Living in the rivers, lakes and bayous of the American South are creatures that have been here since the dawn of time: prehistoric-looking aquatic monsters that remain steeped in mystery. A giant fish, the alligator gar, can reach over 8 feet in length, but lengths of 10 feet have been reported. Just how big do they get? And are accounts of them attacking people true? Join biologist Niall McCann as he heads to Louisiana in search of these prehistoric monsters of the swamp.
Misunderstood from the start, labeled as monsters of the forest by early explorers and later by Hollywood movies, these largest of the apes are today facing extinction. Deep in the African jungle, one of humans' closest relatives is clinging to life. Only a few hundred mountain gorillas are surviving in small patches of rain-forest that line the volcanic mountains of Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. Join biologist Niall McCann as he heads to Uganda and treks through mountainous jungle terrain alongside the gorilla doctors who are on a medical mission to save these last great apes.
Lurking under the surface of Africa's Nile River are monsters with a deadly reputation - Nile crocodiles. These beasts can weigh up to a ton and they prowl these waters looking for food. Usually, their victims include fish or land animals that stray near the shore. But in a land where water is scarce, humans and crocodiles must share the riches of the Nile, and unfortunately, these animals have been known to attack and kill people who come across them. Join biologist Niall McCann as he heads to the hot marshy region of central Uganda to join a team of rangers from the Uganda Wildlife Authority who are helping communities by moving man-eating crocodiles away from the villages and into the national parks.
The state of Florida is being invaded by huge exotic snakes that are slithering across farms and into people's homes. Pythons are showing up on porches, in basements and in garages. Today, more than 100,000 pythons could be roaming the state. They are eating their way through local wildlife and have even killed family pets. Join biologist Niall McCann as he heads to the Florida Everglades in search of invasive Burmese pythons.
In the heart of Central Africa exists a rare group of big cats: the tree-climbing lions of Ishasha. Numbering just over two dozen animals, these few remaining lions are under threat from cattle ranching in an ever-shrinking territory. It's a battle between an age-old predator and an ever-growing population of humans. Ironically, these very lions may prove to be the salvation of western Uganda's wildlife and national parks. Join biologist Niall McCann as he heads to the southwest corner of Uganda searching for the tree- climbing lions of Ishasha.
In the northeast corner of South America, there's an ancient land that has captured the imaginations of countless explorers and gold seekers. Over the centuries, these billion-year-old tepui plateaus have both terrified local natives and beckoned Westerners who believe that treasure waits for them at the top. A deadly array of venomous creatures inhabit these jungles, creating a constant threat for the people who live here. Join biologist Niall McCann as he heads to the forests of Venezuela in search of jungle venom.