The recent Iolo Williams series on BBC1 Wales 'Not in My Nature'(http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southwest/nature/features/pages/not_in_my_nature.shtml) allegedly attempted to get 'natural history rookies' to appreciate 'Welsh' wildlife. Even allowing for 'playing to the camera' (as people attempted to become 'personalities?), the results were sometimes disappointing. Some participants resolutely refused to be enthused, in spite of being 'presented' with unchallenging situations to view animals including reptiles, Red kite, Puffins, waterbirds, the contents of rock pools etc. Two points. Perhaps enthusing too many people would add to the pressures on some wildlife locations? As the series emphasized the short attention spans/ inabilities to keep quiet of some folk (plus a general ignorance of animals), perhaps Nature doesn't need them? I do think that it is important to increase the general understanding of nature because, otherwise, people will not support conservation attempts. The whole issue, however, seems to me a bit more complex than providing opportunities to see 'pretty' or 'interesting' animals.
2 comments:
I have had some complaints about the episode that showed a hedgehog being passed around some noisy individuals and then another being released in daylight. This does nothing to educate people how to behave around wild animals and also that hedgehogs are nocturnal. Why do television programmes constantly avoid this basic fact about hedgehog behaviour and miss out an opportunity to increase the public’s general understanding of hedgehogs? Because it doesn’t make for easy filming and all they want are fluffy images to sell programmes.
Hedgehogs are now listed as a species of conservation concern and a simple fact that might help save a few is that a hedgehog out during the day is usually in trouble.
Point well-taken. Disturbance is a major problem for many animals and birds (just wlking around a location can have long-lasting effects for some species). The issues seen in extremis with the rise of 'trophy tourism' where people pay to go to more and more exotic locations to see 'untouched' environments.
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