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"Wildlife"
SVU, Episode 10.07
Production number: 10007
First aired (US): 18 November 2008
First aired (AUS): 18 March 2009
  th of 502 produced in SVU  
th of 502 released in SVU
  th of 1271 released in all  
Wildlife-SVU
Written By
Mick Betancourt

Directed By
Peter Leto

Summary[]

Stabler goes undercover to break up an animal-smuggling ring, and he gets help from a group insider, hip-hop artist Gots Money. However, this assignment leads to complication in Stabler's marriage and nearly costs him his life.

Plot[]

The show starts with people hovering around Stabler, who has been shot. It later shows doctors carrying him to a hospital bed, then finally Detective Benson looking at her partner.

One week earlier, Benson and Stabler are responding to a crime scene where a young woman was found mutilated. They are shocked to learn that the killer licked her and bit into her neck! Stabler then pulls a dead exotic bird out of the woman's purse, suspecting it might be a mob warning (as in "a dead bird can't sing") and a proof sheet, with Benson speculating the deceased is either an actress or a model.

Warner tells Stabler and Benson that some of the saliva appears to be from a dog bite, but the other can’t be identified, so she sent it off for further identification. She also shows them a club stamp on the victim’s body for a club called “Supple”, a nightclub owned by mobster Michael Solano. Stabler will take Fin to the club since he knows the club scene; Benson will show the victim's head shots to modeling agencies to help identify her.

Stabler and Fin arrive at Supple, and show Solano the victim’s picture. He denies seeing her, but thinks his "wrangler" Oscar Assadorian, who keeps the place packed, knows her. When the detectives question Oscar, he identifies the victim as aspiring model Natalie Bleer, and he takes them to her apartment, where she and other would-be models share a place to crash. Stabler sees a cell phone, but is puzzled because they already found one at the scene, then assume Natalie had one cell phone for personal use, and one for "business." One number is repeatedly dialed on the cell phone, and Stabler calls it but when it’s answered, no one speaks and they hang up when Stabler says hello. Since they can track the cell phone while it’s in use, it's later traced to the Pounding Ezra Cafe, where a man sitting outside is shown Natalie's picture and says he just saw her inside, but it turns out to be Natalie's twin sister, Anna.

When Anna is taken back to the squad room and questioned about the crime, she tells her story: both she and her sister came to New York from West Virginia to be models, but only a week after their arrival, Anna was struck by an SUV driver who ran a red light, leaving her with a scar on her face, so they decided Natalie would model and Anna would be her manager her. However, Natalie was hanging out with a hip-hop artist called "Gots Money" who scared Anna. In fact, Anna hung up when Stabler called because she thought it was Gots calling, and also mentions that Natalie told her a big payday would be coming to them. Anna breaks down, as she thinks Gots killed Natalie.

Stabler and Fin head to a recording studio and question Gots about his relationship with Natalie, to which he confirms that she was little more than one of his hook-ups. Before this can continue, however, Warner calls the pair back to the morgue, revealing that the foreign saliva belonged to a tiger. After Stabler and Fin return to the squad room, the pair remembers the "Scarface" movie posters seen in the recording studio, as well as how Gots modeled his album cover after said poster, while Cragen points out that the first thing Scarface did after striking it rich was to get a tiger, leading Stabler to suspect that Gots might also have one. Though Greylek initially states that a judge wouldn't see "being a movie buff" as probable cause for a search warrant, Warner then arrives and announces that the dead bird found in Natalie's purse was an exotic macaw, leading the detectives to believe that she and Gots were involved in animal smuggling. At this revelation, Greylek announces that a judge would be more open to issuing a warrant now, given the possible health risks.

Having successfully gotten their search warrant, Stabler and Fin arrive at Gots' apartment, asking to see his tiger. Though Gots claims that it "went for a walk", Stabler opens a bedroom door and is greeted by the shocking sight of the tiger; despite being restrained, it nearly mauls Elliot, who quickly ducks out as he and Fin arrest Gots. During interrogation, the threat of being used by prisoners for sexual favors is enough to make Gots cooperate; he reveals that Natalie helped get him Rocco, his tiger, but the questioning is interrupted by Benson, who informs Stabler that the saliva found on Natalie's body didn't match Rocco's. Returning to the interrogation, Gots admits that the tiger was supplied by a pair of professional smugglers, Andre Bushido and Victor Tybor; though terrified of the pair, Gots offers to give them a call, but tells Elliot they won't talk to a cop.

Both men arrive at Bushido's warehouse, where Gots introduces Stabler as "Mike", a crooked customs agent working at JFK Airport, but he gets an icy reception from the smugglers (though while Bushido berates and punches Gots, Stabler discreetly grabs some fur from one of the tiger cages). As they leave, Elliot tells Bushido to give them a call if they want his access.

The next day, Stabler is chastised by Cragen for going undercover without clearing it first, to which Stabler responds by informing him that the DNA from the fur he took matched that of the tiger which killed Natalie. During this time, Benson informs Stabler that Kathy has been desperately looking for him, and Stabler says to tell his wife that he's in the field. After that, Agent Brianna Kalke from Fish and Wildlife arrives, telling Cragen that Stabler needs to back off, as her agency has been working the case for a year and has Bushido in their sights for a total of fourteen murders, in addition to the animal smuggling. She then gives the backstory of both smugglers: Bushido is a Russian-Italian immigrant who used to traffic young women, but switched to animals because the money was just as good, and the penalty for getting caught half as bad; Tybor is an American-born Kenyan and former enforcer for the Albanian crime syndicate, who smuggled nuclear parts before hooking up with Bushido, and the pair likely killed Natalie because she tried to make a little on the side. Olivia then enters and informs Elliot that a call came in from one of Gots' neighbors to report "dogs fighting" in the apartment; Animal Control was called, and Stabler heads out to see the scene for himself, joined by Agent Kalke.

Once there, Stabler finds a blood-covered hyena being removed from the apartment, while the apartment itself looks like a bloodbath; Agent Kalke points out that hyenas can eat and digest almost anything, except for hair and metal. When Gots' "bling" is found in the hyena vomit, Stabler realizes that Bushido was probably responsible, then gets a call from the latter, asking him to stop by the warehouse in an hour.

After his arrival, Bushido invites Elliot to join him for a meal, apologizing for the previous day's less-than-warm reception and explaining that he doesn't like people showing up unexpectedly, then pointing out that "Gots is all good now." During the meal, fellow smuggler Leanna arrives, hiding irradiated turtle eggs under her sweater; Bushido explains that the problem comes when people get stupid, as the girl Leanna replaced decided she wanted to pet one of the tigers and opened his cage, getting torn apart in two seconds. Elliot then asks what happened to the tiger, to which Bushido replies "Tasty bugger, isn't he?" He then states that he needs Stabler's help to smuggle a white-crested highland gibbon, for which Bushido will receive a million dollars, as the animal's breastbone can be used to make a very expensive pair of chopsticks. Tybor then orders Stabler to slowly hand over his wallet and cell phone, which he does; after verifying the phony credentials for "Mike", the three head to the apartment Elliot was given for his undercover assignment. After Bushido tells him that he can get 5% off the top for his participation in the smuggling, Tybor puts a watch on Elliot's wrist that's equipped with a GPS tracking device, warning him that if he takes it off, he's dead. Stabler is also given a cell phone, and told to only make calls with said phone; the gibbon will be moved soon, and his orders are to go to work, come home and nothing else, including calls or visitors.

Meanwhile, Kathy is anxiously awaiting her husband's return as she holds Eli; a car enters the driveway, and initially believing it to be Elliot finally arriving home, she's disappointed to find Olivia instead, who explains that Elliot went undercover, but it happened very fast. Angry over the news, Kathy packs a suitcase and is initially ready to leave him, but ultimately decides to stay when Olivia promises to have Elliot call her. Benson then shows up at Stabler's undercover apartment, concerned because she lost touch with him, after which Elliot explains that his phone and wallet were taken away; she then warns Stabler that if he goes undercover without telling Kathy again, "you'll be safer here than home."

At that point, Bushido and Tybor burst into the apartment, guns drawn, demanding to know who Elliot was talking to; after the toilet flushes, Benson steps out of the bathroom in her bra and panties, pretending to be a prostitute. Tybor compliments Elliot on his "good taste", but Bushido orders Benson off the property, after which she reminds Stabler that he still has to pay, only to be forced out the door at gunpoint. Bushido then gets a call that everything's ready and tells Elliot to get dressed; during the drive, he demands to know why Stabler disregarded his orders, to which Elliot explains that "a guy's got needs", but assures Bushido that it won't happen again. Upon stopping at a house, Stabler is told to get the gibbon and knock twice on the door; after exiting the vehicle, Bushido tells him "Oh, and Mike? Take this with you" and shoots him twice before driving away. During this time, as Elliot lies motionless on the ground, a bystander can be heard assuring him that help is on the way, after which Olivia arrives, calling in an officer down before exiting the vehicle and running to her partner's side.

Later at the hospital, a doctor tells Benson that one of the bullets which struck Stabler was a "through-and-through", missing vital organs, while the other one lodged in his bicep and was successfully removed. Asking if her partner will make a full recovery, the doctor tells Olivia that Elliot already asked to go home twice. Once in his room, Benson tells Stabler that Cragen released a phony story about a customs agent being killed near his house, likely in a robbery, and that the detectives are about to pay Bushido and Tybor a visit.

However, upon arrival at the warehouse, the detectives find that the building has been completely emptied, with no sign of either the animals or smugglers. Wondering where the animals might be, the topic of how to feed them comes up, and Fin turns over a cooler, the bottom of which has a sticker for Bifero Stock and Feed. Upon arrival, the owner informs him that next to the circus, Bushido and Tybor are his best customers, and has a credit card on file for their standing order. A trace on the card informs the detectives that the most recent charge was for a one-way ticket from Jakarta, set to land at JFK in a couple of hours, and a sting operation is set up at the airport. Looking for anything amiss, the team spots someone with a "magic basketball" that seems to roll funny, leading them to the Kuan Tool and Die Factory. Once there, Bushido and Tybor are seen conducting the transaction with Mr. Kuan, with the team making their move when the basketball is handed off. In a panic, Bushido pushes Tybor down and throws the basketball at Cragen, who catches it; Stabler pursues Bushido, Benson goes after Tybor, and Fin keeps his gun drawn on Mr. Kuan.

After catching the basketball, Cragen opens it and frees the gibbon, who hugs him in return. Meanwhile, Benson and Tybor struggle on the roof, with Tybor taking a swing at her, but missing and falling over the edge of the building, barely hanging on. As Victor hangs from the ledge, Benson approaches him. Victor states that she is not an escort, as she confirms it by revealing she is a cop. Victor states he is as well, while revealing that he was undercover for a year and that he is the one who told Brianna about Stabler going undercover. Somewhat convinced, Benson asked him to prove it and he states that he’s wearing a wire in his belt. After Benson saves him, he proves it and reveals the wire. Victor apologizes for not being there for Stabler since he couldn't blow his cover, while Benson tells him that it's over, but Victor states not for him, as Bushido is just one of his targets, and there's a prison gang that's in charge of the smuggling ring which he needs to infiltrate. Needing a high-level conviction, he allows himself to be arrested by her.

Meanwhile, Bushido is still in a shootout with Elliot, but makes the fatal mistake of getting caught in the conveyor belt and injures his leg; he then screams for Stabler to kill him, who says that he's going to lock Bushido up instead, after which the latter furiously threatens to kill Stabler and his family once he's released, but Elliot just tells him that he's never getting out. Afterwards, Bushido is still yelling at Elliot while he is being loaded into the ambulance as Elliot taunts him about his circumstances. Benson then approaches her partner and tells him that Victor is actually a cop who is undercover. Elliot approaches Victor asking if he has any family he needs to notify, but Victor says his family has been gone for a long time because of his job being too much for them.

At the end, Elliot is at home in bed with his wife before he is woken up to the sound of baby Eli crying. The episode ends with Kathy watching her husband tend to their young son.

Cast[]

Main cast[]

Recurring cast[]

Guest cast[]

References[]

Quotes[]

Warner: [after find a dead bird in the victim's purse] 'The perp whack the parakeet too?

Gots Money: [on Natalie Bleers] That girl done seen more nuts than a can of planters.

Elliot Stabler: So what happened to the tiger?
Andre Bushido: Tasty bugger, isn't he?
Stabler: ...Ah. Never enjoyed tiger meat before.

Benson: Mmm. Are you ready for me, Daddy? Ooh. Didn't realize this was a party. That'll be $100 to watch, $250 to join in...
Victor Tybor: I'll say this, Mike - you've got good taste.

Tutola: Told you he wouldn't take a day off. You owe me 50 bucks.


Background information and notes[]

  • While filming the chase scene towards the end of the episode, Hargitay was seriously injured when she did a stunt that involved her jumping and landing on a cushion. Three months after the episode was filmed, Hargitay claimed she was feeling short of breath and had chest pains. An x-ray revealed that 50% of her right lung had collapsed as a result of the injury. Due to the injury, Hargitay was absent from the episode Baggage so she could recover.
  • The gibbon rescued by the SVU appears to be a Lar Gibbon. The name given to it in the show is the white crested highland gibbon, although there is no such species. The gibbon is also clearly too large to have been contained within a basketball.
Cragen and Gibbon

Donald Cragen and gibbon

  • Stabler's wound to his chest is said to be a "through and through", which would indicate that there would be an exit wound on his back, but when we see him holding the baby in the last scene, there is clearly no wound or bandage on his back.

Episode scene cards[]

1 2 3

Supple Nightclub
396 West 16th Street
Saturday, November 8

On The Noise
Recording Studio
1757 Broadway
Saturday, November 8

Residence of
Gots Money
124 West 53rd Street
Saturday, November 8

4 5

Bifero Stock and Feed
154 Dikeman Street
Brooklyn, New York
Sunday, November 16

Kuan Tool
And Die Factory
518 Scholes Street
Brooklyn, New York
Tuesday, November 18

Previous episode:
"Babes"
"Wildlife"
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Season 10
Next episode:
"Persona"
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