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These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated: 1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:07,000 Downloaded from YTS.MX 2 00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:04,680 NARRATOR: He is the king of serpents, 3 00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:07,000 unblinking, 4 00:00:07,080 --> 00:00:09,360 hypnotic, 5 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:13,000 Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX 6 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:11,040 deadly. 7 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:16,800 And hungry for his own kind. 8 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:20,560 Towering over a wild yet vulnerable kingdom, 9 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:24,720 the king cobra, the largest venomous snake in the world, 10 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:29,680 is powerful enough to kill a full-grown elephant. 11 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:32,120 And we know almost nothing about it. 12 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:34,880 But that´s about to change. 13 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:36,240 Two king cobras, 14 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:37,920 each surgically implanted 15 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:39,920 with tracking devices, 16 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:42,880 are leading researchers deep into the jungle 17 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:47,160 and into a mysterious world of snake-on-snake violence, 18 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:48,200 cannibalism, 19 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:50,520 and surprising tenderness. 20 00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:54,360 Follow these pioneering serpents 21 00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:56,640 into their quickly disappearing realms, 22 00:00:56,720 --> 00:01:02,320 revealing secret lives no human has ever seen before. 23 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:09,000 ♫♫ 24 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:15,680 ♫♫ 25 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:22,440 ♫♫ 26 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:28,920 ♫♫ 27 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:32,240 In the sun-dappled forests of India, 28 00:01:32,320 --> 00:01:36,680 a rat snake tastes the air for the scent of his prey. 29 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:41,240 ♫♫ 30 00:01:41,320 --> 00:01:43,800 So intent is the rat snake on his victim, 31 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:47,200 he fails to notice 32 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:49,160 the king. 33 00:01:50,440 --> 00:01:52,840 This is his domain. 34 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:57,560 And the king cobra´s favorite meal is rat snake. 35 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:02,720 So a second hunt begins. 36 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:08,840 ♫♫ 37 00:02:08,920 --> 00:02:12,720 The rat snake sees his mistake, but it´s too late. 38 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:19,920 The hooded hunter looms and the rat snake cowers. 39 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:25,360 The king seems to contemplate his meal. 40 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:27,480 A mistake. 41 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:29,560 There´s an intruder in the kingdom. 42 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:36,160 The rat snake uses the distraction to make his escape. 43 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:41,040 ♫♫ 44 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:44,440 The king´s dinner will have to wait. 45 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:52,480 The king cobra grows up to almost 5 1/2 meters... 46 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:56,080 ...and has ruled the forests of India 47 00:02:56,160 --> 00:02:59,120 for millions of years. 48 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:04,960 But this ancient creature lives in an increasingly human world. 49 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:08,520 And its kingdom grows smaller every year. 50 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:15,080 King cobras reside throughout Indonesia, 51 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:17,600 Malaysia, and much of Southeast Asia. 52 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:21,120 But a mountain range along India´s southwest coast, 53 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:23,480 known as the Western Ghats, 54 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:27,840 has perhaps the highest density of king cobras in the world. 55 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:33,640 The Ghats are one of the wettest places on Earth. 56 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:38,680 Vast quantities of India´s water 57 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:41,240 run through its labyrinth of rivers and waterways. 58 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:44,400 ♫♫ 59 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:49,000 ♫♫ 60 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:54,240 Endless water providing for limitless life... 61 00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:00,080 ...and countless species. 62 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:03,760 ♫♫ 63 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:07,800 ♫♫ 64 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:13,800 All this life ensures a chain of never-ending death. 65 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:20,720 ♫♫ 66 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:24,560 But it´s the king cobra that rules these forests. 67 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:30,240 ♫♫ 68 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:34,560 It can live up to 30 years of age 69 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:38,560 and never stops growing. 70 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:42,200 To accommodate this endless growth, 71 00:04:42,280 --> 00:04:47,280 the king must shed its skin four to six times a year. 72 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:51,400 The first sign -- its eyes become cloudy 73 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:53,000 from a milky secretion 74 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:57,280 released to help separate old skin from new. 75 00:04:57,360 --> 00:04:59,560 When its eyes clear, 76 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:02,000 it begins shedding. 77 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:04,600 It can take up to 10 days to scrape 78 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:07,960 the used flakes of itchy, irritable skin free. 79 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:13,240 It´s an anxious time in the life of a snake. 80 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:20,280 And a bad time to seek out the company of humans. 81 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:22,960 But houses offer warmth, shelter, 82 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:25,160 and a choice of hiding places. 83 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:28,040 ♫♫ 84 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:32,360 ♫♫ 85 00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:34,720 It seeks only solitude, 86 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:40,280 but packs enough venom to kill a human many times over 87 00:05:40,360 --> 00:05:43,440 and might defend itself if disturbed... 88 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:47,720 ...with fatal consequences. 89 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:54,160 ♫♫ 90 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:59,240 Fortunately, the villagers around here revere the king 91 00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:02,600 and know who to call when one takes up residence. 92 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:04,920 Okay. (speaks native language) 93 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:08,480 NARRATOR: Gowri Shankar, the conservation officer 94 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:11,560 at the Agumbe Rainforest Research Station, 95 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:13,760 has dedicated his life to saving 96 00:06:13,840 --> 00:06:16,320 and studying the king cobra. 97 00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:21,160 Gowri, and the founder of the research station, 98 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:23,920 renowned herpetologist Rom Whitaker, 99 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:26,680 are about to embark on the most ambitious study 100 00:06:26,760 --> 00:06:29,240 ever conducted with the king. 101 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:32,400 They want to capture and radio-tag king cobras 102 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:36,880 for the first time and follow them into the wild. 103 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:39,640 But they need a king for the experiment. 104 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:42,040 And this distress call may provide 105 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:44,200 the perfect opportunity. 106 00:06:44,280 --> 00:06:46,240 WHITAKER: There are problems with king cobras sometimes. 107 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:47,520 And no matter how patient 108 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:49,960 and how kindly they feel toward king cobras, 109 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:51,320 having one in your bedroom is no fun. 110 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:55,040 NARRATOR: Capturing king cobras 111 00:06:55,120 --> 00:06:58,040 is a potentially deadly business. 112 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:00,640 Even the best get bitten. 113 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:03,760 Gowri has been bitten once. 114 00:07:03,840 --> 00:07:06,240 Rom´s been struck twice. 115 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:09,480 And he´s now allergic to the antivenom. 116 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:11,720 If it´s anywhere, it´s going to be under the baskets. 117 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:15,160 I think I can see her already. 118 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:17,040 Yeah, she´s glistening under there. 119 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:19,200 Easy does it. Easy does it. 120 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:25,160 Oh, man. 121 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:27,120 Yup, and she´s shedding her skin, too. 122 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:33,080 NARRATOR: He handles the nearly three-meter king 123 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:36,600 with an ease that comes only from decades of experience. 124 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:38,680 She´s really nice, Gowri. 125 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:40,120 It looks like a female. 126 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:41,720 NARRATOR: They know by the size of the head 127 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:43,840 and the coloring of the skin 128 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:47,600 that this king is actually a queen. 129 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:50,040 WHITAKER: And let´s get these shots. 130 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:53,360 NARRATOR: Before they bag her, they take a photograph 131 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:56,360 to record the pattern on her hood. 132 00:07:56,440 --> 00:07:58,480 It´s kind of like fingerprinting an animal, isn´t it? 133 00:07:58,560 --> 00:08:00,360 -Yeah. -One more. 134 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:01,720 NARRATOR: But to do this, 135 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:04,120 they must make her open her hood. 136 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:07,240 In other words, make her mad -- 137 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:10,680 not something for the faint of heart. 138 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:15,960 With these mug shots, 139 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:19,240 they hope to assess how many snakes live in the area 140 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:21,920 and keep tabs on snakes they´ve met before. 141 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:25,920 A successful photo ID, 142 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:28,440 and they offer her a dark escape -- 143 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:32,120 a capture bag, fitted with a piece of PVC pipe. 144 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:34,080 WHITAKER: Through the pipe. 145 00:08:34,160 --> 00:08:36,480 NARRATOR: And the rescue is complete. 146 00:08:36,560 --> 00:08:40,760 Normally, they´d release her away from the village. 147 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:46,680 But they´ve got much bigger plans for today´s prize. 148 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:49,320 They´ll take her back to the research station 149 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:52,480 to prep her for a groundbreaking role 150 00:08:52,560 --> 00:08:54,720 in cobra research. 151 00:08:54,800 --> 00:08:59,200 Until now, studying kings in their natural habitat 152 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:02,080 has been virtually impossible. 153 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:05,880 The forests are too dense and the snakes too elusive. 154 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:08,320 As a result, little is known 155 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:10,160 about the king´s life in the wild -- 156 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:12,120 where it goes, 157 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:13,560 what it does, 158 00:09:13,640 --> 00:09:17,200 or the size of its range. 159 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:19,760 Rom and Gowri´s plan is to surgically implant 160 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:21,920 small radiotransmitters 161 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:26,920 into two king cobras and follow them into the wild. 162 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:30,600 Because these little-understood animals are now endangered, 163 00:09:30,680 --> 00:09:34,480 this research project is more important than ever. 164 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:39,960 India´s forests are rapidly disappearing 165 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:43,120 as humans push deeper into the wilderness. 166 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:44,760 It is estimated that snakes kill 167 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:49,400 as many as 50,000 people in India every year. 168 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:55,560 ♫♫ 169 00:09:55,640 --> 00:09:57,320 While the king cobra is 170 00:09:57,400 --> 00:09:59,760 the largest venomous snake in India, 171 00:09:59,840 --> 00:10:02,280 there have been only four reported deaths 172 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:05,640 in south India in the past 20 years. 173 00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:07,920 And though it has more venom than any other snake, 174 00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:12,280 only 10% of the people they bite die 175 00:10:12,360 --> 00:10:17,120 because kings can control how much venom they release. 176 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:19,760 Muscles around the venom glands contract, 177 00:10:19,840 --> 00:10:22,560 squeezing calculated amounts of neurotoxins 178 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:26,840 through its hypodermic fangs and into the victim. 179 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:30,920 Or it can release none at all, 180 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:33,520 which is often the case with humans. 181 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:36,280 After all, venom is valuable. 182 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:42,720 And the king is a prolific killer 183 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:45,200 of other snakes. 184 00:10:47,680 --> 00:10:53,520 The king cobra´s diet consists almost entirely of serpents. 185 00:10:57,840 --> 00:11:01,520 Though it´s an apex predator among reptiles, 186 00:11:01,600 --> 00:11:03,600 the king increasingly finds itself 187 00:11:03,680 --> 00:11:07,080 in competition with people. 188 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:10,280 As India´s burgeoning human population 189 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:13,520 continues to grow, farms and plantations 190 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:16,880 carve deeper into the forests of the Western Ghats 191 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:19,920 and wandering kings often find themselves 192 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:21,960 in unfamiliar territory. 193 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:26,320 Now Gowri and Rom have been called out 194 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:28,200 to a betel nut plantation 195 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:33,120 where a local snake handler has trouble by the tail. 196 00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:36,320 It´s a king who has taken refuge in a hole 197 00:11:36,400 --> 00:11:38,040 at the base of a tree, 198 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:41,040 and the base of the tree is at the top of a cliff. 199 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:44,000 The danger factor is just too much, man. 200 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:45,680 Never mind the venomous snake, 201 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:49,080 but how about a 40-foot drop to your death along with it. 202 00:11:49,160 --> 00:11:53,880 NARRATOR: They´ll need a serious plan to save this snake 203 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:56,360 and keep themselves out of danger. 204 00:11:56,440 --> 00:11:59,120 But if they catch this snake, 205 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:01,640 they´ll have their second pioneer serpent 206 00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:05,760 and the research project can begin in earnest. 207 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:09,800 Safety first, dudes. 208 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:12,000 NARRATOR: To keep from falling 209 00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:13,640 12 meters to the plantation below, 210 00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:15,920 Gowri ropes himself in. 211 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:19,760 Once we spot the head, that will help us a lot. 212 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:21,360 We don´t know where exactly the head is. 213 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:22,840 He might be 9 or 10 feet. 214 00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:26,000 NARRATOR: The plantation workers´ plan 215 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:28,400 is to pull the tree down, 216 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:31,080 tearing it and the snake from the ground. 217 00:12:35,040 --> 00:12:38,360 But that quickly proves too difficult... 218 00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:43,800 ...and Gowri takes over. 219 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:50,000 ♫♫ 220 00:12:50,080 --> 00:12:51,800 Carefully digging around the hole, 221 00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:54,840 he loosens the snake´s grip on the earth... 222 00:12:54,920 --> 00:13:00,120 ♫♫ 223 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:05,120 ♫♫ 224 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:08,720 until, finally, the king comes free. 225 00:13:08,800 --> 00:13:11,800 ♫♫ 226 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:16,800 ♫♫ 227 00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:19,000 Now the local snake handler, 228 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:22,200 perched precariously on the top of the cliff, 229 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:25,480 finds himself face-to-face with an angry king. 230 00:13:25,560 --> 00:13:30,760 ♫♫ 231 00:13:30,840 --> 00:13:33,200 But with a firm grip on the tail, 232 00:13:33,280 --> 00:13:38,640 Gowri drags the 3 1/2-meter serpent from the cliff. 233 00:13:38,720 --> 00:13:41,480 This snake is broader and lighter in color 234 00:13:41,560 --> 00:13:43,800 than the female they rescued earlier. 235 00:13:43,880 --> 00:13:45,800 It must be a male. 236 00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:51,040 ♫♫ 237 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:52,840 As the audience gathers, 238 00:13:52,920 --> 00:13:56,600 Rom and Gowri try to lure the serpent into the bag. 239 00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:02,520 And after some coaxing, the king obliges. 240 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:07,680 ♫♫ 241 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:10,280 Toughest catch I´ve ever seen in my life, actually. 242 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:11,760 Insane, actually. 243 00:14:11,840 --> 00:14:15,120 NARRATOR: Now, the tagging can begin. 244 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:18,880 With both a male and female king cobra, 245 00:14:18,960 --> 00:14:21,600 they´ll be able to compare the behavior of the sexes, 246 00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:24,160 something that´s a complete mystery right now. 247 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:28,520 It´s time to call in the expert. 248 00:14:33,040 --> 00:14:37,720 Matt Goode is a herpetologist from the University of Arizona 249 00:14:37,800 --> 00:14:41,480 and a leading authority on tracking snakes. 250 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:43,240 GOODE: Well, it´s difficult, 251 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:45,600 because the animals that we study are very secretive. 252 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:47,320 You really have to be creative. 253 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:49,760 There´s just as much art in it as there is science. 254 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:52,400 And you sort of got to think like a snake, I guess. 255 00:14:52,480 --> 00:14:55,360 NARRATOR: Matt has implanted radiotransmitters 256 00:14:55,440 --> 00:14:57,560 in hundreds of venomous snakes, 257 00:14:57,640 --> 00:15:00,080 but never a king. 258 00:15:01,600 --> 00:15:03,640 GOODE: Radio telemetry has really just revolutionized 259 00:15:03,720 --> 00:15:04,920 the study of snakes. 260 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:06,800 Before, you know, you could release a snake 261 00:15:06,880 --> 00:15:07,960 and probably never see it again. 262 00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:09,240 Now we can track it 263 00:15:09,320 --> 00:15:11,200 and we can find out what it´s doing 264 00:15:11,280 --> 00:15:13,240 on a minute-by-minute basis if we want. 265 00:15:13,320 --> 00:15:17,480 The real motivation is what it´s like to be a snake. 266 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:23,440 WHITAKER: Doc, go ahead and load up some anesthesia. 267 00:15:23,520 --> 00:15:26,520 NARRATOR: At the station, the team preps the female 268 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:28,680 for the unique operation, 269 00:15:28,760 --> 00:15:32,320 taking every precaution to ensure her safety. 270 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:34,680 GOODE: Let´s get some tape. 271 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:38,840 NARRATOR: They must estimate how much anesthetic to use. 272 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:44,200 Too much and she might not wake from her drug-induced sleep. 273 00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:48,840 ♫♫ 274 00:15:48,920 --> 00:15:52,480 Needle drivers. 275 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:55,240 WHITAKER: I think she just went down. 276 00:15:56,800 --> 00:15:59,120 NARRATOR: Matt makes an incision... 277 00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:05,840 and carefully inserts the radiotransmitter 278 00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:08,480 between the vital organs. 279 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:11,480 This small tracking device will emit a signal 280 00:16:11,560 --> 00:16:12,960 that a specialized receiver 281 00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:15,800 can pick up from over 300 meters away. 282 00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:22,720 Then Matt inserts two small buttons. 283 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:24,600 These will take temperature readings 284 00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:28,200 every hour for the next two years. 285 00:16:31,280 --> 00:16:35,680 Some final stitching and the operation is complete. 286 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:39,480 The king was shedding when captured, 287 00:16:39,560 --> 00:16:42,680 so they remove the final flakes of dead skin, 288 00:16:42,760 --> 00:16:48,280 including the eye cap -- the dead skin covering the eye. 289 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:51,640 You can see fairly clearly through that. 290 00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:55,080 NARRATOR: All that is left is to wake her up. 291 00:16:57,160 --> 00:16:58,960 But she does not respond. 292 00:17:00,800 --> 00:17:04,360 So Matt inserts a straw into her trachea 293 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:06,880 and gives the king mouth-to-mouth, 294 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:10,400 trying to flush the anesthetic from her lungs. 295 00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:13,840 But she still won´t wake up. 296 00:17:13,920 --> 00:17:19,280 ♫♫ 297 00:17:19,360 --> 00:17:21,640 Because kings are an endangered species, 298 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:23,760 the forest department keeps careful watch. 299 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:29,840 ♫♫ 300 00:17:29,920 --> 00:17:34,080 Finally, the king takes a breath for herself. 301 00:17:34,160 --> 00:17:36,000 (applause) 302 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:37,760 WHITAKER: Thanks, doc. That was fantastic. 303 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:39,200 Thanks, everybody. 304 00:17:39,280 --> 00:17:42,880 NARRATOR: The surgery is a success. 305 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:45,560 Tomorrow, it´s the male´s turn. 306 00:17:45,640 --> 00:17:47,000 That´s so cool, man. 307 00:17:47,080 --> 00:17:49,080 NARRATOR: Soon, both snakes 308 00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:50,880 will be released into the wild. 309 00:17:50,960 --> 00:17:53,600 GOODE: This looks like a great spot to me, 310 00:17:53,680 --> 00:17:56,960 right in the stream bed. 311 00:17:57,040 --> 00:18:00,400 NARRATOR: This female king was rescued from a human world. 312 00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:04,200 So for the study, the team releases her 30 kilometers away 313 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:05,880 from her old home, 314 00:18:05,960 --> 00:18:07,560 far from humans. 315 00:18:07,640 --> 00:18:09,160 -Ah, there she is. -Yeah. 316 00:18:09,240 --> 00:18:11,200 By following the king into her world, 317 00:18:11,280 --> 00:18:14,240 they´ll learn how far she ranges, 318 00:18:14,320 --> 00:18:15,920 when she´s active, 319 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:18,080 and how she behaves in the wild. 320 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:22,920 Matt is also eager to see if the king has a homing instinct. 321 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:25,320 GOODE: It´s one of the main goals of this study, 322 00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:26,640 is to understand if there´s a difference 323 00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:28,240 between translocated snakes 324 00:18:28,320 --> 00:18:30,840 and the ones which are already in their home range 325 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:33,040 and are used to where they live. 326 00:18:33,120 --> 00:18:35,960 NARRATOR: If a relocated snake simply returns 327 00:18:36,040 --> 00:18:38,360 to its old territory on human turf, 328 00:18:38,440 --> 00:18:42,280 then relocation itself is not the solution. 329 00:18:42,360 --> 00:18:44,800 GOODE: If we have to come catch them and translocate them, 330 00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:48,000 then we have a problem on our hands. 331 00:18:48,080 --> 00:18:50,720 NARRATOR: And if she continues to clash with people, 332 00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:52,320 she could be killed. 333 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:57,480 Anxious for a quick escape, the snake moves south, 334 00:18:57,560 --> 00:19:00,720 away from its home range. 335 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:03,680 Only time will tell where she´s headed. 336 00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:06,520 The journey begins, you know? 337 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:09,880 The adventure begins. We´ll see what the snake does. 338 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:11,040 It´s gonna be really cool. 339 00:19:11,120 --> 00:19:14,680 ♫♫ 340 00:19:14,760 --> 00:19:18,320 ♫♫ 341 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:22,600 NARRATOR: Matt and his students set out on the snake´s trail, 342 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:25,600 tracking as many as eight kilometers a day. 343 00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:30,920 I think we should head that way. 344 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:36,520 ♫♫ 345 00:19:36,600 --> 00:19:40,840 ♫♫ 346 00:19:40,920 --> 00:19:42,840 For the volunteers, 347 00:19:42,920 --> 00:19:45,720 it´s the experience of a lifetime... 348 00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:53,240 complete with myriad encounters found nowhere else on Earth. 349 00:19:56,080 --> 00:20:00,480 But they must keep all their focus on the king. 350 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:12,040 ♫♫ 351 00:20:12,120 --> 00:20:18,120 ♫♫ 352 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:24,120 ♫♫ 353 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:28,960 ♫♫ 354 00:20:29,040 --> 00:20:31,120 All right. 355 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:32,960 NARRATOR: A few days later, they release 356 00:20:33,040 --> 00:20:34,800 the male king cobra, 357 00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:37,400 also armed with a tracking device. 358 00:20:37,480 --> 00:20:42,120 ♫♫ 359 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:45,280 ♫♫ 360 00:20:45,360 --> 00:20:48,280 That´s it? Cool, man. 361 00:20:48,360 --> 00:20:53,600 ♫♫ 362 00:20:53,680 --> 00:20:56,960 NARRATOR: Food is his priority after his ordeal. 363 00:20:57,040 --> 00:20:59,880 ♫♫ 364 00:20:59,960 --> 00:21:06,240 ♫♫ 365 00:21:06,320 --> 00:21:08,240 He tastes the air, 366 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:12,840 drawing in microscopic scent molecules with his tongue. 367 00:21:12,920 --> 00:21:16,360 The tongue then transfers the molecules to a small organ, 368 00:21:16,440 --> 00:21:19,760 the Jacobsen´s organ, in the roof of the mouth. 369 00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:21,960 Here the molecules are identified 370 00:21:22,040 --> 00:21:24,480 and the information is passed to the brain. 371 00:21:28,840 --> 00:21:31,200 One scent in particular rivets his interest -- 372 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:33,920 a rat snake. 373 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:39,000 His keen vision pinpoints the victim. 374 00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:41,560 It too is a formidable hunter, 375 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:45,600 growing almost 2 1/2 meters in length. 376 00:21:45,680 --> 00:21:49,560 But it´s also the king´s favorite food. 377 00:21:49,640 --> 00:21:53,920 ♫♫ 378 00:21:54,000 --> 00:22:00,520 ♫♫ 379 00:22:00,600 --> 00:22:03,400 The rat snake tries to look intimidating. 380 00:22:05,960 --> 00:22:09,240 But it´s outmatched in every way. 381 00:22:09,320 --> 00:22:12,400 The king cobra towers over his victim. 382 00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:17,280 ♫♫ 383 00:22:17,360 --> 00:22:22,320 ♫♫ 384 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:27,280 ♫♫ 385 00:22:27,360 --> 00:22:30,560 Hypodermic fangs deliver a massive dose 386 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:32,400 of neurotoxic venom. 387 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:39,000 ♫♫ 388 00:22:39,080 --> 00:22:41,360 The rat snake is not venomous, 389 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:43,080 so its desperate counterattack 390 00:22:43,160 --> 00:22:45,640 does little to deter this predator. 391 00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:51,560 ♫♫ 392 00:22:51,640 --> 00:22:56,400 The king then walks his fangs up the body. 393 00:22:56,480 --> 00:23:00,960 Each gnawing bite injects more venom 394 00:23:01,040 --> 00:23:03,400 until the struggling lessens 395 00:23:03,480 --> 00:23:06,640 and an all-out attack on the nervous system begins. 396 00:23:09,840 --> 00:23:13,360 Eventually, the diaphragm and lungs are paralyzed 397 00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:16,480 and the victim asphyxiates. 398 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:22,600 Kings always eat their prey head first. 399 00:23:26,280 --> 00:23:29,520 Backward-facing teeth help guide the victim down. 400 00:23:32,600 --> 00:23:36,320 The venom has already started to digest the rat snake 401 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:39,440 from the inside out. 402 00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:45,080 It absorbs the entire snake -- 403 00:23:45,160 --> 00:23:47,280 bones, scales, everything. 404 00:23:47,360 --> 00:23:52,440 ♫♫ 405 00:23:52,520 --> 00:23:56,080 ♫♫ 406 00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:06,720 He´s tired and vulnerable after his big meal 407 00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:09,080 and will lay low for almost a week, 408 00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:11,720 hiding in the leaf litter. 409 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:21,400 The radio-tagged female is still on the move. 410 00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:25,760 For the eager volunteers, it´s a trial by fire. 411 00:24:25,840 --> 00:24:28,360 Bad weather, treacherous terrain, 412 00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:29,800 and one of the densest populations 413 00:24:29,880 --> 00:24:31,640 of deadly snakes in the world 414 00:24:31,720 --> 00:24:35,320 makes tracking through these forests extremely dangerous. 415 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:43,640 And trouble can come when least expected. 416 00:24:43,720 --> 00:24:45,480 Just a few days into the project, 417 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:48,840 they lose the female snake´s signal. 418 00:24:48,920 --> 00:24:50,480 -Nothing, huh? -Nothing at all. 419 00:24:50,560 --> 00:24:54,400 Still nothing. 420 00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:56,520 You know, guys, we´ve got to get up out of this stream bed. 421 00:24:56,600 --> 00:24:58,040 We got to get up on top and see if we can get that signal, 422 00:24:58,120 --> 00:24:59,480 and we need to do it quick, 423 00:24:59,560 --> 00:25:02,240 otherwise, we´re going to lose this snake. 424 00:25:05,680 --> 00:25:08,600 NARRATOR: If they don´t pick up the signal soon, 425 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:13,440 the king could be gone forever. 426 00:25:13,520 --> 00:25:17,080 If following the tagged snakes proves impossible, 427 00:25:17,160 --> 00:25:20,080 the project will fail. 428 00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:25,880 Desperately, the research team scrambles to high ground 429 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:29,280 trying to regain the king cobra´s signal. 430 00:25:29,360 --> 00:25:31,720 The tracking device implanted in her side 431 00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:34,120 broadcasts more than 300 meters. 432 00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:38,160 But in some conditions, it can be far less than that. 433 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:40,440 There it is. We got it. 434 00:25:43,600 --> 00:25:45,040 Yeah, it´s a long way away. 435 00:25:45,120 --> 00:25:47,360 So we´re going to have to really move it. 436 00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:51,520 NARRATOR: They finally locate the signal, 437 00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:54,440 but they must still visually locate the animal. 438 00:25:54,520 --> 00:25:56,520 There it is. We still got her. 439 00:25:56,600 --> 00:26:01,920 ♫♫ 440 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:04,720 There she is. There she is. 441 00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:09,320 NARRATOR: Matt marks the area 442 00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:12,680 and takes a GPS reading of the location. 443 00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:18,240 It´s still too early to tell whether the female king 444 00:26:18,320 --> 00:26:20,400 is moving in search of a mate 445 00:26:20,480 --> 00:26:23,640 or if she´s seeking out her old home. 446 00:26:28,240 --> 00:26:31,840 ♫♫ 447 00:26:31,920 --> 00:26:35,000 As the female king slithers, she secretes pheromones, 448 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:39,520 leaving a potent scent trail along the forest floor. 449 00:26:43,960 --> 00:26:47,280 For the eager male who picks up the scent, 450 00:26:47,360 --> 00:26:50,560 it´s a road map to her affections. 451 00:26:50,640 --> 00:26:55,920 ♫♫ 452 00:26:56,000 --> 00:26:59,760 ♫♫ 453 00:26:59,840 --> 00:27:03,080 Finding her is only the beginning of his trials. 454 00:27:05,360 --> 00:27:08,720 Females are often wary of the larger males, 455 00:27:08,800 --> 00:27:10,720 and with good reason. 456 00:27:10,800 --> 00:27:13,600 He could kill her if she does not accept him. 457 00:27:13,680 --> 00:27:16,360 But she could also kill him, 458 00:27:16,440 --> 00:27:19,760 so he bumps and nudges her with his nose -- 459 00:27:19,840 --> 00:27:21,760 an eager flirtation. 460 00:27:25,360 --> 00:27:31,640 Eventually, the seduction works and our female relents. 461 00:27:31,720 --> 00:27:36,320 She spreads her hood and raises her head off the ground. 462 00:27:37,680 --> 00:27:41,440 Mating can take as long as an hour. 463 00:27:41,520 --> 00:27:43,800 If all goes well, in about a month, 464 00:27:43,880 --> 00:27:48,760 she´ll lay some 20 to 40 eggs -- 465 00:27:48,840 --> 00:27:51,080 the heirs to the throne. 466 00:27:51,160 --> 00:27:58,080 ♫♫ 467 00:27:58,160 --> 00:27:59,840 Huh? 468 00:27:59,920 --> 00:28:02,320 -Right above your head. -Right above your head. 469 00:28:02,400 --> 00:28:03,760 Oh, big male. 470 00:28:03,840 --> 00:28:06,240 NARRATOR: Not more than 20 kilometers away, 471 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:10,360 the tagged male wanders back into a betel nut plantation. 472 00:28:10,440 --> 00:28:11,360 He´s watching us. 473 00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:12,880 Yeah, he´s watching us. 474 00:28:14,920 --> 00:28:18,440 NARRATOR: The snake has climbed high into a tree. 475 00:28:18,520 --> 00:28:21,360 King cobras often climb in search of food 476 00:28:21,440 --> 00:28:22,920 or simply to bask in the sun. 477 00:28:27,520 --> 00:28:32,520 First, they try cutting down the branches around him. 478 00:28:32,600 --> 00:28:34,520 He´s going up. He´s going up. 479 00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:36,160 NARRATOR: But he only pushes higher. 480 00:28:39,880 --> 00:28:43,400 In the end, they cut the whole tree down. 481 00:28:43,480 --> 00:28:49,800 ♫♫ 482 00:28:49,880 --> 00:28:55,760 ♫♫ 483 00:28:55,840 --> 00:29:01,680 ♫♫ 484 00:29:01,760 --> 00:29:07,600 ♫♫ 485 00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:11,160 They once again coax him into the bag. 486 00:29:12,320 --> 00:29:14,400 WHITAKER: Wonderful. 487 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:16,880 NARRATOR: The tagged male´s attraction to humans 488 00:29:16,960 --> 00:29:19,880 offers some troubling insights into the snake´s behavior. 489 00:29:19,960 --> 00:29:23,320 SHANKAR: Yeah, there he goes. Don´t move. No one move. 490 00:29:23,400 --> 00:29:25,480 NARRATOR: If he´s lost his fear of people, 491 00:29:25,560 --> 00:29:29,560 his behavior could be dangerous for serpent and human alike. 492 00:29:31,800 --> 00:29:34,440 With populations continuing to grow, 493 00:29:34,520 --> 00:29:38,640 finding a safe way to coexist with kings is a priority. 494 00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:47,360 Back in the forest, the radio-tagged female king 495 00:29:47,440 --> 00:29:50,320 has spent the past two weeks with her mate... 496 00:29:54,160 --> 00:29:57,280 when another male wanders into their territory. 497 00:29:57,360 --> 00:30:03,480 ♫♫ 498 00:30:03,560 --> 00:30:08,160 ♫♫ 499 00:30:08,240 --> 00:30:13,640 ♫♫ 500 00:30:13,720 --> 00:30:19,080 ♫♫ 501 00:30:19,160 --> 00:30:23,120 During the breeding season, when two male snakes collide, 502 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:26,760 everything is on the line. 503 00:30:26,840 --> 00:30:29,200 Often mistaken for a mating dance, 504 00:30:29,280 --> 00:30:34,560 this display is actually a form of ritualized combat. 505 00:30:34,640 --> 00:30:36,680 Unwritten rules govern the duel, 506 00:30:36,760 --> 00:30:39,360 and there´s no biting allowed. 507 00:30:43,840 --> 00:30:45,760 Rising higher than a meter, 508 00:30:45,840 --> 00:30:48,720 each tries to pin the other to the ground. 509 00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:54,920 ♫♫ 510 00:30:55,000 --> 00:31:01,120 ♫♫ 511 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:06,120 With a final non-venomous blow, the contest is ended. 512 00:31:06,200 --> 00:31:10,280 ♫♫ 513 00:31:10,360 --> 00:31:14,560 ♫♫ 514 00:31:14,640 --> 00:31:16,960 The resident male has lost, 515 00:31:17,040 --> 00:31:20,640 and he must leave his territory and his mate. 516 00:31:20,720 --> 00:31:25,520 And to the winner go the spoils. 517 00:31:25,600 --> 00:31:27,800 Like all males this time of year, 518 00:31:27,880 --> 00:31:32,800 this snake seems to have only one thing on his mind -- sex. 519 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:36,320 But our tagged female has already mated 520 00:31:36,400 --> 00:31:38,240 and wants only to be left in peace. 521 00:31:38,320 --> 00:31:44,760 ♫♫ 522 00:31:44,840 --> 00:31:49,720 Unfortunately, she is about to play out a horrifying scene. 523 00:31:49,800 --> 00:31:53,600 ♫♫ 524 00:31:53,680 --> 00:31:57,520 ♫♫ 525 00:31:58,880 --> 00:32:01,480 At first, the new male king cobra 526 00:32:01,560 --> 00:32:04,880 seems to be merely persistent in his courtship, 527 00:32:04,960 --> 00:32:08,160 and the tagged female playing hard to get. 528 00:32:08,240 --> 00:32:11,160 But she´s carrying another male´s eggs. 529 00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:15,680 Is it possible he senses the rival´s offspring? 530 00:32:15,760 --> 00:32:20,360 For whatever reason, his intentions turn from mating... 531 00:32:20,440 --> 00:32:22,040 to murder. 532 00:32:22,120 --> 00:32:26,400 ♫♫ 533 00:32:26,480 --> 00:32:30,560 ♫♫ 534 00:32:30,640 --> 00:32:36,240 She is not fully immune to her own kind´s venom 535 00:32:36,320 --> 00:32:39,560 and he squeezes her in his vise-like jaws, 536 00:32:39,640 --> 00:32:41,520 pumping venom into her bloodstream. 537 00:32:41,600 --> 00:32:47,760 ♫♫ 538 00:32:47,840 --> 00:32:54,760 ♫♫ 539 00:32:54,840 --> 00:32:59,960 ♫♫ 540 00:33:00,040 --> 00:33:02,200 ♫♫ 541 00:33:02,280 --> 00:33:05,080 But death does not come quickly. 542 00:33:05,160 --> 00:33:11,040 ♫♫ 543 00:33:11,120 --> 00:33:15,320 He is her physical superior, but she will not surrender. 544 00:33:15,400 --> 00:33:21,080 ♫♫ 545 00:33:21,160 --> 00:33:26,840 ♫♫ 546 00:33:26,920 --> 00:33:32,600 ♫♫ 547 00:33:32,680 --> 00:33:34,520 After more than a half an hour, 548 00:33:34,600 --> 00:33:37,080 with every ounce of life left in her, 549 00:33:37,160 --> 00:33:39,240 she begins to roll. 550 00:33:39,320 --> 00:33:46,240 ♫♫ 551 00:33:46,320 --> 00:33:53,000 ♫♫ 552 00:33:53,080 --> 00:33:57,240 This death roll might be the final fight for freedom 553 00:33:57,320 --> 00:34:00,640 or simply the final breath of life, 554 00:34:00,720 --> 00:34:03,920 but it signifies the end. 555 00:34:04,000 --> 00:34:09,680 ♫♫ 556 00:34:09,760 --> 00:34:12,320 After 45 minutes... 557 00:34:12,400 --> 00:34:15,240 the queen is dead. 558 00:34:15,320 --> 00:34:19,240 ♫♫ 559 00:34:19,320 --> 00:34:23,240 ♫♫ 560 00:34:23,320 --> 00:34:27,240 While the male´s true motives for the murder are unclear, 561 00:34:27,320 --> 00:34:31,360 he is a snake eater, so he begins to swallow her. 562 00:34:33,000 --> 00:34:37,320 But he may not have killed her out of hunger. 563 00:34:37,400 --> 00:34:40,040 Whether he´s just an aggressive male on the rampage 564 00:34:40,120 --> 00:34:43,160 or if some other variable led to a breakdown 565 00:34:43,240 --> 00:34:47,080 in the rules of the game, we may never know for sure. 566 00:34:55,920 --> 00:34:58,280 But the pregnant queen is too large 567 00:34:58,360 --> 00:35:00,760 and he cannot swallow her. 568 00:35:04,760 --> 00:35:08,000 So he regurgitates her lifeless body... 569 00:35:11,400 --> 00:35:13,280 and pushes on... 570 00:35:16,440 --> 00:35:19,560 leaving the female king, 571 00:35:19,640 --> 00:35:22,720 and the eggs inside her, for the scavengers. 572 00:35:22,800 --> 00:35:26,840 ♫♫ 573 00:35:26,920 --> 00:35:30,480 ♫♫ 574 00:35:30,560 --> 00:35:35,200 Life in the wild is a series of harsh realities. 575 00:35:35,280 --> 00:35:38,360 But for every tragedy, there is new hope. 576 00:35:38,440 --> 00:35:39,840 -Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. -See that? 577 00:35:39,920 --> 00:35:43,160 It´s huge. 578 00:35:43,240 --> 00:35:44,840 NARRATOR: Rom and Gowri have been notified 579 00:35:44,920 --> 00:35:47,440 of another female king, 580 00:35:47,520 --> 00:35:51,240 this one building a nest in a nearby tract of forest. 581 00:35:53,040 --> 00:35:54,840 With the tagged female gone, 582 00:35:54,920 --> 00:35:59,000 they put the new female on 24-hour surveillance, 583 00:35:59,080 --> 00:36:02,720 hoping to witness the rise of the next generation. 584 00:36:04,760 --> 00:36:06,360 With the monsoons coming, 585 00:36:06,440 --> 00:36:10,400 the mother king´s new brood will need shelter. 586 00:36:10,480 --> 00:36:11,760 She´s the only snake in the world 587 00:36:11,840 --> 00:36:13,600 that builds a nest for her eggs, 588 00:36:13,680 --> 00:36:19,040 piling leaves onto a mound as tall as one meter high. 589 00:36:19,120 --> 00:36:21,080 That is so methodical. 590 00:36:21,160 --> 00:36:22,520 And that´s why you have this symmetry. 591 00:36:22,600 --> 00:36:24,080 When she finished that side, 592 00:36:24,160 --> 00:36:26,240 she came exactly to the opposite side. 593 00:36:26,320 --> 00:36:27,560 When she finished that side, 594 00:36:27,640 --> 00:36:28,960 she came to the other side of the nest, 595 00:36:29,040 --> 00:36:31,240 and now she´s coming to this side. 596 00:36:31,320 --> 00:36:34,440 NARRATOR: It must be perfect for the eggs to survive -- 597 00:36:34,520 --> 00:36:36,640 high enough to avoid flooding 598 00:36:36,720 --> 00:36:38,040 but sheltered enough 599 00:36:38,120 --> 00:36:41,520 to maintain the right temperature. 600 00:36:41,600 --> 00:36:45,120 The eggs must incubate at 28 degrees Celsius. 601 00:36:45,200 --> 00:36:50,240 It can take more than 12 hours of rigorous work. 602 00:36:50,320 --> 00:36:52,200 The mother king will stay with the nest, 603 00:36:52,280 --> 00:36:54,760 standing guard, unable to hunt, 604 00:36:54,840 --> 00:36:58,600 until her eggs are ready to hatch. 605 00:36:58,680 --> 00:37:03,000 She could go as many as three months without a meal. 606 00:37:05,640 --> 00:37:09,320 Meanwhile, our tagged male snake is still on the move 607 00:37:09,400 --> 00:37:13,120 and has wandered once again into a human world. 608 00:37:13,200 --> 00:37:15,320 (dog barking) 609 00:37:15,400 --> 00:37:19,120 He is drawn here on the trail of a potential meal... 610 00:37:20,960 --> 00:37:22,600 a rat snake, 611 00:37:22,680 --> 00:37:26,760 stalking a rodent right into someone´s front yard. 612 00:37:26,840 --> 00:37:32,600 ♫♫ 613 00:37:32,680 --> 00:37:35,600 Nothing will interrupt this hunt. 614 00:37:37,400 --> 00:37:38,960 Twisting and turning, 615 00:37:39,040 --> 00:37:42,080 he mauls the victim, pumping it full of venom. 616 00:37:44,400 --> 00:37:47,040 Witnessing this hunt in human territory 617 00:37:47,120 --> 00:37:49,040 confirms a suspicion Rom 618 00:37:49,120 --> 00:37:52,320 and others have held for some time. 619 00:37:52,400 --> 00:37:54,040 WHITAKER: We´re learning an awful lot by radio tracking 620 00:37:54,120 --> 00:37:55,320 for the first time. 621 00:37:55,400 --> 00:37:56,880 And we always suspected 622 00:37:56,960 --> 00:37:58,480 they spend plenty of time in rice fields. 623 00:37:58,560 --> 00:38:00,120 And that´s where they find their rat snakes, 624 00:38:00,200 --> 00:38:02,600 because that´s where the rat snakes find rats. 625 00:38:02,680 --> 00:38:06,160 But now we´ve really proved it with what we found out. 626 00:38:07,560 --> 00:38:09,880 NARRATOR: Humans attract rats, 627 00:38:09,960 --> 00:38:12,120 rats attract rat snakes, 628 00:38:12,200 --> 00:38:15,600 and rat snakes attract king cobras. 629 00:38:19,840 --> 00:38:23,040 Still, despite increased contact with the serpents, 630 00:38:23,120 --> 00:38:27,000 human deaths are not on the rise. 631 00:38:27,080 --> 00:38:31,040 It is the king cobras who are more at risk. 632 00:38:34,040 --> 00:38:36,120 But as the dry season wanes, 633 00:38:36,200 --> 00:38:39,720 the kings have more immediate concerns. 634 00:38:45,520 --> 00:38:49,080 The monsoons of the Western Ghats are legendary, 635 00:38:49,160 --> 00:38:53,720 dropping almost nine meters of rain annually in some places. 636 00:38:55,640 --> 00:39:00,280 And everyone must adapt to the monsoons -- 637 00:39:00,360 --> 00:39:02,400 people, 638 00:39:02,480 --> 00:39:05,240 animals, 639 00:39:05,320 --> 00:39:08,520 even the king. 640 00:39:08,600 --> 00:39:11,920 The deluge batters the female king´s nest. 641 00:39:14,120 --> 00:39:15,520 If the water rises too high, 642 00:39:15,600 --> 00:39:17,880 all her efforts will be lost, 643 00:39:17,960 --> 00:39:20,640 and all of her babies could die. 644 00:39:20,720 --> 00:39:25,800 ♫♫ 645 00:39:27,720 --> 00:39:31,680 For months, torrential rains soak the Western Ghats. 646 00:39:31,760 --> 00:39:34,440 But millions of years of evolution 647 00:39:34,520 --> 00:39:36,280 have taught this mother well. 648 00:39:36,360 --> 00:39:42,480 The center of the nest stays dry and the eggs are safe. 649 00:39:44,000 --> 00:39:46,640 Finally, after 100 days, 650 00:39:46,720 --> 00:39:50,120 the baby snakes are ready to hatch, 651 00:39:50,200 --> 00:39:53,600 triggering the hungry mother´s departure. 652 00:39:53,680 --> 00:39:57,120 She is, after all, a snake eater, 653 00:39:57,200 --> 00:40:01,440 and no doubt hungry enough to eat her own young. 654 00:40:01,520 --> 00:40:03,680 So instinct drives her away 655 00:40:03,760 --> 00:40:06,280 in search of an unrelated victim. 656 00:40:06,360 --> 00:40:09,280 Deep in the nest, 657 00:40:09,360 --> 00:40:13,120 using a sharp, tiny tooth, 658 00:40:13,200 --> 00:40:16,400 a new king tears the leathery egg casing... 659 00:40:19,080 --> 00:40:22,320 and breathes its first breath. 660 00:40:22,400 --> 00:40:27,800 ♫♫ 661 00:40:27,880 --> 00:40:32,400 ♫♫ 662 00:40:32,480 --> 00:40:35,920 They emerge one by one, 663 00:40:36,000 --> 00:40:37,840 over the course of a few days -- 664 00:40:37,920 --> 00:40:40,920 25 snakes in all... 665 00:40:41,000 --> 00:40:46,160 ♫♫ 666 00:40:46,240 --> 00:40:51,520 armed with a predatory hunger, even at birth. 667 00:40:51,600 --> 00:40:54,400 They will remain by the nest for 24 hours 668 00:40:54,480 --> 00:40:56,920 to absorb their nutritious yolks -- 669 00:40:57,000 --> 00:40:59,840 sustenance for the hard days ahead. 670 00:41:02,600 --> 00:41:06,720 They are less than a day old, already powerfully venomous, 671 00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:08,160 but still vulnerable. 672 00:41:08,240 --> 00:41:10,400 Left on their own, 673 00:41:10,480 --> 00:41:12,960 most of the babies will be taken by predators 674 00:41:13,040 --> 00:41:17,200 such as raptors, 675 00:41:17,280 --> 00:41:19,520 mongooses, 676 00:41:19,600 --> 00:41:21,160 even other snakes. 677 00:41:22,680 --> 00:41:24,480 Or they will die of starvation. 678 00:41:27,280 --> 00:41:33,000 Only 1 or 2 of the 25 snakes will survive to adulthood. 679 00:41:33,080 --> 00:41:36,360 And even then, nothing is guaranteed. 680 00:41:39,480 --> 00:41:44,360 For Rom, after 37 years of studying the king cobra, 681 00:41:44,440 --> 00:41:47,600 the tagging project has shown him that he´s just beginning. 682 00:41:47,680 --> 00:41:49,200 WHITAKER: I wish I could say I know a lot 683 00:41:49,280 --> 00:41:51,440 about king cobras after all these years. 684 00:41:51,520 --> 00:41:54,880 To be honest with you, we´ve barely scratched the surface. 685 00:41:56,360 --> 00:41:59,600 NARRATOR: So far, the research project has been a success 686 00:41:59,680 --> 00:42:01,600 and has provided a rare glimpse 687 00:42:01,680 --> 00:42:04,720 into the secret world of the king. 688 00:42:04,800 --> 00:42:07,640 WHITAKER: What we´ve learned so far is pretty amazing stuff. 689 00:42:07,720 --> 00:42:10,520 We know now the kind of resting places they prefer -- 690 00:42:10,600 --> 00:42:11,880 in caves. 691 00:42:11,960 --> 00:42:13,760 They go in caves and holes an awful lot. 692 00:42:13,840 --> 00:42:17,200 They climb a lot, which we suspected before, 693 00:42:17,280 --> 00:42:19,840 but now we´ve really proved that as well. 694 00:42:21,200 --> 00:42:22,800 NARRATOR: They´ve also found that the male 695 00:42:22,880 --> 00:42:24,840 moved much farther than the female. 696 00:42:24,920 --> 00:42:26,960 Before the female was killed, 697 00:42:27,040 --> 00:42:30,200 she traveled around five kilometers. 698 00:42:30,280 --> 00:42:32,160 But over the first seven months, 699 00:42:32,240 --> 00:42:37,000 the tagged male snake has moved more than 75 kilometers. 700 00:42:37,080 --> 00:42:39,760 And he shows no signs of slowing down. 701 00:42:39,840 --> 00:42:41,240 WHITAKER: We had a sighting recently 702 00:42:41,320 --> 00:42:43,080 and he looks in very good shape, 703 00:42:43,160 --> 00:42:45,120 which means he has been feeding, he has been drinking, 704 00:42:45,200 --> 00:42:46,680 he has been living well. 705 00:42:46,760 --> 00:42:47,920 We were always a little bit worried. 706 00:42:48,000 --> 00:42:49,760 This is the first time a king cobra 707 00:42:49,840 --> 00:42:51,520 has ever been radio tracked. 708 00:42:51,600 --> 00:42:53,240 We don´t want him to feel as though he´s being chased by us. 709 00:42:53,320 --> 00:42:54,880 We want him to do everything naturally. 710 00:42:57,680 --> 00:43:01,000 NARRATOR: But there are troubling discoveries as well. 711 00:43:01,080 --> 00:43:03,600 Researchers believe the male snake is moving 712 00:43:03,680 --> 00:43:05,520 in search of new territory. 713 00:43:05,600 --> 00:43:08,560 But it seems he´s learned that human habitat 714 00:43:08,640 --> 00:43:12,680 is a good source of food, shelter, and warmth. 715 00:43:15,680 --> 00:43:20,680 And he´s twice made his new home in our world. 716 00:43:20,760 --> 00:43:25,520 Simply relocating snakes away from humans is not the answer. 717 00:43:25,600 --> 00:43:28,280 But the solution remains a mystery. 718 00:43:28,360 --> 00:43:30,320 One thing is certain -- 719 00:43:30,400 --> 00:43:33,840 as people expand deeper into the wilderness, 720 00:43:33,920 --> 00:43:36,440 something is bound to give. 721 00:43:39,720 --> 00:43:43,360 WHITAKER: What we´re looking at is a mosaic of forest, 722 00:43:43,440 --> 00:43:47,960 paddy fields, and plantations, and that´s king cobra country. 723 00:43:48,040 --> 00:43:50,600 Year by year, the agricultural land 724 00:43:50,680 --> 00:43:52,920 is expanding right into the forest. 725 00:43:53,000 --> 00:43:56,080 King cobras really depend on this land as well. 726 00:43:56,160 --> 00:43:57,440 NARRATOR: The Western Ghats have already 727 00:43:57,520 --> 00:43:59,920 seen their share of destruction. 728 00:44:00,000 --> 00:44:03,320 In the past century, undisturbed forest in the Ghats 729 00:44:03,400 --> 00:44:05,800 has dwindled from about 100,000 730 00:44:05,880 --> 00:44:09,440 to a meager 13,000 square kilometers. 731 00:44:09,520 --> 00:44:11,920 Now a biodiversity hotspot, 732 00:44:12,000 --> 00:44:15,480 it is one of the most endangered ecosystems on Earth. 733 00:44:15,560 --> 00:44:18,760 WHITAKER: India has lost about 80% of its rainforest. 734 00:44:18,840 --> 00:44:21,200 And that´s our fear, you know, that the rest of it could go, 735 00:44:21,280 --> 00:44:24,280 that we´ll lose most of the king cobra´s habitat. 736 00:44:26,520 --> 00:44:28,240 NARRATOR: But the most intriguing discoveries 737 00:44:28,320 --> 00:44:29,680 from the tagging program 738 00:44:29,760 --> 00:44:31,880 have also been the most shocking. 739 00:44:34,400 --> 00:44:36,600 Since the project began, 740 00:44:36,680 --> 00:44:41,280 male kings have killed two pregnant female king cobras 741 00:44:41,360 --> 00:44:43,680 within a 20-kilometer radius. 742 00:44:47,160 --> 00:44:48,600 The researchers don´t yet know 743 00:44:48,680 --> 00:44:52,080 whether the killers were rogue males on a rampage 744 00:44:52,160 --> 00:44:54,840 or if the brutal killings of pregnant females 745 00:44:54,920 --> 00:44:57,560 is common among wild kings. 746 00:44:57,640 --> 00:45:01,800 The answers will only come with continued research. 747 00:45:01,880 --> 00:45:05,240 And the success of this pilot project will go a long way 748 00:45:05,320 --> 00:45:07,760 in advancing the study of the king. 749 00:45:07,840 --> 00:45:10,720 Here it is there. Look. 750 00:45:10,800 --> 00:45:13,080 NARRATOR: An autopsy of the dead female confirms 751 00:45:13,160 --> 00:45:15,480 that she was indeed pregnant... 752 00:45:15,560 --> 00:45:19,200 SHANKAR: ...7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. 753 00:45:19,280 --> 00:45:20,920 There´s one more. 754 00:45:21,000 --> 00:45:22,840 NARRATOR: ...carrying 17 eggs 755 00:45:22,920 --> 00:45:25,440 when she met her untimely end. 756 00:45:25,520 --> 00:45:30,240 ♫♫ 757 00:45:30,320 --> 00:45:33,600 She is laid to rest with a royal funeral pyre -- 758 00:45:33,680 --> 00:45:38,800 a fiery homage to this pioneering queen of kings 759 00:45:38,880 --> 00:45:42,960 whose sacrifice has given us an unsettling new glimpse 760 00:45:43,040 --> 00:45:45,920 into the king cobra´s merciless world. 761 00:45:46,000 --> 00:45:47,640 SHANKAR: She was supposed to build the nest 762 00:45:47,720 --> 00:45:50,480 and get the next generation ready. 763 00:45:50,560 --> 00:45:52,080 But she ended up here. 764 00:45:52,160 --> 00:45:56,400 ♫♫ 765 00:45:56,480 --> 00:46:00,640 ♫♫ 766 00:46:00,720 --> 00:46:02,000 NARRATOR: At least for now, 767 00:46:02,080 --> 00:46:04,560 one new generation has survived. 768 00:46:04,640 --> 00:46:07,760 But even for these deadliest of creatures, 769 00:46:07,840 --> 00:46:10,880 survival is a brutal battle. 770 00:46:13,560 --> 00:46:17,560 Each will carry the time-toughened mantle 771 00:46:17,640 --> 00:46:19,560 of a true survivor... 772 00:46:21,480 --> 00:46:25,480 a crown prince destined to reign 773 00:46:25,560 --> 00:46:28,560 over one of India´s last Edens. 774 00:46:28,640 --> 00:46:35,400 ♫♫ 775 00:46:35,480 --> 00:46:37,080 ♫♫ 776 00:46:37,160 --> 00:46:42,640 ♫♫ 777 00:46:42,720 --> 00:46:48,080 ♫♫ 778 00:46:48,160 --> 00:46:51,160 Captioned by VITAC 60507

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