Original subtitles

Narrator: Africa.

A land sculpted by time.

A continent that defines some of the

world's deadliest predators.

These creatures specialize in different

hunting strategies.

They are the masters of stealth,

speed and disguise.

Equipped with enhanced senses and deadly

techniques, immense power and agility,

silence and cunning, deception and

camouflage.

All these predators have one intention,

to kill.

Prey does not stand a chance against

Africa's Deadliest.

There was an era when the skies burned red.

But time heals all wounds and life prevailed.

This is one of the oldest ecosystems on Earth.

A habitat barely touched for the past

million years.

This is the Serengeti.

Now these flat, endless grasslands nurture its

inhabitants and have became the ideal

hunting ground for the world's fastest land

mammal.

A wild hunter once tamed by Egyptian

pharaohs.

The cheetah.

To thrive on these open plains,

this solitary feline has developed some very

special adaptations.

Like most cats, the cheetah has

sophisticated senses and its dappled coat

provides adequate camouflage.

But it does not rely only on stealth to

hunt; it wants its prey to run.

The cheetah's body is lightweight and

aerodynamic.

The cheetah's hard, ridged foot pads

brandish blunt semi retractable claws,

to maximize traction in its high speed

pursuits.

Because this vast open landscape has also

sculpted the prey, to be fast,

nimble and light footed.

But the cheetah is specialized in one

thing, speed.

The cheetah's powerful heart drives fresh

oxygen through its body.

Its flexible spine and unique muscles catapult

the cheetah in bounds of up to 25 feet.

It's long tail works like a rudder providing

crucial stability as it twists and turns at

speeds of up to 70mph.

Each year the cheetah is tested with a

challenge to hunt an animal three

times its size.

Wildebeest and zebra in the thousands carve up

the dust covered plains,

in the pursuit of nourishment.

These wild beasts boast an incredibly strong

and powerful front and wield sharp,

menacing horns.

The cheetah's slender frame is no match for

confrontation.

The immense herds offer great support and

protection for the hordes of young calves

that accompany the migration.

The cheetah's only chance of success

is a chase.

The sudden chaos splinters the herds,

separating mothers and calves.

The hunter accelerates up to 60mph in less

than 3 seconds.

The young wildebeest is so breathless,

that despite the cheetah's small teeth

it crushes the wildebeest's windpipe

without a struggle.

However, this gift of speed comes at a price.

This incredible acceleration puts

serious strain on the cheetah's heart,

increasing its body temperature close to

brain damage.

It must rest before it can feed.

But total exhaustion along with its

inability to fight, makes the cheetah and

its kill highly vulnerable to attack

from larger, more aggressive predators

that shadow the migration.

Lions.

Unlike the cheetah, lions are not built for

a long distance chase.

Their powerful, muscular frames and

relatively small hearts restrict their speed to

only 36 mph.

The lions are not limited to the size of

their prey, but they need to adopt a

different line of attack.

This tall grass savannah provides

the perfect cover for an ambush.

Accompanying the wildebeest migration

are thousands of zebra.

Zebra are bigger and faster than lions and

wield a savage kick, so powerful it can break

bone and even kill.

They are a prey that even the King of beasts

cannot underestimate.

So, what the lions lack in speed they make up

for in stealth and numbers.

Exploiting their environment to ambush

the zebra.

The lion's cushioned pads allow near silent

movement.

Yet hidden within are razor sharp claws that

can slice through flesh.

The lions begin to surround the herds.

Narrator: Hidden in the tall savannah grass,

the lions tasseled tails signal unspoken

instructions to the other members of

the pride to move into position.

The hunters fan out in a line,

utilizing every inch of cover.

The chasers at either end, advance faster,

leaving behind the others to block

the zebra's escape route.

The trap is set.

The lions hold their positions.

In an ambush, timing is everything.

The chasers erupt from hiding,

spreading a wave of panic through the herd.

The lioness's channel the fleeing zebra

towards the awaiting pride.

The lion can deliver a blow powerful enough to

break a zebra's back.

Its fangs are perfectly aligned to slip between

the zebra's cervical vertebrae severing its

spinal cord.

The remaining herds have no choice but to

leave the fallen and continue on their

perilous journey.

Many predators lay in wait but one of the

deadliest is still to come.

Beyond these endless plains,

a channel has carved through the hardened Earth.

A channel that gives life and also takes it.

These murky waters conceal one of Africa's

most feared reptiles.

A cold blooded predator so supremely adapted to

its habitat it has barely changed over 65

million years.

The Nile crocodile.

Crocodiles are explosively fast,

but with limited stamina compared to

lions and cheetah; these reptilian giants

have evolved to get within inches of their

prey completely undetected.

On land, this aquatic killer is slow and

awkward but it ventures out of the depths to

recharge.

The crocodile's armor plated scales also act

as solar panels, absorbing the sun's rays.

A web of capillaries carries the warmed

blood to the crocodile's core,

activating its systems.

The crocodile's eyesight sharpens and

its hearing tunes in to the thunderous sound of

approaching hooves.

Reenergized, it is time to return to its

hunting grounds.

Their short, muscular limbs streamline

against their body.

Their eyes, ears and nostrils lie along

the top of their head, allowing the crocodile

to conceal a body that can reach 20 ft in length

and weigh up to a ton,

in water only a foot deep.

As the thirsty herds creep to the water's

edge, the crocodiles drop below radar.

Sensory cells along the side of their jaw,

allow the crocodiles to detect the slightest

disturbance.

To remain hidden, the crocodile closes the

valve to its four chambered heart

supplying just enough oxygenated blood to

keep its vital organs running.

An eerie stillness floats over the water.

Narrator: Submerged just inches below

the surface, a cold blooded killer awaits.

The wildebeest are now staring death in the face.

Over 2500 lbs of bite force snaps shut onto

any available limb.

Once clamped in these merciless jaws,

little escapes.

This prehistoric predator may not have

changed for millennia, but the same can't be

said about Africa's waterways.

As the Earth moved, the rivers changed their

flow.

From thunderous falls.

To placid lakes.

Water brought with it new life.

And deserts became deltas.

This is the Okavango.

This water world is the hunting ground for a

predator so deadly it feasts on its own kind.

A predator that dissolves it's victims

from the inside.

The Fishing Spider.

They lurk along the water's edge,

on the lookout for insects,

frogs and fish.

This cunning predator has an incredible

ability.

Unlike most spiders it is not restricted to

hunting just on land.

This spider is able to walk on water.

They do so by taking advantage of the

water's surface tension.

The water molecules cohesive attraction,

acts like a thin film.

These spiders weigh less than an ounce and

their long legs retain a waxy coating that

helps repel water.

While minute brushes of hair on the end of

their legs help spread their weight.

In addition, these featherweight predators

use their legs to row themselves across the

water.

Once afloat, the spider hunts for fish swimming

near the surface.

But out here the predator can too easily

become the prey.

Lurking beneath, many larger fish relish the

opportunity for an easy meal.

To evade predation, these spiders can

gallop across the water's surface at up

to three feet per second.

When hunting, the water becomes its web.

The fishing Spider baits its prey by

tapping the surface to imitate an insect.

They can accurately pinpoint fish up to 7

inches away.

When in range, the spider strikes.

It pierces through the surface with its fangs,

and injects venom into its prey.

The digestive enzymes begin straight away,

melting the victim's insides.

The spider then drags itself and its prey

back to dry land to feast.

Incredibly, these spiders can catch fish

nearly five times heavier than

themselves.

Every last drop is consumed.

Fishing spiders have a very high metabolic

rate for spiders, and need to feed often.

But each attempt away from the shore could be

their last.

Narrator: The surface can be a dangerous

place, for prey and predators alike.

These waterways are patrolled by

an aerial killer.

The African fish eagle.

This large, aerial predator is so deadly

it spends as little as 10 minutes a day

actively hunting, spending more time

perched than flying.

High up in the tree tops,

out of sight the Fish eagle scans the

waterways for prey.

All eagles are renowned for their excellent

eyesight, and the fish eagle is no exception.

Their two centers of focus,

allow the bird to see both forward and to the

side at the same time.

The fish eagle's sight is around five times

sharper than that of a person with perfect

vision, allowing them to detect fish from

several hundred feet away.

This is an ideal height,

to plan its aerial attack.

Unraveling its 8 ft wing span,

the eagle begins its approach.

Its tail feathers work like a rudder to

stabilize the eagle in flight.

It dives into a shallow glide,

low and fast over the water.

The bird, now heavier, arches up sharply to

get lift and compensate for the extra weight.

The eagle must eat quickly.

Away from the safety of the trees,

it is exposed and vulnerable to other

predators.

With plenty of water, the habitats grew,

vegetation evolved from grass to trees.

And just beyond the wetlands,

the forest took hold.

Many a creature has entered its borders,

never to return.

Hidden within the canopy,

camouflaged behind leaves,

a pair of watchful eyes scans the forest floor.

This is the hunting ground for one of

Africa's most cunning wild cats.

The expansive labyrinth of woodland has evolved

a predator perfectly tailored for stealth

and stalking.

The leopard.

Without the speed of a cheetah or the support

of a pride, the leopard hunts alone.

Its specialized senses and anatomy make it the

quintessential ambush and stalking predator.

The leopards' coloration is

extremely effective.

Its tawny coat is covered with dark,

irregular circles called rosettes that

break up its outline in the thick vegetation.

The leopard all but disappears into its

surroundings.

Ears attuned to the multitude of sounds

that drift through the wood.

The leopard has incredible hearing,

five times better than the average human.

Leopards are one third the size of lions,

but what they lack in size,

they make up for in strength and agility.

They are able to leap 20 feet in one bound

and jump 10 feet off the ground.

This stealth predator is exceptionally

strong, capable of dragging prey,

twice their own weight, vertically up

50 foot trees.

The leopard also uses these elevated hideouts

as lookout posts for prey.

So when it spots a herd of gazelle on the

woodland borders, the hunt is on.

Adapted for the open plains,

the gazelle are fast, agile and athletic.

So to avoid a chase the leopard must get within

yards, completely undetected.

The leopard shadows the herd,

moving when they move.

The gazelle are exceptionally alert to

sounds and movements, and support in numbers,

mean more eyes and ears to detect approaching

threats.

Every movement is slow, silent and calculated.

It makes clever use of any available cover,

crouching motionless if detected.

Narrator: The leopard creeps towards the herd.

Its strong jaw muscles and canine teeth

deliver a killing bite.

Normally hunting under the cover of darkness,

the leopard must be quick and quiet,

so as not to attract any unwanted attention.

Scavengers are everywhere.

The safest place is up.

Out of sight from hungry eyes.

The trees branches are a refuge for both

predators and prey, but not all is what it

seems in Africa's woodlands.

Here, the trees really do have eyes.

What appears to be a branch is in fact one

of Africa's deadliest.

The Vine Snake.

This venomous predator possesses such

incredible cryptic coloration it is a

master of deception.

It's long, slender, bark colored body

allows it to blend perfectly into its

forest habitat.

But the vine snake isn't just camouflaged

to look like a branch.

It acts like one as well.

The vine snake can freeze its body,

rocking back and forth, to imitate a branch

swaying softly in the wind.

This deadly act further deceives prey into

thinking that it's just part of the tree.

The snake also boasts 3D stereoscopic vision,

through a unique keyhole shaped pupil.

This allows them to spot prey standing

completely still at significant distances.

Creeping through the woodland branches the

vine snake edges into position,

above its victim.

The vine snake strikes the lizard with a

deadly, blood destroying bite.

It's fangs at the back of its mouth release a

potent hematoxic venom.

The poison spreads through the lizard,

causing extensive internal bleeding.

The bite has no antidote,

and is even fatal to humans.

Hanging from its lair, the snake proceeds to

swallow the dying lizard whole.

Beyond the woodland the vegetation receded and

the winds dried.

And when the water stopped, nothing grew.

This is the oldest desert in the world,

the Namib.

Here, water and life is scarce and only the

strongest survive.

Narrator: With temperatures reaching over 100 degrees

many seek refuge from the

searing heat.

Hidden in the rocky outcrops,

a deadly predator lurks in the shadows.

A killer that is uniquely suited as a

desert predator.

The Rock Scorpion.

Over 400 million years has seen this large

arachnid evolve an arsenal of special

modifications.

These scorpions are the longest on earth,

yet their bodies are extremely flattened to

enable them to squeeze into narrow cracks.

While its tarsal claws hook to the rocks like

a mountaineer's grappling iron.

Its long, thin needle like stinger harbors

two neurotoxic venom sacs.

Yet their venom is among the weakest found

in any species.

So, its weak sting is traded for two powerful

crab like pincers.

These modified mouthparts act like

hydraulic pistons to crush their prey to

death.

Even in this barren desert habitat,

the rock scorpion is always on guard.

The scorpion's stiff hairs and

hypersensitive bristles are so receptive it can

detect airborne vibrations of

approaching prey.

Lurking in the shadows the scorpion picks up

the minute vibrations of a millipede on the

march.

Protected by its plated exoskeleton,

the millipede shields itself from most

predators.

Oblivious to the chilling remains of

previous victims, the millipede scurries

closer.

A powerful, armored claw crushes

effortlessly through the hard shell of the

millipede's exoskeleton.

There's no need to sting.

Using its pincer like mouthparts the scorpion

methodically draws out and ingests the soft

innards of the millipede.

It will take up to several hours for the

scorpion to finish its meal.

As the scorpion has adapted to hunt in its

rock environment, another deadly predator

has evolved for life on the open sands.

Its signature sketched across the windswept

dunes.

The calling card of the Sidewinder.

This venomous snake is perfectly tailored to

move and hunt on the loose desert sands.

The snake's short, muscular body is coated

in rough scales that grip into unstable

terrain.

Opposed to slithering headfirst,

the sidewinder, throws the middle of its body

forward undulating in smooth, lateral curves.

When on the hunt for prey,

the sidewinder chooses not to float above the

sand but disappear into it.

Its camouflaged coloring allows it to

vanish into the desert sands.

Apart from the tip of its protruding tail.

In this barren landscape,

food is hard to come by so it is not long

before the snake's lure grabs the attention of

an inquisitive lizard.

The sidewinder strikes at incredible speed.

Long fangs stab through the lizard's soft skin,

releasing large amounts of cytotoxic venom.

Before the lizard is swallowed whole.

Another life has been claimed by one of

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