Wild America

Some, like the Opossum, are original citizens and others are recent imports. North America hosts a striking and varied panorama of wild creatures found nowhere else on earth. Some of them have ancient claims to being original citizens, while others are recent imports. All are fascinating and are found in every corner of the country. A rare film sequence captures several aspects of America's only Marsupial - mating behavior, birth and development of the Opossum.

Delight in the joyful, yet brief, lives of these winged marvels. Few of Nature's creatures thrill us more than the short-lived Butterfly. During the warm spring and summer months, Butterflies multiply miraculously. Even so, some species live but a fortnight. We'll follow the Monarch's thousand-mile trek to its huge wintering colonies. We'll also show you how easy it is to attract these fragile beauties to your very own backyard

The many unique ways of looking at the world need different designs. Did you ever wonder why a predator's eyes are right in the front of its head, while its prey's eyes are on either side? How can an Insect have as many as 30,000 separate eyes? How do a Frog's eyes help it swallow? Why are some animals color-blind? Come along as we look at how Nature has given each species its own unique way of looking at the world.

Animal arguments often erupt over food, territory, or a mate. Is there a peaceable kingdom? Not really. Wild animals have "sibling rivalries" just like humans. Ironically, related species compete more frequently, and more intensely, than do non-related species. These family conflicts can be fatal when it comes to the crucial concerns of food, territory, or affection... and it's not always the larger or more powerful "cousin" which wins the competition!

Adaptable alpine animals endure mountain heights and hardships. Alpine animals are truly the kings of survival. In order to survive in a severe and unpredictable habitat, all have adapted in special ways. A revealing time-lapse shows the development of Golden Eagle chicks. Also presented are the four Wild Sheep - the Dall, Stone, Mountain and Desert Bighorn - as they fight their everyday battle to endure and perform their ancient rituals of courtship.

The Seals and Sea Lions come ashore once a year to battle and breed. The Pacific Coast's various species of Seals and Sea Lions spend most of their lives roaming the ocean, coming ashore only to give birth and to breed. To best utilize their time gathered on land, both events occur together. January to July is the season when enormous Elephant Seals clash in battle, graceful California Sea Lions frolic, and baby Harbor Seals learn to dare the waves.

Marty searches for a honey-loving legend amid mud and bayou. In the eerie backwater bayous of southern Louisiana's Atchafalaya Basin, Marty Stouffer poles a traditional pirogue to track the South's largest animal, a honey-loving legend. Clues lead to a Bobcat, Alligator, Snapping Turtle, and other animals which share this mysterious realm with an elusive phantom - the Black Bear. Though large, it is now rare in these hardwood bottomlands.

Marty studies many amazing creatures in the teeming swamp. Continuing to search the wild heart of bayou country, Marty finds and follows more clues, meeting creatures both friendly and deadly, before locating the Bear's feeding ground: a pool of Catfish, a surprisingly tricky meal. When an aggressive Alligator moves in during the night, the two legends compete and clash to reveal which will be king of the Catfish pool and the swamp.

Last but not least, they come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Last but surely not least, tails are a vital and intriguing part of any creature's anatomy. Animal's tails come in a fascinating variety of shapes and sizes. Used as hands, rudders and shovels, their form and function are as varied as the creatures to which they are linked. This exciting tale takes us behind the beast as we examine one hundred and one different kinds of tails.