΄σΟσ΄«Γ½

The ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ is asking Britain to go wild for wildlife in a new season aimed at raising awareness and money to help save threatened species and wild places around the world. The 2010 Wild Season, which will be launched live on The One Show on Tuesday 18 May by the ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Wildlife Fund, will culminate in a live fundraising extravaganza – Wild Night In – on ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Two on Sunday 20 June.

Presenters Kate Humble, Chris Packham and Martin Hughes-Games will be joined by David Attenborough, Graham Norton, Edith Bowman and a host of other celebrity guests and conservationists in a two-hour action-packed programme celebrating the Earth's amazing biodiversity.

Wildlife enthusiasts of all ages are encouraged to join the appeal and a special fundraising pack, full of ideas of how to go 'Wild for Money' at school, work or home, is available from the ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Wildlife Fund's website bbc.co.uk/wild.

As well as suggesting weird and wonderful ways to raise money such as an Animal Olympics-themed school sports day or dressing up as a wild animal at work, you can also sign up for the Wild newsletter and learn more about the campaign.

Timed to mark the International Year of Biodiversity 2010, the Wild Season follows the success of the ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Wildlife Fund's first live appeal programme, Saving Planet Earth, broadcast in 2007. The appeal raised a total of just under Β£2million, which has been used to help save threatened species ranging from albatrosses to slow-worms.

Wild Night In will celebrate some of the amazing success stories following the 2007 appeal, which include securing a vital land corridor for rare African elephants in Namibia by enabling them to move between protected reserves safe from harrassment by people and poachers.

Other international highlights include a programme of rabies prevention vaccinations for Ethiopian wolves facing potential disaster, while in the UK the ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Wildlife Fund has helped to restore the habitat of the Adonis blue butterfly in Sussex and supported an innovative survey to safeguard the future of Bechstein's bat, one of the UK's rarest mammals.

Chris, Kate and Martin will also host a lively discussion among those who really care about protecting many of the threatened species across the world.

Money raised in the Wild appeal will be distributed via grants to UK-registered charities involved in conservation work either around the world or on our doorsteps. Themes for 2010 are: helping to save our species, conserving, restoring and creating wildlife habitats, homes for wildlife and engaging people.

Kate Humble, who also presents Springwatch, says: "Wildlife is vanishing from our planet at an alarming rate, with many beautiful creatures which contribute to the rich quality of our planet under threat. All living things rely on biodiversity to survive and we are the custodians of the wildlife on this planet – without us, they have no voice.

"I hope everyone will join together to support the Wild appeal and celebrate the wonder of our natural world through conservation, whether it's restoring humble habitats for dormice or saving majestic species like tigers or Galapagos tortoises. Let's all go truly wild and help bring our most vulnerable wildlife back from the brink of extinction."

Fundraising packs are also available at many of the Springwatch Wild Days Out – exciting family days of discovery aimed at inspiring people to get close to local wildlife and do something for nature. Hundreds of events are taking place across the country in May and June as part of the popular Breathing Places campaign organised by ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Learning. Activities range from building a bat box to hunting for creepy crawlies and from worm-charming to local tree trail walks.

Kate, Chris and Martin also return with fellow presenter Simon King for a new season of Springwatch this week, beginning with three themed one-hour TV specials on Monday 17 May, Wednesday 19 May and Thursday 20 May at 8pm on ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Two.

Chris Packham provides an up-to-date report on climate change and its effect on UK wildlife; nature super-sleuth Simon King takes a closer look at the UK's urban wildlife; and cameraman Gordon Buchanan takes to the high seas around the UK in search of killer whales.

The brand new nightly series of Springwatch returns to ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Two on Monday 31 May, live from 8pm to 9pm each Monday to Thursday for three weeks, with its audience-led sister programme Springwatch Unsprung each Friday from 8pm to 8.30pm. Wild Night In is broadcast on ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Two on Sunday 20 June, from 8pm to 10pm.

Notes to Editors

About the ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Wildlife Fund

• The ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Wildlife Fund (΄σΟσ΄«Γ½WF) was founded by the ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½'s Natural History Unit (NHU) in May 2007. Following years of producing outstanding films about wildlife throughout the world and at the same time witnessing alarming declines in the populations of many of the animals filmed, the NHU wanted to address the plight of wildlife. The ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½WF was formed and its first live appeal programme, Saving Planet Earth, raised Β£1 million on the night. This was added to by donations throughout the year, raising a total of just under Β£2 million. The donations have been disbursed through grants to programmes which have a track record of saving species.
• The ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Wildlife Fund supports conservation action throughout the world. The 2010 themes for action are: helping to save our species; conserving, restoring and creating wildlife habitats; homes for wildlife; and engaging people (by raising awareness about wildlife and engaging communities in the conservation of their wildlife, resolving conflicts between wildlife and people).
• The ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Wildlife Fund will disburse donations through an open application grant process commencing in October 2010. Grants will be made to UK-registered charities, broadly allocating 20 per cent of donations to projects conserving wildlife in the UK and 80 per cent of donations to projects outside the UK.
• Find out more at bbc.co.uk/wild where you can also sign up for the Wild newsletter and find out how the ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Wildlife Fund has made such a huge difference to local and international wildlife already.
• The ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Wildlife Fund is a grant-making charity, registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales, number 1119286, and is constituted as a company limited by guarantee, registered number 6238115.

΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Wildlife Fund Values

• The core purpose of the ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Wildlife Fund is to raise awareness and funds to help save threatened wildlife and places.
• We are hopeful our funding can make a clear difference for wildlife, and we can help save our species. Everyone is welcome to join in and celebrate the beauty and wonder of our natural world.
• We are accountable, with a range of wildlife specialists and partners in the sector who can explain current approaches, are independent and are open to challenge. We support positive action which provides tangible results.

About Springwatch and Springwatch Wild Days Out

• The new series of Springwatch presented by Chris Packham, Kate Humble, Simon King, Martin Hughes-Games and Gordon Buchanan returns to ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Two on 31st May until 17th June, every Monday to Thursday at 8pm, with its audience-led sister programme Springwatch Unsprung at 8pm every Friday on ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ TWO. This year there are two brand new 15 minute shows on Red Button - Springwatch Pub Quiz on Tuesdays at 9pm and Springwatch Photo Club on Wednesdays at 9pm.
• Springwatch Wild Days Out are special fun-filled days taking place from Saturday 15 May to Sunday 13 June 2010 encouraging biodiversity in our gardens, parks and outside spaces and inspiring people to do something for nature. Check local publicity for details of a free Springwatch Wild Day Out event being held near you or go to www.bbc.co.uk/breathingplaces for a full list. In some parts of the country, as part of the Springwatch Wild Day Out budding nature detectives can also take part in a BioBlitz - a wildlife hunt against the clock.
• Martin Hughes-Games will be encouraging nature lovers to help by spotting ladybirds this summer. Join in the UK Ladybird Survey between the end of May and mid-June. There are 46 species of ladybirds in the UK, but over 5,000 in the world. Find out how you can take part and record your sightings at www.bbc.co.uk/breathingplaces. This is a great chance to do 'one thing' for biodiversity.

About ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Breathing Places

• ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Breathing Places is a five-year campaign from ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Learning to encourage all of us to get outside and make space for nature. Developed in partnership with a huge range of wildlife and conservation organisations, the campaign encourages new audiences to get involved in doing one thing for nature, while providing opportunities for Breathing Places to be created across the UK. Already millions of people have been inspired to do one thing for nature.
• Β£9.5m from the Big Lottery Fund has been invested in creating new breathing places. Over 10,000 schools have signed up to BP School, and nearly 10,000 breathing places are registered on the ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Breathing Places Event Finder.
• www.bbc.co.uk/breathingplaces provides details of how to do one thing for nature where you live, from putting up a bird feeder to creating a breathing place. The public can also search around 10,000 breathing places on the Breathing Places Event Finder to locate nature-friendly places and events near them.
• A breathing place is great for both wildlife and people. It has an active community of people creating, enjoying and maintaining it.

΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Wildlife Fund and Wild Night In LS2/BR; Springwatch Wild Days Out SS; Springwatch, Springwatch Specials and Springwatch Unsprung FD