TVSquad

Reading about Man Among Wolves, the National Geographic Channel's documentary on Shaun Ellis, a man who takes on the mannerisms of wolves to help them learn to survive in the wild, I couldn't help but think of Werner Herzog's 2005 film Grizzly Man, the story of Timothy Treadwell, a man who lived among bears and was ultimately killed by one along with his girlfriend. I found Grizzly Man both fascinating and absurd: fascinating because it provided a view of these animals that's rarely seen, and absurd because of Treadwell's tenacious and unwavering belief that a human being could live among wild animals and not be in danger.

Ellis, the focus of Man Among Wolves, which airs April 16 at 9:00 p.m., does not live among wolves in the wild. Rather, he raises abandoned cubs and teaches them by example how to survive in the wild. I'm not an animal expert of any kind, but my first question would be, "aren't such survival skills instinctual?" I guess my question will be answered when I watch the documentary.