“The Monster of Mae Klong" and “The Great White Shark" Part II

Episode on July 20, 2011 Wednesday after Saksi! The BORN EXPEDITIONS “The Monster of Mae Klong" and “The Great White Shark" Part Two airs this Wednesday, July 20 The Born Expeditions: Thailand and Africa has begun. Last Wednesday, Kiko Rustia traveled to the Mae Klong River in Western Thailand to look for giant river monsters which locals call prakaben. According to fishermen in the area, the prakaben is a huge creature with a venomous sting, and so monstrous that it can grow up to seven feet long. With the help of the fish siam , Kiko began his search. Baits were spread in the area where the prakaben is believed to exist. After hours of waiting, finally, a catch—a juvenile giant freshwater sting ray, measuring a meter and a half. This giant freshwater sting ray, known as prakaben in Thailand , is critically endangered. Kiko and his team join a group of experts who study these giants. But their search is just beginning. In this episode, the team is on a mission to find a mature giant sting ray which, according to witnesses, reaches seven feet in size. Mature sting rays, capable of reproducing and keeping the population alive, are important to researchers. If Kiko and the team see them in the wild, there is hope for the prakaben. But while it may be exciting to see them grow to maturity, any monster this size is also intimidating. As they continue their attempts at catching the giant sting ray, Kiko feels something strong pulling on the fishing rod. Unlike the juvenile, this one is putting up a fight, and it will take all of the team’s strength to pull it out of the water. Photos by Fish Siam and Born to be Wild Born to be Wild’s special guest host, wildlife photographer Gutsy Tuason continues his quest to capture images of the most awesome wildlife of South Africa . Last week, viewers witnessed how dolphins, gannet birds and even a Bryde’s whale, feasted on a great big ball of sardines. Next on Gutsy’s agenda: sharks. Gutsy travels to Falls Bay , where he meets the most ancient species of shark – the cow shark. The cow shark is the only species of shark known to have seven gills, making it a special animal to document. He gets a rare close encounter with these ancient beings. But Gutsy isn’t done taking photographs. In 2004, Gutsy encountered the great white on a trip to Mexico , where the shark almost made its way inside their cage. Now, Gutsy travels to Simon’s Town where he and the great white come face to face again. This time, his goal is not just to see them from a cage – but to photograph the great white shark’s awesome breach above water. Photos by Gutsy Tuason (seven-gilled cow shark, great white shark) Catch the second part of the Born Expeditions this Wednesday after Saksi!