123669
123669

Attenborough and the Giant Egg

2011-03-02
8.6
en 60m
DocumentaryTV Movie
David Attenborough returns to the island of Madagascar on a very personal quest. In 1960 he visited the island to film one of his first ever wildlife series, Zoo Quest. Whilst he was there, he acquired a giant egg. It was the egg of an extinct bird known as the 'elephant bird' - the largest bird that ever lived. It has been one of his most treasured possessions ever since. Fifty years older, he now returns to the island to find out more about this amazing creature and to see how the island has changed. Could the elephant bird's fate provide lessons that may help protect Madagascar's remaining wildlife? Using Zoo Quest archive and specially shot location footage, this film follows David as he revisits scenes from his youth and meets people at the front line of wildlife protection. On his return, scientists at Oxford University are able to reveal for the first time how old David's egg actually is - and what that might tell us about the legendary elephant bird.

Director

Sally Thomson

Producer

Sally Thomson

Executive Producer

Michael Gunton

Director of Photography

Ian Salvage

Editor

Pip Heywood

Production Manager

Linda Dale

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Status

Released

Countries

  • United Kingdom

Companies

  • BBC