Into the Wild

Take a close up look at one of nature's most fearsome, yet commonly misunderstood animals, the bear. Alaska is called the last frontier and for good reason, two thirds of the state's five hundred and seventy thousand square miles are government owned and set aside as areas for wildlife. Join us for an intimate study of the bear and its differing species.

The elephant is the largest land animal on earth. Standing up to eleven feet tall, weighing as much as thirteen thousand pounds and powerful enough to snap off a tree with relative ease. In some places on the continent of Africa like Botswana okavango Delta, African elephants still roam freely in large numbers. The Asian or Indian elephant as not faired so well.

Into The Wild is about to take you inside the world of the lion. First, we'll visit a group of lions, otherwise known as a pride. The pride is what sets the lion apart from all other cats. It's the social structure provided by evolution that ensures the quality of the gene pool and the successful rearing of young. We'll follow a pride over eight months.

Take a close up look at one of nature's most fearsome, yet commonly misunderstood animals, the bear. Alaska is called the last frontier and for good reason, two thirds of the state's five hundred and seventy thousand square miles are government owned and set aside as areas for wildlife. Catmine National Park is home to the largest population of protected brown bears in the world.

The cheetah is designed for speed with long legs and a stream lined body that can reach speeds up to 70 mph, making it one of the fastest animals in the world. The bobcat and it's close relative, the North American lynx exist only in North America. The tiger is without a doubt one of nature's most awesome creatures. Join us we travel the globe in search for these unique cats.

Raptors are the birds of prey. Equipped with eyes many times sharper than a human's -- they scan the ground below. And, then in an instant, they dive on their unsuspecting quarry. Nature has designed these birds to be ultimate hunters from the air. See how a Prairie falcon can snatch his prey in midair. We'll observe the elaborate aerobatic courting displays of the majestic Red Tailed hawk.

From the monogold cobra and the green tree viper to giant Indian python, join us for a close-up look at these ultimate predators of the serpent world. Alligators and crocodiles are the closest thing we have to walking, breathing dinosaurs. The island of Komodo is like no other place on earth. Explore and discover fascinating insight on the scaly world of carnivorous reptiles!

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. One of the best places in the world to observe this cycle of life first hand is Yellowstone National Park.

Southeast Asia is home to some of nature's most interesting primates. We'll travel in search of these elusive monkeys and apes in the wild. The Proboscis Monkey is one of the most unusual looking creatures on the planet. The word orangutan means "person of the forest" in the Malaysian language. Come learn about the primate population on the Asian Continent.

The weasel family got its start when nature evolved predators with long bodies and short legs to hunt the nooks and crannies on the forest floor. Then these animals adapted further to fill specialized niches. There are 65 species in the weasel family, with 16 species in North America, making it the largest group of carnivores on earth. We'll journey across the North American continent.

On March 1, 1872, the US Congress set aside 2.2 million acres for the first national park - Yellowstone. Park rangers were charged with the duty of protecting animals in the park for the enjoyment of citizens. We've come to Yellowstone to find out how the world's largest scale restoration program was carried out. We'll watch as the animals take their place in the balance of the ecosystem.

Although in the east most bears are black, in the western Rockies, just like the wildflowers, they come in a variety of colors, from black to blonde and everything in between. But coloration is only a small part of the story of this very interesting animal. Each phase of physical development corresponds to the changing environment. Join us for an intimate study of the black bear of the Rockies.

America's deserts are harsh environments - where temperatures can vary from over 120 degrees Fahrenheit to well below freezing. And, at first, they seem nothing more than barren wastelands. But, in reality, they're intricate ecosystems. And, home to a variety of fascinating animals. Watch the venomous gila monster fend off an aggressive western Diamondback rattlesnake.

Over the millions of years of all the world's continents, Africa has become the land of the hooved animal. Each species has developed its own mechanisms for feeding, mating, rearing young, and surviving. We've come to South Africa to follow the giraffe and other uniquely evolved hooved animals in the wild. They also developed features better suited to life on the open grasslands.

My favorite season - spring - when the animal kingdom gets a breath of new life, as another generation is born. We'll head out into the wilds, and look at this all-important process in mammals at the top of the food chain. It's spring here in the Rocky Mountains, the time when nature revitalizes itself after the long cold winter. This is the most important season of all for wildlife.

Today, there are seventeen species of Macaques in the world - ranging from an isolated group in North Africa, to a wide variety in India, Southeast Asia, China and Indonesia. Learn about the lives and habitats of these primates along with other species which live amongst trees and in the canopies.

Rattlesnakes do not deserve the evil reputation they've been given over the years. Because of this a general lack of understanding, the rattlesnake remains branded as a public enemy. We've come to the Southwest United States to study some of the nine different species of rattlesnakes that live here and their place in nature. The snake and the mongoose are 2 of India's most seen wild animals

Everyday 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 30 years. The islands of Indonesia are home to thousands of species found nowhere else in the world, including the Sumatran Tiger

The North American lynx uses a combination of patience, stealth, and lightening quickness to catch his prey. And, he's one of the most elusive animals - found only in isolated, heavily timbered areas in Canada, and the northern United States. Into The Wild will look at the cat's intricate life cycle, and it's specialized niche in the ecosystem. Take a look inside the world of lynx

Into The Wild travels to the North African country of Morocco, in search of these unusual animals, because it is important that we try to preserve wild populations of all species - even those that are more obscure. The Bald Ibis is one of many animals around the world today that are in danger. And, the Barbary sheep - also called the Audat - is also in danger.