Wild America

- Season 8

(1990)

If you walk through a forest anywhere in North America, you're likely to hear the scolding chatter of a tree Squirrel. These lively creatures are among our most popular and visible wild animals. We watch Squirrels, in city parks or in our backyards, collecting nuts and acorns to store for the Winter. But how much do we really know about their life in the wild? From the tiny Red Squirrel to the handsome husky Fox Squirrel, these tree-top acrobats come in a wide range of sizes and colors. Let's take a look at the unusual and often unseen behavior of these "BUSHYTAILS."

As a child, some of my favorite storybook characters were Rabbits - Peter Cottontail, Uncle Wiggly, and most of all, Br'er Rabbit. After all, who can resist an animal with soft fur, bright eyes, and cute little ears? The Cottontail is perhaps the most prominent character in American folklore, but bedtime stories hardly reflect the daily struggle for survival of real life Rabbits. In addition to a host of wild predators, Rabbits must also face human hunters. Yet, despite so many dangers, there's rarely a short supply of "COTTONTAILS AND KIN."

Since ancient times, the faithful, home-loving Dove has been a universal sign of peace. The billing and cooing of a courting pair suggests true love. This program examines the intimate lives of our six wild and three domestic species of Pigeons and Doves: their displays, courtship, family life and migration -- as well as the irony that these graceful Birds are the most hunted on earth.

Symbols of noble power and unsurpassed freedom --Falcons, Hawks and Eagles still arouse in us a centuries-old mystique. From the tiny Shrike to the majestic Eagle, they come in all sizes, populate every habitat and are each specifically designed for the prey they hunt. Some of the most impressive animals on earth are these expert, legendary hunters -- aristocrats of the air.

Among our least known, and yet most intriguing, Mammals are the Weasels. They are probably the most beneficial of our predators, and they are definitely the quickest -- their movements being almost too fast to follow. Audacity is the most appropriate word for these deadly little carnivores. A three-inch-high Weasel will actually attack a man who attempts to block it from its captured prey!

The many members of the Weasel Family are known for their luxurious fur and for their often-aggressive dispositions. While the Sea and River Otters are highly playful, the Wolverine, Badger and Mink are fierce hunters which rarely back down and run. This unique family also includes smelly Skunks, arboreal Marten and Fisher, and rare Black-footed Ferret.

From fern-filled rain forests to towering, glaciered peaks, the lush beauty of our Pacific Northwest has many levels. Starting on a wave-beaten shore, Marty Stouffer leads us upward through the life zones of Washington's Olympic National Park, where we meet the wealth of wildlife. Roosevelt Elk, Black-tailed Deer and Mountain Beaver enrich this unique wilderness sanctuary.

With ravaged rocks and grotesque patterns of erosion, South Dakota's Badlands National Park looks as empty and desolate as the back side of the moon. But interspersed among its spires and castles are rich grasslands and lush gullies which provide for sizeable populations of large grazing and small burrowing animals. Birdlife is abundant and Mammals range from Bison to Badger.

One of America's loveliest National Parks is at its most spectacular when Dogwood and Rhododendron burst into bloom. We witness this special season of change and beauty, and learn Nature's secrets of precise timing, as the forested Virginia hillsides unfold. From flowering forest floor to greening treetop, we see a complex interaction of a myriad of living things.

If you can't go to see all the wildlife you'd like, then maybe you can attract more of it to your own backyard or window sill. It's easier than you think. Creating habitat for wildlife also enhances the beauty and value of your entire neighborhood. This program outlines easy steps to provide food and shelter for a variety of Birds, Mammals and other fascinating creatures.