Inside the Perfect Predator Page #2

Not only do they have strength in numbers,

they're also bigger with bone-crushing jaws.

To protect her young,

the cheetah must act as a decoy.

Inside, her body fires into action.

Adrenalin is quickly

flushed into the bloodstream.

Her huge heart doubles

its rate to 250 beats a minute...

...sending extra oxygen

and sugars directly

to her enormous leg muscles.

She is now ready

to engage the enemy.

This time, she has won.

But her cubs are hungry.

They need meat and milk every day.

She too is weakening.

To achieve her killer speed,

she carries little fat

and is constantly

on the verge of starvation.

She must eat.

Cheetahs have enhanced vision

in the horizontal plane...

and can spot a moving gazelle

from over a mile away.

Approaching downwind,

she creeps towards

her 30-metre striking distance.

Making the most of her camouflage.

Once again,

there's a chain reaction...

as she prepares for

the fastest chase on land.

The hunt is on.

All four predators

are poised for the attack.

Their insides a powder keg,

just waiting to explode.

But who will make the kill,

and who will go hungry?

THE CHASE:

Nature's top gun,

the peregrine falcon.

Desperate to feed her chicks...

...she locks onto her target,

a fast and agile pigeon.

Time to turn on the speed.

Tucking in her wings,

she shoots towards Earth.

Her teardrop-shaped body,

the height of aerodynamic design.

Within seconds, she has reached

her terminal velocity of 200 miles per hour.

The force of air

would explode her lungs,

if not for

the baffles in her nostrils,

a design so effective

it is now used in jet engines.

Nictating membranes wipe her eyes

to clear them of debris

and stop them drying out.

She prepares for impact, a manoeuvre

requiring split-second timing.

But the pigeon spotted her...

and she can't compete on the flat.

Despite their speed, peregrine

falcons have a poor strike rate,

with only 20% of attacks

ending in a kill.

But her chicks must feed

before the day is out.

Back in Africa,

hunger is also preying on the mind

of the freshwater predator.

So far, this Nile crocodile

has survived on meagre pickings.

Now is his chance for a proper meal.

The crocodile is an ambush predator.

But to succeed, he must get close.

No more than three metres away.

The wildebeest

are wary of any movement.

For his final approach,

he must vanish completely.

Although he can barely see, he uses

his claws to feel his way forward.

Pressure receptors studded along his

jaws pick up vibrations in the water

guiding him to his prey.

A large crocodile can hide itself

in 30 centimetres of water.

Now, he must wait for them

to come to him.

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