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Sometimes in life,
to make it to the top,
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00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:15,200
you need to bend the rules.
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00:00:16,240 --> 00:00:18,560
To survive in this competitive
world,
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00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:22,160
many animals push the boundaries of
possibility to the limit.
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00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:26,760
They seem to test the very fabric
of reality.
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00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:33,160
Compared to us, they can see
sharper,
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00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:35,320
stretch their bodies further
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00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:38,040
and perform feats that are just
out of this world.
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00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:45,360
Rainforests, deserts, coasts,
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00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:47,360
three hostile landscapes
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00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:50,560
each forging their own distinct mix
of mavericks.
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00:00:52,160 --> 00:00:55,440
By capturing their lives
in spectacular detail,
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00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:57,880
we reveal the secrets
that allow these animals
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00:00:57,920 --> 00:00:59,560
to achieve the impossible.
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00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:20,680
Coasts are the most dynamic
landscapes on Earth.
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00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:25,160
They are a gateway between the land
and sea where two worlds collide.
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00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:30,120
And for any animal brave enough to
live here,
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life is a constant battle.
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00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:37,720
From the ocean depths...
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00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:39,000
..to jagged cliffs,
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00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:42,000
animals must contend with extreme
conditions.
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00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:46,560
Powerful tides up to 16 metres high,
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00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:50,520
winds that speed at over 200kph...
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00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:55,920
..and violent waves that can impact
with a force of 20 tonnes.
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00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:00,480
In this chaotic world,
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00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:04,720
many animals survive by sticking
either to the land or to the sea.
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00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:07,880
But a few have found a way to
thrive in both.
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00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:28,160
There's one Antarctic species that's
got this down to a fine art.
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00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:34,880
The emperor penguin.
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00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:39,840
With a sleek, streamlined shape,
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underwater, these birds are in
their element.
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00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:54,280
But every year they have to come up
onto the ice to breed.
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Problem is, these birds actually
weigh 40kg.
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That's the same as a baby hippo.
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00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:23,440
Despite their size, this flightless
bird has found a way to get
airborne.
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00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:36,720
And the secret lies deep
beneath their feathers.
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00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:41,240
Before returning to the colony,
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00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:44,680
emperor penguins will often take
a pitstop at the surface
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00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:46,120
to fluff themselves up.
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00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:52,160
But what they're actually doing is
trapping air within their feathers.
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00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:56,520
That right there is their
impossible trick.
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00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:01,160
Straight after fluffing,
it's time to dive,
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00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:04,280
and as they descend, they clamp
those feathers shut really tightly,
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00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:06,280
trapping the pockets of air beneath
them.
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00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:09,400
By the time they are 20 metres down,
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the water pressure is three times
what it was on the surface.
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00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:18,400
All of this trapped air is ready
to go off like a champagne cork.
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00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:31,440
As the penguins ascend, the air
streams through their feathers.
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00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:37,120
It creates a lubricating layer
around their bodies
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00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:41,840
which helps reduce drag and
supercharges their swim.
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00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:48,640
On a jet-powered stream of bubbles,
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00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:53,800
the emperors break through the
surface at almost 30kph,
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00:04:53,840 --> 00:04:57,480
four times their normal swimming
speed.
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00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:20,080
But while these emperor penguins
have a slick trick to get out of
the water,
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00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:24,920
their cousins have a far more
treacherous transition to contend
with.
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00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:40,320
The rockhoppers of Patagonia
have quite the coastal commute.
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00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:45,400
Here, the problem isn't just getting
out of the water,
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00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:48,400
it's landing safely too.
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00:05:57,840 --> 00:06:03,440
So, these birds need a smart way to
ensure a safe touchdown.
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00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:09,000
Their ground-breaking strategy is to
stay, well, small.
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00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:14,560
Now, I know this might not sound
like the most ingenious
adaptation,
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00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:17,160
but when you consider Newton's
second law of motion,
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00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:19,520
it all starts to fit into place.
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00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:23,080
Assuming the speed the penguins are
hurled against the rocks stays the
same,
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00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:25,760
then size really matters,
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00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:29,400
because the smaller you are, the
less force or energy you hit the
rocks with,
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00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:32,440
and less energy means
less chance of being hurt.
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00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:38,960
As one of the smallest penguins in
the world,
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00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:42,880
standing at just 50cm
and weighing only 3kg,
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00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:45,400
the rockhopper has some serious
bounce.
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00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:01,920
Now, making this perilous journey
from land to sea and back again
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00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:05,640
is hard enough, but just to up the
ante,
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00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:09,520
imagine attempting this leap of
faith with other dangers in the mix.
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00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:17,160
Now is the time to bring
your A-game.
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00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:23,720
Seal Island.
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00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:29,280
A coastal sanctuary
for over 60,000 Cape fur seals.
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00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:36,760
To find food, they have to leave
the safety of the land...
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00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:45,880
..and they know that just off-shore,
something ominous lies in wait.
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The great white shark.
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00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:06,800
With explosive speeds of 40kph
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00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:09,840
and one of the biggest bite forces
on the planet...
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00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:14,720
..this apex predator...
prepares for an ambush.
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00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:22,040
To make matters worse for the seals,
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00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:25,040
these sharks come turbo-charged.
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00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:32,800
Most fish are cold-blooded, but
great whites are one of only five
species of shark
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00:08:32,840 --> 00:08:36,640
that are warm-blooded, and they
achieve this by constantly swimming.
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00:08:36,680 --> 00:08:40,320
This process of using their muscles
non-stop generates enough heat
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00:08:40,360 --> 00:08:44,160
to keep their core a warm 26 degrees
Celsius,
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00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:49,520
and having warmer muscles helps them
unleash that explosive burst of
speed.
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00:08:49,560 --> 00:08:52,840
In fact, great whites can power
from a depth of 13 metres
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00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:55,480
to the surface
in under three seconds.
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00:08:55,520 --> 00:08:58,520
It's the secret behind that classic
smash-and-grab.
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00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:06,160
The seals don't stand a chance.
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00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:11,720
Or do they?
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00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:21,160
In the water, the fur seals
have some moves of their own.
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00:09:22,320 --> 00:09:27,640
Using their front flippers for power
and their hind flippers as a rudder,
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00:09:27,680 --> 00:09:30,520
they can reach speeds of 30kph...
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00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:36,520
..change direction
in just over a metre...
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00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:46,160
..and on top of all that,
they have one daring tactic.
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00:09:49,560 --> 00:09:53,480
They might be just one third of
the size of the mighty great white,
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00:09:54,280 --> 00:09:57,400
but these are brave seals
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00:09:57,440 --> 00:10:00,760
and they face their fears head-on.
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00:10:02,440 --> 00:10:06,360
Getting within metres of those
lethal jaws,
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00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:11,320
they risk their lives to chase
the deadly predator away.
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00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:29,600
These courageous seals will live
to see another day...
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00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:36,480
..in this unpredictable
coastal world.
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00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:45,760
If making the leap between land
and sea wasn't tough enough,
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00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:48,760
then imagine having to find food
on the coast.
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00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:54,880
That requires a whole new set
of tricks and skills.
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00:11:05,120 --> 00:11:08,680
Coasts are highly productive,
nutrient-rich areas
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00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:10,600
abundant with life.
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00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:20,720
But for animals that live there,
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00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:24,600
working out how to get all your
calories can seem like an impossible
challenge.
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00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:31,960
Yet there's one family of animals
who are smashing it.
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00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:36,600
Primates.
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00:11:42,800 --> 00:11:46,840
In amongst the impenetrable
mangroves of the Costa Rican
coastline...
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00:11:50,120 --> 00:11:53,960
..white-faced capuchins hunt for
a seafood feast.
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00:11:57,560 --> 00:12:01,080
They've come to this particular
spot,
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00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:06,960
aware that the receding tide
will soon reveal buried treasure.
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00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:12,120
All it takes is a little patience.
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00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:21,560
Clams.
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00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:28,920
A rich protein source.
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00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:35,120
But only if you can get to the prize
hidden inside.
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00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:55,040
OK, so they're not the most
refined table manners,
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00:12:56,400 --> 00:13:00,440
but this monkey has a brain
the weight of a blueberry muffin
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00:13:00,480 --> 00:13:04,200
and smashing clams like this is
actually an ingenious skill.
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00:13:08,920 --> 00:13:11,840
It releases the muscle which
keeps the shell tightly closed.
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00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:21,520
And once it opens, dexterous fingers
do the rest.
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00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:30,400
A tasty treat for those
smart enough to find them.
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00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:40,320
Intelligence is an important
characteristic seen in all monkeys,
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00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:43,880
and one species of macaque uses
this cognitive ability
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00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:46,480
to take food-finding
to the next level.
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00:13:50,320 --> 00:13:53,160
On the tropical shores of
Thailand...
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00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:57,080
long-tailed macaques
also wait patiently
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00:13:57,120 --> 00:14:00,560
for the tide to reveal what's on the
menu.
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00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:09,400
Oysters.
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00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:14,080
Much like clams, this energy-rich
food source...
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00:14:14,120 --> 00:14:16,840
comes encased in armour plating.
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00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:21,880
Only, this time, the shells are much
tougher
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00:14:21,920 --> 00:14:24,640
AND they're stuck to the rocks
like superglue.
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00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:30,960
So these sea monkeys need to use
all their smarts
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00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:32,920
to get to the goodness.
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00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:43,640
And astonishingly, they've
discovered how to use stones
as tools.
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00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:03,440
It might look like brute force,
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00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:07,920
but this fine dining is more complex
than it seems.
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00:15:14,440 --> 00:15:18,160
Scientists discovered that
these macaques don't just select
any old rock.
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00:15:18,200 --> 00:15:21,920
They actually take their time
to find the perfect tool.
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00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:24,840
It all comes down to size, shape
and weight.
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00:15:24,880 --> 00:15:27,640
OK, let's take something like
oysters.
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00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:31,600
To get them open, you need a small
chisel-shaped stone,
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00:15:31,640 --> 00:15:34,880
whereas larger items on the menu,
like crabs,
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need something far less refined.
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00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:40,200
A big heavy hammer stone
will do just fine.
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00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:46,240
These monkeys have literally
developed their own cutlery.
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00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:53,360
And if this supreme show of
intelligence isn't enough,
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00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:59,120
scientists now believe that some
primates actually have their own
Stone Age.
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00:15:59,160 --> 00:16:03,120
Artefacts unearthed in Brazil
suggest rocks have been used
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00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:06,720
by some primates
for over 3,000 years.
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00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:11,520
It's the very first long-term
example of any species other than
humans
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00:16:11,560 --> 00:16:13,640
using tools to access food.
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00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:21,520
Despite the changeable nature
of their coastal home,
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00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:26,680
these clever monkeys have found
plenty of food at their fingertips,
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00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:30,920
which means plenty of time to enjoy
the beach life too.
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00:16:43,480 --> 00:16:47,760
On the coast, accessing food is
always a challenge.
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00:16:50,120 --> 00:16:54,960
But when your home is a tidal
estuary on the cold shores of
Alaska,
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it pays to double down
on every opportunity.
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00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:06,320
And for grizzly bears...
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00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:11,320
in order to survive their winter
hibernation,
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00:17:11,360 --> 00:17:15,360
they need to bulk up with every
morsel they can find.
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00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:21,120
Fortunately, each summer,
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00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:24,960
this coastline delivers
a huge fish feast.
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00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:32,240
Thousands of salmon return
from the ocean to spawn.
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00:17:40,280 --> 00:17:45,600
Just like the monkeys, grizzlies
use the low tide to their advantage.
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00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:53,960
In the shallow water, there's less
space for the fish to swim away.
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00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:58,040
So the bears have a better chance
at a successful catch.
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00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:13,320
They can eat up to 30 salmon a day.
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00:18:17,640 --> 00:18:21,680
Quickly they start to pile on
those precious pounds...
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00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:25,680
And I mean REALLY pile on.
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00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:29,840
A bear's average calorie consumption
goes from around 8,000
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00:18:29,880 --> 00:18:34,120
to over 20,000 in just one day.
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00:18:43,960 --> 00:18:49,440
Now, if any one of us were to almost
triple our intake of calories
every day,
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00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:51,320
we'd know about it pretty quickly.
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00:18:51,360 --> 00:18:53,640
Forget about the love handles,
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00:18:53,680 --> 00:18:56,120
we'd become morbidly obese
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00:18:56,160 --> 00:18:58,240
and probably wind up
developing diabetes.
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00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:04,040
But gorging like this is exactly
what bears do every single year.
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00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:05,360
It's known as hyperphagia
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00:19:05,400 --> 00:19:08,640
and it's their way of storing excess
energy as fat
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00:19:08,680 --> 00:19:10,880
in preparation for hibernation.
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00:19:12,520 --> 00:19:16,480
But what's truly incredible is that
bears are immune to all those
negative effects
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00:19:16,520 --> 00:19:19,760
that would seriously damage our
human bodies.
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00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:22,720
It's down to some highly specialised
genetics
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00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:27,440
without which hyperphagia would
quite literally be impossible to
achieve.
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00:19:27,480 --> 00:19:31,880
They can effectively switch on and
switch off specific genes
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00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:33,560
at specific times of the year,
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00:19:33,600 --> 00:19:36,600
controlling vital bodily functions
and processes
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00:19:36,640 --> 00:19:40,520
so they can stay alive
whilst gorging themselves senseless.
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00:19:45,120 --> 00:19:48,600
By the end of the summer, each bear
will have gained, on average,
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00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:52,680
a staggering 180kg...
200
00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:57,960
..making these Alaskan grizzlies
the heaviest in North America.
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00:20:02,200 --> 00:20:06,320
But climate change is now affecting
the regularity of the salmon run
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00:20:06,360 --> 00:20:11,000
and the numbers of fish arriving
each summer are falling fast.
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00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:14,480
These bears will need to up
all their skills
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00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:16,280
if they're to survive hibernation
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00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:19,840
and master this unforgiving
environment.
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00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:28,800
To find food on the coast, animals
have to be at the top of their game.
207
00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:33,960
But to beat the competition
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00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:37,840
can be a much tougher battle.
209
00:20:48,320 --> 00:20:53,760
Our planet is home to over
one and a half million kilometres
of coastline,
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00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:57,600
so you might think there'd be enough
beach to go around.
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00:20:57,640 --> 00:20:58,760
But you'd be wrong,
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00:20:59,360 --> 00:21:04,200
because many miles of shoreline are
inhospitable.
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00:21:04,240 --> 00:21:08,320
Plus, ocean currents focus nutrients
into a few teeming hotspots,
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00:21:08,360 --> 00:21:12,440
which means top real-estate
is in short supply.
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00:21:13,680 --> 00:21:17,440
For animals,
this is worth fighting for.
216
00:21:20,560 --> 00:21:26,440
On the beaches of Argentina, if male
elephant seals are to find a mate,
217
00:21:28,120 --> 00:21:33,360
they need to secure
the best territory.
218
00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:39,320
To do this, they have one rather,
well, fat strategy.
219
00:21:43,920 --> 00:21:47,840
They use their size to make
their presence felt.
220
00:21:51,560 --> 00:21:56,440
The chubbiest of them all
is the beach master.
221
00:22:01,360 --> 00:22:05,320
Weighing a phenomenal 4,000 kilos,
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00:22:06,480 --> 00:22:08,840
he's heavier than an SUV.
223
00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:15,160
To become a beach master,
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00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:20,080
male elephant seals need to eat
a whopping 30,000kgs of food
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00:22:20,120 --> 00:22:21,560
every single year.
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00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:25,880
To reach this enormous target,
they spend up to 90% of their lives
227
00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:28,360
out on the ocean,
hunting for food,
228
00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:30,440
and they do this at
incredible depths,
229
00:22:30,480 --> 00:22:34,480
over 2,000 metres beneath
the surface of the waves.
230
00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:38,360
Down there, it's a mind-numbing
two degrees Celsius
231
00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:41,960
and this is where being big has
another surprise advantage.
232
00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:44,960
The bigger you are,
the slower you lose heat.
233
00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:48,520
It's a property of thermal dynamics
called thermal inertia.
234
00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:52,960
It helps them to hunt at these
depths for longer periods of time,
235
00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:59,000
which in turn means these
beach masters get bigger and bigger
and bigger.
236
00:23:00,840 --> 00:23:04,120
Being a heavyweight allows the beach
master to take charge
237
00:23:04,160 --> 00:23:05,680
of the best territory
238
00:23:05,720 --> 00:23:09,640
and a harem of over 50 females.
239
00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:15,320
But there are always contenders
who want to steal his spot.
240
00:23:19,760 --> 00:23:26,240
To stay on top, this big beast has
one final unbeatable advantage.
241
00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:33,920
He really knows how to throw his
weight around.
242
00:23:36,680 --> 00:23:42,840
Rising up on front flippers, the
beach master stands an impressive
two and a half metres tall
243
00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:47,560
and bears down with a force
of two tonnes.
244
00:23:56,880 --> 00:23:59,880
Thanks to his superior size,
245
00:23:59,920 --> 00:24:03,840
the smaller rival doesn't stand
a chance.
246
00:24:06,920 --> 00:24:08,640
He wins the beach...
247
00:24:11,400 --> 00:24:14,640
..AND the ladies.
248
00:24:26,640 --> 00:24:30,440
Competing for the best bays and
beaches is a constant battle.
249
00:24:34,800 --> 00:24:38,720
But that pressure can be even
more extreme on islands.
250
00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:45,360
Cut off from the mainland,
resources are in short supply.
251
00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:50,320
So how do you survive when
you're packed in really tight
252
00:24:50,360 --> 00:24:51,920
next to your biggest rivals?
253
00:24:55,960 --> 00:25:00,080
On just five isolated islands
in Indonesia
254
00:25:00,120 --> 00:25:02,920
lives the world's largest lizard...
255
00:25:12,560 --> 00:25:15,600
The Komodo dragon.
256
00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:20,520
They are big - three metres big.
257
00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:25,320
But the trouble is, they all are.
258
00:25:27,320 --> 00:25:33,440
Every dragon's challenge is to get
to food before the competition.
259
00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:44,920
First up, they can detect chemicals
in the air,
260
00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:49,400
sensing their prey from over
4,000 metres away.
261
00:25:51,440 --> 00:25:57,240
Next, their eyesight is fine-tuned
to detect movement.
262
00:25:58,320 --> 00:26:04,040
They can spot their target from
a distance of 300 metres.
263
00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:10,360
And finally, a nasty habit
264
00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:13,760
of tearing and disembowelling
their victims.
265
00:26:23,120 --> 00:26:26,960
Oh, and their dinner option
is water buffalo.
266
00:26:30,120 --> 00:26:32,240
But at three times the weight of
a dragon,
267
00:26:32,280 --> 00:26:37,360
what can these lizards do
to put themselves ahead of the rest?
268
00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:43,160
Well, it comes down to their bite...
269
00:26:45,800 --> 00:26:49,240
..because these dragons
not only have razor-sharp teeth,
270
00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:51,400
they're also venomous.
271
00:26:51,440 --> 00:26:56,800
Their jaws have highly specialised
venom glands that produce toxins.
272
00:26:56,840 --> 00:27:00,880
These prevent blood from clotting
and cause a slow and painful death.
273
00:27:04,360 --> 00:27:07,280
But the Komodo's bite
gets even stranger.
274
00:27:07,320 --> 00:27:11,520
Unlike many other venomous reptiles
like rattlesnakes, for example,
275
00:27:11,560 --> 00:27:14,120
Komodos don't have groves inside
their teeth,
276
00:27:14,160 --> 00:27:16,920
so they don't actually inject
their venom.
277
00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:19,080
It just kinda oozes out.
278
00:27:19,120 --> 00:27:23,320
So scientists believe these
dragons have combined tactics
279
00:27:23,360 --> 00:27:24,880
to kill their prey.
280
00:27:24,920 --> 00:27:29,640
A traumatic bite, a mouth awash with
venom, and patience.
281
00:27:29,680 --> 00:27:34,320
The Komodo dragon really is
the ultimate cold-blooded killer.
282
00:27:38,160 --> 00:27:40,440
In the days following a bite,
283
00:27:40,480 --> 00:27:43,680
the venom slowly causes their prey
to bleed out.
284
00:27:49,840 --> 00:27:54,800
And then...everyone joins the feast.
285
00:27:56,800 --> 00:28:01,760
You see, the dragon's way to beat
the competition is to join them.
286
00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:11,600
Eating over 80% of their body weight
in just one sitting,
287
00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:17,440
it seems portion control isn't
a concept Komodos are familiar with.
288
00:28:25,760 --> 00:28:31,200
And this is where their competitive
streak takes a sinister twist.
289
00:28:31,240 --> 00:28:35,000
OK, get this. They'll even eat
each other.
290
00:28:40,440 --> 00:28:43,680
Cannibalism, a bit of a taboo
for you and me,
291
00:28:43,720 --> 00:28:45,320
but for these dragons
292
00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:48,120
it's simply a matter of
life and death.
293
00:28:48,160 --> 00:28:52,440
In fact, other dragons make up about
a tenth of their diet.
294
00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:55,400
So if resources become limited,
295
00:28:55,440 --> 00:28:59,960
cannibalism is actually a smart
adaptation to island life.
296
00:29:00,640 --> 00:29:04,440
I guess getting rid of your annoying
neighbours isn't so impossible
after all.
297
00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:10,440
So, with a bizarre array of
adaptations
298
00:29:10,480 --> 00:29:12,720
and a few socially awkward ones too,
299
00:29:12,760 --> 00:29:16,920
the Komodo dragon dominates
island life.
300
00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:25,240
But if size isn't your strong suit,
301
00:29:25,280 --> 00:29:29,520
sometimes you need to be a little
bit sneaky.
302
00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:40,360
Southern Africa, the remote beaches
of the Namib Desert...
303
00:29:43,000 --> 00:29:45,480
..also known as the Skeleton Coast.
304
00:29:47,680 --> 00:29:49,920
Not the most inspiring place name
305
00:29:49,960 --> 00:29:54,000
for those looking to survive
in this landscape.
306
00:29:54,040 --> 00:29:59,440
Despite that, there are predators
that eke out a living here.
307
00:30:02,400 --> 00:30:05,720
A hungry black-backed jackal...
308
00:30:05,760 --> 00:30:10,640
and this seal colony surely
offers up easy pickings.
309
00:30:13,800 --> 00:30:16,040
Well, not quite.
310
00:30:17,240 --> 00:30:22,400
Jackals may be hunters, but they're
smaller than a sheepdog
311
00:30:22,440 --> 00:30:26,720
and certainly won't pick on a seal
over ten times their weight...
312
00:30:30,760 --> 00:30:34,360
..let alone risk a mother's wrath
to go for a pup.
313
00:30:45,400 --> 00:30:49,320
Their strategy is wile and cunning.
314
00:30:53,640 --> 00:30:57,480
You see, there's another predator
roaming this coastline...
315
00:31:02,360 --> 00:31:05,080
The brown hyena.
316
00:31:07,400 --> 00:31:12,640
At twice the size and four times
the weight of a jackal...
317
00:31:16,080 --> 00:31:19,120
..they CAN take down a seal.
318
00:31:26,880 --> 00:31:29,880
The jackal needs a game plan.
319
00:31:37,040 --> 00:31:42,240
They've caught onto the fact that
hyenas often fall asleep
after a meal.
320
00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:50,880
But this light-footed thief...
must be very careful.
321
00:31:55,120 --> 00:31:59,200
It needs to be fast food...
for this devious dog.
322
00:32:12,040 --> 00:32:14,880
Time for a quick getaway.
323
00:32:34,840 --> 00:32:39,520
Beach warfare, whether it's for food
or to win a mate,
324
00:32:39,560 --> 00:32:41,360
is a constant battle.
325
00:32:44,000 --> 00:32:48,240
But for many animals, the ultimate
coastal trial
326
00:32:48,280 --> 00:32:53,640
is to raise a family safely
in this dangerous environment.
327
00:33:05,560 --> 00:33:08,080
OK, by now it's pretty clear
328
00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:10,960
that life on the coast
is kind of rough.
329
00:33:13,360 --> 00:33:15,880
But what happens when you throw in
the very small challenge
330
00:33:15,920 --> 00:33:18,160
of trying to raise a family here?
331
00:33:18,200 --> 00:33:23,400
Even the most experienced parents
would struggle to child-proof this.
332
00:33:28,400 --> 00:33:31,800
But there's one unflappable little
bird that defies the odds
333
00:33:31,840 --> 00:33:35,400
raising their family right in the
danger zone.
334
00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:43,560
The puffin.
335
00:33:43,600 --> 00:33:48,920
Every spring, puffin pairs meet on
the coastal clifftops
of Northern Europe.
336
00:33:50,720 --> 00:33:54,320
It's been eight months since
they were together,
337
00:33:54,360 --> 00:33:59,360
so these soulmates bond over
a burrow and lay a single egg.
338
00:34:01,480 --> 00:34:05,640
Once hatched, their chick is
non-stop with the demands.
339
00:34:07,240 --> 00:34:12,000
It'll need to eat over 2,000 fish
before it can fledge.
340
00:34:15,800 --> 00:34:18,200
To keep their puffling satisfied,
341
00:34:18,240 --> 00:34:20,680
these parents must go fishing...
342
00:34:20,720 --> 00:34:23,440
up to 28 times a day.
343
00:34:26,840 --> 00:34:31,560
It's hard work and the changing
climate is adding to the pressure.
344
00:34:32,880 --> 00:34:36,320
Rising sea temperatures mean
the fish they rely on
345
00:34:36,360 --> 00:34:42,240
can be much further away,
346
00:34:42,280 --> 00:34:47,160
so these parents are often exhausted
by the time they return to land.
347
00:34:48,880 --> 00:34:52,880
And that's only the start of
their problems.
348
00:35:04,920 --> 00:35:08,800
The greater black-backed gull
is here to steal their food
349
00:35:08,840 --> 00:35:10,760
and will even kill their chicks.
350
00:35:25,680 --> 00:35:28,680
To get their haul back to the
burrow,
351
00:35:28,720 --> 00:35:32,600
the puffin parents must time
their approach to perfection.
352
00:36:06,320 --> 00:36:08,120
Over the next six weeks,
353
00:36:08,160 --> 00:36:11,960
these parents will put their lives
on the line hundreds of times,
354
00:36:12,000 --> 00:36:16,200
all for the sake of their
single chick.
355
00:36:17,400 --> 00:36:20,640
By pulling together,
puffin parents overcome the odds
356
00:36:20,680 --> 00:36:23,440
to raise pufflings year after year.
357
00:36:23,480 --> 00:36:26,160
It takes real teamwork.
358
00:36:26,200 --> 00:36:31,480
But if you're a single parent on the
coast, you have to work extra hard
359
00:36:31,520 --> 00:36:36,120
or have some ingenious skills
to keep your head above water.
360
00:36:38,520 --> 00:36:41,640
On the western seaboard of
North America,
361
00:36:41,680 --> 00:36:46,920
there's one mum and baby that have
a particularly tough time.
362
00:36:46,960 --> 00:36:51,800
Sea otters.
363
00:36:53,520 --> 00:36:57,920
They spend nearly every moment of
their life just off-shore,
364
00:36:57,960 --> 00:37:04,040
but out here, sea temperatures can
drop to as low as just one degree.
365
00:37:06,880 --> 00:37:11,960
Problem is, neither mum or her pup
have insulating blubber
366
00:37:12,000 --> 00:37:14,400
to keep them warm.
367
00:37:15,800 --> 00:37:19,600
Luckily, they have a heart-racing
alternative.
368
00:37:21,200 --> 00:37:25,000
Sea otters have a cool strategy for
keeping warm
369
00:37:25,040 --> 00:37:28,520
because they have souped up
their metabolic rate.
370
00:37:28,560 --> 00:37:30,520
Now, burning calories keeps them
warm.
371
00:37:30,560 --> 00:37:32,720
But there's also a downside to this.
372
00:37:32,760 --> 00:37:36,480
Adults have to eat a quarter of
their body weight every single day,
373
00:37:36,520 --> 00:37:38,680
and that's just to stay alive.
374
00:37:38,720 --> 00:37:42,760
So imagine needing to eat that much
whilst also looking after a baby.
375
00:37:42,800 --> 00:37:44,880
Oh, and added to that, you've
got the very minor issue
376
00:37:44,920 --> 00:37:47,200
that your baby can't swim.
377
00:37:48,800 --> 00:37:54,840
So, I think it's fair to say that
sea otter mums face the ultimate
childcare conundrum.
378
00:37:56,840 --> 00:38:00,800
To make matters worse, Mum's energy
needs go up by a fifth
379
00:38:00,840 --> 00:38:04,880
in the weeks after her baby's born.
380
00:38:04,920 --> 00:38:08,280
If she stops eating to tend to
her pup,
381
00:38:08,320 --> 00:38:12,040
she'll quickly become exhausted,
risking death.
382
00:38:14,760 --> 00:38:18,520
So the otters have evolved
an outstanding adaptation
383
00:38:18,560 --> 00:38:21,440
to help them both survive.
384
00:38:24,160 --> 00:38:28,080
The reason sea otters look so cute
and fluffy is because,
385
00:38:28,120 --> 00:38:30,480
well, they ARE!
386
00:38:30,520 --> 00:38:35,760
Their bodies are covered with an
incredible 100,000 hairs
387
00:38:35,800 --> 00:38:37,000
per square centimetre,
388
00:38:37,040 --> 00:38:41,240
making it the densest fur of any
animal on the planet.
389
00:38:41,280 --> 00:38:46,680
But more than that, each individual
hair is covered in microscopic
geometric barbs.
390
00:38:46,720 --> 00:38:48,960
This isn't some kind of new
hair craze.
391
00:38:49,000 --> 00:38:52,280
These barbs are key to helping
the fur mat together
392
00:38:52,320 --> 00:38:55,320
and keeps both mum and baby alive.
393
00:38:56,320 --> 00:39:01,680
Mum otters spend lots of time
fluffing up and grooming their baby.
394
00:39:01,720 --> 00:39:06,080
The aim is to trap a layer of air
within the matted fur,
395
00:39:06,120 --> 00:39:09,680
creating a type of giant
inflatable onesie.
396
00:39:13,760 --> 00:39:17,200
Her pup now floats on the surface...
397
00:39:19,880 --> 00:39:24,000
..allowing mum just enough time
to find food.
398
00:39:31,880 --> 00:39:34,520
Left alone bobbing around
like a cork,
399
00:39:34,560 --> 00:39:36,840
her pup is vulnerable to predation.
400
00:39:41,280 --> 00:39:44,440
But it's a compromise
this mother has to make
401
00:39:44,480 --> 00:39:48,880
and it gives them both the best
possible chance of survival.
402
00:40:00,280 --> 00:40:02,040
It's all well and good growing up
403
00:40:02,080 --> 00:40:04,760
when you have doting parents
to look after you,
404
00:40:06,040 --> 00:40:09,280
but surely the toughest coastal
challenge of them all...
405
00:40:10,480 --> 00:40:13,960
..is surviving as a newborn
all on your own.
406
00:40:17,240 --> 00:40:21,280
On the tropical beaches
of Costa Rica,
407
00:40:21,320 --> 00:40:26,240
baby olive ridley turtles must defy
staggering odds to survive.
408
00:40:29,560 --> 00:40:32,800
They have to get to the sea
all on their own.
409
00:40:35,520 --> 00:40:38,240
But their nests are 30 metres
up the beach.
410
00:40:41,880 --> 00:40:44,640
A long way for little flippers.
411
00:40:49,040 --> 00:40:51,760
And that's not all.
412
00:41:02,640 --> 00:41:04,600
Each hatchling makes a dash for it,
413
00:41:04,640 --> 00:41:06,960
a 15-minute sprint for survival.
414
00:41:08,560 --> 00:41:13,600
For vultures, tiny turtles are
an easy meal.
415
00:41:17,240 --> 00:41:21,520
Only 7% will make it to adulthood.
416
00:41:24,920 --> 00:41:29,800
But these turtles have a strategy
that's impossible to beat.
417
00:41:33,080 --> 00:41:36,360
You see,
they might not have parents,
418
00:41:36,400 --> 00:41:39,560
but that doesn't mean
they're alone.
419
00:41:43,400 --> 00:41:47,240
There are over a million hatchlings
on this beach...
420
00:41:48,080 --> 00:41:51,120
..and that means safety in numbers.
421
00:42:06,000 --> 00:42:09,400
Predators simply can't catch them
all.
422
00:42:09,440 --> 00:42:13,960
But it's how the hatchlings
coordinate their mass emergence
423
00:42:14,000 --> 00:42:15,800
that's beyond belief.
424
00:42:19,600 --> 00:42:23,840
Each turtle nest is entombed
in thick wet sand.
425
00:42:23,880 --> 00:42:27,960
To reach the surface, their only
chance is to dig as one.
426
00:42:28,960 --> 00:42:30,960
As hatching day approaches,
427
00:42:31,000 --> 00:42:35,200
some species detect the heartbeats
and movements of their siblings,
428
00:42:35,240 --> 00:42:38,600
which encourages them to ramp up
their own metabolism.
429
00:42:38,640 --> 00:42:42,120
So they're all primed to break free
at the same moment.
430
00:42:44,080 --> 00:42:47,640
As the first ones crack their shell,
it's like a starting pistol.
431
00:42:48,720 --> 00:42:52,920
Hundreds of tiny flippers
start a four-day dig to freedom.
432
00:42:55,720 --> 00:42:59,000
By working together like this,
they can move mountains.
433
00:43:00,560 --> 00:43:03,080
Well, mountains of sand, at least.
434
00:43:08,360 --> 00:43:12,320
With numbers, timing and teamwork,
435
00:43:12,360 --> 00:43:17,160
these incredible hatchlings
have found a way to survive...
436
00:43:18,440 --> 00:43:21,240
..in the dynamic and turbulent world
of the coast.
437
00:43:29,440 --> 00:43:33,680
Raising babies is every bit as hard
and unforgiving
438
00:43:33,720 --> 00:43:36,800
as finding food and fighting for
your rights.
439
00:43:37,920 --> 00:43:40,040
But if you're prepared
to break some rules,
440
00:43:40,080 --> 00:43:43,280
you stand a pretty good chance
of staying alive.
441
00:43:46,640 --> 00:43:51,320
You need to be big, opportunistic
and resilient,
442
00:43:51,360 --> 00:43:54,680
and if you can't be those,
then be smart, ingenious
443
00:43:54,720 --> 00:43:56,240
or a little bit sneaky.
444
00:43:56,280 --> 00:43:58,600
And like these incredible
coastal animals,
445
00:43:58,640 --> 00:44:02,680
you might just make the impossible
possible.
446
00:44:10,240 --> 00:44:13,440
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