"MONSTER WEEK" RETURNS TO ANIMAL PLANET ON MAY 26 WITH ALL-NEW PROGRAMMING YOU CAN REALLY SINK YOUR TEETH INTO

- The Eight Nights of Deadly and Dangerous Animals That Satisfy Your Hunger for All Things Beastly Include the Season Finale of RIVER MONSTERS and Sneak Peeks of Two New Series THE VET LIFE and LONE STAR LAW -

(New York, NY) MONSTER WEEK, Animal Planet's most anticipated week of the year, returns for its fifth year Thursday, May 26 at 9 PM with jaw-dropping stories of some of the most menacing and merciless animals roaming the planet. From dangerous reptiles and an invasion of crocs to killer swarms, lions on the loose and bone-chilling 9-1-1 animal attack calls, MONSTER WEEK delivers 11 all-new specials spanning the globe to bring viewers up close and personal with unpredictable and unimaginable creatures - but beware, some are lurking closer than you think.

Hangry for more? MONSTER WEEK kicks off this year with an all-new episode of the network's #1 series RIVER MONSTERS and concludes with the program's season finale Thursday, June 2, at 8 PM. Stay tuned every night for super-sized episodes of RIVER MONSTERS where viewers come face to face with the incredible animals lying in wait just below the ocean's surface. Throughout this monstrous week, viewers also get a taste of upcoming series THE VET LIFE, which follows veterinarians, Dr. Diarra Blue, Dr. Aubrey Ross and Dr. Michael Lavigne as they juggle running a vet clinic and managing family life and LONE STAR LAW - the freshman series showing that even wildlife crime is bigger and badder in Texas. Immediately following the conclusion of MONSTER WEEK, Animal Planet brings justice to the small screen with a new season of NORTH WOODS LAW followed by the series premiere of LONE STAR LAW; see the game wardens in action beginning Thursday, June 2, at 9 PM.

"Monster Week is the most audacious of Animal Planet's quarterly tentpole events continually surprising our viewers with the most enigmatic of creatures," said Rich Ross, group president of Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and Science Channel.

The full MONSTER WEEK line-up includes:

RABID: Animals can be many things to many people; however, if they carry the rabies virus, they are deadly. Rabies infect animals, turning their bites and scratches into an attack on the body that can leave its victims unaware of the absolute carnage awaiting their nervous system. RABID explores the animals carrying the rabies virus and profiles three individuals and communities that were forever altered by the insidious virus. Monster's Inside Me host/biologist Dan Riskin shares how this microscopic monster can be just as dangerous to a human as any animal they may encounter.

9-1-1 ENCOUNTERS: When humans and wild animals unexpectedly intersect, the outcomes can be as alarming as they are dangerous for both the animals and humans. 9-1-1 ENCOUNTERS documents the thousands of calls Americans make each year when dialing 9-1-1 after suddenly being caught in life-and-death confrontations with animals on the prowl. This two-part special features real-life dispatch calls from some of the most terrifying and bizarre animal encounters on record. From coyotes stalking an unsuspecting hiker, thousands of birds inexplicably falling from the sky and two men attacked by a swarm of bees, there's nothing more shocking than the actual 9-1-1- call.

In YETI OR NOT, Dr. Mark Evans, a veterinarian and explorer, is on a mission to sift fact from folklore and distil the plausible from the possible as he searches for a rational explanation for the mysterious Himalayan biped known as the Yeti. Evan's globe-spanning investigation evaluates mysterious footprints, Yeti-hunting Nazis and real-life 'hobbits'. He travels to Nepal's wild Tibetan frontier in search of new, untested remains believed to be from Yetis. Will the DNA from these and other samples finally solve the world's most intriguing zoological puzzle? Can science play a role in solving this mystery?

MONSTER WEEK's killer line up continues with LAIR OF THE KILLER CROCS featuring Paul "Gator Boy" Bedard and croc hunter "Crocodile Mick Pittman" and their journey through the Northern Territory to explore the invasion of crocodiles; ATTACK OF THE KILLER DRAGONS which highlights two of the world's most dangerous reptiles: killer Komodo Dragons and Nile Monitor lizards; and real swarms that are real deadly with KILLER SWARMS, featuring mobs of vermin wrought with disease; angry hives of killer bees; and other monstrous groups of animals on the rise around the world due to habitat destruction, human encroachment and global warming.

Think the horror is over? Think again. A famous trio re-surfaces, but this time to haunt your dreams: lions and tigers and bears? Oh my! URBAN PREDATOR: LION ON THE LOOSE follows renowned Game Tracker Rory Young as he travels from Africa to Milwaukee to pursue answers and search for the elusive big African lion that is said to be stalking the streets of this unsuspecting city. EXTINCT OR ALIVE: TASMANIAN TIGER dives deep into the mystery of the lazarus species, one of them being the Tasmanian tiger, which was declared extinct over 80 years ago. Follow Wildlife Biologist Forrest Galante, Anthropologist Mary-Ann Ochota and legendary Tasmanian tiger tracker Nick Mooney as they venture into Tasmania in search of the truth. GRIZZLY UPRISING brings forward the petrifying stories of victims and their families suffering from the rising grizzly and black bear attacks resulting from human encroachment into their territory.

Other MONSTER WEEK programs include WEIRD, TRUE AND FREAKY: REAL MONSTERS featuring a top-10 countdown of the most ferocious animal attacks caught on tape, and DEADLIEST PLACE ON EARTH which uses expert analysis and victim testimony to examine the most frightening Australian animals and animal encounters.

MONSTER WEEK continues into the dark hours each night with RIVER MONSTERS aftershows immediately following the 10 PM episodes. Executive Producer Lisa Lucas returns this year as host along with fan-favorite guest Jeremy Wade to give viewers a special look at MONSTER WEEK while answering tweets and Facebook questions, share behind-the-scenes information about that night's programming, and more.

MONSTER WEEK shows no signs of slowing down. Last year it drove Animal Planet to rank among the top 10 ad-supported cable networks among Men 25-54 and Men 18-49 in both Primetime (#9 for both demos) and Late night (#8 for both demos). The week drew in over 16 million unique viewers (6 min. P2+ cume). Additionally, the event lifted the week of May 25th to its best weekly Prime delivery in more than a year with Persons 25-54, Men 25-54, Persons 18-49 and Men 18-49.

Throughout the week, follow #MonsterWeek across social media for all things beastly, and stay tuned for Facebook Live events featuring wildlife experts, animal feedings and Animal Planet talent - along with informative videos, graphics and articles - that reveal the science behind MONSTER WEEK. Viewers can feed on an online miniseries spotlighting Florida's efforts to eradicate the invasive Burmese python. Jeremy Wade counts down his top five most frightening moments and, for the first time, one lucky fan may win a fishing trip with the RIVER MONSTERS host. To learn how to enter the #REELJeremy contest, visit animalplanet.com/reeljeremy.

All Times ET/PT

Source: Nielsen, Live + 3. Prime is 8-11p, Late is 11p-2a

About Animal Planet

Animal Planet, a multi-media business unit of Discovery Communications, is the network of hit franchise series RIVER MONSTERS, PIT BULLS & PAROLEES and TREEHOUSE MASTERS and the home of provocative and award-winning specials and documentary films presented under the banner ANIMAL PLANET PRESENTS. Animal Planet's programming also includes quarterly tent pole TV events PUPPY BOWL, the largest non-sports TV on Super Bowl Sunday, and MONSTER WEEK. Animal Planet is the premiere TV, digital and social community for animal lovers and pet owners, providing immersive, engaging, high-quality entertainment across all Animal Planet assets including: Animal Planet television network, available in more than 94 million homes in the US, that is complimented with a deep Video On Demand offering; online assets www.animalplanet.com, the ultimate online destination for all things animal; Animal Planet L!VE, the go-to digital destination for round-the-clock, unfiltered access to the animal kingdom; Animal Planet social including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.