Nat Geo WILD to Premiere First Digital Series in August

NAT GEO WILD inspires people to let the wild in every day. The network is dedicated to creating content for ANIMAL lovers everywhere to enjoy, whether it's on TV, in magazines, or in books. Now, NAT GEO WILD is bringing the wild online with the launch of its first-ever digital series, wild_life With Bertie Gregory, premiering Wednesday, Aug. 3, on the network's YouTube Channel, as well as on NationalGeographic.com.

Join 22-year-old wildlife filmmaker Bertie Gregory as he journeys to the west coast of Vancouver Island in search of the elusive coastal wolves, a species that inhabits one of the last places on the planet where a wild forest meets a wild ocean.

"This series is as much about the adventure to get the shot as it is about the shot itself," said Gregory. "I'm taking viewers into the wild and getting up close and personal with Canada's sexiest coastal predators. The camera is always rolling. It's raw. It's real. It's intimate. And I'm excited to be a part of Nat Geo WILD's first venture into the digital space."

Over the course of 16 episodes, Gregory finds that tracking down these wolves proves to be harder than expected ... but he's not giving up. He also attempts to get face to face with some of the other charismatic species that live along this pristine coastline. Each episode features Gregory's encounters with epic animals, including humpback whales, bald eagles and black bears. He occasionally gets closer than anticipated, as he must untangle himself from a few sticky situations, like ending up with his head in the jaws of a playful 2,000-pound sea lion.

"We are thrilled to extend the WILD brand beyond television to reach our audiences wherever they are," said Geoff Daniels, executive vice president and general manager, Nat Geo WILD. "Bertie is a great ambassador for us, and his adventures in this new series will be celebrated across National Geographic's many platforms, including SnapChat, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Nat Geo LIVE! and more."

About Bertie Gregory:

Bertie Gregory is a 22-year-old wildlife filmmaker and photographer. Originally from South West England, Bertie has been obsessed with nature and photography since childhood, when he would sneak off to take photos of the local wildlife. With talent and work ethic well beyond his years, Gregory is already making waves in the filmmaking and photography community. He has previously been named a National Geographic Young Explorer, the Zenith Scientific Exploration Society EXPLORER 2015 and the Youth Outdoor Photographer of the Year, among other recognitions. Gregory is currently on assignment as a filmmaker to his mentor and renowned National Geographic photographer Steve Winter.

Episodes Include:

wild_life: Welcome to Vancouver Island (wt)
Premieres Wednesday, Aug. 3
In the first episode of wild_life With Bertie Gregory, Bertie heads to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, where he prepares to spend three months in the wild filming the epic animals that call this place home. While he's hoping to come across the many awesome species that inhabit this coastline, his main goal is to catch a glimpse of the island's elusive coastal wolves. Along the way, Bertie runs into some surprising locals, from bald eagles to bears, sea lions to salmon and otters to orca. Every encounter will be a new adventure.

wild_life: Finding a Flippin' Bear (wt)
Premieres Wednesday, Aug. 10
While looking for signs of coastal wolves, Bertie Gregory stumbles across some rather odd behavior - a male black bear flipping massive rocks along the coastline. As Bertie gets closer, he realizes that this clever bear has figured out a way to score an easy meal. Underneath every rock are tasty crabs, and the bear can smell them ... all he has to do is flip over a few boulders.

wild_life: Bald Eagles (wt)
Premieres Wednesday, Aug. 17
Wildlife photographer Bertie Gregory encounters one of the most majestic birds of prey - the bald eagle. Bald eagles may be America's de facto mascot, but they also have a secret talent - snatching fish from the open waters. These skilled hunters have vision about five times sharper than our own and can reach speeds of up to 75 miles per hour when diving for their prey. Join Bertie as he gets up close and personal with these bald eagles as they show off their lightning-fast hunting skills.

wild_life: Hide and Seek (wt)
Premieres Wednesday, Aug. 24
After weeks of roaming around the pristine landscape of Vancouver Island in search of the mysterious coastal wolves, wildlife photographer Bertie Gregory is trying a different method. Instead of chasing footprints through the woods, he's putting down roots and spending a week in a hide in hopes that the wolves come to him. The ghostlike wolves elude Bertie yet again, but his time is well spent as he spots everything from herons to barred owls.

wild_life: Searching for Sea Otters (wt)
Premieres Wednesday, Aug. 31
Bertie Gregory has spotted mischievous sea otters playing in the kelp forests offshore. The only trick now is getting to them. During low tide, Bertie sneaks out past the tidal pools to watch the otters play in the surf. These otters are a welcome sight, as the fur trade once nearly drove them to extinction on Vancouver Island.

wild_life was produced for NAT GEO WILD by National Geographic Partners' digital team. For National Geographic Partners, editor in chief for National Geographic Magazine and editorial director for National Geographic Partners is Susan Goldberg, director of digital video is James Williams, senior producer is Stephanie Atlas, producer/editor/writer is Alex Wenchel and producer is Bertie Gregory. For Nat Geo WILD, executive vice president and general manager is Geoff Daniels and senior vice president of development and production is Janet Han Vissering.