8.0/108 votes#1 - Great White Bear
Season 17 Episode 1 - Aired 10/11/1998
The polar bear rules the north. To the hardy native people who settled the harsh lands of the Arctic, the powerful hunter with the ghostly white coat is known as the “lonely roamer.” But most of us know the huge mammal as the polar bear. And the story of how the world’s largest land predator prospers in one of Earth’s harshest environments is the subject of the NATURE program Great White Bear.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.8/108 votes#2 - The Secret World of Sharks and Rays
Season 17 Episode 2 - Aired 10/18/1998
NATURE lifts part of the veil of mystery shrouding some fascinating — and often fearsome — creatures in The Secret World of Sharks and Rays. Sharks and their biological cousins, the rays, are among the highest-profile denizens of the deep, thanks to the popularity of books and films that have cast them in leading roles — as antagonist, not protagonist.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.9/1012 votes#3 - American Buffalo: Spirit of a Nation
Season 17 Episode 3 - Aired 11/1/1998
The NATURE program American Buffalo: Spirit of a Nation tells the sad story of how the buffalo nation was destroyed nearly a century ago by greed and uncontrolled hunting — and how a few visionaries are working today to rebuild the once-great bison herds. It offers a remarkable portrait of America’s last significant wild bison herd, made up of a few thousand animals living within Montana’s Yellowstone National Park. And it highlights the efforts of Native American leaders dedicated to bringing back the animal that once gave life to their tribes. “Buffalo have to be there for our culture to exist,” says Fred DuBray, a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux tribe who appears in American Buffalo. “As we bring our herds back to health, we will also bring our people back to health.”
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
NaN/100 votes#4 - India, Land of the Tiger: Tiger's Domain
Season 17 Episode 4 - Aired 11/15/1998
"India: Land of the Tiger" begins a six-part journey, led by wildlife expert Valmik Thapar, through the land of Kipling's "Jungle Book." "The Tiger's Domain" opens the series, and tracks tigers, Asiatic lions, monkeys, jackals, sloth bears and cobras. Also: a ceremonial snake festival.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- NaN/100 votes
#5 - India, Land of the Tiger: Sacred Waters
Season 17 Episode 5 - Aired 11/15/1998
Part 2 of "India: Land of the Tiger" follows the sacred waters of the Ganges River, whose grasslands are home to rhino, wild buffalo, elephants, tigers and a cacophony of birds. Also explored: the mangrove-rich Sunderbans Delta, where the tiger is worshipped as a god.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- NaN/100 votes
#6 - India, Land of the Tiger: Unknown Seas
Season 17 Episode 6 - Aired 11/16/1998
Part 3 of "India: Land of the Tiger" explores the vast expanses of unknown seas, from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal. Included: elephants swimming from island to island; whale sharks; coral reefs; convict fish; and the voracious Bombay duck.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- NaN/100 votes
#7 - India, Land of the Tiger: Desert Kingdom
Season 17 Episode 7 - Aired 11/16/1998
Part 4 of "India: Land of the Tiger" travels to the harsh northwest "Desert Kingdom," home to stately black bucks, Indian gazelles, wild ass, lynx-like caracal, monkeys that live among the people, and vultures that feed on carcasses of dead livestock.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- NaN/100 votes
#8 - India, Land of the Tiger: Mountains of Gods
Season 17 Episode 8 - Aired 11/18/1998
Part 5 of "India: Land of the Tiger" journeys to the inhospitable peaks of the Himalayas. These icy citadels are "Mountains of the Gods" that support a rich variety of life, such as snow leopards, blue sheep, brown bears, red pandas and flamboyant pheasants.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- NaN/100 votes
#9 - India, Land of the Tiger: Monsoon Forests
Season 17 Episode 9 - Aired 11/18/1998
"India: Land of the Tiger" concludes with a journey into the subcontinent's lush "Monsoon Forests" for a look at their inhabitants: rare tigers and elephants, primates such as the hoolock gibbon, the milgiri langur, the lion-tailed macaque, giant hornbills.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.6/1026 votes#10 - John Denver: Let This Be a Voice
Season 17 Episode 10 - Aired 12/6/1998
NATURE's John Denver: Let This Be A Voice explores the American West with the late singer and conservationist.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.3/106 votes#11 - Serengeti Stories
Season 17 Episode 11 - Aired 1/10/1999
"Serengeti Stories: The Work of Hugo van Lawick" follows the famed wildlife filmmaker and includes clips of his masterpiece, "People of the Forest," about chimpanzees and their social relationships. Also: clips of "Wild Dogs of Africa" (1972), a heroic story of survival.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
NaN/100 votes#12 - Iceland: Fire and Ice
Season 17 Episode 12 - Aired 2/7/1999
"Iceland: Fire and Ice" is a "wonderland of eternal opposites," where glaciers sit on top of volcanoes. In this land of ice there are no trees, but it is home to Arctic foxes, a large bird population and twice as many sheep as people. Included: footage of ice caves.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.6/1014 votes#13 - Walking with Giants: The Grizzlies of Siberia
Season 17 Episode 13 - Aired 2/14/1999
Once the home of a notorious Soviet prison camp, the isolated peninsula of Kamchatka remains a haven for one of Earth's last giants, the grizzly bear.
Director: Ian Herring
Writer: Frances Berrigan, David Malakoff
9.2/1018 votes#14 - Extraordinary Cats
Season 17 Episode 14 - Aired 2/21/1999
Cats command our attention and our devotion. These fascinating creatures have been perplexing people for thousands of years.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
9.0/1012 votes#15 - The Seedy Side of Plants
Season 17 Episode 15 - Aired 5/23/1999
How does such a seemingly passive life form accomplish the complex task of reproduction?
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 8.6/1065 votes
#16 - A Conversation with Koko
Season 17 Episode 16 - Aired 8/8/1999
Profiling the 28-year-old lowland gorilla Koko, who communicates by sign language with her mentor, Francine Patterson. Koko, who understands English, has “a good sense of humor,” says Patterson, and “a strong sense of self.” She's also seen painting and watching TV, and playing with male gorillas Michael and Ndume at Patterson's Gorilla Foundation in Northern California.
Director: N/A
Writer: Bonnie Brennan, David Malakoff, Robert Visty
The Best Episodes of Nature Season 17
Every episode of Nature Season 17 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Nature Season 17!
Consistently stunning documentaries transport viewers to far-flung locations ranging from the torrid African plains to the chilly splendours of icy Antarctica. The show's primary focus...
Genres:DocumentaryFamily
Network:PBS
Season 17 Ratings Summary
"Great White Bear" is the best rated episode of "Nature" season 17. It scored 8/10 based on 8 votes. Directed by N/A and written by N/A, it aired on 10/11/1998. This episode is rated 0.8 points higher than the second-best, "The Secret World of Sharks and Rays".