Those seized tapes and hundreds of hours of other footage comprise the second season of Animal Planet's Whale Wars.

This season is dangerous, drama-filled and controversial than ever with collisions at sea, harrowing nautical maneuvers, a near-death experience in an ice field and more aggressive Japanese defenses against the Sea Shepherds - including the use of Long Range Acoustical Devices (LRADs), sonic devices that cause intense pain and could cause permanent hearing damage - are just some of the highlights in store this season.

And this year, the Japanese whaling fleet suffered a deadly loss as one of its workers slipped and fell overboard (not during an engagement with the Sea Shepherds) and whose body was never recovered. Captain Paul Watson and Sea Shepherd offered to help in a rescue mission for the missing worker, but the whaling vessels claimed they did more to interfere than assist.

"I have always said that we would do everything we can short of hurting people to end illegal whaling in the Antarctic," says Watson, founder of Sea Shepherd. "We have done everything we could with the resources available to us this year. We shut down their illegal operations for over a month in total. We cost them money, and we have saved the lives of a good many whales."

This season on Whale Wars, in addition to returning crew members Peter Brown (First Officer), Peter Hammarstedt (Second Officer), Chris Aultman (Helicopter Pilot/Aviation Director), Laurens de Groot (Deckhand), Ben Potts (Helicopter Crew) and Shannon Mann (Quartermaster), The Steve Irwin is joined by Jane Taylor (Quartermaster), Luke Van Horn (Communications Officer), Andy Perry (Leading Deckhand), Molly Kendall (Deckhand) and Laura Dakin (Chief Cook). These featured crew members help comprise the 40 international crew who spent the winter putting their lives on the line for whales.

Night taps into these primal fears and takes viewers into the darkness to experience the wonder and terror of nocturnal nature and all its animal activities. Host and animal expert Brandon McMillan goes on a global quest through jungles, forests and savannahs to capture nightime animal behavior. From giant Humboldt squid cannibalizing each other to the evasive nature of the Amazon's most poisonous snake and the nighttime blood baths of the mythological vampire bat, Night finds out what comes alive when the sun goes down.

During each episode of Night McMillan goes to a new location where he utilizes local animal experts to help him track down and study animals that thrive after dark. Drawing from his years of experience training animals, coupled with the adrenaline of youth and adventure, McMillan faces every situation head on as he swims with sharks, comes face to face with a pride of hungry lions and is cornered by a protective hippo -- all with the added intensity of utter darkness.

"I think it's in our nature to be afraid of the dark," says McMillan. "When we're kids, we're taught that monsters such as werewolves and vampires come out at night, but this show examines the real nocturnal animals -- and sometimes they're just as frightening."

Although humans lack the keen senses that allow animals to be active and productive at night, fortunately for McMillan, science can make up for what nature forgot. Throughout Night, he utilizes several technologies that are necessary to the success of his nighttime excursions. Night vision, thermal imagery, parabolic microphones, infrared beacons and other custom-designed devices help McMillan navigate the pitch-black habitats, uncovering animals that could never be seen in the dark with the naked eye.

Deep in the heart of South Africa, the Jane Goodall Institute's Chimp Eden Sanctuary is a place of rebirth and renewal for more than two dozen chimps, most of whom suffered horrible lives in human captivity. This dream has quickly become a reality in just a few years.

Sanctuary Director Eugene Cussons has traveled throughout Africa at great personal risk to give these chimps the chance of a meaningful and fulfilling life. For Eugene, however, the dream extends beyond the sanctuary itself, he wants to teach the chimps survival skills that will help them survive in the wild.

The success of his approach is on display at every turn. Chimps who never-before climbed a tree are now able to swing from branch to branch. Chimps who once survived on table scraps and garbage now feast on wild figs, crack nutshells with rocks to get to the meat inside and pick through tall grass for the ripest shoots. Chimps who spent years alone and isolated in cramped cages now thrive in solid and stable family groups.

Every day, Eugene moves closer to his ultimate goal -- returning the strongest and most skilled chimps back to the rainforest where they belong.

There are always stebacks and struggles. Some chimps are so humanized they resist their own natural instincts, while others constantly test the physical boundaries of the sanctuary. Any of the chimps could lash out violently at any moment.

This is real life. Chimps get sick; chimps get hurt; and, sadly, chimps die.

Escape to Chimp Eden presents this powerful, on-going drama through the transparent eye of documentary realism. This is not just an animal story; it is the emotional and moving saga of one man's unique bond with our closest primate cousins and his fierce dedication to their survival.

Beverly Hills Groomer continues Artist's story after being crowned 2008 Groomer of the Year. This 12-part, half-hour, fish-out-of-water reality series, documents the trials and tribulations Artist faces as he recruits furry and fabulous clients alike, raises funds to open his own shop, balances the demands of being a single father, and hopes to beat the odds of becoming a business success. With his "one for me, one for free," motto, Artist's ultimate goals are to give back to his community and the dogs that need him most.

"If anyone would have told me that dog grooming would be my calling and provide me with amazing, life-changing opportunities, I probably wouldn't have believed them," says Artist Knox. "Grooming saved my life and with my heart and a pair of scissors, I'm determined to make this business a success. Failure is not an option."

Overflowing with energy, passion and purpose, Artist puts his nose to the grindstone to gain a high-end clientele, including Olympic swimming gold-medalist, Greg Louganis and Emmy award-winning actress, Kathryn Joosten. With the help of his apprentice, his brother Desmond, Artist grooms everything from cocker spaniels to housecats to a baby yak! Artist's sister, Arvene also jumps in by securing clients and taking care of Ariel, Artist's son. Along the way, Artist gets business advice from financial advisor, Cameron Johnson and his friend Jasper, his former competition on Groomer Has It, who already has a successful grooming shop and school in Massachusetts.

The Pennsylvania SPCA's humane law enforcement officers cover an area of over 46,000 square miles from their headquarters in Philadelphia. The six officers with full police powers and six agent trainees are on call 24 hours a day seven days a week protecting the city's one and a half million pets.

The officers are backed up by a dedicated team of veterinarians and technicians at the SPCA shelter hospital. With a committed animal behaviourist team they provide a second chance for injured, neglected or traumatized animals that have no other hope of receiving much-needed medical attention.

Together the team rescues over 10 000 animals each year in their mission to give hope and create happy endings out of tragic situations -- from mass animal hoarding; pitbull and rooster fighting; deliberate abuse and gross neglect. Animal Planet's cameras go with them in this exciting new series -- premiering in 2008 with 10 episodes -- as each day brings something new and unexpected.