All language subtitles for Wild Assassins 02

From the hidden depths
of the world's oceans,

across rivers, swamps,
and glaciers...

to the forests and mountains
of the Pacific Northwest...

(BEAR GRUNTS)

nature's deadliest assassins roam

fuelled by immense power
and armed with incredible strength,

crushing bone, shredding flesh,
tearing muscle.

The battles are ferocious...

they consume their prey...

gifted with one of nature's
oldest, most efficient,

and deadliest weapons, bites.

Welcome to the world
of wild assassins.

Nearly 90 million years ago,
during the age of the dinosaurs,

stalked the strongest biting
terrestrial predator ever know.

With a bite force capable
of exerting three tons of pressure,

the Tyrannosaurus Rex,

one of countless mega-fauna
that has been lost to time

over the millennia
from asteroids hitting the planet

and Baltic ice ages
to catastrophic volcanic eruptions.

In the present day no living animals
have a bite force

to rival these giants of the past,

but their jaws still pack
a terrifying bite.

Today's champion
is the salt water crocodile,

armed with a bite force that can
exert up to, two tons of pressure,

strong enough to puncture
through metal.

This deadly assassin is followed
by great white sharks,

hippopotami, gorillas, polar bears,

hyenas, tigers, grizzly bears,
and alligators.

Powerful jaws combined
with razor sharp teeth,

bites are one of nature's first
and most deadly weapons

capable of crushing, piercing,
and tearing flesh and bone.

This versatile tool
is the favoured weapon

of nature's deadliest
wild assassins.

For the last few million years,

the most powerful bite
of any living animal

has belonged to one
prehistoric predator.

King of the bite...

the crocodile.

Crocodiles have patrolled Earth's
waterways for millions of years.

Considered living fossils

they have the most powerful bite
of any animal in the world.

They are a treasure trove
of adaptations,

with three eyelids
and two slitted pupils

that allow them to see underwater

and scan shorelines
without moving their heads.

Unable to open their jaws underwater

these opportunistic ambush predators
will only attack on land

or on the banks of rivers or swamps.

But it is their terrifying bite

that is their greatest
adaptation of all.

They are armed with slightly
curved conical teeth

lining both sides of their jaws.

Most crocodiles are equipped
with an estimated 60 to 70 teeth

but some have been found to have

up to 100 piercing teeth
lining their jaws.

It has recently been discovered
that crocodiles have evolved

a second jaw joint
over the centuries,

allowing these reptilians to retain

and distribute
their bite force evenly,

and ensuring that when crushing
its prey, it will not lose its grip.

Or it's dinner for the night.

Bound in saltwater habitats
and brackish wetlands

from India's east coast
to the riverbanks of Australia

lives the crocodile
with the strongest bite.

Saltwater crocodiles
boast a jaw power

of 3,700 pounds per square inch.

And with a body weighing
just over half a ton

they are strong ambush predators

with a specialised technique
for attacking prey.

When on the hunt,

the saltwater crocodile
attacks first with its fierce bite.

As it lands its first blow it begins
a technique called the death roll.

The saltwater crocodile
instantly snaps its prey's neck

before pulling them underwater
with its 66 sharp teeth,

drowning its helpless victim.

From here, the crocodile
rolls its prey's body

tearing its corpse apart,

dismembering its prey
and breaking it into smaller

and easier to swallow pieces.

Sated and submerged beneath
the waters of Asia.

These five metre long reptilians
are large and graceful creatures.

Solitary, territorial,
and only mildly social,

saltwater crocodiles almost always
remain hidden from the human eye.

The Nile crocodile is one
of the largest reptilians

on the planet.

Lurking in the freshwater
habitats of Africa,

ready to pounce at any moment,

they are voracious predators
that eat over 40 species of bird,

making them integral
to the food chain

on the continent of Africa.

But they are capable predators
or much larger prey.

A group of Nile crocodiles lounge
on the banks of the river.

Nearby a herd of wildebeest
has dared to enter the waters

for what could be
a deadly crossing.

Silent and invisible predators,

crocodiles can remain
submerged under water

for long periods of time.

As the wildebeest enter the river,
the crocodiles hunt begins.

Nose first, this crocodile launches

several metres out of the water
with its lethal jaws.

A valve at the back of its throat
allows it to take the wildebeest

under the surface
without swallowing any water itself.

Their jaws hold such
astonishing strength,

their victims
are rendered powerless.

This wildebeest never stood a chance

against the infallible
Nile crocodile.

Crocodiles are just one part
of the Crocodilia family tree.

They're not so distant,
and equally fearsome cousins

can be found throughout
the Americas and Asia.

Even more closely related
to their dinosaur ancestors,

they are the longest surviving
species on the planet.

With similar shaped teeth

and recently adapted
secondary jaw joints,

they too possess
one of nature's most powerful

and deadliest bites...

Alligators.

Lurking in the basins of the Amazon

and out-dating
the rainforest itself,

measuring up to five metre
in length,

caimans have evolved very little
in the last 200 million years.

Belonging to the Alligatoridae
sub family Caimaninae,

boasting a staggering bite force
of 6,000 pounds per square inch,

the mighty black caiman dominates
the rivers and lakes of Amazonia.

Eating anything and everything
they can get their teeth into,

from fish and insects to other
reptiles, and large mammals.

With webbed feet
and large scaled bodies,

these opportunistic predators
are swift and silent swimmers.

And one of nature's most perfectly
adapted wild assassins.

In Asia, the Chinese alligator
is critically endangered.

One of the two members
of the Alligatoridae sub family,

Alligatorinae,

it has fewer than 150 individuals
in the wild

due to extreme habitat fragmentation
and habitat loss.

First appearing 37 million years ago

the Chinese alligator population
has been in decline since 5,000 BC

and this docile predator
now faces extinction.

Which would leave just one remaining
species of the alligator lineage,

the American alligator.

The Everglades National Park
in Florida

is home to one of nature's
mightiest apex predators,

the American alligator.

Boasting a population
of five million

they have a bite force
of 2,125 pounds.

This deadly assassin was
responsible for four attacks

on humans in Florida
and South Carolina in 2022 alone.

Measuring up to 4.6 metre in length

they are armed
with 80 conical shaped teeth

and a jaw powerful enough
to crack a turtle shell.

Their preferred snack are
fish, frogs, birds, and mammals.

Significantly smaller than
their crocodile cousins,

they're still a fearsome weapon in
the Everglades of Southern America.

All alligators and crocodiles
play an essential role

in maintain equilibrium
within our ecosystems.

Sitting at the top of the food chain

they are apex predators

that help keep other animal
populations balanced.

They may be deadly
weapons in the wild,

but their ability to assassinate
any creature,

from the smallest of insects,
to the heaviest of Cape buffaloes,

makes them integral to our
planet's fragile biodiversity.

From the humid rainforests
of Thailand...

to the coastal mangrove
swamps of India...

lives a cat armed
with a terrifying bite.

King of the jungle, the tiger.

(TIGER ROAR)

(TIGER ROAR)

Sitting at the top of the food chain
on the continent of Asia,

this highly trained assassin is
unparalleled in the art of combat.

A deity in many faiths,

revered across Asia
for its strength,

courage and mysterious nature,

with a bite force of 1,000 pounds
per square inch,

tigers possess an astonishing bite.

This majestic creature
is an unrivalled apex predator.

Able to traverse across forest
floors unseen and unheard.

They are gifted hunters,
experts in the art of camouflage

with striking orange,
white and black fur.

They blend seamlessly
into their natural habitat,

they lay in wait
armed with sharp claws

and razor sharp
four inch long canines.

Once they spot their prey

tigers are able to reach
speeds of up to 65 kph.

They close quickly,
escape is nearly impossible.

With astonishing force

the tiger clamps its jaws
around the deer's throat,

suffocating its prey

in its vice-like grip.

The deer subdued it rips, shreds,
and tears the carcass,

carrying its meal away to eat alone.

But when tigers clash
the resulting combat is deadly.

Only surrender or death.

Despite only 5,000 remaining...

these majestic creatures
are kings of the bite.

On the grasslands of Africa

lives one of the continents
most skilled assassins.

Experts in the art of the attack,

these carnivorous felines
are armed with a unique bite.

With a frightening bite force
of 1,100 pounds per square inch,

they are one of
the few animals on Earth

that can grind through large bones.

Found in matriarchal clans
of up to 90,

these voracious
scavengers gain nutrition

from the parts of animals,
others leave behind.

This specialised skill has led
to the species thriving

for 10 million years.

Perfectly adapted to their place
in the African ecosystem...

the animal
with a bone crushing bite,

the hyena.

(HYENA WHOOPING)

Hyena's highly attuned senses
allow them to track down

abandoned carcasses.

No part of the corpse
is left to waste.

Their powerful jaw can crush
with the pressure of a vice,

from skin to horns to offal,

and their uniquely large teeth

will break bones
with hardly any effort.

These well-adapted bone crushes
are also masters of the hunt.

Inhabiting a plain filled
with prey animals,

these pursuit predators
will chase their prey

until it succumbs to exhaustion...

before tearing it apart.

Their strength in numbers
also allows them

to fend off other predators
from their hard-earned meals,

including the king of the savanna,

the lion,

who knows better than to engage
with a clan of blood-thirsty hyenas,

perfectly adapted
for the life of a predator

on the sumptuous plains of Africa.

Like, many carnivores,

hyenas are often seen
as pest species,

meaning they come
into conflict with humans

when they prey on livestock,

which often results in retaliatory
killings by farmers,

often by poisoning.

Yet despite the many dangers,

hyenas continue to thrive.

With an estimated 47,000
individuals in the wild,

these cunning
and intrepid survivalists

have eked out their place
in the African ecosystem

with the help of their unique
and powerful bite.

Over 70 percent of the world's
surface is covered by water,

making the oceans
the largest kingdom on Earth

and this one species

is the undisputed apex predator
of this kingdom.

With a fossil record dating
back 400 million years

they have outlived the dinosaurs

and many other forms of life
currently on Earth.

They are perfectly evolved to be
the ultimate killing machines.

At the top of the food chain,

masters of the sea.

Portrayed in culture with terror,

they are storied nightmares
of the deep.

Sleek, fast, efficient assassins.

With endless rows of terrifying
razor sharp teeth

they tear, shred,
and grapple their prey.

King of the bite...

the shark.

New species of shark
are discovered every year.

These mercenaries
of the sea measure from 16 cm

to the immense 12.3 metre length
of the whale shark.

Sharks are born
with terrifying teeth

that grow in five to 15 conveyor
belt-like rows.

Most sharks house between
50 to 300 teeth.

With serrated edges

they can cut their prey
of large mammals and fish

into smaller pieces.

But the whale shark has an epic
3,000 teeth in its mouth,

yet it is not the shark
with the most teeth

that has the strongest bite.

The legendary king of the bite...

is the great white shark.

Weighing 2,300 kilograms,

great white sharks are
legendary for their ferocity

with the second strongest bite force
in the animal kingdom,

4,000 pounds per square inch.

They hunt close
to the water's surface,

their rows of razor sharp teeth

fully adapted
to tearing chunks of flesh.

They sneak up on unsuspecting prey,

delivering an almost
always fatal bite.

Their unique upper jaw
can be dislocated when biting,

efficiently sinking teeth
into flesh.

Even human flesh.

Over 300 people have faced
this ferocious bite,

30 who did not survive.

Great white sharks

are the most dangerous predators
in the ocean kingdom,

their preferred prey

are seals, fish,
rays, and other sharks.

Found in densely populated waters
surrounding the Galapagos Islands

with a significantly
lower bite force

of 600 pounds per square inch,

tiger sharks are arguably
more aggressive

and dangerous than their
great white shark cousins.

They are non-selective feeders
and voracious predators.

Sinking their identical 48 teeth
into whatever prey they can find,

their insatiable appetite
and penchant for feeding frenzies

has lead to over 110 attacks
on humans.

Responsible for 31 fatalities,

they are the garbage cans
of the sea.

These formidable creatures
are true apex predators.

In the shallow waters
and coral reefs

of the Earth's oceans
patrols a slightly smaller shark

armed with 60 teeth

and a distinctive black tip
on its fin.

When migrating they tend
to approach beaches,

preferring shallow water,

resulting
in accidental confrontations

with human beings
with only one proving to be fatal.

With narrow oblique cusp teeth
on its upper jaw

and narrow serrated ones
on its lower

allowing it to cut into this prey
like a steak knife,

the blacktip shark feasts mostly
on reef fish and crustaceans.

With 44 to 45 teeth the blacktip
shark has a perfectly evolved

and efficient bite.

Unfortunately, all sharks
are hunted across the globe,

for their skin,

meat...

and livers.

Seventy-three million sharks
are killed each year

for their fins alone.

Over-fishing also has a significant
effect on shark populations.

Sharks reproduce more slowly
than other marine animals,

making them more vulnerable
to fishing pressures,

especially the infamous
great hammerhead sharks,

90 percent of which perish
when captured by targeted

or incidental fisheries.

This high mortality rate along
with their highly valued fin,

means these iconic creatures
are now on the brink of extinction.

Along with another 2.4 percent
of the shark population,

a devastating blow to the rich
biodiversity of our oceans.

As with all predators sharks
directly and indirectly affect

all levels of the food chain.

They help to maintain structure

and keep the oceans
ecosystems healthy.

Mercenaries of the seas,

patrollers of the aquatic biome...

they are integral
to its ability to survive

and thrive.

In the rivers, lakes, and swamps
of Sub-Saharan Africa

lives one of the most famous
fearsome predators

on the African continent.

Considered one of the most
dangerous animals on the planet,

these mighty semi-aquatic mammals
are armed with a powerful bite

with tusks at the front
of their mouth

that can grow to a foot in length

and armed with a bite force
of 1,850 pounds per square inch.

They are responsible
for 500 human fatalities per year.

They are the submerged keepers
of Africa's rivers.

Appearing at any moment...

ready to attack...

the hippopotamus.

(HIPPOPOTAMUS GRUNTS)

Weighing up to 1,800 kilograms,

the hippo is the third largest
land mammal

yet it is capable of travelling
up to 30 kph over short distances.

Their big tough molars are used
for crushing and grinding food

but their tusks are primed
for defence and attack.

They are incredible aggressive
and territorial,

residing over five to 30 cows
and calves.

Their jaws are capable
of opening up to 4 feet wide,

perfect for battle
with other hippos.

Their unpredictable
and territorial nature

sees them often attacking boats,

frequently charging and capsizing
them with fatal results.

With razor sharp tusks
and tons of weight behind them,

it's no wonder
these gigantic animals

are one of Africa's
most feared predators.

Once ranging from the Nile Delta
to the Western Cape,

hippos are now mostly confined
to protected areas

and nature reserves...

due to habitat lost
in deforestation...

confining these majestic creatures

to shrinking pieces
of land and water.

But despite these on-going threats,

the hippopotamus population
remains stable

as these mighty creatures continue

to instil fear
into the hearts of many,

as a top predator
of the continent of Africa,

with a mighty bite.

Deep in the tropical rainforest
of equatorial Africa...

live our majestic cousins...

with an awe-inspiring bite,

the fierce and intimidating,
gorilla.

Weighing up to 160 kilograms

with a bite force
of 1,300 pounds per square inch,

you could be forgiven for thinking
they were deadly predators.

But these gentle giants
live a largely peaceful life.

These striking creatures are
not considered apex predators,

nor do they feast on
the carcasses of large prey.

Instead they feast on leaves,
bamboo shoots,

stems and fruit.

Armed with sharp, long canines,

their terrifying bite
is used for intimidation,

to defend against external threats

and in the face of competition
for dominance...

as a deadly weapon.

Travelling in troops
of up to 10 members,

the singular male or silverback

must protect his harem of women
and their offspring.

The fight for dominance is usually
between a son and his father

as the son tries to break
away from the troop

or believes it's time for his father
to step down.

Only then does the fight
for dominance begin

in a fearsome display of power.

Gifted with power and strength,

gorillas are perhaps

one of the most
misunderstood animals.

Often portrayed
as dangerous and aggressive

they are in fact gentle giants.

Shy by nature,

they only become aggressive
when they feel threatened.

They are perhaps most misunderstood

due to the power
of their fearsome bite.

From the dense green forests
that span the planet,

to the ice-covered waters
of the Arctic,

live eight species
of the strongest predator.

With the largest land carnivore
in the world...

armed with a bite force varying
from 975 pounds

to 1,200 per square inch...

these are wild assassins.

Equipped with piercing fangs...

and lethal claws...

these titans are five times stronger
than the average human.

They are some of the largest,

most menacing...

and ferocious land-based predators
in existence.

Bears.

(BEAR GRUNTS)

Polar bears can weigh up
to 1,500 pounds

while an adult grizzly
can run up to 56 kph

with a bite that can crush bone

or bamboo.

They may seem savage,

but bears are among the most
intelligent land-based mammals

in the northern hemisphere
with the largest

and most complex brains
of other land mammals their size.

Immense,

and cunning,

with an awesome bite...

the most common bear...

is the American black bear.

On the rocky shores of a river
in the Pacific Northwest of America

roams an American black bear.

Boasting a two layered furry coat

that protects it from water

and the elements,

and the mighty jaw
with 42 terrifying teeth.

Weighing up to 300 kilograms

and measuring up
to 4 metres in length,

with a bite force of 975 pounds
per square inch,

also largely
in the Pacific Northwest,

Canada and Alaska,

roams its larger
and more aggressive cousin

armed with sharp claws
and piercing fangs,

the grizzly bear.

They will hibernate between
five to seven months of the year...

eating up to 30,000 calories
a day in preparation.

Their favourite protein-rich meal?

Fish.

This bear is waiting on the banks
of the rapid rivers

that flow through
the Pacific Northwest.

It will take excellent timing

and a piercing bite to catch
their most delectable prey.

Equipped with exceptionally sharp
and strong incisors

grizzly bears' teeth are designed
specifically for ripping

and tearing prey apart
in preparation

for the long months ahead.

Grizzly bears boast
a powerful bite force

of 1,160 pounds per square inch.

Armed with fangs that grow
up to three inch in length,

they often feast on
elk, bison, and caribou.

They are fond of ambush attacks.

Using brute force their half ton
of power reaches up to 56 kph.

The grizzly bear strikes
with phenomenal speeds and force,

on its hind legs
at over three metres tall

it towers over its prey.

Its formidable jaws latch
onto the caribou,

sinking its razor sharp canines
into its flesh.

Tearing muscle, breaking bone,
its bite victorious.

On the frozen plains of the Arctic,

roams a bear even more aggressive
than the grizzly bear,

the largest land carnivore
on the planet,

the polar bear.

Armed with a bite force
of 1,000 pounds per square inch,

it is one of the most formidable
apex predators on the planet

with the largest polar bear
on record

weighing an impressive 950 kilograms

and measuring well
over three metres in height.

The polar bear has
no natural enemies.

The only conflict they face
is between themselves,

fighting over territory and mates.

These bloody battles
with teeth and claws...

can be deadly.

The polar bear's fierce bite

is also an effective tool
in the hunt.

It's white fur allowing it
to sneak up easily on its prey,

it can walk straight up to a herd
of walrus and take its pick,

sinking its sharp teeth
into the thick hide of the walrus.

The polar bear is armed
with incisors

that enable it to pierce,

sheer and tear of blubber,
and flesh.

The ideal weapon,

for this deadly assassin.

As temperatures rise
and the ice melts

at a rapid pace
across the Arctic,

polar bears have become
the most at risk of all bears

in the northern hemisphere.

Despite sitting at the top
of the food chain

there is little
the polar bear can do in the face

of climate change.

Shrinking habitats have driven
polar bears increasingly

into human areas in search of food.

While not yet endangered,

the polar bear population
is in decline.

These deadly weapons
in the wild are vital

to the balance of these
frozen ecosystems,

the conservation
of their Arctic habitat is essential

to the survival of these
magnificent wild assassins.

Across the planet bears are under
constant threat of loss of habitat,

hunting, poaching,
capture, and climate change.

These once abundant species
are now largely confined

to shrinking mountains

and forested enclaves
around the world.

As a keystone species all bears
are of great significance

to the wider ecosystems
in which they live.

One of nature's greatest,

wild assassins.

All across the planet mighty
and ferocious creatures evolved

to be apex predators
with ferocious teeth.

Champions of mountains,

forests,

glaciers and oceans...

with immense power
and incredible strength,

they reside at the very top
of the food chain.

Nature's wild assassins

armed with the deadliest weapons
in nature,

an essential part
of their ecosystems

helping to maintain and protect
the delicate balance of nature

with the awesome
power of their bite.

For millions of years
at the top of their food chains,

perfectly evolved apex predators
whose existence comes under threat,

we learn the deadliest
assassin of all...

is man.

Subtitle Caption by ZestCorp