‘It’s very dangerous!’ the national treasure warned (Picture: BBC Studios)
Sir David Attenborough has issued a warning to children who take a keen interest in palaeontology to make sure that they’re being as safe as possible during their exploits.
Throughout his career spanning more than seven decades, Sir David has inspired people across the nation and the world to take a deeper interest in the nature that surrounds us, in both plant life and animal life.
His life’s work will have undoubtedly prompted many others to try to follow in his footsteps, and his latest BBC show – Attenborough and the Giant Sea Monster – might do so yet again.
However, if he does end up spurring kids on to pick up a hammer to try and unearth some fossils, then the 97-year-old would urge that they do so with caution.
Speaking in an interview ahead of the programme airing on New Year’s Day, Sir David emphasised the impact that it could have on viewers, as the film delves into the discovery of a skull of a ‘monster of the sea’, which he describes as ‘one of the biggest predators the world has ever seen.
The national treasure was asked if he reckons the ‘ground-breaking information given in the programme’ could ‘inspire future scientists and researchers interested in palaeontology’.
Sir David will explore the pliosaur in his new film, also known as a giant sea monster (Picture: BBC Studios)
The natural historian answered: ‘I think there are still going to be little 10 year olds and 12 year olds going around on bicycles hitting rocks with hammers!
‘Put on glasses – it’s very dangerous! I mustn’t encourage children, they must wear eye protection!
‘But kids that are being born today will still find that romantic, and not only kids…’
Executive producer Mike Gunton chimed in to add that he quite liked the idea of becoming a palaeontologist himself, as he reckons it ‘must be fascinating’.
Asking whether Sir David would also fancy the ambition, he replied: ‘Well I thought I was going to be a palaeontologist at one stage, but I was thwarted.’
‘Never too late!’ Mike added.
The skull of the pliosaur was restored by fossil expert Chris Moore (Picture: BBC Studios)
Looking back on his childhood, Sir David remembered the fascination he’s always had in trying to find fossils in rocks, ever since he was a young boy growing up in Leicestershire.
‘It’s easy to do when you’re eight years old. It’s that little romance which I never lost,’ he shared.
‘I used to go at weekends. The thing is in Leicestershire was that they had Ironstone workings, which were eventually worked out so there were these empty quarries. You could get on your bicycle and ride for 15 miles or so and get lost in this great expanse of rock.
‘All these boulders that nobody had ever hit! You’d think, “Surely the next one! If I hit that one I’ll find something nobody has seen before!”’
Attenborough and the Giant Sea Monster will air at 8pm on New Year’s Day on BBC One and iPlayer.
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‘It’s very dangerous!’ the national treasure warned.