I’m not usually a fan of these “high-def nature” shows. My wife made me watch some of Planet Earth, and it seemed to me like a wildlife snuff film. Not exactly the kind of thing I want to unwind to.

The sequel to Planet Earth is Life, an 11-part series that examines some of the most unusual and adaptive forms of life on the planet. Narrated by Oprah, the miniseries does feature examples of the circle of life, with one species hunting another. But there’s plenty of other fascinating stuff to enjoy as well, such as the incredible imagery of animals you’ve probably never seen before. Or animals you have seen before, but never like this.

I usually prefer to speak with words, but in this case I’m making an exception, because these images speak louder than I ever could. Just take a moment to marvel at these breathtaking shots, and hit the jump for plenty more.

Life airs Sunday nights on Discovery Channel.