Planet Earth II is an immersive exploration of the jungles, mountains,
deserts, islands, grasslands and cities of the world. Journey to the four
corners of the globe to discover the extreme forces that shape life in each of
these iconic landscapes and experience the world from the viewpoint of animals
themselves. From spellbinding wildlife spectacle to intimate encounters, Planet
Earth II takes you closer than ever before.
Islands
For some, remote islands offer sanctuary away from the mainland: the tiny pygmy
three-toed sloth only survives because of the peace and safety offered by its
Caribbean island home, while seabirds like albatross thrive in predator-free
isolation. But island life isn’t always easy. In the barren, volcanic islands
of Galapagos, marine iguanas have been forced to find food in the ocean, but
their ingenuity allows a raft of other animals to survive – including deadly
racer snakes. At the end of the Earth, more than 1.5 million penguins appear to
have found their version of paradise on an active, wave-battered volcano.
Mountains
In this episode we climb high into the world’s great mountain ranges. Only a
few pioneering animals have what it takes to survive up here, they are amongst
the most elusive and mysterious on the planet. Witness for the first time ever
four snow leopards filmed together as a mother and cub become trapped in a
desperate fight between two rival males. Like crazy pole dancers, Grizzly bears
comically scratch their backs on trees whilst a bobcat struggles to hunt for
ducks without getting its feet wet.
Jungles
Jungles are the richest places on Earth. A magical world of surprise, drama and
unforgettable wild characters. From the jungles of Brazil, home to caiman
hunting jaguars and strange jungle dolphins that swim in the tree tops, to Costa
Rica where ninja frogs fight huge wasps, we watch as the animals face life in
the most competitive place on Earth. We follow alongside the beautiful indri as
she bounces through the forest in Madagascar and stay out late at night to
witness glow-in-the-dark creatures never before filmed! There are even mini
‘dragon lizards’ with a special trick to deal with life in the jungle!
Deserts
In this episode we visit the world’s deserts, a land of extremes that pushes
life to the limit. Animals here have developed ingenious ways of dealing with
the hostile conditions – giving rise to the most incredible survival stories
on Earth. A pride of desert lions are so hungry they risk hunting a giraffe
several times their size, whilst male sand grouse fly nearly 200 kilometres
each day from their nests to the nearest waterhole, simply to collect water for
their chicks – and when they arrive there are predators waiting for them.
And, never filmed before, a tiny bat takes on one of the world’s deadliest
scorpions just to get a meal.
Grasslands
Grasslands cover one quarter of all land and support the greatest gatherings of
wildlife on Earth. The extraordinary creatures that live here must survive the
most hostile seasons on the planet. From bizarre looking Saiga antelope in Asia,
rarely seen by humans, to the giant ant-eaters of Brazil, grassland animals show
remarkable survival techniques. In the flooded Okavango, lions take on
formidable buffalo in epic battles, stunning bee-eaters ride on the back of
ostriches like miniature jockeys, while caribou embark on great migrations,
where they must cross paths with their nemesis, Arctic wolves.
Cities
Cities are growing at a faster rate than any other habitat on Earth. They may
seem an unlikely place for animals to thrive, but for the bold this is a world
of surprising opportunity. Leopards prowl the streets of Mumbai, peregrine
falcons hunt amongst New York’s skyscrapers and a million starlings perform
spectacular aerial dances over Rome. We welcome some creatures into our cities;
in Jodhpur langurs are revered as religious deities and in Harar locals live in
harmony with wild hyenas. Many animals, however, are struggling to cope in the
urban jungle. As the architects of this environment will we choose to build
cities that create a home for both us and for wildlife?