Quotes by David Attenborough

The whole of science, and one is tempted to think the whole of the life of any thinking man, is trying to come to terms with the relationship between yourself and the natural world. Why are you here, and how do you fit in, and whats it all about.

I can mention many moments that were unforgettable and revelatory. But the most single revelatory three minutes was the first time I put on scuba gear and dived on a coral reef. Its just the unbelievable fact that you can move in three dimensions.

The process of making natural history films is to try to prevent the animal knowing you are there, so you get glimpses of a non-human world, and that is a transporting thing.

Cameramen are among the most extraordinarily able and competent people I know. They have to have an insight into natural history that gives them a sixth sense of what the creature is going to do, so they can be ready to follow.

Natural history is not about producing fables.

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

I dont like rats, but theres not much else I dont like. The problem with rats is they have no fear of human beings, theyre loaded with foul diseases, they would run the place given half the chance, and Ive had them leap out of a lavatory while Ive been sitting on it.

An understanding of the natural world and whats in it is a source of not only a great curiosity but great fulfillment.

Dealing with global warming doesnt mean we have all got to suddenly stop breathing. Dealing with global warming means that we have to stop waste, and if you travel for no reason whatsoever, that is a waste.

Before the BBC, I joined the Navy in order to travel.

I like animals. I like natural history. The travel bit is not the important bit. The travel bit is what you have to do in order to go and look at animals.

I think a major element of jetlag is psychological. Nobody ever tells me what time it is at home.

It seems to me that the natural world is the greatest source of excitement the greatest source of visual beauty the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living.

Many individuals are doing what they can. But real success can only come if there is a change in our societies and in our economics and in our politics.

We are not overpopulated in an absolute sense; weve got the technology for 10 billion, probably 15 billion people, to live on this planet and live good lives. What we havent done is developed our technology.

I dont run a car, have never run a car. I could say that this is because I have this extremely tender environmentalist conscience, but the fact is I hate driving.

There is no question that climate change is happening the only arguable point is what part humans are playing in it.

All our environmental problems become easier to solve with fewer people and harder - and ultimately impossible to solve - with ever more people.

All we can hope for is that the thing is going to slowly and imperceptibly shift. All I can say is that 50 years ago there were no such thing as environmental policies.

“We only know a tiny proportion about the complexity of the natural world. Wherever you look, there are still things we don’t know about and don’t understand. [...] There are always new things to find out if you go looking for them.”