Kalahari Safari Naomi's Nightmares of Nature


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Welcome to my Nightmares Of Nature!

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I'm Naomi Wilkinson!

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Oh, my goodness!

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I'm coming face-to-face with the nightmares of the animal world.

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SHE YELPS

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The ones that make your spine tingle...

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your heart beat faster...

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There it is! There it is!

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..and your blood run cold.

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Are they truly terrifying?

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Or is there a twist in the tale?

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Come with me as I shine a light on wildlife's deepest, darkest secrets

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and see if you can guess which will be my worst nightmare.

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And here the adventure begins.

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A desert three times the size of the UK.

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We are going to be tracking down the fastest...

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Oh, oh, oh, oh!

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..the freakiest...

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Oooh...

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..and the most downright frightening of nightmares...

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..that this place has to offer.

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So come with me for a Kalahari safari.

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I've come to the southern tip of the Kalahari.

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This is prime nightmare hunting habitat.

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And up first, one of the most feared predators on the planet.

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I'm off for a night out with the king of beasts.

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LOUD YAWN

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I'm here, just a few metres from Africa's top predator.

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One of the most feared animals on the planet.

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And they look...

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And they look...

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Well, they look like giant, lazy pussycats, to be honest.

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Not very scary.

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Not much of a nightmare.

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LION CUB MEOWS

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So, is the lion really the fearsome feline we've been led to believe?

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I'm joining wildlife guide and lion enthusiast Dylan

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for the lowdown on Africa's top predator.

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So this is just how they spend most of their days,

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lounging around sleeping?

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Yeah. Dosing, sleeping, just lying awake watching.

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But certainly, just resting 18 hours a day very comfortably.

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I don't mind them when they're like this!

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-They're cool like this.

-They can stay like this. This is fine.

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But as we all know, these sleepy kitties

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aren't always this laid-back.

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So when do we see their nightmare side?

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That should be happening fairly soon, yeah.

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Their nightmare side, as the temperature starts dropping,

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darkness starts falling, they're going to be getting up.

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And then they'll move off hunting.

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In fact, this particular pride

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hasn't caught something for the past four days,

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-so they are going to be quite peckish.

-Hungry, yeah.

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It's the transformation from sleepy cats to nightmare hunters

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that we're hoping to see.

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So we need to sit tight and wait.

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And there's something about watching hot, lazy lions

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that makes us all...

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SHE YAWNS

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..a bit sleepy.

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SNORING

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-Darren!

-You're snoring!

-Darren!

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SNORING CONTINUES

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The lions are getting much more active.

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Things are starting to change.

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Literally, as the sun's disappearing, they're waking up.

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That's it. Just a big drop in temperature now.

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Wow.

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There's definitely more life in them

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-than there was half an hour ago.

-Yeah.

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Huge teeth, hey? Teeth are what they use for killing.

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Typically, either suffocation around the muzzle, or on the throat.

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So they just bite down really hard

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-until the animal can't breathe any more?

-That's it, that's it.

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Lions are undoubtedly strong, efficient killers.

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But they also have a secret weapon...

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They can see in the dark.

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Their eyesight is six times better than ours at night,

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and using just the light of the stars and moon,

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they can bring down prey as large as an elephant.

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To keep track of these petrifying predators,

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we have to use some special kit.

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This is what I can actually see...

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A big, fat nothing.

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But...we're switching our cameras to infrared.

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And we've put some red filters on our lights

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so that we won't disturb the lions.

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And then, hopefully, this will all give us

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a secret view into their night-time antics.

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Makes me look all ghoulish, doesn't it?

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CAMERAMAN LAUGHS

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I literally cannot see the lions now, can you?

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-No.

-But I know we're surrounded by a pride of deadly predators.

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And they're hungry.

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What you can't see, can't hurt you.

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Er, that's not true.

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Yeah, until it's on top of you.

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-See those eyes shining?

-Oh, my gosh, this is terrifying.

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They'll definitely move tonight, 100%.

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The lions' hunger is making them more active,

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and they're coming closer and closer to our vehicle.

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The cats are now holding all the cards.

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Makes you feel part of the food chain.

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I don't want to feel part of the food chain tonight.

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Oh, my gosh, that made me jump!

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They look like very different creatures now, don't they?

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-Absolutely.

-Now they're looking around.

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-Exactly.

-You can see that top predator instinct.

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That's it kicking in, hey?

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These cats could easily kill a human,

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and I'm starting to feel like they're eyeing us as potential prey.

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Oh, goodness, I feel...sick!

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Oh, it's come towards us!

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Oh, my word, I wouldn't want to go near that mouth.

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My gosh...!

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Oh, she's coming straight towards us.

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-Shall we go?

-No.

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Are you sure we shouldn't move away?

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-No.

-She saw me move then.

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-I'm terrified. I'm really scared.

-OK.

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-Oh, she's going to come and bite me!

-It's OK, just sit still.

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She won't do anything. It's absolutely fine.

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Absolutely fine.

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No, you're doing well. Doing well.

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You can see she's not interested at all.

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She is!

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Lions rarely make a kill alone.

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I hope this one's just curious.

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LION GRUNTS GENTLY

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That's a contact call.

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She's now calling for those others.

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She wants to go hunting.

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But not for us.

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And drawn in by her calls, the rest of the pride come running.

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Beautiful. Look, look, look.

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Check out... Check this side.

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Wow.

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A deadly team of hunters is assembled.

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And there's nothing between me and them.

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One leap and they could be inside our vehicle.

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Are you sure we shouldn't...?

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No, don't worry.

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We start the engine.

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ENGINE FIRES UP

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The lions turn and melt into the darkness.

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What an experience!

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I was sweating so much.

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Shaking like a leaf. That's going to take me about a week to get over!

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The feeling of that...

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I don't think I've ever been that frightened.

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Ever.

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No, you did well. You did very well.

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Oooph...!

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These night-time hunters are a long way away

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from those sleeping kitties we saw just a few hours ago.

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With their strength, their weaponry,

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those super senses and terrifying teamwork,

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they really do deserve that title, king of the beasts,

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and quite possibly could take my worst nightmare crown, too.

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There are plenty of nightmare contenders

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to choose from in the Kalahari.

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Leopard...

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Rhino...

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Buffalo...

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To name just a few.

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But my next animal is none of those.

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It's a meerkat!

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Meerkats live in an extended family groups of up to 50,

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making their homes in underground burrows,

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where they raise their desperately cute little babies.

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Oh, come on!

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This time, someone must have made some sort of mistake!

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Meerkats...a nightmare?

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Never!

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I'm joining meerkat researcher Kirsten

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to get to the bottom of these

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nightmarish accusations.

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So this is their burrow, this whole section here?

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Here's the meerkat burrow.

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-They've got quite a few. I call it door entrances.

-Yeah.

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And they all interconnect.

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And it'll all go down to one big hole

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and they'll all cuddle down there and keep warm.

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-There, there, there, there!

-There's one there.

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Hello!

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Good morning.

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Our first meerkat.

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Too cute!

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So sweet.

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Is there one round there?

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Oh, they're absolutely adorable.

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-They look like they're smiling, don't they?

-Yes.

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-So look at those long claws.

-So the long claws are for digging.

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-It's doing the housework.

-Yes, it's doing the housework.

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So it's housekeeping, because they hate mess.

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-Did they create this from scratch?

-So actually, believe it or not,

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ground squirrels build the meerkat burrows.

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-Oh, OK.

-And then the meerkats just kind of move in.

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-They're very lazy.

-So, effectively, they're like squatters?

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They are squatters.

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-Borrow someone else's home for a bit!

-Just move in!

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Meerkats use their strength in numbers to muscle their way in.

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Charming!

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Do they also work together to defend themselves?

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Yes. So when they go out for the day foraging,

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if they see another group of meerkats coming towards them,

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they'll all get together and they actually start mobbing it.

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And it can get quite vicious.

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They can attack each other, bite each other.

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-So they're like gangs, really?

-Gangs, yeah.

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If meerkat groups meet, they start to dance.

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Sounds fun, but...

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this is a war dance.

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Leaping into the air together,

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they aim to intimidate neighbouring animals.

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And if this doesn't work, they'll attack.

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Their super cute reputation is starting to look a little bit shaky.

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They're quite scary little things at times.

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Actually bullies.

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-He looks like a bully.

-Yeah, he definitely...

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Grumpy, looks like a bully.

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"Keep off my patch!"

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Most of the group have now left the burrow

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and are heading out to look for food.

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Cool, let's go and follow them, shall we?

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Bye, Grumpy!

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Wait for us...!

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Under the watchful eye of their lock-out,

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the meerkats have spread out

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and are searching for their favourite food.

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Scorpion! Got a scorpion!

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Go, girl!

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I saw one eat a scorpion!

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Nice and crunchy.

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So scorpions are their favourite food?

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Scorpions is their favourite. It's the number one on the list.

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The sting of a scorpion has little or no effect on a meerkat.

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Even the pups munch them like popcorn.

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CRUNCHING

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And their attraction to dangerous animals doesn't end there.

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They'll attack and scare off venomous snakes

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capable of killing an animal ten times their size.

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So meerkats are hard as nails and highly aggressive.

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Not what I would have expected.

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While the meerkats are feeding,

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Kirsten shows me the head of the family,

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alpha female.

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So is she the only one that breeds?

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So, she's the only one that's allowed to breed in the group.

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She's got a beta female, so that's her daughter.

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So it's quite a nasty thing with the alpha female.

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If her daughter falls pregnant, she will kill the pups off.

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She does what?!

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-That's horrendous!

-Very, yeah!

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Why would she do that, though?

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Sometimes, she actually wants beta female

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to fall pregnant while she's pregnant,

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kill off the pups so beta female can feed the alpha female's pups.

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She'll kill them instantly, not even look at them, stare at them,

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think they're cute - she'll kill them straightaway.

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It's a nasty, nasty process with meerkats.

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-And do they eat them?

-She eats them.

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It's like when cats, actually, when their kittens die,

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-they eat the whole thing.

-Urgh!

-It's the same with meerkats,

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they do the exact same thing.

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It's nasty, nasty.

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Well, after hearing that,

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I'm now convinced you are a worthy nightmare contender.

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Who'd have thought it?

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My attitude towards the lovable meerkat has completely changed.

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So, while meerkats are super cute,

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great team players...

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And did I mention super cute?

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..turns out they have got a very dark side indeed.

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Fighting snakes, war dances, rival gangs

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and killing each other's babies!

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Huh! That's why the meerkat could stand up and be counted

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as my worst nightmare.

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As night falls, it looks like we're all in for a good old soaking.

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But...it takes more than a little bit of rain

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to deter us nightmare hunters.

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Good grief, that lightning!

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Oh, my gosh, this is so grim!

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My next nightmare animal is a relative of wolves and hyena.

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They are covered in armour, they emerge at night

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and they can squirt acid from their bottoms.

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-Urgh!

-I know!

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This nightmare of nature is an animal few people have heard of

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and even fewer people have ever seen...

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The pangolin.

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Our guide to this nocturnal adventure

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is pangolin researcher and expert tracker Wendy.

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Her equipment is receiving a signal from a special unit

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on the back of the pangolin.

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-So we think it's in this direction?

-Yeah, yeah.

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-And how far off, do you think?

-Erm...

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It's really difficult to tell.

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But it is a fairly strong signal, so I'd say within 100 or 200 metres.

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Oooh!

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-Yeah, really exciting.

-So they're out at night.

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Where do they go during the day?

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They hide out in their burrows during the day

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to avoid things like heat or cold in the winter.

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And as we get closer, the storm worsens.

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-This is lovely!

-It's incredible.

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the weather's always on our side.

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This is not easy.

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And then try and find a pangolin!

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Signal's getting stronger!

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Finally, it looks like we're just a few metres away

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from the elusive pangolin

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and Wendy goes on ahead to find its exact location.

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But while we're waiting,

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we notice that the electrical storm has had an unexpected effect.

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-Does it look an absolute mess?

-Static!

-Is it?

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Is it just standing straight up?

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It does look glamorous on you.

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How's yours, Rich?(!)

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Oh, please, don't tell me I wasn't looking lovely!

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Luckily, our hysterics are interrupted by Wendy's return.

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Wendy, you're back. What's the news?

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Bad news, unfortunately.

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The pangolin has gone down another burrow.

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And will it be there now for the night, do you think?

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I think it would be there until the rain stops

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And we don't know when that's going to stop, so...

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-It doesn't look like it'll be any time soon.

-No, I don't think so.

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Argh...!

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But it takes more than a mystery creature

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hiding down a hole in a thunderstorm

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to put off this nightmare team.

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Oh, yes!

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And so, the following night...

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Never to be deterred, the nightmares team are back out again,

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our second attempt to find this elusive pangolin.

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And Wendy's found it!

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It's over in this bush. We're going to go and see

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if we can catch a glimpse.

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And it's not raining!

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Over 80 million years of evolution

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have made one of the most peculiar animals on the planet.

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And we're about to meet it face to face.

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And there it is!

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That's like a cross between an ant eater and a pine cone.

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Wendy's study of these night-time wanderers

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would be impossible without the transmitter

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on the pangolin's back.

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Why do they have all those scales?

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They are there for protection against predators.

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Predators such as lions.

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So the pangolin will roll into a ball

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and protect its underbelly, which is not covered by scales.

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And, yeah, lions just struggle, can't get through.

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Struggle with this football made of armour.

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Pangolin only eat ants and termites.

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They use their hook-like claws to dig into the hard earth

0:18:190:18:23

and their super-sized sticky tongue to extract their prize.

0:18:230:18:27

SLURPING

0:18:270:18:29

So what is all this talk I hear about them

0:18:300:18:33

squirting acid from their bottoms?

0:18:330:18:36

It either smells or tastes really bad.

0:18:360:18:39

Either way, it sends the predator off.

0:18:390:18:41

Well, I imagine if you're a lion

0:18:410:18:42

and you suddenly got a face full of bottom acid,

0:18:420:18:44

-you'd back off pretty quickly!

-Absolutely.

0:18:440:18:46

Be gone!

0:18:460:18:48

Oh, it's walking on its hind legs.

0:18:480:18:50

Yep, two legs.

0:18:500:18:51

And if you look at it, it looks like an old granny

0:18:510:18:53

carrying her shopping bags.

0:18:530:18:56

Yeah, it does!

0:18:560:18:58

It does!

0:18:580:18:59

Aww...

0:18:590:19:01

Look, she's coming right by us.

0:19:010:19:04

So is the pangolin endangered?

0:19:050:19:07

Yeah, it is.

0:19:070:19:09

And it's currently the most trafficked

0:19:090:19:11

and traded mammal in the world.

0:19:110:19:12

Pangolin worldwide are illegally caught and killed

0:19:120:19:16

for their meat and scales.

0:19:160:19:18

Why do people want it?

0:19:180:19:20

Mainly for traditional medicinal reasons.

0:19:210:19:24

Dried scales are thought to restore good health

0:19:240:19:28

and a single dead pangolin can fetch 1,000.

0:19:280:19:32

Do we know how many are left in the world?

0:19:330:19:35

No, because of their elusive nature

0:19:350:19:38

and they're so secretive and nocturnal,

0:19:380:19:40

we don't know how many there are.

0:19:400:19:42

So all your work is really vital for the pangolin?

0:19:420:19:45

Yeah, incredibly, incredibly vital.

0:19:450:19:47

I mean, the more we understand about this creature,

0:19:470:19:49

maybe the more we can try and put our efforts into conserving them.

0:19:490:19:54

I mean, wouldn't it be a tragedy

0:19:540:19:56

if we didn't have an animal like the pangolin in our world?

0:19:560:19:58

Absolutely, absolutely. They're so unique, so beautiful.

0:19:580:20:02

Having met this awesome animal and heard all about its plight,

0:20:060:20:09

I have to say, I've rather fallen for this ant-eating,

0:20:090:20:13

acid-squirting, armour-plated creature of the night.

0:20:130:20:16

So, pangolin my worst nightmare?

0:20:160:20:19

I don't think so.

0:20:190:20:20

Bye!

0:20:220:20:23

I'm off to meet one of the world's top predators.

0:20:260:20:29

It has a mouth full of ferocious teeth,

0:20:290:20:31

dagger-like claws and a taste for blood -

0:20:310:20:34

and to cap it off, it is the fastest land animal on planet.

0:20:340:20:39

I'm on my way to meet a cheetah.

0:20:390:20:42

Cheetahs are the race cars of the animal world.

0:20:480:20:52

Their bodies are designed for speed.

0:20:520:20:55

Long legs and a super flexible spine make their stride immense.

0:20:550:21:00

And their huge tail helps them balance when cornering.

0:21:000:21:04

To see this supersonic sprinter in action,

0:21:050:21:09

I've come to the Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre,

0:21:090:21:11

where they've bred and released over 200 animals.

0:21:110:21:15

I'm joining education officer Richard,

0:21:170:21:19

and local schoolchildren Kamogleo, Advocate,

0:21:190:21:23

Motheo, and Dimakatso...

0:21:230:21:25

..for a hands-on encounter with a cheetah.

0:21:260:21:29

They're coming towards us! They're coming towards us!

0:21:290:21:32

Everybody, stay in the vehicle.

0:21:320:21:34

And it's feeding time.

0:21:360:21:38

I feel like they're going to jump in.

0:21:390:21:41

I know, I feel like they're going to jump in, too!

0:21:410:21:44

Oh, my goodness...!

0:21:450:21:47

GENTLE GROWLING

0:21:470:21:48

What does that sound mean?

0:21:490:21:51

Let's go, let's not push our luck.

0:21:510:21:53

The cheetahs are fiercely defensive of their food

0:21:530:21:56

and these first impressions leave me pretty nervous

0:21:560:22:00

about the encounter to come.

0:22:000:22:01

Hm. The idea of meeting one face to face

0:22:020:22:04

doesn't seem like such a good idea now.

0:22:040:22:07

Richard is going to introduce us to a very special cheetah called Yeats.

0:22:080:22:13

OK, guys. Well, welcome here to our interaction camp.

0:22:150:22:18

-How are you feeling about this?

-Excited.

0:22:180:22:20

-Yeah, you're looking forward to it?

-Yes.

-Bit nervous.

-A bit nervous.

0:22:200:22:23

I'm a bit nervous, too. But it's going to be fine.

0:22:230:22:25

-We're all going to be safe, aren't we?

-Absolutely.

0:22:250:22:27

Here it is! Here it is!

0:22:280:22:30

Yeats is an ambassador cheetah

0:22:300:22:32

and quite used to meeting schoolchildren.

0:22:320:22:35

Big, isn't he?

0:22:370:22:39

OK, Naomi, you're welcome to come up and say hello to Yeats.

0:22:410:22:45

Hi, Yeats.

0:22:470:22:49

And I'm pleased to hear Yeats is making a familiar sound.

0:22:490:22:52

YEATS PURRS

0:22:520:22:54

It's really vibrating, isn't it? So this is a happy sound?

0:22:540:22:57

-This is a good sound?

-This is Yeats being very content and very calm.

0:22:570:23:01

-He's very, very happy.

-He's calmer than I am, that's for sure!

0:23:020:23:05

Do you guys want to come up and say hello?

0:23:070:23:09

Motheo, if you come and stand next to me.

0:23:090:23:11

And Kamogleo, you come in here. There we go.

0:23:110:23:15

So is it all right for them to...? Do you want to stroke it?

0:23:170:23:19

-Just put your hand softly on him.

-Shall we do it together?

0:23:210:23:24

YEATS PURRS

0:23:240:23:26

How does that feel?

0:23:280:23:29

Have a go, Kamogleo.

0:23:300:23:32

These children live alongside wild cheetah

0:23:320:23:35

and have grown up fearing them.

0:23:350:23:37

-Happy?

-Yes.

0:23:400:23:42

Would you two like a go?

0:23:420:23:43

Getting close to a predator of this size takes guts.

0:23:430:23:47

-Come with me, I'll walk with you.

-Do you want a stroke?

0:23:480:23:51

Say hi to Yeats.

0:23:510:23:52

Don't be scared.

0:23:540:23:56

Just touch him over here.

0:23:570:23:58

You're perfectly safe. You're with Naomi.

0:23:590:24:01

We're safe.

0:24:010:24:02

You're so brave, well done!

0:24:040:24:05

Richard hopes that,

0:24:090:24:10

by giving local children the chance to meet a cheetah,

0:24:100:24:13

they'll understand the importance of conserving them

0:24:130:24:16

and take that message home.

0:24:160:24:18

How does it feel?

0:24:190:24:21

Wonderful.

0:24:210:24:22

Can you feel it purring under your hand?

0:24:240:24:26

It's vibrating.

0:24:280:24:30

It's a happy cheetah. It's enjoying you stroking it.

0:24:300:24:33

We touched a cheetah! Can you believe it?

0:24:350:24:38

Standing here with Yeats all relaxed like this,

0:24:390:24:41

it's hard to remember that he is one of Africa's top predators.

0:24:410:24:44

But obviously, that secret weapon is the speed.

0:24:440:24:48

But how fast are they really?

0:24:490:24:52

We're taking on the ultimate running race.

0:24:520:24:56

Bring it on!

0:24:560:24:57

Us against the cheetah.

0:24:590:25:02

I'm watching you, cheetah!

0:25:020:25:04

Richard's measuring how quickly we can run the track

0:25:040:25:08

before letting the cheetah have their go.

0:25:080:25:11

-Go!

-Go on, go on!

0:25:150:25:17

Go!

0:25:170:25:19

Channel your inner cheetah!

0:25:190:25:20

You can do it!

0:25:200:25:21

Yes!

0:25:210:25:23

And the leaderboard is starting to look pretty impressive.

0:25:230:25:27

It's time to bring out the cheetah.

0:25:360:25:39

Good luck being faster than us, though, because we were well fast!

0:25:390:25:43

Here we go. Here we go.

0:25:440:25:46

Wow, that was fast!

0:25:490:25:50

It's coming back, it's coming back!

0:25:500:25:52

Wow, just look at that!

0:25:520:25:54

Wow, that was brilliant!

0:25:540:25:56

-Wow, wow, wow!

-See, that is nearly as fast as me.

0:25:560:25:59

Amazing.

0:25:590:26:00

-Have you ever seen anything go that fast?

-Not in my lifetime, no.

0:26:000:26:04

And from that performance,

0:26:040:26:06

I think we all know who are the real winners.

0:26:060:26:09

-We should head to the gym, maybe.

-Yes.

0:26:090:26:11

Practice a bit more.

0:26:110:26:13

-Practice makes perfect.

-There you go!

0:26:130:26:15

OK, so, shall we put the cheetah's score up?

0:26:150:26:20

There we go.

0:26:200:26:21

I think we can say, without doubt, the cheetah is the winner.

0:26:220:26:26

Oh, dear.

0:26:280:26:29

Oh, wow, yeah, that cheetah was so fast.

0:26:290:26:31

Yeah, a bit faster than us.

0:26:310:26:33

-Just look at the score.

-We shouldn't be too embarrassed,

0:26:330:26:35

that's not too bad.

0:26:350:26:36

But, yeah, 34 is very impressive.

0:26:360:26:38

And that is just a fraction of the speed the cheetah can run at.

0:26:380:26:42

-They can reach a top speed of 75 miles an hour.

-Wow!

0:26:420:26:45

So they can go more than double what we saw them do today.

0:26:450:26:48

So I think the cheetah has well and truly put us in our place

0:26:480:26:50

when it comes to speed.

0:26:500:26:51

Nothing can outrun this fearsome predator.

0:26:510:26:53

That is why it is not just taking gold medal today,

0:26:530:26:56

it could also sprint into pole position

0:26:560:26:59

on my ultimate nightmare leaderboard.

0:26:590:27:02

Second place!

0:27:020:27:04

We got it!

0:27:040:27:05

No shame in losing to a cheetah, no.

0:27:050:27:09

Yeah, second place!

0:27:090:27:11

Our time on this Kalahari safari is at an end.

0:27:160:27:20

We have been spoilt rotten with nightmare contenders,

0:27:200:27:23

from the murderous meerkats to the speediest sprinter.

0:27:230:27:28

But this time, the creature that's going to top my list

0:27:290:27:32

is that two-faced feline,

0:27:320:27:34

the huge, sharp-toothed and downright terrifying African lion.

0:27:340:27:40

Oh, my gosh!

0:27:400:27:42

I never would have guessed

0:27:450:27:47

that meerkats would be so terrifying, would you?

0:27:470:27:49

SHE SCREAMS

0:27:510:27:54

Argh! Naomi's a friend, not food!

0:27:540:27:57

Leave me alone! Go back to your burrow!

0:27:570:27:59

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