Animal Kingdom's Most Lethal Attacks | World's Deadliest MEGA Episode | Nat Geo Animals

In a world... where everything is not always what it seems... ...there are alien-like animals among us. This is a world where peaceful creatures mutate into lethal predators. These animals are more than meets the eye. They're highly dangerous, well-oiled, spine-chilling killing machines. This is World's Deadliest: Transformers. When it comes to the battle for survival, size does matter. Some animals were born big. Others activate super morphing powers to change dimension, defying their predators, and overwhelming their prey. For these sea lions off the coast of Mexico, this simple, peaceful scene is not what it seems. Armed with torpedo-like bodies and fearsome canine teeth, these are elite hunters. But today, the target is small and seemingly simple. A little fish called a porcupinefish. For him, a gruesome doom awaits. Not so fast. This fish is about to show you just how he got his name. He quickly ingests water and inflates into a spiky ball several times his normal size. Now, he's almost impossible to catch... and also lethal. Deep inside his organs, there is a poison called tetrodotoxin, 1,200 times more deadly than cyanide. For the sea lions, this easy meal has turned into a dangerous game they don't want to play. And the porcupinefish, victorious, deflates. Some transformers may blow a fuse when it comes time to fight. This guy simply blows up. In this harsh world, at less than an inch long, this lone ant is seemingly defenseless. But she is not alone. She's a fire ant, and she fights with a legion-- as many as 500,000 soldiers. Hailing from Brazil, this colony has made its home near a river. And this morning, the worker ants will start their day by searching for a meal... like this dragonfly. The mob attacks, injecting their victim with deadly venom. Triumphant, they return to the colony, only to be faced with life-altering peril. As storms move in, the river begins flooding and puts their home and queen in danger. To a human, this may look like a passing shower, but to these ants, this is the storm of the century. [thunder] If they don't save their queen and her precious larva, the entire colony will crumble. The ant apocalypse forces them to mobilize, for the fallen shall rise again. In mere minutes, thousands of singular ants reorganize themselves into... A sophisticated and large lifesaving raft. By ensnaring air bubbles trapped among their interlocking bodies, they keep the group afloat until they reach dry land. This journey can take months, with the ants maintaining their form until they hit the shore. Reaching drier grounds, the ants de-raft and refuel. Who knows when the next storm may hit? This creature sees the world differently. To him, this forest is not a realm of give and take. No compromise. No bargaining. The chameleon is like a terminator of the reptile kingdom. And woe be to any insect that gets in its way. As he hunts, he crawls and creeps... ...careful not to disturb any unsuspecting prey. As he continues, he changes color, adjusting to the temperature and communicating his mood. Capable of seeing up to 180 degrees in any direction, he doesn't miss a beat... or a cricket. He doesn't need to be close. In fact, it's better if he's not. And then a lethal shape-shifting transformation, the chameleon unleashes hell. His tongue shoots out, and in mere milliseconds, doubles the length of his body. Accelerating from 0 to 20 feet per second, the chameleon annihilates prey. Hasta la vista, insects. This turbocharged changeling goes beyond shape-shifting to complete metamorphosis. Say hello to a little nymph. This underwater creature is only about an inch long, but he's very, very hungry. He should be. At just a few months old, he's a growing boy. Using an extendable lower lip like a spear gun, he shoots, captures, and eats just about anything that moves. With such a voracious appetite, he quickly outgrows his own skin. Over and over again. In all, our nymph will molt up to 15 times. But at some point, he needs to leave the roost. Like a super mutant transformer, our nymph can no longer be contained underwater... ...causing him to climb up and out of the pond, where, for the first time, he breathes air. For a final time, the nymph is reborn... ...as a dragonfly. Opening a whole new world of hunting for this mighty morphin' predator. While these changelings shape-shifted to survive, some creatures transform to thrive. They'll shut their prey up, and shut them down. Emotions can cause some of the most spectacular deadly transformations. Like Bruce Banner erupting into the Incredible Hulk, you don't want to make these guys angry. The Japanese honeybee... perhaps the most loyal of soldiers. Every day, he carries out his mission, pollinating the flora, producing honey, and feeding his queen. All done with one ultimate goal in mind-- to preserve and defend his colony. Predators, beware. Hell hath no fury like a honeybee. Apparently, this Japanese giant hornet didn't get the memo. Armed with a tough exoskeleton impenetrable to the bees' stingers, he locates our honeybees' hive and plots a colony invasion... ...unaware of the inferno about to be unleashed. Boiling, hundreds of bees rally to defend what's theirs and ignite their transformation into an ingenious killing machine. Swarming, they trap the hornet in a deadly, buzzy prison... ...and literally turn up the heat. By violently vibrating their flight muscles, they raise the core temperature of their death sphere to 115 degrees Fahrenheit, as hot as Death Valley in July. For the hornet, resistance is futile. The invader is roasted alive. Amazingly, most of the bees survive. With the hornet dead, the secret location of their prized colony is safe. So it goes. If you fight with fire, you'll be sure to burn. Mood morphers use aggression and ferocity to do their lethal deeds. And sometimes, being just a little bit weird works, too. Case in point, the stoat weasel. At just a foot tall, he commands little respect. With his long body and his pointy face, he's been called a furry snake, and not in a good way, which might be the reason behind his very strange hunting strategy. Spotting a target, he makes his lethal move. Transformer ignite. Sometimes called the weasel war dance... ...this bizarre display is thought to mesmerize his prey. Today, this rabbit pauses just long enough to give the stoat the advantage. It latches onto the rabbit's neck and rips its jugular vein, draining the blood and life from his victim. For this mood morpher, weird is a lethal weapon. A hippo at rest is not what you'd expect it to be. In fact, for a very large portion of their lives, hippos appear to be the peaceful hippies of the animal universe. They're vegetarians. They like to play in the mud. They kindly coexist with birds. And they spend about 16 hours of every day in the water, most of it just chilling. A watering hole on the African savanna basically looks like the hippo version of Woodstock, unless something or someone sets him off. Males are dangerously territorial, especially when it comes to defending a watering hole. In Zambia, this male hippo is enjoying a quiet swim when an uninvited guest appears to challenge his domain. Detecting the threat, this 8,000-pound gentle giant has a mood-morphing transformation into pure fury. [bellows] Able to open their jaws up to 150 degrees, a hippo has one of the most powerful bites of any land mammal. So it's safe to say, what hippo smashes, stays smashed. Bottom line, keep the peace. Don't mess with a hippo. In the fight for survival there are no rules. Deception, hidden weapons, a transformer will do whatever it takes to get the deadly job done, come hell or high water. To endure and reign supreme, warring factions must be ever vigilant, able to fight and outfox at any moment. They live among us, but hide in plain sight. These transformers are masters of disguise and color. The Arctic tundra... ...where temperatures dive to 58 degrees below zero and winds scream across the treeless plateau. In this harsh climate, even the ultra-cunning struggle to survive. This is the world of a mighty predator called the Arctic fox. Small but skilled, his barely foot-tall frame is built for this frigid landscape. His thick fur and a jumbo tail provide the ultimate blanket. In the winter, when prey is scarce, this crafty fox takes a monumental risk. He stalks one of the planet's largest land predators, the polar bear. Not to kill, but to steal the bear's leftovers. His white fur camo helps make the fox almost invisible to this 900-pound killer. The fox keeps his distance and waits. And when the time is right... It's a strategy that works all winter long. But when summer comes and the snow melts... ...the fox transforms. His new gray and brown pelt perfectly blends into the tundra's rocks and cliffs. And with his new look comes a new strategy. No longer a scavenger, the fox is now a cunning hunter as he stalks one of his favorite targets-- sea birds on rocks and land. No more leftovers for this sly fox. For our guy to survive, he has to change with the seasons. Look and listen. A killer is out there. It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with. And it absolutely will not stop. No, not the shark. In the corner. This color bot is a cuttlefish. And if you're having a hard time finding it, that's by design. A master of self-protection, when this guy senses danger, he blends and disappears. In all, he's able to create millions of color variations in mere seconds, which works out great when hiding, and is spectacular when hunting. Unlike his defensive maneuvers, when the cuttlefish stalks fishy prey, he wants to be noticed. Color activate. The hypnotized fish stop in their tracks, for the cuttlefish to close in and devour. This incredible light show comes from the cuttlefish's skin which has a million color cells. By turning different ones on and off, the cuttlefish can create endless colors and patterns, which means this Technicolored transformer has infinite ways to mesmerize and slay. White flowers, fragrant symbols of innocence. What could possibly be deadly about these bountiful blossoms? There she is, the crab spider, and she's waging a war of delicate destruction. While other spiders spin a web to hunt, disguise and surprise is this deadly predator's MO. She hides in plain sight, waiting, mobilizing. The ambush is laser precise. A quick grab with the legs, then the spider bites, paralyzes, and sucks the butterfly dry. But not every flower is white. So when some crab spiders can't find a white flower to help them hunt, they adjust. It takes a few days, but a girl's gotta eat. Time to transform. Two cell layers play an important role. When the upper layer is clear, the spider appears white. But when she sees a yellow flower, she creates a yellow pigment in the upper layer. The lower layer, acting as a mirror, reflects light through the yellow pigment, making her appear yellow. Now hidden, this color-shifting just has to sit and wait for her prey to come. [buzzing] Why weave a web when you can simply change your color? Animal transformers are a brave breed. Whether banding together, or working solo, when survival is on the line, they bring the pain. In the wild war that is the ultimate game of survivor, no one likes to get caught unprotected. Blink and you might miss it. These warriors are equipped with an astounding array of hidden, lethal weapons. Like something out of a sci-fi movie, the mantis shrimp is so alien-looking that if you add some special effects, he turns into a robot of the future. And if you're a fish, he doesn't come in peace. He spends a lot of time buried in the sand with only his eyes visible, two alien-like gazers that produce the most advanced vision in the world. The shrimp can detect infrared, ultraviolet, and polarized light. This incredible eyesight acts as a deadly scope for this shrimp's lightning-fast weaponry. Transforming into a turbocharged bayonet, the shrimp fires out two daggerlike claws. Six razor-sharp spines line each killer claw, ensnaring the fish in a world of hurt. Amazingly, this shrimp anatomy isn't relying on any sort of catapult mechanism, but pure muscle. The mantis shrimp is small, but it is mighty and it's always watching. In any war of survival, there are moments of peace, a time to regroup and spend time with who is important. The cape gannet is a family man type of bird. When it's time to settle down, he heads to the beautiful coastal islands of South Africa to find a mate and start a family. Cape gannets mate for life. And this male takes his role as father and provider very seriously. Some might say dead seriously. Taking flight, he's willing to do what he has to, what he needs to, to ensure his family's survival. Searching as far as 300 miles, he scans the ocean for the vital prey. He pinpoints the exact depth of a school of sardines beneath the water. While some seabirds gently swoop to the surface to grab a fish with their talons, that's not how the cape gannet rolls. No. When family is on the line, he goes all in. Diving at 60 miles per hour, he folds back his wings, transforming into a missile. But the gannet is not there just to feed himself. He dives again... and again... ...storing the fish in his body to regurgitate to his chick. The hunt a success, he returns to the island. His stay is brief. His family will need to eat again. So again, he must provide. Transformers are fast, focused, and fierce. Every day their lives are on the line. Because in the animal kingdom, the weak are meat, and the strong do eat. Color bots, shape-shifters, sharpshooters. Transformers are lethal, but direct, until now. These tricky animals use their morphing powers to fool both prey and predator. This remarkable eight-legged sea creature descends from above... ...only to transform on the sea floor. He's a mimic octopus, or what we like to call Octopus Prime. His deceptive abilities are legendary. With no bones, no spine, and no poison, the mimic octopus is an appetizing meal for small sharks and barracuda. So while many sea creatures use camo to ambush and hunt, Octopus Prime transforms to survive. A true mimic, he doesn't just morph to match his surroundings, he actually impersonates poisonous predators to scare away attackers. When Prime initiates his transformation, predators do what they can to avoid him. This eel is getting close. No problem. Initiate banded sea krait, ten times more venomous than a rattlesnake. If a shark gets too close, initiate peacock sole, a poisonous flatfish thought to release a defensive secretion that has shark-repellent properties. By changing color and shape, he imitates the venomous barbs of a lionfish. And whatever he's mimicking here, it's enough to stop this attacking crab in his tracks. In all, it's known to replicate over 15 different species. If only predators looked past the charades, they might find a meal. For now, the mimic thrives. In the blackest night, predators have the advantage. After all, one of nature's most deadly weapons is darkness. It's the place where few are safe. Here, during the day looks all right. But the black heron has the incredible ability to make this fish's world black as night. Native to Africa, the heron hunts small fish in shallow, open waters. He's methodical and keeps his head down. With his jet black feathers and wingspan of over three feet, the heron transforms his entire body... into a canopy. He's setting a trap. Fish are quickly lured to the cool darkness of his shady snare. What they can't see is about to kill them. With one strike, he catches his meal. They say it's always darkest before dawn. The black heron's prey never gets that far. This vole seems to be having an okay day. Playing in the snow, minding his own business. What he doesn't know is that he's being watched. With amazingly advanced eyesight, this great gray owl has locked onto the vole from over a football field away. Sensing the danger, this vole tunnels through two feet of snow to take the owl's eyes out of the equation, where he thinks he's safe. He's wrong. Because when you take the sense of sight away from this owl, it only transforms his hearing into a superpower. And now, he's hunting by ear. [heart beating] He picks up the vole's movements. When he takes off, he's a silent stealth bomber. Layers of soft feathers deaden the sound of his approach. To this vole, the owl is invisible until... It's too late. An effective and stealthy hunter, the great gray owl's victims don't see him coming. These raging and heated animals might be some of the most frightening beasts on Earth. But for our ultimate, ultra transformers, the sky's the limit. The power of flight, a truly awesome ability coveted by those stuck on Earth. But our next group of aeronautic transformers turn that lofty dream into reality. The Draco lizard is a lover, not a fighter. He likes to play it safe and keeps to the trees, away from most predators. And if that doesn't work, he can always camouflage himself and hide. But that's not the transformation we've come to see. The Draco's on the lookout for a mate, way over there. To get her attention, he makes himself look bigger and brighter by flapping his yellow dewlap. She seems interested, but still, she's far off in another tree, and it's a long way down. Love can make you do crazy things. Spreading his limbs, he flips open layers of skin membranes, transforming from a lowly lizard to a high-gliding dragon, able to soar 26 feet through the air... ...straight to his girl. Perhaps the power of love really does lift him up where he belongs. [hisses] The snake is known to be one of the animal kingdom's most frightening and efficient killers. But just imagine if snakes could fly. In the jungles of Southeast Asia, they can. This is the Chrysopelea snake, also known as the flying snake. An ambitious hunter, specialized rigid scales allow him to grip vertical surfaces. With almost Spider-Man powers, he climbs up and out to the tip of a branch, drops down into a J-shape form before he takes to the air. Potentially able to soar distances nearly 800 feet, this snake's air transformation is gravity-defying. To achieve lift, the snake morphs its round body. By sucking in its abdomen, the snake is able to flatten its torso, doubling its width to make a somewhat concave surface. Then, forming an S shape, it undulates sideways as it flows through the air, creating whirls of wind that act as lift-generating wings. It all makes for an incredibly effective air strike... ...as this unsuspecting gecko is about to discover. Morphing, flying, and surprise aerial attacks? This is what a badass looks like. This transformer is perhaps the most mysterious of them all. Found in waters around the world, scientists know surprisingly little about these aquatic beasts. The mobula ray. Often mistaken for their solitary cousin, the manta ray, these guys travel in packs. Migrating across vast oceans, they swim in formation... ...feeding on plankton and lunging through dense schools of fish. Until... Their fins become wings and the mobula rays hit the air. Rising as high as 6.5 feet above the surface, these aquatic acrobats are kicking gravity's butt. The motivation behind this spectacular air show remains a mystery. They could be hunting or simply playing. But whatever the reason, this transformer has transcended the final frontier. Gravity-defying dragons, shape-shifting sea creatures, and dive-bombing birds. In nature's ultimate war of the wild, these transformers will continue to morph, mutate, and amaze. They must, because this is how they survive. In ancient Japan, a warrior emerged... the ninja. Stoic and stealthy, this soldier lives his life undetectable and in the shadows. But who said a ninja had to be human? [gong] In the animal kingdom, there is also a special class of warriors. Sly, daring, and deadly, a perfect undercover soldier. From creeping crocs to lightning fast leopards, leopard seals to cannibalistic squids, these animals may not be dressed in black, but they are true lethal weapons. Animal Ninja Warriors. A ninja animal relies on an extraordinary set of skills to fight his enemies-- stealth, agility, patience, combat skills, and of course, speed. Equipped with an icy stare and nerves of steel, the peregrine falcon is a predator with legendary power. His name means wanderer, and it fits. This falcon travels long distances, flying over 15,000 miles per year looking for his next kill. An avid hunter, the peregrine falcon mostly targets other birds. It might seem like a lonely life, but this roving bird of prey is probably kept company by the fact that when he hunts, he's so damn good. His method is deadly precise. With eyesight eight times better than humans, he can pinpoint prey almost 1,000 feet away in flight. He emits a menacing taunt. [screeching] You might think that would spoil the surprise, but surprise isn't what this ninja warrior is about. Not when you have speed. Faster than any bird on Earth, he dives at 200 miles per hour taking aim at his prey. The force of the body slam is enough to kill. Then he uses his daggerlike talons to bring the pigeon to the ground. But if the bird is still alive, one sharp peck can sever the spine and finish the job. If we're talking about ninja speed, no surprise, cheetah is top on the list. After all, he's the fastest animal on land, capable of accelerating from zero to sixty in just three seconds. But it's not that simple. In fact, if the only thing this cat had going for it was raw speed, it might never catch a thing. Which is why when it's time to hunt on the African plains, the cheetah relies on some other slower evolutionary advantages. It starts with his eyesight. With long black marks that run from the inside edge of his eyes to his mouth, these tear lines mimic a rifle sight and help reflect the sun's glare. An estimated 2,000 spots made of longer, finer hairs than the rest of the coat break up the cheetah's outline so when he starts to move, he can blend into the grass. And this is where the speed kicks in. [wildebeest bellowing] But it's more than just quick legs, a super flexible spine allows for a massive 21-foot-long stride. He can change direction as fast as the fleeing prey by using his tail like a rudder. It normally takes the cheetah less than a minute to catch its prey. For this wildebeest, the end comes even quicker. Cheetahs can eat up to 30 pounds at a time, storing fat so it doesn't have to hunt again for days. And it stays hydrated by drinking its prey's blood. It's all part of the cheetah's superior, fast, furious, and lethal design. Cheetah, peregrine falcon, these are some of the fastest-moving animals on Earth. But there are other animals whose ninja speed is seen in a different way. Take the black mamba. Sneaky, slithering, and reaching up to 14 feet, the mamba is quick, able to travel past 12 miles per hour, making him the fastest venomous snake in Africa, but the mamba mostly uses that speed to protect itself from a threat. To perform his lethal kills, he relies on a completely different type of speed. It starts with his quick-moving tongue, a rapid little appendage which he flicks to detect the scent of prey. When he's in range, he stops and waits for the rat with poor vision to mistakenly come to him. And that's when another speedy skill enters the equation-- his strike-- which happens at lightning speed. But this warrior's real lethal power comes from something his victims can't even see, his swift-acting venom. This neurotoxin rapidly paralyzes and kills. Humans can die in 20 minutes. Sweet baby chicks, much, much faster. Inside this abandoned well lives a colony of nighttime assassins. [squeaking] Known as the myotis or mouse-eared bat, these fanged creatures have just woken up from their daytime sleep. And when they wake up, it's time to eat. Each bat is a solo predator, striking out on his own. Underneath the tough but flexible wing skin is a layer of muscle allowing the bat to rocket through the air, swiftly swoop, dive and change directions as he hunts. And he does this fast. But what makes this speedy show even more amazing is that he isn't using his eyes to see. Contrary to popular belief, the bat is not blind, but he doesn't use his sight at night. Instead, he sends out high-pitched squeaks that bounce back at him, creating a sonic map of his surroundings. Known as echolocation, this helps him avoid obstacles, locate prey, and dive to grab it when moving over 18 miles per hour. When he's done, sated, he returns to his cave, the evidence of his kill streaming behind him. Lightning speed isn't the only way an animal ninja warrior nabs his prey. For some, the hunt is slower, but the results are awesome. Ninja animals are black belts in the methods of covert craftiness. To kill, they must penetrate enemy lines, lurk in the shadows, and master the art of surprise. This is a crocodile, and it's his big day. He only eats about once a week, so he's got to make his hunt count. He heads out into the brackish waters with just one tactic in his toolkit. [roars] Whether a wildebeest, a boar, or even a barely-there bird, this predator has mastered the skill of stealth. In fact, when hunting, almost every action this crocodile makes is to hide and disguise its deadly intentions. With little more than its eyes and nose visible, he lurks to avoid detection. He can sense prey from a distance by detecting the slightest movement in the water. On top of all that, he can hold his breath for more than an hour, which means the croc can attack silently from below. So it's no surprise this wallaby hasn't noticed the salty's arrival. With just one snap of its jaws, he secures his prey. Stealth is not just efficient, but biologically vital. While a croc can swim at 20 miles per hour, it can only sustain that speed for short distances. Which means every time a croc launches out of the water, he has just one shot to grab his prey before his dinner escapes. So the stealth attack is his best chance of success, but grabbing large prey is only half the battle. The croc performs a death roll, turning and twisting in the water, drowning its prey and tearing them into bite-size pieces. All he has to do now is swallow. Deep in the tropical rainforests of Asia lives a majestic assortment of orchids. They seem to be nothing but harmless blossoms. But look closer. This beauty is hiding a deadly, stealthy killer. This is the orchid mantis. While this praying mantis can blend with green leaves to ambush prey, the orchid mantis has taken it up a notch. Known as aggressive mimicry, it's the only insect known to disguise itself as a flower, which actually lures prey. And the way it works is pure ninja stealth. The mantis imitates the texture and color of the orchid's petals... ...which attracts insects who think this is a harmless flower to pollinate. To keep up the charade and avoid detection, it remains as still as possible, rotating only its head to get a better look at prey. While the orchid mantis has a large appetite and eats an array of insects, it is a selective hunter. So patience is a key part of the orchid's stealthy strategy. It's not going to blow its cover for this sapsucker. Those sticky threads would be unpleasant to eat, but this moth is ripe for the picking. It's using its front legs, which are covered in daggerlike spines, to snare the moth and stake it down. The ninja disguise is so successful, scientists believe the orchid mantis is better at attracting pollinator insects than actual orchids. Who would have thought such a beauty could be so beastly? On the African plains, it's already hard enough to avoid getting killed by the big cats. They're fast, hungry and aggressive. But this guy makes things even worse. He hunts from above. Most leopards use the ninja method of Tanuki-gakure, the practice of climbing a tree and camouflaging oneself within the foliage. In fact, for the leopard, the tree is his castle. It's where he sleeps. It's where he gets his exercise. And it's where he sits silently scoping for prey. Using his curved ears to capture five times more sound waves than a human, they alert him to even the smallest sounds. And this leopard hears something... an impala. Quiet and calculating, his soft paws muffle his movements. And really, it's not quite fair, because this guy has no idea he's supposed to look up. [purring] The kill comes with a strong bite to the neck. To protect his meal, the leopard drags the impala back to his tree perch before devouring it. Today, Tanuki-gakure has been successful. We're not saying stealth isn't important when you're an animal ninja. But there are some warriors that go a different, death-defying route. Agility is a key element to a ninja's success. It takes years of training to develop their nimble and aggressive moves, but these animals are born with it. Sometimes agile warriors come in small... furry... weird... packages. This tree-dweller, called a tarsier, may look like the illegitimate lovechild of an owl and an Ewok, but don't let his looks deceive you. His gravity-defying aerial skills make him one of the most successful hunters in the animal world. Tarsiers are primates and related to humans. The resemblance is best seen in the animals' hands. But they have an appetite their cousins can't match. They're the only entirely carnivorous primate in the world. Which means to survive, a tarsier better be a good hunter, and that's where his agility comes in very handily. The tarsier's legs make up about a quarter of the weight of their entire body. And the tarsal heel bone on their feet is so long, it gives the animal its name. Add in the long, tapered hands for gripping, and you have a predator capable of soaring over 16 feet from branch to branch. Hunting mainly at night, the tarsier uses mobile ears and extra large eyes to spot prey. Once targeted, he waits for the right moment to make his deadly leap. He's not quite Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. But he gets the job done. It's rare for a ninja to be on the defensive, but when they are, some of his most amazing acrobatic moves are unleashed. The red colobus monkey of Eastern Africa is an amazingly agile defensive daredevil. Not that you would guess that from their looks. First, there's the toupee-like red hair that gives them their name. It doesn't exactly say killer. Then there's the fact that they are not hunters. They spend their days playing and grooming, eating mostly leaves, laying around for about seven of the ten hours that they are awake each day. But don't be fooled, when they need to, the red colobus monkeys use their agility in the most dynamic and amazing ways. Just ask Gombe chimps. Colobus monkeys are the chimps' favorite meal, and they know it. High in the trees, the monkeys place sentries to watch for the chimps. And when danger is spotted, they call out to warn the group. And that's when their inner ninja emerges. Five times lighter than the chimps, the colobus monkeys are able to easily escape by climbing higher onto smaller branches that are too light to support the chimps. [shrieking] But if the move up doesn't work, they aren't afraid to simply let it fly. Like a true martial artist, these monkeys defy gravity to escape the chimp attack. So they can live to fly another day. When it comes to a deadly predator, agility can take many frightening forms. Rapid moves, shape shifting, sneak attacks. And in the deepest ocean, there's an animal who can accomplish all of the above and a lot more. Meet the Humboldt squid, or as he's also known, the red devil. The name comes from their red color and their notoriously bad attitude. When threatened, he will lash out with swift and nimble ferocity, all tentacles and fury. And his agile aggression is excellent when hunting. At 100 pounds, this squid can eat pretty much all he wants, and he's highly skilled at grabbing what he needs. Using his tentacles like a whip, he sucks the meal into his razor-sharp beak. But it seems to save the worst of it for its own kind. Yes, these guys are cannibals. And it appears the bigger the squid, the more they like to attack and eat their own kind. Today, the squid is thwarted by a massive cannon shot of ink. Which will probably just leave this hungry red devil ready to attack again. Power, precision and pure adrenaline-packed mayhem. Sometimes an animal ninja warrior simply likes to make a splash. In the world of the ninja, patience is more than a virtue; it's the ultimate means to a kill and survival. These animals are living proof. When you imagine a watery ninja animal, you picture rapid-fire moves and amazing feats of acrobatic ability... not this. Dotted with warts and covered in a layer of slime, this passive predator is a stone fish. The stone fish uses an attack tactic called Uzura-gakure. Translation, remaining motionless in order to appear like a rock. In other words, patience. It has two techniques to make it unnoticeable to prey, blending... ...or burrowing. And then it waits. Just as quickly as it grabs a bite, the fish is back to its stone-like state, leaving no trace of its deadly deed. Proving that for the stone fish, patience is the deadliest weapon of all. It's an average day in Antarctica for these penguins. Flapping, marching, and resting in the subzero temperature. But what these penguins don't know is they are being stalked. Underneath the ice, a patient predator waits for the penguins to make the wrong move. A lean, mean, killing machine, this 840-pound leopard seal is an icy water bully. Second only to the killer whale among top Antarctic predators, leopard seals love to prey on penguins. But they have a problem: Leopard seals are excellent swimmers, but not as graceful on land, and the penguins like to stick to the ice. So the seal hangs back, keeping an eye out for his main course and waiting for the right moment. When a few brave souls go for a dip, he makes his move. He rockets forward at speeds of 24 miles per hour, barreling through the water causing a sea of chaos, and then takes advantage of the bedlam. [squawking] A massive 840 pounds, there's no way one penguin is going to be enough for this seal. So he heads back out to lurk and wait. Inside this cave in Puerto Rico live thousands of bats. Agile predators in their own right. Tonight, they are the hunted. Because when the sun sets, a slithering bat assassin emerges, the Puerto Rican boa. Welcome to the Cueva De Los Culebrones, The Cave of the Long Snake. Measuring seven feet, the boas aren't venomous or particularly fast, but they are persistent. Aware that the bats need to hunt, the snakes set their trap, slithering up to the mouth of the cave and then uncoiling. Just 25% of the snake's body stays on the rock as they hunt by sense of touch. Which means until a bat brushes up against them, these snakes are just hanging around. [bats squeaking] Eventually, an unfortunate bat will get too close to the snake's mouth. Using his strong muscles, the boa wraps his body around the bat twice and squeezes to kill. Then in true snake fashion, he eats his prey whole. Rarely has just hanging around looked so deadly. While patience works for some, when it comes to being a deadly ninja, it's hard to beat raw power. In the life and death struggles of animal ninjas, sometimes it comes down to the basics of lethal combat. And these warriors have a full set of skills at their disposal. In the vast landscapes of Australia lives a particular animal warrior... The kangaroo. But how does a big-eared, grass-eating, paunch-bellied animal qualify as a ninja? At seven feet tall, kangaroos might be the largest martial artists And their secret weapon? A killer two-legged kick. Not that he could kick with one leg, even if he wanted to. A kangaroo's hind legs cannot move independently from one another. If one leg moves, the other goes with it, which is why they hop. Each hop can reach 25 feet, which allows them to get up to speeds of 35 miles per hour. But those legs can also pack a powerful punch when two male kangaroos get into it. And this happens a lot because kangaroos are extremely territorial when it comes to the ladies. These male eastern grays are young, but one already thinks another is getting too close to his mate. Challenge accepted. Using their short arms to jab and punch, they try and rip each other's flesh with powerful sharp claws. Soon it's time to unleash that lethal weapon. The force can kill the opponent. Today, another kangaroo breaks it up before things get carried away. But this fight probably isn't over. Breeding occurs all year, almost guaranteeing another martial arts battle. Not all ninja combat is hand to hand. a great martial arts fight is won with lethal weaponry. This animal warrior may not have nunchuks, but she's armed and dangerous. The ogre-faced spider is named appropriately. She comes from the family deinopidae, which in Greek means 'terrible appearance.' And with her ratty fur, fangs, and two big bulging eyes, she fits the bill for a child's nightmare monster. Because of her large eyes, the spider is sensitive to light, so she spends the day resting. But when the sun sets, this nocturnal ninja comes to life. Every night, the spider spins a new web of strong silk. Unlike most spiders who set their net and wait for their prey, she uses her web to actively hunt. A black-headed sugar ant. With great balance and nimbleness, she hangs by several threads attached to surrounding foliage and prepares to make her quick and precise move. Her fangs release a toxic venom and paralyzes the ant. And when she finishes, she keeps on spinning, prepping her next deadly web until the sun rises. What happens when speed, stealth, agility, patience, and brute strength intersect in one amazing specimen? Something we like to call the ultimate ninja animal. And there's more than one. There are some animals out there so stealthy... so speedy... so agile... and so patient... they deserve the title of ultimate ninja. Jaws isn't a ninja movie, but it should be. Its star, the great white shark, is the ocean's ultimate warrior. Justifiably, it's the shark's mouth that gets most of the attention. 300 serrated teeth arranged in seven deadly rows work together as a saw to rip prey apart. He has an estimated bite force of 4,000 pounds per square inch-- that's more than a hyena, lion, and tiger bite combined. But a great white shark is more than a mouth; it possesses the full ninja arsenal. It hunts by stealth, moving quietly through the sea. Their white underbellies help them blend in from below. To find their prey, they're equipped with incredible skills. With a superhero sense of smell, the shark can sniff out a single drop of blood floating in 10 billion drops of water. Their other senses are also unbelievably powerful. Ear openings above their eyes that hear the tiniest of ripples. Eyes designed to see in daylight or night. And an amazing sixth sense, which allows the shark to detect an electric field. Today, all of these powers aid this shark in finding the perfect prey, a seal. Their torpedo-like shape and powerful tails help them swim at speeds up to 35 miles per hour. When the shark is ready to unleash its jaws, it leaps to snare the seal in midair. For this predator, being the ultimate ninja master of the ocean makes him a warrior you don't ever want to swim across. Our final ultimate ninja warrior isn't about lurking. When he gets down to his lethal work, he likes to put on a show. Olive baboons are highly adaptable. They live in wide-ranging environments, from forests to desert, and many places in between. Brave and brazen, he's not afraid to chase off this cheetah who is more than twice his size. They're able to succeed in such varied habitats because they can to turn almost anything into a meal. And when they decide to move in for the kill, watch out. In Kenya, this olive baboon stealthily hides in the trees, patiently watching a majestic sight-- hundreds of flamingos resting in a watering hole. Some animals might join the birds and skim the water for the nutrient-rich compost that the flamingos leave, but that's not what this baboon wants. He's after something bigger. He explodes, running up to 30 miles per hour to reach the water. As the birds panic, they try to take flight, but they are no match for the baboon's amazingly agile moves. A leap and success. Now that the show's over, this brave and nimble ninja sits down for a feast. From flying monkeys to patient seals, speedy snakes to stealthy cats, these daring, dexterous animal warriors might just be nature's most skilled ninjas. And their victims never saw it coming. NARRATOR: Deep in the jungles... on the run in the ocean depths... hiding in the mountains... deadly brand of animal. These creatures are some of the most notorious in the animal kingdom... motivated by hunger... survival and sometimes... just plain badass behavior. Nature's Most Wanted. Roaming in packs... stalking their prey and ruling their turf... these animal crews are nature's gangsters. In the waters of South America... all seems peaceful. But below the surface... it's a different story. Here lurks one of nature's most infamous street gangs. No most wanted list would be complete without one of the most feared of flesh-eating fish... the piranha. This cold-blooded gang is big... up to 100 strong in a single shoal. And initiation is easy... just show up. They cruise the freshwater rivers... as if looking for trouble. Successful scavengers... rotting carcasses become easy... efficient meals. But sometimes... when the fish have been without food... starvation leads to bloodshed. And this unsuspecting river rat... known as a capybara... has no idea he's the next target. Tracking their prey through the murky river... the hungry piranhas move in. They slay by swarming and it's not quick. Small powerful bites take the capybara down but they don't kill it. Instead... they eat their victim while he's still alive. It's a full-on-feeding frenzy. Resistance is futile. Within minutes... the feast is over. Leaving nothing but a trail of blood. Not all of nature's most wanted look the part. Take the jackal. While his name carries a bad rep... looking at these guys... it's hard to remember why. Handsome... playful... a family guy. This dashing character is one of the few mammals to mate for life. So how did he earn the street cred to get a spot on the most wanted list? Just ask his partner. Like the animal kingdom's Bonnie and Clyde... when this duo gets together... the results are deadly. Living in family units... these parents work together to provide for their own. And while domesticity is sweet... it's the hunt where these canines excel. Locating a herd of gazelle... they coordinate their attack. They chase and distract... until the moment is right. Isolating a calf... Mr. Jackal goes for the kill. Wasting no time... he and his accomplice dig in. Although... golden jackals are three times more successful when they hunt in pairs... occasionally... this dedicated dad moonlights on a solo kill. But he always returns to his partner in crime. After all... the couple that kills together... stays together. Sometimes the most ferocious animal fights are waged within a single species. When it comes to the world of the capuchin monkey... that couldn't be more true. In fact... more male capuchins die at the hand of other capuchins than of any other predators. These monkeys live in organized... competing gangs with up to 35 members; each headed by their own Scarface... the alpha male. As their leader... the alpha commands respect from the crew forming allies with the other monkeys... with one objective... protect his domain. Today... a rival gang dared across into this Kingpin's stomping ground. As a result... he calls over his associates. Fast... agile and strong. They use their hands and tails to swing swiftly into battle. In today's turf war... it's not about numbers. Instead... one representative from each side steps up. And then... it's on. Choked almost to death... the invader monkey surrenders and runs away. Bruised and bloodied... the home gang keeps control of their turf. However... they can never really be sure that the war is over. River wolves... cut-throat cats... killer caimans... these are just some of South America's notorious animals. But high in the Andes roams another... lesser-known gangster. Meet the guanaco. A member of the camel family. This animal has no humps but he's got huge cojones. Guanacos live in families with one adult male... several adult females and their young. But at just one year old... this young male is aggressively kicked out... to free up resources for this year's newborns. Alone and adrift... he bands together with other bachelors to form a Fight Club-like fraternity. Here... he lives for three to four years. Training and play-fighting... he hones his combat skills with one ultimate goal in mind. To be strong enough to take over as the head of a family and their females. Now... it's time to leave his bachelor brothers behind and select a target. He challenges Everything he's learned from play-fighting has led to this moment. It's a violent and damaging affair. Chasing off his competitor... it appears our male is the new head of the family. Some most wanted animals thrive in packs but not everyone is such a team player. Out there in the wild is a rogue's gallery even more deadly when they strike out on their own. NARRATOR: There's a select group of suspects on our most wanted list that know when you want a job done right... it's best to do it yourself. These are the solo assassins. Alien-like eyes... slithering scales... flickering tongue. The African continent is filled with lethal lone hunters but this animal is by far one of the most deadly. The puff adder. What makes this snake the most dangerous one in Africa... responsible for thousands of human deaths a year? The art of surprise. This solitary hunter is pretty good at hiding. Cryptic colors and chevron patterns perfectly camouflage the snake's three-foot long body. So prey has no idea they're being hunted. But that's only the puff adder's first surprise. With a target in sight... it's time to ambush. With a split second flick of a head... the snake bites 350 milligrams of venom flows into the rat. The adder hangs back. For a moment... it seems the rat may survive. But soon... the venom takes hold... breaking down the rat's muscles and tissues until death. Then the puff adder gets to work and swallows his meal whole. Leaving no evidence behind. Venom's effective but some solitary predators need only rely on their own brute strength. An impressive symbol of grace... confidence and power... this superior hunter rules his domain. Behold... the royal Bengal tiger and no one is going to cramp his style. A real loner... he not only lives by himself but aggressively marks wide swaths of territory to keep others away. But whether you want to call him anti-social or just self-reliant... there's at least one activity where this cat needs to be around other animals... when he's killing them. He heads out on the hunt and since he only eats about once every nine days... it better be something big. With 100 unique black stripes... he creeps undetected through the tall grass. His razor-sharp sense of hearing picks up movement nearby. A chital deer who today... chose the wrong path. He creeps forward... until he's about 20 to 30 feet away. Then he makes his move. This audience can only watch as the Bengal clutches the chital with his canine teeth. And he takes him off to eat... alone... just how he likes it. When it comes to a lone gunman... fish seem to be the least likely usual suspects. Between the slime... the scales and no arms... it would seem impossible that a fish could be a skilled sharp shooter. That's where you'd be wrong. Found in brackish waters... mangroves and estuaries... the archer fish mainly feeds on plankton and underwater prey. he sets his sights on an insect above the water. Swimming undetected just under the surface... the archer fish's highly acute eyesight allows him to locate prey above the water. This grasshopper has no idea that he's about to be the victim of a swim-by shooting. By pressing his tongue against a specialized groove in his mouth... the archer fish draws water in and creates a lethal water cannon. The shot can extend up to five feet and is used when other means of foraging have failed. A marine marksman... our archer fish swims on... always locked and loaded. But what happens when a most wanted animal isn't packing heat? Some have to be thick as thieves to get exactly what they want. NARRATOR: Want it's a natural desire. But how certain animals get what they want... that's what lands them on the most wanted list. These are nature's thieves. Behold... North America's purple mountains majesty. Here lives a dignified and imperial animal. A majestic symbol of nobility... strength and bravery. But he's not always the most upstanding citizen. In fact... the bald eagle is a fierce feathered thief. He sticks close to open water searching for a meal. Requiring up to a pound of food a day... he's hunting for fish but not always in the water. Using eyesight... eight times better than that of human beings... our eagle keys in on a target... with one task in mind... to steal this rival's food. And so he takes off. A storm of spectators flock to the action. It's an aerial battle of balds and brawns. Forcing one of his rivals to drop his catch... our eagle swoops in... fending off the others. A successful peck-pocket and a full-course meal for our bald bandit. See this gremlin-looking tree dweller with his fluffy tail and big eyes? He looks pretty innocent but don't get too close. Considered an omen of bad luck... this rare predator is also one of the most notorious in Madagascar. This is the aye-aye. Committing capers... he's a greedy... grubby guy... literally. Juicy wood-boring insect larvae... known as grubs... are a critical part of his diet. Armed with an extra-long clawed middle finger... he moves through the darkness. In order to get to these grubs... the aye-aye has to become a pseudo safecracker. Crawling through the trees... he knocks repeatedly on the outer bark... then listens for what may be moving underneath. With the grubs located... he begins chewing a hole in the tree... breaking into the larvae sanctuary. He's made progress but the grubs are still out of reach. Luckily... his handy-dandy claw has another use. Poking and probing his finger-dagger into the depths of the tree... he makes the steal dragging out the grubs... one by one. It's a lethal end for the grubs... victims of this aye-aye's latest heist. Some of nature's thieves may need to be brash to get the job done. But for other animals in the wild... it's all about the con. NARRATOR: Certain animals will con and cheat their way to a meal. Using deception... they'll prey on the weak and vulnerable to get exactly what they want... the kill. are sought in 50 states. This con artist is working in just one. In Hawaii the dense foliage hides the surprisingly lethal exploits of a carnivorous caterpillar. This inchworm looks harmless. He's tiny... inches about slowly and he's a caterpillar. What's to fear? After all... they only eat leaves right? Wrong. Over the last few millennia... of the over 160,000 species of caterpillar in the world... less than one percent evolved into carnivores and our guy is one of them. But his victims... usually bugs... haven't quite caught on. Not that we blame them. The Hawaiian caterpillar is running a pretty good con... with two tricks up his sleeve. First... he has an amazing ability to camouflage itself to look like a leaf or part of a tree branch. Prey has no idea that they're in danger. Which is just what the caterpillar is betting on when he unleashes his second trick... a whip fast motion... bending his body to snatch its meal in raptor claws. Holding it captive while it feasts. The victim never saw what hit him. Zebra... wildebeest... impala... all seductive prey for most of the big cats. But not this smooth operator. Because this cat has one very un-catlike characteristic... he likes to swim. The jaguar lives throughout South and Central America. But no matter what the region... you'll always find this feline down by the waterfront. An excellent swimmer... he cruises through water to hunt his surprising food of choice... fish. Today... however... the jaguar is going for a more fatty meal. With a keen sense of sight... he spots something moving across a small pond. The peccary takes notice of the jaguar but goes back to his own business. After all... why would he worry? There's a whole body of water between them and cats don't swim right? Silently... he swims to the other side... within striking distance of his unsuspecting meal. His con successful... a hearty meal for our aqua cat. But even the best grifters can pick the wrong mark. The great white shark is the king of the ocean. Embracing the spotlight... he cruises the water with a don't-mess-with-me attitude. And then there's his Western Pacific cousin. This frilly mess of a fish doesn't exactly fill you with dread. This is the tasselled wobbegong shark. And he runs one of the biggest cons in the ocean. With a flattened body and spotted skin... the tasseled wobbegong is covered in rug-like blankets of fringe. These dense tassels are actually complex layers of dermal lobes. It's a critical player in his deadly game. The clever camouflage eerily replicates the coral reefs. Almost invisible... the shark hides among rocks... lying in wait. When unsuspecting fish swim by... the wily predator launches an ambush. And here's where the shark family resemblance kicks in. It pulls its jaws apart and literally sucks the prey into its mouth... five rows of fang-like teeth finish off the job. When it comes to the tasseled wobbegong... looks are almost always deceiving. The animal kingdom boasts a high body count and it's an equal opportunity place. Some of nature's best killers prove that a female's touch is all you need. NARRATOR: Some of the most deadly people in history have been women. Bold... beautiful... brutal. Turns out... the same goes for the animal kingdom. There she is. Playing it cool. Looking seductive. Irresistible to any guy who crosses her web. Feast your eyes upon the Australian redback spider. She's known to kill humans but in true femme fatale fashion... it's the males of her own species that become her target. When ready to mate... the much smaller males hang on the edge of the web to gauge the female's interest. It appears this female likes the attention. He's lucky. Only 20% of male redbacks get the chance to mate. But his luck is about to run out. He begins his conquest by inserting one of two pedipalps into her. Once the deed is done... that's when our femme fatale strikes. By eating the male while they mate... it will actually extend their chances of reproducing. In other words... they'll get more bang for their buck. This fatal attraction wasn't just another dinner date. Cute and furry... this group of playful cubs might look vulnerable but they're not. Because nearby is someone much bigger... much stronger and much more dangerous. Their mother. Sure... this brown bear looks like she's a mellow mommy. She's their sole protector and these cubs will rely on her for safety and food for two years. And trust us... they're in good paws because this apex mother bear will do anything for her little guys. The sow trains the cubs and nurtures them... all while keeping a watchful eye. And when another bear gets close... that's when the maternal instinct really kicks in. When the danger is thwarted... she moves on to her next motherly duty... hunting. As she's about to deliver the final blow... she notices her cubs struggling and goes back to save them. Once they are safely across... she returns to business... an elk dinner for everyone. When it comes to mama bear... family comes first. This group of lethal predators is a terrifying mass of sharp attitudes... sharper teeth and all female. Behold the ultimate deadly girl gang... the lionesses. Or as we like to call them... the ladies who munch. In a lion pride... the majority of the diet comes from what the females hunt so they know the survival of their family rests on their ability to kill. To have more success... the females band together. This team of killer ladies gets an early start. It's been days since they last ate. They roam the plains... tracking down any prey. The lionesses strategically separate and prepare to ambush. Only there's a problem. This hyena could cost them dinner. Sensing a threat... the zebras bolt. So the lionesses turn their attention to the next best thing and put hyena on tonight's menu. One deadly mistake for the hyena leads to a full course meal for our lionesses. Whether working in gangs or acting solo... in the end... only a select group of killers can rule the top of the most wanted list. NARRATOR: These final animals set the standard for our most wanted list. Gauging. Smashing. Relentless. They are the untouchables. Skulking in the grass is a likely predator. This feline is taking inventory of a herd of prey. Weighing up to 1900 pounds each... just one of these beasts would feed her entire pride. But today... predator becomes prey. Because this cat has made the unfortunate choice to go after a cape buffalo... otherwise known as one of the most dangerous animals in Africa. A walking weapon of mass destruction. He's armed with two massive heavy horns... which he's not afraid to use. Nicknamed black death... these beasts are both solitary and social. Sporting their giant artillery... they have one simple task in mind... to protect themselves and one another from outside threats. Like this bold lioness. She strikes the first blood. But as she quickly finds out... you do not mess with a cape buffalo and their family. There endeth the lesson. The ocean is no stranger to dangerous predators. Gangs of fish. Lone hunters. Tricksters. Yet... one clever pod makes a bigger wave than all the rest. Living up to its name... the ocean's ultimate most wanted is the killer whale. But these guys don't just kill. What lands these predators at the top of our list is they kinda look like they enjoy it. Living in oceans throughout the world... their hunt is a highly efficient... highly coordinated affair. Using echolocation to communicate... this pod of Antarctic orcas keys in on a resting Weddell seal. Rather than kill the seal right away... the whales choose to have a little fun. Moving in unison... they strike unleashing a high tide of fury. If one wave isn't enough... they do it again. And when they successfully knock him off the ice... they put him back up and wave-wash him... again. But this is nothing compared to their next favorite hobby. Weddell in the middle. This morbid sport may last for two hours before devouring their seal and moving on to the next. Making the killer whale the ocean's most wanted. From gangster jackals to crafty caterpillars... cold-hearted snakes to fish packing heat... these most wanted animals might just be the most armed and dangerous creatures in the animal kingdom. And one thing is clear... they should always be approached with extreme caution.