Apple TV documentary series follows six species of endangered young animals

Stories filled with hope.

This is one way the team behind Apple TV’s “Born to be Wild” describes the six-part documentary series.

The series — which premiered on Dec. 19 — is narrated by SAG Award winner Hugh Bonneville and follows six species of endangered young animals — a moon bear cub, elephant calf, penguin chick, lemur pup, cheetah cubs and a lynx kitten — and the people who raise and rewild them to help save their species. The entire series is available to stream on Apple TV.

According to Apple TV, “Born to be Wild” was filmed over several years across three continents and tells the story of each animal from their earliest days through their journey to life in the wild.

Lucy van Beek, executive producer, says each animal finds its place in the world after being orphaned or born through conservation programs.

It took months for the team to narrow the series down to six endangered species.

Van Beek says the team looked at hundreds of species before making the short list.

Tom Payne, series showrunner, says the process was difficult, but he wanted it to have a global feel to it.

“We want to make sure we had a diverse group that is showcased,” Payne says. “We found the stories through the animals. We needed to have a human there who was there to bond and foster parenting to the animal. We were very lucky that we have six amazing stories, like a tiny cheetah cub becoming a majestic hunter.”

Isla Robertson, executive producer, says being able to film over the course of a few years was great because there was time to tell a complete story.

“We did have an end point in mind,” Robertson says. “But we were watching the footage hoping that we would get to that point. It was a big emotional investment. We also were granted opportunities with the lynx that had never been accessed before.”

Payne says there were more than 4,000 hours of footage edited down to the six parts.

The three want audiences to see the hope that the programs have in keeping these species alive, recognizing that these species are a gift to the world. While they won’t pick a favorite, each has a story that resonated.

Payne says the penguins gave him a feeling of emotional satisfaction.

“They are dinosaur-like when they are born and they become these cute bundles of joy,” Payne says. “They are faced with extinction and we have them returning to support a population. It’s such great Christmas viewing.”

Meanwhile, van Beek says the story of the moon bear cub touched her.

“He was so traumatized when he arrived,” van Beek recalls. “It was so emotional to see him learn the necessities needed to survive. There’s something about that little moon bear.”

Robinson says the cheetah episode was the first time that the caretaker was able to see the cubs she raised in the wild.

“She had never had that opportunity,” Robinson says. “She helped rehabilitate these cheetahs and taught them how to tap into their natural survival.”