0:00:02 > 0:00:05My name is Steve Backshall.
0:00:05 > 0:00:09And this is my search for the Deadly 60.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13Amazing! That's not just animals that are deadly to me,
0:00:13 > 0:00:17but that are deadly in their own world.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20My crew and I are travelling the planet
0:00:20 > 0:00:23and you're coming with me every step of the way.
0:00:26 > 0:00:27Agh!
0:00:31 > 0:00:34This time on Deadly 60, we're in Norway
0:00:34 > 0:00:37in the frozen north of Europe.
0:00:37 > 0:00:42All the deadly animals we'll be meeting here face serious challenges
0:00:42 > 0:00:44just to survive in this environment,
0:00:44 > 0:00:47from extreme sub-zero temperatures,
0:00:47 > 0:00:51not to mention hunting and just getting around in this stuff.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54But all of the animals we'll be looking for, lucky for us,
0:00:54 > 0:00:58leave their story behind in the snow.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02'Someone else who leaves more than a few clues in the snow
0:01:02 > 0:01:05'are my dedicated Deadly 60 crew.'
0:01:05 > 0:01:09- Steve, wait up!- Steve, hold on! - 'Come on, boys!'
0:01:10 > 0:01:12Norway is in northern Europe
0:01:12 > 0:01:15and stretches right up into the Arctic Circle.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18It's a frozen world of snow and ice.
0:01:19 > 0:01:24My first target animal is going to be a full-on challenge.
0:01:24 > 0:01:26We're heading into the hills
0:01:26 > 0:01:30and we need to be ready for extreme conditions.
0:01:35 > 0:01:39This is the most work my crew have done in ages. Come on, you lot!
0:01:39 > 0:01:42LAUGHTER
0:01:42 > 0:01:46They've got poles to help them. I don't have any poles.
0:01:46 > 0:01:51Our mission is to find a wild cat that stalks these forests by night,
0:01:51 > 0:01:56but is impossibly hard to find. It's the lynx.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59Lynx spend most of their lives alone.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02Stalking these snowy northern forests,
0:02:02 > 0:02:05they're perfectly adapted to the cold,
0:02:05 > 0:02:10but heavy, sinking, thick snow can turn a dash into a dawdle.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14A sustained chase through the snow would be exhausting,
0:02:14 > 0:02:18so a lynx relies on ambush and a super-quick pounce to catch a meal,
0:02:18 > 0:02:21even prey as big as a reindeer.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27The only signs these shy creatures leave are their tracks in the snow.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30That's what we're following now.
0:02:30 > 0:02:34Well, there's certainly an enormous amount of activity
0:02:34 > 0:02:36that's been going on around here.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39And down in front of us...
0:02:41 > 0:02:46That there is the tell-tale paw print of a lynx.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49I'll show you a little bit more clearly.
0:02:49 > 0:02:54Those there are four big, broad, round toes,
0:02:54 > 0:02:57then there's another large, broad pad at the back.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01There's a lot of hair in between those, so as the pad spreads out,
0:03:01 > 0:03:04it keeps them floating on top of the snow.
0:03:04 > 0:03:08They run in a line down here, then hop over the fence
0:03:08 > 0:03:11and in the field in front of us,
0:03:11 > 0:03:15it just looks like they've been having an incredibly good time.
0:03:15 > 0:03:20We've been told that the lynx have made a kill further up the valley,
0:03:20 > 0:03:24so we keep stalking our predator's prints up into the forest.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31The tracks here are very different to before -
0:03:31 > 0:03:36deep in the snow and a big, long space between them,
0:03:36 > 0:03:40which means that the animal here is moving much, much faster.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44And the reason for that we can see up ahead of us in the snow.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48That is the kill that we've come up here to find.
0:03:53 > 0:03:59Wow! So this is the kill, exactly where we were told it would be.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04It's a young, female roe deer.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08And the flesh is still quite moveable.
0:04:08 > 0:04:12It hasn't frozen solid, so it's relatively fresh.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16The way this would have been killed is here, right at the throat.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20The lynx would come in, clamp its teeth around the windpipe
0:04:20 > 0:04:22and strangle the air out of it.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26Death would come really quickly, probably within a minute.
0:04:26 > 0:04:30Probably, after it killed this animal, it was frightened away,
0:04:30 > 0:04:33and it might come back and feed again tonight,
0:04:33 > 0:04:36so our best chance of getting a shot of a lynx
0:04:36 > 0:04:40is to put up a remote camera here focused down on this animal
0:04:40 > 0:04:43and hope it comes back in the night.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46It's a long shot, but it's our best chance.
0:04:46 > 0:04:51We leave the camera traps overnight and retreat to our tepee to warm up.
0:04:51 > 0:04:56Outside, the temperature plummets, but we're cosy and well-fed.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00Our lynx, though, has no escape from the elements.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05- Who's hungry?- Me!- Me!
0:05:13 > 0:05:17I just hope that hunger drives him back to his kill.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34Well, we've had a lot of snow overnight.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38Let's hope our camera trap hasn't frozen over.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44- It's got a sugar frosting over the top of it.- I'm stuck.
0:05:44 > 0:05:49And my cameraman is stuck in the snow. Do you want a hand, Johnny?
0:05:58 > 0:06:03As we said, I'm not massively optimistic about this.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06Our carcass is completely covered in snow
0:06:06 > 0:06:10and there's no tracks through here that have been since the snow,
0:06:10 > 0:06:13so unless it happened early last night,
0:06:13 > 0:06:15I don't think we've got any luck.
0:06:15 > 0:06:19We've had no results on the camera trap.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23Fortunately, though, I do have a Plan B
0:06:23 > 0:06:25and we will get to see a lynx.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31We'll have another crack at seeing the lynx later on,
0:06:31 > 0:06:33but that will have to wait.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37First off, we're going to meet another snowy predator.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40It's the small, but formidable Arctic fox.
0:06:40 > 0:06:45In the Arctic summer, the fox has a brown coat to blend into the tundra.
0:06:45 > 0:06:50They brave snapping beaks to raid bird colonies for eggs and chicks,
0:06:50 > 0:06:53eating anything they can to fatten up for the winter.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56When the snow arrives, the Arctic fox has a makeover,
0:06:56 > 0:07:00growing a thick, white coat that allows them to blend
0:07:00 > 0:07:02into their snowy background.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06Hairy feet provide warm, slip-proof shoes on the ice
0:07:06 > 0:07:11and a thick tail acts like a scarf wrapped around its face.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13HIGH-PITCHED CRIES
0:07:13 > 0:07:15Yeaaghh!
0:07:18 > 0:07:22All of the animals that we've met up here in the frozen north
0:07:22 > 0:07:26have incredible coats to keep them warm. 'But we're not so lucky.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29'Time for a Deadly 60 demonstration.'
0:07:30 > 0:07:33OK, the first thing is the extremities.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37Most of the heat for us is lost through the head,
0:07:37 > 0:07:40so if I get rid of that and my gloves,
0:07:40 > 0:07:44already I'm going to start feeling the cold.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50OK, already starting to feel a little bit nippy.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52# You're as cold as ice... #
0:07:53 > 0:07:58OK, this is the bit I've been trying to put off as long as possible.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04OK, that's instantly painful.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06# You're willing to sacrifice
0:08:06 > 0:08:09# You're as cold as ice... #
0:08:09 > 0:08:12You can probably see I'm starting to shiver.
0:08:12 > 0:08:16My teeth are starting to shake and I can't feel my feet already.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19Last layer.
0:08:20 > 0:08:26OK, so because I don't have that warm layer of fur next to my skin,
0:08:26 > 0:08:30instantly, I'll start getting goose pimples and I'm starting to shiver.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33That's my instant response to the cold.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37An Arctic fox won't start to shiver until it's minus 50 degrees.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41OK, that's pretty unpleasant.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44I'll head inside and have a cup of hot chocolate.
0:08:45 > 0:08:46Aagh!
0:08:51 > 0:08:55The Arctic fox's coat is one of the warmest in the animal kingdom,
0:08:55 > 0:08:59but in the past, that has been something of a curse for the animal.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02Human beings have hunted them for generations
0:09:02 > 0:09:04and in some places they are rare.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08But in these enclosures at this breeding centre,
0:09:08 > 0:09:12they're breeding Arctic foxes and reintroducing them to the wild.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14The enclosures might look empty,
0:09:14 > 0:09:17but our stars are hiding in dens under the snow.
0:09:19 > 0:09:24During the summer, Arctic foxes are very resourceful, adaptable hunters.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27They'll take anything from birds and eggs through to fish,
0:09:27 > 0:09:30but in the winter, they are much more limited.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32Their main prey are lemming -
0:09:32 > 0:09:36small, furry mammals that tunnel around under the snow.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40These tiny rodents could be a fox's ideal scampering supper.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43But as lemmings mostly live buried underground,
0:09:43 > 0:09:48Arctic foxes have a special method of hunting which I'll show you now.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53Come on in, John Boy.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57But you're not coming in.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00These foxes are in for a treat.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03I've got a game of hide and squeak in mind.
0:10:03 > 0:10:07OK, so there's two Arctic foxes living inside this enclosure.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10You can see here where they've been digging for food
0:10:10 > 0:10:15and also quite a lot of yellow snow. Don't eat any of that, you guys!
0:10:15 > 0:10:18So what I'm going to do
0:10:18 > 0:10:21is I'm going to create a hole here
0:10:21 > 0:10:24and try and make our own set-up lemming.
0:10:24 > 0:10:28I'll show you how in a second. First, the digging.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32Arctic foxes are armed with tough, dog-like claws
0:10:32 > 0:10:35to scrabble through hard packed snow.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38OK, can you pass me that camera, Nick?
0:10:38 > 0:10:42All right, so what we've got here is a mini-cam,
0:10:42 > 0:10:44which we're going to partially bury
0:10:44 > 0:10:48and hopefully, that should give us a lemming's eye view
0:10:48 > 0:10:50of an Arctic fox hunting.
0:10:50 > 0:10:55Next thing, a little bit of meat, frozen absolutely rock-solid.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58It doesn't look very appetising to me.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00Put a couple of chunks in there.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04The next thing we need to do is to put our lemming into the hole.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08Obviously, we're not going to put a real lemming in.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10Instead, what I've got here
0:11:10 > 0:11:15is the sound that lemmings make when they're under the snow.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18Bring your boom in, Nick. See if you can hear that.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20SQUEAKING
0:11:24 > 0:11:26Can you hear that? Yeah?
0:11:30 > 0:11:34'Arctic foxes have fantastic, radar-like hearing
0:11:34 > 0:11:38'and should be able to pick up even tiny squeaks from our speakers here.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42'In the wild, they're always listening out for a meal.' Not bad.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47OK, so you can hear just below the surface of the snow
0:11:47 > 0:11:50our fake lemming.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53Now all we need to do is bid a hasty retreat,
0:11:53 > 0:11:55put ourselves back here somewhere
0:11:55 > 0:12:00and hope that our curious Arctic fox comes in to take a look. Let's go.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06'So we move back and get set up.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09'These mats will keep us insulated from the snow
0:12:09 > 0:12:13'as we wait for our predator to emerge.
0:12:13 > 0:12:17'And as the sun starts to go down and our faces start to freeze,
0:12:17 > 0:12:20'there's movement at the far side of the enclosure.'
0:12:20 > 0:12:23Johnny, look. Look at that.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26He's come up out of his den
0:12:26 > 0:12:30and is making little yapping, barking calls.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33He's perhaps a little bit anxious about our presence,
0:12:33 > 0:12:36but he's definitely curious.
0:12:37 > 0:12:41Come on, little fella. Come and investigate.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50He's definitely heard our artificial lemming call.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53He's just being cautious about us being here.
0:12:53 > 0:12:58He can pick up those lemming calls from a long, long way away,
0:12:58 > 0:13:02much further than the distance in this enclosure,
0:13:02 > 0:13:04and he's coming right in close now.
0:13:04 > 0:13:08He's just stood up, ears pricked up, listening to the sound.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11Look at this. Johnny, look.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15Those ears are expertly zeroing in on the squeaks.
0:13:18 > 0:13:22He's going to give it a try. He's going to go for it, look.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24Fantastic!
0:13:24 > 0:13:28He's gone right in to where the speakers are buried.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31He's looking down at our electronic lemming right now.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34Is he going to investigate?
0:13:36 > 0:13:41He's sniffing... Oh, he's having a wee on the camera! That's not good.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45He's just marking his territory, anything new in his territory.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48Now he's starting to dig. He's starting to bury down.
0:13:48 > 0:13:54He's going after the lemming he's heard from all that distance away.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57And...
0:13:57 > 0:14:01..there it is. He's pulled up our speakers.
0:14:04 > 0:14:10So fast when they dig. The paws are going at 100 miles an hour!
0:14:14 > 0:14:18Not even a super fast lemming could outrun those furry feet.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23Look at that.
0:14:23 > 0:14:27He's being led by his hearing, not his sense of smell,
0:14:27 > 0:14:31which is why he found the speakers before his reward.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35He's got it! He's got the piece of meat that I left for him.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38That is just incredible.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40Absolutely brilliant.
0:14:40 > 0:14:45He heard our electronic lemming from the other side of the enclosure.
0:14:45 > 0:14:50He came scampering over - bam! Dug down and had it in a second.
0:14:50 > 0:14:55If that was in the wild, the lemming just would not stand a chance.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58That's awesome.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02That's why the Arctic fox has got to go in the Deadly 60.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06Even though he weed all over our camera.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13An adaptable hunter, summer or winter,
0:15:13 > 0:15:15with phenomenal precision hearing
0:15:15 > 0:15:20and super scrabbling paws to nail their meal.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24Arctic foxes are on the Deadly 60.
0:15:30 > 0:15:34Usually on Deadly 60 we deal with predators,
0:15:34 > 0:15:39but every once in a while there's a herbivore - it eats only plants -
0:15:39 > 0:15:41that's worthy of special attention
0:15:41 > 0:15:46as they become deadly if protecting themselves or their family.
0:15:46 > 0:15:51This wonderful shaggy-looking beast behind me is a musk oxen.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55Might not look particularly scary, but looks can be deceiving.
0:15:58 > 0:16:03Throughout the Arctic Circle, male musk ox fight over females,
0:16:03 > 0:16:07smashing heads and inflicting deadly wounds.
0:16:07 > 0:16:11Musk oxen have very bad tempers and are built like tanks.
0:16:11 > 0:16:16Strong, muscular legs, huge shoulders
0:16:16 > 0:16:18and a horny sledgehammer for a head.
0:16:18 > 0:16:23Imagine a 300-kilo steam train accelerating to 30 miles an hour
0:16:23 > 0:16:28in just two seconds. That's faster than a sports car.
0:16:29 > 0:16:34Once winter approaches, they shield out even the worst Arctic weather.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38I've got one coming in behind me.
0:16:38 > 0:16:43'I should be safe sitting here, but that male's starting to show off.'
0:16:48 > 0:16:53This is completely natural behaviour. If you look at the trees,
0:16:53 > 0:16:57all the bark's stripped off where he rams them. They do it all the time.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01'I really hope this fence is good and strong.'
0:17:11 > 0:17:13OK.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17He's got quite an attitude, hasn't he?
0:17:17 > 0:17:21'Coming face-to-face with these guys behind a fence is one thing.
0:17:21 > 0:17:26'Out in the open, they're a totally different proposition.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31'Here in the Norwegian wilderness,
0:17:31 > 0:17:36'it's as cold as being inside a deep freeze.'
0:17:36 > 0:17:41You've seen what an angry musk oxen can do. It's a little bit scary.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45Our next step has to be to see them in their natural habitat.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49The mountains of Norway have hundreds of miles of wilderness
0:17:49 > 0:17:52and we've got an awful lot of area to cover.
0:17:52 > 0:17:56Best way to get around is on one of these.
0:17:56 > 0:18:01'Just getting about is a chilly challenge.
0:18:08 > 0:18:13'There's an enormous distance to cover - miles of empty snowiness.'
0:18:14 > 0:18:16Look at that!
0:18:16 > 0:18:19Absolutely stunning!
0:18:19 > 0:18:21There's one thing for sure -
0:18:21 > 0:18:26these musk oxen have chosen a superb place to live.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30'Somewhere out there are our musk oxen herds.'
0:18:30 > 0:18:33Hang on. I think I see something.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36Oh, yes! Yes, there they are!
0:18:38 > 0:18:41OK, I think it's probably best we stop here.
0:18:43 > 0:18:48'It seems really strange to find such big animals living out here
0:18:48 > 0:18:51'in the middle of nowhere.'
0:18:51 > 0:18:55The herd is about 200 metres in that direction.
0:18:55 > 0:18:59So from here on in we'll be going on foot.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01Here, I'll take that.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06'And this time there are no fences.'
0:19:08 > 0:19:12- Can you see those dark shapes, Johnny?- Yeah.
0:19:13 > 0:19:18That's a herd of, wow, it looks about 20 animals, I'd say.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22There's no point in us whispering. They know we're here.
0:19:22 > 0:19:27We'll just go calmly and cautiously and just read the signs they give.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36Look at that. What an encounter.
0:19:38 > 0:19:43OK, there's a bit of movement going on. They're watching us.
0:19:43 > 0:19:48A couple sitting down on the outside have moved into the main herd.
0:19:48 > 0:19:54Yeah. I think this is as close as we want to go for the moment.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56Let's set up here.
0:19:56 > 0:20:01Musk oxen defences are not just about speed and a bad attitude.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06When they feel threatened by wolves or bears,
0:20:06 > 0:20:11they'll gather together as a herd with the calves on the inside,
0:20:11 > 0:20:14presenting a wall of horns.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16I've seen how quickly they charge
0:20:16 > 0:20:21and those horns would make a wolf think twice about attacking. Scary.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28Seems remarkable that an animal of this size can find enough
0:20:28 > 0:20:33to feed on up here. It's all covered with snow. It seems so barren.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37But in some spots you can see, just below the surface,
0:20:37 > 0:20:43these rocks covered with lichen. And that's enough for them to feed on.
0:20:43 > 0:20:49'It's incredible that big beasts lick scraps of food off rocks.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56'Reading the signs, they seem a little more relaxed now.'
0:20:59 > 0:21:03I'm probably about 70 metres away from them.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06At top speed, they could cover that distance
0:21:06 > 0:21:10in about 3 or 4 seconds.
0:21:10 > 0:21:12'Yeah, I think this is far enough.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16'I certainly don't want them to charge!'
0:21:16 > 0:21:18The musk oxen.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22With a short temper, super-fast acceleration
0:21:22 > 0:21:27and that huge helmeted head they use as a battering ram,
0:21:27 > 0:21:29they have to go on the Deadly 60.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33Crashing onto the list come the musk oxen.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35With a feisty short temper,
0:21:35 > 0:21:38top gear acceleration
0:21:38 > 0:21:41and a skull like a battering ram.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46That is one deadly vegetarian.
0:21:53 > 0:21:58'We never got to meet the lynx that made that kill.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00'I promised to show you them.'
0:22:00 > 0:22:04OK, we gave it our best shot, but we did well just to find tracks
0:22:04 > 0:22:09and signs of lynx. You could spend your entire life in lynx land
0:22:09 > 0:22:13and because they're so elusive, such shy, cunning creatures,
0:22:13 > 0:22:17you might never, ever see them. But here at Polar Zoo,
0:22:17 > 0:22:22we've got a perfect opportunity to get up close to some. Look.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31OK, Johnny. Come on in.
0:22:35 > 0:22:36Ooh...
0:22:46 > 0:22:50OK, this is a sight that you could never, ever get in the wild.
0:22:50 > 0:22:55First of all, these cats are mostly active by night.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58Secondly, they are so careful,
0:22:58 > 0:23:01so sensitive to the presence of humans
0:23:01 > 0:23:04that this would just never happen.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07To see a lynx at 100 metres
0:23:07 > 0:23:12would make you one of the luckiest wildlife watchers in the world.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14They look like big tabby cats,
0:23:14 > 0:23:19but they are absolutely formidable predators
0:23:19 > 0:23:23and I'm actually quite happy that they're this far away.
0:23:23 > 0:23:28However, being as we have this unique opportunity,
0:23:28 > 0:23:32we have to show you a little bit about what makes them so special.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40'First up, I'll need a ladder.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43'Lynx are awesome climbers.
0:23:43 > 0:23:48'Their retractable claws can work like crampons taking them up trees.'
0:23:48 > 0:23:53A little bit of...meat. Just up there.
0:23:54 > 0:23:55OK.
0:24:00 > 0:24:05'The presence of food switches on their hunting instincts.'
0:24:05 > 0:24:09She's thinking about it. Go on, girl.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11Oh, there! Yes!
0:24:18 > 0:24:21That was both incredibly elegant,
0:24:21 > 0:24:24swift and merciless.
0:24:24 > 0:24:29The last swipe of the paw was just so fast.
0:24:30 > 0:24:31Magnificent.
0:24:35 > 0:24:40'Being such good climbers, lynx are really at home in the trees.
0:24:40 > 0:24:44'In fact, they'll hunt by jumping down from branches onto prey.
0:24:44 > 0:24:49'She's not tame and definitely can't be trusted.'
0:24:49 > 0:24:53I'd be lying...if I said I wasn't a little bit nervous.
0:24:55 > 0:24:57Two lynx right above my head
0:24:57 > 0:25:02and a big guy just stalking around in front of me.
0:25:03 > 0:25:08Cats that can take on prey as big as deer.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14They are awesome.
0:25:15 > 0:25:20One of the lynx's deadly abilities is their capacity to spring
0:25:20 > 0:25:24straight up from the ground potentially to catch a flying bird.
0:25:24 > 0:25:29And...I'm going to try to show you that now.
0:25:29 > 0:25:33Unfortunately, this one here has just got an elevated position.
0:25:33 > 0:25:38That's a little bit freaky. I'm hoping she'll come down,
0:25:38 > 0:25:40but not towards me.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50No...
0:25:52 > 0:25:55OK, all right. I'm going up.
0:26:01 > 0:26:02Ah...
0:26:09 > 0:26:10OK.
0:26:10 > 0:26:14I'm hoping that's about the right height.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17It's probably just over two metres.
0:26:17 > 0:26:21So let's move the ladder away and move ourselves away.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24And see our lynx in action.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33OK.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36All three of them are watching.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39Are we going to see it? Oh!
0:26:43 > 0:26:45That was extraordinary!
0:26:45 > 0:26:51From a complete standing start, two metres straight up into the air.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53That was magnificent.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56Did you get that, Johnny?
0:26:58 > 0:27:00Wow.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04'The lynx.
0:27:06 > 0:27:11'Prowling, pouncing predator of the frozen north.
0:27:12 > 0:27:14'Definitely deadly.'
0:27:15 > 0:27:17Lynx are Europe's largest cats.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20They're secretive forest hunters,
0:27:21 > 0:27:23expert tree climbers
0:27:24 > 0:27:28with a muscular leap to take their prey by surprise.
0:27:28 > 0:27:34And they're one of the most beautiful animals on the Deadly 60.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37Next time:
0:27:37 > 0:27:40Yes! Look at that!
0:27:42 > 0:27:45You are utterly incredible!
0:27:46 > 0:27:50Wow! Look at that! Yes!
0:28:00 > 0:28:04Subtitles by Subtext for Red Bee Media Ltd - 2010
0:28:05 > 0:28:07Email subtitling@bbc.co.uk