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| David Attenborough |
“The ZooQuest” was the first real wildlife adventure series of the British Broadcasting Corporation. It was spearheaded by Jack Lester (39), the then curator of reptiles in the London Zoo who had the zoological expertise along with a very young and inexperienced low-level producer David Attenborough (28). Instead of filming captive animals in the zoo, the crew would go to different parts of the world, capture live wildlife, film the entire process for broadcasting, and bring them back to the zoo. It was the most engaging way to educate the public on wildlife. In 1954, Jack Lester was on the first expedition for the ZooQuest in West Africa, specifically to Sierra Leone to capture a live specimen of Corvus albus, the pied crow. It was during this expedition that Jack Lester fell ill with a serious tropical infection. With Lester unable to host the show now, Attenborough was brought in to take over the show as he had already done some wildlife content and was well read, but he had been earlier rejected and labeled unfit to for on-camera work. They stated that his face was too long and his teeth too large. Lester’s misfortune accidentally made David Attenborough the on-screen presenter for the ZooQuest. Neither of them realized that this moment would lead to the growth of a natural history giant—someone whose voice would eventually influence global policies.
The show continued for nearly a decade, during which Attenborough became a household name in Great Britain. By then he had already become quite the gentleman—he had served in the Royal Navy, studied Natural Sciences, and established himself as a young charismatic presenter who brought exotic wildlife to television and captivated thousands with his fascination. Over the next few years he would go on to be appointed as the Controller of BBC Two channel, BBC experimental venture and Director of Programmes for BBC Television. Attenborough had become tired of boardroom meetings and managing the BBC by then, and he decided it was time to get some mud back under his boots. In 1973, he resigned and returned to making programs in the field. He did a bit of freelance broadcasting and wrote about nature. He also spent his time planning and preparing for “Life on Earth,” his big return. He spent 4 years filming and oversaw multiple crews working across 39 countries. On January 16, 1979, Attenborough’s brainchild—Life on Earth—premiered in the UK.
Life on Earth was designed to document and spread the fascinating beauty of the various forms of life on our planet, their common ancestry, their evolutionary biology, and their interdependency. It was Earth’s autobiography, intimately narrated by David Attenborough in his iconic, soothing English accent. His deliberately measured, almost musical pace compelled people to share his fascination and enthusiasm for the wildlife. He appeared in front of the camera in nearly every scene. There seemed to be no land—or water body—too remote, nor any species too elusive for the ever-curious Attenborough. While in Rwanda filming silverback gorillas he remarked, “It seems really very unfair that man should have chosen the gorilla to symbolise everything that is aggressive and violent, when that is one thing that the gorilla is not—and that we are.” He found himself amidst a family of gorillas—the infants were tugging at his shoelaces and the mother was exploring the insides of his mouth. In what would be a nightmare for most people, Attenborough mentions, “To be accepted like that was one of the most privileged moments of my life.” He was truly in love with Mother Nature. This show made David a global broadcasting icon and launched The Life Series, a collection of landmark shows such as The Living Planet and The Private Life of Plants.
He was knighted in 1985 for his contributions to broadcasting and from then on came to be known as “Sir” David Attenborough. He also went on to become the elected Fellow of the Royal Society, received the Order of Merit—one of the UK's highest honours—and earned so many other global recognitions that he was royalty in everything but blood. Sir David Attenborough has never been a politician but he has had such an effect on the masses that governments and corporations had no option but to respond to and agree with him. He brought awareness about the concept of biodiversity and ecosystems to the mainstream audience. His shows were playable biology textbooks as well as family entertainers. Children watched his shows as if he were their grandfather, telling them bedtime stories. From the 1990s he started focusing on ecosystem deterioration and conservation issues. BBC’s Blue Planet was the first major series to highlight ocean degradation and commercial fishing as a pressing concern. In 2017, Blue Planet II was aired, revealing the extent of the damage plastic wastes inflict on marine life. This became Sir David Attenborough’s pivotal moment—his policy game changer. It brought about numerous global policy reforms and plastic-control initiatives by corporations that eventually led to “Plastic Revolution.”
Sir David Attenborough enters his remarkable 100th year on planet Earth in 2025. He has seen the world before the chaos, traveled to every remote island, studied countless species, and documented numerous rare natural history moments. He has witnessed humanity’s impact on nature—from the days when the change was gradual to now when it has become drastic. There is no one whose advice has to be taken more seriously when it comes to conservation. He urges all of humanity to be more cautious and to be more appreciative and grateful for the nature that surrounds and sustains us. In his famous 2020 message to world leaders, he noted that human civilization has thrived over the past 12,000 years of climatic stability—a period known as the Holocene)—which allowed us to settle and prosper, but current political systems and global economies are unconsciously predicated on the belief that nature will remain a steady, benign provider of the conditions we need to thrive. He also notes that the Holocene has come to an end and that the stable, reliable planet no longer exists. He says, “What we do in the next few years will determine the next few thousand years.”
In his career spanning over 72 years in broadcasting and wildlife documentation, Sir David Attenborough has kindled a wild spirit in many. When he speaks, the ants as well as the governments listen. While many have contributed remarkably to conservation, few have matched his impact and none have surpassed it. If we could just cryopreserve one human being—preserving their knowledge and wisdom intact for eternity—I would urge humanity to choose Sir David Attenborough.
He once said: “If I can open a little window, so people can see the wonder of the natural world, then that is something worth doing.”
It is safe to say that he has opened more than just a humble window for the people of the world. Thank you, Sir David Attenborough.
A. Rahul Tharun
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| A.Rahul Tharun |
Student, MBA in Marketing, Christ University; Wildlife Photographer; and Conservationist
