Animal

David Attenborough says humans have made a ‘tragic mess’ of the planet


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Sir David Attenborough has spoken of the ‘tragic, desperate mess’ human beings have made of the planet ahead of his eagerly-awaited new natural history series.

Seven Worlds, One Planet, which has been four years in making, starts on the BBC next weekend.

It will feature incredible ‘animal dramas’ shot in every single continent, and footage taken from drones of volcanoes, waterfalls, icebergs and deep into caves.

Breathtaking scenes include intense storms in Antarctica nearly blowing an albatross chick out of its nest.

Unlike the previous Natural World series, producers will include a message of their own ‘at the heart’ of each episode instead of at the end.

Sir David Attenborough on location filming Seven Worlds, One Planet on Stokksnes beach in Iceland (Picture: BBC-PA wire)
An adult Weddell seal under the sea ice during ‘Seven Worlds, One Planet’ (Picture: BBC-PA wire)
Cameraman Rolf Steinmann filming king penguin chicks in St Andrews Bay, South Georgia (Picture: BBC-PA wire)
A gentoo penguin coming face to face with its main predator, the leopard seal during ‘Seven Worlds, One Planet’ (Picture: BBC-PA wire)

Speaking at the launch of the BBC One series, presenter Sir David warned about the impact humans are having on the natural world.

He said: ‘We are now universal, our influence is everywhere.

‘We have it in our hands, and we made a tragic, desperate mess of it so far.

‘But, at last, nations are coming together and recognising that we all live on the same planet and we are dependent on it for every mouthful of food we eat and every breath of air we take.’

Sir David Attenborough on location while filming for Seven Worlds, One Planet’ in Kenya (Picture: BBC-PA wire)
Brown bear seeking out fresh grass in the Valley of the Geysers, Kamchatka, Russia (Picture: BBC-PA wire)
The series shows how using a feeding technique called ‘bubble netting’ the humpback whales blow bubbles as they rise up under a shoal of krill (Picture: BBC-PA wire)

Asked what we can do to save the planet, Sir David, 93, said: ‘The best motto is not to waste things.

‘Don’t waste electricity, don’t waste paper, don’t waste food – live the way you want to live, but just don’t waste.

‘Look after the natural world, the animals in it and the plants in it too. This is their planet as well as ours.’

A huge diversity of life is found living under the sea ice in Antarctica (Picture: BBC-PA wire)
A Southern Right whale which remain inquisitive and gentle around humans despite hunted to near extinction (Picture: BBC-PA wire)

BBC director-general Lord Tony Hall said: ‘This series has conservation at its heart.

‘Each one of the seven episodes takes on some of the major threats facing the world today.’

Blue Planet II raised awareness around the world of the environmental damage caused by plastic pollution.

Sir David said: ‘We don’t understand how it happens but with Blue Planet II, suddenly the world was electrified about the crime of chucking plastic into the ocean that can throttle creatures, that can poison creatures, including ourselves.’

According to Mr Attenborough, highlights of the new series include ‘a new species of jumping spider in Australia, with dance moves that need to be seen to be believed’.

They also filmed ‘the most extraordinary gigantic gathering of great whales’ in Antarctica.

The series, which saw 92 film shoots in over 40 countries, features ‘grave-robbing hamsters in Austria’ and polar bears in a never-before-seen hunting strategy to catch beluga whales.

Seven Worlds, One Planet begins on Sunday October 27 at 6.15pm on BBC

 





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