Nature’s Most Amazing Events

Sir David Attenborough’s introduction to each episode establishes the theme of this nature series: The power of the sun drives the seasons, transforming our planet.Vast movements of ocean and air currents bring dramatic change throughout the year. And in a few special places, these seasonal changes create some of the greatest wildlife spectacles on Earth. A BBC/Discovery Channel co-production, Nature’s Most Amazing Events is an extraordinary nature documentary and a worthy follow-up to the landmark Planet Earth: The Complete Series. Each 50-minute episode centers on a seasonal event in a particular region. Attenborough’s authoritative narration explains the elements that contribute to these spectacles of nature while breathtaking cinematography observes the amazing behavior of the various animals.

1. The Great Melt
The sun reappears after three months of darkness and the Arctic sees summer again. The frozen ocean surface begins to break up allowing whales to navigate the treacherous ice flows. On rocky cliffs, sea birds raise their young hatchlings while various predators come out of hiding on land. Meanwhile, polar bears, the expert hunters of the frozen landscape, find themselves at a disadvantage as their territory shrinks in the warmer weather.
2. The Great Salmon Run
The western coastline of North America is spotlighted as this episode traces the 3,000-mile journey of different species of salmon intent on returning to their spawning grounds. Along the way, numerous predatory species depend on the salmon for a much needed meal.
3. The Great Migration
In an eastern corner of the Serengeti in Africa, the greatest concentration of grazing animals in the world goes on an annual migration in search of grasslands. Territorial predators like the lion must cope when their abundant food source marches away.
4. The Great Tide
The seasonal shift pushes cold water north along the eastern coast of Africa carrying dense shoals of sardines with it. The greatest concentration of predators on the planet converges for a chance to gorge on the immense supply of fish.
5. The Great Flood
In southern Africa, animals trek across the Kalahari desert to the Okavango. If conditions are right, floodwaters will bring lush life to the dry landscape and provide relief to the thirsty and starving animals.
6. The Great Feast
Dinner is served in the North Pacific waters along the coastlines of Alaska and British Columbia. Sunlight stimulates the growth of phytoplankton, which attract small fish, which in turn attract bigger fish and other predators.