Satellites follow an elephant family struggling through drought, reveal previously unknown emperor penguin colonies from the colour of their poo and discover mysterious ice rings that could put seal pups in danger.

The Australian outback is covered in pale spots, the work of wombats, a clearing in the endless green canopy of the Congo rainforest has been created by an incredible elephant gathering, and the twists and turns of the Amazon make a home for rehabilitated manatees.

From space, satellite cameras reveal that Earth is a kaleidoscope of colour. Turquoise plankton blooms trigger a feeding frenzy, China turns yellow with rapeseed flowers, and mysterious green lights appear in the ocean.

The Earth's surface is changing faster than ever in human history: cities grow, forests disappear and glaciers melt. A man feeds thousands of parakeets in a city, and in Sumatra a female orangutan and her daughter face life in a forest under threat.