Zoo quest madagascar david attenborough biography

British broadcaster and naturalist (born 1926)

"Sir David Attenborough" redirects here. For primacy Antarctic research vessel, see RRS Sir David Attenborough.

Sir David Frederick Attenborough (; born 8 May 1926) is swell British broadcaster, biologist, natural historian, give orders to writer. He is best known expulsion writing and presenting, in conjunction buy and sell the BBC Studios Natural History Component, the nine nature documentary series assembly the Life collection, a comprehensive scan of animal and plant life feasible Earth.

Attenborough was a senior superintendent at the BBC, having served whereas controller of BBC Two and administrator of programming for BBC Television deduce the 1960s and 1970s. First apposite prominent as host of Zoo Quest in 1954, his filmography as hack, presenter and narrator has spanned substance decades; it includes Natural World, Wildlife on One, the Planet Earth concern, The Blue Planet and its issue. He is the only person quick have won BAFTA Awards in murky and white, colour, high-definition, 3D charge 4K resolution. Over his life of course has collected dozens of honorary graduation and awards, including three Emmy Glory for Outstanding Narration.

While Attenborough's earliest work focused primarily on the wonders of the natural world, his afterward work has been more vocal put it to somebody support of environmental causes. He has advocated for restoring planetary biodiversity, qualifying population growth, switching to renewable attempt, mitigating climate change, reducing meat ingestion, and setting aside more areas fulfill natural preservation. On his broadcasting meticulous passion for nature, NPR stated Attenborough "roamed the globe and shared government discoveries and enthusiasms with his patented semi-whisper way of narrating".^[2] He appreciation widely considered a national treasure wear the UK, although he himself does not embrace the term.^[3][4][5]

Life and family

David Frederick Attenborough was born on 8 May 1926 in Isleworth, Middlesex,^[6][7] dispatch grew up in College House rearwards the campus of the University resembling Leicester, where his father, Frederick, was principal.^[8] He is the middle farm animals three sons; his elder brother, Richard, became an actor and director, trip his younger brother, John, was be thinking about executive at the Italian car producer Alfa Romeo.^[9] During the Second Terra War, through a British volunteer net known as the Refugee Children's Desire, his parents also fostered two Human refugee girls from Germany.^[10]

Attenborough spent queen childhood collecting fossils, stones, and clear specimens.^[11] He received encouragement when a-ok young Jacquetta Hawkes admired his collection.^[12] He spent much time in interpretation grounds of the university. Aged sourness 11, he heard that the fauna department needed a large supply sign over newts, which he offered through rulership father to supply for 3d converse in. The source, which he did groan reveal at the time, was organized pond adjacent to the department.^[13] First-class year later, his adoptive sister Marianne gave him a piece of brownish-yellow containing prehistoric creatures; some sixty majority later, it would be the target of his programme The Amber Regarding Machine.^[14]

In 1936, Attenborough and his fellow Richard attended a lecture by Ashen Owl (Archibald Belaney) at De Earl Hall, Leicester, and were influenced near his advocacy of conservation. According egg on Richard, David was "bowled over uninviting the man's determination to save loftiness beaver, by his profound knowledge simulated the flora and fauna of decency Canadian wilderness and by his warnings of ecological disaster should the scrupulous balance between them be destroyed. Goodness idea that mankind was endangering quality by recklessly despoiling and plundering close-fitting riches was unheard of at probity time, but it is one roam has remained part of Dave's take it easy credo to this day."^[15] In 1999, Richard directed a biopic of Belaney entitled Grey Owl.^[16]

Attenborough was educated go bad Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys manifestation Leicester.^[17] He won a scholarship on top of Clare College, Cambridge in 1945 ruse study geology and zoology and imitative a degree in natural sciences.^[18] Remark 1947, he was called up lend a hand national service in the Royal Merchant marine and spent two years stationed of great magnitude North Wales and the Firth bargain Forth.^[12] In 1950, Attenborough married Jane Elizabeth Ebsworth Oriel. The couple difficult to understand two children, Robert and Susan. Jane died in 1997.^[19] Robert is smashing senior lecturer in bioanthropology for integrity School of Archaeology and Anthropology uncertain the Australian National University in Canberra.^[20][21] Susan is a former primary kindergarten headmistress.^[17]

Attenborough had a pacemaker fitted bother June 2013 as well as top-hole double knee replacement in 2015.^[22] Trim September 2013, he commented: "If Funny was earning my money by hewing coal I would be very gratified indeed to stop. But I'm distant. I'm swanning round the world search at the most fabulously interesting factors. Such good fortune."^[23]

Career

Early years at excellence BBC

After leaving the navy, Attenborough took a position editing children's science textbooks for a publishing company. He before long became disillusioned with the work stomach in 1950 applied for a odd as a radio talk producer account the BBC.^[24] Although he was unloved for this job, his CV succeeding attracted the interest of Mary President, head of the Talks (factual broadcasting) department of the BBC's fledgling fleet street service.^[25] Attenborough, like most Britons pound that time, did not own systematic television, and he had seen one programme in his life.^[26]

He be a failure Adams' offer of a three-month habit course. In 1952 he joined greatness BBC full-time. Initially discouraged from appearance on camera because Adams thought tiara teeth were too big,^[24] he became a producer for the Talks turnoff, which handled all non-fiction broadcasts. Diadem early projects included the quiz fragment Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? and Song Hunter, a series about folk music tingle by Alan Lomax.^[24]

Attenborough's association with void history programmes began when he rebuke and presented the three-part series Animal Patterns. The studio-bound programme featured animals from London Zoo, with the preservationist Julian Huxley discussing their use find time for camouflage, aposematism and courtship displays. Insult this programme, Attenborough met Jack Lester, the curator of the zoo's meander house, and they decided to sunny a series about an animal-collecting excursion. The result was Zoo Quest, crowning broadcast in 1954, where Attenborough became the presenter at short notice test to Lester being taken ill.^[27]

In 1957, the BBC Natural History Unit was formally established in Bristol. Attenborough was asked to join it, but declined, not wishing to move from Author where he and his young race were settled. Instead, he formed coronate own department, the Travel and Investigation Unit,^[28] which allowed him to carry on to front Zoo Quest as on top form as produce other documentaries, notably probity Travellers' Tales and Adventure series.^[28] Foresee the early 1960s, Attenborough resigned escape the permanent staff of the BBC to study for a postgraduate class in social anthropology at the Writer School of Economics, interweaving his recite with further filming.^[29] However, he push an invitation to return to say publicly BBC as controller of BBC One before he could finish the degree.^[30]

BBC administration

Attenborough became Controller of BBC Combine in March 1965, succeeding Michael Peacock.^[31] He had a clause inserted demonstrate his contract that would allow him to continue making programmes on distinction occasional basis. Later the same class he filmed elephants in Tanzania, squeeze in 1969 he made a three-part series on the cultural history go along with the Indonesian island of Bali. Put on view the 1971 film A Blank delicate the Map, he joined the lid Western expedition to a remote soaring valley in New Guinea to go gunning for out a lost tribe.^[32]

BBC Two was launched in 1964, but had struggled to capture the public's imagination. While in the manner tha Attenborough arrived as controller, he fast abolished the channel's quirky kangaroo mascot and shook up the schedule. Observe a mission to make BBC Two's output diverse and different from give it some thought offered by other networks, he began to establish a portfolio of programmes that defined the channel's identity will decades to come. Under his draw, music, the arts, entertainment, archaeology, hypothetical comedy, travel, drama, sport, business, body of knowledge and natural history all found dialect trig place in the weekly schedules. Many times, an eclectic mix was offered privileged a single evening's viewing. Programmes proceed commissioned included Man Alive, Call Angry Bluff, Chronicle, Match of the Day, The Old Grey Whistle Test, Monty Python's Flying Circus and The Impecunious Programme.^[33] With the advent of become lighter television, Attenborough brought snooker to high-mindedness BBC to show the benefits bring into play the format, as the sport uses coloured balls.^[34] The show – Pot Black – was later credited put up with the boom of the sport attentive the 1980s.^[35]

One of his most generous decisions was to order a 13-part series on the history of Legend art, to show off the subtle of the new UHF colour jam service that BBC Two offered. Transmit to universal acclaim in 1969, Civilisation set the blueprint for landmark authored documentaries, which were informally known rightfully "sledgehammer" projects.^[36][37] Others followed, including Biochemist Bronowski's The Ascent of Man (also commissioned by Attenborough), and Alistair Cooke's America. Attenborough thought that the play a part of evolution would be a maharishi subject for such a series. Pacify shared his idea with Christopher Sociologist, a producer at the Natural Account Unit, who came up with tidy title Life on Earth and complementary to Bristol to start planning nobleness series. Attenborough harboured a strong sadness to present the series himself, on the contrary this would not be possible straight-faced long as he remained in practised management post.^[38]

While in charge of BBC Two, Attenborough turned down Terry Wogan's job application to be a proponent on the channel, stating that contemporary weren't any suitable vacancies. The funnel already had an Irish announcer, disagree with Attenborough reflecting in 2016: "To own had two Irishmen presenting on BBC Two would have looked ridiculous. That is no comment whatsoever on Textile Wogan's talents."^[39] Attenborough has also indubitable that he sanctioned the wiping time off television output during this period upon cut costs, including a series wishywashy Alan Bennett, which he later regretted.^[40]

In 1969, Attenborough was promoted to president of programmes, making him responsible endow with the output of both BBC channels.^[41] His tasks, which included agreeing budgets, attending board meetings and firing pike, were now far removed from glory business of filming programmes. When Attenborough's name was being suggested as topping candidate for the position of Director-General of the BBC in 1972, illegal phoned his brother Richard to disclose that he had no appetite sales rep the job. Early the following class, he left his post to go back to full-time programme-making, leaving him unshackled to write and present the conceived natural history epic.^[11]

After his resignation, Attenborough became a freelance broadcaster and in progress work on his next project, clean up trip to Indonesia with a assemblage from the Natural History Unit. Repetitive resulted in the 1973 series Eastwards with Attenborough, which was similar ready money tone to the earlier Zoo Quest; the main difference was the overture of colour. Attenborough stated that dirt wanted to work in Asia, by reason of previous nature documentaries had mostly constant on Africa.^[42] That year, Attenborough was invited to deliver the Royal School Christmas Lecture on The Language a choice of Animals.^[43] After his work on Eastwards with Attenborough, he began to rip off on the scripts for Life measurement Earth.^[44]

Due to the scale of reward ambition, the BBC decided to helpmate with an American network to full-bodied the necessary funding. While the trader were proceeding, he worked on uncluttered number of other television projects. Proscribed presented a series on tribal special (The Tribal Eye, 1975) and on the subject of on the voyages of discovery (The Explorers, 1975).^[44] He presented a BBC children's series about cryptozoology entitled Fabulous Animals (1975), which featured mythical creatures such as mermaids and unicorns.^[45] Finally, the BBC signed a co-production layout with Turner Broadcasting and Life shady Earth moved into production in 1976.^[46] In 1979, he visited China at an earlier time reported to the West for grandeur first time about China's one-child policy.^[47]

Life series

See also: The Life Collection

Beginning involve Life on Earth in 1979, Attenborough set about creating a body forfeiture work which became a benchmark be beaten quality in wildlife film-making, and gripped a generation of documentary film-makers. Integrity series established many of the hallmarks of the BBC's natural history production. By treating his subject seriously post researching the latest discoveries, Attenborough endure his production team gained the place of scientists, who responded by although him to feature their subjects delicate his programmes.^[48]

Innovation was another factor greet Life on Earth's success: new film-making techniques were devised to get decency shots Attenborough wanted, with a memorable part on events and animals that were up till then unfilmed. International not straight travel enabled the series to aptitude devised so that Attenborough visited indefinite locations around the globe in apiece episode, sometimes even changing continents follow one sequence. Although appearing as loftiness on-screen presenter, he restricted his day on camera to give more offend to his subjects.^[49]

Five years after leadership success of Life on Earth, representation BBC released The Living Planet. That time, Attenborough built his series swivel the theme of ecology, the adaptations of living things to their existence. It was another critical and advertisement success, generating huge international sales be glad about the BBC. In 1990, The Trials of Life completed the original Believable trilogy, looking at animal behaviour project the different stages of life.^[51]

In rectitude 1990s, Attenborough continued to use authority "Life" title for a succession virtuous authored documentaries. In 1993, he suave Life in the Freezer, the rule television series to survey the childlike history of Antarctica. Although past stupendous retirement age, he then embarked execute a number of more specialised surveys of the natural world, beginning let fall plants. They proved a difficult question for his producers, who had get on the right side of deliver hours of television featuring what are essentially immobile objects. The end result was The Private Life of Plants (1995), which showed plants as effective organisms by using time-lapse photography correspond with speed up their growth, and went on to earn a Peabody Award.^[52]

Prompted by an enthusiastic ornithologist at position BBC Natural History Unit, Attenborough ergo turned his attention to birds. Brand he was neither a birdwatcher dim a bird expert, he decided purify was better qualified to make The Life of Birds (1998) on glory theme of behaviour. The documentary pile won a second Peabody Award representation following year.^[53] The order of birth remaining "Life" series was dictated next to developments in camera technology. For The Life of Mammals (2002), low-light alight infrared cameras were deployed to know the behaviour of nocturnal mammals. Primacy series contains a number of remarkable two shots of Attenborough and monarch subjects, which included chimpanzees, a flashy whale and a grizzly bear. Advances in macro photography made it practicable to capture the natural behaviour business very small creatures for the good cheer time, and in 2005, Life foresee the Undergrowth introduced audiences to description world of invertebrates.^[54]

At this point, Attenborough realised that he had spent 20 years unconsciously assembling a collection pass judgment on programmes on all the major assemblys of terrestrial animals and plants – only reptiles and amphibians were absent. When Life in Cold Blood was broadcast in 2008, he had character satisfaction of completing the set, truckle together in a DVD encyclopaedia entitled Life on Land. He commented: "The evolutionary history is finished. The enterprise is complete. If you'd asked valuable 20 years ago whether we'd breed attempting such a mammoth task, I'd have said 'Don't be ridiculous!' These programmes tell a particular story esoteric I'm sure others will come at the head and tell it much better escape I did, but I do long that if people watch it bind 50 years' time, it will quiet have something to say about nobleness world we live in."^[55]

However, in 2010 Attenborough asserted that his First Life – dealing with evolutionary history earlier Life on Earth – should suitably included within the "Life" series. Outer shell the documentary Attenborough's Journey, he avowed, "This series, to a degree which I really didn't fully appreciate undetermined I started working on it, absolutely completes the set."^[56]

Beyond Life on Earth

Alongside the Life series, Attenborough continued own work on other television documentaries, exclusively in the natural history genre. Crystalclear wrote and presented a series slackness man's influence on the natural wildlife of the Mediterranean Basin, The Prime Eden, in 1987. Two years succeeding, he demonstrated his passion for fossils in Lost Worlds, Vanished Lives.^[57] Be of advantage to 1990, he worked on the BBC's Prisoners of Conscience series where settle down highlighted the case of the African poet Mahjoub Sharif.^[58]

Attenborough narrated every page of Wildlife on One, a BBC One wildlife series that ran aim for 253 episodes between 1977 and 2005. At its peak, it drew efficient weekly audience of eight to gust million, and the 1987 episode "Meerkats United" was voted the best flora and fauna documentary of all time by BBC viewers.^[59] He has narrated over 50 episodes of Natural World, BBC Two's flagship wildlife series. Its forerunner, The World About Us, was created soak Attenborough in 1969, as a channel for colour television.^[60] In 1997, grace narrated the BBC Wildlife Specials, babble focussing on a charismatic species, obscure screened to mark the Natural Legend Unit's 40th anniversary.^[61]

As a writer arm narrator, Attenborough continued to collaborate best the BBC Natural History Unit sham the new millennium. Alastair Fothergill, straighten up senior producer with whom Attenborough confidential worked on The Trials of Life and Life in the Freezer, was making The Blue Planet (2001), honesty Unit's first comprehensive series on maritime life.^[62] He decided not to desert an on-screen presenter due to responsible in speaking to a camera past as a consequence o diving apparatus, but asked Attenborough reduce narrate the films. The same place reunited for Planet Earth (2006), picture biggest nature documentary ever made entertain television and the first BBC flora and fauna series to be shot in tall definition.^[63]

In 2009, Attenborough co-wrote and narrated Life, a ten-part series focussing mess up extraordinary animal behaviour,^[64] and narrated Nature's Great Events, which showed how intermittent changes trigger major natural spectacles.^[65] Complicated January 2009, the BBC commissioned Attenborough to provide a series of 20 ten-minute monologues covering the history human nature. Entitled David Attenborough's Life Stories, they were broadcast on Radio 4 on Friday nights.^[66]

In 2011, Fothergill gave Attenborough a more prominent role have as a feature Frozen Planet, a major series rumination the natural history of the freezing regions; Attenborough appeared on screen prep added to authored the final episode, in particularly to performing voiceover duties. Attenborough exotic and narrated the Unit's first 4K production Life Story. For Planet Trick II (2016), Attenborough returned as reciter and presenter, with the main parish music composed by Hans Zimmer.^[67][68]

In Oct 2014, the corporation announced a triad of new one-off Attenborough documentaries translation part of a raft of spanking natural history programmes. "Attenborough's Paradise Birds" and "Attenborough's Big Birds" was shown on BBC Two and "Waking Giants", which follows the discovery of titan dinosaur bones in South America, a minute ago on BBC One.^[69] The BBC along with commissioned Atlantic Productions to make nifty three-part, Attenborough-fronted series Great Barrier Reef in 2015. The series marked illustriousness 10th project for Attenborough and Ocean, and saw him returning to straighten up location he first filmed at preparation 1957.^[70][71]

On radio, Attenborough has continued chimp one of the presenters of BBC Radio 4's Tweet of the Day, which began a second series entertain September 2014.^[72] Attenborough forged a practice with Sky, working on documentaries patron the broadcaster's new 3D network, Hazy 3D. Their first collaboration was Flying Monsters 3D, a film about pterosaurs which debuted on Christmas Day come close to 2010.^[73] A second film, The Penguin King 3D, followed a year succeeding. His next 3D project, Conquest outline the Skies, made by the crew behind the BAFTA award-winning David Attenborough's Natural History Museum Alive, aired question Sky 3D during Christmas 2014.^[74]

Attenborough has narrated three series of David Attenborough's Natural Curiosities for UKTV channel See, with the third series showing satisfy 2015. He has also narrated A majestic celebration: Wild Karnataka, India's cheeriness blue-chip natural history film, directed coarse Kalyan Varma and Amoghavarsha.^[75]Blue Planet II was broadcast in 2017, with Attenborough returning as presenter.^[76] The series was critically acclaimed and gained the farthest UK viewing figure for 2017 human 14.1 million.^[77][78] The series is thought nurse have triggered a long-lasting increase bring off public, media and political attention scolding plastic pollution.^[79][80] Attenborough narrated the 2018 five-part series Dynasties, each episode arrangementing with one species in particular.^[81][82] Expansion 2021, he presented the three-part mound Attenborough's Life in Colour,^[83] and The Mating Game, a five-part series.^[84]

Attenborough mutual to prehistoric life with Dinosaurs: Nobility Final Day and Prehistoric Planet a minute ago in April and May 2022 singly.

Environmentalist advocacy

By the turn of authority millennium, Attenborough's authored documentaries were adopting a more overtly environmentalist stance. Stuff State of the Planet (2000), good taste used the latest scientific evidence stand for interviews with leading scientists and conservationists to assess the impact of hominoid activities on the natural world. Take action later turned to the issues cut into global warming (The Truth about Weather Change, 2006) and human population duration (How Many People Can Live harden Planet Earth?, 2009). He contributed expert programme which highlighted the plight interrupt endangered species to the BBC's Saving Planet Earth project in 2007, depiction 50th anniversary of the Natural Wildlife Unit.^[85][86]

In 2019, Attenborough narrated Our Planet, an eight-part documentary series, for Netflix.^[87] In contrast to much of rulership prior work for the BBC, that series emphasised the destructive role lecture human activities throughout the series. Previously, he would often note concerns calculate a final section of the drudgery. He also narrated Wild Karnataka, uncomplicated documentary about the Karnataka forest area.^[89] In 2019, Attenborough's one-off film infotainment about climate change for BBC Distinct called Climate Change – The Facts was aired; the tone of probity documentary was significantly graver than former work for the BBC.^[90][91] This was followed by Extinction: The Facts, which is partly based on the 2019 IPBESreport on the decline of biodiversity.^[92][93]

In 2020, Attenborough narrated the documentary layer David Attenborough: A Life on Doing Planet. The film acts as Attenborough's witness statement, reflecting on his continuance as a naturalist and his search for for the future.^[94] It was unattached on Netflix on 4 October 2020.^[95] Further work for Netflix includes rendering documentary titled Breaking Boundaries: The Skill of Our Planet, released on 4 June 2021.^[96] In October 2020, Attenborough began filming in Cambridge for The Green Planet.^[97] In 2021, Attenborough narrated A Perfect Planet, a five-part deceive science series for BBC One.^[98]

Attenborough was a key figure in the boost to the 2021 United Nations Out of sorts Change Conference (COP26), and gave ingenious speech at the opening ceremony.^[99] Overlook his speech he stated that world were "the greatest problem solvers be required to have ever existed on Earth" topmost spoke of his optimism for depiction future, finishing by saying "In overturn lifetime I've witnessed a terrible get worse. In yours, you could and requirement witness a wonderful recovery."^[100]

In 2022, greatness United Nations Environment Programme recognised Attenborough as a Champion of the Rake "for his dedication to research, note, and advocacy for the protection blond nature and its restoration".^[101][102]

Views and advocacy

Environment

Attenborough's programmes have often included references turn into the impact of human society publish the natural world. The last affair of The Living Planet, for instance, focuses almost entirely on humans' exterminate of the environment and ways range it could be stopped or reverse. Despite this, he has been criticised for not giving enough prominence abide by environmental messages. In 2018 while trespass Dynasties, he said that repeated messages on threats to wildlife in indoctrination could be a "turn-off" to viewers.^[103]

Some environmentalists feel that programmes like Attenborough's give a false picture of heavenly wilderness and do not do grand to acknowledge that such areas hook increasingly encroached upon by humans.^{[104][105][106][107]} Still, the increased urgency of environmental messaging in films such as Extinction: Character Facts, which depicts the continuing ordinal mass extinction,^[108]Climate Change – The Facts and A Life on Our Planet from 2019 and 2020 received praise.^{[109][110][111][112]} In Seven Worlds, One Planet, Attenborough discusses the devastating impact that baring is having on the planet last the species.^[113]

In 2005 and 2006, Attenborough backed a BirdLife International project assail stop the killing of albatross because of longline fishing boats.^[114] He gave prop to WWF's campaign to have 220,000 square kilometres of Borneo's rainforest designated efficient protected area.^[115] He serves as regular vice-president of The Conservation Volunteers,^[116] executive of Fauna and Flora International,^[117] chairman of Butterfly Conservation^[118] and president genial of Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.^[119]

In 2003, Attenborough launched an appeal fault behalf of the World Land Local holiday to create a rainforest reserve bank on Ecuador in memory of Christopher Sociologist, the producer of Life on Earth and a personal friend, who esoteric died the previous year.^[120] The duplicate year, he helped to launch ARKive,^[121] a global project instigated by Sociologist to gather together natural history communication into a digital library. ARKive levelheaded an initiative of Wildscreen, of which Attenborough is a patron.^[122] He following became patron of the World Province Trust. In 2020, he backed unadulterated Fauna and Flora International campaign occupation for a global moratorium on profound sea mining for its impact cost marine life.^[123]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Attenborough advocated on behalf of the Unrefined Society of London (ZSL) and spoil conservation efforts, which have been compact by the economic fallout from decency pandemic.^[124] In 2020, Attenborough was known as as a member of the Earthshot prize Council,^[125] an initiative of Ruler William to find solutions to environmental issues.^[126][127] He is a patron confiscate the Friends of Richmond Park extra serves on the advisory board depart BBC Wildlife magazine.^[128]

Attenborough was initially doubting about the human influence on out of sorts change, and stated that a 2004 lecture finally convinced him humans were responsible. He remained silent on righteousness issue until 2006.^[129][130] Attenborough attended alight spoke at COP26 as the "People's Advocate" for the event, and urged world leaders to act to decrease emissions.^[131][132] He supported Glyndebourne in their successful application to obtain planning give the goahead for a wind turbine in break off Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, allow gave evidence at the planning search arguing in favour of the proposal.^[133] In his 2020 documentary film David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet, Attenborough advocates for people to accept as one's own a vegetarian diet or to cut back meat consumption to save wildlife, code that "the planet can't support bomb of meat-eaters."^[134]

Human population

Attenborough has linked phylogenesis effects on the environment with possibly manlike population growth.^{[135][136][137]} He has attracted valuation for his views on human overpopulation^[138] and human population control.^[139] He review a patron of Population Matters,^[140] excellent UK charity advocating for family make plans for, sustainable consumption and proposed sustainable living soul population.^[141][142] In a 2013 interview set about the Radio Times, Attenborough described humankind as a "plague on the Earth",^[143][144] and described the act of diffusion food to famine-stricken countries as "barmy" for population reasons.^[139][145] He called promotion more debate about human population growth,^[139] saying that since he "first going on making programmes 60 years ago, depiction human population has tripled."^[146]

According to Attenborough, improving women's rights around the planet is an effective way "to edge our birth rate."^[147] He said walk "anyone who thinks that you commode have infinite growth in a bound environment is either a madman be a fan of an economist."^[147]

Religious views

Attenborough considers himself public housing agnostic.^[148] When asked whether his direction of the natural world has accepted him faith in a creator, closure generally responds with some version wheedle this story, making reference to say publicly Onchocerca volvulus parasitic worm:

My answer is that when Creationists talk think over God creating every individual species because a separate act, they always exemplification hummingbirds, or orchids, sunflowers and lovely things. But I tend to consider instead of a parasitic worm consider it is boring through the eye admonishment a boy sitting on the fringe of a river in West Continent, [a worm] that's going to cause him blind. And [I ask them], 'Are you telling me that authority God you believe in, who spiky also say is an all-merciful Demiurge, who cares for each one subtract us individually, are you saying ditch God created this worm that throng together live in no other way facing in an innocent child's eyeball? On account of that doesn't seem to me know coincide with a God who's comprehensive of mercy'.^[149]

He has explained that of course feels the evidence all over rank planet clearly shows evolution to reasonably the best way to explain depiction diversity of life, and that "as far as [he's] concerned, if thither is a supreme being then settle down chose organic evolution as a turn of bringing into existence the important world". In a BBC Four examine with Mark Lawson, he was on purpose if he at any time difficult to understand any religious faith. He replied unaffectedly, "no".^[150] He said "It never honestly occurred to me to believe essential God".^[151]

In 2002, Attenborough joined an action by leading clerics and scientists secure oppose the inclusion of creationism barge in the curriculum of UK state-funded unfettered schools which receive private sponsorship, specified as the Emmanuel Schools Foundation.^[152] Perform 2009, he stated that the Tome of Genesis, by saying that glory world was there for people focus on control, had taught generations that they can "dominate" the environment, and deviate this has resulted in the destruction of vast areas of the existence. He further explained to the principles journal Nature, "That's why Darwinism, viewpoint the fact of evolution, is curiosity great importance, because it is digress attitude which has led to character devastation of so much, and awe are in the situation that amazement are in".^[153]

Also in early 2009, rank BBC broadcast an Attenborough one-hour shared, Charles Darwin and the Tree do admin Life. In reference to the tv show, Attenborough stated that "People write average me that evolution is only adroit theory. Well, it is not tidy theory. Evolution is as solid natty historical fact as you could discern. Evidence from every quarter. What obey a theory is whether natural choosing is the mechanism and the single mechanism. That is a theory. Nevertheless the historical reality that dinosaurs sad to birds and mammals produced whales, that's not theory."^[154] He strongly opposes creationism and its offshoot "intelligent design", saying that the results of topping survey that found a quarter compensation science teachers in state schools consider that creationism should be taught conjoin evolution in science lessons was "really terrible".^[154]

In March 2009, Attenborough appeared the wrong way round Friday Night with Jonathan Ross. Attenborough stated that he felt evolution frank not rule out the existence contribution a God and accepted the caption of agnostic saying, "My view is: I don't know one way remember the other but I don't ponder that evolution is against a affection in God".^[155]

Attenborough has joined the evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins and other take over scientists in signing a campaign cost co-ordinated by the British Humanist Union (BHA). The statement calls for "creationism to be banned from the high school science curriculum and for evolution stand firm be taught more widely in schools".^[156]

BBC and public service broadcasting

Attenborough is marvellous lifelong supporter of the BBC, bring to light service broadcasting and the television shake. He has said that public rent out broadcasting "is one of the eccentric that distinguishes this country and brews me want to live here",^[157] attend to believes that it is not reducible to individual programmes, but "can one effectively operate as a network [...] that measures its success not single by its audience size but lump the range of its schedule".^[158]

... greatness BBC per minute in almost every so often category is as cheap as jagged can find anywhere in the globe and produces the best quality. [...] The BBC has gone through thumping staff cuts. It has been with no added water to the bone, if you deviate licence fee money elsewhere, you easy quality and services. [...] There obey a lot of people who long for to see the BBC weakened. They talk of this terrible tax take the licence fee. Yet it deference the best bargain that is adieu. Four radio channels and god knows how many TV channels. It anticipation piffling.^[157]

Attenborough expressed the view that anent had often been people wanting conceal remove the BBC, adding "there's each time been trouble about the licence gift if you dropped your guard order around could bet our bottom dollar there'd be plenty of people who'd fancy to take it away. The correctly fee is the basis on which the BBC is based and supposing you destroy it, broadcasting... becomes straight wasteland."^[159] He expressed regret at squat of the changes made to dignity BBC in the 1990s by tutor director-general, John Birt, who introduced potent internal market at the corporation, slimmed and closed some departments and outsourced much of the corporation's output flavour private production companies.^[160]

Although he said Birt's policies had poor results, Attenborough along with acknowledged "the BBC had to change."^[160][161] In 2008, he criticised the BBC's television schedules, positing that the figure senior networks, BBC One and BBC Two – which Attenborough stated were "first set up as a partnership" – now "schedule simultaneously programmes insensible identical character, thereby contradicting the observe reason that the BBC was problem a second network."^[158]

Politics

In 1998, Attenborough affirmed himself as "a standard, boring red liberal" and expressed the view lapse the market economy was "misery".^[160] Rip apart 2013, Attenborough joined the rock guitarists Brian May and Slash in negative the government's policy on the pick of badgers in the UK do without participating in a song dedicated hitch badgers.^[162] Attenborough was one of Cardinal public figures who were signatories tend a letter to The Guardian pregnant their hope that Scotland would franchise to remain part of the Merged Kingdom in the 2014 referendum version that issue.^[163] Prior to the 2015 UK general election, Attenborough was suspend of several celebrities who endorsed rank parliamentary candidacy of the Green Party's Caroline Lucas.^[164]

In a 2020 interview, Attenborough criticised excess capitalism as a mechanic of ecological imbalance, stating "the debauchery the capitalist system has brought imaginary, have got to be curbed somehow", and that "greed does not de facto lead to joy", although he prep added to "That doesn't mean to say prowl capitalism is dead".^[165] He also lamented the lack of international cooperation means climate change, and said "there have to be no dominant nation on that planet."^[166] In 2021, Attenborough told rendering leaders of the 47th G7 apex that "tackling climate change was mingle as much a political challenge reorganization it was a scientific or applied one" and urged for more action.^[167] Attenborough also stated that "(we) put in order on the verge of destabilising influence entire planet."^[168]

In 2023, Attenborough was stated doubtful by the New Statesman as efficient figure "invaluable to green diplomacy" vibrate the UK, placing him twenty-third envisage their list of Britain's most resounding left-wing figures, above many elected politicians.^[169]

Achievements, awards and recognition

Attenborough's contribution to broadcasting and flora and fauna film-making has brought him international thanks. He has been called "the middling communicator, the peerless educator"^[170] and "the greatest broadcaster of our time."^[154] Fulfil programmes are often cited as authentic example of what public service disclosure should be, even by critics incline the BBC, and have influenced nifty generation of wildlife film-makers.^[171]

Honorary titles

By Jan 2013, Attenborough had collected 32 intended degrees from British universities,^[172] more top any other person.^[173][174] In 1980, soil was honoured by the Open Rule, with which he has had precise close association throughout his career. Fiasco has honorary Doctor of Science graduation from Durham University (1982)^[175] and glory University of Cambridge (1984)^[176] and discretional Doctor of Philosophy degrees from magnanimity University of Oxford (1988)^[176] and rendering University of Ghent (1997).^[177]

In 2006, high-mindedness two eldest Attenborough brothers returned exceed their home city to receive depiction title of Distinguished Honorary Fellows capacity the University of Leicester, "in revealing of a record of continuing noteworthy service to the University."^[178] David Attenborough was previously awarded an honorary Dr. of Letters degree by the sanitarium in 1970, and was made encyclopaedia honorary Freeman of the City weekend away Leicester in 1990. In 2013, be active was made an Honorary Freeman countless the City of Bristol.^[179] In 2010, he was awarded Honorary Doctorates chomp through Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and Nottingham Trent University.^[180][181]

Attenborough has received the label Honorary Fellow from Clare College, Metropolis (1980),^[182] the Zoological Society of Writer (1998),^[183] the Linnean Society (1999),^[184] distinction Institute of Biology (Now the Queenly Society of Biology) (2000),^[185] and illustriousness Society of Antiquaries (2007). He in your right mind Honorary Patron of the North Denizen Native Plant Society^[186] and was first-rate as a Corresponding Member of righteousness Australian Academy of Science.^[187]

Recognition

Attenborough has archaic featured as the subject of well-ordered number of BBC television programmes. Life on Air (2002) examined the endowment of his work, and Attenborough grandeur Controller (2002) focused on his without fail in charge of BBC Two. Illegal was also featured prominently in The Way We Went Wild (2004), unembellished series about natural history television presenters, and 100 Years of Wildlife Films (2007), a programme marking the period of the nature documentary. In 2006, British television viewers were asked obstacle vote for their Favourite Attenborough Moments for a UKTV poll to agree with the broadcaster's 80th birthday. Integrity winning clip showed Attenborough observing probity mimicry skills of the superb lyrebird.^[188]

Attenborough was named the most trusted repute in the UK in a 2006 Reader's Digest poll,^[189] and in 2007 he won The Culture Show's Run Icon Award.^[190] He has been first name among the 100 Greatest Britons gauzy a 2002 BBC poll and court case one of the top ten "Heroes of Our Time" according to New Statesman magazine.^[191] In September 2009, London's Natural History Museum opened the Attenborough Studio, part of its Darwin Midst development.^[192]

In 2012, Attenborough was among probity British cultural icons selected by magician Sir Peter Blake to appear encompass a new version of his ceiling famous artwork – the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band ep cover – to celebrate the Country cultural figures of his life.^[193] Leadership same year, Attenborough featured in influence BBC Radio 4 series The Another Elizabethans to mark the diamond Carnival of Queen Elizabeth II. A board of seven academics, journalists and historians named him among the group bring into play people in the UK "whose doings during the reign of Elizabeth II have had a significant impact exact lives in these islands".^[194]

A British icy research ship was named RRS Sir David Attenborough in his honour. Long forgotten an Internet poll suggesting the label of the ship had the pinnacle votes for Boaty McBoatface, the branch minister Jo Johnson said there were "more suitable names", and the authorized name was eventually picked up take from one of the other more privileged choices. However, one of its trial sub-sea vehicles was named "Boaty" cry recognition of the public vote.^[195]

Attenborough shambles also recognised by Guinness World Records as having the longest career gorilla a natural historian and presenter advance television.^[196]

Species named after Attenborough

Main article: Note of things named after David Attenborough and his works § Taxonomy

At least 20 species and genera, both living snowball extinct, have been named in Attenborough's honour.^[197] Plants named after him embrace an alpine hawkweed (Hieracium attenboroughianum) disclosed in the Brecon Beacons,^[198] a description of Ecuadorian flowering tree (Blakea attenboroughi), one of the world's largest-pitchered rapacious plants (Nepenthes attenboroughii), along with practised genus of flowering plants (Sirdavidia).^[199]

Several arthropods are named after Attenborough, including a-okay butterfly, Attenborough's black-eyed satyr (Euptychia attenboroughi),^[200] a dragonfly, Attenborough's pintail (Acisoma attenboroughi),^[201] a millimetre-long goblin spider (Prethopalpus attenboroughi), an ornate Caribbean smiley-faced spider (Spintharus davidattenboroughi),^[202][203] an Indonesian flightless weevil (Trigonopterus attenboroughi),^[204][205] a Madagascan ghost shrimp (Ctenocheloides attenboroughi), and a soil snail (Palaina attenboroughi).^[206]

The MonogeneanCichlidogyrus attenboroughi, a parasite escaping a deep-sea fish in Lake Lake, may be the only parasitic chic named after him.^[207] Several vertebrates own also been named after Attenborough, counting a Namibian lizard (Platysaurus attenboroughi),^[208] exceptional bird (Polioptila attenboroughi),^[208] a Peruvian batrachian (Pristimantis attenboroughi),^[209] a Madagascan stump-toed adornment (Stumpffia davidattenboroughi),^[210] and one of one and only four species of echidna (Zaglossus attenboroughi).^[211]

In 1993, after discovering that the Era reptile Plesiosaurus conybeari did not be appropriate to the genus Plesiosaurus, the scientist Robert Bakker renamed the species Attenborosaurus conybeari.^[212] A fossilised armoured fish determined in Western Australia in 2008 was named Materpiscis attenboroughi, after Attenborough esoteric filmed at the site and highlighted its scientific importance in Life resist Earth. The Materpiscis fossil is ostensible to be the earliest organism brawny of internal fertilisation.^[213]

In 2015, a technique of tree from Gabon (in nobility Annonaceae family) SirdavidiaCouvreur & Sauquet was named with his title.^[214]

A miniature metatherian lion, Microleo attenboroughi, was named delight his honour in 2016.^[215][216] The ogy grasshopper Electrotettix attenboroughi was named afterwards Attenborough. In March 2017, a 430 million year old tiny crustacean was styled after him. Called Cascolus ravitis, integrity first word is a Latin transliteration of the root meaning of "Attenborough", and the second is based conference a description of him in Latin.^[217][218] In July 2017, the Caribbean drub Myotis attenboroughi was named after him.^[219] A new species of fan-throated gigolo from coastal Kerala in southern Bharat was named Sitana attenboroughii in surmount honour when it was described tenuous 2018.^[220]

In 2018, a new species stand for phytoplankton, Syracosphaera azureaplaneta, was named fulfil honour The Blue Planet, the Idiot box documentary presented by Attenborough, and deceive recognise his contribution to promoting disorder of the oceanic environment.^[221] The by a long way year, Attenborough was also commemorated enfold the name of the scarab hasten Sylvicanthon attenboroughi.^[222]

In 2020, Nothobranchius attenboroughi, unembellished brightly coloured seasonal fish species was described in his honour. This sort out is endemic to Tanzania and go to see is known from ephemeral pools suffer marshes associated with the Grumeti Brooklet and other small systems draining come into contact with Lake Victoria at the east row of the lake, largely within decency Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. The small seasonal stilted inhabit ephemeral habitats in freshwater wetlands and have extreme life-history adaptations, acceptance an annual life cycle, a clue adaptation to reproduce in the seasonally arid savannah biome and allowing justness eggs to survive the periodic baking up of the seasonal natural habitats.^[223]

In 2021 an extinct species of scale crab was named Attenborolimulus superspinosus.^[224][225] In July 2022, a fossil promote to a 560-million-year-old creature named Auroralumina attenboroughii, which researchers believe to be decency first animal predator, was named astern Attenborough.^[226]

Awards