WEBVTT 00:00:15.320 --> 00:00:19.240 Rich Kisseloff loves spending a day in the woods with his friends… 00:00:19.560 --> 00:00:23.560 …on a two-wheeled adrenaline-fueled ride. 00:00:26.200 --> 00:00:27.720 Let's go, guys. Let's go. 00:00:28.520 --> 00:00:32.600 Supercharged by a breed of dog called a Greyster. 00:00:34.040 --> 00:00:38.320 Greysters have been around for maybe 50 years or so. 00:00:38.400 --> 00:00:41.400 And what they are is a… a pinch of greyhound 00:00:41.480 --> 00:00:44.200 mixed in with a German short-haired pointer, an English pointer, 00:00:44.280 --> 00:00:46.200 and a couple other breeds as well. 00:00:47.080 --> 00:00:49.360 These animals were born to run. 00:00:49.440 --> 00:00:50.320 Come on! 00:00:52.120 --> 00:00:55.440 When I break the harnesses out, they just start going crazy. 00:00:57.360 --> 00:01:00.200 The easy bit is attaching them to the scooter. 00:01:01.480 --> 00:01:03.320 The tricky bit is holding on. 00:01:17.920 --> 00:01:22.880 Dog scootering is a competitive sport involving one or more dogs in a team. 00:01:28.960 --> 00:01:31.440 Greysters are a naturally-athletic breed 00:01:31.520 --> 00:01:34.560 that can run at 20 miles per hour for five miles. 00:01:35.760 --> 00:01:39.240 No other animal can run at this speed, exerting this power, 00:01:39.320 --> 00:01:41.680 and expending this energy for so long. 00:01:41.780 --> 00:01:43.500 It starts with their skeleton. 00:01:44.180 --> 00:01:47.940 Dogs don't have collar bones connecting their shoulders to their ribs, 00:01:48.780 --> 00:01:53.620 so they can stretch their front legs further to maximize their stride length. 00:01:54.220 --> 00:01:59.260 And for the long-legged Greysters, that can be a staggering 16 feet. 00:02:00.140 --> 00:02:02.980 You will see big legs, big hind quarters, 00:02:03.820 --> 00:02:05.780 big chest, big muscled dogs. 00:02:08.740 --> 00:02:13.140 We typically train dogs starting at the age of about nine months to a year. 00:02:13.220 --> 00:02:15.060 Training 'em with directions, commands, 00:02:15.140 --> 00:02:18.540 making sure your dog passes another dog without initiating a fight, 00:02:18.620 --> 00:02:20.180 or tangle, or something like that. 00:02:20.360 --> 00:02:24.240 You're on a clock, so you're trying to navigate the course as fast as you can. 00:02:25.080 --> 00:02:28.360 Rich's most experienced teammate is Guinness. 00:02:29.680 --> 00:02:33.280 Guinness is a special dog ever since he was a puppy. 00:02:33.800 --> 00:02:35.000 Nothing fazes him. 00:02:35.440 --> 00:02:38.680 And Guinness' is the envy of human athletes. 00:02:39.240 --> 00:02:44.760 The VO2 max of Greysters is in the elite level of VO2 max for dogs, 00:02:44.840 --> 00:02:48.920 and that's anywhere in the 200 range, I believe, 00:02:49.000 --> 00:02:52.880 versus a human, who's in the 70's or 80's for an elite athlete. 00:02:54.240 --> 00:02:58.840 This huge difference between us and dogs is due to their mitochondria. 00:02:59.840 --> 00:03:03.000 These are the powerhouses of every cell in our body, 00:03:03.800 --> 00:03:08.160 converting the oxygen we breathe and the food we eat into energy. 00:03:09.080 --> 00:03:12.040 Compared to humans, Guinness has nearly twice as many 00:03:12.120 --> 00:03:13.680 of these cellular batteries. 00:03:14.880 --> 00:03:17.240 Good boy. Aw. 00:03:18.200 --> 00:03:19.040 Yes. 00:03:19.120 --> 00:03:21.880 So impressive is this canine endurance, 00:03:21.960 --> 00:03:27.000 that the U.S. military is funding research into replicating it in frontline soldiers. 00:03:28.720 --> 00:03:34.160 While the Pentagon looks into the science, Rich and Guinness are simply loving life. 00:03:37.520 --> 00:03:39.960 Scootering is something anybody can do. 00:03:40.040 --> 00:03:43.160 You can do it with any dog. You don't have to race or anything like that. 00:03:43.240 --> 00:03:45.480 You can just take your dog out and get exercise. 00:03:45.560 --> 00:03:47.440 And you get exercise as well. 00:03:47.520 --> 00:03:50.720 And it's a great thing to get out on the trails 00:03:50.800 --> 00:03:53.040 and enjoy life with your dog. 00:03:54.200 --> 00:03:55.560 Good boy, Guinness. 00:03:59.720 --> 00:04:00.560 Good girl. 00:04:01.840 --> 00:04:05.360 All of our pets survived for thousands of years in the wild… 00:04:05.440 --> 00:04:07.120 - …without any help from us. 00:04:08.840 --> 00:04:12.000 And this has led them to develop astonishing athletic abilities… 00:04:13.360 --> 00:04:15.400 …which we sometimes take for granted. 00:04:21.320 --> 00:04:25.400 Meet Cam, a much loved one year old golden hamster. 00:04:27.040 --> 00:04:30.240 But don't be fooled by the chubby body and tiny legs. 00:04:31.120 --> 00:04:35.120 Cam is one of the supreme endurance athletes of the animal world. 00:04:35.840 --> 00:04:39.800 Every day of his life, he pursues an insatiable instinct 00:04:39.880 --> 00:04:43.440 because this little chap is an ultra long-distance runner. 00:04:45.760 --> 00:04:48.600 At his top speed of four miles per hour, 00:04:48.680 --> 00:04:51.440 he's making 600 strides a minute. 00:04:51.520 --> 00:04:54.920 That's four times more than the fastest racehorse. 00:04:55.000 --> 00:04:59.080 And he can keep this up in fits and starts for up to an hour each day. 00:05:00.360 --> 00:05:03.160 To understand his extraordinary athleticism, 00:05:03.240 --> 00:05:06.800 we need to take Cam back to his ancestral homeland. 00:05:11.120 --> 00:05:15.080 Golden hamsters originate from the dry and rocky Syrian steppe, 00:05:16.520 --> 00:05:19.680 a harsh environment where food is scarce. 00:05:21.360 --> 00:05:24.200 But hamsters have fast metabolisms 00:05:24.280 --> 00:05:27.400 and need to eat twice their body weight in food every day. 00:05:29.520 --> 00:05:31.920 Which means almost constant foraging. 00:05:35.720 --> 00:05:38.320 Hamsters like Cam will clock up an average 00:05:38.400 --> 00:05:41.040 of five miles every 24 hours. 00:05:43.600 --> 00:05:47.080 This wild instinct to keep moving has been retained. 00:05:47.600 --> 00:05:51.960 If Cam's wheel was super-sized up to the scale of the London Eye, 00:05:52.040 --> 00:05:55.280 he'd make it fully turn 19 times a day. 00:05:56.480 --> 00:05:59.280 So make sure you keep your hamster's wheel well oiled… 00:06:00.680 --> 00:06:02.480 …or you'll never hear the end of it. 00:06:04.880 --> 00:06:07.480 When it comes to peak performance, 00:06:07.560 --> 00:06:09.560 speed isn't necessarily of the essence. 00:06:18.360 --> 00:06:22.960 In Tokyo, this longevity dwells on the mind of Mitani-san. 00:06:24.120 --> 00:06:27.760 He's the proud owner of Bonchan, a sulcata tortoise, 00:06:27.840 --> 00:06:30.120 his companion for 25 years. 00:06:31.200 --> 00:06:37.160 When he arrived he was tiny and could sit in my hand. 00:06:38.200 --> 00:06:40.160 But things have changed. 00:06:42.840 --> 00:06:46.960 Bonchan is now a whopping 154 pounds. 00:06:47.680 --> 00:06:49.800 Originating from the deserts of Africa, 00:06:49.880 --> 00:06:53.120 sulcatas are amongst the largest tortoises on earth. 00:06:54.000 --> 00:06:56.960 And this one means the world to Mitani-san. 00:06:58.360 --> 00:07:01.440 Bonchan likes to walk. 00:07:01.520 --> 00:07:06.480 When it gets to three or four o'clock, he tells me he wants to get out. 00:07:09.320 --> 00:07:11.920 While most pet tortoises live in gardens, 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:15.000 Central Tokyo isn't blessed with green spaces. 00:07:15.960 --> 00:07:20.080 So Mitani-san has found another way to exercise Bonchan. 00:07:22.280 --> 00:07:26.400 Being inside can be stressful even for humans. 00:07:26.480 --> 00:07:29.040 That's why I decided to take him out. 00:07:44.200 --> 00:07:49.960 When I walk with Bonchan, I don't have to think about anything, 00:07:50.640 --> 00:07:53.160 and I feel very peaceful. 00:07:54.480 --> 00:07:57.400 He lives at his own pace. 00:07:57.480 --> 00:08:04.480 I've learned from Bonchan to relax and be laid-back. 00:08:07.360 --> 00:08:10.200 In the desert, sulcata tortoises will walk 00:08:10.280 --> 00:08:11.800 five miles a day 00:08:11.880 --> 00:08:14.720 and dig shelters 25 feet deep. 00:08:15.640 --> 00:08:19.440 All that with a heart rarely beating over six beats per minute. 00:08:21.160 --> 00:08:24.320 Let's face it, the tortoise's ticker is the envy 00:08:24.400 --> 00:08:26.880 of ultramarathon runners everywhere. 00:08:31.120 --> 00:08:32.840 But while Bonchan can easily cope 00:08:32.920 --> 00:08:35.360 with a quarter of a mile stroll around the block, 00:08:35.880 --> 00:08:39.400 the only things slowing him down are his many admirers. 00:08:41.800 --> 00:08:44.560 Because I walk him so often, 00:08:44.640 --> 00:08:46.560 the neighbors are used to him, 00:08:46.640 --> 00:08:49.280 but when people see him for the first time, they are surprised. 00:08:52.680 --> 00:08:57.400 Bonchan will live long 00:08:57.480 --> 00:09:00.160 because he has less stress, 00:09:00.240 --> 00:09:04.440 and I try to remove any of his worries. 00:09:07.840 --> 00:09:10.720 Bonchan's pampered life and low heart rate 00:09:10.800 --> 00:09:13.080 aren't the only secrets to his longevity. 00:09:14.840 --> 00:09:19.480 Recent research has shown that giant tortoises rarely get cancer. 00:09:21.600 --> 00:09:26.320 Incredibly, when their cells get damaged, they self-destruct. 00:09:30.920 --> 00:09:35.640 This bodes well for Bonchan, who could live to be over a hundred. 00:09:37.720 --> 00:09:40.560 But it leaves Mitani-san with a problem. 00:09:41.800 --> 00:09:45.000 I know I won't live longer than him. 00:09:45.080 --> 00:09:50.240 So I am looking for someone to look after him. 00:09:53.040 --> 00:09:54.920 If I pass away, 00:09:55.000 --> 00:10:01.200 I want someone to love Bonchan even more than I do. 00:10:06.920 --> 00:10:11.080 Tortoises' powers of endurance aren't just great for surviving on Earth. 00:10:13.360 --> 00:10:15.200 At the height of the space race, 00:10:15.280 --> 00:10:18.240 the Russians blasted two tortoises to the moon. 00:10:19.960 --> 00:10:23.760 They accomplished one orbit before crash-landing in the Indian Ocean. 00:10:25.200 --> 00:10:28.160 Remarkably, they survived unscathed, 00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:31.400 making them the first creature to travel to another world. 00:10:32.960 --> 00:10:35.120 More impressively, on their journey, 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:38.000 they reached speeds of up to Mach 33, 00:10:38.960 --> 00:10:42.160 making them the fastest tortoises in history. 00:10:44.960 --> 00:10:47.720 We've already met the masters of endurance. 00:10:47.800 --> 00:10:50.800 - And these guys can certainly endure 00:10:50.880 --> 00:10:52.560 a few hours of doing nothing. 00:10:54.440 --> 00:10:58.800 However in California, a couple and their cat buck that trend. 00:11:05.000 --> 00:11:07.240 Meet Mav, not your average cat. 00:11:07.840 --> 00:11:11.800 He's a three year old Bengal belonging to Nick and Kayla. 00:11:12.360 --> 00:11:15.880 They're very comfortable in the water, and they are focused, 00:11:15.960 --> 00:11:19.200 so if it's something they're trying to run after or go for, 00:11:19.280 --> 00:11:21.160 they're, like, laser beam focused. 00:11:21.240 --> 00:11:25.520 And I think that's why he likes some of the fun things that we do together. 00:11:25.600 --> 00:11:27.280 He… He likes these challenges. 00:11:30.000 --> 00:11:32.600 When they realized Mav liked water, 00:11:32.680 --> 00:11:35.040 they were keen to share their love of the beach. 00:11:37.960 --> 00:11:41.160 When he was a little kitten, I just thought, "Oh, put the board 00:11:41.240 --> 00:11:44.120 in the swimming pool. It would be funny if he jumps on." 00:11:44.200 --> 00:11:47.400 I didn't think he would, but I put the food on, and he jumped on. 00:11:48.800 --> 00:11:51.560 But what happened after that was, we were in the middle of the lake, 00:11:51.640 --> 00:11:55.040 and then out of the blue, he jumped out of Kayla's kayak 00:11:55.120 --> 00:11:56.920 and swam over to my paddleboard. 00:11:57.000 --> 00:11:59.000 And we were like, "What?" 00:12:00.080 --> 00:12:04.320 Mav soon came to share Kayla and Nick's love of water sports. 00:12:06.760 --> 00:12:11.040 So ex-pro wakeboarder Nick decided to up the adrenaline. 00:12:13.160 --> 00:12:17.040 He likes to conquer his fear, and then he wants to do something bigger. 00:12:17.120 --> 00:12:19.400 I thought, "Why don't we catch some waves? And he's…" 00:12:19.480 --> 00:12:21.480 "He's already comfortable on the board." 00:12:21.560 --> 00:12:25.360 Um. And that's when I got into putting the whole deck on the surfboard 00:12:25.440 --> 00:12:26.680 where he could grip. 00:12:26.760 --> 00:12:29.360 If he ran up to the front, he could hold tight. 00:12:29.440 --> 00:12:31.720 And it gave him a lot of confidence. 00:12:33.520 --> 00:12:36.000 Bengals love a challenge, it seems. 00:12:36.080 --> 00:12:38.520 And Mav was soon mastering the moves. 00:12:41.160 --> 00:12:46.520 When we catch the wave, the board is more on an… on a decline. 00:12:46.600 --> 00:12:49.600 And you'll see Mav, and he'll push his arms out, 00:12:49.680 --> 00:12:53.320 and he'll, you know, he's sort of bracing as we start to take off on the wave. 00:12:53.400 --> 00:12:56.280 But there's a couple of times I've been surfing where I've had the board 00:12:56.360 --> 00:12:57.600 almost doing a wheelie, 00:12:57.680 --> 00:13:01.480 and he'll climb right up to the nose and, like, stand up above it. 00:13:02.440 --> 00:13:04.680 The first time he did it, I thought it was crazy. 00:13:04.760 --> 00:13:08.720 But he's using his balance, I suppose. He's very agile. 00:13:08.800 --> 00:13:12.200 When the board's, like, wobbling or tilting, 00:13:12.280 --> 00:13:15.440 they're able to adjust quick, and it's just natural for them. 00:13:21.840 --> 00:13:26.000 So cats are super agile, but how do they compare to dogs? 00:13:28.400 --> 00:13:31.840 To find out, we've laid out 100 dominoes in a corridor 00:13:31.920 --> 00:13:35.600 and invited cats and dogs to walk over them. 00:13:39.200 --> 00:13:41.240 First up, Team Cat, 00:13:41.760 --> 00:13:44.520 represented by Orlando and his two friends, 00:13:45.480 --> 00:13:47.000 Moscow and Windsor. 00:13:47.760 --> 00:13:51.280 Orlando's up first, taking the right hand side. 00:13:52.440 --> 00:13:55.960 Oh, there's one down and a second, oh dear. 00:13:57.000 --> 00:13:58.360 What about Windsor? 00:13:58.960 --> 00:14:00.120 A confident start. 00:14:00.880 --> 00:14:03.040 Oh, no, three down right at the end. 00:14:04.520 --> 00:14:08.560 Moscow makes a strategic approach. He's looking good. 00:14:08.640 --> 00:14:12.200 But a slight lapse in concentration, and it's one down for him. 00:14:13.920 --> 00:14:18.200 All in all, a great effort. Team Cat topple just six. 00:14:21.440 --> 00:14:24.680 Next up, Team Dog, represented by Strike, 00:14:24.760 --> 00:14:27.800 Dickens, and a rather nervous Shadow. 00:14:30.160 --> 00:14:32.160 What's their game plan? 00:14:36.840 --> 00:14:40.600 With seemingly no strategy whatsoever, it's all over in a matter of seconds. 00:14:41.960 --> 00:14:44.680 Team Dog knock over 35 dominoes. 00:14:45.400 --> 00:14:48.440 So this test was right up Team Cat's alley. 00:14:51.760 --> 00:14:54.080 But what's the secret of their success? 00:14:56.000 --> 00:15:01.560 Slow motion cameras reveal that cats walk with their leg muscles permanently flexed. 00:15:02.800 --> 00:15:05.280 This means that they can control the placement 00:15:05.360 --> 00:15:07.440 of each foot with total precision. 00:15:09.200 --> 00:15:11.520 Rather handy when sneaking up on prey. 00:15:14.600 --> 00:15:17.640 Dogs don't flex their muscles in the same way. 00:15:17.720 --> 00:15:20.800 Instead, large, springy tendons in their legs 00:15:20.880 --> 00:15:23.320 enable them to bounce with each stride. 00:15:28.120 --> 00:15:32.520 It's more efficient but harder to control the placement of each foot. 00:15:37.000 --> 00:15:39.040 As for Titus the tortoise, 00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:44.680 he's less nimble-footed agility specialist and more bulldozer. 00:15:47.000 --> 00:15:50.880 Cats and dogs aren't the only speed and agility specialists. 00:15:51.640 --> 00:15:55.480 Our very own Gus and Stanley are also fast and nimble. 00:15:56.360 --> 00:15:59.320 Picture them living in separate New York apartments. 00:16:04.440 --> 00:16:08.720 Stanley's apartment is laden with everything a playful rat needs. 00:16:09.800 --> 00:16:11.800 Gus' pad is across the street. 00:16:12.440 --> 00:16:15.200 Luckily, there's a rope linking the two. 00:16:16.800 --> 00:16:19.000 So Gus can pay Stanley a visit… 00:16:21.960 --> 00:16:23.800 using it to bridge the gap. 00:16:25.920 --> 00:16:28.640 Most animals would feel jittery crossing the street 00:16:28.720 --> 00:16:30.600 on a rope six stories high, 00:16:31.520 --> 00:16:34.320 but Gus' body has a built-in balance bar. 00:16:35.320 --> 00:16:38.680 His extraordinary long prehensile tail. 00:16:41.720 --> 00:16:44.720 Compared to other rodents, rats have one of the longest tails 00:16:44.800 --> 00:16:46.560 relative to their body size. 00:16:49.640 --> 00:16:53.920 And Gus uses his to maintain the perfect center of balance. 00:17:00.400 --> 00:17:02.400 It's a lifesaving counterweight 00:17:03.960 --> 00:17:06.240 as long as you can keep your feet on the rope. 00:17:09.040 --> 00:17:10.240 It's hard to watch. 00:17:11.920 --> 00:17:16.600 Even if things go wrong, his strong flexible tail can be relied on 00:17:16.680 --> 00:17:18.160 to get him out of trouble. 00:17:19.080 --> 00:17:21.280 It can even act like a hook, 00:17:22.720 --> 00:17:24.880 enabling Gus to get back on top. 00:17:27.080 --> 00:17:28.640 What a recovery. 00:17:33.040 --> 00:17:35.480 Friends reunited. 00:17:43.000 --> 00:17:47.320 Our next pet takes athletic ability to new heights. 00:17:54.240 --> 00:17:56.560 Fred here is a golden macaw. 00:17:57.400 --> 00:18:01.160 One of the world's largest parrots and a native of South America. 00:18:06.160 --> 00:18:09.440 His strength comes from muscles and tendons so big, 00:18:09.520 --> 00:18:12.440 they account for around a third of his body weight. 00:18:15.040 --> 00:18:18.920 His pectoral muscles are worthy of the most dedicated bodybuilder… 00:18:20.360 --> 00:18:23.240 converging on a huge breastbone. 00:18:23.320 --> 00:18:27.120 Working together, they create a powerful downstroke. 00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:32.520 His upstroke is generated by a pair of giant tendons that act as pulleys. 00:18:33.840 --> 00:18:38.440 Driven by this muscular powerhouse and a wingspan of more than three feet, 00:18:38.520 --> 00:18:42.240 macaws can reach speeds of 35 miles per hour. 00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:47.320 And if you're able to tap into this remarkable athletic ability, 00:18:47.400 --> 00:18:50.080 the results can be astonishing. 00:18:52.720 --> 00:18:55.120 Klono is a military macaw, 00:18:55.720 --> 00:18:58.240 resident at an animal sanctuary in Texas. 00:19:01.160 --> 00:19:04.160 Nick Phomkasornsri runs the sanctuary. 00:19:05.080 --> 00:19:07.640 And wherever he goes, Klono follows. 00:19:08.320 --> 00:19:10.080 Klono is very, very special. 00:19:10.160 --> 00:19:11.960 I mean, I love all my birds, 00:19:12.040 --> 00:19:16.280 but the fact that he just wants to always follow, and that he's always trusting me, 00:19:16.360 --> 00:19:18.200 it's something that I never experienced before, 00:19:18.280 --> 00:19:20.160 and it's very, very special. 00:19:24.160 --> 00:19:27.960 Klono's favorite part of any trip is the return home, 00:19:28.040 --> 00:19:30.480 when he can show off his flying prowess. 00:19:31.880 --> 00:19:34.480 When I get to a point where I can see that there's no traffic coming 00:19:34.560 --> 00:19:38.040 all the way down to the street I turn on, that's when I stick my arm out the window 00:19:38.120 --> 00:19:39.800 and let him fly all the way home. 00:19:49.480 --> 00:19:51.880 They go, they go so fast. 00:19:51.960 --> 00:19:54.840 Um. Usually, he's just kinda flying at, like, a leisurely speed, 00:19:54.920 --> 00:19:58.320 but when he wants to go, it's impressive. They're very athletic. 00:20:00.920 --> 00:20:03.600 Klono has no problem keeping up with Nick's car 00:20:03.680 --> 00:20:05.760 traveling at 40 miles per hour. 00:20:10.040 --> 00:20:13.800 As the air flows over his wings, it creates lift. 00:20:15.520 --> 00:20:17.720 If we slow everything down, we can see 00:20:17.800 --> 00:20:20.600 that he constantly adjusts his wings and tail, 00:20:20.680 --> 00:20:23.160 keeping his body perfectly aerodynamic. 00:20:30.160 --> 00:20:33.320 He adapts his flying style to conserve energy. 00:20:35.480 --> 00:20:38.440 By angling his wings and tail feathers down, 00:20:38.520 --> 00:20:41.240 he can also go into a high-speed glide, 00:20:41.320 --> 00:20:43.880 utilizing the air flow from Nick's truck. 00:20:46.920 --> 00:20:50.800 He flies so much that I think he's built up a lot of muscle, 00:20:50.880 --> 00:20:54.880 and he can fly for a really, really long time. His stamina is amazing. 00:20:57.480 --> 00:21:00.560 In the wild, military macaws have been known to fly 00:21:00.640 --> 00:21:04.680 at these speeds for up to 15 miles a day in search of food. 00:21:09.200 --> 00:21:14.520 But for Klono, it's just about relishing the total freedom Nick provides. 00:21:15.560 --> 00:21:17.200 He loves it. He loves it. 00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:21.560 One thing that's really important to know is that these birds, 00:21:21.640 --> 00:21:26.400 I have spent a lot of time training them and conditioning them for free flight. 00:21:26.480 --> 00:21:28.720 So, you can't just take your bird 00:21:28.800 --> 00:21:31.120 and release it and think that it's gonna come back, 00:21:31.200 --> 00:21:33.960 because it's… it's not gonna end well, most likely. 00:21:37.200 --> 00:21:39.520 Our pets are all built differently 00:21:40.640 --> 00:21:44.480 and their need for speed deployed in a wide variety of situations. 00:21:48.360 --> 00:21:52.000 Looking at Michelangelo, you wouldn't think he was a speed demon. 00:21:54.800 --> 00:21:57.320 He can hold the same position for hours. 00:21:58.520 --> 00:21:59.800 But when he's hungry, 00:22:01.200 --> 00:22:04.880 he unleashes one of the fastest weapons in the animal kingdom. 00:22:08.560 --> 00:22:12.400 Michelangelo's ballistic tongue is like a coiled spring. 00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:16.800 It accelerates from naught to 60 miles per hour 00:22:16.880 --> 00:22:18.560 in one hundredth of a second. 00:22:23.080 --> 00:22:24.240 Impressive. 00:22:24.320 --> 00:22:28.960 But our next pet unleashes the same forces to propel its entire body. 00:22:30.800 --> 00:22:34.320 Cat owners know just how fast their pets can pounce. 00:22:36.320 --> 00:22:39.880 You're witnessing one of nature's greatest ambush predators… 00:22:41.600 --> 00:22:43.960 born with an instinct to hunt. 00:22:46.560 --> 00:22:50.640 Slow motion reveals their back legs are the source of their power. 00:22:52.360 --> 00:22:55.320 Cats have more weight here than most mammals. 00:22:56.760 --> 00:22:59.520 It's because they're full of fast twitch muscles. 00:23:03.520 --> 00:23:06.520 Producing maximum power on demand… 00:23:08.760 --> 00:23:12.440 enabling Ponzo to accelerate from naught to 30 miles per hour 00:23:12.520 --> 00:23:14.080 in under three seconds, 00:23:15.040 --> 00:23:16.760 jumping six times his height. 00:23:20.560 --> 00:23:23.200 And thanks to an inbuilt righting reflex, 00:23:24.440 --> 00:23:26.360 they always land on their feet. 00:23:28.520 --> 00:23:30.040 Well, nearly always. 00:23:32.440 --> 00:23:36.840 The pet most famous for a good set of hind legs is the rabbit. 00:23:38.000 --> 00:23:42.400 And harnessing those hamstrings has become a competitive sport. 00:23:48.200 --> 00:23:50.520 Deep in the Danish countryside… 00:23:52.240 --> 00:23:53.920 competitors gather. 00:23:55.120 --> 00:23:57.520 These rabbits are elite show jumpers. 00:24:05.160 --> 00:24:09.160 Part of a growing sport originating in neighboring Sweden. 00:24:13.320 --> 00:24:17.440 Aase Bjerner is the organizer of Horsens monthly competition. 00:24:20.760 --> 00:24:24.160 The hopper is a handler, and then we have the rabbit. 00:24:25.200 --> 00:24:29.560 And you get a very special bond to your rabbit when you hop with it. 00:24:29.640 --> 00:24:31.840 It's not just a rabbit sitting in a hutch. 00:24:34.200 --> 00:24:38.400 Today, I have my rabbit Mandel, and she's five years old now. 00:24:38.480 --> 00:24:40.920 She was a little wild when she was a kid, 00:24:41.000 --> 00:24:44.240 but by training her, she's got more calm. 00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:47.320 And, uh, she's enjoying hopping. 00:24:49.560 --> 00:24:53.920 Competing alongside Aase and Mandel is 17-year-old Alison 00:24:54.000 --> 00:24:55.600 and her bunny Falke. 00:24:56.840 --> 00:24:59.920 My rabbit is two and a half years old. 00:25:00.000 --> 00:25:04.040 I have been training for about two years with him. 00:25:04.680 --> 00:25:08.320 I hope it will go well because he have a good height 00:25:08.400 --> 00:25:09.600 over the jumpings. 00:25:11.880 --> 00:25:15.840 Today, Mandel and Falke have entered the elite competition. 00:25:20.560 --> 00:25:23.320 Rabbits are notoriously timid animals, 00:25:24.040 --> 00:25:28.120 but their natural behavior can be advantageous when it comes to training. 00:25:32.480 --> 00:25:35.080 There are two rounds of 12 jumps. 00:25:35.160 --> 00:25:37.520 Each jump is just under two foot high, 00:25:37.600 --> 00:25:40.080 while the longest is over two foot long. 00:25:42.400 --> 00:25:44.680 And yes, there is a water jump. 00:25:47.920 --> 00:25:51.760 We all try to complete the course under two minutes, 00:25:51.840 --> 00:25:55.320 because at two minutes, uh, we get a time fault, 00:25:55.400 --> 00:25:58.680 and one more for every 15 seconds, 00:25:59.440 --> 00:26:02.160 up to three minutes when we get disqualified. 00:26:03.760 --> 00:26:07.480 When you're hopping, and you can see your rabbit won't take the jump, 00:26:07.560 --> 00:26:13.560 you can take it a little back to let it, uh, look at the jump once more. 00:26:19.480 --> 00:26:23.400 The golden rule, always stay behind your rabbit. 00:26:27.000 --> 00:26:29.120 I walk behind him. 00:26:29.200 --> 00:26:33.000 If I go in front of him, he will stop, 'cause they don't… they don't like that. 00:26:33.080 --> 00:26:36.400 So always stay behind, and then he's not so much afraid. 00:26:40.520 --> 00:26:44.280 The best jumpers are large legged Holland Lops. 00:26:44.360 --> 00:26:47.400 But these champions are born, not made. 00:26:48.480 --> 00:26:51.440 At the moment now, in many other rabbits 00:26:51.520 --> 00:26:55.160 have the hopping rabbits in ten generations back, and it counts. 00:26:55.760 --> 00:26:58.800 If you go out to an animal shop and buy a new rabbit, 00:26:58.880 --> 00:27:00.240 it… it might not be good. 00:27:01.080 --> 00:27:05.120 Sometimes, you'll get a rabbit and it just won't hop. 00:27:08.520 --> 00:27:12.680 The competition includes 25 rabbits from all over Denmark, 00:27:12.760 --> 00:27:14.720 and standards are sky high. 00:27:17.920 --> 00:27:20.880 I'm really proud of him. It went better than I thought. 00:27:20.960 --> 00:27:24.320 He just made one mistake, and it was so little. 00:27:24.400 --> 00:27:25.840 I'm so proud of him. 00:27:26.680 --> 00:27:30.360 She was very fast, so she might be the best with one fault. 00:27:31.040 --> 00:27:34.880 I'm not sure but we have to wait till the prize giving. 00:27:34.960 --> 00:27:37.400 And first place is Maya and Tjafel. 00:27:41.880 --> 00:27:45.040 The results are in. In first place is Tjafel… 00:27:47.960 --> 00:27:50.640 trained and owned by Maya. 00:27:52.280 --> 00:27:55.400 I'm very proud of him because he only needed 00:27:55.480 --> 00:27:59.200 two more certificates to be a champion and now he's a champion. 00:28:01.280 --> 00:28:04.680 I think it's good to go to rabbit jump because your rabbits 00:28:04.760 --> 00:28:08.320 come out and have fun jumping and they like it. 00:28:08.400 --> 00:28:12.840 If they want to start training at home, they can start walking around, 00:28:12.920 --> 00:28:14.800 and they will see the rabbit like it. 00:28:14.880 --> 00:28:17.240 And they can go out, have fun, and meet new people, 00:28:17.320 --> 00:28:20.200 and get new, well, friends. Yeah. 00:28:22.000 --> 00:28:25.280 Our pets' wild past has given them some extraordinary 00:28:25.360 --> 00:28:27.720 and unexpected athletic abilities. 00:28:28.360 --> 00:28:31.760 By celebrating, nurturing, and unleashing them, 00:28:31.840 --> 00:28:35.400 we can bring joy and fun into their lives 00:28:35.480 --> 00:28:36.840 as well as our own.