Sunday (19 November) night’s ‘Blue Planet II’ shone a light on the effect plastics are having on the oceans.

And while the whole episode presented viewers with jaw-dropping statistics and facts, there was scene in particular that pulled at the heartstrings.

As Sir David Attenborough explained that plastic dumped in the sea breaks down and becomes toxic, a whale pulling her dead newborn, and refusing to leave it behind, was shown.

“The calf may have been poisoned by the mother’s own contaminated milk,” Attenborough explained.
Unsurprisingly, viewers in living rooms up and down the UK were left completely distraught:
That blue whale that wouldn’t let go of her dead calf that was killed by the plastic polluting the ocean!?? #BluePlanet2 pic.twitter.com/8IVx6bWjVs

November 19, 2017
A grieving pilot whale carrying her dead baby for days…. oh I can’t bear it.We have to change. #BluePlanet2
damn it this show is making me so emotional tonight – its horrible to see how much of an impact we as humans are having upon our oceans #BluePlanet2
How sad is Blue Planet?! Whale mother carrying her dead calf ??
Not emotionally strong enough to deal with #BluePlanet tonight. That poor whale ?
Anyone who thinks animals don’t have emotions needs to watch that poor pilot whale, carrying her dead baby for weeks, refusing to let it go. ?? #BluePlanet2 #emosh

November 19, 2017
Following the episode, BBC Earth shared advice for anyone who wants to do their bit for the environment, encouraging viewers to clean nearby beaches and try to eat only fish that have been caught sustainably.

There are three more episodes of ‘Blue Planet II’ to come and the next installment will focus on the green seas and the forests and meadows within them (!).