Netflix fans heartbroken over walrus scene in David Attenborough's Our Planet

10 April 2019, 13:28 | Updated: 1 April 2020, 09:00

By Alice Dear

@According2Al

Our Planet viewers have been left in tears over the tragic walrus death scenes.

Our Planet dropped on Netflix this month, a new David Attenborough documentary bringing to light the seriousness of climate change.

One scene in the second episode of the show has become a huge talking point due to the heartbreaking scenes of walruses plunging to their deaths in search for food.

The scenes, which were filmed in Russia, show a mass gathering of walrus on the coast.

The overcrowding on the coast was previously not a problem as the animals had sea ice to rest and feed on.

Now, hundreds struggle to fit onto the small piece of land, forcing some of the walruses to climb 80 meter cliffs for space to rest.

However, this becomes fatal to some of the animals when they attempt to return down the cliffs for food, with many of them falling to their deaths because of their poor eyesight and inability to scale such heights.

In the documentary, many walruses were left dead on the coast after falling from heights to feed.

People watching the heartbreaking scenes were left in tears, sharing on social media their shock at the distressing scenes.

One person commented: “The walrus scene in episode two of #OurPlanet has to be one of the most heartbreaking things I’ve ever watched. Can’t. Stop. Crying.”

Another added: “Full on crying after the walrus scene in episode two of Our Planet.”

The scenes bring to light the seriousness of climate change and the shocking effects it is having on the natural world.

In the episode, David Attenborough explains that animals like the walrus are “living at the frontier of climate change”.

In Netflix’s behind the scenes footage of the walruses, cameraman Jamie McPherson said: “Earlier on when there was ice, the walruses did not need this place.

“The more walruses there are, the more they find themselves climbing up high cliffs and rocks. So it is clear that walruses are experiencing problems due to the ice loss. They are meant to live on the ice, now they have lost this ice platform essential for their everyday life in the Chukchi sea.”

He added: “Many scientists blame this on global warming. I’m not a climate specialist, but the fact is, over the last 34 years the ice has just disappeared before my very eyes, and the animals, their natural habitat has changed. That fact is undeniable.”