Global Family Series
Mihikathage Daruwo (20 x 27 mins)

Beaver: Dammed or Damned (Beevaraya: Veli bandeeme purogamiya)
This takes a sometimes humorous look at how the beaver alters its own environment to suit its needs. Shot in Gatineau Park in Quebec, Riding Mountain National Park in Manitoba, and in various places in Ontario, the programme shows human ways of coping with beavers and how the beavers cope with humans.

The Story of Ed the Orphan Elephant (Aprikanu dala aththu)
One of the most serious threats to African wildlife is poaching and for every female elephant killed, there is also the unseen death of her youngest offspring. This is the story of one such orphan, and the dedicated few people who try to save it.

Manatee: Endangered Mermaid (Manatee: anathurata lakvu kinduriya)
The manatees' docile and friendly manner was what led to the extinction of one group before 1800, and now only a precious few remain. The program looks at the efforts of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to protect the small Atlantic population of these ungainly sirens.

Mountain Gorilla: Gentle Giant (Mihidum athara porabadana deventhayo)
The mountains of Rwanda in the shadow of Mount Killimanjaro are the scene for this revealing look into the family life of a shrinking group of Mountain Gorillas. Driven into the mountain slopes by deforestation and agriculture, these fascinating creatures are being relentlessly hunted by poachers. But, to some extent, their future survival may depend on their own actions.

Newfoundland: The Coming of the Capelin (Kapelin: loku veda karana punchi maluwa)
For a brief period in early summer in Newfoundland, the lives of men, seabirds, and whales centre on one annual event. This is the story of how so much depends upon a tiny, silver fish, and it questions the kind of fishery that endangers them.

Flowers in the Clouds (Himalaya mudune apooru mal)
This program looks at flowers that survive well above the treeline in the Himalayas, some up to 16,000 feet. These exquisite plants are studied with special cameras to see how they have evolved in a frequently harsh environment.

The Journey of the Monarch (Monarkge charikawa)

The Monarch butterfly, a regular summer visitor in southern Ontario, is born with the ability to fly thousands of kilometres to an area it has never seen. Yet this annual migration may be threatened if man continues reckless use of herbicides and pesticides, and deforestation throughout the Monarch's range.

Prairie Dog: Grasslands Survivor (Kalu valigayak sahitha prairie sunakayo)
The short grass prairie is one of the most devastated environments on Earth. This program looks at the relationship of the prairie dog to both the grasslands and the bison. Each animal relies on the prairie for survival, while the grasslands rely on the animals for their health. Yet man has caused havoc for all. (Shot in South Dakota)

The Owls of Finland (Finlantha basso)
A small group of dedicated individuals in Finland have devoted much of their time and resources to the preservation of old-growth forests and the construction of owl houses where there are no longer any mature trees. Their efforts have been rewarded by a healthy population of various owl species that is the envy of many other countries.

Parakeeets in Tokyo: An Exotic Nuisance (Thokiyowe giraw)
Only a few years ago, a few parakeets that were to be sold as pets in Japan managed to escape. Now, flocks of these pretty tropical birds have appeared in the city of Tokyo and its suburbs, devastating fruit and market garden crops, with no natural enemy to control them.

Flying with the Cranes to Siberia (Saibiriyawata digu gamanak)
NHK obtained the cooperation of North Korea, China and the Soviet Union to track the migratory route of Japanese Cranes as they flew to their summer breeding grounds in Siberia. This program features stunning photography of the cranes in flight, shot from an ultra-light aircraft that flew with them.

Lemurs in a Shrinking Eden (Madagaskaraye sengavunu rahas)
Almost all of the 28 species of lemurs can be found in the ever-shrinking forests of Madagascar. Some scientist believe there may even be some as yet undiscovered. The Golden Lemur, for example, was discovered only in 1986. This program looks at these picturesque creatures and their family lives.

Co-evolution of Flowers and Insects (Malata ena banbaru)

More than 300 million years of evolutionary history lie behind the beauty of flowers. In order for pollination to take place, flowers must attract insects which need nectar and pollen for food. The tremendous diversity seen in the shapes and colours of flowers has developed through the interaction between plants and insects. (Original footage of this program was recorded in the High-Vision HDTV system.)

Jungle Insects that Mimic (Krumeenge vesmaruwa)
In the tropical rain forests of Malaysia, insects show unbelievable strategies for survival. One species of mantis disguises itself as a beautiful flower in order to trap its prey, while other insects mimic sticks and leaves in order to hide themselves from predators.

The Great Tuna Migration (Sagara gangawa -Kuroshiyo)
As tuna follow sardines, and are chased by sperm whales, these fish are making a 5,000 kilometer circuit on the Black Current of the Pacific Ocean. A tiny remote-control camera beneath a floating raft reveals an underwater ecosystem never observed before.

The Rhinoceros Hornbill (Rainorsiros Kaedeththa)
This gigantic bird, with a beak as big as its body, is an endangered species of the Asian tropical forests. In its strange way of nesting, the male seals the mouth of the nest in the tree trunk and confines the female within to hatch the eggs. After 2 months of darkness, the chicks break the seal to take their first flight. (Filmed in Thailand)

Salmon Runs (Salmon maluwage veera charikawa)
Salmon rush upstream toward their birthplaces, river headwaters in Canada and Alaska. This program focuses on the types of salmon run, and differences in behavior and spawning, to show how particular species have adapted to different environments.

The Pika: Witness to the Ice Age (Hima yugayen ena paika)
While the Pika belongs to the rabbit family, It uses its voice to communicate and stores food for the winter. Its Alpine habitat reflects its history as a living fossil of the Ice Age. This program compares the life and habitat of several species in Japan, North America and the Tibetan Plateau.

The Sea Lions of Guardian Angel (Visidahasak muhudu sinhayo)

This program looks at a community of sea lions living on Guardian Angel Island in the Gulf of California their family relations and some of the threats to their safety.

Survivors in Tokyo Bay (Thokiyowe nopenena jeewitha)
Even in the polluted waters of Tokyo Bay, underwater cameras reveal the stubborn survival of marine life. Gobies are amazing experts in building nests using tin cans and other trash found on the seabed. But the most common creature is a kind of spider crab which traveled all the way from America. The Program shows how marine life can interact with a man-made environment.

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