1 00:00:00,959 --> 00:00:02,377 (SOFT MUSIC PLAYING) 2 00:00:06,256 --> 00:00:09,509 -(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) -BENEDICT: Enter a world... 3 00:00:11,136 --> 00:00:13,096 just beyond your perception. 4 00:00:19,102 --> 00:00:22,313 A world of extraordinary animals... 5 00:00:23,189 --> 00:00:26,484 with hidden powers and super senses. 6 00:00:27,610 --> 00:00:29,446 If you think you know nature... 7 00:00:32,532 --> 00:00:33,700 think again. 8 00:00:39,789 --> 00:00:41,916 -(BIRDS CHIRPING) -(MID-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYING) 9 00:00:46,004 --> 00:00:47,964 BENEDICT: Deep in the Canadian wilderness... 10 00:00:51,342 --> 00:00:52,385 (BELLOWS) 11 00:00:52,844 --> 00:00:54,387 ...an animal so secretive... 12 00:00:58,224 --> 00:01:01,144 she's known as the Phantom of the Forest. 13 00:01:06,107 --> 00:01:07,317 (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) 14 00:01:08,693 --> 00:01:09,986 BENEDICT: The goshawk. 15 00:01:18,745 --> 00:01:19,996 (GOSHAWK CHIRPS) 16 00:01:21,331 --> 00:01:23,958 -(SCREECHES) -BENEDICT: Zero to 40 miles an hour... 17 00:01:25,752 --> 00:01:27,003 in under a second. 18 00:01:31,007 --> 00:01:34,803 The fastest acceleration of any bird of prey. 19 00:01:41,559 --> 00:01:46,981 Short, rounded wings and a foot-long tail, steer through dense forests, 20 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:49,192 with unparalleled agility. 21 00:01:54,072 --> 00:01:57,784 -Yet even she can be outmaneuvered. -(SCREECHES) 22 00:02:02,288 --> 00:02:03,498 (BIRDS CHIRPING) 23 00:02:04,999 --> 00:02:07,710 BENEDICT: Other, much smaller creatures here... 24 00:02:07,961 --> 00:02:09,045 (GOSHAWK SQUAWKS) 25 00:02:09,129 --> 00:02:14,926 ...possess astonishing abilities that can defeat the Phantom of the Forest. 26 00:02:20,181 --> 00:02:22,851 With specialized eyesight adapted to low light, 27 00:02:23,309 --> 00:02:27,272 the chickadee is first to spot the airborne threat... 28 00:02:28,940 --> 00:02:29,983 (SQUAWKS) 29 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:35,321 -...and first to raise the alarm. -(CHIRPS) 30 00:02:35,947 --> 00:02:37,073 BENEDICT: A coded message... 31 00:02:38,908 --> 00:02:41,286 broadcasting the hawk's position and speed. 32 00:02:41,536 --> 00:02:42,745 (CHIRPS) 33 00:02:44,664 --> 00:02:47,584 BENEDICT: Squirrels not only recognize the chickadees' call... 34 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:50,044 (CHIRPS) 35 00:02:50,795 --> 00:02:52,005 ...they've learned to mimic it... 36 00:02:53,965 --> 00:02:55,300 almost perfectly. 37 00:02:57,719 --> 00:02:59,137 (CHITTERS) 38 00:02:59,304 --> 00:03:05,810 BENEDICT: In seconds, the warning is retweeted from one animal to another. 39 00:03:07,061 --> 00:03:10,106 (BIRDS CHITTERING) 40 00:03:10,356 --> 00:03:14,277 BENEDICT: It relays through the forest at over a 100 miles per hour. 41 00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:18,198 (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING) 42 00:03:18,615 --> 00:03:21,409 BENEDICT: More than twice as fast as the hawk. 43 00:03:28,583 --> 00:03:31,127 Message received, loud and clear. 44 00:03:32,128 --> 00:03:36,549 "Enemy approaching, low and fast." 45 00:03:41,971 --> 00:03:44,140 When the little guys look out for each other... 46 00:03:48,061 --> 00:03:49,812 it keeps them one step ahead. 47 00:03:51,022 --> 00:03:53,775 (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) 48 00:03:55,902 --> 00:03:57,987 (SCREECHES) 49 00:03:58,071 --> 00:04:00,490 BENEDICT: You don't have to be big and tough to survive. 50 00:04:02,116 --> 00:04:05,036 What you really need are friends. 51 00:04:06,621 --> 00:04:09,874 Welcome to the world of animal alliances... 52 00:04:11,542 --> 00:04:14,921 where creatures communicate and collaborate in wonderful ways... 53 00:04:16,923 --> 00:04:20,343 and form the most unexpected partnerships. 54 00:04:35,608 --> 00:04:37,735 BENEDICT: Even in this punishing world... 55 00:04:40,113 --> 00:04:42,407 -by joining forces... -(WIND WHISTLING) 56 00:04:42,490 --> 00:04:45,618 ...animals can triumph against extreme odds. 57 00:04:51,582 --> 00:04:54,544 When the weather turns in this North American forest... 58 00:04:55,628 --> 00:05:00,633 sticking together can make the difference between life and death. 59 00:05:04,929 --> 00:05:10,059 At just five ounces, this little squirrel can't store enough bodyfat to hibernate. 60 00:05:11,394 --> 00:05:14,522 So, he has to find food all winter. 61 00:05:19,527 --> 00:05:21,279 But once he leaves his friends... 62 00:05:22,238 --> 00:05:23,448 he could freeze. 63 00:05:29,704 --> 00:05:32,081 When the temperature falls to minus 30... 64 00:05:33,583 --> 00:05:38,379 only the most superpowered squirrel will make it home alive. 65 00:05:41,049 --> 00:05:42,383 He needs food... 66 00:05:43,634 --> 00:05:44,719 and fast. 67 00:05:52,894 --> 00:05:55,313 Large eyes drink in the faint light. 68 00:06:01,569 --> 00:06:02,904 He sees in the dark... 69 00:06:04,906 --> 00:06:06,783 as well as we see in the day. 70 00:06:10,661 --> 00:06:15,124 And his acute sense of smell helps him to locate food on the forest floor. 71 00:06:21,798 --> 00:06:24,675 But a mushroom is only four calories. 72 00:06:26,844 --> 00:06:29,847 He needs 20 to survive the night. 73 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:37,563 Not easy to come by in deep winter. 74 00:06:42,110 --> 00:06:47,573 If racing up and down in search of food burns more energy than he can find, 75 00:06:48,324 --> 00:06:50,910 this night will be his last. 76 00:06:53,371 --> 00:06:54,414 (CHITTERS) 77 00:06:56,707 --> 00:07:00,044 (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) 78 00:07:00,795 --> 00:07:03,756 BENEDICT: But this little lightweight has a secret. 79 00:07:11,222 --> 00:07:12,432 He can fly. 80 00:07:15,935 --> 00:07:19,605 Northern flying squirrels have a furry wingsuit, 81 00:07:20,273 --> 00:07:23,901 stretching from wrist to ankle, called a patagium. 82 00:07:30,032 --> 00:07:32,869 They can glide nearly the length of a football field. 83 00:07:47,341 --> 00:07:52,013 And to land, he turns his tail into an air brake. 84 00:07:55,349 --> 00:07:58,686 (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) 85 00:08:04,734 --> 00:08:09,572 BENEDICT: Sailing between the trees, he finds enough food with minimal effort. 86 00:08:16,954 --> 00:08:20,958 But now, this ninja of the night is far from his friends. 87 00:08:23,461 --> 00:08:25,254 -If he doesn't find them soon... -(EERIE MUSIC PLAYING) 88 00:08:26,589 --> 00:08:27,590 ...he will die. 89 00:08:33,888 --> 00:08:36,641 He sends out an emergency ultrasonic message. 90 00:08:37,225 --> 00:08:38,392 (SCREECHES) 91 00:08:41,812 --> 00:08:43,481 BENEDICT: Most predators can't hear it... 92 00:08:44,148 --> 00:08:47,276 -(SCREECHES) -...but his friends can. 93 00:08:49,570 --> 00:08:51,405 -And when they reply... -(SQUIRRELS SCREECHING) 94 00:08:52,698 --> 00:08:54,450 ...he knows exactly where to go. 95 00:08:56,035 --> 00:08:57,578 (SQUIRRELS SCREECHING) 96 00:09:03,584 --> 00:09:05,795 BENEDICT: Now, they must head home together... 97 00:09:08,005 --> 00:09:09,924 to warm up before it's too late. 98 00:09:12,385 --> 00:09:15,638 With more than 20 different dens scattered through the forest... 99 00:09:17,682 --> 00:09:20,309 it could be hard to keep track of where everyone's going... 100 00:09:22,770 --> 00:09:24,021 especially at this speed. 101 00:09:29,485 --> 00:09:34,407 But a recent discovery has exposed an even more spectacular hidden talent. 102 00:09:36,951 --> 00:09:38,035 Flying squirrels... 103 00:09:39,078 --> 00:09:40,705 -glow. -(SOFT MUSIC PLAYING) 104 00:09:43,040 --> 00:09:46,460 BENEDICT: Filming in ultraviolet reveals how they fluoresce... 105 00:09:48,129 --> 00:09:50,172 absorbing moonlight in one color... 106 00:09:51,841 --> 00:09:53,301 and emitting it in another. 107 00:09:56,929 --> 00:09:59,265 It's believed that their glow-in-the-dark bellies 108 00:09:59,348 --> 00:10:00,641 act like beacons... 109 00:10:06,689 --> 00:10:08,399 so they can see their friends at night... 110 00:10:11,110 --> 00:10:12,737 and follow them all the way back... 111 00:10:14,405 --> 00:10:16,574 to where they're safe and warm. 112 00:10:20,286 --> 00:10:25,207 Staying close together to make it through the coldest nights. 113 00:10:30,838 --> 00:10:35,176 Some animals take cooperation to another level... 114 00:10:36,052 --> 00:10:37,345 (OWL SQUEALING) 115 00:10:37,511 --> 00:10:39,972 ...creating a powerful sense of community... 116 00:10:41,599 --> 00:10:44,393 in which the next generation can safely grow. 117 00:10:44,602 --> 00:10:48,356 (WHIMSICAL MUSIC PLAYING) 118 00:10:49,065 --> 00:10:52,652 BENEDICT: Burrowing owls raise their babies in a perilous world. 119 00:10:52,860 --> 00:10:54,445 (THUNDER RUMBLING) 120 00:10:59,492 --> 00:11:03,204 BENEDICT: Just ten inches tall, they live beneath the feet. 121 00:11:04,121 --> 00:11:06,457 -of giants. -(OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING) 122 00:11:07,958 --> 00:11:10,586 (BISON BELLOWS) 123 00:11:10,711 --> 00:11:12,755 BENEDICT: And in constant fear of predators. 124 00:11:15,508 --> 00:11:16,509 (CHITTERING) 125 00:11:20,471 --> 00:11:22,807 BENEDICT: On the wide-open plains of Montana... 126 00:11:23,307 --> 00:11:25,309 -(CHITTERING) -(BISON BELLOWS) 127 00:11:26,018 --> 00:11:29,480 -...danger comes from every angle. -(CHITTERS) 128 00:11:42,076 --> 00:11:45,871 BENEDICT: Thankfully, burrowing owls are all eyes and ears. 129 00:11:51,168 --> 00:11:53,754 -Binocular vision and acute hearing... -(SCREECHES) 130 00:11:54,630 --> 00:11:56,841 BENEDICT: ...allow them to pinpoint danger. 131 00:12:01,429 --> 00:12:04,557 Even more impressive, they look out for each other. 132 00:12:09,770 --> 00:12:13,691 The only owls to live in large groups, up to 100 strong. 133 00:12:16,819 --> 00:12:19,113 They form the ultimate neighborhood watch. 134 00:12:23,993 --> 00:12:26,954 A safe environment for their growing owlets... 135 00:12:27,246 --> 00:12:29,498 (MID-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYING) 136 00:12:32,543 --> 00:12:33,961 BENEDICT: ...to perfect their skills. 137 00:12:34,295 --> 00:12:35,546 (CHITTERING) 138 00:12:43,721 --> 00:12:45,806 (OWLETS CHITTER) 139 00:12:46,557 --> 00:12:49,268 BENEDICT: At one month old, an owlet's eyesight 140 00:12:49,351 --> 00:12:50,853 is already fully developed. 141 00:12:51,103 --> 00:12:53,314 -(SCREECHES) -(OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING) 142 00:12:53,564 --> 00:12:56,275 BENEDICT: But now, only weeks before they leave home... 143 00:12:57,610 --> 00:13:00,196 they still need to master their listening skills... 144 00:13:02,823 --> 00:13:05,659 by learning how to rotate their concave faces... 145 00:13:06,535 --> 00:13:08,704 to direct sound towards their ears. 146 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:15,961 Get it right and it amplifies noises up to ten times... 147 00:13:21,675 --> 00:13:24,929 but it takes practice and coordination. 148 00:13:38,025 --> 00:13:40,361 All the while, the parents have their backs, 149 00:13:41,070 --> 00:13:42,071 keeping a lookout... 150 00:13:43,864 --> 00:13:45,199 and keeping them fed. 151 00:13:48,035 --> 00:13:51,997 Owls are carnivorous, but have no teeth to chew. 152 00:13:53,499 --> 00:13:55,960 So, even the babies swallow meals whole. 153 00:13:56,836 --> 00:14:01,090 Claws, fur, bones, and all. 154 00:14:04,260 --> 00:14:05,803 And what goes in... 155 00:14:07,263 --> 00:14:08,305 must come out... 156 00:14:14,770 --> 00:14:15,771 as a pellet. 157 00:14:17,606 --> 00:14:18,649 (SQUAWKS) 158 00:14:21,235 --> 00:14:22,736 BENEDICT: Anyway, back to class. 159 00:14:25,573 --> 00:14:27,116 How to avoid danger... 160 00:14:28,742 --> 00:14:31,495 by listening to their parents and following their example. 161 00:14:34,957 --> 00:14:37,001 When the rattlesnake alarm is raised... 162 00:14:37,293 --> 00:14:38,836 -(CHITTERING) -(RATTLES) 163 00:14:42,756 --> 00:14:45,134 ...the owlets know to keep their distance. 164 00:14:45,926 --> 00:14:47,344 (RATTLES) 165 00:14:49,638 --> 00:14:53,267 BENEDICT: Its venom is potent enough to kill even the largest animals, 166 00:14:53,350 --> 00:14:54,602 to roam America. 167 00:15:00,482 --> 00:15:04,445 But being inquisitive can be a lifesaver. 168 00:15:12,661 --> 00:15:16,457 As long as they keep a watchful eye and keep their distance... 169 00:15:17,791 --> 00:15:18,918 they should be safe. 170 00:15:21,045 --> 00:15:23,005 (RUMBLING) 171 00:15:24,632 --> 00:15:27,927 BENEDICT: Some dangers are harder to avoid. 172 00:15:28,010 --> 00:15:31,847 (BISONS BELLOW) 173 00:15:33,807 --> 00:15:37,394 -(RUMBLING) -(CHITTERS) 174 00:15:45,945 --> 00:15:49,156 -BENEDICT: Bison. -(BISON GROANS) 175 00:15:49,239 --> 00:15:52,785 BENEDICT: They target the openings around owl burrows to dust bathe. 176 00:15:55,663 --> 00:15:56,997 (FLIES BUZZING) 177 00:15:57,539 --> 00:16:00,292 BENEDICT: This two-and-a-half-thousand pound giant... 178 00:16:02,169 --> 00:16:06,131 could easily crush the den, and then trap those inside. 179 00:16:11,303 --> 00:16:15,099 So, the owlets do something truly amazing. 180 00:16:16,392 --> 00:16:20,312 (IMITATES RATTLE) 181 00:16:22,314 --> 00:16:24,817 BENEDICT: They've mastered the art of imitation... 182 00:16:27,236 --> 00:16:31,949 copying that telltale snake-rattle to near perfection. 183 00:16:34,827 --> 00:16:38,789 They scare off a beast 11,000 times their size. 184 00:16:38,956 --> 00:16:42,459 -(IMITATES RATTLE) -(MID-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYING) 185 00:16:49,133 --> 00:16:52,761 BENEDICT: These marvelous little mimics are well on their way to becoming 186 00:16:52,886 --> 00:16:57,433 fully-fledged members of the burrowing owl security force. 187 00:16:58,767 --> 00:17:01,520 (SOFT MUSIC PLAYING) 188 00:17:01,603 --> 00:17:05,858 BENEDICT: Look up, look around, look closer... 189 00:17:07,484 --> 00:17:08,610 and you'll see 190 00:17:09,403 --> 00:17:13,991 strange relationships hidden everywhere in this wonderful world. 191 00:17:16,827 --> 00:17:19,038 On a few special nights each year 192 00:17:19,872 --> 00:17:23,250 this small patch of forest in the mountains of Mexico... 193 00:17:24,835 --> 00:17:29,798 stages one of the most mesmerizing displays of cooperation on Earth. 194 00:17:33,635 --> 00:17:37,848 (EERIE MUSIC PLAYING) 195 00:17:41,060 --> 00:17:45,689 -(CRICKETS CHIRPING) -(SCREECHING) 196 00:17:45,773 --> 00:17:48,734 BENEDICT: This male firefly has been waiting 197 00:17:48,817 --> 00:17:51,070 for two years underground. 198 00:17:51,528 --> 00:17:55,282 (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) 199 00:17:55,365 --> 00:17:58,619 BENEDICT: Now is his chance to shine. 200 00:18:04,833 --> 00:18:07,586 And he has just the right chemistry for the job. 201 00:18:10,923 --> 00:18:13,342 He drives oxygen into his abdomen. 202 00:18:16,095 --> 00:18:18,472 It reacts with potent chemical compounds... 203 00:18:19,723 --> 00:18:21,725 luciferin and luciferase... 204 00:18:23,477 --> 00:18:27,022 in an explosion of bioluminescence. 205 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:33,570 But even this enchanting ability is not enough on its own. 206 00:18:37,658 --> 00:18:39,701 Females like to be dazzled. 207 00:18:41,662 --> 00:18:43,330 The brighter, the better. 208 00:18:46,375 --> 00:18:47,543 So, his only choice... 209 00:18:51,171 --> 00:18:53,132 is to team up with his rivals. 210 00:18:56,718 --> 00:18:59,596 When thousands of male fireflies come together... 211 00:19:00,681 --> 00:19:02,141 it's certainly brighter... 212 00:19:05,561 --> 00:19:07,104 but far more chaotic. 213 00:19:10,816 --> 00:19:16,280 Females will only make their move when the males flash in sync. 214 00:19:21,076 --> 00:19:24,663 So, slowly, they adjust their timing... 215 00:19:27,833 --> 00:19:32,462 until finally, something magical happens. 216 00:19:38,218 --> 00:19:41,096 They reach supernatural synchronicity... 217 00:19:43,599 --> 00:19:47,853 a glowing Mexican wave, rarely filmed before. 218 00:19:52,608 --> 00:19:54,902 Of 2000 firefly species... 219 00:19:56,403 --> 00:19:59,281 only around 12 display in unison... 220 00:20:01,617 --> 00:20:04,077 and this ripple effect is so phenomenal... 221 00:20:05,120 --> 00:20:08,999 even the pickiest female can't help being turned on. 222 00:20:11,001 --> 00:20:12,502 She shows her interests... 223 00:20:15,464 --> 00:20:17,007 but her light is so faint... 224 00:20:18,300 --> 00:20:21,845 she must make her signal in the gap between the male's flashes. 225 00:20:29,561 --> 00:20:32,606 There are ten rivals vying for each female. 226 00:20:34,650 --> 00:20:37,486 So now, it's every male for himself. 227 00:20:40,364 --> 00:20:42,991 It's this determined fellow who reaches her first... 228 00:20:47,120 --> 00:20:48,872 and finally gets to mate. 229 00:21:02,219 --> 00:21:03,220 But ultimately, 230 00:21:03,887 --> 00:21:08,058 his luck in love is all thanks to this spell-binding display 231 00:21:08,517 --> 00:21:09,935 of cooperation. 232 00:21:22,531 --> 00:21:25,534 The deeper we delve into nature's strange relations... 233 00:21:25,909 --> 00:21:28,704 (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) 234 00:21:28,787 --> 00:21:30,580 BENEDICT: ...the more surprising they become. 235 00:21:33,875 --> 00:21:35,168 On the African savanna... 236 00:21:36,378 --> 00:21:40,966 unlikely allies collaborate to overcome a big problem. 237 00:21:41,383 --> 00:21:42,634 (ELEPHANTS TOOT) 238 00:21:43,468 --> 00:21:45,512 BENEDICT: To satisfy its enormous appetite... 239 00:21:46,555 --> 00:21:50,183 an elephant eats 300 pounds of vegetation in a day. 240 00:21:54,521 --> 00:22:00,360 -(ELEPHANTS HUFF, TRUMPET) -BENEDICT: Trees can't escape. 241 00:22:02,321 --> 00:22:04,031 (ELEPHANT TRUMPETING) 242 00:22:09,202 --> 00:22:13,248 BENEDICT: But the whistling acacia has an extraordinary elephant deterrent. 243 00:22:16,752 --> 00:22:19,212 A low-frequency sonic shield... 244 00:22:21,173 --> 00:22:23,550 (BEES BUZZING) 245 00:22:25,677 --> 00:22:29,181 BENEDICT: ...that sounds like a swarm of angry, stinging bees. 246 00:22:34,102 --> 00:22:36,438 It's a noise that even elephants fear. 247 00:22:39,358 --> 00:22:42,986 (ELEPHANT HUFFS, TRUMPETS) 248 00:22:45,238 --> 00:22:46,782 (SCREECHES) 249 00:22:48,158 --> 00:22:51,453 BENEDICT: The acacia doesn't come with a built-in alarm system... 250 00:22:52,788 --> 00:22:56,041 it's installed by little helpers. 251 00:23:02,464 --> 00:23:06,343 Cocktail ants gnaw holes in the swollen thorns. 252 00:23:11,014 --> 00:23:14,476 It's believed they use their antennae to judge the perfect angle. 253 00:23:18,522 --> 00:23:21,149 So, when the prevailing wind blows... 254 00:23:23,527 --> 00:23:26,446 the acacia starts to sing. 255 00:23:26,905 --> 00:23:30,826 (EERIE MUSIC PLAYING) 256 00:23:31,243 --> 00:23:33,745 BENEDICT: The ant holes not only make the tree whistle... 257 00:23:34,704 --> 00:23:37,749 they are also portals to a hidden world. 258 00:23:41,128 --> 00:23:42,587 Secret safe houses... 259 00:23:44,798 --> 00:23:46,425 where the ants raise their young. 260 00:23:51,012 --> 00:23:55,267 The tree also supplies highly-addictive, sugary nectar to make sure the ants 261 00:23:55,392 --> 00:23:56,393 stick around. 262 00:23:56,518 --> 00:24:02,482 (MID-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYING) 263 00:24:06,987 --> 00:24:11,700 BENEDICT: And just one acacia can house a colony 50,000 strong. 264 00:24:13,869 --> 00:24:16,538 It's a city in the sky... 265 00:24:18,457 --> 00:24:22,002 (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) 266 00:24:23,253 --> 00:24:24,463 BENEDICT: ...but it's under attack. 267 00:24:30,510 --> 00:24:33,305 (LEAVES RUSTLE) 268 00:24:37,142 --> 00:24:40,145 BENEDICT: A six-foot neck can reach the highest leaves. 269 00:24:43,190 --> 00:24:47,027 A dexterous 21-inch tongue can pick between the thorns. 270 00:24:56,536 --> 00:24:58,205 And unlike elephants... 271 00:24:59,289 --> 00:25:02,334 giraffes are immune to an acacia's whistle. 272 00:25:07,047 --> 00:25:10,509 Time for the ants to earn their keep... 273 00:25:10,842 --> 00:25:15,764 (RHYTHMIC DRUM MUSIC PLAYING) 274 00:25:16,389 --> 00:25:19,768 BENEDICT: ...and to mobilize an army to take on an enemy, 275 00:25:19,935 --> 00:25:23,188 158 million times their size. 276 00:25:40,121 --> 00:25:44,376 Cocktail ants can't see far, so they detect attackers 277 00:25:44,709 --> 00:25:46,962 using hypersensitive vibration sensors. 278 00:25:50,173 --> 00:25:51,383 As the giraffe feeds... 279 00:25:52,884 --> 00:25:54,761 it sends shockwaves through the branches. 280 00:26:00,183 --> 00:26:04,479 The ants can measure minute differences in these tremors with their legs. 281 00:26:17,325 --> 00:26:21,621 If the front right detects motion, a fraction of a second before back left, 282 00:26:21,913 --> 00:26:24,749 it means enemy ahead, to the right. 283 00:26:31,881 --> 00:26:33,049 The army attacks... 284 00:26:35,468 --> 00:26:38,179 inflicting painful bites to the tongue and face. 285 00:26:38,305 --> 00:26:44,352 (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING) 286 00:26:47,981 --> 00:26:49,065 BENEDICT: It's one for all... 287 00:26:50,734 --> 00:26:53,153 and all for the tree. 288 00:26:56,573 --> 00:27:00,035 Raising their abdomens, they blast out noxious acid. 289 00:27:03,079 --> 00:27:04,831 It's how they earned their name. 290 00:27:06,499 --> 00:27:08,001 Cocktail ants. 291 00:27:16,718 --> 00:27:18,386 And it works. 292 00:27:21,681 --> 00:27:26,436 (OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING) 293 00:27:29,397 --> 00:27:31,107 BENEDICT: Losses are inevitable... 294 00:27:35,654 --> 00:27:38,490 but eventually, the giraffe is forced to move on. 295 00:27:46,873 --> 00:27:48,667 Despite damage and casualties... 296 00:27:49,918 --> 00:27:52,379 both acacia and colony live on. 297 00:27:55,090 --> 00:27:57,592 Thanks to their remarkable partnership. 298 00:28:00,970 --> 00:28:03,139 (THUNDER RUMBLING) 299 00:28:03,223 --> 00:28:07,143 BENEDICT: It's not only conflict that brings species together. 300 00:28:08,937 --> 00:28:10,271 (WARTHOG OINKS) 301 00:28:12,107 --> 00:28:14,984 BENEDICT: Warthogs love a good mud bath. 302 00:28:15,068 --> 00:28:18,530 (WHIMSICAL MUSIC PLAYING) 303 00:28:18,613 --> 00:28:20,073 BENEDICT: It feels great... 304 00:28:22,075 --> 00:28:23,827 and exfoliates the skin... 305 00:28:25,704 --> 00:28:28,581 but there are some things mud just can't remove. 306 00:28:31,209 --> 00:28:35,630 A hog's body plays host to all sorts of parasites, 307 00:28:36,256 --> 00:28:39,050 blood-sucking ticks and lice... 308 00:28:40,260 --> 00:28:42,429 hiding in places they simply cannot reach. 309 00:28:46,099 --> 00:28:48,810 At least, not without a little help. 310 00:28:52,272 --> 00:28:55,900 This band of mongooses lives close by. 311 00:28:58,361 --> 00:28:59,654 They're a chatty bunch 312 00:29:00,321 --> 00:29:02,824 with one of the most sophisticated animal languages. 313 00:29:06,286 --> 00:29:09,038 (MONGOOSES CHATTER) 314 00:29:09,831 --> 00:29:12,375 BENEDICT: Using a wide vocabulary of vowels and syllables... 315 00:29:13,501 --> 00:29:15,253 they discuss where to find food... 316 00:29:17,714 --> 00:29:18,840 and everyone's agreed. 317 00:29:20,467 --> 00:29:23,094 -It's time to hit the town. -(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) 318 00:29:26,765 --> 00:29:29,517 BENEDICT: Weighing in at 330 pounds... 319 00:29:30,643 --> 00:29:33,980 -(WARTHOG GRUNTS) -BENEDICT: ...and armed to the teeth... 320 00:29:36,107 --> 00:29:39,486 warthogs are usually on the defensive. 321 00:29:42,322 --> 00:29:44,032 But in this Ugandan village... 322 00:29:44,991 --> 00:29:48,828 they've learned to be a little more approachable. 323 00:30:00,048 --> 00:30:04,803 Warthogs and mongooses don't speak the same language... 324 00:30:06,346 --> 00:30:09,265 but they share something exceedingly rare between mammals... 325 00:30:11,726 --> 00:30:13,686 a cross-species collaboration... 326 00:30:18,233 --> 00:30:19,234 initiated... 327 00:30:21,027 --> 00:30:22,278 by body language. 328 00:30:25,365 --> 00:30:30,328 When the hog rolls over, the mongooses understand. 329 00:30:32,455 --> 00:30:35,416 It's an invitation to dine. 330 00:30:38,920 --> 00:30:42,841 With a sense of smell 1000 times more sensitive than our own... 331 00:30:46,386 --> 00:30:48,346 they detect the faint smell of blood... 332 00:30:56,187 --> 00:30:59,232 and pick off protein-packed parasites. 333 00:31:07,657 --> 00:31:09,576 A nutritious meal for the mongooses... 334 00:31:13,204 --> 00:31:16,416 and a much-needed deep clean for the warthog. 335 00:31:23,256 --> 00:31:28,344 This special relationship is only seen in two places on Earth. 336 00:31:30,555 --> 00:31:34,851 Both, around human settlements where there are fewer predators... 337 00:31:36,394 --> 00:31:38,897 so prey can relax a little... 338 00:31:39,939 --> 00:31:42,984 in the company of newfound friends. 339 00:31:48,323 --> 00:31:50,408 As animals adapt to the modern world... 340 00:31:51,451 --> 00:31:54,162 it's giving rise to some of the most efficient 341 00:31:54,412 --> 00:31:56,581 and effective partnerships of all. 342 00:32:01,085 --> 00:32:05,506 (SOFT MUSIC PLAYING) 343 00:32:07,800 --> 00:32:09,052 BENEDICT: Bottlenose dolphins 344 00:32:09,636 --> 00:32:12,722 use highly sophisticated techniques to catch their prey. 345 00:32:21,397 --> 00:32:24,901 But some have taken hunting to a whole new level... 346 00:32:28,488 --> 00:32:29,489 by teaming up... 347 00:32:31,199 --> 00:32:32,909 with another intelligent animal. 348 00:32:44,170 --> 00:32:46,089 (SEAGULLS SQUAWKING) 349 00:32:46,172 --> 00:32:51,469 BENEDICT: Local fishermen in Laguna, Brazil know that between May and June, 350 00:32:51,886 --> 00:32:55,390 these estuarine waters are swimming with mullet... 351 00:32:59,352 --> 00:33:01,312 but it's too murky to see them... 352 00:33:07,402 --> 00:33:10,613 unless you see in sound. 353 00:33:19,205 --> 00:33:23,668 Echolocation is a precision sonar system, that can detect the size, 354 00:33:23,751 --> 00:33:26,254 speed, and distance of prey. 355 00:33:38,558 --> 00:33:40,893 The dolphins use it to find the mullet... 356 00:33:47,775 --> 00:33:49,861 and then they shepherd them together. 357 00:33:55,867 --> 00:33:58,995 But schooling fish are very hard to target. 358 00:34:06,377 --> 00:34:08,504 So, with a flick of their flukes... 359 00:34:09,630 --> 00:34:11,549 they make a distinctive dive... 360 00:34:12,592 --> 00:34:16,596 providing a signature slap that signals to their fishermen friends... 361 00:34:17,722 --> 00:34:20,349 "It's time to cast." 362 00:34:35,698 --> 00:34:38,826 It helps the humans land catch after catch. 363 00:34:40,244 --> 00:34:43,414 Where otherwise, they would be fishing blind. 364 00:34:44,373 --> 00:34:49,420 (SOFT MUSIC PLAYING) 365 00:34:51,547 --> 00:34:53,174 BENEDICT: It helps the dolphins too. 366 00:34:58,221 --> 00:34:59,388 When the nets are cast... 367 00:35:01,057 --> 00:35:02,391 the mullet panic... 368 00:35:08,773 --> 00:35:09,816 break formation... 369 00:35:11,275 --> 00:35:12,360 and scatter... 370 00:35:13,778 --> 00:35:16,072 straight toward the waiting dolphins. 371 00:35:17,323 --> 00:35:21,953 (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) 372 00:35:28,376 --> 00:35:30,711 BENEDICT: Everyone gets a belly full of fish. 373 00:35:34,132 --> 00:35:35,925 It's the perfect partnership. 374 00:35:40,847 --> 00:35:41,848 Strategic... 375 00:35:43,099 --> 00:35:44,100 ingenious... 376 00:35:45,059 --> 00:35:48,771 with two intelligent species combining to succeed. 377 00:35:55,236 --> 00:35:57,655 There's still much to explore in our world. 378 00:35:59,991 --> 00:36:03,244 And even stranger relationships to discover. 379 00:36:03,327 --> 00:36:04,787 (CROAKING) 380 00:36:06,289 --> 00:36:10,710 BENEDICT: It turns out, one of the most surprising alliances on Earth... 381 00:36:11,752 --> 00:36:14,505 has been hiding right under our feet. 382 00:36:19,719 --> 00:36:23,389 Trees lead a secret social life. 383 00:36:26,726 --> 00:36:28,144 -Deep underground... -(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) 384 00:36:29,729 --> 00:36:32,273 ...there's a lively conversation taking place. 385 00:36:37,570 --> 00:36:39,739 The trees are talking... 386 00:36:41,115 --> 00:36:43,534 through a newly-discovered social network... 387 00:36:45,119 --> 00:36:47,914 known as the wood wide web. 388 00:36:50,625 --> 00:36:53,961 Fungi, form a matrix of hair-like threads... 389 00:36:56,631 --> 00:36:58,633 detach sugars from tree roots... 390 00:37:02,678 --> 00:37:03,679 and in return... 391 00:37:04,513 --> 00:37:08,184 they provide the tree with minerals, they siphon from the soil. 392 00:37:12,021 --> 00:37:17,777 And this secret subterranean relationship allows something even more unexpected 393 00:37:17,860 --> 00:37:19,779 -to take place. -(CREAKING) 394 00:37:21,280 --> 00:37:23,324 BENEDICT: Once the trees are connected... 395 00:37:24,825 --> 00:37:27,119 they can exchange information... 396 00:37:28,829 --> 00:37:32,667 vital warnings of drought and disease. 397 00:37:46,847 --> 00:37:49,934 This Douglas fir has stood for decades. 398 00:37:50,935 --> 00:37:53,187 But now, it's in peril. 399 00:37:53,354 --> 00:37:56,023 (EERIE MUSIC PLAYING) 400 00:37:56,107 --> 00:37:59,527 BENEDICT: A Douglas fir beetle has a deadly plan... 401 00:38:00,903 --> 00:38:02,154 to raise an army... 402 00:38:03,281 --> 00:38:04,532 and kill the tree. 403 00:38:09,161 --> 00:38:12,331 Broadcasting chemical and electrical signals, 404 00:38:13,082 --> 00:38:18,379 the fir warns its neighbors to produce defensive poisons. 405 00:38:20,381 --> 00:38:23,134 But it may be too late to save itself. 406 00:38:28,264 --> 00:38:31,267 The pea-sized pest emits a pheromone... 407 00:38:32,143 --> 00:38:35,896 (SOFT MUSIC PLAYING) 408 00:38:36,731 --> 00:38:38,983 BENEDICT: ...that could seal the fir's fate. 409 00:38:45,614 --> 00:38:47,533 It's calling reinforcements... 410 00:38:49,076 --> 00:38:51,912 and summoning a mass invasion. 411 00:38:55,082 --> 00:38:56,417 Beetles... 412 00:38:57,168 --> 00:38:58,169 arrive... 413 00:38:59,879 --> 00:39:00,880 mate... 414 00:39:02,131 --> 00:39:03,507 and burrow in. 415 00:39:05,801 --> 00:39:10,431 Then their young eat the tree alive. 416 00:39:13,517 --> 00:39:17,355 This mighty fir will be dead within weeks. 417 00:39:20,024 --> 00:39:21,859 But in a selfless final act... 418 00:39:24,653 --> 00:39:29,408 the dying giant diverts sugars to its roots... 419 00:39:29,700 --> 00:39:33,746 (SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING) 420 00:39:35,539 --> 00:39:39,835 BENEDICT: ...so these life-giving supplies can be shared through the "woodwide web." 421 00:39:53,265 --> 00:39:56,769 And in doing so, it helps neighbors and offspring 422 00:39:57,603 --> 00:39:58,854 to grow stronger. 423 00:40:03,150 --> 00:40:04,902 As one life ebbs away... 424 00:40:06,487 --> 00:40:07,655 the rest of the forest 425 00:40:08,280 --> 00:40:11,742 becomes better prepared to fight for its future. 426 00:40:17,081 --> 00:40:19,417 We're still discovering the power of the connection 427 00:40:19,542 --> 00:40:21,335 between trees and fungi. 428 00:40:22,878 --> 00:40:24,547 But it's already clear... 429 00:40:25,339 --> 00:40:31,137 this deep-rooted relationship is fundamental to all life on Earth. 430 00:40:32,263 --> 00:40:34,014 -(BIRDS CHIRPING) -(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) 431 00:40:36,809 --> 00:40:40,104 BENEDICT: They say in nature that only the strongest survive. 432 00:40:45,526 --> 00:40:47,153 BENEDICT: But when cooperation... 433 00:40:48,154 --> 00:40:49,196 and communication... 434 00:40:51,031 --> 00:40:53,409 bring animals and plants together... 435 00:40:55,494 --> 00:40:57,872 and superpowers combine... 436 00:41:02,001 --> 00:41:06,797 even the most vulnerable can become unstoppable. 437 00:41:07,214 --> 00:41:10,176 (RHYTHMIC DRUM MUSIC PLAYING) 438 00:41:10,259 --> 00:41:11,677 BENEDICT: If you think you know nature... 439 00:41:12,178 --> 00:41:14,138 (IMITATES RATTLE) 440 00:41:17,516 --> 00:41:18,559 BENEDICT: ...think again.