The cold reality NEW
What the climate-change disaster means for animals in icy regions...
From filming baby harp seals floating to their deaths as the sea ice breaks apart around them to showing starving polar bears congregating on land because they can no longer hunt on the ice, Frozen Planet II definitely hasn’t shied away from the devastating effects of climate change.
In the final hard-hitting and often heartbreaking episode of the series, we revisit the harp seals, polar bears and Adélie penguins featured in previous episodes and meet those dedicating their lives to understanding what these changes to Earth’s frozen landscapes really mean, in the hope we can reverse things before it’s too late.
‘It’s crucial, not just for the wildlife and the people living there, but also for you and for me,’ says Sir David Attenborough.
Thanks to rising temperatures, the areas where harp seals have their pups are increasingly dangerous.
‘As the sea ice shrinks, so does its suitability as a nursery,’ says Sir David. ‘The pups risk drowning if the ice isn’t thick enough.’
Time to change
This episode also revisits the starving polar bears and we witness harrowing scenes of rain-soaked baby Adélie penguins succumbing to hyperthermia. ‘Adélies are without a doubt indicator species that are telling us that the globe is getting warmer,’ reveals penguin expert Bill Fraser.
Sir David adds: ‘We can do it [tackle climate change]. It’s within our power to do it. We must do it. And if we do, then there will be a future for the planet.’