Wild America - Season 2 (1983)

Many thousands of these intelligent creatures roam the woods from Georgia to California. Some, bristling Boars with huge tusks, were imported from Europe and released as formidable hunting adversaries. Others are escaped barnyard swine. Only one is native -- the Peccary of our southwestern deserts. This program explores the funny, bizarre, violent world of the Wild Hog.

Antlers are the peculiar property of the deer family. No other creature in the world has this special kind of structure on its head. Worn by the males, and females of some species, the most amazing thing about antlers is they fall off. They shed them in winter every year and grow new ones in time for the next autumn mating season. That's an amazing amount of growth! Mother Nature has graced few of her children with as stately a symbol of beauty and strength as this antlered crown. It's only one of their adaptations. Since they first crossed the Bering Sea land bridge ...

America's Birds come in all shapes and sizes, and they range from homely to breathtaking. But they share one thing in common -- the awesome power of flight. The airborne freedom which sets Birds apart from other creatures has been envied by man for centuries. All the diverse Bird types are seen -- powerful predators, melodious songbirds, and graceful water birds.

We all know domestic cats. We've seen them savagely attack a ball of yarn, contentedly purr on our laps, and instinctively sharpen their claws, probably on our best furniture. Yet, we rarely have the opportunity to see their secretive wild cousins, the most elusive of all animals - and the most deadly. It's hard to believe that the mountain lion is a not-too-distant relative of this tiny kitten. But these sharp claws are common characteristics of all felines-useful for catching and killing prey, retractable when the cat needs to move quickly. And these eyes-narrowed ...

Marty Stouffer is studying wildlife in a remote Colorado wilderness. One spring day, he comes across the tracks of a Grizzly Bear -- thought to be extinct in the state -- and he follows and meets face-to-face with a magnificent male Grizzly. Excited by his discovery, Marty adopts a female Grizzly cub from a zoo. He and Griz share a cabin as Marty teaches her how to survive.

Over the summer, the adventurous cub encounters many other creatures, among them a hungry Cougar. As winter approaches, Marty digs a den for Griz, and while she sleeps, he goes off to observe wildlife which does not hibernate. In April, Griz emerges from her den, and must learn one last lesson -- to fear humans, even Marty. This separates man and bear forever.

Some wild animals have not only survived our progress, but are actually thriving within numerous urban areas. Raccoons, Deer, Coyotes, Skunks, and a wide variety of Birds are adapting to a world shared increasingly with humans. Backyard wildlife is a never-ending joy for wildlife watchers. Also included in this program are tips for attracting creatures to your own backyard.