Wildlife Specials: The Spy Collection

Watch Wildlife Specials: The Spy Collection

  • 2013
  • 1 Season
  • 8.2  (10)

Wildlife Specials: The Spy Collection is a five-part documentary series produced by the BBC that takes a unique and exciting approach to exploring the animal kingdom. The series consists of each one-hour episode that uses hidden cameras and other tools to capture intimate moments and observe animal behavior in ways that have never been seen before.

Each episode of the series features a different set of animals: elephants, lions, cheetahs, dolphins, and polar bears. However, what sets this series apart is the use of spy cameras. The cameras are designed to blend seamlessly with the animal's natural environment, allowing viewers to witness the animals' behavior in their natural habitats without any human intervention.

The first episode, "Elephant," follows a herd of elephants in Kenya's Samburu National Reserve. The cameras capture footage of the elephants mating and caring for their young, as well as their interactions with other animals in the reserve, such as hyenas and baboons.

The second episode, "Lion," takes viewers on a journey to Tanzania's Serengeti National Park. The cameras get up close and personal with a pride of lions, revealing their social dynamics, hunting behavior, and even their courting rituals. Additionally, the cameras also capture interactions between the lions and other species, such as giraffes, zebras, and warthogs.

The third episode, "Cheetah," takes viewers to Namibia, where two male cheetahs are recorded as they explore and hunt in the vast expanses of the desert. The cameras capture incredible footage of cheetahs running at incredibly high speeds and observing their cautious behavior as they cautiously approach potential prey.

The fourth episode, "Dolphin," provides an intimate look into the lives of bottlenose dolphins as they navigate the shallow lagoons of Shark Bay in Western Australia. Viewers witness dolphins' complex social structures and communication as they interact with one another and hunt for food.

The final episode, "Polar Bear," offers a peek into the world of one of our planet's most majestic creatures. Filmed in Canada's Arctic, this episode follows a mother polar bear and her two cubs as they navigate their changing, ice-covered environment during the summer months.

The Spy Collection uses groundbreaking technology, including robots, cameras, and drones, to capture a multitude of animal behavior, whether it's mating, hunting, or navigating their habitats. Given the immersive and intimate nature of the documentary, viewers are likely to develop an even deeper appreciation for these animal species and, perhaps, even consider their conservation.

In terms of production, The Spy Collection boasts stunning cinematography, high-quality sound design, and a well-crafted narrative that immerses viewers in the animals' world. While the series is a nature documentary, it feels more like a thriller because of the level of intrigue that comes from watching these animals in their natural habitats. The series is both informative and entertaining, which is a perfect combination when it comes to documentaries.

Overall, Wildlife Specials: The Spy Collection is a groundbreaking documentary series that provides a unique perspective into the lives of some of our planet's most magnificent animals. With its stunning visuals, immersive storytelling, and fascinating behaviors, this series is a must-watch for nature lovers and documentary enthusiasts.

Wildlife Specials: The Spy Collection is a series that is currently running and has 1 seasons (12 episodes). The series first aired on February 11, 2013.

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Seasons
Superswarm: One Million Heads, One Beautiful Mind
12. Superswarm: One Million Heads, One Beautiful Mind
January 11, 2009
Extraordinary photography reveals the incredible collective intelligence behind these invasions. All unite as one and act like a giant organism controlled by a single brain. Fire ants invade and destroy computer equipment and, when their nest is flooded, create living rafts with their bodies. One swarm is even helping to save the planet from the Greenhouse Effect.
Superswarm: When Worlds Collide
11. Superswarm: When Worlds Collide
January 4, 2009
This program reveals the awe-inspiring world of animal swarms. Using the latest camera techniques, we go to the heart of the swarm, and footage from camcorders and mobile phones captures the amazing impact they can have on our lives. One man has learned to control the ultimate swarm, becoming their "˜queen bee' and learning to control what most people fear.
Trek: Spy on the Wildebeest, The Crossing
10. Trek: Spy on the Wildebeest, The Crossing
January 21, 2007
The migration reaches Kenya's Masai Mara where, for the calf, the river presents his greatest challenge yet. Croccam, Skullcam, Tortoisecam and Hippocam are just some of the spycams following the calf as he crosses the raging torrents. They film, up close and personal, as crocodiles pick-off stragglers, hippos become carnivorous and the river's sheer walls become death-traps. Even if the calf survives he still has to face the highest concentration of land predators in Africa.
Trek: Spy on the Wildebeest, The Journey
9. Trek: Spy on the Wildebeest, The Journey
January 14, 2007
The epic story of the greatest animal trek on earth. Dungcam and Bouldercam are joined by Croccam, Skullcam, Tortoisecam and other 'spycams' to film, up-close and personal, a wildebeest calf making this spectacular year-long journey. Over one million wildebeest and their young make the arduous trip across Tanzania's Serengeti and Kenya's Masai Mara. The calf is on the hit list of lions, cheetahs, hyenas and crocodiles and has to overcome some of nature's most grueling physical challenges. The spycams have adventures too - Tortoisecam meets a real tortoise and Dragonflycam comes to an untimely end. Three years in the making and distilled from 500 hours of recorded behavior, the remote spycams capture all the exciting action.
Tiger: Spy in the Jungle, Ep. 3
8. Tiger: Spy in the Jungle, Ep. 3
April 13, 2008
Now young adults, the tigers are starting to become independent. As they learn to be King of the Jungle, the other jungle animals have to learn to survive their early attempts at hunting.
Tiger: Spy in the Jungle, Ep. 2
7. Tiger: Spy in the Jungle, Ep. 2
April 6, 2008
The cubs are now half grown, still playful and enchanting. But this is also a time for learning the hunting and fighting skills they will need as adults. We also see how some of the other jungle creatures, born at the same time, are progressing.
Tiger: Spy in the Jungle, Ep. 1
6. Tiger: Spy in the Jungle, Ep. 1
March 30, 2008
For the first time, our cameras film tiger cubs just a few days old. As they grow into engaging, playful young cubs, many other jungle creatures are revealed. At this vulnerable young age they are prey for almost anything but this is also when life is at its most idyllic.
Polar Bear: Spy on the Ice, Ep. 2
5. Polar Bear: Spy on the Ice, Ep. 2
December 29, 2010
The story continues as the spy cameras follow both sets of polar bear families. The mother with two cubs is in polar bear heaven, surrounded by ice and seals. That is, until an ocean swell makes ice travel difficult for the cubs. The other mother and cub family find it difficult to survive on Svalbard, as food is scarce. They must be clever and find emergency sources of food to stay alive. Elsewhere, a group of young, playful male polar bears play a rousing game of soccer with Snowballcam.
Polar Bear: Spy on the Ice, Ep. 1
4. Polar Bear: Spy on the Ice, Ep. 1
December 29, 2010
Filmed in the Arctic islands of Svalbard, Norway this beautiful program gets closer than ever before to the world's greatest land predator with the help of Icebergcam, Blizzardcam and Snowballcam. These cameras are just a breath away when two sets of cubs emerge from winter maternity dens. They also capture the moment when the sea-ice breaks away from the island in the spring. As this program captures its intimate portrait of polar bears' lives, it reveals how their intelligence and curiosity help them cope in a world of shrinking ice.
Penguins: Waddle All the Way, Growing Up
3. Penguins: Waddle All the Way, Growing Up
February 25, 2013
The chicks are growing up fast and becoming increasingly independent. Emperor and Rockhopper chicks are placed in a creche as their parents go fishing and the Humboldts are left in their burrows as the adults enjoy a soft landing of feathers by a beach swarming with cormorants. From egg to adolescent, spycams have been with the young penguins through their tough early months. Now they are with them as they leave.
Penguins: Waddle All the Way, First Steps
2. Penguins: Waddle All the Way, First Steps
February 18, 2013
Chicks are hatching all over! Male emperors form an identity parade before handing over their newborns to the returning females. On the Falklands, Rockhopper chicks meet some unruly neighbors - king cormorants, and Caracara birds grab an eggcam and film the aerial shots of the colony! In Peru, Humboldt chicks emerge into the desert and the adults leave their burrow plastered in mud and needing a bath.
Penguins: Waddle All the Way, the Journey
1. Penguins: Waddle All the Way, the Journey
February 11, 2013
Emperor penguins cross a treacherous frozen sea to reach their breeding grounds. They must lay their eggs without touching the ice. Rockhoppers brave the world's stormiest seas, only to come ashore and face a daunting 300-foot cliff. Humboldts are strange tropical penguins that have rarely been filmed. The hard work for all the penguins finally pays off when their tiny, vulnerable chicks begin to hatch.
Description
Where to Watch Wildlife Specials: The Spy Collection
Wildlife Specials: The Spy Collection is available for streaming on the BBC website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch Wildlife Specials: The Spy Collection on demand at Amazon, Google Play and Apple TV.
  • Premiere Date
    February 11, 2013
  • IMDB Rating
    8.2  (10)