Last night's Blue Planet II has triggered an emotional public reaction

Emma-Louise Pritchard
Updated
Photo credit: BBC
Photo credit: BBC

From Country Living UK

Last night, BBC One's Blue Planet II wowed us yet again with incredible footage of our oceans and underwater wildlife.

Week after week, David Attenborough captivates us with the tales of survival taking place in our seas, inspiring us to join the conservation efforts.

But last night, one particular story sparked the biggest reaction yet...

Emotional viewers followed the journey of a female pilot whale and her baby. After her offspring sadly died due to pollution contamination, the mother whale continued to cradle her calf as she swam for several days. She had already developed an emotional attachment to her little one and would not let the body go.

The message here was a strong one: manmade plastics and pollution are killing our sea creatures.

Attenborough told viewers that the calf could have been poisoned by the mother's already-contaminated milk.

Attenborough narrated:

"Today in the Atlantic waters they have to share the ocean with plastic. A mother is holding her newborn young – it's dead. 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 incredibly sad footage has unsurprisingly triggered a passionate reaction from the public, after seeing the devastating effects of ocean plastics with their own eyes.

Lot's of people, including celebrities, were quick to share their thoughts...