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.
We’re taking summer vacation a little early with a trip to the ocean deep, the red hills, and the hot sun of Australia! We invite you to join us on this educational and breathtaking journey to the land where the formation of Earth itself began in the four part mini-series from NOVA: Australia: First 4 Billion Years. Scientists share some of the earliest life that inhabited the planet from giant kangaroos to deadly reptiles, and prehistoric crustaceans. See you Wednesdays at 9:00pm on WETA!
Australia is most recognized for its unusual creatures and outback terrain but it is also home to some of the oldest remains of early life known to Earth. Awakening, part one, starts in Western Australia where scientists take a look at how the planet was transformed. NOVA and host Richard Smith take us on a journey through the Land Down Under where we get acquainted with a bacterial slime that inhabited the continent and could be one of the earliest life forms known to the planet.
In this episode of Australia’s First 4 Billion Years, host Richard Smith uncovers how creatures traveled from the ocean floor to dry land. Ancient fossils unveil how these prehistoric animals took over a once lifeless land and brought it alive. Armor-plated fish and invading arthropods were just a few of the unusual ocean dwellers that journeyed to the shorelines in order to help change the face of the Earth. But not all creatures can live peacefully together. Watch NOVA: Australia’s First 4 Billion Years: Life Explodes airs April 17 at 9:00pm & April 18 at 3:00pm.
Over 250 million years ago, Australia was a host for some of the largest and most perilous creatures to roam the planet. In episode three, Monsters, Richard Smith brings viewers up-close and personal with some of these prehistoric creatures in order to reveal why they were considered the monsters of their time. Kronosaurus was an aquatic creature that received its name from the greek god Kronos and had a skull twice as long as the Tyrannosaurus Rex, making it a top predator. Scientists also reveal that these ancient reptiles were in fact not alone; mammals such as the duckbilled platypus shared the land as well.
In the final episode of this series, NOVA and host Richard Smith uncover the true ancestors of Australia. Smith reveals the last 65 million years that formed the Land Down Under into the lone but wildlife filled continent it is today. Before humans and the formation of the Great Barrier Reef, strange creatures such as giant kangaroos, massive koalas and oversized wombats once roamed the land. With their dominant size, these large marsupials truly exemplify the origin of Australia. Watch NOVA: Australia’s First 4 Billion Years: Strange Creatures May 1 at 9:00pm & May 2 at 3:00pm.
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.
Get your full dose of nature from the expert himself, Sir David Attenborough, this January on WETA TV26 & HD. Attenborough has been a naturalist and broadcaster for around 60 years and is the best-known natural history film-maker today. We are proud to announce that his timeless BBC documentaries are here on WETA as well as special PBS Nature documentaries delving into the history of Attenborough’s life and works. Read on for more information about each documentary including when it’ll air on WETA.
David Attenborough introduces us to the most diverse group of animals ever to live on the Earth, 4,000 species which have outlived the dinosaurs and conquered the farthest places on earth all in the same biological class as humans. Repeats Tuesdays at 4:00pm
Monday January 7: A Winning Design & The Insect Hunters
Monday January 14:Chisellers & Plant Predators
Monday January 21: Meat Eaters & The Opportunists
Monday January 28:Return to the Water & Life in the Trees
Monday February 4:The Social Climbers & Food for Thought
This three-part retrospective of his life and work airs on consecutive Wednesdays, January 23, 30, and February 6, 2013 at 8:00pm. The mini-series focuses on three areas that Attenborough believes have been transformed most profoundly during his time: filmmaking, science, and the environment. With distinctive eloquence and enthusiasm for his subject, 86-year old Attenborough recounts all the wonders of the natural world he has been able to share with audiences and reveals his unique personal reflections about nature and the earth. Repeats Thursdays at 2:00pm
Part one: Attenborough’s Life Stories: Life on Camera – January 23 at 8:00pm
Attenborough revisits key places and events in his career and shows how various technical advances in filmmaking allowed for showing new revelations about the planet and the creatures that inhabit it. Underwater photography, infrared film cameras, stabilizing camera mounts, remote controlled camera, time lapse photography, and digital slow motion cameras are just some of the innovations.
Part two: Attenborough’s Life Stories: Understanding the Natural World – January 30 at 8:00pm
Attenborough shares his memories of the scientists and the breakthroughs that helped shape his own career in translating these discoveries into film. Animal imprinting, continental drifts causing volcanos, pluming birds, DNA fingerprinting, chimpanzee behavior and Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection are some of these scientific breakthroughs.
Part three: Attenborough’s Life Stories: Our Fragile Planet – February 6 at 8:00pm
Attenborough reflects on the dramatic impact that humans have had on the natural world during his lifetime. Disappearing rain forests and coral reefs, endangered species, the creation of the World Wildlife Fund, the first international organization to spend money on conservation projects around the globe, sea ice melt caused by climate change are some of the positive and negative impacts we’ve had on the world.
Life in Cold Blood – Mondays at 9:00pm
In telling the epic story of the reptiles and amphibians, the most enduringly successful animals ever to walk on land, David Attenborough continues his overview of life on the planet. The very latest technology enables extraordinary and previously unseen behavior to be captured in intimate detail, overturning the myth that cold blooded life is slow, solitary, and primitive and revealing these creatures to be as dramatic, social, sophisticated, and passionate as warm blooded animals. Repeats Tuesdays at 4:00pm
Monday February 11: The Cold-Blooded Truth & Invaders of the Land
Monday February 18: Dragons of the Dry & Sophisticated Serpents
Monday February 25:Armored Giants
JANUARY 2013
Nature episodes Wednesdays at 8:00pm & Fridays at 9:00pm
This PBS series consists of original, educational, natural history films. Episodes in January include: Cuba: The Accidental Eden, Magic of the Snowy Owl, Cracking the Koala Code, My Life as a Turkey, Animal Odd Couples, and the Attenborough Life Stories series.
FEBRUARY 2013
Nature episodes Wednesdays at 8:00pm
This PBS series consists of original, educational, natural history films. Episodes in February include: Cold Warriors: Wolves and Buffalo & A Murder of Crows.
Congo series Fridays at 9:00pm
To the west of the Serengeti and Lake Victoria, beyond the misty mountains of the Rift Valley, lies the second largest river system on earth: the Congo. This vast arena - the size of Europe - is home to an array of wildlife richer and more varied than any other region of Africa and yet it is hardly known. Today, parts of the Congo still remain inhospitable and virtually inaccessible. In a television first, the Natural History Unit has been given unprecedented access to film in this region.
Battle for the ElephantsWednesday February 27 at 8:00pm
The elephant, Earth’s most charismatic and majestic land animal, today faces market forces driving the value of its tusks to levels once reserved for gold. This groundbreaking National Geographic special goes undercover to expose the criminal network behind ivory’s supply and demand
Jungle series Wednesday February 27 from 9:00pm – 12:00am
Imagine being transported to a place with humidity above 90%, with more diseases than anywhere on Earth, and where every breath draws a cloud of insects. Charlotte Uhlenbroek takes up the challenge in this exploration of the world's rainforests. The rainforests of the Amazon, Congo, and Borneo contain half of the world's species of plants and animals. A combination of sheer adventure and the latest technology enables the viewer to experience the planet's most complex terrestrial habitat in all its glory.
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.
Our PBS wildlife series Nature invites you on a journey north to meet the intriguing snowy owl. Travel to Alaska to investigate these majestic birds without leaving your DC, Maryland, or Virginia home.
The Harry Potter sensation brought magical concepts and highly imaginative creatures to the surface including the grand and noble snowy owl as Harry’s companion Hedwig. There must be more to the snowy owl than a beautiful white coat, laser sharp eyes, and a job as a wizard’s mail courier. Tomorrow night at 8:00 tune into WETA TV26 and WETA HD for a brand new Nature: Magic of the Snowy Owl. Get a close-up look at the species in its tundra home on the North Slope of Alaska and watch as the snowy owl and his family survive the harsh conditions of their natural habitat. A day in the life of this family of snowy owls revolves around getting enough food to make it til tomorrow…and it’s truly a family effort. The snowy owl may not have magic at the tip of his wing, but the beauty, intelligence, resourcefulness and fearlessness of the creature is mesmerizing.
Tune into WETA tomorrow, October 24 at 8:00pm for Nature: Magic of the Snowy Owl.
This week we continue serving prime British television shows to the Washington, DC area on WETA UK. Drama, mystery, comedy, and costumes are just a few of our dynamic and exciting programming genres. Come back every Monday for the week in details and be sure to see all our new shows coming to WETA UK in November.
Monday start watching Chef! from the very beginning as we air episode 1 of series 1 tonight at 7:30pm! Meet Britain's most talented - and most ill-tempered - chef. Gareth Blackstock, chef at the prestigious restaurant Le Chateau Anglais, takes great pains to set the most exacting standards for his kitchen staff, but they show their gratitude by bending or breaking the rules whenever they can. Although every single one of Gareth's meals is a masterpiece, some customers still have the nerve to ask for salt. His beautiful wife, Janice, lacks Gareth's enthusiasm; bored being a neglected housewife she'd rather go back to her high-powered job in finance. Gareth dreams of being head chef and proprietor of his own restaurant, but a few obstacles - like no money - stand in his way. With Janice's patient help, he overcomes the bank manager's doubts and qualifies for a loan. Suddenly, ownership brings exposure to the harsh realities of restaurant management... Check out our downloadable and printable WETA UK CHEF! SERIES 1 EPISODE GUIDE!
Tuesday take a journey into a historic British estate filled with one man’s treasures from his many adventures on Country House Revealed: Clandeboye House at 8:00pm. Clandeboye House and estate is incredible and surprisingly little has changed since owner Lord Dufferin died in 1902. The house is overflowing with relics from the empire and Dufferin's aristocratic ventures - stuffed baby bears, Egyptian monuments, tiger skins and weaponry from India, Canada and Burma to mention just a few.
Tuesday at 11:00pm catch the launch of series 6 Are You Being Served?
Wednesday Inspector Morse begins a new adventure with Promised Land part 1 of 2. Morse and Lewis go to Australia in search of a witness who has been in witness protection for ten years, but this is one witness who really doesn't want to be found.
Thursday at 7:00pm series 15 Last of the Summer Wine begins! Get in on the laughs, no need to have watched from series 1, start anytime!
Thursday live the high life with David Attenborough’s Life of Mammals: Life in the Trees at 8:00pm. These mammals have adapted to a life at height. Since one third of the world's surface is still covered by forest, animals such as the hyrax, tamanduas, and flying squirrel have developed skills to thrive in these high up conditions.
Friday the doctor prescribes laughter! Beginning at 9:00am, watch all the best British comedies on our Friday Comedy Block! Here’s the line up!
Sunday catch the second to last episode of Primeval at 9:00pm. Still reeling from Stephen's death and with the depth of Helen's betrayal now revealed, Nick Cutter must fight to re-focus his embattled team. Cutter's crew are joined by some new recruits in the form of maverick policeman Danny Quinn, sparky Egyptologist Sarah Page, and the new leader of the ARC's security forces Captain Becker. But as the anomalies continue to present an unrelenting series of threats, the task in hand seems almost insurmountable. It's not just deadly creatures the team has to contend with, they also face a threat to the future of not just the ARC but of mankind itself.
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. 
to some of the oldest remains of early life known to Earth. Awakening, part one, starts in Western Australia where scientists take a look at how the planet was transformed. NOVA and host Richard Smith take us on a journey through the Land Down Under where we get acquainted with a bacterial slime that inhabited the continent and could be one of the earliest life forms known to the planet.
traveled from the ocean floor to dry land. Ancient fossils unveil how these prehistoric animals took over a once lifeless land and brought it alive. Armor-plated fish and invading arthropods were just a few of the unusual ocean dwellers that journeyed to the shorelines in order to help change the face of the Earth. But not all creatures can live peacefully together. Watch 
creatures to roam the planet. In episode three, Monsters, Richard Smith brings viewers up-close and personal with some of these prehistoric creatures in order to reveal why they were considered the monsters of their time. Kronosaurus was an aquatic creature that received its name from the greek god Kronos and had a skull twice as long as the Tyrannosaurus Rex, making it a top predator. Scientists also reveal that these ancient reptiles were in fact not alone; mammals such as the duckbilled platypus shared the land as well. 
Australia. Smith reveals the last 65 million years that formed the Land Down Under into the lone but wildlife filled continent it is today. Before humans and the formation of the Great Barrier Reef, strange creatures such as giant kangaroos, massive koalas and oversized wombats once roamed the land. With their dominant size, these large marsupials truly exemplify the origin of Australia. Watch 
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.
on the Earth, 4,000 species which have outlived the dinosaurs and conquered the farthest places on earth all in the same biological class as humans. Repeats Tuesdays at 4:00pm
forces driving the value of its tusks to levels once reserved for gold. This groundbreaking National Geographic special goes undercover to expose the criminal network behind ivory’s supply and demand
breaking the rules whenever they can. Although every single one of Gareth's meals is a masterpiece, some customers still have the nerve to ask for salt. His beautiful wife, Janice, lacks Gareth's enthusiasm; bored being a neglected housewife she'd rather go back to her high-powered job in finance. Gareth dreams of being head chef and proprietor of his own restaurant, but a few obstacles - like no money - stand in his way. With Janice's patient help, he overcomes the bank manager's doubts and qualifies for a loan. Suddenly, ownership brings exposure to the harsh realities of restaurant management... 
