- 1 year ago
Season 1 (1996-1997)
Filmed in 1992. Steve Irwin and his wife, Terri, spend their honeymoon trapping and rescuing crocodiles in Australia.
Filmed in 1992. Steve Irwin and his wife, Terri, spend their honeymoon trapping and rescuing crocodiles in Australia.
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00:00This is the end of the video.
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00:06See you in the next video.
00:08Goodbye.
00:30Music
00:44We're working to relocate problem crocodiles
00:46from populated areas in far north Queensland.
00:49As farms and people encroach onto land
00:52that was the crocodile's natural habitat,
00:54there can be a few conflicts.
00:56Our job is to catch and remove the animals.
00:59With as little amount of stress on them and of course on us.
01:02The bush camp that has been our home over the past weeks
01:05is also home to prolific wildlife.
01:08Sharing the place with us is everything
01:11from dangerous snakes like this venomous red-bellied black
01:14to some very friendly goannas.
01:16Music
01:20It's great to be this close to animals in the wild.
01:23Music
01:25We get to witness new life only seconds old.
01:29Aren't they beautiful?
01:32But tragically the large male 15 foot croc
01:35we'd originally come to north Queensland to find
01:38had been shot just days before we would have trapped him
01:41and been able to move him to safety.
01:43It's just a senseless waste of a magnificent animal.
01:47He would have ruled this stretch of river for a century.
01:53Shortly after finding the dead male
01:55we discovered the nest of a large female
01:58whose eggs had been ravaged by wild pigs.
02:01Only four of the 65 to 70 hatchlings had survived.
02:05We hope that one of these will live to take the place
02:08of the monarch that was shot.
02:11Now we know there's a shooter in the area
02:13we have to work really fast.
02:15We're going to have to find the mother croc,
02:17trap her and then move her to a safer home.
02:20Music
02:22We've just discovered there's a crocodile
02:24stranded in an irrigation channel at a nearby cane farm.
02:28Yeah, the poor farmer's in a bit of a predicament
02:30so he's asked us for our help.
02:32He thinks that the croc's taken one of his dogs
02:34and he's got young children.
02:36So having a crocodile close to the house
02:38and unable to get back to the main river
02:40isn't a very good scenario.
02:42Crocs, kids and pets just don't mix.
02:46Eagle eyes Steve is at it again.
02:49He spots a slight movement on the track
02:51and it's the smallest creature we've seen up here.
02:54The only reason we're able to catch it
02:57is because it's been injured.
03:00It's a feather tail glider or pygmy possum.
03:03This is the smallest gliding marsupial in the world.
03:08This one's young, only about half grown
03:10and we suspect its leg is injured
03:12because it's been taken by a cat.
03:16This irrigation channel is used as a water supply
03:18for sugar cane
03:20and the crocodile has apparently come in
03:22on an unusually high tide
03:24and is cut off from the main channel to the river.
03:26There's nowhere for it to go.
03:28And you can see it here, it's been up stalking the chicken coop
03:31and unfortunately what I have to do
03:33is get down into the water, into his territory
03:36and try and get up in front of the crocodile
03:39to get more chance at getting him meshed.
03:43This is really dangerous work.
03:45You're in the water, you're in his territory
03:47and once he comes in, here he comes, right.
03:51I can't see him, I can't hear him
03:54so now the only thing I can go by
03:56is my sense of feel.
03:58So I'm plodding along with my feet and my hands
04:00with the net just in front of me.
04:02This is really dicey.
04:05Here comes the monofilament net.
04:06This is a very fine mesh.
04:08You've got to try and get it around the croc.
04:11Whoops, bumped him.
04:12Can you see those bubbles?
04:13He's just submerged into the mud there now.
04:16Got the net...
04:17Ooh, bumped into me again.
04:18I hate that.
04:20I hate that, it's so scary.
04:22Now I know the croc's in close, right up against the mesh.
04:25I've got to utilise that stick,
04:27try and get it around near the croc's head
04:30and hopefully the croc will bite at the stick
04:32and once the croc bites at the stick
04:34it'll mesh his head up better and better.
04:36That's the trick.
04:37Get the croc's head meshed as possible
04:39and now, wouldn't you believe it,
04:40he goes out...
04:41Ooh, he's bumped into me again.
04:44We're starting to lose battery power.
04:46The battery's starting to fizz, wouldn't you believe it.
04:49As the lights go out,
04:51total darkness engulfs the small channel.
04:55I'm really afraid now.
04:57I'm afraid because Steve's in the dark.
04:59He can't see the croc.
05:01All he can do is feel for it.
05:03When we finally get a torch to work,
05:06we've got to go with whatever light we can use.
05:09I really wish we had a bigger area to work in.
05:12It's big enough Steve could jump this crocodile
05:14instead of having to feel his way along the bottom.
05:17You can see the bubbles and the turbulence coming up.
05:19I've got him really well meshed now.
05:22He's got his head really bound up
05:23and I'm utilising the stick trying to push him
05:25closer to the bank and get him to death roll.
05:28If only we could get the croc to death roll,
05:30that'll mesh him completely.
05:32Ooh, he's just run into my leg again.
05:34Thank goodness he had his mouth shut.
05:36This sends shivers up my back.
05:38The hairs on my neck just start standing up.
05:40And I can't figure out why Steve can manage
05:42to let the crocodile bite the stick and not his leg.
05:45I can see the water boiling
05:47as the crocodile's trying to bite the stick,
05:49but his leg's right next to it.
05:51Here it is, thrashing around underneath me.
05:53It's getting worse and worse.
05:55But luckily, we're starting to get a lot of meshing.
05:57Here he goes. He's really starting to get bound up now.
05:59All we need is a death roll.
06:01You see his tail thrashing around there.
06:03His head's right down next to my leg.
06:06Come on, bite it.
06:08Bite it. Bite the stick.
06:10Terry, get round here. Get round here and grab that net.
06:12Up to this point, the crocodile's been trying to get away.
06:14Now that he's trapped, he cannot flee,
06:16and he has no choice but to fight.
06:27Thank God she didn't have her mouth open.
06:29Watch your death rolling.
06:33Okay, here we go.
06:35Wait on. Let her get over.
06:38Righto. Up.
06:40That's it. Pull me back. Pull me back.
06:43Wait. Come in here. Let go of me.
06:46Right. Got it?
06:48Got it.
07:04You got it?
07:06Now you want me to start getting that off her?
07:08Yeah. No.
07:10See, that was hairy when she was banging into my leg.
07:12That was unreal.
07:14Crikey.
07:16Now, get right up out of here.
07:18Get on her. Get on her.
07:20I'm on her. I'm on her.
07:22Where's her head?
07:24Yeah, it's going to take me a while to get all the way back to the farmhouse, okay?
07:26Right?
07:29I always get the good part.
07:32See you okay?
07:34Yeah, yeah.
07:36Good.
07:45Okay, we've got the box ready to go, Terry.
07:47So, just stay right there.
07:49Okay.
07:51Go for this tail here.
07:53Gee, she's in good condition.
07:55She's beautiful.
07:57I suppose if you've eaten a couple of dogs and a couple of roosters.
08:00Yeah.
08:02You got it pretty good.
08:04Well, that's what we do is we put buffet-style food in front of the crocodiles and wonder why they eat it.
08:08I tell you what, I feel sorry for the farmer, you know?
08:10His kids are down here swimming.
08:12Yeah.
08:14Poor bugger.
08:16He's going to be so glad that we've caught it out of here.
08:18Yeah, this crocodile isn't big enough to take anything much bigger than a dog.
08:20Oh, there's no way this will take a human.
08:22It's far too small.
08:24Just let it go.
08:26Come on, girl.
08:28I've got her secure.
08:30I've got her eyes covered.
08:32She's very quiet.
08:34I know.
08:36You're close.
08:38Just this eye-tooth here.
08:40It's really close.
08:42It's like I've got an eye-tooth over here, too.
08:44Yeah.
08:46She's up.
08:48She's knocked up.
08:50Well, I know because you're really trampling her.
08:52Okay.
08:54Take all that, Charlie.
08:56Okay, lid.
08:58We've got the croc in the box and ready for relocation.
09:02The farmer's kids are safe and the crocodile's safe.
09:18This sandbank retains some very interesting history.
09:20Not all of the discoveries that we make are happy ones, though.
09:26This is a bottom jaw.
09:30A professional fisherman caught up a crocodile in his net.
09:34The croc's been chasing his fish.
09:36That's a pretty big drama for a fisherman,
09:38have a big crocodile stuck in your net.
09:40So what he's had to do is he's had to cut this mesh off
09:42and let the croc go free.
09:46This is pretty interesting, though.
09:48This is really interesting.
09:50It's been shot at really close range.
09:52Comes straight through here.
09:54You can see the hole goes all the way through there.
10:00It's blown part of his upper palate out there, too.
10:04This poor old fellow,
10:06he's died a very slow, lingering death.
10:10Bullet hole.
10:12Didn't go anywhere near his brain.
10:14Taken a lot of skull out.
10:16Probably shocked him a fair bit.
10:18All tangled up in the net.
10:20Fisherman's cut him out.
10:22Probably taken him a couple of weeks to die.
10:24Very unfortunate.
10:26Very unfortunate circumstances.
10:32But if you're a professional fisherman
10:34and you've got a large crocodile stuck in your net,
10:36there's not a great deal you can do.
10:38You just have to take evasive measures
10:40because a crocodile of this size
10:42would certainly take you out,
10:44if not remove a limb in a heartbeat.
10:58The place to find our live croc, though,
11:00is further upriver.
11:02So our search for slides continues.
11:04Terry, this is about the general area
11:06that croc's been hanging around.
11:08Slides are easier to spot
11:10when we're looking for a large crocodile
11:12because their body makes a bigger indentation
11:14in the bank.
11:16Finally, we find the evidence
11:18we've been looking for.
11:20These marks on the bank,
11:22this is the female crocodile we've been chasing.
11:24This is the one whose mate's been shot
11:26and whose babies have been
11:28devastated by pigs.
11:30Just a sunning bank, though.
11:32Wonder where he's been.
11:34I hope not here.
11:36Got it?
11:38Be careful.
11:40No kidding.
11:42This is the best slide.
11:44Now, wait a minute, I'm watching for bubbles, too, right?
11:46Yeah, any swirls you see in the water
11:48you know the bubbles are in.
11:50Okay.
11:52What we've got here is a double slide.
11:54This is a double slide.
11:56Careful, don't wreck it.
11:58Oh, yes.
12:00You can see this one up here, a couple of hours old.
12:02This one down in here,
12:04oh, gee, five minutes ago.
12:06What's happened is, a couple of hours ago,
12:08you can see these footprints down in here.
12:10He's actually walked up the bank
12:12and positioned himself there.
12:14You can see here, this is a couple of hours old.
12:16It's started to dry out.
12:18Positioned himself and then
12:20scooted down into the water there.
12:26Yeah, look.
12:28And this is his second slide. He's come up here.
12:30You see these big footprints there, belly marks there.
12:32Gives you an idea about how wide he is.
12:34He's walked up here.
12:36Gone up. You can see the groove of his tail there.
12:38Where he's been positioned.
12:40His body facing back down that way.
12:42Look at the marks.
12:44Look at the scales in his tail.
12:46Look at that.
12:48Yeah, beautiful.
12:50And then when he's heard us coming,
12:52he's zoomed back down into the water.
12:54Straight down in there.
12:56That is excellent.
12:58Let's find a trap site.
13:00Okay, this is the big one.
13:02This is it. This is the one we're looking for.
13:04You're stuck.
13:06Oh, God.
13:08Now we know this is the centre of our territory.
13:10This is right where we're going to put the trap.
13:12So what we'll do is
13:14we've got two good base trees here.
13:16I think we'll run the trap straight back
13:18into that mangrove in there.
13:20And then that tree over there,
13:22that's a good tree to run our
13:24ropes and our big weight bag
13:26off to draw the trap.
13:28It's going to be a hard one to climb,
13:30but it's a good tree.
13:32When you're up in that tree and making all this commotion,
13:34isn't the female going to be watching you?
13:36Isn't she around?
13:38Yeah, well, there's a good point.
13:40What I want you to do is if you see any
13:42movements or any mud come up
13:44from the bottom, you tell me.
13:46And you tell me really quick and don't muck around.
13:58Yeah, yeah, yeah.
14:00Make sure that rope feeds up
14:02nice and clear to me.
14:04Okay, I'm going to haul the bag up.
14:06I want you to swing back out towards the back of the trap.
14:08When I haul it up, you take the weight.
14:10Don't let go of the weight.
14:12Okay, wait a minute, let me get back there.
14:14Whoa!
14:28This type of trap design is
14:30unique and used exclusively
14:32when Steve's trapping crocodiles.
14:34The trap that is more commonly used
14:36is called a steel gate trap.
14:38And when the crocodile goes in the trap,
14:40it's only at night.
14:42When the crocodile's inside the trap,
14:44he's got all night long to try to get out.
14:46In a steel type trap,
14:48the trapper's completely safe from the crocodile,
14:50but the poor crocodile
14:52is terribly injured,
14:54bashing himself around inside.
14:56With this sort of trap, it's like a big sock
14:58on him and it just holds him in place
15:00and yet he can still move around
15:02and not knock himself all to pieces.
15:04When the trapper arrives,
15:06like when Steve comes upon the scene,
15:08he's more in danger because the crocodile
15:10can bite through and get Steve
15:12if he's not very careful.
15:14Now the trap's set,
15:16we have to go and find some bait
15:18and the best bait there is, is feral pig.
15:20These things are incredibly
15:22destructive to the natural habitat,
15:24so really, using him as bait
15:26is doing all native Australian
15:28wildlife a big favour.
15:30And that's about all they're good for,
15:32croc bait. Crocs just can't resist them.
15:34Get it, Sue!
15:36Get it!
15:38Get him, Sue!
15:44Hit it, Sue, hit it!
15:46Come on, Sue.
15:48Come on, come on.
15:50Get him, Sue, get him!
15:52Right.
15:54Oh, my God.
16:06Sue, get it right!
16:08Get it right for me!
16:14Sue, Sue!
16:16Get off!
16:18Sue, get off him!
16:20Get off him!
16:22What are you doing?
16:36Keep that knee in there, sweetheart.
16:38I've got it, I've got it.
16:40He'll bite you.
16:46Oh, he's moving.
16:52You're a good girl, Sue.
16:54Yeah, you caught this pig, didn't you?
16:58Mate, nice-sized pig, girl.
17:00The reason we take
17:02the pigs live is up in the tropics
17:04the heat is so severe
17:06if it was to be killed, it would go off
17:08too quick and crocs like
17:10to eat fresh bait.
17:12Now everything is set
17:14so we can catch our girl.
17:18The life of a crocodile trapper
17:20revolves around the trap.
17:22We constantly monitor the trap
17:24and keep a check on baits.
17:26The bait's completely gone.
17:28Completely gone.
17:30There's nothing left of it.
17:32Look at this.
17:34Oh, yes.
17:36That's unreal.
17:38Hey, it's wet too. Have a look at this.
17:40It's wet all the way up.
17:42Woo-hoo!
17:44She's just taken the whole thing in one bite.
17:46Oh, it's kind of scary.
17:48This is the leading bait.
17:50You can see I attach it to a tree up here.
17:52Good strong knot.
17:54This is really good strong nylon cord.
17:56The leading bait, this is to keep the crocodile
17:58in the area.
18:00So you put a fist-sized piece of bait
18:02on this leading bait like that,
18:04tie it onto it, and it dangles just above the water.
18:06And what happens is when the croc comes in
18:08hanging around the trap,
18:10she smells that and she's sitting in front of her nose.
18:12This smells too good.
18:14And what's happened, we were here this afternoon
18:16an hour and a half, maybe two hours ago.
18:18We put the leading bait in,
18:20we've come back now,
18:22and it's gone.
18:24She's just grabbed it, a couple of head shakes,
18:26ripped it off, swallowed it. Mmm, tastes good.
18:28Yes.
18:30The thing is,
18:32this is so fresh, like it's wet,
18:34she'll be sitting here right now, just watching us.
18:36Just taking an eye in,
18:38finding out what we're doing here.
18:40The trick is,
18:42we're going to have to come back tomorrow morning,
18:44and we've got to get the bait, which means we've got to get fresh pigs.
18:46Let's go.
18:48Alright.
18:50This is very exciting.
18:52We've only travelled
18:54a very short distance from the trap site,
18:56and what started out to be
18:58a simple look at wildlife
19:00turned into absolute terror.
19:02Hey, check this out, Terry.
19:04I know it, I can see.
19:06What a beauty.
19:08Look at him.
19:10What kind is he?
19:12Well, I don't really want him on my head.
19:14No, I can't say I blame you.
19:16Let me come around here. Get the spotlight up on him.
19:18I'm trying, but he's making me nervous.
19:20Jeez, he's a pretty one.
19:22He's like rigging that little S-shaped thing.
19:26Whoa, hey, you know why he's hanging around here?
19:28How come?
19:30Because, um,
19:32don't be scared of him.
19:34Well, I'm just a little bit nervous, because he keeps
19:36S-ing like a pig. Yeah, he's hanging around here, because you know,
19:38the pig bait we've got there,
19:40that attracts the rats, and he's coming eating the rats.
19:42Yeah.
19:44He's a good looker.
19:46He's sure looking at you. I reckon.
19:48Whoa!
19:50This is the perfect recipe for disaster.
19:52Terry's landed in the water.
19:54There's a large crocodile lurking here.
19:56It's eaten a leading bait just several
19:58hours ago. I've got a snake
20:00rolling around in the boat. What a drama.
20:02What's going through my mind
20:04is trying not to panic,
20:06as I feel it well up within me,
20:08as the current is trying to take me out.
20:10In this situation, it is of
20:12utmost importance that you do not
20:14panic. Don't thrash around
20:16in the water. You thrash around in the water,
20:18whether it's a shark or a crocodile,
20:20it's going to sense an injured animal,
20:22and it's going to move in for the kill.
20:24The boat's there, the motor's going,
20:26it's best to stay completely still,
20:28and that motor
20:30will keep the intruder away
20:32until you can get back into the boat.
20:34Whatever you do, and this is very, very important,
20:36do not swim for the
20:38bank. Crocodiles hit
20:40hardest at the water's edge.
20:42I think it's something you have to rehearse
20:44in your mind before it happens,
20:46because while it's going on, the last
20:48thing you want to do is stay in the water.
20:50Your instincts are to try to swim
20:52and try to get away, and you have to
20:54fight these instincts to do the right thing.
20:56I'm alright.
20:58It's really scary, you guys.
21:00Come on, snake.
21:02Be careful now.
21:06All this drama
21:08over a little carpet bite.
21:10Oh, he's going to bite you.
21:12No, he won't bite.
21:14He's alright.
21:16Yeah, he won't bite.
21:20Crikey.
21:22Terri, you're going to have to drive the boat
21:24before I get eaten by this snake.
21:26Yeah, well, a crocodile just about ate me,
21:28it sounds fair.
21:30Here, I'll drive the boat.
21:32Even though this looks horrifying,
21:34there's no real danger,
21:36except for a bit of pain.
21:38This is a python, a carpet python,
21:40and they don't have fangs,
21:42therefore they don't have any venom.
21:44So when he bites, it's just like a
21:46series of pinpricks.
21:48It hurts, and more often than not,
21:50the bite, the teeth go to the bone,
21:52and it bleeds quite a lot.
21:54A lot of people think
21:56that you get really infected
21:58or you break out in some seven-year itch.
22:00That's just not true.
22:02Pythons are considered as a harmless species,
22:04and their bites heal very, very quickly.
22:06A little bit of blood,
22:08and there's no problem at all.
22:10We also have to remember that the only reason
22:12a snake is going to bite
22:14is if he's in fear for his life.
22:16The way we're handling him,
22:18he thinks maybe we're going to eat him.
22:20So he's being very self-defensive,
22:22and I'm going to be really happy
22:24to get him back in that tree.
22:26Oh, boy. Drama for a stupid-looking
22:28carpet python.
22:30Is he OK?
22:32Yeah.
22:34I don't want to go swimming anymore, OK?
22:36OK. No worries.
22:38Hey, Steve, where's Suey?
22:40She must have gone after him.
22:56I just wish I heard something.
22:58The thing that worries me is crocs love dogs,
23:00and we know that female's right here.
23:02I know it.
23:04Wait, I hear something. Where, where, where?
23:06Right back there. Suey!
23:08Sue! There she is!
23:10Yee-haw!
23:12Spotlight on her. I got her, I got her.
23:14Suey!
23:16Just duck, babe. I'm going to hit pretty hard here.
23:20All right? Yep.
23:22Sue!
23:24The fellas, they're in neutral, right? Yep.
23:26Sue! Come on, girl. You're all right.
23:28Quick, get in the boat. Quick, get in the boat.
23:30Yee-haw! She's all wet.
23:32Did you try to save mum?
23:34Have you got all your legs?
23:36Have you got all your legs?
23:42At the start of every day,
23:44it's of utmost importance that you go and check
23:46your traps. The only time
23:48a crocodile will go into a trap
23:50is at night.
23:52As night passes, we become more concerned
23:54that the shooter will get the jump on us.
24:00We've got it, we've got it!
24:02No way! Yes!
24:04Okay, girl. Now, Tate, just be very, very careful.
24:06Woo! Yes!
24:08Get the rope onto the tree
24:10and tie it up tight. I'll hit the forward
24:12and you tie it up tight to the tree,
24:14as tight as you can get it.
24:16Woo! Look at her teeth. Yes!
24:18This is the one we're after, babe.
24:20Oh, this is really gross.
24:22Before I get a chance to experience
24:24the crocodile that we've been working
24:26so hard and so long to catch,
24:28I've got to tie the boat up underneath
24:30the pig carcasses that Steve's used
24:32to mask any human scent in the area.
24:34What a job.
24:36This is it. This is what makes it.
24:38This is the moment we've been
24:40striving for. This is where all
24:42our energies finally pay off.
24:44A capture like this is
24:46just so special.
24:48And we're very, very happy
24:50that we've actually done it.
24:52We beat the shooter.
24:54It's very important that Terry keeps
24:56her eyes on the crocodile. Any movements,
24:58any big breaths that she takes,
25:00she's building up and she's going to react.
25:02And that's a very violent,
25:04fighting reaction. So what I have
25:06to do is move myself
25:08in and around the crocodile
25:10without getting bitten. When you see
25:12these jaws, you're looking at
25:14three tonnes per square inch
25:16of cruising pressure.
25:18I'll minimise some stress on her.
25:20I'll pull her back from the water so
25:22she can't see the water, otherwise she's going to consistently
25:24want to get to it. OK, here we go.
25:30OK, I'm crossing your sight.
25:32You got her? I got her.
25:34She's been in the trap high and dry
25:36all night, so it's very important
25:38that we wet her down.
25:40OK, I just want to get this. That's good.
25:42That's good.
25:44I want more on her head, thanks.
25:46Aren't you
25:48beautiful?
25:50Oh, it's a little bit upsetting being
25:52caught in a trap, isn't it?
25:54It's a little bit upsetting.
25:56Whack another one on her head.
25:58And then on her tail.
26:00Come on, sweetheart.
26:02We're just going to cool you down a bit.
26:04Yeah, it's getting hot, isn't it?
26:06That's great. That's good.
26:08OK, just wet her tail down a little bit.
26:12Here we go. Death roll.
26:14Don't do it, girl. Don't do it.
26:16Don't do it. Don't do it.
26:18It's imperative that we stabilize
26:20this big girl before we can relocate her.
26:22We have to make sure her body temperature
26:24is proper by cooling her down
26:26with water, and we have to make sure she's not
26:28going to thrash about and hurt herself
26:30while we're taking care of her.
26:32And the only way to do this is place your hands
26:34and as much of your body weight on top
26:36of her, and that'll stop her spinning
26:38in death rolls and thrashing around.
26:40If they thrash around, they build lactic acid,
26:42and that's like you're getting a cramp.
26:44Detrimental to crocodiles' health.
26:46You're all right. You're all right. Settle down.
26:48Settle down, girl. Settle down.
27:02Get a bit more now.
27:10Get a bit more.
27:20Settle down, girl. Settle down.
27:22It's okay. Settle down.
27:24Terry, get some weight on this tail.
27:26Get some weight on the tail.
27:32Okay, Terry, just slice that rope off.
27:34What Terry has to do here
27:36is slice the rope through
27:38such that the weight bag is now released.
27:40When I say, I want you to back it off.
27:42Ready? Work out what I've got here.
27:44Watch your fingers.
27:46Right.
27:48When Terry releases the rope,
27:50I have to quickly get a knot on here
27:52so she's secured inside the trap
27:54and can't get out.
27:56The only way to restrain a large crocodile
27:58is by the top jaw,
28:00and a top jaw rope means a rope
28:02through the mesh,
28:04around its top jaw only.
28:06Just get this stick.
28:08The reason I use sticks
28:10is because
28:12there's plenty of them,
28:14and if the croc bites them,
28:16they don't hurt themselves.
28:18If you use a steel post or something like that
28:20to top jaw rope them, you can imagine,
28:22they bust teeth off, wreck their lips.
28:24Got that rope there?
28:26The reason we top jaw rope only
28:28is their head is a wedge shape,
28:30so if you top and bottom jaw,
28:32the rope will just slip straight off.
28:34The other thing is,
28:36if you put a rope around their neck,
28:38they are so strong and fight so ferociously
28:40that they'll actually tear their own head off.
28:42They're not going to react at all.
28:44I'm just going to put this
28:46top jaw rope through here.
28:48Just put this top jaw rope through.
28:50OK, so these nets
28:52work really well for the crocodile,
28:54but as you can see,
28:56very hard for us.
28:58If a crocodile had one square inch
29:00and three tonnes per square inch
29:02in closing pressure in their jaws,
29:04you'd certainly lose whatever they grab hold of.
29:06So what's good for one
29:08makes it a little bit difficult for the other.
29:12You're a quiet, quiet girl.
29:14Quiet girl.
29:16That's a good girl.
29:18Shit.
29:20Shit.
29:26OK, Terry.
29:28I want you to come up here
29:30and I want you to rest your weight right on her.
29:32OK, sink it in.
29:34Sink it right in. Keep your hands on there.
29:36OK?
29:38Get right into her, baby.
29:40I'm really scared.
29:42That's OK.
29:44Now I'm going to have to pull this back out again.
29:46Yeah.
29:48She's building up.
29:50And I'm not as heavy as you are.
29:52OK, I'll just whack my weight on hard and fast, OK?
29:54OK.
29:56OK, let's go again. We'll try again.
29:58Oh, geez Louise Anne, this is scary.
30:00Can I get off till she opens her mouth?
30:02No, you just stay a bit and keep your weight right on her.
30:04OK, she's building up.
30:08Even Terry's weight
30:10is enough to keep her quiet.
30:12And notice how she's got her hands
30:14over her eyes? That's the trick.
30:16If you can blindfold a crocodile,
30:18it quietens them down at least 50%.
30:20OK, hold it.
30:22She's building up again.
30:24While you're on top of them,
30:26you can actually feel them building up.
30:28They take a large breath
30:30and then their feet will start to sink into the mud
30:32and this is a great sign that they're going to fight.
30:34And when they do that,
30:36you either get more weight on them
30:38or jump off and get out of the way.
30:40Right.
30:42I'm getting weaker.
30:44You got her?
30:46Can I get off now?
30:50Now the danger becomes more intense
30:52as we have to try and get her out of the net.
31:04OK, so what we're going to do now, Terry,
31:06is I'm going to tie her up to that tree,
31:08secure her to that tree.
31:10Once I've taken the weight,
31:12I want you to climb on and slowly work your way
31:14back up onto me until you get your hands on her head.
31:16Keep your body on there, right?
31:18Keep your weight on, once again.
31:20I'll secure it to the tree and then I'm going to get this mesh off.
31:22OK?
31:28Move up.
31:30Right.
31:32Now sink all your weight on her.
31:34Got it?
31:36Just a minute.
31:38She's in a good position.
31:40Just get that weight.
31:42OK, sink your chest in a little, babe.
31:44Get your chest right on her.
31:46You all right?
31:48I got her.
31:50She's building up a little bit.
31:52Where's her eyes?
31:54There's her eyes.
31:56So you're going to secure her so I've got less chance
31:58of getting bitten, right?
32:00Exactly.
32:02Yeah, I like a wife with both arms.
32:04It was really frightening,
32:06sitting on this huge crocodile trying to hold her in place.
32:08If she were to explode
32:10and thrash about,
32:12she could toss me around like a rag doll.
32:14If she starts struggling,
32:16I'm going to just jump straight on top of you
32:18so you get flat on top of her.
32:20Right.
32:22We're getting ourselves into really...
32:24Don't tangle me in this net.
32:26OK.
32:28Just about got a tail out.
32:30My leg's all tangled up in this thing.
32:32She's gained a bit more mesh under her tail.
32:34OK.
32:38She's growing again.
32:42OK.
32:44Now lift your bottom up.
32:46Keep that weight on the head.
32:48Bottom up. OK. Right down.
32:50OK, I'm down.
32:52Keep that weight, babe.
32:54I'm running at the risk of losing my manlihood here.
32:56Now I want you to scoot your hands up on me.
32:58This is the most dangerous time.
33:00She's only got the top jaw rope on
33:02and as we pull the mesh back,
33:04she's becoming more and more exposed.
33:06If she explodes, we're in a lot of trouble.
33:08Get some weight up in here.
33:10Move your knees up.
33:12That's it. Keeps on. Right now.
33:14Keep it down.
33:16OK. Here we go. Back leg out.
33:18That's one.
33:20Righto.
33:22Move back, move back, move back.
33:24Lift her back feet off, babe.
33:26Lift the back feet.
33:28That's a strong thing.
33:30I'm not going to squish her, am I?
33:32Yeah, no, you can't.
33:34She's a dinosaur.
33:36You can't squish dinosaurs.
33:38All right.
33:40Now what we're going to do
33:42is I'm going to try and top jaw rope her again.
33:44OK?
33:46This final top jaw rope is the most critical.
33:48This is the one that stays on the crocodile.
33:50And what we have to do
33:52is get the rope through,
33:54get that jaw rope secured,
33:56get the net completely away from the crocodile,
33:58and that puts us in a rather
34:00heavy-duty predicament
34:02in that the crocodile can sense
34:04a release.
34:06And when they sense that,
34:08they get very, very cranky and agitated
34:10and keen to get back to the water.
34:12When the crocodile feels it can make an escape,
34:14quite often it will give
34:16one last parting bite
34:18to make sure it's not pursued.
34:20This is what's going through the crocodile's mind
34:22as both Steve and I are working
34:24very close to the sharp end.
34:26Watching Steve working with his bare hands
34:28and knowing that both of us have our heads
34:30quite close to this danger area
34:32is making us more than a little nervous.
34:38I want you to tell me if you feel her building up.
34:40I will.
34:42I feel her building up.
34:44She just took a breath.
34:46Triple rope here.
34:48I'm not happy with it.
34:50Dealing with the crocodile in this close a range
34:52certainly commands a lot of respect
34:54and a lot of nerve-wracking time
34:56seems to lapse by.
34:58What you've got to watch out for is one flick,
35:00one sideways motion,
35:02and you're going to be split wide open.
35:04Right, OK, drop back, drop back.
35:06This is a hellishly
35:08dangerous position.
35:10She's got nothing round her, top jaw only.
35:12If she starts death rolling,
35:14her teeth are going to pick up on my skin
35:16and I'm going to be bleeding from every part of my body.
35:18This is really, really dangerous.
35:20You can see I'm trying to wiggle myself around
35:22so as I can get my weight over her shoulders
35:24to stop her from spinning around
35:26or doing anything.
35:28This is critical.
35:34This part, watching Steve move his fingers
35:36so close to the crocodile's mouth
35:38might make you think,
35:40why on earth would he take such risks?
35:42But you have to keep in mind that both Steve and I
35:44love these animals.
35:46It's not their fault that they're having a problem
35:48with human beings.
35:50They were there first.
35:52Now you might wonder why don't we sedate the crocodile
35:54to slow her down
35:56so we can work more easily with her.
35:58The problem with sedatives with reptilian animals
36:00is that they sometimes
36:02can die from the very thing
36:04that we're trying to slow them down with.
36:06Their metabolism is different than ours
36:08and they don't always survive the sedation.
36:10So we'll take the extra risk
36:12to make sure she stays healthy.
36:14OK, go.
36:16So rather than using any chemicals
36:18or drugs to sedate them,
36:20we use a very simple technique
36:22and it's highly effective.
36:24And that's a blindfold.
36:26It's very easy to do.
36:28You just cut the corner out of a bag,
36:30slide the jaw rope through it
36:32and then endeavour to slide it over the top of her head.
36:34Once you've got that blindfold in place,
36:36they settle down very, very quickly
36:38and you're able to transport them.
36:40It is critical.
36:42Steve has proven this over the years
36:44by the fact that every time
36:46he's blindfolded a crocodile
36:48for relocation, he's had complete success.
36:50He's never had a crocodile get away,
36:52although I must admit
36:54he's had a crocodile bite him
36:56a time or two.
36:58Now that I've got the blindfold in place,
37:00I'm going to top and bottom jaw rope it.
37:02The only reason I'm doing this
37:04is for mine and Terry's safety
37:06while we transport her.
37:08I never top and bottom jaw rope as a rule
37:10because if they regurgitate
37:12and you've got their jaws tied together
37:14then they're going to suffocate
37:16in their own regurgitation.
37:18We're so close
37:20to getting her into the boat.
37:22If we can just hang in there
37:24and get through this last fight of hers,
37:26we'll be home and hosed.
37:28What we'll do is get the tape.
37:30We'll run the tape up and we'll tape measure her
37:32and then get her in the boat.
37:34Steady, steady.
37:36I'm just going to slide her down.
37:38Slide her down.
37:40I'm going down.
37:48Okay.
38:00You got her?
38:02Yep.
38:04That's incredible.
38:06Are you okay?
38:12Goodness me.
38:16It's okay, girl.
38:18You're all right.
38:20You're okay.
38:22How are you going with those ropes, Terry?
38:24Okay, Terry.
38:26Can you come and put your weight on her?
38:28Are we starting up now?
38:30Yep.
38:32Yeah, it's quite possible she will.
38:34They absolutely hate the sound of that outboard.
38:36Are you going to help me?
38:38I'm up, I'm up.
38:40Are you going to help me if she panics?
38:42Yeah, if she starts freaking out, I'll be here to back you up.
38:44Naturally enough, when the crocodile hears
38:46an outboard coming, it spells danger to them.
38:48These larger crocodiles,
38:50they've survived the croc hunter's
38:52bullets for many, many years.
38:54So when that outboard comes along,
38:56they know they're going to get shot at
38:58and that makes them very agitated.
39:00And when you're transporting them in the boat,
39:02they hear that outboard noise, they just want to get away.
39:04They struggle, struggle,
39:06and it's important that we restrain them,
39:08otherwise you can crash into the mangroves
39:10and spill out into the water
39:12and the croc could drown.
39:14The trip seems to take an eternity
39:16as we go further and further from the crocodile's
39:18original habitat.
39:20We finally come to a place where we know we can release her
39:22in safety, where she's nowhere near people.
39:24This would be one of the biggest
39:26highlights of my life.
39:28We absolutely live for this.
39:30This moment in time is so precious.
39:32We've now managed to
39:34save a very special
39:36animal.
39:38And hopefully this will somehow make up
39:40for the tragic loss of her mate.
39:42It was really sad that
39:44we lost the fight with him, but we
39:46gained some ground with her.
39:48And we're so happy to be able to share this
39:50with everyone. It's the most incredible
39:52experience, so fulfilling.
39:54Another life saved.
39:56I love these animals.
39:58They're the king of Australia.
40:00Our largest predator.
40:02And a link to our prehistoric past.
40:04Perhaps through their eyes, it's our hope
40:06for the future.
40:22You've landed on Animal Planet.
40:24Now get ready to go on a safari.
40:26Because up next, it's Planet Safari.
40:28The adventure begins now, only here
40:30on Animal Planet.