LONDON, United Kingdom — Channel 4 and Canada’s CBC have commissioned a rare UK–Canada natural history co-production that will follow life inside the world’s largest sanctuary for orphaned baby elephants.
The series, titled Baby Elephant School, is set at the Udawalawe Elephant Orphanage in Sri Lanka, a 30-year-old conservation facility that cares for up to 80 orphaned calves at any given time. The sanctuary has successfully returned more than 170 elephants to the wild, many of which have since produced calves of their own.
Two versions of the documentary will be produced for different markets. The UK edition will be hosted by Welsh biologist and elephant researcher Lizzie Daly, while the Canadian one-hour version will air on CBC’s The Nature of Things, presented by Anthony Morgan.
Both versions will track the rehabilitation of 60 orphaned elephant calves as they prepare for eventual reintegration into the wild, offering an intimate look at conservation science, animal behaviour and long-term wildlife recovery.
Baby Elephant School has already been pre-sold to Arte in France and marks a rare factual collaboration between the UK and Canada. The project is produced by Canada’s Cantina Media, backed by Serial Maven, alongside the UK’s Big Wave Entertainment.
Big Wave Entertainment founder Kirstie McLure said the series reflects the company’s commitment to global, access-driven storytelling rooted in respect for the natural world.
“From the outset, Baby Elephant School embodied everything we stand for – global collaboration, access-driven storytelling and deep respect for nature,” McLure said.
Serial Maven executive Julia Chang said the project demonstrates the power of international partnerships in delivering ambitious factual content.
“Projects like this come to life through creative deal-making, strong international partnerships and a shared commitment to telling bold, important stories,” Chang said.
The documentary adds to growing international interest in long-form natural history storytelling that blends conservation impact with character-driven narratives.
