Never has there been a more important time to invest our wildlife says Sir David Attenborough.
The naturalist and environmentalist highlighted the challenges to insects, birds, whales and more in the opening episode of his new series, Wild Isles.
In it, the legendary broadcaster celebrates the rich habitats around us and the plight of the natural world across the UK and Ireland.
Read more: Watch: Fears new lighting drove away Belfast's famous starling murmuration
He revealed how 60% of our flying insects have disappeared in the last 20 years and how puffin colonies, while abundant in some isles are mostly “in decline”
Sir David Attenborough said: “Overfishing and climate change mean the sand eels they depend on are increasingly hard to find.
“It’s a clear example of just how fragile and fragmented our nature is.
“Though rich in place, Britain as a whole is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world.
“Never has there been a more important time to invest in our own wildlife to try and set an example for the rest of the world and restore our once wild isles for future generations.”
He also highlighted the plight of dozens of whales and dolphins who “die each year” after becoming tangled in discarded fishing nets.
The BBC drew some criticism on Friday after the Guardian reported it would be airing just five of what they said was a six-part series on television.
The public service broadcaster, however, said this was “totally inaccurate”.
They told us: “There is no ‘sixth episode’.
“Wild Isles is – and always was - a five part series and does not shy away from environmental content.
“We have acquired a separate film for iPlayer from the RSPB and WWF and Silverback Films about people working to preserve and restore the biodiversity of the British Isles.”
National Trust, WWF and RSPB have issued an urgent SOS for nature after Sir David Attenborough said ‘we must act now’ to Save Our Wild Isles.
Together they have launched a major campaign to encourage everyone to come together to stop the destruction on nature.
The Save Our Wild Isles campaign hopes to engage the public and inspire them to act – highlighting not only how nature underpins everything that makes our lives possible, but also how profoundly threatened it is.
The charities say there is just enough of the UK’s natural world still left to save, and if everyone - the public, communities, businesses and our leaders all urgently work together to aid its recovery, nature can begin to thrive again within the next few decades.
The three charities are calling on people to show their love of nature by committing to ‘Go Wild Once a Week’.
This could mean:
- Making space for nature in our neighbourhoods by planting wildflower seeds in a window box or green space,
- Eating less meat or
- Getting involved in local community projects
- Joining the charities in urging our leaders to act now for nature’s recovery
They also called on leaders and businesses must act now to implement a crisis response to the nature emergency to build on the promises they have made to halt the destruction of nature and speed its recovery.
In the last 50 years, 38 million birds have vanished from UK skies, 97% of wildflower meadows lost since the 1930s and a quarter of mammals face extinction.
Sara McCracken, the Head of Fundraising and Communications for RSPB NI and Heather McLachlan, the National Trust’s Regional Director NI, issued a joint statement saying: “The amazing wildlife and wild places that make the UK and Ireland so special are being destroyed at terrifying speed.
“Huge numbers of animals, birds and habitats have been quite literally wiped out in our own lifetimes and we must now accept that without urgent and collective action, our economy, the climate and the stability of future generations living in our wild isles all face a ticking timebomb.
“Nature underpins everything that makes our lives possible – from the air we breathe, to the clean water we drink, to the food we eat.
“It is our life-support system, and it’s clear that nature’s recovery, and the desire to reverse the harm we have inflicted over the last two centuries, are issues that unite us all. Together, we can save our wild isles.
“It is a massive challenge, and we need to act fast, but there is hope. The science is clear about what we need to do and there are already amazing people transforming farms, businesses, coasts, urban spaces, transport networks, energy supplies and communities for nature. We just need much more of it.”
You can watch episode one here.
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