The Secret Life of the Zoo

Secret Life of the Zoo is a British documentary programme produced by Blast Films on behalf of Channel 4. Series 1-5 have been filmed on location at Chester Zoo in the North West of England. The series is narrated by Olivia Colman

Overview

This series gives viewers behind the scenes access to the zoo including the staff and animals. A typical episode will normally feature three different species of animal and the Zoo Keepers that look after them. Various filming techniques are used to show the animals behavior and relationships. The Zoo Keepers are interviewed and usually narrate a large part of their animals story.

Filming for Series 1 took place between March and October 2015. The first episode aired on Tuesday 2nd February 2016 at 8pm and the series completed on Tuesday 8th March. A second and third series were commissioned and filming for these took place throughout 2016. Series 2 began airing on 17 November 2016 and continued until 22 December. The final episode of series 2 was a dedicated Christmas special titled "Secret Life of the Zoo at Christmas". Series 3 was then aired between Tuesday 28th February 2017 and 11th April 2017. Filming at the zoo resumed in Spring 2017 and continued until the end of the year. Series 4 began airing on Wednesday 15th November 2017 and carried on until 20th December. Episode 6 was again titled "Secret Life of the Zoo at Christmas" due to the festive season. The series continued with episode 7 from Tuesday 2nd January 2018 and concluded on 6th March. The series returned again on Wednesday 18th April 2018 with a 5th series

Episodes

Series 1	First aired	Description
Episode 1	2nd February 2016	Asian Elephant, Thi-Hi-Way gives birth to female calf, Nandita. The Red Panda's have cubs and the Chimpanzee's are fighting for dominance
Episode 2	9th February 2016	The keepers face the challenge of moving a family of five rare Sumatran Tiger's to a brand new enclosure. The Montserrat Tarantula's are set up on a date. Sun Bears, Milli and Toni join the collection from The Rare Species Conservation Center in Kent
Episode 3	16th February 2016	Rothshchild Giraffe, Orla gives birth to a male calf named Kidepo. The keepers attempt to breed from the critically endangered Mountain Chicken Frogs
Episode 4	23rd February 2016	Florence the Grevy's Zebra arrives from the West Midland Safari Park to meet resident stallion, Mac. The elephant house is hit by a potentially deadly virus
Episode 5	1st March 2016	The Humboldt Penguin chicks are introduced to the main pool. Two new Sunda Gharial Crocodiles arrive from France but refuse to eat. Boris the Chimpanzee takes a wild Moorhen chick hostage and keepers try to work out why two Bornean River Turtles aren't breeding
Episode 6	8th March 2016	Female Black Rhino, Kitani is introduced to potential mate, Magadi. A baby Sumatran Orangutan is born

Series 2	Date first aired	Description
Episode 1	17th November 2016	Grevy's Zebras, Florence and Nadine are about to give birth. Keepers and vets try to encourage the Asian Lions to breed and the Warthog piglets are causing trouble
Episode 2	24th November 2016	Willie, a male Bornean Orangutan is introduced to Chester's resident females in the hopes of producing a baby. Kendari the Babirusia gives birth and the Small Clawed Otters have a big surprise for their keepers.
Episode 3	1st December 2016	Illness strikes the Humboldt Penguin chicks. The Radiated Tortoises are joined by two new females from Sweden
Episode 4	8th December 2016	Oana the Anoa gives birth to a calf. Sumatran Tigers, Topan and Jaya leave Chester Zoo for zoos in France and Wales. The Capybara's are also experiencing a baby boom
Episode 5	15th December 2016	An emergency is declared when the zoo keepers discover four Sumatran Orangutans have escaped from their new enclosure. The Meerkats are fighting for dominance and keepers are hoping for a baby Elephant
Episode 6	22nd December 2016	"Secret Life of the Zoo at Christmas" - A rare Malayan Tapir calf is born. The Sumatran Orangutans are given Christmas presents and vets give Bali the Reticulated Python a health check

Series 3	Date first aired	Description
Episode 1	28th February 2017	Komala the Indian Rhino is moving to a zoo in Turkey. Pedro the Giant Anteater is seriously ill and the Asian Mantis are introduced for breeding
Episode 2	7th March 2017	Tula the Rothschild Giraffe gives birth to a male calf named Murchison. The Humboldt Penguin chicks are introduced to the adult pool
Episode 3	14th March 2017	Kinky Tail the Cheetah falls ill and is taken to the vets. The Chimpanzee's are joined by a new female from Germany
Episode 4	21st March 2017	Asian Elephant, Sundara gives birth to a female calf. Keepers name her Indali but her half sister, Nandita isn't impressed. The Bush Dogs have pups and keepers want the Rhino Beetles to reproduce
Episode 5	28th March 2017	Jenny the Brazilian Tapir is seriously ill. A new male Crested Porcupine arrives as a potential mate for female, Roxy. Keepers try to breed from Black Rhino's, Kifaru and Malindi but Kifaru's health could be a problem
Episode 6	4th April 2017	Two female African Wild Dogs arrive from Port Lympne Wild Animal Park in Kent to join Chester's two males. Stomp and K'tusha the Okapi's's are introduced for the first time and keepers try to entice romance between the Cassowary
Episode 7	11th April 2017	Asian Elephant, Sithami gives birth to male calf, Aayu. Murchison the Giraffe calf won't go outside and a female Chameleon arrives from Paris

Series 4	Date first aired	Description
Episode 1	15th November 2017	Hazina, a rare Black Rhino calf is born to mum, Kitani. The zoo receive four Lowland Streaked Tenrecs for a new breeding programme and attempts are made to breed the unusual Jewel Wasps
Episode 2	22nd November 2017	Jung the Red Panda is losing weight and his keepers are unsure why. JC the Mandrill goes to the vets for a health check and Kasarna the Sumatran Tiger is having to find her own dinner
Episode 3	29th November 2017	Zoo keepers are delighted when Spectacled Bear, Lima gives birth to the zoos first ever cub. However it isn't long before little, Madidi is getting into trouble. The Pygmy Marmosets have also had twins
Episode 4	6th December 2017	Male Onager, Holmes has been introduced to the females for breeding. The Chimpanzee's have a new toy but keeper, Niall needs it back
Episode 5	13th December 2017	Two Belted Ruffed Lemurs join the bachelor Ring Tailed Lemurs on their Island. Keepers pair up two Javan Green Magpie's in the hope of saving the species
Episode 6	20th December 2017	"Secret Life of the Zoo at Christmas" - Keepers prepare Christmas presents for the animals. A litter of Dwarf Mongoose pups are born
Episode 7	2nd January 2018	The keepers try to encourage the Two Toed Sloths, Tina and Rico to breed with a new outdoor enclosure. Tripod the three legged Chameleon is paired up with a potential mate
Episode 8	9th January 2018	The keepers have to move three Malayan Tapirs to a new enclosure. Roxy and Hendrix the Crested Porcupines have a baby and some new male Golden Dart Frogs arrive
Episode 9	16th January 2018	Zuri the Black Rhino gives birth to a male calf. The keepers name him Ike. Sun Bears, Milli and Toni are moving to a new enclosure and Shan-Shan the Bactrian Camel is seriously ill
Episode 10	23rd January 2018	The keepers try to breed Big Bellied Seahorses. Himba the Aardvark moves to a zoo in Germany, and a male Balabac Mouse Deer arrives as a potential mate for the zoos youngest female

Series 5	Date first aired	Description
Episode 1	18th April 2018	A new pair of Meerkats arrive. Subis the Sumatran Orangutan gives birth but their are complications. Keepers try to breed from some rare Three Horned Chameleons
Episode 2	25th April 2018	Stuma the Okapi falls ill. K'mana the African Wild Dog produces a litter of 7 puppies
Episode 3	2nd May 2018	Orla the Rothschild Giraffe gives birth to calf, Narus. A baby Bornean Orangutan is born to mum, Sareki. Keepers try to breed from a young male Sengi and some Northern Bald Ibis are let outside for the first time
Episode 4	9th May 2018	Health checks are performed on the African Wild Dogs pups. Emma the Sumatran Orangutan gives birth to a new baby but concerns are raised about the health of her older baby, Tripa.
Episode 5	15th May 2018
Episode 6	22nd May 2018