ANIMAL PLANET RINGS IN THE NEW YEAR WITH BUSY JANUARY SLATE

-- Network Announces New Special PANDA REPUBLIC and Brings Back TREEHOUSE MASTERS and YANKEE JUNGLE--

(Silver Spring, Md.) - January's a beast of a month for Animal Planet. The network brings back series stalwart TREEHOUSE MASTERS on Friday, January 15, at 10 PM ET/PT, and plants the sophomore season of YANKEE JUNGLE in the 9 PM ET/PT time slot beginning Saturday, January 23. And, on Tuesday, January 26, from 8-10 PM ET/PT, Animal Planet premieres its two-hour special PANDA REPUBLIC, which chronicles the challenges and triumphs at two Chinese panda centers dedicated to saving the species.

TREEHOUSE MASTERS

Returns Friday, January 15, at 10 PM ET/PT

Pete Nelson dedicates his life granting people's dreams of turning peaceful nooks in nature into the ultimate escapes. In TREEHOUSE MASTERS, Pete and his team execute the most outrageous treehouses, designed to delight every whimsy, form and function. The series returns with six new one-hour episodes and two specials that feature stunning, first-of-its-kind designs, including the construction of the largest bridge in show history, an installation of a retractable roof and a treehouse built over soothing waters. This season, viewers are treated to watch Pete work his magic in new environments across the United States from central Texas to the mountains of North Carolina and amongst the dense canopies of Connecticut. (Discovery Studios, LLC)

YANKEE JUNGLE

Returns Saturday, January 23, at 9 PM ET/PT

YANKEE JUNGLE follows the daily life of Bob and Julie Miner as they operate D.E.W. Haven, their non-profit animal refuge in Maine, which is home to more than 200 domestic, exotic and wild animals. For the last 21 years, the couple has been dedicated to providing a safe place for these unwanted, disabled and discarded animals that had nowhere else to go. From kangaroos and lemurs to wolves and camels, Bob, Julie and their staff work around the clock to provide for the beloved creatures that have become their family. (Lone Wolf Documentary Group)

PANDA REPUBLIC

Premieres Tuesday, January 26, from 8-10 PM ET/PT

For three million years, giant pandas have roamed across Southeast Asia. Now, their habitat is disappearing at an accelerated rate, and these ancient, gentle giants are running out of living space. The remote mountains of Sichuan, China are the last refuge for the wild panda. With less than 2,000 left in the wild - pandas are edging closer to extinction, but help is on the way. China is home to two cutting-edge panda centers, both of which are determined to save these iconic bears through research and shared responsibilities: Bifengxia Panda Center is dedicated to increasing the panda population in captivity; and Wolong Panda Center is committed to breeding these bears to be released back into the wild - its most ambition mission to date. (NHNZ Ltd.)