The National Geographic Channel will give lovers of reptiles an early Christmas treat.

NGC will premiere SuperCroc, a documentary on the longest surviving reptile in earth history on 9 December, from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Using the latest animation techniques the show aims at educating viewers about the behaviour of the crocodile through the ages. Its fight for survival in terms of food and shelter promises to be fascinating. Simon Boyce has produced the program.

 Paleontologist and National Geographic Explorer Dr Paul Sereno discover what he called the SuperCroc (Sarcosuchus imperator) in the Sahara desert. The reptile is believed to have wandered the earth 110 million years ago. National Geographic's reptile expert Dr Brady Barr helped him on this unique discovery to learn about the reptile's lifestyle and his relatives. 

Their adventures took them to Costa Rica and India to look at the American crocodile and the endangered Indian gharial. Then they examined freshwater crocodiles in Australia and Cuban crocodiles in Florida. The name Sarcosuchus took shape as Dr. Sereno closely studied the form, size, weight, behaviour and movements of living crocodiles. Sereno scrutinised the head-to-body ratio of today's crocodiles and estimated that the SuperCroc was about 12 metres long and weighed more than 10 times any living crocodile. The channel is trying to arouse curiosity with the tagline "It didn't just walk with dinosaurs. It ATE them."

Gerry Martin, an Indian expert and herpetologist has lent valuable inputs to the series, by explaining the connection between the Indian gharial and the pre-historic SuperCroc. Martin and Dr. Barr were involved in the capture and study of the Indian gharial's habitats and behaviour. The team found a similarity in the slender snout of SuperCroc and the gharial.

In the quiet privacy of his laboratory, Dr. Sereno has carefully pieced together the fossils in order to recreate the SuperCroc. Dr Barr will host National Geographic Channel's upcoming series Crocodile Chronicles.