Nature Tuesdays on PBA30

A cameraman dives deep into the ocean to examine sea creatures that are more bizarre than can be imagined. Among the dangerous species highlighted are cephalopods (squid and octopus) that have beaks like parrots, no bones, skin that can change colors, and arms growing out of their hips.

Jean-Michel Cousteau continues in his father’s footsteps with his ocean exploration, and this two-part program follows him and his team of “oceanauts” as they travel to Kure, the most remote island group in the world. They discover diverse wildlife populations and explore a thrilling array of natural phenomena.

This three-part series follows teams of explorers and scientists as they investigate the life housed in the dense rainforests of 14 countries. Various rare species and animal behavior are caught on camera for the first time.

This is a search for the creepiest spiders in the world. Spider enthusiast Martin Nichols travels around the world looking for exotic creatures, such as the goliath bird-eater tarantula from French Guiana, or the golden orb weaving spider of Mexico, who spins the strongest silk of any arachnid. Nichols also uses his “spider-cam” to go deep into spider’s burrows for some close-up encounters.

Venomous creatures such as snakes, lizards, and frogs may pain or kill humans, but they may also save their lives. This episode takes a look at how venom can actually be used to create drugs for treating everything from chronic pain to cancer.

This episode examines the lives of polar and grizzly bears. Polar bears are descendents of grizzlies that long ago evolved to live to hunt on the frozen ice of the Arctic. As the ice disappears, their food is becoming scarcer. Meanwhile, the grizzlies are finding it easier to hunt in more Northern areas due to the warmer weather. This could create a convergence of the two types of bears, and could force the polar bear to revert back to being a grizzly.

The snow leopard of the Himalayas is one of the most elusive and least-seen creatures in the world. Two wildlife filmmakers and their team of mountaineering experts traveled as high as 15,000 feet, tracking the cats through paw prints, in hopes of capturing the lifestyle of these creatures on film.

This is the tale of Snowflake, the only known albino gorilla in the world. He lived for nearly 40 years at the Barcelona Zoo before passing away from a rare skin cancer. Scientists and handlers who knew him and worked with him tell his remarkable story.

In the fall of 1893, an adventurous young man from New York went to the wilds of New Mexico to kill the leader of a pack of marauding, cattle-killing wolves. But by the time Ernest Thompson Seton finally met the renegade lobo, the wolf had become a hero in his eyes. His subsequent writings about this encounter captured the essence of the vanishing wilderness and led to the establishment of both the National Park system and the Boy Scout movement in America.

This special takes a look at some of the most memorable moments of this institutional series. The stunning photography and fascinating stories are reminders of how good this show has been for the past 25 years.

The bald eagle is America’s most recognizable aerial predator, with a shocking white head, electric yellow beak, and penetrating eyes. Unique to North America, it became the symbol of the United States. In the 1960’s , they were on the brink of extinction, but have since replenished their ranks. This special takes a close-up look at the majestic bird and how they handle their nests and raise their chicks.

This two-part series takes a look at some of the most stunning and unique lodges in North America. Included are Hawaii’s Volcano House, the Grand Teton’s Jackson Lake Lodge, the Lake Quinalt Lodge in the heart of the Olympic National Forest, and the Furnace Creek Inn, which rises from the Death Valley red rock like a shimmering oasis.

This program explores the monkey culture and how emotions such as love, guilt, and generosity are not unique to humans. Included is a look at the way monkeys communicate with one another and how and what they teach their young, as well as how they use their knowledge to adapt to whatever environment they are in.

The Amazon is the greatest river in the world as its 4,000 miles contains almost a fifth of all the river water on the planet. This special explores the story of the river and its diverse ecosystem. The Amazon is home to more than 3,000 species of fish, many of which are quite unique. And the Amazon basin, an area five times the size of France, is home to some unlikely and strange animals. Beautiful photography provides viewers with a spectacular look at an amazing river.

The people of Mozambique, Africa are faced with dangers from a number of frightening beasts. This four-part series takes a look at the challenges of sharing a territory with fearsome predators. Part one deals with sharks, part two with crocodiles, part three with lions, and part four with elephants, rhinos, and hippos. Included is some riveting footage.

Canada’s remote Ellesmere Island is home to two remarkable species that face challenges in an almost year-round winter environment. One is the white gyr falcon, the largest and most powerful falcon in the world, whose issue last year was that they failed to raise any young. The other is the rare Arctic wolves, who rely on every member of the pack to chase and bring down the prey that keeps them alive. This program looks at the precarious fortunes that surround these creatures and the other animals with which they share this fragile ecosystem.

Yellowstone Park is the home to a pack of wolves called The Druids. They were brought to Yellowstone years ago in an experiment to restore an entire ecosystem that began to break down without its wolves. Cameras followed the pack for three years, and this special is an intimate record of their lives, their battles with rival wolf packs, and the environment that surrounds them in Yellowstone’s beautiful Lamar Valley.

This four-part documentary mini-series is a look at researchers and adventurers that work to predict, prevent, and protect against natural disasters. Included is some extraordinary footage that shows the drastic results of severe weather. Part 3 looks at fire and lightning, while part 4 examines some of the world’s most recent disasters through floods and tsunamis.

The astonishing diversity of life on this isolated island is explored in this special in which the filmmakers were allowed unprecedented access to all areas through a special arrangement with the Cuban government. Wildlife such as the iridescent Cuban ant, the bee humming bird, and Caribbean flamingoes exist in an environment that, for the most part, remains preserved, untouched, and unexplored.

The Australian Alps is home to a variety of wildlife, including ibex, fox, and marmots. But none may be more majestic than the red deer. This episode centers on the lifestyle of a female red deer who is the leader in her herd, and her newborn calf, who immediately attains the status of a prince among the other calves.

This four-part documentary mini-series is a look at researchers and adventurers that work to predict, prevent, and protect against natural disasters. Included is some extraordinary footage that shows the drastic results of severe weather. Part 1 is on earthquakes, volcanoes, rockfalls, and landslides. Part 2 deals with tornadoes and hurricanes.

This episode looks at the behavior of highly-prized gamefish such as marlins, sailfish, spearfish, and swordfish. These billfish slice through the water’s surface with explosive power and their journeys through the open ocean are epic. Examined is their bizarre life cycle as they are observed in their natural habitats.

The small Australian fishing village of Eden was the location for perhaps the strangest cooperative relationship between man and wild animal ever known. Beginning in the mid 1800’s, killer whales would herd migrating humpback whales in toward the shore and proceed to attack them. The local fishermen could then easily capture the weakened mammals. Eventually, the killer whales even devised a signal to let the fishermen know they were about to start their hunt. Although this no longer occurs, the killer whales hold a special place in the town’s history, and the bones of the whale leader, known as Old Tom, lie in the town museum.

This beautifully-photographed special travels from Alaska to Hawaii to the Antarctic to observe the social habits of these amazing creatures. Humpbacks use an underwater communication system to detect fish from miles away, and work together in the hunt. They also are the Pavarottis of the sea with their beautiful underwater songs. Amazingly, whales separated by thousands of miles can be heard singing the identical same song.

This is an amazing look at the world of orangutans, as it follows the 35-year story of Kusasi, a male in Indonesia whose life is the most well-documented of any orangutan ever. Kusasi began life as an orphan, but rose to the top of his tribe and has reigned for 15 years.

This is a fascinating look at a troop of baboons in Zimbabwe and the social structure within the troop. The cameras focus on a set of twins born to the troop leader and his mate, whose lives are placed in jeopardy when a large male from a neighboring troop overtakes the leader and makes him a subordinate. The twins become a target of the new leader, as he wishes to mate with their mother, but cannot until the infants are weaned.

The Hawaiian Islands were shaped by some of the most brutal forces of the natural world. This film investigates the volcanic lava flows, 70 foot monster waves, mountain-top blizzards, and devastating rockslides that often plague the islands.

A string of tiny atolls and islands exist in the unpopulated northwest Hawaiian Islands that is a refuge for nearly 30 species of sea birds, endangered green seas turtles, and a living fossil called the Hawaiian monk seal. This is the oldest living type of seal and is now on the brink of extinction. This special takes a look at this fascinating creature.

After the Greek passenger liner, the Oceanos, mysteriously sunk off the coast of South Africa in 1991, all attempts to scuba dive down to the wreckage were thwarted due to powerful currents and deep waters. This documentary chronicles the first successful dive to the wreak, and includes spectacular footage of the interior of the ship. It chronicles the dangers involved in this undertaking and how the diving team was able to tackle a seemingly insurmountable challenge.

This episode provides spectacular footage of African elephants, as the camera crew follows them across plains, deserts, and into jungles. It also provides a look into the lifestyle of these magnificent creatures.

Due to a demand for ivory in the early 20th Century, South African elephants were on the verge of extinction. Their numbers down to 140, the remaining herd lived in an impenetrable area called the Addo bush. When the numbers continued to dwindle, a local farmer took 17 of them to a sanctuary to make sure they survived. Now, more than 350 descendants of those few survivors still live in the Addo Elephant National Park, and this special takes an up-close and personal look at the behavior and lifestyle of the elephant.

This travelogue highlights six train routes through beautiful regions of Australia. Included are trips through the Blue Mountains, Australia’s wine region, and a lush rain forest. The focus sometimes strays off the tracks to give viewers a look at breath-taking sights around the continent.

This three-part series follows teams of explorers and scientists as they investigate the life housed in the dense rainforests of 14 countries. Various rare species and animal behavior are caught on camera for the first time.

This four-part documentary mini-series is a look at researchers and adventurers that work to predict, prevent, and protect against natural disasters. Included is some extraordinary footage that shows the drastic results of severe weather. Part 1 is on earthquakes, volcanoes, rockfalls, and landslides. Part 2 deals with tornadoes and hurricanes. Part 3 looks at fire and lightning, while part 4 examines some of the world’s most recent disasters through floods and tsunamis.

This two-part documentary takes viewers to remote outposts in some of North America’s last true wildernesses. Included is the King Pacific Lodge in British Columbia, which is a floating three-story luxury resort with the nearest road over 150 miles away, and Alberta’s Sundance Lodge, accessible only on horseback.

This documentary covers a one-year period in this beautiful region, as well as exploring historical tales about the area to reveal how the Adirondacks strike a delicate balance between progress and preservation.

Jean-Michel Cousteau continues in his father’s footsteps with his ocean exploration, and this two-part program follows him and his team of “oceanauts” as they travel to Kure, the most remote island group in the world. They discover diverse wildlife populations and explore a thrilling array of natural phenomena.

Jean-Michel Cousteau continues in his father’s footsteps with his ocean exploration, and this two-part program follows him and his team of “oceanauts” as they travel across the world’s oceans to meet mysterious sea creatures. These episodes deal with sharks and gray whales.

When the Andes mountain range rose from the sea, it created South America and created a bridge with North America that allowed flora and fauna from each continent to mix and diversify. This program takes a look at the rich tapestry of environments and ecosystems that currently exist in the Andes, including the largest ice field outside the poles, a desert where penguins nest, and geysers a vertical mile high.

The snow leopard of the Himalayas is one of the most elusive and least-seen creatures in the world. Two wildlife filmmakers and their team of mountaineering experts traveled as high as 15,000 feet, tracking the cats through paw prints, in hopes of capturing the lifestyle of these creatures on film.

8:00pm - The people of Mozambique, Africa are faced with dangers from a number of frightening beasts. This four-part series takes a look at the challenges of sharing a territory with fearsome predators. Part one deals with sharks, part two with crocodiles, part three with lions, and part four with elephants, rhinos, and hippos. Included is some riveting footage.

8:00pm - This two-part Nature examines the mating behavior of both sexes in the animal kingdom. Part one deals with the decision-making power that female animals have in this process, while part two looks at the things male animals will do to woo a mating partner, including dancing, singing, fighting, changing body colors, and even agreeing to be eaten alive.

10:00pm - Chichagof Island in southeast Alaska is home to more grizzlies per square mile than any other place on earth. This special follows the exploits of a veteran bear tracker as he travels through the deep dark forests of Bear Island in the summer, when the waters around the island are filled with fish and the bears congregate to feed off this prey.

11:00pm - This episode examines the lives of polar and grizzly bears. Polar bears are descendents of grizzlies that long ago evolved to live to hunt on the frozen ice of the Arctic. As the ice disappears, their food is becoming scarcer. Meanwhile, the grizzlies are finding it easier to hunt in more Northern areas due to the warmer weather. This could create a convergence of the two types of bears, and could force the polar bear to revert back to being a grizzly.

8:00pm - This three-part series follows teams of explorers and scientists as they investigate the life housed in the dense rainforests of 14 countries. Various rare species and animal behavior are caught on camera for the first time.

11:00pm - Diane Fossey, the famed friend of gorillas, cared for Titus since 1974, when he was only two days old. Decades later, Titus is now the King among the mountain gorillas of Rwanda. This documentary looks at Titus’ extraordinary life and times, from his early days to his rise to power.

9:00pm - This two-part series takes a look at some of the most stunning and unique lodges in North America. Included are Hawaii’s Volcano House, the Grand Teton’s Jackson Lake Lodge, the Lake Quinalt Lodge in the heart of the Olympic National Forest, and the Furnace Creek Inn, which rises from the Death Valley red rock like a shimmering oasis.

8:00pm -As the world population grows, it becomes increasingly more difficult for animals to find a space of their own. The result is increased encounters between humans and beasts, and this episode of Nature takes a look at some of these confrontations, from simple things like bears going through rubbish to stranger incidents such as foxes stealing newspapers to build shelters and sea lions living on houseboats. Also covered are examples of animals ending up far from their natural habitat and its effect on its new home.

10:00pm - This two-part program chronicles the largest environmental restoration project in history as a team of experts immerse themselves into the heart of the Everglades to learn about the great watershed and what to do about preserving it. In addition to its educational value, this special is a spectacular visual adventure.

8:00pm - In the hours before the devastating tsunami in Asia, animals in the areas about to be hit began to act very strangely. Elephants in Thailand began to run for higher ground, antelopes in India stampeded away from the shoreline, and flamingoes interrupted their breeding rituals to flee the coast. Nature examines a number of possible explanations for this and other animal behavior observed in advance of disasters.

9:00pm - This two-part series takes a look at some of the most stunning and unique lodges in North America. Included are Hawaii’s Volcano House, the Grand Teton’s Jackson Lake Lodge, the Lake Quinalt Lodge in the heart of the Olympic National Forest, and the Furnace Creek Inn, which rises from the Death Valley red rock like a shimmering oasis.

10:00pm - This documentary covers a one-year period in this beautiful region, as well as exploring historical tales about the area to reveal how the Adirondacks strike a delicate balance between progress and preservation.

8:00pm - This two-part documentary takes a look at small creatures that may not look threatening, but are indeed some of the most deadly species on Earth. Part 1 deals with the toxic creatures on land, including spiders, snakes, wasps, and ants. Part 2 examines the poisonous animals of the sea, including the box jelly fish, which is the most venomous creature on our planet. The close-up photography is extraordinary, and the program contains detailed footage of creatures attacking, killing, and eating their prey.

10:00pm - Some 300 miles off Costa Rica is Cocos Island, formerly a favorite haunt for pirates. Cocos lies directly in the path of powerful ocean currents that carry rich nutrients to its reef and thus, provide a great setting for marine life. But its most distinctive feature is its extraordinary abundance of sharks of all types. A team of divers infiltrated this “no-fishing” zone and recorded aspects of shark behavior that few of us have ever seen before.

11:00pm - This documentary looks at shark behavior and tells the incredible stories of people who have experienced nature’s most dangerous killing machine first hand, and lived to tell about it.

8:00pm - Earthquakes and floods are two natural disasters that can devastate lives and communities in a single instant. Through computer graphics and scientific explanations, this two-part special takes a look at how these forces of nature work. Included is some real-life frightening footage that is powerful and dramatic.

10:00pm - This documentary profiles the man whose name is synonymous with the American wilderness and conservation movement. His true passion was finding and drawing birds, and his crowning artistic glory was the publishing of a monumental collection of 435 life-sized prints called “The Birds of America”.

11:00pm - This program traces the 25-year relationship between filmmaker Hardy Jones and dolphins. Jones may have spent more time with dolphins than any other human, and shares his unique insights into the romantic creatures.

8:00pm - Death Valley is the hottest place on Earth and this program looks at how wildlife and animals manage to survive in the 116 degree plus temperatures where the earth cracks and water is in short supply. The camera also catches breathtaking images of colorful mountains and canyons.

8:00pm - The Australian Alps is home to a variety of wildlife, including ibex, fox, and marmots. But none may be more majestic than the red deer. This episode centers on the lifestyle of a female red deer who is the leader in her herd, and her newborn calf, who immediately attains the status of a prince among the other calves.

9:00pm - This documentary covers a one-year period in this beautiful region, as well as exploring historical tales about the area to reveal how the Adirondacks strike a delicate balance between progress and preservation.

11:00m - The history and grandeur of these breathtaking falls is examined in this beautifully-photographed documentary. Also chronicled through rare footage are the stories of some of the daredevils that attempted death-defying stunts over and around the falls. But the star of this documentary is the vision of this magnificent landmark that attracts twenty million visitors annually.

8:00pm - This episode looks at the behavior of highly-prized gamefish such as marlins, sailfish, spearfish, and swordfish. These billfish slice through the water’s surface with explosive power and their journeys through the open ocean are epic. Examined is their bizarre life cycle as they are observed in their natural habitats.

9:00pm - This fascinating documentary follows a female loggerhead turtle as she sets off to lay her eggs in the place where she was born. This birthing ritual takes her across the Pacific from Mexico to Japan, facing typhoons, sharks, and whales. It is the longest journey undertaken by any animal on land or sea. And once the eggs are hatched, she leaves them there and returns to her home alone.

10:00pm - Some 300 miles off Costa Rica is Cocos Island, formerly a favorite haunt for pirates. Cocos lies directly in the path of powerful ocean currents that carry rich nutrients to its reef and thus, provide a great setting for marine life. But its most distinctive feature is its extraordinary abundance of sharks of all types. A team of divers infiltrated this “no-fishing” zone and recorded aspects of shark behavior that few of us have ever seen before.

11:00pm - This documentary looks at the science behind shark behavior and tells the incredible stories of people who have experienced nature’s most dangerous killing machine first hand, and lived to tell about it.

8:00pm - Diane Fossey, the famed friend of gorillas, cared for Titus since 1974, when he was only two days old. Decades later, Titus is now the King among the mountain gorillas of Rwanda. This documentary looks at Titus’ extraordinary life and times, from his early days to his rise to power.

9:00pm - This episode explores the world of crocodiles and the tall tales that exist regarding giant man-eating crocs. Nile crocs, American crocs, and the Asian-Pacific saltwater croc have all been reported to grow up to 23 feet, and this program follows experts as they go in search of the last of these large creatures.

10:00pm - Over the past 10 years, 300 people near an African lake have been presumed to be killed by the largest Nile crocodile ever seen…a nearly 30 foot long creature that has been in the area for almost 100 years. This program follows a team of environmentalists as they attempt to find and capture the croc before he kills again.

11:00pm - The Amazon is the greatest river in the world as its 4,000 miles contains almost a fifth of all the river water on the planet. This special explores the story of the river and its diverse ecosystem. The Amazon is home to more than 3,000 species of fish, many of which are quite unique. And the Amazon basin, an area five times the size of France, is home to some unlikely and strange animals. Beautiful photography provides viewers with a spectacular look at an amazing river.

8:00pm - This two-part Nature examines the mating behavior of both sexes in the animal kingdom. Part one deals with the decision-making power that female animals have in this process, while part two looks at the things male animals will do to woo a mating partner, including dancing, singing, fighting, changing body colors, and even agreeing to be eaten alive.

10:00pm - This new edition of Strange Days examines our planets water and oceans. Both fresh and salt water bodies are explored, as are the outside sources that threaten to pollute our main life source. Edward Norton returns as the host.

8:00pm - Cousteau and his team go deep into the Amazon rainforest to examine close-up the thousands of diverse species that live and depend on the river ecosystem. They also explore the human enterprise and development that is compromising the health of this great body of water.

10:00pm - This two-part program chronicles the largest environmental restoration project in history as a team of experts immerse themselves into the heart of the Everglades to learn about the great watershed and what to do about preserving it. In addition to its educational value, this special is a spectacular visual adventure.

8:00pm - Cousteau and his team go deep into the Amazon rainforest to examine close-up the thousands of diverse species that live and depend on the river ecosystem. They also explore the human enterprise and development that is compromising the health of this great body of water.

10:00pm - This two-part program chronicles the largest environmental restoration project in history as a team of experts immerse themselves into the heart of the Everglades to learn about the great watershed and what to do about preserving it. In addition to its educational value, this special is a spectacular visual adventure.

8:00pm - This four-part series hosted by Edward Norton takes a fascinating look at the health of our planet. State-of-the-art photography and computer animation are employed to provide viewers with an in-depth examination of such topics as animal invaders, climate, predators, and water.

8:00pm - This episode provides spectacular footage of African elephants, as the camera crew follows them across plains, deserts, and into jungles. It also provides a look into the lifestyle of these magnificent creatures.

9:00pm - Due to a demand for ivory in the early 20th Century, South African elephants were on the verge of extinction. Their numbers down to 140, the remaining herd lived in an impenetrable area called the Addo bush. When the numbers continued to dwindle, a local farmer took 17 of them to a sanctuary to make sure they survived. Now, more than 350 descendants of those few survivors still live in the Addo Elephant National Park, and this special takes an up-close and personal look at the behavior and lifestyle of the elephant.

10:00pm - Matt Damon hosts this two-part series that investigates environmental changes and the future of our planet. Featuring case studies from exotic locations, the fragile relationship between people and the world they inhabit is explored.