S01E01 All-American Animals
North America hosts a striking and varied panorama of wild creatures found nowhere else on earth. Some of them have ancient claims to being original citizens, while others are recent imports. All are fascinating and...
Wild America
S01E10: A Tale about Tails
Last but surely not least, tails are a vital and intriguing part of any creature's anatomy. Animal's tails come in a fascinating variety of shapes and sizes. Used as hands, rudders and shovels, their form and function are as varied as the creatures to which they are linked. This exciting tale takes us behind the beast as we examine one hundred and one different kinds of tails.
Overview
Wild America is a documentary television series that focuses on the wild animals and wild lands of North America. By the mid-1970s, Marty Stouffer had put together several full length documentaries. At this time, he approached the programming managers at Public Broadcasting Service about a half-hour-long wildlife show, the first to focus exclusively upon the flora and fauna of North America. PBS signed for the rights to broadcast Marty Stouffer's show Wild America in 1982. The show went on to become one of the most popular aired by PBS, renowned for its unflinching portrayal of nature, as well as its extensive use of film techniques such as slow motion and close-ups. Stouffer earned $135,000 per show from PBS.
The show's production ran from 1982 to 1994. The series is no longer on PBS; reruns still air in syndication on commercial television through much of the United States. In 1997, Warner Brothers released a full-length feature film entitled Wild America, which was based loosely on the biographical story of Marty Stouffer and his brothers, Mark and Marshall.
Episodes
S01E02 The Beauty of Butterflies
Few of Nature's creatures thrill us more than the short-lived Butterfly. During the warm spring and summer months, Butterflies multiply miraculously. Even so, some species live but a fortnight. We'll follow the Monarch's thousand-mile trek...
S01E03 The Eyes have It
Did you ever wonder why a predator's eyes are right in the front of its head, while its prey's eyes are on either side? How can an Insect have as many as 30,000 separate eyes?...
S01E04 Family Feud
Is there a peaceable kingdom? Not really. Wild animals have "sibling rivalries" just like humans. Ironically, related species compete more frequently, and more intensely, than do non-related species. These family conflicts can be fatal when...
S01E05 Mountain Monarchs
Alpine animals are truly the kings of survival. In order to survive in a severe and unpredictable habitat, all have adapted in special ways. A revealing time-lapse shows the development of Golden Eagle chicks. Also...
S01E06 Season of the Seals
The Pacific Coast's various species of Seals and Sea Lions spend most of their lives roaming the ocean, coming ashore only to give birth and to breed. To best utilize their time gathered on land,...
S01E07 Some Feet have Noses
Did you know that feet do much more than just move animals from place to place? They are fascinating in their wide diversity. Some feet can smell and some can even taste; a few feet...
S01E08 Swamp Bear - Part 1
In the eerie backwater bayous of southern Louisiana's Atchafalaya Basin, Marty Stouffer poles a traditional pirogue to track the South's largest animal, a honey-loving legend. Clues lead to a Bobcat, Alligator, Snapping Turtle, and other...
S01E09 Swamp Bear - Part 2
Continuing to search the wild heart of bayou country, Marty finds and follows more clues, meeting creatures both friendly and deadly, before locating the Bear's feeding ground: a pool of Catfish, a surprisingly tricky meal....
S01E10 A Tale about Tails
Last but surely not least, tails are a vital and intriguing part of any creature's anatomy. Animal's tails come in a fascinating variety of shapes and sizes. Used as hands, rudders and shovels, their form...
