Filmed over a stretch of nearly four years, the programme features footage from Nepal, Tibet, Sri Lanka, Borneo, Thailand and Siberia.

The first episode – entitled “Beneath The Waves” – takes viewers on a journey around Asia’s oceans. “Above The Clouds” will showcase elephants living in high-altitude tea plantations and red panda hiding in the Himalaya, among others. Polar bears, Himalayan wolves and sea eagles all fight for survival in “The Frozen North”, before viewers enter the jungle in the fourth episode, “Tangled Worlds”.

“Crowded Continent” will explore how animals and humans are living together, some more harmoniously than others. For every park in Bangkok happily supporting giant lizards, there’s a herd of elephants that holds up traffic until motorists hand over food.

The final episode, “Saving Asia”, will focus on wildlife preservation efforts across the continent. Breeding programmes, artificial uteruses and police busts of the illegal wildlife trade will all feature.

“The wildlife in Asia is on a par, if not even more incredible than anywhere else in the world,” said executive producer Roger Webb. “It’s colourful, it's diverse. The range of habitats is really remarkable. From the frozen north to the baking hot desert, the variety within this single continent is incredible.”

Asia will air on BBC One from Sunday 3 November, and will be available on iPlayer the same day.