Natural World 1983
What is Natural World?
Natural World is a British nature documentary television series that premiered on October 30, 1983, with the episode Save the Panda. Broadcast annually on BBC Two and BBC Two HD, the program was identified by the BBC as its flagship natural history brand.
- Type
- TV series
- Year
- 1983
- Status
- Ended
- Episodes
- 543
- Runtime
- 60 minutes
- First aired
- Oct 30, 1983
- Last aired
- Mar 20, 2020
- Original language
- EN
- Origin
- GB
- Networks
- BBC Two
- Genres
- Documentary
- Updated
Where to watch
Stream
BritBox
Britbox Apple TV Channel
BBC Select Apple Tv channelBuy
Apple TV StoreBuy
Apple TV StoreWith ads
UKTV PlayStream
VI movies and tv
Discovery+ Amazon ChannelStream
Britbox Apple TV ChannelBritBoxBBC Select Apple Tv channelStreaming availability data provided by JustWatch via TMDB. Availability changes by country and date; verify on the provider before subscribing or purchasing.
How long to binge?
Estimate the schedule using 543 episodes and an average 60-minute runtime.
Trailer
Overview
Natural World is a British nature documentary television series that premiered on October 30, 1983, with the episode Save the Panda. Broadcast annually on BBC Two and BBC Two HD, the program was identified by the BBC as its flagship natural history brand. The series remained in production until 2020 and is recognized as the longest-running series in its genre on British television, with more than 400 episodes produced since its inception. The show was produced by the BBC Natural History Unit in Bristol, though individual programs were also created through collaborative efforts with other broadcasters or purchased from independent production companies. Each installment provided an in-depth look at specific wildlife behaviors, ecosystems, environmental issues, and conservation challenges. Notable contributors to the series include David Attenborough, Barry Paine, John Shrapnel, and Andrew Sachs. Originally known as The Natural World until 2001, the series maintained a focus on detailed explorations of the natural environment throughout its multi-decade run on television.
Should you watch it?
“The BBC's flagship documentary series offers an in-depth look at wildlife, ecosystems, and global conservation challenges.”
- extensive archive of wildlife footage
- high production standards from the BBC Natural History Unit
- focus on diverse environmental stories
- large volume of episodes may be daunting
- varies in style due to different production companies
Watch it if you enjoy detailed, long-running examinations of the natural world and wildlife behavior.
The series is a standard nature documentary program suitable for general audiences interested in wildlife and the environment.
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Your verdict
Is Natural World worth watching?
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Episode guide
Spoiler-Safe Browsing Progress
Season 1 · 10 episodes
Open the complete Season 1 guide & lore primer →- E1 Save The Panda Mytharc Oct 30, 1983
- E2 From Aadvark To Zebra Core Nov 6, 1983
- E3 Programmed For Flight Core Nov 13, 1983
- E4 Jungle Core Nov 20, 1983
- E5 Secret Weapons Core Nov 27, 1983
- E6 Birds of Paradox Core Dec 4, 1983
- E7 Jet Set Wildlife Core Dec 11, 1983
- E8 Pelican Delta Core Dec 18, 1983
- E9 Winter Days Mytharc Dec 25, 1983
- E10 God's Acre Mytharc Jan 2, 1984
Season 2 · 8 episodes
- E1 Plight of the Bumble-Bee Mytharc May 6, 1984
- E2 Salim Ali's India Core May 13, 1984
- E3 The Kiwai - Dugong Hunters of Daru Core May 20, 1984
- E4 Commandos of Conservation Core Jun 3, 1984
- E5 Long Point Core Jun 10, 1984
- E6 Beneath The Keel Core Jun 17, 1984
- E7 Treasures of the Gulf Mytharc Jul 1, 1984
- E8 Fragments of Eden Mytharc Jul 22, 1984
Season 3 · 15 episodes
- E1 Among The Wild Chimpanzees Mytharc Nov 4, 1984
- E2 One Man's Island Core Nov 11, 1984
- E3 Invaders Of The Truk Lagoon Core Nov 18, 1984
- E4 The Desire Of The Moth Core Nov 25, 1984
- E5 A Question Of Space Core Dec 2, 1984
- E6 Peacocks, Parasites And The Puzzle Of Sex Core Dec 9, 1984
- E7 Land Of Ice And Fire Core Dec 16, 1984
- E8 The Lost World Of Medusa Core Dec 23, 1984
- E9 Kinabalu - Summit Of Borneo Core Jan 6, 1985
- E10 Wild Ireland Core Jan 13, 1985
- E11 Water - A Fresh Look Core Jan 20, 1985
- E12 Battle Of The Leaves Core Jan 27, 1985
- E13 The Year Of The Rat Core Feb 3, 1985
- E14 Through Animal Eyes Mytharc Feb 10, 1985
- E15 Within A Garden Wall Mytharc Feb 17, 1985
Season 4 · 20 episodes
- E1 Land of the Tiger Mytharc Sep 15, 1985
- E2 Namaqualand - Diary of a Desert Garden Core Sep 22, 1985
- E3 Horns of Dilemma Core Sep 29, 1985
- E4 On the Verge of Life Core Oct 6, 1985
- E5 The Man Who Loves Frogs Core Oct 13, 1985
- E6 Emas - The High Plains of Brazil Core Oct 20, 1985
- E7 The Flight of the Whooping Crane Core Oct 27, 1985
- E8 White Rock, Black Water Core Nov 3, 1985
- E9 Never Stay In One Place Core Nov 10, 1985
- E10 City of Coral Core Nov 17, 1985
- E11 Kingdom of the Ice Bear: The Frozen Ocean Core Nov 24, 1985
- E12 Kingdom of the Ice Bear: The Land of Beyond Core Dec 1, 1985
- E13 Kingdom of the Ice Bear: The Final Challenge Core Dec 8, 1985
- E14 Aspen - A Dance of Leaves Core Dec 22, 1985
- E15 The Plant Hunters Core Dec 29, 1985
- E16 Short Grass Country Core Jan 5, 1986
- E17 The Forgotten Garden Core Jan 12, 1986
- E18 Inside Stories Core Jan 19, 1986
- E19 Masked Monkeys Mytharc Jan 26, 1986
- E20 Sky Hunters Mytharc Feb 2, 1986
Season 5 · 17 episodes
- E1 Leopard - A Darkness In The Grass Mytharc Oct 5, 1986
- E2 Where The Parrots Speak Mandarin Core Oct 12, 1986
- E3 The Mystery Of Laguna Baja Core Oct 19, 1986
- E4 Have Fish Had Their Chips? Core Nov 16, 1986
- E5 Why Dogs Don't Like Chilli But Some Like It Hot Core Nov 23, 1986
- E6 The Elephant Challenge Core Nov 30, 1986
- E7 Ichkeul - Between The Desert And The Deep Blue Sea Core Dec 7, 1986
- E8 Man-Eaters Of Kumaon Core Dec 14, 1986
- E9 A Cactus Called Saguaro Core Dec 21, 1986
- E10 A Wilderness Like Eden Core Jan 11, 1987
- E11 Sweet Water, Bitter Sea Core Jan 18, 1987
- E12 Bats Need Friends Core Jan 25, 1987
- E13 Cockatoos At Three Springs Core Feb 1, 1987
- E14 The Volcano Watchers Core Feb 8, 1987
- E15 The Deciding Factor Core Feb 15, 1987
- E16 Reflections Of A River Keeper Mytharc Feb 22, 1987
- E17 Towers Of Wax And Paper Palaces Mytharc Mar 1, 1987
Frequently asked questions
When did the series premiere?
The series premiered on October 30, 1983.
Who produces the series?
It is produced by the BBC Natural History Unit in Bristol.
How many episodes have been broadcast?
More than 400 episodes have been broadcast since the series began.
What is the focus of the episodes?
Each episode provides an in-depth look at natural history events, wildlife behaviors, and conservation challenges.
Where was the series broadcast?
The series was broadcast on BBC Two and BBC Two HD.