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For an endangered animal, each and every birth is vital for the survival of the species. Zoologist and presenter Martin Hughes-Games sets out to discover just what dedication, passion and expertise is needed to create each one of these miracles. Meeting extraordinary people who dedicate their life to ensuring a future for these babies, he begins his journey in China with the pin-up of the natural world, the giant panda. Without the extraordinary advances in reproductive science, it's possible that the giant panda would be extinct. Pandas are not the only species on the brink - Martin also follows the story of the pied tamarin - a tiny and tenacious monkey teetering on the edge, and the enormous but threatened one-horned Asian rhino. Her miracle baby is likely to weigh in at an eye-watering ten stone.
For some species captive breeding is their only hope. There are estimated to be only thirty five amur leopards surviving in the wild. Around the world, zoos are attempting to breed them in the hope that one day they can return to their home territory in Russia. Martin visits the last place on earth where they live in the wild to find out what hope there is for them. For orphaned baby elephants in Kenya, the future looks brighter as Martin discovers when he visits an amazing elephant orphanage. We'll also discover the fate of an incredibly rare barbary lion, extinct in the wild, whose first breath could also have been her last.
Martin Hughes-Games looks at the problems animals face when they live on islands. These creatures have evolved in unique ways, and when disaster strikes they have nowhere to run. Martin's journey takes him to Tasmania, where he discovers that saving a species involves more than successful breeding. The iconic Tasmanian devil is suffering from a catastrophic disease, and it is estimated that 80% of wild devils have already perished; Martin is on the ground with teams battling to save the few who are surviving. Other island creatures in danger of extinction include the koala, and the extraordinary Madagascan aye aye.
Martin Hughes-Games travels the world to reveal the amazing stories of some of our most endangered animals, and the dedicated people determined to save them. Stories include a rare baby parrot so precious it has to be hand-reared, a newborn lemur whose life is hanging in the balance, a tiny wallaby in need of a foster mum, and 11 beautiful birds who have to be taught how to migrate using a microlight.
