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''Planet Earth'' is a . It is also the first of its kind to be filmed entirely in High-definition format. BACKGROUND The programmes were made over four years by producer Alastair Fothergill and his team, who were responsible for the successful '' The Blue Planet '' ( 2001 ). The narrator, David Attenborough, finished work on them prior to embarking on the last in his "Life" series, '' Life In Cold Blood '', which is due for completion in 2009 . Each of the eleven episodes (except the first) focuses on one of the Earth 's natural habitats and examines its indigenous features, together with the breadth of fauna found there. Included are several sequences of animals and locations that have hitherto never been filmed, using innovative camera technology. Each programme is of around 58 minutes' duration. This includes ''Planet Earth Diaries'', a 10-minute featurette that details the filming of a particular event, which is shown as an addendum. For its UK transmission, the series was split into two parts, with episodes 1–5 being shown 5 March– 2 April 2006 and the remainder to be broadcast later in the year. The show has been heavily trailed on the BBC's television and radio channels both before and during its run. The first five instalments had a 9pm Sunday screening on BBC One followed by an early evening repeat the following Saturday on BBC Two . Besides being BBC One's featured "One to Watch" programme of the day, its ratings have been consistently high, averaging between eight and nine million viewers for each Sunday transmission. EPISODES David Attenborough opens the series with this statement: "A hundred years ago, there were one and a half billion people on Earth. Now, over six billion crowd our fragile planet. But even so, there are still places barely touched by humanity. This series will take you to the last wildernesses and show you the planet and its wildlife as you have never seen them before." 1. "From Pole to Pole" Broadcast 5 March 2006, the first episode illustrates a 'journey' around the globe and reveals the effect of gradual climatic change and seasonal transitions en route. During . 2. "Mountains" Broadcast in Pakistan , which is 43 miles long and visible from space. ''Planet Earth Diaries'' demonstrates the difficulty of obtaining the first ever close-up footage of the snow leopards — a process which took over a year. 3. "Fresh Water" Broadcast 19 March 2006, this programme describes the course taken by River s and some of the species that take advantage of such a habitat. Only 3% of the world's water is fresh, yet all life is ultimately dependent on it. Its journey begins as a stream in the mountains, illustrated by Venezuela 's Tepui , where there is a tropical downpour almost every day. It then travels hundreds of miles before forming Rapids . With the aid of some expansive helicopter photography, one sequence demonstrates the vastness of Angel Falls , the world's highest free-flowing Waterfall . The erosive nature of rivers is shown by the Grand Canyon , created over five million years by the Colorado River . In Japan, the water is inhabited by the biggest amphibian, the two-meter long Giant Salamander , while in the northern hemisphere, Salmon undertake the largest freshwater migration, and are hunted en route by grizzly bears. Also featured are smooth-coated Otter s repelling Mugger Crocodile s and the latter's Nile Cousin ambushing Wildebeest . In addition, there are Cichlid s, Piranha s, River Dolphins and swimming Crab-eating Macaque s. ''Planet Earth Diaries'' shows how a patient camera crew filmed a piranha feeding frenzy in Brazil — after a two-week search for the opportunity. 4. "Caves" Broadcast s and Tunnel s. Mexico 's Cave Of Swallows is, at 400 meters, the Earth's deepest, and diving into it is akin to jumping off New York City 's Empire State Building . Also featured is Borneo 's Deer Cave . Its inhabitants include three million wrinkle-lipped Bat s that live on its ceiling and deposit Guano on to an enormous mound below, which is 100 meters high and is blanketed with feeding Cockroach es. In addition, there are glimpses of a number of subterranean, eyeless creatures, such as the Texan cave Salamander and even a species of Crab . The programme ends in the recently discovered Lechuguilla Cave where Sulphuric Acid had carved unusually ornate, Gypsum crystal formations. ''Planet Earth Diaries'' reveals how a camera team spent a month among thousands of cockroaches on a tower of bat guano, and the logistics needed to photograph Lechuguilla Cave. 5. "Deserts" Broadcast 2 April 2006, this episode features the harsh environment that covers one third of the Earth: the s, destroying all vegetation in its path. ''Planet Earth Diaries'' explains how the hunt for the elusive Bactrian camels necessitated a two-month trek in Mongolia. Part Two The second part of the series is due for broadcast later in 2006, and comprises:
A trailer at the end of "Deserts" gave viewers a sneak preview of some of the animals in the next part. These include polar bears, Tree Frog s and Humpback Whale s. The latter episodes will be augmented by ''Saving Planet Earth'', a short series of three 50-minute films that will highlight the conservation issues surrounding some of the featured species. DVD A four-disc DVD set of the complete series (BBCDVD1883) is scheduled for release on 4 December 2006. BOOKS
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