DAVID ATTENBOROUGH

Trapped on the wrong side of a flooded river, an elephant matriarch tests the current and faces a critical decision: do the risks outweigh the need for fresh grazing?

As their eggs hatch, a cichlid mother works quickly to hide her fry, even taking over when dad gets in the way. When it’s time to move them to safety, both parents must work together to protect every last one.

Even in the wild, no one is born knowing how to be a parent. This first-time langur mom has to learn and practice before her baby arrives.

Parenthood is the ultimate journey, full of danger. Lionesses teach their cubs how to survive by showing them how to tackle giant buffalo. Burrowing owls provide an underground nest for their chicks and mimic a rattlesnake’s sound to protect them.

Carrying one tadpole at a time, this frog father climbs high into the canopy to find the safest pools for his offspring.

In shrinking grasslands, crane parents must work together to protect their eggs from unexpected dangers. As livestock move closer, both parents are forced to act in defense of their future chicks — using a powerful move known as the “crane kick.”

See how jungle animal parents raise children by mastering their environment. An orangutan spends eight years teaching her baby the ways of jungle living, and a crab becomes the ultimate chemist to create the perfect home for her crablets.

With winter fast approaching, a potter wasp races to complete her nursery. For her offspring, survival depends on every final detail — including the living caterpillars she captures and conceals inside the nest.

Ocean parents must master dedication and intelligence to raise their young. In Australia, an orca mother teaches her young how to hunt blue whales, while in Indonesia, a Banggai cardinalfish protects his young inside his mouth.