01x10 - Creatures of the Night

[bunniefuu]

Martin,
we're in australia.

Australia's not
dark and mysterious.

I was just saying that
because this time,

We're not
meeting creatures

That come out
in the day.

We're meeting
the creatures
of the night!

So join us as we
discover possums

And flying foxes
and pythons and...

[Together]
bats!

Iarriba! Iandale! Iandale!

[Martin]
what's the sixth-largest
country in the world...

[Chris]
that's also a continent?

[Martin]
australia!

Nighttime in australia

Is one of
the best times

Because there are
so many amazing creatures

That come out
only at night.

What chris and I
are searching for

Is one of the most
unusual creatures--
the flying fox.

[Chris]
if you're trying
to figure out

What a flying fox is,

Think of all
the mammals you know

That can fly.

[Allison]
what? Mammals
that fly?

Mammals don't fly.

Birds fly,
and insects fly,

But not mammals.

Even in australia,
guys,

Foxes don't fly.

The flying fox
isn't a fox

The way we
think of foxes.

It's a name
somebody tagged on,

Kind of like a sea horse
or a tasmanian tiger,

Neither of which
is a horse or a tiger.

[Chris]
or how about manatees?

Some people
call them sea cows.

[Martin]
cows?

They don't even
look like cows.

[Chris]
and they're not
even related.

[Chris]
cool.

What? Flying foxes?

Look at that--

Brush-tailed possums.

[Martin]
our first creature
of the night.

[Chris]
brush-tailed possums
are nocturnal.

[Martin]
nocturnal just means
they're most active at night.

[Chris]
but what about the name?

Are they possums
or opossums?

[Martin]
they were called opossums,
but the "o" was dropped

When people realized
they weren't related

To the opossum
in north america.

Brush-tailed possums
are marsupials--

Creatures who
carry their babies

In a pouch,

Like the kangaroo
and the koala.

[Chris]
when it's time
for the baby possum

To come out
of the pouch...

[Martin]
it spends a few months
riding its mother's back.

Chris,
check out the tail.

[Chris]
it's puffy, bristly, bushy.

It looks
like a brush.

[Martin]
look at his eyes.

Compared to the rest
of his face,

His eyes are huge.

[Chris]
yeah. Those big eyes

Help him
see in the dark.

That is so cool--

Creatures that can see
well in the dark.

Most animals
can see in the dark,

But the bigger the eyes,
the better the sight.

And some of the best
night viewers

Are possums,
kangaroos...

[Chris]
you got it, al.

Because it's so hot
during the day,

Some kangaroos become
creatures of the night.

[Martin]
they look for food
after dark,

When it's cool.

To do that, they need
good night vision.

Tasmanian devils...

[Martin]
good call, allison.

These creatures
have great night sight.

[Chris]
it kind of looks

Like their eyes
are glowing in the dark.

[Tasmanian devils
growling]

Tazzy devils
are mainly scavengers.

When they find some food,
it's first come, first served.

[Tasmanian devils
snarling]

[Martin]
check it out!
He's climbing!

Most people don't think
tazzy devils can climb.

He's trying
to get up high

To sniff out
more food.

[Chris]
no question.

T-devils have
great night vision,

Just like...

Bats?

Bats can see
in the dark?

I thought
bats were blind.

B-b-b-blind?

Whoever said
bats were blind

Couldn't
see anything.

[Chris]
definitely.

First of all,
bats aren't blind.

They all have eyes
and can see.

People thought
they were blind

Because bats get around
so well in the dark.

[Martin]
to see in the dark,

Bats have something
better than eyes--

Their ears!

A bat makes a squeak.

The sound travels out
and bounces off an object.

It travels back,
and the bat hears it.

That really helps a bat
navigate in the dark

And catch food.

[Bat squeaking]

It's called
echolocation.

[Chris]
and dolphins do it, too.

They echolocate
using a click signal.

[Martin]
these dolphins
are using echolocation

To pinpoint a fish
under the sand.

[Chris]
echolocation helps creatures
like dolphins and bats navigate.

It's all about seeing

With something other
than your eyes.

[Bat squeaking]

That is awesome!

And this is
even more awesome!

[Playing eerie sounds]

It sounds
just like radar.

Where do you think
they got the idea for radar

In the first place?

Never thought
about it.

To be honest,

I always
kind of thought

That bats were
sort of...oogey.

[Announcer]
this just in--
"bats are cool!!!"

Who else
do you know

That can sleep
hanging upside down?

[Chris]
have you ever wondered,

"Why do bats
hang upside down?"

[Martin]
funny thing is,
nobody knows exactly why.

[Chris]
but we do know

That bats have
specially designed feet

That anchor them
to their roost.

[Martin]
this lets them hang around
without any effort.

In fact, bats have been found
hanging from the roost

After they're dead.

Hanging upside down
is easy for bats,

But it's not so easy
for other creatures.

It is kind of cool.

If chris and martin

Are checking out
creatures of the night,

Maybe they should
keep their eyes open

For some bats.

Guys?

[Chris]
take a look.

We have a real unusual
creature confrontation

Going down.

[Martin]
a possum and a kangaroo.

[Chris]
he popped him
right in the face!

He's not hurt,
but that's a clear warning.

Now, that was weird.

A kangaroo
clobbering a possum?

This might be
creature behavior

No one's
ever seen before.

A kanga going after
a possum--

That's almost as amazing
as a fox that flies.

Hey, chris, martin--
where did they go?

[Chris]
we're heading out, al!

[Martin]
still searching
for those flying foxes.

[Allison]
if you can't find
foxes that fly,

Maybe we could
go after some bats.

[Martin]
we're doing both.

[Chris]
you hear that sound?

[Martin]
that could be them.

[Bats squeaking]

Remember when we said

To think of mammals
that fly?

Well, flying foxes
are bats,

And bats are mammals.

Guess I should have
seen that coming.

Flying foxes are one of
the largest bats in the world.

[Chris]
they're called foxes
because their furry faces

Make them look
kind of like a fox.

It looks kind of like
a chihuahua with wings,

But it's actually a bat--
and a bat that can see.

Check out those big eyes.

But some scientists
don't even think

The flying fox
is a bat.

They think it's
a lot more closely related

To primates
like monkeys and lemurs.

[Martin]
you want to check out lemurs?

Then we got to head
to madagascar.

Lemurs are primates,
like gorillas and chimps,

And they do sort of look
like flying foxes,

But if they're both related,
it has yet to be proven.

[Chris]
speaking of flying foxes,
check it out--

A flying fox camp,
and it's huge!

[Martin]
look how they're
flapping their wings.

[Chris]
they're fanning themselves
to keep cool.

[Martin]
you'll never find a flying fox
camp like this at night.

[Chris]
you'll only find it
during the day

Because that's
when flying foxes gather

To rest and sleep.

But even when they're resting,
flying foxes stay alert,

Keeping a watchful eye
and ear out for trouble.

Some other bats
live in trees,

Like these baby
mastiff bats.

They're too small to fly,

So they'll spend their day
in tree hollows.

[Martin]
you think those guys
are small?

Look at this
baby mastiff bat.

He's probably
just a few weeks old.

[Chris]
hey, it's almost time
for the night hunt,

And it looks like
this baby flying fox

Is coming along
for the ride.

Every night, just as
it's getting dark,

The flying foxes
leave their camp

In search of food.

Flying foxes will eat
insects, nectar,
and flowers,

But what they really
like to munch on

Is fruit.

They'll travel
incredible distances

To get it.

They cover
those distances
in no time.

You ready?

Ready.

Following the flying foxes
is tough

Because they
can really move.

All we can do
is keep them in sight

And try to keep up.

I don't think
you guys

Stand much
of a chance.

According
to my info,

Those foxes can go


Who could
keep up with that?

Wild dogs can run


Wildebeest
and ostrich

Clock about 45.

The average human
runs 15 miles
per hour.

How could you guys
keep up?

Guys?

Guys,
I'm losing you.

Flying foxes
are definitely

A tough creature
to track on foot.

I am exhausted.

I'm exhausted
and hungry.

A tree kangaroo.

[Martin]
these guys are kangaroos
who took to the trees.

[Chris]
both tree and ground kangaroos

Are part of
the same family,

But they're built
very differently.

[Martin]
tree kangaroos
are way smaller

Than most of
their land-based cousins.

[Chris]
just by watching them
in action,

You can spot
a lot of differences.

[Martin]
look how he uses his tail
as a counterbalance.

[Chris]
just like land kangaroos,

These guys practically
sit on their tails

While they kick-box.

[Martin]
in new guinea, there's
another kind of tree kangaroo.

[Chris]
he's called
goodfellow tree kangaroo.

[Martin]
I wonder why he's called that.

[Chris]
he's probably named
after horace p. Goodfellow.

[Martin]
ah, don't think so.

[Chris]
anyway,

His big concern isn't
with his name.

[Martin]
it's bugs!

New guinea, eh?

Neat.

You know, tree kangaroos
are totally cool,

But think about it
for a minute--

A kangaroo in a tree?

How do they
get up there?

Do they climb...

Crawl, fly...

Or...

Hop?

Jumping joeys!

Tree kangaroos aren't the same
as regular kangaroos.

For one thing,
they're the only kangaroos

That can move their feet
one at a time.

All the others
move their feet together.

[Ttark]
they're amazing arboreals

Who use their feet
and forearms to grasp,

And they use their tail
for balance.

They're also jumpers--

Woo! Wup! Woo! Wup!

But unlike
their relatives,

They jump down...

Instead of up,

And if they're startled--
aah!

They'll jump
out of a tree

Even as far as




Can you imagine anyone
jumping 50 feet?

You'd have to be
one crazy creature to do that.



Whoa!

Two crazy creatures.

Guys?

I lost you.

[Thunder]

Oh, wow.

"Where are you?"
Is right.

Martin?

Martin!

Psst! Psst!
Chris, come here.

Look at this.

We're outside
a bat cave.

It's home
to a quarter million
bent-wing bats

That live down below.

We're about to see something
totally amazing.

We're going to
sit out here

With the tree frogs
and pythons
and wait.

[Martin]
look! There's a green tree frog.

[Chris]
yeah, and there's a python.

It's hunting time
for the bats.

[Martin]
look at them all!

They're heading out
for the night hunt,

And their quarry?
Insects.

[Squeaking]

[Chris]
but they're not the only ones
with dinner plans.

The frogs and the pythons
are staked out,

Hoping to catch a bat
as it flies by.

That was close!
He nearly got one!

Wow. It gives
a whole new meaning

To the words
"fast food."

If you're not fast,
you're food.

[Martin]
did you know

Bats can be put
into three groups--

Fruit and nectar eaters...

[Chris]
insect eaters...

[Martin]
and bloodsuckers.

[Chris]
these guys are
bent-wing bats,

And they're
insect eaters.

[Martin]
hey, wait a minute!

You know who
we forgot?

There's
another group of bat.

[Chris]
right! Carnivorous bats--

Bats that eat animals.

At least in our neck
of the woods,

Bats don't have to worry
about pythons.

They still have
lots of other predators,

But according to this,

The real thing they have to
look out for is, well, us.

What do you
mean, us?

I mean humans.

Do some research,
and you'll figure it out.

Human development
and construction
are taking away

A lot of natural
bat territory, ttark.

Huh! What a ripoff!

Boy, you humans
must really think
they're oogey!

I guess it's because

We never really
looked at them
closely enough before.

From what I'm seeing,
bats are cool.

Of course
they're cool!

In addition
to sleeping
upside down,

Who else can eat
a night?

Think of it!

Without bats,
we'd be in
insect city,

And we'd all turn
into one giant--

Zzzrrp!
Mosquito bite.

That's...

[Plays chord]

Scary.

[Martin imitating dracula]
you vant scary?

I'll give you scary.

We're here
in the bat caves,

And the reason
is simple.

We vant to suck
your blood! Ha ha!

Most of the bats
have gone for the night,

But we're pretty sure
some have stayed behind,

And the one
we're hoping for

Is the rare and elusive
ghost bat.

Who vants to suck
your blood!

He's australia's
only carnivorous bat,

And he's also one
of the hardest to find.

Come on!
I'll try this way!

I'll check out
this way.

[Allison]
what do you bet the only one

That gets out of that cave
is the ghost bat?

[Martin]
hey, I must be getting close.

That's guano--
another word for bat poop.

What kind of bats are those,

Mastiff bats?

No. They're ghost bats.
I found them!

[Squeaking]

Look at his face

And the size
of his ears.

He uses his ears, his eyes,
and echolocation

To catch his prey,

And I'm not
talking insects.

These guys eat

Small mammals
and even other bats,

Like bent-wings.

They may look weird,
but you got to respect them

As the masters
of the night hunt.

Ghost bats are
sometimes called
false vampires.

Now, we all know
that vampires

Are bloodsucking
creatures

That creep up and--

But the truth is,
calling these bats
vampire bats

Is completely wrong.

Ghost bats and vampire bats
might look alike,

But they're two totally
different species.

We're in
the perfect place

To find all sorts
of nocturnal
creatures,

Not just bats.

It sounds to me
like it's time
for night goggles!

These night-vision
goggles are perfect

For scoping out
the creatures of the night.

Check out
that spider!

I guess bent-wings

Aren't the only insect eaters
around here.

Chris!

Look over there!
Mastiff bats!

Those bats better
watch their backs.

No kidding.

There are
hungry ghost bats
flying around.

[Squeaking]

Huh.

These posts
must have been used

For mining bat guano.

And look
at this tree root.

It's come
all the way down
from the surface,

Through the cave,

And into
the cave floor.

Wow.

Hey! Where's the way
out of this cave?

Uh-oh.

Maybe it's
down that way.

I think it--
yeah, that way.

I hope.

It might be
up this way.

Martin!
I think I see
the cave entrance.

All right.

Totally cool! Look!

It's a brush-tailed
possum.

That's not
a brush-tailed possum.

What makes you
so sure?

Have you ever
seen one do that?

Whoa.

You're right.

It's not
a brush-tailed
possum.

It's a sugar glider!

[Chris]
sugar gliders are really

A type of possum.

They're possums
that can fly.

[Martin]
but they don't
really fly.

They're called gliders
because they glide,

And they glide
from one tree to another

As far as 160 feet.

[Chris]
they live in hollow trees

Like this big old
eucalyptus,

Which provides
great shelter.

Did you know
that sugar gliders

Are one of the few mammals
in the world

That can glide?

[Martin]
if you're wondering

How it glides,

Get a load of this.

It glides by stretching out
this skin

From wrist to ankle

And then taking off.

[Chris]
wow. Look at it go!

Gliding is
a great way

To avoid predators
and search for food

Because you can
really get around.

Sugar gliders like to eat
the gum of acacia,

Sap from eucalyptus,

And for variety,
an insect or two.

The reason
the sugar glider
or any nocturnal

Goes out at night

Is to search
for food,

Which brings us
right back

To flying foxes!

[Chris]
flying foxes can eat

Twice their weight
in one meal.

Imagine
if we could do that.

[Allison]
yeah, but animals

Who burn up
that much energy

Have to eat a lot of food,
right?

It might seem
piggy and gross.

[Ttark]
gross? That's not
gross!

As my old friends--
all of them bats--
always say--

Uh, what do they
say?

Oh, yeah.
"Pass the fruit!"

You know, after all
we've seen today,

I can't believe
I ever thought
bats were oogey.

Listen to this.

[Music playing]

[Squeaking]

Now, there's
two creatures

Who aren't going to fly
anywhere soon--

Or walk.

A lot of people
are scared

Of the creatures
of the night,

But that's only because
they're different.

For one thing,
they can see at night

A lot better than...

Creatures like humans.

You know,
if I could get around

As well as they do
at night,

I'd probably stay up
all night, too.

I didstay up all night.
I'm exhausted.

Guys, I'm turning in.

No more creatures
of the night for me.

Turning in?
You mean sleep?

Who's got time
to sleep?

Not a chance.

There are new places
to explore.

Up and at 'em, al.

What are you,
nocturnal
or something?