River Monsters: When Lampreys Attack ... And, Suck Jeremy's Blood!

 

On the Canadian-U.S. border lies a vast and brooding lake that hides a dark history. For Native Americans, it’s an ancient and sacred site home to underwater spirits.  But recently, something has risen up from the murky depths to attack swimmers and stories abound of a nightmarish invasion of primordial bloodsuckers.

Tune in Sundays @ 9PM e/p for all-new episodes of RIVER MONSTERS.

In a journey that took him to the heart of a thundering waterfall in the Pacific Northwest, Jeremy Wade  embarked on a punishing mission to battle the most ancient river monster he’s ever encountered to reveal the true identity of the Vampires of the Deep.

How did he catch this monster? Watch the How to Catch a River Monster series and see for yourself: 

 

Lampreys are extremely fast, extremely aggressive ... and, out for blood. Watch as Jeremy tries to rip this bloodsucker off this neck! It's DISGUSTING.

 

Visit the RIVER MONSTERS site for more photos and videos >>

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Betty Chu is a Digital Media Executive Producer for AnimalPlanet.com. Follow her on Twitter @beddychew or Facebook for the cutest animal posts EVER.

River Monsters: Jeremy Wade Hunts a Bride Slasher in the Colombian Amazon

 

A bride on honeymoon is dragged to her death in the Amazon in Colombia, one of the most dangerous countries in South America, notorious for its drugs, remote jungles and hostage-taking rebels.

Tune in Sundays @ 9PM e/p for all-new episodes of RIVER MONSTERS.

Jeremy Wade's investigation in this episode is turned on its head by a crucial piece of evidence. He concocts a farfetched hypothesis about the bride's death and in proving it, he uncovers a little known method of killing which reveals the true horror of this tragic story. To complete the puzzle, Wade pushes himself and his gear past breaking point to understand what killed this bride in Colombia’s Rivers of Blood. 

How did he catch this monster? Watch the How to Catch a River Monster series and see for yourself:

Visit the RIVER MONSTERS site for more photos and videos >>

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Betty Chu is a Digital Media Executive Producer for AnimalPlanet.com. Follow her on Twitter @beddychew or Facebook for the cutest animal posts EVER.

River Monsters: And Do The Harlem Shake

Sometimes even the best anglers need to let loose!

Between fishing and filming, Jeremy and the hardworking production crew from River Monsters have a lot of time on their hands. And as we see from this video, they had a quite a bit of it while waiting for a plane in Guyana. A layover never looked so fun!

 

Sometimes when filming in very remote locations, it takes time for news and trends to get to you. But once it does, it makes for a great video!

Remember to watch an all-new episode of River Monsters this Sunday at 9PM E/P on Animal Planet. In the meantime, visit our site, play Name that River Monster and watch highlights from the show!

River Monsters: Searching for a Killer Torpedo in Central America

 

In the heart of Central America, in a land known for its drug smuggling and remote jungle waterways, there lurks a man-sized KILLER.  It is said to reach eight feet in length and weigh around 300 pounds!  And, when it leaps into boats, it causes fatal injuries as it knocks fishermen unconscious and smashes their bones.

Tune in Sundays @ 9PM e/p for all-new episodes of RIVER MONSTERS.

Jeremy Wade is taken to the breaking point and beyond, as he had to relearn everything he knows about fishing in an attempt to catch this elusive River Monster.  How did he catch this beast? Watch the How to Catch a River Monster series and see for yourself:

 

Visit the RIVER MONSTERS site for more photos and videos >>

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Betty Chu is a Digital Media Executive Producer for AnimalPlanet.com. Follow her on Twitter @beddychew or Facebook for the cutest animal posts EVER.

River Monsters: Threatened by Radiation, Jeremy Hunts Down an Assassin in Chernobyl

 

See more photos of Jeremy in Chernobyl from last Sunday's episode.

Extreme angler Jeremy Wade headed to the site of the worst nuclear accident in history - Chernobyl. In a nerve-shredding race against radiation and time, he was after the perpetrator of a series of grizzly attacks.

Tune in Sundays @ 9PM e/p for all-new episodes of RIVER MONSTERS.

Here's how he managed to capture the beast: 

 

Visit the RIVER MONSTERS site for more photos and videos >>

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Betty Chu is a Digital Media Executive Producer for AnimalPlanet.com. Follow her on Twitter @beddychew or Facebook for the cutest animal posts EVER.

River Monsters: Jeremy Wade Investigates 'Face Ripper,' Hunts Piranha

 

In tonight's season premiere, Jeremy Wade returns in a new season of River Monsters to investigate one of the most disturbing cases yet - a man's face was ripped off in a remote Bolivian river.  To track down the culprit he sets off through a dangerous jungle riddled with cocaine smugglers. This epic journey ends up challenging his core beliefs about one of his oldest adversaries and this time he may have got himself in too deep!

Tune in Sundays @ 9PM e/p for all-new episodes of RIVER MONSTERS.

 

See more photos of Jeremy in Bolivia from tonight's episode.

 

And, want to hear more from Jeremy on how he reels them in each week?  Watch the How to Catch a River Monster web series, exclusively on AnimalPlanet.com! Tune in each week after the premiere and watch the latest installment of the new series. Here's the latest - hear Jeremy talk piranha:

 

Visit the RIVER MONSTERS site for more photos and videos >>

 

 

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Betty Chu is a Digital Media Executive Producer for AnimalPlanet.com. She loves dogs so much it hurts. Follow her on Twitter @beddychew or Facebook for the cutest animal posts EVER.

Jeremy Wade on Pacu Found in Illinois Lake

 

A pacu fish, native to the Amazon River Basin, was caught last month in Illinois' Lake Lou Yaeger by a local fisherman. This fish has strong human-like teeth and is closely related to the piranha. While the fish doesn't pose a real threat to humans, in its native home it's known as the "ball cutter" after two fishermen died from wounds sustained from the toothy fish.

Birthing a Monster - Animal Planet's First Ever Monster Week

Monster Week is driven by the same creative spark that initially led us to make River Monsters. Monsters have always intrigued us - and have allowed us to tell tense, surprising and suspenseful stories, from shocking creatures of massive size to those that are microscopic (You may recall Monsters Inside Me, a show revealing how a vacation in paradise could suddenly lead to a horrible disease or worms that ate your flesh and brain) and Killer Aliens - about mega-pythons and poisonous lizards in Florida.

Everyone knows that the oceans are full of sharks and that these magnificent alpha predators swim in beautiful bright blue water. There is inherently something creepier and more terrifying about murky water with a bottom that squishes between your toes. As summer nears and we all venture into lakes, ponds and watering holes to cool off on these hot summer days, let’s ask ourselves: What if the places we thought were safe were actually just as scary as the oceans patrolled by sharks?

Monster Week was a simple idea, born in the dark primordial soup of a conference room. But as often happens with monsters, the idea took on a life of its own. It morphed and evolved into what will become be an annual event! What better way to kick off the summer than by celebrating the REAL MONSTERS that live in the great outdoors?