By Ruby Free with contributions from Erin McKeown
Wild Isles featured our stunning marine environments and showcases the mounting threats it faces.
Common Dolphin Calf by Ruby Free
What a way to end an incredible TV series. The final episode of Wild Isles showcased the wonders of our incredible marine environment! From seals to sea grass, our seas are rich in biodiversity that is often hidden out of sight! In fact, in Northern Ireland, 50% of biodiversity can be found in our seas and along our coastline.
In the fifth episode of the series, viewers got a fish-eye view of ocean habitats and their unique inhabitants, including the never before filmed royal flush sea slug. Taking off from the bottom of the ocean and swimming through the water in what looks like a dance of the fairies to migrate to fresh areas of seafloor, using their mantels as wings, they are carried for miles by the sea current.
Elsewhere, the episode explored the biggest fish living off our shores; the basking shark. It also looked at bioluminescence, which is the production and emission of light by a living organism. This bioluminescence behaviour was previously known but, until recently, it was impossible to film in such darkness.
Snakelocks Anemone by Dakota Reid
Wild Isles showed us how unsustainable activities at sea are harming marine ecosystems.
The episode looked at the remarkable lives of cuttlefish, seahorses, sea gooseberries, brittle stars, scallops and more, shining a light on how our human impact is greatly affecting their lives. Whether it be the bottom trawling and anchoring of boats, or the nets left out to catch fish, Wild Isles showcased the impact we humans are having on out surrounding seas. Advocating for ‘no take zones,’ of which only a few exist in the waters surrounding the UK and Ireland - less than 1% of our waters, we saw what could happen when vulnerable areas are left alone to bounce back.
Here in Britain and Ireland we have some of the richest seas in Europe.
Harbour Seal by Ruby Free
Our varied coastline, if you include all the many offshore islands, is nearly 22,000 miles long and none of us live more than 70 miles away from the sea. Boasting internationally important populations of endangered wildlife, protecting our seas has never been more important.
Common Guillemot by Ruby Free
The UK and Ireland is home to:
And the island of Ireland holds:
Now is the time for action!
Stormont with flowers by Press Eye
Through proper implementation of a strong biodiversity strategy alongside action taken on marine pollution, overfishing and invasive species control in addition to the sustainable roll-out of marine renewable energies that are in harmony with nature, we can properly safeguard our marine life and make our local seas a true haven for the incredible species that call Northern Ireland home.
A plea from Sir David Attenborough
David Attenborough with Manx Sheerwater by Silverback Films
Towards the end of the episode, Sir David bids farewell to a Manx shearwater, a seabird facing rapid declines and loss of habitat, and delivers a poignant message about the future of these Wild Isles and the wildlife that calls them home. "A lot has changed in my lifetime and today the wildlife we still have faces greater threats than ever before. Our seabirds remind us that here in Britain and Ireland, we are very fortunate to have some of nature's greatest spectacles, right on our doorstep. Because this is our home, it can only be our responsibility to restore and protect our wildlife. Perhaps you can be the first to pass these wild isles onto the next generation in better shape than you inherited them."
Find out how you can help Save Our Wild Isles here.