1 00:00:15,420 --> 00:00:16,940 Life on Earth. 2 00:00:19,900 --> 00:00:22,020 Stunning... 3 00:00:22,980 --> 00:00:24,420 ..spectacular... 4 00:00:25,500 --> 00:00:26,900 ..and diverse. 5 00:00:26,900 --> 00:00:29,300 LEMUR HOWLS 6 00:00:30,420 --> 00:00:33,580 Endless forms, startling and beautiful. 7 00:00:34,700 --> 00:00:37,460 Some animals amaze us with their speed... 8 00:00:39,380 --> 00:00:41,580 ..their strength... 9 00:00:41,580 --> 00:00:43,660 GORILLA GROWLS 10 00:00:43,660 --> 00:00:45,780 ..or their intelligence. 11 00:00:52,980 --> 00:00:57,900 Whilst others fascinate us by, well, being a bit odd. 12 00:00:58,940 --> 00:01:02,060 Creatures that don't normally grab the limelight. 13 00:01:02,060 --> 00:01:03,660 Unconventional 14 00:01:03,660 --> 00:01:05,700 and unusual. 15 00:01:07,460 --> 00:01:10,780 Not the big stars, more the character actors. 16 00:01:12,820 --> 00:01:16,660 Let me introduce you to nature's misfits. 17 00:01:18,460 --> 00:01:22,340 I want to show you the extraordinary and rarely seen lives 18 00:01:22,340 --> 00:01:24,860 of these evolutionary oddballs. 19 00:01:26,860 --> 00:01:30,780 Their strange habits, their astounding forms 20 00:01:30,780 --> 00:01:32,940 and the hurdles 21 00:01:32,940 --> 00:01:35,180 they have to overcome. 22 00:01:35,180 --> 00:01:40,420 It's time nature's misfits got the credit they're due. 23 00:01:57,700 --> 00:02:02,580 Before we get going, let's be clear on what makes an animal a misfit. 24 00:02:06,580 --> 00:02:12,380 For some it's because they appear ill-suited to their habitat. 25 00:02:15,380 --> 00:02:19,180 Others have become so highly specialised in one way 26 00:02:19,180 --> 00:02:22,340 that they seem disadvantaged in others. 27 00:02:25,140 --> 00:02:28,380 But first we'll meet the misfits that stand out 28 00:02:28,380 --> 00:02:32,260 because they're different from the rest of their animal family. 29 00:02:36,540 --> 00:02:40,300 So how do these oddities manage to survive? 30 00:02:42,620 --> 00:02:47,340 Could it be that being different can actually give you an edge? 31 00:02:56,740 --> 00:02:58,980 Changqing in China. 32 00:02:58,980 --> 00:03:02,500 In these snowy hills lives a confused creature. 33 00:03:03,500 --> 00:03:05,540 RUSTLING 34 00:03:13,380 --> 00:03:15,340 A giant panda. 35 00:03:18,340 --> 00:03:21,020 Pandas are bears. 36 00:03:21,020 --> 00:03:24,420 Close relatives of grizzlies and polar bears. 37 00:03:25,460 --> 00:03:29,340 And, of course, bears are ferocious carnivores. 38 00:03:32,140 --> 00:03:33,900 But not the panda. 39 00:03:35,620 --> 00:03:39,340 They have turned their back on their meat-eating past... 40 00:03:41,820 --> 00:03:43,940 ..and gone veggie. 41 00:03:49,060 --> 00:03:53,380 99% of their diet comes from a single plant. 42 00:03:55,900 --> 00:03:57,620 Bamboo. 43 00:03:59,180 --> 00:04:02,420 Making them a non-meat-eating carnivore. 44 00:04:03,820 --> 00:04:05,620 A true misfit. 45 00:04:18,700 --> 00:04:23,740 In the depths of winter, most bears would be tucked up hibernating... 46 00:04:27,860 --> 00:04:29,860 ..but not the panda. 47 00:04:32,420 --> 00:04:36,460 The problem is bamboo contains so little energy that pandas 48 00:04:36,460 --> 00:04:40,020 simply can't build up the fat reserves required to hibernate. 49 00:04:44,100 --> 00:04:47,700 Instead, they endure the long freezing winters... 50 00:04:49,780 --> 00:04:54,020 ..forcing down bamboo even when it's frozen stiff. 51 00:04:56,660 --> 00:04:59,500 That's what all the nose twirling is about. 52 00:05:02,380 --> 00:05:04,940 They're breaking up the ice. 53 00:05:09,180 --> 00:05:14,140 A panda must eat up to 18 kilograms of bamboo a day... 54 00:05:15,140 --> 00:05:19,380 ..requiring them to feed continuously for 16 hours. 55 00:05:22,220 --> 00:05:27,860 This colossal consumption does have an inevitable consequence. 56 00:05:29,420 --> 00:05:34,060 Pandas have to answer the call of nature 40 times a day. 57 00:05:39,700 --> 00:05:42,740 Giant pandas are so dependent on bamboo 58 00:05:42,740 --> 00:05:45,620 that it affects every aspect of their lives. 59 00:05:47,660 --> 00:05:52,420 It even helps explain their relaxed attitude to reproduction. 60 00:05:55,820 --> 00:05:57,340 Spring. 61 00:05:59,420 --> 00:06:01,820 Mating season for pandas. 62 00:06:06,460 --> 00:06:08,740 This female is on heat... 63 00:06:10,820 --> 00:06:13,820 ..which has aroused the interest of a male. 64 00:06:16,900 --> 00:06:20,740 She's only fertile for a few days and just once a year... 65 00:06:23,820 --> 00:06:26,660 ..so she needs to get on with things. 66 00:06:28,340 --> 00:06:30,460 PANDA GROWLS 67 00:06:34,180 --> 00:06:37,420 That wasn't the response she was hoping for. 68 00:06:44,100 --> 00:06:46,740 She decides to give it another go 69 00:06:46,740 --> 00:06:48,780 PANDA GROWLS 70 00:06:51,420 --> 00:06:53,860 Things aren't going well. 71 00:06:54,860 --> 00:06:57,540 They both know why they're here 72 00:06:57,540 --> 00:07:00,540 but just can't seem to settle their differences. 73 00:07:04,820 --> 00:07:07,900 Now he gingerly approaches her. 74 00:07:15,420 --> 00:07:18,060 Finally it happens. 75 00:07:20,500 --> 00:07:23,140 It's little wonder pandas have acquired 76 00:07:23,140 --> 00:07:26,380 such a dubious track record for procreation. 77 00:07:29,580 --> 00:07:32,100 But there is purpose to all this. 78 00:07:34,620 --> 00:07:37,460 Pandas are so reliant on bamboo 79 00:07:37,460 --> 00:07:40,620 that if their numbers were ever to dramatically increase 80 00:07:40,620 --> 00:07:43,380 there might not be enough food to go round. 81 00:07:48,300 --> 00:07:51,500 Being slow breeders means they can survive 82 00:07:51,500 --> 00:07:54,420 whilst relying on just one food source. 83 00:07:56,940 --> 00:08:01,300 It all comes back to their veggie and very un-bear like diet. 84 00:08:03,140 --> 00:08:06,700 For our next misfit, it's not their diet that marks them out 85 00:08:06,700 --> 00:08:09,860 as different but their size that makes them stand out 86 00:08:09,860 --> 00:08:12,260 from the rest of their kind. 87 00:08:21,380 --> 00:08:24,140 Vivid colours, 88 00:08:24,140 --> 00:08:26,420 incredible eyes... 89 00:08:29,900 --> 00:08:32,380 ..and a lethal weapon of a tongue. 90 00:08:42,060 --> 00:08:44,580 You've got to love chameleons. 91 00:08:47,940 --> 00:08:51,700 But there's one chameleon that is distinctly different. 92 00:08:54,140 --> 00:08:57,780 It's down there, bang in the middle of that big leaf. 93 00:09:01,860 --> 00:09:05,020 Meet the minute leaf chameleon... 94 00:09:05,940 --> 00:09:09,380 ..one of the smallest reptiles on the planet. 95 00:09:13,540 --> 00:09:16,620 Found only on one island off the coast of Madagascar, 96 00:09:16,620 --> 00:09:20,380 it's a lizard the size of an ant. 97 00:09:22,060 --> 00:09:24,220 Being this small is tough. 98 00:09:27,620 --> 00:09:29,860 The world's a very dangerous place 99 00:09:29,860 --> 00:09:32,660 when you can be mowed down by a millipede. 100 00:09:35,340 --> 00:09:37,620 When it comes to finding a mate, 101 00:09:37,620 --> 00:09:41,380 being a miniature misfit can make things rather complicated. 102 00:09:43,420 --> 00:09:46,580 This is a male minute leaf chameleon. 103 00:09:49,340 --> 00:09:52,460 He's constantly keeping an eye out for a partner 104 00:09:52,460 --> 00:09:57,260 but, being so small, he rarely bumps into any others of his kind. 105 00:10:00,500 --> 00:10:04,580 Should he find a potential mate, he has to make the most of it. 106 00:10:07,820 --> 00:10:09,860 A female. 107 00:10:17,900 --> 00:10:21,580 It's an opportunity he can't let slip away... 108 00:10:22,860 --> 00:10:25,060 ..so he makes his move. 109 00:10:27,700 --> 00:10:30,500 This might not look very fast... 110 00:10:32,460 --> 00:10:36,060 ..but in chameleon terms this is a sprint - 111 00:10:36,060 --> 00:10:39,380 a reckless headlong dash. 112 00:10:48,900 --> 00:10:51,420 And it nearly ends in disaster. 113 00:10:55,180 --> 00:10:58,540 It'll take more than that to put him off his stride. 114 00:11:07,860 --> 00:11:09,820 He's back on track. 115 00:11:21,660 --> 00:11:25,380 Finally, he catches up with the larger female. 116 00:11:34,980 --> 00:11:37,860 Gently, he climbs aboard. 117 00:11:41,340 --> 00:11:43,300 And here he'll stay. 118 00:12:00,380 --> 00:12:03,620 Leaf chameleon lovers have to stick together 119 00:12:03,620 --> 00:12:06,900 as they so rarely meet one another. 120 00:12:19,900 --> 00:12:23,340 Being miniature means leaf chameleons can specialise 121 00:12:23,340 --> 00:12:26,420 at feeding on all the tiny insects in the leaf litter - 122 00:12:26,420 --> 00:12:29,420 food which is out of reach for other chameleons. 123 00:12:31,860 --> 00:12:35,700 They're not the only misfits that benefit by doing things differently 124 00:12:35,700 --> 00:12:37,740 from the rest of their kind. 125 00:12:39,900 --> 00:12:43,460 Purple frogs from India are one of just a handful of frogs 126 00:12:43,460 --> 00:12:46,900 that live and feed underground, a bit like moles. 127 00:12:48,140 --> 00:12:52,220 They only ever pop up to the surface for two weeks a year to find a mate. 128 00:12:53,660 --> 00:12:56,460 So there has to be some frog speed dating. 129 00:12:59,500 --> 00:13:03,540 Flying lemurs have independently evolved wings. 130 00:13:05,900 --> 00:13:08,620 Technically they're gliding, not flying. 131 00:13:11,460 --> 00:13:14,020 And while they're certainly not lemurs... 132 00:13:15,020 --> 00:13:17,140 ..it's still one hell of a trick. 133 00:13:20,780 --> 00:13:23,540 Flying fish are definitely fish. 134 00:13:24,900 --> 00:13:28,300 They take to the air to avoid underwater predators... 135 00:13:31,100 --> 00:13:34,340 ..gliding up to 400 metres. 136 00:13:43,420 --> 00:13:47,620 Sometimes, being a bit different works brilliantly. 137 00:13:47,620 --> 00:13:50,940 Other times, it can be risky. 138 00:13:50,940 --> 00:13:54,100 High in the Bale Mountains of Ethiopia, 139 00:13:54,100 --> 00:13:56,660 lives an unlikely looking creature 140 00:13:56,660 --> 00:14:00,420 which seems to have lost all sense of self preservation. 141 00:14:01,460 --> 00:14:06,620 This is the only place in the world where you find big-headed mole rats. 142 00:14:08,700 --> 00:14:11,340 They've not got high opinions of themselves... 143 00:14:12,860 --> 00:14:15,700 ..just very large heads. 144 00:14:18,340 --> 00:14:21,140 It's the big-headed mole rat's lifestyle 145 00:14:21,140 --> 00:14:23,380 that qualifies them as a misfit. 146 00:14:26,660 --> 00:14:30,300 There are 36 different species of mole rats... 147 00:14:32,060 --> 00:14:34,740 ..all specially adapted to live underground. 148 00:14:38,500 --> 00:14:41,820 But the big-headed mole rat is different. 149 00:14:45,140 --> 00:14:49,660 They're the only one of their kind that always feeds above ground. 150 00:14:52,940 --> 00:14:57,100 But round here that's not necessarily a great plan. 151 00:15:00,740 --> 00:15:05,860 These mountain plateaus are home to Ethiopian wolves. 152 00:15:19,460 --> 00:15:23,100 Unusually for a wolf, they rarely hunt in packs. 153 00:15:25,740 --> 00:15:28,980 They're specialist rat catchers... 154 00:15:30,820 --> 00:15:33,900 ..and work best as solitary hunters. 155 00:15:39,580 --> 00:15:41,900 Big-headed mole rat senses 156 00:15:41,900 --> 00:15:45,100 are designed for their old burrowing lifestyle. 157 00:15:48,860 --> 00:15:51,100 Feeble eyesight... 158 00:15:52,140 --> 00:15:54,340 ..and poor hearing. 159 00:16:07,380 --> 00:16:10,820 Above ground, they're sitting ducks. 160 00:16:26,660 --> 00:16:29,140 A very close shave. 161 00:16:33,300 --> 00:16:37,460 With the mole rat's determination to forage above the ground, 162 00:16:37,460 --> 00:16:40,900 they could really benefit from having a sentry - 163 00:16:40,900 --> 00:16:43,780 a look-out to check the coast is clear. 164 00:16:48,700 --> 00:16:51,100 And that's exactly what these are. 165 00:16:51,100 --> 00:16:53,300 Moorland chats. 166 00:16:53,300 --> 00:16:56,820 Expert foragers on these high mountain plateaus. 167 00:17:00,860 --> 00:17:03,140 They hang around the mole rats... 168 00:17:05,900 --> 00:17:09,540 ..feeding on any bugs and worms dug up in their spoil heaps. 169 00:17:24,380 --> 00:17:26,620 In return for this easy meal, 170 00:17:26,620 --> 00:17:30,860 the chats keep an eye out for troublesome wolves... 171 00:17:30,860 --> 00:17:33,460 CHAT TWEETS 172 00:17:34,540 --> 00:17:37,780 ..alarm calling if they come too close. 173 00:18:00,860 --> 00:18:03,180 By choosing to feed above ground, 174 00:18:03,180 --> 00:18:05,900 big-headed mole rats have turned their backs 175 00:18:05,900 --> 00:18:08,420 on millions of years of evolution. 176 00:18:13,140 --> 00:18:17,860 For this misfit, being able to get direct access to rich grass 177 00:18:17,860 --> 00:18:20,580 must outweigh the risk of being preyed on. 178 00:18:27,700 --> 00:18:30,220 But sometimes there appears little logic 179 00:18:30,220 --> 00:18:32,620 as to why an animal has evolved to be different 180 00:18:32,620 --> 00:18:34,860 from the rest of its animal family. 181 00:18:41,340 --> 00:18:44,380 The primeval forests of New Zealand. 182 00:18:46,260 --> 00:18:49,340 Amongst the undergrowth, something stirs. 183 00:18:57,820 --> 00:19:00,100 A parrot, 184 00:19:00,100 --> 00:19:03,580 but a parrot unlike any other. 185 00:19:04,740 --> 00:19:09,980 This is the world's heaviest and only flightless parrot. 186 00:19:17,460 --> 00:19:20,540 But that's just the start of its misfit credentials. 187 00:19:22,780 --> 00:19:25,100 For this is a kakapo. 188 00:19:32,980 --> 00:19:36,620 Kakapos can be surprisingly nimble on the ground. 189 00:19:42,940 --> 00:19:47,900 But that's no use to them when their favourite food is up in the trees. 190 00:19:51,900 --> 00:19:55,660 Reaching it isn't as easy as it perhaps should be. 191 00:20:05,820 --> 00:20:09,660 They awkwardly clamber around... 192 00:20:12,700 --> 00:20:15,380 ..relying on their bill as an extra claw. 193 00:20:22,380 --> 00:20:24,940 It's all a bit embarrassing really... 194 00:20:25,900 --> 00:20:28,100 ..for a bird. 195 00:20:40,100 --> 00:20:43,820 Kakapos evolved to be flightless 196 00:20:43,820 --> 00:20:47,620 because there were no ground predators on New Zealand. 197 00:20:50,340 --> 00:20:53,420 When the first settlers arrived on these islands, 198 00:20:53,420 --> 00:20:57,300 their ships also contained cats, weasels and rats. 199 00:20:59,700 --> 00:21:03,340 When threatened, the kakapo's principle defence mechanism 200 00:21:03,340 --> 00:21:06,100 is to stand very, very still. 201 00:21:09,460 --> 00:21:14,180 This strategy has not worked out well for the kakapo. 202 00:21:15,140 --> 00:21:18,940 Now there are only 125 left in the wild, 203 00:21:18,940 --> 00:21:22,380 which brings us to another major issue. 204 00:21:23,500 --> 00:21:27,980 Kakapos are one of the world's slowest breeding birds 205 00:21:27,980 --> 00:21:31,580 and have a delightfully eccentric mating ritual. 206 00:21:37,380 --> 00:21:38,980 Night. 207 00:21:40,060 --> 00:21:44,380 This is when kakapos' minds turn to finding a mate. 208 00:21:46,580 --> 00:21:48,860 A male limbers up. 209 00:21:51,700 --> 00:21:57,180 He plods along a well-worn path, his personal stomping ground. 210 00:22:00,220 --> 00:22:03,180 In a small hollow that he's carefully excavated, 211 00:22:03,180 --> 00:22:06,180 he settles down and calls out for a mate. 212 00:22:07,180 --> 00:22:09,300 KAKAPO BOOMS 213 00:22:17,500 --> 00:22:21,340 The deep, low tone drifts across the valleys. 214 00:22:23,420 --> 00:22:26,660 It can be heard up to three miles away. 215 00:22:29,460 --> 00:22:33,900 He'll do this for up to eight hours every night for three months. 216 00:22:38,220 --> 00:22:42,660 As is often the case, it's the females that are the picky ones. 217 00:22:43,900 --> 00:22:48,020 They're only interested in breeding once every five years. 218 00:22:49,020 --> 00:22:53,420 Despite his best efforts, it's not going to happen tonight... 219 00:22:54,500 --> 00:22:56,860 ..or any time soon by the looks of it. 220 00:23:01,980 --> 00:23:05,380 With no natural predators to keep a check on their population, 221 00:23:05,380 --> 00:23:08,420 kakapos evolved to be slow breeders. 222 00:23:10,940 --> 00:23:13,900 Happily, now their numbers are increasing again, 223 00:23:13,900 --> 00:23:16,420 just very slowly. 224 00:23:18,420 --> 00:23:22,340 Being the world's most peculiar, ill-equipped and unlikely parrot 225 00:23:22,340 --> 00:23:26,380 more than qualifies the kakapo to join the misfit gang. 226 00:23:29,100 --> 00:23:33,460 Which brings us to our next set of non-conformists. 227 00:23:33,460 --> 00:23:36,940 Animals that all appear hopelessly ill-suited 228 00:23:36,940 --> 00:23:39,740 to the environment in which they live. 229 00:23:40,780 --> 00:23:44,420 Where better to start than a muddy shoreline in Japan? 230 00:23:54,380 --> 00:23:57,620 Mudskippers look like creatures that began to evolve, 231 00:23:57,620 --> 00:24:00,060 then got stuck halfway. 232 00:24:02,100 --> 00:24:05,380 A fish that can live out of water. 233 00:24:09,860 --> 00:24:12,700 Although hauling themselves along on their fins 234 00:24:12,700 --> 00:24:15,740 doesn't make it look like they've really cracked it yet. 235 00:24:16,740 --> 00:24:19,420 Survival is tough enough as it is 236 00:24:19,420 --> 00:24:23,220 so there must be a good reason to add that extra level of difficulty. 237 00:24:24,220 --> 00:24:26,420 Well, it's all about the mud. 238 00:24:31,340 --> 00:24:33,780 It may not look appetising 239 00:24:33,780 --> 00:24:36,860 but mudskippers eat and thrive on mud. 240 00:24:39,900 --> 00:24:44,020 It's rich in tiny plants and animals which they filter out. 241 00:24:58,740 --> 00:25:03,060 And they've got a neat trick to stay alive in this hostile environment. 242 00:25:04,180 --> 00:25:07,540 To breathe on land, mudskippers store water in their cheeks, 243 00:25:07,540 --> 00:25:09,540 surrounding their gills... 244 00:25:14,660 --> 00:25:18,300 ..every now and then topping up the oxygen levels in the water 245 00:25:18,300 --> 00:25:20,380 with a big gulp of air. 246 00:25:22,740 --> 00:25:26,020 They're not breathing the air directly. 247 00:25:26,020 --> 00:25:29,820 The air they're gulping in mixes with the water around their gills, 248 00:25:29,820 --> 00:25:32,340 allowing them to draw out the oxygen. 249 00:25:42,860 --> 00:25:46,340 And they're also able to breathe directly through their skin. 250 00:25:48,460 --> 00:25:51,580 But, being a fish, and a tropical fish at that, 251 00:25:51,580 --> 00:25:54,420 they are taking a big risk. 252 00:25:59,900 --> 00:26:02,540 Drying out is their biggest danger. 253 00:26:06,420 --> 00:26:10,540 Only when their skin's wet can they breathe through it. 254 00:26:12,700 --> 00:26:15,700 If it dries out, they will quickly suffocate. 255 00:26:19,420 --> 00:26:23,420 To avoid this, they're constantly rolling around in the mud... 256 00:26:26,660 --> 00:26:29,020 ..in order to keep their skin moist. 257 00:26:40,900 --> 00:26:44,260 Mudskippers do seem to be rather disagreeable creatures. 258 00:26:49,300 --> 00:26:52,380 But perhaps it's a result of having to eat mud every day. 259 00:27:22,980 --> 00:27:26,460 Our next metaphorical fish out of water 260 00:27:26,460 --> 00:27:29,420 is also a little ungainly on the land. 261 00:27:40,380 --> 00:27:43,420 Penguins - loved by all. 262 00:27:48,420 --> 00:27:51,100 They're certainly endearing creatures. 263 00:27:57,660 --> 00:27:59,860 Of course, we're used to seeing them 264 00:27:59,860 --> 00:28:02,620 in the frozen vastness of Antarctica, 265 00:28:02,620 --> 00:28:06,660 but there's one penguin that has chosen a different path. 266 00:28:10,420 --> 00:28:15,420 Yes, this is a penguin taking a stroll in a forest. 267 00:28:16,420 --> 00:28:19,460 It's a Fiordland crested penguin 268 00:28:19,460 --> 00:28:22,100 and this is South Island, New Zealand. 269 00:28:24,060 --> 00:28:26,340 They're here to raise their chicks. 270 00:28:29,860 --> 00:28:34,340 With no natural ground predators, it's a very safe place to nest. 271 00:28:38,580 --> 00:28:42,140 Like any self-respecting penguin, they still love fish... 272 00:28:44,140 --> 00:28:47,740 ..which are understandably in short supply in the forest. 273 00:28:51,180 --> 00:28:55,140 Every day, the adults shuffle back and forth to the sea to feed... 274 00:29:00,100 --> 00:29:05,180 ..using crystal-clear forest streams as convenient highways. 275 00:29:16,980 --> 00:29:19,740 The chicks are left to fend for themselves 276 00:29:19,740 --> 00:29:23,420 and, like many young birds, they're rather clumsy on land. 277 00:29:26,980 --> 00:29:30,900 It's often early in life that animals seem most ill-suited 278 00:29:30,900 --> 00:29:32,860 to their environment... 279 00:29:35,260 --> 00:29:38,100 ..and face their greatest threats. 280 00:29:40,300 --> 00:29:45,220 A remote sandy spit in the middle of the Pacific. 281 00:29:46,220 --> 00:29:48,620 Black-footed albatross chicks. 282 00:29:49,700 --> 00:29:52,100 They've been raised on this tiny island 283 00:29:52,100 --> 00:29:55,140 and are now ready to take to the air. 284 00:29:56,420 --> 00:29:58,940 These are mythical birds of the open ocean, 285 00:29:58,940 --> 00:30:01,620 completely at one with their environment. 286 00:30:04,900 --> 00:30:07,540 Surely an albatross can't be a misfit. 287 00:30:10,340 --> 00:30:13,220 Once airborne, they're fine. 288 00:30:13,220 --> 00:30:17,660 It's that tricky learning process that puts them in the misfit camp. 289 00:30:18,660 --> 00:30:22,340 These ugly ducklings are cumbersome and awkward on land. 290 00:30:23,460 --> 00:30:27,460 And for a sea bird, they're pretty inept in the water too. 291 00:30:34,980 --> 00:30:38,380 Albatross are such huge birds they simply can't take off 292 00:30:38,380 --> 00:30:40,420 without a strong headwind... 293 00:30:41,420 --> 00:30:44,380 ..or a very long run up. 294 00:30:50,380 --> 00:30:53,420 The chicks practice along the shore. 295 00:30:57,500 --> 00:31:01,340 But eventually their maiden flight will have to be over open water. 296 00:31:08,340 --> 00:31:12,140 This is not the place to linger. 297 00:31:20,380 --> 00:31:22,260 Tiger sharks. 298 00:31:25,900 --> 00:31:28,180 A dozen of them are drawn to the island, 299 00:31:28,180 --> 00:31:30,540 purposely to prey on the fledging chicks. 300 00:32:03,660 --> 00:32:06,140 From the shore, others watch on... 301 00:32:07,900 --> 00:32:11,020 ..waiting for their moment. 302 00:32:18,980 --> 00:32:22,380 One chick builds up courage and sets off. 303 00:32:33,180 --> 00:32:36,420 No sooner is it airborne, the wind drops... 304 00:32:37,820 --> 00:32:39,860 ..it ditches. 305 00:33:12,860 --> 00:33:15,340 Amazingly, it escapes. 306 00:33:21,420 --> 00:33:23,620 Others also get away. 307 00:33:30,060 --> 00:33:32,860 Once airborne, they'll never look back... 308 00:33:33,940 --> 00:33:37,620 ..leaving their misfit phase behind them. 309 00:33:46,660 --> 00:33:48,980 Beneath the waves, deep down, 310 00:33:48,980 --> 00:33:52,660 is a creature that can't escape its misfit ways. 311 00:33:52,660 --> 00:33:56,380 Simply getting around is enough to give them a headache. 312 00:34:06,420 --> 00:34:10,660 A nautilus is the creature that time forgot - 313 00:34:10,660 --> 00:34:12,620 a living fossil. 314 00:34:15,660 --> 00:34:18,420 A primitive inhabitant of the deep sea 315 00:34:18,420 --> 00:34:21,460 which first evolved 400 million years ago. 316 00:34:22,860 --> 00:34:26,180 Distantly related to octopuses and squid, 317 00:34:26,180 --> 00:34:30,380 they're the sole survivors of a once abundant group of sea creatures. 318 00:34:32,940 --> 00:34:36,700 Having pottered around underwater for near on half a billion years, 319 00:34:36,700 --> 00:34:39,420 you might expect them to be perfectly adapted 320 00:34:39,420 --> 00:34:41,100 to life in the ocean. 321 00:34:42,180 --> 00:34:44,860 But, of course, we wouldn't be talking about them 322 00:34:44,860 --> 00:34:46,860 if that was the case. 323 00:34:53,100 --> 00:34:58,220 Nautili move by forcing water out of a specially adapted tentacle, 324 00:34:58,220 --> 00:35:01,660 using the same principle as a jet engine. 325 00:35:06,740 --> 00:35:10,420 But with their jet propulsion thrusting them shell first, 326 00:35:10,420 --> 00:35:13,420 their eyes are effectively pointing backwards... 327 00:35:20,780 --> 00:35:24,860 ..which makes them rather prone to the odd collision. 328 00:35:36,740 --> 00:35:40,340 With 400 million years of not knowing what hazards 329 00:35:40,340 --> 00:35:44,300 you're swimming into, it's amazing they've survived at all. 330 00:35:49,380 --> 00:35:52,540 They can't even avoid the relatives. 331 00:35:55,940 --> 00:35:59,500 Nautili are able to reverse directions. 332 00:35:59,500 --> 00:36:02,380 By bending their tentacle round under their shell, 333 00:36:02,380 --> 00:36:04,620 they can gingerly move forward. 334 00:36:08,500 --> 00:36:11,620 Although this doesn't appear to be any improvement. 335 00:36:18,860 --> 00:36:22,100 Nautili may struggle with getting around 336 00:36:22,100 --> 00:36:25,780 but having barely changed for hundreds of millions of years, 337 00:36:25,780 --> 00:36:28,380 it can't be doing them too much harm. 338 00:36:29,420 --> 00:36:32,380 At least their ocean home is pretty constant. 339 00:36:34,700 --> 00:36:37,980 Whereas our next misfit has to deal with 340 00:36:37,980 --> 00:36:41,780 some of the most extreme seasonal changes on the planet. 341 00:36:49,580 --> 00:36:51,340 The high Arctic. 342 00:36:52,780 --> 00:36:55,660 A bleak and inhospitable place. 343 00:36:56,660 --> 00:36:59,900 This is not where you'd expect to find 344 00:36:59,900 --> 00:37:01,340 a caterpillar. 345 00:37:04,540 --> 00:37:07,220 It's the start of summer 346 00:37:07,220 --> 00:37:10,420 and these Arctic woolly bear caterpillars 347 00:37:10,420 --> 00:37:13,060 are in a race against time. 348 00:37:15,580 --> 00:37:18,300 They feast while they can... 349 00:37:20,020 --> 00:37:23,020 ..making the most of long summer days. 350 00:37:27,660 --> 00:37:30,420 Their goal is to reach an optimum weight 351 00:37:30,420 --> 00:37:34,620 to enable them to pupate into a moth, completing their life cycle. 352 00:37:38,380 --> 00:37:41,940 But this far north, summer is brief. 353 00:37:45,340 --> 00:37:48,020 Soon the days begin to shorten. 354 00:37:51,060 --> 00:37:53,380 Winter is coming. 355 00:37:59,620 --> 00:38:04,900 This woolly bear has not managed to eat enough to transform into a moth. 356 00:38:06,660 --> 00:38:09,460 Time has run out. 357 00:38:14,860 --> 00:38:19,900 As temperatures plummet, it settles under a rock to await its fate. 358 00:38:25,180 --> 00:38:29,180 Still alive, its body starts to freeze. 359 00:38:29,180 --> 00:38:32,060 Its heart stops beating... 360 00:38:33,100 --> 00:38:35,860 ..blood turned to ice. 361 00:38:44,100 --> 00:38:46,380 The depths of winter. 362 00:38:51,020 --> 00:38:55,620 For five months, temperatures won't rise above -30. 363 00:39:11,100 --> 00:39:14,420 Spring, and the thaw begins. 364 00:39:27,180 --> 00:39:31,300 The caterpillar miraculously rises from the dead... 365 00:39:32,260 --> 00:39:34,460 ..and begins to feed. 366 00:39:42,460 --> 00:39:45,460 But no matter how fast the woolly bears eat, 367 00:39:45,460 --> 00:39:48,900 they won't be able to pupate this year either. 368 00:39:53,340 --> 00:39:56,820 The cold closes in once again. 369 00:40:00,740 --> 00:40:05,060 The years pass, the seasons come and go, 370 00:40:05,060 --> 00:40:08,220 and still the caterpillars feed while they can, 371 00:40:08,220 --> 00:40:11,220 before being wrapped again in an icy embrace. 372 00:40:13,820 --> 00:40:16,460 By breaking down their cell components 373 00:40:16,460 --> 00:40:19,700 and flooding their bodies with anti-freeze chemicals, 374 00:40:19,700 --> 00:40:22,580 amazingly, the caterpillars can survive... 375 00:40:23,620 --> 00:40:28,900 ..withstanding temperatures as low as -70 degrees centigrade. 376 00:40:43,140 --> 00:40:46,820 Eventually, a very special summer arrives... 377 00:40:49,060 --> 00:40:51,620 ..as this will be its last. 378 00:40:53,380 --> 00:40:55,940 Only now has it eaten enough 379 00:40:55,940 --> 00:40:59,180 to make the transformation into an adult. 380 00:41:00,140 --> 00:41:03,420 It's seven years old. 381 00:41:03,420 --> 00:41:06,860 The world's oldest caterpillar. 382 00:41:20,380 --> 00:41:24,380 Days later, the adult moth emerges. 383 00:41:25,940 --> 00:41:29,420 It must now find a partner and mate. 384 00:41:33,700 --> 00:41:37,020 The woolly bears can only complete their life cycle 385 00:41:37,020 --> 00:41:39,380 because of their incredible adaptation. 386 00:41:42,860 --> 00:41:45,700 It's their extraordinary solution 387 00:41:45,700 --> 00:41:49,380 to living in such a hostile and marginal habitat. 388 00:41:55,500 --> 00:41:59,660 Many animals have unique adaptations that make them highly specialised. 389 00:42:03,100 --> 00:42:07,020 Marine iguanas are the only lizards on the planet that feed in the sea. 390 00:42:09,460 --> 00:42:12,900 Grabbing mouthfuls of seaweed whilst holding their breath. 391 00:42:18,140 --> 00:42:20,620 With a sticky 60cm tongue 392 00:42:20,620 --> 00:42:24,700 and some of the largest claws of any mammal, 393 00:42:24,700 --> 00:42:28,500 giant anteaters can devour 30,000 termites in a day. 394 00:42:31,820 --> 00:42:34,660 Their bodies are so highly specialised 395 00:42:34,660 --> 00:42:37,340 they can now only ever feed on these tiny insects. 396 00:42:39,860 --> 00:42:41,980 Which isn't a bad thing - 397 00:42:41,980 --> 00:42:45,900 by weight, termites are more protein rich than any other food source. 398 00:42:50,500 --> 00:42:53,340 Texas blind salamanders spend their entire lives 399 00:42:53,340 --> 00:42:55,540 in the pitch black of caves. 400 00:42:57,100 --> 00:42:59,820 With zero light, eyes would be utterly useless 401 00:42:59,820 --> 00:43:02,260 - a drain on precious energy. 402 00:43:03,300 --> 00:43:05,700 Now they sense their prey with receptor cells 403 00:43:05,700 --> 00:43:07,700 dotted along their bodies. 404 00:43:11,100 --> 00:43:15,420 But being such a specialist animal can also have its down sides. 405 00:43:23,580 --> 00:43:25,580 Vanuatu, in the South Pacific. 406 00:43:27,460 --> 00:43:30,940 On a pristine tropical island like this 407 00:43:30,940 --> 00:43:33,780 you might expect to find all manner of exotic looking crabs. 408 00:43:45,340 --> 00:43:47,340 But here there's a real oddity. 409 00:43:57,860 --> 00:44:00,140 This mighty beast... 410 00:44:01,580 --> 00:44:03,580 ..is a coconut crab. 411 00:44:06,460 --> 00:44:10,700 With a meter-wide leg span, weighing up to 4kg... 412 00:44:12,340 --> 00:44:14,940 ..this is the world's largest land invertebrate. 413 00:44:21,340 --> 00:44:26,140 The crabs have evolved to be giants to feast on a tropical delicacy. 414 00:44:29,100 --> 00:44:32,860 The clue is in the name but just to be clear, 415 00:44:32,860 --> 00:44:36,300 coconut crabs do actually eat coconuts. 416 00:44:39,060 --> 00:44:41,180 They're one of the few animals 417 00:44:41,180 --> 00:44:43,300 strong enough to break the tough husk. 418 00:44:47,940 --> 00:44:51,540 The whole process can take several hours... 419 00:44:54,580 --> 00:44:56,780 ..but the reward is well worth it. 420 00:45:03,940 --> 00:45:06,580 Coconut crabs' outlandish size and strength 421 00:45:06,580 --> 00:45:09,820 might be an advantage when it comes to feeding... 422 00:45:16,060 --> 00:45:19,140 ..but it can be fatal when it comes to reproducing. 423 00:45:21,540 --> 00:45:25,700 Like all crabs, these giants have to release their eggs in the sea. 424 00:45:29,260 --> 00:45:32,340 But unlike most crabs they can't breathe underwater. 425 00:45:36,780 --> 00:45:38,900 And because they've grown so heavy, 426 00:45:38,900 --> 00:45:43,540 if they're ever washed out of their depth they'll never recover, 427 00:45:43,540 --> 00:45:45,540 eventually drowning. 428 00:45:50,620 --> 00:45:54,940 A female, her belly bulging with eggs. 429 00:46:00,980 --> 00:46:04,060 Carefully she edges towards the pounding waves. 430 00:46:05,740 --> 00:46:08,740 One missed step could mean disaster. 431 00:46:20,540 --> 00:46:24,380 Clinging precariously to the edge, she quickly releases her eggs. 432 00:46:35,940 --> 00:46:38,980 Only when she reaches the shoreline will she be safe. 433 00:46:42,380 --> 00:46:44,900 Coconut crabs' incongruous size 434 00:46:44,900 --> 00:46:47,180 has evolved so they can feed on coconuts. 435 00:46:48,980 --> 00:46:52,620 They're not the only misfits whose very special diet 436 00:46:52,620 --> 00:46:55,060 has resulted in a very specialised body. 437 00:47:11,100 --> 00:47:13,700 A ghoulish creature awakes. 438 00:47:16,780 --> 00:47:20,660 Half bat, half monkey... 439 00:47:25,340 --> 00:47:28,340 ..and with a grotesquely elongated finger. 440 00:47:31,220 --> 00:47:35,940 The aye-aye is undoubtedly very peculiar. 441 00:47:35,940 --> 00:47:38,700 Like a cross between ET and Nosferatu. 442 00:47:38,700 --> 00:47:40,980 In fact it's a type of lemur, a primate, 443 00:47:40,980 --> 00:47:43,780 a misfit in our own animal family. 444 00:47:55,820 --> 00:47:59,860 Their curious features allow them to find their favourite food. 445 00:47:59,860 --> 00:48:02,060 AYE-AYE TAPS RAPIDLY 446 00:48:03,180 --> 00:48:07,260 That extraordinary finger taps at the branch up to ten times a second. 447 00:48:09,740 --> 00:48:11,860 AYE-AYE TAPS RAPIDLY 448 00:48:11,860 --> 00:48:14,460 Ears pick up on the unmistakable echo of a hollow. 449 00:48:17,900 --> 00:48:19,940 Teeth gnaw a hole. 450 00:48:24,220 --> 00:48:26,780 They're the only primates whose teeth grow constantly 451 00:48:26,780 --> 00:48:29,660 throughout their lives, just like rodents. 452 00:48:35,540 --> 00:48:40,060 Finally she hooks the prize - an insect grub. 453 00:48:44,660 --> 00:48:48,860 Aye-ayes feed almost exclusively on these grubs, 454 00:48:48,860 --> 00:48:51,060 fishing them out from rotten wood. 455 00:48:55,700 --> 00:48:58,580 Normally birds like woodpeckers would feed like this, 456 00:48:58,580 --> 00:49:01,060 using their bills to break through the wood. 457 00:49:03,460 --> 00:49:07,700 But woodpeckers never reached the aye-aye's island home of Madagascar. 458 00:49:10,060 --> 00:49:12,620 Instead these primitive primates have evolved 459 00:49:12,620 --> 00:49:14,700 to fill the woodpecker's niche, 460 00:49:14,700 --> 00:49:18,660 exploiting a resource that no other animal can get to. 461 00:49:23,300 --> 00:49:26,620 On first impressions, other misfits' strange bodies 462 00:49:26,620 --> 00:49:29,220 are much harder to explain. 463 00:49:41,220 --> 00:49:45,500 On the forest floor in Malaysia... 464 00:49:46,820 --> 00:49:49,300 ..an alien creature emerges. 465 00:49:53,060 --> 00:49:57,860 It's an insect, a type of fly, and this is a male. 466 00:50:08,300 --> 00:50:12,540 If you think he looks unearthly now, just wait to see what happens next. 467 00:50:26,940 --> 00:50:32,900 He starts by gulping in air, forming clear bubbles in his head. 468 00:50:36,860 --> 00:50:40,340 He forces these bubbles into the stalks supporting his eyes. 469 00:50:49,860 --> 00:50:53,100 Like blowing up a balloon, the stalks stretch, 470 00:50:53,100 --> 00:50:55,100 getting longer and longer. 471 00:51:11,380 --> 00:51:14,900 A few final adjustments 472 00:51:14,900 --> 00:51:17,460 and a couple of hours in the sun to let its skin go hard, 473 00:51:17,460 --> 00:51:19,700 and the look is complete. 474 00:51:22,820 --> 00:51:25,460 Meet the stalk-eyed fly. 475 00:51:29,140 --> 00:51:34,940 These bizarre stalks don't help the fly see any better, 476 00:51:34,940 --> 00:51:37,420 in fact, quite the opposite - 477 00:51:37,420 --> 00:51:41,060 it's thought they reduce the effectiveness of their eyesight. 478 00:51:41,060 --> 00:51:44,220 So there must be another benefit that's allowed these 479 00:51:44,220 --> 00:51:46,540 implausible appendages to evolve. 480 00:51:54,060 --> 00:51:56,460 In the evening a group of males gather. 481 00:51:59,020 --> 00:52:01,180 They size each other up... 482 00:52:02,300 --> 00:52:04,260 ..eyeball to eyeball. 483 00:52:10,020 --> 00:52:12,020 There's some aggressive posturing... 484 00:52:15,940 --> 00:52:18,380 ..but a full-on fight never breaks out. 485 00:52:22,100 --> 00:52:24,860 The stalks are sort of measuring sticks, 486 00:52:24,860 --> 00:52:28,140 a way to gauge how strong a rival is. 487 00:52:34,860 --> 00:52:38,860 As they square up, the male with the widest stalks wins. 488 00:52:48,580 --> 00:52:52,580 Males with broad stalks are also considered the more desirable 489 00:52:52,580 --> 00:52:56,180 by the females and will therefore produce the most offspring. 490 00:52:58,580 --> 00:53:02,700 It's sexual selection, rather than natural selection, 491 00:53:02,700 --> 00:53:06,580 that has allowed the stalk-eyed fly's unique appearance to evolve. 492 00:53:10,060 --> 00:53:13,300 Our final misfit has to be one of the most peculiar 493 00:53:13,300 --> 00:53:16,540 yet most endearing animals on the planet. 494 00:53:24,820 --> 00:53:28,700 It's not often you see a sloth in a rush. 495 00:53:30,420 --> 00:53:32,420 This is a three-toed sloth... 496 00:53:33,980 --> 00:53:36,020 ..a female... 497 00:53:37,460 --> 00:53:40,100 ..and she's ravenously hungry. 498 00:53:42,420 --> 00:53:44,540 It's the leaves that she's after. 499 00:53:47,820 --> 00:53:50,660 However in order to protect themselves, 500 00:53:50,660 --> 00:53:55,940 rainforest leaves are often tough, rubbery and full of toxins. 501 00:53:55,940 --> 00:53:58,780 They're indigestible and lacking in energy. 502 00:54:02,220 --> 00:54:04,340 But that hasn't stopped the sloth. 503 00:54:06,500 --> 00:54:10,980 With large, multi-chambered stomachs containing a unique mix of bacteria, 504 00:54:10,980 --> 00:54:12,980 they're able to deal with the tough leaves. 505 00:54:16,780 --> 00:54:19,300 But it's not a quick process. 506 00:54:22,940 --> 00:54:26,580 Sloths have the slowest digestion of any mammal. 507 00:54:27,860 --> 00:54:31,460 It can take them two weeks to process a single meal. 508 00:54:33,780 --> 00:54:36,540 And it's a hopelessly inefficient process. 509 00:54:40,220 --> 00:54:43,500 Sloths had two options... 510 00:54:46,540 --> 00:54:49,980 ..either they had to eat more or do less. 511 00:54:56,540 --> 00:54:58,820 Sloths evolved to do less. 512 00:55:03,140 --> 00:55:05,580 Their entire lifestyle is all about expending 513 00:55:05,580 --> 00:55:08,020 as little energy as possible. 514 00:55:10,900 --> 00:55:15,180 The word sloth has come to mean laziness but sloths aren't lazy, 515 00:55:15,180 --> 00:55:19,220 they've just developed a laid-back survival technique. 516 00:55:22,060 --> 00:55:25,500 Although watching them does make you feel like a nap. 517 00:55:32,220 --> 00:55:36,620 But their legendary lethargic manner does have a downside. 518 00:55:43,300 --> 00:55:45,380 Harpy eagles... 519 00:55:50,020 --> 00:55:52,500 JAGUAR ROARS ..and jaguars... 520 00:55:54,140 --> 00:55:56,140 ..both regularly hunt sloths. 521 00:56:02,820 --> 00:56:07,140 Without speed as a defence, sloths had to go down another route... 522 00:56:08,380 --> 00:56:10,340 ..camouflage. 523 00:56:13,140 --> 00:56:16,780 They've become the world's only vaguely green mammal. 524 00:56:20,380 --> 00:56:23,180 Of course, there are plenty of green bugs... 525 00:56:24,180 --> 00:56:26,380 ..green lizards... 526 00:56:27,780 --> 00:56:29,700 ..and green birds... 527 00:56:32,340 --> 00:56:34,980 ..but can you name another green mammal? 528 00:56:36,980 --> 00:56:39,060 There aren't any. 529 00:56:40,060 --> 00:56:42,100 So how have they done it? 530 00:56:43,100 --> 00:56:45,580 Their thick, coarse fur has evolved 531 00:56:45,580 --> 00:56:51,020 to house entire communities of algae, single celled plants. 532 00:56:53,460 --> 00:56:57,460 It's the algae that's turned them green, 533 00:56:57,460 --> 00:57:00,340 the perfect way to blend into the forest. 534 00:57:03,180 --> 00:57:06,580 Sloths may come across as comical and incongruous, 535 00:57:06,580 --> 00:57:11,100 but they're actually highly evolved and extremely well-adapted 536 00:57:11,100 --> 00:57:13,380 at their chosen way of life. 537 00:57:17,740 --> 00:57:20,260 In fact, all misfits prove 538 00:57:20,260 --> 00:57:23,300 that being different does give you an edge. 539 00:57:23,300 --> 00:57:25,380 It can make you very successful. 540 00:57:27,180 --> 00:57:32,860 The result is a group of wonderfully eccentric creatures, 541 00:57:32,860 --> 00:57:36,140 creatures we should be grateful we share our planet with. 542 00:57:42,220 --> 00:57:44,780 Yet now, largely due to our influence, 543 00:57:44,780 --> 00:57:49,020 over half of the animals in this programme are endangered. 544 00:57:56,020 --> 00:57:58,500 It's because these animals are so specialised 545 00:57:58,500 --> 00:58:02,140 they're often more prone to the threats that face all wildlife. 546 00:58:02,140 --> 00:58:05,540 That's why we should be looking out for them more than ever before. 547 00:58:07,020 --> 00:58:11,900 They deserve our admiration, these misfits, these quirks of nature, 548 00:58:11,900 --> 00:58:14,780 turning their oddness into opportunity. 549 00:58:14,780 --> 00:58:17,340 They might be a bit weird, 550 00:58:17,340 --> 00:58:19,820 but they're equal to any of the wonders of the planet, 551 00:58:19,820 --> 00:58:23,220 in the glorious spectacle that is life on Earth.