Profiles of Nature

{{Short description|Canadian television series}}

{{italic title}}

Profiles of Nature is a long-running Canadian nature documentary television show. It is produced by Ellis Entertainment (also called Ellis Vision, and formerly the K.E.G. Productions Limited) of Ontario, Canada.{{Cite web |url=http://www.ellisent.com/production.html |title=Ellis Entertainment |access-date=2015-01-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150214192604/http://ellisent.com/production.html |archive-date=2015-02-14 |url-status=dead }} This show has won multiple awards and has been broadcast in over 100 countries, including being shown on the Discovery Channel and Animal Planet cable television channels. According to Ellis Entertainment, this television series is the longest running primetime program on the Discovery Channel in the United States.{{Cite web |url=http://www.ellisent.com/corporate.html |title=Ellis Entertainment |access-date=2015-01-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150214142450/http://ellisent.com/corporate.html |archive-date=2015-02-14 |url-status=dead }}

Episodes

Profiles of Nature consists of 104 half-hour and 84 one-hour episodes, and has been in production since 1986.{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0219265/|title=Profiles of Nature|publisher=|via=www.imdb.com}}

Individual episodes have profiled various wildlife, including the gorilla,{{Cite web |url=http://www.endangeredspecieshandbook.org/video2_films_zoos.php |title=Zoos, Captive Breeding and Reintroductions Endangered Species Handbook |access-date=2015-01-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150119061205/http://www.endangeredspecieshandbook.org/video2_films_zoos.php |archive-date=2015-01-19 |url-status=dead }} red-tailed hawk,{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G936__5u7GU|title=TVOntario Profiles of Nature - The Red-Tailed Hawk|last=canoeman1961|date=11 January 2015|publisher=|via=YouTube}} the great gray owl (including footage by wildlife cinematographer Dalton Muir and noted Canadian wildlife photographer Robert R. Taylor,{{Cite book |last=Nero |first=Robert W. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ozE9Q72ekGMC&dq=profiles+of+nature+K+E+G&pg=PA19 |title=Lady Grayl: Owl With a Mission |date=1994-06-30 |publisher=Dundurn |isbn=978-1-4597-1894-4 |language=en}} and many other species. Series 11 (produced in 2003) profiled tarantulas, the grizzly bear, the American black bear, the bobcat, and other species.{{Cite web |url=http://www.telefilm.ca/en/catalogues/production/profiles-nature-xi |title=PROFILES OF NATURE XI - Telefilm Canada |access-date=2015-01-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150119064709/http://www.telefilm.ca/en/catalogues/production/profiles-nature-xi |archive-date=2015-01-19 |url-status=dead }}

Some episodes in this series focus upon nature survival, including one episode

entitled "Man of the Wilderness", which portrayed the survival skills of Canadian survival expert and professor emeritus at the Universite du Quebec a Chicoutimi, Andre-Francois Bourbeau.{{Cite book |last=Bourbeau |first=André-François |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kwy36K457rsC&dq=profiles+of+nature+K+E+G&pg=PA224 |title=Wilderness Secrets Revealed: Adventures of a Survivor |date=2013-05-11 |publisher=Dundurn |isbn=978-1-4597-0697-2 |language=en}}{{cite book|title=Wilderness Secrets Revealed: Adventures of a Survivor|first1=Andre-Francois|last1=Bourbeau|first2=Les|last2=Stroud|date=11 May 2013|publisher=Dundurn|isbn=978-1459706965}} Bourbeau holds the Guinness World Record for longest voluntary wilderness survival of 31 days, a record he has held for nearly 30 years since 1986.{{cite web|url=http://www.universityaffairs.ca/features/feature-article/meet-andre-francois-bourbeau-wilderness-survival-pioneer/|title=Meet André-François Bourbeau: wilderness survival pioneer - University Affairs|publisher=}}{{cite web|url=http://www.dundurn.com/books/wilderness_secrets_revealed|title=Wilderness Secrets Revealed|publisher=}} This episode won a bronze medal at the Houston International Film Festival.

Cast and production

Episodes of this television program are narrated by Ontario-based stage and film actor Neil Dainard.{{cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-za/tv/series/profiles-of-nature/AA46bK0|title=Search Results - Entertainment|website=www.msn.com}}{{cite web|url=http://www.canadiantheatre.com/dict.pl?term=Dainard,+Neil|title=Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia - Dainard, Neil|first=Canadian Theatre|last=Encyclopedia|website=www.canadiantheatre.com}}

References