ANIMAL PLANET ASKS IS THE ANIMAL KINGDOM FIGHTING BACK?

2-Hour Special "The Uprising" Premieres on Sunday, August 8 at 8 PM

(New York, New York, July 26, 2010) - From the sky, land and seas, animals are having a deep and deadly impact on modern human life. Suburban NEW YORK - two separate coyote attacks involving children occur days apart; CAPE TOWN - an enormous whale destroys a boat's steel mast, nearly killing the sailors on board; OHIO - a two-ton elephant charges and almost kills his trainer. And just last week, pigeons (yes, pigeons) drove performers from the stage in St. Louis. Are these dangerous and deadly attacks random events or part of an emerging pattern? Could something more significant, more calculated, be going on?

On Sunday, August 8 at 8 PM (ET/PT), Animal Planet explores the possibility of an animal uprising with dramatic reenactments, first hand accounts and commentary by animal experts. THE UPRISING features surprising examples and emerging patterns of animal aggression and asks the question - is the animal kingdom out for blood? Narrated by Richard Belzer, THE UPRISING closely examines cases involving fatal interactions between animals and humans. From feral dogs to cougars, coyotes to pythons, monkeys to elephants - creatures big and small are making a deadly impact on human life. Even the traditionally amenable appear to be turning on man like never before.

In a freak accident in late 2006, Australian wildlife expert Steve Irwin was mortally wounded by a stingray. No more than six weeks later, off the coast of Florida, another deadly attack occurred involving the "docile" creature. Only months afterwards, a woman is hit in the face by a flying stingray and is killed instantly. In just an 18-month span, three people in three separate locations were attacked by a seemingly harmless animal. Random occurrences? Or is it possible that these violent outbursts are deliberate acts of retribution against mankind?

"With increasing encounters between people and wildlife, the natural instinct that most wildlife has to run away is becoming desensitized. Animals are becoming habituated to people and in doing so they lose that natural fear, and that's where I think the danger exists," said Ron Magill, communications director, Miami Metro Zoo.

"We humans have had a dramatic impact on the habitats and lives of the creatures with whom we share this planet," noted Marjorie Kaplan, president and general manager of Animal Planet Media. "What if the animals have had enough? If it turns out that apparently random incidents are actually deliberate acts of violence, should we be surprised? And can we blame them?"

THE UPRISING is produced for Animal Planet by KPI. Vincent Kralyevich and Kristine Sabat are the executive producers for KPI, and Melinda Toporoff is the executive producer for Animal Planet. Marc Etkind is the vice president of development for Animal Planet. THE UPRISING is narrated by Richard Belzer.

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.