0:00:02 > 0:00:04Welcome to my Nightmares of Nature.
0:00:07 > 0:00:08I'm Naomi Wilkinson.
0:00:08 > 0:00:10Woo-hoo!
0:00:10 > 0:00:14And I'm coming face to face with the nightmares of the animal world.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20The ones that make your spine tingle,
0:00:20 > 0:00:24your heart beat faster
0:00:24 > 0:00:27and your blood run cold.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30Are they truly terrifying?
0:00:31 > 0:00:33Or is there a twist in the tail?
0:00:35 > 0:00:40Come with me as I shine a light on wildlife's deepest, darkest secrets
0:00:40 > 0:00:45and see if you can guess which will be my worst nightmare.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49Howdy, partners!
0:00:49 > 0:00:52This time Nightmares of Nature has come to the Wild West -
0:00:52 > 0:00:55the deserts of western Mexico to be precise!
0:00:55 > 0:00:59But not just the deserts - around this sea of sand is some of the
0:00:59 > 0:01:01richest coastline in the world.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Rich with monsters and brigands.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11So between sea-faring swashbucklers and outlaws of the outback,
0:01:11 > 0:01:15there's plenty of villainous vermin in these here parts
0:01:15 > 0:01:17to add to my most wanted list!
0:01:19 > 0:01:21The sands and seas we'll be traversing
0:01:21 > 0:01:24form Mexico's Baja peninsula.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30I'll be standing off against a diminutive desert sharp-shooter...
0:01:32 > 0:01:36..paddling my way into a den of local pirates...
0:01:36 > 0:01:38Har-har!
0:01:38 > 0:01:43..and digging up some cuties, trapped in a nightmare of their own.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46What a privilege to hold a brand new baby animal.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52But first, I'm setting sail in search of a sea monster
0:01:52 > 0:01:55of truly epic proportions.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58There is a creature here, in the waters off Baja
0:01:58 > 0:02:01that dwarfs every other animal we have ever featured
0:02:01 > 0:02:04on Nightmares of Nature. It's bigger than any big cat,
0:02:04 > 0:02:07larger even than an elephant!
0:02:07 > 0:02:09Oh yeah...and it's a shark.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14The whale shark is named after
0:02:14 > 0:02:17those massive marine wanderers, the whales,
0:02:17 > 0:02:19and it's easy to see why.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25At 12 metres long, they're the size of a double-decker bus.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30Weighing in at over 12,000kilos,
0:02:30 > 0:02:32they're heavier than a bus, too.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34Oh yes -
0:02:34 > 0:02:36and their mouth is nearly as wide
0:02:36 > 0:02:38as I am tall.
0:02:40 > 0:02:44Any animal built on this sheer scale is bound to be intimidating,
0:02:44 > 0:02:47but when you throw into the mix that it's a shark,
0:02:47 > 0:02:50a species which doesn't have the best of reputations,
0:02:50 > 0:02:54I reckon it is a 100% guaranteed nightmare.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03I'm reliably informed that, at this time of year,
0:03:03 > 0:03:07the Sea of Cortez here is one of the best places on earth
0:03:07 > 0:03:09to see whale sharks.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13This said, finding anything at sea,
0:03:13 > 0:03:16even the world's biggest shark, can be tricky.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21So to help me with the search is marine biologist Claudia.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29The size of a bus! A shark the size of a bus.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31SHE GASPS
0:03:31 > 0:03:35So Claudia, why do the whale sharks come to this area of the world?
0:03:35 > 0:03:37They come here to eat.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40They feed on very tiny creatures called plankton
0:03:40 > 0:03:42and we have a lot of that in here.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46That's a real surprise, isn't it, because it's such massive creature,
0:03:46 > 0:03:48but they're eating something you can't even see.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51They have to eat millions and millions of them
0:03:51 > 0:03:53to be able to make out for a big meal.
0:03:53 > 0:03:57They just swim through the water, filtering everything that's in it
0:03:57 > 0:04:00and they have to take huge amounts of water
0:04:00 > 0:04:01so they need that huge mouth.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03Does it have teeth?
0:04:03 > 0:04:06They do have teeth, like 300 of them, but very tiny.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10Now how know we're not going to go into that mouth and get sucked in?
0:04:10 > 0:04:13Don't worry about it. They are not after humans.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16There's never been a record of an attack.
0:04:16 > 0:04:17Good to know! Good to know!
0:04:19 > 0:04:21Now we just have to find one.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25There are a couple of ways to, erm, "spot" them -
0:04:25 > 0:04:29one is the white spots all over their body.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34The pattern can be used to tell individual sharks apart,
0:04:34 > 0:04:35like a fingerprint.
0:04:35 > 0:04:40The other clue to their presence is...less appealing.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42Also, the dorsal fin.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45You'll see the big fin come out of the water?
0:04:45 > 0:04:48It's rounded. So it's not like their normal...
0:04:48 > 0:04:50Jaws...shark...shape.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53- No. It's round.- A round fin.- Yeah.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56'Our eyes are peeled,
0:04:56 > 0:05:00'but I can't resist trying out my whale-shark whispering technique.'
0:05:02 > 0:05:05That's how you call them, you know. People that know.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11Come on! Come on, whale shark!
0:05:12 > 0:05:15'But it's Claudia who comes up with the goods.'
0:05:15 > 0:05:18Oh, no, here. 2 o'clock, here - Naomi.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21Oh, my gosh, I can see the shape! SHE GASPS
0:05:21 > 0:05:23That's enormous!
0:05:23 > 0:05:25Whoa!
0:05:25 > 0:05:27I can see the white spots...
0:05:27 > 0:05:29There's its, there's its fin!
0:05:31 > 0:05:33Oh, REALLY round, then!
0:05:33 > 0:05:37It's still the shape of a shark though, isn't it?
0:05:37 > 0:05:39It's still a big, shark-looking fish.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43Oh, gosh!
0:05:43 > 0:05:48'At "only" seven metres long, this one's just a juvenile,
0:05:48 > 0:05:50'but it's still MASSIVE!'
0:05:52 > 0:05:55'Oh, yeah and if you haven't already guessed from the wetsuit,
0:05:55 > 0:05:57'I'm going to swim with it.'
0:05:59 > 0:06:01Oh, my legs have gone like jelly.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03I'm going to hold your hand so tightly!
0:06:03 > 0:06:06Don't worry about it, we'll be holding hands.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09Yeah, I'm going to grip onto you for dear life!
0:06:11 > 0:06:14'It's time to grab our masks and snorkels
0:06:14 > 0:06:17'and join the behemoth in its watery world.'
0:06:18 > 0:06:20It's such a mental battle -
0:06:20 > 0:06:22I know this shark is going to do me no harm whatsoever
0:06:22 > 0:06:26but my gut is screaming, "It's a shark, it's a shark, you're scared!"
0:06:26 > 0:06:29but my head's going, "No, it's fine, you'll be safe, stop worrying."
0:06:29 > 0:06:32And I want to grab this opportunity with both hands so...
0:06:32 > 0:06:34Come on!
0:06:39 > 0:06:41One... two...
0:06:41 > 0:06:43three!
0:06:48 > 0:06:51'The water is dark and murky.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53'It's impossible to tell what's around us.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57'Where is the shark?'
0:07:02 > 0:07:06'Then suddenly, out of the gloom...
0:07:15 > 0:07:18'It is, in fact, beautiful.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20'An elegant giant.'
0:07:25 > 0:07:29'Then, as gracefully as it appeared, it glides away.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35'What an absolute privilege.'
0:07:37 > 0:07:40I got in the water and it was there!
0:07:40 > 0:07:42Its head was there,
0:07:42 > 0:07:47and then the whole creature just swam past me, about a metre away,
0:07:47 > 0:07:50and I saw all along its body.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52That was amazing!
0:07:56 > 0:07:58OK, so despite its epic size,
0:07:58 > 0:08:01it seems that the whale shark is really a gentle giant
0:08:01 > 0:08:06just cruising through the currents, looking for microscopic morsels.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09So, I never thought I'd ever say this,
0:08:09 > 0:08:13but I don't think I can call a bus-sized shark
0:08:13 > 0:08:17with a gigantic mouth and over 300 teeth, my worst nightmare!
0:08:23 > 0:08:25It's time to head inland now...
0:08:25 > 0:08:27to the dusty desert...
0:08:28 > 0:08:31..where I can have myself a little Wild West adventure!
0:08:33 > 0:08:36If you're heading off road around here,
0:08:36 > 0:08:39there really is only one way to travel. It's time to...
0:08:39 > 0:08:42(IN AMERICAN ACCENT) Saddle up, partners!
0:08:44 > 0:08:46Right.
0:08:46 > 0:08:47Vamos!
0:08:47 > 0:08:48HORSE GRUNTS
0:08:48 > 0:08:50SHE CHUCKLES
0:08:50 > 0:08:51Go.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53How do you say 'giddy up' in Spanish?
0:08:53 > 0:08:54SOUND OF HORSE SNORTING
0:08:57 > 0:09:01'Horses are one of the most enduring images of the Wild West.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04'They're more versatile than any four-wheel drive vehicle,
0:09:04 > 0:09:06'and a lot prettier, too!'
0:09:06 > 0:09:08Come on, boys. keep up!
0:09:11 > 0:09:14But this beautiful, hardy beast is not the animal
0:09:14 > 0:09:16I've come here to see.
0:09:16 > 0:09:20I'm on the trail of a sharp shooting, cold blooded. culprit.
0:09:20 > 0:09:21SOUND OF PISTOL BEING COCKED
0:09:21 > 0:09:23SOUND OF GUNSHOTS
0:09:27 > 0:09:30This place isn't called the Wild West for nothing.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33It is hostile out here. There are venomous predators,
0:09:33 > 0:09:37extreme temperatures... Even the plants are prickly!
0:09:38 > 0:09:42'Any animal that can survive the Mexican desert has to have a
0:09:42 > 0:09:45'few secret survival skills up its sleeve.'
0:09:45 > 0:09:50So, what nightmare ability does this little guy have to stop him
0:09:50 > 0:09:52from becoming a tasty snack for a bird or a snake?
0:09:54 > 0:09:55'For starters,
0:09:55 > 0:09:58'this tiny, pencil-sized reptile has camouflage.'
0:10:00 > 0:10:03'It's colour makes it extremely hard to pick out
0:10:03 > 0:10:04'in a dusty, rocky landscape.'
0:10:06 > 0:10:09As you may have guessed, because I'm happy to do this,
0:10:09 > 0:10:14the horned lizard doesn't have razor sharp teeth or a venomous bite.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17What it does have are these rather impressive horns
0:10:17 > 0:10:20at the rear of its head, hence its name.
0:10:20 > 0:10:25It also has these bumpy, spiky spines all along its body and tail.
0:10:25 > 0:10:29As well as acting like a suit of armour, this also makes
0:10:29 > 0:10:31the lizard very difficult to swallow,
0:10:31 > 0:10:33a bit like trying to eat a cactus.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39'And if that's not enough to keep it off the menu, it can also
0:10:39 > 0:10:43'puff up its body to make itself look larger, twice it's usual size!'
0:10:46 > 0:10:49Now, these are all very clever survival skills,
0:10:49 > 0:10:51but they're not really nightmare material.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54However, it does have one more,
0:10:54 > 0:10:58quite frankly disgusting trick up its sleeve, that propels this
0:10:58 > 0:11:01little desert dweller straight into the big league
0:11:01 > 0:11:04of natural nightmares, because, believe it or not,
0:11:04 > 0:11:08the horned lizard's last line of defence is to fire blood...
0:11:08 > 0:11:09from its eye!
0:11:12 > 0:11:14'Yes, you heard that right!'
0:11:15 > 0:11:18'It might sound like the stuff of horror films,
0:11:18 > 0:11:21'but these reptilian sharpshooters
0:11:21 > 0:11:24'can fend off persistent predators...'
0:11:24 > 0:11:26SQUISHING SOUND
0:11:26 > 0:11:31'..by showering them in a stream of red, sticky terror.'
0:11:31 > 0:11:32SQUISHING SOUND
0:11:32 > 0:11:34SOUND OF DOG GROWLING
0:11:34 > 0:11:35SOUND OF DOG WHINING
0:11:37 > 0:11:40'A stand off with a horned lizard must be a bit like getting
0:11:40 > 0:11:44'a face full of hot tomato sauce!'
0:11:44 > 0:11:45Hm!
0:11:45 > 0:11:46HARP GLISSANDO
0:11:47 > 0:11:50MUSIC: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly by Ennio Morricone
0:12:07 > 0:12:08SHE GASPS
0:12:11 > 0:12:12Oh!
0:12:12 > 0:12:14That's quite nice, actually!
0:12:14 > 0:12:16HARP GLISSANDO IN REVERSE
0:12:17 > 0:12:20'All right for me, but the horned lizard's victims
0:12:20 > 0:12:23'face blood, not ketchup.'
0:12:23 > 0:12:27Usually, the sheer shock will see an attacker fleeing for the hills,
0:12:27 > 0:12:30but that blood is also foul tasting and irritating
0:12:30 > 0:12:33if gets into the nose or mouth. Vile!
0:12:36 > 0:12:39'To achieve this remarkable defence, the lizard increases
0:12:39 > 0:12:41'the amount of blood in its head...'
0:12:43 > 0:12:46'..until the pressure ruptures vessels in the corner of its eye,
0:12:46 > 0:12:48'sending out the high-speed jet.'
0:12:51 > 0:12:55'One species can even fire half of all the blood in its body
0:12:55 > 0:12:57'in a single shot!'
0:12:57 > 0:12:59SOUND OF DOG GROWLING
0:12:59 > 0:13:02'Obviously, a rather desperate act,
0:13:02 > 0:13:05'but you have to admit, it's a pretty good one!'
0:13:06 > 0:13:09Well, I think it's fair to say that here in the Wild West,
0:13:09 > 0:13:12it doesn't get much wilder than an animal that can aim
0:13:12 > 0:13:15and fire a jet of blood out of its eye,
0:13:15 > 0:13:19which means that these sharp-shooting, gory gunslingers
0:13:19 > 0:13:23could certainly be in with a chance of being my worst nightmare.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26SPIRITED ORCHESTRAL MUSIC
0:13:28 > 0:13:31'Time to flee the nightmares of the Baja desert
0:13:31 > 0:13:37'and head offshore again, this time for an adventure on the high seas!'
0:13:39 > 0:13:41The waters up ahead have a reputation
0:13:41 > 0:13:43of being pirate territory.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47Rumours abound that somewhere along this stretch of coastline,
0:13:47 > 0:13:51there is actually an entire colony of brutal brigands.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55But to spot this particular bunch seafaring swashbucklers,
0:13:55 > 0:13:58we're not scanning the horizon, we're scanning the skies.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04Frigatebirds are often referred to as the pirates of the sky.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07They're even named after the speedy,
0:14:07 > 0:14:12manoeuvrable warships used by 17th century pirates.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14But why is this?
0:14:14 > 0:14:16I'm off to investigate.
0:14:19 > 0:14:20Har-har!
0:14:23 > 0:14:26Just spotting our first frigatebirds up in the air now.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28Don't they look striking?
0:14:28 > 0:14:32Long, jagged, angular wings, big, long deeply forked tail
0:14:32 > 0:14:34just cruising in the air.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38'The wingspan of the males can be over two metres.'
0:14:39 > 0:14:42'That's about as wide as your average sofa!
0:14:42 > 0:14:45'It soon becomes clear that we're heading
0:14:45 > 0:14:47straight into the pirates' lair!'
0:14:49 > 0:14:52These mangrove swamps are an ideal place for nesting birds.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56They're remote and they're inaccessible, so it gives them
0:14:56 > 0:14:59a safe and secure spot, ideal for laying low
0:14:59 > 0:15:01while you raise your young.
0:15:01 > 0:15:06'Stowed away in this nesting site are 1,200 adult pirates
0:15:06 > 0:15:08'and their chicks.'
0:15:09 > 0:15:13I really want to get in for a closer look, but just like the pirates
0:15:13 > 0:15:16of old, I'm going to need a smaller, more manoeuvrable vessel.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18FRIGATEBIRDS CLUCK
0:15:20 > 0:15:25'Keeping me safe in these dangerous waters is local guide Jose.'
0:15:31 > 0:15:34Well, this is giving us a pretty good view of the activity.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36There's a lot going on here.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40So, some of them have got bright red markings. What are they?
0:15:40 > 0:15:43Those are the males, and that is the gular pouch.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45And what do they use those pouches for?
0:15:47 > 0:15:50These pouches to attract the female.
0:15:50 > 0:15:55They inflate them, and then they clap their bills onto it,
0:15:55 > 0:15:57and it sounds like a drum.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01And then they show it off by lifting their head back?
0:16:01 > 0:16:05Yeah, they put their wings up and then they just go...
0:16:05 > 0:16:06HE PURRS RAPIDLY
0:16:07 > 0:16:09FRIGATEBIRD CALLS
0:16:09 > 0:16:11- Check me out!- Yeah, yeah.
0:16:11 > 0:16:12FRIGATEBIRDS CLUCK
0:16:15 > 0:16:18- And the ladies think that's cool? - Yeah, it's all about the beat.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20(LAUGHING) All about the beat!
0:16:20 > 0:16:22SHE LAUGHS
0:16:22 > 0:16:23I like it.
0:16:23 > 0:16:25That one has one chick.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27You can see the little white fluff.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30- Is that a new chick? - Yeah, that's a new chick.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33- That's a very early chick for the season.- Ahhh!
0:16:33 > 0:16:35So, how old do you think that one is?
0:16:35 > 0:16:37That one has to be a few days old.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39Oh! Hello!
0:16:39 > 0:16:41Hello, little frigatebird!
0:16:41 > 0:16:44And the one that is sitting on the nest is a male.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46Ah! So, the male's looking after it.
0:16:47 > 0:16:51The male and the females will feed the chicks from hatching
0:16:51 > 0:16:55for three months, and then the male takes off, and the female
0:16:55 > 0:16:58will keep on feeding that chick for another eight or nine months.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00- That's a long time. - That's a long time.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03- They make good parents.- Yeah.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05'So, if they're such soft,
0:17:05 > 0:17:09'sentimental birds, how have they got such a bad reputation?'
0:17:10 > 0:17:14Frigatebirds are often associated with pirates, aren't they?
0:17:14 > 0:17:15- Yes, they are.- Why is that?
0:17:15 > 0:17:18I think it's because they steal fish from other birds,
0:17:18 > 0:17:21just like pirates. They chase the bird until the bird
0:17:21 > 0:17:26either lets go or regurgitates, vomits, the fish
0:17:26 > 0:17:28that is inside the stomach.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31They'll make another bird puke up the fish,
0:17:31 > 0:17:34- and then they'll eat it mid-air? - Yep.- Oh!
0:17:36 > 0:17:39'Yep, those pesky pirates grab their victims in mid flight
0:17:39 > 0:17:41'and torment them...'
0:17:42 > 0:17:46'..until they can no longer hang onto the contents of their bellies.'
0:17:46 > 0:17:48'Disgusting!'
0:17:50 > 0:17:53'But there's a very simple reason why frigatebirds
0:17:53 > 0:17:55'can't dive for their own fish.'
0:17:56 > 0:17:59'If they did. they would die.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02'Although they're seabirds, their feathers don't have
0:18:02 > 0:18:06'the protective, oily coating that other seafaring species do.'
0:18:08 > 0:18:10- They're not waterproof?- No.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12- They just get all waterlogged?- Yep.
0:18:12 > 0:18:14I bet they're really fed up about that.
0:18:14 > 0:18:15SHE CHUCKLES
0:18:15 > 0:18:18They're like, "We're birds, we live out at sea,
0:18:18 > 0:18:20"and we're not waterproof."
0:18:21 > 0:18:25'So instead, they have to cruise the surface of the water,
0:18:25 > 0:18:28'snatching unsuspecting floating fish with their pirate's hook.'
0:18:29 > 0:18:30'I mean, beak.'
0:18:32 > 0:18:35'And if that's all too much like hard work...'
0:18:35 > 0:18:39'..then they'll resort to their mischievous marauding methods.'
0:18:39 > 0:18:42- They only do it 10% of the time, though.- OK.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45Yeah. So, they have bad reputation.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47Well, it's a pretty nasty characteristic.
0:18:47 > 0:18:48- Yeah!- To be fair.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53'And they don't just raid other seabirds for treasure.
0:18:53 > 0:18:57'They'll even swipe food and nesting material off each other!'
0:19:01 > 0:19:04I think if I was a frigatebird, I'd go live over there,
0:19:04 > 0:19:06away from the others!
0:19:06 > 0:19:07SHE LAUGHS
0:19:07 > 0:19:09FRIGATEBIRDS SQUEAL
0:19:09 > 0:19:12So, the frigatebirds may seem very regal with their beautiful red
0:19:12 > 0:19:15markings and that majestic wingspan,
0:19:15 > 0:19:18but those good looks hide a much darker side,
0:19:18 > 0:19:21one that involves intimidation, violence and theft,
0:19:21 > 0:19:23just like the pirates of old.
0:19:23 > 0:19:27So, I'd say these buccaneering birds have got a very good chance
0:19:27 > 0:19:29of stealing my worst nightmare booty!
0:19:29 > 0:19:31Har-har!
0:19:31 > 0:19:32SOUND OF FRIGATEBIRD CHIRPING
0:19:35 > 0:19:37'I'm back on dry Baja land.'
0:19:39 > 0:19:40But only just...
0:19:41 > 0:19:44..because my final nightmare lives between land and sea.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49A good excuse for me to have a bit of beach time.
0:19:50 > 0:19:54My next animal is slow moving, it doesn't have sharp teeth
0:19:54 > 0:19:57or claws, and it's known throughout the world for its gentle
0:19:57 > 0:20:01and placid behaviour. Not your typical nightmare of nature!
0:20:01 > 0:20:04But there is something mysterious happening to this creature,
0:20:04 > 0:20:06that is very scary indeed.
0:20:08 > 0:20:13Sea turtles are among the most ancient animals on the planet.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16They've been around for over 200 million years,
0:20:16 > 0:20:18and have outlived the dinosaurs!
0:20:21 > 0:20:24But numbers of these sea-dwelling survivors
0:20:24 > 0:20:26are dropping all over the world...
0:20:27 > 0:20:30..placing them at risk of extinction.
0:20:30 > 0:20:32So, what is going on?
0:20:39 > 0:20:42'To find out more, I'm joining a group of children
0:20:42 > 0:20:44'from a local wildlife conservation group.'
0:20:46 > 0:20:48'This greenhouse is full of thousands
0:20:48 > 0:20:50'of olive ridley sea turtle eggs.'
0:20:52 > 0:20:53Hi!
0:20:53 > 0:20:55Hi!
0:20:55 > 0:20:57What is going here?
0:20:57 > 0:20:59Where did these turtles come from?
0:20:59 > 0:21:01From the mum of turtles.
0:21:01 > 0:21:02SHE CHUCKLES
0:21:02 > 0:21:04Ask a silly question!
0:21:05 > 0:21:09'The "mum of turtles" laid her eggs on a nearby beach,
0:21:09 > 0:21:12'then the conservation group collected them
0:21:12 > 0:21:14and moved them into this greenhouse.'
0:21:14 > 0:21:16So, why do you do that?
0:21:16 > 0:21:19Because it's really cold right now, so we're trying to save them,
0:21:19 > 0:21:23for they have more chance to live.
0:21:23 > 0:21:27So, they need it to be hot to be able to hatch?
0:21:27 > 0:21:28Yes.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34'Sea turtles can't breathe underwater,
0:21:34 > 0:21:37'so lay their eggs on land, hundreds at a time.'
0:21:40 > 0:21:44'The eggs stay under the sand for up to two months,
0:21:44 > 0:21:47'then the hatchlings break out and dig their way
0:21:47 > 0:21:49'up to the surface.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51'But if the sand is too cold,
0:21:51 > 0:21:55'the turtles die before even making it out of their eggs.'
0:22:04 > 0:22:08'This greenhouse has been keeping over 7,000 eggs warm,
0:22:08 > 0:22:11'and today, they're ready to hatch.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14'So, it's time to dig them up and help them
0:22:14 > 0:22:16'get to the sea, where they belong.'
0:22:16 > 0:22:20So, are you telling me there are baby turtles under here right now?
0:22:20 > 0:22:22Yeah.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25You've got one! You've got one! Let me see that tiny little...
0:22:25 > 0:22:27SHE GASPS
0:22:27 > 0:22:31Oh, my goodness me. That is the cutest thing I think I've ever seen.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34Aw! Hello, brand-new turtle!
0:22:34 > 0:22:37What can I call you? Shall I call you Leonardo?
0:22:37 > 0:22:38SHE CHUCKLES
0:22:38 > 0:22:39Michelangelo?
0:22:39 > 0:22:42You look like a Donatello to me. Ah!
0:22:43 > 0:22:46What a privilege to hold a brand-new baby animal.
0:22:47 > 0:22:51- How big will this turtle get? - About this big.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53- Wow!- Yeah.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55That's even smaller!
0:22:55 > 0:22:57- Yeah...- Ahhh! Look at you, cutie!
0:22:59 > 0:23:02'This tiny turtle is fresh out of its egg,
0:23:02 > 0:23:05'and hasn't even had a chance to roll around in the sand yet.'
0:23:07 > 0:23:09How long does it take each turtle to hatch?
0:23:09 > 0:23:11- A couple hours.- Couple of hours.
0:23:11 > 0:23:16They start biting the shell, and then they do it with the flippers.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22'The toasty greenhouse means these hatchlings have avoided
0:23:22 > 0:23:24'nightmare number one, the cold.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27'So, are their nightmares over?
0:23:27 > 0:23:31Faith, I'm supposed to be looking for nightmares of nature.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33What is the problem for these turtles?
0:23:33 > 0:23:35They're having a nightmare.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39They face predators like birds, fish, dogs...
0:23:39 > 0:23:41- So, they're having a real battle... - Yeah.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45..trying to get out of their nest and then trying to get to the sea.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47Mm-hm.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50'Newly hatched sea turtles, once out of their sandy nest,
0:23:50 > 0:23:52'must head for the sea.
0:23:52 > 0:23:57'But they have to get to it first, via a perilous journey
0:23:57 > 0:23:59'across the beach.'
0:24:06 > 0:24:10'Birds, foxes, crabs, fish, they are all waiting in the wings
0:24:10 > 0:24:12'to snap up one of these little guys.'
0:24:18 > 0:24:23'The trouble is, once in the water, their nightmare still doesn't end.'
0:24:25 > 0:24:27'And that's partly...
0:24:27 > 0:24:28'because of us.'
0:24:32 > 0:24:36'Many sea turtles accidentally get tangled up in fishermen's nets.'
0:24:38 > 0:24:43'Some get eaten by people with a taste for turtle or their eggs.'
0:24:45 > 0:24:48'Others die from eating our floating rubbish,
0:24:48 > 0:24:50'or are poisoned by our chemicals.'
0:24:53 > 0:24:57'Thankfully, though, these humans are making up for it.
0:24:57 > 0:25:02'In the last year, the conservation group has seen over 5,000 turtles
0:25:02 > 0:25:05'safely into the waves, and now it's time to release
0:25:05 > 0:25:09'our little olive ridleys back into the wild.'
0:25:09 > 0:25:11- Do you think they're excited?- Yeah!
0:25:11 > 0:25:13They're like, "Yes! I'm going to be fine!"
0:25:15 > 0:25:18'Sea turtles make their beach getaway at dusk,
0:25:18 > 0:25:21'as it's harder for predators to spot them.
0:25:21 > 0:25:25'But we'll be looking out for this turtle team tonight.'
0:25:25 > 0:25:26Good luck, little guys!
0:25:28 > 0:25:29Off you go!
0:25:31 > 0:25:32Go, go, go!
0:25:34 > 0:25:35Hee-hee-hee!
0:25:36 > 0:25:37Be free!
0:25:37 > 0:25:39Swim for your life!
0:25:42 > 0:25:43Go on, go on!
0:25:43 > 0:25:45Look how much he's trying.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50How long will it be until these turtles return to a beach
0:25:50 > 0:25:53- to lay their own eggs?- In about ten years they'll come back
0:25:53 > 0:25:56- and lay some eggs.- So, we won't see these for ages!
0:25:58 > 0:26:01Don't the females come back to the beach where they were born?
0:26:01 > 0:26:04- Yes.- That's a cool fact, isn't it? - Mm-hm.- I love that.
0:26:11 > 0:26:13Do you find it sad to see them go?
0:26:13 > 0:26:17A little bit, but we know they're going to be safe in the water.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19They're going to be in their home.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21So, it's a sad but a happy feeling,
0:26:21 > 0:26:25- cos you'll know they'll have a better life out there.- Yeah.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28- And you've done a great job today! - Yeah!
0:26:29 > 0:26:31Bye, little turtles!
0:26:31 > 0:26:34Good luck! Have a fantastic life!
0:26:35 > 0:26:37Just keep swimming!
0:26:44 > 0:26:48It'll come as no surprise that sea turtles are not going to be my
0:26:48 > 0:26:52worst nightmare. Us human beings on the other hand, with our pollution
0:26:52 > 0:26:55and over-fishing, definitely do qualify as a bit of a nightmare.
0:26:55 > 0:26:59But it is great to know that so much hard work is going on to save
0:26:59 > 0:27:01these gentle and placid creatures,
0:27:01 > 0:27:05so hopefully they'll be around for another few million years.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14Sadly, it's time to bid farewell to beautiful Baja,
0:27:14 > 0:27:18but before we go, which animal going to be my worst Wild West nightmare?
0:27:18 > 0:27:21Was it the whopper-sized whale shark with its mega mouth?
0:27:22 > 0:27:25I saw all along its body.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27That was amazing!
0:27:27 > 0:27:31Or the pirates of the sky, the feisty frigatebird?
0:27:31 > 0:27:34- They'll make another bird puke up the fish?- Yep.
0:27:34 > 0:27:36Oh!
0:27:36 > 0:27:38Well, this time, there really is no contest,
0:27:38 > 0:27:43because my worst Mexican nightmare just has to be the blood spurting,
0:27:43 > 0:27:47eye popping, desert desperado, the horned lizard.
0:27:47 > 0:27:48Yuck!
0:27:48 > 0:27:49SQUIRTING SOUND
0:27:53 > 0:27:57Or the pirates of the sky, the feisty frigatebirds.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59What are you doing?
0:27:59 > 0:28:00What every...
0:28:00 > 0:28:02SHE LAUGHS
0:28:07 > 0:28:09(LAUGHING) Oh, no!