0:00:02 > 0:00:04Welcome to my Nightmares Of Nature.
0:00:06 > 0:00:08I'm Naomi Wilkinson!
0:00:08 > 0:00:10SHE SCREAMS Oh, my goodness!
0:00:10 > 0:00:14And I'm coming face-to-face with the nightmares of the animal world.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16SHE GASPS
0:00:16 > 0:00:19The ones that make your spine tingle...
0:00:19 > 0:00:21Your heart beat faster...
0:00:23 > 0:00:25SHE GASPS There it is! There it is!
0:00:25 > 0:00:27..and your blood run cold.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30Are they truly terrifying?
0:00:31 > 0:00:34Or is there a twist in the tail?
0:00:35 > 0:00:38Come with me, as I shine a light on wildlife's
0:00:38 > 0:00:41deepest, darkest secrets.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45And see if you can guess which will be my worst nightmare.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52Greetings, air breathers.
0:00:52 > 0:00:56This time I'm searching for the nightmares beneath the waves.
0:00:56 > 0:01:01But don't be fooled by the clear water and the colourful fish,
0:01:01 > 0:01:03this is the domain of sea monsters.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07They're speedy...
0:01:10 > 0:01:12..sharp-toothed...
0:01:14 > 0:01:16SHE SQUEALS
0:01:16 > 0:01:18..armed sea-dwellers...
0:01:20 > 0:01:21SHE GASPS
0:01:21 > 0:01:23Look at the size of that one.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26..that call this water world their home.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29Welcome to the Bahamas!
0:01:30 > 0:01:33Just off the coast of Florida,
0:01:33 > 0:01:37the Bahamas are packed with nautical nasties.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40And sea creatures don't come much stranger than my first
0:01:40 > 0:01:42nightmare contender.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48Believe it or not, out there lurks a real-life monster.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51A creature that hunts its prey using a super-sense that
0:01:51 > 0:01:53we don't even have.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55It's an animal that is much larger than me.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59It has razor-sharp teeth and it eats sharks.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02Now, obviously, I would love to go and find it, but sadly,
0:02:02 > 0:02:04I've forgotten my snorkel. Oh!
0:02:04 > 0:02:07It's all right, Naoms. You left it at the hotel. I got it for you.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09Thanks, Rich.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11But it looks a bit cold out there and I need a wet suit
0:02:11 > 0:02:13- and I haven't got that either. - Don't worry, I picked it up.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17You've got that, too. But we're going to get burnt if we're not
0:02:17 > 0:02:19- wearing sun cream, aren't we? - Naoms, Naoms. I've got some.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22- You have some of that.- You've got some of that that we can use.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25Cool, that means we've got everything we could ever need
0:02:25 > 0:02:28and there is no reason we can't go and find it.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30Yay... Let's go.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35The monster of the deep I'm off to find is...
0:02:39 > 0:02:42Hammerheads have all the usual sharky credentials
0:02:42 > 0:02:45to be my ultimate nightmare,
0:02:45 > 0:02:50but on top of this, they also have an otherworldly super-sense.
0:02:50 > 0:02:55Special cells on their skin detect the electricity given off
0:02:55 > 0:02:57by every living animal.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01The more stressed an animal is, or the faster its heart is beating,
0:03:01 > 0:03:04the more electricity it creates.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07These sharks can, literally, sense fear.
0:03:13 > 0:03:18I've teamed up with marine biologist and shark enthusiast Jillian.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22Give me the camera, Stu.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25All aboard?
0:03:25 > 0:03:28Right, let's head out to sea and find this monster.
0:03:33 > 0:03:35- So, how are you feeling? - Terrified.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38I've got to be honest. I am quite nervous.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42'And I haven't got long to wait.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45'Our shark site is less than 500 metres from the beach.'
0:03:47 > 0:03:49Argh!
0:03:49 > 0:03:52There are people in the water and they've got fish in their hands.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54Yes, they do. There are people in the water.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56They are baiting the sharks in.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58SHE GASPS Is that it?
0:03:58 > 0:04:01- Is that it?- Yeah, that's it. - Yeah, that's the hammerhead.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03SHE GIGGLES
0:04:03 > 0:04:06- Your first hammerhead. - Oh, no.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09- You should be saying, "Oh, yes." - Oh, oh, no.
0:04:09 > 0:04:10Oh, no.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13'I have to work hard to contain my fear.'
0:04:13 > 0:04:16- Come on. It's going to be all right. - It's going to be amazing.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19It's going to be all right.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21- It's going to be better than all right.- Urgh!
0:04:21 > 0:04:25'The more nervous I get, the more the sharks will be interested.'
0:04:25 > 0:04:28I've just become acutely aware that my heart is pumping.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31I am one big electrical surge at the minute,
0:04:31 > 0:04:35so I need to take deep breaths. It's going to be fine. Right.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39Urgh.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44SHE GIGGLES NERVOUSLY
0:04:51 > 0:04:54SHE SCREAMS No, no, no!
0:04:59 > 0:05:04'Below us, the sharks are circling around the crate filled with bait.'
0:05:04 > 0:05:08What's it doing? What's it doing?
0:05:08 > 0:05:10It's going to steal the bait crate.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13What's it doing?
0:05:13 > 0:05:15Yeah, they'll bite it, because they know the food is in there.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18They can smell it, they want it.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22'Having Jillian by my side and seeing the sharks focus on
0:05:22 > 0:05:25'the food at the bottom eases my nerves.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28'Just a little bit.'
0:05:28 > 0:05:31I don't know if I'm staying as calm as I should.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33It's quite difficult.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38'But watching them, I realised, they're not interested in us.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42'They are totally focused on the smell coming from the box of bait.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49'Sharks can, in fact, smell blood for more than a mile away.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57'And to top off this sharks' super-senses,
0:05:57 > 0:06:02'hammerheads have 360 degree vision.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06'Their eyes are so far apart they can see in front of them,
0:06:06 > 0:06:09'and behind them at the same time.'
0:06:18 > 0:06:20I don't think these sharks would miss anything
0:06:20 > 0:06:21in their underwater worlds.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24You just get the sense that they know exactly what is happening
0:06:24 > 0:06:26all around them.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28But honestly, they are breathtakingly big.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33'And researchers here are working on just that.
0:06:34 > 0:06:39'They're using laser technology to calculate exactly how big these
0:06:39 > 0:06:41'monster sharks really are.
0:06:42 > 0:06:47'But before they get to work, I can't resist testing the kit.'
0:06:48 > 0:06:50I'm just being measured.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57'Not bad, but how does that compare to our super-sized friends?
0:07:00 > 0:07:06'This huge female measures in at 375 centimetres.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08'That's nearly twice my length.'
0:07:10 > 0:07:12What a whopper.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17'As the light starts to fade, the hammerhead's switch into
0:07:17 > 0:07:21'hunting mode and it's time for us all to leave the water.'
0:07:25 > 0:07:27Oh!
0:07:27 > 0:07:31That is one of the weirdest looking creatures I've ever seen in my life.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34I mean, they're certainly big enough and scary-looking enough to
0:07:34 > 0:07:37give many people nightmares.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40But you've got to admire its super successful hunting technique.
0:07:40 > 0:07:41And being in the water with it,
0:07:41 > 0:07:45I feel like this huge animal with its peculiar-shaped head and
0:07:45 > 0:07:49ferocious teeth didn't mean me any harm whatsoever.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52So, the question is, will the great hammerhead swim its way to
0:07:52 > 0:07:55the top spot, to be my worst nightmare?
0:08:00 > 0:08:04'It's going to take a good deal of detective work to fathom out
0:08:04 > 0:08:08'exactly what my next nightmare contender is.'
0:08:08 > 0:08:12Visitors to these parts have returned with terrifying stories of
0:08:12 > 0:08:16monsters lurking in the shadows, ferocious, ravenous beasts.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21To understand exactly what this nightmares, first,
0:08:21 > 0:08:25I need to build up an image of this creature.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28'And like any good detective, I'll appeal to the general public
0:08:28 > 0:08:30'for help.'
0:08:30 > 0:08:33I've been told there are monsters lurking around here!
0:08:33 > 0:08:34Oh, yeah!
0:08:34 > 0:08:36Could you tell me, what do they look like?
0:08:36 > 0:08:40- Yes, they're big, like that. - They're big, like that.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43Teeth in the front and teeth down here and they have a great big
0:08:43 > 0:08:47- snout that looks like a snorkel. - Let's ask these guys,
0:08:47 > 0:08:50cos they look a lot friendlier than my picture so far.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53- What are their eyes like? - Eyes? Pretty squinty.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56- Squinty eyes.- Nasty looking teeth.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58- Nasty looking teeth? - Yeah.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00Big and nasty.
0:09:00 > 0:09:04'With my sketch complete, our mystery monster can be revealed.'
0:09:06 > 0:09:09So, this is our culprit.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11A monster indeed.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13A true nightmare of nature.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18MONSTER GROWLS
0:09:18 > 0:09:2350 years ago, these beasts were introduced to an island.
0:09:23 > 0:09:28It's believed the man who brought them here had hoped to return
0:09:28 > 0:09:34and eat them, but they changed, they grew, they became clever and
0:09:34 > 0:09:40resourceful and now demand food from the very people who put them there.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43It's time to meet this monster face-to-face.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55Shout if you see any movement, anyone.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59Hello? We come in peace.
0:10:01 > 0:10:02Oh! Oh! Oh! Yeah, there!
0:10:02 > 0:10:04There! There! There! There! There! There!
0:10:04 > 0:10:07Gosh, that's big.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09What?
0:10:09 > 0:10:13I don't believe it, it's a pig.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16And they're very big. Oh, my word.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20It's all right, though, because we're on the boat, they're on land.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23So, we can figure out what we're going to do next.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25What? It's swimming.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27It's a swimming pig.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29What?
0:10:29 > 0:10:31They're really good swimmers, aren't they?
0:10:31 > 0:10:35Oh, hello. Oh, you're not scary.
0:10:35 > 0:10:40Look at your pig snout poking out the water, and big ears.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43How hilarious is this?
0:10:43 > 0:10:45'And we brought them a little offering.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48Yum, apple! Mm.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51His little curly tail.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54'But it's not just food these pigs are after...'
0:10:54 > 0:10:58Oh, that one opened his mouth!
0:10:58 > 0:11:01'..fresh water is at a premium on this desert island.'
0:11:01 > 0:11:04The only reason they can survive here is because there is
0:11:04 > 0:11:06a fresh spring on the island.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10As you can imagine, they are always...
0:11:10 > 0:11:12PIGS GRUNT AND SQUEAL
0:11:12 > 0:11:14..keen to enjoy...
0:11:15 > 0:11:18This one's got big teeth.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21'These ferocious looking teeth are used for defence
0:11:21 > 0:11:23'and digging up roots.'
0:11:27 > 0:11:28SHE GASPS
0:11:28 > 0:11:30We've spotted some movement at the back there,
0:11:30 > 0:11:32so we're just going to go and investigate.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35You, stay there. Yeah, you distract that one.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37They're following us.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42SHE GASPS Oh, my goodness!
0:11:42 > 0:11:43Oh, my goodness! Oh, my goodness.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45I've just seen the cutest little thing I've ever seen.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47Come and see.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50They are brand-new little piglets.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53I think they're only about three-weeks-old.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00They're not a nightmare of nature, are they?
0:12:00 > 0:12:03'And a good sign that the swimming pigs of the Bahamas are thriving.'
0:12:03 > 0:12:07A little home-made water bowl for them.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14Yes, that's right, I'm feeding a piglet out of a snorkel mask.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18No, don't eat the mask.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20Cheeky! It's only water.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27Well, this is absolutely brilliant, but before I go,
0:12:27 > 0:12:30there is just one more thing I want to do.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36I'm going in.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40How often do you get to see you've been swimming with pigs?
0:12:40 > 0:12:42Play nice, OK? I haven't got any apples.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47Oh, it's quite cold.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50SHE PANTS Not doggy paddle, its piggy paddle.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53Hello.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56'These pigs may have been introduced to the island as
0:12:56 > 0:12:59'a source of food, but my porky pals are now
0:12:59 > 0:13:00'so popular with visitors,
0:13:00 > 0:13:03'that they are in a well and truly here to say.'
0:13:05 > 0:13:07It's actually not that surprising that pigs swim.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10They've got to cool down somehow and, unlike us, they don't have
0:13:10 > 0:13:14sweat glands, so getting in the water is their best option.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21Let's go for the 100 meter badge, come on.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23Backstroke.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27And breaststroke.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29You make it look so easy.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35Now that I've met these apple-chomping, water-loving,
0:13:35 > 0:13:38not-so-ferocious monsters that are only here because someone
0:13:38 > 0:13:42brought them here to eat them, I can say with a total certainty that
0:13:42 > 0:13:47the swimming pigs of the Bahamas are not going to be my worst nightmare.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55Sharks have always featured heavily in my nightmares,
0:13:55 > 0:14:00with their razor-sharp teeth, taste for blood, that ominous dorsal fin.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04So, if I told you I was off to feed lemon sharks,
0:14:04 > 0:14:07you'd probably tell me I was off my rocker.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09But as is so often the case with nightmares,
0:14:09 > 0:14:11things aren't always as they seem.
0:14:15 > 0:14:20Lemon sharks, named for the yellow tinge in their skin,
0:14:20 > 0:14:23are large, powerful animals growing up to
0:14:23 > 0:14:24nearly 3.5 metres long.
0:14:24 > 0:14:28With knife-like teeth and a killer bite,
0:14:28 > 0:14:33they could well swim their way to the top of my nightmare list.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36But before they get crowned, I want to meet one.
0:14:36 > 0:14:41So, I'm joining shark expert Jillian again,
0:14:41 > 0:14:47and Khahil, Ziron, Shanelle and India
0:14:47 > 0:14:50on their school trip into the mangroves.
0:14:50 > 0:14:54This is pretty cool. My school trip was to Minehead.
0:14:56 > 0:15:03We enter a magic world of shrunken trees and twisted roots.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07This, Jillian tells us, is ideal lemon shark habitat.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13But the channel becomes too thin for our boats to pass.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15From here on in, we're on foot.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18All right, so, are you guys ready to go in the mangroves and
0:15:18 > 0:15:21- see some sharks?- Yes, ma'am. - Yes.- Yes, ma'am.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24- Girl power.- You got it, girl. - Go. We're in.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27Come on, Shanelle. It's all right, it's going to be all right.
0:15:27 > 0:15:28SHANELLE WHIMPERS
0:15:28 > 0:15:31- Let's stay together. - We're all going to be together.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34- It's going to be OK. - You'll be all right. We'll get you.
0:15:34 > 0:15:39- THEY GIGGLE - You're giggling, so you're good.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42We are giggling, so I think we're all right so far.
0:15:42 > 0:15:47'Part of me feels that this is just a nice wade in the sunshine.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49'But then I remember...
0:15:49 > 0:15:51'And...
0:15:51 > 0:15:55'And that we're going to meet one of the ocean's top predators.'
0:15:55 > 0:15:59See, it's difficult enough for us to get where the sharks are, but look
0:15:59 > 0:16:04what we're having to do to make sure all our kit arrives with us safely.
0:16:04 > 0:16:08So we can hear and see what we're doing. This is a tricky procedure.
0:16:08 > 0:16:13'We are now just a few metres away from the feeding site and we
0:16:13 > 0:16:16'get word that the sharks have arrived already.
0:16:16 > 0:16:22'But for once, on Nightmares, I'm in for a nice surprise -
0:16:22 > 0:16:25'the sharks we've come all this way to meet are in fact
0:16:25 > 0:16:27'baby lemon sharks.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30'At a fraction of the size of their parents,
0:16:30 > 0:16:34'they're not nearly as terrifying.
0:16:34 > 0:16:39'But they could still quite easily bite my finger off.'
0:16:39 > 0:16:42We're going to take this nice piece of barracuda and we're just going
0:16:42 > 0:16:46to gently slap it against the water, OK?
0:16:46 > 0:16:49GASPING that's quite big, isn't it?
0:16:49 > 0:16:52- Do you want to try doing this?- I would absolutely love to try.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55So, there you go. Whoops! That's OK.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57- That's OK, good job.- Well done, well done.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00- You just fed a baby shark. - Well done!
0:17:00 > 0:17:02SHE GASPS
0:17:02 > 0:17:03I saw that one's teeth.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06Here we go, here we go. SHE GASPS
0:17:06 > 0:17:10- Oh, good job!- It is amazing, we are feeding sharks.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13Do you want another piece? There you go.
0:17:14 > 0:17:18They are perfect carbon copies of their parents, aren't they?
0:17:18 > 0:17:21They are. They have the same sensory systems, the same organs,
0:17:21 > 0:17:24completely capable of taking care of themselves.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27So, where are their parents?
0:17:27 > 0:17:31So, on the high tides in the spring, the big pregnant females are going
0:17:31 > 0:17:33to come back as close to the mangroves as they can
0:17:33 > 0:17:36and they're going to give birth. Lemon sharks are born alive.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38And then Mum's gone. She leaves and they're on their own.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41- So, she doesn't stick around at all? - There is no parental care at all.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44- These little sharks are on their own.- Wow. Aw!
0:17:44 > 0:17:47So, why are they hiding here?
0:17:47 > 0:17:49It's sort of like a nursery area.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52They can find shelter, there's lots of food,
0:17:52 > 0:17:54so it's a really safe place.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57And larger predators can't get up here, because it's too shallow.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59Good job.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02- Yeah!- Yeah!
0:18:02 > 0:18:05But we're not just here to feed these babies,
0:18:05 > 0:18:08our aim is to fit one of them with a tag.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10- Do you guys think you can help? - Yes.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12All right, very cool.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15This will allow researchers to keep track of these sharks when they
0:18:15 > 0:18:19venture into the open ocean and provide information that will
0:18:19 > 0:18:23help protect this precious mangrove habitat for years to come.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30And I have the dubious honour of baiting them in.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34Yeah!
0:18:34 > 0:18:39'Bull's-eye! And it's time to meet our research shark.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41'While the team prepare the tag,
0:18:41 > 0:18:45'we get the chance to have a really good look at this amazing fish.'
0:18:49 > 0:18:51Smooth. What's it feel like?
0:18:51 > 0:18:53- Down here is smooth and up there is rough.- Rough, is it?
0:18:55 > 0:18:58Touching a shark.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01Oh! It's like a nail file or something.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03Sharkskin is actually made up of little teeth.
0:19:03 > 0:19:07They're called dermal tentacles, which literally means skin teeth.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10You're actually feeling the edges of those little skin teeth.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12Why do they need teeth on their skin?
0:19:12 > 0:19:14So, it's really strong and durable,
0:19:14 > 0:19:16so it protects them from bites and other injuries.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19And also, it allows them to move through the water easier.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22They've actually designed Olympic swimsuits based on this,
0:19:22 > 0:19:24because it's so efficient in the water.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26- Go, shark.- Yeah.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30'It's time to tag our shark.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33'A tiny microchip is inserted under the skin and will act like
0:19:33 > 0:19:36'a name badge for the rest of the shark's life.'
0:19:37 > 0:19:39This is like dogs or cats would have.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41Yeah, this is the exact same thing
0:19:41 > 0:19:45- if you have a pet that has a microchip in it.- Yeah.- Right.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47'And our shark's name is...'
0:19:47 > 0:19:51900236234.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54'Hm, I think we can do better.'
0:19:54 > 0:19:56What shall we call it? It's a boy.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59- Ralph.- Ralph? OK. Why not?
0:19:59 > 0:20:01How you doing, Ralph?
0:20:01 > 0:20:03Well, there is no doubting if I came face-to-face with
0:20:03 > 0:20:06a fully grown adult lemon shark in the open ocean,
0:20:06 > 0:20:08it would be a different story,
0:20:08 > 0:20:10but meeting these little guys today,
0:20:10 > 0:20:14finding out that they're hiding here in the mangroves for safety
0:20:14 > 0:20:18until they're bigger, can I really call them my worst nightmare?
0:20:18 > 0:20:21- What do you think?- No. - No. Not at all.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25I named a shark. Oh, my God.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31For my final nightmare creature,
0:20:31 > 0:20:34it's back on the boat and full steam ahead to the open ocean.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39My next nightmare creature is one of the most intelligent and
0:20:39 > 0:20:42playful on the planet.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45If I said to you this animal could be classed as a nightmare,
0:20:45 > 0:20:47you'd tell me I was crazy, but prepare to be gobsmacked,
0:20:47 > 0:20:51because the animals we're hoping to find are...
0:20:51 > 0:20:52Dolphins.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56Dolphins are expert hunters,
0:20:56 > 0:20:59but that's the only time they show aggression, right?
0:20:59 > 0:21:01Wrong!
0:21:01 > 0:21:05In my mind, dolphins are basically sharks with smiley faces
0:21:05 > 0:21:07and they have some very nasty traits.
0:21:08 > 0:21:13Dolphins will use their size and intellect to bully each other.
0:21:13 > 0:21:18They form gangs and use their language to pick on their victims.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22They even turn their sharp teeth and powerful tails into weapons.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31I'm joining dolphin expert Leesa, who has spent hundreds of hours
0:21:31 > 0:21:35in the water with them, to see if these supposedly friendly
0:21:35 > 0:21:38flippers could possibly swim to my nightmare top spot.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43'But first, I want to find out how far dolphins will take their
0:21:43 > 0:21:45'bully boy tactics.'
0:21:47 > 0:21:51Have you ever seen or heard of dolphins fighting to the death?
0:21:51 > 0:21:55I haven't seen it here in Bimini, but I certainly have heard about it.
0:21:55 > 0:21:59Right, so do I need to be nervous getting in the water with them?
0:21:59 > 0:22:00Absolutely not.
0:22:00 > 0:22:04If I see any aggression between the dolphins, it's amongst themselves.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06I mean, I've never seen the dolphins become aggressive with me.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09In fact, if we see them becoming aggressive amongst themselves,
0:22:09 > 0:22:12we'll, kind of, back off.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14'I'm excited to see dolphins, but feel nervous
0:22:14 > 0:22:16'about getting in the water
0:22:16 > 0:22:20'with such large animals that are prone to this sort of aggression.'
0:22:22 > 0:22:23Eyes peeled, everyone!
0:22:23 > 0:22:26'And then, Leesa spots a fin in the water.'
0:22:26 > 0:22:30- Oh!- I saw a splash. I saw a splash. - Yeah, they're moving fast.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32Yeah, yeah, yeah. That was definitely one.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34Oh, my goodness. Oh, my goodness.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36We're getting close to them. We are getting close.
0:22:38 > 0:22:39Look! Look! Look!
0:22:39 > 0:22:42Oh, they're bottlenose, but there is one, two, three,
0:22:42 > 0:22:45four, five. Wow, that one is huge.
0:22:45 > 0:22:46Look at this one!
0:22:46 > 0:22:50'These bottlenose dolphins can grow to over four metres in length
0:22:50 > 0:22:54'and are the largest species commonly found in these waters.'
0:22:55 > 0:22:57Shall we get kitted up then?
0:22:57 > 0:23:00'They are clearly interested in us and are joined by another
0:23:00 > 0:23:03'species - the smaller, Atlantic spotted dolphin.'
0:23:03 > 0:23:07- Are we going to be safe, do you think?- Yeah.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10We're going to be get together. We're going to be great.
0:23:10 > 0:23:14'Dolphins in position, it's time to take the plunge.'
0:23:16 > 0:23:18Oh!
0:23:18 > 0:23:21'Straight away, the dolphins come towards us
0:23:21 > 0:23:24'and my first thought is, "Wow, they are big."
0:23:24 > 0:23:28'But Leesa's confidence reassures me.'
0:23:28 > 0:23:30Oh, my goodness, there's loads of them!
0:23:35 > 0:23:37I don't know which way to look, there are dolphins everywhere.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39We're surrounded.
0:23:43 > 0:23:44SHE GIGGLES
0:23:44 > 0:23:47One just jumped on my head. Argh!
0:23:49 > 0:23:53Evidence of aggression within the pod is clearly visible.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55This young dolphin, yet to develop its spots,
0:23:55 > 0:24:00has rake marks along its side, made by the teeth of an adult.
0:24:03 > 0:24:08But I feel no threat from them at all and find myself totally
0:24:08 > 0:24:13in awe of these smiling, playing, twirling dolphins.
0:24:26 > 0:24:30This is amazing! This is absolutely amazing.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33All my fears just completely disappeared.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36It just so lovely being in the water with them.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39- It feels like they're protecting you, almost, in the water.- Yeah.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41It did feel like they're looking after you
0:24:41 > 0:24:43and you can see their eyes looking at you.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49They are constantly chatting to one another.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51You can hear the all the clicks and whistles in the water.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54It's absolutely amazing.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56DOLPHINS CHATTER
0:25:00 > 0:25:03They're like synchronised swimmers, aren't they? The way they move.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05- They are so graceful. - Oh, they're sleek and elegant.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09- And quick.- Yeah, and fast. I couldn't keep up with them.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16Spotted dolphins are one of the fastest dolphin species in
0:25:16 > 0:25:20the world, swimming over 20mph.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25It's very rare for a wild animal to seek out human contact without any
0:25:25 > 0:25:32reward of food, but these dolphins are just choosing to swim with us.
0:25:32 > 0:25:36And right now, I can't think of any greater honour.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43Because their mouths are curved,
0:25:43 > 0:25:46it looks like they're just having so much fun.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50They're constantly wearing this permanent grin.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54I don't think you could spend time with a wild dolphin
0:25:54 > 0:25:56and not feel happy.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59I don't think that's possible.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05Then with a final flick of their tails, they were gone.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09Thanks, dolphins!
0:26:09 > 0:26:11- We enjoyed that a lot.- Wow.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18That was just fabulous.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20Argh!
0:26:20 > 0:26:27That is up there with one of the most fantastic, magical,
0:26:27 > 0:26:29unforgettable experiences of my life.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32I mean, yeah, OK, so fair enough,
0:26:32 > 0:26:34dolphins have the intellect to intimidate, to gang up and
0:26:34 > 0:26:38bully, even to attack each other,
0:26:38 > 0:26:42but what I just witnessed, there is no doubting they're capable
0:26:42 > 0:26:44of great fun, playfulness
0:26:44 > 0:26:48and I felt a bit of an emotional connection, too.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51So, can I really call a dolphin my worst nightmare?
0:26:54 > 0:26:56Well, it's time to bid farewell to the Bahamas.
0:26:56 > 0:27:00We certainly tracked down a fair few sea monsters
0:27:00 > 0:27:02in this watery wonderland.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05Which tropical terror is going to be my worst?
0:27:05 > 0:27:08Well, the lemon sharks may well swim into my nightmares,
0:27:08 > 0:27:11but only when they're older.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14SHE GASPS I saw that one's teeth.
0:27:14 > 0:27:18So, while I felt relatively OK in the water with them,
0:27:18 > 0:27:22there is no denying that because of their super-size and super-sense,
0:27:22 > 0:27:24they are a formidable predators.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26You rule the ocean, giant hammerhead.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29So, I'm giving you my Nightmare top spot.
0:27:34 > 0:27:39PIG GRUNTS Might have been a bit of pig poo.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49LAUGHTER