Nature Tuesdays on PBA30

This film covers the first year in the life of a humpback whale, when she learns the lessons of humpback life from her mother. Together, they take a journey from her birthplace in the waters of Hawaii to the summer feeding grounds of Alaska’s southeast coast, facing a number of dangers. By the end of the year, she is learned enough to set out upon her own.

The black mamba is one of Africa’s most dangerous and feared snakes, known for being aggressive when disturbed by striking its victims with toxic venom ten times more deadly than needed to kill a human adult. Not much is known about these creatures, as they are usually killed on sight. This program chronicles a six-week study on black mambas in Southern Africa, designed to change public perception on what they consider to be the world’s most misunderstood snake.

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.

This program covers the most important single moment of any animal’s life…its birth. Emerging from dark safety to possible peril, the film chronicles the birth and first day of a number of various animals, and examines the different ways that different animals experience the first day of life.

This new episode in the life of Cloud, the wild stallion from the Arrowhead mountains of Montana, focuses on his leadership of the wild horses and on his two sons, who may eventually challenge Cloud.

Robert Redford hosts this film that celebrates America’s commitment to wilderness preservation by capturing the glory of undeveloped, wild places through stunning images and passionate tales of America’s modern wilderness heroes…those volunteers that spend countless hours and energy working to ensure that the public lands they love remain forever wild.

This program takes a look at the most endangered species on the planet…animals that represent the end of their line. Among these creatures are Yangtze turtles, a baby Sumatran rhino, a special collection of lemurs, and “Lonesome George”, a giant tortoise from the Galapagos who is the very last of his kind. Nature takes a look at efforts to sustain these animals through captive breeding programs, as well as looking at the conditions that have caused the demise.

This episode examines an example in the fabric of life where one species is interconnected with another. In this case, it looks at how the horseshoe crab, a creature that has remained unchanged for three hundred million years, produce eggs that are a lifeline for a tiny bird called a Red Knot. But, the existence of the crab is being threatened as a result of becoming new bait for fishermen, and this could cause the crumble of an age-old food pyramid.

This documentary tells the story of Chris McCandless, a 24-year-old traveler that died in the Alaskan wilderness following a two-year cross-country odyssey that took him from Atlanta to Arizona, California, Mexico, Canada, and countless places in-between. Filmmaker Ron Lamothe loaded a backpack and followed in McCandless’ footsteps all the way to the abandoned bus on Alaska’s Stampede Trail where McCandless died of starvation in 1992. This same story was also told in the recent Hollywood film Into the Wild.

The evolution of dogs is explored in this program that also looks at how dogs infiltrated human society. Using DNA analysis and other research, scientists concluded that all dogs claim the wolf as their ancestor, and that certain breeds have been essential to the vitality of the entire canine population.

This is a film in which the filmmaker took on the role of parent to two cheetah cubs when their mother was killed by a lion. It is a two-year rollercoaster ordeal, including terrifying standoffs with rhinos and leopards, as well as some of the most intimate moments of cheetah life ever captured on film.

This BBC nature series charts the seven ages of life of some of the planet’s most distinct animals. Each episode follows the life cycle of one species, from birth through infancy, childhood and adolescence to maturity, old age, and death. The animal covered in this episode is the East African cheetah. A PBA30 Atlanta exclusive.

The inspiring story of the birth of twin panda cubs at a reservation park in China is the basis of this interesting documentary. With the panda population dwindling, the Wolong Natural Reservation Park was established to help breed giant pandas. The first six months of the twin’s lives are covered in this film, including rare footage of the combined effort of the mother panda and her human surrogate to raise the two vulnerable cubs.

This documentary covers the first year in the life of giant panda cub Zhen Zhen, whose antics and charms have captivated visitors to the San Diego zoo. It also takes a serious look at the plight of the giant panda and how the zoo’s program has affected the resurgence of the endangered species.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Africa’s coastal Namib Desert is the home to a mysterious population of lions that have rarely been seen and thus, never studied. Twenty years ago, a wildlife expert became aware of these desert lions when he witnessed a lioness kill a fur seal in the waves and drag it five miles inland to feed her cubs. And then, they disappeared before the expert was able to observe them further. But recently, they reappeared, giving him a second chance to unravel their secrets.

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 three-part BBC series takes viewers to some of the most hostile environments on earth in a mission to find animals that push the limits of survival. Host Steve Leonard travels to such diverse locations as the Arctic and deserts, and participates with the animals in death-defying
examples of endurance. This program airs exclusively in Atlanta on PBA30. continues August 18 and 25

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 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.

This unique BBC nature series charts the seven ages of life of some of the planet’s most distinct animals. Each episode follows the life cycle of one species, from birth through infancy, childhood and adolescence to maturity, old age, and death. The animals covered are bears, dolphins, elephants, lions, gorillas, crocodiles, wolves, cheetahs, and zebras. This intimate look into these creature’s lives provides viewers with a greater understanding of how these animals live from cradle to grave. An Atlanta exclusive on PBA30.

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.

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 unique BBC nature series charts the seven ages of life of some of the planet’s most distinct animals. Each episode follows the life cycle of one species, from birth through infancy, childhood and adolescence to maturity, old age, and death. The animals covered are bears, dolphins, elephants, lions, gorillas, crocodiles, wolves, cheetahs, and zebras. This intimate look into these creature’s lives provides viewers with a greater understanding of how these animals live from cradle to grave. An Atlanta exclusive on PBA30.

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.

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.

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.

This unique BBC nature series charts the seven ages of life of some of the planet’s most distinct animals. Each episode follows the life cycle of one species, from birth through infancy, childhood and adolescence to maturity, old age, and death. The animals covered are bears, dolphins, elephants, lions, gorillas, crocodiles, wolves, cheetahs, and zebras. This intimate look into these creature’s lives provides viewers with a greater understanding of how these animals live from cradle to grave. An Atlanta exclusive on PBA30.

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.

One of the world’s most spectacular aquariums is examined in this program that reveals the inner-workings of this 20-year-old institution. Besides offering stunning views of the over 30,000 animals and plants, the story of how the aquarium successfully exhibited a great white shark for almost 200 days is also covered.

Al Giddings is one of the world’s most accomplished underwater director-cinematographers. Drawing on more than 30 years of deep sea diving experience, this special contains breathtaking scenes of many of his undersea film adventures, as well as an interview with Giddings himself.

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.

Kilauea, on Hawaii’s Big Island, is the world’s most active volcano. Its latest eruption began in 1983 and hasn’t stopped since, creating 544 acres of new land and destroying 200 homes in the process. Nature takes a close-up look at Kilauea, including extraordinary footage of the cataclysmic meeting between 2000 degree lava and 75 degree ocean water—the exact moment that new land is created.

This is the story of the volcano Krakatoa and its mammoth eruption in 1883. Dramatic recreation, documentary footage, and special effects help the viewers visualize the violence of this historic event.

Millions of rhinos once roamed the Earth, but now they are one of the planet’s rarest animals, with three of its species on the brink of extinction. This program follows a team of experts who are working to protect rhinos from poachers by relocating them to better habitats and breeding them in captivity.

This unique nine-part BBC nature series charts the seven ages of life of some of the planet’s most distinct animals. Each episode follows the life cycle of one species, from birth through infancy, childhood and adolescence to maturity, old age, and death. The animals covered are bears, dolphins, elephants, lions, gorillas, crocodiles, wolves, cheetahs, and zebras. This intimate look into these creature’s lives provides viewers with a greater understanding of how these animals live from cradle to grave. An Atlanta exclusive on PBA30.

This special allows viewers to experience the thrills and chills of storm chasing as it follows the adventures of two college students that pursue their dream of getting as close to tornados as humanly possible. The footage is hair-raising, as the two sometimes get much closer than they should. In addition, viewers will learn much about the science behind tornados in a way that is easily understood.

This episode takes a look at the majesty of the largest waterfall in the world, Victoria Falls. Cutting across Africa’s Zambezi River and bridging the countries of Zambia and Zimbabwe, Victoria Falls is an awesome force of nature that takes the meandering river above the cascade and turns it into a raging abyss of the gorge below, all of it surrounded by a thick rainforest.

This unique nine-part BBC nature series charts the seven ages of life of some of the planet’s most distinct animals. Each episode follows the life cycle of one species, from birth through infancy, childhood and adolescence to maturity, old age, and death. The animals covered are bears, dolphins, elephants, lions, gorillas, crocodiles, wolves, cheetahs, and zebras. This intimate look into these creature’s lives provides viewers with a greater understanding of how these animals live from cradle to grave. An Atlanta exclusive on PBA30.

Every Tuesday in May at 10:00pm

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.

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.

The Scottish island of Mull is home to an abundance of wildlife that live among the beautiful mountains, forests, bogs, coastline, moorland, and crystal clear rivers. But it is the golden eagle and the rare white-tailed eagles that seem to have a leg up in the island’s animal chain, and this episode takes a look at these creatures and the effects of their dominance.

This is a film in which the filmmaker took on the role of parent to two cheetah cubs when their mother was killed by a lion. It is a two-year rollercoaster ordeal, including terrifying standoffs with rhinos and leopards, as well as some of the most intimate moments of cheetah life ever captured on film.

This three-part BBC nature series chronicles the hunt to find the world’s most deadly natural born killers. Among the animals pursued include the black mamba snake, the harpy eagle from Panama, killer whales, scorpions, jellyfish, cobras, and man-eaters. Up-close encounters provide viewers with an indication of just how scary these creatures are. An Atlanta exclusive on PBA30.

Also

Tuesday, May 12 at 9:00pm

This unique nine-part BBC nature series charts the seven ages of life of some of the planet’s most distinct animals. Each episode follows the life cycle of one species, from birth through infancy, childhood and adolescence to maturity, old age, and death. The animals covered are bears, dolphins, elephants, lions, gorillas, crocodiles, wolves, cheetahs, and zebras. This intimate look into these creature’s lives provides viewers with a greater understanding of how these animals live from cradle to grave. An Atlanta exclusive on PBA30.

Every Tuesday in May at 10:00pm

This program takes a look at the most endangered species on the planet—animals that represent the end of their line. Among these creatures are Yangtze turtles, a baby Sumatran rhino, a special collection of lemurs, and “Lonesome George”, a giant tortoise from the Galapagos who is the very last of his kind. Nature takes a look at efforts to sustain these animals through captive breeding programs, as well as looking at the conditions that have caused the demise.

This three-part BBC nature series chronicles the hunt to find the world’s most deadly natural born killers. Among the animals pursued include the black mamba snake, the harpy eagle from Panama, killer whales, scorpions, jellyfish, cobras, and man-eaters. Up-close encounters provide viewers with an indication of just how scary these creatures are. An Atlanta exclusive on PBA30.

This unique nine-part BBC nature series charts the seven ages of life of some of the planet’s most distinct animals. Each episode follows the life cycle of one species, from birth through infancy, childhood and adolescence to maturity, old age, and death. The animals covered are bears, dolphins, elephants, lions, gorillas, crocodiles, wolves, cheetahs, and zebras. This intimate look into these creature’s lives provides viewers with a greater understanding of how these animals live from cradle to grave. An Atlanta exclusive on PBA30.

In a stretch of the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa, a unique pattern of warm and cold currents provides an environment that somehow brings together an astounding variety of sharks. Through amazing photography, viewers will get a display of nearly 150 species of all shapes, colors, and sizes, including great whites, pajama sharks, and seven-gill cow sharks.

Cousteau takes viewers on an underwater tour—in this episode, he gets up-close with the white Beluga whale.

Species by species, amphibians are vanishing off the face of the earth. Large-scale die-offs of frogs around the world have prompted scientists to take measures to try to save those that they can. This program takes a look at those efforts to reverse the extinction.

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.

Kilauea, on Hawaii’s Big Island, is the world’s most active volcano. Its latest eruption began in 1983 and hasn’t stopped since, creating 544 acres of new land and destroying 200 homes in the process. Nature takes a close-up look at Kilauea, including extraordinary footage of the cataclysmic meeting between 2000 degree lava and 75 degree ocean water…the exact moment that new land is created.

This is the story of the volcano Krakatoa and its mammoth eruption in 1883. Dramatic recreation, documentary footage, and special effects help the viewers visualize the violence of this historic event.

This documentary follows a conservation expert on his journey to assess key biological hotspots around the world that are at the greatest risk of extinction. Locations include New Zealand, the United States, Peru, Brazil, Madagascar, and Chili’s remote Easter Island.

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.

In this two-part special, Cousteau’s team examines the history, biology, and environment of the 13 national marine sanctuaries of the United States. Viewers will travel deep into these little-known eco-systems and come face-to-face with creatures of these seldom-visited waters off the coasts of Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Michigan, and California.

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.

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.

Actor Matt Damon hosts this episode of the continuing nature and science series that focuses on the environment. The subject matter for this hour is the world’s oceans.

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.

Travel expert Rick Steves takes viewers on a tour or Ireland in this compilation of four of his Rick Steves’ Europe series.

The Emerald Isle is revealed from aerial views in this travelogue that covers such ground as Belfast to Dublin and in-between. The beautiful scenery is enhanced by a soundtrack that includes the fiddles and pipes of traditional Irish music.

Explorer and adventure travel writer Richard Bangs takes viewers around the world to exotic locations and delves into the history and culture of each area. This month, his travels take us to New Zealand, Switzerland, and finally to Egypt, where he investigates the lost crocodiles of the Nile River.

The eternal question of “Are you a cat person or a dog person?” is debated, with an in-depth investigation into what draws us to these two polarizing animals. Animal behaviorists, psychologists, trainers, and devoted owners all weigh in.

This program takes a look at two dogs rescued from animal shelters and how they are trained with skills needed to perform functions in the work world. The story follows them through training, competition, and their eventual placing in new homes, as one becomes a sheep herder and the other a bomb-sniffer with a police K-9 corp.

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.

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.

Explorer and adventure travel writer Richard Bangs takes viewers around the world to exotic locations and delves into the history and culture of each area. This month, his travels take us to New Zealand, Switzerland, and finally to Egypt, where he investigates the lost crocodiles of the Nile River.

The Drakensberg Mountains are the Alps for South Africa, rising more than 11.000 feet in the sky. But beneath their beauty lies an incredibly hostile environment for the creatures that manage to live there. This episode takes a look at the spring in this region, when drenching rains destroy the grasslands at the base of the mountains, forcing the animals to climb straight up sheer cliffs of volcanic rock, through storms and snow, to reach the grass on the plateau. The most astonishing and difficult journey is that taken by the elands, which have long legs, heavy bodies, and babies by their sides while vultures circle overhead.

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.

Explorer and adventure travel writer Richard Bangs takes viewers around the world to exotic locations and delves into the history and culture of each area. This month, his travels take us to New Zealand, Switzerland, and finally to Egypt, where he investigates the lost crocodiles of the Nile River.

The famous skunk odor is investigated as researchers track skunks day and night across a number of states in an effort to uncover how they hunt, mate, and raise amazingly cute baby skunks. And they reveal the remarkable secrets of that stink.

In every culture of the world, there are legends of dragons that fly, breathe fire, and live in caves. This episode of Nature takes a look at where the stories came from and investigates if they are based on real animals.

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.