Darwin's Amazing Animals

An autumn evening stroll often brings with it a cacophony of cricket cries. Males' love songs fill the air, destined for faraway maidens. How do they produce such amazing sounds? And what are the exacting standards set by their love interests? Singing insects have captured hearts and imaginations for centuries, even making appearances in two of Japan's most celebrated classical novels written over 1,000 years ago. We invite you to venture out and enjoy some of nature's nightly outdoor concerts.

Next time you pass by a mushroom, consider this: underneath that cap and stalk lies a network of thread-like filaments that could spread out up to a radius of one kilometer! Welcome to the "Marvelous Mystery Tour!" There are between 5,000 and 10,000 species of mushroom just in Japan. Yet only about 3,000 have names. And they come in all shapes, sizes, colors ... and odors! Mushrooms are without a doubt integral to forest ecology. Join us as we enter a whole new world just by lowering our gaze!

Energetic African golden wolf pups get attacked by their parents while docile pups get pampered. What gives? It's all part of an incredible educational system designed for the savanna. The young are taught to protect themselves while scavenging and seeking out small rodents in the tall grass. Yet all this time no pup is left behind. Those showing initiative are soon encouraged to leave and become independent. The timid variety may stay with the parents and help raise the next generation.

A well-worn "penguin highway" 120 meters wide finds thousands of the cute creatures in a long uphill stampede toward some unseen goal. What's the hurry? Amazingly enough, it's a daily affair for them! Meet the gentoos of the Falkland Islands, the fastest penguins on the planet. They've positioned their breeding grounds far from the hazards of the shore. But getting the younger generations into marathon shape can be quite a challenge. Parents persevere, since their chicks' lives depend on it.