Seasons & episodes

S19 · E9Bower Birds: The Art of Seduction 2000-12-17＋

David Attenborough travels to the remote highlands of New Guinea and the rainforests of Australia to explore the little-known world of the bower bird, a fascinating creature which flaunts its charms, steals for its own purposes and indulges in spiteful acts - all in the pursuit of the opposite sex

S19 · E10The Last Tusker 2001-01-21＋

A colourful feature on Sri Lanka's elephant population, focusing on one of the last wild bulls. On this Buddhist island, elephants may be sacred, but they kill over people a year, and many are shot, survivors winding up in an elephant orphanage. Fifty years ago, there were ten thousand elephants and three million people on Sri Lanka; now there are two thousand elephants and 20 million people.

S19 · E11Seals: Invaders of the Sea 2001-01-28＋

Wildlife programme in which state-of-the-art camera techniques reveal the sophisticated underwater world of the seal - an animal capable of surviving in every ocean corner of the world.

S19 · E12Killer Bees and Magic Trees 2001-02-04＋

Austrian scientist Gerald Kastberger studies the aggressive giant honeybees of Assam, in particular their unexplained annual migration from the Himalayan foothills to specific trees scattered across the plains a hundred miles to the south - a distance which takes the bees three weeks to cover. Feared locally as much as the tiger, the bees attack en masse, and a hundred or more stings can kill.

S19 · E13Hippo Beach 2001-02-18＋

Insight into the bizarre behavioural habits of the African hippo, a creature which spends most of its lifetime in water but cannot swim, and eats mainly grass yet thinks nothing of challenging a lion for a share of its kill. Featuring action-packed footage of fearsome hippo bulls as they defend their territories

S19 · E14Timeless Thames 2001-02-25＋

This is a journey along the River Thames, England's most famous river, from its source to the sea. The Thames may seem tame today but it is still wild at heart and just waiting to reclaim its lost wildness, despite our best efforts to control it. The recent flooding throughout the British Isles illustrates just how close we live to the limits of nature. London is actually sinking faster than Venice and despite huge technological innovations, such as the Thames Barrier, we are losing the battle. This winter's flooding will make everyone rethink how we live alongside the Timeless Thames.

S19 · E15Coyote: the Ultimate Survivor? 2001-03-18＋

Documentary on the coyote, cousin to the wolf and one of America's most charismatic animals. The film explores how this elusive and intelligent creature with a spine-chilling call remains an icon of the Wild West - revered by native Americans, yet hated by white ranchers - and tells its remarkable story of survival, from its stronghold in Yellowstone Park right into the heart of modern cities.

S19 · E16Transylvania: Living with Predators 2001-03-25＋

Andrew Sachs narrates a documentary focusing on the large predators which live alongside humans in the beautiful forests and mountains of Transylvania, where shepherds always have to be on their guard for hungry wolves and bears seeking an easy meal of lamb. The programme examines the current situation and asks how long the inhabitants of Transylvania can tolerate these dangerous carnivores

S19 · E17Danube Delta: Europe Untamed 2001-04-15＋

The delta of the river Danube is home to half a million wild geese, the greatest concentration of pelicans outside Africa, and the world's largest freshwater fish. Despite the previous efforts of communist regimes to drain the area, people still live and fish here in a way of life unchanged for centuries.

S19 · E18Buffalo: The African Boss 2001-07-31＋

A study of the buffaloes of Lake Manyara National Park, Tanzania, where they are prey to lions but will also attack them, and even kill their cubs. This dangerous side, which makes them the most feared of all Africa's large animals, is balanced by their loyalty and care for the other members of their herd.

S20 · E1The Lost Elephants of Timbuktu 2001-10-07＋

David Attenborough narrates this documentary following young research student Anne Orlando as she sets out on an unforgettable adventure, hoping to solve the mysteries surrounding a herd of elephants that inhabit the desert south of the fabled city of Timbuktu. How do they survive the arid conditions? Why do they disappear for two months each year? And why do they make an annual journey across the desert?

Park ranger Paul Schullery presents a personal account of life in America's Yellowstone Park. After wolves were reintroduced to the park, he watched the natural order establish itself, as wolves hunted down elk parents and grizzly bears stalked their fawns.

Simon King attempts to win the trust of shy and elusive night-time animals including badgers, foxes and owls, in an attempt to reveal the natural world on our doorstep.

S20 · E4Hotel Heliconia 2001-11-04＋

The Heliconia plant provides food and shelter for a wide variety of jungle creatures and also produces some of the most stunning flowers on earth

This documentary introduces us to the variety of bats found in the rainforests of Central America. Fringe-lipped, Fishing, fruit and the notorious vampire bat are amongst the line up.

Documentary on the wildlife of the Channel Islands.

S20 · E7Leopard Hunters 2001-12-02＋

Wildlife documentary featuring the Asiatic leopards of Yala in the south of Sri Lanka. This unique and revealing film shows the secretive spotted cats fighting crocodiles and bears, and three cubs surviving the perils of growing up in the jungle.

S20 · E8War Wrecks of the Coral Sea 2001-12-09＋

Exploring shipwrecks in the Solomon Islands and Truk Lagoon that have been transformed into spectacular living reefs following the destruction of World War Two. Featuring the testimony of those involved in the conflict

Documentary focusing on the wildlife of the European Alps, a spectacular wilderness area in the heart of the world's most densely settled continent. Carved by ice-age glaciers and invaded by animals adapted to life in harsh conditions, such as bears, wolves, golden eagles and ibex, the region is much more than a vast arena of ski slopes. Narrated by Andrew Sachs.

S20 · E10A Wild Dog's Story 2002-01-20＋

Documentary following Newky, an African wild dog, over five years. Told through the personal recollections of wild-dog researcher Dr 'Tico' McNutt and set against the spectacular wilderness of Botswana's Okavango delta, Newky's story is a poignant tale of survival against the odds for one of the world's most endangered and fascinating creatures.

Andrew Sachs narrates a programme focusing on the killer whales of Monterey Bay, fierce and nomadic hunters capable of taking down prey as big as a grey whale. As well as capturing the killers in their natural habitat, underwater film makers Paul and Gracie Atkins also uncover a secret that may threaten the whales' existence.

S20 · E13The Canine Conspiracy 2002-02-24＋

The programme follows a puppy through the first year of its life and its willful destruction of the owner's property : which nearly led to the rebellious hound's expulsion from the family home. Producer Mark Flowers reveals the manipulative nature of the mutt and how the four-legged beast may have manipulated people for thousands of years, casting doubt on the notion of the dog as man's best friend. Have humans unwittingly become victims of a canine conspiracy?

S20 · E14The Cat Connection 2002-03-03＋

The secret life of the cat, examining the Jekyll and Hyde nature of the feline, which is a ruthless predator in the wild. Filmed in several countries, the programme explains what place the creature has in history, asking why it's the most popular domesticated pet in Britain and the USA.

Rebecca Hosking presents an insight into the world of vampire bats, observing them in their natural habitat. She reveals that despite their dark reputation, they possess amazing abilities, including seeing in the dark and echo-location - technology which could benefit humans with impaired vision