Babelgum - Nature

Chile - Land of Extremes Episode 1: Riddle of the Atacama Desert

2007-08-02T14:00:03Z

In the north of Chile there exists the driest place on earth - the Atacama desert. Deprived of any rain for millions of years, it is a stripped, elemental landscape devoid of any sign of life. Yet on the desert’s fringes there are some of the most productive areas for wildlife anywhere in the world. All that the sea can offer the parched land is a mysterious coastal fog which supplies just enough water to support a thin ribbon of life on the edge of the desert. Any water from the mountains never arrives, instead it evaporates in the scorching heat leaving behind huge pans of caustic salt.

Great Natural Wonders Of The World – Namib Desert

2008-06-26T17:01:30Z

A chance to see breath taking footage of the Namib Desert, the oldest in the world, as Sir David Attenborough narrates.

Wild Asia Episode 4: The Arid Heart

2007-08-09T08:00:02Z

The Arid Heart is the story of life in Asia’s dry lands the dry grasslands of the Mongolian steppe, the stony Gobi Desert, and the sandy deserts of India. These are places of extreme, where summers are intensely hot and winters are bitterly cold. The animals who live here are tough and resilient, and not only survive, but thrive.

Shadows In The Desert

2008-03-11T13:15:51Z

In Western Queensland the grasslands give way to vast deserts and stony ridges that make up some of the Earth's most inhospitable country. The isolation and inaccessibility of this desert country has kept many secrets from the outside world. So much so, that the region still hides wildlife that has not yet been added to man-made catalogues. Accompanied by his new protégé - 19 year old Maelissa Chiesa, filmmaker John Young has come to unearth some of these secrets and explore the "Shadows in the Desert".

Fit for the Wild Episode 2: Adapted to the desert

2007-08-09T14:00:08Z

The only true desert in southern Africa is the most hostile and unforgiving of them all. No other African wildlife exhibits as much resourcefulness and flexibility as the desert elephants of the Namib, known to trek up to 400 kilometers for a precious drink of water. Filmed on location in the Namib Desert, Namibia.

Great Whales

2008-04-10T12:22:13Z

No other creature has so greatly inspired the imagination of man than the cetacean. This film captures the secret lives of whales. Enter the world of a humpback whale as he swims through a maze of Caribbean coral reefs or a blue whale, the largest and rarest creature that ever lived, as it feeds on swarms of shrimp-like krill. California grey whales swim over the ocean floor on their sides sucking up tons of mud then filtering out the crustaceans that live within. Rarely seen footage provides spectacular glimpses into the lives of the greatest creatures that ever inhabited the sea.

Canada: Susan Sang

2008-04-04T12:00:32Z

WWF has been working on a survey of Inuit elders and hunters in several communities on Baffin Island, Nunavut. It's a survey of traditional ecological knowledge and intends to record more than 800 years of Inuit knowledge of the land and animals that the communities come in close contact with every day. Susan Sang, in conjunction with a local conservation board took part in coordinating and writing the survey perimeters. It's hoped the knowledge recorded will be a record of changes in the Arctic and will compliment the work of scientists working on issues like climate change, toxins etc. Susan visited the Arctic in August to present the survey to the Inuit communities, a promise WWF had made, before releasing the survey to the general public or media. It was a vital part in building up trust and a good relationship with the communities for continuing work.

Journey of the Giant

2007-07-02T17:00:06Z

The world's tropical waters are inhabited by a fish that dwarfs all others. Yet, the biggest fish in the ocean is fueled by the tiniest of creatures: the whale shark spends its life pursuing rich upwellings of plankton. Off the East Coast of Africa, the warm currents of the Indian Ocean carry with them an infinite supply.

Sperm Whales Dealing with the Unexpected

2008-04-09T18:01:43Z

Around the Crozet Islands, here is the incredible odyssey of a family of Sperm Whales facing rapid changes in their environment. From the stormy surface to the eternal darkness of the abyss, several generations of these deep-sea divers encounter men and their “toys”: harpoons of yesterday, and fishing lines of today. Once victim of whale hunting, now accused of stealing fish, a sperm whale shares its private life with us. And what an immersion! We discover in turn its mysterious sonar, its competitors like orcas, and also the strange world of its neighbours—the deep-sea monsters. Amongst them, a revelation: the biggest squid ever filmed in its natural environment, almost 15 feet long. Come and discover the depths of the Crozet abyss…This true tale of survival is shot in a rarely seen and utterly hostile corner of the Earth, the offshore waters of the Crozet islands. It took more than 7 years to gain the trust of local authorities and fishermen to film this incredible concentration of giants of the open ocean. Thanks to international scientific collaboration, the production team managed to deploy Remote Operated Vehicles in the abyss and design cameras adapted to the extreme filming conditions of the Southern seas. www.saint-thomas.net

Japan - Whale Wars

2008-04-19T06:01:09Z

Japan has long been accused of vote-buying and bribery at the International Whaling Commission. Already, through exploiting the loophole of ‘scientific research’, it has dramatically increased the number and species of whales it kills.

The Whole Story Episode 8: Lions

2007-08-09T14:00:05Z

Lions are a universal emblem of courage – the super-charged hunting beasts admired for centuries for their strength and prowess. More than any other animal, lions symbolise Africa.

Lions: Spy in the Den - Pride Roar Chorus & Male Lion Fight

2008-07-04T16:02:42Z

Two nomadic males try to infiltrate the pride, but are beaten off by the pride leader and the pride celebrate with a defiant roar chorus.

Inside Noah's Ark Episode 3: More Tales of the Desert

2007-07-02T17:00:05Z

The last documentary in the trilogy starts as an adventure. Gus van Dyk flies two uncaged, sedated, black-maned Kalahari lions across South Africa on the floor of a small plane to inject fresh blood into the inbred Tswalu prides. If the lions wake, theyâ€™ll have to be killed to protect everyone on board.

Five Big Cats & A Camera: Lions Hunt Buffalo

2008-07-04T12:02:31Z

The cats are on the hunt and their prey is enormous. There's competition between the prides as they exhibit their determination and struggle to survive.

The Whole Story Episode 9: Cheetas

2007-08-09T14:00:05Z

The cheetah is the natural world’s super-charger. This spotted speedster of the wild is the fastest thing on four legs.

Living forest

2008-03-01T16:41:59Z

In Ecuador, the Amazonian forest is home to a multitude of flora and fauna… a veritable treasure. Crossed by numerous tributaries of the Amazon, it is inhabited primarily by Indians who have always lived in harmony with nature. This “green treasure” is being threatened more and more by deforestation and by oil companies. Preserving the forest’s wealth is a vital task. Remigio is a Quichua Indian with profound knowledge of the forest. He and his wife Angelika, a Swiss biologist, founded the Amazoonico animal refuge ten years ago, on the banks of the Rio Arajuano. Ever since Amazoonico was created, Angelika and Remigio have been struggling to preserve the natural balance of the forest, since its survival is synonymous with the survival of an entire people's culture. But an enormous task awaits them.

Fit for the Wild Episode 9: Adapted to the forest

2007-08-09T14:00:07Z

The towering 60-foot canopy of Africa’s rainforests creates a hot, humid habitat where time seems to stand still and seasons never change. Here where humans rarely venture, our closest animal relative, the chimpanzee, thrives in the trees. The forest floor is the domain of the largest and most powerful of the great apes, the gorilla.

Land of the Giants

2008-03-05T12:01:32Z

Join Lin Sutherland as she journeys to Tasmania, Australia’s small southern island in search of the world’s tallest and largest trees. Unfortunately Lin is not alone in her search for these legendry giants…it’s a race against time and against a giant of another kind — the massive and relentless wood chipping industry. These forests and their self-supporting ecosystem are dependent on growth, decay and renewal for survival which is constantly being threatened by logging, mining and cattle grazing. The journey leads into some of the most remote areas of wilderness to encounter these impressive giants. Along the way, the amazing wildlife and beauty of the oldest rainforest on Earth is truly breathtaking. The tallest tree is decreed to be a redwood towering 367.5 feet, in California but Lin is certain that here in Tasmania other giants may topple this record. Land of the Giants captures Tasmania’s most rugged, remote and awe inspiring wilderness areas, unmatched in beauty anywhere in the world. If the legendary Tasmanian Tiger still lives it is in this wilderness that it will be found. This is not only a great adventure story but also one that bears witness to the environmental concerns facing rainforests all over the world.

Cloud Forest

2008-03-04T15:09:09Z

A United Nations Environment Programme film that examines the threats to the world’s ‘Cloud Forests’. Over 60% of these are in Asia and they are under increasing threat from farming, logging and climate change.

Wild Asia Episode 9: A Forest for All Seasons

2007-08-09T08:00:03Z

The far northern regions of Asia are dominated by long and bitter winters. To the south, in contrast, tropical Asia is dominated by continual heat and humidity.

Crocodiles

2008-03-25T15:01:42Z

In the two hundred million years since the crocodile first appeared on Earth, it has never ceased to fascinate and to frighten. Worshipped as a god or feared as a demon, it has inspired some of man’s most extraordinary stories, legends and beliefs. In ancient Egypt, one of the most powerful divinities was Sobek, the crocodile god. Still today, for certain peoples in Mali, Chad and Burkina, this reptile is sacred. For western societies however, the crocodile is first and foremost a symbol of terror. Massacred for his skin, he was threatened with extinction in the 1950s. Fortunately, certain populations quickly began to realize the key role the crocodile played in their own habitats. After a period of carnage came an era of overprotection. Reserves were created throughout the world. In the French city of Pierrelatte, visitors tremble, in total safety, at the five hundred specimens housed in the most important crocodile farm in Europe. Legends surrounding the crocodile have thus been revived all the way to Asia, in Papua, New Guinea and in Australia’s aborigine tribes. This unique reptile will continue to haunt our dreams and feed our imaginations for as long as man exists, and for as long as there are crocodiles.

Animal Treasure Crocodile

2007-07-17T17:00:04Z

For centuries, the crocodile has been exploited to make handbags, belts, shoes and other accessories, and its skin has made the fortune of the luxury industry. The Crocodylus Porosus, or Australian marine crocodile, is a species that has particularly aroused the fashion business’s interest for the quality of its skin, the most expensive on the planet. However, as controversial as it may seem, the luxury industry is today an active participant in the preservation of this animal. By exploiting the crocodile in farms and promoting strong regulations against hunting and poaching, this business is considered today as one of the most successful sustainable development programs is a controlled exploitation of crocodile skin a guarantee of its survival?

Crocodrileros

2008-03-01T16:42:01Z

Years after the Cuban revolution, as Fidel Castro was flying over the swampy region of Zapata, he landed his helicopter in order to talk to the crocodile hunters, the cocodrileros. He asked them to help them save the rombifer, a Cuban crocodile, symbol of the country, and a vanishing species. At that time, Eusebio and Ruben were young hunters. Today, these Hemingwaylike personalities devote their lives to the capture and protection of the same animal they hunted for years. During their frequent missions, cut off from civilization and armed only with machetes and lassos, they inventory, study and look after their crocodiles. To capture the rombifers, they use the lasso technique, which requires skill and strength : a bait is used to lead the crocodile's head into the slipknotted lasso, attached to a stick long enough to anticipate any attack by the animal. But crocodiles do not surrender easily...

Sacred Crocodiles of Lake Anivorano (Madagascar)

2008-03-26T15:01:28Z

Zance’s dream is to become a sailor. But buying a sailboat costs a lot of money, and without the help of his ancestors, Zance will not succeed. Together with Jinoro, his grandfather, Zance will return to the village of his forefathers, near the lake Anivorano. The journey to Anivorano will be long for them. But when they arrive, they will sacrifice a zebu to the crocodiles of the lake. If the spirit of their ancestors accepts the sacrifice, the crocodiles will leave the lake and climb onto the bank. Only this would mean that Zance could become a sailor.

The Whole Story Episode 3: Crocodiles

2007-08-09T14:00:04Z

Africa's crocodiles face stiff competition for their food. Fortunately for them, they are blessed with an even greater variety of prey. Over millions of years, these two factors have honed them into versatile, opportunistic hunters – master predators from the age of the dinosaurs.

Galapagos: Pirate Birds

2008-07-04T12:01:59Z

Pirate birds are another common species on the Galapagos Islands. Watch here for an explanation of how they earned their name.

Sacred Flamingos of Lake Bhamke (India)

2008-03-26T15:00:38Z

A long time ago in India, to escape the Moslem king of Jaisalmer who fell madly in love with her, a Rabari princess named Nira changed into a pink flamingo and took refuge in the center of the Kutch desert. Ever since that time, there has been very strong ties between the flamingos and the Rabaris. As his daughter is about to get married, Dayan will have to go to the center of the desert, and to pray to the godess Nira. He will have to make a long journey on his camel to reach the sacred lake of Bahmkhe, where the princess took refuge centuries ago...

Attenborough: The Life Of Birds – Dangerous Mammals

2008-07-07T10:01:32Z

Many of the birds on New Zealand have yet to learn that mammals can be dangerous, David demonstrates how trusting they can be.

Pantanal Episode 2: Sea of Grass

2007-08-02T10:17:29Z

In the heart of Brazil a vast inland sea ebbs and flows in response to the wet and dry seasons of the tropics. Within months this untouched landscape alters completely in response to the season’s call. Where schools of fish once swam, deer now graze, as a land of water is transformed into a sea of grass.

The Whole Story Episode 13: Eagles

2007-06-28T21:00:04Z

Bones like honeycomb, skull-filling eyes, wings the length of a piano, a neck that turns almost full circle, the keenest vision of all vertebrates. And built to kill. The eagles of Africa are impressive.

Turtles of Sazily

2008-06-12T17:01:03Z

The “Green Turtles” are the treasure of Mayotte, located a few miles off the northeast coast of Madagascar. Hunted down by men, they have almost disappeared. But they found a guardian angel in Ali -the protector of the “Green Turtles”- and a heaven in the lagoon of Saziley... Ali is a scientist who studies Saziley turtles, these "angels of the sea”, survivors from another geographical time, and contribute to the magic of the site. All year round, he keeps track of every turtle of the island, where they lay eggs, when they go out to sea, … Today, the turtle is protected and it is illegal to hunt it. Ali’s job is also to patrol he lagoon in search of poachers who would sell turtle’s meat and carapace for a high price on the black market. A beautiful love story between men and animals: thanks to Ali’s passion, the number of “Green Turtles” in Saziley is increasing every year.

Shark Coasts: Sea Turtle Birth

2008-06-27T13:01:45Z

A chance to see fascinating footage of Sea Turtle nesting and discover more about the effort that goes into one of natures long labours.

Turtle People

2007-08-08T17:00:13Z

Kolavipalam, a small fishing town along the tropical coast of India, is one of the few places on earth where the endangered species of Olive Ridley turtle comes to lay its eggs. THE TURTLE PEOPLE explores the story of a resilient group of village people who fight against great odds to save the turtles from extinction. Each year the turtle people collect and watch over these eggs to return the turtles safely to sea. Filmed by local Indian filmmakers, this heart warming film observes the precarious lives of the villagers and how their future and the ultimate survival of the turtles have become intrinsically bound together.

Blue Reef Adventures Episode 12: Gypsies of the Sea: Turtles of the Indian Ocean

2008-04-15T15:01:31Z

In southern Africa, rolling sand dunes stretch for miles, announcing the meeting point of land and sea. Each year, under cover of night, loggerhead and leatherback turtles come ashore on their ancestral beaches to perform an ancient ritual which will, hopefully, ensure the survival of their species for another generation.

French Guianas: Laurent Kelle

2008-04-04T12:00:39Z

The beaches of Guyana, Suriname and French Guianas are known to be one of the last major nesting sites for leatherback sea turtles in the world. These endangered reptiles are under constant threat of being accidentally caught in fishing nets. Laurent Kelle, an enthusiastic conservationist, facilitates scientific research on leatherbacks while spending tireless days patrolling beaches and coastal waters protecting the turtles.

The Whole Story Episode 1: Elephants

2008-04-16T18:00:54Z

Elephants are not only the largest land mammals on Earth. They are also among the most endearing: an irresistible mix of intelligence, dexterity and shear power.

Elephant Orphans

2007-07-02T17:00:13Z

This documentary looks beneath the hides and into the hearts and thinking of a unique wilderness family - a herd of trained elephants and the small, dedicated band of people who share their lives, twenty-four hours a day, in one of Africa's last great strongholds of unspoiled nature.

Elephants

2008-03-25T18:02:37Z

Once upon a time there was the elephant, the source of all dreams. Worshiped as a God, or massacred for its ivory. A royal mount and loyal companion. But also a mountain of meat, to be killed for food. A unique bond has been forged between man and the elephant, one steeped in fascination and mystery. This program looks at the position of the elephant in the cultures of the nomadic Tuaregs of Mali; the Buddhist community of Sri Lanka; and its function as in the West as a war machine used by Hannibal during the Punic Wars, and as a special symbol in the Catholic religion. For many Africans, the elephant is a mountain of meat. Killing it is the only way to survive - and a way of proving one’s bravery for the Mandari in Sudan and the Baka in Central Africa. But the elephant – once hunted for its ivory - has been protected since 1989 and no longer has any direct contact with the local people. The only surviving link between man and elephant is among the Mnong, who live in Asia on the high plateaux in southern Vietnam. Because of their skills in capturing and training elephants, they are known as “ivory horsemen.” According to a Mnong legend, elephants have souls and are sacred, as they were once men.

Elephant Diaries – Getting Muddy!

2008-07-02T14:03:01Z

A confident young elephant invited Jonathan Scott to join him rolling about in the mud!

Last Ivory Knight

2008-03-04T15:09:13Z

The Mnong people of Vietnam live in harmony with elephants whom they believe are their ancestors. Each year, they capture with a lasso wild elephants to renew the herds.

Animal Culture

2008-04-10T12:25:33Z

In the 1950s, rhesus macaques living on the island of Koshima in Japan started to wash the sweet potatoes researchers gave them to eat. This observation could have remained anecdotal if the Japanese primatologists had not given this innovation the name of: “preculture”. Culture, always considered as a distinctive feature of the human race was being put into question. The study of the most evolved primates, our cousins the chimpanzees and bonobos, has since then enabled us to give a more precise definition of animal culture: habits acquired through a learning process leading to distinct traditions in different animal communities. Progressively other species have joined the culture club: elephants, dolphins, killer whales and even ravens…Through precise examples and never before seen footage, this documentary fuels the old debat of “nature versus culture” and sheds new light on the paradoxical question:“Is culture natural?”. www.saint-thomas.net

Animal Business

2008-04-10T15:03:02Z

« Give me this, I will give you that ». This universal definition of trade finds an equivalent in nature in a phenomenon call « mutualism ». Shaped by evolution, it describes all long or short-term exchanges and cooperation between animals to survive. It turns the traditional host-parasite relationship in a beneficial alliance for both partners. To describe mutualism, this fascinating and well-documented episode travels from the cold ocean depths to the heat of summer corn fields where unexpected couples have formed: manta rays and remoras, sea cucumbers and shrimps or else butterflies and ants got married for better or for worst. www.saint-thomas.net

Animal Politics

2008-04-10T15:03:29Z

Man is not the only social animal. At the beginning of 2001, Franz de Waal published his work on a group of chimpanzees in the Arnhem zoo, in the Netherlands. He showed the existence of elaborate and subtle rites, which, according to him, revealed a political organization. This fuelled the foundation of an argument much debated in today’s scientific world. Man would therefore no longer stand as the only «political animal » as defined by Aristotle. Schemes, coalitions, and mediation are all aspects of chimpanzee behaviour. Long before man took hold of the political domain, nature had provided other animal species with a whole array of political stratagems, from the most cunning to the most egalitarian: polyergus ants have been practicing slavery for millions of years, hamadryas baboons have a right of veto and deer on the Isle of Rum have established their own democracy. Biologists have even realized that some traits of character used by politicians to fulfill their ambitions (and reach their goals) can be found in other animal species. Domination, alliance-building, seduction and manipulation are forms of intelligence no longer monopolized by man. Barriers continue to fall as discoveries on animal societies throughout the world progress. www.saint-thomas.net.

Animal Inventors Episode 1: Animal Engineers

2008-04-16T18:01:02Z

Episode one explores the design principles that the natural world has been built on and looks at the intentional and unintentional parallels in the human world. We’re just beginning to see the vast untapped reservoir of animal inventions and engineering solutions nature has to offer us — like super-strong animal shaped and inspired buildings; lightweight space stations from beetle wings and micro air vehicles inspired by flies.

Animal Inventors Episode 2: Animal Magicians

2007-06-28T17:00:16Z

Episode two reveals some of nature’s most powerful secrets from medical solutions for cancer and diabetes to finding the answers to the most vexing of questions, such as how can humans live longer, love longer and live in outer space?