Original subtitles

♪♪

Narrator: ANIMALS...

DO THE MOST INCREDIBLE THINGS.

[ GOAT BLEATS ]

LIKE THIS...

AND THIS.

I BET YOU'RE WONDERING, "HOW DO THEY DO THAT?"

WE'RE REVEALING ANIMALS' BIGGEST SECRETS, LIKE...

ARE DOLPHINS REALLY AS SMART AS WE THINK,

WHAT'S EXTRAORDINARY ABOUT A HYENA'S STOMACH,

AND WHY DOES WATER MAKE MOST CATS FREAK?

THESE WONDERS AND MORE ON...

--Captions by VITAC-- www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

THERE'S NO DENYING THAT HUMANS ARE MILES AHEAD OF MOST SPECIES

WHEN IT COMES TO SMARTS, BUT WE'RE NOT ON OUR OWN --

THE ANIMAL KINGDOM HAS GOT ITS FAIR SHARE OF BRAINIACS,

AND MOST PEOPLE WOULD PLACE DOLPHINS

NEAR THE TOP OF THE CLASS.

BUT ARE DOLPHINS REALLY AS SMART AS WE THINK?

AT THE DOLPHIN RESEARCH CENTER IN GRASSY KEY, FLORIDA,

KATY DONEGAN HAS DEDICATED HER LIFE

TO BUILDING BONDS WITH THESE AMAZING ANIMALS.

♪♪

THE CENTER IS HOME TO 26 RESCUED

AND REHABILITATED BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS AND THEIR CALVES.

I LOVE THEM ALL.

I CONSIDER THEM LIKE MY FAMILY, FOR SURE.

Narrator: AND KATY HOPES TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY HOW SMART HER FAMILY IS.

THERE'S A LOT STILL TO LEARN ABOUT THESE GUYS.

[ DOLPHIN CHIRPING ]

Narrator: DOLPHIN BRAINS ARE MASSIVE, WEIGHING A HEFTY 3 1/2 POUNDS.

A HUMAN'S IS JUST 2.8.

THEIR MAGNIFICENT MINDS

ENABLE THEM TO ACHIEVE SOME REMARKABLE BEHAVIORS

THAT ONLY THE SMARTEST ANIMALS CAN, SUCH AS IMITATING.

Donegan: THIS IS TANNER. HE'S 16 YEARS OLD.

TANNER IS EXCELLENT AT IMITATING, RIGHT?

Narrator: IMITATION IS A SURE SIGN OF ADVANCED INTELLIGENCE.

ALONG WITH HUMANS AND APES, AQUATIC MAMMALS, LIKE DOLPHINS,

ARE THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS.

KATY HAS TAUGHT TANNER TO IMITATE HER FOR A REWARD.

HE'S SO SMART, HE CAN COPY EVEN SOPHISTICATED MOVEMENTS.

Donegan: WOW. VERY NICE.

Narrator: AND IT'S NOT JUST TANNER -- WILD BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS

HAVE ALSO LEARNED TO IMITATE FOR THEIR DINNER.

THIS POD OFF THE COAST OF FLORIDA

HAS PERFECTED A VERY SPECIAL HUNTING TECHNIQUE.

ONE FEMALE KICKS UP A NET OF MUD WITH HER TAIL

AROUND A SMALL GROUP OF FISH.

AS SHE TIGHTENS THE CIRCLE,

THE TRAPPED FISH ONLY HAVE ONE WAY TO GO --

UP AND STRAIGHT INTO THE WAITING MOUTHS OF THE OTHER DOLPHINS.

THIS RADICAL BEHAVIOR HAS BEEN PASSED DOWN GENERATIONS.

YOUNG DOLPHINS WATCH THEIR PARENTS AND IMITATE THEM.

HUMAN CHILDREN LEARN IN THE SAME WAY.

Donegan: GO!

Narrator: TANNER HAS DEVELOPED A WAY TO COPY

THAT IS EVEN OUT OF THE REACH OF US.

Donegan: WOW, TANNER!

Narrator: HE CAN IMITATE OTHER DOLPHINS

WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO SEE THEM.

LET'S GIVE IT A TRY.

NOW, WHAT DO WE THINK?

A SET OF SOFT-SUCTION EYE CUPS LEAVES TANNER IN THE DARK.

HE KNOWS THAT, IF HE BLINKS THE RIGHT WAY,

HE CAN POP THEM RIGHT OFF, BUT HE ACTUALLY REALLY,

REALLY ENJOYS THESE FUN PROBLEM-SOLVING GAMES.

Narrator: KATY ALSO DROPS A SMALL HYDROPHONE IN THE WATER

TO LISTEN TO WHAT'S GOING ON BENEATH THE SURFACE.

A RESEARCHER SILENTLY SIGNALS TO TANNER'S

DOLPHIN FRIEND A.J. TO PERFORM A SERIES OF BEHAVIORS.

Donegan: OOH!

Narrator: EVEN WITHOUT HIS SIGHT, TANNER CORRECTLY MIMICS

A.J. OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

[ WHISTLE BLOWS ]YAY! YOU'RE AWESOME!

Narrator: AND KATY SUSPECTS SHE KNOWS HOW.

HE COULD BE LISTENING TO THE CHARACTERISTIC SOUND

THAT THE BEHAVIOR MAKES.

Narrator: BELOW THE WAVES, THE HYDROPHONE PICKS UP A.J.'s

SPLASHING, AND SO DOES TANNER.

ALL RIGHT. IMITATE.

Narrator: HE'S SO SMART, TANNER HEARS A.J.'s MOVEMENTS,

UNDERSTANDS THEM, AND IMITATES THEM INSTANTLY.

Donegan: WOW, BUDDY.

Narrator: ALL FOR A PRICE, OF COURSE.

BUT NOW, KATY WANTS TO MAKE IT EVEN HARDER.

Donegan: ALL RIGHT, LET'S DO ONE MORE.

ARE YOU READY?

Narrator: DOLPHINS ARE ATTUNED TO THE SOUNDS

OF OTHER DOLPHINS IN THE WATER,

SO TO MAKE IT HARDER, OUT GOES A.J.

AND IN GOES ONE OF KATY'S COLLEAGUES.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? SHALL WE GIVE IT A TRY?

Narrator: HE'S SECRETLY GIVEN AN ACTION TO PERFORM IN THE WATER,

WHICH TANNER HAS TO COPY.

♪♪

Donegan: WOW.

Narrator: INCREDIBLY, TANNER IS STILL ABLE

TO MIMIC EVERY ACTION.

ONCE AGAIN, THE HYDROPHONE OFFERS A CLUE

TO WHAT'S HAPPENING.

WHEN HE'S READY TO COPY,

TANNER SENDS OUT A SERIES OF CLICKS -- ECHOLOCATION.

Donegan: THEY'RE ABLE TO EMIT HIGH-FREQUENCY CLICKS --

THEY SOUND KIND OF LIKE THIS.

Narrator: THE CLICKS BOUNCE OFF AN OBJECT --

IN THIS CASE, THE SWIMMER -- AND BACK TO TANNER.

WITH THEM, HE CAN BUILD UP A SONAR MENTAL IMAGE

OF THE MOVES HE HAS TO IMITATE.

Donegan: SO YOU CAN SEE WITH SOUND.

THAT'S AMAZING.

[ BLOWS WHISTLE ]SO COOL!

Narrator: TANNER IS SO SMART THAT HE CAN INSTANTLY EVALUATE A CHALLENGE

AND CHOOSE THE BEST WAY TO BEAT IT.

Donegan: ECHOLOCATION IS A SENSE THAT ISN'T TYPICALLY ON,

SO TANNER ACTUALLY HAD TO MAKE THE DECISION

TO TURN IT ON LIKE A FLASHLIGHT.

THAT KIND OF FLEXIBILITY WITH IMITATION

HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE OUTSIDE OF HUMANS.

Narrator: IT'S CLEAR THAT DOLPHINS ARE NOT ONLY AS SMART AS WE THINK --

THEY'RE EVEN SMARTER.

BUT AS FAR AS WE CAN TELL,

THEY'RE TOO BUSY PLAYING TO THINK ABOUT IT.

YOU ARE BEING FUNNY, HUH?

[ TANNER LAUGHS ]

[ BLOWS WHISTLE ]

GOOD JOB.

[ INSECTS BUZZING ]

Narrator: WHETHER THEY'RE BIG OR SMALL, THERE'S NO DENYING IT --

CATS ARE COOL CUSTOMERS.

BUT IF THERE'S ONE THING THAT SPLITS THE FELINE SPECIES

DOWN THE MIDDLE...

IT'S GETTING WET.

WHY DO SOME CATS LOVE WATER

AND SOME HATE IT?

MANY WILD CATS JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF THE WET STUFF,

LIKE THE JAGUAR.

THEY'RE MOSTLY FOUND IN THE TROPICAL RAINFORESTS

OF THE AMAZON,

AND THEIR FAVORITE SNACK IS CAIMAN.

THIS LIQUID-LOVING ANIMAL WILL EVEN FULLY SUBMERGE

TO CATCH ONE, BUT THERE ARE OTHER WILD CATS

THAT WILL ACTIVELY AVOID THE WATER.

TAKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE SNOW LEOPARD.

THESE BEAUTIFUL BEASTS LIVE IN THE MOUNTAINS OF CENTRAL ASIA,

BUT YOU'LL RARELY SPOT THESE SPOTS IN THE DRINK.

SO, WHAT SEPARATES WATER LOVERS FROM WATER HATERS?

IT'S ALL ABOUT LOCATION AND INSULATION.

FELINE COATS CONTAIN UP TO 120,000 HAIRS PER SQUARE INCH.

IT'S MADE UP OF THREE SEPARATE LAYERS --

A WAVY UNDERCOAT THAT INSULATES AIR NEXT TO THE SKIN,

A MID-COAT THAT REGULATES BODY TEMPERATURE,

AND AN OUTER COAT OF THICKER HAIR

THAT PROTECTS THE SKIN FROM THE SUN AND SCRATCHES.

WILD CATS THAT ARE HAPPY IN THE WATER

TEND TO LIVE IN WARMER CLIMATES,

WHERE A QUICK DIP WON'T AFFECT THEIR CORE TEMPERATURE.

THEY GENERALLY HAVE SHORTER COATS, WHICH DRY OFF QUICKLY.

BUT CATS FROM COLDER CLIMATES, LIKE THE SNOW LEOPARD,

HAVE MUCH THICKER, LONGER FUR TO HOLD IN HEAT.

IF IT GETS WET, THEY CAN'T STAY WARM.

SO THEY'LL SKIP THE CHANCE FOR A DIP.

EVEN WITH DOMESTIC CATS,

IT'S BELIEVED THAT THEIR AVERSION TO WATER

IS DOWN TO WHERE THEY EVOLVED.

MOST DOMESTIC SPECIES ORIGINALLY CAME FROM DRY DESERT REGIONS,

SO WATER NEVER PLAYED A BIG ROLE IN THEIR LIVES.

BUT JUST LIKE THEIR BIG-CAT COUSINS,

THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE,

LIKE THE TURKISH VAN.

THEY ORIGINATE FROM AROUND LAKE VAN IN, UH, TURKEY.

AND IT'S SAID THEIR ANCESTORS WOULD HAPPILY SWIM OUT

TO HARASS FISHING BOATS IN HOPE OF A TASTY TREAT.

SO, THERE YOU HAVE IT.

WHETHER WILD OR DOMESTIC, THE TWO DISTINCT CAT-EGORIES --

LIQUID LOVER OR H2O HATER --

IS ALL DOWN TO WHERE A FELINE IS FROM.

COMING UP... IT'S CRUNCH TIME FOR THIS HYENA,

GECKOS THAT STICK TO WHAT THEY DO BEST,

AND HOW THESE BLOODSUCKERS LEECH OUT A LIVING.

[ HYENAS LAUGHING ]

Narrator: HYENAS AREN'T FUSSY EATERS.

THEY'LL HAPPILY DIVE INTO FOOD

THAT'S LONG PAST ITS EXPIRATION DATE.

GIVEN HALF THE CHANCE,

THIS BUNCH WILL REALLY GO THROUGH THE GARBAGE.

BUT HOW DO HYENAS EAT EVERYTHING?

THERE ARE FOUR SPECIES OF HYENA,

INCLUDING THE STRIPED, THE AARDWOLF, AND THE SPOTTED.

SPOTTED ARE THE MOST FAMOUS -- OR INFAMOUS --

DUE TO THEIR MENACING CACKLE, HEAVY STATURE,

AND A CERTAIN ANIMATED FILM ABOUT A LION CUB.

BUT THE N/A'AN KU Sê WILDLIFE SANCTUARY IN NAMIBIA...

[ SMACKS LIPS, ANIMAL CALLS ]

Narrator: ...IS HOME TO A MEMBER OF A LESSER-KNOWN SPECIES

OF HYENA, THE BROWN.

Van Vuuren: THIS IS A BROWN HYENA.

HIS NAME IS NANA.

AND NANA IS NOW 22 MONTHS OLD, SO HE'S STILL A BABY.

Narrator: MARLICE HAS CARED FOR NANA SINCE RESCUING HIM AS AN ORPHAN,

BUT HE WON'T BE HERE FOREVER.

Van Vuuren: NANA WILL BE RELEASED ON THE RESERVE,

SO, YEAH, HE WILL GO BACK TO THE WILD,

SO WE HAVE TO MAKE HIM TOUGH!

[ LAUGHS ]

Narrator: BROWN HYENAS LIVE A HARD LIFE.

UNLIKE THE SPOTTEDS, WHO HUNT FOR FOOD,

BROWN HYENAS AREN'T NATURAL-BORN KILLERS --

INSTEAD, THEY WANDER THE BUSH, SCAVENGING FOR MEALS.

THEY'LL HAPPILY DEVOUR WHATEVER THEY CAN FIND,

INCLUDING FRUIT, FISH, AND EVEN EGGS.

IF THEY CAN, THEY'LL STEAL MEAT FROM OTHER CARNIVORES,

LIKE CHEETAHS.

SO, FOR NANA TO SURVIVE ON THE PLAINS,

HE NEEDS TO BE BIG AND STRONG.

HE NEEDS TO DOUBLE IN SIZE AND IN WEIGHT.

Narrator: LUCKILY, NANA HAS A SUREFIRE WAY TO PACK ON THE POUNDS.

WHEN HE DIVES INTO A JUICY CARCASS, HE CAN EAT IT ALL,

INCLUDING THE MARROW-FILLED BONES.

THEY DON'T CARE -- THEY'LL EAT EVERYTHING.

Narrator: BUT HOW DOES HE DO IT?

UNLIKE THE BIG CATS, WHO HAVE SCISSORLIKE BACK TEETH

TO SLICE THROUGH MEAT BUT LEAVE THE REST,

HYENAS ARE ARMED WITH THICK, CONE-SHAPED TEETH,

COATED WITH A HEAVY LAYER OF ENAMEL.

THEIR JAWS ARE POWERED BY IMMENSE MUSCLES THAT, TOGETHER,

GIVE THEM A BITE THREE TIMES STRONGER THAN A ROTTWEILER.

SO, HE'S GOT THE STRENGTH TO CRACK THROUGH BONES.

HE CAN BREAK SKULLS.

HE CAN BREAK A BONE OPEN, EASILY, WITH ONE BITE.

Narrator: NANA USES HIS TEETH TO BREAK THE BONE OF THIS SPRINGBOK

AND DEVOUR IT ALL.

IT'S BELIEVED THAT THE STRONGEST HYENAS

CAN EVEN CRACK OPEN THE LEG OF A GIRAFFE.

HYENAS HAVE INCREDIBLY STRONG STOMACH ACIDS, POWERFUL ENOUGH

TO DIGEST BONES, HOOVES, AND EVEN DEADLY BACTERIA,

LIKE ANTHRAX, WHICH FESTER ON ROTTING MEAT.

THEY'LL HAPPILY EAT DECAYING CARCASSES

THAT WOULD SPREAD DISEASE AMONG WEAKER-STOMACHED WILDLIFE...

WHICH MEANS THESE GARBAGE EATERS ARE ACTUALLY SAVING LIVES.

WHEN NANA IS FULLY GROWN,

HE'LL WEIGH A WHOPPING 100 POUNDS

AND WILL BE READY FOR THE WILD.

BUT BEFORE HE'S RELEASED,

HE'LL LEAVE A FEW LITTLE SOUVENIRS BEHIND.

Van Vuuren: SO, THIS IS SOME OF NANA'S POO.

YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE SOME OF THE BONES IN HERE.

Narrator: THE CALCIUM IN THE BONES HE EATS

GIVES THE POO A DISTINCTIVE COLOR.

SO, THIS IS WHY THEY HAVE SUCH WHITE POO

THAT LOOKS LIKE IT'S A YEAR OLD.

Narrator: NOT ONLY IS IT FILLED WITH BONE -- IT'S ALSO BONE-DRY.

THEY LIVE IN DESERT AREAS IN NAMIBIA NATURALLY.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR HYENAS TO ACTUALLY TAKE OUT

EVERY LITTLE DROP OF MOISTURE IN THE POOP

BEFORE THEY PASSES IT OUT.

Narrator: SO, HYENAS MAY BE ABLE TO EAT EVERYTHING,

BUT, THANKFULLY, IT'S ALL FOR A GOOD REASON.

I THINK HYENAS, IN GENERAL, HAS A VERY UNDESERVED BAD P.R.

THEY PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN OUR ECOSYSTEM,

AND IF YOU'VE SEEN THEM GROW UP,

YOU ACTUALLY REALIZE HOW SOFT THEY ARE

AND GENTLE SOULS THEY ARE.

Narrator: COMING UP... GETTING TO GRIPS WITH A GECKO...

AND MAKING A WITHDRAWAL AT THE BLOOD BANK.

♪♪

Narrator: THIS MAY LOOK LIKE A LIZARD CRAWLING ALONG THE FLOOR...

BUT HANG ON -- IT'S UPSIDE DOWN.

LIKE SPIDER-MAN, GECKOS ARE CAPABLE OF CLINGING

TO THE SMOOTHEST OF SURFACES...

YET THERE'S NO SPIDER SILK BEHIND THIS SUPERPOWER.

HOW DO GECKOS DEFY GRAVITY?

THERE ARE MORE THAN 1,500 TYPES OF GECKO --

THAT'S OVER A QUARTER OF ALL THE WORLD'S LIZARD SPECIES.

THEY LIVE ON EVERY CONTINENT EXCEPT ANTARCTICA.

THIS IS HAROLD.

HE'S A NEW CALEDONIAN,

ONE OF THE LARGEST GECKO SPECIES IN THE WORLD.

THIS GUY'S AWESOME. LOOK AT THE COLORS ON HIM.

QUITE AN AMAZING ANIMAL.

Narrator: GECKO EXPERT ROBERT TAKES CARE OF HIM.

AND WHILE THIS HEAVYWEIGHT MAY BE SLOW TO START...

-COME ON, HAROLD. -...ONCE HE GETS GOING...

THERE WE GO.

Narrator: ...IT'S HARD TO KEEP UP WITH HIM.

HE'S GONNA KEEP GOING RIGHT OFF THE TOP.

Narrator: WHAT'S BEHIND THIS POWERFUL GRIP?

STICKY FINGERS?

HOOKED CLAWS?

SUCTION CUPS?

LIKE SAMSON, THE SECRET OF HIS STRENGTH

LIES IN HIS STRANDS OF HAIR,

EXCEPT THEY'RE NOT IN HIS HEAD --

THEY'RE IN RIDGES ON HIS FEET.

Fisher: LOOK AT THESE CRAZY TOES.

YOU SEE THE RIDGES, THE TIRE-TRACK-TYPE RIDGES

REAL EASILY ON THIS ONE.

Narrator: EACH LITTLE RIDGE HAS MILLIONS OF MICROSCOPIC HAIRS,

CALLED "SETAE."

THEY'RE MADE OF KERATIN, LIKE A HUMAN HAIR,

BUT THEY'RE ONLY A TENTH OF THE WIDTH.

Fisher: WITHIN THOSE ARE THE MECHANISMS THAT ACTUALLY ALLOW TO GRIP

ONTO THIS SLICK PLEXIGLASS WE HAVE.

Narrator: EACH HAIR HAS A CHRONIC CASE OF SPLIT ENDS.

IT SPLAYS INTO A BUNCH OF EVEN SMALLER,

SPATULA-SHAPED BRISTLES.

IN FACT, "SMALL" DOESN'T COVER IT --

THEY CAN ONLY BE SEEN THROUGH AN ELECTRON MICROSCOPE.

AND WITH THE RIGHT ORIENTATION,

THEY CAN BOND WITH ANY SURFACE AT A MOLECULAR LEVEL.

WHEN A GECKO PUTS HIS FOOT DOWN, IT ALMOST BECOMES THE SURFACE.

Fisher: PULLING HIM OFF REQUIRES SOME WORK SOMETIMES

BECAUSE HE'S GOT MORE ABILITY TO CLING THAN HE NEEDS.

Narrator: EVEN UPSIDE DOWN, THE BOND IS PHENOMENALLY STRONG.

IN FACT, IT'S BELIEVED A GECKO'S GRIP

CAN HAPPILY HOLD UP TO 20 TIMES ITS OWN WEIGHT.

BUT IF THESE STICKY LIZARDS ARE THE KINDS OF THE HANGERS-ON,

HOW DO THEY MOVE AT ALL?

AS A POOL PLAYER MIGHT SAY,

IT'S ALL ABOUT GETTING THE ANGLES RIGHT.

TO DEMONSTRATE, HERE'S OUR SECOND STAR, SPIKE.

ROBERT'S TAKING HIM FOR A SPIN ON A PLEXIGLASS WHEEL

TO SHOW US HIS FANCY FOOTWORK.

AS WE'RE TURNING IT, WE CAN WATCH HIS FEET,

AND WE CAN SEE HIM READJUST

BECAUSE HE'S GOT TO REALIGN THE SETAE IN A WAY THAT MAINTAIN

HIS ABILITY TO CLING TO THAT SURFACE.

Narrator: AS THE WHEEL SPINS,

SPIKE REPOSITIONS HIS FOOT RIDGES TO UNLOCK,

THEN RELOCK AT THE PERFECT ANGLE AND RESIST THE PULL OF GRAVITY.

WHAT'S MORE -- A SPECIALIZED SET OF TENDONS

HELPS HIM PEEL OFF HIS TOES TO BREAK THE BONDS.

I'VE NEVER REALLY ROLLED GECKOS IN CIRCLES LIKE THIS

BEFORE TO SEE HOW THEY OPERATE.

IT'S VERY INTERESTING TO SEE IT.

♪♪

Narrator: SO, THE GECKOS' AMAZING UPSIDE-DOWN ANTICS

COME COURTESY OF ITS TRULY UNIQUE ANATOMY.

NEXT UP...

THE CREATURES THAT LOVE A SUCKY DAY.

Narrator: NATURE'S MOST INFAMOUS BLOODSUCKER,

THE LEECH, ATTACHES ITSELF TO OTHER ANIMALS,

DRINKS THEIR BLOOD, AND THEN SCUTTLES OFF,

OFTEN WITHOUT THE POOR HOST EVER NOTICING.

IT'S ALL VERY, VERY SNEAKY.

SO... HOW DO LEECHES SUCK BLOOD?

THERE ARE NEARLY 700 SPECIES OF LEECH WORLDWIDE.

YOU'LL FIND THEM IN RIVERS,

UP MOUNTAINS, EVEN IN THE OCEANS.

THE SMALLEST ARE A QUARTER OF AN INCH LONG.

THE LARGEST CAN BE A HAIR-RAISING FOOT AND A HALF.

NEARLY ALL OF THEM LIVE OFF BLOOD.

THESE SLIPPERY CUSTOMERS HAVE A SUCKER AT EACH END,

BUT IT'S THE FRONT ONE THAT DOES THE DAMAGE.

HIDDEN INSIDE, THE MOST EFFECTIVE BLOODSUCKERS

HAVE THREE JAWS, EACH ONE TIPPED WITH TINY TEETH

THAT CAN SLICE INTO THE SKIN LIKE SURGICAL SAWS.

THE POWERFUL OUTER RIM OF THE SUCKER CREATES A FIRM SEAL,

AND THE LEECH SUCKS THE BLOOD FROM THE CUT INTO ITS GUT.

MEANWHILE, TO KEEP ITS LIQUID LUNCH FLOWING,

IT RELEASES AN ANTICOAGULANT,

A CHEMICAL THAT STOPS THE VICTIM'S BLOOD FROM CLOTTING.

THE LEECH'S SALIVA CONTAINS AN ANESTHETIC,

SO THE PERSON OR ANIMAL PROVIDING THE LUNCH

DOESN'T EVEN NOTICE.

MERCIFULLY, THIS ONE WON'T BE BACK FOR A WHILE.

BLOATED WITH UP TO 10 TIMES ITS OWN BODY WEIGHT,

THIS SINGLE BLOODY MEAL

IS ENOUGH TO LAST A LEECH UP TO SIX MONTHS.

CONSIDERING THEY LIVE BETWEEN 2 AND 8 YEARS,

A LEECH MAY ONLY EVER EAT FOUR FULL MEALS IN ITS LIFETIME.

I'VE HAD MORE THAN THAT IN A DAY.

♪♪

NOW, IT MIGHT NOT SOUND LIKE

YOU'D WANT TO BE A LEECH'S LUNCH,

BUT FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS, DOCTORS HAVE BEEN USING THEM

TO REMEDY ALL MANNER OF MEDICAL CONDITIONS.

AND RECENT SCIENTIFIC STUDIES HAVE CONFIRMED

THAT THESE INCREDIBLE INVERTEBRATES

CAN ALLEVIATE THE SYMPTOMS OF ECZEMA AND EVEN CANCER.

FINALLY, FOR ONCE, IT MAY BE COOL...

TO SUCK.