Frozen Planet II continued with its stunning and at some points distressing content on Sunday, after making a welcome return to screens last weekend.
The Sir David Attenborough-narrated series brought viewers on a journey to the North Pole this episode and countries including Norway and Russia as it took in polar bears making friends, orcas hunting other whales, majestic narwhals – and one very sweet seal pup.
Following last week’s bizarre walrus mating ritual, the programme homed in on the story of a mother seal looking after her new baby, who was of course all types of white, fluffy and adorable.
Viewers were lulled with gorgeous footage of the parent and baby bonding as the mother fed her baby and taught him how to swim.
A particularly important lesson for the newborn harp seal pup, as Sir David revealed they were vulnerable to pneumonia while developing the thick layer of insulating fat needed to brave the freezing temperatures.
He also revealed the quite stunning fact that female seals only produce milk for 12 days, the shortest-known nursing period in mammals, and one that sees them lose a third of their body weight as they help pups put on the necessary fat.
However, Frozen Planet II fans were not ready for what would come next as renowned conservationist and broadcaster Sir David explained: ‘After producing milk for 12 days, she has lost a third of her body weight.
‘Now she must return to her feeding grounds. She will never see her pup again.’
If that wasn’t the killer blow, more followed as it transpired that seal pups spend the next four weeks alone on the packed ice, hoping to survive before they are ready to go hunting in the water on their own.
‘Anyone else bawling at the harp seal?’ asked one viewer, while another lamented: ‘The baby seal and it’s [sic] mother have just broken my heart.’
One particularly shaken fan commented: ‘No human has ever hurt me as bad as that seal and pup did.’
Viewers were also noticing Frozen Planet II’s stunning music as one wrote: ‘Oh nooooo, little pup is on his own! Poor little pup. (Btw the emotional manipulation music as his mother slipped from view was Bambi-worthy)’
The seal pup’s sniffles and wails he made were also testing resolve, but it was just another lesson in the (often) brutal circle of life – especially as the final few moments of the show gave insight into the filming process for the seals and revealed a storm was closing in on the seal pup after his mother left.
Frozen Planet II returns next Sunday at 8pm on BBC One.
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