Life: First Steps

Of all of nature’s babies, single kids have the most to learn — from playful young elephants who have the longest childhood in the animal kingdom, to wildebeest calves who must escape the savannah’s many predators. Biologist Patrick Aryee meets individual offspring and discovers the sacrifices their parents make to raise them.

From meerkats in the Kalahari to brown bear cubs in the forests of Minnesota, biologist Patrick Aryee discovers why some of the most successful animals on Earth grow up with siblings. And why having more than one offspring is the perfect insurance policy for wild species.

Success in the natural world is a gamble. Turtle hatchlings making their epic dash to the sea, and newly-hatched praying mantises quickly protect themselves from not only predators, but also each other! Biologist Patrick Aryee discovers why producing as many offspring as possible is the only way to ensure at least some offspring will survive into adulthood.