Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4136 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-10-02
• Rating: Exempt
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1

Synopsis
By camouflaging a small remote-controlled camera variously as a boulder, a bamboo cane, a piece of trash, a snowball, and animal dung, the Spy In The...… team are able to get a dangerously close look at nature's superstars in their natural habitats. Includes: Elephants - Spy in the Herd, Lions - Spy in the Den and Bears - Spy in the Woods.

Customer Reviews

An early outing for the spy cams
This DVD features 3 separate hour long episodes utilising disguised static and motorised cameras to get intimate pictures of the target species. As they are early and relatively short productions I found them overall less enthralling than Tiger - Spy in the Jungle [2008].

Of the three films the study on different bear species was the most intimate and revealing, despite the stage being split between American Black Bears, Giant Pandas, Brown/Grizzly Bears, Polar Bears and the South American Spectacled Bear. Debuting is the Magicam- a totally reflective box - which disguises itself among the undergrowth. The best moments for me were the Spectacled Bear and her cub. Surprisingly 70% of their diet is made up of bamboo. They also love crunching bromeliads (those spikey roseate plants with the fantastically coloured flower bracts). Mother bear is so entranced by bromeliad gathering that she manages to whack her small cub out of the tree- ouch. Also surprising was the fact that Grizzly bears like to only eat the skin and underlying fat from their salmon catches- not the actual flesh itself.

Second best was the portrait of elephants. If they get miffed then a swift controlled back leg lashes out- newborn calves being the particular victims of frustrated visiting males and jealous aunts. Due to the large size of elephants and the position of the camera on the ground (Dungcam) the shot is generally made with a fisheye lens- which does get a bit wearing after a while.

I found the lion episode the least satisfactory. I suppose it seemed to have less revealing moments. However it did emphasise how the lionesses in the pride do all the hunting and the pride male just blunders up at the end and steals the kill- typical! After seeing the tiger documentary, I note that lion cubs do actually try to chase prey at an earlier age- even if they are not particularly successful- tigers seem to loll about and wait for mum to feed them until they are at least two.

Also available by the same production company is Trek: Spy On The Wildebeest [2007].

Fantastic!!
I have only seen Lions: Spy in the Den, but I have to say it is probably the best wildlife programme I have ever seen. I remember buying it on its own, and have watched it over and over again. The programme follows a group of cubs as they grow up, and it makes you laugh and cry. This programme is definetly child friendly, and held my sister and i spellbound as we watched. Narrated by the amazing David Attenborough, with some spectacular photography, this is top quality footage. For such a great price, don't hesitate in spending your money on this fantastic collection. Seriously, you won't regret it.