Safari

A truly delightful episode of four of nature's own, giving birth to their own. First we start with the Black bear -- a normally solitary nomad except during the mating season in summer. We then move on to another type of bear - the Polar bear. Amazingly, the mother will sacrifice at least seven months of eating while with young. Also, the grey wolf and red fox.

In this episode, John Ross will take you on a trip to the Saw tooth National Forest, in Idaho, to study the behaviour and general lifestyle of the raptor. With a wide variety of sizes and types, the raptors have one thing definitely in common - they are keen hunters from the air, with eyesight sharper than any human.

Without the research done -- and vital information acquired -- by wildlife biologists, we probably would never have been able to preserve the many areas of endangered ecosystems you see today. Join John Ross as he pays tribute to the many people involved in studying the populations of moose, alligators, lynx, Polar bears and many, many other animals that have become subjects of serious concern.

Ranging from freezing to well above 120 degrees Fahrenheit, the desert is populated by some of the most amazing plants and animals that have ingeniously adapted to the environment. Join John Ross on this fascinating community of wildlife, and learn of the survival techniques of such animals as...the desert tortoise, the Gila monster, a variety of snakes, and many, many others.

Join John Ross on his journey to Japan and parts of the United States to explore the fascinating world of the eagle. He will first take you to the remote Sheratoco Peninsula to view the Stellars Sea eagle, whose wing span can exceed eight feet, and is considered to be the third largest eagle in the world. Then travel to the California/Oregon border, to Klamath Basin, for the rare Bald eagle.

Known commonly as "Snow Monkeys", the Japanese Macaques are the focus of this "Safari" episode. As John Ross travels to the freezing temperatures found in the Japanese Alps, he will share his experiences with these amazing and intelligent animals. You will learn of how the Macaques came to exist in Japan, and of the evolvement of their social rituals and survival.

The Red Crown Crane has the captured the imagination of artists and poets in the hearts of Japanese people for centuries. At one time the birds were common throughout Japan and much of Asia. But today, the last large concentration making up one-third of the surviving population lives only here in Hokkaido.

It's spring here in the Rocky Mountains, the time when nature revitalizes itself after the long cold winter. And this is the most important season of all for wildlife. Because with the new generation that comes into the world today, lies the ultimate future of the species. So when spring arrives, nature works at a furious pace.

The Asian or Indian elephant was roamed Asia in huge numbers. Thailand especially had huge numbers. A hundred years ago there were more than 70,000 wild elephants in Thailand. Today that number is down to less than 2000. And all of them live in the protection of the countries national parks and reserves. All across Asia, as poaching habitat destruction and human encroachment have taken their toll.

The Siamese cobra is one of the deadliest snakes in the world and here in Thailand it's also one of the most common reptiles. It's found all across the country from the national parks to the farmer's rice patties. And for many people in Thailand, the chance of coming into contact with one of these cobras is just part of everyday life. But the snake is much more than just a hazard.

The song of the gibbon echoing through the forest is a something you'll never forget. There are three species of these tree dwelling apes here in Thailand. Each species has its own distinguishing voice and with their long arms and light bodies, they perform some amazing acrobatics in the treetops. Southeast Asia is home to some of nature's most interesting primates.

Over the last 50 million years while many large birds have disappeared, the hornbill has survived, thanks to its unique evolutionary adaptations. And in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia, home to a wide array of unusual animals, the hornbill stands out as one of the most fascinating birds in the world. The bird's great size and appearance is quite striking.

The tiny mouse deer, the giant spider, and the Asian forest scorpion are just a few of the thousands unique species that exist only in the world's tropical forest. This ecosystem is one of the oldest and most diverse on the planet, an intricate web of life woven over millions of years. Tropical forests are the richest terrestrial ecosystems on earth, containing thousands of species.

The California Condor and the Rhino are just two of the world's many endangered animals. Everyday nearly one hundred species from tiny plants to large animals disappear from the earth forever and ecologists estimate that unless we head off the current trend, one fifth of the world's millions of species of plants and animals will become extinct over the next thirty years.