News from Nature - National Geographic grantee Jean Boubli travels to Brazil's Amazon rain forest to search for a wedge-capped capuchin, a primate that historically is not known to inhabit the region. The primatologist hopes to document the monkey on film for the first time ever and collect genetic samples to help determine if this is a new species. The results could lead to these animals and their habitat being better protected. Stories from the Wild - On Kenya's Watamu Beach, the Watamu Turtle Watch Program assists endangered sea turtles survive a world fraught with danger. Conservationists believe the area's population of green and hawksbill turtles is only one-fifth of what it was just 25 years ago due to illegal fishing practices, pollution and beach development. Since 1997, the watch program's volunteers have saved more than 45, 000 young hatchlings and 36,000 juvenile and adult turtles. Adventure and Exploration - Wild Chronicles host Boyd Matson follows National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Mike Fay on a trip to Gabon's Loango National Park in West Africa. Fay helped create the park, as well as 12 others in Gabon, six years ago after completing his 456 day, 2,000 mile Megatransect from the Congo to the coast of Gabon. On his return visit to Loango, Fay observes new wildlife that has flourished as a result of his efforts to preserve the area. Animal Encounters - A team of researchers travel to Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, to determine the level of danger that tiger sharks pose on humans. Conservationists believe the shark's reputation as a man-eater is unjust. After tracking their movements, the researchers suggest that in fact, most tiger sharks in this region try to avoid humans. Field Reports - Once facing extinction in Japan due to now outlawed hunting, the Japanese giant salamander, which can grow up to five feet in length and weigh more than 50 pounds, is making a comeback. However habitat destruction and flood control systems still remain a threat. To solve the problem, a team of researchers devise a ramp and staircase system to modify dams, allowing the salamanders to return up-river to the mountain streams to breed.
