0:00:02 > 0:00:05My name's Steve Backshall.
0:00:05 > 0:00:09And this is Deadly 60 On a Mission.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11My team and I are travelling the world
0:00:11 > 0:00:14in search of the planet's deadliest animals.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20I want to find out what makes them so deadly.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22And that means getting close to them in the wild.
0:00:23 > 0:00:26Only the most lethal will make my list.
0:00:26 > 0:00:30And this series, we're showing you my most extreme animal encounters.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33And you're coming with me, every step of the way!
0:00:44 > 0:00:48For this Deadly 60 mission, we're off to South America
0:00:48 > 0:00:50to meet the region's giant killers.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53Some could potentially be dangerous to humans,
0:00:53 > 0:00:57others are deadly in their own world.
0:00:57 > 0:00:58I'm in Argentina and Peru,
0:00:58 > 0:01:01to bring you the deadliest encounters on offer.
0:01:02 > 0:01:06We're starting in the Ibera wetlands of Argentina.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10It's a swamp the size of a small country,
0:01:10 > 0:01:13and we're looking for predators in these waters.
0:01:13 > 0:01:18They harbour a cast of killers made famous by horror movies,
0:01:18 > 0:01:21and I'm raring to go!
0:01:22 > 0:01:24South America is renowned for its giant snakes,
0:01:24 > 0:01:29and the first animal I am after is a master of swamp hunting.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31The yellow anaconda.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35The anaconda group includes the largest snakes on Earth.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38Adapted to life on land and in the water.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41They can hold their breath for up to half an hour.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47Anacondas use their muscular body
0:01:47 > 0:01:49to squeeze the life out of their victims.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53But to catch their prey, they need to set an ambush.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59It'll lie in wait for days, weeks, sometimes months on end.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02Its eyes and nostrils are on top of its head,
0:02:02 > 0:02:06so it can leave the minimum exposed.
0:02:06 > 0:02:10Which makes it difficult for its prey to spot,
0:02:10 > 0:02:14but also very difficult for us to spot, too.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17We could be here some time.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19'The plan is to ride around the area,
0:02:19 > 0:02:23'hoping the horses' hooves will disturb a snake.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29'And I'll get the chance to see one up close.'
0:02:31 > 0:02:37'It's quite spooky, what could be lying beneath this stuff.'
0:02:37 > 0:02:41'This is definitely perfect habitat for anacondas.'
0:02:41 > 0:02:46'These weird-looking capybara are one of its favourite foods.'
0:02:47 > 0:02:50'They're the world's largest rodents.'
0:02:51 > 0:02:53'But no sign yet of an anaconda.'
0:02:59 > 0:03:03'After three hours, one of the team spots movement in the water.'
0:03:03 > 0:03:05Can you take my reins?
0:03:05 > 0:03:11'It could be what we're looking for. Time to get off and investigate.'
0:03:18 > 0:03:21I saw something else move.
0:03:23 > 0:03:28'It's virtually impossible to see anything in this murky water.'
0:03:34 > 0:03:36Is there anywhere I haven't covered?
0:03:41 > 0:03:44'Suddenly, my foot hits something solid.'
0:03:46 > 0:03:47Aargh!
0:03:47 > 0:03:50That was a caiman.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53And I've just been given a really nasty bite.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55Are you all right?
0:03:55 > 0:03:57I don't think so.
0:03:58 > 0:03:59No?
0:03:59 > 0:04:01Oh, dear.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08It's whipped round and taken a chunk out of my leg.
0:04:08 > 0:04:12'That's put an end to our anaconda hunt for today.'
0:04:15 > 0:04:16A mess, isn't it?
0:04:16 > 0:04:19The most important thing is to get me to hospital.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22Crocodile bites have enormous amounts of bacteria in them,
0:04:22 > 0:04:24so we need to get it cleaned up,
0:04:24 > 0:04:27stitched up and I'll be back snake hunting tomorrow.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32'Well, at least that's what I was hoping.'
0:04:34 > 0:04:37Anaconda hunting on horseback is
0:04:37 > 0:04:40going to have to wait for my wound to heal.
0:04:40 > 0:04:45So next, I want to show you the beast that bit me. A caiman.
0:04:45 > 0:04:50It's 24 hours since my disagreement with a spectacled caiman.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53I've been all patched up.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56It's a bit sore, but I can still walk all right.
0:04:56 > 0:05:01The last thing I want is people thinking that spectacled caiman
0:05:01 > 0:05:02are evil monsters. In actual fact,
0:05:02 > 0:05:05spectacled caimans are one of
0:05:05 > 0:05:08the least aggressive crocodilians towards people.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10'Assuming you don't step on them!
0:05:10 > 0:05:13'Let's have a proper look at one.'
0:05:13 > 0:05:16What I'm hoping is...
0:05:16 > 0:05:20I can make some vibrations in the water...
0:05:21 > 0:05:26..and they'll think that it's a struggling animal, and investigate.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28Keep your eyes open, guys.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32'It doesn't take long for them to sense us.'
0:05:32 > 0:05:36See those eyes above the surface?
0:05:36 > 0:05:40He's definitely got his eyes on me.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47Look at that! 'He seems intrigued by the disturbance.'
0:05:49 > 0:05:55Everything about its profile is perfect for its method of hunting.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57Even in water this shallow,
0:05:57 > 0:06:02the only thing above the surface are the eyes and nostrils.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04So he can breathe
0:06:04 > 0:06:08and get a good look at what he's thinking of hunting.
0:06:08 > 0:06:14'Unusually for spectacled caiman, this one seems unafraid of people.'
0:06:17 > 0:06:22He might even come up out of the water if we give him a bit of space.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25Here he comes.
0:06:25 > 0:06:30'This caiman is about the same size as the one that bit me.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34'We're getting a better look than I dared to hope for.'
0:06:46 > 0:06:49Look at that mouth!
0:06:50 > 0:06:53It's lined with around 70 cone-shaped teeth
0:06:53 > 0:06:56that are replaced throughout its life.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00The upper and lower teeth overlap the mouth, and its muscular jaws
0:07:00 > 0:07:04bite down, crushing its prey in a vice-like grip.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08The reason it's known as the spectacled caiman
0:07:08 > 0:07:13is that, between the eyes, there's a bony ridge that looks like
0:07:13 > 0:07:15the bridge on a pair of glasses.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19Now we've got one that's being friendly,
0:07:19 > 0:07:23what I'd really like to do is to show you one hunting.
0:07:23 > 0:07:27To do that, we head back into the water.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30Because that's where these guys get deadly.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34'With vibration sensors around their mouth,
0:07:34 > 0:07:37'spectacled caiman can detect tiny movements.
0:07:37 > 0:07:43'A specialised heart means they can hold their breath for over an hour.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46'But thanks to fast-twitch muscles in their tails,
0:07:46 > 0:07:49'they attack with phenomenal speed, lunging at their prey
0:07:49 > 0:07:51'and grabbing it in their jaws.'
0:07:56 > 0:07:58'To see our caiman in action,
0:07:58 > 0:08:01'we're going to use a fishing rod and bait
0:08:01 > 0:08:04'to lure it as close as possible to the underwater camera.'
0:08:05 > 0:08:08Caiman are opportunistic hunters, and he can't resist
0:08:08 > 0:08:10our bait for long.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14He's getting over his natural nerves.
0:08:16 > 0:08:20This is quite a strange sensation,
0:08:20 > 0:08:23being this close to a crocodile, in the water,
0:08:23 > 0:08:27looking into its mouth. Look at that!
0:08:27 > 0:08:31Whoa! It's got the fish!
0:08:31 > 0:08:34I never thought I'd be able to be this close
0:08:34 > 0:08:38to a wild crocodilian feeding.
0:08:38 > 0:08:39Oh!
0:08:42 > 0:08:45Give it a good pull!
0:08:45 > 0:08:49He's going to lift his head out the water
0:08:49 > 0:08:51and throw that fish back in one gulp.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57'Having seen it hunting, and experienced its bite first-hand,
0:08:57 > 0:09:01'I know it's not a man-eater, but it is deadly to just about
0:09:01 > 0:09:04'all the other animals living in this swamp.'
0:09:05 > 0:09:09The spectacled caiman - fish-munching,
0:09:09 > 0:09:12capybara-crunching,
0:09:12 > 0:09:16absolutely awesome, and on the Deadly 60.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20They can hold their breath for over an hour
0:09:20 > 0:09:22thanks to adaptations of the heart and lungs.
0:09:22 > 0:09:26Fast-twitch muscles give it awesome speed.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30With multiple replaceable teeth.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33Take it from me, it's a vice-like bite.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40'With my leg too sore for anaconda hunting on horseback,
0:09:40 > 0:09:44'we're looking for an even more infamous local predator.
0:09:44 > 0:09:48'So feared that they've inspired blockbuster horror movies.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50'Marcus, the owner of this ranch, knows the best way
0:09:50 > 0:09:52'to get a look at these creatures.'
0:09:52 > 0:09:54How do I cast this thing?
0:09:54 > 0:09:57'Using a fishing rod and a chunk of meat.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00'In seconds, I've hooked a killer.'
0:10:00 > 0:10:04Ooh. Have something. I've got piranha already. Look at that.
0:10:08 > 0:10:13There are several species of piranhas in these waterways.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15This is a smaller one.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18Beautiful yellow colours.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20Black bar down the tail.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22This isn't what we're looking for.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26There's a species of piranha in here that dwarfs this baby.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28That's what we're hoping to catch.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33I want to wash my fingers, but I don't want to put them in the water.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37More bait, please.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42'Piranhas are virtually throwing themselves into the boat,
0:10:42 > 0:10:44'but not the ones we're after.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50'Luckily, Marcus is a much better fisherman than I am.'
0:10:50 > 0:10:53Yay! Good catch!
0:10:54 > 0:10:57'He's got the one I'm looking for.'
0:10:58 > 0:11:03Now, THAT is a piranha.
0:11:03 > 0:11:05This is the real deal.
0:11:05 > 0:11:09Local people call these the brave piranha.
0:11:09 > 0:11:15Also, the yellow, from the wonderful bright yellow belly.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19I'm now about to show you one of the most awesome sets of gnashers
0:11:19 > 0:11:21you'll ever see in the animal kingdom.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24Hopefully, without losing one of my fingers.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26Uh-oh! Urgh!
0:11:28 > 0:11:32- STEVE GASPS - Look at those!
0:11:33 > 0:11:36The teeth are fiercely sharp.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40They interlock with the teeth on the upper jaw.
0:11:42 > 0:11:50Forming a vicious trap that it uses to munch into other fish
0:11:50 > 0:11:54and animals unlucky enough to be struggling in these waters.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58'To show you how sharp their teeth are, watch this.'
0:12:02 > 0:12:04That's what I call sharp.
0:12:06 > 0:12:12When the water's murky, I wouldn't think of getting in with these guys.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16But I have a plan for showing you how piranhas feed up close.
0:12:16 > 0:12:21'Piranhas sense the movement of potential prey in the water,
0:12:21 > 0:12:24'with a row of tiny hairs on their side called a lateral line.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27'Plus, they have an extraordinary sense of smell,
0:12:27 > 0:12:30'they can detect one drop of blood in 200 litres of water.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35'Then, the frenetic feeding begins.'
0:12:44 > 0:12:50We've found ourselves a sheltered lagoon. The water is much clearer.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53I'm hoping that this is piranha paradise,
0:12:53 > 0:12:57but there's only one way to find out, and that's to jump in.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01'You did hear me right, I'm going to have to risk it,
0:13:01 > 0:13:04'leg wound and all, before I can put them on the list.
0:13:04 > 0:13:08'For protection, I've just got a wetsuit and some gloves,
0:13:08 > 0:13:10'and a big piece of steak for bait.'
0:13:10 > 0:13:13I'm in piranha-infested waters!
0:13:14 > 0:13:18'Within five seconds of dunking the bait and the camera,
0:13:18 > 0:13:20'the piranhas are all around me.'
0:13:21 > 0:13:24Look at the size of that one!
0:13:24 > 0:13:27Hey, hey! It's starting to happen!
0:13:27 > 0:13:31Once we get a few of those showing interest,
0:13:31 > 0:13:35all of its fellow piranhas will pick up the signals.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39They'll start feeding, and that's when it gets spectacular.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47They are tearing the meat to shreds.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50'Whether they're scavenging dead meat
0:13:50 > 0:13:53'or taking on live prey, this technique is the same.'
0:13:53 > 0:13:56They come in at great speed
0:13:56 > 0:14:01and sink those interlocking surgical scalpel-sharp teeth into the meat,
0:14:01 > 0:14:04then wrench away, using all of their bulk,
0:14:04 > 0:14:06taking a great big chunk of meat.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10Then, the next one comes in.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13It's like a conveyor belt of frenzied fish.
0:14:15 > 0:14:17'One reason for this hit-and-run strategy
0:14:17 > 0:14:20'is to avoid being eaten by each other.'
0:14:22 > 0:14:27This is just one of the phenomenal displays of predatory behaviour
0:14:27 > 0:14:29you'll ever see.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32'And just three minutes later...'
0:14:32 > 0:14:34Look at this!
0:14:34 > 0:14:37Look what's left of our meat!
0:14:37 > 0:14:40They've totally destroyed it.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44A few little sad bits of bone left.
0:14:44 > 0:14:49And I'm stood here, hoping that my wetsuit's going to protect me.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52'Many piranha species are actually vegetarian.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55'But not these.'
0:14:55 > 0:14:58I don't think anyone's going to doubt
0:14:58 > 0:15:01piranhas have got to go on the Deadly 60.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05- Can I get out now, please? - LAUGHING
0:15:07 > 0:15:11With built-in motion sensors to find prey in murky water,
0:15:11 > 0:15:15the ability to smell a single drop of blood,
0:15:15 > 0:15:18and scalpel-sharp teeth for shearing off flesh...
0:15:20 > 0:15:24..piranhas are deadly to the core.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28'Two days after my altercation with the caiman,
0:15:28 > 0:15:31'my leg's healed enough to get back in the saddle.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35'It's out last day in Argentina and I really want
0:15:35 > 0:15:38'to fulfil my objective - to find a yellow anaconda.'
0:15:38 > 0:15:42We have such a vast area of swampy land to cover.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46We're trying to spread out as much as possible.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48'Time is really running out.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54'We know they're out there -
0:15:54 > 0:15:57'people sometimes find them in their back yards.
0:15:57 > 0:16:02'But they're so well camouflaged in this swamp, we just can't see them.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07'Empty-handed, we head back to base.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10'But while we've been out scouring the countryside for snakes,
0:16:10 > 0:16:14'the owner of the ranch nearly ran one over on his way home.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19'He rescued it and put it in this box.'
0:16:19 > 0:16:22Will it let me just get it out?
0:16:22 > 0:16:25'We're going to return it to the wild,
0:16:25 > 0:16:28'but first I want to show you its assassin skills.'
0:16:28 > 0:16:31So...
0:16:31 > 0:16:36this beautiful snake is a yellow anaconda.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39It's actually quite a small one.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43This snake can get up to four metres, the big females.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47As it's opening its mouth,
0:16:47 > 0:16:52it's revealing the rows of razor-sharp teeth.
0:16:52 > 0:16:57They're like needles, and they all point back towards the throat.
0:16:57 > 0:16:59Once it's got a hold of prey,
0:16:59 > 0:17:04it's almost impossible for them to escape.
0:17:04 > 0:17:09Look how those teeth point backwards, into the mouth.
0:17:11 > 0:17:16Even though this is a non-venomous snake, a bite would be very painful.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20Obviously, yellow anacondas don't eat people.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23What they eat is the water birds and small mammals
0:17:23 > 0:17:26around the swamp where they live.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28'This may not see me as prey,
0:17:28 > 0:17:33'but he's giving me a good example of how they overpower their victim.'
0:17:33 > 0:17:36This little male is transmitting
0:17:36 > 0:17:40an enormous amount of power into my hand.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42Look how it's doing it.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45It's wrapped several coils around,
0:17:45 > 0:17:49and then has this extra coil going lengthways across it
0:17:49 > 0:17:52that it's using to anchor itself.
0:17:52 > 0:17:56Just increasing its grip and its squeeze.
0:17:57 > 0:18:02That is like the firmest handshake I've ever had!
0:18:02 > 0:18:05If I was to allow that to continue,
0:18:05 > 0:18:08it would probably start breaking my hand bones.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10Ow!
0:18:13 > 0:18:19I wasn't joking. This will actually start to break my hand pretty soon.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27Ugh! Wow!
0:18:28 > 0:18:30Can I help?
0:18:30 > 0:18:34That is a perfect example of how strong
0:18:34 > 0:18:37the yellow anaconda can be.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39Almost brought me to my knees.
0:18:39 > 0:18:43'That strength is backed up by acute senses.'
0:18:43 > 0:18:46Look at that tongue flicking out.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49This is the prime method of sense for snakes.
0:18:49 > 0:18:53Drawing in molecules of taste and smell from the air,
0:18:53 > 0:18:56and processing them in their mouths.
0:18:56 > 0:19:00OK, back to the swamps where he belongs.
0:19:01 > 0:19:07This is about as perfect habitat as you will ever see.
0:19:07 > 0:19:13So...back to the swamp for our beautiful yellow anaconda.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21Look how quickly he disappears.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23I mean, you would never know he was there.
0:19:23 > 0:19:27That's why yellow anacondas have to go on the Deadly 60.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32It's a camouflaged ambush predator
0:19:32 > 0:19:35with a tongue that can taste the odour of its prey,
0:19:35 > 0:19:38and when its got a hold, it squeezes the life out of them
0:19:38 > 0:19:40in a matter of minutes.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43Yellow anaconda...
0:19:43 > 0:19:44deadly.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49'Argentina's swamp monsters have been full of surprises.'
0:19:49 > 0:19:51Ah!
0:19:51 > 0:19:54'But there's another South American giant
0:19:54 > 0:19:56'that could eat these guys for breakfast. And to show you that,
0:19:56 > 0:20:00'I'm leaving Argentina and heading north and west
0:20:00 > 0:20:02'to the Peruvian Amazon.'
0:20:02 > 0:20:04This is Peru, and the Amazon rainforest.
0:20:04 > 0:20:08If we can't find deadly predators here, we might as well give up.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12'But there's no time to waste,
0:20:12 > 0:20:16'because we've got a tip-off that the giant predator I'm after
0:20:16 > 0:20:18'is in the vicinity.'
0:20:18 > 0:20:21Just over the other side of this lake
0:20:21 > 0:20:26is one of the most elusive but one of the most fascinating creatures
0:20:26 > 0:20:30found in the whole of the Amazon - the giant river otter.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34'As their name suggests, this is no ordinary otter.
0:20:34 > 0:20:38'At a length of two metres, they're longer than I am tall.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42The only thing on our minds is getting to these animals
0:20:42 > 0:20:44before they disappear.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50SCREECHING
0:20:50 > 0:20:52'We can hear them on the edge of the lake,
0:20:52 > 0:20:55'and from the sound of it, they're trying to scare something off.
0:20:57 > 0:20:59'But hearing them is far easier than seeing them.'
0:21:04 > 0:21:07'Giant otters are incredibly rare,
0:21:07 > 0:21:12'and very few people actually get to witness them at close quarters.'
0:21:17 > 0:21:19(Steve, Steve! Slow down.)
0:21:23 > 0:21:25'And there they are.'
0:21:28 > 0:21:31This is just extraordinary!
0:21:32 > 0:21:35There's a group of about seven animals in front of us,
0:21:35 > 0:21:39and one of them has just made a kill.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43- And... Look, this branch here. - OTTER CRUNCHES
0:21:43 > 0:21:46And I can hear him crunching from here!
0:21:46 > 0:21:50Local people call these animals river wolves,
0:21:50 > 0:21:52and it's a really apt name.
0:21:53 > 0:21:55Firstly, you look in their mouths,
0:21:55 > 0:21:59and they've got canine teeth that wouldn't look out of place
0:21:59 > 0:22:01on a wolf.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05Secondly, they're the longest of the weasel family,
0:22:05 > 0:22:07and in weight - about 35 kilos -
0:22:07 > 0:22:10actually not that dissimilar to a wolf.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13And thirdly, they hunt in packs.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18'And it's by ganging together that these guys
0:22:18 > 0:22:21'can take on South America's other deadly predators.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25'They can kill a caiman twice their size,
0:22:25 > 0:22:28'slicing it open with their long, pointed canines.'
0:22:34 > 0:22:37'They've been seen dispatching five-metre anacondas,
0:22:37 > 0:22:41'giant catfish, and piranhas are regular prey.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43'Whether it's hunting or defending its territory,
0:22:43 > 0:22:45'this animal dominates the flooded forest.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52'I never thought for a second we'd see otters hunting.'
0:22:52 > 0:22:53Wow!
0:22:54 > 0:22:56'But then...'
0:22:56 > 0:22:58The water's just parting in front of him,
0:22:58 > 0:23:00he's coming right up to us.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04You can see the power of them as they swim!
0:23:07 > 0:23:10'They need to be powerful swimmers because,
0:23:10 > 0:23:13'although they will eat reptiles, over 90% of their diet is fish.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18'They're perfectly adapted
0:23:18 > 0:23:21'for hunting in the murky waters of the Amazon basin.
0:23:23 > 0:23:27'They can stay under water for eight minutes at a time,
0:23:27 > 0:23:30'using their paddle-like tails to propel them forward
0:23:30 > 0:23:32'and webbed feet for quick manoeuvring.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37'When visibility is poor, their long, sensitive whiskers
0:23:37 > 0:23:39'feel the movement of fish in the water...
0:23:40 > 0:23:43'..allowing them to hone in on their prey.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53'By working together, a group of giant otters confuse the fish,
0:23:53 > 0:23:55'rendering them helpless.'
0:24:02 > 0:24:06One, two, three heads come to the surface. Five heads to the surface.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09Three of them have got fish.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11That is incredible.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15You'd be hard-pressed to find any other predator in the world
0:24:15 > 0:24:18that has that kind of success ratio when they're hunting.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21OTTER GRUNTS AND CRUNCHES
0:24:25 > 0:24:28I may be a battle-hardened naturalist.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31I've seen lions hunting, orca, great white,
0:24:31 > 0:24:35but none of them come even close to being as efficient as these guys.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38And that's why they're going on the Deadly 60.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44How good was that?!
0:24:46 > 0:24:50Giant otters use tactile whiskers to detect prey,
0:24:50 > 0:24:53they can hold their breath for eight minutes to hunt it down,
0:24:53 > 0:24:56and work as a team to make the kill.
0:24:57 > 0:25:01When otters get together, the outcome is always deadly.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07'It's into the jungle to top off this mission,
0:25:07 > 0:25:10'not looking for anything specific this time,
0:25:10 > 0:25:13'but in this jungle, I'm bound to find something that fits the bill.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17'There are poisonous frogs, venomous centipedes and scorpions,
0:25:17 > 0:25:22'and snakes - some of the most impressive found anywhere.'
0:25:22 > 0:25:24Great stuff! OK.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27- HE CHUCKLES - I really want to kneel down here,
0:25:27 > 0:25:31but there's loads of nasty stinging ants.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44Wow!
0:25:44 > 0:25:46That...
0:25:46 > 0:25:48is an enormous snake!
0:25:50 > 0:25:52Torch, someone? Torch?
0:26:03 > 0:26:07It just keeps on coming and coming and coming.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10Look at the size of it!
0:26:14 > 0:26:17'At first sight, this snake may look similar to the yellow anaconda,
0:26:17 > 0:26:21'but it couldn't be more different. It's not a constrictor,
0:26:21 > 0:26:22'but it bites with utter ferocity,
0:26:22 > 0:26:25'then thrashes its prey against stones or tree roots,
0:26:25 > 0:26:27'battering it to death.'
0:26:27 > 0:26:30This...is a yellow-tailed cribo,
0:26:30 > 0:26:35and it is absolutely enormous, by far the biggest one I've ever seen.
0:26:35 > 0:26:40The tail is a glorious golden-yellow colour.
0:26:40 > 0:26:45The scales are so shiny, it's almost like handling a snake made of silk.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48It's almost impossible to keep a hold of him.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51He just keeps shifting through my hands. Look at that!
0:26:51 > 0:26:53You just can't grip him.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58'And it's this smooth, muscular body allows the cribo
0:26:58 > 0:27:01'to move silently through the forest in search of prey.'
0:27:01 > 0:27:04Now, this is a snake that will feed on all sorts of things,
0:27:04 > 0:27:07and also on other snakes, and a big one like this
0:27:07 > 0:27:12could take on some of THE most dangerous, THE most venomous snakes
0:27:12 > 0:27:14found in Latin America.
0:27:14 > 0:27:19'Lanceheads, coral snakes, rattlesnakes, even the bushmaster.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21'And it dispatches them headfirst,
0:27:21 > 0:27:25'with possibly the most powerful bite of all snakes.'
0:27:26 > 0:27:28Ooh-ya!
0:27:29 > 0:27:31'This snake's a real handful,
0:27:31 > 0:27:33'and it's easy to see how it overpowers its prey.'
0:27:36 > 0:27:40Well, I got absolutely covered in ant bites and stings,
0:27:40 > 0:27:44but it is absolutely worth it.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47This is one of THE most magnificent snakes found around here,
0:27:47 > 0:27:52and by far the biggest yellow-tailed cribo I've ever seen.
0:27:52 > 0:27:56I reckon this awesome animal that eats other snakes,
0:27:56 > 0:28:00birds, lizards, frogs, anything that is unlucky enough
0:28:00 > 0:28:02to come into its path -
0:28:02 > 0:28:06yellow-tailed cribo is on the Deadly 60.
0:28:08 > 0:28:12The yellow-tailed cribo is a giant snake-hunting serpent,
0:28:12 > 0:28:14it'll eat anything it can swallow...
0:28:16 > 0:28:19..with possibly the most powerful bite of any snake.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22Now, THAT is a killer appetite.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28'This mission has been deadly in name,
0:28:28 > 0:28:30'and very nearly deadly in nature.'
0:28:30 > 0:28:32Ah!
0:28:32 > 0:28:34'I've been bitten by a caiman,
0:28:34 > 0:28:37'I experienced a piranha feeding frenzy...
0:28:38 > 0:28:40'..and a yellow anaconda put the squeeze on me.
0:28:41 > 0:28:45'In the Amazon, I witnessed giant otters hunting as a pack,
0:28:45 > 0:28:49'before winding up with the largest yellow-tailed cribo I've ever seen.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51'It's been a killer trip,
0:28:51 > 0:28:54'so join me next time for Deadly 60 On A Mission.'
0:28:58 > 0:29:01Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:29:01 > 0:29:05E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk