Animal Planet

Dramatic retelling of the fateful last voyage of the Nantucket whaleship Essex. When the Essex is attacked and sunk by a sperm whale in November 1820, her crew take to three fragile whalers. Alone in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the men must decide whether to head for the nearest islands - a thousand miles downwind to the west - or set out on an epic journey of almost three thousand miles to reach the South American mainland. Fear of cannibals forces them to choose South America. Almost three months later, the first whaler is rescued by another whaleship. Only three men are still alive. A week later the captain's whaler is also rescued, with just two men aboard. The third whaler is never found. This is a story of human endurance and what men in extremis will do to survive.

An American scientist who was convicted of killing and cannibalizing two colleagues in the jungles of Flores, Indonesia in 1977. Branded "The American Cannibal" by the press during his trial, Dr. Timothy Darrow defended himself by claiming a mythic human-ape creature was responsible for the murders. The news outlet documented an indigenous tribe on Flores, the very same island where the hobbit remains were discovered, which had its own accounts of little wild men that stood just over three feet tall, climbed trees, walked on two feet and thrived on cannibalism. And according to the local legend, those creatures may never have died out at all. Follow an expedition team deep into the heart of Flores Island to investigate Dr. Timothy Darrow's claims and find out once and for all if hobbits still exist in the deepest, most remote realms of the Indonesian jungle.

Claire and her teenaged son, Jesse, along with their friend and ranch foreman Purly Owens, work the cattle ranch that Claire once shared with her husband who was killed in a ranching accident. As the over-protective Claire contemplates selling the ranch, a life-threatening accident strands her deep in the wilderness with only a wild wolf for company. While Claire and the wolf form an unlikely alliance in their struggle to survive, Jesse is forced to grow up fast as he races to evade poachers and rescue his mom before it's too late!

Basketball superstar and wildlife advocate Yao Ming travels to Africa to help spread awareness about the cruelty of poaching. Yao sees for himself the evidence of a losing battle, where Africa's giants are senselessly slain every day for their tusks.

Film about a family of lions living in the swamps of the Okavango delta, seen through the eyes of a cub born just before the annual flood

A team of deep sea divers investigate the wreck of German U-boat, rumored to have been attacked by a sea monster during World War 1. Their investigation will take them from the icy depths of the Irish Sea to the inky lair of the Loch Ness Monster.

Ocean Voyagers explores the familiar themes of motherhood and parenting in a world as unfamiliar as it is breathtaking. Featuring a precocious newborn humpback calf and his enormous 40 ton mother, we are taken on a journey of discovery into their world.

A tv documentary about a domestic hippo named Jessica and her love for sweet potatoes. Narrated by filmmaker John Waters.

A story told through the eyes of a predator of the Liuwa plain, the last remaining lioness of Liuwa. She is the sole survivor of a senseless massacre that took the rest of her pride. A symbol of the Liuwa, a place that challenges all who live here

With their future in peril, two male Proboscis monkeys on the remote Island of Borneo deal with the human invasion that will destroy their idyllic home.

Documentary about the relationship between singer Michael Jackson and his chimpanzee Bubbles. This revealing documentary talks to those who witnessed the relationship first hand, including Michael's sister La Toya, and explores the complex psychology behind Jackson's devotion to his chimp and other animals. It also highlights the path Bubbles' life took once he hit adolescence and Michael could no longer care for him, to where he is now more than 20 years later. The documentary also reunites La Toya Jackson with Bubbles after more than 20 years apart.

A thrilling high seas adventure feature documentary where two marine conservation captains from Sea Shepherd go on a hundred day chase of the illegal poacher and pirate fishing vessel, the Thunder.

Follow comedian Ellen DeGeneres as she fulfills her dream of protecting Fossey’s legacy by building the The Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund in Rwanda.

Snake expert Austin Stevens presents this nature documentary about the most feared snake of all - the King Cobra. Travelling to the jungles of south west India, Stevens reveals that despite its reputation, the King Cobra is in fact a reclusive creature, shy of human contact.

Fifteen years ago, a handful of African Penguins, normally found only on remote islands off the Southern African coast, stumbled across on of the Cape's most beautiful and popular tourist beaches. They swam, they saw, they conquered. And today, Boulders beach is home to more than 4,000 of these delightful, resourceful and entertaining seabirds who live side by side with their human neighbours -well, most of the time! These knee-high invaders not only share the beach, they dodge traffic, scale fences, and take over gardens, the golf course and even the occasional bedroom! For the two feathered stars, Henry and Margot, it's a tale of romance, the challenges of parenthood, separation and a penguin's worst nightmare, oil.

Deep in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea lies the volcanic island of Stromboli. Erupting every 20 minutes, it is one of the world's most active volcanoes. Life on the surface is tough when the volcano is spewing molten lava. Beneath the surface, a healthy population of common octopus thrives. Scientists are trying to discover what allows the octopus to survive in such a hostile environment.

At winter's end, when the temperature finally climbs above freezing, the sleepy bruin emerges from his den. He's lost substantial body weight over the cold months and hunger is now his primary motivator. In fact, except for a short period during mating season, food will be the black bear's primary focus until it returns to its den in the fall. Black bears have been known to prey on moose and dear calves but their main diet consists of much smaller fare. With up to 800 pounds of bulk to support, black bears need to feed constantly to survive and to do so they have evolved one of the most omnivorous diets on the planet. You name it, they eat it!This film follows the early cycle of the black bear's life; its hunting strategies, territorial behaviours, mating habits and feeding opportunities.The program will also explore the bear's troubled relationship with humans. Although black bears have been known to prey on humans, this is extremely rare.

Ever wondered what would happen if two of the world's most feared animals went head to head in a battle? The Animal Face-Off series aims to find out. After expertly designed replicas of the animals are created to mirror exact areas of strength and weakness, the two cyber-creatures come together for a crucial showdown. In this episode, two of the jungle's fiercest predators -- the lion and the tiger -- duke it out to see who comes out on top.