My Wild Affair

Gr 5 Up—Originally a four-part PBS series, each of these hour-long episodes explores the extraordinary bond that can develop between wild animals and humans, shedding light on shared attributes while raising a variety of ethical questions to ponder. In "The Ape Who Went to College," a young scientist in the 1970s is given the opportunity to work on campus with a baby orangutan as part of a research project. She raises the orangutan as if it were a human baby, teaching him sign language and the basics of earning money to pay for food. Problems occur when the orangutan's intelligence, paired with his size and strength, lead to his being perceived as a threat to people living in and around the university. In "The Rhino Who Joined the Family" and "The Elephant Who Found a Mom," orphaned newborns are adopted by families in hopes of raising them before returning them to the wild, but the powerful connections and dependency that result demonstrate the limitations of good intentions. Many will already be familiar with the story of Andre, the harbor seal who wintered for years at the New England Aquarium and whose life was saved by a crusty arborist from Rockport, Maine. "The Seal Who Came Home" is a welcome respite from the heartbreak of the first three episodes. Combining first-hand interviews, home movies dating from the late 1950s to 1980s, and comments by experts on animal behavior, all four thought-provoking episodes will spark meaningful debate among family members, as well as in the classroom.—Cary Frostick, formerly with Mary Riley Styles Public Library, Falls Church, VA