Wildlife Specials

Overview

The BBC Wildlife Specials are a series of nature documentary programmes commissioned by BBC Television. The Wildlife Specials began with a pilot episode in 1995. 20 programmes have been made to date, with three of the recent ones being in multi parts. The earlier programmes were produced in-house by the BBC's specialist Natural History Unit, but the more recent Spy in the... titles were made by the independent John Downer Productions. The first 18 programmes, up to 2008, were narrated by David Attenborough. The most recent two were narrated by David Tennant.

"The world's leading natural history filmmakers meet the world's most charismatic animals"

— BBC tagline

Episodes

Great White Shark: The True Story of Jaws

S01E01 Great White Shark: The True Story of Jaws

April 14, 1995 50 min

The first title from the exciting series made up from the BBC's natural history output. Just the sight of a shark's fin breaking the surface spells terror, but is this Hollywood-delivered image fair? Underwater filming...

Polar Bear: The Arctic Warrior

S01E02 Polar Bear: The Arctic Warrior

November 26, 1997 50 min

The great white bear of the arctic - includes a film first of polar bears hunting underwater and life inside their dens.

S01E03 Crocodile: The Smiling Predator

December 3, 1997 50 min

Only now, by exploring their complete world, above and below water, by day and night, can we fully appreciate how sophisticated crocodiles are.

S01E04 Leopard: The Agent of Darkness

December 10, 1997 50 min

This episode ventures into the night, and follows the lives of two leopards in Zambia's Luangwa Valley, to reveal the night-time secrets of the cat that walks on its own.

S01E05 Eagle: The Master of the Skies

December 17, 1997 50 min

Few birds have captured the human imagination as deeply as the eagle and in this remarkable film, aerial photography captures the dramatic life of eagles as never seen before.

S01E06 Humpback Whale: The Giant of the Oceans

December 24, 1997 50 min

From the Arctic to the Antarctic, amazing underwater footage reveals for the first time the successful hunting and spectacular social behaviour of the world's largest predator.

S01E07 Wolf: The Legendary Outlaw

December 31, 1997 50 min

The definitive story of this much-maligned animal - filmed in habitats ranging from the high Arctic to the hill farms of Europe and monsoon-sodden India.

S01E08 Tiger: The Elusive Princess

April 4, 1999 50 min

After 25 years of the Project Tiger Scheme operating in the Madhya Pradesh, these magnificent animals have become more trusting, permitting an extraordinary intimate film which follows them from sunrise to sunset, in monsoon rains...

S01E09 Lions: Spy in the Den

December 3, 2000 50 min

Edited from more than 3000 hours of footage, this documentary uses a remote camera disguised as a rock to observe cubs growing up into adult lions. It features their futile attempts to climb trees, the...

Grizzly: Face to Face

S01E10 Grizzly: Face to Face

April 8, 2001 50 min

Grizzly - a powerful predator and an animal to fear. But not for Jeff Turner, a Canadian photographer who has spent fifteen years getting face to face with bears. In this film he uses his...

S01E11 Gorillas: On the Trail of King Kong

February 3, 2002 50 min

Over a century ago, the first explorers in the Congo forests sent back terrifying accounts of an aggressive ape, "half man, half beast," which inspired the myth of King Kong. Ever since then, we have...

Serpent: Through the Eyes of the Snake

S01E12 Serpent: Through the Eyes of the Snake

April 10, 2002 50 min

One of the most successful species on earth is also one of the least documented. Miniaturised cameras reveal the snakes' world for the first time from their point of view. Head-mounted cameras capture gripping images...

Killer Whale

S01E13 Killer Whale

April 9, 2003 50 min

Elephants: Spy in the Herd

S01E14 Elephants: Spy in the Herd

July 20, 2003 50 min

Elephants: Spy In The Herd provides the most intimate portrayal of the everyday life of an elephant herd. Narrated by David Attenborough and filmed over a year, throughout the program the elephant herd exhibits many...

Smart Sharks: Swimming With Roboshark

S01E15 Smart Sharks: Swimming With Roboshark

August 3, 2003 50 min

Attempts at charting shark behaviour using a 6ft, lifelike animatronic robot, complete with on-board camera and pre-programmed swimming patterns. In the waters around Bikini Atoll the creation is able to mingle safely with man-eating reef...

S01E16 Bears: Spy in the Woods

November 30, 2004 50 min

Sir David Attenborough narrates this look at bears from across the globe through the use of spycams, camoflaged in a variety of disguises from logs, boulders, fish and dustbins.

S01E17 Trek: Spy on the Wildebeest part 1

January 14, 2007 50 min

"The Journey" - A wildebeest calf makes spectacular year-long journey, an arduous 3,000km round trip across Tanzania's Serengeti and Kenya's Masai Mara. Filmed using Dungcam, Bouldercam, Croccam, Skullcam, Tortoisecam and other spycams. (Part one of...

S01E18 Trek: Spy on the Wildebeest part 2

January 21, 2007 50 min

"The Crossing" - A wildebeest calf makes spectacular year-long journey, an arduous 3,000km round trip across Tanzania's Serengeti and Kenya's Masai Mara. In part two, the migration reaches the Masai Mara where, for the calf,...

S01E19 Tiger: Spy in the Jungle part 1

March 30, 2008 50 min

Elephants carrying Trunkcam, Tuskcam and other spy cameras tell the story of four cubs growing up in the Indian jungle. In the first programme, the elephants come upon the four 10-day-old tiger cubs. This is...

S01E20 Tiger: Spy in the Jungle part 2

April 6, 2008 50 min

The cubs are now half-grown and very playful, learning the skills they'll need as adults.

S01E21 Tiger: Spy in the Jungle part 3

April 13, 2008 50 min

The cubs are now a year-and-a-half old and learning to hunt for themselves.

S01E22 Polar Bear: Spy on the Ice part 1

December 29, 2010 50 min

Part 1 of this fantastic documentary. Spycams sneak within a paw’s swipe of the world’s largest land predators – Polar bears. Polar Bear Spy on the Ice gets closer than ever before to these charismatic...

S01E23 Polar Bear: Spy on the Ice part 2

December 29, 2010 50 min

Part 2 of this fantastic documentary. Spycams sneak within a paw’s swipe of the world’s largest land predators – Polar bears. Polar Bear Spy on the Ice gets closer than ever before to these charismatic...

S01E24 Penguins: Spy in the Huddle part 1

February 11, 2013 50 min

"The Journey" - Emperor penguins cross a treacherous frozen sea to reach their breeding grounds.

S01E25 Penguins: Spy in the Huddle part 2

February 18, 2013 50 min

"First Steps" - Newborn penguins are caught taking their first unsteady steps.

S01E26 Penguins: Spy in the Huddle part 3

February 25, 2013 50 min

"Growing Up" - As the chicks become increasingly independent, their parents continue to protect them.

Dolphins - Spy in the Pod (1)

S01E27 Dolphins - Spy in the Pod (1)

January 2, 2014 50 min

The award-winning team behind Penguins - Spy in the Huddle use hidden cameras to go into the heart of the dolphins' world, offering the chance to encounter dolphins up-close. The camera eyes of thirteen different...

S01E28 Dolphins - Spy in the Pod (2)

January 9, 2014 50 min

Remote-controlled Spy Creatures reveal dolphins as never before. Meet the orca, king of the dolphins, and discover the intimacy of its remarkable family life. Find dolphins that wear sponges on their noses, and race with...

Attenborough's Paradise Birds

S01E29 Attenborough's Paradise Birds

January 29, 2015 50 min

Sir David Attenborough's new documentary traces his lifelong passion for birds of paradise. For five centuries "birds from paradise" have captivated explorers, naturalists, artists, film-makers and even royalty. They are also one of David Attenborough's...

Kea - The Smartest Parrot

S01E30 Kea - The Smartest Parrot

January 1, 2004 50 min

Nature Documentary hosted by David Attenborough and published by BBC broadcasted as part of BBC Wildlife series in 2004

Cast

David Attenborough

David Attenborough

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