Nature
(1983)
The first episode of the long-running series Nature, ornithologist, renowned wildlife producer and co-founder of the BBC's Natural History Unit, Tony Soper explores the diverse subjects of Antarctic wildlife and British land management.
Broadcast as a 'magazine' programme, this opening episode examines the antagonism between conservation and agriculture in a friendly format, interviewing the Secretary of State for the Environment, Tom King, and Labour party spokesman on wildlife, Lord Melchett. Offering the general public an insight into environmental issues, the series in Soper's view, "actually mattered" and "changed people's attitudes towards wildlife".
Including impressive footage of Hooker's sea lions in the wild, the programme features an item on their mating season following one colony as fights break out, pups suckle and cows run the gauntlet of aggressive bulls between beach and water.
Intriguing and comprehensive, this first episode laid the foundations for Nature's success and with over four hundred episodes it has now become a recognised and highly respected natural history series, influencing a whole generation on conservation matters.
Tony Soper
