NGTI ANNOUNCES DEALS ON NEW BLUE-CHIP SPECIAL

Published: 2 October 2006

National Geographic Television International is pleased to announce that the BBC and NHK are confirmed as co-production partners on its new blue-chip wildlife Special – GABON: EDEN ON THE EDGE (1 x 52) – currently being made by the natural history unit at National Geographic Television.

GABON: EDEN ON THE EDGE looks at one of the planet’s last true wildernesses and what is being done to save it. Gabon is an unlikely Eden where relentless predators stalk titanic prey in lush forests and clever primates, who have not yet learned to fear man, live right alongside mysterious forest elephants. Against all odds, one visionary African leader and a group of dedicated scientists decided to defy the conventional wisdom – wisdom that insists oil and logging are the only way to bring prosperity to an impoverished land. Out of the wild they have created 13 new national parks – the largest parks system in the world – and now they are developing an eco-tourism industry to sustain them.

To make the national parks a real success, scientists and officials must understand and manage the complex world they now control, including the forest elephants and other animal and plant species that are little known to us. GABON: EDEN ON THE EDGE tells this wonderful story with stunning natural history footage bringing us a mosaic of creatures – silverback gorillas defending territory, time-lapse crabs, rosy bee-eaters careening in display, mandrill baboons - faces splashed with day-glo colour and hippos wallowing in the ocean. Leading scientists Mike Fay and Steve Blake help with the conservation efforts.

Edwina Thring, head of programmes at NGTI concluded the deals: “GABON: EDEN ON THE EDGE features amazing wildlife footage from a part of the world that is rarely captured on film. In addition to the extensive NGT shoots for this programme, we are delighted to be using some unseen footage from PLANET EARTH, the BBC’s landmark series. Both the BBC and NHK set great store by creating superb natural history films with compelling stories, so we are delighted to have them on board as co-production partners.

“We are confident that the combination of strong blue-chip wildlife, interwoven with a unique conservation story, will make this programme a best-seller for NGTI in the international marketplace.”

GABON: EDEN ON THE EDGE will deliver at the end of 2006, for broadcast in 2007.