Ingenious Animals

A team of wildlife experts travel the globe in search of the most surprising animal stories and reveal how and why animals do such remarkable things. In the first episode, the programme explores the incredible world of animal intelligence. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is in Florida to investigate the unexpected relationship between the alligator and the manatee which has experts baffled. Zoologist Lucy Cooke visits Canada and the Bahamas to find out how humans may be making the raccoon even smarter. Biologist Patrick Aryee is in Cambodia to test the intelligence of the sun bear, and he finds out how the rat has become an unexpected hero as part of a mine-detection squad. Conservationist Giles Clark is in Kenya to find out if elephants feel empathy. Can a herd of orphan elephants use it to help a very special baby? We also find out how research is leading us to question long-held beliefs about the intelligence of reptiles. Could they be a lot cleverer than previously thought?

In this second episode of this brand new series, presenter Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and wildlife experts Lucy Cooke, Patrick Aryee and Giles Clark travel to different corners of the globe to reveal amazing stories about animal relationships. Along the way the team uncovers the amazing bonds that animals have with each other, explore some of the remarkable relationships they can have with us, and meet the scientists who dedicate their lives to understanding these extraordinary discoveries. In Costa Rica, Hugh looks at why capuchin monkeys have such a fantastic team spirit; biologist Patrick investigates our relationship with nature's most infamous scavenger, finding out how vultures are saving lives. Zoologist Lucy is in Kentucky in the US, discovering the medicine that may improve a rare pig's relationship problems. Meanwhile, conservationist Giles ventures into the rainforests in Thailand to find out how a clever matchmaking technique could help save one of the planet's most stunning big cats - the clouded leopard - from extinction. On the trail of another extraordinary story, Giles also heads to Kenya to meet the people who as a result of the rhino-poaching crisis in Africa have struck up what could be one of the most emotional relationships between a man and a wild, endangered animal.

In the third episode, presenters Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Lucy Cooke, Patrick Aryee and Giles Clark bring different stories from around the globe to investigate the strange world of animal communication. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is in Austria, where scientists are interpreting the howl of the wolf and asking if they really deserve their ‘big bad' reputation. Zoologist Lucy Cooke discovers the communication skills required to persuade a penguin - raised by people - to swim. Lucy also heads to The Bahamas, where new research claims to have found that sharks could be social, make friendships and even have personalities. Conservationist Giles Clark is in Australia too see how cutting edge communications technology is saving the koala. Meanwhile biologist Patrick Aryee is in South Africa to investigate the seductive calls of a love-struck lioness. On the west coast of Canada we reveal a family of killer whales behaving in a very unusual way and in Florida we meet the clever birds who use their remarkable powers of communication to get exactly what they want.

In this episode we explore the anatomical secrets of some of the most fascinating animals on the planet. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is in the French Alps to find out how one man's understanding of an eagle's physical abilities could help him to unlock its potential and save it from extinction. Conservationist Giles Clark is in Australia meeting a kangaroo that's more at home climbing in the trees than hopping through the outback. Giles is also in Kenya, where the latest research is revealing how hippos could be the life force of African river systems. Zoologist Lucy Cooke is in Costa Rica to find out if the sloth's laziness is the key to its success, and in the UK she meets the scientists who have been investigating how one of the ocean's most effective predators, the sea lion, catches its prey in the dark. Biologist Patrick Aryee discovers how a fox with supersensitive hearing can thrive in one of the harshest habitats on earth, and marine biologist Shanta Barley reveals the secrets of the platypus.