Nature’s Miracle Orphans: BBC Wildlife Documentary to be Presented by Ellie Harrison and Max Hug Williams

Max Hug Williams with baby 3 toed sloth Newbie - Image Credit: BBC NHU

Max Hug Williams with baby 3 toed sloth Newbie – Image Credit: BBC NHU

It’s been revealed today that Countryfile’s Ellie Harrison and wildlife cameraman Max Hug Williams are to present a brand-new BBC One series titled Nature’s Miracle Orphans.

The BBC know by now that any programme featuring cute baby animals is a winning formula, but there’s also a more serious side to the show.

Filmed in Australia and Costa Rica, this two-part documentary will follow the early lives of orphaned animals during the journey back into their wild, natural habitats.

Produced by the BBC’s Natural History Unit, Nature’s Miracle Orphans takes a look at the people who’ve dedicated their lives to caring for orphaned baby animals, from tending to their basic needs, to teaching them the skills required to survive in the wild.

Ellie Harrison feeding orphans macropods - Image Credit: BBC NHU/Hannah Ward

Ellie Harrison feeding orphan macropods – Image Credit: BBC NHU/Hannah Ward

Ellie Harrison, who visits Australia’s Cape Otway Conservation Centre, says: “Few jobs require as much personal sacrifice for no pay as rescuing and rehabilitating wildlife. The carers I have spent time with in Australia are woken through the night, convert their homes to rescue centres and have their personal schedule determined by the needs of the animals. But the reward is clear: a second chance for the orphans who would never have otherwise survived and the return of the animals they have nurtured back to the wild.”

Co-presenter Max Hug Williams, who visits the Costa Rican rainforest to meet the carers of Newbie the three-toed sloth, says: “Through the dedication of the amazing carers I met in Costa Rica, the animals that have had the hardest start in life are given the second chance they deserve. These incredible people have given up everything to nurture and care for these orphans 24/7 and having seen what they go through, I have to say, it must be one of the toughest jobs in the world.”

Update: Nature’s Miracle Orphans’ air date and time has now been set for Sunday, 24 August, 2014 at 7:00pm on BBC One.

Episode 1 Preview Clip: Sloth Falls Off Table