Did you see the last Attenborough programme of the series on Africa? I missed it on Wednesday (being in an Edinburgh hotel which did not have BBC2 !!) so I’ll be watching Sunday’s repeat.
Here are some links to the ivory trade: BBC (Gabon’s forest elephants), eleaid (Asian elephants), National Geographic, Bloodyivory, Centre for Conservation Biology, BornFree.
What will we do, one day in the (I hope) distant future, when we don’t have Sir David Attenborough with us delivering a new wildlife series? My idea is that we should introduce a new Bank Holiday, Attenborough Day, when families are encouraged to go out and see wildlife for themselves. An addition to the May Bank Holiday would be ideal – Attenborough Holiday Tuesday?
But why not have a listen to this interview with the great man?
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Hello Mark, your comment about people going out and looking at wildlife is something I have been saying for many years. You can hear people in the pub saying “did you see that wildlife programme on the telly last night.” My point is, if people are able to, why don,t they go and look for themselves, it,s in stereo and 3D out there. Also walking in the outdoors provides fresh air and exercise. Saying that they don,t know anything about wildlife is no reason for staying indoors. We all had to learn from the beginning. It is called Studying at the Outdoor University. It is free but it takes a lifetime to become an “expert.” We are all in good company if we make the effort!
Fantastic 🙂 Indeed, what will we do without David Attenborough. Well, I expect his answer would be something like “Just do Something – and don’t stop doing it”
Not wishing to speak of the great man in a past tense. But when our time does inevitably come and we cease to physically exist on this amazing planet, if anyone does deserves a lasting international memorial such as a day in the year to remember him by – and making it a day of action, then Sir David is a prime candidate. I mean, what a legacy! One which is just too important to be simply consigned to a DVD collection. It’s just too important.
As for the elephants – we know time is now and running out fast. I hope other’s use the links you’ve provided, as well as http://www.elephantswithoutborders.org, http://www.fauna-flora.org and http://www.worldlandtrust.org of which David is a patron. http://www.cites.org to donate and or take action.
We must all do something.
Jan – welcome and thank you!
I’m old enough to remember some of the Zoo Quest programmes and they along with Zoo Time with Desmond Morris and Peter Scott’s Look programmes were compulsive viewing as I grew up and nothing has changed, if its wildlife I watch. But there is no doubt that David is still the best at what is it 86? Whilst I’m sure he might be too modest to approve of an Attenborough day, it would be a fitting tribute to a man who has inspired countless adults and children to be interested in and care about the creatures with which we share this planet, whether we will ever see them or not.
As to elephant poaching its a scandalous case of demand driving the poaching and probably involves a lot of poor people trying to make a living. We need to give them better and less destructive employment as well as making live elephants have real value to them.