Natural World S03E13 · The Year Of The Rat

Overview

Rats - should we like them? Some people hate and despise these rodents. As the Chinese Year of the Rat draws to a close, down on the farm the rats' year goes on. Resourceful and adaptable, these successful invaders have enjoyed our unwitting hospitality for over two centuries. But this Jekyll and Hyde of animals challenges our prejudices. Is it not also an attractive pet, and a clever animal; and don't we all owe our lives to the rat as a tool of research into good health? This animal opportunist should be watched - even from behind your chair....

Torrents

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Episodes

1. 1 1. Among The Wild Chimpanzees1984-11-04 · 50mAs a child Jane Goodall dreamt of going to Africa and living with the animals. In 1960 her dream became reality: she began a study of chimpanzees in Tanzania's Gombe National Park.
2. 2 2. One Man's Island1984-11-11 · 50mDocumentary programme on Keith Brockle who spent twelve months painting and drawing the bird life on the Isle of May in the Firth of Forth.
3. 3 3. Invaders Of The Truk Lagoon1984-11-18 · 50mTruk Lagoon in the western Pacific is a peaceful tropical atoll. In 1944 its tranquillity was shattered when the US Navy surprised and sank a fleet of 60 Japanese ships. Within 40
4. 4 4. The Desire Of The Moth1984-11-25 · 50mThe largest known moth in the world has wings the size of a dove, the smallest lives inside a leaf. Although they are creatures of darkness, the bizarre designs and garish colors o
5. 5 5. A Question Of Space1984-12-02 · 50mFive hundred miles above the parched African landscape a satellite seeks clues to the problem of space on the ground. In Kenya, fueled by a rapidly rising population, the competiti
6. 6 6. Peacocks, Parasites And The Puzzle Of Sex1984-12-09 · 50mWhat's the purpose of sex? To protect us from disease! Brian Leith unravels the intricate puzzle of sex and finds that: Males seem to be a waste of time and energy - many of the su
7. 7 7. Land Of Ice And Fire1984-12-16 · 50mThe first explorers to penetrate beyond the headwaters of the Missouri brought back tales of a strange land. They spoke of valleys that seemed to smoke and burn perpetually, and of
8. 8 8. The Lost World Of Medusa1984-12-23 · 50mOn a remote Pacific island a mysterious lake lies hidden by dense jungle. Below the surface a gigantic shimmering phantom swims, tracking the sun. This weird life form is composed
9. 9 9. Kinabalu - Summit Of Borneo1985-01-06 · 50mThe highest peak in south-east Asia, Kinabalu, was once a mountain of legend and fable. To Chinese adventurers it was the abode of a dragon, rumored to guard a pearl by a lake at t
10. 10 10. Wild Ireland1985-01-13 · 50mTime, climate and the needs of the Irish have fashioned a magical island. Cast free when the ancient bridge from Britain sank, it still holds within its saucer of ice-scoured rocks
11. 11 11. Water - A Fresh Look1985-01-20 · 50mShooting rapids without a kayak, playing with some hefty manatees and feeding piranhas by hand! These are the extraordinary activities of an ordinary German businessman Walter Sigl
12. 12 12. Battle Of The Leaves1985-01-27 · 50mLeaves are nature's pacifists -or so it seems. Leaves hang there green and uncomplaining, while animals chew them to death, birds tear them from their stems for nest building, and
13. 13 13. The Year Of The Rat1985-02-03 · 50mRats - should we like them? Some people hate and despise these rodents. As the Chinese Year of the Rat draws to a close, down on the farm the rats' year goes on. Resourceful and ad
14. 14 14. Through Animal Eyes1985-02-10 · 50mIs your dog color blind? How do cats and owls see so much at night and high-flying kestrels spot tiny mice scuttling in the grass below? Do insects tune in to colors invisible to u
15. 15 15. Within A Garden Wall1985-02-17 · 50mA Cotswold dry-stone wall, built 400 years ago, is a haven for wildlife. The cracks, crevices and man-made crags of a Cotswold dry-stone wall form one of the harshest places for wi