- Chris Packham
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Chris Packham 
Chris Packham in July 2007Born 4 May 1961
Southampton,[1] EnglandOccupation Nature photographer, television presenter, author Awards Dilys Breese Medal Website chrispackham.co.uk Christopher George "Chris" Packham (born 4 May 1961) is an English naturalist, nature photographer, television presenter and author. He is the brother of fashion designer, Jenny Packham. He lives in the New Forest with his zookeeper girlfriend Charlotte and 16-year-old stepdaughter Megan.[2]
Contents
Education
Packham was educated at Bitterne Park Secondary School,[3] Taunton's College,[4] and the University of Southampton, where he received a BSc in Zoology.[5] After graduating he cancelled his study towards a PhD to train as a wildlife cameraman.[6]
Life and career
Television
Chris is known for his television appearances, notably in the BAFTA-winning BBC1 children's programme The Really Wild Show[1] and nature photography series Wild Shots on Channel 4, as well as the BBC One series The X Creatures[1] and BBC Two's Hands on Nature and Nature's Calendar. He was until recently the lead presenter on the BBC South region's version of the BBC local television series Inside Out,[1] and also works on BBC South East Inside Out with Kaddy Lee-Preston. In June 2009, he became a presenter on the BBC Two nature programme Springwatch,[7] going on to present the series in 2010 and 2011.
He formed the production company 'Head Over Heels' with producer Stuart Woodman, making wildlife programmes for Discovery Channel, National Geographic, and the BBC.
Wildlife
Packham is President of the Bat Conservation Trust,[8] vice-president of the RSPB, the Wildlife Trusts,[8] and The Brent Lodge Bird & Wildlife Trust [9] and patron of Population Matters (formerly the Optimum Population Trust).
He has had papers on Kestrels published in British Birds.
In 2011, he was awarded the British Trust for Ornithology's Dilys Breese Medal for his "outstanding work in promoting science to new audiences".[10] He said:
I have always been interested in scientific research an understood its importance in underpinning conservation action, not just in this country but around the globe. To receive this award from one of the leading scientific research establishments in the country is a real honour [and] is also very poignant for me. Dilys was instrumental in me getting my first wildlife-presenting job at the BBC. I accept the award for her and citizen scientists everywhere.[10]
Views
In September 2009, during an interview with the UK TV guide Radio Times, Packham suggested that the Giant Panda was too expensive to save, and that it should be left to become extinct so that funds could be redistributed to protecting other, less expensive animals and habitats:
It's time to give up on the cute and cuddly [giant panda] because we just can't afford it and we need to think of a much bigger picture […] Giant pandas cost too much to protect and should be allowed to become extinct.[11]
He made a similarly controversial comment in 2008:
I'd eat the last panda if I could have the money we've spent on panda conservation back on the table for me to do more sensible things with.[11][12]
Packham later added:
I really upturned the apple cart with what I said and I'm sorry I upset people. But I am glad it has raised a debate and that was always my intention. I don't hate pandas, I love cuddly animals. I love all animals.[13]
In December 2009, Packham criticised reality TV show I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! for mistreating animals, accusing them of plugging up spiders' fangs, needlessly killing insects and tying crocodiles' mouths shut.[14]
In 2009 music bloggers noted how Packham was attempting to fit as many references to songs by The Smiths into his Springwatch dialogue.[15] In 2011 Packham emulated this feat, albeit this time referencing songs by the Welsh band Manic Street Preachers.[16]
Bibliography
- The Flying Gourmet's Guide (1985)
- Bird Brain of Britain (1988)
- Chris Packham's Wild Shots, Collins and Brown Publishers, (1993) ISBN 1-85585-200-4
- Chris Packham's Back Garden Nature Reserve New Holland Publishers (2001) (Foreword by David Bellamy) ISBN 1-85974-520-2
- Back Garden Nature Reserve (2003) ISBN 1-85605-846-8
- Chris Packham's Wild Side of Town: Getting to Know the Wildlife in Our Towns and Cities New Holland Publishers, (2003) ISBN 1-84330-355-8
- Nature's Calendar (2007) ISBN 0-00724-646-3
- Chris Packham's Nature Handbook (2010) ISBN 1-40535-526-3
Papers
- Packham, Chris (1985-03). "Role of male Kestrel during incubation". British Birds 78 (3): 144–5.
- Packham, Chris (1985-04). "Bigamy by the Kestrel". British Birds 78 (4): 194–5.
Video
- Go Wild at Windsor Terry Nutkins and Chris Packham 1988.
References
- ^ a b c d "BBC Inside Out - South: Presenter profile". BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/south/presenter/. Retrieved 2007-10-12.
- ^ "Packham: Stop Bleating And Have Fewer Kids". Sky News (London). 2011-04-05. http://news.sky.com/skynews/Article/201104115966259.
- ^ "CWIS PACKHAM RETURNS TO HIS ROOTS". Hampshire Life. Archant Life Ltd. http://hampshire.greatbritishlife.co.uk/article/chris-packham-photographer-presenter-inside-out-13845/. Retrieved 30 March 2010.
- ^ "Past Student - Chris Packham". Tauntons.ac.uk. http://www.tauntons.ac.uk/contentThreeColumn.aspx?contentid=163. Retrieved 2010-06-04.
- ^ "Alumni- Where are they now?". http://www.southampton.ac.uk/biosci/alumni/our_alumni.page. Retrieved 19 Oct 2010.
- ^ "Biog". http://www.chrispackham.co.uk/biog.htm. Retrieved 30 March 2010.
- ^ Tim Scoones (2009-03-18). "Springwatch 2009 - new presenter team announced". BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/springwatch/2009/03/springwatch_2009_new_presenter.html. Retrieved 2009-03-21.
- ^ a b Tim Scoones (2009-03-18). "Springwatch Blog: Springwatch 2009 - new presenter team announced". BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/springwatch/2009/03/springwatch_2009_new_presenter.html. Retrieved 2010-06-04.
- ^ "Brent Lodge Bird and Wildlife Trust". Brentlodge.org. 2010-04-03. http://www.brentlodge.org/?link=2&item=88. Retrieved 2010-06-04.
- ^ a b Pitches, Adrian. "'Science geek' picks up BTO medal". British Birds 104 (1): 52. ISSN 0007-0335.
- ^ a b "Autumnwatch's Chris Packham: 'Let pandas die'", September 22nd, 2009
- ^ "Abandon the Panda. TV expert: Let them Die", Daily Mirror, September 22nd 2009
- ^ "TV Packham says sorry for 'ditch pandas' blast". Mirror.co.uk. 2009-09-23. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/09/23/bear-raid-115875-21693846/. Retrieved 2010-06-04.
- ^ "Chris Packham gets really wild over I'm a Celebrity". The Guardian (London). 2009-12-04. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/mediamonkeyblog/2009/dec/04/itv-television. Retrieved 2010-04-29.
- ^ Pattison, Louis (7 July 2009). "It's Chris Packham on Smiths-watch". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2009/jul/07/chris-packham-smiths. Retrieved 22 June 2011.
- ^ "'Springwatch' presenter Chris Packham pulls off guerrilla Manic Street Preachers propaganda". NME. 22 June 2011. http://www.nme.com/news/manic-street-preachers/57499. Retrieved 22 June 2011.
External links
- Official website
- Chris Packham at the Internet Movie Database
- BBC South presenter profile
- Presenter of Seven Man-made Wonders of the South
- Filming 'Nature's Calendar' at Woolston Eyes - West Midland Bird Club article about filming event with Packham.
- Chris Packham Original Message Board
Categories:- 1961 births
- Living people
- English naturalists
- English television presenters
- People from Southampton
- Alumni of the University of Southampton
- Dilys Breese Medallists
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