Whether in our own backyard or across the plains of Africa, four-legged creatures have learned to co-exist with humans or migrate to safer pastures. In the new episodes of PBS’ Naturethis month, we will explore The Private Life of Deeron Wednesday the 8th and The Great Zebra Exodus on Wednesday the 15th.
The Washington, D.C. area is home to many Whitetailed deer, which enjoy eating our gardens, hopping into oncoming traffic, and slipping into the woods of our local parks. In the past century, the deer population has increased from less than a million to almost 30 million as of today. In an effort to document this ever increasing species, footage was acquired in unique ways throughout the country. In one segment, residents of Cayuga Heights, NY were given video equipment to document populations in their area, while in another segment; small cameras were strapped to the backs to wild deer. The footage acquired provides unprecedented insight into the lives of our furry neighbors. Watch the trailer!
Nature: The Private Life of Deer airs Wednesday, May 8 at 8:00pm on WETA TV26 & HD. Also Airs Thursday, May 9 at 2:00pm.
Traveling with family can be complicated, especially when it seems like everyone’s moving in a different direction. But can you imagine voyaging with 20,000 of your closest kin? Follow the story of one zebra family, a stallion, his three mares and their offspring, traveling with the herd in Southern Africa’s biggest animal migration. Taking place every year across the Kalahari’s Makgadikgadi Pans, this trek to grass and water tests the social bonds that hold zebra families together. Watch the trailer!
Nature: The Great Zebra Exodus airs Wednesday, May 15 at 8:00pm on WETA TV26 & HD. Also Airs Thursday, May 16 at 2:00pm.
With spring finally here, what better way to get in touch with wildlife and the great outdoors than to watch two brand new Natureepisodes? First, we explore the secret life of plants and their ability to communicate in Nature: What Plants Talk About. Then we plunge into the water for an episode about a mysterious and unknown creature from the deep in Nature: The Mystery of Eels.
Plants have been on Earth longer than almost any other organism on the planet. They may not have a brain or eyes but in an all new Nature: What Plants Talk About, scientists discover that plants have the ability to engage with their surroundings as animals do. Join Nature scientists as they perform a variety of studies revealing plant-to-plant communication, the ability to nurture seedlings, selection of hosts, and even violent defenses. Watch Nature: What Plants Talk About on WETA and take a sneak peek into the underground world of plants.
Nature: What Plants Talk About airs April 3 at 8:00pm on WETA TV26 & HD.
There is a lot more to the elegant eels than meets the eye. Writer and conservationist James Prosek takes viewers on a journey around the world to reveal how eels live out their lives. Prosek travels from the Maori of New Zealand where eels are admired for being mythical guardians to the ocean deep of Maine, where fishermen have created a multi-billion dollar business from eel fishing. But with the threat of over-fishing and obstacles that eels face for reproduction, is it too late to learn about this prehistoric aquatic creature? Watch Nature: The Mystery of Eels to find out.
Nature: The Mystery of Eels airs April 17 at 8:00pm on WETA TV26 & HD.
Your impression of Earth has a lot to do with your vantage point. This week WETA invites you to view our planet from two extreme locations. We begin in Wood Buffalo National Park with the premiere of Nature: Cold Warriors: Wolves and Buffaloat 8:00pm and then travel to outer space with the premiere of the two-hour special NOVA: Earth from Space at 9:00pm. Join WETA TV26 & WETA HD this Wednesday as we experience nature at ground level and from far above.
Before humans’ westward expansion, wolves and buffalo roamed all over the North American plains. Now, as civilization has spread across the continent, these animals have been pushed from their former habitat and have taken refuge in the Wood Buffalo National Park in Northern Canada. In this week’s new Nature episode, filmmaker Jeff Turner follows the interactions of buffalo and one pack of wolves in their fight for survival. Click here to view PBS Nature's "Wolf versus Buffalo" infographic to match up the competitors!
Watch Nature: Cold Warriors: Wolves and Buffalo on WETA TV26 & WETA HD Wednesday, February 13 at 8:00pm. Also airs Thursday at 2:00pm & Monday at 2:30pm
NOVAis taking the phrase “take a step back” to entirely new heights. On Wednesday, take a few steps up into outer space to gain a complete understanding of the planet Earth. In this brand new, special two-hour episode, NOVAuses real-time data from satellites to create animated visuals showing how one force of nature affects the rest of the planet. See how you fit into the big picture of this complex world at 9:00pm!
Watch NOVA: Earth from Spaceon WETA TV26 & WETA HDWednesday, February 13 at 9:00pm. Also airs Thursday at 3:00pm
How many of Earth’s creatures are at home in THREE habitats? This along with many other fascinating facts makes the duck a very rare species. Find out all about these wonderful animals that we're lucky to have in our Washington, DC backyard on Nature: An Original DUCKumentary.
Confuting a long-standing reputation of being clumsy or awkward at times, the duck is born with innate skills and abilities to survive any conditions and surroundings his feathers and webbed feet encounter; he is just as adept in air as he is in the water. With more than 120 species of ducks, each boasts a special quality distinguishing him from the rest. However, all ducks are ambidextrous athletes, surreptitiously beating out the “seemingly” stronger opponents in the animal kingdom. Nature: An Original DUCKumentary explores the fascinating creature from how they survive to the vast variety of breeds.
So get your ducks in a row, duck out of any other obligations (last duck joke), and watch Nature: An Original DUCKumentary Wednesday November 14 at 8:00pm on WETA TV or WETA HD.
Watch it again on WETA TV26: Thursday November 15 at 2:00pm; Sunday November 18 at 2:00pm; Tuesday November 20 at 1:00pm
Watch it again on WETA HD: Thursday November 15 at 6:00am, 9:00am, 2:00pm; Sunday November 18 at 2:00pm; Tuesday November 20 at 1:00pm; Wednesday November 21 at 3:00pm
Check out this in depth infographic from PBS about ducks! Click on the image to enlarge.
gardens, hopping into oncoming traffic, and slipping into the woods of our local parks. In the past century, the deer population has increased from less than a million to almost 30 million as of today. In an effort to document this ever increasing species, footage was acquired in unique ways throughout the country. In one segment, residents of Cayuga Heights, NY were given video equipment to document populations in their area, while in another segment; small cameras were strapped to the backs to wild deer. The footage acquired provides unprecedented insight into the lives of our furry neighbors. 
a different direction. But can you imagine voyaging with 20,000 of your closest kin? Follow the story of one zebra family, a stallion, his three mares and their offspring, traveling with the herd in Southern Africa’s biggest animal migration. Taking place every year across the Kalahari’s Makgadikgadi Pans, this trek to grass and water tests the social bonds that hold zebra families together. 
not have a brain or eyes but in an all new Nature: What Plants Talk About, scientists discover that plants have the ability to engage with their surroundings as animals do. Join Nature scientists as they perform a variety of studies revealing plant-to-plant communication, the ability to nurture seedlings, selection of hosts, and even violent defenses. Watch Nature: What Plants Talk About on WETA and take a sneak peek into the underground world of plants. 
Prosek travels from the Maori of New Zealand where eels are admired for being mythical guardians to the ocean deep of Maine, where fishermen have created a multi-billion dollar business from eel fishing. But with the threat of over-fishing and obstacles that eels face for reproduction, is it too late to learn about this prehistoric aquatic creature? Watch Nature: The Mystery of Eels to find out.
American plains. Now, as civilization has spread across the continent, these animals have been pushed from their former habitat and have taken refuge in the Wood Buffalo National Park in Northern Canada. In this week’s new Nature episode, filmmaker Jeff Turner follows the interactions of buffalo and one pack of wolves in their fight for survival. 
few steps up into outer space to gain a complete understanding of the planet Earth. In this brand new, special two-hour episode, NOVA uses real-time data from satellites to create animated visuals showing how one force of nature affects the rest of the planet. See how you fit into the big picture of this complex world at 9:00pm! 
