0:00:03 > 0:00:05Planet Earth.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09Millions of different species.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14But a few are special.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19Born to thrive.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29These are the opportunists.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35The collaborators.
0:00:38 > 0:00:39The survivors.
0:00:41 > 0:00:46So what is it that makes these animals so successful?
0:00:48 > 0:00:52By exploring the details deep beneath the skin,
0:00:52 > 0:00:54we'll discover the unique features
0:00:54 > 0:00:56that set some species apart.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00In this series,
0:01:00 > 0:01:04new behaviour and the very latest scientific discoveries
0:01:04 > 0:01:07will throw fresh insight into
0:01:07 > 0:01:10The Wonder of Animals.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28The scorching African savanna,
0:01:28 > 0:01:32the bitter cold of the Himalayas,
0:01:32 > 0:01:36and the tropical jungles of Asia -
0:01:36 > 0:01:41all wildly different landscapes -
0:01:41 > 0:01:44but in each one, the same group of predators
0:01:44 > 0:01:46are at the very top of the food chain.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51The big cats.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55Lions...
0:01:55 > 0:01:57tigers...
0:01:57 > 0:01:59leopards...
0:01:59 > 0:02:01jaguars...
0:02:01 > 0:02:03snow leopards.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08Powerful, well-armed predators,
0:02:08 > 0:02:11poised at the pinnacle of the ecological pyramid
0:02:11 > 0:02:14in whatever habitat they occupy.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17ZEBRA WHINNIES
0:02:19 > 0:02:22So what is it that allows big cats to reign supreme?
0:02:30 > 0:02:35Brute force is important,
0:02:35 > 0:02:39but what really allows big cats to overcome their prey
0:02:39 > 0:02:42are some surprisingly delicate adaptations.
0:02:46 > 0:02:50In this episode, we're going to reveal these sophisticated tools
0:02:50 > 0:02:55by following the three stages that make up every big cat hunt.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00The stalk...
0:03:00 > 0:03:04the capture...
0:03:04 > 0:03:06and the kill.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19When it comes to stalking,
0:03:19 > 0:03:22there is no cat more persistent than the leopard.
0:03:25 > 0:03:29It's been known to stalk its prey for over three kilometres.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36It's an essential method
0:03:36 > 0:03:41because big cats have less stamina than their prey.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50Wildebeest can run for hours on end.
0:03:53 > 0:03:59Whereas, a big cat can only maintain its top speed for short bursts.
0:04:03 > 0:04:04To gain the advantage,
0:04:04 > 0:04:07the leopard must get close to its prey -
0:04:07 > 0:04:12ideally, within just four metres.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16And the easiest way to do that...
0:04:16 > 0:04:18is at night.
0:04:26 > 0:04:30Now their stealth comes into its own.
0:04:33 > 0:04:34In the black of night,
0:04:34 > 0:04:36here on the African savanna,
0:04:36 > 0:04:41sight can no longer be relied upon by this leopard,
0:04:41 > 0:04:42or by its prey.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49Neither can see the scene
0:04:49 > 0:04:51that our cameras can.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58So it becomes a battle of the remaining senses.
0:05:02 > 0:05:07These impala can rotate their large, cupped ears 180 degrees...
0:05:09 > 0:05:12..picking up the slightest sound.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28Just one snapped twig would give the leopard away.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35But it has ways to keep quiet.
0:05:39 > 0:05:44When stalking, toe ligaments keep their claws off the ground,
0:05:44 > 0:05:47hidden in sheaths...
0:05:52 > 0:05:55..silencing each step.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02Its paw pads are packed with highly sensitive nerves...
0:06:05 > 0:06:10..one tap tells it the shape, texture and temperature
0:06:10 > 0:06:11of an object.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23And big cats have another weapon
0:06:23 > 0:06:28in their stalking armoury -
0:06:28 > 0:06:30whiskers...
0:06:30 > 0:06:32on their legs.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37Stiff hairs, known as carpal hairs,
0:06:37 > 0:06:39on their front legs,
0:06:39 > 0:06:42can detect vibrations in the ground
0:06:42 > 0:06:44and changes in air currents.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48Even domestic cats have them.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55These hairs send signals to nerve endings,
0:06:55 > 0:07:00telling the cat exactly how close its leg is to an object.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06It's an exquisite adaptation,
0:07:06 > 0:07:10crucial for stalking in the dark.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19Once its prey is within striking distance,
0:07:19 > 0:07:24the next step is the capture.
0:07:32 > 0:07:38Capturing a large mammal takes explosive power and agility.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44Nowhere more so than in the steepest terrain on Earth.
0:07:46 > 0:07:51The snow leopard lives at 4,000 metres,
0:07:51 > 0:07:55high up in the Himalayan mountains of Pakistan.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01Its prey is the nimble-footed markhor.
0:08:02 > 0:08:07Flexible hooves with traction pads give it a powerful grip
0:08:07 > 0:08:10and death-defying balance.
0:08:16 > 0:08:22But the snow leopard is just as at home on these perilous slopes.
0:08:29 > 0:08:34Short stocky forelimbs and strong chest muscles
0:08:34 > 0:08:38power it up near vertical cliffs in pursuit of its prey.
0:08:41 > 0:08:45But these are no ordinary muscles.
0:08:48 > 0:08:53All mammal muscles are made up of individual fibres,
0:08:53 > 0:08:57but scientists at the University of Cape Town
0:08:57 > 0:09:00have discovered that in the big cats, they're different.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05Although smaller than those found in humans,
0:09:05 > 0:09:10each big cat muscle fibre generates three times more power.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15And they have more of them, too.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20Just like pistons in a car,
0:09:20 > 0:09:24the more there are, the more powerful the engine.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31These fibres enable the snow leopard to leap up to 15 metres
0:09:31 > 0:09:35in a single bound when it's pursuing its prey.
0:09:48 > 0:09:53Delicate muscle structure delivers extraordinary power
0:09:53 > 0:09:56and supreme agility,
0:09:56 > 0:10:00culminating in the capture.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10Now for the kill.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15When it comes to the killer bite,
0:10:15 > 0:10:20the snow leopard is outdone by its distant South American cousin,
0:10:20 > 0:10:22the jaguar.
0:10:32 > 0:10:37It's able to exert over 700kg of force through its jaw.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45It can bite straight through the skull of its prey.
0:10:53 > 0:10:57Recent research from the University of South Carolina has revealed
0:10:57 > 0:11:00why the jaguar has a more powerful bite.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03Looking at this lion's skull,
0:11:03 > 0:11:06you might imagine that this larger animal would be stronger,
0:11:06 > 0:11:09but, in fact, the jaguar has proportionally more muscle mass
0:11:09 > 0:11:11attached to its jaws
0:11:11 > 0:11:14and those jaws are shorter
0:11:14 > 0:11:16which means they can exact more leverage.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21As a result, relative to their size,
0:11:21 > 0:11:25the jaguar has the strongest bite of all.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44Killing a wild pig is relatively easy.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48But the jaguar has evolved a powerful bite
0:11:48 > 0:11:52to enable it to take on much tougher prey -
0:11:52 > 0:11:57prey with thick skulls and thick skin.
0:12:03 > 0:12:07This amateur footage captures rarely seen behaviour.
0:12:12 > 0:12:20The jaguar enters the water with one thing on its mind - caiman.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31Unless the caiman is dispatched immediately,
0:12:31 > 0:12:32it could turn on its attacker.
0:12:34 > 0:12:38The jaguar needs to kill it with a single bite to the skull.
0:12:55 > 0:12:59The jaguar's success is not just down to strength.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03With perfect precision,
0:13:03 > 0:13:06it drives its canines through the ears
0:13:06 > 0:13:09and directly into the caiman's brain.
0:13:13 > 0:13:18But how can the jaguar deliver this surgeon-like precision
0:13:18 > 0:13:23whilst it's wrestling 50kg of thrashing caiman?
0:13:24 > 0:13:27Whiskers...
0:13:27 > 0:13:28this time, on its face.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34They help the jaguar align its powerful bite.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39A cat can control the direction of its whiskers.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41During a strike, they are pointed forward
0:13:41 > 0:13:44enabling receptors at their base,
0:13:44 > 0:13:46to provide precise information
0:13:46 > 0:13:48on the position of the prey.
0:13:50 > 0:13:55Like most mammals, its canines contain pressure-sensitive receptors
0:13:55 > 0:13:58so they don't break a tooth.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02But in the big cats, these receptors serve an extra purpose.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05They send signals to nerve-endings in the gum,
0:14:05 > 0:14:09telling the jaguar how to adjust the exact position of its jaw
0:14:09 > 0:14:12for the killer bite.
0:14:16 > 0:14:21So the hunting abilities of big cats are not just based on brawn.
0:14:24 > 0:14:28The key to the kill is a sophisticated set of senses.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37Now all that's left...is to eat.
0:14:42 > 0:14:47And some big cats can devour up to 42kg of meat...
0:14:49 > 0:14:51..in just one sitting.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54FLIES BUZZ
0:14:56 > 0:14:58It's not because they're greedy...
0:15:01 > 0:15:05..or even because they need more protein than other animals.
0:15:10 > 0:15:14It's because they have to extract all their necessary nutrients
0:15:14 > 0:15:16from eating meat alone.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21They simply can't survive on anything else.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29On the face of it,
0:15:29 > 0:15:31the feast is as brutal as the kill.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40But what's going on inside is highly sophisticated.
0:15:44 > 0:15:48Scientists recently discovered that big cats have genetic modifications
0:15:48 > 0:15:53which make them supremely efficient at digesting amino acids,
0:15:53 > 0:15:55fatty acids and fat...
0:15:59 > 0:16:03..and therefore better able to break down a carcass
0:16:03 > 0:16:05and extract the nutrients within.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07AGGRESSIVE GROWLING
0:16:10 > 0:16:13Even with this complex digestion,
0:16:13 > 0:16:18big cats need to eat up to 6kg of meat a day.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25Of all the cats, you might expect the largest - the tiger -
0:16:25 > 0:16:27to bring down the biggest prey,
0:16:27 > 0:16:29but, in fact, they don't.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34Tigers very often feed on things
0:16:34 > 0:16:36that are much smaller than themselves.
0:16:41 > 0:16:46But there is one big cat for whom size is no object.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54One cat that stalks, chases, kills and feasts
0:16:54 > 0:16:56like no other.
0:17:01 > 0:17:03The lion.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09And, once again, it's not all about brawn.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13This time it's about tactics.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23Despite being smaller than the tiger,
0:17:23 > 0:17:27the lion is the cat that takes down by far the biggest prey.
0:17:35 > 0:17:36Like Cape buffalo -
0:17:39 > 0:17:43..known as the black death in their native Africa,
0:17:43 > 0:17:46because of their ferocious reputation.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53Here on the plains, Cape buffalo make up over half of a lion's diet.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01But it's no easy catch -
0:18:02 > 0:18:05..900kg of pure fury...
0:18:07 > 0:18:10..three and a half metres long...
0:18:11 > 0:18:13..one and a half metres tall...
0:18:15 > 0:18:18..with a top speed that outstrips the lion.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22The lioness, by contrast,
0:18:22 > 0:18:25is just a seventh of the weight of the buffalo...
0:18:26 > 0:18:31..and her seven centimetre canines are no match for its horns.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35But what this lioness does have on her side...
0:18:38 > 0:18:40..is her pride.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46All other big cats are solitary hunters,
0:18:46 > 0:18:50but the lionesses rely on teamwork.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59They do the lion's share of the hunting
0:18:59 > 0:19:01here on the African grasslands.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12But good teamwork requires good tactics.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20Lions have been observed using strategies to hunt.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26They are ambush predators.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30They lie in wait where Cape buffalo are most likely to pass.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47Once the buffalo are in range,
0:19:47 > 0:19:50the lionesses take up their positions.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55Much like any sports team,
0:19:55 > 0:19:58lionesses have specific roles.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04The position an individual plays will vary from hunt to hunt.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09They adapt according to who else is on the team.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16These are the wings.
0:20:19 > 0:20:24Four lionesses who fan out surrounding the unsuspecting herd.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29The second role is the centre...
0:20:31 > 0:20:34..a fifth lioness who will place herself
0:20:34 > 0:20:36between the two flanks.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39She will likely make the kill.
0:20:45 > 0:20:50Centres are often the bigger, stronger members of the pride.
0:20:55 > 0:20:59Whereas the wings are usually more experienced lionesses,
0:20:59 > 0:21:02aided by sub-adults keen to learn.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08These experienced hunters in the wings
0:21:08 > 0:21:11initiate the attack,
0:21:11 > 0:21:13separating individuals from the herd
0:21:13 > 0:21:15and forcing them to flee
0:21:15 > 0:21:18in the direction of the centre lion,
0:21:18 > 0:21:19who will move in...
0:21:19 > 0:21:21and make the kill.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43Our lionesses are in position,
0:21:43 > 0:21:46and so is their prey.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21The danger seems all too obvious to the human eye...
0:22:24 > 0:22:27..but the buffalo see almost no colour...
0:22:28 > 0:22:32..just shades of yellow, blue and grey.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36Each lioness is waiting...
0:22:40 > 0:22:45..and watching for one of the wings to make her move.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09The wings' ruse works perfectly,
0:23:09 > 0:23:12driving the buffalo straight towards the centre.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16The centre lets the buffalo pass,
0:23:16 > 0:23:19then launches a chase.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23Lions never attack a buffalo head on -
0:23:23 > 0:23:27those horns are simply too lethal.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47Now her claws come into their own.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50The lioness contracts muscles in her lower leg,
0:23:50 > 0:23:54releasing the claws from their protective sheaths.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00They pierce the skin and muscle...
0:24:06 > 0:24:10..and a fifth claw - the dew claw, positioned like a thumb -
0:24:10 > 0:24:12gives an extra angle to the grip.
0:24:16 > 0:24:21Even so, her strength alone can't bring the buffalo to the ground.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26But help has arrived from the wings.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31Together, the struggle turns in their favour.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43But even at the point of death,
0:24:43 > 0:24:48brute force once again gives way to a more refined adaptation.
0:24:50 > 0:24:55It's not the lion's bite that makes the buffalo draw its final breath.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01For their size,
0:25:01 > 0:25:04lions have one of the weakest bites of all the big cats.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11And that's because they have the widest jaw -
0:25:11 > 0:25:14a 30cm gape.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16But what they lose in strength...
0:25:17 > 0:25:20they gain in their ability to clamp their entire jaw
0:25:20 > 0:25:22over the prey's muzzle.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36They suffocate it with a kiss of death.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52Teamwork like this enables lions to take even bigger prey.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00The largest of all land animals -
0:26:00 > 0:26:02the elephant.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10All of the big cats could feast on prey like this
0:26:10 > 0:26:12if they combined forces when hunting...
0:26:15 > 0:26:20..yet lions are the only ones to hunt as a team...
0:26:20 > 0:26:22THUNDERCLAPS
0:26:24 > 0:26:28..because they have an adaptation that the other big cats don't.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37Recent research at Michigan State University has found that,
0:26:37 > 0:26:38of all the big cats,
0:26:38 > 0:26:42lions have the most highly developed frontal cortex.
0:26:44 > 0:26:48That's the part of the brain that deals with decision making,
0:26:48 > 0:26:53problem solving and social behaviour.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57THUNDERCLAPS
0:27:02 > 0:27:04This enlarged frontal cortex
0:27:04 > 0:27:08is more evident in lionesses than in male lions.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15And it's the female lions who spend more time in groups.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22And because they do the majority of the hunting,
0:27:22 > 0:27:25this adaptation enables them not only to live as a pride,
0:27:25 > 0:27:30but also to strategise during a hunt.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36So the lionesses' hunting prowess
0:27:36 > 0:27:40stems not only from brawn but also from the brain.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51Strong jaws, powerful claws
0:27:51 > 0:27:54and razor-sharp teeth
0:27:54 > 0:27:57are not enough explain the success of the big cats.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05They all rely on a range of more delicate adaptations -
0:28:06 > 0:28:10from carpal hairs and whiskers...
0:28:10 > 0:28:13to intricate muscle fibres...
0:28:14 > 0:28:18and brain parts capable of clever strategies.
0:28:24 > 0:28:28It's these that enable the big cats to overpower prey,
0:28:28 > 0:28:30that might be bigger,
0:28:30 > 0:28:32stronger,
0:28:32 > 0:28:36or faster than they are -
0:28:36 > 0:28:39keeping them right at the top of the food chain
0:28:39 > 0:28:42wherever they live.
0:28:42 > 0:28:46And that's the wonder of big cats.