1
00:00:08,299 --> 00:00:09,551
BENEDICT: <i>Enter a world</i>

2
00:00:11,136 --> 00:00:13,138
<i>just beyond your perception.</i>

3
00:00:19,019 --> 00:00:22,272
<i>A world of extraordinary animals...</i>

4
00:00:23,231 --> 00:00:24,566
<i>with hidden powers</i>

5
00:00:25,233 --> 00:00:26,526
<i>and super senses.</i>

6
00:00:27,694 --> 00:00:29,863
<i>If you think you know nature...</i>

7
00:00:32,657 --> 00:00:33,658
<i>think again.</i>

8
00:00:45,378 --> 00:00:46,880
<i>In a competitive world,</i>

9
00:00:48,089 --> 00:00:49,299
<i>it can be very hard...</i>

10
00:00:50,133 --> 00:00:51,509
<i>to tell friend</i>

11
00:00:52,010 --> 00:00:53,303
<i>from foe.</i>

12
00:00:55,805 --> 00:00:57,265
<i>The Kalahari Desert.</i>

13
00:00:58,892 --> 00:01:00,393
<i>Here, the harsh sun</i>

14
00:01:00,852 --> 00:01:03,688
<i>forces some of the juiciest</i>
<i>and toughest critters</i>

15
00:01:05,231 --> 00:01:06,858
<i>to hide underground.</i>

16
00:01:10,653 --> 00:01:14,949
<i>Only the most super-skilled hunters</i>
<i>can get at them.</i>

17
00:01:21,456 --> 00:01:25,460
<i>Meerkats can sniff out the best prey</i>
<i>beneath the surface.</i>

18
00:01:35,804 --> 00:01:38,056
<i>But when your head's buried in the sand,</i>

19
00:01:39,557 --> 00:01:41,810
<i>digging eight hours a day...</i>

20
00:01:47,190 --> 00:01:49,067
<i>it pays to have friends...</i>

21
00:01:49,275 --> 00:01:50,401
(BIRD CALLS)

22
00:01:50,568 --> 00:01:51,820
BENEDICT: <i>...in high places.</i>

23
00:01:57,909 --> 00:02:00,161
<i>A drongo's razor-sharp vision</i>

24
00:02:00,870 --> 00:02:02,622
<i>can pinpoint a tiny bug</i>

25
00:02:03,456 --> 00:02:05,333
<i>over 300 feet away.</i>

26
00:02:07,085 --> 00:02:08,503
<i>And from way up here,</i>

27
00:02:09,087 --> 00:02:11,965
<i>it can spot an enemy a mile off.</i>

28
00:02:12,298 --> 00:02:13,800
(EAGLE CALLING)

29
00:02:20,807 --> 00:02:23,768
BENEDICT:
<i>Like a 14-pound meerkat-eating,</i>

30
00:02:23,977 --> 00:02:25,061
<i>martial eagle.</i>

31
00:02:26,354 --> 00:02:27,438
(CHIRPS)

32
00:02:27,605 --> 00:02:29,023
BENEDICT:<i> Meerkats understand</i>

33
00:02:29,107 --> 00:02:30,650
<i>that's drongo for...</i>

34
00:02:30,817 --> 00:02:31,818
(CHIRPS)

35
00:02:32,527 --> 00:02:34,070
BENEDICT:<i> ..."threat from the skies".</i>

36
00:02:35,321 --> 00:02:37,574
(MEERKATS SQUEALING)

37
00:02:45,081 --> 00:02:47,083
(MEERKATS SQUEALING)

38
00:02:49,127 --> 00:02:51,629
-(BIRD CALLING)
-(MEERKATS CHATTERING)

39
00:02:53,381 --> 00:02:54,674
BENEDICT:<i> When their trusted friend...</i>

40
00:02:54,841 --> 00:02:56,009
(WHISTLES)

41
00:02:56,092 --> 00:02:57,385
BENEDICT: <i>...gives the all-clear,</i>

42
00:02:58,261 --> 00:03:00,722
<i>the meerkats know</i>
<i>it's safe to come out again.</i>

43
00:03:02,724 --> 00:03:06,227
(MEERKATS CHATTERING)

44
00:03:15,028 --> 00:03:16,863
BENEDICT: <i>And they get back to work.</i>

45
00:03:19,490 --> 00:03:20,909
(SQUEALS)

46
00:03:25,205 --> 00:03:26,581
BENEDICT: <i>Jackpot.</i>

47
00:03:26,706 --> 00:03:28,124
<i>Protein and water</i>

48
00:03:28,416 --> 00:03:30,543
<i>in one poisonous package.</i>

49
00:03:39,928 --> 00:03:41,763
<i>Thankfully meerkats are experts...</i>

50
00:03:41,888 --> 00:03:43,890
-(MEERKAT CHATTERS)
-BENEDICT:<i> ...at dispatching scorpions.</i>

51
00:03:46,893 --> 00:03:48,269
<i>But this story</i>

52
00:03:48,519 --> 00:03:49,979
<i>has another sting in the tail.</i>

53
00:03:52,357 --> 00:03:53,524
(SHARP BIRD CALLS)

54
00:03:53,691 --> 00:03:55,068
BENEDICT: <i>That's the alarm again.</i>

55
00:03:55,318 --> 00:03:57,028
-(SHARP BIRD CALLS)
-(MEERKATS CHATTERING)

56
00:04:03,660 --> 00:04:04,911
BENEDICT: <i>But this time...</i>

57
00:04:06,788 --> 00:04:08,957
<i>there is no eagle.</i>

58
00:04:09,457 --> 00:04:10,500
(WHISTLES)

59
00:04:17,215 --> 00:04:18,466
BENEDICT: <i>The drongo</i>

60
00:04:19,217 --> 00:04:20,385
<i>is a liar,</i>

61
00:04:21,344 --> 00:04:22,887
<i>a cunning con artist,</i>

62
00:04:23,429 --> 00:04:24,514
<i>who takes advantage</i>

63
00:04:24,722 --> 00:04:26,224
<i>of the meerkat's hard work</i>

64
00:04:26,808 --> 00:04:28,935
<i>to steal a free lunch.</i>

65
00:04:31,437 --> 00:04:33,648
<i>But cry eagle too many times...</i>

66
00:04:34,774 --> 00:04:36,317
(BIRD CALLS)

67
00:04:36,693 --> 00:04:37,944
(MEERKAT PURRING)

68
00:04:44,826 --> 00:04:47,161
BENEDICT:
<i>...and the meerkats get wise to the game.</i>

69
00:04:48,746 --> 00:04:49,914
(WHISTLES)

70
00:05:00,383 --> 00:05:02,969
BENEDICT:<i> Now, that call can't be ignored.</i>

71
00:05:03,469 --> 00:05:04,595
(BIRD CALLS)

72
00:05:04,804 --> 00:05:05,888
BENEDICT:<i> It's a meerkat alarm.</i>

73
00:05:09,684 --> 00:05:11,060
(MEERKATS SQUEALING)

74
00:05:18,401 --> 00:05:19,444
BENEDICT:<i> Or is it?</i>

75
00:05:23,406 --> 00:05:25,491
-(BIRD CHITTERS)
-BENEDICT: <i>The devious drongo...</i>

76
00:05:30,163 --> 00:05:33,041
<i>is also a mind-blowing mimic.</i>

77
00:05:36,627 --> 00:05:37,837
<i>She can switch</i>

78
00:05:38,004 --> 00:05:40,340
<i>between 30 different alarm imitations.</i>

79
00:05:43,301 --> 00:05:45,386
<i>And as long as she tells the truth,</i>

80
00:05:45,511 --> 00:05:46,554
<i>sometimes,</i>

81
00:05:46,679 --> 00:05:50,308
<i>meerkats can't afford</i>
<i>to ignore their two-faced frenemy.</i>

82
00:05:50,516 --> 00:05:51,893
(SQUEAKY BIRD CALLS)

83
00:05:53,436 --> 00:05:57,065
BENEDICT: <i>Animals use extraordinary powers</i>
<i>to outsmart the competition.</i>

84
00:05:59,442 --> 00:06:01,319
<i>But often, the greatest enemy</i>

85
00:06:02,362 --> 00:06:04,405
<i>is the one you least expect.</i>

86
00:06:04,822 --> 00:06:06,282
(MEERKATS CHATTERING)

87
00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:13,998
(THEME MUSIC PLAYING)

88
00:06:17,335 --> 00:06:18,836
(BIRDS CHIRPING)

89
00:06:21,631 --> 00:06:24,592
BENEDICT:
<i>In nature, conflict is everywhere.</i>

90
00:06:27,804 --> 00:06:30,807
<i>An Austrian park may seem peaceful enough,</i>

91
00:06:33,476 --> 00:06:34,685
<i>but there's an animal here</i>

92
00:06:34,769 --> 00:06:37,271
<i>who knows how to stir up the competition,</i>

93
00:06:38,648 --> 00:06:41,109
<i>and turn it to her advantage.</i>

94
00:06:44,654 --> 00:06:47,657
<i>This female European hamster</i>

95
00:06:47,865 --> 00:06:50,410
<i>is looking for the fittest mate possible.</i>

96
00:06:54,414 --> 00:06:57,500
<i>A dozen normally solitary males live here.</i>

97
00:07:04,132 --> 00:07:06,509
<i>But rather than waste time</i>
<i>checking them out,</i>

98
00:07:07,385 --> 00:07:09,470
<i>she arranges a little contest.</i>

99
00:07:11,139 --> 00:07:12,515
(SQUEALS)

100
00:07:12,723 --> 00:07:17,437
BENEDICT:<i> Her siren song</i>
<i>has a powerful ultrasonic pitch.</i>

101
00:07:17,854 --> 00:07:20,481
<i>It's been slowed down so we can hear it.</i>

102
00:07:22,900 --> 00:07:24,902
<i>But any male within 60 feet</i>

103
00:07:25,361 --> 00:07:27,738
<i>receives her call loud and clear.</i>

104
00:07:28,448 --> 00:07:29,740
(FEMALE HAMSTER SQUEALS)

105
00:07:31,451 --> 00:07:32,785
BENEDICT: <i>The race is on.</i>

106
00:07:34,954 --> 00:07:38,791
(SQUEALS)

107
00:07:46,257 --> 00:07:47,967
BENEDICT:<i> Being quick to respond</i>

108
00:07:48,176 --> 00:07:49,343
<i>is a good sign.</i>

109
00:07:50,511 --> 00:07:53,306
<i>But how to choose</i>
<i>between the two front runners.</i>

110
00:07:58,311 --> 00:08:00,271
<i>She releases a signature scent,</i>

111
00:08:03,691 --> 00:08:05,318
<i>a potent aphrodisiac.</i>

112
00:08:10,072 --> 00:08:11,365
<i>Just the slightest whiff</i>

113
00:08:11,574 --> 00:08:15,495
<i>sends a rush of adrenaline</i>
<i>coursing through the male's blood.</i>

114
00:08:17,038 --> 00:08:19,707
<i>Testosterone levels</i>
<i>can increase tenfold...</i>

115
00:08:23,336 --> 00:08:24,504
<i>turning these fluffy rodents</i>

116
00:08:25,213 --> 00:08:28,382
<i>into one-pound balls of teeth and fury.</i>

117
00:08:35,306 --> 00:08:37,058
<i>Fights can turn deadly.</i>

118
00:08:43,564 --> 00:08:45,441
<i>And all the female has to do...</i>

119
00:08:46,150 --> 00:08:47,944
<i>is let the competition play out.</i>

120
00:09:19,308 --> 00:09:20,476
<i>Rival chased off,</i>

121
00:09:24,021 --> 00:09:27,233
<i>the victor makes himself presentable,</i>

122
00:09:30,570 --> 00:09:31,988
<i>then he's ready</i>

123
00:09:32,196 --> 00:09:33,531
<i>to meet his mate.</i>

124
00:09:37,243 --> 00:09:39,870
<i>But it's the female who's the real winner.</i>

125
00:09:42,832 --> 00:09:44,750
<i>Making males fight over her</i>

126
00:09:45,876 --> 00:09:48,713
<i>to secure the perfect partner.</i>

127
00:10:03,394 --> 00:10:06,147
<i>Standing up to your rivals risks a fight.</i>

128
00:10:08,983 --> 00:10:13,779
<i>So, some creatures go to amazing lengths</i>
<i>to avoid coming to blows.</i>

129
00:10:15,364 --> 00:10:17,867
<i>In California's giant kelp forests,</i>

130
00:10:18,618 --> 00:10:20,286
<i>there's a hand-sized fish</i>

131
00:10:20,536 --> 00:10:22,788
<i>called a Sarcastic Fringehead.</i>

132
00:10:26,834 --> 00:10:28,961
<i>Its bizarre bulging eyes</i>

133
00:10:29,712 --> 00:10:32,381
<i>give a panoramic view</i>
<i>of dangers all around.</i>

134
00:10:41,641 --> 00:10:44,810
<i>Many predators would happily snap up</i>
<i>a little fish like this,</i>

135
00:10:48,189 --> 00:10:50,066
<i>so he needs somewhere to hide.</i>

136
00:10:52,234 --> 00:10:53,653
<i>A snail shell...</i>

137
00:10:54,487 --> 00:10:55,821
<i>is the perfect place.</i>

138
00:11:10,503 --> 00:11:11,545
<i>But...</i>

139
00:11:11,837 --> 00:11:13,714
<i>it's already occupied</i>

140
00:11:14,757 --> 00:11:16,676
<i>by a two-spot octopus.</i>

141
00:11:24,433 --> 00:11:26,477
<i>Hiding places are in such demand,</i>

142
00:11:27,269 --> 00:11:28,854
<i>they have to be fought for.</i>

143
00:11:29,897 --> 00:11:32,274
<i>But better to pick</i>
<i>on someone his own size.</i>

144
00:11:36,779 --> 00:11:38,322
<i>Another Fringehead.</i>

145
00:11:40,616 --> 00:11:42,076
<i>To avoid injury,</i>

146
00:11:42,284 --> 00:11:45,121
<i>these fish have an extraordinary way</i>

147
00:11:45,287 --> 00:11:46,664
<i>to face each other down.</i>

148
00:11:56,132 --> 00:12:00,594
<i>Their mouths can expand</i>
<i>three times wider than their bodies.</i>

149
00:12:05,141 --> 00:12:07,977
<i>And there's even more</i>
<i>to this jaw-dropping display.</i>

150
00:12:10,896 --> 00:12:12,148
<i>Invisible to us,</i>

151
00:12:13,065 --> 00:12:15,234
<i>their gape is enhanced</i>

152
00:12:15,776 --> 00:12:18,446
<i>with a striking ultraviolet warning.</i>

153
00:12:21,031 --> 00:12:23,159
<i>It's a secret signal of strength,</i>

154
00:12:24,326 --> 00:12:27,204
<i>thought to help Fringeheads judge</i>
<i>who is more powerful</i>

155
00:12:28,414 --> 00:12:30,249
<i>before the battle goes too far.</i>

156
00:12:46,640 --> 00:12:47,683
<i>Evicted,</i>

157
00:12:48,058 --> 00:12:49,643
<i>but at least unharmed.</i>

158
00:12:50,686 --> 00:12:52,396
<i>Now he's the one exposed.</i>

159
00:12:54,565 --> 00:12:57,777
<i>While the intruder</i>
<i>takes shelter from the outside world.</i>

160
00:13:05,826 --> 00:13:07,661
<i>Nature may appear abundant,</i>

161
00:13:08,746 --> 00:13:10,623
<i>but whether in ocean</i>

162
00:13:10,915 --> 00:13:12,082
<i>or on land,</i>

163
00:13:14,502 --> 00:13:17,838
<i>space and food have to be fought for.</i>

164
00:13:21,926 --> 00:13:23,886
<i>In Botswana's Okavango Delta,</i>

165
00:13:25,137 --> 00:13:27,598
<i>fierce competition pits carnivore...</i>

166
00:13:29,642 --> 00:13:30,851
<i>against carnivore.</i>

167
00:13:31,393 --> 00:13:34,271
(WHINING AND GRUNTING)

168
00:13:39,652 --> 00:13:43,697
BENEDICT:<i> A lone hyena</i>
<i>up against the power of a wild dog pack.</i>

169
00:13:45,241 --> 00:13:46,575
<i>She split from her clan</i>

170
00:13:46,700 --> 00:13:48,953
<i>to cover more ground</i>
<i>in the search for food.</i>

171
00:13:50,162 --> 00:13:52,456
<i>Now it seems a risky strategy.</i>

172
00:13:52,748 --> 00:13:53,999
(HYENA CACKLING)

173
00:13:54,792 --> 00:13:57,002
BENEDICT:
<i>But with an incredible immune system,</i>

174
00:13:58,295 --> 00:14:00,756
<i>and almost supernatural survival skills,</i>

175
00:14:02,842 --> 00:14:04,677
<i>she's far from the underdog.</i>

176
00:14:09,640 --> 00:14:13,185
<i>Her phenomenal sense of smell</i>
<i>can detect opportunity</i>

177
00:14:13,894 --> 00:14:15,646
<i>two miles away.</i>

178
00:14:19,108 --> 00:14:20,818
(PUFFING AND GRUNTING)

179
00:14:22,111 --> 00:14:23,612
BENEDICT: <i>Nearly six-feet-tall,</i>

180
00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:25,739
<i>fifteen-hundred pounds,</i>

181
00:14:26,574 --> 00:14:27,908
<i>one Cape buffalo</i>

182
00:14:28,117 --> 00:14:31,120
<i>would feed her entire clan for a week.</i>

183
00:14:33,747 --> 00:14:35,583
(GRUNTING)

184
00:14:43,173 --> 00:14:45,134
BENEDICT:
<i>She can't take on a buffalo alone.</i>

185
00:14:46,552 --> 00:14:48,053
(PUFFING)

186
00:14:48,637 --> 00:14:50,973
BENEDICT:
<i>But with primate-level intelligence,</i>

187
00:14:51,724 --> 00:14:54,435
<i>she can take a more strategic approach.</i>

188
00:14:54,643 --> 00:14:55,853
(PUFFING)

189
00:14:57,938 --> 00:15:00,274
BENEDICT:<i> Let her rivals control the game.</i>

190
00:15:00,482 --> 00:15:01,650
(LOW GROWLING)

191
00:15:06,322 --> 00:15:07,823
BENEDICT:<i> Up to twice her size,</i>

192
00:15:10,576 --> 00:15:11,911
<i>four times her weight,</i>

193
00:15:13,495 --> 00:15:17,207
<i>lions are a hyena's greatest enemy.</i>

194
00:15:21,754 --> 00:15:23,088
<i>Hunting as a pride,</i>

195
00:15:23,589 --> 00:15:25,424
<i>they're even more powerful.</i>

196
00:15:28,969 --> 00:15:30,137
(PUFFING)

197
00:15:37,269 --> 00:15:39,229
BENEDICT:
<i>But when buffalo move as a battalion</i>

198
00:15:39,980 --> 00:15:41,857
<i>up to 600 strong,</i>

199
00:15:46,612 --> 00:15:48,572
<i>even the most heavily armed hunters</i>

200
00:15:49,740 --> 00:15:50,783
<i>can't engage.</i>

201
00:15:51,492 --> 00:15:53,160
(LION SNARLING)

202
00:16:04,713 --> 00:16:06,131
BENEDICT:<i> The smartest predator...</i>

203
00:16:07,841 --> 00:16:09,134
<i>bides its time.</i>

204
00:16:14,932 --> 00:16:16,308
<i>And as night approaches...</i>

205
00:16:16,725 --> 00:16:18,185
(CHITTERING)

206
00:16:18,519 --> 00:16:19,895
BENEDICT: <i>...the tables turn.</i>

207
00:16:26,902 --> 00:16:28,028
(BIRD HOOTS)

208
00:16:29,071 --> 00:16:31,740
BENEDICT:<i> Lions have a reflective backing</i>
<i>in their eyes,</i>

209
00:16:31,907 --> 00:16:35,369
<i>which gives them night vision</i>
<i>six times stronger than our own,</i>

210
00:16:37,413 --> 00:16:40,040
<i>revealing a world we only see</i>

211
00:16:41,500 --> 00:16:43,335
<i>with super-sensitive cameras.</i>

212
00:16:46,755 --> 00:16:47,965
<i>In the cool night,</i>

213
00:16:48,215 --> 00:16:50,676
<i>hunters become more active.</i>

214
00:16:53,804 --> 00:16:55,597
<i>And use the darkness</i>

215
00:16:55,764 --> 00:16:57,182
<i>to conceal their attack.</i>

216
00:16:58,350 --> 00:16:59,685
(GRUNTING)

217
00:17:02,688 --> 00:17:04,940
BENEDICT:
<i>Hyenas have excellent night vision, too.</i>

218
00:17:08,736 --> 00:17:12,990
<i>All the better to watch</i>
<i>as the lions do the hard work.</i>

219
00:17:14,533 --> 00:17:15,868
(LION GROWLING)

220
00:17:23,667 --> 00:17:24,960
(LIONS GROWLING)

221
00:17:28,422 --> 00:17:29,506
BENEDICT:<i> Now...</i>

222
00:17:30,549 --> 00:17:32,968
<i>time to execute her plan.</i>

223
00:17:35,220 --> 00:17:36,722
(HOWLING)

224
00:17:37,681 --> 00:17:40,184
BENEDICT:
<i>Bouncing her battle cry into the ground</i>

225
00:17:41,060 --> 00:17:42,686
<i>amplifies the sound.</i>

226
00:17:50,486 --> 00:17:52,112
<i>So, it reaches super-sensitive ears</i>

227
00:17:52,946 --> 00:17:54,698
<i>up to six miles away...</i>

228
00:17:56,950 --> 00:17:58,869
(HOWLING AND LAUGHING)

229
00:18:01,580 --> 00:18:03,749
BENEDICT:
<i>...and mobilizes her scattered clan.</i>

230
00:18:11,924 --> 00:18:13,300
(LION GROWLS)

231
00:18:13,467 --> 00:18:14,593
BENEDICT: <i>Waiting for backup,</i>

232
00:18:15,177 --> 00:18:16,637
<i>she plays for time.</i>

233
00:18:21,850 --> 00:18:25,312
<i>Harassing the lions distracts them,</i>
<i>and slows their feeding.</i>

234
00:18:27,439 --> 00:18:28,774
(LION GROWLS)

235
00:18:30,567 --> 00:18:31,735
(HYENA YIPS)

236
00:18:32,444 --> 00:18:34,696
-BENEDICT:<i> But she must be careful.</i>
-(HYENA LAUGHING)

237
00:18:35,906 --> 00:18:38,534
BENEDICT:
<i>One swipe of a lion paw can kill.</i>

238
00:18:40,244 --> 00:18:42,788
<i>Alone, she's on the defensive.</i>

239
00:18:42,871 --> 00:18:44,123
(HYENA WHINING)

240
00:18:48,544 --> 00:18:50,921
BENEDICT:
<i>But with 20 of her clan behind her,</i>

241
00:18:52,756 --> 00:18:54,550
<i>it's time to make her move.</i>

242
00:18:55,384 --> 00:18:56,635
(HYENAS LAUGHING)

243
00:18:59,805 --> 00:19:03,684
BENEDICT:<i> Hyenas are even more effective</i>
<i>team players than lions.</i>

244
00:19:06,228 --> 00:19:07,354
(LION GROWLING)

245
00:19:17,656 --> 00:19:18,699
BENEDICT: <i>Working together,</i>

246
00:19:21,535 --> 00:19:23,579
<i>the clan exhausts the pride.</i>

247
00:19:26,999 --> 00:19:29,084
<i>Lions know when they're beaten.</i>

248
00:19:36,049 --> 00:19:37,634
-(HYENAS LAUGHING)
-(CRUNCHING NOISE)

249
00:19:42,014 --> 00:19:43,974
BENEDICT:<i> With jaws that crush bones,</i>

250
00:19:46,602 --> 00:19:48,896
<i>and stomachs strong enough to digest them,</i>

251
00:19:50,022 --> 00:19:51,523
<i>in just a few hours,</i>

252
00:19:51,982 --> 00:19:54,860
<i>any trace of the buffalo will be gone.</i>

253
00:20:02,784 --> 00:20:05,829
<i>Bellies full,</i>
<i>the whole clan back together.</i>

254
00:20:10,167 --> 00:20:11,543
<i>For today at least,</i>

255
00:20:12,252 --> 00:20:14,671
<i>the hyenas hold the power</i>

256
00:20:15,547 --> 00:20:17,674
<i>in the age-old carnivore war.</i>

257
00:20:23,639 --> 00:20:27,684
<i>Another animal rivalry</i>
<i>has played out over millions of years.</i>

258
00:20:29,728 --> 00:20:32,272
<i>Time enough to evolve a secret weapon</i>

259
00:20:32,606 --> 00:20:35,192
<i>to ward off a far more powerful enemy.</i>

260
00:20:38,445 --> 00:20:40,572
<i>A giant Asian hornet,</i>

261
00:20:41,698 --> 00:20:43,533
<i>the largest wasp in the world.</i>

262
00:20:45,327 --> 00:20:46,536
<i>Two inches long,</i>

263
00:20:47,120 --> 00:20:48,789
<i>and highly carnivorous.</i>

264
00:20:50,999 --> 00:20:52,292
(BUZZING)

265
00:20:55,712 --> 00:20:57,047
BENEDICT:<i> Four times smaller</i>

266
00:20:57,172 --> 00:20:59,174
<i>-Japanese Honeybees...</i>
-(BUZZING)

267
00:20:59,424 --> 00:21:01,051
<i>...seem almost defenseless</i>

268
00:21:02,302 --> 00:21:04,096
<i>against a heavily-armed hornet.</i>

269
00:21:07,432 --> 00:21:08,976
<i>With a quarter-inch stinger,</i>

270
00:21:09,685 --> 00:21:11,728
<i>and outsized mandibles,</i>

271
00:21:13,522 --> 00:21:16,733
<i>she can kill 40 bees in a minute.</i>

272
00:21:18,026 --> 00:21:19,152
(BEE SQUEALS)

273
00:21:22,072 --> 00:21:24,283
BENEDICT:
<i>But it's not the bees she's after.</i>

274
00:21:28,662 --> 00:21:30,205
(BUZZING)

275
00:21:32,374 --> 00:21:33,625
BENEDICT: <i>It's their babies.</i>

276
00:21:38,588 --> 00:21:40,048
<i>Hidden inside this tree,</i>

277
00:21:40,924 --> 00:21:42,634
<i>are thousands of larvae,</i>

278
00:21:46,179 --> 00:21:49,474
<i>protected by 20,000 dedicated workers.</i>

279
00:21:58,191 --> 00:22:01,695
<i>It's too much for one hornet</i>
<i>to take on alone.</i>

280
00:22:03,238 --> 00:22:05,282
<i>So, she marks the bee's fortress</i>

281
00:22:06,575 --> 00:22:07,868
<i>with a chemical beacon.</i>

282
00:22:12,998 --> 00:22:14,499
<i>Hornets cover 60 miles a day</i>

283
00:22:14,624 --> 00:22:15,959
<i>looking for food.</i>

284
00:22:17,085 --> 00:22:19,504
<i>As soon as her kin sends the signal...</i>

285
00:22:19,755 --> 00:22:20,964
(LOUD BUZZING)

286
00:22:21,089 --> 00:22:22,591
BENEDICT:
<i>...they know their search is over.</i>

287
00:22:29,931 --> 00:22:31,308
<i>In just hours,</i>

288
00:22:32,059 --> 00:22:34,353
<i>a gang of these deadly assassins</i>

289
00:22:34,519 --> 00:22:36,438
<i>could annihilate the whole hive.</i>

290
00:22:47,783 --> 00:22:49,451
<i>Outer defenses breached.</i>

291
00:22:50,994 --> 00:22:51,995
<i>Next...</i>

292
00:22:54,414 --> 00:22:55,499
<i>the nursery.</i>

293
00:22:56,166 --> 00:22:57,793
(BUZZING)

294
00:22:58,627 --> 00:23:00,879
BENEDICT:
<i>The fate of the colony is sealed...</i>

295
00:23:03,465 --> 00:23:04,466
<i>Almost.</i>

296
00:23:05,008 --> 00:23:08,095
<i>The bees have one last chance at survival.</i>

297
00:23:11,181 --> 00:23:13,850
<i>A chemical alarm</i>
<i>compels them to move as one,</i>

298
00:23:15,560 --> 00:23:17,062
<i>and swarm the hornets.</i>

299
00:23:25,570 --> 00:23:28,448
<i>Then each bee</i>
<i>begins flexing its flight muscles.</i>

300
00:23:29,991 --> 00:23:32,452
<i>It only produces a tiny amount of heat,</i>

301
00:23:33,912 --> 00:23:35,080
<i>but when combined,</i>

302
00:23:35,956 --> 00:23:37,791
<i>it becomes a formidable force.</i>

303
00:23:40,001 --> 00:23:43,046
<i>Thermal cameras reveal</i>
<i>the core temperature is rising.</i>

304
00:23:45,215 --> 00:23:46,800
<i>This glowing bee ball</i>

305
00:23:47,592 --> 00:23:48,969
<i>is a precision weapon.</i>

306
00:23:50,303 --> 00:23:52,806
<i>Just one degree higher</i>
<i>would kill the bees.</i>

307
00:23:54,933 --> 00:23:58,019
<i>But exactly 117 degrees Fahrenheit</i>

308
00:23:59,312 --> 00:24:00,730
<i>is the perfect temperature</i>

309
00:24:01,523 --> 00:24:04,109
<i>to cook hornets alive.</i>

310
00:24:09,197 --> 00:24:10,240
-(BUZZING)
-(THUD)

311
00:24:22,419 --> 00:24:24,254
BENEDICT: <i>Both sides suffer casualties.</i>

312
00:24:28,341 --> 00:24:31,636
<i>But the bees' amazing ability</i>
<i>to work as one,</i>

313
00:24:32,971 --> 00:24:35,474
<i>ensures the colony lives on.</i>

314
00:24:37,058 --> 00:24:38,393
(BUZZING)

315
00:24:46,776 --> 00:24:49,863
BENEDICT:
<i>Strength in numbers brings protection,</i>

316
00:24:52,032 --> 00:24:55,368
<i>but it also brings competition</i>
<i>closer to home.</i>

317
00:24:56,286 --> 00:24:57,579
(BIRDS SQUAWKING)

318
00:24:58,455 --> 00:25:00,707
BENEDICT:<i> Bass Rock, Scotland.</i>

319
00:25:02,792 --> 00:25:05,712
<i>One hundred and fifty thousand Gannets,</i>

320
00:25:07,464 --> 00:25:09,799
<i>all nesting on one rock,</i>

321
00:25:10,967 --> 00:25:13,178
<i>less than one mile square.</i>

322
00:25:13,929 --> 00:25:15,263
(SQUAWKING)

323
00:25:15,722 --> 00:25:17,265
BENEDICT: <i>From a bird's eye view,</i>

324
00:25:18,099 --> 00:25:20,310
<i>it looks like life in perfect harmony.</i>

325
00:25:23,021 --> 00:25:24,689
<i>But it's just an illusion.</i>

326
00:25:32,155 --> 00:25:33,240
<i>Each nest</i>

327
00:25:33,365 --> 00:25:35,784
<i>is two beak lengths apart,</i>

328
00:25:35,909 --> 00:25:36,952
<i>for good reason.</i>

329
00:25:38,119 --> 00:25:39,871
<i>Any that overstep that mark,</i>

330
00:25:40,705 --> 00:25:43,083
<i>reveal the unseen tensions at play.</i>

331
00:25:46,503 --> 00:25:48,505
<i>Beaks designed to cut through water,</i>

332
00:25:48,630 --> 00:25:51,091
<i>and snatch fish at 60 miles an hour,</i>

333
00:25:52,425 --> 00:25:54,970
<i>also make vicious weapons.</i>

334
00:25:59,140 --> 00:26:01,518
(SQUAWKING)

335
00:26:16,992 --> 00:26:20,829
BENEDICT:<i> Fights for nesting space</i>
<i>can last for two hours...</i>

336
00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:25,041
(SQUAWKING)

337
00:26:36,136 --> 00:26:37,596
BENEDICT: <i>...and come at a cost.</i>

338
00:26:46,396 --> 00:26:47,522
<i>In nature,</i>

339
00:26:47,981 --> 00:26:50,275
<i>peace exists on a knife-edge.</i>

340
00:26:59,534 --> 00:27:01,202
<i>Conflict is always hiding...</i>

341
00:27:02,579 --> 00:27:04,456
<i>just below the surface.</i>

342
00:27:14,799 --> 00:27:17,052
<i>When it comes to securing their bloodline,</i>

343
00:27:18,136 --> 00:27:20,805
<i>some sink to new depths.</i>

344
00:27:22,474 --> 00:27:24,934
<i>Lake Tanganyika in Tanzania</i>

345
00:27:25,226 --> 00:27:27,187
<i>is a breeding ground for conflict.</i>

346
00:27:31,274 --> 00:27:33,360
<i>A male burtoni cichlid</i>

347
00:27:33,693 --> 00:27:35,737
<i>is desperate to impress a female.</i>

348
00:27:42,077 --> 00:27:43,828
<i>He performs a signature dance.</i>

349
00:27:58,718 --> 00:27:59,844
<i>She may not look it,</i>

350
00:28:00,637 --> 00:28:01,971
<i>but she's charmed.</i>

351
00:28:05,058 --> 00:28:07,352
<i>The aquatic Romeo sweetens the deal</i>

352
00:28:08,019 --> 00:28:09,104
<i>with a cichlid love potion.</i>

353
00:28:13,024 --> 00:28:15,985
<i>A pheromone designed</i>
<i>to stimulate the female,</i>

354
00:28:19,614 --> 00:28:21,616
<i>that also travels through water,</i>

355
00:28:23,451 --> 00:28:25,537
<i>attracting the wrong attention.</i>

356
00:28:28,873 --> 00:28:31,459
<i>A local gang of cuckoo catfish.</i>

357
00:28:33,712 --> 00:28:36,631
<i>Their skin, covered in taste buds,</i>

358
00:28:37,298 --> 00:28:39,426
<i>detects the slightest hint of pheromone.</i>

359
00:28:41,970 --> 00:28:43,513
<i>They know it means...</i>

360
00:28:45,390 --> 00:28:46,683
<i>the burtonis</i>

361
00:28:47,100 --> 00:28:48,601
<i>are ready to spawn.</i>

362
00:28:53,565 --> 00:28:54,774
<i>Laying 100 eggs,</i>

363
00:28:56,109 --> 00:28:57,902
<i>each the size of a sesame seed,</i>

364
00:28:58,737 --> 00:29:01,281
<i>it's the perfect moment for an ambush.</i>

365
00:29:09,914 --> 00:29:12,417
<i>The catfish eat as many eggs as they can.</i>

366
00:29:20,216 --> 00:29:21,426
<i>And now...</i>

367
00:29:21,843 --> 00:29:22,886
<i>they spawn.</i>

368
00:29:28,808 --> 00:29:30,018
<i>Leaving behind</i>

369
00:29:30,810 --> 00:29:33,897
<i>tiny, ticking, time bombs.</i>

370
00:29:37,609 --> 00:29:41,571
<i>The burtoni mother</i>
<i>instinctively collects any eggs.</i>

371
00:29:43,740 --> 00:29:44,991
<i>She's not eating them.</i>

372
00:29:46,367 --> 00:29:48,495
<i>She has a special ability.</i>

373
00:29:55,210 --> 00:29:56,878
<i>Some cichlid super-moms</i>

374
00:29:57,003 --> 00:29:58,338
<i>raise their babies</i>

375
00:29:58,546 --> 00:29:59,881
<i>in their mouths,</i>

376
00:30:02,675 --> 00:30:07,639
<i>using them as mobile nurseries</i>
<i>to keep their young safe as they grow.</i>

377
00:30:14,020 --> 00:30:17,524
<i>But this burtoni cichlid</i>
<i>has been hijacked.</i>

378
00:30:20,610 --> 00:30:21,945
<i>Hidden from sight,</i>

379
00:30:22,278 --> 00:30:23,738
<i>inside her mouth,</i>

380
00:30:24,739 --> 00:30:27,909
<i>her mixed brood begins to hatch.</i>

381
00:30:32,872 --> 00:30:34,082
<i>And some...</i>

382
00:30:35,166 --> 00:30:37,669
<i>grow much faster than others.</i>

383
00:30:40,922 --> 00:30:43,424
<i>The oblivious burtoni is devoting time</i>

384
00:30:43,925 --> 00:30:46,094
<i>to raising the wrong offspring.</i>

385
00:30:49,889 --> 00:30:51,307
<i>Twice the size,</i>

386
00:30:52,642 --> 00:30:54,853
<i>ravenous baby cuckoo catfish...</i>

387
00:30:56,354 --> 00:30:58,022
<i>turn on the cichlid young.</i>

388
00:31:02,110 --> 00:31:06,197
<i>Opening jaws wide enough</i>
<i>to swallow their foster siblings,</i>

389
00:31:08,032 --> 00:31:09,200
<i>headfirst.</i>

390
00:31:19,669 --> 00:31:21,713
<i>The treacherous catfish babies</i>

391
00:31:21,963 --> 00:31:24,215
<i>soon outgrow their nursery.</i>

392
00:31:42,650 --> 00:31:44,068
<i>They head off alone,</i>

393
00:31:44,485 --> 00:31:46,279
<i>keeping a low profile,</i>

394
00:31:46,487 --> 00:31:50,033
<i>until ready to prey</i>
<i>on another unsuspecting mother.</i>

395
00:31:52,869 --> 00:31:54,203
<i>Leaving the burtoni</i>

396
00:31:54,579 --> 00:31:56,789
<i>to protect her surviving offspring,</i>

397
00:31:59,792 --> 00:32:01,669
<i>giving them the best chance she can</i>

398
00:32:02,170 --> 00:32:03,963
<i>in this dangerous world.</i>

399
00:32:13,097 --> 00:32:16,684
<i>In Italy's Alpine meadows,</i>
<i>there's one baby animal...</i>

400
00:32:16,893 --> 00:32:17,977
(BIRDS CHIRPING)

401
00:32:18,061 --> 00:32:19,520
BENEDICT:
<i>...who takes living with the enemy</i>

402
00:32:20,271 --> 00:32:22,065
<i>to a whole other level.</i>

403
00:32:23,691 --> 00:32:26,778
<i>Meet the intrepid Alcon blue caterpillar.</i>

404
00:32:28,988 --> 00:32:30,365
<i>Only two weeks old,</i>

405
00:32:31,282 --> 00:32:33,701
<i>and just the size of a grain of rice.</i>

406
00:32:36,079 --> 00:32:39,916
<i>It's about to embark</i>
<i>on one of the most amazing adventures</i>

407
00:32:40,541 --> 00:32:42,710
<i>in the whole of the natural world.</i>

408
00:32:49,801 --> 00:32:51,010
<i>In search of food,</i>

409
00:32:54,222 --> 00:32:56,641
<i>it must descend into the underworld,</i>

410
00:32:59,435 --> 00:33:02,730
<i>patrolled by savage armies</i>
<i>of Myrmecia ants.</i>

411
00:33:05,692 --> 00:33:06,985
<i>They can take down prey</i>

412
00:33:07,193 --> 00:33:08,987
<i>thousands of times their size.</i>

413
00:33:23,918 --> 00:33:26,921
<i>A tiny grub seems an easy target.</i>

414
00:33:33,136 --> 00:33:36,347
<i>Especially one that emits</i>
<i>an alluring scent,</i>

415
00:33:36,889 --> 00:33:38,349
<i>betraying its presence.</i>

416
00:33:41,019 --> 00:33:44,313
<i>With antennae five times more sensitive</i>
<i>than most other insects,</i>

417
00:33:45,398 --> 00:33:48,276
<i>an ant is onto it like a bloodhound.</i>

418
00:33:57,994 --> 00:34:01,539
<i>The caterpillar is an easy size</i>
<i>to carry back to base,</i>

419
00:34:08,004 --> 00:34:10,715
<i>where ants prepare food for their young.</i>

420
00:34:22,477 --> 00:34:23,644
<i>But this caterpillar</i>

421
00:34:24,479 --> 00:34:26,439
<i>doesn't smell like food,</i>

422
00:34:30,193 --> 00:34:32,528
<i>it smells like family.</i>

423
00:34:35,615 --> 00:34:36,824
<i>Born to deceive,</i>

424
00:34:36,949 --> 00:34:38,743
<i>that special caterpillar odor</i>

425
00:34:39,327 --> 00:34:41,913
<i>smells so similar to the ant's grubs,</i>

426
00:34:42,830 --> 00:34:44,791
<i>that they treat it like their own.</i>

427
00:34:56,094 --> 00:34:57,386
<i>And that's not all.</i>

428
00:34:58,471 --> 00:34:59,931
<i>To enhance its disguise,</i>

429
00:35:00,848 --> 00:35:03,059
<i>the caterpillar sings.</i>

430
00:35:03,309 --> 00:35:04,852
(PULSATING NOISE)

431
00:35:10,942 --> 00:35:14,278
BENEDICT:<i> It's copying the song</i>
<i>of the most important ant in the colony,</i>

432
00:35:16,948 --> 00:35:17,990
<i>the queen.</i>

433
00:35:20,284 --> 00:35:21,869
<i>Forcing dedicated workers</i>

434
00:35:21,994 --> 00:35:23,454
<i>to tend to its every need,</i>

435
00:35:24,705 --> 00:35:26,499
<i>and neglect their own.</i>

436
00:35:30,128 --> 00:35:32,255
<i>While the colony protects it,</i>

437
00:35:32,797 --> 00:35:34,966
<i>cleans it, and feeds it,</i>

438
00:35:35,800 --> 00:35:38,678
<i>the audacious caterpillar</i>
<i>can keep up the act</i>

439
00:35:39,595 --> 00:35:42,932
<i>for two long years.</i>

440
00:35:45,726 --> 00:35:47,228
(PULSATING NOISE)

441
00:35:52,942 --> 00:35:56,654
BENEDICT:
<i>Until 100 times its original weight,</i>

442
00:35:59,031 --> 00:36:00,366
<i>the baby blue</i>

443
00:36:00,950 --> 00:36:03,911
<i>is finally ready</i>
<i>to reveal its true colors.</i>

444
00:36:07,790 --> 00:36:09,041
<i>Inside the chrysalis,</i>

445
00:36:10,626 --> 00:36:12,837
<i>caterpillar tissue is broken down...</i>

446
00:36:14,130 --> 00:36:15,339
<i>and reformed.</i>

447
00:36:33,649 --> 00:36:36,360
<i>But, when an Alcon blue</i>
<i>becomes a butterfly,</i>

448
00:36:37,695 --> 00:36:40,031
<i>it loses its protective power.</i>

449
00:36:43,492 --> 00:36:45,661
<i>No longer smelling like a baby ant,</i>

450
00:36:46,621 --> 00:36:47,955
<i>it needs to get out...</i>

451
00:36:48,247 --> 00:36:49,540
<i>fast.</i>

452
00:36:53,044 --> 00:36:56,380
<i>Before the ants catch onto the intruder</i>
<i>in their midst.</i>

453
00:37:25,826 --> 00:37:28,704
<i>Finally, the Alcon blue</i>

454
00:37:28,788 --> 00:37:29,956
<i>is free.</i>

455
00:37:36,671 --> 00:37:38,547
<i>Over billions of years,</i>

456
00:37:39,840 --> 00:37:42,593
<i>living things</i>
<i>have evolved amazing abilities</i>

457
00:37:42,677 --> 00:37:45,221
<i>to compete for their place on this planet.</i>

458
00:37:46,305 --> 00:37:48,266
<i>But when a new rival comes along,</i>

459
00:37:49,433 --> 00:37:51,560
<i>it changes everything.</i>

460
00:37:54,647 --> 00:37:56,899
<i>The coastal waters of British Columbia</i>

461
00:37:57,525 --> 00:38:00,486
<i>are home to a legendary sea monster.</i>

462
00:38:07,576 --> 00:38:10,371
<i>One of the planet's</i>
<i>fastest-growing animals.</i>

463
00:38:13,874 --> 00:38:18,754
<i>It doubles its weight every two months</i>
<i>on a diet primarily of crustaceans.</i>

464
00:38:36,981 --> 00:38:39,275
<i>Since before the age of dinosaurs,</i>

465
00:38:40,776 --> 00:38:43,029
<i>the giant pacific octopus</i>

466
00:38:43,571 --> 00:38:46,198
<i>has been the unrivaled</i>
<i>crab hunter down here.</i>

467
00:38:51,037 --> 00:38:52,621
<i>Until now.</i>

468
00:38:58,711 --> 00:39:00,171
<i>We have cunning ways</i>

469
00:39:00,296 --> 00:39:02,006
<i>to catch seafood</i>

470
00:39:02,340 --> 00:39:04,342
<i>without even entering the water.</i>

471
00:39:17,188 --> 00:39:21,650
<i>Traps are effective</i>
<i>in attracting the octopus's favorite food.</i>

472
00:39:25,446 --> 00:39:28,157
<i>But when the world's</i>
<i>most intelligent invertebrate</i>

473
00:39:28,366 --> 00:39:30,034
<i>is presented with a challenge,</i>

474
00:39:31,827 --> 00:39:33,079
<i>it doesn't give up,</i>

475
00:39:35,623 --> 00:39:36,874
<i>it solves it.</i>

476
00:39:40,628 --> 00:39:42,171
<i>Two thousand suckers,</i>

477
00:39:43,172 --> 00:39:44,465
<i>every individual one</i>

478
00:39:44,590 --> 00:39:46,801
<i>with more taste receptors</i>
<i>than a human tongue,</i>

479
00:39:48,427 --> 00:39:52,264
<i>help to detect prey in the murkiest water.</i>

480
00:40:00,898 --> 00:40:02,817
<i>Guided by nine brains,</i>

481
00:40:03,651 --> 00:40:04,985
<i>one in its head,</i>

482
00:40:05,653 --> 00:40:08,072
<i>and a mini-brain</i>
<i>in each of its eight arms,</i>

483
00:40:12,451 --> 00:40:14,120
<i>the octopus closes in.</i>

484
00:40:17,998 --> 00:40:20,459
<i>A boneless skeleton made of water,</i>

485
00:40:20,918 --> 00:40:23,879
<i>means it can contort it's nine-foot body</i>

486
00:40:24,130 --> 00:40:25,339
<i>through a hole,</i>

487
00:40:25,756 --> 00:40:27,800
<i>the width of a grapefruit.</i>

488
00:40:45,025 --> 00:40:46,277
<i>Now, to dine</i>

489
00:40:46,444 --> 00:40:48,696
<i>before the trap is lifted.</i>

490
00:40:55,244 --> 00:40:57,163
<i>The trap only opens one way.</i>

491
00:41:03,335 --> 00:41:05,045
<i>But that's no problem</i>

492
00:41:05,171 --> 00:41:07,882
<i>for this extraordinary escape artist.</i>

493
00:41:17,766 --> 00:41:18,893
<i>We may be smart,</i>

494
00:41:20,853 --> 00:41:24,899
<i>but we're still discovering</i>
<i>animals have countless skills,</i>

495
00:41:25,065 --> 00:41:26,400
<i>every bit as impressive.</i>

496
00:41:30,488 --> 00:41:31,489
<i>Overlook them,</i>

497
00:41:33,032 --> 00:41:34,825
<i>and we may be left empty-handed.</i>

498
00:41:44,835 --> 00:41:47,379
<i>In a world full of unexpected foes,</i>

499
00:41:51,717 --> 00:41:53,135
<i>competition</i>

500
00:41:53,344 --> 00:41:55,429
<i>is evolution's ultimate driving force.</i>

501
00:41:57,973 --> 00:42:01,894
<i>The secret behind the incredible diversity</i>
<i>of life on earth,</i>

502
00:42:05,981 --> 00:42:08,776
<i>and the most extraordinary animal powers.</i>

503
00:42:11,737 --> 00:42:13,197
<i>If you think you know nature,</i>

504
00:42:14,698 --> 00:42:15,783
<i>think again.</i>

505
00:42:17,326 --> 00:42:19,328
(THEME MUSIC PLAYING)