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Arts & Culture

NATURE: The Beauty Of Ugly

"Nature" gets up close with perhaps the ugliest mammal in all of Africa, the warthog.
Matthew Wright ©Image Impact/EBC 2007
"Nature" gets up close with perhaps the ugliest mammal in all of Africa, the warthog.

Airs Sunday, June 26, 2011 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV

In the animal world, as in our own, looks aren’t everything. In fact, some of the most aesthetically challenged creatures — from warthogs and proboscis monkeys to bull elephant seals — are also the most fascinating. A stunning variety of these ghastly yet glorious forms are explored in "NATURE: The Beauty of Ugly."

On the Web site for "The Beauty of Ugly," you’ll get an in-depth look at some of these intriguing creatures. You’ll learn about the remarkable sensory abilities of the weird little star-nosed mole and the unusual social system of naked mole-rats and their imperious mole-rat queen, discover the threats faced by the Cape Griffon vulture, and get a fish-eye’s view of the needle-toothed viperfish and other deep-sea creatures, as photographed by a unique undersea camera called the Eye-in-the-Sea, designed by ocean researcher Dr. Edith Widder. You can also watch the full episode online.

Preview: Nature: The Beauty Of Ugly
The Beauty Of Ugly: A Twenty-two Tentacled Nose
Excerpt: Nature: The Beauty Of Ugly

A big decision awaits some voters this April as the race for San Diego County’s Supervisor District 1 seat heats up. Are you ready to vote? Check out the KPBS Voter Hub to learn about the candidates, the key issues the board is facing and how you can make your voice heard.