Natural World Special: Attenborough’s Ark, BBC Two, Friday 9th November, 9pm
David Attenborough chooses the 10 endangered animals from around the world that he’d most like to save from extinction. Tigers and pandas hit the headlines but for David it’s the unusual ones that interest him. In Attenborough’s Ark, David explains why these animals are so important, and highlights the ingenious work of biologists across the world who are helping to keep them alive.
“There are a lot of animals today that face the same fate as the dodo. I’ve been asked to take 10 species I would take me with me on my own personal ark. I could chose those that grab the headlines – the majestic tiger, the spectacular polar bear, the beautiful snow leopard or the magnificent mountain gorilla. They are all animals that I wouldn’t want to lose. But there are many other extraordinary creatures out there not in the limelight. These few give a glimpse of the outstanding diversity of nature.” - Sir David Attenborough
Sir David's Top 10 (in no particular order)
1. Darwin’s frog, “a very remarkable frog because the male gives birth to its young. It does so out of its mouth. He takes the eggs into his vocal sack where they develop into baby frogs. The layer of ash from the volcano is drying out and killing the vegetation that the frog relies upon. It is pushing Darwin’s frog to the edge of extinction.”
2. The second representative of the amphibians is the olm “One of the ultimate specialists. In Croatia, it was once believed these olms were baby dragons. It certainly is an odd looking creature. It has very tiny legs and an extremely elongated body, but perhaps the most interesting thing about it is that it lives for up to 100 years.”
3. The biggest animal on the list is the Sumatran rhino - the most threatened species of rhino. David tells the story of the first-ever Sumatran rhino to be born in captivity in Asia, giving hope to the rest of the species.
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| Wikimedia Commons: Willem v Strien |
4. In Jersey, David introduces his favourite monkey - the mischievous black lion tamarin of Brazil - which is being bred successfully at Durrell Wildlife Park.
5. David’s other unusual 'passengers' include the solenodon - one of the few mammals to have a venomous bite, but in the Dominican Republic this isn't enough to protect them from introduced cats and dogs. “Solenodons are unique. If we lost these little creatures, we would not see anything else quite like them on earth.”
6. The northern quoll– a mouse-like nocturnal marsupial native to australia but at risk from the invasive toxic cane toads.
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7. The marvellous spatuletail - a rare hummingbird from the foothills of the Andes in Peru. The males use their extremely long tail feathers to perform a flamboyant courtship display. Watch the clip from the series 'Life' here
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8. The Sunda pangolin, an animal similar to anteaters but covered in large hard scales made of keratin. They are associated with magic and are heavily hunted for use in black market medicine. "It is one of the most endearing animals I have ever met,” “Huge numbers of them are illegally exported, mainly to China. In the last 15 years, over half of the population of sunda pangolins have disappeared.”
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8. The Sunda pangolin, an animal similar to anteaters but covered in large hard scales made of keratin. They are associated with magic and are heavily hunted for use in black market medicine. "It is one of the most endearing animals I have ever met,” “Huge numbers of them are illegally exported, mainly to China. In the last 15 years, over half of the population of sunda pangolins have disappeared.”
9. Sir David also choose a brightly coloured butterfly from New Guinea, Priam’s birdwing - the largest on Earth, for its “exquisite beauty” and because it “lifts the heart”.
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10. Last but not least, its a creature that lives at depths of more than 3,000 feet and builds its body out of silica - a sponge romantically named the Venus flower basket. “This complex glass structure is a marvel of design. What is remarkable is that the sponge grows its glass structures and does not need a red hot furnace that human glass makers use. For me, these are some of the most beautiful and some of the most remarkable living organisms.”
