“The Black Leopard, silent, solitary and magnificent, one of the most elusive animals in the world…. and feared by all”

From the cold temperatures of Europe to the hotter climates of Africa, there have been reports that people have seen this infamous creature. But a small farming town called Lydenburg, in the North East of South Africa, has had more sightings in the last 50 years then anywhere else in the world.

‘In Search of a Legend’ heads to Lydenburg to talk to the people and hopefully catch a glimpse of the Black Leopard.
Meet Kevin Richardson, ‘The Leopard Man’. He has an uncanny ability to communicate with leopards and other large carnivores. Kevin’s work at the Lion Park in Johannesburg brings him in contact with many amazing creatures, but he has formed a unique relationship with two black leopards, Coal and Nikita.

Having reached sexual maturity these two are ready to mate. It’s a moment Kevin has been waiting for. Will Nikita get pregnant and increase the number of these extremely rare animals?

His love for the black leopard has taken Kevin out of the lion park and deep into the African mountains. How could so many sightings have been recorded in one small farming village in South Africa?

He wants to know more. Why do they exist, how many and where? His mission takes him to a mountainous area in Mpumalanga. His mission is to find a black leopard and photograph it, but along the way he puts himself in the firing line to protect these animals from their biggest enemy – man!

Kevin wants the local farmers to realise how important the leopard is in the world. By promoting leopards, especially the elusive black leopard, Kevin’s aim is to show how these beautiful creatures may be able to boost the tourism industry in modern day South Africa through conservation and appreciation.

Narrated by Tom Fairfoot.
Directed by Graham Wallington (of the amazing WildEarth TV and the Safari Channel).

FOR MORE INFO ABOUT THIS DVD VISIT:
http://www.froghopperdvds.co.uk/black-leopard

For further details about black leopards visit the Ingwe Leopard Project website or view a preview on YouTube below:

“Hammerheads are able to detect even the tiniest electric currents through the receptors in their hammer, which also gives them superior eyesight and the ability to detect chemical gradients in the water, making them one of the most successful predators in the sea”

Sharks have thrived in the oceans for thousands of years, and one of them is in a form unlike ever seen before, one of nature’s most mysterious creatures…. the Hammerhead Shark.

They school in huge numbers, yet scientists know very little about their migration and their social behaviours. The high value of shark fins has resulted in a big drop in Hammerhead numbers.
Why did this bizarre looking creature evolve and how has it survived? Does it really finds its way by following the magnetic field of the earth itself?

To gather data, scientists tag some sharks with electronic tracking devices. The evidence suggests that Hammerheads seek out distant destinations but is there a method to their travels?
Threatened by declining populations the ‘Hammerhead Highway’ may be the key to their survival.

Narrated by Rodd Houston.
Produced for National Geographic Television (2008).

FOR MORE INFO ABOUT THIS DVD VISIT:
http://www.froghopperdvds.co.uk/hammerheadhighway

“A solitary hunter, very well camouflaged, the Tiger Shark is considered one of the most dangerous sharks to humans and responsible for many fatal attacks”

Take a never-before-seen look at the world of a tiger shark! Infamous for its unmistakable stripes and indiscriminate appetite, the tiger shark is one of the most ferocious sharks in the sea.
Now, get closer than ever for a most intimate glimpse of this fearsome yet fascinating predator!

Witness remarkable hunting techniques as tiger sharks stalk and attack a wide range of prey animals on and under the surface.

Get a spectacular shark’s eye view of the underwater action through the lens of National Geographic’s revolutionary Crittercam, attached to a free-swimming tiger shark.

Hear shocking first-hand accounts from shark victims who escaped the lethal jaws of this silent hunter.

Mindless killers or environmental wonders? See for yourself in Tiger Sharks.

Narrated by Stan Watt.
Produced for National Geographic Television (2000).

FOR MORE INFO ABOUT THIS DVD VISIT:
http://www.froghopperdvds.co.uk/tigersharks

“Great White Sharks are the apex predators of the sea: they are at the top of the underwater food chain and their reputation as man-eaters is legendary”

National Geographic shows you a different look at nature’s near perfect predator…. the Great White Shark.
Only now are we starting to understand the true power of great whites.

Ultimate Shark breaks down dramatic great white attacks on humans and demystifies the true motives and power behind great white shark behaviour.
Rare dissections and a full MRI scan of a great white reveal the awesome design and power of this creature.

Every minute of this documentary is loaded with cutting edge science, state of the art graphics and gripping stories of great whites and the people who survived their harrowing encounters.

Narrated by Salvatore F Vecchio
Produced for National Geographic Television (2006).

FOR MORE INFO ABOUT THIS DVD VISIT:
http://www.froghopperdvds.co.uk/ultimateshark

“The world’s oceans are the medicine hunters’ newest frontier: scientists use the mighty power of nature’s venoms and toxins to cure, protect and improve us”

One painful bite from the infamous black widow spider affirms that help can never arrive too quickly following a venomous clash. This documentary relives the spine-chilling experiences of those fortunate enough to have survived life-threatening encounters with nature’s poisons.

Both predators and prey have powerful arsenals of chemical weapons for attack and defence: plants ooze noxious secretions, spiders build poison-coated webs, and snakes inject flesh-eating venom.

Humans are now slowly learning to harness the power of toxins for good, transforming plant chemicals and animal venoms into wonder drugs to fight cancer, heart disease and a host of other afflictions.
It seems these ancient poisons we have tried for so long to avoid, may hold keys to our survival.

Poison! is a unique, close-up look at how these poisons work, how they affect the human body and how small doses of venom and toxins can be used to create anti-venom and cures for diseases.

Recreations of real-life examples of near-death experiences include:

• a soldier on patrol in the desert is bitten by a rattlesnake and airlifted to hospital in an attempt to stop the flesh eating enzymes of the snake’s venom destroying his body and killing him
• a woman asleep at night has to be rushed to hospital for an anti-venom injection after a bite from a Black Widow spider; the spider’s neurotoxins are 15 times more powerful than the rattlesnake’s venom
• a pest controller discovers he is allergic to wasp venom and sees his body swell up, before being given an antihistamine in hospital
• a Rough-skinned Newt is swallowed whole by a bullfrog; the lethal tetrodotoxin in the newt’s skin kill the frog within minutes and the newt escapes unharmed through the dead frog’s mouth!
• Fugu is a Japanese fish delicacy, made from the highly poisonous Pufferfish; it kills more than 100 people worldwide, yet is one of the most celebrated dishes in Japanese cuisine.

We are also shown examples of medicines and cures developed from toxins and venom:

• ACE inhibitors are life saving heart medicines, yet are made from poison
• Botox is an effective cosmetic treatment made from very small doses of the Botulinium toxin, the world’s most potent venom
• Botulinum toxin is used to help a child with cerebral palsy walk
• toxins from the marine Cone Snail produce one of the most effective pain killers.

Narrated by Ron David.
Produced by Big Wave Productions for National Geographic Television (2001).

FOR MORE INFO ABOUT THIS DVD VISIT:
http://www.froghopperdvds.co.uk/poison

“From wild predator to pet: Nat Geo shows us the scientific evidence of how our moggies may well be related to the cats revered by the Pharaohs”

Since the time man and cat first crossed paths, our laps and lives have rarely been void of Felis catus, the domesticated cat.

More than 600 million cats reside in households across six continents. They may have even dethroned dogs as humans’ favourite pets (in ownership). But where and when did the cat become one of our closest companions?

Somewhere in the annals of history, the cat made the leap from the wild predator to favoured pet. Many scientists believe that it happened thousands of years ago, with just a few wildcat pioneers, which formed a special bond with man. To home in on the ancient site where this occurred, scientists analyse the genetic, archaeological and historic evidence.

The programme looks at the work of cat geneticist Leslie Lyons of the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and graduate student Monika Lipinski that traces the ancestry of the domestic cat to the ancient Middle East. They consider the genetic diversity of today’s cats as an indicator of how and when cats first became man’s favourite pet.

Particularly interesting is the DNA study of cats from around the globe through samples and mouth swabs. Leslie studies and compares the genetic signatures from all these cats, as well as from the mummified remains of 3,000 year old Egyptian cats.

Other highlights include:

• the incredible hearing, vision and speed of domestic cats
• radio collaring and tracking wild cats (Felis silvestris) in Portugal
• taking mouth swabs of the very large feral cats in Egypt’s Abu Simbel
• breeding and manipulation to ‘design’ hairless cats for allergy sufferers
• genetic defects that have been bred into today’s cats as a result of man’s quest for purr-fection

This documentary is part of the National Geographic ‘Explorer’ series and contains the latest in scientific evidence that reveals how the domestic cat set off on a long journey to conquer the world.

Narrated by Peter Coyote.
Produced by National Geographic Television (2008).

FOR MORE INFO ABOUT THIS DVD VISIT:
http://www.froghopperdvds.co.uk/scienceofcats 

“From super sniffer, to super hunter, to super companion, this in-depth look at man’s best friend reveals the amazing ways in which man has ‘designed’ dogs over the past 2,000 years”

The dog is the ultimate human creation. With 400 breeds and counting, the dog is more varied in size and behaviour than any other species on the planet.

Science of Dogs looks at man’s manipulation of dogs’ appearance, talents and temperament – and the accelerating efforts to create breeds to suit our needs. More than 80 percent of today’s breeds did not exist 150 years ago and almost all are the result of eugenics: the selective breeding to create certain traits and features.

Despite the many external variations in dogs, 99.8% of a dog’s DNA is identical between all breeds.

Today’s dogs are animals we have selectively bred over centuries to suit our needs: for hunting, companionship, protection, and many other possibilities. This type of breeding can be good, but it also has adverse consequences, with one in four dogs affected by some kind of genetic problem or defect.

An example we see is a bull terrier, who, because of a genetic defect, cannot stop chasing its tail. Most dogs do this, but this dog is unable to stop, spinning in circles until it passes out, or throws up.

From desirable traits, like supersensitive hearing and smell (‘dogs can smell a million times better than human beings’), to the unintended consequences of genetic diseases, learn how nature and man have partnered to deliberately create new and specialised versions of man’s best friend.

The in-depth stories covered on this DVD feature:

• the Dogo Argentino in modern day Texas: both a ruthless boar hunter and an affectionate family pet
• the Russian Sulimov Dog: a unique, new hybrid between a Husky and a Jackal, bred as a bomb-sniffing and airline security dog for Aeroflot Airline
• Missy Sue, a golden Labrador Retriever: see how her owners breed and train this prize-winning dog and its litter of puppies
• a study project in Hungary (‘comparative study of canine social cognition at Budapest University’) where wolves and dogs are compared and their barks interpreted

Narrated by Rod Houston.
Produced by National Geographic Television (2007).

FOR MORE INFO ABOUT THIS DVD VISIT:
http://www.froghopperdvds.co.uk/scienceofdogs

“Discover the savage secrets of Africa after dark in this beautifully shot documentary about life in the African wilderness at night”

As night descends on the bushveld, a large pride of 30 lions begins its nightly search for prey. Baboons snuggle in tree tops, big-eyed apes leap from limb to limb, and the chorus of the small creatures adds to the drama of the nocturnal hunt.

Lions Of The African Night will surprise you with a startling look at the behaviour of lions as the pride stalks wildebeest, warthog, and zebra in the struggle to fight off hunger, their constant enemy.

More than three years in the making, this film reveals the savage secrets of Africa after dark. It is not just lions that are featured, but a lot of the footage is given over to the sights and sounds of the African bush.

Included in these nocturnal scenes are big-eyed night apes and baboons, rainfrogs, termites, porcupines, wildebeest, warthogs, and zebras, all in the constant struggle to fight off hunger.

Lion life is dysfunctional enough to make most people feel pretty good about their own situations. First, the males have deserted the pride to start new ones with younger lionesses. Secondly, as the pack roams the jungle in search of game, the females have to fend off rogue males who want to take over.

The males are shunned because they’ll kill the cubs of other males and they’ll grab the lionesses’ kills for themselves.

More functional animals get some airtime, too. Baboon parents try to get the kids to sleep; male and female tree frogs lay frothy egg bubbles together.

But it’s hard to compete with the drama of those queens (and a few kings-in-training) of the jungle as they growl and claw at each other over a wildebeest carcass, while narrator Richard Kiley informs us that “….by the end of such a meal most of the pride will have at least one small injury.”

Still, it’s heart-warming to see that after the meat is devoured the lions mend fences by licking each other’s wounds.

This documentary has won two Emmy Awards.

Narrated by Richard Kiley.
Filmed & produced by David and Carol Hughes for National Geographic (1987).
Filmed in the Kruger National Park in South Africa.

Please note: This is an older production, produced before modern, high-definition equipment was available – its quality is comparable to that of VHS video, not today’s DVD quality. Regardless of this, it remains an outstanding wildlife film in its own right, beloved by many viewers who will remember it from TV during the 1980s and 90s.

FOR MORE INFO ABOUT THIS DVD VISIT:
http://www.froghopperdvds.co.uk/lionsafricannight

“Witness birth, death and survival in this stunning encounter with the wildlife of Namibia’s Etosha National Park”

Migrating herds of elephant, wildebeest, and zebra, predators like lions and cheetahs, all must endure the torrid months of heat before the rains come in south-western Africa.

Filmed in Namibia’s Etosha National Park during a 2-year span, this is one of the most acclaimed films of its kind. See extraordinary close-ups of animal behaviour: in slow-motion a cheetah chase becomes a sublime swim through the air, a wildebeest mother successfully defends her calf from attack, lion cubs catch and play with bullfrogs and a dove succumbs to a surprise attack by turtles.

This film has become one of the few truly ‘classic’ African wildlife documentaries. Expertly narrated by Alexander Scourby, its goal is to show all facets of animal life, and scenes of violent encounters between species are balanced with touching scenes of young animals at play.

This documentary was the first ever winner of the Wildscreen Golden Panda Award.

After its original release, it was broadcast as ‘African Wildlife’.

Narrated by Alexander Scourby.
Produced by David & Carol Hughes for National Geographic Society (1980)

Please note: This is an older production, produced before modern, high-definition equipment was available – its quality is comparable to that of VHS video, not today’s DVD quality. Regardless of this, it remains an outstanding wildlife film in its own right, beloved by many viewers who will remember it from TV during the 1980s and 90s.

FOR MORE INFO ABOUT THIS DVD VISIT:
http://www.froghopperdvds.co.uk/etoshaplaceofdrywater

“Enter the mind of the majestic African elephant and see the measures that man has introduced to control him through his eyes”

African elephants have one of the most cohesive family structures in the wild. Steel Birds And Tuskers, a speculative parable, witnesses the peaceful existence of a herd of elephant in their pristine natural state.
It follows Thunder, a bull elephant calf, from birth and on life’s journey.

The story takes an outrageous turn when the herd is abruptly confronted with the abrasive tactics of wildlife management schemes enforced by man. The Matriarch is tracked by helicopter, darted, subjected to birth control and relocated by truck. An invasion which triggers confused apprehension amongst the herd.

The elephants come to know a new adversary, stronger than a rhino, as fierce as a lion. A hunter from the sky, a bird of steel which, with surgical precision, will slay them to the ground.
Then ponderous iron-cages trample the bush to steal their debilitated bodies, ripping their families apart. Those that survive never forget. They translate this knowledge into generations of anger, perpetuating this war of attrition imposed by man.

Steel Birds And Tuskers does not criticise man’s determination to attain the unattainable. Nor does it offer solutions to resolve the wretched plight facing the African Elephant. It merely enters the mind of this majestic animal – and imagines what it must be like to be the largest guinea-pig on earth.

The main highlights of the film include:

• birth of Thunder
• the newborn calf and herd crossing a river, dodging crocs and hippos
• separation from the herd and relocation by truck
• attack by ivory poachers
• battle with lions
• Thunder’s mating and coming of age
• footage of small elephant foetus in the womb.

WARNING: contains scenes of elephant culling and gore that may be unsuitable for some viewers.

Narrated by Peter Terry.
A film by Dirk Hurter and Laura van der Merwe.
Produced by Fanie van der Merwe for ProVision (2003).

FOR MORE INFO ABOUT THIS DVD VISIT:
http://www.froghopperdvds.co.uk/steelbirdstuskers