Sir David Attenborough, the man who changed the perspective on the planet, turns 100 years old

Sir David Attenborough, the British naturalist considered a “national treasure” in the United Kingdom and who was for decades the world's most authoritative voice on nature issues and whose documentaries were watched by hundreds of millions of people, will turn 100 on Friday, Reuters, The Standard and RNZ write on Tuesday.

After more than 70 years of documentary filmmaking, Attenborough's instantly recognizable voice is synonymous with the nature story.

He is still at the forefront of environmental efforts and has produced some of his most impactful projects in recent years.

Among his admirers are the royal family of Great Britain, Barack Obama or the pop star Billie Eilish. Attenborough's charisma, humor and warmth, along with his depth of knowledge and talent for storytelling, made him a superstar of the television world.

“Your ability to communicate the beauty and vulnerability of our natural environment remains unmatched” – summed up Queen Elizabeth's achievements in 2019.

Attenborough's documentaries have brought the beauty and tragedies of the natural world into the homes of people around the world.

Standout scenes include his encounter with two playful young mountain gorillas who climbed on top of him during his iconic 1979 series Life on Earth.

He also made his audience marvel at the teamwork of a group of orcas hunting a seal by producing waves to break through the ice floes on which it had taken refuge.

“National Treasure”

His 2012 telling of the story of “Lonely George,” the last surviving turtle on Pinta Island, moved people to tears.

“He's about 80 years old and his joints are starting to creak a bit, as are mine,” Attenborough, 86, said at the time.

George's death, two weeks after he was filmed, marked the extinction of his species. George “focused the world's attention on the fragility of our environment,” Attenborough said at the time.

Although Attenborough has topped numerous national popularity polls, being named the country's most admired man and Britain's greatest living cultural figure, his friends say he rolls his eyes at being labeled a “national treasure”.

“He sees himself as a kind of public servant. He feels he has had the unique opportunity to be the voice of nature, to tell everyone about the wonders of nature,” Mike Gunton, a television producer who has worked with Attenborough many times, told Reuters.

As climate change accelerated and the threat to much of the world became more urgent, Attenborough devoted much of the 1990s to raising public awareness.

Blockbuster “Blue Planet 2”

His 2017 blockbuster Blue Planet 2, which highlighted the scourge of ocean plastic pollution, achieved some of the highest ratings on British television before being sold to broadcasters around the world.

Albatrosses unknowingly feeding their chicks plastic caught in the ocean has rocked public opinion and prompted the British government and major retailers to announce measures to reduce the use of plastics.

“I think every person who saw something Sir David did was inspired to care about nature,” said Doug Gurr, director of London's Natural History Museum.

The iconic documentaries

In the UK, Attenborough's centenary is being marked with a week of BBC specials, a live concert at the Royal Albert Hall, museum events, nature walks and tree planting.

Shows include his new series 'Secret Garden'.

At 99, he remains heavily involved in programme-making, BBC colleagues say, driven by his persistent curiosity and joy of storytelling. “This is typical David. He makes everything really enjoyable,” said Mike Salisbury, who has worked as a producer on several David Attenborough documentaries.

Born on 8 May 1926, Attenborough spent his childhood collecting fossils, insects and dried seahorses.

His BBC career began in 1954 when he presented 'Zoo Quest', the show which sent him on journeys to the far corners of the world, from where he returned with animals for London Zoo.

By the 1970s, he had become a program controller at the television station, but decided he wanted to return to making nature documentaries.

Broadcast in 1979, when he was 52, “Life on Earth” made him a household name. He wrote the entire 13-hour script and traveled the world for three years to tell the story of evolution from simple organisms to humans.

Dozens of documentaries followed, including “Blue Planet,” “Frozen Planet” and “Dynasties.” As the decades passed, his sense of the need for action grew greater and greater.

“How could I look my grandchildren in the eye and tell them that I knew what was happening to the world and did nothing?” asked David Attenborough, summing up the motivation behind his prestigious career as a nature communicator.