The BEST episodes written by Siobhan Flanagan
#1 - Moose: A Year in the Life of a Twig Eater
The Nature of Things - Season 55 - Episode 1
High up in Canada’s Rockies, by a crystal-clear lake rimmed with old-growth forest, a moose is born. At the best of times, the odds are stacked against this leggy 35-pounder surviving its first year, as normally less than 50 percent do, but now that number is sinking even lower. Moose populations across many parts of North America are in steep decline and scientists believe one big reason is that fewer moose calves are surviving their first year. If the population continues on this trajectory, scientists believe that moose could be gone from many parts of North America within the next 50 years. It has never been more important to understand what happens in the first year of a moose’s life.
#2 - Raccoon Nation
Nature - Season 30 - Episode 7
Are we, in an effort to outwit raccoons, actually making them smarter and unwittingly contributing to their evolutionary success? Are the ever more complex obstacles that our fast-paced urban world throws at them actually pushing the development of raccoon brains? In this film, scientists from around the world share their thoughts and work to help explore this scientific theory. Attempting to do something that has never been done before, they closely follow a family of urban raccoons as they navigate the complex world of a big city.