Wild Ones

Episode Synopsis

The socially complex chimpanzee, the learned elephant, the remarkable birds, the inventive bolas spider, the architectural termite, the inquisitive dolphin or the inimitable octopus – which is the most intelligent? Chimpanzee: Born with brains of immense capacity these dexterous apes are fast learners – using twigs and stones as tools, chimps can prize treats out of hidden crevices. Elephant: Family oriented, social and extremely loyal, the ties that bind this family group are made and strengthened by a complex array of vocal and tactile communication, by behavior patterns and knowledge passed down through generations and a memory that out classes our own. Birds: The bird world is full of hidden surprises. From the elegant design of their feathers, to their astounding hand-eye co-ordination to some of the most incredible courtship displays imaginable, many of the worlds birds are staggeringly impressive. Bolas spiders: are small nocturnal spiders, the females, at no more than 15mm are over ten times larger than the miniscule males. Termite colonies: are populated and dominated by one hugely overgrown queen. She will lay all the eggs for the colony – sometimes over 2000 a day. Dolphins: have two main forms of highly sophisticated communication – the clicks of ecolocation and the whistles used for contact calls and identification.