“The Monster of Mae Klong" and “The Great White Shark"

Episodes on July 13, 20 & 27, 2011 Wednesday after Saksi!

The BORN EXPEDITIONS “The Monster of Mae Klong" and “The Great White Shark" A three-part series This July, a bigger, bolder BORN EXPEDITIONS is coming your way. Kiko Rustia and special guest host, wildlife photographer Scott “Gutsy" Tuason, travel to Thailand and South Africa to document two of the world’s monster species. The Monster of Mae Klong Mae Klong River in Western Thailand has its share of strange residents – monsters with long, venomous whips that can cause injury or even death. In the past, fisher folk have died from the monster’s deadly sting. The monster is a fish – a giant freshwater stingray. The giant stingray is five meters long, more than two meters wide, and weighs 600 kilograms (equivalent to 12 sacks of rice). It is considered one of the largest freshwater species in the world and ironically for Thailand, it is also one of the most critically endangered. Kiko Rustia travels to Thailand and attempts a face to face encounter with the monster of Mae Klong. Together with expert anglers and researchers, Kiko prepares for this colossal catch. With the aid of high-tech sensors, baits and lots of luck, Kiko and the team set out for the most gigantic freshwater expedition on Philippine TV. In this episode, they'll be setting up not one, not ten, but fifteen baits to catch the giant. Catching stingrays is part of Thailand ’s program to protect the remaining population of freshwater stingrays in the wild. By tagging each stingray, researchers are able to count and monitor their numbers. But catching the giant stingray is one thing… Putting a tag on it without getting whipped by its deadly tail is another. The Great White Shark A cow shark swims past. For photographers and wildlife enthusiasts, the name Scott “Gutsy" Tuason will surely ring a bell. Gutsy’s passion for photography started when he was ten years old. On a trip around the world, courtesy of his grandfather, he was stunned by the beauty of the places they visited and was in awe of the splendor of nature. This half-Australian, half-Filipino bachelor has traveled from desert to ice, waiting for days just to capture the perfect shot of his subjects—the wildlife. Gutsy remembers spending days and nights aboard a bangka with fishermen to take pictures of tuna. But he considers this as part of the adventure. As he puts it, “Adventure is less accommodation, barely taking a bath, out in the wild with no expectations." To date, Gutsy holds thousands of photos from his trips all over the world. But one of his dream destinations is to visit South Africa . Last June, Gusty jumped on a plane to fulfill this wish. He was able to witness the famous sardine run, where dolphins, sharks and even whales take a feast from millions of sardines. But perhaps the highlight of Gutsy’s South Africa journey came with his encounter of a creature that has long inspired awe and fear – the great white shark. Dolphins and penguins congregate in the annual sardine migration. Photos by Scott “Gutsy" Tuason, taken in South Africa This July, take a rare peak at Gutsy Tuason’s adventures as he lets us in on his journey with the wildlife of Africa .