Tales of Nature
This wildlife series looks at Europe's typical ecosystems - Atlantic coast, forests, farmland, mountains and Mediterranean sea bottoms.
- 2015-2015
- 1 season
This wildlife series looks at Europe's typical ecosystems - Atlantic coast, forests, farmland, mountains and Mediterranean sea bottoms.
Season 1 Episode Guide
10 Episodes
Episode 1
Forests in the Mist
53 mins
An immense forest covers 60% of the Vosges mountains, home to a wealth of plant and animal species: large mammals and microscopic insects live side by side beneath the tall trees. And both plants and animals are subject to the cycle of sunlight available through the dense foliage.
Episode 2
As the River Flows
52 mins
The Loire is one of Europe's last free-flowing rivers, one of the few whose banks have not been developed and confined by man. As the seasons change, its water level rises and falls and the morphology of the river-bed alters. How do plants and animals adjust to these variations?
Episode 3
Between Cliff-top and Ocean
54 mins
On the shores of Bretagne, breakers have been crashing onto the Atlantic coast for thousands of years. It is a mineral world of earth, rock and water, swept by raging winds. The cliffs there are a haven for flora and fauna, one of Europe's distinctive natural ecosystems.
Episode 4
In Beating Sun
54 mins
In Provence, the garrigues and steppes of the Mediterranean are home to some startlingly exotic wildlife. The sun reigns supreme here from spring until high summer, subjecting living things to ever hotter temperatures as the day progresses. How do plants and animals withstand the scorching heat?
Episode 5
Kingdom of the Birds
54 mins
The point where the English Channel meets the North Sea is a huge migratory hub. Numerous bird species come to this section of the west coast of Europe to rest, feed and bring up their young. For them, the flat, windswept landscape is paradise.
Episode 6
Land of a Thousand Lakes
54 mins
In the heart of Berry, France, both inland lakes and fens harbor a wide variety of birds and mammals. These mysterious, ancient landscapes are home to some highly unusual wildlife that inhabit both water and land, like the European pond turtle.
Episode 7
Nature in the City of Lights
53 mins
Within the confines of Paris, in an urban setting so dominated by humans, what space is left for nature? Yet plants and animals, tough and adaptable, manage to survive in The City of Lights.
Episode 8
The Secret Life of the BocagePart 3: City of the Future
54 mins
The ordinary-looking bocage landscape has an extraordinary tale to tell. This familiar vista of hedges and pasture is man-made, created centuries ago and maintained ever since. Yet it teems with wildlife. How have the plants and animals of the bushes and meadows adapted to their environment?
Episode 9
Treasures of the Deep
53 mins
Corsica is an island full of natural treasures. Its beaches are lapped by the Mediterranean, where the sea/bed harbors strange and wonderful creatures; some found nowhere else in the world. Take a look at this unique, beautiful coastal ecosystem.
Episode 10
Alpine Peaks
54 mins
The Alpine peaks are one of Europe's distinctive natural ecosystems. One in particular, Mont Blanc, has soared into the sky for millions of years. Take a look at the plants and animals who have adapted to its extreme conditions of violent winds, sheer rock faces, polar temperatures and avalanches.