The Earth is about 6 degrees Celsius warmer now than it was during the last ice age, 20,000 years ago, when England was buried under a mile of ice.
	Scientists around the globe agree that over the past 250 years, the Earth has warmed by almost 1 full degree Celsius.
	In 2007, Arctic sea ice reached the lowest minimum extent ever recorded. Summer sea ice has declined by 28,000 square miles or 18 million acres per year since the 1970s.
	Five of the hottest years ever recorded were in the last seven years.
	Greenland’s Jakobshavn Glacier — the fastest-moving ice field on the planet — is racing into the sea at the astonishing rate of 130 feet per day — twice as fast as a decade ago. The collapse of the Greenland ice sheet would cause a global sea level rise of 7 meters.

Visit NGCSixDegrees offical site for more details.

Six Degrees Could Change The World's Premiere is Sunday February 10th at 8p et/pt

	Renne McElroy
	Producer

Think back to your childhood – you, your trusty yellow Tonka truck and a sandbox. Hours of fun shoveling and hauling dirt, intermittently enacting the sounds of excavation with your mouth as you dump the heaping box. Pushing it around as fast as your legs could go. It was you, your imagination and your truck.

Now imagine that rugged little piece of equipment on a tougher grander scale. About 32 feet high, roughly the size of a two- story house, with a dump box big enough to carry 96 Ford Explorers and the fuel capacity for a Chevy pick-up to circle the earth. The Caterpillar 797- B off road mining truck – is the biggest dump truck in the world. A 3550 horsepower engine, the largest truck engine in history and six 14-foot tires, two in the front and four in the back with enough rubber to tread 500 passenger cars.

There’s no doubt that everything about this truck is huge, and shooting it seemed as big a task as building the actual truck. Our production schedule grew bigger and bigger as we narrowed in on how to coordinate the making of this enormous truck, our schedule and its parts. Six facilities across North America and four months of filming for a spectacular one hour show about a yellow 700- ton mining truck.

"There’s no doubt that everything about this truck is huge, and shooting it seemed as big a task as building the actual truck" - Renne McElroy

Our production teams traveled to six “Mega Factories” where everything was super-sized, from plasma cutters and weld guns to the torque tools and hand wrenches. It all started at the hot and humid Machine Company in Amite Louisiana, where they cast the frame, the backbone of the truck. The smell of molten metal permeated everything. Next, we traveled to Lafayette Indiana, where they create the 3550 horsepower engine. Michelin manufactures the five and a half ton tires in Lexington South Carolina. The cab comes to life in Joliet Illinois, the fifty-ton dump box is assembled in Canada. Where does the huge frame and most of the truck components all come together? At Caterpillar’s mega-factory in Decatur, Illinois.

It’s taken six factories across North America, Four months of filming, including a time lapse camera posted for 20 days, seven hundred tons of material, multiple teams - two producers, one whom was five months pregnant, six camera crews, four editors and about 80 days to assemble this engineering marvel. Finally, teams assemble the truck on site where the monster machine goes to work in Fort McMurray Canada near the sprawling Alberta Oil Sands. The opportunity to watch this monster machine haul and dump ore from the mine site to the processing plants, pushing the earth beneath it, surpasses any stretch of the imagination or any memories of a trusty yellow dump truck one could have. It’s an experience I will always remember.

Ultimate Factories: Caterpillar Airs Saturday February 2 at 8p et/pt

Learn more about your favorite Ultimate Factories at NGCUltimateFactories.com

“U2 3D” is a unique cinematic experience that puts viewers within the pulsing energy of a stadium concert given by the world’s most popular band. Marrying innovative digital 3D imagery and 5.1 Surround Sound with the excitement of a live U2 concert – shot in South America during the final leg of their “Vertigo” tour – it creates an immersive theatrical experience unlike any 3D or concert film that has come before. “U2 3D” takes viewers on an extraordinary journey they will never forget.

Click the widget below to watch the trailer

Official Site: U23D.com

	Julie Nelson
	Producer

Winnebago is America’s classic motor home, the ultimate King of the Road. And here in the small town of Forest City, Iowa, population 450, the Winnebago is born in the largest and most sophisticated production facility in the world. When I arrived to film the Winnebago factory, I was amazed at how the RV – a symbol of freedom, adventure, and wide-open roads – all starts in this quintessential small town.

The story of the Winnie starts more than 50 years ago, when the small town of Forest City was in trouble. Corn and hog farms were shutting down, and people were fleeing for work in Minneapolis. To bring industry back to the cornfields, John K. Hanson, a local furniture storeowner, enticed a California travel trailer manufacturer to come to Iowa. By the 1970s the company’s nickname was “Winnebago-a-Grow-Grow” – and they were building 120 million dollars worth of motor homes. Today, Winnebago makes more motor homes than anyone on earth.

Within the first hour I arrived in this rural North Central Iowa town, it seemed as if everyone already knew I was here to give Winnebago its “close-up”. My first night eating at The Lodge, an exceptional dining establishment, I had a gentleman come up to me and say, “I’ve lived here my whole life. I knew Mr. Hanson himself. I hear you’re doing a film on Winnebago, be sure to make us proud!” The word was out, National Geographic was in town and Winnebago was the star. That was some pressure! I was determined do this town proud.

On the first shoot day I was delighted to see that there was a parking spot waiting for me at the factory, it was right in front with a nicely labeled sign that read “MHP.” Oh, wait, that means “Motor Home Production” NOT “Michael Hoff Productions.” They let me park there anyway.

"My favorite was the morning I spent on the sewing line talking to the 50 fabricators who make chairs, couches and pillows for the RV’s interior"

After parking in my self-created VIP spot, I would find out I needed to cover 2.5 million square feet situated on 570 acres to document the creation of the elite Vectra motorhome. Thank goodness my fearless cameraman Rico Corona brought his Segway. For seven filming days he would cruise, twirl and track his way to a RV masterpiece.

We filmed hundreds of people crafting the walls, floors, and ceilings for the RVs in the whopper 400,000 square foot facility called Big Bertha. It took us almost two full days of shooting to capture the building of the monster steel structure foundation of the RV known as the chassis. And two more days were spent filming on the 1000-foot assembly line where they put all the RV parts together. One afternoon at the plastics facility we saw a sheet of plastic melt into a shower stall. Then we moved on to see buckets of polyethylene powder rotate under high heat, melt into liquid form and then become a water holding tank. My favorite was the morning I spent on the sewing line talking to the 50 fabricators who make chairs, couches and pillows for the RV’s interior. At the end of our filming I realized I probably knew just about everything that goes into making a world class RV. But most importantly I believe I have made this small town of Forest City proud.

Greg Chapman - Research

On Wednesday, January 30, Nat Geo will be premiering Explorer: Inside Sumo at 8p et/pt. The show will not only profile one Japan's greatest traditions and cultures, but will also showcase what makes these gentle giants the athletes that they are.

Here is some information that I was given by a "super-fan" of Sumo Wrestling this morning:

The National Geographic sumo documentary shows a lot about professional sumo, especially their tournament in Hawaii in 2007. Well, in 2008, pro sumo wrestlers are holding another even bigger tournament in Los Angeles on June 7-8. This is a very rare chance to see pro sumo wrestling in the United States! The basic info is on SumoTour.com

-- Sumo Fan Man

Greg Chapman - Research

To all the Dogtown fans out there don't worry, more shows are on the way and are beginning to film as we speak! We have heard your calls, read your e-mails, and scoured through your letters. New episodes will be coming out later in the year and will be featuring the same heart-warming stories from one of the hardest working animal care centers around.

There will be some surprises that I won't give away just yet, but just know that you won't want to miss a single one. Stay tuned for more updates about the show and you'll be able to catch the replays of the first three episodes sometime in March, (I'll make sure to let you all know when they will air!).

Until then keep on talking to your family and friends about the show and let us know what you think!

Also many of you have asked how you can contribute. Here is the information that may help:

By Phone:
(435) 644-2001 ext. 4750

By Mail:
Please make your check payable to "Best Friends Animal Society" and mail to:
Best Friends Animal Society
5001 Angel Canyon Road
Kanab, Utah 84741-5000

Online: Click Here

Greg Chapman - Research

Viewers rejoice! New Fight Science episodes are coming and ready to pack a punch that is harder then the first. This Sunday (January 27) marks the return of Fight Science with two new episodes, Mixed Martial Arts and Special Ops.

That being said, a new Fight Science area has been launched on the channel's site. Included are videos, profiles of participants and the very, very fun Fight Science Game.

	Fight Science: Mixed Martial Arts
	Scientists try to determine the amount a force that a body takes during a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight. Scientists will use the power from legendary fighter Randy Couture, former UFC Heavyweight Champion Bas Rutten, former UFC Lightweight Champion Tito Ortiz and two-time world submission grappling champion Dean Lister to determine how much force are behind the blows that these fighters take in the ring.
	Fight Science: Special Ops
	Unlike athletes, who prepare for a scheduled competition under controlled conditions, these elite soldiers must excel in ruthless situations that can become deadly without warning. Now these warrior athletes are put to the test by science and cutting-edge technologies to exhibit their maximum capabilities under the most adverse circumstances.

Visit the site here: NGCFightScience.com
Play the game here: NGC Fight Science: Black Belt Quest

Related Posts:
Kicking, Punching and a Podcast

A lot can be said about a people coming together to battle one another. But it would be all speculation unless you are directly involved in a group like the Dog Brothers. People from all walks of life have come together to create a group that not only is therapeutic for some, but also a way for people from all paths in life to join one another in the spirit of camaraderie. Below are people that may be like you, your co-worker or even a loved one.

My name is Marc, but at least twice a year I go by the name Sheep Dog. For the past five years I have been a part of the Dog Brothers Pack. For each of us the reason we fight is different and I can only talk about my feelings and motivation. Fighting at a gathering is the physical manifestation of a mental process. For me that mental process is about overcoming seemingly impossible obstacles. There is an amazing liberation in combat that can only come when you face the real chance of injury. All other things happening in your life take a back seat, for that moment there are no distractions, no concerns, or worries. There is only you and another person, and for two minutes you and he will fight.

When you fight at a gathering the idea of no winners, no losers, no judges or rules allows total freedom from ego. You only fight yourself, if you get hit it is because you were in the wrong place at the wrong time. If you are overwhelmed by your opponent it is because you failed to train as hard as they did. It is a place where you take sole responsibility for yourself.

Everything I do at a gathering is a learning experience, and of all the experiences, learning how to fight is the one I value least.

- Marc, Police Officer

Curiousity. Fear. Aggression. Transformation. Brotherhood. You’ve heard of the Five Stages of Grief? Well, I consider these my Five Stages of The Gathering. I heard about the Gathering and went to watch. Thought to myself, “These guys are insane.” Then thought to myself, “I wonder if I could survive that?’ Damn Curiousity….

I fought in my first Gathering 6 years ago. My hands shook as I put on my fencing mask. I thought to myself, “Now you are one of the insane guys and you are going to get yourself killed.” Damn Fear…

I swung a stick. I got hit many times. I got angry. I connected a couple more times. I got hit again. I was pissed and I swung wildly. I got hit back…harder. Damn Aggression…

Then, something clicked. My opponent was not out to kill me. He was out to test me. He was going to pull from me whatever he thought I could muster…and give it right back. He grinned. I grinned back. Damn Transformation…

I have fought in several Gatherings, each time learning more about myself. Learning my limits, testing my limits, pushing past my limits. I’ve gotten in my hits and taken my fair share. And at the end of each fight I have smiled, hugged my opponent, and thanked him, knowing that he has shared in the experience and grown with me. Damn Brotherhood…

I remember hearing someone shout this out at my first Gathering: "No one hits you as hard as your brother."

Amen to that...

- Miguel, Public Events Manager

After serving as a platoon commander in close urban combat, I understand the severity of a fight to the death - in which life or death of you and the ones you love are on the line. But still, I never had to use any of my hand to hand skills specifically. Full contact is good, but I needed some answers about full contact against another weapon with me using my secondary/tertiary weapon. The sensation at the beginning of the fight at Dog Brothers was very much like the sensation before advancing into the face of the enemy with tracers coming back at you. The key is in the possibility of actual bodily harm. Obviously there is control - which makes it what it is. I trust the man in front of me to take it to the limit but no farther; he trusts the same of me. I regret that I cannot do it more, but my priority is on leading our young war fighters in battle and bringing them home.

- Bryan, Infantry Officer, United States Marine Corps

Two fighters grapple for position.

When I first heard about Dog brothers full contact stick fighting, I thought they were just some no name guys trying to get attention. I bought some of their tapes and found out that they really deserved some attention. As I learned their techniques and philosophy I started seeing my previous martial skills in a new light. The experience of fighting all out with a weapon and not stopping even when taken down to the ground, added a realism that caused everything that I had learned in the past to take on a practical, real world dimension. This made all my past training ten times more valuable because now I truly understood how to apply the techniques more effectively and to recognized the situations when certain fighting methods could or would not work. There are many aspects of Dog Brothers that brings one to this understanding but the Dog brothers motto sums it all up, "Higher Consciousness, Through Harder Contact."

- P.C., Line Supervisor

Roan Grimm - Member

It all started innocently enough. One fine day in April 1995, a friend and training partner told me about a tape he'd just rented called 'Real Contact Stickfighting - Power'. "Check it out, man, they fight for real," he said.

There's no way they were actually fighting, I thought. They can't be. I mean, I had already been training for several years in the Filipino martial arts and I knew how dangerous a stick strike could be. A single stick hit to the wrist would break bones. A hit to the knee would cripple. A hit to the head would kill. There's no way they were fighting for real. I rented the tape, threw it in the VCR and hit play.

They were fighting for real.

The next day, I found an ad for the video series in a magazine and ordered the full set. I immediately incorporated the drills into my training. I nearly beat a palm tree to death in my backyard practicing full power strikes. I told all my other training partners about these crazy guys who fought for real. I tried to lend them the tapes.

I wanted to fight for real.

Problem was, no one else did. I left Hawaii for college in New Mexico 2 years later. In the summer of 2000, I found myself in Santa Fe, at the home of Arlan "Salty Dog" Sanford, one of the founding members of the Dog Brothers. At a small park (one I recognized from the tape!), I stepped out for the first time against an actual Dog Brother. I was sore for the next 3 days. The welts disappeared after a week or so. I couldn't wait to go back.

I was fighting for real.

I fought at my first Gathering in July 2002. I've fought in 6 Gatherings so far. I've trained with four of the clans - Santa Fe, Hawaii (I was there for the founding), North Hollywood and Hermosa Beach. I made full Dog Brother July 2007. I've been dropped from shots to the temple (through the mask) and to the back of the head (without the mask). I've tapped to omoplatas and elbows to the face. I was hit across the kidneys once so hard I had blood in my urine for a couple of days. I have scars on my arms, thighs and shoulders from some of the stick hits I've taken.

Two of Roan's brothers battle for a win.

Why the hell am I fighting for real?

It's not for the money, because we don't get paid. It's not for the adulation from the legions of adoring fans, because there aren't any. It's not for the crazy attention from hot anonymous groupies because there are none (I'm REALLY hoping this one will change). There are no extrinsic rewards for doing this and I don't imagine that changing anytime soon. I don't want it to change, ever (except for that groupie thing).

I fight for real because it grounds me in the essential qualities of being human. I know great triumph and joy in successfully defending myself from a truly committed opponent. I know the tragedy and pain of failing to do the same. I know the fear and doubt that comes from standing alone against a man much bigger and stronger than I who is determined to test my courage and resolve. I know the camaraderie and bond of the tribe, and know I will never actually have to stand alone. In the chaos of struggle, I can give form to my inner demons, and exorcise them through the physical ritual of the fight.

Besides, it's fun as hell.

Fight Club: No Limits premieres Wednesday, January 23 at 9p et/pt.

Greg Chapman - Research

Greetings everyone and happy Friday! As we head in to the holiday weekend, I wanted to let you know that the new National Geographic Channel Videos area has been launched on the site with some new features that blow away our older video area.

First and foremost there are five different channels to choose from and potentially more on the way. The first five channels - Animals & Nature, Exploration & Adventure, History & Events, People & Places, and Science & Technology - are directly linked with clips that you would see from some of your favorite shows. The final channel, Nat Geo Wild, is where you'll find clips not only from Nat Geo's natural history films, but also clips from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS).

Right now hundreds of videos are loaded and ready to be viewed, with more being added every week. What's different with these videos are the capabilities that allow you to seamlessly share with your friends, embed videos wherever you want, and the ability to play the clips fullscreen .

What else is left? Well that is for you to decide. Nat Geo Channel's Digital Group wants to hear what else you would want to see here and what other type of content you are dying to have at your fingertips. Just post a comment here and it will be passed along to them.

Here's the embedded video player look:

Dr. Brady Barr -

Ever wonder what it would be like to be stuck in a cramped box, all alone, in total darkness, scared by strange unknown sounds, and surrounded by some of the world’s most dangerous animals? It sounds like most peoples nightmares, but for me it was an incredible experience and part of a National Geographic Channel expedition. Project Hippo, Close Encounter, had me inside an incredibly life like hippo decoy with the objective of crawling close enough to get a sweat sample from their big sweaty bodies. That’s right hippo sweat sample!!

Hippo sweat is a hot topic in the scientific world, because scientists recently discovered that hippo sweat is a natural sun block as well as an antiseptic. Chemists and pharmaceutical companies are keen to unlock the secrets of this strange compound so that they might utilize it for human applications. The only problem…getting close enough to a hippo to acquire a sample. Hippos may look like big chubby, happy creatures, but do not be fooled. They are the second largest land animal on the planet, tipping the scales at over 3 tons, huge mouths armed with razor sharp tusks, and an extreme attitude. More people are killed by hippos in Africa than any other animal, so getting close enough to swap the sweat from their bodies was a serious undertaking, thus the hippo suit was born.

Dr. Brady Barr inside the protective barrier of the Hippo decoy.

A National Geographic Channel team of experts, including biologists, behavioral scientists, engineers, wildlife experts, and modelers, all joined forces to produce an incredibly life-like hippo decoy. A decoy that I would crawl inside and approach wild hippos in the country of Zambia, trying to get close enough t get that elusive sweat sample. It seemed like I spent more time inside that hippo suit than I did outside while in Zambia. At times I would spend over six hours at a time in costume, definitely not a picnic. It was stifling hot inside. I had very limited vision, so I was never really sure what was going on around me. I had to be very quiet and tried to remain calm while inside the hippo decoy, not always easy when surrounded by dangerous animals. I have had close encounters with elephants, hyena, lions, crocodiles, and of course hippos.

Much of my work took place at night in total darkness, which only heightened my stress level. My experiences inside the hippo decoy were incredibly rewarding as a scientist, yet at times also extremely scary. It was exhilarating to be a part of nature, literally another animal on the savanna, observing natural behavior in these magnificent creatures. It is almost impossible for me to convey in words what it felt like to hear the high screamed yelps late at night of hyenas around me moving in for the kill, (I was to be the kill), to feel the ground beneath my feet literally tremble as an angry elephant ran towards me, or experience the sights and sounds of an agitated 3 ton hippo as it lumbered ever closer to me.

There are lots of scientists out there that study these animals, yet very few that actually get to experience what it feels like to be a “part” of nature, a element in the grand ecosystem in which they study. I did and am truly thankful, and have greasy old hippo sweat to thank for all of it!

Dangerous Encounters: Undercover Hippo premieres Sunday, January 20 at 9p et/pt

Rob Englehardt - Executive Producer/Director of Photography

Police Tech reveals the most cutting edge technologies used by law enforcement today and features new prototypes that will be employed in the near future. This is the real life “Robo-cop”.

We traveled around the country, examining different technologies being used by police departments. In Ohio, we visited the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy where our host, Dave Young, took part in high-speed pursuit training. He started with what looked like a video game, but it was a state of the art, virtual reality, simulator called Patrol Sim. Three high-resolution plasma screens create a 210-degree field of view and simulate the patrol car’s front windshield and two side windows. The $100,000 machine gives trainees a chance to practice dangerous pursuit scenarios in the safety of the classroom. Once, Dave mastered the Patrol Sim we went outside for the real thing.

Outside, Dave went through additional training that improved his driving 10 fold, (click on the photo above to preview this portion of the show). I was in the backseat shooting him on high definition as he learned to shuffle steer and front line brake. Both skills took time to master and there were many near crashes and spinouts. Needless to say, I was thrown all around the back seat trying to control my 30-pound camera and nearly lost my breakfast. I wasn’t looking forward to our next exercise: PIT.

PIT stands for Precision Immobilization Technique and it is a maneuver in which a pursing officer moves up to the back quarter panel of a fleeing vehicle and gently turns the stirring wheel a quarter turn into the back panel. This breaks the rear wheel’s traction and causes the fleeing vehicle to spin out. To see how effective this technique worked, our host, Dave Young was going to act as the fleeing bad guy. Now, Dave is a former marine and police officer and a pretty competitive guy. So I knew I was in for a rough ride. This time, I was shooting from the passenger seat.

Dave took off and Ohio State Trooper, Jeff Eggleston followed in hot pursuit. After 8 or 10 turns and almost putting my $150,000 camera through the windshield, Officer Eggleston moved into position. Suddenly, everything in my viewfinder (and my head) was spinning. When we stopped we were in a ditch in a could of dust facing the other direction. I quickly unbuckled my safety harness, opened the door and emptied the contents of my stomach.

At later shoots, I was burned by a high-energy beam, blinded and disoriented by random patterns of colored light and sent into uncontrollable convulsions by a taser. All just another day on the job while shooting for National Geographic.

Police Tech: Stolen Cars Airs Thursday, January 17 at 8p et/pt

Greg Chapman - Research

Clay in marketing passed along these photos to me and I couldn't help but be pretty amused. And If you have read other postings by me, you have come to realize that there isn't a lot out there won't amuse me. But I will say I enjoyed the video that is out there of Hippo Dude and makes me miss when Trigger Happy TV was on the air.

Anyways, if you're having a bad day or simply looking for some laughter in your life, check out Hippodude.com and try and figure out who exactly Hippo Dude is.

Dr. Patti Iampietro - DogTown Veterinarian

My work with Tom on the reservation is inspiring as well as challenging. Working in such a harsh environment requires much physically as well as mentally and emotionally. Working for just one afternoon in the desert heat gives one a glimpse of what the animals as well as the human residents of the reservation live with every day. The trip I took with him this summer was especially rewarding because I was able to meet and help 3 very special puppies all with different needs.

First I met Hemi – I little puppy with big personality. She came kicking and screaming out from a pile of tires in which she was hiding. She was so sure that we meant her harm she was doing all she could to avoid “capture”. Once she was in the air conditioned van however with fresh food and water, she began to realize that we may not be all that bad. Within a dozen yards we found another puppy, TIki, hiding under an old piece of furniture. Tiki couldn’t have been more different than Hemi. She was timid and didn’t resist at all our carrying her from her lazyboy hideout to the comforts of the van. Tiki seemed to have a skin condition that we later treated for her. Finally we met Polly. Polly was being cared for by a family that lived on the reservation. She was found as a stray puppy and taken in by the generous family. Unfortunately one of their other dogs felt a bit differently about Polly and we suspect may have bitten her in the head. Subsequently she had problems with one of her eyes and also a fracture to her skull. Although quiet she seemed to like human contact and along with Hemi and Tiki made the long trip back to the sanctuary. All three puppies had very different personalities and medical and or behavioral conditions. All three puppies when shown love and the comfort of being safe with a full belly developed wonderful personalities. It is tremendously rewarding to take three little puppies that began their lives in such hardship and give them the chance to be happy and carefree and most importantly loved in a forever home.

Helping Tom on the reservation is a very important part of my work here at Best Friends. Best Friends has outreach programs to help animals all over the nation and even the world but it is great to also help those that live right “next door” and actually see the difference we make. By teaming up with the Fredonia Humane Society we are able to provide free health care to the animals that live on the reservation. In an impoverished area where money for pet care is just not available, we can now go in and get these dogs and cats vaccinated, provide antibiotics, treat for parasites and most importantly help control the animal population through spay/neuter. The best part of our work is being able to educate the community on pet overpopulation and the importance of spaying and neutering their pets. These people want to care for their animals but just are not able to take on the financial burden of basic pet care and are so grateful that we can come in and help them. By teaching them about the importance of spaying and neutering their pets we can make sure that our efforts last well in to the future. Also, a bond is built when people entrust their pets to us, some of these animals are important working parts of the family, and then receive them back to healthy, vaccinated, dewormed and neutered.

I love Dog town and Best Friends because it warms my heart to see so many people dedicating their lives to help those dogs that have no one else. As a vet I can be the one who can help when everyone else has said no.

I feel it is important to recognize Best Friends for what we do – provide a sanctuary for dogs of all needs. Looking more closely it is important for viewers to realize that not all problems are medical or surgical. Many of our dogs have behavioral issues and given a second chance can find a happy home. It would be great for viewers to use this show to learn about the importance of population control. Finally, I would love to see viewers recognize the need of animals all over the country and world and be encouraged and empowered to help shelters in their local area. I would like them to look to a shelter to adopt a pet instead of a purchasing one from a breeder or a pet. I would like them to share their new found passion with family and friends. I would like them to realize that adopting an older dog or one with special needs is a gift that is endlessly rewarding. I would like them to truly see that saving the life of one animal wont change the world but it will surely change the world of that one animal.

For more check out NGC DogTown.com or at Best Friends.org

Many of you on this blog have been wondering, well here is your answer - Man Among Wolves returns to Nat Geo's air for a special showing this Wednesday at 9p et/pt.

Click the player below to preview a clip from the show and remember to tune in on Wednesday at 9p et/pt to see the complete film.

Greg Chapman - Research

Looks as if the decision to add Polar Bears to the endagered species list under the Endagered Species Act has been delayed.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service the delay is due to a backlog of work in the department, not any scientific data yet to be released. However environmental groups opposed to the delay suspect that delays are political, and not scientific. These groups are looking towards the final lease sale, (slated for February 5), of oil and gas development in the Chukchi Sea as the cause.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service deny these claims and a final decision is to be released within the next thirty days.

Read the article here

For videos related to Polar Bears, click here.

Daniel Lucas Stern - Producer

Filled with anticipation, myself and a three man crew met up with World Famous Bounty Hunter and “Godfather of Bail” Leonard Padilla and his partner Rob Dick for our first shooting day in March. Myself and producing partner Brian Jones had shot for two years with these man hunters prior to this shoot, but the rest of the crew was about to become enthralled in this exciting world for the very first time.

Our shoot started off with a bang. The bounty hunting team located a fugitive (Samuel Gonzalez) in Oroville, CA about 100 miles north of home base in Sacramento. When we arrived at the house we were greeted by one of the toughest pit bulls I have ever seen. After the dog attempted to attack bounty hunters Rob and Kevin, they were forced to spray him with pepper spray. This dog would not back down, and it took nearly an entire can to subdue him. After various attempts to get Mr. Gonzalez to answer his door, Rob and Kevin made entry through the front door, while Leonard watched the front and bounty hunters Art and Steve watched each side on the rear of the house.

As the camera crew and I followed closely behind Rob and Kevin, the scene quickly became something out of a movie; the television was on in the dark room and coincidentally (I guess?) the Law & Order theme song was blaring at high volume while the show’s opening credits rolled. It became clear rather quickly that, upon our arrival, the fugitive had barricaded himself in the back bedroom and was not about to open the door. A bit of miscommunication between the bounty hunting team ensued as all five were now inside the house rather than watching their respective posts. This gave the fugitive the window (both literally and figuratively) that he needed to make his escape.

"All I could think was that at any moment, the fugitive was going to turn around and open fire at us.Luckily, this was not the case. Fences were hurdled, tasers were deployed, and after a long chase, we caught up..."

All we heard was a crash. Rob shouted; “He’s running!” And for the next five minutes, sheer chaos ensued. The crash we heard was Samuel diving through the back bedroom window. He was off to the races and the team and our crew pursued. Samuel was not only fast, but had apparently run this route and successfully eluded law enforcement on a handful of previous occasions. All I could think was that at any moment, the fugitive was going to turn around and open fire at us. Luckily, this was not the case. Fences were hurdled, tasers were deployed, and after a long chase, we caught up with Samuel at a stranger’s house, exhausted and dripping with blood.

After the arrest, Rob quickly made it a priority to check up on the kids Samuel had left behind. I was unaware there were kids involved and was shocked to find two small children ages 1 and 3 laying in the bed of the rear bedroom Samuel had jumped out of, playing dangerously close to the broken window glass. The very same dog that had made such a valiant effort to prevent our entry into the house, was now lying at the foot of the bed (frothy mouth and all), heroically protecting the children.

This arrest, and the thirty some odd others we captured in HD over the next two months left me with a myriad of questions. How can someone jump through a window and leave his two babies behind and in danger? Or choose to live in a home where the living conditions are indescribable? How can someone (allegedly) commit an unspeakable crime and then flee justice to places like Hawaii and Guam, only to think they will never be found?

People can only run for so long. I’m confident in saying this after interviewing each of the captured fugitives; most of them are strangely relieved. Even when they were facing significant prison time, their answers and their body language said it all. The gig is up, maybe now I can get my life back on track. Some of them will, some of them won’t, but for those moments after their arrest, there is clarity.

All credit is due to this remarkable team of proven professional bounty hunters that we had the good fortune to work with again. I, as a producer had the luxury to reflect on these things during our shoot, the bounty hunters did not. They always had a job to do; a job in which their top priority is staying safe and coming home alive. And it was due to this professionalism and talent, during every arrest, every sticky situation we got into, I never felt in like I was harm’s way, I never felt scared…well, maybe a little.

Meet these new age Bounty Hunters this Sunday after the premiere of Lockdown: First Timers. You can preview a clip from the show by clicking here.

Photographs from AP/Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, HO

Greg Chapman - Research

I wanted to take a quick second and pass along this pretty interesting story written by Ted Chamberlin.

An Australian couple in New South Wales found a Python in deep trouble after it ingested four golf balls that had been used to coax a hen to lay eggs, (see above). Upon finding the struggling python where the golf balls once laid, they rushed it to the veterinarian for an emergency Golf Ball-ectomy. If you get a chance, check out the article. Its a quick, but interesting read from NGnews.

They also have a link to the video.

Nat Geo explores what makes extraordinary humans...well extraordinary. Starting at 8p on Sunday, Nat Geo follows three different cases to to see what makes certain people gigantic, obese and in some cases dwarfs.

Inside Extraordinary Humans: Science of Obesity starts at 8p et/pt.	Inside Extraordinary Humans: Science of Gigantism starts at 9p et/pt.	Inside Extraordinary Humans: Science of Dwarfism starts at 10p et/pt.

With the series premiere of DogTown almost upon us, here is what Jeff Popwich, who works at Dogtown, thought of a couple of dogs that you will be able to meet in the series.

Jeff Popowich - Best Friends/DogTown

Bruno:

Bruno came to Best Friends an older, tired dog. All he seemed to need was a meal, some companionship and a nice comfortable bed to snooze on. How can you not instantly feel compassion for a kid like that? When I first met !

Bruno I thought that he would be around for at least a couple years. He didn't seem to be that bad off. It just goes to show you how stoic dogs can be.

"And there is nothing more rewarding than watching a dog come in shy and scared and seeing them transform into a happy, trusting dog."

I hope that he knows that the people at Best Friends cared for him and wanted to make him as comfortable and happy as possible. I am very grateful to Dr Mike and Elissa for taking him home in the end. In my mind, being in a home is one of the highest priorities for dogs that have a limited time with us. I miss Bruno, but I feel that even though we didn't get much time with him, we at least affected his life in a positive way.

Zoeyann: Zoeyann is a great dog. She is friendly with everyone she meets. When she came in, I was very optimistic that her life would improve very quickly. Coming in with an allergy diagnosis simplified things for us. It didn't take long for her to start showing signs of improvement.

I remember the day we went over to visit her at the Garden. It was so nice to see her interact with her run mates and be able to just be a happy dog. It was no surprise when she got adopted, who wouldn't want a playful dog like her. Her medical condition is one that seems to be easily managed, which means she should be able to live a long, healthy life like she deserves.

Porto:

I remember him being almost completely hairless when he came in. I also remember that he is a great dog.

Best Friends/Dogtown:

Best Friends/Dogtown is like no other place on earth. When I first started working here, I actually felt guilty that I was getting paid to play with dogs. At the same time, it is a very rewarding and challenging job. Patience is one of the most important traits a person can have when working with animals. And there is nothing more rewarding than watching a dog come in shy and scared and seeing them transform into a happy, trusting dog. We have a huge responsibility to the animals we take care of and also to the donors that make it all possible.

Just like with any other job, there are ups and downs, good times and bad times. But I can't think of any other place I would rather be than working at Best Friends.

This series is going to put Best Friends out there even more. I feel that this is a great opportunity to showcase what Best Friends is all about. We do great things here every day and that should be shared with everyone that tunes in. We don't claim to know everything about taking care of animals, but we do know a few things about it. It will all be worth it if we educate just even one person that animals are not disposable, and that they all deserve to be in homes.

Remember, the series premieres this Friday at 9p et/pt. For another look at what you can expect you can go to ngcdogtown.com or go to Best Friends' DogTown area by clicking here.