Animal Atlas
Season 5
Animal Atlas travels the globe to meet every kind of animal imaginable, from the familiar to the astounding. We learn about the way they live, and the adaptations that allow them to survive and thrive in the wild.
Where to Watch Season 5
26 Episodes
- Animals 101E2
Animals 101A look at how the Animal Kingdom is divided up: those animals with a backbone, those without; animals who eat meat, those who eat only vegetation, those who eat both; animals with even numbers of toes and those with an odd number of toes; and other fascinating categories that illuminate what an animal looks like and who it’s related to. - The Biggest & the FastestE3
The Biggest & the FastestA closer look at the biggest animal in the world, the elephant, and the fastest animal in the world, the cheetah. How they live, and why they are so big and fast, respectively, along with other interesting animals who are either, or both, huge and speedy. - Animal Babies, TooE4
Animal Babies, TooA very close look at some remarkable animal babies: horse foals, kangaroo joeys, baby porcupines, wolf cubs, water buffalo calves, hawk chicks, baby owls, and ape infants. How childhood differs in the various species, how the young learn to be like the adults of their species. - The HerbivoresE5
The HerbivoresA journey into the world of animals that only eat vegetation which includes some of the biggest animals on the planet, such as elephants, hippos, and rhinos; the ruminants, or cud chewers, such as deer, antelopes, sheep and giraffes; not to mention those we wouldn’t think of as non-carnivores, gorillas and giant tortoises. - Water BirdsE6
Water BirdsA panoramic look at birds who are defined by the bodies of water where they live, including the expected ducks and geese, as well as shorebirds and wading birds, the long-legged waders such as flamingos and herons, as well as puffins and penguins. How they live as well as their physical adaptations to a life in or near the water. - Chow Down!E9
Chow Down!A fascinating look at how an animal’s diet determines not only where it lives but what it looks like and how it lives. From skull shape, to number and kinds of teeth, to the length of its neck and the shape and size of its tongue, to its familial relationships -- all these things are closely related to what an animal consumes. - The Wonderful World Of BearsE10
The Wonderful World Of BearsA visit to some of the eight kinds of the bears in the world: the giant panda, the polar bear, the black bear, the brown bear, the spectacled bear and the sun bear. How they differ from each other, what they have in common, and their interesting close relations, from the dog family to the pinnipeds. - Big Cats, Wild Cats, Kitty CatsE11
Big Cats, Wild Cats, Kitty CatsAn exploration into the world of cats of all description: wild (lions, tigers, mountain lions, leopards, jaguars, etc.) and domestic, both large and small. From feeding habits, to extraordinary senses, to social behavior, to their lives as predators. - Elephants Recall AllE12
Elephants Recall AllAn up close and personal look at the extraordinary elephant, both the Asian elephant and the African elephant, including the misconceptions, myths and facts surrounding this mighty pachyderm. A closer look at their trunks, ears, artistic endeavors and their reputation for having incredible memories. - Two Pandas: Just Bamboo, Thank You!E13
Two Pandas: Just Bamboo, Thank You!A closer look at two very rare and very beautiful animals from the remote forests of China: the giant panda and the red panda. What a “panda” actually is; how the pandas got their name; what these two have in common; what makes them very different; and the true story behind their shared passion for bamboo. - By Any Other NameE14
By Any Other NameA wild ride into the world of nomenclature: from how animals are categorized (kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species) to how they end up with their two-plus word scientific (Latin) name. What names mean; how names reflect more about an animal than anyone might ever guess; how an animal’s name can tell us more about our perception of the world than the truth of the animal itself. - Farm Livin’E15
Farm Livin’A journey into the world of domesticated animals: where they live, whether with us on our farms, ranches, or in our urban homes; which animals were the first to be domesticated; what is the difference between tame, domesticated and feral; what these animals have historically provided for us and how they have transformed our lives. - Mammals: Milk & HairE16
Mammals: Milk & HairA panoramic look at what makes a mammal a mammal (hair, mammary glands, warm-blooded) and why; including some unusual mammals: monotremes (egg-laying mammals); aquatic mammals (dolphins, whales, manatees); and what mammals have in common with other types of animals (fish, birds, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates). - The Wild Life: Living OutdoorsE17
The Wild Life: Living OutdoorsAn exploration into how animals live outdoors: how they survive temperature extremes, what kind of shelters they find and/or make, how they keep warm or stay cool, how fur and feathers can act as insulation, how rocky outcrops become fortresses and burrows become retreats, how fish manage to survive in a forever-wet world. - Something ExtraE18
Something ExtraA closer look at animals who have “something extra”, whether extrordinary senses or padding (ossicones, “warts”) or protuberances or teeth; animals who are defined by their extra something, like elephants and their trunks, rhinos and their horns, as well as animals who are defined by what they lack (apes and tails). - Who’s At The Aquarium?E25
Who’s At The Aquarium?A comparison of historic aquariums and modern aquariums: the differences, what they have in common. A panoramic look at animals that might be found in a public aquarium, from fish, to sharks, to dolphins and whales to giant arthropods and “monsters” of the deep. - How The Zoo Became The ZooE26
How The Zoo Became The ZooA fascinating look at how zoos come into being, how their histories shape more than just their settings, how to find the secrets of a zoo’s past. Two zoos: one which began as a 19th century traveling circus, another that rose from the fields and farmlands of a 19th century farm. The sentimental stories of Willie B., the lowland gorilla; and two elderly sisters who loved animals.