An ambitious new documentary which follows six presenters who are passionate about the natural world is set to air on BBC One.
Our Changing Planet will see Chris Packham, Liz Bonnin, Steve Backshall, Gordon Buchanan, Ade Adepitan and Ella Al-Shamahi visit six beautiful yet vulnerable habitats across the globe, with the hosts returning over a period of to chart pivotal changes at a critical moment in Earth’s history.
They will meet scientists and local conservationists who are fighting to make a difference in California, Greenland, the Maldives, Brazil, Kenya and Cambodia as they look at the ecological threats the planet faces.
With earth facing the effects of melting glaciers, global warming, urbanisation, desertification, and the warming and acidification of our seas, the presenters will tell the stories of hope from residents, scientists and local conservationists as they work to preserve the ecosystems and restore Earth’s natural balance, saving the communities and wildlife under threat.
Climate change has ‘very sadly’ got to a point where ‘you can look out the window’ to see the toll on the environment and biodiversity, Chris Packham said while presenting an upcoming episode of the new series.
On air: An ambitious new documentary, Our Changing Planet, which follows six presenters who are passionate about the natural world is set to air on BBC One (L-R: Ade Adepitan, Gordon Buchanan, Chris Packham, Ella Al-Shamahi, Steve Backshall and Liz Bonnin)
Discovery: The hosts returning over a period of to chart pivotal changes at a critical moment in Earth’s history (Chris Packham pictured in Greenland for the series)
Natural world: Professor Niels Martin Schmidt and conservationist Mikkel Stelvig pictured with a muskox in Greenland, where Chris travelled to to film
When asked what he hoped viewers will take away from the second series, Chris said: ‘I hope that the film highlights that in any corner of our planet, at any point, we can now, very sadly, find connections to changes in our environment, climate, and biodiversity.
‘I could go out of the unit where I am now and find things flowering that wouldn’t have been flowering at this time when I was a child, so I can see climate change out the window of my industrial unit in Taunton.
‘Anyone can see it anywhere, if they look. I guess that that’s another one of our messages.
‘We’re saying that this simple system in Greenland can tell us a lot but you don’t need to go that far, you can look out the window.’
The environmentalist, who fronts the BBC’s Winterwatch and Springwatch shows, travelled to the north-eastern side of Greenland to talk to a group of scientists following the muskox.
Chris said: ‘The scientists were taking samples of just about everything, and fitting the collars and weighing, measuring, so I was able to join in first hand, which meant I was hands on with a muskox.
‘So in a sort of childlike way, that was a tremendous thrill because I’d seen them and they have the potential to be dangerous animals, animals you treat with respect because of their size, but being able to get up close and personal with them was fantastic.’
Elsewhere, BBC presenter Ade Adepitan, who has previously featured in the documentary Climate Change: Ade On The Frontline, travels to Kenya to report on the effect of rising temperatures and failed rains.
On location: Elsewhere, BBC presenter Ade Adepitan travels to Kenya to report on the effect of rising temperatures and failed rains
When he visited the country in 2021, the elephants were being severely affected by drought.
As Ade returned, he said he saw people and elephants now fighting over food and water supplies.
He explained: ‘I travelled to Kenya and Savo National Park. I was there to look at the plight of the elephants dealing with the drought.
‘It’s been the worst four years in Kenya, in terms of rainfall, in terms of how they’re dealing with the drought, and how it’s evolved into this conflict between humans and elephants and the innovative sort of solutions that both sides are coming up with.
‘I was also in Nairobi, doing some stuff with the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, seeing how they’re coping with this massive influx of orphan elephants that are coming in that have been orphaned because of the drought.’
On returning to the same habitat after the first series last year, he continued: ‘I’ll be honest with you, in terms of the way the terrain looks, it looked worse, it looks a lot more dry and arid and it was worrying to see that they still hadn’t had enough rain.
‘But when I remember and look back at the kind of work the shelter trust is doing out there, they’re improving their techniques, looking after the orphans, one of the elephants actually was pregnant.
‘When the elephants are in this sort of situation, which is a real stress situation, that’s usually not the most conducive situation to have children.
‘So for one of the elephants to have felt comfortable enough to have a baby and become pregnant is really positive news.’
Troubles: When he visited the country in 2021, the elephants were being severely affected by drought
Endangered: Gordon Buchanan travelled to the Pantanal region in South America to report on a Jaguar habituation project that has seen unprecedented protection to the vulnerable cats
Talking about his highlight from the show, he said: ‘I think finding out that one of the elephants was pregnant.
‘Just to find out that there’s going to be a new baby in this situation, because this is where we talk a lot about elephants dying, and an elephant struggling.
‘So to have a moment where we talk about an elephant being born, was beautiful.’
The series launches on Sunday 16 April at 7pm on BBC One.
Stateside: Liz Bonnin returned to California where last year she witnessed the wildlife rescue and rehabilitation efforts in the face of the wildfires raging though the state
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