Television Review: Champions of the Wild
What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that here, as in most animal shows,
mating practices and reproductive habits will be discussed,
some of which can be disturbing -- like the wild dogs who kill
the pups of lesser females. Hunting, both by the animals and by
humans, also comes up frequently, especially if hunting has
contributed to endangering the species in question.
Families can talk about the animals' social habits. Would the
wild dogs be able to survive on their own, or do they need the
pack? Why do bears prefer to be on their own? Families can also
discuss the factors that led to the animal in question becoming
endangered. What can we do to help these creatures? Is there
anything your family can do differently?
CHAMPIONS OF THE WILD follows animal biologists who work with endangered species, from chimpanzees and wild dogs to elk and elephants. Each episode features a different scientist and follows the same format. In the first half, the species' social behavior is discussed, while the second half deals with how the animals have become endangered and what the biologist is doing to save them.
This is classic nature programming, without any particular twists to hold young, media-savvy viewers. The narrator is omniscient, omnipresent, and uninvolved, creating a sense of detachment from the animals and the scientists. The discussions of animal behavior are always interesting, but they're no different from the norm.
Real fans of nature programming or children who are already interested in the animals being profiled will like Champions of the Wild, but younger viewers -- and most kids in general -- are likely to prefer nature programming that reaches them more directly.
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