Inside the Animal Mind product reviews

It is quite unusual to watch a nature documentary by BBC Earth that doesn't have David Attenborough, but as he ages I realise it is something that I must soon become accustomed too, as I had to do after the tragic passing of Steve Irwin back in 2006.

Inside the Animal Mind is an interesting mini-series. It has a lot of interesting nature facts and examples of intelligence in a variety of animals, comparing what is learned, what is regurgitated, and what adaptations have occurred. I enjoyed watching crows passing intelligence tests, and comparing the sense of smell of a wolf and domestic dog. This series answers some of those small curiosities that we all have about the animal kingdom (e.g. can dogs tell time?).

But while some parts of it were interesting, the host, Chris Packham, didn't really engage me, and I was left a little confused sometimes as to the direction of the episode. It would often jump from one aspect to another, one animal to another, with no real connection. So there were moments where I was losing interest. This is a series that really needs frequent breaks (just like when watching on television) to give yourself time to process things, and to prevent you from switching off. The episodes are long.

But it was entertaining nonetheless. There is a large amount of content for the price, so the DVD is great value. Just watch it in phases. Don't try to binge watch all three episodes at once, or you will lose interest. Savour the experience.