Broadcaster and natural historian David Attenborough on the importance of conservation on a global scale.
David Attenborough is in Ireland to give a public lecture 'Travels of a Naturalist' at the Royal Dublin Society (RDS).
He speaks to Pat Kenny about his series 'Life on Earth' during which he travelled the globe tracing the story of the evolution of life on the planet. During the series, David Attenborough would begin describing a certain species' behaviour in one location such as North America, before cutting to another location such as Australia to complete his example.
The entire series of 'Life on Earth' was written before filming began, but there was scope for serendipity such as a sequence where a female gorilla held David Attenborough's head in her hands.
I knew what I wanted to say but of course you can't predict what’s going to happen.
David Attenborough was never in danger while making the programme, even when filming reptiles such as rattlesnakes.
I think it would be very irresponsible to do dangerous things.
He does not believe the series is his masterpiece as there are many ways to look at the natural world.
I have not done the definite thing and there is lots of things that I think are wrong with it.
Photo by Eve Holmes (2090/047)
Outside his professional life, David Attenborough is preoccupied with conservation although this cause is very much connected with his work. He strives to raise public awareness of the dangers facing the natural world and how close we are to losing species.
Mankind is in danger of turning the world into a wasteland.
Awareness has to be on a global level as
Birds migrate, seas flow, rivers spread.
Development and conservation are not mutually exclusive and must proceed together with the same plan. While the dangers are really intense, David Attenborough feels the recent World Conservation Strategy document demonstrates a shift is happening.
This episode of 'Week Out’ was broadcast on 25 April 1980. The reporter is Pat Kenny.
