MonsterQuest

Recent archaeological evidence suggests that common rats once grew to massive sizes. Are these huge rodents making a comeback? Claims of huge rat sightings are being reported in startling numbers. Animal experts believe that these mutant rodents are getting bigger and bolder. Journey into the sewers with rat experts and meet witnesses who tell of cat-sized rats that have appetites for just about anything–including human flesh!

Between 1979 and 1983 over 200 livestock were torn apart on the moors of England. Despite the efforts of armed marines, no predator was ever found and the attacks continue to this day. Eyewitnesses allege that a strange “black beast” is the culprit, but new video evidence could have answers to the mystery. An expedition team interviews the witnesses, analyzes the evidence and attempts to find out what is truly prowling the English countryside.

In 1995, a beast dubbed “El Chupacabra,” spanish for “The Goatsucker,” was first sighted and accused of killing and draining the blood of hundreds of farm animals in Puerto Rico. Eyewitnesses describe it as a two-legged reptile-like beast with sharp claws and sharper fangs. But another rash of sightings, and killings, in Texas last year produced eyewitness descriptions of a creature that looked very different. This episode will go on the hunt for the Texas chupacabra. And for first time on television, DNA tests will be performed on evidence from both the Puerto Rico and Texas sightings in effort to scientifically prove just what these mystery beasts could be.

Native American history is full of “Hairy Man” stories and cave art that date back over a thousand years. Did Native Americans know the truth behind the Bigfoot legend? An expedition along the Klamath River into reservation land will use state of the art technology to search for something locals don’t doubt is real. With unprecedented access to Native American stories and recent sightings, MonsterQuest examines this creature that is both feared and revered.

A vampire scare in New England in the 1700s lasted more than a century and turned families and communities upside down. The dead bodies of those suspected of vampirism were exhumed and ancient curse-breaking rituals were performed on them. Watch as the latest technology is used to analyze historic evidence of the New England vampires and discover if there was any basis for the panic. Medical science is also used to examine those who believe themselves to be modern day vampires. Is there a common element between the suspected vampires of America’s past and present?

Throughout history there have been sightings of a massive Octopus big enough to attack and sink boats. Could such a creature really exist? Our divers probe the depths of the North Pacific where the world’s largest known species of octopus lives. Could these octopuses be a food source for a monster? The investigation will use various underwater camera systems, including a tiny camera small enough to probe inside octopus lairs. Deep waters, rough currents, freezing temperatures and the prospect of encountering a 20-ton boneless horror make this a dangerous expedition.

What is the Monster of Whitehall? In 1976, in upstate New York, several police officers reported seeing an animal that they couldn’t identify. It was described as a “large creature, seven to eight feet tall, walking like a gorilla hunched over and making a sound like “a woman screaming.” More than 30 years have passed and the sightings continue. The original police officers have agreed to be tested. Follow our team as they work with local researchers and renowned wildlife experts on the trail of the Monster of Whitehall.

Join divers, biologists and forensic sketch artists as they team up to search for “Cressie”, the mysterious creature allegedly lurking at the bottom of Lake Crescent in New Foundland. Native American legends date back centuries and refer to a “Pond Devil” and a “Swimming Demon”. There have been recent sightings by witnesses who describe seeing a strange oversized eel. Discover what the evidence reveals as scientists use the latest hi-tech equipment to get to the bottom of Lake Crescent.

Take a journey to the Far East, to the remote Chinese province of Hubai to discover what locals have dubbed the “Wild-Man.” Witnesses have reported seeing a creature that is covered in reddish-brown hair, walks on two legs and is anywhere from five to seven-feet tall. Chinese authorities have collected over one hundred samples of unidentified hairs from the alleged monster and claim that it is just a matter of time before they capture this “Wild-Man.” Join an international team of experts in a search for answers.

Are big bears are getting more assertive and aggressive? In pre-historic times, giant bears weighed up to a ton and stalked early man. Listen as witnesses describe horrific bear attacks and take a look at unusual bear remains. The team journeys from Alaska to New Jersey to learn about bear activity and if hybridization or the next step in bear evolution could produce another crop of giant bears?

Does a monster of gigantic proportions thrive one thousand feet under the ocean’s surface in the Sea of Cortez? Watch video evidence captured in 2006 by our expedition team of what appears to be a giant squid. Although the footage is less than two seconds long, and difficult to analyze, some experts believe that the squid can be as large as one hundred feet in length. Return to the area with our team, equipped with improved technology, to find proof of this legendary sea beast.

Join an expedition into the wilderness of South America on the hunt for a monster-sized predatory spider. In the forests of Venezuela there are reports of spiders big enough to hunt and eat a small dog, and villagers build their huts in such a way as to keep giant spiders out. In 2006 an American soldier in Iraq was photographed with what appeared to be a three foot long arachnid. Watch as experts investigate the validity of these and other strange sightings, and examine man’s fear of spiders.

One of the deadliest predators in the ocean, the Bull Shark, can tolerate fresh water. It can swim hundreds of miles upstream–one strange photo from the 1930s suggests that sharks can even reach Illinois. This one-hour “shark” special will look for proof of sharks in freshwater, uncovering a deadly attack from history, and searching the bayous of Louisiana for predators. (Updated to include new footage.)

Travel to the Blue Mountains of Australia in search of the huge Megalania lizard that once stalked early man. History tells us that the lizard is long extinct, but there are those who believe Megalania still exists. The Komodo dragon is Megalania’s closest living cousin–these giant reptiles can grow to over ten feet long and have a venomous bite. Watch as the team examines recent reports of attacks and even killings by the world’s largest known lizards.