BRADY
BARR: National Geographic Reptile Expert
Herpetologist Brady Barr, Ph.D., host of National Geographic Channel’s weekly series Reptile Wild with Dr. Brady Barr, is an expert on the modern crocodilian species and has conducted field research on crocs in every continent in which they exist (five). A former high school biology and zoology teacher, Barr has pursued his lifelong passion for reptiles and turned it into several of the most ambitious field studies ever conducted.
In 2001, Barr assisted renowned paleontologist and Explorer-in-Residence, Paul Sereno, in his effort to recreate “SuperCroc,” a prehistoric fossil discovery that at 10 tons and 40 feet was among the largest crocodiles ever to roam the planet. Working together, they traveled the globe to study the anatomy and behavior of modern crocodilian species, looking for clues to put flesh on bone and create a life-size reconstruction of this ancient beast.
The year 2002 also has been a busy one for Barr, with his research expeditions taking him to Cambodia, French Guiana, Brazil, Africa, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. In Cambodia he accomplished an extraordinary feat by capturing a species of croc thought, at one time, to be functionally extinct. His capture of a wild Siamese Crocodile was a first for the scientific community in decades. Barr has now captured and studied 16 of the 23 species of crocs on the planet, and is on the verge of a monumental achievement. He stands to become the first person to ever capture all 23 species of crocodilians in the wild, a goal he hopes to achieve in early 2003.
Additionally, Barr’s recent work in Costa Rica as a National Geographic Society grantee focuses on conservation and preservation of the American crocodile. The project has three goals: education, restocking of rivers, and relocation of crocodiles. A key component of his work has been working with local schoolchildren to coordinate baby crocodile release efforts that help them understand the importance of the crocodile to their ecosystem.
Barr joined National Geographic in 1997 as a field specialist for the National Geographic EXPLORER series (which airs on MSNBC), becoming National Geographic’s resident herpetologist. His National Geographic film credits include “Gator Doc,” “Savage Salties,” “Velvet Killers,” “Crocodile Wild,” “Outback Venom,” “Diving Shark Alley,” “Paradise in Peril,” “Clan of the Snake Catchers,” “Cuban Crocs,” “Man-Eaters of Malawi,” “Snake Island,” and the kids’ videos “Comets and Asteroids,” “Earth Alive,” and “Where Storms Begin.”
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, in downtown Raleigh, documents and interprets the natural history of the state of North Carolina through exhibits, research, collections, publications, and educational programming. Hours: Mon.-Sat., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sun., noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free. Visit the Museum on the web at www.naturalsciences.org. The Museum is an agency of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, William G. Ross Jr., Secretary.
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