1 00:00:13,583 --> 00:00:16,124 We've uncovered the strange, the mysterious, 2 00:00:16,125 --> 00:00:18,166 and the flat-out impossible, 3 00:00:18,167 --> 00:00:20,666 but some creatures stand above the rest, 4 00:00:20,667 --> 00:00:24,041 like a chicken that spent almost two years 5 00:00:24,042 --> 00:00:26,708 walking around without a head. 6 00:00:27,708 --> 00:00:30,874 Turns out that you don't need a whole brain 7 00:00:30,875 --> 00:00:32,332 to run a chicken. 8 00:00:32,333 --> 00:00:34,041 He starts to show it around the neighbors like, 9 00:00:34,042 --> 00:00:35,457 "Look, I've got a headless chicken." 10 00:00:35,458 --> 00:00:37,541 It's featured in Life Magazine, 11 00:00:37,542 --> 00:00:39,582 and he's going in carnivals and circuses. 12 00:00:41,375 --> 00:00:45,374 Or a world-class team of unlikely athletes. 13 00:00:45,375 --> 00:00:48,041 These monkeys are taking it seriously, 14 00:00:48,042 --> 00:00:50,166 riding the greyhounds like they're thoroughbreds. 15 00:00:50,167 --> 00:00:51,333 It's insane. 16 00:00:52,625 --> 00:00:55,792 How about a marsupial with a mean right hook? 17 00:00:56,958 --> 00:00:59,749 Greig sees this enormous kangaroo. 18 00:00:59,750 --> 00:01:00,916 No, no! 19 00:01:00,917 --> 00:01:03,249 Holding his dog hostage. 20 00:01:03,250 --> 00:01:06,042 He has to do something quick to save his dog. 21 00:01:07,458 --> 00:01:10,041 These are the creatures so astonishing, 22 00:01:10,042 --> 00:01:12,457 they're truly unbelievable. 23 00:01:24,792 --> 00:01:28,541 In 1945, a farmer in Fruita, Colorado named Lloyd Olsen 24 00:01:28,542 --> 00:01:29,999 is ready for dinner. 25 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:33,207 The main course: a chicken named Mike. 26 00:01:33,208 --> 00:01:36,707 But what happens next will defy science and belief. 27 00:01:40,208 --> 00:01:42,708 So Olsen walks out, hatchet in hand. 28 00:01:44,667 --> 00:01:48,374 He performs the act that he has performed countless times 29 00:01:48,375 --> 00:01:50,208 with many other chickens. 30 00:01:54,708 --> 00:01:55,667 Something's different. 31 00:01:56,875 --> 00:01:59,666 The chicken is still alive, 32 00:01:59,667 --> 00:02:02,416 and still walking and acting like a chicken, 33 00:02:02,417 --> 00:02:05,167 but Lloyd is holding his head in his hand. 34 00:02:06,833 --> 00:02:08,666 How is this possible? 35 00:02:08,667 --> 00:02:11,291 The answer has a lot to do with the unique attributes 36 00:02:11,292 --> 00:02:13,374 of the gallus gallus domesticus, 37 00:02:13,375 --> 00:02:16,416 also known as the common chicken. 38 00:02:16,417 --> 00:02:19,874 Chickens are descended from the dinosaurs 39 00:02:19,875 --> 00:02:23,374 from a group called the Theropods, 40 00:02:23,375 --> 00:02:26,749 which include all of those famous meat-eaters, 41 00:02:26,750 --> 00:02:30,791 like Velociraptor and Tyrannosaurus rex. 42 00:02:32,292 --> 00:02:35,374 Chickens have over 30 different kinds of vocalizations 43 00:02:35,375 --> 00:02:37,374 that they use to communicate with other chickens. 44 00:02:37,375 --> 00:02:39,832 They can remember up to 100 different faces, 45 00:02:39,833 --> 00:02:41,374 human, or chicken, or otherwise. 46 00:02:41,375 --> 00:02:43,624 They actually experience REM sleep 47 00:02:43,625 --> 00:02:46,458 because we can measure their eye movements. 48 00:02:47,333 --> 00:02:49,041 These are pretty smart birds. 49 00:02:49,042 --> 00:02:50,374 Unfortunately, Mike loses 50 00:02:50,375 --> 00:02:52,124 every one of these attributes 51 00:02:52,125 --> 00:02:55,374 once Lloyd Olsen brings the ax down on his feathery neck. 52 00:02:57,333 --> 00:02:59,166 When Farmer Olsen heads out 53 00:02:59,167 --> 00:03:01,832 for the traditional ax and stump routine 54 00:03:01,833 --> 00:03:03,374 with Mike the chicken, 55 00:03:03,375 --> 00:03:07,749 he ends up conducting what amounts to a complicated form 56 00:03:07,750 --> 00:03:09,832 of brain surgery. 57 00:03:09,833 --> 00:03:12,541 His ax cleaves the skull 58 00:03:12,542 --> 00:03:17,041 in such a way that it leaves the stem of the brain. 59 00:03:17,042 --> 00:03:21,374 If you have that brain stem, the circulatory functions, 60 00:03:21,375 --> 00:03:25,499 the respiratory functions, the motor skills are left intact, 61 00:03:25,500 --> 00:03:28,957 and he is left with this living, 62 00:03:28,958 --> 00:03:31,332 essentially, headless chicken. 63 00:03:31,333 --> 00:03:33,916 Turns out that you don't need a whole brain 64 00:03:33,917 --> 00:03:35,374 to run a chicken. 65 00:03:35,375 --> 00:03:36,749 No head, no problem. 66 00:03:36,750 --> 00:03:38,124 But feeding Mike? 67 00:03:38,125 --> 00:03:39,791 That took a little creativity. 68 00:03:39,792 --> 00:03:42,541 So Mike, being headless, has no mouth, 69 00:03:42,542 --> 00:03:45,041 and so can't eat in the traditional way, 70 00:03:45,042 --> 00:03:46,291 but after the beheading, 71 00:03:46,292 --> 00:03:48,332 there's a little opening to the esophagus 72 00:03:48,333 --> 00:03:49,874 exposed right there. 73 00:03:49,875 --> 00:03:53,041 Lloyd is able to keep Mike the Headless Chicken alive 74 00:03:53,042 --> 00:03:56,207 by feeding food with an eye dropper through that opening. 75 00:03:56,208 --> 00:03:57,707 Pretty soon, 76 00:03:57,708 --> 00:04:00,291 Farmer Olsen's chicken becomes the talk of the town. 77 00:04:00,292 --> 00:04:01,832 He starts to show it around the neighbors, 78 00:04:01,833 --> 00:04:03,957 like, "Look, I've got a headless chicken." 79 00:04:03,958 --> 00:04:05,416 I would show it off. 80 00:04:05,417 --> 00:04:07,582 Lloyd Olsen realizes pretty quickly 81 00:04:07,583 --> 00:04:10,499 that a headless chicken which is still alive, 82 00:04:10,500 --> 00:04:12,582 is an amazing attraction, 83 00:04:12,583 --> 00:04:16,291 and he takes that animal on the road. 84 00:04:16,292 --> 00:04:19,624 So, Lloyd's doing everything he can with Mike. 85 00:04:19,625 --> 00:04:21,999 It's featured in Life Magazine, 86 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:23,624 and he plays at World's Fair, 87 00:04:23,625 --> 00:04:25,499 and he's going in carnivals and circuses, 88 00:04:25,500 --> 00:04:27,249 they're staying in hotels, 89 00:04:27,250 --> 00:04:29,999 and Lloyd and Mike are living large. 90 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:31,541 And he's making the equivalent 91 00:04:31,542 --> 00:04:35,082 of like 60,000 bucks a month off this bird that's headless, 92 00:04:35,083 --> 00:04:37,041 but still alive. 93 00:04:37,042 --> 00:04:40,625 At long last, though, things do come to an end. 94 00:04:41,750 --> 00:04:44,916 After 18 months of touring on the road, 95 00:04:44,917 --> 00:04:49,416 Mike unfortunately chokes to death on a kernel of corn. 96 00:04:49,417 --> 00:04:51,957 Decades after Mike's miraculous survival, 97 00:04:51,958 --> 00:04:54,291 another creature makes headlines, 98 00:04:54,292 --> 00:04:58,041 not for escaping disaster, but for unleashing it. 99 00:05:01,625 --> 00:05:04,207 There is a domestic flight that is happening 100 00:05:04,208 --> 00:05:06,625 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. 101 00:05:07,542 --> 00:05:10,332 The flight is starting off in Kinshasa, 102 00:05:10,333 --> 00:05:12,374 then heading to Kiri, Bokoro, 103 00:05:12,375 --> 00:05:14,624 Semendua, and Bandundu. 104 00:05:14,625 --> 00:05:17,332 It's not one of these commercial jet liners. 105 00:05:17,333 --> 00:05:18,832 The Let 410, 106 00:05:18,833 --> 00:05:21,582 i's a twin-engine, passenger-carrying aircraft. 107 00:05:21,583 --> 00:05:23,541 You've got 18 passengers, 108 00:05:23,542 --> 00:05:24,874 and you've got three crew members 109 00:05:24,875 --> 00:05:27,000 that consist of two pilots and a flight attendant. 110 00:05:29,792 --> 00:05:32,707 Unbeknownst to the crew or other passengers, 111 00:05:32,708 --> 00:05:35,457 someone carries a duffel bag onto the flight, 112 00:05:35,458 --> 00:05:37,291 a bag that will soon upend 113 00:05:37,292 --> 00:05:39,833 what should be a perfectly normal trip. 114 00:05:41,083 --> 00:05:44,291 A flight attendant notices something a bit odd. 115 00:05:44,292 --> 00:05:47,792 The duffel bag, that's been under the seat the whole time, 116 00:05:48,917 --> 00:05:51,041 starts to move. 117 00:05:53,667 --> 00:05:55,249 She goes to investigate. 118 00:05:55,250 --> 00:05:58,291 She opens it a little bit, and lo and behold, 119 00:05:58,292 --> 00:06:00,542 there's a three-foot-long crocodile inside. 120 00:06:01,792 --> 00:06:03,957 This crocodile locks eyes on this flight attendant, 121 00:06:03,958 --> 00:06:05,832 who naturally freaks out 122 00:06:05,833 --> 00:06:08,416 and runs to the front of the plane. 123 00:06:08,417 --> 00:06:10,374 All the other passengers now are trying to figure out, 124 00:06:10,375 --> 00:06:12,124 "Why is this person screaming?" 125 00:06:12,125 --> 00:06:14,458 And they now see this crocodile, 126 00:06:15,750 --> 00:06:17,916 just sauntering through the aisle, 127 00:06:17,917 --> 00:06:20,707 so they all run to the front of the plane. 128 00:06:23,250 --> 00:06:24,749 As that happens, 129 00:06:24,750 --> 00:06:26,791 it forces all the weight and the center of gravity 130 00:06:26,792 --> 00:06:28,374 to the front of the aircraft. 131 00:06:28,375 --> 00:06:30,624 So now, the aircraft begins to start tipping over 132 00:06:30,625 --> 00:06:32,999 straight nose down towards the ground, 133 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:35,999 and they are unable to recover from that situation. 134 00:06:37,708 --> 00:06:41,166 The airplane tragically crashes into a house 135 00:06:41,167 --> 00:06:42,625 about a mile short of the runway. 136 00:06:43,625 --> 00:06:45,749 21 souls perished in this accident, 137 00:06:45,750 --> 00:06:47,499 22 if you count the crocodile, 138 00:06:47,500 --> 00:06:50,500 and one person survives to tell the tale. 139 00:06:51,708 --> 00:06:54,874 In all of my time looking at aircraft accidents, 140 00:06:54,875 --> 00:06:59,041 I have never seen anything remotely close to this. 141 00:06:59,042 --> 00:07:01,707 That crocodile never meant to hurt anyone, 142 00:07:01,708 --> 00:07:04,416 but the same can't be said for our next beast 143 00:07:04,417 --> 00:07:06,041 with a score to settle. 144 00:07:09,042 --> 00:07:11,916 Vladimir Markov is a hunter-poacher 145 00:07:11,917 --> 00:07:14,292 in Far East Russia, 146 00:07:14,917 --> 00:07:18,582 kind of on the border between China and North Korea, 147 00:07:18,583 --> 00:07:22,541 and it's an extremely hand-to-mouth existence. 148 00:07:22,542 --> 00:07:25,041 This is an area which was heavily reliant 149 00:07:25,042 --> 00:07:27,666 on the timber industry. 150 00:07:27,667 --> 00:07:29,041 But by the late '80s, early '90s, 151 00:07:29,042 --> 00:07:32,499 when the Soviet Union starts to crumble and collapse, 152 00:07:32,500 --> 00:07:34,707 it takes this local industry with it. 153 00:07:34,708 --> 00:07:36,082 And so because of that, 154 00:07:36,083 --> 00:07:39,457 Markov literally has to do whatever is necessary 155 00:07:39,458 --> 00:07:40,875 to be able to survive. 156 00:07:41,833 --> 00:07:43,541 Faced with bankruptcy, 157 00:07:43,542 --> 00:07:46,332 Markov is prepared to support himself 158 00:07:46,333 --> 00:07:48,249 by any means necessary. 159 00:07:48,250 --> 00:07:50,916 Now, poachers normally go after boars or badgers, 160 00:07:50,917 --> 00:07:53,666 but those who are really looking for a big payday 161 00:07:53,667 --> 00:07:56,083 recognize that the real money is in the big game. 162 00:07:57,542 --> 00:08:00,082 And the mother of all trophies 163 00:08:00,083 --> 00:08:02,957 is the Siberian Amur tiger. 164 00:08:04,083 --> 00:08:05,666 If you're able to bag one, 165 00:08:05,667 --> 00:08:07,624 the carcass would fetch you about 30 grand. 166 00:08:08,875 --> 00:08:10,749 The biggest market for this is China, 167 00:08:10,750 --> 00:08:14,707 where various body parts can be used for healing properties. 168 00:08:14,708 --> 00:08:16,999 The whiskers are said to make you bulletproof, 169 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:19,999 and a tiger's penis is used in soup, 170 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:21,583 which is said to be an aphrodisiac. 171 00:08:23,458 --> 00:08:26,707 Vladimir Markov has this potential payday in mind 172 00:08:26,708 --> 00:08:29,207 when he stumbles on a set of large tiger tracks 173 00:08:29,208 --> 00:08:31,125 one cold December night. 174 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:33,457 Now, if you're a poacher, 175 00:08:33,458 --> 00:08:36,791 remember that Siberian tigers are badass. 176 00:08:36,792 --> 00:08:39,041 They weigh around 500 pounds, 177 00:08:39,042 --> 00:08:41,874 they're incredibly stealthy, they're incredibly fast. 178 00:08:41,875 --> 00:08:43,582 If they were to jump vertically, 179 00:08:43,583 --> 00:08:47,124 they could clear a basketball hoop with no problem. 180 00:08:47,125 --> 00:08:50,207 So, who is hunting whom? 181 00:08:52,583 --> 00:08:54,999 As Markov comes upon a tiger, 182 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:57,582 he's lucky because he sees that it's distracted, 183 00:08:57,583 --> 00:09:00,374 as it's feeding on a boar it's just killed. 184 00:09:00,375 --> 00:09:03,791 Recognizing that he has one shot to take this tiger down, 185 00:09:03,792 --> 00:09:06,416 he shores himself up, takes aim, 186 00:09:09,250 --> 00:09:10,291 and fires. 187 00:09:12,208 --> 00:09:15,624 He hits the tiger, but doesn't kill it. 188 00:09:15,625 --> 00:09:17,249 Tiger runs off. 189 00:09:17,250 --> 00:09:21,917 So, Markov has a very, very upset apex predator in the wild. 190 00:09:23,167 --> 00:09:25,666 Markov is pretty desperate, so he decides, 191 00:09:25,667 --> 00:09:27,707 "You know, let me make the best of the situation," 192 00:09:27,708 --> 00:09:31,707 and he drags the boar back to his cabin. 193 00:09:31,708 --> 00:09:33,999 What Markov never imagined 194 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:38,582 is that the tiger is actually now following his scent trail. 195 00:09:41,917 --> 00:09:44,083 When Markov returns to his cabin, 196 00:09:45,208 --> 00:09:48,207 the wounded tiger is already there waiting. 197 00:09:48,208 --> 00:09:49,624 Not only does he attack, 198 00:09:51,042 --> 00:09:53,250 he destroys everything with Markov's scent on it. 199 00:09:54,333 --> 00:09:55,791 It is clear; 200 00:09:55,792 --> 00:09:57,999 this is very personal. 201 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:00,457 By the time people actually find Markov, 202 00:10:00,458 --> 00:10:02,250 there's very little left of him. 203 00:10:03,750 --> 00:10:05,541 We're talking about stumps of bone 204 00:10:05,542 --> 00:10:06,999 sticking out of his boots 205 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:09,832 and the remnants of an arm stuck inside his shirt, 206 00:10:09,833 --> 00:10:12,958 and most shockingly, his head with no face. 207 00:10:14,250 --> 00:10:17,499 What's so remarkable about this attack for authorities 208 00:10:17,500 --> 00:10:18,916 is that if we're talking about humans, 209 00:10:18,917 --> 00:10:21,082 this would be a case of premeditated murder. 210 00:10:21,083 --> 00:10:24,375 Clearly, the tiger had plotted its revenge. 211 00:10:26,417 --> 00:10:27,791 As Markov sadly discovered, 212 00:10:27,792 --> 00:10:30,416 it seems that tigers, like humans, 213 00:10:30,417 --> 00:10:32,292 don't always forgive and forget. 214 00:10:37,083 --> 00:10:38,874 For centuries, military commanders 215 00:10:38,875 --> 00:10:40,957 have outmaneuvered enemies with strategy and firepower, 216 00:10:40,958 --> 00:10:42,499 but one campaign in Australia 217 00:10:42,500 --> 00:10:44,707 would pit them against a threat 218 00:10:44,708 --> 00:10:47,042 no war manual could prepare them for. 219 00:10:48,667 --> 00:10:50,291 It's just after World War I, 220 00:10:50,292 --> 00:10:51,582 and the Australian government 221 00:10:51,583 --> 00:10:53,374 decides to do something really special 222 00:10:53,375 --> 00:10:56,457 for Australian fighters that come home from the war. 223 00:10:56,458 --> 00:11:00,082 They give the soldiers a plot of land to become farmers, 224 00:11:00,083 --> 00:11:03,416 and the 1920s are a great decade for that. 225 00:11:03,417 --> 00:11:05,332 Soon, these veterans-turned-farmers 226 00:11:05,333 --> 00:11:06,707 are thriving, 227 00:11:06,708 --> 00:11:10,041 until an unexpected rival swoops in. 228 00:11:10,042 --> 00:11:12,582 The emu is a flightless bird. 229 00:11:12,583 --> 00:11:15,707 They're six feet tall, about 120 pounds. 230 00:11:15,708 --> 00:11:17,541 They're really fast. 231 00:11:17,542 --> 00:11:19,624 They're also really hungry. 232 00:11:19,625 --> 00:11:21,582 What starts as a seasonal migration 233 00:11:21,583 --> 00:11:24,124 quickly turns into a full-blown crisis, 234 00:11:24,125 --> 00:11:27,957 as 20,000 emus wipe out crops and millions in revenue. 235 00:11:27,958 --> 00:11:29,499 If you're a farmer, what you might do 236 00:11:29,500 --> 00:11:32,374 is you might take your claim to the Agriculture Department. 237 00:11:32,375 --> 00:11:35,082 But these aren't only farmers, they're veterans, 238 00:11:35,083 --> 00:11:39,207 so they decide to go to the Ministry of Defense. 239 00:11:39,208 --> 00:11:41,207 The farmers meet with George Pearce, 240 00:11:41,208 --> 00:11:44,541 and their plan is to create an army of well-armed men 241 00:11:44,542 --> 00:11:48,916 to go out and significantly deplete the emu population. 242 00:11:48,917 --> 00:11:52,166 This doesn't exactly sit well with the government, 243 00:11:52,167 --> 00:11:56,124 who reminds them that the emu is Australia's national bird. 244 00:11:56,125 --> 00:11:57,874 But Pearce is adamant, and he says, 245 00:11:57,875 --> 00:11:59,416 "No, no, no, no. I have a plan. 246 00:11:59,417 --> 00:12:01,207 We're gonna use machine guns 247 00:12:01,208 --> 00:12:03,457 because that'll make the death quick and painless. 248 00:12:03,458 --> 00:12:06,957 And on top of that, this will be seen as a good act 249 00:12:06,958 --> 00:12:11,124 to aid the veterans that fought in World War I." 250 00:12:11,125 --> 00:12:13,707 Apparently, Pearce makes a strong case, 251 00:12:13,708 --> 00:12:15,874 because Parliament gets on board 252 00:12:15,875 --> 00:12:19,666 and officially declares war on emus in 1932. 253 00:12:22,375 --> 00:12:24,332 The program gets off to a roaring start 254 00:12:24,333 --> 00:12:26,916 when an Australian artillery officer 255 00:12:26,917 --> 00:12:28,791 by the name of G.P.W. Meredith 256 00:12:28,792 --> 00:12:30,832 goes out into an area called Campion 257 00:12:30,833 --> 00:12:33,041 for the purposes of exterminating 258 00:12:33,042 --> 00:12:34,957 the emu population there. 259 00:12:34,958 --> 00:12:37,499 With a herd of about 100 emus in their sights, 260 00:12:37,500 --> 00:12:38,707 they begin firing. 261 00:12:40,875 --> 00:12:43,916 Then, the emu do something they're very good at. 262 00:12:43,917 --> 00:12:45,999 The emu is not a dumb bird. 263 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:47,707 They're smart, and they split up, 264 00:12:47,708 --> 00:12:50,041 and they start running in multiple directions 265 00:12:50,042 --> 00:12:53,000 in smaller groups at 40 miles an hour. 266 00:12:54,708 --> 00:12:57,124 These emu are pretty freaking hard to hit. 267 00:12:57,125 --> 00:13:00,291 They blast into a pack of 100, they hit five. 268 00:13:00,292 --> 00:13:02,999 A handful of emus sadly do get shot, 269 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:05,749 but some of them take fire and keep going. 270 00:13:05,750 --> 00:13:07,207 It's just so mind-boggling 271 00:13:07,208 --> 00:13:10,792 that Major Meredith compares these emus to tanks. 272 00:13:12,167 --> 00:13:14,874 After the emus outsmart them at Campion, 273 00:13:14,875 --> 00:13:17,291 the army works on a different approach. 274 00:13:17,292 --> 00:13:19,874 They're going to mount the Lewis machine gun 275 00:13:19,875 --> 00:13:21,374 on the back of a jeep, 276 00:13:21,375 --> 00:13:25,541 so they can travel at the same speed as the emu 277 00:13:25,542 --> 00:13:27,749 and fire from the back. 278 00:13:27,750 --> 00:13:29,416 Problem with this: 279 00:13:29,417 --> 00:13:30,917 It is rough terrain, 280 00:13:32,292 --> 00:13:34,541 so the jeep is just bouncing up and down the whole way, 281 00:13:34,542 --> 00:13:37,957 bullets fly everywhere, emus are just like, "That's stupid," 282 00:13:37,958 --> 00:13:40,041 then they scatter once again. 283 00:13:40,042 --> 00:13:42,499 And again, the outcome is the same: 284 00:13:42,500 --> 00:13:44,000 mission failure. 285 00:13:45,042 --> 00:13:48,207 It's now emus, two; Aussies, nil. 286 00:13:48,208 --> 00:13:50,666 But the soldiers aren't ready to give up. 287 00:13:50,667 --> 00:13:52,791 Now, Major Meredith and his men 288 00:13:52,792 --> 00:13:54,082 think they've got these emus figured out. 289 00:13:54,083 --> 00:13:56,291 They know the guerrilla tactics of these emus. 290 00:13:56,292 --> 00:13:58,791 They know how they run, they know where they rest, 291 00:13:58,792 --> 00:14:01,041 they know what directions they spread in. 292 00:14:01,042 --> 00:14:02,541 And with this information, 293 00:14:02,542 --> 00:14:04,832 they start carrying out these new missions 294 00:14:04,833 --> 00:14:07,541 and they start to show more success. 295 00:14:07,542 --> 00:14:09,999 Pearce goes back to Parliament three weeks later, 296 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:11,999 proudly touting that he and his men 297 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:14,624 have killed almost 1,000 emus. 298 00:14:14,625 --> 00:14:16,374 Parliament just kind of looks at him and goes, 299 00:14:16,375 --> 00:14:20,207 "Didn't you say there were 20,000 emus? 300 00:14:20,208 --> 00:14:24,000 And you've only managed to kill 1,000 of them?" 301 00:14:25,125 --> 00:14:27,207 They lambast him with insults, 302 00:14:27,208 --> 00:14:29,374 going so far as to even suggest 303 00:14:29,375 --> 00:14:32,541 that, "Maybe medal should be given to the emu?" 304 00:14:32,542 --> 00:14:35,457 With an unbelievable amount of ammunition 305 00:14:35,458 --> 00:14:37,082 and manpower wasted, 306 00:14:37,083 --> 00:14:39,082 Parliament ultimately decides 307 00:14:39,083 --> 00:14:41,374 to give the victory to the emus, 308 00:14:41,375 --> 00:14:45,041 and the mission is declared an unmitigated failure. 309 00:14:45,042 --> 00:14:47,957 The military has tried some unusual things, 310 00:14:47,958 --> 00:14:50,832 but perhaps none stranger or more successful 311 00:14:50,833 --> 00:14:53,000 than recruiting a dog off the street. 312 00:14:55,917 --> 00:14:57,874 It's World War I. 313 00:14:57,875 --> 00:15:00,499 In the muddy trenches on the Western front, 314 00:15:00,500 --> 00:15:03,542 a German spy sneaks his way towards the Allied Command. 315 00:15:05,042 --> 00:15:07,791 He's careful to stay low and keep silent. 316 00:15:12,333 --> 00:15:13,292 Suddenly, 317 00:15:15,292 --> 00:15:18,541 he hears the unmistakable growl of an attack dog. 318 00:15:19,708 --> 00:15:21,374 Pretty quickly, he realizes, 319 00:15:21,375 --> 00:15:23,874 "I have to get away from this animal," 320 00:15:23,875 --> 00:15:26,541 but the dog is having none of that. 321 00:15:26,542 --> 00:15:28,957 And the next thing the German spy feels 322 00:15:28,958 --> 00:15:31,458 is the teeth sinking into the back of his leg, 323 00:15:33,125 --> 00:15:35,207 and pretty soon, the dog is chewing anything it can reach 324 00:15:35,208 --> 00:15:36,707 and barking hysterically. 325 00:15:38,208 --> 00:15:39,999 For him, the war is over. 326 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:41,874 For his canine captor, 327 00:15:41,875 --> 00:15:45,458 it's just another in a long series of battlefield triumphs. 328 00:15:46,875 --> 00:15:49,916 His name is Sergeant Stubby. 329 00:15:56,958 --> 00:15:59,041 Your typical military working dogs 330 00:15:59,042 --> 00:16:02,374 would be a German Shepherd or a Rottweiler, 331 00:16:02,375 --> 00:16:05,417 but this is not your typical military working dog. 332 00:16:06,500 --> 00:16:11,208 This is a 25-pound stray American lap dog. 333 00:16:12,958 --> 00:16:17,332 He's a sort of mixed breed of more likely Boston Terrier. 334 00:16:17,333 --> 00:16:19,999 They're basically meant to pal around with you 335 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:21,999 and be friendly. 336 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:23,707 Stubby's unbelievable journey 337 00:16:23,708 --> 00:16:27,457 from stray to terror of the trenches begins a year earlier 338 00:16:27,458 --> 00:16:28,667 in 1917. 339 00:16:31,042 --> 00:16:32,416 You have a young army private 340 00:16:32,417 --> 00:16:33,957 by the name of John Robert Conroy 341 00:16:33,958 --> 00:16:36,291 who's training at Yale University. 342 00:16:36,292 --> 00:16:39,207 This small stray dog comes up to him 343 00:16:39,208 --> 00:16:41,750 with a thumb-like tail. 344 00:16:43,375 --> 00:16:44,707 And it's wagging as it comes up to him, 345 00:16:44,708 --> 00:16:48,041 and for Conroy, it's love at first sight. 346 00:16:48,042 --> 00:16:50,500 And he's like, "I'm gonna call you Stubby." 347 00:16:52,708 --> 00:16:55,916 Even though the camp has a no-dog policy, 348 00:16:55,917 --> 00:16:59,541 the 102nd Infantry 26th, Yankee Division, 349 00:16:59,542 --> 00:17:02,957 decides to bring Stubby on is their official mascot. 350 00:17:02,958 --> 00:17:04,292 He starts picking up tricks. 351 00:17:04,417 --> 00:17:06,667 He even learns how to salute a superior officer. 352 00:17:07,958 --> 00:17:10,041 When his unit is sent into combat 353 00:17:10,042 --> 00:17:12,249 in February of 1918, 354 00:17:12,250 --> 00:17:15,417 Sergeant Stubby goes from mascot to active duty. 355 00:17:18,333 --> 00:17:20,374 Disaster strikes Stubby early, 356 00:17:20,375 --> 00:17:22,874 and he's injured by a mustard gas attack 357 00:17:22,875 --> 00:17:24,417 that he's not supposed to survive. 358 00:17:25,833 --> 00:17:30,207 Lo and behold, not only does this not kill Stubby, 359 00:17:30,208 --> 00:17:33,874 but he recovers with this new superpower. 360 00:17:33,875 --> 00:17:38,541 He's able to sense mustard gas from miles away 361 00:17:38,542 --> 00:17:41,333 where nobody else would even know it's coming. 362 00:17:43,292 --> 00:17:45,999 Stubby's newfound skills are put to the test 363 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:47,292 during an early morning attack. 364 00:17:48,500 --> 00:17:50,874 While the men of the unit are asleep, 365 00:17:50,875 --> 00:17:52,333 there's a mustard gas attack, 366 00:17:54,042 --> 00:17:56,458 and Stubby is the first one to smell it. 367 00:17:57,958 --> 00:17:59,374 Thanks to Stubby, 368 00:17:59,375 --> 00:18:02,874 all 200 men of the company survive the attack. 369 00:18:02,875 --> 00:18:06,374 Whatever the task, Stubby somehow always delivers, 370 00:18:06,375 --> 00:18:09,874 eventually becoming the first dog in US Army history 371 00:18:09,875 --> 00:18:11,333 to reach the rank of Sergeant. 372 00:18:12,833 --> 00:18:14,082 By the end of the war, 373 00:18:14,083 --> 00:18:17,166 Stubby has fought in 17 different battles. 374 00:18:17,167 --> 00:18:18,707 He's earned the Purple Heart 375 00:18:18,708 --> 00:18:21,208 and he's earned multiple medals with valor. 376 00:18:22,375 --> 00:18:24,207 He's a part of post-war parades. 377 00:18:24,208 --> 00:18:26,250 Of course, he's the crowd favorite. 378 00:18:27,583 --> 00:18:29,541 And then in 1926, 379 00:18:29,542 --> 00:18:33,500 Stubby passes away in the arms of John Conroy, 380 00:18:34,958 --> 00:18:38,999 and his obituary is printed in both The Washington Post 381 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:39,875 and The New York Times. 382 00:18:41,500 --> 00:18:43,791 You could still see Sergeant Stubby today. 383 00:18:43,792 --> 00:18:47,582 He is stuffed and mounted in the Smithsonian Museum. 384 00:18:47,583 --> 00:18:50,082 Go see him sometime and give him a salute. 385 00:18:50,083 --> 00:18:51,666 Since Sergeant Stubby's time, 386 00:18:51,667 --> 00:18:54,374 the US military has upheld a unique tradition. 387 00:18:54,375 --> 00:18:57,541 The animal always outranks the handler, 388 00:18:57,542 --> 00:18:59,250 just to keep egos in check. 389 00:19:03,375 --> 00:19:05,582 GOAT usually means greatest of all time, 390 00:19:05,583 --> 00:19:06,874 but in this story, 391 00:19:06,875 --> 00:19:09,332 the goat isn't a champion in the ring or on the ice. 392 00:19:09,333 --> 00:19:11,542 It's a four-legged military legend. 393 00:19:13,625 --> 00:19:15,916 It's the beginning of the American Revolution. 394 00:19:15,917 --> 00:19:17,624 The British are attempting to 395 00:19:17,625 --> 00:19:20,417 assert control of Greater Boston Harbor. 396 00:19:21,792 --> 00:19:24,291 The colonial militia aren't really trained soldiers. 397 00:19:24,292 --> 00:19:25,832 They need all the advantages they can get, 398 00:19:25,833 --> 00:19:27,541 so they're gonna take position on the high ground, 399 00:19:27,542 --> 00:19:30,249 in this case, on Breed's Hill next to Bunker Hill 400 00:19:30,250 --> 00:19:32,167 and try to repel the coming British assault. 401 00:19:33,625 --> 00:19:35,708 Being uphill, the Americans have the advantage. 402 00:19:37,833 --> 00:19:42,167 The first wave of Brits sent up the hill are mowed down. 403 00:19:43,208 --> 00:19:45,375 Their superiors send up a second wave. 404 00:19:46,542 --> 00:19:48,499 They're stepping over their dead comrades. 405 00:19:48,500 --> 00:19:52,207 Again, just carnage, a British bloodbath. 406 00:19:53,792 --> 00:19:55,707 As legend has it, just as all hope seems lost, 407 00:19:55,708 --> 00:19:57,708 something rushes onto the battlefield. 408 00:19:58,875 --> 00:20:00,082 It flashes past the troops, 409 00:20:00,083 --> 00:20:03,374 taking the lead up the hill right into enemy fire. 410 00:20:03,375 --> 00:20:04,708 Who is this brave hero? 411 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:08,624 A billy goat. 412 00:20:08,625 --> 00:20:11,207 Behind the British line is the 23rd Regiment 413 00:20:11,208 --> 00:20:14,207 Welch soldiers, and they are so inspired 414 00:20:14,208 --> 00:20:16,374 when they see this billy goat charging the hill. 415 00:20:16,375 --> 00:20:17,916 They get themselves inspired. 416 00:20:17,917 --> 00:20:20,207 They leave their positions, they charge into battle, 417 00:20:20,208 --> 00:20:21,750 they charge up the hill. 418 00:20:23,458 --> 00:20:26,291 Supposedly, the Americans are so taken off guard 419 00:20:26,292 --> 00:20:29,457 by this sudden charge that they are overcome. 420 00:20:29,458 --> 00:20:31,832 The British sees the summit of Breed's Hill 421 00:20:31,833 --> 00:20:34,375 and they drive the Americans out of their fighting positions. 422 00:20:35,708 --> 00:20:37,374 Although the Americans will go on 423 00:20:37,375 --> 00:20:38,541 to gain their independence, 424 00:20:38,542 --> 00:20:40,249 their goat actually achieves 425 00:20:40,250 --> 00:20:41,874 a certain amount of immortality. 426 00:20:41,875 --> 00:20:45,082 It becomes the official mascot for the Welch Fusiliers. 427 00:20:45,083 --> 00:20:46,291 A goat has served 428 00:20:46,292 --> 00:20:48,541 with the Welch Regiment ever since, 429 00:20:48,542 --> 00:20:51,500 but it's not the last time their hooved hero saves the day. 430 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:54,041 During the Crimean War, 431 00:20:54,042 --> 00:20:56,332 the 41st Welch Infantry 432 00:20:56,333 --> 00:20:59,207 is suffering in the extreme cold of winter. 433 00:20:59,208 --> 00:21:01,374 A soldier on watch gets resourceful 434 00:21:01,375 --> 00:21:03,291 and decides to wrap the regimental goat 435 00:21:03,292 --> 00:21:05,749 inside his coat for warmth. 436 00:21:05,750 --> 00:21:08,874 Struck by a case of hypothermia, 437 00:21:08,875 --> 00:21:11,791 the man dozes while he's on watch, 438 00:21:11,792 --> 00:21:14,999 but the goat remains alert and begins bleating. 439 00:21:16,792 --> 00:21:19,166 That alerts him to the Russian soldiers 440 00:21:19,167 --> 00:21:20,707 who are actually sneaking up on them. 441 00:21:20,708 --> 00:21:23,124 At that point, he's able to rouse his comrades 442 00:21:23,125 --> 00:21:25,041 and repel the Russian force. 443 00:21:25,042 --> 00:21:27,166 A goat comes to the rescue again. 444 00:21:27,167 --> 00:21:28,832 The goat is hailed as a hero. 445 00:21:28,833 --> 00:21:30,292 They call him Hebe. 446 00:21:31,583 --> 00:21:34,374 After the war, Hebe meets Queen Victoria 447 00:21:34,375 --> 00:21:36,457 and apparently makes quite an impression. 448 00:21:36,458 --> 00:21:38,041 She is smitten, 449 00:21:38,042 --> 00:21:40,374 and when Queen Victoria learns of Hebe's death years later, 450 00:21:40,375 --> 00:21:42,416 she decrees that all of his successors 451 00:21:42,417 --> 00:21:45,541 will come from the royal herd of Kashmiri goats. 452 00:21:45,542 --> 00:21:47,041 These goats aren't just mascots 453 00:21:47,042 --> 00:21:48,707 with an honorary title. 454 00:21:48,708 --> 00:21:51,332 They're actual members of the battalion. 455 00:21:51,333 --> 00:21:52,499 They get an officer's rank, 456 00:21:52,500 --> 00:21:53,791 they get a regimental number, 457 00:21:53,792 --> 00:21:55,957 and they're treated like comrades in arms. 458 00:21:55,958 --> 00:21:58,541 The mascot actually gets officer's pay, 459 00:21:58,542 --> 00:22:00,707 and that pay goes toward his upkeep. 460 00:22:00,708 --> 00:22:03,249 That upkeep is done by the goat major, 461 00:22:03,250 --> 00:22:05,374 an actual member of the battalion as well. 462 00:22:05,375 --> 00:22:07,041 They get two cigarettes a day to eat, 463 00:22:07,042 --> 00:22:09,541 plus a pint of Guinness to wash it down. 464 00:22:09,542 --> 00:22:11,332 These days, the goat's main duty 465 00:22:11,333 --> 00:22:12,999 is to march at the head of the regiment 466 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:14,541 at ceremonial parades, 467 00:22:14,542 --> 00:22:17,416 meeting the royals in his finest regalia. 468 00:22:17,417 --> 00:22:20,249 But goats will still be goats, and in 2006, 469 00:22:20,250 --> 00:22:21,832 Lance Corporal Billy Windsor 470 00:22:21,833 --> 00:22:25,124 actually headbutts one of the drummers in a parade. 471 00:22:25,125 --> 00:22:28,291 He's charged with conduct unbecoming of an officer 472 00:22:28,292 --> 00:22:29,625 and demoted in rank. 473 00:22:30,875 --> 00:22:34,124 The most recent recruit is Lance Corporal Shenkin IV, 474 00:22:34,125 --> 00:22:38,416 who was chosen from the royal herd of Kashmiri goats in 2018 475 00:22:38,417 --> 00:22:40,541 and trained at the barracks in Cardiff. 476 00:22:40,542 --> 00:22:42,416 He's already met King Charles III, 477 00:22:42,417 --> 00:22:45,625 and so far at least, no headbutting, no shenanigans. 478 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:49,957 Our next creature wasn't charming dignitaries. 479 00:22:49,958 --> 00:22:53,332 It was too busy terrorizing the jungles of Vietnam. 480 00:22:56,083 --> 00:22:58,791 It's early 1966, and the captain 481 00:22:58,792 --> 00:23:01,874 of a company of Marines receives intel 482 00:23:01,875 --> 00:23:05,416 of some strange movements happening in the jungle. 483 00:23:05,417 --> 00:23:09,916 He radios his troops to observe but not fire. 484 00:23:09,917 --> 00:23:14,041 He doesn't want to give away his troops' position. 485 00:23:14,042 --> 00:23:17,332 He thinks it could potentially be the Viet Cong 486 00:23:17,333 --> 00:23:19,291 gearing up for a surprise attack. 487 00:23:21,125 --> 00:23:24,041 The captain then receives this puzzling report, 488 00:23:24,042 --> 00:23:25,707 where the men say, "Nevermind. 489 00:23:25,708 --> 00:23:27,707 We've got a number of apes 490 00:23:27,708 --> 00:23:29,083 that are in front of our position." 491 00:23:30,750 --> 00:23:32,874 This strikes him as an unusual development 492 00:23:32,875 --> 00:23:35,499 because there are no large apes in Vietnam. 493 00:23:35,500 --> 00:23:37,332 They're not native there. 494 00:23:37,333 --> 00:23:39,707 And for there to then be a group of them 495 00:23:39,708 --> 00:23:41,707 directly in front of this Marine position, 496 00:23:41,708 --> 00:23:43,417 is especially curious. 497 00:23:45,458 --> 00:23:46,916 So the Marines inform their captain 498 00:23:46,917 --> 00:23:50,166 that these apes are getting quite close. 499 00:23:50,167 --> 00:23:51,624 Being a good officer, 500 00:23:51,625 --> 00:23:54,999 the captain comes up with a sort of obvious solution. 501 00:23:55,000 --> 00:23:58,124 Just throw some rocks at the apes, scare them off, 502 00:23:58,125 --> 00:23:59,707 and they'll go away. 503 00:23:59,708 --> 00:24:01,833 Very clearly stating, though, "Don't open fire." 504 00:24:03,167 --> 00:24:05,207 These Marines follow orders. 505 00:24:05,208 --> 00:24:06,666 They throw rocks, 506 00:24:06,667 --> 00:24:10,374 and the next noises that come out over the radio 507 00:24:10,375 --> 00:24:12,874 are all sorts of chaos and commotion. 508 00:24:15,792 --> 00:24:19,374 There is gunfire, there is screaming, there is yelling, 509 00:24:19,375 --> 00:24:20,624 there's all of this ruckus, 510 00:24:20,625 --> 00:24:23,457 and then the radio just goes silent. 511 00:24:25,750 --> 00:24:28,582 Frantic, the captain sends out a recon squad of 512 00:24:28,583 --> 00:24:30,499 marines to find out what the hell happened, 513 00:24:30,500 --> 00:24:33,125 and what they find is pure carnage. 514 00:24:34,833 --> 00:24:37,666 You've got marines on the ground that are banged up. 515 00:24:37,667 --> 00:24:39,791 Some of them have cracked skulls, 516 00:24:39,792 --> 00:24:41,666 some of them are unconscious. 517 00:24:41,667 --> 00:24:43,874 And they ask them, "What happened?" 518 00:24:43,875 --> 00:24:46,291 Everyone reports basically the same thing. 519 00:24:46,292 --> 00:24:50,249 That is, they were attacked by a group of six-foot-tall, 520 00:24:50,250 --> 00:24:54,166 orange-haired apes that had really good throwing arms, 521 00:24:54,167 --> 00:24:55,499 and some of the men 522 00:24:55,500 --> 00:24:58,291 had to engage them in hand-to-hand combat. 523 00:24:58,292 --> 00:24:59,707 After the skirmish, 524 00:24:59,708 --> 00:25:03,166 no bodies of Vietnamese jungle apes are recovered, 525 00:25:03,167 --> 00:25:05,124 but this won't be the only faceoff. 526 00:25:07,125 --> 00:25:10,166 In 1968, there's an incident also near Da Nang 527 00:25:10,167 --> 00:25:12,332 where Marines from my company 528 00:25:12,333 --> 00:25:13,874 of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines 529 00:25:13,875 --> 00:25:16,582 encounter a group of stone-throwing apes 530 00:25:16,583 --> 00:25:18,917 occupying high ground above their positions. 531 00:25:20,625 --> 00:25:22,041 They open fire. 532 00:25:23,417 --> 00:25:26,624 But the bodies of none of these apes can be found afterward. 533 00:25:26,625 --> 00:25:29,249 There's just the personal accounts of the Marines 534 00:25:29,250 --> 00:25:30,875 who eyewitnessed the incident. 535 00:25:31,875 --> 00:25:33,374 The reports become common enough 536 00:25:33,375 --> 00:25:37,291 that the stone hurling primates earn themselves a nickname, 537 00:25:37,292 --> 00:25:38,667 rock apes. 538 00:25:39,833 --> 00:25:40,916 It's not just the Americans 539 00:25:40,917 --> 00:25:43,249 that are having these experiences. 540 00:25:43,250 --> 00:25:44,916 We have reports 541 00:25:44,917 --> 00:25:47,582 that the Vietnamese also were having similar encounters 542 00:25:47,583 --> 00:25:50,041 with these massive apes. 543 00:25:50,042 --> 00:25:52,666 They referred to them as Batutut, or jungle people, 544 00:25:52,667 --> 00:25:54,332 but the description is the same. 545 00:25:54,333 --> 00:25:58,291 Very tall, reddish-brownish fur, aggressive, 546 00:25:58,292 --> 00:26:00,582 and there's some speculation 547 00:26:00,583 --> 00:26:03,082 that these were maybe orangutans, 548 00:26:03,083 --> 00:26:05,041 but the problem is that orangutans haven't 549 00:26:05,042 --> 00:26:07,667 lived in Vietnam for 1,000 years. 550 00:26:08,708 --> 00:26:10,041 So you've got all of these soldiers 551 00:26:10,042 --> 00:26:11,707 talking about these mysterious sightings 552 00:26:11,708 --> 00:26:13,207 of these rock-throwing apes, 553 00:26:13,208 --> 00:26:16,541 and yet none of them are able to kill any of these apes. 554 00:26:16,542 --> 00:26:18,207 No body is ever recovered. 555 00:26:18,208 --> 00:26:21,499 So, what is left in terms of an explanation? 556 00:26:21,500 --> 00:26:22,749 What we end up with 557 00:26:22,750 --> 00:26:26,583 is sort of the Vietnam version of the Yeti. 558 00:26:28,042 --> 00:26:30,457 What makes it all the more puzzling is the fact 559 00:26:30,458 --> 00:26:34,041 that there are so many people that have similar encounters 560 00:26:34,042 --> 00:26:36,041 during a compressed period of time. 561 00:26:36,042 --> 00:26:39,332 So, it's definitely a part of at least the folklore 562 00:26:39,333 --> 00:26:41,041 of the Vietnam experience. 563 00:26:41,042 --> 00:26:42,707 Who knows? It might even be real. 564 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:46,499 Whether they're a hallucination 565 00:26:46,500 --> 00:26:48,874 or an undiscovered new breed of primate, 566 00:26:48,875 --> 00:26:51,875 rock apes remain one of the war's strangest mysteries. 567 00:26:55,917 --> 00:26:57,582 In a war defined by spies and satellites, 568 00:26:57,583 --> 00:26:59,082 one of the most unexpected 569 00:26:59,083 --> 00:27:02,832 secret weapons came from the sea. 570 00:27:02,833 --> 00:27:05,207 Dolphins are kind of the hippies of the sea. 571 00:27:05,208 --> 00:27:08,374 They're very loving, they're very friendly. 572 00:27:08,375 --> 00:27:11,791 We don't think of them as helping a war effort. 573 00:27:11,792 --> 00:27:13,999 Yet, starting with the Cuban Missile Crisis, 574 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:17,291 trained dolphins were deployed in Vietnam and Iraq, 575 00:27:17,292 --> 00:27:20,082 taking on missions too dangerous for humans. 576 00:27:20,083 --> 00:27:22,999 Dolphins show an incredible acuity 577 00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:26,332 in terms of spotting mines below the surface of the water. 578 00:27:26,333 --> 00:27:29,166 Essentially, they use their echolocation 579 00:27:29,167 --> 00:27:31,291 to determine where the mine is. 580 00:27:31,292 --> 00:27:32,916 If the dolphin finds a mine, 581 00:27:32,917 --> 00:27:36,541 the dolphin will ascend to the surface and tap a buoy, 582 00:27:36,542 --> 00:27:40,124 at which point the animal will be given a reward. 583 00:27:40,125 --> 00:27:43,041 Detecting underwater mines is just the beginning. 584 00:27:43,042 --> 00:27:47,207 Next, the Navy tries using dolphins as assassins. 585 00:27:47,208 --> 00:27:49,749 So in Vietnam, these dolphins have a hypodermic needle 586 00:27:49,750 --> 00:27:51,457 attached to their snout. 587 00:27:51,458 --> 00:27:53,041 Gas is inside of it. 588 00:27:53,042 --> 00:27:55,124 The diver who gets poked by the gas, 589 00:27:55,125 --> 00:27:57,791 they don't die, they just float to the surface. 590 00:27:57,792 --> 00:27:59,582 It might seem like the dolphin is being friendly, 591 00:27:59,583 --> 00:28:00,957 but then pop, you get stabbed 592 00:28:00,958 --> 00:28:02,124 with this hypodermic needle, 593 00:28:02,125 --> 00:28:03,582 and you're rocketing to the surface 594 00:28:03,583 --> 00:28:05,208 where they can be apprehended. 595 00:28:06,542 --> 00:28:09,124 Incredibly, dolphins are still being used today, 596 00:28:09,125 --> 00:28:13,166 and the US isn't the only superpower relying on them. 597 00:28:13,167 --> 00:28:15,457 The Russian Navy has two dolphin pens 598 00:28:15,458 --> 00:28:19,874 near the Sevastopol Harbor in the entrance to the Black Sea. 599 00:28:19,875 --> 00:28:22,416 Famously, the Russians move these dolphins 600 00:28:22,417 --> 00:28:26,332 to patrol this key tactical harbor in Sevastopol 601 00:28:26,333 --> 00:28:30,707 to protect the ships that are incredibly high value 602 00:28:30,708 --> 00:28:33,207 to the Russian war effort. 603 00:28:33,208 --> 00:28:34,874 The Ukrainians are using divers 604 00:28:34,875 --> 00:28:37,999 that can conduct attacks against Russian naval bases. 605 00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:39,374 And in response to that, 606 00:28:39,375 --> 00:28:42,207 the Russians have introduced weaponized dolphins. 607 00:28:42,208 --> 00:28:45,707 They are tasked with anti-diver operations 608 00:28:45,708 --> 00:28:48,374 to stop any potential sabotage. 609 00:28:48,375 --> 00:28:52,957 The belief is that the dolphins would ram 610 00:28:52,958 --> 00:28:56,124 any potential human being below the water, 611 00:28:56,125 --> 00:28:58,417 thinking they were a suspected enemy. 612 00:28:59,292 --> 00:29:00,582 And it's not just dolphins 613 00:29:00,583 --> 00:29:02,249 serving their countries. 614 00:29:02,250 --> 00:29:05,750 Can you imagine a whale in the role of 007? 615 00:29:07,250 --> 00:29:10,832 The Russian Navy has spy whales patrolling 616 00:29:10,833 --> 00:29:13,374 the Arctic, running surveillance, 617 00:29:13,375 --> 00:29:15,374 protecting its ports, protecting its ships, 618 00:29:15,375 --> 00:29:18,207 and letting it know where the enemy is. 619 00:29:18,208 --> 00:29:19,791 But this Russian secret weapon 620 00:29:19,792 --> 00:29:22,791 is about to become not-so-secret, 621 00:29:22,792 --> 00:29:24,417 and you won't believe how. 622 00:29:27,250 --> 00:29:29,957 A bunch of Norwegian fishermen are out, 623 00:29:29,958 --> 00:29:31,082 and a friendly beluga whale 624 00:29:31,083 --> 00:29:32,749 just kind of swims up to their boat, 625 00:29:32,750 --> 00:29:33,999 and they realize it's wearing 626 00:29:34,000 --> 00:29:36,916 some kind of a strappy harness thing, 627 00:29:36,917 --> 00:29:39,666 sort of like a GoPro rig. 628 00:29:39,667 --> 00:29:41,582 And when they look closer at it, 629 00:29:41,583 --> 00:29:44,041 they find that in Cyrillic characters, 630 00:29:44,042 --> 00:29:46,166 it says, "Property of St. Petersburg." 631 00:29:46,167 --> 00:29:49,124 It provides evidence that the animal 632 00:29:49,125 --> 00:29:51,707 has been equipped with this package of equipment 633 00:29:51,708 --> 00:29:53,167 that was made by the Russian Federation. 634 00:29:54,500 --> 00:29:56,791 As for the fate of the beluga whale spy 635 00:29:56,792 --> 00:29:59,166 that the Norwegian fishermen found... 636 00:29:59,167 --> 00:30:02,666 The funny thing is that whale essentially defects 637 00:30:02,667 --> 00:30:04,207 and goes to Norway, 638 00:30:04,208 --> 00:30:06,957 where it is renamed Hvaldimir, 639 00:30:06,958 --> 00:30:10,916 as an homage and maybe poking fun at Vladimir Putin. 640 00:30:10,917 --> 00:30:13,832 While some animals serve in national defense, 641 00:30:13,833 --> 00:30:16,082 others take their talents somewhere 642 00:30:16,083 --> 00:30:17,624 a little more entertaining. 643 00:30:20,917 --> 00:30:23,207 Greyhound racing has been a popular sport 644 00:30:23,208 --> 00:30:25,958 in the United States dating all the way back to 1919. 645 00:30:30,125 --> 00:30:33,416 By 1930, 67 dog tracks have opened across the United States, 646 00:30:33,417 --> 00:30:35,457 most of them in Florida. 647 00:30:35,458 --> 00:30:38,042 It's a huge spectator sport, not just to watch, 648 00:30:39,458 --> 00:30:40,958 but to bet on as well. 649 00:30:43,208 --> 00:30:46,332 A couple from Miami named Loretta and Charles David 650 00:30:46,333 --> 00:30:48,374 ask the question, how can we make this 651 00:30:48,375 --> 00:30:52,125 already popular spectacle even more spectacular? 652 00:30:53,125 --> 00:30:55,332 Their plan? Simple. 653 00:30:55,333 --> 00:30:57,207 Just add monkeys. 654 00:30:57,208 --> 00:31:00,207 The idea is take a monkey, put on the back of a greyhound, 655 00:31:00,208 --> 00:31:03,207 and essentially make a monkey jockey. 656 00:31:03,208 --> 00:31:04,916 Making jockeys out of monkeys 657 00:31:04,917 --> 00:31:07,124 isn't as easy as it sounds. 658 00:31:07,125 --> 00:31:09,666 Actually, doesn't sound easy at all. 659 00:31:11,292 --> 00:31:13,082 Greyhounds are naturally predatory. 660 00:31:13,083 --> 00:31:14,707 Remember, when they're running around the track, 661 00:31:14,708 --> 00:31:18,249 they're actually chasing a rabbit to eat it and kill it. 662 00:31:18,250 --> 00:31:21,166 The challenge is taking a small mammal like a monkey 663 00:31:21,167 --> 00:31:23,749 and getting them not just to coexist, 664 00:31:23,750 --> 00:31:25,541 but to work together. 665 00:31:25,542 --> 00:31:27,624 The Davids are up for the task 666 00:31:27,625 --> 00:31:31,041 and move forward to bring this spectacle to the racetrack. 667 00:31:31,042 --> 00:31:34,707 Loretta and Charles import 12 baby Capuchin monkeys 668 00:31:34,708 --> 00:31:36,166 from Panama. 669 00:31:36,167 --> 00:31:39,749 Each of these baby monkeys cost about $35,000 today, 670 00:31:39,750 --> 00:31:41,875 so this is a huge investment. 671 00:31:42,750 --> 00:31:44,207 The genius part of this 672 00:31:44,208 --> 00:31:47,291 is that the Davids also get 12 greyhound puppies, 673 00:31:47,292 --> 00:31:49,957 and they raise the monkeys and the puppies together, 674 00:31:49,958 --> 00:31:51,749 basically as siblings. 675 00:31:51,750 --> 00:31:53,207 After two years of bonding, 676 00:31:53,208 --> 00:31:56,541 becoming buddies, working together every day, training, 677 00:31:56,542 --> 00:31:58,583 it's time for them to hit the track. 678 00:31:59,708 --> 00:32:01,082 The first race in Florida 679 00:32:01,083 --> 00:32:04,167 is held in January of 1933 in Miami. 680 00:32:05,458 --> 00:32:08,374 The bell goes off and they spring out of the gates. 681 00:32:10,583 --> 00:32:12,999 These monkeys are taking it seriously. 682 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:16,124 Riding the greyhounds like they're thoroughbreds. 683 00:32:16,125 --> 00:32:17,499 It's insane. 684 00:32:17,500 --> 00:32:19,624 The monkey jockeys become so popular 685 00:32:19,625 --> 00:32:22,417 that the Davids take them on tour all over the country. 686 00:32:23,792 --> 00:32:27,457 Gamblers and track owners are making money hand over fist. 687 00:32:27,458 --> 00:32:31,416 The monkeys, however, quite literally work for peanuts. 688 00:32:31,417 --> 00:32:33,291 Despite the popularity of these races, 689 00:32:33,292 --> 00:32:35,041 the Humane Society does step in 690 00:32:35,042 --> 00:32:37,374 and deems the sport cruel to animals. 691 00:32:37,375 --> 00:32:38,916 Because of this, Charles and Loretta 692 00:32:38,917 --> 00:32:41,333 retire their monkeys at the end of the 1930s. 693 00:32:43,417 --> 00:32:46,041 A strange chapter in entertainment history, 694 00:32:46,042 --> 00:32:49,041 equal parts skill, spectacle, and chaos, 695 00:32:49,042 --> 00:32:50,541 and yet somehow, 696 00:32:50,542 --> 00:32:53,375 not the wildest animal story of the 20th century. 697 00:32:57,333 --> 00:32:59,332 What begins as an ordinary day for one man 698 00:32:59,333 --> 00:33:02,416 quickly turns into a bizarre test of courage 699 00:33:02,417 --> 00:33:05,791 against a challenger with some serious upper body strength. 700 00:33:08,167 --> 00:33:11,541 In 2016 in the Australian outback, 701 00:33:11,542 --> 00:33:15,541 Greig Tonkins is out with his friends hunting wild boar. 702 00:33:15,542 --> 00:33:17,666 There's one there, just here. 703 00:33:17,667 --> 00:33:20,791 When one of Greig's dogs, Max, gets a scent 704 00:33:20,792 --> 00:33:24,250 and runs off ahead and disappears into the brush. 705 00:33:25,708 --> 00:33:29,082 Greig sees something he really wasn't expecting, 706 00:33:29,083 --> 00:33:32,041 which is this enormous kangaroo. 707 00:33:32,042 --> 00:33:34,249 No, no! 708 00:33:34,250 --> 00:33:37,374 Holding his dog hostage in a headlock. 709 00:33:37,375 --> 00:33:40,499 And Greig realizes he has to do something pretty quick 710 00:33:40,500 --> 00:33:42,249 to save his dog. 711 00:33:42,250 --> 00:33:44,999 Big, male kangaroos are actually quite terrifying. 712 00:33:45,000 --> 00:33:48,707 They've got these just huge biceps, big, broad chest, 713 00:33:48,708 --> 00:33:52,166 and a kangaroo can punch eight times harder than a human 714 00:33:52,167 --> 00:33:54,707 and they can bite as hard as a grizzly. 715 00:33:54,708 --> 00:33:59,291 But, the biggest threat is actually the kangaroo's kick. 716 00:33:59,292 --> 00:34:00,791 A kangaroo's middle toes 717 00:34:00,792 --> 00:34:03,082 fuse into a single sharp talon, 718 00:34:03,083 --> 00:34:05,374 a feature called syndactyly, 719 00:34:05,375 --> 00:34:08,416 not unlike the kill claw found on a Velociraptor. 720 00:34:08,417 --> 00:34:10,166 He can kick his hard as a horse, 721 00:34:10,167 --> 00:34:12,124 and with that sharp nail on the end of his toe, 722 00:34:12,125 --> 00:34:14,542 can pretty much open Greig completely up 723 00:34:15,625 --> 00:34:16,792 and eviscerate him. 724 00:34:17,750 --> 00:34:21,374 As it happens, Greig is a zookeeper by profession, 725 00:34:21,375 --> 00:34:25,042 so he moves in close enough to distract the kangaroo, 726 00:34:26,042 --> 00:34:28,624 and it releases the dog. 727 00:34:28,625 --> 00:34:30,791 You might think that the story would end there, 728 00:34:30,792 --> 00:34:34,750 but no, the kangaroo turns its attention to Greig. 729 00:34:35,750 --> 00:34:39,124 Now, this is in full-blown territory mode 730 00:34:39,125 --> 00:34:40,874 and puts up his dukes. 731 00:34:40,875 --> 00:34:42,791 Greig, to not show any weakness, 732 00:34:42,792 --> 00:34:46,499 leans back and he socks the kangaroo straight in the jaw. 733 00:34:49,542 --> 00:34:52,500 Surprisingly, the roo backs off, 734 00:34:53,667 --> 00:34:57,499 and actually that probably saves Greig's life. 735 00:34:57,500 --> 00:34:58,374 Come on! 736 00:34:58,375 --> 00:35:00,249 Come on. 737 00:35:00,250 --> 00:35:02,249 After going a few rounds with a kangaroo, 738 00:35:02,250 --> 00:35:05,207 a drink might sound like the perfect way to recover. 739 00:35:05,208 --> 00:35:07,791 Just be careful where you set it down, 740 00:35:07,792 --> 00:35:09,874 especially if there are monkeys around. 741 00:35:11,875 --> 00:35:14,874 So you're vacationing on the lovely island 742 00:35:14,875 --> 00:35:18,041 of St. Kitts, you're lounging poolside with a tropical 743 00:35:18,042 --> 00:35:19,916 cocktail, and you drift off to sleep. 744 00:35:19,917 --> 00:35:21,207 You may not realize, though, 745 00:35:21,208 --> 00:35:24,667 that someone is watching you, poised to strike. 746 00:35:26,042 --> 00:35:27,749 It's a vervet monkey, 747 00:35:27,750 --> 00:35:31,166 and he's not interested in ejecting you from his territory 748 00:35:31,167 --> 00:35:32,874 or begging for a bit of food. 749 00:35:32,875 --> 00:35:34,750 He wants your booze. 750 00:35:36,000 --> 00:35:38,499 For years, this island paradise has been plagued 751 00:35:38,500 --> 00:35:43,207 by a small army of sneaky, thieving, drunken monkeys. 752 00:35:46,708 --> 00:35:48,749 The vervet monkeys of St. Kitts 753 00:35:48,750 --> 00:35:51,374 have a long history of excessive drinking, 754 00:35:51,375 --> 00:35:54,166 going back to the 1600s when they were brought to the island 755 00:35:54,167 --> 00:35:56,082 by the British as pets. 756 00:35:56,083 --> 00:35:59,249 The monkeys start raiding sugar cane plantations, 757 00:35:59,250 --> 00:36:03,374 and sometimes the sugar cane can start to ferment, 758 00:36:03,375 --> 00:36:06,332 then the sugar eventually turns into alcohol. 759 00:36:06,333 --> 00:36:09,457 And the monkeys start chewing on the sugar cane, 760 00:36:09,458 --> 00:36:12,874 ultimately becoming addicted to alcohol. 761 00:36:12,875 --> 00:36:14,374 Centuries later, 762 00:36:14,375 --> 00:36:17,624 sugar fields are replaced by bars and hotels, 763 00:36:17,625 --> 00:36:21,624 but the monkey's tradition of boozing is still going strong. 764 00:36:21,625 --> 00:36:24,582 For scientists, the situation on St. Kitts 765 00:36:24,583 --> 00:36:28,207 actually creates a rare opportunity. 766 00:36:28,208 --> 00:36:31,332 Where else can you study alcohol consumption 767 00:36:31,333 --> 00:36:33,457 in a group of highly-social, 768 00:36:33,458 --> 00:36:34,958 non-human primates? 769 00:36:36,375 --> 00:36:38,249 And the results of that research 770 00:36:38,250 --> 00:36:40,333 are like looking in a mirror. 771 00:36:41,750 --> 00:36:44,416 So some are more social drinkers who do it in moderation 772 00:36:44,417 --> 00:36:46,666 and only when they're with other monkeys. 773 00:36:46,667 --> 00:36:49,874 And then there's a small group, about 5%, 774 00:36:49,875 --> 00:36:51,416 who are described by researchers 775 00:36:51,417 --> 00:36:54,957 as seriously abusive binge-drinkers. 776 00:36:54,958 --> 00:36:58,374 They get wasted, they get into brawls, 777 00:36:58,375 --> 00:37:01,416 they basically raid outdoor cocktail tables 778 00:37:01,417 --> 00:37:04,541 and just about anywhere they can find alcoholic beverages. 779 00:37:04,542 --> 00:37:07,416 Research also reveals something else surprising. 780 00:37:07,417 --> 00:37:09,207 Well, it turns out that the most effective 781 00:37:09,208 --> 00:37:11,875 and powerful leaders among these primates 782 00:37:12,708 --> 00:37:13,833 are the drunkest monkeys of all. 783 00:37:14,875 --> 00:37:16,416 If you thought those monkeys were wild, 784 00:37:16,417 --> 00:37:19,416 wait 'til you meet a real swingin' '70s cat 785 00:37:19,417 --> 00:37:21,250 who put Casanova to shame. 786 00:37:25,375 --> 00:37:26,999 When you think of being put out to pasture, 787 00:37:27,000 --> 00:37:29,499 you probably assume your best days are behind you. 788 00:37:29,500 --> 00:37:32,707 But for one retired lion in California, 789 00:37:32,708 --> 00:37:36,250 it means he's about to seriously get his groove back. 790 00:37:38,333 --> 00:37:39,957 In the early 1970s, 791 00:37:39,958 --> 00:37:44,499 a revolutionary idea takes hold in zoos. 792 00:37:44,500 --> 00:37:46,374 Rather than cages, 793 00:37:46,375 --> 00:37:50,041 why not a place where the animals can roam free? 794 00:37:50,042 --> 00:37:54,083 Thus, in California, we have Lion Country Safari. 795 00:37:54,833 --> 00:37:59,207 The general public is invited to drive past 796 00:37:59,208 --> 00:38:02,457 big predators, like lions and tigers, 797 00:38:02,458 --> 00:38:05,625 within the supposed safety of the family car. 798 00:38:08,375 --> 00:38:10,541 If you tip the attendants well enough, 799 00:38:10,542 --> 00:38:14,207 they will throw meat onto the car itself 800 00:38:14,208 --> 00:38:17,541 so that the lions climb up for a meal. 801 00:38:17,542 --> 00:38:20,624 In addition to being an attraction, 802 00:38:20,625 --> 00:38:24,166 these wildlife parks also have another mission, 803 00:38:24,167 --> 00:38:27,332 which is to breed captive lions 804 00:38:27,333 --> 00:38:30,874 for selling to other parks and zoos. 805 00:38:30,875 --> 00:38:33,874 The problem is, in this California park, 806 00:38:33,875 --> 00:38:34,958 the lions aren't breeding. 807 00:38:36,292 --> 00:38:37,874 What they fail to realize is that 808 00:38:37,875 --> 00:38:41,874 these lions and lionesses, they grew up together. 809 00:38:41,875 --> 00:38:44,541 They were in the same packs and groups, 810 00:38:44,542 --> 00:38:47,791 so they behave as if they were siblings. 811 00:38:47,792 --> 00:38:51,499 There's almost a genetic taboo from them mating. 812 00:38:51,500 --> 00:38:55,000 In essence, the lionesses friendzone the male lions. 813 00:38:56,500 --> 00:38:57,832 Around the same time, 814 00:38:57,833 --> 00:39:00,374 there's a circus in Tijuana that's going bankrupt, 815 00:39:00,375 --> 00:39:03,541 and they have this very old lion named Frasier. 816 00:39:03,542 --> 00:39:06,124 Lion Country Safari agrees to take him in 817 00:39:06,125 --> 00:39:07,875 so he can retire there. 818 00:39:09,083 --> 00:39:12,166 This lion is 19, and that's like 80 in human years. 819 00:39:12,167 --> 00:39:15,249 He's arthritic, he's so toothless that his tongue 820 00:39:15,250 --> 00:39:16,749 just hangs out of his mouth, 821 00:39:16,750 --> 00:39:18,416 and he's got this patchy mane 822 00:39:18,417 --> 00:39:21,417 that looks like some kind of sad lion comb over. 823 00:39:22,375 --> 00:39:23,874 He may not have the looks, 824 00:39:23,875 --> 00:39:26,875 but what this lion does have is plenty of mojo. 825 00:39:28,208 --> 00:39:30,707 When Frasier limps his way over 826 00:39:30,708 --> 00:39:32,874 to where the pride is sunning themselves, 827 00:39:32,875 --> 00:39:36,499 suddenly the lionesses all perk up, 828 00:39:36,500 --> 00:39:40,666 like he is the lion that they've been dreaming of. 829 00:39:40,667 --> 00:39:44,707 Soon, Frasier has a whole harem of lionesses. 830 00:39:44,708 --> 00:39:47,374 They go with him everywhere. 831 00:39:47,375 --> 00:39:52,541 They bring him food, they pillow his head when he lies down. 832 00:39:52,542 --> 00:39:54,582 They walk beside him, 833 00:39:54,583 --> 00:39:57,042 holding him up because he's so unsteady. 834 00:39:58,125 --> 00:39:59,917 They also breed with him. 835 00:40:00,917 --> 00:40:02,124 a lot. 836 00:40:08,833 --> 00:40:11,707 Before you know it, there's lion cubs everywhere, 837 00:40:11,708 --> 00:40:14,332 and not like four or five. 838 00:40:14,333 --> 00:40:18,833 Frasier fathers 35 lion cubs. 839 00:40:19,833 --> 00:40:24,624 This is with 11 lionesses in just 18 months. 840 00:40:24,625 --> 00:40:28,166 No zookeeper has ever seen anything like this. 841 00:40:28,167 --> 00:40:32,291 And of course, this isn't happening behind closed doors, 842 00:40:32,292 --> 00:40:34,916 this is all on display for the public. 843 00:40:34,917 --> 00:40:39,417 And in the freewheeling '70s, Frasier becomes a sensation. 844 00:40:40,750 --> 00:40:43,707 The zookeepers know that they've struck gold, 845 00:40:43,708 --> 00:40:46,582 and so they make him their mascot, 846 00:40:46,583 --> 00:40:49,999 naming him Frasier the Sensuous Lion. 847 00:40:50,000 --> 00:40:52,499 He becomes mainstream famous. 848 00:40:52,500 --> 00:40:54,541 A low-budget movie is made about him. 849 00:40:54,542 --> 00:40:57,666 Sarah Vaughan records a song about him. 850 00:40:57,667 --> 00:40:58,999 People start producing 851 00:40:59,000 --> 00:41:01,583 Frasier for President bumper stickers. 852 00:41:02,583 --> 00:41:04,124 According to some accounts, 853 00:41:04,125 --> 00:41:08,041 Frasier receives upwards of 1,500 fan letters a month, 854 00:41:08,042 --> 00:41:11,416 many of which are from fellow older men asking, 855 00:41:11,417 --> 00:41:14,000 "What exactly is the zoo feeding him?" 856 00:41:15,208 --> 00:41:17,374 Sadly, in July of 1972, 857 00:41:17,375 --> 00:41:18,999 Frasier the Sensuous Lion, 858 00:41:19,000 --> 00:41:22,416 who brought unrelenting joy to countless fans, 859 00:41:22,417 --> 00:41:25,458 and at least 11 female lions, passes away. 860 00:41:26,458 --> 00:41:28,207 Basically, he died of old age. 861 00:41:28,208 --> 00:41:29,707 He was, after all, 862 00:41:29,708 --> 00:41:33,082 near the human equivalent of 100 years old. 863 00:41:35,417 --> 00:41:37,957 From defiant birds to death-defying chickens 864 00:41:37,958 --> 00:41:40,124 and monkeys who mastered the racetrack, 865 00:41:40,125 --> 00:41:42,624 these creatures didn't just surprise us. 866 00:41:42,625 --> 00:41:44,624 They redefined what's possible, 867 00:41:44,625 --> 00:41:47,583 making them the very best of the unbelievable.