History Channel - Beast Legends (2012)

Griffins, kraken, wild men, mega jaws and giant sea creatures… We've all heard stories about these strange and unidentifiable creatures. Now these animals are brought to life by credible and expert investigators in Beast Legends. Each episode takes an iconic mystery animal and for the first time, scientifically investigates it. A team of 'Beast Seekers', made up of leading zoologists and specialist scientists, tease clues about the animals from first-hand accounts and physical evidence, to arrive at groundbreaking conclusions.
Then it's into the ‘Beast Lab' where the animal is constructed, and with stunning CGI, is merged into its environment, revealing it as a living, breathing creature with flesh and blood… Taking it from dreams and nightmares to an all too real existence.

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Part 1: Kraken
The Kraken is a creature that has haunted sailors for centuries. It’s a terrifying and huge squid-like creature with lots of tentacles and teeth! It resides in the murkiest depths of the ocean, only surfacing to drag unsuspecting sailors off their ship decks, sink boats and crush ships. Sailors have discussed this creature in terrified whispers for centuries; however it wasn’t until the 17th century in Scandinavia that it was given the name The Kraken. There are people alive today who can give eyewitness accounts of chilling encounters with this beast. One of the eyewitnesses is a world-class sailing champion in France who survived a rather nasty meeting with a kraken-like-creature.


Part 2: Megajaws
Megajaws, also known as Daquwaqa, is revered by the people of Fiji as an omnipotent and omniscient being. He’s a god, with the ability to shift his shape to anything at will, but spends most of his time as a shark. Though he lives to protect the waters of Fiji, his image is as terrifying as it is benevolent. He has the power to crush a ship with just one bite, is several times the size of a great white shark and is super speedy. It is said that the legend of Megajaws is inspired by the giant bull shark. These can be found off the coast of Fiji.


Part 3: Griffin
The Winged Lion, also known as the Griffin, hails from the harsh climate of the Altai Mountains on the western edge of Mongolia. Legend has it that this creature remained in the mountains to protect its bountiful hoard of gold from thieves. Anytime a thief would approach the gold, The Winged Lion would swoop from the sky and rip the thief and its horse to shreds. It’s a larger than life beast with the head and sharp beak of an eagle, the body of a lion, and a gigantic wing-span. Its weapon of choice is its razor sharp talons which it uses for attacking its prey, or maiming interlopers.


Part 4: The Bird Monster
The Bird Monster is a creature of Navajo legend. In the Mexican desert you can find Shiprock Mountain, and legend has it that this is actually the perch of The Bird Monster. This beast is said to be blood thirsty and vicious, with the wingspan of an aeroplane and the predatory nature of an eagle. It swoops down from its mountain perch and snatches up unsuspecting men, tearing them to bits, before smashing them on the rocks and feeding the pieces to its chicks.


Part 5: Fire Dragon
The legend of the Fire Dragon begins in seventeenth century Poland. The dragon, known as Smok, has jaws large and strong enough to crush a bison, seriously sharp teeth and scales tough enough to snap the strongest and sharpest of swords. Most importantly, it can breathe fire and has an impressive wing span, enabling it to fly really fast! Citizens living in the city near its cave were terrified of it; they sacrificed virgins to it and sent their best Knights to try to kill the beast. None were successful until a local cobbler named Krak devised a rather cunning plan. He stuffed a sheep with sulphur and left it at the entrance to the dragon’s cave. When he ate it, the sheep expanded in his stomach and he died. The city was then named after the cobbler: Krakow.


Part 6: Wildman of Vietnam
The Wildman of Vietnam is said to live in the unexplored and remote forests of Vietnam. He is an enormous hairy beast that bears a strong resemblance to Sasquatch or Big Foot. There have been several sightings of the creature throughout history, with the most notable being in 1968 by a highly decorated American Vietnam war veteran. Many think this is the same creature as that spotted throughout Vietnam, Laos and Borneo – The Batutut. This beast has been described as being approximately 6ft tall and covered in hair. Some reports say he is black, but some brown or red. Witnesses have described the creature as very aggressive, and some claim to have seen it kill humans by ripping out their livers.