Wild America

- Season 3

(1983)

We all think of ourselves of as Americans, but what does that really mean? I'm part Norwegian, part Scotch Irish, and part Greek. But I was born here, and I would never want to live anywhere else, so I'm proud to call myself 'an American.' This land first belonged to the Indians, though, and to the wild creatures that roamed its forests, waters, and skies. The sight of a Bald Eagle gives many of us a feeling of pride in the strength and freedom of our country. But what makes a wild animal 'an American?' Some have ancient claims to being original citizens. Others ...

The fifteen species of Hummingbirds that nest north of Mexico are exquisitely beautiful in their multi-colored iridescence. All are unique to the New World. European explorers were astounded by these tiny, glittering birds that zipped up and down, backwards and sideways, with wings humming and blurred. Here they are seen as never before, and we savor every last little wingbeat.

Why is it that animals with unusual markings seem to hold special significance for us? We're fascinated by the Jaguar's spots, the Skunk's stripes, and the Raccoon's mask and Ringtailed. Maybe it's because these characteristic markings enable us to identify them easier and they even add an extra dimension to their personalities. Most of us recognize a Raccoon when we see one. And because of its strange markings most of us think of it as fun-loving, or even mischievous. But what about the Raccoon's relatives the nosy Coatimundi which looks like a stretched out version ...

Here in canyon country. Solitary, silent, and seemingly empty, these vast spaces are like the bare skeleton of Earth's long histories. This area was once covered by an ocean, now it's high and dry. Time seems to stand still. But this land of stone and sand can hardly be called dead. Rain falls, rivers rise and cut their way through rocky depths. Wind blows, eroding colorful stone into beautiful shapes. Seasons come and go and some of Earth's hardiest and yet most fragile plants and animals remain to give the canyons a sparse, serene, and strangely seductive life of ...

I'm here in northwest Montana, not far from the Bob Marshall Wilderness area. These mountains are the home of a legendary creature, the Wolverine. It's been called a ravenous monster and a supernatural being. It's been nicknamed "skunk bear," because it smells like a skunk, looks like a bear, and has the short temper of both. The Eskimos called it "evil one," and the white fur trappers hated it. But, can one animal really be all that bad? We've never really had the chance to find out.

A "Fish" is such a standard shape that we seldom think how ancient, yet how perfectly modern, is this superbly successful design. Here we see its most incredible variations, from the largest "living fossils" -- huge, prehistoric Alligator Gar -- to the smallest -- the dazzlingly colorful Darters. This underwater exploration leaves us marvelling at their adaptations.

From the first - and smallest - Refuge, created on Florida's 3-acre Pelican Island in 1902, to the 8,900,000 acres of Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, our Refuge system is unmatched by any in the world. In areas from Maine to Arizona, millions of pristine acres have been set aside for native wildlife. We explore these Refuges, as well as many of the creatures that inhabit them.

The slender, luxuriously-furred Fisher is misnamed -- it does not catch fish. Cat-sized members of the Weasel family, Fishers are rare, energetic and playful -- but out of place in anyone's home. This fun-loving story shows how an orphaned pair of these frisky predators were rescued by Marty Stouffer and adopted by his family. They grow up with Marty and Diane's daughter Hannah.

The growing Fishers need to learn how to survive on their own before they can be released into the forest. Marty takes them on regular trips into the mountains that will some day be their home -- each time they go deeper into the wilderness. But the curious Fishers would rather explore and meet new wild friends -- like a Black Bear, Skunk and Mule Deer -- than continue their education.

Even as a kid growing up in rural Arkansas, I was interested in photography. To me it was some sort of magic. Our parents encouraged us to take turns with the family equipment, but I have to admit that back then it was nothing very special. I started taking still photos for the family album with this old Brownie box camera. Next came home movies in 8 mm, in the backyard, and then in the nearby woods. Before I knew it, I was spending the summer in Alaska, and making a documentary about the wildlife. The 16 mm Arriflex equipment that I use today has come a long ways ...