Nat Geo Wild will begin airing a monthly anthology series about endangered species at the end of August.

Each episode of Mission Critical will focus on a rare animal, such as beluga whales, leopards and Tasmanian devils, and the individuals who are working to protect them.

The series kicks off on August 28 at 8 p.m. EST/7 p.m. CST with the BBC-produced Panda Babies: Mission Critical (pictured), which takes viewers into Chinese maternity wards where baby pandas are getting ready to join the estimated 1,600 giant pandas in the wild.

The episode is timed to coincide with a “Pandas Gone Wild” feature story in the August issue of National Geographic magazine, written by Jennifer S. Holland and photographed by Ami Vitale.

Nat Geo Wild announced six episodes, including Operation Sumatran Rhino: Mission Critical, which airs September 18, and Mountain Gorilla: Mission Critical, a two-part special premiering on October 9.

Earlier this week, the network greenlit the natural history miniseries Savage Kingdom from Icon Films and Natural History Film Unit Botswana. The 3 x 120-minute global docuseries will examine warring animal tribes in a remote region of Africa