Jeremy Wade, biologist and extreme angler, has faced some of the world’s most dangerous fish, such as tigerfish in Okavango, longfin Eel in New Zealand and goonch in India. About half the world’s fish live in lakes and rivers, but few know of fish that live in fresh water. Jeremy has always been fascinated by them and has travelled to places such as the Congo and the Amazon in search of river fish.
Jeremy returns with a new season of River Monsters . The month-long series includes episodes such as Amazon Titanic, Legend of Loch Ness, Lair of Giants, Man-eating Monster, Bone Crusher, Jungle Terminator, River of Blood and Body Snatcher. “In each programme, we are looking at a single incident. In the Amazon Titanic, it is about a boat that sunk. There were hundreds of people on board. And we wondered what might have happened to them. It was said that many of the passengers were eaten alive. In this episode, I go in search of what actually happened to the boat,” says Jeremy over phone.
In Legend of Loch Ness — in search of the famed monster of Loch Ness — Jeremy even travels as far as Iceland. “The journey to find the Loch Ness monster took me on an unexpected travel,” says Jeremy.
Jeremy was born and raised in South-East England, on the banks of the Suffolk Stour, where he started fishing. “My interest in freshwater fish developed partly because I grew up near a river and partly because fish in rivers are very different from fish in the sea.”
His first overseas trip was to mountain rivers of India in 1982.
“I was in Corbett National park, and I fished there. During that time, they allowed people to fish, but they don’t allow it now. That was a significant experience because I realised what fish in other countries look like, and it was from then that I began writing about my travel experiences.”
Among the most interesting fish, Jeremy has seen are India’s Giant Devil Catfish and the giant Arapaima.
“The first thought I had when I saw the Giant Devil Catfish was how strange it looked. It was for the Arapaima that I started going to the Amazon. It is 10 feet long, weighs 500 pounds and is an interesting looking fish with a bony head.”
Jeremy works closely with local fishermen. “It’s always essential to use local knowledge.”
River Monsters will air Monday to Friday from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., all through May, on Animal Planet.
