World's Deadliest MEGA EPISODE | Season 1 Full Episodes | Nat Geo Wild

All the hunters you're about to meet have one thing in common. They all use teamwork. They communicate. They strategize. They ambush. All for the sake of the kill. These are the world's deadliest predators. And they gang up in packs and swarms. Of all the group hunters on Earth, these are among the biggest. In their African homeland... ...lions sit at the top of the food chain. Females do most of the hunting... ...while males rest and protect territory. To survive, lions rely on teamwork. A time

-tested strategy will be used against the warthogs. One female will get as close as possible... ...and then drive the prey to another lurking in ambush. Lions have great vision. The brightest sunshine won't blind them. And in low light, they can see six times better than humans. They can hear prey from a mile away. And their sense of smell is so keen they can tell how recently the prey passed. Lions will take on prey more than twice their size. A full-grown zebra can weigh nearly half a ton. One

kick from those hooves can break a lion's jaw. Lions are sprinters, not marathoners. They can hit 35 miles an hour, but only for a few seconds. So they team up...approaching their prey from different angles Zebras learn to keep their distance, but one zebra is about to violate the first rule of the safari: Always stay with the group. The lion will go for the typical deathblow:Crushing the wind pipe ...while the team keeps their prey from getting away. Of all the world's cats, lions are the only

social animal...especially at dinnertime. After a kill is made, males always eat first, then the females. What's left goes to the cubs. Often not enough. Most will not survive into adulthood. Lions need up to 15 pounds of food per day, so for the pride to endure, they have to keep on the hunt. But some prey calls for the whole team. Cape buffalo are truly big game. One lion can be outweighed five to one by a buffalo. To take it down, the lionesses need reinforcement. The pride's male could weig

h twice as much as a female. This is no random gang-up. It's a two-pronged attack: distract the buffalo-then go for the hindquarters to bring it down. But even Africa's biggest cats can't always eat in peace. Someone out there wants to mooch their meal. Few creatures would dare confront a proud lioness. But few creatures are as bold as a pack of hyenas. This kind of fight has rarely been filmed. Like a humble housecat, the lioness takes refuge in a tree-proof that a whole pack trumps one queen.

As tough as hyenas might be, their culture more closely resembles monkeys' than lions'. Hyenas live in clans that can reach as large as 80. Unlike lions, they have a matriarchal hierarchy...a female is always the chief. Below females are cubs and at the bottom of the social order are adult males. Within each group there are strict levels of rank, not determined by size or strength, but by its mother's status. The most fortunate cub is born to the chief of the clan. Hyenas are notorious scavenger

s and will steal kill from bigger predators. Like this leopard. Vultures tip off the hyenas. There's fresh meat to be had-and the hyenas grab it. Can the leopard recover its fumble? NARRATOR: When a hunter gets its prize, it eats what it can, until the clan starts to arrive. Then it gives up its spot and leaves higher-ranking females to the choice cuts. Yes, they're good thieves, but also good hunters. Among the most prolific predators in Africa. Today, on the open plains of the Serengeti, their

strategy is simple. Form a semi-circle around this herd of wildebeests and pick off stragglers. Lions kill their prey before consuming them, but hyenas eat their prey alive. Blessed with powerful jaws and a cast-iron stomach, they can crush and digest bone. The calcium from within the bone turns the hyena's feces white. And they're the only carnivore that eats hides. Only hair and horns go to waste. It can eat up to one fifth its weight in one sitting. And it can eat rotten flesh-so it buries l

eftovers for later. Out here, hyenas are one mob that grazers don't want to run into. But if any predators deserve to be called a mob, it's the meerkats of South Africa. And that's just what they are called: a mob. Twenty is a typical size, but some mobs number more than 40. Meerkats aren't cats. These mammals belong to the mongoose family. They hunt as a pack, but before they can go on offense, they have to mount a defense. The reason is simple: at only about two pounds and just a foot long, me

erkats are vulnerable to other predators. So for protection, one member finds a termite mound or shrub and keeps watch. If the sentry spots trouble, he'll bark. He'll be relieved in about an hour so he too can forage. Meantime, he constantly gives the meerkat signal for "all clear." With the lookout posted, the rest of the mob can come out of their burrow and hunt. They hunt small mammals, like this squirrel, not always with success. Insects and scorpions are dietary staples, too. They'll team u

p to turn over rocks and help each other dig. Its fingers are tripped with curved claws, nearly an inch long. The prize inside the box: scorpion. The sting would kill a young human...but the tiny meerkat is immune. It bites off the scorpion's tail, leaving nothing else to waste. Like meerkats, these predators don't look like a menacing mob. Humpbacks are known as the ocean's gentle giants. Tell that to its prey. The humpbacks are setting the stage for a massacre. Humpbacks can look gentle-as wat

ching a mother with calf proves. They feed mainly in summer and live off their fat in winter. Their commute to their feeding ground is the longest known migration of any mammal...up to 10,000 miles round trip. Humpbacks are generally loners. But they'll come together to hunt. Southeast Alaska. These humpbacks are about to net thousands of fish. They use two tactics that in the hands of a child would be harmless: singing and blowing bubbles. But with humpbacks, the combination is lethal. On one s

ide of the shoal of fish, one whale creates a wall of bubbles. On the opposite side of the shoal, another whale sounds the battle cry. NARRATOR: The famous song of the humpback...except now, the song becomes a dirge. One hundred and eighty decibels...equal to a rocket launch and powerful enough to damage human ears. The fish flee from the uproar-and collide with the wall of bubbles. They see the bubbles as a barrier. While they're blocked, the blower swims around them...surrounding them in a bub

bly prison. With no other way out, they head for the surface to escape... ...right where the whale wants them. In this ring of death, dozens of humpbacks will feast. They have no teeth-so they swallow their prey whole. And if any creature should be nicknamed "Jaws, " it's the humpback. It can spread its jaws more than 13 feet wide...and swallow hundreds of fish in one gulp. Its throat and chest are lined with 30 wide, ventral grooves-allowing it to open its mouth as wide as possible, to take in

hundreds of gallons of water, swimming with prey. They may eat like this twice a day, during the feeding season. Humpbacks aren't the only horde with a famous call. The call of the wild can chill your bones... ...especially if it's the last sound you'll ever hear. Their howl is an all-purpose telegraph. It summons members, marks borders and sends warnings. But this coyote didn't get the message to keep out. Wolves don't like having their meals mooched. Like hyenas and lions, there is a strict hi

erarchy within each pack. However, with wolves, the highest ranking status goes to a couple: the alpha male and female. They always eat first and only they will bear young. The other members of the pack will help raise their cubs. After six weeks, pups need more than their mother's milk. They need meat to survive. Too young to join the hunt, the pup will stay behind in the den. If the adults are successful, they will regurgitate the kill for the young when they return. But getting that meat isn'

t always easy. A single wolf pack's territory averages 80 square miles in size Wolves have scent glands in their toes. So as they track prey, they leave messages behind for fellow pack members. They have a highly developed sense of smell and, in the right conditions, can detect scents from almost two miles away. Prey might be tracked for hours or days, before the pack starts its chase. The longest recorded pursuit stretched for 13 miles. No wonder the deadly German subs of World War II were call

ed wolf packs. Legend tells of humans raised by wolves. But this pack hunter is your own next of kin. Chimpanzees. They share more than 98 percent of our DNA. That makes them our closest cousin. Chimps were once considered strict vegetarians. But not any more. They are one of nature's most cunning killers. In some parts of Africa, a chimp will eat a ton of meat a year. Like us, they have complex sounds for communicating. This chimp gives the signal...that it's time to hunt. NARRATOR: Hunting par

ties like this one may hold up to three dozen members...and their search could last up to four hours. They hunt 25 species-including small antelope and wild pigs. But they've found their favorite prey: Red colobus monkeys. Here's where brainpower pays off. They take positions in the treetops, surrounding the monkeys. With the escape routes cut off, the real hunt is about to begin. Male monkeys will actually fight back. But it's David versus Goliath, without the slingshot. The chimp outweighs it

six to one. Youngsters and mothers are split up...leaving easy pickings. Chimps have sharp teeth. But to kill prey, chimps use gravity, hurling their prey with lethal force against a hard surface. Half a dozen monkeys might be killed in a single attack-but usually just one. Big males dominate the group, so they eat first ...just like the lions. Unlike lions-and like humans-males share their meal with family and allies. The next predator could hunt just fine on its own. But as a pack, it takes on

prey 10 times its size. South America has more than 20 species of piranha. The most notorious is the red-bellied piranha... and they're about to earn their reputation. In the rainy season, rivers crest their banks and flood the land. Piranha follow. The rain brings a bumper crop of prey. Great white egrets...nesting in the only dry place left. Awkward young egrets aren't ready to fly...so if they lose their balance, they're goners. Like sharks, piranha have sensors to detect other creatures' mo

vements. Once blood is shed, piranha can detect a drop from two miles away. Thrashing only draws more piranha. All that's left is pillow stuffing. Their name comes from two native words: pira, meaning fish; and anha, meaning teeth...and no wonder. Their teeth are triangular, interlocking and dense. And so sharp, they can cut a steel fishing line. But the fish with the monstrous reputation is actually small: on average, about as long as a pencil. So piranha school for the same reason other fish d

o: safety in numbers. When rivers are high, food is plentiful... but beware the dry season. As the land dries out, rivers retreat into oxbows and ponds. Confined to a natural fishbowl, piranha will go after anything they can sink their teeth in. Injured piranha are quickly cannibalized. As for those legendary attacks on humans...rare. And no one has ever documented a human being killed by a piranha attack. From overhyped legend to undisputed fact... ...the fastest animal on land: The cheetah. Ch

eetahs hunt by vision, not by scent. Like commandos, they sport black marks on the inside corner of each eye, perhaps to cut the sun's glare. Everything about a cheetah is designed for the chase. It gains traction from claws that don't retract and paw pads with extra grip. It'll try to creep within 100 feet from its target before bursting into action. Clocked as fast as 71 miles per hour, at top speed, it takes about three and a half strides every second, and every minute, up to 150 breaths. Its

hind legs are so flexible they can pass the front ones. And for almost half the time at full speed, the legs don't even touch earth. NARRATOR: Female cheetahs hunt alone, but males hunt in packs. Males like these are usually brothers and they usually bond for life. Working as a pack, they can tackle bigger prey, like these wildebeests. And when the brothers are hungry, not even a little bad weather will slow them down. The Ferrari of animals, able to accelerate from zero to 60 in three seconds.

But its temperature soars so high...if it doesn't stop after 300 yards, it could die. But that's why it's in a pack. Two more with fresh legs. Once they bring the wildebeest down, the cheetahs choke it to death. A truly lethal band of brothers. Another predator keeps on the move in its constant search for food. Orcas. The killer whales. Every day, they eat up to 300 pounds of prey. And Peninsula Valdés in Argentina stocks a banquet. Seals. Deep water and steep beaches make an ideal hunting grou

nd. To find prey, orcas use built-in sonar called echolocation. They send out clicks and whistles that bounce off the target. And because of the steep slope at this beach, an orca can swim under the cover of a wave all the way to shore. Mothers will take prey back to the open water and turn it loose... ...so their offspring can learn to hunt. What looks like playing with their food is actually a seminar...in predation. Orcas are the largest member of the dolphin family...and an apex Orcas will t

eam up to grab prey that seems out of reach. Like an Arctic seal at rest. Working in tandem, the orcas cause a fatal dunking. They live in pods up to 40 strong...communicating through whistles and grunts unique to their pod. Warp speed is about 30 miles an hour. About every 30 seconds, they surface to breathe. The pod detects big game. Gray whales. But it's the calf they're after. They have a two-pronged strategy: first, force the gray whales to swim faster-and tire the calf. Then separate calf

from mother. The orcas will dunk the calf till it weakens and drowns. This marathon of torment lasts almost six hours. Nature has given prey a host of defenses...from strength, to speed, to camouflage. But if there's one pack of predators who have managed to stack the deck in their favor, it's the hunters that live here: The painted dogs, named for their uniquely colored coats. No relation to the hyenas, these are the so-called wild dogs of Africa. Maybe the most successful hunters on Earth. Fou

r out of five chases...end in a kill. Their attack starts with a charge to stampede prey and reveal weaklings. For the takedown, they have no weapon except their teeth. But they have large premolars for crushing and eating bones. And their bite is among the strongest of any meat-eating mammal. They're not born as first-class hunters; their skills are actually learned. Adults regurgitate meat for pups, but painted dogs are so social, they share food with the sick and the old. They seldomly show a

ggression to each other...rare behavior in the natural world. Painted dogs hunt across a spectrum of terrain... from savannah, to bush, to flood plain. When prey is trapped, the dogs enjoy the advantage of a 360-degree attack, a tactic that sooner or later wears down the defender. They've honed a technique to protect themselves from the lethal horns of African game. As one holds prey by the tail, another pins it by the mouth. The rest go for the guts and eat it alive. They have no choice. Lurkin

g lions would steal their meal, so they wolf it down in minutes and in silence, unlike hyenas, who can't dine without raising a fuss and drawing a crowd. The highest compliment to this pack comes from its very prey: the lechwe. Lechwe head for deep water when threatened. The lechwe are still in hot water. Once caught, few victims escape from these jaws. What a tribute to these predators...that their prey fears them more than they fear crocs. Strength in numbers. Nature's gift to a host of predat

ors... ...who thrive by sticking together. For those who think a committee never gets anything done, just ask these guys. Narrator: These are the animals all others fear. The apex predators. The top hunters in their realm. The killers no nearby animal would dare to challenge. These are the world's deadliest, In the world of hunters, one apex predator is legendary for efficiency: The great white shark. It seems evolution has created the ultimate killer. This is one of the most lethal shark

s on Earth. One that all other animals steer clear of. But even this top predator misses more than it catches. Along the coast of South Africa, a great white shark is on the prowl. Here, there are roughly 1,000 fur seals for every great white. At over 100 pounds, an adult fur seal could be a good meal for a shark. But a seal that's grown this big has learned ways to avoid great whites. The younger seals aren't nearly so wise. And a shark could almost catch them at will. But seal pups ar

e too small to keep this shark satisfied for long. Because at more than 20 feet and two tons, there's a lot of great white to feed. Great whites have excellent eyesight, both underwater and above. They are the only known fish species that will "spy hop" or stick their heads out of the water to see what's on the surface. Sight is so important to a great white that in the last seconds of an attack it rolls its eyes back into its head to protect them. Many great whites have scars around t

heir eyes from seal bites. The older seals know what's waiting for the younger and unlucky. But they need to reach deeper waters to fish. But the shark has more than speed, good eyesight and surprise on its side. It can hear extremely well and can detect motion from over a mile away. Its face is covered with jelly-filled pouches that are so sensitive to electric fields it can detect muscle movement and heartbeats. If there's a seal in the water near it, the shark will almost always sen

se its presence. Lying in wait, rushing up at 25 miles per hour, the other seals flee, but they can't relax for long. This meal will only hold the shark for two days, then it will be back and the hunt will start all over again. The great white brings multiple weapons to a fight, while other predators rise to the top by specializing. South America's jungles have their own versions of water-bound terror. But only one group, the constrictors, uses sheer muscle power to become the apex pred

ator. They literally squeeze prey to death. And the largest and most muscular of the constrictors: South America's green anaconda. This is one of the most massive snakes on Earth. It weighs over 200 pounds and measures close to 20 feet long. The anaconda shares this flooded plain with the capybara, the largest rodents on Earth, often reaching more than 100 pounds. Capybara are social animals and herbivores. Much of their diet consists of aquatic plants, so they spend a lot of time nea

r water. Prime hunting ground for the anaconda. Underwater, it can stalk without being seen, poking its head up just long enough to gage the distance. Then it waits, lying in ambush. The capybara stays within range. The anaconda strikes, latching on with six rows of teeth, coiling itself around the large rodent. Every time the capybara exhales, the anaconda tightens its grip. It constricts the blood flow to the capybara's heart causing cardiac arrest. The anaconda can't tear its prey

apart, so it has to somehow fit the entire four-foot meal into its stomach at one time. Its lower jaw is not fused to its skull. The jaw separates in the middle and flexible ligaments permit the jaw to open extra wide. The remarkably elastic jaw and teeth that bend backward allow the anaconda to engulf its prey in one gigantic bite. It's a huge meal. The anaconda will rest, digesting its catch for more than two weeks. A capybara this size will satisfy it for months, but eventually it w

ill need to feed again, and nothing will be safe from the ultimate death squeeze. The anaconda's mammoth coils may give us nightmares, but the Australian dingo looks like the family pet. It seems too cute and cuddly to be deadly, but don't be fooled. This is Australia's top predator. Narrator: Dingoes were domesticated dogs when they arrived here aboard traders' canoes about 5,000 years ago. But they escaped their owners and returned to the wild. Ever since, they've thrived across the

entire continent, with no real rivals at the top of the food chain. They're so successful they strike fear into Australia's largest animals, Almost nothing, not even the fastest animal can escape them for long. But this relentless hunter is also a doting caregiver. There's a new litter, and everything is given over to the young, including the hunter's most recent meal. For a youngster, any animal like an echidna is something to poke, prod and nibble to see how it tastes. Only sharp spin

es protect it from becoming just another chew toy. A dingo becomes most lethal when it teams up with others. As they get older, the pups learn to work in tandem. Spotting a monitor lizard on the beach, two siblings have a new unwilling playmate. Finally, the monitor gets far enough to submerge and the puppies are reluctant to follow. By the time they're mature, dingoes, like all predators, go after prey that put up the least resistance. Domesticated sheep and cattle are like dingo fas

t food. The dingoes' prowess has earned them the wrath of ranchers who see them as pests. Their aggression isn't limited to prey. Dingoes work out a hierarchy through intimidation and the occasional fight. This way, each dog knows his or her role when it comes to the hunt. They need to work as a team to bring down prey as big and powerful as a gray kangaroo. Kangaroos can weigh over 145 pounds and hop at speeds of up to 45 miles per hour. To wear one down, the dingoes take turns chasi

ng it. Working in relays. There's little time to celebrate. Every dog needs to eat as quickly as he can, because a pack this big can devour an entire kangaroo in a matter of minutes. For dingoes, it's all about the family unit. This is where life's lessons are passed from one generation to the next. The ability to teach and learn is what separates some apex predators from the rest of the pack. For a grizzly bear cub, the lessons start at day one, and the best teacher is mom. Narrator:

Late spring in Yellowstone Park. For elk, its calving time. Newborn calves follow their mothers around intently, learning what they need to know to survive. For grizzly bears, the elk calving time is dinner time. And the sight of a vulnerable young calf is hard to resist. When she gets lucky and close enough to a calf, she can take off in a quick burst and chase it down. Grizzly bears can and will eat just about anything. Most of their diet isn't even meat. They've developed grinding

teeth in the back to chew tough plants. Long claws to dig up insects, and roots, and even shellfish. A grizzly is on the prowl constantly, searching for any food. Digging, grazing, scavenging. A strong stomach is just part of what makes this bear an apex predator. Size is a factor. This grizzly is almost 1,000 pounds. And where fish is plentiful, its cousins grow even larger. When the salmon return to spawn, they fill the rivers and provide a fat, rich bounty for bears. Young and old, t

hey all gather to fish. The biggest claiming the best spots, and using their bulk and mean tempers to take what they don't catch. Farther inland, the bear has to develop other hunting strategies. Today, bison could be on the menu. They're twice the size of an average bear. No easy takedown. But where there are bison, there are bison babies. The key is to separate the calf from its mother. A bear attack is all about speed and power. But another even more lethal hunter prefers a game of

cat and mouse. In isolated pockets of Siberia and India, they are the one hunter of all animals, including humans, fear. Tigers. Weighing as much as 600 pounds. Bringing in a nasty set of canines and claws to every encounter. Sprinting at 35 miles per hour. But the biggest and most powerful cat on Earth misses far more often than it kills because it lacks one key quality: Stamina. A large tiger has to get within pouncing distance of its target, otherwise it tires quickly and has to give

up the chase. To succeed the tiger depends on an unlikely weapon: its stripes. Their color and pattern help this one blend into the grass. On silent paws, a female moves undetected through the brush. Stealing towards a band of monkeys. Narrator: Out of sight, she now has to wait for one to come close enough for a quick strike. Success, but this monkey is little more than an appetizer or a snack to share with her young. The cubs depend on the mother for up to three years. Only half of t

hem will survive that long, and when they do make it, staying fed can be a full time job. A large tiger needs to eat at least 12 pounds of meat a day. In summer, the watering holes begin to shrink. Animals crowd around. They're on edge. Watching for the hidden menace. The tiger's challenge is to get as close as possible. With a kill that can hold it through the night, the tiger melts back into the grass. Tigers need a huge hunting territory. But another apex predator has learned to thr

ive in a relatively tiny range. The Galapagos Islands, where life has evolved in unique ways. Here, in the Galapagos Islands, the apex predator isn't a large mammal or even a reptile. It's a bird. Of course, this is no ordinary bird. The Galapagos hawk is armed with a vicious beak and a set of talons. With no enemies, the Galapagos hawks have their pick of animals to hunt. A favorite meal is another Galapagos oddity. Big males stand their ground, too strong for even a hawk. The real hun

ting opportunity comes when the iguanas leave the coast. Once a year, females venture inland to dig burrows. This is where they lay and bury their eggs. And for hawks, it's a chance to gorge. But the lizards are wary. Their burrows double as hideouts. Even when the hawk sinks its talons into this iguana, the fight isn't over. The lizards are surprisingly powerful and can wriggle free from the hawk's grip. Struggling to reach safety, one battles to reach the water. But it's too late. T

he real feast is held almost exactly 100 days later, however. The hawks gather around the burrows, sensing the approach of dinner. Like clockwork, young iguanas pop out. But they seem to know something nasty waits for them if they're not careful. The fate of each hangs on its short legs, good luck and the sheer number of how many of its siblings and cousins make a break at the same time. It's a mad, one-sided race: the hawks gorge themselves on the iguana hatchlings. The iguana hatch c

oincides with the hawks own. Feeding them fresh iguana, they raise another generation with a taste for the Galapagos delicacy. Learning their craft can never start too early for apex predators. But some are just natural born killers. Crocodiles seem to spend their entire lives with every sense turned towards the hunt. On a river bank in East Africa, crocs are hatching. The gender of each is determined by the heat in the nest. If the egg stays between 88 and 90 degrees, it produces a ma

le. Higher or lower and it produces a female. Now they're vulnerable. A quick snack for hungry predators. But this is their mother, and she's not eating them, she's protecting them. To gently pick up her babies, she uses the deadliest jaws on the planet. They're capable of delivering a bite force of 5,000 pounds per square inch, which makes them more than seven times more powerful than a great white shark's bite. This mother carries a mouthful to safer waters. Even then, she has to st

and guard. Only one percent of newborns make it to adulthood. This youngster's instinct to kill is there almost from day one. As it grows bigger, it moves its way up the food chain. Feathered, furred or otherwise, all that matters to the croc is that it's edible. After 20 years, it grows to 14 feet long and weighs 500 pounds. To a croc this big, anything that ventures near a watering hole is a potential meal. Narrator: Crocodiles can't easily chase down prey. They are ambush hunters th

at prefer their prey to come to them. It's feast or famine for the crocodiles, so they gorge when food is plentiful. And the biggest meal of the year is about to arrive. Searching for water and green grass, millions of zebras, wildebeests and antelopes join one of the largest mass migrations on the planet. Rivers are one of the few reliable sources of water, but they are also home to crocodiles. The herd gathers at the river's edge. They're suspicious and the crocs don't want to scare

them off, so the crocs lay low, hoping to lure as many into the river as possible. The croc can stay underwater for up to two hours at a time. It works its way to the edge. Waiting for the right moment. Inches from a kill, but it misses. Spooking the first row of animals. However, there are hundreds of thousands more that need to cross. The croc just has to retreat and bide his time. Driven by their migration, the herd crosses the river's edge. Then the pressure mounts from the herd p

ushing from the back, the ones in front are forced into the river. It's like a dam break. And the croc has its pick of prey. It has up to 68 pointed teeth that it uses to catch and latch onto its prey. But it can't tear and chew its meal. Instead, it thrashes and spins to rip apart pieces. Then swallows the pieces whole. When the rains come and the river isn't the only source of water, easy kills become rare. But the croc has one more trick. It can slow down its own metabolism, so whe

n food is scarce, it can fast for months. Many top hunters look the part, but it's hard to picture some as ruthless killers. With the leopard seal, appearances are deceiving. This is one of the Antarctic's deadliest hunters. But on the beach, an adult seal can barely roll over, let alone pose a serious threat. For the penguins, this leopard seal is little more than a speed bump on their path to the water. And it's a large barrier, at 10 feet and 1,000 pounds. But when the seal drops i

nto the water, it's transformed. With a streamlined body and powerful flippers, it can reach speeds of 14 miles per hour, and turn on a dime. The seal looks like an aquatic ballerina. Until it opens its mouth to reveal sharp one-inch canines. The seals' tactics are pretty simple. Swim along the edge of a penguin colony, staying underwater and out of sight. And there's nothing complicated about the kill either. Narrator: It grabs a penguin by the feet and repeatedly beats it against the

surface. The seal literally smashes it to pieces. Then it can eat the flesh and the fatty parts, letting the rest float away. Leopard seals are sloppy killers, compared to one of South America's apex predators. In murky tributaries of the Amazon River, it uses what could be the strangest hunting tactic of all. This six-foot-long animal produces what almost no other animal can conjure, a killing shock of electricity. Known as the electric eel, it's a unique creature, more closely relate

d to a catfish than an eel. First it produces a small electric field, sensing distortions in it to navigate and to find other animals. These fish have no idea that their heartbeats and muscle action are drawing a killer closer. The electric eel probes likely hiding spots. The eel is not going to rest until it's eaten. Sensing prey, the eel flushes it out into the open and delivers its death blow. Five hundred volts, enough to stun an adult human. Quiet until hunger moves the eel to hu

nt again. Full, the eel disappears into the murk. At the other extreme of the planet, one hunter is so dominant it never hides and has nothing to fear. In the eyes of a polar bear, everything looks like lunch. A bear can kill anything it catches, but seal is a favorite meal. The polar bear's keen sense of smell can detect a seal from a mile away and under three feet of snow. Seals use air holes in the ice where they can breathe. And a bear can follow the scent of the seals breath. The

bear waits until the seal surfaces. And pounces. Seals also build dens under the snow and once the polar bear locates the den, it smashes in the roof and pulls out its meal. The bear is so successful in this short period it often grows a white shadow: an Arctic fox. It follows the bear everywhere, feasting on the leftovers. The polar bear eats the blubber, leaving the meat for the fox. Ideally, the polar bear will catch 20 seals in just two months. But when the patch ice melts, the s

eals disperse and the hunting becomes lean again. The polar bear resorts to hunting any and everything, including sled dogs. Notoriously fearless, polar bears were photographed investigating a nuclear submarine. One tried to bite the hull. Searching for prey, the polar bear can swim up to 60 miles. Paddling with its forelegs and steering with its hind legs. It scours the ice and rocky islands in search of anything edible. Coming up on a group of basking walruses, hunger leads it to pu

sh its luck. Many of these walruses are twice a polar bear's size and their tusks are capable of wounding or even killing a bear. The element of surprise is key to the bear's strategy. It's caught sight of a potential meal and fights her way through. The bear's got a walrus pup. The pup's mother turns to attempt a rescue, but her defense is futile. It doesn't matter how they fight, because winners come in all shapes and sizes. But to come out on top, they have to be the best, the ultima

te success stories, the ultimate predators. NARRATOR: They say it's a jungle out there, but they're wrong. It's a battlefield...with no Geneva Convention. These predators fight tooth and nail... using every weapon in their arsenal. Camouflage. Firepower. Even chemical warfare. They're some of the world's deadliest predators-and they're locked and loaded. For thousands of years, the sentinels of war have carried one weapon into battle: The knife. Even better-four knives. Talons. The indispensabl

e weapon of birds of prey...and their primary hunting tool. Sometimes, the sharp talons kill at the initial strike. And that may be the victim's best option... ...because if they're not killed outright, the talons help restrain the animal and prevent escape. The toes squeeze strongly, which can cause death by asphyxiation. The squeezing may also force talons into the flesh, piercing internal organs. Eventually, the prey succumbs to massive loss of blood or organ failure. Deep in the South Atlant

ic, life seems to have flown the coup. Here, in the rocky outcroppings known as the Falkland Islands, a taloned hunter thrives: The striated caracara. And these talons come in squadrons. Juveniles hang out in fearless gangs. They terrorize each other, before wreaking havoc on the rest of the island. Caracaras mainly scavenge. And they're not choosy. When elephant seals molt, the caracaras snack on dead skin. Anything remotely nourishing, they go for. But the fur seal colony provides the main cou

rse for the caracara. Newborn pups. When seal moms go fishing, hunting season opens. And that's when this young caracara learns how to use his talons. The rest of the gang piles on-a swarm of switchblades-just as mother returns. Calling to her pup brings no answer. No problem for the caracara. They can still find plenty of other food to sink their talons into. Sea birds are laying eggs. And caracaras have eagle eyes. Now the talons double as hammers. Good protein for a carnivore... but even more

when the eggs hatch. Rockhopper penguins have given birth. This time, the talons deploy for a ground assault. The talons grip the turf like a runner's cleats. Allowing caracaras to sweep in and steal prey. With its sure-footedtalons, the caracaras can't be outrun here or outfought. Back at the nest, the caracara has its own young to feed. The next generation of knife wielders. Sonora Desert, Arizona. This arid landscape is home to one of North America's most enigmatic taloned hunters: The Harri

s hawk. In this hostile habitat, prey is scarce.. and the Harris hawks can't count only on their talons if they want to survive. So they have adapted to the desert by learning to hunt together-the only hawk to do so. In fact, Harris hawks exhibit the most sophisticated cooperative hunting tactics documented in birds, more than doubling their odds of a kill. They've set their eyes on a cottontail rabbit. This rabbit is not an easy prey-he is fast and blends well with the desert brush. The squad s

urrounds the target. To be successful, the hawks will rely on a tactic optimized for a long chase: the relay attack. The rabbit manages to shake one hawk off-but the others are right behind. Like a wolf pack, the hawks share their catch-another unprecedented behavior among birds of prey. This mouse knows that he is no match for the hawk... out in the open. His defense...a burrow lined with thorns. For now, the strategy pays off. Knives work only in close-quarter combat. So even the sharpest talo

ns... have their limits. NARRATOR: And when a knife won't cut it, toxins may be the answer. For humans, chemical weapons are relatively new tools of battle. But in nature, they've been around for millions of years under a different name: Venom. Potency varies from predator to predator. They also inject their victims in lots of ways-from single-shot to re-usable. And with lots of body parts. Fangs. Stingers. And pincers. One venomous predator stalks the American tropics. Out of 3,000 species of c

entipedes, it's the leviathan: The giant centipede. More than 11 inches long. Through a pair of sharp pincers, it delivers a toxic brew of venom that attacks the nervous system. Painful to humans. Lethal to prey. It's armed for defense as well as offense, with sharp hooks on the rear legs. It breathes partly through holes in its body-making it prone to dehydration. So it prefers to hunt by night. Among its favorite prey are spiders, birds, rodents, frogs and lizards. Despite its name, it has 46

legs at most-not a hundred. But they grip like a mountain climber's pitons. Hmmm. Maybe better prospects can be found on the ground. Rodents are a favorite prey. To keep nursing her young, this mother will sooner or later have to go find food herself. Her litter is blind, weak and defenseless. The centipede is nearly blind as well... but its antennae can detect the tiniest of movements. Sensing the mother's return, the centipede beats a hasty retreat. But she's too late. Her baby's been killed w

ith one heart-stopping injection of venom. And the centipede is off again, in search of a meal. Of all the predators that use venom, the most notorious may be this one. The king cobra thrives in the forests and plains of southern Asia. His lethal venom and deadly fangs are renowned. All take caution when he patrols the forest, knowing that a mistaken encounter could turn deadly. In one bite, it delivers more venom than almost any other snake. Enough to kill 20 men in less than an hour-or the big

gest creature in the jungle. But the cobra's favorite food is other snakes. That doesn't make anyone less uneasy, though. They give him plenty of room to hunt. A tree offers an excellent vantage point to spot his next prey. And this rat snake tops the menu. The rat snake grows up to seven feet long-but carries no venom. The cobra can spot prey from nearly 300 feet. And it's found its own lunch. The rat snake detects its namesake prey. But it's unaware that it too is being stalked. The rat is abo

ut to be rescued. by an unlikely savior. The cobra can detect the other snake's movement through vibrations in the ground. But its direction finder is its tongue. The cobra can strike from over three feet away. The rat snake's resistance is futile. The cobra injects deadly venom through its fangs-like toxins through a pair of hypodermics. The venom floods the rat snake's nervous system. First comes dizziness...then sleepiness. Finally-paralysis. The cobra gulps its dinner whole. It can expand it

s jaws to accommodate a super-sized meal. And its teeth also face backward, to move the meal along. Digestion is already starting. Venom is eating away at its victim. The rat snake may still be alive-but locked in a coma from which it will never awaken. It's no surprise that venom kills. But it's just part of an arsenal that includes some of the most common and powerful weapons in nature. Teeth and jaws. For some of the world's deadliest predators, the weapon that does all their talking is their

mouth. Jaws so strong that few victims ever escape. And so flexible, they give a whole new meaning to "open wide." The star of the summer blockbuster: the great white shark. The world's biggest flesh-eating fish. Its weapon of choice-up to 300 serrated steak knives, which grow right from its gums. Each jaw carries several rows of deadly blades that are replaced all throughout its life. Every eight months, new teeth advance from the back of the mouth like bullets in an ammo belt. One of the most

wide-ranging predators, it hunts in all seven seas. In waters no higher than your waist-or half a mile deep. It eats dolphins, dead whales-even other great whites. But today, it's going after seals. For maximum surprise and power, the shark floors the pedal. Not all strikes succeed. But the shark rarely misses twice. When large prey fights back, the shark avoids injury by leaving it to bleed to death. Once it's safe, it moves in for the feast. A great white's teeth are designed for stabbing-not

chewing. It has no molars. So it grips prey and thrashes its body-twisting off flesh and swallowing it whole. But here's why the great white is really called "Jaws": a bite that may pack nearly two tons of force. Twenty times the power of the human jaw. But the creature that truly deserves the nickname "Jaws" doesn't inhabit the deep. The jaws of the rock python seem small-but their power speaks volumes. Growing more than twenty feet long, it's one of the largest snakes in the world. Watch wher

e you step, because the rock python will bite if bothered. It eats almost anything it can swallow. Like many predators, it hunts from hiding. Sensors on its snout can detect whether prey is nearby. Springbok. In a two-pronged attack, the python grips prey in its teeth. Then it deploys another weapon: bondage. Each time the springbok exhales, the python squeezes tighter. Every breath becomes shallower as the python tightens its grip. Until death-by strangulation. Now the jaws really perform. Pyth

ons don't chew prey. They don't even dismember it. They swallow it whole-starting from the head. Jaw power makes it possible. Both jaws are divided in two. A total of four moving parts. All of them flexibly attached to the skull by tendons and ligaments. Each moves separately from each other-allowing the python to inhale prey three times wider than its mouth. Its teeth curve inward to keep prey from slipping out. Thanks to such flexible jaws, the python glides over its meal like a sock over a le

g. Washboard muscles move prey through the stomach. Its stomach acid is so powerful it will dissolve bone. The python goes through one of the longest digestions on record. And it may not eat again for a year. The next jawbreaker feeds more frequently. It's the mighty crocodile. Found lurking in the warm waters of five continents. It looks like an orthodontist's nightmare. But these gnarly teeth make it one of nature's sharpest predators. NARRATOR: The Nile croc is Africa's biggest reptile and th

e top predator in its rivers. It grows longer than 18 feet and weighs more than a ton. Crocs have the world's strongest bite. More than 5,000 pounds of force per square inch. They use that grip to kill prey-by holding it underwater to drown it. They have up to 68 teeth-shed and replaced all their lives to keep them sharp. But the croc's jaw isn't built for chewing. Instead, crocs grip the carcass and torque their bodies to twist off flesh. The urge to migrate drives creatures like antelope to ve

nture into the jaws of death. But there's no hope against a team of hungry crocs. By feeding together and gripping in unison, they help dismember the carcass. Mighty as those jaws are, they have one weakness. The muscles to open the jaws are so weak, you could hold them shut...if you dared try. Some weapons never get used during an attack. They're deployed before the attack. Like fabric in a showroom, camouflage comes in a bewildering array of colors and patterns. And in scales, skin or fur. Man

y animals have developed some sort of natural camouflage to either keep them from becoming food or to help them find food. The most clever predators have mastered this weapon to ambush their prey. NARRATOR: Chameleons use camouflage for both offense and defense. The newborn is vulnerable. It could make an easy meal for a snake. It seeks protection immediately. Strong natural instincts guide this master of disguise. With a relatively thin and flat body, and skin color that can adjust to its surro

undings, predators often mistake it for either a leaf or an extension of the tree branch. The ruse continues when it travels. Jerky back and forth movements once again mimic a fluttering leaf, concealing it not only from predators, but also...prey. Its eyes move nearly 180 degrees independently to target prey. Once in range, it strikes. Camouflage is only one part of its arsenal. A chameleon's tongue is a concealed weapon. Adult chameleons can reach 27 inches in length. And their tongues may gro

w one and a half times the length of their bodies. The knob-like tip is coated in mucus that sticks to prey. It strikes faster than you can see in real time: about 30 thousandths of a second. The sea holds another predator both well armed and well concealed: the cuttlefish. This master of disguise has the ability to project a dazzling array of pulsating colors. But if that weren't enough, the cuttlefish also has an extraordinary ability to transform the shape of its entire body. The titan of the

species is the Australian giant cuttlefish. Growing nearly 20 inches long and sometimes weighing more than 10 pounds. With such talent for camouflage, the cuttlefish can creep right up to prey. The cuttlefish prepares its main weapon: Two long tentacles tipped with suction cups that capture prey and deliver it to a beak sharp enough to make mincemeat of crab shell. The tentacles fire in a few hundredths of a second. Truly-sudden death. Some weapons are meant to be concealed. Others can be brand

ished quite openly. Claws. They grab and grip. Scratch and gouge. They're useful for digging out a meal or taking it home. Claws are the indispensable weapon of all mammals that hunt. Especially the big cats. A lion's claws are like razors: sharp and retractable. Keeping them retracted protects the claws for when they are most needed. As with all cats, the lion's claws play a key role in bringing down prey. But lions have more strength in their paws than almost any other feline. The claws can gr

ow up to three inches. As they get dull, the outer layer sheds-revealing a sharp new claw. Most claws are designed for climbing and digging and catching. But some have bonus features. The pistol shrimp is no bigger than your finger. And it's a crack shot. One of its two claws functions just like a handgun-and other shrimp are targets. When prey is in range, the claw is cocked. The claw snaps shut so fast, it fires a bubble bullet up to 62 miles an hour. The bubble bursts and stuns the prey. It a

ll happens in a fraction of a second... the fastest gun in the sea. The pistol shrimp is just one of nature's many gunslingers. Meet the sharpshooters. Some prefer long-range combat for their own safety, rather than risk injury by tangling with prey. Others have no choice but to aim for targets outside their element. Among them, these marksmen shoot a whole battery of projectiles. As it wends its way through the rainforest, something captures this velvet worm's attention: No, it's not the fire b

eetle's flashing green light. Velvet worms are nearly blind. But they're super sensitive to air currents caused by movement. That's how they find their prey. And they love beetles. The worm itself moves so slowly, prey doesn't notice it creeping up. It's packing heat: two pistols that fire sticky ropes-each up It's packing heat: two pistols that fire sticky ropes-each up to a foot long. This barrage of gunfire is meant to paralyze prey with a quick-drying adhesive. Slimed. The worm brandishes ye

t another concealed weapon-a knife in its jaw-used to pierce the body and inject saliva to liquefy the insides. The result: a beetle milkshake. In the struggle for survival, there are two alternatives: fight or flight. And one weapon covers either option: Feet. Kangaroos are vegetarians, but they can be fiercely competitive when it comes to courting females. And when they combat each other, feet are their weapon of choice. They're armed with extremely muscular hind legs and enormous feet, which

help them to execute broad jumps with every hop. This Bigfoot can cross the vast reaches of the Australian Outback with ease, at peak speeds of almost 45 miles an hour. But one thing can stop this speed demon in his tracks. A potential mate. For days during mating season, a male kangaroo, also called boomer, will follow a female. He shadows her every move. But there are plenty of boomers out there, and fights between them will break out often. And that's when the weapons are unleashed. It starts

with a quick right jab... then descends into an all-out brawl. This is not just boxing; it's more like ultimate fighting. A favorite tactic: using the forepaws to grip the opponent and then quickly kicking with their huge clawed hind feet. It's a move that can crush bones, disembowel the opponent... even bring death. Fortunately, a referee breaks up this match before it goes too far. But he can't stop the next generation of Joeys from trying some of their own shadow boxing. Nature's battlefield

s never fall quiet. No treaties. No peace talks. Just an endless arms race. Weapons of mass destruction... developed over millions of years. Because out here...there's no such thing...as a noncombatant. NARRATOR: They're not comic book heroes. But each of these predators has abilities that defy the imagination. Faster than a speeding bullet. Armed with X-ray vision. They're hypnotic. They're transformers. And they can smell their prey from two miles away. They're the world's deadliest animals. A

nd they've got superpowers. The world's top predators are experts on the hunt. But some take life into the realm of the fantastic. More than hunters... they are dazzlers. More than stalkers... they are miracle workers. They have super speed... super sight... sixth senses... and like the grizzly bear: a super sense of smell. The grizzly bear is widely known as one of the most massive... and ferocious...predators in the natural world. It may also have one of the most powerful senses of smell on Ea

rth. The scent-detecting area of a grizzly's nose is 100 times larger than a human's. And it bristles with over a billion receptor cells... connected to over 10 million nerve cells...sending scent-powered shockwaves to the brain. It is believed that these bears can smell other bears...trash... or even a rotting animal's carcass in the lean days of winter... from more than a mile away. It's that super-powered nose that keeps the grizzly bear alive when a good meal is just a bit harder to come by.

Elk are an occasional meal. With young ones... just after birth... odors can be particularly strong. It's just a matter of time before the young elk slips up. The chase yields an important meal for this grizzly bear family ...something that can be even harder to come by in the leanest days of the grizzly bear lifecycle. Thanks to one of the strongest noses on the planet. But even the strongest nose on Earth... can't smell certain things that this snake can smell... because the snake's super sme

ll uses two different high-powered organs together! This snake has nostrils on top of its head... plus an extra feature called the Jacobson's organ. This organ is a sensor... and it allows snakes to detect chemicals in its surroundings that could lead it to prey. Enhanced smell for the hunt. When this snake...and this snake...and this snake...snap their tongues...they are collecting chemical information about their environment that can't be detected through an ordinary nose. Pheromones, for exam

ple, are chemicals that allow animals to send signals to one another. A bee will release pheromones to attract other bees. This mouse's pheromones will influence the behavior of other mice. And with the help of the Jacobsen's organ, this python can sense their pheromones. First, the snake's tongue flips in the air. When it retracts its tongue, the snake inserts the forked tip, inside its head, into the Jacobson's organ... which allows the snake to detect the mouse pheromones... providing extra i

nformation to use to track its prey. Nose... tongue... and Jacobson's organ work together. And in an instant...the hunter prevails... thanks to a tongue that can smell. But perhaps the most impressive nose in the animal kingdom... is also the most fantastic... because of what surrounds it. The owner lives below ground in a world of perpetual darkness ...surrounded by the crawling creatures on which it preys. Down here, eyes and ears are meaningless, and touch...is everything. This is the realm o

f the star-nosed mole. It gets its name from the 22 appendages or "feelers" that surround its nose. Each feeler is covered with thousands of sensory receptors called Eimer's organs that make the "star" one of the most ultra-sensitive organs of any in the animal kingdom. It's so sensitive it can detect minute particles, like a grain of salt, buried in a pile of sand. like a grain of salt, buried in a pile of sand. The mole lives on worms, insects and small fish. The outer tentacles probe for a po

tential meal, then the inner sensors determine if the prey is edible. The mole is practically blind. To better see it presses its feelers to the ground, which transmits a three-dimensional picture of the terrain back to its brain... like a mental sonogram. And when it presses down its feelers, it does it at warp speed. One of its favorite meals-earthworms. For the star-nosed mole, the worm's telltale segments and hooks are a dead give away. But to find it, the mole has to touch it. Its amazing,

ultra-sensitive feelers have rewarded it with yet another meal... to be enjoyed in the darkness of its creepy, super-powered world! Back in the daylight ...super-powered vision helps the crafty kestrel scan for prey. In an instant, it strikes with precision. The kestrel is a finely tuned killer...successful enough that their territory has spread nearly across the globe. The most spectacular weapon in its arsenal are super- powered eyes, capable of seeing far beyond the range of human beings capa

ble of seeing in ultra violet light. Its prey, the vole, spends much if its time underground or beneath dense vegetation. But when the vole moves, it marks territory and pathways with urine. The markings are invisible even to the vole. But they are visible in ultraviolet light... and they tell the kestrel exactly where to look for its prey. Keen extra-sensory vision keeps the kestrel fed... thanks to sight in the ultraviolet spectrum. Three-hundred-and-sixty-degree vision makes life dangerous fo

r a bee... whenever a jumping spider is around. This acrobatic creature ignores the web when it gets hungry. The jumping spider is a hunter... with eight extra powerful eyes. On quiet legs the spider maneuvers its position... and then it puts its amazing eyes to work. and then it puts its amazing eyes to work. Four eyes on the back of its head scan for movement to its rear, while in front four more eyes track the prey. The largest eyes themselves don't move, but inside the eye, the retinas can s

can back and forth. With great distance vision for a creature this size... the jumping spider stalks its prey. the jumping spider stalks its prey. While the bee feeds... the spider climbs into place. Eight eyes and eight legs... ready to pounce. The spider continues carefully into position. It connects a silk tether to its perch... unaware, the bee laps up nectar. The spider sizes up its jump, calibrating an exact landing before attack. A perfect hit. The usefulness of wraparound vision doesn't

stop till the bee is dead. Because while it struggles, the spider still keeps an eye on that stinger. And finally... success. One less bee in the garden. In the ocean, sharks are among the most streamlined and efficient hunters on Earth. And they've honed all their senses into lethal weapons. Sight, smell, taste, touch and sound. But a shark not only sees and hears its prey... it can feel it. First, many sharks have a sensory organ that runs the length of the shark's body and fans out on its hea

d and jaw. Called the lateral line, it's full of nerves that pick up subtle vibrations and pressure changes in the water. It is so finely tuned that, when combined with its other senses, a shark can detect prey from over a mile away. Next, pores in the shark's head, called "ampullae of Lorenzini, " are groups of sensory cells that can detect weak electrical charges such as the heartbeats or muscle movements of creatures hidden in sand. Each ampulla is filled with a jelly-like substance that reac

ts to changes in pressure, temperature or electrical conductivity. These pores are so sensitive that if two flashlight batteries were placed a thousand miles apart, and a single wire were strung between them, a shark could detect the charge. When hunting for a meal, sharks may call upon all of their senses The distant sound of splashing might alert them to possible prey... or perhaps the scent of blood draws them in. Closer in, their excellent eyesight may come into play. Vision and ampullae of

Lorenzini, along with smell and hearing, all function in unison to plot a deadly path. A bone-crushing, artery-splitting bite satisfies the shark's sense of taste. Scorpions have a sixth sense, too... which comes in handy for hunting at night. If their venomous tails don't get you their legs will. Each footstep sounds like the T. Rex in Jurassic Park. Organs on the scorpion's legs sense the shockwaves. And if there is an insect moving within three feet of it, the scorpion will detect its movemen

ts. For its next trick, a scorpion can do something else few animals can do: glow in ultraviolet light. That's because of fluorescent chemicals in its body. Why...nobody knows...but one theory is to attract insects that see in UV light...like a moth to a flame. This moth is lured toward the glow. Sensitive hairs on the scorpion's claws detect the flap of the moth's wings. As the moth gets closer, vibrations intensify. Hyper-sensitive body parts give this scorpion a powerful ground game. But unde

rwater, this ungainly creature has a sixth sense that is hard to beat. Australia's platypus has the tail of a beaver...webbed feet ...and a bill like a duck. But this is no ordinary bill. It is a super-sensory organ laden with thousands of cells responsive to the electric fields generated by all living things. So to hunt, the platypus closes its eyes, its ears and its nose, and lets its bill do the work. Called "electro-location," it is thought the waving back-and-forth motion we see here helps

the platypus to locate exactly where electric pulses are coming from. The pulses are like neon signs advertising fast food. And when one looks promising, the platypus digs away...all thanks to its sixth sense. But even sixth senses are no match for the bizarre powers of mind control. Beneath these breakers... in warm tropical seas... this fascinating creature lives and hunts... endowed with powers of hypnosis. To protect itself from predators, a cuttlefish can disguise itself at will. But when i

t's looking for a meal, it does something even more amazing. Controlled by the animal's nervous system, these moving bands of color captivate a wary crab. Special cells in the skin expand and contract to produce a mesmerizing light show that lulls its prey into a deadly trance. When it's close enough...it snatches its prey... with two long feeding tentacles. And hypnosis pays off. Hypnosis doesn't just exist underwater. Some land animals have developed their own techniques. These stoats can be f

ound dashing around the English countryside... chasing down one of their favorite foods...rabbits. But when just chasing doesn't get the job done...the creature...turns to an unexpected superpower. The stoat on the hunt will go nuts. This manic behavior gets the rabbits' attention. Who could ignore a stoat on steroids? Spinning...jumping...and twisting...the stoat inches closer and closer. But the rabbit remains transfixed... until it's too late. As effective as the hypnosis of the stoat and the

cuttlefish may be...there are creatures-like these parasites-whose hypnosis crosses the line into something even more bizarre... mind control. Beneath this peaceful landscape... a snail has eaten parasites that've turned it into a zombie. These spectacular... bizarre...bulging eyeballs...are the snail's tentacles. Inside them, parasitic worms have begun an amazing feat of mind control. These parasites have taken over the snail's tentacles... and its brain. It's all part of an ingenious plan to

extend the life of the parasite...and its offspring. The snail has become possessed. It is doomed now to follow the parasite's will... and the parasite is on the move...looking for another host. Next, the parasite needs a bird. Hypnotized...the snails march into the sunshine. They climb from the shade...to the tips of exposed branches above. The snail's tentacles...engorged now by their possessors... have grown to resemble a maggot. And a maggot is the favorite food of the birds above. In an ins

tant...the bird attacks... and the parasite triumphs. The parasitic worm happily multiplies in the bird's stomach. Its final trick is to complete the cycle. But it will have little trouble... as the snails below graze on bird droppings... filled with a new batch of mind-controlling parasites. Once they're eaten...the hypnosis of the snails will continue...and the life cycle of the parasite...will roll on! Many animals will run from their predators, but just because an animal can run doesn't mean

it can hide...from a predator with super hearing. The great gray owl lives in the Arctic...where even in summer, its meal can be buried under inches of snow. To hunt, it locates its favorite prey...mice and other small rodents...by listening for movement far below. The feathers surrounding each eye function like a dish antenna, directing sound to the ears. Each ear receives sound at a slightly different volume and angle, which allows the owl to pinpoint where the sound comes from. It focuses on

unsuspecting rey...as much as two feet beneath the snow...and sets off...on the attack. They continue to listen throughout the approach. To finish the job, owls have become masters of the dive bomb. Super hearing will ensure this owl a full stomach tonight. Tomorrow, the listening will continue for the owl. And for another winged predator far away... lurking in the darkness...and also gifted with super-powered hearing. For the vampire bat, super-powered ears are also its eyes. And they work in

astonishing ways. At dusk, when the day ends for many creatures, the vampire bat's day begins. They leave their roost in search of food. To navigate, they rely on a special trick of hearing, called echolocation. To understand what's around them... bats produce a high-pitched noise. The noise registers beyond the range of human hearing. But it travels outward... from the bat's mouth... hits the objects around it ...and bounces back. These sounds then tell the bat what's around it. Fast enough to

let it fly through jungles without hitting trees...and fast enough to find prey...like the peccary. This bat sizes up its prey... and decides to wait for the 40-pound beast to go to sleep. Once the peccaries turn in, the bat cozies up to a likely spot where the feast can begin. Along with super-powered ears, these vampires have heat sensors in their noses. This guides them to where warm blood flows just beneath the victim's skin. With her scalpel-sharp teeth, she makes an incision to draw blood.

They only get a taste before the peccary wakes up. For bats, smaller prey is usually more manageable. Fishing bats also use echolocation to direct them. The sense of sound can guide them so well that they can hear fish surfacing in a pond. They use that sound...plus echolocation...to time their dive to the exact moment a fish rises close enough to the surface. In an impressive display of timing and winged agility... the bat skims the water... picking off fish with its long legs and claws. Using

echolocation...and other-worldly hearing...a bat like this one can catch and consume up to 30 fish in a single night. While some predators rely on extraordinary skills to overcome their prey, others rely on extraordinary strength. The natural world is filled with super muscle-bound beasts...and strength can clearly be a superpower. But pound for pound, the power brokers in the animal world ...are not the big beasts ...but the small ones. This rhinoceros beetle can lift 100 times its body weight

... the equivalent of a man walking a mile with a car on his head. Strength which comes in handy when it thrashes horns with rival beetles. But the "Muhammad Ali" of the animal kingdom is this little guy. A mantis shrimp might not be a heavyweight, but ounce for ounce, it can throw some of the fastest and most powerful punches in nature. The mantis shrimp spots its prey with hexnocular vision... two eyes that have three focal points each, and so many light-sensitive cells they can see in the ult

raviolet and infrared. With dinner in its cross-hairs, the mantis prepares to strike. Running for cover under a discarded glass is useless. The club of a mantis shrimp can easily break quarter-inch glass ...and the shell of a crab. The mantis stores energy in its arm. It works like a spring-loaded mechanism. When the energy is released, the mantis smashes its prey with the force of a 22-caliber bullet. Now that is a super-powered punch. The cheetah is the world record holder for sprinting speed

on land. Gazelles are fast, too ...but not fast enough. The chase lasts less than a minute. Any longer and the cheetah's own body temperature could kill her. Super speed underwater looks rather different. The sailfish advances. They've been clocked at leaping out of the water at speeds of up to 68 miles an hour. Like cheetahs, their super speed is limited to quick bursts of velocity... giving the sailfish a plausible claim to the title of fastest predator in the ocean. But despite the sailfish a

nd the cheetah... each endowed with super speed on land and in the water... the fastest animal on the planet rules the air. The true super-powered king of speed... is about to clobber one of these pigeons. A peregrine falcon may chase a pigeon in one of two ways. The first method...is the flat-out chase. Sometimes it works...but pigeons are fast, too. And when jostling back-and-forth with a peregrine in this mode ...prey will occasionally slip away. When this happens, the peregrine can recalibra

te...and switch to method number two. It's called the rapid stoop ...the dive bomb. The attack begins slowly...then gradually picks up speed. Its wings tucked in, the falcon is approaching 200 miles per hour. It is now the fastest animal on the planet. Against this super-powered speed... the pigeon is defenseless. It's tough to hide from an attack like that. But even the fastest animal on Earth can't match a speed-driven superpower in the jungles of Costa Rica. Speed is everything for the basili

sk lizard. When you prey on winged insects... you need to be quick... because your prey moves fast ...really fast. So when the basilisk is in a hurry, it displays one of the most spectacular capabilities in nature...a true superpower. This flat-footed reptile is so fast...and so light...that it can run across the surface of the water... at speeds as much as five feet per second. But speed alone doesn't make this superpower possible. Long toes on their rear feet...along with fringes of skin that

unfurl to meet the water... create little air pockets under the lizard's feet. And the air pockets give the lizard...lift! A true superpower in nature. In the struggle to survive...a few lucky creatures have extra-special gifts: To be the strongest... the fastest...the cleverest. To get inside the mind of their prey. To feel them... or to see them... in ways that others can't. These are the blessings that keep a creature...or a family...or a species alive. Those lucky few...with the rare advanta

ge...of superpowers! NARRATOR: There are lots of reasons to go to war. Food. Sex. Power. The stakes are high. Winners enjoy the spoils. Losers can be humiliated, exiled or eaten. And eventually, even the strongest meet their match. These are some of the world's deadliest animals-and they're ready for combat. Throughout the natural world, the dominant animal nearly always gains the spoils of war. Whether fighting over food, mates or territory...no one has it as good as the alphas. But getting to

that elite status isn't easy. And neither is staying there. Especially if you're trying to overcome Africa's most dangerous alpha male. The hippopotamus. He's big-males can weigh over 4,000 pounds. He's fast-that bulky body can reach speeds of 30 miles per hour. He's fierce. Hippos have been known to kill people, even though they're vegetarians. Very territorial vegetarians. Dominant hippo bulls usually preside over a territory that includes a pod of females. This old male is king of this stretc

h of the river...and has the battle scars to prove it. But a young bachelor is ready to stage a coup. And he gets right to the point... biting off the old male's tail. Hippo teeth are formidable weapons. The four tusk-like canines can grow up to a foot long, and they're razor-sharp. Those jaws can open four feet wide, and snap closed with a bite force of almost one ton, enough to crush a crocodile... or take out a powerboat. Add to that a 500-pound head and it's like facing off with a very angry

armored tank. Already injured, the senior doesn't even try to overcome his attacker. For 45 minutes, the young male continues his assault. He only stops when the old leader submits to his rule, allowing him to mount him in a show of dominance. It's the ultimate defeat. The old warrior has lost his tail...and his mates. The new king of the river opens wide to proclaim his victory. Then he bombs his new territory with feces. The old alpha male slinks off in defeat. He may have lost the battle, bu

t to other predators, he's still the king. And in the cold-blooded realm of the reptile world, battles over mating rights are just as heated. When out on the hunt in its tropical domain, the monitor lizard likes to fly solo. His forked tongue helps him sniff out decaying fish, flesh...and females. But when love is in the air, potential suitors come out of the woodwork. And with this quick-tempered lizard, that means instant competition. These scaly battles can last for up to 45 minutes. This isn

't a fight to the death, but rather a display of dominance and strength, a heavyweight sumo match with claws...where the loser gets pinned underwater. The triumphant male gets the girl, but he better watch out. Female monitors are just as ready to scrap-they'll fight their mates for food. When it comes to survival amongst these lizards, there's no such thing as one big, happy family. The wrestling bouts of the monitor lizard seem almost sporting when compared with the brutal fighting of the gela

da monkey. In the high mountain meadows of Ethiopia, marauding gangs of male gelada monkeys are on the lookout for females. These bachelor bands are an alpha male's worst nightmare. This alpha is clearly outnumbered. But he steps up to defend his position. Gelada harems can range from small family units of 12 to troops numbering in the hundreds. That's a lot of monkeys to take care of. He fires his first warning shot, flipping his lip in a clear display of aggression. But the invaders ignore it.

So he takes matters into his own hands... and flees to higher ground. But he has to come down eventually. The only solution-make a break for it. When he returns to his harem, he reaffirms his bonds with some grooming. Gelada females stay in their family units for life, banding together to forage, groom and raise their young. It's a woman's world...where the males can be replaced. With the mob closing in, the harem's leader resorts to a chilling tactic. He picks up an infant and jumps back into

the fight. He may be trying to entice the females to leap to the infant's aid and help chase the bachelors off. But the plan backfires. The single males attack anyway, and the baby is hurt. When he drops the injured infant, he faces an even more enraged enemy-his own family. He tries some last-ditch grooming to appease his females. But, when the bachelors return, this time, it's for keeps. The old leader heads for the hills. These fierce fights can go on for days and inflict fatal battle wounds.

With the old alpha thoroughly vanquished, the new leader wastes no time in establishing dominance over his harem. In his final humiliation, the old alpha is allowed to stick around-as a babysitter. Battles over females can be dangerous, especially if a father is protecting his own daughter. For this young male zebra, the grasslands of Botswana are paradise...when they're full of food, fun and fillies. But a single bachelor doesn't get to just walk up and woo his lady. He has to fight for her. N

ARRATOR: Zebra herds are made up of smaller family units consisting of two to six mares, their foals and one stallion. The mother keeps her foals close. The stallion also protects them... from predators... and other zebras. But no father can really keep his daughter from flirting with boys. A young filly is ready to mate... and a bachelor stallion plans to win her affection. To mate with her, he'll have to entice her away from her father's herd. But this stallion isn't about to let his little fi

lly run off with an unworthy upstart. To get past him, the suitor will have to show his strength, speed and cunning. If he doesn't win this time, he'll just have to try again-this is the only way to establish his own harem. He tries to neck-wrestle the older stallion into submission. The battle continues into the night. After hours of tussling, the two exhausted stallions call a truce. And the young one gets the girl. But he'll need to stay fighting fit until she conceives. Other bachelors may t

ry to steal her away. The urge to mate is usually the source of conflict within the ranks-and the competition can be fierce. For a bull elephant seal, bigger is better. The males can grow up to 20 feet long and weigh over 8,000 pounds. But it's that long, trunk-like snout that really amps up the sex appeal. The bulls use those massive noses to broadcast one message-this is my turf, and to mate here, you have to get through me. Elephant seals are the sumo wrestlers of the marine world. In a battl

e, bulk is everything, and champs win it all... gathering harems of 40 to 50 females. Only one in ten males will become an alpha male and father pups. If this bachelor wants a sex life, combat is his only answer. So the time has come to start a fight. The battle grows more intense and the battered contenders take their fight to the water. The challenger gets a good thrashing-and the big alpha returns to his ladies for his prize...multiple matings. Size and strength often carry the day... but ins

ects prove that tiny can be terrifying. NARRATOR: The insect world is home to some of the planet's fiercest battles. The stakes are high. Home, young and food sources are under constant threat for European honeybees. They live in colonies that are often over 30,000 strong-constructing hives filled with wax, pollen, larvae and, of course, honey. A pretty valuable bounty for an invading army. But when a honeybee hive faces off with Asian giant hornets, it takes just one recon mission to start a wa

r. When a single hornet scout spots a beehive, she marks it with a pheromone... and then returns with a hit squad. These giants are the world's largest hornet, five times the size of the average honeybee... and they're armed with a deadly venom. Their sting feels like a hot nail being driven into your flesh. Thousands of defenders pour from the hive, ready to give their lives in its defense. But these European honeybees have no way to stop the onslaught. A single hornet can kill as many as 40 be

es a minute. Just 30 of them can annihilate a colony of 30, 000 bees in a few hours. It isn't a battle-it's a massacre. The ground is thick with the remnants of their victims. And the enemy penetrates into the inner sanctum of the hive. With the hive's defenders laid to waste, the hornets gorge themselves on the spoils of war. But honey isn't the main prize. Instead, they carry away the honeybee larvae and pupae, which will feed their young for weeks. European honeybees may fight valiantly, but

they haven't evolved any defenses against these giant invaders. But Japanese honeybees have come up with a tactic to take on these deadly intruders. It involves training and teamwork... an offensive attack aimed at a single hornet scout. They have to ambush her before she releases any pheromones. If the hornet manages to signal her army, the game is up. The bees wiggle their abdomens, a dance that signals their battle plan to the hive. They lure the interloper in...and then, they swarm. Their ja

ws and stings are no match for the huge hornet. So instead, the swarm turns up the heat. Hundreds of bees begin to vibrate so fast that they increase the temperature to 117 degrees, a temperature the hornet can't withstand. They roast the scout alive. And the secret location of the hive dies with her. Bees aren't the only insects plagued by giant hornets. Even the praying mantis can fall victim to this heavily-armed predator. And the mantis is hardly defenseless. It can turn its head 180 degrees

, using its five eyes for reconnaissance. Its powerful front legs are used to seize prey and clutch their victims in a vise-like grip. Spikes instantly spear the prey, pinning it in place. But the hornet is a killing machine. She's armed with much more than a lethal sting. Her compound eyes can see the slightest movement. Sharp tarsal claws seize and hold her victims. And with just one slice, her powerful mandibles decapitate prey. The hornet takes the offensive, ripping apart the mantis's wings

and flesh. The mantis tries to bite back, but it's too late. With deadly surgical precision, the hornet butchers her victim, ripping it to shreds. But before she can declare victory, she has one final and brutal move: decapitation. She chews the mantis's flesh into a pulp and carries it home to the nest...a five-star dinner for her hungry larvae. Nourishing the next generation has created some fierce fighters, and a mother looking to feed her young will do whatever it takes to make the kill. NA

RRATOR: The potent venom in this banded sea snake can kill a scuba diver. So most underwater predators leave snake off their daily menus. Their real danger comes from the sky. Snake Island, off the coast of Malaysia. This little chunk of limestone plays host to hundreds of sea snakes. It's placid right now, but don't be fooled. These snakes have come ashore to breed and tonight, the competition on this island for potential mates will be fierce. Sea snakes usually spend most of their time in wate

r, but they don't have gills. Their lungs stretch almost the length of their entire bodies. To fill them, they have to swim to the surface to breathe. And that means they're vulnerable. This white-bellied sea eagle has young to feed... so it's on the hunt. Armed with keen vision and sharp talons, the eagle has perfected the snatch-and-grab. And sea snake is one of her favorite foods. But this snake isn't about to play the victim. As the eagle flies towards the nest with her prize, the snake star

ts to fight back. Even in mid-air, he can bite. If he manages to inject his venom, he could kill his abductor. But biting an enemy in mid-air isn't easy, especially for a creature that spends most of its time in the water. For this snake, it's too little, too late. Especially when facing down a hungry eaglet. The sea snake may be lunchmeat, but the eagle doesn't have time to relax. One of this seabird's biggest threats... is other eagles. It has to constantly defend its feeding ground from freel

oaders. A lone eagle has come to check out the fishing. But this area belongs to this breeding pair, and they're not inclined to share. Their calls act as a warning shot... which the invader ignores. He's taking his dinner from their turf, and they're not putting up with it. It's time to launch the first defensive volley. The female takes point, dive bombing the intruder, starting a mid-air tug of war. But she loses... both the fight... and the fish. So she tag teams with her male partner. The i

ntruder and the defending male fly high, looking for the advantage. Then, they lock talons, and the battle is on. This whirling is a display of dominance, force and bravado. The eagles climb higher, ready for another round. It's an aerial game of chicken... and neither eagle blinks. The intruder emerges unhurt...but decides to move on. Their territory once again secure, the breeding pair takes a victory lap. The precise maneuvers of many animal battles are a matter of instinct, but for some youn

g fighters, they have to learn the hard way. Like human teenagers, adolescent lions are awkward, but eager. At this age, they'll try to eat anything. But when it comes to hunting, they still have a lot to learn. Baboons spend most of their time foraging on the ground. But in times of danger, they can take to the trees...and use them to their advantage. NARRATOR: Lions have sharp claws, but they're not great climbers. But that doesn't stop these young lions from trying. Their potential prey doesn

't seem too worried. Adult lions rarely chase baboons, and the youngsters are about to find out why. First, one gets stuck... and there's no fire department to come get this big cat out of the tree. And the baboon has her own way of telling these incompetent hunters to get lost. Sticks double as missiles. Then, she unleashes the ultimate chemical weapon-urine. And the overgrown cubs beat a hasty retreat. They've just learned an important lesson-don't bother with baboons! On the plains of Africa,

these young lions can afford to learn by trial and error. But in the unforgiving void of the Arizona desert, instinct and precision mark the difference between life and death. In this harsh dry landscape, temperatures can reach 120 degrees... in the shade. It's high noon, and one of these two gunslingers is going to be pushing up daisies. Battles here take place out in the open, and survival is never assured. When this red tail hawk faces off with a rattlesnake, it starts with a deadly dance. W

ith the supple grace of a matador, the hawk draws the snake's fire towards his wing feathers, where a bite would be harmless. The snake positions himself for a strike. The hawk targets the snake's head. The hawk draws first. Bullseye. The hawk shows no fear... and no mercy. The first strike often has the advantage, even on a much smaller scale. This wasp will do anything to feed her young. Including taking on the baboon spider. These spiders aren't small-they can grow to the size of small birds.

And they can take care of themselves. Eight hairy legs, a pair of sharp fangs, and a sticky shield make up the big arachnid's arsenal. But the wasp is undeterred. She has weapons of her own-speed, flight and a deadly sting. This spider is 3.5 ounces of pure eight-legged protein. Protein the wasp needs to feed her young. She invades the spider's burrow, charging right through its protective shield. The spider has no choice but to retreat. But he doesn't get far. In seconds, the wasp paralyzes hi

m, the venom from her sting putting him into a permanent coma. It's a big feast...but it isn't for her. The spider just became an incubator. The mother wasp will lay a single egg in the spider's abdomen. When it hatches, her larva will eat its immobilized host alive. Big spiders nourish the female wasp larvae... small spiders sustain the males. After a week of gorging on arachnid meat, the larva will pupate until the next summer... to become the next generation of spider hunters. Victory often g

oes to the fastest fighter... but sometimes slow can be just as deadly. The giant horse conch weighs over eleven pounds. That's a lot of mollusk. The conch has a taste for snails. So when the tiny tulip snail spots one of these behemoths, it knows it's in trouble. The snail tries to outrun the big hunter, but it's like a tiny shuttle facing off with a star destroyer ... in a battle that moves at a snail's pace. Finally, it's overrun. The smell of digesting snail attracts new scavengers... hermit

crabs. Instantly, the big conch is surrounded. But the crabs aren't here for leftover escargot. They're after the tulip snail's shell. Hermit crabs use cast-off shells to protect their soft abdomens from predators. They find an empty shell, use their rear legs to attach to its central column, and move right in. When their current homes grow tight, they have to look for new real estate. The competition is fierce. With the conch ready to release the shell, the housing battle heats up. Until one c

rab decides to jump in and close the deal. It's a risky move. The big conch could still be hungry. But the risk pays off. The crafty crab will have plenty of room to grow in his new home. The losing crabs could end up homeless... or worse. But other creatures rely on defense to survive. Scorpions are built for battle. They have their own body armor... an exoskeleton that glows in the dark. Strong pincers coated with fine hairs sense prey... and crush enemies. They can survive in harsh conditions

, and go as long as six months between meals. And then there's that venomous sting. They use it to immobilize their prey... and sometimes that prey is each other. NARRATOR: When one scorpion trespasses on another's turf, it's time to lock and load. They use their tails as swords, each trying to breach the other's defenses. If a sting penetrates the armor, it's certain death... and digestion. Scorpions can't eat solid food-they have to use enzymes to break it down externally. The victor cannibali

zes its brother into a scorpion soup. But the carnage attracts a shrew...and it smells dinner. The small furry mammal looks harmless, but the scorpion knows better. It beats a hasty retreat. Shrews look like rodents, but they are far from vegetarians. To survive, shrews must consume nearly their entire body weight in food every day. And they're dangerous. One of the few mammals in the world armed with venom. But the scorpion has a formidable weapon of its own. One well placed sting can kill a sh

rew instantly. In the end, the shrew's lightning-fast reflexes prevail. This scorpion is about to be the main course at a Thanksgiving dinner. And there won't be any leftovers. Such quick reflexes make it tough for any creature to tame the shrew. But this garter snake might have a chance. It can eat almost anything: rodents, reptiles, insects, fish, birds-and swallow them whole. And this shrew would make a tasty snack. But first, the garter snake has to catch one. The shrew lives life in the fas

t lane. Under stress, its heart can beat up to 1,300 times a minute. To maintain all that energy, it eats constantly, digging up worms and grubs in this rich garden soil. With its strong jaws and swift bite, the snake seems to have the advantage. But the shrew's saliva can paralyze prey. So in this fight, the first bite wins. The shrew goes right for the neck. The snake's muscles go slack as the venom takes hold. And the shrew starts to eat him alive. Size means nothing when you have the right w

eapons. In nature's battlefields, the winner takes all. It's an evolutionary arms race. Where only the fiercest... the fastest... the bravest... and the most cunning survive.