0:00:02 > 0:00:05My name's Steve Backshall,
0:00:05 > 0:00:09and this is my search for the Deadly 60.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12Amazing!
0:00:12 > 0:00:14It's not just animals that are deadly to me,
0:00:14 > 0:00:17but that are deadly in their own world.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19My crew and I are travelling the planet,
0:00:19 > 0:00:22and you're coming with me every step of the way!
0:00:26 > 0:00:27Agh!
0:00:30 > 0:00:33Today we're coming to you from the Paradise Wildlife Park
0:00:33 > 0:00:36in Hertfordshire. We've got a diverse array of creatures for you
0:00:36 > 0:00:39in this special show. But they've all got one thing in common,
0:00:39 > 0:00:43and for a clue of what that is, these are scorpions.
0:00:43 > 0:00:47And yes, they are real. And our subject for today is venom.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59Venom is a toxic fluid injected through fangs,
0:00:59 > 0:01:02teeth, spurs or stingers.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09It can paralyse, disarm and start to digest its victim,
0:01:09 > 0:01:12and is therefore one of the most successful weapons
0:01:12 > 0:01:14an animal can possess.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21'We're going to take a closer look at those animals
0:01:21 > 0:01:25'that use venom as a weapon, and find out what makes it so deadly.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28'From snakes, spiders and scorpions...'
0:01:28 > 0:01:29Ow!
0:01:29 > 0:01:33'..to some unexpected animals. All have one thing in common -
0:01:33 > 0:01:36'they're packed full of toxic venom.'
0:01:39 > 0:01:42On Deadly 60, there's one kind of venomous creature
0:01:42 > 0:01:46we probably deal with more than any other. It's the scorpions.
0:01:47 > 0:01:49Oh!
0:01:49 > 0:01:51It's a beauty!
0:01:51 > 0:01:53You're a bit fiery, aren't you?
0:01:53 > 0:01:56'I found this desert scorpion in Namibia.
0:01:58 > 0:02:00'And in neighbouring South Africa,
0:02:00 > 0:02:03'a flat rock scorpion.'
0:02:03 > 0:02:05- Ow! - HE LAUGHS
0:02:06 > 0:02:09'But don't worry - he didn't sting me,
0:02:09 > 0:02:12'just nipped me with his sizeable pincers.'
0:02:12 > 0:02:14There's one down there.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18'And in Baja, Mexico, I saw more scorpions in one small area
0:02:18 > 0:02:20'than I've ever seen before!'
0:02:20 > 0:02:22There's another one there, look! Ooh!
0:02:22 > 0:02:27It's the kind of creepy-crawly that gives people the heebie-jeebies,
0:02:27 > 0:02:29but they come in all different shapes and sizes,
0:02:29 > 0:02:32and they're a remarkably interesting creature.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35I'm going to start with an absolute classic.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39This...is as big as scorpions get.
0:02:39 > 0:02:41It's a giant Indian scorpion.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44But this scorpion is not...
0:02:44 > 0:02:47..dangerously venomous, so...
0:02:49 > 0:02:51..I feel pretty confident...
0:02:52 > 0:02:54..doing this.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58Now, this certainly isn't a trick that I would try
0:02:58 > 0:03:01with all the scorpions in these boxes.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03Thing is... Ow!
0:03:03 > 0:03:05This one...
0:03:05 > 0:03:07is very keen with its pincers,
0:03:07 > 0:03:10but not quite so keen
0:03:10 > 0:03:12to use the sting in that tail.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15'That's because his venom isn't that potent.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18'It's those pincers that are his main weapon.'
0:03:18 > 0:03:20Look at that!
0:03:20 > 0:03:24Pretty much as big as a scorpion will ever get,
0:03:24 > 0:03:26and totally ferocious.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29Ow!
0:03:31 > 0:03:32So that...
0:03:32 > 0:03:36is our monster, prehistoric-looking mega-scorpion.
0:03:36 > 0:03:40But...this is by no means the most deadly
0:03:40 > 0:03:43of the array I've got in front of me.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45Let's put him back.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49OK. So, next in line
0:03:49 > 0:03:52we have an old friend of the Deadly 60.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54This one in here...
0:03:54 > 0:03:57is the Transvaal fat-tailed scorpion.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00'I found this scorpion in the wild
0:04:00 > 0:04:03'the last time I was in South Africa.'
0:04:05 > 0:04:07Ooh!
0:04:08 > 0:04:11OK. Got to hold my nerve here...
0:04:13 > 0:04:17..cos I'm getting pinched, but the pinch is not the problem.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22This is probably one of the most venomous scorpions in Africa,
0:04:22 > 0:04:25and if you look, the tail's big and fat,
0:04:25 > 0:04:29the pincers small and thin.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32This one here has a really nasty punch.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38And this one is really interesting,
0:04:38 > 0:04:42because it doesn't only use its sting to kill its prey,
0:04:42 > 0:04:45but it can also flick venom from the end of its tail
0:04:45 > 0:04:47towards the eye of an attacker.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50But this one here packs a punch
0:04:50 > 0:04:53that makes the sting of the Indian giant scorpion
0:04:53 > 0:04:56seem absolutely insignificant.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00And we're not done yet. It gets even stronger.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07I'm doing this very, very carefully. Now, you might find that surprising.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11We've just had this giant mega-scorpion
0:05:11 > 0:05:15actually in my hand, and yet this tiny little scorpion here
0:05:15 > 0:05:18is far more of a threat to me.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22So, this, again, is known as a fat-tailed scorpion,
0:05:22 > 0:05:27and it packs an absolutely huge punch.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29And it's actually quite aggressive, as well.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32Just introducing the tongs close to it...
0:05:32 > 0:05:36Oh! Just stung right into the end of the tongs!
0:05:36 > 0:05:39I'm very, very glad I didn't stick my finger in there,
0:05:39 > 0:05:43because if I did, it would be straight off to hospital for me.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46But it gets even worse!
0:05:48 > 0:05:52The last scorpion we have on our list is called the death stalker,
0:05:52 > 0:05:54and it's got its name for a reason.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58This one here has a venom that makes all of the others here
0:05:58 > 0:06:01seem pretty paltry by comparison.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04So I'm going to be very, very careful.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07OK.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09Look at that!
0:06:09 > 0:06:11It's absolutely tiny.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15It's a minuscule little scorpion
0:06:15 > 0:06:18that you could easily get in your shoes
0:06:18 > 0:06:21or in your clothing.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24It doesn't look like anything, does it?
0:06:24 > 0:06:27But actually this one here has a very, very strong venom -
0:06:27 > 0:06:30certainly enough to overcome me,
0:06:30 > 0:06:35and easily to overcome its prey, which is small invertebrates.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39Now, I'm going to show you something interesting here.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47We've got...Indian rock scorpion,
0:06:47 > 0:06:49and the death stalker.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53If you look at the huge pincers on this one here,
0:06:53 > 0:06:58you can see that those are the thing it's going for the forceps with.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00They're its primary weapon.
0:07:00 > 0:07:04The tail and the sting is actually, by comparison, pretty thin,
0:07:04 > 0:07:07whereas on this, the pincers are small,
0:07:07 > 0:07:12thin, weedy even. It barely even uses those for hunting,
0:07:12 > 0:07:16whereas the tail is thick, fat and loaded with venom.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19And that is a very good rule of thumb for working out
0:07:19 > 0:07:22how deadly a scorpion is.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25This one here - big claws, thin tail -
0:07:25 > 0:07:28not too much of a problem. This one here -
0:07:28 > 0:07:33tiny thin claws, fat tail - even though it's tiny by comparison,
0:07:33 > 0:07:36this is the one you have to worry about.
0:07:41 > 0:07:42Ow!
0:07:45 > 0:07:48But we can't make a programme exploring venom
0:07:48 > 0:07:52without including some of my favourite venomous predators,
0:07:52 > 0:07:53the snakes.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56On Deadly 60, we've been lucky enough
0:07:56 > 0:08:00to have some incredible encounters with these remarkable reptiles.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02Look at that!
0:08:02 > 0:08:05This is such an efficient way of moving across sand!
0:08:05 > 0:08:09'It was in the unforgiving expanse of the Namibian dunes
0:08:09 > 0:08:13'that we tracked down the iconic sidewinder.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16'The rainforests of Costa Rica are home to the super-fast,
0:08:16 > 0:08:19'deadly accurate eyelash pit viper...
0:08:20 > 0:08:23'..and the beautiful warm waters of the Philippines
0:08:23 > 0:08:28'provide the perfect habitat for the equally beautiful banded sea krait.'
0:08:31 > 0:08:34All these guys are packed with toxic venom.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37And for that reason...
0:08:38 > 0:08:41- ..they're going on the Deadly 60! - SNAKE RATTLES
0:08:41 > 0:08:45But just how does this lethal concoction really work?
0:08:47 > 0:08:50Venom is nature's most deadly chemical weapon,
0:08:50 > 0:08:53and for us as humans, the best place to deal with chemicals
0:08:53 > 0:08:56is in a lab. Come on in.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59- Hi, Mark!- Hi, Steve.- How you doing?
0:08:59 > 0:09:02'Mark here is an old friend, and a snake expert.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05'And with his help, we're going to take a closer look
0:09:05 > 0:09:07'at some real snake venom.'
0:09:07 > 0:09:11Venoms are some of the most important chemicals in the world,
0:09:11 > 0:09:13and not just for the animals that possess them,
0:09:13 > 0:09:15but also for people, too.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18Increasingly in recent years,
0:09:18 > 0:09:20venoms have been used for medicines,
0:09:20 > 0:09:25and also for antivenoms. That means that if you get bitten by a snake,
0:09:25 > 0:09:29the medicine you're given to make you better actually comes originally
0:09:29 > 0:09:32from the venom itself. What we're going to do today is,
0:09:32 > 0:09:35we're actually going to milk some of that venom from a snake.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39I don't mean that snakes have tiny little udders and you do this.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43What we're going to do is get one to bite down on this here.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46The fangs should pierce this membrane
0:09:46 > 0:09:49and the venom dribble into the bottom of this pot here.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53Now, the snake we're going for is a western diamondback rattlesnake.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56We have dealt with rattlesnakes on the Deadly 60 before,
0:09:56 > 0:09:58but not this exact species.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02'The last time I encountered a rattlesnake was in Baja, Mexico,
0:10:02 > 0:10:05'where I was pretty much tripping over them.'
0:10:05 > 0:10:06SNAKE RATTLES
0:10:07 > 0:10:10'The whole time, my crew and I had to be really careful
0:10:10 > 0:10:12'to avoid getting bitten.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15'Rattlesnake venoms are pretty potent.'
0:10:18 > 0:10:22And Mark here has one in a tube.
0:10:24 > 0:10:28'Strange as this may seem, the tube protects the snake from harm
0:10:28 > 0:10:32'and allows her to be moved quickly and safely onto the table.'
0:10:35 > 0:10:37So this...
0:10:37 > 0:10:39is our snake.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41Down that end is the rattle,
0:10:41 > 0:10:45which was, earlier on, going absolutely crazy.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48- I mean, if you actually... - RATTLING
0:10:48 > 0:10:51Listen to that. That is one of my favourite noises
0:10:51 > 0:10:54in the whole animal kingdom.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58We need to get this snake out of the tube, controlled and safe,
0:10:58 > 0:11:01and then we can try and make it bite.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04- OK, snake secure.- Snake secure.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06Yeah.
0:11:06 > 0:11:10Now we need to get this snake to bite down that membrane
0:11:10 > 0:11:13exactly as it would if this were prey.
0:11:13 > 0:11:14OK, fella...
0:11:14 > 0:11:17Let's go for it.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27OK. And here we go.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29Perfect!
0:11:29 > 0:11:30Oh! Oh, dear!
0:11:30 > 0:11:34That wasn't supposed to happen. We've gone through the membrane
0:11:34 > 0:11:36and torn it to shreds.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39But if you get a close-up there,
0:11:39 > 0:11:42you can see...the fangs -
0:11:42 > 0:11:44look at that! -
0:11:44 > 0:11:47working independently,
0:11:47 > 0:11:49just moving backwards and forwards.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52And look how sharp that is!
0:11:52 > 0:11:55It really is like a hypodermic needle.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59'Many species of snake have hollow, needle-like fangs
0:11:59 > 0:12:02'which they use to inject their toxic venom.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09'And I'm going to give you a closer look at this incredible stuff.'
0:12:09 > 0:12:15This may only look like a tiny, insignificant piece of venom,
0:12:15 > 0:12:18but I'm going to be very careful how I handle it.
0:12:18 > 0:12:22I'll wash my hands afterwards. There is an experiment we can do with this
0:12:22 > 0:12:24to show you how powerful it is.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28'Now just to warn you, if you're squeamish,
0:12:28 > 0:12:31'this experiment involves blood.'
0:12:38 > 0:12:39OK.
0:12:39 > 0:12:44Just going to add a very little in there.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49Right. We'll see what happens.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54OK, so what's going on in this jar now
0:12:54 > 0:12:56is pretty much exactly what would be going on
0:12:56 > 0:12:59in the body of a rat, a mouse,
0:12:59 > 0:13:02a rabbit - whatever it is that our rattlesnake has bitten.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05Once injected into the body,
0:13:05 > 0:13:07the venom starts to act immediately.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11This rattlesnake's venom has a devastating effect
0:13:11 > 0:13:14on the victim's blood.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19Oh, look at that! It's actually starting to separate out.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22It's going all gooey and globby...
0:13:25 > 0:13:27..and it's turning into blood jelly!
0:13:30 > 0:13:34Now, blood has an awful lot of functions in the body,
0:13:34 > 0:13:36but it is an incredibly important fluid.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40We need this stuff flowing round our body like this,
0:13:40 > 0:13:43in order to survive.
0:13:43 > 0:13:48You can imagine how long a running rat or rabbit's going to last
0:13:48 > 0:13:51with its blood like that.
0:13:57 > 0:14:01'Several hundred species of snake use venom as a potent weapon.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05'I was lucky enough to meet the largest venomous snake in the world
0:14:05 > 0:14:07'in Thailand.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10'But I had to have my wits about me!'
0:14:13 > 0:14:17Its venomous bite is so strong that it could bring down an elephant
0:14:17 > 0:14:20and kill an adult human in as little as a minute and a half.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24Handling this snake demands total respect and attention,
0:14:24 > 0:14:27so I brought it out here into the paddy fields
0:14:27 > 0:14:29where we can keep a close eye on it.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35'In this innocent-looking box is one of the largest venomous snakes
0:14:35 > 0:14:39'I've ever seen, and I'm about to come face to face with it.'
0:14:41 > 0:14:45Mr Kam here's been working with snakes since he was ten years old,
0:14:45 > 0:14:49for 53 years, so there's probably no-one in the world better equipped
0:14:49 > 0:14:52to show me how to deal with these incredible creatures.
0:14:52 > 0:14:53Please?
0:14:58 > 0:15:00No way!
0:15:08 > 0:15:10This is a king cobra.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16At this size, you kind of expect it to be a python.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21But it's not. It is...
0:15:21 > 0:15:24the largest venomous snake in the world.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29See, this snake is getting on for four metres long.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32His head is the size of my hand,
0:15:32 > 0:15:36and the fangs are long, thin needles
0:15:36 > 0:15:39that can inject huge amounts of venom
0:15:39 > 0:15:41even deep into the muscle,
0:15:41 > 0:15:44and that's why it is so potentially dangerous to people.
0:15:47 > 0:15:52Even though this is a snake with incredible capabilities,
0:15:52 > 0:15:56it's putting on a big display to make itself seem larger,
0:15:56 > 0:15:58make it seem more threatening,
0:15:58 > 0:16:01and it is absolutely, unimaginably vast.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06He really is just figuring me out
0:16:06 > 0:16:09and making sure that I keep my distance.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12As long as I'm exactly where I am now, I'm safe.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14If I got even a few inches closer...
0:16:16 > 0:16:18..he'd be able to bite me.
0:16:19 > 0:16:23'So we've seen the largest venomous snake in the world,
0:16:23 > 0:16:26'and deadly scorpions.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28'But scorpions are in a group of creatures
0:16:28 > 0:16:32'probably more deadly than any other - the arachnids,
0:16:32 > 0:16:35'which of course includes...
0:16:35 > 0:16:37'the spiders!'
0:16:39 > 0:16:41- Agh! - HE LAUGHS
0:16:44 > 0:16:47Probably the most common fear amongst people
0:16:47 > 0:16:50is arachnophobia, fear of spiders,
0:16:50 > 0:16:54particularly down to great big hairy spiders like this tarantula here.
0:16:54 > 0:16:59Now, that would have to be one of the most unfair things
0:16:59 > 0:17:02I can think of, because, of 40,000-odd species of spiders,
0:17:02 > 0:17:07only a tiny percentage, maybe 60, are actually potentially dangerous
0:17:07 > 0:17:11to people. But this big spider does have venom,
0:17:11 > 0:17:14and it does manage to take on some pretty sizeable prey.
0:17:14 > 0:17:16I'm hoping to show you how.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22Right...
0:17:22 > 0:17:26So, this is what's known as a bird-eating spider.
0:17:27 > 0:17:32And you can already see, dripping down those mighty fangs -
0:17:32 > 0:17:36and they are absolutely gigantic -
0:17:36 > 0:17:38little beads of venom.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44'If you think I'm crazy holding this monster of the spider world,
0:17:44 > 0:17:47'well, I met one in the Amazonian rainforest
0:17:47 > 0:17:50'that makes this one seem small!'
0:17:54 > 0:17:57She's got fangs that are about as long...
0:17:57 > 0:17:59as a cheetah's claws,
0:17:59 > 0:18:01and a good deal sharper.
0:18:02 > 0:18:06She could give me a really, really nasty bite.
0:18:07 > 0:18:11So I just want to be ever so careful.
0:18:12 > 0:18:17This...is the Goliath bird-eating spider.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21Now, although they certainly are capable of it,
0:18:21 > 0:18:26birds don't actually form a large part of their diet.
0:18:26 > 0:18:31Most of what they'll eat are rats and mice,
0:18:31 > 0:18:35lizards and crickets - invertebrates.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38But really they will take almost anything
0:18:38 > 0:18:41that's unlucky enough to wander past their burrow.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43Look at the size of her!
0:18:44 > 0:18:48'This spider's venom isn't really strong enough to do me any damage.'
0:18:54 > 0:19:01And I think I'm probably... quite close to getting a bite,
0:19:01 > 0:19:05- which is why I'm sweating so much. - HE CHUCKLES
0:19:10 > 0:19:14So even though the venom of this spider
0:19:14 > 0:19:16is not particularly strong,
0:19:16 > 0:19:21just the physical force of driving those claws in
0:19:21 > 0:19:25would be enough to make a bite from this incredibly painful.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28It's not people, though, that have to be worried about this spider.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32It's the various small creatures that wander around in its world.
0:19:32 > 0:19:36For the most part, its prey is made up of crickets, other invertebrates.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39But they will take small rodents, frogs.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43They've even been seen taking reasonably sized venomous snakes.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46A spider like this
0:19:46 > 0:19:49is a truly awesome predator.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52Look at that!
0:19:55 > 0:19:59So we've had a look at venom, and how scorpions, snakes and spiders
0:19:59 > 0:20:01use it to catch and kill their prey.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06'But in Baja, Mexico, we found one deadly critter
0:20:06 > 0:20:10'that uses its toxic sting in a very different but terrifying way.'
0:20:10 > 0:20:13Got her! Got her. Right.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15'This is not for the fainthearted.'
0:20:17 > 0:20:21Got to be ever so careful. I don't want to damage her,
0:20:21 > 0:20:25but also her sting is absolutely...paralysing.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31There she is!
0:20:31 > 0:20:33That...
0:20:34 > 0:20:38..is the tarantula hawk wasp, or pepsis wasp,
0:20:38 > 0:20:41and she is one of the most...
0:20:41 > 0:20:46incredible predators found anywhere in the world.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50'The name comes from the fact that this wasp
0:20:50 > 0:20:53'will take on tarantula spiders many times her own size.'
0:20:53 > 0:20:56Look at the size of her sting!
0:20:57 > 0:21:00Look at that glorious, glorious colour -
0:21:00 > 0:21:03very vibrant metallic blue,
0:21:03 > 0:21:05with bright orange wings.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08But don't let her beauty fool you.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11This is one of the most grotesque killers
0:21:11 > 0:21:14in the whole of the animal kingdom.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18What she'll do is fly around trying to find a tarantula burrow.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22Then she'll go into the burrow, lay a single egg
0:21:22 > 0:21:25on top of a tarantula that she's stung and paralysed,
0:21:25 > 0:21:28and then that egg will hatch out,
0:21:28 > 0:21:30and the larvae will eat the tarantula
0:21:30 > 0:21:33while it's paralysed but still alive.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36So this creature here has a sting
0:21:36 > 0:21:38that's strong enough, that's powerful enough,
0:21:38 > 0:21:41to paralyse a spider that might be this size,
0:21:41 > 0:21:44much, much bigger than she is. She has a strength
0:21:44 > 0:21:47way beyond her size, and a sting that...
0:21:47 > 0:21:50Well, if I was to get stung by this,
0:21:50 > 0:21:53I would be able to think about nothing else for the next 24 hours.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56It's way up there with the bullet ant of South America
0:21:56 > 0:22:00as being the most painful sting of any insect on the planet.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03But she is incredible. Look at the mandibles!
0:22:03 > 0:22:06Look at the size of these jaws here!
0:22:06 > 0:22:08So strong!
0:22:15 > 0:22:18So far we've only dealt with animals that use their venom
0:22:18 > 0:22:21to actually catch their prey, to incapacitate it, bring it down,
0:22:21 > 0:22:25and even to start digesting it. But animals are a resourceful bunch,
0:22:25 > 0:22:27and some have figured how to use their venom
0:22:27 > 0:22:30in a totally different way - for defence.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35We found one animal in Costa Rica that's so good at using its venom
0:22:35 > 0:22:39as a defence, that it strikes fear into the hearts of local tribes.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43If you ask many of the people that live here
0:22:43 > 0:22:47what animal they're most frightened of, they won't say snakes
0:22:47 > 0:22:49or scorpions. What they'll probably say...
0:22:49 > 0:22:54are the tiny insects that are living in this tree.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00And it might surprise you to know that they're ants.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03Just see if I can get some of them to come out
0:23:03 > 0:23:05with my snake hook.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12These...are bullet ants.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16They're called bullet ants because being stung by one of them
0:23:16 > 0:23:19feels a bit like being shot.
0:23:19 > 0:23:23They've got the most painful venom of any insect.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26Believe it or not, there was a guy called Schmidt
0:23:26 > 0:23:29who tested out the stings of all the insects round the world
0:23:29 > 0:23:32to find out which ones were most painful,
0:23:32 > 0:23:34and this one came out on top.
0:23:34 > 0:23:36I can actually confirm that the bullet ant
0:23:36 > 0:23:39is just about the most painful experience you can have,
0:23:39 > 0:23:42because I've been stung by these many, many times.
0:23:42 > 0:23:48In fact, a few years back, I took part in a ritual in the Amazon
0:23:48 > 0:23:52where I was stung by hundreds of these bullet ants at the same time,
0:23:52 > 0:23:56and within a short period of time, I completely lost consciousness
0:23:56 > 0:23:58because of the pain.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04The reason for the bullet ant's incredible sting
0:24:04 > 0:24:06isn't really for overcoming its prey.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09The sting really is used for getting rid of animals
0:24:09 > 0:24:13that might want to hunt them. And the reason it's so painful
0:24:13 > 0:24:16is just really so that, if something big sticks its nose
0:24:16 > 0:24:20into the bullet ants' nest, it'll get stung, perhaps many times,
0:24:20 > 0:24:22and think that it's in real danger.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27I suggest, if you ever go anywhere where there are bullet ants,
0:24:27 > 0:24:29please don't try this.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32- Are you nervous, Steve? - I'm very nervous.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34OK.
0:24:34 > 0:24:36So...
0:24:36 > 0:24:39it is just extraordinary that an animal of this size
0:24:39 > 0:24:43has a sting that's powerful enough to incapacitate an animal
0:24:43 > 0:24:45the size of me.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47For that alone,
0:24:47 > 0:24:50the bullet ant has got to go on the Deadly 60.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55'So the bullet ant uses its venomous sting to help it stay alive.'
0:24:58 > 0:25:02We've seen how snakes use venom as a weapon when hunting,
0:25:02 > 0:25:04but they're also hunted themselves,
0:25:04 > 0:25:08so some species use their venom in a neat way to protect themselves.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11This is a spitting cobra,
0:25:11 > 0:25:14so called because it literally spits its venom
0:25:14 > 0:25:16at any attacker who gets too close.
0:25:18 > 0:25:22Their aim's incredibly accurate, and they go for the eyes.
0:25:26 > 0:25:30The venom works like acid, causing extreme pain,
0:25:30 > 0:25:32and can blind an animal.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35But just what does it feel like to be on the receiving end?
0:25:37 > 0:25:41Back at the park, I've got the perfect opportunity to find out.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49Inside this box here that Mark's holding down
0:25:49 > 0:25:51is a Nubian cobra. It comes from Africa.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55Now, this snake catches its prey in exactly the same way
0:25:55 > 0:25:59as other cobras do - with its teeth. But should a large predator
0:25:59 > 0:26:02come in and get close, it does something very nifty indeed.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05It spits its venom. To show you that work,
0:26:05 > 0:26:09my entire crew is actually kitted up with visors like this,
0:26:09 > 0:26:12to protect our eyes, and also...
0:26:12 > 0:26:14I've got this camera here,
0:26:14 > 0:26:17so you can see exactly what I'm seeing.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19Now all we need to do...
0:26:20 > 0:26:23..is get the snake out the box.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28Right. Has everyone got visors on?
0:26:28 > 0:26:31All ready to roll? OK, Mark - fire away.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34'I'm taking the part of a potential attacker
0:26:34 > 0:26:36'to show you just how the cobra will deal with me.'
0:26:38 > 0:26:41OK, snake is out of the box.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49Ooh! He actually flicked venom straight at me.
0:26:50 > 0:26:55'This snake is so fast that we need to have another look, in slow-mo.'
0:26:55 > 0:26:56Wow!
0:26:57 > 0:27:01The way it does this is, the fangs actually have a spiral groove
0:27:01 > 0:27:05running through the middle of them, and it propels its venom
0:27:05 > 0:27:09at great force directly towards the eyes of its attacker.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13And I am absolutely covered in spitting-cobra venom.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17That is genius!
0:27:18 > 0:27:21Venom, whether used to catch and kill
0:27:21 > 0:27:23or paralyse and protect -
0:27:23 > 0:27:26it's a lethal weapon and a deadly defence.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35Join me next time for more animal encounters
0:27:35 > 0:27:38on Deadly 60.
0:27:38 > 0:27:39He's a monster!
0:27:42 > 0:27:43Ow!
0:27:43 > 0:27:45What a weird-looking crab!
0:27:49 > 0:27:53Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:27:53 > 0:27:57E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk