Snakebite (Animal Planet)
8 DVD Box Set

Disc 1. Anaconda

1 x 48:00 min 

No animal in the Amazon is more feared and respected than the world's largest and most powerful snake, the Anaconda. Fully grown, it can approach a length of 30 feet and weigh close to a quarter of a ton. Physically, no animal in the New World can match its strength. Worshipped as a god and feared for it's magic, the Anaconda stands alone at the top of the hierarchy of predators in the Amazon and is the living symbol of the river. While there's no question that they do eat large meals, Anacondas don't eat very often.

They can go for months, or even years, without a kill. On average, Anacondas only eat between two and four times a year sometimes consuming as much as 95 percent of their own body weight. For the adult Anaconda, only man remains a superior predator. At one time, doing meaningful research on Anacondas would've been next to impossible as the snakes were being poached so rapidly. But with bans in place since the early 90's, the exploitation of the Anaconda has thankfully dropped dramatically. This programme ventures deep into the forests and swamps of South America to bring to our living rooms one of the most powerful hunters on the planet.

Disc 2. Sea Serpents

1 x 52:00 min 

Snakes have slithered their way across the face of the earth for over 100 million years, but recently they have conquered a profoundly different environment, the ocean. Their invasion has taken place in the blink of an volutionary eye. Now over 50 species of these cold-blooded intruders have colonised the world's tropical seas. Feared by bathers and divers alike, their venom is among the most toxic of any creature. Much about Sea Snakes remain a mystery and numerous questions about them need answering.

What made them abandon the land, how often do they need to breath, how often do they eat, how territorial are they, why do they return to land, are they aggressive by nature and what are their secrets to survival? The search for clues leads us to an extraordinary place that is the sea-snake capital of the world, Ashmore Reef. Here, 500 miles West of Darwin, we reveal the very private lives of these serpents of the sea.

Disc 3. In Search of the King Cobra

1 x 44:00 min 

Snake Expert, Steve Austin, features in this pacy, heart-stopping DVD as we follow him on his brave quest to find a massive King Cobra deep in the forests along the coast of South West India. No other snake grows to the size of the King Cobra, but they are shy and reclusive moving quietly and leaving no trace. This makes his mission of photographing one of these massive snakes in the wild all the more difficult.

Hugging the Arabian Sea, Steve ventures for days off the beaten track. Along the way he finds other species of Cobra including the beautiful but formidable Spectacled Cobra and makes it dance by using his hands. However the King of all Snakes remains elusive. Steve travels further North to the remote forests of Wayanad using Elephants to get him there. Eventually, with Steve near to giving up, it is a shed snakeskin that gives him his breakthrough. Sure enough a twenty year old, fifteen foot King Cobra is not far away and we document incredible footage of Steve handling the deadly beast and even managing to achieve his lifelong goal of touching a wild King Cobra on the back of its head.

Disc 4. The Beauty of Snakes

1 x 47:00 min

Snakes inspire fear and loathing, fascination and awe. To some cultures, they are pure evil whilst others worship them as gods. The snake is a creature like no other, a spellbinding seductress and a killing machine. They are also the most mesmerizing creatures on earth. Beneath a mosaic of shimmering scales, their slim, supple bodies move with elegance. They glide over the planet with speed and stealth while their sleek, powerful curves are dressed in some of nature's most magnificent colours and patterns. We explore every aspect of their mysterious lives. How they mate, give birth, hunt and feed, move and sense the world around them - all in startling detail. From the desert sands of Namibia to the lush forests of the Amazon, we bring you the beauty of snakes as they've never been shown before. Snake-mounted cameras show off their remarkable control and grace as well as the blazing speed with which they strike. Although snakes may inspire dread, the world cannot do without these magnificent creatures and now, from the safety of your living room, you can truly admire the elegance, prowess and mystique that is the beauty of snakes.

Disc 5. Rattlesnake

1 x 52:00 min 

From coast to coast, Rattlesnakes, many of them beautifully marked, have inched their way from Southern Canada right down through Mexico and beyond. A few even thrive on remote islands. But one thing unites them all, the most chilling sound in nature - their rattle. This program follows a year in the life of a young Western Diamondback as we explore the birth, feeding habits, hibernation and predation of various species including the little known Ridgenose Rattlesnake.

We watch Rattlesnakes hunt using their heat-seeking forked tongue and sensors, understand how they can breath with their mouths full and how they digest their food. We discover how these deadly creatures are extremely able swimmers, what their rattle is made of, how often they reproduce, how long their gestation periods are and why they get together annually to hibernate. We also meet Rattlesnake's predators such as the Common King Snake and learn what tactics Rattlesnakes have utilised in order to survive and become one of the most terrifying creatures in nature.

Disc 6. Cobra - The King of Snakes

1 x 52:00 min 

The natural history of the cobra is linked to its symbolic role in Asian culture. In this programme we take a detailed look at the various species of Cobras and explore the facts and myths surrounding their habitat and behavior, including their role in traditional ceremonies. We learn how Cobras form their hoods in a sign of warning and how some have the ability to shoot their poisonous liquid through an aperture in the front of each fang. Tales are heard from snake handlers who have been bitten by King Cobras and we unravel the methods used to produce anti-venom.

We also look at the ancient art of Snake Charming and show how Cobras care little for the tune of the flute, but concentrate instead on the charmer's movement. Finally, through doing what comes naturally, we see how Spectacled Cobras in Sri Lanka have developed friendships with rice farmers by killing the rats which destroy the farmers' crops. With greater understanding perhaps cobras will be seen as the kings they are.

Disc 7. The Ten Deadliest Snakes

1 x 45:00 min

This terrifying programme follows renowned animal lover, Steve Irwin, on a trip of a lifetime as he sets out to find the world's ten most venomous snakes, all of which are found in Australia. This is Steve at his very best as he travels thousands of miles from Darwin in the North to Reevesby Island, South of Adelaide to find, handle and explain all about the deadliest snakes in the world. Highlights include the Death Adder, which wriggles its tail like a worm to lure its prey, the Tiger Snake, which gives Steve a terrible time by incessantly striking at him as well as Steve being licked by a wild female Fierce Snake, the most venomous snake in the world. Above all, Steve is here to demonstrate that there is room in the world for both snakes and humans and encourages us to show more respect and less fear and let them enjoy their share of the planet.

Disc 8. The Ultimate Guide to Snakes

1 x 52:00 min 

Except for the polar regions and a few islands, snakes have spread throughout the world. Venom and fangs are found in only a quarter of snakes, but of the 2700 species all have developed methods of attack and defence that are adapted to habitats ranging from rain forest to desert. Creatures without limbs, snakes have turned an apparent disadvantage into an evolutionary success.

This definitive programme analyses every facet of snakes from their senses such as taste, heat and sight to their defence mechanisms such as venom, scales and camouflage. We look at snakebites which kill about twentyfive thousand people a year and use DNA to understand how snakes have evolved. Uncovered are the mating rituals of the different species and the wonders of birth, 70 percent of which are from eggs. We study snakes' complex system of muscle fibres and tendons that allow their flexibility of movement and we delve into the spiritual influences snakes have had on cultures all over the world. With every aspect of their lives and development examined, this truly is the Ultimate Guide to Snakes.