Appreciating David Attenborough

As a zoologist, that Cerys has seen her fair share of David Attenborough’s documentaries. Today is David’s birthday! Happy Birthday Sir David Attenborough, from everyone at WILD!

David Attenborough at the Great Barrier Reef. Image Credit: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade via Wikimedia Commons.

Today, Sir David Attenborough turns 98! And in his 98 years he has accomplished some pretty awesome things that I could only dream of. In honour of this, we’re going to explore some of the cool and crazy things that David has done in his lifetime!

David Attenborough receiving lifetime achievement award. Image Credit: Nick.Thirteen via Wikimedia Commons.

Awards

In 2022 David Attenborough was awarded the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ for his dedication to protecting the environment. This was awarded by the United Nations for being a champion of the Earth.

Sir David is known worldwide for his efforts to raise awareness for endangered species and the climate crisis. He has been described as an inspiration by many for his efforts to protect the world’s biodiversity, and has even been the recipient of numerous awards crediting the incredible effort he puts into advocating for the earth and all its biodiversity. These include his first the BAFTA Fellowship award in 1980, Kew International Medal in 1996 and even being knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 1985.

David Attenborough filming documentary, featuring Puffins. Image Credit: WWF.

Documentaries

If you’ve ever watched a documentary featuring the animal kingdom, chances are that you’ve seen something Sir David was involved in. David is famously known for his involvement in collections of wildlife documentaries– with particular reference to the ninety-six episode ‘Life on Earth’ series or more recently ‘Life on Our Planet’ available on Netflix. His documentaries feature iconic narrative voice-overs whereby he details different species, ecosystems, and processes, bringing the world’s wide biodiversity and ecosystems into the homes of millions.

David Attenborough speaking at a conference. Image Credit: Richard Stonehouse via WWF.

WWF

Sir David is also an ambassador for the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF). In 1961, when WWF was founded, Sir David was present and has continued to give time, resources and effort to WWF’s projects and visions. In 2004, David was named an ambassador and has since been involved in production of resources and opening of establishments including the Living Planet Centre in Woking. Alongside this, Sir David has even been invited on multiple occasions to speak at conferences and events on behalf of WWF and has demonstrated his passion for sharing knowledge.

David Attenborough at a special screening of his Great Barrier Reef series. Image Credit: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade via Wikimedia Commons.

But beyond all of these achievements, Sir David is most known for being a leading activist for the climate crisis and all its consequences. We want to help in sharing his urgent message to take action now, to save the earth and all of the beautiful species it is home to!

About the Author: Cerys Deakin is a third year Zoologist at the University of Exeter, with a passion for conservation. To find out more about Cerys, check out her LinkedIn page. Cerys is also undertaking a running challenge this month to help raise funds for The Civet Project, check this out here: https://gofund.me/65bd535c