Five animals and the long history within them
Evolution follows Chris Packham through the deep history behind five familiar animals. The BBC series uses an elephant, ostrich, bat, dolphin and horse as starting points for questions about size, reproduction, feeding, intelligence and movement. Each present-day animal opens onto an evolutionary story extending far beyond its own species.
In Kenya, the elephant chapter explores how life developed the complexity needed for a large animal. The South African journey turns to reproduction through eggs and birds. The episodes connect innovations across time with features that can be seen in living animals today, making deep history a continuing part of the natural world.
