MAMMALS: FIRST LOOK AT NEW BBC NATURAL HISTORY SERIES NARRATED BY DAVID ATTENBOROUGH

Mammals are the most successful animal group on earth. Found on every continent and in every ocean, they’ve evolved to master almost every habitat on our planet. But how?

Twenty years after Life of Mammals, Attenborough revisits this extraordinary group of animals in a major new series for BBC One and iPlayer: Mammals. Full of new, never- before-seen behaviours, this series offers fascinating insights into the most successful animal group in the world.

From the tiny Etruscan shrew to the giant blue whale, Mammals will reveal the secrets of their success, and how their winning design, incredible adaptability, unrivalled intelligence and unique sociability have all contributed to their remarkable rise.

By weight less than 6% of today’s mammals are wild animals and many species face extinction. As well as giving viewers an exciting new perspective on a remarkable group of animals, the series will also highlight many of the problems faced by mammals in today’s rapidly changing world.

Each episode explores a different environment; Dark, Cold, Heat, Water, Forest and The New Wild – an episode which explores the ingenious ways mammals are adapting to a world dominated by humans, arguably the most successful mammal of all. And each episode covers a range of remarkable mammals – from the miniature tenrecs of Madagascar to the humpback whales of the Indian ocean.

Overlaying the trailer is a version of Coldplay’s hit song Paradise, interwoven with the Mammals score by the composer Thomas Farnon and performed by The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. Paradise became an instant classic after its release more than a decade ago, nominated at the Grammys and winning at the MTV Awards in 2012, it is now considered one of the most popular songs from one of the 21st century’s most successful bands.

Coldplay said: “The BBC’s Natural History output has long been a source of joy and wonder to the world and it’s an honour be a part of this stunning new series. It’s a dream come true to assist Sir David Attenborough and his team in their ongoing mission to celebrate the beauty of our planet.”

Roger Webb, Executive Producer says: “Being mammals ourselves, the animals featured in the series and the stories told about them are instantly relatable. It’s impossible not to admire a mother capuchin monkey who’s able to provide her baby with a drink in a dry, sun baked forest or a chimpanzee father giving his family a lesson in finding honey buried underground...

"This connection to us, makes Mammals an incredibly engaging and compelling piece of television – one that will also lead us to question our role in the lives of the wild mammals we share the planet with.”

Scott Alexander, Series Producer says: “Mammals includes animals like the great apes, the big cats, dolphins, whales as well as the mythical wolverine and adorable tenrec – who wouldn’t want to make a series with such a wonderful cast of animals”.

Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual, adds: “Following the enormous success of Wild Isles and Planet Earth III last year, I’m delighted Sir David is returning to the BBC to present this fascinating new series. Mammals are the most adaptable and – for my money – adorable animals on earth, and I can’t wait for viewers to learn more about the remarkable strategies they use to survive in every corner of the planet.”

Mammals, a 6 x 60’ series will air this Spring on BBC One.