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Planet Earth Live....new series May 2012 (1 Viewer)

Just watched this on i-player. The presenters were much better than I expected though this isn't my sort of programme in the first place. Suggestions for animals to feature - how about a whole series about Jasper National Park and the animals therein.

Rich
 
Someone just asked why the lion and her cub were exiled from the pride. It's a question I was thinking last night too - I'm aware of male lions getting kicked out of prides, but it's not something I'm aware of with female lions.

Unfortunately, it's the kind of question that isn't likely to be answered in this series, the two main presenters probably wouldn't even to think to ask it!
 
And why does everything have to be in mortal danger all the time? Is jeopardy the only way of engaging the viewing public? Is simple wonder no longer enough? Some interesting stuff, badly presented and embedded in a large amount of drivel. I'll maybe watch a bit more, but I'll probably regret it.

James
 
Someone just asked why the lion and her cub were exiled from the pride. It's a question I was thinking last night too - I'm aware of male lions getting kicked out of prides, but it's not something I'm aware of with female lions.

Unfortunately, it's the kind of question that isn't likely to be answered in this series, the two main presenters probably wouldn't even to think to ask it!

It has been shown before on Big Cat Diary. I think unauthorised breeding was the trigger (this has also caused exile in Meerkats).

Re the subject matter one of the reasons I picked Wolverine is that its a fairly big animal found right across the Holarctic, has a formidable reputation and thanks to Marvel Comics has a familiar name.

There must be nine or ten other candidates across the world, surely? I like the idea of Sloths, I reckon South America might have a rich vein, with Tapirs, Giant Anteaters, Maned Wolves....

There was a series that sent celebrities to look at threatened animals, as well - how about more on Ethiopian Wolves?

The other reason I suggested this idea was that I get fed up with pure carping without any suggestions to put in place of the stuff we don't like. Constructive suggestions might just get picked up by a passing researcher.

John

Over to you again.
 
You really can't get much better than Steve Backshall and the Deadly 60. Aimed well and truly at youngsters, but a brilliant program with a good presenter (not just 'eye candy' for the ladies!)I watch it with my 5yr old and it's great for both of us.
 
Re the subject matter one of the reasons I picked Wolverine is that its a fairly big animal found right across the Holarctic, has a formidable reputation and thanks to Marvel Comics has a familiar name.

Too difficult and unreliable?

There must be nine or ten other candidates across the world, surely? I like the idea of Sloths, I reckon South America might have a rich vein, with Tapirs, Giant Anteaters, Maned Wolves....

Too tricky in the jungle, and climate/terrain.

There was a series that sent celebrities to look at threatened animals, as well - how about more on Ethiopian Wolves?

Probably too dangerous in East Africa right now?

Everything they're filming is basically all set-up in wide-open terrain and probably long-term study animals, so it's easy, visible and reliable. The same reason birder flocks to wetlands rather than woodlands - you can see more, more easily.
 
After all the hype I thought this episode was dire. To increase the interest they should have fed Hammond to the lions.

+1 The bloke is shall we say out of his depth, very annoying, especially when he apologizes for anything he is about to say. The BBC seems to think he is flavour of the month, which from my point of view is not.
 
I really couldn't see the point of this programme being "Live" from a tent in the rainy season and in the dark!

Given the BBC advertising, I thought it was disappointing.

That's a good point really theres live baffalo what the orange dots in the background it would be better if it was daylight. not too sure on this show but still watch it.
 
I really couldn't see the point of this programme being "Live" from a tent in the rainy season and in the dark!

Given the BBC advertising, I thought it was disappointing.

That's a good point really theres live baffalo what the orange dots in the background it would be better if it was daylight. not too sure on this show but still watch it.

I was disappointed to see Richard Hammond as presenter I think he is clearly out of his depth, not even sure his links are "live" he was out in the rain at the start jacket wet then walks in the tent dry !, the actual content is interesting but surely could have been linked without a huge entourage camped literally in darkest Africa !!
 
I think you'll find this series is aimed at the general viewing public and is the BBC's attempt to highlight certain wildlife issues around the world to it, which would otherwise perhaps be of interest only to seasoned wildlife followers like most on this forum, hence the choice of presenters. They seem very popular with the corporation at the moment, though the less said about Hammond the better. I personally dislike him and the programmes he happens to front, but I'll leave it at that. Miss Bradbury is ok, but she looks lost not being able to stride around energetically pointing this and that out to all and sundry who will perhaps listen to her.
It's all a bit hit and miss really and much of the content has been done to death before, much of it far better than is being dished out at present.

Si.
 
All I can say is: bring back Gordon Buchanan...

And what Hammond brings to the table can be written on the back of his tiny squirrelly hand...

i dont think richard hammond can do wildlife

To increase the interest they should have fed Hammond to the lions.

+1 The bloke is shall we say out of his depth, very annoying, especially when he apologizes for anything he is about to say. The BBC seems to think he is flavour of the month, which from my point of view is not.

I'm liking the Hammond negativity. How can a bloke go from being pro-car and everything pro-carbon to presenting a wildlife programme?

I couldn't watch beyond the first 2 minutes of the first programme. Shame.
 
Flicked this on earlier. Absolute rubbish, I felt like I was watching the dog whisperer or similar animal planet type show. Some footage was decent, but it has been done before, and better. It was crimewatch with animals- danger! Warning! When lions attack! Learnt nothing after 5 minutes so it went off. The BBC do some great stuff, but not this. Try the unnatural histories series on BBC4 for anyone else similarly disillusioned.
Cheers,
Jim.
 
Like Arthur Dent with the Vogon poetry, I have to say tonight that "Actually, I quite liked it."

Hammond had relaxed, the fair Julia, who can share my photgrapher-hogged bench in a hide any time she likes, managed to say cute only once and apart from the inappropriate health warning on the Orca attack sequence, was informative and entertaining.

I was interested to see that the lioness was in fact the exile from the marsh price: obviously solitary life is not short and brutal for all female as well as nomadic male lions, just as being in a stable pride is not an automatic ticket to breeding success.

Was the cameraman with the infant Meerkat unprofessional by interacting? No, probably not: probably he was just guaranteeing more natural behaviour right in front of his lens by habituation.

I'd still rather see some less familiar animals but come on, you lot,have a beer and lighten up.

Have you ever seen anything like the Humpback intervention? No you haven't. Nor have I. Amazing. Well done BBC.

John
 
Have you ever seen anything like the Humpback intervention? No you haven't. Nor have I. Amazing. Well done BBC.

John

I'm not sure that I have now. I saw some splashing, and what looked like a couple of stray wheelie bins bobbing about in the water, and then someone constructed a whole narrative for it. But did I see it? Not really. And their interpretation may have been wrong. Rather than 'intervention', it reminded me of mobbing behaviour in birds and other mammals. 'Intervention' would be one hell of a finding, showing true altruistic, inter-species behaviour. I'm not sure the evidence was good enough for that conclusion.

Imagine seeing a Woodpigeon 'intervening' in a Sparrowhawk attack on a Blackbird, not to drive away the Sparrowhawk for their own benefit, but to benefit or 'save' the Blackbird. Sounds a bit far-fetched...
 
I'm not sure that I have now. I saw some splashing, and what looked like a couple of stray wheelie bins bobbing about in the water, and then someone constructed a whole narrative for it. But did I see it? Not really. And their interpretation may have been wrong. Rather than 'intervention', it reminded me of mobbing behaviour in birds and other mammals. 'Intervention' would be one hell of a finding, showing true altruistic, inter-species behaviour. I'm not sure the evidence was good enough for that conclusion.

Imagine seeing a Woodpigeon 'intervening' in a Sparrowhawk attack on a Blackbird, not to drive away the Sparrowhawk for their own benefit, but to benefit or 'save' the Blackbird. Sounds a bit far-fetched...

Yes it would, but then we are talking about animals that may be as smart and social as us, whereas woodies are never going to show on animal Mastermind.

Simple mobbing is not what was described, and I think intervention is an acceptable description unless you wish to impugn the integrity of the film team.

As for the narrative, I think you have it the wrong way round: with only a few bits of viable footage, all they can do is tell us about what was played out in front of the astonishing machinery that is human eyes.

At least we are now arguing about the content and not the presenters!

John
 
Yes it would, but then we are talking about animals that may be as smart and social as us, whereas woodies are never going to show on animal Mastermind.

Simple mobbing is not what was described, and I think intervention is an acceptable description unless you wish to impugn the integrity of the film team.

As for the narrative, I think you have it the wrong way round: with only a few bits of viable footage, all they can do is tell us about what was played out in front of the astonishing machinery that is human eyes.

At least we are now arguing about the content and not the presenters!

John

I am being cynical of the narrative they have applied to the film (and science is a cynic). I still think mobbing is a more straightforward answer, and therefore invoke Occam's Razor. I don't think altrustic intervention has ever been recorded for anything, so mobbing would be the correct interpretation at this point, unless you have interview testimony from the Humpbacks regarding their intent? (seeing as we're wagging fingers!).

As you have a disdain for the mentality of woodies, how about this: a Carrion Crow approaches danger to intervene in a Raven attacking a Magpie and its fledgling, with the intention of intervening for the Magpie's sake, not the Crow's (so it is selfless in trying to help the Magpie, rather than selfish in trying to drive away the dangerous Raven from the vicinity of the Crows themselves).

All of those species are arguably more intelligent than the whales, and it still sounds far-fetched.

When a group of birds surround a Sparrowhawk as it tucks into a screaming Starling making a commotion, they're not there for the Starling's sake. I saw nothing in the film that suggests the Humpbacks were doing anything different.
 
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