"IT IS A BEAUTIFULLY HARSH ENVIRONMENT, AND ONLY THE TOUGH SURVIVE"

National Geographic Channel's No. 1 Fall Series Life Below Zero Returns Thursday, April 17 at 9 PM ET/PT for a New Season of Isolation, Bitter Cold and a Never-Ending Fight to Survive

(WASHINGTON, D.C. - Mar. 24, 2014) - The return of winter brings a flurry of activity for people around the globe. But if you're living in the remote wilderness of Alaska, the winter is about one thing only: survival. National Geographic Channel's cult hit series Life Below Zero will return on Thursday, April 17 at 9 p.m. ET/PT for a new season of battles against the bitter cold, unpredictable weather and hungry wildlife. Produced by Adjacent Productions, the series covers every obstacle from every angle, be it beneath the ice or the end of a hunter's gun.

As described by the New York Daily News, "in a country that still has a warm spot for the pioneer spirit, there's no place it feels more alive than on Life Below Zero," this series goes inside the life of true Alaskans living on the last frontier.

It won't be long before bone-chilling cold puts the series' six Alaskans to a minute-by-minute test of survival. Ingenuity and strength of mind and body are essential, as seen in a broad array of building projects, cold weather survival skills, food acquisition and resource management. Only the mentally fit will be able to endure the extreme test of isolation and endless work required to survive the many months of winter in the Alaska bush.

Fan favorite Sue Aikens lives 197 miles north of the Arctic Circle at the Kavik River Camp, where nine months of the year she is the sole resident, with only a family of foxes and a retired sled dog to keep her company. The challenges for her this winter are tougher than ever. She'll finally get the chance to face down a grizzly bear that's been taunting her camp for years, and the purchase of a new all-terrain vehicle will force her to navigate a hundred miles of desolate tundra in the dark and bitter temperatures. Through it all, she never loses the no-nonsense toughness that viewers have fallen in love with.

Chip and Agnes Hailstone have many mouths to feed, and it's finally time for their eldest children to step up and help with the familial responsibilities. The first order of business will be to seek out new hunting grounds in time for the all-important annual moose hunt, which could yield several hundred pounds of fresh meat for their family. Chip will also put his handyman skills to work repurposing everyday items into essential appliances and tools, such as a wood-burning stove from a used oil drum.

Andy and Kate Bassich will have an extra set of hands this winter, as they take on an apprentice in hopes of training a whole new generation of off-the-grid pioneers. This newbie will be thrown into the deep end to learn the ins and outs of surviving off the land in the Alaskan bush. The Bassiches will start winter with one of their most important tasks: catching thousands of pounds of salmon to feed more than 20 sled dogs. If the dogs can't eat, the dogs can't live, leaving Andy and Kate without transportation and with little hope of survival.

Erik Salitan, who is back for season 2, will return home from guide season to his home in Wiseman. An avid subsistence hunter, Erik's on a mission this winter to take down an elusive wolf whose fur could provide him the means to purchase fuel, food and other winter necessities. He has also expanded the size of his camp, which increases the burdens of maintenance when supplies are often scarce.

Life Below Zero is produced by Adjacent Productions for National Geographic Channel. Executive producers for Adjacent Productions are Elli Hakami, Travis Shakespeare and Jane Tranter. For National Geographic Channel, executive producer is Kevin Mohs, executive vice president of programming and strategy is Heather Moran and president is Howard T. Owens.

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About National Geographic Channel

Based at the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., the National Geographic Channels US are a joint venture between National Geographic and Fox Networks. The Channels contribute to the National Geographic Society's commitment to exploration, conservation and education with smart, innovative programming and profits that directly support its mission. Launched in January 2001, National Geographic Channel (NGC) celebrated its fifth anniversary with the debut of NGC HD. In 2010, the wildlife and natural history cable channel Nat Geo WILD was launched, and in 2011, the Spanish-language network Nat Geo Mundo was unveiled. The Channels have carriage with all of the nation's major cable, telco and satellite television providers, with NGC currently available in 85 million U.S. homes. Globally, National Geographic Channel is available in more than 440 million homes in 171 countries and 48 languages. For more information, visit www.natgeotv.com.

About Adjacent Productions

Adjacent Productions is a label that sits within BBC Worldwide Productions, one of the core businesses under BBC Worldwide North America, the U.S. division of BBC Worldwide, the main commercial arm and wholly owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The Adjacent Productions label serves to identify new programming created by the Los Angeles-based production company, while BBC Worldwide Productions identifies BBC reformats that the team develops and produces for the U.S. market. The first scripted series under the Adjacent Productions label is "Da Vinci's Demons" (Starz), currently in production on its second season. The second season of "Breaking Pointe" (The CW), Life Below Zero (National Geographic Channel) and "Ladies of London" (wt/Bravo) are the first three unscripted series to broadcast under Adjacent Productions. Other series from the production companies include "Top Gear" (HISTORY), "What Not to Wear" (TLC) and the cultural phenomenon, "Dancing with the Stars" (ABC).