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My name's Steve Backshall! | 0:00:02 | 0:00:04 | |
Woo! | 0:00:04 | 0:00:05 | |
And this is my search... for the Deadly 60. | 0:00:05 | 0:00:10 | |
That's not just animals that are deadly to me. | 0:00:10 | 0:00:12 | |
But animals that are deadly in their own world. | 0:00:12 | 0:00:15 | |
My crew and I are travelling the planet. | 0:00:17 | 0:00:19 | |
And you're coming with me... every step of the way. | 0:00:19 | 0:00:23 | |
This time on Deadly 60, | 0:00:31 | 0:00:33 | |
the team and I are in the Southern states of America. | 0:00:33 | 0:00:36 | |
It's home to some of the most famous wetlands and swamps | 0:00:36 | 0:00:39 | |
found in the whole world. | 0:00:39 | 0:00:42 | |
And where you find swamps, you get birds, bug, frogs and fish, | 0:00:42 | 0:00:46 | |
and they provide food for some of the most important classic predators | 0:00:46 | 0:00:50 | |
on Earth. | 0:00:50 | 0:00:51 | |
So, let's get this show on the road | 0:00:54 | 0:00:56 | |
and head out in search of our first killer critter. | 0:00:56 | 0:00:59 | |
It's a true icon of this part of the world - the American alligator. | 0:00:59 | 0:01:03 | |
Growing up to four metres long | 0:01:03 | 0:01:06 | |
and weighing up to five times as much as me, | 0:01:06 | 0:01:09 | |
these ancient beasts feed on just about anything they can catch - | 0:01:09 | 0:01:13 | |
fish, turtles, snakes, birds and mammals. | 0:01:13 | 0:01:17 | |
Small prey are swallowed whole, but larger prey are dragged underwater, | 0:01:23 | 0:01:27 | |
drowned and then devoured in pieces. | 0:01:27 | 0:01:30 | |
We've come to the Silver Springs in Central Florida to start our search. | 0:01:34 | 0:01:39 | |
The Silver River is about as pristine and perfect a habitat | 0:01:42 | 0:01:46 | |
as you'll find anywhere in the world. | 0:01:46 | 0:01:49 | |
And the fact that there are such wonderful animals | 0:01:49 | 0:01:52 | |
just about everywhere you look just kind of enhances the whole feeling | 0:01:52 | 0:01:55 | |
of the place. | 0:01:55 | 0:01:57 | |
There are an enormous amount of catfish, of gar, of turtles, | 0:01:57 | 0:02:01 | |
of terrapins. And all of those are going to make food for alligators. | 0:02:01 | 0:02:06 | |
The alligators will be much more tricky to see | 0:02:06 | 0:02:09 | |
and even the large ones could be underneath you | 0:02:09 | 0:02:11 | |
and you wouldn't know it until you were within a few feet of them. | 0:02:11 | 0:02:14 | |
So this is going to be quite a challenge. | 0:02:14 | 0:02:17 | |
But it wasn't long before a classic croc shape cruised into view. | 0:02:17 | 0:02:21 | |
Just to the right. | 0:02:21 | 0:02:22 | |
-Oh, yeah, a big one. -Yeah, that's a big one. | 0:02:22 | 0:02:25 | |
He is impressive, look at that! | 0:02:25 | 0:02:28 | |
'Alligators are clearly very common here and for every one we see, | 0:02:28 | 0:02:32 | |
'there's probably ten we don't. | 0:02:32 | 0:02:34 | |
'We've filmed crocodilians many times on the Deadly 60, | 0:02:34 | 0:02:37 | |
'but one thing we haven't done is joined them in their watery world. | 0:02:37 | 0:02:40 | |
'Most of the time that would simply be too dangerous. | 0:02:40 | 0:02:43 | |
'But with these crystal clear springs, | 0:02:43 | 0:02:46 | |
'it could be the best place on Earth to swim with alligators.' | 0:02:46 | 0:02:49 | |
It all seems a little bit crazy for me to be getting into water | 0:02:50 | 0:02:54 | |
where we know there are loads and loads of alligators. | 0:02:54 | 0:02:56 | |
Well, I'm kind of banking on the clarity of the water. | 0:02:56 | 0:02:59 | |
I really think that we'll be able to see these animals coming | 0:02:59 | 0:03:02 | |
from quite a way away and be able to assess their intentions. | 0:03:02 | 0:03:06 | |
It doesn't mean that my heart isn't going a little bit crazy, though. | 0:03:07 | 0:03:11 | |
I certainly wouldn't attempt this just anywhere. | 0:03:12 | 0:03:16 | |
Alligators do occasionally attack people, | 0:03:16 | 0:03:18 | |
so the whole crew is going to need to be on high alert | 0:03:18 | 0:03:21 | |
if we're going to swim with one safely. | 0:03:21 | 0:03:24 | |
-The tree that's laying in the water. -Underneath? -Right in the middle. | 0:03:25 | 0:03:30 | |
A likely contender is lying up close to the bank. | 0:03:30 | 0:03:34 | |
This could be absolutely perfect. We have a good sized gator. | 0:03:34 | 0:03:38 | |
He's probably at least as long as I am tall. | 0:03:38 | 0:03:42 | |
Maybe six foot, perhaps two metres. Just under these branches here. | 0:03:42 | 0:03:45 | |
'Once we're in the water, we'll move in as relaxed and confident a manner as possible | 0:03:47 | 0:03:52 | |
'to avoid scaring the gator away or looking like prey. | 0:03:52 | 0:03:55 | |
'Underwater cameraman Mark and I kit up as quickly as possible. | 0:03:55 | 0:03:59 | |
'We're going to have to watch each other's backs.' | 0:04:00 | 0:04:02 | |
-Keep your eyes on it, guys, and give me some feedback. -OK. | 0:04:05 | 0:04:08 | |
Good luck. | 0:04:08 | 0:04:09 | |
-It's coming towards you. -Steve, he's moving. | 0:04:16 | 0:04:19 | |
'He's ever so slowly swimming, but staying close to the bank, | 0:04:21 | 0:04:24 | |
'concealed by vegetation, so we can't see him.' | 0:04:24 | 0:04:27 | |
I imagine from your angle there's a log that's blocking your view. | 0:04:30 | 0:04:35 | |
Cos he's... | 0:04:35 | 0:04:37 | |
Mark, let's get a look over here. | 0:04:37 | 0:04:39 | |
'It seemed croc number one was more scared of us than we were of it. | 0:04:42 | 0:04:46 | |
'But there's plenty more exploring to be done.' | 0:04:47 | 0:04:50 | |
The fish with the elongated snout are gar. | 0:04:51 | 0:04:55 | |
They're predatory animals. | 0:04:55 | 0:04:57 | |
They would themselves, though, make very good food | 0:04:57 | 0:05:00 | |
for a speedy alligator, if it had its wits about it. | 0:05:00 | 0:05:03 | |
Let's move on. | 0:05:06 | 0:05:07 | |
'The return of the alligator is a genuine wildlife success story. | 0:05:07 | 0:05:11 | |
'Once persecuted and hunted, | 0:05:11 | 0:05:13 | |
'they're now really common in the Southern states. | 0:05:13 | 0:05:16 | |
'Almost anywhere in these springs could hide a lurking gator.' | 0:05:16 | 0:05:20 | |
-How are you doing, Mark? You ready? -Thanks very much. | 0:05:22 | 0:05:25 | |
This looked like a likely spot. | 0:05:29 | 0:05:31 | |
'Underwater was perfect, like an aquatic film set. | 0:05:32 | 0:05:36 | |
'All that was missing was an ancient alligator.' | 0:05:36 | 0:05:39 | |
Gator coming at you. | 0:05:39 | 0:05:41 | |
-Steve, gator! -Gator. | 0:05:44 | 0:05:46 | |
Gator coming at you. | 0:05:46 | 0:05:47 | |
Quite close to the bank, still. | 0:05:50 | 0:05:52 | |
-He's right there. -He's still there. -Still right in the same spot. | 0:05:56 | 0:06:00 | |
He's come up, he's come up. | 0:06:03 | 0:06:06 | |
-He's coming towards you. -He's, he's... Steve, he's moving. -Steve! | 0:06:15 | 0:06:19 | |
'While the other gators have kept well away, | 0:06:19 | 0:06:22 | |
'this one noses in for a closer look.' | 0:06:22 | 0:06:24 | |
He's come up, he's come up. | 0:06:28 | 0:06:30 | |
'It's breeding season, | 0:06:33 | 0:06:34 | |
'the time when males start to protect their territory, | 0:06:34 | 0:06:37 | |
'so they can get all the girls. | 0:06:37 | 0:06:39 | |
'It's likely that this gator sees me as a possible challenge. | 0:06:39 | 0:06:42 | |
'He's definitely sizing me up. | 0:06:42 | 0:06:44 | |
'It's important to look as big and confident as possible, | 0:06:44 | 0:06:47 | |
'while not actually issuing a challenge back. | 0:06:47 | 0:06:50 | |
'He swims straight at me, and over my head.' | 0:06:50 | 0:06:53 | |
This is...a mesmerising... | 0:06:56 | 0:07:00 | |
..if slightly chilling experience! | 0:07:02 | 0:07:05 | |
'Clearly deciding I'm not a fitting rival, | 0:07:07 | 0:07:10 | |
'the gator drops from the surface and down to the bottom. | 0:07:10 | 0:07:14 | |
'He could lie here motionless for hours. Not moving a muscle, | 0:07:14 | 0:07:18 | |
'the heart rate has slowed to practically nothing. | 0:07:18 | 0:07:21 | |
'It's one of the crocodile's great natural advantages. | 0:07:21 | 0:07:25 | |
'I can see it looking at me through that glassy, nictitating membrane, | 0:07:25 | 0:07:29 | |
'the third eyelid which allows it to see underwater, | 0:07:29 | 0:07:32 | |
'as well as the teeth spilling out of its stout, forceful snout | 0:07:32 | 0:07:37 | |
'that probably delivers the most powerful bite on the continent.' | 0:07:37 | 0:07:42 | |
Alligators are without doubt on the Deadly 60. | 0:07:42 | 0:07:47 | |
Ungainly on land, these ancient beasts transform once underwater. | 0:07:49 | 0:07:53 | |
They're opportunistic ambush predators that eat almost anything. | 0:07:53 | 0:07:57 | |
With their powerful jaws, they seize their prey with a killer bite. | 0:07:57 | 0:08:01 | |
Dramatic, enigmatic and definitely... | 0:08:01 | 0:08:05 | |
On Deadly 60, we've always made a concerted effort to encompass | 0:08:07 | 0:08:10 | |
the whole natural world. We've had deadly insects... | 0:08:10 | 0:08:14 | |
..arachnids... | 0:08:15 | 0:08:17 | |
..reptiles... | 0:08:19 | 0:08:22 | |
-mammals... -TIGER ROARS | 0:08:22 | 0:08:24 | |
..fish... | 0:08:24 | 0:08:27 | |
and birds. | 0:08:27 | 0:08:29 | |
Coming crashing into land! | 0:08:29 | 0:08:31 | |
But there's one group of living things that we've largely ignored. | 0:08:31 | 0:08:34 | |
Plants. And Florida is the perfect place to set that straight. | 0:08:34 | 0:08:39 | |
Plants may not seem an obvious choice for the list, | 0:08:42 | 0:08:44 | |
but these ones are quite exceptional. | 0:08:44 | 0:08:46 | |
They eat meat. | 0:08:46 | 0:08:49 | |
These sinister shrubs employ a range of ingenious methods | 0:08:51 | 0:08:55 | |
to capture their prey. | 0:08:55 | 0:08:56 | |
From enticing with sweet nectar to ensnaring, drowning or entombing. | 0:08:56 | 0:09:02 | |
It's the stuff of horror stories. | 0:09:02 | 0:09:05 | |
They may not chase their prey, but they're still perfect predators. | 0:09:05 | 0:09:08 | |
And our first one is right here. | 0:09:08 | 0:09:12 | |
This is a pitcher plant. | 0:09:12 | 0:09:16 | |
Essentially what this is is a modified leaf. | 0:09:16 | 0:09:19 | |
It's sealed down here and the inside, down here, | 0:09:19 | 0:09:23 | |
will have a certain amount of fluid in it. | 0:09:23 | 0:09:26 | |
Right up here, around the lip, | 0:09:26 | 0:09:28 | |
are secretions that are very, very sweet-smelling | 0:09:28 | 0:09:30 | |
and will attract insects, but it's also quite slippery. | 0:09:30 | 0:09:33 | |
And when they get up here, wandering around, looking for a tasty meal, | 0:09:33 | 0:09:37 | |
they'll slip right down inside and drop into the pitfall trap, | 0:09:37 | 0:09:42 | |
where their bodies are actually digested and eaten by the plant. | 0:09:42 | 0:09:46 | |
These are our next carnivorous wonder. | 0:09:49 | 0:09:53 | |
They're called sundews. | 0:09:53 | 0:09:56 | |
They're covered with what looks like dew. | 0:09:56 | 0:09:59 | |
That attracts in insects, which get stuck there. | 0:09:59 | 0:10:02 | |
You can see there's a black fly there, little midge here. | 0:10:02 | 0:10:06 | |
There are lots of species of sundew, | 0:10:06 | 0:10:08 | |
and they all secrete enzymes which break the animal down | 0:10:08 | 0:10:12 | |
so they can digest it. And that helps to supplement | 0:10:12 | 0:10:15 | |
the nutrients that it'll get out of the soil. | 0:10:15 | 0:10:18 | |
Oh, wow, wow, wow, wow! | 0:10:21 | 0:10:24 | |
I'm very, very careful where I kneel, | 0:10:25 | 0:10:28 | |
because our champion carnivorous plant is kind of everywhere here. | 0:10:28 | 0:10:34 | |
It's a Venus fly trap. | 0:10:34 | 0:10:37 | |
So, this is kind of the plant equivalent of a bear trap. | 0:10:40 | 0:10:44 | |
Inside there is an insect that at the moment | 0:10:48 | 0:10:51 | |
is currently being digested. | 0:10:51 | 0:10:53 | |
This is just incredible. It's almost unparalleled in the plant world. | 0:10:56 | 0:10:59 | |
A plant that can snap shut. | 0:10:59 | 0:11:01 | |
That can move with actual surprising speed. | 0:11:03 | 0:11:06 | |
What's even more extraordinary | 0:11:12 | 0:11:14 | |
is that these plants can actually count. | 0:11:14 | 0:11:17 | |
There are tiny hairs lining the inside of the trap | 0:11:17 | 0:11:20 | |
and as an insect wanders through them, | 0:11:20 | 0:11:22 | |
it can If it trigger one hair once, no problem at all. | 0:11:22 | 0:11:25 | |
If it triggers two simultaneously, the trap will shut. | 0:11:25 | 0:11:29 | |
And once it's closed, there is no way that insect is getting away. | 0:11:29 | 0:11:32 | |
So, imagine my stick is a little fly, it wanders in... | 0:11:37 | 0:11:43 | |
-HE GASPS -Did you see how quick that was? | 0:11:45 | 0:11:48 | |
That's incredible. | 0:11:49 | 0:11:51 | |
The Venus fly trap. | 0:11:56 | 0:11:58 | |
Not only can it hunt its food, it can also count. | 0:11:58 | 0:12:02 | |
And for those reasons, it's on the list. | 0:12:02 | 0:12:05 | |
A plant that can count. | 0:12:08 | 0:12:10 | |
They lure in insects then snap shut, imprisoning them. | 0:12:10 | 0:12:15 | |
Prey is then dissolved with digestive acids, and absorbed. | 0:12:15 | 0:12:18 | |
These meat-eating marvels are going on the list. | 0:12:19 | 0:12:23 | |
The next creature that I'm hoping to find is, individually, | 0:12:27 | 0:12:30 | |
one of the smallest we've ever considered for the Deadly 60. | 0:12:30 | 0:12:33 | |
And they're hard to love, | 0:12:33 | 0:12:35 | |
firstly because they're not supposed to be here at all. | 0:12:35 | 0:12:39 | |
It's the fire ant. | 0:12:41 | 0:12:45 | |
Native to South America, they were accidentally introduced to North America, | 0:12:45 | 0:12:48 | |
and now there are more HERE than there are THERE. | 0:12:48 | 0:12:52 | |
They're voracious insects, with a particularly painful sting. | 0:12:52 | 0:12:56 | |
Individually they may not look threatening, | 0:12:56 | 0:12:58 | |
but they don't operate alone. | 0:12:58 | 0:13:01 | |
Working together, they're a formidable force. | 0:13:01 | 0:13:03 | |
Fire ants really love to build their nests | 0:13:07 | 0:13:10 | |
in the kind of disturbed habitat | 0:13:10 | 0:13:12 | |
that you get alongside forest roads like this. | 0:13:12 | 0:13:15 | |
So, all we're looking out for is a little mound which is hiding | 0:13:15 | 0:13:19 | |
possibly as many as half a million little nuisances. | 0:13:19 | 0:13:23 | |
That's one right there. | 0:13:24 | 0:13:27 | |
Looks pretty good. | 0:13:28 | 0:13:30 | |
That is a very distinctive fire ant nest. | 0:13:33 | 0:13:38 | |
You can't really see much ant activity, | 0:13:38 | 0:13:42 | |
most of that's going on underground at the moment. | 0:13:42 | 0:13:44 | |
It's still early in the morning. But pretty soon, they're going to go off foraging. | 0:13:44 | 0:13:47 | |
They'll be getting all sorts of food, from sun plant matter | 0:13:47 | 0:13:51 | |
to dead and dying animals. Now, what I need to do now | 0:13:51 | 0:13:56 | |
is get some ants out. | 0:13:56 | 0:13:57 | |
OK, so as always on Deadly 60, I get stung so you don't have to. | 0:13:57 | 0:14:03 | |
I'm just going to gently disturb the fire ants' nest. | 0:14:03 | 0:14:07 | |
And almost instantly, look at that. | 0:14:09 | 0:14:13 | |
There are thousands of ants pouring out everywhere. | 0:14:14 | 0:14:17 | |
These are all females and they possess | 0:14:17 | 0:14:18 | |
a really rather unpleasant sting. | 0:14:18 | 0:14:21 | |
The venom is surprisingly strong for an animal of this size. | 0:14:21 | 0:14:24 | |
But believe it or not, I'm going to show you how it works. | 0:14:24 | 0:14:29 | |
Let's get some up on my fingers. | 0:14:29 | 0:14:31 | |
Ow! | 0:14:33 | 0:14:35 | |
Argh... Right. Frame up as quickly as you can, Richard, | 0:14:35 | 0:14:37 | |
cos that hurts like heck! | 0:14:37 | 0:14:40 | |
-Ah... -Try and stay still. -Obviously the reason they're called fire ants | 0:14:41 | 0:14:45 | |
is because the sting hurts like fire. | 0:14:45 | 0:14:49 | |
It's an incredible burning sensation | 0:14:49 | 0:14:51 | |
and the ant is essentially getting its mandibles, its mouth parts | 0:14:51 | 0:14:55 | |
stuck into my skin, then injecting its venom with its abdomen. | 0:14:55 | 0:15:00 | |
And they'll actually move around the spot where they've bitten | 0:15:00 | 0:15:04 | |
and sting many, many, many times. | 0:15:04 | 0:15:06 | |
An ant that is absolutely tiny, almost microscopic, | 0:15:06 | 0:15:10 | |
is capable of scaring away an animal that's many, many times larger. | 0:15:10 | 0:15:14 | |
Insects, reptiles, even people can be undone | 0:15:14 | 0:15:18 | |
by the multiple stings of this cooperative army. | 0:15:18 | 0:15:21 | |
Most do the sensible thing and get out the way. | 0:15:21 | 0:15:24 | |
It's a very efficient way of getting rid of a threat. | 0:15:26 | 0:15:29 | |
Efficient and incredibly painful. | 0:15:30 | 0:15:32 | |
-Have you got it yet, Rich? -Yeah, we've got it. | 0:15:34 | 0:15:37 | |
Ahhh, you little... Oh! | 0:15:37 | 0:15:41 | |
Owwww! 'And that venom really works.' | 0:15:41 | 0:15:45 | |
Obviously I think we'd all now like to go and leave this nest alone, | 0:15:45 | 0:15:50 | |
but there's one more thing that I want to do before we go. | 0:15:50 | 0:15:52 | |
Fire ants are not just good at protecting themselves, | 0:15:52 | 0:15:56 | |
they're also superb foragers, | 0:15:56 | 0:15:58 | |
and they can strip small, dead animals that are near to the nest | 0:15:58 | 0:16:01 | |
to the bone in a matter of hours. | 0:16:01 | 0:16:03 | |
So, we actually found a small dead frog nearby to here yesterday | 0:16:03 | 0:16:07 | |
and what we're going to do is leave it close to the nest, | 0:16:07 | 0:16:10 | |
and leave a camera filming it, | 0:16:10 | 0:16:12 | |
and try and see quite how quickly these fire ants can demolish it. | 0:16:12 | 0:16:16 | |
Ant societies are run through co-operation and collaboration, | 0:16:16 | 0:16:20 | |
allowing them to accomplish great things. | 0:16:20 | 0:16:23 | |
Looking at a fire ant nest at the surface, | 0:16:28 | 0:16:31 | |
it kind of looks a bit crude. I mean, it's just a mound of sand. | 0:16:31 | 0:16:34 | |
But going on down there is an unbelievably intricate ant society. | 0:16:34 | 0:16:39 | |
It's very, very hard to see, though. | 0:16:39 | 0:16:41 | |
If I was to dig down with a spade, the whole thing would just collapse. | 0:16:41 | 0:16:45 | |
But I have got a plan, | 0:16:45 | 0:16:47 | |
and it involves what's bubbling in this bin. | 0:16:47 | 0:16:52 | |
Molten metal. | 0:16:52 | 0:16:53 | |
Ant expert Walter has been studying fire ants for years | 0:16:55 | 0:16:58 | |
by making casts of the nests. | 0:16:58 | 0:17:01 | |
So what'll happen now is that the metal will start to solidify | 0:17:01 | 0:17:04 | |
and it'll form a perfect cast of the burrows. | 0:17:04 | 0:17:09 | |
And it should show us the unbelievably complex world of the ant underground. | 0:17:09 | 0:17:14 | |
After only a few minutes, | 0:17:15 | 0:17:16 | |
the metal cools down and we can start digging. | 0:17:16 | 0:17:19 | |
Oh, sorry! | 0:17:26 | 0:17:28 | |
Whoa, that was hot work. | 0:17:28 | 0:17:30 | |
We're starting to uncover a real masterpiece. | 0:17:36 | 0:17:39 | |
A little bit more chipping, some water to cool it down | 0:17:43 | 0:17:47 | |
and the cast is really beginning to take shape. | 0:17:47 | 0:17:49 | |
So we've finally revealed the twisted, contorted | 0:17:54 | 0:17:58 | |
and really rather spectacular sculpture that is a kind of | 0:17:58 | 0:18:02 | |
inside-out version of the fire ant city. | 0:18:02 | 0:18:04 | |
And there's just a fantastic array | 0:18:04 | 0:18:08 | |
of different chambers all over the place | 0:18:08 | 0:18:10 | |
and obviously these are a great place for the ants to live, | 0:18:10 | 0:18:13 | |
it's a place for the queens to lay the eggs | 0:18:13 | 0:18:16 | |
and for the young to be raised. All of that created by ants | 0:18:16 | 0:18:19 | |
whose heads are no bigger than a full stop. | 0:18:19 | 0:18:22 | |
OK, let's go and see how our time lapse is getting on. | 0:18:22 | 0:18:25 | |
Now we can speed up what we've filmed and see ants in action. | 0:18:26 | 0:18:31 | |
Right, we are ready to roll, let's have a look. | 0:18:33 | 0:18:35 | |
So there's our frog. | 0:18:37 | 0:18:39 | |
And just frenetic activity. | 0:18:39 | 0:18:43 | |
it's kind of being sucked dry from the inside-out. | 0:18:43 | 0:18:47 | |
Some of these workers are coming in and they're taking the moist parts | 0:18:47 | 0:18:51 | |
of the body from underneath the skin | 0:18:51 | 0:18:52 | |
and just reducing it to a skeleton and taut, stretched skin | 0:18:52 | 0:18:59 | |
over the top of it. | 0:18:59 | 0:19:01 | |
That is absolutely grotesque. | 0:19:01 | 0:19:05 | |
From a frog... | 0:19:07 | 0:19:08 | |
..to mummified remnants. Incredible. | 0:19:10 | 0:19:14 | |
And that's why the fire ant has got to go on my list. | 0:19:14 | 0:19:18 | |
With a burning sting they can employ over and over again, | 0:19:21 | 0:19:25 | |
working as a tenacious team | 0:19:25 | 0:19:28 | |
to collectively strip a carcass within hours. | 0:19:28 | 0:19:32 | |
Complex, co-ordinated, prolific and... | 0:19:32 | 0:19:36 | |
It's a little after nightfall and we're on the trail | 0:19:39 | 0:19:42 | |
of a surprisingly numerous but nonetheless almost never-seen | 0:19:42 | 0:19:47 | |
North American predator. It's the bobcat. | 0:19:47 | 0:19:50 | |
They're classic wild cats, stealthy with big eyes, pointed canine teeth | 0:19:52 | 0:19:57 | |
and bags of attitude. | 0:19:57 | 0:19:58 | |
Using camouflage and cunning, these fierce feline stalks their prey | 0:19:58 | 0:20:03 | |
then ambush it with a burst of speed, | 0:20:03 | 0:20:05 | |
delivering a death blow with a leaping pounce | 0:20:05 | 0:20:08 | |
that can cover three metres. | 0:20:08 | 0:20:10 | |
They can take down prey that's much bigger than they are | 0:20:11 | 0:20:15 | |
and are known to tackle as many as 40 different species of animal. | 0:20:15 | 0:20:18 | |
To stand any chance of seeing one, | 0:20:22 | 0:20:24 | |
we're enlisting some deadly technology. | 0:20:24 | 0:20:27 | |
Local wildlife biologists have fitted radio collars | 0:20:27 | 0:20:30 | |
to some of the resident bobcats. | 0:20:30 | 0:20:32 | |
Our antenna should help us to zero in on their location. | 0:20:32 | 0:20:36 | |
And once we get close, we've got one more trick up our sleeve. | 0:20:36 | 0:20:40 | |
Thanks for that, Jim. This is a thermal imaging camera. | 0:20:40 | 0:20:46 | |
They were originally designed by the military | 0:20:46 | 0:20:48 | |
and they see in a completely different way to other cameras. | 0:20:48 | 0:20:51 | |
What this actually does is picks up warmth. | 0:20:51 | 0:20:55 | |
So, at the moment you can see Richard my cameraman. | 0:20:55 | 0:21:00 | |
Thanks, Richard. | 0:21:00 | 0:21:02 | |
Simon the sound man. | 0:21:02 | 0:21:05 | |
Hopefully the radio telemetry will get us close, | 0:21:05 | 0:21:08 | |
and then this should get us a really good view of our bobcat. | 0:21:08 | 0:21:11 | |
Bobcats have keen senses, | 0:21:14 | 0:21:16 | |
so it's important to move slowly and quietly. | 0:21:16 | 0:21:19 | |
-WHISPERS: -It seems like she's just down here, | 0:21:24 | 0:21:27 | |
so we're going to turn all our lights off | 0:21:27 | 0:21:29 | |
and wander down as quietly and discreetly as we possibly can, | 0:21:29 | 0:21:32 | |
see if we can get a shot. So, lights off, everyone. | 0:21:32 | 0:21:35 | |
Using the thermal imaging camera, | 0:21:38 | 0:21:41 | |
we can see warm-blooded animals moving in the dark. | 0:21:41 | 0:21:44 | |
This, plus the radio tracking equipment, should give us the edge. | 0:21:44 | 0:21:49 | |
Nooo! | 0:21:49 | 0:21:51 | |
I've got my first glowing gremlin in the dark, | 0:21:51 | 0:21:56 | |
which is unmistakably feline. | 0:21:56 | 0:21:59 | |
It's our bobcat. | 0:22:00 | 0:22:02 | |
She's just turning her head at the moment, | 0:22:02 | 0:22:06 | |
keeping a very, very close eye on me. | 0:22:06 | 0:22:08 | |
Can't be any more than about ten or maybe fifteen metres ahead of me. | 0:22:08 | 0:22:13 | |
She's being very, very alert. | 0:22:13 | 0:22:16 | |
Certainly completely aware of us and everything we're doing. | 0:22:16 | 0:22:21 | |
No matter how cautiously we move, the cat is just one step ahead. | 0:22:22 | 0:22:26 | |
They're so sly | 0:22:28 | 0:22:29 | |
that they're just managing to be elusive for this evening. | 0:22:29 | 0:22:33 | |
I think our best chance actually of seeing this cat in all its majesty | 0:22:33 | 0:22:37 | |
is to come back tomorrow, | 0:22:37 | 0:22:38 | |
because Jim here has a very special plan for us. | 0:22:38 | 0:22:42 | |
Jim and his assistant are hoping to fit a collar to another cat. | 0:22:48 | 0:22:51 | |
So they've laid out around 20 bobcat traps overnight. | 0:22:53 | 0:22:57 | |
If they've managed to capture one, we're going to help | 0:22:57 | 0:22:59 | |
with the collaring process. | 0:22:59 | 0:23:01 | |
Fingers crossed that this top cat has been prowling these dunes. | 0:23:03 | 0:23:08 | |
This is a fairly old and dusty bobcat scat. | 0:23:10 | 0:23:13 | |
It's full of mammal hair | 0:23:13 | 0:23:17 | |
and that is a very decisive image | 0:23:17 | 0:23:21 | |
of what this cat's been feeding on, | 0:23:21 | 0:23:23 | |
because those are the incisors of a rat. | 0:23:23 | 0:23:26 | |
Good sized rodents are going to be a really good portion of the diet | 0:23:26 | 0:23:30 | |
of the bobcats here amongst the dunes. | 0:23:30 | 0:23:33 | |
Right, time to check the traps. | 0:23:34 | 0:23:36 | |
We've got one right here. | 0:23:36 | 0:23:40 | |
No more than a few metres in front of us, | 0:23:40 | 0:23:43 | |
and you can barely see the trap, | 0:23:43 | 0:23:45 | |
but there is the very distinctive, very beautiful face | 0:23:45 | 0:23:49 | |
of a bobcat... | 0:23:49 | 0:23:52 | |
staring back at us from the shadows. | 0:23:52 | 0:23:54 | |
Great stuff, Jim. Right, what's our next move? | 0:23:54 | 0:23:58 | |
So, we're going to go in and... | 0:23:58 | 0:23:59 | |
'The scientists need to give the cat a sedative injection | 0:23:59 | 0:24:02 | |
'that will put it to sleep. | 0:24:02 | 0:24:04 | |
'Then they'll be able to do their work and fit the collar.' | 0:24:04 | 0:24:07 | |
BOBCAT SNARLS | 0:24:07 | 0:24:08 | |
'He's feisty and fierce. He may look a bit like a domestic cat, | 0:24:08 | 0:24:11 | |
'but you can see there's no resemblance in attitude. He's truly wild. | 0:24:11 | 0:24:16 | |
'The sedative is in. We just have to give it some time to take effect. | 0:24:17 | 0:24:23 | |
'In the meantime, | 0:24:23 | 0:24:24 | |
'the scientists take down details and prepare the equipment | 0:24:24 | 0:24:27 | |
'before we head back in.' | 0:24:27 | 0:24:29 | |
Well, he is good and asleep. | 0:24:30 | 0:24:33 | |
So... | 0:24:39 | 0:24:41 | |
This cat is essentially in exactly the same condition | 0:24:41 | 0:24:45 | |
that you or I would be in if we had an operation and were given | 0:24:45 | 0:24:48 | |
a general anaesthetic. | 0:24:48 | 0:24:49 | |
Once it's given the drug to wake it up, it will be none the wiser, | 0:24:49 | 0:24:53 | |
maybe a little bit groggy. | 0:24:53 | 0:24:55 | |
But this is a unique opportunity to see this cat up close. | 0:24:55 | 0:24:59 | |
This is what gives it its common name, the bobcat. | 0:25:00 | 0:25:04 | |
The tail is very, very short and isn't going to get in the way | 0:25:04 | 0:25:09 | |
while it's charging through all of this scrubby vegetation. | 0:25:09 | 0:25:12 | |
So, I guess it's probably about three times the size | 0:25:12 | 0:25:16 | |
of a domestic cat, and a domestic cat by itself | 0:25:16 | 0:25:19 | |
is a pretty formidable predator. | 0:25:19 | 0:25:22 | |
They're capable of taking down mostly rabbits and hares | 0:25:22 | 0:25:25 | |
would be a lot of their diet, plus rodents. | 0:25:25 | 0:25:27 | |
RODENTS SQUEAK | 0:25:27 | 0:25:29 | |
But they can take down deer fawns and even fully-grown adults | 0:25:29 | 0:25:34 | |
if they're not especially big. | 0:25:34 | 0:25:35 | |
Like all cats, from your village tabby to a Bengal tiger, | 0:25:35 | 0:25:39 | |
he's built for the kill. | 0:25:39 | 0:25:41 | |
OK, that's just the nerves twitching. He's fine. | 0:25:41 | 0:25:46 | |
'The claws are sheathed to keep them sharp. | 0:25:49 | 0:25:51 | |
'They lend traction when climbing or can tear through hide | 0:25:51 | 0:25:54 | |
'or catch a hold of prey. But the killing blow is delivered by these.' | 0:25:54 | 0:25:58 | |
Like all felines, it does have remarkable teeth. | 0:26:00 | 0:26:06 | |
These canines are long, thin, sharp, | 0:26:06 | 0:26:09 | |
fabulous for delivering a killer bite, | 0:26:09 | 0:26:11 | |
and then meat will be chewed down with these stouter carnassials | 0:26:11 | 0:26:17 | |
or cheek teeth back here towards the rear of the mouth, | 0:26:17 | 0:26:20 | |
where there's more pressure can be exerted. | 0:26:20 | 0:26:22 | |
It really is a formidable set of gnashers. | 0:26:22 | 0:26:27 | |
'No rabbit or rat is safe from the bobcat's bite. | 0:26:28 | 0:26:31 | |
'Once the collar's on, he's given an injection to bring him round | 0:26:32 | 0:26:35 | |
'and ten minutes later, he's ready to go. | 0:26:35 | 0:26:38 | |
'They're famed for their impressive speed, so I've got a speed gun | 0:26:38 | 0:26:42 | |
'to try and measure how fast he goes when he leaves the cage.' | 0:26:42 | 0:26:46 | |
You good, Simon? OK, Jim. | 0:26:47 | 0:26:50 | |
STEVE SNICKERS | 0:26:56 | 0:26:58 | |
Well, I didn't really need the speed gun! | 0:27:01 | 0:27:04 | |
THEY LAUGH | 0:27:04 | 0:27:06 | |
They do that a lot! | 0:27:06 | 0:27:08 | |
Um... He was kind of relaxed, it has to be said. | 0:27:08 | 0:27:11 | |
But I guess at least that shows that this cat has confidence. | 0:27:11 | 0:27:14 | |
He's got attitude, he's got swagger | 0:27:14 | 0:27:16 | |
and he's on the Deadly 60. | 0:27:16 | 0:27:19 | |
These stealthy, camouflaged cats are hardly ever spotted. | 0:27:20 | 0:27:24 | |
They're capable of sizzling speed | 0:27:24 | 0:27:26 | |
and can cover three metres in a pounce. | 0:27:26 | 0:27:29 | |
And they can bring down prey much larger than THEY are. | 0:27:29 | 0:27:33 | |
These fierce, fleeting felines are on the list. | 0:27:33 | 0:27:37 | |
Join me next time as I continue my search for the Deadly 60. | 0:27:40 | 0:27:44 | |
Wow! Fantastic. | 0:27:46 | 0:27:50 | |
Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd | 0:28:00 | 0:28:03 |