0:00:06 > 0:00:09'Welcome to my Deadly Top Ten.'
0:00:11 > 0:00:14TIGER ROARS
0:00:14 > 0:00:19'A chance to choose the top ten fiercest, fastest, most tactical,
0:00:19 > 0:00:21'toxic and well-armed animals on the planet.
0:00:23 > 0:00:27'All deadly in their own world and sometimes deadly to me.'
0:00:27 > 0:00:28HE SCREAMS
0:00:28 > 0:00:32'Who do you think will be number one in my Deadly Top Ten?
0:00:37 > 0:00:41'In this countdown, I'm choosing my top ten killer tactics.'
0:00:42 > 0:00:44Whoa.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48'These are the cleverest tricks that animals use to catch their dinner.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51'It's all about surprise,
0:00:51 > 0:00:54'stealth and even a bit of magic.
0:00:57 > 0:01:01'Time to kick off my top ten killer tactic countdown.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08'I'll begin with a pack-hunting bird of prey.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11'Number ten, the Harris Hawk.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14'Its killer tactic is teamwork.'
0:01:17 > 0:01:21Look at that! Isn't that magnificent?
0:01:21 > 0:01:25Now, obviously, this isn't a wild Harris Hawk.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27You'd never get one of those to fly onto your fist.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31This is a falconry bird and this is the absolute classic hawk shape.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34In fact, as she came in to land on my fist,
0:01:34 > 0:01:37what you would've seen is pretty much exactly
0:01:37 > 0:01:40the last thing a small mammal would see before meeting its end.
0:01:40 > 0:01:44The way she stopped, throwing her wings back, spreading her tail,
0:01:44 > 0:01:48stops her almost instantly from flight at 30, 40 miles an hour.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51But the most remarkable thing about this bird of prey
0:01:51 > 0:01:55is that while most birds of prey tend to be solitary,
0:01:55 > 0:01:57Harris Hawks are very social animals.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00In fact, they hunt with their friends.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05'They hunt together in the deserts of America.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09'For prey like this rabbit.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14'A four-bird team can attack from all angles.
0:02:15 > 0:02:20'They watch from on high and swoop low to scare prey into the open,
0:02:20 > 0:02:23'taking turns to dash in for the strike.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27'And...he's missed it! The prey's got away.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32'Or has it?'
0:02:34 > 0:02:39'This wily mob has another tactic - ground attack.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42'One bird flushes out the quarry for another member of the team.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52'And got it!
0:02:52 > 0:02:55'There's no escape from this teamworking gang.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00'Hawks may hunt in groups of four or five,
0:03:00 > 0:03:02'but check out this animal
0:03:02 > 0:03:05'who hunts is packs of 20 or more.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07'The African hunting dog.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10'They have to hunt as a coordinated pack
0:03:10 > 0:03:13'as they face a major challenge.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16'Catching smart and super-fast prey.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20'Like impala.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24'Impala are intelligent and hyper-alert.
0:03:25 > 0:03:30'The only way to catch one is to hunt together in a big team.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36'Creeping up close, camouflage coats keep the pack disguised.
0:03:37 > 0:03:43'Impala only see in black and white, but they do hear very well,
0:03:43 > 0:03:45'so the dog team have to be stealthy, too.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50'Some dogs run to the side of the herd,
0:03:50 > 0:03:54'while others start the chase from behind.
0:03:55 > 0:04:00'The impala herd's first line of defence is to stick close together.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04'But these dogs have the killer tactic of teamwork.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10'And they separate one from the herd.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16'The lead dog picks up the final chase on its own.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19'Now it's all to play for.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23'The impala has speed, but the dog has another killer capability.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25'Stamina.
0:04:27 > 0:04:32'A team like this kills once a day and tonight, no-one will go hungry.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37'Their killer tactic of working together has paid off.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44'Coming up next is the ultimate master of disguise.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47'Number eight, the Madagascan leaf tailed gecko.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51'Its killer tactic is invisibility.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55'Uber-cool killer camouflage keeps it safe from predators
0:04:55 > 0:04:59'and means it can lie in wait for insect prey, too.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04'It's even got camouflaged eyeballs.
0:05:04 > 0:05:08'Not surprisingly, it's very hard for me to find.'
0:05:12 > 0:05:15OK, right, Johnny, what I need you to do,
0:05:15 > 0:05:17I need you to frame up
0:05:17 > 0:05:20on that portion of tree there.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23- OK.- Can you see it?- No.
0:05:23 > 0:05:24OK.
0:05:24 > 0:05:29Let's try zooming in right where my finger is.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31Can you see those eyes?
0:05:31 > 0:05:33- All I can see is leaves.- Just there.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36Just in front of my finger. Can you see that?
0:05:36 > 0:05:39OK, and zoom back out.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43- Have you got it?- Yeah.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47This is a leaf tailed gecko.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51Let's see if I can make him move a little bit and then you'll see him.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54That's the tail there.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58This time of day, they're kind of... Ooh!
0:06:00 > 0:06:03The leaping leaf tailed gecko.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09It takes a lot to surprise me, particularly with reptiles.
0:06:09 > 0:06:14I actually think that's the most beautiful lizard I've ever seen.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17The most incredibly camouflaged.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21Look down the bottom lip where it's touching my watch strap.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24It's got kind of tassels hanging off it
0:06:24 > 0:06:28that look just like moss, and all down the body and the legs
0:06:28 > 0:06:31and those incredible digits
0:06:31 > 0:06:36are just covered with little tassels that make it blend in perfectly
0:06:36 > 0:06:38with the tree bark.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41You are wondrous!
0:06:41 > 0:06:44'And he has a killer spring in his step.'
0:06:47 > 0:06:50I think I might be spoiling his camouflage a little bit.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55'So, we've seen lethal teamwork,
0:06:55 > 0:06:58'we've had uber-cool camouflage...
0:06:59 > 0:07:02'..but there are plenty more killer tactics.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06'Some snakes use lethal lures to tempt their prey.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10'Fighting for slot number seven, it's the death adder
0:07:10 > 0:07:13'and the garter snake.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16'Let's see these masters of mimicry in action.
0:07:19 > 0:07:25'The death adder hides and uses its tail tip to mimic an insect or worm.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28'A perfect snake for this Australian skink...
0:07:29 > 0:07:32'..who can't resist what seems to be an easy meal.
0:07:36 > 0:07:40'Closer and closer he comes in to inspect.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49'The death adder even wriggles the lure right by its head.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53'Bringing in the skink to point-blank range.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59'This time, the skink got lucky.
0:07:59 > 0:08:03'But the snake is patient. Sooner or later, it's bound to succeed.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12'Young garter snakes use the other end of their body.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16'They've developed an amazing trick of the tongue.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21'They've learnt how to fish with it.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26'Like a human angler, the snake tests out different fishing spots
0:08:26 > 0:08:30'until it finds the right conditions.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34'It dances its tongue on the surface to mimic an insect on the water.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39'Irresistible to baby trout.
0:08:45 > 0:08:49'Sooner or later, the fancy fishing trick pays off.
0:08:54 > 0:08:58'Catch of the day to the reptile with its tactical twitchy tongue.
0:09:00 > 0:09:04'So, is it the death adder tail or the garter snake tongue
0:09:04 > 0:09:06'that you think should win?
0:09:06 > 0:09:10'Well, I think the fishy fooling tongue is just genius,
0:09:10 > 0:09:12'so garter snake gets slot number seven.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17'So what other smart hunting strategies are there?
0:09:17 > 0:09:19'Better beware or you might get caught in the trap
0:09:19 > 0:09:23'set by cunning number six, the chimpanzee.
0:09:24 > 0:09:28'It might seem surprising, but chimpanzees have a taste for meat.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31'And it's teams of males who do the hunting.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35'They set a big trap in the treetops.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39'A satellite's-eye view reveals what's going on.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41'This is what they're after.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44'Colobus monkeys feeding in the canopy 30 metres up.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52'Stealthily, the chimps take up position under their quarry.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57'Colobus are small and agile.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00'They can move in the lightest of branches
0:10:00 > 0:10:04'A heavy chimp hasn't a hope alone.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08'But by chasing and surrounding them, the chimps will have a chance.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17'A chimp at the back makes the first move.
0:10:17 > 0:10:22'His job is to climb up under the monkeys and flush them out.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26'The rest watch from below, poised for action.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32'The hunt is on.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35'Chimps on the ground immediately run ahead of the colobus.
0:10:35 > 0:10:39'Some of them guess where the colobus are heading
0:10:39 > 0:10:42'and climb trees on either side.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46'Their job is to scare the monkeys into running between them.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51'Meanwhile, on the ground, the smartest chimp,
0:10:51 > 0:10:54'the chief monkey-catcher, has a plan.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58'He runs even further ahead.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00'He's seen the side-scarers
0:11:00 > 0:11:04'and has worked out where the colobus are being driven.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07'He picks a tree ahead of them and hides and waits.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10'The trap is now set.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17'The chaser chimp at the back drives them from behind
0:11:17 > 0:11:19'and the side-scarers move in.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24'The colobus leap straight into the monkey-catcher's tree.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42'And...it's over!
0:11:42 > 0:11:46'The chimps outsmarted the monkeys and caught their family supper.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51'Their trap-setting skills and expert timing
0:11:51 > 0:11:54'is the key to their success.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01'So we've had a gang of hawks,
0:12:01 > 0:12:03'pack-hunting dogs,
0:12:03 > 0:12:06'a master of disguise,
0:12:06 > 0:12:09'a tongue-fishing snake
0:12:09 > 0:12:12'and trap-making chimps.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16'Can you guess what's coming up next as we count down to number one?
0:12:18 > 0:12:21'This is truly bizarre.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25'Number five - the stoat.
0:12:28 > 0:12:32'Its lethal tactics are killer dance moves.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35'Yes, really. They are killer.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38'Which it uses to hunt rabbits.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40'Sometimes stoats put on a crazy-looking show
0:12:40 > 0:12:44'in fields where rabbits live. But don't be fooled.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46'There is method in their madness.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49'Believe it or not, these moves are deadly.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57'The stoat's jumps and jives seem to put the rabbits under a spell.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04'It seems mesmerised and doesn't run away.
0:13:05 > 0:13:10'The nimble stoat then chooses its moment.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20'This dance of death allows it to tackle prey, like adult rabbits,
0:13:20 > 0:13:23'eight times its own weight.
0:13:24 > 0:13:28'Battling it out for slot number four are two itsy-tricksy spiders.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32'The Corolla spider and the Gladiator spider.
0:13:32 > 0:13:36'Their killer tactics have to be seen to be believed.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41'The Corolla spider lives in the harsh environment
0:13:41 > 0:13:46'of the Namibian Desert, where there are strange patterns on the sand.
0:13:46 > 0:13:51'These circles are an amazing solution to an engineering problem.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55'Unable to spin webs, since the silk would be destroyed
0:13:55 > 0:13:58'by the desert winds, this special agent spider
0:13:58 > 0:14:01'harnesses technology to catch its prey.'
0:14:03 > 0:14:07MUSIC: "James Bond Theme"
0:14:09 > 0:14:13'A foraging ant is walking through a minefield.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16'It hasn't got a clue about the danger.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19'If it touches the wrong stone,
0:14:19 > 0:14:21'it means certain death.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24'Because inside each perfect circle
0:14:24 > 0:14:29'is a deadly Corolla spider, waiting to ensnare the next victim.
0:14:29 > 0:14:34'A trap this sophisticated takes a lot of hard work to get right
0:14:34 > 0:14:38'and every special agent needs a few gadgets.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41'Seven or eight round pebbles are ideal.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45'But some just aren't up to the job.
0:14:46 > 0:14:50'Each carefully-selected pebble is made of quartz.
0:14:50 > 0:14:54'This is essential, as quartz has a special property.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57'It can transmit vibrations.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01'Within the burrow, silk lines are attached to the edge of each pebble
0:15:01 > 0:15:05'and then to the spider. The trap is set.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09'If the ant touches any of the quartz pebbles,
0:15:09 > 0:15:14'they transmit the tiny vibrations along the silk and to the spider.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18'This vital intelligence tells the spider
0:15:18 > 0:15:21'exactly where and when to strike.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29'Mission accomplished.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32'Well, that was just unbelievable.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34'But if you think that was impressive,
0:15:34 > 0:15:38'just wait until you meet our next crafty contender,
0:15:38 > 0:15:40'the Gladiator spider.
0:15:40 > 0:15:44'This little warrior spins a very special type of silk.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48'She backcombs it to make it particularly fuzzy.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52'It's also extremely elastic, which is very important.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57'She checks to see how far she is from the ground,
0:15:57 > 0:15:59'carefully measuring the distance with her legs.
0:15:59 > 0:16:03'Then she snips free the ends of the fuzzy rectangle.
0:16:03 > 0:16:05'It might look like a small handkerchief,
0:16:05 > 0:16:09'but it's actually a really lethal bit of kit.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16'She's ready and just in time.
0:16:16 > 0:16:18'A cricket is foraging below.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27'Her aim must be on target as she only has one shot.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38'Oh, that is mind-blowing!
0:16:38 > 0:16:42'The net works perfectly. Now the prey must be parcelled up for later.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47'The fuzzy silk makes an excellent napkin.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55'So, who gets the hot seat at four?
0:16:55 > 0:16:59'Glorious Gladiator or the stone-spinning Corolla?
0:17:00 > 0:17:05'For her fuzzy-fibre-net-throwing skills, it's the Gladiator who wins.
0:17:05 > 0:17:10'Only three places left. Time to bring in the big guns.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13'It's the alligator snapping turtle.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17'Armed with a monstrous weapon of devious trickery.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21'Dwelling in the dark, murky swamps of south-eastern USA,
0:17:21 > 0:17:25'they have some of the most powerful jaws on the planet.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29'And they use their super-strong mouths
0:17:29 > 0:17:32'to chomp through anything and everything.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35'Flesh, gristle and even bone.
0:17:38 > 0:17:42'But that's not all. This weapon is double trouble.
0:17:42 > 0:17:46'For inside these gigantic jaws is the really clever bit.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52'By wriggling this fleshy growth on its tongue,
0:17:52 > 0:17:54'the snapping turtle imitates a worm.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57'Now, watch closely.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00'This fish thinks it's just about to have its lunch,
0:18:00 > 0:18:03'when in fact, it's about to be lunch.
0:18:09 > 0:18:14'This is one crafty predator who I just have to meet.'
0:18:19 > 0:18:21Oh, wow!
0:18:21 > 0:18:23Yes!
0:18:25 > 0:18:28Oh, my goodness! Look at the size of it!
0:18:28 > 0:18:30There's two! There's two in there!
0:18:30 > 0:18:33Er, we actually have three.
0:18:33 > 0:18:35I don't believe it!
0:18:36 > 0:18:39I cannot tell you how heavy this is.
0:18:43 > 0:18:47Wow! Absolutely unreal.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51Three giant alligator snapping turtles.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54I'm just going to be real careful, real gentle.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58Try to ease them out. Just make sure your right hand
0:18:58 > 0:19:02- doesn't stray from that spot.- OK.
0:19:02 > 0:19:07- Right.- Good job, man. Good job. You got him.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11Whoo! That is a big turtle.
0:19:11 > 0:19:15Probably the largest freshwater turtle in the world.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18But that isn't really what's so impressive about him.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21Look at the size of that head.
0:19:21 > 0:19:25It's totally out of proportion to the rest of the body.
0:19:25 > 0:19:31And most of that is just pure muscle power driving that jaw.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35At the edge of it is, well, it's incredibly sharp.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38It doesn't have teeth cos it doesn't need to have, really.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41It's almost like a great big, curved kitchen knife.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43You can see the hooked snout at the end.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47Actually, I'm not going to be able to hold him like this for long,
0:19:47 > 0:19:51because he's just too heavy. Looking at the shape of the head and body,
0:19:51 > 0:19:54it's very irregular. The colour is quite dark.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57And he blends in really, really well
0:19:57 > 0:20:00with all the vegetation at the bottom of the water here.
0:20:00 > 0:20:06And then, as soon as a fish gets too close, the head snaps out like that,
0:20:06 > 0:20:10the jaws clamp shut incredibly quickly, and the fish is history.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16'And now it's the animal who's the sultan of stealth.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19'Number two, the leopard.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23'Its killer tactic is surprise attack.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28'Don't be deceived by this lazy leopard dozing in the daytime.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32'Behind those sleepy eyes lurks the mind
0:20:32 > 0:20:36'of the most skilful stalker in the animal kingdom.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40'Darkness helps her execute her cunning plan.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49'Infrared cameras now give us the chance to see
0:20:49 > 0:20:52'into the secretive nocturnal world of this stealthy cat.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57'Antelope have a well-developed sense of smell
0:20:57 > 0:21:00'and very good hearing.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02'But at night, when the moon sinks behind a cloud,
0:21:02 > 0:21:04'they're almost blind.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08'It's just about pitch black.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11'And for the antelope, there's deadly danger
0:21:11 > 0:21:13'creeping up on them in the dark.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21'Remember, you can see what's going on, thanks to the infrared camera,
0:21:21 > 0:21:24'but the antelope can't see a thing.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27'This is when the leopard sneaks right up to them,
0:21:27 > 0:21:29'like a thief in the night.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35'Each footfall is considered and silent.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37'A tiny noise could give the game away.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47'She even controls her breathing.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50'She must be as quiet as she can.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54'With the right posture, in the right place, at the right time,
0:21:54 > 0:21:58'she's ready for the perfect pounce.
0:22:09 > 0:22:14'After she's made a kill, this cool cat has the strength and agility
0:22:14 > 0:22:16'to haul the carcass high up into the treetops,
0:22:16 > 0:22:19'where no other predator can reach it.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24'A crafty manoeuvre which allows her
0:22:24 > 0:22:27'to enjoy her meal in peace and at leisure.
0:22:31 > 0:22:33'The leopard is at the top of its game
0:22:33 > 0:22:37'with its winning combination of killer tactics.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40'They're usually very hard to see,
0:22:40 > 0:22:44'but I was lucky to find one on a dark and stormy African evening.'
0:22:46 > 0:22:48That is proper lightning.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51THUNDER BOOMS
0:22:53 > 0:22:57Mark, she's right down here and looking straight at me.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00And coming out into the open.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02I do not believe this.
0:23:02 > 0:23:07This is Africa's most elusive, most secretive cat,
0:23:07 > 0:23:09just wandering around,
0:23:09 > 0:23:12trying to figure out what her next move is going to be.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17I've never seen anything like this in my life.
0:23:17 > 0:23:22If she gets any closer, guys, don't move a muscle.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27'A leopard is so unpredictable,
0:23:27 > 0:23:30'it's arguably the most dangerous big cat in Africa.'
0:23:33 > 0:23:36'Literally metres away from us.'
0:23:40 > 0:23:44THUNDER BOOMS
0:23:47 > 0:23:50Well, we've just seen one of the most elusive,
0:23:50 > 0:23:54cunning, shy, secretive cats in the world,
0:23:54 > 0:23:58stalking around us, out in the open, in a full-on electrical storm.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01It's something none of us are going to forget in a hurry.
0:24:03 > 0:24:08'So, if the super-skilled leopard isn't number one, who is?
0:24:08 > 0:24:11'Time for the top ten killer tactics countdown.
0:24:11 > 0:24:13'Team-working ten, the Harris Hawk.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16'Nifty nine, the African hunting dog.
0:24:16 > 0:24:20'Exquisite eight, the leaf tailed geckos. Great!
0:24:20 > 0:24:24'Super-tongued seven, the garter snake.
0:24:24 > 0:24:28'Stealthy six, the chimpanzee.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32'Fancy-footed five, the stoat's jive.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35'Fantastic four, the Gladiator spider.
0:24:35 > 0:24:39'Throttling three, the alligator snapping turtle.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42'Tip-toed two, the super-skilled leopard.
0:24:42 > 0:24:46'So, who's at the top? Any ideas?
0:24:46 > 0:24:49'Well, my totally-tactical number one is ...
0:24:51 > 0:24:53'..the humpback whale.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59'For me, this is the ultimate strategic predator.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03'For the sheer scale of its fishing technique,
0:25:03 > 0:25:07'and its killer combination of teamwork and intelligence,
0:25:07 > 0:25:09'no other animal comes close.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13'Just wait till you see this!
0:25:17 > 0:25:21'Each summer, humpbacks come to hunt vast shoals of herring
0:25:21 > 0:25:24'off the Pacific North-West coast of America.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27'Millions and millions of fish,
0:25:27 > 0:25:31'an incredible bonanza of food if you know how to catch them.
0:25:33 > 0:25:37'And a very few smart whales know how to catch an entire shoal.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44'Like giant jet fighters on a mission,
0:25:44 > 0:25:48'the squadron swim in tight formation behind a lead whale.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52'She has the knowledge of how to drive the hunt.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54'It's her job to find the herring.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59'She dives down deep and creates a shimmering trap.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04'The sea suddenly fills with bubbles.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08'The lead whale is circling below a shoal of herring,
0:26:08 > 0:26:11'and blowing bubbles as she turns.
0:26:11 > 0:26:15'This makes a net of bubbles which surround the terrified fish.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18'Then an eerie call fills the water.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21WHALE CALLS
0:26:22 > 0:26:25'It's a battle cry.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30'The other whales assume their attack positions.
0:26:35 > 0:26:40'Together they charge to the surface, inside the ring of bubbles.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48'The herring rocket into the air trying to escape,
0:26:48 > 0:26:51'but the whales' huge mouths gape,
0:26:51 > 0:26:53'and between them, the entire shoal is engulfed.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02'Each whale weighs as much as six T-rexs.
0:27:06 > 0:27:10'They're powering up through the water faster than you can run.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12'What chance do these herring have?
0:27:15 > 0:27:18'Uniquely smart, utterly vast,
0:27:18 > 0:27:22'with possibly the most intelligent hunting technique in the world,
0:27:22 > 0:27:24'the bubble-blowing, shoal-swallowing,
0:27:24 > 0:27:29'squadron-swimming humpback has the ultimate killer tactic combination.'
0:27:34 > 0:27:40'Don't forget to join me next time for more Deadly Top Tens.
0:27:40 > 0:27:42'Who's going to be the deadly number one?'
0:27:44 > 0:27:48Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:27:48 > 0:27:52E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk
0:27:52 > 0:27:52.