MUMBAI: As 2004 comes to a close Animal Planet will feature a two hour special series on the best that it had to showcase for the year.

This will air from 27 December to 31 December at 8 pm.. The series will include 12 of the broadcaster's highest rated programmes.

Viewers can savour both international and India-specific programmes, offering stories on wildlife mysteries, animals’ addictions, human intervention and its damaging consequences, and even animal entrapments.

The series will also showcase episodes by animal experts, including David Attenborough’s programme on polar bears, Jeff Corwin’s encounters in Ranthambhore and Gujarat and John Downer’s celebration of animals' inventiveness and ingenuity, informs a media release.

Discovery Networks India VP programming Pankaj Saxena said, "Best of Animal Planet is a consequence of the incessant demand made by Indian viewers. It is a compilation of our best shows of the year, from highly acclaimed documentaries to wildlife reality TV and animal soap drama. The series is extremely entertaining while at the same time also provoking a debate on invasion of animal privacy."

The shows that will air in this block include

On the Edge: Crocodile Hunter Diaries Working with Legends on 27 December at 8 pm. The programme chronicles life behind the scenes at an Australian Zoo, presenting amazing animal adventures and the zoo staff’s daily encounters.

The Jeff Corwin Experience: India on 27 December at 9:30 pm: Jeff Corwin travels from Ranthambhore to Gujarat to encounter the near-extinct Bengal Tiger and the Asiatic Lion. Between these two riveting encounters, Jeff meets fascinating people and encounters other animals, including the King Cobra and the Soft-Shell Turtle.

Animal Planet Reveals Asia: The Life of Birds: To Fly Or Not To Fly 29 December at 8 pm. Perhaps the most popular and perfectly adapted life forms on earth, Animal Planet presents dramatic images of birds, illustrating the latest research on their enduring survival spirit.

Temple of the Tigers on 30 December at 9 pm: Temple of the Tigers is a remarkable story of a group of ten monks who have taken on the task of protecting tigers by offering them a home within the walls of their temple. This programme explores each monk’s life and their one-of-a-kind relationship with tigers.

The Most Extreme on 31 December at 9 pm. This looks at how the best and worst of the human world stacks up against the residents of the animal kingdom. The journey to find the answer, however, is far from straightforward - the path twists between natural history, science, history and trivia.