1
00:00:09,661 --> 00:00:11,402
Over the years,
I have had the chance

2
00:00:11,533 --> 00:00:15,624
to work with many adorable
baby animals, but none of them

3
00:00:15,754 --> 00:00:18,192
were built like a tank.

4
00:00:18,322 --> 00:00:20,716
Today, I'm visiting the
Zululand Conservation

5
00:00:20,846 --> 00:00:22,805
Trust's rhino orphanage.

6
00:00:22,935 --> 00:00:24,850
And for the past
year, they have been

7
00:00:24,981 --> 00:00:29,594
tending to the needs of a
little orphan rhino named Leko.

8
00:00:29,725 --> 00:00:33,859
Leko arrived at the orphanage
several days after being born.

9
00:00:33,990 --> 00:00:36,427
Malnourished and
grossly underweight,

10
00:00:36,558 --> 00:00:39,343
he was extracted from the
wild because his mother had

11
00:00:39,474 --> 00:00:42,999
an infected abscess on her
udder, which made it impossible

12
00:00:43,130 --> 00:00:46,046
for him to properly feed.

13
00:00:46,176 --> 00:00:50,615
The milk distributed from a
cow to her calf is crucial.

14
00:00:50,746 --> 00:00:54,489
It contains a fluid known as
colostrum, which has rich levels

15
00:00:54,619 --> 00:00:57,318
of antibodies necessary
to promote growth

16
00:00:57,448 --> 00:00:59,537
and health in newborn mammals.

17
00:00:59,668 --> 00:01:05,891
So in the wild, without it,
Leko would have certainly died.

18
00:01:06,022 --> 00:01:07,371
Oh, it smells good.

19
00:01:07,502 --> 00:01:10,374
This is not baby
rhino milk powder.

20
00:01:10,505 --> 00:01:12,376
It is horse.

21
00:01:12,507 --> 00:01:14,944
Millions of years
ago, rhinos and horses

22
00:01:15,075 --> 00:01:16,467
shared a common ancestor.

23
00:01:16,598 --> 00:01:19,470
And today, they are both
classified under the order

24
00:01:19,601 --> 00:01:20,863
Perissodactyla.

25
00:01:24,084 --> 00:01:25,607
That goes on top.

26
00:01:25,737 --> 00:01:27,913
And now, it's time to feed Leko.

27
00:01:35,007 --> 00:01:37,184
Yeah.

28
00:01:37,314 --> 00:01:40,056
That is some serious
chugging power right there.

29
00:01:40,187 --> 00:01:41,666
Now, at any point
do I want to give

30
00:01:41,797 --> 00:01:43,929
Leko a little bit of a
break, or is it just-- uh-oh.

31
00:01:44,060 --> 00:01:45,017
Dorothy.

32
00:01:45,148 --> 00:01:48,456
That's Dorothy, Leko's friend.

33
00:01:48,586 --> 00:01:49,848
I know, I didn't make
any milk for you.

34
00:01:49,979 --> 00:01:50,719
I'm sorry.

35
00:01:54,070 --> 00:01:54,940
Almost there.

36
00:01:55,071 --> 00:01:55,941
Almost there.

37
00:01:58,683 --> 00:02:00,685
And that's it.

38
00:02:00,816 --> 00:02:02,470
You drank it all.

39
00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:08,171
Coyote's special blend consumed
in just a matter of seconds.

40
00:02:08,302 --> 00:02:09,520
And now we go to pellets.
Yes.

41
00:02:09,651 --> 00:02:11,261
Hand feeding?
Yes.

42
00:02:11,392 --> 00:02:13,481
So do I just kind of put it
flat like I was feeding a horse?

43
00:02:15,222 --> 00:02:16,136
Oh.

44
00:02:18,225 --> 00:02:19,965
Yeah, just
those big, squishy lips.

45
00:02:20,096 --> 00:02:21,184
Yeah.
- OK.

46
00:02:21,315 --> 00:02:22,098
All right.

47
00:02:22,229 --> 00:02:23,273
Here we go.

48
00:02:23,404 --> 00:02:24,709
We're going hand
into a rhino lip.

49
00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:26,146
There we go.

50
00:02:26,276 --> 00:02:27,451
Let me get my hand all
the way up in here.

51
00:02:27,582 --> 00:02:29,018
OK.

52
00:02:29,149 --> 00:02:32,239
Oh, their lips are so
squishy and very slobbery.

53
00:02:32,369 --> 00:02:35,242
I'll be sure to use my hand
sanitizer after this, OK?

54
00:02:35,372 --> 00:02:37,331
Nom, nom, nom,
nom, nom, nom, nom.

55
00:02:37,461 --> 00:02:39,028
Ugh.

56
00:02:39,159 --> 00:02:44,990
That is a handful
of baby rhino slime.

57
00:02:45,121 --> 00:02:48,516
At the orphanage, Leko was
placed under the constant care

58
00:02:48,646 --> 00:02:51,910
of Simoné, where he
was fed milk every two

59
00:02:52,041 --> 00:02:56,393
hours, while plasma drip helped
strengthen his immune system.

60
00:02:56,524 --> 00:02:58,830
Eventually, this
skinny little rhino

61
00:02:58,961 --> 00:03:00,876
began to show signs
of improvement,

62
00:03:01,006 --> 00:03:02,921
as his weight
increased and he gained

63
00:03:03,052 --> 00:03:05,097
noticeable strength
to add to his

64
00:03:05,228 --> 00:03:08,971
very rambunctious personality.

65
00:03:09,101 --> 00:03:12,148
He's been in my
care at the at the facility

66
00:03:12,279 --> 00:03:13,105
since he was day one.

67
00:03:13,236 --> 00:03:14,063
Wow.

68
00:03:14,194 --> 00:03:15,195
One-day-old. yeah.

69
00:03:15,325 --> 00:03:17,588
So, we have a very strong bond.

70
00:03:17,719 --> 00:03:19,024
That's really special for me.

71
00:03:19,155 --> 00:03:23,942
I didn't actually
realize how a rhino could

72
00:03:24,073 --> 00:03:26,162
bond with a human so closely.

73
00:03:26,293 --> 00:03:29,513
And yeah, it's incredible.

74
00:03:29,644 --> 00:03:31,907
White rhinos
are quite gregarious.

75
00:03:32,037 --> 00:03:34,039
So once he was
healthy enough, Leko

76
00:03:34,170 --> 00:03:37,042
was provided a
companion, an athletic,

77
00:03:37,173 --> 00:03:40,307
all-attitude, "take no
funny business from anyone"

78
00:03:40,437 --> 00:03:43,962
goat named Dorothy.

79
00:03:44,093 --> 00:03:45,877
They were besties
at first sight.

80
00:03:46,008 --> 00:03:48,880
And since that day, they
have been inseparable.

81
00:04:13,340 --> 00:04:17,082
After a nutritious breakfast,
it was time for some exercise.

82
00:04:17,213 --> 00:04:19,650
And you never know what's
going to happen when you enter

83
00:04:19,781 --> 00:04:22,697
the paddock of an
800-pound baby who has

84
00:04:22,827 --> 00:04:24,699
no concept of his own strength.

85
00:04:24,829 --> 00:04:27,919
This is part of daily
enrichment right here,

86
00:04:28,050 --> 00:04:31,445
being out in the exercise boma.

87
00:04:31,575 --> 00:04:35,100
He's got little tail wag going.

88
00:04:35,231 --> 00:04:36,493
Careful, careful.

89
00:04:36,624 --> 00:04:37,886
Don't let him put his
head up in the air.

90
00:04:38,016 --> 00:04:38,756
I see you, buddy.

91
00:04:38,887 --> 00:04:40,454
I see you.

92
00:04:40,584 --> 00:04:42,717
How many
months old is Leko?

93
00:04:43,892 --> 00:04:45,546
10 months old.

94
00:04:45,676 --> 00:04:48,462
At even 10 months, you can see
he is an absolute powerhouse.

95
00:04:48,592 --> 00:04:50,464
Solid muscle.

96
00:04:50,594 --> 00:04:53,031
Watch out for that horn.

97
00:04:53,162 --> 00:04:54,076
Little treats.

98
00:05:03,041 --> 00:05:05,261
He is rather
intimidating even at this size.

99
00:05:05,392 --> 00:05:07,785
All he needs to do
is swing his head

100
00:05:07,916 --> 00:05:09,483
once in the wrong direction.

101
00:05:09,613 --> 00:05:11,833
If he catches your
knee, leg broken.

102
00:05:11,963 --> 00:05:16,794
So he just doesn't know his
own strength at this size.

103
00:05:16,925 --> 00:05:18,796
He's a very, very
powerful animal,

104
00:05:18,927 --> 00:05:21,103
so we got to be extra careful.

105
00:05:21,233 --> 00:05:22,670
Uh-oh.

106
00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:24,889
Mario's stuck in the corner,
or is it electric fence?

107
00:05:25,020 --> 00:05:26,587
I didn't know if it
was electric or not.

108
00:05:26,717 --> 00:05:27,588
I was freaking out.

109
00:05:27,718 --> 00:05:28,893
The outside horn in.

110
00:05:29,024 --> 00:05:30,460
The outside horn in.

111
00:05:30,591 --> 00:05:32,506
Got cornered by a rhino,
you know, just every morning

112
00:05:32,636 --> 00:05:33,463
routine, you know?

113
00:05:33,594 --> 00:05:36,074
Come on, Leko.

114
00:05:36,205 --> 00:05:37,119
Let's see.

115
00:05:37,249 --> 00:05:38,468
I'm going to come right here.

116
00:05:38,599 --> 00:05:39,513
Yeah.

117
00:05:39,643 --> 00:05:40,383
Good morning.

118
00:05:42,298 --> 00:05:43,821
It's on the whole thing here.

119
00:05:43,952 --> 00:05:45,301
I'll get some out.

120
00:05:45,432 --> 00:05:46,171
There we go.

121
00:05:46,302 --> 00:05:47,651
So cute.

122
00:05:47,782 --> 00:05:48,522
Watch your hand.

123
00:05:48,652 --> 00:05:49,958
Watch your camera.

124
00:05:51,438 --> 00:05:53,396
Here.

125
00:05:56,181 --> 00:05:59,489
Oh, boy, do you feel just
like an old baseball mitt.

126
00:05:59,620 --> 00:06:00,403
I know.

127
00:06:00,534 --> 00:06:01,273
Chin scratch?

128
00:06:01,404 --> 00:06:02,405
OK.

129
00:06:02,536 --> 00:06:03,841
Yeah, chin scratch.
That's it.

130
00:06:03,972 --> 00:06:04,799
That's good.

131
00:06:17,638 --> 00:06:19,901
You can see all the hoof
marks on him from Dorothy.

132
00:06:20,031 --> 00:06:22,512
I didn't know what those
scrapes were initially

133
00:06:22,643 --> 00:06:23,948
until I saw her jump up on him.

134
00:06:24,079 --> 00:06:25,515
That it's so funny.

135
00:06:51,889 --> 00:06:52,760
What's up, goaty?

136
00:06:56,198 --> 00:06:58,026
Ooh.

137
00:07:16,305 --> 00:07:17,306
Oh, look at that.
Oh.

138
00:07:19,569 --> 00:07:21,266
The Zululand
Rhino Orphanage

139
00:07:21,397 --> 00:07:23,747
takes in young animals
whose parents have either

140
00:07:23,878 --> 00:07:27,272
become victims of poaching
or, like in Leko's case,

141
00:07:27,403 --> 00:07:30,145
were unable to
properly care for them.

142
00:07:30,275 --> 00:07:33,801
Leko will not be the last animal
to thrive under the supervision

143
00:07:33,931 --> 00:07:35,759
of this orphanage.

144
00:07:35,890 --> 00:07:39,546
And like those before him, he
will eventually be released back

145
00:07:39,676 --> 00:07:42,418
into the wild to carry
on the future of rhinos

146
00:07:42,549 --> 00:07:45,508
as another survivor
success story.

147
00:07:48,076 --> 00:07:52,950
150 million years ago, a
torpedo-shaped armor-covered

148
00:07:53,081 --> 00:07:56,171
predatory fish swam
virtually unchallenged

149
00:07:56,301 --> 00:07:58,565
in the presence of dinosaurs.

150
00:07:58,695 --> 00:08:02,307
Fast forward to the present
day and relatives of this beast

151
00:08:02,438 --> 00:08:05,746
still swim, nearly
unchanged in design,

152
00:08:05,876 --> 00:08:09,184
reigning as
freshwater megafauna.

153
00:08:09,314 --> 00:08:12,230
Gar are masters of evolution.

154
00:08:12,361 --> 00:08:15,190
They have survived beyond the
dinosaurs and everything that

155
00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:18,628
came after, until
their existence ran up

156
00:08:18,759 --> 00:08:21,065
against an inescapable fate--

157
00:08:21,196 --> 00:08:23,024
humans.

158
00:08:23,154 --> 00:08:26,070
I'm about to rock the
boat, and this episode

159
00:08:26,201 --> 00:08:27,985
is about to make some waves.

160
00:08:28,116 --> 00:08:31,554
On this wild fish chase, I will
be working alongside the Gar

161
00:08:31,685 --> 00:08:35,732
Guys, Hayden, Max, and Florian.

162
00:08:35,863 --> 00:08:37,995
Hayden is a graduate
student from Texas

163
00:08:38,126 --> 00:08:40,128
AandM, who is
researching alligator

164
00:08:40,258 --> 00:08:41,999
gar for his master's project.

165
00:08:42,130 --> 00:08:46,395
While Max and Florian, two wild
Dutchmen and experienced gar

166
00:08:46,526 --> 00:08:49,180
wranglers from the Netherlands,
are working in tandem

167
00:08:49,311 --> 00:08:52,444
with Hayden's research as part
of their graduation internship

168
00:08:52,575 --> 00:08:55,578
and the completion of
their master's degree.

169
00:08:55,709 --> 00:08:59,626
These guys love fish more than
you can possibly comprehend.

170
00:08:59,756 --> 00:09:02,019
So for me and
Mario, it's an honor

171
00:09:02,150 --> 00:09:04,239
to document their
process and share

172
00:09:04,369 --> 00:09:07,808
in their fight for the
conservation of this species.

173
00:09:07,938 --> 00:09:09,723
So right now, what
we're doing is

174
00:09:09,853 --> 00:09:12,900
using a scanner, the
Humminbird system,

175
00:09:13,030 --> 00:09:15,598
to determine if there
are fish in this area.

176
00:09:15,729 --> 00:09:19,297
And we are seeing little marks
show up on the scanner that

177
00:09:19,428 --> 00:09:22,344
definitely look as if
they could be very large

178
00:09:22,474 --> 00:09:23,780
fish, which is a good sign.

179
00:09:23,911 --> 00:09:25,521
Max, do you like this spot?

180
00:09:25,652 --> 00:09:26,957
We definitely like the spot.

181
00:09:27,088 --> 00:09:28,785
It has some slack water,
and that's basically

182
00:09:28,916 --> 00:09:30,395
what we need to
catch these fish,

183
00:09:30,526 --> 00:09:32,441
because they really like
to be out of the current.

184
00:09:32,572 --> 00:09:34,748
And we can actually
efficiently set our nets.

185
00:09:34,878 --> 00:09:36,488
Otherwise, the current
would take them

186
00:09:36,619 --> 00:09:38,578
and the fish won't swim in or
they would just bounce off.

187
00:09:38,708 --> 00:09:41,450
So this seems to be a really
good spot to catch them.

188
00:09:41,581 --> 00:09:42,930
OK.

189
00:09:43,060 --> 00:09:45,149
So, this sounds like
this may be a spot for us

190
00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:46,934
to cast the next gillnet.

191
00:09:47,064 --> 00:09:52,287
Let's see if this is the lucky
location to catch a monster gar.

192
00:09:52,417 --> 00:09:55,116
This simple-looking
yet high-tech device

193
00:09:55,246 --> 00:09:57,379
reveals many of the
water's secrets,

194
00:09:57,509 --> 00:10:01,035
including hidden obstacles
like trees, water depth

195
00:10:01,165 --> 00:10:03,559
and, if we are lucky,
the distinct body

196
00:10:03,690 --> 00:10:06,693
signatures of fish.

197
00:10:06,823 --> 00:10:09,826
Rod and reel is a very
sporty way to fish for gar,

198
00:10:09,957 --> 00:10:13,395
but setting a hook in their bony
mouths can be nearly impossible,

199
00:10:13,525 --> 00:10:16,920
and places an incredible
amount of stress on the fish.

200
00:10:17,051 --> 00:10:21,185
So to lessen the impact,
we will fish with gillnets,

201
00:10:21,316 --> 00:10:23,927
200 feet wide by 10 feet tall.

202
00:10:24,058 --> 00:10:26,277
We carefully stretch
these super-sized nets

203
00:10:26,408 --> 00:10:31,369
across the river, one upstream
and another downstream.

204
00:10:31,500 --> 00:10:33,894
Bright yellow buoys help
to keep the net afloat

205
00:10:34,024 --> 00:10:36,810
while also working as
a signal to the team.

206
00:10:36,940 --> 00:10:39,943
If a fish swims into and
becomes entangled in the net,

207
00:10:40,074 --> 00:10:43,077
these bright indicators will
bob up and down, alerting

208
00:10:43,207 --> 00:10:44,556
that a fish has been caught.

209
00:10:44,687 --> 00:10:46,210
OK.

210
00:10:46,341 --> 00:10:49,561
We officially have the first
two nets set in the water.

211
00:10:49,692 --> 00:10:52,652
The next part of looking
for gar is called waiting.

212
00:10:52,782 --> 00:10:56,481
We're going to spend about an
hour just watching the nets,

213
00:10:56,612 --> 00:10:59,528
hoping that eventually the
buoys go beneath the surface.

214
00:10:59,659 --> 00:11:01,661
Now, if one goes
all the way down,

215
00:11:01,791 --> 00:11:03,619
Florian and Max said that
that pretty much means

216
00:11:03,750 --> 00:11:05,012
you've got a monster fish.

217
00:11:05,142 --> 00:11:06,361
So we're going to keep
our fingers crossed.

218
00:11:06,491 --> 00:11:08,276
We like the spots
where the nets are set.

219
00:11:08,406 --> 00:11:12,193
Now we sit and wait
and see what happens.

220
00:11:12,323 --> 00:11:16,850
The term "river monster" is an
all too familiar description

221
00:11:16,980 --> 00:11:19,200
of a seemingly
malicious animal that

222
00:11:19,330 --> 00:11:21,158
lurks beneath the
surface of our planet's

223
00:11:21,289 --> 00:11:23,508
flowing freshwater systems.

224
00:11:23,639 --> 00:11:26,424
In fairness, it's also
the title of my all-time

225
00:11:26,555 --> 00:11:28,296
favorite television series.

226
00:11:28,426 --> 00:11:32,300
However, it's important to
redefine what the gar truly is.

227
00:11:32,430 --> 00:11:36,347
Because the term "monster"
carries with it an unfairly

228
00:11:36,478 --> 00:11:40,525
assigned notorious reputation.

229
00:11:40,656 --> 00:11:42,527
Worldwide, there
are seven species

230
00:11:42,658 --> 00:11:44,747
of these toothy
fish, three of which

231
00:11:44,878 --> 00:11:46,793
we may encounter in this area.

232
00:11:46,923 --> 00:11:49,317
The spotted gar,
which is beautifully

233
00:11:49,447 --> 00:11:52,712
speckled in an uncoordinated
array of spots.

234
00:11:52,842 --> 00:11:56,237
The longnose gar named for
its definitively slender

235
00:11:56,367 --> 00:11:58,587
and noticeably elongated snout.

236
00:11:58,718 --> 00:12:01,024
And the alligator
gar, which hails

237
00:12:01,155 --> 00:12:06,900
as the largest and seemingly
most menacing of the gar gang.

238
00:12:07,030 --> 00:12:10,294
Yes, they are big,
fast, armor-scaled,

239
00:12:10,425 --> 00:12:12,949
and equipped with rows
of needle-like teeth,

240
00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:16,126
but don't let their appearance
snap your initial assumptions

241
00:12:16,257 --> 00:12:18,346
into false accusations.

242
00:12:18,476 --> 00:12:20,391
Gar do not attack humans.

243
00:12:20,522 --> 00:12:23,220
And honestly, the only
well-documented bites

244
00:12:23,351 --> 00:12:26,484
derive from anglers that are
accidentally bitten while trying

245
00:12:26,615 --> 00:12:28,660
to remove fishing hooks.

246
00:12:28,791 --> 00:12:31,707
Yet it was uneducated
fearmongering dating back

247
00:12:31,838 --> 00:12:34,449
nearly 100 years that
put the alligator

248
00:12:34,579 --> 00:12:38,453
gar on a hit list of North
America's dangerous animals.

249
00:12:38,583 --> 00:12:42,152
Sadly, populations have been
extirpated in many areas

250
00:12:42,283 --> 00:12:43,632
of their natural range.

251
00:12:43,763 --> 00:12:45,460
And if things
couldn't get worse,

252
00:12:45,590 --> 00:12:48,028
now these fish
face a new threat--

253
00:12:48,158 --> 00:12:49,769
bow hunting.

254
00:12:49,899 --> 00:12:53,163
But before we kick the door
open on that sensitive topic,

255
00:12:53,294 --> 00:12:55,687
first, we better check the nets.

256
00:12:55,818 --> 00:12:56,863
OK.

257
00:12:56,993 --> 00:12:58,647
Right now, we're
motoring up river

258
00:12:58,778 --> 00:13:01,171
on our way to check one
of the nets that's been

259
00:13:01,302 --> 00:13:04,305
sitting for about 40 minutes.

260
00:13:05,567 --> 00:13:06,481
What?

261
00:13:07,874 --> 00:13:09,092
We got some
movement in the buoy.

262
00:13:09,223 --> 00:13:12,226
There may be a fish
up in this net.

263
00:13:16,447 --> 00:13:17,274
OK.

264
00:13:17,405 --> 00:13:18,972
We might have something.

265
00:13:19,102 --> 00:13:19,973
All right, let's do it.

266
00:13:24,542 --> 00:13:26,980
Right now we're just keep
an eyes on those buoys.

267
00:13:27,110 --> 00:13:29,547
If there's a fish in there,
we don't want to startle it

268
00:13:29,678 --> 00:13:32,333
because, while they may
get tangled up in the nets,

269
00:13:32,463 --> 00:13:34,030
it's also rather
easy for them to get

270
00:13:34,161 --> 00:13:36,641
out unless we get the net
actually curled around the fish.

271
00:13:36,772 --> 00:13:38,339
So, fingers crossed.

272
00:13:38,469 --> 00:13:41,124
We really like the way that
we have this set originally.

273
00:13:52,005 --> 00:13:53,136
Oh, got a fish, fish.

274
00:13:53,267 --> 00:13:54,834
Oh, for real?

275
00:13:54,964 --> 00:13:55,747
Oh, no, no.

276
00:13:55,878 --> 00:13:56,705
That's cool.

277
00:14:02,145 --> 00:14:02,929
Oh, nice.

278
00:14:03,059 --> 00:14:04,887
Wow!

279
00:14:05,018 --> 00:14:06,584
Yes!
- All right, that's a good fish.

280
00:14:06,715 --> 00:14:07,455
Look at that!

281
00:14:07,585 --> 00:14:08,543
Oh, wow!

282
00:14:11,372 --> 00:14:13,069
Is that good?

283
00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:14,244
Yep.

284
00:14:14,375 --> 00:14:15,593
Yes, please.

285
00:14:15,724 --> 00:14:17,117
OK.

286
00:14:17,247 --> 00:14:19,902
So right now, what Max is
doing is gently getting

287
00:14:20,033 --> 00:14:23,514
the net out of the gar's teeth.

288
00:14:23,645 --> 00:14:26,822
Very dangerous little
procedure here.

289
00:14:26,953 --> 00:14:29,564
You got to use what
are called net hooks.

290
00:14:29,694 --> 00:14:33,785
This is something he does not
lose a finger in the process.

291
00:14:33,916 --> 00:14:34,743
Pretty one.

292
00:14:34,874 --> 00:14:36,963
Take all the time.

293
00:14:37,093 --> 00:14:38,486
This is
my first encounter

294
00:14:38,616 --> 00:14:40,488
ever with a longnose gar.

295
00:14:40,618 --> 00:14:41,576
Never seen one of these before.

296
00:14:41,706 --> 00:14:42,882
It's beautiful.

297
00:14:43,012 --> 00:14:44,231
Look how bluish in
coloration it is.

298
00:14:44,361 --> 00:14:45,754
It's a decent
size longnose, too.

299
00:14:48,888 --> 00:14:50,628
There it is.

300
00:14:50,759 --> 00:14:51,542
There it is.

301
00:14:51,673 --> 00:14:52,979
Amazing!

302
00:14:53,109 --> 00:14:54,110
OK.

303
00:14:54,241 --> 00:14:55,851
Look at that.

304
00:14:55,982 --> 00:14:58,854
That is a longnose gar.

305
00:14:58,985 --> 00:15:02,727
Now, longnose gar gets its name
because of that elongated snout.

306
00:15:02,858 --> 00:15:05,469
If you take a good look
there, that mouth is filled

307
00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:08,124
full of needle-sharp teeth.

308
00:15:08,255 --> 00:15:09,865
They specialize in eating fish.

309
00:15:09,996 --> 00:15:11,562
And you can see that
if you were a fish

310
00:15:11,693 --> 00:15:15,740
and you got stuck in those jaws,
it would be a very bad day.

311
00:15:15,871 --> 00:15:19,440
And look at the blue
iridescence in coloration.

312
00:15:19,570 --> 00:15:22,182
This is an absolutely
beautiful fish.

313
00:15:22,312 --> 00:15:24,532
And just like the alligator
gar, they are covered

314
00:15:24,662 --> 00:15:26,621
in these armored scales.

315
00:15:26,751 --> 00:15:29,319
Big eyes, bulbous, right
on the side of the head.

316
00:15:29,450 --> 00:15:30,886
They have incredible vision.

317
00:15:31,017 --> 00:15:33,367
And that streamlined
body basically makes

318
00:15:33,497 --> 00:15:36,413
them a long, muscular missile.

319
00:15:36,544 --> 00:15:39,025
Underwater, these fish
have incredible speed.

320
00:15:39,155 --> 00:15:41,201
Now, these fish can stay out of
water for a significant amount

321
00:15:41,331 --> 00:15:42,854
of time.

322
00:15:42,985 --> 00:15:44,595
And right now the fish is
secreting this very thick

323
00:15:44,726 --> 00:15:46,902
slippery mucus from its scales.

324
00:15:47,033 --> 00:15:48,730
That's helping to
keep it hydrated.

325
00:15:48,860 --> 00:15:51,341
We don't want to keep it out
of the water for too long.

326
00:15:51,472 --> 00:15:52,603
What a beautiful fish.

327
00:15:52,734 --> 00:15:55,128
I just can't get
over how incredible

328
00:15:55,258 --> 00:15:58,392
and how prehistoric-looking
these animals are.

329
00:15:58,522 --> 00:16:01,569
Now, I would say this is about
average size for a longnose gar.

330
00:16:01,699 --> 00:16:04,267
They get quite a bit bigger
than this in some instances,

331
00:16:04,398 --> 00:16:06,966
but for seeing a longnose
gar for the first time,

332
00:16:07,096 --> 00:16:08,880
I don't think it can get
much better than this.

333
00:16:09,011 --> 00:16:10,447
And the river always
makes you work for it.

334
00:16:10,578 --> 00:16:11,622
You're not going to
get the alligator

335
00:16:11,753 --> 00:16:13,102
gar on the first catch.

336
00:16:13,233 --> 00:16:15,104
But seeing this species
is definitely something

337
00:16:15,235 --> 00:16:16,932
that we hoped would
happen while out here

338
00:16:17,063 --> 00:16:18,412
working with the Gar Guys.

339
00:16:18,542 --> 00:16:19,282
Let's see here.

340
00:16:19,413 --> 00:16:20,370
All right.

341
00:16:20,501 --> 00:16:21,371
There we go.

342
00:16:23,634 --> 00:16:24,548
All right.

343
00:16:24,679 --> 00:16:25,375
Let's keep checking the net.

344
00:16:25,506 --> 00:16:27,029
This is a good spot.

345
00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:29,031
Yeah.

346
00:16:32,252 --> 00:16:33,035
Right there.

347
00:16:33,166 --> 00:16:34,428
Wait, is that--

348
00:16:34,558 --> 00:16:36,082
Oh, that's a huge--
that's a big fin, man.

349
00:16:41,348 --> 00:16:42,697
Oh, boy.

350
00:16:42,827 --> 00:16:44,351
I got it.

351
00:16:44,481 --> 00:16:45,308
Perfect.

352
00:16:45,439 --> 00:16:46,396
That's perfect.

353
00:16:46,527 --> 00:16:47,789
Look at that.

354
00:16:47,919 --> 00:16:51,184
Our first alligator gar.

355
00:16:51,314 --> 00:16:52,098
All right.

356
00:16:52,228 --> 00:16:53,229
Whoa.

357
00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:54,230
Woo!

358
00:16:58,713 --> 00:17:00,367
All right.

359
00:17:00,497 --> 00:17:02,978
Definitely have to watch out
for that snout and that skull

360
00:17:03,109 --> 00:17:05,415
full of needle-sharp teeth.

361
00:17:05,546 --> 00:17:06,808
All right.

362
00:17:06,938 --> 00:17:08,984
So what we're doing
right now is safely

363
00:17:09,115 --> 00:17:10,768
getting the gar out of the net.

364
00:17:10,899 --> 00:17:14,207
The calmer we can keep the fish,
the less stress we put on it,

365
00:17:14,337 --> 00:17:16,513
the better for its
health and safety.

366
00:17:16,644 --> 00:17:20,691
That is a very good
size alligator gar.

367
00:17:20,822 --> 00:17:22,737
Right now, we slide
it down a little bit.

368
00:17:22,867 --> 00:17:25,261
OK.

369
00:17:25,392 --> 00:17:26,828
You can see it's just
caught with its teeth.

370
00:17:26,958 --> 00:17:27,916
Yup.

371
00:17:28,047 --> 00:17:28,873
And that's what
usually happens

372
00:17:29,004 --> 00:17:30,179
with the really big fish.

373
00:17:30,310 --> 00:17:32,094
They get caught only
with their teeth.

374
00:17:32,225 --> 00:17:33,182
Got the small tooth.

375
00:17:33,313 --> 00:17:34,966
OK, fish is free.

376
00:17:35,097 --> 00:17:35,837
Hold on.

377
00:17:35,967 --> 00:17:37,491
Wow!

378
00:17:37,621 --> 00:17:39,449
It's a big slimer, this one.

379
00:17:39,580 --> 00:17:41,277
Look at my hands just covered--

380
00:17:41,408 --> 00:17:42,148
Do you smell it?

381
00:17:42,278 --> 00:17:43,236
- in gar slime.

382
00:17:43,366 --> 00:17:44,802
Yeah, the smell--

383
00:17:44,933 --> 00:17:46,065
Oh, that was a gulp.

384
00:17:46,195 --> 00:17:47,501
Oh, yeah.

385
00:17:47,631 --> 00:17:50,591
Very distinct smell as
compared to other fish.

386
00:17:50,721 --> 00:17:51,635
Eyes covered
with the towel.

387
00:17:51,766 --> 00:17:52,897
Yup.

388
00:17:53,028 --> 00:17:54,029
So it experiences
less stress.

389
00:17:54,160 --> 00:17:55,639
Yep, just
like alligators.

390
00:17:55,770 --> 00:17:57,598
OK, I'll keep a towel over it.

391
00:17:57,728 --> 00:17:59,208
OK, cool.

392
00:17:59,339 --> 00:18:02,211
Let's get into the shade
and collect some biometrics.

393
00:18:02,342 --> 00:18:03,169
Alligator gar!

394
00:18:03,299 --> 00:18:04,126
There it is.

395
00:18:07,129 --> 00:18:10,915
The Gar Guys collect meaningful
biometrics on any alligator

396
00:18:11,046 --> 00:18:14,484
gar they catch, including
the fish's head length.

397
00:18:14,615 --> 00:18:15,572
22.5.

398
00:18:15,703 --> 00:18:16,791
Its full body length.

399
00:18:16,921 --> 00:18:18,314
146 centimeters.

400
00:18:18,445 --> 00:18:19,315
Wow.

401
00:18:19,446 --> 00:18:21,361
And the girth circumference.

402
00:18:21,491 --> 00:18:22,797
58.

403
00:18:22,927 --> 00:18:24,451
The base
of its dorsal fin

404
00:18:24,581 --> 00:18:27,584
is tagged with a unique
identification flag.

405
00:18:27,715 --> 00:18:30,500
And a micro pit tag
is quickly inserted

406
00:18:30,631 --> 00:18:32,546
so that if the fish is
caught in the future,

407
00:18:32,676 --> 00:18:36,941
they can quickly scan and ID it.

408
00:18:37,072 --> 00:18:39,248
Are you guys ready for this?

409
00:18:39,379 --> 00:18:43,209
Meet the alligator gar.

410
00:18:43,339 --> 00:18:46,560
Look at the size of that fish.

411
00:18:46,690 --> 00:18:51,434
A true river monster and one of
the most ancient fish species

412
00:18:51,565 --> 00:18:53,871
that still swims on this planet.

413
00:18:54,002 --> 00:18:56,222
Remember, the
relatives of this fish

414
00:18:56,352 --> 00:18:58,963
date back 100
million years, which

415
00:18:59,094 --> 00:19:01,923
means that this
fish's cousins were

416
00:19:02,053 --> 00:19:04,795
swimming amongst the dinosaurs.

417
00:19:04,926 --> 00:19:08,016
Obviously, the head is
incredibly interesting.

418
00:19:08,147 --> 00:19:09,583
And when I turn it like
this right toward you

419
00:19:09,713 --> 00:19:11,324
and you look down
on top of the snout,

420
00:19:11,454 --> 00:19:15,502
they get the name alligator gar
from that wide, broad snout.

421
00:19:15,632 --> 00:19:18,940
It looks just like the
snout of an alligator.

422
00:19:19,070 --> 00:19:21,290
And one other cool
aspect about the skull

423
00:19:21,421 --> 00:19:24,337
is the fact that these
bones are interlocking

424
00:19:24,467 --> 00:19:27,731
with this fleshy cartilage that
allows the skull to expand.

425
00:19:27,862 --> 00:19:30,517
So if this fish catches a
prey larger than it can fit

426
00:19:30,647 --> 00:19:34,390
in its mouth, its skull actually
stretches almost like a snake,

427
00:19:34,521 --> 00:19:36,000
and then it's able
to position its prey

428
00:19:36,131 --> 00:19:38,133
and swallow it down whole.

429
00:19:38,264 --> 00:19:40,744
And when you look down the
length of this fish's body,

430
00:19:40,875 --> 00:19:42,311
it is incredibly streamlined.

431
00:19:42,442 --> 00:19:44,487
If we lift it up
just a little bit,

432
00:19:44,618 --> 00:19:47,490
like a large muscular missile.

433
00:19:47,621 --> 00:19:48,926
Oh, come here, buddy.

434
00:19:49,057 --> 00:19:51,755
When you get down to the
tail, the dorsal fin is

435
00:19:51,886 --> 00:19:53,670
way down near the caudal fin.

436
00:19:53,801 --> 00:19:55,672
And that tail
works like a rudder

437
00:19:55,803 --> 00:19:58,893
to help propel this fish forward
through its watery environment.

438
00:19:59,023 --> 00:20:02,549
This fish is about as slippery
as it gets in this direction.

439
00:20:02,679 --> 00:20:04,638
But if you run your
hand backwards,

440
00:20:04,768 --> 00:20:06,988
it almost feels like sandpaper.

441
00:20:07,118 --> 00:20:09,120
When you see the fish coming
up to the surface like that

442
00:20:09,251 --> 00:20:11,166
and biting, it's not
because it's aggressive,

443
00:20:11,297 --> 00:20:13,560
it's actually taking
a breath of air.

444
00:20:13,690 --> 00:20:15,475
Remember, this
species is very unique

445
00:20:15,605 --> 00:20:17,738
and that it has
bimodal respiration.

446
00:20:17,868 --> 00:20:20,044
It is able to breathe
either at the surface

447
00:20:20,175 --> 00:20:21,785
or through its gills.

448
00:20:21,916 --> 00:20:24,135
And it can take 30 to
40 years for a fish

449
00:20:24,266 --> 00:20:25,963
to reach just this size.

450
00:20:26,094 --> 00:20:28,270
So getting protections
in place to make sure

451
00:20:28,401 --> 00:20:30,838
that the future of this
species is preserved

452
00:20:30,968 --> 00:20:32,274
is incredibly important.

453
00:20:32,405 --> 00:20:33,884
And the work that the
Gar Guys are doing,

454
00:20:34,015 --> 00:20:35,930
and our ability to
feature this fish species,

455
00:20:36,060 --> 00:20:38,411
will hopefully help to
get protections in place

456
00:20:38,541 --> 00:20:41,065
so that these fish are on
the planet for 100 million

457
00:20:41,196 --> 00:20:42,110
more years.

458
00:20:42,241 --> 00:20:45,940
What an incredible giant.

459
00:20:46,070 --> 00:20:48,421
I've gone my entire
life wanting to see

460
00:20:48,551 --> 00:20:51,162
an alligator gar in the wild.

461
00:20:51,293 --> 00:20:52,599
I'm Coyote Peterson.

462
00:20:52,729 --> 00:20:54,078
Be brave.

463
00:20:54,209 --> 00:20:55,776
Stay wild.

464
00:20:55,906 --> 00:20:57,952
We'll see you on
the next adventure.

465
00:20:58,082 --> 00:21:00,781
All right, here it goes.