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...

HOW DO POLAR BEARS KEEP WARM?

CAN SPIDERS REALLY FLY?

AND IS YOUR PUG SMARTER THAN A WOLF?

[ WOLF HOWLS ]

THESE WONDERS AND MORE ON...

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

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

AS RED RIDING HOOD KNOWS, WOLVES ARE INCREDIBLY CLEVER.

[ WOLF HOWLS ]

THEIR CUNNING COMBINED WITH BREATHTAKING TEAMWORK

MAKES THEM SUPREME HUNTERS.

WHAT ABOUT DOMESTIC DOGS?

THEY'RE DESCENDED FROM WOLVES AND HAVE BEEN

SELECTIVELY BRED BY HUMANS OVER THOUSANDS OF YEARS

SO THAT THEY CAN DO THIS...

AND THIS.

WOW!

DO THEIR SKILLS MEAN OUR DOGS NOW HAVE MORE SMARTS

THAN THEIR CANINE ANCESTORS?

OR HAS GENERATIONS OF DOMESTICATION

DRAINED MAN'S BEST BUDDY OF BRAIN POWER?

[ WOLF HOWLS ]

IN A DARK, DARK WOOD

ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF VIENNA, AUSTRIA,

LIVES A PACK OF NORTH AMERICAN GREY WOLVES.

[ SPEAKS FOREIGN LANGUAGE, SMOOCHES ]

Narrator: AND ONE LADY HAS KNOWN THEM

SINCE THEY WERE PUPS.

NO. DESPITE THE RED COAT,

SHE'S NOT LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD.

SHE IS DR. FRIEDERIKE RANGE FROM THE WOLF SCIENCE CENTER.

TODAY SHE'S GOING TO PIT THE BRAIN POWER OF WOLF AGAINST DOG.

FOR TEAM WOLF, WE HAVE SHIMA AND ARAGORN.

MY, WHAT BIG TEETH THEY HAVE.

REPRESENTING MAN'S BEST FRIEND --

FRED AND TOTO.

TURN.

FRIEDERIKE WANTS TO TEST

HOW WELL THE DIFFERENT SPECIES RESPOND TO COMMANDS.

SHE'S BEEN TRAINING BOTH THE DOGS AND WOLVES FOR YEARS.

STAY.

FIRST OFF FOR TEAM DOG IS FRED.

STAY.

NOW COME.

CLEVER BOY!

STAY. STAY.

CAN ARAGORN SHOW THE SAME LEVEL OF OBEDIENCE AS FRED?

WHY, HE'S QUITE GOOD AT IT,

BUT AS SOON AS I PUT DOWN MY HAND,

HE WILL MOVE.

WE HAVE BEEN TRAINING THIS ANIMAL TO STAY FOR 10 YEARS,

AND THIS IS THE RESULT -- WHAT YOU SAW.

I MEAN, WE CAN'T GET ANY FURTHER, REALLY.

SINCE FRED AND ARAGORN HAVE BOTH HAD THE SAME TRAINING

SINCE THEY WERE PUPS, THIS BASIC TEST OF OBEDIENCE

SEEMS TO GIVE DOMESTIC DOGS THE EDGE.

NEXT UP IS A PROBLEM-SOLVING TEST.

FOOD WILL BE PLACED OUT OF REACH ON THE YELLOW PLANKS.

TO GET IT, OUR CANINE CONTENDERS NEED TO PULL ON THE ROPES,

BUT THE TRAY ONLY MOVES IF THE TWO ROPES

ARE PULLED AT THE SAME TIME.

THEY'VE ALL SEEN IT BEFORE,

BUT LET'S SEE IF THEY REMEMBER HOW IT WORKS.

SO IN ORDER THAT THEY ARE SUCCESSFUL,

THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER.

Narrator: FIRST OUT OF THE GATE IS ARAGORN.

HE SMELLS THE TREAT AND QUICKLY WORKS OUT THAT,

TO GET IT, HE NEEDS TO PULL THE ROPE.

BUT THIS ISN'T A ONE-WOLF JOB.

UM, IT'S NOT A TUG-OF-WAR, GUYS.

OKAY, SO IT'S A FAIL THIS TIME,

BUT LET'S GIVE THEM A SECOND CHANCE.

♪♪

WAY TO GO.

THE WOLVES HAVE LEARNED THAT THEY NEED TO COOPERATE

TO GET THE TREAT.

GO AHEAD, GUYS.

YOU'VE EARNED IT.

Range: THIS REALLY NICELY SHOWS THAT, OKAY,

HE KNOWS THAT HE HAS TO WAIT UNTIL SHE'S THERE,

AND THEN THEY CAN SOLVE THE TASK TOGETHER.

Narrator: NOW IT'S TIME FOR TEAM DOG TO DO THE SAME THING.

TREAT, TREAT, TREAT, TREAT, TREAT!

Narrator: SURELY, 20,000 YEARS OF DOMESTICATION

MUST HAVE ENHANCED FRED AND TOTO'S BRAIN POWER.

THEN AGAIN...MAYBE NOT.

AND ROUND TWO.

OH, NOW YOU'RE JUST EMBARRASSING YOURSELVES.

THEY FAIL.

Narrator: SO HAS TEAM WOLF CLAIMED THE CROWN?

WELL, THE TRUTH IS THEY'RE BOTH CLEVER.

THEY JUST HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SMARTS.

WOLVES ARE PACK HUNTERS.

THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO BRING DOWN A BISON

OR FIGHT OFF A BEAR THAT'S TWICE THEIR WEIGHT

AND JUST AS FEROCIOUS.

THESE CHALLENGES CAN ONLY BE SOLVED

THROUGH TEAMWORK AND COOPERATION.

BUT AFTER THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF TREATS AND PATS,

DOGS DON'T NEED TO WORK WITH OTHER DOGS TO SURVIVE.

INSTEAD, THEY NEED TO WORK WITH US.

FROM SHEEP-HERDING TO SEARCH AND RESCUE

AND WHATEVER THIS TOUGH GUY DOES,

DOGS HAVE LEARNED HOW TO COOPERATE WITH HUMANS

BUT HAVE LOST THE ABILITY TO COOPERATE WITH EACH OTHER.

[ WOLF HOWLS ]SO WHO IS SMARTER?

I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CALL IT A TIE.

[ DOG SIGHS ]

[ BIRDS CHIRPING ]

THE ARCTIC -- ONE OF THE COLDEST PLACES ON EARTH.

TEMPERATURES CAN DROP TO 92 DEGREES BELOW ZERO,

COLD ENOUGH TO FREEZE HUMAN SKIN IN JUST TWO MINUTES.

IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE ANYTHING SURVIVING

IN THIS EXTREME CLIMATE,

BUT IT'S EXACTLY HOW ONE MIGHTY MAMMAL LIKES IT --

THE POLAR BEAR.

THESE HYPERCARNIVORES CAN GROW UP TO 9 FEET

AND WEIGH 1,300 POUNDS.

THAT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF FOUR SUMO WRESTLERS.

THEY CAN SNIFF OUT A SEAL FROM 20 MILES AWAY

AND HIT SPEEDS OF 25 MILES AN HOUR.

BUT HOW ARE POLAR BEARS DESIGNED TO SURVIVE

AN EXTREME ARCTIC WINTER?

WE ALL KNOW THESE SUPREME HUNTERS ARE COVERED

IN A COAT OF FABULOUS FUR, AND IT'S DOUBLY FABULOUS

BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT TWO KINDS OF FUR

TO KEEP THEM WARM IN THIS PUNISHING ENVIRONMENT...

...FIRST, AN OUTER LAYER MADE UP OF 6-INCH-LONG HAIR

THAT'S BOTH OILY AND WATER-REPELLENT.

IF WE WENT FOR A DIP IN THIS OCEAN,

IT'D BE LIGHTS OUT IN MINUTES.

BUT EVEN IN THESE ICY WATERS, A POLAR BEAR'S OUTER FUR

KEEPS ITS BODY TEMPERATURE AT A CONSTANT 98.6 DEGREES.

BENEATH THEIR WINTER WETSUIT IS AN UNDERCOAT

OF MUCH SHORTER, THICKER HAIR THAT HELPS THEM STAY WARM

BY TRAPPING HEAT CLOSE TO THE SKIN.

THE SKIN ITSELF ALSO PLAYS ITS PART

IN KEEPING THESE BEARS WARM AND TOASTY.

UNDER THAT CREAM-COLORED COAT,

THE POLAR BEAR'S SKIN IS ACTUALLY BLACK,

WHICH ABSORBS HEAT FROM THE RAYS OF THE ARCTIC SUN.

THESE SUBZERO SURVIVORS HAVE ONE FINAL BODY-WARMING WEAPON

IN THEIR IMPRESSIVE ARSENAL --

A 4-1/2-INCH LAYER OF FAT

THAT INSULATES THEM FROM THE COLD ARCTIC AIR

LIKE A BIG, THICK, BLUBBERY BLANKET.

WITH ALL THIS HEAT RETENTION BUILT IN,

A POLAR BEAR'S BIGGEST PROBLEM ISN'T STAYING WARM

BUT KEEPING COOL.

IN FACT, THEY LOSE SO LITTLE HEAT

THAT ON A THERMAL-IMAGING CAMERA,

ONLY THEIR FACE IS CLEARLY VISIBLE.

YES, POLAR BEARS CAN ACTUALLY OVERHEAT,

BUT IT MEANS THEY CAN HAVE FUN TRYING TO KEEP COOL.

ABSOLUTELY FUR-BULOUS.

[ OWL HOOTING ]

COMING UP -- EXTRAORDINARY SOARING SPIDERS,

REMARKABLE RAPTORS,

AND A DEEP-SEA CLEANING SERVICE.

Narrator: WHETHER BIG FEATHERS...

OR LITTLE FEATHERS...

OR NO FEATHERS...

THESE WINGS BELONG TO SOME OF THE BEST FLIERS ON THE PLANET,

BUT THERE'S ONE TINY CRITTER YOU MIGHT NOT EXPECT

TO BE CRASHING THE PILOT PARTY,

AND THIS ONE'S GOT EIGHT LEGS AND ZERO WINGS,

AND THEY'RE SUCH HIGH ACHIEVERS

THEY CAN FLY ACROSS ENTIRE OCEANS.

THAT'S RIGHT -- ALL EIGHT LEGS CAN GO AIRBORNE.

THIS MIGHT SOUND LIKE A FLIGHT OF FANCY,

BUT THESE SPIDERS AREN'T JUST BLOWING IN THE WIND.

SCIENTISTS BELIEVE THEY MAY ACTUALLY BE ABLE

TO PERFORM CONTROLLED FLIGHT

BY USING THEIR SILK LIKE TINY SPIDER AERONAUTS.

IN THE U.K., DR. ERICA MORLEY IS RESEARCHING SPIDER FLIGHT,

ABLY ASSISTED BY HER COPILOT

FROM THE LINYPHIIDAE SPIDER FAMILY.

THAT'S MONEY SPIDERS TO YOU AND ME.

AND THESE CHAPS ARE REAL HIGH-FLIERS.

Morley: YOU MIGHT NOT THINK OF SPIDERS AS BEING VERY GOOD AT FLYING,

BUT ACTUALLY, THEY CAN GO FOR HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF MILES,

SO THEY'RE VERY GOOD AT TRAVELING THROUGH THE AIR.

Narrator: TO GO GLOBAL, SPIDERS ARE USING THEIR VERY OWN VERSION

OF THE WORLD WIDE WEB,

SHOOTING OUT LONG STRANDS OF SILK

IN A PROCESS KNOWN AS BALLOONING.

SO, WHEN A SPIDER WANTS TO BALLOON,

YOU CAN SEE STICKING OUT ITS FRONT PAIR OF LEGS.

IT'S JUST ABOUT TO TRY AND TAKE OFF,

SO IT'S RAISING ITS ABDOMEN,

AND IT'LL BE LETTING OUT SILK AND THEN TAKE OFF.

Narrator: SPIDERS DON'T ACTUALLY MAKE SILK BALLOONS.

THEY RELEASE STRANDS OF SILK SO LIGHT AND THIN --

250 TIMES THINNER THAN A HUMAN HAIR --

THAT THE STRANDS CATCH THE WIND LIKE A KITE.

IN A BREEZE, THE AIR CARRIES THE SILK THREADS,

BUT THEY'RE STRONG ENOUGH TO CARRY THE SPIDER,

WHO GOES ALONG FOR THE RIDE.

AND USING THE EARTH'S AIR CURRENTS,

SPIDERS HAVE BEEN FOUND UP TO 2 1/2 MILES UP IN THE AIR

AND 1,000 MILES OUT TO SEA.

SPIDERS USE BALLOONING TO SEEK FOOD,

AVOID DANGER, AND FIND A MATE,

BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THERE'S NO WIND?

ARE ALL SPIDERS GROUNDED?

VERY RECENTLY, ERICA HAS DISCOVERED THAT SPIDERS

COULD BE HARNESSING ANOTHER POWER TO TAKE OFF --

ELECTRICITY.

THERE'S ALWAYS AN ELECTRIC FIELD IN THE ENVIRONMENT.

WE ONLY NOTICE IT WHEN IT'S STRONG,

SO IN THUNDERSTORMS,

CAN CLEARLY SEE THERE'S ELECTRICITY THERE.

BUT IT'S ACTUALLY THERE ALL THE TIME.

EVEN ON A SUNNY DAY, THERE WILL BE A SMALL ELECTRIC FIELD.

Narrator: AND ERICA BELIEVES THAT

BY USING THEIR SPIDEY SENSES,

ARACHNIDS MIGHT BE HARNESSING

THE EARTH'S NATURAL ELECTRICAL FIELD

TO CREATE ENOUGH FORCE

TO LAUNCH THEMSELVES INTO THE AIR WITHOUT WIND.

TO PUT THIS ZAPPY THEORY TO THE TEST,

ERICA HAS BUILT A UNIQUE CHAMBER THAT CAN SIMULATE

THIS PLANETARY PHENOMENON ON A MUCH SMALLER SCALE.

THIS BOX HAS A METAL PLATE AT THE TOP

AND A METAL PLATE AT THE BOTTOM,

AND WE CAN PRODUCE AN ELECTRIC FIELD BETWEEN THE TWO PLATES.

IF WE SEE BALLOONING, WE KNOW THAT IT'S NOT THE WIND.

IT'S THE ELECTRIC FIELD THAT'S CAUSING THIS BEHAVIOR.

Narrator: CAN OUR SPIDER GET AIRBORNE

USING THE POWER OF ELECTRICITY ALONE?

AND THERE IT GOES.

Narrator: INCREDIBLY, BY HARNESSING

THIS AIRTIGHT CONTAINER'S ELECTRICAL FIELD,

ERICA IS PROVING

THAT SPIDERS DON'T NEED A BREEZE TO BLAST OFF,

AND THERE'S A HAIR-RAISING REASON WHY.

THEY'RE USING TINY, TINY HAIRS ON THEIR LEGS

TO DETECT THESE ELECTRIC FIELDS.

IF YOU RUB A BALLOON ON YOUR HEAD

AND THEN HOLD IT UP, YOUR HAIR WILL STAND ON END.

IT'S A SIMILAR THING

THAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE SPIDER LEG HAIRS.

Narrator: ONCE THEY'VE DETECTED AN ELECTRICAL FIELD,

SPIDERS SHOOT SILK STRANDS OUT OF THEIR BODIES

WHICH HAVE A NEGATIVE ELECTRICAL CHARGE.

THIS PUSHES AGAINST A NEGATIVE CHARGE

GENERATED BY THE SURFACE THEY'RE ON,

CREATING ENOUGH FORCE

TO PROPEL THE SPIDER INTO THE AIR LIKE A CATAPULT.

ONCE AIRBORNE, THE ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY IN THE AIR

PULLS THE SPIDER EVEN HIGHER.

OUT IN THE WILD, THE AMOUNT OF ELECTRICITY IN THE ATMOSPHERE

INCREASES THE HIGHER YOU GO,

AND SPIDERS USE A MIXTURE OF ELECTRICITY

AND WIND TO NOT JUST LAUNCH BUT FLY.

SO, DOES ALL THIS MEAN

A TARANTULA COULD BE SOARING SOMEWHERE OVERHEAD?

NOT TO WORRY.

SCIENTISTS THINK ONLY TINY SPIDERS ARE CAPABLE OF FLIGHT.

♪♪

COMING UP -- THE ULTIMATE AERIAL ACROBAT

AND A DRIVE-THROUGH WASH FOR FISH.

Narrator: ONE OF THE LEAST-KNOWN BIRDS OF PREY, THE GOSHAWK,

HAS BEEN CALLED THE CHEETAH OF THE SKIES.

AND LIKE ITS BIG-CAT NAMESAKE, IT'S AMONG THE FASTEST

AND MOST AGILE PREDATORS ON THE PLANET.

GOSHAWKS CAN WEAVE THROUGH DENSE FORESTS

PURSUING PREY AT SPEEDS OF 40 MILES AN HOUR.

BUT WITH SOME ALREADY REMARKABLE RAPTORS IN THE RUNNING...

THIS IS ELLIE, A 15-YEAR-OLD NORTHERN GOSHAWK.

AND WITH THE HELP OF HER WINGMAN AND TRAINER,

LLOYD BUCK, AND THIS PLASTIC FOREST,

SHE'S HOPING TO SHOW US WHY SHE'S THE BADDEST BIRD

ON THE BLOCK.

Buck: THIS IS ELLIE.

SHE'S A BIRD OF PREY THAT HUNTS OTHER BIRDS AND MAMMALS.

MOSTLY, THEY'RE IN HEAVY FOREST AND WOODED AREAS --

DENSE COVER --

SO THEY'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO CATCH THEIR PREY

IN THAT ENVIRONMENT.

THAT'S NOT EASY.

Narrator: LLOYD IS GOING TO TEST HOW QUICKLY ELLIE CAN NAVIGATE

AND REACT TO OBSTACLES OF DIFFERENT SHAPES AND SIZES.

SHE'LL NEED TO WING HER WAY

THROUGH THIS TANGLED FOREST OF PIPES

AND FINISH BY SQUEEZING THROUGH A NARROW GAP.

IF YOU HOLD HER UP TO THAT -- LOOK.

THAT'S NARROWER THAN HER BODY WIDTH AT REST,

SO SHE'S GOT TO DO SOMETHING SPECIAL

TO FIT THROUGH THERE AND AT SPEED.

SHE'S NOT ONLY JUST TRYING TO FLY THROUGH THAT GAP.

SHE'S GOT AN OBJECTIVE, OR TARGET.

SHE WANTS TO GET THAT LURE. THAT'S HER PREY.

Narrator: IN A REAL HUNT SITUATION,

A 4-INCH OPENING WOULD BE ENOUGH

TO PUT OFF EVEN THE MOST DETERMINED BIRD OF PREY,

BUT WHAT WILL ELLIE MAKE OF IT?

[ ELLIE SQUAWKS ]

RIGHT. LET'S GIVE HER A GO.

♪♪

GOOD GIRL.

[ ELLIE SQUAWKS ]

Narrator: FLYING AT OVER 30 MILES AN HOUR,

ELLIE USES LIGHTNING-FAST REACTIONS

TO ADJUST HER WINGS AND BODY POSITION.

THEN, WITHIN A FRACTION OF A SECOND,

SHE CALCULATES A WAY TO SQUEEZE THROUGH THE GAP.

SHE PUT HER WINGS ABOVE HERSELF.

IT MAKES HER BODY PROFILE LESS SO SHE CAN FIT THROUGH.

THEY JUST ARE INCREDIBLE PREDATORS, AMAZING.

GOOD GIRL.

Narrator: LLOYD IS TAKING ELLIE'S TEST ONE STEP FURTHER.

Buck: WE'RE ADDING ANOTHER DIMENSION NOW.

WE'VE GOT THIS TUBE, AND ITS DEPTH SIMULATES

JUST WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE

IF SHE WAS GOING THROUGH DENSE COVER.

Narrator: WHAT'S MORE CHALLENGING --

ELLIE HAS NO IDEA HOW DEEP THE TUBE IS.

Buck: IT'S ALL ABOUT HER ANTICIPATING THE TUBE

AND THE HOLE AS SHE APPROACHES IT.

WITHOUT GETTING THAT RIGHT, SHE'LL NEVER GET THROUGH.

Narrator: ON APPROACH,

ELLIE WILL HAVE TO CHANGE THE SHAPE OF HER BODY AND WINGS

AND CALCULATE HOW LONG THE TUBE IS

AND HOW TO MANEUVER THROUGH IT.

NAILED IT.

Buck: AND THAT'S SOMETHING THEY HAVE TO DO ALL THE TIME.

YOU KNOW, IF A HARE OR A RABBIT OR A BIRD

GETS INTO THICK UNDERGROWTH, THEY HAVE GOT TO CRASH THROUGH

AND MAYBE GO THROUGH A TUNNEL JUST LIKE THIS.

Narrator: OTHER BIRDS WOULD LIKELY CRASH INTO THIS HOLE,

BUT NOT ELLIE.

Buck: LOOK AT WHAT SHE'S DOING.

THE DECISION-MAKING, THE EVALUATING --

THAT'S WHAT SETS THEM APART.

THAT'S WHAT MAKES THEM PRETTY MUCH

THE MOST SUCCESSFUL BIRD OF PREY IN THE WORLD.

[ ELLIE SQUAWKS ]

[ FROG CROAKING ]

Narrator: COMING UP -- THE ULTIMATE ACT OF FAITH

BETWEEN PREDATOR AND PREY.

Narrator: PREENING, GROOMING, CLEANING --

SOME ANIMALS USE THEIR TRUNKS,

OTHERS THEIR TONGUE.

THAT GUY LIKES A ROLL IN THE MUD.

THIS ONE PREFERS A NICE, LONG SOAK.

FISH NEED A SCRUBBING, TOO,

BUT DON'T HAVE THE TOOLS FOR THE JOB, SO...

FISH, LIKE ANY OTHER ANIMAL, GET DIRTY.

COVERED IN PARASITES AND DEAD SKIN CELLS,

EVEN THESE BEAUTIES NEED A GOOD SCRUB UNDER THE FINS.

AND ONE FISH HAS FOUND AN INGENIOUS WAY

TO GET THE JOB DONE --

GOAT FISH.

THESE STRIKING STRIPED GUYS ARE FOUND

IN TEMPERATE WATERS ACROSS THE PACIFIC.

THEY'RE BOTTOM-FEEDERS

WHO LOVE NOTHING MORE THAN A GOOD SHRIMP COCKTAIL.

BUT WHEN THE MEAL'S OVER,

AND THE GOAT FISH IS READY FOR A WASH,

A PECULIAR DEAL IS MADE BETWEEN THE DINER AND ITS DINNER.

THE GOAT FISH FINDS A SHRIMP, AND INSTEAD OF ATTACKING,

THE FISH WAITS IN A POSITION CALLED POSING.

LOOKING GOOD, BUDDY.

THEN THE GOAT FISH CHANGES COLOR.

THE APTLY NAMED CLEANER SHRIMP SEES THIS AS A SIGNAL

THAT THE FISH WANTS TO BE CLEANED,

AND, AMAZINGLY, THE SHRIMP WAVES ITS ANTENNAE

BACK TO THE FISH TO AGREE TO THE JOB.

ONCE HE'S SURE HE'S NOT ON THE MENU,

THE MINI POWER WASHER GETS TO WORK

EATING UP ALL THE DEAD SKIN AND PARASITES ON THE GOAT FISH.

IT WILL EVEN SWIM INSIDE THE GILLS,

SCRUBBING IN ALL THOSE HARD-TO-REACH PLACES,

BUT IT'S NOT JUST GOAT FISH

THAT'S DONE A DEAL WITH ITS DINNER.

CLEANER SHRIMP ARE ALSO EMPLOYED BY OTHER FISHY CLIENTS,

LIKE THIS GROUPER.

I HOPE THIS LITTLE FELLOW GETS HAZARD PAY.