Mega Croc vs. Super Snake

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A mining operation in Cerrejon, Northern Colombia revealed a prehistoric world teaming with giant creatures. The biggest of them all was Titanoboa- a 43ft snake, the largest that ever lived. No other creature could match Titanoboa in its size and strength…Or so it was thought. New discoveries in Cerrejon suggest that Titanoboa’s rule was challenged by a giant crocodilian. We follow scientists as they get grips with the size of this animal and uncover what made it so successful. Close analysis of fossils and scientific experiments reveal unmatched hunting prowess. So which one was the apex predator?

Very little was known about the world that followed after the dinosaurs' extinction. But that all changed when a mining operation in Cerrejon, Northern Colombia opened a window onto this mysterious period in earth’s history. A very different world crawling with strange creatures emerged. From turtles the size of a pool table to 8ft lungfish, it was a world of giants. The biggest of them all was Titanoboa- a 43ft snake, the largest that ever lived. No other creature could match Titanoboa in its size and strength…or so it was thought.

A newly found giant vertebra suggests that a crocodile of enormous proportions roamed the earth at the same time. We follow a team of scientists trying to uncover the true size of this newly discovered crocodilian. Could it possibly challenge Titanoboa as the apex predator? By careful analysis of fossils and close examination of their closest living relatives, we will explore how these two giant creatures lived alongside each other and which one was the king of Cerrejon 58 million years ago. From fossil record to the Everglades in Florida, we follow evidence of what happens when two top predators share the same eco system and food resources.

First, a team of researchers must determine just how big this new crocodilian was. We follow Doctor Alex Hastings to Chicago, where he CT scans the bones of the biggest croc that ever lived – Sarcosuchus. By comparing incredibly detailed images of the two giants Alex can calculate the size of this new species. The result might change everything we knew about the creatures that survived the mass extinction…

Then we look for evidence why and how these two animals reached such gargantuan size. Clues from leaves and bones reveal that both snake and the crocodile used very different tricks to launch themselves to the very top of the food chain.

But their size wasn’t the only advantage these animals had. Each of them was armed with unique hunting abilities that set them apart. Our investigators reveal the secrets behind their superpowers that make them the most successful predators that ever lived. We discover that snakes can see heat and crocodiles can sense vibrations in water with incredible precision. Measuring constriction force of living snakes and bite force of alligators, our experts make predictions of just how powerful our Cerrejon beasts were.

All the evidence suggests that 58 million years ago, Cerrejongo was the scene of a monumental battle between two giants equipped with overwhelming hunting prowess. Photo-real CGI will recreate what the fight might have looked like and which one would reign as the apex predator.

Premiered Sunday 28th August @ 8pm on Channel 4

Rights available for Australia and France only.