The National Geographic Channel has started a series of programmes Built for the kill on Monday at 8 pm which examines the manner in which animals hunt for their prey. The process of hunting and survival is deconstructed. The settings are as diverse as dry deserts and lush rainforests. 

On Christmas eve the episode is called Miniature. We visit a raiding colony of an army of ants. We see how extraordinary miniature predators interact with their prey. Don't be fooled by their small size. 

We also see the nurturing jewel wasp, the bizarre peripatus, the frightful arachnids. The movements are constantly tracked before and after a kill. 

The next episode on New Year's eve is called Swamp. As the title suggests animals who live and hunt among the swamps take centrestage. This covers the vicious alligator, the snapping turtle. The show will examine how the unique living conditions of the swamps have fine tuned the hunting skills of the water scorpion, the deadly accuracy of the egret.