Look out! It’s the flesh-eating beetle larvae!
This week’s bravery award goes to the camera people involved in the “Omnivores” episode of The Life of Mammals. First there were the grizzly bears. Big, hungry grizzly bears. I feared for the cameraman on that one, not to mention David Attenborough. I was on the edge of the sofa shouting, “Look behind you - there’s a big hungry bear!” David’s such a pro that he carried on with his effortless, unruffled delivery while, barely 50m behind him, half-starved bears galloped about after salmon. I wouldn’t fancy my chances of out-running one if it decided I was coveting its fish.
Then there was the bat cave. Paul Stewart (the cameraman) must have really picked the short straw for that particular assignment. I can imagine the scene: they draw lots. “Yay! Platypus in Australia!”. “Woohoo! African savanna!”. Then Paul picks his assignment. “Oh bugger.” The others are all laughing and chanting, “Paul’s got the bat cave, Paul’s got the bat cave…”
