Whale Sharks

Last week on the BBC started two new natural history programmes. Something to keep me indoors, well if it was not for the I player then yes. But last Tuesday I was out checking on the Badger setts. So when I got back after having a bath, I was busy trying to cook and listen to, and watch when I could, last weeks episode of Natural World. As I don't have a video recorder, I will be watching latter this week via the computer.

This weeks programme, again I was only just back in, so was cooking while trying to watch. The TV is in another room. This week it was on the Whale Shark and there was one scene that really brought a lump to my throat. But I will come to that latter.

In this programme a scientist, Mark, was trying to tag some of the Sharks with satellite tags so that data could be collected regarding their movements so that we know just how to conserve them. Near the start of the programme he said that as the largest are not seen these days that is a classic sign of over fishing. Now it just defies logic that with everyone saying that we are over fishing why governments don't take actions to stop this beats me. Conserving fish stocks now is the only way that there will be a fishing industry in the future. However, I don't want to make this posting about the desperate state of our seas. I am working on a posting that I will be making latter once I have done the research.

The moment that brought a lump to my throat was when the scientist took his five year old son with him to swim with a Whale Shark. Now even though this was just a small shark at six meters, it was an awesome sight. But what struck me was if only every child, every parent could just do something like that, how much better our world would be.

The other programme was called Oceans. I watched with fascination this and I may well be making postings inspired by this series. I still need to inwardly digest some of the amazing scenes in this first programme. The second is tomorrow (today by time this posting is on line), and I am putting up the do not disturb sign.

While I do apologise to my American reader that you can not share these programmes. But I guess they will be shown over there at some time. However, I am jealous of you Americans, as via I tunes I get a preview podcast of Nature that is shown on your Public Broadcasting Service. This week it was about Bald Eagles. Well the photography in the preview was really stunning. It was so good that I had to watch it again straight away. Now we don't get those shows over here, so while we share our good stuff, you don't send your great stuff over here.