āEven the good guys were doing bad thingsā: the wild, twisted story behind the new Tiger King
Monsters of God is a jaw-dropping new series from the makers of the hit Netflix pandemic smash, exploring the murky world of exotic reptile smuggling
Monsters of God is a jaw-dropping new series from the makers of the hit Netflix pandemic smash, exploring the murky world of exotic reptile smuggling In 1993, a sci-fi blockbuster about an animal theme park that resurrected the dinosaurs sparked more than a flurry of interest in those long-extinct beasts. It left audiences jonesing for the next best thing: a close encounter with a bearded dragon or a ball python.
Jeremy McBride, the Emmy-winning film-maker was one of them. āI wanted a pet iguana,ā he said. In the wake of the Spielberg classic, reptiles have become fixtures of the modern imagination, adorning zoo exhibits, living room terrariums and every corner of pop culture while underpinning a multibillion-dollar pet trade. But just as in Jurassic Park, the urgent danger isnāt the prehistoric creatures with the teeth and venom.
Itās the people willing to steal, smuggle and kill for them. People like the Pablo Escobar of animal trafficking. āOur next documentary is going to be called Who Backstabbed Who,ā jokes Eric Goode, an Emmy-nominated director. āYou never know when that knife is going to go in your back because everyoneās trying to make a deal with the feds, with another reptile dealer.
Even the good guys were supposedly doing bad things. Itās messy.ā Continue reading...
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