Frozen Planet

On Thin Ice

7 Dec 2011


Species features in each Sequence

1
Polar bear
2
Arctic ringed seal, Polar bear
3
Domestic dog (Husky)
4
Pacific walrus
5
Bowhead whale, Killer whale (Type C)
6
Adélie penguin, Gentoo penguin

# Species by IUCN Conservation Status

1
Polar bear
Ursus maritimus
VU
Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) as shown in Frozen Planet - On Thin IcePolar bear (Ursus maritimus) as shown in Frozen Planet - On Thin IcePolar bear (Ursus maritimus) as shown in Frozen Planet - On Thin Ice
Svalbard, Norway

2
Arctic ringed seal
Pusa hispida hispida
LC
Arctic ringed seal (Pusa hispida hispida) as shown in Frozen Planet - On Thin IceArctic ringed seal (Pusa hispida hispida) as shown in Frozen Planet - On Thin IceArctic ringed seal (Pusa hispida hispida) as shown in Frozen Planet - On Thin Ice
Svalbard, Norway

2
Polar bear
Ursus maritimus
VU
Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) as shown in Frozen Planet - On Thin IcePolar bear (Ursus maritimus) as shown in Frozen Planet - On Thin IcePolar bear (Ursus maritimus) as shown in Frozen Planet - On Thin Ice
Svalbard, Norway

3
Domestic dog
Canis lupus familiaris
DO
Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) as shown in Frozen Planet - On Thin IceDomestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) as shown in Frozen Planet - On Thin IceDomestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) as shown in Frozen Planet - On Thin Ice
Greenland

4
Pacific walrus
Odobenus rosmarus divergens
VU
Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) as shown in Frozen Planet - On Thin IcePacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) as shown in Frozen Planet - On Thin Ice
Point Lay, Alaska, USA

I managed to find the exact stretch of beach that the walruses are shown hauled out on in Google Maps [1], which confirms that these shots were filmed at Point Lay in Alaska, which is known for this phenomenon.
[Link 1]
5
Bowhead whale
Balaena mysticetus
LC
Bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) as shown in Frozen Planet - On Thin IceBowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) as shown in Frozen Planet - On Thin Ice
Hudson Bay, Canada

This was shot in Hudon Bay, Canada, according to Assistant Producer Elizabeth White [1].
[Link 1]
5
Killer whale
Orcinus orca
DD
Killer whale (Orcinus orca) as shown in Frozen Planet - On Thin IceKiller whale (Orcinus orca) as shown in Frozen Planet - On Thin Ice
Cape Crozier, Antarctica

Despite the narration telling us about the increasing prevalence of killer whales in the Arctic, at least two of the four shots used here are from the earlier episode "Spring", in which a pod of Antarctic killer whales travel through Cape Crozier. In that sequence, the whales seen are the "Type C" fish-specialist killers, visually distinguished by their forward-slanted eye patches. I assume that the filmmakers didn't specifically film killer whales in the Arctic and re-used shots from Antarctic filming to complete the narrative here.
6
Adélie penguin
Pygoscelis adeliae
LC
Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) as shown in Frozen Planet - On Thin IceAdélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) as shown in Frozen Planet - On Thin IceAdélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) as shown in Frozen Planet - On Thin Ice
Antarctica

6
Gentoo penguin
Pygoscelis papua
LC
Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) as shown in Frozen Planet - On Thin Ice
Antarctica