HUNTER HUNTED

What caused the normally placid Cape Buffalo to turn on a human? Attacks by these grazers are increasing throughout Africa. Investigators must confront their chilling bestial cunning.

Recife, one of the largest cities in Brazil and a top tourist destination, has endless miles of sandy beach, inviting waves, and the highest concentration of shark attacks in the world.

In southern Africa, a honeymooning couple visiting the Okavango Delta, the largest oasis on the planet, and a former Miss South Africa are all attacked by rampaging hippos in the space of eight days.

On May 10th, shocking news floods the airwaves in Florida- a woman in Ft. Lauderdale has been attacked and killed by an alligator. Just five days later the news goes from bad to worse when not one but two more women become victims- killed by alligators in St. Petersburg and Ocala. The American Alligator is an efficient and opportunistic hunter, but alligators in Florida have seldom preyed on humans. So why does it seem that they are now becoming man-hunters? Two teams of experts attempt to discover the common thread that links all three tragic attacks. They uncover how, in one May week, humans relinquished their role as the hunter and became the hunted.

Russia's Far East is famous for its long and brutal winters, and the undisputed king of this frozen domain is the Siberian Tiger. Hunted almost to extinction, there are now only 500 of these elusive cats left in the wild, and they are spread out across almost 70,000 miles of wilderness. Incredibly stealthy with a killer camouflage, these tigers are rarely seen. But when a researcher is suddenly attacked in the vast frozen forest, Investigators are left scratching their heads. As the researcher battles for his life, our investigators analyze a rash of similar attacks in the area. What they discover only adds to the mystery. What is causing these normally elusive cats to come out of hiding and attack humans? And is the real predator the tiger or the man?

In an animal sanctuary in Sierra Leone, three American tourists watch in horror as a gigantic chimpanzee tears their driver from the car, screaming for his life. "He came through the windshield…It was like the glass wasnt even there," recalls one. Then the beastsix times stronger than any humanturns its savage attention on the others, egged on by the ferocious calls of thirty more apes in the trees above…By the time its over, one human lies dead, others are mutilated, and the fearless alpha male is leading his screaming troupe out of the locked refugeand into human territory… We share 96% of our DNA with these creatures. They can understand sign language, call each other by name, and solve problems through logic. What could cause them to brutally attackand killhumans? Was this a threat display gone wrong? Or had the men stumbled into the wrong area, and faced the territorial ferocity chimps usually reserve for each other? Our investigation looks at our closest relative on Earth to discover a dark side we may not have suspectedand a motive behind this gruesome attack that places responsibility not with the animals, but with us: all the chimps in the sanctuary had been abused as pets. By humans.

Vitaly Nikolaenko has safely observed and approached the brown bears of Kamchatka Russia for over thirty years- But suddenly, one of the giant predators attacks, furiously slashing and killing the man. Vitaly's own stunning original footage shows that he often pushed the limits with these animals, and an investigation of the crime scene reveals that he ignored the warning signs, pushing the bear to retaliate. Was this self-taught naturalist simply dead set on documenting these amazing animals-or was he desperately seeking to replace a special relationship he had with a giant male he named "Kind Bear"? Our team will explain how and why Vitaly closed the gap between man and beast… and between hunter-and hunted.

The brush land of South Africa is a dream destination for a small party of eco-tourists who have come here to catch a glimpse of amazing beasts. Its home to incredibly diverse wildlife including a collection of infamously dangerous and feared animals referred to as the big five: lions, elephants, cape buffalo, leopards and rhinos. But when a group of tourists are suddenly attacked, investigators look to similar attacks in the region for clues. What is causing these seemingly unprovoked creatures to attack? Are these tourist groups, like wildlife paparazzi, going too far to get a glimpse of the giantsand pushing rhinos to the breaking point?

On Norway's Arctic island of Spitsbergen, two co-eds are attacked by a polar bear. Two other attacks lead investigators to discover the cause of the animal's disturbing behaviour.

It is morning on remote Komodo Island in eastern Indonesia. A young boy, Mansyur, and his friends are playing in a field just outside the only small village on the island. The children play here often; it seems to be a day like any other. But when Mansyur crouches in some bushes to hide, he suddenly finds himself in a fight for his life- with a famous and deadly foe. Komodo Dragons, in the Monitor family, are the largest lizards in the world. They can grow over nine feet long, and weigh in excess of two hundred pounds. Dragons are famed scavengers, able to find carrion as far as seven miles away. They can consume up to 80% of their body weight in one meal. Their serrated teeth enable them to tear huge chunks of flesh, and harbor putrid meat that acts like a petry dish for a cocktail of bacteria living in their mouths. Contrary to what scientists initially thought, Komodos are also fearsome predators, hunting prey as large as water buffalo fifteen times their size. Despite the efforts of Mansyur's uncle to save him, his wounds are too severe, and he succumbs to the attack half an hour later. Amazingly, conflict between humans and dragons is rare. These massive, ancient reptiles permanently inhabit only three islands in the world, one of the smallest ranges of any large predator. They hunt primarily deer, wild boar, and other ungulate prey items. All animals on the island are protected from human hunting, however many are routinely poached. The reduced populations of prey animals puts pressure on the dragons, and forces them to look for alternative ways to feed. Could the massive reptiles have turned to the village as a source of food? An international team of experts, one in Indonesia and one in the United States, examine evidence and investigate the mystery. Pioneering research reveals surprising clues about the intelligence and ability of these formidable lizards. They examine the wide range of weaponry possessed by the dragons, and used in many attacks. Considering all factors surrounding the incidents on the island, the experts seek to explain why humans have become the hunted.

On Sanibel Island-after decades of tranquility-something is going terribly wrong. Alligators are surging from waterways and ambushing people as they walk their dogs…landscape their yards…enjoy the sunset. In the space of three years, three attacks come wi

Two talented snake handlers, separated by oceans but united by a love of reptiles, are bitten by cobras. Boonreung Buchan was the legendary Thai snake charmer who lived in a glass box with over 100 venomous cobras for a week without being bitten. The othe

In the world's largest delta, 54 small, forested islands make up the Sundarbans. It's a perilous place buffeted by monsoons, soaked by extreme tides, and laden with some of the most fearsome predators on the planet. But…the human inhabitants of the region

Fraser Island, March 29, 2001: Englishman David Eason vanishes from a group enjoying a guided tour of the island. Extensive rescue searches turn up no trace of the man. How could someone just disappear off the face of the earth? Just one month later, two boys, aged 9 and 7, are chased down and brutally mauled by a pair of dingoes. Then, in 2003, a solitary hiker makes a grisly discovery in a remote part of the island, the skull and bones of a human. Forensic experts identify them as the remains of David Eason. The investigators visit the attack scenes to examine the evidence and pursue the possibilities. Was Eason murdered? Did he commit suicide or die of natural causes or could he possibly be the first fatality in the turf war between humans and dingoes on Fraser Island?

After decades of wary co-existence between bears and humans, a rash of attacks stuns the remote island of Kodiak, Alaska. What is happening on Kodiak Island? Why are the hunters becoming the hunted?

As long as we have enjoyed the ocean for recreation, there have been reports of attacks upon the occasional surfer, swimmer and diver by sharks. Until recently, attacks have been random-and infrequent. But, while looking at both a "typical" attack on a woman near a sea-lion colony in California and an unusual "open ocean" assault-we pinpoint South Africa's surfing beaches as both one of the most dangerous-and most likely-location for human-shark collisions. Do white sharks mistake humans for their natural prey of marine mammals? What would cause a great white to zero in on one swimmer in the middle of the open ocean? And-when twenty or more surfers are in the water-available, potential targets-what is the deciding factor in who gets attacked? By analyzing the attack on teenage surfer Shannon Ainslie at South Africa's East London beach, we'll have the opportunity to address these disturbing questions through rare footage of two white sharks attacking Shannon-at the same time. In California, 50-year-old Deborah Franzman goes for a routine swim off Avila Beach. It's home to hundreds of sea lions-and while the marine mammals are the preferred prey of great whites, sightings of the ocean's apex predators are extremely rare at this particular beach. Unfortunately for Deborah, on a sunny day in August, that's no longer the case. Clad in a black wetsuit, nearly through with her thrice-weekly swim, she's attacked by an estimated 18-foot great white and bitten in the leg and lower body. Franzman bleeds to death before help arrives. Was this a typical attack-and could it have been prevented? In the middle of the ocean, 19-year-old Heather Boswell gives in to the prodding of her fellow research students-and dives into the deep blue sea that stretches for endless miles around the NOAA vessel that is home to the class for the summer. Of all the people in the water, Heather is far from the best swimmer, but she's enjoying the cool, clean water-until a massive great white seizes her left leg and bites down-then lets go. Screaming for help, Heather makes her way to the support boat while the shark follows-it seems the creature is indecisive about its next move. When helping hands begin to pull Heather aboard-bleeding but intact-the great white moves closer-and crew members beat the animal with oars. Suddenly the predator seizes Heather's other leg-and rips it free from her hip. What made Heather Boswell a target-and what made the shark first release her-then change its mind?

On the banks of the Rufiji River, in Southern Tanzania, a horrifying epidemic of man-eating Lions is spreading terror throughout rural villages. Over the course of eighteen months, a lion consumes and kills 49 people. An autopsy on the man-eater reveals a possible motive: the lion has badly damaged teeth. Every bite may have caused excruciating pain and would have made it impossible to catch or eat tough wild meat. But the day after the lion is killed, another human is attacked by a different lion. Is something else turning these lions into man-eaters?

An enormous saltwater crocodile attacks a group of tourists swimming in the Australian outback. One of them, a 23 year old German woman, disappears below the surface of the water, never to return alive. Why were these people swimming with crocodiles? Who took them there? And who will find the killer? Hunter Hunted returns to the remote scene of the attack, interviewing eye witnesses and examining forensic evidence to discover some surprising and disturbing answers.

In Ecuador's remote Amazonian village of Jatun Molino, something is mysteriously attacking and killing people. Within one month, two adults and five children are dead. The two victims that make it to the hospital are found to have rabies. The analysis indicates that it is the type of rabies comes from vampire bats. Vampire bats are known to feed on livestock when jungle prey is scarce. Why would the shy nocturnal creatures suddenly be targeting human beings? An international team probes further into the tragedy that grips the Quichua community. A comparison to similar cases other South American countries provides possible reasons why vampires would be forced to turn their thirsty attention to people.

Reaching as big as three and a half meters and 450 kilos and equipped with 88 teeth and superior intelligence, dolphins have the ability to be effective predators. Have we been lulled into a false sense of security around these powerful marine mammals? An investigation of dolphin attacks on humans, both in the wild and in captivity, reveals that dolphins are not always the friendly playmates we have made them out to be. But what would make a dolphin lash out at a human, causing serious injury and even death? For answers dolphin experts and animal biologists go beyond the dolphins' smile and enter a complex world of intelligence, sexual aggression, body language and social hierarchy.

On an ordinary morning in June of 2003, on a farm in South Africa, a young mother responds to the cries of her three month old baby. She discovers the infant has been taken from its bed by a baboon. Chacma Baboons, some of the world's largest monkeys, have been known to enter parked cars and invade homes. Adult males can weigh 45 kilos and run at top speeds of 65 kilometers/hour. But the great monkeys are generally known as foragers, not predators, preferring to search for roots and leaves than stalk for meat and blood. So why has this baboon taken a 3 month old child? Could a clue lie in a disturbing practice observed in baboon society? Female baboons have been known to kidnap the infants of other baboons.

Experts are called to investigate the mysterious and brutal death.Detailed analysis implies everything isn't as it seems.

Ambush, searches out cryptic killers who are waiting to pounce and destroy from their lairs. Ambush predators are the snipers of the animal kingdom. Cats like the margay, wildcat and leopard are superb examples and are found in an impressive range of wildly differing environments. Like animals as varied as the pike, Cayman and African Rock Python, they are superbly designed to stalk, wait and pounce. Some predators have evolved amazing camouflage to enhance their ambush tactics. Crab spiders match the petals of the flower in which they are hiding. The Matamata turtle lies on the bottom of the Amazon River, easily mistaken for a log. The death adder uses its wriggling tail to lure prey in. Patience, followed by astonishing speed and accuracy to deliver the deathblow are what makes these solitary stalkers Built For the Kill.