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Animals lives are not Soap Operas
In a paper published in People and Nature the authors argue that the portrayal of charismatic animals in nature films, while entertaining, risks the propagation of misconceptions about nature and conservation. They illustrate the point by analysing the popular BBC Natural History series Dynasties.
Nature documentaries open up the natural world to a global audience, allowing people to see spectacular wildlife without leaving their homes. These documentaries are entertaining, and can also inform viewers about the biology and conservation of the species that appear.
A common theme, especially recently, is the portrayal of animals and their behaviour as though they have similar minds, motivations and personalities as people. This is called anthropomorphism. False jeopardy, where perfectly normal situations in animals lives are presented as though they are unusual and far more dangerous than they really are, is commonly used to create suspense.
This research was led by Keith Somerville, and co-authored by WildCRU’s Amy Dickman and Paul Johnson and collaborator Adam Hart.
, , , . Soap operas will not wash for wildlife. People Nat. 2021; 00: 1– 6. https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10202
