Natural World (1 Viewer)

[JTweedie]

The BBC's Natural World series ran from 1983 to 2020, with around 500 episodes broadcast. I don't think the BBC has officially cancelled the series, but with tight budgets and this kind of programme being expensive to make, I suspect it's been put on hold while the BBC focuses more on blue chip series like Planet Earth and Blue Planet.

I've been trying to find and watch as many of the episodes as I can. I already watched many over the years, but I'm cataloguing all the episodes I'm watching. Some are on iPlayer and others are on Internet Archive or on YouTube.

I thought I'd start this thread and share links to episodes I've seen. I appreciate that those on iPlayer might not be available to people outside the UK but I think these will be the highest quality versions that will be available so I think I will prioritise these, but I won't shy away from poorer copies on other platforms if that's all that's available. One of the downsides to iPlayer is that often the episodes aren't made available indefinitely, but I'll link to the episode page about it and hopefully if they disappear from iPlayer, they may return in future.

I'll post an episode a day. From what I've seen not all episodes are available, but I'll share what I've found.

I also have another thread with Wildlife on One so I think I'll share links to episodes in that thread too.

 

[JTweedie]

Humpback Whales: A Detective Story

First broadcast: Friday 8 February 2019.

You may remember seeing footage of a Humpback Whale breaching and landing on a kayak in Monterey Bay, California. This episode is presented by Tom Mustill who was one of two people in that kayak. He sets out to try and find the actual whale that landed on them by meeting biologists, researchers, photographers and whale watching fans. It develops into a story of passionate, caring people who want to understand and protect the whales.

BBC Two - Natural World, 2018-2019, Humpback Whales: A Detective Story

Documentary about our relationship with whales and their future alongside us.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[JTweedie]

Raising Sancho

First broadcast: Friday 11 January 2008

Brazilian vet Carolina Vargas raises an orphaned Giant Otter on her own with plans to release it back into the wild. But will it work for an animal that lives in tight territorial family groups?

BBC Two - Natural World, 2007-2008, Raising Sancho

The touching story of a rescued giant otter cub being raised by a Brazilian naturalist.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[JTweedie]

Moose in the Glen

First broadcast: Wednesday 16 April 2008

Landowner Paul Lister wants to turn his estate north of Inverness into Europe's first wilderness reserve. He hopes to reinstate animals such as wolves and lynx. He has support from some quarters, but opposition from others. Will he succeed?

BBC Two - Natural World, 2007-2008, Moose in the Glen

Paul Lister wants to turn his 23,000-acre estate into Europe's first wilderness reserve.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[JTweedie]

The Octopus in My House

First broadcast: Thursday 22 August 2019

Marine biologist David Scheel brings an octopus into his house to study. The programme explores its intelligence and also looks at other cephalopods around the world including squid and cuttlefish. I think the cephalopods are stunning animals, particularly the way they change colour.

I was surprised to learn that an octopus may only live for around a year which means it develops its cognitive abilities incredibly quickly.

BBC Two - Natural World, 2019-2020, The Octopus in My House

A professor invites an octopus into his home to learn about its amazing intelligence.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[JTweedie]

Chimps of the Lost Gorge

This episode follows a group of chimpanzees that are stranded within a wooded gorge in Uganda due to deforestation separating them from other groups.

First broadcast: Tuesday 8 February 2011

BBC Two - Natural World, 2010-2011, Chimps of the Lost Gorge

A real-life drama about a family of chimps trapped in a lost world.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[JTweedie]

Attenborough's Wonder of Eggs

David Attenborough has a passion for birds' eggs. These remarkable structures nurture new life, protecting it from the outside world at the same time as allowing it to breathe. They are strong enough to withstand the full weight of an incubating parent and weak enough to allow a chick to break free.

First broadcast: Saturday 31 March 2018.

BBC Two - Natural World, 2018-2019, Attenborough's Wonder of Eggs

From creation to hatching, David Attenborough reveals the wonder behind eggs.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[JTweedie]

Echo of the Elephants

Echo is the gentle matriarch of a sprawling family of elephants that live in a Kenya's Amboseli National Park, nestling in the shadow of Kilimanjaro. Watched by research zoologist Cynthia Moss, Echo has led her family through good times and bad. This is the chronicle of eighteen eventful months in Echo's life.

Narrated and written by David Attenborough and Cynthia Moss.

First broadcast: Sunday 3 January 1993.

BBC Natural World 180 Episode Collection : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

BBC Natural World 180 Episode Collection

archive.org

 

[JTweedie]

Killer Whales: Wolves of the Sea

For David Parer and Liz Parer-Cook, a three-year mission to film the fearsome killer whale was not without its drama. David and his equipment had to be dragged from the water when a female killer with calf headed straight for him, while ten months into the project Liz became pregnant.

The killers were named Orcas - or Wolves of the Sea - by early whalers because they hunt in packs. These packs were filmed gorging herrings - 90 kilograms per day - and dramatically taking penguins and seal pups.

Narrated by David Attenborough.

First broadcast: Sunday 6 March 1994.

BBC Natural World 180 Episode Collection : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

BBC Natural World 180 Episode Collection

archive.org

 

[JTweedie]

Echo of the Elephants: The Next Generation

Echo is one of 900 elephants that live in Kenya's Amboseli National Park, an elderly matriarch and the leader of her family. Cynthia Moss knows them all, and with the help of cameraman Martyn Colbeck, made a unique record of Echo and her family. This film, narrated by David Attenborough, chronicles four years of Echo's life.

Echo is pregnant, her grand-daughter Edwina breaks a leg and her calf Ely becomes afflicted with 'twisting disease'. Meanwhile, the bull elephants of Amboseli - the biggest in Africa - suffer a tragedy, which raises the question of whether Ely will survive to breed himself.

First broadcast: Sunday 14 January 1996.

BBC Natural World 180 Episode Collection : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

BBC Natural World 180 Episode Collection

archive.org

 

[Patudo]

There were some brilliant episodes over the years and I also agree with the comment in the other thread about some music/soundtracks being very good indeed. One that fits on both counts, which I'll always remember, is "Puma: Lion of the Andes" (produced and narrated by Hugh Miles). (viewable on youtube)

 

[JTweedie]

Thanks - hopefully I'll get to that one eventually.

 

[JTweedie]

Incredible Suckers

American Mike deGruy has always had a passion for cephalopods, a group of molluscs that includes squid, octopuses and cuttlefish. Here, he travels from Puget Sound to Australia to learn more about them.

Narrated by David Attenborough.

First broadcast: Sunday 21 January 1996.

Natural World - S14E02 - Incredible Suckers (January 21th 1996) : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

This episode of Natural World was taken from the David Attenborough’s World of Wildlife VHS series, volume Squid & Octopus. The original VHS to DVD...

archive.org

 

[JTweedie]

Sperm Whales: Back from the Abyss

Wildlife film about sperm whales, revealing the secret lives led by these often misunderstood ocean giants.

Although immortalised by Moby Dick as fearsome beasts of the sea, they are actually shy creatures, and cameraman Rick Rosenthal needed patience and persistence to film them at close quarters. They turn out to be efficient hunters with a close family network involving sophisticated and vocal social lives.

Narrated by David Attenborough.

First broadcast: Sunday 6 October 1996.

BBC Natural World 180 Episode Collection : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

BBC Natural World 180 Episode Collection

archive.org