0:00:02 > 0:00:04Welcome to my nightmares of nature.
0:00:07 > 0:00:11I'm Naomi Wilkinson
0:00:11 > 0:00:14and I'm coming face to face with the nightmares of the animal world.
0:00:18 > 0:00:22The ones that make your spine tingle,
0:00:22 > 0:00:27your heart beat faster and your blood run cold.
0:00:29 > 0:00:33Are they truly terrifying? Or is there a twist in the tail?
0:00:36 > 0:00:40Come with me as I shine a light on wildlife's deepest, darkest
0:00:40 > 0:00:45secrets and see if you can guess which will be my worst nightmare.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49Welcome to Belize!
0:00:51 > 0:00:55This tiny tropical paradise is bursting at the seams with ancient
0:00:55 > 0:01:00temples, mysterious jungles and I'm guessing a few nightmares of nature!
0:01:03 > 0:01:05Tucked away on the shores of the Caribbean Sea,
0:01:05 > 0:01:10the Central American nation of Belize is a wildlife treasure trove.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15I'll meet a mini but mighty mammal... Oh!
0:01:18 > 0:01:23Investigate some startlingly scary jungle screams...
0:01:23 > 0:01:27I'm not sure I want to meet the animal that's making this sound!
0:01:27 > 0:01:32And descend into the depths on the trail of a creepy cave dweller.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35Ohhh! Oh, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry!
0:01:36 > 0:01:40But I'm kicking off this quest at my very own temple of doom!
0:01:43 > 0:01:47This spectacular pyramid is the Jaguar temple, built over 1,000
0:01:47 > 0:01:51years ago by the Maya people here in the jungles of Belize.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55The Maya have moved on, but plenty of animals still make their home
0:01:55 > 0:01:59in these ruins, including one that really puts the creep
0:01:59 > 0:02:00into creepy crawly.
0:02:02 > 0:02:06The cockroach is generally considered a real bad boy
0:02:06 > 0:02:07of the natural world.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11The classic image of these formidable insects,
0:02:11 > 0:02:16is a scurrying pest, overrunning our houses, spreading dirt, disease
0:02:16 > 0:02:18and dismay wherever they go.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25So, will the roaches here confirm their ruinous reputation?
0:02:33 > 0:02:37Unlike the vultures soaring above, the cockroaches around here
0:02:37 > 0:02:41are most active at night, so we need to wait for the sun to go down.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56As if searching in the dark, surrounded by these ancient
0:02:56 > 0:02:59ruins isn't spooky enough, I've heard that cockroaches
0:02:59 > 0:03:03here in the tropics, tend to be much larger than ones in cold countries!
0:03:03 > 0:03:05Marvellous!
0:03:06 > 0:03:09Leading our bug hunt is local guide, Reuben.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18And it turns out cockroaches aren't the only creepy
0:03:18 > 0:03:19crawlies around here!
0:03:19 > 0:03:24Oh! Look at that spider! Is that a...? Is that a tarantula?
0:03:24 > 0:03:26Mexican Red Rum tarantula!
0:03:27 > 0:03:30Oh, good! There's tarantulas everywhere too! Uh!
0:03:36 > 0:03:39Sometimes you'll find them in the bark of the trees,
0:03:39 > 0:03:41they like to hide in there.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44If you start, like, ripping a little bit of the bark, they make
0:03:44 > 0:03:48like a hissing sound, so that's how you can find them as well.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51So, an insect is big enough to make a sound that you can hear!
0:03:53 > 0:03:55They sure do. They're noisy!
0:03:57 > 0:03:58How big are they!
0:04:00 > 0:04:01Well, I'm about to find out.
0:04:03 > 0:04:04Look.
0:04:06 > 0:04:12Urrrggh! That is a very big cockroach! How big do they get?
0:04:12 > 0:04:16I have seen them about, probably about twice the size of this one,
0:04:16 > 0:04:19so I would say this is like a medium sized one.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21- So it could be as big as my hand? - About, yeah.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25- Are they dangerous?- No, they're not, you can, you know, pick them up,
0:04:25 > 0:04:28you can... You have to be quick, though.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31So can I try and hold him? Will it really scuttle away quickly?
0:04:31 > 0:04:33There you go. You have a roach.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37See what happens. It's just going to run all over me. Oh!
0:04:37 > 0:04:39Hang on, let's catch it. Oh, look at it!
0:04:44 > 0:04:49- You have to be quick. - Ohhhh! Flew away!
0:04:50 > 0:04:52Right, come on, Naomi, be brave.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57Oh, it's too scuttly.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01It gives me the shivers.
0:05:01 > 0:05:06Right, come on, toughen up. Oh, I think this is really funny. Look.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10- It's hiding.- It's hiding its head, thinks we can't see it any more.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14Kind of can, mate, you're really big. So what would these eat?
0:05:14 > 0:05:19Almost anything, like, you know, fungi and plants and insects.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22- So pretty much anything?- Yes.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27It's this unfussy appetite that makes our homes such an attractive
0:05:27 > 0:05:30prospect to the cockroach, because they'll eat any old rubbish
0:05:30 > 0:05:36we leave lying around, including soap, glue, even hair... Yuck!
0:05:36 > 0:05:39But is that the whole story?
0:05:42 > 0:05:44A lot of people think of cockroaches as living in your house,
0:05:44 > 0:05:48or being in kitchens and places, is that true?
0:05:48 > 0:05:52No. Most species live in the jungle like this one here.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54They live in the trees here.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56They'd much prefer to be here in the wild?
0:05:56 > 0:06:01Yes. Much better to live out here, than around your house.
0:06:01 > 0:06:05The truth is, that of around 4,500 species of cockroach,
0:06:05 > 0:06:09only about 30 of them like to live in our homes.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11The rest prefer the great outdoors.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16- Another one up there. - Oh, yeah.- Got another one up there.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19Yeah. You can see that's a lot bigger than this one.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22So, cockroaches have a pretty bad reputation.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24Do you think that's deserved?
0:06:25 > 0:06:26No, I don't think so.
0:06:26 > 0:06:30These creatures basically help a lot of the environment by eating
0:06:30 > 0:06:33a lot of the fungus, you know a lot of the pests, bugs.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37So they're just getting rid of all of those and doing us a favour.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39Yes, they are.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43So the roaches of the ruins seem to be painting a very different
0:06:43 > 0:06:46picture of these much-maligned insects.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52It turns out that the cockroach is the cleaner of the natural world,
0:06:52 > 0:06:55gobbling up bugs, leaves and rubbish wherever it goes.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57Now, if that happens to be in your house, then yes,
0:06:57 > 0:07:00you might consider this a pest, but out in the wild,
0:07:00 > 0:07:03this industrious insect is actually providing a very
0:07:03 > 0:07:08useful recycling service, so can I really make it my worst nightmare?
0:07:16 > 0:07:19I'll be returning to the temple ruins later on, for more
0:07:19 > 0:07:21nocturnal nightmares.
0:07:23 > 0:07:27But first, I've got an appointment at Belize Zoo.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29Some animals seem scarier than others.
0:07:29 > 0:07:34Snapping crocs or giant spiders always have plenty of fear factor,
0:07:34 > 0:07:38but I'm here to meet a small furry animal that looks like a pig.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40What's that doing on Nightmares Of Nature?
0:07:43 > 0:07:46The peccary certainly is a curious creature.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50With its flat, pig-like snout, it looks harmless enough,
0:07:50 > 0:07:54but I have a feeling these diminutive forest dwellers
0:07:54 > 0:07:56have a few surprises in store for me.
0:08:01 > 0:08:05Making the introductions is zoo director, Sharon.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10So, Sharon, who do we have here?
0:08:10 > 0:08:14Naomi, you're going to meet one special fellow.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17- This is Chanel, our beloved collared peccary.- Ha! Chanel's a boy?
0:08:17 > 0:08:23- Yes, he is. - Look at your nose, it's fantastic.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26- They look like they're pigs but they are...- I was going to say,
0:08:26 > 0:08:30- is it a pig? - It's very distantly related to pigs.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34In evolutionary senses, they split off from the pigs
0:08:34 > 0:08:38- 40 million years ago.- Really? - I know, they're in their own family.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42And the interesting thing, the reason Chanel is named Chanel,
0:08:42 > 0:08:43take a guess?
0:08:43 > 0:08:48I don't know quite how to put it, but he's got a pretty unusual pong.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51He does have an aroma that's unique.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53Yeah, nasty!
0:08:53 > 0:08:54Did you hear that, she didn't mean it!
0:08:54 > 0:08:56No, I didn't, I didn't mean that, Chanel,
0:08:56 > 0:08:58you're lovely but you do smell very funny.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00He's forgiven you already.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02That's because I've got food. Here you go.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04What's that funny smell all about?
0:09:04 > 0:09:08If you look at his back, the coat where it's a little bit darker,
0:09:08 > 0:09:11that's where a scent gland is.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14- These animals communicate through smell.- OK.
0:09:14 > 0:09:19And what they do, is they'll rub that thing on rocks and trees
0:09:19 > 0:09:22and leaves in their territory and that's how the mums
0:09:22 > 0:09:27know where the babies are, the babies know where their mothers are.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29Now, I've heard that peccary can be dangerous
0:09:29 > 0:09:33but looking at Chanel here, it's very hard to figure out how.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36Well, you have to focus on his choppers, his teeth.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40His canines are sharp and they're long. See that? Look at that.
0:09:40 > 0:09:42So they could cause a serious injury.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44Definitely cause a serious injury.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47If you're walking through the jungle
0:09:47 > 0:09:51and you run into a pack of peccaries, there could be a problem.
0:09:51 > 0:09:57And if they have their youngsters, the mums are very, very protective.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59First, they'll try to scare you with the teeth and if
0:09:59 > 0:10:01you do not get out of the way,
0:10:01 > 0:10:03they could possibly come right at you.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08As if to illustrate Sharon's point, our the cameras seem to be
0:10:08 > 0:10:12making Chanel a little bad-tempered.
0:10:12 > 0:10:13All right.
0:10:13 > 0:10:17OK, he's getting a bit cross with us.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20Chanel has suddenly changed attitude completely.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24That was quite alarming all of a sudden, though, wasn't it?
0:10:25 > 0:10:27Wow, no uncertain terms. Leave me alone.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34He seems to have taken a particular dislike to cameraman, Steve.
0:10:35 > 0:10:39Don't get too close. Your foot is close.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42He's going to bite your toe. Back a bit, Steve, back a bit.
0:10:42 > 0:10:44Did you hear those teeth gnash?
0:10:44 > 0:10:50- He's really shown you, he doesn't... like the cameras.- It's OK, Chanel.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53If one peccary on its own can be this ferocious...
0:10:53 > 0:10:56OK, guys.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58Then what's a whole herd of them going to be like?
0:11:04 > 0:11:06I'm glad I'm behind this fence.
0:11:06 > 0:11:10They're not the kind of animal that you would dash in there
0:11:10 > 0:11:12and give them a pet now, would you?
0:11:12 > 0:11:14No, it wouldn't be safe to go in there, would it?
0:11:14 > 0:11:16No, it probably wouldn't be a good thing to do.
0:11:19 > 0:11:20Oh, scrap!
0:11:26 > 0:11:28Oh, so there's all sorts of squabbles happening.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31This is pretty much what peccaries do in the wild.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34What you're seeing now is mirrored out there in the jungle.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42I know it looks horrendous, but it's all under control.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46- Chanel is letting them all know... - That he's boss.
0:11:46 > 0:11:52That he's the boss. He keeps the herd in order.
0:11:52 > 0:11:53He is what we call the alpha male.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59It's OK, Chanel.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02Sorry, Chanel, I'm not coming in your territory.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05Don't worry, I would not want to wander in there for toffee.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09That is quite a dangerous place to be, I should think, in that pen.
0:12:15 > 0:12:20Steve, you need to go and stand over there, I think, on a long lens,
0:12:20 > 0:12:26otherwise he's going to bite your legs off. Bye, stay safe.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34It seems the peculiar peccary does have some nightmare pedigree.
0:12:34 > 0:12:38After all, yes, they may be small, even cute, but when they team up,
0:12:38 > 0:12:44they are a formidable force armed with seriously sharp tusks.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47But is that enough to make them my worst nightmare?
0:12:47 > 0:12:51I think they could be Steve's.
0:12:56 > 0:13:01It's four o'clock in the morning and I'm back at the Jaguar temple,
0:13:01 > 0:13:05to try and solve a nightmare riddle.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09We're waiting for the sun to rise, because rumour has it that at
0:13:09 > 0:13:14dawn, the jungle around these ruins is alive with the blood-curdling
0:13:14 > 0:13:19cries of mysterious creatures and this being nature's nightmares,
0:13:19 > 0:13:24little old me is off to investigate. Sounds like a total scream!
0:13:35 > 0:13:38Wandering in the pitch black of the jungle certainly
0:13:38 > 0:13:41qualifies as creepy.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44But it's about to get a whole lot creepier.
0:13:49 > 0:13:50GROWLING SOUNDS
0:13:50 > 0:13:53There, there, there. Can you hear that?
0:13:54 > 0:13:59GROWLING SOUNDS
0:14:03 > 0:14:06What is that? What is making that sound?
0:14:08 > 0:14:11It's up there somewhere, but it's so dark, I can't see it.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15Sounds like it'll be absolutely enormous.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21It's breaking branches, whatever it is.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29There's some over there and some right behind me in this tree.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31GROWLING SOUND
0:14:37 > 0:14:39Are we sure that dinosaurs are extinct?
0:14:39 > 0:14:43Because it sounds like there is a Tyrannosaurus Rex in that tree.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00I'm not sure I want to meet the animal that's making this sound!
0:15:12 > 0:15:16I'm very glad when dawn breaks and the sun starts to shed
0:15:16 > 0:15:19a little light on the riddle of the roaring ruins.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22ROARING
0:15:22 > 0:15:27So, I don't know if you can see, but up in the trees is the animal
0:15:27 > 0:15:31responsible for all of that racket - it's a monkey.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35The rather appropriately named howler monkey.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39And I think it's fair to say that this animal has a big gob.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43The calls of this monkey are so loud,
0:15:43 > 0:15:46they can be heard across the jungle from a distance of around
0:15:46 > 0:15:49two miles, and I think you can believe that,
0:15:49 > 0:15:51listening to this racket!
0:15:51 > 0:15:53ROARING
0:15:54 > 0:15:57They have a large pouch in their throat and a specially modified
0:15:57 > 0:16:00voice box that allows them
0:16:00 > 0:16:03to AMPLIFY THEIR VOICE...
0:16:03 > 0:16:06VOICE ECHOES
0:16:06 > 0:16:09Ahem! Not even sure how I did that.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13ROARING
0:16:13 > 0:16:17The level of the sound coming from just about five animals
0:16:17 > 0:16:20up there is unbelievable.
0:16:23 > 0:16:25So, what about the animal itself?
0:16:25 > 0:16:29Is it as big and as terrible as its call?
0:16:29 > 0:16:31Well, from this distance it's pretty hard to tell
0:16:31 > 0:16:34and if I was even able to climb up that tree, the monkeys would all
0:16:34 > 0:16:38just scatter, but there is a way that I can get a closer look.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45'I've come to Wildtracks in Northern Belize,
0:16:45 > 0:16:48'a primate rehab centre run by Paul Walker.
0:16:53 > 0:16:58'Paul and his team are currently caring for over 20 howler monkeys
0:16:58 > 0:17:02'and I've been granted a special audience with
0:17:02 > 0:17:05'three of the youngest residents.'
0:17:05 > 0:17:08What's the main reason you have these monkeys here?
0:17:08 > 0:17:10Our main function is to rehabilitate monkeys,
0:17:10 > 0:17:15usually ex-pet monkeys, they are an endangered species, their place
0:17:15 > 0:17:18is in the forest, not in people's homes, so our job is to get them
0:17:18 > 0:17:21back into good health and get them back to living back in the wild.
0:17:21 > 0:17:25- That's fantastic. - The ones we've released to date
0:17:25 > 0:17:28are doing extremely well back in the forest.
0:17:28 > 0:17:33Now, I've heard the call of the howler monkey out in the wild
0:17:33 > 0:17:36and it's pretty terrifying, but they don't seem to be very scary animals.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39Not at all, not at all.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41Are they, eh? They're not an aggressive monkey,
0:17:41 > 0:17:44at this age especially so,
0:17:44 > 0:17:47but even the adults that we have ready for release are
0:17:47 > 0:17:51very placid, calm, quiet animals.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53So what do their calls mean?
0:17:53 > 0:17:56ROARING AND HOWLING
0:17:56 > 0:17:59The calls are how they defend their territories, rather than
0:17:59 > 0:18:01getting involved in physical fights,
0:18:01 > 0:18:03they actually stand in the trees, call and sound big
0:18:03 > 0:18:07and scary to stop the others coming into their territory.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12And they'll call at different times of the day,
0:18:12 > 0:18:13typically early in the morning and
0:18:13 > 0:18:16that's the time when a lot of people who haven't heard a howler monkey
0:18:16 > 0:18:20call will get most scared because it sounds like a huge cat or something.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22Yes, a very creepy sound.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26HOWLING AND BARKING
0:18:26 > 0:18:29It's the males that call loudest, but the females do a pretty
0:18:29 > 0:18:31respectable call as well. So when the males are calling,
0:18:31 > 0:18:34the females and even the babies will join in.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36- Will they? - When the older ones start calling,
0:18:36 > 0:18:38- these little ones will start calling. - Is it a higher call?
0:18:38 > 0:18:40It's kind of "Whaaarr!" these little croaks,
0:18:40 > 0:18:43- a froglike croak as they're trying... - A bit pathetic?
0:18:43 > 0:18:45It's also very entertaining, watching little guys like this
0:18:45 > 0:18:47trying to be big monkeys and standing up -
0:18:47 > 0:18:50- Raah! Raah! - Making a rubbish little noise.
0:18:50 > 0:18:51Instead of the full roar.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04Oh, fantastic. You just want to be on camera.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07I think you need to clean your lens.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09Yeah, we might need to clean the camera.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13We've just got a bit of monkey spit on there.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16You can see where the term cheeky monkey comes from.
0:19:16 > 0:19:17Yeah, no monkeying around, please.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20She says, "Oh, there's got to be a button here somewhere..."
0:19:20 > 0:19:23"There's got to be something here I can bite off."
0:19:23 > 0:19:25But also, you see this kind of interaction
0:19:25 > 0:19:28- and you start getting an insight into the level of intelligence.- Yes.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31Yeah, I'm going to be completely out of focus now,
0:19:31 > 0:19:33because we've got a new operator.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37Hey!
0:19:45 > 0:19:49I think this is a classic case of the bark being worse than
0:19:49 > 0:19:52the bite - while their calls may sound like something
0:19:52 > 0:19:54straight from a horror story,
0:19:54 > 0:19:58they are ultimately social, intelligent
0:19:58 > 0:20:01and as babies, very, very sweet!
0:20:01 > 0:20:04So, it's going to be very hard to call them my worst nightmare!
0:20:09 > 0:20:13'For the final leg of our adventure, we're hitching a ride into the wilds
0:20:13 > 0:20:14'of Central Belize.
0:20:16 > 0:20:21'And when the road runs out, we just keep on going.'
0:20:28 > 0:20:32Sometimes, to discover the very worst nightmares that nature has
0:20:32 > 0:20:36to offer, you have to get a little off the beaten track.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40And this particular track leads... straight down.
0:20:40 > 0:20:45'This part of Belize is littered with spectacular caves and they're
0:20:45 > 0:20:48'home to one of the creepiest creatures you're ever likely
0:20:48 > 0:20:50'to lay your eyes on.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54'It's fair to say the whip spider isn't going to be winning
0:20:54 > 0:20:59'any top model contests. These carnivorous cave dwellers
0:20:59 > 0:21:04'look like they've scuttled straight out of a Hollywood horror film.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08'So when it comes to the race for worst nightmare, surely these
0:21:08 > 0:21:13'barbed, multi-legged monstrosities are going to run away with it?'
0:21:21 > 0:21:24'There's going to be nothing easy about this outing,
0:21:24 > 0:21:26'including getting into the cave.'
0:21:34 > 0:21:35Whoo!
0:21:38 > 0:21:42Caves can be dangerous places, there can be little if any light,
0:21:42 > 0:21:46and the terrain can be very difficult, sometimes vertical!
0:21:46 > 0:21:48So I reckon the animals that live in them
0:21:48 > 0:21:51need to be tough and resourceful.
0:21:55 > 0:21:59'Waiting to introduce me to the cave's creepiest resident
0:21:59 > 0:22:01'is local guide Abel.'
0:22:06 > 0:22:08- Ready to go.- This way.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10Ready as I'll ever be.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23Right, Abel, we are looking for an animal called a whip spider,
0:22:23 > 0:22:25but it isn't actually a spider, is it?
0:22:25 > 0:22:29It's not a spider, uh, the whip spider is actually
0:22:29 > 0:22:31its own species, it's not a spider or a scorpion.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34But it's closely related to a spider and a scorpion, is it?
0:22:34 > 0:22:35It's closely related.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37Whereabouts should I be looking to find them?
0:22:37 > 0:22:39You'll find them up on the ceiling of the cave
0:22:39 > 0:22:43- and also along the wall of the cave. - All right, so, keep my eyes up.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45Keep your eyes open, I would say, right?
0:22:45 > 0:22:47Hope it doesn't fall on my back.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56You can see a few crickets, a few of the cave crickets.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00Oh, right, do the whip spiders eat them?
0:23:00 > 0:23:02- That's what they eat, yeah. - Oh, that's their main food.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04So where there's lots of crickets, that's a good sign,
0:23:04 > 0:23:07because the whip spiders like to eat them.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10Oh, this is creeping me out!
0:23:13 > 0:23:16So, they're all over the place here, hopefully we'll see one...
0:23:16 > 0:23:19- Ohh! - There's one, right there, see?
0:23:21 > 0:23:23- That's really big! - But look how high it is!
0:23:23 > 0:23:26I didn't think it was going to be quite as big as that.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28We'll find more up ahead,
0:23:28 > 0:23:30that one is really high to get a good view of it.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34That's all right, we could just leave it alone, couldn't we?
0:23:34 > 0:23:37I don't mind if we don't find one we can reach. Ohh!
0:23:39 > 0:23:43'Unfortunately, I don't have to wait long until our second find.'
0:23:44 > 0:23:46Right here.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48- Oh, you've got another one. - Right there.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50Ohhhh!
0:23:52 > 0:23:54There it goes. Look at those long legs.
0:23:54 > 0:23:58So this, this...these are legs at the front, are they?
0:23:58 > 0:24:01They are legs, yes, but they're so long because they use them
0:24:01 > 0:24:03as feelers as well.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05So, that's how it's finding food?
0:24:05 > 0:24:08That's the way they find food, yes, since it's so dark in here,
0:24:08 > 0:24:12they don't use their eyes, they use their long legs.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17'Just watching this mini monster sets my heartbeat racing.
0:24:18 > 0:24:23'But Abel thinks I can get an even closer look!'
0:24:25 > 0:24:27Shall I try and hold it?
0:24:29 > 0:24:30He won't...he won't do anything.
0:24:30 > 0:24:36Oh! Oh, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. Compose myself.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38'Let's give that another try.'
0:24:38 > 0:24:40I'll put it in your hand.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42Oh, I don't like it!
0:24:42 > 0:24:44I do like you, I like spiders...
0:24:44 > 0:24:48Oh, no, don't let it go up to my face!
0:24:48 > 0:24:51Come on, Naomi, woman up!
0:24:51 > 0:24:54Ohhh...it's creepy!
0:24:54 > 0:24:56I mean, it's not a good-looking creature.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00It looks menacing and like it should be dangerous.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02- It looks very dangerous, but... - Is it?
0:25:02 > 0:25:04- They're not dangerous at all. - No venom?
0:25:04 > 0:25:07- No venom in them.- Wow!
0:25:07 > 0:25:08How does it hunt?
0:25:08 > 0:25:11As you can see, they have little pinchers in front,
0:25:11 > 0:25:13that's what they use to grab.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15And crickets are quite fast, so they have to be fast too?
0:25:15 > 0:25:18Very fast, that's the reason this spider is so fast,
0:25:18 > 0:25:21when it's ready to grab, it just makes a fast move.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27'Rather than venom, the whip spider relies
0:25:27 > 0:25:29'on stealth and speed when hunting.
0:25:29 > 0:25:34'Their wicked extendable claws are lined with gruesome barbs
0:25:34 > 0:25:38'and when those front legs detect prey, the claws spring out,
0:25:38 > 0:25:43'grab it and draw it back to a set of fearsome fangs.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45'A grim way to go!'
0:25:47 > 0:25:50Shall I give it back to you?
0:25:50 > 0:25:51Ohhh!
0:25:54 > 0:25:56Put him back, see if he wants to go back.
0:25:59 > 0:26:04'Time to let this king of the cave creepers crawl away.'
0:26:04 > 0:26:05And relax!
0:26:11 > 0:26:14I have to say I'm in two minds about the whip spider -
0:26:14 > 0:26:17on one hand, they pose no threat to us, it really doesn't bite,
0:26:17 > 0:26:21sting or inject lethal venom. On the other hand,
0:26:21 > 0:26:25if things that scurry and scuttle around in the dark make you nervous,
0:26:25 > 0:26:29then this is going to give you a serious case of the heebie-jeebies!
0:26:29 > 0:26:33So, what do you think, should the whip spider be my worst nightmare?
0:26:35 > 0:26:38My nightmare quest is at an end
0:26:38 > 0:26:40and the jungles and caves of Belize have delivered
0:26:40 > 0:26:43a colourful cast of nightmare characters.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45But which, for me, was the worst?
0:26:45 > 0:26:49Was it the spooky ruins, crawling with cockroaches?
0:26:50 > 0:26:54Oh! It's too scuttly, gives me the shivers!
0:26:54 > 0:26:57Was it the shocking shriek of the howler monkey?
0:26:57 > 0:26:59ROARING
0:27:01 > 0:27:04Are we sure that dinosaurs are extinct?
0:27:04 > 0:27:07Or was it the evil look of the wicked whip spider?
0:27:09 > 0:27:13Oh, no, don't let it go up to my face!
0:27:13 > 0:27:16Well, it may surprise you, but BELIZE it or not,
0:27:16 > 0:27:20I think the peculiar peccary with its terrible tusks
0:27:20 > 0:27:24and sheer strength in numbers is the biggest nightmare around here!
0:27:34 > 0:27:36It's a bit of a bumpy road, this one.
0:27:36 > 0:27:37You lot all right in the back?