David Attenborough: His greatest TV moments

Sir David Attenborough is a national treasure.

The broadcaster is a British institution whose work has fundamentally changed the way the public sees and understands the natural world and the beauty of the wildlife all around us.

Attenborough, 97, has worked in television for over 70 years and has become an integral part of the industry, so much so that his dulcet tones have become synonymous with nature documentaries.

Read more: Sir David Attenborough to be given second knighthood

He has worked on countless documentaries and is best known for his work with the BBC, where he began his career in the 1950s, but the biologist has also gone on to present nature programmes for Netflix too, such as the series Our Planet.

In celebration of his work, we are taking a look back at Attenborough's career and some of his best moments on TV over the years.

David Attenborough's best TV moments

Life on Earth, 1979: A connection with gorillas

In his BBC series Life on Earth, Attenborough had an amusing moment amongst a group of gorillas in which he became accepted by them, with one gorilla even lying on top of him.

The moment saw Attenborough showcase the power of narration, as he spoke softly to give viewers a much better understanding of the animals whilst in such close proximity with them.

In the documentary, there is also a funny moment in which his shoes are being removed by baby gorillas as he tries to explain to viewers about the evolution of the animals' opposable thumbs.

Looking back at the experience years later, Attenborough said of the expedition: "That was certainly one of the most unforgettable moments of my career."

A Blank on the Map, 1971: Encountering a lost tribe

Never let it be said that Attenborough isn't bold because he once encountered a tribe of cannibals who were brandishing knives and spears not with fear but with a smile, a handshake and the very British greeting of "good afternoon".

He later recounted this was the key to getting them to accept him, and in an interview with Michael Parkinson on his chat show in 1975 he said: "About 70 or 80 men suddenly jumped out of hiding and ran down towards us brandishing spears and waving knives, and to say I was alarmed was to put it mildly."

Attenborough said that he only knows what occurred because his cameraman at the time had the presence of mind to film even as his own mind went blank, and he told Parkinson: "What actually happened is i walked towards this screaming hoard of men, stuck out my hand and said 'good afternoon'. It's true."

Frozen Planet, 2011: Penguins who turn to a life of crime

In his iconic BBC documentary series Frozen Planet, Attenborough narrated a particularly memorable moment showing a penguin stealing rocks to build its nest to attract a mate.

Amusingly, Attenborough says how "some penguins turn to a life of crime" as he narrated scenes of one penguin sneaking around to grab rocks from a nearby penguin for its own nest.

A Perfect Planet, 2021: His plea to save Earth

In his 2021 documentary A Perfect Planet, Attenborough ended the programme with an impassioned plea to the public to save the Earth following the impact of climate change.

He said: "Right now we have the capacity and knowledge to stop the damage we’re doing. But what we don’t have is time.

Read more: Sir David Attenborough may not film abroad again as he dreads flying

"My inspiration and hope for the future lies with the next generation. But we all have a responsibility to reduce our carbon footprints, harness the forces of nature for our energy and protect the natural world.

"The survival of humanity and our fellow creatures on earth depends upon it."

The Queen's Green Planet, 2018: A royal meeting

In ITV documentary The Queen's Green Planet, Attenborough met with the late Queen Elizabeth II to walk around the grounds of Buckingham Palace and discuss the history of the trees planted there.

Africa, 2013: Getting close-up to a baby rhino

Attenborough has had many adorable encounters with animals over the years but none have been quite as sweet as the moment in BBC series Africa where he tried to speak with a blind baby rhino.

Read more: David Attenborough’s ‘Our Planet’ leaves fans traumatised

The animal walked into the crew's camera shot as they were getting ready to finish filming, and the presenter got on his hands and knees to communicate with the rhino who was letting out high-pitched squeaks, which Attenborough returned in kind.

The Life of Mammals, 2002: Greeting a sloth

Another sweet moment in Attenborough's career saw him say boo to a sloth whilst filming Life of Mammals, the broadcaster was demonstrating how he didn't need to worry about sneaking up on it so he jumps up and said "boo" right to its face.

The Life of Birds, 1998: Knocked over by a bird

In one surprising moment, Attenborough was speaking about a Capercaillie Bird: a huge grouse that can grow up to the size of a turkey.

Visiting Scotland to film the bird, Attenborough was seen as an intruder by one of the birds who attacked him and even knocked him over whilst filming took place, but the presenter wasn't phased by it and actually found the whole encounter rather funny.

The Life of Birds, 1998: The Lyre bird

One extraordinary moment from Attenborough's career sees him encounter a Lyre bird from Southern Australia, which can mimic any sound it hears with stunning accuracy.

In a rather shocking turn of events, the Lyre bird's birdsong sounded like a camera, a car alarm and a chainsaw in different moments as it attempted to attract a mate.