News from Nature - In Gainesville, Florida, a brown capuchin monkey with diabetes makes the transition from beloved pet to new resident at the Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary. While physical and mental health problems are rare in the wild, they are common occurrences in captive animals. Providing a safe haven for monkeys previously kept as pets, used in laboratories, or retired from movies and circuses, the sanctuary is a perfect place for monkeying around. Stories from the Wild - In the hills of northern Spain a shepherd and his son follow a centuries-old agricultural tradition for preserving peace in the pastures. Specially bred to protect sheep and cattle from wolves, mastiff guard dogs are gaining international acclaim for being a non-lethal solution to help wolves and livestock co-exist. Field Reports - Harvester ants have a reputation for military precision, but one researcher in Colorado suggests they are more like a commune of free spirits. With no single ant in charge, harvester ants use chemical information and scent to the same effect that humans use visual information to determine their daily regimen. Wild Chronicles takes an up-close look at how altering an ant's chemical cues can change a colony's behavior and cause a mock battle. Adventure and Exploration - In California, Wild Chronicles teams with volunteers for the Santa Monica Mountains BioBlitz, a 24-hour dash to find, identify and learn about as many plant and animal species as possible. The event, organized by the National Geographic Society and the National Park Service, attracts over 5,000 critter-seekers wanting to discover the natural wonders lurking in their own backyards. What they find leaves them flabbergasted.
