Sir David’s emotional Earth plea
HIS Planet Earth documentaries have celebrated the wonders of wildlife, from elusive snow leopards to dancing grizzlies.
But as Sir David Attenborough closed his latest series, Planet Earth II, last night he warned that unless action is taken to save the environment, the world as we know it will not survive.
The BBC1 series is the most-watched natural history show of the last 15 years, with 12million viewers expected to tune in for the finale about urban landscapes.
The 90-year-old broadcaster said: ‘Our responsibility is to do everything within our power to create a planet that provides a home not just for us, but for all life on Earth.’
And Sir David warned against the growth of ‘concrete jungles’.
‘Every ten years an area the size of Britain disappears under a jungle of concrete,’ he said. ‘But it doesn’t have to be like this. Could it not be possible to build cities more in harmony with nature?’
Scenes from Planet Earth II, a sequel to the original Planet Earth in 2006, have been widely shared online.
But the series has not been without controversy. The BBC was accused of ‘fakery’ for re-using old video footage, and the portrayal of violence in the natural world has at times been considered excessive.
Last night’s episode showed how some species have adapted to living alongside humans, for example peregrine falcons in New York and leopards prowling through Mumbai.