0:00:02 > 0:00:04My name's Steve Backshall.
0:00:04 > 0:00:05Woo!
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 > 0:00:19My crew and I are travelling the planet.
0:00:19 > 0:00:21And you're coming with me!
0:00:21 > 0:00:23Every step of the way.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29Deadly!
0:00:41 > 0:00:43Usually on Deadly 60,
0:00:43 > 0:00:45we deal with predators,
0:00:45 > 0:00:49animals who are going all-out in offence to attack their prey.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51Today we're doing something different,
0:00:51 > 0:00:55we're at the Bristol Boxing Gym, to find out about animal defence,
0:00:55 > 0:00:58and as far as defence goes, I'm learning the hard way.
0:00:58 > 0:00:59Got to keep my guard up!
0:01:02 > 0:01:04Many forms of human defence
0:01:04 > 0:01:07take their inspiration from the natural world.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10From the sparing boxer crab...
0:01:12 > 0:01:14..to the Kung Fu master, the praying mantis.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18In this very special Deadly 60
0:01:18 > 0:01:21we're going to see how defending yourself in the animal kingdom
0:01:21 > 0:01:23isn't easy.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26It can be a matter of life and death,
0:01:26 > 0:01:28and the tactics can be even more complex
0:01:28 > 0:01:31than any form of attack.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33From brute force,
0:01:33 > 0:01:34to strength in numbers,
0:01:34 > 0:01:37to chemical warfare.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41Each deadly defender has to fight to survive.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46Defences in the natural world might sometimes appear crude
0:01:46 > 0:01:49or brutal but that's not always the case,
0:01:49 > 0:01:52they can be elegant, refined, even sophisticated.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55So much so that perhaps the most ancient form of human defence,
0:01:55 > 0:01:59Kung Fu, was created after studying the movements of animals,
0:01:59 > 0:02:03animals like the monkey, crane, dragon and tiger.
0:02:06 > 0:02:10Kung Fu Master Yan Xin takes defence inspiration from the natural world.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19The tiger form uses the power and strength of a tiger
0:02:19 > 0:02:23to fly through the air at their enemy.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29The cobra form uses a hypnotic display,
0:02:29 > 0:02:32moving his body just like a cobra
0:02:32 > 0:02:36when it raises its hood before striking.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41And finally, the praying mantis form.
0:02:43 > 0:02:47He takes his inspiration from the praying mantis' lethal front legs
0:02:47 > 0:02:51using his two fingers to pinpoint strike points on an assailant.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00The praying mantis is exquisitely beautiful in how it moves
0:03:00 > 0:03:02and certainly very precise,
0:03:02 > 0:03:05but with other animals it's all about brute force and power.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12HE SHOUTS
0:03:15 > 0:03:19That was unbelievable!
0:03:19 > 0:03:21Wow!
0:03:21 > 0:03:24Master Yan Xin can create incredible explosive impact
0:03:24 > 0:03:27but this is nothing compared to this lot.
0:03:28 > 0:03:32These are the big hitters, the heavyweights of the natural world.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35They use force and aggression to take down their enemies.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38From bears that will do anything to defend their cubs
0:03:38 > 0:03:43to elephants that will charge at any perceived threat.
0:03:43 > 0:03:44Even me!
0:03:45 > 0:03:48But this next African animal
0:03:48 > 0:03:51takes brute force to another level.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54Africa can be a very dangerous place
0:03:54 > 0:03:58with some of the most fearsome animals wandering the plains.
0:03:58 > 0:03:59Life for a herbivore like a gazelle
0:03:59 > 0:04:04can consist of always being ready to run for it at any sign of danger.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08But there's one herbivore that doesn't always choose to flee,
0:04:08 > 0:04:10sometimes they'll stand their ground and fight.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12It's one of the Big 5,
0:04:12 > 0:04:16it's the Cape Buffalo, and it truly is a deadly defender.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22The cape buffalo lives in huge herds on the plains of Southern Africa.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26But they're at risk from one of the top predators of the African plains,
0:04:26 > 0:04:27the lion.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35They need some top tactics to help protect their family.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40When the buffalo comes under attack
0:04:40 > 0:04:42it uses its giant horns to fend off the lion,
0:04:42 > 0:04:46their fiery nature means they won't give up without a fight.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52In this Big 5 face-off
0:04:52 > 0:04:54more often than not, the buffalo will win.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02Facing injury from those mighty horns
0:05:02 > 0:05:05the lion is forced into submission.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22So animals like buffalo can be incredibly effective
0:05:22 > 0:05:25even against the most potent predators on earth,
0:05:25 > 0:05:28but defence isn't all about brute force and ignorance.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32Master Yan Xin could make mincemeat of someone many times larger
0:05:32 > 0:05:36because of his explosive power and his precision,
0:05:36 > 0:05:40and there are some animals that are even more dynamic.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43Like my next deadly defender.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46It proves that size isn't everything.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49It's the mantis shrimp and it can certainly pack a punch.
0:05:49 > 0:05:55It's one of nature's top boxers with the fastest punch in the natural world.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00Possibly as fast as a speeding bullet.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03GUN SHOT
0:06:03 > 0:06:04They need a knockout punch
0:06:04 > 0:06:06to defend their home against rival mantis shrimps.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09Their burrows are so vital to their survival
0:06:09 > 0:06:12that they'll defend them with their life.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17The way they do this is by using their specially adapted forelimbs.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21These are better than any fist,
0:06:21 > 0:06:24and they use them to strike the intruding mantis shrimp
0:06:24 > 0:06:26with blinding speed.
0:06:28 > 0:06:29The strikes are so fast
0:06:29 > 0:06:31that they create a giant shockwave,
0:06:31 > 0:06:34erupting with light, heat and sound.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41So when they use their punches as a form of defence or attack
0:06:41 > 0:06:43the victim isn't just hit once
0:06:43 > 0:06:45but twice.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48Even if the initial strike misses
0:06:48 > 0:06:51the shockwave that follows can be enough to kill them.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56Other species of mantis shrimp
0:06:56 > 0:07:00have stabbing forelimbs that they use to snare their prey,
0:07:00 > 0:07:02as I saw in Borneo.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05Oh!
0:07:08 > 0:07:10The mantis shrimp strikes!
0:07:10 > 0:07:13And he's back in his hole!
0:07:16 > 0:07:20It's a very different style to the boxing mantis shrimp,
0:07:20 > 0:07:24but their cousins, the spearing mantis shrimps, move just as fast.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26Blink and you'd miss it.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31So fast!
0:07:31 > 0:07:34I've heard it said the best strike
0:07:34 > 0:07:39can be as fast and have as much power as a small calibre bullet.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42Oh!
0:07:43 > 0:07:47Elaborate skills and animal technology can be effective,
0:07:47 > 0:07:51but perhaps the most simple form of defence is strength in numbers -
0:07:51 > 0:07:54having many eyes, many ears, many jaws
0:07:54 > 0:07:58and many stings all working together to defend the group.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03And this strength in numbers is what makes these next animals
0:08:03 > 0:08:07top defenders, but we had to find them in the dead of night.
0:08:09 > 0:08:10Look at that!
0:08:10 > 0:08:14Oh my goodness, and they're carrying their larvae, look!
0:08:17 > 0:08:20By working as a team, they defend the colony
0:08:20 > 0:08:23against predators many times their size.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25This busy trail in front of me
0:08:25 > 0:08:28is one of the genuine wonders of the rainforest.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30These are army ants
0:08:30 > 0:08:33and absolutely nothing gets in their way.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37At the moment, it looks like every single one of them
0:08:37 > 0:08:39is carrying a little grain of rice,
0:08:39 > 0:08:42but the extraordinary mind-blowing thing about this
0:08:42 > 0:08:45is that actually what they're carrying
0:08:45 > 0:08:47are basically their babies.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52Every single one of those little white lumps
0:08:52 > 0:08:55is an ant larvae.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58That is just remarkable.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02These army ants are on the move,
0:09:02 > 0:09:05relocating their colony to another part of the forest.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08The well-organised trail of worker ants are transporting their young
0:09:08 > 0:09:12to a new location, but when they do this, they become vulnerable
0:09:12 > 0:09:14to predators.
0:09:14 > 0:09:15It'd need to be a pretty bold predator
0:09:15 > 0:09:19to take on a million marching ants.
0:09:19 > 0:09:24Army ants will take on and overpower anything in their path.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27When army ants are on the move, best get out of the way!
0:09:27 > 0:09:30I just love the way that everyone here has a job.
0:09:30 > 0:09:35You have this continuously running river of workers
0:09:35 > 0:09:38and then standing there like doormen outside a nightclub,
0:09:38 > 0:09:42you've got the huge great big burly soldiers,
0:09:42 > 0:09:44just standing there with their jaws agape
0:09:44 > 0:09:48just waiting for someone to cause trouble. The soldiers
0:09:48 > 0:09:50are armed with vast mandibles and stings
0:09:50 > 0:09:52and will give their lives to defend the group.
0:09:56 > 0:09:57Last time I tried to film army ants
0:09:57 > 0:10:00I was sat about a metre away from the column
0:10:00 > 0:10:02and I was eaten alive.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05The fact that none of us are being bitten now...
0:10:05 > 0:10:07I just got bitten!
0:10:07 > 0:10:11HE LAUGHS
0:10:11 > 0:10:12You couldn't make it up!
0:10:12 > 0:10:16HE LAUGHS
0:10:18 > 0:10:21So, one single bite was pretty painful,
0:10:21 > 0:10:23but when they're defending their home and family
0:10:23 > 0:10:25they bite in their thousands.
0:10:25 > 0:10:29Not many animals can survive this swarming strategy.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35The next animal also defends with strength in numbers,
0:10:35 > 0:10:38but these bring death from the skies.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42Even their name spells killer.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46There's about 80,000 of them
0:10:46 > 0:10:48at the bottom of that cliff face
0:10:48 > 0:10:50just down there.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54When they attack, they attack in hundreds or even thousands.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00They have a venom that's fierce and capable of killing a human.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07They're African honeybees, sometimes known as killer bees.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16The killer bee has to be a full-on deadly defender.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20They guard one of the most prized substances in nature - honey.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23In Africa, any unarmed hive would be eaten
0:11:23 > 0:11:25and destroyed in minutes.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29This would be a disaster as honey is crucial to their survival.
0:11:29 > 0:11:34So, it's defended by a swarm of stinging sisters.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37They'll attack any potential intruder using teamwork
0:11:37 > 0:11:39and can theoretically kill a pride of lions,
0:11:39 > 0:11:44or at least make them scarper with their tails between their legs.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52This particular colony has picked a good safe spot to build their nest
0:11:52 > 0:11:55away from predators, but they still need to be on guard.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00So, to get closer, I'll need some protection.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02If this all seems like overkill,
0:12:02 > 0:12:06then it's worth remembering that one single bee sting
0:12:06 > 0:12:08can and has killed a person.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12A single sting is unlikely to kill an adult human
0:12:12 > 0:12:15unless you're allergic to their venom,
0:12:15 > 0:12:19but several hundred stings would be a very different story.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21So, we're leaving nothing to chance.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23With every possible attack point
0:12:23 > 0:12:26taped up, ropes in place
0:12:26 > 0:12:29and paramedics on standby,
0:12:29 > 0:12:32it was time to drop in on the bees.
0:12:32 > 0:12:33Good to go.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40I'll go a lot slower than I normally would, abseiling down here.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42Fast, sharp actions
0:12:42 > 0:12:46are much more likely to annoy the bees.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51As if 80,000 deadly defenders wasn't enough to deal with
0:12:51 > 0:12:54I had a 50-metre void beneath me.
0:12:56 > 0:12:57Hanging off a cliff
0:12:57 > 0:13:00in a beekeeper suit.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06This is madness!
0:13:06 > 0:13:10But it wasn't long before our efforts paid off.
0:13:10 > 0:13:11I see them.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14They're just underneath this rocky overhang here.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21They're about as far away as you can possibly get from any predators.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27OK.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30The hive's right in front of me.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34I'm going to move as carefully and as slowly as I can now.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38I really don't want to harm them in any way.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42Obviously, if I annoy them, there is more chance that I'll get stung.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51For me, African honeybees are one of the wonders of nature.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55The fact that all these tiny insects, each one of them
0:13:55 > 0:13:57with brains no bigger than a full stop,
0:13:57 > 0:13:59can all act together to go out,
0:13:59 > 0:14:03collect honey, build an amazing hive like this,
0:14:03 > 0:14:05it's just extraordinary.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09They all work together almost like one giant super organism.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14Which is precisely why they're such deadly defenders.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17When a bee stings, it releases a chemical into the air
0:14:17 > 0:14:21called a pheromone, which switches all the bees into defence mode.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24So, if you upset one killer bee,
0:14:24 > 0:14:27you upset 80,000 others.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31And in Africa, if you're on the receiving end, that is disastrous.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34No matter how big you are.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41The thing that makes African bees
0:14:41 > 0:14:44more dangerous than honeybees, giving the reputation of killer bees
0:14:44 > 0:14:46is not because they're any bigger
0:14:46 > 0:14:49or because their venom is any stronger than European bees,
0:14:49 > 0:14:51it's because they're aggressive.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55They'll chase an attacker for as much as a mile away from their hive.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58My presence so close to the hive
0:14:58 > 0:15:01seemed to be making the bees feel threatened.
0:15:01 > 0:15:06It was only a matter of time till the defence tactics kicked in.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08Ow! Ow, Ow, Ow, Ow!
0:15:08 > 0:15:12Oh! One stung me through the veil!
0:15:13 > 0:15:14Right on the chin!
0:15:14 > 0:15:18Oh, you forget how much they hurt!
0:15:18 > 0:15:21Oh! Ow!
0:15:21 > 0:15:24I think it's time to head down.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28All right, Steve?
0:15:28 > 0:15:31I look like Desperate Dan!
0:15:31 > 0:15:34Let's get a side profile, hang on.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39So far in this Deadly 60 special,
0:15:39 > 0:15:42we've been exploring the world of animal self defence
0:15:42 > 0:15:45and how human beings take our inspiration from them.
0:15:50 > 0:15:52But our next group of animals
0:15:52 > 0:15:55use chemical warfare to defend themselves.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01These are poison dart frogs
0:16:01 > 0:16:05and some species are THE most toxic creatures on the planet.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09Now, these animals get their poisons by eating insects which themselves
0:16:09 > 0:16:11have eaten toxic plants.
0:16:11 > 0:16:12These bright colours
0:16:12 > 0:16:16are used to advertise the fact that they're not good to eat.
0:16:16 > 0:16:17In fact, eating one of these
0:16:17 > 0:16:20could well be the last thing you would ever do.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23And those poisons? They are solely for defence.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26Due to their small size,
0:16:26 > 0:16:29they can't use physical might to defend themselves.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32Predators like snakes and birds would see them as a tasty meal,
0:16:32 > 0:16:35so they use chemical warfare.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39But despite being so colourful,
0:16:39 > 0:16:41they're still really hard to find.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48OK, so what we're listening for
0:16:48 > 0:16:53is a sound which goes something like, "Psshh, psshh, psshh".
0:16:53 > 0:16:56Go scrabble around in the leaves, see if you can find one.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02Use a stick rather than your hands,
0:17:02 > 0:17:04'Cause there are lots of snakes around.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09There are about 100 different types of poison dart frog,
0:17:09 > 0:17:13in a blaze of colours and with different levels of toxicity.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16The most toxic is the golden dart frog
0:17:16 > 0:17:17found in Colombia.
0:17:17 > 0:17:22The poison it contains could potentially kill up to 10 people.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26But in Costa Rica, we were looking for a red and blue one.
0:17:26 > 0:17:30Well, some of us were.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32Have they found one yet?
0:17:32 > 0:17:36I'm just going to relax until they find one. They could be some time.
0:17:42 > 0:17:47- It's hard work, isn't it, frog searching?- Yeah.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50Yeah, don't work too hard, boys!
0:17:50 > 0:17:52I wouldn't want you getting all sweaty!
0:17:55 > 0:18:01- WHISPERING:- Stick near the expert, pretend you found it yourself...
0:18:01 > 0:18:05Just in here, look. See in there.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08OK. There's three, there's three in there.
0:18:11 > 0:18:16Now, I've made sure that I've washed my hands, because
0:18:16 > 0:18:20these frogs are very, very sensitive in the skin.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26And you don't want any insect repellent or anything hurting them.
0:18:28 > 0:18:30Most people are absolutely blown away
0:18:30 > 0:18:34the first time they see a dart frog, about how small they are.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37It's incredible to think that an animal this size
0:18:37 > 0:18:40can be the most poisonous on the planet.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42Those bright, bright colours
0:18:42 > 0:18:47are part of the reason that this frog is found active during the day.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50Every other frog here comes out at night,
0:18:50 > 0:18:52it's deafening with the calls of frogs.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54But these dart frogs can be active during the day
0:18:54 > 0:18:58and they are brightly coloured because they know that predators
0:18:58 > 0:19:00are going to see the colours and know it means one thing.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03This is highly poisonous
0:19:03 > 0:19:05and certainly not going to be good to eat.
0:19:05 > 0:19:10The poisons that are created by this little frog,
0:19:10 > 0:19:12originally they start off on the leaves of plants,
0:19:12 > 0:19:16ants eat the leaves, frogs eat the ants
0:19:16 > 0:19:19and then they almost sweat the poison out on their skin.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24The poison is so potent
0:19:24 > 0:19:28that indigenous people have learned to use it themselves.
0:19:28 > 0:19:33This tiny little animal is a living chemical weapons factory.
0:19:33 > 0:19:38Now, that's what I call a top deadly defender.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41As far as natural toxins go,
0:19:41 > 0:19:45they don't come any more potent than those of the poison dart frog,
0:19:45 > 0:19:47but there are animals that deliver their toxins
0:19:47 > 0:19:51in an even more impressive way.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53The next chemical defender
0:19:53 > 0:19:56is the bombardier beetle.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04These tiny beetles are a favourite food for toads and spiders.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06To defend themselves against these larger predators,
0:20:06 > 0:20:09they've evolved a unique defensive tactic -
0:20:09 > 0:20:14they're nature's most accomplished sharpshooters.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19When under attack, they mix chemicals in their body,
0:20:19 > 0:20:21firing boiling hot toxic fluids
0:20:21 > 0:20:24from their bottoms.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28By pulsing the jet 500 times a second,
0:20:28 > 0:20:31it can keep its rear end cool enough that it doesn't scald itself,
0:20:31 > 0:20:35but any predator is not so lucky.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40I mean, I like hot food, but that's ridiculous!
0:20:48 > 0:20:53But this next animal's chemical defence is even weirder.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56This is the Texas horned lizard,
0:20:56 > 0:20:59a predator that munches around 200 ants a day.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03But this comes at a price.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05It has to spend all day out in the open,
0:21:05 > 0:21:08which puts it at risk from coyotes,
0:21:08 > 0:21:10roadrunners and rattlesnakes.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13So, it needs some deadly defence tactics.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16Its body is covered in sharp spines,
0:21:16 > 0:21:19which might be enough to deter a hungry snake.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22They're also perfectly camouflaged
0:21:22 > 0:21:24and could go almost unnoticed.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27But, if this fails,
0:21:27 > 0:21:29they bring out their ultimate tactic,
0:21:29 > 0:21:31if you're a little squeamish, look away now.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34This is NOT for the fainthearted.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37Its blood pressure rises,
0:21:37 > 0:21:39capillaries rupture in its eye
0:21:39 > 0:21:44and it fires a jet of blood at the predator.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46It can fire the blood up to a metre
0:21:46 > 0:21:48and repeat up to 20 times
0:21:48 > 0:21:49until the predator retreats.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52This can consume up to a quarter of the lizard's blood,
0:21:52 > 0:21:55so it's only used in a real emergency.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04All the animals we've seen so far, are potent protectors.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07But there is a deadly defender who has it all,
0:22:07 > 0:22:09weapons, strength and intelligence.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12It's the hippo.
0:22:15 > 0:22:16It's the second largest land mammal
0:22:16 > 0:22:19and can weigh up to 3½ tons.
0:22:19 > 0:22:23Living in groups, there's a dominant male who will defend the herd.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25So, in this defensive battle,
0:22:25 > 0:22:28it's all about territory.
0:22:32 > 0:22:33The males will fight to the death
0:22:33 > 0:22:36using their phenomenal sabre-like teeth.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39They're the perfect combat weapon.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41The hippos also create a whopping gape
0:22:41 > 0:22:45to dominate rival males. The bigger the mouth,
0:22:45 > 0:22:48the more likely the other male will retreat.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58When I first began my Deadly 60 mission
0:22:58 > 0:23:02I ran into a hippo in a dark river as dusk approached,
0:23:02 > 0:23:05when hippos are at their most twitchy.
0:23:05 > 0:23:09Never underestimate the power of Africa's river horse.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13That's our first hippo.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16Just around this corner.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22He's a big 'un and he's spotted us as well.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24HIPPO GROWLS
0:23:24 > 0:23:27Oh, I don't know if you heard that sound,
0:23:27 > 0:23:30but that was a very audible threat to us.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34I'd unwittingly infringed on the hippo's personal space.
0:23:34 > 0:23:35And it wasn't happy.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38He's gone down, he's gone under the water.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40This is where we've got to be careful,
0:23:40 > 0:23:42'Cause we don't know where he'll come up.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48There he is. He's surfaced right in the middle.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52Huge exhalation of air and water there.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55OK, he's come back up again.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57He's looking straight at me.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05It was important to make sure the hippo didn't see me as a threat.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08I don't really want to get any closer than this.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10The thing is, despite him being an enormous bulk,
0:24:10 > 0:24:14he could be anywhere here. He could pop up right next to me.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16And, I would actually rather keep this
0:24:16 > 0:24:20shallow bit of water between the two of us.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26This is really quite nerve-wracking.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34It may seem that he's the one that's nervous,
0:24:34 > 0:24:38but actually there's no doubt who's more at home in this environment.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40It's definitely him.
0:24:40 > 0:24:44That huge breath of air, that's not just him emptying his lungs,
0:24:44 > 0:24:45that was definitely meant to scare me.
0:24:45 > 0:24:49It's starting to get dark now, they'll be getting active, and soon,
0:24:49 > 0:24:53looking to come out of the water. This is THE most dangerous time.
0:24:54 > 0:24:58I'm not hanging around an animal that could bite my boat in half.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02That could be right underneath me.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04Unable to see the hippo,
0:25:04 > 0:25:07'I decided to move out of its territory.' Look, he's just there!
0:25:07 > 0:25:10He's come past us! I don't believe it!
0:25:12 > 0:25:15He has just sat in the river.
0:25:15 > 0:25:17That's the other one.
0:25:17 > 0:25:21Another hippo has appeared, blocking my exit.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23When he dives, I can't see anything.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25I'll need the eyes of the crew up on the bank.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28- He's about 20 metres in front of you. - 20 metres?
0:25:30 > 0:25:32Just in line with my arm.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36He's right there.
0:25:40 > 0:25:45SHOUTING
0:25:45 > 0:25:48This has turned into a serious situation. I can't go upstream,
0:25:48 > 0:25:51I can't go downstream and they'll have to try and find a way out.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55Steve, turn around and come back!
0:25:55 > 0:25:57Steve, go back the way you came!
0:25:57 > 0:25:59- See the reeds here in front of you? - Yeah.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03Just follow my arm, he's just in the water.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05- He is?- Just here. Just here.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09- So, you cannot come down here, OK? - That's fine.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11There he is!
0:26:11 > 0:26:13Things were now looking dicey.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15I needed to find a way out and fast!
0:26:18 > 0:26:21They are so unpredictable, you have no idea what they're going to do.
0:26:25 > 0:26:30I can't wait any longer. He's turned and he's coming for me.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32I've seen a possible exit. It's a shallow stream.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35and not somewhere I want to get stuck with an angry hippo.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37You need to be quick.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39Go, go, go, go! Into that tunnel!
0:26:39 > 0:26:41He's heading towards you.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44He's coming right for you!
0:26:54 > 0:26:56I tell you what,
0:26:56 > 0:27:00that just shows you, you can never be complacent with wild animals.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04God, that was too close for comfort!
0:27:15 > 0:27:19No matter how hard we work on our defensive abilities and techniques,
0:27:19 > 0:27:22we're just simply never going to be the equal
0:27:22 > 0:27:24of the animal deadly defenders.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27But then again, their world is much harder than ours.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33That was enough for me! Phew!
0:27:35 > 0:27:40Join me next time as I continue my search for the Deadly 60.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45Oh, woo-hoo!
0:27:46 > 0:27:49Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd