NATURE : Dogs in the Wild

Premieres Wednesday, February 8 at 8 PM

As Valentine’s Day approaches, you may be reminded of what it feels like to have a broken heart, but you may not know that members of other species can experience them as well, such as African wild dogs.

The story of “broken heart syndrome” in African wild dogs is just one of the fascinating highlights of Dogs in the Wild, a new three-part NATURE miniseries that travels the globe to reveal the secrets of the most successful carnivore on the planet: the canids.

Featuring astonishing cinematography, together with emotional and immersive storytelling, Dogs in the Wild explores how African wild dogs’ close emotional and social bonds with their family unit set them apart from other canids.

Additionally, the series explores the behavior of familiar canids including foxes, wolves and coyotes, to lesser-known ones like the Japanese raccoon dog, New Guinea singing dog, dholes and dingoes.

Bush Dog (Speothos venaticus). In the wet and humid rainforests of South America, the pack-living Bush Dog has partially webbed feet, which allows it to swim more efficiently. From episode one, “Meet the Family.” Credit: Matt Tomlinson / © BBC

“The series is a truly global exploration of the wild canids,” says series producer Rowan Crawford. “It immerses us in their world from the outset and I hope by the end, it makes viewers feel they’ve become part of the pack. I also hope, from a bigger picture point of view, that it makes viewers think more about how we are impacting the world, environments and animals around us.”

Episode Highlights:

“Meet the Family” | February 8

Meet the many species of canids, the family of wild dogs. They are the most widespread carnivores on the planet. The formidable Arctic wolf can travel great distances across the tundra; while in Southern India, Dholes have 11 distinct calls to stand out from the pack.

“Secrets of Success” | February 15

How do wild dogs survive and thrive in the wild? Discover the secrets to their success, from Black-backed jackals who leap skywards to catch prey to agile Gray foxes that climb high into the trees.

“Defending Wild Dogs” | February 22

Join scientists and researchers across the globe as they go to extraordinary lengths to understand wild dogs. See the groundbreaking discoveries that are crucial to saving this incredible animal family.