Tribes, Predators, and Me

Gordon joins a group of Bushmen in Botswanas Kalahari Desert to learn how to survive on foot among wild lions. The Ju/hoansi Bushmen teach Gordon their ancient survival secrets, how to make fire, find honey and gather water from desert plants. He sees them hunt with poisoned arrows and track predatory lions. These big cats are a terrifying presence, but can Gordon be brave enough to help his tribal family approach them on foot to retrieve meat to feed the tribe?

Gordon Buchanan joins a tribal family on a remote Pacific island to see if it is possible to live close to sharks. Sharks are an animal most people find terrifying, but the men of Owarigi island in the Solomon Islands freedive to catch fish and encounter dangerous sharks almost every day, sometimes at night. Can the islanders teach Gordon to swim and share the ocean with sharks in this tropical paradise? The island rarely receives visitors and Gordons arrival is greeted by a seemingly hostile ceremonial reception. He is soon welcomed by his mentors, cousins Moses and Sosimo, who teach him how to freedive and shoot a spear gun. Gordon sees sharks underwater here and learns that these predators are shy and attracted to fish not people. He then discovers something he didnt expect - the people of this small island are dependent on the ocean to survive, but fish and sharks are in worrying decline here. Commercial fishing and the shark-finning trade have arrived in this remote island, putting the islanders future at risk. Gordon learns about the islands complex relationship with sharks and their ancient fishing techniques. Then he joins Moses and Sosimo on a spectacular shark dive on a protected reef teeming with fish and sharks. Before Gordon leaves, he witnesses the islands chiefs deciding to protect part of their reefs to preserve fish and sharks. A remarkable and moving insight into the underwater world of a unique and threatened island culture impacted by the outside world.

Hyenas are loathed and feared by many people. Wildlife cameraman Gordon Buchanan journeys across Ethiopia to find out how the people here can live so close to these powerful carnivores. Ethiopia has more hyenas than anywhere else in the world, and Gordon wants to find out why. He starts his journey in the capital, Addis Ababa. Even here on the outskirts of this massive city, spotted hyenas prowl looking for food. Local hyena expert Girum Henok takes Gordon on foot to see hyenas at night in a small patch of forest. Weighing up to 90 kilos and capable of killing lions in packs, hyenas are one of Africas most impressive carnivores. Girum tells Gordon that hyenas are tolerated here because people believe hyenas ward off the devil.