How to watch Dynasties: Meerkat Special

Dynasties: Meerkat Special first aired on BBC One air on Monday 28 December, and is now available to watch via BBC iPlayer.

*Three pups spot trouble in the Makgadikgadi, Botswana. © Greg Hartman*

What is Dynasties: Meerkat Special about?

This new instalment of the Dynasties series follows a young and inexperienced meerkat family living in the Makgadikgadi salt pan in Botswana, which is known as ‘The Great Nothing’. Dominant female Maghogho must unite her family in this perilous landscape if she is going to raise her young to adulthood and form her own dynasty.

*Maghogho, a young meerkat queen, sits close to the den whilst heavily pregnant! © Jess Webster/BBC NHU*

With exiles, dust storms, bloody brawls and parenting that leaves a lot to be desired, Meerkat is full of drama and nerve-wracking moments that will leave viewers willing these animals to survive. The music, performed by the Hungarian Studio Orchestra, perfectly reflects the playful highs and stressful lows of this uneasy family dynamic. Simmering within the narrative is the ever-present threat of climate change.

“As our climate warms,” Attenborough concludes, “Dry seasons may become ever more extreme.” Can Maghogho learn to be a leader and build a lasting dynasty in an unforgiving world?

*Behind the scenes: camera operator Tom Crowley makes a good vantage point for Dragonfly the meerkat to look for danger. © Greg Hartman*

Who is narrating Dynasties: Meerkat Special?

*David Attenborough filming at Stokksnes beach in Iceland for Seven Worlds, One Planet. © Alex Board/BBC NHU*

As with rest of the Dynasties series, this programme is narrated by Sir David Attenborough, the celebrated TV broadcaster and conservationist who has presented a wide range of programmes. Recent ones include the upcoming A Perfect Planet on BBC One, David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet on Netflix, and Extinction: The Facts on BBC One.

Rebecca GibsonWildlife writer and photographer