Ep 2. 100 Heartbeats

Jeff Corwin hosts this program which tells the compelling stories of Earth's animal species, many of which are dangerously close to extinction. Today's rate of wildlife extinction is surpassed only by the mass extinction of dinosaurs, which occurred some 70 million years ago. Within the next 20 minutes, one unique species of animal life could simply disappear from our planet. Forever. But this special focuses not so much on extinction as survival - telling poignant stories of recovery - profiling, for instance, the California condor, as it gloriously takes flight to the skies once again after nearly disappearing forever. It also tells of the Herculean efforts by scientists to protect the last remaining black rhinos of Eastern Africa. The title 100 Heartbeats refers to an exclusive club whose main membership requirement is diminishing numbers -- species quite literally just a heartbeat away from extinction.