'TIS THE SEASON FOR FAN FAVORITES AND HOLIDAY-THEMED EPISODES!: ANIMAL PLANET'S HOLIDAY BEST FEST STUFFS YOUR STOCKINGS

-- Two Weeks of Holiday Cheer Begins Monday, December 16 --

(Silver Spring, Md.) - At Animal Planet, the holidays are a 'claus' for celebration! The network is on track to top its record-breaking 2012. To thank its loyal fans and avid viewers, Animal Planet gives the greatest gift of all: a jolly, two-week-long HOLIDAY BEST FEST filled to the brim with all the holiday trimmings.

Beginning on Monday, December 16, and continuing through Sunday, December 29, HOLIDAY BEST FEST makes spirits bright with daily marathons of the network's standout series and specials, culminating each night with 9 PM (ET/PT) premieres of special holiday-themed episodes of fan-favorite series, including: CALL OF THE WILDMAN, MONSTERS INSIDE ME, MY CAT FROM HELL, NORTH WOODS LAW, PIT BULLS AND PAROLEES, TANKED, TOO CUTE!, and TREEHOUSE MASTERS.

The celebration kicks off with an extended cut of 2013's most-watched telecast, MERMAIDS: THE NEW EVIDENCE. Animal Planet also airs a special episode of FINDING BIGFOOT, where the team travels to Nepal and searches for the elusive snowy creature, the abominable snowman. In addition, the net serves up special encore performances of RIVER MONSTERS & NORTH AMERICA. Bigger and better than before, there are sweet surprises under the Animal Planet tree, and the lineup with descriptions are as follows:

· MERMAIDS: THE NEW EVIDENCE: Extended Cut

Monday, December 16, at 10 PM (ET/PT)

This past May, millions tuned in to Animal Planet to revisit the startling, ground-breaking topic of the existence of mermaids in MERMAIDS: THE NEW EVIDENCE. During the special, Dr. Paul Robertson, a former NOAA scientist, stunned millions with new evidence to suggest that mermaids are real. This HOLIDAY BEST FEST, Dr. Robertson returns with brand-new, never-before-seen corroborating proof of mermaids in the special MERMAIDS: THE NEW EVIDENCE - Extended Cut, where journalist Jon Frankel questions Dr. Robertson and determines if this new evidence really is fact or fiction.

· RIVER MONSTERS: LOCH NESS UNHOOKED

Tuesday, December 17, at 9 PM (ET/PT)

Earlier this year, extreme angler Jeremy Wade went head to head with one of the world's most legendary RIVER MONSTERS - the Loch Ness Monster. Join Jeremy as he takes viewers behind the scenes of his epic odyssey and lets them in on the secrets to tracking down the world's most famous water-dwelling monster.

· MONSTERS INSIDE ME: My Christmas From Hell

Wednesday, December 18, at 9 PM (ET/PT)

Three holiday celebrations and three stealthy infections lead to trouble. And you thought the Grinch stole Christmas?!?

· NORTH WOODS LAW: Uncuffed

Thursday, December 19, at 9 PM (ET/PT)

The wardens look back with cheer at past episodes and revisit their favorite animal rescues from previous seasons of NORTH WOODS LAW.

· TANKED: Holiday Special

Friday, December 20, at 9 PM (ET/PT)

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around Acrylic Tank Manufacturing (ATM) when Wayde and Brett are challenged to build two tanks filled with holiday cheer.

· PIT BULLS AND PAROLEES: Holiday Magic

Saturday, December 21, at 9 PM (ET/PT)

At Villalobos, nearly 200 dogs need food, water and clean kennels 365 days a year, which leaves Tia little time for celebration. This December, it's time to do something different. Join Tia, her kids, the parolees, old friends and beloved volunteers for a very special holiday gathering.

· CALL OF THE WILDMAN: Turtleman Takes Manhattan

Sunday, December 22, at 9 PM (ET/PT)

Kentucky's own "Turtleman" Ernie Brown, Jr. is a fish out of water this holiday when he explores Manhattan - from meeting the cast of Broadway's Annie to pondering fine art with best friend Neal by his side.

· TREEHOUSE MASTERS: Santa's Workshop

Monday, December 23, at 9 PM (ET/PT)

Just one day of Christmas cheer isn't enough for a real-life Santa and Mrs. Claus, who celebrate the season 365 days a year in Southern California. Old St. Nick and the missus call on Pete and his crew to spruce up their yard with some holiday magic. Pete creates a treehouse workshop complete with Santa's red chair, a naughty-or-nice drawbridge, a secret elf trap door, a candy cane and holly access bridge and some miracle Christmas snow... in the California desert!

· MY CAT FROM HELL: Hell-iday Special

Friday, December 27, at 9 PM (ET/PT)

Jackson tries to save the holidays for three Boston families who have cats that are up to snow good. A rambunctious Bengal cat threatens to ruin a couple's first holiday with its newborn baby. Feuding felines cause chaos for a couple who wants to throw a holiday party, and it's "pee on earth" for one family whose sphinx urinates all over the holiday gifts!

· TOO CUTE! Holiday Special

Saturday, December 28, at 9 PM (ET/PT)

The first Noel: this holiday season, follow three litters of puppies and kittens as they celebrate their very first Christmas!

· FINDING BIGFOOT: Abominable Snowman

Sunday, December 29, at 9 PM (ET/PT)

The Finding Bigfoot team is in Nepal, searching for the Yeti, bigfoot's distant cousin. Squatching in the mountains of Nepal is no easy task, so the team needs to pull out all its tricks to come face to face with this abominable snowman.

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