To hate it when the film crew don't intervene in wildlife documentaries?

[Sparklingbrook]

DH just flicked onto a David Attenborough thing. The turtle was wedged between some rocks and couldn't get free.
He has now changed channel saying he can't watch any more.

I know they can't and shouldn't intervene probably. But still.

[Gunznroses]

It's a documentary about 'wildlife', how animals etc survive in their own natural habitat. If they start to intervene it's no longer wildlife is it? Would you expect the crew to intervene when a predator is stalking its prey too, perhaps to save its life? Wouldn't make sense anymore would it.

[Sparklingbrook]

I know, Gunz, but a quick poke with a stick and Mr Turtle would be on his way. Nobody was killing anything. I just felt sorry for it.

[SalopianGirl]

The turtle was fine, the tide came in lifting her up freeing her from the rocks so she could swim free!

[IAmAPaleontologist]

Don't worry, the turtle got free!

Me and the dcs were practically hiding behind cushions.

But I do agree with Gunz, it is a documentary, they can't go rushing in. Plus they are often a VERY long way away and hidden so as not to disturb the animals.

[Sparklingbrook]

Phew. Thanks, what a relief. I was hoping the tide would come in. But it was horrible to watch. Swim free Mrs Turtle.

I can never watch any of the ones where something is about to get hacked down and eaten alive.

[TalcAndTurnips]

I feel the same when watching an episode of BritCops featuring some sorry flailing attempt at a fight between two inebriates in the gutter outside a night club.

How the camera crew resist the temptation to put the boot in to 'spice' things up a bit, I shall never know. They could always tape over it later.

Ooh - just thought: Maybe they do.

[StillStayingClassySanDiego]

I was heartbroken seeing an elephant killed by a pack of lions on a David Attenborough show, I turned it off as I felt a bit sick.

I understand that it's nature but still, it was awful, same with some seal being hunted by Killer Whales, just awful.

[Backinthering]

I actually think they should intervene. Not in hunting stuff obviously as that would be doing some other poor creature out of it's dinner, but if an animal is stuck or injured.
After all we have wildlife rescue centers here.

[limitedperiodonly]

You are are very naughty thing talcandturnips

[meglet]

I was a bit worried about the baby monkey being manhandled.

The dc's were laughing at the mummy monkeys nipples . FFS.

[Sparklingbrook]

there's the ones where the massive adult animal has just given birth and is about to accidentally trample all over the baby.

[apotatoprintinapeartree]

Ah, nature can be cruel.
I think the clue is in their job title though tbh.
Maybe the tv company should employ or ask for volunteers who know how to handle the animals they film.
I think its wrong to ask a film crew to get involved, they have their own job to do.

[Pompoko]

But if the turtle had died, it would have fed scavengers who will have traveled to the beach to eat the dead turtles.

[FatAmy]

Yanbu, I was getting so upset watching that and thinking they could have helped her. She was okay in the end though.

[IsChippyMintonExDirectory]

When I saw this title thread I immediately thought of a lion trying to attack a zebra and the film crews stepping in saying "now children be nice or you will not get to see Santa in his Grotto today" which is what I said about 40 times yesterday

[kittykathat]

I sometimes think this when a water bufflo is being stalked by a tiger like why cant they make a noise to alert it but then i think they are trying to show the true concept of wildlife as if humans were not there. It does seem sucky but there is probably a turtle now stuck on a rock and no humans are there.

[ThinkIveBeenHacked]

YABU. They are filming a natural course of events. Intervening would be changing that for what? The purpose of these shows is to demonstrate what actually happens in the wild.

[InfinitySeven]

They aren't allowed to film without agreeing not to intervene.

I watched a polar bear documentary where the mum had three Cubs. She got startled by the film people and came over to look. They retreated, and she walked off with two of her cubs, but left the third behind. She didn't go and get it and it died :( it was heart breaking.

[Stewedcoot]

Actually I sometimes feel uncomfortable watching those wildlife programmes that centre on African game parks where scientists or vets are continually intervening (to move giraffes from one area or another or to inflict some procedure or another on some poor rhino. And one drug or treatment has a side-effect, so they have to administer another and intervene again and so on). The emphasis seems to be far too much on the documentary-makers, vets and gamekeepers rather than on the animals themselves. I know wildlife conservation has to be managed, but on the whole I just think it is better to focus efforts on preserving natural environments and leave the wild animals alone to get on with it!

Balanced with that I guess is the wonderful pictures we all receive in to our sitting rooms that inform and delight etc etc. It's a difficult one.

[AlpacaYourThings]

I watched a polar bear documentary where the mum had three Cubs. She got startled by the film people and came over to look. They retreated, and she walked off with two of her cubs, but left the third behind. She didn't go and get it and it died it was heart breaking.

But that's not nature. It was their fault she left the cub, they should have rescued that one

[pregnantpause]

Wasn't there a famous instance with a penguin in a hole?Where the crew did save it and got in trouble? There was a debate in radio four a few years ago about it.

[Gunznroses]

But OP by them intervening (using a stick to poke it free) we would have missed the part the tide played in freeing the turtle. There is learning in everything that they show. I think wildlife programs should be just as they are. If an animal dies or gets trapped its simply all part of the circle of life in the wild.

[Sparklingbrook]

The turtle thing was almost unwatchable. it was all 'look it's stuck, it may drown' and it just focussed on it being stuck, and it seemed forever.

We get the picture Mr Attenborough. The wildlife was in peril and it's all being caught on film, and it's all so terrible, and worrying, and it might die.

I can imagine what actually happens in the wild i think.

[anonacfr]

I remember the sea documentary (one that went on for a few episodes) opened with a whale calf and his mother being hunted by pack of orcas. Mother tried to save her little one but eventually they managed to kill it.

It was heartbreaking.