The Smithsonian Channel will be celebrating Sir David Attenborough’s 90th birthday this spring with a 7 week event titled Wild with Sir David Attenborough. The 7 week special will officially commence on Wednesday, April 6.
Sir David Attenborough, who is considered the world’s leading naturalist, will turn 90 on May 8. Therefore, Smithsonian has chosen to celebrate the distinguished man who has held a career in TV and film for the past 60 years. Attenborough holds almost every award in the TV world including Emmys, British Academy Awards, and a Peabody Award for Individual Life Achievement, which he was awarded with just last year.
The special will consist of 7 1-hour episodes and will begin with a 3 part miniseries called David Attenborough’s Conquest of The Skies, which will premiere Wednesday, April 6th, 13th, and 20th. This first miniseries will chronicle, as the title suggests, flight. Beginning with insects, the first 3 episodes will explore the evolution of flight and the insects, birds, and mammals who have mastered the ability.
While on the subject of flight, the fourth installment of the special will be Flying Monsters with David Attenborough airing Wednesday, April 27th. This hour will examine the flyers from the prehistoric age, the dinosaurs. In this hour, Attenborough, with the help of scientists and engineers, will investigate the incredible tale of pterosaur flight evolution.
The special will conclude with another 3-part miniseries titled Micro Monsters with David Attenborough. This final miniseries will premiere May 4th, 11th, and 18th. To conclude the celebration of his 90th birthday, Attenborough will tell the story of the dominant species on earth, and we don’t mean humans. Insects outnumber mammals and have miraculously survived every cataclysmic event the planet has endured. Therefore, Attenborough will explain the complicated lives of bugs including their rivalries, mating rituals, and intricate societies.
To celebrate the man who has helped educate the world about the wonders surrounding us, a 7-week special honoring his work is certainly fitting.