Imagine an animal that weighs the same as a small sachet of porridge, but can generate 1500N of force—equivalent to the resting weight of two people—in a lightning attack that’s as fast as a bullet leaving a gun. Add to this species, an arsenal of hammer-like appendages, pointed claws sharper than flick-knives, an eyesight that’s unparalleled to anything else in the animal kingdom and—to top it all off—a really, really territorial outlook on life.
Scary, right?
Well meet the Mantis Shrimp or, as it’s sometimes nicknamed, the ‘assassin of the sea’. Last year we interviewed Love Nature’s aerial and underwater videographer Kay Burn Lim about his work shooting these voracious invertebrates out in Indonesia’s Lembeh Straits, and he gave us a detailed run-down of how to film these beautifully coloured crustaceans. This week, we’ve gone one better and are airing Ninja Shrimp, a whole documentary on this most incredible and complicated animal.
In this fascinating show, Natali Tesche-Ricciardi searches for the few specialists in the world who can tell us more about these colourful crustaceans. The good news is that you can watch Ninja Shrimp, right now, advert free, only on the Love Nature streaming service. Sign up today with our 30-day free trial and experience the best nature documentaries on the net, straight to your computer, connected TV, and games console.
ALSO NEW THIS WEEK
Waiting for the Elephants…
Follow French director, Jérôme Bouvier and his camera crew into the heart of the rainforest of Gabon, to film the elusive forest elephant. From high up in in the tree canopy, they observe how the forest elephants play an essential part in the life cycle between fauna and flora that is vital to the sustainability of the ecosystem.
Amazing Plants
The seemingly peaceful world of plants is actually a battlefield fraught with the constant struggle for survival. See how some predatory plants use trapdoors and beautiful flowers to entice and trap their prey, while others shrivel up or emit foul odours to fend off their enemies. Experts uncover the most fascinating secrets of the world of plants-roots and all.
Sea Eagle: Bird with the Golden Eye
Amidst the bleak and unwelcoming wintry landscapes of Central Europe remains one of Europe’s last surviving birds of prey… the White-Tailed Sea Eagle. Despite their legendary strength, the future of the Sea Eagle remains uncertain as they come face-to-face with the harsh realties of nature and the threat of human activity. We follow the stories of two young eagles as they struggle through a world of many dangers, on a journey that only the fittest will survive.
Underwater: Cozumel—Part 3
Nature Scenes are an immersive, ultra HD, Slow TV viewing experience—unencumbered by words—showing our world at its most beautiful. An hour of uninterrupted underwater adventure. Dive into the Caribbean Sea to explore coral reefs and the colourful fish that call them home.