The Mating Game
Filmed in 22 counties, it follows 80 unique species on how they pursue a mate, from the beginning of the courtship to how they overcome enormous obstacles in the race to win a partner.
Genre: Documentary
Cast:David Attenborough
S1.E1 ∙ Grasslands: In Plain Sight
Mating strategies and tactics are on display for all to see out in the open grasslands.
S1.E2 ∙ Oceans: Out of the Blue
The ocean is where the mating game first began as life started there. Some of the most ingenious mating strategies of all have been developed there over time.
S1.E3 ∙ Jungles: In the Thick of It
Jungles and rainforests are home to 80 per cent of all species on earth, but they cover just 2 per cent of our planet's surface. To win the mating game here, you need to be able to stand out from the crowd. For some it's all about putting on a show, whereas others must fight for their chance of victory. And for a few creatures, working together is the key. Chimpanzees are notorious for their brutality and violence, and for most this is the simplest way to secure a mate.
S1.E4 ∙ Freshwater: Timing Is Everything
Freshwater covers only a tiny fraction of the earth's surface, but it is a vital meeting place for many animals - the stage on which millions gather to find a mate. Yet with so little of it available, and often only briefly, the challenge for most individuals is how to overcome intense competition when your rivals are just as dependent on the precious freshwater for their success.
S1.E5 ∙ Against All Odds
One basic need connects all life on earth - the need to breed. But for a few creatures, the odds of success are overwhelmingly stacked against them. Some must find a partner when there are none to be found, while others must find a way to succeed without breeding at all. And some must try and adapt in a world unrecognisable from when they were born. These are animals that have evolved some of the most extraordinary mating strategies of all.
