Shocked Blue Planet Live viewers watch seagull snatch baby turtle live on air
Presenter Liz Bonnin had just released the six hatchlings into the sea
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Liz Bonnin, Chris Packham and Steve Backshall have presented live from various stunning and occasionally underwater locations across the globe for Blue Planet Live.
But the series’ concluding episode was an example of the pitfalls of live television, after a seagull snatched up one of six baby turtles that Bonnin was helping to release into the sea.
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"They're going to spend at least a hundred years in the sea" unless a seagull snatches them when you're doing a piece to camera first. Brutal. #BluePlanetLive pic.twitter.com/ftuAiXPprA
— Jono (@jonoread) March 31, 2019
“They’re going to spend at least 100 years in our oceans if all goes well,” Bonnin said as the hatchlings made their way to the sea — only for a seagull to swoop down and grab one of the baby turtles, as the camera quickly switched perspective.
Viewers were left in shock, with one posting that they couldn’t “stop thinking about that little baby turtle and the seagull”.
I can't stop thinking about that little baby turtle and the seagull…????????#BluePlanetLive
— Honeychild (@honeychildpr) April 1, 2019
Me when that seagull nabbed that baby turtle just as it was released #BluePlanetLive pic.twitter.com/JY2779jQAB
— Shanon Lola Ⓥ (@ShanonLola) March 31, 2019
Did a seagull just snatch a baby turtle as she was talking??? #BluePlanetLive
— Mollie Goodfellow (@hansmollman) March 31, 2019
THE SEAGULL JUST GOT THE TURTLE OH MY GOD #BluePlanetLive pic.twitter.com/qY4JiG7UsQ
— Lucy (@lucymaybeattie) March 31, 2019
“Did a seagull just eat a baby turtle live on TV?!,” one viewer asked.
… did a seagull just eat a baby turtle live on tv?! #BluePlanetLive
— Melissa Taylor (@MelissaTaylorOT) March 31, 2019
I guess they don't live for 100 years in some cases then. #BluePlanetLive @PlanetSeagull pic.twitter.com/5UDiuc2GSi
— ?? (@B94Williams) April 1, 2019
Presenter: These little turtles will live for a hundred years, all being well.
Seagull: Hold my pint.#BluePlanetLive
— Paul Burley (@paulxdesign) March 31, 2019
But while viewers were left heartbroken by the seagull’s surprise attack, Bonnin took to Twitter to point out that, though “hard to watch,” it comes down to survival of the fittest.
Responding to a viewer’s tweet, Bonnin wrote: “These hatchlings are part of the food web here and the silver gulls need to feed their newborn chicks too.
“Hard to watch,” she added, “but we can’t do anything about it.”
Indeed..These hatchlings are part of the food web here and the silver gulls need to feed their newborn chicks too. Hard to watch but we can’t do anything about it. #BluePlanetLive https://t.co/VTYAWFdr8c
— Liz Bonnin (@lizbonnin) March 31, 2019
