Flesh Ripper is the second episode of the third season of River Monsters.
General Description[]
Jeremy Wade is on the trail of a mysterious man-eater described over 200 years ago by a famous explorer. Is the 8-ft beast in question a mere legend, or could it be the same, flesh & blood creature that has attacked divers & children?
Episode Summary[]
After reading reports of flesh-eating eels in New Zealand, Jeremy Wade journeys to a land which he always thought a safe place to swim. Captain James Cook's memoirs and Māori folklore's tell of man-eating snake-like creatures. He treks into the Waitomo Caves and Lake Manapouri and discovers just how savage and dangerous these "devourers of men" can be. Armed with razor-sharp teeth which prevent escape, these eels spin and tear off bits of flesh like a crocodile. Although he already knows they have the ability to cause serious harm, Wade still must determine if they have the attitude to attack a human to find out if they deserve their reputation. The only way to do this is to put himself on the menu.
Trivia[]
- The first episode of a few to come that features an eel.
- Stock footage from this episode was used multiple times when Jeremy was about to offer himself as live bait.