Cheetah Family & Me

In a defining moment for the natural world, Gordon Buchanan makes an epic journey round the equator - taking to the skies with experts racing to protect both wildlife and people.

Becoming Elephant: The Orphans of Reteti is set in the wild north of Kenya, where a groundbreaking blueprint in conservation is under way. This touching documentary follows the remarkable journey of orphaned elephants at Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, the first community-owned and -operated elephant sanctuary in Africa. These young elephants, rescued after losing their mothers to accidents, drought, or human-wildlife violence, are raised by Samburu men and women who care for them as their own. They nurture these young elephants with patience, care, and deep ancestral knowledge to get them back on their feet and ready for life in the wild. From tiny calves taking their first bottles from their human carers, to adolescents preparing for release, this film captures the elephants’ intimate moments of struggle, healing, and transformation. It also shows how local community members are creating a unique, thoughtful new model of conservation from the ground up.

Steve Backshall visits a hedgehog rescue centre in Surrey founded by Brian May. He meets the dedicated staff and discovering the stories behind some of the animals being treated, helps to release a successfully treated hedgehog back into the wild, and offers advice on how to make a garden into a welcoming environment for the creatures.