- [Narrator] Volcanoes conjure up images of violent eruptions, smoking mountains, and slow merciless rivers of
lava devouring the landscape. It can be difficult to imagine how anything could willingly live in, let alone near, these ticking time bombs, but it's not just humans who choose to call these
hazardous places home. Certain animals have also been known to plant roots in the danger zone. So without further ado, here are the top ten animals
living inside volcanoes. (whimsical music) - Amazing! - [[Narrator] Number
10, Pyrococcus Furiosus. The well-named Pyrococcus
Furiosus is a hyperthermophile that was first discovered off
of Vulcano Island in Italy. Basically, this is a microscopic organism that likes things in its environment to be really, really hot. This particular creature
thrives in temperatures between 70 and 103 degrees Celsius. That's 158 to 217 degrees Fahrenheit for those of us not
using the Metric system. Now you might be wondering why evolution would intentionally set any species down such an extreme path, but it makes sense when you remember that volcanoes
and what comes out of them are some of the most
nutrient-dense substances on Earth. This enhanced food source not only supports greater populations, but also allows them to have an unusually fast reproductive cycle. Every 37 minutes, the number
of Pyrococcus Furiosus doubles, and that means some seriously
fast population growth. But it gets even cooler,
or should I say hotter. As far as humans are concerned, this little spitfire is pretty useful, especially in the creation
of new, heat resistant crops. So basically, this is a sea creature that could help plants need less water. How awesome is that? Number nine, the happy face spider. Arachnophobia is one of
the most common phobias on the planet, with
somewhere around 50% of women and 18% of men positively
petrified of spiders. But forget the hairspray flamethrower for this creepy crawly, because
Hawaii's Happy Face Spider is no stranger to heat. While they don't technically
live inside nature's hotspots, these cheerful, little
creatures can indeed be found flashing their smiles in the rainforests that grow down the sides
of active volcanoes. They can live in this dangerous place because nature has a way
of taking care of itself when disaster strikes
and a volcanic eruption is a disaster if there ever was one. In this case, the cooling lava creates a rich medium for plants to grow. The forests, in turn, attract
a healthy insect population that provides ample hunting opportunities for this benevolent bug. They hide on the backs of leaves, waiting for a snack to come along. Sometimes lava comes along instead, but the Happy Face Spider
faces its perilous lifestyle with a smile. Number eight, microorganisms. Microorganisms are everywhere. Hiding in our soil, chilling in the snow, and even buried miles inside the Earth, but did you know that they can survive
inside volcanoes too? At 95.5 degrees Celsius
or 204 degrees Fahrenheit, the volcanic hot springs of
Yellowstone National Park are just about boiling. You and I could be badly burned or even killed if we went swimming, but the water is just right for a little organism called
Clostridium Paradoxum. Using special enzymes that thrive in heat, Clostridium Paradoxum are able to keep their DNA from
unraveling in temperatures that would melt our flesh in seconds. This allows them to access a food source other species simply cannot. At this point, they're so well adapted that they don't just
tolerate the hot water,. They need it to survive. They and other heat loving thermophiles build the foundation
for volcanic ecosystems. These tiny but mighty
creatures could even provide us with clues about what kind of life can survive on other planets. Scientists have discovered
similar microbes on the stratovolcano Llullaillaco and surrounding mountains
in South America, an area that is considered to be the most Mars-like place on Earth. Number seven, volcano rabbit. Every year on the
fourteenth day of Kasada, a group of people in Java
offer up sacrifices to the Gods by throwing offerings
of fruit, vegetables, and even actual, living
livestock into an active volcano. The Volcano rabbit can
thank its lucky stars that it lives 9500 miles away in Mexico. This south of the border native is the last animal you'd expect to profit from volcanic activity. This mammal is tiny. As the second smallest
rabbit species in the world, it tops out at just over a pound. It also happens to be endangered. An endemic species, this
rabbit lives nowhere else but Mexico, specifically between
and around four volcanoes that guard Mexico City. It might not seem like
the smartest of choices, but this rabbit prefers higher altitudes and thrives on the
nutrient rich vegetation the volcanoes provide. Number six, sixgill stingray. The sixgill stingray is a pale purple, goblin looking creature with,
you guessed it, six gills. Not one to be easily outdone, this animal happened to be
one of the larger organisms found living happily inside
the mouth of an active volcano off the coast of Papua New Guinea. There were also crabs, fish, and even other sharks dwelling there. Scientists can only speculate on how so many species could survive in such a hostile environment. The waters are so murky
with boiling, toxic fumes that if you could survive there, you'd barely be able to see a few inches in front of your face. Yet the sixgill stingray lives, hunts, and even gives birth in this hot water. Live birth to be exact. That means that there are
tiny, sixgill stingray pups cruising through some of
the most acidic waters of the ocean. But you can bet they're a
lot safer from predators in that water than nearly
anywhere else in the world. Talk about adaptation. Before I reveal the next example, you should subscribe if
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on some amazing knowledge that could have filled your brain. Now lets get back to it. Number five, polychaete worm. Worms and predators are not
usually two words we associate as existing together,
but the polychaete worm is definitely an exception. Not only is this shimmering,
rainbow invertebrate an accomplished hunter, but
this creature is so intense that it lives in waters that
fry most other creatures. But polychaetes are as tough as nails. These underwater champions have existed for over 500 million years and have lasted through five mass extinctions
to get where they are today. Even knowing that, it's
hard for us lowly humans to imagine just how hot the
polychaete worms's day truly is. They literally sit at the open vent of an underwater volcano. It'd be like sitting with your legs in a giant, boiling pot of water. Now do that every day and
still catch your food, plus avoid being eaten by other
bigger and badder creatures and you might just come close to what the polychaete
worm goes through each day. Number four, the Bosavi wooly rat. Papua New Guinea is literally known as the land of the volcanoes, so it's not surprising that its wildlife is both resilient and outstanding. On occasion, this unique
environment produces creatures that leave the rest of the
world scratching our heads. Giant rats, for example. Discovered first on the sides of one of the more dormant volcanoes, the Bosavi Wooly Rat is the
size of your average house cat. But if the idea of such a humongous rat gives you the creeps,
then you can rest easy knowing that this particular
member of the rodent family is apparently quite
laid back and friendly. As its name suggests, its
covered in soft, wooly hair. Not much is known about the species, but it did seem to be taking advantage of the volcanically fertilized vegetation. Between a well-established food source and the isolated region in which it lives, it's hardly a surprise that this singularly large rodent exists. Number three, sharks. Sharks are one of the most
prolific groups of animals to ever grace the face of our planet. They've existed in some form
since before the dinosaurs and it's no secret that
they're adaptable survivors in a vast array of environments. According to PhD student,
Brennan Phillips, this includes on top of an
active, underwater volcano. The water was literally so hot that Phillips and his team
had to drop special cameras tied to weighted bags into the ocean just to get some idea of
what was going on down there. But all that hard work was worth it, because not only did they see all kinds of sharks,
crabs, and fish darting between erupting towers of smoke, but they caught the third
ever and clearest footage of the elusive sleeper shark. Now the footage itself
was mind blowing enough, but it becomes almost unbelievable when you take into account the fact that they were filming
at the Solomon Islands. Sleeper sharks are normally
found near Japan, Antarctica, and sometimes Tasmania,
so this incredible animal was about 2000 miles
south of its known range. Number two, Loihi shrimp. Searing hot plumes of acidic smoke spew a constant, boiling
eruption off the coast of Guam. This bad boy is massive. We're talking a volcano
the size of a city block and twelve stories tall. The water is so polluted that the bodies of marine
animals who swam too close litter the ledges around the opening. There are a few species
living in this poisonous soup, but the biggest contenders
here are the Loihi shrimp. These extreme survivors use
the inhospitable environment as protection against predators. Their front pinchers have
evolved into gill-like filters that aren't much use for self-defense, but are perfect for taking advantage of the bacteria rich waters. That's one cool crustacean! Number one, pink slug. When we talk about slugs,
many of us think of a garden, terracotta pots, and crunchy, wet lettuce. What most people outside
of Sydney don't imagine is a twenty centimeter or
eight inch long, neon pink slug chugging its way up the side of a volcano. The pink slug is a unique
species of giant land snail that exists solely on a dormant
volcano in New South Wales. 17 million years ago,
the volcano's eruption decimated the area, leaving only pockets of rainforest-like terrain where the pink slug could survive. This resourceful creature has existed since Earth was still one continent. That's about 180 million
years of survival, but now they might
actually be going extinct and it's not what you think. Their decline in numbers isn't
caused by the volcano itself. Changes in the environment
due to global warming are drying out the slug's
normally moist habitat. The New South Wales Scientific Committee is trying to get them listed under the Threatened
Species Conservation Act, but progress is ironically slow. Which animal did you
think was the craziest? And would you consider living
near an active volcano? Let me know in the comments down below. Thanks for watching. (slow techno music)
