0:00:02 > 0:00:04My name's Steve Backshall.
0:00:04 > 0:00:05Woo-oo!
0:00:05 > 0:00:10And 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.
0:00:35 > 0:00:36Hello!
0:00:39 > 0:00:40We're back in Africa.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43It's a continent that always delivers for Deadly 60
0:00:43 > 0:00:45cos it's packed with dazzling wildlife.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48But this time, we're in a new country, Ethiopia.
0:00:48 > 0:00:52'Ethiopia is in eastern Africa, a wonderland of lush mountains,
0:00:52 > 0:00:55'deserts and the legendary Rift Valley.'
0:00:55 > 0:00:58I've never been here before. There's bound to be surprises,
0:00:58 > 0:01:02but I can promise you, it's going to be a very interesting ride.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09'One of Deadly 60's favourite destinations is Africa.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11'There are more large carnivores
0:01:11 > 0:01:15'and veggie mega beasts here than anywhere else on earth.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18'We'll be travelling to the far-flung corners of Ethiopia.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22'Up in the mountains looking for the rarest wolf on earth.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25'But our search starts with an animal that has
0:01:25 > 0:01:30'one of the worst reputations in Africa, the spotted hyena.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33'Normally found living alongside lions, wildebeest and zebra,
0:01:33 > 0:01:38'here in Ethiopia, there's one place where you can come uncommonly close,
0:01:38 > 0:01:42'and it's right in the middle of a bustling town.'
0:01:42 > 0:01:45This hustling, bustling morass of people is Harar town,
0:01:45 > 0:01:48and this is the market. You'd have to say that somewhere like this,
0:01:48 > 0:01:52where there are so many people living shoulder to shoulder,
0:01:52 > 0:01:55would have to be one of the worst places on earth to come into contact
0:01:55 > 0:01:57with a shy, elusive, cunning animal like the spotted hyena.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59But for several hundred years,
0:01:59 > 0:02:01these animals have been encountering people
0:02:01 > 0:02:03right inside the gates of the city.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07'Traditionally, the people of Harar fed the hyena,
0:02:07 > 0:02:10'believing they'd rid the town of evil spirits,
0:02:10 > 0:02:15'and today, the hyenas are still fed every night.'
0:02:15 > 0:02:17Somewhere round here,
0:02:17 > 0:02:21there's a butcher who's got meat for sale, and that's what we need
0:02:21 > 0:02:24if we're going to stand any chance of getting up close to our hyenas.
0:02:24 > 0:02:29And these birds here are a pretty good sign
0:02:29 > 0:02:31that the butcher is somewhere round here.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35These are kites. Wow! How about that?!
0:02:35 > 0:02:38That's amazing!
0:02:38 > 0:02:42These birds are scavengers, and I'm guessing that they're waiting
0:02:42 > 0:02:45for a feast, so the shop is around here somewhere.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48Ah! That'll be the butcher's, then.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53Hello, hello. Yes.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56Hyenas? Gr-r-r!
0:02:57 > 0:03:01'A few tasty meat scraps should be enough to entice them.'
0:03:01 > 0:03:02It's time to find a hyena,
0:03:02 > 0:03:05but we're going to have to wait till it gets dark.
0:03:10 > 0:03:14'These images of manic, excited hyenas caked in blood are classic,
0:03:14 > 0:03:17'but spotted hyenas are not just scavengers.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20'They're muscular, packed predators that can weigh as much
0:03:20 > 0:03:22'as an adult human.
0:03:22 > 0:03:26'Hyenas will keep an eye out for prime predators who've made a kill,
0:03:26 > 0:03:31'and will think nothing of chasing a cheetah away from their prey.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34'They'll certainly see off a leopard,
0:03:34 > 0:03:36'and even drive lions off their kill.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42'So, the thought of coming nose-to-nose with one
0:03:42 > 0:03:44'goes against all of my instincts.'
0:03:46 > 0:03:49This is Yusuf. He's been feeding hyenas here for about 17 years,
0:03:49 > 0:03:52and his family for many generations before that.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54We're sat just outside his house
0:03:54 > 0:03:58and the walls of the city are maybe 15, 20 metres behind me.
0:03:58 > 0:04:03And when he wants to call the hyenas in, all he does is whistle.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06HE WHISTLES Kuti! Ipsa!
0:04:06 > 0:04:08Bouki! Ipsa!
0:04:10 > 0:04:15OK, we've got our first shape lumbering out of the darkness now.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17Graham, over there. Just here.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19Bouki!
0:04:19 > 0:04:21Oh, my life!
0:04:23 > 0:04:26Err...OK, I wasn't expecting that.
0:04:26 > 0:04:30- That was rather quicker than I expected.- Kuti!
0:04:30 > 0:04:31Juggie!
0:04:32 > 0:04:36This is totally freakish.
0:04:38 > 0:04:42This goes against everything I've ever learned about spotted hyenas.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45This is a totally wild animal,
0:04:45 > 0:04:49and it's just come up to us like a puppy dog.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51No warning whatsoever.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53And this is one of the most feared,
0:04:53 > 0:04:58in some cases, despised animals in Africa.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04'They may look like mangy dogs, but are in their own group
0:05:04 > 0:05:07'and are not closely related to dogs at all.'
0:05:07 > 0:05:08I can just see, off in the darkness now,
0:05:08 > 0:05:11there's a couple more shapes loping towards us.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16Oh, my goodness!
0:05:16 > 0:05:19Eya! Ege! Ege!
0:05:19 > 0:05:22Look at the size of this one!
0:05:24 > 0:05:26Now that's a much more threatening looking animal.
0:05:26 > 0:05:31Look how broad the head is. Really frightening looking.
0:05:31 > 0:05:36It's not surprising that these animals have inspired so much fear.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40Though hyenas have a reputation for being scavengers,
0:05:40 > 0:05:43it is an animal that is without doubt a predator,
0:05:43 > 0:05:46and exceptionally capable at catching animals
0:05:46 > 0:05:49as large as antelope, perhaps even wildebeest.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53'Hyenas have a voracious appetite.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56'They can eat a third of their body weight in one go,
0:05:56 > 0:06:00'and can chase down prey at over 30mph to make a kill.'
0:06:02 > 0:06:06'Working together, they're also extremely intelligent pack animals.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09'So if one rampaging hyena isn't lethal enough,
0:06:09 > 0:06:13'a whole bunch of their pals will soon be on hand to help out.'
0:06:20 > 0:06:23'Their primary food source is carrion, dead meat,
0:06:23 > 0:06:26'and their jaws are built to crush through bone.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29'They may have the most powerful jaws of any mammal.
0:06:29 > 0:06:33'These terrible teeth can be used to formidable effect when hunting.'
0:06:36 > 0:06:40Being as the hyenas are being so cooperative in our presence,
0:06:40 > 0:06:44there's something I'd love to try. This is a bite test gauge.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48It's essentially a pressure gauge, and if you bite on it here...
0:06:51 > 0:06:54..then the pressure registers there.
0:06:54 > 0:07:00So I came up at just under 200 pounds per square inch.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02I think what I'm going to do is cover this in meat
0:07:02 > 0:07:05and see if we can get the hyenas to bite it,
0:07:05 > 0:07:08cos I'm guessing it's going to be a lot higher than that.
0:07:08 > 0:07:13'And hopefully, they won't be put off by the rotting meat stench.'
0:07:13 > 0:07:16Go on, go on.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20He's interested. Go on.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25Now...no, no, no, it's good, it's good.
0:07:26 > 0:07:31Aww, here's a more brutal looking one.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36Oh, Lordy!
0:07:37 > 0:07:40OK. It was just a little snap.
0:07:41 > 0:07:47And that registered four times my bite force pressure.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49In one little grab.
0:07:49 > 0:07:54And that certainly wasn't in any way attempted to crush bone.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00'This female hyena gave the bite gauge no more than a nibble.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04'Just the mere suggestion of what they're capable of.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07'The broad muzzle and stout cheek teeth
0:08:07 > 0:08:10'exert an almost unfathomable force.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14'They can crunch through hide, horn and even bone.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18'Bite force alone makes them 100% certs for my list.'
0:08:23 > 0:08:27This whole hyena physique is very much about
0:08:27 > 0:08:31being able to make best use of those jaws.
0:08:31 > 0:08:36So the front legs are much larger than the back ones. Bigger paws.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39And it can use those to provide an enormous amount
0:08:39 > 0:08:42of backwards leverage to bring those jaws into play.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47Very strong muscles here at the neck as well,
0:08:47 > 0:08:50which mean that it can wrench its head from side to side,
0:08:50 > 0:08:54and just tear great chunks of meat out of the carcass.
0:09:01 > 0:09:06Ah, that yawn really showed off those teeth.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13I just can't get used to this at all.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17Can you imagine any other situation where you could come nose-to-nose
0:09:17 > 0:09:21with a predator this powerful...
0:09:21 > 0:09:23and not get savaged?
0:09:26 > 0:09:29He's just got his nose in the trough!
0:09:29 > 0:09:31This is a bit much for me, I have to say.
0:09:38 > 0:09:40Amaria!
0:09:40 > 0:09:46Spotted hyenas are animals that can drive lions away from their prey,
0:09:46 > 0:09:49with one of the strongest jaws in the whole animal kingdom.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53Listen to that crunching.
0:09:55 > 0:10:00And that sound is why spotted hyenas have to go on the Deadly 60.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06'With cooperation and teamwork, they're a potent pack predator.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10'Pound for pound, they're one of the most powerful mammals.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13'With a dynamite bite, crunching bone, hide and horn.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19'Spotted hyenas are without doubt deadly!
0:10:22 > 0:10:25'Our main destination in Ethiopia is the Bale Mountains.
0:10:25 > 0:10:30'But before we head high, I'm seeking out some wetland wonders.'
0:10:32 > 0:10:37'Cos where there's water, there's wildlife.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39'First up, an old Deadly favourite.'
0:10:39 > 0:10:42Oh, my goodness. He's just there!
0:10:42 > 0:10:45'The African fish eagle.'
0:10:46 > 0:10:49It's an adult in its full black and white plumage.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51They have superb eyesight,
0:10:51 > 0:10:54so I'm hoping that he'll fix on this fish...
0:10:59 > 0:11:02He's coming straight for us!
0:11:03 > 0:11:05Ye-e-es!
0:11:10 > 0:11:13Go on, go on, go for it! Go, go, go!
0:11:13 > 0:11:15Ye-e-e-e-es!
0:11:17 > 0:11:20How good was that?! Yes!
0:11:20 > 0:11:22'Not a bad start! Contender number one,
0:11:22 > 0:11:25'one of Africa's most dramatic birds of prey.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28'Let's see what else we can find.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31'At the lake shore lurks the avian equivalent of a hyena.
0:11:31 > 0:11:36'Hanging out with the local fishermen, looking for a free meal.
0:11:36 > 0:11:37'And as the fishermen bring in their catch,
0:11:37 > 0:11:40'the Marabou stork makes an appearance.'
0:11:44 > 0:11:46Wingspan is absolutely huge!
0:11:50 > 0:11:53They are grim looking!
0:11:53 > 0:11:55Very much like a vulture.
0:11:55 > 0:12:00The head and the neck is bald of feathers, which means that
0:12:00 > 0:12:03if they're scavenging on a carcass, they can get the head
0:12:03 > 0:12:07right down inside it without risking sullying their feathers with blood.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11The way they move forward with their head bobbing
0:12:11 > 0:12:15and then finally stab with the beak, it really is incredibly sinister.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18But although it has to be said that the majority of their diet
0:12:18 > 0:12:22is made up of carrion and it is scavenging,
0:12:22 > 0:12:25they are actually fearsome predators. Have a look at this.
0:12:25 > 0:12:29'Marabou storks will eat anything.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31'Dead or alive.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33'With a meat cleaver of a beak, these birds have
0:12:33 > 0:12:38'a frightening array of foods, from baby birds to mammals
0:12:38 > 0:12:42'and back to birds again.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45'Even an animal lover like me has to admit, they're a bit grim!'
0:12:45 > 0:12:50Well, there's no doubting they are one of the ugliest creatures
0:12:50 > 0:12:53we've ever featured on the Deadly 60.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57And even though they're quite lazy, and mostly scavenge their food,
0:12:57 > 0:13:01they're still capable of being deadly.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04'Contender number two, but what else is around?'
0:13:04 > 0:13:06Look at that!
0:13:06 > 0:13:07I don't believe it!
0:13:08 > 0:13:13'Well how's about one of nature's finest feathered fishermen?'
0:13:13 > 0:13:16This is absolutely unbelievable!
0:13:16 > 0:13:20Just about ten metres ahead of me is a rather beautiful bird.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22It's a pied kingfisher. And he's sat,
0:13:22 > 0:13:24just looking down into the water.
0:13:24 > 0:13:28In fact, there's two more just over there as well.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32Yes!
0:13:34 > 0:13:36And again!
0:13:36 > 0:13:38Quite often people... He's just gone and done it again!
0:13:38 > 0:13:43This is amazing! Absolutely amazing!
0:13:43 > 0:13:46Almost every time, it's coming up with something,
0:13:46 > 0:13:50usually very, very small fish, possibly even shellfish,
0:13:50 > 0:13:53but the success ratio is extraordinary.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59Did you get that?
0:13:59 > 0:14:01Came back to exactly the same spot.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06Will it do that again for us?
0:14:06 > 0:14:09Yes! Right on cue!
0:14:14 > 0:14:17The word "pied," when you're referring to an animal,
0:14:17 > 0:14:20means black and white, or at least very dark colours and white,
0:14:20 > 0:14:22and these kingfishers are no exception.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24They really have very striking colours,
0:14:24 > 0:14:27but very unusual in that the way they hunt
0:14:27 > 0:14:30is by hovering above the water, very much like a kestrel.
0:14:30 > 0:14:34These ones here, though, because the water's quite murky and shallow,
0:14:34 > 0:14:37they're taking advantage of these wonderful small shrubs
0:14:37 > 0:14:40around the edge of the lake, and just perching,
0:14:40 > 0:14:42waiting to see if anything pops up.
0:14:44 > 0:14:46This lethal winged missile is a precision hunter.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52'The pied kingfisher uses helicopter-style hovering
0:14:52 > 0:14:53'to scan for fish.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56'The head locks onto its target
0:14:56 > 0:15:00'before it plummets into the water with pinpoint accuracy.'
0:15:04 > 0:15:07People think I'm weird for thinking about putting birds,
0:15:07 > 0:15:09particularly small birds onto the Deadly 60,
0:15:09 > 0:15:12but actually, the hunting technique that's going on here
0:15:12 > 0:15:16is as extraordinary as anything you'll find from a large predator.
0:15:16 > 0:15:21I mean, it's having to judge distance down in murky brown water,
0:15:21 > 0:15:26and come up with what is a slithery, slimy, moving prey item,
0:15:26 > 0:15:29and it's doing it again there with amazing amounts of success!
0:15:31 > 0:15:34'The beautiful pied kingfisher.'
0:15:34 > 0:15:37Which really is the king of all fishers.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40It's genuinely surprised, and I think, charmed all of us.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46'Take nothing away from the Marabou or the fish eagle,
0:15:46 > 0:15:49'but the pied kingfisher is so refined, so sophisticated.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53'Today, it gets my vote.'
0:15:55 > 0:15:57'The pied kingfisher,
0:15:57 > 0:15:59'a lethal hovering harpoon.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02'Plummeting out of the sky with pinpoint accuracy,
0:16:02 > 0:16:05'and snatching fish from under the surface of the water.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09'It won us over with its sublime skills.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12'Pied kingfisher, definitely deadly.'
0:16:13 > 0:16:15'The mountains of Ethiopia are home
0:16:15 > 0:16:18'to many animals found nowhere else on earth.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22'Animals such as the incredibly rare Ethiopian or Abyssinian wolf.'
0:16:22 > 0:16:25'So rare, in fact, that I had very little chance
0:16:25 > 0:16:29'of actually seeing one. Instead, I've pinned my hopes on finding
0:16:29 > 0:16:33'one of the most spectacular primates on the planet,
0:16:33 > 0:16:35'the Gelada baboon.'
0:16:37 > 0:16:40This is stunning!
0:16:40 > 0:16:44We've come up to about 3,500 metres above sea level,
0:16:44 > 0:16:46and it's starting to get a little chilly.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49The views are worth it, though.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56'Geladas live unusually high up for a primate.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58'Protected from the cold by a thick woolly coat,
0:16:58 > 0:17:01'they graze on grass found on the lush mountain pastures.
0:17:02 > 0:17:06'But what is a grass-munching monkey doing on Deadly 60?
0:17:06 > 0:17:10'Well, it's because of these! Geladas are the owners
0:17:10 > 0:17:14'of the most ferocious-looking set of canines on the primate planet.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17'Flashing their gnashers as they strut about,
0:17:17 > 0:17:19'they're surprisingly intimidating.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22GELADAS SCREECH
0:17:23 > 0:17:26'Geladas live in large groups of as many as 700 animals,
0:17:26 > 0:17:29'and leave plenty of signs to track them by.'
0:17:31 > 0:17:35Somewhere out there in those mountains is our next deadly animal.
0:17:35 > 0:17:39I think, though, to find it, we'll need quite a lot of legwork.
0:17:41 > 0:17:43Well, this is just wonderful.
0:17:44 > 0:17:50Well, that is the droppings of the animal we're looking for.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53This is quite fresh, too. It's still quite sticky.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59Ooh, very strong smelling. We're getting closer.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02Now, this should be a good outlook.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06Got them!
0:18:06 > 0:18:09Yes! Just down below us.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11Steve, quick! Look at this!
0:18:11 > 0:18:14Whoa! Look at that!
0:18:14 > 0:18:16They can certainly move.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19It's incredible how fast they run over this terrain.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23It's rocky, it's uneven, very steep, but they just sprint over it,
0:18:23 > 0:18:28must be going, I would think, between 25 and 30mph.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33Look how close we're getting.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38This is extraordinary.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42Look at them all. They're just standing there,
0:18:42 > 0:18:45and they're not at all fussed.
0:18:45 > 0:18:50I guess they kind of know that on these hillsides, they rule.
0:18:55 > 0:19:00Now, almost all of the animals that we feature on Deadly 60
0:19:00 > 0:19:02are carnivores, they're predators, they eat meat.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05But very occasionally, you find a herbivore,
0:19:05 > 0:19:09an animal that feeds on vegetable matter, worthy of consideration,
0:19:09 > 0:19:12and I think the Gelada is just such an animal.
0:19:12 > 0:19:17Now, looking at the teeth of the Gelada,
0:19:17 > 0:19:20they just seem completely pointless for munching grass.
0:19:20 > 0:19:24I mean, it's got canine teeth that would equal those of a lion.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26So, obviously, they're not being used to munch down grass,
0:19:26 > 0:19:29they're used for a totally different purpose.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33'And that purpose is defence.
0:19:33 > 0:19:37'Geladas have many potential predators,
0:19:37 > 0:19:43'including birds of prey, hyena, jackals and even leopards.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48'The usual response is to flee to the nearby cliffs for safety.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50'But if they have to, males can confront threats
0:19:50 > 0:19:54'with heroic aggression and those teeth.'
0:20:03 > 0:20:09Geladas band together in the largest troops of any primate.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14They can have well over 100 individuals all together,
0:20:14 > 0:20:19feeding together, and that has the advantage of many, many eyes
0:20:19 > 0:20:22looking out for the presence of predators.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25'But these Gelada don't just have to defend themselves
0:20:25 > 0:20:27'from leopards, jackals and hyenas.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30'They've also got to defend themselves from each other.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33'Terrifying fights often break out between the top males
0:20:33 > 0:20:35'in disputes over females.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45'The heavy mane of hair deflects many bites,
0:20:45 > 0:20:49'but those teeth can easily deliver a lethal injury.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56'The troop watches on as the two males do battle.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00'Although the fights are rarely fatal, there's much at stake,
0:21:00 > 0:21:02'as the winner gets to look over his own group of females,
0:21:02 > 0:21:06'called a harem, and earns the right to have a family of his own.'
0:21:15 > 0:21:19Oh, that is so impressive.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22When a male Gelada yawns like that,
0:21:22 > 0:21:24it's not because they're tired or bored.
0:21:24 > 0:21:28They're showing off those teeth, and he's showing them off to me.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32He's letting me know that he's not to be trifled with.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35It's just an expression of how dangerous he can be.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37He's showing off his most potent weapons.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45Oh, wow! I've never seen anything quite like that in my life.
0:21:45 > 0:21:50He just did the most extraordinary jump-for-joy gesture, teeth bared.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53He's certainly got attitude, this one.
0:21:55 > 0:22:01Gelada baboons may be herbivores, but they have the swagger,
0:22:01 > 0:22:02the attitude, the arrogance...
0:22:05 > 0:22:09..and those teeth. They've got to put them on the Deadly 60.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14'The Gelada baboon, a fast, fearless, agile primate,
0:22:14 > 0:22:17'armed with a formidable set of canine teeth,
0:22:17 > 0:22:22'and brave enough to defend itself against leopard and hyena.
0:22:23 > 0:22:28'Strutting, brave, bold, perhaps a bit cocky. Deadly.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35'To find myself such a massive troop of Geladas
0:22:35 > 0:22:37'was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
0:22:37 > 0:22:42'And just when I think Ethiopia can't get any better...'
0:22:42 > 0:22:45That's it! That's it, that's it, that's it.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50OK, come on, guys. Get out very, very quietly.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59This is unbelievable.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04The hillside here is covered in Gelada baboons,
0:23:04 > 0:23:07and heading off, right through the middle of them,
0:23:07 > 0:23:11up through that valley is an Ethiopian wolf.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16The rarest...it's heading up that way.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19Get the sticks and get the shot, first.
0:23:19 > 0:23:23- Can you see him there, Gra? You've got him in shot.- Where is he?
0:23:24 > 0:23:27I don't know what to say about this, really.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31I mean, wolves are my favourite animal in the whole world,
0:23:31 > 0:23:34and this is the rarest member of the dog family
0:23:34 > 0:23:36found on the whole planet.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40There's anywhere from 200 to 500 individuals left in the wild.
0:23:40 > 0:23:44This really is one of the most privileged sights
0:23:44 > 0:23:47you can have in wildlife. In the whole world.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52When he sees something, he stops dead,
0:23:52 > 0:23:57and then just goes into stealth mode, moving really, really slowly.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01There's definitely something in front of him.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03'We watch in wonder as the wolf stiffens,
0:24:03 > 0:24:06'obviously priming his muscles to pounce,
0:24:06 > 0:24:09'and then leaps forward!
0:24:11 > 0:24:14'He's obviously caught something, but what is it?'
0:24:14 > 0:24:19- Caught a mole rat, I think... - No! No!
0:24:19 > 0:24:23'Not only are we watching one of just 500 Ethiopian wolves
0:24:23 > 0:24:28'left in the wild, but it's hunting right in front of our eyes.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34'These nimble canids use stealth to creep up on unsuspecting prey.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38'Ultra-sensitive hearing helps them hone in on the tiniest sounds
0:24:38 > 0:24:40'and lightning-quick reactions enable them
0:24:40 > 0:24:43'to snatch up unwary rodents.'
0:24:43 > 0:24:47'It's completely different to the pack-hunting grey wolf.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51'Though Ethiopian wolves may live in groups, they hunt alone.'
0:24:51 > 0:24:53That's a great idea.
0:24:53 > 0:24:57So, Sab, Sabman, our fixer, has just suggested that we drive around,
0:24:57 > 0:24:59up above it, and try and look down towards it.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02I think that's a really good idea.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05'We're keeping our distance so as not to interfere with its hunting,
0:25:05 > 0:25:09'but getting above the wolf may get us a better shot.'
0:25:09 > 0:25:12- Who spotted it?- Err, Maggie.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15We saw it quite at the same time, actually.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24This is the most exciting thing about this job,
0:25:24 > 0:25:27is when something really unexpected happens
0:25:27 > 0:25:30and everything goes loopy as we go dashing off to try and find it.
0:25:30 > 0:25:35As my crew all sat in the back expectantly. Look at this.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38All squashed in.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40All off to go and find an Ethiopian wolf.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53- Going left.- He's coming across.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56It's just standing there watching us.
0:25:57 > 0:26:03OK, guys...slowly as we can, though, sticking close to the car.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06Shoot across the top of the bonnet. Come, come, come.
0:26:09 > 0:26:10Keep coming, Gra. Keep coming.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16Oh, he's off. He's running down there, look.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22He's looking at us very, very closely.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26He's run down into that dip.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30OK, so he can't see us for the moment. He's going up the hill.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33Such a distinctive, striking-looking animal.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38'They're certainly beautiful, but don't let that fool you.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40'Their small, light build helps them hug the ground
0:26:40 > 0:26:43'while stalking their prey, and those long, powerful legs
0:26:43 > 0:26:46'shoot them forwards so their snout can snatch unsuspecting rodents
0:26:46 > 0:26:48'from their burrows.'
0:26:56 > 0:26:59The Abyssinian wolf, probably the rarest animal we'll ever encounter
0:26:59 > 0:27:03on Deadly 60, and I think, one of the most special
0:27:03 > 0:27:06and definitely, definitely going on my list.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12'The hearing and eyesight
0:27:12 > 0:27:13'are highly developed.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16'Creeping up on prey, then killing
0:27:16 > 0:27:18'with a decisive pounce.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20'Their narrow muzzle is superb
0:27:20 > 0:27:22'for despatching rodents.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25'One of the most special wild encounters of my life,
0:27:25 > 0:27:27'and without doubt deadly.'
0:27:30 > 0:27:34'Join me next time as I continue my search for the Deadly 60!'
0:27:34 > 0:27:36Awesome! Absolutely awesome!
0:27:42 > 0:27:45Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd