Animals Behaving Badly

From feisty mongooses who start wars to pick the perfect partner, to swaggering peacocks faking a mating call and thieving macaques who kidnap babies to get ahead, the natural world appears to be rife with animal rogues. But what is driving them to these seemingly extreme acts? Liz sets out to reveal the fascinating science that lies behind these animal antics, meeting experts around the world who are making groundbreaking discoveries. In Tanzania, she finds that a bad case of sibling rivalry can actually benefit a whole hyena clan, and on the American plains she learns how promiscuity can be the key to having healthy prairie dog pups. When it comes to the mating game, it seems some animals are rewriting the rulebook with their outrageous behaviour. But as Liz discovers, it could also be the key to their survival.

In episode two Liz Bonnin meets the animals doing whatever it takes to find food.

From coconut crabs who seem intent on a stealing spree, to tigers deceiving their prey and chimpanzees waging war on their neighbours, finding their next meal can drive many animals to some seemingly extreme behaviour.

Liz sets out to discover the science behind these tactics, joining experts making new discoveries around the world. She sees macaques using psychology to pull off a theft, a spider conning its prey with a chemical disguise, and the wedge-billed hummingbird stealing nectar from under the beaks of its rivals.

When it comes to finding food, Liz reveals that what seems like outrageous behaviour is actually an ingenious way to get ahead.

In the final episode Liz Bonnin meets the animals going to extremes to survive - from cockatoos vandalising houses in Sydney to crabs who hold anemones hostage to protect themselves.

Liz journeys to see these animals in action, and reveals the surprising new science behind their behaviour. There's the sloth whose hygiene habits may help hide it from predators, the stone martens who cause millions of pounds worth of damage to cars while protecting their territories, and the chimpanzees who use bullying tactics to get to the top.

Life in the wild is tough, and these animals have found ingenious ways to live to see another day.