NEWS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE WRIGHT MAN FOR THE JOB!
CHOPPER PILOT & ANIMAL RESCUER MATT WRIGHT RELOCATES
ANIMALS TO KEEP THEM OUT OF DANGER
Nat Geo WILD’s New Series Outback Wrangler Follows Matt Wright in His Chopper as He
Hangs Below to Rescue and Relocate Saltwater Crocodiles,
Chases Feral Buffalos & Tracks Elephants
New Series Outback Wrangler Premieres October 2011 on Nat Geo WILD
(WASHINGTON, D.C. — JULY 28, 2011) Crocodiles attacking cattle. Feral buffalos running rampant.
Elephants damaging plantations. More than ever, humans’ and animals’ worlds are colliding, making it
increasingly difficult for them to coexist. But one man is working tirelessly to keep the animals, locals and
environment out of danger.
Meet Matt Wright, a rugged helicopter pilot turned animal relocation expert on a mission to reset the
balance between dangerous animals and people by relocating wildlife. Premiering October 2011 on Nat
Geo WILD, the new series Outback Wrangler follows Matt and his trusty canine companion, Nash, as
he sweeps over vast territories by helicopter, motorcycle, horse or jeep, often risking life and limb to
ensure that wildlife and locals are safe.
Matt is called into remote locations from the Australian outback to the wilds of Asia to handle jobs big and
small, taking on a threatened population of elephants, relocating feral horses, wrangling some of the
largest crocs on the planet or contending with some of the most poisonous snakes known to man. We’ll
ride along with Matt, who uses his helicopter to transport and catch animals, sometimes dangling from it
in maneuvers worthy of any Hollywood stuntman.
Premiere episodes include:
Outback Wrangler: Croc Swarm
The largest croc on earth, the saltwater crocodile, can reach 20 feet long and prowls the wetlands of
Australia’s Northern Territory. During the wet season, they lay their eggs in freshwater, where the locals
dig them up to control the population of these formidable predators. Matt and his team are on a mission
to collect 20,000 eggs from their nests before it is too late. Flying above the nests in a chopper, Matt is
lowered by his own invention, which separates the man in the nest from the protective mother croc. But
not all the problem animals are in the water. Feral buffalos are running rampant and causing massive
damage. Matt executes a high-speed helicopter and car chase to herd the buffalos into his “Mad Max
machine,” which grabs the speeding beasts.
Outback Wrangler: Wild Horse Bust
Wild horses, known as brumbies, are running rampant in the Australian outback, creating havoc for
ranchers, who are out to exterminate these majestic animals. Trying to corral them requires a
coordinated, multipronged attack with two helicopters and several men on horseback to herd the fiercely
wild horses into a stockyard. Matt happens to stumble upon other infamous outback wildlife, including
the highly venomous eastern brown snake, able to kill a human. But Matt doesn’t shy away from this
beast; he safely relocates him to the river, removing him from potential human contact.
CONTINUES…
PAGE 2/NAT GEO WILD’S “OUTBACK WRANGLER”
Outback Wrangler: Flying Crocs
The saltwater crocodile is a top predator in Australia, and more than just a very expensive nuisance for
cattle ranchers. Too often, cattle owners will shoot and destroy crocs in their territory to keep their herds
safe. Matt’s solution is to raise these immense creatures by a sling under his helicopter to then relocate
them away from people and cattle. But first he has to catch them. Matt will trap the crocodiles and lift
them in a net with his chopper. However, before he can move them away from the locals, he first must
struggle to tape the croc’s formidable jaws shut to protect beast and man alike.
Outback Wrangler: Predator Island
Habitat destruction and an increasing human population have resulted in deadly consequences for both
the animals and humans in Borneo. Matt flies to the rescue to help with a diverse range of animals
creating mayhem for the locals. His skills are put to the test trying to relocate a group of highly intelligent
elephants, including one who is wounded and in need of care. Matt also takes on a king cobra, the
world’s largest venomous snake, and puts his outback experience to work confronting massive saltwater
crocs found here as well.
Outback Wrangler is produced by Freehand for Nat Geo WILD. For Freehand, executive producer is
Colette Beaudry. For Nat Geo WILD, executive producer is Madeleine Carter, and senior vice president
of production is Geoff Daniels.
For more information visit, www.natgeowild.com.
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NAT GEO WILD
For more than 30 years, National Geographic has been the leader in wildlife programming. Now the animal
kingdom is taking center stage on a brand-new network, Nat Geo WILD. Offering intimate encounters with nature’s
ferocious fighters and gentle creatures of land, sea and air, Nat Geo WILD and Nat Geo WILD HD will draw upon
the cutting-edge work of the many explorers, filmmakers and scientists who have long-standing relationships with
the National Geographic Society. Nat Geo WILD is a joint venture between Fox Cable Networks (FCN) and
National Geographic Ventures (NGV) ― the same partnership behind the National Geographic Channel (NGC),
which launched January 2001 and has since been one the most successful new networks on the landscape. Nat
Geo WILD launched globally more than three years ago and is the fastest growing channel among the international
portfolio of National Geographic networks.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Chris Albert, National Geographic Channel, 202-912-6526, CAlbert@natgeotv.com
Rajul Mistry, 202-912-6794, RMisrtry@natgeotv.com
Photos: Sarah Hughes, 202-912-6670, shughes@natgeotv.com