All language subtitles for Wild Assassins 07

Across every continent
inhabited by man,

from the sprawling
savannas of Africa,

through the wild meadows of Europe,

to the deep depths
of the world's oceans...

nature's deadliest assassins roam.

Armed with a lethal weaponry

that makes them
the masters of mimicry.

Hidden from sight,
they pounce on unsuspecting prey,

perfectly disguised predators.

They are armed with one of the most
unique weapons on Earth...

camouflage.

Welcome to the world
of wild assassins.

For thousands of years,

camouflage has been
studied across the globe.

From scholars in Ancient Greece

observing the colour changes
in octopuses,

to Charles Darwin

discussing colouration
in birds and insects

in his origin of species.

Camouflage is one of the world's
greatest wonders.

Perfectly adapted
for defence and attack.

It gives the smallest of creatures
the most lethal of weaponry.

Their ability to blend
into their surroundings

improves their chances of survival.

Different animals use camouflage
in different ways.

The crab spider can make
itself look like a flower,

a giraffe like a tree,

a seahorse like coral

and an octopus like the sea floor.

Nature's hidden wild assassins,

all highly skilled
in the art of camouflage.

They have all evolved
the perfect armour...

...to hide from predators...

and attack prey.

Masters of mimicry.

Camouflage is the favoured weapon.

From Africa's deserts
and mountains...

to the jungles of Madagascar,

lives a silent unseen assassin,

master of camouflage,

down perching on branches
high above.

The chameleon.

Fond of warm climates,

chameleons thrive
in colourful rainforests

seamlessly blending in
with their surroundings.

Chameleons change colour
to show dominance,

aggression, a willingness to mate,

and submission.

Evolved over 60 million years,

chameleons have mastered
the art of camouflage.

With over 150 species
across the globe,

they are all perfectly camouflaged
to hide from predators

and conceal themselves from prey.

Chameleons are master hunters,
aided not only by their camouflage

but also their incredibly
long tongue.

Sit and wait predators,
chameleons remain motionless

anticipating the perfect
moment to strike.

Silently approaching their prey...

they attack.

Their tongues can stretch
to twice their body length,

striking with a speed of 100 kph.

Opportunistic predators,

chameleons will eat
as often as they can,

meaning these reptiles
are constantly on the hunt.

With eyesight that allows them
to see nearly 360 degrees,

they can spot any prey.

Feasting on any and all insects.

Chameleons are masters of the hunt.

During the summer months,

chameleons can be found
mating all over the jungle.

Males will rapidly change colour
to attract a potential female.

If she accepts,

the male will then circle
around the female,

grab her neck in his mouth
and pull himself onto her back.

The copulation only lasts 13 minutes

but the female will continue
mating for 11 days

but never with the same male twice.

If mating is successful,

three to six months later
the female will lay her eggs,

covering them
and walking away forever.

With no maternal behaviour present
in female chameleons,

these youngsters will have
to fend for themselves.

Kings and queens of camouflage...

these masters of disguise
thrive in trees and bushes,

but it is these exact habitats
that are under threat.

Deforestation across Africa

and the island of Madagascar is
destroying the chameleon's home

with five species of chameleon
endangered due to forest loss.

These threats require
immediate attention

before these chameleons reach
the point of no return.

These colourful creatures,
essential to balancing

the fragile biodiversity of these
tropical biomes must be safeguarded.

Deforestation must be halted

and their habit given time
to recover,

allowing their unique camouflage
defence mechanisms...

time to evolve.

One of the most
ancient groups of insects,

they thrive in fields
and meadows across the globe.

Able to jump distances
of over three meters,

they are masters of camouflage.

The grasshopper.

On Earth for over 250 million years,

there are 11,000 known
species of grasshopper

including the locust.

Grasshoppers mostly sit
on grass or plants.

This has led most of them
to being green,

yellow,

or brown in colour.

A perfect adaptation
for their expert camouflage.

Camouflage allows grasshoppers
to hide from predators,

in particular birds, rodents,
reptiles, and other insects.

Grasshoppers mostly feed on grass,
weeds, and shrubs.

Harmless creatures,
they can grow up to 7 centimetres

and can jump up to 20 times
their body length.

They have impressive leg muscles
that allows them

to jump long distances
to evade threats.

Making grasshoppers the masters
of eluding their enemies,

a skill that has allowed them
to thrive for so many millennia.

Grasshoppers are strong
and sturdy survivors of the wild.

Locusts are a type
of short-horned grasshopper.

Far more social than
the average grasshopper,

they change colour
when they join a swarm

to differentiate between
males and females.

Feasting on crops, grass,
and even fruits and vegetables,

the largest swarm of locusts ever
recorded was 10 billion in size.

It devastated thousands
of crops leading to famine.

While swarms of grasshoppers
can prove devastating...

individual grasshoppers are integral
to countless ecosystems,

but for the talented grasshopper,

agricultural expansion
is threatening their habitats.

The meadows and fields
they use for camouflage

are no longer suitable...

as farmers use pesticides
and fertilizer,

which harms the grasshoppers
who live there.

Integral to ecosystems
across the globe...

...without grasshoppers,
the fragile biodiversity

of our planet would be
damaged forever.

Swaying silently
in the shallow seas...

seahorses are majestic,
fun-loving creatures.

Tiny masters of mimicry.

They are often mistaken
for sea grass

or parts of coral reefs.

Playful and enchanting,

transforming themselves
into bright and unique colours.

Perfectly adapted experts
at camouflage.

The seahorse.

With at least 47 different species
of seahorse across the globe,

they come in all shapes,
colours and sizes.

In oceans for 13 million years...

they have evolved to master
the art of camouflage,

mimicking coral and sea plants...

allowing them to evade predators...

and ensure these miniature
marine animal's survival.

As they are weak swimmers,

camouflage is the perfect skill
to sneak up on prey.

Sudden bold changes in appearance
may even deter their enemies.

Seahorses are unique creatures,

they mate for life

and every morning dance
with one another

using their camouflage abilities
and their courtship rituals.

An elaborate courtship dance
is performed.

It can go on for hours, even days.

In the end, it is the male seahorse
who becomes pregnant

and 30 days later he gives birth
to up to 1,000 baby seahorses.

Yet sadly, seahorses are considered
threatened around the world.

Over harvested for traditional
Chinese medicines,

captured in fish trawl nets

and loss of their natural habitats,

which they use
to effectively camouflage.

With millions ending up
on the black market,

seahorses are important predators
of bottom dwelling organisms

and are the favourite prey
of many marine predators.

To lose these ethereal creatures
would be to collapse

an entire ecosystem.

Seahorses must be protected.

As a small animal
on the forest floor,

danger is everywhere.

But for these jumping amphibians,

camouflage is the key
to their survival.

Fond of trees,

land,

and water.

The frog.

Found on every continent
inhabited by man,

frogs come in all shapes,
colours, and sizes.

Equipped with an expert armoury,

frogs can jump over five metres,

communicate across a range
of nearly 2 kilometres

and have excellent night vision.

Frogs are also masters
in the art of camouflage

becoming one
with their surroundings,

they remain unseen.

A female frog can lay up
to 5,000 eggs at once.

In three weeks
the eggs become tadpoles

and after 14 weeks,
the tadpoles become frogs.

Found in almost
every type of habitat,

frogs are extremely adaptable.

Frogs are skilled
in the element of surprise

and the art of attack.

Pairing their camouflage
and stillness,

feasting on every and all insects...

they are masters of the hunt.

Frogs are unique
in their mating rituals.

Female frogs can
only spawn once a year.

To attract a female, the male frog
must seduce her with his croaks.

Frogs mostly mate at night.

Their croaks being heard throughout
the forest from January to April.

Once a male has courted a female,

he wraps his legs
around her from behind,

attaching himself to her
for up to 24 hours.

Some males even mate with several
females across successive nights.

Having been on Earth
for over 190 million years,

they have evolved to become
incredibly diverse creatures,

outlasting the dinosaurs,

they now reign over rainforests,
mountains, and woodlands.

Lovers of water,

frogs spend most of their life-cycle
in lakes and ponds

but these waters they call home
are becoming polluted.

Frogs moist skins are especially
sensitive to pollution.

So as petrol, detergents
and fertilisers enter our waterways,

frogs suffer.

While in the Amazon rainforest
home to over 400 species of frog,

habitat destruction
is causing a rapid decline

in frog populations there,

environments they rely on
to master their camouflage.

Climate change sees frog's habitats
changing faster than they can adapt,

nullifying their evolutionary
advantage of camouflage,

essential to the fragile ecosystems
they inhabit.

Frogs deserve to continue to thrive

in environments perfectly suited
to their camouflage.

We must safeguard
this ancient species.

Hidden in grasslands
and woodlands across the globe

these tiny arachnids are
the masters of mimicry.

Highly skilled predators,

they are lethal in the meadows
and gardens they call home.

The crab spider.

There are over 2,000 species
of crab spider across the globe.

Ambush predators, they do not
spin webs to trap their prey,

instead they camouflage themselves
amongst flowers and foliage.

Found in a multitude of colours,

and given their name
for their crab like legs,

they are perfectly
adapted animals of prey.

Crab spiders are lie
in wait predators.

Hunting by assuming the colour
of the flower they perch on.

They surprise unsuspecting prey

using their front pincers
to paralyse their victim.

They are highly skilled,
wild assassins.

Crab spiders are vital
to their ecosystems.

Helping to maintain balance,
they control populations of insects

yet climate change is impacting
these skilled hunters.

Changes in temperatures
are affecting their prey

and their habitats,

while the use of pesticides
is proving a fatal risk.

Thankfully, efforts across
the globe are helping

to conserve and protect
their homes.

(CROWD SHOUTING)

As human awareness grows,

so does the restoration of these
mighty creature's habitats...

in efforts to safeguard
these masters of mimicry.

Towering above
the grasslands of Africa,

covered in a brown patterned coat...

they are often mistaken
for trees or shrubs,

the unsuspecting royalty
of camouflage.

The giraffe.

Standing at
five and a half metres tall,

giraffes have slender necks

and incredibly long legs.

Their bodies are covered
heads to toe

in unique spots and patches.

Perfectly coloured to match
the African grasslands,

they become one
with their surroundings.

Giraffes live in small,
stable family groups.

The strongest bond is between
a mother and her calves.

Able to stand mere hours
after they're born,

young giraffes are reliant
on their mother

for the first six to eight months.

Within 10 hours of being born,
calves can run at full speed.

But they never leave
their mother's side for long.

Reliant on her milk to keep
them healthy and strong...

after eight months calves can begin
to eat solid foods.

And start sparring
with their friends.

Giraffes press their necks
against one another,

sometimes as a show of affection.

But for most, it is to assess an
opponent's strength and weight

in competitions for dominance.

These altercations can be aggressive
when battling over a mate.

Often ending in injury as they throw

their nearly 2,000 kilograms
of weight into one another.

A mother may also show aggression
when protecting her calves.

But on the whole, they use their
camouflage to avoid threats,

protecting themselves from danger
amongst the shrubs and trees

of Africa's grasslands.

In the depths
of the world's oceans...

dwelling in coral reefs...

all three are members
of the same class.

Masters of camouflage.

They are the fastest and most
effective assassins in the sea.

They can change colour
in the blink of an eye.

Cephalopods.

On Earth for over
500 million years...

cuttlefish, octopus, and squid

are all members
of the cephalopod class.

All three use camouflage
with lethal efficiency.

Octopuses are eight limbed mollusks
with over 300 species.

Cuttlefish,

armed with a unique internal bone
called the cuttlebone.

And squid,

equipped with 10 limbs,
an elongated body and large eyes.

Marine animals armed with tentacles

and an unrivalled ability
to remain unseen.

Cephalopods are found
in the ocean's shallow waters,

to its dark murky depths.

These ancient creatures
are underwater soldiers.

Equipped with an armoury
of unique weapons.

No creature on Earth can
change its camouflage

as effectively as cephalopods.

Masters of speed,

they can change colour
in one fifth of a second.

Their brains signalling their
specialised skin to adapt swiftly.

They are highly skilled creatures.

At home in the world's waters,
they are carnivorous predators.

Feasting on all manner
of fish and crustaceans

that inhabit the Earth's oceans...

seemingly docile,
they are in fact expert hunters,

the art of camouflage
their biggest asset.

All three are masters of camouflage,

armed with the deadliest
weapons in the sea.

Scanning coral reefs
and the sea floor,

this octopus is on the hunt.

Becoming one with its surroundings.

Adapting seamlessly
to its environment...

they hunt with ease and efficiency.

Their prey not seeing them
until it's too late.

Ambush predators,

they wait until
the last possible moment

to pounce on their prey.

Using their long limbs,
they capture them in their grasp.

They penetrate hard shelled prey
with their beaks,

injecting a lethal venom.

Octopuses are deadly creatures
in the sea.

Cuttlefish hunt
with equal effectiveness.

Hypnotising its prey
with its colourful skin.

Cuttlefish use their eight arms
and two tentacles to capture prey.

They often even hunt
or bite one another.

In explosions of ink,

they will try to distract
their opponent to escape.

These are some
of the deadliest of battles.

Despite their fighting spirit,

some species of cuttlefish
are endangered.

The giant Australian cuttlefish
is near threatened.

As sea ice melts, the salinity
levels in the ocean grow.

This has decreased the success

of giant Australian cuttlefish
eggs hatching.

As their population decreases,
their ecosystem is affected.

They prey on many species

and are the prey
of many other species.

Making them integral
to the ocean's food chain.

Meanwhile, octopuses
face similar threats.

Like, cuttlefish,
they are vulnerable to pollution...

loss of habitat,

and overfishing.

All of which is harming
the octopus population.

As their habitats disappear,
so does their prey.

And the surroundings they use
for camouflage.

Making them more vulnerable
to predators.

Cephalopods are highly
intelligent creatures...

with a unique defence mechanism
that rivals many animals of the sea.

Yet they are defenceless
in the face of mankind.

The Great Barrier Reef alone is home
to countless cephalopods

but in the last few decades,

it has lost over half
its coral cover.

Pollution has caused
deadly starfish outbreaks

and global warming has produced
horrific coral bleaching.

All of which has damaged cephalopods
who call this habitat home.

Time is running out to save
coral reefs across the globe.

Central fixtures
of our aquatic biome,

they help protect coastlines,

provide homes for countless
marine animals,

and ensure oceans remain healthy.

Predators of the aquatic biome,

cephalopods are the silent assassins
of the seas.

Invisible to the naked eye,

they are the masters of camouflage,

but even they cannot hide
from the threats humans pose.

In half a century, overfishing
has tripled across the globe

crippling octopus's
and cuttlefish's food sources.

Meanwhile, marine pollution
is wreaking havoc

on the waters they call home,

as they find themselves exposed

to harmful chemicals
and heavy metals.

Despite being free swimming
nomadic creatures,

many cephalopods are reliant
on coral reefs for protection,

shelter and as a hunting ground.

Yet coral reefs across
our oceans are dying

due to rising temperatures
from climate change.

An essential ecosystem
for underwater creatures,

coral reefs must be protected...

or countless species of marine life
will be affected.

Thankfully, restoration efforts
are in progress across the globe.

Helping rejuvenate coral reefs
and cleaning the ocean waters.

All vital steps in protecting
all creatures of the sea

including cephalopods...

Earth's most well adapted creatures,

giving cephalopods a place
to live and hide.

It is down to humankind
to safeguard our oceans

from the harrowing affects of...

man.

In every continent inhabited by man,

these masters of camouflage
lie in wait.

From the depths of our oceans,

through the African Savanna
to the tropical rainforests

and quaint gardens and meadows.

Coming in all shapes and sizes,
they wield a weapon

that is an evolutionary wonder,

allowing them to take
on a multitude of colours,

shades and hues,

giving them an unparalleled
advantage against other creatures,

aiding them in sneaking up on prey
and hiding from predators.

Camouflage.

Yet they are all threatened
by human expansion

and the destruction
of their habitats.

These creatures
rely on their surroundings

to master the art of mimicry.

Yet humans continue
to destroy their homes...

weakening their
evolutionary advantage

that they so heavily rely on.

Camouflage is the key
to their survival.

All these creatures are integral
to the Earth's biodiversity.

Without them,
food chains would collapse...

and ecosystems would be altered
forever.

They remain unseen

but their importance
is indisputable.

We must safeguard these colourful,
unique, and fascinating creatures.

And protect them from man itself.

Subtitle Caption by ZestCorp