ANIMAL PLANET TAKES A BITE OUT OF THE NEW YEAR WITH 10 ALL-NEW EPISODES OF "GATOR BOYS"

-- New Episodes Dive Deeper into the Lives of the Guys (and Gals) Who Kiss Gators on Sunday, January 5th --

(New York, NY) - GATOR BOYS forerunners - Paul Bedard and Jimmy Riffle - are saddled up and ready to ring in the New Year with a batch of 10 all-new adventurous episodes. The successful Animal Planet series follows the men and women of Gator Boys Alligator Rescue as they risk life and limb to capture wild alligators using their bare hands, and swim with them unprotected in the Florida waters. As the GATOR BOYS grow in popularity, Jimmy finds his time strained by alligator wrestling road shows, appearances, and now a recently purchased barbeque restaurant. When GATOR BOYS returns on Sunday, January 5, at 9pm ET/PT, the gators may be the only ones smiling until balance is restored to a team that's spread too thin. Leading up to the premiere, there will be a "Top 10 Best Catches" (working title) special airing at 8pm ET/PT, highlighting the biggest, riskiest and most unusual catches of GATOR BOYS history.

There's no question it takes serious guts and determination to do what the GATOR BOYS do. Paul is known for his commanding personality and unmatched skill capturing any-sized gator underwater. And Jimmy has been gator wrestling since the age of 11, giving him the ability to stay quick on his (bare) feet and handle dangerous reptiles with ease. Past seasons of GATOR BOYS have proven that Paul and Jimmy rarely see eye-to-eye on anything other than saving alligators and are constantly at odds. Nothing's changed. In fact, matters are complicated when Jimmy decides to jump headfirst into the restaurant business, not realizing the enormity of the task at hand or that Paul will be left picking up his slack. Together, they must come up with a way to keep Gator Boys Alligator Rescue running smoothly, and still find the time to pursue their other interests.

The entire GATOR BOYS team will see plenty of action in this batch of new episodes, including both familiar and unfamiliar faces. Viewers can look forward to some of the following new developments:

· It's wheels up for the GATOR BOYS when Paul takes the team on a mission south of the border. They've been enlisted to help launch a no-kill crocodile rescue at an aquarium in Mazatlan, Mexico. Upon their arrival, they learn of a legendary croc named "El Diablo," that has been wreaking havoc on villagers for decades. Paul vows not to leave Mexico before capturing this giant and delivering him to the aquarium, saving his skin and the lives of locals.

· After almost a year away working on crocodile research projects in Costa Rica and Peru, Ashley's boyfriend Chris returns to Gator Boys Alligator Rescue. Has absence made the heart grow fonder, or will the lovebirds realize too much time has passed for things to go back to romance as usual?

· Also, Ashley is torn between two loves when she's offered a full-time job-training tigers. Will she return to her first passion, big cats, or stay with the GATOR BOYS and commit to a future working with reptiles?

· Tre and Scott get lost in the endless everglades on a dead airboat. They have no gas and not a clue which way to turn and nightfall is drawing closer. Afraid of never living the story down, will they refuse to send an S.O.S. to Paul or Jimmy?

· Gator Boys Alligator Rescue finds a new volunteer - 12-year-old Eric - who is eager to get his feet wet. A novice addition to the team means there's always someone to look after and ultimately slow things down. Luckily, an unexpected ally takes Eric under his wing, and a new generation of GATOR BOYS is born.

GATOR BOYS is produced by Mike Mathis Productions. Dawn Sinsel is executive producer and Meredith Centrella is production coordinator for Animal Planet. Mike Mathis, Brian Puterman and Eric Streit are executive producers for Mike Mathis Productions.

Animal Planet Media (APM), a multi-media business unit of Discovery Communications, is the world's only entertainment brand that immerses viewers in the full range of life in the animal kingdom with rich, deep content via multiple platforms and offers animal lovers and pet owners access to a centralized online, television and mobile community for immersive, engaging, high-quality entertainment, information and enrichment. APM consists of the Animal Planet television network, available in more than 96 million homes in the US; online assets www.animalplanet.com, the ultimate online destination for all things animal; the 24/7 broadband channel, Animal Planet Beyond; and other media platforms including a robust Video-on-Demand (VOD) service; mobile content; and merchandising extensions.