0:00:02 > 0:00:04Welcome to my Nightmares Of Nature!
0:00:07 > 0:00:09I'm Naomi Wilkinson...
0:00:09 > 0:00:10Oh, my goodness!
0:00:10 > 0:00:12..and I'm coming face-to-face with
0:00:12 > 0:00:14the nightmares of the animal world.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16Oh!
0:00:16 > 0:00:19The ones that make your spine tingle...
0:00:19 > 0:00:20Argh!
0:00:20 > 0:00:22..your heart beat faster...
0:00:22 > 0:00:24There it is, there it is!
0:00:24 > 0:00:27..and your blood run cold.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30Are they truly terrifying?
0:00:32 > 0:00:34Or 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.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45And see if you can guess which will be my Worst Nightmare.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53It's party time!
0:00:56 > 0:01:00Because we are in...Rio de Janeiro!
0:01:02 > 0:01:03One of the biggest...
0:01:05 > 0:01:06..busiest...
0:01:07 > 0:01:10..boldest cities
0:01:10 > 0:01:11IN THE WORLD!
0:01:11 > 0:01:15But don't be fooled, because, believe it or not,
0:01:15 > 0:01:17we are also in the jungle.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19No, not the urban jungle.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22The actual jungle!
0:01:22 > 0:01:23Look!
0:01:23 > 0:01:27Tucked into Brazil's south-east coast,
0:01:27 > 0:01:29Rio is surrounded,
0:01:29 > 0:01:31on one side by the sea
0:01:31 > 0:01:34and on the other side by the rainforest.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38So, as the boundaries blur between jungle and city,
0:01:38 > 0:01:41the six million people that live here
0:01:41 > 0:01:44have learned to share their mighty metropolis
0:01:44 > 0:01:46with some cheeky,
0:01:46 > 0:01:49snappy,
0:01:49 > 0:01:50nibbly
0:01:50 > 0:01:52nightmares of nature.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59It seems nightmare encounters start in this city before your feet
0:01:59 > 0:02:01even touch the ground.
0:02:02 > 0:02:06There's a big brute that is scaring pilots around here.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11Well, it's happening up there in the sky,
0:02:11 > 0:02:13hence my binoculars.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15I haven't become a secret avid plane spotter.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18No, today I am a loud, proud bird spotter,
0:02:18 > 0:02:20because our culprit is a bird.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22A big, black beast of a bird.
0:02:24 > 0:02:26The American black vulture.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28Sounds like a nightmare!
0:02:28 > 0:02:33These greedy guzzlers flock to the airport to feed on the soup
0:02:33 > 0:02:36of floating rubbish that surrounds it.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39But I'm not here because of their questionable eating habits.
0:02:39 > 0:02:41They're a nightmare
0:02:41 > 0:02:44because they often collide in mid-air with planes.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47It's called bird strike,
0:02:47 > 0:02:50and it doesn't end well for bird or plane.
0:02:52 > 0:02:58If the plane crashes, these strikes can be fatal to passengers.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08But fear not, nervous flyers,
0:03:08 > 0:03:12we all landed here just fine, because the airports have employed
0:03:12 > 0:03:16some very special staff to tackle this big bird bother.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21Meet Rio airport's anti-vulture dog squad.
0:03:21 > 0:03:25Athus! Athus is a bit naughty.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28Athus just keeps running away. Come on, Athus!
0:03:28 > 0:03:30Right, this is Athus and this is Othus.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33Can you believe I've come halfway around the world to Brazil
0:03:33 > 0:03:35and the airport staff are from my homeland?
0:03:35 > 0:03:36English pointers!
0:03:36 > 0:03:38At least you will understand me, eh?
0:03:38 > 0:03:40Hello.
0:03:40 > 0:03:41Ready? Ready to go, boys?
0:03:41 > 0:03:42I think they said,
0:03:42 > 0:03:46"Yes, we're ready for a productive day, Naomi, let's do this!"
0:03:46 > 0:03:49Taking me through their paces today is Milena.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55Athus and Othus' job is to stop vultures entering the airport.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58They've got their work cut out!
0:03:58 > 0:04:01Everywhere and you look around here there are vultures.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04They're flying, sitting on lampposts - they are everywhere!
0:04:04 > 0:04:07- How many are there here? - Too many!- Yes!
0:04:07 > 0:04:11The dogs don't harm the vultures, they're simply sniffing out
0:04:11 > 0:04:14anything that could attract them to the airport -
0:04:14 > 0:04:19animal carcasses or nests of live birds, because, yes,
0:04:19 > 0:04:21vultures eat chicks too.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25So where do the birds go from the birds' nests that they find?
0:04:25 > 0:04:27We send them to a park.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29- You release them somewhere else? - Yes.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32- Out of the way of aeroplanes?- Yes.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35Have you found anything yet?
0:04:36 > 0:04:38If they find a nest, what will they do?
0:04:38 > 0:04:41- How will they show you that they found something?- They point.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44- They point? Like that? - They point like that!
0:04:44 > 0:04:47What, they pull a face? A dog point!
0:04:47 > 0:04:48- Just there.- Yes.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52I am determined to see these dogs in action,
0:04:52 > 0:04:54so I'm going to set them a little test.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57Here I have a sock full of bird feathers.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59I'm going to hide it in the long grass
0:04:59 > 0:05:02and we'll see if they can sniff it out and point to it.
0:05:08 > 0:05:09I've got the thumbs up.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12Here come the dogs.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14Where is my sock full of feathers?
0:05:14 > 0:05:17It's coming straight over here.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19Where is it? Where is it? Find it!
0:05:20 > 0:05:22Oh, yeah, heading straight to the spot.
0:05:25 > 0:05:26He's done it!
0:05:26 > 0:05:28Well done, well done!
0:05:28 > 0:05:31You did it, you did it! Fantastic.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35Just imagine how many more vultures would be circling
0:05:35 > 0:05:37if this duo weren't around to stop them.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39Hang on a minute!
0:05:39 > 0:05:42Excuse me, where did you get this from?
0:05:42 > 0:05:44I know where you got this from. Yes, I do.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46Thank you very much.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50"Can you spot your food from the air?"
0:05:51 > 0:05:56Now, as we know, there are two sides to every story.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59True, vultures can be lethal to planes,
0:05:59 > 0:06:01but when things like this happen,
0:06:01 > 0:06:04it's certain death for the bird.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09But if they don't risk their lives in this deadly airspace,
0:06:09 > 0:06:10they will starve.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14Vultures have to brave Rio's dangerous skies
0:06:14 > 0:06:16to spot their grub from the air.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20And now, so do I.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24Somewhere beneath that fog, the crew have hidden a picnic.
0:06:24 > 0:06:29My mission is to fly like a vulture and locate my lunch.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31Thankfully, I've got a flying companion,
0:06:31 > 0:06:33hang-glider Ruy.
0:06:35 > 0:06:37Oh, why's it raining and foggy?
0:06:37 > 0:06:40It's probably better when you can't see!
0:06:41 > 0:06:45Eventually, the weather clears just enough for us to...
0:06:45 > 0:06:47run into the sky!
0:06:48 > 0:06:52- Are we going now? - Yes. Look to the island. Don't jump.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55One, two, three, run! Fast! Go, go!
0:06:55 > 0:06:57Here we go, here we go!
0:06:57 > 0:07:00Ah! Wow! oh, my goodness.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02- How was it?- It was amazing!
0:07:02 > 0:07:04What a view!
0:07:04 > 0:07:08'Don't get distracted, Naomi, remember why you're here.'
0:07:08 > 0:07:11Right, I've got to search for my food.
0:07:11 > 0:07:12It's so high!
0:07:12 > 0:07:15I'm going to have trouble spotting a bus from up here,
0:07:15 > 0:07:17let alone a sandwich!
0:07:17 > 0:07:19- Do you see vultures up here? - Sometimes, yes.
0:07:19 > 0:07:20They are good friends.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22- Look, look!- There is one!
0:07:22 > 0:07:25Look, one way below us, flapping its wings.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28It's holding its wings out horizontally in flight.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31Right behind us, can you see the vulture?
0:07:31 > 0:07:34This speciation doesn't have a very good sense of smell,
0:07:34 > 0:07:36which is unusual for vultures.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39The crafty carnivores will keep their eyes peeled
0:07:39 > 0:07:42for other vultures, ones that do have a better sense of smell,
0:07:42 > 0:07:44and follow them down to the grub.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48The trouble is, there are no other species around to help me.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54'With my stomach rumbling and my eyes fixed firmly on the ground,
0:07:54 > 0:07:57'I'm starting to see how these brave birds
0:07:57 > 0:07:59'might miss a looming aircraft.'
0:07:59 > 0:08:02I wouldn't want to come face-to-face with the plane right now.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07Right, looking for my food, where is that picnic?
0:08:07 > 0:08:09- I think it's there. - Is it down there?
0:08:09 > 0:08:13'Thankfully, Ruy has the eyes of a vulture.'
0:08:13 > 0:08:17We might be able to see our crew and the sandwich!
0:08:20 > 0:08:22Ha-ha!
0:08:22 > 0:08:24Whoo!
0:08:25 > 0:08:30'Unlike many vultures, I've made it to the ground in one piece.'
0:08:30 > 0:08:32- Yeah!- Ha-ha!
0:08:33 > 0:08:35I'm shaking like a leaf!
0:08:36 > 0:08:39After that massive surge of adrenaline,
0:08:39 > 0:08:40I've worked up an appetite.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43I have more than earned this picnic!
0:08:44 > 0:08:47Ha-ha! Grub is up. I'm starving!
0:08:47 > 0:08:49- Where's the food? ALL:- Sorry.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51Oh, what?!
0:08:51 > 0:08:53Well, this sums it up, doesn't it?
0:08:53 > 0:08:56Vultures risking collisions with aircraft
0:08:56 > 0:08:59just to land to horrible scraps of leftovers.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03Being a vulture is definitely a nightmare,
0:09:03 > 0:09:08but so is being a pilot, having to fly alongside them.
0:09:08 > 0:09:12This double-barrel business means that the American black vulture
0:09:12 > 0:09:17could easily scavenge the title of Rio's right royal nightmare.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24To get to my next nightmare, we thought we'd travel
0:09:24 > 0:09:27like the locals - you know, avoid the traffic,
0:09:27 > 0:09:30make the most of the glorious Brazilian summer!
0:09:35 > 0:09:36BELL DINGS
0:09:36 > 0:09:40"Bring the sun cream," they said. "It's always sunny in Rio."
0:09:41 > 0:09:43'Anyway...'
0:09:43 > 0:09:47I'm hoping to find some famous local residents that apparently have
0:09:47 > 0:09:50a huge appetite. I've been told to hold tight to my food
0:09:50 > 0:09:52in this city, otherwise it might get nicked.
0:09:53 > 0:09:58I've already gone hungry once today. I'm not doing that again.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02I don't know about you, but I think we should ditch the bike, eh?
0:10:02 > 0:10:04- Yeah.- Yeah? Yeah.
0:10:05 > 0:10:06Oh.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12'Back on two feet, it doesn't take us long for us to track down
0:10:12 > 0:10:14'the food thieves.'
0:10:16 > 0:10:17They're all on the roof.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24Suddenly feeling very aware that I have bananas in my pocket.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30As this vast city sprawled into the surrounding rainforest,
0:10:30 > 0:10:35these marmoset and capuchin monkeys stood their ground.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39Monkeys are renowned for causing mischief...
0:10:39 > 0:10:40SHE SQUEALS
0:10:40 > 0:10:44..boldly stealing from unsuspecting victims.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47In the wild, they'll eat fruit, insects and small reptiles.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53In the city, these jungle jokers will have anything going.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58They've got that perfect curl in their tail,
0:10:58 > 0:11:01just like in the children's picture books.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04A very useful tail that they use as an extra limb,
0:11:04 > 0:11:06help them with all their balancing and swinging.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08'But these suburban swingers
0:11:08 > 0:11:10'don't seem to be causing too much bother.'
0:11:10 > 0:11:14They look quite sweet - quite fun having monkeys in your garden.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18CLATTERING
0:11:18 > 0:11:20'OK, I take that back.'
0:11:21 > 0:11:23(What did they do?)
0:11:23 > 0:11:25'Hmm. Not impressed.
0:11:26 > 0:11:30'Um, anyone got the number of a good tiler in Rio?'
0:11:30 > 0:11:32CLATTERING
0:11:32 > 0:11:35'And it seems they're up to no good next door, too!'
0:11:35 > 0:11:39Look at them all over the side of this building.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41I can see them scheming, calculating, seeing if
0:11:41 > 0:11:44they can figure out how to get in.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47There's like a whole family of them all together...
0:11:49 > 0:11:50..just creating havoc!
0:11:53 > 0:11:55SHE GASPS
0:11:55 > 0:11:58I'm getting out of here. They're throwing things at me!
0:11:58 > 0:12:00SHE GASPS
0:12:00 > 0:12:01See?!
0:12:01 > 0:12:04They're throwing the fruit from the trees at us...
0:12:04 > 0:12:06with force, saying, "Go away."
0:12:07 > 0:12:10Cheeky monkeys.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12'OK, OK, we get the message.
0:12:13 > 0:12:15'We're off to see what the neighbours make of them.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19'Right behind these houses is the jungle -
0:12:19 > 0:12:22'the monkeys' natural home.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26'So local residents, like Lucas, have had to get used to
0:12:26 > 0:12:28'brazen break-ins.'
0:12:28 > 0:12:30They've actually been in your apartment?
0:12:30 > 0:12:32Yes. Once.
0:12:32 > 0:12:38- We left that small window... - Uh-oh.- ..open.- Uh-oh.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42My wife was working and when she got in at the end of the day,
0:12:42 > 0:12:47she saw all the papayas, bananas, spread around here.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50'He's also caught them in the act of raiding his neighbour's house.'
0:12:50 > 0:12:54- Has it just come out the house with a banana?- Exactly.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56- SHE GASPS - See how big he is.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00Even the bars across the window don't stop them.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02- Smart, aren't they?- They are.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09Next door lives Cecilia. As the building's manager,
0:13:09 > 0:13:11she gets to hear all the stories.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14But to understand them, I'm going to need some help
0:13:14 > 0:13:17from our top-notch translator, Roberta.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21OK, so what is the best story you've heard?
0:13:21 > 0:13:25SHE SPEAKS PORTUGUESE
0:13:35 > 0:13:37THEY LAUGH
0:13:41 > 0:13:44I didn't understand a word of that, but that was
0:13:44 > 0:13:45the best story I've ever heard.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47So she said she had a very little dog
0:13:47 > 0:13:51and her main nightmare was that they would enter
0:13:51 > 0:13:55- and then just grab the dog...- Take the dog.- ..and take the dog away.
0:13:56 > 0:14:00And all the windows she would look at, there were monkeys around.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02She's like, "What's going on? What's going on?"
0:14:02 > 0:14:04So she shouted to one of them, "You're not coming in!"
0:14:04 > 0:14:08And she left. When she came back, there was poo all over the place.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12- Poo?- All over her clothes and...
0:14:12 > 0:14:14So they're quite aggressive?
0:14:14 > 0:14:18So does she think they are a nightmare, or does she love them?
0:14:18 > 0:14:20SHE SPEAKS PORTUGUESE
0:14:22 > 0:14:24She thinks they're a very serious problem.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27As do many people.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29Cheeky monkeys!
0:14:29 > 0:14:33They're on the bed. This is serious business.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35Monkeys in your kitchen sounds quite funny at first,
0:14:35 > 0:14:38but after everything I've just heard, I would not
0:14:38 > 0:14:41fancy coming home to primate pandemonium every day.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43I think if they could get their hands on it,
0:14:43 > 0:14:45these mischievous monkeys would probably steal
0:14:45 > 0:14:47my Worst Nightmare trophy.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55I know Rio is technically in the jungle,
0:14:55 > 0:14:58but it's also a city, isn't it? And what I love about being in the city
0:14:58 > 0:15:01is you don't have to deal with all that hardcore jungle stuff.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04You know, worrying about stepping on a snake,
0:15:04 > 0:15:07big spider falling on your head from the canopy,
0:15:07 > 0:15:09big old insects... VOICE SPEEDS UP: ..buzzing around
0:15:09 > 0:15:11your head all the time mosquito flying up your nose,
0:15:11 > 0:15:13leeches landing on your leg, anything could be under
0:15:13 > 0:15:17the toilet seat, it's always dark and there could be a snake...
0:15:17 > 0:15:19I mean, it's not like you're going to get eaten by a crocodile
0:15:19 > 0:15:21in the middle of the city.
0:15:21 > 0:15:22What are you looking at?
0:15:22 > 0:15:23Steve? Woohoo!
0:15:23 > 0:15:25What are you looking at?
0:15:27 > 0:15:28SHE GASPS
0:15:28 > 0:15:33'So it turns out that this densely populated neighbourhood
0:15:33 > 0:15:36'is home to 6,000 wild caiman.
0:15:37 > 0:15:41'They can grow to twice as long as I am tall,
0:15:41 > 0:15:44'track down their prey with super sharp senses
0:15:44 > 0:15:50'and their jaws are crammed full of over 70 razor-sharp fangs.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55'In other words, they're definitely capable of doing damage
0:15:55 > 0:15:56'to Rio's residents.
0:15:57 > 0:15:58'Nightmare!'
0:16:00 > 0:16:02They're everywhere.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04Roberta, what are they doing here?
0:16:04 > 0:16:08Well, they actually live here and they were here much before
0:16:08 > 0:16:11all these people came to live here.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14So that's actually their natural habitat.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17Basically what happens here is that people feed them with bread.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21- That's a bit different to feeding the ducks, isn't it?- Yes!
0:16:21 > 0:16:24Add a little bit of tension to your Sunday afternoon walk.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29'Not that I'd choose to stroll round this lagoon.'
0:16:29 > 0:16:31- It absolutely stinks on this bridge, doesn't it?- Yeah.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33It's quite overwhelming.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36- It's sewage.- It's sewage, is it? - It's sewage.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38And they're living in it.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41Sewage and caiman. Double nightmare.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46'I'm out of here!
0:16:46 > 0:16:49'I've heard that occasionally these lagoon lovelies
0:16:49 > 0:16:51'go a wandering around town.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55'Once captured, they're brought to this local park.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58'Denise has offered to introduce me to some residents,
0:16:58 > 0:17:01'starting with the teenagers.'
0:17:01 > 0:17:05I can already see about five faces looking eagerly at us.
0:17:05 > 0:17:06NAOMI SQUEAKS
0:17:06 > 0:17:09Oh, my goodness, please stay still.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11- You can go.- Yep.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15NAOMI GASPS
0:17:15 > 0:17:16That made us jump!
0:17:18 > 0:17:21That's the thing that frightens me about crocodiles in general,
0:17:21 > 0:17:24is that they can stay very still and then, all of a sudden,
0:17:24 > 0:17:26out of nowhere, they spring into action.
0:17:26 > 0:17:30DENISE SPEAKS PORTUGUESE
0:17:30 > 0:17:34The animals, they stay alert, checking out what's going on.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37They do get scared, that's why they move fast.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41'Scared of me? I'm scared of them!
0:17:44 > 0:17:47'But I've heard that the park has a new arrival
0:17:47 > 0:17:49'and, apparently, it's cute.'
0:17:49 > 0:17:51Here to greet him are Helena
0:17:51 > 0:17:53and a welcoming party of local kids.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57Where's this one come from?
0:17:57 > 0:18:00- It came from a building. - A building?- Yes.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03This was in someone's house?
0:18:03 > 0:18:04Where else have they been found?
0:18:04 > 0:18:09SPEAKS PORTUGUESE
0:18:09 > 0:18:14OK, I think she said schools, swimming pools and shops.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16- Is that what she said? - And car parks.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18And car parks?!
0:18:19 > 0:18:21My goodness me, that must be a bit of
0:18:21 > 0:18:24a shock if you go to pick up your car from the car park
0:18:24 > 0:18:27and encounter a caiman.
0:18:27 > 0:18:28Even a small one like this.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32He is going to be a new resident of the park.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34He is not big enough to be released.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36I will invite you to name him.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39- Is it a male or female?- Male.
0:18:39 > 0:18:40What do we think, team?
0:18:40 > 0:18:45- John?- You think John? Just John? John the caiman!
0:18:45 > 0:18:47LAUGHTER
0:18:47 > 0:18:49- I bet you're the first caiman ever...- Hi, John!
0:18:49 > 0:18:52..to be called John.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55New resident settled in, the kids have invited me to join their
0:18:55 > 0:19:00caiman awareness class with these lively eight-month-old specimens.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03Ooh!
0:19:03 > 0:19:04SHE LAUGHS
0:19:04 > 0:19:06Oh, my goodness!
0:19:06 > 0:19:09CAIMAN GRUNTS
0:19:09 > 0:19:11SPEAKS PORTUGUESE What's that sound they are making?
0:19:11 > 0:19:14SPEAKS PORTUGUESE
0:19:14 > 0:19:17- TRANSLATION: - Even when they are inside the eggs,
0:19:17 > 0:19:21they call their mothers like that, to let them know they are ready.
0:19:22 > 0:19:27In the wild, babies like this could get gobbled up
0:19:27 > 0:19:29by lizards and adult caiman.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32But that doesn't make them any less terrifying.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34Oh, my goodness. No, thanks.
0:19:37 > 0:19:41Even that small, that is quite a feisty little animal, isn't it?
0:19:42 > 0:19:46My classmates are clearly braver than me.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48'Time to get hands-on...'
0:19:48 > 0:19:51We'll do it together. One, two, three...
0:19:52 > 0:19:56'..and see if these little residents have grown.'
0:19:56 > 0:19:5834.5.
0:19:58 > 0:20:03In three years, these tiny terrors will be full size.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06But Helena's main lesson today is environmental.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08We are the invaders.
0:20:08 > 0:20:12The growing town is encroaching on their territory,
0:20:12 > 0:20:15which is why they are turning up in parking lots and houses.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20And the pollution in the stinky lagoon means the city snappers
0:20:20 > 0:20:22could soon be extinct.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28Your first instincts, when you hear of wild city crocs is,
0:20:28 > 0:20:32how can that possibly not be a nightmare?
0:20:32 > 0:20:35But when you find out about the spread of the city squeezing them
0:20:35 > 0:20:38out of their homes, you do feel pretty sorry for them.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42So will caiman munch their way to the top of my nightmare list?
0:20:42 > 0:20:44YOU probably won't.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46But your big brother still might.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52My final contender is a gnawing nightmare that can be found
0:20:52 > 0:20:54in any city and in any weather.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58Rodents.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01Famous for having sharp teeth and spreading disease.
0:21:01 > 0:21:02As far as I'm concerned,
0:21:02 > 0:21:05any size of rodent could be considered a nightmare.
0:21:05 > 0:21:10But Rio's rodents come in an assortment of different sizes.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13Size small.
0:21:13 > 0:21:18Like any city, Rio has its fair share of fat rats.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22Vermin that live in the sewers, feeding on our waste and
0:21:22 > 0:21:27transmitting parasites to the city's unsuspecting occupants.
0:21:29 > 0:21:31For most cities, it ends there.
0:21:31 > 0:21:36But here, apparently, they come in sizes medium and large, too.
0:21:36 > 0:21:40So large, in fact, that somewhere roaming Rio is nothing less
0:21:40 > 0:21:43than the world's biggest rodent.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46So, naturally, I'm going to go and try and find it!
0:21:52 > 0:21:54Does anybody know where we are going?
0:21:56 > 0:21:57Hello.
0:21:57 > 0:22:01Do you know where a very large, ugly rat lives?
0:22:01 > 0:22:03I don't speak English.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05You don't speak English? Oh, no worries. Thank you.
0:22:05 > 0:22:09Hmm... I think I'm going to have to perfect my Portuguese.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12SPEAKS ALONG WITH RECORDING: Rato grande feio.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14Rato grande feio.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18Nailed it. Like a Brazilian!
0:22:18 > 0:22:20Rato muito grande?
0:22:21 > 0:22:23Onde?
0:22:24 > 0:22:26Don't know?
0:22:26 > 0:22:27HE SPEAKS PORTUGUESE Obrigado!
0:22:29 > 0:22:30Yes.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32This is embarrassing.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34THEY SPEAK PORTUGUESE
0:22:35 > 0:22:38Rato grande feio.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40Onde?
0:22:40 > 0:22:42HE SPEAKS PORTUGUESE
0:22:42 > 0:22:44Oh, I know where that is.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46- Follow me. - Yes!
0:22:46 > 0:22:47Obrigado!
0:22:47 > 0:22:48Thank you, Roberta.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55And here they are.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57Hmm. Not yet the biggest rat in Rio.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59These are the ones in the middle.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01Size medium.
0:23:01 > 0:23:02Otherwise known as agoutis.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06Benjamin gives these ones food twice a day
0:23:06 > 0:23:08and I'm going to give him a hand.
0:23:09 > 0:23:10Grub's up!
0:23:13 > 0:23:14Come on, little ratties. TAPS BOWL
0:23:15 > 0:23:18Come and get it!
0:23:18 > 0:23:20Come on!
0:23:20 > 0:23:23It's totally opposite to what you do at home,
0:23:23 > 0:23:25putting out food to attract rodents!
0:23:27 > 0:23:29So, these wild animals?
0:23:29 > 0:23:31SPEAKS PORTUGUESE
0:23:31 > 0:23:33No, they are not wild, but they also
0:23:33 > 0:23:36cannot be considered like sweet animals.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39If you try to touch them, they are definitely going to bite.
0:23:39 > 0:23:41They would definitely bite me?
0:23:43 > 0:23:46Their teeth are razor sharp.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48Here, they may be chomping on vegetables...
0:23:50 > 0:23:53..but in the wild, these rodent rascals will gnaw their way
0:23:53 > 0:23:57through tough-shelled nuts like coconuts and brazil nuts,
0:23:57 > 0:24:01which, actually, is quite handy, because we've been trying and
0:24:01 > 0:24:04failing to open some Brazil nuts ever since we got here!
0:24:16 > 0:24:17There we go.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20Do you think the agouti could demonstrate
0:24:20 > 0:24:22how to get into one of these?
0:24:22 > 0:24:23SPEAKS PORTUGUESE
0:24:23 > 0:24:25You think yes? Shall we try?
0:24:30 > 0:24:32Oh, yes, yes. He's taken it.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35We need someone to stick around and demonstrate. You?
0:24:38 > 0:24:41How sweet. That looks like a squirrel.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45You can hear it, actually.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47MAKES CRACKING NOISE
0:24:49 > 0:24:51Aw...
0:24:51 > 0:24:54Perfect illustration of how to open a Brazil nut.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56Thank you very much, agouti.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58Size medium, check.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00But what about size large?
0:25:00 > 0:25:02- TRANSLATION: - The largest ones in Brazil,
0:25:02 > 0:25:04you're going to find around the lagoons,
0:25:04 > 0:25:07in places where there is water about.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09I know where that is.
0:25:09 > 0:25:10Thank you.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14Stinky, sewage-filled water.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19I might have guessed that is where a big, fat rat would hang out.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21That's what we are looking for.
0:25:23 > 0:25:24There it is.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27There it is.
0:25:27 > 0:25:28Right down there
0:25:28 > 0:25:31we have the largest rodent in the world.
0:25:32 > 0:25:33The capybara.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37Can you believe that is a rodent?
0:25:38 > 0:25:43They can grow over one metre long and weigh more than me!
0:25:43 > 0:25:47They are distantly related to guinea pigs and you can see
0:25:47 > 0:25:48the family resemblance.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51Doesn't look very scary, does it?
0:25:51 > 0:25:53Look at the teeth!
0:25:53 > 0:25:54Just changed my mind.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00Capybara have lovely eating habits.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03They regurgitate their food, so they bring it back up
0:26:03 > 0:26:06after swallowing and eat it for a second time.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11And then once they poo out that food, they eat their own faeces.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14It sounds disgusting,
0:26:14 > 0:26:18but it means they get the maximum nutrients out of their grub.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20Probably need a breath freshener, though!
0:26:20 > 0:26:22SHE MAKES RETCHING SOUND
0:26:23 > 0:26:26Their webbed front toes make them excellent swimmers.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32You can see its ears, eyes and nose are all positioned on the top
0:26:32 > 0:26:34of its head, so when it's in the water,
0:26:34 > 0:26:38it can still breathe while it keeps a constant lookout for predators.
0:26:41 > 0:26:45I've actually grown quite fond of this giant rat.
0:26:45 > 0:26:49When I set out to find Rio's really big rodents,
0:26:49 > 0:26:51I didn't expect to find them cute.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53So, a nightmare?
0:26:53 > 0:26:56Well, if you can excuse the terrifyingly tough teeth and
0:26:56 > 0:27:01the quite frankly disgusting eating habits, I think they are more
0:27:01 > 0:27:05chubby chompers than vicious vermin, don't you?
0:27:08 > 0:27:12My whistle-stop tour of the highlights of Rio's townie terrors
0:27:12 > 0:27:15is over, so I've got to pick out my Worst Nightmare.
0:27:15 > 0:27:16Can I say the weather?
0:27:17 > 0:27:20- Why? Why not? - Because it's the rules!
0:27:20 > 0:27:24All right, well we had Rio's rodent rascals.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26You liked them, didn't you, Steve?
0:27:28 > 0:27:33The monkeys were just little minxes, once they?
0:27:33 > 0:27:37The caiman were probably more sweet than snappy.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39So that leaves the vultures.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43A nightmare for frequent flyers and they are having to risk their lives
0:27:43 > 0:27:47in deadly airspace just to pick out the leftovers from our rubbish.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50Surely, that has got to be Rio's Worst Nightmare.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56Groovy Gary and his groovy moves.
0:28:02 > 0:28:03Shimmy, Gary!
0:28:07 > 0:28:09HE LAUGHS