0:00:02 > 0:00:05My name's Steve Backshall.
0:00:05 > 0:00:07And this is my search...
0:00:07 > 0:00:10for 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 > 0:00:20My crew and I are travelling the planet -
0:00:20 > 0:00:22and you're coming with me - every step of the way.
0:00:31 > 0:00:32Deadly 60 takes us
0:00:32 > 0:00:35on grand journeys into the unknown in search of wildlife.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38Let's go to the front of the boat, front of the boat!
0:00:38 > 0:00:41Here we go!
0:00:41 > 0:00:46We often travel to the most remote locations, scouring the wilderness.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50Oh, wow. The size of that!
0:00:50 > 0:00:54But sometimes the animals are much closer than you might think.
0:00:54 > 0:00:59In today's towns and cities, human beings are not the only residents.
0:00:59 > 0:01:00As we expand
0:01:00 > 0:01:02into the natural environment with our buildings
0:01:02 > 0:01:04and our cars, we're pushing the animals out,
0:01:04 > 0:01:08but more and more often the animals are choosing to move back in.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10They're becoming our deadly neighbours.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16Deadly neighbours are adaptable animals that have learnt
0:01:16 > 0:01:19to thrive in the urban environment.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21They're smart, cunning,
0:01:21 > 0:01:23resilient,
0:01:23 > 0:01:25even cheeky.
0:01:27 > 0:01:32Sometimes we're glad to live alongside them,
0:01:32 > 0:01:34sometimes they're less welcome.
0:01:34 > 0:01:38But they're always fascinating.
0:01:38 > 0:01:42Living alongside animals may be rewarding
0:01:42 > 0:01:44but some could be dangerous to us.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46RESIDENT: Hey guys, come look at this.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49Bears are cruising the streets of America,
0:01:49 > 0:01:53alligators are taking the plunge in Florida's swimming pools,
0:01:53 > 0:01:57and moose can cause chaos on our roads.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59CAR HORNS HONK
0:01:59 > 0:02:03As animals are searching for space in an increasingly crowded world
0:02:03 > 0:02:08the boundaries between our world and theirs get blurred.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12Where towns border the wilderness animals can often be found
0:02:12 > 0:02:14wandering the streets.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20And quite often that means that wild animals end up wandering
0:02:20 > 0:02:26right into people's back gardens, like moose.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29Now this guy
0:02:29 > 0:02:31who's in the local strawberry patch,
0:02:31 > 0:02:36is a young male, but he's absolutely massive.
0:02:36 > 0:02:41The moose is the largest species of deer found on the planet and this
0:02:41 > 0:02:44one's quite young, he doesn't have big branching
0:02:44 > 0:02:47antlers but when they do,
0:02:47 > 0:02:50a fully grown male, it can be a very intimidating animal indeed.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52Don't be deceived by the calm,
0:02:52 > 0:02:54almost amusing appearance of the moose.
0:02:54 > 0:03:00They're big, strong and sometimes just plain scary.
0:03:00 > 0:03:05When they feel threatened they either flee or they attack.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09Moose as large as two metres tall wander through city centres
0:03:09 > 0:03:12and down highways and byways.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15This leads to crashes and collisions as dangerous to us
0:03:15 > 0:03:16as they are to the moose.
0:03:16 > 0:03:17ONLOOKER: Wow!
0:03:17 > 0:03:21The moose's cousin, the elk can be equally problematic.
0:03:21 > 0:03:25During the rutting season hundreds of elk
0:03:25 > 0:03:28come into town in Wyoming, USA.
0:03:28 > 0:03:34And it's during this time that things can get pretty heated.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39Weighing as much as a small car and with antlers that can stretch
0:03:39 > 0:03:42over a metre across, an elk in love
0:03:42 > 0:03:47is definitely a neighbour you don't want to get into an argument with.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51And if you think that's scary, well the people around here also
0:03:51 > 0:03:54have to put up with bears, both brown and black
0:03:54 > 0:03:57wandering right into their back gardens
0:03:57 > 0:03:59and going through their garbage.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06Bears are huge heavy beasts with strength that's almost unparalleled.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11Armed with massive claws and impressive canines,
0:04:11 > 0:04:15an adult male can kill a deer with a single swipe of its paw.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19So it's not surprising that most people
0:04:19 > 0:04:22want to give them a wide berth. That, though, isn't always possible.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26Their sense of smell is about a hundred thousand times
0:04:26 > 0:04:30more potent than our own, meaning they smell an easy meal miles away
0:04:30 > 0:04:33and they get drawn in by our mountains of rubbish.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37Although bears are generally shy and usually avoid humans,
0:04:37 > 0:04:39the more time they spend in our towns
0:04:39 > 0:04:42the less afraid they are of people,
0:04:42 > 0:04:44and this is when they can become dangerous.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48Bears don't seek humans out as food but if they feel frightened,
0:04:48 > 0:04:51cornered or are protecting cubs they can lash out.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54BEAR SCREECHES
0:04:54 > 0:04:55In British Colombia, Canada,
0:04:55 > 0:04:58'I saw one of these urban bears for myself.'
0:05:01 > 0:05:03I don't believe it!
0:05:05 > 0:05:07Be under no illusion,
0:05:07 > 0:05:09these bears may look cute and cuddly
0:05:09 > 0:05:12but trying to cuddle one would be quite a bad idea.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16Wandering across the road in front of us is a bear.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21Look at this, it's just walking
0:05:21 > 0:05:25right down the footpath and this is the kind of situation
0:05:25 > 0:05:29the people in Whistler deal with everyday.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32Black bears may feed mainly on plants but this is still a bear.
0:05:32 > 0:05:38In spring they emerge from their dens, they haven't eaten in months,
0:05:38 > 0:05:42they're lean, hungry and ready to stuff their faces.
0:05:42 > 0:05:47As our towns and cities expand into the wilderness
0:05:47 > 0:05:50bears are learning that the quickest way to bulk up is to eat
0:05:50 > 0:05:53our high calorie junk.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56It's an animal's fast food,
0:05:56 > 0:06:00a magnet that draws many bears into town.
0:06:00 > 0:06:05So people do everything they can to discourage bears.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08The way you get rid of rubbish is really important around bears
0:06:08 > 0:06:10and with their incredible sense of smell
0:06:10 > 0:06:13they can actually pick up the scent of rubbish from miles around
0:06:13 > 0:06:17and they can get into a conventional rubbish bin really easily,
0:06:17 > 0:06:19so special bear bins like this,
0:06:19 > 0:06:23that they can't get their paws into, are absolutely essential.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28These bins are an important way to put off bears.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32They're designed to be extremely tough
0:06:32 > 0:06:37and to withstand a hungry determined 400 kilogram bear.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44There's no doubt bears are an impressive animal,
0:06:44 > 0:06:47and one that you don't want to run into unexpectedly.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56But there is another deadly neighbour which
0:06:56 > 0:06:57people are encountering more often,
0:06:57 > 0:07:01and these can be even more dangerous than bears -
0:07:01 > 0:07:03saltwater crocodiles.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07In Australia, saltwater crocodiles are one of the few animals
0:07:07 > 0:07:10that can on occasion hunt, and even kill a human being.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14They can exceed six metres in length and weigh almost a ton,
0:07:14 > 0:07:20feeding mostly on large animals that come down to the waterside to drink.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24The proximity of much of its habitat to people means run-ins do happen.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27And these can sometimes lead to attacks.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34If there is a known dangerous crocodile living close to humans
0:07:34 > 0:07:37then all we can do is remove the problem animal.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42This is something I witnessed firsthand in Australia
0:07:42 > 0:07:45with a giant saltwater crocodile.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49Here on Australia's Northern Territories
0:07:49 > 0:07:51the rivers genuinely are full of big crocodiles
0:07:51 > 0:07:54but local people have learnt how to deal with it
0:07:54 > 0:07:55and so it's very rarely a problem.
0:07:55 > 0:07:56Every once in a while
0:07:56 > 0:07:59a crocodile starts to associate people with food,
0:07:59 > 0:08:02and then that is a problem and it needs to be moved.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05I'm here with local rangers to help them out
0:08:05 > 0:08:08and also to get as close as you possibly can in the wild
0:08:08 > 0:08:09to a saltwater crocodile.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13Tonight we're hunting a particular croc that the rangers know
0:08:13 > 0:08:17has been getting a bit too close to fishermen on the riverbank.
0:08:17 > 0:08:18CREW: I'll take the bag first, Steve.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22Healthy crocs very rarely pose a threat to humans
0:08:22 > 0:08:25but when a massive crocodile starts to take an interest in people
0:08:25 > 0:08:28something needs to be done, and fast.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34So we've got one now about 20 metres off to our left,
0:08:34 > 0:08:36just there look.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39Not our croc for sure.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44After several hours of searching we spot our croc,
0:08:44 > 0:08:46just metres away from a fisherman on the bank.
0:08:47 > 0:08:52OK, up here look, just go to your right, he's midstream there.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54Yeah. Yeah, he's just in there.
0:09:04 > 0:09:05OK, neutral.
0:09:07 > 0:09:08OK, just put it up there now.
0:09:08 > 0:09:13'I didn't realise how massive the crocodile was until it got closer.'
0:09:13 > 0:09:16Here he comes.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18The croc's rolling.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22This is part of the way it feeds,
0:09:22 > 0:09:24he's using, clamping down those massive jaws
0:09:24 > 0:09:28then using its bulk to tear its prey apart, but it's also using that now
0:09:28 > 0:09:30to try and escape the noose,
0:09:30 > 0:09:31and you can feel the power,
0:09:31 > 0:09:34it's actually lifting the boat up and down.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40'As if to prove a point, he tries to eat the boat!'
0:09:42 > 0:09:44Just put two on him. Yeah, pull him up.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48CROC GROWLS
0:09:48 > 0:09:53So this is the problem croc we were hoping to find.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56They've actually been calling him Mister Stinky because you can,
0:09:56 > 0:09:57you can smell him.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00He's not in amazingly good condition and he has been hanging out
0:10:00 > 0:10:02in an area where there are quite a lot of people
0:10:02 > 0:10:05and sort of picking up scraps, and a croc this size
0:10:05 > 0:10:07could certainly do an awful lot of damage.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09This croc's probably too big to get onto the boat
0:10:09 > 0:10:13so I think they'll drag him back to the ramp and get him onto dry land,
0:10:13 > 0:10:14suss out his condition
0:10:14 > 0:10:19and then work a plan about what we're going to do with this monster.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26When you've got the animal here you can see why it is that this
0:10:26 > 0:10:28croc could become a potential danger.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32I mean he's been in a fair few fights with some other larger crocs,
0:10:32 > 0:10:34some of his feet are a bit mangled,
0:10:34 > 0:10:38he's got some nasty scaring here and he's looking a bit thin really.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41Obviously not a croc in absolute peak condition
0:10:41 > 0:10:45and that's why he's turned from his usual prey of fish
0:10:45 > 0:10:47which obviously swims quite fast to,
0:10:47 > 0:10:49to kind of, picking up scraps
0:10:49 > 0:10:52and getting too close to people and it's not that
0:10:52 > 0:10:55much of a leap from where he is now to actually taking a person.
0:10:56 > 0:11:01He will now live out the rest of his days in captivity.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04It's important to remember that these crocodiles are just
0:11:04 > 0:11:06doing what feels natural to them, but still it's not surprising
0:11:06 > 0:11:10most people don't want a saltie as a next door neighbour!
0:11:13 > 0:11:16The crocodile's American cousin, the alligator,
0:11:16 > 0:11:18is moving even further into our towns.
0:11:18 > 0:11:23They can get a taste for feeding on our pets and domestic animals,
0:11:23 > 0:11:26and very occasionally will bite a person.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29This is one creature you certainly wouldn't want
0:11:29 > 0:11:31prowling round your neighbourhood at night.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40Alligators have inhabited Florida's swamps and rivers for millennia
0:11:40 > 0:11:44but in recent years Florida's been overrun by human development.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47Alligators looking for new territories are frequently
0:11:47 > 0:11:51turning up on the streets and in people's gardens.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56Only with the help of expert animal handlers
0:11:56 > 0:11:59and human vigilance can both humans and animals stay happy.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09As our towns and cities grow,
0:12:09 > 0:12:14more and more deadly neighbours come in searching for space and food.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16This means we're increasingly finding ourselves
0:12:16 > 0:12:19living alongside some remarkable wildlife.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22When these successful predators put their deadly skills to use
0:12:22 > 0:12:25in populated areas, conflicts can occur.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30These animals don't want to cause us harm,
0:12:30 > 0:12:32they're just doing what comes naturally
0:12:32 > 0:12:34in a far from natural world.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43Our next deadly neighbours can get into all the hard-to-reach places,
0:12:43 > 0:12:47are often venomous and also happen to be a favourite on Deadly 60.
0:12:49 > 0:12:50Snakes.
0:12:55 > 0:12:59In most of the world, snakes pose little threat to people.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04But in places where people work barefoot in the fields,
0:13:04 > 0:13:07like India and Sri Lanka, accidents do happen.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15Sometimes the snakes slither into people's homes looking for food.
0:13:15 > 0:13:20Mice and rats are attracted in by our food, and the snakes follow.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23Some people live happily
0:13:23 > 0:13:27side-by-side with these living pest controllers
0:13:27 > 0:13:30but if the snakes are venomous, who you going to call?
0:13:33 > 0:13:35'Well, in South Africa,
0:13:35 > 0:13:36'it was me!'
0:13:36 > 0:13:40So Donald is responsible for picking up snakes
0:13:40 > 0:13:43that have actually gone into people's houses and their gardens.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46We've had a call that there's a spitting cobra
0:13:46 > 0:13:47right inside someone's garden
0:13:47 > 0:13:50so I think now we're going to find out exactly where it is
0:13:50 > 0:13:53and head in, and hopefully catch and release the snake.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02So the initial call has suggested that this is a spitting cobra
0:14:02 > 0:14:05so the obvious thing we have to be thinking about, really, is our eyes.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07This is a snake that in the right conditions
0:14:07 > 0:14:10could spit two metres, perhaps even three,
0:14:10 > 0:14:13and if it gets into your eyes, it could potentially blind you
0:14:13 > 0:14:15so everyone's going to be very, very careful
0:14:15 > 0:14:17to wear protective eye covering.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23Spitting cobras aren't anyone's idea of the ideal neighbour.
0:14:23 > 0:14:25When they feel threatened,
0:14:25 > 0:14:27spitting cobras can spit venom from their fangs.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30The spray is incredibly accurate
0:14:30 > 0:14:32and the snake aims straight for the eyes.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36The venom burns into the eyes,
0:14:36 > 0:14:39causing temporary and sometimes permanent blindness.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42This is just to give the cobra a chance to slither off.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45Knowing they're just defending themselves, though,
0:14:45 > 0:14:48isn't going to help your average homeowner
0:14:48 > 0:14:52so it's not surprising they wanted rid of this unwanted neighbour.
0:15:02 > 0:15:04Hello, are you Cherene?
0:15:04 > 0:15:06- Hi. Yes, I am.- Hi, hello.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08'We've run through exactly what we'll do
0:15:08 > 0:15:10'and have all the right equipment and protection.
0:15:10 > 0:15:14'With all the work that I do with venomous snakes in the wild,
0:15:14 > 0:15:16'it'd be crazy to risk getting bitten
0:15:16 > 0:15:19'by a snake in a suburban garden.'
0:15:19 > 0:15:21We're going to have to move these pots, aren't we?
0:15:21 > 0:15:24- Just shift them back slightly. - They'll be heavy.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27'The spitting cobra's chosen quite a nice neighbourhood to make its home.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29'Unfortunately, its new neighbours
0:15:29 > 0:15:32'are not quite so thrilled that it's moved in.'
0:15:35 > 0:15:36There, do you see it?
0:15:36 > 0:15:40- You see it? Where, out the back? - Under this pipe.- Ah, yeah, I see it.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42- You can see it?- I still can't.
0:15:42 > 0:15:43So it is a spitting cobra.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46So the most important thing, really,
0:15:46 > 0:15:49is to make sure the wind's blowing in this direction
0:15:49 > 0:15:51so it'll take the venom away from us, that way
0:15:51 > 0:15:54but very, very careful about it not getting in the eyes.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59OK, that one is really heavy.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01Yeah.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06Oh! Just had a spit, couple of spits.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11And there it is.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15OK, so I've got the head quite well secured.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21The next thing to do is to just
0:16:21 > 0:16:23get a hold of the tail...
0:16:25 > 0:16:26..and there we have it,
0:16:26 > 0:16:28out in the open.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32Look at that, what a beautiful snake.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36Now, the reason that it's chosen to come in here, obviously,
0:16:36 > 0:16:39is because it feeds primarily on things like small rodents,
0:16:39 > 0:16:43which are very much attracted to human habitation
0:16:43 > 0:16:45and certainly means people no harm
0:16:45 > 0:16:49but it just offers a wonderful opportunity for the snake...
0:16:49 > 0:16:51It just spat.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54If I wasn't wearing my goggles, it would have got me in the eyes
0:16:54 > 0:16:57and actually, if you look at the centre of the snake,
0:16:57 > 0:16:59it looks to me, it's got a couple of lumps in there,
0:16:59 > 0:17:02I reckon this snake has actually
0:17:02 > 0:17:05been feeding on rodents
0:17:05 > 0:17:11so actually, these animals can be wonderful for pest control
0:17:11 > 0:17:14if you can put up with having them in your garden
0:17:14 > 0:17:17and obviously, a lot of people can't.
0:17:17 > 0:17:18Oh, bam!
0:17:18 > 0:17:20Ee-yah!
0:17:22 > 0:17:24OK, let's get this in the box.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32And...
0:17:33 > 0:17:35the snake's secure.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37Yay! Well done. You saved the snake.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41- Great stuff.- Excellent. Yeah. And now we go somewhere safe...
0:17:41 > 0:17:44- And set it free.- Yeah.- Wonderful.
0:17:44 > 0:17:48A happy ending for the snake and for the people.
0:17:49 > 0:17:54So we drove well out of town away from people to release the snake.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58'Releasing the snake out here has not just protected the people
0:17:58 > 0:17:59'but the snake too.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03'Most people would kill a venomous snake on sight.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05'Ironically, when they're taking on the snake
0:18:05 > 0:18:08'is just when people are most likely to get bitten.'
0:18:08 > 0:18:11And there's plenty of wild land here
0:18:11 > 0:18:12for it to make a home.
0:18:14 > 0:18:15So...
0:18:17 > 0:18:20This should make for one very happy snake.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24So with both snake and people happy
0:18:24 > 0:18:26I'd say that's a job well done!
0:18:27 > 0:18:30It isn't always the case, though,
0:18:30 > 0:18:32that people want to avoid or get rid of animals.
0:18:32 > 0:18:36Sometimes they actively encourage them into town.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38In Ethiopia, people have learned to live happily
0:18:38 > 0:18:42alongside a top predator - the spotted hyena.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47Spotted hyenas have a filthy reputation
0:18:47 > 0:18:50as bone-crunching scavengers, but that's not the full story.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53They're also superlative predators.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55It's unbelievable, then,
0:18:55 > 0:18:58that you can find them living so close to human beings.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01HYENAS YOWL
0:19:01 > 0:19:03When I was in Harar in Ethiopia,
0:19:03 > 0:19:06I was amazed to find loads of hyena sign
0:19:06 > 0:19:09just yards away from where people were living.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12It's all been munched!
0:19:12 > 0:19:13Look at that.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15They'd have gone in there
0:19:15 > 0:19:19and made sure they get the brain out of the brain cavity there.
0:19:19 > 0:19:21It's all pretty gruesome stuff.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28This is just extraordinary.
0:19:29 > 0:19:33Harar city is just a stone's throw that way.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35We're surrounded on all sides by houses,
0:19:35 > 0:19:38you can hear donkeys braying just over there,
0:19:38 > 0:19:42I mean, we are right in the middle of full-on human habitation
0:19:42 > 0:19:45and this is an active hyena den.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48Now, I can tell it's active instantly.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53There's lots and lots of shed hair around here,
0:19:53 > 0:19:57there's a horn just there,
0:19:57 > 0:19:59which has been chewed up and left behind.
0:20:00 > 0:20:02This is in constant use.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06Personally, I think it's incredibly exciting
0:20:06 > 0:20:10that people can live harmoniously alongside a hunter like the hyena.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12What's even more surprising
0:20:12 > 0:20:15is that hyenas are actively encouraged to come into the city.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22People obviously use these holes now as entranceways into the city
0:20:22 > 0:20:27but originally they were built so that hyenas could come inside.
0:20:27 > 0:20:31'Generations ago, the people of Harar started feeding the hyenas.'
0:20:33 > 0:20:35In return, they hoped
0:20:35 > 0:20:38the hyenas would protect them from evil spirits.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40This tradition still goes on every night.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45As night fell, the local hyena man, Yusef,
0:20:45 > 0:20:48introduced me to his nocturnal guests.
0:20:48 > 0:20:49YUSEF WHISTLES
0:20:49 > 0:20:51Oh, my goodness!
0:20:51 > 0:20:54YUSEF SPEAKS HIS OWN LANGUAGE
0:20:57 > 0:21:00I just can't get used to this at all.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02Imagine any other situation
0:21:02 > 0:21:06where you could come nose to nose with a predator this powerful...
0:21:08 > 0:21:10..and not get savaged!
0:21:12 > 0:21:15This is a bit much for me, I have to say.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21'With a bit of mutual respect and understanding,
0:21:21 > 0:21:25'humans can learn to live alongside almost any wild neighbour,
0:21:25 > 0:21:28'even some of the deadliest on earth.'
0:21:28 > 0:21:30HE WHISTLES
0:21:34 > 0:21:38Animals are not just visitors to our towns.
0:21:38 > 0:21:39Some never leave.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42Our gardens and homes are overrun by creepy-crawlies -
0:21:42 > 0:21:45in particular, spiders.
0:21:47 > 0:21:49As a child growing up in England,
0:21:49 > 0:21:52the insects and spiders I found around my house and garden
0:21:52 > 0:21:55didn't pose me any threat, but this isn't the case
0:21:55 > 0:21:58if you're growing up in Australia!
0:21:58 > 0:22:02Australia's well-known for having some of the most venomous,
0:22:02 > 0:22:06the most potentially dangerous spiders on the planet
0:22:06 > 0:22:09and it's obviously those that I'm looking for.
0:22:11 > 0:22:12The one I'm hoping to find
0:22:12 > 0:22:16is probably Australia's most well-known deadly spider -
0:22:16 > 0:22:18the redback.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22Although it's only small, around 350 people are put in hospital
0:22:22 > 0:22:24by redback bites every year.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31'It's very common in populated areas
0:22:31 > 0:22:34'and is particularly fond of outbuildings, roofs and garages.'
0:22:34 > 0:22:35Watch your head, Steve.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39I'm not doing very well at the moment.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45Come and get a load of this.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50OK, I'm not entirely sure how we're going to film this.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55Yeah, that's going to work.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01Tucked in here
0:23:01 > 0:23:04is one of the most feared spiders in the world.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08In some other parts of the world,
0:23:08 > 0:23:10this is known as the black widow.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13Here in Australia, it's called a redback.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15Let's see if I can get her out.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18If I can just coax her out onto the web.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20Here she comes. There.
0:23:21 > 0:23:22There she is.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26Let's see if I can light it up with my torch.
0:23:29 > 0:23:30Isn't she wonderful?
0:23:32 > 0:23:37It probably looks like this is just an untidy mess of a web,
0:23:37 > 0:23:41certainly in comparison to the beautiful dew-drop covered ones
0:23:41 > 0:23:43you'll find in your back garden,
0:23:43 > 0:23:46but actually, this is an absolutely brilliantly designed
0:23:46 > 0:23:48way of catching flying insects.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56The dry, sheltered sites found in junk piles, sheds or toilets
0:23:56 > 0:23:59are an ideal place for the redback's web.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03The threads are placed under high tension.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05It's like someone's got an elastic rope
0:24:05 > 0:24:07and stuck it down using a patch of glue.
0:24:07 > 0:24:09When an insect,
0:24:09 > 0:24:11like this ant here, wanders by,
0:24:11 > 0:24:14it snags one of those trap lines,
0:24:14 > 0:24:16firing it up into the air,
0:24:16 > 0:24:18leaving it dangling there suspended.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22The redback spider then heads down to haul it up,
0:24:22 > 0:24:24bite it and paralyse it.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28That venom, designed to immobilise the prey,
0:24:28 > 0:24:30has the unfortunate side effect
0:24:30 > 0:24:33of being extremely painful and toxic to us too.
0:24:35 > 0:24:39The redback spider is truly taking advantage of the new opportunities
0:24:39 > 0:24:41that man-made habitats provide.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55Not all of the animals we live with are dangerous to us.
0:24:55 > 0:24:57Some of them are top predators in their own world
0:24:57 > 0:25:00but completely harmless to people.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03And they hunt the high places of our cities
0:25:03 > 0:25:07with all the skills and speed they use to dominate their own world.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09The red-tailed hawk stalks New York,
0:25:09 > 0:25:12its screaming call ringing around the skyscrapers.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14HAWK SCREECHES
0:25:16 > 0:25:18And the red fox has adapted so well to city life
0:25:18 > 0:25:22that in a single year, a fox can turn from being completely rural
0:25:22 > 0:25:24to totally urban.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26And in cities like Bangkok,
0:25:26 > 0:25:30there are lights and activity 24 hours a day,
0:25:30 > 0:25:32drawing in endless flying bugs
0:25:32 > 0:25:35for the moth-munching tokay gecko.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37These are welcome house guests
0:25:37 > 0:25:40as they eat insects, acting as living pest control.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48They've learned to hang out around lamps and other sources of light
0:25:48 > 0:25:50that attract insects into the home at night.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54Tokay geckos are as much at home in the urban jungle
0:25:54 > 0:25:55as in the natural forest.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01Cityscapes are also the perfect vertical world
0:26:01 > 0:26:04for a bird with the need for speed -
0:26:04 > 0:26:06the peregrine falcon.
0:26:09 > 0:26:13To begin with, peregrines weren't always successful in cities.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18Urban sprawl meant their own homes were destroyed
0:26:18 > 0:26:21to make way for skyscrapers and other buildings. But now,
0:26:21 > 0:26:24peregrines are taking back some of the habitat they lost.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28And they're breeding in more and more cities.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33Perhaps for the peregrine, our teetering tower blocks
0:26:33 > 0:26:35are like concrete cliff faces,
0:26:35 > 0:26:38the ideal vantage point to spot prey and make their nests.
0:26:41 > 0:26:46Cities attract pigeons, which are their number one food of choice.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50And the peregrine plummets from the clouds at 200 miles an hour,
0:26:50 > 0:26:53outpacing any city sports car.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56Being a deadly hunter is not much use
0:26:56 > 0:26:58if you're not able to move with the times
0:26:58 > 0:27:01and the peregrine does it in city slicker style.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07Our deadly neighbours are adaptable opportunists,
0:27:07 > 0:27:09able to thrive in an ever-changing world.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13Whether it's animals wandering in from the wilderness
0:27:13 > 0:27:16or city slickers that are here to stay,
0:27:16 > 0:27:19as our urban sprawl eats away at the wild world,
0:27:19 > 0:27:22more and more of the animals take action,
0:27:22 > 0:27:24taking advantage of new opportunities
0:27:24 > 0:27:26to make the most of what we leave behind
0:27:26 > 0:27:29and while you can still see great animals out in the wild,
0:27:29 > 0:27:32some of the best ones are right in your back yard.
0:27:33 > 0:27:37Join me next time as I continue my search for the Deadly 60.
0:27:37 > 0:27:38Size of that!
0:27:57 > 0:28:00Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:28:02 > 0:28:04Deadly!