The BBC in Bristol

The NHU is famous for capturing striking images of nature at close range

The BBC Natural History Unit (NHU) is acknowledged as the leading maker of television and radio programmes on wildlife and natural history anywhere in the world.

Based in Bristol, the NHU output covers a wide range of programme subjects and formats.

These include blue-chip series such as Planet Earth and Life, which take several years to produce; as well as live, topical events like Springwatch and Autumnwatch, or Radio 4's World on the Move and Saving Species.

Founded in 1957, during the early years of the NHU much of the output was live, including the weekly series Look, broadcast from the Wildfowl Trust's HQ at Slimbridge in Gloucestershire, and presented by Peter Scott.

Later successes, during the 1960s and 1970s, included Animal Magic with Johnny Morris; the Life trilogy (Life on Earth, The Living Planet and Trials of Life) presented by David Attenborough and The World About Us (now The Natural World).

Conservation

During the past two decades David Attenborough has presented a definitive set of series covering all the world's groups of wildlife, including plants, birds, mammals, insects and reptiles.

Other on-screen talent over the years has included Desmond Morris, Bill Oddie, Alan Titchmarsh, Chris Packham, Kate Humble, Simon King, Jonathan Scott, Saba Douglas-Hamilton, Philippa Forester, Charlie Hamilton-James, Martin Hughes-Games, Nick Baker and Michaela Strachan.

Current programmes either in production or on air include the long-running live events Springwatch and Autumnwatch, Lost Land of the Tiger (an expedition to Bhutan), Nature's Miracle Babies, The One Show (short films presented by Mike Dilger, Miranda Krestovnikoff and George McGavin), Africa, Frozen Planet, and a range of children's series including Deadly 60 (with Steve Backshall).

The NHU is proud to be involved with our conservation partners, including the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, Wildlife Trusts and Natural England.

We are also strongly involved in local events - such as the annual Bristol Festival of Nature - and we are key players in BBC Learning's ongoing Breathing Places campaign, which aims to encourage the British public to get involved in wildlife-watching and conservation, via the BBC website and organised events.