15 March 2013

S4C have announced a string of original new wild life programmes – with naturalist Iolo Williams guiding the audience through numerous wonders from all over the world.

From trying to catch sight of rare animals to peeking at lives of underground burrowers, S4C will be in walking boots trekking far and wide to show the viewers nature in all its glory.

Everything kicks off this month with a new series called Natur: Y Gwanwyn (Nature: Spring). There will be five programmes in the series all shown at 8.25 between Monday 25 and Friday 29 March, fronted by popular nature presenter Iolo Williams as he follows the blossoming of the new season.

The series will offer a snapshot of what's happening in the world of Nature in Wales here and now. Iolo will be visiting various places of interest up and down the country in the company of specialists and experts.

"I'll be heading to Dolydd Hafren, Montgomeryshire to look at ha

res and all sorts of waterfowl," says Iolo Williams, who's been presenting nature programmes for over ten years. "Then in Anglesey I'll be trying to spot red squirrels with Manon Keir; and I'll be going down an old gold mine in the Snowdonia National Park with ecologist, Dafydd Roberts."

Two other exciting series coming up this year are Cuddwyllt Cymru (Hidden Wild Wales) and Tyrchwyr (The Burrowers). The former will follow Iolo as he searches for animals thought to be extinct in Wales today, and the latter, a coproduction with the BBC will give us an insight into the lives of those creatures that live tucked away from the human eye underground.

Iolo will wrap up before he sets off an adventure a little further away from home for, Artig Gwyllt (Wild Arctic). Will there be any polar bears or arctic fox to keep him company in some of the world's most remote places in the Arctic Circle?

There are also plans for a new and exciting multi-platform wild life programme for children. Gwylltio (Be Wild) will give children across Wales a chance to investigate the wild life in their area by using a new pioneering 3DApp. The will include information about wild life habitats across Wales and the creatures that dwell in them.

Dafydd Rhys, Director of Content at S4C said:

"It's great that we can offer such a variety of nature and wildlife programmes on S4C. It will be fantastic to see Iolo Williams on the Channel again, sharing his warm personality and expertise with the viewers. In these series we'll see wild life at its best throughout the world and in Wales. We'll also be looking for opportunities to develop further digital content such as the fantastic App that will be an integral part to the children's series Gwylltio."