Discovery Communications Launches "Animal Planet L!VE" -- 24/7 Digital Video Destination Putting the Spotlight on the Animal World

- New Offering Features 11 HD Channels, Available at APL.TV and on Connected Devices -

(Silver Spring, Md.) Whether exhibiting human-like behavior or living an existence so foreign it is fascinating, the animal kingdom has the power to mesmerize. Today, Discovery Communications announces the debut of Animal Planet L!VE, featuring unfiltered, round-the-clock access to the compelling worlds of the beautiful, cute and misunderstood. The 24/7 digital experience builds on Discovery Communications’ long-standing success with live animal cams, including Penguin Cam and Shark Cam, and acts as a digital complement to Animal Planet and its on-air programming.

“Animal Planet L!VE marries the most popular Internet video category, animals, with the most powerful animal-related media brand in Animal Planet. This exciting new digital video experience advances Discovery Communications’ mission of being the #1 nonfiction media company across all screens,” said JB Perrette, Chief Digital Officer, Discovery Communications. “’Live’ is a key way that we connect with our audiences – on air and online, and Animal Planet L!VE will feed audiences’ passion for the animal world on their computers, tablets, smartphones and connected TVs. We’re delighted to bring this unprecedented breed of ’ambient entertainment’ to our viewers and superfans.”

Available today at APL.TV and on select Samsung Smart TVs tomorrow, Animal Planet L!VE launches in partnership with Audubon Nature Institute, explore.org, National Aquarium, South Mountain Creamery and the Washington Animal Rescue League – with more cameras planned in the coming months. Starting today visitors can immerse themselves through 11, live HD cameras – powered by USTREAM:

• Ant Cam:A childhood ant farm has nothing on this colony of leafcutter ants from Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium in New Orleans.
• Beluga Cam:In one of several cams from explore.org’s Pearls of the Planet collection, the sleek Beluga whales from Vancouver Aquarium are put in the spotlight, entrancing audiences.
• Calf Cam:Watch baby calves find their legs and explore a whole new world from the South Mountain Creamery in Middletown, Maryland.
• Chick Cam:Spring has sprung for these adorable chicks that, along with the calves, call the South Mountain Creamery home.
• Cockroach Cam: While feelings may be mixed on these creatures that have inhabited our planet since the Cretaceous period, viewers will be mesmerized by their activity and surprise setting inspired by the southern home of Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium.
• Kitten Cam: Launched in November 2012, the adoptable kittens from the Washington Animal Rescue League in the nation’s capital have pawed their way into the hearts of online audiences.
• Pacific Reef Cam: In partnership with National Aquarium, this cam lets ocean lovers visit a pacific reef habitat without the scuba gear or getting wet.
• Penguin Cam: Featuring the best-dressed of Animal Planet L!VE, Audubon Aquarium of the Americas shares their Rockhopper and African penguins, temperate climate birds who prefer warmer water than their cold water cousins.
• Puppy Cam: Debuting earlier this year in conjunction with PUPPY BOWL, the puppies featured from Washington Animal Rescue League (as with the kittens) are all available for adoption through Petfinder.
• Sea Nettle Cam: A living meditation for people who need a break in the day, this explore.org cam features the hypnotic Japanese sea nettles from the Vancouver Aquarium.
• Wild Bird Cam:Who will come visit the Animal Planet L!VE birdhouse? Take your perch and see!

“Our success with Animal Planet on TV has been due in large part to listening closely to our audience. Their overwhelming response to PUPPY BOWL and our Puppy and Kitten Cams led us straight to Animal Planet L!VE,” added Marjorie Kaplan, President and General Manager, Animal Planet. “Animal Planet L!VE is an exciting evolution and expansion of the Animal Planet brand. Whether you want the Pacific Reef Cam on during your house party or you’d rather wake up with the Wild Bird Cam chirping in the background, with this digital destination we’re bringing the cute, the cuddly, the mesmerizing and even the creepy to our fans 24/7 as only Animal Planet can"

Animal Planet L!VE currently is available across desktop and mobile platforms at APL.TV and on Samsung Smart TVs this Thursday, and will be coming to Roku and Xbox LIVE in the coming months.

About Animal Planet
Animal Planet Media (APM), a multi-media business unit of Discovery Communications, is the world’s only entertainment brand that immerses viewers in the full range of life in the animal kingdom with rich, deep content via multiple platforms and offers animal lovers and pet owners access to a centralized online, television and mobile community for immersive, engaging, high-quality entertainment, information and enrichment. APM consists of the Animal Planet television network, available in more than 96 million homes in the U.S.; www.animalplanet.com, the ultimate online destination for all things animal; the 24/7 broadband channel, Animal Planet Beyond; and other media platforms including a robust Video-on-Demand (VOD) service; mobile content; and merchandising extensions.

About Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world’s #1 nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.8 billion cumulative subscribers in 218 countries and territories. Discovery is dedicated to satisfying curiosity through 155 worldwide television networks, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science and Investigation Discovery, as well as U.S. joint venture networks OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, The Hub and 3net, the first 24-hour 3D network. Discovery also is a leading provider of educational products and services to schools and owns and operates a diversified portfolio of digital media services, including Revision3. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.

About Audubon Nature Institute
Audubon Nature Institute is a private, not-for-profit member organization with a collection of world-class family attractions dedicated to “Celebrating the Wonders of Nature.” Based in New Orleans, it operates the Audubon Zoo, Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species, Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, Audubon Park, Woldenberg Riverfront Park, Entergy IMAX Theatre, Freeport-McMoRan Audubon Species Survival Center, Wilderness Park, Audubon Louisiana Nature Center and Audubon Insectarium at the U.S. Custom House on Canal Street. More than three million people each year visit Audubon Nature Institute’s facilities. Find out more by visiting audubonInstitute.org.

About explore.org
explore.org is a philanthropic media organization and multi-media division of the Annenberg Foundation. Created by filmmaker and philanthropist Charles Annenberg to champion the selfless acts of others, inspire lifelong learning and help people fall in love with the world again, explore.org is home to more than 300 original films and a massive library of world-class photography from all over the globe. In addition, explore.org is home to Pearls of the Planet, a growing collection of live HD cameras that provide people with an unprecedented view into the lives of amazing animals and beautiful places around the world. As an advertising-free philanthropic media organization, explore.org prides itself on purity and regularly provides grants to organizations focused on improving the human condition and the planet.

About National Aquarium
National Aquarium is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire conservation of the world’s aquatic treasures. It champions environmental initiatives by engaging with visitors, volunteers, education groups and schools to actively participate in the preservation of the world’s natural resources and living-systems. National Aquarium, in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, MD, delivers meaningful experiences through its engaging living collections; science-based education programs and hands-on conservation efforts in the field from the Chesapeake Bay to Costa Rica; and partnerships and alliances with like-minded organizations around the world. For more information on National Aquarium, visit www.aqua.org.

About South Mountain Creamery
South Mountain Creamery is Maryland’s first on-the-farm dairy processing plant that delivers farm fresh and all-natural products door to door. In operation since 2001, South Mountain Creamery is family owned and operated and delivers to over 8,000 home delivery customers in MD, VA, PA, WV, and DC. Products available for delivery include glass-bottled milk, certified humane eggs, meats, cheeses, yogurt, ice cream and much more. Located in Middletown, MD, Karen’s Kountry Farm Store sells the same products available for delivery and allows customers to feed baby calves, watch cows being milked, and to take a guided tour. South Mountain Creamery’s goal is to instill healthy eating habits, educate about the benefits of local agriculture, and provide a sustainable future for our children. If you want your milk straight from the cow, you have to call South Mountain Creamery!

About Washington Animal Rescue League
The Washington Animal Rescue League, a private non-profit organization, was recently named one of the top ten emergency rescue partners in the nation by the Humane Society of the United States. Entering its 99th year, the League has a mission to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome animals who have nowhere else to go. Its facility is painstakingly designed from the animals’ point of view to make it one of the most humane animal shelters in the world. The League is also home to a full-service Medical Center, serving the companion animals of income-qualified pet guardians, as well as shelter animals. The League is located at 71 Oglethorpe Street, NW, Washington, DC. Visit www.warl.org and lend your support at www.warl.org/Donate.

About Ustream
Ustream is the leader in live social video streaming technology, powered by the company’s proprietary Ustream Cloud Platform. Ustream’s Pro Broadcasting and Premium services enable broadcasters of any size – from entertainers to consumers, to companies to non-profit organizations – to easily connect, broadcast, and engage in real-time. Founded in 2007, Ustream is a San Francisco-based company that has grown to more than 180 employees within their San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Budapest offices. Company partners include Panasonic, Samsung, Logitech, CBS News, PBS NewsHour, and Viacom. Ustream is a privately owned company. For more information on Ustream, visit Ustream.tv, Twitter.com/Ustream, or Facebook.com/Ustream.