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Depleted Uranium
More than 50 countries now possess weapons based on depleted uranium (DU). Experimentation has been rife, and the consequences for civilians and the military alike have been dramatic. This investigation compares and contrasts the arguments of those who defend and attack a technology that is highly toxic. For 20 years, scientists, doctors, veterans and activists have denounced the use of DU. Against them are the arms industry lobbyists and nuclear authorities who continue to minimise the risks. Through archive documents, interviews and in situ investigations, accompanied by key witnesses (victims, experts...) we aim to present a clearer picture of the issues and stakes linked to the use of DU. Quick-paced, with a sense of urgency, the film underlines the essential background and conflicting viewpoints, enabling viewers to make up their own minds about a subject that concerns us all.
Grosslockner KING OF THE HIGH ALPS
The report accompanies Austrian farmers in the highest mountain of the country - the Glossglockner - from July until Christmas, throughout the changing seasons. It is mid-June and summer is finding its way into the valleys of East Tyrol, even though the Hohe Tauern Mountains are still covered with snow. In the distance, the Grossglockner gleams bright white above the Tyrol mountain village of Kals. This summer, mountain climbers from all over the world will scale the Grossglockner. Toni Riepler, a mountain guide from Kals and his wife Gitti have a lot of work to do. They run the "Glorerhütte", one of the oldest mountain huts in the area. For 3 months, from mid-June to mid-September, the family lives high up in the Alps. In the winter, they stay down in the valley.
Zenith - EP. 10
Zenith – Advances in Space Exploration reveals these latest developments and the implications they hold for all of us.
Inside OUTER SPACE - Asteroids, Comets, Venus, Meteoroids, Nebula, SPACE RACE
Come with us as we explore and unravel the mysteries of what lies beyond our planet Earth. This is a series packed with space stories and information about our universe covering what we can see, how we can live in space and what science tells us about the past and the future as we journey inside out of space.
Inside OUTER SPACE - BLACK Holes, Olympus MONS, Jupiter, International SPACE Station, Lightyear, FOOD IN SPACE
Come with us as we explore and unravel the mysteries of what lies beyond our planet Earth. This is a series packed with space stories and information about our universe covering what we can see, how we can live in space and what science tells us about the past and the future as we journey inside out of space.
SPEED KILLS - EP. 03
In the forest’s dark underworld, there’s a lot more happening than meets the eye. Under every rock, behind every tree, death could be lurking.Africa’s largest cobra is beat to the chase by the Giant bullfrog. Big Brown Bats use sonar to take out Wax moths at high speed. And the world’s 2nd fastest cat leaps 10 feet into the air after its aerial prey.When death comes to the underworld, it takes the express!
WILD Australia WITH RAY MEARS - EP. 05
Ray takes the Great Ocean Road along the Antarctic facing coast of Australia – the longest South facing coastline in the world. He starts in Port Philp Bay the entrance to Melbourne Harbour where for the first time he sees a strange marine creature – the weedy sea dragon – a relative of the sea horse. He also swims with a unique species of dolphin – the Burrunan Dolphins.Crossing the Bay he heads off down the longest War Memorial in the world – the Great Ocean Road and meets 93 year old Doug Stirling who remembers the world war 1 veterans building the road.Ray visits the Penguin Colony on Middle Island where guard dogs protect the penguins from foxes and he watches the night time return of the penguins after a day spent at sea fishing.He takes to the seas and discovers the creatures of the deep waters – albatross, balls of krill and a pod of fast moving common dolphins.
WILD Australia WITH RAY MEARS - EP. 06
In this episode, Ray explores the Red Centre of the country and shows that the Australian desert is filled with life for those who know where to find water.He arrives in the Red Centre by chopper as he flies over the Uluru monolith or Ayres Rock. For his first stop, he goes to a red kangaroo sanctuary where he cuddles a joey, meets their carer Brolga and gets close to the usually wary adult red kangaroos. He pursues his journey deeper in the desert to meet a local aboriginal Sammy Wilson. They go to a traditional waterhole and chat over a camp fire about Sammy’s ancestral knowledge of the land. Ray spends the night out under the stars before driving more inland to rocky areas where water collects. There Ray comes face to face with a wild kangaroo and rock wallabies. He then follows tracks along a dry river bed that lead him to Australia’s wild dog: a dingo.
THE LAST CAMEL Caravans OF THE Sahara
360° GEO - Report takes part in an exhausting journey exhausting journey through desert heat and drought. In the times of the pharaohs, people trekked through the desert between what is today Sudan and Egypt. They travelled in camel-caravans, loaded with ivory, salt, ostrich feathers and other precious cargoes. Even today, the Bedouin tribes follow these ancient trade routes, but today, it is the camels themselves that are sold to Egypt. Approximately 3 million camels exist in Sudan alone and about 200,000 animals per year are sold to Egypt. One of the most important yet dangerous paths leads from Kordufan via Darfur to South Egypt. It is called the Darb al- Arba'in - " 40-Day road". Only experienced caravan leaders dare to undertake the laborious journey.
THE TreE-Climbers FROM California
Rick Dirks is one of the best tree climbers in California. He is able to climb 100-meter tall (328-foot) redwood trees with skill and courage and do so at breathtaking speed. He even ties himself to the crown of these giant trees in a sleeping bag for the night. In addition to trimming the trees and installing measuring tools, Rick collects the tree’s cones and seeds at dizzying heights – because the redwoods can only continue to survive if they are cultivated. In California, these giant trees are still cut down for timber.
IN THE Darkness
An immersion in the heart of the biggest West-African prison: Abidjan. Located out of sight at the border of the Banco forest, this prison host 5,000 inmates but has capacity for 1,500. With the inmates’ help, life inside is organized, and a degree of stability exists.
FINE COCOA FROM Esmeralda
Cacao Nacional from Ecuador is also known as "Theobroma Cacao" or "food of the gods". The pods grow in the remotest regions of the country, including in small villages along the Rio Santiago and the Rio Napo. Theobroma's distinctive flavor is valued by chocolatiers around the world. The high demand helps cocoa farmers like Lilian and Cleofe develop a new, long-term and more reliable means of subsistence. Cocoa plantations also immensely benefit the environment: cocoa trees grow in mixed species plantations and thereby protect the rainforest. They represent an alternative to palm tree plantations that are highly destructive to the local environment.
BIG COAST - Duncanby LODGE Season Kickoff
For 15 years the Big Coast Crew has remained completely committed to expedition boating, showcasing West Coast adventure and telling the tales of this final frontier. From iconic Chinook salmon to Grizzlies, Spirit Bear and Orcas, incredible wildlife roams this land and keeps watch over one of the last great coastal ecosystems on Earth. Each season, Big Coast runs the BC Inside Passage from Alaska and Prince Rupert Southbound through Great Bear Rainforest and Vancouver Island. It’s an epic journey of 1,500 kilometres through pristine coastal waterways and wilderness. And each season, with marine weather, wildlife and fish migrations, is a little bit different. In the spirit of coastal conservation, Big Coast practices catch-and-release Tyee Chinook Salmon (over 30lbs) angling and only taking what you need. Going strong for 15 years, Big Coast features 13 new half hour episodes every year! A 300-mile boat trip from Vancouver to Duncanby Lodge in Rivers Inlet for Percy Walkus Hatchery Chinook Fundraiser!
CHINA Uncovered - THE QUEST FOR Wealth
Two brothers from rural China train in the art of Kung Fu in the hopes of elevating their lives however minimally. Meanwhile, rich kids in the city attend private English schools to improve their chances to study abroad. But China’s favorite philanthropist Chen Guang Biao shares his rags-to-riches story proving that odds can indeed be beaten. Rural children in China may still dream small, but as for the young elite partying away in rooftop bars, life is sweet.
SARAH SHARK - EP. 01
Sarah travels to one of the top 10 dive destinations in Australia (Julian Rocks, Byron Bay, NSW) to dive with three species of Wobbegong Sharks within the Cape Byron Marine Park. She also conducts a street poll with members of the public to find out what they think about sharks.
SARAH SHARK - EP. 02
Sarah travels to one of the top 10 dive destinations in Australia (Julian Rocks, Byron Bay, NSW) to dive with three species of Wobbegong Sharks within the Cape Byron Marine Park. She also conducts a street poll with members of the public to find out what they think about sharks.
SARAH SHARK - EP. 03
Sarah travels to one of the top 10 dive destinations in Australia (Julian Rocks, Byron Bay, NSW) to dive with three species of Wobbegong Sharks within the Cape Byron Marine Park. She also conducts a street poll with members of the public to find out what they think about sharks.
A YEAR IN THE WILD - EP.1
Rosemary catches up with the conservancy’s rarest large carnivore, a coalition of 3 male cheetahs. The Pungwe pack get waist deep into their hunting as they pursue a wildebeest into a water pan. Denning season has begun. The pack are on the hunt for impala. Rosemary deals with a shocking snare removal. The splinters take on another herd of wildebeest.
Tuning 2 YOU: India's LOST Musicians - WEST Bengal
Soumik arrives in the city of joy Kolkata in search of his musical roots and puts together his team. They head into the villages in search of travelling minstrels known as Bauls. Their journey leads them deeper into impoverished rural hinterlands where an old man sings under his broken down house. These musicians are driven by deep faith and extraordinary spiritual resilience. Their daughters sing and children learn deep lessons in simple words.
SPEED KILLS - EP. 01
Desert creatures endure searing heat and zero rainfall, but speed is their ticket to survival.A Tiger beetle runs at the human equivalent of 500 miles per hour. A caracal jumps six feet to swat a weaverbird out of midair. And the world’s fastest chameleon hunts on the desert floor.Only the hardiest, fastest animals survive. Nothing else stands a chance.
Travel QUEST - Antarctica
Bill Ball breaks the rules and stereo types of travel shows as he ventures beyond the highlights. What do you do after you’ve lead groups to over 140 countries and all 7 continents? Welcome to Bill’s bucket list on steroids... Travel Quest. This new, fast-paced series chases Bill around the globe as he seeks out anything but the mundane and ordinary—coming face-to-face with the largest crocodiles in the world, snorkeling with thousands of jellyfish, walking on the rim of an exploding volcano, feeding a group of sharks without a cage, bicycling across the Serengeti... this is not your typical travel show!
Depleted Uranium
More than 50 countries now possess weapons based on depleted uranium (DU). Experimentation has been rife, and the consequences for civilians and the military alike have been dramatic. This investigation compares and contrasts the arguments of those who defend and attack a technology that is highly toxic. For 20 years, scientists, doctors, veterans and activists have denounced the use of DU. Against them are the arms industry lobbyists and nuclear authorities who continue to minimise the risks. Through archive documents, interviews and in situ investigations, accompanied by key witnesses (victims, experts...) we aim to present a clearer picture of the issues and stakes linked to the use of DU. Quick-paced, with a sense of urgency, the film underlines the essential background and conflicting viewpoints, enabling viewers to make up their own minds about a subject that concerns us all.
SARAH SHARK - EP. 01
Sarah travels to one of the top 10 dive destinations in Australia (Julian Rocks, Byron Bay, NSW) to dive with three species of Wobbegong Sharks within the Cape Byron Marine Park. She also conducts a street poll with members of the public to find out what they think about sharks.
Capture WILD School - EP. 05
A boma is created with a funnel system and students are placed in strategic areas to man the curtain rails..
Colonies UNDER THE SEA
The film follows four unique divers as they explore shipwrecks in the heart of the Bahamas archipelago in order to discover the unexpected life they harbor.
THE NEW CUBA
Cuba, decades after the revolution. There is a new spirit emerging in Havana. Reforms are encouraging new business ideas and a large number of licenses have been issued for independent enterprise. The sale of real estate and cars has been legalized. In the socialist enclave of Cuba, there is now a spirit of letting visions and lifestyles become reality, of shaping a new Cuba. “ArteCorte” is such a dream come true. The master hair stylist Papito has built up the best beauty salon in the city. Customers love “ArteCorte” and are all very different from one another: young and old, proper and offbeat, poor and slightly less poor.
THE LAST CAMEL Caravans OF THE Sahara
360° GEO - Report takes part in an exhausting journey exhausting journey through desert heat and drought. In the times of the pharaohs, people trekked through the desert between what is today Sudan and Egypt. They travelled in camel-caravans, loaded with ivory, salt, ostrich feathers and other precious cargoes. Even today, the Bedouin tribes follow these ancient trade routes, but today, it is the camels themselves that are sold to Egypt. Approximately 3 million camels exist in Sudan alone and about 200,000 animals per year are sold to Egypt. One of the most important yet dangerous paths leads from Kordufan via Darfur to South Egypt. It is called the Darb al- Arba'in - " 40-Day road". Only experienced caravan leaders dare to undertake the laborious journey.
Leopards OF DEAD TREE Island
“Leopards of Dead Tree Island” (1 x 52’) takes us on an unforgettable HD journey into the lives of these three cats: Mosweo – a young mother who gave birth to two cubs during the abundance of summer. She is solitary by nature and takes on parenthood alone. Will she be able to rear and defend her cubs in this challenging environment - competing with lions and hyenas and coping with floods and drought? Buddah is the dominant male leopard of Dead Tree Island. He is the father of Mosweo’s cubs but he offers her no support or protection. To further complicate matters Tipa, her previous offspring, still shares her same territory, competing for food and posing a threat to her new cubs. He is now an independent three year old moving dangerously close to his mother’s new den site. He is an insider that she has tolerated so far. But, with the arrival of her new set of cubs he’s become an adversary that needs to be dealt with. Tipa also remains within his father’s territory. Buddah’s heavy frame and mauled ears allude to his age and stature. He moves through Dead Tree island with confidence and entitlement, fighting off his most irritating of rivals – baboons. Tipa’s efforts to hunt and assert his own authority are clumsy and naïve in comparison. The island covers the natural hunting grounds of all these secretive cats, they are drawn together by circumstances beyond their control leading to tension, drama and ultimately tragedy. Mosweo loses one cub to a predator and then finds the last of her litter paralyzed and dying. She tries everything in her power to comfort and revive her doomed offspring – but to no avail. Mosweo’s is forced out of Dead Tree island when Buddah’s attention strays towards an exciting new scent. A new, stronger female has made her way into his territory and Mosweo tries desperately to divert his attention away from this new rival. But the new female is in estrus and mates with Buddah, thereby cementing her own place among the group of leopards at Dead Tree Island. The contrasting environments of the Okavango Delta provide a uniquely beautiful backdrop as this drama unfolds among the Leopards of Dead Tree Island.
RIVER KING
Some parts of Africa have not been explored by even the most adventurous anglers. Wars, upheavals and uncertainties have made large areas of the Nile Basin in particular too challenging and dangerous to visit. Wim Seffelaar is a teacher in daily life, but a keen angler whenever he has the chance. Over the decades he has explored some of the remotest rivers of Africa. Now he is on a quest to catch one of the most iconic and elusive of all African river fish – the legendary Nile perch. They grow to enormous proportions on a stretch of river bordering South Sudan – an area normally off limits to tourists, but with the help of local friends, Wim manages to secure the permits to allow him into this troubled area. As he follows the river searching for likely locations, he immerses himself in the tribal life along the waterways. Everyone seems to be fishing here, albeit each with their own methods. Not only the many kingfishers, pelicans and crocodiles, but also the people, young and old. What may be sport to the angler is the livelihood of many here. If you don’t catch something, you and your family go hungry.Child hunters convince him to follow them to their inland lake and show off their skill at catching a variety of fish, but the most remarkable local fishing tactics take place on dry soil. During the dry season, fish survive by burrowing themselves in the mud and staying dormant until the rains form new rivers. The locations of these buried fish or ‘mudfish’ can be given away by subtle movements of the ground. A man whose feet can detect that faint movement above ground can spear the fish through the soil, dig it out and slowly hook it free from the earth.As he continues his way upstream, enormous bush fires stand in his way, the temperature rises to unbearable heights and the water level drops. The turning point in his expedition comes when he gets help from a former rebel who has fought in the area and knows the river like the back of his hand. With the help of his new friend he moves further afield, onwards to deeper water, indicated by the presence of large crocodiles. Here lies the promise of the giant. After landing a few huge tigerfish, Wim eventually hooks into a goliath that turns out to be no less than 113 kg, one of the largest Nile perches ever caught on a rod and fishing line.
THE Leopards NEW SPOTS
The Leopard’s New Spots is a documentary film about one man’s mission to halt the alarming decline in southern Africa’s leopard populations due to a widespread skin trade. Traditionally, only the Zulu royals have been allowed to wear leopard skins. However, in the last three decades the Shembe Church, a four million strong religious group, has adopted the skins into their ceremonial costume. The demand for leopard skins is now astronomical. Because the use of skins is so wide spread and culturally entrenched, law enforcement seems helpless to police this trade in a protected species. It has become, in one researchers words, 'a major conservation blind spot’. Leopard researcher Tristan Dickerson believes that you can’t save the leopard without the support of the Shembe people. The film follows Dickerson as he travels from the heart of leopard country to the heart of Shembe and Zulu culture in an effort to discover a solution that benefits all parties. His best solution turns out to be fake fur. Bad fakes are commonly used by church members while they save for the expensive real thing. Dickerson believes that if he can produce a high quality, affordable fake fur, and gain the endorsement of the powerful leader of the Church he can turn the tables in favour of the leopard.
Historic Football MATCH IN Florence
Florence, the cradle of the Renaissance, is today a so-called "museum-city". The small city center is invaded by thousands of tourists every day. But there is one sport tourists usually don't know : the calcio florentino, a violent game with no rules, exclusively for Florentine people. Struggling with the consequences of gentrification, the city is losing its identity and its citizens. But there is still one way in which Florence and the "Fiorentini" can express their own identity - the "Calcio Storico Fiorentino" (Historical Florentine soccer), a game that has been played in Florence for 800 years but only 3 days a year in the month of June! This primitive, tough and dangerous mix of football and boxing is played in one of the world's most famous squares, the Piazza Santa Croce. The players can hit the ball with their hands or feet, and they can stop their adversaries in any way possible. These two rules make the game one of the roughest sports ever played.
CHINA Uncovered - A CITY Transformed
From the skyscrapers of Shanghai to the mountainous peaks of "The Last Shangri-La", explore the breathtaking landscape of this incredible country and connect with the people that infuse China's everyday life with flavor, passion and prosperity. Through the eyes of a cultural academic, a laborer, an architect, an urban planner, and a photographer, the grand evolution of a little fishing village is illustrated and documented to reveal one of the fastest growing megacities in the world. And while the physical landscape gracefully moves towards the future, beliefs, behaviors, and practices are put into test. The changes brought by the Thirty Year Miracle are indeed immense, and it has left no stone, no life, unturned.
Freedom, THE Legend OF THE Eagles
This film is a visual thrill, a dream come true of men flying alongside the last Wild Eagle living in the Alps. It is the story of an unlikely encounter between Roï the last Sea Eagle in the wild in the French Alps and Kaaba a bird of the same species, but one that has been captive for years. With the help of one man who is going to change her destiny we witness Kaaba as she undergoes an astonishing learning process on the way to Freedom
French Foreign Legion HELL IN THE RAIN
360° Geo - Report accompanies 2 young legionnaires during their training as jungle fighters. It is humid in the rainforest around Regina, the outpost of the French military in the South American jungle. It's not for nothing that the country is called "Guayana", "Land of water". The foreign legionnaires, who have gathered here for training to become jungle combatants, experience the meaning of this name daily. The squad is international, the training hard: transport of the wounded through the rain forest, guerilla attacks, river crossings, survival training, the self-supply of food, and time and time again, drill! The men of the 3rd infantry regiment quite often operate for days in the jungle, tracking down illegal immigrants or gold seekers.
Gannets: THE WRONG SIDE OF THE RUN
At the tip of Africa two oceans collide, creating one of the most productive eco-systems on the planet. Here, one of the largest shoals of fish known to man form the basis of two food chains that split and extend for 100’s of miles. After the sardines part at Cape Agulhas, each shoal passes it’s own critical point. On the west coast of Africa, this is Malgas Island, a traditionally energetic hub of life dominated by the presence of the supreme sardine hunter, the Cape gannet. On the opposing coast, the shoals pass Bird Island, the eastern equivalent of Malgas. Circumstances on the two bird colonies are very different; on the west we see dwindling numbers of sardine, whilst on the east, Bird Island is the inverse. While the Malgas Gannets battle to raise chicks amid skirmishes by Kelp gulls and hungry seals, the Bird island gannets move to intercept huge volumes of sardines. What transpires is one of the greatest marine feeding events on the planet, and in these two parallel scenarios, we see how one environment is mutating under pressure, while the other experiences a bumper season. Will the gannets of Malgas island adapt to their changing world? Can the disappearing sardine stock survive, and in turn support the wide array of marine predators that rely heavily on it. The breath-taking landscape, action and predation sequences are strengthened by solid natural history behaviour with an environmental comment.
European Islands EP - 08: GRAN Canaria
The European islands are renowned primarily for their hotel resorts. However, we will show you a completely different face of theirs: forests, beaches, coves, mountains, valleys and rivers. Perhaps you will find places that will take your breath away. Why just lie on the beach when there is so much to see? Put on some good hiking shoes, pull your shoelaces tight, and get to know the entire island like the back of your hand.
SHOW ME WHERE YOU LIVE - Svalbard, NY-Alesund, A Scientific Village
Show me where you live is a documentary series that aims to answer the following question: How can human beings claim ownership to a space so that they can live safely within it, function as a society, and above all be in harmony with the environment around them?As we discover cultures and emblematic populations, we follow Philippe Simay who is at the heart of Inhabiting the World and represents its identity and originality. Philippe takes us on an epic adventure around the Human Habitat and sets the tone for the journey. As a humanist and philosopher, Philippe is a tireless surveyor of the city, and an explorer of living spaces. Determined to travel around the world, Philippe unveils how the populations that he encounters claim the space they occupy, shapes it and adjust to it.In this series of 20 films, of 26 minutes each, the habitat will be a major showcase revealing our capacity to adapt ourselves at a time where we need to find solutions in order to address immense changes.
SHOW ME WHERE YOU LIVE - Myanmar THE Children OF INLE LAKE
Show me where you live is a documentary series that aims to answer the following question: How can human beings claim ownership to a space so that they can live safely within it, function as a society, and above all be in harmony with the environment around them?As we discover cultures and emblematic populations, we follow Philippe Simay who is at the heart of Inhabiting the World and represents its identity and originality. Philippe takes us on an epic adventure around the Human Habitat and sets the tone for the journey. As a humanist and philosopher, Philippe is a tireless surveyor of the city, and an explorer of living spaces. Determined to travel around the world, Philippe unveils how the populations that he encounters claim the space they occupy, shapes it and adjust to it.In this series of 20 films, of 26 minutes each, the habitat will be a major showcase revealing our capacity to adapt ourselves at a time where we need to find solutions in order to address immense changes.
Wonder - COLOR
Seg 1 Chromatic Adaptation. Chromatic adaptation is the ability of humans to adjust to changes in brightness to keep up with the appearance of colors. this is the reason why we are able to perceive colors properly even though lighting in real environments change constantly. Seg 2 Color-changing animals. Color changing in animals are developed adaptations which the animals use for various applications such as signaling their species or as a way to hide from predators. Animals that can change color have specialized cells called chromatophores that can alter pigmentation and light reflecting properties. Seg 3 How do we see the color pink. We are able to see pink because our brains are able to perceive variations in light and color. Although pink as a wavelength does not exist in the light spectrum, it is our brains that processes light in a such a way that we are able to perceive combinations of colors thus giving us a way to see colors like pink. Seg 4 Blue wings, blue feathers. Blue rarely exists in nature. But due to evolution, structural features in the wings and feathers of some animals allow light to bend in ways that make it possible to reflect the color blue. Seg 5 Snow camouflage. Snow camouflage, is a type of camouflage that certain creatures use to hide during winter. It is typically characterised by differing shades of grays and whites.
Solomon Treasures, THE
The discovery in Jerusalem in 2007 of a tomb said to belong to the family of Jesus of Nazareth is just the latest in a long line of extraordinary finds which have recently come to light in the Holy Land. But not all these finds are quite what they seem. Both a stone tablet said to come from the Temple of Solomon, and an ossuary apparently belonging to the brother of Jesus, have been declared fakes. The official investigation then uncovered dozens of other fakes, and attention eventually focussed on one of the most revered objects in Israel: the ivory pomegranate. This artefact has been in the Israel Museum for nearly twenty years. Like the stone tablet, it too was linked to the Temple of Solomon – and astonishingly it too, investigators concluded, was fake. As forensic scientists now turn their attention to the ossuaries from the ‘Jesus family tomb’, Israeli archaeologists are left fearing that history and science is being repeatedly distorted, and they face a challenge to separate fact from fiction.
CORAL SEA Dreaming
Coral Sea Dreaming enters into the very heart of life – and death – on a coral reef. It is a story that spans 500 million years and stars some of the most exotic and wonderous marine creatures on earth. Coral is the planet’s greatest natu- ral architect, and coral reefs boast the highest biodiversity of any ecosystem.
BLACK Mamba: KISS OF DEATH
It’s ‘Silly Season’ in Mamba Valley and like zombies from their graves, the heat draws Black Mambas from the shadows. They’re on the hunt for summer lodgings but as the deadliest snake on the planet, they’re not popular neighbors. Many will fall foul to a gunshot or the sharp end of a shovel. But some will be lucky enough to be ‘rescued’ by a snake wrangling team with a passion for Mambas and a unique facility where these snakes can be housed and observed. One snake has a special mission –she’s recently mated and ready to deliver a new generation of silver killers into Mamba Valley. She’s the deadliest snake on the planet, but can she outwit her greatest enemy and unleash her fearsome spawn on the valley?
THE Flying Firefighters OF Valencia
In recent years, the number of forest fires has consistently increased, especially in Catalonia. The loss of forest land is endangering the cultural and natural habitat of the Northwestern Mediterranean. This report accompanies Chimo and his colleagues through last years' fire season. The "Avialsa" Flying Firefighters squadron operates in the woodland areas around the western part of the Mediterranean Sea. Flying close above the flames ensures the greatest chance of success for the firefighters: the closer they can get their water cargo to the fire source, the quicker they can get the flames under control. Joaquim Miniana, "Chimo" for short, and the pilots of the "Avialsa" firefighting plane squadron in the Spanish province of Valencia are fighting against increasingly long, hot summers.
RACE OF LIFE - EP. 12
The ocean can be an unforgiving place. Animals living in the sea have to deal constantly with finding food, and protecting themselves from predators. There are many ways of hiding, defending, and feeding, and every different technique has advantages for different animals. For example, some animals use camouflage to escape detection or to sneak up on their prey, while other animals have coloration which intentionally makes them stand out. Some creatures hide from predators, while others stay in groups, out in the open, relying on safety in numbers. Some animals have dangerous spines or venom for protection, but even the most venomous creatures must sometimes be wary of predators. Different animals have taken advantage of different food sources, some feeding at the top of the food chain, and others at the bottom. Protecting themselves underwater is also a matter of invention and reinvention, and aquatic animals deploy an array of strategies just to stay alive. They have quite the toolbox to dip into – Evolutionary strategms such as colour and camouflage, toxins and teeth! Nudibrancs, clown fish, squid, octopus and orca whales are just some of the wonderful winners in the underwater race of life. Underwater footage shot in the wild, demonstrates vividly how these ocean creatures have evolved to survive by adapting to their environment.
RACE OF LIFE - EP. 13
In this episode we explore the Race of Life on a small scale but no less competive or cruel for all that. Insects burrow through the ground, hop and sing in the trees, and dart and dance in the air. They come in many different colors and shapes. There are many reasons why insects are so successful at surviving. Their ability to survive in all kinds of temperatures and environments. A strong, hard but flexible shell called an exoskeleton covers their soft organs and is resistant to chemicals, water and physical impact. Their wings give them the option of flying away from dangerous situations or toward food or mates. In this episode: Dragonflies hover like helicopters over ponds and lakes, then suddenly dart away, pursuing prey or other dragonflies. The monarch butterfly goes through a miraculous metamorphosis, changing from an egg to a hungry caterpillar to a quiet pupa and emerging as a beautiful winged adult. The praying mantis is master of disguise. Its green body, wings and legs merge into the green, leafy background so carefully it seems to be part of the grass. Perched at an angle, with its spiny forelegs raised in a prayerlike pose, the mantis sits in still rigidness - until another insect such as a fly comes too near and is suddenly captured and devoured. Ants, like bees, hornets and wasps, are social insects and live together in colonies in many-chambered nests. Whatever it takes, to stay in the race.
THE Rescue DOGS OF LAKE GARDA
17 year old Ester and her dog Mia have big plans: saving lives at Lake Garda. In the north of Italy swimming rescue dogs are on duty at several lakes and the Mediterranean Sea. After traffic accidents, drowning is worldwide the second most common cause of death by accident. But a rescue is always difficult as the rescuer itself can be in danger. Like Mia, the Italian rescue dogs are mostly Newfoundland's- dogs who love the water and with a weight of at least 66 pounds (30 Kilo?), are able to pull people out of the water. For 3 years the dog- owners and their animals are trained to save lives. But the biggest challenge for Ester waits at the end: a jump out of a helicopter.
