0:00:02 > 0:00:05- Welcome to my nightmares of nature. - WOLF HOWLS
0:00:07 > 0:00:10- I'm Naomi Wilkinson... - SHE SCREAMS
0:00:10 > 0:00:14'..and I'm coming face to face with the nightmares of the animal world.'
0:00:18 > 0:00:20The ones that make your spine tingle...
0:00:22 > 0:00:25- '..your heart beat faster...' - SHE SCREAMS AND LAUGHS
0:00:25 > 0:00:27..and your blood run cold.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31Are they truly terrifying?
0:00:32 > 0:00:35Or is there a twist in the tale? Whee-hee!
0:00:36 > 0:00:37'Come with me
0:00:37 > 0:00:40'as I shine a light on wildlife's deepest, darkest secrets...'
0:00:41 > 0:00:46..and see if you can guess which will be my worst nightmare.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50Welcome to the USA!
0:00:50 > 0:00:55I am in the largest, wildest state that America has to offer - Alaska!
0:00:55 > 0:01:00'With 90,000 square miles of wilderness,
0:01:00 > 0:01:02'Alaska has plenty of places to go looking
0:01:02 > 0:01:04'for nightmares of nature.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06'I'll meet an angry bird...
0:01:06 > 0:01:10'with some seriously sharp skills...'
0:01:10 > 0:01:12Doesn't it look sensational?
0:01:12 > 0:01:16'..experience a big chill in the deep freeze...'
0:01:16 > 0:01:19If I stayed in here a long time, what would happen to me eventually?
0:01:19 > 0:01:21- You will die.- OK.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24'..and I'll try to talk to a fearsome, furry predator.'
0:01:24 > 0:01:26HE MAKES GURGLING NOISE
0:01:26 > 0:01:28That will cause the animal to come out.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30- SHE MAKES HIGH-PITCHED CALL - No!
0:01:30 > 0:01:34'But first...I'm going supersized.'
0:01:38 > 0:01:41As you can see, here in Alaska they like to do things BIG
0:01:41 > 0:01:43and that includes their wildlife.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45It's home to some of the largest predators
0:01:45 > 0:01:47found anywhere in the world.
0:01:47 > 0:01:49Orca, polar bears, grizzly bears,
0:01:49 > 0:01:52but which one is the biggest nightmare?
0:01:52 > 0:01:55Well, you might be surprised to discover that the animal
0:01:55 > 0:01:58that's considered to be the most dangerous here in Alaska
0:01:58 > 0:02:02isn't a massive meat-eater, it's actually a vegetarian!
0:02:03 > 0:02:06Yes, it sounds crazy in a place packed with
0:02:06 > 0:02:11so many powerful predators, but the animal you should be most wary of
0:02:11 > 0:02:14is the tree-chomping, plant-eating moose!
0:02:14 > 0:02:17But how on Earth does this large,
0:02:17 > 0:02:20lumbering species of deer manage to be so dangerous?
0:02:23 > 0:02:25MOOSE BELLOWS
0:02:25 > 0:02:30To find out, I've teamed up with wildlife biologist Jessy Coltrane.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37She's taking me to see moose in the wild,
0:02:37 > 0:02:39but we're not wilderness bound -
0:02:39 > 0:02:43we're heading into the suburbs of Alaska's largest city, Anchorage.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48Jessy, a big city like Anchorage is probably the last place
0:02:48 > 0:02:50I would ever go looking for a big wild animal like a moose,
0:02:50 > 0:02:52why are we going into town?
0:02:52 > 0:02:55Yeah, you know, a lot of people come to Alaska and they think,
0:02:55 > 0:02:57"Oh, we'll go to the national park,"
0:02:57 > 0:03:00but actually you have a better chance of seeing moose in Anchorage
0:03:00 > 0:03:02than pretty much anywhere else in the state.
0:03:02 > 0:03:07There are around 300 to 500 wild moose living in Anchorage,
0:03:07 > 0:03:10and they get into their fair share of trouble.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15I've heard they can be quite dangerous?
0:03:15 > 0:03:17Moose are definitely the most dangerous animal
0:03:17 > 0:03:19that we have in town.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21We've had several people stomped by moose.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24Most people in Anchorage have been charged by moose
0:03:24 > 0:03:25at least once in their lives...
0:03:25 > 0:03:29I can't even tell you how many times I've been charged by a moose, so...
0:03:30 > 0:03:33What's that? There. There's a moose. Oh-oh! Oh-oh-oh-oh!
0:03:33 > 0:03:35- JESSY LAUGHS - Moose!
0:03:35 > 0:03:38- Two moose together.- Good job!
0:03:42 > 0:03:46Now that I know these massive mammals have a habit of charging,
0:03:46 > 0:03:48I'm not quite as keen to meet them.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59I'm very tentatively moving, so what should we do if it charges us?
0:03:59 > 0:04:00Run. That way!
0:04:00 > 0:04:02- Run towards the car.- Yeah.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06What are the telltale signs that a moose is either scared
0:04:06 > 0:04:07or feeling threatened?
0:04:07 > 0:04:10Usually, the first thing they do is they start licking their lips...
0:04:10 > 0:04:12they'll put their ears back.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15They'd run towards you and then turn and kick you, would they?
0:04:15 > 0:04:18They're not like a horse, they can kick with their front legs,
0:04:18 > 0:04:21they can kick with their hind legs, they can kick sideways,
0:04:21 > 0:04:24and, I mean, I've, literally, seen moose, you know,
0:04:24 > 0:04:27just kicking in all directions at once with every single leg,
0:04:27 > 0:04:30it's pretty impressive, so...
0:04:30 > 0:04:33Uh-oh, here comes our first moose-vehicle collision.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36- Uh-oh. Oh, I don't want to watch.- Yeah.
0:04:36 > 0:04:37Oh, my word.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41Another reason moose are so dangerous is this habit
0:04:41 > 0:04:44of walking out into oncoming traffic!
0:04:46 > 0:04:50A habit that results in over 100 moose-vehicle collisions
0:04:50 > 0:04:52in Anchorage every year.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57Part of Jessy's job
0:04:57 > 0:05:00is to keep an eye on all these wayward wild wanderers
0:05:00 > 0:05:03'and she's just had a tip-off that another moose
0:05:03 > 0:05:06'may have got himself into a bit of a tangle.'
0:05:06 > 0:05:08We just received a call about a moose
0:05:08 > 0:05:11that has a towrope around its antlers.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15They get 'em tangled up in all kinds of things in an urban area.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17- There he is, right there.- Where?
0:05:17 > 0:05:19- Right in front of us. - Uh, look at it!
0:05:21 > 0:05:24Let's see if he's got stuff tangled round his head. Yeah, he does.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27- Oh, yeah, he's got big, old antlers, hasn't he?- Yeah.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31Oh, that doesn't look bad.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34It's probably annoying... Uh-oh.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38Ooh, he's going to make a run for it!
0:05:41 > 0:05:43Cor, that is one imposing beast.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49Bull or male moose can weigh in at over half a tonne
0:05:49 > 0:05:52and their antlers aren't just for decoration.
0:05:52 > 0:05:56They use these lethal-looking weapons to battle with other males
0:05:56 > 0:05:58for the right to breed with the females.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07'And this big boy has his girlfriend with him,
0:06:07 > 0:06:10'so we'll need to tread very carefully.'
0:06:10 > 0:06:15So the cool thing about antlers is they're only temporary.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17So, they drop off once a year?
0:06:17 > 0:06:19Yes, so this guy will lose his antlers
0:06:19 > 0:06:24probably in about early December, and because that rope isn't
0:06:24 > 0:06:27impeding the way he eats - he can walk around -
0:06:27 > 0:06:30I'm sure it's probably annoying, but it's going to fall off.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34And so, he's... It'll be fine in the end.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37He's just going to have to deal with it for a couple more weeks!
0:06:37 > 0:06:41'Here in the suburbs, with the moose minding their own business,
0:06:41 > 0:06:44'it's easy to forget the potential danger.'
0:06:44 > 0:06:47- OK. - Oh-Oh, she's...coming towards us.
0:06:47 > 0:06:52- NAOMI SQUEALS AND LAUGHS - I'm going to hide behind the car!
0:06:52 > 0:06:55Yeah, you can always jump in the truck.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57This is really normal for residents of Anchorage.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59They're used to seeing moose in their yards.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02It's very typical to have a moose feeding in your yard.
0:07:05 > 0:07:06Oh, oh, oh.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10(Oh, gosh!)
0:07:11 > 0:07:14What if she comes round here, she's actually coming round here.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16We'll see. Move.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21Oh, my goodness, now he's starting to come towards us.
0:07:21 > 0:07:22Now, where do we go?
0:07:22 > 0:07:25Come this way. No, this way, you guys. This way.
0:07:25 > 0:07:26- This way.- Go forward, Stevie.
0:07:26 > 0:07:27Steve, this way.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31- Where's the female gone? - She's that way.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36Oh, no, he's coming towards us now.
0:07:36 > 0:07:41- (Oh!) Is he just following her? - Yeah, he's just following her.- OK!
0:07:42 > 0:07:47Yeah, so he's got that towrope wrapped pretty good, but you see...
0:07:47 > 0:07:51- Look at the size of him!- Yeah.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53Those antlers are massive!
0:07:58 > 0:07:59(Oh...)
0:08:03 > 0:08:06I just feel so intimidated by an animal that size,
0:08:06 > 0:08:09with antlers that big, cos you know they could do you such damage.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14If it doesn't want you there, just one little kick, ta-ra.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17But you give it enough space and off it goes
0:08:17 > 0:08:19and everyone's all right, so...
0:08:19 > 0:08:22I guess that's the key to living alongside a moose -
0:08:22 > 0:08:24just give it some space and take care.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29Have healthy respect for an animal that size.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38There's a man in his house - look - just going,
0:08:38 > 0:08:41"Oh, yeah...it's by my car." Hello!
0:08:41 > 0:08:43Look at him just waving. Happy!
0:08:43 > 0:08:46"Hello, I've got a moose in my back garden."
0:08:52 > 0:08:54Do the people of Anchorage like having moose around?
0:08:54 > 0:08:57People in Anchorage are incredibly well-trained.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59They're used to having large wildlife around them
0:08:59 > 0:09:02and people are very proud of the moose that we have,
0:09:02 > 0:09:04- they're, kind of, an icon for the city...- Yeah.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07..and so, while they can be bothersome,
0:09:07 > 0:09:11they're, in general, really appreciated by most residents.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16Well, it would appear that the people of Anchorage
0:09:16 > 0:09:18certainly don't seem to be worried about sharing their city
0:09:18 > 0:09:20with these massive mammals.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23However, with so many of them just wandering around,
0:09:23 > 0:09:26it is inevitable that paths are going to cross, from time to time,
0:09:26 > 0:09:29and any encounter with an angry animal of that size
0:09:29 > 0:09:31is always going to be seriously scary,
0:09:31 > 0:09:35but...is it enough to be my WORST nightmare?
0:09:38 > 0:09:40'We're leaving Anchorage behind
0:09:40 > 0:09:43'and taking off into the Alaskan wilderness.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47'From up in the clouds you can really start to appreciate
0:09:47 > 0:09:50'the sheer scale of America's biggest state.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53'And these bird's-eye views wouldn't be unfamiliar
0:09:53 > 0:09:55'to the next animal I'm hoping to see.'
0:09:57 > 0:10:02My next nightmare of nature is a heavyweight hunter that uses
0:10:02 > 0:10:05size and power to get what it wants.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07But you won't find this particular Alaskan giant
0:10:07 > 0:10:09stalking around down here,
0:10:09 > 0:10:12you'll find it soaring way up there.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17Bald eagles are one of the largest birds in the US
0:10:17 > 0:10:22and they certainly seem to have some serious nightmare credentials.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26With huge, sharpened talons, powerful enough to crush bone,
0:10:26 > 0:10:30and a razor-sharp beak, for slicing through flesh,
0:10:30 > 0:10:33they'll strike from the skies, scavenge like vultures
0:10:33 > 0:10:36and even steal food from other birds.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39And if another eagle should wander into their territory,
0:10:39 > 0:10:42then, feathers can really fly.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45So, is the bald eagle really just a big, bad bully?
0:10:52 > 0:10:56'To find out, I'm taking a trip down the Chilkat River,
0:10:56 > 0:11:00'probably the best place in the world to get a look at these birds.'
0:11:02 > 0:11:04Yeah, yeah, yeah. First one's over here.
0:11:08 > 0:11:09(Look how close we are!)
0:11:13 > 0:11:15Their favourite food is fish.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20They are fantastic hunters...
0:11:20 > 0:11:23They have incredible eyesight so they can see a fish under the water
0:11:23 > 0:11:25from around a mile away...
0:11:27 > 0:11:30..then they'll swoop down, speeds of around 100 miles an hour...
0:11:34 > 0:11:36..to snatch the fish from under the water
0:11:36 > 0:11:39and then they'll take it off with their powerful talons.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45'But if I want to get a really good look
0:11:45 > 0:11:50'at the eagle's nightmarish weapons, I'm going to have to be creative.'
0:11:52 > 0:11:56We're going to leave a small camera set up on this fish that's just died
0:11:56 > 0:11:59and see what happens, see if any eagles come in to eat it.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08'And we don't have long to wait.'
0:12:12 > 0:12:15Uh, look at it! Oh, how brilliant is that?
0:12:17 > 0:12:20So we've got a bald eagle who's just landed here on the bank
0:12:20 > 0:12:22to feed on the salmon that's washed up.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25There's a really sharp hook on the end of that strong beak
0:12:25 > 0:12:28and they use that to tear away at the flesh.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31And then their talons are superstrong -
0:12:31 > 0:12:33they'll use their back talon to pierce the vital areas
0:12:33 > 0:12:36and then use their front toes to hold that prey immobile
0:12:36 > 0:12:38while they tuck in.
0:12:40 > 0:12:44And look at all the seagulls trying to get a bit of that salmon, too,
0:12:44 > 0:12:47but not quite brave enough to approach the bald eagle!
0:12:51 > 0:12:55The eagle's talons and beak definitely have nightmare potential.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01But as we travel further downstream,
0:13:01 > 0:13:04we begin to see more and more of these big birds
0:13:04 > 0:13:07living peacefully alongside each other.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09Two more bald eagles - one, two.
0:13:11 > 0:13:16..17, 18, 19. I think I can see about 20...over there.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21So what's happened to the eagle's legendary mean streak?
0:13:21 > 0:13:26The Chilkat River here...it's a bit of a winter phenomenon in Alaska,
0:13:26 > 0:13:29so where the other rivers would freeze over or the salmon
0:13:29 > 0:13:32completely dry up and they just finish,
0:13:32 > 0:13:34this one is still open for business,
0:13:34 > 0:13:37so all the eagles know that this is the place to come
0:13:37 > 0:13:39to get their dinner throughout the winter.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42And with plenty of fish to go around,
0:13:42 > 0:13:46the eagles don't need to squabble over food.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48So it seems they can get along when the conditions are right.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52We've got two dead ahead.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58If we stay quite quiet we might be able to get really close to them.
0:14:09 > 0:14:14We've got two bald eagles together, which probably means they're a pair
0:14:14 > 0:14:17and the lovely thing about bald eagles is they mate for life.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21Out in the wild that could be 20 years or more
0:14:21 > 0:14:24and they make excellent parents.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27The more time I spend with these beautiful birds,
0:14:27 > 0:14:29the more I begin to fall under their spell.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34There's a whole group of them in the tree up ahead.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37Cor, look at them in flight!
0:14:39 > 0:14:41Big, heavy wing beats.
0:14:41 > 0:14:45That wingspan is over 2m,
0:14:45 > 0:14:49so on its side that would be taller than your front door!
0:14:50 > 0:14:52And doesn't it look sensational?
0:14:52 > 0:14:54That's a pretty glorious sight,
0:14:54 > 0:15:00seeing a bald eagle flying in front of those snowy mountains.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04This is a massive, massive privilege to see.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07Cor, aren't we lucky?
0:15:14 > 0:15:17So, bald eagles might not be the big, bad bullies of the sky
0:15:17 > 0:15:18that everyone says.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21They are highly social, highly skilled,
0:15:21 > 0:15:25make excellent parents and they're the national symbol of America too.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28So can I really make them my WORST nightmare?
0:15:31 > 0:15:33Bye.
0:15:40 > 0:15:45The Alaskan wilderness may look like a beautiful and inviting place,
0:15:45 > 0:15:49but there is one nightmare of nature here in Alaska
0:15:49 > 0:15:51that everything has to contend with
0:15:51 > 0:15:54from the tiniest bug to the biggest bear
0:15:54 > 0:15:58and that's the weather. Ugh!
0:15:59 > 0:16:01Temperatures in the winter months
0:16:01 > 0:16:04can drop to around -20 degrees Celsius -
0:16:04 > 0:16:08that's colder than the inside of a household freezer!
0:16:09 > 0:16:14So Alaskan animals need a way of surviving these extreme conditions
0:16:14 > 0:16:16for weeks on end.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23But what exactly can the cold weather do to us?
0:16:23 > 0:16:26Well, to help me find out, the delightful crew
0:16:26 > 0:16:28have organised for me to spend a bit of time...
0:16:28 > 0:16:31in an industrial refrigeration unit.
0:16:31 > 0:16:32Yeah, thank you for that, guys!
0:16:35 > 0:16:38Let's just have a little look at the temperature I'm going into.
0:16:38 > 0:16:42Oh! -22 Celsius.
0:16:42 > 0:16:43- YELLS:- -22!
0:16:46 > 0:16:49'Cold weather medical expert Maureen will be keeping
0:16:49 > 0:16:51'a very close eye on me.'
0:16:52 > 0:16:57'She'll test me before and after to illustrate the startling effects
0:16:57 > 0:16:59'of a short stay in sub-zero temperatures.'
0:16:59 > 0:17:02That's easy!
0:17:02 > 0:17:036 x 7?
0:17:03 > 0:17:0442.
0:17:04 > 0:17:0620 ¸ 4?
0:17:06 > 0:17:085.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10It's hard to describe how little I want to do this!
0:17:12 > 0:17:14'And to make it all even more unpleasant,
0:17:14 > 0:17:18'I'm going to be leaving my winter gear outside.'
0:17:18 > 0:17:21- Yeah, got my Hawaiian shirt ready. - MAUREEN LAUGHS
0:17:21 > 0:17:23Ooh!
0:17:23 > 0:17:27Are you sure you're all warm enough, you lot, in your winter coats,
0:17:27 > 0:17:30snow boots and...thermals, yeah? Good.
0:17:30 > 0:17:35'Obviously, getting into any freezer is a very silly thing to do
0:17:35 > 0:17:37'and you should NEVER try it at home.'
0:17:37 > 0:17:39- Yeah. - NAOMI QUIVERS
0:17:39 > 0:17:43- Yes.- OK, so straightaway I come in here...
0:17:43 > 0:17:47- All right.- ..and I am cold, we can see our breath.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49- Yes.- Ah...
0:17:49 > 0:17:52Oh! So I can feel myself starting to tremble quite a lot,
0:17:52 > 0:17:54straightaway.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57Yes. That is your body trying to protect you.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01The muscles in your body will make heat if they continuously move
0:18:01 > 0:18:06and so your body is shaking in order to keep your core temperature warm.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09- OK.- Your mental faculties will slow.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11- OK.- Your lips will turn blue,
0:18:11 > 0:18:17and all blood is going to be shunted from your fingers and your toes.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19OK. That's because the blood is rushing
0:18:19 > 0:18:21to my vital organs or something, is it?
0:18:21 > 0:18:23- That's correct, it will... - Keep me alive?
0:18:23 > 0:18:28That's right. And if you get colder, you are going to shake violently.
0:18:28 > 0:18:32If I stayed in here a long time, what would happen to me eventually?
0:18:32 > 0:18:35- You will die.- OK, so you would die?
0:18:35 > 0:18:36That's right.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38And wearing my cool Hawaiian gear,
0:18:38 > 0:18:41how long do you think I would last dressed like this?
0:18:41 > 0:18:45Um... I don't think you'd last much longer than two hours!
0:18:45 > 0:18:47That quick?!
0:18:49 > 0:18:53'20 below might be enough to freeze my blood and stop MY heart...
0:18:53 > 0:18:56'but nature has come up with all sorts of inventive ways
0:18:56 > 0:18:59'of surviving this winter nightmare.'
0:19:00 > 0:19:05Some animals simply travel south to warmer climates.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08Others, like bears, hibernate, or use thick fur coats
0:19:08 > 0:19:12and large layers of fat to protect against the cold.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17And perhaps most remarkable is the wood frog,
0:19:17 > 0:19:20which can freeze itself solid for several months
0:19:20 > 0:19:22before thawing out again in the spring.
0:19:26 > 0:19:31'As for me, after just 15 minutes in the freezer,
0:19:31 > 0:19:34'the effects of the sub-zero temperatures are clear.'
0:19:35 > 0:19:38- NAOMI QUIVERS - Ha-ha!
0:19:40 > 0:19:42Oh, no, that's wrong.
0:19:42 > 0:19:448 x 8?
0:19:44 > 0:19:46I know my eight times table!
0:19:47 > 0:19:49Eight...
0:19:51 > 0:19:52- We need to step out.- Is that it?
0:19:52 > 0:19:55- Yeah, it's too cold now for you to stay in.- You think we're done?
0:19:55 > 0:19:58- Yes.- Yeah, I can't feel the end of my fingers any more.
0:20:00 > 0:20:02Let's go.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05SHE QUIVERS
0:20:05 > 0:20:10Oh, yes, yes! Lovely, toasty, warm blanket!
0:20:10 > 0:20:14Well, it does not surprise me at all that just a few hours in there
0:20:14 > 0:20:16would be enough to finish me off.
0:20:16 > 0:20:17But it's incredible to think
0:20:17 > 0:20:20that animals can survive for much longer periods of time
0:20:20 > 0:20:22in much colder temperatures.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26'But if you ask me, being so cold that your blood freezes
0:20:26 > 0:20:27'and your heart stops beating
0:20:27 > 0:20:30'definitely qualifies as a nightmare of nature.'
0:20:37 > 0:20:41'I'm thawed out and back on the road, heading towards my final
0:20:41 > 0:20:43'Alaskan animal encounter.'
0:20:44 > 0:20:48My next nightmare of nature is small, soft, furry -
0:20:48 > 0:20:50some might even say cuddly.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52Doesn't sound like much of a nightmare to me.
0:20:52 > 0:20:57'I've come to the Kroschel Wildlife Center to meet owner Steve.'
0:21:01 > 0:21:02I can't see her at all.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05'He's about to introduce me to one of his smaller residents...
0:21:05 > 0:21:07'if we can find her!'
0:21:09 > 0:21:11There it is. It went over here.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13I'm lookin' and I can't see her at all.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17Oh... Oh, she's having fun with you, Naomi!
0:21:17 > 0:21:19NAOMI LAUGHS
0:21:24 > 0:21:25The nest's right in here.
0:21:26 > 0:21:30So WHO do we have in here, Steve?
0:21:30 > 0:21:32Well, Skippy the stoat, is now in these rocks here.
0:21:32 > 0:21:36I'm going to make this little sound, this little chuckling sound...
0:21:36 > 0:21:37HE MAKES GURGLING NOISE
0:21:37 > 0:21:40That will cause the animal to come out.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43- HE GURGLES AGAIN - If you can do that...
0:21:43 > 0:21:45With your... Yeah, now real fast.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47- SHE GURGLES - Ooh!- Oh, that's not very good.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50- That's good, that's good! - SHE TRIES AGAIN
0:21:50 > 0:21:55- Do it again, please, Steve. - THEY GURGLE
0:21:55 > 0:21:56Look at my mouth.
0:21:57 > 0:22:02There you go, now real fast with that. You got it!
0:22:03 > 0:22:05That's great, you're doing good.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08- She's tiny!- Oh, they're so small.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10I'm so good at the sound that it's gone way over there
0:22:10 > 0:22:12as far away from me as possible.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15- NAOMI LAUGHS - Oh! Look how quick she moved!
0:22:15 > 0:22:18I see her. Take a look right down in there.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21She's down in that area, right down in there.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24- Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, there she is. Aw!- You can see her.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29It's absolutely beautiful with that white coat.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31Does it look like this all year round?
0:22:31 > 0:22:33No, no. No, that starts about late September -
0:22:33 > 0:22:37their fur changes to white because of the length of daylight.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39- So this is a winter coat?- Yes.
0:22:39 > 0:22:40It's just got the white coat
0:22:40 > 0:22:43so it can be completely camouflaged in the snow.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45And then it'll change again in the spring
0:22:45 > 0:22:47and it does it gradually over a period of about three or four weeks,
0:22:47 > 0:22:49which is amazingly timed
0:22:49 > 0:22:52- to the disappearance of snow on the landscape.- Wow!
0:22:52 > 0:22:55What colour is it throughout the rest of the year?
0:22:55 > 0:22:58In the summertime - all brown except the tummy,
0:22:58 > 0:23:00- that stays white.- Aw!
0:23:00 > 0:23:02Yeah. See how she's turning in the rocks there,
0:23:02 > 0:23:05- just making these 90-degree turns with her body?- Yeah!
0:23:05 > 0:23:07- It's amazing. - They sort of fold in half.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10It even amazes me and I've been working with stoats
0:23:10 > 0:23:11since I was a little kid.
0:23:11 > 0:23:15Do they have a really bendy backbone or something?
0:23:15 > 0:23:21- Yes, very serpentine, flexibility is the key, like a gymnast.- Yeah.
0:23:21 > 0:23:23She's super-inquisitive.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26Very inquisitive, she's got lots of places to hide,
0:23:26 > 0:23:30but she wants to make sure that she knows where you are at all times.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32Kind of getting more used to us, I think.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35- Oh, yes, she's realising that you're no threat...- Yep.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39- ..and by the end of the day you'll both be friends.- Aw!
0:23:41 > 0:23:44Well, at a first glance this beautiful creature looks
0:23:44 > 0:23:49inquisitive, playful, agile - not really a nightmare of nature.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52So, why am I here? Oh, here we go!
0:23:52 > 0:23:56"Stoat may look cute and cuddly, but they're actually
0:23:56 > 0:23:58"one of the most fearsome predators on the planet.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02"So to understand the nightmarish qualities of this furry fiend,
0:24:02 > 0:24:05"your challenge is to replicate the hunting skills of the stoat".
0:24:05 > 0:24:07Well, that sounds OK.
0:24:07 > 0:24:12I mean, look at this adorable little creature. Can't be that hard.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18'I'm about to push myself to the limit on a series
0:24:18 > 0:24:21'of stupendous stoaty challenges.'
0:24:21 > 0:24:24"Stoats use both speed and stamina
0:24:24 > 0:24:27"to chase down large animals like rabbits.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30- "Can you stand the pace?" - BELL RINGS
0:24:32 > 0:24:34Stoats are the ultimate athletes,
0:24:34 > 0:24:37combining the explosive power of a sprinter
0:24:37 > 0:24:40with the endurance of a long-distance runner,
0:24:40 > 0:24:43wearing down its prey in chases that can last...
0:24:43 > 0:24:46- SHE PANTS - ..for many minutes.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52"Believe it or not, stoats like to dance
0:24:52 > 0:24:57"and they have some killer moves, so it's time to...strut your stuff".
0:24:57 > 0:24:59Hit it!
0:24:59 > 0:25:02FUNKY BASS PLAYS
0:25:02 > 0:25:06Yeah, believe it or not, stoats like to get down and boogie.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09It's believed that this unusual form of break dancing
0:25:09 > 0:25:12might be used to confuse and mesmerise its prey.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17Which allows them to get close enough to their prey
0:25:17 > 0:25:23and then in one fatal flash of fur, it's game over.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31"Stoat bring down prey ten times their size -
0:25:31 > 0:25:33"can you punch above your weight"?
0:25:34 > 0:25:36GRRRRRR!
0:25:36 > 0:25:38You're joking?
0:25:41 > 0:25:42RARRGH!
0:25:45 > 0:25:48Raargh!
0:25:52 > 0:25:54Retreat, retreat!
0:25:55 > 0:25:59The stoat despatches the rabbit by leaping onto its back,
0:25:59 > 0:26:02using its needle-sharp teeth to bite the back of its neck,
0:26:02 > 0:26:06causing the rabbit to die of shock. Ooh!
0:26:06 > 0:26:08And I do not want to bite this guy
0:26:08 > 0:26:11cos I don't want to make him any more angry!
0:26:11 > 0:26:14OK, so I may have thought they were just a pretty face,
0:26:14 > 0:26:16but now I've tried to hunt like a stoat,
0:26:16 > 0:26:19I can confirm they are a lot tougher than they look.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22If I was a rabbit, yes, this mini menace with its speed,
0:26:22 > 0:26:25stamina, agility and killer bite,
0:26:25 > 0:26:29would qualify as my worst nightmare, but since I'm not a rabbit,
0:26:29 > 0:26:33I just think these furry winter wonders are STOATALLY amazing!
0:26:33 > 0:26:36SHE GIGGLES
0:26:36 > 0:26:39Oh, come on, that's funny. Guys?
0:26:39 > 0:26:43STOATALLY amazing? No?
0:26:47 > 0:26:50My Alaskan adventure has uncovered natural nightmares
0:26:50 > 0:26:54of all shapes and sizes, but which one is the worst?
0:26:54 > 0:26:56Was it the mammoth moose in the back yard?
0:26:58 > 0:27:00I'm going to hide behind the car.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02Yeah, you can always jump in the truck.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05Being put through my paces in the stoat assault course?
0:27:05 > 0:27:09Raargh!
0:27:09 > 0:27:13Encountering the big-beaked bald eagle with its terrible talons?
0:27:13 > 0:27:17Uh, look at it! Oh, how brilliant is that?
0:27:17 > 0:27:19Well, it was none of them
0:27:19 > 0:27:21because there is one thing here in Alaska
0:27:21 > 0:27:22that isn't just a nightmare for me,
0:27:22 > 0:27:26it's a nightmare for everything, it's the cold!
0:27:26 > 0:27:29Yes, my Alaskan nightmare top spot goes to the bone-chilling,
0:27:29 > 0:27:32sub-zero winter weather.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39SPIDER LAUGHS MENACINGLY
0:27:44 > 0:27:47ALL LAUGH
0:27:49 > 0:27:51You're not seeing my face!