Swimming with Crocodiles BBC2 with Ben Fogle

andersonsonsonandersonsonson Posts: 6,454
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Did anyone else watch this last night, after top gear. It was part 1 of 2 but was really interested and surprising that the crocs didn't attack. Has sort of changed my opinion on them.
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 12,075
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    Perhaps even crocodiles are fussy what they eat? ;)
  • gomezzgomezz Posts: 44,517
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    When is part 2 scheduled for?
  • StansfieldStansfield Posts: 6,097
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    Little gem of a film....and more next week.

    But I don't think I'd want to play Ball with a Croc...:eek:
    gomezz wrote: »
    When is part 2 scheduled for?
    I'm guessing.....next Sunday.
  • gomezzgomezz Posts: 44,517
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    Not on BBC HD it ain't.
  • gomezzgomezz Posts: 44,517
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    Just found the BBC HD repeat is on the following Tuesday evening at 11pm.
  • BirdsworthBirdsworth Posts: 1,223
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    A programme called "Swimming with Crocodiles", starring Ben Fogle?!

    How marvellous. Please tell me he's never seen again after episode 2.
  • SuperbeastSuperbeast Posts: 1,119
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    Birdsworth wrote: »
    A programme called "Swimming with Crocodiles", starring Ben Fogle?!

    How marvellous. Please tell me he's never seen again after episode 2.

    Well seeing as how it's only a two parter I think that's kind of inevitable. At least until his next documentary.
  • Bulletguy1Bulletguy1 Posts: 18,429
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    Stansfield wrote: »
    Little gem of a film....and more next week.
    Agree. It was an excellent documentary though confirmed to me that Ben Fogle must be a total nutter! :eek:

    He's done some pretty wildly demanding things but this has to rate as the number one! No way on planet earth would I have done that.....not for anything! :D
  • BirdsworthBirdsworth Posts: 1,223
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    Superbeast wrote: »
    Well seeing as how it's only a two parter I think that's kind of inevitable.....
    Oh?
    ...At least until his next documentary.
    Bah. That'll be the following week then.
    You really had my hopes up there.
  • valkayvalkay Posts: 15,726
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    Why would anyone be so stupid as to go anywhere near crocodiles,? :eek:
  • Eagle9aEagle9a Posts: 20,067
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    valkay wrote: »
    Why would anyone be so stupid as to go anywhere near crocodiles,? :eek:

    If you had watched you would now know that far from being vicious, dangerous, unpredictable maneaters with the brain the size of a peanut, they are in fact misunderstood, cuddly, friendly reptiles who like nothing better than a swim with friends or a quick frolic with a wildebeest.;)
  • andersonsonsonandersonsonson Posts: 6,454
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    valkay wrote: »
    Why would anyone be so stupid as to go anywhere near crocodiles,? :eek:

    Well they didn't attack (well the camera man nearly got bit lol) and just seemed to let them watch them underwater. The one at the end was massive. It was filmed in the river Nile I think but next week he is facing the Salt Water crocodile in Australia.
  • SuperbeastSuperbeast Posts: 1,119
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    valkay wrote: »
    Why would anyone be so stupid as to go anywhere near crocodiles,? :eek:

    Because they want to study them to learn more and figured they couldn't do that hiding behind their couches?

    "Why would someone try to study wild animals in their natural environment?"

    Because they need to be studied so we can understand and live in harmony with them better and not upset them in their own environment. Duh.

    It'd be more stupid of them not to bother to educate themselves , that'd be wantonly ignorant while ignoring an educational opportunity.

    I really hope you never consider teaching anything to anyone. Consider a few Attenborough documentaries, you might learn something.
  • bigluke1970bigluke1970 Posts: 634
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    I enjoyed this program

    I have always had a fascination with crocodiles.

    Last year in 2011 I went to South Africa to a Private Game Reserve.

    They had one crocodile ( I think he was 2 feet long). He was kept in a Zoo like pit with a pond and a little enclosure. You could access the enclosure by climbing down a ladder.

    The game wardens allowed me to climb down the ladder and photograph him. I took 3 photos. THere were three wardens in front of me so I was relatively safe although if I slipped in the pond I would have made a tasty snack.

    They also had a baby crocodile. The wardens put the little crocodile into a seperate part of the enclosure (seperated by an electric fence).

    The following morning the big crocodile attacked and killed little crocodile.

    Am looking forward to next week when they go to Northern Australia. I went there in 2004 to visit Kakadu National park (Where Crocodile Dundee was filmed) Took loads of photos of crocs.
  • jo2015jo2015 Posts: 6,021
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    I'm sure there was a similar programme on National Geographic several months ago, but without the minor celebrity.
  • valkayvalkay Posts: 15,726
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    Superbeast wrote: »
    Because they want to study them to learn more and figured they couldn't do that hiding behind their couches?

    "Why would someone try to study wild animals in their natural environment?"

    Because they need to be studied so we can understand and live in harmony with them better and not upset them in their own environment. Duh.

    It'd be more stupid of them not to bother to educate themselves , that'd be wantonly ignorant while ignoring an educational opportunity.

    I really hope you never consider teaching anything to anyone. Consider a few Attenborough documentaries, you might learn something.

    You can study Lions and suchlike from the safety of the back of a Landrover, but I can't understand why anyone would put themselves deliberately in close contact with a dangerous unpredictable creature for the sake of a T.V.documentry. I used to watch Steve Irwin and thought he was a complete nutcase and they got him in the end. No need to be so supercilious, you're not the only one to watch documentaries.
  • DenleyDenley Posts: 4,657
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    This is something I will have to catch up with on iplayer.

    I can understand the scientific curiosity about crocs and the thirst for knowledge about them - but anyone diving with crocs for the very first time must have seriously large stones. :eek::cool:
  • SuperbeastSuperbeast Posts: 1,119
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    Denley wrote: »
    This is something I will have to catch up with on iplayer.

    I can understand the scientific curiosity about crocs and the thirst for knowledge about them - but anyone diving with crocs for the very first time must have seriously large stones. :eek::cool:

    Well they established crocs only attack from below, if there is sudden movement or they are approached directly in line with their eyeline. So once they were on the riverbed and controlling their movements they were fine, only incident occurred when a camera man panicked and that caused the croc to panic and react too. Once everyone was following the rules they seemed to be safe. Although Fogel seemed tempted to touch some of them, he was sensible enough not to and so kept his hands.
  • DenleyDenley Posts: 4,657
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    Superbeast wrote: »
    Well they established crocs only attack from below, if there is sudden movement or they are approached directly in line with their eyeline. So once they were on the riverbed and controlling their movements they were fine, only incident occurred when a camera man panicked and that caused the croc to panic and react too. Once everyone was following the rules they seemed to be safe. Although Fogel seemed tempted to touch some of them, he was sensible enough not to and so kept his hands.

    I've not seen this yet so hopefully they explained where, when and how croc diving first started.

    Did they formulate those rules for a safe way of diving with crocs from observing them in captivity?

    If not then those first few dives would have been one hell of a scary journey into the unknown, gradually formulating the diving with croc rules over time.
  • SuperbeastSuperbeast Posts: 1,119
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    Denley wrote: »
    I've not seen this yet so hopefully they explained where, when and how croc diving first started.

    Did they formulate those rules for a safe way of diving with crocs from observing them in captivity?

    If not then those first few dives would have been one hell of a scary journey into the unknown, gradually formulating the diving with croc rules over time.

    The couple that handled the team had been diving for years successfully with only a few incidents. They figured it out through trial and error based on their understanding of their land based behaviour. They only dive in winter when the water is cold and the crocodiles are less actively hostile and far below their predatory peaks during the summer.
  • ButterfaceButterface Posts: 2,709
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    Loved this programme. It was really informative and gripping in places. Some of the human/crocodile past interaction was sad - usually involving loss of life or limb, and it was good to see the kids enjoying the 'crocodile education'.

    The gleaming teeth in the depths was pretty unnerving though :D

    Salt water crocs in Australia next time. In the trailer they showed, they looked HUGE.... :(
  • SuperbeastSuperbeast Posts: 1,119
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    Butterface wrote: »
    Loved this programme. It was really informative and gripping in places. Some of the human/crocodile past interaction was sad - usually involving loss of life or limb, and it was good to see the kids enjoying the 'crocodile education'.

    The gleaming teeth in the depths was pretty unnerving though :D

    Salt water crocs in Australia next time. In the trailer they showed, they looked HUGE.... :(

    They are the largest reptiles left on the planet. They have been known to attack sharks. So the team is really up against it next week since they are going up against one of the few genuine apex predators in nature with no natural rivals or predators.
  • DenleyDenley Posts: 4,657
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    I've swum in crocodile infested waters in the Zambezi - but had I known that beforehand - there's no way I'd have got anywhere near that water - scares me now to think back on it :eek::eek:

    Will catch up with this on iplayer sometime this week.

    Salties in Oz are aggressive crocs - and huge. These guys have got to be insane - can't wait to see it.
  • andersonsonsonandersonsonson Posts: 6,454
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    Butterface wrote: »
    Loved this programme. It was really informative and gripping in places. Some of the human/crocodile past interaction was sad - usually involving loss of life or limb, and it was good to see the kids enjoying the 'crocodile education'.

    The gleaming teeth in the depths was pretty unnerving though :D

    Salt water crocs in Australia next time. In the trailer they showed, they looked HUGE.... :(

    Yeh I agree, Fogel's knife was also embarrassing, it was tiny, I would have taken a sword, harpoon gun, everything into the water, when he just took this tiny little knife.
  • FroodFrood Posts: 13,180
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    Now if this prigramme replaced Ben Fogle with Clarkson, Woss and Gervais and had them weighed down with concrete blocks I'd watch.

    Mind you, the crocs may be too discerning........

    And as any QI fan would confirm you can disarm a croc or alligator with a large, stout elastic band.
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