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The snakes of Australia are
as diverse and striking
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00:00:07,541 --> 00:00:09,476
as the landscape
they inhabit.
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00:00:13,180 --> 00:00:16,149
While some are largely
harmless to humans,
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00:00:18,418 --> 00:00:21,221
others have
a decidedly dark side.
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00:00:23,357 --> 00:00:26,627
The taipan, whose bite can
kill a hundred men.
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00:00:28,829 --> 00:00:30,697
The death adder,
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00:00:30,697 --> 00:00:33,700
whose strike is almost
quicker than the human eye.
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00:00:35,802 --> 00:00:38,171
And the scrub python,
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00:00:38,171 --> 00:00:40,440
equipped to track down
its prey...
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00:00:41,541 --> 00:00:43,477
..wherever it may be.
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00:00:46,546 --> 00:00:50,150
These snakes set spines
chilling more than most.
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00:00:53,487 --> 00:00:57,491
And they know how to survive
in this inhospitable land.
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00:00:58,625 --> 00:01:02,262
Living in the deserts,
forests
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00:01:02,262 --> 00:01:06,233
and human suburbs of
this vast ancient continent.
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00:01:09,169 --> 00:01:10,437
Home to some of the planet's
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00:01:10,437 --> 00:01:13,674
most unusual
and fascinating animals.
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00:01:19,513 --> 00:01:22,349
These are the secret lives
of Australia's snakes.
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00:01:40,434 --> 00:01:43,136
For around 50,000 years,
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00:01:43,136 --> 00:01:47,207
Australia's only humans were
the indigenous Aborigines.
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00:01:48,542 --> 00:01:50,711
They lived side by side
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00:01:50,711 --> 00:01:53,380
with the country's
most dangerous animals.
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00:01:55,716 --> 00:01:57,818
They even adopted
a rainbow serpent
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00:01:57,818 --> 00:02:00,687
as an important part
of their legends.
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00:02:04,291 --> 00:02:06,460
The later European settlers,
though,
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00:02:06,460 --> 00:02:08,528
didn't have such a
philosophical attitude
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00:02:08,528 --> 00:02:10,464
to the resident reptiles.
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00:02:12,332 --> 00:02:16,370
They found an entire country,
full of dangerous creatures
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00:02:16,370 --> 00:02:20,273
that lurk, slither and
scurry.
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00:02:22,509 --> 00:02:24,711
In water.
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00:02:24,711 --> 00:02:26,680
On land.
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00:02:29,349 --> 00:02:31,284
Even in the trees.
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00:02:42,829 --> 00:02:45,132
There are over 800 different
species
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00:02:45,132 --> 00:02:47,067
of reptiles in Australia.
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00:02:52,372 --> 00:02:55,709
While some are just likely
to give a human a firm nip,
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00:02:57,477 --> 00:03:00,480
others are
the stuff of nightmares.
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00:03:08,255 --> 00:03:10,524
They may be terrifying to
humans,
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00:03:10,524 --> 00:03:13,193
but they have their own
challenges to overcome.
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00:03:16,663 --> 00:03:20,200
The sheer size of Australia
means it spans desert,
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00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:22,135
tropical and temperate zones.
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00:03:26,773 --> 00:03:28,775
(Roll of thunder)
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00:03:31,812 --> 00:03:35,782
The weather can be extreme
and change in an instant.
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00:03:37,818 --> 00:03:39,753
Sudden floods.
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00:03:42,255 --> 00:03:44,191
Bush fires.
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00:03:45,158 --> 00:03:47,828
Drought.
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00:03:47,828 --> 00:03:51,131
Anything that lives here has
to be as tough and adaptable
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00:03:51,131 --> 00:03:53,066
as the climate and terrain.
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00:03:57,370 --> 00:03:59,739
They must each have
a strategy for survival.
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00:04:07,447 --> 00:04:09,749
The amethystine
or scrub python
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00:04:09,749 --> 00:04:12,719
lives in the far
northeast of the country.
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00:04:18,325 --> 00:04:20,460
In Queensland's wet
rainforests
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00:04:20,460 --> 00:04:22,395
and dry woodlands.
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00:04:29,336 --> 00:04:32,305
In these wild lands,
it eats brush-turkeys...
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00:04:34,508 --> 00:04:36,443
..and even small kangaroos.
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00:04:38,345 --> 00:04:41,548
But this clever snake has
found another world...
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00:04:41,548 --> 00:04:44,718
full of promise...and prey.
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00:04:45,685 --> 00:04:47,621
Suburbia.
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00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:58,265
Far north Queensland is
tropical and largely untamed.
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00:04:59,533 --> 00:05:01,668
Humans tend to cluster
together
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00:05:01,668 --> 00:05:04,738
in pockets of habitation,
mostly along the coastline.
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00:05:10,744 --> 00:05:14,381
This female scrub python
feels right at home.
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00:05:18,385 --> 00:05:20,587
She's used to their
buildings and noise.
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00:05:22,155 --> 00:05:25,458
And when she visits,
she likes nothing better
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00:05:25,458 --> 00:05:27,394
than a chicken dinner.
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00:05:31,164 --> 00:05:34,568
So she's employing a snaky
secret weapon,
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00:05:34,568 --> 00:05:38,104
to sniff out a potential
meal, chemoreception.
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00:05:39,272 --> 00:05:41,208
She's using her tongue
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00:05:41,208 --> 00:05:43,076
to pick up chemical traces
of odor.
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00:05:44,811 --> 00:05:48,615
Inside her mouth, a structure
called the Jacobson's organ
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00:05:48,615 --> 00:05:51,284
analyses these scent
molecules.
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00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:55,822
It can determine whether
the smell is prey,
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00:05:55,822 --> 00:06:00,493
a rival, a potential mate,
or a predator.
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00:06:03,129 --> 00:06:05,565
It's been suggested their
tongues are forked
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for directional guidance,
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00:06:07,500 --> 00:06:09,703
because the snakes may be
able to detect
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00:06:09,703 --> 00:06:12,272
which of the tips pick up
the strongest scent.
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00:06:17,310 --> 00:06:19,813
Snakes have evolved to fit
all their organs
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00:06:19,813 --> 00:06:23,350
into a long, narrow body.
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00:06:23,350 --> 00:06:28,088
Their lungs, kidneys and sex
organs are greatly elongated.
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00:06:29,589 --> 00:06:32,225
They have two of each of
these organs,
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00:06:32,225 --> 00:06:34,527
but instead of lying
alongside each other
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00:06:34,527 --> 00:06:37,030
in a pair, one is moved down
towards the tail.
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00:06:39,499 --> 00:06:41,401
They don't have a collar
bone,
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00:06:41,401 --> 00:06:44,271
but have more ribs and
vertebrae than most animals.
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00:06:46,206 --> 00:06:48,541
While humans have 33
vertebrae,
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00:06:48,541 --> 00:06:52,345
most snakes have
between 150 and 400.
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00:06:55,181 --> 00:06:57,217
This makes them extremely
flexible
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00:06:57,217 --> 00:06:59,653
and along with their
powerful musculature,
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00:06:59,653 --> 00:07:05,125
gives them their mesmerizing,
sinuous locomotion.
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00:07:05,125 --> 00:07:08,695
The scrub python is
Australia's largest snake,
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capable of reaching
28 feet long.
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00:07:11,564 --> 00:07:15,602
So for her, suburban fences
are a piece of cake.
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00:07:21,775 --> 00:07:24,477
Her sense of smell leads her
faithfully
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to the chicken coop.
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00:07:28,315 --> 00:07:30,250
She begins her stakeout.
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(Clucking)
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She enters the chicken coop
in the daylight.
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Then settles down and waits
for nightfall.
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00:08:23,103 --> 00:08:26,339
She's delaying her attack.
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00:08:26,339 --> 00:08:29,109
The python's eyesight isn't
as good as a human's
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00:08:29,109 --> 00:08:31,745
and she can't afford to make
a mistake with a strike.
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00:08:33,446 --> 00:08:36,449
If she misses, the chicken
would not only escape,
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but could injure her.
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00:08:39,452 --> 00:08:43,089
And the smell of chicken
is now all around her,
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00:08:43,089 --> 00:08:46,326
so her chemoreception
equipment is of less use.
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00:08:48,661 --> 00:08:50,830
As the light levels reduce,
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she switches to another of
her prey-detecting weapons.
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Infrared.
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Like many pythons,
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she has in-built
heat-seeking equipment.
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00:09:04,110 --> 00:09:08,214
These hollows in the snakes'
jaw are called labial pits,
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thermoreceptors that enable
them to see heat.
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00:09:17,257 --> 00:09:21,094
As the temperature drops,
towards the cool of night,
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00:09:21,094 --> 00:09:24,130
the heat signatures of prey
show up in greater contrast.
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Once locked onto a living
heat source,
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the snake can time
her strike.
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00:09:36,609 --> 00:09:40,280
She can stay in the same
ambush site for many days,
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waiting
for prey to get close.
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The python doesn't intend to
wait that long.
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She selects her victim.
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00:10:18,251 --> 00:10:20,186
(Frantic squawking)
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As she constricts her coils
ever tighter,
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00:10:29,362 --> 00:10:31,431
she cuts off
the prey's blood supply.
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00:10:37,570 --> 00:10:40,340
Compressed blood vessels
prevent circulation
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00:10:40,340 --> 00:10:44,611
to the brain and heart and
the victim quickly dies.
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00:10:47,647 --> 00:10:51,417
Now she displays another
snake survival adaptation.
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Even though
she's a large snake,
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the chicken, by comparison
with the size of her head,
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is massive.
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00:11:01,427 --> 00:11:04,631
Comparable to a human eating
a watermelon in one mouthful.
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Snakes don't have any way to
dismember their prey
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00:11:11,271 --> 00:11:13,206
into more manageable chunks.
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00:11:15,275 --> 00:11:17,210
They have to swallow it
whole.
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00:11:21,481 --> 00:11:24,317
So snakes' skulls
are heavily modified.
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00:11:27,086 --> 00:11:29,255
Although the bones
around the braincase
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00:11:29,255 --> 00:11:31,224
are solid like humans',
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00:11:31,224 --> 00:11:33,159
the rest of the bones
in the head
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are held together by very
flexible joints.
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00:11:37,564 --> 00:11:40,567
So it's capable of a vast
degree of distortion.
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00:11:42,201 --> 00:11:44,604
Their lower jaws are in two
halves,
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00:11:44,604 --> 00:11:47,840
connected at the front by
just muscle and ligament.
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00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:51,744
Each side of the jaw can
stretch very far apart,
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independently of the other.
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00:11:57,717 --> 00:12:01,154
The snake walks the prey in
over its teeth,
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00:12:01,154 --> 00:12:04,557
drenching it with saliva
to ease swallowing.
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00:12:08,528 --> 00:12:12,599
Then, the snake's powerful
muscles contract in waves,
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00:12:12,599 --> 00:12:15,368
to move the prey downwards.
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00:12:15,368 --> 00:12:19,739
Afterwards, she needs to coil
up and rest to aid digestion
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00:12:19,739 --> 00:12:21,674
which can take
a number of days.
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00:12:35,188 --> 00:12:38,257
This is another snake that's
so highly adaptable,
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00:12:38,257 --> 00:12:41,527
it happily lives side by side
with mankind.
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00:12:41,527 --> 00:12:43,463
The eastern brown.
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As well as frogs and birds,
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00:12:56,209 --> 00:12:58,344
it especially likes the rats
and mice
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00:12:58,344 --> 00:13:00,647
that always live close to
human populations.
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00:13:04,217 --> 00:13:06,552
It's found all along the
eastern coast,
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from northern Queensland to
South Australia,
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00:13:11,491 --> 00:13:15,161
the areas most densely
populated by humans.
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00:13:20,733 --> 00:13:23,536
It'll happily take shelter
in man-made cover
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00:13:23,536 --> 00:13:25,471
like building sites
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00:13:27,173 --> 00:13:29,108
This snake is fast...
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- (Dog barks)
- ..nervous...
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(Children's voices)
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..and deadly.
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It's responsible for around
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half the snakebite
fatalities every year.
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This is the snake most likely
to bite and kill a human
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in the whole country.
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00:13:55,835 --> 00:13:58,137
The eastern brown
is highly venomous.
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Venom is modified saliva,
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containing proteins
and peptides.
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Within the mixture, there's
a deadly cocktail of toxins.
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In Australia, around
500 people a year
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are hospitalized
with snake bites.
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00:14:19,692 --> 00:14:23,062
The eastern brown's venom
is neurotoxic,
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causing muscle weakness
and paralysis.
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00:14:26,799 --> 00:14:29,102
While there is an anti-venom,
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00:14:29,102 --> 00:14:31,537
an eastern brown bite needs
fast treatment.
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00:14:31,537 --> 00:14:33,740
Victims who don't get it
in time
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can die of cardiac arrest
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00:14:35,541 --> 00:14:37,477
within 30 minutes of
being bitten.
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If they don't have
a heart attack,
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the neurotoxin traveling
around their body
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00:14:44,083 --> 00:14:47,520
will eventually lead to
respiratory failure.
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00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:51,124
It's one of the most powerful
snake poisons in Australia.
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But there's another
snake species
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whose venom leaves
all others in the dust.
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The legendary taipan.
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Of its two main species,
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the inland taipan
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is the undisputed champion
of lethality.
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Although
it almost exclusively
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00:15:47,113 --> 00:15:49,715
eats rats and mice,
one bite from this snake
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00:15:49,715 --> 00:15:52,051
is capable of killing
a hundred men.
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00:15:54,353 --> 00:15:57,123
But as it lives in the arid
center of the country,
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away from most human
settlement,
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00:15:58,825 --> 00:16:01,427
bites to people
are very rare.
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00:16:14,507 --> 00:16:17,276
Its cousin,
the coastal taipan,
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00:16:17,276 --> 00:16:20,513
is not only more aggressive
than the shyer inland,
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00:16:20,513 --> 00:16:22,515
it also lives much closer to
humans
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00:16:22,515 --> 00:16:25,284
along the northern
and eastern coasts.
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00:16:30,790 --> 00:16:34,193
The python uses sharp,
backwards-pointing teeth
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00:16:34,193 --> 00:16:36,562
to secure its prey,
before constricting it.
203
00:16:40,333 --> 00:16:42,668
But the venomous snake
has an ingenious way
204
00:16:42,668 --> 00:16:44,604
of delivering
its deadly poison
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00:16:44,604 --> 00:16:46,439
as quickly as possible.
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00:16:47,807 --> 00:16:50,776
Fangs.
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00:16:50,776 --> 00:16:54,580
These curved, hollowed teeth
connect to venom glands.
208
00:16:54,580 --> 00:16:58,251
Large muscles squeeze
the venom from the gland,
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00:16:58,251 --> 00:17:00,119
along into the fang.
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00:17:04,323 --> 00:17:08,194
There are many different ways
of measuring venom,
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00:17:08,194 --> 00:17:11,964
but the taipans come out at
the top of almost every list.
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00:17:15,134 --> 00:17:17,270
Many live in the sugar cane
crop fields
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00:17:17,270 --> 00:17:19,472
of the northern and eastern
coasts,
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00:17:19,472 --> 00:17:21,307
which are usually infested
with rats.
215
00:17:25,378 --> 00:17:27,680
So they're actually
the farmers' friends.
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00:17:33,486 --> 00:17:36,789
Absolutely nothing is
as effective as the taipan
217
00:17:36,789 --> 00:17:38,724
in keeping
rodent numbers down.
218
00:17:44,497 --> 00:17:48,668
An active hunter, the taipan
uses its chemoreceptors
219
00:17:48,668 --> 00:17:52,371
to trail rodents back to
their underground burrows,
220
00:17:52,371 --> 00:17:55,141
enter their homes
221
00:17:55,141 --> 00:17:57,176
and envenomate
everything it finds.
222
00:18:04,450 --> 00:18:06,485
Half-inch fangs
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00:18:06,485 --> 00:18:08,521
pump a deadly cocktail into
the prey.
224
00:18:11,290 --> 00:18:13,693
Like the eastern brown,
the taipans' venom
225
00:18:13,693 --> 00:18:15,528
is based on a neurotoxin
226
00:18:15,528 --> 00:18:19,332
that causes paralysis
and respiratory failure.
227
00:18:19,332 --> 00:18:23,302
It also contains an enzyme
that maximizes absorption,
228
00:18:23,302 --> 00:18:25,371
and an agent that interferes
229
00:18:25,371 --> 00:18:27,406
with the body's
clotting ability,
230
00:18:27,406 --> 00:18:30,376
causing massive
internal bleeding.
231
00:18:30,376 --> 00:18:32,812
The victim's urine
may turn reddish-brown
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00:18:32,812 --> 00:18:35,614
as the venom dissolves
their muscles,
233
00:18:35,614 --> 00:18:37,750
which then pass
through their kidneys.
234
00:18:39,151 --> 00:18:41,087
It's a murderous mixture.
235
00:18:43,789 --> 00:18:47,126
Until an anti-venom was
developed in the 1950s,
236
00:18:47,126 --> 00:18:50,129
pretty much every bite
to a human was fatal.
237
00:18:52,164 --> 00:18:54,300
But science
is discovering that venom
238
00:18:54,300 --> 00:18:58,170
may also have the potential
to save human lives.
239
00:19:02,274 --> 00:19:05,745
Venom is an incredibly active
and complex substance,
240
00:19:05,745 --> 00:19:08,447
full of peptides and enzymes
241
00:19:08,447 --> 00:19:11,317
that are a treasure trove
for medical researchers.
242
00:19:14,120 --> 00:19:16,589
Scientists are investigating
the potential
243
00:19:16,589 --> 00:19:19,358
of venom-derived medicines
to treat diabetes,
244
00:19:19,358 --> 00:19:23,095
high blood pressure,
auto-immune diseases
245
00:19:23,095 --> 00:19:25,031
and even cancer.
246
00:19:29,301 --> 00:19:31,303
These potential benefits
aside,
247
00:19:31,303 --> 00:19:33,672
snake venom remains
one of the most noxious
248
00:19:33,672 --> 00:19:35,408
natural substances
on the planet.
249
00:19:39,478 --> 00:19:41,480
Naturalists
have long pondered
250
00:19:41,480 --> 00:19:43,282
why the deadliest snakes
251
00:19:43,282 --> 00:19:45,317
need their venom
to be quite so toxic.
252
00:19:49,755 --> 00:19:52,158
One bite from a death adder
or taipan
253
00:19:52,158 --> 00:19:54,060
is enough to kill
their usual prey
254
00:19:54,060 --> 00:19:55,995
tens of thousands
of times over.
255
00:20:00,166 --> 00:20:03,302
One theory on why
their venom is so potent
256
00:20:03,302 --> 00:20:05,404
is that as the early
Australian snakes
257
00:20:05,404 --> 00:20:08,074
were evolving
millions of years ago,
258
00:20:08,074 --> 00:20:10,076
some of their prey began
259
00:20:10,076 --> 00:20:12,011
to develop
a resistance to venom.
260
00:20:16,348 --> 00:20:18,617
As they evolved
alongside each other,
261
00:20:18,617 --> 00:20:22,121
predator and prey may have
become bound together
262
00:20:22,121 --> 00:20:24,623
in a biological arms race.
263
00:20:27,526 --> 00:20:30,596
Snake venom needed to become
more and more powerful
264
00:20:30,596 --> 00:20:33,265
to overcome the growing
immunity of their prey,
265
00:20:35,601 --> 00:20:37,536
leaving today's
venomous snakes
266
00:20:37,536 --> 00:20:39,572
with hugely toxic venom.
267
00:20:45,678 --> 00:20:47,780
Perhaps supporting
this theory,
268
00:20:47,780 --> 00:20:50,583
some animals like this skink
269
00:20:50,583 --> 00:20:52,985
do have a measure of
resistance to snake venom.
270
00:20:56,856 --> 00:21:00,559
In energy terms,
making venom is expensive.
271
00:21:03,129 --> 00:21:05,331
But the advantages
of having it are huge.
272
00:21:07,466 --> 00:21:09,435
In Australia's harsh climate,
273
00:21:09,435 --> 00:21:11,604
where nutrients
are hard to come by,
274
00:21:11,604 --> 00:21:13,606
having excessively
deadly venom
275
00:21:13,606 --> 00:21:16,275
may make the difference
between life and death.
276
00:21:19,645 --> 00:21:22,248
Being able to overpower prey
so quickly
277
00:21:22,248 --> 00:21:24,617
means there's less chance
of injury to the snake
278
00:21:24,617 --> 00:21:26,552
from its panicking victim.
279
00:21:29,188 --> 00:21:31,457
Snakes, especially juveniles,
280
00:21:31,457 --> 00:21:33,559
can also bring down
a much larger animal
281
00:21:33,559 --> 00:21:35,494
than they could
without venom.
282
00:21:38,531 --> 00:21:43,369
Larger meals mean they can
go for longer without food,
283
00:21:43,369 --> 00:21:45,571
essential in areas
where prey is scarce.
284
00:21:51,544 --> 00:21:54,780
Venom is just one
specialization snakes have.
285
00:21:59,618 --> 00:22:03,255
As reptiles, they share
some amazing adaptations
286
00:22:03,255 --> 00:22:05,191
to their extreme environment.
287
00:22:16,802 --> 00:22:19,438
This golden tree snake
is sunbathing.
288
00:22:21,740 --> 00:22:23,676
Reptiles are ectotherms.
289
00:22:26,679 --> 00:22:28,480
They use external means
290
00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:31,150
to regulate their internal
body temperature.
291
00:22:37,189 --> 00:22:39,358
Basking in the sun,
like this monitor lizard,
292
00:22:39,358 --> 00:22:41,594
collects heat.
293
00:22:41,594 --> 00:22:43,395
When they get warm enough,
294
00:22:43,395 --> 00:22:45,331
their internal systems
activate.
295
00:22:50,703 --> 00:22:53,305
Sunbathing on conductive,
heat-absorbing
296
00:22:53,305 --> 00:22:55,741
and reflecting material,
like stone,
297
00:22:55,741 --> 00:22:59,578
intensifies the effect and
makes basking more efficient.
298
00:23:03,148 --> 00:23:05,050
Different levels of energy
299
00:23:05,050 --> 00:23:06,619
are needed
for different tasks.
300
00:23:23,168 --> 00:23:25,638
For the meat-eaters
like this mulga snake,
301
00:23:25,638 --> 00:23:27,573
sunbathing
can even be urgent.
302
00:23:30,175 --> 00:23:32,111
He's on the prowl
for some lunch.
303
00:23:33,812 --> 00:23:39,184
His survival strategy
is to be a generalist eater.
304
00:23:39,184 --> 00:23:44,223
Frogs, lizards, eggs,
small mammals and birds,
305
00:23:44,223 --> 00:23:46,158
they're all on the menu.
306
00:23:48,527 --> 00:23:51,597
He'll also eat carrion,
as well as other snakes
307
00:23:51,597 --> 00:23:53,599
and even members
of his own species.
308
00:23:56,835 --> 00:23:58,537
When he's recently eaten,
309
00:23:58,537 --> 00:24:00,406
it's vital
he basks in the sun.
310
00:24:03,475 --> 00:24:05,577
He needs to reach
a body temperature
311
00:24:05,577 --> 00:24:07,613
high enough for him
to digest his meal.
312
00:24:09,648 --> 00:24:11,717
If food is left
long enough inside him
313
00:24:11,717 --> 00:24:16,021
without being digested, it
can turn putrid and kill him.
314
00:24:19,658 --> 00:24:22,294
Before he can even think
about going hunting,
315
00:24:22,294 --> 00:24:24,229
he has to warm up.
316
00:24:35,307 --> 00:24:38,644
Some snakes have found a way
to attract more heat
317
00:24:38,644 --> 00:24:43,215
by turning themselves into
solar panels.
318
00:24:43,215 --> 00:24:46,685
This venomous red-bellied
snake flattens out its body,
319
00:24:46,685 --> 00:24:49,621
so there's more surface area
to absorb the sun's rays.
320
00:24:56,762 --> 00:24:59,198
The non-venomous
black-headed python
321
00:24:59,198 --> 00:25:00,532
has a different technique,
322
00:25:00,532 --> 00:25:03,202
because it's vulnerable
to predators.
323
00:25:03,202 --> 00:25:06,405
It lives in crevices
or rock piles
324
00:25:06,405 --> 00:25:08,540
and waits for
the last hour of sunlight.
325
00:25:13,145 --> 00:25:16,081
Then, the python pokes
just its head
326
00:25:16,081 --> 00:25:18,117
above the safety of its home,
327
00:25:18,117 --> 00:25:20,352
minimizing
the risk of being attacked.
328
00:25:20,352 --> 00:25:23,756
Its black scales absorb
the day's last heat rays
329
00:25:23,756 --> 00:25:25,691
and solar-charge the snake,
330
00:25:25,691 --> 00:25:27,626
ready for
its evening's hunting.
331
00:25:33,565 --> 00:25:36,702
The black-headed python hunts
by actively searching for
332
00:25:36,702 --> 00:25:39,705
its lizard,
bird and mammal prey.
333
00:25:49,314 --> 00:25:52,651
Like the mulga,
it too will eat other snakes.
334
00:25:57,122 --> 00:25:59,725
It lives throughout the top
third of the country,
335
00:25:59,725 --> 00:26:02,327
which encompasses arid
desert-like terrain,
336
00:26:02,327 --> 00:26:04,263
as well as
tropical rainforests.
337
00:26:06,565 --> 00:26:09,535
Because it lives in so many
different environments,
338
00:26:09,535 --> 00:26:11,403
each with different prey,
339
00:26:11,403 --> 00:26:14,440
the black-headed python
is a highly adaptable hunter.
340
00:26:19,611 --> 00:26:23,248
Although moving around so
much expends precious energy,
341
00:26:23,248 --> 00:26:26,318
the active hunting method
is a successful strategy
342
00:26:26,318 --> 00:26:28,253
and common among snakes.
343
00:26:33,392 --> 00:26:35,527
Many venomous snakes
also spend time
344
00:26:35,527 --> 00:26:38,096
actively tracking down
their dinner,
345
00:26:38,096 --> 00:26:41,133
rather than waiting
in ambush.
346
00:26:41,133 --> 00:26:43,402
Using their tongues
to pick up smells,
347
00:26:43,402 --> 00:26:45,671
they don't just stick
to ground level.
348
00:26:45,671 --> 00:26:47,739
By lifting themselves up,
349
00:26:47,739 --> 00:26:51,543
they collect scent samples
carried on the breeze.
350
00:26:51,543 --> 00:26:54,146
This gives them a different
level of chemical input
351
00:26:54,146 --> 00:26:56,081
and more information.
352
00:27:02,754 --> 00:27:04,656
It all combines to
make the snakes
353
00:27:04,656 --> 00:27:07,025
who actively
search out their prey
354
00:27:07,025 --> 00:27:08,327
highly effective hunters.
355
00:27:20,772 --> 00:27:23,141
But not all snakes
choose this method.
356
00:27:26,078 --> 00:27:28,347
This one
is an ambush specialist.
357
00:27:31,550 --> 00:27:36,054
The green tree python is a
non-venomous arboreal snake.
358
00:27:37,823 --> 00:27:39,825
It lives in the rainforests
359
00:27:39,825 --> 00:27:41,994
of the very far north
of Queensland.
360
00:27:44,162 --> 00:27:47,566
Tropical country...
and full of prey.
361
00:27:52,471 --> 00:27:55,707
As a juvenile, it spends a
lot of time on the ground,
362
00:27:55,707 --> 00:27:58,677
hunting small lizards
and frogs.
363
00:27:58,677 --> 00:28:00,579
So its coloring
is mottled yellow
364
00:28:00,579 --> 00:28:03,515
to blend in with the leaves
on the rainforest floor.
365
00:28:10,455 --> 00:28:13,792
As it becomes adult,
it turns a stunning green,
366
00:28:13,792 --> 00:28:17,062
the perfect camouflage
in the tree canopy.
367
00:28:21,466 --> 00:28:23,735
It catches rodents
on the ground at night.
368
00:28:25,637 --> 00:28:27,472
By day it takes to the trees
369
00:28:27,472 --> 00:28:29,608
in search of canopy-dwelling
animals.
370
00:28:34,313 --> 00:28:36,348
After getting into
a good position,
371
00:28:36,348 --> 00:28:38,417
the green tree python
sits and waits
372
00:28:38,417 --> 00:28:40,419
for prey to come within
strike range.
373
00:28:43,789 --> 00:28:48,126
Many of its prey are well
adapted to see movement.
374
00:28:48,126 --> 00:28:51,463
So this snake has come up
with a means to exploit that.
375
00:28:53,498 --> 00:28:57,069
It doesn't just passively
wait for its victims.
376
00:28:57,069 --> 00:28:59,471
It tries
to actively attract them.
377
00:29:02,741 --> 00:29:04,943
It wriggles
the very end of its tail.
378
00:29:06,578 --> 00:29:08,513
This is called caudal luring.
379
00:29:14,252 --> 00:29:16,455
By doing this,
it's trying to convince
380
00:29:16,455 --> 00:29:20,125
any passing reptile or bird
that the tip of its tail
381
00:29:20,125 --> 00:29:23,629
is actually a juicy snack
like a small lizard.
382
00:29:26,765 --> 00:29:31,470
It's a classic ambush...
with a twist.
383
00:30:00,732 --> 00:30:04,670
The venomous death adder
also lies in wait for prey.
384
00:30:16,782 --> 00:30:19,551
This mouse
has good senses of its own.
385
00:30:20,819 --> 00:30:22,721
But the death adder's
coloring
386
00:30:22,721 --> 00:30:25,757
means that once it digs
itself into the leaf litter,
387
00:30:25,757 --> 00:30:27,693
it's almost invisible.
388
00:30:29,494 --> 00:30:32,764
It lurks there...
deathly still.
389
00:30:40,572 --> 00:30:43,508
The unsuspecting mouse walks
right over the top of it.
390
00:30:48,647 --> 00:30:51,316
Although the death adder
doesn't have heat pits
391
00:30:51,316 --> 00:30:53,285
like most of the pythons,
392
00:30:53,285 --> 00:30:55,654
it picks up
the vibrations of the rodent.
393
00:31:02,527 --> 00:31:04,396
And when the mouse is close,
394
00:31:04,396 --> 00:31:06,598
the snake
can use its eyesight
395
00:31:06,598 --> 00:31:08,533
to zero in on its target.
396
00:31:20,645 --> 00:31:24,616
The death adder has one
of the fastest strikes
of all snakes.
397
00:31:25,817 --> 00:31:28,687
It can attack,
inject its venom
398
00:31:28,687 --> 00:31:31,123
and be back
into its original position
399
00:31:31,123 --> 00:31:33,125
in a quarter of a second.
400
00:31:36,094 --> 00:31:38,196
The kill is often swallowed
head first.
401
00:31:40,599 --> 00:31:44,336
If the snake is low on venom,
its prey may still be alive
402
00:31:44,336 --> 00:31:46,838
for a while
after being bitten.
403
00:31:46,838 --> 00:31:49,241
Eating headfirst reduces
the risk
404
00:31:49,241 --> 00:31:51,343
of the snake
being bitten itself.
405
00:31:54,546 --> 00:31:56,481
All snakes are very
vulnerable
406
00:31:56,481 --> 00:31:58,517
whilst they're eating.
407
00:31:58,517 --> 00:32:00,552
Their main weapons
are now out of play.
408
00:32:02,387 --> 00:32:04,289
So they need to get
every meal down
409
00:32:04,289 --> 00:32:06,224
as quickly as possible.
410
00:32:08,660 --> 00:32:11,496
And head first
is the fastest.
411
00:32:18,637 --> 00:32:21,306
Powerful enzymes
and gastric juices
412
00:32:21,306 --> 00:32:24,176
break down the food and
the nutrients are absorbed.
413
00:32:28,814 --> 00:32:32,517
This process can take
days or even weeks.
414
00:32:54,840 --> 00:32:57,676
But some prey parts
get left behind.
415
00:32:59,211 --> 00:33:01,146
This black-headed python
has no use
416
00:33:01,146 --> 00:33:03,215
for the fur of the rat
it's just eaten.
417
00:33:05,483 --> 00:33:08,486
The waste material passes
through the cloaca,
418
00:33:08,486 --> 00:33:10,722
an opening near the tail
that functions
419
00:33:10,722 --> 00:33:13,391
as both a reproductive
and digestive opening.
420
00:33:15,794 --> 00:33:19,097
The paler substance is the
reptilian equivalent
421
00:33:19,097 --> 00:33:21,700
of urine, though it's far
more concentrated.
422
00:33:30,542 --> 00:33:34,446
For many snakes, lizards are
a staple part of their diet.
423
00:33:40,218 --> 00:33:43,588
They're both reptiles.
It's thought that snakes
424
00:33:43,588 --> 00:33:45,523
actually evolved
from lizards,
425
00:33:45,523 --> 00:33:47,359
slowly losing their legs.
426
00:33:51,496 --> 00:33:54,532
In Australia, the lizards
outnumber the snakes,
427
00:33:54,532 --> 00:33:56,868
with more than
500 lizard species
428
00:33:56,868 --> 00:33:58,803
versus over 300 of snakes.
429
00:34:11,149 --> 00:34:14,152
The lizards have evolved
many different adaptations
430
00:34:14,152 --> 00:34:16,254
in their attempts
to stay off the menu.
431
00:34:21,326 --> 00:34:23,261
One is just to be very big.
432
00:34:29,167 --> 00:34:31,136
The lace monitor,
433
00:34:31,136 --> 00:34:34,306
one of the lizard family
known as goannas in Australia
434
00:34:34,306 --> 00:34:36,341
can reach six
and a half feet in length
435
00:34:36,341 --> 00:34:38,276
and 33 pounds in weight.
436
00:34:41,246 --> 00:34:44,115
This is a true carnivore
in its own right.
437
00:34:46,518 --> 00:34:49,421
When fully grown,
the goanna is capable
438
00:34:49,421 --> 00:34:52,257
of killing koalas
and small kangaroos.
439
00:34:53,358 --> 00:34:55,627
It can even take on a snake.
440
00:35:03,301 --> 00:35:05,036
Like a snake,
441
00:35:05,036 --> 00:35:07,672
it can unhinge its jaws
to envelop large prey.
442
00:35:09,774 --> 00:35:12,544
Also like a snake, it has
a deeply forked tongue
443
00:35:12,544 --> 00:35:14,512
that it flicks in and out,
444
00:35:14,512 --> 00:35:16,781
sending the chemical
messages it picks up
445
00:35:16,781 --> 00:35:19,017
to the Jacobson's organ
in its mouth.
446
00:35:21,219 --> 00:35:24,155
The goanna's teeth are sharp
and curved backwards,
447
00:35:24,155 --> 00:35:27,492
like a python's, making it
hard for prey to escape.
448
00:35:37,802 --> 00:35:39,704
It likes to climb trees,
449
00:35:39,704 --> 00:35:42,140
where it can keep an eye
on its surroundings.
450
00:35:43,808 --> 00:35:45,744
The trees are also
a good place
451
00:35:45,744 --> 00:35:47,779
for the smaller monitors
to escape
452
00:35:47,779 --> 00:35:50,515
ground-based venomous snakes,
called elapids.
453
00:35:52,150 --> 00:35:54,486
Although some elapids
are good climbers,
454
00:35:54,486 --> 00:35:56,621
most are uncomfortable
going too high.
455
00:35:58,623 --> 00:36:01,026
Up here, the goanna can
investigate
456
00:36:01,026 --> 00:36:03,795
any likely hollows
where it might find food,
457
00:36:03,795 --> 00:36:09,267
insects, mammals, nesting
birds and even carrion.
458
00:36:16,775 --> 00:36:18,676
Most of Australia's lizards
459
00:36:18,676 --> 00:36:21,679
don't have the luxury of the
monitor's enormous size.
460
00:36:28,219 --> 00:36:32,057
They must find other ways
to deter potential predators.
461
00:36:35,326 --> 00:36:38,329
At between
18 and 24 inches,
462
00:36:38,329 --> 00:36:41,766
the blue-tongued skink
is a fairly hefty species,
463
00:36:41,766 --> 00:36:44,169
but nowhere near
the size of the monitor.
464
00:36:46,171 --> 00:36:49,240
Like other smaller lizards,
it can fall prey
465
00:36:49,240 --> 00:36:51,242
not only to snakes,
but to animals
466
00:36:51,242 --> 00:36:53,144
which hunt using visual cues,
467
00:36:53,144 --> 00:36:57,282
like cats, wild dogs
and carnivorous birds.
468
00:36:59,350 --> 00:37:02,020
It's also a very
slow-moving lizard,
469
00:37:02,020 --> 00:37:04,789
so it relies on bluff when
confronted by a predator
470
00:37:04,789 --> 00:37:06,624
by opening its mouth wide
471
00:37:06,624 --> 00:37:09,127
to show its brightly colored
blue tongue.
472
00:37:11,362 --> 00:37:13,198
It tries to look bigger
473
00:37:13,198 --> 00:37:15,233
and more aggressive
than it really is,
474
00:37:15,233 --> 00:37:17,168
in an attempt
to deter an attack.
475
00:37:26,277 --> 00:37:28,179
Discombobulating your foe
476
00:37:28,179 --> 00:37:30,748
is also a good way to avoid
being a snake's dinner.
477
00:37:33,184 --> 00:37:35,753
Like the brightly colored
tongue of the skink,
478
00:37:35,753 --> 00:37:37,722
this frill-necked lizard
479
00:37:37,722 --> 00:37:40,058
has a built-in
anatomical shock factor.
480
00:37:41,626 --> 00:37:44,629
(Hisses)
481
00:37:44,629 --> 00:37:47,432
When threatened,
he opens his mouth wide
482
00:37:47,432 --> 00:37:49,400
and erects
a huge scaly membrane
483
00:37:49,400 --> 00:37:51,269
that frames his head.
484
00:37:54,506 --> 00:37:56,741
While some snakes
like the taipan
485
00:37:56,741 --> 00:37:59,210
and eastern brown
are ready biters,
486
00:37:59,210 --> 00:38:01,713
many are actually cautious
about attacking.
487
00:38:04,616 --> 00:38:06,584
They don't want
to risk an injury
488
00:38:06,584 --> 00:38:09,254
that might compromise
their ability to feed,
489
00:38:09,254 --> 00:38:11,256
so they select their prey
carefully.
490
00:38:14,125 --> 00:38:15,793
Looking big and aggressive
491
00:38:15,793 --> 00:38:18,296
might just be enough
to put off an attacker.
492
00:38:21,466 --> 00:38:24,035
Both males and females
have the neck frills.
493
00:38:26,304 --> 00:38:28,506
This one is keeping
an eye out for predators
494
00:38:28,506 --> 00:38:30,275
on a cycad plant.
495
00:38:33,611 --> 00:38:35,580
Known as living fossils,
496
00:38:35,580 --> 00:38:39,317
DNA studies have found the
cycad species living now
497
00:38:39,317 --> 00:38:41,786
to be around
ten million years old,
498
00:38:41,786 --> 00:38:45,590
a long time for any one
species to remain on earth.
499
00:38:45,590 --> 00:38:47,792
Their earliest ancestors
were around
500
00:38:47,792 --> 00:38:50,261
long before dinosaurs
ruled the planet,
501
00:38:50,261 --> 00:38:52,230
and fossil records suggest
502
00:38:52,230 --> 00:38:54,699
they probably dominated
the ancient forests.
503
00:38:56,334 --> 00:38:59,337
Most are long-lived
and slow-growing.
504
00:39:04,275 --> 00:39:06,177
For the frill-necked lizard,
505
00:39:06,177 --> 00:39:08,279
the plant makes
a handy perch...
506
00:39:08,279 --> 00:39:10,215
and a good vantage point.
507
00:39:16,754 --> 00:39:19,324
Some,
like this shingleback lizard,
508
00:39:19,324 --> 00:39:21,259
try to confuse their enemies.
509
00:39:27,632 --> 00:39:30,635
Its tail is pretty much
identical to its head,
510
00:39:30,635 --> 00:39:32,804
which it hopes will befuddle
a predator
511
00:39:32,804 --> 00:39:35,206
long enough for it to make
its getaway.
512
00:39:47,485 --> 00:39:49,254
A truly cunning disguise
513
00:39:49,254 --> 00:39:51,522
could also help
one avoid becoming lunch.
514
00:39:55,493 --> 00:39:57,428
There is a lizard
on this tree.
515
00:40:02,600 --> 00:40:04,535
This is a leaf-tailed gecko.
516
00:40:06,671 --> 00:40:09,507
His markings look like patchy
tree bark and lichen.
517
00:40:11,342 --> 00:40:14,178
This disruptive patterning is
the same principle
518
00:40:14,178 --> 00:40:16,481
that military camouflage gear
is based on.
519
00:40:19,350 --> 00:40:21,452
His base coloring
is specialized
520
00:40:21,452 --> 00:40:24,822
to the area he lives in.
521
00:40:24,822 --> 00:40:27,659
If a gecko lives in a grove
with paler trees,
522
00:40:27,659 --> 00:40:29,694
it will have paler coloring
to match.
523
00:40:33,665 --> 00:40:37,302
In the next patch of forest,
which may have darker trees,
524
00:40:37,302 --> 00:40:39,337
it'll have corresponding
dark skin.
525
00:40:42,206 --> 00:40:46,511
His spiny flanks diffuse
any tell-tale shadows.
526
00:40:47,812 --> 00:40:49,580
Bird-like, clawed feet
527
00:40:49,580 --> 00:40:51,516
help him climb over
the rough bark.
528
00:40:56,220 --> 00:40:59,324
Motionless, the leaf tail
waits for spiders
529
00:40:59,324 --> 00:41:02,360
and insects like crickets and
moths to come within range.
530
00:41:10,335 --> 00:41:12,570
Because he spends all night
in position,
531
00:41:12,570 --> 00:41:16,341
he needs large eyes to let in
as much light as possible.
532
00:41:16,341 --> 00:41:20,278
The downside to this is that
he has a reflective retina.
533
00:41:22,180 --> 00:41:25,149
So at night, the gecko's
tell-tale eye shine
534
00:41:25,149 --> 00:41:27,685
is a dead giveaway
to his nocturnal predators,
535
00:41:27,685 --> 00:41:31,255
owls, rats and snakes.
536
00:41:36,694 --> 00:41:39,197
But, even when
he may be staring
537
00:41:39,197 --> 00:41:41,532
into the scaly jaws
of certain death,
538
00:41:41,532 --> 00:41:43,668
he has a last-ditch trick
up his sleeve.
539
00:41:46,371 --> 00:41:48,606
If things are looking
desperate,
540
00:41:48,606 --> 00:41:50,541
the leaf-tailed gecko
wriggles his tail
541
00:41:50,541 --> 00:41:52,577
to draw attention to it.
542
00:41:52,577 --> 00:41:55,446
Should the snake take the
bait and attack the tail,
543
00:41:55,446 --> 00:41:57,248
the gecko can actually
disengage it
544
00:41:57,248 --> 00:41:59,183
from his body and drop it.
545
00:42:02,253 --> 00:42:04,522
This gives the snake
a temporary mouthful,
546
00:42:04,522 --> 00:42:06,457
while the gecko
makes a getaway.
547
00:42:09,327 --> 00:42:12,597
Its tail regrows
in just six to eight weeks.
548
00:42:19,670 --> 00:42:21,506
Lizards and snakes
549
00:42:21,506 --> 00:42:24,409
are built to survive
their tough environment.
550
00:42:24,409 --> 00:42:28,146
But while snakes may seem
terrifying and indomitable,
551
00:42:28,146 --> 00:42:30,181
many of them are themselves
552
00:42:30,181 --> 00:42:33,251
under threat
from other species.
553
00:42:33,251 --> 00:42:35,453
There is one animal
that easily kills
554
00:42:35,453 --> 00:42:37,388
even the most deadly snake.
555
00:42:39,090 --> 00:42:41,025
The cane toad.
556
00:42:44,829 --> 00:42:48,733
Imported into Australia from
South America in the 1930s,
557
00:42:48,733 --> 00:42:51,335
the cane toad was introduced
specifically
558
00:42:51,335 --> 00:42:54,071
to prey on pest beetles
in the sugar cane fields.
559
00:42:58,376 --> 00:43:01,479
It was entirely ineffective
against the beetles,
560
00:43:01,479 --> 00:43:03,347
but much worse was to come.
561
00:43:09,554 --> 00:43:12,824
The cane toad is itself
highly poisonous,
562
00:43:12,824 --> 00:43:15,259
with glands
on its back and sides
563
00:43:15,259 --> 00:43:17,195
that excrete potent toxins.
564
00:43:19,263 --> 00:43:22,533
Almost anything
that tries to eat it dies.
565
00:43:25,269 --> 00:43:27,071
Many snakes eat amphibians
566
00:43:27,071 --> 00:43:29,006
and unwittingly
take cane toads.
567
00:43:31,809 --> 00:43:33,744
They don't get
a chance to have
568
00:43:33,744 --> 00:43:36,614
any sort of learning curve
about avoiding this prey.
569
00:43:39,817 --> 00:43:42,086
The toads are so toxic,
570
00:43:42,086 --> 00:43:44,755
snakes will die with the toad
still in their mouths.
571
00:43:56,167 --> 00:43:58,202
Many native species
572
00:43:58,202 --> 00:44:00,171
are only too happy
to get a snake snack.
573
00:44:02,540 --> 00:44:05,610
Especially if it's
a vulnerable juvenile.
574
00:44:07,612 --> 00:44:10,448
The jabiru
or black-necked stork
575
00:44:10,448 --> 00:44:12,617
is a whopping four feet tall
576
00:44:12,617 --> 00:44:15,152
and easily capable
of taking a snake.
577
00:44:18,322 --> 00:44:20,324
As are many
of the big birds of prey
578
00:44:20,324 --> 00:44:22,193
that live
all over the country.
579
00:44:25,496 --> 00:44:28,065
Predatory birds
and foreign toads
580
00:44:28,065 --> 00:44:30,001
aren't the only threats
to snakes.
581
00:44:37,375 --> 00:44:40,444
Bush fires are
the terror of the outback.
582
00:44:42,847 --> 00:44:45,449
There are apocryphal stories
of bush fires
583
00:44:45,449 --> 00:44:49,353
spreading faster
than a galloping horse.
584
00:44:49,353 --> 00:44:52,490
It's certainly true they're
devastating for animal life.
585
00:44:54,825 --> 00:44:57,695
A fire like this can start
from a lightning strike,
586
00:44:57,695 --> 00:45:02,099
and last for days, taking out
the animals' cover and food.
587
00:45:07,438 --> 00:45:10,441
Most try to flee, many die.
588
00:45:14,779 --> 00:45:17,448
But while many snakes
will be killed by fire,
589
00:45:17,448 --> 00:45:19,617
the black-headed python
is able
590
00:45:19,617 --> 00:45:21,986
to use a bush fire
to its own advantage.
591
00:45:31,128 --> 00:45:32,797
It's a capable climber,
592
00:45:32,797 --> 00:45:35,466
but just as happy to stay
safe from the flames
593
00:45:35,466 --> 00:45:40,705
by going underground or into
small, cramped rock crevices.
594
00:45:43,708 --> 00:45:47,378
This all-terrain beast has
the largest array of options
595
00:45:47,378 --> 00:45:49,313
to survive a bush fire.
596
00:45:56,654 --> 00:45:59,757
Regrowth starts again
after around six weeks,
597
00:45:59,757 --> 00:46:02,126
and small mammals
and reptiles
598
00:46:02,126 --> 00:46:05,129
move back in
as soon as they can.
599
00:46:05,129 --> 00:46:08,399
They form a veritable feast
for the black-headed python,
600
00:46:08,399 --> 00:46:10,334
who's been able
to wait it out.
601
00:46:21,112 --> 00:46:22,813
The snakes of Australia
602
00:46:22,813 --> 00:46:25,349
all have their part to play
in the ecosystem,
603
00:46:25,349 --> 00:46:28,252
and many perform vital roles
in pest control.
604
00:46:32,056 --> 00:46:35,526
From the rodent-eating
of the taipan,
605
00:46:35,526 --> 00:46:38,429
and hunting prowess
of the scrub python,
606
00:46:40,598 --> 00:46:42,400
to the cunning caudal lure
607
00:46:42,400 --> 00:46:44,068
of the green tree python,
608
00:46:46,604 --> 00:46:49,073
and the death adder's
lightning strike...
609
00:46:52,243 --> 00:46:54,578
..Australia's snakes
have found ways
610
00:46:54,578 --> 00:46:56,714
of flourishing
in this severe terrain.
611
00:47:02,019 --> 00:47:03,688
Beautiful...
612
00:47:04,622 --> 00:47:06,090
..bizarre...
613
00:47:07,024 --> 00:47:08,959
..and often deadly...
614
00:47:10,661 --> 00:47:13,397
..the snakes of Australia
continue to inhabit
615
00:47:13,397 --> 00:47:16,367
a prominent place
in our imaginations,
616
00:47:16,367 --> 00:47:19,303
as well as our nightmares.
617
00:47:29,780 --> 00:47:36,787
♪♪
618
00:47:36,787 --> 00:47:43,794
♪♪
619
00:47:43,794 --> 00:47:50,701
♪♪
48010
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