The Best Episodes of Natural World

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9.7/10(24 votes)
#1 - Leopard - A Darkness In The Grass
S5:E110/5/1986
No description available
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
9.1/10(21 votes)
#2 - Battle to Save the Tiger
S26:E24/11/2007
The Indian tiger is in deep trouble. Thirty years ago India set aside over 30 tiger reserves controlled by Project Tiger. Initially it was hailed as a great success, but in the last few years hundreds of tigers have been poached from under officials' noses according to WPSI (Wildlife Protection Society of India) run by Belinda Wright. This film, narrated by Sir David Attenborough, looks at the controversy surrounding the plight of the tiger. Can they come back from the brink of extinction again?
Director:Mike Birkhead
Writer:Unknown
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Director:Mike Birkhead
Writer:Unknown
9.0/10(10 votes)
#3 - Eye for an Elephant
S25:E311/1/2006
Martyn Colbeck has spent 15 years scouring Africa for the ultimate images of the world's largest land creature- the African Elephant. Along the way he has learned how to read elephant minds, gain unsurpassed levels of trust and, so, achieve pictures of spectacular beauty and insight. An Eye For an Elephant charts the journeys Colbeck has made since he first became entranced by the magic and mystery of elephants after he arrived in Amboseli National Park in 1990 and met Echo, a young matriarch. His work on an eventual trilogy about Echo and her family resulted in scenes of elephant life and behaviour never seen on screen before - and inspired him to seek out and film other herds, including the forgotten elephants who struggle for survival in the parched deserts of Namibia and the dense confines of the Congolese jungle. The story of his personal and wildlife discoveries is told by inter-cutting new footage and Colbeck’s recollections with archive treasures and a selection of the powerful still images that helped him to win the title International Wildlife Photographer of the Year. As the story unfolds, viewers experience the intensity of the camerman’s relationship with the elephants he views almost as family, and gain a sense of why they deserve his affection.
Director:Martyn Colbeck
Writer:Unknown
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Director:Martyn Colbeck
Writer:Unknown
8.9/10(12 votes)
#4 - On the Trail of Tarka
S25:E210/25/2006
Filmmakers Charlie Hamilton-James and Philippa Forrester went in search of otters on a short stretch of the River Torridge in Devon, immortalised 80 years ago by Henry Williamson in his famous novel Tarka the Otter. Over months of patient fieldwork they got to know and film a family of wild otters. The result is both a lyrical portrait of these shy creatures and a tribute to Williamson's skills as a writer and naturalist.
Directors:Philippa Forrester, Charlie Hamilton James
Writer:Unknown
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Directors:Philippa Forrester, Charlie Hamilton James
Writer:Unknown
8.9/10(32 votes)
#5 - Tiger Dynasty
S31:E82/1/2012
A young tigress is chosen to found a new dynasty. Airlifted from her home in an Indian park to life in a new reserve, Baghani the tigress must fight with leopards for territory and learn to hunt dangerous wild boar. Also released is Rajore, a hot blooded young male. For two years every aspect of their lives are followed by the camera. Will they mate and start a family, or will they be killed by poachers?
Director:Nalla
Writer:Unknown
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Director:Nalla
Writer:Unknown
8.8/10(59 votes)
#6 - The Monkey-Eating Eagle of the Orinoco
S30:E17/8/2010
The harpy eagle is the most powerful bird of prey in the world, plucking monkeys from the branches of the jungle canopy. Rare and elusive, they are seldom seen, but with the discovery of a harpy nest in the remote Orinoco rainforest of Venezuela, wildlife film-maker Fergus Beeley has a unique opportunity to follow the life of a chick from birth to adulthood. Fergus ascends high into the canopy to reveal a stunning world of colour and sound, following the trials of the harpy eagle's newly hatched chick as it grows up. Fergus becomes just another member of the dazzling community of birds and animals surrounding the harpy nest and develops an unexpectedly close bond with the chick.
Director:Fergus Beeley
Writer:Unknown
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Director:Fergus Beeley
Writer:Unknown

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8.8/10(52 votes)
#7 - Jungle Gremlins of Java
S31:E71/25/2012
The slow loris is the real-life gremlin, extremely cute but with a venom that can kill. Now it's also a YouTube superstar with millions of hits. Dr Anna Nekaris travels to the jungles of Java to solve the riddle of its toxic bite, but a shocking discovery awaits.
Director:Stephen Gooder
Writer:Unknown
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Director:Stephen Gooder
Writer:Unknown
8.7/10(23 votes)
#8 - Hawaii: Message in the Waves
S25:E95/2/2007
Nature documentary featuring the wildlife of Hawaii's famous surf zone and the surfers and scientists who are fighting to protect it. Turtles, dolphins, monk seals and albatrosses all have to cope with the growing number of people using the island beaches, but now animals face a new threat from washed-up plastic. A varied bunch of island characters, including born-and-bred Hawaiian musician Jack Johnson, make it clear that these beautiful islands have a powerful message for us all.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
8.7/10(17 votes)
#9 - Desert Lions
S26:E95/30/2007
Many years ago lions thrived in the deserts of Namibia's Skeleton Coast, until they were exterminated by man. Six years ago maverick biologist Flip Stander discovered a tiny remnant population alive and well in nearby mountains, and started to study them. Their numbers have grown and they are now returning to the desert in increasing numbers. But if these lions are to continue roaming here, Flip will have to persuade local people that these lions are worth more alive than dead.
Directors:Amanda Barrett, Owen Newman
Writer:Unknown
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Directors:Amanda Barrett, Owen Newman
Writer:Unknown
8.7/10(21 votes)
#10 - Titus: The Gorilla King
S28:E111/11/2008
Abandoned as a baby, removed from normal gorilla family life as a youngster - so profound were the misfortunes that Titus suffered in his early years that no gorilla scientist could have predicted his eventual rise to power. His moving life story is pieced together here for the first time, based on archive film and the memories of field workers who have studied the mountain gorillas since Dian Fossey's pioneering work more than 40 years ago. At 33 years of age, Titus is not just one of the most powerful Silverbacks in Rwanda's Virunga Mountains, he is possibly the most remarkable gorilla ever known. His life story is as full of drama, intrigue and tragedy as any human soap opera. Against a stunning backdrop of misty volcanic peaks cloaked in bamboo and giant lobelia, Titus has successfully steered his family group through thick and thin. Now he is under pressure again. With his ally-turned-rival, Kuryama, jockeying for position, is the final chapter in Titus's extraordinary reign about to occur?
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
8.7/10(22 votes)
#11 - The Super Squirrels
S38:E66/19/2018
The squirrel family is one of the most widespread on earth, so what is the secret to their success? There are squirrels that can glide through the air, outwit rattlesnakes and survive the coldest temperatures of any mammal. We uncover the extraordinary abilities of these cheeky characters, putting their problem solving to the test on a specially designed assault course. We team up with some of the world's top squirrel scientists who are making groundbreaking discoveries - from the fox squirrel who can remember the location of 9,000 nuts to the grey squirrel whose tree-top leaps are the basis of new designs in robotics. We also see the world through the eyes of an orphan red squirrel called Billy, as he grows up and develops all the skills he will need to be released back to the wild. It is time to meet the animal family we should never underestimate - the supersquirrels.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
8.6/10(11 votes)
#12 - Wye - Voices from the Valley
S26:E116/13/2007
Documentary study of a year in the life of the Wye Valley around the river, and four people who depend on the seasons, river and land, including cider maker Mike, beekeeper Gareth, salmon fisherman Lyndon and sheep farmer Derek. Considers the importance of the weather and seasons on them, and also at some of the wildlife found in the area.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
8.6/10(68 votes)
#13 - Black Mamba, White Witch
S29:E411/19/2009
In the small African kingdom of Swaziland, the black mamba is a snake both feared and revered. During summer, these elegant yet lethal snakes turn up everywhere - in homes, schools and cars - and people are bitten every week. Enter Thea Litschka-Koen, a mum and hotel manager who has become known affectionately as the white witch. She and her husband are on call 24 hours a day to rescue and release black mambas when they get too close for comfort. But what everyone wants to know is will they come back again? We follow Thea and her team as they set up a pioneering new scientific project: to track the black mambas they release back into the wild, and find out just how these deadly snakes spend their lives.
Director:Jo Scofield
Writer:Unknown
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Director:Jo Scofield
Writer:Unknown
8.6/10(26 votes)
#14 - Prairie Dogs - Talk of the Town
S29:E112/3/2010
Prairie Dogs are America's answer to the meerkat - small, sociable and exceptionally cute. This offbeat film narrated by Rob Brydon takes us to the Wild West where prairie dogs live in huge colonies known as 'towns'. Like meerkats they are comical to watch, but there is a whole lot more to prairie dogs than just being cute - they can talk. For 30 years Professor Con Slobodchikoff has been recording their calls in response to predators like coyotes, hawks and badgers. He believes he has discovered a language second only to humans in its complexity. It's a bold claim but is he right? Con has devised a series of cunning field experiments to help prove his point.
Director:Stephen Dunleavy
Writer:Unknown
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Director:Stephen Dunleavy
Writer:Unknown
8.6/10(33 votes)
#15 - Orangutans: The Great Ape Escape
S33:E610/4/2013
Leonora is no ordinary orangutan, she is a pioneer. With her three year old son in her arms, she is about to set off on an epic journey back to the wild - the great ape escape. It is a long way from what she is used to. After being orphaned as a baby, she has spent the majority of her life in a rescue centre. She is leaving behind 600 other orangutans, all of whom are relying on her for their chance at freedom. If Leonora can make it, they could too.
Director:Annie Backhouse
Writer:Unknown
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Director:Annie Backhouse
Writer:Unknown
8.6/10(84 votes)
#16 - Supercharged Otters
S37:E56/20/2017
Otters are playful, adaptable and champion swimmers - they've captivated cameraman Charlie Hamilton James for the last 25 years. He's filmed them more than anyone else and now, through the eyes of three orphaned river otters, a set of ground-breaking experiments and some incredible wild encounters, Charlie wants to reveal their survival secrets and exactly why he believes they're so special.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
8.5/10(13 votes)
#17 - The Wonderful World Of Dung
S10:E312/8/1991
No description available
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
8.5/10(12 votes)
#18 - Gabon - Forests of the Future
S26:E106/6/2007
In a region of Africa more often in the news for human suffering and civil war, the state of Gabon is a stable democracy that is devoting itself to protecting wildlife. Over 10% percent of the country's rainforest is protected in a series of national parks that are home to elephants, gorillas, chimps and giant troupes of mandrills.
Director:Stella Cha
Writer:Unknown
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Director:Stella Cha
Writer:Unknown
8.5/10(18 votes)
#19 - Cork - Forest in a Bottle
S28:E512/9/2008
Every time we weigh up which bottle of wine to buy, we hold the fate of nightingales, rare black storks, secretive wild cats and one of the world's most remarkable trees in our hands. It has all to do with the stopper. If it is cork, it probably came from the bark of one of the ancient cork oak trees from the Montados, in the Alentejo region of Portugal.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
8.5/10(90 votes)
#20 - Echo - An Unforgettable Elephant
S30:E28/5/2010
A celebration of the life and legacy of Echo, the world's most famous elephant, who was born in 1945 and died in 2009, and who Natural World followed for the last 20 years of her life. The timing of Echo's death could not be worse. The wise old matriarch had guided her family for half a century but the cruellest drought in living memory devastated her home under the shadow of Kilimanjaro. Will her 38-strong band of relatives and descendants overcome the loss of their leader, hunger and poachers to survive?
Director:Mike Birkhead
Writer:Unknown
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Director:Mike Birkhead
Writer:Unknown
8.5/10(54 votes)
#21 - Komodo - Secrets of the Dragon
S31:E48/24/2011
The Komodo dragon was discovered one hundred years ago, yet the true nature of the biggest lizard in the world is only just being uncovered. Using hi-tech tools to take a fresh look at this prehistoric beast, Dr Bryan Fry discovers there is a lot more to the dragon than meets the eye - from hidden venom glands to its secret origins.
Director:Stephen Dunleavy
Writer:Unknown
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Director:Stephen Dunleavy
Writer:Unknown
8.5/10(17 votes)
#22 - Queen of the Savannah
S31:E123/29/2012
The queen African honeybee rules the savannah - even elephants panic at the buzzing of her hive. This recreates the life of the queen and her colony as they fight to survive. Ground-breaking close-up photography shows a bee-eye view of their world, from the queen murdering her sisters to fighting off giant invaders and eventually migrating across the savannah to the great Mount Kenya. Accompanied by short film Safe in the City with Dr George McGavin on the growth of the urban beekeeper.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Verity White
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Director:Unknown
Writer:Verity White
8.5/10(33 votes)
#23 - Ghost Bear Family
S35:E97/23/2015
In the vast Canadian wilderness, there lives a very special bear family. Just out of hibernation, two black cubs have a pure white mother. She's not a polar bear or albino - locally she's known as a ghost bear. This far north, winter is never far away, and this unusual family must work hard to find enough food to see them through. They will also need to avoid other large predators, but being so different could bring them unwelcome attention.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
8.5/10(78 votes)
#24 - Super Fast Falcon
S38:E34/26/2018
The peregrine falcon is the fastest animal on earth - it can reach speeds of over 200mph. But what does it take to be a high-speed record breaker? To find out, we follow a young family of falcons as they grow up in downtown Chicago. We join renowned bird handler Lloyd Buck, who, with the help of state-of-the-art technology and leading avian scientists, puts his peregrines to the test. And finally, we see if Lloyd can train one young peregrine for the ultimate challenge of speed and agility - against an Olympic skier in the Swiss Alps. Through such groundbreaking experiments and intimate views of these special birds in the wild, the secrets behind these super-fast falcons can finally be revealed.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
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Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
8.4/10(64 votes)
#25 - Bower Birds: The Art of Seduction
S19:E912/17/2000
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
Director:Unknown
Writer:David Attenborough
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Director:Unknown
Writer:David Attenborough