Darwin's Amazing Animals

The Tsugaru Plain in Japan's Aomori Prefecture is the top apple producing region in the country. But a menace threatens these succulent treats. Voles wreak havoc by gnawing at and destroying the trees. In response, farmers have begun building "owl houses" to attract the pesky rodent's natural predator. Our cameras capture the night hunter in action both in the orchards and in their man-made nests raising their adorable young. "Owl" is well with this win-win, far-sighted fruit-bearing tie-up!

When Stump-Tailed Macaques run amok, it's not the adults who restore order. It's the infants! These bundles of cuteness can pacify even the most ferocious male! With their fuzzy white fur and rambunctious nature, they are the darlings of the troop ... for the first 6 months. As they gradually turn brown, however, the roles and responsibilities of troop membership are harshly thrust upon them. They then learn an array of shared affiliative behaviors that solidify their standing in the group.

Roaming a remote plateau on the island of Sardinia, Giara horses have been at the mercy of man and nature since arriving here 2,500 years ago. They were originally brought over from Africa as farm animals but later released into the wild to fend for themselves. The horses form small herds based on family ties, while the male "father figure" battles all bachelors with designs on his harem. Now, the worst drought in 50 years threatens their very survival. Can they rise to the challenge?

Japan's smallest hawk has become a regular sight around Tokyo. But city life isn't any easier than the sparrowhawk's native mountain habitat. Raising young is difficult in any environment. New threats include feral cats and the capital's omnipresent crows. Man-made challenges also pose risks for this tiny raptor no bigger than a plastic bottle. We discover a nest full of chicks and follow their amazing fledging journey as they learn a necessary sparrowhawk hunting tactic: catching prey mid-air!

Strange creatures scampering on the train tracks! Tiny critters taking over the sidewalk! Who you gonna call? The Tokyo Wildlife Survey Team, of course! With the help of viewers, we've organized a special squad tasked with investigating interesting phenomena in spring in Japan's capital. The adventure takes us to the drainage system surrounding a junior high school; the skies over the posh Ginza district; even a resident's suburban backyard! There's plenty of wildlife hiding in plain sight!

Night stalkers! Shell carpets! Creepy bugs! Is the city safe? With the help of viewers, the Tokyo Wildlife Survey Team is on a mission to investigate interesting phenomena in summer in Japan's capital. The adventure begins at dusk at a river running through the heart of the city; a residential area near a tidal flat; even the country's iconic cherry blossom trees, with insect "shells" on the trunks! And so many small holes all over the ground! There's plenty of wildlife hiding in plain sight!

What could be more adorable than watching kittens at play? A cub scouting trip in the African savanna reveals unexpected kindness and strong relationships in a lion pride burgeoning with new members. Grandmothers are called upon to cub-sit. Alpha males known for their fierce demeanor are actually doting dads, clearing ample space at the "prey table" for the very young. Even juveniles help out ... except when it comes to nursing time. Then it's every cub for itself, no matter whose mother it is!

Rumors of a "superpod" of orcas, or killer whales, numerous in number, lure the Darwin team to the Shiretoko Peninsula in Japan's extreme north. But much lies below the surface out of view, forcing us to employ a range of tools to monitor these amazing creatures that can reach 10 meters in length and weigh 10 tons. We soon discover what makes these seas so attractive: a smorgasbord of marine life preferred by orcas. But "speed dating"? There they are, lined up in a row. Highly "orca-started"!

The "Blooming of the Tisza" is a grand spectacle that appears like countless blossoms covering the Tisza River's surface, along with a shower of swirling petals. Sound romantic? Here's a little secret: those "flowers" and "petals" are actually millions of bugs! The long-tailed mayfly, Europe's biggest mayfly, reaches about 13 centimeters in its brief adult stage. Threats abound in and out of the water, yet it spends those precious few hours in a furious quest to mate, with surprising results.

The adorably fat and fluffy Pallas's cat keeps "in-steppe" with Mongolia's -30 degrees Celsius winters and 40 degrees Celsius summers. But don't try to get too close; this feisty feline has a snarl as scary as its bite, as the Darwin team will tell you! Its hunting technique, however, remains very much shrouded in mystery. It keeps a "steppe ahead" of its prey by luring voles with an amazing hypnotic tail-flicking trick! And what "cat-umentary" would be complete without plenty of cute, cuddly and equally feisty kittens!

Reaching 1.5 meters in length, the Japanese giant salamander will need more than its size to battle daunting odds. Environmental degradation and loss of habitat have led to a decline in these "living fossils" that have remained relatively unchanged in 170 million years. After heavy rains caused massive damage to one region's towns and rivers, a team of experts, assisted by local schoolchildren, launches a project to locate and return their amphibian neighbors that have been washed downstream.

The male Lawe's Parotia could make any ballerina blush. That ultra-black tuxedo-like plumage is known to absorb 99% of light, making him the blackest bird on earth. His courtship dance starts with a bow; the feathers extend into a tutu-like skirt while dancing on the tips of his toes. Ducking his black head onto iridescent breast feathers produces an eerie "smiley face." The performance ends with a rhythmic shaking of the head from side to side. But the finicky female may still peck and reject!

Dirty scavenger? Laughing opportunist? Oh, that's all a misunderstanding! The hyena clan is a marvel to behold. School starts early: just a few weeks after birth. The young are introduced to a strict matriarchal hierarchy where dissent is rare and males hardly register. Teamwork is an important subject for patrolling borders and stalking prey. But those first at the kill scene best get their fill before the clan's alpha female arrives. She eats uncontested. Her role? Simply producing offspring.