Every Turtle Featured In That Harrowing "Planet Earth II" Segment Was Rescued
The @BBCEarth Twitter account reassured viewers that the baby turtles featured were all rescued with the help an organisation that saves lost hatchlings each night.
Sunday's Planet Earth II featured a deeply emotional moment where viewers saw hawksbill turtle hatchlings leaving their nests on a beach in Barbados, heading inland instead of into the sea.
Why? Light pollution. The turtles are supposed to follow the light from the full moon to find the sea, but are confused and head in the wrong direction.
As a result many turtles are killed each night by traffic or simply die from exhaustion.
Many also perish in storm drains.
Or are attacked by crabs at the top of the beach.
Many viewers became distressed by the sequence and wished that someone had saved them.
However, BBC Earth immediately tweeted that every turtle featured in the episode was rescued.
Planet Earth II worked with the Barbados Sea Turtle Project, which rescues turtles and releases them back into the sea during the hatching season.
In a video published on the BBC website, Carla Daniel, the organisation's deputy field director, spoke about why it was necessary to help the turtles.
There are many times that everything feels kind of pointless. What is the point of doing this? ... So this is one of those things where we all have to hold hands and come together and agree to make a difference. Be conscious of the fact that everything has the right to exist.
If there was one single thing I would say is necessary for change, it would be to get up. Get out of the house and do something.
This doesn't mean that every turtle was saved, but at least there is some help for them out there.
You can watch Planet Earth II on BBC iPlayer (UK only).