0:00:02 > 0:00:04My name's Steve Backshall...
0:00:07 > 0:00:10..and this is my search for 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 > 0:00:19My crew and I are travelling the planet
0:00:19 > 0:00:22and you're coming with me every step of the way.
0:00:30 > 0:00:32'Deadly 60 is back in Australia,
0:00:32 > 0:00:35'one of our most productive locations,
0:00:35 > 0:00:39'and we're going to be taking you to the extremes.
0:00:39 > 0:00:40'From the far south in Tasmania
0:00:40 > 0:00:43'for a close encounter with two of the most lethal of all snakes...'
0:00:43 > 0:00:47Snake! Just, Gray, just don't move cos you are right on it.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49'..to Darwin in the far north
0:00:49 > 0:00:52'in search of the most venomous animal on earth.'
0:00:52 > 0:00:56Around me now, I know that there are - even though I can't see them -
0:00:56 > 0:00:59quite a few of the animal that has been known to kill people
0:00:59 > 0:01:01faster than any other venomous creature.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05'But if you thought Deadly 60 couldn't get any crazier...'
0:01:05 > 0:01:10Well, it just did. We're in the Northern Territories in Australia
0:01:10 > 0:01:13and this is about as crazy as it gets -
0:01:13 > 0:01:18hanging underneath a helicopter in search of saltwater crocodiles.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27We start on the Adelaide River near Darwin,
0:01:27 > 0:01:30one of the most croc-rich rivers around.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32They're an obvious choice for Deadly -
0:01:32 > 0:01:34a reptile that managed to outlast the dinosaurs
0:01:34 > 0:01:38and has the highest recorded bite force of any animal on earth.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40They're the largest living reptile,
0:01:40 > 0:01:43but despite that, they're so dynamic in attack
0:01:43 > 0:01:46that they can launch their whole body out of the water
0:01:46 > 0:01:48to catch unsuspecting prey,
0:01:48 > 0:01:52and that body may be six metres long and weigh as much as a car.
0:01:52 > 0:01:56We featured salties before when I had to relocate a problem croc
0:01:56 > 0:01:59showing signs of turning into a man-eater,
0:01:59 > 0:02:02but this time we're taking it a stage further.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04We'll measure their bite
0:02:04 > 0:02:09and come face-to-face with a female on her nest protecting her young -
0:02:09 > 0:02:11not a situation to take lightly.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19We've done some pretty out-there things on Deadly 60 over the years,
0:02:19 > 0:02:21but today could be the most extreme.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24This time of year, female saltwater crocodiles
0:02:24 > 0:02:27have laid their eggs into nests and they're fiercely guarding them.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29The people we're working with today have to get into those nests
0:02:29 > 0:02:31and monitor the populations of crocodiles.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34Only problem is, the ones we're going to are in the swamp.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36You can't walk there, drive there, you can't even take a boat -
0:02:36 > 0:02:40in fact the only way you can get into them is in a helicopter...
0:02:41 > 0:02:45..slung underneath the helicopter on a length of rope.
0:02:45 > 0:02:46And I'm not even joking.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52Due to the dangerous nature of what we're doing,
0:02:52 > 0:02:55it's just me, Graham the cameraman
0:02:55 > 0:02:58and local crocodile wrangler Matt Wright heading to the nest.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01We have to leave the rest of the crew behind.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05This is out of this world.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09We'll scan the area in search of nests - not easy from the air,
0:03:09 > 0:03:12as essentially they just look like a compost heap
0:03:12 > 0:03:14of rotting vegetable matter.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18Once we locate one, we'll land and head in slung under the helicopter.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22We'll check the nest, make sure it's safe from flooding,
0:03:22 > 0:03:24and monitor the number of eggs.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28All this information helps build up a picture of croc populations.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30Now, it's really important at this time of the day,
0:03:30 > 0:03:33it's starting to warm up, so they're going to be getting active,
0:03:33 > 0:03:36so we need to make sure we have eyes on the crocodiles
0:03:36 > 0:03:38before we commit to a nest,
0:03:38 > 0:03:40otherwise it could be really dangerous.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44The danger is going to come from the female croc herself.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47They're fiercely protective of their nest and their young
0:03:47 > 0:03:50and won't take kindly to us being there.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53It often surprises people quite what determined parents
0:03:53 > 0:03:56crocodiles really are, but that same commitment to their babies
0:03:56 > 0:03:58can make them a real handful.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03We spot a nest and decide to land nearby.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08We're going to get slung in. Put me back off, OK?
0:04:10 > 0:04:14'Matt gets the sling ready to take us right to the crocodile's nest.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19'To protect us on the nest, we have a crate and a pole.
0:04:19 > 0:04:24'Hopefully, if the croc has them to chew on, it won't chew on me.'
0:04:24 > 0:04:26And that's yours.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30Good luck, mate.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38The croc's nest is just on the other side
0:04:38 > 0:04:40of that really dense cane grass,
0:04:40 > 0:04:44so Matt's going to be dropped down just at the side of it
0:04:44 > 0:04:46and he's going to check out the lay of the land,
0:04:46 > 0:04:49make sure everything's safe before we come in.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52'It looks tantalisingly close, but the cane grass is so dense
0:04:52 > 0:04:55'it's impossible to go in on foot.'
0:04:55 > 0:04:57I can't quite believe that he's dropping out of sight
0:04:57 > 0:05:00onto the nest of one of the most dangerous animals
0:05:00 > 0:05:01in the whole world.
0:05:01 > 0:05:06He's got some guts. OK, they're coming back for me.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08'My heart rate's gone through the roof.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11'We are about to be lowered into the crocodile's world.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13'Anything could happen.'
0:05:16 > 0:05:21We're now flying in on the sling, heading into the nest.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26This is absolute madness.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37I can see the nest - it's down there in that really dense cane grass.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50I'm now coming down, trying to find somewhere to land -
0:05:50 > 0:05:52hopefully not right on top of the nest.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58There's a croc on the nest. Right on top of it.
0:06:01 > 0:06:05'I hadn't expected to feel so exposed. I can't see her -
0:06:05 > 0:06:08'she could easily charge and be on top of us in seconds.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10'Very few animals in the world scare me,
0:06:10 > 0:06:14'but an angry saltie is easily capable of killing all three of us.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17'We need to move with extreme caution.'
0:06:17 > 0:06:20This is where it's going to get dangerous, Steve.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22She's just here sitting on her nest.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24OK, now, as soon as we start advancing on her,
0:06:24 > 0:06:27making noise, she's going to come towards us,
0:06:27 > 0:06:29so we're just going to make sure that we've got a getaway.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34This is seriously nerve-wracking stuff.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37The undergrowth here is incredibly dense
0:06:37 > 0:06:40and we can't see her from this level.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43So Matt's just trying to edge forward,
0:06:43 > 0:06:46but it's very, very important to keep tabs on how many there are
0:06:46 > 0:06:49and how they're doing, and the most important time is now,
0:06:49 > 0:06:52when they've got eggs and they're pretty close to having their young.
0:06:55 > 0:06:56OK.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59It's very difficult to see her, but she is no more than
0:06:59 > 0:07:02a couple of metres away from us right now.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05Stay there, girl. Stay there.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07You're all right, we're just having a look.
0:07:08 > 0:07:12- I'll try and clear some more. - Can you see yet, Gray?- Not really.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14There's only a little hint.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19Stay there.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22GRASS RUSTLES Here she comes. Stay back.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27OK.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30- Can you see her there?- Yeah.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35GRASS RUSTLES
0:07:35 > 0:07:37You can see how fast they move.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41Very fast. She's in this wallow now. OK.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46God, she's completely disappeared in that water.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49- You'd never know she was there. - Yeah. This is what she'll do.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51- Can you see her at all?- Not now.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59WATER SPLASHES There she is.
0:07:59 > 0:08:03Every time she takes a lunge, she's using up that energy.
0:08:06 > 0:08:11- OK. Look out, Steve, that's your... - Yeah, I've got the crate here.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14So...
0:08:14 > 0:08:17Saltwater crocodiles are so-called cold-blooded.
0:08:17 > 0:08:21That means that they need the sun's warmth to get enough energy
0:08:21 > 0:08:24to actually start being mobile, and as it's quite early in the morning,
0:08:24 > 0:08:26she's not going to have a tremendous store of energy.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29A couple of swipes at us and she's going to run out of gas
0:08:29 > 0:08:32and it'll be much, much safer for us to be here.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35So we just need her to show us where she is,
0:08:35 > 0:08:38because when she's down there in that she could be anywhere
0:08:38 > 0:08:40and this is obviously quite a dangerous time.
0:08:40 > 0:08:45This here, this big mound, is the actual nest, and from her behaviour,
0:08:45 > 0:08:48I would say almost certainly there are eggs inside that.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52OK, now the tail's disappeared.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54There she goes here. There she goes.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00OK, so she's gone off into the undergrowth over there.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03And you can hear her heading off that way.
0:09:03 > 0:09:07- She's gone at least... six, seven metres away?- Yeah.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10And for her to come close to here, we'd hear it.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14So this is time for us to get stuck into the nest very quickly. OK.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18Oh, she's still moving. OK, Matt, do your thing.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20I'll keep my eyes open.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24By opening up the nest, we can see how many eggs there are,
0:09:24 > 0:09:27see if the site looks vulnerable to flooding and log the position.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31This'll help with building up data about how crocs are doing here.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34This is a saltwater crocodile egg.
0:09:34 > 0:09:40Inside there is a very, very small but perfect miniature crocodile.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43Now, there's something really remarkable about this animal.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47Like many reptiles, the temperature that the nest is kept at
0:09:47 > 0:09:49determines what sex the baby comes out as.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53It's a very odd way of doing things, but that's evolution for you.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57This has been a thoroughly successful mission.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00Now all we have to do is close the nest up,
0:10:00 > 0:10:01leave it exactly as we found it
0:10:01 > 0:10:04and get out of here before she comes back.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07Coby, if you can hear me, you can crank up
0:10:07 > 0:10:08and start plucking these boys out.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10It's getting pretty hot in here, mate.
0:10:12 > 0:10:16Examining the nest wouldn't have damaged the eggs in any way.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18The female will return as soon as we're gone
0:10:18 > 0:10:20to continue to protect her brood.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24Though pretty terrifying, it proves that crocs
0:10:24 > 0:10:26have as much maternal instinct
0:10:26 > 0:10:29as any animals we may consider more cuddly.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31My respect for salties has gone through the roof.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42I can honestly say I can't quite believe we just did that.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45Being that close to a female saltwater crocodile on the nest
0:10:45 > 0:10:48is one of the great experiences of my life.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50I jumped out of my skin when that croc made that move.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52He certainly did - I've never seen you jump so far.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55Unbelievable, but amazing, to be dropped in like that.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58It's a first for me. Wicked.
0:11:00 > 0:11:01But it's back to base,
0:11:01 > 0:11:04where the rest of the crew are waiting for our return.
0:11:06 > 0:11:10Well, that was an experience I won't be forgetting in a hurry.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13But, really, all it proves is that saltwater crocodiles
0:11:13 > 0:11:16are incredible mothers. What we really want to see
0:11:16 > 0:11:19is a crocodile's bite, because that's what makes it
0:11:19 > 0:11:21a predator worthy of the Deadly 60.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26We seen their explosiveness and their agility,
0:11:26 > 0:11:29we've seen how the saltwater crocodile's maternal instincts
0:11:29 > 0:11:32mean they'll risk everything to protect the nest,
0:11:32 > 0:11:35but what I really need to show you now is the crocodile's bite,
0:11:35 > 0:11:38and this is the perfect place for it.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42Inside here, hidden underneath all of those aquatic plants,
0:11:42 > 0:11:45is a 4.7 metre-long crocodile
0:11:45 > 0:11:49and we've got a perfect opportunity to actually test out its bite.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54The facility we're at now is owned by this guy, Adam Britton.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57He's a zoologist who specialises in crocodiles
0:11:57 > 0:11:59and the animal that's inside here
0:11:59 > 0:12:01is used as part of his research to find out
0:12:01 > 0:12:05as much about the biology of this magnificent creature as possible.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09OK. Let's head inside. Carefully, quietly, slowly -
0:12:09 > 0:12:11the last thing I want to do is to spook him too early.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14Are you ready for this?
0:12:16 > 0:12:20What I've got here is a pressure gauge.
0:12:20 > 0:12:24So if pressure is applied here to this part of the instrument,
0:12:24 > 0:12:27it'll register on here.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30Now, we've tried this before on Komodo dragons -
0:12:30 > 0:12:33they actually registered about 600 pounds per square inch -
0:12:33 > 0:12:37and on spotted hyenas. Although we didn't get a really good bite -
0:12:37 > 0:12:40that registered about 400 pounds per square inch.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43I'm hoping that this is going to be on a totally different scale.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46I've also got this little camera here,
0:12:46 > 0:12:49which hopefully should get a really, really close-up view
0:12:49 > 0:12:50of that final strike.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52Are you ready?
0:12:52 > 0:12:55As we approach, the crocodile is just lying in wait
0:12:55 > 0:12:58under the water, completely out of sight.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21Try again.
0:13:24 > 0:13:25Whoa!
0:13:28 > 0:13:33OK. Well, that was a tiny little bite
0:13:33 > 0:13:38and it registered 1,200 pounds per square inch.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42And that was nothing. Let go of it almost instantly.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44'So, we need to try again.'
0:13:44 > 0:13:46I think just leave him for about five, ten seconds
0:13:46 > 0:13:49- and then do the same as you did before.- OK.- OK.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58Whoa!
0:14:00 > 0:14:04- Are you OK? - I just got absolutely smashed.
0:14:05 > 0:14:10Good Lord, the power of the animal is phenomenal.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14That is something else.
0:14:14 > 0:14:19Unfortunately, now we've lost the bite gauge,
0:14:19 > 0:14:21the camera and the stick,
0:14:21 > 0:14:24but I think it's fairly safe to say
0:14:24 > 0:14:28that the salt water crocodile has to go on the Deadly 60.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34- Holy moly! - HE LAUGHS
0:14:38 > 0:14:41Explosive ambush predators,
0:14:41 > 0:14:43they'll fight to the death to protect their young,
0:14:43 > 0:14:47with the strongest known bite force of any animal on earth.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49One of the most awe-inspiring animals alive,
0:14:49 > 0:14:53there's no doubt, the saltwater crocodile is the king of Deadly.
0:14:55 > 0:15:01No! He killed my bite gauge!
0:15:09 > 0:15:11Next up, we're still in the Northern Territory,
0:15:11 > 0:15:15but travelling to Darwin's coastline.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18Even at the beach, there's no escape from the denizens of Deadly.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24We've been working pretty hard on Deadly 60 recently,
0:15:24 > 0:15:27so I decided that today we're going to have a day at the beach.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29Only problem is that you can't really swim in the sea.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34It's not so much the saltwater crocodiles or the sharks,
0:15:34 > 0:15:36but this time of year in the Northern Territories,
0:15:36 > 0:15:39the waters are brimming with an animal said to be
0:15:39 > 0:15:42the most venomous on earth - the box jellyfish.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45It means that normally, the waters are totally out of bounds.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48But, obviously, not for us.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54From October to April, box jellyfish make these seas unswimmable.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57Their body's only up to 20 centimetres wide,
0:15:57 > 0:16:01but the tentacles they trail behind have a real kick.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03Reaching up to three metres in length,
0:16:03 > 0:16:05each one contains thousands of stinging cells.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09These microscopic cells are invisible to the naked eye,
0:16:09 > 0:16:12but when they fire, they inject a burning venom.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14They can paralyse their prey almost instantly
0:16:14 > 0:16:18and even stop the human heart in three minutes.
0:16:20 > 0:16:25So I'm not going to be heading into box jellyfish-filled seas on my own.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28These guys, Dion and Kate, are going to be my safety advisers.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30They're also experts on the box jellies
0:16:30 > 0:16:33and we do have these on our side.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36This is a stinger suit and what this'll do
0:16:36 > 0:16:40is cover pretty much the entire body and because it's not organic,
0:16:40 > 0:16:43it's not like skin or like the flesh of a fish,
0:16:43 > 0:16:46hopefully, if a stinger actually attaches to this, it won't fire off.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50Because what triggers the stingers to fire is not touch -
0:16:50 > 0:16:54it's in fact the chemicals in our skin or in their prey.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58OK, our job is now to head into the sea and try and catch one.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04Looking for an animal that could kill you in three minutes,
0:17:04 > 0:17:07you definitely pay attention to where you're walking.
0:17:07 > 0:17:11The actual name "jellyfish" is really completely inappropriate.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13These animals aren't fish at all.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17They don't have any vertebrae, there's no spinal column,
0:17:17 > 0:17:18they're just a big mass of jelly
0:17:18 > 0:17:21and it's thought they could be one of the most ancient,
0:17:21 > 0:17:25most primitive animals that's ever been on the earth.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29Despite the fact that I know this stinger suit will protect me
0:17:29 > 0:17:32from the stings of a box jellyfish, I have to admit that at the moment
0:17:32 > 0:17:35it feels very, very thin and insubstantial.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38I mean, around me now, I know that there are,
0:17:38 > 0:17:40even though I can't see them,
0:17:40 > 0:17:43quite a few of the animal that has been known to kill people
0:17:43 > 0:17:48faster than any other venomous creature. So...yeah.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51I think I could do with something a bit bigger,
0:17:51 > 0:17:52like a suit of armour or something.
0:17:54 > 0:17:56Looking for one of the deadliest animals on earth
0:17:56 > 0:17:58is pretty intimidating,
0:17:58 > 0:18:02as they have the fastest-acting venom known to science.
0:18:02 > 0:18:06And when a person gets stung, the toxins attack the heart,
0:18:06 > 0:18:09nervous system and skin cells causing horrific burns.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17For us, the problem is more actually finding one in the murky water.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22That is really disappointing.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26There was a smack - that is, a group - of box jellies
0:18:26 > 0:18:29spotted here just yesterday of about 150 animals,
0:18:29 > 0:18:32but now they're clearly not here.
0:18:32 > 0:18:33We've been out for about an hour and a half,
0:18:33 > 0:18:36but now the waters starting to get really murky and churned up
0:18:36 > 0:18:39so there's no more searching for today, but luckily
0:18:39 > 0:18:42I do know a place near here where we can see a box jelly up close.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44Let's go.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49We're now behind the scenes as a local research facility
0:18:49 > 0:18:52and they have actually got here, in a tank,
0:18:52 > 0:18:54the most venomous animal on earth - the box jellyfish.
0:18:57 > 0:19:01The box jellyfish swims far more actively than most jellies
0:19:01 > 0:19:04and it can actually propel itself against currents and tides
0:19:04 > 0:19:06with that fabulous swimming motion.
0:19:06 > 0:19:11And it's this swimming motion that means, unlike many other jellyfish,
0:19:11 > 0:19:13it can actively hunt and pursue prey.
0:19:13 > 0:19:17But although this is the most venomous animal in the world,
0:19:17 > 0:19:20there's one part of the body that is completely safe to touch -
0:19:20 > 0:19:22the bell.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24This part here,
0:19:24 > 0:19:29I should just be able...to touch
0:19:29 > 0:19:31because there are no stinging cells there at all.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35The dangerous bit are these tentacles.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39You can see them trailing off into the water, right out to here,
0:19:39 > 0:19:43and these have thousands of stinging cells
0:19:43 > 0:19:45running all the way down the lengths of them.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49When it comes into contact with a prey item, those cells fire off,
0:19:49 > 0:19:53injecting a tiny harpoon and quite considerable amounts of venom
0:19:53 > 0:19:57into their prey. It's so fast-acting
0:19:57 > 0:20:02that it'll paralyse a fish or a small shrimp in a matter of seconds.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04It can, in fact, fire its stinging cells
0:20:04 > 0:20:07three milliseconds after being activated.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09That's 50 times faster
0:20:09 > 0:20:13than maybe the fastest-striking snake on earth - the death adder.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21In the tank, there are some small shrimp
0:20:21 > 0:20:24which the researchers put there for the box jellyfish to feed on.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29Almost... Almost...
0:20:29 > 0:20:32Ooh, he just got away.
0:20:32 > 0:20:36Or has he got him? No, he's got him. Look at that!
0:20:36 > 0:20:39Wow, that was incredible. Just the very, very end
0:20:39 > 0:20:43of one tentacle caught hold of that shrimp
0:20:43 > 0:20:45and that was enough to paralyse it,
0:20:45 > 0:20:48and it's now drawing it back in towards the stomach.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51That was so fast.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56The box jellyfish. They're made up almost entirely of water
0:20:56 > 0:20:58and you can see right through them,
0:20:58 > 0:21:02but they're commonly believed to be the most venomous creature on earth
0:21:02 > 0:21:05and if that isn't worthy of a place on the Deadly 60
0:21:05 > 0:21:07then I don't know what is.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13Thousands of stinging cells that are activated in the blink of an eye.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16A venom that can stop a human heart in three minutes.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18The most venomous animal on earth.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22It may be mostly made up of water and look like something
0:21:22 > 0:21:24you should be eating with custard, but don't be fooled.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27The box jelly is...
0:21:28 > 0:21:32'Now, from the far north, we're taking a trip to the far south -
0:21:32 > 0:21:36'Tasmania. Despite being cooler and wetter than most other parts of Oz,
0:21:36 > 0:21:38'it still has plenty of snakes -
0:21:38 > 0:21:41'in fact, some of the most venomous on earth.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44'To help us are two local researchers from Reptile Rescue
0:21:44 > 0:21:47'who've been monitoring snakes here for decades.'
0:21:48 > 0:21:52Tasmania is an absolute wildlife paradise.
0:21:52 > 0:21:56As much as a third of the island is actually national park
0:21:56 > 0:21:59and is perfect habitat for all different kinds of wildlife,
0:21:59 > 0:22:01some of which is cold-blooded.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03CROAKING
0:22:03 > 0:22:05That sound is frogs,
0:22:05 > 0:22:08and frogs are wonderful creatures in their own right,
0:22:08 > 0:22:10but they're also perfect food for snakes,
0:22:10 > 0:22:15and Tasmania has some of the most venomous found in the whole world.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19One of the snakes we're looking for is the tiger snake.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21The tiger is highly venomous -
0:22:21 > 0:22:23in fact, there is no land snake
0:22:23 > 0:22:26outside of Australia that has venom as potent.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28The other is the copperhead.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31An active hunter, it uses its snappy strike
0:22:31 > 0:22:34and fast-acting venom to gorge itself on frogs.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36It's the king of the marshlands.
0:22:40 > 0:22:44This really could not be more perfect.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46We've got big areas of wetland here,
0:22:46 > 0:22:49there's loads and loads of frog calling going on
0:22:49 > 0:22:53and the day today is mixing between overcast and then sunny,
0:22:53 > 0:22:56so the snakes are going to want to come out into the open,
0:22:56 > 0:22:57they're going to want to bask
0:22:57 > 0:22:59to try and soak up the heat from the sun...
0:22:59 > 0:23:03Snake! Just, Gray, don't move cos you are right on it.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06And we've got a tiger snake. First tiger snake!
0:23:06 > 0:23:09Fantastic. OK.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11Ooh, hello.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16OK, you can see it hooding up at the moment.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19That's because this is a member of the cobra family.
0:23:19 > 0:23:23- Are you going to bring him out into the clearing?- Yep. OK.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27So... I can't believe, this quickly,
0:23:27 > 0:23:31we have already found ourselves a tiger snake.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35And you can see why it has the tiger snake name.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37Running down the length of its body,
0:23:37 > 0:23:39bright, bright yellow and dark bands.
0:23:39 > 0:23:43It is gloriously coloured. Now, this wonderful snake,
0:23:43 > 0:23:46which is hooding up so dramatically, is extremely venomous.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48At the moment, it's whipping around
0:23:48 > 0:23:50and just biting into my snake grabber,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53but you can see the snake grabber has a nice, soft edge to it,
0:23:53 > 0:23:55so it's not doing the snake any harm whatsoever.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57Well done.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00- All right. Clear?- Yep.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04'As part of their research to keep track
0:24:04 > 0:24:07'of how the snake population's doing here,
0:24:07 > 0:24:10'they need to measure and weigh any snake we find.'
0:24:15 > 0:24:19So I have in this bag the fourth, or possibly the fifth,
0:24:19 > 0:24:23most toxic, venomous snake in the world - the tiger snake.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32Look at that.
0:24:32 > 0:24:38What a dramatic animal, and a great start to our Tazzy snake search.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41'It's going to be a tough call.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43'I'm really tempted to put the tiger snake on the list.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46'Let's see if we can find a copperhead first.
0:24:46 > 0:24:50'Easier said than done. This place is wall-to-wall tiger snakes.'
0:24:51 > 0:24:53Ten minutes, two snakes.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55Oh, yes. Nice.
0:24:57 > 0:24:59Got it.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01Wow.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04'This might seem like many people's worst nightmare.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07'I mean, there are snakes that could potentially kill you
0:25:07 > 0:25:10'absolutely everywhere, but for me
0:25:10 > 0:25:12'it's one of the best days out I've ever had.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15'Still no copperhead, though.
0:25:15 > 0:25:19'But my great day just got even better.'
0:25:20 > 0:25:22Whoa, it's a big one!
0:25:25 > 0:25:27And he's fast.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40Fantastic.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44My first ever copperhead in the wild,
0:25:44 > 0:25:46and this was the snake that we came here
0:25:46 > 0:25:51really, really hoping we'd find, and it is an absolute monster.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55I mean, this is my first and it looks pretty impressive to me,
0:25:55 > 0:25:59but these guys have been doing this for the best part of a lifetime
0:25:59 > 0:26:01and reckon it's the biggest they've seen around here.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03- Is that right, Ian? - Absolutely. Absolutely.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05That is the biggest copperhead I've seen
0:26:05 > 0:26:07in many, many years, if not the biggest.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09The reason for that, really, is just the fact
0:26:09 > 0:26:11that these snakes are constantly feeding,
0:26:11 > 0:26:13so the tiger snake that I showed you earlier on
0:26:13 > 0:26:16might have one large meal and then go for a good few weeks,
0:26:16 > 0:26:19even longer, without eating, but these guys
0:26:19 > 0:26:23are just constantly filling their mouths, and mostly with frogs.
0:26:23 > 0:26:29And you can see that is an awful lot of frog feeding.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33That's enormous for a venomous snake. Really, really heavy.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37Like the tiger snake, this snake is in the cobra family.
0:26:37 > 0:26:42It has fixed fangs at the front of the top jaw pointing downwards
0:26:42 > 0:26:44and it injects a neurotoxin -
0:26:44 > 0:26:46that is a toxin that affects the nervous system,
0:26:46 > 0:26:48the heart and the lungs -
0:26:48 > 0:26:51and can slow down and incapacitate its prey very, very quickly.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53Round here, that's mostly going to be frogs
0:26:53 > 0:26:56but it could certainly be mammals or small birds as well
0:26:56 > 0:26:59and he is an absolute master at hunting here in this environment
0:26:59 > 0:27:03and that's why I think this snake has to go on our Deadly 60.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06Definitely not because of its danger to human beings,
0:27:06 > 0:27:09but this is a snake that would be the absolute worst nightmare
0:27:09 > 0:27:13of a frog and, I think, totally magnificent.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15Copperhead - definitely deadly.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20These are opportunistic predators
0:27:20 > 0:27:23that will gorge themselves on prey.
0:27:23 > 0:27:27They're a fast-striking hunter and have extremely toxic venom
0:27:27 > 0:27:29that can kill their prey in seconds.
0:27:30 > 0:27:35The Tazzy copperhead is a real treat and on the list.
0:27:39 > 0:27:44Join me next time as I continue my search for the Deadly 60.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd