The series picks up where the dinosaurs left off

But the series did not match the remarkable debut of Walking With Dinosaurs in October 1999, which took over half the TV audience at the time it was broadcast - 15 million viewers.

Unofficial overnight ratings showed the first programme in the six-part Walking With Beasts had 8.5 million viewers and a 35% share of viewing, compared with ITV1's rural medical drama Peak Practice, which had 7.3 million - a 31% share.

Extinction

Walking With Beasts has been created by the same team that produced Walking With Dinosaurs and the programmes use similar computer animation and puppetry techniques to produce life-like images of the natural world 49 million years ago.

The animations are extraordinarily life-like

The first episode, New Dawn, tells the story of the animals which evolved in the period after the great dinosaur extinction of 65 million years ago.

The series also offers an array of interactive elements, from alternative commentaries and extra video footage to textual information.

These services are available for homes connected to a digital service whether via satellite, cable or ordinary TV aerial.

Walking with Beasts Interactive also offers mobile phone users competitions, updates and a Walking With Beasts logo.