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Sir David Attenborough was kept away from fledgling chicks while filming his new series after an infectious disease expert warned a case of bird flu could prove fatal for the 96-year-old.
As part of his first ever wildlife series in the British Isles, Sir David appears on location in a variety of locations, getting up close and personal with the plants and animals of our country.
One segment called for him to be present as Manx shearwater chicks on Skomer Island, off the coast of Pembrokeshire in Wales, first leave their underground burrows and flee on a 6,000-mile migration.
Producers hoped for ‘TV gold’ – as the chicks would ‘almost certainly’ climb onto Sir David’s arm and take off from his head.
But executive producer Alastair Fothergill made the decision to scrap the plan when reports emerged of avian flu on the neighboring island of Grassholm two weeks before filming.
Sir David Attenborough shows what we have on our own doorstep – and it’s Britain like you’ve never seen it before
The five-part series kicks off Sunday with the first episode, Our Precious Isles, featuring killer whales, bald eagles and even the humble dormouse.
The virus, which infects wild bird populations around the world, may also affect endangered species. Sporadic human infections have also been recorded.
“I have an old friend who is an expert on infectious diseases and I called him up to get his opinion,” Mr Forthergill told the Radio Times.
“He said, ‘Well, bird flu is actually really hard to catch, but if he gets it, he’s going to die.’
The team decided to keep Sir David away from the chicks and instead used two infrared cameras to capture the moment – one facing Sir David and the other on a boulder a few meters away, where they hoped the chicks would to fly.
The plan was successful, creating one of Sir David’s ‘classic moments’.
The five-part series kicks off Sunday with the first episode, Our Precious Isles, featuring killer whales, bald eagles and even the humble dormouse.
In Shetland, off the coast of Scotland, a film crew has captured Britain’s largest marine predator, the killer whale, and developed new hunting strategies to catch seals.
The animals have learned to be quiet when they approach the seals so as not to frighten them, and even to turn on their side so that their dorsal fins do not protrude from the water and betray the game.
White-tailed eagles, which have a wingspan of two meters and are the largest bird of prey in Britain, are also caught on cameras hunting geese – a feat that required more than 70 days of filming.
Britain’s rich plant life is also celebrated in the series.
In the first episode, viewers are taken to Bristol where they are treated to a close-up of ‘gentlemen and ladies’ plant pollination.
This plant heats up and gives off a fetid smell that is irresistible to flies, luring them into the flower.
The fly lands on a slippery leaf and slides down, getting stuck. The plant holds it hostage before showing the fly with pollen and then letting it escape.
White-tailed eagles, which have a wingspan of two meters and are the largest bird of prey in Britain, are also caught on camera hunting geese – a feat that took over 70 days of filming
The first episode takes viewers to Bristol where they are treated to a close-up look at ‘lords and ladies’ plant pollination
The series, with the tagline ‘Our home – like you’ve never seen it before’, was filmed over three years and features Sir David on camera in every episode.
The series, with the tagline ‘Our home – like you’ve never seen it before’, was filmed over three years and features Sir David on camera in every episode.
He said, “In my long life I have been fortunate enough to travel to almost every part of the world and witness some of the most beautiful and dramatic sights.
“But I can assure you that the wildlife on these islands, if you know where to look, can be as dramatic and spectacular as anything I’ve seen elsewhere.
‘The British Isles are important for nature worldwide. In this series, we show why and celebrate the wonders of these islands we call home.”
Mr Fothergill said he hopes viewers will be ‘genuinely surprised’ by the richness of our natural history.
“At the same time, I hope they will see how fragile and precious it is,” he said.
“We have one of the most diverse geologies in the world. Our temperatures range from subtropical in the far south to arctic conditions at the top of the Cairngorms in Scotland.
“Our coastline is more than 22,000 miles long and we benefit from the warming effect of the Gulf Stream. Our position on the globe is perfect for summer visitors from the south and winter visitors from the north.
‘All these factors combine to create one of the richest natural histories in Europe.’
After the first episode, subsequent programs will look at life in the forests, fresh water, grasslands and the sea.
Episode One: Our Precious Isles airs on BBC One and iPlayer on Sunday, March 12 at 7pm.
Episode One: Our Precious Isles airs Sunday March 12 at 7pm on BBC One and iPlayer
In Shetland, off the coast of Scotland, a film crew has captured Britain’s largest marine predator, the killer whale, and developed new hunting strategies to catch seals