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The second installment of Fox’s controversial
reality special pits human contestants against animals in events testing
strength, speed and agility.
The End-Credit Disclaimer issued to this production reads:
American Humane monitored. The disclaimer refers to the treatment of the live
animals and is not an endorsement of content. No Animals Were Harmed...™ (AHA
00482) Any other disclaimer is not authorized by American Humane.
Speed and Agility Test
In this contest, a Samoan tree climber and a chimpanzee must each climb a
forty-foot palm tree, grab a flag at the top and climb back down. The first to
reach the ground with the flag wins. The safety setup for this activity included
padding beneath both trees, and the palms fronds were checked for any rough or
loose stalks that might cause an injury. Small cameras placed at the top and
bottom of both trees captured every moment of the contest. One trainer stood on
a cherry picker near the top of the chimp’s tree while another remained at the
bottom with the ape. When the contest began, the trainer standing with the chimp
verbally cued it to begin the climb. As the chimp reached the top of the tree,
he grabbed the flag, put it in his mouth, and began his descent.
Relay Race
This competition pits five little people against a 1,500-pound camel. The
release pen used to accommodate the camel before the race was padded for its
comfort and safety, and a barrier on the track separated the people from the
animal. The course used for this event was a professional racing track and was
inspected to ensure it was safe for the animal and people to run on. A trainer
led the camel to its start mark and another camel companion waited in a trailer
at the end. Once the race began, the camel trotted slowly then picked up speed
as it ran around the track to rejoin its buddy at the finish line. A
veterinarian examined the camel after the race and confirmed it was in good
health.
Long Jump Competition
In this segment, an Olympic-bound athlete competes against a black Labrador
retriever in a long jump contest. First, the human contestant ran down a long
dock and jumped into the water, where judges measured his total distance. Foam
rubber padding on the dock provided suitable traction for both participants, and
lifeguards and paramedics were standing by for added safety. The dog was brought
to the dock on a leash and placed on the starting line. The owner then walked to
the end of the dock and verbally cued the dog to run to the end and jump in. To
get the dog into the water, its owner tossed in one of the dog’s favorite toys
and the canine competitor executed the jump with no difficulties at all.
Apparently the dog frequently performed this type of jump and considered it a
game not a contest. A padded ramp was also built to allow the dog to climb back
up to the dock, but the dog refused to use it, preferring a lift from its owner
instead.
Feat of Endurance
For this challenge, a gymnast and an orangutan hang from a bar competing to see
who can stay up the longest. A trainer lifted the orangutan onto the bar and the
gymnast hung from a second bar directly across from the ape. The gymnast’s
stamina gave out after almost seven minutes, but the orangutan was still hanging
on long after the man dropped to the ground. During an interview segment, the
orangutan was filmed hugging the trainer and sitting in a tree. The trainer told
the audience there was a hot wire barrier set up around the set for the safety
of the animal, but that it wasn’t turned on.
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