0:00:02 > 0:00:04Welcome to my Nightmares Of Nature.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09I'm Naomi Wilkinson...
0:00:09 > 0:00:10Oh, my goodness!
0:00:10 > 0:00:15..and I'm coming face-to-face with the nightmares of the animal world.
0:00:15 > 0:00:16Ooh!
0:00:16 > 0:00:19The ones that make your spine tingle...
0:00:19 > 0:00:20SHE WHIMPERS
0:00:20 > 0:00:22..your heart beat faster...
0:00:23 > 0:00:25Oh, 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...
0:00:32 > 0:00:34..or is there a twist in the tale?
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 > 0:00:51That's more like it.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54This time, I have travelled to the other side of the world,
0:00:54 > 0:00:56to New Zealand.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59It's miles from anywhere, it is totally wild,
0:00:59 > 0:01:04and here you'll find some of the weirdest creatures on the planet.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07So hold on tight for some Nightmares Of Nature.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11'Isolated at the bottom of the world,
0:01:11 > 0:01:15'New Zealand's rugged ravines and perilous peaks are
0:01:15 > 0:01:18'a veritable playground for wildlife that is weird.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22IT BELCHES
0:01:22 > 0:01:23'Very weird.'
0:01:23 > 0:01:26I've never seen anything like that.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30'The first of which lives deep in the bowels of Middle Earth.'
0:01:34 > 0:01:36Here in New Zealand, in the dark caves,
0:01:36 > 0:01:40there lurks a mysterious hunter.
0:01:40 > 0:01:44It first lures its victims in, and then it snatches them up.
0:01:44 > 0:01:50But to find them, you have to go deep into their lair.
0:01:50 > 0:01:52'But we're not completely on our own,
0:01:52 > 0:01:55'as we've been joined by cave crawler Angus
0:01:55 > 0:01:59'who knows these caverns like the back of his hand.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03'Well, that's what he told us.'
0:02:03 > 0:02:04So I've got a rubber tube.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06Does that mean there's a nice lazy river in there?
0:02:06 > 0:02:10Yeah, yeah, we're going to float away down into this cave system.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14'Rafting on a ring, underground? Hmm!'
0:02:15 > 0:02:17Are there any bugs in here?
0:02:17 > 0:02:20Oh, yeah. Especially the entrances, they're loaded.
0:02:20 > 0:02:21Cool!
0:02:22 > 0:02:25'And, sure enough, we're greeted by
0:02:25 > 0:02:28'some beastly beauties as soon as we enter.'
0:02:28 > 0:02:30Brace yourself.
0:02:30 > 0:02:31You see straight up in there?
0:02:31 > 0:02:34Oh! No!
0:02:34 > 0:02:38'Cave weta, massive insects with massive jaws, and they bite.'
0:02:38 > 0:02:43They jump three or four metres, so watch yourself.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46- And so you want to make sure your zip is right up.- Oh!
0:02:46 > 0:02:48- If we carry on in... - Let's get going.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50Yeah, right, I'll grab my tube.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52Let's get out of here!
0:02:52 > 0:02:54Shall we get through here?
0:02:54 > 0:02:57'These wiry weta aren't what we're after,
0:02:57 > 0:03:00'so onwards, in search of my nightmare.'
0:03:01 > 0:03:04- Nicer looking, I hope. - Well, not close up.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07Hm-hm-hm! I love caving(!)
0:03:08 > 0:03:13'From here, the river rages through the deep network of caves.'
0:03:13 > 0:03:16I'm starting to see why I might need these.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19'Home to yet another subterranean scoundrel.'
0:03:19 > 0:03:23- There's an eel, in the water, look! - His name's Cecil.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27- Cecil!- Cecil the eel.- Hello, Cecil!
0:03:27 > 0:03:28Oh, here he comes.
0:03:28 > 0:03:32There are so many strange, weird creatures living in the cave.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35How weird is this? Oh!
0:03:37 > 0:03:40Don't lose a finger! Oh, my word.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44'Nope, not my nightmare either.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47'For that, we need to go even deeper.'
0:03:47 > 0:03:50You've got to scrunch over a bit here, Naomi.
0:03:50 > 0:03:51'It's like white-water rafting,
0:03:51 > 0:03:55'in the dark, surrounded by creepy crawlies.'
0:03:55 > 0:03:59It's like a very weird fairground ride.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01Whee! Hoo-hoo!
0:04:03 > 0:04:04It's nuts! Whee-hoo!
0:04:11 > 0:04:12- Hmm.- Yes!
0:04:12 > 0:04:14Slight problem! We've reached a waterfall.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17So we're going to jump off this thing.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19- Are we? - We're going to jump off it.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22- Chuck ourselves over there? - Easy.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24Easy! Right, yeah, let's do it.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27Three, two, one...
0:04:30 > 0:04:31Oh!
0:04:36 > 0:04:42I think we're about to see the thing we've come all this way to find.
0:04:42 > 0:04:46'And the rest of the crew are ready and waiting.
0:04:46 > 0:04:47'Huh?!'
0:04:47 > 0:04:50Hang on a minute, how did you lot get in here? Did you just...
0:04:50 > 0:04:51What?!
0:04:51 > 0:04:52You've just walked in?
0:04:54 > 0:04:56Oh, I don't believe it!
0:04:56 > 0:05:00'Anyway, we have now reached the haunt of our horror.'
0:05:02 > 0:05:04Oh, this is something special, isn't it?
0:05:04 > 0:05:09- How cool, eh?- Magical, wow!
0:05:09 > 0:05:11'Curious to see what I'm cooing at?'
0:05:11 > 0:05:15Now, down here, our normal cameras can't see very well,
0:05:15 > 0:05:18but, fortunately, Stu has brought with him this special low light
0:05:18 > 0:05:20camera, fingers crossed, that will be able to show you
0:05:20 > 0:05:24what we're seeing, so let's test it out.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26We'll turn our lights off, and see if it works.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29Woohoo! Cool, huh?
0:05:31 > 0:05:34Oh, it's like a little disco! So pretty!
0:05:34 > 0:05:37- It's gorgeous, isn't it? - You could have a disco down here!
0:05:37 > 0:05:39- Like a disco, come on! - Are you seeing it, Stu?
0:05:39 > 0:05:42Can you get it? Is it reading? Yes!
0:05:42 > 0:05:47'How can this magical sight possibly be a nightmare?'
0:05:47 > 0:05:49What are all these lights?
0:05:49 > 0:05:52- Well, they're glow-worms. - Glow-worms?- Yeah.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54So each little light is actually a creature?
0:05:54 > 0:05:57Absolutely, they're a little insect,
0:05:57 > 0:05:59and the tip of their tail glows.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03'These particular glow-worms are - ew! - the slippery,
0:06:03 > 0:06:07'slimy larvae of the fungus gnat, whose glow is caused by
0:06:07 > 0:06:12'a chemical reaction in their body, known as bioluminescence.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16They glow brighter the more excited or hungry they get.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20- Is that right?- OK, yeah, so the dim ones that you see up there,
0:06:20 > 0:06:22they're pretty happy, they've just had a good meal, yeah?
0:06:22 > 0:06:25And the really bright ones are going,
0:06:25 > 0:06:28"Hmm, there might be something down there, I want to get it."
0:06:28 > 0:06:32'It may not look it, but this cave is full of tasty insects
0:06:32 > 0:06:34'swept in, like us, on the river.
0:06:36 > 0:06:37''To get hold of this meal,
0:06:37 > 0:06:41'the fungus gnat larvae just has to wait for it to come to them.'
0:06:42 > 0:06:47- Well, it's like when you flick your light on outside at night-time.- Yes.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50You know, all the moths and things come up to see what's going on,
0:06:50 > 0:06:53you know? And so that's exactly what these glow-worms are doing.
0:06:53 > 0:06:58- They're tricking insects to come up and be caught by them.- Wow!
0:06:58 > 0:07:02'But that is not the only trick they've got up their sleeve.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04'They also fish for their food.'
0:07:04 > 0:07:06Oh, look, here we go.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09You can see the glow-worms' fishing lines here.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11All these come from the glow-worms?
0:07:11 > 0:07:12Absolutely.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14They're so delicate, aren't they?
0:07:14 > 0:07:16Like a lovely chandelier.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20'To understand how they work, we first need to get acquainted
0:07:20 > 0:07:23'with the larvae producing these jewels.'
0:07:23 > 0:07:27These are the larval glow-worm that you can see here.
0:07:27 > 0:07:28Right up on the ceiling.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31And they look like someone sneezed on the wall, right there.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33Is that it? That see-through thing?
0:07:33 > 0:07:36- That's it, that gooey see-through thing.- Oh, that's the glow-worm!
0:07:36 > 0:07:38It's pretty gross. And they've got this amazing life.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41They're lying in a little silk hammock that they make, and
0:07:41 > 0:07:45they hang these sticky, silk fishing lines straight down from the roof.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48I'd love to be a glow-worm, because, I mean, what a wonderful life!
0:07:48 > 0:07:52Here they are, they're just lying back there, fishing away.
0:07:52 > 0:07:56'But this scene isn't as romantic as it looks.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00'These beautiful fishing rods are sticky, designed to ensnare
0:08:00 > 0:08:06'passing insects drawn towards them by the green jewelled light.'
0:08:06 > 0:08:09So what happens once the insect gets caught in that sticky stuff?
0:08:09 > 0:08:10That's the exciting bit.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12They throw themselves headfirst
0:08:12 > 0:08:16down the line that's twitching, and suck, like spaghetti,
0:08:16 > 0:08:19they suck the insect up, grab it,
0:08:19 > 0:08:22and wrestle it back up into its little hammock.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25And that's where they sit and eat it.
0:08:25 > 0:08:26So they don't really...
0:08:26 > 0:08:28I mean, this is the disgusting bit...
0:08:28 > 0:08:30- Oh, there's more?- Yeah.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34Yeah, they bite it to kill it, and then suck all the insides out, OK?
0:08:34 > 0:08:38So it's not the nice crunchy outside bits they eat, just the insides.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40- Nice(!)- Yeah.
0:08:40 > 0:08:45'Nicer still is what the gnat larvae do to each other.
0:08:45 > 0:08:49If they get too close, they'll fight, and the loser,
0:08:49 > 0:08:52poor thing, will either get eaten, or just thrown screaming
0:08:52 > 0:08:55from the ceiling down into the river below.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57So you don't want to get on the wrong side of a fungus gnat?
0:08:57 > 0:09:00Absolutely not. They're nasty little creatures.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06The fungus gnat. It not only lives in these dark caves,
0:09:06 > 0:09:09but it's found two awesome ways to get a meal.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13First, bait your victim with a dazzling light show,
0:09:13 > 0:09:17then, secondly, catch it in your sticky trap.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21But will its trickery be enough to snatch that Worst Nightmare title?
0:09:26 > 0:09:29'Safely back above ground, we've hit the highway,
0:09:29 > 0:09:32'hot on the heels of our next nightmare.'
0:09:35 > 0:09:38When you park your car, it's usually a good idea to...
0:09:39 > 0:09:42..lock it up just in case some devious crook decides
0:09:42 > 0:09:46to try and break in. And, on the highways of New Zealand,
0:09:46 > 0:09:48there's a bandit of a completely different nature.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56'Meet the kea.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59'A parrot that lives up in New Zealand's harsh peaks.
0:10:00 > 0:10:05'When they spot humans and, indeed, cars, they descend,
0:10:05 > 0:10:09'pecking and scratching, with a particular fondness
0:10:09 > 0:10:13'for those important rubber bits that hold cars together.
0:10:14 > 0:10:15'They even break the law!
0:10:16 > 0:10:21'But have these birds literally become CARnivores - ha-ha! -
0:10:21 > 0:10:24'or is there something else going on?
0:10:25 > 0:10:27'To find out, I've teamed up
0:10:27 > 0:10:30'with kea keeper Michelle at Auckland Zoo.'
0:10:32 > 0:10:34PIERCING SHRIEK
0:10:34 > 0:10:37It's like balloons deflating or something.
0:10:40 > 0:10:41Ssh!
0:10:41 > 0:10:43'Time to meet one.'
0:10:43 > 0:10:48- Here it is.- So, this is the bird I've heard so much about, the kea.
0:10:48 > 0:10:49Yeah. His name is Tapili.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53Tapili, hello... Oh! A lively little thing!
0:10:53 > 0:10:57- Hello, nice to meet you, I think!- Good boy.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01'Up close, one body part grabs my attention.'
0:11:01 > 0:11:04That is one seriously long, sharp-looking beak.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08Definitely. It helps them to manipulate things,
0:11:08 > 0:11:12to rip into rotting wood and find insects and grubs to eat.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14They can climb with it,
0:11:14 > 0:11:18they can hang upside down and they also use it to get into trouble.
0:11:18 > 0:11:22Yeah, so why is it that they're attacking these cars?
0:11:22 > 0:11:27What they are doing is just exploring and investigating.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30- Right.- So, as a species, they're into everything.
0:11:30 > 0:11:35'In a harsh environment, curiosity is a survival tool...
0:11:35 > 0:11:37Oi! No, no, no. That's my underwear!
0:11:37 > 0:11:40'..that can find you not just underwear
0:11:40 > 0:11:44'but food in unexpected places.'
0:11:44 > 0:11:45Move away from my drink, you. Oi!
0:11:45 > 0:11:49He just nicked my marshmallow!
0:11:49 > 0:11:51'It's become their nature.'
0:11:51 > 0:11:54They are like, "Oh, we'll just check this out",
0:11:54 > 0:11:58whether it's ski equipment or backpacks or hiking boots
0:11:58 > 0:12:01or someone's car and they pull the windscreen wipers off
0:12:01 > 0:12:03- just because it's fun...- Yeah.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06- Just wreak havoc wherever they go.- Exactly.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09'Bored teenage gangs with too much time on their hands
0:12:09 > 0:12:11'go on the rampage.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19'Even Tapili gets up to mischief.'
0:12:19 > 0:12:21We've found him with pies
0:12:21 > 0:12:24and biscuits and chips and things like that.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27'And today is no exception.'
0:12:27 > 0:12:30Look what he's doing, look what he's doing!
0:12:30 > 0:12:32He knows exactly where the food is kept.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34Showing off his skills perfectly. Right.
0:12:35 > 0:12:39Basically that beak is like a can-opener. Open things up.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41NAOMI LAUGHS
0:12:46 > 0:12:48Don't take it away, it's got a camera in it.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50Come back! You're like a toddler.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52Take my eye off you for a second and you've got your beak
0:12:52 > 0:12:56in something you shouldn't be nosing into.
0:12:56 > 0:12:57Yeah, you!
0:12:58 > 0:12:59He's gone off in a huff.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05Were you going to bite me, then?
0:13:05 > 0:13:07I've got your number!
0:13:07 > 0:13:10I'm watching you. I don't really trust you at all.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13'These are clearly no bird-brains.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17'In fact, despite appearances, these kea are so clever
0:13:17 > 0:13:22'some scientists think they can outsmart a three-year-old child.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26'To demonstrate, I'm going to carry out a little test.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31'Three containers, each holding a tasty peanut,
0:13:31 > 0:13:34'but inaccessible behind plastic.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38'To get at them, the kea will have to pull them out on a string.'
0:13:39 > 0:13:41Oh, look at those beautiful wings!
0:13:41 > 0:13:44'Step one, start at the top. Check!'
0:13:45 > 0:13:47What to do, what to do?
0:13:47 > 0:13:49Once he realises that
0:13:49 > 0:13:52he's got to get off that piece of wood to move it...
0:13:52 > 0:13:55As long as it's got his weight on it, it won't open,
0:13:55 > 0:13:56so he needs to figure that out.
0:13:56 > 0:14:00Oh, he's done it already! Clever clogs!
0:14:00 > 0:14:04So, here we go. So he's holding the string with his foot
0:14:04 > 0:14:07so it doesn't drop back down, pulling it up with his beak.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10Oh, aren't you dainty and careful?
0:14:10 > 0:14:12He's already got the first ones out!
0:14:12 > 0:14:14That took no time at all.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21And there's your reward for being such a clever clogs. Well done!
0:14:24 > 0:14:27Well done! A round of applause for you.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30Now, if he can put it all back together again,
0:14:30 > 0:14:32I would be well impressed!
0:14:32 > 0:14:33THEY LAUGH
0:14:36 > 0:14:40At a first glance it's easy to see why a bird that likes to eat cars
0:14:40 > 0:14:44could be right up there as the worst nightmare ever.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47Yes, they are very mischievous and cause a lot of havoc.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49But, remember, we are in their territory.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51When you get to know these birds,
0:14:51 > 0:14:56they are nosy, tenacious and super-smart.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59So, kea, a nightmare? Not for me.
0:15:02 > 0:15:04'From mountain peaks
0:15:04 > 0:15:06'to farmyard troughs,
0:15:06 > 0:15:11'my next nightmare is quite simply a country icon.'
0:15:12 > 0:15:14New Zealand is famous for many things -
0:15:14 > 0:15:17rugby, kiwi fruit and...
0:15:17 > 0:15:19Sheep.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22It's said there are almost 30 million sheep here
0:15:22 > 0:15:28and with only 4.5 million people, that's roughly six sheep per person.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32I know what you're thinking - sheep? They're not a nightmare.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35Well, think again.
0:15:35 > 0:15:41'Sheep eat a lot and what goes in...has repercussions.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43BREAKING WIND
0:15:43 > 0:15:48'Welcome to New Zealand's gassy nightmare.'
0:15:48 > 0:15:50PARP!
0:15:51 > 0:15:56'It's believed these belching, burping and whizz-popping sheep
0:15:56 > 0:16:00'are contributing to global warming with their gas emissions.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02BREAKING WIND
0:16:02 > 0:16:07'Faced with these methane monsters, scientists like Harry here
0:16:07 > 0:16:11'are now working with the sheep to find out what can be done
0:16:11 > 0:16:14'to reduce the amount of burping they do.'
0:16:14 > 0:16:16I understand there is a big problem with gas.
0:16:16 > 0:16:18Yes, there is. But, first of all,
0:16:18 > 0:16:21do you fancy seeing how good you are at sheep herding?
0:16:21 > 0:16:24Well, I've never done it before, but I'm up for giving it a go.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26- Right, let's go!- What do I do?
0:16:26 > 0:16:28You pretend to be a dog.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30They go low, don't they?
0:16:30 > 0:16:31Woof, woof!
0:16:33 > 0:16:35That didn't work.
0:16:35 > 0:16:36- Slowly.- Slowly.
0:16:36 > 0:16:37Walk.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43Ha-ha! Sheep herding technique, nailed.
0:16:43 > 0:16:44Oh, no! They've separated.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52Yes, yes, yes. Good, good, good.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56Is that where we want them to go? Yes!
0:16:56 > 0:16:57Yes!
0:17:02 > 0:17:03A piece of cake.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10OK, so now we've got them in here, what's the plan?
0:17:10 > 0:17:12We're now going to show you how to collect some gas.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16- What? That's gross. Are you serious?- Yep, I am.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20Nobody warned me about this, did you? You kept that quiet, cheekies!
0:17:20 > 0:17:24Right, which end are we collecting gas from? Please say their heads.
0:17:24 > 0:17:25From their heads.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28- Good, OK. - And they burp it out here.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30I'll show you how we do it.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33How you on earth do you collect their burps?
0:17:33 > 0:17:35Right, you hold that.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37- This is a burp collector, is it? - That's a burp collector.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41It doesn't hurt it or anything? They don't mind this?
0:17:41 > 0:17:43No, it won't hurt you, either.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45Stand over the animal.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47- Over it?- Yeah.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49Right, and we put...
0:17:49 > 0:17:52So, what we're doing here is we're putting on a halter
0:17:52 > 0:17:55to hold the gas collection equipment.
0:17:55 > 0:18:00OK. Oh, I just felt it burp in my hands. Ugh! It went...
0:18:00 > 0:18:05A really rumbly one. A little burp collector round your neck.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08This has got to be one of the weirdest things I've ever done.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10- So, burp out of its mouth...- Yeah.
0:18:10 > 0:18:16Up through the tube, all along here and into the burp collector.
0:18:16 > 0:18:20'The burpometer will collect burps for 24 hours
0:18:20 > 0:18:24'during which time our gassy guzzlers burp constantly.
0:18:24 > 0:18:25BURP!
0:18:25 > 0:18:28Did you just burp in my face? BAA!
0:18:28 > 0:18:29Please, don't do that again.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32And is it just gas coming out of their...mouths?
0:18:32 > 0:18:34A small amount comes out of their bottoms as well.
0:18:34 > 0:18:40- There's an element of...windiness, too.- Yes. In both directions.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42Glad I'm standing right by that one's bottom.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46PARP! Pardon you.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49Pardon EWE, ha! Get it?!
0:18:49 > 0:18:51Pardon...Ewe.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55'When sheep eat, tiny microbes in their stomach
0:18:55 > 0:18:58'digest the food and produce gas.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05'By measuring how much they make, Harry can find ways to...
0:19:07 > 0:19:08'..stem the flow.'
0:19:10 > 0:19:16Oh! And they're off. They couldn't wait to go!
0:19:16 > 0:19:20'With their gas bags fitted, the sheep just have to do their thing.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27'But I can't stand around and watch sheep burp all day
0:19:27 > 0:19:29'so it's time for a bit of science.'
0:19:29 > 0:19:34OK, so they're busy burping away out there. Why is the gas a problem?
0:19:34 > 0:19:37Well, the gas is methane which is a greenhouse gas
0:19:37 > 0:19:41so it traps heat in the atmosphere and it is contributing
0:19:41 > 0:19:44to the temperature increase that is happening in the world.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50'Global warming can lead to wildfires, drought, storms,
0:19:50 > 0:19:55'flooding and, ultimately, death for people and wildlife.
0:19:55 > 0:20:00'So, Harry's robo-sheep research is crucial to bring down the burping.'
0:20:00 > 0:20:03What have your results shown so far?
0:20:03 > 0:20:05Well, we know that if you feed them different things
0:20:05 > 0:20:07we get different amounts of gas.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09So we can perhaps change what they eat.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12That would be like us restricting Brussels sprouts, red cabbage,
0:20:12 > 0:20:14baked beans, things like that...
0:20:14 > 0:20:17We would give them less of the sheep equivalent of Brussels sprouts.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21- Yeah!- And, interestingly enough, some sheep produce more gas
0:20:21 > 0:20:23than others, even when you feed them the same.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25It's a bit like humans.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28Some humans are a lot more gassy than others.
0:20:28 > 0:20:29SHE CLEARS HER THROAT
0:20:29 > 0:20:31BREAKING WIND
0:20:31 > 0:20:32What?!
0:20:32 > 0:20:36'All this means it's now possible to breed sheep
0:20:36 > 0:20:41'and, hopefully, one day, crew, that produce less gas.'
0:20:41 > 0:20:45You're doing a good job, Burpy, Belchy, Gassy, Windy and Pumpy.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50BLEATING
0:20:50 > 0:20:53Well, as nightmares go, collecting a load of sheep burps
0:20:53 > 0:20:58has to take the biscuit, and global warming is a serious nightmare.
0:20:58 > 0:21:03But the question is, will their gas lift these sheep to top place
0:21:03 > 0:21:05and make them my worst nightmare?
0:21:11 > 0:21:13Next up is a prized fighter,
0:21:13 > 0:21:16a critter whose very shape is made for brawling.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19So, today, I've come to find out if their battling skills are worthy
0:21:19 > 0:21:21of a tilt at the nightmare title.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26'To forage for these feisty forest fighters,
0:21:26 > 0:21:29'I've teamed up with biologist and weevil referee Greg.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35'He's promised me a ringside seat.'
0:21:35 > 0:21:38All right, then, Greg, what exactly are we looking for today?
0:21:38 > 0:21:40We're looking for giraffe weevils.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42Giraffe weevil. What's a weevil?
0:21:42 > 0:21:44A weevil is a kind of beetle and a giraffe weevil
0:21:44 > 0:21:47is a species that's only here in New Zealand.
0:21:47 > 0:21:48It's got a really, really long nose.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50It kind of looks a bit like a giraffe's neck.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54'Biologists seem to have a habit of giving things the wrong name.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56'Guinea pig.
0:21:56 > 0:21:57GRUNTING
0:21:57 > 0:21:58Not a pig.
0:21:59 > 0:22:00'Seahorse.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02WHINNYING
0:22:02 > 0:22:04'Not a horse.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07'Giraffe weevil.
0:22:07 > 0:22:08'You get my point.'
0:22:10 > 0:22:13So, I've heard they like to fight a bit.
0:22:13 > 0:22:14They do, yeah.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18- Males can get pretty violent, try to flick each other off the tree.- Oh!
0:22:19 > 0:22:21'This I have to see.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25'Let's hope we-vil find one.'
0:22:27 > 0:22:31'They're particularly fond of karaka trees so that seems like
0:22:31 > 0:22:36'a good place to look for our royal rumble.'
0:22:36 > 0:22:38What sort of size are they? What am I looking for?
0:22:38 > 0:22:41So, they kind of look a bit like a stick.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44- They look like a stick? - Yeah, unfortunately.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46That's going to be easy to find in here!
0:22:46 > 0:22:50'But Greg's trained eye soon notices a nose.'
0:22:50 > 0:22:53Oh, here's a nice big male on the underside of the log.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56Got one, got one? I'm coming round. Oh, yes, here. Look!
0:22:56 > 0:22:59No, hang on, that's weird-looking. Where's its head?
0:22:59 > 0:23:02So, all of that long nose at the front is all part of its head.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06His eyes are about halfway down the length of him.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09It's amazing he doesn't tip over. A bit sort of...
0:23:10 > 0:23:14'For prize-fighters, they seem pretty harmless.'
0:23:14 > 0:23:15That's all its nose?
0:23:15 > 0:23:17That's right, and you can also see
0:23:17 > 0:23:20their antennae coming right off the end here.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22Yeah, so it's sensing things with those?
0:23:22 > 0:23:25Exactly. That's what they use to smell, to find their way around.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28And his jaws are right at the end as well.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30They use those to grab onto one another when they're fighting.
0:23:30 > 0:23:35'Enough talk of fighting, I want to see this with my own eyes.'
0:23:36 > 0:23:39Schnozz face, shall we put you back?
0:23:40 > 0:23:46'And just next door is the perfect arena. The tree trunk!
0:23:46 > 0:23:50'Home of the biggest battle of the century.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56'Almost immediately, our first contender enters the ring.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01'It's him, it's Big Schnozz!
0:24:03 > 0:24:05'Measuring in at nine centimetres.
0:24:07 > 0:24:11Ooh, that one is significantly bigger, isn't it?
0:24:11 > 0:24:13Look, it's a beast!
0:24:13 > 0:24:16It's the biggest one on the tree so he's probably the one winning
0:24:16 > 0:24:18all the fights and getting to mate with all the females.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21'Because that's what all the fighting's about -
0:24:21 > 0:24:23'the ladies, of course!'
0:24:23 > 0:24:25WOLF-WHISTLE
0:24:25 > 0:24:27'They're the ones with the smaller noses,
0:24:27 > 0:24:31'and when males find one they like, they stand over them
0:24:31 > 0:24:32'to claim them as their own.
0:24:32 > 0:24:36'So, who's going to step up and face...
0:24:43 > 0:24:48Anyone see any weevils doing any fighting business?
0:24:48 > 0:24:50Anyone?
0:24:50 > 0:24:54The crowd's getting impatient.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56Fight! Fight! Fight!
0:24:56 > 0:24:59Not that I'm encouraging fighting, but I am.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03'Yeah, I know. Normally, I'm all for playing nicely
0:25:03 > 0:25:05'and being kind to one another,
0:25:05 > 0:25:09'but I have come halfway round the world to see this match
0:25:09 > 0:25:12'and Greg's assured me they don't get hurt.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17'Finally, could this be our opponent?'
0:25:17 > 0:25:21Come on, come on down. Have a scrap.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24Could we have some argy-bargy?
0:25:24 > 0:25:28'Nope, he's seen the opposition and scarpered.'
0:25:28 > 0:25:31'But, just as we are about to give up,
0:25:31 > 0:25:35'Big Schnozz disappears to intimidate some other weevils
0:25:35 > 0:25:38'and a couple of amateurs step into the ring.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41'One, fiercely guarding his girlfriend.'
0:25:41 > 0:25:42Right, OK.
0:25:42 > 0:25:48We've got some... He's trying to pull that male off.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51- Oh, look at this! - There, you see? He's grabbed him.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55- That was, like, quite aggressive, wasn't it?- Good.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59'OK, not the fight of the century
0:25:59 > 0:26:05'but when these evil weevils really get stuck in, it looks like this.
0:26:07 > 0:26:11'The Nose Lock, where they try and knock each other off the tree.
0:26:11 > 0:26:15'The Sword Fight, where they...try and knock each other off the tree.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20'And The All-out Body Tumble, where...
0:26:20 > 0:26:24'yeah, you've guessed it, they try and knock each other off the tree.
0:26:24 > 0:26:29'With their rival down, the winner can claim their trophy,
0:26:29 > 0:26:32'ie the other guy's girlfriend.'
0:26:34 > 0:26:37'In weevil world, big is definitely best,
0:26:37 > 0:26:41'which is probably why this lot are steering well clear of...'
0:26:46 > 0:26:49Well, it wasn't actually a Rumble in the Jungle, but these
0:26:49 > 0:26:53bizarre beasties can be pretty feisty when it comes down to it,
0:26:53 > 0:26:56literally sticking their nose right in it.
0:26:56 > 0:27:00But will these big-nosed battlers become my worst nightmare?
0:27:00 > 0:27:02I'm not so sure.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04Don't tell him I said that.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14There we are, bags all packed, ready for the long flight home.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17Just got to decide which critter is going to become
0:27:17 > 0:27:19my worst New Zealand nightmare.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22'Wicked weevils? Nah, too wussy.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26'Gassy guzzlers? Well, they don't mean to harm the world,
0:27:26 > 0:27:28'they're just hungry.'
0:27:28 > 0:27:29BELCHING
0:27:29 > 0:27:33So, for dazzling dastardliness and cunning trickery,
0:27:33 > 0:27:36the fungus gnat, not to mention all those other beasties in the
0:27:36 > 0:27:40dark caves of New Zealand, they are going to be my Worst Nightmare.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52Eugh! Is that other sheep weeing?
0:27:56 > 0:27:58SHEEP BLEATS
0:27:58 > 0:28:00Oh, no, it's sniffing its bottom! Gross!