Dr. Brady Barr

   Reptile expert Dr. Brady Barr is the first person ever to capture and study all 23 species of crocodilians in the wild. Recently, the National Geographic Channel created a special TV program, Dangerous Encounters: Countdown Croc celebrating this historic achievement. The show chronicles Barr's final three captures: a false gharial in Borneo; a Chinese alligator in the Chinese province of Anhui; and a Philippine crocodile on the island of Luzon.

   What has driven Barr for 15 years, through 50 countries is a desire to save these crocs in the wild. At present, nearly one third of all croc species are considered endangered. One of the 23 species he has captured, the wild Siamese crocodile was thought to be functionally extinct in the wild.

   Barr is a longtime on-air contributor to National Geographic, working as a field specialist on National Geographic Explorer since 1997, and hosting Reptile Wild with Dr. Brady Barr on the National Geographic Channel from 2001 through 2002.