For centuries it was thought that animals did not share the same emotions as us but new science is starting to change that view. Liz Bonnin sets out to explore the complex and diverse relationships that animals have and asks whether animals love. She starts by travelling to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to meet one of our closest animal relatives, bonobos, who seem to have found the secret of long-lasting successful relationships. From wild dogs in Africa to tamarins in the UK, Liz continues her journey to find out what it takes to have a successful relationship in the animal kingdom. In Switzerland Liz learns about Tariq, a goose who, when faced with a choice, stuck firmly to his mate. For some species, these relationships last a lifetime - and it is not always just about having young. Liz meets Franki and ET, two elephants with a remarkable story of a lifelong friendship and an extraordinary relationship with the man who saved them. Along the way she meets Dotty and Zee, a pair of penguins who defied expectation when after ten years together as a devoted couple, it was discovered that things were not quite as they seemed. Finally, in search of an answer to her question, Liz also meets a Siamang gibbon called Sam and hears how he dealt with the death of his life partner.
Liz Bonnin explores the complex and diverse relationships that animals have and asks whether animals love. In episode 2, Liz sets out to uncover the weird and wonderful ways that different species go about getting together. The first step in finding a partner is catching their eye. Liz starts by learning about a form of extreme flirting that has only ever been observed in one troop of capuchin monkeys in South America. Out in Africa, in the dead of night, Liz learns just how tough it is for male hyenas to get a girl. In America Liz meets up with some creatures who have over 15 million years of dating experience and who rely one of the oldest love songs on the planet get a mate. For some smell is a deal breaker but for others it is all about having the best moves on the dance floor. In the UK Liz hears about some real disco divas, who are unique in using the flamingo equivalent to make-up to stand out from the crowd.
