From May 8, a new documentary featuring everyone’s favorite naturalist premieres, in which he reflects on the fact that his life is drawing to a close. This is not the first time the legend has reminded us of his mortality—many of his recent works frequently emphasize that it is not too late to set things right, even if he will not be there to see the results. According to him, the key to saving the Earth lies “not on land, but in the sea.”
The new film Ocean with David Attenborough, hitting cinemas this week, takes us on “a breathtaking journey that reveals nowhere else is as full of life, wonder, and surprise as the ocean—its preservation is clearly essential.”
“When I first saw the sea as a young boy, I thought of it as a vast wilderness to be tamed and conquered for the benefit of humanity,” says the biologist and natural historian. In the new documentary—released just as Attenborough celebrates his 99th birthday on May 9—he speaks about how his life “coincided with the great era of ocean exploration,” and shares why he believes a healthy ocean can “keep our entire planet stable and thriving,” calling the ocean “the most important place” and its restoration a top priority in saving Earth.
“If we save the sea, we save our world. After a lifetime spent filming our planet, I am certain there is no greater cause. The ocean can recover faster than we ever imagined.”
There may be no one who has inspired more people than Sir David Attenborough, who brought the natural world into our homes. Thanks to his unwavering passion for discovery, innovation, and education, his influence is greater than we often realize. Born on May 8, 1926, Attenborough studied at Clare College, Cambridge, and began working as a BBC trainee in 1952, where he oversaw Europe’s first color broadcasts. For the past 70 years, we have known him as the voice of nature programming, with award-winning works such as Life on Earth, The Private Life of Plants, and The Blue Planet. More than 40 animal and plant species have been named after him; he has explored uncharted territories and met some of the most remote inhabitants of our planet.