The Life of Mammals, Vol. 3

Rating:
Summary: Water dwellers, tree climbers
Review: This, the third volume of an excellent four-volume series on mammals, balances the expected with the unexpected, the large with the small, and the well-known with the less well-known. It contains two hour-long episodes: _Return to the Water_, which focuses on aquatic mammals such as otters, seals, manatees and whales; and _Life in the Trees_, which discusses primates and other arboreal mammals. Attenborough has obviously filmed these animals extensively, and his films benefit from being viewed multiple times.

Because he is able to find beauty in things other people would not notice, Attenborough is at his best when he describes behaviors and animals which are neglected by other popular filmmakers. His awe of all creatures great and small is apparent in every movie in the series. _Return to the Water_ discusses the large whales with awe, but also takes care to mention the many other groups of mammals that have taken to the water. _Life in the Trees_ also divides its time about right between primates and non-primates. Overall, I highly recommend this video, which is densely packed with outstanding footage and fascinating information.