An introduction to the show, narrated by series presenter Sir David Attenborough, and set to an exclusive track developed by Hans Zimmer and Radiohead featuring an array of some of the most awe-inspiring shots and highlights from the new series, as well as several exclusive scenes.
Footage of marine life in different environments around the north, beginning with a tropical coral reef which has medicinal properties for dolphins, and is used as a tool by tusk fish. In Japan, a shipwreck is home to the Asian sheepshead wrasse, which can change gender, while in the polar north, walruses struggle to find ice floes for their pups to rest on as climate change takes its toll on the environment.
The deep is perhaps the most hostile environment on earth, at least to us - a world of crushing pressure, brutal cold and utter darkness. We have barely begun to explore it, and yet it is the largest living space on the planet. Scientists already think that there is more life in the deep than anywhere else on earth. This episode takes us on an epic journey into the unknown, a realm that feels almost like science fiction. We discover alien worlds, bizarre creatures and extraordinary new behaviours never seen before. We encounter savage hordes of Humboldt squid hunting lanternfish in the depths and coral gardens flourishing in absolute darkness, with more species of coral to be found in the deep than on shallow tropical reefs.
Coral reefs are home to a quarter of all marine species. Survival in these undersea mega-cities is a challenge with many different solutions. A turtle heads to the reef's equivalent of a health spa - but she must use trickery to avoid the queue. A remarkable Grouper uses the fish equivalent of sign language to collaborate with an octopus, flushing their prey out of hiding holes. A metre-long, ferocious-jawed Bobbit Worm hides in its tunnel. Monocle Bream retaliate by squirting water to expose its sandy lair.
The big blue is the world's greatest wilderness, far from shore and many kilometres deep. It's a vast marine desert where there is little to eat and nowhere to hide. Yet it's home to some of the biggest and most spectacular creatures on earth. This episode reveals what it takes to survive in this savage and forbidding world. We witness feats of incredible endurance, moments of high drama and extraordinary acts of heart-wrenching self-sacrifice. Every animal in the big blue must find their own unique way to survive.
Footage of wildlife inhabiting underwater kelp forests, including thousands of giant cuttlefish spawning along a restricted area of rocky reef off the south coast of Australia. Males outnumber females 11 to one, which leads to fierce competition. Larger males use brute force to drive off competition, while their smaller rivals use deception by mimicking the appearance of females. The programme also features tiger sharks hunting for green turtles in fields of seagrass and spider crabs trying to avoid predators while they shed their shells.
At the coast, two worlds collide. Coasts is the story of how our Blue Planet’s wildlife survives in this ever changing world. It’s a roller-coaster ride of heart stopping action and epic drama, with characters from beautiful to bizarre. This episode is a rollercoaster ride of heart-stopping action and epic drama, peopled with characters from the beautiful to the bizarre. We meet fish that live on dry land and puffins that must travel 60 miles or more for a single meal, and witness a life-and-death struggle in a technicolour rock pool.
The final episode of Blue Planet II explores parts of the ocean that nobody has ever visited, encountered extraordinary animals, and discovered new insights into life beneath the waves. In Our Blue Planet, Sir David Attenborough examines the impact of human life on life in the ocean. In this final episode, we uncover the impact that our modern lives are having on our best-loved characters from across the series, including devoted albatross parents unwittingly feeding their chicks discarded plastic and mother dolphins potentially exposing their newborn calves to pollutants through their contaminated milk. Scientists have even discovered that increasing noise levels may stop baby clownfish finding their way home.
A scattering of some 700 islands in the Atlantic Ocean, the Bahamas are home to one of the largest and most diverse shark populations on the planet. Over the course of three weeks, Steve Backshall discovers why the Bahamas provide such sanctuary for sharks, looking at the protection offered to them, people’s changing attitudes and the key role science plays in their conservation. Steve joins researchers who have dedicated their lives to this unique and often misunderstood group of animals and learns that a healthy shark population is absolutely vital to a healthy marine ecosystem.
It's the world’s largest expanse of coral reefs. It is home to an astonishing diversity of life and vital to the health of our seas. But this extraordinary place and all the life it supports is under threat like never before. A team of scientists have based themselves on Heron Island, at the southern tip of the reef, to monitor green turtles, follow families of breeding birds and meet the reef’s curious residents.
David Attenborough, Hans Zimmer and Dave unite for a special Natural History event – Planet Earth: A Celebration. The special one-hour programme brings together eight of the most extraordinary sequences from Planet Earth II and Blue Planet II including racer snakes vs iguana, surfing bottlenose dolphins and rare footage of the Himalayan snow leopard. Featuring new narration from David Attenborough, new compositions and arrangements from Hans Zimmer, Jacob Shea and the team at Bleeding Fingers and performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra, accompanied by Brit and Mercury Award-winning UK rapper Dave. In these extraordinary times, there is one thing that can offer solace to everyone – the wonder of the natural world.
Radio 1's Annie Mac takes you on a journey from the tiniest sea life to congregations of massive whales, with lots of extraordinary creatures in between.
Travel with Benji B from coral reefs to the open ocean and beyond to the icebergs of the poles. Gorgeous tracking shots, huge waves crashing, stunning frozen landscapes, and the occasional sealife cameo.
1Xtra's Mistajam soundtracks the stars of Blue Planet II, for an entire playlist set to footage from animal-mounted onboard cameras.
Celebrating the highlights from the series, from the intense heat of the tropics to the planet's frozen poles, through to its unexplored depths. New worlds and extraordinary never before seen animal behaviours are revealed.
Dedicated scientists from around the world share their latest discoveries and reveal what future holds for the ocean.
