Is this Sir David Attenborough’s most gruesome scene? Starving Arctic Foxes turn to cannibalism amid climate change and lack of food in stark moment on BBC’s Mammals

  • Episode shows a sneaking foxes fighting over a carcass along Canada’s Hudson Bay

Starving Arctic foxes turn to cannibalism as they battle climate change and lack of food in one of the saddest scenes ever filmed for a Sir David Attenborough programme.

In a heartbreaking moment in the BBC series Mammals, desperate foxes are seen feeding on one of their own, which is believed to have collapsed and starved to death.

Rising temperatures in the Arctic have caused the sea to freeze over later in the year and without sea ice, foxes can no longer hunt.

Desperate and starving, the final episode sees them resort to cannibalism to survive in one of the most gruesome and sad scenes the broadcaster has ever recorded.

In scenes that some viewers may find too excruciating to watch, the episode features a skull of foxes fighting over the carcass that has starved to death in Canada’s Hudson Bay.

Starving Arctic foxes turn to cannibalism as they battle climate change and lack of food along Canada’s Hudson Bay in heartbreaking scenes filmed for BBC Mammals

Desperate and starving, the final episode sees them resort to cannibalism to survive in one of the most gruesome and sad scenes the broadcaster has ever recorded.

Desperate and starving, the final episode sees them resort to cannibalism to survive in one of the most gruesome and sad scenes the broadcaster has ever recorded.

Sir David Attenborough's latest wildlife series focuses on how animals are adapting to the world in their fight against climate change

Sir David Attenborough’s latest wildlife series focuses on how animals are adapting to the world in their fight against climate change

Sir David will only tell viewers that only time will tell whether the species can survive in the long term, reports say The mirror.

He says: ‘Arctic foxes form unlikely alliances with polar bears.

‘It’s late in the year and both species are waiting for the sea to freeze.

‘Once that happens, polar bears will be able to hunt seals on the ice again and Arctic foxes will forage for their scraps.

“But right now they’re both hungry and they both have to wait. Ten days pass, but there is still no sea ice to be seen.

‘The situation is becoming desperate for the foxes. The wait for one arctic fox has been too long.

“The starving survivors cannot ignore this opportunity. Desperation has led to cannibalism, which is becoming increasingly common in the Arctic.”

The new series has received rave reviews from critics and viewers, despite unsubstantiated claims by some that elephants in one episode “look like CGI.”

Sir David will tell viewers that only 'time will tell' whether the species can survive in the long term

Sir David will tell viewers that only ‘time will tell’ whether the species can survive in the long term

In scenes that some viewers may find too excruciating to watch, the episode shows a den of foxes fighting over the carcass

In scenes that some viewers may find too excruciating to watch, the episode shows a den of foxes fighting over the carcass

The arctic foxes wait for the sea to freeze so they can collect the leftovers from the polar bears

The arctic foxes wait for the sea to freeze so they can collect the leftovers from the polar bears

Rising temperatures in the Arctic have caused the sea to freeze over later in the year and without sea ice the foxes can no longer hunt

Rising temperatures in the Arctic have caused the sea to freeze over later in the year and without sea ice the foxes can no longer hunt

Elephants walk into a town in Zimbabwe in scenes shot for new BBC series Mammals

Elephants walk into a town in Zimbabwe in scenes shot for new BBC series Mammals

Some claim that the elephant scenes were computer-generated, but this has been denied

Some claim that the elephant scenes were computer-generated, but this has been denied

Audience members took to social media during the show to express their concerns about scenes showing the nighttime forays of African elephants through a town in Zimbabwe.

But Mammals assistant producer Sarah-Jane Walsh confirmed it was real, from a ‘low light camera’ and ‘high ISO’ setting – a setting to capture brighter images in darker situations.

Another assistant producer on the show, Harriet Lawrence, said it was difficult to find the elephants as the team used thermal telescopes to spot them in dark alleys.

The latest episode in the six-part series, titled Cold, airs this Sunday at 7pm on BBC One.