TV Natural History Documentaries?

[Peter_Naylor]

Hello all, i am in my third year now at university and I'm in the process of writing my dissertation. It is all about the Natural History Documentary and the way society is becoming more and more attracted to them. Why is this? What is it we love or maybe not love about them? Do they cause inspiration or are they just seen as insights from the world around us?
If you have the time it would be really appreciated if you could try and answer some of these questions from your personal experiences.

Thanks Again
Pete

[Stomperone]

My personal view point is that stuck with the decision to watch eastenders,a repeat of eastenders, corri, another repeat of eastenders, emmerdale, a catch up of eastenders, xfactor, a repeat of xfactor, football, behind the scenes xfactor,a repeat of the eastenders catch up,extra factor, and "I'm at the bottom of my career get me out of here" or watching a natural history/geology program then it has to be natural history/geology. I watch them to escape .. To learn about the world around me and to learn about the wildlife that for so long I have taken for granted.. Each time I watch a program,even it is about the same species I find I learn just a little more.

[Peter_Naylor]

thats brilliant i think you may of summed it up!

[agrumpycow]

I agree with the comments made by Stomperone.
I think society as a whole is getting more and more interested in the world around us as documentaries (and the web) provide everyone with information and experiences many people wouldn't normally have access to. The advances in technology allowing some things to be filmed that haven't been seen before, The Blue Planet comes to mind, also intrigues people.

[Mike B]

Sitting in a hide recently, I heard the WWT and Autumnwatch take a bashing.
Bill Oddie for his egotism and WWT for feeding the reserves.
The latter may not be immediately obvious but by feeding, wildfowl are drawn from the surrounding area, thus lakes and reservoirs are denuded of their natural heritage forcing those who wish to see this type of natural history to pay to visit a reserve.

[The Black Rabbit]

Stomperone makes a very valid, but amusing point.
I think (hope) people are tiring of tv programs about the police, or any one of a dozen or so detectives, or hospitals. Can't they think of anything new?!

I think (hope) as a population these days, we are realising that the environment is of utmost importance to us, especially in a state of flux, as it seems to be, now.

One can watch NH documentaries these days, and see creatures on our television sets at home, that we've never seen before, and in all probability, never will, and this continues.

Technological advances in the sector mean that these images are closer, more detailed, and shot in unique ways, never thought possible, even a few years ago.
Even if one isn't particularly interested in the subject, a program like, for example, "The Blue Planet" can take one's breath away, purely for the photographic skills and imagery. That certainly is the case more and more.
HD TV will probably only help that current trend.

Animals are shot in their natural environment more and more, meaning natural behaviour more often than not - all that is improving constantly also - take Autumn/Spring watch for example - unobtrusive cameras everywhere!

Doug

[mh68]

Originally Posted by The Black Rabbit

Stomperone makes a very valid, but amusing point.
I think (hope) people are tiring of tv programs about the police, or any one of a dozen or so detectives, or hospitals. Can't they think of anything new?!

I think (hope) as a population these days, we are realising that the environment is of utmost importance to us, especially in a state of flux, as it seems to be, now.

One can watch NH documentaries these days, and see creatures on our television sets at home, that we've never seen before, and in all probability, never will, and this continues.

Technological advances in the sector mean that these images are closer, more detailed, and shot in unique ways, never thought possible, even a few years ago.
Even if one isn't particularly interested in the subject, a program like, for example, "The Blue Planet" can take one's breath away, purely for the photographic skills and imagery. That certainly is the case more and more.
HD TV will probably only help that current trend.

Animals are shot in their natural environment more and more, meaning natural behaviour more often than not - all that is improving constantly also - take Autumn/Spring watch for example - unobtrusive cameras everywhere!

Doug

I think youve hit the nail on the head Doug - the much more watchable NH programmes these days draw viewers who dont necessarily have the same level of interest as we do on here.The quality (and content) of the filmwork has come on in leaps and bounds.

Mark H

[PMG]

Originally Posted by Mike B

Sitting in a hide recently, I heard the WWT and Autumnwatch take a bashing.
Bill Oddie for his egotism and WWT for feeding the reserves.
The latter may not be immediately obvious but by feeding, wildfowl are drawn from the surrounding area, thus lakes and reservoirs are denuded of their natural heritage forcing those who wish to see this type of natural history to pay to visit a reserve.

That maybe so but there are not that many lakes and reservoirs that contain enough food to support large numbers of geese, swans and wildfowl which use WWT reserves. The birds could then be forced to find somewhere else to winter, which might see them going to Ireland or continuing to the warmer continent, thus next to none wintering in Britain. The ones that remain on smaller lakes, flashes, small park lakes, farming fields etc would then be without protection and open to being shot, catapulted and any number of other cruel acts that happen when outside of protected areas.

People who object to these reserve on the grounds of paying to get in are missing the point. In the North West there are only two Martin Mere and Caerlaverock. In between there are dozens of places and reserves supporting and protecting these types of birds for free - Pennington Flash, Wigan Flashes, Mere Sands, Ribble Marshes, Abram Flashes, the Cheshire Meres, Hodbarrow and so on where birds have a degree of protection and some natural food - so no-one is forced to pay entry to the Wildfowl Trust Reserves just to see birds. Birders learn the skills of visiting likely places and finding their 'own' birds to watch. For people who become interested from programmes like Autumnwatch, which is aimed at getting non-birders outside to find out that they too can enjoy wildlife, then a visit to a WWT reserve is a logical step in the learning process. Some folk may never get beyond a nicely dressed visit in good shoes on tarmac paths around the hides to see the whoopers, followed by lunch in the cafe - if they have enjoyed it their way then that's all that needs saying. Their money is protecting the birds and those of us dressed in camo (and I'm one!) who like to ferret out our own birds and sneak around the open countryside filled with knowledge and fieldcraft and a big camera, might have nothing to photgraph if it were not for these WWT reserves keeping birds in the general area.

Pauline

[smartie]

I, too, agree with Doug. But I wonder if we are the best people to answer the question of why society in general is becoming more interested. We're all interested in wildlife already, or we wouldn't be here. I can see that there is more of a general interest in the environment these days, and that the BBC in particular is trying to get people off their couches and into the outdoors. I guess we all hope the interest in the environment is leading people to do more than just watch the programmes, and that the nature programmes are getting them out of doors with their own binoculars. But I can't help being reminded of how many people avidly watch TV cookery programmes without ever cooking any fresh food themselves...

[Peter_Naylor]

Thanks everybody these are great, keep them coming, rant away!