Tony Deyal | The wise words of Sir David Attenborough

It is true that I read, used, and borrowed the wise words of Dr.David Attenborough. Fortunately, he didn’t mind. After all, when I checked a few days ago as he was heading into his 100th birthday on May 8, he was looking extremely good, bright and recognised as a world-renowned broadcaster, natural historian, author and environmentalist. 

In fact, even now, he has what we see as a “gentle humour and wit”. Most of us love his commentaries with dry wit, or light-hearted engaging observations, instead of laughing loudly as a comic. For instance, here are some from my early years when at 25 I was reading everything I could get my hands on. I remembered and always enjoyed comments by Sir David in the early days. But now, with so many of his supporters joining, waiting, remembering and following on his 100th birthday, here are some more over the years.

Let’s start with his, Funny & Witty Quotes:

“I’ve been bitten by a python. Not a very big one. I was being silly, saying: ‘Oh it’s not poisonous …’ Then, wallop!”

“It’s a terrible thing to appear on television - because people think you actually know what you’re talking about!”

“I’m not over-fond of animals. I am merely astounded by them.”

“I would give my right arm - well, maybe my left - for a giant squid filmed in the depths of the ocean.”

“Anyone who believes in indefinite growth on a physically finite planet is either mad or an economist.”

And, to end up, “I’m very surprised I’m still employed.” 

What all of us know is that his work, time, and days and nights, help others. Now, this week, Dr David Attenborough is on his 100th birthday. Moreover, he has 32 honorary degrees, including doctorates in science and philosophy from British universities, and numerous accolades, including multiple BAFTA awards and the British Order of Merit.  In looking back at his work, he has many including, ‘Australia’s Gift To Attenborough’; ‘Our Favourite Sir David Attenborough Moments’ by BBC Earth Science; ‘Inside the wild life of broadcasting legend Sir David Attenborough’; ‘100 Iconic Moments Narrated by Sir David Attenborough’, by BBC Earth; ‘David Attenborough - 100 birthday and tributes (2) 8 May, 2026’; ‘Sir David Attenborough Celebrates His 100th Birthday’, by 10 News; a ‘60 Minutes Archive’; and, to end the things to buy if you want to have it to pass on to your children, or to share with other readers, there is now, ‘Our Favourite Sir David Attenborough Moments’, by BBC Earth Science. 

In considering two of his areas from the early days, the Natural World and the Sustainability & Wildlife, here are some more by Sir David.  First, the Natural World:

“No one will protect what they don’t care about, and no one will care about what they have never experienced.”

“Nature is our biggest ally and greatest inspiration.”

“It seems to me that the natural world is the greatest source of excitement: the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest.”

And he also added, “I wish the world was twice as big - and half of it was still unexplored.”

Then, with the Sustainability & Wildlife, we know,

“The best motto to think about is not to waste things. Don’t waste electricity; don’t waste paper; don’t waste food.” 

“The question is, are we happy to suppose that our grandchild may never be able to see an elephant except in a picture book?”

Because of all his work and comments, many of us ensure that we have some of Sir David’s “specials” for us:

Everyone likes birds. What wild creature is more accessible to our eyes and ears, as close to us and everyone in the world, as universal as a bird?

We are a plague on the earth.

We are not overpopulated in an absolute sense: we’ve got the technology to 10 billion, probably 15 billion people, to live on this planet and live good lives. What we haven’t done is developed our technology.

Then there is a ‘Brain Quote’: “All our environmental problems become easier to solve with fewer people and harder-  and ultimately impossible to solve - with ever more people.”

This goes on to people, “All our environmental problems become easier to solve with fewer people and harder - and ultimately impossible - to solve with ever more people.

However, the ability, skill and sharing are really very useful by Sir David:

To suggest that God specifically created a worm to torture small African children is blasphemy as far as I can see. The Archbishop of Canterbury doesn’t believe that.

Instead, Sir David wanted, “People must feel that the natural world is important and valuable and beautiful and wonderful and an amazement and a pleasure.

Sir David also made it clear, “The only way to save a rhinoceros is to save the environment in which it lives, because there’s a mutual dependency between it and millions of other species of both animals and plants.”

Then he added for all of us to know, “I don’t run a car, have never run a car. I could say that this is because I have this extremely tender environmentalist conscience, but the fact is I hate driving.” 

Yet, or perhaps, with his quotes, concerns and not using a car, Sir David Attenborough is acclaimed as “the greatest ambassador for life on earth”. For all of us, he is a master storyteller and passionate advocate for nature, his seven-decade career has connected global audiences to ecosystems through groundbreaking documentaries. Among the best of the “premier ambassadors” are Voice of the Planet, which Dr. David used his unique storytelling to turn wildlife programming from niche education into essential, global viewing, fostering a deep sense of responsibility for the planet; trusted advocate bridging the gap between nature and human understanding.; lifetime of conservation; unmatched legacy; and ‘Global Impact’ in series like Life on Earth to care for the environment, to inspire hope for the future.  

Among the many who commented on Dr David’s 100th Birthday was naturalist Chris Packham who said, “He (Dr David) is the greatest living broadcaster and has been the greatest ambassador for life on Earth the planet has, and will ever see. And, equally importantly, he’s a nice bloke, an enthusiast, a passionate naturalist and a clever and considered communicator.” Then he added that Sir David was “a man whose passion and enthusiasm for life, and an infectious desire to communicate that to us all, has grown to command a global audience and enrapture young and old alike”.  In response to a young generation who hoped to continue when Sir David was not around, the ‘Wise Words of Sir David Attenborough’ shared his view, “In my lifetime, I have had a terrible decline. In yours, you could and should witness a wonderful recovery.” 

Tony Deyal borrowed a comment by Sir David Attenborough, “You know, it is a terrible thing to appear on television, because people think that you actually know what you’re talking about.” Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com