Netflix Launches Secret World of Sound with David Attenborough

Sound is the vocabulary of nature. It plays a crucial role in the lives, evolution, and everyday struggle of animals. But so far, we’ve only heard part of the story.

Using cutting edge audio technology, David Attenborough takes viewers on a journey into a hidden world. In this ground-breaking three-part series from Netflix, Sky TV and CBC’s The Nature of Things, discover the extraordinary ways animals use sound to hunt, mate and survive.

“This is an amazing series,” says Executive Producer Dugald Maudsley from Toronto’s Infield Fly Productions. “We were thrilled to be part of the three year journey to film more than 21 animals in 12 countries around the world. And we were excited to work with two extremely talented hosts - David Attenborough and our own Anthony Morgan.

From the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico to the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa; from the Rocky Mountains of Canada to the reefs of Indonesia; and from the deserts of Arizona to the rainforests of Malaysia, Secret World of Sound uncovers a startling new perspective on animal behaviour.

David Attenborough will show how baby caiman communicate with each other while they’re still inside the egg, reveal how lions and hyenas wield sound to battle in the dark of night, and introduce a fish that sings and a bird that can mimic a crying baby.

But Secret World of Sound also ventures beyond what we can hear. More than 200 thousand species communicate in ways that are silent to us. With the help of an acoustic camera that visualizes sound, and a vibrometer that picks up minute vibrations on the surface of an object, we discover how these creatures use sound to fight off a rival, find a mate and crown a queen.

“What we loved most about Secret World of Sound,” says Infield Fly Production’s Gillian Main, a producer on the series, “was the way our crews used cutting edge technology to get inside a world we’ve hardly ever heard before allowing us to see so many animals in such a different way.”

For the past 40 years, natural history filmmaking has wowed audiences with jaw-dropping visuals. Sound has always played a supporting role and is often overshadowed by music. For the first time, this series places sound at centre stage.

Packed with drama, conflict and new discoveries, Secret World of Sound transports viewers into a unique world and creates an immersive and unforgettable experience.

Secret World of Sound is also available in Canada for free on CBC Gem.