0:00:05 > 0:00:08Meet the Steller's jay.
0:00:08 > 0:00:09What a bird!
0:00:12 > 0:00:15At the moment, he does have a bit of a problem.
0:00:15 > 0:00:19It's winter, and food is scarce.
0:00:20 > 0:00:25The garden bird table is a lifeline for this jay...
0:00:28 > 0:00:30..only dozens of other birds
0:00:30 > 0:00:32are making the most of this feast,
0:00:32 > 0:00:36so the food is not going to last very long.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41But our Steller's jay here has a very clever plan.
0:00:41 > 0:00:46In fact, I'd go so far as to say it was downright devious.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49A red-shouldered hawk -
0:00:49 > 0:00:51it's the neighbourhood's top predator.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56Just the sound of its distinctive call
0:00:56 > 0:00:59sends all these birds scattering.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02The jay knows this.
0:01:02 > 0:01:07And it's about to do something that I've never seen or heard before.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15JAY IMITATES HAWK
0:01:16 > 0:01:20One jay has learned to pull off a pitch-perfect copy
0:01:20 > 0:01:22of the hawk's call.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33With the other birds tricked,
0:01:33 > 0:01:37he's got all of the food to himself.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39Look at that!
0:01:40 > 0:01:43That's nature at its most devious.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49And it turns out, the sneaky Steller's jay
0:01:49 > 0:01:53isn't the only one tricking other animals to get itself a meal.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07All across the world, animals face the same dilemma -
0:02:07 > 0:02:09find food or die.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12It really is that simple.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21And of course, there's no guarantee
0:02:21 > 0:02:24of where their next meal is coming from.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29So what can animals do to tip the balance in their favour?
0:02:33 > 0:02:36Would they lie, cheat and deceive one another
0:02:36 > 0:02:39just to get an advantage, just to survive?
0:02:39 > 0:02:40Oh, come on.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43Of course they would.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51Join me as I meet the world's sneakiest animals,
0:02:51 > 0:02:54who'll do whatever it takes to grab themselves a meal.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20The rainforest...
0:03:25 > 0:03:30..where a supremely sneaky animal faces a real challenge.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35The one thing that's apparent in a rainforest like this
0:03:35 > 0:03:38is that you're surrounded by insects.
0:03:38 > 0:03:39Just listen. OVERLAPPING CHIRPING
0:03:39 > 0:03:43There's a vast diversity of these animals living here...
0:03:44 > 0:03:48..which would make you think that if you were an insect predator,
0:03:48 > 0:03:50you'd have things pretty much your own way.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54But I've got to tell you, that isn't necessarily so.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58Lightning-fast and agile, flying insects
0:03:58 > 0:04:01are some of the hardest things to catch on the planet.
0:04:08 > 0:04:13Though one thing is guaranteed to attract their attention...
0:04:16 > 0:04:17..flowers.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20They draw in insects from far and wide
0:04:20 > 0:04:22with their promise of nectar and pollen.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28And one predator exploits this to the full.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33Meet the mantis.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39Or to give it its full name,
0:04:39 > 0:04:41the orchid mantis.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43It's very aptly named, too.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45Look at it. Its whole body
0:04:45 > 0:04:50is the perfect mimic of a flower.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56To fool its prey, this entire animal's body
0:04:56 > 0:05:00is sculpted into a deceitful disguise.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04Combined with pin-sharp vision
0:05:04 > 0:05:07and a ninja-fast strike,
0:05:07 > 0:05:11it makes this mantis a very deadly ambush predator.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28But, you know, even with cover as good as this,
0:05:28 > 0:05:31the pressure is on.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37This mantis is sub-adult at the moment,
0:05:37 > 0:05:42which means that it's got to be right on top of its game.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44It's got to kill something every few days
0:05:44 > 0:05:46or it will simply starve to death.
0:05:49 > 0:05:53The problem is, the mantis relies on an insect visiting
0:05:53 > 0:05:58the specific flower that it's sitting on to make a strike.
0:06:01 > 0:06:06It's a waiting game which could take days.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16Ever since Victorian naturalists first discovered this insect,
0:06:16 > 0:06:20there's been a suspicion that there's something more going on.
0:06:21 > 0:06:26They suspected that the mantis was doing more than just waiting around
0:06:26 > 0:06:28in a clever disguise.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33The strike rate was just too high.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37So could the mantis somehow be attracting insects
0:06:37 > 0:06:39in its own right?
0:06:43 > 0:06:47James O'Hanlon is an expert in orchid mantis behaviour,
0:06:47 > 0:06:51and he's discovering there's far more to this predator
0:06:51 > 0:06:52than first meets the eye.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56We have a simple experiment set up.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58We have two posts in the ground.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00On our first post, we have a flower.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02Our second post, a small mantis.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04And what we're going to do is watch and see
0:07:04 > 0:07:07how many of the insects that are buzzing around here
0:07:07 > 0:07:09fly up and have a look at each of our posts.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11So which one do you want to watch?
0:07:11 > 0:07:13I'm going to gamble.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16I'm going to go with the mantis. Hit me with a notebook.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25BUZZING
0:07:27 > 0:07:31Hmm. The flower is certainly attracting attention.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44Come on, mantis!
0:07:53 > 0:07:55- That's a visit.- Yeah.
0:07:55 > 0:07:56That was a visit. Excellent.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58Right. I'm off the mark.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02'After a slow start...' And another!
0:08:02 > 0:08:06'..the mantis is making headway.'
0:08:06 > 0:08:09FLUTTERING
0:08:12 > 0:08:15Oh! Did you see that?
0:08:15 > 0:08:17Fantastic.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27I've not been watching your flower, but the mantis is doing rather well.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29- Pretty impressive!- It is!
0:08:29 > 0:08:31But aside from the count,
0:08:31 > 0:08:35we've already seen something absolutely remarkable.
0:08:35 > 0:08:40Because these bees are visiting the mantis, like that -
0:08:40 > 0:08:42and it's just caught another one!
0:08:42 > 0:08:48The mantis is attracting insects independently of your flower.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50It doesn't need your flower.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53Those bees that are coming up to it think that it's a flower.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57I've done this experiment over and over again.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00More often than not, that little mantis is actually more attractive
0:09:00 > 0:09:02than the real flower.
0:09:04 > 0:09:09The mimic is better than the thing that it's mimicking.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13And that is absolutely astonishing.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18So what exactly is going on here?
0:09:22 > 0:09:27Well, we need to know how insects see the rainforest.
0:09:29 > 0:09:33Their eyes are highly sensitive to certain wavelengths of light,
0:09:33 > 0:09:38so to them, flowers glow like beacons in the jungle.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44James measured the brightness of these flowers
0:09:44 > 0:09:46and compared them to the mantis.
0:09:46 > 0:09:54And remarkably, he's discovered that this dazzling fake in the forest
0:09:54 > 0:09:57is a brighter stimulus than any flower.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07Tricked into visiting a deadly trap,
0:10:07 > 0:10:09there's no escape.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21The deception at work here is aggressive mimicry,
0:10:21 > 0:10:26in that the mantis is adopting a disguise, in this case a flower,
0:10:26 > 0:10:31to lure in its prey, and that is the key.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34It's the mantis and not the flower
0:10:34 > 0:10:38which is bringing in the insects which it can then predate.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44Not only is this creature exquisitely beautiful,
0:10:44 > 0:10:47it's remarkably ruthless,
0:10:47 > 0:10:50and in my opinion, totally amazing.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53BIRDSONG
0:10:55 > 0:10:58MUSIC: One Way Or Another by Blondie
0:10:58 > 0:11:05Across the world, animals have adapted their bodies in extreme ways
0:11:05 > 0:11:08to lure their prey.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12# I'm gonna get ya, get ya, get ya, get ya, one way or another
0:11:12 > 0:11:14# I'm gonna win ya
0:11:14 > 0:11:16# I'll get ya, I'll get ya... #
0:11:18 > 0:11:20In Hawaii,
0:11:20 > 0:11:24the carnivorous caterpillar has morphed into a predatory plant.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27# One way or another
0:11:27 > 0:11:29# I'm gonna get ya, I'll get ya
0:11:29 > 0:11:31# I'll get ya, get ya, get ya... #
0:11:31 > 0:11:35The bioluminescent bait of the deep-sea anglerfish
0:11:35 > 0:11:37tempts its prey.
0:11:37 > 0:11:38# One way or another
0:11:38 > 0:11:41# I'm gonna get ya, I'll get ya
0:11:41 > 0:11:44# I'll get ya, get ya, get ya... #
0:11:44 > 0:11:46And in caves in New Zealand,
0:11:46 > 0:11:51the glow worm, with its luminous tail and sticky secretions,
0:11:51 > 0:11:54has created a tantalising trap.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56# One way or another
0:11:56 > 0:11:58# I'm gonna get ya, I'll get ya
0:11:58 > 0:12:00# I'll get ya, get ya, get ya
0:12:00 > 0:12:02# One way or another... #
0:12:02 > 0:12:05This veritable rogues' gallery
0:12:05 > 0:12:09is the result of millions of years of artful adaptation,
0:12:09 > 0:12:12all in aid of catching the next meal.
0:12:17 > 0:12:23But changing the way you look isn't the only way of setting a trap.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32Out on the prairie, a new tenant
0:12:32 > 0:12:34has moved into a deserted den...
0:12:41 > 0:12:43..a burrowing owl...
0:12:45 > 0:12:48..and she has chicks just a few weeks old,
0:12:48 > 0:12:50and they are all hungry.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53They eat insects, and lots of them.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55CHICK CHIRPS
0:13:05 > 0:13:10The female spends every waking hour trying to find enough food.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21And the stakes, well, they're really high.
0:13:21 > 0:13:26You see, 96% of all chick deaths are down to starvation.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28CHICKS CHIRP
0:13:28 > 0:13:33But, luckily, there's a sneaky solution to this problem.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41Cattle graze across these grasslands.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46And what goes in...
0:13:46 > 0:13:48must come out.
0:13:50 > 0:13:55Baked by the sun, the cow dung is ready for collection.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05Could it really be dung for dinner?
0:14:10 > 0:14:11Of course not.
0:14:11 > 0:14:16But it could be considered a rather devious dinner party...
0:14:23 > 0:14:27..because the dung attracts some unsuspecting guests.
0:14:30 > 0:14:34Little do they know, it's them who are on the menu.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45CHIRPING
0:14:54 > 0:14:58And this is where it gets really clever,
0:14:58 > 0:15:02because little insects attract bigger prey.
0:15:11 > 0:15:12Superb.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15You see, instead of flying for miles to find food,
0:15:15 > 0:15:18now she just has to walk a few metres.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24And it's rich pickings for the whole family.
0:15:30 > 0:15:34All thanks to this very crafty trap.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36CHIRPING
0:15:42 > 0:15:46Autumn, and change is in the air.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52This time of year is also critical,
0:15:52 > 0:15:54as animals are preparing for the winter.
0:15:54 > 0:15:59And one species' survival is inextricably linked to these -
0:15:59 > 0:16:04conkers, sweet chestnuts, hazelnuts and acorns,
0:16:04 > 0:16:08because at the moment, they're quite literally going nuts for nuts.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26Meet the grey squirrel.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32This little nut is packed full of energy.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34Carbohydrate, fat, protein -
0:16:34 > 0:16:39all in all, there's somewhere between five and ten calories in here,
0:16:39 > 0:16:42which means that a cold, hungry squirrel
0:16:42 > 0:16:47will need about 20 of these to get through a winter's day.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50It's a very valuable commodity.
0:16:50 > 0:16:55So if you come along to a park where squirrels are used to people,
0:16:55 > 0:16:59you might be able to tempt them to take it out of your hand.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07Come on, then. Come on.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10Come on!
0:17:11 > 0:17:12Come on.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22HE CHUCKLES
0:17:27 > 0:17:29Magic.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33But that nut is not for eating today.
0:17:33 > 0:17:38Squirrels will cache around 3,000 nuts in different locations
0:17:38 > 0:17:41for the lean times ahead.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44And incredibly, they'll remember
0:17:44 > 0:17:48where up to 90% of them were buried.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53There's no denying that that is remarkable.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57But there's a problem, here in the park.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01You see, thieves are lurking.
0:18:01 > 0:18:07After all, why bother to find your own nuts and then hide them,
0:18:07 > 0:18:10when you could nick someone else's?
0:18:10 > 0:18:15Whilst our squirrel buries nuts essential for his survival,
0:18:15 > 0:18:17he's being watched.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26Nut safely stored, the squirrel departs the scene.
0:18:32 > 0:18:37And the onlooker moves in for the steal.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44Undeniably devious behaviour.
0:18:44 > 0:18:49So is there anything that these nut-hoarding squirrels can do
0:18:49 > 0:18:52to throw the thieves off of the scent?
0:18:53 > 0:18:57Well, it turns out that there is,
0:18:57 > 0:19:00because they've got some sneaky strategies of their own.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08Grey squirrels will dig up nuts they've already buried
0:19:08 > 0:19:12and then rebury them in a different place,
0:19:12 > 0:19:16throwing thieves off the scent.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21But I've got to tell you, it gets better,
0:19:21 > 0:19:24because there is one situation where our squirrel
0:19:24 > 0:19:28exhibits true deceptive genius.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31And it's something that will be familiar to anyone
0:19:31 > 0:19:34who's been in the audience with a street magician.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37You know the score.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41The ball goes into one cup.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45The other two are empty.
0:19:53 > 0:19:58The trick is to work out where the ball goes.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05The key to fooling his audience
0:20:05 > 0:20:09is timing and misdirection.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13Thanks very much, ladies and gentlemen.
0:20:15 > 0:20:16Just like the magician,
0:20:16 > 0:20:19the grey squirrel has mastered sleight of hand,
0:20:19 > 0:20:23so now it's time to see deception in action.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27OK. Here's our squirrel -
0:20:27 > 0:20:31nut in mouth, poised to bury.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38And here is the thief.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46He moves closer, for a better view.
0:20:49 > 0:20:50But look!
0:20:50 > 0:20:56Does our squirrel know that he's being watched?
0:21:02 > 0:21:04Either way, he carries on.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06From the thief's point of view,
0:21:06 > 0:21:10these are the actions of a squirrel burying a nut.
0:21:17 > 0:21:18But wait!
0:21:18 > 0:21:22It turns out that our squirrel has been faking it!
0:21:23 > 0:21:29When he spotted the thief, he opted for plan B - misdirection.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35The thief has only seen what our squirrel wanted him to see.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39He carried on digging,
0:21:39 > 0:21:42but he didn't deposit the nut -
0:21:42 > 0:21:44the ultimate sleight of hand.
0:21:51 > 0:21:52Oblivious to the trick,
0:21:52 > 0:21:58the thief heads towards the freshly dug hole, only to find...
0:21:58 > 0:22:00a freshly dug hole.
0:22:02 > 0:22:03Foiled!
0:22:07 > 0:22:09And with the coast clear,
0:22:09 > 0:22:13our squirrel is free to bury his nut in a new location,
0:22:13 > 0:22:16known only to him.
0:22:27 > 0:22:33For these squirrels, this park is a hotbed of theft and deception,
0:22:33 > 0:22:37and they're pulling every trick they can out of the book
0:22:37 > 0:22:41to find their nuts and then hide them.
0:22:41 > 0:22:45But here is the really interesting thing.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48They're not fooling another species -
0:22:48 > 0:22:50they're tricking one another.
0:22:50 > 0:22:54This is a case of deception and then counter-deception
0:22:54 > 0:22:57evolving at the same time.
0:22:57 > 0:23:02And the strategies that the hoarder and the pilferer have come up with
0:23:02 > 0:23:04make these little rodents
0:23:04 > 0:23:09one of THE most successful mammals on our planet.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12So that is not nuts.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15That's pure success.
0:23:19 > 0:23:24Sleight of hand helps sneaky squirrels get one up on each other.
0:23:26 > 0:23:33But there is one animal that uses devious and far darker tactics
0:23:33 > 0:23:36on the most vulnerable of their own kind.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42A millionaires' playground off the coast of California.
0:23:44 > 0:23:48And a male sea otter is cruising the harbour.
0:23:53 > 0:23:59To get his next meal, he's got a really despicable plan.
0:24:03 > 0:24:08It involves a female sea otter and her pup.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13The pup is just old enough to accompany her mother
0:24:13 > 0:24:15on foraging trips,
0:24:15 > 0:24:18giving the male an opportunity.
0:24:29 > 0:24:31He picks the perfect moment.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36Whilst the female is fishing,
0:24:36 > 0:24:41her precious pup is all alone at the surface,
0:24:41 > 0:24:43and vulnerable.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51When the mother surfaces...
0:24:51 > 0:24:53SHE SQUEAKS
0:24:53 > 0:24:56..she hears the cries of her youngster.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58SQUEAKING
0:24:58 > 0:25:01CALL-AND-RESPONSE SQUEAKING
0:25:02 > 0:25:07Our cunning male has kidnapped the baby.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13He knows the female will come to the rescue -
0:25:13 > 0:25:17and the ransom is always the same.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25In an underwater exchange,
0:25:25 > 0:25:29the female gives up the food she's just found to the male,
0:25:29 > 0:25:32and the pup is released unharmed.
0:25:34 > 0:25:39This is called "hostage behaviour", and it's surprisingly common.
0:25:39 > 0:25:43A deliberate manipulation of female otters,
0:25:43 > 0:25:46all to get food.
0:25:50 > 0:25:56Theft is sneaky, but ultimately, it's a successful strategy.
0:25:58 > 0:26:02But just how far are animals prepared to go?
0:26:10 > 0:26:13Now, it's one thing for animals to deceive,
0:26:13 > 0:26:17cheat and steal from one another to get themselves a decent meal,
0:26:17 > 0:26:21but I've heard about something else that might be even more remarkable.
0:26:21 > 0:26:25Oh, yes - they're cheating us humans.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28I give you the world's ultimate cheeky monkey...
0:26:28 > 0:26:30CLICKS
0:26:30 > 0:26:32..the long-tailed macaque.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46The Temple of Uluwatu...
0:26:48 > 0:26:51..home to a remarkable troop of these monkeys.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57With over 300 macaques here,
0:26:57 > 0:26:59they need a lot of food.
0:26:59 > 0:27:03But temple offerings and tourist scraps
0:27:03 > 0:27:06just aren't enough for these monkey mobsters.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13No, they've got their eyes on far more nutritious fare,
0:27:13 > 0:27:18and what they're doing to get it is downright criminal.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27There are plenty of monkeys about.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30But to see what they're getting up to, I need to blend in.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33I need to disguise myself...
0:27:33 > 0:27:35as a tourist.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37My camera is absolutely de rigueur.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39Sunglasses.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41What about this?
0:27:41 > 0:27:44Everyone seems to be using these things.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46Just not me, though.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48Think I'll just stick to the old mobile phone.
0:27:53 > 0:27:54HE SIGHS
0:27:54 > 0:27:56No, going too far.
0:27:58 > 0:28:00'Attention to the visitors,
0:28:00 > 0:28:03'please be careful in bringing sunglasses,
0:28:03 > 0:28:07'hats, jewellery and other valuables that can be taken by the monkeys.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12'Thank you for your attention.'
0:28:17 > 0:28:20These monkeys are expert thieves.
0:28:23 > 0:28:25Here we go, here we go, here we go.
0:28:25 > 0:28:26Oh, and there you go.
0:28:28 > 0:28:30Brazen, audacious,
0:28:30 > 0:28:34they've worked out exactly how to get what they want.
0:28:47 > 0:28:48Oh, dear, oh, dear.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51It's like taking candy from children, it really is.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59You're a bit of a gangster, aren't you?
0:28:59 > 0:29:00You fancy yourself as a bit of a...
0:29:00 > 0:29:02sunglasses hit man?
0:29:07 > 0:29:10Look at him, look! Here he goes. Here he goes!
0:29:22 > 0:29:24I've been undercover for about an hour.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27The monkeys have been stealing all sorts of stuff, flip-flops,
0:29:27 > 0:29:31sunglasses... I managed to hang on to my own. People's hats.
0:29:31 > 0:29:34I'm told they even nick their iPhones.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37The interesting thing is, though, they're taking all of this stuff
0:29:37 > 0:29:41which is valuable to us humans, but they're not taking any food.
0:29:46 > 0:29:49MONKEY SCREECHES
0:29:49 > 0:29:52Well, obviously I spoke too soon about MY sunglasses.
0:29:55 > 0:30:00But this daylight robbery is still all about food,
0:30:00 > 0:30:03just not in the way that you'd ever expect.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10So, to understand what they're up to,
0:30:10 > 0:30:13I am giving them an irresistible opportunity.
0:30:19 > 0:30:21Oh! PEOPLE GASP
0:30:23 > 0:30:29You see, these monkeys want something in return for my phone.
0:30:29 > 0:30:32They're notorious for one thing...
0:30:32 > 0:30:35holding people to ransom.
0:30:35 > 0:30:37OK, he's got my phone.
0:30:37 > 0:30:40And there is a system by which I may be able to do this - bartering.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47OK, that's what it thinks of peanuts.
0:30:47 > 0:30:50Let's try something a little bit more valuable to it.
0:30:50 > 0:30:52Maybe a bag of bananas?
0:30:52 > 0:30:56It doesn't seem particularly interested in the bananas either,
0:30:56 > 0:30:58does he? The last prize that I have is this...
0:30:58 > 0:31:00protein in the form of eggs.
0:31:00 > 0:31:04If anything is going to get my phone back, it's this.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16Yes! HE LAUGHS
0:31:16 > 0:31:18Ah!
0:31:18 > 0:31:20HE SIGHS WITH RELIEF
0:31:22 > 0:31:23Yes, yes, yes!
0:31:25 > 0:31:27This is absolutely incredible.
0:31:27 > 0:31:32You see, these monkeys are stealing the valuables that they know
0:31:32 > 0:31:34that we want back.
0:31:34 > 0:31:37And they're using them to barter with us for food.
0:31:42 > 0:31:44They won't give up their loot,
0:31:44 > 0:31:48not until they're offered the specific food that they want,
0:31:48 > 0:31:52often the fare with the highest nutritional value.
0:31:53 > 0:31:59As negotiation and bartering are so extraordinary in the animal world,
0:31:59 > 0:32:01Jean-Baptiste and his research team
0:32:01 > 0:32:05are studying how this complex deception develops.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08But this bartering is very, very rare. It occurs only here,
0:32:08 > 0:32:10perhaps another couple of places on Earth.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12Why here and nowhere else?
0:32:12 > 0:32:16Well, the main hypothesis with this group is that it might have
0:32:16 > 0:32:19emerged from an inventor.
0:32:19 > 0:32:21- That's usually... - One animal?- Probably.
0:32:21 > 0:32:25Probably, that's how behavioural traditions typically emerge.
0:32:25 > 0:32:28It's obviously nutritionally beneficial,
0:32:28 > 0:32:30they get really something out of it.
0:32:30 > 0:32:34So, in this particular population, it spread.
0:32:34 > 0:32:37So young monkeys here are able to learn by looking at their elders,
0:32:37 > 0:32:40particularly the older males, which are the most proficient at this?
0:32:40 > 0:32:44With adult males, the entire procedure becomes very fast,
0:32:44 > 0:32:46very successful on both sides
0:32:46 > 0:32:51and, of course, the monkey gets its favourite food and the token,
0:32:51 > 0:32:55the item, is returned generally in good condition, but not always.
0:32:55 > 0:32:57Not always.
0:32:57 > 0:33:01Yeah, one of them, I have to say, ate my sunglasses, it chewed them up.
0:33:05 > 0:33:07But that was a youngster and it took them off my head
0:33:07 > 0:33:09without me even noticing.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12So very adept at stealing, but then it dashed up a tree and ate them.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14So it hadn't learned to barter yet.
0:33:14 > 0:33:18It takes time and practice to become a good player
0:33:18 > 0:33:20at this particular game, definitely.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24When it comes to getting food,
0:33:24 > 0:33:27these monkeys have got it all sewn up.
0:33:29 > 0:33:33Superb. Absolutely superb.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36This has to be one of the most fascinating
0:33:36 > 0:33:40and complex pieces of deceitful behaviour that we've seen.
0:33:40 > 0:33:41Oi!
0:33:41 > 0:33:44And you know what I really like about it?
0:33:44 > 0:33:48For once, these cheeky monkeys have turned the tables on us humans.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51It's us that's being held to ransom.
0:33:53 > 0:33:55Of course, we love their anarchic behaviour,
0:33:55 > 0:33:58even, EVEN, when we're the victims ourselves.
0:33:58 > 0:34:00It really is quite wonderful.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11In the case of this remarkable monkey heist,
0:34:11 > 0:34:13we are willing to be part of the deception.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20Yet most animals wouldn't tolerate being tricked
0:34:20 > 0:34:23time and time again for their food.
0:34:25 > 0:34:30That's certainly a problem that animals that practise deception face,
0:34:30 > 0:34:33because if they want their con to work in the long-term,
0:34:33 > 0:34:38they need to control it, to regulate it, to ensure that the victim
0:34:38 > 0:34:41is blissfully unaware that it's ever been had.
0:34:41 > 0:34:43Sounds simple, but it's not.
0:34:43 > 0:34:47It's something that is very, very difficult to do.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50But there is one animal that has perfected the art.
0:35:02 > 0:35:06Here in South Africa, there's an animal that uses
0:35:06 > 0:35:09the most extraordinary trick that I've ever heard of
0:35:09 > 0:35:11to get itself a meal.
0:35:11 > 0:35:15I give you the one and the only drongo.
0:35:17 > 0:35:21The ultimate hustler in the hunger games.
0:35:21 > 0:35:23He's one brazen bird.
0:35:27 > 0:35:30Now, it might look warm and sunny here,
0:35:30 > 0:35:33but it's winter and times are tough.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38The flying insects that the drongo usually eats
0:35:38 > 0:35:41just aren't around in these low temperatures.
0:35:42 > 0:35:45The only grubs and insects here live underground.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50And other animals are far better equipped to dig them up
0:35:50 > 0:35:51than our drongo.
0:35:54 > 0:35:58So how is he going to get this food?
0:36:00 > 0:36:05This exquisite bird has evolved a very devious strategy
0:36:05 > 0:36:08to deal with just this problem.
0:36:08 > 0:36:12You see, its very survival rests on a knife edge,
0:36:12 > 0:36:15so it's turned to a life of crime.
0:36:17 > 0:36:21And although it may not look it, the drongo here...
0:36:22 > 0:36:25..is a con artist of the highest order.
0:36:27 > 0:36:31In the world of the con, an elaborate hustle plays out
0:36:31 > 0:36:33between the player...
0:36:34 > 0:36:36..the drongo...
0:36:37 > 0:36:41..and the victim of the con, the mark.
0:36:42 > 0:36:46And the mark, in this case, is another species of bird,
0:36:46 > 0:36:49a sociable weaver.
0:36:49 > 0:36:52And they feed on the ground, using their large powerful bills
0:36:52 > 0:36:54to dig up the food.
0:36:54 > 0:36:58But out in the open, they are vulnerable to predators.
0:37:04 > 0:37:07And that's where the drongo comes in.
0:37:07 > 0:37:11So what is the drongo offering the weaver?
0:37:11 > 0:37:15It's offering it something that is the singularly most important
0:37:15 > 0:37:18thing for a small bird like this...
0:37:18 > 0:37:20protection.
0:37:29 > 0:37:34When trouble looms, the drongo lets the weavers know about it.
0:37:34 > 0:37:36DRONGO CALLS
0:37:36 > 0:37:38..with an alarm call.
0:37:41 > 0:37:43When the danger is gone...
0:37:45 > 0:37:47DRONGO WHISTLES
0:37:47 > 0:37:49..he gives them an all-clear call.
0:37:58 > 0:38:03It looks to me as if the first stage of the con has been established,
0:38:03 > 0:38:07in the sense that they are clearly trusting the drongo's call.
0:38:10 > 0:38:11So far, so good.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17But now let's see how this hustle actually plays out.
0:38:21 > 0:38:25With the drongo on lookout duty, the weavers spend less time
0:38:25 > 0:38:28worrying about predators and more time foraging...
0:38:31 > 0:38:33..digging up that vital food.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42DRONGO CALLS
0:38:42 > 0:38:44The drongo's alarm call...
0:38:44 > 0:38:46and that means danger.
0:38:48 > 0:38:50But all is not what it seems.
0:38:52 > 0:38:56That alarm call was, in fact, a fake.
0:38:56 > 0:38:58There is no predator.
0:38:58 > 0:38:59DRONGO CALLS
0:39:19 > 0:39:21And with the weavers gone,
0:39:21 > 0:39:24the drongo eats all the food they just dug up.
0:39:34 > 0:39:38And then he gives the all-clear call.
0:39:38 > 0:39:40DRONGO WHISTLES
0:39:43 > 0:39:44Within minutes,
0:39:44 > 0:39:49the drongo is back on duty and the weavers are none the wiser.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56Now, he's got to keep his side of the bargain.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59He's got to protect them from real predators...
0:40:00 > 0:40:03..or they'll get wise to his protection racket.
0:40:05 > 0:40:10But, in fact, the drongos' con gets much more sophisticated than this.
0:40:15 > 0:40:20The drongos' con routine is actually so effective that they've learned
0:40:20 > 0:40:26to employ it upon many other species of animal, including these guys...
0:40:28 > 0:40:29..meerkats.
0:40:34 > 0:40:36They're much smarter than the weavers,
0:40:36 > 0:40:39so the drongo needs to raise his game.
0:40:44 > 0:40:46Meerkats have their own lookout.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49It's one that they entrust with their lives.
0:40:51 > 0:40:53Yet, if there are predators about,
0:40:53 > 0:40:57a second pair of eyes is always very useful.
0:40:57 > 0:40:59And the drongo can exploit this.
0:41:01 > 0:41:03That food has caught his eye.
0:41:03 > 0:41:05DRONGO CALLS
0:41:05 > 0:41:08He makes a fake alarm call.
0:41:09 > 0:41:11It should send them running...
0:41:13 > 0:41:15MEERKAT BARKS
0:41:15 > 0:41:19But no, the meerkats aren't fooled that easily.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22He needs another plan.
0:41:29 > 0:41:33And what the drongo does now is really sneaky.
0:41:39 > 0:41:41BARKING
0:41:41 > 0:41:46From out of the blue, it's the sound of a meerkat alarm call.
0:41:47 > 0:41:49But that was no meerkat.
0:41:50 > 0:41:52DRONGO MIMICS A MEERKAT
0:41:52 > 0:41:54BARKING
0:41:54 > 0:41:57No, that was our drongo.
0:42:02 > 0:42:05The sneaky devil has switched tactics
0:42:05 > 0:42:08and, by mimicking the meerkats' own alarm call,
0:42:08 > 0:42:10he tricks them completely
0:42:10 > 0:42:13and gets all the food for himself.
0:42:17 > 0:42:21The drongo is the ultimate con artist.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24Depending on the situation,
0:42:24 > 0:42:29he decides which of his repertoire of fake calls to use.
0:42:29 > 0:42:34And this means his targets never get wise to his tricks.
0:42:35 > 0:42:37When it comes to finding food,
0:42:37 > 0:42:41this little bird has pulled off the most phenomenal con,
0:42:41 > 0:42:46to the extent that, if it thinks for just a moment that the mark is going
0:42:46 > 0:42:50to figure out the trick, it changes it to guarantee success.
0:42:50 > 0:42:54That, you've got to admit, is remarkable
0:42:54 > 0:42:59and surely makes this one of the most devious animals on our planet.
0:42:59 > 0:43:04And I, for one, have developed a real admiration for the drongo.
0:43:04 > 0:43:06What a bird...what a bird!
0:43:11 > 0:43:15So, we've met the extraordinary animals that will lie,
0:43:15 > 0:43:19cheat and steal their way to their next meal...
0:43:22 > 0:43:27..sneaky strategies that ensure that they'll live to see another day.