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00:06Snakes, age-old villains, or modern superheroes, potent, lethal, and lightning fast, from fan to tail.
00:30Over 4,000 species share our planet, each uniquely evolved to master their habitat.
00:44And without them, we'd be overrun by rodents.
00:57These are snakes from all corners of the planet, ready to rewrite their history, shed the old
01:12beliefs, and let their real stories emerge.
01:36This is the secret world of snakes.
01:47From deserts to oceans and remote islands, snakes have adapted to almost every habitat on our planet.
02:01Off the coast of northeastern China, a craggy landmass rises from the sea.
02:08Very few creatures have carved out their niche here.
02:14But one species rules supreme.
02:18This is Shidao, Snake Island.
02:25Barely a kilometer across, the territory appears insignificant.
02:29But it's a critical milestone on one of Asia's great aerial highways.
02:38Each spring and autumn, millions of migratory birds rely on Shidao as a vital rest stop.
02:51But their sanctuary is riddled with danger.
03:00Within the dense thickets, one of the greatest concentrations of venomous snakes on earth lies in wait.
03:10Twice a year, the Shidao pit vipers crawl out of every nook and cranny to feast.
03:23They're robust, expertly camouflaged, and armed with powerful venom.
03:29Important attributes for a predator that hunts flighty prey.
03:46Their menu offers no rodents or lizards, and very few mammals.
03:53These vipers survive almost entirely on a diet of birds.
04:06During the feasting seasons, there's no territorial rivalry.
04:15The vipers take to the branches and set up their ambush.
04:37Positioned like coiled springs, they wait to unleash their attack.
04:52Tens of thousands of snakes on high alert for weary travellers.
05:17It's a game of precision, and it requires patience.
05:42Their hemotoxic venom can kill a human if untreated.
05:46It breaks down tissue and paralyzes their prey.
06:17During peak migration, thousands of birds fall victim,
06:21the birds fall victim every day.
06:24For the vipers, this brief window provides enough food to last the year.
06:40larger Shaddao vipers take up positions on the ground, patient and opportunistic.
06:49Often profiting from unclaimed prey dropped from the branches.
07:00The demise of the weakest birds ensures the survival of this unique species found nowhere else on Earth.
07:09It's a delicate, brutal balance.
07:14Forged by isolation and sustained by migration.
07:27In the secret world of snakes, the Shaddao pit viper leads one of the most intriguing lives of all.
07:44On the mainland of southern China, dense, towering jungles offer a diverse ecosystem for a host of species.
07:57From mammals to insects, the rainforest is always abuzz with activity.
08:06It's a unique microcosm ruled by light, scent and sound.
08:15But for the rhino rat snake, life is silent.
08:21Snakes have no ears.
08:23They rely on an armory of special adaptations to guide them through a quiet world.
08:33With prey that's highly alert, clever camouflage is essential.
08:47Thanks to extended scales on its nose, the rhino snake mimics a rambling vine, twisting her way towards her target.
09:13Her folk tongue picks up scent particles in the air and guides her like a GPS, directly to her quarry.
09:47Her aim is deadly.
09:49And her nimble body twists into vice-like coils, suffocating her victim.
10:04Drowning her prey is not her usual technique.
10:08But a hunter as adaptable as she is, makes use of her environment in every way possible.
10:30The large meal is most welcome.
10:33She hasn't eaten since the first chill of winter.
10:35And now, in the warmth of early spring, she's ready to embrace a new season of activity.
10:52With a full belly, she moves off to digest in the safety of the canopy.
11:07The jade phantom retreats like a whispering vine into her vibrant domain.
11:28Elusive, elegant, and undeniably extraordinary.
11:42Deeper into the humid hillsides of southern China, the warmth of early spring wakes another snake from its winter slumber.
12:06A male, sharp-nosed viper is on the move.
12:10The new season lures him out in search of a mate.
12:17The triangular, leaf-shaped head blends him perfectly into his habitat on the forest floor.
12:23And legend has it that their venom is so potent it will kill a man within 100 paces of being
12:31bitten.
12:42His mottled scales break up his outline among the leaf litter.
12:56Like all vipers, heat-sensing pits below his eyes map out a thermal image of his surroundings.
13:22Before he mates, he needs to hunt and top up his energy levels.
13:35His sensitive tongue picks up scent particles in the air that steer him towards the perfect ambush site.
13:57Then he waits, patient and dead still.
14:24The viper missed his target.
14:30He's cold and rusty from hibernation.
14:36But not all is lost.
14:38A female on a similar mission approaches him.
14:51There's a chance she might be receptive to mate.
14:55But he'll wait for her to make the first move.
15:12She's not ready.
15:14She too needs to feed before she can nurture her next clutch of eggs.
15:42Across the stream, she picks up a promising signal and lays her trap.
15:58Her thermal pits lock onto her prey with deadly accuracy.
16:11She holds on tight while long, hypodermic fangs deliver their death sentence.
16:32Neurotoxins stop the bird's heart, while cytotoxins start breaking down its tissue before it's even ingested.
16:46Her skin stretches to embrace the first meal in four months.
16:59Now that she's eaten, she can reschedule her rendezvous with the male.
17:11Meanwhile, in the forested hillsides of Western Europe, another snake with an interesting snout emerges from hibernation.
17:25The nose-horned viper is considered one of the most dangerous snakes in Europe.
17:35But today is about flirtation, not fatalities.
17:41The male approaches the female tentatively, flicking his tongue to read her hormones.
17:52She's receptive, even though she doesn't show it.
17:59The male's jerky mating dance is designed to stimulate her, while he aligns his body with hers.
18:06The male's jerky mating callers.
18:08Go for it.
18:52She's playing it cool, luring her suitor to a more private boudoir.
19:15He'll need to start his ritual all over again.
19:36If their courtship is successful, she'll give birth to as many as 15 lives young, just before autumn sets in.
19:59The ancient rainforests of western Thailand are renowned for a diversity of mysterious plants and creatures.
20:11From shy monkeys to the jungle's giants, this habitat is a wildlife paradise.
20:20And a perfect hideout for a mesmerizing snake.
20:28The monocled cobra is well known for its iconic hood, an expansion of its ribs which serves as a warning
20:36to potential threats.
20:39In many cultures, they are revered as mythical creatures.
20:47They're alert and adept hunters.
20:51Lizards are high up on their menu, but they also hunt birds and small mammals.
20:59Today, his meal gives him the slip.
21:15This is a matter of theего of the winter, the strip camps of eastern Thailand.
21:16They're in the second part where the
21:18of the center of the new plant will land and mass heal together.
21:18That's a matter of seeing you as a fan, this ritual is in the middle of the summer.
21:20Obviously, this is a matter of seeing you as an animal.
21:20They're aware of these children.
21:21They're in the same way.
21:21They're in the same way.
21:22They're in the same way.
21:24They're in the same way.
21:31These children ==
21:36The distinctive monocle shape on his hood is enough to make any human back off.
21:49But even the potent monocled cobra needs to defer to the giants of the forest.
22:04He beats a hasty retreat from the elephant's feet.
22:23Further south, in the dense tropical jungles of Malaysia, local folklore speaks of mythical forest creatures and water spirits.
22:38Inspired by this snake, the Sunda king cobra.
22:43It's the world's longest venomous snake, distinguished from other cobras by its Latin name, Ophiophagus, snake-eater.
22:56Nearby, a radiated rat snake has chosen the wrong place for a quick drink and recoils in fear.
23:05But it's a notoriously curious creature and stays mesmerized.
23:17The king peacefully quenches its thirst, but its exceptional eyesight triggers a change of mood.
23:29The curious onlooker is now prey.
23:46The harmless rat snake makes himself bigger and hisses defensively.
24:08But the predator is now locked onto his target.
24:12Frozen in fear, the rat snake does little to help his cause.
24:28With a top speed of 20 kilometers per hour, the king cobra can get to his meal in a matter
24:36of seconds, even across the water.
24:41In the nick of time, the rat snake comes to its senses and escapes.
24:57On the border of southern China, the rocky crevices conceal one of Asia's most elusive snakes.
25:07The horned pit viper, armed with hemotoxic venom that causes blood to hemorrhage.
25:17Its scales offer perfect camouflage against the mottled rocks of its habitat.
25:24And like all pit vipers, it uses heat-sensing organs on its snout to track down warm-blooded prey.
25:52Then, it sets up an ambush.
26:17The horns above its eyes add to its clever disguise.
26:22Blending the snake seamlessly into the knobbly rocks and leaf litter.
26:38One dose of venom is lethal.
26:41The victim's tissue is already breaking down, causing massive internal bleeding.
26:53The viper uses long, backward-facing fangs to gather the prey into its mouth.
27:09The dose of venom in the rat has already started the digestive process.
27:19A no-fuss meal for an evolutionary masterpiece.
27:28Back in southern China, high in the Mangshan Mountains, one of the planet's rarest snakes lives a secretive life in
27:38a landscape of moss and lichen.
27:44The mythical Mang pit viper.
27:49Barely distinguishable from the forest floor, its mottled scales mirror the living tapestry of its domain.
28:05It holds its pose for long periods, tasting the air for prey.
28:13And using its bright tail tip as a decoy.
28:17A juicy worm to lure its target closer.
28:42The rat has sharp eyesight, but the snake has supreme camouflage.
28:58The rat has a keen sense of smell, but snakes are odourless unless threatened.
29:31The viper has the upper hand.
29:33The viper has the upper hand.
29:33Stealth.
29:35Stealth.
29:35Camouflage.
29:36Heat-sensing pits.
29:38And a sensitive tongue that tracks the scent of its prey.
29:48Each fork directs him, left and right, like an on-board navigation device.
30:14An energy-efficient hunting technique and a slow metabolism mean every meal is a calculated masterpiece.
30:28But despite its armory of special adaptations, this enigmatic snake is critically endangered.
30:36And now protected by Chinese law.
31:00The long hunt nears its finale.
31:11Huge fangs deliver a deadly cocktail of both hemotoxic and neurotoxic venom, which quickly stop the
31:20prey's heart from beating.
31:35In the intricate dance of predator and prey, the mangshan pit viper remains one of nature's best-kept secrets.
31:44A shadow in the moss.
31:46A shadow in the moss.
31:47And a marvel of evolution.
31:55As the warmth of spring starts to thaw the rugged mountain slopes of western China, many of the forest's
32:03inhabitants emerge to greet the new season.
32:15Amidst the leaf litter, the carragander pit viper stirs after months of hibernation.
32:23The viper, the viper, the viper, the viper, and superbly camouflaged, it's built to thrive in one of the harshest
32:31climates on Earth.
32:36The viper hasn't eaten since early winter.
32:41That's four months without a meal.
32:46But its sensitive tongue and prey-tracking pits are already fired up by a warm-blooded target.
33:21From here, it could strike.
33:23But instead, it waits.
33:26Motionless.
33:27Motionless.
33:35Motionless.
33:40Motionless.
33:53Motionless.
33:54Motionless.
33:56Two.
34:03Five.
34:06One.
34:09Seven.
34:10Eight.
34:10Seven.
34:10Eight.
34:10The sea.
34:11bides its time while the dose of hemotoxic venom kills the prey and
34:16prepares it for easy digestion
34:59in a land where endurance defines all life
35:03the carragander pit viper reigns not with speed nor size
35:08but with silence patience and deadly
35:13precision
35:35in the ancient mangrove forests
35:38along southeast asia's coastline a unique ecosystem straddles both land and sea
35:51waterlogged stems and tide washed roots provide a secret habitat
35:57rarely seen by the outside world
36:02it's home to an intriguing snake
36:07the purple mangrove viper
36:16perfectly adapted to its semi-aquatic lifestyle
36:19it's equally happy in the water and in the trees
36:24where it uses an intriguing ploy to entice prey
36:34wagging its tail tip is known as caudal luring
36:38a strategy much like using a worm on a fish hook
36:45and then the snake waits
36:48limbering up its huge hinged fangs in anticipation
36:59birds are high up on its menu
37:02birds are high up on its menu
37:04but it takes great skill to catch one
37:26the viper
37:27the viper persists
37:39It just needs to make contact, and its lethal venom will do the rest.
37:51High up in the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia, amidst fairy tale waterfalls,
37:58and misty cliffs, local folklore speaks of a guardian of the forests.
38:05Despite a host of flamboyant candidates, a far more subtle creature holds the title,
38:15the flat-nosed tree viper.
38:29Taking camouflage to another level, even its eyes are cryptically colored to match the
38:36branches of its domain.
38:43This guardian is digesting a recent meal, and that makes her vulnerable.
38:55Her tongue picks up movement ahead.
39:03The gecko is also a master of disguise.
39:32The snake has just eaten, and the cold-blooded gecko doesn't register for the
39:37biper's heat-sensitive radar.
39:44Sometimes, the prey gets a well-deserved second chance.
39:58And the guardian of the forest gets to digest her meal in peace and safety.
40:07China's central and southern mountain ranges offer an astounding biodiversity of habitats,
40:14to both plants and animals.
40:24As the spring thaw reaches the highest peaks, the forests bustle with life once more.
40:34High up in the rocky crags, creatures emerge from their winter slumber.
40:45The Chinese mountain pit viper is still sluggish.
40:51The Chinese mountain pit viper is still sluggish.
40:51But the rising temperature tells her it's time to get going.
41:00Her cryptic camouflage disguises her as she moves deliberately through the leaf litter.
41:14She's gathering information from the air with her tongue, while she soaks in energy from the sun through her skin.
41:36The mountain viper doesn't lie in wait.
41:39She uses stealth and patience to hunt down her next meal.
42:08Her thermal pits lock on, like a heat-seeking missile.
42:35When she strikes, she doesn't let go.
42:38She uses venom and muscle to secure her prey.
42:54Her dual strategy of fang and force makes her one of the most efficient predators of all snakes.
43:12To the southwest of the mountain viper's range, the flush of spring has reached the montane forests.
43:29Another highly specialized snake emerges to profit from the new season.
43:36The red spotted pit viper.
43:39A statue of patience, it leads a low-metabolism lifestyle, essential for surviving long winters at high altitudes.
43:58The viper never knows how long it will wait for its next meal.
44:04But once its fangs have unleashed a dose of venom, dinner is imminent.
44:21The rodent won't get far.
44:47This time, the snake doesn't let go.
45:01Powerful venom is already breaking down its meal internally.
45:05All the snake needs to do is swallow.
45:12In its gloomy world, where sunlight rarely penetrates the canopy,
45:17its black skin acts as a solar net, absorbing warmth more efficiently.
45:29The red spotted viper is a masterpiece of evolution,
45:34carefully designed to thrive in a landscape few can inhabit.
45:43Whether they use fangs or force, stealth or speed,
45:50evolution has honed every snake into a highly efficient hunting machine,
45:55devoid of limbs to chase or grapple with prey.
45:59They're armed with some of the most sophisticated sensory organs,
46:03and some of the most potent venom in the animal kingdom.
46:08It's never been a better time to celebrate the secret world of snakes.
46:14Thanks.
46:15Thanks, thanks for connecting the soybean bacteria in the Dakota,
46:15if you look on the Predator.
46:15It's never gonna be found out there.
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