All language subtitles for How Do Animals Do That S01 E07_track3_[eng]

♪♪

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.