Who do you most admire?

maccyd82 · #1 (**permalink**) 22-02-2011, 02:29 PM

Someone asked me today who I most admired in the field of wildlife or the environment, and I must say I got stuck in pinpointing a particular person. Is David Attenborough too obvious?

Who do you most admire?

Richard Baber · #2 (**permalink**) 22-02-2011, 03:10 PM

I'm certainly an Attenborough fan but if I have a hero, or rather heroine, it has to be Dian Fossey. This extraordinary woman devoted 18 years to studying mountain gorillas, battling poachers and politicians alike, before being brutally murdered. She has many critics and rightly so, but she's the person I admire the most.

Richard

darrenm · #3 (**permalink**) 22-02-2011, 04:18 PM

quite a few but some are no longer around.

Bill Oddie for supporting Swoop bird seed and the one who really started me off

and helping to drive my parents nuts at the time with my demands for bins,a garden full of bird feeders and nest boxes

Tony Soper for giving me even more dangerous ideas.

Mark Cocker for his writing style and getting closer than anyone in describing what makes a birder/birders tick

.

Sir David for bringing wildlife into the living rooms on the small screen and helping to inspire and educate generations

. I also doubt anyone will have the calibre to replace him when he has gone.

The team that brought us the Collins Bird Guide both first and second editions and the very sadly missed Peter J. Grant.

The Lewingtons and just a quick flick through any book with their artwork in makes me want to drop eveything and get into the field.

Chris Mead for his State of the Nations Birds and one day soon i hope someone updates this work and reminds us all again that there is a hell of a lot do.

Peterson for bringing a very good idea to these shores when it was really needed.

Kenn Kaufman for Kingbird Highway and again describing the utter and total lunacy of year listing (even if in an American context in the 1970's, on foot and by hitch-hiking) and is another book i have read countless times. Reading it again helped me get some balance back when my Dad passed away a few years ago.

Also the crowd of hard working, passionate and highly dedicated individuals i have met and worked with in the last few years who are still commited to helping to try and maintain Biodiversity and still trying to keep a smile while doing so.

Long may people continue to inspire others into the field

Wild-Woman · #4 (**permalink**) 22-02-2011, 04:31 PM

The Legend himself - Mr Attenborough.

Lancashire Lad · #5 (**permalink**) 22-02-2011, 04:35 PM

My admiration goes to those pioneers such as Charles Darwin, Richard Hutton, Galileo Galilei, etc. etc. etc.

People who did not have the benefit of a great wealth of accredited scientific research in their chosen field, and yet were able to make such great strides in the development of human knowledge.

Regards,
Mike.

Seal Morning · #6 (**permalink**) 22-02-2011, 04:37 PM

Mike Tomkies because he lived the dream.

tiggerbabe · #7 (**permalink**) 22-02-2011, 04:46 PM

I guess it is a bit cliched, but David Attenborough can do no wrong in my eyes - if there was ever someone who's "livin the dream" its him!

What a career he's had, and think of everything he's seen, everywhere he's been, his head must be fit to bursting with all the stuff he's learned over the years!

Definately someone to try to live up to.

Also, my Dad. He's been in conservation for over 40 years and I'm still trying to break into it as its much more competetive now that in his early days!

nightshade · #8 (**permalink**) 22-02-2011, 04:57 PM

Chris Packham -Smooth, informative about UK wildlife
Heather Angel -My original wildlife photographer
Attenborough -world wildlife, superb but only a front man

Meta menardi · #9 (**permalink**) 22-02-2011, 05:01 PM

Gilbert White has a lot to answer for, he must have inspired many, many people. Henri Fabre was an amazing observer and had such an enquiring mind and such good logic.