For University of Otago zoologist and ancient ecologist Associate Prof Nic Rawlence, that hero is Sir David Attenborough.
And today, Assoc Prof Rawlence will be at Tūhura Otago Museum, celebrating Sir David’s 100th birthday with other fans from across the city.
‘‘I grew up watching David Attenborough’s nature documentaries every Sunday night on TV with my parents.
‘‘He was a huge inspiration for a kid who was curious about natural history.
‘‘And the first documentary of his — which I actually remember watching — was his seminal paleontology one, Lost Worlds, Vanished Lives, and that has inspired everything I do.
‘‘I still have a very tired, worn-out old copy on a VHS tape, and I’ve now got a very treasured DVD version.’’
Assoc Prof Rawlence said Sir David had inspired all of the research he does, and he had even called his blog Lost Worlds, Vanished Lives.
‘‘And I now watch David Attenborough’s documentaries with my kids — not on my VHS tapes — on my DVDs.’’
He said he would be taking his 9 and 12-year-old children to the museum’s birthday celebration for Sir David today.
‘‘They absolutely love David Attenborough.’’
‘‘I think it’s being curious, being a kid at heart, getting out into the world and seeing how nature operates, but also his passion to conserve it.’’
The centrepiece of the celebrations will be David Attenborough’s Natural History Museum Alive — a visually stunning 360-degree planetarium experience, where Sir David gets locked in the Natural History Museum after hours, and the exhibits come to life, including a towering New Zealand moa, alongside predators like a sabre-toothed tiger and other prehistoric giants.
The show will run between 10am and 3pm.
The museum will also celebrate all things Attenborough, with a packed programme of activities designed for all ages, including a lively David Disco, animal storytelling sessions, scavenger hunts and crafts.
There will also be a range of interactive experiences, including ‘‘Pin the Party Hat on the Giant Moa’’, a themed photobooth, wildlife bingo featuring animal calls, and a best dressed Attenborough impersonation contest.
Museum events manager Rachel MacJeff said the celebration was a fitting tribute to one of the most influential figures in natural history.
‘‘Bringing this new planetarium experience to Dunedin, alongside a full day of celebration, feels like the perfect way to mark his 100th birthday and share that inspiration with our community.’’
