1 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:16,040 Life on Earth. 2 00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:21,120 Stunning... 3 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:23,640 ..spectacular... 4 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:26,200 ..and diverse. 5 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:28,480 LEMUR HOWLS 6 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:32,840 Endless forms, startling and beautiful. 7 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:36,760 Some animals amaze us with their speed... 8 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:40,840 ..their strength... 9 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:42,880 GORILLA GROWLS 10 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:44,880 ..or their intelligence. 11 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:57,080 Whilst others fascinate us by, well, being a bit odd. 12 00:00:58,320 --> 00:01:01,360 Creatures that don't normally grab the limelight. 13 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:02,960 Unconventional 14 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:04,920 and unusual. 15 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:09,880 Not the big stars, more the character actors. 16 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:15,800 Let me introduce you to nature's misfits. 17 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:21,480 I want to show you the extraordinary and rarely seen lives 18 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:24,000 of these evolutionary oddballs. 19 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:30,000 Their strange habits, their astounding forms 20 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:32,040 and the hurdles 21 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:34,320 they have to overcome. 22 00:01:34,320 --> 00:01:39,640 It's time nature's misfits got the credit they're due. 23 00:01:56,880 --> 00:02:01,680 Before we get going, let's be clear on what makes an animal a misfit. 24 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:11,600 For some it's because they appear ill-suited to their habitat. 25 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:18,320 Others have become so highly specialised in one way 26 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:21,560 that they seem disadvantaged in others. 27 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:27,680 But first we'll meet the misfits that stand out 28 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:31,520 because they're different from the rest of their animal family. 29 00:02:35,640 --> 00:02:39,480 So how do these oddities manage to survive? 30 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:46,560 Could it be that being different can actually give you an edge? 31 00:02:55,920 --> 00:02:58,160 Changqing in China. 32 00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:01,640 In these snowy hills lives a confused creature. 33 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:04,680 RUSTLING 34 00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:14,600 A giant panda. 35 00:03:17,640 --> 00:03:20,080 Pandas are bears. 36 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:23,680 Close relatives of grizzlies and polar bears. 37 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:28,560 And, of course, bears are ferocious carnivores. 38 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:33,080 But not the panda. 39 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:38,560 They have turned their back on their meat-eating past... 40 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:43,040 ..and gone veggie. 41 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:52,760 99% of their diet comes from a single plant. 42 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:56,960 Bamboo. 43 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:01,520 Making them a non-meat-eating carnivore. 44 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:04,760 A true misfit. 45 00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:22,880 In the depths of winter, most bears would be tucked up hibernating... 46 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:29,040 ..but not the panda. 47 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:35,640 The problem is bamboo contains so little energy that pandas 48 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:39,120 simply can't build up the fat reserves required to hibernate. 49 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:46,840 Instead, they endure the long freezing winters... 50 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:53,120 ..forcing down bamboo even when it's frozen stiff. 51 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:58,720 That's what all the nose twirling is about. 52 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:04,280 They're breaking up the ice. 53 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:13,240 A panda must eat up to 18 kilograms of bamboo a day... 54 00:05:14,280 --> 00:05:18,520 ..requiring them to feed continuously for 16 hours. 55 00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:27,040 This colossal consumption does have an inevitable consequence. 56 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:33,280 Pandas have to answer the call of nature 40 times a day. 57 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:41,920 Giant pandas are so dependent on bamboo 58 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:44,920 that it affects every aspect of their lives. 59 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:51,600 It even helps explain their relaxed attitude to reproduction. 60 00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:56,480 Spring. 61 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:01,000 Mating season for pandas. 62 00:06:05,840 --> 00:06:08,000 This female is on heat... 63 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:13,120 ..which has aroused the interest of a male. 64 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:19,880 She's only fertile for a few days and just once a year... 65 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:25,840 ..so she needs to get on with things. 66 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:29,600 PANDA GROWLS 67 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:36,520 That wasn't the response she was hoping for. 68 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:45,880 She decides to give it another go 69 00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:47,880 PANDA GROWLS 70 00:06:50,640 --> 00:06:53,080 Things aren't going well. 71 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:56,640 They both know why they're here 72 00:06:56,640 --> 00:06:59,880 but just can't seem to settle their differences. 73 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:07,000 Now he gingerly approaches her. 74 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:17,320 Finally it happens. 75 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:22,440 It's little wonder pandas have acquired 76 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:25,640 such a dubious track record for procreation. 77 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:31,320 But there is purpose to all this. 78 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:36,640 Pandas are so reliant on bamboo 79 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:39,880 that if their numbers were ever to dramatically increase 80 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:42,560 there might not be enough food to go round. 81 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:50,640 Being slow breeders means they can survive 82 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:53,520 whilst relying on just one food source. 83 00:07:56,120 --> 00:08:00,600 It all comes back to their veggie and very un-bear like diet. 84 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:05,880 For our next misfit, it's not their diet that marks them out 85 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:09,120 as different but their size that makes them stand out 86 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:11,440 from the rest of their kind. 87 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:23,360 Vivid colours, 88 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:25,600 incredible eyes... 89 00:08:29,240 --> 00:08:31,480 ..and a lethal weapon of a tongue. 90 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:43,840 You've got to love chameleons. 91 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:50,800 But there's one chameleon that is distinctly different. 92 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:57,080 It's down there, bang in the middle of that big leaf. 93 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:04,200 Meet the minute leaf chameleon... 94 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:08,640 ..one of the smallest reptiles on the planet. 95 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:15,840 Found only on one island off the coast of Madagascar, 96 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:19,600 it's a lizard the size of an ant. 97 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:23,480 Being this small is tough. 98 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:29,160 The world's a very dangerous place 99 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:31,800 when you can be mowed down by a millipede. 100 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:36,920 When it comes to finding a mate, 101 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:40,520 being a miniature misfit can make things rather complicated. 102 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:45,840 This is a male minute leaf chameleon. 103 00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:51,680 He's constantly keeping an eye out for a partner 104 00:09:51,680 --> 00:09:56,480 but, being so small, he rarely bumps into any others of his kind. 105 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:03,800 Should he find a potential mate, he has to make the most of it. 106 00:10:07,160 --> 00:10:09,080 A female. 107 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:20,760 It's an opportunity he can't let slip away... 108 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:24,200 ..so he makes his move. 109 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:29,680 This might not look very fast... 110 00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:35,400 ..but in chameleon terms this is a sprint - 111 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:38,600 a reckless headlong dash. 112 00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:50,600 And it nearly ends in disaster. 113 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:57,720 It'll take more than that to put him off his stride. 114 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:09,120 He's back on track. 115 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:24,560 Finally, he catches up with the larger female. 116 00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:37,120 Gently, he climbs aboard. 117 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:42,600 And here he'll stay. 118 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:02,880 Leaf chameleon lovers have to stick together 119 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:05,960 as they so rarely meet one another. 120 00:12:19,160 --> 00:12:22,640 Being miniature means leaf chameleons can specialise 121 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:25,720 at feeding on all the tiny insects in the leaf litter - 122 00:12:25,720 --> 00:12:28,520 food which is out of reach for other chameleons. 123 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:34,840 They're not the only misfits that benefit by doing things differently 124 00:12:34,840 --> 00:12:36,880 from the rest of their kind. 125 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:42,760 Purple frogs from India are one of just a handful of frogs 126 00:12:42,760 --> 00:12:46,000 that live and feed underground, a bit like moles. 127 00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:51,480 They only ever pop up to the surface for two weeks a year to find a mate. 128 00:12:53,080 --> 00:12:55,640 So there has to be some frog speed dating. 129 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:02,680 Flying lemurs have independently evolved wings. 130 00:13:05,080 --> 00:13:07,720 Technically they're gliding, not flying. 131 00:13:10,600 --> 00:13:13,200 And while they're certainly not lemurs... 132 00:13:14,240 --> 00:13:16,360 ..it's still one hell of a trick. 133 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:22,760 Flying fish are definitely fish. 134 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:27,560 They take to the air to avoid underwater predators... 135 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:33,560 ..gliding up to 400 metres. 136 00:13:42,680 --> 00:13:46,840 Sometimes, being a bit different works brilliantly. 137 00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:50,200 Other times, it can be risky. 138 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:53,440 High in the Bale Mountains of Ethiopia, 139 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:55,880 lives an unlikely looking creature 140 00:13:55,880 --> 00:13:59,600 which seems to have lost all sense of self preservation. 141 00:14:00,680 --> 00:14:05,840 This is the only place in the world where you find big-headed mole rats. 142 00:14:07,960 --> 00:14:10,480 They've not got high opinions of themselves... 143 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:14,960 ..just very large heads. 144 00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:20,440 It's the big-headed mole rat's lifestyle 145 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:22,600 that qualifies them as a misfit. 146 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:29,600 There are 36 different species of mole rats... 147 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:34,000 ..all specially adapted to live underground. 148 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:41,160 But the big-headed mole rat is different. 149 00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:48,880 They're the only one of their kind that always feeds above ground. 150 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:56,320 But round here that's not necessarily a great plan. 151 00:14:59,920 --> 00:15:05,080 These mountain plateaus are home to Ethiopian wolves. 152 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:22,320 Unusually for a wolf, they rarely hunt in packs. 153 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:28,200 They're specialist rat catchers... 154 00:15:30,120 --> 00:15:33,120 ..and work best as solitary hunters. 155 00:15:38,840 --> 00:15:41,080 Big-headed mole rat senses 156 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:44,320 are designed for their old burrowing lifestyle. 157 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:50,320 Feeble eyesight... 158 00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:53,680 ..and poor hearing. 159 00:16:06,600 --> 00:16:09,960 Above ground, they're sitting ducks. 160 00:16:25,880 --> 00:16:28,320 A very close shave. 161 00:16:32,480 --> 00:16:36,680 With the mole rat's determination to forage above the ground, 162 00:16:36,680 --> 00:16:40,080 they could really benefit from having a sentry - 163 00:16:40,080 --> 00:16:42,960 a look-out to check the coast is clear. 164 00:16:47,920 --> 00:16:50,360 And that's exactly what these are. 165 00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:52,560 Moorland chats. 166 00:16:52,560 --> 00:16:56,080 Expert foragers on these high mountain plateaus. 167 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:02,440 They hang around the mole rats... 168 00:17:05,200 --> 00:17:08,680 ..feeding on any bugs and worms dug up in their spoil heaps. 169 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:25,920 In return for this easy meal, 170 00:17:25,920 --> 00:17:30,000 the chats keep an eye out for troublesome wolves... 171 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:32,600 CHAT TWEETS 172 00:17:33,760 --> 00:17:36,880 ..alarm calling if they come too close. 173 00:18:00,040 --> 00:18:02,400 By choosing to feed above ground, 174 00:18:02,400 --> 00:18:05,120 big-headed mole rats have turned their backs 175 00:18:05,120 --> 00:18:07,560 on millions of years of evolution. 176 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:17,280 For this misfit, being able to get direct access to rich grass 177 00:18:17,280 --> 00:18:19,760 must outweigh the risk of being preyed on. 178 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:29,360 But sometimes there appears little logic 179 00:18:29,360 --> 00:18:31,920 as to why an animal has evolved to be different 180 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:34,000 from the rest of its animal family. 181 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:43,600 The primeval forests of New Zealand. 182 00:18:45,320 --> 00:18:48,560 Amongst the undergrowth, something stirs. 183 00:18:57,120 --> 00:18:59,360 A parrot, 184 00:18:59,360 --> 00:19:02,920 but a parrot unlike any other. 185 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:09,280 This is the world's heaviest and only flightless parrot. 186 00:19:16,640 --> 00:19:19,680 But that's just the start of its misfit credentials. 187 00:19:22,080 --> 00:19:24,320 For this is a kakapo. 188 00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:35,720 Kakapos can be surprisingly nimble on the ground. 189 00:19:42,160 --> 00:19:47,080 But that's no use to them when their favourite food is up in the trees. 190 00:19:51,160 --> 00:19:54,920 Reaching it isn't as easy as it perhaps should be. 191 00:20:05,120 --> 00:20:08,800 They awkwardly clamber around... 192 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:14,560 ..relying on their bill as an extra claw. 193 00:20:21,600 --> 00:20:24,040 It's all a bit embarrassing really... 194 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:27,280 ..for a bird. 195 00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:43,000 Kakapos evolved to be flightless 196 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:46,920 because there were no ground predators on New Zealand. 197 00:20:49,640 --> 00:20:52,680 When the first settlers arrived on these islands, 198 00:20:52,680 --> 00:20:56,480 their ships also contained cats, weasels and rats. 199 00:20:58,920 --> 00:21:02,640 When threatened, the kakapo's principle defence mechanism 200 00:21:02,640 --> 00:21:05,280 is to stand very, very still. 201 00:21:08,680 --> 00:21:13,320 This strategy has not worked out well for the kakapo. 202 00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:18,080 Now there are only 125 left in the wild, 203 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:21,600 which brings us to another major issue. 204 00:21:22,640 --> 00:21:27,240 Kakapos are one of the world's slowest breeding birds 205 00:21:27,240 --> 00:21:30,840 and have a delightfully eccentric mating ritual. 206 00:21:36,760 --> 00:21:38,200 Night. 207 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:43,560 This is when kakapos' minds turn to finding a mate. 208 00:21:45,920 --> 00:21:48,120 A male limbers up. 209 00:21:50,920 --> 00:21:56,360 He plods along a well-worn path, his personal stomping ground. 210 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:02,360 In a small hollow that he's carefully excavated, 211 00:22:02,360 --> 00:22:05,400 he settles down and calls out for a mate. 212 00:22:06,440 --> 00:22:08,440 KAKAPO BOOMS 213 00:22:16,640 --> 00:22:20,560 The deep, low tone drifts across the valleys. 214 00:22:22,680 --> 00:22:25,920 It can be heard up to three miles away. 215 00:22:28,800 --> 00:22:33,040 He'll do this for up to eight hours every night for three months. 216 00:22:37,520 --> 00:22:41,760 As is often the case, it's the females that are the picky ones. 217 00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:47,360 They're only interested in breeding once every five years. 218 00:22:48,280 --> 00:22:52,520 Despite his best efforts, it's not going to happen tonight... 219 00:22:53,760 --> 00:22:56,200 ..or any time soon by the looks of it. 220 00:23:01,120 --> 00:23:04,600 With no natural predators to keep a check on their population, 221 00:23:04,600 --> 00:23:07,560 kakapos evolved to be slow breeders. 222 00:23:10,200 --> 00:23:13,080 Happily, now their numbers are increasing again, 223 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:15,600 just very slowly. 224 00:23:17,680 --> 00:23:21,600 Being the world's most peculiar, ill-equipped and unlikely parrot 225 00:23:21,600 --> 00:23:25,560 more than qualifies the kakapo to join the misfit gang. 226 00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:32,640 Which brings us to our next set of non-conformists. 227 00:23:32,640 --> 00:23:36,160 Animals that all appear hopelessly ill-suited 228 00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:38,960 to the environment in which they live. 229 00:23:40,080 --> 00:23:43,640 Where better to start than a muddy shoreline in Japan? 230 00:23:53,480 --> 00:23:56,840 Mudskippers look like creatures that began to evolve, 231 00:23:56,840 --> 00:23:59,280 then got stuck halfway. 232 00:24:01,360 --> 00:24:04,560 A fish that can live out of water. 233 00:24:09,120 --> 00:24:11,920 Although hauling themselves along on their fins 234 00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:14,920 doesn't make it look like they've really cracked it yet. 235 00:24:15,960 --> 00:24:18,840 Survival is tough enough as it is 236 00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:22,440 so there must be a good reason to add that extra level of difficulty. 237 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:25,560 Well, it's all about the mud. 238 00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:33,040 It may not look appetising 239 00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:36,120 but mudskippers eat and thrive on mud. 240 00:24:39,160 --> 00:24:43,240 It's rich in tiny plants and animals which they filter out. 241 00:24:57,920 --> 00:25:02,400 And they've got a neat trick to stay alive in this hostile environment. 242 00:25:03,360 --> 00:25:06,800 To breathe on land, mudskippers store water in their cheeks, 243 00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:08,840 surrounding their gills... 244 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:17,560 ..every now and then topping up the oxygen levels in the water 245 00:25:17,560 --> 00:25:19,600 with a big gulp of air. 246 00:25:22,040 --> 00:25:25,280 They're not breathing the air directly. 247 00:25:25,280 --> 00:25:29,000 The air they're gulping in mixes with the water around their gills, 248 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:31,600 allowing them to draw out the oxygen. 249 00:25:42,160 --> 00:25:45,600 And they're also able to breathe directly through their skin. 250 00:25:47,640 --> 00:25:50,880 But, being a fish, and a tropical fish at that, 251 00:25:50,880 --> 00:25:53,560 they are taking a big risk. 252 00:25:59,040 --> 00:26:01,840 Drying out is their biggest danger. 253 00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:09,760 Only when their skin's wet can they breathe through it. 254 00:26:11,880 --> 00:26:14,840 If it dries out, they will quickly suffocate. 255 00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:22,560 To avoid this, they're constantly rolling around in the mud... 256 00:26:25,800 --> 00:26:28,240 ..in order to keep their skin moist. 257 00:26:40,240 --> 00:26:43,480 Mudskippers do seem to be rather disagreeable creatures. 258 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:51,600 But perhaps it's a result of having to eat mud every day. 259 00:27:22,080 --> 00:27:25,680 Our next metaphorical fish out of water 260 00:27:25,680 --> 00:27:28,600 is also a little ungainly on the land. 261 00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:42,600 Penguins - loved by all. 262 00:27:47,680 --> 00:27:50,320 They're certainly endearing creatures. 263 00:27:57,000 --> 00:27:59,240 Of course, we're used to seeing them 264 00:27:59,240 --> 00:28:01,880 in the frozen vastness of Antarctica, 265 00:28:01,880 --> 00:28:05,760 but there's one penguin that has chosen a different path. 266 00:28:09,640 --> 00:28:14,600 Yes, this is a penguin taking a stroll in a forest. 267 00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:18,640 It's a Fiordland crested penguin 268 00:28:18,640 --> 00:28:21,200 and this is South Island, New Zealand. 269 00:28:23,240 --> 00:28:25,640 They're here to raise their chicks. 270 00:28:29,120 --> 00:28:33,600 With no natural ground predators, it's a very safe place to nest. 271 00:28:37,800 --> 00:28:41,280 Like any self-respecting penguin, they still love fish... 272 00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:47,000 ..which are understandably in short supply in the forest. 273 00:28:50,400 --> 00:28:54,320 Every day, the adults shuffle back and forth to the sea to feed... 274 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:04,360 ..using crystal-clear forest streams as convenient highways. 275 00:29:16,240 --> 00:29:18,880 The chicks are left to fend for themselves 276 00:29:18,880 --> 00:29:22,520 and, like many young birds, they're rather clumsy on land. 277 00:29:26,200 --> 00:29:30,080 It's often early in life that animals seem most ill-suited 278 00:29:30,080 --> 00:29:32,080 to their environment... 279 00:29:34,680 --> 00:29:37,280 ..and face their greatest threats. 280 00:29:39,480 --> 00:29:44,480 A remote sandy spit in the middle of the Pacific. 281 00:29:45,480 --> 00:29:47,760 Black-footed albatross chicks. 282 00:29:48,960 --> 00:29:51,440 They've been raised on this tiny island 283 00:29:51,440 --> 00:29:54,320 and are now ready to take to the air. 284 00:29:55,680 --> 00:29:58,160 These are mythical birds of the open ocean, 285 00:29:58,160 --> 00:30:00,760 completely at one with their environment. 286 00:30:04,080 --> 00:30:06,840 Surely an albatross can't be a misfit. 287 00:30:09,640 --> 00:30:12,320 Once airborne, they're fine. 288 00:30:12,320 --> 00:30:16,760 It's that tricky learning process that puts them in the misfit camp. 289 00:30:17,840 --> 00:30:21,640 These ugly ducklings are cumbersome and awkward on land. 290 00:30:22,680 --> 00:30:26,720 And for a sea bird, they're pretty inept in the water too. 291 00:30:34,200 --> 00:30:37,640 Albatross are such huge birds they simply can't take off 292 00:30:37,640 --> 00:30:39,640 without a strong headwind... 293 00:30:40,720 --> 00:30:43,600 ..or a very long run up. 294 00:30:49,680 --> 00:30:52,560 The chicks practice along the shore. 295 00:30:56,640 --> 00:31:00,640 But eventually their maiden flight will have to be over open water. 296 00:31:07,560 --> 00:31:11,240 This is not the place to linger. 297 00:31:19,640 --> 00:31:21,440 Tiger sharks. 298 00:31:25,080 --> 00:31:27,320 A dozen of them are drawn to the island, 299 00:31:27,320 --> 00:31:29,720 purposely to prey on the fledging chicks. 300 00:32:02,800 --> 00:32:05,440 From the shore, others watch on... 301 00:32:07,160 --> 00:32:10,120 ..waiting for their moment. 302 00:32:18,120 --> 00:32:21,520 One chick builds up courage and sets off. 303 00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:35,520 No sooner is it airborne, the wind drops... 304 00:32:37,120 --> 00:32:39,000 ..it ditches. 305 00:33:12,080 --> 00:33:14,600 Amazingly, it escapes. 306 00:33:20,600 --> 00:33:22,840 Others also get away. 307 00:33:29,240 --> 00:33:32,120 Once airborne, they'll never look back... 308 00:33:33,200 --> 00:33:36,840 ..leaving their misfit phase behind them. 309 00:33:45,800 --> 00:33:48,240 Beneath the waves, deep down, 310 00:33:48,240 --> 00:33:51,880 is a creature that can't escape its misfit ways. 311 00:33:51,880 --> 00:33:55,560 Simply getting around is enough to give them a headache. 312 00:34:05,680 --> 00:34:09,960 A nautilus is the creature that time forgot - 313 00:34:09,960 --> 00:34:11,800 a living fossil. 314 00:34:14,840 --> 00:34:17,680 A primitive inhabitant of the deep sea 315 00:34:17,680 --> 00:34:20,560 which first evolved 400 million years ago. 316 00:34:22,160 --> 00:34:25,400 Distantly related to octopuses and squid, 317 00:34:25,400 --> 00:34:29,520 they're the sole survivors of a once abundant group of sea creatures. 318 00:34:32,120 --> 00:34:36,040 Having pottered around underwater for near on half a billion years, 319 00:34:36,040 --> 00:34:38,600 you might expect them to be perfectly adapted 320 00:34:38,600 --> 00:34:40,320 to life in the ocean. 321 00:34:41,400 --> 00:34:44,080 But, of course, we wouldn't be talking about them 322 00:34:44,080 --> 00:34:46,120 if that was the case. 323 00:34:52,240 --> 00:34:57,480 Nautili move by forcing water out of a specially adapted tentacle, 324 00:34:57,480 --> 00:35:00,960 using the same principle as a jet engine. 325 00:35:05,880 --> 00:35:09,680 But with their jet propulsion thrusting them shell first, 326 00:35:09,680 --> 00:35:12,560 their eyes are effectively pointing backwards... 327 00:35:20,000 --> 00:35:24,080 ..which makes them rather prone to the odd collision. 328 00:35:35,880 --> 00:35:39,560 With 400 million years of not knowing what hazards 329 00:35:39,560 --> 00:35:43,440 you're swimming into, it's amazing they've survived at all. 330 00:35:48,720 --> 00:35:51,720 They can't even avoid the relatives. 331 00:35:55,200 --> 00:35:58,640 Nautili are able to reverse directions. 332 00:35:58,640 --> 00:36:01,640 By bending their tentacle round under their shell, 333 00:36:01,640 --> 00:36:03,800 they can gingerly move forward. 334 00:36:07,640 --> 00:36:10,840 Although this doesn't appear to be any improvement. 335 00:36:18,120 --> 00:36:21,320 Nautili may struggle with getting around 336 00:36:21,320 --> 00:36:25,040 but having barely changed for hundreds of millions of years, 337 00:36:25,040 --> 00:36:27,520 it can't be doing them too much harm. 338 00:36:28,680 --> 00:36:31,560 At least their ocean home is pretty constant. 339 00:36:33,920 --> 00:36:37,080 Whereas our next misfit has to deal with 340 00:36:37,080 --> 00:36:41,000 some of the most extreme seasonal changes on the planet. 341 00:36:49,000 --> 00:36:50,600 The high Arctic. 342 00:36:52,080 --> 00:36:54,880 A bleak and inhospitable place. 343 00:36:55,920 --> 00:36:59,160 This is not where you'd expect to find 344 00:36:59,160 --> 00:37:00,600 a caterpillar. 345 00:37:03,760 --> 00:37:06,480 It's the start of summer 346 00:37:06,480 --> 00:37:09,600 and these Arctic woolly bear caterpillars 347 00:37:09,600 --> 00:37:12,200 are in a race against time. 348 00:37:14,840 --> 00:37:17,480 They feast while they can... 349 00:37:19,240 --> 00:37:22,320 ..making the most of long summer days. 350 00:37:26,880 --> 00:37:29,640 Their goal is to reach an optimum weight 351 00:37:29,640 --> 00:37:33,800 to enable them to pupate into a moth, completing their life cycle. 352 00:37:37,560 --> 00:37:41,200 But this far north, summer is brief. 353 00:37:44,680 --> 00:37:47,320 Soon the days begin to shorten. 354 00:37:50,360 --> 00:37:52,600 Winter is coming. 355 00:37:58,880 --> 00:38:04,080 This woolly bear has not managed to eat enough to transform into a moth. 356 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:08,640 Time has run out. 357 00:38:14,280 --> 00:38:19,000 As temperatures plummet, it settles under a rock to await its fate. 358 00:38:24,360 --> 00:38:28,360 Still alive, its body starts to freeze. 359 00:38:28,360 --> 00:38:31,280 Its heart stops beating... 360 00:38:32,320 --> 00:38:35,040 ..blood turned to ice. 361 00:38:43,360 --> 00:38:45,600 The depths of winter. 362 00:38:50,080 --> 00:38:54,760 For five months, temperatures won't rise above -30. 363 00:39:10,400 --> 00:39:13,640 Spring, and the thaw begins. 364 00:39:26,400 --> 00:39:30,480 The caterpillar miraculously rises from the dead... 365 00:39:31,520 --> 00:39:33,560 ..and begins to feed. 366 00:39:41,680 --> 00:39:44,520 But no matter how fast the woolly bears eat, 367 00:39:44,520 --> 00:39:48,080 they won't be able to pupate this year either. 368 00:39:52,640 --> 00:39:56,080 The cold closes in once again. 369 00:39:59,960 --> 00:40:04,440 The years pass, the seasons come and go, 370 00:40:04,440 --> 00:40:07,360 and still the caterpillars feed while they can, 371 00:40:07,360 --> 00:40:10,600 before being wrapped again in an icy embrace. 372 00:40:12,960 --> 00:40:15,600 By breaking down their cell components 373 00:40:15,600 --> 00:40:19,040 and flooding their bodies with anti-freeze chemicals, 374 00:40:19,040 --> 00:40:21,880 amazingly, the caterpillars can survive... 375 00:40:22,920 --> 00:40:28,080 ..withstanding temperatures as low as -70 degrees centigrade. 376 00:40:42,400 --> 00:40:46,080 Eventually, a very special summer arrives... 377 00:40:48,320 --> 00:40:50,760 ..as this will be its last. 378 00:40:52,560 --> 00:40:55,160 Only now has it eaten enough 379 00:40:55,160 --> 00:40:58,440 to make the transformation into an adult. 380 00:40:59,440 --> 00:41:02,720 It's seven years old. 381 00:41:02,720 --> 00:41:06,000 The world's oldest caterpillar. 382 00:41:19,560 --> 00:41:23,600 Days later, the adult moth emerges. 383 00:41:25,400 --> 00:41:28,600 It must now find a partner and mate. 384 00:41:32,880 --> 00:41:36,240 The woolly bears can only complete their life cycle 385 00:41:36,240 --> 00:41:38,560 because of their incredible adaptation. 386 00:41:42,120 --> 00:41:44,960 It's their extraordinary solution 387 00:41:44,960 --> 00:41:48,600 to living in such a hostile and marginal habitat. 388 00:41:54,760 --> 00:41:58,960 Many animals have unique adaptations that make them highly specialised. 389 00:42:02,280 --> 00:42:06,280 Marine iguanas are the only lizards on the planet that feed in the sea. 390 00:42:08,640 --> 00:42:12,000 Grabbing mouthfuls of seaweed whilst holding their breath. 391 00:42:17,480 --> 00:42:19,920 With a sticky 60cm tongue 392 00:42:19,920 --> 00:42:23,920 and some of the largest claws of any mammal, 393 00:42:23,920 --> 00:42:27,840 giant anteaters can devour 30,000 termites in a day. 394 00:42:30,880 --> 00:42:33,920 Their bodies are so highly specialised 395 00:42:33,920 --> 00:42:36,560 they can now only ever feed on these tiny insects. 396 00:42:39,040 --> 00:42:41,200 Which isn't a bad thing - 397 00:42:41,200 --> 00:42:45,080 by weight, termites are more protein rich than any other food source. 398 00:42:49,720 --> 00:42:52,760 Texas blind salamanders spend their entire lives 399 00:42:52,760 --> 00:42:54,840 in the pitch black of caves. 400 00:42:56,280 --> 00:42:59,120 With zero light, eyes would be utterly useless 401 00:42:59,120 --> 00:43:01,360 - a drain on precious energy. 402 00:43:02,560 --> 00:43:04,920 Now they sense their prey with receptor cells 403 00:43:04,920 --> 00:43:06,840 dotted along their bodies. 404 00:43:10,280 --> 00:43:14,560 But being such a specialist animal can also have its down sides. 405 00:43:22,840 --> 00:43:24,720 Vanuatu, in the South Pacific. 406 00:43:26,720 --> 00:43:30,240 On a pristine tropical island like this 407 00:43:30,240 --> 00:43:33,000 you might expect to find all manner of exotic looking crabs. 408 00:43:44,640 --> 00:43:46,480 But here there's a real oddity. 409 00:43:57,200 --> 00:43:59,360 This mighty beast... 410 00:44:00,760 --> 00:44:02,800 ..is a coconut crab. 411 00:44:05,680 --> 00:44:09,800 With a meter-wide leg span, weighing up to 4kg... 412 00:44:11,760 --> 00:44:14,240 ..this is the world's largest land invertebrate. 413 00:44:20,560 --> 00:44:25,400 The crabs have evolved to be giants to feast on a tropical delicacy. 414 00:44:28,440 --> 00:44:31,960 The clue is in the name but just to be clear, 415 00:44:31,960 --> 00:44:35,480 coconut crabs do actually eat coconuts. 416 00:44:38,320 --> 00:44:40,360 They're one of the few animals 417 00:44:40,360 --> 00:44:42,560 strong enough to break the tough husk. 418 00:44:47,200 --> 00:44:50,640 The whole process can take several hours... 419 00:44:53,880 --> 00:44:56,000 ..but the reward is well worth it. 420 00:45:03,120 --> 00:45:05,840 Coconut crabs' outlandish size and strength 421 00:45:05,840 --> 00:45:08,880 might be an advantage when it comes to feeding... 422 00:45:15,280 --> 00:45:18,240 ..but it can be fatal when it comes to reproducing. 423 00:45:20,720 --> 00:45:24,960 Like all crabs, these giants have to release their eggs in the sea. 424 00:45:28,600 --> 00:45:31,600 But unlike most crabs they can't breathe underwater. 425 00:45:35,960 --> 00:45:38,160 And because they've grown so heavy, 426 00:45:38,160 --> 00:45:42,640 if they're ever washed out of their depth they'll never recover, 427 00:45:42,640 --> 00:45:44,680 eventually drowning. 428 00:45:49,880 --> 00:45:54,040 A female, her belly bulging with eggs. 429 00:46:00,120 --> 00:46:03,320 Carefully she edges towards the pounding waves. 430 00:46:05,000 --> 00:46:08,000 One missed step could mean disaster. 431 00:46:19,800 --> 00:46:23,480 Clinging precariously to the edge, she quickly releases her eggs. 432 00:46:35,240 --> 00:46:38,120 Only when she reaches the shoreline will she be safe. 433 00:46:41,560 --> 00:46:44,160 Coconut crabs' incongruous size 434 00:46:44,160 --> 00:46:46,400 has evolved so they can feed on coconuts. 435 00:46:48,200 --> 00:46:51,880 They're not the only misfits whose very special diet 436 00:46:51,880 --> 00:46:54,320 has resulted in a very specialised body. 437 00:47:04,480 --> 00:47:08,000 Madagascar, in dead of night. 438 00:47:10,480 --> 00:47:12,920 A ghoulish creature awakes. 439 00:47:16,080 --> 00:47:19,840 Half bat, half monkey... 440 00:47:24,600 --> 00:47:27,440 ..and with a grotesquely elongated finger. 441 00:47:30,440 --> 00:47:35,160 The aye-aye is undoubtedly very peculiar. 442 00:47:35,160 --> 00:47:37,800 Like a cross between ET and Nosferatu. 443 00:47:37,800 --> 00:47:40,240 In fact it's a type of lemur, a primate, 444 00:47:40,240 --> 00:47:43,080 a misfit in our own animal family. 445 00:47:55,080 --> 00:47:59,160 Their curious features allow them to find their favourite food. 446 00:47:59,160 --> 00:48:01,160 AYE-AYE TAPS RAPIDLY 447 00:48:02,520 --> 00:48:06,560 That extraordinary finger taps at the branch up to ten times a second. 448 00:48:09,000 --> 00:48:11,080 AYE-AYE TAPS RAPIDLY 449 00:48:11,080 --> 00:48:13,720 Ears pick up on the unmistakable echo of a hollow. 450 00:48:17,120 --> 00:48:19,200 Teeth gnaw a hole. 451 00:48:23,440 --> 00:48:26,000 They're the only primates whose teeth grow constantly 452 00:48:26,000 --> 00:48:28,800 throughout their lives, just like rodents. 453 00:48:34,680 --> 00:48:39,320 Finally she hooks the prize - an insect grub. 454 00:48:43,920 --> 00:48:48,160 Aye-ayes feed almost exclusively on these grubs, 455 00:48:48,160 --> 00:48:50,320 fishing them out from rotten wood. 456 00:48:54,840 --> 00:48:57,800 Normally birds like woodpeckers would feed like this, 457 00:48:57,800 --> 00:49:00,280 using their bills to break through the wood. 458 00:49:02,720 --> 00:49:06,840 But woodpeckers never reached the aye-aye's island home of Madagascar. 459 00:49:09,200 --> 00:49:11,840 Instead these primitive primates have evolved 460 00:49:11,840 --> 00:49:13,960 to fill the woodpecker's niche, 461 00:49:13,960 --> 00:49:17,840 exploiting a resource that no other animal can get to. 462 00:49:22,400 --> 00:49:25,880 On first impressions, other misfits' strange bodies 463 00:49:25,880 --> 00:49:28,440 are much harder to explain. 464 00:49:40,480 --> 00:49:44,760 On the forest floor in Malaysia... 465 00:49:46,040 --> 00:49:48,520 ..an alien creature emerges. 466 00:49:52,280 --> 00:49:57,040 It's an insect, a type of fly, and this is a male. 467 00:50:07,520 --> 00:50:11,760 If you think he looks unearthly now, just wait to see what happens next. 468 00:50:26,200 --> 00:50:32,080 He starts by gulping in air, forming clear bubbles in his head. 469 00:50:36,280 --> 00:50:39,600 He forces these bubbles into the stalks supporting his eyes. 470 00:50:49,080 --> 00:50:52,360 Like blowing up a balloon, the stalks stretch, 471 00:50:52,360 --> 00:50:54,320 getting longer and longer. 472 00:51:10,600 --> 00:51:14,120 A few final adjustments 473 00:51:14,120 --> 00:51:16,760 and a couple of hours in the sun to let its skin go hard, 474 00:51:16,760 --> 00:51:18,840 and the look is complete. 475 00:51:22,040 --> 00:51:24,680 Meet the stalk-eyed fly. 476 00:51:28,360 --> 00:51:34,320 These bizarre stalks don't help the fly see any better, 477 00:51:34,320 --> 00:51:36,680 in fact, quite the opposite - 478 00:51:36,680 --> 00:51:40,240 it's thought they reduce the effectiveness of their eyesight. 479 00:51:40,240 --> 00:51:43,480 So there must be another benefit that's allowed these 480 00:51:43,480 --> 00:51:45,720 implausible appendages to evolve. 481 00:51:53,160 --> 00:51:55,680 In the evening a group of males gather. 482 00:51:58,200 --> 00:52:00,440 They size each other up... 483 00:52:01,480 --> 00:52:03,480 ..eyeball to eyeball. 484 00:52:09,160 --> 00:52:11,200 There's some aggressive posturing... 485 00:52:15,080 --> 00:52:17,600 ..but a full-on fight never breaks out. 486 00:52:21,320 --> 00:52:24,200 The stalks are sort of measuring sticks, 487 00:52:24,200 --> 00:52:27,280 a way to gauge how strong a rival is. 488 00:52:34,120 --> 00:52:38,040 As they square up, the male with the widest stalks wins. 489 00:52:47,800 --> 00:52:51,800 Males with broad stalks are also considered the more desirable 490 00:52:51,800 --> 00:52:55,480 by the females and will therefore produce the most offspring. 491 00:52:57,840 --> 00:53:01,880 It's sexual selection, rather than natural selection, 492 00:53:01,880 --> 00:53:05,840 that has allowed the stalk-eyed fly's unique appearance to evolve. 493 00:53:09,320 --> 00:53:12,560 Our final misfit has to be one of the most peculiar 494 00:53:12,560 --> 00:53:15,800 yet most endearing animals on the planet. 495 00:53:24,000 --> 00:53:27,880 It's not often you see a sloth in a rush. 496 00:53:29,680 --> 00:53:31,640 This is a three-toed sloth... 497 00:53:33,280 --> 00:53:35,280 ..a female... 498 00:53:36,920 --> 00:53:39,200 ..and she's ravenously hungry. 499 00:53:41,640 --> 00:53:43,720 It's the leaves that she's after. 500 00:53:47,080 --> 00:53:49,720 However in order to protect themselves, 501 00:53:49,720 --> 00:53:55,240 rainforest leaves are often tough, rubbery and full of toxins. 502 00:53:55,240 --> 00:53:58,040 They're indigestible and lacking in energy. 503 00:54:01,520 --> 00:54:03,520 But that hasn't stopped the sloth. 504 00:54:05,760 --> 00:54:10,240 With large, multi-chambered stomachs containing a unique mix of bacteria, 505 00:54:10,240 --> 00:54:12,280 they're able to deal with the tough leaves. 506 00:54:16,040 --> 00:54:18,560 But it's not a quick process. 507 00:54:22,240 --> 00:54:25,840 Sloths have the slowest digestion of any mammal. 508 00:54:27,120 --> 00:54:30,720 It can take them two weeks to process a single meal. 509 00:54:33,080 --> 00:54:35,840 And it's a hopelessly inefficient process. 510 00:54:39,480 --> 00:54:42,760 Sloths had two options... 511 00:54:45,720 --> 00:54:49,240 ..either they had to eat more or do less. 512 00:54:55,920 --> 00:54:58,000 Sloths evolved to do less. 513 00:55:02,320 --> 00:55:04,880 Their entire lifestyle is all about expending 514 00:55:04,880 --> 00:55:07,160 as little energy as possible. 515 00:55:10,120 --> 00:55:14,400 The word sloth has come to mean laziness but sloths aren't lazy, 516 00:55:14,400 --> 00:55:18,400 they've just developed a laid-back survival technique. 517 00:55:21,320 --> 00:55:24,680 Although watching them does make you feel like a nap. 518 00:55:31,400 --> 00:55:35,760 But their legendary lethargic manner does have a downside. 519 00:55:42,480 --> 00:55:44,520 Harpy eagles... 520 00:55:49,160 --> 00:55:51,640 JAGUAR ROARS ..and jaguars... 521 00:55:53,400 --> 00:55:55,400 ..both regularly hunt sloths. 522 00:56:02,040 --> 00:56:06,320 Without speed as a defence, sloths had to go down another route... 523 00:56:07,560 --> 00:56:09,560 ..camouflage. 524 00:56:12,400 --> 00:56:15,960 They've become the world's only vaguely green mammal. 525 00:56:19,440 --> 00:56:22,280 Of course, there are plenty of green bugs... 526 00:56:23,320 --> 00:56:25,520 ..green lizards... 527 00:56:26,960 --> 00:56:28,960 ..and green birds... 528 00:56:31,600 --> 00:56:34,240 ..but can you name another green mammal? 529 00:56:36,280 --> 00:56:38,240 There aren't any. 530 00:56:39,280 --> 00:56:41,360 So how have they done it? 531 00:56:42,400 --> 00:56:44,760 Their thick, coarse fur has evolved 532 00:56:44,760 --> 00:56:50,280 to house entire communities of algae, single celled plants. 533 00:56:52,720 --> 00:56:56,600 It's the algae that's turned them green, 534 00:56:56,600 --> 00:56:59,560 the perfect way to blend into the forest. 535 00:57:02,280 --> 00:57:05,720 Sloths may come across as comical and incongruous, 536 00:57:05,720 --> 00:57:10,360 but they're actually highly evolved and extremely well-adapted 537 00:57:10,360 --> 00:57:12,560 at their chosen way of life. 538 00:57:16,920 --> 00:57:19,400 In fact, all misfits prove 539 00:57:19,400 --> 00:57:22,520 that being different does give you an edge. 540 00:57:22,520 --> 00:57:24,520 It can make you very successful. 541 00:57:26,480 --> 00:57:32,040 The result is a group of wonderfully eccentric creatures, 542 00:57:32,040 --> 00:57:35,200 creatures we should be grateful we share our planet with. 543 00:57:41,480 --> 00:57:44,160 Yet now, largely due to our influence, 544 00:57:44,160 --> 00:57:48,400 over half of the animals in this programme are endangered. 545 00:57:55,320 --> 00:57:57,760 It's because these animals are so specialised 546 00:57:57,760 --> 00:58:01,400 they're often more prone to the threats that face all wildlife. 547 00:58:01,400 --> 00:58:04,760 That's why we should be looking out for them more than ever before. 548 00:58:06,280 --> 00:58:11,280 They deserve our admiration, these misfits, these quirks of nature, 549 00:58:11,280 --> 00:58:14,000 turning their oddness into opportunity. 550 00:58:14,000 --> 00:58:16,480 They might be a bit weird, 551 00:58:16,480 --> 00:58:19,080 but they're equal to any of the wonders of the planet, 552 00:58:19,080 --> 00:58:22,400 in the glorious spectacle that is life on Earth. 553 00:58:58,320 --> 00:58:58,680 Do you find it offensive? 554 00:58:58,680 --> 00:59:00,120 It doesn't read that everybody 555 00:59:00,120 --> 00:59:00,960 should find it offensive.