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I have never worked harder in my life to be able to get hands-on with an animal. It's a life's journey to be able to get to Australia. We are in the middle of nowhere in the outback of Alice Springs, the only place that this lizard can be found. The largest monitor in all of Australia. And here it is, just as beautiful as I could have imagined. Walking down that sand, I looked up in that moment and there it was, dude. Just how do you feel? Emotional. Emotional in this moment. Right there, guys. Right there. Right under that bush. That's a knobtail gecko right there. You see it?
Oh, yeah. I didn't even see the eye shot. I just saw the skin. You see it? It's huge. Yes. Wow. Oh, buddy. Look at you. Okay, let's catch that lizard before it gets into a burrow. Mario, you don't see a burrow on that side, do you? He's kind of tucked into those plants. No, but he is moving. He's on to us. Hold on a second. I got to delicately get him out of there. Look at that. You see that defensive tactic right there? Senses us coming into the environment.
He says, "Okay, let me crawl into these branches and maybe no one will be able to get me. Just make sure there's no burrow." Yeah. No, I don't see anything. We're We're good. These guys are not fast moving, but I do want to be really, really gentle. Got him. Okay, come here. Oh my gosh, it feels so cool. Yes. Oh, I got it. Oh my goodness. Yes. That is the jewel of the outback right there. A knobtail gecko. It is the most bizarre looking gecko I have ever seen. And the first thing that I notice
is the fact that they do not have sticky pads. This is a strictly terrestrial species moving up and over these rocks. When I pick up a rock, look at that color similarity. Not only the shape of the body, but also the color are almost identical. So, if you didn't know what you were looking for, you could walk right past this gecko. This lizard blends perfectly into its environment as a semi-nomadic but mostly ambush-based predator. All they need to do is sit there and wait for their food to come to them. And look at the size of the head. Very powerful jaws. But the most unique feature is that tiny little nubbing of a tail. Have you ever seen a tail so adorable on a lizard? I don't even know
what's going on with that tail. It goes down to a little point and then has this little tiny ball at the end. I know, buddy. I'm not making fun of it. I think it's so cute. And what's unique about this species, most geckos are capable of dropping their tails. This species is not. Now, the skin is just unlike anything I have ever seen. It's a mix between a bunch of pimples and prickers. And if you're real quiet, listen to this. It's interesting. The spikes run all the way. Oh, I see you're just thinking about biting me. THOSE SPIKES RUN. AH, YOU GOT ME.
You got me. A little bit of power in those jaws. I didn't taste real good, though, did I? You can see how the jawline goes all the way back to the rear edge of the skull. These lizards are voracious predators, taking advantage of pretty much anything that they come across. That could be insects or arachnids or even other small geckos will fall victim to a predator like this. But of course, this gecko also has to worry about other predators within the environment. This is a great meal for a snake or any nocturnal mammal that would be out hunting right now. So bizarre. One of the most unique lizards I think we have ever come across.
Coyote, we got one. That's a thorny devil. I'm going to be so mad if you guys are kidding. Dude, look at this. Right there. Yes. Are you kidding me? I just caught him out of the corner of my eye. I just happened to look back and he was sitting right there. Wow, dude. Okay, get him. Pick him up. Oh. Oh, man. A lot sharper than a horn lizard. Oh, man. Wow. The holy grail. of sand dune desert Australia animals. That little face looks just like the grin of a devil. Look at his little
sleepy looking eyes looking at us saying, "Oh, I'm just looking for ants. What are you guys doing out here? It's so hot and dry." Now, obviously, the name thorny devil comes from those two very distinct horns that are perched just there on top of the skull. Now, these lizards are perfectly designed for this completely parched environment. They require almost no water for survival and actually get a lot of the moisture that they rely on from the food that they eat, which is primarily ants. When it does rain, when there's any moisture in the air, they're actually capable of collecting little droplets of water on those spines and they will filter that water down and into their
mouth. Now, I've actually been observed in captivity being able to bring water up the sides of their legs. So, it's almost like it's a spiky little sponge. The way that the water can travel up their scales and get all the way to the face. And you may be noticing that large mound on the back side of this lizard's head. That's actually a false head. When this lizard feels as if it's being threatened, they'll often times tuck their head down and in between the front legs. And then this will act as a deterrent to any potential predator.
Predators oftentimes want to try to bite at something's head. That's the quickest way to kill it. But if you grab a hold of that, you can see those two very large spines. Those are going to go right into your mouth and you're going to just get a mouthful of pain. And you may be thinking, well, what would possibly eat something this adorable? Not likely snakes because of those spines. But birds and even monitor lizards would prey upon a thorny devil if it was able to see it. They're incredibly well camouflaged, especially in all of this red sand. Each and every thorny devil is unique unto its own. No two thorny devils have the same exact pattern structure. And one way that scientists often times tell
the difference between the thorny devils that they have found and recorded is to look at the belly. That pattern is completely distinct and unique amongst individuals. And even the belly is completely covered in spines. This lizard is perfectly camouflaged and perfectly designed to survive in this harsh desert ecosystem. Well, I would say that when it comes to finding the bizarre lizards of Australia, the thorny devil is at the peak of that mountain. Swim that way here. All right, he's moving. There he is. You're going to have to just like reach up. Blind reach up. He's still on land.
Do you see him? Okay. Oh, he's coming here. We got him cornered. Focused on me. I'm going to keep his attention. He's focused on me. I don't know. No, he's on to you. He is so on to you. He's on to you. Just go completely online. Yep. Go around. Take your time. We still got him. We're not going to let him go anywhere. We might have to uh like stage ourselves here cuz it might come up. It has to come up for air.
Yeah, the water's relatively clear, but every time I touch any of this algae, it gets murky. We should just keep ourselves right in this spot here. There it is. It's right there. Right to the right of me. You see it? I see it. Yep. I see it. Okay. Don't Don't move. Yep. I think you should go around maybe. All right. You stay there. Oh, no. Or no. Yeah, you can follow it under water. Yes. There it is. A water monitor.
Woo! The perfect tactic. Go up and underneath. And I was able to get it. We got one. How cool is that little lizard? Let's slowly and calmly get ourselves back to shore and get the presentation. Yes, Merton's water monitor. This is awesome. It was an incredible amount of effort, but we finally managed to catch the Merritt's water monitor. Look at those big eyes. As a dal species, they have incredible eyesight when it comes to searching for their prey under the light of day. Oh my gosh, such a cool, cool lizard. Now, you'll also notice this big ear hole just behind the jaw there. These lizards also are very keen when it comes to sound.
Now, what's so unique about this monitor specifically is this is one of the only ones that will spend time in the water, both hunting and evading predators. So, this is a semi-aterrestrial and then semiacquatic reptile and perfectly designed for this ecosystem. Aside from the design, the sleek, slender design, the most unique feature about this monitor species is its tail. It is very flat and very long, just like a rudder. So, if I hold it like that, you can see how narrow it is. I turn it like this, and you can see how flat it is. This lizard relies completely on its tail for locomotion underwater. You may also notice that it does not have web feet. And you may be saying, "Well, it's a
semi-aquatic species. Shouldn't have web feet." No monitors have web feet. They simply rely on their legs to keep them buoyant at the surface. So, when the lizard comes out for breath of air, it'll take a big gulp, fill its lungs, and float, and then keep the legs out to the side for stability. Now, when it comes to prey, this predator right here is double trouble. Not only can it get you on land, but it can also follow you into the water and get you there as well. This species specifically specializes in catching fish and crayfish. This lizard senses its environment just like a snake. They have a fork tongue that will come out. They're picking up the chemicals within the air and then
bringing that tongue back into their mouths. That tongue rubs over an organ on the roof of the skull called the Jacobson's organ. That's like this reptile's little internal computer that says, "Okay, there was prey going in this direction. Another monitor's gone in this direction, or uh-oh, a predator has walked through this environment. I better turn around and go the other way." They're nonvenenomous, but just like all other monitors, they do have razor sharp teeth that are curved backwards in the skull. That means that if it were to bite me, it would lock on in place and be very hard to get off. So, what I want to do is stay as calm as possible so as to not provoke a bite.
I'm about to enter an enclosure with the most ferocious marsupial on the planet. And even though these devils have been raised by humans, I will need to approach them with extreme care. Armed with one of the most powerful bite forces on the planet, the Tasmanian devil's jaws can easily crush bone. So, a bite would result in serious injury. Hey, big girl. I see your nose. You going to come out? Hi, Phoenix. Now, is she imprinted on you? Basically, you kind of her devil mom in a certain sense at this point. Not on me. So, I didn't hand these two.
One of our other staff did, but um she gets along quite well with me. Um Phantom doesn't. I don't think he likes men to be honest. I think Phantom's got a bit of a mummy issue. See? Hey, Bof, don't you bite me. Hey, That's a handful right there. Such a the sounds are just incredible that they make. And that's not any sound that indicates injury. It's just a warning. This is one of the most quintessential elements of the Tasmanian devil is that sound. It's incredible how loud they are and how intimidating that is. So, you can imagine if any potential predator came into the environment and they saw that set of teeth and that noise, you immediately would run in the opposite direction. Okay, let's see what
happens. Here I come. I'm a little nervous about this. So, you're saying just kind of grab onto the body? Yeah, just pick her up nice and gently. You sure about this? Oh, we'll see how she reacts. I'm going to pick you up. Okay, we're going to see what happens. Let's see. One of motion. There you go. Got her. I got it. Okay, I'm going to bring you in tight first. Squeeze. Oh, there we go. You are so soft. There it is. Holding a Tasmanian devil. All right, let's crouch down. They really like to feel as if they are tucked in.
So, you can see I'm just holding on to her backside here. And look at that adorable little face. You'll notice the ears of this little devil are actually very red in coloration. And as they're moving through the grasses, sometimes it's just their head that sticks up and above and in setting sunlight, those ears almost look like devil horns. So that's partially where the name Tasmanian devil comes from. But when you really look at the face of this devil, how adorable is that creature, those long whiskers, and you don't even realize how long the whiskers are until you get right up in the nose of that animal.
Now, the way that Tasmanian devils really hone in and find their food is their incredible sense of smell. Look at that nose. It's adorable, but also incredibly functional. And they can smell a dead or wounded animal from a significant distance away. And then they rely on that nose to lead them to their food. Well, Max, at this point, I would definitely say we have discovered a softer side of the Tasmanian devil. But when it comes to feeding frenzies, things are going to get a little more ferocious, aren't they? Definitely. Well, I think I'm ready to get into the enclosure for feeding time. All right, Phoenix, thanks for being such a cute devil.
First described in 1996, devil facial tumor disease is an aggressive transmissible cancer that is only found in Tasmanian devils. It begins with small tumors on the face and mouth that grow more severe over time, preventing the animal from being able to eat, which ultimately leads to starvation. Sadly, the disease has killed nearly 95% of the world's wild devil populations. Researchers are working on a solution, but as of now, there's no cure, which is what makes this insurance population so critical to the species survival.
We have found the freny. We tracked it from the eggs to this spot. My GoPro camera is rolling. It is just in front of me. What do you want me to do? Flank towards the front of it. Okay. I'm going to leave my camera rolling. Okay. On the ground. Camera rolling. You have to drop the camera. Jump for. Jump forward. I'm putting it on the ground. I'm putting this right here.
The binoculars right here as well. Okay. All right. this road. He may bolt to the right there. I'm going to try to get his pants. Yep. Got him. I got him. Holy mackerel. That is a branch. Hold on. He's getting a little close to my hand there. Let me back him up. Come on. Okay. I'm going to come back up against the tree here. We got to get the lizard under control. Okay. Yeah. Can you keep him distracted like that? That's perfect. Hold on. I'm going to go for the tail here. Lower base of the
tail. Whoa. Lower base of the tail here. I need to try to move my mind. I'm just trying to dance around him right now. He doesn't. Okay, let me let him calm down. There we go. Wow, he's skinny, but that's what we expect from a parent out in the wild like this. They do tend to stay rather thin. Oh my goodness. We have got a parent. It's going to be real tough to make that grab. I got to do it right when it's not right when its attention is not focused on me. Okay, you let me know. Okay, ready? One, two, Okay, buddy. It's okay. Oh, yeah. He's got your microphone left. He's got the Okay, it's all right. Just let him rest for a second.
Oh my gosh, dude. We got one. Incredible. It is latched on to the microphone muff right now. I cannot believe it. We just caught a prenty. This is just unbelievable, guys. We've done it. We've caught a parent, and it is the most beautiful, incredible animal I think we have ever caught. Look at the size of this dragon. It's huge. At this size, I would guess it's somewhere between 10 and 15 years of age. And it looks like the desert. Look at the coloration, the reticulated pattern that runs down the length of its body. Those razor sharp claws digging
into my arms right now and skin that is as rough as sandpaper. Look at the tail. It's just over 3 f feet in length and it is a male. They are so inquisitive, so intelligent. People oftentimes think problem-solving intelligent when we're talking monitors. And I would say it's arguable that the parent is the smartest of any monitor lizard. Look at that mouth. Inside that mouth is an arsenal of razor sharp teeth. And they're turned backwards. And if this lizard were to grab on to me or to anything else, there is no escaping those jaws. Look at the claws on that lizard. Razor sharp. Now, they're primarily a terrestrial species, but if they have to, they will climb up into a tree to escape a threat. And not
only the forlims, but also the hind limbs are armed with muscle and power. You can tell how weathered this lizard is. It's actually missing a front toe. And some of these claws on the back are rather nubbed. And that just comes from navigating this harsh terrain. All of these rocky escarments make the perfect environment for this lizard to call home. And of course, under the light of day, they're out and on the move. This nomadic creature searching for its next meal. It has been an exhausting seven days searching for this lizard and we have been so close so many times. We saw tracks. We found a den that one had slept and we missed it by just minutes.
The effort that has been put in over the course of the past week for myself and this entire team to find one of these lizards has just been unprecedented. I have never worked harder in my life to be able to get hands on with an animal. It's a life's journey to be able to get to Australia. We are in the middle of nowhere in the outback of Alice Springs. The only place that this lizard can be found. The largest monitor in all of Australia. And here it is. Just as beautiful as I could have imagined. Walking down that sand, I looked up in that moment. And there it was. Dude, just How do you feel?
Emotional. Emotional in this moment. Um, the drought is so bad right now in Australia. We walked across that parched landscape. The cows are dying. The animals don't have any food. There's no water. I feel like we helped this animal putting out those eggs and it ate some and it save some to come back for. And it's skinnier than it should be. But it's surviving against all odds. It's a testament to the power of these creatures, the primordial prehistoric nature that is this lizard, and it will continue surviving. It is just the perfect predator, a walking, beautiful prehistoric creature, a sand dragon, the most iconic lizard species in all of Australia. And we have managed
to catch it. And I am just beyond myself to have shared this moment with all of you. I'm Kyrie Peterson. Be brave. Stay wild. We'll see you on the next adventure. All right, just going to sit down right here. It's going to take off. All right, you good? Yep. Over the course of 7 days, we crisscrossed the unforgiving outback and covered nearly 1,500 miles, wishing and believing that we would eventually see one of these elusive predators. The support of my crew was unwavering throughout this grueling and often frustrating process, and I couldn't have done it without Mario. We put so much effort. I don't think I've ever actually personally tracked an animal for so
long. We were down to the last hour. This is the last hour. And Coyote had a feeling. He had a feeling. He's like, "Mario, let's go out. Let's just give it one last shot." and uh it we did it. I was raised believing that the impossible was nothing more than a challenge I simply needed to face. In a similar way, the outback is an environment that is seemingly impossible to survive and its animals must face it on a daily basis. The balance of this ecosystem is a very delicate thing, especially in times of drought. Yet rugged reptiles like the parent have found a way to survive against all odds and have proven that they are long for this world. Yet the
power of this predator is more than just its ability to hunt. And that is the reason these reptiles have become a cornerstone in Aboriginal culture.
