World’s Largest Baby Elephant Sanctuary Profiled In Rare UK-Canada Co-Production

A rare UK-Canada natural history co-pro will follow inhabitants at the world’s largest baby elephant sanctuary.

Channel 4 and CBC are making Baby Elephant School, charting happenings at the 30-year-old Udawalawe Elephant Orphanage, which cares for up to 80 orphaned calves at any one time and has returned more than 170 elephants to the wild, many of whom have gone on to have calves of their own.

Two different versions will be produced. The UK version will be hosted by Welsh biologist and elephant researcher Lizzie Daly, while the one-hour Canadian version for CBC’s The Nature of Things is led by Anthony Morgan. Both follow the rehabilitation of 60 orphaned elephant calves preparing for their return to the wild. 

Baby Elephant School, which has pre-sold to Arte in France, is a rare factual co-pro between the UK and Canada and comes from Canada’s Serial Maven-backed Cantina Media and the UK’s Big Wave Entertainment.

Big Wave boss Kirstie Mclure said: “From the outset, Baby Elephant School has embodied everything we stand for – access-driven storytelling, global collaboration and deep respect for the natural world.”

Serial Maven exec Julia Chang added: “Projects like this come to life through creative deal-making, strong international partnerships and a shared commitment to getting bold, important stories off the ground, and we’re proud to be part of a co-production that brings together such an outstanding group of partners.”