The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course

Dr. Weinberger...

...the data I'm getting on SE-2020 via the DSS shows...

...that it's moving out of the scheduled orbit.

Punch up SE-2020, with coordinates.

Check the orbit deviation and alert Canberra.

I'll be right there.

We've lost the satellite over Queensland.

They self-destruct if they stray from orbit.

Canberra lost it when we did.

Order a copy of all transmissions to DSN stations in the last 24 hours.

It landed, and then Australia lost transmission.

Looks like the U.S. government has a problem in Australia.

Oh, crikey!

Terri, get the catching bag!

These lizards are like land crocodiles!

Their teeth are like tiger sharks!

And if you get too close, they'll towel-whack you!

You're a slippery little guy.

What a steamer!

Close!

Not only can they run like blazes, but they can also scale these sharp rocks...

...like it's going out of fashion.

This is his territory.

Up there he'll have a couple good-looking Sheilas...

...just waiting for him.

He gave me the slip. That's all right.

Have a look at this!

Poo! Perentie poo!

What a beauty!

That's some good perentie poo. It can tell me a lot about the animal.

What we've got in here is pig's ear...

...snake skin...

...a little bit of lizard skin.

And check this out!

A lizard claw!

From another lizard.

The perentie is the master.

He sits up here in the escarpment, watching from his nice cool tunnel.

Watching. Waiting. Sees a bit of movement.

They can spot movement from 300 meters away!

Way down there in the sand dunes. Spots it. Goes down. Waits.

Runs out! Strikes! Lacerates!

Then swallows it whole and comes back up here into its cool retreat.

This is really important. I'm going to save it for later.

We're here in the outback on a field study trip for the zoo...

...hoping to find some of Australia's more unlovable creatures for research.

Here's your poo, mate.

We're heading for snake country!

Australia is home to the most venomous snakes in the world.

And with a bit of luck, we'll find some.

Okay, Sui, in the truck.

This is going to be a great adventure! You all right, mate?

You never know what's out there.

- Wheeler. - Archer.

Must be good if they got us in here at 3:00 a.m.

Ron.

Wheeler.

Good to see you.

At 2200 hours, East Coast Time...

...a U.S. satellite was terminated over Australia...

...due to mechanical failure.

The primary function of this device was intelligence collection.

Gentlemen.

Thanks for coming in at such short notice.

The downed satellite collected sensitive photographic data.

The equivalent of a million images are stored inside the hard drive of this.

The black box.

A beacon. An Alpha-Proton Beacon.

Developed for a Mars mission.

Designed to withstand landing in the most extreme conditions conceivable.

I didn't know any were operational.

As far as we are concerned, none are.

We have every reason to believe that the beacon survived.

If it ends up in the wrong hands...

...it has enough documentation to change the power structure...

...of the entire modern world.

Have you picked up any signal?

Australia has, twice in the last four hours.

- That's encouraging. - It's inconsistent.

Either there's damage, or someone's beaten us to the site.

We'll hope for damage.

We're leaking word of a routine parts pick-up.

Standard satellite junk.

We can't risk tipping anyone to the potential of this.

Translation?

You'll only have basic local support. One operative.

So it's really on the two of you.

You leave first thing in the morning.

North Queensland.

Australia.

Thank God it's a friendly country.

Leave...

...my cows alone!

Think you're going to get away with it that easy? I don't think so!

This is private property!

You dirty, rotten, stinking mongrel!

No.

Poor Daisy.

You no-good...

...cattle-stealing...

...handbag.

Now, go on, nick off!

Get down. Down.

What do you want?

Call off your dogs, and I'll let you know.

I'd offer you a cold drink, but I don't want you to stay.

I know since Otis died that you've had a hard time on your own--

You don't know anything about me.

I know you've been shooting up a storm at the river. I've had calls.

This could get you into a serious amount of trouble.

How come it's illegal for me to kill a croc...

...but not for a croc to kill my cows?

The law is the law. You must work within the legal boundaries.

You work within them. I'll work with a shotgun.

I'm warning you.

I'll find a solution. Don't do something you'll regret.

You're here, so I guess I already have.

Now, rack off, Sam!

Get your scrawny bottom back in that truck.

Come on. Chop-chop.

You're trespassing on my land.

I mean it, Brozzie.

So do I.

It's croc-killing time.

It's croc-saving time!

We've had to interrupt our great adventure...

...to help some local fishermen with a problem crocodile.

Come on, Sui.

In this case, the crocodile sees the fishermen as the source of its food supply.

And this young tacker has been getting very cheeky.

The last few months a crocodile has been causing trouble around here...

...where people are swimming.

When the blokes come back from fishing...

...they filet their fish, throw the scraps in the water...

...and that encourages the croc to hang around.

Now everybody who comes down here...

...is scared the croc's going to have a go at them.

As the world population explodes...

...our wildlife is under increasing pressure to survive...

...as natural habitat diminishes every single day.

Our job is to locate the croc, jump it, try and get it into the boat...

...then relocate it so that it will never run into conflict with people again.

Now, it's not the croc's fault.

He doesn't come into our swimming pool. We're actually going into his.

They're apex predators at the top of the food chain.

Without crocodiles the whole ecosystem would suffer.

We've got to catch this croc.

Otherwise they'll shoot it dead and turn it into boots, bags and belts.

During the day, a crocodile in this river can remain almost invisible.

But when night falls, our spotlights should lead us to him like a signpost.

And I'll face the added danger of having to catch this crocodile by hand.

Steve's been catching crocodiles this way with his dad since he was a boy.

The dangerous part is judging the size of the croc before jumping it.

We're looking for eye shine.

Crocodiles are ambush predators. They rely on camouflage.

But in the spotlight, their eyes shine bright red...

...which enables us to sneak right up on them.

Got it, mate! Keep your spottie right on it.

Get around.

Here is a battle of strength and endurance.

The only way to toss this croc is to wear him out.

He's got the strength of three blokes my size!

Get the jaw rope!

Our only means of restraining him is via a top jaw rope.

Get her with a top jaw rope!

It's critical to get his top jaw secured.

Lassoing those gnashing, thrashing teeth doesn't come easy.

Get it on!

He's thrashing too hard!

If I loosen my grip, he'll rip me to shreds.

- Go! - I got it.

Hang onto her. I'll tie her off.

The second top jaw rope is not on really good.

Protect Sui. Get the top jaw rope.

Too easy, mate.

I called you in because you're an Aussie.

I have an important assignment for you.

The CIA is sending two undercover field operatives...

...to Australia to retrieve the SE-2020's data recorder.

Isn't satellite surveillance your department's domain?

It is. But Reynolds got the jump on me.

He bypassed the National Reconnaissance Office...

...before I could respond.

He's after the top job, and this could just give him the edge over me.

What do you want me to do?

Get the beacon before Archer and Wheeler.

Australia's main industries are mining and agriculture.

Coal is the most important resource, followed by copper, lead and bauxite.

That's a decent cover. Let's go with mineral exploration.

We're taking the mobile antenna?

Yeah.

This sure doesn't look like your average satellite recovery situation.

The Aussie contact won't figure it out.

Well...

...this is all I need.

Come on. There's nothing that's gonna hurt you in Australia.

This is the fierce snake.

Come here, mate.

The most venomous snake in the world! This is one wild unit.

This is the snake you don't want to get tagged by...