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S44E7

Freshwater | Parenthood

Premiere: 2/11/2026 | 0:30 |

Animal parents must overcome freshwater’s constant changes. A frog dad scales giant Amazonian trees with tadpoles on his back, while an elephant mom must choose between the safety of her baby and the quest for water and food.

Premiere: 2/11/2026
PBS   •   PBS App

About the Episode

Animal parents are just like us – they are fiercely protective of their young, raising them against all odds in a variety of environments. Witness amazing stories of dedication and sacrifice as animal parents embark on the greatest of all challenges. Parenthood premieres Wednesdays, February 4 – March 4 at 8/7c on PBS (check local listings).

Filmed over 3 years, on 6 continents, and in 23 countries, this five-part series, narrated by Sir David Attenborough, tells the stories of astonishing animal behaviors shaped by the environments they inhabit. Each habitat has its own unique challenges, but as the world changes rapidly around them, some parents have to adapt to a world shaped by humans. The stakes couldn’t be higher – success for all parents ensures the future of life on our planet.

Parenthood is an extraordinary celebration of one of life’s great challenges: raising young,” said producer Jeff Wilson. “Working with the world’s best wildlife cinematographers and nature experts, we uncovered a huge number of fascinating and untold behaviors through incredible field craft and dedication. In an uncertain world, there are lessons to be learned from our animal characters that will resonate with all of us.”

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PRODUCTION CREDITS

PARENTHOOD “FRESHWATER”

NARRATED BY
DAVID ATTENBOROUGH

PRODUCED AND DIRECTED BY
ELISABETH OAKHAM

LINE PRODUCER
TARA KNOWLES

JUNIOR PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
LIBERTY ROWE

POST PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
SARAH MARLAND

PHOTOGRAPHY
OWEN CARTER
PETE CAYLESS
SOPHIE DARLINGTON
CRISTIAN DIMITRIUS
DOUG GARDNER
JOÃO PAULO KRAJEWSKI
RICHARD KIRBY
ALASTAIR MACEWEN
JESSICA MITCHELL
LAURA PENNAFORT
TOM ROWLAND
TOBIAS SAMUELS
JESSE WILKINSON
KATIE WARDLE

ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY
NICK PITT
MALCOLM RAINERS

FILM EDITOR
PHILIPPA EDWARDS

ASSISTANT PRODUCER
NANCY LANE

RESEARCHER
SIWAN DAVIES BUSBY

JUNIOR RESEARCHER
THEA BARDEN

TRAINEE RESEARCHER
SHAKIRA MORAR

JUNIOR EDITOR
EMILY POOLE

EDIT PRODUCER – ‘DIARIES’
NANCY LANE

FIELD DIRECTORS
MAE DORRICOTT
LILY MOFFATT
AARON SANDHU

SCIENTIFIC ADVISERS
DR. RICHARD BLOB
DR. CAMILA FERRARA
DR. NOLWENN FRESNEAU
DR. GABRIEL JORGEWICH-COHEN
DR. RENATA MAZZEI
DR. ANDRIUS PAŠUKONIS
DR. BIBIANA ROJAS
DR. HEIKO SCHOENFUSS

FIELD CREW
RAFAEL CARLOS BENETTI PAREDERO
ROBERTA BONALDO
PAUL BREHEM
RAYNE BREHEM
KEITH BRUST
VICTORIA DAY-WILSON
CYRIL GAERTNER
PHILLIPE GAUCHER
AUGUSTO GOMES
EDSON FARIA JÚNIOR
STEPHEN KIRKPATRICK
JOHN KARAMBA
RAFAEL MITSUO TANAKA
JOHN MWANGI
POKGATE POOMPROCK
ROSS SAMUELS
SKYLAR SHERBROOKE
JEDD SHRESHTAPUTRA
AISSARA SRISUK

HEAD OF TECHNICAL OPERATIONS
DAN CLAMP

TECHNICAL AND DRONE MANAGER
DARREN CLEMENTSON

TECHNICAL LEADS
LAUREN CHILDS
DAN BEARE

EDIT ASSISTANT
OWEN JENKINS

TECHNICAL ASSISTANTS
SAM HOCKADAY
KORY LE MOORE
MOLLY PENNY

WORKFLOW SUPERVISOR
SEAN PEARCE

POST PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR
EMILY LASCELLES

CAMERA TECHNICAL LEAD
MATT CHIPPENDALE-JONES

UNDERWATER CAMERA ASSISTANT AND TECHNICIAN
HOLLY TARPLEE

PRODUCTION KIT ASSISTANT
HAMISH GOUGH

FILMS AT 59 CAMERA DEPARTMENT
GORDON LEICESTER
GEOFF ROBBINS
LIAM HOUSE

CAMERA DEPARTMENT PROJECT MANAGER
PHIL BURT

PICTURE POST PRODUCTION
FILMS AT 59

POST PROJECT MANAGER
HAYLEY SHIPMAN

COLORIST
SIMON BLAND

ONLINE EDITOR
FRANZ KETTERER

GRAPHIC DESIGN AND VFX
HELLO CHARLIE

CREATIVE DIRECTOR
PAUL TIGWELL

VFX PRODUCER
TOM KNIGHT

VFX ARTISTS
TOM LEE
ANDY POWER
MICHAEL LUDLAM
BECKY SHAW

DUBBING MIXER
GRAHAM WILD

SOUND EDITOR
TIM OWENS
WOUNDED BUFFALO SOUND STUDIOS

FOLEY ARTISTS
RORY JOSEPH
MYLES ACKERMAN SMITH

FOLEY EDITOR
ELLIE BOWLER

MUSIC BY
TOM HOWE

MUSIC EDITOR
TONY LEWIS

SCORE RECORDED AT
ABBEY ROAD STUDIOS

HEAD OF PRODUCTION FINANCE
RACHEL JAMES

PRODUCTION ACCOUNTANTS
KAREN KEAST
BEVERLEY BOOTH

FINANCE CO-ORDINATOR
JUDI OBORNE

FINANCE TEAM
SARAH GARNER
BEV ASPINALL
LISA BALDWIN
LUCY MATTOCK

ARCHIVE
BBC MOTION GALLERY/GETTY IMAGES
COPERNICUS SENTINEL DATA
DAVID BARLOW PHOTOGRAPHY
DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
HIGHLY VISUAL
ROBBIE LABANOWSKI
NASA EARTH OBSERVATORY

LOCATION ASSISTANCE FURNISHED BY
MATHIEU CHOUTEAU
JENNIFER DEVILLECHABROLLE, NOURAGUES NATURE RESERVE
FORESTRY, WILDLIFE & PARKS DIVISION AND GOVERNMENT OF DOMINICA
DESLEY GARISEB
LARIO HUNEB
RETETI ELEPHANT SANCTUARY
KORNEELS THARISEB
TRÉSOR REGIONAL NATURE RESERVE
UAR LEEISA (CNRS, UNIVERSITY OF GUYANA, IFREMER)
TONY WAIBAB

SPECIAL THANKS
NEWF
SAVE THE ELEPHANTS

ORIGINAL EPISODE PRODUCTION FUNDING PROVIDED IN PART BY
BRADLEY L. GOLDBERG FAMILY FOUNDATION

ORIGINAL SERIES PRODUCTION FUNDING PROVIDED IN PART BY
ARNHOLD FOUNDATION
SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III
THE FAIRWEATHER FOUNDATION
CHARLES ROSENBLUM
KATHY CHIAO AND KEN HAO
SARAH AND SANDRA LYU
THE LILLIAN GOLDMAN CHARITABLE TRUST
DR. GEORGE STANLEY AND SANDRA CARUSO
COLIN S. EDWARDS
KATE W. CASSIDY FOUNDATION
FILOMEN M. D’AGOSTINO FOUNDATION
GREGG PETERS MONSEES FOUNDATION
KOO AND PATRICIA YUEN
SETON J. MELVIN
SANDRA ATLAS BASS

FOR SILVERBACK FILMS

DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION
JANE HAMLIN

DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION
ELLY SALISBURY

PRODUCTION EXECUTIVE
JENNI COLLIE

HEAD OF BUSINESS AND LEGAL AFFAIRS
ANNA KEELING

SERIES PRODUCER
JEFF WILSON

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
KEITH SCHOLEY

FOR THE BBC

COMMISSIONING EDITOR
JACK BOOTLE

FOR NATURE

SERIES EDITOR
JANET HESS

SENIOR PRODUCER
LAURA METZGER LYNCH

SUPERVISING PRODUCER
JAYNE JUN

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
JAMES F. BURKE

LEGAL COUNSEL
BLANCHE ROBERTSON

DIGITAL LEAD
DANIELLE BROZA

DIGITAL PRODUCER
AMANDA BLOOM

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR
KAREN HO

AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT
CHELSEY SAATKAMP

BUDGET CONTROLLER
JAYNE LISI

OFFLINE EDITOR
PATRICK KRASS

ONLINE EDITOR
STACEY DOUGLASS MOVERLEY

RE-RECORDING MIXER
JON BERMAN

SERIES PRODUCER
BILL MURPHY

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
FRED KAUFMAN

A PRODUCTION OF SILVERBACK FILMS IN ASSOCIATION WITH ALL3MEDIA INTERNATIONAL, BBC, THE WNET GROUP AND PBS

THIS PROGRAM WAS PRODUCED BY SILVERBACK FILMS, WHICH IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CONTENT.

DISTRIBUTED BY ALL3MEDIA INTERNATIONAL

© 2024 BORN FREE PRODUCTIONS
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL © 2026 THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

FUNDING

Support for Nature: Parenthood is provided in part by the Bradley L. Goldberg Family Foundation. Series funding for Nature is made possible in part by The Arnhold Family in memory of Henry and Clarisse Arnhold, Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III, The Fairweather Foundation, Charles Rosenblum, Kathy Chiao and Ken Hao, Sarah and Sandra Lyu in memory of Seung and Dorothy Lyu, Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust, Dr. George Stanley and Sandra Caruso, Colin S. Edwards, Kate W. Cassidy Foundation, Filomen M. D’Agostino Foundation, Gregg Peters Monsees Foundation, Koo and Patricia Yuen, Seton J. Melvin, Sandra Atlas Bass, and public television viewers.

TRANSCRIPT

- Next time, parents navigate the ever-changing world of fresh water.

(water sloshing) Through floods and droughts, they persevere to raise the next generation.

(birds squeaking) This is Parenthood.