Saving Planet Earth

As part of the season, celebrities including Shobna explore the plight of threatened wildlife across the UK to show how viewers can make a difference to their local patch and play their part in Saving Planet Earth. 

Seals and whales

Lancashire-born Shobna travels across the North West, including Nantwich, Cheshire and the Lancashire Pennines to find out what is being done to preserve wildlife across the North West.

Saving Planet Earth begins across the Irish Sea on the Isle of Man coast, one of the most important coastlines in the world for grey seals. Here they are conducting a census to discover exactly how many grey seals are on the island. The Isle of Man is also a haven for whales and dolphins. Shobna is enthralled to discover that the Isle of Man is a ‘motorway stop’ in the Irish Sea for such incredible wildlife.

Shobna’s next stop is Lancashire, where she grew up. She travels to the heart of the Pennine uplands just outside Burnley to find out more about one of our most endangered species – the Twite.

This little bird, a brown finch, is struggling for survival because modern farming methods means its food source – the sorrel seed –  isn’t given a chance to grow. Despite the moorland being the ‘hot spot’ for Twites in the whole of England, Shobna struggles to catch a glimpse of these rare birds.

However she meets up with local bird lover Linda Williams, who is helping to stabilise the Twite population by leaving special seeds out for them. Amazingly they have now come to recognise Linda and know when ‘dinner’ is going to be served. By helping Linda lay down the seeds, Shobna finally gets to see these birds in action. 

Finally, Shobna visits the RSPCA’s Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre, in Nantwich, where they rescue and then help orphaned polecats back into the wild. Here they are conducting a radio-tracked study to examine the post-release survival rates of polecats. The polecat is of considerable conservation significance because it is one of our few remaining carnivorous animals almost trapped into extinction by farmers and game keepers.

Shobna says: “It is up to us to help them thrive, this is our planet, this is our region and we have to look after it.”

Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the world-renowned BBC Natural History Unit, Saving Planet Earth kicks off on BBC One with a launch show hosted by Sir David Attenborough. Using previously unseen footage from BBC One’s award-winning series Planet Earth, Sir David explains how destruction of crucial habitat is affecting the future of many of the planet’s animals.

He says: “Some scientists suggest that up to a quarter of animal species could be extinct by 2050. But it’s not too late – you can be involved in Saving Planet Earth.

"If you are a child, this is your future. If you’re a parent, it’s your legacy. The time to act is now."

Saving Planet Earth events

• BBC Springwatch Festival, Manchester, on June 9, visit bbc.co.uk/breathingplaces;
• Marine Conservation Society Cool Seas Roadshow, Isle of Man, on June 16 and 17, visit angus@mcsuk.org;
• Saving Planet Earth Season at Chester Zoo from June 17 - July 8, visit www.chesterzoo.co.uk;
• Saving Planet Earth Day at Martin Mere Wetland Centre, Lancs, on July 6th, visit wwt.org.uk
• The Saving Planet Earth season then culminates in a live fundraising finale