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Tag: Animal Planet

  • “Crikey! It’s the irwins” season two returns on animal planet with wildlife warriors terri, bindi and robert

    “Crikey! It’s the irwins” season two returns on animal planet with wildlife warriors terri, bindi and robert

    MUMBAI: In CRIKEY! IT’S THE IRWINS, Terri, Bindi and Robert continue Steve Irwin’s mission to bring people closer to animals and inspire them to become Wildlife Warriors who work together to protect and preserve our environment and its wildlife. Never before has it been so important to spread their message of conservation to ensure an abundance of wildlife for generations to come. The new series premieres on Thursday, October 10 at 9 PM IST on Animal Planet and Animal Planet HD.

    “The message of conservation has to go far and loud; the Irwins’ family is continuing Steve’s legacy by encouraging everyone to take a stand to help protect wildlife and wild places.,” said, Sai Abishek. Director – Content, Factual & Lifestyle Entertainment, Discovery. “We are delighted to be sharing their new and inspiring stories with viewers in India.”

    In the season premiere, the family builds a spectacular new home for their crocodiles in preparation for Australia Zoo’s 50th Anniversary.  Robert helps move all their crocodiles and alligators by hand, starting with Bosco, the most aggressive croc in the Zoo; Bindi investigates a knee problem on Forest, the Zoo’s largest giraffe; and Terri helps Harley the koala find love to help keep the koala population thriving.  Later in the season, Robert continues to take on daring missions such as swimming with Gloria, a 12-foot reticulated python in the Zoo’s Crocoseum and learning to handle his first ever wild rattlesnake in Arizona. Terri returns to her home state of Oregon to do a special check-up on Brady the cougar, a species she is extremely passionate about, and Bindi and fiancée, Chandler Powell, release animals that have been nursed back to health at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital.

    CRIKEY! IT’S THE IRWINS is produced for Animal Planet by Eureka where Paul Franklin, Chris Culvenor, Wes Dening and Rod Parker serve as executive producers.  For Animal Planet, Erin Wanner is executive producer, Sarah Russell is supervising producer and Paris Peckerman serves as associate producer.

  • Rohit Sharma bats for rhinos in association with WWF India and Animal Planet

    Rohit Sharma bats for rhinos in association with WWF India and Animal Planet

    MUMBAI: Rohit Sharma, the star Indian batsman is launching Rohit4Rhinos campaign, in partnership with WWF India and Animal Planet, to help build awareness for the need to conserve the Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros or the Indian Rhino. In a campaign launching on Animal Planet to commemorate World Rhino Day on September 22, Rohit pledges to do his bit to save the “vulnerable” species from extinction.

    Of the estimated 3500 Indian rhinos left in the world, 82% are found in India. Once found abundantly across the Indus, Ganges and the Brahmaputra river basins, the animal is now found only in select pockets in Assam, West Bengal, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. The state animal of Assam, the Indian rhinoceros faces several threats, including poaching, habitat loss and mass mortality from in-breeding and disease.

    With five decades of work in the conservation space, WWF India has been working extensively on rhino conservation across key landscapes where the animal is found in the country. Rohit Sharma joined WWF India as its Brand Ambassador for Rhino Conservation in 2018. With leading wildlife channel, Animal Planet, now joining the cause, the team has set out to create awareness and sensitize India about the species and the need for its conservation. Animal Planet will run a series of path breaking programmes during ‘Rhino Week’ to sensitize people about these gentle giants.  A special page, www.rohit4rhinos.org is also being created to strengthen the campaign, through which viewers can pledge their support to the cause. 

    Talking about Rhino conservation campaign, Rohit Sharma, said, “It is our duty as co-inhabitants of this planet to try and protect other species that walk this planet, alongside us. The future is in our hands and we should do whatever we can to ensure that our children are able to enjoy the rich bio-diversity this world has to offer. I hope that this campaign will inspire others to come forward and join Animal Planet, WWF India and I in this endeavor to save the Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros.”

    “Discovery has long been committed to telling the stories and protecting the creatures that make our planet extraordinary. We remain steadfast to leverage the brand strength of India’s leading wildlife channel Animal Planet to galvanize people power for the cause of endangered species, said, Megha Tata, Managing Director – South Asia, Discovery. “We are confident that Rohit’s strong support for the cause of Rhino conservation will help more people to join us for the cause of saving these gentle giants.”

    “WWF India would like to thank Rohit Sharma for being the voice of conservation and for his continuous support in raising awareness about the greater one-horned rhinos. Decades old stories of rhino conservation success in India need to be told and we believe that the campaign #Rohit4Rhinos being implemented in partnership with WWF India and Animal Planet will also be able to bring attention to the challenges that conservationists face in protecting the species,” said, Dr. Dipankar Ghose, Director, Species and Landscapes, WWF India.

  • Animal Planet shines light on Snake Squad; a group of youngsters who have dedicated their lives to mitigating human-snake conflict They save people from snakes and snakes from people

    Animal Planet shines light on Snake Squad; a group of youngsters who have dedicated their lives to mitigating human-snake conflict They save people from snakes and snakes from people

    MUMBAI: The expanding cities have intensified human-snake conflict like never before. As cities grow both vertically and horizontally, residential complexes have risen where once there was wilderness and wildlife. Hurt and homeless, snakes are turning up everywhere— homes, schools, offices, temples and even refrigerators! Animal Planet’s new 10-part series Snake Squad, which premiers on August 15 at 9:00 pm focuses on unsung heroes of the urban landscapes who are dedicating their lives to mitigating human-snake conflict and saving both people from snakes and snakes from people.

    Snakes – an integral part of India

    No civilization, country or society in the world is as inseparably linked to snakes as India has been. Snakes are friends, foe and God, and loved, feared, hated and worshipped in equal measures. They, in brief, are an integral part of India — culturally, economically and mythologically! On the other hand, they are also the cause of the worst man vs wild-animal conflict in the world. Conservative estimates put the human death toll of snakebites at 50,000 every year. Many experts and field workers, however, feel that the real number could be double that. Close to half a million human lives get destroyed through long-term disabilities. The casualties on the snakes’ side is even worse.

    The Snake Squad

    Traditional snake charmers have disappeared from modern India. Enter the young Snake Squad, a group of young men and women, often highly qualified and educated, driven by a passion for wildlife. They are dedicating their lives to mitigating this conflict and saving both people from snakes and snakes from people. Every major city in India has its own emerging, young squad. It has turned into a phenomenon. These squads are saving hundreds of thousands lives year after year.

    Two years in making

    It took almost two years for Optimum Television to put the inaugural series in place. Executive Producer and Director, Upma Bhatnagar met some of the best-known scientists and experts at Oxford University, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and even in Costa Rica. She also travelled to many parts of India on an exhaustive recee schedule.

    Upma Bhatnagar, says, “I always wanted to tell the story of the Indian snake. Nothing comes anywhere close to the majesty of a King Cobra when it stands with its hood on full display. But, like most Indian stories, this too is highly, highly complicated. On the one hand, so many people are dying to snakebites every year. But, on the other, snakes happen to be the best pest controllers that nature has to offer. Remove them from the scene and you run the risk of being overtaken by rats and other pests in no time. Plus, lest we forget, snakes also happen to be God in India. It’s almost impossible to separate these two living entities from each other. We, therefore, decided to

    tell this complex story through the eyes of the many young men and women I met during my journeys. How we found these amazing people in various parts of India is another story. We wanted to include those heroes who are passionate and ethical. I can assure you, it is not easy.”

  • Animal Planet refreshes programming line-up, launches Tamil audio feed & Hindi YouTube channel

    Animal Planet refreshes programming line-up, launches Tamil audio feed & Hindi YouTube channel

    Mumbai: Animal Planet,India’s number 1 wildlife channel that immerses viewers in entire spectrum of life in the animal kingdom with high quality content, willkickstart 20th anniversary celebrations in India on July 15, 2019.  As a part of the celebrations, the channel will adopt a new Animal Planet mark incorporating a fresh and distinctive image of a leaping elephant.  The new identity aims to keep the childhood joy and wonder of animals alive by bringing people up close to animals in every way with content that explores undeniable bond forged between animals and humans. Further, Animal Planet aims to galvanize people power to promote animal conservation in a big way. The channel will launch multiple initiatives through the year to achieve this objective.

    Animal Planet also announced that it will offer all new/ refreshed programming as part of the celebrations. The channel will increase focus on blue chip programming related to Indian wildlife. Animal Planet has also launched a new YouTube channel ‘Animal Planet India’ with an aim to build an online community which is passionate about wildlife.

    “We are kickstarting 20th anniversary of Animal Planet in India by refreshing our brand identity and brand personality. The channel’s mission is to celebrate & explore our vital, enriching and ultimately humanizing connection with the animal world.The new look Animal Planet will offer a trusted heaven for the whole family to enjoy the best of wildlife content. To make the connect deeper withour younger audiences, we will be introducing a dedicated weekend programming slot,” said, Megha Tata, Managing Director – South Asia, Discovery Communications India. “Animal Planet will sharpen focus on stories linked to animal conservation as it aims to awaken viewers to the need for animal welfare and conservation. We will be launching multiple initiatives to harness the power of millions of animal lovers across the country for the cause of animal conservation. As a corporate, we are already taking affirmative action to help conserve world’s most iconic and endangered species. Through Project CAT and our association with WWF, we support Tiger conservation initiatives on-ground by helping conserve nearly six million acres of protected land across four countries. In India, Discovery supports Tiger conservation programs in Manas Tiger Reserve Park and Sundarbans Bio Reserve.”

    Animal Planet will engage with superfans in a new way with the launch of ‘Animal Planet India’ YouTube channel which will offer short form visually stunning exclusive wildlife content with an underlying brand message of ‘Animals are Human like Us’. “The launch of a digital channel is a strategic step to support our linear feed; the aim is to congregate animal overs digitally at one place so that we engage and converse in a deeper manner as we intensify focus on conservation led messaging.,” added, Megha Tata.

    As a part of the revamped programming strategy, Animal Planet will offer globally acclaimed content produced by the best production houses. There will be increased focus on content based on Indian wildlife starting with anthologies such as 100 Days 100 Tales S2 and Animal Planet Presents. Starting August 2019, Animal Planet will premiere India based shows including Snake Squad, a show that reveals some of the riveting stories of snake rescue in India; Heroes of the Wild Frontiers – stories of forest guards from various national parks/reserves in India who are working on ground level to secure & conserve Indian wildlife followed by season two of the extremely popular franchise Lion Queens. The channel will also premierethird Season of Mission Big CAT – An anthology of shows dedicated to Big Cats.
     

  • Hill+Knowlton Strategies India wins communication mandate for Discovery India

    Hill+Knowlton Strategies India wins communication mandate for Discovery India

    MUMBAI: After a competitive multi-agency pitch, Hill+Knowlton Strategies, one of India’s premier communications consultancies, has been awarded the communications mandate for the country’s leading infotainment player – Discovery Communications India and its portfolio of channels in India including Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Discovery HD World, Discovery Science, Discovery Turbo, Discovery Kids, Discovery JEET, Animal Planet HD World, TLC HD World and Discovery Tamil. The appointment will see Hill+Knowlton Strategies rollout strategic communications solutions for the network’s channels to drive greater engagement with viewers across India.

    Confirming the appointment, Sameer Bajaj, Director, Corporate Communications & External Affairs, Discovery Communications India, said, “We are delighted to partner with Hill+Knowlton Strategies, India as our strategic communications partner to deliver our vision as a brand, better engage with viewers and drive our narrative in a more compelling manner. Their strong experience in media & entertainment, in-depth understanding of our market requirements and passion gave us the confidence to award them this mandate. I believe, together as a team, we will further strengthen the Discovery brand in India.”

    Commenting on the win, Kavita Rao, President & CEO, India, Hill+Knowlton Strategies, said, “We are thrilled that Discovery Communications has chosen us to partner them in managing their strategic communications of their corporate brand as well strong portfolio of brands in the country. With committed teams and our in-depth domain knowledge and experience across sectors, H+K India is well positioned to drive the desired impact and outcome for Discovery Communications India.”

    Hill+Knowlton Strategies India has a strong track record in the media and entertainment sector, working with clients such as Sony Entertainment Television (SET), Sony Music, Times Network and in the past with Colours from Viacom and Turner Broadcasting

  • Pet Tales with Motivator’s Mausumi Kar

    Pet Tales with Motivator’s Mausumi Kar

    Animal Planet is celebrating the bond that humans share with animals through this heartwarming series called ‘Animal Planet Pet Tales’ on the special relationship that India’s top media executives share with their pets. 

    What’s your favourite pet movie?

    It is difficult to pick one but if I had to, then I would go with Beethoven – the story of the Newtons and their giant St. Bernard Beethoven. I have spent sixteen years spread between two of these gentle giants. Hugging a St. Bernard is soul satisfying; living with one is a lesson in family bonding.

    What does a typical day with your pet look like?

    There hasn’t been a typical day with any of my boys in the last so many years. Let me tell you some things that happen every day with my two boxer boys. Life begins at six in the morning when you have to cajole, push and struggle to get them out of bed, not their beds but my bed. They go for their walks and they are pretty well-behaved in that department. I meet them next when I leave home for office and the lost-boys-sad faces they make is heart wrenching. Coming home is a joy! Whether I meet them after a gap of ten minutes or ten hours, they greet me with jumps and licks on my face like we are some long lost friends. In fact, they compete with each other to see who can give me more slurpy licks. I feel like an ice-cream cone each day. Then it is treat-time with mommy. We give them the same treat but Gobbet the slightly bigger of the two hoards both their treats under his belly. Niret then walks up to me to complain with these lovely sounding yelps seeking intervention. A proper admonishment later Gobbet understands the merit of sharing. This happens every day! Then it is time for very intense playtime. It is too insane for me. It’s mostly with their dad or amongst themselves sans or with toys. Evening walks and dinner times are not note-worthy. The day ends with my husband and me struggling to preserve some space for ourselves at the two ends of our king-size bed and retaining at least a pillow each and some portions of our duvets. The rest belongs to Niret and Gobbet to do as they please.

    FULL COVERAGE: ANIMAL PLANET PET TALES

     

    What prompted you to have a pet? Do you feel having a pet changes your perspective?

    I have grown up with pets and animals. At different points of time, we have provided homes to an interesting assortment of animals – dogs, parrots, pigs, chicken and cows! I have heard stories about this German Shepherd Laika that my parents had at the time I was born. Apparently, she stood guard by me whenever any outsider was around. Once as my nanny took me for an outing in my pram, she met a friend. They lost track of time as they chatted and continued to walk beyond the regular route into some unknown not so dog friendly neighbourhood at quite some distance. Laika never left her side. A search party had to be sent out to get all of us back. Fact is, it was the stretch between the time I left home for hostel after Class X for furthering my studies till the time I got married that I have not cohabited with a pet.

    Living with a pet or any animal for that matter changes one’s world view. You become more responsible and adaptable. My husband and I made major decisions around our boys. You would have understood by now that my dogs have been my children. We decided to buy an independent bungalow and not a flat, our first air-conditioner came home with our first St. Bernard, and our choice of vehicle purchase has always revolved around whether the seating arrangement allowed enough flexibility to comfortably fit two large dogs. We used to travel with two St. Bernards at a point in time! I have an elaborate arrangement of full-time housekeeper and driver just so that the needs of my boys are managed adequately. Above all you just start savouring the simple joys of life.

    Do you think public places within India are pet-friendly? If not, what can be done to improve this?

    We have a long way to go before public places in India become pet-friendly. In Europe, pets travel with their family in tubes and trains, are allowed into shopping malls and food joints, there is an abundance of pet-friendly hotels, the only caveat being one of responsible ownership. In India it is often a struggle to even take dogs out for walks. There are some cities in India which are more pet-friendly than others but the scope for improvement is immense even there. For starters, there needs to be responsibility from the owners’ side in public places where pets should always be on leash and need to clean up after their pets. Irresponsible ownership is one of the key reasons that public places are not pet-friendly. As a small first step, open spaces and parks could be made open to pets.

    What’s been your favourite campaign/ad that involving animals?

    Unequivocally, the Hutch campaign with the little boy and the pug. “You and I in this beautiful world”, is the perfect expression of co-existence.

    Has adoption of strays really increased today because of media and increased awareness?

    There is certainly increased awareness in media about strays in general and stray adoption in particular. My husband and I have been associated with Friendicose for a while now, since we adopted a St. Bernard. There is increased incidence of abandoning of pets even pure-breeds adding to the already growing population of strays. I am impressed with what Ratan Tata has done for strays by welcoming them to Bombay House. My former boss Lynn D’Souza works a lot with animals in Goa. Adopting a stray is admirable. If more people of the stature of Ratan Tata and Lynn speak out about their experiences and work with strays, it will go a long way towards increasing awareness of stray adoptions. We need to work more towards creating an environment that respects nature and all her creations. Right to space and life is not the exclusive domain of affluent individuals but all life-forms.

  • Pet Tales with Dentsu Aegis’ Ashish Bhasin

    Pet Tales with Dentsu Aegis’ Ashish Bhasin

    What’s your favourite pet movie?

    101 Dalmatians

    What does a typical day with your pet look like?

    Simba is more of my daughter’s pet as she insisted on getting him. When we decided to bring him home, I wasn’t a big pet person and so wasn’t in the favour of it. But over a period of time, he just grew on us. He is up and around when I’m up early in the morning. When I come back in the evening and take off my shoes, he comes up to me and wants me to pet him. He tends to turn on his back and wants me to rub his belly. Whenever I am free, he wants me to throw him a bone or a ball and he goes running to fetch it. He really enjoys free space and when we go to our villa in Lonavala, he loves to play till he is completely exhausted.

    What prompted you to have a pet? Do you feel having a pet changes your perspective?

    I wasn’t prompted but literally forced because of the commitment that I made to my daughter! She is an animal lover and very fond of them. I wasn’t very keen on having a pet but she insisted and forced us all but in hindsight, it turned out to be a brilliant decision and now everybody is very happy and attached to him.

    I do think that having a pet changes your perspective about a lot of things as they become a part of the family. Once you have a pet at home, it’s like having a child that never grows old. In many ways, you have to follow similar principles of parenting where you have to be strict and disciplinary when needed and indulgent and playful as well. It’s pretty much like parenting in that case.

    Do you think public places within India are pet friendly? If not, what can be done to improve this?

    I don’t think a lot of places are that pet friendly in India, and the ones that are, tend to be fairly expensive and upmarket. The old Moshe’s restaurant/cafe had a pet corner where you could have a doggie treat. There is a need for more education and awareness about pets. Most people in Mumbai live in housing societies and they have contradictory points of view where some residents don’t want pets. Besides the public places being friendly, there needs to be more friendliness in the minds of people and a little more acceptance. There also has to be responsibility taken by pet owners to make sure that pets aren’t causing any damage or dirtying public places.

    What’s been your favourite campaign/ad that involving animals?

    All Vodafone ads that involved those little pugs have been my most favourite.

    Has adoption of strays really increased today because of media and increased awareness?

    I think it has marginally increased but it has a long way to go. I am sure a lot more can be done to make sure it increases even further.

  • Discovery Network intensifies focus on India centric shows this festive season

    Discovery Network intensifies focus on India centric shows this festive season

    MUMBAI: Discovery Communications India, country’s leading infotainment player, has intensified focus on India centric programming in the lead-up to the festive season.  The network, which is devoted to creating highest quality purposeful entertainment, will showcase an unprecedented 8 India centric shows over the next 4 months on Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and TLC. The India specials will be in addition to the premiere of staggering 20 + global IPs on the 3 network channels.

    “We are excited with the growth that we have been able to garner this year. All our core channels – Discovery, Animal Planet and TLC –  are now undisputed leaders in their respective genres while Discovery Kids has emerged as the fastest growing channel in the kids genre. Our aim is to further build on it and accelerate the growth over the next 4 months,” said, Karan Bajaj, General Manager, Discovery Communications India. “It is a conscious strategy to increase India centric pipeline with original production or programming acquisitions.  With the unmatched line-up of Indian and Global IPs till the end of the year, we are confident to deepen our local connection while further extending the lead over competition for all of our network channels.”

    This year Discovery has already showcased a line-up of impactful India led programming including Breaking Point: The Indian Submarines, Breaking Point: Air Force Academy. Over the next 3 months, Discovery channel will showcase 5 new India centric shows including Women Fighter Pilots (Premiers August 24),  a new Military tentpole High Altitude Warfare School (October), India’s Citizen Squad (November) and Moon Bound (November) – a special about Team Indus’s attempt as a part of Google Lunar XPrize and a special documentary on Sunny Leone’s life Mostly Sunny (December).  TLC, which has shown huge resurgence since January 2018, will showcase an Indian original production which has shaken the digital space with its promise of a TLC travel scholarship – The Calling (October). Animal Planet, India’s leading wildlife channel, is currently showcasing an anthology of shows ‘The Red List: Save The Wild’ which focuses on the trials and tribulations of endangered species in India and across the world. The channel will showcase Mission Big Cat – an anthology focused on Big Cats including Lions, Leopards and Tigers in the month of October celebrating World Animal Day.

    Discovery India is working overtime to reduce the time-gap between global and Indian premiers. On the anvil is a mouthwatering palate of global premiers on Discovery Channel including Shark Week, Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Challenge S3, American Chopper and Running Wild With Bear Grylls Season 4 featuring celebrities such as tennis legend Roger Federer, Scott Eastwood, Don Cheadle, Lena Headey, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Uzo Aduba. TLC’s is getting revamped with the introduction of Scripps led content including blockbuster IPs like Chopped, Cup Cake Wars, Extreme Homes, Bizarre Foods, Extreme Chefs and Giada in Italy and global tentpoles like American Beauty Star.

    Animal Planet as a part of new brand philosophy ‘Humans Like Us’ will sharpen focus on stories linked to animal conservation as it aims to awaken viewers to the need for animal welfare and conservation.  The channel has lined-up number of global IPs for Indian audiences. The family of Steve Irwin, the much-loved wildlife expert who created a distinctive new style of wildlife documentary, returns to Animal Planet with – The Irwins-   a special show focused on Steve Irwin’s zoo in Australia.

    Discovery Network is the undisputed leader in the infotainment category with 48% share. Discovery channel with 24%* share in the leading channel followed by Animal Planet which is at no 2 position with 16%* share.   Infact, 7 out of the top 10 shows* in infotainment genre are from Discovery. TLC is now ranked no 1 in the lifestyle category with 33% share*.  TLC has grown share by 7% over last year when it was placed at the second spot with 30% share. Infact, 7 out of top 10 shows in the Lifestyle Genre are from TLC. Discovery Kids has leap-frogged to 4th position from 9th position in the beginning of the year. The ratings of Discovery Kids have grown by 426% since the start of the year.

  • HCL Corporation & The Habitats Trust tie-up with Animal Planet to create awareness about the need to save species and their habitats with ‘On the Brink’

    HCL Corporation & The Habitats Trust tie-up with Animal Planet to create awareness about the need to save species and their habitats with ‘On the Brink’

    MUMBAI: HCL Corporation, a global technology conglomerate,  & The Habitats Trust, a recently launched foundation working towards protecting habitats and their indigenous species, have tied-up with India’s number 1 wildlife channel Animal Planet to showcase a new TV series ‘On The Brink’ to create awareness about Animal Conservation in India. The show, which will be aired on Animal Planet every Monday at 21:00 hrs, starting August 20, will unravel mysteries of the natural world and help understand why species that once lived in large populations, are now literally on the brink.

    ‘On The Brink’ will explore species and habitats rarely seen on Indian television and will witness the trials and tribulations of the endangered species as they are confronted with myriad threats to their survival. The species to be covered in Season 1 of the series include Red Panda, Fishing Cats, Slender Loris and Bengal Tiger.  The show will also share stories of hope, of solutions and of the courageous men and women at the forefront of the battle to save these species from extinction.

    The series has been directed by National Film Awards winner – Akanksha Sood Singh and adventurer, explorer and wildlife presenter – Malaika Vaz- is the presenter of the show.  In the 8-part series shot across the country, Malaika Vaz journeys through India, immersing herself in the most incredible landscapes and habitats and coming eye-to-eye with the rarely spotted animals that live there. Each episode highlights a story which is important to tell right now, or else it might get too late.

    “Wildlife and habitats conservation is essential to maintaining the natural ecological balance of our planet; however, it is under serious threat largely due to human induced factors such as habitat destruction, overhunting, pollution and climate change. The earth is as much ours, as it is of the flora and fauna that inhabit it and there is a lot we can achieve if all of us pool in effort with an aim to save the endangered indigenous species,” said, Roshni Nadar Malhotra, CEO of HCL Corporation & Founder and Trustee of The Habitats Trust. “On The Brink is a concerted attempt to raise awareness about the importance and the urgency of animal conservation.”

    “There is a dire need to create awareness about specie conservation as almost half of the 177-mammal species surveyed lost more than 80% of their distribution between 1900 and 2015. We are delighted to enter into this tie-up with HCL Corporation & The Habitats Trust to showcase a one of its kind series ‘On The Brink’. This is in line with our enhanced focus on conservation as a part of our philosophy ‘Humans Like Us’,” said, Zulfia Waris, Vice President – Premium & Digital networks, Discovery Communications India. “On The Brink is about nature programming that inspires wonder and curiosity. It goes beyond the megafauna to showcase India’s incredible diversity and importantly creates awareness about the need to save species and their habitat.”

  • Animal Planet sharpens focus on conservation with a brand-new philosophy ‘Humans Like Us’.

    Animal Planet sharpens focus on conservation with a brand-new philosophy ‘Humans Like Us’.

    MUMBAI: Animal Planet, India’s number 1 wildlife channel that immerses viewers in entire spectrum of life in the animal kingdom with high quality content, has adopted a new brand philosophy ‘Humans Like Us’. For more than 20 years in India, Animal Planet has carried programming from every corner of the world capturing the beauty and splendor of the animal kingdom.  As a part of the new brand purpose, Animal Planet will sharpen focus on stories linked to animal conservation as it aims to awaken viewers to the need for animal welfare and conservation. The channel will dial-up the ‘Human Connect’ further with thought-provoking and entertaining storytelling that emerges from the fascinating intersection of the animal, human and natural worlds.

    The Animal Planet’s refresh campaign comes on the heels of weeks of domination in the infotainment genre in India. Animal Planet has clearly established itself as India’s no 1 wildlife brand with 15% share, second only to Discovery channel’s 23% share*.  Animal Planet’s endearing campaign will go-air starting August 15, 2018.

    Animal Planet has in the past brought to the fore fragile state of animals with initiatives such as Mission Big Cats which aimed at sensitizing people about the need for tiger conservation. The channel documented the undeniable bonds that is forged between the animals and the courageous men and women who protect and save them with the recent premiere of Dodo Heroes. This series featured inspiring stories of animals from around the world in dire need, and those who go to unimaginable lengths to help them.

    “Animal Planet’s mission is to celebrate & explore our vital, enriching and ultimately humanizing connection with the animal world. We are part of the animal kingdom and share behavioral traits with animals in the same way they share behavioral traits with us,” said, Zulfia Waris, Vice President, Premium & Digital networks, Discovery Communications India.  “The creative strategy behind the bold new identity is to bring the human like us brand promise to life, observing how animal behavior often reflects human behavior, providing an entertaining insight into the nature of our programmes, which are about people as much as animals.”

    The channel drives the brand proposition forward with its inspiring line-up of programming starting with a new anthology of shows ‘The Red List: Save the Wild’ which premiers on August 15, 2018.