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Animals Unexpected

Biologist Lucy Cooke turns detective to discover why, all over the world, animals are turning up in strange and unexpected places.

All over the world, animals are turning up in strange and unexpected places. Some are showing up thousands of miles from their natural homes - like African hippos now running riot in South America. Other native animals are turning up on our doorsteps - like black bears taking dips in swimming pools. These events are happening more and more across the world, and biologist Lucy Cooke wants to find out what's going on, so she's turning detective.

Animals Unexpected follows her investigation as she travels from the remote peaks of the Italian Alps to the heart of New York, in search of animals where they just shouldn't be! She discovers wolf-like creatures in the Big Apple, North American raccoons in Berlin and ancient sea creatures flocking around vast billowing power stations.

Lucy uncovers the latest research about the superpowers that enable these animals to survive and thrive in new and unexpected places - from lock-picking raccoons to giant pythons that are the masters of staying hidden. Ultimately she discovers how we humans are changing the world - and how animals are reacting in ways we could never have predicted.

This is a very modern tale of our increasingly unnatural history.

58 minutes

Last on

Sat 5 Aug 2023 14:00
Â鶹ÊÓƵAV Two except Wales & Wales HD

Clips

See all clips from Animals Unexpected (3)

Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • 00:00

    Olly Murs

    Busy

  • 00:01

    Olly Murs

    Busy

  • 00:12

    Paloma Faith

    Ready For The Good Life

  • 00:18

    Elmer Bernstein

    The Great Escape

    Performer: The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.
  • 00:25

    Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

    In The Heat Of The Moment

  • 00:30

    Frank Sinatra, Jules Munshin & Gene Kelly

    New York, New York

  • 00:33

    Coldcut

    Man In The Garage (Lemon Jelly Remix)

    Remix Artist: Lemon Jelly.

Meet Lucy Cooke

Meet Lucy Cooke
Presenter Lucy Cooke is an award-winning travel writer, blogger and public speaker. Lucy studied zoology at Oxford before her science career was hijacked by TV comedy. She has worked both behind the camera and more recently presented nature series such as , , and for Channel 4. She is passionate about conservation and has explored the remote corners of over 50 countries. 

Credits

Presenter Lucy Cooke
Executive Producer Tim Scoones
Producer Sam Hodgson

Broadcasts

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