Scotland – The New Wild: Islands (BBC Scotland Sunday 17 September 2023)

Scotland – The New Wild: Islands airs Sunday 17 September 2023 on BBC Scotland

What can we expect from this episode

Many species have benefited from the combination of low-intensity agriculture, open spaces, and a diverse and rich ocean found on the nearly 800 islands that dot the Scottish coast. There is an abundance of life on these islands, which stretch from the northern Shetland Islands to the southern Inner Hebrides.

The Monach Islands are a group of uninhabited islands in the northwestern Atlantic that have been deserted since the 1940s. Now, every autumn, the largest breeding colony of grey seals in Europe makes its home on the white sand beaches. Each year, over ten thousand puppies are born, and they only have a few weeks to get ready for life on their own.

The Uists are located only a short distance away to the east. These are a group of Scottish islands that stretch from the northernmost Berneray to the southernmost Eriskay. The local wildlife and residents have formed strong bonds over the years. The machair is a unique ecosystem that can only be found on the western coasts of these islands. Due to the low intensity of farming practised on the rich shell sand soils, a large number of waders have made this area their home. Foraging in the grassland, lapwing chicks are protected by their parents from nosy neighbours.

Submarine grasslands of exceptional size can be found in the relatively shallow waters surrounding the Scottish islands. Seagrass beds, an extremely important habitat for a wide variety of species, make for a great place for schools of juvenile fish to grow up. While also absorbing massive amounts of carbon and storing it in the sediments below, they act as a buffer against the effects of storms. Human activities have resulted in the loss of more than 90% of these meadows.

The second largest fish in the world, basking sharks, have been spotted in the rich waters of the west coast during the summer. Every year, these massive fish show up for one reason: the plankton. After being nearly wiped out by hunting, populations of these marine mammoths have been on the rise in recent years.

Filmed in hundreds of locations from remote islands to busy cities, Scotland – The New Wild has been more than three years in the making. The series is full of spectacle and surprise from rutting red deer stags in the glens to battling grey seal bulls on remote islands and the beauty of the outer Hebridean Machair. 

Other highlights include the urban beavers of Perth, dashing peregrine falcons above the streets of Edinburgh, miniature wonders like the aphid-farming wood ants and the astonishing bog raft spider – an invertebrate that walks on water.

Season 1 Episode 1

When can we see the episode

Scotland – The New Wild: Islands airs Sunday 17 September 2023 at 21:00 on BBC Scotland

Featured image credit: BBC Scotland