The life and the career of John Muir come to life through this inspiring and beautiful documentary set against the magnificent landscapes of the American West. The Scottish-born naturalist was one of the first nature preservationists in American history, inspiring others through his writing and his advocacy to keep the wilderness wild. Shot in high definition in the spectacular landscapes that shaped Muir - and were, in turn, shaped by his devotion.
John Muir
John Muir
How did humanity's earliest ancestors evolve into one of the most successful species on Earth? An extraordinary journey tracing the footsteps of early hominids. Using the latest paleoanthropological findings mixed with the latest CGI from Square Enix, this story is finally told.
The year 2017 was marked by several major Atlantic hurricanes (including Harvey, Irma and Maria), flooding in South America and a serious earthquake in Mexico. In Europe, deadly forest fires struck Portugal. Madagascar was flattened by a Category 4 typhoon that wiped out the country’s infrastructure. The financial costs are unprecedented with billions of dollars of damage. Thanks to spectacular footage filmed at the heart of the action, this film shows a selection of the most notable natural disasters to strike this year. Expert analysis and photo-realistic animation allow the audience to understand the forces at work behind these catastrophes.
"Africa Light" - as white local citizens call Namibia. The name suggests romance, the beauty of nature and promises a life without any problems in a country where the difference between rich and poor could hardly be greater. Namibia does not give that impression of it. If you look at its surface it seems like Africa in its most innocent and civilized form. It is a country that is so inviting to dream by its spectacular landscape, stunning scenery and fascinating wildlife. It has a very strong tourism structure and the government gets a lot of money with its magical attraction. But despite its grandiose splendor it is an endless gray zone as well. It oscillates between tradition and modernity, between the cattle in the country and the slums in the city. It shuttles from colonial times, land property reform to minimum wage for everyone. It fluctuates between socialism and cold calculated market economy.
Through a collage of spaces and times, the interventions and interferences of nature and human beings in the south of Brazil reveals themselves... or try to hide.
There's a gang war happening in the Luangwa Valley in Zambia, a battle among hippos for territory, dominance, mating rights, and survival. The reason? Dry season: a seven-month drought that forces over 30,000 hippos to the deepest part of the river to stay wet and cool. Follow these three-ton beasts as they fight lions, crocodiles, and other hippo gangs, struggling to stay alive until the next rainfall. Only then can they return to the lush paradise they once called home
We take our features, our noses, eyes, and ears for granted, but they are pretty weird things until you look at the nose of a tapir or desman, the eyes of a cuttlefish or chameleon, or the ears of a seal or elephant. There is an almost endless variety of designs, and some are downright odd!
In this retrospective tribute, acclaimed filmmaker Jean Walkinshaw hails the 100th anniversary of Mount Rainier National Park in Washington by talking to those who know it best: the scientists, naturalists, mountain climbers and artists whose lives have been touched by the peak's far-reaching shadow. The result is a harmonious blend of archival material and high-definition footage celebrating an icon of the Pacific Northwest.
Follow the Manhattan-based Beavan family as they abandon their high consumption 5th Avenue lifestyle and try to live a year while making no net environmental impact.
Sangduen Chailert, or Lek, as she is generally known, has already rescued over 200 elephants. She has dedicated her life to saving the Asian elephant and founded a special camp, The Elephant Nature Park to protect them. We follow this winner of Time Magazine’s “Asian Hero of the Year” Award in her work. Lek is on a mission to save the Asian elephant in her native Thailand. This film looks at the plight of the Asian elephant, as it goes from being a widely used domestic animal, to becoming a burden on modernizing communities. With experts predicting its extinction within four decades, Lek’s work is needed now more than ever and she has gathered a large group of supporters and volunteers in her quest for a better future for the Asian elephant. This moving film demonstrates Lek’s natural understanding of and rapport with these huge animals and will stir the viewers emotions as it highlights the often desperate state some elephants are kept in.
Although the mountain volcano Mauna Kea last erupted around 4,000 years ago, it is still hot today, the center of a burning controversy over whether its summit should be used for astronomical observatories or preserved as a cultural landscape sacred to the Hawaiian people. For five years the documentary production team Nā Maka o ka 'Āina ("the eyes of the land") captured on video the seasonal moods of Mauna Kea's unique 14,000-foot summit, the richly varied ecosystems that extend from sea level to alpine zone, the legends and stories that reveal the mountain's geologic and cultural history, and the political turbulence surrounding the efforts to protect the most significant temple in the islands: the mountain itself.
Cuba's enforced isolation has resulted in the unlikeliest of marine reserves: a huge, rambling archipelago known as Jardines de la Reina, or "Gardens of the Queen." Stretching around 140 miles along the southern coast of Cuba, it's one of the longest barrier reef systems in the world. Get an up-close look at Fidel Castro's diving playground, a forgotten ocean paradise unseen for half a century, and witness exotic species rarely seen elsewhere in the region. It's the lost jewel of the Caribbean, but how long can this pristine wilderness survive?
Welcome to Yellowstone, America's oldest and largest national park. Lose yourself in the majestic landscapes that serve as a giant natural laboratory, with over three million geysers, fifty species of mammals, and three hundred species of birds.
A look at the extraordinary abilities of squirrels, from the brainy fox squirrel to the acrobatic gray squirrel to the problem-solving ground squirrel.
Our love affair with dolphins began with 'Flipper' and ended in a multi-million dollar industry of abuse. From the dazzling sea shows where dolphins are driven to suicide, to an annual dolphin slaughter in a small cove in Japan, 'Saving Flipper' reveals the nightmare behind the dolphin's indelible smile.
The passage of time is spellbinding in this cinematic tour de force about the Wadden Sea. A film that inhales and exhales along with the tides as it explores the fragile relationship between man and nature.
This special feature showcases the intricacies of monitoring tigers in India and highlighting the positive impact on their global population.
Squirrels are among the most widely known and recognized mammals. In many parts of the world they gladly join us for our lunches in city parks, amaze us with their acrobatics and entertain our children as cartoons on TV. Squirrels live in an extraordinarily diverse range of habitats. Some can fly, some can swim, some live in trees or underground, others love icy wastelands or burning hot deserts. But don’t let their cuteness fool you! They may be small, but squirrels are one of the most successful species on the planet. And they have big families. This blue-chip documentary explores some of the most fascinating squirrel species and shows how they became so successful dealing with extreme environments and curious (human) neighbors. 'Going Nuts' unveils the enchanting world of one of the “most watched” mammals on the planet.
This film illustrates how a revolution in one of the most basic of all human enterprises – the making of maps – is shedding new light on our planet's evolution as global temperatures rise. This original MagellanTV documentary explores the dynamic processes causing glaciers in Greenland and Antarctica to melt, and shows how rising seas could threaten coastlines around the world.
The old spirit of the Yukon returns as Dawson City prepares for its Discovery Day celebrations. Witness a round of nostalgic scenes: a main street parade, refurbished saloons, the can-can. Time recedes as the film explores the hazardous mountain passes and the golden creek of Eldorado.