ZDF Enterprises to co-produce "Whales off our Coasts"

ZDF Enterprises has confirmed the development and launch of "Whales off our Coasts." “Top marine biologist and underwater cinematographer, Florian Graner, is the expert who will take viewers on a journey in this compelling documentary," Ralf Rueckauer, Vice President of ZDFE.unscripted at ZDF Enterprises, said. "Whales off our Coasts will be a great addition to our extensive natural history catalogue.”

Currently in production, the title is produced by ZDF Enterprises’ affiliated company Doclights and NDR Naturfilm. The title's co-production partners include NDR, rbb and ZDF Enterprises, who is also the global distributor. Doclights is a renowned production company specializing in nature, history, science and factual entertainment genres. Based in Hamburg, the company is a joint venture between ZDF Enterprises and Studio Hamburg Produktion Gruppe and has produced a wide range of high quality factual content for the likes of ZDF, ARD, Arte, National Geographic and the History Channel. 

The 50-minute nature documentary displays various loved mammals that attempts to unravel the mystery as to why they suffer such immense trauma when they come close to our shores. The show also  proves that whales are intelligent, but when they come close to our shores, their lives can change dramatically.

The title details the occurences of a 2016 quest, when thirty sperm whales were stranded on the North Sea coast. Pictures of the dying animals moved scientists, the media and the general public. On the Baltic and North Sea coasts, but also the Mediterranean, the Caribbean or off the Canaries, whales continually succumb to distress. Marine biologist Florian Graner is determined to find out why the whales fare so badly and comes across some surprising explanations.