Destination WILD

Raccoons that live in cities and towns are much more successful than their country cousins. In fact, they’re thriving with us. Their knack for mischief has earned them a reputation, but there’s way more to raccoons than just trashcan thievery. They are smart, adaptable and equipped with an array of incredible senses that allow them to maximize every opportunity humans provide. From using our sewer systems as underground highways, to infiltrating our chimneys and attics for den sites, they have become the ultimate urban operators. Take a look into a year in the life of the furry masked bandits that not only live in your neighborhood, but know it better than you do.

The furry denizens of any American backyard often go unnoticed, but their feats of agility, intelligence and imagination deserve a closer look. Tree squirrels are quite common in suburban backyards. Not only do squirrels survive and cohabitate with humans, but they appear to thrive in our shared spaces. Witness the mental and physical attributes that make it all possible. Squirrels cache and hoard food to prepare for hard times but any time away from the safety of the canopy is spent negotiating natural and manmade dangers — often in competition with rival squirrels. We analyze each skill and discover how everyday rodents morph to become Super Squirrels.

Vilified as vermin by some and admired for its pluckiness by others, the fox ignites passions like few other predators. Join us as we investigate how we interact with foxes in our everyday world. We’ll look at whether England’s cities are being overrun by foxes, and highlight some of the stranger fox encounters, like the man who has fallen in love with his pet fox, and one woman’s audacious house guest. We’ll also follow foxes fitted with GPS collars and chart their clandestine forays into the night. Find out how they interact with humans and whether they’re able to survive such close human contact.

Hidden beneath the ocean’s surface lies a secret Eden where ancient species still thrive in dazzling abundance. Far to the east of India and Indonesia, Palau sits alone at the edge of the vast Pacific, an archipelago of more than 200 islands. Along its shoulders flourish some of the richest coral reefs left on earth. Here, a vast array of underwater creatures, including nudibranchs, cone snails, cuttlefish and the banded sea snake seek shelter from the open water.

Bumblebees: the chubby, fuzzy cousins of the bee species. These amusing harbingers of spring are much friendlier than their relatives — the wasps — and are the most social members of their species. Join us as we take a closer look at their behavior, understand their biology, experience their unique abilities and marvel at their survival techniques. Compared with honeybees, these social insects have been poorly researched, although they’re at home in temperate regions throughout the Northern Hemisphere and South America. A few tropical species form colonies that last several years, but elsewhere only the summer’s new queens survive into the next spring. So the colonies remain small — typically about 50 to 500 individuals — and there is no need to store honey for hibernation, a fact that has kept honey-loving gourmets like us away from their often underground nests.

Since the dawn of time, the garden has epitomized paradise. Not surprisingly, we call paradise the Garden of Eden. And yet, gardens are fashioned and designed by the hand of man. With the help of nature, we create a world of beguiling scents and colors … but many of the creatures living in our gardens go unnoticed. They carry out their lives in private, hidden from our eyes in a secret little world right under out feet. From the shy and elusive to the colorful and flamboyant, our gardens are just a little piece of paradise.

Welcome to the end of the earth. Patagonia has stood relatively undisturbed for years. Living in this harsh landscape are some of the most astonishing creatures, like the guanaco, elephant seal, rhea, penguin and armadillo, who have learned to survive despite the endless, punishing winds. With snowy mountain peaks, icy glaciers and petrified forests, Patagonia is a mystical land of extremes where only nature's toughest endure.

The Himalayas stretch 1,500 miles across Asia, a formidable wall of rock and snow with peaks 5 miles high. Beginning in Pakistan in winter, and journeying from west to east through the seasons, this film reveals the Himalayas’ wild side, from mountaineering monkeys to primitive hot springs snakes, high-altitude spiders to predatory golden eagles, as well as billions of people who rely on the Himalayas for monsoon rains and fertile soil.

Do you ever wonder what spiders are up to in your home? In an ambitious experiment that could be straight out of a horror film, a team of spider breeders and experts are taking us on a tour through a house that has been filled with hundreds of spiders to reveal the extraordinary secret lives of these fascinating creatures. We tend to despise and fear these eight-legged critters even though they rid our houses of flies and other disease- carrying pests, but now we’re revealing a hidden world of drama, bloodshed and exquisite beauty. You’ll never look at spiders in quite the same way again.

Madagascar is a bizarre landscape of giant baobab groves and dense tropical jungles but it's also home to over 100 species of weird and wonderful lemurs.

Sheltered by an ancient land mass that was forged by volcanoes, the nutrient-rich waters around the Canary Islands attract a huge variety of life. A small pod of short-finned pilot whales have journeyed a long way from the southern waters to rest in this unique ecosystem, and they will call these waters home for the next few months. But the ecosystem’s current inhabitants will have to adapt to these new neighbors, who have earned themselves the nickname the “cheetahs of the deep” for their ability to dive to depths of hundreds of feet at high speed.

Scientific buoys immersed in the abyss off the coast of the French Riviera enable us to make for the very first time a detailed scientific study of the largest bony fish in the world, the giant oarfish, the creature likely behind the myth of the Sea Serpent.

Few human beings will ever see the world that hides below the surface of the Okavango Delta. Fearsome crocodiles and dangerous hippos guard these waters, and only the bravest dare venture below. We’re taking a risk and revealing an underwater wilderness that abounds with life and diversity. We’ll follow the journey of an epic winter flood as it courses down the delta and transforms this underwater world.

Australia: an isolated island continent unlike anywhere else in the world and home to one of the most controversial predators on the planet — the dingo. Join dingo expert Dr. Brad Purcell of the University of Western Sydney, who has spent the past eight years studying dingo packs in the Blue Mountains, as he follows a pack of these wild dogs and reveals how they raise their young, hunt their prey and survive in the Australian landscape.

Discover one of nature’s last great mysteries in The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingos, a miraculous story of love, courage and survival. In a place like no other on the planet, the dramatic and desolate Lake Natron in northern Tanzania, witness a spectacle unlike anything you’ve seen before: a million crimson-winged flamingos arrive to continue the circle of life. Focusing on the adventures of a single chick and set against a backdrop of never-before-filmed landscapes, the film is a visually stunning journey into the life and struggles of the mysterious and inspiring flamingo.

The Mata Atlantica — a forest older and richer than the Amazon — harbors animals found nowhere else in the world. Explore the creatures that inhabit this forest, including the muriqui monkeys and the swifts that live behind the raging Iguazu Falls.

The largest rain forest in the world still holds many secrets. The harpy eagle is the world's biggest bird of prey, capable of hunting and killing monkeys. But the biggest vegetation consumers in the forest are leaf-cutter ants — they harvest the green wealth of the forest. The rivers become flooded every year, sneaking their borders deep into the forest. Piraracu, a strange primordial monster fish, hunts among the trees. Another fish uniquely lays its eggs on the leaves above the flooded forest. As the water retreats, smaller fish play out life-or-death scenes in the shrinking lakes and lagoons. They have even found ways of escaping tiny puddles and returning to the river. The Amazon still has the power to surprise.

The Pantanal switches from grassland to swamp and back each year with the seasonal rains — one of the most dramatic changes of any habitat on earth. Meet the jaguars that rule this beautiful and bizarre world.

A snake family rules reptilian streets with impressive firepower and a fearsome reputation. Equipped with an array of deadly weapons and a bad attitude, the cobra family instills fear and chaos throughout the wilds of Africa and Asia. But who brings what to the table? The Godfather rules the Asian beat, Romeo runs operations along the waterways of Africa, the Capo and the Sniper do all the dirty work and the Faker is the out-of-town cousin with a growing reputation.

The world is full of angry birds. Some lock talons over food while others wrestle for mates. For birds, anger and aggression are key to survival. Every day is a battle, and being angry can be the difference between life and death. This is no game. And these are the challenges that face the real angry birds.

Eagles are dramatic predators that have inspired myths and legends for millennia. Though at the top of their food chain, they battle for survival and work tirelessly to raise their young. Powerful. Diverse. Agile. This is an epic story of conquest for one individual. But what does it take to become a ruler of the skies?

Brazil’s coast stretches almost 5,000 miles and spans from the cool temperate waters of the south to the majestic mouth of the Amazon, from the equator and beyond, with a large number of remote islands off the coast. Creatures of all types and sizes call this coast home. From spinner dolphins to venomous snakes, explore the coast’s most exotic residents.

The grassland that covers the central region of Brazil is one of that country’s least-known habitats, and is home to some of the most extraordinary animals on earth. The maned wolf is a long-legged and strange predator — it sometimes feeds on fruit while at other times it hunts insects and rodents. The giant anteater is the most charmingly ridiculous animal on earth — it feeds on termites using a hugely long tongue. Termites build dramatic mounds that dot the landscape. Capuchin monkeys live on the cliffs that overlook the scrub and grassland. Discover Brazil’s beautiful and surprising secrets.

Where does human consciousness come from? The answer could be found within the complex social structures of monkeys. Monkeys have vivid imaginations, good memories and the ability to learn. They can communicate, and their complex social web is both sophisticated and multicultural. Studies are revealing that they share some of the characteristics and traits that are common within our human societies. It becomes apparent that the core of human behavior can be found within even the simplest monkey. Language, love, guilt, envy, generosity and anger are all present in this fascinating story of cunning, expertise and resourcefulness.

There are few places on earth more forbidding and beautiful than Baja, Mexico.

Follow the first few months of two fur seal pups lives while they fight for survival off the coast of New Zealand.

The scorching interior of the world’s oldest continent is home to the toughest kangaroo on the planet, the mighty Red. You won’t want to miss extremely rare footage of a red kangaroo birth and specialized in-pouch cameras that capture an intimate portrait of Red’s development. We are also introduced to the kangaroo’s formidable neighbors through close encounters with wedge-tailed eagles, dingoes, venomous snakes and giant monitor lizards. This is a story of survival against the odds and what it takes to endure drought, heat wave and bushfire.

The Alps’ lofty mountain world is a holiday destination from January to December, but there is an unknown side to the picturesque vacation spot. Using the latest technology, our cameras summit lofty peaks and dive into ice-cold lakes to reveal zones of life and death. We’re talking real-world Life Below Zero here. The lakes’ abyss includes ghostly shipwrecks complete with ghastly residents, medieval trees felled by too much snow and fascinating sea life. High up on the mountaintops we meet the animals that breathe this rare air including lynx, the poisonous asp viper and the stone eagle. This alpine tour brings an entirely new perspective to one of Europe’s most fascinating landscapes.

Arab emirs called it the Great River; today it is called the Guadalquivir and it flows for 400 miles from the Carzola mountain range in Spain to the Atlantic Ocean. Together with a lone fox, we embark on the ultimate reality road trip along the banks of the Guadalquivir, from the snow-covered summits to the seashore, enjoying the greatest biodiversity in Europe. The fox’s goal is safer ground, and on his way he meets a motley crew of animals including an Iberian lynx, golden eagle, spider crab, dragonflies and sturgeon. This spectacular variety of landscapes and fauna is a must-see.

It's March - late summer in the Kalahari desert. Decision time for the old matriarchs of the herd. This summer, the rains just haven't materialized, and the nutritious desert is drying early. If you're an elephant you need a lot of water, so you have to plan ahead' The older members know that they have to move to survive.

Twenty years of drought has turned the Boteti River into Botswana dust. The animals that live here endure hardship to stay alive and must adapt their behavior to survive. Herds of zebra fight over water, crocodiles dig tunnels to stay cool and elephants practice water conservation. Now for the first time in 30 years, rain has fallen, sending a stream of water through the riverbed. After years of extreme drought, the Boteti has returned in all its glory, transforming the landscape and bringing dramatic changes to the resident animals. It’s like when the contestants on “Survivor” get a food reward — buckle up for a wild ride.

Explore the stark landscape, frigid sea and wild animals in Franz Josef Land, one of the most remote and inhospitable places on Earth. National Geographic Pristine Seas Explorer-in-Residence Enric Sala leads a group of scientists and adventurers on the first international scientific expedition to Franz Josef Land. His team will work with some of Russia’s most formidable biologists, geomorphologists and ornithologists to see how climate change is affecting this untouched world.

Russia’s Far East is a wild and isolated realm that was closed to outsiders by the Soviet military for most of the past hundred years, but wildlife was left to flourish. Compelled by the instinct to reproduce, millions of salmon journey to Russia’s remote Kamchatka Peninsula every summer, drawing some 10,000 grizzly bears to its shores. Journey with us to this harsh and beautiful terrain to find Northern fur seals, the artic fox and Steller’s sea eagle.

The world is full of predators, but not all are big and showy. Lurking in the shadows, the little killers can be just as deadly. They often go unnoticed, but with cunning tactics and unmatched skills, they are the true masters of the hunt. Thanks to the tricks of their trades, they have conquered every corner of the globe. In meerkat clans, it’s all about family bonds. Raccoon dogs, on the other hand, go solo. And for fishing owls, it’s about relying on your partner to help with the hunt. With their specialized tactics, all of these tiny hunters are lethal predators. We tend to have a natural respect for big predators — but pound for pound, it’s the little killers that really pack a punch!

An extraordinary and entertaining portrait of one of Africa’s true icons reveals the secret lives of giraffes — the tallest animal on earth.

In parts of Asia, the bond between elephants and handlers is built on ancient tradition. Mahouts dedicate their lives to caring for these creatures.

For a family of elephants, escaping the upcoming dry season is proving to be a difficult challenge. Facing threats from predators, the family must stay together to make it home.

With a newborn and a dry season quickly approaching, advanced cameras are able to capture the intense journey an elephant family makes to escape worsening weather conditions.

To capture the attention of a potential partner, some animals rely on slick dance moves to create an impression. With enough skill, these animals can truly put on a show.

For many animals, survival is all about how well they can move around in their surroundings. Using their most impressive moves, these animals are able to thrive in their habitats.

Journey into the depths of a wonderland filled with mystery, beauty and power in Disneynature's feature film Oceans, narrated by Pierce Brosnan. Witness a spectacular story about remarkable creatures under the sea. It’s an unprecedented look at the lives of these elusive deepwater creatures through their own eyes. Incredible state-of-the-art-underwater filmmaking invites viewers to migrate with whales, swim alongside a great white shark and race with dolphins at play.

The isolated continent of Antarctica is the most cold and dry land on earth. Take a close look at the animals of the Antarctic, their amazing adaptation and survival in such a harsh climate.

Beneath the peaceful surface of Europe’s waterways lies a hidden danger. A colossal aquatic creature lurks in the murky depths. Over the past 50 years, it has colonized most of Europe’s rivers — even the most polluted. This intruder has become the largest freshwater predator in Europe … and it even hunts on land. So which fish species is capable of coming out of the water to catch birds? The answer may surprise you: the catfish. This cannibal fish regulates its own population. Only the largest and most voracious survive.

Hidden in a tropical paradise in the center of Southeast Asia, Thailand is a peaceful sanctuary where wild creatures find refuge and thrive. It is a seductive land infused with ancient traditions, where the flows and rhythms of nature can be seen, heard and felt.

Follow the animals of the Amazon as they adapt to their ever-changing home and struggle to survive.

Journey to the Manu Rainforest in Peru - a massive, pristine rainforest teaming with exotic wildlife and endangered creatures.

Crowning South America, Colombia touches both the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans. Sitting on the equator, this exotic land supports an extraordinary array of spectacular creatures.

By 8 million years ago, the cat family had conquered Asia and Africa, but next, it would venture in a new world: the Americas. Here, they would evolve thick coats to withstand the snowy poles and long limbs to access the jungle canopies. In order to conquer the plains, one cat would go on to become the fastest land animal on the planet.

Eight million years ago, cats ventured into the Americas for the first time. To conquer this vast new super continent, they split into three new dynasties â€" one conquering the snow, one the jungles and one the plains. Patrick begins his American adventure in the tangled jungles of Central America, where he meets the OCELOT dynasty

Every year in Tanzania, the dry season hits the Ruaha Reserve hard. To survive, animal populations come down from the high plateaus to reach the Ruaha River, where a pride of lionesses wait patiently, poised for combat. Watch the drama unfold as the lionesses face off with herds of buffalo and elephants in epic battles to defend their territory.

The western Indonesian islands of Borneo and Sumatra are home to some of the rarest animals in the world.

Central Indonesia is a wild, volcanic world. Trapped in the heart of the monsoon, rains have driven the evolution of rich and bountiful life.

Lying on Indonesia’s eastern frontier, Papua’s lost worlds support one of the richest and strangest concentrations of life on our planet.

See India through the eyes of the jungle king, a male Bengal tiger on a quest to find a mate. Along the way, he meets the real creatures behind the characters in Kipling’s The Jungle Book.

Follow an elephant calf during its first year of life in the wilds of Kenya.

Discover the remarkable oddities of the strangest bird alive — the ostrich — through the story of one male that dances his way to impressing an array of females, battles potential rivals, and stops at nothing to protect his brood from potential threats.

Follow a family of six dolphins that lives in the shark-infested waters of western Australia’s Shark Bay.

Filmed along one of the wildest coastlines on the planet, this is the intriguing story behind the world’s most exclusive marine gem: the South Sea pearl.

Explore Egypt's surprising array of wildlife from the coastlines all the way to the scorching Sahara Desert.

Explore the remarkable wildlife that resides in Turkey’s kaleidoscope of environments

Nat Geo WILD follows a rare and courageous ghost bear and her young cubs as they fight for survival on Canada’s remote rain forest islands.

Sharks. The only barrier between us and them is the shoreline - until now. Join us as we unravel the mystery of the songbird-eating shark.

Follow these stealthy predators through a world of camouflage, patience and precision. It’s a thrilling ride packed with sudden strikes.

From the masters of ambush to fatal assassins, learn their darkest secrets and cunning tricks and marvel at their fully stocked arsenals.

In a thrilling reveal of the continent’s most lethal and fear-inspiring infiltrators, these specialized agents are armed to the teeth.

The North Atlantic is driven by the mighty Gulf Stream, a colossal course of warm water more powerful than all the world's rivers combined.

Explore the longest mountain range on Earth, the undersea Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which drives life throughout the ocean.

Life in paradise comes at a cost. As the tropical Atlantic's weather changes, everything and everyone must find ways to survive one of the most powerful forces on the planet - the hurricane.

Mind Of A Giant gets to the heart of what it is like to be a modern elephant surviving in a world of poachers, new human settlements and other dangers, as revealed by revolutionary new research. Together with the top elephant scientists in the world, we learn that elephants are smarter than we ever knew before.

Journey across a land so beautiful, it has captivated us since the dawn of time: France. A landscape with famous light that has attracted the greatest painters and whose warmth is a joy to countless species.

The Atlantic winds blow on a country blessed by nature. Explore the secrets of the French wilderness, where the rich, fertile and well watered soil has allowed exceptional wildlife to flourish.

Follow two very different otter families inhabiting one of the busiest islands in the world — Singapore. Naturally inclined to city dwelling, one family has made the heart of this bustling town their home.

With sunshine, sandy beaches and palm trees, South Africa’s East Coast is a true paradise. Reptiles thrive in the hot weather of the mangroves and the bayous.

From the savanna to the desert, the heart of South Africa is home to everything from successful hunters and extremely odd animals. Due to the short, intense rainy season the vast semi deserts and dry savannas of South Africa’s interior become a perfect setting for one of the most colorful natural spectacles on the planet.

Explore South Africa’s Cape region where the habitats of Africa and Antarctica collide. The Cape Peninsula marks the point where two mighty ocean currents merge: the icy, nutrient-rich Benguela current and the warm Agulhas from the tropics.

Disneynature's Bears follows a year in the life of a bear family — mother Sky teaches her two impressionable cubs, Amber and Scout, about life’s most important lessons. Set against a majestic Alaskan backdrop, their journey begins as winter ends.

For the first time, our cameras capture unique footage of tiger cubs just a few days old as they tumble from a den and are returned, gently cradled in their mother’s huge, deadly jaws. As they grow into engaging, playful young cubs, many of the other jungle creatures are revealed. At this vulnerable young age they are prey for almost anything. Their mother must protect her precious charges, against the odds. We witness, up close, the split-second reactions that give her the edge in the jungle, as she instantly transforms from tender mother to ferocious super-predator, driving off the enemy.

Elephants carrying Trunkcam, Tuskcam and other spy cameras tell the story of four cubs growing up in the Indian Jungle.The cubs are now half grown and very playful. They are learning the hunting and fighting skills they’ll need as adults. Play-fighting erupts between them – it looks nasty, but their claws are never drawn. These bouts of boxing, caught on ele-cams, create an extraordinary spectacle.

The cubs are now a year and a half and learning to be kings and queens of the jungle. Play is becoming increasingly aggressive as they edge towards independence. But the biggest challenge is learning to hunt for themselves – and their mother soon loses patience with her overgrown family and their hapless attempts at hunting. One cub turns underwater cameraman when he discovers log-cam on the edge of a lake. Another tries tightrope walking across a flimsy branch. They’re even starting to consider the elephants as possible playmates – especially as an elephant’s tail to a tiger is like a piece of string to a kitten.

The Amur is the longest border river in human history: Over a stretch of two thousand kilometres, it separates two superpowers, Russia and China. In China, the meandering Amur is called the Black Dragon. Ferries cross between the only two cities along the Amur's middle course, Blagoveshensk and Heihe, but not a single bridge links the countries. The border land along the Amur and some of its tributaries offer sanctuary to wildlife, and it's also the border situation that has, so far, kept the Amur free of hydro-electric dams.

The Amur is not just a river -- it's a sprawling network of thousands of tributaries, wetlands and lakes, a river system of continental scale, all funneled into a single gigantic channel spilling one million olympic pools of water, sediment and nutrients into the Pacific Ocean, day after day. The Amur thus nurtures one of the earth's richest seas. It's the massive clouds drifting back inland from the Pacific that have kept the Amur River's myriad tributaries flowing for millions of years. And it is from here, the Amur's estuary on the wild and rugged coast of Russia's Far East, that we set out on an epic upstream journey.

Threatened by the guns of Southern Africa’s farmers, some black-backed jackals have found a new shelter in a restricted and arid area: Namibia’s Skeleton Coast. Here, they adapt to a new lifestyle. They are learning to catch new coastal prey, and how to collaborate to catch bigger ones such as the fur seals. This requires cooperative hunting - a behavior rarely seen amongst these canids – and therefore social and communication skills. Some jackals succeed, other become scavengers, or die.

The lines and shapes of the natural world may seem chaotic, but there is order and reason behind everything in nature. Discover the surprising truths behind our planet’s secrets in its design.

Some of the most important scientific discoveries have come from evolutionary adaptations that already existed in nature. While we still have much to learn, a new kind of science is coming to life, one which is adopting nature’s most ingenious designs.

Brazil has a river that is bigger than the Amazon. However, this river isn’t where you would normally expect. To find it, you’ll need to look up to the water-laden clouds that flow into the heart of Brazil. There is so much water in the clouds that they act like a river flowing overhead.

Untamed wilderness around distinctive rocks touched by the golden glimmer of sunset: this gorgeous view could only be of the Dolomites. Pale, glowing perpendicular walls reflect a sense of mystery, of fantasy, even of fear. It’s a place for myths and fairy tales, and there’s no shortage of them here.

With autumn coming to an end, the grizzlies must prepare for their long winter hibernation by packing on weight. They congregate alongside the waters to feast on the spawning salmon.

Beyond the North American tree line is a surreal kingdom of ice and snow. Life here is beyond difficult, but polar bears have adapted to the harsh climate.

Follow the story of a young male baboon, Wahou, as he journeys through the highlands of South Africa to find a troop who will accept him after he was exiled from his own. Born without rank, Wahou leaving his birthplace is a chance for him to write his own destiny, to forge a new identity and to maybe one day become the Alpha male of his own troop.

Three islands off the coast of Tanzania are benefitting from huge efforts made by remarkable people. The three diverse projects focus on turtle hatching, coral protection and educating the next generation. Featuring the wisdom of one of the natural world's leading conservationist campaigners, Jane Goodall, Saving Paradise Islands shines an enlightening spotlight on practical marine conservation.