Viewers of Blue Planet II vowed ‘never’ use plastic again after the fourth episode’s tear-jerking segment which detailed the demise of a newborn pilot whale.
Emotional viewers of the BBC One programme took to social media to express their dismay at the state of the oceans after a pilot whale was filmed cradling her dead baby round the ocean.
The whale had been carrying her newborn around for several days and was reluctant to let go after developing an emotional attachment to her baby.
Emotional viewers of the BBC One programme took to Twitter to express their dismay at the state of the oceans after a pilot whale was filmed cradling her dead baby round the ocean
David Attenborough warned about the dangers of pollution through Sunday’s episode, and informed viewers it was possible the whale had poisoned her calf through her own contaminated milk.
The 91-year-old presenter said: ‘Today in the Atlantic waters they have to share the ocean with plastic. A mother is holding her newborn young – it’s dead.’
He added: ‘Pilot whales have big brains, they can certainly experience emotions. Judging from the behaviour of the adults, the loss has infant has affected the entire family.
‘Unless the flow of plastics and industrial pollution into the ocean is reduced, marine life will be poisoned by them for many centuries to come.
‘The creatures that live in the big blue are perhaps more remote than any other animal but not remote enough to escape the affects of what we are doing to their world.’
David Attenborough told viewers it was possible the whale had poisoned her calf through her own contaminated milk
Viewers of the popular BBC show took to social media to express their dismay at the death of the newborn pilot whale, with others urging people to ditch plastic to help save the planet and other animals.
One user posted on Twitter: ‘After watching Blue Planet I vow to use a carrier bag again.’
Liv Crombleholme added: ‘Never wanna buy a plastic bag again after blue planet.’
Martini Marchioness added: ‘Whale dragging around her dead baby… heartbreaking #BluePlanet #environment #thebigblue.’
Dr Paul Jepson, an experts at the Zoological Society of London and advisor to Blue Planet II told The Times: ‘We know chemical pollutants can cause the death of a calf. Ingesting plastic may increase the accumulation of pollutants in the whales themselves.’
David Attenborough also told viewers a tale about how a container carrying bath toys, including rubber ducks, tipped into the ocean near Alaska in 1992 – and how one of the ducks which fell into the sea washed up on the shores of Scotland 15 years later.
The story resonated with viewers, with some amazed at how the toy managed to travel hundreds of miles across the ocean.
Ann-Marie Blake said: ‘It took 15 years for a yellow rubber duck to make it to Scotland #BluePlanet This programme never ceases to amaze.’
Josephine Birch tweeted: ‘The rubber duck story on Blue Planet II is quite possibly my favourite thing ever.’
A container of rubber ducks fell into the sea in Alaska in 1992, with one of the toys washing up on the shores of Scotland 15 years later
Viewers of the popular BBC show took to social media to express their dismay at the death of the newborn pilot whale