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'{{for | the Antarctic research vessel | RRS Sir David Attenborough}} {{short description|British broadcaster and naturalist}} {{pp-semi-blp|small=yes}} {{EngvarB|date=March 2018}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}} {{Infobox person | honorific_prefix = [[Sir]] | name = David Attenborough | honorific_suffix = {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|OM|CH|CVO|CBE|FRS|FRSB|FRSA|FLS|FZS|FSA|FRSGS|HonFLI}} | image = Weston Library Opening by John Cairns 20.3.15-139 (cropped).jpg | caption = Attenborough at the opening of the [[Weston Library]] in March 2015 | birth_name = David Frederick Attenborough | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1926|5|8}} | birth_place = [[Isleworth]], [[Middlesex]], England | nationality = British | years_active = 1951–present | alma_mater = [[University of Cambridge]] (BA)<!--Clare College, Cambridge does NOT award degrees, he never completed his PG study at the London School of Economics--> | occupation = {{flatlist | * [[Broadcasting|Broadcaster]] * [[Natural history|naturalist]] * Presenter}} | awards = {{Plainlist | * [[Cherry Kearton Medal and Award]] (1972) * [[BAFTA Fellowship]] (1980) * [[Kalinga Prize]] (1981) * [[Kew International Medal]] (1996)<ref name=seb>{{cite web|url=https://www.kew.org/about-our-organisation/press-media/press-releases/ethiopia%E2%80%99s-prof-sebsebe-demissew-awarded|title=Ethiopia's Prof. Sebsebe Demissew awarded prestigious Kew International Medal|website=Kew.org|accessdate=16 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180517100234/https://www.kew.org/about-our-organisation/press-media/press-releases/ethiopia%E2%80%99s-prof-sebsebe-demissew-awarded|archive-date=17 May 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> * [[International Cosmos Prize]] (2000) * [[RSPB Medal]] (2000) * [[Michael Faraday Prize]] (2003) * [[José Vasconcelos World Award of Education]] (2004) * [[Descartes Prize]] (2004) * [[Nierenberg Prize]] (2005) * [[Princess of Asturias Award]] (2009) * [[Fonseca Prize]] (2010)}} | title = Controller of [[BBC2]] (1965–1969)<br />President of the [[The Wildlife Trusts|Royal Society for Nature Conservation]] (1991–1996) | spouse = {{marriage|Jane Elizabeth Ebsworth Oriel|1950|1997|end={{abbr|d.|died}}}} | children = 2 | parents = [[Frederick Attenborough]] | relatives = {{ubl|[[Richard Attenborough]] (brother)|[[John Attenborough]] (brother)|[[Michael Attenborough]] (nephew)|[[Charlotte Attenborough]] (niece)}} | footnotes = | module = <center>{{Listen|embed=yes|filename=Sir David Attenborough BBC Radio4 Desert Island Discs 29 Jan 2012 b01b8yy0.flac|title=<center>David Attenborough's voice</center>|type=speech|description=<center>[[:File:Sir David Attenborough BBC Radio4 Desert Island Discs 29 Jan 2012 b01b8yy0.flac|Recorded January 2012]] from the BBC Radio 4 programme ''[[Desert Island Discs]]''</center>}}</center> | signature = [[File:David Attenborough's signature.svg|200px]] }} '''Sir David Frederick Attenborough''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|æ|t|ən|b|ə|r|ə}}; born 8 May 1926)<ref name=whoswho>{{Who's Who | author=Anon| surname = Attenborough | othernames = Sir David (Frederick) | id = U5973 | year = 2015 | edition = online [[Oxford University Press]]|doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.5973}} {{subscription required}}</ref><ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/42130/Sir-David-Attenborough |title=Sir David Attenborough (English broadcaster and author) |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica |accessdate=26 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140409032823/http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/42130/Sir-David-Attenborough |archive-date=9 April 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> is an English [[broadcasting|broadcaster]] and [[natural historian]]. He is best known for writing and presenting, in conjunction with the [[BBC Natural History Unit]], the nine [[natural history documentary]] series forming the [[The Life Collection|''Life'' collection]] that together constitute a comprehensive survey of animal and plant life on Earth. He is a former [[senior manager]] at the [[BBC]], having served as controller of [[BBC Two]] and [[director of programming]] for [[BBC Television]] in the 1960s and 1970s. He is the only person to have won [[BAFTA]]s for programmes in each of [[black and white]], [[Color television|colour]], [[High-definition video|HD]], [[Digital 3D|3D]] and [[4K resolution|4K]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Sir David Attenborough: Bafta TV awards 2014|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2014/may/11/tv-baftas-2014-observer-portfolio|work=The Guardian|date=3 December 2017|access-date=3 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171204114534/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2014/may/11/tv-baftas-2014-observer-portfolio|archive-date=4 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Sir David Attenborough: BAFTA Awards|url=http://awards.bafta.org/keyword-search?keywords=david%20attenborough|website=Awards.bafta.org|publisher=BAFTA|accessdate=3 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171204224430/http://awards.bafta.org/keyword-search?keywords=david%20attenborough|archive-date=4 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2018 and 2019, he received [[Primetime Emmy Award]]s for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Narrator|Outstanding Narrator]].<ref name="2018 Emmys"/><ref name="2019 Emmys">{{cite web |url=https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2019/outstanding-narrator |title=Nominees/Winners &#124; Television Academy |publisher=[[Academy of Television Arts & Sciences]] |accessdate=15 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191105155628/https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2019/outstanding-narrator |archive-date=5 November 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> Attenborough is widely considered a [[national treasure]] in the UK, although he himself does not like the term.<ref>{{cite web |last=Waldemayer |first=Winston |url=https://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2009/01/eye-burrowing-worms-national-t.html |title=Short Sharp Science: Eye-burrowing worms, national treasures... and creationism |work=New Scientist |date=28 January 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090303002041/https://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2009/01/eye-burrowing-worms-national-t.html |archive-date=3 March 2009 |accessdate=17 August 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/4413130/Sir-David-Attenborough-Man-was-given-permission-to-exploit-the-natural-world-by-the-Bible.html |title=Sir David Attenborough: 'Man was given permission to exploit the natural world by the Bible' |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=31 January 2009 |accessdate={{ date |a 6 October 2014}} |location=London |first=Paul |last=Kendall |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141003112012/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/4413130/Sir-David-Attenborough-Man-was-given-permission-to-exploit-the-natural-world-by-the-Bible.html |archive-date=3 October 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2982907/Margaret-Thatcher-Richard-Branson-and-Judi-Dench-picked-as-National-Treasures.html |title=Margaret Thatcher, Richard Branson and Judi Dench picked as National Treasures |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=18 September 2008 |location=London |accessdate=6 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141008095312/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2982907/Margaret-Thatcher-Richard-Branson-and-Judi-Dench-picked-as-National-Treasures.html |archive-date=8 October 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2002, he was named among the [[100 Greatest Britons]] following a UK-wide poll for the BBC.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/2208532.stm |title=BBC reveals 100 great British heroes |date=22 August 2002 |access-date=13 February 2017 |work=[[BBC News]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170905193217/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/2208532.stm |archive-date=5 September 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> He is the younger brother of the director, producer and actor [[Richard Attenborough|Richard Attenborough, Baron Attenborough]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.richardattenborough.com/Biography/ |title=Richard Attenborough's official website: Biography |publisher=Richardattenborough.com |accessdate=2 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715182913/http://www.richardattenborough.com/Biography/ |archive-date=15 July 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> and older brother of the motor executive [[John Attenborough]]. ==Early life and family== Attenborough was born in [[Isleworth]], [[Middlesex]] (now part of west London), and grew up in College House on the campus of the [[University of Leicester|University College, Leicester]], where his father, [[Frederick Attenborough|Frederick]], was [[principal (academia)|principal]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.le.ac.uk/careers/collegehouse.html |title=History of College House |accessdate=24 September 2006 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060924005526/http://www.le.ac.uk/careers/collegehouse.html |archivedate=24 September 2006 }}</ref> He is the middle of three long-lived sons; his elder brother, [[Richard Attenborough|Richard]] (died in 2014), became an actor and director, and his younger brother, [[John Attenborough|John]] (died in 2012), was an executive at Italian car manufacturer [[Alfa Romeo]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Robinson|first1=David|title=Remembering Richard Attenborough|url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/features/remembering-richard-attenborough|publisher=[[British Film Institute]]|accessdate=14 February 2017|date=2 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170705051641/http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/features/remembering-richard-attenborough|archive-date=5 July 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> During the [[Second World War]], through a British volunteer network known as the [[Refugee Children's Movement]], his parents also fostered two [[Jew]]ish [[refugee]] girls from Germany.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/the-children-britain-took-to-its-heart-1.8535?highlight=attenborough |title=The children Britain took to its heart |work=The Jewish Chronicle |date=2 April 2009 |accessdate=18 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170818091145/https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/the-children-britain-took-to-its-heart-1.8535?highlight=attenborough |archive-date=18 August 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Attenborough spent his childhood collecting [[fossil]]s, stones, and natural specimens.<ref name="BAFTA Guru">{{cite web |url=http://guru.bafta.org/david-attenborough-life-television |title=David Attenborough: A Life in Television |work=[[BAFTA]] Guru |date=19 May 2009 |accessdate=18 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150801192215/http://guru.bafta.org/david-attenborough-life-television |archive-date=1 August 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He received encouragement aged seven, when a young [[Jacquetta Hawkes]] admired his "museum". He also spent much time in the grounds of the university, and, aged 11, he heard that the zoology department needed a large supply of [[newt]]s, which he offered through his father to supply for [[Threepence_(British_coin)|3d]] each. The source, which he did not reveal at the time, was a pond less than five metres from the department.<ref name=merc>{{cite news|url=http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Picture-day-12-Leicester-celebs-famous/story-20596134-detail/story.html|title=Picture of the day: Leicester celebs, before they were famous|work=Leicester Mercury|date=11 February 2014|accessdate=11 February 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222033240/http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Picture-day-12-Leicester-celebs-famous/story-20596134-detail/story.html|archivedate=22 February 2014}}</ref> A few years later, one of his adoptive sisters gave him a piece of [[amber]] containing prehistoric creatures; some fifty years later, it would be the focus of his programme ''[[The Amber Time Machine]].'' In 1936, Attenborough and his brother Richard attended a lecture by [[Grey Owl]] (Archibald Belaney) at [[De Montfort Hall]], [[Leicester]], and were influenced by his advocacy of conservation. According to Richard, David was "bowled over by the man's determination to save the beaver, by his profound knowledge of the flora and fauna of the Canadian wilderness and by his warnings of ecological disaster should the delicate balance between them be destroyed. The idea that mankind was endangering nature by recklessly despoiling and plundering its riches was unheard of at the time, but it is one that has remained part of Dave's own credo to this day." In 1999, Richard directed a biopic of Belaney entitled ''[[Grey Owl (film)|Grey Owl]]''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2000/oct/27/culture.features1|title=Animal Magic:Richard Attenborough on the Life and Times of Grey Owl|last=Attenborough|first=Richard|date=26 October 2000|work=[[The Guardian]]|accessdate=16 July 2014|location=London|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140725205221/http://www.theguardian.com/film/2000/oct/27/culture.features1|archive-date=25 July 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> Attenborough was educated at [[Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys]] in [[Leicester]] and then won a scholarship to [[Clare College, Cambridge]] in 1945, where he studied geology and zoology and obtained a degree in [[natural science]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.clarealumni.com/s/845/file_lib/1/1/clarenews11_633540413018489651.pdf |title=Cover.Qxd |accessdate=4 November 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708163043/http://www.clarealumni.com/s/845/file_lib/1/1/clarenews11_633540413018489651.pdf |archivedate=8 July 2011 }}</ref> In 1947, he was called up for [[national service]] in the [[Royal Navy]] and spent two years stationed in [[North Wales]] and the [[Firth of Forth]]. In 1950, Attenborough married Jane Elizabeth Ebsworth Oriel; she died in 1997. The couple had two children, Robert and Susan.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/plain/A20218628 |title=Sir David Attenborough – Naturalist |publisher=BBC |accessdate=26 November 2011}}</ref> Robert is a senior lecturer in [[Biological anthropology|bioanthropology]] for the School of Archaeology and Anthropology at the [[Australian National University]] in [[Canberra]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archanth.anu.edu.au/staff/dr-robert-attenborough |title=Dr Robert Attenborough – School of Archaeology & Anthropology – ANU |publisher=Arts.anu.edu.au |date=9 July 2009 |accessdate=4 November 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110221011516/http://archanth.anu.edu.au/staff/dr-robert-attenborough |archivedate=21 February 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Canberra has marvellous facilities|url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/canberra-has-marvellous-facilities-20130525-2n47w.html|accessdate=9 July 2016|work=The Canberra Times|date=26 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911092633/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/canberra-has-marvellous-facilities-20130525-2n47w.html|archive-date=11 September 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Susan is a former primary school headmistress.<ref>{{cite news|author1=Rebecca Tyrrel|title=David Attenborough: in the beginning|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/8090747/David-Attenborough-in-the-beginning.html|accessdate=26 May 2016|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|date=29 October 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160510133918/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/8090747/David-Attenborough-in-the-beginning.html|archive-date=10 May 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> ==First years at the BBC== After leaving the Navy, Attenborough took a position editing children's science textbooks for a publishing company. He soon became disillusioned with the work and in 1950 applied for a job as a radio talk producer with the BBC. Although he was rejected for this job, his [[Curriculum vitae|CV]] later attracted the interest of [[Mary Adams (broadcaster)|Mary Adams]], head of the Talks (factual broadcasting) department of the BBC's fledgling television service. Attenborough, like most Britons at that time, did not own a television, and he had seen only one programme in his life.<ref>{{Cite book|author=Attenborough, David|title=Life on Air|publisher=BBC Books|year=2002|isbn=978-0-563-53461-7}} pp. 10–11.</ref> However, he accepted Adams' offer of a three-month training course, and in 1952 he joined the BBC full-time. Initially discouraged from appearing on camera because Adams thought his teeth were too big,<ref name="Life on Air, p.13">''Life on Air'', p.13.</ref> he became a producer for the Talks department, which handled all non-fiction broadcasts. His early projects included the quiz show ''Animal, Vegetable, Mineral?'' and ''Song Hunter,'' a series about [[folk music]] presented by [[Alan Lomax]].<ref name="Life on Air, p.13"/> Attenborough's association with natural history programmes began when he produced and presented the three-part series ''Animal Patterns.'' The studio-bound programme featured animals from [[London Zoo]], with the naturalist [[Julian Huxley]] discussing their use of [[camouflage]], [[aposematism]] and [[courtship display]]s. Through this programme, Attenborough met Jack Lester, the curator of the zoo's reptile house, and they decided to make a series about an animal-collecting expedition. The result was ''[[Zoo Quest]],'' first broadcast in 1954, where Attenborough became the presenter at short notice due to Lester being taken ill.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.spectator.co.uk/2016/05/david-attenborough-used-to-steal-the-animals-he-found-in-the-jungle-and-take-them-home/ |title=David Attenborough used to steal the animals he found in the jungle and take them home |first=James |last=Walton |date=21 May 2016 |magazine=The Spectator |accessdate=8 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180408234820/https://www.spectator.co.uk/2016/05/david-attenborough-used-to-steal-the-animals-he-found-in-the-jungle-and-take-them-home/ |archive-date=8 April 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> 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 London where he and his young family were settled. Instead, he formed his own department, the Travel and Exploration Unit,<ref name="Life on Air, pp.60–61">''Life on Air'', pp.60–61.</ref> which allowed him to continue to front ''Zoo Quest'' as well as produce other documentaries, notably the ''Travellers' Tales'' and ''Adventure'' series.<ref name="Life on Air, pp.60–61"/> In the early 1960s, Attenborough resigned from the permanent staff of the BBC to study for a postgraduate degree in [[social anthropology]] at the [[London School of Economics]], interweaving his study with further filming.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wildfilmhistory.org/helpers/force-download.php?file=pdf/David_Attenborough.pdf|title=Transcript of interview with David Attenborough|accessdate=4 November 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202034238/http://www.wildfilmhistory.org/helpers/force-download.php?file=pdf%2FDavid_Attenborough.pdf|archive-date=2 December 2008|url-status=live}}</ref> However, he accepted an invitation to return to the BBC as controller of [[BBC Two]] before he could finish the degree.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.businessinsider.com/famous-alumni-from-lse-2015-10/#mick-jagger-was-studying-at-lse-when-he-began-playing-with-the-rolling-stones-in-1961-at-first-he-played-with-the-stones-just-on-weekends-and-attended-classes-during-the-week-but-he-ultimately-dropped-out-to-pursue-his-music-career-2|title=These 18 insanely successful people all went to the London School of Economics|website=Businessinsider.com|accessdate=17 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180526073843/http://uk.businessinsider.com/famous-alumni-from-lse-2015-10#mick-jagger-was-studying-at-lse-when-he-began-playing-with-the-rolling-stones-in-1961-at-first-he-played-with-the-stones-just-on-weekends-and-attended-classes-during-the-week-but-he-ultimately-dropped-out-to-pursue-his-music-career-2|archive-date=26 May 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> ==BBC administration== Attenborough became the controller of BBC Two in March 1965, but had a clause inserted in his contract that would allow him to continue making programmes on an occasional basis. Later the same year he filmed elephants in Tanzania, and in 1969 he made a three-part series on the cultural history of the Indonesian island of [[Bali]]. For the 1971 film ''[[A Blank on the Map]]'', he joined the first Western expedition to a remote highland valley in [[New Guinea]] to seek out a [[uncontacted peoples|lost tribe]]. BBC Two had been launched in 1964, but had struggled to capture the public's imagination. When Attenborough arrived as controller, he quickly abolished the channel's quirky kangaroo mascot and shook up the schedule. With a mission to make BBC Two's output diverse and different from that offered by other networks, he began to establish a portfolio of programmes that defined the channel's identity for decades to come. Under his tenure, music, the arts, entertainment, archaeology, experimental comedy, travel, drama, sport, business, science and natural history all found a place in the weekly schedules. Often, an eclectic mix was offered within a single evening's viewing. Programmes he commissioned included ''[[Man Alive (UK TV series)|Man Alive]]'', ''[[Call My Bluff]]'', ''[[Chronicle (UK TV series)|Chronicle]]'', ''[[Match of the Day]]'', ''[[The Old Grey Whistle Test]]'', ''[[Monty Python's Flying Circus]]'' and ''[[The Money Programme]]''.<ref>{{cite news |title=David Attenborough: a fine specimen |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/tvandradioblog/2008/mar/03/davidattenboroughafinespec |accessdate=15 September 2019 |work=The Guardian |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170708225157/https://www.theguardian.com/culture/tvandradioblog/2008/mar/03/davidattenboroughafinespec |archive-date=8 July 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> One of his most significant decisions was to order a 13-part series on the [[Western art history|history of Western art]], to show off the quality of the new [[UHF#United Kingdom|UHF]] [[colour television]] service that BBC Two offered. Broadcast to universal acclaim in 1969, ''[[Civilisation (TV series)|Civilisation]]'' set the blueprint for landmark authored documentaries, which were informally known as "tombstone" or "sledgehammer" projects. Others followed, including [[Jacob Bronowski]]'s ''[[The Ascent of Man]]'' (also commissioned by Attenborough), and [[Alistair Cooke]]'s ''[[America: A Personal History of the United States|America]]''. Attenborough thought that the story of evolution would be a natural subject for such a series. He shared his idea with [[Christopher Parsons|Chris Parsons]], a producer at the Natural History Unit, who came up with the title ''Life on Earth'' and returned to Bristol to start planning the series. Attenborough harboured a strong desire to present the series himself, but this would not be possible so long as he remained in a management post. While in charge of BBC Two, Attenborough turned down [[Terry Wogan]]'s job application to be a presenter on the channel, stating that there weren't any suitable vacancies. The channel already had an Irish announcer, with Attenborough reflecting in 2016: "To have had two Irishmen presenting on BBC Two would have looked ridiculous. This is no comment whatsoever on Terry Wogan's talents."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/television/tv-news/david-attenborough-rebuffed-terry-wogans-bbc-presenter-job-application-because-they-had-an-irish-announcer-34436348.html|title=David Attenborough 'rebuffed' Terry Wogan's BBC presenter job application because they had an Irish announcer|first=Kerri-Ann|last=Roper|work=The Irish Independent|date=9 February 2016|access-date=9 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160210093803/http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/television/tv-news/david-attenborough-rebuffed-terry-wogans-bbc-presenter-job-application-because-they-had-an-irish-announcer-34436348.html|archive-date=10 February 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Attenborough has also acknowledged that he sanctioned the [[wiping]] of programmes during this period to cut costs, including sketches by [[Alan Bennett]], which he later regretted.<ref>{{cite news | url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/10784285/David-Attenborough-my-regrets-over-wiping-Alan-Bennett-dross.html | title= David Attenborough: my regrets over wiping Alan Bennett 'dross' | work= The Telegraph | date= 24 April 2014 | accessdate= 8 April 2018 | last1= Furness | first1= Hannah | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180409090437/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/10784285/David-Attenborough-my-regrets-over-wiping-Alan-Bennett-dross.html | archive-date= 9 April 2018 | url-status= live }}</ref> In 1969 Attenborough was promoted to director of programmes, making him responsible for the output of both BBC channels. His tasks, which included agreeing budgets, attending board meetings and firing staff, were now far removed from the business of filming programmes. When Attenborough's name was being suggested as a candidate for the position of [[Director-General of the BBC]] in 1972, he phoned his brother Richard to confess that he had no appetite for the job. Early the following year, he left his post to return to full-time programme-making, leaving him free to write and present the planned natural history epic.<ref name="BAFTA Guru"/> ==Return to broadcasting== [[File:David Attenborough NASA.jpg|thumb|right|230px|Attenborough filming commentary for a documentary at [[Kennedy Space Center]]]] After his resignation, Attenborough became a freelance broadcaster and immediately started work on his next project, a pre-arranged trip to Indonesia with a crew from the Natural History Unit. It resulted in the 1973 series ''Eastwards with Attenborough'', which was similar in tone to the earlier ''Zoo Quest'' but without the animal-collecting element. After his return, he began to work on the scripts for ''Life on Earth''. Due to the scale of his ambition, the BBC decided to partner with an American network to secure the necessary funding. While the negotiations were proceeding, he worked on a number of other television projects. He presented a series on [[tribal art]] (''[[The Tribal Eye]]'', 1975) and another on the voyages of discovery (''[[David Attenborough filmography#1970s|The Explorers]]'', 1975). He also presented a BBC children's series about [[cryptozoology]] entitled ''Fabulous Animals'' (1975), which featured mythical creatures such as the [[griffin]] and [[kraken]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Gately |first=Martin |url=http://www.forteantimes.com/features/articles/101/attenboroughs_fabulous_animals.html |title=Fortean Times episode guide to ''Fabulous Animals'' |publisher=Forteantimes.com |date=1 April 2006 |accessdate=4 November 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090827065546/http://www.forteantimes.com/features/articles/101/attenboroughs_fabulous_animals.html |archivedate=27 August 2009 }}</ref> Eventually the BBC signed a co-production deal with [[Turner Broadcasting]] and ''Life on Earth'' moved into production in 1976. ===Life series=== {{see also|The Life Collection}} Beginning with ''[[Life on Earth (TV series)|Life on Earth]]'' in 1979, Attenborough set about creating a body of work which became a benchmark of quality in wildlife film-making and influenced a generation of documentary film-makers. The series also established many of the hallmarks of the BBC's natural history output. By treating his subject seriously and researching the latest discoveries, Attenborough and his production team gained the trust of scientists, who responded by allowing him to feature their subjects in his programmes. In Rwanda, for example, Attenborough and his crew were granted privileged access to film [[Dian Fossey]]'s research group of [[mountain gorilla]]s. Innovation was another factor in ''Life on Earth'''s success: new film-making techniques were devised to get the shots Attenborough wanted, with a focus on events and animals that were hitherto unfilmed. Computerised airline schedules, which had only recently been introduced, enabled the series to be elaborately devised so that Attenborough visited several locations around the globe in each episode, sometimes even changing continents mid-sentence. Although appearing as the on-screen presenter, he consciously restricted his time on camera to give his subjects top billing. The success of ''Life on Earth'' prompted the BBC to consider a follow-up, and five years later, ''[[The Living Planet]]'' was screened. This time, Attenborough built his series around the theme of ecology, the adaptations of living things to their environment. It was another critical and commercial success, generating huge international sales for the BBC. In 1990, ''[[The Trials of Life]]'' completed the original Life trilogy, looking at [[ethology|animal behaviour]] through the different stages of life. The series drew strong reactions from the viewing public for its sequences of [[killer whale]]s hunting sea lions on a Patagonian beach and [[Common chimpanzee|chimpanzee]]s hunting and violently killing a [[black-and-white colobus|colobus]] monkey. In the 1990s, Attenborough continued to use the "Life" title for a succession of authored documentaries. In 1993, he presented ''[[Life in the Freezer]]'', the first television series to survey the natural history of Antarctica. Although past normal retirement age, he then embarked on a number of more specialised surveys of the natural world, beginning with plants. They proved a difficult subject for his producers, who had to deliver five hours of television featuring what are essentially immobile objects. The result was ''[[The Private Life of Plants]]'' (1995), which showed plants as dynamic organisms by using [[time-lapse photography]] to speed up their growth, and went on to earn a [[Peabody Award]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.peabodyawards.com/award-profile/the-private-life-of-plants |title=Peabody Award Citation: The Private Life of Plants (1995) |access-date=24 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170826234123/http://www.peabodyawards.com/award-profile/the-private-life-of-plants |archive-date=26 August 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> Prompted by an enthusiastic [[ornithology|ornithologist]] at the BBC Natural History Unit, Attenborough then turned his attention to the animal kingdom and in particular, birds. As he was neither an obsessive [[birdwatching|twitcher]] nor a bird expert, he decided he was better qualified to make ''[[The Life of Birds]]'' (1998) on the theme of behaviour. The documentary series won a second [[Peabody Award]] the following year.<ref>[http://www.peabodyawards.com/award-profile/the-life-of-birds-by-david-attenborough 59th Annual Peabody Awards] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006131052/http://www.peabodyawards.com/award-profile/the-life-of-birds-by-david-attenborough |date=6 October 2014 }}, May 2000.</ref> The order of the remaining "Life" series was dictated by developments in camera technology. For ''[[The Life of Mammals]]'' (2002), [[low-light photography|low-light]] and [[infrared photography|infrared]] cameras were deployed to reveal the behaviour of nocturnal mammals. The series contains a number of memorable [[two shot]]s of Attenborough and his subjects, which included chimpanzees, a [[blue whale]] and a [[grizzly bear]]. Advances in [[macro photography]] made it possible to capture natural behaviour of very small creatures for the first time, and in 2005, ''[[Life in the Undergrowth]]'' introduced audiences to the world of invertebrates. At this point, Attenborough realised that he had spent 20 years unconsciously assembling a collection of programmes on all the major groups of terrestrial animals and plants – only reptiles and amphibians were missing. When ''[[Life in Cold Blood]]'' was broadcast in 2008, he had the satisfaction of completing the set, brought together in a DVD encyclopaedia called ''[[Life on Land]]''. In an interview that year, Attenborough was asked to sum up his achievement, and responded: {{quotation|The evolutionary history is finished. The endeavour is complete. If you'd asked me 20 years ago whether we'd be attempting such a mammoth task, I'd have said "Don't be ridiculous!" These programmes tell a particular story and I'm sure others will come along and tell it much better than I did, but I do hope that if people watch it in 50 years' time, it will still have something to say about the world we live in.<ref name="rtimes2">''Radio Times'' 26 Jan–1 February 2008: "The Last Word", interview with Jeremy Paxman</ref>}} However, in 2010 Attenborough asserted that his ''[[First Life (TV series)|First Life]]'' – dealing with evolutionary history before ''Life on Earth'' – should also be included within the "Life" series. In the documentary ''[[Attenborough's Journey]]'', he stated, "This series, to a degree which I really didn't fully appreciate until I started working on it, really completes the set."<ref>''Attenborough's Journey'', BBC Two, 24 October 2010</ref> ===Other documentaries=== [[File:David Attenborough Great Barrier Reef screening.jpg|thumb|right|Attenborough at a special screening of ''[[Great Barrier Reef (2015 TV series)|Great Barrier Reef]]'' in 2015]] Alongside the "Life" series, Attenborough has continued to work on other television documentaries, mainly in the natural history genre. He wrote and presented a series on man's influence on the natural history of the Mediterranean basin, ''[[The First Eden]]'', in 1987. Two years later, he demonstrated his passion for fossils in ''[[Lost Worlds, Vanished Lives]]''. Attenborough narrated every episode of ''[[Wildlife on One]]'', a [[BBC One]] wildlife series that ran for 253 episodes between 1977 and 2005. At its peak, it drew a weekly audience of eight to ten million, and the 1987 episode "Meerkats United" was voted the best wildlife documentary of all time by BBC viewers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wildfilmhistory.org/film/151/Meerkats+United.html |title=Meerkats United |publisher=WildFilmistory.org |accessdate=20 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100204223809/http://www.wildfilmhistory.org/film/151/Meerkats+United.html |archive-date=4 February 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He has also narrated over 50 episodes of ''[[Natural World (BBC TV series)|Natural World]]'', BBC Two's flagship wildlife series. (Its forerunner, ''[[The World About Us]]'', was created by Attenborough in 1969, as a vehicle for colour television.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/info/policies/madeintheuk/pdfs/5_david_attenborough_where_the_wild_things_are.pdf |title="Where the Wild Things Are" (Essay for BBC "Made in the Uk") |publisher=BBC |first=David |last=Attenborough |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110805031208/http://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/policies/madeintheuk/pdfs/5_david_attenborough_where_the_wild_things_are.pdf|archivedate=5 August 2011 |accessdate=20 January 2010}}</ref>) In 1997, he narrated the ''[[BBC Wildlife Specials]]'', each focussing on a charismatic species, and screened to mark the Natural History Unit's 40th anniversary. As a writer and narrator, Attenborough continued to collaborate with the BBC Natural History Unit in the new millennium. [[Alastair Fothergill]], a senior producer with whom Attenborough had worked on ''The Trials of Life'' and ''Life in the Freezer'', was making ''[[The Blue Planet]]'' (2001), the Unit's first comprehensive series on [[marine life]]. He decided not to use an on-screen presenter due to difficulties in speaking to a camera through diving apparatus, but asked Attenborough to narrate the films. The same team reunited for ''[[Planet Earth (2006 TV series)|Planet Earth]]'' (2006), the biggest nature documentary ever made for television and the first BBC wildlife series to be shot in [[high-definition video|high definition]]. In 2009, he co-wrote and narrated ''[[Life (BBC TV series)|Life]]'', a ten-part series focussing on extraordinary animal behaviour,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2007/sep/21/bbc.television1|title=Attenborough is back – again|last=Holmwood|first=Leigh|date=21 September 2007|work=The Guardian|location=London|accessdate=28 March 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190516181655/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2007/sep/21/bbc.television1|archive-date=16 May 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> and narrated ''[[Nature's Great Events]]'', which showed how seasonal changes trigger major natural spectacles.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2009/01_january/05/nature.shtml|title=Nature's Great Events Press Pack|date=11 February 2009|publisher=BBC Press Office|access-date=20 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016130127/http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2009/01_january/05/nature.shtml|archive-date=16 October 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2011, Fothergill gave Attenborough a more prominent role in ''[[Frozen Planet]]'', a major series on the natural history of the polar regions; Attenborough appeared on screen and authored the final episode, in addition to performing voiceover duties. Attenborough introduced and narrated the Unit's first [[Ultra-high-definition television|4K]] production ''[[Life Story (TV series)|Life Story]].'' For ''[[Planet Earth II]]'' (2016), Attenborough returned as narrator and presenter, with the main theme music composed by [[Hans Zimmer]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2016/planet-earth-two|title=Sir David Attenborough to present brand new landmark natural history series for BBC One|publisher=[[BBC]]|date=22 February 2016|accessdate=22 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160223204759/http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2016/planet-earth-two|archive-date=23 February 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02544td|title=Planet Earth II – BBC One|publisher=BBC|access-date=21 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312235701/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02544td|archive-date=12 March 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> In October 2014, the corporation announced a trio of new one-off Attenborough documentaries as part of a raft of new 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 giant dinosaur bones in South America, aired on BBC One.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-29641107|title=David Attenborough to examine ostriches and dinosaurs|newspaper=BBC News|accessdate=17 October 2014|date=16 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016233543/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-29641107|archive-date=16 October 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> The BBC also commissioned [[Atlantic Productions]] to make a three-part, Attenborough-fronted series [[Great Barrier Reef (2015 TV series)|Great Barrier Reef]] in 2015. The series marked the 10th project for Attenborough and Atlantic, and saw him returning to a location he first filmed at in 1957.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2014/great-barrier-reef|title=David Attenborough to present new landmark series on the Great Barrier Reef for BBC One|publisher=BBC Media Centre|accessdate=17 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141001215646/http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2014/great-barrier-reef|archive-date=1 October 2014|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/commissioning/sir-david-attenborough-heads-back-to-great-barrier-reef/5077382.article|title=Sir David Attenborough heads back to Great Barrier Reef|accessdate=17 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141024180056/http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/commissioning/sir-david-attenborough-heads-back-to-great-barrier-reef/5077382.article|archive-date=24 October 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> By the turn of the millennium, Attenborough's authored documentaries were adopting a more overtly environmentalist stance. In ''[[State of the Planet]]'' (2000), he used the latest scientific evidence and interviews with leading scientists and conservationists to assess the impact of man's activities on the natural world. He later turned to the issues of [[global warming]] (''[[The Truth about Climate Change]]'', 2006) and human population growth (''How Many People Can Live on Planet Earth?'', 2009). He also contributed a programme which highlighted the plight of [[endangered species]] to the BBC's ''[[Saving Planet Earth]]'' project in 2007, the 50th anniversary of the Natural History Unit.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.4rfv.co.uk/industrynews.asp?id=66138 |title=IBC Honours BBC Natural History Unit For Contribution To Wildlife Film |date=21 September 2007 |publisher=4rfv.co.uk |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090108102754/http://www.4rfv.co.uk/industrynews.asp?id=66138 |archivedate=8 January 2009 }}</ref> Attenborough also forged a partnership with Sky, working on documentaries for the broadcaster's new 3D network, [[Sky 3D]]. Their first collaboration was ''[[Flying Monsters 3D]]'', a film about [[pterosaur]]s which debuted on Christmas Day of 2010.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8606923.stm |title=Sir David Attenborough to front Sky 3D wildlife show |work=BBC News|date=7 April 2010}}</ref> A second film, ''[[The Bachelor King 3D]]'', followed a year later. His next 3D project, ''[[David Attenborough's Conquest of the Skies 3D|Conquest of the Skies]]'', made by the team behind the BAFTA-winning ''[[David Attenborough's Natural History Museum Alive]]'', aired on [[Sky 3D]] at Christmas 2014. Attenborough has narrated three series of ''[[David Attenborough's Natural Curiosities]]'' for UKTV channel [[Watch (TV channel)|Watch]], with the third series showing in 2015. He has also narrated [[Wild Karnataka (2019 film)|''A majestic celebration: Wild Karnataka'']], India's first blue-chip natural history film, directed by [[Kalyan Varma]] and [[Amoghavarsha]].<ref>[https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/a-majestic-celebration/article26429185.ece/ “Majestic celebration: Wild Karnataka”] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401001041/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/a-majestic-celebration/article26429185.ece |date=1 April 2019 }}. TheHindu.com. Retrieved 20 March 2019</ref> ===More-recent projects=== On radio, Attenborough has continued as one of the presenters of [[BBC Radio 4]]'s ''[[Tweet of the Day]]'', which began a second series in September 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/media/news/a579579/michael-palin-to-become-radio-4-tweet-of-the-day-presenter.html |title=Michael Palin to become Radio 4 Tweet of the Day presenter |work=Digital Spy |accessdate=17 October 2014 |date=23 June 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141021132003/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/media/news/a579579/michael-palin-to-become-radio-4-tweet-of-the-day-presenter.html |archive-date=21 October 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> ''[[Blue Planet II]]'' was broadcast in 2017, with Attenborough returning as presenter.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2017/david-attenborough-blue-planet-ii|title=Sir David Attenborough to present Blue Planet II for BBC One|publisher=[[BBC]]|date=20 February 2017|accessdate=20 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170223022123/http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2017/david-attenborough-blue-planet-ii|archive-date=23 February 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> The series was critically acclaimed<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2017-12-29/radio-times-top-40-tv-shows-of-2017-10-to-1/|title=''Radio Times'' top 40 TV shows of 2017|work=Radio Times|date=29 December 2017|access-date=21 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180122072115/http://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2017-12-29/radio-times-top-40-tv-shows-of-2017-10-to-1/|archive-date=22 January 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> and gained the highest UK viewing figure for 2017, 14.1&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/nov/06/blue-planet-ii-years-most-watched-tv-show-david-attenborough|title=Blue Planet II is year's most watched British TV show|newspaper=The Guardian|date=6 November 2017|last1=Editor|first1=Graham Ruddick Media|access-date=21 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180122001157/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/nov/06/blue-planet-ii-years-most-watched-tv-show-david-attenborough|archive-date=22 January 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Attenborough narrates the 2018 five part series ''[[Dynasties (2018 TV series)|Dynasties]]'', each episode dealing with one species in particular.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2018/dynasty-david-attenborough|title=BBC – Sir David Attenborough to present BBC One's Dynasty – Media Centre|website=www.bbc.co.uk|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-11-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190112022513/https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2018/dynasty-david-attenborough|archive-date=12 January 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2018/09/dynasties-david-attenborough-1202470705/|title=Sir David Attenborough's Wildlife Doc Series 'Dynasties' Goes Global Via BBC Studios|last=White|first=Peter|date=2018-09-25|work=Deadline|access-date=2018-11-04|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417002123/https://deadline.com/2018/09/dynasties-david-attenborough-1202470705/|archive-date=17 April 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2019, Attenborough narrated ''[[Our Planet]]'', an eight-part documentary series, for [[Netflix]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/nov/08/david-attenborough-to-present-netflix-nature-series-our-planet|title=David Attenborough to present Netflix nature series Our Planet|last=Waterson|first=Jim|date=8 November 2018|newspaper=The Guardian|accessdate=9 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181108223343/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/nov/08/david-attenborough-to-present-netflix-nature-series-our-planet|archive-date=8 November 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> He will also narrate ''Wild Karnataka'', a documentary about the [[Karnataka]] forest area.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/173503/wild-karnataka-documentary-david-attenborough-kalyan-varma-india/|title=Exclusive: The Story Behind Wild Karnataka, India's First Blue Chip Natural History Film!|date=26 February 2019|last=Norbu Wangchuk|first=Rincehn|accessdate=27 February 2019|publisher=[[The Better India]]}}</ref> In March 2019, It was announced that Attenborough is to present an "urgent" one-off film documentary about climate change for BBC One called ''[[Climate Change – The Facts]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-47666007|title=Sir David Attenborough to present climate change documentary|work=BBC News|date=22 March 2019|access-date=23 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323071233/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-47666007|archive-date=23 March 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> ==Other work== From 1983, Attenborough worked on two environmentally themed musicals with the [[World Wide Fund for Nature|WWF]] and writers [[Peter Rose and Anne Conlon]]. ''Yanomamo'' was the first, about the Amazon rainforest, and the second, ''Ocean World'', premiered at the [[Royal Festival Hall]] in 1991. They were both narrated by Attenborough on their national tour and recorded on to audio cassette. ''Ocean World'' was also filmed for [[Channel 4]] and later released. In 1990, he highlighted the case of [[Mahjoub Sharif]] as part of the BBC's ''Prisoners of Conscience'' series.<ref name="Amnesty2008">{{Cite journal|date=September–October 2008|title=Solidarity and Return to Sender|journal=Amnesty Magazine|volume=0264-3278|issue=151|page=24}}</ref> In May 2005, Attenborough was appointed as patron of the UK's [[Blood Pressure Association]], which provides information and support to people with [[hypertension]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The Blood Pressure Association appoints Sir David Attenborough as patron coinciding with World Hypertension Day 12/05/2005|url=http://www.bloodpressureuk.org/mediacentre/Newsreleases/sir_david_attenborough|website=bloodpressureuk|accessdate=3 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151004085827/http://www.bloodpressureuk.org/mediacentre/Newsreleases/sir_david_attenborough|archive-date=4 October 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> In January 2009, the BBC commissioned Attenborough to provide a series of 20 ten-minute monologues covering the history of nature. Entitled ''[[David Attenborough's Life Stories]]'', they are broadcast on [[BBC Radio 4|Radio 4]] on Friday nights.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/broadcasting/a145070/attenborough-takes-on-cookes-radio-slot.html |title=Attenborough takes on Cooke's radio slot |work=Digital Spy |date=30 January 2009 |accessdate=4 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090609170435/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/broadcasting/a145070/attenborough-takes-on-cookes-radio-slot.html |archive-date=9 June 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> Part of Radio 4's ''A Point of View'' strand, the talks are also available as podcasts.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/pov/ |title=BBC Podcasts: A Point of View |publisher=BBC |accessdate=4 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090422200925/http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/pov/ |archive-date=22 April 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> He appeared in the 2009 Children's Prom at the [[BBC Promenade Concerts]] and in the [[Last Night of the Proms]] on 12 September 2009, playing a floor polisher in Sir [[Malcolm Arnold]]'s "A Grand, Grand Overture" (after which he was "shot" by [[Rory Bremner]], who was playing the gun). In 2009, he also became a patron of [[Population Matters]] (formerly known as the Optimum Population Trust),<ref name=popm>{{cite news|title=Attenborough becomes patron for Optimum Population Trust|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/2009/apr/14/attenborough-patron-optimum-population-trust|newspaper=The Guardian|publisher=The Guardian, UK broadsheet newspaper|date=14 April 2009|last1=Vidal|first1=John|access-date=11 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170709001127/https://www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/2009/apr/14/attenborough-patron-optimum-population-trust|archive-date=9 July 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> a UK charity advocating sustainable human populations.<ref name=popmat>{{cite web|title=Attenborough is new OPT patron |url=http://www.populationmatters.org/2009/press/attenborough-opt-patron/ |website=populationmatters.org |publisher=Population Matters, UK Charity |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102144305/http://www.populationmatters.org/2009/press/attenborough-opt-patron/ |archivedate=2 January 2016 }}</ref> He is also a patron of the [[Friends of Richmond Park]]<ref name="FRP">{{cite news|url= http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/8949352.Sir_David_steps_up_at_park_party/|title= Sir David Attenborough steps up as Friends of Richmond Park marks golden anniversary|author= Christine Fleming|publisher= This is Local London (Newsquest)|date= 3 April 2011|accessdate= 1 November 2012|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140201221605/http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/8949352.Sir_David_steps_up_at_park_party/|archive-date= 1 February 2014|url-status= live}}</ref> and serves on the advisory board of BBC Wildlife magazine. Attenborough is also an honorary member of [[BSES Expeditions]], a youth development charity that operates challenging scientific research expeditions to remote wilderness environments. ==Achievements, awards and recognition== Attenborough's contribution to broadcasting and wildlife film-making has brought him international recognition. He has been called "the great communicator, the peerless educator"<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4729076/What-comes-naturally.html |title=What comes naturally |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=31 December 2001 |location=London |first=Giles |last=Smith |accessdate={{date | 6 October 2014}} |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402132845/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4729076/What-comes-naturally.html |archive-date=2 April 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> and "the greatest broadcaster of our time."<ref name=whitworth /> His programmes are often cited as an example of what public service broadcasting should be, even by critics of the BBC, and have influenced a generation of wildlife film-makers.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/tvandradioblog/2008/mar/03/davidattenboroughafinespec |title=David Attenborough: a fine specimen |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=3 March 2008 |location=London |first=James |last=Donaghy |access-date=11 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220045749/https://www.theguardian.com/culture/tvandradioblog/2008/mar/03/davidattenboroughafinespec |archive-date=20 December 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> ===Styles and honours=== * Mr David Attenborough (1926–1974) * Mr David Attenborough [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire|CBE]] (1974–1983) * Mr David Attenborough CBE [[Fellow of the Royal Society|FRS]] (1983–1985) * [[Sir]] David Attenborough CBE FRS (1985–1991) * Sir David Attenborough [[Commander of the Royal Victorian Order|CVO]] CBE FRS (1991–1996) * Sir David Attenborough [[Order of the Companions of Honour|CH]] CVO CBE FRS (1996–2005) * Sir David Attenborough [[Member of the Order of Merit|OM]] CH CVO CBE FRS (2005–2007) * Sir David Attenborough OM CH CVO CBE FRS [[Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London|FSA]] (2007–) ===Honorary titles=== By January 2013, Attenborough had collected 32 honorary degrees from British universities,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/7920613/Sir-David-Attenborough-heads-lists-of-most-honoured-by-Britains-universities.html|title=Sir David Attenborough heads lists of most honoured by Britain's universities|last=Howie|first=By Joshi Eichner Herrmann, Jack Rivlin and Michael|website=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=6 April 2016|date=August 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925000818/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/7920613/Sir-David-Attenborough-heads-lists-of-most-honoured-by-Britains-universities.html|archive-date=25 September 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> more than any other person.<ref>{{cite news|last=Fergus|first=Lindsay|title=David Attenborough: The man with the most honorary degrees in UK gets one more from Queen's University|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/education/david-attenborough-the-man-with-the-most-honorary-degrees-in-uk-gets-one-more-from-queenrsquos-university-16261947.html|newspaper=The Belfast Telegraph|date=16 January 2013|access-date=4 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120100329/http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/education/david-attenborough-the-man-with-the-most-honorary-degrees-in-uk-gets-one-more-from-queenrsquos-university-16261947.html|archive-date=20 January 2013|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/23144921|title=David Attenborough receives '32nd' honorary degree – CBBC Newsround|publisher=BBC|access-date=6 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151125071812/http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/23144921|archive-date=25 November 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1980, he was honoured by the [[Open University]] with whom he has had a close association throughout his career. He also has honorary Doctor of Science awards from the [[University of Cambridge]] (1984) and [[University of Oxford]] (1988).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwf.org.uk/about_wwf/more_about_wwf/wwf_uk_council_of_ambassadors/sir_david_attenborough.cfm|title=WWF Council of Ambassadors – Sir David Attenborough|publisher=WWF-UK|accessdate=6 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006123048/http://www.wwf.org.uk/about_wwf/more_about_wwf/wwf_uk_council_of_ambassadors/sir_david_attenborough.cfm|archive-date=6 October 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2006, the two eldest Attenborough brothers returned to their home city to receive the title of Distinguished Honorary Fellows of the [[University of Leicester]], "in recognition of a record of continuing distinguished service to the University."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Sky-News-Archive/Article/200806413532577 |title=British Icons Pick Up Uni Honours |publisher=Sky News |date=13 July 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110619215858/http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Sky-News-Archive/Article/200806413532577 |archivedate=19 June 2011 }}</ref> David Attenborough was previously awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters degree by the university in 1970, and was made an honorary Freeman of the City of Leicester in 1990. In 2013, he was made an Honorary Freeman of the City of Bristol.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.bristol.gov.uk/press/sir-david-attenborough-receive-freedom-city |title=Sir David Attenborough to receive Freedom of the City |publisher=Bristol City Council |accessdate=4 May 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150504154019/http://www.bristol.gov.uk/press/sir-david-attenborough-receive-freedom-city |archivedate=4 May 2015 }}</ref> In 2010, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from [[Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University]] and [[Nottingham Trent University]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/NottinghamTrentUniversity/posts/10157939615557082|title=Nottingham Trent University|website=www.facebook.com|language=en|access-date=2019-12-20}}</ref> Attenborough has received the title Honorary Fellow from [[Clare College, Cambridge]] (1980), the [[Zoological Society of London]] (1998), the [[Linnean Society]] (1999), the [[Institute of Biology]] (Now the [[Royal Society of Biology]]) (2000) and the [[Society of Antiquaries of London|Society of Antiquaries]] (2007). He is Honorary Patron of the [[North American Native Plant Society]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nanps.org/index.php/contact-us/nanps-board |title=North American Native Plant Society – NANPS Board |publisher=Nanps.org |accessdate=28 December 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131231001042/http://www.nanps.org/index.php/contact-us/nanps-board |archivedate=31 December 2013 }}</ref> and was elected as a Corresponding Member of the [[Australian Academy of Science]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Corresponding Members |url=https://www.science.org.au/corresponding-members?name=&field_d_year_of_election_value%5Bmin%5D%5Byear%5D=&field_d_year_of_election_value%5Bmax%5D%5Byear%5D=2015 |publisher=Australian Academy of Science |accessdate=22 September 2015 }}{{dead link|date=September 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> ===Recognition=== [[File:Weston Library Opening by John Cairns 20.3.15-139.jpg|thumb|right|University of Oxford librarian [[Richard Ovenden]], Professor [[Stephen Hawking]] and David Attenborough at the official opening of the [[Weston Library]], Oxford in March 2015. Ovenden awarded the [[Bodley Medal]] to Attenborough and Hawking as part of the ceremony]] Attenborough has been featured as the subject of a number of BBC television programmes. ''Life on Air'' (2002) examined the legacy of his work and ''Attenborough the Controller'' (2002) focused on his time in charge of BBC Two. He was also featured prominently in ''The Way We Went Wild'' (2004), a series about natural history television presenters, and ''100 Years of Wildlife Films'' (2007), a special programme marking the centenary of the nature documentary. In 2006, British television viewers were asked to vote for their ''[[Favourite Attenborough Moments]]'' for a [[UKTV]] poll to coincide with the broadcaster's 80th birthday. The winning clip showed Attenborough observing the [[mimicry]] skills of the [[superb lyrebird]]. Attenborough was named the most trusted celebrity in the UK in a 2006 ''[[Reader's Digest]]'' poll,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/Columnists/Column/0,5673,1696927,00.html |title=In David we trust ... but not Peter |work=[[The Guardian]] |last=Hoggart |first=Simon |date=28 January 2006 |location=London}}</ref> and in 2007 he won ''[[The Culture Show]]'''s Living Icon Award.<ref>{{cite web |author=culture show |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/livingicons/bio01.shtml |title=Living Icons – David Attenborough |publisher=BBC |accessdate=31 October 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090427151844/http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/livingicons/bio01.shtml |archive-date=27 April 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> He has also been named among the [[100 Greatest Britons]] in a 2002 BBC poll and is one of the top ten "Heroes of Our Time" according to ''[[New Statesman]]'' magazine.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newstatesman.com/200605220016 |title=Heroes of our time – the top 50 |work=New Statesman |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110428104750/http://www.newstatesman.com/200605220016|archivedate=28 April 2011}}</ref> In September 2009, London's [[Natural History Museum, London|Natural History Museum]] opened the Attenborough Studio, part of its Darwin Centre development.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8254804.stm |title=Prince opens £78m Darwin Centre |work=BBC News|date=14 September 2009}}</ref> In December 2013, he was awarded the [[freedom of the city]] of Bristol.<ref name="FreedomB">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-25413238|title=Sir David Attenborough awarded freedom of Bristol|date=17 December 2013|publisher=[[BBC]]|accessdate=17 December 2013|work=BBC News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131218095851/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-25413238|archive-date=18 December 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2012, Attenborough was among the [[List of cultural icons of the United Kingdom|British cultural icons]] selected by artist Sir [[Peter Blake (artist)|Peter Blake]] to appear in a new version of his most famous artwork – the Beatles' ''[[Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band]]'' album cover – to celebrate the British cultural figures of his life.<ref>{{cite news|title=New faces on Sgt Pepper album cover for artist Peter Blake's 80th birthday|url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2012/apr/02/peter-blake-sgt-pepper-cover-revisited|work=The Guardian|date=5 October 2016|access-date=5 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161105095109/https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2012/apr/02/peter-blake-sgt-pepper-cover-revisited|archive-date=5 November 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> The same year, Attenborough featured in the [[BBC Radio 4]] series ''[[The New Elizabethans]]'' to mark the [[diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II]]. A panel of seven academics, journalists and historians named him among the group of people in the UK "whose actions during the reign of Elizabeth II have had a significant impact on lives in these islands".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01jxs2c/features/about|publisher=BBC|title=The New Elizabethans – David Attenborough|accessdate=30 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121125012450/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01jxs2c/features/about|archive-date=25 November 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> In May 2016, it was announced that a new British polar research ship will be named [[RRS Sir David Attenborough|RRS ''Sir David Attenborough'']] in his honour. While an Internet poll suggesting the name of the ship had the most votes for ''[[Boaty McBoatface]]'', Science Minister [[Jo Johnson]] said there were "more suitable names", and the official name was eventually picked up from one of the more favoured choices. However, one of its research subs was named "Boaty" in recognition of the public vote.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-36225652|title='Boaty McBoatface' polar ship named after Attenborough|newspaper=BBC News|date=6 May 2016|accessdate=6 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160506121010/http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-36225652|archive-date=6 May 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> ====Species named in Attenborough's honour==== [[File:Trigonopterus attenboroughi holotype - ZooKeys-467-011.tif|thumb|upright|''[[Trigonopterus attenboroughi]]'' ]] At least 20 species and genera, both living and extinct, have been named in Attenborough's honour.<ref name="Dijkstra2016">{{cite journal|last=Dijkstra|first=Klaas-Douwe B.|year=2016|title=Natural history: Restore our sense of species|journal=Nature|volume=533|issue=7602|pages=172–174|issn=0028-0836|doi=10.1038/533172a|pmid=27172032|bibcode=2016Natur.533..172D|doi-access=free}}</ref> Plants named after him include an alpine hawkweed (''[[Hieracium attenboroughianum]]'') discovered in the [[Brecon Beacons]],<ref>{{cite web |author=BSBI |title=Hawkweed named for Sir David Attenborough |url=http://bsbipublicity.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/hawkweed-named-for-sir-david.html |date=24 December 2014 |access-date=24 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141224172836/http://bsbipublicity.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/hawkweed-named-for-sir-david.html |archive-date=24 December 2014 |url-status=live }}, {{cite journal| date=December 2014| title=''Hieracium attenboroughianum'' (Asteraceae), a new species of hawkweed| author=T. C. G. Rich| volume=4| issue=3| pages=172–178| journal=New Journal of Botany| doi=10.1179/2042349714Y.0000000051| url=https://zenodo.org/record/15032}}</ref> a species of Ecuadorian flowering tree (''[[Blakea attenboroughi]]''), one of the world's largest-pitchered carnivorous plants (''[[Nepenthes attenboroughii]]''), along with a genus of flowering plants (''[[Sirdavidia]]'').<ref name="Couvreur2015">{{cite journal|vauthors=Couvreur TL, Niangadouma R, Sonké B, Sauquet H |title=Sirdavidia, an extraordinary new genus of Annonaceae from Gabon|journal= PhytoKeys|year=2015|volume=46|issue=46|pages=1–19|doi=10.3897/phytokeys.46.8937|pmid=25878546|pmc=4391954}}</ref> Arthropods named after Attenborough include a butterfly, Attenborough's black-eyed satyr (''[[Euptychia attenboroughi]]''),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/earth/story/20151202-rare-amazonian-butterfly-named-after-sir-david-attenborough |title=Rare Amazonian butterfly named after Sir David Attenborough |publisher=BBC Earth |date=3 December 2015 |accessdate=6 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160826050500/http://www.bbc.co.uk/earth/story/20151202-rare-amazonian-butterfly-named-after-sir-david-attenborough |archive-date=26 August 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> a dragonfly, Attenborough's pintail (''[[Acisoma attenboroughi]]''),<ref name="DA90">{{Cite episode |title=Attenborough at 90 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03qxjzj |access-date=8 May 2016 |network=[[BBC Television]] |date=8 May 2016 |series=&nbsp; |transcript= |transcript-url= |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160425135009/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03qxjzj |archivedate=25 April 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> a millimetre-long goblin spider (''[[Prethopalpus attenboroughi]]''), an Indonesian flightless weevil (''[[Trigonopterus attenboroughi]]''),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/following-a-plant-and-a-spider-sir-david-attenborough-now-has-a-beetle-named-after-him-9941035.html |title=Following a plant and a spider, Sir David Attenborough now has a beetle named after him |last=Bawden |first=Tom |date=22 December 2014 |website=[[The Independent]] |accessdate=30 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141231035227/http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/following-a-plant-and-a-spider-sir-david-attenborough-now-has-a-beetle-named-after-him-9941035.html |archive-date=31 December 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/david-attenborough-one-98-new-beetle-species-discovered-indonesia-1480600 |title='David Attenborough' one of 98 new beetle species discovered in Indonesia |last=Osborne |first=Hannah |date=22 December 2014 |website=[[International Business Times]] |accessdate=30 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150205095501/http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/david-attenborough-one-98-new-beetle-species-discovered-indonesia-1480600 |archive-date=5 February 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://entertainment.ie/life/David-Attenborough-is-getting-a-beetle-named-after-him/325920.htm |title=David Attenborough is getting a beetle named after him |last=Collins |first=Adrian |date=23 December 2014 |website=[[entertainment.ie]] |accessdate=30 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150205093941/http://entertainment.ie/life/David-Attenborough-is-getting-a-beetle-named-after-him/325920.htm |archive-date=5 February 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> a Madagascan ghost shrimp (''[[Ctenocheloides attenboroughi]]''), and a soil snail (''Palaina attenboroughi'').<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Greķe|first=Kristīne|year=2017|editor-last=Telnov|editor-first=Dmitry|title=Taxonomic review of Diplommatinidae (Caenogastropoda: Cyclophoroidea) from Wallacea and the Papuan Region|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320921280|journal=Biodiversity, Biogeography and Nature Conservation in Wallacea and New Guinea|volume=3|pages=151–316, pls 19–47}}</ref> The [[Monogenea]]n ''[[Cichlidogyrus attenboroughi]]'', a [[fish parasite|parasite]] from a deep-sea fish in the [[Lake Tanganyika]], is probably the only parasite species named after him.<ref name="KmentováGelnar2016">{{cite journal|last1=Kmentová|first1=Nikol|last2=Gelnar|first2=Milan|last3=Koblmüller|first3=Stephan|last4=Vanhove|first4=Maarten P. M.|title=Deep-water parasite diversity in Lake Tanganyika: description of two new monogenean species from benthopelagic cichlid fishes|journal=Parasites & Vectors|volume=9|issue=1|pages=426|year=2016|issn=1756-3305|doi=10.1186/s13071-016-1696-x|doi-access=free|pmid=27488497|pmc=4972994}}</ref> Vertebrates have also been named after Attenborough, including a Namibian lizard (''[[Platysaurus]] attenboroughi''),<ref name="Slate_14species" /> a bird (''[[Polioptila]] attenboroughi''),<ref name="Slate_14species" /> a Peruvian frog (''[[Pristimantis attenboroughi]]''),<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Lehr|first1=Edgar|last2=von May|first2=Rudolf|title=A new species of terrestrial-breeding frog (Amphibia, Craugastoridae, ''Pristimantis'') from high elevations of the Pui Pui Protected Forest in central Peru|journal=ZooKeys|year=2017|issue=660|pages=17–42|doi=10.3897/zookeys.660.11394|pmid=28794672|pmc=5549528}}</ref> a Madagascan [[Stumpffia|stump-toed frog]] (''Stumpffia davidattenboroughi''),<ref name="Rakoto17">{{cite journal|last1=Rakotoarison|first1=A.|last2=Scherz|first2=M.D.|last3=Glaw|first3=F.|last4=Köhler|first4=J|last5=Andreone|first5=F.|last6=Franzen|first6=M.|last7=Glos|first7=J.|last8=Hawlitschek|first8=O.|last9=Jono|first9=T.|last10=Mori|first10=A.|last11=Ndriantsoa|first11=S.H.|last12=Raminosoa Rasoamampionona|first12=N.|last13=Riemann|first13=J.C.|last14=Rödel|first14=M.-O.|last15=Rosa|first15=G.M.|last16=Vieites|first16=D.R.|last17=Crottini|first17=A.|last18=Vences|first18=M.|title=Describing the smaller majority: Integrative fast-track taxonomy reveals twenty-six new species of tiny microhylid frogs (genus ''Stumpffia'') from Madagascar|journal=Vertebrate Zoology|date=2017|volume=67|issue=3|pages=271–398}}</ref> and one of only four species of long-beaked echidna (''[[Zaglossus attenboroughi]]'').<ref name="InPics">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardin.com/environment/gallery/2014/jul/31/species-named-after-sir-david-attenborough-in-pictures|title=Species named after Sir David Attenborough – in pictures|date=31 July 2014|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|accessdate=1 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190805203411/https://www.theguardin.com/environment/gallery/2014/jul/31/species-named-after-sir-david-attenborough-in-pictures|archive-date=5 August 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[File:Sitana attenboroughii David Raju.jpg|thumb|left|''[[Sitana attenboroughii]]'']] In 1993, after discovering that the [[Mesozoic]] reptile ''Plesiosaurus conybeari'' did not belong to the genus ''Plesiosaurus'', the palaeontologist [[Robert Bakker]] renamed the species ''[[Attenborosaurus]] conybeari''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dinosauria.com/dml/names/ples.html |title=Plesiosauria Translation and Pronunciation Guide |publisher=Dinosauria.com |accessdate=4 November 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091001060613/http://www.dinosauria.com/dml/names/ples.html |archivedate=1 October 2009 }}</ref> A fossilised armoured fish discovered in Western Australia in 2008 was named ''[[Materpiscis]] attenboroughi'', after Attenborough had filmed at the site and highlighted its scientific importance in ''Life on Earth''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/05/080528-mother-fossil.html |title=Oldest Live-Birth Fossil Found; Fish Had Umbilical Cord |publisher=National Geographic News |date=28 May 2008 |access-date=29 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080530065627/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/05/080528-mother-fossil.html |archive-date=30 May 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> The ''Materpiscis'' fossil is believed to be the earliest organism capable of internal fertilisation. A miniature marsupial lion, ''[[Microleo attenboroughi]]'', was named in his honour in 2016.<ref name="Gough2016">{{cite news|last1=Gough|first1=Myles|title=Kitten-sized extinct 'lion' named after David Attenborough|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-37182388|work=[[BBC News]]|accessdate=29 August 2016|date=25 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160829000904/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-37182388|archive-date=29 August 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="GillespieEtAL2016">{{cite journal|last1=Gillespie|first1=Anna K.|last2=Archer|first2=Michael|last3=Hand|first3=Suzanne J.|title=A tiny new marsupial lion (Marsupialia, Thylacoleonidae) from the early Miocene of Australia|journal=Palaeontologia Electronica|year=2016|volume=19|issue=2.26A|pages=1–26|url=http://palaeo-electronica.org/content/pdfs/632.pdf|accessdate=29 August 2016|doi=10.26879/632|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911054640/http://palaeo-electronica.org/content/pdfs/632.pdf|archive-date=11 September 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> The fossil grasshopper ''[[Electrotettix attenboroughi]]'' was named after Attenborough. In March 2017, a 430 million year old tiny [[crustacean]] was named after him. Called ''Cascolus ravitis'', the first word is a [[Latin]] translation of the root meaning of "Attenborough", and the second is based on a description of him in Latin.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-39348150|title=Fossil named after Sir David Attenborough|work=BBC News|date=22 March 2017|access-date=20 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180717085303/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-39348150|archive-date=17 July 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2017/03/whats-in-a-name-sir-david-attenborough-creatures/|title=What's in a name?|website=Oxford Dictionaries|access-date=4 April 2017|date=22 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170404045459/https://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2017/03/whats-in-a-name-sir-david-attenborough-creatures/|archive-date=4 April 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> In July 2017, the [[Caribbean]] [[bat]] ''[[Myotis attenboroughi]]'' was named after him.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317381815|title=Caribbean Myotis (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae), with description of a new species from Trinidad and Tobago|journal=Journal of Mammalogy|volume=98|issue=4|pages=994–1008|language=en|access-date=23 October 2018|doi=10.1093/jmammal/gyx062|year=2017|last1=Moratelli|first1=Ricardo|last2=Wilson|first2=Don E.|last3=Novaes|first3=Roberto L M.|last4=Helgen|first4=Kristofer M.|last5=Gutiérrez|first5=Eliécer E.|doi-access=free}}</ref> A new species of fan-throated lizard from coastal [[Kerala]] in [[India|southern India]] was named ''[[Sitana attenboroughii]]'' in his honour when it was described in 2018.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Sadasivan|first1=Kalesh|last2=Ramesh|first2=M. B.|last3=Palot|first3=Muhamed Jafer|last4=Ambekar|first4=Mayuresh|last5=Mirza|first5=Zeeshan A.|title=A new species of fan-throated lizard of the genus Sitana Cuvier, 1829 from coastal Kerala, southern India|journal=Zootaxa|date=21 January 2018|volume=4374|issue=4|pages=545–564|doi=10.11646/zootaxa.4374.4.5|pmid=29689791|url=http://www.mapress.com/j/zt/article/view/zootaxa.4374.4.5|issn=1175-5334|access-date=23 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180122181628/http://www.mapress.com/j/zt/article/view/zootaxa.4374.4.5|archive-date=22 January 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2018, a new species of [[phytoplankton]], ''[[Syracosphaera azureaplaneta]]'', was named to honour ''[[The Blue Planet]]'', the TV documentary presented by Attenborough, and to recognise his contribution to promoting understanding of the oceanic environment.<ref>{{cite web|title=New ocean plankton species named after BBC's Blue Planet series|url=http://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/0418/170418-Syracosphaera-azureaplaneta|website=Ucl.ac.uk|publisher=University College London|accessdate=17 April 2018|date=17 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180420044837/http://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/0418/170418-Syracosphaera-azureaplaneta|archive-date=20 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> The same year, Attenborough was also commemorated in the name of the scarab beetle ''Sylvicanthon attenboroughi''.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Vaz-de-Mello |first1=Fernando Z. |last2=Cupello |first2=Mario |title=A monographic revision of the Neotropical dung beetle genus ''Sylvicanthon'' Halffter & Martínez, 1977 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: Deltochilini), including a reappraisal of the taxonomic history of 'Canthon sensu lato' |journal=European Journal of Taxonomy |date=2018 |volume=0 |issue=467 |url=http://www.europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/view/598/1378 |language=en |issn=2118-9773 |access-date=10 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181210111101/http://www.europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/view/598/1378 |archive-date=10 December 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> ===Awards=== [[File:Bærekraftsprisen 2018.jpg|thumb|Sir David Attenborough in 2018 receiving an honorary award for his sustainability work from Bergen Business Council and Fana Sparebank]] [[File:LI Awards 2019 270 N762.jpg|alt=award, Landscape architecture, sustainable, Landscape Architect, LI, Landscape Institute|thumb|Attenborough receiving the [[Landscape Institute]] Medal for Lifetime Achievement, and becoming an Honorary Fellow of the Landscape Institute in 2019]] {{Div col|colwidth=35em}} * 1970: [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts|BAFTA]] [[Desmond Davis]] Award * 1972: [[Royal Geographical Society]]'s [[Cherry Kearton Medal and Award]]<ref name="RGS">{{cite web|url=http://www.rgs.org/NR/rdonlyres/5733E422-4831-4451-B7D8-052E80E8CD75/0/MedalWinners19702012.pdf |title=Medals and Awards |publisher=[[Royal Geographical Society]] |accessdate=28 September 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002055718/http://www.rgs.org/NR/rdonlyres/5733E422-4831-4451-B7D8-052E80E8CD75/0/MedalWinners19702012.pdf |archivedate=2 October 2013 }}</ref> * 1974: Appointed [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] (CBE) for services to nature conservation in the [[1974 Birthday Honours]]<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=46310 |date=7 June 1974 |page=6799 |supp=y}}</ref> * 1980: [[BAFTA Fellowship]]<ref>{{cite book | title = Encyclopedia of television | first = Horace |last=Newcomb| isbn= 1-57958-394-6 | page=157|publisher = Routledge|edition = 2|date=7 October 2004}}</ref> * 1981: [[Kalinga Prize| Kalinga Prize for the Popularization of Science]] from [[UNESCO]]<ref>{{cite web|title=UNESCO Kalinga Prize for the Popularization of Science|url=http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/science-technology/sti-policy/global-focus/science-popularization/prizes/kalinga-prize/kalinga-winners/laureates-89-70/|publisher=UNESCO|accessdate=15 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140416191624/http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/science-technology/sti-policy/global-focus/science-popularization/prizes/kalinga-prize/kalinga-winners/laureates-89-70/|archive-date=16 April 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> * [[List of Fellows of the Royal Society elected in 1983|1983: Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) under Statute 12]]<ref name=frs>{{cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151014064120/https://royalsociety.org/people/david-attenborough-11015/|archivedate=14 October 2015|url=https://royalsociety.org/people/david-attenborough-11015/|title=Sir David Attenborough OM CH CVO CBE FRS Statute 12|publisher=[[Royal Society]]|location=London|author=Anon|year=1983}}</ref> * 1985: [[Knight Bachelor]] in the [[1985 Birthday Honours]]<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=50154 |date=15 June 1985 |page=1 |supp=y}}</ref> * 1991: [[Royal Victorian Order|Commander of the Royal Victorian Order]] (CVO) for producing Queen [[Elizabeth II]]'s [[Royal Christmas Message|Christmas broadcast]] for a number of years from 1986 in the [[1991 Birthday Honours]]<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=52563 |date=14 June 1991 |page=4 |supp=y}}</ref> * 1991: Foreign Honorary Member of the [[American Academy of Arts and Sciences]]<ref name=AAAS>{{cite web|title=Book of Members, 1780–2010: Chapter A|url=http://www.amacad.org/publications/BookofMembers/ChapterA.pdf|publisher=American Academy of Arts and Sciences|accessdate=27 April 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110510021801/http://www.amacad.org/publications/BookofMembers/ChapterA.pdf|archive-date=10 May 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> * 1996: [[Kew International Medal]]<ref name=seb/> * 1996: [[Order of the Companions of Honour|Companion of Honour]] (CH) for services to nature broadcasting in the [[1996 New Year Honours]]<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=54255 |date=29 December 1995 |page=5 |supp=y}}</ref> * 1997: Honorary Degree awarded by [[Ghent University]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ugent.be/nl/univgent/bronnen/archief/geschiedenis/overzichten/eredoctoren.htm#1990%20-%201999 |title=Overzicht eredoctoraten – Universiteit Gent |language=nl |publisher=Ugent.be |accessdate=28 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131106010813/http://www.ugent.be/nl/univgent/bronnen/archief/geschiedenis/overzichten/eredoctoren.htm/#1990%20-%201999 |archive-date=6 November 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> * 1998: [[International Cosmos Prize]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Conservation and biodiversity research wins international prize for British scientist |url=https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/14094/conservation-biodiversity-research-wins-international-prize/ |accessdate=12 March 2019 |agency=Imperial College London}}</ref> * 2000: [[RSPB Medal]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/rspb-news/news/408162-stanley-johnson-awarded-rspb-medal|title=Gifted naturalist is awarded prestigious RSPB medal|date=10 October 2015|publisher=[[RSPB]]|accessdate=18 November 2017}}</ref> * 2003: [[Michael Faraday Prize]] awarded by the [[Royal Society]] * 2004: [[Descartes Prize]] for Outstanding Science Communication Actions * 2004: [[Caird Medal]] of the [[National Maritime Museum]] * 2004: [[José Vasconcelos World Award of Education]] awarded by the [[World Cultural Council]] * 2005: [[Order of Merit]] (OM)<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=57645 |date=20 May 2005 |page=6631}}</ref> * 2005: [[Nierenberg Prize]] for Science in the Public Interest * 2006: [[National Television Awards]] Special Recognition Award * 2006: [[Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ieem.net |title=Welcome to IEEM |publisher=IEEM |accessdate=31 October 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091105172744/http://www.ieem.net/ |archive-date=5 November 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> – Institute Medal in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the public perception and understanding of ecology * 2006: ''[[The Culture Show]]'' British Icon Award * 2007: [[British Naturalists' Association]] [[British Naturalists' Association#Peter Scott Memorial Award|Peter Scott Memorial Award]] * 2007: Fellowship of [[Society of Antiquaries of London|Society of Antiquaries]] * 2008 The [[Royal Photographic Society]] awarded Attenborough its Progress medal and Honorary Fellowship in recognition of any invention, research, publication or other contribution which has resulted in an important advance in the scientific or technological development of photography or imaging in the widest sense. * 2009: [[Prince of Asturias Award]]<ref name="Asturias">{{cite web|url=http://fundacionprincipedeasturias.org/en/awards/2009/david-attenborough-1/ |title=Prince of Asturias Awards 2009 |accessdate=4 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726071526/http://fundacionprincipedeasturias.org/en/awards/2009/david-attenborough-1/ |archivedate=26 July 2011 }}</ref> * 2010: [[Fonseca Prize]] * 2010: [[Queensland Museum]] Medal<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/About+Us/News/Media+Releases/2010/01/Sir+David+Attenborough+honoured+by+Qld+Museum |title=Sir David Attenborough honoured by Qld Museum |publisher=Queensland Government |date=20 January 2010 |accessdate=15 September 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110330164328/http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/About%2BUs/News/Media%2BReleases/2010/01/Sir%2BDavid%2BAttenborough%2Bhonoured%2Bby%2BQld%2BMuseum |archivedate=30 March 2011 }}</ref> * 2011: [[Society for the History of Natural History]] Founders' Medal * 2011: [[Association for International Broadcasting]] AIB International TV Personality of the year * 2012: [[IUCN]] Phillips Memorial Medal for outstanding service in international conservation<ref>{{cite web|last=Cole |first=Alan |title=Sir David Attenborough: IUCN award |url=http://www.xperedon.com/news_1676 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130210111220/http://www.xperedon.com/news_1676 |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 February 2013 |publisher=Xperedon Charity News |accessdate=15 September 2012 }}</ref> * 2015: Individual [[Peabody Award]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://grady.uga.edu/naturalist-sir-david-attenborough-awarded-individual-peabody/|title=Naturalist Sir David Attenborough Awarded Individual Peabody|language=English|website=uga.grady.edu|date=14 April 2015|accessdate=24 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190825060258/http://grady.uga.edu/naturalist-sir-david-attenborough-awarded-individual-peabody/|archive-date=25 August 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> * 2017: [[Britain-Australia Society]] Award for outstanding contribution to strengthening British/Australian bilateral understanding and relations.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://britain-australia.org.uk/events/event/the-britain-australia-society-award-2017/ |title=Britain-Australia Society Award 2017 |publisher=Britain-Australia Society |date=4 January 2018 |accessdate=13 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180413190447/http://britain-australia.org.uk/events/event/the-britain-australia-society-award-2017/ |archive-date=13 April 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> * 2017: Honorary Member of the [[Moscow Society of Naturalists]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.moip.msu.ru/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/poch-chlen-02.doc|title=Moscow Society of Naturalists official site|language=Russian|website=Moip.msu.ru|accessdate=16 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180416013525/http://www.moip.msu.ru/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/poch-chlen-02.doc|archive-date=16 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> * 2017: Gold Medal of the [[Royal Canadian Geographical Society]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rcgs.org/awards/gold_medal/previous_winners.asp|title=Gold Medal-Award Recipients since its inception in 1972|publisher=RCGS|accessdate=20 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106221951/http://www.rcgs.org/awards/gold_medal/previous_winners.asp|archive-date=6 November 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> *2018: [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Narrator]]<ref name="2018 Emmys">{{Cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2018/outstanding-narrator|title=Nominees/Winners|website=Television Academy|language=en|access-date=2019-01-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190119122915/http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2018/outstanding-narrator|archive-date=19 January 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> *2018: [[The Perfect World Foundation]] Award The Conservationist of the years 2018 & Prize "The Fragile Rhino" *2019: Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Narrator<ref name="2019 Emmys"/> *2019: [[Landscape Institute]] Medal for Lifetime Achievement<ref name="2019 LI">{{cite news |title=LI to honour Sir David Attenborough with the Landscape Institute Medal |url=https://www.landscapeinstitute.org/news/li-to-honour-sir-david-attenborough-with-the-landscape-institute-medal/ |accessdate=2 November 2019 |agency=Landscape Institute |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191202212313/https://www.landscapeinstitute.org/news/li-to-honour-sir-david-attenborough-with-the-landscape-institute-medal/ |archive-date=2 December 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> *2019: Landscape Institute Honorary Fellow (HonFLI)<ref name="2019 LI"/> *2019: Crystal Award at the [[World Economic Forum]] in [[Davos, Switzerland]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Davos 2019: Meet the Crystal Award winners |url=https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/12/davos-2019-meet-the-crystal-award-winners/ |website=World Economic Forum |access-date=22 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191120183442/https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/12/davos-2019-meet-the-crystal-award-winners/ |archive-date=20 November 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=David Attenborough: 'The Garden of Eden is no more'. Read his Davos speech in full |url=https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/01/david-attenborough-transcript-from-crystal-award-speech/ |website=World Economic Forum |access-date=22 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191213091400/https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/01/david-attenborough-transcript-from-crystal-award-speech |archive-date=13 December 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> {{colend}} ===Lectures=== In 1973, Attenborough was invited to deliver the [[Royal Institution Christmas Lectures|Royal Institution Christmas Lecture]] on ''The Language of Animals''. ==Views and advocacy== ===Environment=== [[File:David Attenborough.jpg|thumb|right|Attenborough in 2003 at the launch of [[ARKive]] – a global initiative with the mission of "promoting the conservation of the world's threatened species, through the power of wildlife imagery".]] Attenborough's programmes have often included references to the [[human impact on the environment|impact of human society]] on the natural world. The last episode of ''The Living Planet'', for example, focuses almost entirely on humans' destruction of the environment and ways that it could be stopped or reversed. Despite this, he has been criticised for not giving enough prominence to environmental messages. Some environmentalists feel that programmes like Attenborough's give a false picture of idyllic wilderness and do not do enough to acknowledge that such areas are increasingly encroached upon by humans.<ref>James Fair, "Small Things Bright and Beautiful", BBC Wildlife Magazine, November 2005, pp. 25–26.</ref> Attenborough has subsequently become more vocal in his support of environmental causes. In 2005 and 2006, he backed a [[BirdLife International]] project to stop the killing of [[albatross]] by longline fishing boats.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.savethealbatross.net/the_latest/the_latest_item.asp?newsid=24 |title=Personal plea by David Attenborough |publisher=savethealbatross.net |date=27 January 2006 |access-date=22 November 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061229153331/http://www.savethealbatross.net/the_latest/the_latest_item.asp?newsid=24 |archive-date=29 December 2006 |url-status=live }}</ref> He gave public support to [[World Wide Fund for Nature|WWF]]'s campaign to have 220,000&nbsp;square kilometres of Borneo's rainforest designated a protected area.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwf.org.uk/core/about/ta_0000001801.asp |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121224063944/http://www.wwf.org.uk/core/about/ta_0000001801.asp |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 December 2012 |title=Sir David Attenborough: Heart of Borneo is a global heritage |publisher=WWF-UK press release }}</ref> He also serves as a vice-president of [[BTCV]], vice-president of [[Fauna and Flora International]], president of [[Butterfly Conservation]] and president of [[Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust]]. In 2003, he launched an appeal on behalf of the World Land Trust to create a rainforest reserve in Ecuador in memory of [[Christopher Parsons]], the producer of ''Life on Earth'' and a personal friend, who had died the previous year. The same year, he helped to launch [[ARKive]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/conservation/story/0,,969572,00.html |title=Arkive sets sail on the web |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=20 May 2003 |location=London |first=Ashley |last=Davies}}</ref> a global project instigated by Parsons to gather together natural history media into a digital library. ARKive is an initiative of [[Wildscreen]], of which Attenborough is a patron.<ref name="AR-2010">{{cite book|title=WildScreen Annual Review 2010|url=http://www.wildscreen.org.uk/downloads/AnnualReview2010.pdf|accessdate=11 July 2011|publisher=[[Wildscreen]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715110342/http://www.wildscreen.org.uk/downloads/AnnualReview2010.pdf|archive-date=15 July 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> He later became patron of the [[World Land Trust]], and an active supporter. He supported [[Glyndebourne]] in their successful application to obtain planning permission for a [[wind turbine]] in an [[Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty]], and gave evidence at the planning inquiry arguing in favour of the proposal.<ref>{{cite news |title='Giant' wind turbine for Glyndebourne |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2286858/Giant-wind-turbine-for-Glyndebourne.html |accessdate=15 September 2019 |work=The Telegraph |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110311163555/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2286858/Giant-wind-turbine-for-Glyndebourne.html |archive-date=11 March 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[File:Sir David Attenborough & President Obama.webm|thumb|Attenborough and US President [[Barack Obama]] discuss and contemplate the natural world at the White House]] Attenborough again took up the topic of population in an episode of [[Horizon (BBC TV series)|''Horizon'']] entitled, ''How Many People Can Live on Planet Earth?'' He has written and spoken publicly about the fact that, despite past scepticism, he believes the Earth's climate is warming in a way that is cause for concern, and that this can likely be attributed to human activity.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article570935.ece |title=Climate change is the major challenge facing the world |last=Attenborough |first=David |work=[[The Independent]] |date=24 May 2006 |location=London |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516005117/http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article570935.ece |archivedate=16 May 2008 }}</ref> In a January 2013 interview with the ''[[Radio Times]]'', Attenborough described humans as a "plague on the Earth",<ref>{{cite web|title=David Attenborough: "Humans are a plague on the Earth"|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-01-22/david-attenborough-humans-are-a-plague-on-the-earth|website=Radio Times|publisher=|date=22 January 2013|access-date=28 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808052741/http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-01-22/david-attenborough-humans-are-a-plague-on-the-earth|archive-date=8 August 2014|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=David Attenborough – Humans are plague on Earth|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/earthnews/9815862/Humans-are-plague-on-Earth-Attenborough.html|work=The Daily Telegraph|last=Gray|first=Louise|date={{date|22 jan 2013}}|accessdate={{date| 6 October 2014}}|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161120085247/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/earthnews/9815862/Humans-are-plague-on-Earth-Attenborough.html|archive-date=20 November 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> and criticised the act of sending food to famine-stricken countries while overlooking [[population control]].<ref>{{cite news|title=David Attenborough says sending food to famine-ridden countries is 'barmy'|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/david-attenborough-says-sending-food-to-famineridden-countries-is-barmy-8823602.html|website=The Independent|publisher=The Independent, newsgroup|access-date=26 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925162536/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/david-attenborough-says-sending-food-to-famineridden-countries-is-barmy-8823602.html|archive-date=25 September 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> In May 2015, United States President [[Barack Obama]] interviewed Attenborough at the [[White House]] in Washington D.C. Together, they discussed the future of the planet, their passion for nature and what measures can be taken to protect the environment.<ref>{{cite news|title=David Attenborough Meets President Obama|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0616m86|publisher=BBC|date=18 March 2016|access-date=20 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190727130230/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0616m86|archive-date=27 July 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> In July 2020, Attenborough advocated on behalf of the London Zoo and its conservation efforts, which have been impacted by the economic fallout from the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]. He said: <blockquote> "London and Whipsnade [zoos] are home to over 20,000 animals, many of which are endangered in the wild, from tiny dart frogs to majestic tigers and everything in between. ZSL now faces its toughest challenge to date. Put bluntly, the national institution is now itself at risk of extinction."<ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-07-09|title=Attenborough warns London Zoo risks 'extinction'|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-53346800|access-date=2020-07-20}}</ref></blockquote> ===Attitude to religion and creationism=== In a December 2005 interview with [[Simon Mayo]] on [[BBC Radio Five Live]], Attenborough stated that he considers himself an agnostic.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/listen/audioarchive.shtml Interview] with [[Simon Mayo]], [[BBC Radio Five Live]], 2 December 2005 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090301170556/http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/listen/audioarchive.shtml |date=1 March 2009 }}</ref> When asked whether his observation of the natural world has given him faith in a creator, he generally responds with some version of this story, making reference to the ''[[Onchocerca volvulus]]'' parasitic worm: <blockquote>My response is that when Creationists talk about God creating every individual species as a separate act, they always instance hummingbirds, or orchids, sunflowers and beautiful things. But I tend to think instead of a parasitic worm that is boring through the eye of a boy sitting on the bank of a river in West Africa, [a worm] that's going to make him blind. And [I ask them], 'Are you telling me that the God you believe in, who you also say is an all-merciful God, who cares for each one of us individually, are you saying that God created this worm that can live in no other way than in an innocent child's eyeball? Because that doesn't seem to me to coincide with a God who's full of mercy'.<ref>David Attenborough, 2003. "[http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/03/24/1048354544138.html Wild, wild life] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031211230726/http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/03/24/1048354544138.html |date=11 December 2003 }}." ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', 25 March. Attenborough has also told this story in numerous other interviews.</ref></blockquote> He has explained that he feels the evidence all over the planet clearly shows evolution to be the best way to explain the diversity of life, and that "as far as [he's] concerned, if there is a supreme being then he chose organic evolution as a way of bringing into existence the natural world". In a [[BBC Four]] interview with [[Mark Lawson]], he was asked if he at any time had any religious faith. He replied simply, "No."<ref>BBC ''Today'' programme, 31 January 2009</ref> He has also said "It never really occurred to me to believe in God".<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mandrake/4347954/Sir-David-Attenborough-questioned-on-faith-naturally.html | location=London | work=The Daily Telegraph | last=Walker | first=Tim | title=Sir David Attenborough questioned on faith, naturally | date=26 January 2009 | accessdate={{date | 6 October 2014}} | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141008095309/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mandrake/4347954/Sir-David-Attenborough-questioned-on-faith-naturally.html | archive-date=8 October 2014 | url-status=live }}</ref> In 2002, Attenborough joined an effort by leading clerics and scientists to oppose the inclusion of creationism in the curriculum of UK state-funded independent schools which receive private sponsorship, such as the [[Emmanuel Schools Foundation]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jan/27/david-attenborough-science|title=Attenborough reveals creationist hate mail for not crediting God|last=Butt|first=Riazat|date=27 January 2009|work=The Guardian|accessdate=27 January 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130905180331/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jan/27/david-attenborough-science|archive-date=5 September 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2009, he stated that the [[Book of Genesis]], by saying that the world was there for people to dominate, had taught generations that they can "dominate" the environment, and that this has resulted in the devastation of vast areas of the environment. He further explained to the science journal ''[[Nature (journal)|Nature]]'', "That's why Darwinism, and the fact of evolution, is of great importance, because it is that attitude which has led to the devastation of so much, and we are in the situation that we are in."<ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Rutherford | first1 = A. | doi = 10.1038/457967a | title = Q&A: Building on paradise | journal = Nature | volume = 457 | issue = 7232 | pages = 967 | year = 2009 | pmid = 19225509 | bibcode = 2009Natur.457..967R | doi-access= free }}</ref> Also in early 2009, the BBC broadcast an Attenborough one-hour special, ''[[Charles Darwin and the Tree of Life]]''. In reference to the programme, Attenborough stated that "People write to me that evolution is only a theory. Well, it is not a theory. Evolution is as solid a historical fact as you could conceive. Evidence from every quarter. What is a theory is whether natural selection is the mechanism and the only mechanism. That is a theory. But the historical reality that dinosaurs led to birds and mammals produced whales, that's not theory."<ref name=whitworth>{{Cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article5562484.ece |title=David Attenborough on Charles Darwin – Times Online |work=The Times |accessdate=14 February 2009 | author=Whitworth, Damian | date=22 January 2009 | url-access=subscription}}</ref> He strongly opposes [[creationism]] and its offshoot "[[intelligent design]]", saying that a survey that found a quarter of science teachers in state schools believe that creationism should be taught alongside evolution in science lessons was "really terrible".<ref name=whitworth /> In March 2009, Attenborough appeared on ''[[Friday Night with Jonathan Ross]]''. Attenborough stated that he felt evolution did not rule out the existence of a God and accepted the title of agnostic saying, "My view is: I don't know one way or the other but I don't think that evolution is against a belief in God."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvoJSlcIYmM |title=David Attenborough on ''Friday Night with Jonathan Ross'' |via=YouTube |date=31 October 2009 |accessdate=4 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130902110558/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvoJSlcIYmM |archive-date=2 September 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> Attenborough has joined the evolutionary biologist [[Richard Dawkins]] and other top scientists in signing a campaign statement co-ordinated by the [[British Humanist Association]] (BHA). The statement calls for "creationism to be banned from the school science curriculum and for evolution to be taught more widely in schools."<ref name="The Telegraph">{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/8769353/David-Attenborough-joins-campaign-against-creationism-in-schools.html| title=David Attenborough joins campaign against creationism in schools| work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]| date=19 September 2011| accessdate={{date | 6 October 2014}}| last=Collins| first=Nick| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141008095340/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/8769353/David-Attenborough-joins-campaign-against-creationism-in-schools.html| archive-date=8 October 2014| url-status=live}}</ref> ===BBC and public service broadcasting=== Attenborough is a lifelong supporter of the BBC, [[public service broadcasting]] and the [[television licence]]. He has said that public service broadcasting "is one of the things that distinguishes this country and makes me want to live here",<ref name="telegraph1">{{Cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1921592/Sir-David-Attenborough-enters-political-jungle.html | title=Sir David Attenborough enters political jungle | work=The Daily Telegraph | location=London | first=Andrew | last=Pierce | date=2 May 2008 | accessdate={{date | 6 October 2014}} | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141008095347/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1921592/Sir-David-Attenborough-enters-political-jungle.html | archive-date=8 October 2014 | url-status=live }}</ref> and believes that it is not reducible to individual programmes, but "can only effectively operate as a network [...] that measures its success not only by its audience size but by the range of its schedule".<ref name="bbc.co.uk">[http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/insidethebbc/howwework/reports/pdf/attenborough_future_of_psb.pdf “The future of public service broadcasting”] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190503092810/http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/insidethebbc/howwework/reports/pdf/attenborough_future_of_psb.pdf |date=3 May 2019 }}. BBC. Retrieved 15 September 2019</ref> <blockquote>... the BBC per minute in almost every category is as cheap as you can find anywhere in the world and produces the best quality. [...] The BBC has gone through swingeing staff cuts. It has been cut to the bone, if you divert licence fee money elsewhere, you cut quality and services. [...] There is a lot of people who want to see the BBC weakened. They talk of this terrible tax of the licence fee. Yet it is the best bargain that is going. Four radio channels and god knows how many TV channels. It is piffling.<ref name="telegraph1"/></blockquote> Attenborough expressed the view "there have always been politicians or business people who have wanted to cut the BBC back or stop it", adding "there's always been trouble about the licence and if you dropped your guard you could bet our bottom dollar there'd be plenty of people who'd want to take it away. The licence fee is the basis on which the BBC is based and if you destroy it, broadcasting... becomes a wasteland."<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/multi-platform/news/attenborough-backs-ross/1925560.article | title= Attenborough backs Ross | website= Broadcastnow.co.uk | access-date= 26 July 2009 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120405100046/http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/multi-platform/news/attenborough-backs-ross/1925560.article | archive-date= 5 April 2012 | url-status= live }}</ref> He expressed regret at some of the changes made to the BBC in the 1990s by its [[Director-General of the BBC|Director-General]], [[John Birt]], who introduced an internal market at the corporation, slimmed and even closed some departments and outsourced much of the corporation's output to private production companies, in line with the [[Broadcasting Act 1990]]. Although he said Birt's policies "had some terrible results", Attenborough also acknowledged "the BBC had to change. Now it has to produce programmes no one else can do. Otherwise, forget the licence fee."<ref name="new statesman 1998">{{cite web|url=http://www.newstatesman.com/199812180019 |title=The New Statesman Interview – David Attenborough |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607080949/http://www.newstatesman.com/199812180019 |archivedate=7 June 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news| url= http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article820515.ece?token=null&offset=0&page=1 | title= Interview: Marguerite Driscoll meets Sir David Attenborough: So much jollier than being DG | location=London | work=The Times | date=3 November 2002 | accessdate=28 March 2010 | first=Fiona | last=Hamilton}}</ref> In 2008, he criticised the BBC's television schedules, positing that the two senior networks, [[BBC One]] and [[BBC Two]] – which Attenborough stated were "first set up as a partnership" – now "schedule simultaneously programmes of identical character, thereby contradicting the very reason that the BBC was given a second network."<ref name="bbc.co.uk"/> ===Politics=== In 1998, Attenborough described himself as "a standard, boring left-wing liberal" and expressed the view that the [[market economy]] was "misery".<ref name="new statesman 1998"/> In 2013, Attenborough joined rock guitarists [[Brian May]] and [[Slash (musician)|Slash]] in opposing the government's policy on the [[Badger culling in the United Kingdom|cull of badgers in the UK]] by participating in a song dedicated to badgers.<ref>{{cite news| url= https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/jun/04/slash-david-attenborough-brian-may-badger-swagger| title= Slash and David Attenborough join Brian May in pro-badger supergroup| newspaper= The Guardian| date= 4 June 2013| accessdate= 16 June 2013| last1= Michaels| first1= Sean| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130827184207/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/jun/04/slash-david-attenborough-brian-may-badger-swagger| archive-date= 27 August 2013| url-status= live}}</ref> In August 2014, Attenborough was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to ''[[The Guardian]]'' expressing their hope that Scotland would vote to remain part of the United Kingdom in September's [[2014 Scottish independence referendum|referendum on that issue]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/aug/07/celebrities-open-letter-scotland-independence-full-text |title=Celebrities' open letter to Scotland – full text and list of signatories &#124; Politics |newspaper=The Guardian |date=7 August 2014 |accessdate=26 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140817131736/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/aug/07/celebrities-open-letter-scotland-independence-full-text |archive-date=17 August 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> Prior to the [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015 UK general election]], Attenborough was one of several celebrities who endorsed the parliamentary candidacy of the [[Green Party of England and Wales|Green Party]]'s [[Caroline Lucas]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/apr/24/celebrities-sign-statement-support-caroline-lucas-not-green-party | title=Celebrities sign statement of support for Caroline Lucas – but not the Greens | work=The Guardian | location=London | first=Jessica | last=Elgot | date=24 April 2015 | accessdate=22 July 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190324092533/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/apr/24/celebrities-sign-statement-support-caroline-lucas-not-green-party | archive-date=24 March 2019 | url-status=live }}</ref> Commenting on the [[2016 United States presidential election|2016 US presidential election]] in an interview by ''[[Radio Times]]'', Attenborough jokingly commented on the rise of [[Donald Trump]]: "Do we have any control or influence over the American elections? Of course we don’t. We could shoot him, it's not a bad idea."<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/david-attenborough-donald-trump-shoot-radio-times-interview-michael-gove-a7390476.html Sir David Attenborough on Donald Trump: 'We could shoot him. It's not a bad idea'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170716015905/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/david-attenborough-donald-trump-shoot-radio-times-interview-michael-gove-a7390476.html |date=16 July 2017 }}. ''[[The Independent]]''. 1 November 2016.</ref> ==Health and future plans== Attenborough had a pacemaker fitted in June 2013, as well as a double knee replacement in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/sir-dave-attenborough-reveals-pacemaker-9194114|title=Sir David Attenborough reveals he's got a 'new lease of life' at 90|last=Murphy|first=Claire|date=2016-11-06|website=mirror|access-date=2020-04-14}}</ref> In September 2013 he commented: <blockquote>If I was earning my money by hewing coal I would be very glad indeed to stop. But I'm not. I'm swanning round the world looking at the most fabulously interesting things. Such good fortune.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sir David Attenborough warns against large families and predicts things will only get worse|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2013/sep/10/david-attenborough-human-evolution-stopped|newspaper=The Guardian|publisher=The Guardian news group|date=10 September 2013|last1=Meikle|first1=James|access-date=11 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211131905/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2013/sep/10/david-attenborough-human-evolution-stopped|archive-date=11 February 2017|url-status=live}}</ref></blockquote> ==Filmography== {{Main|David Attenborough filmography}} David Attenborough's television credits span seven decades and his association with natural history programmes dates back to ''The Pattern of Animals'' and ''Zoo Quest'' in the early 1950s. His most influential work, 1979's ''Life on Earth'', launched a strand of nine authored documentaries with the BBC Natural History Unit which shared the ''Life'' strand name and spanned 30 years. He narrated every episode of the long-running BBC series ''Wildlife on One'' and in his later career has voiced several high-profile BBC wildlife documentaries, among them ''The Blue Planet'' and ''Planet Earth''. He became a pioneer in the 3D documentary format with ''Flying Monsters'' in 2010. ==Books== David Attenborough's work as an author has strong parallels with his broadcasting career. In the 1950s and 1960s, his published work included accounts of his animal collecting expeditions around the world, which became the ''Zoo Quest'' series. He wrote an accompanying volume to each of his nine ''Life'' documentaries, along with books on tribal art and birds of paradise. His autobiography, ''Life on Air'', was published in 2002, revised in 2009 and is one of a number of his works which is available as a self-narrated audiobook. Attenborough has also contributed forewords and introductions to many other works, notably those accompanying ''Planet Earth'', ''Frozen Planet'', ''Africa'' and other BBC series he has narrated. ===Bibliography=== * ''[[Zoo Quest#Books|Zoo Quest to Guyana]]'' (1956) * ''[[Zoo Quest#Books|Zoo Quest for a Dragon]]'' (1957) – republished in 1959 to include an additional 85 pages titled ''Quest for the Paradise Birds'' * ''[[Zoo Quest#Books|Zoo Quest in Paraguay]]'' (1959) * ''[[Zoo Quest#Books|Quest in Paradise]]'' (1960) * ''People of Paradise'' (1960) * ''[[Zoo Quest#Books|Zoo Quest to Madagascar]]'' (1961) * ''[[Zoo Quest#Books|Quest Under Capricorn]]'' (1963) * ''Fabulous Animals'' (1975) * ''The Tribal Eye'' (1976) * ''[[Life on Earth (TV series)|Life on Earth]]'' (1979) * ''Discovering Life on Earth'' (1981) * ''[[The Living Planet]]'' (1984) * ''The First Eden: The Mediterranean World and Man'' (1987) * ''The Atlas of the Living World'' (1989) * ''[[The Trials of Life]]'' (1990) * ''[[The Private Life of Plants]]'' (1994) * ''[[The Life of Birds]]'' (1998) * ''[[The Life of Mammals]]'' (2002) * ''Life on Air: Memoirs of a Broadcaster'' (2002) – autobiography, revised in 2009 * ''[[Life in the Undergrowth]]'' (2005) * ''Amazing Rare Things: The Art of Natural History in the Age of Discovery'' (2007) – with Susan Owens, Martin Clayton and Rea Alexandratos * ''[[Life in Cold Blood]]'' (2007) * ''David Attenborough's Life Stories'' (2009) * ''David Attenborough's New Life Stories'' (2011) * ''Drawn From Paradise: The Discovery, Art and Natural History of the Birds of Paradise'' (2012) – with [[Errol Fuller]] * ''Adventures of a Young Naturalist: The Zoo Quest Expeditions'' (2017) * ''Journeys to the Other Side of the World: Further Adventures of a Young Naturalist'' (2018) * ''Dynasties: The Rise and Fall of Animal Families'' with [[Stephen Moss]] (BBC Books, 2018) {{ISBN|978-1785943010}} ==Audio recordings== * ''[[Tarka the Otter]]'' by [[Henry Williamson]] (available on audiocassette, 1978) * ''Yanomamo'' (musical entertainment, 1983) by [[Peter Rose and Anne Conlon]]; on-stage narration and published audio recording * ''Ocean World'' (musical entertainment, 1990) by Peter Rose and Anne Conlon; on-stage narration (including at The [[Royal Festival Hall]]), for audio recording and video broadcast (both published) * ''[[Peter and the Wolf]]'' for [[BBC Music Magazine]] (free CD with the June 2000 issue). * ''The Peregrine'' by [[J.A. Baker]] for BBC Radio 4. Available for a year from 18 December 2019, at the BBC Radio 4 website. <ref>{{cite web|title= Radio 4 website.|url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07xhbdk|access-date= 24 December 2019|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20191224115250/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07xhbdk|archive-date= 24 December 2019|url-status= live}}</ref> In addition, Attenborough has recorded some of his own works in audiobook form, including ''Life on Earth'', ''Zoo Quest for a Dragon'', and his autobiography ''Life on Air: Memoirs of a Broadcaster''. ==References== {{Reflist|25em|refs = <ref name="Slate_14species">{{cite news |last1=Laskow |first1=Sarah |title=All the Creatures Named After David Attenborough |date=12 January 2016 |work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]] |url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/atlas_obscura/2016/01/12/here_s_every_living_or_extinct_creature_named_after_naturalist_david_attenborough.html |accessdate=10 September 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160831140156/http://www.slate.com/blogs/atlas_obscura/2016/01/12/here_s_every_living_or_extinct_creature_named_after_naturalist_david_attenborough.html |archivedate=31 August 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> }} * {{CC-notice |cc=by4 |url=https://royalsociety.org/people/david-attenborough-11015/}} ==External links== {{Wikiquote}} {{commons category}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20140810122408/http://www.davidattenborough.co.uk/ BBC Books David Attenborough website] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20140808054258/http://www.britishexploring.org/AboutUs/OurPatrons.aspx British Exploring Society] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20140514162407/http://www.frp.org.uk/news/149-frp-announces-its-new-patrons Friends of Richmond Park] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20180204000612/https://www.populationmatters.org/attenborough-opt-patron/ Population Matters] * [https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba11e009b David Attenborough] at the [[British Film Institute]] * {{IMDb name|id=0041003|name=David Attenborough}} * [http://www.wildfilmhistory.org/person/85/David+Attenborough.html Wildfilmhistory.org biography] * {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120501235151/http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/audiointerviews/profilepages/attenboroughd1.shtml |date=1 May 2012 |title=BBC interviews with Attenborough in 1976 and 1998 }} * [https://www.pbs.org/lifeofbirds/sirdavid/index.html PBS interview with Attenborough in 1998] * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fK0rXRmC4DQ#t=100 People and Planet: David Attenborough], video of the 2011 [[Royal Society of Arts|RSA]] President's Lecture * [https://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/collections/p0048522 BBC Wildlife Finder] – David Attenborough's favourite moments * [http://www.worldlandtrust.org/about/patrons/david-attenborough Tribute from the World Land Trust] * [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00942qy David Attenborough] interview on BBC Radio 4 ''[[Desert Island Discs]]'', 27 December 1998 *[http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2016-10-13/david-attenborough-humanity-must-come-to-its-senses-or-face-environmental-disaster David Attenborough: humanity must come to its senses or face environmental disaster]. ''[[Radio Times]]''. 13 October 2016. {{S-start}} {{S-media}} {{S-bef|before=[[Michael Peacock (television executive)|Michael Peacock]]}} {{S-ttl|title=Controller of [[BBC Two]]|years=1965–1969}} {{S-aft|after=[[Robin Scott (BBC)|Robin Scott]]}} {{s-npo}} {{s-bef|before=?}} {{s-ttl|title=President of the [[Royal Society for Nature Conservation]]|years=1991–1996}} {{s-aft|after=?}} {{s-end}} {{David Attenborough Television Series}} {{Navboxes | title = Awards for David Attenborough | list = {{BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award}} {{International Emmy Founders Award}} {{EmmyAward Narrator}} {{José Vasconcelos World Award of Education Laureates}} {{Prince of Asturias Award for Social Sciences}} }} {{FRS 1983}} {{Underwater diving|unddiv}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Attenborough, David}} [[Category:David Attenborough| ]] [[Category:English broadcasters]] [[Category:1926 births]] [[Category:Alumni of Clare College, Cambridge]] [[Category:Alumni of University College London]] [[Category:Attenborough family|David]] [[Category:BAFTA fellows]] [[Category:BBC Two controllers]] [[Category:British Book Award winners]] [[Category:British social commentators]] [[Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire]] [[Category:Commanders of the Royal Victorian Order]] [[Category:Critics of creationism]] [[Category:Cultural critics]] [[Category:English agnostics]] [[Category:English autobiographers]] [[Category:English conservationists]] [[Category:English environmentalists]] [[Category:English nature writers]] [[Category:English television personalities]] [[Category:Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences]] [[Category:Fellows of the Australian Academy of Science]] [[Category:Fellows of the Linnean Society of London]] [[Category:Fellows of the Royal Society (Statute 12)]] [[Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of Biology]] [[Category:Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries of London]] [[Category:Fellows of the Zoological Society of London]] [[Category:International Emmy Founders Award winners]] [[Category:Kalinga Prize recipients]] [[Category:Knights Bachelor]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Members of the Order of Merit]] [[Category:Members of the Order of the Companions of Honour]] [[Category:Outstanding Narrator Primetime Emmy Award winners]] [[Category:People associated with the University of Leicester]] [[Category:People educated at Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys]] [[Category:People from Isleworth]] [[Category:People from Leicester]] [[Category:Presidents of the British Science Association]] [[Category:Primetime Emmy Award winners]] [[Category:Social commentators]] [[Category:Social critics]] [[Category:Fellows of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society]] [[Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of Arts]]'