Blue whales – whose migration routes were previously unknown – were located by air, after some of the animals had been given temporary radio tags.

The camera team spent three years on standby, using a microlight to land on the water nearby when they finally caught up with the creatures in the Gulf of California.

Near the coast of Natal in South Africa, the team spent two seasons attempting to film the annual sardine run, a huge congregation of predators such as sharks and dolphins, that assembles to feast on the migrating fish by corralling them into "bait balls".

One of them enabled the crew to dive over a mile into the San Diego trench, where the carcass of a 40-ton gray whale had been placed to attract a large variety of scavengers.

In 2018 a newly-discovered species of phytoplankton (Syracosphaera azureaplaneta) was named by scientists in honour of the programme, and in recognition of David Attenborough's contribution to promoting wider understanding and awareness of the oceanic environment.

This series will reveal the complete natural history of our ocean planet, from its familiar shores to the mysteries of its deepest seas.

Near a Pacific seamount, there is a large concentration of marine animals because when the current makes contact with the submerged rock, it forces upwards plankton and other organisms.

These feeding grounds have led to the world's largest albatross breeding colony, on Steeple Jason Island, west of the Falklands.

Phytoplankton forms the basis of all sea life, and every night some 1,000 million tonnes of creatures ascend from the deep to search for food.

Lunar phases can also have a bearing on events and the mass arrival of ridley sea turtles on a Costa Rican beach is shown.

Herring initiate the most productive food chain, providing sustenance for humpback whales, and Steller's and California sea lions.

Hagfish, a sleeper shark, and other scavengers arrive to feast on the carcass, a valuable food source in the depths, where sustenance is almost always scarce.

It contains the same features as the US 4-disc versions, but includes a fifth disk containing four special presentations:[18] BBC released a 3-disc The Blue Planet: Seas of Life on Blu-ray on 9 April 2013.

continues to be staged: In February 2017, the BBC announced a seven-part sequel had been commissioned, titled Blue Planet II, with Sir David Attenborough returning as narrator and presenter.

[28] In the United States, it was shown as The Blue Planet: Seas of Life with the episodes in a different order, the first one being retitled "Ocean World".

[35][36] A BBC spokesman argued that it would've been unethical to actually disturb the breeding process of wild lobsters for one of the scenes, which was why they made the decision to use the aquarium footage.