1 00:00:02,169 --> 00:00:05,305 In nature, villains are everywhere. 2 00:00:07,774 --> 00:00:10,911 All this fly wants is sweet nectar. 3 00:00:12,913 --> 00:00:16,550 But he's landed in the jaws of a predatory plant. 4 00:00:19,286 --> 00:00:23,690 Just another wicked fiend with the weirdest of appetites. 5 00:00:31,098 --> 00:00:34,134 The Creatures of Earth 6 00:00:34,268 --> 00:00:37,604 are wilder than you could possibly imagine. 7 00:00:39,806 --> 00:00:46,914 Among the fast and fearsome are the astoundingly crazy. 8 00:00:50,050 --> 00:00:55,255 Strange behavior and outrageous fashion sense. 9 00:00:57,858 --> 00:01:00,227 They're all in a competition to survive. 10 00:01:01,929 --> 00:01:04,398 And weirdness always wins. 11 00:01:19,079 --> 00:01:22,215 ♪ ♪ 12 00:01:27,621 --> 00:01:30,290 ♪ ♪ 13 00:01:30,424 --> 00:01:36,163 Welcome to the mind-bending world of fungi. 14 00:01:36,296 --> 00:01:41,435 A fascinatingly weird kingdom of creatures that rule our planet. 15 00:01:44,638 --> 00:01:47,507 More than one and a half million species. 16 00:01:49,776 --> 00:01:52,346 Greater than all plants combined. 17 00:01:54,314 --> 00:01:57,918 And they proudly let their freak flags fly. 18 00:02:09,029 --> 00:02:11,131 ♪ ♪ 19 00:02:11,264 --> 00:02:15,302 Fungi eat the dead to create new life. 20 00:02:16,870 --> 00:02:19,673 Returning nutrients to the ground. 21 00:02:19,806 --> 00:02:24,211 And feeding the soil on which all living things depend. 22 00:02:26,580 --> 00:02:31,618 For all the benefits they bring, some fungi have a darker side. 23 00:02:39,860 --> 00:02:42,929 Their urge to multiply has mushroomed like 24 00:02:43,063 --> 00:02:44,831 a fiendish contagion. 25 00:02:48,869 --> 00:02:52,572 Most fungi throw their spores to the wind, mingling with 26 00:02:52,706 --> 00:02:54,674 the soil wherever they land. 27 00:02:56,276 --> 00:02:59,413 ♪ ♪ 28 00:03:01,281 --> 00:03:04,384 ♪ ♪ 29 00:03:05,819 --> 00:03:09,756 But some have more ghoulish tastes. 30 00:03:12,292 --> 00:03:16,830 As this ant forages, fungal spores contaminating the forest 31 00:03:16,963 --> 00:03:22,335 floor have latched on and penetrated its exoskeleton. 32 00:03:24,738 --> 00:03:29,009 The body snatcher is known as Cordyceps. 33 00:03:30,744 --> 00:03:33,814 Days after contact, the spores have bypassed the 34 00:03:33,947 --> 00:03:38,351 creature's brain, taking control of its movements. 35 00:03:42,689 --> 00:03:45,826 The ant is now a walking time bomb. 36 00:03:47,894 --> 00:03:52,065 The fungus drives its host towards the perfect destination 37 00:03:52,199 --> 00:03:54,601 to complete its life cycle. 38 00:03:54,734 --> 00:03:56,970 A place that's warm and humid. 39 00:03:58,105 --> 00:03:59,439 The ant's nest. 40 00:04:02,442 --> 00:04:04,544 Ants are usually good at spotting the sick and 41 00:04:04,678 --> 00:04:06,480 forcing them from the colony. 42 00:04:08,748 --> 00:04:12,719 But nobody detects the zombie in their midst. 43 00:04:15,622 --> 00:04:20,827 The enslaved ant is now a Trojan horse, ready to burst forth. 44 00:04:23,530 --> 00:04:26,967 The Cordyceps fungus eats it from the inside out. 45 00:04:28,335 --> 00:04:30,604 Nourishment for its final act. 46 00:04:32,372 --> 00:04:35,842 Spores erupt from the carcass, zombifying 47 00:04:35,976 --> 00:04:37,611 one ant after another. 48 00:04:42,015 --> 00:04:43,350 The ants that survive? 49 00:04:44,351 --> 00:04:47,721 Cordyceps always need fresh hosts. 50 00:04:50,490 --> 00:04:53,760 But these body snatchers don't limit themselves to ants. 51 00:05:01,434 --> 00:05:04,905 There are more than 700 species of Cordyceps, 52 00:05:06,773 --> 00:05:10,443 each infecting a different species of invertebrate. 53 00:05:14,514 --> 00:05:16,683 Victims litter the forest floor. 54 00:05:19,719 --> 00:05:23,757 Prey to a parasite that's neither plant nor animal, 55 00:05:25,158 --> 00:05:27,894 but something in between. 56 00:05:29,162 --> 00:05:32,299 ♪ ♪ 57 00:05:38,271 --> 00:05:40,407 Imagine the world of a meerkat. 58 00:05:42,209 --> 00:05:44,444 Sweethearts of the African savannah. 59 00:05:46,479 --> 00:05:49,783 But surrounded by skilled killers. 60 00:06:12,339 --> 00:06:16,610 Despite it all, they remain eccentric. 61 00:06:21,581 --> 00:06:22,983 Funny. 62 00:06:25,819 --> 00:06:27,754 And totally adorable. 63 00:06:28,855 --> 00:06:31,825 ♪ ♪ 64 00:06:33,293 --> 00:06:36,363 An easy mark for a clever manipulator. 65 00:06:44,938 --> 00:06:49,242 The fork-tail Drongo is watching the meerkats closely. 66 00:06:50,810 --> 00:06:54,347 She's one of nature's shrewdest con artists. 67 00:06:57,417 --> 00:07:00,820 When meerkats forage for food, it's a family outing. 68 00:07:02,022 --> 00:07:04,991 ♪ ♪ 69 00:07:06,593 --> 00:07:09,629 It hunts scorpions and insects nine to five. 70 00:07:15,869 --> 00:07:21,574 While the meerkats take care of business, crafty Drongos wait. 71 00:07:24,944 --> 00:07:28,281 Oddly, meerkats trust the Drongos to help them. 72 00:07:30,483 --> 00:07:33,353 From the bird's vantage point, it can see and hear 73 00:07:33,486 --> 00:07:35,755 danger before anyone else. 74 00:07:40,327 --> 00:07:45,165 A martial eagle, the meerkat's arch nemesis. 75 00:07:45,298 --> 00:07:47,600 The Drongos sound their alarm call, 76 00:07:50,403 --> 00:07:51,671 alerting the meerkats. 77 00:08:10,223 --> 00:08:11,758 Crisis averted. 78 00:08:14,027 --> 00:08:17,297 But the double-dealing Drongos can exploit a flaw 79 00:08:17,430 --> 00:08:19,366 in this escape strategy. 80 00:08:24,037 --> 00:08:28,708 When the meerkats catch their prey, they wait for 81 00:08:28,842 --> 00:08:30,276 their pups to join in. 82 00:08:33,713 --> 00:08:37,584 The juvenile meerkats handle their meal carelessly. 83 00:08:41,221 --> 00:08:42,889 The Drongos take note. 84 00:08:46,059 --> 00:08:49,229 Again, the bird sounds the Drongo alarm call. 85 00:08:55,769 --> 00:08:59,773 But this time, there's no eagle. 86 00:08:59,906 --> 00:09:03,009 In their haste, the meerkats abandon their food. 87 00:09:05,712 --> 00:09:08,648 The Drongo swoops in to pick up the scraps. 88 00:09:15,588 --> 00:09:17,724 The meerkat has no idea. 89 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:25,932 The Drongo's cunning use of mimicry is crooked genius. 90 00:09:34,541 --> 00:09:38,445 Orcas stalk every ocean on the planet. 91 00:09:41,681 --> 00:09:44,884 But each hunting ground sports unique prey. 92 00:09:47,654 --> 00:09:51,157 Different families have a trusted method to capture 93 00:09:51,291 --> 00:09:52,725 their favorite meal. 94 00:09:56,329 --> 00:09:59,199 Putting the killer into killer whale. 95 00:10:04,871 --> 00:10:08,608 It may not be summer, but school is out for these herring. 96 00:10:09,375 --> 00:10:12,412 ♪ ♪ 97 00:10:13,246 --> 00:10:15,748 As spring brings a touch of warmth to the frigid 98 00:10:15,882 --> 00:10:20,687 northern oceans, this school of herring migrates south. 99 00:10:21,054 --> 00:10:23,356 ♪ ♪ 100 00:10:23,490 --> 00:10:27,760 Hoping to sow their wild oats with other graduates. 101 00:10:30,797 --> 00:10:33,500 Incoming! 102 00:10:37,804 --> 00:10:40,507 The Norwegian orca pod surrounds the school. 103 00:10:43,810 --> 00:10:46,880 Herding the herring closer and closer together. 104 00:10:49,983 --> 00:10:53,453 These orca are a tight-knit family of hunters. 105 00:10:54,854 --> 00:10:58,691 Emitting a cacophony of calls to coordinate their attack. 106 00:11:01,561 --> 00:11:06,599 They slap their tails, stunning some of the fish. 107 00:11:08,301 --> 00:11:13,573 The rest of the herring form a defensive bait pool, exposing 108 00:11:13,706 --> 00:11:16,976 the least of their numbers to the circle of predators. 109 00:11:17,911 --> 00:11:20,880 ♪ ♪ 110 00:11:23,550 --> 00:11:27,287 Finally, the leader dives below the mass of fish 111 00:11:27,420 --> 00:11:29,589 and emits a fountain of bubbles. 112 00:11:34,594 --> 00:11:36,896 Escaping the wall of air, the herring are 113 00:11:37,030 --> 00:11:38,498 forced to the surface. 114 00:11:48,575 --> 00:11:52,812 The scene is black and white, with red herrings all over. 115 00:12:00,687 --> 00:12:03,990 In Alaskan waters, a transient pod have 116 00:12:04,123 --> 00:12:05,825 developed a richer palate. 117 00:12:07,660 --> 00:12:10,630 ♪ ♪ 118 00:12:13,032 --> 00:12:16,402 This sea lion colony balloon during summer breeding. 119 00:12:22,442 --> 00:12:25,078 The size of an orca pod is determined by 120 00:12:25,211 --> 00:12:27,213 their preferred prey. 121 00:12:28,548 --> 00:12:31,584 This is one large family. 122 00:12:35,989 --> 00:12:40,727 They rush the frolicking sea lions, who make a quick escape. 123 00:12:47,500 --> 00:12:49,802 One of the herd is injured in the chaos. 124 00:12:53,940 --> 00:12:56,809 ♪ ♪ 125 00:12:57,276 --> 00:13:02,015 But armed with large canines, he is far from an instant meal. 126 00:13:08,121 --> 00:13:12,859 The pod keep their distance before launching their attack. 127 00:13:15,695 --> 00:13:18,665 ♪ ♪ 128 00:13:22,735 --> 00:13:24,637 They take turns ramming the sea lion. 129 00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:30,610 ♪ ♪ 130 00:13:37,383 --> 00:13:41,621 Finally, the matriarch delivers the death blow. 131 00:13:46,492 --> 00:13:51,330 The feast will fuel the family as they search for 132 00:13:51,464 --> 00:13:53,833 their next hunting ground. 133 00:13:57,136 --> 00:14:00,173 ♪ ♪ 134 00:14:00,773 --> 00:14:03,543 Killing comes easy to this spider. 135 00:14:04,811 --> 00:14:09,182 Its cold, blooded eyes scan the jungle for movement. 136 00:14:12,785 --> 00:14:13,486 It's picky. 137 00:14:15,188 --> 00:14:16,956 Nothing too big to tackle. 138 00:14:18,725 --> 00:14:23,362 The arachnid knows the right victim is out there. 139 00:14:30,570 --> 00:14:36,342 The net-casting spider, AKA ogre-face, sees 2,000 times 140 00:14:36,476 --> 00:14:38,811 better than a human in the dark. 141 00:14:43,382 --> 00:14:46,719 One pair of specialized eyes track her prey. 142 00:14:49,922 --> 00:14:52,792 While the other six scan for danger. 143 00:14:54,127 --> 00:14:57,263 ♪ ♪ 144 00:15:00,099 --> 00:15:01,701 She's got to be patient. 145 00:15:10,276 --> 00:15:14,580 As the mark approaches, she prepares her secret weapon. 146 00:15:18,017 --> 00:15:19,385 A net of webbing. 147 00:15:21,854 --> 00:15:23,356 Accuracy is everything. 148 00:15:24,791 --> 00:15:30,963 The white dot on the leaf below is a splat of her own poop. 149 00:15:31,097 --> 00:15:32,565 A marker to help her aim. 150 00:15:44,844 --> 00:15:46,245 Another one in the bag. 151 00:15:48,114 --> 00:15:51,117 ♪ ♪ 152 00:15:51,651 --> 00:15:55,254 Most spiders must wait for their prey to ensnare themselves. 153 00:15:56,656 --> 00:15:59,792 But ogre-face strikes while the iron is hot. 154 00:16:05,865 --> 00:16:10,369 Unlike ordinary spider silk, her woolly net is fine, 155 00:16:10,503 --> 00:16:14,373 sticking to the cricket's waxy shell like velcro. 156 00:16:15,975 --> 00:16:19,478 She turns the cricket into a bug burrito. 157 00:16:22,615 --> 00:16:24,584 Now for the hot sauce. 158 00:16:26,352 --> 00:16:29,589 Her neurotoxic venom paralyzes the cricket, 159 00:16:30,456 --> 00:16:33,659 dissolving its tissues into gooey liquid. 160 00:16:35,828 --> 00:16:38,631 So she can drink to her own success. 161 00:16:51,844 --> 00:16:57,950 25 years ago, this female green sea turtle left the 162 00:16:58,084 --> 00:17:00,887 island where she was born. 163 00:17:01,020 --> 00:17:05,858 To build a life for herself in the wide open ocean. 164 00:17:07,293 --> 00:17:11,831 Now it's time to return home and start a family. 165 00:17:13,699 --> 00:17:18,271 To succeed, she'll need to get the shy turtle guys to 166 00:17:18,404 --> 00:17:19,972 come out of their shells. 167 00:17:20,706 --> 00:17:23,242 ♪ ♪ 168 00:17:23,376 --> 00:17:25,611 But be careful what you wish for. 169 00:17:37,456 --> 00:17:41,060 When female green sea turtles are ready to breed, they 170 00:17:41,193 --> 00:17:44,730 instinctively migrate towards the beach where they hatched. 171 00:17:45,698 --> 00:17:48,734 ♪ ♪ 172 00:17:49,835 --> 00:17:55,908 After a quarter of a century at sea, the journey is epic. 173 00:18:01,781 --> 00:18:04,283 This homecoming queen needs a king. 174 00:18:08,487 --> 00:18:12,058 She releases a heady perfume of pheromones to 175 00:18:12,191 --> 00:18:14,460 attract potential mates. 176 00:18:16,963 --> 00:18:19,932 ♪ ♪ 177 00:18:23,336 --> 00:18:26,072 Using special claws on his flippers, 178 00:18:26,205 --> 00:18:28,207 the male clings to his date. 179 00:18:31,143 --> 00:18:34,280 ♪ ♪ 180 00:18:38,918 --> 00:18:40,519 But there are more suitors. 181 00:18:41,220 --> 00:18:44,256 ♪ ♪ 182 00:18:44,523 --> 00:18:47,893 By attracting multiple mates, the female ensures 183 00:18:48,027 --> 00:18:51,197 her eventual mate is the strongest and fittest. 184 00:18:55,501 --> 00:18:59,438 Two weeks later, she and others are ready to move 185 00:18:59,572 --> 00:19:01,907 ashore and lay their eggs. 186 00:19:07,947 --> 00:19:12,251 Hungry tiger sharks patrol the shallows. 187 00:19:13,152 --> 00:19:16,288 ♪ ♪ 188 00:19:18,557 --> 00:19:20,660 The reef will hide her for a while. 189 00:19:21,360 --> 00:19:23,829 ♪ ♪ 190 00:19:23,963 --> 00:19:26,899 Others forge ahead, driven by instinct. 191 00:19:28,768 --> 00:19:32,505 Straight into the jaws of the waiting sharks. 192 00:19:34,106 --> 00:19:37,243 ♪ ♪ 193 00:19:40,946 --> 00:19:43,983 While the sharks are distracted, she makes a break for it. 194 00:19:45,584 --> 00:19:48,554 ♪ ♪ 195 00:19:59,632 --> 00:20:03,636 Exhausted, she lies on the very strip of beach where 196 00:20:03,769 --> 00:20:09,775 generations of ancestors once returned to start a new family. 197 00:20:11,610 --> 00:20:14,580 ♪ ♪ 198 00:20:15,281 --> 00:20:18,384 ♪ ♪ 199 00:20:23,889 --> 00:20:27,326 She digs as deep as her flippers will reach. 200 00:20:30,463 --> 00:20:32,431 Across the summer nesting season, 201 00:20:32,565 --> 00:20:34,366 she'll lay hundreds of eggs. 202 00:20:37,670 --> 00:20:40,639 ♪ ♪ 203 00:20:48,380 --> 00:20:50,216 And then she's gone. 204 00:21:00,359 --> 00:21:03,362 Two months later, her babies hatch. 205 00:21:05,297 --> 00:21:08,434 ♪ ♪ 206 00:21:10,603 --> 00:21:13,572 ♪ ♪ 207 00:21:18,944 --> 00:21:21,847 Instinctively, they head straight for the sea. 208 00:21:27,086 --> 00:21:30,556 But first, they must run the gauntlet of hungry 209 00:21:30,689 --> 00:21:35,628 birds and fish, all waiting for turtle take away. 210 00:21:46,572 --> 00:21:48,874 Just one out of a thousand will make it. 211 00:21:59,084 --> 00:22:02,221 ♪ ♪ 212 00:22:03,422 --> 00:22:06,492 On the far edges of the natural kingdom, 213 00:22:08,360 --> 00:22:12,531 savage gardens of carnivorous plants thrive 214 00:22:12,665 --> 00:22:15,701 on their powers of seduction. 215 00:22:18,337 --> 00:22:21,473 ♪ ♪ 216 00:22:22,842 --> 00:22:28,647 To survive, they must consume the flesh of the living. 217 00:22:44,363 --> 00:22:46,932 In some small corners of the world, 218 00:22:47,066 --> 00:22:51,537 there's a rogue's gallery of meat-eating villains. 219 00:22:52,171 --> 00:22:55,207 ♪ ♪ 220 00:22:55,608 --> 00:23:00,946 The round-leaved sundew beckons to its victims like an 221 00:23:01,080 --> 00:23:03,682 all-you-can-eat smorgasbord. 222 00:23:06,585 --> 00:23:10,122 The scent and taste of nectar makes promises 223 00:23:10,256 --> 00:23:11,724 to hungry insects. 224 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:16,862 It's the original honey trap. 225 00:23:32,044 --> 00:23:37,549 Just as alluring are the jaws of the Venus flytrap. 226 00:23:55,167 --> 00:23:58,904 The plant secretes digestive enzymes, 227 00:23:59,038 --> 00:24:04,209 killing the insect within and absorbing its life juices. 228 00:24:06,979 --> 00:24:10,349 In just a few days, the trap opens again. 229 00:24:11,984 --> 00:24:14,954 ♪ ♪ 230 00:24:17,189 --> 00:24:19,825 Only an empty husk remains. 231 00:24:26,565 --> 00:24:29,001 While some plants wield jaws of death, 232 00:24:31,737 --> 00:24:35,441 in the nutrient-poor soils of Australian forests, 233 00:24:37,076 --> 00:24:39,778 the pitcher plant works hard to feed its need 234 00:24:39,912 --> 00:24:41,480 for essential nitrogen. 235 00:24:42,581 --> 00:24:44,817 ♪ ♪ 236 00:24:44,950 --> 00:24:47,453 Once their leaves have sprouted and their lids 237 00:24:47,586 --> 00:24:52,725 been popped, pitcher plants are open for business. 238 00:24:57,129 --> 00:25:03,802 Sugary syrup coats its rim, a one-stop shop for insects. 239 00:25:05,904 --> 00:25:09,675 The sweet offerings draw hungry crowds of ants. 240 00:25:15,014 --> 00:25:17,683 For the plant, it's a two-for-one deal. 241 00:25:20,552 --> 00:25:24,089 The ants defend their supply of syrup, protecting the 242 00:25:24,223 --> 00:25:26,258 plant from leaf-eating bugs. 243 00:25:27,793 --> 00:25:30,763 ♪ ♪ 244 00:25:32,331 --> 00:25:34,266 But these ants walk a tightrope. 245 00:25:41,040 --> 00:25:44,410 It's difficult to keep a foothold on the waxy surface. 246 00:25:46,412 --> 00:25:49,348 One wrong step on the pitcher's patio, 247 00:25:49,481 --> 00:25:52,618 and the plant's defender becomes its dinner. 248 00:25:54,453 --> 00:25:57,589 The viscous liquid within is like quicksand. 249 00:25:58,824 --> 00:26:02,494 The more the ant struggles, the deeper it sinks. 250 00:26:10,636 --> 00:26:14,973 The ant decomposes, and the pitcher has its 251 00:26:15,107 --> 00:26:17,543 nitrogen fix for the day. 252 00:26:31,390 --> 00:26:35,160 On first impression, these lesser flamingos 253 00:26:35,294 --> 00:26:36,695 are delicate creatures. 254 00:26:39,865 --> 00:26:43,335 But don't be fooled by their long necks and vibrant colours. 255 00:26:46,138 --> 00:26:49,274 These birds are truly hardcore. 256 00:27:03,155 --> 00:27:06,592 This is Africa's most toxic lake. 257 00:27:13,465 --> 00:27:16,235 But for almost two million flamingos, 258 00:27:16,368 --> 00:27:17,936 it's paradise on earth. 259 00:27:23,876 --> 00:27:28,347 Tough, scale-like skin on their legs prevents caustic burns. 260 00:27:29,848 --> 00:27:32,818 ♪ ♪ 261 00:27:34,686 --> 00:27:37,990 They live on poisonous algae that grows in the lake, 262 00:27:38,123 --> 00:27:39,992 with no ill effects. 263 00:27:48,901 --> 00:27:51,904 But things aren't as rosy as they seem. 264 00:27:54,773 --> 00:27:57,309 An intruder prowls the banks. 265 00:28:01,480 --> 00:28:04,349 This hyena mother is extremely smart. 266 00:28:06,318 --> 00:28:08,153 And opportunistic. 267 00:28:09,021 --> 00:28:12,291 Her cubs haven't had anything to eat in two days. 268 00:28:18,530 --> 00:28:21,400 Flamingos flock towards the edge of the lake, 269 00:28:22,568 --> 00:28:25,804 drinking the fresh water that streams in during 270 00:28:25,938 --> 00:28:27,339 the early morning. 271 00:28:29,841 --> 00:28:31,476 They're nervous. 272 00:28:33,011 --> 00:28:34,780 But there's safety in numbers. 273 00:28:36,448 --> 00:28:41,353 Straying from the flock could be a deadly mistake. 274 00:28:42,421 --> 00:28:47,359 Exactly what the hyena is waiting for. 275 00:28:49,394 --> 00:28:51,997 But today, there are no chinks in the armour. 276 00:28:54,433 --> 00:28:56,802 The hyena must improvise. 277 00:29:13,885 --> 00:29:16,288 The birds scatter, but they know the hyena is 278 00:29:16,421 --> 00:29:17,889 racing against the clock. 279 00:29:18,991 --> 00:29:21,960 ♪ ♪ 280 00:29:24,229 --> 00:29:28,634 Their determination quickly dissolves in the alkaline water. 281 00:29:33,472 --> 00:29:36,808 Back on dry land, the hyena's paws are burning. 282 00:29:42,514 --> 00:29:45,717 But the flamingos have someone else to worry about. 283 00:29:48,954 --> 00:29:50,856 An olive baboon. 284 00:30:02,401 --> 00:30:04,636 Fast and agile over short distances, 285 00:30:06,538 --> 00:30:08,674 the monkey does what the hyena couldn't. 286 00:30:24,256 --> 00:30:26,925 Baboons are usually vegetarian. 287 00:30:27,059 --> 00:30:30,629 But when an opportunity calls, they eat it. 288 00:30:36,435 --> 00:30:39,304 For the hyena, this baboon-shaped cloud has a 289 00:30:39,438 --> 00:30:41,006 flamingo-coloured lining. 290 00:30:45,877 --> 00:30:48,580 A young bird has hurt its leg in the fray. 291 00:30:51,149 --> 00:30:53,318 Just the break the mother needs. 292 00:30:55,654 --> 00:30:58,623 ♪ ♪ 293 00:31:03,161 --> 00:31:06,298 ♪ ♪ 294 00:31:11,236 --> 00:31:14,873 Success. Finally. 295 00:31:16,742 --> 00:31:19,144 This time, she'll have more to show for her 296 00:31:19,277 --> 00:31:21,012 efforts than burning paws. 297 00:31:21,947 --> 00:31:24,783 ♪ ♪ 298 00:31:25,183 --> 00:31:28,920 Yet facing toxic waters and plundering predators, 299 00:31:30,222 --> 00:31:35,927 the flamingos of Africa stand tall, tough and brilliant. 300 00:31:46,471 --> 00:31:49,741 On the banks of the Mangoro River in Madagascar, 301 00:31:54,946 --> 00:31:58,483 a wave of break-ins are sweeping the neighbourhood. 302 00:31:59,151 --> 00:32:02,287 ♪ ♪ 303 00:32:12,664 --> 00:32:15,133 The meanest things on wings. 304 00:32:16,001 --> 00:32:18,970 These wasps are in no mood for mercy. 305 00:32:22,808 --> 00:32:25,410 Time for the locals to take cover. 306 00:32:32,450 --> 00:32:35,353 This frog seeks refuge in its panic room. 307 00:32:39,224 --> 00:32:41,526 But she's not the wasp's intended victim. 308 00:32:44,629 --> 00:32:49,501 High above, a new brood of tadpoles, 309 00:32:50,502 --> 00:32:53,004 encased in a mucus nest. 310 00:32:54,005 --> 00:32:56,975 ♪ ♪ 311 00:32:58,710 --> 00:33:01,012 Easy pickings for hungry wasps. 312 00:33:11,623 --> 00:33:13,925 The green frog watches as her kids 313 00:33:14,059 --> 00:33:16,428 are picked off one by one. 314 00:33:28,974 --> 00:33:30,709 Wasp a frog gonna do? 315 00:33:36,181 --> 00:33:39,184 ♪ ♪ 316 00:33:40,151 --> 00:33:44,322 But when the going gets tough, the weird whip into action. 317 00:33:50,896 --> 00:33:54,699 These younglings know their emergency evacuation routine. 318 00:33:55,800 --> 00:33:58,637 ♪ ♪ 319 00:33:58,770 --> 00:34:03,275 Sensing danger, frog babies can hatch days before they are due. 320 00:34:17,689 --> 00:34:19,858 They escape into the waters below. 321 00:34:21,960 --> 00:34:24,930 ♪ ♪ 322 00:34:25,764 --> 00:34:27,299 It's sink or swim. 323 00:34:30,168 --> 00:34:32,637 Hungry eyes are a constant threat. 324 00:34:34,940 --> 00:34:37,976 ♪ ♪ 325 00:34:38,944 --> 00:34:43,248 The premature tadpoles swim in schools to avoid predators. 326 00:34:44,749 --> 00:34:48,253 Born early, they can't feed for a month while their teeth grow. 327 00:34:54,092 --> 00:34:57,262 From an early start, less than one in a hundred 328 00:34:57,395 --> 00:34:58,663 make it to adulthood. 329 00:35:01,266 --> 00:35:03,802 These tadpole youngsters play the odds. 330 00:35:05,570 --> 00:35:09,174 One percent survival beats one hundred percent chance 331 00:35:09,307 --> 00:35:11,309 of being eaten by wasps. 332 00:35:12,610 --> 00:35:15,480 ♪ ♪ 333 00:35:15,914 --> 00:35:18,483 With bellies full, the wasps retire. 334 00:35:21,953 --> 00:35:26,558 But soon they'll return in search of their next score. 335 00:35:40,305 --> 00:35:41,706 Sharks. 336 00:35:43,408 --> 00:35:46,778 One of evolution's greatest success stories. 337 00:35:48,013 --> 00:35:50,949 ♪ ♪ 338 00:35:53,051 --> 00:35:59,691 Over four hundred million years old, they predate the dinosaurs. 339 00:36:02,594 --> 00:36:05,597 Surviving five mass extinctions. 340 00:36:07,198 --> 00:36:10,335 ♪ ♪ 341 00:36:16,074 --> 00:36:20,812 Today, the mac daddy of them all reigns supreme. 342 00:36:22,714 --> 00:36:26,584 Armed with an array of freakish sensory abilities. 343 00:36:43,101 --> 00:36:47,739 Nineteen and a half feet long, packed to the teeth with teeth. 344 00:36:50,208 --> 00:36:54,779 Great white sharks love the taste of juvenile seals. 345 00:36:56,614 --> 00:36:59,551 ♪ ♪ 346 00:37:07,525 --> 00:37:11,563 Australia's Neptune Islands are home to the continent's largest 347 00:37:11,696 --> 00:37:14,799 colony of long-nosed fall seals. 348 00:37:22,607 --> 00:37:26,211 For months now, the white sharks have been dining on 349 00:37:26,344 --> 00:37:28,480 seal pups learning to swim. 350 00:37:47,332 --> 00:37:50,101 But the seals will soon leave the rocks to 351 00:37:50,235 --> 00:37:51,002 hunt in the open ocean. 352 00:37:54,572 --> 00:37:57,675 The hunter needs a new hunting ground. 353 00:38:05,250 --> 00:38:09,087 More than five thousand miles to the west, South Africa's 354 00:38:09,220 --> 00:38:13,658 young Cape fur seals are taking their first swimming lessons. 355 00:38:18,463 --> 00:38:20,198 Attracted to the Cape Tide ranges, 356 00:38:20,331 --> 00:38:24,235 underwater visibility and cooler water. 357 00:38:25,870 --> 00:38:29,240 For great whites, South Africa is the perfect 358 00:38:29,374 --> 00:38:31,810 place to hunt baby seals. 359 00:38:35,180 --> 00:38:38,516 The shark embarks on an epic three-month journey. 360 00:38:40,785 --> 00:38:43,588 To navigate the vast Indian Ocean. 361 00:38:44,889 --> 00:38:48,960 Sharks have evolved a sense that still confounds science. 362 00:38:51,129 --> 00:38:53,665 Electro-reception. 363 00:38:54,966 --> 00:38:56,601 The same sensitivity that 364 00:38:56,734 --> 00:39:00,805 helps them locate prey lets them read the Earth's magnetic 365 00:39:00,939 --> 00:39:03,675 variations like a map. 366 00:39:06,544 --> 00:39:09,781 Guiding them with accuracy across an ocean. 367 00:39:11,049 --> 00:39:15,420 To hit land right where the fur seals are popping. 368 00:39:30,602 --> 00:39:34,839 When hunting, special hormones darken their skin, 369 00:39:34,973 --> 00:39:36,908 matching the surrounding water. 370 00:39:43,214 --> 00:39:45,483 The baby seal is oblivious. 371 00:39:47,919 --> 00:39:52,557 Until... It's too late. 372 00:40:06,471 --> 00:40:10,708 400 million years of survival unleashed in seconds. 373 00:40:12,477 --> 00:40:17,749 Proof that nature's designs can attain perfection. 374 00:40:23,588 --> 00:40:27,191 In this ancient tropical forest, Borneo's dense 375 00:40:27,325 --> 00:40:32,630 vegetation and stable climate form a high-speed production 376 00:40:33,298 --> 00:40:34,666 line for new species. 377 00:40:37,468 --> 00:40:41,773 Here, nature constantly tinkers with its prototypes, 378 00:40:41,906 --> 00:40:45,343 refining them to deal with life's challenges. 379 00:40:52,517 --> 00:40:58,756 Which explains how flat-pack office workers evolved into 380 00:40:58,890 --> 00:41:07,532 a lone hunter that's both flamboyant and secretive. 381 00:41:15,707 --> 00:41:19,544 The dead leaf mantis is the culmination of millions of 382 00:41:19,677 --> 00:41:22,013 years of evolutionary testing. 383 00:41:25,550 --> 00:41:28,786 Her camouflage mimics the immediate surroundings. 384 00:41:30,722 --> 00:41:32,190 Dead vegetation. 385 00:41:36,361 --> 00:41:39,097 ♪ ♪ 386 00:41:39,230 --> 00:41:44,736 A cloak of invisibility and a killer look that rarely fails. 387 00:41:48,840 --> 00:41:51,809 ♪ ♪ 388 00:41:55,446 --> 00:41:58,850 This uptown katydid has travelled from the green, 389 00:41:58,983 --> 00:42:03,821 green grass of home to a tough neighbourhood where 390 00:42:03,955 --> 00:42:06,624 conspicuous can get you killed. 391 00:42:13,998 --> 00:42:14,866 Bad timing. 392 00:42:18,770 --> 00:42:22,206 The mantis is hidden on a dry branch. 393 00:42:23,708 --> 00:42:25,910 ♪ ♪ 394 00:42:26,044 --> 00:42:30,915 With her compound eyes, she gets a 245 degree 395 00:42:31,048 --> 00:42:32,984 view of her surroundings. 396 00:42:35,119 --> 00:42:37,855 Like a coiled spring, she waits. 397 00:42:39,223 --> 00:42:42,360 ♪ ♪ 398 00:42:46,964 --> 00:42:48,966 But the katydid has wings. 399 00:42:56,741 --> 00:42:59,877 This calls for patience and stealth. 400 00:43:23,868 --> 00:43:27,371 The mantis's forelimbs have interlocking spines, 401 00:43:28,239 --> 00:43:30,975 making escape impossible. 402 00:43:37,081 --> 00:43:38,082 The lesson? 403 00:43:38,816 --> 00:43:41,319 When travelling abroad, blend in. 404 00:43:42,887 --> 00:43:45,923 ♪ ♪ 405 00:43:46,858 --> 00:43:50,828 On a weird planet full of villains, camouflage secures 406 00:43:50,962 --> 00:43:52,463 a predatory edge. 407 00:43:52,597 --> 00:43:54,532 And drawing attention can get 408 00:43:54,665 --> 00:43:56,000 you whacked. 409 00:43:56,134 --> 00:43:56,968 Like katydid.