Animal Planet

"Animal Planet," Scott Bradfield's new novel, is shot through with numerous undeveloped themes, but one stands out as particularly undernourished. In a chapter entitled "Pop Star," in which long-boiling dissatisfaction among the Earth's animals erupts into full-scale revolution, Bradfield writes that "It wasn't even a political crisis anymore. It was a crisis of representation. . . .

With his bushy white beard, stout figure and cargo pants, Captain Paul Watson looks more like a hard-edged seaman than the star of one of television's more popular reality shows. But at a busy restaurant in downtown Los Angeles this spring, the 59-year-old at the center of "Whale Wars" was being confronted by his new identity as a celebrity. After being seated, Watson was promptly greeted by a waiter, who presented him with a tray full of vegan hors d'oeuvres. "Compliments of the chef," the waiter said.

Like the Crocodile Hunter and the bevy of animal whisperers who followed him, Dave Salmoni is a man shaped by two formidable forces: his crazy love for animals and television. Salmoni, who Animal Planet bills as its "apex predator expert," is already well established as the sexiest of the Call of the Wild boys, having hosted a variety of shows for Discovery and Animal Planet including "Predators vs. Prey" and "Into the Lion's Den." "Into the Pride," which debuts tonight, unapologetically works his good looks to their best advantage.

Is Shakespeare -- dead? Shakespeare, a loyal member of the "Meerkat Manor" clan, became a favorite of viewers in Season 1 after he survived a snake bite, rescued a stray pup and defended newborns from a rival gang before disappearing. It is the disappearance that has caused a brewing controversy on the Internet. Season 2 of Animal Planet's "Meerkat Manor" series won't start until Sept. 29, but anguished fans want answers now. Did he die in the burrow protecting the pups?

A big ol' Egyptian cobra, maybe 6 feet long, is lying in the African sun, minding its own darn business. Which is how you want to leave an Egyptian cobra. Steve Irwin can tell you: One bite from these fellas and--crikey!--you're history. Or soon will be. But here comes Irwin, scurrying after the serpent with the naive excitement of an 8-year-old bagging crawdads. The cobra senses what's afoot and tries to slither away. But Irwin is quicker. He corners the big boy.

Animal PLANET has confirmed that another of the stars of "Meerkat Manor: The Next Generation" was killed in a hit-and-run accident on April 28. The 6-inch meerkat was crossing a road in the Kalahari Desert when it was struck by a vehicle, said Animal Planet spokeswoman Tahli Kouperstein. Season 4 of the docu-soap had already wrapped, so the animal's character will finish the season alive, she said. The character's death will be acknowledged in the following season.

The Weather Channel, sounding like it cross-pollinated with Animal Planet, announced Wednesday that it will unveil a series Jan. 9 called "Animal Storm Stories." A spinoff of the channel's prime-time series "Storm Stories," the new show "reminds us that in times of severe weather, our pets and four-legged friends need assistance too," said Patrick Scott, president of the Weather Channel Networks. The series, hosted by Jim Cantore, will air Sundays at 8 p.m.

The Games begin Aug. 8 -- the Puppy Games, that is. After scoring big with "Puppy Bowl," which aired concurrently with the Super Bowl, Animal Planet on Thursday announced that it was expanding the franchise with "Puppy Games 2008," a three-hour special that will air the same night as the Olympics opening ceremony. More than 30 puppies representing different countries -- most of them hailing from Washington, D.C., shelters -- will "compete" in sports such as dog paddling, soccer and gymnastics.

The white tiger was starting to get a little frisky with its human play-pal when the Animal Planet honcho figured he'd better offer a quick bit of advice: "If you start to feel teeth," he said, "gently push the teeth and mouth away." Where was this guy when Siegfried and Roy needed him? It turns out that the honcho, critter expert Jeff Corwin, has had his hands full getting a new reality show off the ground for the cable channel.