Wed, Mar 25, 2020
SERIES LOGLINE:
In the Biggest & Baddest series, Biologist Niall McCann investigates human-animal conflict around the world brought on by global warming, deforestation and human encroachment into wild places.
Ep. 301- POLAR BEAR: Changing Climate and Animal Attacks LOGLINE: A town in the Canadian Sub-Arctic deals with increasing bear attacks due to warming seas- and a late freeze up of the predator's hunting grounds. Niall investigates attack stories and the town's Polar Bear jail.
SYNOPSIS: Each year, the inhabitants of Churchill, Manitoba face hundreds of Polar Bears migrating across their town from the nearby river to the sea. Hoping to hunt seals on the frozen oceans, bears are must wait ever longer for the sea-ice to freeze-up. Global warming is creating a deadly situation for people living with the world's largest land predator: desperate bears prowl the beaches and streets of Churchill, looking for food. Niall travels here to experience the giant bears closeup and meet the people: bear attack victims and the wildlife officers responsible for keeping the town safe. There are so many dangerous bears, they are locked up in a "Polar Bear Jail", before being airlifted out of the region. Climbing aboard a helicopter, with a giant polar bear in a net below, Niall assists in a Polar Bear re-location.
Ep 302 - KING COBRA: Extreme Venom and Intelligence LOGLINE: Niall meets the King of Venomous Snakes and learns about India's reptile problems: each year some 50,000 people a year die from snake bites.
SYNOPSIS: No one ever wants to come face to face with this giant monster in the jungle or in their village hut. Growing up to 19 ft long this snake is said to pack enough venom to kill 20 men or an elephant. Yet, its reputation as a killer of people, may be unfounded. Niall travels to Southern India to meet Cobra legend Romulus Whitaker- on a mission to reduce snake bites in India. Niall learns that venomous snakes: common Indian Cobras and Vipers are responsible for the death of 50,000 people here each year; this is likely due to increasing numbers of people living in amongst the forests, snakes call home. Niall finds himself on one of his greatest adventures: collecting snakes for anti-venom with the Irula Indians and chasing after a huge King Cobra (equipped with a radio transmitter) in the jungle...with many surprises around each corner.
Ep 303 - TEXAS GATORS: Floods and a Changing World LOGLINE: It's Flooding Down in Texas and that means waters are rising and so are human-alligator encounters. Niall rescues Gators from the suburbs of Houston and meets some of the largest Alligators in captivity.
SYNOPSIS: Alligators in Texas are invading city suburbs and they have to be removed. Niall travels to the city of Houston and discovers it's built on some very wet ground: several Bayous that flood the city with every big rain. As the planet heats up, the floods are happening more frequently, and bringing with them hundreds of hungry alligators. Niall joins two removal teams, taking out thrashing angry alligators from front yards, ditches, fish ponds and storm drains. Working with the team from Gator Country- Niall learns that Alligators aren't just being removed and placed back in the wild- but also kept at Alligator farms where they can be used to educate the public about these giant ancient reptiles.
Ep 304 - WILD HORSES- Finding Freedom to Roam LOGLINE: There are 72,000 wild horses and burros living on public lands in America, and they need help: they're being rounded up in Government corrals, sold at auctions or worse. Niall meets a group of women working to place America's wild horses into safe havens.
SYNOPSIS: The Mustang is one of America's most iconic creatures: a symbol of the Old West, and of Freedom itself. Now tens of thousands of horses that live in the American wilderness across the west are battling for their very lives. Though not slaughtered as a few decades earlier, these magnificent animals are hemmed in by government regulations- that restrict their numbers. Excess animals are rounded up with helicopters: splitting up tight-knit family groups and herd alliances. Now a concerned group of activists and scientists known as Return to Freedom is working with Gov't and donors to provide homes for wild horses in special sanctuaries. Niall McCann travels throughout Nevada and California to investigate this complex human-animal conflict story and discovers some once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
Ep 305 - INDIAN ELEPHANTS- Elephants vs. Humans LOGLINE: Indians Elephants are in a struggle for their lives. Elephants are increasingly being squeezed into smaller and smaller tracts of land- which results in human deaths. Niall investigates how small communities and government officials are managing this elephant conflict.
SYNOPSIS: India's love affair with the Indian Elephant is over. Already extinct in Pakistan, their numbers are dwindling across India. Human overpopulation, poaching, railways, dams, highways, mining & illegal deforestation is depleting food and habitat: causing conflict between the elephants and people. Between 400-500 people are killed by elephants each year, in this battle for land. Traveling to West Bengal, India, Niall McCann encounters dangerous forest elephants: and finds himself running for his life. He also meets local villagers and government officials trying to cope with this Elephant dilemma, in an ever-changing world.
Ep 306 - LEOPARDS OF MUMBAI: Man and Dog Eating Leopards LOGLINE: Mumbai, one of the largest cities in the world, also has more leopards per square kilometer than anywhere else. Niall discovers how human living conditions impact the big cat's choice of prey, and conflict with people.
SYNOPSIS: Twenty Million people, 95,000 stray dogs and dozens of hungry leopards. Not an ideal situation for any city. The 100 sq. kilometer Sanjay Gandhi National Park surrounds the city of Mumbai and is home to Leopards, preying on thousands of dogs, rats, pigs and people. Incredibly, the leopards have readily adapted to the poverty, overpopulation and pollution of the city. Niall discovers, that despite killing many dogs and even people, the big cats are being tolerated. Why are the Leopards both feared and venerated? Also, could Leopards could be reducing the number of human dog bites? Where does it all end? The balance is precarious. Local Indian Biologists and Niall McCann track and observe leopards lurking throughout the city of Mumbai.
Ep. 301- POLAR BEAR: Changing Climate and Animal Attacks LOGLINE: A town in the Canadian Sub-Arctic deals with increasing bear attacks due to warming seas- and a late freeze up of the predator's hunting grounds. Niall investigates attack stories and the town's Polar Bear jail.
SYNOPSIS: Each year, the inhabitants of Churchill, Manitoba face hundreds of Polar Bears migrating across their town from the nearby river to the sea. Hoping to hunt seals on the frozen oceans, bears are must wait ever longer for the sea-ice to freeze-up. Global warming is creating a deadly situation for people living with the world's largest land predator: desperate bears prowl the beaches and streets of Churchill, looking for food. Niall travels here to experience the giant bears closeup and meet the people: bear attack victims and the wildlife officers responsible for keeping the town safe. There are so many dangerous bears, they are locked up in a "Polar Bear Jail", before being airlifted out of the region. Climbing aboard a helicopter, with a giant polar bear in a net below, Niall assists in a Polar Bear re-location.
Ep 302 - KING COBRA: Extreme Venom and Intelligence LOGLINE: Niall meets the King of Venomous Snakes and learns about India's reptile problems: each year some 50,000 people a year die from snake bites.
SYNOPSIS: No one ever wants to come face to face with this giant monster in the jungle or in their village hut. Growing up to 19 ft long this snake is said to pack enough venom to kill 20 men or an elephant. Yet, its reputation as a killer of people, may be unfounded. Niall travels to Southern India to meet Cobra legend Romulus Whitaker- on a mission to reduce snake bites in India. Niall learns that venomous snakes: common Indian Cobras and Vipers are responsible for the death of 50,000 people here each year; this is likely due to increasing numbers of people living in amongst the forests, snakes call home. Niall finds himself on one of his greatest adventures: collecting snakes for anti-venom with the Irula Indians and chasing after a huge King Cobra (equipped with a radio transmitter) in the jungle...with many surprises around each corner.
Ep 303 - TEXAS GATORS: Floods and a Changing World LOGLINE: It's Flooding Down in Texas and that means waters are rising and so are human-alligator encounters. Niall rescues Gators from the suburbs of Houston and meets some of the largest Alligators in captivity.
SYNOPSIS: Alligators in Texas are invading city suburbs and they have to be removed. Niall travels to the city of Houston and discovers it's built on some very wet ground: several Bayous that flood the city with every big rain. As the planet heats up, the floods are happening more frequently, and bringing with them hundreds of hungry alligators. Niall joins two removal teams, taking out thrashing angry alligators from front yards, ditches, fish ponds and storm drains. Working with the team from Gator Country- Niall learns that Alligators aren't just being removed and placed back in the wild- but also kept at Alligator farms where they can be used to educate the public about these giant ancient reptiles.
Ep 304 - WILD HORSES- Finding Freedom to Roam LOGLINE: There are 72,000 wild horses and burros living on public lands in America, and they need help: they're being rounded up in Government corrals, sold at auctions or worse. Niall meets a group of women working to place America's wild horses into safe havens.
SYNOPSIS: The Mustang is one of America's most iconic creatures: a symbol of the Old West, and of Freedom itself. Now tens of thousands of horses that live in the American wilderness across the west are battling for their very lives. Though not slaughtered as a few decades earlier, these magnificent animals are hemmed in by government regulations- that restrict their numbers. Excess animals are rounded up with helicopters: splitting up tight-knit family groups and herd alliances. Now a concerned group of activists and scientists known as Return to Freedom is working with Gov't and donors to provide homes for wild horses in special sanctuaries. Niall McCann travels throughout Nevada and California to investigate this complex human-animal conflict story and discovers some once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
Ep 305 - INDIAN ELEPHANTS- Elephants vs. Humans LOGLINE: Indians Elephants are in a struggle for their lives. Elephants are increasingly being squeezed into smaller and smaller tracts of land- which results in human deaths. Niall investigates how small communities and government officials are managing this elephant conflict.
SYNOPSIS: India's love affair with the Indian Elephant is over. Already extinct in Pakistan, their numbers are dwindling across India. Human overpopulation, poaching, railways, dams, highways, mining & illegal deforestation is depleting food and habitat: causing conflict between the elephants and people. Between 400-500 people are killed by elephants each year, in this battle for land. Traveling to West Bengal, India, Niall McCann encounters dangerous forest elephants: and finds himself running for his life. He also meets local villagers and government officials trying to cope with this Elephant dilemma, in an ever-changing world.
Ep 306 - LEOPARDS OF MUMBAI: Man and Dog Eating Leopards LOGLINE: Mumbai, one of the largest cities in the world, also has more leopards per square kilometer than anywhere else. Niall discovers how human living conditions impact the big cat's choice of prey, and conflict with people.
SYNOPSIS: Twenty Million people, 95,000 stray dogs and dozens of hungry leopards. Not an ideal situation for any city. The 100 sq. kilometer Sanjay Gandhi National Park surrounds the city of Mumbai and is home to Leopards, preying on thousands of dogs, rats, pigs and people. Incredibly, the leopards have readily adapted to the poverty, overpopulation and pollution of the city. Niall discovers, that despite killing many dogs and even people, the big cats are being tolerated. Why are the Leopards both feared and venerated? Also, could Leopards could be reducing the number of human dog bites? Where does it all end? The balance is precarious. Local Indian Biologists and Niall McCann track and observe leopards lurking throughout the city of Mumbai.