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00:00:00 The largest eyes in the animal kingdom belong to the colossal squid.
00:00:04 This creature most likely has the biggest pair of eyes that have ever existed on our planet.
00:00:09 They measure an astonishing 11 inches across,
00:00:12 which makes them the size of a basketball.
00:00:16 The colossal squid needs such eyes not only to see its prey better, but also to protect itself from underwater predators.
00:00:24 Its eyes face forward, giving the squid binocular vision. Another type of squid, called the giant squid,
00:00:31 has its eyes placed on each side of its head. This allows the animal to see predators too,
00:00:36 but since it lacks that binocular vision, it's not very good at estimating distances.
00:00:41 The colossal squid, like many other squid species, has a fascinating feature called light organs, one in each eyeball.
00:00:50 Those light organs are made of vertical lines located in the back of their eyeballs.
00:00:55 These organs are similar to the headlights of a car.
00:00:59 But even though the colossal squid has this really cool feature, it most likely doesn't have color vision.
00:01:05 Most deep-sea animals don't either, but it's not like they need it much in the depths of the ocean, where it gets really dark.
00:01:14 Humans, for example, have eyes that can only detect light at a depth of around 1,600 to 2,000 feet.
00:01:21 Since colossal squids are found at more than 3,200 feet below the surface,
00:01:26 they need to adapt to be able to see in almost pitch-black darkness.
00:01:31 That's why they also have very large pupils, almost three inches across.
00:01:36 It helps them collect every single particle of light in those harsh environments.
00:01:42 Big eyes don't necessarily mean big bodies. Just ask Tarsiers.
00:01:46 They're a group of primates that have the biggest eye-to-body size ratio.
00:01:51 Each of their eyes is just as big as their brain. You can find these golem-looking animals in Southeast Asia.
00:01:57 Because they have such big eyes, these small animals aren't able to rotate them fully.
00:02:03 So, they have to rely on their necks to get a better field of vision.
00:02:08 Similar to owls, their necks can rotate about 180 degrees on each side.
00:02:13 Tarsiers are nocturnal animals that use these quirky-looking eyes to look for prey.
00:02:19 They don't put much effort apart from that. They just wait for their prey to approach them instead, sitting patiently in the dark.
00:02:25 Speaking of small but effective eyes, some types of dragonfly eyes come equipped with about 28,000 lenses.
00:02:34 That's more than any other living animal. And since their peepers cover almost their entire head, they have perfect
00:02:41 360-degree vision.
00:02:43 But can an animal survive without eyelids?
00:02:46 Most living beings have evolved to have eyelids to help protect their eyes from debris.
00:02:50 Eyelids also help us in super bright environments or when we're exposed to high heat.
00:02:56 Last but certainly not least, eyelids help keep eyes lubricated so that they don't dry out and lose their functions.
00:03:04 Well, check out nocturnal geckos. They don't have eyelids, but they came up with another unique method.
00:03:10 They have to rely on their tongues to keep their eyes lubricated and clean.
00:03:14 They also see really well in dim light because in the nighttime, their vision is
00:03:20 350 times more sensitive to color than ours.
00:03:24 I mean, I'd certainly love to have eyes that change color every now and then, but unfortunately for me,
00:03:30 I wasn't born an Arctic reindeer.
00:03:33 Their eyes can switch colors depending on the season. In the summer, for example, their eyes turn gold,
00:03:39 whilst during the colder months, they have blue eyes.
00:03:42 These animals have adapted to this color flexibility because of their ever-changing light levels in their harsh habitat.
00:03:49 Ever heard of a fish with four eyes?
00:03:54 Its official name is an anableps, and it has a special ability to see both above and below the waterline
00:04:00 simultaneously.
00:04:02 How come? Because its eyes are split in half by a horizontal line.
00:04:07 Each of those half eyes comes with its own pupil and retina, which means they can act separately.
00:04:12 This unique disposition of its eyes allows the fish to see both predators in the sky and spot insects on land.
00:04:20 Those make up for most of its menu.
00:04:23 Ostriches have eyes that are bigger than their brains.
00:04:27 They also have the largest eyes out of all terrestrial animals since they measure about two inches across.
00:04:33 But if you look closely, you'll also see that ostriches have eyes with long, dense lashes.
00:04:39 They're not really lashes though, since they're not made of hair.
00:04:43 Those long strands are actually more related to feathers and help these huge birds with some added shade and protection against flying sand.
00:04:53 Some of the best eyes out there are those of chameleons.
00:04:57 They have the ability to move independently, which gives these reptiles almost
00:05:02 360-degree vision.
00:05:04 The reptile can also use both monocular vision.
00:05:07 That's when both eyes function separately, and binocular vision, when both eyes focus on the same thing.
00:05:14 California's purple sea urchin is basically one single functioning eye.
00:05:21 That's because the whole surface of its body is filled with photoreceptors.
00:05:25 That makes the sea urchin sensitive to light, which means it can see in every direction.
00:05:30 It does need to focus the light for better vision once in a while.
00:05:34 The creature uses its spines to stop some of the light from hitting its body.
00:05:38 Some eyes in the animal kingdom need to adapt to really hot climates, like those of camels for example.
00:05:47 These animals have really long lashes that help them keep away the sand.
00:05:51 A camel's eye also features a third eyelid.
00:05:55 But this one sweeps across from the corner of each eye.
00:05:58 Because their environment is filled with small particles of dust, they need to clean their eyes more frequently than other species.
00:06:06 Owls have eyes that share one great feature with those of humans.
00:06:11 They can see in 3D, much like any other predators.
00:06:16 Owls need this to better calculate the distance towards their prey.
00:06:19 But here comes the problem.
00:06:21 How do those gigantic eyes fit into the small skull of an owl?
00:06:25 Turns out that these birds had to redesign their eye shape.
00:06:29 An owl's eye is not a sphere, it's more elongated.
00:06:34 The bones in the bird's skull have a special feature called a sclerotic ring.
00:06:39 It helps support these huge eyes and holds them in place.
00:06:43 But because of these rings, owls can't rotate their eyes, which are always looking straight ahead.
00:06:49 Instead, they have to rely on their necks to see around.
00:06:52 The mantis shrimp has probably the most complex eyes in the entire animal kingdom.
00:06:59 Us humans only have three types of cones in our eyes.
00:07:02 This gives us the ability to see the colors red through violet.
00:07:06 The mantis shrimp has 16 types of cones.
00:07:10 They might not see different colors from those we do, but they do have one of the best color recognition systems out there.
00:07:16 These extreme color receptors allow them to react to every small change in hue really fast, avoiding predators.
00:07:23 When you think about animals with huge, unique peepers, sheep and goats aren't the first on your list, right?
00:07:30 Don't dismiss them so quickly, though, as a goat's pupils are shaped like horizontal lines.
00:07:36 And that comes with its own purpose.
00:07:40 Data provided by researchers point out that the pupil shape and eye orientation are related to the daily activities of each type of animal.
00:07:48 Take bigger daytime predators like wolves, for example. Most of them have forward-facing eyes and round pupils.
00:07:55 On the other hand, smaller animals like snakes, cats or foxes that go and look for food both during the day and at night
00:08:03 come with vertical slip pupils, better adapted for night vision.
00:08:08 More vulnerable animals like horses and deer need to be constantly on their toes,
00:08:13 so they've adapted to have wide and narrow horizontal pupils.
00:08:17 This allows them to stretch their field of vision, which is wider than that of any other animal.
00:08:22 Also, when they keep their head low, their eyes rotate and they keep a watch on their surroundings.
00:08:28 Take a look at these animals.
00:08:32 There's a deer, a dolphin, a squirrel and a dinosaur?
00:08:37 You've already figured out. I'm about to ask you what they all have in common, right?
00:08:42 The boring answer is they've all lived on this planet at a certain point in time, blah blah blah, sure.
00:08:49 What's even more surprising about their common features is their coloration.
00:08:54 On that note, let me tell you about Abbott Thayer and his amazing theories on animal coloration.
00:09:02 He was a portrait painter extraordinaire, but he also had a thing for the colors of the natural world.
00:09:08 He came up with some pretty cool ideas about how animals can stay hidden from predators or prey, and they're still relevant today.
00:09:17 One of his most famous theories is called counter shading.
00:09:22 Basically, animals are painted by nature so that the parts that get the most light from the sky are the darkest and vice versa.
00:09:31 It's like they're wearing the perfect outfit to match their environment.
00:09:35 And let me tell you, this technique is not just for fashion savvy animals.
00:09:40 It's also used by ships to avoid detection.
00:09:43 Thayer and his friend even got a patent for it.
00:09:47 Thayer also came up with the idea of background blending,
00:09:52 which is when an animal or object is painted to match the colors of its surroundings.
00:09:58 Think of it as a natural camouflage suit.
00:10:01 Thayer didn't stop there though.
00:10:03 He also proposed a theory on something called disruptive or dazzle camouflage.
00:10:08 This is when an object is painted with a crazy pattern to make it harder to judge its distance or speed.
00:10:15 It's like when you're trying to hit a pinata that's moving all over the place and you can't quite get your timing right.
00:10:23 Think about it. If you're a shark swimming beneath the surface of the ocean and you look up,
00:10:28 you're going to see the bright sky and the lighter colored ocean surface.
00:10:33 If you're a prey animal swimming on the surface, your lighter belly will blend in with the bright sky,
00:10:39 while your darker back will blend in with the deeper water.
00:10:42 It's not just aquatic animals that use counter shading to their advantage.
00:10:49 Land animals like deer and rabbits have lighter bellies and darker backs,
00:10:53 which helps them blend in with the dappled light of the forest floor.
00:10:57 And let's not forget about birds.
00:11:00 Many birds have counter shading on their feathers,
00:11:03 which helps them blend in with the sky when seen from below and the ground when seen from above.
00:11:08 Some creatures out there have a way of warning others that they're not to be messed with.
00:11:15 Yeah, it's called opposematism, a fancy word for using bright colors or markings to let predators know that they're toxic or just downright unappetizing.
00:11:26 Take the skunk for example.
00:11:29 That broad white stripe on its back is like a neon sign that says, "Don't get too close or else you'll regret it."
00:11:36 And those yellow-banded poison dart frogs?
00:11:40 They're walking billboards for their own poison with their bright and graphic colors,
00:11:45 letting everyone know that they're not to be fooled with.
00:11:48 Even wasps use the power of bright colors to signal to potential threats that they're packing a sting.
00:11:55 And you know those cute little ladybugs?
00:11:58 The brighter they are, the more toxic they can be.
00:12:01 Who knew that something so adorable could be so deadly?
00:12:07 It turns out that white, yellow, red, and black are the most effective warning colors in the animal kingdom.
00:12:15 Just like how traffic signs caution drivers, these bright markings are nature's way of saying, "Watch out, buddy!"
00:12:22 If you ever come across a critter with some serious bling, just remember, they're not trying to be fashionable.
00:12:29 But how come some animals have evolved to use bright colors and others didn't?
00:12:36 It's a question that's been baffling scientists for a long time.
00:12:40 Thankfully, one theory coming from a team of researchers at the University of Arizona
00:12:46 has uncovered some interesting insights into this colorful mystery.
00:12:50 It turns out that the function of an animal's vibrant coloring is strongly linked to the activity patterns of its evolutionary ancestors.
00:13:01 So species that use their bright colors to attract mates are usually descended from ancestors that were active during the day.
00:13:08 Meanwhile, those that use their colors to ward off predators usually had ancestors that were active at night.
00:13:16 It seems that animals have evolved to use their colors in the most advantageous way possible.
00:13:23 Now, you may be wondering, how vivid coloration even came to be in the first place?
00:13:31 Well, it seems that early in their evolution, most species started out pretty plain and drab.
00:13:36 But over time, bright colors evolved across many different lineages because they helped animals survive and reproduce.
00:13:45 But not all bright colors are created equal.
00:13:50 The researchers found that vividly colored lizards and birds usually use their coloring as a mating signal to attract partners.
00:13:59 While colorful amphibians and snakes often wear their colors as a warning sign for predators.
00:14:05 And get this, many of these amphibians and snakes are diurnal now or active during the day, but their ancestors were actually nocturnal, active at night.
00:14:16 So there's no clear connection between warning colors and present day activity patterns.
00:14:24 Mother Nature sure is creative when it comes to helping animals adapt and survive in the wild.
00:14:30 But there are some creatures out there that could take the award for the weirdest animals any day.
00:14:36 Have you ever stopped to think about what it would be like if we could see through all the layers that protect our internal organs?
00:14:43 Because that's exactly what has happened with the glass frog.
00:14:50 Imagine you're strolling through the lush rainforest of Central and South America and you come across a tiny little frog perched on a leaf.
00:14:58 From above, it looks like your average run-of-the-mill frog, but if you flip it over, you'll see all its organs on display, heart, intestines and all.
00:15:08 You might be wondering why on earth these frogs have evolved to be see-through.
00:15:15 It turns out that their super thin, translucent skin actually helps them blend in with their surroundings too.
00:15:21 When light shines on them from above, their silhouette becomes all jumbled up and difficult for predators to decipher.
00:15:29 And let's face it, when you're surrounded by vibrant greenery, a green topcoat is a perfect camouflage.
00:15:36 But what about those transparent legs?
00:15:40 Well, they help to blur the outlines of the frog's body, making it even tougher for predators to recognize their shape.
00:15:47 I for one had no idea penguins also came in yellow!
00:15:53 One wildlife photographer stumbled upon a sight that left him gobsmacked on a remote island in the southern Atlantic Ocean.
00:16:03 He captured some amazing images of a yellow king penguin that had everyone on the beach flapping with excitement.
00:16:10 There were 120,000 birds on that beach and this was the only yellow one there.
00:16:17 Scientists are scratching their heads as to how this coloration happened naturally.
00:16:23 They think it's a form of leucism, which is basically an animal's inability to produce the proper pigments for its natural coloration.
00:16:33 But they're not entirely sure.
00:16:34 All king penguins produce small amounts of this yellow pigment naturally,
00:16:38 but in this particular bird, it seems to be the only pigment the animal could produce.
00:16:43 Talk about standing out from the crowd, am I right?
00:16:47 There are some colors though you'll rarely find in the animal kingdom.
00:16:52 According to some polls, blue is one of, if not the most popular colors amongst people.
00:17:00 Most animals, however, have a tough time sporting this shade.
00:17:04 Some animals get their pigment from the food they eat, like how flamingos turn pink from eating shrimp,
00:17:10 or how goldfish can alter their golden hue based on their diet.
00:17:14 But unfortunately, there's no true blue pigments in plants, so animals can't turn blue through their food.
00:17:22 Instead, they have to get creative.
00:17:26 For instance, some animals make structures that change the wavelength of light to appear blue.
00:17:31 The blue morpho butterfly is a great example of this.
00:17:35 Its wing scales are shaped in ridges that cause light to blend in such a way that it reflects only the blue color.
00:17:42 If the scales were shaped differently, the butterfly would lose its beautiful blue color.
00:17:48 It turns out starfish don't have a head.
00:17:55 They are the head.
00:17:56 When you first look at a starfish, you think it's got five arms.
00:18:00 Scientists have always been curious about why starfish look like this, and in particular, where their heads are.
00:18:06 Most animals, including us, have bodies that are bilaterally symmetrical,
00:18:11 meaning you can split them down the middle and get two matching sides.
00:18:15 But starfish, along with sand dollars and sea anemones, are different.
00:18:20 They're radially symmetrical, meaning their bodies have identical parts spread out from the center.
00:18:25 Starfish, or sea stars, are special because they have this five-way symmetry, and you can divide them into five equal parts.
00:18:32 To make this discovery, scientists used a technique called RNA tomography, which helps study genes.
00:18:39 They focused on the genes controlling the outer layer, including the nervous system.
00:18:43 Surprisingly, the genes associated with the head were active in the starfish's head and its arms.
00:18:49 Yet, genes linked to the body trunk were hardly active.
00:18:53 This suggests that starfish have a unique separation between their head and body.
00:18:58 The study sparked new questions about how these creatures evolved and what their ancestors with trunks might have been like, based on their fossil records.
00:19:06 It also showed that genes active in the head of an acorn worm were also active in a starfish's skin, covering its entire body.
00:19:16 These genes are the most active at the center of each arm, changing towards the arm's end to resemble genes found in the rear of other animals.
00:19:24 Starfish lack genes for a torso. All this challenges traditional views on starfish anatomy.
00:19:32 There's a rumor about Paul McCartney recording an ultrasonic whistle for his Shetland sheepdog at the end of the Beatles song, "A Day in the Life."
00:19:45 Dogs can hear ultrasonic sounds since their hearing ability is incredible.
00:19:49 To move just one of their ears, dogs need to involve 18 muscles.
00:19:53 It allows them to swiftly locate the origin of sounds, and it's another skill where they outshine us.
00:19:58 Their awesome ears sometimes shadow their noses.
00:20:02 Dogs' sense of smell is up to 100,000 times more acute than that of humans.
00:20:07 While humans have around 5 million scent receptors, a bloodhound boasts up to 300 million!
00:20:15 Another study proves that dogs and bottlenose dolphins may share a fascinating similarity with humans.
00:20:23 They call out the names of loved ones when they become separated.
00:20:27 This makes them the first non-human animals to do so.
00:20:31 The research has uncovered that dolphins copy one another's signature whistles when they're separated from close pals.
00:20:38 In the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program recordings, pairs of dolphins were held in separate nets, but they could still communicate with each other.
00:20:45 Turns out, some of their chit-chats were mimicking the unique whistles of their dolphin buddies.
00:20:51 Next up, we have flamingos with their peculiar dining habits.
00:20:57 You often see them feeding with their heads positioned upside down.
00:21:01 This distinctive behavior is linked to the anatomy of their mouths and the mechanics of maneuvering their long, elegant necks into the water.
00:21:08 These birds are skilled filter feeders, employing their tongues as effective sieves to capture food.
00:21:14 When a flamingo lowers its neck beneath the water, it positions its mouth essentially upside down.
00:21:20 Then, the bird closes its mouth and skillfully propels water through comb-like extensions on its beak.
00:21:27 It also utilizes its tongue to expel the water while retaining all the gathered food.
00:21:32 If you've watched the movie "My Octopus Teacher" on Netflix, you might already know that octopuses can bond with humans.
00:21:41 But this time, we'll only focus on the anatomy of this creature.
00:21:44 Octopuses have three hearts.
00:21:47 One heart pumps blood throughout the body, and the other two tag-teams send that blood to the animal's gills.
00:21:53 Octopuses also have nine brains.
00:21:56 Each of their eight tentacles has its very own mini-brain.
00:21:59 These mini-brains allow each tentacle to move independently at lightning speed.
00:22:04 There's a ninth brain in the mix, and this one oversees the entire octo-nervous system.
00:22:10 Opossums are intelligent, in a way, too.
00:22:15 They're known for pretending to pass away when their life is threatened.
00:22:19 When they face predators, opossums attempt to intimidate their foes by showing their teeth, hissing, and growling.
00:22:26 Yet, when these tactics fall short, opossums resort to shutting their eyes, collapsing onto their side and pretending to have passed away.
00:22:33 To look more convincing, an opossum might drool, let its tongue hang out, and even excrete waste to enhance the illusion of a sudden demise.
00:22:42 Remarkably, opossums can uphold this state for several hours, waiting until they're confident that the threat is gone.
00:22:50 Monkeys can be loud when calling one another, but a howler monkey's shout can travel approximately three miles in specific situations.
00:22:58 Males are usually louder than females.
00:23:01 The thing is, the sound is created by pulling air through a space in an enlarged bone in the animal's throat.
00:23:07 This bone is larger in males compared to females, and that's why males sound louder.
00:23:12 Polar bears have black skin beneath all that fur.
00:23:19 Their fluffy white coat is actually translucent.
00:23:21 It only seems white because it bounces back visible light.
00:23:25 The skin itself is jet black.
00:23:28 These creatures are also impressive when it comes to swimming.
00:23:31 They can hit speeds of up to six miles per hour in the water, which is pretty fast for such big creatures.
00:23:37 They can swim for miles and keep going for hours.
00:23:41 Their big paws are designed for swimming.
00:23:45 They use them to paddle through the water while their back legs stay straight and act like a rudder, helping them steer.
00:23:50 Since we visited polar bears, we might as well add a romantic fact about penguins here.
00:23:56 Male Gentoo and Adelie penguins put themselves out there with proposals.
00:24:01 They offer their potential mates precious pebbles, essential for building nests in the harsh Antarctic landscape.
00:24:08 If the lady penguin accepts the pebble, they're in it for life, bonded and ready to mate.
00:24:15 Another study has found that our adorable house cats share more than 95% of their genetic makeup with tigers.
00:24:21 These little fur balls also mimic many behaviors of their wild relatives, like marking territory with scents and the classic, stalking and pouncing during playtime.
00:24:32 Biologically though, a cat's brain is kind of similar to a human's.
00:24:36 We share identical emotional regions in our brains.
00:24:40 Cats can also make up to a hundred different sounds.
00:24:43 Owls have eye tubes or cylinders.
00:24:49 Their rod-shaped eyes don't do the eyeball moving.
00:24:53 Our eyes can move in almost all directions.
00:24:56 Owls have to make a full body or full head turn to look around, all because of night vision.
00:25:02 To master the art of seeing in the dark, they need large corneas that can scoop up every bit of light.
00:25:10 Most night-time critters, like slow lorises or tarsiers, have enormous eyes to get the job done.
00:25:16 But owls have small skulls on their agenda, so those big eyes couldn't swell out.
00:25:22 Cockroaches are notorious for their survival skills, and a key reason is their unique brain structure.
00:25:31 They have two brains, one in their head and a more basic one near their abdomen.
00:25:37 They're so hard to get because these critters are incredibly quick to react.
00:25:41 They have tiny hairs on their rear end that can feel the slightest breeze.
00:25:45 When these hairs twitch, the cockroach doesn't waste time. It instantly switches to escape mode.
00:25:50 Research shows that a cockroach can react in just 1/20th of a second.
00:25:56 So by the time we turn on the light or grab something to target it, the cockroach is already speeding off.
00:26:02 Cats can have dreams.
00:26:06 Sometimes you can see your cat's whiskers twitching or its legs kicking while it's sleeping.
00:26:09 This doesn't necessarily mean your pet is having a nightmare.
00:26:13 We can look at human sleep to get a clue about what's happening with our feline friends.
00:26:17 During REM sleep, our brains get super active, almost like when we're awake.
00:26:22 That's also the prime time for dreaming.
00:26:25 REM sleep is named this way because of the quick movements the eyes make under the eyelids.
00:26:30 But while our eyes might be moving, the rest of our body stays still.
00:26:35 The focus is on what's going on in our minds.
00:26:38 This is true for cats too.
00:26:40 Besides an occasional twitch, cats usually don't move much when they're asleep.
00:26:44 I have news for you. Rats are ticklish.
00:26:51 Well, I thought it was news.
00:26:53 Anyway, they have a so-called laugh center in their midbrain,
00:26:57 and it activates when someone tickles the animals or when they engage in some fun and playful activities.
00:27:04 Scientists discovered this in 2016 after tickling the rodents on their bellies and listening to their squeaky giggles.
00:27:10 Now, hummingbirds are the only birds we know about that can fly backward.
00:27:15 They mostly do it when they want to move away from flowers.
00:27:18 And here's an animal that can't go backward – a kangaroo.
00:27:22 They can hop around and cross great distances,
00:27:25 but the structure of their strong rear feet and big tails prevent them from walking backwards.
00:27:31 Narwhals are those weird creatures that look like some sort of sea unicorns.
00:27:35 That horn on their head is not a tusk.
00:27:38 It's a giant tooth that sticks out through the upper lip of male narwhals.
00:27:43 This tooth is probably one of the tools that plays a role in attracting ladies.
00:27:49 Now, flamingos are not actually pink.
00:27:52 They're born gray, but throughout their life, they eat lots of algae and other foods
00:27:58 that contain a red-orange pigment we know as beta-carotene, like in carrots.
00:28:03 This pigment gets broken down and ends up in their skin and feathers, which is what makes them pink.
00:28:09 They need to eat a lot of such food to stay like that, though.
00:28:13 If we humans wanted to change our skin color,
00:28:16 we wouldn't be able to eat enough food rich in beta-carotene to really turn pink,
00:28:20 or in our case, maybe even orange.
00:28:26 Sloths are really slow.
00:28:29 All the jokes and memes about them are true, but they're also very skilled swimmers,
00:28:34 and they move in the water around 3-4 times quicker than on land.
00:28:38 They can do breaststroke just like people, and it's an important skill for them to have
00:28:42 because they're tropical animals that mostly live in jungles, and those areas are often flooded.
00:28:48 Tigers are the biggest members of the feline family, yep, even bigger than lions.
00:28:54 And no tiger has the same set of stripes.
00:28:56 Their coat is actually a camouflage that comes in handy
00:28:59 when they need to find a good spot where their prey won't see them.
00:29:03 Interestingly, their skin is striped too, not just the coat.
00:29:07 Their stripes are as unique as our fingerprints.
00:29:11 Even though they look kind of funny and innocent, you wouldn't want to bother a platypus.
00:29:17 These wild animals are some of the few mammal species that can poison you.
00:29:23 They have spurs on the tips of their back feet that can release venom.
00:29:26 It's not potent enough to pose a life threat, but the stain can still be very painful
00:29:31 and can cause swelling and other issues.
00:29:34 When a ladybug needs to defend itself against potential predators,
00:29:38 it starts bleeding from its knees.
00:29:40 Now, it's not actual blood coming out of its joints.
00:29:43 It's a certain chemical that smells bad and, therefore, repels predators.
00:29:48 They have another mechanism that helps them survive in the harsh animal kingdom.
00:29:52 Their specific color.
00:29:54 Predators really don't like the combinations of bright colors,
00:29:57 such as red, orange, and black,
00:29:59 because they know that creatures colored this way can taste awful.
00:30:03 Roosters can get extremely noisy in the morning,
00:30:08 but they don't go deaf because they don't even hear how loud their crowing can be.
00:30:13 What keeps them safe is special built-in noise protection plugs.
00:30:17 Hens have the same system that reduces the risk of hearing loss too.
00:30:21 Not only do they have this protection,
00:30:23 but they can also regrow cochlear hair ears if they get damaged in only a couple of days.
00:30:29 Owls don't have eyeballs.
00:30:32 They have something that's more like eye tubes,
00:30:35 and they can't move them back and forth like we do with our eyeballs.
00:30:38 Which is why these birds have incredibly flexible necks.
00:30:42 They're able to rotate their heads 270 degrees.
00:30:45 For comparison, humans can only manage 180.
00:30:50 That's why owls have a specific system of blood vessels in their heads.
00:30:53 It delivers fresh blood to the brain if the bird turns its head too quickly and cuts off circulation.
00:31:00 Just keep swimming.
00:31:03 You may remember how Dory the Blue Tang sang this in Finding Nemo.
00:31:07 Dory wasn't a shark, but that's a message some shark species need to take literally.
00:31:13 Mako sharks, great whites, whale sharks, and some other kinds need to keep swimming.
00:31:19 Otherwise, they'll stop breathing.
00:31:21 We use our lungs for breathing, and some sharks use a method called buccal pumping.
00:31:26 This means they swim with their mouths open.
00:31:29 That way, they allow water to flow through their gills and thus extract oxygen.
00:31:34 The most dangerous animal on our planet isn't a bear, a shark, or some toothy tiger.
00:31:42 It's something way smaller – the mosquito.
00:31:46 Not only is it extremely irritating, but it also transfers serious diseases such as yellow fever, malaria, or dengue fever.
00:31:53 Annually, hundreds of thousands of people don't survive the battle with those diseases.
00:31:58 Mosquitoes also outnumber every other creature across the globe, apart from termites and ants.
00:32:04 Grizzly bears are incredibly strong animals with a bite powerful enough to crush a bowling ball.
00:32:12 That's why you won't see them aloud in bowling alleys.
00:32:15 Despite that, they're mostly light eaters.
00:32:18 They're strong enough to make a meal out of whatever they come across, including a bison, moose, or elk.
00:32:24 But they still like to munch on their fruits, nuts, berries, and even a small unfortunate mouse that gets lost and ends up in the predator's mouth.
00:32:33 The inland taipan is the most venomous snake on the planet.
00:32:38 We know it as the Western taipan.
00:32:40 It lives in Australia.
00:32:43 One bite has enough venom to turn out fatal for at least 100 fully grown humans.
00:32:47 And it can also do the job within only half an hour if you don't have anything to treat the bite right away.
00:32:53 They say these snakes are mostly shy, and they mind their own business.
00:32:57 But like other animals, they will attack if they feel threatened or provoked.
00:33:02 There's a kind of turtle that can stay alive for months under the ice by breathing through its behind.
00:33:11 When it gets colder, some animals can't find safe places to stay, so they must survive harsh winter conditions wherever they are.
00:33:18 And while bees get cozy in their nests and bears sleep in caves, painted turtles stay in their ponds that freeze over.
00:33:25 Since the ice limits their access to air, they extract oxygen directly from the water and breathe through their behinds.
00:33:33 Yes, that would be handy.
00:33:35 It's well known that ravens are incredibly intelligent animals.
00:33:40 They're excellent at solving problems, but it seems they also have impressive social intelligence.
00:33:45 They're very in tune with their feelings as well as the emotions of their mates.
00:33:49 If one raven in the group feels pessimistic, it's likely to bring the others down too.
00:33:55 A real buzzkill.
00:33:57 When they see a bird that doesn't like certain food and expresses it in a very vivid way, they lose interest in their own food as well.
00:34:07 The pistol shrimp is one of the loudest animals in the world, even though it's tiny, only about 3/4 of an inch long.
00:34:14 When it senses food, it opens its large claw that can grow as long as half its body length and lets him water it.
00:34:21 Then it snaps the claw shut extremely fast, which shoots out a very strong jet of bubbles.
00:34:27 These bubbles can stun or even finish the prey the shrimp is trying to catch.
00:34:32 And when the bubbles pop, it produces a snapping sound, louder than anyone would expect.
00:34:37 Crocodiles are even scarier than we thought, because many of them can gallop like horses.
00:34:43 They probably inherited this ability from their ancient ancestors, who were as small as cats, had long legs, and could run at speeds of about 11 mph.
00:34:53 Smaller crocodiles probably gallop when something's after them, but caimans and alligators obviously don't need to use this skill.
00:35:01 It's you who's more likely to gallop away when you see them.
00:35:04 It's just a regular day. As usual, you're taking a shower before starting to get ready for work.
00:35:19 Everything is going as planned, until it isn't.
00:35:23 One clumsy move, some water spilled on the floor, and you're flapping your arms in the air, your body nearing the floor with frightening speed.
00:35:31 Everything goes black.
00:35:33 First thing you hear is a high-pitched whining in your head.
00:35:37 "Ouch, your head!"
00:35:39 You carefully get up. There's no blood, and that's good.
00:35:44 An even better thing is that the annoying noise stops abruptly.
00:35:50 With a cold in your head, you leave the bathroom, and almost stumble over your cat, Milo.
00:35:54 He hisses, and then a clear voice in your head says, "Clumsy loser."
00:36:00 "Huh?" You whip your head around in fear, but you see no one. It's just you and... Milo?
00:36:07 You've probably hit your head more than you thought.
00:36:10 You shrug and make your way to the kitchen. Milo follows you. You hear ceaseless grumbling.
00:36:18 "Why can't he sleep in the bedroom, and I'm banned from there?"
00:36:21 "Why haven't I gotten my meal yet?"
00:36:23 "This leather creature's too lazy. Shall I scratch the sofa, or leave a mouse on his pillow?"
00:36:29 The first thought that comes to your mind is, "We have mice in the house?"
00:36:34 The second is more relevant. "I'm losing my marbles! Great!"
00:36:39 Acting on autopilot, you pour some milk into Milo's bowl, and fill another one up with some dry food.
00:36:47 He doesn't seem to be satisfied with how fast you are, if his "Oh for goodness sake, move it, man!" is anything to go by.
00:36:55 Okay, now you'll have to live with the knowledge that your beloved cat Milo actually has the personality of a grumpy old man.
00:37:04 You decide to lock yourself in the bathroom again, because you're starting to get overwhelmed.
00:37:11 You sit down heavily on the toilet lid, and almost jump a foot in the air when you hear someone arguing loudly.
00:37:17 After looking around, you find out that, apparently, there are not only mice, but also cockroaches in your house.
00:37:25 Just great. At the moment, you're staring at a couple of these insects, which seem to be having a fight.
00:37:33 At least, one of them is accusing the other of... wait, what? Cheating?
00:37:39 You've heard enough! You're about to dash out of the bathroom when you hear a bang!
00:37:44 In the living room, you find your cat on the floor under a smashed flower pot.
00:37:50 The worst thing? He seems to be really hurt. He won't stop whimpering and meowing.
00:37:56 "It hurts! It hurts! My paw! Ouch! Ouch! But the sofa can't remain unscratched today!"
00:38:06 You grab Milo, shove him into the carrier, "Hey, watch out, you leather bag!" and head for the clinic.
00:38:12 On the way, you have to concentrate hard to block out the noise of countless voices assaulting you.
00:38:18 The waiting area at the vet is full. Uh-oh, you're in for a long wait.
00:38:23 Half an hour later, your head is ready to explode!
00:38:29 You've found out that that yellow python is suspiciously interested in the hamster a girl in the corner is clutching to her chest.
00:38:37 "So fat, so pretty!"
00:38:41 The hamster is worried about his stash of nuts.
00:38:44 "Where did I hide them? Where? Where? Where?"
00:38:47 A tiny dog that has come with an elderly lady is anxious about needles.
00:38:52 "If that shop thingy comes near me once again, they'll regret it! I'll destroy everyone on my way!"
00:38:59 Finally, it's your turn.
00:39:00 The vet invites you to her office, and you bend to pick up Milo, when a desperate-looking young man bursts into the room.
00:39:07 "My puppy! What's wrong with him?"
00:39:10 The vet looks at you apologetically, but you're focused on the puppy.
00:39:14 It looks weak, but you manage to figure out the words, "Chocolate! Yum!"
00:39:20 When you tell the vet and the anxious owner that the pooch has eaten some chocolate, which is basically poison for dogs,
00:39:27 they give you a funny look and disappear into the doctor's office.
00:39:31 Some time later, the guy exits, holding the dog that looks even better than before.
00:39:37 When they leave, the vet turns to you.
00:39:40 "How did you figure out the dog had eaten chocolate?"
00:39:43 Uh-oh, here it comes.
00:39:46 You decide that honesty is the best strategy, and tell the vet that you can understand what animals say.
00:39:54 Of course she doesn't believe you. You have to try hard to persuade her.
00:39:58 But with the help of two other dogs, Milo and an elderly squirrel, you manage to make her believe you.
00:40:05 When you get back home, your head is spinning, and you're pretty hungry.
00:40:11 All you can think about is some fried eggs and bacon.
00:40:15 Yum. Wait, bacon? But it's…
00:40:20 Uh-oh. Apparently, starting today, you're a vegan.
00:40:25 Anyway, that's when it starts. You don't know how it happens, but you become famous overnight.
00:40:32 The next morning, a loud noise wakes you up, and it doesn't sound like animals talking to you.
00:40:38 You look out of the window and see crowds of people gathered around your house.
00:40:43 Some of them are reporters, but others are pet owners that have come to ask you for help.
00:40:49 Milo is not happy. While grumbling nonstop and calling you names, he bites your leg and retreats under the stairs.
00:40:57 And you go out of your house to talk to people and answer the reporters' questions.
00:41:02 In the evening, you're exhausted but also happy. You've saved several animals today.
00:41:09 They had serious health and psychological problems their owners couldn't figure out on their own.
00:41:15 Lying in bed in the dark, you think of how you can use your ability. That's when your plan takes shape.
00:41:21 Soon, you become the most renowned animal care specialist in the world.
00:41:27 You listen to animals talking about their problems, talk them out of depression, and help them resolve misunderstandings with their owners.
00:41:36 TV shows invite you for interviews. Your YouTube channel is growing every day.
00:41:42 People recognize you on the street and ask you to take pictures with them.
00:41:45 You travel the world, help endangered species, and give lectures.
00:41:50 You open vet clinics all over the globe and invite the best professionals to work there.
00:41:56 You never feel lonely. There's always someone to talk to or listen to.
00:42:01 At least, some birds when you're walking in the park, or some fish when you're having a rare moment of rest on the beach.
00:42:09 At the same time, you've come to realize how many animals are begging for help, but no one can hear them.
00:42:16 You decide to take up the role of their speaker.
00:42:19 It turns out you're now famous not only in the human world, but also in the world of animals.
00:42:25 They're grateful, and in return, they start informing you of different natural disasters that are about to happen on the planet.
00:42:34 You've heard that animals can predict earthquakes or volcanic eruptions.
00:42:39 And, if before, people had to try hard to notice some unusual behavior of certain species,
00:42:45 now, animals just pass you information about what's going to happen, and where.
00:42:51 With time, you notice that you spend less time among people, and more time with animals.
00:42:59 Together, you plan campaigns against zoos, circuses, and other places where animals are kept against their will.
00:43:06 And then, one day, the unthinkable happens.
00:43:10 You're returning home when a black van stops next to you.
00:43:14 A few big masked guys grab you and push you inside.
00:43:18 The doors close behind your back.
00:43:21 Inside, you find out that several influential people aren't happy with your activity.
00:43:28 You realize that this "trip" isn't going to end well.
00:43:31 The guys blindfold you and lead you somewhere.
00:43:34 But, at one moment, you lose your footing and hit your head on something.
00:43:39 Hard.
00:43:41 You open your eyes.
00:43:43 Milo is standing over you, looking at your lying body rather indifferently.
00:43:48 And then, the most terrible thing happens.
00:43:51 He meows what sounds like a whole sentence, turns away, and walks out of the bathroom.
00:43:57 And you don't understand a meow of what he's saying.
00:44:01 Was it all just a dream?
00:44:04 Okay, let's face it.
00:44:07 We humans are pretty ordinary.
00:44:09 I mean, we're no superheroes with superpowers, right?
00:44:12 What, you didn't get the memo?
00:44:14 But the animal world has a bunch of superheroes.
00:44:17 Some creatures live forever, and those who seem to not care about the laws of gravity.
00:44:22 Critters that are immune to venom, and those that can run on water.
00:44:26 And some of them will send shivers down your spine.
00:44:29 So, the first superpower on the list is the ability to live without water.
00:44:34 Kangaroo rats can get by without water for years.
00:44:38 They actually don't mind living without any water.
00:44:41 Humans, on the other hand, can only survive 3 days without water.
00:44:45 Human 0, kangaroo rats 1.
00:44:48 These little buddies live in extremely arid desert areas, and have to get water from the seeds and plants they eat.
00:44:55 Although it may sound a bit disturbing, kangaroo rats also know how to extract water from their urine before they set off on a bathroom trip.
00:45:03 This way, they don't waste a single drop of precious moisture.
00:45:07 Well, that would come in handy at sporting events.
00:45:10 Now let me introduce you to the Peter Parker of the animal world.
00:45:14 Yep, seems like Spider-Man is real, but not human.
00:45:18 Meet a gecko lizard, or simply gecko.
00:45:22 This critter has a marvelous ability to climb up all kinds of vertical surfaces, and can even go for a walk on the ceiling.
00:45:29 This gravity-defying feat is possible thanks to the lizard's unique foot pads covered with tiny hairs.
00:45:36 They can cling to almost any kind of surface, no matter whether it's smooth, hard, rough, or soft.
00:45:42 One more fun fact about these guys is that they lack eyelids.
00:45:46 So, they always keep an eye wide open for what's going on around them.
00:45:51 If you wonder how they keep their eyes protected, here's the answer.
00:45:54 Their eyes are covered with a transparent membrane, the cornea.
00:45:58 Sure thing they can't close their eyes, and if they have something in their eye, they simply lick it off.
00:46:04 Right, they clean their eyeballs by licking them.
00:46:07 I guess that's another superpower.
00:46:09 Any supersonic superpowers here?
00:46:12 Sure, a 1-inch long subtropical shrimp disorients its prey with a sonic boom.
00:46:20 Despite its modest size, the pistil shrimp is one of the loudest marine animals.
00:46:24 When the shrimp snaps its claws, it creates a sound as loud as a sonic boom.
00:46:30 Naturally, this sound stuns the prey, and the shrimp can catch it without too much effort.
00:46:35 Now, in the comic world, there's Venom.
00:46:38 In the animal world, there's a guy that can be called Anti-Venom.
00:46:42 Opossums are known for their handy trick of pretending to have passed away when a predator attacks them.
00:46:49 But that's not the end of the story.
00:46:51 These guys are also immune to rattlesnake and pit viper venom.
00:46:55 The secret is a peptide that helps opossums neutralize dangerous chemicals.
00:46:59 This is the reason why snakes are a favorite treat on opossums' diet.
00:47:03 There's one curious thing they have on their diet – ticks.
00:47:07 One opossum can hoover up about 5,000 ticks per season, and most of them are picked off their own bodies.
00:47:15 Now, imagine a fish that is so notorious that it's called a dangerous fish.
00:47:20 It's Mabenga, and it literally translates to "dangerous fish" in Swahili.
00:47:25 This monster lives in freshwater and doesn't mind having a crocodile for lunch.
00:47:30 Not a whole crocodile, but Mabenga can take a bite out of them.
00:47:34 But to be honest, these guys are intimidated by the crocodiles the same way the crocs are intimidated by them.
00:47:41 Now, you're watching this video on some gadget, right?
00:47:44 Well, we all owe the gadgets we have to the electric eels in some way.
00:47:49 I mean, all gadgets have batteries, and eels contributed a lot to the invention of an electric battery back in 1800.
00:47:57 I know, I know, the batteries have unrecognizably changed since then,
00:48:01 but still, the first electric battery ever was invented thanks to electric eels.
00:48:07 Anyway, if you see one of them and want to thank them for their magnificent invention, don't do that.
00:48:13 Thing is, they can deliver shocks up to 860 volts. You don't want to experience that.
00:48:19 Now let's talk about the Count Dracula of the animal kingdom.
00:48:24 Nope, I'm not talking about bats. I'm talking about the fanged vampire fish.
00:48:29 These fish are known as payara and have two long fangs protruding from their lower jaw.
00:48:35 Here's why some people associate them with vampires.
00:48:39 Hippos are the beauty gurus since they know how to save a fortune on skin care.
00:48:44 Living under the harsh African sun, these animals secrete a sweat-like red oily substance that evaporates and keeps the animals' bodies cool.
00:48:54 Besides, the fluid works as a moisturizer, sunscreen, and antibiotic all in one.
00:49:00 But they're not the only ones with such a superpower.
00:49:04 Shrimp know how to produce natural sunscreen too, but they use it for eye protection.
00:49:09 It's all about amino acid pigments, and these pigments act as special filters that contribute to their sharp vision too.
00:49:16 That's what I call multitasking.
00:49:18 Meerkats have dark patches around their eyes which make them look even cuter.
00:49:24 But these black circles aren't there just to make these buddies more adorable.
00:49:28 They also function as built-in sunglasses.
00:49:32 The dark fur on the patches blocks the blazing sun, and as a result, meerkats can gaze directly at the sky.
00:49:39 On top of that, the sentry, a meerkat that watches out for birds and other predators, can easily see danger coming and alert its mates.
00:49:48 Wild goats are famous for their climbing skills, but the Alpine Ibex from Northern Italy is the champion.
00:49:57 This critter can climb nearly any vertical surface, defying several physical laws in the process.
00:50:02 Interestingly, the animals that do walk on the steepest cliff walls are typically mother goats with their little ones.
00:50:09 Large males prefer to keep their distance and use flat horizontal surfaces. Smart guys.
00:50:15 Some animals protect themselves with venom or nasty bites, while others use chemical tricks for protection.
00:50:24 Think of this – some species of millipedes produce hydrogen cyanide and exude it when they feel threatened.
00:50:30 Hydrogen cyanide is odorless but highly toxic.
00:50:34 One little millipede can't seriously hurt you, but you may have burns or even blisters if your skin is sensitive.
00:50:41 Plus, to make the picture even scarier, some millipedes glow in the dark.
00:50:46 So watch out, and if you see a crawling spot of light at night, run away as fast as you can.
00:50:54 When the bombardier beetle feels threatened, it sprays scorching liquid from the tip of its abdomen with a loud popping sound.
00:51:01 As soon as the beetle senses danger, a chemical reaction starts in special reservoirs in its abdomen.
00:51:07 The heat from this process nearly reaches the boiling point and also produces special gas that triggers the ejection.
00:51:14 This super protection is usually fatal for the attacking insects. I guess so.
00:51:21 Plumed basculus lizards have an uncanny ability to run on water.
00:51:26 First of all, their hind feet are equipped with long toes which have fringes of skin that can spread out in the water.
00:51:33 As a result, a bigger surface of the lizard's foot comes into contact with water.
00:51:38 Then, when it runs on water, it pumps its legs incredibly fast.
00:51:42 This creates little pockets of air that prevent the animal from drowning by keeping it on the surface.
00:51:49 Now, fleas can be annoying, but it doesn't make them any less amazing.
00:51:53 These tiny critters can leap about 50 times their body length.
00:51:57 If people could do the same, we would be jumping about a quarter of a mile into the air.
00:52:02 Well, let's try it!
00:52:04 The most curious thing about fleas' astonishing ability is that they take most of the power for leaps from their toes, not knees.
00:52:12 So, what's your favorite animal superpower?
00:52:16 I vote for the kangaroo rat. I don't like standing in lines for the bathroom.
00:52:20 The sky suddenly turns orange. All you can see as you look up are millions of butterflies.
00:52:28 You just got lucky to witness the spectacular natural show - the annual migration of monarch butterflies.
00:52:36 Every fall, as the days get shorter and the temperatures go down in the northeastern US and Canada,
00:52:44 these beautiful creatures leave their summer breeding grounds.
00:52:47 They travel up to 3,000 miles to Mexico and never come back.
00:52:53 Their perfect overwintering ground is high in the mountains.
00:52:57 Millions of monarch butterflies are safe there in the canopy of oyamel fir trees.
00:53:03 Once the winter is over, it's time for them to go back up north.
00:53:07 They make a stopover around Texas to mate and lay eggs on milkweed plants.
00:53:13 A few days later, these eggs turn into caterpillars that feed on the plant until they transform into grown-up butterflies.
00:53:21 Now, it's their turn to continue the journey up north until they find a new breeding ground.
00:53:27 This way, generations keep changing en route, and it may take up to five of them to get to the final destination back in Canada.
00:53:36 It's a natural mystery how the butterflies traveling south live up to eight months traveling with the air currents.
00:53:43 The same species going back completes its life cycle in five to seven weeks.
00:53:48 Scientists still don't know why the monarchs migrate and how they find their way.
00:53:54 It could be connected with the blooming of milkweed plants, their primary food source.
00:53:59 They probably find their way around based on the position of the sun.
00:54:05 (waves crashing)
00:54:08 (waves crashing)
00:54:12 Humpback whales are real champions when it comes to migration and size among mammals.
00:54:17 They cover a distance of up to 5,000 miles following their lunch.
00:54:22 In the summer, they move towards the poles to colder waters where there's plenty of krill and small fish.
00:54:30 In the winter, they go south towards the equator's tropical waters.
00:54:35 They also travel to mate. They have specific locations where they gather to do it.
00:54:40 During the winter breeding season, you can hear male humpback whales sing, most likely to attract females or mark their territory.
00:54:49 They produce a long series of calls and can repeat the same song for several hours.
00:54:56 When the song changes, all singers that are currently migrating pick up the new tune.
00:55:00 It's amazing how they do it when the distance between groups can be over 3,000 miles!
00:55:06 (waves crashing)
00:55:10 Sea turtles migrate for more sentimental reasons.
00:55:14 For hundreds of millions of years, these cute family guys returned to the exact place where they were born to lay their eggs.
00:55:23 They can cover up to thousands of miles mostly when the seasons change and the waters are of a comfortable temperature.
00:55:29 It could take them years since some of them travel across the Pacific Ocean between Indonesia and the west coast of the United States and Canada, which is a total of 10,000 miles!
00:55:42 But how do they find the exact spot they need if their parents can't just send them a geotag?
00:55:49 Scientists have found out that they navigate using the invisible lines of the Earth's magnetic field.
00:55:55 It turns out that each part of the coastline has its unique magnetic characteristics.
00:56:01 The turtles remember theirs and travel using their internal compass.
00:56:05 The magnetic field changes slowly but surely, so they have to shift their nesting sites accordingly.
00:56:11 Salmon are born in freshwater streams and move to the ocean as juveniles.
00:56:19 Atlantic salmon are brown and spotted as they cover hundreds of miles in freshwater and turn silvery in the ocean, where they travel for up to a thousand miles!
00:56:28 Adult salmon stay in the ocean for one to five years, feeding mostly on zooplankton.
00:56:34 Then it's time for them to go back to freshwater to spawn.
00:56:38 On their way back to the breeding grounds, they have to ascend thousands of feet against the current in mountain streams.
00:56:45 This challenging journey is called a salmon run.
00:56:48 They set on this run because they know the stream they're headed to will be good for spawning, and they'll meet the right species to mate with.
00:56:56 Young salmon remember the smell of their home stream and probably even take note of various points along the way to the ocean to find it again.
00:57:04 Just like sea turtles, they use the Earth's magnetic field as a compass for their travels.
00:57:11 Pacific salmon and most male Atlantic salmon only live for a few weeks after spawning, and some female Atlantic salmon survive and migrate back to the ocean.
00:57:21 Caribou, better known as reindeer, are the champs when it comes to migration distance among land mammals.
00:57:31 Every spring, they cover a distance of around 400 miles in Alaska, from their winter to their summer feeding grounds.
00:57:39 Individuals cover up to 3,000 miles, but herd migration is way more spectacular.
00:57:44 The largest herd has at least 260,000 members, and its migration territory covers an area larger than California.
00:57:54 Scientists put radio tracker collars on some herd members and take thousands of photos to count them all.
00:58:02 This census is organized every three years in good weather conditions to see if the population figures are rising or falling and track their migration patterns.
00:58:11 Caribou grow through all this migration trouble to safely raise their newborn young.
00:58:17 They reach remote grounds where golden eagles, wolves, and grizzly bears won't bother the youngsters during their first, most vulnerable days.
00:58:26 Another good excuse to hit the road up north for them is to save themselves from mosquitoes, which would be a huge problem in warmer months.
00:58:33 Plus, they get fresh seasonal foods from the areas they stay in.
00:58:37 Their migration helps fertilize the grounds they pass by, which means the tundra should thank them for regenerating and protecting its grasslands.
00:58:46 Wildebeest, also known as newts, are relatives of antelopes and gazelles.
00:58:54 They spend most of their lives in the Serengeti Plains of southeastern Africa, grazing on the grassy savannas.
00:59:01 Every year at the end of the rainy season, normally in May or June, millions of wildebeest head northwest in search of greener pastures, and then back again.
00:59:11 This migration is so spectacular that it's considered one of the seven wonders of the natural world.
00:59:18 Sadly, not all wildebeest make it to their final destination, as they have to cross rivers full of giant crocodiles and pass by hungry lions and other predators.
00:59:28 If you look at dragonflies' migration routes, you can call them real globetrotters.
00:59:39 Scientists discovered one such route that spanned from India to the Maldives, Seychelles, Mozambique, Uganda, and back again for at least 8,700 miles.
00:59:50 It's the longest insect migration we know of so far.
00:59:54 It looks like they set on this epic journey when the temperature reaches a certain mark and the days start to grow longer.
01:00:01 They seem to be following the rains as they start during the monsoon season in India and arrive for the rainy season in eastern and southern Africa.
01:00:10 One fragile insect cannot complete the whole trip, so it turns into a sort of relay race that includes four generations of dragonflies.
01:00:19 Each generation plays its role in the journey.
01:00:22 Scientists can't put radio trackers on dragonflies as they do with other animals because the insects are too small.
01:00:29 So, to put together the migration route puzzle, they analyzed 21 years of data from volunteer citizen scientists and also wing samples from museums.
01:00:38 Each of the samples had a chemical code that could roughly tell where the insect was from.
01:00:43 This data helped the scientists understand how far this or that insect traveled as an adult.
01:00:49 Elephants are known to have traveled across Africa for centuries.
01:00:58 They rely on their herd leader's memory when it comes to recalling the tricky migratory routes.
01:01:03 This big elephant boss leads everyone else to sources of ripe food and water when the seasons change.
01:01:09 They also migrate to avoid danger, which is mostly represented by humans.
01:01:14 Elephants have developed their own communication methods to pass on information about prospective danger.
01:01:20 They use chemical secretions, vibrations, gestures, and touch.
01:01:25 Recently, many African countries have restored some of the oldest elephant migration routes.
01:01:30 These big-eared guys usually avoid dangerous areas for generations, but once they know the route is safe, they start using it again.
01:01:38 It was a regular dive in Australia's Great Barrier Reef for underwater photographer Christian Lane.
01:01:50 He was taking photos of a group of male manta rays chasing a female one when suddenly he saw something that made him check if his camera strobes had been broken.
01:01:59 There was a pink manta ray in his viewfinder.
01:02:02 Other underwater beauties of its kind are usually black on top and white underneath.
01:02:08 This creature Christian met that day was black on top and pink on the bottom.
01:02:14 It turned out the photographer met Inspector Clouseau.
01:02:18 The only known pink manta ray in the world living in the waters around Lady Elliot Island.
01:02:23 It was named after the famous detective from Pink Panther movies.
01:02:27 It was calm, looking at the photographer with its huge eyes.
01:02:31 It even seemed that it was smiling at his guest, as Christian remembered in an interview.
01:02:36 He managed to take five good photos of Inspector Clouseau in the 30 minutes they spent together.
01:02:44 Divers first spotted the unique manta ray in 2015 and it was only seen less than 10 times ever since.
01:02:51 First, the scientists thought the secret to this unusual color was in its diet.
01:02:56 They took a sample of its skin and found out it was actually a result of a genetic mutation that caused it to express melanin differently.
01:03:05 Many fish have it, but it usually turns them into albinos.
01:03:10 For a regular sea creature, a combo of black, which blends with dark waters and can't be seen from above,
01:03:16 and white, which blends with light, is ideal protection.
01:03:20 A color mutation with pink in the picture would make other sea animals more vulnerable to predators.
01:03:26 But a manta ray weighing as much as a car, and 1.5 times taller than an average basketball player, definitely has nothing to be afraid of.
01:03:36 These creatures are born rather big and grow fast in the first few years so they can defend themselves.
01:03:42 If you were impressed by a manta ray the shade of bubblegum, meet blue bees.
01:03:49 These unique Australian inhabitants have turquoise stripes instead of yellow, which makes them look like flying sapphires.
01:03:57 Their thin brown wings look like layers of cellophane with engraved patterns.
01:04:03 Another unusual thing about them is their lifestyle.
01:04:06 The blue-banded bees are singles. They don't move in swarms and don't live in large nests.
01:04:12 They prefer settling in small burrows in the soil or crevices in rocks.
01:04:17 Blue bees also have a special way of pollination.
01:04:21 They sit on the flower, hold it tightly, and shake the whole body to make the flower move quickly and gently.
01:04:29 Then the bees stop and collect all the pollen that goes out of the capsule inside the flower.
01:04:34 Blue bees work for Australian agriculture, helping with tomatoes, cranberries, eggplants, blueberries, kiwi, and chili peppers.
01:04:43 The next unique Australian animal is called the happiest on this planet.
01:04:50 A kuaka never stops smiling and looks like a live teddy bear.
01:04:54 It's a nocturnal creature the size of a cat.
01:04:58 It has inherited its appearance from its relative, the kangaroo.
01:05:01 It also has a pouch, which serves as a home for its offspring for six months.
01:05:06 Kuakas have a diet of grass, shrubs, and leaves.
01:05:10 When there isn't enough food, they can use stored fat in their tails as a source of energy.
01:05:16 They mostly live on Rotnest Island off the coast of Western Australia.
01:05:22 Since there's no predators or traffic there, kuakas have nothing to fear and gladly come into contact with humans.
01:05:28 It's against the law to touch them, but no one has banned taking selfies.
01:05:33 When you look into the eyes of this cutie pie, the only question is, who on earth would call it the Tasmanian devil?
01:05:42 Well, it wasn't that friendly to the European settlers who came to Tasmania in the early 19th century.
01:05:49 Cutie Pie greeted them with frightening growls, high-pitched screeches, and unearthly screams.
01:05:54 They had no more doubts about how to name it when they saw its red ears and extra white jaws with sharp teeth.
01:06:01 But when it doesn't have to defend itself, its meals, or impress a mate, the creature goes back to its cute appearance.
01:06:09 And although these guys are the world's largest surviving carnivorous marsupials, they don't hunt their prey, but eat carrion.
01:06:18 They're mostly active at night, but also enjoy some time in the sun, especially in the water, splashing around.
01:06:25 Female devils have pouches to carry their offspring, and up to four of those fit in at the same time.
01:06:32 Our next hero of the day is so unique that the first scientists to describe it thought they were dealing with a hoax.
01:06:41 A platypus has a bill and webbed feet like a duck, the tail of a beaver, and the body and fur of an otter.
01:06:48 Males also have sharp stingers with venom on the heels of their rear feet, which they can use to defend themselves from enemies.
01:06:55 A venomous mammal is something super rare.
01:06:59 Platypuses paddle their way through life as they hunt underwater.
01:07:03 They can spend up to two minutes submerged to smell some food on the bottom.
01:07:09 They don't have any teeth, so they use gravel to chew their lunch.
01:07:12 Platypuses don't look that graceful as they move on land, but they can run if they really have to.
01:07:18 Echidna is another unique Australian natural hybrid.
01:07:23 It has porcupine-like spines, a beak much like that of a bird, a pouch like a wombat's, and lays eggs like a reptile.
01:07:32 It feeds its offspring on milk, which just oozes out of the skin in the pouch, and the little one enjoys it.
01:07:38 Since it has traits of both a mammal and a reptile, it got its name after a creature from Greek mythology, who was half woman and half snake.
01:07:47 Echidnas have pretty strong snouts, which they use to break open logs and termite mounds.
01:07:53 Their sense of smell is so good, they can smell food and danger.
01:07:58 Their limbs are short with shovel-like claws, perfect for digging out food.
01:08:04 Echidnas don't like the company of people or other animals, but you can still find them all over Australia, from deserts to rainforests and mountains.
01:08:13 They are the country's most widespread native mammal.
01:08:16 Echidnas are great swimmers, and they've been spotted crossing rivers.
01:08:20 When the weather gets too harsh for them, they burrow into the soil or in hollow logs and burrows left by other animals.
01:08:30 This guy looking like a mix of a koala and a kangaroo is a tree kangaroo.
01:08:34 It doesn't like the company of others and hides among the trees in tropical rainforests of the mountains in Queensland, New Guinea and nearby islands.
01:08:43 They don't build nests and just camp on any branch they find safe.
01:08:48 Tree kangaroos are born well-prepared for this way of living, with shorter hind limbs, strong arms and a long tail for balance to leap among the branches.
01:08:58 They have broader feet than their ground relatives and padded soles with sharp curved claws to help them grip during climbing.
01:09:05 Tree kangaroos are great long-distance jumpers, both between trees and from their tops.
01:09:11 All this makes them rather clumsy when they're on the ground.
01:09:14 The heavy tail makes them hop funnily, leaning far forward to keep balance.
01:09:19 They also have a cool talent for moving their hind limbs independently while walking.
01:09:25 They spend around 60% of their lives sleeping. Sounds like a dream!
01:09:30 There are at least 12 species of this cutie, with fur colors from golden and red to black and dark brown.
01:09:38 Did you just hear the chainsaw sound? There must be a lerebird nearby.
01:09:44 Those guys have the superpower of copying sounds from their surroundings.
01:09:50 With the help of some complex muscles in its syrinx, a lerebird can mimic camera shutters, different tools, other birds and reportedly even human speech.
01:10:00 It takes them up to one year to master this talent, and then they can use it to fool their rivals.
01:10:06 Lerebirds mostly hang out close to the ground and rarely fly. They got their name after the shape of their beautiful tail.
01:10:14 It's a great mating tool as it does look like a lere when open.
01:10:19 Poison dart frogs are one of the most toxic species on our planet.
01:10:23 They come in a range of bright colors - blue, green, yellow, orange and red.
01:10:29 And that's not just to show off. It's a kind of message to all the predators that might want to come after them.
01:10:34 "I'm toxic, so you better stay away and don't try to eat me!"
01:10:38 The golden poison dart frog, for example, has so much poison it could finish 20,000 mice.
01:10:45 Vibrant colors and nature are generally a sign it's better to stay away from that animal.
01:10:49 Because it's a warning, you're looking at something you definitely don't want to eat.
01:10:53 Check a blue-ringed octopus, another extremely venomous creature.
01:10:57 Unlike poison dart frogs or, for example, velvet ants whose bright colors you see right away, this octopus shows its blue rings only when it feels threatened.
01:11:08 With over 300 pounds and 10 feet in length, Komodo dragons are the heaviest lizards on our planet.
01:11:15 They will go after almost anything that comes their way, including pigs, deer, smaller dragons and even more challenging creatures like big water buffalo.
01:11:24 They camouflage and patiently wait for their prey to come closer, lying in the grass.
01:11:30 Saltwater crocodiles. Their attacks are more frequent than those of sharks.
01:11:37 They have a 3.5 times stronger bite than a lion and 25 times stronger bite than people do.
01:11:42 One more superpower. These guys can literally launch their bodies out of water, and they do that with their tails.
01:11:50 Hippos seem quite relaxed as they chill in the water, but they're actually pretty aggressive.
01:11:56 They attack humans even more than leopards and lions.
01:12:00 This guy is small, but it can be as threatening as a huge hippo.
01:12:06 Meet the sisi fly. It lives in sub-Saharan Africa, and travelers that love spending their time outdoors or in game parks should be careful about these insects.
01:12:15 It's important to get the right treatment as soon as possible if it bites you.
01:12:19 Pus caterpillars look all innocent and fluffy, but you'd better avoid touching them.
01:12:24 They're venomous, and these wig-like hairs you see are actually spines that can cause multiple issues if you touch them. Ouch!
01:12:33 Hespa mandarinia mostly build their nests underground, so it's trickier to find them.
01:12:37 Their sting is like someone pierced you with a hot metal pin.
01:12:41 The stinger is long enough to even go through the standard protective beekeeper's gear.
01:12:45 The reef stonefish is the world's most venomous fish.
01:12:49 There are 13 stout spines in its dorsal fin, and that's how this animal injects its highly toxic venom.
01:12:57 Lions. They live mostly in Africa and can eat a quarter of their body weight, about 88 pounds, in a single meal.
01:13:04 They mostly hunt at night and during storms because the wind and noise make it harder for their prey to hear and see them.
01:13:11 Why hunt if they can just go and participate in some burger eating contest?
01:13:15 Tigers mostly inhabit Asia.
01:13:18 They're able to survive in different conditions since you can find them in various areas, from mountains to rain forests.
01:13:25 As long as they have enough water, food, and cover, they can adapt to anything.
01:13:29 Food can sometimes be a problem since they eat up to 60 big animals per year, with smaller ones as snacks in between.
01:13:36 Fun fact, their skin is covered in stripes too, not just their fur.
01:13:41 A bit of good news here. Wolves aren't really into eating humans.
01:13:45 Still, sometimes they do go after people.
01:13:48 They mostly attack when they don't have enough food or when they lose their habitat.
01:13:53 Sharks have a bad reputation, but they mostly spend their time away from humans, catching smaller fish and other marine animals.
01:14:00 Still, they'll defend themselves if you come to their area and they feel threatened.
01:14:04 And in that case, their serrated teeth certainly don't look too peaceful.
01:14:08 Ostrich may not belong to that list at first sight, but when it's cornered, this animal is perfectly capable of taking down big predators such as wolves and lions.
01:14:20 Yeah, sometimes they can be brave, and in reality, they never stick their head in the sand when frightened.
01:14:25 We can't forget to mention brown or grizzly bears, which are considered to be way more aggressive than other bears.
01:14:31 It's 3.5 times more likely something bad will happen if you encounter them than polar bears.
01:14:37 They're also 21 times more dangerous than black bears.
01:14:40 And yet, brown bears are the most widespread kind of bears across the globe.
01:14:46 When it comes to snakes, saw-scaled viper is definitely one of those you need to be careful with the most,
01:14:51 because the consequences of its bite are statistically quite sad to say the least.
01:14:56 It has enough venom that even its weakest bite could finish two people.
01:15:00 Not just saw-scaled viper, there are multiple snakes you need to stay away from.
01:15:05 Meet Philippine cobra. It lurks in forested areas, dense jungles, low-lying plains, and open fields.
01:15:13 It especially likes areas near water and can spit its venom up to 9.8 feet away.
01:15:18 Black mamba, too. Very venomous, kinda nervous, and when it sees you as a threat, extremely aggressive.
01:15:25 It's among the world's fastest snakes, since it can move at speeds of up to 12.5 miles per hour.
01:15:31 Australian box jellyfish is the most venomous marine animal in the world.
01:15:36 It has tentacles covered in small darts with venom, and they can grow up to 10 feet long.
01:15:43 Seeing even a small random spider in your home can be unpleasant.
01:15:46 And picture if it was a goliath bird-eater instead. The largest spider in the world.
01:15:51 And also one of the creepiest. You'll mostly find them spending their time in burrows with the entrances covered with the web.
01:15:57 Luckily, their venom is not that bad to humans. It's like a wasp stinging you.
01:16:03 Bad news for insects. You guys should be careful. This spider is a real danger for you.
01:16:09 Platypus looks cute and harmless, but despite their funny appearance, they're one of the most dangerous animals in Australia.
01:16:15 They have spurs located on their hind legs, and each of them is connected to a crural gland by a duct.
01:16:21 And this gland creates a complex mixture of hundreds of toxins.
01:16:25 They have two layers of fur for waterproofing and insulation.
01:16:29 With their fur, platypuses trap a layer of air right next to their skin so they can remain dry when they're underwater looking for food.
01:16:38 Which is about 12 hours a day.
01:16:40 One of the stings you'll definitely feel the most is from the bullet ant.
01:16:44 They're small, and their stinger is only up to .11 inches long.
01:16:48 But it can still leave you with several hours of burning sensation.
01:16:52 Pufferfish are poor swimmers, so they're most likely to end up as lunch for larger fish.
01:16:58 But when they sense danger, they ingest big amounts of water together with air, so their body inflates like a balloon.
01:17:05 They can puff up to even two to three times their regular size.
01:17:08 A single pufferfish has enough toxin to finish 30 humans.
01:17:12 The African buffalo is the only species of wild cow you'll find in Africa.
01:17:17 You can recognize it for its heavy, rigid horns, and this, in combination with its massive size and aggressive nature, makes them very dangerous for whoever stands in its way.
01:17:27 Elephants will respect your space most of the time, but only if you respect theirs.
01:17:33 They can feel threatened by, let's say, a group of tourists that come too close and disrupt their personal space.
01:17:38 In that case, they'll defend themselves and be very angry, which isn't such a nice scene.
01:17:44 Wild dogs can be pretty dangerous, like dingoes in Australia.
01:17:49 They can either live alone or move in packs of up to 10 animals, which can be especially tricky for their prey when the entire pack is after it.
01:17:57 They can cross great distances and communicate with each other, howling like wolves.
01:18:02 A star-nosed mole is certainly one of the weirdest-looking creatures you'll come across.
01:18:07 In some way, it looks like someone replaced its head with a very small octopus.
01:18:12 They're not dangerous to humans in the way some venomous creatures or large predators are, but they can cause a lot of damage in your garden.
01:18:19 You decided to go scuba diving for the first time.
01:18:24 The water is clear and the sun is shining on the seabed.
01:18:29 You take a few selfies and a fish swimming by when suddenly, the ocean goes pitch black.
01:18:34 You look up and… oh my, what is that gigantic animal?
01:18:40 It's definitely not a shark, not a whale.
01:18:44 Is it… a turtle?
01:18:47 Yup, but fear not, it's not gonna hurt you.
01:18:50 If you had lived on this same Earth about 72 million years ago, then maybe this could have really happened to you.
01:18:59 Scientists have recently found the fossils of a gigantic marine turtle that could have grown as big as 12 feet.
01:19:06 If you don't have any idea of how big that is, let's see some examples.
01:19:11 That's the average length of a hippopotamus.
01:19:14 Six golden retrievers, or two Michael Jordans, stacked on top of each other.
01:19:20 The turtle's scientific name is an homage to that old-school sea monster called Leviathan.
01:19:27 Maybe you remember this from old-school history lessons.
01:19:31 The Leviathan is supposedly a mythical creature that would swallow entire ships or people that were deemed too greedy by the creature.
01:19:40 Can you imagine being swallowed by this humongous sea turtle?
01:19:45 No, thank you.
01:19:49 The fossils of this gigantic creature began to be excavated between 2016 and 2021, all the way in northeastern Spain.
01:19:58 The first fossil was located by a hiker in the Spanish Pyrenees, and it was around 8 inches long.
01:20:04 The pelvis of this turtle alone measured around 35 inches.
01:20:09 It would definitely be one of the biggest turtles today if it hadn't gone extinct.
01:20:17 FYI, the largest living sea turtles today can reach up to 6 feet in length, which is already pretty big.
01:20:25 Now, how about a gigantic prehistoric scorpion?
01:20:31 I bet most people here are not huge fans of these creatures, especially since they're poisonous.
01:20:37 Which is why the thought of a 9-foot-long aquatic scorpion might be the stuff of nightmares.
01:20:44 Let's just say that if they hadn't gone extinct some 400 million years ago, lakes and rivers would be much more dangerous places for humans today.
01:20:51 These gigantic insects were considered to be apex predators in their time, hunting everything from fish to other animals, even of their own kind.
01:21:02 Yikes, I got goosebumps just imagining these creatures.
01:21:07 Should we thank the asteroid that hit our planet now or later on in this video?
01:21:13 Another prehistoric animal that would shock humans if it were still alive is the so-called megatherium, a gigantic sloth.
01:21:21 This huge sloth is believed to have grown up to 20 feet long, and its weight could be up to 8,000 pounds.
01:21:30 It was found in the woodlands and grasslands of South America.
01:21:35 The creature used to stand on its two feet in order to reach leaves on high branches.
01:21:41 These giant sloths had huge claws.
01:21:44 They helped them climb trees.
01:21:46 I gotta say, I feel uncomfortable imagining these elephant-sized sloths climbing trees.
01:21:52 Oh, of course.
01:21:54 Some dinosaurs will make our supersized creatures list.
01:21:57 But before that, here's a fun fact.
01:22:00 Did you know some dinosaurs are still alive today?
01:22:03 Scientists have proven that birds are classified as theropod dinosaurs.
01:22:10 Which infamous creatures as the T-Rex and Velociraptor belonged to this group?
01:22:15 I'm sure you've heard these names even before you watched Jurassic Park.
01:22:19 The Velociraptor is that scary dino that breaks into the kitchen.
01:22:23 Well, they evolved, gained some feathers, and turned into various species of birds we know today.
01:22:30 That means that any bird from chickens to those little blue ones is a direct descendant of dinosaurs.
01:22:37 Now, does the name Spinosaurus ring a bell?
01:22:42 You can see this huge dinosaur in some museums today.
01:22:47 It's fossils, I mean.
01:22:49 The Spinosaurus was one of the biggest land predators to walk Earth.
01:22:54 Actually, to walk its land and water.
01:22:57 Since scientists believe that this dino was semi-aquatic.
01:23:02 It fed mostly on meat, which means humans would be its natural prey if it lived today.
01:23:08 This meat-eating dino lived around 90 to 100 million years ago.
01:23:14 It was about 60 feet long, 12 feet high, and weighed up to 22 tons.
01:23:20 Its head was around the size of 8 bowling balls and was shaped like a crocodile's face.
01:23:27 Basically, the Spinosaurus was a big African elephant with the face of a crocodile.
01:23:32 Just kidding. But that would look funny though, wouldn't it?
01:23:36 A much more attractive dino was this guy.
01:23:40 It's considered to be the largest dinosaur that has ever lived on our planet.
01:23:44 What made it so big was its extremely long neck and very long tail.
01:23:50 You wouldn't want to stand behind this creature, believe me.
01:23:56 If you decided to swish its tail, you'd get catapulted very far away.
01:23:59 This creature lived around 100 million years ago and its fossils were first found in Argentina around 2012.
01:24:07 The dino measured 120 feet from head to tail, which made it almost as big as an American football field in width.
01:24:15 Hmm, and have I mentioned it weighed almost as much as a space shuttle?
01:24:21 A staggering 75 tons!
01:24:25 If it had been a carnivore, it would have probably been the greatest predator.
01:24:28 But this big guy was a peaceful herbivore that had such a long neck that it could eat leaves from high trees.
01:24:34 Cute, right?
01:24:36 We must also talk about the Shastasaurus.
01:24:41 As the name suggests, this animal is popularly known as the Mount Shasta lizard.
01:24:46 Even though it was a marine reptile and probably never set foot on the mountain itself,
01:24:53 this dino was usually around 23 feet long.
01:24:56 But there was a specific strand of this species that could get as big as 69 feet long,
01:25:02 about the size of the great blue whale.
01:25:05 This made it the biggest marine reptile to have ever lived.
01:25:10 A fun fact about the Shastasaurus is that scientists believe it didn't even have teeth,
01:25:16 which means it could only feed on soft-bodied prey such as squid, for example.
01:25:23 The next animal on our list is the blue whale.
01:25:26 Believe it or not, the biggest living animal on Earth actually started small.
01:25:32 These days, the average mature blue whale can reach up to 100 feet in length and weigh up to 200 tons.
01:25:39 That's more or less the weight of 40 elephants put together,
01:25:44 or 30 Tyrannosaurus rexes, or 2,670 average-sized people.
01:25:51 Blue whales have to eat up to 50 million calories per day to support that body.
01:25:57 That's the equivalent of 30,000 Big Macs, just FYI.
01:26:02 But blue whales weren't always this big.
01:26:07 They actually evolved from a four-legged mammal that lived on Earth around 48 million years ago.
01:26:13 Their ancestor was called Pachycetus, and it was only 6 feet long.
01:26:19 Here's a fun fact.
01:26:21 To be able to live in the water as one does today, the blue whale had to go through some intense adaptations.
01:26:28 A blue whale can replace up to 80 to 90% of oxygen in its lungs each time it takes a breath.
01:26:34 A human replaces only up to 15% for comparison.
01:26:40 It allows these animals to dive for up to one hour at a time, down to a staggering depth of 330 feet.
01:26:49 Elephants were bound to make the list.
01:26:51 Elephants are currently the largest land animals on Earth.
01:26:54 They can grow to be about 13 feet tall and weigh up to 7 tons.
01:26:59 That's pretty small if we compare it to the other animals that once lived on Earth, right?
01:27:03 But if we placed a 6-foot-tall human next to an elephant, we'll see it's not at all that small.
01:27:11 African elephants are bigger than their close relatives, Asian elephants,
01:27:17 and they have a similar lifespan to humans, up to 70 years.
01:27:21 Pokemon might have made us collectively wish that salamanders were real-life dragons, although they're not.
01:27:29 They can still be pretty cool, though.
01:27:32 There's a giant species of salamander that is known to be the largest living amphibian.
01:27:37 They can grow to be as long as a regular-sized human, reaching up to 6 feet.
01:27:44 I bet that wouldn't be a pleasant underwater encounter!
01:27:48 Fail.
01:27:49 What a waste of an hour running around with a rolled-up newspaper trying to get that fly that keeps buzzing around your head.
01:27:56 Well, three things.
01:27:58 Why isn't it afraid of you?
01:28:00 And why won't it just fly away?
01:28:03 And how is it so incredibly fast?
01:28:06 Flies actually have a pretty normal speed for their size.
01:28:09 You're just a bit too slow.
01:28:13 A tiny fly brain reacts several times faster than yours to what it sees.
01:28:18 One second to the fly feels like 5 or 6 to you.
01:28:22 When a fly looks at you, it sees you as if you're hanging out at the bottom of your local pool, moving around really slowly.
01:28:29 What if you dropped a balloon from your bedroom window and watched it fall to the ground?
01:28:34 That's how slow a fly sees regular things fall.
01:28:39 So it has ninja reaction speeds, but it also has special eyes.
01:28:43 They're divided into thousands of receptors that capture light all at the same time.
01:28:48 You use small muscles to turn your eyes and head around to look in different directions.
01:28:53 Flies don't have these muscles. They don't need them.
01:28:56 They can see in every direction at the same time, almost.
01:28:59 No matter what side you attack from, that fly's almost definitely gonna see it coming.
01:29:06 You've probably seen supersonic planes in the movies, turning and flipping around at warp speed.
01:29:11 A fly's kinda like that, but with way cooler wings.
01:29:15 It can change directions mid-flight, stop, and dodge any obstacles.
01:29:19 It can even calculate a flight strategy before it takes off.
01:29:23 Well, this time you're really gonna swat that fly.
01:29:26 As you raise your rolled-up paper, the insect's brain calculates where it's gonna land.
01:29:32 The fly immediately puts its body in the perfect position, ready to perform an evasive maneuver.
01:29:37 If your hand moves in front of the insect, its legs immediately tilt backwards to help it fly off in the other direction.
01:29:45 Wow, that fly would make a great boxer. Or soccer goalie.
01:29:49 So why does that fly even bother sticking around? You're always trying to squish it.
01:29:55 Well, because your body is a 5-star feast, and your skin is the buffet table, with row upon row of tasty treats.
01:30:02 As you move about your day, your skin releases sweat, proteins, carbs, salt, sugar, and all other chemicals that flies are crazy about.
01:30:12 Imagine you're hungry and thirsty, walking through a desert.
01:30:17 You come over a tall sand dune and see it. Free food, tables of fruit, candy, sandwiches, and the world's biggest soda fountain.
01:30:25 The bouncer looks big, tough, round. It's a giant slow turtle.
01:30:30 Now you know why the fly sticks around. You're the turtle.
01:30:34 You actually do have a chance to get that fly. But it's still going to get away 8 times out of 10.
01:30:42 Say a fly is sitting on your kitchen table. Here's what you do. You need to aim a few inches in front of where you think it's going to fly to.
01:30:48 The fly brain will think you're aiming right at it, so you can actually outwhip the fly and take it by surprise.
01:30:55 The problem? It's really hard to predict the fly's escape route.
01:30:59 So you're too slow. How about calling in some backup?
01:31:03 Meet the tiger beetle. Speed – 8 feet per second. It can't fly, but that doesn't matter.
01:31:10 This beetle runs so fast, it loses the ability to see while it's moving.
01:31:14 It aims itself at a target and then runs. It's not a ninja like the fly, and it can't change directions mid-sprint.
01:31:22 It has to stop before each run.
01:31:25 You walk it around 4.5 feet per second, so the beetle goes like twice your speed.
01:31:31 But for its size, it's incredibly fast. It runs 125 lengths of its body in one second.
01:31:39 Now say you're 6 feet tall. You have to run 750 feet in one second.
01:31:44 As long as it's on the same surface as that pesky fly, the fly doesn't stand a chance.
01:31:49 Or maybe it's time to call in air support.
01:31:53 The dragonfly is the fastest flying insect in the world. This little creature can reach 35 mph.
01:32:00 That's faster than you riding your bike down a steep hill.
01:32:04 The dragonfly's wings also allow it to fly back, right, left, up and down, just like a helicopter.
01:32:11 Doesn't matter how fast the fly moves, it's pretty much game over.
01:32:15 Flies, dragonflies, and tiger beetles are fast because they don't want to spend a lot of extra time out in the open.
01:32:23 There are a lot of hungry creatures around.
01:32:26 But there's one insect that runs fast because if it stopped…ouch!
01:32:31 To meet a speedy silver ant, you need to go to the Sahara Desert.
01:32:35 The sand here is so hot you could fry an egg on it. Mmm, sandy.
01:32:40 That's why the silver ant speeds at around 2.5 feet per second.
01:32:44 It doesn't want to burn its feet.
01:32:46 It also has triangle-shaped hair that reflects heat, helping the ant escape the scorching sun.
01:32:52 If that ant were human-sized, it could run at 400 mph, faster than the fastest car in the world.
01:33:01 There's another ant that holds a speed record.
01:33:03 The Dracula ant can't run as fast as the silver ant, but it has the fastest mouth in the world, um, other than me.
01:33:10 It can open and close its jaws 5,000 times, all in the blink of an eye. Literally.
01:33:16 How about another fast one, this time a bit closer to home, or in it?
01:33:21 The American cockroach can hide in the walls, behind the stove, pretty much anywhere.
01:33:27 It's almost impossible to catch. It can run 5 feet per second.
01:33:31 That's because of its 6 legs. Each one has 3 knees.
01:33:35 Its legs are covered with small hairs that sense any change in the air.
01:33:40 That's why it reacts so fast when you walk into the kitchen and turn the light on.
01:33:44 And the world record for fastest creature on land is the size of a sesame seed.
01:33:51 It's a type of mite, and it can move at 322 body lengths per second.
01:33:57 If you zap the mite to turn it to human size, it could go almost 2 times faster than the speed of sound.
01:34:04 The mite can even change direction while moving. That makes it the fastest, most elusive creature on the planet.
01:34:11 But let's find some animals that actually make us feel good about ourselves.
01:34:15 The garden snail. It belongs to the mollusk family, and it likes to take its sweet time.
01:34:22 If you were moving at snail speed, you'd take 2 steps every 2 hours.
01:34:27 But snails don't care. They've been around for hundreds of millions of years.
01:34:32 Snails use their shell for protection, but they have other tricks too.
01:34:36 Some snails give off a nasty smell so that no one bothers them.
01:34:41 If it gets too hot and dry, snails hide in their shells and seal themselves in using that cool slime they make.
01:34:50 That slime also helps them climb up trees.
01:34:52 Sloths are the slowest mammals on the planet.
01:34:56 Thanks to their slow metabolism, food can take up to 16 days to get digested.
01:35:01 Wouldn't be that hard to catch up to one of them.
01:35:04 But their slowness actually helps them.
01:35:07 You know how in the movies they say "stop, don't make any sudden movements"?
01:35:11 Well, a sloth has that part down cold.
01:35:13 Other animals simply don't notice them up there among the leaves.
01:35:18 Manatees are one of the slowest sea creatures.
01:35:21 But they're not too worried about anyone messing with them, except for humans in motorboats.
01:35:26 They are huge and they have thick, thick skin.
01:35:29 It's like a sea tank, but way cuter.
01:35:32 Another slow swimmer is the Greenland shark.
01:35:35 It swims at less than 1 mile per hour.
01:35:38 Like the manatee, it's large and in charge.
01:35:41 No one's likely to challenge it face to face.
01:35:45 But this all leads to the most hilarious snacking technique ever.
01:35:48 The Greenland shark is basically slower than every single fish in the water.
01:35:53 The only chance it has is to wait for some of those fish to fall asleep.
01:35:57 Then it's snack time.
01:35:59 The cool thing is that their easygoing lifestyle actually prolongs their life.
01:36:04 The average lifespan of a Greenland shark is 300 to 500 years.
01:36:10 They live in the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans.
01:36:14 Imagine you're on a cruise and you see one of these slow-motion giants.
01:36:18 It might be 400 years older than you.
01:36:21 Psst, run! Really, it's not safe out there.
01:36:28 There's a saber-toothed tiger lurking around. You better be careful.
01:36:31 What are you doing? Don't peek!
01:36:33 Ok, just one little peek.
01:36:35 How's this possible, you ask?
01:36:37 That's because you're in virtual reality, of course.
01:36:41 These cool but very dangerous-looking big cats were alive during the last Ice Age.
01:36:46 What if they decided to show up at your doorstep out of nowhere?
01:36:50 Knock-knock! A saber-toothed tiger is waiting for you to buy its cookies!
01:36:54 Meanwhile, the coelacanth, this massive-looking fish,
01:36:59 comes from a lineage that's been around for over 300 million years.
01:37:03 We thought they didn't exist anymore until 1938, that is,
01:37:07 when a live coelacanth was found again.
01:37:10 Since then, they've been roaming the waters of the east coast of Africa,
01:37:14 and the waters of Sulawesi, Indonesia.
01:37:16 Man, I would want to go for a swim and meet one of these fellas face-to-face!
01:37:21 Their jaw has an intercranial joint, which means their mouth opens up by a lot.
01:37:26 This is so they can eat large prey, like me. Not good.
01:37:31 They're huge too. Imagine a fish that's as long as you're tall
01:37:35 and weighing as much as an average human.
01:37:39 The takahē, a flightless bird, was thought to be gone in the year 1898.
01:37:44 They're very cute, small, and multicolored, usually not taller than your knee.
01:37:49 But picture this. You're out for a hike in the Merkison Mountains.
01:37:53 Looking around, you spot the bird you thought was extinct.
01:37:57 But there they are, as happy as ever, surviving and chilling.
01:38:02 A whole colonies of takahēs was indeed found just 50 years
01:38:07 after they were pronounced extinct. Good job, tiny little birds!
01:38:11 A singing dog. Ever heard of those?
01:38:15 Riley does sing sometimes when he's bored or hungry, but these are real performers.
01:38:20 New Guinea singing dogs.
01:38:22 They've been only recently discovered again in the wild for the first time in 50 years.
01:38:28 Still, they were never completely extinct to begin with.
01:38:31 New Guineans made sure they were safe next to them.
01:38:35 But in the wild? Very rare and hard to catch a sight of.
01:38:38 Look, there goes one!
01:38:40 The New Guinea singing dogs are called so because of their famous high-pitched singing.
01:38:45 They sometimes sing together, too.
01:38:47 A dog choir of sorts, where they all howl together.
01:38:51 I bet they sing better than I do in the shower!
01:38:53 Not going far from this area, we have bats.
01:38:58 But these ones are sort of different.
01:39:00 You see, their ears are enormous.
01:39:04 I guess that's why they're called the New Guinea big-eared bats.
01:39:07 Clever!
01:39:09 The species was found again when one of them was accidentally caught in a bat trap.
01:39:13 Until then, I guess they were playing hide-and-seek with us,
01:39:16 because up till 1890, they had been thought to be gone.
01:39:20 They're still not out of the danger zone because of habitat loss.
01:39:24 Imagine you discover a fossil of a species you thought had been extinct for a long time,
01:39:33 but two years later, a whole living group of said species is found.
01:39:36 Well, this is exactly what happened in 1977 with a Majorcan midwife toad.
01:39:42 It's sort of brownish in color with darker brown that makes up its skin spots.
01:39:47 Other than that, it's just a small toad with googly eyes.
01:39:51 The group of live toads was found close to where the fossil was, on the island of Majorca.
01:39:57 There aren't many of them left.
01:40:00 There are about a hundred in fact, and as of right now,
01:40:03 they're declared vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
01:40:07 Are you a fan of tortoises?
01:40:11 You will be when you take a look at this huge beauty.
01:40:14 It's called the Ferdinand Island Galapagos tortoise.
01:40:18 It hasn't been seen since 1906, but on February 17, 2019,
01:40:23 we were finally able to look at one of these beautiful creatures.
01:40:28 It's probably out there with a few of its mates right now,
01:40:30 but they also don't allow themselves to be seen.
01:40:33 We only know they exist because there's a few tracks and scents.
01:40:37 With yet another frog, we have the horned marsupial frog.
01:40:43 They're out and about in Ecuador, in the Chocó forest to be more specific.
01:40:48 They're called this way because of their distinctive horns directly on top of their eyes.
01:40:53 You know the pouch kangaroos use to carry their offspring?
01:40:57 Well, the female horned marsupial frog also has that,
01:41:00 except it's on the back, so it acts as sort of a backpack.
01:41:04 They develop their embryos there, and when they're ready to come out,
01:41:08 they hatch as complete infants, unlike regular frogs where they start out as tadpoles.
01:41:14 One more toad, the starry night toad or harlequin toad.
01:41:20 They're black and covered with loads of white spots all over them.
01:41:25 Lost for 30 years, it was discovered back in 2019.
01:41:28 Picture them as big bodyguards, water bodyguards to be exact.
01:41:33 Ooh, that's a very big toad on your screen!
01:41:36 Well, for the Oroco people, that's exactly what they are, guardians of water.
01:41:42 They also have their own name for them, Guna.
01:41:45 Sounds like a cheese.
01:41:47 When scientists found them yet again, they came across 30 of these little creatures,
01:41:53 and, unfortunately, they were expecting only one.
01:41:55 What a nice surprise!
01:41:57 Here's a tiger for you, although it doesn't quite look like your typical tiger.
01:42:04 It's called the Tasmanian tiger, and it seemingly disappeared since 1936.
01:42:09 But then, out of nowhere, people started seeing them out there in the wild,
01:42:14 just 5 years ago in 2016.
01:42:16 They sort of resemble dogs more than tigers, or a fox maybe.
01:42:20 Just take a look at its muzzle.
01:42:22 Maybe even a mix of both.
01:42:24 Then, a few others started popping up too.
01:42:27 And if you happen to think you're seeing one right in front of you, but you're not quite sure,
01:42:32 check if they've got stripes on their back.
01:42:34 They're definitely out there, but still technically marked as extinct by the IUCN.
01:42:40 Okay, picture a horse that looks straight out of a movie scene.
01:42:46 Tiny, gorgeous fur, very well-behaved.
01:42:50 It's tiny, but it's not a pony.
01:42:52 It's a Caspian horse.
01:42:54 They have an interesting backstory to them.
01:42:58 They were discovered by Louise Leyland, who got married to an aristocrat in 1957.
01:43:03 Having moved to Tehran, Iran, she didn't quite like how the horses behaved there,
01:43:08 so she took matters into her own hands.
01:43:11 She took a few people with her, and off they went to the Caspian Sea Mountain.
01:43:17 And in there, they found three of these beautiful, tiny little horses.
01:43:20 That's how the story goes.
01:43:22 Coming up next, a possum that was found in an unexpected place.
01:43:29 Guess where?
01:43:31 You have three options to pick from.
01:43:33 Hiding in a ski resort, in the Australian outback, or in someone's apartment in the bathroom.
01:43:38 Which one do you choose? You have three seconds.
01:43:46 The answer is a ski resort.
01:43:48 Yes, this possum is called the Mountain Pygmy Possum, and it's originating from Australia.
01:43:55 So far, there are three different living populations of this tiny possum,
01:44:00 but it was believed to be extinct until just 1966.
01:44:04 There are fewer than 100 of them, so the IUCN has marked them as critically endangered.
01:44:10 Also from Australia is the Night Parrot.
01:44:15 An absolute delight to birdwatchers.
01:44:17 Very beautiful, yet mysterious.
01:44:20 These little fellas live in very remote areas.
01:44:23 You can probably count on the fingers of your hand how many times these birds have been seen
01:44:28 since they were found again in 1979.
01:44:31 That's how rare they are.
01:44:33 Have you ever seen a pygmy tarsier?
01:44:38 Neither have I. It was only in 2008 that three of them were caught.
01:44:43 Scientists don't really want to lose track of their movements again,
01:44:46 so what they did was gift them with tiny little collars.
01:44:49 This way, they can live their life as happy as ever and we'll know they're safe.
01:44:54 The last one I want to tell you about is the Tree Lobster.
01:45:00 But as the name might mistakenly tell you, they're not really lobsters.
01:45:04 They're just big black bugs with huge legs.
01:45:07 Their extinction story is a sad one.
01:45:11 In 1920, a cargo ship got stuck on Lord Howe Island, and it had rats aboard.
01:45:16 These rats fled the ship and ran straight to land.
01:45:20 Even though tree lobsters are bigger than most insects,
01:45:25 they're still relatively small compared to rats.
01:45:28 The poor things never stood a chance.
01:45:30 Still, in 2004, life shone again for these distinct critters.
01:45:35 A pair of Australian scientists were out and about on the island
01:45:40 and came across 24 of them.
01:45:41 All of them were living beneath one single shrub.
01:45:44 Hey, if there's enough space for everyone, it's not small, it's cozy.
01:45:49 Bottom line, it's better to be distinct than extinct.
01:45:53 Don't you agree?
01:45:55 The sight of its fin in the water nearly stops your heart.
01:46:00 It's the reason you feel so uneasy going for a swim at the beach.
01:46:06 That massive, razor-toothed hunter that's made its name known, the Great White Shark.
01:46:12 So, if the ultimate terror of the sea is leaving the area, it must be for a good reason.
01:46:18 But what could possibly scare the Great White away?
01:46:22 A giant lovecraftian monster that makes even Megalodon look tiny?
01:46:27 Nah, not even close.
01:46:29 Nothing can clear a portion of the ocean as quickly as orcas can.
01:46:35 When their powerful paws come looking for food like seals and squids,
01:46:39 even the biggest, scariest sharks leave the area without looking back.
01:46:44 It's not known if these whales specifically target Great Whites,
01:46:48 or they're just keeping the competition out of the area.
01:46:51 But what marine experts do know is that sharks flee,
01:46:55 sometimes not even coming back until the following year.
01:46:58 Makes sense.
01:47:00 Orcas are much larger than Great Whites in size.
01:47:04 They have plenty of teeth, and they'll use them to satisfy their merciless desire for meat.
01:47:09 Orcas are also highly intelligent and will work as a team to get what they want.
01:47:14 Whether that's catching a school of fish, getting seals off the ice,
01:47:18 or even chasing down humpback whales.
01:47:21 So, if the Great White Shark itself is scared of the mighty orca, should you be?
01:47:26 Me personally? I keep my distance from any wild animal.
01:47:32 But maybe this will help you sleep better at night.
01:47:34 Orcas are known to be picky eaters.
01:47:37 Good news for you, human isn't on the menu.
01:47:40 They aren't likely to change their diet just because you're in the water today.
01:47:44 Oh, by the way, orcas aren't even whales.
01:47:47 They're technically the largest species of dolphin.
01:47:50 And sharks are also afraid of their relative, the bottlenose dolphin.
01:47:55 Even a single bottlenose is too powerful for a shark,
01:48:00 but they're tougher when they travel as a pod.
01:48:02 Sharks are easily outmaneuvered by the highly agile marine mammals.
01:48:06 They use that blunt snout like a battering ram.
01:48:09 This basically annoys the shark so much that it just leaves the area.
01:48:14 Now, if you think about other top hunters in the animal kingdom,
01:48:18 wolves always come to mind.
01:48:20 Packs can take over vast territories.
01:48:22 And since they're at the top of the food chain,
01:48:25 they get to pick and choose from a large menu with anything they please.
01:48:29 They're highly intelligent, fast, and agile.
01:48:32 But probably their biggest advantage? Numbers.
01:48:36 If grizzlies or mountain lions try taking advantage of them,
01:48:40 the numbers game always works in the wolves' favor,
01:48:43 leading to the hunter becoming the hunted.
01:48:46 Even without numbers, they dominate and terrify.
01:48:50 It's too hard for any other animal to target a lone wolf,
01:48:54 so even they are usually left alone.
01:48:58 Imagine being able to pounce a wild boar in below freezing temperatures
01:49:02 while dressed in orange against a completely snow-covered white environment.
01:49:06 Siberian tigers are clearly not playing around.
01:49:10 Over 10 feet long and weighing up to 400 pounds,
01:49:14 they're the largest of all wild cats.
01:49:17 This kitty could easily jump right over your head
01:49:20 while carrying double its body weight.
01:49:22 The only animal that can really challenge this king of the forest
01:49:27 is a large enough brown bear, and it'd be a close call.
01:49:30 No wonder the Siberian tiger is the top of the food chain in its part of the globe.
01:49:35 As for the top boss in the waters of South America,
01:49:39 that would be the green anaconda.
01:49:42 Not even jaguars and caiman are safe around the biggest snake in the world.
01:49:47 The murky waters of riverbanks camouflage the giant snake perfectly.
01:49:53 It's still unnoticed, sitting there waiting for something to come have a drink.
01:49:57 And then, whoosh, the snake strikes!
01:50:00 It uses its sharp curved teeth and 15 feet of pure muscle to hold its lunch in place.
01:50:07 Luckily for most animals, after eating their fill,
01:50:10 anacondas can go weeks or even months without worrying about their next meal.
01:50:15 But the world's biggest snake isn't the most dangerous.
01:50:19 That title belongs to the black mamba.
01:50:22 Lions, spotted hyenas, giraffes, and even elephants will avoid the mamba at all costs.
01:50:28 They all know one bite can stop them very quickly.
01:50:32 Growing up to 14 feet, it's the second longest venomous snake in the world after the king cobra.
01:50:39 The African black mamba does hold the top spot as the world's fastest snake.
01:50:44 It slithers along going 12 miles per hour.
01:50:48 That's about where most treadmills max out.
01:50:51 Not top dog, but worth a mention, is the green anaconda's neighbor, the electric eel.
01:50:57 Very few animals are willing to take on such a highly charged creature.
01:51:02 Electric eels have around 6,000 special cells that can produce up to 800 volts of electricity.
01:51:09 That's more than 6 times the standard US wall socket.
01:51:13 That's enough to knock a horse off its feet and to power holiday lights.
01:51:19 In 2019, a Tennessee aquarium hooked some tree lights up to their eel tank.
01:51:24 Every time the eel shot the water, the trees lit up.
01:51:27 Now, it's been said that the electric eel can recycle its volts in a process called revolting.
01:51:34 Nah, I made that up.
01:51:36 One more truthful eel fact to knock you off your feet.
01:51:40 Electric eels are air-breathers.
01:51:42 They have to surface about every 10 minutes to fill their mouth with air.
01:51:47 Yep, their single lung is in their mouth.
01:51:50 Does the king of the jungle reign unchallenged?
01:51:53 In books and movies, sure.
01:51:55 In real life, not so much.
01:51:58 For one, their home is on the African plains, not the jungle.
01:52:02 A whole assortment of contenders, like hyenas, leopards, and crocodiles, are always trying to take the king's crown.
01:52:10 Even zebras and giraffes can stop the big cats with a quick kick if they're cornered.
01:52:16 If we go by bite force, the African Nile crocodile has the biggest that humanity has ever measured.
01:52:23 Its jaws are 5 times more powerful than that of a lion's.
01:52:27 Now, earlier, with the water critters, all you had to do was avoid the water.
01:52:32 Good luck avoiding a lion.
01:52:34 They can run 50 miles per hour, jump the length of a school bus, and climb trees.
01:52:40 The lion's biggest challenger for the apex role is the African wild dog.
01:52:46 These two are constantly going at it because they hunt for the same food in the same area.
01:52:51 Where there's a big pride of lions, the dogs have no choice but to flee.
01:52:56 But they've got one thing against the cats.
01:52:59 Endurance.
01:53:01 Lions might reach incredible speeds, but that's only in short bursts.
01:53:05 It takes too much energy to carry 400+ pounds of muscle over long distances while going as fast as you can.
01:53:14 African wild dogs, though, have long, slender legs and big lungs for their body size.
01:53:19 Meaning, they can run fast and keep it up for miles.
01:53:23 That's how they hunt. Their lunch just gets tired of running.
01:53:27 There's one animal brave enough to take on the king if the cat gets too curious.
01:53:32 The hippo.
01:53:34 They may seem cute and squishy, but hippos are one of the most dangerous animals on the planet.
01:53:41 According to statistics, you should fear them way more than great white sharks.
01:53:45 And there's nothing squishy about them.
01:53:47 Hippos are pure muscle and weigh as much as a car.
01:53:51 Their pointy canine teeth can grow longer than your forearm.
01:53:55 These guys aren't afraid of anything.
01:53:58 Even lions and crocodiles prefer to keep their distance.
01:54:02 Their name means "water horse."
01:54:05 And they do spend up to 16 hours a day submerged.
01:54:09 Funny thing is, hippos can't really swim.
01:54:11 If you see one swimming, it's actually pushing itself off the lake or river bottom.
01:54:16 It can still be even the best Olympic swimmer's speed, so watch out!
01:54:20 Yep, move aside, Leo!
01:54:22 Hippos are the true apex animal of Africa.
01:54:25 But I wouldn't get close enough to give them the award.
01:54:29 As for the ruler of the forest, make way for the grizzly bear.
01:54:35 Weighing over half a ton, you'd be mistaken thinking these large fluffballs are slow and bumbling.
01:54:41 Being able to maintain a speed of 25 mph for long stretches is too easy for the behemoth brown bear.
01:54:49 Uphill, downhill, and on every terrain, they're the off-road SUV of the animal world.
01:54:56 Without having any natural enemies, this bear is at the top of its local food chain.
01:55:01 Good thing they sleep for a third of the year.
01:55:04 Just hope you don't run into a grizzly, um, ever.
01:55:07 But especially right before it's about to go into hibernation.
01:55:11 They spend the autumn months fattening up for winter.
01:55:15 And they're even hungrier than usual.
01:55:17 Now, being the largest bird of prey in North America,
01:55:21 it's no wonder the golden eagle is found all over the continent in woodlands and mountain ranges.
01:55:27 Their wingspan is nearly 8 feet.
01:55:30 And they don't call it eagle vision for nothing.
01:55:33 These birds can spot a rabbit from 3 miles up in the air.
01:55:38 You'd be like you seeing an ant while standing on top of a 10-story building.
01:55:43 Golden eagles can also make quick dives from a great height.
01:55:47 During these dives, they can reach speeds up to 200 mph, as fast as a flying arrow.
01:55:54 Well, the seahorse is an unusual fish.
01:56:01 Normally, female animals carry a child, but seahorses do it the other way around.
01:56:06 For 9 to 45 days, the future father carries the eggs inside a special pouch,
01:56:12 until the birth process begins.
01:56:14 Then the male opens his brood pouch and squeezes out the children.
01:56:18 The female anaconda finds the deepest puddle and spends her pregnancy in it.
01:56:25 She will starve for about 7 months while pregnant.
01:56:30 She will give birth to 40 children that make up 30% of her body weight.
01:56:34 Her babies are completely independent and will explore the world around them.
01:56:39 The Suriname toad looks like a normal toad, but is totally flat.
01:56:45 Unlike most animals, this one carries its future children not inside, but on its back.
01:56:51 Female toads have special holes on their backs for each egg where the babies develop.
01:56:58 After 3 to 4 months, the little Suriname toads wake up and crawl out of the pockets on mom's back.
01:57:05 Kangaroos are born just one month after conception, but they're not yet ready for life in the outside world.
01:57:13 Newborn kangaroos are smaller than an inch.
01:57:16 These tiny creatures crawl into their mom's pouch using their front legs.
01:57:21 After 195 days, the kangaroo grows big and strong enough to leave the pouch.
01:57:28 Sea urchins lay more than 2 million eggs, but not all survive.
01:57:32 Male and female urchins throw something like a cloud into the water, which contains the future offspring.
01:57:39 In the next few hours, if the egg cloud is not eaten by other sea creatures,
01:57:44 the eggs will turn into a ball with microscopic hairs and then form a skeleton.
01:57:49 At this point, they're ready for their own reproduction.
01:57:55 Most animals either lay eggs or have a live birth.
01:57:58 But the Jackson's chameleon does both and gives birth up to 30 young at a time.
01:58:04 The female bears the eggs minus a shell right inside her body,
01:58:09 instead of laying them as many other chameleon species do.
01:58:13 In the yellowhead jawfish family, a dadfish takes care of the future offspring.
01:58:20 The male broods the eggs inside his mouth.
01:58:24 After the birth, the male carries his babies in this safe place.
01:58:29 The brooding method lets the father keep his children safe
01:58:32 because he can swim away from danger with the babies in his mouth.
01:58:36 Sloths spend most of their time on the treetops.
01:58:41 Their birth process is extravagant.
01:58:44 The female lets her hind legs dangle and clings to a branch only by her front ones
01:58:49 and gives birth in this position.
01:58:52 The baby sloth grabs the mother's fur right after birth and climbs to her chest.
01:58:57 The velvet spider builds a special room for giving birth and childcare.
01:59:03 Just like weaving a spider web, she constructs a cocoon around her
01:59:08 where she lays up to 80 eggs.
01:59:10 Then she makes a hole in the cocoon so that the offspring can escape.
01:59:15 But this hole is too small for her, so she will never come out.
01:59:20 For two weeks, she will feed the hatched spiders until they become independent.
01:59:24 Whales, the biggest mammals in the animal kingdom, give birth underwater,
01:59:31 so their babies have to rise all the way up to the surface to take their first breath.
01:59:35 Mom whale will feed the baby with 54% fat milk for the next 4 months
01:59:41 until it grows enough to eat on its own.
01:59:44 Octopuses give birth only once in a lifetime.
01:59:49 One of the arms of the male octopus is adapted to fertilize females.
01:59:53 Some octopuses separate the arm from their body and give it to the female.
01:59:58 After laying eggs, female octopuses circulate water currents over the eggs
02:00:02 to clean them and protect them from predators.
02:00:05 Now imagine giving birth to a baby the size of a 4-year-old.
02:00:11 Poor mom!
02:00:13 But that's what kiwi birds do.
02:00:15 Their eggs can weigh up to a quarter of their body mass.
02:00:18 To produce such a big egg, female kiwis have to eat 3 times more than usual.
02:00:24 Shingleback lizards also have a difficult pregnancy.
02:00:29 These animals normally have up to 2 babies, which doesn't seem so bad.
02:00:34 But the babies can make up a third of the mother's weight.
02:00:37 That's like a human giving birth to a 7-year-old child.
02:00:43 Giraffes are some of the tallest terrestrial animals, which has an effect on the birth process.
02:00:48 In a giraffe birth, the baby first pokes out the front hooves, then the nose, and the entire head.
02:00:54 Within an hour, the baby is born.
02:00:57 Before taking the first breath, the baby giraffe falls from the height of 6.5 feet to the ground.
02:01:03 Hammerhead sharks can give birth without mating with another shark.
02:01:10 Basically, they're just making copies of themselves.
02:01:13 This was first discovered in 1999 in a Nebraska zoo.
02:01:17 There are just a few other animal species, like some geckos and lizards, that can reproduce this way.
02:01:23 Porcupines are known for their sharp quills.
02:01:27 In the womb, these quills are soft, but right after birth, when coming in contact with air for the first time, they become hard and sharp.
02:01:39 Naked mole rats are incredibly reproductive.
02:01:41 They live in colonies and have a queen, who is the only female to give birth.
02:01:46 First-time moms can have up to 15 babies, but every litter after, the number of babies grows.
02:01:53 At her peak, a mole rat queen can have up to 33 babies, which is the largest litter size of any mammal on Earth.
02:02:01 Hippopotamus pregnancies last about 8 months, despite the animal's big size.
02:02:09 When ready to give birth, hippo moms leave the herd for 2 weeks to establish a strong connection with their babies.
02:02:15 Hippo calves are born underwater, so they learn to swim from the very beginning.
02:02:21 Zebras have a really hard time after birth, both for mom and the baby.
02:02:26 Zebras are an animal who can see a new-born baby as a potential threat in the future.
02:02:32 So, when a baby zebra comes out, a male zebra can attack it immediately.
02:02:37 The mother protects her offspring, often not having any time to rest.
02:02:41 Elephants have the longest gestation period of all mammals, lasting more than 18 months.
02:02:49 Though they live up to 70 years, most elephants won't have more than 4 babies.
02:02:54 When the elephant mom is ready to give birth, other elephants from the herd form a protective circle around her until she delivers the baby.
02:03:04 At birth, they can weigh up to 260 pounds.
02:03:07 To protect them from predators, barnacle geese lay eggs on a cliff at 400 feet, which is the height of a 36-story building.
02:03:16 When the eggs hatch, the little chicks face a problem – there's no food nearby because they're on a rock.
02:03:23 So, at just a few days old, they jump off the cliff and try to make a soft landing.
02:03:31 Although marine iguanas don't have to leap off a cliff, they're also in a hurry soon after they're born.
02:03:36 Female marine iguanas lay eggs in an underground cave that they dig.
02:03:41 This is a safe place to hide from predators, but sooner or later, the baby iguanas come out of these caves to eat.
02:03:48 And this is the moment when snakes start to hunt them.
02:03:51 The fastest and strongest iguanas survive to enjoy the food.
02:03:58 That's it for today! So, hey, if you pacified your curiosity, then give the video a like and share it with your friends.
02:04:03 Or if you want more, just click on these videos and stay on the Bright Side!
02:04:07 the bright side.

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