Nature of endangered things by Antonia Zerbisias

by Antonia Zerbisias

There is no Canadian show, not even Hockey Night In Canada, that ranks as high on the quality scale with viewers than CBC's The Nature Of Things With David Suzuki.

For 40 years, well before PBS' Nova or The Discovery Channel were conceived, TNOT has explored the frontiers of science and medicine while walking the environmental edge. Last month, when the lobby group Friends of Canadian Broadcasting released the results of its viewer survey on homegrown TV, TNOT topped the charts.

But, in recent years, as the budget axe chipped away at CBC, TNOT has had its wings clipped, not venturing as far afield as it once did and producing fewer original programs.

Which is why I was saddened by Lost Worlds, a six-part BBC series that begins at 8 tonight on TNOT.

Don't get me wrong: This captivating survey of South America may be one of the most sumptuous natural history programs I've ever seen, much of it shot by American pilot Bob Fulton who strapped a camera to the wing of his plane. And Lost Worlds has much to offer in the way of geographical extremes and some of the funkiest creatures on God's great Earth.

There are the Amazon river dolphins that, despite being almost blind, can navigate the sharpest turns with their unique built-in sonar system; pink flamingoes whose mass courtship dance could play Radio City Music Hall; rabbit-like rodents that thrive in the most hellish desert anywhere and, of course, the llamas, the workhorse of the Incas.

Seeing these beautiful beasts while listening to the Andean flutes on the soundtrack would touch anybody.

But, as worthy as the experience is, it only serves to remind of what The Nature Of Things used to produce itself as a matter of course.

Too bad even CBC's environmental flagship is itself endangered.

© The Toronto Star