Wild Isles: The book of the BBC TV series presented by David Attenborough

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We will see gulls steal fish from puffins off Northumberland; wild horses battling for access to females in Cambridgeshire; black grouse and hen harriers courting in the Cairngorms; blue fin tuna gathering off the coast of Cornwall; red deer stags rutting in one of Ireland’s wildest corners; mayfly hatching on a river in Wiltshire; foxes hunting rabbits at night; and even a bee that rides a broomstick in Dorset. Yet our wildlife is increasingly fragmented and fragile – this series explains the challenges nature faces today, and what can be done to make our wild isles even wilder in the future. There has been some controversy over a reportedly too-hot-to-broadcast – but OK to put out on iPlayer – “sixth episode” of Wild Isles (which the BBC claims is a “separate film inspired by the series” and was never going to air on BBC One), which will tackle the causes of these catastrophic declines.

From its majestic score to its pioneering cinematography and its clever narratives, this is education by way of awe. Alastair Fothergill, Executive Producer, said: “I have always wanted to make a landmark series that really does justice to our own extraordinary wildlife. Motion controlled time-lapse photography will bring to life the story of the passing seasons; the latest low light cameras will uncover the secret nocturnal lives of many of our favourite animals; and macro photography will reveal the miniature worlds of rock pools, ponds and grasslands.The crew were in contact with a group of about 250 local people who helped them to trace the orca along the coast and were able to film the hunt in its entirety.

Showcasing the UK’s spectacular places and wonderful wildlife gives us a powerful platform to build the broadest and most diverse movement for nature there’s ever been. Thermal cameras have revealed foxes hunting rabbits at night and captured the extraordinary spectacle of thousands of starlings coming in to roost. Alastair Fothergill, Executive Producer, says: “I have always wanted to make a landmark series that really does justice to our own extraordinary wildlife.

Thermal cameras captured glowing images of plants heating up to lure in the flies and the team could also feel the heat by placing their face next to the plant. Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Science and Natural History, says: “The multi-award winning team at Silverback are creating an eye-opening celebration of British and Irish wildlife that has to be seen to be believed. The team, including world expert macro cameraman Alastair MacEwen, used specially developed lenses, and had to make tiny windows in the sides of the flowers to be able to see the structures within.