Nature — Season 1, Episode 9: The Discovery of Animal Behavior: In Praise of God

Episode synopsis

Theologians and clerics in the 17th and 18th centuries were among the first to study animal behavior. John Ray began in the 1600's to catalog "the work of the Creation," starting with plants and later including birds. Sir Francis Willoughby continued this work. Rev. Gilbert White studied bird songs, Charlie LeRoy experimented with wolves and deer, and Charles Waterton wrote about jungle animals.

About Nature

Consistently stunning documentaries transport viewers to far-flung locations ranging from the torrid African plains to the chilly splendours of icy Antarctica. The show's primary focus is on animals and ecosystems around the world. A comic book based on the show, meant to be used an as educational tool for kids, was briefly distributed to museums and schools at no cost in the mid-2000s.

More episodes from Season 1

• E1The Flight of the Condor: Ice, Wind, and Fire
• E2The Flight of the Condor: Ocean, Desert, and Thin Air
• E3The Flight of the Condor: Down the Amazon
• E4Amate: The Great Fig Tree
• E5Kopje: A Rock for All Seasons
• E6On the Edge of Paradise
• E7Forest in the Clouds
• E8The Discovery of Animal Behavior: Natural Mysteries
• E10The Discovery of Animal Behavior: Search for the Mind
• E11The Discovery of Animal Behavior: A Question of Learning
• E12The Discovery of Animal Behavior: Signs and Signals
• E13The Discovery of Animal Behavior: Living Together