TWO FRIGHTENINGLY SUCCESSFUL SERIES RETURN TO ANIMAL PLANET IN 2010

Hidden Enemies in MONSTERS INSIDE ME and Lurking Spirits in THE HAUNTED Reappear for Unnerving New Seasons

(Silver Spring, MD, March 5, 2010.) - MONSTERS INSIDE ME and THE HAUNTED return to Animal Planet this year to tell tales of deadly microscopic aliens and ghoulish hauntings wrecking havoc on people's lives and homes.

During its premiere season in 2009, MONSTERS INSIDE ME proved that sometimes the smallest creatures are the scariest, ranking among Animal Planet's top three most-watched series in the key demographic of persons 25-54, and THE HAUNTED achieved an overall 50 percent increase in viewers in its time slot versus year ago.

MONSTERS INSIDE ME is slated to premiere this summer with 10 episodes featuring new monsters and fresh mysteries. The series tells dramatic stories of people whose bodies have been invaded by microscopic parasites and the medical detective efforts to understand what is happening to them before they are entirely overwhelmed. These creatures' tenacious and frightening attempts to thrive and reproduce in their human host can result in blindness, paralysis, brain damage and even death. Episodes from this season feature sand flies, worms, parasitic eggs and an entire episode devoted to shape shifters that can withstand potent chemicals, inhospitable environments, robust immune systems and live up to their name by shifting and altering with each attacking circumstance.

THE HAUNTED returns to Animal Planet this fall with 10 new episodes, including tales of sixth-sense experiences, ghostly sightings, mysterious deaths and bizarre disappearances. Animals are believed to be more attuned than humans to the paranormal, and those featured in this season's episodes have been the intermediaries between their owners and the supernatural spirits invading their lives. When enough is enough, paranormal investigation teams are called in to examine and record the eerie and inexplicable events. Utilizing modern technology, experts uncover paranormal voices and capture ghostly images in hopes of solving the mysteries and removing the spirits.

"MONSTERS INSIDE ME and THE HAUNTED tell human stories that happen where our lives intersect with the primal world - from the microscopic to the paranormal," says Marjorie Kaplan, president and general manager of Animal Planet. "We all share the same living planet. The success of these series underscores that reality and the terrific stories that happen as a result."

MONSTERS INSIDE ME is produced for Animal Planet by Optomen Productions. Nicola Moody and Dominic Stobart are the executive producers for Optomen, and Erin Wanner is the executive producer for Animal Planet. Charlie Foley is the development executive for Animal Planet. Biologist Dan Riskin, currently a researcher at Brown University, leads the scientific discussion about each parasite and Dr. Dickson Despommier, one of the world's leading parasitologists and renowned co-author of the reference book Parasitic Diseases, serves as the science advisor on the series.

THE HAUNTED is produced for Animal Planet by Picture Shack Entertainment. George Plamondon and Betsy Schechter are the executive producers for Picture Shack Entertainment. Executive producer for Animal Planet is Dawn Sinsel and Sara Helman is the director of development.

Animal Planet Media (APM), a multi-media business unit of Discovery Communications, is the world's only entertainment brand that immerses viewers in the full range of life in the animal kingdom with rich, deep content via multiple platforms and offers animal lovers and pet owners access to a centralized online, television and mobile community for immersive, engaging, high-quality entertainment, information and enrichment. APM consists of the Animal Planet television network, available in more than 96 million homes in the US; online assets www.animalplanet.com, the ultimate online destination for all things animal; the 24/7 broadband channel, Animal Planet Beyond; Petfinder.com, the #1 pet-related Web property globally that facilitates pet adoption; and other media platforms including a robust Video-on-Demand (VOD) service; mobile content; and merchandising extensions.