Nature Season 12

Timothy Dalton searches for wolf habitats in North America to learn more about the animal

The history of llamas, alpacas, vicunas and guanacos in South America.

The two-hundred-foot walls of ice in Glacier Bay overwhelm the senses, but they also surround the most beautiful sights Alaska has to offer — the Northern Lights, the roaming grizzly bears, and the humpback whales. The glacier itself is also creating new life — it has retreated some 70 miles up the bay, wiping the ecological slate clean, allowing new plants and animals to start again from scratch.

This program looks at the varied ways in which life reproduces. Whether a species has one sex, two sexes, both at once or none at all, the urge to procreate is there.

Explores the various influences on mating and courtship, from the sun, the moon and the change of seasons, to the specific behaviors within species.

Explores the selection process among different species for choosing a mate, whether it’s for life or just for the day.

An investigation into the origins of human sexuality and sexual roles.

A look at the reproduction process from conception to birth of a wide variety of animals.

A look at the parental process of all sorts of earth’s creatures.

"Nature's Great African Moments" features clips from episodes focusing on the continent and its abundant wildlife. Included: wildebeests, zebras, lions, giraffes and flamingos.

"Anima Mundi" offers images of the natural world set to music; "Before It's Too Late" examines zoos' efforts to preserve endangered species. Included: attempts to restore near-extinct mammals to mainland Australia.

A study of the goshawk, a bird of prey that has been restored to the Scottish woodlands after being pushed to the brink of extinction. Included: the goshawk's courtship ritual; how chicks learn to fly.

"A Sea Otter Story---Warm Hearts & Cold Water" examines a California aquarium's efforts to raise an otter and teach it necessary survival skills. Also: the impact of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill on Alaskan otters.

"Toadskin Spell" examines frogs and toads and how the qualities of their skin help them survive extreme climates. Included: toad-derived poisons, medicines and hallucinogens.