
Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild — Season 1
About this season
Showcasing wildlife success stories across the United States, renowned wildlife experts explore the work of conservationists helping to save imperiled species.
Episodes (26)

1. Desert-Dwelling Tortoises
Aired 7 October 2023
Peter and Rae travel to the Mojave Desert, North America’s driest region, to help conservationists save the Mojave desert tortoise. They explore a groundbreaking program that helps baby tortoises and ensures the survival of the entire species.

2. Puffin Island
Aired 14 October 2023
Peter and Rae travel to the coast of Maine to witness the conservation program fighting to save puffins. While Peter travels to puffin habitats on remote coastal islands, Rae visits the original conservationist who brought this species back to Maine.

3. Sea Creatures of the Florida Coast
Aired 21 October 2023
Peter ventures to Florida with naturalist David Mizejewski, where they meet the experts battling to protect endangered sea turtles and at-risk manatees, collect valuable data from sea turtle nests, help track down two vulnerable manatees, and more.

4. The Bats of Texas
Aired 28 October 2023
Peter and Rae witness the nightly emergence of 20 million Mexican free-tailed bats and help release rehabilitated bats on Austin’s Congress Bridge. Peter joins bat rescue experts; Rae helps vaccinate bats against a disease wreaking havoc on the species.

5. Raising Hellbenders
Aired 25 November 2023
Peter and Rae join forces with conservationists in St. Louis trying to help save a local indicator species in dire need: the Ozark hellbender. Rae meets the scientists who are breeding these solitary salamanders with the hopes of saving the species.

6. The Lost Fox of the Channel Island
Aired 2 December 2023
Peter and Rae sail to California’s Channel Islands to unravel the secrets of one of the smallest foxes on Earth and learn about the modern-day challenges to fox survival and the critical role that the bald eagle plays in their evolution.

7. Eager Beavers
Aired 9 December 2023
Peter and Dr. Rae visit Washington state, where conservationists work with beavers to restore spawning grounds for endangered salmon. They learn how native tribes relocate beavers from dangerous situations and help build artificial beaver dams.

8. Winged Wonders
Aired 13 January 2024
Peter and Dr. Rae discover that North American birds and bats are flying in the face of danger. They meet conservationists fighting to save the North Atlantic puffin, spot a bald eagle nest in California and witness millions of wild bats in Texas.

9. The Forest Beneath the Sea
Aired 20 January 2024
Peter and Dr. Rae join conservationists in a desperate race to save kelp forests. Home to countless species, kelp forests form the biological backbone of the ocean food chain, but climate change has unbalanced this ecosystem.

10. Baby Animals
Aired 27 January 2024
Peter and Dr. Rae explore triumphant stories of wildlife conservation with some of Earth’s newest, tiniest baby animals, including Florida sea turtle hatchlings, an adorable puffin off Maine’s coast, desert tortoises in the Mojave Desert and more.

11. Rescue, Rehab and Release
Aired 3 February 2024
Peter and Dr. Rae visit a remarkable animal rehabilitation center in the Pacific Northwest and meet with the veterinarians, animal rescuers and residents dedicated to saving amazing creatures, including orphaned bear cubs and an injured bald eagle.

12. Into the Wolf Den
Aired 10 February 2024
Dr. Rae and Peter demystify a misunderstood canine, the wolf. Peter spots an endangered red wolf in the wild and helps with a health checkup for a new litter. Dr. Rae learns about gray wolves during a visit to Minnesota’s Wildlife Science Center.

13. Pathway to Protection
Aired 17 February 2024
Peter and Dr. Rae adventure through Florida to discover the results of a new wildlife corridor protecting animal migration and endangered species recovery, learning how vital it is to species like the Florida panther, black bear, alligator and more.

14. Secret Life of Sea Otters
Aired 24 February 2024
Peter and Dr. Rae explore the many challenges facing the endangered sea otters off California’s coast. Peter cruises Monterey Bay to survey white sharks invading otter territory and Dr. Rae helps feed sea otter super moms at the Aquarium of the Pacific.

15. Urban Wildlife
Aired 2 March 2024
Peter and Dr. Rae explore an issue that hits close to home — protecting urban wildlife whose natural habitat puts them in conflict with humans, often in harm’s way. Peter learns the story of P-22, a Los Angeles mountain lion.

16. Science Superheroes
Aired 8 April 2024
Peter and Dr. Rae meet real-life superheroes of science who are developing cutting-edge tools for protecting the wild. Dr. Rae visits a California marine laboratory growing an army of giant sea stars to try to save the giant kelp forests.

17. Innovation for Restoration
Aired 15 April 2024
Peter and Dr. Rae see firsthand how forward-thinkers are using innovation for wildlife restoration. In Washington, Peter helps install artificial beaver dams designed to kick-start a ravaged ecosystem through a natural partnership with wild beavers.

18. The Pupfish of Death Valley
Aired 22 April 2024
Peter and Dr. Rae travel to California’s Death Valley to see one of the most endangered fish species on Earth. Only a few hundred of these pupfish exist in Devils Hole, a deep-water cavern where conservationists carefully guard their population.
19. Mysteries of the Great White
Aired 4 May 2024
Dr. Rae and Peter head to the California coast to get up close and personal with one of the wild’s most prolific predators, the great white shark. In Santa Barbara, they paddle out for a face-to-face meeting with a young great white.
20. Protecting the Prairie Chicken
Aired 11 May 2024
Peter and Dr. Rae explore the Gulf Coast to learn about one of North America’s rarest birds, Attwater’s prairie chicken. Peter meets with wildlife refuge specialists in Texas and Dr. Rae visits a wildlife center working to rejuvenate the population.
21. Conservation Comeback
Aired 18 May 2024
22. Tag You're It!
Aired 25 May 2024
23. America's Rarest
Aired 5 July 2024
24. Next Generation
Aired 13 July 2024
25. Marine Mysteries
Aired 17 August 2024
26. Return to the Wild
Aired 24 August 2024