Nature Partners with Sesame Workshop on Primetime Safari Special, Sesame Street and the Great Elephant Adventure

(NEW YORK – Aug. 26, 2026) — Join Elmo and his Sesame Street friends on a once-in-a-lifetime African safari adventure in a special PBS Nature primetime crossover. Sesame Street and the Great Elephant Adventure premieres on Wednesday, October 14 at 8/7c on PBS and PBS KIDS (check local listings) and will stream on pbs.org/nature, YouTube, pbskids.org, the PBS KIDS Video app, and the PBS app.

After adopting an orphaned elephant online, Elmo, Abby Cadabby, and Nina travel to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya to meet the young elephant and her keepers. In their first-ever safari, the Sesame Street friends embark on a journey that takes them from the caring confines of the elephant sanctuary to the unpredictable African bush, where they come face to face with some of nature’s most iconic wildlife, including lions, zebras, giraffes and hippos.

The adventure begins at the group’s safari lodge, where they meet the lodge manager and her young daughter, who introduce Elmo and Abby to Kenya’s culture, nature and wildlife. Along the way, Elmo struggles with the idea of leaving his adopted elephant behind but comes to learn that the greatest way to care for his new friend is to let her thrive where she belongs: in the wild.

“Collaborating with Sesame Workshop on this special Nature episode is an incredible opportunity to introduce young audiences to the wonder of the natural world,” said Fred Kaufman, Executive Producer for Nature. “Through Elmo and Abby’s adventure, we hope families will be inspired to explore together and to discover why protecting wildlife is so important.”

“Bringing Elmo and the Sesame Street friends into the world of Nature allows us to tell a unique story filled with adventure, discovery, and heart,” said Sal Perez, executive producer for Sesame Workshop.“We hope this special event sparks curiosity in children and encourages them to see themselves as explorers and problem solvers, while reminding viewers of every age that some of life’s greatest lessons come from experiencing nature.”

Nature: Sesame Street and the Great Elephant Adventure is a Sesame Workshop and The WNET Group production. The special is directed and produced by Benjamin Lehmann. For Sesame Workshop, Sal Perez and Kay Wilson Stallings are Executive Producers. For Nature, Fred Kaufman is Executive Producer. Bill Murphy is Series Producer. Janet Hess is Series Editor, and Danielle Broza is Digital Content & Strategy Lead. Nature is a production of The WNET Group and PBS.

Major support for Nature: Sesame Street and the Great Elephant Adventure was provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Additional support is provided by Sandra Lyu and Rusty Foreaker, Sarah Lyu, Claire and Meyer W. Frank and Leanne Frank Charitable Foundation, and Elise, Lynette and Richard Jaffe. Series funding for Nature is made possible in part by The Arnhold Family in memory of Henry and Clarisse Arnhold, Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III, Sarah and Sandra Lyu in memory of Seung and Dorothy Lyu, Charles Rosenblum, Kathy Chiao and Ken Hao, Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust, Paul L. Tilley and Family, Colin S. Edwards, Kate W. Cassidy Foundation, Filomen M. D’Agostino Foundation, Gregg Peters Monsees Foundation, Koo and Patricia Yuen, Seton J. Melvin, Madeline and Stephen Anbinder, Yung and Ming Hsien Wang, Kitty Hawks and Larry Lederman, Sandra Atlas Bass, and public television viewers. Additional funding is provided by Bradley L. Goldberg Family Foundation, Arlene and Milton D. Berkman, Perpetual Kindness Foundation and Sun Hill Renewal Fund.

Since 1982, Nature has pioneered a television genre that is now widely emulated in the broadcast industry, bringing the natural world to millions of viewers. The series has won more than 800 honors from the television industry, the international wildlife film communities and environmental organizations, including 21 Emmys and three Peabodys. Nature is available for streaming concurrent with broadcast on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS App, available on iOS, Android, Roku streaming devices, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast and VIZIO. Classic episodes are available on various FAST channel platforms and on PBS Passport.

Websites:
pbs.org/nature; facebook.com/PBSNature; instagram.com/pbsnature;youtube.com/naturepbs, tiktok.com/@pbsnature, #NaturePBS

About The WNET Group  

The WNET Group creates inspiring media content and meaningful experiences for diverse audiences nationwide. It is the community-supported home of New York’s THIRTEEN – America’s flagship PBS station – WLIW, THIRTEEN PBS KIDS, THIRTEEN WORLD and WLIW Create; Long Island’s only NPR station WLIW-FM; ALL ARTS, the arts and culture media provider; newsroom NJ Spotlight News; and FAST channel PBS Nature. Through these channels and streaming platforms, The WNET Group brings arts, culture, education, news, documentary, entertainment, and DIY programming to more than five million viewers each month. The WNET Group’s award-winning productions include signature PBS series Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, and Amanpour and Company and trusted local news programs like NJ Spotlight Newswith Briana Vannozzi. Inspiring curiosity and nurturing dreams, The WNET Group’s award-winning Kids’ Media and Education team produces the PBS KIDS series Cyberchase, interactive Mission US history games, and resources for families, teachers and caregivers. A leading nonprofit public media producer for more than 60 years, The WNET Group presents and distributes content that fosters lifelong learning, including initiatives addressing poverty, jobs, economic opportunity, social justice, understanding, and the environment. Through Passport, station members can stream new and archival programming anytime, anywhere. The WNET Group represents the best in public media. Join us.

About Sesame Workshop
Sesame Workshop is the global nonprofit behind Sesame Street and so much more. For over 50 years, we have worked at the intersection of education, media, and research, creating joyful experiences that enrich minds and expand hearts, all in service of empowering each generation to build a better world. Our beloved characters, iconic shows, outreach in communities, and more bring playful early learning to families in more than190 countries and advance our mission to help children everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. Learn more at www.sesame.org and follow Sesame Workshop on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Threads, and X.  

About PBS 
PBS, with more than 330 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 36 million adults on linear primetime television, 16 million users on PBS-owned streaming platforms, 56 million viewers on YouTube, and 10 million followers on social media, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature, and public affairs and to take front-row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’s broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. As the number one educational media brand, PBS KIDS helps children 2-8 build critical skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality content on TV — including a PBS KIDS channel — and streaming free on pbskids.org and the PBS KIDS Video app, games on the PBS KIDS Games app, and in communities across America. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12^th grade turn to PBS LearningMedia for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. More information about PBS is available at PBS.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, Facebook, Instagram, or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Communications on X.

About PBS KIDS
PBS KIDS believes the world is full of possibilities, and so is every child. With PBS KIDS, the number one educational media brand for kids, children ages 2-8 learn lessons that last a lifetime. Across media and community-based programs, PBS KIDS sparks children’s curiosity, helping them succeed in school and life. Families can stream PBS KIDS for free anytime on the PBS KIDS Video app, connected TV devices, pbskids.org and more (no subscription required). Kids can play hundreds of educational games on the PBS KIDS Games app and pbskids.org. PBS KIDS and local stations across the country support children’s learning anytime, anywhere – empowering parents, caregivers, and teachers. For more information, visit pbs.org/pressroom, or follow PBS KIDS on Facebook and Instagram.

Press Contacts:

Chelsey Saatkamp, The WNET Group, saatkampc@wnet.org
Sesame Workshop, press@sesameworkshop.org
Gab Torello, Grand Communications,gab@grandcommunications.com

Press Materials: pbs.org/pressroom orthirteen.org/pressroom