Amazing Asia

Sir David Attenborough's epic natural-history series showcases the spectacular wildlife of the world's biggest continent

- IAN MACEWAN

NEW WILDLIFE

Asia Sunday, 6.20pm, BBC1 (box set, BBC iPch ends with an episode dedicated to conservation...

EPISODE ONE: BENEATH THE WAVES

With the longest coastline of any continent, Asia has the richest marine life on the planet. In one charming sequence, a sperm-whale calf is seen trying to master sleeping while suspended vertically in the water.

'He really was a little character, and we were able to get those shots because the camera operator had such a good relationship with the whales,' says producer Mark Wheeler. 'In some cases, adults even brought their babies to show him! 'layer)

EPISODE THREE: THE FROZEN NORTH

The hostile environment of northern Asia poses survival challenges for its habitants, and the camera crew got a Surprise while filming chiru antelopes left) rutting on the Tibetan plateau.

'They live in this barren place at over 4,000 metres,' says executive producer Roger Webb. 'Our Cameraman wasn't having much uck, but then he came across this one wolf. Lo and behold, it started hunting the chiru, running hour after our, and wearing the chiru down.'