Defenders of the Wild

3 seasons available

Conservationist Ivan Carter seeks solutions to create a balanced wildlife ecosystem; experts join Carter to spotlight the conservation efforts happening worldwide.
Man-Eating Crocodiles
S3 E1

Loss of life and limb to crocodiles is an all too common affair on the Cubango River in northern Namibia. Ivan takes to the ground to investigate, catch, and tag these man-eating crocs.

Zoos: Hope for the Future
S3 E2

Ivan visits the San Antonio Zoo, an international hub for scientific research and education, and discovers how public outreach is shaping the modern conservation landscape.

Mountain Lion: Hiding in Plain Sight
S3 E3

Mountain lions are an enigmatic species, making them a challenge to study. Ivan finds himself waist deep in snow in Central Utah with a team of researchers attempting to collar these iconic cats.

The Elephant in the Room
S3 E4

Elephants are eating crops and threatening the livelihoods of a community in rural Mozambique; the only solution: capturing the offending animals and moving them to a secure location.

Ground Hornbill: Redemption Song
S3 E5

Southern ground hornbills are a fascinating species, yet increasingly under threat.

Ancient Medicine, Modern Times
S3 E6

Exploring the modern reality of ancient beliefs.

K'gari Dingoes: Leading the Pack
S3 E7

Ivan explores Australia's K'gari Island, home to a stronghold of pure dingo genetics.

Don't Poke the Bear!
S3 E8

Landowners, scientists and houndsmen work together to ensure the health of black bear populations.

The Devil Ark
S3 E9

Tasmanian devils are unique hunters that have become highly threatened in their native habitat.

Koalas: Protecting an Icon
S3 E10

Australia is home to one of the most recognised species on the planet: the koala.

Zoos: The Wild and the Wonderful
S3 E11

Ivan learns how zoos support the conservation of animals in the wild and bolster endangered species.

Africa's Most Trafficked
S2 E1

Ivan joins a team of wildlife detectives on a sting operation to rescue a pangolin that is being illegally sold; he then learns how these animals are rehabilitated and released.

Cheetahs: A Race Against Time
S2 E2

Ivan explores the current state of the fastest animals on earth, their conservation and their future; he participates in the delicate operations of the capture and moving of several individuals.

Africa's Painted Dogs
S2 E3

Wild dogs are one of Africa's most endangered canines, likely with less than 6000 remaining in the wild; Ivan engages with a specialist team to participate in an initiative growing their home range.

The Vulture Market
S2 E4

Vultures are vital to ecosystems, yet their numbers have been plummeting; Ivan heads into an African medicine market where vulture parts are traded and joins research efforts to protect the species.

Tribal Community Conservation
S2 E5

Ivan visits a community-led conservation initiative that is both cherishing and benefitting from the rewilding of a large landscape.

Alligator: Beyond the Leather
S2 E6

Alligators were brought to the brink of extinction by the leather trade; Ivan engages with the modern day commercial trade of gators and sees how this practice is securing a future for the species.

Leopard: Night Stalker
S2 E7

Leopards are incredibly successful predators due to their stealth; Ivan joins a team to attempt to capture and collar a leopard in an area where little is known about these elusive cats, at night.

Diving With Tigers
S2 E8

The Bahamas is so much more than a beach resort destination; Ivan engages with the locals and learns about the health of the underwater ecosystem, diving with the fiercest predators: tiger sharks.

Desert Hyenas
S2 E9

The Namibian coastline is home to the brown hyena; Ivan spends time at an isolated seal colony where a research project is revealing their secrets.

Seals: The Plastic Predicament
S2 E10

Namibia is home to Africa's largest seal colonies due to the rich marine life; this abundance leads to competition with humans for resources; Ivan joins an NGO removing plastic from unlucky seals.

Vervet Monkeys: Urban Pests
S2 E11

In many areas of urban Africa, troops of primates become a severe nuisance; Ivan engages with wildlife managers to explore the realities of this problem and ways to live with these cute pests.

Technology in Conservation
S2 E12

From high-tech transmitters to advances in immobilization medicine, Ivan explores the many aspects of technology's role in conservation and learns that the future is indeed bright.

Africa's Most Dangerous
S2 E13

Hippos are notorious for being Africa's most dangerous species, but Ivan sets out to dispel that myth -- all while capturing them in a remote part of Namibia to better understand their movements.

Elephants: Land of Tusks
S1 E1

Hands-on participation in an ambitious project to translocate 100 elephants to repopulate some of Africa's depleted national parks.

The Once and Future Kings
S1 E2

Dr. Dave Gaynor introduces lions and cheetahs into the Zambeze Delta to look at the role apex predators play in the ecosystem, and how prey adapts in terms of behavior and numbers.

Bighorn Sheep: Banging Heads!
S1 E3

Hunter's dollars fund sheep conservation across the U.S. and the story is told through a hands-on translocation reestablishing historic home range for bighorn sheep.

Delta Defenders: Poachers Beware!
S1 E4

Anti-poaching laws, community meat drops and upliftment initiatives are returning wildlife to the Zambezi Delta.

Bison, Not Buffalo
S1 E5

Understanding the history of bison populations in the U.S., and the current state of their protection, getting involved in collaring efforts in the Henry Mountains.

Giraffes: Giants Never Sleep
S1 E6

Giraffe Conservation Foundation is taking action across the continent to save the giraffe.

Quail: The Health of the Land
S1 E7

Quail populations in Texas are a crucial indicator species that are the canary in the coal mine for ecosystem health.

Lwiro Primates: Sanctuary
S1 E8

The rescue and rehabilitation of orphaned chimpanzees from the bushmeat and pet trade in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Rhinos: A Healthy Landscape
S1 E9

Rhinos are threatened due to demand for their horns in Asia, so Ivan heads to the frontlines, where poaching events are a weekly occurrence, and explains conservation measures used to protect them.

Elephants & Humans Sharing Spaces
S1 E10

Human-wildlife conflict is prevalent across Africa, so to mitigate conflicts, Ivan joins Roger Whittall to collar bull elephants to create an early warning system for surrounding communities.

The Bear Necessities
S1 E11

Research has informed biologists about how to protect bear species, but gathering the data requires collaring them; biologists must crawl into their dens during hibernation and dart them, then apply collars.

Game Capture: Snares & Tactics
S1 E12

Since some African countries allow for private ownership of wildlife, this generated an industry of trade that hoped to rejuvenate the fauna of the land; the team uses unique high-stakes methods to capture various species.

Deer in the Frigid Prairie
S1 E13

White-tailed deer are synonymous with America, yet few know what's required to manage its population; Ivan joins the team in South Dakota to collar whitetail deer to study their survival rates.