Nature

Oct 10, 1982

Following the path of the condor, whose ten-foot wingspan enables it to soar effortlessly over the peaks of the Andes mountains, this film starts at the storm beaten rocks of Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America and journeys north to the highest peak in the Americas - Aconcagua. Along the way, we see exotic animals and birds such as the penguin, hummingbird, sea otter, guanaco, ostrich-like rhea, and puma.

Oct 17, 1982

While the cold waters of the Pacific Coast of South America are among the richest in the world, the shore is the driest desert in the world. Yet it is not at all devoid of life. Lizards snatch morsels from the waves, and seagulls fly 40 miles into the desert to nest. The condor searches for carrion and vampire bats feed on the blood of sleeping sea lions. This is a beautiful portrait of a giant land.

Oct 24, 1982

The third part of the series is a spectacular visual trip down the fabled river. From the snow-clad summit of the volcano Cotopaxi and others comes the greatest river in the world as melting ice creates a torrent that drops three miles in its first short distance. The river is fed by magnificent waterfalls and is channeled through gorges out into the tropical rain forest where there are more species of birds than anywhere.

Oct 31, 1982

Nov 7, 1982

Nov 14, 1982

Examines the fragile ecology of the Caribbean area in a unique and vivid look at the forces affecting this area's ecological balance, such as hurricanes, volcanoes, the continuing evolution of different wildlife and man's influence. International agreements and commissions created to protect the Caribbean area are also covered.

Nov 21, 1982

Surveying Costa Rica's Monte Verde preserve, which contains some 200 varieties of trees, including 300-ft. oaks. Animal life includes deadly scorpions; army ants; and plumed quetzals, sacred bird of the Maya civilization.

Nov 28, 1982

The first of the series takes us back to the 13th Century to explore medieval superstitions of ancient "naturalists." Frederick II of Hohenstaufen had a passion for falconry that resulted in his immense illustrated book De Arte Venandi Cum Artibus (On the Art of Hunting With Birds.) Series host is Dr. Donald Johanson, noted paleoanthropologist and director of the Institute of Human Origins in Berkeley, California.

Dec 5, 1982

Theologians and clerics in the 17th and 18th centuries were among the first to study animal behavior. John Ray began in the 1600's to catalog "the work of the Creation," starting with plants and later including birds. Sir Francis Willoughby continued this work. Rev. Gilbert White studied bird songs, Charlie LeRoy experimented with wolves and deer, and Charles Waterton wrote about jungle animals.

Dec 12, 1982

In 1848, Charles Darwin began the quest to understand the mysteries of the animal mind. Following Darwin's achievement - suggesting a plausible process for evolution: natural selection - Lewis Henry Morgan discovered evidence of cogitation in beavers. George Romanes experimented with fish, cats, and dogs, Douglas Spalding with newborn chicks, all finding apparent mental activity. Meanwhile Jacques Loeb attempted to prove animals "mindless."

Dec 19, 1982

First there is a re-creation of Ivan Pavlov's experiments which led to the discovery of the "conditioned reflex." Then we see the investigation by Otto Pfungst of "Kluge Hans" (Clever Hans) a horse whose apparent knowledge of arithmetic was actually response to subtle signals from his trainer. We also see dramatizations of Thomdike's experiments with chicks, Watson's with terns, and B. F. Skinner's famed work at Harvard in the thirties.

Dec 26, 1982

Continuing with the exploration of animal communication we see recreations of Karl von Frisch unraveling the language of honey bees. Julian Huxley, who discovered a possible language in the ritual movements of great-crested grebes, Konrad Lorenz who recorded the visual language of geese, and Niko Tinbergen, who studied the habits of hunting wasps and together with Esther Cullen recorded the relationship of temperament in birds to their habitat.

Jan 2, 1983

Scientists have long attempted to discover why animals rarely live alone. Animal society seems to be based on despotic rule by the strongest, tempered by the powerful attractive forces of sex. Portrayals of Thorlief Schjelderup-Ebbe, Solly Zuckerman, Clarence Ray Carpenter, Frank Fraser Darling, William Hamilton, and Amotz Zahavi, show the contributions of each of these men towards understanding the puzzle.

Oct 9, 1983

The vast areas of kelp growing on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean provide a vital food source for countless creatures.

Oct 16, 1983

As an agent of decay, fungi performs a function essential to life on earth.

Oct 23, 1983

A great variety of wildlife species live in and around the thorny acacia trees on the African plains.

Nov 6, 1983

Wildlife photographer Hugh Miles finds an opportunity to film a female otter on one of the remote Shetland islands.

Nov 13, 1983

Insects such as the beetle, firefly and moth make use of their natural chemicals as weapons against their enemies.

Dec 18, 1983

The time-honored and ritualistic relationship of the highland peoples of Papua, New Guinea, to the birds of paradise is examined.

Feb 5, 1984

A look at this large bird’s life cycle, from hatching in the Scottish highlands through migration to Africa and its annual return to Scotland.

Feb 12, 1984

Examined is the giant industry of bee cultivation in the U.S. and its relation to the billions of dollars annually at stake in the alfalfa crop.

Feb 19, 1984

An examination of the effects of alien plants and animals on Florida’s resident wildlife, agriculture, commerce and health.

Feb 26, 1984

An examination of the nest-building habits of birds in various parts of the world.

Mar 4, 1984

The life cycle of the bumblebee is compared to that of humans in order to explain the “energy crisis” confronting the insects.

Mar 11, 1984

The will of wildlife to survive is documented by photographers Stanley Breedon and Belinda Wright at the Keola Deo National Park in India during one of the droughts that occurs every 20 to 30 years when the monsoons do not come.

Mar 25, 1984

An exploration of the sunken Japanese war machinery destroyed by the Allies during World War II in the South Pacific, which provides an environment for underwater plant and animal life.

Sep 30, 1984

An examination of the Indonesian volcanic island Krakatoa, focusing on the global effects of the disastrous 1883 eruption that was heard 3,000 miles away and killed 36,000 people.

Oct 7, 1984

How the war between Iran and Iraq is threatening the fragile ecology of the Persian Gulf.

Oct 14, 1984

How various species of plant life lure insects and animals to effect the pollination process.

Oct 21, 1984

Explores the varieties of plant and animal life found in the Seychelles, a 90-island archipelago in the Indian Ocean, described in 1609 as “an earthly paradise”.

Oct 28, 1984

Examines the variety of plants and animals living in the Sargasso Sea, a gigantic floating bed of seaweed near Bermuda.

Nov 11, 1984

Natural history photographer Wolfgang Bayer documents a winter spent in Yellowstone National Park.

Dec 2, 1984

Describes how wildlife copes with the challenge of cold weather by storing food building layers of fat, hibernating or merely fleeing for a warmer climate

Dec 9, 1984

Dec 16, 1984

An examination of the Danube delta on the Black Sea where industrialization threatens the areas wildlife.

Jan 13, 1985

Examines the breeding and nesting cycles of Africa’s Bateleur eagles.

Jan 20, 1985

A look at the unusual plant and animal life on Kinabalu, Borneo's highest mountain.

Feb 3, 1985

A survey of the birds that cannot fly, some of which have evolved highly efficient means of travel on land and water.

Feb 17, 1985

An exploration of life forms, flourishing in the tropical islands of Palau, including schools of jellyfish.

Mar 10, 1985

African elephants are observed on a risky trek to a cave that provides salts and minerals necessary to their diets.

Mar 17, 1985

A study of the history and plight of the rhinoceros, one of the most seriously endangered species on earth.

Mar 31, 1985

The use of new camera lenses and special video techniques makes it possible for viewers to see the world as animals and insects observe it.

Apr 28, 1985

This profile of the world's most popular household pet, the dog, examines a special, centuries old relationship.

May 26, 1985

An exploration of a windy semi-desert in southwest Africa notable for its beautiful flowers.

Oct 20, 1985

Torrential rains flood Kenya’s Tsavo Plain triggering a cycle of animal and plant regeneration that flowers in the short period before the next drought.

Oct 27, 1985

How plants and their leaves adapt to different climates, predatory animals and man.

Nov 3, 1985

A five-year chronicle of India’s endangered gharial crocodile.

Nov 10, 1985

The year-long sojourn of artist and naturalist Keith Brockie on Scotland's Isle of May is captured on film.

Nov 17, 1985

An exploration of the ecosystem of Central America's rain forest.

Nov 24, 1985

An exploration of the scientific research into the nutritional, medicinal and economic value of plants.

Dec 15, 1985

An examination of the diverse plants and animals that have adapted to the harsh environment of the Kalahari Desert in South Africa.

Jan 5, 1986

A visit to Brazil's national park Emas, home to a unique collection of rare and unusual wildlife.

Jan 26, 1986

The huge mating flocks of the East African quelea, feared by farmers almost as much as they fear locusts.

Feb 16, 1986

A look at sea creatures of the Arctic including planktonic animals, small crustaceans, seals, belugas, tucked narwhals and polar bears.

Feb 23, 1986

After the nine-month Arctic winter, lemmings, hares, foxes and caribous become active to raise their young.

Mar 2, 1986

A study of man’s relationship with the Arctic and its wildlife.

Mar 9, 1986

Wolfgang Bayer focuses on the native giant saguaro cactus of the southwestern United States.

Mar 23, 1986

The sophisticated trapping mechanism of the main group of carnivorous plants.

Apr 6, 1986

A look at the trembling aspen, a widely distributed poplar found in more regions of North America than any other tree.

Apr 27, 1986

The fragile ecosystem of the great African rainforest of Korup in Cameroon.

May 4, 1986

Chronicling a weeklong series of bird-watching activities at sites that include the Anhinga Trail in the Everglades, Tampa Bay Island and Port Orange.

May 11, 1986

Wildlife cinematographer Wolfgang Bayer focuses on the Laysan Albatross of the Hawaiian Islands.

May 18, 1986

A five year study of the golden eagle, Britain's largest bird of prey, in the Scottish highlands.

May 25, 1986

An examination of the vultures of Africa's Serengeti plain and the rainforests of South America.

Oct 19, 1986

Examines how the plants and animals of Alaska’s Alyeska wilderness have adapted to the regions harsh climate.

Oct 26, 1986

An examination of the plants and animals that make their home in a shallow lagoon found on the Western coast of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula.

Nov 2, 1986

This exploration of the Galapagos Islands, located in the Pacific Ocean West of Ecuador, examines theories explaining the arrival of wildlife to the archipelago.

Nov 9, 1986

Marine iguanas, cormorants, green turtles, sea lions, and sperm whales are among the animals that thrive in the cold waters surrounding the equatorially located Galapagos Islands.

Nov 16, 1986

A look at the Galapagos Islands’ many birds, include the waved albatross, blue-footed booby, frigate bird and the ground finch; also, man’s relationship with the islands’ changing environment.

Nov 23, 1986

A look at how the Pantanal's wildlife species cope with the annual cycle of flood and drought which transforms the marshy prairie from a dry savannah into the world's largest freshwater wetland – a 36,000 square-mile area that encompasses Southwestern Brazil and parts of Bolivia and Paraguay.

Dec 7, 1986

An examination of the behavior of man’s feline friends.

Dec 14, 1986

The activities of an elusive female leopard are traced over a two-day period on the hot plains of Africa.

Jan 18, 1987

A look at the survival of the African elephants, as ivory and foraging land became more valuable.

Feb 8, 1987

A freshwater lake in Tunisia that turns salty every summer.

Feb 22, 1987

The Japanese take efforts to save an indigenous monkey.

Mar 1, 1987

A look at the crane, Japanese symbol of longevity, true love and happiness.

Mar 8, 1987

Hunters and egg poachers threaten the existence of the giant loggerhead turtle.

Mar 15, 1987

Following the wild mustangs of America’s West.

Apr 12, 1987

An exploration of the Rift Valley that sweeps North from Kenya to Turkey, where prophets said their god first planted a garden.

Apr 19, 1987

The unusual life in the salty Dead Sea, where the desert plunges 1,200 feet below sea level.

Apr 26, 1987

What happens when a finely maintained garden is abandoned.

May 10, 1987

A year on a Japanese island following a family of red foxes.

May 17, 1987

The tunnelers, thatchers, weavers, dam builders, sculptors, potters and spinners of the animal kingdom.

May 24, 1987

Echoing hoots and trills, bandit masks, feathered tufts and orange noses distinguish African forest monkeys called quenons.

Sep 20, 1987

Wildlife flourishes in Nevada's desert landscape because of one narrow river covering less than 1% of the land.

Sep 27, 1987

Attempts to protect the unique animals and plants of Brazil threatened by development of the Amazon jungle.

Oct 4, 1987

The lemur, an agile nocturnal primate of Madagascar, so-named because of its secretive habits and haunting cries.

Oct 18, 1987

The process of wildlife filmmaking as chronicled by a crew during their three-year study of the Galapagos Islands.

Nov 15, 1987

The tremendous difference in animal lifestyle and in landscape during East Africa's dry season and its wet season.

Nov 22, 1987

The hammerhead stork, believed by East African tribesmen to have the power to call lightning from the sky.

Nov 29, 1987

Scientists Katia and Maurice Krafft seek to uncover the mystery of volcanoes by studying them on location as they erupt.

Dec 6, 1987

International endeavors to protect the endangered Indian tiger are highlighted by scenes of a mother raising her cubs in the wild.

Jan 3, 1988

Unusual wildlife inhabitants, beautiful terrain and natural wonders grace the Pacific islands comprising New Zealand.

Jan 10, 1988

U.S. scientist Dan Janzen uses innovative conservation plans to create a national park amid a tropical forest.

Jan 24, 1988

Close-up film captures birds in-flight; tiny hummingbirds draw nectar while hovering above flowers.

Feb 14, 1988

A Hawaiian island evolves from underwater volcano to snow-capped mountain and finally to coral atoll.

Feb 21, 1988

The first of a three-part survey of "Okavango: Jewel of the Kalahari" describes how earthquakes diverted the Okavango River into Botswana's Kalahari Desert. Observed: elephants, zebras, buffaloes, vultures, ostriches, bush babies and bat-eared foxes.

Feb 28, 1988

Creatures of the air, trees and water brave the five-month floods through the Okavango delta. Part 2 of "Okavango: Jewel of the Kalahari," observes African skimmers, lily trotters, baboons, dwarf mouth-breeders, tiger fish and catfishlike squeakers.

Mar 6, 1988

People of Botswana must balance wildlife protection with preservation of their precious water source.

Mar 20, 1988

The Asian elephant is shown to be a creature of both great strength and intelligence.

Mar 27, 1988

After two years in the Pacific, the sockeye salmon battles rapids returning to its birthplace to spawn.

Apr 24, 1988

Ranchers and scientists practice conservationism in Venezuelan and Colombian grasslands to protect native animals.

May 1, 1988

Naturalist Tom Williams studies England's Avon River and the fish and fowl it supports.

May 8, 1988

A growing African population threatens elephant survival by farming its foraging land and hunting the beast for ivory.

Jun 12, 1988

An exploration of the coral reefs of the Malay Triangle made up of the Philippines, Malaysia and New Guinea.

Oct 9, 1988

An exploration of the Spanish Pyrenees mountains and the bearded "bonebreaker" vulture that lives in this harsh environment.

Oct 16, 1988

Explores Spain's Extremadura, an oak forest and wilderness plain, home to griffin vultures, imperial eagles, genets and other animals native to Africa.

Oct 30, 1988

Former Vietnam medic Doug Peacock lives as a firewatcher and conservationist in Montana's Glacier National Park.

Nov 13, 1988

Examines marsupials and others animals which have evolved because of Australia's isolation from the rest of the world.

Nov 20, 1988

Two distinct marine worlds meet in the waters that encircle Australia. In its long voyage into isolation following its breakaway from Gondwana, 45 million years ago, the island continent came to span both tropical and temperate seas. Today its shores are ringed by the most diverse assemblies of marine life on earth. This program recounts the making of this unique Australia down under, from the storm tossed kelp forests of the cool south, to the magic splendours of the Great Barrier Reef. The program begins its story where Australia was born, in the southern latitudes of the Antarctic seas. Antarctica is the last remnant of Gondwana - it froze over after the other continents broke away, but its cool rich waters still generate a wealth of nutrients which, carried by the deep currents, sustain Australia's marine life.

Nov 27, 1988

A koala up a gumtree is the classic image of the Australian bush. How that odd partnership evolved is one of the strands woven into this episode of Nature Of Australia. The program tells the story of how the island continent's wooded margins came to be dominated by one unique type of tree growing in a great variety of forms - the eucalypt. The nursery for nearly all life in Australia is the rainforest, of which only a few patches remain today - th last remnants of vast, dense forests that covered Australia when it first broke away from the ancestral super-continent of Gondwana, and voyaged north into isolation. From among its proliferation of plants emerged the eucalypts, the characteristic gum trees - and from among the forest animals arose a great and varied company of marsupials, adapting to every kind of environment that evolved in response to Australia's changing, drying climate.

Dec 4, 1988

Australia's arid interior is often called the dead heart. In fact, it teems with life, supported by a hidden network of buried rivers recharged by rare but heavy rains. This episode tells the story of this surprising desert - formed when the climatic change overtook and dried out central Australia. What was once a land of vast lakes and broad rivers turned into a parched region of glittering stone and burning sand, interwoven with swathes of hardy woodland and plains of desert grass. A great variety of plants and animals has adapted to life in the arid centre, with its swings between the brief good condition that follow the unpredictable rains, and then long periods of drought. It's the land of the lizards - from giant goannas that sniff out snakes hiding under the sand, to the tiny, delicate Lake Eyre dragons who've made the desolate saltpans their domain.

Dec 11, 1988

Australia's northward drift slowed down when it collided with Asia about 15 million years ago - in the upheavals, chains of islands were thrust up and eventually they became the stepping stones for an invasion that would change the face of Australia. With the arrival of the first humans - at least 50,000 and possibly as long as 120,000 year ago - a new force entered the continent to shape the fortunes of its plants and animals. The first landfall was on the far north coast of Australia, a rich and tropical region ruled by the annual monsoonal rains. This program tells the story of Australia's top end, where the first Aboriginal people arrived, settled, and perfected the use of fire as a means to manage the landscape.

Dec 18, 1988

Modern Australians want to recapture the Aborigines ability to live harmoniously with indigenous plants and animals.

Jan 8, 1989

The different types of owls and the characteristics which make them ideal birds of prey.

Feb 5, 1989

Wildlife artist Bruce Pearson sketches the various bird species found in the arid lands of Western Africa's Mali, through which the River Niger flows.

Feb 19, 1989

Explores the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Vancouver, B.C.

Feb 26, 1989

Explores the variety of local environments found around waterfalls in Africa, South and North America.

Mar 5, 1989

Profiles of the Kalahari Desert's gray meerkat or mongoose, and a Kenyan colony of bee-eater birds.

Mar 12, 1989

The Adelie penguin is observed at the Cape Bird nesting site on Antarctica's Ross Island.

Mar 19, 1989

Chronicling the life of "Mozu the Snow Monkey," a macaque with deformed limbs that's survived harsh winters in Japan's highlands to raise seven offspring. The complex social structure among the primates is documented.

Mar 26, 1989

Examines the role computers play in managing the Everglades and whether this vital freshwater marsh will survive the effects of diking, draining and development.

Apr 16, 1989

Unique animals and plants flourish atop mist-shrouded Venezuelan plateaus thousands of feet above the surrounding jungle.

Apr 30, 1989

Scientists study birds of prey, creatures historically admired and hated, as indicators of environmental damage.

May 14, 1989

Wildlife flourishes around the manmade lake conservationists denounced 30 years ago at its creation.

Oct 8, 1989

The area's evolutionary roots opens this look at the African valley.

Oct 15, 1989

The wildlife that lives on the Great Rift's ash plains.

Oct 22, 1989

Examines the Red Sea, the island of Madagascar and East Africa.

Oct 29, 1989

Soft coral, sponges, tubeworms, anemones and giant cod adapt to life in Antarctica's subzero waters.

Nov 12, 1989

Profiles the wildlife living within the British crown colony of Hong Kong

Nov 19, 1989

An exploration of the Caledonian forest in Scotland, Britain's largest remaining area of ancient woodland.

Dec 10, 1989

A portrait of the endangered mountain gorilla in equatorial Africa.

Dec 17, 1989

A look at the maneating tigers of the Sundarbans delta in India.

Jan 7, 1990

Resource management in Italy's alpine Gran Paradiso National Park has consequences beyond the parks boundaries.

Jan 21, 1990

Scientists study sandhill cranes on Nebraskan plains, Alaskan and Siberian coasts and in the Northwest Territories.

Feb 4, 1990

The forests and waters of Ethiopia's Bale Mountains, may one day renew the country's depleted landscape.

Feb 11, 1990

A look at how Europe's birds of prey have adapted.

Feb 18, 1990

The relationship between working sheepdogs and flocks of sheep. Selective breeding yields a sheepdog with outstanding abilities to tend the creature other canines prey upon.

Mar 4, 1990

Tracing the course of the Colorado River.

Mar 11, 1990

Thousands of years of human settlement provide the backdrop by which to discover the wildlife of Ireland.

Mar 18, 1990

The fur trade continues to threaten the South American otter with extinction, despite its status as an endangered species.

Mar 25, 1990

Profiles the Haida Indians who live on British Columbia's Queen Charlotte Island.

Apr 1, 1990

An exploration of the environmental impact of man's attempts to halt the erosion of Presque Isle beaches.

Apr 8, 1990

The effect of the 1988 fire on the ecosystem of Yellowstone National Park.

Apr 15, 1990

A natural history of the snake includes its significance to man as a symbol of fertility, immortality and death.

Sep 30, 1990

Sharks, rays, squids and blue whales live in the Pacific Ocean off the California coast.

Oct 7, 1990

Three species of monkeys, the muriqui, the golden lion tamarin and the buffy-headed marmoset struggle for survival in Brazil's coastal Atlantic Forest.

Oct 14, 1990

A look at how Norway and Sweden are affected by eight months of winter.

Oct 21, 1990

A look at the Swedish archipelago and Norway's fjords.

Nov 11, 1990

Africa's spotted hyena is a matriarch dominated, efficient predator.

Nov 18, 1990

Sight and sound are experienced through animal eyes and ears.

Nov 25, 1990

Enhanced olfactory sensitivity; unique animal senses.

Dec 2, 1990

Internal clocks guide life rhythms of eating, sleeping, mating, hibernation, birth and death.

Dec 9, 1990

This program travels to the island of Cayo Santiago off Puerto Rico to study the behavioral patterns of a colony of feral Rhesus Macaques.

Dec 16, 1990

Rangers at Denali National Park in Alaska train hikers for planned encounters with grizzlies; Alaskan grizzly bears are seen salmon fishing at Brooks Falls.

Jan 13, 1991

Penguins, maras, guanacos, sea lions and killer whales highlight this portrait of Patagonia.

Feb 17, 1991

In light of the Persian Gulf War and the recent oil spills, PBS airs an update of the 1984 episode of Nature, Treasures of the Gulf, that focused on the effects of the Iran-Iraq war on the fragile ecology of the Persian Gulf.

Feb 24, 1991

The beauty of the African plains and the effects of tourism on the area.

Mar 3, 1991

Filmmaker Simon Trevor, a former game warden, records the decimation of African elephants.

Mar 10, 1991

The natural and human history of the Grand Tetons and Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Mar 17, 1991

Life within a close-knit golden jackal family on the plains of Lemuta in Africa.

Mar 24, 1991

Biologist Lynn Rogers follows the black bear out of hibernation and into the Minnesota woods.

Apr 7, 1991

The relationship within a wild dog pack on Africa's Serengeti Plains.

Apr 14, 1991

A profile of the albatross examines its traits and habitats, as well as the mysteries and myths surrounding it.

Apr 28, 1991

A polecat winters at a working farm in Wales, along with scavenging foxes, rats and birds.

May 12, 1991

Grizzlies, wolves and cougars roam Montana's rugged, pristine Glacier National Park.

Sep 28, 1991

This program features the Kogi tribe who live in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Columbia. They are pre-Columbian peoples, and consider themselves as the elder brothers of humankind. They insist that it is the modern world, the younger brothers, who are destroying the harmony of life on earth.

Oct 13, 1991

Vietnam's wildlife is reappearing after the great losses suffered during the war.

Nov 3, 1991

Simon King films a lioness and her pride during winter on Africa's Serengeti plain.

Nov 17, 1991

A look at the environmental crisis on Madagascar and new conservation efforts being made.

Nov 24, 1991

This first episode in the miniseries explores the European discovery and settlement of the New World. Two views are presented, that of the colonists struggles to survive in their new and unfamiliar setting, as well as the Native Americans success within the same environment.

Nov 24, 1991

A look at the colonization of Canada and the fur trade.

Nov 25, 1991

A focus on the prospect of gold in the new world, and the Spanish exploration of Florida in search of that alluring metal.

Nov 25, 1991

An exploration of the Great Plains of North American from the Lewis and Clark expedition through to the present day.

Nov 26, 1991

A focus on the Rocky Mountains and Yellowstone National Park.

Nov 26, 1991

A look at life in the Sonoran Desert.

Nov 27, 1991

Exploring the people and wildlife of Alaska.

Nov 27, 1991

This last episode in the miniseries looks at the landscape and wildlife of California.

Dec 8, 1991

Jan 5, 1992

This program follows a herd of zebras along their yearly migration route through the African plains.

Jan 12, 1992

Follows the yearly migration of the caribou of Alaska and the Yukon Territory in an effort to find suitable birthing grounds, all will trying to avoid wolves and other predators.

Jan 19, 1992

India's remote Ladakh region in the Himalaya Mountains, home to the snow leopard and other rare wildlife.

Feb 9, 1992

Chimpanzees and other primates survive on Tiwai, an Upper Guinea island where witchcraft and taboos still exist.

Feb 16, 1992

Roger Tory Peterson's fight to save America's birds and their habitats.

Mar 1, 1992

The life cycle of a female northern elephant seal is documented.

Mar 8, 1992

Explores the lives of dolphins all around the world, and the scientists who are trying to communicate with them.

May 31, 1992

Loggers and conservationists have conflicting plans for ancient forests of redwoods, Douglas firs, hemlocks and Sitka spruce trees along the Northern Pacific rim.

Oct 5, 1992

This miniseries starts off by exploring the abundance of wildlife around the Volga Delta in Russia’s Astrakhan region.

Oct 5, 1992

An exploration of the wildlife of the Russian Arctic, and in particular Wrangle Island, featuring polar bears, musk oxen, Ross’s Gulls, reindeer, foxes, walruses, and the Red-breasted Goose.

Oct 6, 1992

A focus on the wildlife of the Central Asian deserts.

Oct 6, 1992

Between China and Central Asia is the Tian Shan mountain range, home to Marco Polo sheep, white-clawed bears, snow leopards, yaks, and the ibex.

Oct 7, 1992

A look at the wildlife in the huge Siberia forest reveals bears, elk, wolves, and musk deer among many other creatures in this frozen expanse.

Oct 7, 1992

This last program in the miniseries explores Kamchatka Peninsula where the Russian Arctic meets Southeast Asia. Home to perhaps the highest concentration of volcanoes in the world, this remote region is teeming with life both on land and in the sea, from the Amur Tiger to the Giant Pacific Octopus.

Oct 18, 1992

Fish, bats, birds, whales, giant squids, sharks, dolphins, sea lions and more flourish in and around the Sea of Cortez.

Oct 25, 1992

The African Blackwood is prized the world over for its wood in the making of musical instruments. Nature takes you on a journey through the history of this “tree of music” and into modern day efforts in Tanzania to save this ever dwindling resource.

Nov 29, 1992

Get right inside the hives of bees and wasps to see the inner workings of these complex societies.

Jan 10, 1993

A look at two separate families of arctic foxes. One living in the frozen, barren tundra of northern Russia, the other living in the slightly more comfortable surroundings of the Norwegian coastline.

Jan 24, 1993

A study of cheetah behavior follows a mother and her cubs on the Serengeti plains.

Feb 14, 1993

A gorilla orphanage and a proposed forest reserve may save the lowland gorilla.

Feb 21, 1993

As its numbers increase and its natural range diminishes, the coyote moves into populated regions like Los Angeles.

Feb 28, 1993

Mar 14, 1993

In Kenya’s Amboseli National Park is a family of elephants led by its matriarch Echo. Elephant expert Cynthia Moss, takes us up-close and inside the lives of these magnificent animals.

May 9, 1993

May 16, 1993

Raccoon and beaver lifestyles in the Canadian wilderness.

May 23, 1993

Exploration of Puget Sound's ecosystem.

Oct 3, 1993

Timothy Dalton searches for wolf habitats in North America to learn more about the animal

Oct 10, 1993

The history of llamas, alpacas, vicunas and guanacos in South America.

Nov 7, 1993

The two-hundred-foot walls of ice in Glacier Bay overwhelm the senses, but they also surround the most beautiful sights Alaska has to offer — the Northern Lights, the roaming grizzly bears, and the humpback whales. The glacier itself is also creating new life — it has retreated some 70 miles up the bay, wiping the ecological slate clean, allowing new plants and animals to start again from scratch.

Nov 22, 1993

This program looks at the varied ways in which life reproduces. Whether a species has one sex, two sexes, both at once or none at all, the urge to procreate is there.

Nov 22, 1993

Explores the various influences on mating and courtship, from the sun, the moon and the change of seasons, to the specific behaviors within species.

Nov 23, 1993

Explores the selection process among different species for choosing a mate, whether it’s for life or just for the day.

Nov 23, 1993

An investigation into the origins of human sexuality and sexual roles.

Nov 24, 1993

A look at the reproduction process from conception to birth of a wide variety of animals.

Nov 24, 1993

A look at the parental process of all sorts of earth’s creatures.

Dec 5, 1993

"Nature's Great African Moments" features clips from episodes focusing on the continent and its abundant wildlife. Included: wildebeests, zebras, lions, giraffes and flamingos.

Jan 23, 1994

"Anima Mundi" offers images of the natural world set to music; "Before It's Too Late" examines zoos' efforts to preserve endangered species. Included: attempts to restore near-extinct mammals to mainland Australia.

Feb 20, 1994

A study of the goshawk, a bird of prey that has been restored to the Scottish woodlands after being pushed to the brink of extinction. Included: the goshawk's courtship ritual; how chicks learn to fly.

Mar 13, 1994

"A Sea Otter Story---Warm Hearts & Cold Water" examines a California aquarium's efforts to raise an otter and teach it necessary survival skills. Also: the impact of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill on Alaskan otters.

May 15, 1994

"Toadskin Spell" examines frogs and toads and how the qualities of their skin help them survive extreme climates. Included: toad-derived poisons, medicines and hallucinogens.

Oct 2, 1994

Following Anthony Hopkins to Tanzania to study lions. Included: an encounter with Masai warriors; the lioness's role in the hunt; footage of zebras and wildebeests.

Oct 9, 1994

This installment of PBS's multi-award winning Nature series delves into the life and history of the highly endangered giant panda. Nature: Pandas of the Sleeping Dragon studies the habits and habitats of the giant panda throughout China's Sleeping Dragon Mountains.

Nov 6, 1994

"Warts and All" follows three generations of a wart-hog family over the course of a year. Observed: attacks by hyenas, leopards and flamingos; how wart-hog males fend for themselves from an early age.

Nov 20, 1994

The first programme in a five part series that combines wildlife footage with drama and documentary in exploring the fundamental relationship between man and nature across the Pacific Ocean. Explores the islands of Tahiti and Marquesas, which were settled some 2000 years ago by Polynesian seafarers.

Nov 20, 1994

Nov 21, 1994

Nov 21, 1994

Nov 22, 1994

Jan 8, 1995

Following the flamingo as it searches for places to feed and breed in East Africa's Great Rift Valley. Observed: flamingos feeding on algae, dancing and attempting to escape predators.

Feb 5, 1995

Following the work of forensic experts who use plants, insects and animals to help solve police cases. Included: how seeds on a blanket placed a rape suspect at a crime scene; how fly eggs helped police identify a serial killer.

Feb 26, 1995

Bob Hoskins travels through Sumatra, India and Nepal to learn about wild tigers.

Mar 5, 1995

Following a rare ghost bear, a black bear with all-white fur, as it hones survival skills on an island off the western coast of Canada. Included: salmon migration; preparations for hibernation; black gray wolves; killer whales.

May 21, 1995

Following a herd of Thomson's gazelles, a species that uses swift, “life-saving legs” to survive attacks by predators on Africa's Serengeti Plains. Included: their flight from cheetahs (their “greatest enemy”), jackals and hyenas; how “Tommies” travel in herds.

Jul 23, 1995

"New Guinea: Island Invaders" explores the island, located north of Australia in the East Indies. Examined: the land bridge which enabled animals from Australia to cross over to New Guinea. Also: the marine crocodile

Jul 30, 1995

"New Guinea: Other Worlds" explores the island's remote interior, home to the bird of paradise, which natives believe to have spiritual powers. Also: how gold prospectors came to the interior and were surprised to encounter people exclusively using stone-age tools.

Oct 8, 1995

"Jaguar: Year of the Cat" follows the predator in its native rain forests of Belize. Included: a pair stalk turtles, peccaries and armadillos; scenes of the habits of their animal neighbors, including toucans and ocelots.

Oct 15, 1995

NATURE takes you into the depths of the ocean to discover the most remarkable life still undiscovered on our planet that will certainly be found in the sea.

Nov 5, 1995

Considering the similarities between simian and human intelligence. Included: a chimpanzee demonstrating a sense of self, as he recognizes his own reflection; how certain chimps can use tools; a chimp species that has recreational sex.

Dec 3, 1995

Travel to "The World of Penguins” to discover the great variety of these aquatic birds.

Dec 17, 1995

Exploring the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, formed when Asia and Australia separated, which combines elements of both continents. Included: crested black macaques; a reticulated python; the babirusa ("pig-deer"); red-knobbed hornbills; fruit bats.

Jan 14, 1996

Following the "Hunters of the Sea Wind," predators that stalk a Pacific current for the thousands of fish it carries. Included: dolphins; yellowfin tuna; blue marlins; lantern fish; and sailfish. Also: tuna fishermen releasing dolphins from their nets.

Feb 4, 1996

A look at parrots, birds with a playful nature and remarkable mimicry skills that have endeared them to pet owners worldwide. Included: the largest parrot species, the hyacinth macaw; scarlet macaws, white cockatoos and monk parakeets.

Feb 11, 1996

"Alien Empire," a three-part exploration of the world of insects, begins with survival methods used by many species. Included: how exoskeletons provide protection and can be used offensively; unusual reproductive habits of mayflies and wasps.

Feb 12, 1996

Part 2 of "Alien Empire" delves into the violence and communal living that are at the core of insect life. Included: cockroach and butterfly eating techniques; highly effective termite killers called "assassin bugs."

Feb 13, 1996

"Alien Empire" concludes with a look at how insects have spread and how humans have tried to combat that expansion. Included: crickets that have adapted to climatic extremes; the threat posed by gypsy-moth caterpillars.

Mar 3, 1996

Jane Goodall introduces a program that charts a "sweeping family saga" as it plays out among chimps in Tanzania's Gombe National Park. Observed: how the younger offspring try to capture their mother's attention.

Mar 31, 1996

A look at snakes, sea creatures and plants that employ venom, either as a defense mechanism or as a way to disable prey. Included: king and Siamese cobras; scorpions; rattlesnakes; and the Australian blue-ringed octopus.

May 5, 1996

Exploring the wildlife and terrain in the wilderness of Australia's Kakadu National Park, where years are divided between droughts and monsoons. Included: Gouldian finches, sulphur-crested cockatoos, magpie geese, dingoes and wallabies

May 12, 1996

Tracing the monsoon season when India receives most of its rain. Included: how the rains avert droughts on most of the subcontinent, but also cause massive flooding. Observed: gharial crocodiles; weaverbirds; Indian elephants; one-horned rhinos; langurs.

Oct 13, 1996

In the NATURE program SPERM WHALES: THE REAL MOBY DICK, the efforts of Jonathan Gordon and other researchers to study the whales' physicality, modes of communication, and social interactions contribute to our understanding of the underwater world.

Oct 20, 1996

Charting the declining fortunes of a pride of "Crater Lions" that lives in Tanzania's Ngorongoro Crater. Included: lion attacks on buffaloes; a young cub's encounter with jackals; efforts to repopulate the pride; wildebeests, elephants

Nov 10, 1996

Delving into the mysteries of the colorful monkeys called mandrills, as a troupe of the creatures are followed through the West African rainforests. Included: the travails of a lead male fighting off a rival; the females' role as group leaders; hammerhead bats and river martins.

Nov 17, 1996

Exploring pigs, described by host George Page as “the world's most cosmopolitan characters,” with a focus on their adaptability to a variety of environments. Included: pigs as pets; hunters stalking a “bearded” pig in Borneo.

Dec 8, 1996

Following a family of elephants in Kenya's Amboseli National Park. Included: the family's matriarch giving birth, rescuing her kidnapped daughter and chasing away hyenas. Also: male and female mating rituals.

Jan 12, 1997

Observing wild buffaloes and gray wolves in the Canadian wilderness. Jeff and Sue Turner spent two years filming the ritual battles between these ancient adversaries in Wood Buffalo National Park, where the drama unfolds in the subarctic winter.

Feb 16, 1997

Profiling the mahouts of southern India, who are skilled in the art of training wild elephants. Included: a journey north to stop herds of marauding elephants that are destroying villagers' crops and taking lives.

Feb 23, 1997

Deep in the thorn forests of Madagascar live troops of ring-tailed lemurs, the most beautiful and most social of Madagascar’s extraordinary primates. Our story follows five baby lemurs as they try to make their way in the world. In an intimate portrait never before filmed, we learn of their high times, their sufferings, and the special bonds that hold their unique society together.

Mar 9, 1997

Tales of canine loyalty to humans, including segments illustrating how dogs detect people buried by avalanches, enhance the lives of prison inmates and offer "therapy" for seriously ill youngsters. Also: the use of dogs to assist people with disabilities; dog scouts and couriers.

Apr 13, 1997

Profiling the bowerbird, an ingenious "architect" of the Australian rain forest that builds elaborate bowers of sticks to attract a female. Footage also includes the spiny echidna, which feasts on termite mounds; a bright blue crayfish; and carnivorous dingoes.

May 11, 1997

The four-part "Spirits of the Jaguar" explores the human and natural histories of Central America and the Caribbean. Part 1 focuses on the region's animal and plant life, and its volcanic origins some 150 million years ago. Included: iguanas; crocodiles; fossilized tree sap that offers a record of ancient island life.

May 12, 1997

Part 2 of "Spirits of the Jaguar" explores the "Forests of the Maya," where 1200 years ago an extraordinary civilization emerged in the Central American jungles. Included: Mayan ruins; exotic animals like the jaguar that permeated Mayan folklore; underground rivers and caves.

May 13, 1997

Part 3 of “Spirits of the Jaguar” recounts the evolution of the Taino civilization. The Taino were the first inhabitants of the Caribbean some 2000 years ago, and their way of life was destroyed with the arrival of European explorers. The hour examines marine life that provided food for the Amerindians.

May 14, 1997

"Spirits of the Jaguar" concludes with the story of the Aztec empire, which in the 1500s stretched from the Atlantic to the Pacific in what is now Mexico. Footage includes scenes of hawks that once inspired Aztec myths, and ruins of pyramids and temples.

Oct 12, 1997

TOOTHWALKERS presents extremely rare under-the-ice footage that reveals a complex and potentially dangerous side to this huge and often mysterious mammal.

Oct 19, 1997

An unforgettable view. To see the Grand Canyon for the first time is an experience few people will forget. The canyon vista — with its incomprehensible size, deep color, and rich display of rock layers — is unmatched by any natural display on Earth. But while the rock formations may seem arid and lifeless, the Grand Canyon is home to an astounding variety of creatures. In its mile-deep plunge, the Grand Canyon’s terrain ranges from conifer forest to desert, with river niches in between.

Nov 9, 1997

The birth of a baby gorilla, the flight to freedom of a California condor, and a panda's attempt at seduction are among the stories from the San Diego Zoo. Included: a black rhino's birth; the construction of a polar-bear habitat; preparing zoo meals.

Nov 16, 1997

Studying elephants' ability to adapt to varied environments. Included: researchers probe the myth of the pygmy elephant of the rain forest, and follow forest elephants that live in small family units in central Africa.

Dec 7, 1997

Examining efforts to save orangutans from extinction at a rehabilitation center in Borneo, where the apes are later released into the wild. Also: footage of an orangutan birth; a study in which apes learn communication with humans.

Jan 18, 1998

Exploring otters as they frolic at Yellowstone Lake, a powerhouse of geothermal activity, where the warmth beneath the rocks sustains life, even in winter. Also seen: bald eagles performing an airborne bonding ritual.

Feb 1, 1998

Filmmakers explore a region of the Brazilian rain forest to find three species of marmoset, the smallest monkey in the world. There, they find a fourth species previously known only to the Satare Maues Indians, who believe marmosets are reincarnations of their own children.

Mar 1, 1998

Exploring aquatic life along the Pacific coast of British Columbia, where colorful undersea creatures live in the pounding surf. Included: a palm tree-shaped sea anemone seen doing a sensual “dance.”

Mar 29, 1998

"The Secret Garden" probes the "suburban jungle" of bugs, slugs, birds, snakes and wildlife that inhabit backyard gardens. Included: mating snails that "touch each other with shameless abandon"; a beetle with a taste for tadpoles; weeds that vie for space and light.

Apr 26, 1998

Part 1 of "Forces of the Wild," a five-part miniseries, explores the birth of the planet Earth, from the formation of the atmosphere and water to the miracle of life. Also: volcanoes and lava forms in Hawaii, and undersea volcanic zones near Iceland.

Apr 27, 1998

Part 2 of "Forces of the Wild" examines wind and water, two forces that shape the Earth and are each "a recipe for paradise---and for disaster." Footage includes tropical rain forests and deserts, including Death Valley (Cal.).

Apr 27, 1998

"Forces of the Wild" Part 3 documents the influence of the sun and the moon on life. Included: the prehistoric Stonehenge megaliths; gravity's effects on the moon and the earth; myths surrounding the seasons.

Apr 27, 1998

Part 4 of "Forces of the Wild" offers a grim warning against mankind's efforts to change elemental forces that shape the planet and transform nature to suit the modern world. Included: the effects of pollution and the weather pattern known as El Niño.

May 3, 1998

"Forces of the Wild" concludes with a look at the work of photographers who shot stunning images of Hawaii's Kilauea eruptions, and of geese migration. Also: interviews with pilots and scientists of the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution.

May 17, 1998

Extraordinary footage of eagles illustrates species of fish eagles and forest eagles, including Southeast Asian white-bellied eagles, seen in daredevil aerial combat and diving for deadly sea snakes; the golden eagle, a “flying masterpiece”; the classic bald eagle.

Jun 14, 1998

Exploring a man-made jungle teeming with life---wildlife, that is---amid a forest of skyscrapers in New York City. Included: red-tailed hawks; nesting parrots at Brooklyn College; and subway rats, raccoons and cockroaches.

Oct 11, 1998

The polar bear rules the north. To the hardy native people who settled the harsh lands of the Arctic, the powerful hunter with the ghostly white coat is known as the “lonely roamer.” But most of us know the huge mammal as the polar bear. And the story of how the world’s largest land predator prospers in one of Earth’s harshest environments is the subject of the NATURE program Great White Bear.

Oct 18, 1998

NATURE lifts part of the veil of mystery shrouding some fascinating — and often fearsome — creatures in The Secret World of Sharks and Rays. Sharks and their biological cousins, the rays, are among the highest-profile denizens of the deep, thanks to the popularity of books and films that have cast them in leading roles — as antagonist, not protagonist.

Nov 1, 1998

The NATURE program American Buffalo: Spirit of a Nation tells the sad story of how the buffalo nation was destroyed nearly a century ago by greed and uncontrolled hunting — and how a few visionaries are working today to rebuild the once-great bison herds. It offers a remarkable portrait of America’s last significant wild bison herd, made up of a few thousand animals living within Montana’s Yellowstone National Park. And it highlights the efforts of Native American leaders dedicated to bringing back the animal that once gave life to their tribes. “Buffalo have to be there for our culture to exist,” says Fred DuBray, a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux tribe who appears in American Buffalo. “As we bring our herds back to health, we will also bring our people back to health.”

Nov 15, 1998

"India: Land of the Tiger" begins a six-part journey, led by wildlife expert Valmik Thapar, through the land of Kipling's "Jungle Book." "The Tiger's Domain" opens the series, and tracks tigers, Asiatic lions, monkeys, jackals, sloth bears and cobras. Also: a ceremonial snake festival.

Nov 15, 1998

Part 2 of "India: Land of the Tiger" follows the sacred waters of the Ganges River, whose grasslands are home to rhino, wild buffalo, elephants, tigers and a cacophony of birds. Also explored: the mangrove-rich Sunderbans Delta, where the tiger is worshipped as a god.

Nov 16, 1998

Part 3 of "India: Land of the Tiger" explores the vast expanses of unknown seas, from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal. Included: elephants swimming from island to island; whale sharks; coral reefs; convict fish; and the voracious Bombay duck.

Nov 16, 1998

Part 4 of "India: Land of the Tiger" travels to the harsh northwest "Desert Kingdom," home to stately black bucks, Indian gazelles, wild ass, lynx-like caracal, monkeys that live among the people, and vultures that feed on carcasses of dead livestock.

Nov 18, 1998

Part 5 of "India: Land of the Tiger" journeys to the inhospitable peaks of the Himalayas. These icy citadels are "Mountains of the Gods" that support a rich variety of life, such as snow leopards, blue sheep, brown bears, red pandas and flamboyant pheasants.

Nov 18, 1998

"India: Land of the Tiger" concludes with a journey into the subcontinent's lush "Monsoon Forests" for a look at their inhabitants: rare tigers and elephants, primates such as the hoolock gibbon, the milgiri langur, the lion-tailed macaque, giant hornbills.

Dec 6, 1998

NATURE's John Denver: Let This Be A Voice explores the American West with the late singer and conservationist.

Jan 10, 1999

"Serengeti Stories: The Work of Hugo van Lawick" follows the famed wildlife filmmaker and includes clips of his masterpiece, "People of the Forest," about chimpanzees and their social relationships. Also: clips of "Wild Dogs of Africa" (1972), a heroic story of survival.

Feb 7, 1999

"Iceland: Fire and Ice" is a "wonderland of eternal opposites," where glaciers sit on top of volcanoes. In this land of ice there are no trees, but it is home to Arctic foxes, a large bird population and twice as many sheep as people. Included: footage of ice caves.

Feb 14, 1999

Once the home of a notorious Soviet prison camp, the isolated peninsula of Kamchatka remains a haven for one of Earth's last giants, the grizzly bear.

Feb 21, 1999

Cats command our attention and our devotion. These fascinating creatures have been perplexing people for thousands of years.

May 23, 1999

How does such a seemingly passive life form accomplish the complex task of reproduction?

Aug 8, 1999

Profiling the 28-year-old lowland gorilla Koko, who communicates by sign language with her mentor, Francine Patterson. Koko, who understands English, has “a good sense of humor,” says Patterson, and “a strong sense of self.” She's also seen painting and watching TV, and playing with male gorillas Michael and Ndume at Patterson's Gorilla Foundation in Northern California.

Oct 24, 1999

Documentary that explores Antarctica's weather phenomena, its rugged and adaptable wildlife and the powerful dynamics of its ever-changing icecap. Part 1 discusses the effects of the katabatic -- the relentless wind that sweeps over the Antarctic landscape, often at speeds of more than 100 mile per hour, re-sculpting the topography of the continent and affecting the climate of the entire southern hemisphere.

Oct 31, 1999

Part 2 investigates the icebergs, million-ton islands of ice that have broken free of glacial cliffs to become floating platforms of life. Despite the harshness of the environment, diverse eco-systems thrive. The principal wildlife includes crabeater seals and leopard seals, Adelie and emperor penguins, Minke whales, krill, snow petrals and algae.

Nov 14, 1999

Though their glory days may be in the past, these hoofed creatures continue to enthrall us, as the NATURE program HORSES demonstrates in sparkling detail. From the steppes of Mongolia, where children race at breakneck speeds perched on stallions ten times their size, to the fields of Georgia, where people confined to wheelchairs find new freedom in the saddle, HORSES highlights the many roles played by this multi-talented beast of burden. There are also rare glimpses of the world’s most endangered horse, and an inside look at the art of the horse whisperers, the trainers who through their gentle touch can transform a wild bucking bronco into a stately show horse.

Nov 21, 1999

Ironically, the powerful, dedicated canines profiled in Sled Dogs: An Alaskan Epic are little more than mutts. They are mixed-breed huskies that have endurance.

Dec 5, 1999

Human lives have been influenced by animals in matters that reach far beyond the food chain. In surprising ways, animals help teach, heal, and strengthen people -- in body, mind, and spirit.

Jan 4, 2000

Birds may have a reputation for being less than geniuses, but researchers are discovering that some are remarkably smart. Some birds have the capacity to recognize, count, or name different objects. Ravens, for instance, have the ability to solve difficult puzzles, such as untangling a knotted string to free up a tasty treat or figuring out how to steal fish by hauling in an angler’s untended line. And, as shown in the first part of NATURE’s Inside the Animal Mind, crows on the remote Pacific island of New Caledonia have learned a skill that people once thought only primates could master: the use of tools. The birds use long, specially chosen twigs to spear the plump grubs that hide deep beneath the bark of rotting logs.

Jan 9, 2000

Spanning the Pacific from the inlets of the Alaskan coast to the Polynesian Islands and the shores of Antarctica, Humpback Whales presents a multi-faceted portrait of this fascinating mammal. This program follows the humpbacks closely and uncovers revealing details that add to the growing knowledge of these creatures.

Jan 11, 2000

Happiness, sadness, anger, fear, love, hate — emotions play a pivotal role in our lives. But do they loom large in an animal’s world as well? Part Two of NATURE’s Inside the Animal Mind explores that question in fascinating detail.

Jan 18, 2000

As you read this, you are probably aware of reading this. Indeed, you can also imagine yourself reading this — a sort of picture within a picture in your mind’s eye. But do animals share this kind of consciousness? That is the question asked by Part Three of NATURE’s Inside the Animal Mind. The program ponders just what consciousness is — and which animals might share this trait with people.

Feb 6, 2000

Cheetahs in a Hot Spot takes viewers to Namibia, one of the world’s richest cheetah habitats, for a remarkable look at these graceful hunters. It follows six gangly young cheetahs as they come of age in the desert wilderness of Etosha National Park, where they learn the essential hunting and social skills that will enable them to rear families of their own. But the documentary also captures the sobering challenges that other cheetahs face on nearby livestock ranches, where farmers routinely trap and kill the cats to reduce attacks on their herds. And the NATURE special profiles the courageous work of cheetah rescuer Lise Hanssen, who is creating alternatives to the deadly rivalry between rancher and predator.

Feb 13, 2000

NATURE’s Showdown at Grizzly River tells the story of one bold little bear’s coming of age at the falls. It follows an 18-month old cub named Toughie as she spends her last few months with her mother, learning to pluck salmon from the fierce current, eat nutritious marsh grasses and, most importantly, how to behave around other bears. Besides tangling with cubs her own size, Toughie also learns how to deal with the towering adult males that threaten her young life, but may one day father her own cubs.

Feb 27, 2000

Jackals of the African Crater documents the dramatic, and sometimes heartrending, stories of these jackal families. One pair of black-backed parents struggles to feed its pups in the midst of a dry season, only to lose their nearly grown offspring to a hungry golden jackal.

Apr 16, 2000

No flowering plant has captured the attention of humans, or stirred their passions, in quite the way that orchids have.

Apr 23, 2000

NATURE follows the world's most dauntless creatures in their epic migrations in "Earth Navigators."

May 7, 2000

Many animals have a special ability to transform themselves, for the sake of survival, reproduction, or both.

May 14, 2000

According to legend, Spanish explorers believed that a fountain of eternal youth bubbled up to the surface somewhere in the place we know today as Florida. In a poetic way, they were right.

Jun 11, 2000

From the sea horse that mates in an hypnotic underwater ballet to the rodent who copulates until he literally drops dead, THE NATURE OF SEX spans the globe to illustrate how an astonishing diversity of life forms find their mates and conceive, raise, and protect their offspring.

Feb 27, 2000

NATURE takes you an a whirlwind tour of the animal kingdom as we explore the World-Famous San Diego Zoo and Animal Park. Every animal has a story…and so does the staff at the San Diego Zoo. NATURE’s presentation of Animal Attractions: Amazing Tales from the San Diego Zoo invites you to look through the eyes of those who work behind the scenes, making sure every animal is properly cared and provided for.

Oct 22, 2000

Julia Roberts, one of the most famous and beautiful American actresses of today, lives among the nomads of Mongolia and discovers their relationship with the horse.

Oct 29, 2000

A new age of ocean exploration is lifting the veil of mystery shrouding a creature of legend -- the octopus.

Nov 12, 2000

Discover amazing birds -- from hummingbirds and peregrine falcons to parrots and barn owls -- on NATURE's "Extraordinary Birds."

Nov 19, 2000

The enigmatic subjects of NATURE: The Urban Elephant, Asian elephants are losing territory to the inevitable process of deforestation. Industrialization all over Asia has hurt the mahouts, or elephant drivers, so that the trained elephants and their riders are being driven into major cities such as Bangkok to earn a meager living receiving donations and food from curious tourists.

Dec 17, 2000

Life on the savannah of southern Tanzania is a study in contrast between rainy and dry seasons. When water is abundant, the wildebeest at the rivers provide food for the lion population, while the buffalo graze contentedly on the succulent grasses in the hills. The two great adversaries -- lion and buffalo -- can keep their distance.

Jan 7, 2001

Each October, the remote Canadian town of Churchill in Manitoba plays host to some very unusual guests. More than a thousand hungry polar bears gather there to await the refreezing of Hudson Bay and then move out on the ice in pursuit of their traditional winter diet of seal. The world's largest land carnivore, polar bears can be very dangerous for humans as well as sea creatures -- but for tiny Churchill, they also are a tourist-dollar bonanza.

Jan 15, 2001

THE FOUR BILLION YEAR WAR explains how both conflict and cooperation have helped shape the species that today populate our world. And it profiles the winners and losers in this epic evolutionary contest — from the massive dinosaurs who disappeared long ago to the humble bacteria that have survived for billions of years virtually unchanged.

Jan 21, 2001

Gene Swapping Variety is indeed the spice of life. That is the message of THE MATING GAME, Part 2 of NATURE’s six-part TRIUMPH OF LIFE series. It takes a passionate look at the evolution of sex, which allows a species to pass its genes along from generation to generation.

Jan 28, 2001

For billions of years, life on Earth has been engaged in its own ETERNAL ARMS RACE, the subject of Part 3 of NATURE’s TRIUMPH OF LIFE. As predators became better hunters, their prey also evolved better defenses.

Feb 4, 2001

Life may be a contest in which only the fittest individuals survive, but cooperation has also played a key role in evolution. WINNING TEAMS takes a close look at the alliances that animals have forged — with others of their own kind and very different organisms — in a bid to stay alive. In fact, teamwork occurs everywhere, from flocks of birds and herds of wildebeest to colonies of ants and termites.

Feb 11, 2001

Hearts, eyes, flippers and wings — evolution has forged many remarkable body structures. But none is more amazing than the brain, that bundle of nerve cells that allows us to sense our surroundings, sort out information, and make decisions. Indeed, the great importance of BRAIN POWER to evolution is the subject of this week’s installment of NATURE’s TRIUMPH OF LIFE series.

Feb 18, 2001

This sixth installment focuses on the mass extinctions that have occurred over time. Though attention is paid to the factors that probably led to the demise of the dinosaurs, far more time is devoted to examining a wide variety of land and sea creatures that are continuing to fight off extinction. Climate changes, the birth of more highly evolved life forms, and changes in ocean currents are just a few of the factors that can play a major role in determining which species will prevail. Scientists and historians share their thoughts about which of today's species are most likely to remain triumphant over the coming millennia.

Mar 4, 2001

Who can resist the magnetic allure of a baby? The presence of little ones of any species invariably generates instant attention and concern from onlookers. In fact, it seems that both humans and animals are hard-wired to find youngsters adorable. The practical and essential reasons why the very young have an ability to play on our heart strings are explored in Baby Tales.

Apr 1, 2001

The birth and survival of a panda cub signals hope for the world's most cherished endangered animals, in NATURE's The Panda Baby.

May 6, 2001

The saga of one South African fur seal's adventures and adversities as he matures into a massive bull is captured on GOLDEN SEALS OF THE SKELETON COAST. The saga starts with the male pup's birth along the barren, windswept Skeleton Coast in West Africa. By the time he takes his first breaths, he's already facing danger -- in the form of jackals invading the seal colony.

May 20, 2001

When animals are the subject, most people associate Australia with lovable koalas and leaping kangaroos. But an even more distinctive aspect of Australian wildlife is its abundance of animals -- from snakes and spiders to a host of marine life forms and at least one mammal -- that use venom to defend themselves, attack prey, and in some cases help digest food.

Sep 9, 2001

Just like the mighty herds of wildebeest, the people who make their homes on Africa's great Serengeti plains are constantly on the move. This episode focuses on two women searching for their spiritual identity. Alice Wangui, a Nairobi hair salon owner, takes a trip to her native Kikuyu village so that her child will be born with a sense of community. On the savanna proper, Flora Salonik lives in an isolated farming hamlet, and struggles with the decision of whether or not to return to her own roots: the bustling metropolis of Arusha, Tanzania.

Sep 16, 2001

For centuries, the Tuareg people have braved the brutal Sahara to trade in salt, a precious cargo once worth its weight in gold. In this episode of AFRICA, Adam Ilius,salt production a young boy of nine, crosses hundreds of miles of desolate and dangerous desert on his first trans-Saharan salt caravan. After months of traveling, will Adam make it to Bilma, Niger to sell the caravan's salt for necessary food and clothing? Or will the shifting sands of the desert spell disaster for this tenacious group?

Sep 23, 2001

Deep in the central African rainforest, a struggle for survival rages. This episode takes a close look at how booming overseas markets for rainforest trees threaten the existence of two groups of Africans. Cameroon's Baka people, a traditional rainforest group, have lived in harmony with the forest for centuries, but now the sound of electric saws deafens the daily music of birds and monkeys. monkey, video link In Accra, the capital of Ghana, Annan Cedi, a coffin maker, needs these precious rainforest woods to construct fantasy coffins for international clients. Will the Baka be able to protect their ancient way of life and with it, an invaluable eco-system? And will Annan be able to maintain his business?

Sep 30, 2001

Isolated by mountains, Ethiopia is a center of spirituality. Here, faith is a driving force in the lives of many. This episode explores the depths of Ethiopia's religious beliefs. In the holy highland town of Lalibela, young Kibkab Wodemariam studies each day in hopes of becoming a priest. In the hills above Lalibela, Abba Defar labors at bringing to life his vision of a cathedral hewn from mountain rock. Will Kibkab Wodemariam be rewarded for his studies with the honor of participating in the annual procession for the holy day of Timkat? And will Abba Defar ever complete his mammoth symbol of faith in the Ethiopian highlands?

Oct 7, 2001

In the Sahel, the semi-arid border between the Sahara and the savanna, people mark the passage of time with ceremony and tradition. As the hot sun beats down on the Niger River delta, the annual Fulani cattle drive is underway. Young Errou Sisse must leave his girlfriend and travel hundreds of miles across parched earth with his family's cattle in search of adequate grazing land. As he travels through the desolate landscape, he and his fellow herders must survive on milk, and what little they can trade in the widely scattered villages of the Sahel. Meanwhile, another young man is hoping to mark an important passage of his own. In a cliffside Dogon village in Mali, Atime Dogolo Saye awaits the sacred dama ceremony to honor the spirits of the dead. Without participating in the dama, Atime will forever remain a boy, denied the right to raise a family of his own. Will these two young men be successful in their journeys? And will they find love when they reach journey's end.

Oct 14, 2001

Water is the lifeblood of Africa. It can create famine or fortune. In this episode, two families are hoping for fortune. Charles Tinkewimeru has been working the waters of Uganda's Lake Victoria for several years, building a good business selling fresh fish and dried minnows. But catches are steadily declining and Charles must come up with a new trade. Meanwhile, further inland in Uganda, the Ngwatima family has planted its annual rice crop. But the rains are late this year. A good crop depends on water, and now the Ngwatima must battle the elements in the hope of keeping their crop alive until relief comes from the skies. Will water bring fortune to these families, or will the shifting clouds spell disaster?

Oct 21, 2001

Surrounded by gleaming aquamarine waters and fine white sand, Zanzibar looks like a tropical paradise. But life here is not easy. No one knows that better than Issa Simai, who spends his days, spear in hand, in the warm Indian Ocean trying to catch enough octopus or lobster to make a living. Issa is also a member of The Leopards, Zanzibar's most successful soccer team. This season, they have won their way to a playoff on the mainland, Tanzania, in Dar es Salaam. But before the Leopards even reach the field, they face a daunting obstacle: paying for the trip. Will the Leopards make enough to hire a boat to the mainland? And even more challenging, will they ace the playoff and return home to the cheers of their Zanzibar fans?

Oct 28, 2001

The site of a large geological deposit of mineral wealth, South Africa has prospered from a history of mining, with the lion's share of riches going to white workers and owners. South Africa's system of apartheid has since been abolished, and blacks are claiming more of the skilled jobs in the gold mines. In the last episode of the series, two women attempt to reach their goals of better job opportunities. Africa, Pt. 8: Southern Treasures looks at Xoliswa Vanda and Putswa Tekane as they try to work in an industry that may be on the decline.

Nov 4, 2001

Filmed in the mountains of Montana, this poignant, engrossing chronicle focuses on an extraordinary stallion, whose life has been recorded since his birth in the wild in 1995 by Emmy-winning filmmaker Ginger Kathrens.

Nov 11, 2001

An incisive look at the breeding, behavior, and training of humankind's best friend, including useful pointers on how to avoid mistakes when selecting a puppy.

Nov 18, 2001

The escalating battle for space on this planet between people and wild animals has grown increasingly one-sided, as humanity asserts its domination. But a few intrepid species are successfully challenging, harassing, and even exploiting us on our own turf.

Dec 16, 2001

Long recognized as one of the most intelligent birds, the raven also has a less than savory image as a scavenger that does not discriminate between humans and animals. NATURE’s Ravens explores how these all-black creatures acquired their dual and contradictory images — as birds of both life and death.

Jan 13, 2002

On January 28, 1998, a monster weather system slammed into Oahu’s north shore. The Coast Guard called a Condition Black — all access to the water denied. It was every surfer’s dream and nightmare combined, playing and replaying on a seemingly endless loop, as colossal waves up to 40 feet high surged over the beaches of Oahu in a monstrous, unstoppable procession. The stunning footage, some recorded on IMAX film, the stories of the surfers, and the storm itself form the breathtaking core of Condition Black.

Feb 10, 2002

Journey with Meg Ryan to the jungles of Thailand in search of the white elephant, a rare creature coveted by royalty -- and threatened by extinction.

Apr 7, 2002

From the Caribbean, the documentary hopscotches to various points on the globe to show viewers a diverse array of animals that make music.

Apr 14, 2002

They box and wrestle, kick with authority, and cover large patches of ground with powerful leaps. In fact, the red kangaroos of Australia’s Outback are among the finest athletes of the animal world. And that’s just as well, since the Outback presents one of the most challenging environments on the planet.

May 19, 2002

Follow Ewan Mcgregor as he travels to a remote Canadian outpost on Hudson Bay, where he investigates the annual invasion of hungry polar bears.

Oct 13, 2002

Lynn Sherr, the award-winning correspondent for ABC TV’s 20/20 newsmagazine, went to Africa for the first time in 1973 and fell in love — with giraffes. “They were a dazzling, unexpected revelation: gawky, graceful anomalies; cool, gentle giants dressed in golden, stained-glass coats. And when they ran, they seemed to float. I was hooked.” Journey to Kenya and South Africa, and to an American zoo that is the giraffe breeding capital of the Western Hemisphere, for a revealing look at this powerful, captivating creature when Ms. Sherr hosts Tall Blondes.

Oct 20, 2002

“Bet Yer Blue Boons” is one of the most agile and intelligent cutting horses in the world, a true champion. “Rio,” a spectacular polo pony, is a gifted athlete able to sprint at 30 miles per hour, then stop suddenly and turn on a dime. “Chamont” has the natural talent and physique of a great dressage horse, but also at times a timorous personality that puts a question mark on his future success. Each of these remarkable animals shares an astonishing trait: the ability to implicitly trust, and perform complex tasks in tandem with, a human partner working toward a common goal. This teaming of horse and rider is arguably the most sophisticated and intriguing example of human-animal cooperation. NATURE explores and illuminates this absorbing phenomenon in Horse and Rider.

Oct 27, 2002

Dive to the Abyss showcases a group of marine biologists as they explore three different underwater environments.

Nov 17, 2002

A filmmaker goes in search of the scary and fascinating creatures that feed on blood in NATURE's BLOODY SUCKERS.

Dec 15, 2002

Hunted almost to extinction over the past three centuries, cougars are making a comeback today, with some 30,000 living in the wilds of North and South America. But still they face uncertain prospects, as human encroachment continues to shrink their natural habitats. Doggedly tracking these magnificent animals, once known as the “king cat,” filmmaker Ron Shade provides an incisive look at their prospects for survival in Trail of the Cougar.

Jan 12, 2003

On the surface, it's the bleakest of lands, with ferocious winds, flightless birds, and enough ice to flood half the planet's population if it were to melt. But below that frozen mass, a fantastic environment of indescribable beauty teems with life. NATURE takes viewers into the world that is "Under Antarctic Ice."

Feb 2, 2003

A four-part series on “The Reptiles” begins with “Alligators and Crocodiles.” Included: their sensory systems and intelligence; courtship and mating signals; importance to ecosystems; their evolving relationship with humans; and their roles in the food chain that vary with their locations, including Australia; India; Florida; and Venezuela. Howard McGillin narrates.

Feb 9, 2003

A look at snakes. Included: their evolution and movement; how venom works; hunting methods and prey's defenses; venom collectors and experiences with bites; snake charmers; close-ups of mouths and fangs; and the largest, the Anaconda, found in Venezuela. Howard McGillin narrates.

Feb 16, 2003

Observing turtles and tortoises, the shelled animals that have been on Earth more than 200 million years. Included: problems they face in the modern world. Howard McGillin narrates.

Feb 23, 2003

Focusing on several of the over 4000 types of lizards, including the Komodo dragon; sea-feeding marine iguanas; chameleons; venemous gila monsters; and geckos, who defy gravity by walking upside down. Also: a visit with Henry Lizard Lover, a photographer who lives with 37 lizards whom he treats like humans.

Apr 13, 2003

Animals are a formidable presence in the Bible, which makes reference to more than a hundred species, some metaphorically and others literally. But many of those creatures are gone from the Holy Land today, or on the verge of extinction there.

Apr 20, 2003

For more than a century, Yala National Park in Sri Lanka has been one of Asia’s most celebrated wildlife preserves, a lush windswept tropical forest rich in rare aquatic birds and abundant with ferocious predators, such as crocodiles and sloth bears. But only in very recent years has Yala’s big cat distinction been brought to light: It contains one of the world’s largest concentrations of leopards. NATURE takes viewers deep into the jungle habitat of these elusive animals, in Leopards of Yala.

May 11, 2003

The Steller’s sea lions that populate the Alaskan coastline are powerful, playful, and sometimes rowdy creatures who bump and jostle each other on land but acquire a sublime gracefulness in the water. They are also the subject of a strange and tragic mystery: Steller’s sea lions are rapidly disappearing from one of the last great wildlife strongholds of the world, and no one knows why.

May 18, 2003

Thousands of tons of war wreckage sank into the fabled lagoons of the South Pacific islands during the naval and air battles of World War II. But instead of devastating the region’s underwater ecology, the detritus of human conflict turned into artificial reefs, upon which fantastic mini-ecosystems took shape. NATURE gives viewers a new perspective on wildlife in the South Pacific when its cameras board the WAR WRECKS OF THE CORAL SEAS.

Oct 19, 2003

A chronicle of hippopotamus life along the banks of Zambia's Luangwa River includes footage of males fighting over territory; females protecting their young; the hippo's importance to river ecology; and societal rituals involving the head male of the pod. Mark Hamill narrates.

Nov 2, 2003

Animal life in the Kalahari Desert, where rainy and dry seasons direct the inhabitants, including zebras; wildebeests; elephants; finches; bullfrogs; and flamingos, whose chicks must walk nearly 100 miles when fertile feeding areas dry up. Christopher Plummer narrates.

Nov 9, 2003

Detailing the ecosystem of the Kalahari Desert as the Okavango River overflows, transforming a saltpan in to an oasis. Included: fish eagles in aerial combat for airspace over best fishing areas; the sitatunga antelope with ski-like hoofs. Christopher Plummer narrates.

Nov 16, 2003

Each year, in the late summer, a region known as the Red Triangle bustles with marine mammal activity. Lying between San Francisco and Monterey, the Red Triangle includes beaches where elephant seals go to molt, and offshore sites where great whites feed on unwary prey. When not prowling the Red Triangle, great white sharks search the kelp forest for sea lions, or roam the open ocean. Their migration is predictable. Each year they turn up at the same place at the same time, occasionally crossing paths with humans who still swim and surf in these dangerous waters.

Nov 23, 2003

In 1995, while filming wild horses in the mountains of Montana, Ginger Kathrens discovered a striking, almost pure white colt just hours after his birth.

Jan 18, 2004

Wilderness is elusive in Britain, but in the Highlands of Scotland, the sacred dance between predator and prey is still played out against a rugged and unforgiving landscape. Gliding above this wild land is Britain's most magnificent predator -- the golden eagle.

Feb 8, 2004

This episode of Nature, narrated by Stockard Channing, provides us with a fascinating look into the many steps of evaluating a diamond and preparing it for public sale. Miners dredge the earth, dealers fret over valuation exams to probe the minutest details of the stones, and finally the would-be owners gasp in awe. Diamonds are their own glorious world. Get a look at how they go from mining to necklace--with plenty of human drama along the way. You may never look at jewelry the same way again.

Feb 15, 2004

Everyone loves macaws. Playful, intelligent, beautiful, they are the stars of parrot parks and zoos, and the cherished pets of devoted owners around the world. All of which makes them prime targets for poachers, who can make enormous profits from illegal sales of the birds. Thousands are smuggled from the wild each year, and many die in the process. In the forests of South America, several species of macaw are severely endangered. But there is hope on the horizon. Dr. Charlie Munn, a wealthy American who is also a leading ornithologist and world expert on parrots, has begun a campaign to promote eco-tourism as a means of saving the birds. Employing former poachers as conservationists, and providing locals with the means to start and maintain a trade in tourism instead of smuggling, he’s betting that instead of buying birds, their fans will pay to see them in the wild.

Feb 22, 2004

About 8,000 years ago, the relationship between cows and man began with the revolutionary advent of domestication in Mesopotamia, the Indus River Valley, and Africa. Discover how cows have altered human life, human biology, and the geography of the world.

Mar 28, 2004

NATURE's "Ireland" explores the richly textured natural world of the Emerald Isle, from its diverse wildlife to its craggy mountains and fog-shrouded coastlines.

Apr 11, 2004

To help ensure the survival of endangered whooping cranes, Operation Migration maintains an artificial breeding program that prepares chicks for adulthood.

Apr 18, 2004

“Land of the Falling Lakes” looks at Croatia's Plitvice Lakes National Park, an ancient forest of stunning beauty and waterways continuously evolving from limestone formations. Included: the brown bear, one of which intrudes on a wolf pack's meal of wild boar; and the olm, a subterranean creature without eyes which navigates and hunts via bioelectrical senses.

May 16, 2004

Follow the adventures of Pale Male, a daring red-tailed hawk who manages to thrive in the urban world of New York City.

Nov 7, 2004

The big cats of Africa have always been favored subjects of wildlife filmmakers. But as little as 15 years ago, no one had captured the unforgettable image of a leopard in its ghostly nocturnal stalk. Viewers had never seen intimate portrayals of the sleek and elusive serval, or witnessed the nighttime romps of the beautiful black-eared caracal. The team of Owen Newman and Amanda Barrett filled those gaps with a series of spectacular breakthrough films in the 1990s. Among the first to apply infrared light and night vision goggles to wildlife studies, they combined technology with intrepid determination and a strong dose of luck, illuminating the cats we hardly knew, and giving us fresh insights into those we only thought we knew, such as lions and cheetahs.

Nov 14, 2004

Rarely seen aspects of shark behavior highlight this extraordinary view of undersea life, including an organized feeding frenzy with other predators that help herd their prey; night hunting in packs; and their violent courtship ritual. Also: the red-lipped batfish, which “walks” on the ocean floor via modified fins.

Nov 21, 2004

Yellowstone's restored grizzly-bear population and its conflicts with humans are examined, with food the force driving the bears, which have been protected as endangered species for 30 years. That's now challenged by lawmakers, while ecological changes threaten bears' food sources. Chris Cooper narrates.

Jan 9, 2005

“Violent Hawaii” offers a panorama of nature in action, including volcanoes; humpback whales; tsunamis; and big-wave surfers and the lifeguards who rescue them at a beach nicknamed “Jaws.” James Naughton narrates.

Jan 16, 2005

Most big cats do their best to remain hidden from human eyes, but none are quite as adept at this as the snow leopard. These cats lead largely solitary lives, populating the Himalayas at altitudes that offer only about half the oxygen to which humans are accustomed. So when wildlife filmmakers Hugh Miles and Mitchell Kelly set out to film this animal they knew they were in for a challenge.

Jan 30, 2005

“Cuba: Wild Island of the Caribbean” explores the country's diverse animal life, much of it found nowhere else. Included: the Cuban crocodile, which can leap as high as seven feet.

Feb 13, 2005

Orphaned orangutans, their parents killed for their value as 'exotic' animals, face a struggle to survive in the jungles of Borneo. The researchers of Camp Leakey rescue the young and try to help the species hang on.

Feb 20, 2005

For nearly 40 years an albino gorilla named Snowflake was adored by people around the world. NATURE’s Snowflake: The White Gorilla tells the story of this remarkable animal, from his loving upbringing by humans to his eventual death from skin cancer in 2003. It also tracks the revolutionary changes in our understanding of how best to care for gorillas that have taken place during Snowflake’s lifetime.

Apr 3, 2005

Scientists have discovered that natural poisons and venoms contain chemicals that can be used to create drugs for treating everything from chronic pain to cancer.

Apr 17, 2005

The first of three “Deep Jungle” shows, with high-tech innovations capturing views of rain-forest life big and small. Included: the elusive Sumatran tiger; flying lizards and snakes in Borneo; a bird that moonwalks as part of its courtship ritual; a moth that feeds with a 12-inch tongue. John Hannah narrates.

Apr 24, 2005

In the Amazon — the world’s largest rainforest — trees fight to the death for water and sunlight. Giant spiders as big as dinner plates take shelter in underground lairs. Buzzing bees and scurrying mammals help hold together an amazing web of life that centers on the Brazil nut tree. One of the world’s largest rivers carries floodwaters that turn forests into massive lakes.

May 1, 2005

What jungles reveal about humanity, through studies of primates and ruins of ancient civilizations in Guatemala and Cambodia, and why those cultures collapsed. Cameras capture monkeys using tools to open nuts, and chimps are seen in a coordinated hunt for one of their own.

May 15, 2005

Nearly three decades ago, filmmaker Hardy Jones became fascinated by wild dolphins. Even though many said it couldn’t be done, he set out to film these sleek sea mammals in the open ocean. Along the way, he became closely involved with his subjects and came to appreciate dolphins as highly intelligent creatures worthy of careful protection. Eventually, Jones turned his camera into a tool for conservation. He filmed dramatic dolphin hunts, and the documentary footage made headlines and sparked international protests. Jones also discovered the effects of chemical pollution on dolphins and orcas, the largest species of dolphin. He came to realize that threats to these marine mammals were threats to the ocean itself, and to us all.

Nov 6, 2005

On the southeast coast of Australia, the town of Eden nestles along the shores of Twofold Bay. It was once a center of Australia’s thriving whaling industry, in part because it lies along the migration path of baleen whales swimming northward from the Antarctic. But residents say Eden’s whalers got some unusual help — from orcas, or killer whales, that patrolled offshore.

Nov 13, 2005

In interviews with scientists and eyewitnesses, NATURE probes the evidence that some animals may have senses that allow them to predict impending natural disasters long before we can.

Nov 20, 2005

Rescue missions to save animals in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Included: a dog that spent days on a rooftop is saved; four dolphins that were washed out to sea from the Marine Life Oceanarium in Gulfport, Miss., are rescued by a NOAA crew. Also: the evacuation of 19 penguins, two sea otters, a sea turtle and sea dragons from the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans.

Dec 18, 2005

Underwater cameraman Bob Cranston explores the remarkable world of marine creatures called cephalopods, which include squids, cuttlefish, octopi, and nautili.

Jan 8, 2006

Anthony LaPaglia narrates this look at life in one of the world's most inhospitable places, Death Valley. Included: Devil's Hole pupfish, which live in waters deep beneath the desert's surface and whose numbers are dwindling; kangaroo rats; black-tailed jackrabbits; and bighorn sheep, which have a nine-stage digestive system that enables them to eat even the harshest of desert plants; and the desert tortoise, which eats enough food for a year---and mates---during just two weeks each spring.

Jan 22, 2006

For more than 20 years, the Monterey Bay Aquarium has entertained, educated, and fascinated its nearly 2 million annual visitors with pioneering displays of realistic undersea environments. Now NATURE gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at one of the world’s leading centers for marine research and conservation — a marvel of engineering and biology that, literally, captures Oceans in Glass.

Jan 29, 2006

Underdogs tells the poignant story of two misfit dogs whose lives were turned around by people who saw their potential for greatness.

Feb 12, 2006

Join spider expert Martin Nicholas, a mild-mannered water treatment engineer by day, as he tours the world in search of some of the most amazing arachnids.

Feb 19, 2006

"Animals Behaving Worse," the sequel to "Animals Behaving Badly," explores the clever and often amusing ways in which animals must behave in order to survive the increasing presence of humans.

Apr 2, 2006

A troop of chacma baboons in Zimbabwe is taken over by and forced to adjust to a new male "king." A pair of twins, along with every other young baboon in the troop, is in danger because the king must kill the females' offspring before he can mate with them.

Apr 9, 2006

Patricia Clarkson narrates this look at the relationship between the sycamore fig tree and the tiny fig wasp, which is so small it could fly through the eye of a needle. The trees, which flourish in Kenya, produce fruit that provides nourishment to more wildlife than any other tree in Africa, but without the pollination the wasp provides, that might not occur. The documentary also examines other creatures that make the trees their homes, including gray hornbills (one of Africa's largest birds).

Apr 30, 2006

Africa's lion population appears to be declining at an alarming rate. NATURE's THE VANISHING LIONS searches for explanations and solutions to the troubling trend. Across Africa, the King of Beasts is in trouble. In the late 20th century, wildlife preserves were created to curtail safari hunting, but the African lion population continues to decline. Their numbers have dwindled from 100,000 in the early 1990s to no more than 30,000 and as few as 16,000 today. What could be endangering the King of Beasts?

May 7, 2006

They are among the most reliable witnesses to a crime — expert in their testimony and bulletproof in their account. Yet they never utter a single word. They are the animals, plants, and insects that are being recruited by a special breed of forensic scientists to solve the most seemingly impenetrable of crimes.

Oct 24, 2006

In 1959, the United States Air Force captured dozens of baby chimpanzees in Africa, transporting them to Alamogordo, New Mexico where they and their offspring were enlisted into in the space program. NATURE's "Chimpanzees: An Unnatural History" explores the lives of these chimpanzees who were forced to endure a grueling life as the ultimate human stand-ins.

Nov 12, 2006

Brave the extreme conditions of Earth's southernmost continent for a close-up look at the varied penguins of the Antarctic.

Nov 19, 2006

NATURE presents a breathtaking look at wintertime deep within Yellowstone, America's first national park.

Jan 14, 2007

Lynn Sherr hosts a collection of clips highlighting memorable moments from the program's first 25 years. Also: a tribute to the series' creator and host George Page, who died in 2006. Included: hatchling sea turtles on a Caribbean beach; barnacle goslings in the Arctic; a wildebeest defending her calf from wild dogs on the Serengeti; crocodiles attacking gazelles; chimpanzees saved from medical testing; a reunion of two elephants after 25 years apart.

Jan 28, 2007

With NATURE’S Rhinoceros, wildlife filmmaker Nigel Marven brings you face-to-face with the world’s five species of rhino, each struggling, with varying degrees of success, for their continued survival. For some rhinos, the future may rely on breeding programs, such as at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens, where Sumatran rhinoceros Emi is now nearing the end of her third successful pregnancy, having already given birth to Andalas and Suci, the only two Sumatran rhinos ever to be born in captivity.

Feb 3, 2007

The longest chain of mountains on the planet lies along the western edge of South America like an immense dragon - its tail falling into the freezing Antarctic Ocean, its head breathing fire 5,000 miles north. The Andes, home to the highest points outside the Himalayas, are remarkable not only for their volcanoes and their jagged peaks, the spines of the dragon's back; the niches they shelter are a world of extremes and hidden secrets. NATURE journeys the length of the Andes, passing through deserts and cloud forests, across glaciers and fjords, encountering the amazing creatures that call these habitats home: penguins and hummingbirds, pumas and flamingos, a deer only 12 inches tall, a tree-dwelling bear and much more.

Feb 11, 2007

More than 15 years ago, Martyn Colbeck began to document the lives of African elephants. He has grown close to elephant matriarch, Echo, and her close-knit family.

Feb 18, 2007

Take flight on an exhilarating ride with elite winged predators. Humans have had a unique relationship with raptors, nature’s aerial killing machines, for more than four thousand years, first through the ancient sport of falconry, and, more recently, as scientists and engineers have turned to these mighty birds for inspiration for the latest in aircraft design.

Feb 25, 2007

With glaciers marking its tip, active volcanoes running along its spine, snow-capped peaks rising high above its range, both wet and dry tropical rainforests within its interior, and desert, lowland savanna and alpine tundra in between, the Andes is an extraordinary world of diverse terrain, extreme temperatures and multifarious wildlife.

Apr 15, 2007

Along her 9,000-mile voyage to nest, our loggerhead tour guide encounters hammerhead sharks, deep ocean tempests, and fishing nets.

Apr 22, 2007

Exploring how the domestication of dogs might have taken place, including the theory of biologist Raymond Coppinger that it was the animals themselves — and human trash — that inspired the transformation. The genetic analysis of Peter Savolainen of the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden has placed the origins of domesticated dogs — and those of the first dog — in East Asia.

Apr 29, 2007

This episode details the explosion of the basic working dog types into the roughly 400 breeds known today; explores concerns about today’s competitive breeding and its effect on dogs’ health and well-being; and outlines dogs’ potential role in medical care for human beings.

May 6, 2007

The world of sharks is explored off the coast of southern Africa. Included: basking sharks; blue sharks; great white sharks; sand tiger sharks; short-fin mako sharks; and tiger sharks.

May 13, 2007

The Serengeti, in northern Tanzania, teems with big predators. But none compare to the lion. The Serengeti sustains one of the biggest lion populations in Africa: approximately 3,500 lions in 300 prides. But this pride, residing in the central Serengeti, is an exception. 22 lions in all: they are a Super Pride. Few lion prides reach Super Pride status. This phenomenon requires the right conditions. Plentiful prey and strong pride males are key to its success. But keeping cubs alive to maturity is the Super Pride's ultimate goal. Sometimes the greatest threats to a lion cub's life come from other lions…

Jul 15, 2007

Ohio's annual Ferret Buckeye Bash is the largest and most popular ferret show in the country. Hundreds of top breeders, seasoned experts and ferret enthusiasts pamper and parade their pets in a quest for prizes and prestige. Though these mischievous and often quirky creatures are unlikely show animals, the competition is intense. Tension is high but the tiny competitors don't understand all the fuss; they're too busy creating mayhem!

Jul 19, 2007

Follow two moose families as they negotiate the perils of wild and suburban Alaska. With encounters with predators and man a constant danger, life for a young moose is a daily battle for survival. A colossus of size, power and majesty, with an armoury unmatched on Earth, 'Mighty Moose' explores the hidden life of an icon of the Northern wilderness. In a savage landscape, the moose confronts daunting foes... and struggles against more insidious threats. And when it ventures out of the wilderness, it finds the obstacles of the human world both bewildering and deadly. Moose must increasingly share the forests, waterways, and now, sprawling urban centres with humans. As moose-human encounters increase, hungry moose invade backyards, parks and pools. Sometimes, encounters can be deadly - for moose and humans. Roadway collisions are at record highs, and rising fatalities drive car companies to develop and test moose-proof designs.

Oct 28, 2007

The Season 26 opener probes colony collapse disorder---the dramatic loss of honeybees in North America and Europe. The honeybee is responsible (via pollination) for one of every three bites of food people eat. Included: long-term ramifications; possible causes.

Nov 4, 2007

Discover the epic history of the Druids, one of more than a dozen gray wolf packs now occupying the 2.2 million acres of Yellowstone National Park.

Nov 11, 2007

Documentarian Simon King raises two orphaned cheetah cubs in Kenya's Lewa Wildlife Conservancy. He's seen bottle-feeding them and---to prepare them for the wild--- teaching the pair to hunt. King narrates.

Nov 18, 2007

Nature's ugliest creatures are spotlighted, including the dung beetle, elephant-seal bull, ghost-faced bat, Indian stork, naked mole rat, needle-toothed viperfish, proboscis monkey, star-nosed mole, tapeworm, vulture and warthog. Included: how their looks and attributes contribute to their survival.

Jan 6, 2008

Dr. Philip Stander, a Namibian carnivore expert, investigates the resurgent lion population in the Namib Desert. Included: the uniqueness of the big cats; and their biggest challenge---residents who see them as threats to livestock.

Jan 27, 2008

An exploration of Australia's diverse parrot population, including the fig parrot, the golden-shouldered parrot and the palm cockatoo. The overview examines their mating rituals and fight for survival, and details the damage the birds can do to farmers' crops.

Feb 10, 2008

The link between the horseshoe crab, which has remained the same for some 350 million years, and the red-knot shorebird, is explored. The horseshoe crab's spawning grounds, the Delaware Bay, are an important feeding ground for the red knots on their way from Tierra del Fuego to the Arctic. Included: how biologists connected a drop in the red-knot population to a similar decrease in the crabs. Also: how horseshoe-crab blood is used to test human medicines.

Feb 17, 2008

An examination of what the future may hold for polar bears, which evolved from grizzlies during the last ice age, due to the dramatic changes in their Arctic habitat. The documentary also details how grizzlies are expanding their territory northward, encroaching upon the polar bears' domain. Included: a polar bear giving birth; grizzly and polar-bear mothers teaching their cubs to hunt.

Apr 6, 2008

In the animal world females often call the shots. But their decisions may be surprising. In an effort to understand the mating game, NATURE follows biologist Chadden Hunter, PhD, through the Simien Mountains of northern Ethiopia, as he observes a troop of geladas, close cousins of baboons. He found that in gelada society females make all the decisions about mating, even though males are twice their size. The males are evaluated on everything from body heat to baby sitting skills. And once selected, no male gelada can ever rest on his laurels. Another male is always auditioning for his job. You’ll also see female barn swallows that choose a male by the color of his chest and encounter a robotic sage grouse that is helping researchers learn about this species’ elaborate courtship displays.

Apr 13, 2008

Apparently, there is nothing a male will not do for the right to mate with a female — dance, sing, fight, change body colors, illuminate, even agree to be eaten alive. There is often a surplus of males, and they are instinctively driven to compete in order to pass their genes to the next generation. But it takes two to tango. Now, scientists are learning to what extremes males will go in order to find that dance partner.

Apr 20, 2008

A fascinating profile of a 33-year-old silverback named Titus, the leader of a gorilla clan in the mountainous region between Rwanda and Congo who faces a challenge for supremacy from his second-in-command, Kuryama. Archival footage and the observations of researchers fill in his backstory, including how, as a young adult, he engaged in secret liaisons with females behind the back of pack leader Beetsme, then led a rare bloodless coup against Beetsme.

May 4, 2008

Marine biologist-filmmaker Rick Rosenthal documents billfish (marlins, sailfish and swordfish), whose numbers have dwindled over the past 50 years from overfishing. Included: off Mexico's Contoy Island, he finds thousands of sailfish feasting on sardines; and along Australia's Great Barrier Reef, he swims with a "grander" (a marlin over 1000 pounds).

May 11, 2008

From the moment he is born, a red deer calf faces a life-long struggle to survive in his new home — the mountain wilderness of the Austrian Alps. NATURE reveals a breathtaking view into the world of a red deer calf as he struggles to survive in Prince of the Alps.

Oct 26, 2008

On a remote Arctic island, a breeding pair of gyrfalcons and a pack of Arctic wolves struggle to raise their young as nine months of snow and ice melt away.

Nov 9, 2008

Just how smart are monkeys? Their curiosity leads them to try new things, but it’s their culture that teaches them much of what they know.

Nov 16, 2008

Following their protection as an endangered species, bald eagles have come roaring back. But even in the best of times, life in the wild is a surprisingly tough struggle.

Nov 23, 2008

In 1893, a bounty hunter named Ernest Thompson Seton journeyed to the untamed canyons of New Mexico on a mission to kill a dangerous outlaw: a wolf named Lobo.

Jan 11, 2009

Follow Rom Whitaker as he journeys around the world, reimagining the lines between fact and fantasy, in search of the fabled dragons' contemporary counterparts.

Jan 25, 2009

We find them in the evening digging through our garbage, hiding under our houses, or walking through our yards, streets, and parks. Skunks seem perfectly adapted to life around us. But we are less comfortable around them, for fear of their potent spray. As we expand our urban areas, many skunks find themselves increasingly unwelcome neighbors. It seems everyone has their own skunk story. But what do we really know about these infamous black and white creatures?

Feb 8, 2009

In South Africa's Drakensberg Mountains, one animal’s perseverance makes it the ultimate survivor: the eland, the largest member of the antelope family.

Feb 15, 2009

Some people are cat people, some are dog people. But regardless of which camp they fall into, most people are simply crazy about their pets. The connections people form with their cats and dogs are often the longest, strongest relationships in their lives. They are our soul mates, our best friends, sometimes even our surrogate children. What makes these creatures such key members of our families?

Mar 29, 2009

Kilauea continually molds Hawaii’s Big Island. Creating new land, shaping ancient forests and carving tunnels through the earth, the volcano fascinates a dedicated group of scientists and filmmakers who follow its every action. Using innovative new imaging technologies to map the magma chamber, following the lava’s heat along its journey underground, and listening to the constant noises of its movements, geologists map the shifting liquid earth as they work to understand its awesome force.

Apr 5, 2009

More than a third of all amphibians have already been lost, and more are disappearing every day. A fungus called chytrid has been identified as the major culprit.

Apr 19, 2009

Around the globe, unique and fascinating species face extinction. Follow the plight of these creatures and the dedicated conservationists who fight for them.

May 3, 2009

Returning home to the Isle of Mull after 15 years abroad, Gordon Buchanan was happy for the chance to take a new look at his native land, through his camera lens.

May 17, 2009

The world's largest waterfall, Victoria Falls, is explored through the eyes of a 74-year-old fisherman who's lived near the 350-foot wonder, located on the Zambezi River in southern Africa, for all of his life. During the rainy season (November to April), much of the wildlife that depend on the river for subsistence dissipate into the savanna. The rest of the year, however, it attracts baboons, eagles, elephants, hippos, kingfishers and quelea finches, among other creatures.

Oct 25, 2009

The epic story of a wild stallion continues with the third installment of the Cloud series.

Nov 1, 2009

Across the animal kingdom, some of the most essential lessons -- and the most extreme challenges -- occur in the first moments of life.

Nov 8, 2009

The black mamba is Africa’s deadliest snake. In Swaziland, snake handler Thea Litschka-Koen and her husband, Clifton, endeavor to change attitudes and save lives.

Nov 15, 2009

A baby humpback enters the world and joins the 3,000 or more whales that congregate in the waters off Hawaii each winter. This is the story of her first year of life.

Jan 10, 2010

These tiny marvels dazzle and delight bird watchers all over the world, and NATURE reveals their stunning abilities as they have never been seen before.

Jan 17, 2010

The wilds of Yellowstone National Park are a world of predators, scavengers and opportunists. In this vast and complex kingdom, two dominant predators reign supreme: the grizzly bear and the wolf. Size and power square off against speed and teamwork, as mighty grizzly bears contend with powerful packs of wolves for control of the food supply. Though these two fearsome hunters would normally rule their ranges uncontested, in Yellowstone they must share resources, or face starvation.

Jan 31, 2010

The Balkan Peninsula is notorious for being one of the great battlegrounds of history. And yet, it possesses another side unknown to many, where ancient forests and vast wetlands harbor pristine wilderness, and sheer cliff walls and desolate plateaus preserve a seemingly unchanged past. Indeed the Balkan Peninsula is home to a variety of regions that border on mythical. In Croatia’s Kopacki Rit Wetlands, land mines keep people away, but enable native wildlife to thrive. Further south, Montenegro’s Tara River carves through Europe’s longest and deepest canyon, and neighboring forests provide refuge to rare animals such as the Balkan Lynx. To the east, millions of birds flock to the Danube Delta to feast on swarms of mosquitoes. And at the west of the Balkans is Skadar Lake, a remarkable landscape of peaks and water.

Jan 19, 2010

The Everglades’ watery oasis has been invaded by giants. Florida’s Everglades National Park has become a dumping ground for a variety of non-native species, including what may be tens of thousands of Burmese pythons. Follow scientists and snake hunters as they study the problem and try to find solutions to the growing crisis.

Apr 4, 2010

They are the scenes of some of the largest concentrations of predators and prey on the planet – the vast tracts of grassland and savannah found on every continent but Antarctica. Yet survival in this kind of open, horizontal world is far from easy, with few places to hide, a scarcity of vegetation, drought, fire and the threat of attack by some of the world’s fastest and most powerful hunters. From Africa’s Serengeti to California’s grasslands, some of nature’s most dramatic moments are caught, examined and “fractured” into their unique parts … within creatures great and small … to reveal the amazing abilities that give each animal the instinct, intelligence and brute prowess to survive. From elaborate impact sequences that spin around animals caught in a “frozen moment” to animations that go inside their bodies – a unique view of animals’ amazing biomechanics is revealed.

Apr 11, 2010

Teeming with creatures in every shape and form, the jungle is the most diverse habitat on the planet and home to nearly half of the world’s plant and animal species. Rising hundreds of feet from the dark depths of the tropical forest floor, through layers of twisting branch and canopy full of life – this vertical landscape pushes the limits of animal engineering. The jungle’s layers are peeled back to dissect more amazing moments of impact. Stealth and ambush reign in the jungle and survival depends on highly tuned senses and ingenious defenses. From ninja ants to flying snakes, cameras dive underwater, sail through trees and penetrate fur, feathers, skin and bone to reveal the science of some amazing animal engineering hidden deep in the jungle.

Sep 26, 2010

Cuba may have been restricted politically and economically for the past 50 years, but its borders have remained open to wildlife for which Cuba’s undeveloped islands are an irresistible draw. While many islands in the Caribbean have poisoned or paved over their ecological riches on land and in the sea in pursuit of a growing tourist industry, Cuba’s wild landscapes have remained virtually untouched, creating a safe haven for rare and intriguing indigenous animals, as well as for hundreds of species of migrating birds and marine creatures. Coral reefs have benefited, too. Independent research has shown that Cuba’s corals are doing much better than others both in the Caribbean and around the world.

Oct 17, 2010

Echo, Africa’s most famous elephant, was the subject of many films and the matriarch of perhaps the most studied wild elephant herd in the world. In May of 2009, she died of natural causes. This film is a look back at this remarkable animal through extraordinary footage and interviews with the researchers that cared for and studied Echo and her family.

Oct 24, 2010

Although cultures around the world may regard the crow as a scavenger, bad omen, or simply a nuisance, this bad reputation might overshadow what could be regarded as the crow’s most striking characteristic – its intelligence. New research indicates that crows are among the brightest animals in the world. NATURE’s A Murder of Crows brings you these so-called feathered apes, as you have never seen them before.

Nov 7, 2010

As recently as the 1980’s, Iraq’s Mesopotamian Marshes were reminiscent of the Garden of Eden – indeed, many biblical scholars believe they are one and the same. Fed by the combined waters of the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers, this enormous marshland of over 6,000 square miles dominated southern Iraq. For more than 7,000 years, these wetlands provided a bountiful home for both wildlife and humans. A large population of indigenous people, the Ma’dan Tribes known as Marsh Arabs, had thrived there for centuries. But in the 1990’s, due to political conflict, Saddam Hussein attempted to eradicate them – not through systematic extermination, but by destroying the marshes on which they depended for survival. Massive canals were dug, diverting river water away from the wetlands and towards the Persian Gulf. Huge embankments were built to prevent water from entering the marshes. What had been a green paradise twice the size of the Everglades shrank to less than 10% of its original size. Most of it was transformed into a parched, lifeless desert. The wildlife and the people were forced to leave.

Nov 14, 2010

Wolverines are among the most elusive creatures on the planet. They seek out the toughest terrain – the most rugged, remote and fiercely raw – and they’ve always been scarce to begin with.

Nov 21, 2010

Leopards may be smaller than lions and slower than cheetahs, but it is believed there are roughly ten times more of them than lions, tigers and cheetahs combined. How have they achieved this? The key to their success is their cunning, stealth, and adaptability. From South Africa to Sri Lanka, leopards live secretly, clinging to the shadows.

Jan 9, 2011

In 1960, a book written about raising an orphaned lion cub named Elsa and then releasing her back into the wild became a worldwide bestseller and a Hollywood hit. But this retelling of Elsa’s story reshapes the story told fifty years ago, as it really happened and with no fairy tale ending.

Jan 23, 2011

On the island of New Guinea in the South Pacific lives the most striking and diverse group of birds on the planet. Local biologists and conservationists, Miriam Supuma and Paul Igag, go into the island’s dense forests in their quest to document the mating behaviors of several exceptional and elusive birds of paradise.

Feb 13, 2011

Examining the diversity of Himalayan habitats and wildlife, including snow leopards, red pandas, Asiatic black bears, musk deer, snub-nosed monkeys, Tibetan foxes and high-flying birds. Included: how eagles and wolves rely on teamwork to survive; how the blood of bar-headed geese has a special hemoglobin that enables them to fly in the thin air of the Himalayas. Also: the mountains' valleys, which are home to rain forests that conjure Shangri-La.

Feb 20, 2011

Wildlife filmmaker Colin Stafford-Johnson tracks the trek of Broken Tail, a 2-year-old tiger that disappeared from Ranthambore National Park, a tiger reserve in India, and was killed by a train 100 miles away. Their horseback journey takes them across Rajasthan, where they witness how India's historical and contemporary cultures are linked to tigers; introduces them to a poacher; and takes them to Ramgarh sanctuary, a former hunting lodge. They also share favorite memories of Broken Tail.

Mar 27, 2011

The Australian pelican is built for long-distance travel. With a light skeleton and a wingspan of over eight feet, it can be airborne all day and deep into the night. But what exactly triggers their journey? How do they find their way? NATURE looks for answers to questions researchers are only now beginning to unravel.

Apr 17, 2011

In February 2009, conditions were ripe for wildfires in the state of Victoria in southeast Australia. Relentless heat waves, seemingly endless drought, and arid winds sweeping in from the outback had left the countryside tinder dry and braced for the worst. Then, on Saturday, February 7, Victoria went up in flames; and raging fires engulfed everything in their path. By the time the fires subsided, 173 people had lost their lives, over one million acres of mountain ash forest had been destroyed, and countless animals had perished. The overwhelming firestorm was one of the worst in the country’s history, and came to be known as Black Saturday. Survivors of the Firestorm follows the phoenix-like story of Victoria’s wildlife, the fall and rise of the great mountain ash forests and all that dwell within them, and the extraordinary capacity of a damaged natural world to bounce back.

May 1, 2011

This film investigates the collapse of Pacific salmon populations and the desperate efforts to save them: Our once great runs of salmon are now conceived in laboratories, raised in tanks, driven in trucks, and farmed in pens. In its exposure of a wildly creative, hopelessly complex, and stunningly expensive approach to managing salmon, the film reveals one of the most ambitious plans ever conceived for taking the reins of the planet.

May 8, 2011

Chris Morgan sets up camp at a remote spot in the heart of Alaskan wilderness, alongside the largest concentration of grizzlies in the world. It is June in the Alaska Peninsula. The sun sets well into night and bears are taking advantage of the long days to feed, mate, and raise new cubs. Morgan tracks their progress as they feast on the riches of the season and re-establish the complex hierarchal social dynamics of bear society. Along the way, he experiences close encounters with bears, observing brutal battles among males during mating season as well as tender moments between a grizzly mom and her cubs.

May 15, 2011

Chris Morgan explores the world of black bears caught in the crossroads of urban development in Anchorage and the wilderness. This is a new normal for bears and for their human neighbors. Some bears are so comfortable living in urban surroundings that their primary habitat is a golf course. In residential areas, bears frequently raid garbage bins and birdfeeders for easy snacks. But these behaviors are less than ideal for bears and residents alike. Morgan heads north out of Anchorage to Denali National Park, where the mountains loom over treeless plains and bears get by on a diet of thousands of berries a day. The grizzlies share the enormous park with foxes, wolves and moose — and with one intrepid bear biologist and his team. Morgan continues his journey north on a bone-shaking, 610-mile motorcycle journey from Denali to Prudhoe Bay along the only Alaskan highway to reach the Arctic. Prudhoe Bay, a once pristine area at the edge of the Arctic Ocean, has been changed forever by the oil industry.

May 22, 2011

Chris Morgan travels to the far north of Alaska, the tiny North Slope town of Kaktovik. It’s early November and winter is coming on. But each year, the polar bears struggle for extended periods on dwindling fat reserves, waiting for the opportunity to hunt on sea ice that takes longer to freeze. In early spring, Morgan joins local hunters in Barrow, the northernmost city in Alaska, as they go out on their own hunts, facing some of the same challenges as the bears. In late spring, Morgan travels to the North Slope of the Brooks Range, where countless thousands of caribou cover the ground for miles. The grizzlies are waiting for them, as they have for thousands of years.

Oct 19, 2011

What happens to nature after a nuclear accident? And how does wildlife deal with the world it inherits after human inhabitants have fled? Radioactive Wolves examines the state of wildlife populations in Chernobyl’s exclusion zone, an area that, to this day, remains too radioactive for human habitation.

Nov 2, 2011

Some of the most amazing, creative, and innovative structures on earth are not man-made.

Nov 9, 2011

Harpy eagles are the most powerful birds of prey in the world. Standing three feet tall, with a six-foot wingspan and talons the size of bear claws, these birds are the heavyweight hunters of the South American rainforest. Enter their secret world.

Nov 16, 2011

After a local farmer left a bowl of eggs on Joe Hutto’s front porch, his life was forever changed. Based on his true story, My Life as a Turkey chronicles Hutto’s remarkable and moving experience of raising a group of wild turkey hatchlings to adulthood.

Jan 11, 2012

In the past 50 years, the kangaroo population around Canberra, Australia’s capital city, has exploded from a few hundred to tens of thousands. Following the stories of several urban kangaroos, this film reveals how these marsupials manage to survive the city, and documents the ongoing debate on how best to manage them.

Jan 25, 2012

Alaska’s Admiralty Island is home to the largest concentration of bears in the world. At half the size of Yellowstone National Park, it manages to sustain four times as many grizzlies. The native Tlingít people call this island “Kootznoowoo,” which means “Fortress of the Bears.”

Feb 8, 2012

Following a family of urban raccoons over the course of six months, and using high-definition cameras and intensive GPS tracking systems, “Raccoon Nation” reveals new insights about a species that is far more elusive and wily than most people ever imagined, and more destructive.

Feb 22, 2012

Whales and dolphins conjure a deep sense of wonder in us that’s hard to explain. From the Arctic to the Amazon, this groundbreaking three-part series goes on a global expedition with world-renowned underwater cameramen, Doug Allen (Planet Earth) and Didier Noirot (Jacques Cousteau’s cameraman), as they capture spellbinding footage of these marine mammals. Ocean Giants looks at how cetaceans hunt, mate, and communicate, and follows scientists as they strive to uncover new insights about these animals. The first hour, Giant Lives, enters the world of the great whales. In the Arctic, giant bowhead whales survive the freezing cold wrapped in fifty tons of insulating blubber two-feet thick, making them the fattest animals on the planet. But the biggest animal on the planet is the blue whale. Measuring a hundred feet long, and weighing in at 200 tons, it is double the size of the largest dinosaur.

Feb 22, 2012

Whales and dolphins conjure a deep sense of wonder in us that’s hard to explain. From the Arctic to the Amazon, this groundbreaking three-part series goes on a global expedition with world-renowned underwater cameramen, Doug Allen (Planet Earth) and Didier Noirot (Jacques Cousteau’s cameraman), as they capture spellbinding footage of these marine mammals. Ocean Giants looks at how cetaceans hunt, mate, and communicate, and follows scientists as they strive to uncover new insights about these animals. The second hour, Deep Thinkers, explores the cognitive and emotional lives of dolphins and whales. Like us, cetaceans have special brain cells, spindle cells, that are associated with communication, emotion, and heightened social sensitivity. These cells were once thought to be unique to us, but research is now showing that whales and dolphins may have up to three times more spindle cells than humans.

Feb 22, 2012

Whales and dolphins conjure a deep sense of wonder in us that’s hard to explain. From the Arctic to the Amazon, this groundbreaking three-part series goes on a global expedition with world-renowned underwater cameramen, Doug Allen (Planet Earth) and Didier Noirot (Jacques Cousteau’s cameraman), as they capture spellbinding footage of these marine mammals. Ocean Giants looks at how cetaceans hunt, mate, and communicate, and follows scientists as they strive to uncover new insights about these animals. Marine mammals’ extrasensory perceptions and communication skills are the focus of Voices of the Sea, the final hour of the series. Whales and dolphins depend on sound to function in their ocean home. They use ultrasound to see inside other creatures, clicks and whistles to speak, and echolocation to navigate and hunt in the pitch-black depths.

Apr 18, 2012

Deep in the heart of Idaho lies the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, part of the largest roadless area left in the lower 48 states. At 2.5 million acres, it is larger than Yellowstone. River of No Return tells the story of a couple that took on the wilderness and all its challenges.

May 9, 2012

White lions are among the rarest and most treasured animals in the world. Rarer still is their survival in the wild. Follow NATURE as it tracks two white lion cubs as they struggle to survive the dangers they are faced with in South Africa’s Kruger National Park.

May 16, 2012

Explore the day-to-day dramas of an extended family of koalas, seen through the eyes of the scientists studying their every move and vocalization.

Oct 10, 2012

Conservation ecologist Chris Morgan embarks on a challenge that will fulfill a lifelong dream — to find and film a Siberian tiger living wild and free in Russia’s far eastern forests. To help him, Morgan turns to Korean cameraman Sooyong Park, the first individual ever to film Siberian tigers in the wild.

Oct 24, 2012

Filmmakers take us deep into the snowy owl’s tundra home on the North Slope of Alaska to observe the daily struggles involved in raising a family of helpless owlets until they’re able to fly.