Page 88 - BBC Wildlife Volume 36 #02

This BBC One series
offers a cheetah’s-eye
view of what it is to
hunt with the fastest
mammal on Earth.

TV

CHOICE

Going wild behind the camera lens

Nine animals on land and in water lead us into their secret worlds.

Animals with Cameras never otherwise have – and giving biologists and avoid potential predators? And as you’d
TV BBC One the chance to unravel some wildlife mysteries. hope with a series like this, there’s behaviour
Due to air 1 February First to go a-filming are meerkats in the new to science. The cameras on Magellanic
No matter how brave, patient and persistant Kalahari. This is an incredibly well studied penguins hunting off Argentina, for example,
wildlife film-makers are, there will always group of mammals, yet virtually nothing show the birds passing up perfectly adequate
be places that they can’t go and creatures is known about their lives underground. shoals of shrimp and squid, holding out
that they can’t follow. In these cases, why Thanks to a team of camera-clad youngsters, instead for anchovies. It’s as risky as it is
not pass the filming buck on to the animals researchers enjoy their first ever viewing of remarkable – like walking through town with
themselves? Presented by Gordon Buchanan, a meerkat's underground residence, and hungry, fractious children and blanking a fast
this new three-parter does exactly that, kitting crucially, of the day-old pups inside. food shop on the chance there’s something
out nine species both on land and in water The cameras also prove valuable in healthier around the corner.
and sending them on their way. researching potential outcomes. In Cameroon, As if that’s not enough, we are also privvy
Attaching teeny-tiny a device on an orphaned to cheetahs learning to hunt; fur seals
cameras to animals is chimp named Kimbang avoiding great whites; conflict resolution
nothing new, but the devices WE SEE THEIR enables his carer to answer between baboons and farmers; a deep dive
used in this series – many ` WORLDS the all-important questions with Chilean devil rays; feeding brown bears
of which were developed THROUGH THEIR that will dictate when and sheepdogs protecting their charges from
Graham MacFarlane/BBC Chris Watts – are designed EYES, GAINING into a wild group: can he diverse teams to ever film a wildlife series,”
wolves. “Our camera crew is one of the most
he is ready for release
by miniature camera expert
says Gordon. “This is their world, their
competently climb among
to function for longer,
NEW INSIGHTS.”
the highest branches,
footage, their story – and we’re going to see it
offering extended, spy-on-
the-wall views that we would
February 2018
88 BBC Wildlife select the best fruits to eat through their eyes.” Sarah McPherson