Planet Earth Live

The story of Swift, a five-week-old meerkat pup who has been born in one of the harshest places on Earth: the Kalahari Desert. A drought has hit the region, food is scarce and Swift's family are hungry. Their desperation will lead them into danger - across busy roads and into the hostile territories of rival meerkats. Worse still, they are not the only animals in the desert trying to find a meal; predators are on the hunt from above and below and meerkats are definitely on the menu! The dangers are very real, and in this harshest of years it is estimated that only half of the meerkat pups will reach two months old. If Swift is to make it, she will need to show plenty of character and hope that fortune is on her side.

Gremlin is a nine-week-old baby toque macaque. She was born into a troop of 70 monkeys who live amongst spectacular ruined temples in northern Sri Lanka. Despite the beautiful location, life is going to be a challenge for this little monkey. There are harsh internal politics to negotiate and predators roaming the forest floor. But the biggest threat to her survival comes from a rival troop of monkeys known as the Slumdogs. They are led by a big male called Bad-Eye and the vicious rivalry over territory between the two families threatens to explode at any moment. One in three macaques do not reach their first birthday, and if spirited little Gremlin is going to be one of the lucky ones she will need to learn the lessons of survival fast.

Sam, Sophie and Sybil are three tiny black bear cubs who have just emerged from their den in the Northwoods of Minnesota. But this spectacular wilderness is full of threats - wolves and coyotes roam the forest looking for stray cubs, the weather can be dangerously unpredictable bringing blizzards and forest fires, and every year some of the black bears are killed by humans. Their survival depends entirely on the experience of their mother and how well they learn the skills she teaches them. With the help of bear expert Dr Lynn Rogers, Julia Bradbury explores the woods, learning about the lives of the black bears and the particular trials facing these three vulnerable little cubs. Sam, Sophie and Sybil must follow their mother's lead closely if they are going to survive in this tough and unforgiving wilderness and make it through this critical month.

Richard Hammond and Julia Bradbury present the final live updates from around the world, with the latest news and drama on all the baby animals. It is a chance to say goodbye to the bears, lions, elephants, meerkats, monkeys, whales, otters and more. All of the animals are fighting to survive their most challenging month of the year. Join the team for the last time as they conclude the real-time, real-life animal dramas.

Richard Hammond and Julia Bradbury present more live updates from around the world, with the latest news and drama from the lives of the baby bears, lions, elephants, meerkats, monkeys, whales, otters and more. All of the animals are fighting to survive their most challenging month of the year. Join the team for the very latest in this real-time, real-life animal drama as they follow their unfolding stories day by day.

Richard Hammond and Julia Bradbury have the latest news on the three-week global wildlife event. For the animals they are following, May is the most challenging month of their lives. In Kenya, Richard updates on the lion and elephant families, while over in Minnesota, North America, Julia is in deep with the black bears as the cubs continue to find their feet. Plus news of the meerkats in South Africa and those monkeys in Sri Lanka.

In Kenya, Richard gives the latest on his new born baby elephants and his vulnerable lion cubs, whilst Julia continues to follow the fate of her new baby bear cubs in North America. Look out for the latest reports from Sri Lanka and South Africa on the monkey and meerkat families and behind the scenes insights into how the field teams stay so close to the action around the world.