Wild Britain (Hugh Bonneville) [DVD]

I learned a lot about wildlife in Britain from this beautiful and magnificent series. For instance, I hadn’t known that rivers in Britain are now cleaner than they’ve been in over 40 years. Or that beavers in Britain, slaughtered to extinction in the 16th century, have been reimported and are once again building wooden dams on streams (which create small ponds of protection for them and many other river creatures). Wolves and reindeer are returning too, as are wildcats, wild boar, eagles and otters (among others). Nor did I know this fact: there are over 280,000 miles of hedgerows in the countryside of Britain whose origins date back to Roman times. Today, as ever, they are sanctuaries for birds, rodents and other small creatures. If you stretched these hedgerows out in a straight line, how far would they go? Try this: 11 times around the earth. I tried to picture this but couldn’t. It blew my mind. I think of Britain as small and its former Empire vast, but the hedgerows of England dwarf both by far.The series is structured very well, the categories logical and interesting. They are:Mountains: Coldest, hardest, most rugged habitats, its inhabitants the toughest and hardiest. Reindeer, grouse, eagles, mountain hares. They can make do with little and make it stretch far.Forests: Before the last Ice Age they covered the whole of Britain, or most of it. Hard to believe but that’s because most of Britain’s landscapes are manmade. Yet some forests remain, mostly replanted. Even so, 1% of the Caledonian Forest in Scotland remains virgin, which is miraculous, almost mystical. Foxes, wolves, wild boar, badgers and goshawks (among others) inhabit these forests, just like in olden times.Coasts: A country surrounded on all sides by coasts. Cliffs, coves, caves, bays, beaches, each of them places and sanctuaries for wildlife, especially shorebirds and species from the ocean and seas.Rivers: As mentioned, cleaner now than they’ve been for a generation, many pesticides now banned and additional species introduced. Personally I feel the state of a country’s rivers indicates the health of that country. If so, Britain is once again headed in the right direction.Water worlds: Scottish lochs, southern swamps in Dorset, and millions of small ponds in back gardens mean at least one thing: birds and insects and many other creatures have a place to live, breed and thrive. Water, like the sun, is life. So where there’s clean and abundant water there’s a chance of continued life. Britain’s island mentality (no place more than 70 miles from any coast) has meant that water has shaped its history, its great Navy no accident. Nowadays it welcomes many visiting birds to its shores.Islands: Hundreds of islands, mostly small and remote, and some not inhabited by humans. Shorebirds, seals, sea lions, turtles are a few other inhabitants. And of course many species of fish.Countryside: Symbol and reality of Britain’s image of green and pleasant land. It’s under pressure, as it seemingly always is, but it’s holding out, and these days with better educated farmers who don’t just farm the land. Instead, they create niches for wildlife on their property — for barn owls, bats, pine marten and many other species. Why do they do it? Because they understand nature and love it. Profit isn’t everything, which is something they could teach the bankers and industrialists.Cities: Foxes live in them, or among them. Deer visit at night. Pigeons and hawks nest in them. Cities have inadvertently created new sanctuaries for some animals who are well equipped and able to adapt. It’s the story of our times, or one of them. Cities may be harder for some people to live in than for other animals.Is the series biased in favour of the positive? Perhaps, as that’s what it has gone looking for. But this isn’t a problem with me, as I want to know about conservation efforts being made and how species are benefitting from them. If I want to know other stories, those that deal with the degradation and destruction (worldwide) of the environment, I can read about them every day online or in print. It’s no secret what humankind is doing to the earth, our only home. No species, however clever, can go on fouling its own nest forever without paying the price for such reckless addiction. Our bill is coming due and will be delivered this century. Since 1970 almost 60% of mammal species are under serious threat of extinction. This has happened on my watch, in my lifetime. I’m ashamed of my failed generation. But that’s another story, some other time of confession and commiseration.The narration in the series is excellent. Although I love David Attenborough (Is there anyone who doesn’t?) it’s refreshing to hear a new voice reporting on nature. That voice belongs to Hugh Bonneville of Downton Abbey fame and it’s a good one because he’s a trained actor, which Sir David obviously isn’t.I can’t remember a British nature series I’ve enjoyed more than this, a delight from start to finish. Most encouraging to me as well is that it shows an environmental ethic in Britain that’s alive and vigorous with many. To me it makes sense that the Extinction Rebellion was born there and that the U.K. government was the first in the world to officially declare that we’re living in a climate crisis and emergency. Symbolic? Perhaps. But symbolism is important too. The Extinction Rebellion knows this too and is behaving maturely, a non-violent protest movement based on ethical principles. They are the future if we are to have one. No change will happen from the industrialists. They are the power bloc in the ruling elite and have no wish to change, even if that means going down with the ship. That’s how crazed they are, modern kamikazes. So the task falls to saner people. Does protest work? My answer is this: Look at Hong Kong. The protesters won, keeping their democracy and freedom of the press. Look at the Gilets jaunes in France (the yellow vests). Macron capitulated. Pyrrhic victories some might say. Not so effective. I’m not so sure. Victories all the same, large or small, and anyway one has to start somewhere — meaning in the streets. That’s where our wildlife, ecosystems and the immense beauty and diversity of the natural world will be saved, not in the boardrooms and corridors of political power. We have seen what they can and will do. Nothing. You have your work cut out for you, and so do I. There is no Planet B, as they say, which ought to be obvious but isn’t for far too many.

Fantastic natural history story narrated by Hugh Bonneville. A real eye opener as to what can still be discovered in Britain. Uplifting... when it all seems to be doom and gloom, concerning what we are losing in the natural world.

Fantastic wildlife programme and the picture quality is first class.I enjoyed watching this series and actually learnt something which is a bonus.It also showed places on my list to visit to get photos of certain wildlife.

Wonderful exploration of the stunning wildlife and wild places of the British isles. With a slightly altered script Hugh Bonneville would be directly in line to take over from Sir David Attenborough as the voice of the wildlife documentary. This is an excellent addition to any collection of nature programmes.

A great bluray of british wildlife fantastic animals great seanery wellnarrated by Hugh Bonneville what more could you asks for 10 stars

Present so I’ve not watched but arrived on time

Very entertaining Blu-Ray Documentary, narration is, in my opinion, badly written but adequately spoken by Huge Bonneville of Downton Abbey fame.David Warr, Gloucestershire.

Great DVD,s exelend quality about British wildlife!