Australian wildlife keeper Matt Wright has a new show coming to Netflix in October called Wild crocodile territory. Showbiz Cheat Sheet spoke with the reality celebrity to find out more about the series. Here’s a peek inside our conversation.
Showbiz Cheat Sheet: What can the public expect from your new Netflix series, ‘Wild Croc Territory?’
Matt Wright: In the new series, the Australian outback is majestic as we relocate the world’s largest saltwater crocodiles and go on epic adventures with my beautiful wife Kaia, my young son Banjo and my great team.
The new show is both breathtakingly beautiful and poignantly daunting with plenty of close calls and action that keeps you on the edge of your seat. There’s no denying I’m a bit of an adrenaline junkie, but my true passion is helping humans and crocs co-exist – protecting animals and keeping people safe is what my job is all about.
CS: How and why did you get into this line of work as a wildlife relocator?
megawatts: I was crazy about snakes when I was a kid, I used to follow brown snakes (one of the deadliest animals in the world) and put them in a bucket to proudly show them to my mom. I had a connection and love for reptiles for a long time, so when I moved to the northern part of Australia, my passion shifted from snakes to crocodiles.
The high concentration of these beautiful creatures here, in addition to getting my helicopter license, opened up a lot of work on wildlife relocation. Overall, I felt that I personally had the right mix of skills to get the job done, as well as a love of adventure and a desire for freedom in everything I did. It was the perfect job for me.
CS: What was the scariest moment you’ve ever had at work?
megawatts: There have been many exciting moments over the years. From crocodile tails swinging and knocking me over, to being thrown from a small boat into crocodile-infested waters, a lot of this stuff becomes pretty standard. But one time that I will always remember is when I had a 9 foot long alligator bite into the skid of my helicopter and not let go of me while trying to take off. I got to about 20 feet in the air until she decided to let go of me. It was a tough time being in the air and trying to control a helicopter while realizing there was a crocodile dangling below me!
CS: What advice would you give someone who is afraid of animals like snakes or crocodiles?
megawatts: Knowledge is power. Take the time to understand the animal. As soon as you understand their habits and behaviors, you will soon realize that there is nothing scary about them. It’s about being aware and having respect when you’re around them. I promise you, humans are much scarier than snakes and crocodiles!
CS: What advice would you give someone who encounters a wild animal while camping or hiking? How can you make sure you don’t hurt yourself?
megawatts: Stay calm and try to back up as quietly as you can and try to find bushes, trees or somewhere to move behind. Animals get scared and run away or chase them with jerky movements, so smooth movements are best.
Wild Croc Territory airs on Netflix on October 12.
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