0:00:00 > 0:00:02Welcome to my Nightmares Of Nature.
0:00:07 > 0:00:08I'm Naomi Wilkinson.
0:00:08 > 0:00:10Whoo-hoo!
0:00:10 > 0:00:14And I'm coming face to face with the nightmares of the animal world.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19The ones that make your spine tingle...
0:00:20 > 0:00:23..your heart beat faster...
0:00:25 > 0:00:28..and your blood run cold.
0:00:28 > 0:00:32Are they truly terrifying?
0:00:32 > 0:00:33Or is there a twist in the tale?
0:00:35 > 0:00:39Come with me as I shine a light on wildlife's deepest, darkest secrets.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45And see if you can guess which will be my worst nightmare.
0:00:52 > 0:00:53Ola, amigos!
0:00:53 > 0:00:55This time, we are in Mexico,
0:00:55 > 0:00:59a sizzling Latin American nation bursting with creepy jungles,
0:00:59 > 0:01:02spooky temples and plenty of natural nightmares.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07We're setting out to explore the Yucatan
0:01:07 > 0:01:12peninsula on the eastern coast of this giant Central American country.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16I'll be...
0:01:16 > 0:01:20witnessing one of the greatest natural spectacles on earth...
0:01:20 > 0:01:22That's amazing!
0:01:22 > 0:01:26..placating a prehistoric monster...
0:01:26 > 0:01:28I'm going to give it some space.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31..hunting down a lethal kung fu assassin...
0:01:34 > 0:01:37..and turning detective on the trail of a mischievous mammal.
0:01:40 > 0:01:44But first, I'm off to solve a cold-blooded conundrum.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51Snakes are firm favourites here on Nightmares Of Nature.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54They rank amongst the most dangerous animals on the planet.
0:01:56 > 0:02:00But for every snake that's equipped with lethal life-threatening venom,
0:02:00 > 0:02:04there are many more that are completely harmless to us humans.
0:02:06 > 0:02:10The big question is, how do you tell them apart?
0:02:10 > 0:02:13There are two colourful characters here in Yucatan
0:02:13 > 0:02:16that look just like twins.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20The king snake and the coral snake.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23One of these is harmless.
0:02:23 > 0:02:28The other is so venomous, it could kill me with a single bite.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30So, which is which?
0:02:39 > 0:02:42I've come to the home of local vet Martin
0:02:42 > 0:02:45for help unpicking this puzzle.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48- Ola, Martin.- Hi.
0:02:48 > 0:02:49- Good to meet you.- Good to meet you.
0:02:49 > 0:02:51Naomi.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54Do both of these species occur commonly here in Yucatan?
0:02:54 > 0:02:59Very common. You can find it in your garden, sometimes inside a house.
0:02:59 > 0:03:01- Really?- Under the rocks, under the roots.- Everywhere.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04- Everywhere. Everywhere. - They're everywhere.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06Why do the two of them look so similar?
0:03:07 > 0:03:11Because predators and people is afraid of their poisons.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14So the other one is protecting from the predators.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17- So it protects itself by trying to pretend it's the venomous one?- Mhm.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19Even though it's harmless.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23The king snake is a constrictor.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27It kills its prey by wrapping itself around its victim
0:03:27 > 0:03:28and squeezing it to death.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33But it's too small to be a threat to humans.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38Not so for the highly toxic coral snake.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41And people have died from coral snake bites, haven't they?
0:03:41 > 0:03:42Many, many people.
0:03:43 > 0:03:47How quickly could you die from coral snake bite?
0:03:47 > 0:03:49It depends on your reaction.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53If you're allergic, immediately, but if not, probably two hours.
0:03:53 > 0:03:54Seriously?
0:03:54 > 0:03:56Seriously.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58That's horrendous.
0:03:58 > 0:04:02- Horrible.- So you'd die in about two hours.- Mhm.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04SHE LAUGHS
0:04:04 > 0:04:07Right, well, I would quite like to try and handle a king snake,
0:04:07 > 0:04:10but I don't want to end up accidentally handling
0:04:10 > 0:04:12the coral snake by mistake, so how do I tell them apart?
0:04:12 > 0:04:14No problem, don't worry. I can help you.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17There's an old rhyme, which is this one.
0:04:17 > 0:04:18Oh, right. OK.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20Um, "red on yellow will kill a fellow
0:04:20 > 0:04:23"but red on black is a friend of Jack." OK.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25Oh, thank you.
0:04:25 > 0:04:31Um, "Red next to black, venom I lack, yellow and red, you are dead." What?
0:04:31 > 0:04:32And... What's this?
0:04:32 > 0:04:35"Black and white, say goodnight..."
0:04:35 > 0:04:37Oh, you're just doing this to confuse me.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43With the "helpful" suggestions from the crew,
0:04:43 > 0:04:45it's time to make a decision.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47Which snake is safe?
0:04:49 > 0:04:54"Red next to black, venom I lack,
0:04:54 > 0:04:58"Red on yellow will kill a fellow,
0:04:58 > 0:05:00"Red on black is a friend of Jack."
0:05:03 > 0:05:06OK, I've thought about this very carefully
0:05:06 > 0:05:08and because this one has red on black -
0:05:08 > 0:05:13"next to black, venom lack" - I think this is the king snake.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15Well, you can try it.
0:05:15 > 0:05:16I should just try it.
0:05:18 > 0:05:19Right, confidence.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25Hello.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29Of course, these little rhymes are fun, but it's important to
0:05:29 > 0:05:33remember that we've got an expert here to make sure we don't go wrong.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37You should never try to do anything like this yourself.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40I hope this is the right one.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49- Martin.- Yes, that's OK.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51Is this the right snake?
0:05:51 > 0:05:53- Yes.- Oh! Phew.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55Thank goodness for that.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59I mean, both species are absolutely beautiful, aren't they?
0:05:59 > 0:06:03- Beautiful.- Oh! I got the right one. Phew!
0:06:03 > 0:06:06Identifying snakes is an expert's game,
0:06:06 > 0:06:09so if you come across one in the wild,
0:06:09 > 0:06:12probably best to stay out of its way.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16When it comes to tests, the king snake/coral snake conundrum
0:06:16 > 0:06:18is definitely one you want to revise for.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21Get it wrong, and you could end up with a dose of potentially
0:06:21 > 0:06:25lethal venom and that's why this puzzling pair could certainly
0:06:25 > 0:06:28be in contention for my worst nightmare.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35Yucatan is rich with reptilian nightmares,
0:06:35 > 0:06:39and to meet my next one, I'm going in search of an ancient wonder.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46There's an old Mexican legend that the remote regions
0:06:46 > 0:06:51of the Yucatan Peninsula hide a place that time forgot...
0:06:54 > 0:06:58..where giant prehistoric monsters still rule the earth.
0:07:01 > 0:07:05My trusty crew and I have travelled far...
0:07:07 > 0:07:11..braved many dangers to reach this lost world...
0:07:13 > 0:07:15..through dark, dense jungle...
0:07:15 > 0:07:17Wah! Whoo-hoo!
0:07:20 > 0:07:22..past ancient forgotten temples...
0:07:25 > 0:07:27..and across the scorching sands of...
0:07:29 > 0:07:30..a tourist beach?
0:07:37 > 0:07:39OK, so it's not the land that time forgot.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43It's Tulum, an ancient walled city on the shore of the Caribbean Sea
0:07:43 > 0:07:48and it is one of the most popular destinations in all of Mexico.
0:07:48 > 0:07:54But believe it or not, it does have a population of prehistoric monsters.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57IT ROARS
0:07:59 > 0:08:02Iguanas are among the largest of all lizards
0:08:02 > 0:08:04and look about as close to a living,
0:08:04 > 0:08:08breathing dinosaur as it's possible to get in this day and age.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12There are many species of iguana.
0:08:15 > 0:08:19But the black spiny-tailed iguanas that live here at Tulum look
0:08:19 > 0:08:23particularly like petrifying prehistoric predators.
0:08:25 > 0:08:26So I'm on my guard.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35One advantage of being in tourist territory,
0:08:35 > 0:08:39rather than the lost world, is there is an expert at hand to show me
0:08:39 > 0:08:43around, in the form of local biologist Raul.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51Oh, it's coming to see us. RAUL LAUGHS
0:08:51 > 0:08:53Those spines look dangerous.
0:08:53 > 0:08:54Ho-ho!
0:08:54 > 0:08:56What are they used for?
0:08:56 > 0:08:58This tail is an amazing way to defend themselves
0:08:58 > 0:09:03from predators like birds of prey and foxes, and they will whip
0:09:03 > 0:09:07the tail against other males also, fighting for territory and females.
0:09:08 > 0:09:10Other predators?
0:09:10 > 0:09:14Well, occasionally, they will eat small animals, such as mice
0:09:14 > 0:09:19or even bats and tiny lizards, but their main diet is plants.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22That's weird, isn't it? Because it looks like such a ferocious creature.
0:09:22 > 0:09:23Plants and flowers.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27And it likes to eat flowers and not flesh? That's really funny!
0:09:28 > 0:09:31So they don't have to chase after prey and hunt it down.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34Does that mean they're rather slow animals?
0:09:34 > 0:09:36- Oh, no! It can run up to 20mph.- Oh!
0:09:36 > 0:09:38Imagine that. Faster than you.
0:09:38 > 0:09:40Why do they need to be able to run so fast?
0:09:40 > 0:09:43Mainly running away from dangers.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45So it's all for defence? It's not to try and attack anything?
0:09:45 > 0:09:47No. Mainly for defence, yeah.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51'That's not to say that iguanas don't get angry, though.'
0:09:51 > 0:09:54What's he doing now? What's that head-nodding behaviour?
0:09:54 > 0:09:57Well, males do that to attract females.
0:09:57 > 0:10:01But mainly, it's like, "Get out of my territory".
0:10:01 > 0:10:03- "Give me some space!"- That's right.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06I'm going to give it some space.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16'But it seems he's not the only one on the defensive.'
0:10:16 > 0:10:20Look at that one. Look at that male over there doing his display.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23'Thankfully, it's not aimed at me this time.'
0:10:23 > 0:10:25Oh, there's another male!
0:10:25 > 0:10:27'It's for another iguana.'
0:10:27 > 0:10:30Oh, there might be a fight, because we've got this male
0:10:30 > 0:10:34defending his territory and this one coming to try and invade.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36- Oh, yes, yes. - And he doesn't like it.
0:10:36 > 0:10:37Let's follow this.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39The other one is running away.
0:10:40 > 0:10:46- So he knows that this one should not be messed with.- Oh, yeah.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50With his territory secure, he can get back to flirting with his females.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55"Hey, ladies. How you doing?"
0:11:06 > 0:11:09So, despite their fierce and prehistoric looks,
0:11:09 > 0:11:12these iguanas aren't the dangerous dinosaurs you might expect.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14Their speed is for escape, not pursuit.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17Their spines are for defence rather than attack
0:11:17 > 0:11:20and they would much rather sink their teeth into a nice
0:11:20 > 0:11:22bunch of flowers instead of another animal,
0:11:22 > 0:11:27so can I really call these reptiles of the ruins my worst nightmare?
0:11:31 > 0:11:33To catch a glimpse of my next animal,
0:11:33 > 0:11:37I'm going to have to get streetwise.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40This seems like a nice, quiet everyday neighbourhood
0:11:40 > 0:11:42but I've heard reports that this town is home to
0:11:42 > 0:11:46an unruly gang of banditos, plaguing the local residents with
0:11:46 > 0:11:50a crime spree of theft and vandalism.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53So it's time for me to put on my detective hat
0:11:53 > 0:11:56and launch an investigation.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11The first thing any good detective will do
0:12:11 > 0:12:13is go and examine the crime scene.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17Yep, I think we might have found a clue right here.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20Clearly, something has been going through this bin,
0:12:20 > 0:12:23leaving rubbish everywhere - very antisocial.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26I bet they were after those tortillas.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28Probably made a quick getaway into those trees.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30Mmm.
0:12:30 > 0:12:32I think we're on the right track.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40The next step is to look for witnesses, and there are plenty
0:12:40 > 0:12:44of locals who have suffered at the hands of this mystery mob.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46What have you seen them doing?
0:12:46 > 0:12:50Begging for food, climbing the walls in the houses.
0:12:50 > 0:12:55They've got this beautiful long snout and a really, really long tail
0:12:55 > 0:12:57that has rings on it.
0:12:57 > 0:12:58Furry.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00They're furry. What else?
0:13:01 > 0:13:03SHE LAUGHS
0:13:03 > 0:13:05- That's how they walk? - How did they walk?
0:13:07 > 0:13:10Oh! They walk like that! Ooh!
0:13:14 > 0:13:17Armed with all this evidence, I have a fair idea
0:13:17 > 0:13:22of where our little criminal gang likes to hang out.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25We've just pulled into a local shopping centre car park,
0:13:25 > 0:13:29because an informant tells us that our suspects, daily between five
0:13:29 > 0:13:33and six o'clock, run across this wall and over to those bins there...
0:13:35 > 0:13:37..to raid them.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39So we are on a stakeout.
0:13:41 > 0:13:42Oi!
0:13:44 > 0:13:47Look. He's putting rubbish there. That's good.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50They'll come for the rubbish.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55Yeah, yeah, yeah!
0:13:58 > 0:14:01Just when we're thinking they've given us the slip...
0:14:06 > 0:14:08They're at the... There's one. Can you see it?
0:14:08 > 0:14:10There it is, just coming over the fence now.
0:14:10 > 0:14:11Oh!
0:14:11 > 0:14:14'Long snout. Ringed tail.'
0:14:14 > 0:14:18There's our culprit.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20It's a coatimundi.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24And they're mammals, closely related to kinkajou and racoons.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29This particular species is called the white-nosed coati
0:14:29 > 0:14:31and with the black fur around its eyes too,
0:14:31 > 0:14:34it really does make it look like it's wearing a burglar's mask
0:14:34 > 0:14:38and considering its behaviour - that's pretty appropriate.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42'In the jungle, they live in the trees,
0:14:42 > 0:14:45'coming down to the ground in the day,
0:14:45 > 0:14:47'to forage for insects and fruit.'
0:14:49 > 0:14:51But here in a more urban setting,
0:14:51 > 0:14:54sometimes they'll just pick up whatever we throw away,
0:14:54 > 0:14:57other times, they'll pinch it when we're not looking.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01Their long claws make them great climbers.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06Look at it. Climbing down the tree.
0:15:06 > 0:15:07No trouble at all.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13They're not dangerous to humans.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16Oh, look how cute that one is!
0:15:16 > 0:15:19I think they might be too cute to call criminals.
0:15:22 > 0:15:24It's time to wrap up our investigation
0:15:24 > 0:15:25and what have we learnt?
0:15:25 > 0:15:29Well, yes, coatis can be a bit of a menace, raiding our bins
0:15:29 > 0:15:31and stealing the occasional sandwich, but, in their defence,
0:15:31 > 0:15:34they're just doing what comes naturally to them -
0:15:34 > 0:15:35foraging for food.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39So should I let them off, or send them down as my worst nightmare?
0:15:46 > 0:15:49During my search for the world's nastiest natural nightmares,
0:15:49 > 0:15:52I've come face-to-face with plenty of creepy crawlies,
0:15:52 > 0:15:57things that bite, sting, inject venom, even drink your blood.
0:15:57 > 0:15:58D'you know what?
0:15:58 > 0:16:03I think I might have finally found an insect I'm really going to love.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06The praying mantis has no venom or sting
0:16:06 > 0:16:10and there's even one species that looks like a flower.
0:16:10 > 0:16:11Ah!
0:16:11 > 0:16:15The "praying" in its name has nothing to do with a predatory nature.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19It's down to the prayer-like position of its forelimbs.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22So I'm betting on the praying mantis being
0:16:22 > 0:16:24just as saintly as its name suggests.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33The praying mantis is a master of disguise.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37Many have evolved to blend perfectly in with their surroundings
0:16:37 > 0:16:40so they can look like leaves, bark,
0:16:40 > 0:16:43which in here, makes them virtually invisible.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47To help you look for this needle in a haystack,
0:16:47 > 0:16:51I've once again called on the services of local biologist Raul.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53And he knows exactly where to look.
0:16:57 > 0:17:02Hey, Naomi. There's a praying mantis on this tree. Can you spot it?
0:17:02 > 0:17:03Um...
0:17:05 > 0:17:07No.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09- I can't.- It's right here.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12Oh, my goodness. Yes!
0:17:13 > 0:17:16- Oh, it's quite tiny, isn't it? - Oh, yes.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18Are they usually that sort of size?
0:17:18 > 0:17:22Well, praying mantis came in different sizes. They can be
0:17:22 > 0:17:26- as small as your fingernail and as big as your hand.- Really?
0:17:27 > 0:17:31That camouflage is just incredible. It looks just like a twig.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33Does it use that camouflage to protect itself?
0:17:33 > 0:17:39Yeah. They can be the prey of birds, or lizards, even frogs.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42They use it for protection, but also for hunting.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44Ah, so they're disguised.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49So how do they hunt?
0:17:49 > 0:17:52KUNG-FU FIGHTING MUSIC
0:17:52 > 0:17:57Butterfly, or whatever the prey is, will come.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01And in less than a second it will be on top of him.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07And these spiky little things that they have in their arms
0:18:07 > 0:18:09is helping them to do that.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14So those little spikes, barbed weapons,
0:18:14 > 0:18:17chop down on their unsuspecting prey like a kung fu fighter?
0:18:17 > 0:18:18That's right.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21KUNG-FU FIGHTING SOUND EFFECTS
0:18:21 > 0:18:24And then they start eating their prey alive.
0:18:24 > 0:18:25Ooh!
0:18:25 > 0:18:27Starting with their head also.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29Oh!
0:18:29 > 0:18:33'Yes, a praying mantis dinner party is not for the squeamish.
0:18:33 > 0:18:35'Forget the starter.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38'These guys like to go straight for the main course -
0:18:38 > 0:18:41'while it's still moving!
0:18:41 > 0:18:45'But these ghastly gourmets have an even darker side.'
0:18:45 > 0:18:47Raul, I've heard that praying mantises
0:18:47 > 0:18:50- have a rather unusual mating ritual.- Oh, yes.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54The females, when they finish, they eat the male,
0:18:54 > 0:18:56starting with the head.
0:18:57 > 0:19:01Well, I'm all for girl power, but that does sound a bit extreme.
0:19:01 > 0:19:02Wow!
0:19:03 > 0:19:06You don't want to mess with the praying mantis.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09- I don't want to be a male... - No!- ..praying mantis!
0:19:10 > 0:19:16So to summarise, they use their camouflage to launch sneak attacks,
0:19:16 > 0:19:19skewering their victims before eating them alive.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23And if they're still hungry,
0:19:23 > 0:19:25they might just snack on their boyfriend, too!
0:19:27 > 0:19:30Having learned a bit about this beastie,
0:19:30 > 0:19:34I think the praying mantis should perhaps consider changing its name -
0:19:34 > 0:19:35maybe to the kung fu mantis,
0:19:35 > 0:19:37or the head-munching mantis might be more appropriate.
0:19:37 > 0:19:41Whatever you call it, this cannibalistic creepy-crawlie
0:19:41 > 0:19:44is certainly in the running for my worst nightmare!
0:19:49 > 0:19:52For my final outing, I'm heading deep into the jungle...
0:19:54 > 0:19:57..for a nocturnal nightmare encounter.
0:20:04 > 0:20:08At night, the jungle comes alive with things that sneak, slither,
0:20:08 > 0:20:10creep and crawl.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14Even the very air itself is filled with nocturnal nightmares.
0:20:18 > 0:20:19Like bats.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21True horror story stars.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26They are the masters of stealth.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30And when they take to the air, they do it in their millions.
0:20:37 > 0:20:44137 different species darken Mexico's skies every night
0:20:44 > 0:20:48and nine of those could be out hunting in this remote
0:20:48 > 0:20:52patch of Yucatan jungle right now.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54I've got to say, it's pretty unnerving.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57However, if there is one thing that this show has taught me
0:20:57 > 0:21:00about fear, it's that it's best to meet it face-to-face.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05Helping me do that tonight is a bat research team,
0:21:05 > 0:21:08headed by wildlife expert Jorge.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15He's been monitoring the bat species here by catching them
0:21:15 > 0:21:22in these very fine mist nets, before releasing them unharmed.
0:21:22 > 0:21:27As my Spanish isn't up to much, our translator Scott
0:21:27 > 0:21:32is going to help introduce me to Jorge's first catch of the night.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34What have we got here?
0:21:34 > 0:21:38This is known as a ghost-faced bat.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41It's a really peculiar-looking bat. Hang on.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44So those...those are his eyes.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46Ears behind.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48And that's his mouth!
0:21:48 > 0:21:50OK.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53What do the bats do all night?
0:21:53 > 0:21:59This bat leaves the cave to go out to hunt mosquitoes and insects.
0:21:59 > 0:22:03And how many mosquitoes and insects will one bat eat in a night?
0:22:04 > 0:22:08Each bat eats approximately half of its own bodyweight.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12Which is a lot, cos mosquitoes weigh nothing.
0:22:13 > 0:22:18'Jorge's nets are attracting a raft of colourful characters tonight.'
0:22:21 > 0:22:26Oh! Is he happy? Looks like he's going "Argh!"
0:22:26 > 0:22:28Quite a scary face he's got there.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34Common Moustached Bat.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36It does have big long hairs around its mouth.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41Ooh! Does that hurt?
0:22:41 > 0:22:45Are you going off bats, now that it's doing this to you?
0:22:45 > 0:22:47Oh, you're good! You love bats.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53Isn't that an odd-looking bat?
0:22:53 > 0:22:56Why is it got no hair on its back?
0:22:56 > 0:22:58It actually does have hair there.
0:22:58 > 0:23:02What you're looking at is a membrane that covers the hairs on its back.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07Oh, look at its little body. It's totally cute.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10How can anyone think you're a nightmare?
0:23:10 > 0:23:14In fact, this looks so friendly, I want to release this one.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20He's going to put it there, and you just hold it down with your thumb.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23- If it lets go, it's fine. - If it... If it goes, it's OK.
0:23:23 > 0:23:25Oh, it's going to go. It's going to go.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27Straight up into the night.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29That was a little treat for me.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36Well, we have met several members of the local bat population tonight
0:23:36 > 0:23:39and I have to say that, up close, they really aren't that scary at all.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42OK, some aren't exactly blessed in the looks department,
0:23:42 > 0:23:45but nightmares of nature? Absolutely not.
0:23:47 > 0:23:48Oh, no!
0:23:48 > 0:23:52"Meeting one bat face-to-face may not be frightening, but what
0:23:52 > 0:23:54"about meeting an army of bats so huge, they number
0:23:54 > 0:23:55"into the millions?
0:23:55 > 0:24:00"Dare you face the force of El Volcan de los Murcielagos?"
0:24:00 > 0:24:04The bat volcano? What's the bat volcano?
0:24:07 > 0:24:10Well, I'm about to find out.
0:24:10 > 0:24:14We returned to the forest in daylight and while it certainly seems
0:24:14 > 0:24:18a little less spooky now, that might be about to change.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21Ho-ho-ho, ho-ho!
0:24:21 > 0:24:24Down here in this sinkhole is the entrance to a cave
0:24:24 > 0:24:30and that cave is home to around 2.5 million individual bats.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33Well, we know they're there, cos we can see quite a few already,
0:24:33 > 0:24:36but it also reeks of bat droppings around here.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39It's a pretty overwhelming smell.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41We're told that just before sunset,
0:24:41 > 0:24:45all the bats in this cage will emerge to hunt.
0:24:46 > 0:24:51I'm a little bit nervous and a little bit excited.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53I hope they're not going to fly straight at my face!
0:24:55 > 0:24:58They use a high-pitched navigation system,
0:24:58 > 0:25:04which will steer them clear of objects - like me - but only just.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06Whoo!
0:25:06 > 0:25:08They went right in front of my face!
0:25:09 > 0:25:12I'm suddenly starting to think this might not be quite so fun
0:25:12 > 0:25:14when there are millions.
0:25:15 > 0:25:20But as the bat army's main body of troops emerged, my fear turns to awe!
0:25:22 > 0:25:24Can you hear that?
0:25:24 > 0:25:27The beating of all their wings? Can you hear?
0:25:29 > 0:25:32Oh, my word! That's amazing.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37Have you ever seen anything like it? I haven't.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42They're all moving so fast.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46They're making all the trees
0:25:46 > 0:25:49and leaves whirl round in the same direction.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53Actually creating a real breeze. Oh!
0:25:58 > 0:26:01Cor! No wonder the locals refer to this as the bat volcano.
0:26:01 > 0:26:07It's literally like an eruption of bats rising up from the ground. Wow!
0:26:07 > 0:26:09Wow, wow, wow, wow!
0:26:18 > 0:26:20I'm absolutely speechless.
0:26:20 > 0:26:24Which is not very helpful when you're a television presenter.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31I thought this was going to be a frightening experience,
0:26:31 > 0:26:34but it is not. This is just truly beautiful sight.
0:26:36 > 0:26:38As the sun begins to set,
0:26:38 > 0:26:42we make a quick dash up the hill to see them off into the night.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46No matter how long you spend watching wildlife,
0:26:46 > 0:26:48nature always has new ways of surprising you.
0:26:48 > 0:26:53I thought that 2.5 million bats would be a terrifying prospect,
0:26:53 > 0:26:56but it's turned out to be one of the most amazing things I've ever seen.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58They might call it the bat volcano,
0:26:58 > 0:27:01but this is one eruption I'm happy to have been here to witness.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08My Mexican adventures are at an end,
0:27:08 > 0:27:11but have you managed to guess what my worst nightmare will be?
0:27:11 > 0:27:15Is it the spines and spikes of the prehistoric iguana?
0:27:17 > 0:27:18"Hey, ladies! How you doing?"
0:27:20 > 0:27:23The sneaky antics of the furry coarti?
0:27:23 > 0:27:26There it is, just coming over the fence now.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30Perhaps dicing with death on a snake identity parade?
0:27:32 > 0:27:34I hope this is the right one!
0:27:35 > 0:27:36No, it was none of those.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40My worst nightmare is the kung fu fighting, boyfriend-chomping
0:27:40 > 0:27:43cannibal critter, the praying mantis.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52So it's five letters, Rich.
0:27:52 > 0:27:56It starts with a C, ends with an I. And you haven't got any idea?
0:27:59 > 0:28:01Is it an animal?
0:28:01 > 0:28:04SHE LAUGHS
0:28:04 > 0:28:05What?