Austin Stevens: Snakemaster
| Austin Stevens: Snakemaster | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Snakemaster |
| Genre | Nature Documentary |
| Directed by | Michael Davies |
| Presented by | Austin Stevens |
| Theme music composer | Oliver Ledbury |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 26 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 40 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Tigress Productions |
| Release | |
| Original network |
Animal Planet Five |
| Picture format | HD: 1080i |
| Original release | 2003 – 2009 |
Austin Stevens: Snakemaster also known as Austin Stevens: Most Dangerous and Austin Stevens Adventures (five version, and name of second season internationally) in some countries, is a regular airing nature series hosted by Austin Stevens that is broadcast on Animal Planet and five. Most of the footage was filmed in HD format with certain episodes featuring sequences of time slice photography.
The series took a five-year hiatus, but was revived in fall of 2008, having started to air on Channel Five and Discovery Canada. The new episodes do not always focus on snakes; several feature other animals such as hyenas, rhinos and grizzly bears.
Story
Austin Stevens is a South African National, living in Swapkopmund, Namibia. As a wildlife photographer, he travels on assignment, documenting his activities finding and photographing snakes. During each episode, he searches for a certain species, while encountering and describing a variety of other snakes along the way. Episodes usually end with the discovery of the sought snake, and the filming of Stevens photographing the specimen.
List of Episodes
As of now, there are 14 episodes, and one two-hour special in season 1. Season 2 consisted of 12 episodes. The episodes are renamed in the five version, Austin Stevens Adventures.
Before the series was started, in 2002, Austin filmed a documentary called Seven Deadly Strikes, with an objective similar to Snakemaster, to find and photograph seven of Africa's deadliest snakes. Stevens went from the west of Southern Africa to the east. The snakes he located and photographed were the Peringuey's adder, Rinkhals Spitting cobra, Puff adder, Snouted cobra, Boomslang, Gaboon viper, and the Black Mamba. While photographing the Peringuey's Adder, Stevens was bitten, but the bite wasn't serious and probably just a dry bite. During the filming of the Snouted Cobra segment, he was bitten again, and went to the hospital. However, within a few hours he was back on the scene to finish the film shoot and to take some photographs.
Season 1
Episode 1: In Search of The Man-Eating Python
Austin Stevens goes to Borneo to find the Reticulated Python. He soon finds the snake on the edge of a river bed. Thinking it was a small snake hidden beneath the log, it turns out to be a 20 feet snake which bites Stevens on his arm (edited off in the final episode, but shown in Most Striking Moments) and coils around his waist.
Episode 2: In Search of The Giant Lizard
Austin Stevens is now in Australia to find the Perentie Lizard. He spends 37 days without finding one, but finally he finds one running across the outback.
Episode 3: In Search of Monster Rattlers
Austin Stevens is in the Florida Panhandle in search of the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake. He eventually finds one in the middle of the ocean.
Episode 4: In Search of The Ultimate Pit Viper
Austin Stevens is in the forests of Costa Rica to look for a large Terciopelo,commonly known as Lancehead viper. During the making of this episode, Stevens planned upon finding a Black-Headed Bushmaster, but after weeks of not being able to find one, he found a Lancehead instead.
Episode 5: Rattlers of the Wild West
Austin Stevens is in the deserts of the southwestern United States to find Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes hibernating in caves. In doing so he overcomes his claustrophobia.
Episode 6: Valley of the Snakes
Stevens is in Australia once again to look for the Amethystine python, the largest snake in Australia.
Episode 7: In Search of The Giant Anaconda
This episode tells of Steven's search for the Green Anaconda in the Amazon rainforest.
Episode 8: In Search of The King Cobra
This episode tells of the King Cobra, which Stevens goes to India to look for. His ambition is to touch the hood of the snake as he has done with other cobras. He had found several other venomous snakes(like Russell's viper, Indian cobra) before he spotted his target.
Episode 9: In Search of The Black Mamba
Unusually, a Black Mamba has been spotted in the Namibian Desert, and environment 500 miles away from the species' known range; the snake is also known for shunning such desert environments. Stevens investigates this sighting and finds the snake. Because the snake may be a danger in an area with people, he bags it to be relocated to a more suitable and isolated habitat further up the riverbed of the Kuiseb, away from humans. Snakes from past episodes are also discussed.
Episode 10: In Search of The Silent Fate
This is an episode when Stevens finds a Bushmaster in the Amazon.
Episode 11: In Search of Desert Giants
Stevens searches for Desert Elephants in Namibia. Namibian reptiles are also discussed in this episode.
Episode 12: The Snake That Killed Cleopatra
In this episode he looks for the mystery snake said to have killed Cleopatra, later determined to be the Egyptian Cobra.
Episode 13: In Search of The Komodo Dragon
Stevens searches for fighting male Komodo Dragons on the Island of Komodo.
Episode 14: In Search of The Flying Snake
The search goes on for a Golden Tree Snake, a snake that is known to glide from tree to tree.
2-Hour Special: Most Striking Moments
A two-hour special where Stevens reflects back on his experiences in the series.
Season 2: Austin Stevens Adventures
Starting from September 21, 2008, the second season of the series was aired. The new series is known as Austin Stevens Adventures, the same name as the first season had in the UK. This new series also focuses more on other animals, not just snakes.
Episode 1: Giant Python Invader
Stevens scours the swamplands of Florida for non-native Burmese Pythons. Because the python is not a native species, Stevens bags the snake so he can give it to a friend to take care of it. Stevens notes that while the python is an invasive species, it is declining in its native distribution and that one day the Florida Everglades may be the last place to find the pythons.
Episode 2: Night of the Hyenas
The globe trotting adventurer explores the rugged landscape of Ethiopia in search of the notorious spotted hyena. He sets up a camcorder to film the hyenas in their den.
Episode 3: The Last Serpent
Austin travels to Mexico to catch a glimpse of the Tzabcan rattlesnake, which was once hailed as a god by the ancient Mayans. With the help of local guides and a shaman, he braves underground rivers and dense rainforest in search of the snake.
Episode 4: Australia's Lost Eden
The wildlife expert heads to the barren landscape of northern Australia, searching for some of the world's most dangerous reptiles. Among other hazards he battles harsh terrain, high temperatures and monsoons in a bid to photograph the indigenous snakes and lizards before their habitat is destroyed by the growing numbers of cane toads.
Episode 5: In the Shadow of Armoured Giants
Intrepid adventurer Austin Stevens travels to Swaziland in search of the rare black rhino. After a number of close encounters, Austin finally finds what he is looking for - a massive herd of white rhinos gathered at a watering hole.
Episode 6: Man-eating Leopards
Austin traverses South Africa in search of one of the Big Five, and one of the most swift killers on the continent. After several encounters with male leopards, Austin accidentally finds a leopard's kill in a tree. He stakes out the area, later to find a female and its sub-adult cub.
Episode 7: Grizzly Bears
Stevens searches for Grizzly bears in the forests of Western Canada.
Episode 8: Elephant Charge
Austin heads for Sri Lanka to photograph the rare tusked Asian Elephant.
Episode 9: Monster Python
The African Rock Python is the focus of this episode.
Episode 10: Killer Amazon Bats
Austin goes to the Amazon to search for the Vampire Bat.
Episode 11: Killer Lion Stakeout
Stevens heads for Botswana to photograph Lions killing their prey.
Episode 12: Hippo Face Off
Stevens heads to Zambia in hopes of encountering hippos, Africa's most dangerous mammal.
Home Video Release
The first three episodes, Man-Eating Python, Giant Lizard, and Monster Rattlers was released on DVD in North America. The King Cobra episode was released on VHS as "Snake Bite: In Search of the King Cobra". Several episodes were also released on Blu-ray in Germany.