0:00:02 > 0:00:05Welcome to my Nightmares Of Nature.
0:00:06 > 0:00:08I'm Naomi Wilkinson.
0:00:08 > 0:00:10SHE SCREAMS Oh, my goodness!
0:00:10 > 0:00:14And I'm coming face-to-face with the nightmares of the animal world.
0:00:14 > 0:00:15SHE GASPS
0:00:15 > 0:00:19The ones that make your spine tingle...
0:00:19 > 0:00:21your heart beat faster...
0:00:21 > 0:00:23SHE GASPS
0:00:23 > 0:00:25There is! There it is!
0:00:25 > 0:00:28..and your blood run cold.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30Are they truly terrifying?
0:00:31 > 0:00:34Or is there a twist in the tale?
0:00:35 > 0:00:40Come with me, as I shine a light on wildlife's deepest, darkest secrets
0:00:40 > 0:00:45and see if you can guess which will be my worst nightmare.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52What's up! This time, I have come west side,
0:00:52 > 0:00:57to the coast of California, where the mighty Pacific Ocean
0:00:57 > 0:01:00meets the United States of America.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04The coast of California might be famous for its sunshine
0:01:04 > 0:01:08and laid-back lifestyle, but beneath the surface
0:01:08 > 0:01:11lurks some truly terrifying nightmares.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13From hideous horrors...
0:01:13 > 0:01:14Urgh!
0:01:14 > 0:01:16..to the unbelievable.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19This is the weirdest creature ever.
0:01:19 > 0:01:23And now, me and the crew are heading straight for them.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28Depending on where you live in California,
0:01:28 > 0:01:31if you take a nice little stroll on the beach,
0:01:31 > 0:01:33you might be in for a massive shock.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35Because here, just a few metres from the car park,
0:01:35 > 0:01:40is a nightmare of epic proportions, and I mean huge!
0:01:46 > 0:01:48This is an elephant seal.
0:01:48 > 0:01:53It can grow up to four metres long and weigh up to 2,000kg -
0:01:53 > 0:01:57that's longer and bigger than most cars.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59You'd be forgiven for thinking they are called elephant seals
0:01:59 > 0:02:02due to their whopping size,
0:02:02 > 0:02:06but it's actually because of their trunk-like inflatable snouts.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09'To make sure I don't get squashed like a pancake,
0:02:09 > 0:02:12'I've joined elephant seal researcher Patrick
0:02:12 > 0:02:14'for an early-morning stroll.'
0:02:14 > 0:02:17Patrick, how dangerous are elephant seals?
0:02:17 > 0:02:19In general, not super-dangerous,
0:02:19 > 0:02:21but it is definitely possible to get bitten by them,
0:02:21 > 0:02:23so we'll have to be careful out there.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26- Have you been bitten by one before? - I have - twice, actually.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28Do they sneak up on you and get you on the back or something?
0:02:28 > 0:02:31One of them did and the other, while I was holding a boat,
0:02:31 > 0:02:34it came up underneath in the water and bit me on the leg.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36That was a bit surprising.
0:02:37 > 0:02:41We definitely want to be very careful about disturbing animals,
0:02:41 > 0:02:44so we'll want to stay as a group together
0:02:44 > 0:02:46and if we see any reaction with the animals,
0:02:46 > 0:02:49then we'll have to stop what we're doing and back up.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52And by staying together in a group, what does that do?
0:02:52 > 0:02:54That's basically for our own safety.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57If we splinter off, they might pick one of us off?
0:02:57 > 0:02:59Yeah, actually, yeah.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03Safety in numbers.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05'Armed with just my backpack,
0:03:05 > 0:03:07'we're about to step into a land of giants.'
0:03:07 > 0:03:09So, these aren't adults?
0:03:09 > 0:03:11No, most of these are going to be juveniles today.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16- So they're just sort of learning how to behave?- Yeah, exactly.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20Elephant seals spend much of their life at sea,
0:03:20 > 0:03:22but it's when they come ashore to breed
0:03:22 > 0:03:25they earn their nightmare credentials.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28Males will jealously guard their territories.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30If anyone dares step on their patch,
0:03:30 > 0:03:34it all kicks off in nature's ultimate heavyweight face-off.
0:03:36 > 0:03:41At this time of the year, juveniles haul out onto the beach to rest.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45They might be youngsters, but they're still pretty beefy.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48And immediately, there's an argy-bargy on the beach.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50Hm, well, sort of.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52SHE GIGGLES
0:03:52 > 0:03:55So, are they a little bit amateurish at this fighting at the minute?
0:03:55 > 0:03:57Cos it looks like they are a bit like...
0:03:57 > 0:03:59Urgh!
0:03:59 > 0:04:02You know, just not quite knowing exactly what to do with themselves.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04Absolutely. They're by no means expert at this point.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07But once they become adults, the fighting becomes a lot more serious,
0:04:07 > 0:04:11- doesn't it?- It does. It's really to the death,
0:04:11 > 0:04:16so it's mostly just to establish dominance between individuals,
0:04:16 > 0:04:20but, certainly, they produce some pretty scary wounds.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26'Patrick has special permission to be on the beach
0:04:26 > 0:04:30'to study the juvenile seals, but with so many of them,
0:04:30 > 0:04:32'it's hard to tell them apart.
0:04:32 > 0:04:37'Small flipper tags help identify each animal with a unique number.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39'But they're hard to spot.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41'So, to make them easier to read,
0:04:41 > 0:04:43'Patrick has a special trick up his sleeve.'
0:04:45 > 0:04:49So, what we're going to do now is walk around the colony here
0:04:49 > 0:04:51and look for those flipper tags and if we see one,
0:04:51 > 0:04:54we're going to put out a dye mark using this stamping tool here.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57We'll write backwards on the face of it and then stamp it on the side
0:04:57 > 0:05:01- of the seal to give them a nice mark.- Do you use hair dye?
0:05:01 > 0:05:03We do, the same that your mother would use.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05No way! And how long will that last?
0:05:05 > 0:05:08Just shy of a year, actually, until they moult. So quite a long time.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10So we're going to have to get quite close to do that?
0:05:10 > 0:05:12We are, yeah. It's one of the excuses that we have
0:05:12 > 0:05:16- to work quite closely with these guys.- What could possibly go wrong?
0:05:16 > 0:05:18Let's do it.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23This is very strange. I've got a lot of eyes on me.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30'I can't forget what Patrick said earlier.'
0:05:30 > 0:05:33It is definitely possible to get bit by them.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36Right, we've found one that we can mark.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39Just get the...
0:05:39 > 0:05:41SHE SPLUTTERS ..hair dye ready.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44'With the dye mixed, the number written on backwards
0:05:44 > 0:05:48'and my not-so-hi-tech marking device, we are ready to go.'
0:05:48 > 0:05:509404, we're coming to get you.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00'With this many seals and the tide high,
0:06:00 > 0:06:03'there's not much room for manoeuvre.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08'One false move could land me in serious trouble.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14'Patrick will distract the seal and then it's up to me.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20'It's now or never.'
0:06:27 > 0:06:29SEAL GROANS
0:07:17 > 0:07:19- My heart.- Nice work.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21That's really scary!
0:07:21 > 0:07:24I was more worried about this little one.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30I need a really strong, sweet cup of tea.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33If we jump out of here, we can get away from these guys.
0:07:33 > 0:07:34Yeah, let's get away.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37'It was time to give the elephant seals and those with a
0:07:37 > 0:07:41new hair colour some peace and quiet.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43'Mission accomplished.'
0:07:43 > 0:07:46I've done some odd things on this show, but I never thought I would
0:07:46 > 0:07:49end up applying hair dye to an elephant seal.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52Yeah, I have seen some sleeping beauties today,
0:07:52 > 0:07:53but after that little experience,
0:07:53 > 0:07:57there is no doubt in my mind that elephant seals,
0:07:57 > 0:07:58especially those adult males,
0:07:58 > 0:08:02are a force to be reckoned with, and finding yourself in their path -
0:08:02 > 0:08:03that is never going to end well.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06They are certainly in the running for my worst nightmare.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10It's time now to leave the beach
0:08:10 > 0:08:15and head along the Californian coast for yet another nightmare encounter.
0:08:15 > 0:08:20My next creature is the stuff of legend, a true ocean giant,
0:08:20 > 0:08:22some even say a sea monster.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26And today, I'm the lucky one who gets to meet one.
0:08:34 > 0:08:39It's got three hearts, nine brains, and can measure eight metres across.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43The giant Pacific octopus is a nightmare to behold.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47They are formidable predators who come out at night to hunt
0:08:47 > 0:08:52and have been known to eat birds and even sharks.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54They may look all arms and legs,
0:08:54 > 0:08:58but they ruthlessly dispatch prey with impressive skill -
0:08:58 > 0:09:00either pulling them apart,
0:09:00 > 0:09:04or biting them using their hard-beaked mouth.
0:09:04 > 0:09:09I've come to Monterey Bay Aquarium to meet octopus expert Alicia
0:09:09 > 0:09:11and one very special resident.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14So, who lives in here, Alicia?
0:09:14 > 0:09:17- I call this one Lady.- Lady.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20- It's a lady. - It is massive, isn't it?
0:09:20 > 0:09:22- Mm-hm.- She looks a little bit mean.
0:09:22 > 0:09:24- Looking at her, she's a bit like... - They're not mean,
0:09:24 > 0:09:26- they're actually very friendly. - Are you sure?
0:09:26 > 0:09:29Let's see if she wants to come over and play with us.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31- Really? OK.- I'm going to just tempt her over
0:09:31 > 0:09:34- with a little piece of shrimp, here. - Is that her favourite food?
0:09:34 > 0:09:35Uh-huh.
0:09:35 > 0:09:40- Look at those suckers!- The suckers are used both for gripping,
0:09:40 > 0:09:43- like a suction cup... - She's got hold of you.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46It's like one of those mats you put in the bath.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49- Exactly.- How many suckers have they got?
0:09:49 > 0:09:52- About 2,000.- Whoa!
0:09:52 > 0:09:56There are nerves that run down each arm,
0:09:56 > 0:09:59and they're used to taste, just like our taste buds.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01Yes, you heard right.
0:10:01 > 0:10:06These super-sticky arms don't just grab you, they also taste you.
0:10:06 > 0:10:13Wow! Oh, it's a bit alarming how quickly they can capture you.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15So, they've got a mouth somewhere in there?
0:10:15 > 0:10:18The mouth is in the middle here.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21There goes the shrimp that we gave her.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24And is it quite dangerous?
0:10:24 > 0:10:27It's the only hard part that they have in their entire body,
0:10:27 > 0:10:31but it's used to open clams and crabs
0:10:31 > 0:10:33and so it could definitely cut through bone.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35NAOMI GASPS
0:10:35 > 0:10:37So you want to stay away from the beak.
0:10:37 > 0:10:38Yeah, I guess if it can eat a crab...
0:10:38 > 0:10:41- Yeah.- That's a pretty strong mouth part.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43- Uh-huh.- Uh-oh!
0:10:43 > 0:10:45Are you OK? Do you need any help?
0:10:45 > 0:10:48- No, I'm fine.- I'm not sure I'd know what to do to help, to be honest.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50I'm offering to help, but I don't know how.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52- Now, watch out.- Watch out?!
0:10:52 > 0:10:55This is where the water would come from if she was going to spray.
0:10:55 > 0:10:56She can spray us?
0:10:56 > 0:10:59- What do you mean? - Sometimes they're being playful
0:10:59 > 0:11:02and they might spray a little water at you.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05So far, we're safe, but just a warning.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10What does that mean when it does a massive wide open...
0:11:10 > 0:11:12Whoa!
0:11:12 > 0:11:14That's what it means!
0:11:14 > 0:11:16It's taking in the water, is it?
0:11:16 > 0:11:19- Yeah.- Oh!
0:11:19 > 0:11:22This is the weirdest creature ever.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27- Would you like to pet her?- Erm...
0:11:27 > 0:11:29Yes?
0:11:29 > 0:11:31- Is it going to be safe? - Yes, of course.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33- She's not going to drag me in there? - Don't worry.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37I'm sort of nervous, but I also really want to try this.
0:11:37 > 0:11:41- Oh!- There you go.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43Hold on. Right, go on.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46That is so strange.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49- It sucks on straightaway.- Mm-hm.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51Look at this.
0:11:53 > 0:11:57It's an absolutely brilliant strategy, isn't it,
0:11:57 > 0:11:59to capture their prey? My goodness. Just to...
0:11:59 > 0:12:02SHE IMITATES OCTOPUS SUCKING ..and suck it in towards you.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04Mm-hm. I mean, imagine if all of these arms were on you.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06You can't... You wouldn't be able to get away.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08Imagine a small animal.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10Doesn't stand a chance.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14- It's really pulling me in. - You're getting a little braver.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17- Yeah, I am.- Let me know if you need my help.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20I'm OK while it's just one arm, I think...
0:12:20 > 0:12:22Oh, here we go.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24They wouldn't ever go for a human, would they?
0:12:24 > 0:12:27No. I mean...
0:12:27 > 0:12:29It's never happened.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31..Till today.
0:12:33 > 0:12:37I've heard that octopuses are not only voracious predators,
0:12:37 > 0:12:41but also some of the smartest creatures in the ocean.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43Would you say they're intelligent creatures?
0:12:43 > 0:12:45I would say so. In their own way.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48They're not intelligent in the same way that humans are...
0:12:48 > 0:12:51- No.- ..but in the wild, they definitely need to be smart
0:12:51 > 0:12:53in order to find their prey.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56The things that they feed on typically hide
0:12:56 > 0:13:00and so they have to find their prey and then they have to figure out how
0:13:00 > 0:13:03to get it open. So, like, a crab. How would you eat crab?
0:13:03 > 0:13:05You have to figure out how they get the shell off.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08Or a mussel, you have to get the shell open,
0:13:08 > 0:13:11so they're used to having to figure out those puzzles.
0:13:11 > 0:13:16And that's why we like to give them toys and things and interact with
0:13:16 > 0:13:18them, because they need that sensory input.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20Exactly like it would be for them in the wild?
0:13:20 > 0:13:21- Yeah, exactly.- Yeah.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23We try to keep them occupied,
0:13:23 > 0:13:25because if they don't have anything to do,
0:13:25 > 0:13:27that's when they start getting up to mischief.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29I can believe it, as well.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31NAOMI SQUEALS
0:13:31 > 0:13:33OK, it's got me with two arms now.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36- I think I'd quite like to escape, if that's all right.- All right.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38I mean, there's being friendly and then there's being very,
0:13:38 > 0:13:41very clingy. Let go.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44That's just a bit too close for comfort, thanks.
0:13:44 > 0:13:45Uh-oh!
0:13:46 > 0:13:49It's suggested that octopuses can sense subjects better by touch
0:13:49 > 0:13:52than by sight. Can you do the same?
0:13:52 > 0:13:55Yeah. Easy.
0:13:55 > 0:13:59My challenge is to identify as many objects as I can
0:13:59 > 0:14:02in one minute, using just my sense of touch.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06Be nice, guys.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09Rich, if I could see you, I would be looking at you.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12Go on, then. Do your worst.
0:14:12 > 0:14:13Who's going to count me in?
0:14:13 > 0:14:16Three, two, one.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18Go!
0:14:18 > 0:14:19Argh! Argh!
0:14:19 > 0:14:22Is it alive?! Oh, my gosh!
0:14:22 > 0:14:24- What is that? It's not alive?- No.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27What on... I don't... Jelly?
0:14:27 > 0:14:30- Squeak-squeak. Is that a rubber ducky?- Quack, quack!
0:14:30 > 0:14:33None of these things are alive or going to bite me, are they?
0:14:33 > 0:14:35- A lychee?- Stop, stop!
0:14:35 > 0:14:37Oh, that's embarrassing.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39If Lady the octopus was here right now,
0:14:39 > 0:14:41I would give her many high-fives.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46It's not every day you get to meet an eight-limbed creature with the
0:14:46 > 0:14:49brains of Einstein, but a fondness for arm-wrestling.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51I mean, can you just imagine the horror for
0:14:51 > 0:14:54those unfortunate victims, seeing the sight of one of these giant
0:14:54 > 0:14:57Pacific octopuses coming at you from the gloom?
0:14:57 > 0:14:59So, the question still remains -
0:14:59 > 0:15:02will this formidable hunter grab hold
0:15:02 > 0:15:06and not let go of the title Worst Nightmare?
0:15:06 > 0:15:08Can I have my arm back now, please?
0:15:09 > 0:15:12I'm sticking around Monterey Bay for just a bit longer,
0:15:12 > 0:15:17as here lies another nightmare of a completely different kind.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20Here on Nightmares Of Nature, I have met animals that are scary,
0:15:20 > 0:15:23that are deadly and that, to be frank,
0:15:23 > 0:15:25are sometimes just downright gross.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29But I am happy to say - no, I am over the moon to say -
0:15:29 > 0:15:32that my next animal is none of those.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34In fact, it is quite the opposite.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36Get in!
0:15:43 > 0:15:48Not only are sea otters the cutest creatures on the planet,
0:15:48 > 0:15:50they're also the furriest.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54Sea otters in California spends most of their time around the coast,
0:15:54 > 0:15:58lying on their backs in the kelp, eating shellfish.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02It's a hard life being a sea otter(!)
0:16:02 > 0:16:07Erm, hang on - what are they doing on Nightmares Of Nature?
0:16:07 > 0:16:11Every year here in California, baby sea otters lose their mothers and,
0:16:11 > 0:16:15as you can imagine, for those orphaned or abandoned little pups,
0:16:15 > 0:16:18that can be a very real nightmare.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20Hey. But it's OK.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23All is not lost, because here at Monterey Bay Aquarium,
0:16:23 > 0:16:27they take in these vulnerable otters and help them return to the wild.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32To help me learn about the challenges these mega-fluff balls
0:16:32 > 0:16:36face, I've met up with all-round good guy and otter specialist Karl.
0:16:38 > 0:16:42He's got an orphaned sea otter that's only a few weeks old
0:16:42 > 0:16:44and it needs feeding.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46But it's not straightforward.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48Baby sea otters mustn't get used to humans,
0:16:48 > 0:16:51otherwise they'll find it harder to go back to the wild.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54So Karl has a novel solution.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57So before we go in there with 714,
0:16:57 > 0:16:59we're going to have to put on this disguise.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01And this is basically...
0:17:01 > 0:17:02It's silly, but it's, essentially,
0:17:02 > 0:17:04trying to mask our human form,
0:17:04 > 0:17:07so that she's not going to habituate to us over time.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09We need them to be a little bit afraid of people?
0:17:09 > 0:17:12Exactly. Yeah. So, we're going to cover our faces with a welder's mask
0:17:12 > 0:17:14and our form with these capes,
0:17:14 > 0:17:18and then we're going to cover our scent with these gloves.
0:17:18 > 0:17:19And do we have to be quiet?
0:17:19 > 0:17:22We can do hand signals and stuff, but she's not used to human voices.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25So, if we start talking, she is going to get scared by it.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28OK. I think I've done this wrong.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31Yeah, you might've done.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34'So, with my Darth Vader costume on,
0:17:34 > 0:17:37'it was time to see otter 714.'
0:17:37 > 0:17:39Sh-h-h!
0:17:41 > 0:17:44'That's me there, behind the mask.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47'And this is the cutest animal in the world.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52'First up, some nice, fresh clams.
0:17:54 > 0:17:59'Karl tells me it's the first time she's ever eaten clams like this.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01'And they seem to be going down very well.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06'For otters, it's a lot easier to eat on their back.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09'It's like having a ready-made table to eat from.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14'At this early age, everything is new.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17'So she's a little bit clumsy.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29'Karl says that's the deepest dive she's ever made.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34'Right, now for a bit of exercise.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38'Normally in the wild, her mother would be helping her with this,
0:18:38 > 0:18:42'so without her mum, we have to step in with a bit of water aerobics.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53'Finally, it's time for some hair care.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56'Sea otters don't have any blubber to keep them warm,
0:18:56 > 0:18:58'so they have thick fur.
0:18:58 > 0:18:59'And to make sure it keeps them warm,
0:18:59 > 0:19:02'they have to groom it and keep it free from water.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06'I am dying with cute overload.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12'Don't mind if I do!
0:19:12 > 0:19:14'Let's hope she graduates from her playpen
0:19:14 > 0:19:17'and makes it back to the wild safely.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25'With the cute factor already at a dangerous level,
0:19:25 > 0:19:26'there is even more to come,
0:19:26 > 0:19:31as I head out with Karl to check on sea otters in the wild.'
0:19:31 > 0:19:33Ooh!
0:19:33 > 0:19:36'Until recently, sea otters were nearly hunted to extinction,
0:19:36 > 0:19:38'and even though they've made a comeback,
0:19:38 > 0:19:41'they are is still considered endangered species.
0:19:41 > 0:19:45'So every orphaned sea otter that's saved and taken back to the wild is
0:19:45 > 0:19:50'important. Out here, Karl can check up on the reintroduced otters
0:19:50 > 0:19:51'and their friends.'
0:19:51 > 0:19:53Look! Right here.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55Oh, we're coming past two.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58There's another one. Another one coming up, doing a little roly-poly.
0:19:58 > 0:20:00Woohoo!
0:20:01 > 0:20:05Oh! They just look so comfortable in the water, don't they?
0:20:05 > 0:20:09- Yeah.- Typically, how long are the otters with you
0:20:09 > 0:20:11before you let them go?
0:20:11 > 0:20:15The young pups, it's an average of between eight and ten months.
0:20:18 > 0:20:20'Orphaned otters will have to get used to life
0:20:20 > 0:20:24'back in the wild quickly, if they are to survive.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28'They have to fend for themselves, finding food and avoiding danger.'
0:20:31 > 0:20:33All these animals that we're releasing back to the wild
0:20:33 > 0:20:35only get numbers, we don't do names.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38And part of the reason we don't name them is just to
0:20:38 > 0:20:41reduce the likelihood that everybody that's working with the animals
0:20:41 > 0:20:42becomes too attached.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45There is always a chance that they're not going to survive
0:20:45 > 0:20:48- once they go back out. - One's popped up right next to us.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52'So, I've seen and felt how furry sea otters are,
0:20:52 > 0:20:53'but how furry is furry?'
0:20:53 > 0:20:58The fur in some areas can be up to a million or close to a million hairs
0:20:58 > 0:21:01per square inch of body.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05It's not uniformly that dense, but in some of the areas,
0:21:05 > 0:21:06which is incredible.
0:21:06 > 0:21:10'That's more hair on one otter than probably everyone
0:21:10 > 0:21:12'sitting in your living room right now.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15'And definitely more than on some of the crew!'
0:21:16 > 0:21:18I've had my fair share of nightmares,
0:21:18 > 0:21:20so this has been a complete treat.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23It has been a joy and an honour to see the beneficial work
0:21:23 > 0:21:27that Karl and his team are doing to help sea otter conservation.
0:21:27 > 0:21:28As far as nightmares go,
0:21:28 > 0:21:32I think the only damage a baby otter is ever going to do is break your
0:21:32 > 0:21:33heart with cuteness.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36So I'm probably not going to be putting them
0:21:36 > 0:21:38at the top of my nightmare list.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43Right, let's get this nightmare mission back on track.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46From the adorable, we go to the abnormal.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49It's time to meet some aliens.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51Strange really to think that scientists
0:21:51 > 0:21:54know more about the surface of the moon than they do
0:21:54 > 0:21:56about parts of the ocean.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58But here, just off the beach in central California,
0:21:58 > 0:22:02is one of the deepest underwater canyons in the world.
0:22:02 > 0:22:06And I'm told that lurking out there in the deep and in the dark
0:22:06 > 0:22:10are weird alien-like creatures that could give you nightmares.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12Out of sight, out of mind, I say!
0:22:14 > 0:22:15- That way.- Oh!
0:22:15 > 0:22:18'If only it was that easy.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27'To help me face my fears of the weird and unknown,
0:22:27 > 0:22:30'I'm meeting up with underwater explorer Stephanie
0:22:30 > 0:22:34'at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36'And she's offered to show me around.'
0:22:36 > 0:22:39- Hi!- Hi, come on aboard.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41What is this?
0:22:48 > 0:22:52This is our remotely operated vehicle, or RV.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54This one's named Ventana, which means, "window" in Spanish.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58- What does it do?- This window used to be a window into the sea
0:22:58 > 0:23:00and we take it down to about 2,000 metres
0:23:00 > 0:23:03and just see what's living down there.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06And you capture images using this lens, do you?
0:23:06 > 0:23:09- This camera?- Yes, exactly. That is our main camera,
0:23:09 > 0:23:11that's sort of the focal point of the whole vehicle.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14So what have you found?
0:23:14 > 0:23:17There's all kinds of things that live down there, actually.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19But instead of trying to describe them to you,
0:23:19 > 0:23:21why don't we go take a look at some of them?
0:23:21 > 0:23:22Yeah. OK. I'm up for that.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25It may be a little bit creepy, but they're OK.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27NAOMI LAUGHS NERVOUSLY
0:23:29 > 0:23:33Stephanie's research centre lab is like a space station for the ocean.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39Over the years, Stephanie and her fellow underwater explorers have
0:23:39 > 0:23:43discovered all manner of creatures using their remotely operated
0:23:43 > 0:23:47vehicles - or, to you and I, cool robotic submarines.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55They've even managed to preserve some of these critters
0:23:55 > 0:23:58in their deep sea storeroom.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01It's an Aladdin's cave of big teeth and tentacles,
0:24:01 > 0:24:04all in suspended animation.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08Having this collection allows scientists
0:24:08 > 0:24:11to figure out what actually lives in the deep ocean
0:24:11 > 0:24:13and how they live.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18'But what do they look like when they're alive?
0:24:18 > 0:24:21'Stephanie's got some special footage captured by her submarines
0:24:21 > 0:24:22'to show me.'
0:24:24 > 0:24:27It's like watching a bit of a horror film, isn't it?
0:24:27 > 0:24:30A bit of a sci-fi alien film.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33'I present to you, the anglerfish.'
0:24:34 > 0:24:36How big do you think this animal is?
0:24:36 > 0:24:38Ah, that's a good question.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43Like, that big.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45It's about as big as my fist.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47- Is it?!- Yeah.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49It's tiddly. Why is it tiny?
0:24:49 > 0:24:52A lot of animals in the deep sea are much smaller than you'd think,
0:24:52 > 0:24:55when you get to see footage like this.
0:24:55 > 0:24:57What's the big beacon on the top of its head?
0:24:57 > 0:25:01OK, so this is actually its lure. It's basically its fishing pole.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04So they use that to attract other animals
0:25:04 > 0:25:06that are searching in the deep sea.
0:25:06 > 0:25:11This can come down in front of the mouth when it's using it.
0:25:12 > 0:25:16So, the little fish will swim towards that and then it just...
0:25:16 > 0:25:17And then... Chomp!
0:25:20 > 0:25:23It's amazing that we were able to find this animal,
0:25:23 > 0:25:26but we don't often get chances to see interactions between animals.
0:25:26 > 0:25:31- Yeah.- And so we don't know what it would look like when it's actually
0:25:31 > 0:25:33caught a piece of...
0:25:33 > 0:25:36So, that is something you would love to see, is it?
0:25:36 > 0:25:38- It is something I would love to see. - It's all part of your research,
0:25:38 > 0:25:41- trying to find out more and more about these creatures.- Yeah.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43I mean, that's a bit of a tricky fish, because if it was swimming
0:25:43 > 0:25:46away from you, you would think, "Oh, that's a pretty little one,"
0:25:46 > 0:25:48and then it would turn around and it would be like...
0:25:48 > 0:25:51- SHE HISSES - Yeah. Terrifying.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58And that's just the start of the freak show.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04What?! What am I looking at?
0:26:04 > 0:26:06'The fang tooth.'
0:26:06 > 0:26:09Urgh!
0:26:09 > 0:26:11It looks like a lightsaber.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14'The vampire squid.'
0:26:14 > 0:26:17Like a spaceship.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19'The dragon fish.'
0:26:21 > 0:26:23And the boggley-eyed...
0:26:23 > 0:26:25one!
0:26:28 > 0:26:32Being introduced to all those ocean oddballs makes you realise just how
0:26:32 > 0:26:35many new exciting species are out there
0:26:35 > 0:26:37still waiting to be discovered.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39Yes, they might have googly eyes,
0:26:39 > 0:26:42massive fangs and be made up of weird blobs,
0:26:42 > 0:26:45but when you get to know these deep sea creatures, you find they really
0:26:45 > 0:26:49aren't that bad. Nightmare?
0:26:49 > 0:26:50Nah.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54I quite fancy myself as an underwater explorer.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56Hm.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01Well, that's just about it for our California coastal trip.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04I just need to decide which animal is going to get that top nightmare
0:27:04 > 0:27:07spot. I've got it down to two.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09Can you give me a hand? It's either giant Pacific octopus
0:27:09 > 0:27:14- or elephant seal.- Octopus! - Octopus!- Elephant seal!
0:27:14 > 0:27:15Helpful.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17OK, I have made up my mind.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19Yeah. It's super-smart,
0:27:19 > 0:27:21it has killer instinct and once it has a grip of you,
0:27:21 > 0:27:23it is never letting go -
0:27:23 > 0:27:27the giant Pacific octopus is my Worst Nightmare.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29That's one mean sucker!
0:27:32 > 0:27:35Argh! Argh! Is it alive?!
0:27:35 > 0:27:38Quack-quack!
0:27:38 > 0:27:40Tennis ball? Ping-pong ball?
0:27:40 > 0:27:43Lychee?
0:27:43 > 0:27:44What's that? What is it?
0:27:46 > 0:27:48A little rubber bouncy ball?
0:27:49 > 0:27:52Have you all gone? Hilarious.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54SHE LAUGHS
0:27:56 > 0:27:58Hey!