Premieres Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV / Stream with KPBS+ / Encore Sunday, Nov. 16 at 2 p.m. on KPBS TV and 8 p.m. on KPBS 2
On a remote stretch of Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, the lush, volcanic landscape gives way to a startlingly different world: a dry tropical forest — one of the last of its kind on the planet—where a newly resurgent population of jaguars has reclaimed their kingdom.
In the waters at its edge, legions of olive ridley sea turtles emerge from the ocean for one of nature’s most spectacular events, a mass nesting ritual called the arribada.
Here, the two unlikely creatures meet, with spectacular consequences for both their species and the vastly different ecosystems they inhabit. Narrated by Chris Morgan.
Featured Creatures:
- Olive ridley sea turtle
- Jaguar
- Magnificent frigatebird
- Capuchin monkey
- Iguana
- Black-handed spider monkey
- Fiddler crab
- Belted kingfisher
- Western honeybee
- White-tailed deer
Noteworthy Facts & Moments:
- In 1971, Costa Rica created Santa Rosa National Park after it was clearcut for agriculture. The park sprawls 200 square miles, and the forest is home to more than 250 species of birds.
- With the growing population of jaguars after a major decline, other predators have altered their behavior due to the new dynamics and presence of these apex predators. In rare footage, jaguars are seen mating, wrestling and even towing an unlucky dolphin for their next meal.
- Jaguars have the most powerful bite of any cat, and their tongues are lined with back-facing barbs that help with hunting and consuming their prey, including sea turtles.
- Santa Rosa National Park is one of the few places in the world where olive ridley sea turtles nest en masse.
- Olive ridley sea turtles are one of the only two turtle species that gather in a synchronized mass nesting event called arribada - Spanish for ‘arrival’.
- Only about one in a thousand turtle hatchlings survive to adulthood.
Watch On Your Schedule: NATURE "Jaguar Beach" will be available for streaming concurrently with broadcast on KPBS+ a new free streaming video app designed for ease and enjoyment everywhere you watch including Roku, smart TVs and mobile devices. It’s locally curated for San Diego by the KPBS programming team. With a clean and intuitive design, discovering and enjoying KPBS and PBS content on-demand has never been easier.
You can also tune in live to watch our four TV channels in real time: KPBS, KPBS 2, Create, KPBS Kids 24/7. We also added a new channel - FNX (First Nation Experience).
Your KPBS Passport member benefit works on KPBS+ too! You’ll have access to even more great shows when you simply log in with your KPBS Passport account.
Credits: A production of The WNET Group, Terra Mater Studios GmbH, Coneflower Studios and HHMI Tangled Bank Studios. The documentary is produced by Filipe DeAndrade, Brian Moghari, Ann Johnson Prum and Doug Shultz. Narrated by Chris Morgan. Ivo Filatsch and Sabine Holzer are the executive producers for Terra Mater Studios. John Rubin, Sean B. Carroll and Jared Lipworth are the executive producers for HHMI Tangled Bank Studios. For NATURE, Fred Kaufman is executive producer. Bill Murphy is series producer. Janet Hess is series editor. Danielle Broza is Digital Content & Strategy Lead. NATURE is a production of The WNET Group.
