Viewers were also moved to tears during the episode (Picture: BBC)
Scientist Bill Fraser was moved to tears after he visited an island that was once populated with Adelie penguins.
Sir David Attenborough’s beloved nature series Frozen Planet II returned for its final installment and the national treasure took viewers on an insightful journey to Antarctica.
The episode saw Professor Fraser visiting one of the largest colonies in the icy continent and explained there used to be 20,000 penguins that lived in the area, but was devastated to discover that there were only 400 left.
‘Adelies are a creature of the high Antarctic. They evolved in a dry, cold polar system, they simply cannot tolerate being continuously wet,’ he began.
As he faced the camera he expressed that the ‘changes have become more rapid, more rapid than anyone anticipated.’
‘The chicks are soaking,’ he added.
‘There are no words to describe what I’m feeling at the moment,’ he weeped (Picture: BBC)
The final edition focused on the Adelie penguins (Picture: BBC)
‘The rain is penetrating them down, breaking down their ability to insulate themselves – that’s why they are shivering. They’re trying to maintain their body temperature and they can’t.’
After he explained that the chicks have ‘zero chance of survival,’ Fraser struggled to hold back the tears.
‘There are no words to describe what I’m feeling at the moment. Adelie penguins are, without doubt, indicator species.
‘They are telling us that the globe is changing, getting warmer.’
Viewers were also overcome with emotion by the devastating scenes, with one person writing: ‘These poor penguin chicks.’
‘Unbearably sad on #frozenplanet2 to see the baby adelie penguins covered in mud and shivering to death because their environment is warming up,’ another added.
‘Hearing the words Penguin and Extinct in one sentence has me in tears. This is so serious,’ a third person wrote.
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Another echoed: ‘I have never been brought to tears by a programme like #FrozenPlanet#FrozenPlanet2 especially the penguin bit.
‘It has actually broken my heart. I can’t cope especially with that wee scientist/ researcher nearly in tears! Bless him.’
Frozen Planet II is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
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The final episode dropped on Sunday
