Congratulations to wildlife champion, naturalist and broadcaster, Sir David Attenborough, on the occasion of his ninetieth birthday. He has been synonymous with the very best of wildlife program making for over 60 years. Perhaps best known for the BBC’s Life Collection, he has been involved with over 100 wildlife related programs over a career spanning almost 7 decades.

He is still actively involved in program creation and narration and is involved with the BBC’s Planet Earth II, announced in February this year. When asked about retirement, he said:

“If I was earning my money by hewing coal I would be very glad indeed to stop. But I’m not. I’m swanning round the world looking at the most fabulously interesting things. Such good fortune.”

He is an outspoken advocate of the planet’s wild places and things:

“The question is, are we happy to suppose that our grandchildren may never be able to see an elephant except in a picture book?”

He sees that his role as a filmmaker is to show people these things so that they will value and hence care enough to seek their protection:

“People must feel that the natural world is important and valuable and beautiful and wonderful and an amazement and a pleasure.”

The Wetpixel community wishes him many more happy years exploring and creating. He says:

“An understanding of the natural world and what’s in it is a source of not only a great curiosity but great fulfillment.”

In which case, he must be an extraordinarily fulfilled person.