Throng

nature shock

Coming soon to Five is a brand new series of documentaries examining freak occurences in the natural world. Using testimony from scientific experts, interviews with the key players and dramatic reconstructions, the programmes tell the stories of unique discoveries from across the globe that have shocked naturalists and led to a broader understanding of the animal kingdom.

The first documentary of the series, ‘The Snake that Exploded’, takes us to the Everglades National Park in Florida. While flying back to base after a routine land survey on 26th November 2005, contract pilot Michael Barron spotted something unusual in the water below. “What struck my attention was the size of it,” recalls Michael. “It was amazingly big.”

Michael knew he had to get in closer for a better view, so he landed the helicopter and took out his camera. What he had found seemed to be the bloated corpse of a huge, scaly creature with two tails, two legs and no head. Michael showed his photographs to forensic analyst Dr Kenneth Krysko. “It was kind of bizarre...” remembers Kenneth, “kind of gruesome.”

What Michael had found turned out to be a tangle of snake and alligator, with half of the latter animal trapped inside the former. However, what was not clear was whether the alligator had eaten its way into the snake, or fought its way out. The mystery was only just beginning to unravel. Among the other cases explored in the series are that of a vengeful elephant, a giant bear with a missing body and some zombie alligators. <?strong>