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You're never too young to start learning about conservation and ecology, and videos are one of the best ways to expose kids to these concepts. Kids love animals -- as the popularity of countless Disney films attests -- but surprisingly few videos offer a realistic treatment of wild animals (or plants) and their relationship to their environment. Here are some videos that kids will enjoy and learn from, arranged in rough order from pre-school to even-your-teenagers-will-watch.
Amazing Animals Video: Endangered Animals VHS
An introduction to endangered species for younger children that explains basic conservation concepts while moving fast enough to hold the attention of young minds. Worth buying.
The Bear VHS, DVD
A rare example of a film about animals that eschews Disney-style anthropomorphism without sacrificing storytelling: an orphaned bear cub and his older Kodiak mentor cope with invading hunters. Gripping and realistic, it's based The Grizzly King, a 1917 novel by James Oliver Curwood.
Never Cry Wolf VHS, DVD
From the director of The Black Stallion, this 1983 adaptation of Farley Mowat's autobiographical novel features both a spectacular Canadian wilderness setting and a valuable lesson about the interdependence of species (wolves and caribou).
National Geographic's America's Endangered Species: Don't Say Good-Bye VHS
Based on the quest of photographers Susan Middleton and David Liitschwager to capture on film the rarest flora and fauna of the North American continent, this hour-long film highlights conservation efforts as well as a wide range of endangered plants and animals.
Jeremiah Johnson VHS, DVD
Set in the mid-19th century, this tale of a man (Robert Redford) who is drawn to the mountains of the West after a tragedy back East celebrates the value and power of the wilderness to shape a person's character. Features beautiful Utah scenery.
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