Giraffe autopsy



The giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) is the tallest animal on Earth.



Its neck gives it a number of advantages, including a high vantage point from which to spot predators, and a higher reach to get to the tastiest leaves at the tops of trees.



Males also use their necks to fight for females, using them to deliver powerful blows in battles with other interested males, called "necking" contests.



(Image: Phillip Hollis for Channel 4)

Giraffe dissection



Dissection of the giraffe's neck revealed a number of interesting features.



The weight of the giraffe's head and neck is counter-balanced by the nuchal ligament.



This ligament is like a strong, elastic rubber band, pulling the neck up.



This means very little muscular energy is spent holding the head up.



Instead, most of the muscles in the neck are used to lower the head by stretching out this ligament.



(Image: Phillip Hollis for Channel 4)

Elephant autopsy



This is the carcass of an Asian elephant, Elephas maximus, being prepped for autopsy by an international team of scientists at the Royal Veterinary College.



While elephants may appear to be fat, very little of their body is actually comprised of fatty tissue.



Most of the abdominal cavity is filled with the stomach, small intestines and colon.



These huge and heavy organs were tricky to remove for dissection, as they were filled with large quantities of food and had become bloated with digestive gases.



(Image: Phillip Hollis for Channel 4) Advertisement

Elephant dissection



This photo shows the greater omentum; the "great apron".



This semi-transparent sheet of connective tissue supports the delicate blood vessels going to and from the intestines, and keeps the many loops of the intestines in place.



(Image: Phillip Hollis for Channel 4)

Elephant CGI



The elephant's ears have a complex array of blood vessels that resemble a car's radiator.



Arteries (red) lie next to veins (blue) and run close to the skin on the back of the ears.



The arteries release heat, from the hot blood they carry, to the skin.



On hot days, an elephant will spray water on its ears and flap them, cooling itself down as the water evaporates.



On cold days, the ears are held flat against the body to protect the blood vessels near the skin from the cold air.



(Image: Phillip Hollis for Channel 4)

Whale dissection



The fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus, is one of the largest animals that has ever lived, second only to the blue whale in size.



The specimen in the photo weighs about 60 tonnes and is 20 metres long. It had got itself stranded alive in County Cork, Ireland in January 2009.



After the whale died, an autopsy was performed at low tide on the mudflat where it was beached.



The massive gastrointestinal tract was removed first.



Although whales are carnivores, they still have four-chambered stomachs, like sheep or cows.



This indicates they evolved from land dwelling, cud-chewing herbivores.



(Image: Channel 4 / Windfall Films)

Whale CGI



The whale uses an unusual bone to propel itself through the water, called the hyoid.



In most mammals, this bone moves the jaw, the tongue, the floor of the mouth, and the larynx.



In whales it also helps them move forward.



The muscles (red) that connect the hyoid to the tip of the jaw and the rib cage contract, allowing the whale to dip its massive head.



Coupled with a flick of its tail, this movement propels the whale through the water.



(Image: Phillip Hollis for Channel 4)

Crocodile autopsy



The Nile crocodile, Crocodylus niloticus, is one of the largest reptiles on Earth. It has evolved into a formidable hunter.



The wedge-shaped head allows it to lie stealthily with its mouth at the water’s edge, as its body fits between the water’s surface and the sloping bank.



The body is camouflaged and has protective armoured plates that mimic the texture of a floating log or cracked mud.



The teeth are adapted for grasping and holding prey.



The legs are capable of holding the body off the ground while walking, running or even bounding.



(Image: Phillip Hollis for Channel 4)

Crocodile dissection



The inside of a crocodile's stomach is an acid bath that helps break down bulky food.



This is a distinct digestive advantage for an animal that cannot chew or shred its food, but simply swallows it whole or in large chunks.



(Image: Phillip Hollis for Channel 4)