Original Air Date: May 3, 2014
There are very few places that we think of as more inhospitable than a hot humid tropical forest, but they are incredibly intriguing, especially this one. This forest is not only diverse but you can see animals such as ocellated turkeys, spider monkeys, Yucatan black howlers and a diversity of tropical birds much easier than you can in much of the remaining forest in Central America. Join Patrick as he explores the Mayan Forest of Belize.
Original Air Date: May 10, 2014
Belize is the smallest country in Central America both in size and population. Nearly 75% of the forests here still stand. 1200 years ago there may have been over 3 million people in Belize; today there are only slightly over 300,000. The wildlife managed to survive and many of the species have a seldom noticed connection to man. Even species we enjoy here in the U.S. — like neotropical migrant songbirds — depend on what happens in Belize. Join Patrick as he explores Central America’s last best chance, Belize, a land of resilience.
Episode 3. Cape Romain - Threatened by ChangeOriginal Air Date: May 17, 2014
This is a very special bit of land, it is a destination for millions…of visiting animals! Dolphins, sea turtles, seabirds, shorebirds, even piping plovers, curlew and red knots use this place. Most stay for part of the year and then move on to other lands, but without this place of refuge they may not survive. Join Patrick as he explores Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge a safe harbor for visitors and a land that despite being protected is increasingly threatened by change.
Episode 4. The Quest for the IvorybillOriginal Air Date: December 26, 2010
The Ivory-billed Woodpecker is a legend in the Southern swamps, but for years it was thought to be only that. Recently, however, a small glimmer of hope still remains as evidence has emerged to suggest that the largest woodpecker in North America might sill haunt the floodplain forests of the south. Where might these birds still reside, and what are researchers doing to find them? Join Patrick as he explores the bottomland forests of the southeastern United States in a quest to rediscover the Ivory-billed Woodpecker.
Episode 5. Bison - Return of a True AmericanOriginal Air Date: May 27, 2014
When you think about the prairie you probably at least indirectly think about grazing. If you think about cattle or cowboys, you’re thinking about grazing. The ecology of America's Great Plains originally developed around a native grazer. The web of life here revolves around the biology of Bison. Join Patrick as he seeks to find out if there is a place for this true American on the plains in the 21st century.
Original Air Date: January 17, 2012
Is it possible to enjoy a steak and at the same time heal the weary Great Plains? You might be shocked to find out that ranchers today must break the law to conserve the prairie on their own property. Join Patrick as he visits a ranch in western Kansas where a landowner is fighting to keep his prairie dogs, without which black-footed ferrets, burrowing owls, ferruginous hawks, mountain plovers and swift foxes might soon disappear. There is a silent war brewing on the Great Plains where tradition and politics are pitted against the survival of the prairie.
Episode 7. Grandfather Mountain - Island in the SkyOriginal Air Date: June 14, 2014
The lofty peaks of the Blue Ridge rise like islands in the sky. They provide unique habitats that act as ecological islands generating diversity and preserving fragments of the past. No peak has a more prominent position or poignant story than this one. Join Patrick as he takes a unique look at a very familiar place, Grandfather Mountain.
Episode 8. The ACE Basin Part 1: A Coastal TreasureOriginal Air Date: October 10, 2010
During a time when development reigns supreme in the southeast, few places still exist where wild areas are conserved intact. With over 350,000 acres of protected land, the ACE Basin estuarine system in the South Carolina lowcountry offers one of the best and largest pieces of protected land on the Atlantic coast. A unique management plan has allowed for this huge protected area. On today's Expedition we visit with some of the people that are helping preserve not only the land, but the species that depend on it for survival. Join Patrick and guest Matt Johnson as they travel to the seaside habitats along our coastline for a visit in the magnificent ACE Basin.
Episode 9. The ACE Basin Part 2: A Conservation MiracleOriginal Air Date: October 17, 2010
What happens when large pieces of land are conserved? Amazingly enough, what we find is a congregation of some of the rarest plants and animals seen anywhere. Large, intact sections of protected habitat bring common and seldom-seen organisms alike, and many depend on this area for some or all of the year. Long-distance migrants, beautiful songbirds and even the ubiquitous and often less-revered creatures all need this habitat to survive. We, in turn, are afforded an excellent opportunity to see not only the organisms that we know well, but also those that occur nowhere else in our area. Join Patrick and Matt Johnson as they continue to visit the beautiful coastal properties of the ACE Basin.
Episode 10. The Florida Scrub - Islands in TimeOriginal Air Date: July 4, 2014
Join Patrick as he explores the Florida Scrub, one of the most unique and endangered habitats in North America. It is a place filled with bizarre plants and animals found nowhere else, some of which look as though they come straight from science fiction. As we learn about each species’ engaging stories, the history of Florida itself emerges. The pressures of man have all but erased this precious habitat — but hope remains for the Florida Scrub.
Episode 11. Can We Save the Florida Scrub?Original Air Date: July 12, 2014
One of the most unique and fascinating places on the planet is also one of the most endangered. Rare plants with captivating flowers, giant Indigo Snakes, burrowing tortoises and brilliant scrub jays all depend on these fragments of scrub that remain. Join Patrick as he explores whether a collaboration of science and will can save the scrub.
Episode 12. The Hidden Side of Table RockOriginal Air Date: April 4, 2010
Table Rock is one of the most recognizable and most visited landmarks in the southern Blue Ridge Mountains. The rugged cliffs here would seem to expose most of the nature of this place, but if you’re willing to venture a little farther afield on trails that are less traveled, you’ll find out there is a lot more here meets the eye. Join Patrick as he traverses rock outcrops in search of 10,000 year old Native American petroglyphs, explores one of the world’s most unique wetlands, a cataract fen, and discovers the surprising life hidden in the recesses of the mountain’s craggy rock.
Episode 13. Hummingbirds - Life in Fast-forward!Original Air Date: July 26, 2014
Few creatures capture our attention and admiration more than hummingbirds. These miniature jeweled treasures move at mind-boggling speeds, but also have the power to shape and change our world. Join Patrick as he explores the lives and biology of these creatures using high-tech methods to uncover the secret lives of these little birds that live life in fast-forward.
Please check local listings for broadcast schedule.