MNN - Mother Nature Network

Back in October last year we told you about a wildlife “reality” channel to come — and now we’ve got the clips to prove it. Nat Geo Wild, a new channel dedicated to adventurous programs featuring animals in the wild, will finally launch a week from today on March 29!

 

Among the programs kicking off the launch is Expedition Wild with Casey Anderson, featuring naturalist Casey Anderson and his best friend Brutus, a 900-pound grizzly bear raised in captivity. The premier episode contrasts Casey’s trek up to Alaska’s Kodiak Island to learn about grizzly life — and his efforts back home to teach Brutus the grizzly ways.

 

 

The ensuing shenanigans range from funny — Casey looks hilarious trying to catch salmon with his bare hands (clip above) — to slightly discomfiting — because while I understand Brutus was raised in captivity and just can’t catch fish in the wild, I still cringe a bit when watching him eat marshmallows while wading around a small artificial pool (clip below).

 

 

Which is to say, Expedition Wild isn’t a simple nature show, but one that’ll push viewers to think about our complex relationships to nature and wildlife. Watch the premier April 5 at 9 pm.

 

Other Nat Geo Wild shows include Africa’s Lost Eden, which shows park rangers restore habitat and relocate animals in war-torn Mozambique, and Rebel Monkeys, which follows a troop of criminally-inclined monkeys in Jaipur, India. There will also be shows dedicated to gorillas, octopuses, and yes, sharks. So when Shark Island with Enric Sala premiers on April 19, you’ll really will be able to start living every week like it’s shark week, a la 30 Rock’s Tracy Morgan!