Patrick Aryee

What was your most memorable encounter?

The Komodo dragons. These are the largest, heaviest lizards in the world and are isolated on a few remote islands in Indonesia. They have 60 super-sharp, serrated teeth and it was only discovered relatively recently that their venom is an anti-coagulant. Approaching one – even on an open sandy beach in the early morning – gave me goosebumps. We also captured several dragons feasting on water buffalo, which has rarely been filmed.

Which species was most challenging to find?

The green anaconda in the Pantanal. It’s the world’s largest snake, so I thought it would be easy to track down. Not so, as it lives both on land and in the water. It took several days to locate the individual we filmed, and to access that stretch of water we had to hoist our boat and kit up a steep bank around a waterfall.

What science did you find most interesting?

‘Tuskers’ are African elephants with extra-long tusks, which are partly a result of their genetic make-up. Tuskers are prime targets for poachers, so these genes could be wiped out. It’s interesting science, but also reflects the consequences of this tragic conflict.

You freedive with a sperm whale for the series. Did this require much training?

This was actually was my first dive after learning the basics in a pool – I took to it quite quickly. It was the most incredible experience of my life.