0:00:02 > 0:00:05My name is Steve Backshall.
0:00:05 > 0:00:09And this is Deadly 60 On A Mission.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13My team and I are travelling the world
0:00:13 > 0:00:17in 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.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25Only the most lethal will make my list
0:00:25 > 0:00:28and in this series we're going to show you
0:00:28 > 0:00:30my most extreme animal encounters.
0:00:30 > 0:00:35And you're coming with me every step of the way.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42This time on Deadly 60, we're in South Africa.
0:00:42 > 0:00:46It's a place that's legendary for its wildlife.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49Yes, the southern tip of the African continent
0:00:49 > 0:00:52is one of my favourite places to look for deadly animals.
0:00:52 > 0:00:56Some are deadly in their own world and some are deadly in ours...
0:00:56 > 0:00:58Oh, they hurt!
0:00:58 > 0:01:00..and I'll be doing whatever it takes
0:01:00 > 0:01:03to bring you some extraordinary creatures!
0:01:03 > 0:01:06I'll even be hopping over the border into Namibia
0:01:06 > 0:01:09to find Africa's most iconic predator.
0:01:09 > 0:01:13I've a feeling this is going to be a real adventure.
0:01:15 > 0:01:17So, to get my mission under way,
0:01:17 > 0:01:20I've come down to the coast to find an animal
0:01:20 > 0:01:23which strikes fear in the hearts of swimmers across the world.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26This part of South Africa's Indian Ocean coast
0:01:26 > 0:01:29is legendary for one kind of animal, sharks.
0:01:29 > 0:01:33There are more different species, and in greater numbers here,
0:01:33 > 0:01:36than just about anywhere else in the world.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40Only thing is, to get to the sharks, we've got to get out past that.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55One thing we always have on our side when trying to film sharks
0:01:55 > 0:01:57is their incredible sense of smell,
0:01:57 > 0:01:59particularly when they're sensing blood.
0:01:59 > 0:02:04We're going to drop that drum of fish down to the bottom of the sea
0:02:04 > 0:02:07and, hopefully, all the sharks round here
0:02:07 > 0:02:09are going to sense the blood molecules in the water
0:02:09 > 0:02:12and come to find out if there's anything worth feeding on.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18The sharks I'm looking for are blacktips.
0:02:18 > 0:02:22They normally work together in large groups, so, if I find one,
0:02:22 > 0:02:25I'm likely to find the whole gang.
0:02:25 > 0:02:27Shark!
0:02:29 > 0:02:32Five, six.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35Woah, look at this fin!
0:02:35 > 0:02:38Suddenly, there are blacktip sharks everywhere.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40Look at the size of those!
0:02:44 > 0:02:48This is fantastic. We've been here with bait in the water
0:02:48 > 0:02:50for no more than about four minutes
0:02:50 > 0:02:55and already we are absolutely surrounded with sharks.
0:02:55 > 0:02:56Watch your feet, Steve.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03This is amazing! Woah!
0:03:03 > 0:03:08They're very, very quick, really dynamic hunters.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12I'm dying to get into the water
0:03:12 > 0:03:16and see up close what makes them such efficient and lethal predators.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19Blacktips are not normally a danger to humans
0:03:19 > 0:03:23but their attitude totally changes when they go into feeding mode.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27So I'm going have to keep my wits about me.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29Two, three, go!
0:03:33 > 0:03:35The blood from our bait box
0:03:35 > 0:03:38has already attracted around 30 hungry sharks.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41Woah-ho-ho-ho!
0:03:41 > 0:03:44Amazing!
0:03:46 > 0:03:47As well as blood,
0:03:47 > 0:03:51these sharks are also attracted to electrical impulses
0:03:51 > 0:03:54and that includes the camera and my sound system.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57I'm trying to cover it up as best I can
0:03:57 > 0:03:59but things are starting to get a bit hairy.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03Whoa! Dear, that was too close.
0:04:04 > 0:04:09When they snatch like that in front of your face, it's really scary.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15What makes these sharks so deadly?
0:04:15 > 0:04:21The blacktip's body shape is like a blueprint for an underwater hunter.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25If you look at the way the body's designed - whoa, thanks a lot! -
0:04:25 > 0:04:31they're like a torpedo. Sharp nose, slender, sleek lines,
0:04:31 > 0:04:38so perfect for cutting through the water at speed.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40Their skin is covered with denticles,
0:04:40 > 0:04:45little tooth-like structures which reduce drag when travelling at speed
0:04:45 > 0:04:47and make them incredibly efficient swimmers.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49They work together as a team
0:04:49 > 0:04:53to manoeuvre thousands of fish into a bait ball.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55Then dart into the frame,
0:04:55 > 0:04:59picking off lone fish that get separated from the shoal.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16The sharks snatch at the fish with rows of razor sharp teeth...
0:05:19 > 0:05:23..devouring whole shoals in a matter of minutes.
0:05:23 > 0:05:29Each individual shark is impressive but together they're unstoppable.
0:05:38 > 0:05:43Our air is running low and we've pushed our luck for long enough.
0:05:46 > 0:05:51Oh-ho! Look at this!
0:05:51 > 0:05:53That scything dorsal fin of a shark
0:05:53 > 0:05:59is something that frightens people in the world more than anything.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01There's no way I could go home
0:06:01 > 0:06:03without putting these animals on the Deadly 60.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06They're awesome! Look at that!
0:06:21 > 0:06:24These sharks have earned a place on my Deadly 60.
0:06:26 > 0:06:31We're off to the perfect start with a lethal underwater predator
0:06:31 > 0:06:35but back on dry land, it's time to head for the hills.
0:06:35 > 0:06:37Driving inland, I'm hoping to add
0:06:37 > 0:06:41one of the world's most spectacular airborne predators
0:06:41 > 0:06:44to my list of deadly African animals.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48Soaring high above me is the black eagle.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52Look at this. He's folding his wings, stooping,
0:06:52 > 0:06:55coming crashing in to land! Wow!
0:06:57 > 0:07:00- That was extraordinary. - Keep your face away.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04This is Rourke. He was rescued as a very young chick,
0:07:04 > 0:07:08and he's been living for the last five years in good human company.
0:07:08 > 0:07:12He is an utterly magnificent predator,
0:07:12 > 0:07:15and if you want to see why, you don't have to look any further
0:07:15 > 0:07:16than those talons.
0:07:16 > 0:07:22Each one is like a long, curved kitchen knife of a weapon.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24If I wasn't wearing this thick leather glove,
0:07:24 > 0:07:26he could punch that talon
0:07:26 > 0:07:28right through my hand and out the other side.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32Add to these talons the black eagle's binocular vision,
0:07:32 > 0:07:37and a scimitar like beak, and you have a formidable predator.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40Key to a black eagle's success as a hunter
0:07:40 > 0:07:42is its skill in the air,
0:07:42 > 0:07:45and eagles are known for their phenomenal ability
0:07:45 > 0:07:48to soar for hours as they search for prey.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51So, if I'm going to put black eagles on the Deadly 60,
0:07:51 > 0:07:55I need to get a sense of just how good they are in the air,
0:07:55 > 0:07:59and that means getting up into their world.
0:08:01 > 0:08:07And there he is - look! There he is, right there!
0:08:09 > 0:08:11Just flying under my feet!
0:08:11 > 0:08:13Just incredible.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22OK, now the real trick to this paragliding lark
0:08:22 > 0:08:26is the same thing the eagles will be looking for,
0:08:26 > 0:08:31and that's thermals. A thermal is a rising current of warm air
0:08:31 > 0:08:35which would especially come up off a dark ploughed field,
0:08:35 > 0:08:38a big area of road. Just that warm air is enough
0:08:38 > 0:08:40to get you actually heading for the heavens
0:08:40 > 0:08:44and that's the weapon the black eagle uses to get high.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50We're sharing the skies with a true master,
0:08:50 > 0:08:54and Rourke is giving us a proper flying lesson.
0:08:56 > 0:09:01Using every single air current, Rourke was soon way above us.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03Where's Rourke? Where's he gone?
0:09:06 > 0:09:07With a two-metre wingspan,
0:09:07 > 0:09:10black eagles could cover hundreds of miles a day
0:09:10 > 0:09:13scouring the mountains for their prey.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21When black eagles hunt, quite often they'll fly right up into the sun
0:09:21 > 0:09:27so their prey won't be able to see them coming, and then stoop down with the sun behind them.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30And, when he's up there, there's no way I can see him.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33A small mammal doesn't stand a chance.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37But this isn't the only trick up their sleeves.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40The black eagle has the unique ability to hunt in pairs.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43They spy their quarry from up to a mile high,
0:09:43 > 0:09:47and then use deception and trickery to outwit it.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50While one hunter acts as a decoy, distracting the prey,
0:09:50 > 0:09:53its mate uses every bit of cover it can
0:09:53 > 0:09:57to sneak round the cliff edge and stoop in for the kill.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05No other bird of prey works with its mate in this way.
0:10:05 > 0:10:10Rourke's incredible skill in the air makes flying look effortless,
0:10:10 > 0:10:14but we are having rather less success,
0:10:14 > 0:10:19and the flying lesson is about to come to an abrupt end.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23Aaaagh!
0:10:24 > 0:10:26Oh!
0:10:28 > 0:10:30- Are you OK?- Yes.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36- That's what you call a crash landing.- Yes.
0:10:36 > 0:10:41I'm guessing that his landing was a little bit more graceful than ours,
0:10:41 > 0:10:43and there's no way we're leaving here
0:10:43 > 0:10:46without putting the black eagle on the Deadly 60.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52The black eagle's razor-sharp beak and talons rip its prey to shreds.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55Its flying ability is awe-inspiring,
0:10:55 > 0:10:59and it's a cunning, cooperative hunter.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02Black eagles are positively deadly.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10Now my mission to find southern Africa's deadliest animals
0:11:10 > 0:11:14is taking me and the crew back on the road.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17We've had a tip-off about a large group of killers
0:11:17 > 0:11:19living in a remote beauty spot.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23With rumours that they've killed someone in the last week,
0:11:23 > 0:11:25we've really got to have our wits about us,
0:11:25 > 0:11:29and apparently there are literally thousands of them.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35Most of the creatures we go looking for on the Deadly 60 are predators.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38They're deadly when they're hunting other animals to eat.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40But there are creatures that become dangerous
0:11:40 > 0:11:42when trying to defend themselves,
0:11:42 > 0:11:45and these next animals definitely fall into that category.
0:11:45 > 0:11:50There's about 80,000 of them at the bottom of that cliff face.
0:11:51 > 0:11:55When they attack, they attack in hundreds or even thousands.
0:11:57 > 0:12:01They have a venom that's fierce and easily capable of killing a human.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08They're African honey bees, sometimes known as killer bees.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13These insects are some of the most feared in the world,
0:12:13 > 0:12:16working together to fend off
0:12:16 > 0:12:20any would-be attacker with up to 1,000 stings.
0:12:20 > 0:12:25My aim is to see them up close and get a sense of their deadly power.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28I'm going to go a lot slower than I normally would
0:12:28 > 0:12:30abseiling down here.
0:12:30 > 0:12:35Fast, sharp actions are much more likely to annoy the bees.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38That's good, Steve.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42As if 80,000 potential killers wasn't enough to deal with,
0:12:42 > 0:12:44I had a 50-metre void beneath me.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49Hanging off a cliff in a beekeeper suit.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54This is madness.
0:13:04 > 0:13:08OK, so the hive's right in front of me.
0:13:08 > 0:13:12I'm going to move as carefully and slowly as I can now.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16I really don't want to harm them in any way, and obviously as well,
0:13:16 > 0:13:19if I annoy them, there's more chance that I'll get stung.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22BEES BUZZ
0:13:24 > 0:13:28For me, African honeybees are one of the wonders of nature.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31The fact that all these tiny insects,
0:13:31 > 0:13:35each one with brains no bigger than a full stop, can all act together
0:13:35 > 0:13:40to go out, collect honey, build an amazing hive like this -
0:13:40 > 0:13:43it's just extraordinary.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47They all work together, almost like one giant super-organism.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52This cooperation is what makes bees such a threat.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55When a bee stings, it continuously pumps venom
0:13:55 > 0:13:59into the skin, causing inflammation, potentially anaphylactic shock
0:13:59 > 0:14:01and even death.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05Each sting also releases an attack pheromone into the air,
0:14:05 > 0:14:09effectively calling others to join in the attack.
0:14:09 > 0:14:13And killer bees send four times more attackers than European bees,
0:14:13 > 0:14:15which only adds to their deadly reputation.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18Unfortunately, while I'm hanging on a rope,
0:14:18 > 0:14:21I can't control my movements as well as I'd like to.
0:14:22 > 0:14:27OK, so I just slightly knocked the hive there,
0:14:27 > 0:14:31and in a second, we've got an awful lot more activity.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36The noise also has intensified massively.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40It's actually quite intimidating being this close to it.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42It's a really heavy, droning buzz.
0:14:45 > 0:14:46Listen to that.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51The bees are trying as hard as they can to find a way in.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55They tend to target the head, and without this suit,
0:14:55 > 0:14:59I'd already have received hundreds of stings.
0:14:59 > 0:15:03The thing that makes African bees more dangerous than honey bees
0:15:03 > 0:15:06and gives them a reputation of killer bees
0:15:06 > 0:15:09is not because they're any bigger or their venom is stronger,
0:15:09 > 0:15:11it's just because they're so much more aggressive.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15They'll sting in much greater numbers,
0:15:15 > 0:15:18and they'll chase away an attacker for as much as a mile
0:15:18 > 0:15:20away from their hive.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24And, well, a couple of hundred stings could easily kill a person.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32I've just got to stay calm. Mustn't thrash around,
0:15:32 > 0:15:36that's the absolute worst thing to do.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39OK, they're now trying to sting me through the suit
0:15:39 > 0:15:41really heavily around my head.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47Despite my fascination for these insect wonders,
0:15:47 > 0:15:49I'm now starting to feel a bit intimidated.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54Oh, ow! Oh!
0:15:54 > 0:15:58One's stung me through the veil, right on the chin!
0:15:58 > 0:16:01Oh, you forget how much they hurt!
0:16:03 > 0:16:06I think it's time to head down.
0:16:06 > 0:16:08When they go on the attack
0:16:08 > 0:16:12all together, it doesn't really matter how fast you can run,
0:16:12 > 0:16:14you're in big trouble.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18And that's why African bees are going on the Deadly 60.
0:16:22 > 0:16:24They attack in large numbers
0:16:24 > 0:16:28of hundreds or even thousands of individuals.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31Each sting attracts more attackers,
0:16:31 > 0:16:35and their venom can cause anaphylactic shock and death.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39African killer bees definitely deserve a place on my Deadly 60.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45So, South Africa has lived up to expectations,
0:16:45 > 0:16:47with an impressive collection of animals.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50But my mission to bring you the most deadly animals
0:16:50 > 0:16:53this part of the world can offer is not over yet.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57I'm crossing over the border into Namibia.
0:16:57 > 0:16:59I'll be scouring its stunning deserts
0:16:59 > 0:17:02for an iconic snake, and the bush
0:17:02 > 0:17:05for probably the most famous predator in the whole of Africa.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08But first, that snake.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11A vast sea of sand dunes runs the length of Namibia,
0:17:11 > 0:17:16and the snake I'm looking for has a unique way of roaming them.
0:17:18 > 0:17:23Down here, that is just perfect.
0:17:27 > 0:17:31I've got him, I've got him. Yes!
0:17:31 > 0:17:36I can see his head, just down there.
0:17:36 > 0:17:40And you probably can't even see him, but if I take my snake hook...
0:17:42 > 0:17:45..and you follow a line directly down from the end of that...
0:17:45 > 0:17:50..Can you see him?
0:17:50 > 0:17:53It's a sidewinder, or Peringuey's adder.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56It's a viper, and it does have a venom that can do me harm,
0:17:56 > 0:17:58but because it's small,
0:17:58 > 0:18:02it shouldn't be able to bite through these thick leather gloves.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08Oh! Look at that!
0:18:10 > 0:18:15What an utterly beautiful little snake.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20Now, I know he's only tiny,
0:18:20 > 0:18:23but this is the master of the dunes.
0:18:23 > 0:18:28Wow! He's striking there and hissing, and he might well...
0:18:28 > 0:18:31He's trying to bite into the leather of my glove.
0:18:31 > 0:18:36Thankfully, it's too tough for him to get his fangs into.
0:18:37 > 0:18:41Just alongside these chunks of grass, you get a lot
0:18:41 > 0:18:45of very soft sand accumulating. This is where lizards like to dive,
0:18:45 > 0:18:49and it's also where this wonderful snake hides
0:18:49 > 0:18:51and lies in wait for them.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58The sidewinder is a highly camouflaged predator.
0:18:59 > 0:19:04Even its eyeballs are camouflaged, positioned on the top of its head,
0:19:04 > 0:19:08so they poke above the sand, while the rest of the body lies hidden.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12Conserving energy, it can lie motionless in this barren landscape
0:19:12 > 0:19:16for hours, even days, until the occasional prey comes along.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22To increase its chances of a meal,
0:19:22 > 0:19:26it uses its tail to lure its prey close enough
0:19:26 > 0:19:27to strike with a venomous bite.
0:19:30 > 0:19:35Wow! He's got an attitude for a little snake, hasn't he? Whoa!
0:19:37 > 0:19:41Very fast strike as well. I'm going to keep my fingers away from him,
0:19:41 > 0:19:43because although he's only little,
0:19:43 > 0:19:45the venom is sufficiently nasty
0:19:45 > 0:19:49that it would certainly give me a very bad day.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53But thing that makes this snake so special
0:19:53 > 0:19:56is what left that track over there.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59Sidewinding - its method of moving quickly
0:19:59 > 0:20:03across burning hot shifting sands. We're hopefully about to see
0:20:03 > 0:20:06one of the most remarkable ways of getting around
0:20:06 > 0:20:08in the animal kingdom.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15Look at that!
0:20:15 > 0:20:18This is such an efficient way of moving across sand.
0:20:18 > 0:20:22He just throws one coil of the body forward, anchors it,
0:20:22 > 0:20:24then throws the next one forward.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28And he's moving across very soft sand here.
0:20:28 > 0:20:29That is brilliant.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32Using this method, he can go up the steepest dunes,
0:20:32 > 0:20:35and look at the track he's leaving behind.
0:20:35 > 0:20:40Hopefully when he gets to some soft sand, he'll bury himself.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46Here he goes.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49Just gently worming the body in...
0:20:49 > 0:20:51easing himself down into the sand,
0:20:51 > 0:20:55and those camouflage colours are going to come into play.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02Sidewinder, on the Deadly 60.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06Brilliantly camouflaged,
0:21:06 > 0:21:10the sidewinding, sand-surfing viper is almost impossible to see.
0:21:10 > 0:21:14With a scintillating strike, and a cocktail of deadly venom,
0:21:14 > 0:21:17the sidewinder really rules the dunes.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21No doubt about it, the sidewinder is deadly.
0:21:23 > 0:21:27So that's the snake added to my Deadly 60.
0:21:27 > 0:21:28But I couldn't come to Africa
0:21:28 > 0:21:32without putting its ultimate predator, the lion, on my list.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37Here in Namibia at the Erindi Game Reserve,
0:21:37 > 0:21:40there's a team of researchers who study local lions,
0:21:40 > 0:21:41and if I'm to have any chance
0:21:41 > 0:21:45of getting up close to this ultimate top predator,
0:21:45 > 0:21:48I need all the help I can get.
0:21:48 > 0:21:52And it's not long before a tip-off leads us
0:21:52 > 0:21:54right to the heart of the action.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00I have a feeling it's hunting time.
0:22:02 > 0:22:06Looks like they've spotted something.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09There's a couple of warthog off to our left.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12And...our lions have spotted them.
0:22:13 > 0:22:17This is the perfect time for things to start happening.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21The warthog are getting closer. They don't realise what they're doing.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24This one here's moving forward with purpose.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35It's going to happen...right now.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39One down, over the back there. No, it's got away! He got away.
0:22:39 > 0:22:43The warthog just scattered in different directions.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47And one has just met its end in a thicket just over there.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50That would have to be one of the quickest,
0:22:50 > 0:22:55most completely perfect hunts I think I've ever seen.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03And that's certainly not enough to fill them all up.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07One of these animals can eat almost half my bodyweight...
0:23:11 > 0:23:15..in one go. Dead in a matter of seconds,
0:23:15 > 0:23:16eaten in a matter of minutes.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20That is what makes lions so deadly.
0:23:26 > 0:23:27But for the lion to go on my list,
0:23:27 > 0:23:29I really have to get a closer look
0:23:29 > 0:23:31at the weapons it has at its disposal,
0:23:31 > 0:23:33and I might just be in luck.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36A vet team are here, hoping to put a radio collar
0:23:36 > 0:23:40on one of the young males in the research programme.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43If I'm really lucky, I might just get hands on
0:23:43 > 0:23:47with one of the fiercest predators in the world.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50We're using infrared lights to find the male,
0:23:50 > 0:23:54because it doesn't disrupt their natural behaviour.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56Got some very bright eyeshine over there.
0:24:00 > 0:24:01Ah, look, look, look!
0:24:03 > 0:24:07And there are more ghostly shapes out in the darkness.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10There's three more lions just off to the left of us.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13Just going to get closer to see whether one of them is our male.
0:24:13 > 0:24:19One just there, look. That is very close. That's a lioness.
0:24:19 > 0:24:24Who's that? He looks like he means business.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28'But with all our attention focused in front,
0:24:28 > 0:24:30'we haven't noticed a lioness
0:24:30 > 0:24:33'that's crept round the back of the truck.'
0:24:39 > 0:24:41She's eyeing us up, she's right behind us.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45- How close is she?- Ten metres. Eight metres.
0:24:45 > 0:24:50She is way too interested for comfort.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52'And she's not alone.'
0:24:55 > 0:24:57This is really freaky.
0:24:57 > 0:25:01It's almost like those two were stalking us.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03With an uncomfortable white light on them,
0:25:03 > 0:25:06the lionesses slink back into the shadows.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10So we've got to get on with the job in hand, and fast.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14- Here we go, gents.- OK. Go.- Sit still.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25The tranquilliser was a direct hit.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28It'll take a few minutes for it to work.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33The male has just fallen asleep,
0:25:33 > 0:25:35so moving in close to him
0:25:35 > 0:25:38is going to be very dangerous indeed.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43We haven't got long before he wakes up again,
0:25:43 > 0:25:48and with the other lions stalking the shadows, we have to work fast.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52OK, everyone, very, very quiet.
0:25:57 > 0:26:03This is the first time in my life that I've ever touched a lion.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06I can feel its breathing and feel its heart beating.
0:26:10 > 0:26:15You can see he's still kind of yawning.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17He's still a little bit awake.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20But I've just got to show you
0:26:20 > 0:26:24the size of those incredible feet.
0:26:25 > 0:26:27They almost seem to belong
0:26:27 > 0:26:30to a completely different animal. And look.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37That...is a phenomenal weapon.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46I'm so nervous doing this, even though he's asleep.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49Look at those eyes.
0:26:49 > 0:26:53The lion's eyesight is said to be six times more powerful than ours,
0:26:53 > 0:26:56and definitely at night, it is far keener,
0:26:56 > 0:26:59which is what allows them to be so good at hunting at night.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01I'm still quite nervous,
0:27:01 > 0:27:04because the other two lions are quite nearby,
0:27:04 > 0:27:07but the last thing I want to show you...
0:27:09 > 0:27:10..is those teeth.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16That is one of the most extraordinary sets of canines
0:27:16 > 0:27:18that you'll see anywhere
0:27:18 > 0:27:21in the animal kingdom.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23It's time to let the vet team fit the radio collar,
0:27:23 > 0:27:27allowing them to keep track of this awesome animal
0:27:27 > 0:27:29as he leaves his current pride.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31So the antidote's in.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35It'll probably be an hour or so before he starts to rouse,
0:27:35 > 0:27:39but we're going to leave him now to wake up in his own good time.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42But before we go, I think the last thing we have to do
0:27:42 > 0:27:44is put lions on the Deadly 60.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48What an awe-inspiring creature.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55Lions are lethal team players.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59They use their night vision to hunt in almost total darkness
0:27:59 > 0:28:04and use their incredible teeth and claws to bring down their prey.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07The lion simply has to go on the Deadly 60.
0:28:12 > 0:28:14Getting hands-on with a lion
0:28:14 > 0:28:17has been the perfect ending to a marvellous mission.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19The sublime southern section of Africa
0:28:19 > 0:28:22has lived up to all my expectations,
0:28:22 > 0:28:25from the pack hunting black-tipped sharks
0:28:25 > 0:28:28to the awesome flying abilities of the black eagle,
0:28:28 > 0:28:31the lethal aggression of the killer bees,
0:28:31 > 0:28:34and the feisty sidewinder among Namibia's sand dunes.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37'Join me next time for some more of the Deadly 60.' Whoa!
0:28:45 > 0:28:48Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
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