball game.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45- Yeah, this is a monocled cobra. - SNAKE HISSES
0:02:45 > 0:02:48This is potentially one of the most dangerous snakes
0:02:48 > 0:02:50you will see anywhere in the world.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53You can see it's big, it's a heavy-bodied snake,
0:02:53 > 0:02:58and it has a very, very potent venom. Right, I'm going to try...
0:02:58 > 0:03:00SNAKE HISSES
0:03:00 > 0:03:02That was close!
0:03:03 > 0:03:05You can see how well the man knows the snake, though.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09He has absolute, complete confidence
0:03:09 > 0:03:12about how far it can strike...
0:03:12 > 0:03:15Look what he's doing with his knee.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17That movement...
0:03:19 > 0:03:21..is catching the cobra's eye,
0:03:21 > 0:03:25and that's what's making it get up and look big and aggressive.
0:03:25 > 0:03:29Look at him - I'm actually sweating a fair bit.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37Wow.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39Now, that might seem like total insanity,
0:03:39 > 0:03:43but the truth is, this cobra's fangs are on the upper jaw,
0:03:43 > 0:03:46pointed down like this and fixed.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49This snake can only strike coming downwards,
0:03:49 > 0:03:51so coming down on top of its head like that,
0:03:51 > 0:03:54it's physically impossible for the cobra to bite you.
0:03:54 > 0:03:58Even so, that's some serious confidence.
0:03:58 > 0:03:59Wow.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03As he turns round to focus on the man,
0:04:03 > 0:04:05you'll see the back of that hood spread wide,
0:04:05 > 0:04:09and that round centre looks like a big eye spot.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12That is the monocle which gives it its name.
0:04:15 > 0:04:16SNAKE HISSES
0:04:16 > 0:04:21It seems ridiculous, when you've got a snake as awe-inspiring as the monocled cobra in front of you,
0:04:21 > 0:04:23that there could be something more deadly here,
0:04:23 > 0:04:25but there is.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27There is a snake in this village
0:04:27 > 0:04:30that could literally eat all these other snakes for breakfast.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32That's the one that we're trying to find.
0:04:32 > 0:04:38- And it's also the reason why this man...- King cobra.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41..has lost some of his fingers.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46We've met a multitude of snakes on Deadly 60,
0:04:46 > 0:04:49but this next snake is truly The Daddy.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56The people in this village have been snake charming for generations,
0:04:56 > 0:04:59and there's one snake they favour more than any other.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02It's the largest, most venomous snake in the world.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05Its venomous bite is so strong that it could potentially
0:05:05 > 0:05:09bring down an elephant and kill an adult human in a minute and a half.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12Handling this snake demands total respect and attention,
0:05:12 > 0:05:16so I've brought it out here into the paddy field so we can keep a close eye on it.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19Meet the king cobra -
0:05:19 > 0:05:22the longest of all venomous snakes.
0:05:22 > 0:05:26They can reach a length of 5.5 metres - as long as a lorry.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30With possibly the best vision of any snake
0:05:30 > 0:05:34and a combination super-sense that combines smell and taste,
0:05:34 > 0:05:37they scan the forest floors for their favourite food -
0:05:37 > 0:05:39other snakes.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46This man here has been working with snakes since he was ten years old,
0:05:46 > 0:05:50for 53 years, so there's probably no-one in the world better equipped
0:05:50 > 0:05:54to show me how to deal with all these incredible creatures. Please.
0:05:59 > 0:06:00No way!
0:06:09 > 0:06:12This...is the king cobra.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14At this size,
0:06:14 > 0:06:18you kind of expect it to be a python,
0:06:18 > 0:06:20but it's not.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24It is...the largest venomous snake in the world.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29Even though this is a snake with incredible...
0:06:31 > 0:06:34..capabilities, you can see that all it really wants to do
0:06:34 > 0:06:37is escape from danger.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41Its first instinct is to flee, to get away.
0:06:41 > 0:06:46But when it realises that the man here doesn't want to let it go,
0:06:46 > 0:06:50it's putting on a big display to make itself seem larger,
0:06:50 > 0:06:52make it seem more threatening.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55And it is absolutely, unimaginably vast.
0:06:56 > 0:07:01This snake is getting on for four metres long,
0:07:01 > 0:07:05and as it stands up and spreads its ribs into a hood,
0:07:05 > 0:07:07like the monocled cobra before it,
0:07:07 > 0:07:10it just looks huge.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13His head is the size of my hand,
0:07:13 > 0:07:17and the fangs are long, thin needles
0:07:17 > 0:07:21that can inject huge amounts of venom even deep into the muscle.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23That's what allows it to work so quickly
0:07:23 > 0:07:26and why it is so potentially dangerous to people.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29He really is just figuring me out...
0:07:29 > 0:07:32I'm just making sure that I keep my distance -
0:07:32 > 0:07:35as long as I'm exactly where I am now, I'm safe.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37If I got even a few inches closer...
0:07:37 > 0:07:38he'd be able to bite me.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44OK, what I'd really like to do
0:07:44 > 0:07:46is to show you a prey's eye view
0:07:46 > 0:07:49of the king cobra up close. Thanks, Giles.
0:07:49 > 0:07:50Is that running?
0:07:50 > 0:07:53OK...
0:07:53 > 0:07:54Oooh-ah!
0:07:54 > 0:08:00A snake this big can almost stand up and look me in the eye.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03They can hold a third of their body length off the ground,
0:08:03 > 0:08:07which means an 18 ft-long snake can stand up six feet, as tall as me.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11You see that tongue flicking out,
0:08:11 > 0:08:13tasting the air...
0:08:13 > 0:08:16He's looking a bit at his reflection in the camera,
0:08:16 > 0:08:17and a bit at me -
0:08:17 > 0:08:19see the intelligence of this snake.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21He's not looking at the camera,
0:08:21 > 0:08:25cos that's an inanimate object...
0:08:25 > 0:08:30He's more focused looking down the camera, down my arm, and at me,
0:08:30 > 0:08:32cos he knows that that's the thing
0:08:32 > 0:08:34he might have to bite.
0:08:36 > 0:08:40Though this is one of the most frightening animals in the world,
0:08:40 > 0:08:46and nothing gives you quite the same degree of fear and tension as a king cobra,
0:08:46 > 0:08:50it is also an animal that is
0:08:50 > 0:08:52so regal, so majestic,
0:08:52 > 0:08:55and you can see why they call it the king.
0:08:58 > 0:08:59The king cobra,
0:08:59 > 0:09:02the most magnificent, regal snake in the world.
0:09:02 > 0:09:07It's going on my list because it's the ultimate killer of other snakes.
0:09:07 > 0:09:08Utterly magnificent.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18Fangs like long, impossibly sharp, hypodermic needles,
0:09:18 > 0:09:22and venom that's theoretically strong enough to kill an elephant!
0:09:22 > 0:09:27The king cobra - supreme snake-killer, no doubt.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33Thailand is home to two fierce felines - that means cats -
0:09:33 > 0:09:36with a unique set of skills and abilities.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40Either one could end up on the list, but before I decide,
0:09:40 > 0:09:43I need to see them in action. Time for a deadly cat face-off.
0:09:43 > 0:09:48On Deadly 60, we do everything we can to see our deadly animals
0:09:48 > 0:09:51out in their natural environment. But with the two cats next,
0:09:51 > 0:09:53that just isn't an option.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57I spent six weeks in the jungle trying to film our first cat.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00We knew they were there, saw their pawprints, but did we see them?
0:10:00 > 0:10:02Not a chance.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06However, today I have a special opportunity to get close to one.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09Possibly too close.
0:10:09 > 0:10:14Our first top cat contender is the clouded leopard -
0:10:14 > 0:10:18a flamboyant feline with a taste for the treetops.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22Being nocturnal, they hunt in little or no light,
0:10:22 > 0:10:26but their eyes have an inbuilt turbo-charger to give them
0:10:26 > 0:10:28scintillating night vision.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32They have the largest teeth compared to skull size of any carnivore.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36It's like having a set of daggers in your mouth.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44The clouded leopards kept here at Khao Kheow Zoo
0:10:44 > 0:10:47are part of a vital breeding program,
0:10:47 > 0:10:51so this is a rare opportunity to see a young cub up close.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53Keeper Andy is leading the way.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56Meet your first clouded leopard.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58She's about a year-and-a-half old.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02We'll go into the big play area. Come here, baby.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05Great! There you go.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11This is very, very surreal. I've waited years to see
0:11:11 > 0:11:15my first clouded leopard, and the first I see is almost acting
0:11:15 > 0:11:18like a rather big tabby cat!
0:11:18 > 0:11:21HE CHUCKLES
0:11:21 > 0:11:24You see these incredible markings that they have.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28Some people say that's how they got the name "clouded leopard",
0:11:28 > 0:11:31cos it looks like clouds. Really, they were called that because
0:11:31 > 0:11:35they live high in the canopy, but they do have an incredible coat.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39She is the most beautiful cat I've ever seen.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41Go ahead, give her some pats.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44She's just happy to be back outside.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47OK. Because I don't actually know this cat yet,
0:11:47 > 0:11:51I'm still quite cautious, because I've done quite a lot of work
0:11:51 > 0:11:56with cats before, and first thing you learn is that despite
0:11:56 > 0:11:59their small size, they're extremely powerful.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02Even a cat this size could make a right mess of me,
0:12:02 > 0:12:07although she doesn't look like she's going to. Fingers crossed.
0:12:08 > 0:12:12The reason clouded leopards are such awesome predators
0:12:12 > 0:12:17is mostly down to their mastery of both the forest floor
0:12:17 > 0:12:20and also the treetops. They are sublime climbers.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23There are very few cats that can act
0:12:23 > 0:12:25quite as well in the treetops as they can.
0:12:25 > 0:12:29Now she's settled down a bit,
0:12:29 > 0:12:33maybe I can show you those remarkable paws.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35Look at the size of that
0:12:35 > 0:12:41in comparison to the rest of her body. There's also a hidden weapon.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43Look at those.
0:12:43 > 0:12:49Those sharp claws that she can retract or release -
0:12:49 > 0:12:54depending on whether she needs them or not - are a wonderful help
0:12:54 > 0:12:57in getting her up almost vertical tree trunks.
0:12:57 > 0:13:03These paws here can also turn almost right around so she can run down
0:13:03 > 0:13:06a tree trunk, almost like a squirrel.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10Aww!
0:13:10 > 0:13:12Now...
0:13:12 > 0:13:15- HE LAUGHS - I can't really describe
0:13:15 > 0:13:21what that feels like. The tongue is like the coarsest sandpaper
0:13:21 > 0:13:25you can possibly imagine. Clouded leopards use that tongue
0:13:25 > 0:13:30to wear away the feathers or the fur of their prey.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34Actually, it feels like she's taken off a layer of skin!
0:13:34 > 0:13:36I mean, it might have looked affectionate,
0:13:36 > 0:13:39but it felt anything but.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46The clouded leopard hunts mostly in the treetops,
0:13:46 > 0:13:49and those paws are the perfect climbing accessory.
0:13:49 > 0:13:54His favourite foods are monkeys and birds, which will simply fly away
0:13:54 > 0:13:57if the first pounce isn't perfect.
0:13:57 > 0:14:03Accuracy and timing is everything when hunting up high.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09OK, I'm hoping that she'll follow Andy
0:14:09 > 0:14:12and show us a bit of climbing.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16Oh!
0:14:16 > 0:14:18That was awesome!
0:14:18 > 0:14:23She must have sprung from a standing start to about here,
0:14:23 > 0:14:25- and then scampered up... - HE LAUGHS
0:14:25 > 0:14:29Then used me on the way down! That's cheating!
0:14:31 > 0:14:34Up she goes!
0:14:34 > 0:14:36Watch your head.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39She's going to maybe invert her ankles here.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41- If you step away...- OK.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43A little bit.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47So agile. You can see why monkeys and birds
0:14:47 > 0:14:52are just totally at the mercy of this cat. She's extraordinary!
0:14:56 > 0:14:57Whoa!
0:14:59 > 0:15:01THEY LAUGH
0:15:01 > 0:15:06This agile carnivore of the canopy is going to take some beating.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09But our next contender could not hunt more differently.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15GROWLING AND PANTING
0:15:15 > 0:15:20The next cat we're looking at couldn't be more different.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24It's slightly smaller, but in terms of attitude, way bigger.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27There's one in this cage behind me now.
0:15:27 > 0:15:28HEAVY BREATHING
0:15:28 > 0:15:32Listen to that sound. It's a hiss almost like a snake,
0:15:32 > 0:15:35- and then a deep growling roar. - GROWLING
0:15:35 > 0:15:38The truth is, if I got in a cage with one of these,
0:15:38 > 0:15:42it would probably shred me. So the only way we can film them
0:15:42 > 0:15:44is using these. Come on in.
0:15:47 > 0:15:52So this is where our cats usually live. As a clue
0:15:52 > 0:15:55to how they're specialised, look at this.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58Great big pond full of fish.
0:15:58 > 0:16:03These are fishing cats. They kind of defy every law there is
0:16:03 > 0:16:07about how cats should behave. They love water,
0:16:07 > 0:16:11and catch their food in it. That's what we're hoping to see.
0:16:11 > 0:16:18What you're about to see will dispel any myth surrounding cats and water.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21Whilst your pet moggy may not like getting its feet wet,
0:16:21 > 0:16:23the fishing cat loves it.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29Even though they're not much bigger than a house cat,
0:16:29 > 0:16:32he could still do me an awful lot of damage.
0:16:32 > 0:16:37So the only way we have of seeing him at work is to rig up cameras
0:16:37 > 0:16:40all round this enclosure. We're turning this into
0:16:40 > 0:16:43the Big Brother household, except for fishing cats.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46- Does that look all right to you? - Perfect.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49MUSIC: "Big Brother" theme tune
0:17:00 > 0:17:03Cameras are set and rolling.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06It's going to take a while for our fishing cats to get used to
0:17:06 > 0:17:08the cameras being in there.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11Also to see that the fish are there and think about hunting.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16There's one just come into frame up the top here.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20Cat's come down to the edge of the pool,
0:17:20 > 0:17:23and it's looking quite intently into the water.
0:17:23 > 0:17:27She definitely knows there's a fish supper ready to be had.
0:17:27 > 0:17:29Go on!
0:17:33 > 0:17:37There's several different ways the fishing cat will actually hunt,
0:17:37 > 0:17:41from just whacking a paw into the water and catching a fish
0:17:41 > 0:17:46to actually diving in and swimming after them, catching underwater.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50It's a common misconception that all cats hate water.
0:17:50 > 0:17:55I've seen tigers and jaguars all swimming very strongly indeed,
0:17:55 > 0:17:57but this cat's probably more happy
0:17:57 > 0:17:59in and around water than any other.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03If we just switch to our underwater camera...
0:18:03 > 0:18:06It may look a little bit murky and grotty, but our fishing cat
0:18:06 > 0:18:12would actually be happy hunting in water even worse than this.
0:18:12 > 0:18:18Just dipped her paw in. Not sure if she's actually going for a fish
0:18:18 > 0:18:21or if that was just tapping on the surface to simulate,
0:18:21 > 0:18:26make it seem like an insect landed on the surface. Not caught anything.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30Oh no, something's spooked her. She's moving round.
0:18:30 > 0:18:34If ever you need reminding that filming animal behaviour
0:18:34 > 0:18:39is not as easy as hitting record and shouting "action", then this is it.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41Patience and time is the key,
0:18:41 > 0:18:44but we were rapidly running out of both.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51I was so confident this was going to work.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54Our batteries and tape are about to run out on our cameras,
0:18:54 > 0:18:57and, unfortunately, our cat hasn't played ball.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00But this is what they are capable of.
0:19:03 > 0:19:08Fishing cats are powerfully built with short limbs, a stocky body,
0:19:08 > 0:19:11and webbed feet - attributes perfect
0:19:11 > 0:19:15for trudging through water and for scooping up fish.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21They've even been known to dive in head first and swim under water
0:19:21 > 0:19:23to grab fish in their mouths.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30A scuba-diving carp-crunching cat?
0:19:30 > 0:19:32That's crazy talk!
0:19:37 > 0:19:40So, there we have it. On the one hand, there's this -
0:19:40 > 0:19:44our canopy-conquering monkey-munching clouded leopard.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48And on the other, our fish-filleting feline, the fishing cat.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53Both with a deadly set of skills and abilities
0:19:53 > 0:19:56but who gets a place on the Deadly 60?
0:19:56 > 0:20:00Well, it's my list, so I'm going for my favourite -
0:20:00 > 0:20:02the clouded leopard.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13A master hunter of the forest floor
0:20:13 > 0:20:15and the tree tops.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18With incredible canine teeth,
0:20:18 > 0:20:21the clouded leopard's got to go on the Deadly 60.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23LEOPARD SNEEZES
0:20:23 > 0:20:25Bless you!
0:20:27 > 0:20:31Can twist its ankles the wrong way to climb up and down trees,
0:20:31 > 0:20:35the longest teeth compared to skull size of any carnivore,
0:20:35 > 0:20:39using its retractable claws to climb and to kill.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44The clouded leopard - deadly.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52Seconds out, round three, and my next contender
0:20:52 > 0:20:54is a cosmopolitan lizard.
0:20:54 > 0:20:58As much at home in the city as the jungle,
0:20:58 > 0:21:01both happy hunting grounds for the Tokay gecko.
0:21:05 > 0:21:09There are hundreds of species of gecko around the world,
0:21:09 > 0:21:11but this, to my mind, is the king.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14This is a Tokay gecko. It was hunting in my hotel.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17The name Tokay comes from its call, which is the voice
0:21:17 > 0:21:20of this part of the world. It goes something like...
0:21:20 > 0:21:21To-kay! To-kay!
0:21:21 > 0:21:24To-kay! To-kay! To-kay!
0:21:24 > 0:21:25You hear it almost everywhere,
0:21:25 > 0:21:28especially coming into dusk and early evening.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32That means this fellow is hunting for armoured insects like beetles,
0:21:32 > 0:21:37which it crunches up with a powerful jaw and very sharp teeth.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39They are very sharp teeth, I can tell you for sure,
0:21:39 > 0:21:42because I've been bitten by one and it really hurt.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45I thought it was going to take my finger off.
0:21:45 > 0:21:50They're gloriously coloured with bright orange spots.
0:21:52 > 0:21:57Pretty much as big and as stocky as geckos ever get,
0:21:57 > 0:22:00but it's their climbing ability that I think makes them worthy
0:22:00 > 0:22:02of a place on the Deadly 60.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05Let's get a closer look at those feet
0:22:05 > 0:22:07which are clamping down on my thumb.
0:22:07 > 0:22:11On the end of every toe is a sharp claw,
0:22:11 > 0:22:14almost like the talon on a bird of prey.
0:22:14 > 0:22:19And that will cling to tiny imperfections in bark or in bricks.
0:22:19 > 0:22:24But, even better than that, every one of those toes is lined
0:22:24 > 0:22:27with something even more miraculous.
0:22:27 > 0:22:33Each toe is covered with fine hairs you can only see under a microscope.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36It's those that allow it to cling to vertical surfaces
0:22:36 > 0:22:38or even overhanging ones.
0:22:38 > 0:22:42They're so effective that this gecko can even jump and instantly grip
0:22:42 > 0:22:43to the wall it lands on.
0:22:43 > 0:22:48The tiny hairs on the toes catch hold of a climbing surface
0:22:48 > 0:22:49almost like Velcro.
0:22:49 > 0:22:53Whether it's out in the wilderness or here in the urban jungle,
0:22:53 > 0:22:55the Tokay gecko is, to my mind,
0:22:55 > 0:22:58the finest climbing insect-killer in the world.
0:22:58 > 0:23:02That on its own ought to make it enough to make it onto my list,
0:23:02 > 0:23:03but, on the Deadly 60,
0:23:03 > 0:23:05we don't just tell about how cool animals are.
0:23:05 > 0:23:10We like to show you. Our Tokay gecko is somewhere munching his way
0:23:10 > 0:23:13through the local moth population, up there.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16So I'm going to go and join him.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19But not munching moths because that would be just wrong.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24So, while I may be getting a slice of life gecko-style,
0:23:24 > 0:23:26it's not really a fair fight.
0:23:26 > 0:23:31The gecko doesn't just climb up here. It hunts at the same time.
0:23:31 > 0:23:37The gecko zeroes in on dinner with eyes and ears in focused harmony.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40One lightning lunge later,
0:23:40 > 0:23:44and jaws lined with pointy teeth munch through moths.
0:23:48 > 0:23:52OK, let's see how the best of British - that's me - compares
0:23:52 > 0:23:55to the wizard of the wall, the Tokay gecko.
0:24:07 > 0:24:14My first problem is balance. That's something the gecko solves easily
0:24:14 > 0:24:17with its tail.
0:24:17 > 0:24:21And then, the next thing is, I can't get my fingers into the cracks
0:24:21 > 0:24:24between these bricks. They're just too small.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27The finger nails on the end of every toe for the gecko
0:24:27 > 0:24:31are just perfect for hooking into imperfections in bricks.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37I'm never going to make it!
0:24:39 > 0:24:41Agh!
0:24:41 > 0:24:46Already, my respect for the gecko is certainly growing.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49If this was a proper race, I'd be eating that gecko's dust.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52I bet you anything he'd be at the top by now,
0:24:52 > 0:24:55licking his lips and yawning.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58That's one small victory, at least!
0:24:58 > 0:24:59CROWD CHEERS
0:24:59 > 0:25:01Yay! Thank you very much.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06My next problem is sweat.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09I've got sweat getting into my fingers, stopping me gripping.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12The gecko doesn't have to deal with that at all.
0:25:12 > 0:25:13In fact, no lizard does.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17They have a waterproof skin which means they don't sweat,
0:25:17 > 0:25:20they don't lose any water to the outside environment,
0:25:20 > 0:25:22which is great when you're climbing.
0:25:27 > 0:25:34I'm guessing Tokay geckos don't get vertigo either.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50OK, this is a really hard bit.
0:25:50 > 0:25:51Up, over the top.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57Geckos cling effortlessly to overhangs.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00For me, it's near impossible.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06Oh, look! There's a little gecko climbing right beside me.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09'Oh, that's just showing off!'
0:26:10 > 0:26:13Almost there.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16Woohoo!
0:26:16 > 0:26:17Yes!
0:26:17 > 0:26:19CROWD CHEERS
0:26:19 > 0:26:27That was one of the sweatiest, silliest, craziest things I've done.
0:26:27 > 0:26:29I might have got up here but I certainly didn't...
0:26:29 > 0:26:31- CHEERING - Thank you!
0:26:31 > 0:26:35But I certainly didn't do it with the grace of a Tokay gecko.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37There's no way I'm going catching insects while I'm here.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39What time did I do it in?
0:26:39 > 0:26:403:58.
0:26:40 > 0:26:413:58?
0:26:41 > 0:26:433:58.
0:26:43 > 0:26:47The gecko does it in about 30 seconds.
0:26:47 > 0:26:51I think he wins. I think you've got to say,
0:26:51 > 0:26:55Tokay gecko is on the Deadly 60. Oh!
0:26:57 > 0:27:01With advanced eye-sight and hearing, they zero in on prey.
0:27:01 > 0:27:05Its Velcro feet make it one of the world's best climbers.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08And jaws lined with pointy teeth to munch through moths.
0:27:08 > 0:27:13The Tokay gecko is a worthy addition to the Deadly 60.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15Certainly beat me.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19Next time on Deadly 60...
0:27:22 > 0:27:24Wagh! Hahaha!
0:27:28 > 0:27:31He's tasting my face. He just stuck his tongue in my eye!
0:27:31 > 0:27:34Perfectly adapted to life hunting in the dark.
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