July 30, 2014

(Silver Spring, MD) Across the American wilderness, millions of acres of uncharted swamplands and underground lairs are rumored to be inhabited by unidentified monsters. Generations of speculation have piqued the curiosity of nearby communities and monster enthusiasts alike, but none have come close to solving the mystery of what these elusive creatures are… until now. Destination America hunts for the truth in the new three-part series SWAMP MONSTERS, premiering Friday, August 22 at 9/8c,followed by back-to-back premiere episodes of the new six-part series MONSTERS UNDERGROUND at 10/9c and 10:30/9:30c.

First, deep in the heart of Louisiana’s bayou, upwards of 100 people go missing each year and, if you ask locals, many will say SWAMP MONSTERS got ‘em. Elliot Guidry and his Cajun crew have made it their mission to track down, identify, and eliminate the threat posed by legendary, deadly monsters like the Cajun werewolf. Then in MONSTERS UNDERGROUND, Bill Brock and his team are hell-bent on proving the existence of monsters living beneath the earth’s surface. During their underground investigations, one wrong move could turn the cave into their tomb. But the most dangerous threat of all is the pitch-black darkness and the risk of coming face to face with a cave creature – such as the shape-shifting Aswang or the bat-like Olitiau – and not seeing it until it’s too late.

“America’s swamps and caves are inherently terrifying places with real-life dangers like quicksand, gators, disorienting darkness, and claustrophobic passageways with only one way out – not to mention monsters,” said Marc Etkind, general manager of Destination America. “These hostile conditions ward off every-day visitors, but the time has come for a few good men to brave the elements and stand up against these SWAMP MONSTERS and MONSTERS UNDERGROUND. No one but Elliot, Brock, and their teams of expert trackers, trappers, and hardcore outdoorsmen is better suited to accept the mission. 

SWAMP MONSTERS investigates Cajun creatures that thrive in the muck and mud of Louisiana’s bayou, where residents have been reporting mysterious encounters for 100 years. Risking life and limb, a bayou-born-and-bred band of investigators who call themselves the Bayou Enforcement Agency for Supernatural Threats (BEAST), are ready for battle against these marshy monsters. Their team leader, Elliot Guidry, is a hunting and fishing guide who has seen the signs of deadly bayou creatures but has never been close enough to take a shot. Now, he’s ready to take back the swamp with the help of his life-long friends: a weapons and tactics aficionado, an expert tracker, and a water navigator who also serves as the team researcher.

Episodes include:

The Grunch premieres Friday, August 22 at 9/8c
In the mystical lagoons, marshes and swamps of Louisiana’s bayou, Elliot Guidry and his team of BEAST (the Bayou Enforcement Agency on Supernatural Threats) battle the elements while tracking down a pack of the infamous Grunch. Born of the Devil himself, the Grunch have been terrorizing Louisiana residents for centuries. These skin and bones, dog-like creatures have ridged backs, stand three feet tall and emit a horrible screech. After following these monsters into the middle of the swamp, BEAST realizes that the hunter has become the hunted as they’re surrounded by a hungry pack of Grunch. The remaining two episodes feature the Honey Island Swamp Monster and the Cajun Werewolf.

 

In MONSTERS UNDERGROUND, a military survivalist, a trained biologist, a reclusive hunter-tracker, and a hulking pro fighter are on the case to investigate deadly monsters living in the most inaccessible environments on earth: underground caves, caverns, and mines. There, they seek out legendary creatures that thrive in the cold, damp darkness beneath our feet. For thousands of years, myth and folklore have warned of beasts that prowl the underworld. Now, Bill Brock and his team dare to trespass on their realm for the sake of discovering the truth, putting their lives on the line to venture deep under the earth’s surface where natural elements can be as dangerous as the monsters themselves.

Episodes include:

Volcano Cavern Olitiau premieres Friday, August 22 at 10/9c In the maze that is Volcano Caverns in Flagstaff, Ariz., Bill Brock and his team believe that a giant, deadly reptilian bat creature known as the Olitiau, or “cave demon” has made this cave its home. One of the attributes of this blood-sucking creature is that it can sense fear in its prey. As the team explores the labyrinth of tunnels, sounds of the creature get closer and closer. The team gathers where they last heard the creature and wait. As a heat signature begins to appear on their thermal camera, their night vision dies, leaving them blind and vulnerable to becoming the Olitiau’s next victims. Graveyard Gulch Mapinguari premieres Friday, August 22 at 10:30/9:30c Something has been feeding on Northern California’s black bear population, and Bill Brock’s team of monster hunters suspects the culprit is the Mapinguari, a descendant of the giant prehistoric sloth. Evidence leads them to Graveyard Gulch, an isolated cave that’s treacherous because of what might be living there but also due to extremely narrow passageways and slippery surfaces that lead to deadly drop-offs. Following the stench of the Mapinguari, the team sets their trap deep underground. As they wait in the dark, Brock’s thermal camera picks up an image while something unexpected and deadly prepares to strike. Remaining episodes feature the Rake (The Grand Canyon – Peach Springs, Ariz.), the Aswang (Apache Death Cave – Two Guns, Ariz.), the Subterralien (Shadow Mine – Calaveras County, Calif.), and the Draco (Cross Creek Cavern – Angels Camp, Calif.).

SWAMP MONSTERS is produced by Varuna with Al Bazzy, Prema Ball, Tulsy Ball, Tim Furlong, Andy Lipson, and Rob Zazzali as executive producers. For Destination America, Fay Yu is executive producer, Marc Etkind is general manager, and Henry Schleiff is Group President, Investigation Discovery, Destination America, American Heroes Channel and Discovery Fit & Health.

MONSTERS UNDERGROUND is produced by Go Go Luckey Entertainment with Julie Auerbach, Tina Gazzerro Clapp, Henry Capanna, William F. Castonzo, and Douglas Segal as executive producers and Christian Horner as co-executive producer. For Destination America, Caroline Perez is executive producer, Marc Etkind is general manager, and Henry Schleiff is Group President, Investigation Discovery, Destination America, American Heroes Channel and Discovery Fit & Health.

 

About Destination America

Destination America is the only network to celebrate the people, places, and stories of the United States. The inclusive network targeting Adults 25-54 is available in nearly 60 million homes, emblazoning television screens with the grit and tenacity, honesty and work ethic, humor and adventurousness that characterize our nation. Destination America features travel, food, adventure, home, and natural history, with original series like BBQ Pitmasters; A Haunting; Mountain Monsters; Buying Alaska; Buying the Bayou; and Railroad Alaska. For more information, please visit DestinationAmerica.com, facebook.com/DestinationAmerica, or twitter.com/DestAmerica. Destination America is part of Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the world’s #1 nonfiction media company reaching more than 2.7 billion cumulative subscribers in 220 countries and territories.