Ray Mears - Close Encounters

Saltwater Crocodiles and Tasmanian Devils

2 × 60"2013

Renowned explorer, adventurer and survival specialist Ray Mears is no stranger to the wilds of Australia – but much has changed in this country since his first visit. The wildest places in Australia are as wild as ever, but ‘survival’ has taken on a new meaning. Crocodiles, once near extinction, now threaten sunbathers on Darwin’s beaches, and Tasmanian Devils, which once caused early explorers to shudder at the sound of their blood-curdling cries, are on the verge of dying out.

In this new series, Ray Mears visits two of the most iconic and contrasting landscapes of Australia – the swamps of the Northern Territories and the wild mountain ranges of Tasmania, home to some of Australia’s most notorious creatures which, past and present, have courted bad press. By following the Saltwater Crocodile and Tasmanian Devil, Ray hopes to gain a unique insight. With the help of experts – animal researchers, search and rescue teams, and people who have lived off the land for centuries – Ray hopes to acquire a better understanding of how the ‘bag guys’ gained their reputations, but also how survival in their worlds is not as simple as it seems.