0:00:02 > 0:00:05MUSIC
0:00:06 > 0:00:09'Welcome to my Deadly Top Ten.
0:00:14 > 0:00:18'A chance to choose the top ten fiercest, fastest, most tactical,
0:00:18 > 0:00:21'toxic and well-armed animals on the planet.
0:00:23 > 0:00:28'All deadly in their own world and sometimes deadly to me.
0:00:28 > 0:00:32'Who do you think will be number one of my Deadly Top Ten?'
0:00:38 > 0:00:43'In this countdown I'm choosing my top ten lethal weapons.'
0:00:44 > 0:00:46That is a set of gnashers.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48'Ultimate talons, tusks, muscles,
0:00:48 > 0:00:52'stings and even leafy goo.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55'Fabulous weapons used to hunt and fight.
0:00:56 > 0:01:01'But it's not all about awesome artillery and fantastic firepower.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04'There are some surprising gadgets to watch out for
0:01:04 > 0:01:07'as we battle it out for number one.'
0:01:09 > 0:01:13'Time for my top ten lethal weapons countdown.
0:01:13 > 0:01:17'Swooping into ten is an eagle with truly terrifying talons,
0:01:17 > 0:01:19'the African fish eagle.
0:01:19 > 0:01:24'In South Africa, I met up with a stunning young bird called Bono.'
0:01:24 > 0:01:28Bono was taken from the wild as a chick illegally.
0:01:28 > 0:01:33Luckily, he was rescued and he spent his days happily in a rescue centre near here.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35I can tell you that he's quite heavy.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38It's quite a strain keeping him on my wrist.
0:01:38 > 0:01:42He's got gigantic breast muscles like huge pecs
0:01:42 > 0:01:46which drive those wings, and the main weapon is those talons.
0:01:46 > 0:01:48They are like razor blades.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50Feeling that with my finger,
0:01:50 > 0:01:54you wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of those.
0:01:55 > 0:02:00'In the wild, eagles rely totally on these talons to survive.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05'Fishing eagles patrol African lakes and rivers,
0:02:05 > 0:02:08'keeping an eagle eye out for prey.
0:02:09 > 0:02:13'Once into an attack they swing their feet forward,
0:02:13 > 0:02:17'stretch out their toes... and with unbelievable precision,
0:02:17 > 0:02:22'lock talons on to their slippery targets.
0:02:22 > 0:02:26'Though they mainly eat fish, they use their lethal weapons
0:02:26 > 0:02:31'to snatch small birds from the sky and even to grab flamingos.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36'These talented talon-masters are so efficient,
0:02:36 > 0:02:40'they spend as little as ten minutes a day hunting.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42'That's what I call super weapons.
0:02:44 > 0:02:49'Next up for nine are two giants who fight with huge teeth,
0:02:49 > 0:02:53'the hippo and the African elephant.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57'Which is going to win the place on the countdown?'
0:02:57 > 0:02:59Jessica is a very special hippo.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03She's the only one in the world you could ever get this close to.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06Oh, my life, she's coming out of the water. Look at this!
0:03:07 > 0:03:12You would probably assume that we're in a zoo or a safari park
0:03:12 > 0:03:14but this is a wild river.
0:03:14 > 0:03:19Wild hippos pass through every day and socialise with Jessica here.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22Give us a nice, big smile, Jess.
0:03:22 > 0:03:28You see those two huge, gargantuan incisor teeth at the side of the mouth?
0:03:28 > 0:03:34They actually slot in to these two lumps at the top of her head here.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37They don't serve any purpose for feeding,
0:03:37 > 0:03:40they are purely for fighting and defence.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44'Male teeth grow even bigger.'
0:03:45 > 0:03:47I've got a couple here.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51If you can imagine those inside Jessica's mouth.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56That is a weapon to be truly frightened of.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03'Bull hippos use these over-sized gnashers
0:04:03 > 0:04:07'in dramatic clashes over territory and breeding rights.'
0:04:07 > 0:04:10MUSIC
0:04:16 > 0:04:19'Talk about a clash of the titans!
0:04:21 > 0:04:24'These three-tonne giants are especially aggressive
0:04:24 > 0:04:29'in times of drought when the rivers become really crowded.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35'Such big teeth can inflict painful-looking stab wounds
0:04:35 > 0:04:38'and these battles can go on for days.
0:04:39 > 0:04:44'It's best to stay out of the way whilst all this drama's going on.
0:04:44 > 0:04:49'Thanks to their terrifying teeth, hippos are truly deadly.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54'So, how will the elephant's teeth match up?
0:04:59 > 0:05:02'Elephants are armed with a trunk and tusks -
0:05:02 > 0:05:05'devastating tree-smashing artillery.
0:05:06 > 0:05:12'But it's when bull elephants decide to fight each other that tusks become deadly weapons.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20'The bulls joust with them like medieval knights.
0:05:20 > 0:05:24'Each is risking severe injury.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26'These fights are about gaining power.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29'The winner will be crowned king bull.
0:05:34 > 0:05:39'Tusks are modified teeth which grow throughout an elephant's life.
0:05:39 > 0:05:44'Bull tusks grow up to three metres and can weigh twice as much as me.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49'Tusk fighting is such an important skill
0:05:49 > 0:05:52'that even baby bulls will have a go.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54'Rather than deadly tusk fighting,
0:05:54 > 0:05:58'it's more like head banging instead.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01'But, when they grow up, they'll be brandishing
0:06:01 > 0:06:05'some of the most impressive weapons in the whole of the animal world.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11'How on earth do I choose between two real mega-beasts?
0:06:11 > 0:06:16'It's a tough call but, with their earth-shaking bull fights,
0:06:16 > 0:06:18'I'm going for the elephant.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24'Slinking in to eight is an underwater hunter
0:06:24 > 0:06:29'who has a tongue with super powers. It's the queen snake.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34'In the rivers of the eastern USA, the queen snake thrives
0:06:34 > 0:06:38'on a specialised diet of crayfish and crayfish alone.
0:06:39 > 0:06:44'Food definitely fit for a queen, but quite a tricky meal to catch
0:06:44 > 0:06:49'since crayfish are armour-plated and equipped with powerful pincers.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56'But this royal serpent is one step ahead as she is armed
0:06:56 > 0:06:59'with an incredibly sensitive forked tongue.
0:07:01 > 0:07:06'Her weapon is used to exploit a chink in the crayfish's armour -
0:07:06 > 0:07:09'the time when it's most vulnerable.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11'When it moults.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15'As crayfish grow, they must shed their hard shell.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18'This happens once every three to four weeks.
0:07:19 > 0:07:23'When they emerge, they are soft and defenceless.
0:07:23 > 0:07:27'It's now that the snake has its chance.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32'Soft crayfish look no different to hard-shelled ones,
0:07:32 > 0:07:35'but they emit very different chemicals.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38'Her tongue is so sensitive,
0:07:38 > 0:07:41'it can taste these chemicals leaking from soft crayfish.
0:07:41 > 0:07:46'Armed with her tasting weapon, she's able to track them down.
0:07:48 > 0:07:54'She's got it! Those thrashing legs can do her no harm at all.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59'She can swallow it whole since it's as soft as a boiled egg.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04'Fine dining made possible by her sensitive,
0:08:04 > 0:08:06'soft shell-detecting tongue.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13'What a weapons stash this is turning out to be!
0:08:13 > 0:08:17'Terrifying talons, titan tusks
0:08:17 > 0:08:20'and an underwater taster tongue.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23'It's an even stranger weapon next.
0:08:24 > 0:08:28'Winkling it at seven, it's the animal whose weapon
0:08:28 > 0:08:32'is its dastardly, deadly finger, the aye-aye.
0:08:34 > 0:08:39'I'm dying to get a closer look at this strange digit and show you how it works.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41'This research station in Madagascar
0:08:41 > 0:08:45'is the perfect place for a close encounter.
0:08:46 > 0:08:51'It's a bit spooky getting so close to such a bizarre-looking primate.'
0:08:52 > 0:08:53Crikey!
0:08:53 > 0:08:58I think she thought my finger was something edible for a second.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02When it comes down to it, they are pretty fierce.
0:09:06 > 0:09:12The aye-aye is a very specialised feeder.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14If you look at that front foot,
0:09:14 > 0:09:18you'll notice the middle finger is kind of weird-looking.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21It has no flesh, no muscle,
0:09:21 > 0:09:26it's just one long, jointed, pencil-like digit.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32Look what he's doing now. Look at that.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37Just using that finger to dig out
0:09:39 > 0:09:42little grubs that are beneath the bark.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45That is crazy!
0:09:52 > 0:09:57'At night, the aye-aye hunts for grubs living deep inside wood.
0:09:57 > 0:10:01'It taps on trees with its middle finger and listens for cavities
0:10:01 > 0:10:06'where wood-boring insect larvae might be moving under the bark.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12'Aye-ayes have excellent hearing,
0:10:12 > 0:10:17'helping them detect something tasty hiding inside the trunk.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27'Once the grub's located, the aye-aye rips through the bark
0:10:27 > 0:10:33'and the special skeleton finger is deployed as a fishing hook.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37'It's so slim and dextrous that this finger can squeeze through
0:10:37 > 0:10:42'the tiniest of gaps and bend around the tightest corners
0:10:42 > 0:10:45'to scoop out the grub from its hole.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51'Who needs a penknife when you have such a powerful finger as a weapon?
0:10:58 > 0:11:00'Shooting in at six,
0:11:00 > 0:11:05'an insect with the most powerful sting in the world, the bullet ant.'
0:11:11 > 0:11:15These are bullet ants.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19They're called bullet ants because being stung by one
0:11:19 > 0:11:22feels a bit like being shot.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25They've got the most painful toxin,
0:11:25 > 0:11:28the most painful venom of any insect.
0:11:28 > 0:11:33I'm just watching to make sure they don't run up my trouser leg.
0:11:33 > 0:11:38I can confirm the bullet ant's just about the most painful experience
0:11:38 > 0:11:41because I've been stung by these many times.
0:11:41 > 0:11:46The reason for its sting isn't for overcoming its prey.
0:11:46 > 0:11:51They spend a lot of time hunting in the canopy or on the ground
0:11:51 > 0:11:56and they usually use their powerful jaws to overcome their insect prey.
0:11:56 > 0:12:02The sting really is used for getting rid of animals that might want to hunt them.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04And the reason it's so painful is just really so that
0:12:04 > 0:12:07if something big sticks its nose into the bullet ants' nest,
0:12:07 > 0:12:12it'll get stung and think that it's in real danger.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15Now, because I've been stung by these so many times before,
0:12:15 > 0:12:17I know that if I get stung again,
0:12:17 > 0:12:19it's going to hurt a lot
0:12:19 > 0:12:21but it's not going to be dangerous to me.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25I won't have an allergic reaction. If I didn't know that,
0:12:25 > 0:12:28I wouldn't do what I'm about to try now.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31And I suggest that if you ever go anywhere with bullet ants,
0:12:31 > 0:12:35please don't try this. I'll see if I can get one of these little fellows...
0:12:35 > 0:12:38One of these little fellows! They're huge, what am I talking about?
0:12:38 > 0:12:40Biggest ant in the world!
0:12:40 > 0:12:44I'm going to see if I can get one of these ants to walk over my hand
0:12:44 > 0:12:46without biting me.
0:12:49 > 0:12:54OK. So, I've now got the world's
0:12:54 > 0:12:57most painful stinging insect on my hand.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59And I have to say, I am very nervous.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01Although I've been stung by these before,
0:13:01 > 0:13:04I can remember how badly it hurt.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07But if you look at it up close,
0:13:07 > 0:13:12it's one of the most awesome creatures. An animal this size...
0:13:12 > 0:13:15Look at it, cleaning its antennae there. Isn't that beautiful?
0:13:15 > 0:13:18Running them through his mandibles, keeping them clean.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21Those are his primary sensory mechanisms as he's running along.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24It is just extraordinary that an animal of this size
0:13:24 > 0:13:26has a sting that is powerful enough
0:13:26 > 0:13:30to incapacitate an animal the size of me.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33I mean, think how many times bigger I am than this ant.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37But one little sting is going to have me
0:13:37 > 0:13:39absolutely crying on the floor.
0:13:39 > 0:13:44That has to be one of the absolute miracles of mother nature.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47'Time to check our weapons.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51'We've had the fish eagle's talons.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54'Elephant tusks.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56'Queen snake's tongue.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59'Aye-aye's deadly digit.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01'And bullet ant's sting.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03'Can you guess which weapons are next
0:14:03 > 0:14:05'as we battle towards number one?
0:14:08 > 0:14:10'Well, next up is a Deadly first.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13'Two predatory plants.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17'The European sundew and the North American Venus flytrap.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19'Don't be fooled by their beauty.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21'Both have massive meat-eating weapons.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26'Lurking in the marshy wastelands
0:14:26 > 0:14:29'lives a breathtakingly beautiful plant.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31'The sundew.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34'Their firework tentacles are laden
0:14:34 > 0:14:36'with deadly, sticky gel.
0:14:37 > 0:14:42'This carpet of flowers is actually a deathbed for careless insects.
0:14:43 > 0:14:48'Unsuspecting mosquitoes emerge in huge numbers from the boggy water.
0:14:50 > 0:14:51'And the sundews are ready.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57'The dazzling sticky-tipped globes are sweet-smelling and attractive.
0:15:04 > 0:15:08'Careless mozzies are soon stuck fast to the squishy stalks.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11'The more they wriggle, the worse it gets.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15'These plants are hungry for animal tissue,
0:15:15 > 0:15:18'so as the insect struggles, the sundew tightens its grip.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24'As more and more tentacles envelope the prey,
0:15:24 > 0:15:27'the droplets spread across its body.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30'Eventually the insects drown in sticky fluid
0:15:30 > 0:15:33'and the plant digests its dinner. What a way to go!
0:15:41 > 0:15:46'The Venus Flytrap is a very different beast altogether.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50'These are the jaws of death. Piranhas of the plant kingdom.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54'And they use an explosive snap-happy strategy.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59'Venus makes herself very attractive
0:15:59 > 0:16:02'by oozing nectar across the brim of each leaf.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06'But any visitor must watch out,
0:16:06 > 0:16:09'for these tiny hairs are trip switches for a dangerous device.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15'If the insect touches one hair, it can carry on feeding.
0:16:15 > 0:16:17'But a timer has been set.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21'A second contact detonates the system...
0:16:25 > 0:16:28'..and the insect is destined for a messy end.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35'Prison bars seal them in
0:16:35 > 0:16:38'to their leafy tomb,
0:16:38 > 0:16:40'where they're sucked dry and digested.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45'What a ferocious bit of foliage!
0:16:54 > 0:16:59'Well, I'm absolutely blown away by all that flower power,
0:16:59 > 0:17:01'but for me, the Venus Flytrap's steely jaws
0:17:01 > 0:17:04'really do steal the show.
0:17:08 > 0:17:12'Swooping in at four is a bird with ultimate surround sound hearing.
0:17:12 > 0:17:14'The Great Grey owl.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24'The owl's challenge is to locate rodents
0:17:24 > 0:17:27'under the snow in a seemingly empty landscape.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33'It's listening out for tiny rustling sounds.
0:17:34 > 0:17:39'Deep under the snow, this lemming makes minute noises as it moves.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45'Far too weak for human ears to respond to,
0:17:45 > 0:17:48'but this owl has the ultimate amplifier.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52'Its face acts like a satellite dish,
0:17:52 > 0:17:55'able to pick up micro sounds.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00'The dish is formed by a ring of stiff feathers.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03'They collect and reflect noises towards the ears,
0:18:03 > 0:18:06'which are hidden on either side of the owl's eyes.
0:18:07 > 0:18:12'It's like having a giant cupped hand behind each ear.
0:18:16 > 0:18:20'To find the hidden lemming, the owl scans with its dish-like face.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23'As soon as the lemming makes a noise, the owl can home in.
0:18:24 > 0:18:29'It locks onto its target like a sound-seeking missile.
0:18:35 > 0:18:40'Soft, stealth feathers ensure the owl is silent in its flight.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44'Nothing interferes with its hearing.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47'The head remains focused on its target at all times,
0:18:47 > 0:18:49'even if it has to fly around obstacles.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54'The lemming has no idea of what's going to hit it.
0:18:55 > 0:18:59'Now it unleashes its lethal talons.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01'This lemming's game is over.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06'With its extraordinary audio sound-scanning face,
0:19:06 > 0:19:09'the owl rarely misses its target.
0:19:09 > 0:19:14'There's simply nowhere to hide from the Great Grey owl.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26'Throwing its muscles in at three is a giant snake.
0:19:26 > 0:19:31'The python. Its deadly weapon is a killer squeeze.'
0:19:33 > 0:19:34That's heavy!
0:19:34 > 0:19:38'The biggest one I've ever met was an reticulated python in Borneo.'
0:19:38 > 0:19:43The reticulated python is the longest snake in the world.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47Believe it or not, the anaconda from South America can get larger
0:19:47 > 0:19:49and heavier bodied than this.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51But in terms of pure length,
0:19:51 > 0:19:53the reticulated python has it.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55I have to say this is the thickest,
0:19:55 > 0:19:57heaviest-bodied retic I've ever seen.
0:19:57 > 0:20:02'It's called reticulated because of its repeating pattern
0:20:02 > 0:20:05'of diamond markings along its body. Reticulations.'
0:20:05 > 0:20:07Crikey!
0:20:07 > 0:20:10I tell you what, it's a good job it's quite tame, isn't it?
0:20:10 > 0:20:13If this was snappy, I wouldn't be quite so keen
0:20:13 > 0:20:14to be handling it like this.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18Do I need to worry when its head starts heading towards me?
0:20:18 > 0:20:20- He's getting used to you.- Yeah.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23So this snake's been held in captivity for about 15 years,
0:20:23 > 0:20:26so it's not very aggressive. Believe me, I wouldn't be handling it
0:20:26 > 0:20:28if this was a wild snake.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32The reticulated python can get to be actually much bigger than this.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35The longest recorded specimen was about 28 feet.
0:20:35 > 0:20:40This one's about 20, so it would be an extra me
0:20:40 > 0:20:42plus a bit more.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45And I have to say, this isn't even constricting me,
0:20:45 > 0:20:48but just the pure weight and power of it...
0:20:48 > 0:20:50Look at that on my leg.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52This is how a reticulated python kills its prey,
0:20:52 > 0:20:56by wrapping some coils around the animal and as it breathes out,
0:20:56 > 0:21:00the retic clenches a bit more and every time the animal breathes out,
0:21:00 > 0:21:03it clenches more and more and more and more until eventually
0:21:03 > 0:21:07there is just no lung space left and the animal suffocates.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11'Although the muscular coils are its main killing weapon,
0:21:11 > 0:21:14'the python then has the problem
0:21:14 > 0:21:16'of swallowing prey,
0:21:16 > 0:21:19'which can be as large as an antelope.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24'Luckily, it has hyper flexible jaws
0:21:24 > 0:21:29'and an amazing skull which allows it to walk its face along its meal.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37'It can even engulf the horns.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44'Strong stomach acids and enzymes
0:21:44 > 0:21:49'then digest the meal, skin, hooves, horns, the lot.
0:21:50 > 0:21:52'A tad gross perhaps, but necessary.
0:21:52 > 0:21:57'The python can't risk its meal rotting inside its body.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03'This truly is an awesomely armed reptile superpower.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07'A seriously squeezing snake.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14'So, what could beat those muscles?
0:22:14 > 0:22:17'Well, with both ferocious teeth and claws,
0:22:17 > 0:22:20'at number two, the grizzly bear.'
0:22:23 > 0:22:26BEAR ROARS
0:22:26 > 0:22:30'Grizzlies are built like tanks.
0:22:30 > 0:22:34'They have many weapons in their ferocious toolkit,
0:22:34 > 0:22:36'but it's their massive teeth
0:22:36 > 0:22:39'and claws the size of kitchen knives
0:22:39 > 0:22:41'which makes them top of the food chain predators.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46'During the annual salmon run in Alaska,
0:22:46 > 0:22:51'grizzly bears gather to dine on this fishy feast.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54'They're seriously smart when it comes to using their weapons.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00'Pouncing on fish in shallow water is how the experts do it.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04'In autumn, salmon are so abundant, even this little guy has a go.
0:23:06 > 0:23:07'He's already learning the skills
0:23:07 > 0:23:11'he'll need to survive as an adult.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14'Away from the feast on the riverbank, some ingenious grizzlies
0:23:14 > 0:23:17'have taken their weapon wielding skills to the next level.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22'In this coastal landscape,
0:23:22 > 0:23:26'bears have had to learn to become beachcombers.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33'With their keen sense of smell,
0:23:33 > 0:23:36'they can sniff out clams 30cm down in the sand.
0:23:38 > 0:23:43'They then use their paws as shovels to dig down to their prey.
0:23:43 > 0:23:45'Finally, their claws become
0:23:45 > 0:23:48'dexterous and delicate can openers,
0:23:48 > 0:23:51'as they unlock the clams from their shells.
0:23:51 > 0:23:55'A tasty treat courtesy of a beastly set of clever cutlery.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00'So if the great grizzly's claws are two
0:24:00 > 0:24:02'and python's coils were only at three,
0:24:02 > 0:24:05'who on earth has the ultimate weapon?
0:24:06 > 0:24:09'It's definitely a deadly surprise.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14'Time for the top ten lethal weapons countdown.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21'Razor-sharp ten, fish eagle's talons.
0:24:21 > 0:24:25'Bull-fighting nine, the elephant's tusks.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28'Tasty eight, the Queen snake's tongue.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30'Squirmy seven, the aye-aye's finger.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35'Agonising six, bullet ant's sting.
0:24:36 > 0:24:40'Snap-happy five, the Venus Flytrap.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43'All ears at four, the Great Grey owl's hearing.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47'Mighty three, the python's muscles.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50'Tearing in at two, the grizzly's claws.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53'And at number one, it's a kung-fu ninja.
0:24:55 > 0:24:57'The praying mantis.
0:24:57 > 0:25:01'Armed with not just one, or two,
0:25:01 > 0:25:02'but an entire arsenal of weapons.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07'They may be mini, but armed with their monstrous weapons,
0:25:07 > 0:25:09'the mantis is an adept assassin.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15'Equipped with some brutal spines and killer mouthparts,
0:25:15 > 0:25:19'capable of demolishing animals twice their own size.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24'I've come to prime mantis habitat to show you exactly
0:25:24 > 0:25:27'how they wield their wily weapons.'
0:25:27 > 0:25:29Look at that!
0:25:29 > 0:25:32It's like something out of a monster movie.
0:25:32 > 0:25:34Those eyeballs really are
0:25:34 > 0:25:37the best eyes you'll find in the insect world.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41This is probably the very last thing that a butterfly or a moth
0:25:41 > 0:25:43would ever see in their life,
0:25:43 > 0:25:47would be those eyes and these mouth parts.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51Look at those brutal spines.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54Those are the mantis's chief way of catching its prey
0:25:54 > 0:25:57and at the moment, the forearms are drawn into the side of the body,
0:25:57 > 0:26:01just ready to spring open like a steel trap
0:26:01 > 0:26:04and catch any soft-bodied insect flying close by.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07With reflexes so quick,
0:26:07 > 0:26:10these really are living booby traps.
0:26:10 > 0:26:14There's no doubt the praying mantis has ferocious artillery,
0:26:14 > 0:26:18but they also use their wardrobe as a weapon.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22Masters of disguise, camouflage is their ultimate weapon,
0:26:22 > 0:26:25allowing them to transform into almost anything,
0:26:25 > 0:26:27even an orchid flower.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30But there's one mantis who steals the show
0:26:30 > 0:26:31in this deadly fashion parade.
0:26:35 > 0:26:39It's called the pebble mantis and it really lives up to its name.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44It's taken camouflage to the extreme.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52Its skin is even pitted to look like gravel.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55Able to withstand the severe desert heat,
0:26:55 > 0:26:58it stands brandishing its weapons totally undetected.
0:26:59 > 0:27:03This cricket has attracted some unwanted mantis attention.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05It doesn't even have a clue.
0:27:09 > 0:27:11After gobbling up every mouthful,
0:27:11 > 0:27:16it cleans and polishes those primary weapons, ready for the next target.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20The praying mantis. A master of disguise.
0:27:20 > 0:27:25Absolute alien when you look at them close up.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28And to a flying insect, the equivalent of a great white shark.
0:27:33 > 0:27:38Don't forget to join me next time for more Deadly Top Tens.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40Who's going to be the Deadly number one?
0:27:43 > 0:27:46Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
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