0:00:02 > 0:00:05My name's Steve Backshall. Wow!
0:00:05 > 0:00:09And this is my mission to find the Deadly 60.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12It's not just animals deadly to me,
0:00:12 > 0:00:16but 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 > 0:00:34This time on Deadly 60, we're in Costa Rica in Central America.
0:00:36 > 0:00:41This is known as one of the most biodiverse places on the planet,
0:00:41 > 0:00:46so there's more species of plants and animals here than anywhere else.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48We'll be on the Pacific coast.
0:00:48 > 0:00:52It's so remote, there's no roads and I think it will get a bit bumpy.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58Yeah, I wasn't wrong about the boat ride!
0:00:58 > 0:01:01Sandwiched between North and South America,
0:01:01 > 0:01:04Costa Rica is a tropical paradise.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12Hopefully, we're just about to put ashore
0:01:12 > 0:01:15without grounding the boats,
0:01:15 > 0:01:18sinking or getting smashed on the waves.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21We're surfing!
0:01:25 > 0:01:28Hey, hey! Very good!
0:01:33 > 0:01:37Hi. Steve. 'We'll be working with a team of local scientists.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41'But first things first, let's get our gear ashore.'
0:01:49 > 0:01:53- Nothing expensive in this one, is there, Nick?- No, that's fine.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55- It's crisps.- Crisps!
0:02:04 > 0:02:08'The rainforest here is dripping with wildlife.
0:02:10 > 0:02:15'And there's no time to waste. Let the deadly search commence!
0:02:22 > 0:02:26'First up, a snake we've seen on Deadly 60 before, the fer-de-lance.'
0:02:26 > 0:02:30Just down in front of me is one of the most feared animals
0:02:30 > 0:02:32found in the Americas.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35It's only very diddy, this one.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39'Though this is just a baby, it needs as much care as an adult.'
0:02:39 > 0:02:43Amazing camouflage! This keeps disappearing into the leaf litter.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46- It's this side.- Yeah, yeah.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51- It's looking straight at you.- Yeah. - Don't put your hands in.
0:02:51 > 0:02:56Even at this size, the venom has exactly the same potency
0:02:56 > 0:02:58as it would in an adult snake.
0:03:01 > 0:03:05'Sometimes writhing, wriggling baby snakes are harder to handle
0:03:05 > 0:03:07'than the grown-ups.'
0:03:08 > 0:03:11Right...
0:03:11 > 0:03:13There we have it.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15I know it's only small,
0:03:15 > 0:03:19but there's a very good reason for this being such a feared snake.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23Despite what everyone thinks, all snakes are not alike.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26They have very different ways of hunting.
0:03:26 > 0:03:30Some actively go out looking to hunt down their prey and chase after it,
0:03:30 > 0:03:33and others will wait for food to come to them.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37That's what the fer-de-lance does alongside trails like this one,
0:03:37 > 0:03:40just waiting for its prey to come to it.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44If a person steps too close, they'll strike very, very fast
0:03:44 > 0:03:47and the venom is really fierce.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49Even if it doesn't kill you,
0:03:49 > 0:03:53it could well do you damage that will last for a very long time,
0:03:53 > 0:03:58which is why people in these parts really don't like these snakes.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00Truly small, but deadly.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04'So that's a stark reminder to the crew
0:04:04 > 0:04:06'to watch where you're walking.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14'The leaf litter hides killers big and small.'
0:04:19 > 0:04:23This is truly what you call a croc-infested river.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26Look at that!
0:04:26 > 0:04:30'This is an American crocodile, over three metres long,
0:04:30 > 0:04:33'and an animal I'd love to put on the Deadly 60,
0:04:33 > 0:04:36'but to do that, I'll need to see some action
0:04:36 > 0:04:39'and during the daytime, that's highly unlikely.'
0:04:40 > 0:04:45Often crocs can be attracted to the sounds of an animal in distress,
0:04:45 > 0:04:48so I'm trying to mimic that with my snake stick
0:04:48 > 0:04:51and see if I get any interest from him.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56'No. American crocs do most of their hunting when it gets dark,
0:04:56 > 0:05:01'so it looks like me and the crew will have to pull an all-nighter.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07'American crocodiles are found all along the coastlines
0:05:07 > 0:05:09'and up rivers in Central America.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12'A big male could be as long as a minibus
0:05:12 > 0:05:15'and weigh as much as a small car.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19'Though their main food is fish, they'll feed on anything
0:05:19 > 0:05:23'from insects to large mammals and occasionally people.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27'These crocs hunt in freshwater and in the sea.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30'They have special glands in their mouths
0:05:30 > 0:05:33'to remove sea salt from their systems.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36'Sweet water or salty, nowhere is safe.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40'As the light fades, our prehistoric predators kick into action.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43'I'm starting my search down on the beach,
0:05:43 > 0:05:47'a spooky place to be when you know croc eyes are watching you.'
0:05:56 > 0:05:59Wow! Look at that!
0:06:03 > 0:06:07Wow! What a magnificent creature!
0:06:07 > 0:06:10Right down at the surf.
0:06:10 > 0:06:15This is an American crocodile. Isn't it wonderful?
0:06:15 > 0:06:17It's still comparatively young.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20It's probably only two years old,
0:06:20 > 0:06:23but still you can see the power
0:06:23 > 0:06:26that makes this such a formidable predator.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29Look at those teeth!
0:06:29 > 0:06:32They actually overlap the jaw,
0:06:32 > 0:06:36so it can't completely shut its mouth and hide its teeth.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38They're bristling from the mouth.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41Those are used like a trap for catching fish.
0:06:41 > 0:06:45When it gets bigger, they'll also catch large mammals,
0:06:45 > 0:06:47even things as big as deer.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51And every once in a while, big American crocs have taken people,
0:06:51 > 0:06:53but at this size...
0:06:53 > 0:06:57well, I don't think he's any danger to me,
0:06:57 > 0:07:00but absolutely glorious.
0:07:01 > 0:07:05I would love to put American crocodiles on to the Deadly 60,
0:07:05 > 0:07:10but to do that, I think I'll have to find something a bit bigger.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12Come on, fella.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19They can certainly motor!
0:07:19 > 0:07:22Great stuff. Not a bad catch.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28'It's a start, but I'll never grab our big croc this way.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32'It's going to take patience and a little Backshall cunning.'
0:07:36 > 0:07:38CRACK OF THUNDER
0:07:38 > 0:07:40Oh, see that lightning!
0:07:41 > 0:07:45'Crocs have well-developed senses of hearing and smell
0:07:45 > 0:07:48'and can pick up vibrations of prey in the water.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52'Let's see if they'll sense my fish bait.'
0:07:52 > 0:07:54This is absolutely extraordinary.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57There's a massive American crocodile...
0:07:57 > 0:08:00just zeroing in on my bait.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03It's just the creepiest thing
0:08:03 > 0:08:07with thunder and lightning going off in the distance
0:08:07 > 0:08:10and just seeing this dark, hulking, prehistoric form...
0:08:12 > 0:08:15..just closing in on our fish.
0:08:15 > 0:08:19You wouldn't want to fall into the water now.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22Oh, see that lightning!
0:08:22 > 0:08:24THUNDER RUMBLES
0:08:27 > 0:08:31I should explain that there's no hook on this line.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33It's just a piece of fish tied on to a rope,
0:08:33 > 0:08:38so there's no way that it can hurt the croc if it decides to go for it.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42In actual fact, all he's going to get is a free meal
0:08:42 > 0:08:46and it might get him to come closer for us.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49Come on, old boy. Pop up and let us see you!
0:08:49 > 0:08:53'It seems we've been staring into the darkness all night
0:08:53 > 0:08:56'and still no sign of our giant croc.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58'Where is he?'
0:08:58 > 0:09:02Look at that, Johnny. He's right by us. He's huge!
0:09:02 > 0:09:06That is incredible. That must be...three metres?
0:09:07 > 0:09:11'Now that is a big croc!'
0:09:12 > 0:09:16He's turned towards us. He's just there.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19Got it, he's got the fish. He's got the fish.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22Come on then, big fella. Come on.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25Let's get a look at you.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31Whoa, that's some strength!
0:09:31 > 0:09:34Look at that!
0:09:37 > 0:09:40'Slipping around in the riverside mud,
0:09:40 > 0:09:43'you can see why crocs are so deadly.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47'Even when I'm out of the water on the river bank,
0:09:47 > 0:09:49'he still has the upper hand.'
0:09:49 > 0:09:52Just when I think my job can't get any weirder,
0:09:52 > 0:09:57I end up fishing for crocs in an electrical storm. Madness!
0:10:00 > 0:10:04He is the master of these murky waters.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07If you fell in there...
0:10:07 > 0:10:10you wouldn't last five minutes.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18Though the American crocodile is primarily a fish feeder,
0:10:18 > 0:10:24a big croc like this could easily take decent-sized mammal prey.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29Or chuck back a huge fish in one gulp.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34Effortless. Just effortless.
0:10:34 > 0:10:38That's not just one of the most deadly predators in Costa Rica.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42That's one of the most deadly predators in the world.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48Our last fish. Our last chance for an encounter
0:10:48 > 0:10:52with this magnificent living dinosaur.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55I just hope he doesn't take it straight away.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01- There he is. - LAUGHTER
0:11:07 > 0:11:09Oh, that's strong!
0:11:09 > 0:11:13Because the tail is paddle-shaped,
0:11:13 > 0:11:18it gives them great power through the water when they need it...
0:11:19 > 0:11:21..which isn't often
0:11:21 > 0:11:25because most of the time is spent almost motionless.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30Effortless. Just effortless.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32So strong!
0:11:32 > 0:11:36And there he is, heading off with his dinner.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42CRACK OF THUNDER
0:11:42 > 0:11:44And what a finale!
0:11:44 > 0:11:47Lightning strike, crocodile...
0:11:47 > 0:11:51American crocs are going on the Deadly 60.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54- HE LAUGHS LOUDLY - What an experience!
0:11:56 > 0:12:00They've been around on the planet since before the dinosaurs.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13American crocodiles are deadly!
0:12:18 > 0:12:23'My next target animal is probably the toughest I've taken on yet.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26'The biggest cat in the Americas is the jaguar,
0:12:26 > 0:12:29'the undisputed king of these forests.
0:12:29 > 0:12:33'However, part of their talent is not being seen.
0:12:34 > 0:12:38'To find one in just a few days is a serious challenge.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42'In fact, I'm going to need to use some rather unusual tactics
0:12:42 > 0:12:46'to give me even half a chance of finding one.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50'Meet Eduardo.'
0:12:50 > 0:12:52MIMICS JAGUAR CALLS
0:12:52 > 0:12:55'A jaguar expert who can talk to the animals.'
0:12:56 > 0:12:59Eduardo's been doing this for many years
0:12:59 > 0:13:03and tells me that a good way to try and attract a jaguar
0:13:03 > 0:13:05is to try and imitate a jaguar's call
0:13:05 > 0:13:09which sometimes will get them to call back.
0:13:09 > 0:13:13I've not tried this before. This could be a bit embarrassing.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16Miaow! LAUGHTER
0:13:20 > 0:13:23I couldn't resist.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29MIMICS GROWLING SOUNDS
0:13:32 > 0:13:35CONTINUES GROWLING
0:13:39 > 0:13:42'Not surprisingly, not a whisker.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49'Jaguar are armed with finely tuned sensors.
0:13:49 > 0:13:54'They're not fussy eaters and will hunt anything from fish to monkeys.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59'With excellent night vision and a keen sense of smell,
0:13:59 > 0:14:02'they are unstoppable hunters.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08'Finding jaguar is a near impossible task.
0:14:09 > 0:14:13'But these jungles are alive with fascinating creatures.'
0:14:13 > 0:14:16Got a white-faced capuchin monkey.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20They're very intelligent and brainy monkeys, white-faced capuchins.
0:14:20 > 0:14:26They're almost always on the move and chattering to each other,
0:14:26 > 0:14:29making calls, keeping in contact as they go along.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33Despite being one of the smallest monkeys round here,
0:14:33 > 0:14:36they'll quite happily bully and boss much larger species
0:14:36 > 0:14:39like the howler monkeys.
0:14:39 > 0:14:44They even chase off cats like jaguars by throwing things at them.
0:14:44 > 0:14:46'Monkeys use the trees and branches
0:14:46 > 0:14:49'to move effortlessly through the forest.
0:14:49 > 0:14:53'But sadly, it isn't that easy for the crew and I.'
0:15:06 > 0:15:10This is a really exciting place to go tracking for animals
0:15:10 > 0:15:15because riverside mud like this really holds prints perfectly well.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17These are pig prints.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21That big size ten there belongs to my cameraman Johnny.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23These are much more exciting,
0:15:23 > 0:15:27our first sign that there are big cats around here.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29Look at that.
0:15:29 > 0:15:33Now, from the size of it, from how wide it is,
0:15:33 > 0:15:36that doesn't look like a jaguar track.
0:15:36 > 0:15:41It's more like a puma track, also known as mountain lions or cougars.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43They're a good deal smaller,
0:15:43 > 0:15:47but it would still be a great prize for us if we were to find one.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55'One of our challenges in finding a jaguar
0:15:55 > 0:15:59'is that one animal can range over an area the size of a small country.
0:15:59 > 0:16:04'Sometimes it seems the forest is trying to make it hard for you
0:16:04 > 0:16:08'and our jaguar is beginning to seem like a spotted ghost.'
0:16:09 > 0:16:15Despite me and my crew doing everything we can
0:16:15 > 0:16:18to move quietly and carefully,
0:16:18 > 0:16:23you can probably hear we sound like a herd of stampeding elephants.
0:16:23 > 0:16:28It really is quite something that a predator like a jaguar
0:16:28 > 0:16:31can stalk through here absolutely silently.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35It's all down to the soft pads on the underside of its feet
0:16:35 > 0:16:39and the care and precision with the way they move.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43Not like me and my crew.
0:17:03 > 0:17:08'But then suddenly, we're surrounded by swaying tails.
0:17:08 > 0:17:12'Something is searching for a meal around us.'
0:17:12 > 0:17:15Just come down here a little bit.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19OK, the first thing you're going to see
0:17:19 > 0:17:23is going to be tails held way up in the air like this.
0:17:25 > 0:17:27Come with me, Johnny.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33Wow, it's a big group!
0:17:33 > 0:17:36'These snuffling shapes are coatis.
0:17:36 > 0:17:41'They're like a marching, munching platoon of furry foot soldiers.'
0:17:42 > 0:17:46They're generally quite bold, confident animals,
0:17:46 > 0:17:50so I think if we move with them, just kind of carefully,
0:17:50 > 0:17:53hopefully, we shouldn't spook them too much.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57'Coatis are resourceful creatures and they'll stuff their faces
0:17:57 > 0:18:01'with anything edible from bugs to birds' eggs
0:18:01 > 0:18:04'and they snuffle out their dinner using that crazy nose.'
0:18:04 > 0:18:08This big group is probably about 30 animals.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12It'll all be made up of females and young males.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15Once the males get mature, they head out on their own.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18They can be dangerous. They'll kill the youngsters
0:18:18 > 0:18:20and make a nuisance of themselves.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24I just love the way that they're always on the move.
0:18:24 > 0:18:28They're always out searching for something new to eat,
0:18:28 > 0:18:31testing things out to see if they're good to eat.
0:18:32 > 0:18:37They've settled in a group all around this tree in front of me.
0:18:37 > 0:18:41There must be fruit that's fallen from the tree above us
0:18:41 > 0:18:43and they're all feeding on it now.
0:18:43 > 0:18:47All of them have their noses buried down the leaf litter.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51Look at this one here. Look at the length of his nose!
0:18:52 > 0:18:54As they're moving around,
0:18:54 > 0:18:58they've all got their tails held stiffly up in the air.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00It's a good way for them to keep an eye out
0:19:00 > 0:19:04on where the rest of their fellows are.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08They're on the move again.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10Heading this way.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12Oh!
0:19:13 > 0:19:16One of my noisy camera crew just trod on a twig
0:19:16 > 0:19:18and they all scarpered.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24'Watching each other's backs as they feed
0:19:24 > 0:19:28'and keeping in constant contact with each other,
0:19:28 > 0:19:31'coatis are experts at evading jaguar attacks.'
0:19:35 > 0:19:40Well, being as we haven't actually come across a jaguar...yet,
0:19:40 > 0:19:44I have a few things to show you why they have to be on the Deadly 60.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47This is a jaguar skull.
0:19:47 > 0:19:52This is a jaw that has the most powerful bite of any big cat
0:19:52 > 0:19:56and it has that because of the way it kills its prey.
0:19:56 > 0:20:01Those canine teeth are driven right through the back of the skull
0:20:01 > 0:20:03and into the brain of its prey.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06That sounds pretty incredible.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08It will get even more incredible
0:20:08 > 0:20:12when you look at what its prey looks like.
0:20:12 > 0:20:17This is the skull of a peccary. It's a wild pig that lives around here.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19That is where its brain is.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23Can you imagine the force that has to be generated
0:20:23 > 0:20:25to drive those teeth through that skull?
0:20:25 > 0:20:30It's an incredibly raw deal for the jaguar's prey animals -
0:20:30 > 0:20:33trying to avoid a cat that can creep to within metres
0:20:33 > 0:20:36before you'd know they were there,
0:20:36 > 0:20:40then bam - one lightning leap and it's all over!
0:20:40 > 0:20:43They're camouflaged, stealthy and totally lethal.
0:20:43 > 0:20:48Even more frightening, imagine how much less force it would need
0:20:48 > 0:20:50to bite through into a human skull!
0:20:50 > 0:20:54It's quite scary when you think about it like that.
0:20:56 > 0:21:01'Our search continues into night - feeding time for the jaguar.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05I've always felt really comfortable
0:21:05 > 0:21:08wandering through the forest at night.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12But here, you never know what's going to be round the next corner.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16Knowing there are jaguar living in these forests
0:21:16 > 0:21:19does give everything a little extra edge.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23Us humans have comparatively such terrible sense of smell and vision
0:21:23 > 0:21:27that really, they're pretty much invisible to us here.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31It's a bit spooky knowing that out there in the shadows,
0:21:31 > 0:21:33a jaguar could be watching us now.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36'One advantage we do have
0:21:36 > 0:21:40'is our torchlights pick up the eyeshine from nocturnal creatures
0:21:40 > 0:21:44'and the glint of some beady eyes in the undergrowth
0:21:44 > 0:21:46'has just grabbed my attention.'
0:21:48 > 0:21:50Oh!
0:21:50 > 0:21:56This is the biggest true frog found in Costa Rica.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00They're called smoky jungle frogs.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03- They have... - FROG SQUAWKS
0:22:06 > 0:22:09They've got a great singing voice as you can probably hear!
0:22:09 > 0:22:15But that big mouth will take in some incredible prey.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19They'll quite happily eat other frogs of a good size
0:22:19 > 0:22:21and amazingly...
0:22:21 > 0:22:27this noisy frog could quite easily eat a snake as long as my arm.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30Wow, you're a noisy one, aren't you?
0:22:30 > 0:22:33I'm going to let you go in just a second.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35Isn't he fantastic?
0:22:35 > 0:22:38SQUAWKS LOUDLY
0:22:40 > 0:22:42OK, he's obviously none too pleased,
0:22:42 > 0:22:45so I think I'll let him go off and start hunting.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48You're all right. Look, there you go.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50Whoa!
0:22:51 > 0:22:53That's some serious gas.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56I've never seen a frog go so fast.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58Great stuff.
0:23:00 > 0:23:05'So, back to my Deadly 60 mission to find a jaguar.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08'I feel like we're being watched.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11'There are eyes everywhere.'
0:23:15 > 0:23:18This is one of the prettiest frogs in the world.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21It's a red-eyed tree frog.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26Absolutely gorgeous. Oh, just jumped straight on to the cameraman!
0:23:26 > 0:23:29They have a habit of doing this.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33At night-time like now, they're coming down...
0:23:38 > 0:23:43- You might need to clean the lens a bit, Steve.- Sorry about that.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48At this time of night, they're coming down
0:23:48 > 0:23:52from the tree tops to try and find a female. This is a male here.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56Look at the beautiful colours running down the length of its body,
0:23:56 > 0:24:00those blue and yellow bars and the bright, burning red eyes.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03Right, come on, fella.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07Oh, how about that?
0:24:07 > 0:24:10You can see how well he sticks to the leaf.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12Incredible.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16Quickly, quickly, behind us.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18What is it?
0:24:19 > 0:24:21- Here...- Ssh, ssh.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29This is just remarkable.
0:24:29 > 0:24:31Come with me.
0:24:40 > 0:24:44I have never been this close to a tapir before
0:24:44 > 0:24:47and it's just right in front of us.
0:24:53 > 0:24:57He doesn't seem too fussed by us at all.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02Look at that! Just wandering away...
0:25:08 > 0:25:11It's easily the largest wild animal found round here -
0:25:11 > 0:25:14the Baird's tapir.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16Very curious creatures.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20It has a prehensile snout for plucking fruit.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24He's just looking at us now. Amazing eyeshine coming back off him.
0:25:24 > 0:25:28No more than a stone's throw away from us.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31The only times I've ever seen these animals before,
0:25:31 > 0:25:35they've just been plunging through the undergrowth,
0:25:35 > 0:25:38running away as quickly as possible,
0:25:38 > 0:25:42but this one doesn't seem at all fussed. Look at that!
0:25:43 > 0:25:47Tapirs are just about the favourite food
0:25:47 > 0:25:52of the largest of the big cats found round here - the jaguar.
0:25:54 > 0:25:59All the years I've spent travelling through tropical forests
0:25:59 > 0:26:01that have tapirs,
0:26:01 > 0:26:06I've never got even remotely close to one before.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11And he's just not fussed at all.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16Tapir have been known
0:26:16 > 0:26:20to charge when they feel threatened and to bite,
0:26:20 > 0:26:23but he's not giving us any aggressive signs.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32Well, they're harmless fruit eaters
0:26:32 > 0:26:35and there's no way I can put tapir on the Deadly 60,
0:26:35 > 0:26:39but as far as wildlife experiences in this part of the world go,
0:26:39 > 0:26:42it doesn't get any better than this.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47Unreal!
0:26:47 > 0:26:51'My crew and I were so desperate to find a jaguar,
0:26:51 > 0:26:54'but we're going to have to admit defeat
0:26:54 > 0:26:58'and the tapir goes some way to making up for my failure.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01'They eluded me using the same silent cunning
0:27:01 > 0:27:03'they use whilst hunting.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06'With the most powerful bite of all cats,
0:27:06 > 0:27:10'the jaguar is a sleek, camouflaged ambush predator,
0:27:10 > 0:27:14'hunting with silent stealth, then a lightning pounce.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17'The jaguar has booked a place on the Deadly 60.'
0:27:30 > 0:27:34'Join me next time as I continue my search for the Deadly 60.'
0:27:47 > 0:27:51Subtitles by Subtext for Red Bee Media Ltd 2010
0:27:51 > 0:27:54Email subtitling@bbc.co.uk