ANIMAL Planet Presents will premiere TOUCAN NATION, the story of Grecia, the toucan in Costa Rica whose unconscionable abuse sparked international outrage and inspired a national ANIMAL welfare campaign, on August 24 at 10 PM ET/PT. Seeking to right a wrong and improve the life of this helpless bird after half of his beak was torn from his face, ANIMAL rescuers and veterinarians enlist a team of volunteer experts tasked with replacing Grecia's beak as Costa Ricans rally to implement penalties for ANIMAL cruelty.
Directed by Prime Time Emmy(R)-winning filmmaker Paula Heredia ("In Memoriam: New York City, 9/11/01"), TOUCAN NATION chronicles each step of
THE JOURNEY as the Zooaveanimal refuge center works to improve Grecia's life. The film includes Charles W. Hull of 3D Systems, known as the father of 3D printing, who collaborates with a group of Costa Rican product designers, dentists and engineers on the best design and construction for Grecia's prosthetic beak.
"What happened to this beautiful bird was horrific," says John Hoffman, EVP Documentaries and Specials for Discovery Channel,
ANIMAL Planet, and
Science Channel. "But this atrocity inspired people to work together to save an animal's life. We are proud to present this moving story and hope it sparks a larger conversation about
ANIMAL welfare."
Paula Heredia said, "It gives me hope when I see people who believe they can change the world and take it upon themselves to right a wrong -- through technology, activism and the law." She added, "Animal Planet is a great home for this film."
Motivated by the notion that every life -- whether
ANIMAL or human -- is inherently valuable and must be protected, school children and a committed group of
ANIMAL rights activists wage a battle to highlight
ANIMAL cruelty in their country and transform the penal code. TOUCAN NATION showcases both the children and the activists as they create a petition for Costa Rica's President Luis Guillermo Sol?s to bring the
ANIMAL Welfare bill in front of Congress.
Animal Planet Presents features the best of blue-chip documentaries and films from top filmmakers that explore a wide range of topics which provide a unique lens on the world we share with our
ANIMAL counterparts. TOUCAN NATION is presented in association with Humane Society International and H/3 Foundation.
TOUCAN NATION is produced for
ANIMAL Planet by Heredia Pictures where Paula Heredia serves as the film's director. For H/3 Foundation, Spencer B. Haber serves as executive producer. For
ANIMAL Planet, John Hoffman is executive producer and Alexandra Moss is the film's supervising producer.
About
ANIMAL Planet
Animal Planet, a multi-media business unit of Discovery Communications, is the network of hit franchise series RIVER MONSTERS, PIT BULLS & PAROLEES and
TREEHOUSE MASTERS and the home of provocative and award-winning specials and documentary films presented under the banner
ANIMAL PLANET PRESENTS.
ANIMAL Planet's programming also includes quarterly tentpole TV events PUPPY BOWL, the largest non-sports TV on
SUPER BOWL Sunday, and MONSTER WEEK.
ANIMAL Planet is the premier TV, digital and social community for
ANIMAL lovers and pet owners, providing immersive, engaging, high-quality entertainment across all
ANIMAL Planet assets including:
ANIMAL Planet television network, available in more than 94 million homes in the US, that is complemented by a deep Video On Demand offering; online assets www.animalplanet.com, the ultimate online destination for all things animal;
ANIMAL Planet L!VE, the go-to digital destination for round-the-clock, unfiltered access to the
ANIMAL kingdom;
ANIMAL Planet social including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.
About Discovery Communications Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the leader in global entertainment reaching 3 billion cumulative viewers in more than 220 countries and territories. Discovery satisfies curiosity, entertains and inspires viewers with high-quality content through global brands, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Investigation Discovery,
ANIMAL Planet,
Science and Turbo/Velocity, as well as U.S. joint venture network OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, and through the Discovery Digital Networks portfolio, including Seeker and SourceFed. Discovery owns Eurosport, the leading pan-regional sports entertainment destination across Europe and Asia-Pacific. Discovery also is a leading provider of educational products and services to schools, including an award-winning series of K-12 digital textbooks, through Discovery Education. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.
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