Animal Armory - Survival in the Wild | Full Series | Free Documentary Nature

over millions of years animals have adapted and evolved an arsenal of deadly weapons to hunt defend and attack teeth claws antlers electricity stings camouflage odor and poisons are all being used to devastating effect in the animal Armory the most common of these weapons are teeth and Claws many animals possess them but seldom are they wielded with such lethal Mastery crocodiles and wolves are apex predators using their teeth with terrifying effect winning them a place at the top of their food chains in contrast a simple flick of the baboon's lip to reveal its menacing teeth is

enough to strike fear into their enemies keeping them at Bay Bears and tigers are also Infamous for the lethal wounds inflicted by their razor sharp claws the owl's talents though not as devast ating in face-to-face combat are unmatched when employed with stealth to take down their prey while armored crabs fight and defend what's theirs by cutting and crushing foes in their Pincers [Music] held a loft throughout history as a symbol of courage and strength few animals instill both fear and wonder like the king of the animal kingdom the African [Music] Lion one of the largest

big cats the lion was once found throughout a Africa and into Southwest Asia its hunting skills and way of life placed it at the top of the food chain although their numbers are dwindling thanks to several deadly weapons in their Arsenal lions are still a force to be reckoned with in subsaharan Africa of these weapons none are more lethal or fearsome than the lion's [Music] teeth Lions have remarkable Jaws that can open to a width of around 11 in despite their reputation as vicious killers Lions spend more time laying around and bonding few circumstances find

the lion in combat other than to hunt food protect the pride or take possession of another Pride's [Music] territory a lion has 30 teeth 12 Canasol 10 premolar four molers and four canines with serration on the back apart from the carosel the rest of the lion's teeth are conical in shape designed to tear and rip flesh female lions do most of the hunting their Slimmer athletic bodies enable them the stealth and speed needed for a successful hunt the large muscular bulk of the male's powerful body makes them too slow and cumbersome but perfect for protecting

the pride from Rogue males looking to topple the alpha kill his Cubs and take the females for himself of all their teeth the Lion's canines are perhaps their most important offensive weapon they're longer and thicker growing to approximately 2.4 in in [Music] length to prevent braking the Lion's canines are set deep in their skull they are so strong during fights with other males often a lion will pierce through the skull of its foe though most maleon male fights will end without death the stronger becoming obvious without the need to [Music] kill whether hunting defending or

attacking a lion kills in two stages first they bring the animal down by jumping on its back gripping and clawing with their needle sharp claws to the throat once at the throat the lion instinctively initiates a choke hold and their canine teeth reveal their deadly purpose they close the airway of the creature by clamping down on the throat embedding their canines deep into the flesh with the serration on the back of the teeth it becomes very painful and virtually impossible for the prey to pull out of the hole without losing chunks of it flesh if

that's all the lion's teeth were capable of they would be remarkable weapons but inside every tooth are sensitive nerves that while biting allow the lion to sense veins and arteries they quite literally feel the blood flowing inside their brain not only does this help the lion know where to bite it lets it know when their prey is dead when the blood stops flowing the kill is complete and the rest of the teeth can get to work tearing flesh and grinding [Music] bone sharing 91% of its DNA with humans and found throughout eth Ethiopia Saudi Arabia

and Yemen the baboon's large fang-like teeth are famous among local cultures as being the personification of evil [Music] [Music] baboons are the largest monkeys on Earth weighing between 33 and 82 lb they're highly adaptable surviving almost anywhere from the Savannah to Tropical [Music] [Music] forests being oldw World monkeys they're distinguished by their long noses and specific formation of teeth allowing them to eat pretty much anything including fruits grasses seeds bark roots and [Music] leaves they also have a taste for meat including fish and other small animals yet baboons aren't natural Predators reluctant to attack anything

unless threatened trapped having food taken or their infants threatened unlike most primates they aren't territorial instead occupying a home range overlapping that of other baboon troops things usually remain peaceful but when it comes to food sleeping sites infanticide and competition for females fights occur and their team are used the massive canines are predominantly used to fight other male baboons to gain access to females but despite their ferocious look it wasn't a need to defend or hunt that evolved the baboon's oversized fangs but the need for sex despite baboon troops having an alpha male it's the

females who wield the power they remain with the troop they're born in their entire life happily fitting into a dominance hierarchy dictated by age and experience the matriarchs the oldest females wield the most power by contrast male baboons leave their birth troop in search of another to hopefully become its Alpha but only at the behest of the females baboom have very long extraordinarily sharp teeth they possess four large in sizes on the top jaw and another four on the bottom two massive Kines on the top and bottom eight premolar and 12 molers that's 32 teeth

in all the incises at the front of the mouth snip off pieces of food the pre MERS and mullers grind it while the massive K9 teeth between the incizors and MERS Pierce tear and intimidate female baboons possess hairless patches of skin around their genital area that swell and turn bright pink when ready to mate producing smells that arouse males tensions Mount as they watch each other using direct eye contact to intimidate invariably escalating to open mouth threats flipping their top lip to reveal their huge teeth this is usually enough to keep other males in their

place [Music] [Music] [Applause] but when they get a whiff of the female scent physical combat ensues to decide who is the [Music] alpha battles can last for days they're terrific canines sometimes inflicting lethal [Music] wounds To the victor if they'll have him goes the rights to mate with a Herm of females if not killed the loser is sent on his way to find another troop and another Alpha to test his skills against [Music] evolving between 235 to 65 million years ago when dinosaurs roamed the Earth little has changed with the animal Kingdom's oldest and possibly

most successful predator the crocodile the crocodile can be found at the top of its food chain in rivers lakes Wetlands salt and brackish Waters throughout the Tropics of Africa Asia the Americas and Australia they are totally carnivorous with an appetite for fish and other reptiles birds and mammals males will fight other males to gain access to females when mating but get along for the most part except for the salt water variety they're extremely territorial highly aggressive and completely intolerant of other males at any time crocodiles possess many weapons in their Armory tough skin fantastic hearing

and a fast swim to name but a few but what they all have in common is a deadly nearly inescapable weapon powerful jaws full of lethal teeth [Music] crocodiles are Ambush Predators waiting patiently over long periods of time for aquatic creatures or land animals to venture nearby once in range they Rush their quarry with a terrifying surprise attack they are the top predators in their environment and have been observed killing other major Predators including sharks and big cats the saltwater crocodile the largest of the species has between 65 and 67 teeth with around 18 on

each side of the top jaw and 15 on either side of the lower jaw inter meshing perfectly when closed the jaw itself has a bulge on either side these are the muscles giving strength to one of the world's most powerful jaws once the surprise attack is initiated the crocodile latches onto their prey with a powerful bite of 3,700 lb of pressure per square in easily enough to crush the shell of a turtle or a pig's skull their teeth have evolved to be large and conical in shape and extremely sharp designed for penetration and gripping flesh

unlike the teeth of other large Predators crocodile teeth are no good for tearing flesh but perfect for holding on to prey with little possibility of the creature escaping once in their jaws the crocodile continues to crush the creature rolling over and over to drown it then swallowing it home [Music] [Music] despite the Carnage a crocodile's teeth and Jaws are capable of they can also take delicate action by picking up and rolling their unhatched eggs in their mouth gently squeezing them until they [Music] hatch once hatched they transport their young inside their mouths fering them to

the water for their first swim [Music] a powerful symbol to ancient cultures heralding protection strength and cunning the wolf is famous for its howl striking both fear and inspiration into those hearing it but it's the wolf's teeth that allow them to be the fierce killers they are the grey wolf was once common across North America Eurasia and the Middle East due to their skill as Elite Hunters a taste for livestock and the reduction of habitat humans have reduced their distribution to only a fraction of what it [Music] was within a wolf pack there's an alpha

male and female they lead and breed the beta wolves are second in the hierarchy with the omegas in the lowest position a pack can range from 2 to 36 wolves but averages out to around six dogs they are highly territorial establishing ranges much larger than they required to survive wolves will viciously defend their territory from other packs if scent marking and Howling doesn't keep others at Bay they will attack directly on the wolf has 42 teeth with 20 in the upper jaw six in sizes two canines eight premolar and four molers and 22 in the

lower six ins sizes two Kines eight premolar and six molers their K9 teeth can grow to As Long As 2 in wolves mainly prey on Caribou elk deer moose and bison they're very social but single wolves or M pairs generally have more success in hunting than large packs a single wolf has been observed taking down large prey like moose bison and musk oxin completely uned a wolf hunt is divided into five stages locating the prey through hearing and smell then stalking the prey concealing themselves to get as close as possible if the wolf is detected

the prey will either approach stand its ground or flee on approach or standing its ground the wolf will attack large prey will be attacked from the rear and side biting large chunks of Flesh from the soft perineum causing a huge amount of blood loss three bites in this area is sufficient to cause death [Music] wolves have strong Jaws delivering a force of 1,500 lb per square in with extremely sharp teeth that are slightly curved this allows a strong grip on their prey and the ability to break bones accessing the soft marrow inside it's in size

as cut flesh the Kine grabs hold while the proler slice and mullers Crush allowing the wolf to eat virtually the entirety of its prey leaving very little waste as we've seen teeth are used for far deadlier purposes than just chewing food to be swallowed the Lions can literally feel the blood pumping through their victim a baboon's look as fearsome the crocodile's teeth are so deadly that once latched onto a victim it's virtually impossible for them to escape and the wolves are so efficient they not only bring down much larger prey they allow the wolf to

consume the entirety of the carcass flesh and bone as impressive as they are teeth are not the only weapons animals use in the wild whether you can call them Talons or claws most mammals reptiles and birds possess them used for a variety of tasks from digging to climbing it's a select few who have the ability to wield them as a deadly weapon to hunt for their prey defend their young or claim a mate since prehistoric times from the UK throughout Europe Asia and into the Americas the bear has been woried and immortalized in myth and

Fable to become the official symbol of several countries around the world there are eight different species of bear throughout North America South America Europe and Asia the eight species of bear share similar physical characteristics including long snouts shaggy hair large bodies and stocky legs they also possess planter grade pores with non- retractable claws for fighting and defending bears are solitary animals except in times of cting they're generally active during the day but have been known to go about their business at night Brown Bears feed on vegetation small land mammals and fish they possess a particularly

voracious appetite for salmon they are the dominant predator in the environment completely unthreatened apart from human beings who have hunted them for sport or out of fear the grizzly bear a subspecies of the brown bear easily dominates any animal in its territory other apex predators like wolves and cougars know this and will surrender their prey without a fight grizzly bears generally avoid people but their temperament can easily swing if cornered surprised or their cubs are threatened a mother bear will not hesitate to defend her Offspring from other animals including other Bears they stand up to

4 ft when on all fours and between 5 and 8 ft when standing landing on their High [Music] legs despite poor eyesight they have a super Keen sense of smell their main tracking tool when hunting prey or Forest for food the enormous shoulder muscles of the grizzly bear coupled with immensely strong forearms giant Paws and razor sharp claws growing up to 6 in bear claws are not just used to inflict death they are also used to turn over rocks rip bark from trees and tear open logs in the search for insects to eat the claw's

shape will differ according to the type of bear climbing bears like black bears have very strong curved claws to grip tree bark while digging bears like Grizzlies are long and straight polar bears have curved claws that are sharp and strong to not just catch and hold prey but provide traction on slick ice the polar bear has four large pores each each with five toes with long claws that are around 2 in long the front claws are much longer however the back pores themselves are larger for stability when the bear stands on their hind legs the

entire design of both front and back Paws and Claws enable the bear to run fast climb trees and swim the polar bear and Alaskan Kodiak bear are the largest carnivores on Earth measuring often in excess of 9 ft and weighing more than 1,500 lb with no real natural enemies the only conflict Bears have is amongst themselves males will battle other males for territory and the right to mate by standing on their hind legs and shoving each other when things get overheated they swing their huge paws at each other doing considerable damage with their claws the

Victorious male then has to compete with a female bear if she already has Cubs the male will try to kill them ensuring the survival of his jeans but if he thought the battle with the other male was hard he has little chance of besting an angry Mother Bear if hunting the bear prefers to Ambush rather than stalk hiding and patiently waiting waiting until their quaries within range then rushing and swiping it with its claws killing it with one Mighty [Applause] [Music] blow when the salmon runs it's one of the only instances these Bears tolerate each

other's company knowing there is plenty of fish for everyone to Gorge themselves on in the regions where bears are found they dominate all other animals but birds have little to fear particularly the owl who not only share their same territory but also use their claws as a weapon in Western culture the owl symbolizes wisdom but throughout Africa and for many Native Americans they were the harbingers of death it's easy to understand why when you witness an owl's clause in full [Music] effect Raptors are birds of prey that include Eagles Hawks Ospreys and owls owls are

nocturnal Predators possessing binocular vision and binaural hearing they are solitary Birds designed for silent flight and with sharp talents for hunting and [Music] defending there many species of owl found on every continent except Antarctica and they vary greatly in size [Music] the heaviest and largest winged are the Blackiston fish owl and Eurasian eagle owl weighing 10 lb possessing a wingspan of 6.6 [Music] ft owls are totally carnivorous with a diet consisting of insects and rodents with a few new species specifically adapted to hunt [Music] fish all are incredible Hunters with varying skills depending on their

environment but most characteristics are shared amongst all [Music] species amazing sight and hearing to quickly locate prey hunting strategy is reliant on stealth and surprise and thanks to their unique wings and camouflage few creatures here or see an owl coming the owl has four toes on each foot while in flight or perching three toes face forward and one longer claw the HX faces backwards when clutching prey the outer front toe on each foot swivels to face backwards like the H granting a firmer grip around their [Music] prey when an owl catches its Quarry it pushes

the HX through the creature's body if that's not enough to kill it the immense crushing power of their talons make short work of the creature's skull the owl then swallows the creature hole if it's not too big otherwise ripping it apart using its beak and [Music] Claws the Great Horn potentially the world's most dangerous owl grips with a force of around 500 PSI that's equal to the bite of a German Shepherd dog five times stronger than that of a human hand the front middle Talon of the great horned owl possesses an extra Cutting Edge to

tear its prey aund in order to withstand their high impact hunting owl's feet have evolved to be bonier shorter and stronger than most other [Music] birds the underside of their feet are covered with a rough knobbly surface to help grip and perch owls also possess a locking like ratchet in their feet keeping the claws locked around their prey making Escape impossible [Music] other than hunting owls use their talents to defend their nest becoming fiercely territorial during spring and summer while they have young when an intruder Ventures Too Close owls will dive bomb feet first smashing

into the creature with their claws instinctively aiming for the head or face regardless of the animal size [Music] [Music] people take them as totems put them on their flags and embrace them as mascots for their favorite sporting teams few creatures are as charismatic as the tiger and few creatures wield weapons as deadly as the Tiger's claws Tigers were once common across Asia from Turkey to the east coast of Russia but thanks to human interference are now only found from India to Southeast Asia and Southeastern Siberia they are few in numbers and highly [Music] endangered they're

territorial creatures usually solitary but can also be quite social females tend to be accepting of other females while male tigers are likely to be intolerant of other males in their territory when territorial disputes flare up they're often resolved through displays of intimidation rather than physical combat the submissive tiger will yield by rolling on its back presenting its B to the dominant male after this the dominant male will be more acceped as long as it stays out of its way [Music] sometimes with a heavy damage a tiger's claw can inflict these confrontations will end in death

tigers are apex predators and master Hunters with a taste for deer and bids they are mainly nocturnal but have been observed hunting during the day and usually hunt alone they stalk their prey attempting to remain undetected on a successful approach the tiger will Ambush the creature overpowering it with its immense size and strength in short bursts tigers can travel at speeds of up to 35 mph they must be in close proximity for its Ambush to succeed if spotted too soon the tiger will disengage from the hunt rather than Chase it down or confront the animal

head on by using this method a single tiger can take down water buffalo weighing over 2,200 lb their limbs and claws are so powerful attacks of been recorded where a single swipe is enough to break the skull of domestic cattle this is possible due to a few reasons the bones in the Tiger's front legs are strong and dense supporting the massive muscles attach to them and the bones in their feet are connected by tight ligaments buffering any impact Tiger Claws are retractable like any cats ligaments hold them in a protective sheath remaining retracted were not

in use to ensure they remain [Music] sharp Tiger's claws grow to 4 in in length each pae has four Claws and a special claw located farther back on the front feet this is the due claw and functions much like a human [Music] thumb the other claws being curved grants the tiger an incredible grasp permitting them to hold large prey and climb trees head first despite the curved claws making climbing up trees very easy climbing down is a little more difficult they must either crawl backwards or jump making them the most inferior climbers of the cat

family the duw claw doesn't make contact with anything while walking so over time they become incredibly long ch the perfect weapon to hold down [Music] prey a tiger will also use their claws to mark their territory by scratching trees ripping at them repeatedly leaving deep marks on the trunk secretions from between the claws leave deposits easily smelled by other tigers as a warning as to whose territory it is [Music] on land the tiger is probably the most famous creature for the use of their incredible claws but in the water that belongs to the crab humans

have always been fascinated with the crab from naming constellations Pulsa and nebulas in the skies to depicting them in the art of ancient cultures even coming to the aid of Heroes like Hercules as he battled the Hydra crabs are found all over the world they reside in oceans bodies of fresh water and on land they are even found in volcanic vents thousands of feet below the ocean surface and under the ice of Antarctica like lobsters and prawns they are decapods with 10 limbs eight of which are walking legs many crabs have flat bodies allowing them

to crawl into tight crevices generally they're covered in a thick exoskeleton with two front limbs armed with a pair of pin-like claws called Keli each Ki have two fingers one fixed and another movable called a Dactyl usually the right Claw is bigger and blunt used for crushing while the left Claw is smaller and sharp for cutting the size of the muscle attached to the claw indicates how forceful its pinch is and the Damage it will cause but a crabs claws are not merely used for combative purposes they also use them to communicate by drumming or

waving particularly when it's time to mate a function not reliant on the power of its pinch [Music] fully aquatic species attract mates through the release of pheromones while terrestrial and semi-terrestrial crabs Implement visual acoustic and vibratory cues female Fiddlers have two small claws they use to eat microscopic food but the male fiddler crab has one key line larger than the other so large it constitutes half its body weight when it's time to mate he'll rhythmically wave his claw to attract the attention of females and threaten other [Music] males the males of most crab species will

battle each other for access to females some crabs are solitary while other species live in groups working together providing food and protection for the family but on the crowded rocky seash shores where competition for caves and crevices is fierce crabs will fight over real estate they're omnivores and eat pretty much anything including algae mollusks worms fungi bacteria and detrius even other crustations this mix of food allows for the fastest growth and ultimate fitness some species require a more specialized diet eating only Plankton or shellfish some crabs will only eat [Music] fish they have many predator

including seagulls sea otters octopi fish and humans but their claws are an effective defense capable of inflicting substantial damage like the keyi of the Australian mud crab they are big fast and strong making them very dangerous crabs often lose claws in battle but possess the Nifty trick of growing new fully functional Replacements most crabs use their claws to fight but there's one species that uses them to hide and disguise itself even augmenting its own defense the small boxer crab carries a pair of stinging enemies in its CL to fool Predators if the ruse fails the

Predator has to deal with the painful perhaps lethal stings of the an enemies along with the damage the crab's claws has [Music] inflicted many creatures have teeth and Claws including human beings unlike the teeth of the lion and crocodile ours are now too small and fragile to bite do anything tougher than an overcooked steak Dentistry has allowed the flash of our teeth to be a pleasant greeting to others the complete opposite of a baboon's threatening grin we are reliant on the butcher for our meat we even cut it up with a knife and fork before

chewing it far less Superior than a wolf's teeth tearing and grinding down all the Flesh and Bone Till There is nothing left our claws have evolved to be soft used for nothing more than to scratch an itch they are quite irrelevant to our survival not like the bear who depends on their ability to rip open logs or the intestines of an animal the owl's talents not only grip the food they need they kill it the tiger relies on theirs being razor sharp to maintain his place at the top of the food chain male crabs not

just communicate with their claws they wave them about to find a mate human beings have adapted to becoming the dominant force on the planet where we have evolved intellectually animals continue to evolve physically granting them the powerful Weaponry found in the animal Armory using melee and roll in combat isn't merely the domain of humans many animals also wield these fighting styles with deadly effect elk grow and lose ankers year in and year out but not before they are used as protection from both predators and rival males vying for the right to mate the Mighty Bison

rules the American Plains thanks to their thunderous stampedes incredible headbutts and lethal horns rhinoceros Beatles wield unique horns they use to flip and throw opponents big horn sheep battle each other for mating rights by charging at each other and smashing their heads together repeatedly for hours they use a strike that would instantly kill a person the mantis shrimp possesses an attack faster than a speeding bullet which allows them to take down creatures much larger in size the kangaroo in its many forms has few Predators due to its muscular legs and tail which grants it the

ability to not only Bound Away from danger at blistering speeds but present a series of deadly kicks when threatened although an ostrich never goes looking for a fight its long legs and clawed toes means it can outrun most foes and kill with a disemboweling kick when cornered Bush turkeys show little fear when confronted by most animals while the Silverback Gorilla aggressively defends his troop from predators and other Apes with the ability to wrestle and strike using using the strength of 20 adult men across all the world's continents animals ability to melee and brawl can mean

the difference between life and death on Nature's [Music] Battleground from carvings in cave walles to the use of its antlers for their great health benefits the elk has been spiritually revered for thousands of years as great as its medicine is claimed to be it's nowhere near as powerful or deadly as the Elk's [Music] antlers the elk or WAP is native to North America and Eastern Asia where they are one of the largest subspecies of Red Deer adapted to diverse habitats the elk can withstand long Winters in open Plains and Woodlands male Elks are called bulls

or Stags while females are cows or hind a cow can weigh up to 643 lb elk can stand up to 4.9 ft F feet at the shoulder while being up to 8.8 ft long Bulls tend to be 10% larger weighing up to 1100 lb elk can be found in and around forests feeding on grass plants leaves and bark other than their size the most striking feature of the elk is their large antlers possessed only by Bulls made of bone antlers begin growing in Spring at a rate of nearly an inch a day while Elks are

growing their antlers are covered by a layer of skin called velvet in summer when the antlers have fully developed the Velvet sheds as the mate season begins Elks venture out from their Single Sex groups and the males compete for the females attention [Music] [Music] challenges are displayed through bellowing and paralleling each other by walking back and forth and by assessing each other's antlers body size and ability to fight often at this point one of the bulls usually the younger or smaller elk will back down but if both stand their ground they'll engage in anter res

L A Deadly show of strength that can cause serious injury with Herms of five to over 20 cows depending on environmental factors dominant Bulls defend their Herms from other bulls and predators in North America Predators include coyote packs and cougars who will mostly hunt calves while wolves and brown black and grizzly bears have also been known to prey on elk whereas in Asia the Elk's natural Predators include wolves brown bears doel Siberian tigers Amur snow leopards links and [Music] Bs elk antlers grow from two pedicles in the Bull's Head which are bone follicles covered in

skin they begin growing as layers of cartilage that eventually mineralize into bone they grow underneath the Velvet that protects and carries blood to the growing bone tissue young Bulls only have slim unbranched antlers called spikes which can be up to 20 in long over the course of 7 years those spikes will evolve into fully fledged antlers with up to eight times weighing as much as 40 lb the antlers can reach a length and spread of more than 4 [Music] ft large antlers are also a sign that a bull can aptly defend themselves from other bulls

and predators when mating has ended and the antlers shed elk return to their Single Sex groups the cows remain together and the Bulls form herds amongst themselves for safety while they grow their new weapons often mistaken for Buffalo the Mighty Bison once thundered across the American Plains in their Millions but due to human interference their numbers have dwindled despite this they are still formidable as the heaviest land creatures in North [Music] America throughout history species of Bison have been recognized of those six four are now extinct the two remaining species are the North American Bison

and the European bison American Bison of the most numerous and found in North America while the European bison were successfully reintroduced into the wild after becoming extinct like the elk male and female bison are called bulls and cows and are the largest terrestrial animals found in America and Europe they stand up to 6.5 ft at the shoulder and can weigh over a ton bison anomatic grazers known for roaming great distances in herds eating as they move they are good swimmers able to Traverse Rivers half a mile wide at around the age of 2 or 3

years Bulls leave their mothers and join a small male herd which are usually much smaller than the female dominated ones or their remains solitary bison appear to be big docile creatures with no care for what's happening around them some might even perceive them to be [Music] lazy the bison's temperament is highly unpredictable they may attack someone or something without warning or Reason moving its speeds of up to 40 mph bison cover long distances with a thumping Gallop when observing the Bison its most obvious weapon are the horns on its head borne by both males and

females the horns of the European bison differ to that of its American relative this affects their fighting style as they interlock their horns rather than headbutting both bison's horns are black short curved and sharp they can grow to anywhere between 23 and 29 in whether interlocking horns or butting their heads both species of Bison charge their targets with a typical weight of 2,000 lb and running at a speed of 35 mph these massive beasts effectively use momentum to inflict maximum damage on their chosen Target in North America bison are considered highly dangerous with recorded char

charers at humans who have ventured Too [Music] Close bison are thought to be Savage animals with no fear of any other creature Mating Season runs from June through to September with most activity in July and August this is when the mature Bulls rejoin the herd and fight amongst themselves butting heads to gain the female's attention it's at this time when bison are at the most belligerent unpredictable and dangerous their defensive strategy is usually to Stampede away from a threat but when they have to defend themselves or fight for mating rights they will jump from a

standing position and spin around on their feet this increases the chances of impaling the Challenger on their horns the prize is great and there can only be one winner famous for being sacred to the ancient Egyptians and made into amulets still popular today scarabs are a family of Beatles consisting of over 30,000 species the largest and strongest of these is the mighty rhinoceros beetle family the rhinoceros beetle is found on every continent except for Antarctica they abundant herbivores with over 300 species well known for their unique shapes and giant sizes earing them coll wheel names

like the elephant Beetle unicorn beetle and Hercules beetle these are among the largest beetles in the world with some reaching more than 6 in in length despite their massive size and fearsome looks they are quite harmless with no stings or bites however they are certainly not a lightweight in the insect World a rhino beat will can lift up to 850 times their own weight making them comparatively speaking the strongest animal in the world each species has its own distinctive horns the Hercules beetle has a unique horn that curves down from its back and another up

from its head the caliper Beetle has a narrow horn with a serrated edge which it uses to lift and shove the Japanese rhino beetle has an upward curving horn with a fork on the end which it uses to slide under lift and twist its foe off the [Music] branch these dangerous looking weapons aren't used to defend against predators nor are they used to hunt prey they serve for digging and food foraging and when fighting other males when it's time time to m a rhino beetles best protection is their size and the fact they are nocturnal

this allows them to avoid most predators that hunt during the day at which time they hide under logs or among vegetation where they are camouflaged when all else fails the rhino beetle will dig its way to safety using its horn to bury itself underground and away from harm if disturbed they will emit a loud hissing squeak to scare off any wouldbe Predators these sounds are made by the beetle rubbing its abdomen against its wing covers during the rainy months is when the Rhino Beatles mate the females who don't possess any horns at all release pheromones

which arouse the males who begin to get very aggressive laying claim to feeding sites often in trees the best feeding sites are bombarded by males who need them to attract the females if more than one male claims the sight they begin to fight when two males fight they use their horns in a combination of grabbing throwing and shoving aiming to throw their rival off tree branches trunks or whatever they are tussling on in a bid to control access to females an adult rhino beetle is covered with a thick exoskeleton that works like armor underneath are

a thick pair of wings on top of another finest set of wings this allows the Beatles to fly but due to its massive size not terribly efficiently Rhino Beatles are very resilient depending on the species they can live between a few months and even up to a few years females will produce around 50 eggs and give life to the next generation of these Supreme insect wrestlers the tribe of Native Americans called Absol Lua or Crow people told stories of a boy whose demonically possessed father tried to kill him he was saved when big horn sheep

granted him power wisdom strength and heart to this day these attributes are associated with this resilient species native to North America there are three distinct subspecies the Sierra Nevada desert and Rocky Mountain big horn sheep complete herbivores male Big Horn are called RAM and can weigh on average up to 300 lb they stand 3 and 1/2 ft tall at the shoulder and 6 and 1/2 ft long females better known as 's tend to be somewhat smaller the Rocky Mountain variety are the largest sometimes weighing in excess of 279 whereas a Sierra Nevada Big Horn can

grow to 220 lb Big Horns get their name from the massive curved horns on their head their horns can weigh up to 30 lb and are unique to Rams the used horns are shorter and less [Music] curved male big horn sheep scars have two layers and have evolved to possess large horn cores enlarged cornual front sinuses and internal bony scepter they have adapted in such a way to absorb any impact and protect the brain the horns of older Rams can be up to 3 ft long and one foot in circumference at the base preferring mountainous

slopes and footo Hill Country near rugged Rocky Cliffs they are well adapted with toenails modified for clim climbing Rocky terrain they seek protection from predators for their young in their groups big horn sheep face different directions to keep watch of their [Music] surroundings their eyes are wide set providing a large Arc of vision their Keen eyesight hearing and sense of smell are what helps them detect and avoid Predators Big Horn of all ages are prayed upon by cougar who are best equipped with the agility to handle the rocky terrain the Sheep prefer the protection granted

by their skulls and horns are needed when Big Horn defend themselves charging with the intent to smash with their head and horns the Rams will try to establish their dominance over other males leading up to Mating Season also known as a rut the Challenger will antagonize the other Ram with kicks and licks until one walks away seemingly submitting in a posture known as the low stretch after a short distance the seemingly submissive Ram will turn and face the Challenger and [Music] charge their skulls smash together at a force of 21 mph at a speed that

would instantly kill a human The Clash of horn and skull is so hard it can be heard echoing through the mountains as the Rams batter each other over and over these fights can last for hours until one of the Rams submits and walks away their remarkable skulls keep them from Serious injury and their horns are dangerous effective weapons however they remain on the endangered species list fighting for survival in their Mountain habitats as we've seen animals that use Malay for attack or defense can be some of the most amazing fighters in the animal kingdom the

antlers of a full-grown male elf are wielded with the Precision of a master swordsman the bison's strength speed and horns are so mighty it's considered one of the most dangerous creatures on two continents the rhino beetle has developed unique tools to toss rival males from the branch they fight on and big horn sheep strong with Keen senses and a skull that can endure hour of cracking headbutting with a force that would kill a human it is an impressive Armory that has enabled these animals to continue surviving but other animals have an Armory just as [Music]

formidable Australians call them prawn killers and sometimes thumb Splitters due to the painful gashes they can create if incorrectly handled they are more widely known as the mantis shrimp and despite their tiny size they carry a deadly arsenal of [Music] Weaponry found in oceans the world over with more than 400 species the mantis shrimp is one of the most important Predators found in Shallow tropical Marine [Music] habitats most grow to around 2 to 5 in in length but some can grow as big as 15 in with colors ranging from shades of brown to Vivid almost

fluorescent hues they are deadly predators sporting powerful claws that they use to attack prey often killing it with a single strike highly aggressive the mantis shrimp are solitary creatures rarely leaving their Burrows except to feed or relocate they hunt in a couple of different ways by either hiding and waiting to Ambush or chasing their Quarry down and killing [Music] them their method of killing is determined by the type of mantis shrimp of which there are two Smashers and spearers smash ashers have developed a club used to literally punch bash smash or bludgeon their foe to

death spearers wield spiny appendages with Barb tips they use to impale and snag their prey both types strike by quickly unfolding and Swinging their club or spear claws towards their prey at an incredible speed faster than a shot from a 22 caliber rifle in order to attack with such Force without breaking their clubs or spears mantis shrimp have evolved a special shock absorbent core its structure molecularly different to any other animal it's called a bolyard structure and it keeps cracks in the shrimp's own body from becoming full brakes with this it can punch over and

over without ever breaking the strong strike from the Smasher is employed with such velocity it generates cavitation bubbles the collapse of these bubbles produces a force against their prey which when combined with the impact of the club or spear appendage produces two points of impact even if the first strike misses the force of the bubble collapsing is often enough to stun or sometimes kill the creature in fact the Mantis shrimp's attack is so quick theoretically it could punch 50 times in a single blink of a human eye Speers prefer the meat of softer creatures like

fish or squid which are easier to slice and snag with their Barbed [Music] claw it's not only prey they employ these deadly weapons against mantis shrimp have always displayed a habit of ritualized fighting against each other not only does the mantis shrimp have one of the world's most deadly attacks it has the greatest eyesight it can see ultraviolet and polarized light with trinocular vision these creatures can also live live up to 3 years in the wild they may be Tiny But mantis shrimps are one of the strongest creatures in the world however the biggest risk

to their population is human impact upon the ocean the well-known symbol of Australia appearing on its coat of arms currency and used as a mascot for several companies and sporting teams the kangaroo is an important aspect of Australian culture embodying its drive to always go forward and never take a backward step it is estimated there are over 30 million kangaroos in Australia colloquially groups of Rus are known as mobs males are also called bucks Boomers or Jacks while the females are known as Doe's flyers or jills [Music] their large feet and strong hind legs allow

them to hop while their tails help them keep balance females like other marsupials raise their young in a pouch red kangaroos are the largest marsupials in the world and can be found in the Arid Center of Australia they can be as tall as six ft 7 in and weigh 200 lb the Eastern Grays are the most abundant type of kangaroo covering the eastern part of the country from the top of Cape York to Tasmania in a suitable habitat It's Not Unusual to see 50 R per square mile if not more [Music] with males appearing similar

in color to red kangaroos and tpine waloos are closely related to their larger cousins they are distinctive due to their enlarged nasal passages allowing them to release more heat in warmer climates [Music] kangaroos are the only large animals in the world to employ hopping as a means of locomotion while red kangaroos have an average speed of 16 mph they can move up to 43 mph over short distances as deserts gradually replaced forests in Australia kangaroos evolved a need to travel long distances on little energy hopping was the fast energy efficient solution to this problem kangaroos

have few natural Predators other than Dingo and crocodiles in Australia's North introduced species like foxes may also pose a threat all species of kangaroos fight their fights can be brief or long and serve as practice in competitive circumstances the encounters are usually brief both sexes fight for various reasons but the long ritualized fighting or boxing is mainly performed by the males males fight near females when it's time to mate while the larger males in consorts don't involve themselves ritual ized fights can occur suddenly when males graze together usually preceded by two males scratching and grooming

each other they then adopt a high stance with one challenging the other by grabbing their neck with their [Music] paws large males usually reject challenges from smaller ones but when combat occurs they retain their High standing posture and pour each other's heads shoulders and chest while locking forearms and wrestling to push each other off balot during these moments kangaroos will lean back on their strong tails and kick each other in the abdomen Victors are declared when a kangaroo stops fighting and Retreats or the winner can push the loser backwards down onto the ground these Furious

kicking hand-to-hand battles establish dominance among males displacing the loser from the prime resting sites he must Retreat and try his superb Armory against the Victor another time when threatened ostriches run however their powerful long legs can be formidable weapons capable of killing a potential Predator like a lion with a forward kick the ostrich is the largest living species of any bird they are flightless and native to the African continent during the winter months they're either in small groups or alone but during mating they gather in nomadic groups of up to 100 bir Birds led by

a top hen or female ostrich grazing with other animals like zebra and Antelope territorial fights between males can erupt during mating season for access to Herms of two to seven females these battles are usually short ostrich don't fight each other like they do predators and threats instead they combat each other by Smashing their heads together which can easily cause death many believe that ostriches bury their heads in the sand however this is untrue and may originate from their defensive behavior of pressing their necks to the ground in an attempt to hide their main weapons are

their legs propelling the bird to running speeds of 43 mph the fastest land speed of any bird the legs of an ostrich are unfeathered with bare skin the Tarsus the lowest upright part of the leg is covered in Scales the largest of any living bird measuring up to 8 in in length other birds possess three toes on each foot but the ostrich only has two with a nail on the larger inner toe resembling a Hoff their wings reach a span of 6' 7 in with a wing cord measurement of 35 in their wings are used

during mating displays to shade chicks and help balance themselves during quick Maneuvers while running it's hard to avoid their looks that appear rather Sinister with their unflinching expression in fact their large eyes are a perfect defensive weapon a very useful feet given they share their Savannah habitat with fearsome Predators when a predator is spotted an ostrich will choose one of two responses run away or lie flat on the ground and hide when their heads and necks are pressed to the ground from a distance they look like a mound of Earth some predators choose to attack

the ostrich nest for eggs rather than the actual birds in these circumstances the parents will create a distraction to lure them away if everything fails they opt for a direct assault again kicking the threat causing injury or death their Supreme Armory is again a good reason for most predators to back off from the fight commonly found throughout the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales from Bushland to Suburbia is the often annoying and always confronting brush [Music] turkey the Australian brush turkey with its mainly black body plumage bare red head yellow throat wattle and

laterally flattened tail is a very common mound building bird in [Music] Australia leading up to The Mating Season the Mal's wattle enlarges and their heads brighten in color they build large Mounds on the ground consisting of leaves other compostible material and Earth these Mounds can be as high as 6.5 ft and as wide as 13 ft the female will examine Mounds for the best quality before choosing where to lay her eggs during the mound construction process the brush turkeys also find food such as insects seeds and Fallen fruits during their foraging by scratching and raking

the ground they help to aate the soil and Supply it with a vital nutrients that help the Regeneration of the environment [Music] to protect themselves from predators such as dingos cats or goas brush turkeys form roosting groups in trees but it doesn't mean that they avoid all threats when personally threatened the brush turkey chooses to flee but when Predators seek the eggs in their mouths they will attack their only option in combat is to ferociously Peck with their beaks hopefully scaring the creature and chasing the threat away goannas sometimes have scars on their tails from

being chased by a brush turkey after an unsuccessful assault on the nest in a cruel twist of fate brush turkeys see looking after their young as soon as they hatch with the chicks then having to fend for themselves brush turkeys are vulnerable and only defend themselves when engraved danger but the population once almost extinct is now expanding throughout Australia found in the tropical and subtropical forests of central Africa are the ground dwelling predominantly Plante eating apes called gorillas gorillas are the world's largest primates they are one of our closest living [Music] relatives they mainly Get

Around by knuckle walking but will sometimes walk on two legs for short distances either when carrying something or for defensive reasons adult male gorillas usually no younger than 15 years old are called Silverbacks taking their name from the silver hair on their back and hips they can weigh up to 440 LB stand up to 6 ft tall and possess an armspan of 8 and 1/2 ft gorillas live in troops often consisting of one Silverback several adult females and their offspring gorillas have larger muscles in their arms than in their legs which can serve as extraordinarily

powerful weapons this is primarily due to the fact that the they use their increased arm strength for bending and Gathering foliage they live on they inhabit wide ranging territories so competition for food amongst each other is rare gorillas rarely drink water usually gaining enough fluids from succulent vegetation and morning Dee sometimes troops will have young males known as black backs who lack the silver hair and are subordinate to the Silverback the bonds between the females and the Silverback are what the whole dynamic of the troop is based on but it doesn't mean aggression between Sexes

doesn't occur however rarely is anyone hurt the silver back is at the center of the TR making all decisions mediating conflicts determining where they travel feeding sites and taking responsibility for everyone's safety when the group is attacked by any predator an individual silver back will take it upon himself to protect the group even if it means the loss of his own life when confronted with a foe he will stand tall beat his chest and Hoot and threaten the Challenger before charging at the threat giving the rest of the troop an opportunity to flee to safety

silverback gorillas having Incredible strength five to six times stronger than a human being they have short bulky bodies with wide muscular chests powerful shoulders and very long arms their power comes from their low center of gravity coupled with extraordinarily large muscles across the chest shoulders and into the upper [Music] limbs when two troops of gorilla engage in battle or a Silverback challenges another for the alpha position in the troop they will engage in combat sometimes to the death they wrestle tussling with each other grabbing at each other's arms sides shoulders or anything they can to

throw their opponent to the ground [Music] if Lucky the losing opponent will be able to run away if not he will die the ability to melee and brawl is often the difference between life and death not just for animals but historically for humans as well where human beings created swords and weapons to wield Evolution has granted the elk two fearsome weapons on the very top of its head their antlers not only provide a means by which to impress potential mates they Grant the male elk a deadly weapon to defend themselves from predators and rival Bulls

despite the human skull being one of the strongest bones in the body it's nothing compared to the skull of the Mighty Bison we must train for the strength to lift and throw another person different types of rhino beetle grow unique horns they use to throw rival males from tree branches with a strength that can lift 850 times their own weight humans must also train to endure a fight that may go for half an hour the big horn sheep can smash their thick skulls and massive horns against each other for hours our hands are a delicate

intricate mass of fragile Bon evolved for precision unlike the Mantis shm whose claws grant them the fastest strike in the world and the ability to destroy armored prey with a single punch human legs give us the ability to walk run and jump but the kangaroos have evolved to enable them to travel great distances by hopping like the ostrich whose legs make it the fastest two-legged creature on the planet with a lethal kick that can kill a lion brush turkeys show little fear in protecting their young before they hatch with a series of pecs from their

beak scaring away creatures much more deadly than they are and the Silverback Gorilla although being a near relative to human beings is up to 20 times stronger being able to literally flip a family sedan human beings have adapted to become the dominant force on the planet but where we have evolved intellectually animals continue to evolve physically granting them the powerful Weaponry found in the animal Armory across the African Savannah where zebra's Grays and madagascan jungles where chameleon's climb these creatures avoid becoming prey to Predators stronger and more lethal than themselves in warm Tropics where mantis

hunt to the Great Barrier Reef where octopi hide with seemingly Supernatural ability from the Arctic tundra ra where polar bears Roam and the arctic fox prey on other animals with devastating patience and skill to the Antarctic Waters where penguins play and over the mountains of Southeast Asia where the snow leopards [Music] dwell these creatures share an amazing trait the ability to use the environment surrounding them to hide in plain sight to virtually disappear and be utterly camouflaged abundantly spread across the plains of Africa is the member of the horse family famous for never being tamed

and sporting striking black and white striped bodies the [Music] zebra zebras are social animals and live in groups of varying sizes they are members of the equid family they are set apart from their horse relatives by their black and white St stripes the pattern of these stripes are unique to each zebra but these Stripes not only serve to give the zebra identity they are a brilliant camouflage its first line of defense from predators of which there are [Music] [Applause] many predators include crocodiles wild dogs hyenas and cheetah the zebra's greatest threat is the African Lion

but their stripes are usually an effective deterrent the vertical striping AIDS the zebra when hiding in grass by disrupting its outline making it more difficult for the lion to see it at a distance the stripes also motion Dazzle Predators groups of zebras are near each other whether moving or standing still the black and white stripes seem to flicker as one large mass this makes it difficult for the lion to single out a Target one would think that black and white stripes against the yellow grasses would be easy to spot and for most they are but

the lion is colorblind due to this when zebra stands still among the long grass it's virtually impossible for them to be seen by a lion who cannot differentiate between the vegetation and the striped pattern it's not until they move their black and white pattern becomes more obvious but still difficult for the colorblind [Music] lion the Savannah is covered in Grass as zebra's main source of food they spend much of their time grazing with their heads down and it's at these times that they are at their most vulnerable they young are even more at risk of

being killed often singled out by Predators for these reasons zebra will often graze among other animals that are no threat to them and share common enemies or are even capable of physically defending against these Predators with their long necks and long range Vision giraffe can serve as an excellent early warning system and the wilderbeast who also Gather in great herds can actually cause a predator injury or even death with their massive bodies and horns much needed protection for the zebra despite their amazing camouflage and relationship to other animals Lions have an arsenal of Weaponry that

can counter what they can or can't see their Keen sense of smell and acute hearing means that sometimes the Predator Gets What It Wants and a zebra Must Die to feed a hungry pride of lions but at the end of the day thanks to its amazing ability to disappear before a lion's eyes its fantastic camouflage ensures the zebra not only endures but thrives throughout time its name has become synonymous with camouflage seeming to be one thing before suddenly disappearing into another the old world lizard the chameleon has managed to capture the imagination like few other

animals there are just over 200 species of chameleon found in Africa southern Europe and Southern Asia however their biggest diversity is found on the giant Island of Madagascar many of these species are essentially the Masters of [Music] Disguise they vary their skin coloration and pattern through combining many colors and shades they achieve this with a superficial layer of skin covering their body containing pigments underneath are cells with guanine crystals the color shift happens when the space between these crystals changes altering the wavelengths of light they [Music] reflect chameleons change their color color according to Social

circumstances to communicate with each other while reacting to temperature change a beneficial side effect is it also makes for fantastically elaborate camouflage this camouflage Works to not only protect the lizard but increase its chance of a successful hunt allowing the lizard to not just capture its prey but eat it without being disturbed unlike other lizards chameleons don't creep instead they move slowly one leg at a time their slow movement is a product of their hunting technique because their tongue their strike weapon is so long it's as long as their body and tail combined with a

sticky bulb on the end which comparatively speaking gives it the longest tongue in the world when attacking their prey the tongue is launched at the Target and then put back in their mouth within a fraction of a second the strike is so quick a chameleon can catch four flies in 3 seconds they will mainly hunt insects like bees wasps and spiders and in the case of larger species small birds and rodents if their prey is out of their tongues range the chameleon approaches slowly patiently waiting until it is just within range [Music] [Music] chameleons have

evolved unique feet that are extremely beneficial when it comes to hunting their well adapted feet and sharp claws allow them to grip almost any branch [Music] even with its super grippy feet and its ability to change color matching its surrounding environment being able to approach its prey with stealth is pointless if the lizard can't see it most creatures move their eyes at the same time but the chameleon has an astonishing ability to move both eyes on their own one eye can look in One Direction while the other looks in another this lets them scan 360°

of their environment while focusing more precisely on a point with greater [Music] Clarity each eye can form 3D images when combined with these other factors the chameleon can look in all directions and assess distance without moving its head not attracting in the attention of its prey allowing the lizard to keep one eye on its prey and another on its Predator all this as it remains perfectly hidden throughout the world over 300 species of octopus have been [Music] identified with its malleable body many tentacles bulba's head and its ability to seamlessly blend into its ocean floor

surroundings the octopus continues to be the elusive Master of [Music] Disguise the octopus has eight arms with a beak at their Center and is classed as a spilop pod mollusk of all the invertebrates they are some of the most [Music] intelligent sharks eels and dolphins are just a few of the many creatures in the ocean that would prey on the octopus if given the chance [Music] but praying on the octopus isn't that easy especially if they can't be seen their first line of defense is the amazing ability to hide in plain sight through camouflage or

mimickry [Music] with a network of pigment cells and special muscles in its skin the octopus can instantly match the colors patterns and texture of its surroundings their camouflage is so effective Predators often swim right by without knowing they are even there [Music] if camouflage doesn't keep them safe the ability to hide in the tiniest of places Out Of Reach will often suffice this talent for squeezing into tight places is due to the octopus having no exoskeleton granting them a perfectly malleable body to deal with the most persistent Predators like sharks whose instincts won't allow them

to abandon the hunt the octopus must use the most potent weapon in its defensive Armory camouflage if they've been spotted and there's nowhere to hide the octopus has another trick up his sleeve a Quick Escape may be enough to get away from danger but if not a distraction is employed through the squirting of ink many octopi eject a thick blackish ink Cloud towards the Predator to muddy their sight block their sense of smell confusing them buying time to make an escape with a lightning quick Dash through the water after ejecting the ink the octopus often

has enough time to find a crevice to hide in and change its color to match the surroundings leaving for one very confused Predator octopi aren't just prey for other animals they are also effective Hunters all the aspects of making them difficult to catch make it easier for them to capture the food they need to survive depending on their size which varies from species to species octopi will hunt anything from crabs to [Music] fish again their ability to blend into their environment by aesthetically changing and squeezing into the smallest of spaces allows for the octopus to

be a highly successful Ambush Predator whether capturing prey or dragging their bodies into the murky depths to be slowly consumed or evading predators that look to make a meal of their malleable bodies the octopus's talent for disappearing into its environment is the reason it flourishes on the ocean's floor the world over [Music] the Mantis resides in tropical habitats all over the world with over 2,400 discovered species some ancient cultures believe that the Mantis possessed Supernatural Powers with its ability to camouflage and its stoic patience the Mantis is one of the insect world's most feared Hunters

[Music] [Music] [Music] with bulging eyes on triangular heads and flexible necks some species have wings but all possess huge four legs used for catching and holding prey [Music] they are expert Predators specializing in Ambush tactics using camouflage to hide the Mantis remains perfectly still waiting for prey to approach or slowly stalk them until in reach once in range they strike gripping the prey in their spiked for legs mantis don't kill before eating their prey is consumed alive they generally hunt arthropods including all insects spiders and centipedes in a face-to-face confrontation many of these insects would

put up a good fight and perhaps even win but when they can't see the Mantis coming they are easy prey [Music] being as common as they are abundant the Mantis has learned to share its habitat with other insects many much bigger than they are even with its Superior ability to blend into its environment and successfully hunt it's not all Easy Living for the Mantis like most creatures in the animal kingdom there comes a time when the Hunter becomes the hunted frogs lizards Birds spiders and ants all prey on the [Music] Mantis their best defense is

their camouflage most species are colored to resemble foliage or other backgrounds in their environment to both avoid predators and capture prey a mantis can change its color but only when it MTS its skin an important time in its life for this is when it's most vulnerable those that live on uniformly colored surfaces like bare dirt or tree trunks are flattened so they have no shadow that may reveal their presence when a mantis is threatened it will stand tall spread its for legs and fan its wings to make it seem bigger than it is some may

hiss if the threat persists it will strike with its four legs in an attempt to pinch and bite it's an elaborate ruse but one that often Works scaring Predators away and leaving the Mantis to hunt and eat its prey in relative peace once again that specialized insect Predator the praying mantis gets to live and Hunt another day thanks to its Advanced Weaponry as well as its great skills in camouflage as shown so far camouflage is an effective Talent when it comes to not just hunting prey but escaping Predators the zebra's black and white stripes against

the long grass enable them to confuse their number one Predator Lions enough to make them call off their attack the chameleon can change the color of its skin to suit its surroundings so they can use their massive tongue to strike at their Quarry the octopus can not only change the color of its skin but also seemingly its texture to hide in plain sight of those that would eat it and the praying mantis Blends in with its surroundings so well it can Ambush its prey before eating it alive these are but a few of the Masters

of Disguise that inhabit the warmer regions of Earth but more are to be found in the colder climates around the Arctic and Antarctic regions the playful penguin Sleek in the water and also nearly invisible to prey the arctic fox whose brilliant white coat lets it successfully hunt and scavenge the polar bear whose ability to camouflage makes it the arctic's apex predator and the Snow Leopard whose patent fur Blends it into the mountainous regions it dominantly hunts in found exclusively in the southern hemisphere as far south as Antarctica penguins live and breed in large colonies ranging

in size from a few to several hundred thousand depending on the species [Music] popular around the world for their upright waddling gate and curiosity when it comes to human interaction the penguin with its black and white plumage is often said to be wearing a dinner suit but there is a lot more to a penguin's color and the patterns it makes spending half of their lives in the water penguin's Wings have evolved into flippers giving them the ability to seemingly soore through the water their agile swimming makes them effective Hunters of fish the number of penguin

species is debated but it's somewhere around 17 or [Music] 18 the largest being the emperor and King Penguins standing at 48 in and weighing up to 99 lb while the smallest of the species are the little blue penguins or fairy penguin standing up to 13 in and only weighing 3 lb they split their time between land and ocean for a few reasons Penguins must breed on land because eggs can't be reared in the water with no way of killing any thread and being clumsy on land alone penguins are vulnerable to Aerial attacks from skewers and

foxes on the ground but living in large colonies serves as protection against these Predators many eyes in many directions make it hard for predators to sneak up on them despite being awkward comedic creatures on land in the water penguins swim with effortless Grace and speed making them difficult to catch but it's in the water where they are also difficult to see it's also in the water where their camel flage comes into play all penguins are countershaded having black backs and wings with white fronts for a predator looking up from below it can't recognize the difference

between the Penguin's white belly and the reflection of the water's surface the dark coloring on their back Works in exactly the same fashion camouflaging them from predators above sharks and orca are some of the most ferocious hunters in the ocean and both prey on penguin but on land they are relatively safe from these Predators it's the sea lion that's a great threat to many species when in the ocean the sea line isn't always fooled by camouflage and are just as agile in the water sometimes there is nothing the penguin can do to escape [Music] sea

lions also live out of the water often basking on the land they too are clumsy but won't hesitate to attack penguin if given the opportunity thanks to the vast numbers with their colonies these adorable black and white animals enjoy a high survival rate despite these attacks and manage to thrive in their chosen habitats [Music] [Music] the arctic fox has little to fear from humans and will often approach a person out of curiosity even though they've been hunted for their fur for many years it is this fur that makes the arctic fox such a deadly Hunter

it's native to the Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere and found throughout Tundra areas it is well adapted to living in freezing environments with its deep thick fur insulating it from the cold arctic foxes are omnivorous they have a particular taste for rodents and birds they have great success in hunting these animals for a few reasons one in particular is their ability to blend in with their [Music] surroundings their camouflage is their Ultimate Weapon in the summer when the snow Retreats the Arctic Fox adapts losing much of its fur with the remainder darkening into shades

of brown this offers them camouflage against the rocky out crops and dirt that appear when the snow and ice melt with a warmer weather during the colder months when the tundra is covered in ice and snow the fox is well camouflaged with its fur returning to its brilliant White they will usually eat any tiny animal they can find like vs hairs with Lemmings making up the bulk of their diet but will happily settle for Birds if given the opportunity [Music] when on the hunt the arctic fox relies on its incredible hearing their wide ears Face

Forward allowing them to locate the precise position of any prey female Foxes or Vixens will bring their kill back to their den amongst the rocky outcrops of the environments they call home where their young wait to be fed the other quality is that they are great forward planners they hide their food in their dens or under rocks for later consumption when hunting opportunities are scarce but the stored food won't last the whole winter even when under snow the Arctic Fox's Keen senses will detect its prey once found it is time for the fox to employ

its most famous move it will leap into the air and pounce using its momentum to break through the ice and snow to capture the prey beneath when food is really scarce the arctic fox becomes a scavenger tracking larger carnivorous animals like polar bears in their habitat and eating the carry and remains of the animals they kill again it's camouflage skills combined with a great awareness of danger that comes in handy to stay out of the Bear's deadly Reach This ensures the fox doesn't become a fresh addition to the polar bears menu living in such harsh

conditions arctic foxes are ultimate survivors they blend into their environments almost effortlessly and use their resources to their advantage and their remarkable weapons make them the ultimate survivors in the permafrost regions of the Earth for the indigenous cultures of the Arctic region polar bears have always been important and revered 1,500 year old cave paintings depict the animal while it's widely believed that Arctic people learn to hunt by watching the polar bear Chase and kill its [Music] prey the largest Bears on Earth only matched in size by the kodiac the polar bears are unmatched at the

top of the food chain in the Arctic region they are perfectly in tune with their surroundings and adapted equipped with deadly teeth and Claws and most importantly extremely well disguised no other Arctic Predator is foolish enough to attack the mighty polar bear rather than protection the white fur is an effective weapon while hunting which serves as camouflage making sneaking up on their prey easier underneath the fur there is a thick layer of blubber which provides excellent insulation from the cold while other species of bear enjoy a variety of foods other than meat the mighty white

coated polar bear has essentially a strictly carnivorous diet its main source of food is the seal but will happily hunt other creatures using the same tactics like [Music] walrus the polar bear is hidden so effectively it can literally walk right up to a group of walrus and take its pick of which one to eat without the walrus being able to see it coming [Music] the Bear's stark white coat gives wonderful camouflage in the surrounding ice and snow but underneath their skin is black to soak in the Sun's Warm [Music] while its giant pores have evolved

to allow it to walk freely on slick ice without slipping it's these pores that also help the bear to swim they need to be excellent swimmers as they Traverse the Arctic Landscapes which are broken up by bodies of water dotted by icebergs the polar bears swim in between as they hunt an efficient Predator the polar bear's most common way to hunt is called still hunting using its incredible sense of smell it will locate a hole in the ice that aquatic mammals like Beluga used to breathe the bear crouches nearby waiting in silence Bears can smell

the Beluga breath as it exhales under water they pull them from the water crushing their skulls with their jaws [Music] [Music] a polar bear will gladly sh share its meal with others as long as they approach submissively and ask for their share [Music] politely when the polar bear's Keen senses are combined with its great strength patient hunting abilities and its ability to be camouflaged in the icy environment around it it's no wonder this creature is at the top of the food chain in the Arctic regions at the top of the world occupying the high reaches

of the mountain slopes in Central Asia and playing a significant role in local cultures is the ultimate master of disguise a strong and agile Hunter the snow [Music] leopard slightly smaller than most big cats a large male could weigh up to 165 [Music] lb their long thick fur varies in color depending on the seasons from dark gray to a yellowish color in the [Music] summer snow leopards are carnivores who actively hunt prey despite rarely being witnessed they are effective Killers able to take down prey two to four times their own body weight like ibec and

maror but will readily kill smaller creatures like hairs and birds whatever animal comes close is likely to end up as the snow leopard's meal not even knowing what Struck it thanks to the leopard's Supreme disguise when hunting snow leopards prefer to Ambush their prey from above using their fur against the rocky terrain to hide their approach if spotted they will chase their prey down the mountain slope until they catch it killing it with a bite to the neck [Music] snow leopards are most active at dawn and dusk they are extremely secretive and hard to spot

because of their wonderful camouflage their color is broken up with gray to Black rosettes on their bodies with spots on their heads Limbs and Tails this coloration pattern lends itself to a perfect camouflage amongst the Rocky outcrops and snow Laden Mountain sides it's not unusual for a snow leopard to drag its kill to safety before feeding eating all edible parts a snow leopard can survive on a single kill of a large animal for 2 weeks in the warmer months when the snow and ice have melted and the forests at the foot of the mountains spring

to life the snow leopard easily relocates and hunts among the foliage in shrubs thanks to the patterns and color of its fur the Le leopard remains beautifully camouflaged blending in with a speckled Shadows cast by leaves and branches while its fur is hard to distinguish in the bright light whether on the mountain slopes or in the nearby forests the snow leopard is incredibly silent treading lightly in order not to alert potential prey they reveal their presence in their habitat by scent marking to keep away others of the same sex and to greet those of the

opposite one they sleep in different spots nearly every night so they are always on the Move making them unpredictable and harder to detect their range was estimated to be around 5 to 14 square miles but they seem to cover even more ground than that in one case scientists discovered a snow leopard migrating 375 miles for Millennia This Magnificent cat was the king of the mountains but their population is dropping the snow leopard habitat range continues to decline from Human settlement and increased use of grazing space this development increasingly fragments the the historic range of this

amazing species the monochromatic Stripes of the zebra bamboozle Predators like the lion into not attacking the chameleon can instantly change its color depending on how it feels before deploying its tongue to snatch a fly from the air in less than a second the octopus can also change its color to disappear into its surroundings while also fitting into nooks and crannies much smaller than they actually are the patient praying mantis waits to Ambush its prey while perfectly blending into its surroundings penguins are easy Targets on land but in the water they swim with speed and Grace

while appearing virtually invisible to Predators below and above the Arctic Fox's coat changes color with the seasons blending with the earthy tones of Rocky outcrops in summer and white snow in winter the Polar Bear is lost amongst the blinding ice as it hunts the Arctic Tundras and the Snow Leopard is Death from Above for unsuspecting prey unable to see the attack coming due to the color and pattern of its coat human beings have adapted to become the dominant force on the planet but where we have evolved intellectually animals continue to evolve physically granting them the

powerful Weaponry found in the animal [Music] Armory the use of venom and poison to kill enemies or capture prey has been utilized by humans ever since we witnessed animals using it in the wild many animals are venomous but few are as deadly as these although their rattles give ample warning to potential Predators the Venom of the rattlesnake has proved invaluable in its search for food and protection the stonefish is a Master of Disguise but when threatened it shoots out deadly spines from its back ensuring its Predator a painful death more notably the Scorpion has been

a symbol of Terror for thousands of years thanks to its whip-like tail that stabs its victim delivering a lethal dose of Venom another sea creature with an uncanny ability to camouflage itself is the blue ringed octopus whose bite causes paralysis and eventually death cane toads have been introduced to countries where they don't naturally occur thanks to their toxic skin almost all potential Predators will avoid them allowing them to dominate vast areas of land the funnel web spider latches onto its victim biting multiple times with massive fangs and delivering Venom that can kill an adult human

in as little as 15 [Music] minutes the heiler monsters possess a Venom so powerful that Cowboys would tell Tales of their fatal bites and fire ants despite their size possess a Venom that when deployed from thousands of ants in a single colony has the potential to kill almost any creature images of the most powerful deities woried by the Aztecs and Mayans were emblazoned with depictions of the rattlesnake their Vision serpent who worked as a conduit between this world and the next and the rattlesnake's connection with death is well deserved native to the Americas and ranging

from British Columbia to Argentina are 42 known species of rattlesnake their size can range anywhere between 1 to 8 ft [Music] long than they live in a wide variety of habitats but are mainly found near open Rocky Plains where they can bask in the sun take cover from predators and Hunt prey they favor small animals like birds lizards and rodents [Music] [Music] [Music] their name comes from their warning call the loud shaking of the rattle at the end of their tail [Music] ground squirrels and king snakes who are immune to their venom pay no attention

to the warning but these snakes are famous for more than just their tail Rattlers as they are commonly known are the leading cause of snake bite injuries in North [Music] America despite this it's rare for a rattlesnake to bite unless provoked when hunting they can patiently wait for their prey or actively seek them out in various holes rather than using constriction like many other snakes the rattlesnake will strike in half a second injecting their prey with Venom rattlesnakes deliver their venom through fangs connected to ducts which in turn are connected to glands on the outer

edge of the upper jaw near the back of the head when biting muscles around the glands contract squeezing Venom into the fangs when not in use the fangs are folded away against the pallet they are born with fully functioning fangs and Venom and most rattlesnakes can even control How much venom they inject [Music] the Venom destroys tissue and prevents blood from clotting a bite from the rattlesnake can cause severe paralysis the older the snake the more Venom it possesses if bitten the snake's prey doesn't immediately die and appears to escape but it doesn't take long

for the Venom to act through scent the rattlesnake can track its prey until it eventually dies using its tongue and prodding with its snout the rattlesnake locates the head of its prey and consumes the creature [Music] whole the digestive juices of the rattlesnake are very powerful breaking down flesh bone feathers and everything in between if the prey is small the snake will continue to hunt but if large enough it'll find somewhere warm and safe to rest while digesting until it's time to hunt again [Music] for Millennia the Australian Aborigines have told stories of the people

who fell victim to the ocean's most venomous fish the stone [Music] fish found throughout the coastal regions of the Indo Pacific they are extraordinarily dangerous and fatal to even humans their danger doesn't just come from their deadly venom but they're Supreme camouflage stone fish are often brown or gray with patches of yellow orange or red and are easily mistaken for rocks or Coral on average they grow up to 14 in but they have been documented to grow up to 20 in they can usually be found amongst rubble and coral under rocks or Ledges and on

the ocean's floor while some prefer to bury themselves in the sand their camouflage allows them to be deadly Ambush Hunters lying in weight for fish or crustations to swim by known as the world's most venomous fish one may think the stone fish uses its venom to hunt but this isn't [Music] true their true weapon is speed high-speed cameras are needed to properly see their attacks [Music] [Music] their venom however is a defense mechanism when prayed upon the stone fish first rely on their camouflage failing that it uses its venom [Music] each stone fish possesses 13

rigid dorsal fin spines capable of injecting its venom when Disturbed or threatened it will raise these spines to pierce the creatures threatening it their venom possesses both cardiovascular and neuromuscular toxicity [Music] often the stonefish is the last meal for unsuspecting Predators or a painful reminder to people wading through the [Music] ocean these deadly and Elusive creatures wait patiently to use their Lethal Weapon as and when they're [Music] required often referred to as ancient animals scorpions have existed for over 400 million years predating the dinosaurs they have always struck Terror in the hearts of people thanks

to their fearsome look and venomous [Music] Sting the Scorpion is found all over the world with almost 2,000 different species able to live in most environments from deserts to jungles scorpions can live to anywhere from 6 months to 25 years they are arachnids most closely related to spiders and ticks and spend their days under rocks and in crevices it's in the night under the cover of Darkness that the Scorpion hunts they will hunt the same territory for their entire lives but use a variety of methods to get their food most scorpions hunt insects and spiders

using their venomous stinger [Music] some Will Wait by their burrow claws open and Stinger ready hitting prey with a surprise attack as it passes by others actively forage for their prey due to their poor eyesight scorpions use brush-like sensory structures on their legs to feel their way around being carnivores their diet consists solely of the animals they [Music] catch using two large claws located at the front of their body the Scorpion grips its prey allowing its metasoma a tail-like structure containing the sharp stinger and Venom glands to strike the creature injecting it with a Venom

and ultimately killing it thanks to their venom the Scorpion can eat undisturbed all scorpions are venomous they have multiple toxin in their venom each with a different effect only a select few of the species have a Venom that is potent enough to kill a human scorpions have tiny mouths only capable of sucking up liquids once captured enzymes in the Venom dissolve their preise insides allowing the Scorpion to eat from the inside out they don't eat often only once every 2 to 3 weeks on average scorpion venom isn't used just to subdue prey but also for

protection Predators like centipede shrews owls bats and coyote all prey on scorpions but it's the Mir cat and Mongoose that are their biggest threat as both animals are immune to the Scorpion's Venom [Music] other male scorpions are also a threat when one finds its way into the territory of another they may fight to the death with the winner eating the loser [Music] in addition to impeccable camouflage and a flexible body that can fit into the smallest of spaces the fascinating blue ringed octopuses possess Venom that can kill [Music] [Music] the blue ringed octopus is one

of the world's most venomous sea creatures and is commonly found off the coast of New South Wales South Australia and Western [Music] Australia they have a lifespan of around 2 years at around 1 to 4 in in size and seemingly docile at first glance they look innocuous as they go about hunting small crabs shrimp and [Music] fish but when threatened or provoked their body lights up with iridescent blue Rings contrasting against their normally yellowish skin [Music] [Music] this is a warning that they are ready to attack with a Venom powerful enough to kill almost any

enemy including humans like other octopus species all kinds of blue ringed octopus make the most of their surroundings they spend most of their time hiding in cracks and crevices blending in seamlessly with their environment [Music] this protects them from predators like moray eels gropers sharks and Snapper from their hidden position the blue ringed octopus pounces on its prey and snaring it in its tentacles the mouth of the blue ringed octopus is a horn-like beak located at the center of where its tentacles meet it uses it to pierce through the exoskeleton of crab and shrimp to

release its venom into the prey produced by bacteria in the salivary glands the Venom contains tetrodotoxin a powerful neurotoxin that paralyzes muscles and organs while the victim is still conscious it isn't long before all the organs are paralyzed and the creature is effectively killed [Music] blue ringed octopuses carry enough Venom to kill 26 adult people and with no antivenom currently available it remains one of the deadliest inhabitants of the ocean so far we have witnessed four animals that use Venom to hunt and defend the themselves the rattlesnake dominates the Americas with a toxic venom it

delivers through its fangs following a warning from its rattling tail the stone fish are efficient Ambush Hunters whose venomous spines do nothing to help them find food but protect them from wbe predators the deadly scorpion found all over the world grabs its prey in its claws to strike it with a stinger on its tail to deliver its lethal Venom and the blue ringed octopus soall for its iridescent blue rings that flare up on its skin before it inflicts a venomous bite that can easily kill a human these are only a few of the animals that

use Venom in their Armory [Music] originally from the Americas then used as biological control for pests in the sugar cane fields of Northern Australia the cane toad has become a pest itself due to its rapid reproduction and a lack of predators [Music] [Laughter] the cane toad is a large terrestrial toad native to South and Central America America but is now found throughout the oceanic region the Caribbean and [Music] Australia females are significantly bigger than the males of the species with an average length of 4 to 6 in and a life expectancy of 10 to 15

years in captivity they are prolific breeders with the females laying thousands of eggs at a time their pant to breed have made them invasive pests in countries where they've been introduced where they were intended to combat other pests like the cane [Music] beetle but it takes more than a voracious sexual appetite for these toads to reach plague proportions vision is the primary method by which can toads detect their prey but they also have a keen sense of smell can toads will eat small rodents reptiles other amphibians birds and just about any anything else they can

fit in their mouth including plants dog food and household rubbish thanks to their non-discriminatory diet the Toads Thrive the poison glands on their skin make them highly toxic killing most animals that eat them limiting the number of predators to keep the species in check [Music] [Music] K Toad's skin is dry and watery with ridges above the eyes that run down to the snout they can be gray yellowish reddish brown or Olive in complexion with different patterns a large peroid gland is situated behind each eye with smaller ones across the back that produce the poison even

can toad tadpoles are highly toxic if ingested their poison is the perfect [Music] defense in its natural habitat Predators include Wetland birds like Ibis eels snakes and bullet ants they cannot avoid being prayed upon or eaten but they can take their attack it down with them the glands on their skin secrete a milky white fluid called buo toxin that kills not just animals but also humans if ingested the Toad's poison is so toxic it has allowed it to dominate in a variety of Landscapes turning a solution into an even bigger problem striking fear Into the

Heart of arachnophobes since its Discovery with an aggressive reputation and arguably the world's most toxic spider venom the funnel web is a force to be reckoned with both in the Australian bush and suburbs [Music] funnel web spiders are a subf family of spiders with around 40 species that are all Native to [Music] [Music] Australia funnel webs live mostly off a diet of insects but occasionally hunts small reptiles and frogs many of these species produce Venom which is lethal to humans and animals alike the most potent of which belongs to the Sydney funnel web spider funnel

webs range in size from half an inch to 2 in in length with a hairless carace that covers the front of their body they have long spinettes off the back of the abdomen and possess large fangs that unlike most other spiders Point down along the body not towards each other through which the Venom is injected funnel web fangs are so powerful they can easily penetrate a fingernail or soft shoe they make their Burrows in moist cool habitats like under rocks logs or rough barked trees it's common to find them in Suburban Gardens containing rockeries and

shrubs but barely in the open a funnel web's burrow contains irregular silk trip lines that protrude from the entrance these trip lines signal to the spider when prey is nearby so they can Rush from their burrow and Ambush their unsuspecting victim females are much larger than the males but the males have longer fangs adult males wander during the warmer Seasons to look for females to mate with they are attracted to water often falling into swimming pools and they can survive underwater for several hours thanks to the the air bubbles that attach themselves to their bodies

they aren't normally aggressive but if threatened the funnel web spider will ferociously defend itself rearing back raising its front legs in the air and bearing its fangs before striking some venomous spiders don't always inject Venom when a bite however it's very rare for this spider not to inject Venom when it strikes male Sydney funnel webs have been known to produce fatalities thanks to its specialized Venom that only affects primates due to the size of the spider's fangs the funnel web's bite is very painful leaving puncture wounds and local bleeding if bitten it takes only minutes

depending on the size of the victim before symptoms rapidly [Music] progress without treatment a human can be dead within 15 minutes of being bitten funnel web spider venom contains chemicals that attack the nervous system of humans and other Prim Ates oddly it doesn't affect the nervous system of other mammals an anti-venom was developed in the early 1980s and since then no human has died from the bite of a funnel web spider [Music] in the American Old West Pioneers told stories of great lizards with toxic breath and a deadly bite these stories evolved from true events

about the healer monster a venomous lizard [Music] [Music] they are easily identified by their black bodies with patterns of pink orange or yellow heila monsters usually weigh up to 1 and 1/2 lb with the heaviest being being recorded at 5 lb they move very slowly and grow up to 2 ft in [Music] length living in scrubland succulent desert and Oak Woodlands they take shelter in Burrows thickets and under rocks [Music] they love water and are often observed immersing themselves in puddles after rain 90% of a Healer Monster's life is spent underground in their Burrows or

in Rocky shelters their activity above ground depends on the seasons in Spring and in early summer they emerge in the mornings while later in summer they prefer the warm [Music] nights coyotes and Raptor birds are the predominant threats to healer monsters while they themselves pre upon the eggs of various animals and sometimes small birds mammals reptiles insects and carrying as in when the opportunity presents [Music] itself even though it hunts a wide variety of creatures the heiler Monster eats very infrequently only 5 to 10 times a year for this reason when it does feed it

will eat up to a third of its own body mass the heiler monster deploys its Advanced Armory its sense of smell is so acute that it can locate and dig up eggs buried up to 6 in deep in the ground and even track a trail made by a rolling egg once the prey is located and caught it's crushed to death in its mouth or if small enough eaten alive but its hunt for food isn't restricted to the ground healer monsters can climb trees and cacti in their search for eggs the heila monster produces Venom in

saliva glands located in its lower jaw they lack the muscular Force to actually inject any Venom instead it's transferred from the gland to the teeth by chewing this chewing action draws the Venom from the gland to the tooth and into the victim the healer monster is one of the few venomous lizards in the [Music] world because healer monsters usually prey on helpless creatures and eggs it's believed they venom has evolved as a defense mechanism along with their bright coloring warning potential threats of their toxicity the Venom of the heiler monster contains neurotoxins and even though

it's as potent as that of a coral snake the heila monster produces only very small amounts though they move slowly these lizards can bite very quickly and once they latch on can be very difficult to remove causing the victim a great deal of pain aside from the creature's monstrous appearance its Armory makes the healer monster a formidable Foe for those who share its desert habitat there are thousands of species of ants but only a small minority of these species have the ability to sting and inject a victim with Venom the most famous of these ants

have been introduced to several countries around the world where they are now considered dangerous pests easily recognized by their red color and painful Sting the fire ant is known by a variety of names depending on where in the world they are the fire ant is considered an invasive species they are recognizable by their black reddish bodies and their size less than A4 of an [Music] inch mature fire ants look like any other ant with bodies typical of any insect [Music] this three sectioned body includes the head the thorax and the abdomen with three pairs of

legs and a pair of antenna many species of ants bite and forine ants can even spray acid to irritate their victims but fire ants have a dedicated alkaloid Venom sting as well as mandibles for biting within a large nest of fire ants workers exist in a variety of sizes which is rare among ants a colony produces large Mounds in open areas where they feed mostly on plants and seeds [Music] but fire ants are also extremely aggressive and often attack small animals killing them [Music] [Music] where other ants bite and then spray their acid on the

wound fire ants only bite to grip their victim and then sting them from the abdomen to inject the [Music] Venom it creates a painful sting that's likened to being burned hence the name [Music] the aggression of the fire ant usually pushes native ants out of the local habitat leaving little to no competition for food in the [Music] area fire ants build their nests near rivers ponds and other areas with moist [Music] soil the nests are of of and concealed underneath objects like rocks or logs if there is no cover Dome shaped Mounds are created reaching

Heights of 16 in a colony is usually founded by a small group of queen ants but even if only one of them survive it can quickly expand into thousands of ants [Music] the queens or the reproductive females in the colony are usually the largest of the fire ants with the sole purpose of reproducing males mate with the queens and die immediately after culation other roles in the colony include the soldier ants who have larger stronger mandibles and the workers whose job it is to maintain the upkeep of the nest foraging for food and caring for

the eggs and the LA forid flies inject their eggs inside the fire ant's thorax as the ant dies the lvy will move into the ant's head and the adult fly will emerge [Music] for thousands of years human beings have used poison as a means to execute assassinate and murder their foes the very idea of these attacks were learned from animals in the wild who have continued to evolve and hone their use of Venom in battle the rattlesnake that gives warning before biting a thread and injecting them with their lethal Venom the stone fish a Master

of Disguise that defends itself with venomous spines the Scorpion whose tail contains a venomous Stinger it uses to both hunt prey and defend itself the blue ringed octopus while small contains enough Venom to kill 26 adult humans the cane toad doesn't sting or bite instead its skin is covered in a toxic substance that when eaten by a predator is lethal [Music] the funnel web spider defends itself with aggressive attacks through multiple bites that deliver Venom that can kill a man in under half an hour the heiler monster's venomous bite was made famous through stories told

by Cowboys in the old west and fire ants completely dominate any landscape they establish a colony in killing creatures much larger than them human beings have adapted to become the dominant force on the planet but where we have evolved intellectually animals continue to evolve physically granting them the powerful Weaponry found in the animal armor in The Frigid Waters of the Arctic The Walrus depends on its surprising ability to spit in order to feed for the Cobra its venomous projections are fired with intent to Blind their predators and for the the jawfish spitting provides them with

a home and the means to defend it when it comes to stings individual bees will sacrifice themselves to attack a threat to their colony jellyfish troll their Stingers through the world's oceans to capture prey and ward off predators in Australia The Humble idna is coated in a near impenetrable armor of spines stingrays despite their infamy reserved their deadly sting for self-defense whereas predatory centipedes deliver a paralyzing sting to immobilize their victims a treacherous and everchanging Frozen landscape the Arctic and its surrounding waters are among the most hostile environments on the planet few animals are equipped

to survive in the arctic's harsh climate and few are still can appear comfortable in this Subzero world but the rotund easygoing walrus provides exception to the [Music] [Applause] rule highly social animals walruses are commonly found in massive herb Birds numbering in the tens of thousands between feeding and fighting much of the walrus's time is spent lounging about in an environment where most animals would perish conserving energy as they rest walruses are protected from the elements by a tough hide encasing an insulating layer of blubber up to 10 cm thick [Music] famed for their tasks the

walrus's elongated canines can reach a meter in length a potentially fatal instrument in self-defense the tasks are also relied upon during the breeding season when males engage in Fierce combat to establish social dominance but the walrus has another unexpected weapon in its Arsenal one that is commonly used but rarely witnessed spit [Music] [Music] with adults weighing up to 2 tons the walrus's tremendous bulk makes them slow and cumbersome on land but in the Water The Walrus suddenly becomes agile and it is here that their secret weapon comes into [Music] play feed primarily on mollusks The

Walrus must consume about 5% of their body weight per day this translates to between 3 and 6,000 clams in a single feeding session fossicking in the murky depths walruses must locate and remove their stubborn food source from the sea floor and they rely on spit to do [Music] so drawing large amounts of water into their uniquely vaulted mouths walruses are able to fire a high press jet stream at the otherwise inaccessible mollusks clearing out the surrounding debris the walrus's spit reveals and loosens their food source allowing for easy removal and consumption and once the soft

flesh has been devoured The Walrus simply spits out the remaining shells as effective as their unique spitting technique is in feeding it is often little protection against the arctic's other Predators while healthy adult wusers are more than capable of Defending themselves polar bears will Rush The Herd on the beach attacking any individual that is crushed or injured in the sudden Exodus even in the water they are not entirely safe with killer whales known to Target carves or otherwise unwary walruses from the depths with their predators equally determined and well equipped the seemingly relaxed walrus must

remain ever ready in the unforgiving Arctic from the tropical forests and grasslands of Southeast Asia to the dry Savannah and arid regions of southern Africa the Cobra strikes fear into all that cross its path and this is by Design the name Cobra is derived from Portuguese for hooded snake there are over 20 species of true hooded cobras spread across two continents and it is this intimidating appendage that lends this snake its fearsome reputation but the Cobra's Hood hides a secret weakness in this seemingly indomitable animal [Music] while nonvenomous snakes such as boers and pythons will

grab their prey and squeeze them to death cobras rely on Venom to kill with relatively small fangs and a slender build cobras are more vulnerable during these hunts than their bigger more muscular counterparts needing to bite down and hold on to their prey in order to deploy their deadly venom against smaller animals this aggressive technique poses little danger to the Cobra but against larger game such as rats or even other snakes if the Cobra fails to disable their Quarry immediately they can easily be injured or killed in the ensuing [Music] struggle this is where the

Fearsome Hood comes into play rearing up to display its characteristic flattened neck the Cobra appears bigger than it actually is effectively bluffing its way out of dangerous [Music] situations it is the dramatic impact of this unique display that has made the species a favorite of snake Charmers [Music] but some Cobra species have another more dangerous weapon in their defensive Arsenal while all venomous snakes secrete Venom from their fangs spitting cobras have modified this trait to launch long range assaults [Music] by Contracting the Venom glands spitting cobras squeeze small amounts of Venom at high pressure through

their fangs enlarged Fang holes direct the Venom upward and outward the snake simultaneously flaying its head to widen the target area of the spray projecting over 2 m with lightning speed the Venom combines neurotoxins and cytotoxins allowing it to damage nerve tissue and shut down individual cells if this deadly spray is inhaled or comes into contact with a cut it can cause serious damage but the real Target is the eyes with the Cobra seeking to Blind its attacker [Music] predated upon in the Wild by birds of prey rival snakes and mongooses for spitting cobras this

vicious defensive mechanism can be a lifesaver so instinctive is this ability that baby snakes are able to spit immediately after hatching and some species have been reported to spit even after death found throughout the Atlantic Pacific and Indian Oceans One species of fish has evolved its talent for spitting to be used in a variety of [Music] applications small and charismatic creatures jawfish average just 10 cm in length occupying challenging terrain and ready to duck for cover at the slightest hint of danger there are currently over 80 described species of jawfish with more being discovered all

the time exhibiting great Variety in their appearance they share the common attributes of enlarged heads bulbous eyes and cavernous mouths the huge mouth of the jawfish is kept busy digging Burrows spitting excavated material to one side jawfish tunnel vertically into the sea floor in order to create cleverly engine neared Burrows it is here they will spend the majority of their lives safely ensconced from the ocean's Myriad of [Music] predators scooping up mouthfuls of Sand Pebbles and coral Rubble into its enlarged mouth chamber the jawfish contracts its gills to force the debris back out again narrowing

the mouth opening creates increased pressure allowing the jaw fish to fire targeted debris at unwelcome [Music] Intruders unable to either outswim or fight off the many predators that Target them jawfish are extremely vulnerable in the Open Water rarely venturing far from their Burrows their remarkable mouths are their greatest asset in preparing and maintaining a ready Escape [Music] Route when danger has passed by a jawfish will cautiously check that the coast is clear before reemerging from the safety of their Burrows [Music] while their spitting is not an effective deterrent to Predators it can be used against

fellow jawfish investing so much of their energy into digging and fastidiously cleaning their Burrows it is no surprise that jawfish are highly Territorial and when a rival crosses the boundary the resident jawfish will accurately ly spit gravel in a sign of aggression to Ward the Intruder [Music] away but the jaw fish is rely on its mouth does not end with digging and spitting with the males of the species also practicing mouth brooding carefully incubating their eggs while holding them in their mouths the fathers to be will open wide to aate their young forgoing food themselves

until the newborns are hatched [Music] as the day draws to a close the jawfish retires to the safety of its burrow covering and perfectly concealing the entrance they may sleep safely Within [Music] when it comes to stings for most there is one animal that comes immediately to mind perhaps the best known member of the insect world the B [Music] [Music] with close to 20,000 species and a distribution covering every continent except Antarctica bees are a remarkably diverse group of insects not all bees make honey and not all bees are able to sting but for the

many different varieties of honeybee stinging is a vital defense mechanism in protecting this invaluable Resource as pollinating insects bees are dependent on flowering plants for their survival and vice [Music] versa so while the bee's Armory is not to be dismissed it is the mutual ually beneficial relationship with their food source that has assured their survival with plants and bees co-evolving for tens of millions of [Music] years with the bees traveling from flower to flower they transmit pollen from one plant to another allowing the plants to make seeds and reproduce for the bees part the pollen

they collect is stored in their hives where it becomes honey to feed the colony and it is in defending this Hive where the bees sting is most useful [Music] [Music] [Music] a honeybee stings using a modified egg depositor called an ovipositor Barbed at the end when the Stinger enters its victim it lodges enabling Venom to be pumped from from the Venom Sac this process triggers the release of alarm pheromones from the bee drawing other bees to join the [Music] fight while capable of repeatedly stinging thin skinned animals when it comes to thicker skinned mammals such

as humans the honeybee's Barb is lodged tight tearing loose from its abdomen and causing its death however the Relentless sting lives on pumping Venom until its sack is completely drained for bees their sting is often a last resort with their astonishing abilities in the air generally able to get them out of trouble while it is a common misconception that be flight defies the laws of physics their aerial Mastery is certainly uncanny flapping their wings approximately 230 times per second bees are capable of attaining speed height precise maneuverability and carrying relatively heavy loads but for all

their advantages bees know a great many predators in the wild among them their close relative the ant seizing individual bees while foraging or raiding hives for the energy-rich honey stored inside ants pose a constant threat to many species of bee social insects the inspiring teamwork of honeybees is evidenced in their intricately structured highly organized [Music] hives with clear division of labor shared care for the young and complex communication networks a healthy beehive is a perfect picture of harmonious [Music] [Music] living while their sting remains a dangerous weapon the bee's greatest asset is their ability to

cooperate [Music] [Music] in this episode we have seen how spits and stings are Incorporated in the animal world in equal part for attack and defense The Walrus has proven an unexpectedly frequent spitter during its underwater foray in search of clams and muscles the Cobra is unique among the snake world for its ability to fire Venom from its fangs to Blind wouldbe attackers jawfish feature enlarged mouths to accommodate their spitting habits in creating and protecting their homes when it comes to stinging bees employ their stinger in self-defense and to call on reinforcements when defending their hive

but stings come in a variety of forms and for every stinging animal there is a distinctive variation of the theme throughout almost the entirety of the world's vast ocean Network one of the most successful carnivores is also one of the most unassuming the jellyfish [Music] from the cold sunless depths to warm tropical waters the jellyfish drifts silent and dangerous throughout almost every Ocean on the planet and reaches into many of its freshwater systems [Music] with over 200 species jellyfish are made up of a gelatinous or jelly-like body which can pulsate to propel them through the

water trailing an array of tentacles behind it is these tentacles that in many species provide both a potent form of self-defense and a powerful [Music] attack exhibiting a stripped down anatomical design jellies dispense with extravagances such as a stomach intestines or lungs instead taking in nutrients and oxygen through their cells and with the most basic nervous system of any multicellular animal the jelly fish is built to Simply kill eat and make more jellyfish tasks it has proven highly successful at over [Music] Millennia with limited control over their movement jellies are vulnerable to predation in the

Open Water however the brutal stings of their tentacles afford great protection and aside from sharks sea turtles and a handful of fish species the most common jellyfish Predator is other [Music] jellyfish trailing their deadly tentacles like drag Nets jellies practice a distinctively passive form of hunting feeding on whatever drifts their way be it fish crustations or plankton each jellyfish tentacle is packed with thousands of microscopic stinging threads called neumatic sys triggered by touch even lightly brushing against a jellyfish's tentacle builds pressure inside the nematics causing them to uncoil millions of pneumatics fire into their victim

delivering paralyzing neurotoxic Venom in less time than it takes to [Music] Blink stinging is not the only weapon in the Jelly's Armory most jellyfish are transparent making them almost invisible to both predators and prey within the [Music] water but some species of jelly opt for the opposite tactic employing bioluminescence to stand out particularly in the dark ocean [Music] depths the purpose of this mesmerizing chemical reaction is not fully understood but it is understood to be a technique to startle and disuade would be predators [Music] the Pacific Mana War is not technically a jellyfish but employs

the same hunting tactic with a unique modification also known as the floating Terror this creature dangles its tentacles like fishing lines beneath a snail-shaped structure filled with gas allowing it to hunt from the [Music] surface an incredibly effective technique it does place the man of war at the mercy of the Winds which can see them swept ashore in their thousands the oldest multi-organ animal on the planet the jellyfish's simple design and deadly stinging tentacles have allowed it to hunt the ocean for over 500 million years a legacy that is set to continue [Music] seeming to

combine the anatomy of several different animals into one the idna sports a blanket of porcupine like spines that serve as its greatest defense asset [Music] [Music] while far more timid than the dreaded snake woman of Greek mythology after whom they were named aidas like their namesake combine the qualities of reptiles and mammals despite their superficial resemblance to ante eers and hedgehogs aidas are only one of two surviving members of the unique order of monotes or egg laying mammals thus the kidas closest relative is another unlikely creature the Platypus found only in Australia and New Guinea

aidas descend from an ancient aquatic ancestor and appear to have borrowed from a number of different animals as they evolved for life on the land sporting the elongated snout of an antia while female aidas do lay eggs like reptiles they also make use of a pouch similar to that of a kangaroo but it is their dense coat of spiny armor that is their most distinctive acquisition forming an overwhelming obstacle to their many predators targeted by snakes monor lizards dingos and more the aidas spikes are designed to wound or even blind anything that attempts to bite

them up to 5 cm in length the Aid's spikes are composed of the same material as human fingernails coating almost their entire body when threatened the Akida digs its vulnerable Underside into the Earth with its powerful legs presenting an impenetrable morass of needles to its [Music] attacker with relatively poor eyesight the bulk of the Aida's diet is nonetheless made up of tiny ants and termites [Music] hunting with their highly sensitive snouts not only are aiders equipped with an excellent sense of smell they also boast an array of Electro [Music] sensors detecting the faint electrical signals

from insect bodies idas are unexpectedly skillful Hunters of their prey while their short legs account for their distinctive waddling gate eidas are strong limed animals and employ their enlarged claws to dig out their food with tireless [Music] efficiency and like a microscopic version of their hide the Aida's long tongue is coated in tiny spines making for an inescapably sticky appendage to slurp up their plentiful [Music] prey thanks in large part to their hardened hide a kidas are able to live slow and [Music] long resistant to stress the kidas have a slow metabolism allowing them to

make the most of their food [Music] and with an average temperature of 32° aidas have the lowest body temperature of any [Music] mammal with remarkable longevity for their size this mysterious armored creature is rumored to live almost half a century in the wild Serene and graceful as they glide through the water when threatened the stingray packs a lethal [Music] punch most commonly found in the coastal shallows of temperate Seas there are about 200 species of stingray a relative of the shark stingrays exhibit a very different temperament preferring to keep a low profile they spend much

of their time Blended almost seamlessly into the sea floor but despite their tranquil nature stingrays have become infamous for their potent weapon that Trails behind them Stingray Tails carry up to two Barbed stings covering a thin sheath of skin where Venom is concentrated whipping their tails the sting punctures the attacker's body tearing the sheath and allowing a potent cocktail of Venom to enter the wound many Stingray stings also feature serrated edges meaning they cause massive tissue damage when [Music] retracted with its venom remaining potent even after death the stingray sting is the stuff of Legends

once believed capable of dissolving [Music] Stone and while the barbed spines of the Tails have been used to Fashion weapons such as daggers and Spears for the stingray it is purely used in self-defense [Music] predated upon by sharks seals and large fish the stingray is more than capable of warding off or indeed killing any wouldbe attackers [Music] but their deadly tails are not the stingray's only means of protection working their flattened bodies beneath the sand stingrays employ a highly efficient form of camouflage with eyes situated at top their heads they can keep watch for danger

and if spotted will raise their Barb tails in the manner of a scorpion reminding any wouldbe predators of the threat they pose [Music] [Music] with skeletons made of cartilage rather than bone the stingray is able to propel itself through the Water by the distinctive wav likee undulations of its body [Music] [Music] basting rays do hunt for fish the bulk of their diet is made up of creatures that many other ocean predators are simply unable to find targeting clams crustations and other small animals hidden from sight stingrays utilize Electro receptors to pick up on the faint

electric Fields they generate [Music] using this Sixth Sense stingrays scour the sea floor like flying metal detectors digging out their hidden Quarry and crushing through protective shells with their powerful mouth parts [Music] a uniquely designed creature the stingray has swam the ocean for 100 million years and is well equipped to continue the true embodiment of a creepy Crawley The centipede is armed with a unique pair of poisonous Stingers to paralyze its [Music] prey with an estimated 8,000 species found in various habitats all over the world world the Hardy centipede is an incredible Survivor but vulnerable

to dehydration it is in the moist jungle environment where centipedes are at their most abundant and most intimidating reaching lengths of 30 cm centipedes Are encased in a tough exoskeleton comprised of varying numbers of body segments each with its own pair of [Music] legs with leg numbers ranging from 30 to over 350 despite their name no centipede has exactly 100 [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] legs regardless of their number their multitude of of Limbs grants them speed dexterity and exceptional climbing capabilities despite having poor eyesight centipedes Are highly successful Predators seeking out their prey with

their finely attuned antenna primarily feeling their way over all kinds of terrain the antenna are sensitive to vibration and are coated in chemo receptors granting the centipede Superior senses of motion tracking and [Music] smell known as poison claws the centipedes head is equipped with a unique set of modified fangs called for [Music] aules fed by Venom glands these Pinel likee appendages bite down on the centipedes prey applying an almost unshakable grip while they deliver their paralyzing toxin existing on an almost exclusively carnivorous diet once the centipedes prey is immobilized by its venom they are able

to consume it using their mouth parts to tear small portions at a time centipedes patiently ingest their victims piece by piece [Music] generalist Predators centipedes will take on almost anything within their size range meaning the bigger the centipede the bigger their Quarry large specimens such as the giant Amazonian centipede are able to widen their diet to include small Birds rodents and lizards wrapping itself around its victim it waits for its paralyzing Venom to take effect before beginning the grizzly process of [Music] eating although the centipede is among the world's largest landbased inverte Predators it is

not immune from becoming prey itself targeted by mice snake and spiders with sufficient numbers even smaller creatures such as ants can overpower an imprudent centipede should the centipede find itself in the grip of a predator it has an emergency escape mechanism able to break off and sacrifice a few legs to make its getaway while they may have legs to spare centipedes also have the ability to regenerate lost limbs allowing this resilient creature to crawl on and fight another day spitting high press Jets of water at molas Grants the warus access to its most valued food

[Music] source delivering venom through its fangs when hunting the Cobra can also spit their poison over 2 m in self-defense and spitting is vital to the survival of jawfish allowing them to create and protect their burrow [Music] fortresses the bees sting not only deters potential threats but releases an attack pheromone calling for backup in the fight the jellyfishes tentacles do not discriminate automatically delivering their venom to anything they come in contact with eidas are constantly protected by their densely packed needlelike armor the power of the stingray's Barbed tail and the potency of the Venom is

the stuff of Legends and the carnivorous centipede is granted access to a wide range of prey thanks to its paralyzing [Music] sting where we have evolved intellectually animals continue to evolve physically granting them the powerful Weaponry found in the animal Armory [Music] whether used in isolation or in combination ejection and odor are potent instruments for luring and capturing prey but that is just the beginning in the animal Armory these REM remarkable abilities Empower animals to use more diverse strategies providing defense deterrence escape and attraction throughout the ocean cuttlefish evade their enemies by disappearing behind an

ejection of ink so repulsive is the skunk's odor that wbe Predators have learned to avoid them almost altogether across the wide Plains of the African Savannah the notorious hyena relies on odor to maintain cohesive packs to survive in the inhospitable Arctic tundra muscs employ their distinctive set to Mark trails and compete for mates Tasmanian devils are well known for their foul odor but are now understood to utilize smell in a more surprising way male koalas depend on their scent glands as a first line of defense warding off Rivals from climbing into their territory both ejection

and odor are used to devastating effect by the Innovative and predatory bolus spider and for the milliped toxic odors are deployed in a form of chemical warfare one that has the risk of backfiring among the most intelligent invert Ates on the planet for the Cuttlefish even its ink ejections contain layers of [Music] complexity widely distributed throughout shallow temperate and tropical Seas the more than 120 species of cattle fish are rarely obvious at first glance but when they reveal themselves they are seen to be creatures of remarkable diversity and even more remarkable abilities equipped with a

bag of tricks and traps that would be the Envy of most animals perhaps their deadliest weapon is their intellect with one of the largest brain to body ratios of all invertebrates these judicious fods know precisely which tool to use and when like their squid and octopus relatives when cuttlefish are pursued by Predators they have a famous Escape strategy releasing a cloud of ink the threatened cuttlefish is briefly obscured from view all the time it needs to make a speedy getaway with the ink containing dopamine it is s to temporary arily paralyze the sense of smell

in predators that could otherwise hunt by scent the underwater smoke screen is created by releasing ink from specialized sacks located between the gills but the cuddlefish can also mix its ink with mucus to create smaller denser clouds that approximate their shape and act as decoys confused Predators mistakenly attack these decoys while the real cuttlefish Darts Away unscathed despite their odd appearance cuttlefish are highly agile Predators feeding on crustations octopuses fish and other cuttlefish while utilizing their mantle for jet propulsion for the most part cuttlefish rely on the short fin that surrounds their bodies resembling a

bellowing skirt this muscular fin provides maneuverability in almost any direction known as The Chameleons of the sea cuttlefish can alter their color as well as their texture to perfectly mimic their environment [Music] [Music] so versatile is the Cuttlefish skin that it can make flamboyant displays to scare off potential Predators or Flash moving patterns to effectively Mesmerize their prey often combining their Inky ejections with their talent for camouflage and extreme maneuverability within a split second the cuddlefish can squirt a cloud of ink change its color and alter its direction completely bamboozling pursuers well equipped to escape

being prayed upon cuttlefish also possess the tools to make aggressive Predators opening their eight arms and shooting out a pair of long grabbing tentacles they latch onto their victims with powerful sucker ads before pulling them into their beaks and paralyzing them with Venom the cuddle fish's unique cuttle bone is not actually a bone but a porous internal shell providing an energy efficient method for controlling their buoyancy cuttlefish can adjust the levels of gas and water in the chambers of this shell in order to set their position in the water column [Music] [Music] during mating Cycles

the gathered males fight to win breeding rights with females with the Victor jealously standing guard over their prize subordinate males can disguise themselves as females in order to sneak past the guard and gain access to the supposedly protected female Research indicates that cuttlefish eyes are fully developed prior to birth enabling baby cuttlefish to observe their surroundings while still in the egg upon hatching it is speculated that the clever cuttlefish will excel in hunting those species it studied before emerging giving newborn cuttlefish one more advantage in their already impressive Armory [Applause] [Music] [Music] when it comes

to ejections and odors there is one animal whose reputation precedes them the skunk [Music] the skunk family includes 10 different species and except for the two varieties of Asian stink badges all are found in the Americas ranging across a variety of wooded and grassland habitats from Canada to South [Music] America with each species displaying its own variation of patterns most skunks feature a bold and distinctive black and white coloration [Music] seeking to stand out rather than blend in the skunk advertises its pungent potential as an early warning system to [Music] [Music] Predators following the changes

in season across their wide range skunks exhibit an equally wide diet as omnivores they consume both plant and animal matter and are able to adapt to feed on whatever is [Music] available despite poor vision limiting their view to just 3 m they more than compensate with heightened sens of hearing and smell and are almost always able to find a meal thanks to their potent weaponized odor Predators have leared to give skunks a wide birth when little other food is available canine species such as wolves or foxes May risk taking on a skunk but such attacks

are rare the only regular danger to skunks is the great horned owl which is capable of swooping in with such stealth that they can dispatch the unsuspecting skunk before it can discharge its heinous [Music] Aroma with a pair of Highly developed scent glands on either side of their anus skunks produce an oily liquid made up of chemicals known as theol turning away from their threat muscles around the skunk's scent glands contract to project their nauseating Theo spray with great accuracy to a range of 3 m the stinking mist of the skunk's scent bomb is so

foul that even the relatively insensitive human nose can detect it from over a kilometer away and because theol are a volatile chemical compound they decompose slowly lingering on any surface they touch for days defying attempts at removal this chemical mixture is so powerful that it can cause skin irritation and even temporary blindness carrying enough of the rank liquid for approximately five doses it can take 10 days to produce another Supply leaving the skunk defenseless in the meantime in an effort to Ward aggressors away skunks will engage in elaborate threat displays giving their victim every chance

to back down before firing their spray as a last resort mothers are more trigger happy with their spray with male skunks playing no role in parenting it is down to the females to protect their young firing at the slightest sign of danger mother skunks are Fierce Guardians ensuring the Next Generation can grow to carry on the potent Legacy of their [Music] [Music] species for Africa's most common large carnivore the hyena odor is an indispensable tool of their [Music] [Music] trade ranging across Continental Africa there are four distinctive species of hyena the largest and most prominent

of which is the spotted [Music] hyena frequently perceived as cowardly or lowly animals spotted hyenas are lumped in with the Scavengers of the Savannah and while they are not shy about opportunistically feeding on caran spotted hyenas are actually highly skilled Hunters obtaining the vast majority of their meat from their own [Music] [Music] kills the use of odor while not yet fully understood is an important component of their collaborative success also known as The Laughing Hyena for their Eerie vocalizations spotted hyenas are not only the most social of the hyena family but the most social of

all carnivals with large group sizes and complex female Le social hierarchies these Collective Killers depend on precise communication for their success more effective than language it is their odors that do the talking instead of urination hyenas deposit a strong smelling past likee secretion on grass stalks throughout their range Beyond simply marking territorial boundaries individual hyenas use these deposits to communicate key information including their sex family group and reproductive status fed by anal and sebaceous glands a large patch of naked skin beneath the Hyena's tail produces a pungent paste carrying bacterial and chemical signatures unique to

the individual hyena the paste is used for communication and territorial marking with some hyena species able to spray their secretions to dismay wbe attackers despite their heavy bear-like builds spotted hyenas are Adept Runners and can reach speeds of up to 60 km an hour working seamlessly as a team groups of spotted hyena will engage in prolonged endurance chases wearing their Quarry down over vast distances renowned for their strong bite hyenas attack with their teeth rather than their pores and together can devour an entire kill bones and all in under half an hour capable of planning

ahead spotted hyenas may also elect to store food for later consumption [Music] competing with lions and other big cats hyenas will seek to drive them off their kills hoping to claim the meat for themselves frequently fighting over the same territories and hunting the same prey hyenas actively attempt to kill off the young of their enemies for the same reason hyena Cubs are vulnerable to attacks from big cats and are closely guarded by their [Applause] mothers primarily nocturnal creatures hyenas are most most active at night where their attuned eyesight is aided by their Superior sense of

smell a source of fear among many traditional cultures Arab folklore tells of hyenas having the power to Mesmerize victims with their pheromones given the significance of odor to the hyena there may be something to the legend [Music] the Arctic a harsh unforgiving landscape characterized by its cool fleeting Summers and notorious for its seamlessly endless Frozen Winters here it takes grit and resourcefulness to survive attributes the imposing musx has in Spades and as their name suggests odor is a significant factor in their [Music] substance occupying primary ranges across the Canadian Arctic and Greenland no other hooved

animal lives as far north as the musx more closely related to sheep and goats and oxen they are nonetheless built to withstand the challenges of their frigid landscape [Music] most obvious in their Armory is their trademark outer coat of long shaggy guard hair providing the musos protection from the elements year round a shorter undercoat is grown seasonally for added insulation during winter while still tipping the scales at around 300 kg so dense is the musk ox's coat that it conceals a somewhat slender build underneath living in small herds the collective mentality of the musx provides

perhaps their most important advantage in the Arctic and scent is a vital part of herd living using pre-orbital glands around their eyes musk o leave odor markers along their Trails allowing herd members to locate one another when visual contact is lost Oda plays a very different role during the fierce male dominance contests of the breeding season located around the genitals the male's prepucial glands produce the rank smelling pheromone from which the musk ox takes its name using their urine to distribute the scent over their abdominal fur the ball simultanously marks his territory against rival males

and advertises his potency to females while the Bulls are the aggressors during the breeding season for the most part it is the cows that lead the herd depending on their fat reserves to successfully gestate their young and to see them through the scarce winter months it is essential that female muss make the most of feeding opportunities while they last constantly on the move the cows decide where the herd travels favoring the nutritious plants and grasses of the wet lowland areas they bolster their fat reserves for The Bleak months ahead [Music] when the merciless winter sets

in the herds migrate to Higher Ground here the strong winds that rake the exposed terrain prevent snow from settling too deeply and the musos can use their enlarged powerful Hooves to uncover the roots and lyen that will sustain them throughout this most brutal season the odds squabble aside the herds are less active during this period conserving energy and maintaining a collective vigil for danger [Music] thanks to their size and dangerous curved horns the mcox has few predators to contend with in the Arctic while polar bears May Loom large Arctic wolves are the primary concern thought

to account for up to half of all musk ox fatalities but a tight-knit herd linked together in great part by their use of odor would draw ranks in order to protect their most vulnerable members and see them through to another summer within the animal Armory the multiple applications of ejection and odor have more than proven their worth we have seen the intelligent predatory cuttlefish use ejection to escape predators of its own skunks have weaponized their overpowering odors ejecting them to arrange of 3 m more Hunter than scavenger the spotted hyena is a communal Carnival relying

on scent to maintain order within the pack musk ox Bulls use their heady Aromas to advertise their virility to females and announce challenges to rival males now we will see how odor has deepened our understanding standing of fearsome Tasmanian devils revealing their softer side koalas on the other hand use odor in a more hostile manner warning away unwanted [Music] Intruders bowler spiders employ their copycat pheromones to draw unsuspecting victims into their unique Glu like ejections and the millipedes costic secretions not only have an unappetizing aroma but can burn uny [Music] Predators so named for their

vicious temperament foul smelling and unearthly screeches the true nature of the Tasmanian devil is is only recently becoming understood and odor plays a key role in their surprisingly complex [Music] Behavior found only on Australia's isolated island state of Tasmania Tasmanian devils are marsupial mammals meaning they carry their young in a pouch despite being the size of a small dog they are the largest marsupial carnivores on Earth Often heralded by a distinctively feted smell these diminutive predators are widely feared for their ferocity and impressive strength [Music] the tazzy devil's famous gape puts its imposing array of

teeth on full display far from a welcoming gesture it is not the aggressive performance it appears to be instead communicating fear on the part of the devil [Applause] another sign of the stress devil is their smell emitting an offensive odor when threatened early European settlers took this to be the devil's natural Aroma when in fact a calm and relaxed Tasmanian Devil is not smelly at all unless feeding tazzy devils are generally seen as solitary creatures but this too is a misconception in fact vast and complex networks of devils occupy expansive home ranges spread across thousands

of Acres with a highly attuned sense of smell the Devils rely on scent to communicate their comings and goings minimizing conflict with their shared territories as each devil maintains their own personal space specialized anal scent glands produce an oily liquid serving as each Devil's unique scent signature marking or signing their trails with their scent networks of devils maintain a constant awareness of each other's movements and well-being without direct contact while more multifaceted than their ranker reputation gives them credit for the Tasmanian devil remains an unruly Beast feeding provides a rare opportunity for face-to-face interaction but

while it is a social Affair it is hardly sociable [Music] emitting horrendous cries heard from kilometers away other Devils within the range are called in to enjoy the feast but an invitation is no cause for politeness and excited squabbling is common during the meal with adult males being the most frequent [Applause] aggressors faster than their stocky Bild suggests Tasmanian devils are capable Hunters taking down prey much greater in size than they are however caran and roadkill make for easier meals and Scavenging provides the majority of their diet their enlarged heads generate one of the most

proportionately powerful bites in the animal kingdom with sufficient Force to sever thick metal wire chewing through bone is an easy task for a Tasmanian devil and they can devour all trace of a corpse with ease with no Predators on their Island Home the Devils have no need for a quick getaway and will Gorge themselves when the opportunity arises consuming up to 40% of their own body weight within half for now despite a lack of predators tazzy Devils face a range of threats in the wild and their population is in Decline the usage of odor is

helping shed light on previously unrecognized behaviors and now that they find themselves on the endangered list it seems these misunderstood marsupial require Sympathy for the Devil living among the trees and surviving on a diet poisonous to most other animals the koala is an Australian anomaly with a host of unique adaptations [Music] [Music] found throughout Eastern Australia's wooded coastal areas the iconic coala bear is not a bear at all but a marsupial or pouched mammal equipped to scale eucalyptus trees and eek out a living from their highly toxic and nutritionally poor leaves they are armed with

the tools to successfully exploit a niche in their environment while not immediately apparent odor is significant among these tools facing little competition over their preferred food source for the simple reason that it would kill other animals the koala's specialized digestive system creates a bacteria to neutralize the eucalyptus poison while an elongated gut breaks down the tough leaves scent also plays an important role with a koala's highly sensitive nose detecting fluctuations in toxicity among the leaves it is ensured that they do not bite off more than they can safely [Music] chew with a metabolic rate half

that of a typical mammals it is vital that k MERS cons serve their limited energy resources to resolve this problem the solution is simple sleep and lots of [Music] it safe from predators on the ground Koalas in their aerial perches have the remarkable ability to Slumber up to 22 hours a [Music] day during their waking hours koalas are surprisingly mobile needing to eat around a kilogram of leaves a day they must change trees frequently and are often forced to cover considerable distance on the ground when an area resources become [Music] depleted vulnerable to Predators such

as dingos these four Rays on terraferma are highly dangerous for koalas and are generally kept to a minimum but adult males can be driven to riskier Journeys when searching for a mate [Applause] with the scent glands exposed through hairless patches on their chests male koalas produce a secretion containing a complex chemical mixture of over 40 compounds depositing this odor around the tree trunk as he climbs the male simultaneously Stakes his claim to the tree whilst advertising his presence to any females in the area despite a cuddly appearance koalas are asocial creatures and for the most

part the only two koalas that tolerate each other are mothers and their [Music] babies with poor eyesight odor marking provides an unmissable warning sign for this assertively solitary species keeping physical disputes to a minimum and thus preserving their limited energy [Music] coated in the most insulated fur of any marsupial koalas are effectively shielded against the extremes of the Australian climate while the white fur on their bellies can reflect solar radiation during heat waves they are also highly resistant to wind and rain [Music] when the cold does set in koalas will curl into tight balls in

order to stay warm and conserve [Music] energy eating an otherwise toxic food source has its advantages consuming such volumes of calyptus leaves koalas have taken on a distinctive odor from their oil similar to that of cough drops thus they are afforded a natural insect repellent and are rarely affected by external parasites and because the leaves have a high water content koalas rarely need to drink avoiding dangerous trips to the ground unless it is absolutely necessary nocturnal animals much of the koala's life is hidden from sight with their proclivity for sleep and acute teddy bear facade

the hardship of the koala's existence and their adaptations to meet their challenges are easy to overlook [Music] but in the animal Armory looks are deceiving and just as their use of odor remains widely unrecognized the koala's cuteness belies the rugged Survivor [Music] beneath throughout a range of wooded Hab itats across Africa America and austral Asia is to be found over 60 species of tiny spider employing an ingenious combination of odor and ejection so effective is the bowler spider's deceptive techniques for luring and capturing their prey that they don't even need a web nocturnal creatures each

species of bowler spider is dedicated to hunting its own particular species of moth Beginning by building a horizontal trapeze line the cunning spider will hang motionless while emitting an odor that perfectly matches the sex pheromone of the moth they feed on dangling their bolus a sticky capture blob of silk they await the arrival of their unsuspecting prey [Music] [Music] also known as angling spiders for their resemblance to fishermen when the approaching Wing beats of a moth are detected they swing their line and effectively hook their meal [Music] known as aggressive chemical mimicry the Bowa spider

emits a cocktail of chemicals to simulate the sex pheromones of their desired species of moth the bolus itself is a complex structure consisting of flexible protein fibers and dual layered viscous droplets to form an adhesive ball once ins snared the helpless moth is reeled in and dispatched with a venomous bite quickly binding their prey in SES of silk the meal is strung up for later consumption allowing the spider to return return to the [Music] hunt altering the false pheromones that they emit over the course of the night these exceptional spiders precisely adjust their alluring odor

in order to maximize their catch [Music] [Music] descended from one of the first animals to breathe air millipedes carry on an ancient lineage with odor forming the Cornerstone of an Armory that has withstood the test of time [Music] occupying almost all terrestrial habitats millipedes are extremely resilient and resourceful [Music] invertebrates while the name of these armor-plated creepy crawlies derives from the Latin for, ft no known millipede actually has this many legs exhibiting a wide variety of shapes and sizes millipedes are distinguished by carrying two pairs of legs per body [Music] segment but that's not all

their bodies carry with many species equipped with stink glands running the length of their [Music] flanks a robust and ver species there are approximately 12,000 types of millipede each with a unique set of tools and skills to thrive within their given [Music] environment with a preference for the moist conditions of the forest undergrowth many millipede species do just as well on the dry Desert Sands [Music] the first animals to colonize the land the fossil record shows that millipedes emerged from the water and adapted to breathe air over 400 million years ago a significant Head Start

in evolving their odorous defenses [Music] millipedes are primarily detre ofor consuming dead plant matter such as decaying leaves a clever dietary adaptation it provides an abundant food source in most habitats and means that millipedes serve an important role in aiding decomposition within their ecosystems but moving slowly through the undergrowth their diet places millipedes at risk of predation and they rely heavily on their stinky emissions for protection lacking pincers for fighting ipeds do not possess a sting and their bite is good for little more than munching on Leaf [Music] litter opting for neither flight nor fight

most threatened millipedes will curl into a ball protecting their soft belly with their hardened exoskeleton [Music] [Music] this defensive posture can be held until the attacker loses interest persuaded in no small measure by the millipedes off-putting and even poisonous secretions microscopic stink glands known as oors run along the sides of the millipedes body releasing a mix of irritants and toxic chemicals the oapa secretions not only emit foul smelling and tasting odors but can burn the exoskeletons of insects as well as the eyes and skin of larger [Music] Predators as effective as the millipedes hazardous ejections

may be they are not foolproof [Music] crafty Predators such as meia cats have learned to flip millipedes around in order to remove their defensive discharge before eating them and in some cases the millipedes chemical warfare has completely backfired with primates deliberately antagonizing the poor creatures before using their secretions as insect [Music] repellent despite their odorous defenses is having an Achilles heel the indomitable milipede has more legs to stand on and continues to maintain a stronghold in its vast and diverse territories around the [Music] world The Crafty cuttlefish utilizes range of tactics to hunt in the

ocean its Inky ejections keeping it safe when the tables are turned combining ejection and odor the skunk can fire its sickening stink with practiced Precision more than the Scavengers they are made out to be hyenas employ odor as a means of communication in their complex society musk ox endure the unforgiving Arctic using scent to establish breeding rights and to Mark the way for the herd for the Ferocious Tasmanian Devil odor has only recently been revealed to maintain their secretive societies more aggressive than they appear male koalas intimidate Rivals by marking their territories with secretions from

their chests an aromatic arachnid the bolus spider lures prey by mimicking their pheromones before ens snaring them with a unique ejection and the ancient millipede deters and even injures would be Predators with a noxious discharge where we have evolved intellectually animals keep adapting physically granting them the powerful Weaponry found in the animal Armory [Music] [Music]