SIZE DOESN'T NECESSARILY MATTER: TOGETHER, THE SMALLEST OF CREATURES BECOME UNSTOPPABLE FORCES OF NATURE IN "ULTIMATE SWARMS"

-- New Animal Planet Special Discovers the Magnificent and Unpredictable Nature of Swarms -

(New York, New York, October 8, 2013) - A single insect or mammal may not possess the ability to conquer challenges greater than itself, but united in millions, a species can overcome any obstacle that stands in their way. In every corner of Earth, weird and wonderful animals congregate in massive swarms to accomplish the ultimate goal: survival.

On Tuesday, October 22, at 8 PM (ET/PT), Animal Planet explores one of nature's greatest spectacles in ULTIMATE SWARMS. In this new one-hour special, British scientist George McGavin sets out to learn what drives creatures to band together, taking viewers deep inside some of nature's greatest mysteries as he travels the globe and surrounds himself with millions of animals at a time in order to uncover the truth behind these huge animal gatherings.

In response to the current swarm of killer hornets in China, McGavin advises, "It's worth remembering that the hornets are not attacking people at random. They are predators of other insects, but when they attack large animals, including humans, they do so because they are threatened and need to protect their young. As is so often the case, nature comes off worst when it's up against humans."

ULTIMATE SWARMS showcases some of the most extraordinary natural events on Earth including:

· One and a half million bats emerge nightly from their home beneath the Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin, Texas.

· 60 million red crabs make a six-mile trek across Christmas Island, Australia in a magnificent journey to drop three trillion crab larvae into the Indian Ocean.

· Two million honey bees in California's Central Valley produce over one-third of all the foods we eat today, contributing to a 180 billion dollar industry.

"Swarms are one of the greatest spectacles on earth -- at times horrifying and other times wondrous. By coming together even the simplest of creatures can achieve the impossible. And by understanding how swarms work we are gaining some fascinating insights into our own lives," noted McGavin.

ULTIMATE SWARMS is a co-production between BBC and Animal Planet. Gavin Henderson is the executive producer for BBC. Patrick Keegan is the producer for Animal Planet.

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 97 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; and other media platforms including a robust Video-on-Demand (VOD) service; mobile content; and merchandising extensions.