Thursday 27 Nov 2014
Veteran broadcaster David Attenborough shares his favourite TV wildlife moments with the nation in the largest release of natural history video clips from the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s vast archive in a new online site – bbc.co.uk/wildlifefinder.
From Planet Earth's incredible footage of the rare and elusive snow leopard, to tool-using chimps and the moment when a killer whale seizes sea lions from a beach in Trials Of Life, the most iconic and landmark wildlife filming moments are among more than 500 clips from 30 ´óÏó´«Ã½ series now available to view.
The website bbc.co.uk/wildlifefinder is the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s natural history short form video and audio archive.
It enables wildlife fans to browse through three decades of ´óÏó´«Ã½ natural history content and enjoy the natural world, its habitats, its animals and their behaviours when and where they want.
Users can also search by their favourite animals, to find out more about them and the changing world they live in – from great white sharks and birds of paradise to Arctic foxes and the fascinating behaviour of creatures to be found here in the UK.
Plus, it offers up-to-date information about their conservation status, where they live and a range of links to organisations across the wider web to explore the subject even further.
Over time more species, clips and related information will be added.
Introducing the site David, who has filmed many of the most famous natural history moments in TV history, shares his favourite 50 clips.
They include the deadly interaction between chimps and colobus monkeys in Trials Of Life; the courtship display of the male superb bird of paradise in Planet Earth and the spitting cobra in Life In Cold Blood.
David Attenborough says: "I have selected some of my favourite clips. For me they represent not only a walk down memory lane but also a snapshot of the incredible diversity of life on Earth."
George Entwistle, Controller of Knowledge, says: "The ´óÏó´«Ã½ has a vast collection of world-class natural history content which we are now making available to viewers online.
"Through Wildlife Finder, we are able to offer viewers a year round on-demand natural history experience."
With technological advances in filming – state-of-the-art high-speed cameras, which can capture lightning-fast action that just can't be perceived by the human eye and, at the other end of the scale, sophisticated time-lapse which speeds up events – filmmakers are now able to discover and reveal more than ever before about the world's species, their habitats and how they've adapted to life on the planet.
By using the incredibly diverse resource of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Bristol's Natural History Unit's archives the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s new website will eventually host a page for most creatures the ´óÏó´«Ã½ has featured.
These will not only include videos but also recordings of the noises they make and links to further information.
It was commissioned by Lisa Sargood, Multiplatform Commissioning Executive, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Vision.
Simon Nelson, Controller, Multi-Platform & Portfolio, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Vision, says: "Wildlife Finder is a fantastic example of the magic that can happen when the best TV, radio and new media teams come together.
"It's the world's finest natural history content connected together and made discoverable on the web by the cross-media expertise of the ´óÏó´«Ã½."
Attenborough adds: "It has always been my hope that, through filmmaking, I can bring the wonder of the natural world into people's sitting rooms.
"The web has totally changed how we can link information, connect people and reach new audiences in an on-demand world.
"Wildlife programmes have always proved hugely popular and the appetite for discovery has led the ´óÏó´«Ã½ to bring these two worlds together."
As part of the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s commitment to natural history in the multiplatform world, it has also recently launched bbc.co.uk/earthexplorers where natural history fans can enjoy the excitement of wildlife filming on location from their armchairs by following production teams working on future series, such as Frozen Planet; and bbc.co.uk/earth news, providing the latest in breaking wildlife stories.
David Attenborough's full choice of wildlife clips can be viewed on bbc.co.uk/wildlifefinder.
If any of the above material is used www.bbc.co.uk/wildlifefinder must be credited.
Pictures to illustrate David Attenborough's favourite moments will be available from ´óÏó´«Ã½ Picture Publicity – www.bbcpictures.com.
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