All language subtitles for B.W.S07E09.Prey.to.the.Sea.Lamprey.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DD2.0.H.264-playWEB_track3_[eng]

The Great
Lakes have been invaded

and their fish are facing
an inescapable attack

that threatens to decimate
their populations.

Like aliens in a
Hollywood horror film,

these slime covered
parasitic predators

have squirmed their way in
and are on the hunt for blood.

My mission is to find out
whether or not these invaders

have a taste for humans.

And the only way to find
out is to let myself

be eaten alive by sea lamprey.

To perform this nightmare
of an experiment,

I have traveled to
Millersburg, Michigan

where I will be working in
conjunction with the Great

Lakes Fishery Commission
and US Geological survey's

jointly managed Hammond
Bay Biological Station.

These organizations are in
the forefront of Great Lakes

research, control
of invasive species

and restoration of native fish.

The Great Lakes are home to
five different lamprey species,

four native and one invasive.

And as my luck
would have it, you

can clearly see that this
invader is also the biggest.

Sea lamprey originally
entered the Great Lakes

from the Atlantic Ocean through
a series of made shipping

canals in the mid-1800s.

Taking advantage of these
human constructed waterways,

they eventually invaded all
five of the Great Lakes.

Without any predators or
population control at the time,

sea lamprey numbers exploded.

And by the early 1960s,
the fishing industry

was devastated, taking the
yearly Great Lakes harvest

from 15 million pounds
of fish to a mere 300,000

pounds of fish.

This is a perfect example of
how destructive and invasive

species can be.

And while it's clear that
they are a threat to fish,

do they pose a threat to humans?

It's a beautiful
sunny morning and it

feels like the perfect day for
an eaten alive episode here

on the Brave Wilderness channel.

Now before me is a 50
gallon aquarium filled

with close to 100 sea lamprey.

I know what you guys are all
thinking, Coyote, hold on.

Hold on a second.

Are you telling me you're
going to place your arms

into this aquarium with
these fish that will suction

onto you, maybe shred
your skin and then drink

your blood and bodily fluids?

Yeah, guys that's exactly what
we want to try to figure out

today.

Now what exactly
is a sea lamprey?

Is it an eel?

Is it a fish?

Is it an alien?

Well, I could tell you this much
they're certainly alien looking

but no they are not aliens.

And while their
body structure may

really make them look like
eels, they're not eels either.

They are in fact fish, a
primitive species of fish.

The lineage of these creatures
dates back 340 million years,

which means that they were here
before the time of dinosaurs

and they survived
beyond the dinosaurs.

In fact, they have survived
four extinction events.

How crazy is that.

And what makes them
a primitive fish?

That's a great question
they're not like other fishes.

They don't have any
bones in their body

but in fact their structure
is made out of cartilage.

They don't have a swim bladder.

They don't have
any pairs of fins

and they don't even
have proper jaws.

They're considered
parasitic predators.

I may say, perfectly
designed parasitic predators

and they're primarily
feast upon fish.

The thing that's most unique
about these primitive creatures

is in fact their
mouth structure.

So let's crouch down
here for a second

and get down beneath the water's
surface and take a closer look.

You'll see the way that they
are suctioning to the glass.

One of the most unique
aspects is what's

known as the sectorial disk.

They don't actually have
jaws, like I stated earlier,

but they have the ability to
suction onto different things.

Glass is a perfect surface
they can also hold on to rocks.

But when they're
searching for their prey,

which of course, is fish they're
capable of suctioning on.

And then let me paint you a
really horrific story this is

almost like a Hollywood B film.

When these suction onto
the side of the fish,

their mouth is malleable.

And within that malleable mouth
they have close to 150 cone

shaped needle sharp teeth.

Those teeth anchor into place.

And then right in the
center of their mouth

is this razor sharp
rasping tongue.

They rub that tongue
over the scales,

through them into the
skin and eventually

into the fish's flesh where
they then drink the blood

and the bodily fluids.

If you're a fish swimming
around the Great Lakes

and you get hooked
up to with a lamprey,

you were alive when
they begin to eat you.

So got to have a
little bit of respect

for these primitive creatures.

These perfectly designed
parasitic predators

have taken a massive toll
on the native fish species.

In fact, during the lifetime
of an individual lamprey,

they can kill up to
40 pounds of fish.

For every seven fish
attacked by sea lamprey,

only a single one
manages to survive.

Their top sense is their
ability to smell their prey.

They don't have
really great eyesight.

In fact, they're usually
most active at night.

But when I place my arms
down into the water,

they're definitely
going to smell any scent

coming off of my flesh.

That's fair to say
that I'm not a fish

but I'm certainly full of
nice warm delicious blood.

Are they hungry?

They definitely look hungry.

So if you guys are ready,
I'm Coyote Peterson.

And I'm about to enter the
bite zone with the sea lamprey.

Here we go.

One, two.

This is it, three.

Ooh, that water is cold.

Oh, one just rub
right up against me.

Oh boy, they are slimy.

How about I'm going to try to
do is keep my hands and arms

and ooh they're squirming
around while they are slimy.

I'm going to try to keep my
arms in here for at least

a minute and 30 seconds.

Oh, they're going
right towards my arms.

Man, this brings some
flashbacks of the leeches.

When I did eaten
alive by leeches,

they swim around
my arms, brushing

up against them just like this.

Eventually found me, suctioned
on and induced a bite.

And they're swimming
back and forth,

they definitely
detect that I'm here.

Oh, that is a very,
very eerie feeling.

Slimy bodies rubbing
up against me.

I don't even want to look down.

Right now I'm just thinking
about those sectorial disks

lashing out to my arms.

Those teeth grappling and
then that raspy tongue

cutting into my skin.

But thus far, they're really
just swimming around me.

It's interesting because
the warm blood in my body,

I feel like would definitely
be able to be detected.

Then again you have to
think about the fact

that fish are cold blooded.

So maybe warm blood is
not something that they

would necessarily be after.

All right.

We're going to up the
ante on me being bitten.

I'm going to actually push my
arms into the piles of lamprey.

Wow, that's crazy.

That is a really
strange feeling.

All that slime.

Wow.

Man, I feel like
I've got my arms

into the mouth of an alien right
now, all slippery and slimy.

I'm actually just moving my
fingers around on the lamprey

and they're just swimming
right through my fingers.

There's the opportunity for
them to feast right here.

Come on, guys.

I'm good.

I'm telling you, this is
good blood right here.

Aren't you interested?

This is the Coyote
Peterson buffet you're on.

Wow.

At this point, my hands
have been in here for close

to two minutes.

Absolutely no bite.

I'm actually grabbing
piles of lamprey

and coupling them together
and all they are doing

is swimming with slimey effort.

These fish are surrounded
in all sorts of rumors.

When you're out there
swimming in the Great Lakes,

I know a lot of people have
heard the rumor that possibly

these things will latch on
and flicked a suction bite

and then suck out your insides.

Based on putting my
arms into this aquarium,

I don't think that's
going to happen guys.

Unless you are a native fish
species swimming around,

you have absolutely nothing to
fear, at least in my opinion

at this point from
the sea lamprey.

So I've got two theories as
to why the lamprey have not

turned me into a buffet line.

The first is that
these guys have

an incredible sense of smell.

Remember, they're pretty
much swimming noses.

Coyote Peterson doesn't
smell like a fish.

My second theory is that they
primarily feast upon things

that have cold blood.

I have warm blood, so
maybe it's possible

that lamprey aren't
interested in having

a warm blooded meal at all.

However, I think to really
push this experiment

to the next level, we're going
to need to induce a suction.

Well I want to do is take a
lamprey at here one to my arm,

one to my stomach
and one to my neck.

If that doesn't give
them the opportunity

to feast upon human blood,
I don't know what will.

As the sun sets upon the
wild lands of Australia,

a world of elusive creatures
slowly emerge from the shadows.

And while most people strive to
avoid stumbling upon situations

that may involve
such nightmares,

the Brave Wilderness crew
is exactly the opposite.

Well, guys as you can tell
from the lack of light,

it is nighttime.

But the good news is
that tonight we're

headed out to search
for some epic creatures.

I've got my flashlight
and this giant net.

You may be thinking
to yourselves, Coyote,

are you in Costa
Rica heading back

out after that giant freshwater
prawn that got away from you?

No, no.

We're in Queensland,
Australia and I've

got one target species in mind,
the Australian long finned eel.

Mark, hop on off that platform
there and into the water.

Come on, buddy.

Yeah, the water is cold but
that is perfect for finding

these freshwater eels.

So if you guys are ready,
let's head upstream

and see if we can catch one.

Traveling upstream under
the darkness of night

was perilous, especially
for a camera team.

Slippery rocks, deep drop
offs and strong currents

meant every step
of the adventure

was riddled with
environmental obstacles.

The search for eels and
their cryptic nature

is one of time and patience.

These slime covered
creatures stay fairly

nomadic, especially
during times of rain

and rising water levels.

So finding one
usually happens when

you were in the right
place at exactly

the right time, which
meant that I was always

ready to spring into action.

I see it.
I see it.

I see it.

That's right in the net.

look at that.

Wow.

How about that for a tactic.

Stay completely still and let
the eel swim into your net.

Wow.

And that is
considered a small one

and it's about a foot
and a half in length.

OK.

Let's bring it up to the
edge of this embankment

and take a quick look at it.

We definitely have to
catch something bigger

but any eel is worth
taking a look at.

Let me see.

I'm going to just--

Oh, it is strong,
it is slippery.

Now they can give you
a pretty nasty bite.

So I've got to be careful here.

All the teeth.

They do have teeth.

Wow, look at that.

Look at that.

It's just all over the place.

Let me see if I can get
it with two hands here.

Come here, buddy
There's absolutely

no way to hold onto
this creature it is

like a slippery water balloon.

Actually, I have a pair
of gloves in my pack.

Let me take those out.

There's no way I
can hold on to that.

I can't even get out of the net.

Give me two seconds here.

Trying to get out
of the net there.

I see.
My glove on.

Getting a glove on.
There we go.

OK.

Holding onto it with the glove
is definitely much easier.

And there you have it, folks.

That is the Australian
long finned eel.

Look, the underside is
completely cream-colored

and it camouflages perfectly
into this environment.

There's absolutely no good way
to hold onto this creature.

And honestly, one that's bigger
maybe easier to manipulate.

Beautiful animal.

All right.

Well like I said, guys
this is a small one,

we need to get something much
larger in front of the cameras.

Camera gently set it down
here into the shallows.

There goes.

All right, guys.

So far we are one for one when
it comes to catching eels.

And look at my gloves,
they are completely coated

in a thick layer of mucus.

I feel like I've got ectoplasm
on me from the Ghostbusters.

Like I've just been
slimed by slimer.

Let me wash some of this off.

I think these are going
to be the last time

these gloves are used is going
to be for this expedition.

All right, let's keep moving.

I consider the long
finned eel to be

a quintessential river monster.

And I knew that for
this animal to live

up to that iconic reputation,
we needed an indisputable giant.

Deeper into the
night we venture.

Flashlight beam scanning the
water surface as our eyes

peered through the
rippling current

hoping to spot the slithering
shadow of a giant eel.

All right, guys, we got an
eel on this pocket of water.

It is moving water
though, this is

going to be a difficult catch.

Are you guys hot on cameras?

Yes.

Right here.

Right here.

Man, it is hard to see.

Oh, this could be a
tough catch, guys.

Right there.
Right there.

I see it.

I see it.

Right on the other
side of this rock.

It's going under there?

Wait for it to come

back underneath these rocks.
Here he comes.

Here he comes.
Here he comes.

I missed it.

I missed it.

Where did it go?

Try by my foot.

Right by my foot.

Where'd he go?

It's right
in these rocks here somewhere.

He might have gone down this
edge of the creek though.

Hold on.

I don't see it.

Hold on.

Hold tight.

Stay in that pool, let
me look in these rocks.

If anything came down
into this next pool.

It's in the current,
move down this way.

The dizzying search
carried on for what

seemed like miles
and miles of river

as we continue to
battle the onslaught

of environmental obstacles.

Then what it seemed as if
our chances of spotting

and catching a giant eel had
disappeared into the night,

my moment of anticipated triumph
materialized from the shadows.

Right by foot.

There it is,
coming around here.

Coming around here.

You can set it up on land.

Got it.

Yes.

Whoa.

Wow, up on land.

That was a dangerous maneuver.

I almost slipped but it
went right into the net.

Can you believe that?

Let's go back
here on this flat land.

Man,
that is an awesome eel.

It is slippery, guys.

Be careful.

Right back here?

OK, this is perfect.

Yes, we got one.

Wow.
All right.

It's good.

Dude, we got one.

That was a
long, long time.

Now let me
take my pack off for this.

Oh, buddy.

Wow.

That is a three hour expedition
turned in with success.

Let me introduce you to the
Australian long-finned eel.

There it is.

Come here, buddy.

Incredibly difficult
to hold onto.

Oh no.

Did you get it?

No.

Be careful.

Yes.

Yes.

Redemption.

Redemption.

You guys may remember the
time that the giant Freshwater

fraud slipped from my hands
and got back into the river.

Not happening tonight with
the giant long-finned eel.

OK.

Let's back up a little bit
further away from the water.

Clearly they are too
slippery to hold.

Are you OK?

Yeah.

Whoa.

OK.

I promised you was
going to get excited.

I was just
about the same, man.

I had a flash back.

Oh, it's
getting away again.

Getting away again.

Hold on,
I got to get it in the net.

Put it in that net.

Just pick that up.

Pick that whole thing up.
OK.

Rinse it off.
Time out.

Time out.
Keep it up.

No need to put it down.

This
isn't funny anymore.

It's pretty
funny, actually.

All right.

Let's back all the way back.

All the way back.

Now, Coyote,
just to be clear,

these eels can be on
land for quite a while?

Yes.

All right.

Let's crouch down to get
this under control finally.

I'm going to keep the
net upright like this.

I fear not, these
eels can stay out

of water for a substantial
amount of time.

In fact, hours upon hours.

Because if they become
stranded in a pocket

and they want to move to
a body of larger water,

they can actually
crawl over land.

And as you saw, it shot
up out of the river

onto land to make an escape.

They are extremely quick.

OK.

I need to rethink
this situation so

that I can actually
get it out of the net

and that you guys can see it.

All right.

Look, it's staying still now.

I'm going to gently
set that down.

OK.

Now I do want to get
it up out of the net

so you guys can get
a good look at it.

I'm trying to just let it
get acclimated and get calm.

And actually one thing that we
can look at first without me

actually picking it up is
where it gets its name,

the Australian long-finned eel.

Look at this dorsal
fin that runs

along the length of its body.

I'm going to very gently--

Mario, you got an OK shot there?

I'm going to gently just
sort of peel that fin up.

Can you see that?

Oh, yeah.

That
is where the name

long-finned eel comes from.

Now there is a short finned
eel also here in Australia they

are quite a bit smaller
than this variety

and it is that long dorsal fin
that easily distinguishes it

from the short finned variety.

Now these creatures are
most active at night,

out right now hunting and
they are voracious predators.

All right.

Come here, buddy.

Let me hold you up just a bit.

I'm going to try to
get a good hold on it.

They are all muscle,
very powerful.

And with their feasting on
is small fish invertebrates.

They will even take things
like frogs and snakes

if they can catch them.

And an eel of this
size is about halfway

to what they can
ultimately turn into.

And at a maximum
length, they can

reach close to 10 feet in length
and weigh about 50 pounds.

Now here's something really
interesting about the life

cycle of this animal.

It's almost opposite
that of a salmon.

So you know the salmon
swim out of the ocean

and upriver to do
their spawning.

These creatures actually swim
out of the rivers and creeks

and back into the ocean
where they do their breeding.

Now once they have bred and
the smaller ones are born,

they are actually called elvers.

Yeah, kind of like an elf.

An elver will then swim
back into the creek system

where they will
spend several years

growing to about this size.

And like I said,
this is about medium.

They can grow to be about six
feet in length in the river

systems and it's really the ones
who become marooned in pockets

of water that they
can't escape from that

grow to that maximum length of
around 10 feet and 50 pounds.

Wow.

That's a very healthy eel.

That is a very healthy eel.

And you can see there are two
little sensory organs right

on the front of its face there,
almost look like the barbells

on the front of a catfish.

And they use that to sense
their environment, vibrations

beneath the water's
surface and that

helps them detect their prey.

Now, they have the opportunity
to be ambush predators

or nomadic predators.

And an ambush predator
is something that waits

for its prey to come to it.

But based on the strength
and speed of this creature,

they can easily chase after
something like a freshwater

prawn or a fish.

And you'll notice
that coloration,

that speckling, green
and black, drab olive

allows it to stay perfectly
camouflaged within the shadows,

the algae and amongst the rock
structures here in the river.

Oh yeah, you're trying
to make a run for it.

Wow.

And it is taking
all of my strength

right now to hold
this eel still.

Wow.

It is so powerful.

You see that twisting move
that it's making there?

It's just trying to get
itself out of my hands

and back into the river.

Woo.

All right, let set it down in
the net there for a second.

Oh, look at all that
mucus coating my gloves.

Now you get a good
shot of the tail there.

It's like a big
wolf and that's what

allows these creatures to
quickly propel their bodies

forward in the water.

And they can move
downstream or upstream

and they can perfectly
maneuver their bodies

and manipulate them
around the rocks

to fit into small crevices.

And like I said earlier,
up underneath embankments

and beneath flat rocks is where
they will hide during the day.

Again, this is primarily
a nocturnal creature.

And sure enough, it took us
being out here for three hours

before we finally came across
one that was of decent size

to get in front of the cameras.

Well, a little bit of patience
and a lot of persistence but it

finally paid off as we got
the Australian long-finned eel

up close for the cameras.

And what a catch that was.

An initial catch, it
got out of the net

and then I got it a second time.

Redemption has been had for
the giant freshwater prawn.

Guys, this may have
been one of the most

epic catches we have ever had.

I'm Katie Petersen,
be brave, stay wild.

We'll see you on
the next adventure.