Animal Battlegrounds
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that since this nature program focuses on the predator-prey relationship, animals are frequently shown hunting and eating others. Though most of these scenes are blood-free and rather mild, some shots -- such as when a grizzly bear tears through the flesh of a salmon, exposing its flesh -- can be rather gory and may upset very young or sensitive kids.
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What's the Story?
ANIMAL BATTLEGROUNDS focuses on the drama of the animal kingdom as it plays out in a variety of changeable environments, from wetlands and rivers to midair and more. For example, while waterfalls may offer grizzly bears an advantage during their search for Pacific salmon, when the water turns calm, the salmon get the upper hand. And the shifting nature of a South American river creates ideal hunting grounds for the red-bellied piranha in the wet season -- and a site of mass suffocation when the water turns to mud. Though the tug-of-war between hunter and prey is what drives the series' action, it's the locales and their characteristics that unite the program's segments.
Is It Any Good?
With a variety of hunter-prey combos and gorgeous locations, Animal Battlegrounds is one of many appealing nature shows. Some footage, such as that of spawning salmon, is particularly riveting, while some, such as that of the piranhas, is muddled and hard to interpret. Occasional dramatic sound effects (such as knives slashing during a piranha kill scene) or out-of-place music mars what's otherwise a pleasant program.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about violence in nature. Is it disturbing to watch predators hunt and kill their food? Is it more upsetting depending on what kind of animal their prey is (i.e., "cute" prey vs. bugs, fish, etc.)? Do you notice that nature shows sometimes give animals names that make them seem to have human personalities? Does this affect how you feel about them? Why do you think shows do that?
TV Details
- Premiere date: June 5, 2007
- Cast: Dave Iverson
- Network: Animal Planet
- Genre: Educational
- Topics: Science and Nature, Wild Animals
- TV rating: TV-G
- Last updated: September 20, 2019
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Planet Carnivore
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