Born to Be Wild - Season 1

All over Britain, there is a secret army of dedicated people. They spend millions of hours watching over our wildlife. In the first of this six-part series, mammal watchers come under the spotlight. Mammal enthusiasts have to be truly dedicated, because most of our furry creatures are extremely difficult to see. Many are elusive and fast moving, so it takes real skill just to find them. We go into the rafters of a haunted mansion to spot bats, into the depths of a wood to discover a sleepy dormouse, stand out in the pouring rain to catch a glimpse of a brown hare - and for the elusive otter, our poor naturalist has to be content with its poo.

Britain has a long tradition of amateur naturalists taking to the wilds to pursue their passions. Due to them, we have the best-known wildlife of any country on Earth. Our mammal watchers are playing their part, each providing unique information about their beloved animal.

Britain's green army of wildlife watchers are on the lookout for bugs. Believe it or not, there are many amateur naturalists who just love the little things in life. The great thing about studying creepy crawlies is that they are found everywhere, from back gardens to country lanes. One bug lover finds great delight in 2mm-long snails. Another has turned his whole garden into insect heaven. Yet another risks life and limb by going into a floating bog to find dragonflies. And one stalwart bug man is striving to bring back the bugs that keep our rivers alive.

Inspirational and heart-warming, this programme shows that even the least glamorous animals are essential to a healthy environment. And just taking the time to take a closer look reveals a hidden world of fascination and discovery.

The amateur naturalists are hot on the trail of cold-blooded animals. Reptiles and amphibians are often thought of as slimy and creepy. They're hard to keep a watch over because they're hard to see. But for the dedicated few, it's well worth the effort. One enthusiast has turned his garden into a lizard empire, all with the aim of helping sand lizards back from the brink. Another has turned sleuth, keeping an eye over her local woodland for Britain's most feared wild animal, the adder. One couple have transformed the landscape to create a home fit for the king of newts. And one man stalks the dank marshes at night to hear the melodic chorus of his own population of toads.

The naturalists' passion for these elusive wild animals gives a window onto a hidden world. This programme shows why it's surprisingly easy to get hot under the collar about cold-blooded creatures.

Four amateur naturalists get to grips with Britain's birds. Millions of Brits count themselves as bird lovers, but these enthusiasts take their passion to extreme lengths. One devotee wades through acres of reed beds, up to twice his height, in pursuit of a tiny, brown, long distance flier. Another scales the heights, clambering up mountains and scouring quarries to study the Peregrine falcon. Two men journey to an uninhabited rock, 40 miles off the North coast of Scotland, to research puffins. Another walks hundreds of miles around local farms, scouting them out for bird life.

Devoting hundreds of hours of their spare time to birds, these characters are truly inspirational. Our enthusiasts, and hundreds of other people like them, feed all the information they gather back to national organisations like the RSPB and the British Trust for Ornithology, helping to build a picture of Britain's birdlife.

One enthusiast has walked hundreds of miles to count butterflies; another has devoted his time and his greenhouse to growing one rare butterfly; a third is fanatical about moths and has learned to identify all 2,500 British species; and one has been getting his hands dirty to restore a chalk down and its butterfly star to their former glory.

The programme reveals the highs and lows of British butterflies and moths and gives a window onto the lives of four of the passionate people that are fighting to save them.

The coast is not the easiest place to watch wildlife, but perseverance pays off. One man has been studying sea birds for 30 years, another has galvanised his community into spending hours on the cliff tops, watching for dolphins, and another dives into the depths in search of sea urchins. Finally, one couple's passion for seals is revealing new things about this well-loved animal.