The Secret Life of Elephants is a British nature documentary television series produced by BBC Natural History Unit and Animal Planet which follows the lives of elephants and the work of the conservation charity Save the Elephants in Samburu National Reserve, Kenya, focusing on the stories of individual elephants to show the most dramatic moments of their lives.
The series also follows the work of father and daughter Iain and Saba Douglas-Hamilton and their Save the Elephants team, which includes tracking elephants, fitting tracking collars and developing the relationship between humans and elephants.
The series aired in the UK on BBC One from 14-28 January, 2009. There are three hour-long episodes in the series.
The Secret Life of Elephants originally aired in South Africa on DStv's BBC Knowledge channel from 12-26 October, 2011, on Wednesdays at 18h35. It later aired on SABC3. See "Seasons" below for seasonal broadcast dates and times.
The series premiered on SABC3 on Sunday 17 February 2013, at 18h00. New episodes broadcast weekly.
Synopsis
The Secret Life of Elephants reveals the elephant's hidden world - the depth of their emotions, their remarkable intelligence and the intimate complexities of their family life.
The production spent three months in Kenya, filming the elephants and following the work of Iain Douglas-Hamilton and the Save the Elephants research team.
The aim was to tell the stories of individual elephants, which meant the crew spent every hour from dawn till dusk finding and following the stars across the Samburu reserve.
They focused on the most dramatic moments in the lives of the elephants – a calf from the day of her birth, a bull using tactics to win a mate, a matriarch making decisions to protect her family.
The show follows the research team on missions across northern Kenya to protect the elephants; we see them helping a community terrorised by crop raiding bulls, uncovering an outbreak of poaching which killed two of their best known elephants, and tracing the new dangers on ancient elephant migration routes.
After weeks of hard work, the crew were rewarded with astonishing glimpses into the elephant's lives. But they couldn't have imagined that they'd become so directly involved in a life or death operation to save a baby elephant's life.
Episode 1
As the day begins, there is great excitement in one elephant family when a new baby, named Breeze, is born. But her first few weeks look set to be the most dangerous of her life.
Meanwhile, elephant experts Iain and Saba Douglas-Hamilton face the huge challenge of fitting a radio collar to a three-tonne female elephant with an entire herd looking out for her.
Breeze faces her first big test, crossing a river, and the research team investigate when one of their best-known bull elephants is found dead in suspicious circumstances.
Back in the reserve, a young calf becomes injured and cannot keep up with his herd. His mother sticks with him, but will he survive without the support of a family?
There is further tragedy when a matriarch dies. In unique footage, a herd of elephants visit her body, and appear to mourn her death.
Episode 2
Baby elephant Breeze is growing up fast, but with the dry season approaching, she is about to face her biggest test yet. Meanwhile, Breeze's teenage brother, Buster, seems intent on getting himself and Breeze into trouble.
Outside the reserve, more trouble is brewing as people and elephants come into conflict. Elephant expert Iain Douglas-Hamilton sends daughter Saba on a mission to help one of their best-known elephants, Mountain Bull, who is on a collision course with farmers and villagers.
Elsewhere, a marauding group of bulls are causing havoc by breaking into fields and raiding crops. The team think they might have an unusual solution and will need the help of some African honey bees.
Back in the reserve, a devastating drought takes hold, and Breeze and her family are forced to compete with other elephants for food and water. Will baby Breeze survive these hard times?
Episode 3
After the drought, the rains have arrived, but has baby elephant Breeze survived?
As hundreds of elephants descend on the reserve for the breeding season, the research team hit their busiest time of year. With the help of new technology, Saba Douglas-Hamilton tracks down the biggest land animals on earth: the mighty bull elephants.
But even Saba is keeping her distance when Rommel, a dangerous bull who once flattened a car and tried to kill two of the team's researchers, arrives on the scene.
Outside the reserve, there is a shocking development when Onesmas Kahindi investigates two mysterious deaths; could poachers be targeting the local elephants?
And when field researcher David Daballen finds a baby elephant in desperate trouble, he and the team must mount a life or death operation to save her.
Seasons
There are three hour-long episodes in one season
Season 1
Channel: BBC Knowledge | Premiere: 12 Oct 2011 | Finale: 26 Oct 2011 | Wednesdays, 18h35
Channel: SABC3 | Premiere: 17 Feb 2013 | Finale: 3 Mar 2013 | Sundays, 18h00