Born to Be Wild (2025): Release Date, Story, Episodes & Why Apple TV’s New Wildlife Series Will Break Your Heart in the Best Way

Some shows entertain you.

Some shows thrill you.

And some shows quietly reach in, grab your heart, and refuse to let go.

Born to Be Wild, Apple TV’s newest six-part wildlife documentary premiering December 19, 2025, is that third kind of series — tender, breathtaking, and deeply human even when following the lives of animals.

Narrated by Hugh Bonneville (Paddington, Downton Abbey), the series spans three continents and several years, chronicling the early lives of six endangered young animals who must learn the skills required not just to survive… but to return to the wild where they truly belong.

This is Apple TV’s next big global documentary moment — full of emotion, hope, adventure, and real-world stakes.

Born to Be Wild (2025) is a six-part Apple TV documentary series premiering December 19. Narrated by Hugh Bonneville, the show follows six endangered baby animals — including an elephant calf, cheetahs, a lemur pup, a moon bear cub, lynx kittens, and African penguins — as conservationists raise and rehabilitate them for rewilding.

🐾 A Story of Survival, Hope & Second Chances

The series follows six young animals who each begin life facing extraordinary challenges:

• an orphaned elephant calf

• two young cheetahs

• a ring-tailed lemur pup

• a moon bear cub

• Iberian lynx kittens

• rescued African penguins

Each of them is endangered.Each of them is vulnerable.And each of them has a team of human protectors fighting to secure their future in the wild.

What makes Born to Be Wild stand out is its intimacy — the cameras don’t just show wildlife; they show relationships, trust, and the emotional bond that forms between the animals and the humans who become their temporary families.

It's not just nature.It’s nurture.

🌍 Filmed Across Three Continents — A Global Conservation Mission

The production spanned:

🌿 Africa — elephants, cheetahs, penguins🌲 Asia — moon bear cub🌳 Europe — Iberian lynx, lemur pups

The series captures:

• thick forests

• open savannahs

• rugged coastlines

• wildlife rehabilitation centers

• protected reserves

This visual breadth gives the show massive global appeal — every episode feels like a journey to another part of the world.

🎥 Behind the Camera: The Minds Bringing This Series to Life

Born to Be Wild is produced through a collaboration between:

🦅 Tailfeather Productions

• Lucy van Beek(Wild Tales from the Farm, The Search for a New Earth, Britain from Above)

🐾 Offspring Films

• Alex Williamson(Earth at Night in Color, Earthsounds, Big Cats)

• Isla Robertson(Earth at Night in Color, Big Beasts: Last of the Giants, Animals at Play)

These teams are known for:

• cinematic wildlife storytelling

• emotional narratives

• stunning natural visuals

• blending science with heart

Apple TV+ partnering with them?That’s a dream combination for nature lovers.

🐘 Episode Spotlight: The Baby Elephant Who Must Learn Her Strength

One of the most emotionally powerful storylines follows a baby elephant rescued after losing her mother. As she grows, she learns:

• how to navigate her habitat

• how to use her trunk

• how to communicate

• how to bond

• how to trust again

Her bond with her caretaker is one of the series’ most beautiful elements — especially when the time comes for her to join a herd in the wild.

🐆 The Cheetah Cubs — Born Fast, Raised Faster

The two young cheetahs begin their journey with uncertainty. Orphaned early, they must learn:

• hunting

• speed control

• stealth

• independence

• recognizing predators

Their caretakers teach them everything a mother cheetah would — until the day they must step into the savannah alone.

Cue tears.

🐧 The African Penguins — Victims of a

Changing World

These penguins were rescued after environmental changes left them stranded. The show captures:

• their rehabilitation

• their social bonding

• their release

• the ongoing work to protect diminishing colonies

It’s a harsh reminder of how fragile ecosystems have become.

🐻 The Moon Bear Cub — Tiny, Fierce, and Full of Heart

Found helpless and alone, this cub must overcome:

• malnutrition

• isolation

• fear

• instinctual rewilding

Watching a frightened cub grow into a confident young bear is one of the show's most inspiring arcs.

🐱 Episode 6: The Lynx Kitten — A Final Test

The season finale focuses on an Iberian lynx kitten, the rarest cat species in Europe.

Before she can be released into the wilderness, she must prove:

• she can hunt

• she can hide

• she can survive alone

This episode captures the exact moment where nurturing ends — and nature begins.

🎙 Narrated by Hugh Bonneville — Warm, Wise & Wonderfully British

Bonneville’s voice adds:

• calm

• charm

• emotional weight

• gentle humor

• a sense of adventure

His narration feels like a bedtime story for grown-ups — comforting yet honest, magical yet grounded.

❤️ The Heart of the Series: Humans & Animals Healing Each Other

Every story in Born to Be Wild is shaped by the extraordinary humans behind them:

• conservationists

• rangers

• rescue volunteers

• veterinarians

• wildlife scientists

These people aren’t just working jobs.

They’re fighting extinction — one baby animal at a time.

The relationships between animals and humans form the emotional backbone of the show:

🐾 trust🐾 fear🐾 vulnerability🐾 bonding🐾 heartbreak🐾 hope

This is why the series is poised to go viral on:

• TikTok nature clips

• YouTube wildlife compilations

• Google Discover cards

• Apple TV homepage features

• Parenting, education, and animal welfare communities

It’s emotional nonfiction at its finest.

📅 Release Date — When & Where to Watch

Born to Be Wild

📅 December 19, 2025

📺 Apple TV+ (Worldwide)

All six episodes premiere on the same day — perfect for weekend binge-watching.

🌟 Final Verdict: Born to Be Wild Is Set to Become Apple TV’s Most Emotional Wildlife Series Yet

If you loved:

• Tiny World

• Earth at Night in Color

• Chimp Empire

• Big Beasts

• The Elephant Whisperers

…then this is your next must-watch.

With jaw-dropping visuals, heartfelt stories, endangered species, and one of the best narrations in modern wildlife TV, Born to Be Wild is positioned to:

• trend worldwide

• dominate nature-doc conversations

• spark discussions on conservation

• create viral moments

• inspire audiences of all ages

It’s more than a documentary —it’s a love letter to the wild, and a plea to protect it.