Discovery Press Web United States

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(Silver Spring, MD) - Taking viewers on extraordinary adventures all around the world through the majesty of high definition, MUTUAL OF OMAHA'S WILD KINGDOM, one of television's longest running series, is back for its eighth season. Beginning on Sunday, April 4, at 7 PM (ET/PT), viewers will once again be treated to the awe and splendor of the natural world in this landmark series.  This year, each new episode will take viewers into the lives of creatures around the globe as they struggle to survive, unraveling the mysteries surrounding them.  From the spectacular reefs of the Mozambique coast to the wilds of the Ghats Mountains in India, the eighth season of MUTUAL OF OMAHA'S WILD KINGDOM traverses the globe to capture the beauty of these exotic animals in their natural habitat.

The season premiere kicks off in our own backyard with the black bears of Northern Minnesota in BEARWALKER OF THE NORTHWOODS.  We have always been told that to get between a mother bear and her cubs is to take your life in your hands, but Dr. Lynn Rogers illustrates that many of the perceptions people have of black bears are wrong as he gets incredibly close to these amazing creatures.  Because of the extraordinary relationship he has with them, he's able to show the tender and at times tragic moments in the life of a black bear. From the miracle of birth to the sadness of death and from the fear of being hunted to the warmth of a mother's love, it all comes together in the one-hour season premiere.  

"MUTUAL OF OMAHA'S WILD KINGDOM continues to be a landmark television series and a staple on Sunday evenings for Animal Planet," says Marjorie Kaplan, president and general manager of Animal Planet Media.  "Every year we and our partners take our cameras one step further and find even more mesmerizing ways to display the beauty of the natural world. This season is no exception."

With new episodes airing every Sunday for six consecutive weeks, viewers will experience all facets of the wild in this season of MUTUAL OF OMAHA'S WILD KINGDOM including: THE LAST LIONESS, where out of loneliness a proud lioness develops a remarkable relationship with a cameraman, leading wildlife officials to embark on a risky reintroduction of male lions to Zambia's Liuwa Plains National Park.  Dr. Mark Meekan employs the latest satellite tracking and shark-cam technology to unlock the mysteries of whale sharks as they attempt to evade being tracked beneath the waves in WORLD'S LARGEST SHARK. Roam the wilderness of India's Western Ghats Mountains with photographer Sandesh Kadur as he encounters rare and dangerous animals in his quest for an elusive large cat in MOUNTAINS OF THE MONSOON.   Biologist Andrea Marshall will travel to the manta ray infested waters of Mozambique to embark on a study that will shake up the world of marine biology leading to the discovery of a new species in MANTA QUEEN.  Finally, in CHINA'S LAST ELEPHANTS, Richard Kirby and Grace Gabriel will attempt to track and film the lives of the remaining majestic yet elusive elephants, before it's too late.

Episodes of MUTUAL OF OMAHA'S WILD KINGDOM's eighth season are produced for Animal Planet by the following production partners: BEARWALKER OF THE NORTH WOODS, WORLD'S LARGEST SHARK, MOUNTAINS OF THE MONSOON and MANTA QUEEN are BBC/Animal Planet co-productions, THE LAST LIONESS is produced by Aquavision TV Productions, and CHINA'S LAST ELEPHANTS is an Off the Fence/CICC co-production.  For Animal Planet, Dawn Sinsel is the executive producer. 

Animal Planet Media

Animal Planet Media (APM), a multi-media business unit of Discovery Communications, is the world's only entertainment brand that immerses viewers in the full range of life in the animal kingdom with rich, deep content via multiple platforms and offers animal lovers and pet owners access to a centralized online, television and mobile community for immersive, engaging, high-quality entertainment, information and enrichment.  APM consists of the Animal Planet television network, available in more than 96 million homes in the US; online assets www.animalplanet.com, the ultimate online destination for all things animal; the 24/7 broadband channel, Animal Planet Beyond; Petfinder.com, the #1 pet-related Web property globally that facilitates pet adoption; and other media platforms including a robust Video-on-Demand (VOD) service; mobile content; and merchandising extensions.

Mutual of Omaha

Founded in 1909, Mutual of Omaha is a full-service, multi-line organization providing insurance, banking and financial products for individuals, businesses and groups throughout the United States.  In the individual market, Mutual is a leader in the life, Medicare supplement, long-term care, disability and annuity lines. The company also offers a portfolio of employee benefit solutions including life, disability, AD&D and retirement plans.  A respected American brand, Mutual of Omaha sponsors Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom on the Animal Planet network. It also is a primary sponsor of USA Swimming. For more information, visit www.mutualofomaha.com.

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