Our National Parks takes you on a journey through the four seasons and the many faces of our scenic national parks. Experience an array of lands and waters from Alaska's glacier-clad Denali to the turquoise coves and coral reefs of the Virgin Islands; from the fire of Hawaii Volcanoes to the coolness of Kentucky's Mammoth Cave; from the moonscapes of South Dakota's Badlands to the granite shores of Maine's Acadia. With award-winning filmmaker Wolfgang Bayer you get an in-depth tour of nine of the most popular national parks plus a seasonal overview of many more.
In the Carpathian mountains, a community of highlanders keep their ancient culture alive, from their style of dress to their craftsmanship.
Les Mégafeux, la nouvelle guerre du feu
A look at the state of the global environment including visionary and practical solutions for restoring the planet's ecosystems. Featuring ongoing dialogues of experts from all over the world, including former Soviet Prime Minister Mikhail Gorbachev, renowned scientist Stephen Hawking, former head of the CIA R. James Woolse
"The Great Polar Bear Feast" is the astonishing story of an annual natural phenomenon that occurs in early September on the north slope of the Arctic. Every year, up to 80 polar bears gather on the frozen shores of Barter Island, near the village of Kaktovik, to feast on the hunter-harvested bowhead whale remains.
Echo is a youngster who can't quite decide if it's time to grow up and take on new responsibilities-or give in to her silly side and just have fun. Dolphin society is tricky, and the coral reef that Echo and his family call home depends on all of its inhabitants to keep it healthy. But Echo has a tough time resisting the many adventures the ocean has to offer.
The Doku follows the snow owls quest to survive winter. The animals travel from up north to central Europe and back. During their travels they‘ve developed plenty of strategies to make it through the harsh climates they encounter.
Almost 70 years ago, the then director of Frankfurt Zoo, Prof. Bernhard Grzimek (1909-1987), shot this famous animal documentary about the African continent with his son Michael. The documentary was considered an impressive plea for the preservation of Africa's animal paradises at the time. It vividly illustrates the far-reaching consequences of the impending loss of what were then still largely untouched natural landscapes. Despite visible signs of age, the film has retained much of its fascination as a contemporary document to this day.
In a wild and windswept corner of Australia, acclaimed film-maker Simon Plowright spends a year living with the iconic but endangered marsupial, the Tasmanian Devil.
The highest mountain range in the world, the Himalayan range is far reaching, spanning thousands of miles, and holds within it an exceptionally diverse ecology. Coniferous and subtropical forests, wetlands, and montane grasslands are as much a part of this world as the inhospitable, frozen mountaintops that tower above. The word Himalaya is Sanskrit for abode of snow, fitting for a stretch of land that houses the world’s largest non polar ice masses. Extensive glacial networks feed Asia's major rivers including the Ganges, Indus, and Brahmaputra. More than a billion people rely on these glacier-fed water sources for drinking water and agriculture. The Himalayas are not only a remarkable expanse of natural beauty. They're also crucial for our survival.
A family in rural area of West Java, Indonesia enjoys their time with 'Ngadu Bagong', a sundanese traditional game where dogs put to fight against a wild boar in a single event. Ngadu Bagong has always been some sort of animal abuse but it's been in the tradition for a long time. Ade Rohmat has been in the game for a long time; a hobby that he now passes on to his daughter, Ilma Nurjanah. The potentially controversial Ngadu Bagong has always brought intense emotion, prestige, and fortune upon its practicioners.
Director Jörg Adolph accompanies ornithologist Dr. Norbert Schäffer, chairman of the Bavarian Society for the Protection of Birds (LBV), on his mission to save bird life. We embark on an emotional and diverse journey of discovery into the fascinating world of birds and experience species and nature conservation in action.
Pennsylvania encompasses some of the most diverse habitat types in the country due to varying geography: from the ridge and valley mountains cutting diagonally across the state, to upper Piedmont, wetlands, grassland, riparian areas, and even beaches in the Northwest. The variety here is remarkable and as a result, our state is diverse with wildlife. Habitats here are significant to many wildlife species. Come along on a brief journey that touches on Pennsylvania conservation history, and the many species we are working with today. A healthy habitat is a diverse habitat, and we hope to leave a natural legacy that will endure for generations to come.
Wonders Of The Wolf is a short documentary exploring the dynamic lives of the Yellowstone wolves. From their historic recovery in 1995 to today's current wolf packs, Yellowstone biologists share stories and observations of the wolves that they observe daily in the park. Using innovative technology like bioacoustics, biologists are learning how wolves communicate and applying it toward solutions in human-wildlife conflicts. The film features Yellowstone's oldest wolf, most famous wolf, the longest reigning female wolf pack and two special wolves whose lives made an impact on those who observed them. *Yellowstone's oldest wolf, 907F, recently passed away on Christmas Day. She succumbed to injuries from a fight with a rival wolf pack. Wonders Of The Wolf honors her legacy as she is prominently featured.
A beautiful filmed short documentary about the life cycle of the arctic fox. A treat for nature and animal lovers alike.
„The Fabulous Insects – Beetles“ presents colourful and bizarrely shaped species as well as the largest beetle in the world, in its habitat in the South American rainforest. The film also shows that the colourful diversity and beauty of beetles and their exciting natural history can be experienced right on our doorstep, in Central Europe. In aesthetic and never-before-seen macro slow-motion and time-lapse shots, the viewer experiences the world of beetles, which is more beautiful, colourful and surprising than many of us realise. No other group of animals on earth is so diverse: beetles come in a wide variety of ‘models’, from miniature versions a quarter of a millimetre in size to large versions twenty centimetres long. Some beetles flaunt jewel-like iridescent colours, while others wear plain black. Some come in eye-catching warning colours, while many wear an astonishing camouflage.
Since 1950, Alberta's fabled Rat Patrol has kept the province rat-free. But as pest control meets ecology in the 21st century, what does the future hold for this mythic institution and their "enemy?"
This short documentary offers a humorous look at horse-pulling contests in Ontario and the people who prepare for them. We travel from the farm to the contest, where excitement runs high and the quips do not lack in local colour. Which of these magnificent creatures will be able to pull the heaviest load and win the prize?
Antarctica is the most extreme continent on our planet—higher, colder, and even drier than any other on Earth, and although it is thousands of miles away, what happens here affects every single one of us.
Steve Backshall visits a hedgehog rescue centre in Surrey founded by Brian May. He meets the dedicated staff and discovering the stories behind some of the animals being treated, helps to release a successfully treated hedgehog back into the wild, and offers advice on how to make a garden into a welcoming environment for the creatures.