David Attenborough Wildlife Specials [DVD]

Amazon.com Wildlife Specials is a bounty of BBC wildlife documentaries hosted by David Attenborough, who performed similar duties with the fantastic, 1993 Life In the Freezer. Wildlife Specials consists of six outstanding works focusing on different animals in their natural habitats. Eagles shows us a wide variety of the remarkable, predatory bird in North America, Africa, South America, and parts of Europe. Attenborough explains how eagles are designed to be powerful hunters (they can see prey a mile and a half away), have broad wings that let them float on air, and are highly intelligent and cunning. The program's breathtaking photography and editing make one feel as if a viewer's perspective is liberated by being so closely aligned to an eagle's experience. Footage of bald eagles involved in fighting says more about their natural etiquette than about savagery toward one another, and images of eagles attacking all manner of prey--turtles, salmon, deer, flamingoes--is amazing. Leopard is highlighted by infra-red photography capturing the creature's stealth and power hunting in the dark. But there is also exciting material about bushmen in Namibia whose lives have much to do with revering and following the activities of leopards in their part of the world. Evidence of leopards killing our early human ancestors is fascinating, as is an extended scene in which a leopard stalks a baboon. Polar Bear follows the solitary lives of some bears trying to hunt in the frozen tundra at the top of the world. Females herd their young away from grown males who might be in a feisty mood, while white foxes scavenge after the remains of seals hunted by polar bears. Among startling facts learned here is that polar bears can slow their metabolisms way down so as to hold onto body fat and energy that much longer during hard times. Humpback Whales reveals that the world's largest mammal can migrate 3,500 miles, from Hawaii to Antarctica and down to the equator. Cows and calves are very close for nearly a year before the latter begin to move toward independence, and grown males can either be nice escorts on the migration path or try to scare off youngsters to get at mom for mating purposes. Much of the documentary is concerned with the famous sounds humpbacks make under water--the cries and moans and clickings that scientists don't fully understand yet. Wolf says a hunting wolf is so strong that it can take down another animal 10 times its weight. Wolves are also highly intelligent and elusive, remaining mysterious despite our best efforts to understand them and how they live. Highlights of the show include great footage of a wolf pack hunting a buffalo by wearing it down over several days. Crocodile says that crocodiles have changed little from the age of reptiles, and are the only reptile predator to outlive dinosaurs. Crocodiles control their buoyancy in water by inhaling and exhaling, and are generally designed to survive anywhere in the tropics. They also, astonishingly, colonize new rivers in other parts of the world on their own, traveling through the ocean to new homes. Special features in this two-disc set include the enjoyable "Great Natural Wonders of the World" and "Greatest Wildlife Show On Earth." --Tom Keogh Product Description David Attenborough: Wildlife Specials Take a look at the lives and habitats of some of the worlds most amazing animals! From polar bear to leopard, humpback whale to crocodile, and wolf to eagle, Wildlife Wonders takes you on a breathtaking journey around the world for some of the most gripping and touching animal behavior in the wild. Presented by David Attenborough, this two disc collection also includes Great Natural Wonders of the World, showcasing some of Earths most spectacular scenery, and The Greatest Wildlife Show On Earth, displaying the wildest of wild animal behavior! ]]>
ASIN: B0012YN5AK
VSKU: DBV.B0012YN5AK.G
Condition: Good
Author/Artist:Various
Binding: Dvd
Note: Any images shown are stock photographs and product may differ from what is shown.
Condition Notes: Individually inspected: Guaranteed to play perfectly or your money back. Case may show wear and may be in library packaging. Ships Fast!