Aug. 8: Sunday at 8 p.m., “Nature” uses rare footage to tell the story of the snow leopard, the mysterious predator of the Himalayas.

At 9 p.m., “Masterpiece Mystery!” revisits a Hercule Poirot case involving murder, espionage, a Middle Eastern revolution and a missing princess.

At 10:30 p.m. in another “Masterpiece Mystery!” encore, Inspector Lewis and DS Hathaway try to find the connections between a murdered Czech barmaid and a prominent Oxford professor.

Aug. 9: Monday at 7:30 p.m. on Vermont Public Television’s “Profile,” Fran Stoddard talks with actor Christopher Lloyd of “Taxi” and “Back to the Future” fame. He will appear as Willy Loman in the Weston Playhouse production of “Death of a Salesman” that begins Aug. 26. “Profile” will also air Saturday at 4:30 p.m., Sunday at 1:30 and 11:30 p.m. and is available on demand at www.vpt.org. The play will tour the area in the fall. More information is available at http://westonplayhouse. org. VPT is a media sponsor.

At 9 p.m., “History Detectives” takes a look at a shotgun that may have played a role in the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, as well as other intriguing objects. The program will also air Tuesday at 9 p.m. on VPT World.

Aug. 10: Tuesday at 8 p.m., “Nova: Lord of the Ants” focuses on scientist E.O. Wilson, who worked to comprehend evolutionary forces by studying ants and became a driving force for worldwide conservation.

At 9 p.m., “Lost Treasures of the Ancient World” continues to explore past civilizations, using animation to show them in their prime. Today, the focus is on the Mayans, who built magnificent temples, and the Aztecs, whose religious rituals included human sacrifice. The program will also air Thursday at 10 p.m.

Aug. 11: Wednesday at 8 p.m., the three-part PBS series “The Human Spark” returns in back-to-back episodes. Alan Alda hosts these films on the search for the origin and nature of what makes humans unique. The first hour, “Becoming Us,” asks whether the spark first ignited in the caves of France, where 30,000-year-old paintings adorn the walls.

At 9 p.m., “The Human Spark: So Human, So Chimp,” studies man’s fellow simians to discover what the species share and what different skills humans evolved.

At 10 p.m., “The Human Spark: Brain Matters” takes viewers into host Alda’s head with a variety of high-tech imaging techniques, looking for his human spark.

Aug. 12: Thursday at 8 p.m., Vermont Public Television presents another “Call the Governor” special. Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas returns to VPT for a live call-in program during which viewers can ask him about the issues of the day. Viewers can also submit questions in advance via email to connect@vpt.org. Stewart Ledbetter will host.

At 9 p.m., “Row Hard No Excuses” profiles the Atlantic Rowing Challenge, an