Synopsis
The early stages of a mountain stream and the wildlife that lives there.
- Programme: Planet Earth
- Episode: Fresh Water
- Channel: BBC One
- Broadcast year: 2006
- Geography | Rivers and water | The water cycle and river terminology | River characteristics
Licence: ERA Licence required
UK only
Staff and students of licensed education establishments only
Cannot be adapted
Add Notes
More clips from Planet Earth
3: Freshwater | Planet Earth
3: Freshwater | Planet Earth
Documentary series which celebrates earth in all its glory. This edition follows the descent of the planet's mightiest rivers from their mountai...
Tepuis of Venezuela | Planet Earth
Tepuis of Venezuela | Planet Earth
How rain has shaped the Tepuis of Venezuela.
The Grand Canyon | Planet Earth
The Grand Canyon | Planet Earth
For five million years, the Colorado River has carved its way through the landscape, creating the Grand Canyon.
3: Freshwater | Planet Earth
3: Freshwater | Planet Earth
Documentary series which celebrates earth in all its glory. This edition follows the descent of the planet's mightiest rivers from their mountai...
Tepuis of Venezuela | Planet Earth
Tepuis of Venezuela | Planet Earth
How rain has shaped the Tepuis of Venezuela.
The Grand Canyon | Planet Earth
The Grand Canyon | Planet Earth
For five million years, the Colorado River has carved its way through the landscape, creating the Grand Canyon.
More resources about River ecosystems
S2E2: Danube | Earth's Great Rivers II
S2E2: Danube | Earth's Great Rivers II
The extraordinary story of the Danube, the world's most international river. It reveals magical wonders, from crystal-clear waterfalls...
S1E3: Mississippi | Earth's Great Rivers
S1E3: Mississippi | Earth's Great Rivers
The surprising story of the Mississippi, a river that unites the USA. From frozen waterfalls to time-travelling barges, the Mississi...
Freshwater | Wild Isles
Freshwater | Wild Isles
David Attenborough takes us on a journey from source to sea, following the course of our fresh water to reveal a host of astonishing wildlife.
S1E1: Amazon | Earth's Great Rivers
S1E1: Amazon | Earth's Great Rivers
Documentary revealing the animals, landscapes and people of the greatest river on earth. From transparent lagoons to pink dolphins, the A...
Baby Alligators in Atchafalaya Swamp | Earth's Great Rivers
Baby Alligators in Atchafalaya Swamp | Earth's Great Rivers
Baby alligators - so small that they could easily become a meal for some here in the largest swamp in the USA. Bu...
Building on the Atchafalaya | Earth's Great Rivers
Building on the Atchafalaya | Earth's Great Rivers
The city of New Orleans was built on the Mississippi floodplain and is constantly fighting to hold the river back.
Crocodiles vs monitor lizard | Earth's Great Rivers
Crocodiles vs monitor lizard | Earth's Great Rivers
A mother crocodile has buried her eggs in the sand, but their scent attracts in hungry mouths. Nile monitor lizards try t...
Disappearing Mississippi wetlands | Earth's Great Rivers
Disappearing Mississippi wetlands | Earth's Great Rivers
The Mississippi wetlands are disappearing due to human interventions in the landscape.
Episode 1 | The River Wye with Will Millard
Episode 1 | The River Wye with Will Millard
Writer and angler Will Millard travels along the River Wye. He begins his journey in the mountains of Mid Wales, going in search ...
Episode 2 | The River Wye with Will Millard
Episode 2 | The River Wye with Will Millard
Writer and angler Will Millard is on the second leg of his journey down the River Wye, taking in Glasbury, Hay-on-Wye and Hereford.
Episode 3 | The River Wye with Will Millard
Episode 3 | The River Wye with Will Millard
Writer and angler Will Millard embarks on the final leg of his journey down the River Wye, from Ross-on-Wye to Chepstow, where th...
Flooded forest | Earth's Great Rivers
Flooded forest | Earth's Great Rivers
Wildlife thrives in the Amazon during the wet season.
Industrialised Mississippi river | Earth's Great Rivers
Industrialised Mississippi river | Earth's Great Rivers
In the central stretch of the Mississippi, barges transport millions of tonnes of the nation's produce up and down th...
Introduction to the Amazon river | Earth's Great Rivers
Introduction to the Amazon river | Earth's Great Rivers
An introduction to the river Amazon, including it's source in Peruvian glaciers.
Introduction to the Mississippi river | Earth's Great Rivers
Introduction to the Mississippi river | Earth's Great Rivers
An introduction to the Mississippi river, including it's source in the Rockies.
Mississippi floodplain | Earth's Great Rivers
Mississippi floodplain | Earth's Great Rivers
In the last 1,000 miles of its journey, the Mississippi flows out into a vast natural floodplain.
S1E2: Nile | Earth's Great Rivers
S1E2: Nile | Earth's Great Rivers
A look at the astonishing wildlife, landscapes and people of the Nile. From elephants and leopards to ancient wonders, its great length is ...
S2E1: Zambezi | Earth's Great Rivers II
S2E1: Zambezi | Earth's Great Rivers II
From elephants and wildebeest to Victoria Falls, the largest curtain of water on earth. This is the story of the Zambezi, Africa's wi...
S2E3: Yukon | Earth's Great Rivers II
S2E3: Yukon | Earth's Great Rivers II
The Yukon is a river of wild extremes. Home to bears, moose and huge salmon, the riches of North America's frozen river have sustained ...
Tepuis of Venezuela | Planet Earth
Tepuis of Venezuela | Planet Earth
How rain has shaped the Tepuis of Venezuela.
More from Sir David Attenborough
3: Deserts and Grasslands | Planet Earth III
3: Deserts and Grasslands | Planet Earth III
David Attenborough explores earth's greatest wildernesses, where extraordinary life survives in unexpected ways, and nature puts...
The mystery of the whale shark nursery | Blue Planet II
The mystery of the whale shark nursery | Blue Planet II
Nutrients from the deep provide sustenance for a large gathering of sea life.
Ants vs Cows | Natural World
Ants vs Cows | Natural World
The super colony unites in a spectacular attack to defend their nest from curious cows.
3: Jungles | Planet Earth II
3: Jungles | Planet Earth II
Jungles provide the richest habitats on the planet - mysterious worlds of high drama where extraordinary animals attempt to survive in the most ...
Lizard Heaters | Life in Cold Blood
Lizard Heaters | Life in Cold Blood
Wall lizards take advantage of foul-smelling dead-horse arums.
How Many People Can Live on Planet Earth? | Horizon
How Many People Can Live on Planet Earth? | Horizon
Naturalist Sir David Attenborough investigates whether the world faces a population crisis and if it is the duty of indiv...
7: Great Plains | Planet Earth
7: Great Plains | Planet Earth
Documentary series which celebrates Earth in its natural glory. A look at the great plains - wildernesses which support the greatest gathering...
Weighty wanderers | Life in the Freezer
Weighty wanderers | Life in the Freezer
With a wingspan of over 3m, the wandering albatross has the biggest feeding range of any bird. Throughout the winter they remain in n...
Our Precious Isles | Wild Isles
Our Precious Isles | Wild Isles
David Attenborough celebrates the rich variety of habitats in our wild isles, the existence of which is critical for the survival of species ...
4: Desert Worlds | The Green Planet
4: Desert Worlds | The Green Planet
Desert plants spend decades in suspended animation waiting for rain, or they travel to find it. They survive using weapons, camouflage an...
David Attenborough | The Queen's Platinum Jubilee
David Attenborough | The Queen's Platinum Jubilee
David Attenborough speaks about the environment. Also, includes footage of the drones that turn into animals.
Greta meets David Attenborough | Greta Thunberg: A Year to Change the World
Greta meets David Attenborough | Greta Thunberg: A Year to Change the World
Greta Thunberg and David Attenborough discuss their hopes for the future of the planet.
COP26 delegates and climate scientists | Climate Change: The Facts
COP26 delegates and climate scientists | Climate Change: The Facts
COP26 delegates and climate scientist Hannah Cloke discuss their hopes for the COP26 conference.
The People v Climate Change
The People v Climate Change
Meet the 108 ordinary Brits who Sir David Attenborough says we should listen to. This warm and honest documentary reveals how everyday people fee...
Leopard seal vs penguin | Seven Worlds, One Planet
Leopard seal vs penguin | Seven Worlds, One Planet
Glaciers crumbling more quickly, due to climate change, give the advantage to leopard seals hunting penguins.
The Weddell seal's adaptations | Life
The Weddell seal's adaptations | Life
The Weddell seal is perfectly adapted to survive in the environment it must endure.
Poison dart frogs battle it out | Attenborough's Life in Colour
Poison dart frogs battle it out | Attenborough's Life in Colour
A poison dart frog fights off a contender until he's sufficiently warned off.
Biodiversity loss | Extinction: The Facts
Biodiversity loss | Extinction: The Facts
An exploration of the devastating impacts of the loss of insect and plant biodiversity.
Buffalo to the rescue | Dynasties
Buffalo to the rescue | Dynasties
A painted wolf pack is attacked by lions seeking out the pups to kill. But an angry buffalo comes charging in and distracts the lions.
Marine predators and scavengers | The Blue Planet
Marine predators and scavengers | The Blue Planet
The scavengers of the deep ocean rely on predators at the surface to provide their nutrition.