NHK's popular nature program "Darwin Has Come!" (General) will be broadcasting "Strong and Kind! The Giant, Strange Bird, the Shoebill" from 7:30 pm on January 25th. This time, the program will be the first to cover the long-term rearing of the giant, dinosaur-like bird, the Shoebill.
The shoebill is a gigantic, intimidating bird that uses its large beak to bring down its prey with great force. It is a popular animal at zoos, but its numbers are so low that it is feared to be on the brink of extinction, making it difficult to even find in the wild, and little research has been done on its ecology.
This time, the reporting team will attempt their first long-term, close-up coverage of the African swamps. They will witness the unexpected hardships that only a giant bird can face, as well as the loving care it takes to raise its young. They will also introduce the surprising conservation efforts being carried out by researchers. They will get a glimpse into the strong and gentle true nature of these mysterious giant birds.
