Wild Isles – UK Wildlife gets the Sir David Attenborough treatment!
A new Sir David Attenborough wildlife series hits our small screens in ultra-high definition this Sunday evening (BBC One at 7pm). Some of the UK’s most iconic wetland wildlife will feature including the high speed life of the Kingfisher in episode 1.
Produced by Silverback, the film-makers responsible for the ground-breaking ‘Planet’ series (Our Planet, Blue Planet, Green Planet) Wild Isles has one major difference. This time the lens is focused close to home, to document native wildlife stories. With breath-taking new footage shot in Britain and Ireland, the series will show wildlife spectacles our Wild Isles, to rival anywhere on earth!
Some of the UK’s most iconic wetland wildlife will feature including the high speed life of the Kingfisher in episode 1, as well as sweeping aerial shots of flocks of wading birds and geese in flight, and macro photography of tiny wetlands creatures beneath the surface of ponds and pools.
Filmed over three years, with the best camera people in the industry and all the latest technology, the series aims to bring prime-time audiences an awe-inspiring new perspective on UK wildlife. The latest low-light cameras will also share new insights into nocturnal animal behaviour, including filming inside a starling roost throughout the night, and motion controlled time-lapse footage will explore habitats through the changing seasons.
The series celebrates the diverse wildlife landscapes of the UK, with episodes focused on key habitats: woodlands, grasslands, freshwater and marine. New wildlife behaviour is documented including moments of high drama such as white-tailed eagles hunting barnacle geese, as well as smaller, subtler stories such as zooming in on the hidden lives of pollinators.
Wild Isles will give primetime audiences a better understanding of how precious Wild Isles nature is, and how fragile. It will underline the extent of nature depletion and the urgency of threats to native wildlife. But crucially, the filmmakers hope to amaze the UK public with the wildlife that belongs here and inspire a mass movement to protect it.
The series has been co-produced by RSPB, WWF, The Open University and it is keenly anticipated across the UK conservation sector. A strong conservation message is embedded throughout. The hope is that the series will prove a defining moment for conservation engagement and generate a groundswell of support for protecting precious UK habitats and their amazing wildlife.
Sir David Attenborough said:
“In my long lifetime, I have travelled to almost every corner of our planet. I can assure you that in the British Isles, as well as astonishing scenery there are extraordinary animal dramas and wildlife spectacles to match anything I have seen on my global travels.”
Healthy wetlands provide many of the British Isles most nature-rich habitats. In a time of biodiversity and climate emergency, wetlands not only support so many species, they also help build climate resilience. They store carbon, prevent flooding, reduce pollution. But their health is under threat. That’s why we work directly to protect, restore and create healthy wetlands, and help others to do the same.
If you’re inspired by the Wild Isles series, and keen to play your part for nature, please sign our Wetlands Can pledge to create and restore 100,000 hectares of UK wetlands, visit our sites for amazing first-hand wildlife experiences and support our work for precious wetland habitats.
