Animal Planet’s fifth-annual “Monster Week” will be chock full of “River Monsters,” appropriately enough.
Kicking off Thursday, May 26, at 9/8c, “Monster Week” shares stories of some of the most menacing and merciless animals roaming the planet: From dangerous reptiles and an invasion of crocs to killer swarms, lions on the loose and 9-1-1 animal attack calls. Watch the video above, which is exclusive to TheWrap, chronicling that last category with “9-1-1 Encounters.”
“Monster Week” consists of 11 new specials and kicks off with a new episode of Animal Planet’s No. 1 series “River Monsters,” which currently airs Thursdays at 10/9c. The week concludes with the show’s season finale Thursday, June 2, at 8/7c. Every night in-between will include a super-sized episode of the popular program, as well as a “River Monsters” after-show, on which executive producer Lisa Lucas returns this year, as host along with fan-favorite guest Jeremy Wade.
The week will also preview upcoming series “The Vet Life,” which follows veterinarians Dr. Diarra Blue, Dr. Aubrey Ross and Dr. Michael Lavigne as they juggle running a vet clinic with managing family life, and “Lone Star Law,” a freshman series showing that even wildlife crime is bigger and badder in Texas.
Immediately following the conclusion of “Monster Week,” Animal Planet will bring justice to the small screen with a new season of “North Woods Law.”
“Monster Week is the most audacious of Animal Planet’s quarterly tentpole events, continually surprising our viewers with the most enigmatic of creatures,” Rich Ross, group president of Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and Science Channel, told TheWrap.
Here’s the full “Monster Week” lineup with descriptions, all in Animal Planet’s own words:
“Rabid”
Animals can be many things to many people; however, if they carry the rabies virus, they are deadly. Rabies infect animals, turning their bites and scratches into an attack on the body that can leave its victims unaware of the absolute carnage awaiting their nervous system. “Rabid” explores the animals carrying the rabies virus and profiles three individuals and communities that were forever altered by the insidious virus. “Monster’s Inside Me” host/biologist Dan Riskin shares how this microscopic monster can be just as dangerous to a human as any animal they may encounter.
“9-1-1 Encounters”
When humans and wild animals unexpectedly intersect, the outcomes can be as alarming as they are dangerous for both the animals and humans. “9-1-1 Encounters” documents the thousands of calls Americans make each year when dialing 9-1-1 after suddenly being caught in life-and-death confrontations with animals on the prowl. This two-part special features real-life dispatch calls from some of the most terrifying and bizarre animal encounters on record. From coyotes stalking an unsuspecting hiker, thousands of birds inexplicably falling from the sky and two men attacked by a swarm of bees, there’s nothing more shocking than the actual 9-1-1- call.
“Yeti Or Not”
Dr. Mark Evans, a veterinarian and explorer, is on a mission to sift fact from folklore and distill the plausible from the possible as he searches for a rational explanation for the mysterious Himalayan biped known as the Yeti. Evan’s globe-spanning investigation evaluates mysterious footprints, Yeti-hunting Nazis and real-life “hobbits.” He travels to Nepal’s wild Tibetan frontier in search of new, untested remains believed to be from Yetis. Will the DNA from these and other samples finally solve the world’s most intriguing zoological puzzle? Can science play a role in solving this mystery?
“Lair of the Killer Crocs”
“Lair of the Killer Crocs” features Paul “Gator Boy” Bedard and croc hunter “Crocodile Mick Pittman” and they journey through the Northern Territory to explore the invasion of crocodiles; “Attack of the Killer Dragons” which highlights two of the world’s most dangerous reptiles: killer Komodo Dragons and Nile Monitor lizards; and real swarms that are real deadly with “Killer Swarms,” featuring mobs of vermin wrought with disease; angry hives of killer bees; and other monstrous groups of animals on the rise around the world due to habitat destruction, human encroachment and global warming.
“Urban Predator: Lion on the Loose”
“Urban Predator: Lion on the Loose” follows renowned Game Tracker Rory Young as he travels from Africa to Milwaukee to pursue answers and search for the elusive big African lion that is said to be stalking the streets of this unsuspecting city.
“Extinct Or Alive: Tasmanian Tiger”
“Extinct Or Alive: Tasmanian Tiger” dives deep into the mystery of the lazarus species, one of them being the Tasmanian tiger, which was declared extinct over 80 years ago. Follow Wildlife Biologist Forrest Galante, Anthropologist Mary-Ann Ochota and legendary Tasmanian tiger tracker Nick Mooney as they venture into Tasmania in search of the truth.
“Grizzly Uprising”
“Grizzly Uprising” brings forward the petrifying stories of victims and their families suffering from the rising grizzly and black bear attacks resulting from human encroachment into their territory.
“Weird, True and Freaky: Real Monsters”
A Top 10 countdown of the most ferocious animal attacks caught on tape.
“Deadliest Place on Earth”
The “Deadliest Place on Earth” uses expert analysis and victim testimony to examine the most frightening Australian animals and animal encounters.