Ocean: Earth's Last Wilderness

by David Attenborough, Colin Butfield

AN AUDIBLE BEST AUDIOBOOK OF 2025

Award-winning broadcaster and natural historian David Attenborough and longtime collaborator Colin Butfield present a powerful call to action focused on our planet's oceans, exploring how critical this habitat is for the survival of humanity and the earth's future.

Through personal stories, history and cutting-edge science, Ocean uncovers the mystery, the wonder, and the frailty of the most unexplored habitat on our planet—the one which shapes the land we live on, regulates our climate, and creates the air we breathe. This book showcase the oceans' remarkable they can, and in some cases have, recovered the fastest, if we only give them the chance.

Drawing a course across David Attenborough's own lifetime, Ocean takes readers on an adventure-laden voyage through eight unique ocean habitats, countless intriguing species, and the most astounding discoveries of the last 100 years, to a future vision of a fully restored marine world—one even more spectacular than we could possibly hope for. Ocean reveals the past, present and potential future of our blue planet. It is a book almost a century in the making, but one that has never been more urgently needed.

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature, Science, Audiobook, History, Environment, Ecology

Audible Audio

First published April 24, 2025

About the author

Sir David Frederick Attenborough is a naturalist and broadcaster, who is most well-known for writing and presenting the nine "Life" series, produced in conjunction with BBC's Natural History Unit. The series includes Life on Earth (1979), The Living Planet (1984), The Trials of Life (1990), Life in the Freezer (about Antarctica; 1993), The Private Life of Plants (1995), The Life of Birds (1998), The Life of Mammals (2002), Life in the Undergrowth (2005) and Life in Cold Blood (2008).

He is the younger brother of director and actor Richard Attenborough.

Photo credit: Wildscreen's photograph of David Attenborough at ARKive's launch in Bristol, England © May 2003

Reviews

[olmresi · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Perhaps for the first time this is a chance to demonstrate what we have learned as a species. We can respect the rights of indigenous peoples, be led by scientific evidence, cooperate for the good of all and define value as something different from money."


"We have changed the ocean so profoundly that the next hundred years could either witness a mass extinction of ocean life or a spectacular recovery. I will not see how that story ends, but, after a lifetime of exploring our planet, I remain convinced that the more people enjoy and understand the natural world, the greater our hope of saving both it and ourselves becomes."


a gentle, poetic and insightful, yet also devastating, necessary and urgent love letter to the oceans written by a man who has spent his whole life discovering & protecting them

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sir David Attenborough has been teaching and accompanying me since my childhood. Back in the day, I didn't know his name and I hadn't heard his voice on account of me not being a native English speaker. However, the ZDF (one of THE sources for documentaries back in the day) had/has a collaboration with the BBC and thus showed his footage in their broadcasts here. I must have been about 5 years old when I first saw footage of far-away jungles and oceans and I soaked up all the knowledge I could about the natural world, courtesy of the programs Sir Attenborough created.

(Yes, it was his idea. After years of showing caged animals, he wanted not to bring the animals to us but to take us to the animals and show us how they lived - not least in order to protect their habitats.)

On May 8, 2025, Sir Attenborough turned 99. No, you wouldn't guess it from looking at him though signs of aging are undeniable now. I fear I will not have his soothing voice and hopeful spirit teach me (and so many millions around the world) about the wonders of the natural world for much longer.

It is therefore no surprise that this book is his first collaboration of this magnitude (text, audio narration, filming of the accompanying movie for National Geographic in which he didn't travel too much but was instead seen twice on a beach in Dorset, England, and once in a sub with which he went to see Osprey Reef). I was happy to see that the collaboration was a successful one though.

Sir Attenborough has always been a naturalist and a conservationist. He was at the forefront of teaching people about whales so killing them for the blubber would finally stop and he was adamant about protecting many other species, such as gorillas.
With this book, he's showing us the horrors of trawler fishing (I couldn't look when that segment was shown in the movie) and the dangers to all of us if we don't get smart about how we treat the biggest habitat on our planet. Because while the planet might be called "Earth", 7/10 of it is covered in water and 90% of its biosphere is water.
Don't get me, or him, wrong: he's not advocating for nobody to ever eat fish again. Instead, as with meat, he's saying that we can eat less and change HOW we gain this source of protein, creating a more sustainable industry so everyone wins.

Why is this important? Because the ocean currents directly impact our weather which directly impacts harvests and more. It's all connected, it's all important - and if we come to a certain tipping point ... the world will not come to an end as many movies will have you believe, it's just us humans that will no longer be here and self-preservation alone should kick our asses in gear.

Thus, in this book, we first learn about what has happened in a single blue whale's lifetime

before we learn about the different habitats of the Ocean World:

- Coral Reef


- The Deep


- Open Ocean


- Kelp Forest


- Arctic


- Mangroves


- Oceanic Islands and Seamounts


- Southern Ocean


In the end, we conclude by looking at what can happen in a single human generation.


I was delighted to read that this book also included an appendix on not only sources but also further reading.

For me, personally, it's about at least trying not to make even more species go extinct. I eat meat and fish but I always am very picky about where it comes from and how often I eat it. Yeah, it costs a little more but if you eat less, that evens things out.
And have you SEEN the beauty of the ocean?
Sadly, I'm no diver but I am tempted to learn because while I grew up in the forest, basically, and love it there, the ocean is on another scale when it comes to biodiversity and beauty!
Which is where Sir Attenborough and his programs came in back in the day and still do now: they show us! They show us what we're missing, they show us what we're doing, they show us what we could lose - and they show us a possible way out.

This might very well be the last book and the last program we get from Sir Attenborough so once again, I opted for the signed edition since I wasn't able to go to London for the signing event myself (I could still kick myself).





I'm very happy that this book contained stunning photographs (I showed you in my status updates) and gorgeous black-and-white illustrations (I showed you the ones at the beginning of every chapter, but there were smaller ones interspersed too).

A wonderful addition to my shelf and I hope he's right in his hopeful outlook on the future, namely that we can turn things around as we've done in a number of places in the past (Hawai'i being a prominent example, Cabo Pulmo being another).

Here's to many more books by this international treasure of a man! (And if this turns out to have indeed been his last, he will have ended his life / career / education of his fellow humans with a bang!)

[Angyl]

An enjoyable read, though not the best non-fiction I picked up this year. Colin Butfield and David Attenborough discuss all things ocean (hence the title) and the main part of the book is split up by sections: Coral Reef, The Deep, Open Ocean, Kelp Forest, Arctic, Mangroves, Oceanic Islands and Seamounts, and Southern Ocean.
The sections that stood out the most to me were Arctic in which Attenborough details the horrific truth of what climate change is doing to the Earth's poles which were once permanently capped in ice, and now are on track to be completely melted, even through wintertime. If you are quick to spiral when it comes to the topic of climate change, make sure to fully prepare yourself before this book.
I also enjoyed the section on mangroves as I feel that was where I gained the most knowledge.

I would recommend this to anyone who has an interest in the ocean & marine life, and those who want to know what can be done to help save it. I think this would be a better read for someone who has a bit of knowledge in the subject already.

[Sud666 · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Attenborough's "Ocean" could be seen as a written version of his superb documentaries. it is a trip through the Ocean, a medium Attenborough has been in love with for decades. All his knowledge and love pour out in this book that takes a look at our Oceans.

Broken into different sections that focus on the challenges facing each particular environment, the importance of that environment, and the sometimes amazing recovery of those areas by conservation efforts and the raw replenishment power of the Ocean itself.

The sections are as varied as Coral reef, The Deep, Open Ocean, Kelp Forest, Arctic, mangroves, Oceanic Islands, Seamounts, and the Southern Ocean. As in a few years I shall be moving to Hawai'i, I found the sections on Reefs and Oceanic Islands and Seamounts, which encompass the Hawaiian Islands, to be particularly interesting and fascinating.

A work of love by someone who loves the Ocean. Interesting and fascinating, it also highlights the great improvements that have been made in reservation while highlighting much yet to be done.

[cichyczaj · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 | daje nadzieję

[| M a r v i k k i s | · Rating 5 out of 5]

[5.0 / 5.0] ★★★★★
Innbundet, Norsk, Fra Bokhyllen

[Tilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

As a huge nature lover that has watched and read countless series and books by the legend that is David Attenborough, I was desperately excited to read this newest book "Ocean".

The book is split into three parts, with part two being the bulk of the book. Part Two is split into 8 sections of the Ocean including Coral Reef, The Deep, Open Ocean, Kelp Forest, Arctic, Mangroves, Oceanic Islands and Seamounts and Southern Ocean.
Each section generally leads with an opening paragraph or tale by David Attenborough (captioned DA afterwards) and then leads into Colin Butfield's parts which are by far the larger parts of the book. There are also stunning photographs in each section and fun drawings throughout the book.

My favourite sections were Coral Reef, The Deep, Kelp Forest and Mangroves. However every single section I found interesting and engaging. Even though sometimes I didn't learn much new information (I consume a lot of nature books/journals/programmes etc), I still really enjoyed the stories, case studies and scientific information given.
"Ocean" tells the stories of our many underwater ecosystems whilst also going into detail on specific species, trips by David, scientific information, political issues and of course, Climate Change and how the Ocean is being affected. I adored the more zoomed in stories about specific species from sea otters eating clams to a whale carcass covered in pearl octopus and how krill feed basically everything in Antarctica!
Although it can be a little depressing at times, this book does show the harsh reality of the state of our Oceans. I really hope this book makes people think more about their choices and what they can change to help save our Oceans and also our planet.

My main gripe about this book is that there was quite a lot of repetition. I understand wanting to teach and force a point, however at times in Colin's sections, it became a little tiring due to the repeated information.
Despite this, I have to say it was very well written and incredibly well researched. Some of the stories were brand new to me and I gobbled up that information and loved every second.

Overall, a fantastic new nature book that I think a lot of people will enjoy. There is a great balance in stories and information and think it makes it very accessible for those that want to learn about the Ocean's amazing and unique ecosystems.

Please note that I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook with Simon. It was narrated by the authors, David Attenborough and Colin Butfield. Overall, we enjoyed it and found you had to concentrate to take on board the wealth of information.

Quotes:

"Over the lifetime of a single blue whale we have discovered more about the ocean than in the rest of human history combined, but will we discover the foresight to help the ocean recover from the damage we have inflicted upon in in the same period."

"The deep ocean is our last true unexplored wilderness, the remaining place where we can discover things about our world that are beyond our capacity to imagine. A common area, owned by no-one, yet vital for all life."

"We can respect the rights of indigenous people. We can be led by scientific evidence. We can co-operate for the good of all and to find value for something quite different from money."

"There is great cause for hope." - Quite possibly my favorite quote of all.

"Sea Lions, clever, social and inquisitive, similar in that way to monkeys in a rainforest."

"We drastically underestimate what a healthy ecosystem should be, what we often think of as healthy, or at least normal today, would look much diminished to a previous generation."

"We get used to a degraded environment and as a result too often we don't even aspire to recover what we once had."

From the afterword:

"Discovery is one of the great joys of the natural world."

"We now finally understand all we need to know to restore our ocean, we have the knowledge, but more importantly, we have the proof, we have real world evidence..."

"The most important discovery of recent years is the ocean's capacity to regenerate."

[McKenna (mckennalovescontent) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have lived for over three decades in awe of the men and women who have devoted their lives to the noble cause of spreading awareness about our planet, and the wildlife and ecosystems that exist within it. Few people have done that work longer, more thoroughly, or more successfully than David Attenborough. This is a man who has dedicated his existence to making sure as many people as possible learn about, come to understand, and henceforth love the natural world - ensuring a higher chance that it can be saved.

Growing up I was not a kid who watched Saturday morning cartoons; instead, I was tuned into Animal Planet during my every free moment. I studied biological sciences in college. I have worked with countless organizations (rescues, national parks, wildlife preserves, anti-poaching units) on three continents. I would like to believe I know more about the natural world than the average person - so I am delighted to find spaces where I do not know enough, and people within them who can teach me more. David Attenborough’s “Oceans” has done just that for me. I did not know the extent that microplastics have built up in our aquatic wildlife. I did not know that whale poop has such an effect on every level of the oceanic food chain, AND on climate change and the locking away of carbon (from our atmosphere to the silt on the ocean floor). I definitely did not know that we are currently locked in a battle against people who are trying to industrially mine the ocean floor.

I believe that the too-common belief that climate change isn’t real is simply a matter of not having enough education on the topic, and I believe that David Attenborough has the ability to change peoples’ minds on this matter. We know more now than ever before about our oceans and the ecosystems they provide for, and reading this book can do nothing but further knowledge and awareness, and therefore enable us all to shift the tides.

We all live a privileged existence in that our planet is so perfectly made to create and sustain life, and we are screwing it up. As stated in “Oceans,” the catastrophic changes happening are easy to ignore in these fortunate lives of ours, when so many of us are able to live comfortably and have easy access to water and food. But the through-line of this story is that we must not get complacent. We cannot live in blissful ignorance, forgetting that it is our duty to help the planet that has given us all life, and our responsibility to give future generations the opportunity to experience the same beauty that our ancestors had.

Thank you David Attenborough, for your eight decades of devotion. And thank you for reminding us of all that we still do not know, and the beauty that lives in those mysteries.

Movies and television shows to watch after you read this book: any wildlife/conservation documentary that David Attenborough has been part of, Jane (Jane Goodall documentary).

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for sharing an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Bex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book feels like watching a documentary and I loved every moment of it! I am a bit biased because I’ve always loved learning about animals and I have a fondness for whales!
The authors take us from coral reefs, to mangrove forests, the Arctic, and the Southern Ocean.
We see the interplay of different species of marine and terrestrial life as they navigate the challenges of their ecosystems.
The impact of human activities is integrated into several sections and the authors share many conservation efforts that have succeeded in protecting these ecosystems. I enjoyed the stories of community-led stewardship of these protected areas and the acknowledgment of indigenous practices.
The illustrations and photos are beautiful and David Attenborough shares stories from throughout his filming career which were very entertaining.
Overall I recommend this to anyone who wants to know what it’s like to swim through a kelp forest, enjoy the wonders of coral reefs, or descend to the midnight zone! I also recommend this to anyone who is interested in current initiatives to conserve and protect the ocean.

[kristiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Protect the environment, protect our oceans and protect Sir David Attenborough!

[Adrianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this so very much. I’ll start with why it lost a star; I’m reading on my phone (not my fave). I was fortunate enough to be selected by the publisher as an advanced reader and unfortunately the only supported format was on my phone, which I understand given how stunning the photos at the end of the book were, but if I was going to be forced to read a book on my phone I would’ve preferred that the images be scattered throughout their relevant portions of the book. Additionally, there were times that the book felt repetitive. I know it’s flipping back and forth between Attenborough and Butfield’s writing, but there are parts that feel like they are back-to-back Butfield sections that feel repetitive. For instance, CCAMLR is named, defined (mission, etc.) and shortened twice in the span of like 30 pages. But again, I also may be getting lost in the digital formatting.

Overall, the book was stunning, and felt vivid, urgent and rich in the way any documentary makes you feel. I felt fully immersed in the scenes and situations outlined throughout the book. If I’m honest, this was made more enjoyable by the fact that I read in Sir David Attenborough’s voice throughout the entire thing.

I often feel like it’s a difficult balance to strike in works of non-fiction where I feel like I’m learning but still having fun and not so bogged down by the minutia, and Ocean did that so well. In all of the ways I found “Sapiens” to be mind numbing and boring, I found this to be rich and engaging. I felt like I was learning something new on every page without it feeling too technical or verbose. There were some moments where I felt myself losing track or spacing out, but they were brief and we’ll attribute that to: reading on a phone, some of that repetitive nature, my own shortcomings in attentiveness, etc. etc).

Another sincere thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read ahead !

[Emily Olive Petit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Edelweiss for furnishing advance copies of this book!

Here is a thoughtful and thorough exploration of various marine phenomena affected by climate change and human activity. Replete with a healthy balance of realism and optimism, as well as detailed sketches (and, in the back matter, color photographs) of the numerous creatures described throughout the text, Ocean furnishes a timely and reverent series of observations about the many aquatic universes beyond our immediate scope of vision.

[Aleksandra Gratka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jesteśmy w takim punkcie losów Ziemi, że obojętność na to, co dzieje się z klimatem, przyrodą, fauną i florą, jest totalną ignorancją. Takie książki jak "Ocean. Ostatnie dzikie miejsce" otwierają oczy na piękno, które wokół i na kruchość tego piękna.

David Attenborough to człowiek-instytucja. Wieloletni orędownik przyrody i nauk przyrodniczych, tym razem odsłania przed nami tajniki oceanów. Ląd poznaliśmy szybko, oceany długo były zagadką, w niektórych aspektach pozostały nią nadal.

Zachwycająca rafa koralowa, zajmująca 350 tysięcy kilometrów kwadratowych, to mnogość gatunków, które żyją w przyjaźni lub wręcz przeciwnie. Głębiny oceanu to pożywka dla wyobraźni. Ileż potworów może się tam kryć! Jakiś Lewiatan, jakiś Kraken lub - tym razem prawdziwy - czarny diabeł morski. Tam gatunki przystosowały się do trudnych warunków - kałamarnica truskawkowa z wielkim żółtym okiem patrzącym w górę i małym niebieskim w dół, by żaden posiłek jej nie umknął.
Już nie tak głęboko - płetwal błękitny, największe zwierzę na Ziemi, które musi być morskie, bo żaden szkielet nie dźwignąłby takiej masy.
Zaglądamy też w bardzo zimne rejony. Lody Arktyki to całe mnóstwo organizmów, które zagrożone są przez ocieplający się klimat. Wieczna zmarzlina przestaje być wieczna...
Na wyspie Raine patrzymy na szkielety żółwi, ale i na żółwiki zielone wykluwające się na plaży. Z tysiąca tylko jeden ma szansę na osiągnięcie dojrzałości.

"Ocean. Ostatnie dzikie miejsce" to pięknie wydana (rysunki i zdjęcia!), fascynująca opowieść o świecie, który potrafi się odradzać, ale niektóre ludzkie działania mocno to utrudniają. Między wierszami tej historii wybrzmiewa lęk o to, w jakim kierunku zmierza ludzkość i jak szybko niszczymy to, z czego i dzięki czemu przecież żyjemy.

[Manou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wat zou ik graag willen dat ik alles wat ik lees kan onthouden, maar op de een of andere manier als het over de oceanen gaat lukt dat niet (dat is al zo sinds mijn eerste vakken over mariene biologie). Het boek geeft alarmerende boodschappen over het oceaanleven, maar doet dit niet zonder hoop te geven. Er zijn veel meer succesvolle (lokale) beschermingsmaatregelen dan waar ik van op de hoogte was.

En twijfel je over dit boek? Haal het dan gewoon alleen al voor de foto’s, absoluut een mooie toevoeging

[Michael Fraser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is not well written. It regularly repeats itself and hops about a bit. It is also fascinating, sad, and one that everyone should read. Also includes the origin of Cholera. And it has nice pictures

[CJ Blair · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was the most amazing, beautiful, perfect book ive ever read 🥺

[Kayla Oswald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seriously. The day David Attenborough dies is going to be one of the worst days of my life. I love him and how passionate he’s always been about ocean conservation and this book reads as part love letter, part call to arms. We need to protect our oceans!! We need more marine protected areas!!

[CYIReadBooks (Claire) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ocean by David Attenborough and Colin Butfield is an excellent but somewhat overwhelming exploration of the world’s oceans. The book covers eight habitats that include coral reefs, and deep seas. It is filled with gorgeous photos and detailed illustrations. And offers Attenborough’s thoughts on overfishing and climate change. I enjoyed the hopeful stories of restored marine areas and the continuing efforts to rehabilitate the coral reefs.

However, the book has a lot of detailed information regarding ocean currents, species, and pollution that it became overwhelming for me. I do think that this would work as a documentary film where the narration and visuals would be front and center, detailing the highlights of the book.

The book would work for nature aficionados, but it was a tad too much for me. Three stars.

I was invited to read a DRC from Grand Central Publishing through NetGalley. This review is my own and reflects my honest thoughts and opinions.

[MKF · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would recommend watching the documentary and skipping the book because it doesn't work well as a book. There's two separate areas of colored photos and some drawins scattered through each chapter but I wasn't satisfied. If you are going to tell me about all these currents and other things I would like a map or diagram. Instead it's just page after page of information and there's so much it gets overwhelming.
I could only read a few pages at a time then I would lose interest and put the book away with little interest on returning. I did enjoy Attenborough's sections but the were just short introductions to each chapter. This would be a great textbook for those studying to work in the ocean it's written like one.

[Richard Noronha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Australia has reignited my love for marine life, inspiring me to read this, my first non-fiction for a long time. Ocean not only highlights the beauty of the ocean but also the threats it faces. Though it details a bleak reality, it remains hopefully, proposing many potential solutions 🐢 🐳

[Filip · Rating 4 out of 5]

So this is a book about two things: the stunning web inter-dependencies between various species in various environments and about the importance of protecting the nature. While both are important, the former is more interesting than the latter. I love David Attenborough to death and I do agree that we should try to limit the destruction of Earth (y'know, our ONLY planet) as much as possible, but there is a finite ways in which even David Attenborough can phrase 'destroying our planet is bad, m'kay?' before it gets repetitive. On the plus side, while the parts about environmental pollution and destruction were for me always the least interesting (and most depressing) parts of any nature documentary, here the book is surprisingly optimistic about this topic. Yes, the author isn't afraid of calling out when damage done is irreversible, but he also describes truly astounding examples of the ocean life regenerating once even minor environmental protection efforts had been implemented. He's also remarkably pragmatic about his approach to the matter, clearly stating what actions are beyond the willingness of nations but also pointing out which relatively small actions can bring enormous positive change. I just wish people would finally start listening to him.

[sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

maybe i’m just overly picky when it comes to non-fiction, but this book probably would’ve worked better as a documentary. there were definitely some interesting and fun facts, and you can really feel attenborough’s love for the ocean, but i kept wishing i could actually see the things he was describing. weirdly, it felt like there was both too much and not enough information. there wasn’t a lot that was new to me, but at the same time, it tried to cover so much that it got a bit overwhelming for one book. still, i really appreciate the attention attenborough is bringing to our oceans.

[Evelien · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vol met verhalen die ondanks alles een sprankje hoop geven. Ook van alles geleerd. Bijvoorbeeld dat zeevogels een speciale "buissnavel" hebben: twee buisjes op hun snavel waarmee zoutoplossing hun bloedbaan kan verlaten, zo kan een zeevogel zeewater drinken zonder dat z'n lijf te zout wordt, wow. Vijf sterren voor de prachtige illustraties van Jennifer N. R. Smith 💙

[Michelle Graf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC.

As I was reading this, I could hear it in the exact tone and cadence of David Attenborough's voice. He has such a distinct way of describing things that carries over into writing. I liked his approach to our changing world; it's realistic about the damage done and what we can't get back, but still remains hopeful that with the right choices, we can protect what's left. It's a naive hope, either. Attenborough backs each chapter up with communities big and small, with the successes they've had with protecting and healing their part of the ocean. I think the coolest part of this is, even as a companion to an upcoming documentary, he's mentioned in interviews that there will be different stories told around the same theme. I was already going to watch it even if it was going to be the same as the book just to see the vivid photography of the ocean in motion, but the slight differences is even better.

[Eva Kampshof · Rating 5 out of 5]

Echt heel mooi omg, soms kwam ik er een beetje moeilijk doorheen maar wel echt een mooi boek!

[Ashlie Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Grand Central for this free copy in exchange for an honest review!

This book was everything. Learning about the beauty and mystery of the ocean really piqued my interest in ocean conservation. It was incredibly heartening to learn of conservation success stories. There are so many beautiful places on this earth; I hope we can come together to start offering her more protection.

[Diana Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pleased to say that I finished this audiobook in approximately 24 hours! This is a super important book that highlights the damage being done to our oceans while also providing hopeful solutions for the future. David Attenborough 4ever!!!

[Książkoty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Czy kogokolwiek dziwi ta ocena?
Film przyrodniczy w formie książki. "Ocena. Ostatnie dzikie miejsce" zawiera ogrom informacji przekazanych w sposób ciekawy, opisowy i działający na wyobraźnię. Fascynująca.
Na dodatek pięknie wydana - pełna ilustracji, a na końcu można odnaleźć kolorowe, przepiękne kadry z oceanicznego życia.

W książkach Davida Attenborougha doceniam, że nawet jeśli mówi o ociepleniu klimatu, zniszczeniu środowiska i domu dla wielu stworzeń, pozostawia człowieka z nadzieją, że niektóre błędy są odwracalne. Nie snuje postapokaliptycznych wizji.

[XOX · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ocean: Earth's Last Wilderness is a tribute to Earth's Ocean. The first chapter is on a single whale. It has survived careless humans for 90 years. It is a record. The book on whales brings us closer to how it lives, and why it is so large, and what it feeds on and how it enriches the environment. The fact that the whale populations have been almost driven to extinction. 

Coral reefs are beautiful and rich in life. It is also the nursing ground for some and home for many. It is also at risk because of pollution and human action, which has turned it into a graveyard. It is also human action that helps some of them recover from the damage.  It is alive, and Earth's ocean life could not survive without it. 

The Deep is the most mysterious because it is just so deep, and studying it is expensive. There is only 25% ocean floor mapped. The study of how horizontal migration works, with the death sinking to the bottom to provide nutrients for the deep-sea creatures. 

Kelp Forest is important. Just how important it is when it produces oxygen. And it provides a living space for a lot of young lives. There are a lot of different types of Kelp, and they were zero growth, as they take nutrients from the water and require little additional nutrients for it to grow. And it grows fast. It is also interfered with by human action. It needs to be regarded as important and protected from being destroyed. 

The Arctic is interesting as it is icy and the only place with no native human habitat. The ice is melting,  and it is making lives more difficult and large sheets of ice provide a place of rest for marine animals to go for long distances. 

Mangroves have a lot of animals. It is a place where animals from the ocean met with those on land when it flooded. It is also a dangerous place for humans with a lot of viruses.  

Oceanic Islands and Seamounts are places far from human populations. It is because of advanced technology that we are able to know things about deep ocean mountains. Seriously, we need to learn from the native humans and how they respect the ocean and learn to coexist with the ocean animals. 

Southern Oceans with elephant seals. It is rare to see a photo opportunity, taking a photo with an elephant seal. 

In a single human generation. We see the damage and we see the recovery. The new generation would not know what normal is, as by the time they interact with the oceans, a lot of sea life would be gone. It is needed to acknowledge the damage, as it is not that noticeable if no one looks at the data, or the report, or watches a wildlife documentary comparing what we have right now. 

The optimistic part is that there is a chance for the law to stop the damage and give the ocean a chance to recover a little. It is necessary for our own survival that it needs to be done. Humans are stupid and short-sighted. And continue to show disregard for the ocean and marine life. This is a good book for children and adults as a reminder of how much beauty we have on Earth, in the big ocean with a lot of living things. And it is up to the human who could stop the damage. 

I could hear David Attenborough reading out the sentences while I was reading, and remembering some of the nature documentaries he mentioned in the book. He is 100 now, and we know this is his life's work documenting our ocean and putting it into a book format. 

5 stars read.