S2 - Episode 8

 Join Ed for his conversation with Bryan Christy as they talk about the world of the reptile trade and reptile trafficking. Christy is the author of The Lizard King, a book that chronicles the origins and history of a reptile supply company known as Strictly Reptiles and its controversial owners Ray and Mike Van Nostrand. Bryan and Ed will talk about the late Charles "Chip" Bepler, a US Fish and Wildlife Service special agent who spent years pursuing and making a case against Strictly and Mike Van Nostrand. The story will open your eyes to the seedy underbelly of the world of "pet" reptiles and even surprise you as it exposes the intense rivalry between criminal and lawman, all-the-while telling the true story of the personal lives and emotions driving the two adversaries hell bent on defeating each other. 

Bryan is an author, journalist, and filmmaker. He’s written a fictional espionage thriller entitled In the Company of Killers and is the author of the non-fiction book The Lizard King, that takes a fascinating deep dive into reptile trafficking in the United States. Bryan founded National Geographic’s first investigations unit looking into wildlife crime and is a National Geographic Society Rolex Explorer of the Year.