Hot on the heels of the stunning “Planet Earth III”, the world’s hardest working almost-centenarian is back as Sir David Attenborough once again teams with the BBC for a globe spanning look at how mammals have adapted to thrive in every pocket of the Earth. You can watch “Mammals” from anywhere with a VPN — and potentially for FREE.
Release date and time: "Mammals" airs on Sunday, March 31 at 7 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT / 6 a.m. AEDT (Mon.).
► FREE STREAM — BBC iPlayer (U.K.)
► U.S. — AMC+ (date TBC)
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The new series, from the team behind “Wild Isles” and “Frozen Planet II”, will look at the “strategies, behaviours and traits that lie behind the astonishing success of this remarkable group of animals” and how mammals have adapted to live in almost all conditions, climates and ecosystems.
The six-part documentary will take viewers on a tour of different environments, starting with “Dark”, exploring the animals that lurk in the shadows, before moving on to “The New Wild” which looks at how wild mammals and humans can coexist. Next, “Water” will focus on the aquatic species of mammals, from those that live deep within our oceans to those that make their way ashore. “Cold” and “Heat” will present viewers with mammals that live in the extremes of our planet, before “Forest” ventures from the treetops down to the forest floors.
Attenborough’s narration is never less than insightful, informative and oh-so-relaxing and BBC Nature always delivers with stunning cinematography and perhaps even some never-before-seen animal behaviors. This is sure to be unmissable for nature fans.
Ready for another trip around the natural world? We’ve got all the info on how to watch "Mammals” online and from anywhere.
Watch 'Mammals' for FREE
How to watch 'Mammals' online from anywhere with a VPN
Away from home at the moment and blocked from watching "Mammals" on your usual service?
You can still take the nature doc with you thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software allows your devices to appear to be back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are. So ideal for viewers away on vacation or on business. Our favorite is NordVPN. It's the best on the market.
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance if you're in the U.S. and want to view a U.K. service, you'd select U.K. from the list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the show. Head to BBC iPlayer and stream new episodes of "Mammals" online.
Watch 'Mammals' in the U.S.
While the closest we have to a confirmed date in the U.S. is 'summer 2024', when it does arrive "Mammals" will air on BBC America.
BBC America is a broadcast network that can be accessed through a cable TV package but if you've already cut the cord and don't have cable, you can watch BBC America on a live TV service, such as Sling TV.
If you're away from home when "Mammals" airs, you can tune in as you usually would using a VPN like NordVPN.
If you prefer to stream "Mammals", episodes will also drop on AMC+ in the U.S..
Watch 'Mammals' in Canada
In Canada, "Mammals" will be shown on BBC Earth, although an exact date is to be confirmed.
BBC Earth is accessible via your cable provider or on a number of online services, such as Prime Video where it'll cost CAD$3.99 per month on top of your existing subscription, after a 30-day FREE trial.
Brit travelling in Canada and unable to access BBC iPlayer? As mentioned above, a VPN will let you stream "Mammals" online no matter where you are.
Can I watch 'Mammals' in Australia?
Bad news for Attenborough fans Down Under - there's currently no news on when "Mammals" might arrive in Australia.
But remember: if you're usually based in the U.K. but aren't there at the moment, you could still connect to BBC iPlayer and stream "Mammals" live or on-demand. All you need is a VPN such as NordVPN.
Everything you need to know about 'Mammals'
This is the episode release schedule for "Mammals":
- Episode 1: "Dark" – Sunday, March 31
- Episode 2: "The New Wild" – Sunday, April 7
- Episode 3: "Water" – Sunday, April 14
- Episode 4: "Cold" – Sunday, April 21
- Episode 5: "Heat" – Sunday, April 28
- Episode 6: "Forest" – Sunday, May 5
'Mammals' trailer
Frequently asked questions
What can we expect from 'Mammals'?
Scott Alexander, Series Producer: "What makes this series so special are the things that make mammals so special, really. They're found in every ocean, on every continent and in every habitat. You find them underground, you find them in the air, you find them in the sea. So you've got this amazing variety of locations. But also, there's great variety in the animals themselves. They run, they swim, they hop, they burrow, they fly - it's just ridiculous, really! And then on top of that, you've got this wonderful diversity in the group as well. You've got the big cats, the great whales, our closest relatives, the great apes, and all the other amazing primates."
Roger Webb, Executive Producer: "There are a lot of riches in the series. Looking at new behaviours, in the opening sequence for the cold show we've got a polar bear chasing down a reindeer. It’s doing what polar bears aren't really meant to do. This is an animal that hunts on sea ice and focuses on seals, and it's been doing that for millennia. And now suddenly, because of the way things are in the Arctic, with food scarce and less sea ice, they have turned their attention to an animal that lives more on land. Watching that polar bear chase down that reindeer is just incredible. It is doing whatever it needs to do to get food, even if it's not the most satisfying meal for a polar bear. To bring that new behaviour to the screen is great. I think it delivers on lots of fronts. It shows how amazing polar bears are, and it's an incredibly engaging sequence. But also, there's another layer behind it - that our world is changing, and these animals are having to adapt, and do what they have to do to survive. They are doing their very best to do that. That’s inspiring, but the situation they find themselves in is also tragic."
Are there any firsts in 'Mammals'?
Lydia Baines, Producer ("The New Wild"): "We filmed a pack of Indian wolves living on the Golan Heights on the border between Israel and Syria. They live in landmine fields. So, historically, and even today, wolves have been hugely shot in that area. One of their last strongholds is in these landmine fields on the Golan Heights. They're able to live there fairly undisturbed because humans just won't venture into the minefields. That’s never been filmed for broadcast television before, probably because no one's thought it was a good idea to film wolves in fields of landmines!"
Roger Webb, Executive Producer: "We film new behaviour with chimpanzees, where they're able to sniff out honey from underground. With the troop that we filmed, only the alpha male seems really to have got his head around how to do it. We have got this adorable scene where he's picking himself a tool, which is a suitable branch from a tree. Then he starts forcing this big stick underground. You're watching it and thinking, “What is he doing?” He's mining or fishing for honey bees. So the alpha male is wedging this big stick into the ground, and eventually, he finds what he's looking for. And then he's able to dig, dig, dig, and put his long arm underground and pull up honeycomb dripping with honey. What’s beautiful about the scene is that the rest of the troop are watching what he’s doing. He is eating this honey all by himself. They are all just standing there and staring, as if to say, “Oh, can we have a little bit, please?” He just carries on eating it, looking straight through them as if they're not there. In the end, he finishes up, wipes the remaining honey off on his fur and walks off. Then the others come up and put their hands down the hole, but there's none left. Their little faces! It’s just the enjoyment you get from observing our fellow mammals. It’s the ultimate engagement in terms of natural history."
How is Sir David Attenborough involved with 'Mammals'?
Scott Alexander, Series Producer: "At the very basic level, you could listen to Sir David read the telephone directory! But he brings so much else, too. He's 97, but when he does his commentary, it's a genuine performance. He’s really read the scripts, he's gone through them, and he's adapted them. So he's completely invested. When he reads them, he puts on the most amazing performance. The emotions he brings to it are wonderful. So on that level, it's fantastic. But on another level, it is also brilliant. The Life of Mammals was 20 years ago, and Sir David did that. It's so nice for him 20 years later to be able to narrate the next mammals, see how they have evolved, and hear their new stories."
How old is Sir David Attenborough?
Sir David Attenborough, a British broadcaster, biologist, natural historian and author, is 97 years of age. He was born in Isleworth, London on May 8, 1926. He is the brother of Jurassic Park actor Richard Attenborough.
'Mammals' full episode guide
Episode 1: "Dark" - Sunday, March 31
Originally confined to the night during the time of the dinosaurs, many mammals have, with heightened senses verging on superpowers, become masters of the shadows. Today, some are even returning to the dark side as their daytime world gets more and more crowded.
Episode 2: "The New Wild" - Sunday, April 7
As well as bringing a fresh understanding of this remarkable group of animals, the series highlights many of the problems faced by mammals in a rapidly changing world. To do this, episode six explores how mammals are coping living alongside perhaps the most successful mammal of all – us, revealing both winners and losers in today’s new wild.
Episode 3: "Water" - Sunday, April 14
Very few mammals have managed to lose all ties with land and conquer life in water, one of the greatest challenges for an air breathing mammal. Those that have are some of the cleverest of all, forming surprising bonds not just amongst their own but with other species as well.
Episode 4: "Cold" - Sunday, April 21
Thanks to their great ingenuity, combined with a thick fur coat, mammals can survive where no others can, in the cold of the planet’s extreme frozen worlds. See a polar bear learn remarkable new hunting skills and witness the rarely seen caring side of the not so mythical wolverine.
Episode 5: "Heat" - Sunday, April 28
With fur designed to keep you warm, keeping cool is never going to be easy, yet mammals are found in the hottest, driest places on earth, from Africa’s Sahara Desert to Australia’s barren outback, where they have found remarkable ways to stays cool, find water, and beat the heat.
Episode 6: "Forest" - Sunday, May 5
From down in the undergrowth to high above the treetops, we see how mammals have conquered every level of the forest with perfect camouflage, secret messages, and even the power of flight, but now many face new challenges as they are forced to adapt to a changing world.
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