Original subtitles

-Narrator: ANIMALS... [ ROARS ]

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...

HOW DO SWARMS OF BLIND BATS AVOID COLLISIONS,

WHAT MAKES THIS CAT THE ULTIMATE HIGH-FLIER,

AND WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT MANATEES'...

GAS?

THESE WONDERS AND MORE ON...

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

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

OKAY, MICE ARE CUTE,

BUT THE WILD ONES BELONG OUTSIDE,

NOT SEARCHING FOR SNACKS IN OUR HOMES.

THEIR NIBBLE OF CHOICE -- CHEESE, OF COURSE.

THEY LOVE IT, RIGHT?

RISKING LIFE AND LIMB TO STEAL A CRUMB OF CHEDDAR

OR A MORSEL OF MONTEREY JACK?

BUT...

[ SQUEAKING ]

THERE ARE 1,300 SPECIES OF MICE AROUND THE WORLD.

THE MOST COMMON

IS THE HOUSE MOUSE.

IN THE WILD, THEIR DIET ISN'T CHEESE, OF COURSE,

BUT GRAINS AND FRUIT.

SO, WHY DO WE THINK MICE ARE OBSESSED WITH CHEESE?

WELL, FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS,

WE'VE KEPT OUR FOOD IN CLOSED CONTAINERS.

BUT ONE FOOD -- CHEESE --

WAS LEFT IN THE OPEN TO BREATHE AND AGE.

OVER THE MILLENNIA, THE CONSTANT TELL-TALE NIBBLE MARKS

LED TO THE BELIEF THAT MICE ARE CRAZY FOR THIS CURDY DELIGHT.

BUT IT TURNS OUT MICE MAY HAVE BEEN GOING AFTER OUR CHEESE

AS A LAST RESORT.

MICE HAVE EXTREMELY SENSITIVE NOSES,

AND RECENT RESEARCH SUGGESTS FINDS STRONG ODORS REPULSIVE.

SO, JUST LIKE SOME OF US,

THEY'LL TURN THEIR WHISKERS UP AT A STINKY STILTON

OR A PUNGENT CAMEMBERT.

INSTEAD, THESE NIBBLY CRITTERS ACTUALLY HAVE A SWEET TOOTH.

THEY MUCH PREFER SUGARY TREATS LIKE MARSHMALLOWS

AND MAPLE SYRUP.

BUT THERE IS ONE THING THEY SEEK OUT ABOVE ALL ELSE --

♪♪

CHOCOLATE.

EVEN THEN, THEY'RE PICKY EATERS.

THEY ONLY LIKE MILK CHOCOLATE

BECAUSE DARK IS TOO BITTER FOR THEIR TINY TASTE BUDS.

SO, NEXT TIME YOU'RE OUT TO TRAP A MIDNIGHT THIEF,

FORGET THE CHEESE.

TEMPT IT WITH CHOCOLATE INSTEAD.

NO, SIR. THAT'S NOT FOR YOU.

♪♪

[ BUZZING ]

BRACKEN CAVE, TEXAS -- THE ULTIMATE BAT CAVE.

THIS PLACE IS HOME TO THE LARGEST COLONY

OF FLYING FURBALLS ON THE PLANET,

NEARLY 20 MILLION OF THEM.

IT TAKES FOUR HOURS FOR THIS SWARM TO STREAM OUT,

AND YET, SOMEHOW THEY ALL MANAGE TO MAINTAIN THEIR PERSONAL SPACE

WITHOUT A BUMP.

GO JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE ON EARTH AND YOU'LL FIND BATS.

FROM THE ARCTIC TO THE TIP OF SOUTH AMERICA,

MORE THAN 1,300 SPECIES OF BATS ARE HANGING AROUND.

THERE ARE SO MANY, THEY MAKE UP ALMOST 20%

OF ALL MAMMALS ON EARTH.

EACH ONE IS A MASTER FLIER.

JUST ASK BIOLOGIST DR. SHARON SWARTZ.

SHE KNOWS EVERY BAT IS SPECIAL.

Swartz: YOU ARE VERY SPECIAL.

Narrator: SEE?

SHARON AND HER LITTLE BUDDY, AN EGYPTIAN FRUIT BAT,

ARE GOING TO LET US IN ON A SECRET.

YOU KNOW THE OLD SAYING "BLIND AS A BAT"?

WELL, GUESS WHAT? NOT TRUE.

Swartz: BATS HAVE VERY GOOD EYESIGHT.

LIKE MANY NOCTURNAL ANIMALS, BATS SUCH AS THIS ONE

ARE NAVIGATING THE WORLD USING SPECIALLY TUNED,

LOW-LIGHT VISION, EVEN AS THEY FLY AT HIGH SPEEDS.

♪♪

Swartz: BATS' EYES ARE PACKED WITH MORE

LIGHT-SENSITIVE CELLS THAN OURS,

SO THEY CAN SEE MUCH BETTER THAN US IN THE DARK.

BUT WHEN IT GETS TOO DARK TO SEE ANYTHING,

OFF GOES THE NIGHT VISION

AND ON COMES THE SOUND VISION --

ECHOLOCATION.

THEY CREATE A CLICKING SOUND AT UP TO 130 DECIBELS.

THAT'S LOUDER THAN A THUNDERCLAP,

BUT SO HIGH-PITCHED, HUMANS CAN'T HEAR IT.

WHEN THOSE CLICKS HIT AN OBJECT, THE SOUNDWAVES BOUNCE BACK,

AND THIS ECHO CAN TELL THE BAT NOT JUST WHERE,

BUT WHAT THE OBJECT IS.

AND RECENTLY, IT WAS DISCOVERED

THEY CAN CONTROL AND CHANGE THOSE CLICKS.

SAY THEY'RE SEARCHING FOR FOOD OUT IN THE OPEN.

THEY USE A CLICK THAT CAN TRAVEL FURTHER,

BUT DON'T NEED SO MANY OF THEM.

BUT IF THEY'RE TRYING TO DODGE THEIR WAY

THROUGH A SWARM OF BATS, THEY NEED RAPID-FIRE CLICKS

THAT WILL BOUNCE BACK LOTS OF INFORMATION SUPER-FAST.

THIS WAY, THEY CAN AVOID BUMPING INTO THEIR BAT BUDDIES.

SO, THAT SOUND...

[ SQUEAKING ]

...IS MILLIONS OF BATS TRYING TO GET OUT OF EACH OTHER'S WAY.

BUT AS EFFECTIVE AS ECHOLOCATION IS,

SCIENTISTS HAVE DISCOVERED BATS

DO SOMETIMES CRASH INTO EACH OTHER.

SO, WHY DO WE NEVER SEE THEM FALL OUT OF THE SKY?

WELL, IT'S BECAUSE SOMETHING AMAZING HAPPENS --

TOO FAST FOR THE HUMAN EYE,

BUT NOT TOO FAST FOR HIGH-SPEED CAMERAS.

BACK TO SHARON IN THE BAT LAB.

Swartz: WE'RE GONNA RELEASE THIS BAT.

IT'S GONNA FLY ALONG OUR SPECIAL FLIGHT CORRIDOR.

AS THE BAT MOVES ALONG,

IT'S GONNA ENCOUNTER A BIG GUST OF AIR,

AND THIS GUST WILL MIMIC A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER ANIMAL.

♪♪

SO, LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE LET THE BAT GO.

♪♪

Narrator: SHARON REVIEWS THE FLIGHT IN SUPER-SLOW MOTION.

Swartz: SHE'S RIGHT THROUGH THE WINDOW.

UGH. THERE'S THE BLAST. IT'S HUGE.

Narrator: THE BAT IS HIT WITH THE FORCE OF

2 1/2 TIMES ITS OWN BODY WEIGHT.

THAT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF AN ADULT GETTING BLASTED

BY A PAIR OF LINEBACKERS.

IT MIGHT LEVEL US, BUT NOT A BAT.

Swartz: THE ENTIRE ANIMAL'S BODY IS ROTATED WAY OVER,

YET SHE IS FLYING STABLY IN LESS THAN A SINGLE WINGBEAT

AFTER THAT HUGE BLAST.

AN INSECT CAN'T DO THAT.

I DON'T KNOW OF ANY BIRD THAT'S ABLE TO DO THAT.

IT'S REALLY A REMARKABLE CAPABILITY.

Narrator: A FORCE LIKE THIS WOULD KNOCK A BIRD

STRAIGHT OUT OF THE SKY

BECAUSE ITS RIGID WINGS MEANS

IT WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO CORRECT ITSELF QUICKLY.

BUT A BAT'S WING HAS OVER TWO DOZEN JOINTS,

WHICH MAKES THEM INCREDIBLY FLEXIBLE,

AND THAT'S BECAUSE WHAT LOOKS LIKE A WING IS ACTUALLY A HAND.

Swartz: IF WE SPREAD OUT HER WING,

WE CAN SEE ALL THE FINGERS

THAT MAKE UP HER WING.

THERE'S A THUMB UP AT THE FRONT OF THE WING,

AND THEN THE REST OF THE WING IS MADE OF FINGERS.

BUT BATS HAVE A SECRET WEAPON.

BATS HAVE MUSCLES THAT SIT RIGHT IN THE SKIN OF THE WING.

WHAT THOSE LITTLE MUSCLES CAN DO, THEN,

IS CHANGE THE NATURE OF THAT WING

BY CONTROLLING HOW STIFF THE WING IS.

Narrator: THESE HANDS, UH, WINGS,

ARE THE REASON WHY EVEN IF THEY DO COLLIDE,

BATS CAN RECOVER IN MILLISECONDS.

Swartz: NO OTHER ANIMAL WE KNOW HAS THE SPECIAL KINDS OF MUSCLES

THAT THESE BATS HAVE IN THEIR WING SKIN.

♪♪

Narrator: BAT WINGS ARE SO AGILE AND SO POWERFUL,

THEY EVEN LEAVE BIRDS IN THEIR WAKE.

THE SWIFT, THE FASTEST BIRD TO FLY IN A HORIZONTAL LINE,

CLOCKS 70 MILES PER HOUR.

HOWEVER, THE BRAZILIAN FREE-TAILED BAT

WAS RECENTLY RECORDED IN HORIZONTAL FLIGHT

AT 100 MILES AN HOUR,

SMASHING THE SWIFT BY A MASSIVE 30 MILES AN HOUR.

IT SEEMS THE REAL MASTERS OF THE SKIES

AREN'T BIRDS AFTER ALL,

BUT FABULOUS, FURRY, FINGER-FLYING BATS.

♪♪

[ HOOTING ]

COMING UP...

GAS-PROPELLED MANATEES... [ BUBBLING ]

HIGH-FLYING FELINES... -[ ROARS ]

AND SUPER-POWERED SLUG SLIME.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: PASSING GAS,

FARTING,

FLATULENCE,

BREAKING WIND,

CUTTING THE CHEESE... [ ELEPHANT ROARS ]

WHATEVER YOU CALL IT, WE ALL DO IT.

BUT THE MANATEE IS ONE OF THE GASSIEST ANIMALS

ON THE PLANET.

FOR THIS SACK OF GAS,

PASSING WIND IS NOT JUST AN AFTER-DINNER ACTIVITY.

IT'S A MATTER OF SURVIVAL.

THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT TYPES

OF MANATEE.

HERE IN NORTH AMERICA LIVES THE FLORIDA MANATEE.

TO GIVE PEOPLE A CLOSER LOOK AT THESE FASCINATING CREATURES,

STACY AND MIKE DUNN HAVE BEEN RUNNING MANATEE TOURS

ON THE CRYSTAL RIVER IN SOUTH FLORIDA

FOR THE PAST 11 YEARS.

TODAY, WE'RE GONNA VENTURE OUT AND LOOK FOR MANATEES,

AND WE'RE GONNA GO INTO A PLACE CALLED

"HUNTER'S SPRINGS,"

AND THAT'S WHERE THE MANATEES HAVE BEEN HERE ALL SUMMER,

HAVE BEEN FEEDING.

Narrator: AND THESE GUYS KNOW THERE IS ONE SUREFIRE WAY

OF FINDING THESE MYSTERIOUS CREATURES.

BUBBLES.

Narrator: YEP.

THAT'S A MANATEE FART, AND IT SMELLS LIKE ONE, TOO.

Mike: IT'S PRETTY FOUL.

Narrator: STACY HAS VOLUNTEERED TO GET IN AMONGST THE BUBBLES

TO FILM THESE GASSY GUYS IN ACTION.

GET READY.

♪♪

Narrator: MANATEES ARE WARM-BLOODED MAMMALS

THAT COME HERE FOR THE NATURAL HOT SPRING WATERS

THAT FEED THIS BAY

AND NOURISH ITS ACRES OF SEA-GRASS.

Mike: THIS IS A PLANT THEY'RE EATING CALLED A ROCK STAR.

SO, IF YOU'RE A VEGETARIAN, YOU CAN BE LIKE THE MANATEE,

AND THIS IS A DELICACY.

Narrator: IT MAY BE A DELICACY,

BUT MANATEES ARE DEFINITELY NOT DELICATE EATERS.

THEY DEVOUR UP TO 100 POUNDS OF SEA-GRASS EVERY DAY.

IT'S NO WONDER THEY CAN WEIGH AS MUCH AS A GRAND PIANO.

♪♪

WHEN YOU GET YOUR EARS IN THE WATER, YOU CAN HEAR

A CRUNCH, CRUNCH, CRUNCH, CRUNCH.

THEY ACT LIKE AQUATIC LAWNMOWERS.

YOU CHOP IT OFF ABOUT TWO TO FOUR INCHES,

JUST LIKE YOU CUTTING YOUR GRASS AT HOME.

Narrator: AS ALL VEGETARIANS KNOW,

THERE'S A COMMON SIDE EFFECT

TO EATING ALL THESE GREENS --

GAS.

METHANE IS A BYPRODUCT OF BACTERIA INSIDE THE MANATEE'S

GUT BREAKING DOWN ALL THIS FIBER.

WHEN YOU SEE BIG BUBBLES OUT THERE,

THEY'RE RELEASING THEMSELVES.

WE DO, TOO, WHEN WE EAT CABBAGE.

[ LAUGHS ]

Narrator: FOR HUMANS, FARTING IN PUBLIC

IS ALMOST ALWAYS BAD FORM,

BUT FOR A MANATEE, THERE ARE BOTH UPS AND DOWNS

TO BREAKING WIND, LITERALLY.

♪♪

LIKE A SUBMARINE BLOWING COMPRESSED AIR

INTO ITS BALLAST TANKS TO RISE,

THE MANATEE USES GAS POUCHES IN ITS INTESTINES,

WHERE THEY CONTROL THE AMOUNT OF GAS THEY MAKE

AND WHEN TO RELEASE IT.

♪♪

PUT SIMPLY, IF THEY WANT TO FLOAT TO THE SURFACE TO BREATHE,

THEY HOLD EVERYTHING IN.

AND IF THEY WANT TO SINK TO THE BOTTOM TO EAT,

THEY LET ONE RIP.

NO OTHER ANIMAL ON THE PLANET DOES THIS,

OR PERHAPS THEY JUST DON'T OWN UP TO IT.

♪♪

COMING UP, THE ULTIMATE FELINE HIGH-JUMPER,

AND SUPER-SLUG SCIENCE.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: CATS ARE THE ULTIMATE HUNTERS.

THEY'RE GREAT AT STALKING, GREAT AT RUNNING,

AND SOME ARE GREAT AT JUMPING.

WOW, REALLY JUMPING.

DOMESTIC KITTIES CAN LEAP OVER EIGHT FEET INTO THE AIR,

AND THE LARGEST CAT ON THE BLOCK -- THE TIGER --

CAN LAUNCH AN INCREDIBLE 12 FEET.

♪♪

CATS ALL SHARE THE AMAZING ABILITY

TO LAUNCH THEMSELVES FEET-FIRST INTO THE AIR

FROM A STANDING START, NO RUN-UP NEEDED.

THEIR SECRET -- EXTREMELY POWERFUL HIND LEGS.

LONGER AND MORE MUSCULAR THAN THEIR FORELEGS,

THESE SPRING-LOADED LIMBS

GIVE CATS A UNIQUE ABILITY TO POUNCE.

♪♪

TIGERS HAVE THE MOST POWERFUL HIND LEGS IN THE FELINE FAMILY.

THEIR RAW STRENGTH CAN PROPEL

THESE HEAVYWEIGHTS HIGHER THAN A BASKETBALL HOOP,

AND THEY CAN LEAP TWICE THEIR BODY LENGTH.

THE DOMESTIC CAT, HOWEVER, KNOCKS STRIPES OFF A TIGER.

IT CAN LEAP FOUR TIMES THE LENGTH OF ITS OWN BODY.

THAT'S LIKE A BASKETBALL PLAYER MAKING A 25-FOOT-HIGH SLAM DUNK.

WHOO!

YOU DON'T SEE THAT PLAY EVERY DAY.

BUT THERE'S ONE CAT THAT CAN LAUNCH ITSELF LIKE NO OTHER --

THE CARACAL.

♪♪

THIS BEAUTIFUL WILD CAT IS THE ULTIMATE FELINE JUMPER,

AND THIS ONE'S CALLED MISTY.

Massier: COME, MISTY! OKAY, BUBBY!

Narrator: 3-YEAR-OLD MISTY

LIVES AT NAMIBIA'S NAANKUSE WILDLIFE RESERVE

WITH WARDEN JOHANNES HEPINI AND CONSERVATIONIST

COLETTE MASSIER.

Massier: SHE'S HIGHLY INTELLIGENT.

SHE LOVES INTERACTION WITH PEOPLE. SHE LOVES IT.

Narrator: THEY'RE GOING TO TEST MISTY

AND SEE JUST HOW HIGH THIS YOUNG CARACAL CAN JUMP.

OH, THAT'S A HUNGRY GIRL.

COME. BRR.

Narrator: TO DO THIS,

SHE NEEDS A LITTLE BIT OF ENCOURAGEMENT.

MISTY? COME, MISTY.

COME.

OKAY, SHE'S ABOUT TO JUMP.

Narrator: FROM A STANDING STILL POSITION,

HER POWERFUL SPRING-LOADED HIND LEGS PROPEL HER INTO THE AIR.

♪♪

SHE REACHES THE LURE DANGLING AT FIVE FEET

WITHOUT BREAKING A SWEAT.

Massier: AND SHE'S GOING TO DO IT AGAIN.

AND UP SHE GOES. WHOO!

Narrator: SHE HITS SEVEN FEET...

Massier: THAT WAS A GOOD ONE.

Narrator: ...AND MAKES IT LOOK EFFORTLESS.

THIS TIME, A WHOPPING EIGHT FEET.

THEY JUST SHOOT UP.

IT'S QUITE INCREDIBLE.

Narrator: MISTY IS LEAPING OVER FIVE TIMES HER BODY LENGTH,

AND CREDIT GOES TO HER PERFECT PROPORTIONS.

SHE'S AROUND DOUBLE THE LENGTH AND WEIGHT OF A DOMESTIC CAT,

BUT HAS PROPORTIONALLY LONGER AND STRONGER HIND LEGS.

THIS COMBINATION OF POWER AND LIGHTNESS MAKES HER,

POUND FOR POUND,

THE HIGHEST-JUMPING FELINE ON THE PLANET.

AND SHE NEEDS TO BE.

IN THE WILD, CARACALS SURVIVE ON SMALL MAMMALS ON THE GROUND,

BUT THESE FELINES ALSO HAVE HIGH-FLYING TASTES,

USING THEIR SUPREME JUMPING SKILLS TO SNATCH BIRDS

IN MID-AIR.

A FULLY GROWN CARACAL HAS BEEN SPOTTED

LEAPING MORE THAN 14 FEET, AND ALTHOUGH YOUNG MISTY HERE

MAY HAVE SOME WAY TO GO TO HIT THOSE HEIGHTS,

THERE'S NO DENYING SHE'S WELL ON HER WAY TO THE TOP.

IT'S PHENOMENAL.

YOU JUST WANT TO GIVE HER A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

♪♪

Narrator: COMING UP,

SLUGS AND THEIR AMAZING, MAGICAL SLIME.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: SLUGS ARE EVERY GARDENER'S WORST NIGHTMARE.

THEY MUNCH THROUGH YOUR ROSES,

LEAVING TELLTALE TRAILS OF GOO WHEREVER THEY GO.

♪♪

BUT...

LIFE FOR A SLUG ISN'T EASY.

THESE SHELL-LESS GASTROPODS ARE IN CONSTANT DANGER

OF BECOMING BREAKFAST, OR BEING TRAMPLED ON.

BUT SURPRISINGLY, AN EVEN BIGGER DANGER IS DRYING OUT.

♪♪

WITH NO HARD SHELL TO PROTECT THEM,

A SLUG'S SKIN IS PRONE TO DEHYDRATION.

SO, WHAT STOPS THEM FROM SHRIVELING UP?

YOU GUESSED IT -- SLIPPERY SUPERPOWER SLIME.

♪♪

WHEN THIS MARVELOUS MUCUS COMES INTO CONTACT WITH WATER,

IT EXPANDS 100 TIMES,

TAKING IN ANY SURROUNDING MOISTURE.

THE SLIME ACTS LIKE A HOMEMADE MOISTURIZER,

KEEPING MR. AND MRS. SLUG HERE LUBRICATED AND ALIVE.

♪♪

BUT HYDRATING IS JUST THE START

OF WHAT THEIR INCREDIBLE SLIME CAN DO.

YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED THAT SLUGS HAVE NO LEGS OR WHEELS,

SO HOW DO THEY GET AROUND?

AGAIN, IT'S THE SUPER-SLIME.

A SLUG MOVES BY RIPPLING THE MUSCLES ON ITS UNDERSIDE

AS IT TRAVELS ACROSS A LAYER OF SLIME

THAT IS CONSTANTLY BEING PRODUCED FROM MUCUS GLANDS

ALL OVER ITS BODY.

THE SLIME ALLOWS THE SLUG TO GLIDE EFFORTLESSLY,

OR SHOULD I SAY "SLUGGISHLY" ACROSS ANY TERRAIN.

BUT THE SLIME ALSO SEEMS TO DEFY THE LAWS OF PHYSICS.

LOOK AT THESE TWO CLIMBING A SHEER WALL LIKE SPIDER-MAN.

IT'S NOT SOME SUPER-SPIDER SILK KEEPING THEM FROM FALLING OFF.

IT'S THEIR SLIME, OF COURSE.

BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST SMOOTH.

WEIRDLY, IT CAN BECOME STICKY, TOO.

ON THE MOVE, THE SLUG'S MUSCLE CONTRACTIONS PLACES PRESSURE

ON THE SLIME TO MAKE IT LIQUID-LIKE AND SLIPPERY.

BUT WITH NO PRESSURE FROM THE MUSCLES,

THE STRUCTURE OF THE MUCUS CHANGES.

IT BECOMES STICKY, LIKE A GLUE.

AND THIS INCREDIBLE SLIME

MAY EVEN CHANGE OUR LIVES FOR THE BETTER, TOO.

SCIENTISTS ARE TRYING TO SYNTHESIZE THIS SLIPPY

AND ADHESIVE SLIME FOR USE IN SURGERY,

TO CLOSE WOUNDS INSIDE THE BODY

AND POTENTIALLY PLUG UP A HOLE IN A HUMAN HEART.

SO, NEXT TIME YOU ALMOST STEP ON A SLUG, REMEMBER --

THERE'S MORE TO THIS SLIMY CUSTOMER

THAN MEETS THE EYE.