The BBC's most respected wildlife experts come together to highlight the plight of Britain's most at risk animals.

Conservationists have predicted that, without help, some of Britain’s most iconic species are severely threatened and may even face extinction in Britain within our lifetimes Host Ellie Harrison is joined each week by three guest wildlife presenters who will champion a wild creature they want to bring back from the brink.

The six-part series is part of BBC Learning’s Summer of Wildlife – a special season of programming and showcase events that will celebrate the UK’s unique and extraordinary wildlife. Each episode of the Big British Wildlife Revival will focus on a key habitat – woodland, coastal, urban, rivers, farmland and wetland – and the creatures that live there. Expert wildlife presenters will champion three species that desperately need our help. They will explore how they are under threat, what is at stake if they disappear and what we can do to help save them.

The wildlife experts trying to turn this decline around include Ben Fogle championing the near-extinct hedgehog, Bill Oddie highlighting the plight of the puffin, Philippa Forrester on how to save the kingfisher and Miranda Krestovnikoff championing white-clawed crayfish and the bottlenose dolphin. Other rare creatures featured include the red squirrel, Scottish wildcat, greater horseshoe bat as well as the once common – but now in decline – house sparrow and water vole. There is also positive news as the series will feature stories of how experts and volunteers have successfully worked together to bring other species back from the brink.

Each week Ellie will take a look at one of these ambitious and large-scale conservation schemes that have helped these wild creatures make a spectacular comeback. For example, we have seen otters returned to our rivers, red kites now fly over woodlands and the peregrine – the fastest living creature on the planet – has taken up residence in our biggest cities, including central London. The series also wants to encourage viewers to get involved to save habitats and provide refuges for the animals featured in the series. And it will include tips and advice from expert Mike Dilger on how to turn our own gardens into wildlife havens.

More information can be found on the Summer of Wildlife website www.bbc.co.uk/summerofwildlife Ellie says: “I’m a country girl and I’ve always loved the British countryside and its wildlife. Now I want us all to join together to learn more about the wonderful habitats that sometimes we can take for granted but also for people to get passionate about helping to preserve the animals and wildlife that that mean so much to us, and the places where they live.”