Smithsonian Channel Set to Premiere All-New Natural History Programs on “Wild Wednesdays” Starting Tonight @ 8PM ET/PT [VIDEO]

Smithsonian Channel™’s “Wild Wednesdays” are back with three all-new captivating programs that follow all kinds of creatures–from buzzing insects to big cats! Starting tonight, February 23rd @ 8PM ET/PT, tune-in to Smithsonian Channel to catch the weekly specials A Bee’s Diary, Pridelands: Wilderness Reborn, and Animals at Play.

All three specials celebrate the power and majesty of the natural world, combining stunning wildlife programming with impactful stories and enlightening conservation. Follow along as we find out what life is like for an individual honey bee in A Bee’s Diary; see how a derelict farm in South Africa is transformed into a stunning wildlife sanctuary in Pridelands: Wilderness Reborn, and discover new research that reveals why play is at the heart of almost everything that an animal learns in Animals at Play.

Program Descriptions:

· Wednesday, February 23, @ 8PM | A BEE’S DIARY
· In a beehive, tens of thousands of tiny animals work toward a common goal: the survival of the colony. But what is life like for an individual honeybee? A Bee’s Diary tells that story. Scientists are learning that each bee in a hive is an individual, with its own personality. Told from the point of view of just two bees – a elderly “winter bee” who nurtures the new generation, and a young forager who grows as the colony expands – this special reveals the secrets of a bee’s life from a completely new perspective.

· Wednesday, March 2, @ 8PM | PRIDELANDS: WILDERNESS REBORN
· An Australian family goes on an adventure to restore an old hunting ranch in South Africa. Their goal is to rebuild the overgrown habitat, create an eco-tourism ranch, and allow the natural wildlife, including predators, to move back in. Join Mark and Sophie Hutchinson as they take the first step in their mission, transforming a derelict farm in South Africa from a place where animals are hunted, to a land where animals rule. They are determined to help and restore the wild one acre at a time.

· Wednesday March 9, @ 8PM + Wednesday March 16, @ 8PM | ANIMALS AT PLAY
· Across the planet, young animals spend huge amounts of time playing – but it’s a behavior that has long been overlooked by science. Now, new research reveals that play is at the heart of almost everything an animal learns. In this series we uncover why play is so much more than just having a good time.