0:00:02 > 0:00:04# Marauding mice and walls of ice
0:00:04 > 0:00:06# And sharks on a golfing spree
0:00:06 > 0:00:08# Cicada swarms and Martian storms
0:00:08 > 0:00:10- # And fish walking out of the sea - Really?
0:00:10 > 0:00:12# Elks in trees and foaming seas
0:00:12 > 0:00:15- # And giant mayfly moths - Huh?
0:00:15 > 0:00:17# Zombie snails and friendly whales
0:00:17 > 0:00:19- # And completely frozen frogs - You what?
0:00:19 > 0:00:21# They're wild and weird wild and weird
0:00:21 > 0:00:23# Really really wild and really really weird
0:00:23 > 0:00:25# They're wild and weird wild and weird
0:00:25 > 0:00:27# They're really really wild
0:00:27 > 0:00:30# They're really really wild and weird. #
0:00:30 > 0:00:31Coming up on today's show.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34Some radical relationships.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36A polar bear on a playdate?
0:00:36 > 0:00:38A dolphin having a whale of a time.
0:00:38 > 0:00:43And the baby ducklings who think they're kittens.
0:00:50 > 0:00:51MUSIC: Girls Just Want To Have Fun
0:00:51 > 0:00:53Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.
0:00:55 > 0:00:56Oh.
0:00:56 > 0:01:00Ooh. Ooh.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02W-w-w-what is it? What is it?
0:01:02 > 0:01:04Oh, Tim, I can't decide what to wear on my date.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06RECORD SCRATCHES TO A HALT Ah.
0:01:06 > 0:01:07I've met this really lovely guy
0:01:07 > 0:01:09but I'm just worried we're not compatible.
0:01:09 > 0:01:13I'm a Virgo. He's a Taurus. So that means I'm forgetful and he...
0:01:14 > 0:01:16Er? Oh.
0:01:16 > 0:01:17Look. Look, look, look.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20Don't worry. The world is full of mismatched relationships.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23- Really? - Yeah, yeah, yeah. Take a seat.- Oh.
0:01:25 > 0:01:26Have a look at this.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31We're off to Churchill on the shores of the Hudson Bay
0:01:31 > 0:01:33in the Canadian subarctic.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35And let me tell you, when it comes to weird relationships,
0:01:35 > 0:01:38they don't get much weirder than this.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41Every autumn, starving polar bears roam around town
0:01:41 > 0:01:45waiting for the sea to freeze so they can go out to hunt seals.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48And sharing your home with a half tonne hunting machine can
0:01:48 > 0:01:51certainly make life interesting.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54As dog breeder and Churchill resident Brian Ladoon discovered.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59He is a cool looking dude, isn't he?
0:01:59 > 0:02:01Is he? Ah, I don't know. I hadn't really noticed.
0:02:02 > 0:02:07Brian keeps 150 sled dogs on a spit of land jutting out into the sea.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11Just like a complete city of dogs.
0:02:11 > 0:02:17It's isolated and the best place to keep Eskimo dogs on earth.
0:02:17 > 0:02:21These working sled dogs are tough enough to withstand
0:02:21 > 0:02:23the freezing Arctic weather,
0:02:23 > 0:02:26but compared to a polar bear they might as well be Chihuahuas.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32Which is why Brian feared the worst, when one day
0:02:32 > 0:02:35a starving polar bear strolled onto his land.
0:02:36 > 0:02:41When I first seen things playing out I did have great concerns.
0:02:41 > 0:02:43I was frightened and I wasn't sure what to do.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47But what happened next was astonishing.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50The bear began to close in on a helpless sled dog and...
0:02:50 > 0:02:52Stop, stop, stop.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54- What?- I'm not watching any more
0:02:54 > 0:02:57if this story ends up with a dog being eaten.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59I'm building suspense here.
0:02:59 > 0:03:00You know, making it exciting.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03Does or does not a dog get eaten in this story?
0:03:05 > 0:03:07SIGHS
0:03:07 > 0:03:08(No.)
0:03:08 > 0:03:11OK. Carry on.
0:03:11 > 0:03:16As I was saying, the bear closed in on a helpless sled dog and...
0:03:18 > 0:03:20the pair began to play.
0:03:20 > 0:03:21No way!
0:03:21 > 0:03:24I was not expecting that.
0:03:24 > 0:03:25I thought it was going to eat it.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29- But I told you what was g... - Sh, sh.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33It is extraordinary to see them play together.
0:03:33 > 0:03:35Actually, you got a privileged position
0:03:35 > 0:03:38when you're right in the front row seat and you're watching them
0:03:38 > 0:03:40and they're only, like, metres away from you.
0:03:40 > 0:03:45So, if polar bears normally eat dogs and that polar bear is hungry,
0:03:45 > 0:03:47why isn't it eating the dog?
0:03:47 > 0:03:49Ah.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53Let's ask clinical psychiatrist, Dr Stuart Brown.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57Ooh, he's a cool dude too.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59Hm? Yeah, again, hadn't really noticed.
0:04:01 > 0:04:06What was amazing to me was that the polar bear, as he approached
0:04:06 > 0:04:11this female sled dog that was tethered, was in a predatory gait
0:04:11 > 0:04:16with fixed eyes headed toward that sled dog, which anyone who's ever
0:04:16 > 0:04:20seen a predatory animal recognises as a very powerful signal.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22It says, I'm getting to kill you.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25The dog went down into a play bow
0:04:25 > 0:04:30and the bear immediately picked this up, changed his gait
0:04:30 > 0:04:31and started dancing.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33They looked up at each other
0:04:33 > 0:04:37and they started into this wonderful ballet which went on for 20 minutes.
0:04:37 > 0:04:38It was magical.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40MUSIC: Swan Lake by Tchaikovsky
0:04:40 > 0:04:42What are you doing?
0:04:42 > 0:04:44I am in training for the next time I meet a polar bear.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46Hello.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53The smarter the animal, the more they play.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55It's very important for survival
0:04:55 > 0:04:59and for adaptation in a constantly changing environment and world.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07Animals that are capable of play are also capable of innovation
0:05:07 > 0:05:11and flexibility under unexpected circumstances.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15And it seems that polar bears and dogs love to play so much it
0:05:15 > 0:05:18can override a powerful force like hunger or, in the dog's case, fear.
0:05:21 > 0:05:22It's true.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25You know, I have seen an elephant and an earwig playing too.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27- Really?- Mm.- What were they playing?
0:05:27 > 0:05:29Squash. Ha-ha. Ba-dum-dum-tish.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35Perhaps the most incredible thing, though, is that this exceptional
0:05:35 > 0:05:39bear came back the following autumn and brought its friends with it.
0:05:39 > 0:05:44And now up to seven bears come to play with Brian's dogs every year
0:05:44 > 0:05:46and they've all become local celebrities.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51First you thing that the dogs are being attacked and then you realise,
0:05:51 > 0:05:54you know, he's holding his head in his mouth because he wants to.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56- Who's that?- No idea.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59- MAN:- You'd think that they'd be right in there eating the dogs
0:05:59 > 0:06:02straightaway but, I don't know, they have some kind of companionship
0:06:02 > 0:06:04going on. It's amazing. It's beautiful.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07They're happy to see their buddy, you know.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11I think the dogs get sad when they see the bears go in the fall.
0:06:11 > 0:06:12They miss them.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15But, you know, come a certain day the polar bears leave on the ice.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19Leaving the dogs hopeful that they will return next year
0:06:19 > 0:06:21to renew their friendship.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27- Ah, that's quite sweet really.- Yeah.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29Well, hang on, I'm not sure I'd call making friends with
0:06:29 > 0:06:33a half tonne carnivorous predator sweet.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36Tell you what though, certainly a radical relationship.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39Yes, but not as radical as making friends with a 50 tonne
0:06:39 > 0:06:40carnivorous predator.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43- No way.- Yes way. Watch.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48The Azores in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52These remote islands are a real hot spot for whale watchers.
0:06:52 > 0:06:57And one of the main attractions is the magnificent sperm whale.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01A 20 metre predator with one of the largest jaws on earth.
0:07:01 > 0:07:05Not generally the sort of animal you would think of cuddling up to.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09But look at these images captured just at the Azores.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12A pod of sperm whales with a very unusual companion in tow.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15A dolphin.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19The footage was filmed by marine biologist Dr Alexander Wilson.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21Nice coat and scarf combo there.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26The dolphin was a very unique animal.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29He was a full-grown adult male in very good condition,
0:07:29 > 0:07:31from what we could tell,
0:07:31 > 0:07:35but he obviously had this very visible spinal malformation.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37Despite its birth defect,
0:07:37 > 0:07:40the dolphin was keeping pace with the whales and, remarkably,
0:07:40 > 0:07:43it seemed to be deliberately interacting with them.
0:07:43 > 0:07:47The dolphin tended to use its tail flukes,
0:07:47 > 0:07:51its flippers and dorsal fin, as well as nuzzling with the sperm whales.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53And the whales were responding.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55So what on earth was going on?
0:07:55 > 0:07:58I think I might be able to help you there.
0:07:58 > 0:07:59How?
0:07:59 > 0:08:00With this.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04It's my latest invention. It's called the Tim's Animal Translator.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07It's going to tell us exactly what the dolphin is saying to the whales.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09Oh.
0:08:09 > 0:08:10DOLPHIN CALL
0:08:11 > 0:08:14DEVICE BEEPS
0:08:14 > 0:08:16- DEVICE:- 'Oi, Trevor, where's my pen?'
0:08:18 > 0:08:20Yeah, that needs some tweaking, actually.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24Could the reason for this strange alliance be that the dolphin
0:08:24 > 0:08:26was using the whales for protection?
0:08:26 > 0:08:29After all, there are plenty of other examples of different species
0:08:29 > 0:08:30cooperating in this way.
0:08:32 > 0:08:36In India, chital deer often graze with langur monkeys
0:08:36 > 0:08:38so there are more eyes looking out for danger.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41The deer even recognise the monkeys' alarms calls...
0:08:41 > 0:08:43MONKEY AND DEER CALLS
0:08:43 > 0:08:45..helping them to make a quick getaway.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48Naomi, allow me to translate.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51MONKEY AND DEER CALLS
0:08:51 > 0:08:54- DEVICE:- 'Oi, Trevor, where's my pen?'
0:08:54 > 0:08:56Does this machine translate every animal call as,
0:08:56 > 0:08:58"Oi, Trevor. Where's my pen"?
0:08:58 > 0:09:00Pretty much, yeah.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02Shall we carry on?
0:09:04 > 0:09:06Although it's clear that different species do
0:09:06 > 0:09:10use each other for protection, Dr Wilson is sceptical that this
0:09:10 > 0:09:13is the reason for this unusual relationship.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15Given that there's not very many predators
0:09:15 > 0:09:20that are capable of feeding on such a large dolphin in the area,
0:09:20 > 0:09:22this is unlikely to be a sole explanation.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25But we did see them interacting in a very friendly way,
0:09:25 > 0:09:28making a lot of physical contact and so it seems to suggest that
0:09:28 > 0:09:31some kind of underlying social factor is involved.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35So, Dr Wilson thinks the dolphin may simply have been after
0:09:35 > 0:09:37some companionship.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40But why was it with whales and not other dolphins?
0:09:40 > 0:09:43It's highly probable that the fact that this dolphin did have
0:09:43 > 0:09:46a very unique spinal malformation was part of the reason
0:09:46 > 0:09:48for the this type of interaction.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51In dolphin groups they exhibit a very strong hierarchy
0:09:51 > 0:09:54and this dolphin, for some reason, might have been
0:09:54 > 0:09:56lower on the totem pole than other members
0:09:56 > 0:09:59and could have been picked on by group members.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01So the sad truth is,
0:10:01 > 0:10:06this particular dolphin may have been rejected by his group
0:10:06 > 0:10:10and feeling isolated and lonely, he sought out companionship
0:10:10 > 0:10:12with the whales.
0:10:12 > 0:10:13MELANCHOLIC VIOLIN TUNE
0:10:13 > 0:10:15Could you stop that, please?
0:10:15 > 0:10:17And check this out. Whales aren't the only species
0:10:17 > 0:10:19that dolphins have made friends with.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23Because a few years ago in Ireland,
0:10:23 > 0:10:26a dolphin forged a friendship with a local dog.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29Ha. That is bonkers. What on earth is he doing?
0:10:29 > 0:10:31Maybe he's looking for his pen.
0:10:31 > 0:10:32Ha-ha. Very funny.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36MONKEY SQUEAKING
0:10:36 > 0:10:38Here it is. There you go. OK.
0:10:38 > 0:10:39Who was that?
0:10:39 > 0:10:41Trevor. Wanted his pen back.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44Anyway, forget about whales and dolphins
0:10:44 > 0:10:47because I have found the weirdest relationship of all time.
0:10:47 > 0:10:48Ooh.
0:10:48 > 0:10:49Cats.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51They're sleek, swift, agile
0:10:51 > 0:10:56and they stalk their prey with supreme stealth and deadly precision.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58OK, so what's the last animal that you'd expect a cat to be
0:10:58 > 0:11:00friends with them?
0:11:00 > 0:11:02Oh, a dog.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04Well, yeah, I mean obviously there's a dog.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08but what animal does a cat like to eat?
0:11:08 > 0:11:10- Er? Ooh! A mouse.- No.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12- A rat.- No.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14- Hamster?- No. It's not a rodent.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17- Er? Gerbil.- That's a rodent.
0:11:17 > 0:11:18- Oh.- No.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21- Think wings.- Ooh! A dragon.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23That's not even real!
0:11:23 > 0:11:25It's a bird. It's a bird.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29- Oh. I was going to say that next. - I bet you were.
0:11:30 > 0:11:36Cats like to eat birds and birds they like, well, not to be eaten by cats.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38So how do you explain this?
0:11:40 > 0:11:42Yeah, your eyes are not deceiving you.
0:11:42 > 0:11:48This cat in Ireland really is rearing and caring for three baby ducklings.
0:11:48 > 0:11:52Oh, my gosh. That is the cutest thing I've ever seen.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56It's like the laws of nature have been turned on their head.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00A duckling would normally be a tasty meal for this cat.
0:12:00 > 0:12:01So what is going on?
0:12:03 > 0:12:06Oh, that is so cute. Can we see it again?
0:12:06 > 0:12:08Can we? Can we? Can we?
0:12:08 > 0:12:10Don't you want me to explain what's going on?
0:12:10 > 0:12:13- Only if it involves more pictures of cute baby animals.- It does.
0:12:13 > 0:12:15Then go ahead.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19The key to this weird relationship is timing.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22Birds that nest on the ground are vulnerable to predators
0:12:22 > 0:12:25so it's vital that they follow their parents as soon as they hatch
0:12:25 > 0:12:27and don't wander off into danger.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31This is where something called imprinting comes in.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34The ducklings' brains are programmed to follow the first
0:12:34 > 0:12:35thing they see when they hatch.
0:12:35 > 0:12:39Normally that would be their mum, but it could literally be anything.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42An inanimate object like a watering can,
0:12:42 > 0:12:44a human being like you or me
0:12:44 > 0:12:47or, in this case, a cat.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50Oh, I want a baby duckling to imprint on me.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53Yeah, but don't you want to know why the cat doesn't eat them though?
0:12:53 > 0:12:55- Does it involve more pictures... - It does. Yeah.
0:12:55 > 0:12:56Proceed.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59Timing is also an important factor for the cat.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02This particular moggy had recently had kittens of her own,
0:13:02 > 0:13:06and when a mammal gives birth and suckles her young she's affected by
0:13:06 > 0:13:09a powerful hormone called oxytocin,
0:13:09 > 0:13:12which promotes feelings of love and bonding.
0:13:12 > 0:13:17In short, she is primed to care for young animals. Any young animals.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21As well as ducklings, cats have also been known to rear hedgehogs.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23Ohhhh!
0:13:23 > 0:13:25Yeah, even squirrels.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29Oh, I think I'm going to burst.
0:13:29 > 0:13:30Yeah, please don't.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32MEOW So there you go.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35The world is indeed filled with weird and wonderful relationships,
0:13:35 > 0:13:38which means you don't have to worry about your big date.
0:13:38 > 0:13:39What date?
0:13:39 > 0:13:41The date that you said you're going on tonight.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44Ah! Oh, no. I'm late! Oh!
0:13:44 > 0:13:46Hang on a minute.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49Naomi! Don't you want to get... dressed first?
0:13:56 > 0:13:58# Wild and weird, wild and weird
0:13:58 > 0:14:00# Really really wild and really really weird
0:14:00 > 0:14:02# They're wild and weird wild and weird
0:14:02 > 0:14:03# They're really really wild
0:14:03 > 0:14:07# They're really really wild and weird
0:14:09 > 0:14:12# Wild and weird. #